Chapter Eight: I Become a Yoga Instructor
Annabeth's POV
Percy wanted Annabeth to try a slice of Magic Pizza, but she figured they had better keep going on their plan, if you could even call it that.
She pretended to be interested in the architecture of the building, and while she did take some notes so that her journey didn't go to waste, her mind was mostly preoccupied on the real reason they were there. She still had so many questions without answers, so many things she wanted to know before meeting Eirene. Despite the facts that she and Percy had read through almost every book in Camp Demigod's library, and that she was the daughter of the goddess of wisdom, Annabeth didn't have a clue how she was supposed to strip the goddess's power, much less preserve it for her baby. And that was all assuming that the goddess was actually there.
"Okay, I think I've got it," Annabeth informed Denalia that she was ready to go after about twenty minutes. She supposed she should have been longer, as there was no way Annabeth could inspect everything she would normally have wanted to in twenty minutes, but the way that Denalia was suspiciously watching Percy's every moved as he nervously but hungrily ate a slice of "Magic Pizza" convinced her to get going.
"Where to next?" Denalia asked Annabeth, completely ignoring Percy's mumbling something that sounded like "retirement home" through a mouthful of pizza.
"The Olympian Retirement Home," She informed Denalia. "You'd better put that pizza down, Seaweed Brain, unless you want to stay here forever."
"That wouldn't be so bad," Percy smirked, but stood up and brushed the crumbs off of his pants.
Denalia led them down a curvy road towards a building with huge white columns in the front, rocking chairs on the porch, and the words, "Olympian Retirement Home," written in Ancient Greek (which Annabeth and Percy could both read fluently) across the top. It seemed a bit fancy for a retirement home, but at the same time, Annabeth couldn't help but appreciate the architecture. The Magic Pizza and Retirement Home were among those places that had survived any damage, but the gods still wanted them to be remodeled.
Denalia led them inside the elegant glass doors and began telling them about the place.
"It may seem strange that there is a retirement home for gods. Major gods can't really retire, but there are more minor gods who's responsibilities become too great. They are a burden to Olympus rather than a help. And so, they are put here."
"Do you mind if we look around a bit?" Annabeth asked. "I mean, I'll obviously look at the architecture, but I'm just curious about the place."
"I suppose..." Denalia said, hesitation clear in her voice. "I'll need to keep an eye on you, though."
They walked into a vast white lobby On one side, there were couches for the patients to sit by a fire. On the other was a (white) reception desk, with a lady in a white blouse and black dress pants standing behind it. Her hair was pulled back in a tight, perfect bun, but she had a kindly smile on her face when she saw them come in.
"Hello!" She called to us, and Denalia led them over to her. "Visitors? I see we have a nymph here, but what about you too?" She looked over Percy and Annabeth. "Minor gods, perhaps?" she suggested.
"We're demigods," Percy clarified. She looked at us strangely, like she had never seen a demigod in this place before, and honestly, she probably hadn't.
"Oh. Does your parent live here?"
"No, my dad's Poseidon, and she's a daughter of Athena," Percy explained, motioning to Annabeth.
"Oh," she furrowed her eyebrows together, "Then how come you're here? Not that I mind, of course. We haven't had visitors since... I don't even remember." She smiled at us.
"Actually, I've been given the project of redesigning the buildings on Olympus. I came here to look at the architecture, but I wouldn't mind visiting with a few patients if you're okay with it."
"Oh my, you're redesigning Olympus? What an honor to meet you! I'm sure the patients would love to see you. I'm Eunomia, by the way, though I doubt you've heard of me. I'm just a minor goddess."
"Actually, I have heard of you!" Annabeth assured her.
"Really?" Her eyes lit up.
"Yes. You're the goddess of law and legislation, one of the three Horae."
"That's me," Eunomia agreed, her chest puffing out proudly.
"I was wondering if your sister Eirene was here, actually," Annabeth finally asked. Eunomia's eyes darkened.
"Oh, she's here all right. She's the whole reason this place was founded. She's the goddess of peace, after all, and mortals, gods, monsters, you name it, nobody likes peace. Not a second can go by without someone, somewhere having a fight. Eventually, chaos beat poor Eirene, and she doesn't have much sense left in her now. She still has her powers, but she can hardly use for anything. Dike, my other sister, is here, too. She's the goddess of justice, if you didn't know. She's nowhere near as bad as Eirene, but she feels that she isn't needed in the world. See, us Horae are more like personifications than actual goddesses. We can't actually make the world have peace, or justice, or laws. Sure, we have some powers, but we can't control human nature. We're just there to represent our concept, to promote it. And we're greatly affected by human civilization. As time went on, and people kept developing more and more ways to kill each other, harm each other, fight each other, Eirene began to loose herself. People still want justice today, but criminals aren't punished as much as they used to be. But humans worship laws these days, and that keeps me perfectly sane."
They all sat there in silence for a moment, letting Eunomia's words sink in. Finally though, Annabeth said, "Do you think we could see her?"
"Of course. The little sane part of her that's left worships heroes who fight for peace, and being demigods of major gods, I'm sure you have."
Annabeth realized the oxymoron of fighting for peace, but she kept it to herself. She understood what Eunomia meant.
"Follow me," Eunomia instructed them. "Don't make any loud, sudden noises or movements, as you might startle the patients. Try not to mention their duties as gods or goddesses, as that just lowers their self esteem." She told them, her personality as goddess of law seeming to kick in. She knocked on a white door just a little ways down the hall. "Eirene? Can I come in?"
"Eunomia?" A voice said from inside the room. The voice didn't sound insane at all. It sounded wise, old and powerful.
"Yes, it's me. I've got some visitors for you."
"Not Dike again."
"No, I've got some young demigods for you. Some heroes."
"Bring them in."
Eunomia pressed her hand against the door and it swung open to reveal a room full of, again, all white things. It didn't look like how you'd picture a retirement home/asylum though. There was a white, king sized bed in the center with an ornate quilt and fluffy pillows. There was a comfortable-looking white couch off to the left side, and a dresser and vanity table to the right. Sitting on the couch was a beautiful woman who was staring into space at nothing in particular.
Her dark blonde hair was wavy, with a wreath of ivy around her head. She was wearing an Ancient Greek toga that flowed around her body. Eirene, the goddess of peace.
"Heroes," she muttered quietly. "They fight, but for peace. Peace is good for Eirene. Did you make peace?" The goddess looked up at us with a question in her eyes.
"Um, yes!" Annabeth replied quickly. "We defeated the evil lord Kronos, who wanted to destroy peace."
"I'll be right back," Eunomia told them. "I think Dike's call for me. I better go check on her." With that she rushed out of the room.
"Good heroes. Destroyed evil Kronos. Got Peace. Eirene likes peace." Eirene mumbled.
That's when Annabeth remembered Denalia. The nymph had a bewildered, slightly frightened expression plastered to her face as she listened to Eirene.
"Maybe you should continue looking at the architecture," Denalia suggested hopefully.
"Denalia..." Annabeth started carefully. "Percy and I have something we need to do here. Something important. And it doesn't involve architecture."
Denalia looked around her nervously as if she expected to find Athena lurking in the corners of Eirene's room.
"I'm sure Athena's not watching," Annabeth continued. "If she was, she wouldn't have sent you. Can you please just let us do this?"
"Well..." Denalia shifted anxiously. Percy pulled a bag out of the backpack he had brought align and opened it up. He scooped up a handful of drachmas and let them sift through his fingers. Denalia's eyes widened.
"We can pay you."
"No," Denalia refused. "I won't go against Lady Athena's orders just for some drachmas." She couldn't seem to pull her eyes away for the bag, though.
"I could... I could put a statue if you in Olympus's park!" Annabeth spit out desperately.
Denalia's eyes widened even further.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Well... I suppose I could let you do it. As long as its nothing evil?" Denalia raised her eyebrows.
"Definitely not," Percy assured her. She sighed in agreement and Annabeth turned her mind back to Eirene's chatters.
"If only the world liked peace. Then Eirene would feel good. Yes, very good. If only Eirene could control them. Then-" Annabeth stopped lessening to her endless mumbling. It wasn't going to help them at all.
Percy looked at her hopelessly. "What do we do?" He asked her.
"I have no idea," she shrugged. She hated to let Percy down; she was always the one who had a plan, a solution, something to help them out. And now she and nothing.
Taking a deep breath, she began to form a plan, if you could even call it that. It was more like a fuzzy idea that made just as much sense as Eirene's mumbling.
"Here goes nothing," she muttered quietly to Percy before turning back to Eirene. "Eirene, I need you to give me your powers," she tried. Eirene looked puzzled.
"Eirene give you her powers? How?" The goddess asked. Oh, well. She hadn't expected that to work.
"Can you give me peace?" Annabeth requested.
"Eirene wishes she could give people peace. Then there would be no fighting or wars and Eirene would be happy. But Eirene can't do that."
"I can give people peace," Annabeth declared. Percy looked at her like she was crazy. And, she supposed, she was.
"This young hero can give people peace? Can she give Eirene peace?"
"Only if you give me your powers. I need all of your magic, all of your strength. Give it to me. Then I will give others peace."
"Eirene doesn't know how to give you her magic."
Annabeth clenched her teeth together, trying to keep her frustration to herself. She had to keep calm for Eirene, even if her "plan" wasn't going anywhere. She decided to go for a slightly different approach.
"Eirene, close your eyes."
"Eirene will close her eyes because the young hero promises peace. Peace is good for Eirene. Peace makes Eirene feel good. Peace-"
"Please stop talking, Eirene. I need you to be quiet. For peace."
"For peace," Eirene muttered and then went quiet.
"Imagine all if your power, all of your peace leaving your body. Imagine it floating into mine." Annabeth felt like a yoga teacher, trying to get people to leave their troubles behind and meditate.
Nothing happened.
"Concentrate, Eiren. For peace."
Still nothing.
"Eiren, you will have peace if you can just do this for me," Annabeth begged her.
Suddenly she started to glow faintly around the edges. The glow began to expand into a golden aura of light, and Eirene stood up. The aura got larger and larger, until it eventually began to peel from her body.
Tendrils of light danced in the air until they merged together and formed a floating ball of golden light. The bright orb began to drift towards Annabeth.
If that was what she thought it was, then Annabeth had succeeded. But what would happen when the power was in her body? It was too late to think about that now.
The second that the golden orb touched Annabeth's skin, she began to tingle. A strange warmth spread throughout her body. She started shaking as the light slowly passed into her body.
"Annabeth?" Percy asked in a worked town. She was top scared to reply. What was happening to her?
The last things she remembered were Percy's worried face, Denalia's bewildered expression, and Eunomia's voice saying, "Oh my gods! What on Olympus-"
After that, her vision flashed red and she collapsed.
**Sorry I ended on a cliff hanger there! It seemed like a good place to stop... Since I can't do Annabeth's POV while she's passed out. Please don't hate me! Thanks to everyone who is reading and giving me awesome compliments ;)**