Bloodied Water

•Chapter 12• Empire Café

Percy POV

(Dream)

Now dreams aren't my thing. When you're demigod, you'll understand. I'm mean, when a dark forest with dying trees is all you see, you'd hate it too, and all of those trees are...speaking?

'Runrunhidehiderunescapeonlychanceherher
Escapehiderunhideprotectit'shimhefoundyou
LastchancegirlrunrunmaleswhypainZeus!'

It was all mumbo-jumbo really. I tried to shut out their whispering, that was growing to loud for my taste, but I stopped when the largest tree began to form a humanoid shape from the waist up. It got tall, really tall and eventually formed a very pissed off Zeus. Next to Bark-beard a frightened looking lady appeared. She was very pretty that was for sure. Auburn hair, silver eyes, muscular....oh...that's Artemis.
Where are we?!?!?!
First time?
Ya!!!!!
The Zeus tree then turned toward Arty and aimed one of its branches at her. Said branch was shaped like a lightning bolt. I tried to help I tried! But Bark-beard shot first and it struck Artemis killing her. Zeus laughed, and laughed, and laughed, and laughed until a cage formed around me. All of Camp was pointing at me while laughing, some trying to feed me scraps of food or trying to touch me. One figure did stand out however....mom was standing in that crowd looking at me will teary eyes and pale skin.
"P-Percy?" She whispered
Then, things faded to black.

*************

(Dream end)

I woke up in a sweaty mess which wasn't much for normal sized people, but it was like a flood to me. Also. I was screaming. A large hand then grabbed me by the back of my shirt and brought me out from the dark cave I was in and  put one large finger over my mouth.
"Shhhh! Percy! Your going to draw attention to us!" Artemis scolded.
"Sorry. Nightmare." I sheepishly replied. She scoffed and continued moving. To where she was going, I don't know. What I did know was that she was walking through a the alleyways of New York City. I was a New Yorker after all. "May I ask why are we this close to Olympus? Your not turning me in are you?!" I whisper-yelled.
"Of course not fish head!" Artemis answered. "Just wait and see ok!"
"....ok." I wasn't very sure of her reassurance. She stuffed me back into her pockets as she exited the alleyway into the streets of NYC headed towards the Empire State Building. Shit.

She continued in that direction before taking a hard left into another alleyway and place me down of the ground.
"Stay still." She said and she touched my small forehead which began to grow. No...I was growing. I grew, and grew, and grew until I was normal height again with my clothes on me this time.
"Arty...what's happening?" I asked a little worried.
"Follow me and see." She said. She led me outside the alleyway and down the streets where she began to hold me hand worried she loose me or something. This continued for a while before the brought me into a building called GEMPIRE FACÉ. Dam you dyslexia!
"Empire Café. The dyslexia won't be a problem soon enough." She reassured.

She led me through the door and got us a table near the window. The place was homey. It didn't look cheap either. It had wooden walls with pictures of families and the past all over it. It had nice plants and flowers and calm music played over the rock disguised speakers that were hidden in the garden. A large stone hearth was in the middle with a smallish pond circling that housed colorful coy fish the mingled among each other in their clean and natural-looking habitat. The kitchen doors were not metal but instead wooden and almost looked like it belonged in a nice house.

"Hello! My name is Shetia and I'll be your waitress today! Would you like to start with drinks?" A small girl around 8 asked us. She worn a traditional waitress outfit but had a dress with it. She placed down menus while waiting for our response.
"Yes we would thank you. Can I have some green tea please? And my friend here will take a blue soda." Artemis beat me to a reply and even ordered me something I did enjoy quite a lot.
"Of course niece." She girl confirmed. Wait....niece there's no way a girl this young would have Artemis as a niece! She was eight and Artemis was millennials old. No offense....that hearth is nice though. And the name Shetia is a little strange. Again no offense.

While thinking about her name, I unknowingly looked at her name tag. Dyslexia handled the rest as the worlds rearranged themselves into an all to familiar name.
"H-Hestia?" I asked.
"Took you long enough." Artemis grumbled.
"Yes, it is me brave hero, and I am pleased that you have stopped by at my café." She said happily. "Your presence is hidden here, for you are in a place quite sacred to me."
"This table?" Artemis facepalmed at my question while Hestia simply chuckled.
"No Perseus, this café is my own sanctuary among mortals who were worthy to enter." She corrected.
"Worthy?" I asked.
"Yes. Worthy. Those who are evil, selfish, and unkind to those around them will find this place repulsing and continue on their walk while those who are the opposite will be drawn here like moths to a lamp." She answered. "I love being around mortals that act like this. They are such great company and are great for the mood of your mind. It's like my throne became a building."
"But, you have a throne." I said finding the comparison strange.
"Not anymore young hero. Zeus has taken away me and Hades's thrones by 'popular' vote of the council. I am back to my throne-less state now." She sadly said with her head down.
"How could they!!!" I yelled outraged, drawing worried glances from other customers. "They swore by the Styx to restore your thrones!"
"It seems the Styx had not struck. Zeus was never punished when they were removed." She said with her head still down.
"Here are the drinks ma'am! Along with the blue pancakes and the deer special!" A chef had walked out of the kitchen holding 2 large trays with a smile of equal size (not literally of course).
"Thank you Rishi for your kindness." Hestia praised said chef.
"No problem ma'am!" He tilted his hat after setting down our trays and left.
"He is such a kind mortal." Hestia added. "Here, enjoy." Hestia placed down our drinks and left to greet other customers.

I was about to eat when an audible bending sound was heard from Artemis's direction. She had bent her butter knife sideways and her face was red with rage.
"They dare?! After all aunt Hestia has done?!" She whisper-yelled fortunately. She then proceeded to drink all of her tea in one gulp which seemed to have calmed her a LOT since she now had a relaxed face. Hestia's food magic I guess. Following her lead, I drank from my soda which was surprisingly very fizzy.

When I looked down to check if the soda was bubbling or something, the menu that was left of the table was in Perfect English. Now that I think about it...everything around me wasn't mumbled anymore. The dyslexia was gone!
"Told you the dyslexia won't be a problem." Artemis smiled at me.

Soooo sorry that took so long I'm very lazy!!!! New chapter hope you liked it!