Chapter Text
“Welcome Demigods of Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter,” Zeus’s voice boomed through the throne room. A few demigods shifted nervously but Percy simply resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Was all these dramatics really necessary? He just wanted to go home to his mom and step dad instead of being pulled to Olympus in the middle of his senior year. Winter break was so close but no it had to be on the Winter Solstice. “Upon pressure from the council we have decided to reopen visits from the Demigod Camps during the Winter Solstice. Security measures have been upped in order to avoid a repeat of past events. But I suppose we can reward you with such an honor.” Sure honor. More like come look at us flaunt our power while you break your necks just looking at us. “In celebration of our recent defeat of the Gigantes there will be a party in which we’ll honor our heroes along with all our regular activities. I trust that Chiron has informed you of this.” Zeus’s cold gaze turned to Chiron.
Chiron’s tail flicked. “Of course Lord Zeus.”
“Good.” Zeus looked down at them, seemingly uninterested. “You are dismissed.”
Percy let out a sigh. Finally.
“Come on Seaweed Brain,” said Annabeth. She tugged on Percy’s arm and led him out.
”That was…” trailed off Hazel.
”Boring? A total waste of time? Annoying?” Percy suggested.
”Percy,” warned Annabeth, her eyes flickered to the gods they were still very much in the room with.
Percy rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah. Once you’ve been in this throne room as much as I have it gets pretty uninteresting. Would it hurt them to be smaller?”
“Probably,” commented Nico from behind him.
Percy jumped slightly. “Nico! Finally decided to say hi?”
”No.”
Percy pouted. Annabeth put a hand on his shoulder, smiling. “Come on Seaweed Brain. You can talk to Nico later, now let’s get out of the throne room.”
As soon as they exited the throne room Nico disappeared. He’d probably run off to Will just to spite him. Still that didn’t stop Percy from dramatically acting hurt.
He put a hand to his heart. “Oh the horror! My good friend Nico has disappeared on me again.”
Annabeth rolled her eyes. “You’ll live Seaweed Brain.”
”Nooo… I’m dying… All those letters of recommendation… all worthless…” he moaned dramatically.
A few passing nymphs looked at him strangely.
Annabeth smiled at him warmly. “You sure you’re really dying?”
”Positive…”
”And this won’t change things?” Annabeth leaned forward and peeked him on the check.
Percy stilled then he threw his hands up into the air. “I’ve been cured!” He threw his arms around Annabeth. He grinned at her.
”Aw you two are so cute.” Hazel smiled at them.
”I can be cute like that too!” stuttered Frank. With a poof he changed into an adorable white fluffy dog.
“Awww,” cooed Percy. He removed himself from Annabeth to cuddle Frank. Frank let out a small bark in surprise. “You’re so fluffy!”
Hazel chuckled. “You’re very cute Frank.”
Somehow Frank managed to look flustered in dog form. He wriggled in Percy’s arms. Eventually Percy let him. Frank immediately scrambled away and transformed back into a very embarrassed demigod.
“How about I show you guys some of the architecture of Olympus,” offered Annabeth excitedly. “I designed it myself, you know.”
Hazel’s eyes lit up. “That would be wonderful Annabeth. I’ve never been on Olympus before; it’s so beautiful.”
Percy took Annabeth’s hand. “You better not be leaving me, Wise Girl.”
She chuckled. “Of course not. Come on. I’ll see if the rest are interested.”
☀︎
“He’s still not back.”
“Hmm?” Percy looked up. Jason had joined him to the side while Annabeth talked about the wonders of a particular dome.
“Apollo,” Jason clarified. “He wasn’t there and his throne was… dimmer. There were cracks in it.”
Percy didn’t know what to say. Honestly he hadn’t noticed. It sounded stupid, the thrones were the size of siege towers, but he’d just kinda zoned out. The throne room wasn’t really interesting, just a lot of white marble and threatening thrones. He shrugged. “I honestly didn’t notice.”
“Do you think it has something to do with prophecy being down?”
“Probably. He is the god of prophecy. I have no clue what happened to him though.” If Percy was going to be completely honest he didn’t care that much what happened to the god but he just prayed it would not involve him in any way.
“Last we saw him Zeus took him away for punishment. If he hasn’t gone through yet… then what is it?”
“Look, I don’t know man. As long as we don’t have to go on another quest to bring back the oracle.”
“Yeah… It’s just, what did Apollo do?” Percy thought back to that day at the Acropolis. He thought about how Jason had gotten dangerously close to being smote from questioning Zeus. (He also remembered how terrified Apollo had looked going to his own father.)
“It’s best we don’t get involved. That’s godly business, not demigod business.”
Jason set his jaw but didn’t say anything.
“Come on Jason, Percy,” called out Piper. She gestured for them to follow as Annabeth moved on their tour.
“Let’s go,” said Percy. “Just leave the gods to their own business. We can’t do anything about what punishment Zeus decides on.”
Jason nodded silently and the two followed the group.
☀︎
Percy stood stiffly next to Annabeth once again in the throne room. Did they really have to go through this whole wow you’re such great heroes thing again? He had better things to do. Like his homework. Not that he wanted to do homework but it was more important than standing in front of the gods for the umpteenth time.
“Why is that one here?” questioned Zeus, eyeing the blonde boy next to Nico.
“Um… I’m his doctor,” said Will nervously.
“You do not need to be here. This is for the heroes of the quest only.”
“Er…”
“Just leave him be brother,” said Hades tiredly. “It can’t hurt.”
Zeus’s eyes seem to flash but his expression never wavered from a disappointed cold expression. “So be it.”
Hera coughed. “The demigods?”
“Yes yes. Despite the”--his expression turned sour–“avoidable circumstances you did well. Gaea was put back to sleep and the camps reunited. Although this whole ordeal should not have even been spoken by Apollo along with Hera’s meddling you were… quite admirable. So we have decided to reward you. It’s a shame the satyr and praetor can’t join us today though, but I suppose we’ll have to make due.”
“Ah, thank you Lord Zeus,” said Piper.
“As for your reward-”
Suddenly a swirl of temperatures filled the room. It was cold, hot, warm, chilly all at the same time. Percy shuddered as a swirl of dark mist appeared in the throne room. The Olympians shrank to their size and the mist overtook the room.
“What is the meaning of this?” Zeus boomed.
Three old ladies appeared and the mist evaporated. Percy recognized them immediately: The Fates.
“Birth,” said one.
“Life,” said the middle one.
“Death,” rasped the last one.
“For too long gods and mortals have remained separated.”
“An injustice is in development.”
“He had tangled our strings.”
“We can no longer watch this happen.”
“Slip out of control.”
Zeus furrowed his dark gray eyebrows. “What do you mean? What is it you want?”
“A story.”
“A story of the future.”
“One that will show the mortals of gods.”
“And gods of mortals.”
“We do not ne-“
“It has been decreed by the Fates,” the sisters said completely together. Percy shuddered.
“But to tell the story you will have guests.”
“Guests of the present.”
“And guests of the future.”
“All together while the world sleeps.”
“Treat them with care.”
Without a sound the Fates dissolved into the mist again.
Everyone was speechless. Annabeth took Percy’s hand and Frank shuffled uncomfortably next to him. Percy resisted the urge to let out a heavy sigh. He had not want to be caught up in another godly thing. At least it wasn’t a quest this time.
The gods exchanged glances and a few of the more emotional ones looked scared. Zeus’s bolt crackled with electricity.
“I hate when they do that speaking together thing,” commented Hermes with a nervous chuckle.
Zeus’s gaze quickly shut him up. “We will follow what the Moirai have said but no more,” he declared.
Poseidon looked over Percy and his friends. “If we’re to be stuck with these demigods for now surely more comfortable accommodations can be made brother?”
Zeus didn’t even look at them. “I suppose.”
With a wave of his hand, Percy’s dad had made comfy sofas appear behind them. Percy sat down and sank into the soft cushion. He may not want to be here–especially not this whole Fates thing– but he had to admit these sofas felt like heaven. It was still awkward though. However nice the seats were it didn’t change the fact they were still staring at the Olympians across from them.
“I wonder who the quests will be,” said Aphrodite sweetly. “I hope they’re cute!”
“The Fates said they would both be from the future and present. Perhaps the ones from the future are what this story is about,” said Athena.
“This is…interesting,” Percy whispered to Annabeth.
“It’s very interesting indeed. I’ve never heard of the Fates doing something like this before. They control the future, why would they be changing it?”
“The, uh, death one-”
“Atropos.”
“Yeah her, she said something about him tangling up their strings?”
Annabeth’s eyes widened and she furrowed her brow in thought. “Someone who has more power than the Fates…”
Yeah, Percy really didn’t want to be involved with whatever was going on.
In the middle of the room, right by the hearth, the glittering mist formed again. As it dissipated five people plopped out. Three people fell to the floor, having been in a sitting position.
Piper gasped. “Leo!” Everyone–sans the gods obviously–rushed forward. Piper immediately hugged her friend and Jason waited for his own hug.
“Percy? What’s happening?” Percy smiled at Grover, one of the five. He hadn’t wanted Grover to get wrapped up in this but it was good to see his best friend again; Grover had been really busy being the Lord of the Wild.
“Hey G-man. What’s up?”
Grover looked around. He paled at the sight of the gods who were watching uninterested. “I got this… dream from the Fates I think? And then there was mist and now I’m here.”
“What did they say?”
“Something about a story and how mortals, nature spirits, and gods had been disconnected.”
Percy sighed. “Well the Fates have decided to keep us and the Olympians hostage and make us hear this story. There’s also going to be some people from the future.”
Grover gulped nervously. “At least I’m with you Percy!”
“Yeah…” Percy looked over to the others. Jason was now hugging Leo while Leo chuckled nervously. To his right stood a beautiful girl: Calypso. Guilt washed over Percy. Leo had had to save her himself. He’d forgotten about her, let the gods break their promise. (She’d also cursed Annabeth down there.) She caught him looking at her. Percy tried for a smile but it felt way too awkward. However Calypso took pity on him and returned a much sweeter one.
Grover followed his gaze. “Oh… is that the guy who, uh…”
“Yeah,” said Percy. “I’m going to kill him for making us think he was dead.”
“Ow!” yelped Leo. Nico had just hit him. “What was that for?”
“That, Valdez, is for dying!” Nico took out the parchment Leo had sent them. “This is all you sent us!”
“That’s not my fault!” protested Leo. “I tried to send more but we’ve been having some trouble!”
Calypso nodded. “We just left Albina recently.”
“Don’t!” yelled Nico and Renya–who’d been teleported and filled in by Frank.
“Don’t mention Albania,” finished Nico.
Rachel rubbed her forehead next to Annabeth. “I’m confused. The Fates have brought us here to listen to a story?”
“And the gods,” added Will, like it wasn’t obvious.
“And the gods. But why us?”
Percy shrugged. “We’ve done a lot of quest stuff. And you’re the oracle you’re intertwined with the Fates.”
Annabeth looked up at the thrones. Thankfully the gods hadn’t interrupted them but Zeus did not look like he approved of their reunion. “How about we go back to where we’re sitting. We all can punch Leo later.”
“How ‘bout never?” offered Leo.
“You’re not getting out of this that easy, Valdez,” said Nico. Will smiled and led Nico away before he killed Leo again.
As soon as the last person’s bottom hit the cushion of the sofa the mist came back. This time it cleared faster and a teenager boy was dropped down. He let out a yelp as a girl fell upon him smugly.
“Ow… Meg… Meg get off me,” he moaned.
The girl folded her arms and wiggled slightly. “No.”
“Meg… please?”
“Nah.”
He let out a sigh and then with a surprising amount of strength easily pushed her off. She blew a raspberry at him.
“Oh the horror!” exclaimed Aphrodite. “Dear what happened to your outfit?”
The girl–Meg–turned to the goddess. She wore a bright green dress and just an eyesore of an outfit in general. “It’s just like that.”
“Surely not! It’s, it’s…” She trailed off, not seeming to know how to describe it.
Meg just turned back to the teenage boy. “Is this Olympus?”
The boy pulled himself with help from Hestia. He had relatively long brown hair that faded into gold and some acne scars littering his face. However his other scars were more noticeable–such as the white burn scars that wrapped around his wrists. His eyes flickered over the thrones, his eyes pausing on Apollo’s broken one. “Yes Meg. This is the throne room.”
Meg looked around unimpressed. “It’s big.”
“Yes it is,” he agreed.
“Who are you?” demanded Zeus. “State your name.”
“Call me Meg,” said Meg.
The boy sighed, looking at Zeus with barely disguised disgust. “My name is-”
“Lester,” interjected Meg, kicking him.
“Ow!” He rubbed his leg. “That was unnecessary!”
“Nah.”
Percy was starting to like Meg.
“Are you our guests from the future?” asked Artemis, her eyes glittering curiously.
Lester looked at her wistfully. (Yeah that wouldn’t end up well for him. Artemis was not a fan of men.) “Yeah. The Fates abducted us and-”
Suddenly a flash of mist appeared above Lester and a book fell down. Onto his head. Poor guy didn’t get a break.
Lester yelped and Meg laughed. Lester folded his arms. “Don’t laugh at my pain.”
“Dummy.”
Hestia bent down and picked up Lester’s tormenter. It was a plain book with no cover or title, only a number–which Percy presumed was a one–and it simmered gold in the light of the hearth. He hoped he didn’t have to read it. They’d be here forever while he tried to figure out the difference between is and it or something equally as stupid.
“I believe this is the story the Fates decreed we read,” she said softly yet commandingly.
Zeus huffed. “Then let’s start.”
“Hey, what about where we’re sitting?” asked Meg.
Lester stiffened. “Meg…”
“Yes yes,” said Zeus, letting Meg’s disrespect pass in order to get on with the reading. He waved his hand and another sofa appeared. Meg jumped onto it.
“Comfy,” she commented.
Lester sat down, relief clear of his features. “Yes Meg.”
Percy breathed in a deep breath. Now he’d be stuck here for gods know how long while they listened to the future presumably from these guests. He really had better things to do.
Hestia opened the book to the first page. With a warm voice she read the first words.
“The Hidden Oracle.”