Child of Zeus {Interactive Story} (PJO/HOO/TOA)

TWENTY-ONE: Choice Two

I looked at her soccer-ball-sized biceps and her clenched fists, deciding that I didn't want to be crushed by them. I figured I couldn't go wrong with flattering her up before asking for a favour; in the least it would soften her punches, in the most it would get us what we wanted. I started introducing myself.

"Hello, goddess Bia. My name is Y/N Y/L/N, daughter of Zeus. This is Johnny Overwood, my satyr, and this is Diana..." I realized I didn't know her last name, and blushed pink when Bia looked at me quizzically, waiting for me to continue.

"Diana Harvard." The columbian goddess quickly supplied.

"Your last name is Harvard? Like the school?"

Bia cleared her throat.

"This is Diana Harvard, daughter of Athena. My, my, Bia - has anyone told you that you look lovely in that...dress of yours?" I asked sweetly, again thanking my drama teacher, Mrs. Vencenzo, for giving me all I needed to know to convincingly lie.

"My dress?" Bia seemed genuinely confused; as if she'd never heard a complement before.

"Oh, yes." I nodded vigorously. Diana and Johnny were the slightest bit behind me, and I didn't want to chance looking at their faces. I just hoped they caught on.

"I've never seen anything like it. And even if I had, nobody could ever look as ravishing as you."

Her pale face went scarlet. I thought I saw the ghost of a smile trailing across her lips. "You surely cannot mean such things. My arms are too strong to be beautiful."

I feigned surprise. "Too strong to be beautiful?" I questioned. "That's not true! Right, Johnny?"

Johnny bleated, but he understood. "Y-yeah, right. Your strongness makes you more pretty, uh, like you've got the face for a beauty pageant, and the muscles to punch anyone who says otherwise!"

Bia let a smile cross over her lips instead of hiding it, showing razor-sharp fangs that glittered gold. I tried not to yelp, and forced a gaze of awe.

"What a lovely smile you have!" Diana said, adding on. "But looks aren't everything. You're smart, too. You have to be - you bound Prometheus, didn't you?"

Bia looked downright flattered. "You wouldn't care to hear the story, though. Nobody does."

Diana gasped, but I wondered if she truly was interested past the needs of this quest.

"Of course we do! I would be so honoured to hear how you used strength and smarts to get the job done - I heard that you helped make the rope that bound him, too!"

"Not a rope, my dear." Bia beamed. "A chain. I made it with the help of Hephaestus, who made the chains unbreakable by any human force. Until Hercules, who freed Prometheus with permission from Zeus, slaying the eagle...I have no news of anything regarding the matter since Hercules. Perhaps when my story is finished, you could share."

"Of course," we nodded eagerly. "Tell us how you did it, if you'd do us such an honour."

~

So, half an hour later, Bia was still recounting how she used her strength to force Prometheus against the rock, and used the magic chain to bind his arms and legs spread-eagle to the rock.

Diana stopped her a few times and asked her very helpful questions, like:

"Are you the only person capable of restraining him? Can demigods do it, or other deities?"

"Though I hate to admit it," Bia answered, "Yes. Deities certainly, demigods only if they have special powers..." She seemed to lose herself in thought, before returning to and then finishing the story.