The Hesperides' Adoration (Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Chapter Eight

Rick Riordan owns PJO/HOO. So, that way you guys aren't cliffhanger crazy, I am going to go ahead and post this! Here you are my lovely readers!

Chapter Eight: Questions Versus Answers

Point of View: Third Person

"But you didn't tell us everything the immortal campers did to you!" A young Aphrodite camper exclaims.

"It is not for your ears, child. It doesn't matter. If you want those details, get the immortal campers to finally admit what they fell. I sense despair, guilt, grief, and sorrow heavy in the air around them. I am sure, now that they are faced with the man who they committed their crimes against, that they would just love to give you the answers. I will not be responsible for ruining your innocent mind." Percy tells her.

The immortal campers all turn nervous as everybody turns to them.

"Who were the people that remained your friends?" A teen male asks.

"Will Solace, Jake Mason, and Travis and Connor Stoll. I have no idea what happened to them after I let Artemis take care of them." Percy shrugs.

"They are immortals that visit every once in a while!" A camper from the Hephaestus cabin stands and tells Percy.

"That is wonderful." Percy smiles.

"So, you really are Percy?" A little girl asks shyly.

"No, I am not. But I am not Katharos either. I am both. Perseus resurrected and melded with Katharos." He replies.

"Oh. Why?" She presses.

"Because as Perseus Jackson, my life had come to an end. To save you all and to give you a chance at winning this war, Perseus Jackson needed to be alive. But so did Katharos." Percy explains and she nods in understanding.

"Why didn't you ever leave the garden?" Zeus asks.

"It is my home and my resting place. I love my job and I will continue on in my line of work after this war is over." Percy answers.

"Why keep it from us?" Athena steams.

"One, it was fun to annoy you. Two, you wouldn't ever leave me alone. Three, I didn't really care. And four, I was just too tired with all of you to deal with all the commotion." Percy lists off as if he is bored. "Besides, I am here now. What is the difference?"

Athena huffs. "Brat."

"Arrogant fool." Percy spits.

Silence falls upon the arena and Athena turns to glare at Percy. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Percy says calmly.

"How dare you!" Athena screeches.

"Just like your daughter, no wonder most of your kids think they are better and smarter than everyone else. Pride is what gets others killed." Percy looks her dead in the eyes.

She makes a sound like she's hurt and offended. "Look what loyalty got you and your friends."

Percy shrugs. "But at least I had the dignity to admit I got them killed. At least loyalty is righteous and just, unlike prideful people who never learn their lesson."

"You dare to call my children stupid?" Athena challenges.

"I never said that. I just told you they aren't smarter than everyone. I know of several young demigods just by looking at them that they can outsmart any one of your children because both pride and lust for perfection gets in their way. Not to mention the urge to please their Olympian mother. Hades, I could outsmart any of them." Percy rolls his eyes and some of the gods gasp.

Athena turns red and then scoffs. "Children of Poseidon are morons, you can't even do simple math."

"On the contrary, I was smarter than I let you see before I died. You weren't wise enough to see past the Mist. I made a deal as a child with Lady Hecate. I follow under her wing, she keeps you all in the dark and my mother safe from monsters. Didn't want Zeus killing me back then." Percy laughs and holds out his hand. Fire rages to life and then calms to a twinkling light.

Athena's eyes widen and she hisses. "That traitor witch!" She screeches.

"Actually, she's saved all of your hides more times than I can count." Percy says easily. "Hiding all that power and intelligence is very hard."

"What are you suggesting?" Athena growls.

He leans on his sword, that is all of a sudden out and everybody does a double take. "You don't know me." He tells her evenly and his sword is sheathed again, even though nobody blinked.

"Ever think to ask me about my past? I warned Artemis when she was hunting me in the woods. Not even the girl I trusted most in that life knew who I was before, my greatest secrets. Oh, you have no clue just how much I have experienced." Percy chuckles.

"But your loyalty would have-" Athena starts.

Percy interrupts her. "Ah, ah, ah." He scolds her. "You don't know a thing about my loyalty. My loyalty to others and their loyalty to me are entirely different and separate matters altogether. Anyone can accept my loyalty very easily, but for me to accept yours...takes so long. I didn't fully trust her all that much and thank Olympus that I didn't. An inkling I learned to follow, that feeling in your gut, told me to wait and see until I absolutely knew for sure, good thing, or I would have died on the spot from my fatal flaw. Almost instant incineration and my body a pile of ashes, my soul sinking into the Underworld with Thanatos."

"Let's see if you are more clever than me, since you insult my children so much." Athena demands.

Percy shrugs. "I'm game."

"Shall we place a bet?" Athena smirks.

"Like I said, I am up for whatever you have in mind." Percy just waits patiently, annoying the goddess.

She huffs angrily. "If I win, you obey every command I give, no matter what and you swear on the Styx to do so."

Percy nods without worry, surprising her greatly at his confidence. "And if I win?"

"What do you want?" Athena asks.

"I want Arachne's curse lifted and her children turned into their human forms, with all her honor and her children's honor acknowledged, her former beauty restored, and she gets to keep her goddess powers and domains." Percy tells her.

Athena freezes. "What?"

Percy smirks. "Oh, you know. Just summon her and all her children here, without any harm or cage, explain what happened and why, apologize, and reverse the curse, letting her keep all her powers and still be the beautiful young woman she once was, instead of the twisted monster you made her so unjustly."

Apollo starts laughing and Athena glares at him. "Why that term? Why not something for yourself?"

Percy chuckles. "Don't you get it?" He shakes with laughter. "I am hitting you in your pride, it is already grinding your gears. Oh, I hope she doesn't destroy the camp or kill off any of your children. However will we survive without them?" He bellows with laughter. "Please, Apollo's and Ares's children can do battle plans. So can any other child. Who cares who your parent is? If you are smart, then you are smart. You don't have to have Athenian brains to be intelligent."

"Ugh!" She screams.

"Oh my, did I upset the little girl?" Percy cackles.

"Keep your mouth shut!" Athena yells.

"Why should I do that?" Percy asks and smiles innocently. "It's not like I am hurting anyone's feelings."

Athena is so enraged she cannot do anything but simmer and try not to turn into her godly form.

"So, what is this grand challenge you speak of, almighty Athena?" He rolls his eyes before mockingly bowing at her and then straightens.

What do you think? Good idea? Here you are my lovely readers!