Back to School (PJO ff)

Christmas Surprises

                “Hestia! Where are you?” Zeus voice called from the other room “We’re in the middle of the game. Poseidon is trampling every….”

                “Mike?”

                Zeus was still in his mortal form, not knowing who was at the door. He got out of the room. Thalia had seen him.

                “Alright what is going on?”

                In panic, Hestia waved her hand and Thalia was out cold.

                “Thalia!” Zeus managed to catch his daughter before her head hit the floor. “What did you do?”

                “Uh…I panicked”

                “What’s going on out here” Hera said coming out of the kitchen then she spotted Thalia “And what is she doing here?”

                “She came by, wanting something from Zeus” Hestia said “Why?”

                “I don’t know” Zeus said “she can’t find out of the whole ‘stuck as mortal’ thing”

                “Damn pride” Hestia muttered “Fine. For now. Twenty minutes. Brief chat tell her what you want to tell her.” she waved her hand and Zeus was back in his middle aged form with some of his powers back.

                “Thanks” He said then brings Thalia up the stairs.

                Thalia wakes up a few minutes later, she was lying on Zeus’ bed in his room. She was as confused as ever when she saw her dad in the room with her. He wasn’t in his usual attire of a pinstriped suit, rather he was wearing a blue shirt and loose denim shorts.

                “Thalia”

                “Father” she said sitting up right “What happened?”

                “You slipped on your way into the house.” Zeus said plainly “it seems that your uncle forgot to remove the last of the wrapping paper scattered around”

                “I heard that!” Poseidon said from downstairs. With a wave of his hand, Zeus closed the door.

                “Mike” Thalia suddenly remembered “Mike was here. What is he doing here?”

                “Who?”

                “Michael Olympia” Thalia said “he was here. I know he was don’t tell me otherwise”

                Zeus sighed. He couldn’t think of anything else to say. “He was here”

                “Why” Thalia said “Why would he be here in Olympus, he was even talking about a game with Poseidon”

                “The Three Olympia brothers” Zeus said “They are… adopted by Hestia”

                “Adopted?”

                “Uh… yeah.” Zeus said “Every few centuries my sisters would find some mortals without a family. they would somewhat raise them. Almost like a charity case. Hera couldn’t bear children being the goddess of marriage. Hestia is a maiden goddess. They both wanted to raise children. So they would sometimes somewhat adopt them.”

                “But Hera hates heroes”

                “She hates heroes” Zeus agreed “Not children. Not mortals. She just plainly hates heroes. I have to return down there soon. What did you need to tell me?”

                “What is with this?” Thalia raised the necklace from inside her pocket “You ignore me for twelve years and all of the sudden you just give me a gift for no reason.”

                “Call it a make-up present” Zeus said “A belated Happy Birthday and Christmas gift”

                “You don’t celebrate Christmas”

                “Yeah” Zeus said “well my sisters wanted to for this year. So me  and my brothers got you three something. For not being there for nearly twelve years of your life.”

                “Alright…” Thalia said

                “I am really sorry” Zeus said “I would love to spend more time with you but I have an important meeting in a few minutes.”

                “Yeah” Thalia said “Lady Artemis would be wondering on my whereabouts. Thank you”

                Zeus and Thalia shared a very awkward hug. Then with a wave of his hand Zeus flashed Thalia back to Artemis.

                “So Charity case, huh?” Zeus turned and saw both his brothers still in their teenaged form leaning on both sides of the door. Zeus soon shrunk back into his teenaged form as well.

                “I had to tell her something” Zeus said “She saw me come into the room.”

                “Right” Hades said “So, little bro. Finally learning the value of family I see”

                “Like you ever valued family”

                “I do” Hades said “I send Poseidon gifts everytime his birthday comes. I even send you some”

                “You send me a gift on different days.” Zeus said “The first year was on January 1st then the second year was on January 2nd . you actually completed the whole calendar.”

                Hades shrugged “I didn’t know when your birthday was so I send you one on each day of different years so I know that at least once I had actually given it on time”

                “I tried sending an electric eel” Poseidon said “but he won’t stay in the box long enough”

                “Why would you send me an electric eel?”

                “For fun” Poseidon said with a smile “you need to laugh every now and then. If you frown too much you’ll get these wrinkles that make you look very unattractive”

                “Where do you get this from?” Hades asked making a face

                “Triton” Poseidon said “The young lad is more of a chick boy than I ever was”

                “Come on guys” Zeus said “I want to finish the holiday with hopefully no more surprises”