𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 // 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑦 𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑠𝑜𝑛 ＆𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑚𝑝𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐕.

－ • ꕥ • －

𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑑𝑠 𝑑𝑜 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑠, 𝑠𝑜 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡
𝑚𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑑𝑜 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚?
— 𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐬

－ • ꕥ • －

𝐄𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 the ultimate third-wheel/babysitter as she sat behind Percy and Annabeth in Hephaestus' 'Thrill Ride O' Love' boat, eyeing her surroundings cautiously. She half expected her mother to pop up out of nowhere. They were quiet as the boat moved along the water, waiting for something to happen. Evangeline jumped in surprise, clutching her chest as Haddaway's What Is Love? boomed throughout the tunnel suddenly.

        "What is happening right now?" Annabeth asked as the music continued.

        "I feel like I've heard this before," Percy muttered. "I think, from an orthodontist's office maybe?"

        Evangeline knew the song really well. Her father used to listen to it on repeat every time he was sober, and would play it loudly when he was drunk at home. "Seems like it's Aphrodite's anthem." Evangeline said, her blue eyes roaming around the tunnel freely.

        Large swirls of neon bright colors then covered the right side of the tunnel, an animation of a woman appearing in its wake. "Wait, I know this," Percy perked up as the animation continued. "It's Hephaestus' story. Rejected by Hera. Rejected by Aphrodite.My mom told me these stories all the time. I remember this. She said..." Percy trailed off.

        Annabeth looked over at him. "What?" she wondered, Evangeline's eyes never leaving the animations as she listened to Percy.

        "She said this is what the gods are like to each other. This is the kind of family they are." Percy admitted, and he was right.

        "Why didn't you wanna say that just now?" Annabeth asked skeptically, glancing behind her at Evangeline.

        Percy paused for a brief moment. "She was trying to keep me away from you guys," he looked away from Annabeth and Evangeline. "Maybe you were right. Maybe she should have been preparing me better." he spoke over the repetitive nature of the song.

        "Maybe she was preparing you. So when you got to us, you'd be different than this." Annabeth decided.

        The song stopped and the machinery powered down, the animation disappearing. "I have a bad feeling about this." Evangeline said as the lights dimmed, strapping her backpack firmly to her body.

        Before Percy or Annabeth could get a response, the boat tipped down a waterfall and started moving through the ride rapidly as the three demigods shouted and yelled in fear. The boat finally slowed after rushing through stalagmites and stalactites and they caught their breath for a moment. They traveled past a golden throne and statue, Ares' shield displayed in the hands of the figure. "There it is. Ares' shield." Percy noted.

        They looked ahead of them at another boat traveling through a tunnel, witnessing the wood structure be destroyed as thunder rumbled throughout the room. "Oh, hell no. Jump!" Evangeline ordered, standing and jumping off the boat and into the water with Percy and Annabeth quickly following them.

        The water was raging, swirling all around Annabeth and Evangeline, attempting to bring them down. "Percy!" Annabeth yelled under the water, her voice muffled. Annabeth was gripping Evangeline's arm tightly and reaching for Percy's hand with her other arm.