Storm Rising

Chapter 1

Olympus, Throne Room of the Gods

Percy's Pov

We did it. The Giants have all been slewn and Gaia is asleep. Best yet, my girlfriend Annabeth and I made it out of Tatarus alive. We're both exhausted from the battle but so happy to be together. Annabeth rested her head on my shoulder and I wrapped my arm around her as the council sits down. Then Zeus begins to speak.

"Gods, Goddess, heroes, and spirits," Zeus begins. Oh great. It going to be eons till Annabeth and I get some peaceful alone time without any monsters or immortals trying to blow us to dust. Radar Alert: Zeus's three hour introduction speech.

"We have been victorious over our enemies," No dip, Sherlock. "The war could not have been won without the courage of the gods and the help of the heroes. We would like to reward those heroes." The room was so quite you could hear a pin drop. Then Athena spoke.

"Annabeth Chase, my daughter," I gave Annabeth's hand a squeeze and she stepped forward and knelt shakily.

"You have done very well, Annabeth. As a reward for being thos smartest child of me in eons, the council has decided that you will make a New Athens in a new part of Camp Halfblood. New Athens will be a greek version of New Rome, where demigods can live in a safety and raise a family. Also you were asked to help rebuild some of New Rome. You will be the goddess of architecture and design, my second in command and lieutenant in times of war, if you wish to be," Athena jumped off her throne and shrunk down to human. She walked over to Annabeth and hugged her. Annabeth was startled but hugged her back.

"I'm sorry for disowning you," Athena whispered.

"It's okay," Annabeth whispered back. I smiled, happy to see Annabeth was okay with her mom again. Even though Athena may not like me, I loved Annabeth and didn't want to see her in anymore pain.

"Jason Grace, my son," Zeus booms. Jason steps forward proudly and bows. "The gods have decided to make you a minor god if you wish for your bravery."

"I would be honored, father. With all due respect, I have a request," Jason said.

Zeus rolls his eyes and mutters, "Last time there was a request, it was that upstart Jackson. Now we have to claim our children and Hera knows when I cheat on her." Hera whacks him over the head with a surprisingly hard peacock feather. Trust me, you don't want to be hit with those. "I will have my champion rewarded," Hera states and nods at Jason to go on.

"If I am to become a god, could Piper Mclean become immortal with me? I don't want to live without her," Jason says. Piper gives him a genuine smile.

Reyna looks on sadly, while Aphrodite sighs happily. "He's so sweet!" Jason blushes a cherry red.

"Yes, Piper may become immortal with you," Zeus said grumpily. I guess he was mad that someone stole his thunder. (ha, get it?) And we now who gets blamed for that.

"Thank you," Jason knelt again and retreated to where Piper was standing. He put his arm around her and she kissed him on the cheek.

"Now that we are on that topic," Zeus started then nodded to Aphrodite.

"My daughter," Aphrodite said smiling. "Since you have gotten a very hot boyfriend and achieved a steady relationship with-"

"Aphrodite!" Athena said, sounding scandalized.

"WHAT? He is very hot!"

"Mom!" Piper exclaimed. "Don't steal my boyfriend!"

Athena whacked Aphrodite on the head with a dictionary. Seriously? What's with the gods and hitting each other with their symbols?

"ATHENA!" Aphrodite screeches. "You just messed up my hair," She whips out a mirror and orders a poor, trembling satyr to hold it for her. She parts her hair with a designer brushes and uses a curling iron to curl it in less than 5 seconds. "All done," She says. "Now, Piper, would you take the high honor of becoming a goddess?"

"I would be pleased to, mother," Piper says, curtsying.

"Frank Zhuang, my son," Ares said changing to his roman form Mars. "You may have one gift."

"I would like to have my curse removed," Frank said.

Mars nodded. "Good choice, kid."

"Hazel Levesque," Hades or Pluto, whatever, the zombie dude, called out. Hazel walked forward trembling with fear of being sent back to the underworld. "Rest assured, my daughter. We are not here to send you back to the underworld but to reward you. What would you like?"

Hazel's shoulders relaxed and she stood up straighter. "I would like to have my curse removed."

"And so it shall be done," Pluto nodded his head.

Hephaestus decided to be snazzy and made a huge Darth Vader out of fire that boomed. "LEO, I AM YOUR FATHER!" Apollo and Hermes started cracking up while Zeus stared on blankly.

"What's going on? Zeus said. Apparently, he doesn't know Star Wars.

"Come on, dad, where have you been the last century?" Apollo said while still snickering.

"Even I know what Star Wars is," Hera said, smirking.

"Yeah, like the Princess Lea is like totally like my daughter. She so beautiful and the way she almost breaks Han Solo's heart, it made me want to cry," Aphrodite says.

"No! She is my daughter! She's too smart to be your daughter!" Athena snaps back. "She thought of all the ways that R2D2 could get help to save her! That's battle strategy right there!"

"Hans Solo is definitely my son. Did you see that machine building and falcon fixing?" Hephaestus said.

"Bah, he's too strong and muscular like me. His rugged handsomeness can't come from you," Ares concluded.

"I feel a haiku coming on," Apollo says, spreading his hands.

"Star wars is discussed,

Phaestus makes a fire dragon,

Dad is so clueless."

"Those lines have nothing in common!" Artemis argues.

The twins of Leto begin to bicker while Athena and Aphrodite are having a screaming match.

"CHILDREN!" Hera yells. When it quiets downs, Hera says, "Hephaestus, go on."

Leo walked forward and air high fived his dad. "You may have one wish, son."

"I wish to be partially immortal and to have a new forge with all mechanic parts, including a new control disk for Festus," Leo says. His father nods and Leo's face breaks into a huge grin.

"Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, daughter of Bellona," Zeus calls out. "What would you like for a gift?'

"I would like for there to be substitute praetors so the current praetors could take breaks. I would recommend Gwendolyn or Dakota, both noble centurions of the fifth," Reyna says. Zeus nods before turning to his brother Hades, who is seated on a black guest throne by the hearth,

"Nico di Angelo, my son," Hades calls out. "You have proven your self as a son of Hades. What is it that you would like?"

"For Bianca di Angelo, my sister, to come back to life," Nico replied. Hades smiled at this and nodded.

"It will be done, my son," Hades says proudly.

"Percy Jackson, my son," Poseidon boomed and the room fell dead silent.