Percy's P.O.V
For the couple of hours, Thalia, Nico and I just talked and hung out. After my little 'episode', they didn't once mention my status… or her for that matter.
But then the inevitable came.
"Why did you ask for Annabeth to stay behind this morning?" Nico asked hesitantly.
I sighed. I could tell them the really long version, or I could tell them the short one and risk being hurt more than if I told the long one… Decisions, decisions.
"She cheated," I finally sighed.
"No, no way!" Thalia argued immediately. "Annabeth would never do that."
"Apparently I reminded her too much of Luke," I scoffed.
"That is so screwed up." Nico shook his head. "Why would she go to his half brother to be reminded of him less?"
"That is exactly what I said," I smiled. "She said she could relate to Connor, because Connor knew Luke before he was evil."
"Why didn't she come to me?" Thalia asked, hurt. "I knew him before then too!"
"Beats me," I sighed. "I really do not get her anymore."
We talked for a little longer until we heard campers coming in.
"Guess this is the last time that I will be normal around here," I sighed. "Thanks for your help guys. It means a lot."
"No problem Percy," Nico grinned, "that's what cousins are for!"
Thalia rolled her eyes. "It's Ok. You'd do the same for us."
I smiled gratefully. "Alright. Let's get this over with."
After everyone was in, they all started talking excitedly.
"Heroes!" Chiron called, and immediately he had everyone's attention. "We are here today because it is time for you to all learn about the new Olympian."
Again, chatter started up and I grinned at Chiron's annoyed face. He stomped his hooves down a couple times and everyone turned to him again as if nothing had happened.
"The new Olympian – "
Everything froze. And not, froze, like, they were shocked. They were frozen in time. With a jolt, I realized that I was the only one who wasn't frozen.
"Oops!" I chuckled nervously. "Didn't mean to do that!"
"I don't specialize in time, but I might be able to help!" A male voice said from behind me.
I spun around and looked at the god. "Why aren't you frozen too?" I asked suspiciously. "Do you have, like, special time bending abilities or something?"
"Nope," Apollo, god of the sun, grinned. "I'm just awesome!"
"Of course you are," I rolled my eyes. "Seriously, why aren't you frozen?"
"I wasn't here when you accidentally used your powers. Simple as that," he smirked.
"Okay then," I said, "next question. Why are you here? Has something happened on Olympus already?"
"Oh, not much," he shrugged. "Just that Ares has gone missing."
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure hes not just upset because, even though I'm a god, he's not allowed to beat me up?"
Apollo chuckled. "'fraid not. He is truly gone."
"Gods. I can't catch a break, can I? I'm a god for one morning and already something's happened," I sighed.
"Nope! Now, there has been an emergency meeting called, and of course, you have to be there," Apollo said.
I sighed again. "Aren't I the one supposed to be giving orders? Alright, I guess we can go." I glanced around me. "After I figure out how to unfreeze time."
"Oh that's easy," Apollo scoffed. "Focus on the things around you. Do you feel a presence, or a sense, of time? I know, it sounds odd, but trust me. You'll feel it."
I nodded and focused on everything around me. Suddenly, I heard a beating, like a heart. But it wasn't a steady, thump-thump. It was literally a tick, tock, tick, tock. I could literally feel the seconds ticking by.
I was so shocked I nearly fell over. "I guess you heard it then," Apollo chuckled. I just nodded.
"Now what?" I asked.
"If you concentrate on the time, you should be able to feel yourself making it go faster, or unfreeze."
I closed my eyes so I wouldn't get distracted by anything. I concentrated on the steady tick tock, and all of a sudden, it felt more powerful. When I opened my eyes, everything was playing again. It was like no one even knew what happened.
"-is someone who defeated the Titan Lord," Chiron started again.
I didn't hear anymore, because I flashed out of there.
I appeared in the Throne room and all eyes turned to me. I didn't say anything as I walked to the Throne that was obviously mine. It was put right in the middle of the omega shape that was the rest of the Thrones. It was a plain marble chair. I wouldn't have known it was mine if it wasn't for the fact that every other chair was full except for the Throne that was Ares'. And I knew which Throne was his.
I sat down and put my serious face on.
"I hear Ares is missing," I stated. "Who knows what happened?"
Everyone started talking at the same time.
"QUIET!" I yelled over all the chatter. Everyone instantly quieted down. "One at a time, who knows what happened?"
(I don't know the order the gods sit in, and I really couldn't be bothered to look it up, so it's a random order, LOL.)
"Artemis," I started, "do you know what happened."
"I was with the Hunt. I do not know what happened," she replied, shaking her head.
"Ok. Demeter?"
"I do not know what happened," she answered.
"Aphrodite?"
"He-he, he was surrounded in a golden light," she sniffed, "I don't know much after that."
I nodded – a useful piece of information. "Athena?"
She leant forward. "I did see a golden light too. I did not know what it was at the time, but it may have been the same thing."
"Hephaestus?"
"I do not know what happened."
"Apollo?"
"Sorry, I wasn't here. I have no idea what happened."
"Hermes?"
"I don't know what happened."
"Dionysus?"
"No idea."
"Father?"
"Sorry. I do not know."
"Hera?"
She shook her head.
"And, Zeus. Do you know what happened?"
"He was wrapped in light. They were like chains. I could tell he was fighting against it, but he could not beat it. That is all I know," Zeus answered.
I nodded. "Ok. Artemis."
Her head snapped up. "When you hunt, see if anything seems out of place, or try and track him down. Hermes, when you deliver messages, look around to see if anything is out of place. Apollo, look for him from your chariot. Father, see if he is underwater. Athena, see if you can find out what the golden light was. Dionysus, see if there is anything unusual at camp. Aphrodite, I assume you were there when he was taken?"
She nodded. "Go to that place and see if there are any clues there. Everyone else, see what you can do to try and help. Make sure you don't get into the same position as Ares."
Everyone nodded and memorized their jobs.
"Meeting dismissed," I ordered.
Everyone left to do their individual things. Only Zeus and Poseidon remained. I sighed and sat back.
"Well," I spoke finally. "That was interesting."
They both nodded. I waited for them to say something. Nothing. They just looked at me.
"Yes?" I asked.
Poseidon smiled. "That was really good Percy."
Zeus nodded grudgingly. "You . . . took charge well. But, now we have to get down to business."
"And what business would that be?" I asked curiously.
"You need to know how to run Olympus."