The Awakening

Experimental and Control

Sophie's POV

I spent the whole elevator ride to the 600th floor weighing the pros and cons of my new appearance.

Pros: possibly proof that Poseidon is my father; I actually look how I'm supposed to, for once in my life; they look a bit more like elves's eyes; they're pretty, I guess

Cons: my friends might not recognize me,
or may look at me differently; my look doesn't show my connection to Silveny

"You pull your eyelashes out when you're nervous?" Percy's voice jolted me back to reality, but thankfully I didn't jump or anything that could embarrass me too much.

"Yeah," I muttered, not necessarily in the mood for a demigod therapist.

"I always fiddle with Riptide," he said, pulling his pen out of his pocket and grinning at it.

"You . . . named your pen?" And, just like that, I was back to talking to a crazy person.

All of a sudden, as Percy uncapped Riptide, it transformed into a 3-foot-long shimmering bronze sword. I stumbled back a step, in awe of the magical sword.

He switched the sword back into a pen, and handed it to me.

"Anaklusmos? Greek for Riptide?"

"Yeah, and it seems like you're getting used to already knowing Greek," Percy said, taking back the ballpoint pen and placing it in his pocket.

"Maybe that's why I can't read in the Enlightened Language," I muttered, more to myself, but Percy still heard me. "Are demigods dyslexic?"

"Yup, I have dyslexia and ADHD," he chimed, seeming to be unbothered by the disorders. "It's normal for demigods."

I nodded, still trying to wrap my head on the concept of a whole other world of species. Thankfully, I knew a lot about Greek mythology. And, nothing is really surprising after being told that dinosaurs are still alive, and have neon feathers.

Finally, the elevator and its classical music stopped as the 600th floor was reached. We stepped off and Percy began guiding me to the throne room. I was amazed by all of the architecture and designs that littered the halls of Mount Olympus.

"My girlfriend helped design this place," he stated proudly, noticing my wonder.

"How?" I managed to choke out, gazing in wonder at anything and everything we passed by.

"Daughter of Athena. They're good with crafts and architecture," he stated, and then leaned down to whisper, "But, I think she's the best."

"Aww, you're so in love," I mused, already sounding like his annoying little sister. Biana, what have you done to me?

Just as Percy was about to respond, we turned a corner and heard raised voices. We inched down the hallway lined with columns as quietly as possible, hoping to hear what the argument was about.

"Ah! Percy, Sophie. Welcome!" a deep voice resounded. I could've sworn I saw Percy flinch at the noise, but it was probably just the lighting.

We hurried down the hallway to a large half-circle, lined with thrones in a backward-U shape. In the center of the thrones, was a huge map of the world with clock features, specifically the hands and the Roman numerals.

Three tall men were standing around the map, each looking at Percy and I with different expressions.

The man on the far left had a green Hawaiian shirt with blue details, tan khaki shorts, a green cap, and black flip flops. He had messy jet black hair and sea green eyes just like Percy. His brows were lifted in surprise and there was a warmth in his eyes that seemed full of pride and kindness. Smiling down at me, he tipped his hat and winked. I automatically liked him the most.

In the middle stood a slightly taller man with a navy blue pinstripe suit, a white collared undershirt, and a navy blue tie. His dark hair had blue-gray reflections and cascaded down to his shoulders, tucked behind his ears. Arms crossed, he glanced between Percy and I with a scowl on his face and thick eyebrows creased in annoyance. I decided to move on from him, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.

The last man had sickly pale skin and dark hair that was gelled back. He wore clothing that looked strangely Elvish, his black cloak clouding around him, obscuring his whole figure. The cloak looked like it had been airbrushed with dark shades of purple and green, stretching across the fabric with a mysterious glow. When he locked eyes with me, his thin eyebrows furrowed slightly, his mouth pressed in a thin line, and his eyes grew dark.

I appreciated the gods deciding to wear somewhat normal clothes, but knew that this was definitely not even close to their actual forms. And, I didn't really want to stick around long enough for them to do that.

"I was just about to explain my involvement in Project Moonlark," the dude on the far left announced. I regarded him as the voice that had welcomed Percy and I previously, and shot him a small smile.

However, my knees buckled slightly at the mention of the project name, and I started to shake slightly. The gods didn't know about this dude's involvement in Project Moonlark? I thought they were all-knowing.

"You see, an elf approached me long ago, claiming that he was trying to unite humans and other intelligent species through Project Moonlark. I wouldn't have answered if I didn't foresee an enemy that threatened both of our worlds, but, unfortunately, I did.

"You don't need to know all the details, but I gave him two samples of my DNA: one for the control and the other for the experimental. He got two other samples from Oralie, an Elven Councillor in the Lost Cities. Then, this elf tweaked the experimental's genetics, allowing for a surplus of special abilities needed to help the world someday. He left the other alone, which would be powerful enough on its own, with the power of both a god and elf in its blood.

"The experimental was planted in Emma Foster. And," he began, glancing apologetically at Percy, "the control was planted in Sally Jackson."