"So what were you arguing about with Zeus? I heard a bit when I was trying to focus on the room," I asked Apollo, swinging our entwined hands.
"Oh, I was just telling him why he went into your head without explaining that pain you get from him doing so. It got me a bit peeved as it hurt to see you in pain," he answered, and I shake my head at the worried boy.
Then a thought crossed my head, Am I one of his games, and I think back to the crowds of girls surrounding him.
I pulled my hand out, and I watch him pause in confusion. "You okay?"
"Am I one of them? Your fans?" And I remind him of his fans. His eyebrows crease tightly as he replys with, "What fans?"
"You know those girls who also wait for you and all that?" Understanding dawned on him as he looks less confused.
"Oh, you mean the wisps and nymphs. They are all just fans of anything that's a god and live in a place like this," he gestured to where we ere. Then another thought crossed my head, Oh how stupid am I? I'm hounding him when I shouldn't be, I'm not his girlfriend or anything like that. Just a simple crush.
"You know what," I wave my hand in dismissal, "You don't have to explain it to me. Just my head going crazy because of the situation and stuff."
Apollo frowned, and I think I hear, But I want to, but I pretend I don't hear it. Then he takes my hand and we walk to the center of the house, the "living room." As imagined, most of the imortals were there minus the missing and Hades, who claimed he was doing some "thinking" and Zeus. Otherwise, the clan was present and their ears were opened.
"It seems like most are present and so I rely this message to you from the King of the Heavens, he has declared war by his own name! And this fight will begin just after the enemies hit us once more, prepare yourself, for it will not be easy! Hera, the Double Cross Queen has captured many of our brethren and we will not let those death they caused go into vain! Now, who's with the King of the Gods?!"
Then he slowly proceeded to explain my vision, as the crowd settled, in detailed description as people nodded in distaste and showed only bloodlust burning in their eyes.
"Now, go plan your weapons from Hephaestus and get your plans from Athena, and tomorrow I dare say, to go train. As mortal and as immortals, go now, for we waste the time we could use to defeat them for once and for all!" ended Apollo.
A mighty cheer rose from all the males in the room while the females smiled in support.
Many male immortals gathered around Hep and began to plan their weapons of choice. While the females gathered around Athena to plan their attacks and defenses, Aphrodite and Athena being two of the women.
"Kat, I need you to promise me something," Apollo turns to me, I nod slowly, "Please tell me immediately if you have another nightmare, somehow their more like visions that tell truth. I can sense it. So promise?"
I nodded, "Promise."
"Well, I need to go talk with the women and plan the attacks, so I'll see you?" I say to Apollo, who nods and watches me go over to the group of female immortals.
"But that won't work, don't forget they have a immortal on their side as well," Athena countered as I placed myself in the group.
"Yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Hera is invincible either," pointed out Hestia.
"Yes, but maybe Hera or the Elite Scientist will turn on each other," Artemis spoke out, "Wouldn't it be a good possibility?"
"Actually it might be one of the possibilities, because usually partners turn on each other," Athena says agreeing.
"So what should we began to do then?" Dite asks, her voice devoid of the happiness I was so familiar with.
"How about, we try to draw them in?" I suggest. Eyes look my way.
"No, that's too easy, they'll know it immediately," started Artemis.
"Or maybe not," countered Athena, "You know when the others went missing it was when they were doing their jobs, their talents. So maybe if we put a single immortal minding his or her own business, and we wait. The Double Cross Queen and the Elites will have to take the opportunity, they never miss their open opportunity, when one of us is alone and is vulnerable. But they won't know that we will be watching and then we could stick those invisible magic tracking devices that Aunt Hecate makes."
"That's actually not a bad plan," Artemis muttered. Sounds of agreement went over the crowd.
"That is if Aunt Hecate is able to make a couple of the devices," Athena says, turning to an a tan lady with raven hair and black red lips.
"Of course I can. I'll give you your delivery by nightfall," states Hecate, the goddess of magic and witchcraft. I stare wide eyed at the goddess, she must be the one who cleaned up the blood from the furniture and floors after Hep and Ares' fight.
"That's done then," Artemis began, "So shall we talk about back up attacks?" The crowd of immortals mumbled in agreement.
"Maybe we can have a spy over at their compound?" Dite questioned.
"Yes, but who will be this spy? She or He will have to go willingly in their clutches and we do not know what they will do to the him or her," Athena debated back.
"I will do it then," Dite said, raising her hand a bit.
"But," started Athena.
"No. I will go and be the spy, whether it's the dumbest thing I can think of or the most suicidal, I will go and I will give you the information you need. And trust me, I have the amount of motivation now since they took him. And I will help for our cause, because really, I can't wait for their downfall," Dite conversed.
"Then you will go child and may the fates bless your ruling," Hestia spoke up after everyone's dead silence on the love goddess' bold words. I for one was one of those people who had her mouth open and eyes widened in shock. Dite nodded, her eyes serious, the light gone, "I will. Tonight," she voiced, walking away from the group. Presumably to pack her items for her trip to the enemies' lair.
"We never knew how much that man meant to her," Hestia spoke quietly, as we watched her exit, "Until now."
"Indeed," Athena murmured.
Then the buzz of conversation slowly rebuilt as Athena and Artemis regained their conversation in how the plan would be executed.
"Tonight, we will do it as a diversion, after or before Aphrodite leaves, it will suffice to distract the enemies. Aphrodite will have to play the role of the goddess who could not deal with the King of Heavens any longer," explained Athena.
"Let's hope that the minor gods and goddesses do not overlook Aphrodite's 'betrayal' as a real one, that would only cause them to join their cause instead of ours," commented Artemis.
"Do not fret children," Hestia drawled out, "I will personally make sure that other gods and goddesses will be welcome to the home, to a banquet in my honor. It will personally keep them distracted for you children to act upon the plan."
"But then you only have a few hours to do that!" countered Athena, who looked ready to protest.
"Child I have already set this in advance per eon ago. I just haven't told you dears yet, it supposedly for those who feel less out of the family like those who live not in this house. It was my way to make them feel at home," explained Hestia.
Athena mumbled in agreement, and said something like That's Aunt Hestia for you.
Ideas passed along and finally we had a complete and drafted battle plan.
The main plan was to have a immortal be bait and then after Hestia will be distracting many of the immortals out in the heavens. As the elites take the immortal, the immortal will give chase while Athena will drop a tracking device. Aphrodite will then take notice of the Double Cross Queen, and take her attention as she claims she wants in.
If this goes according to plan, we will have our spy and a location. Hecate has also decided to provide us the magic mirror which can report our new to Aphrodite and vise versa. All this equipment will be provided to us before this entire plan moves along.
"Apollo," Artemis calls out for her brother and he turns her way. And then suddenly I feel this thing inside me go off, like if I was jealous? But no that's impossible, I prevented myself from getting this pathetic emotion. I shake my head and focus on the siblings, but no matter the shaking, I could still feel this awful feeling inside me. I had no explanation of why.
"Yes, Artemis?" Apollo answered, walking over to our group.
"We have our plan," Athena says, and then that feeling gets stronger. I start to panic but I force myself not to show it. I see Apollo glance my way as of worried then turns back to Athena.
"Great," Apollo says, and gestures for her to explain.
After Athena explains the plan, Apollo praises the group then tells them to talk about fighting strategies, the same lessons she gave me. Thankfully, Apollo pulled me out of the group.
"Are you okay?" he asks me, worry flicking in his blue eyes.
I nod, "Yeah, never the better."
"Your lying," he frowns. I sigh, "I don't know, alright? I just have this awful feeling in my stomach as if I was jealous and now I don't know. And maybe I'm panicking but... I think all of the stress is finally getting to me." I look into his eyes, and he still has that frown own. I somehow feel a little guilty, knowing that I made him have that.
"I don't think you know much about Phoenix's," he responds, then grabs my hand and pulls me into the hallway, after muttering something to Artemis. Her eyes flash to mine and for a minute I see happiness then she replaces her gaze to the group. Strange.
"Wait where are we going? Aren't we supposed to help?" I question as we keep walking to the unknown.
"Were going to the royal library. And I think we both helped enough for today, and I'm sure your tired from training and learning," he says.
"Why?"
He turns to me, "To learn more about Phoenix's."
"Oh."
✪ ✣ ✤ ✥ ✦ ✧ ✩ ✫ ✬
The Majestic Birds, was the only book Apollo handed to me when we reached the library.
Undoubtedly the library was just as big as the house and the walls were made out of books. Their was a curling staircase that led to the other levels of the books. There were two windows that sat side by side, and a small place of comfort with big lounges and a wooden oak table.
"This is the only thing you need to worry about, referring to Phoenix's. And it's a very detailed book," Apollo explained, "so you won't exactly need an entire trilogy."
I nodded, then he pulled me to the comfort area where we sat and he told the entire book.
"Phoenix's are one of the rarest creatures of the world. They usually have few population and about non one knows where the next will come from. Though for you, you came from a fire river and a piece of DNA ribbon. Phoenix are usually very fast angered, and are very emotional. Thus, why you felt jealously or anger or whichever, more these past few hours and or days. The human phoenix, such as yourself have a pair of phoenix wings, golden eyes and reddish hair when you transform. and you usually transform when you feel anger or the need to protect, fight or defend. When you are rebirthed, as a human phoenix, you are able to keep your form except some minor changes, like hair or eye color. And last thing, you are highly attracted to light and the same relation the other way," retells Apollo.
"so your saying I'm like some fairy creature sort of when I feel feelings or like if I'm at war? And that I get angry or jealous because that's apart of my DNA? And that we like each other because of some light pull not our actual feelings?" I confirm, looking pointedly at him. He begins to nod his head, "Yes, that's- wait no, no. The last point is wrong. I like you way before I knew you were a Phoenix, you were like the peace that came to Olympus. And you were really pretty when I first saw you, I guess that's why I chickened out of that dare, long time ago. I realized I started to like you, and that kinda changed my ways."
He ran a hand through his hair, and I smiled. "Well, thanks I guess," I say to him, "I'm glad I help you?"
He looked at me, "Definitely." I gave him a grin. "Well, I can say you really changed my life as well.-"
"But wait how did this suddenly happen, like how did I become a half breed then suddenly I'm a bird and all?" I ask, watching as Apollo's face flickered in understanding.
"Well, I think it was slowly waking up as I happened to be with you, some moments when we were by ourselves and that slowly woke youe inner bird up. Your bird form is naturally appealed to light so it was easy for it to reopen as you were with the god of light," explained Apollo. I nod in understanding, and pursed my lips in concentration.
"That makes sense. I mean I-"
"Kate," interrupted Apollo, he looked a bit fidgety now, "Can I do something?" I nodded, "Sure. What is it?"
He leaned forward and paused a bit in front of me. I can tell my heart was beating a beat a second, but I couldn't care less as I took in his features. Little did I know he closed his eyes and kissed me, I kept my eyes wide open. It wasn't a "PDA PDA" type of affection, more like" five seconds and were done". And I could feel that heat swarming my body, and that awful little thing in me began to fade and was replaced by screaming sirens, all happy tunes.
I smiled at him as he hugged me, a smile on his god like face.
"That was," he began.
"I know. It was perfect," I confessed and he grinned that little boy grin. For a few moments, they was no crazy queen or insane doctor trying to take on Olympus, it was just both of us.
I know minutes later a knock was at the library door and we could both hear the voice of Artemis.
"Apollo, Kate. It's time."
Indeed it was because the minutes we though we spent was actually a couple of hours, and it was time to set the plan into motion. Joy.
./;'[]';./
Hey, everyone!
Wanted to say, WOW! I had never written a scene like that and I'm going to say sorry before you say how quick that was. Too be honest any intimate scenes as simple as that, does give me writer's block because frankly those parts are very weird to me, let's put it like that. So sorry but I hope that the adventure part counters with that badly written part. It was short so hopefully it didn't ruin "the flavor" of this chapter.
So give it a chance, because I am writing this for you guys and for myself in this blistering heat of summer.
Aaaaand I'd like to welcome back Julia (JuliaLuvesCupcakes) who is now back in session this summer. And to hope I can persuade her to add more chapters to her works.
Okay, well thank you, and have a very nice and hot day! :)
PW2000 :D
P.S. Threee updates in two days, I'm on fire! (physically and literally)
P.P.S The PIC is of the Royal Library ( I love libraries, don't you? Sigh...)