The Descendants of Olympus: Titian's Child

I Meet A Boy Who Speaks Hellhound

     AJ and I walked for a few more weeks until we got to Nashville, Tennessee. AJ seemed more excited than I was to be here. I wanted to go and pay respects to Athena in at the Parthenon, but AJ wanted to go to the Grand Old Opry. Made sense since he wanted to become a country singer, so I convinced him that we pay our respects at to Athena at the Parthenon and then go to the Grand Old Opry. 

     We walked around for a while taking in the sights as we headed to the Parthenon. AJ seemed more interested in the street talent than the sights. So I had to drag him half way until he stopped. 

     "Come on sis, our dad would appreciate all these artists," he declared, "I bet if he was here, he would say that they all had talent. Though he would then have a sing-off with them and then it would get messy. So maybe it is best to not have dad here." He finished his speech, and I let him go since he seemed less interested in the street talent. I would say that they were great, if I had a taste in music. I love classical and anime music, but when it comes to whatever AJ listens to, he blasts it on high volume just to annoy me. AJ got the music side of our dad while I got his artistic side. I love drawing nature or anything for that matter, and I would rather read a book than do competitive games with my brothers and sisters.  Other campers sometimes wonder why I am an Apollo kid and not a Demeter. I never really asked why, but Apollo did tell me that I am his and that I am just a bit different than my brother and sisters. Not all Apollo kids become singers, some become artists, painters, poets, doctors, or actors. Well, I know that my older brother Will is now a doctor in Pennsylvania or something with his fiance Nico who is an enforcer for a prison. I haven't heard from them in years, but they both knew my mom long back when. Yet that is another story for another time. 

     After a good hour of walking, we made it to the Parthenon. Walking through the building was a dream of mine. I had wanted to come here one day, and now here I was. We walked into the main area and looked up at Athena's statue. Her statue was as tall as when she is in Olympus wearing her golden helmet and equipped with her golden shield with a fake medusa head and spear. AJ and I did a quick little prayer since other people usually find it odd when we say 'Oh, for Zeus' sake.' Try saying that in public and not have a least one person look at you funny.

     Now it was time for AJ to drag me all the way to the Grand Old Opry. Walking back to the center of the city, I saw something I did not want to see. A hell hound. Right out in the open. It looked like a five foot tall husky with black instead of the traditional gray top. His ears stood at attention as he surveyed his surroundings. Grabbing AJ, we hid behind a dumpster as the beast passed us. AJ looked on in fear as it crossed, only to stop in its tracks. The hell hound turned sniffing the air toward us and looked at our hiding place. I dived back behind and notched an arrow. I turned to see if I could get a clear shot right between the eyes, but it was gone. The hell hound had disappeared out of no where. I did not even hear it run off. 

     "That was a close one," AJ said with relief. I put my arrow away and slung my bow back on my body. I got up and gave AJ a little punched in the arm.

     "That was more than close, we could have died," I replied, "but that was a close one." I smirk at him and he laughed at my remark. His smile then turned into a frown after he finished laughing.

     "I am thinking that the Grand Old Opry adventure is not going to happen?" he asked with sorrow in his tone. I nodded in reply with a sad face.

     "But maybe mom will take us for our birthday," I replied. His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Come on, let's get out of here." AJ nodded as we headed out of town, but that is when we saw them. They were furies, and I did not want to deal with them. AJ and I tried to avoid them, but they followed us. They did not attack us, only followed. Guess they did not want to make a big ruckus within the city. They looked like a family of five. An old grandma with a walker, a mother and son walked hand in hand while the father held his daughter's hand. They looked like a nice family, if they were one, but what made them weird was their sight was always on us.