#i was reminded of one for mark of athena that i read that had all sorts of crazy stuff in it

[jellicle-chants]

Does anyone remember the period in between each Percy Jackson: Heroes of Olympus book when people would just write their own versions as fanfiction and put them up online? Crazy times.

[rin-sith]

Finally, I am happy to present to you my ...

EPIC: THE MUSICAL | ACT I [Character Design project]

I have been working on these for a long time and I am very happy with how these turned out. I am a huge fan of visual character design and I simply needed to do a full lineup.

Act II will follow shortly (it is all done except for Ithaca Saga, which I will add as soon as it drops.) Please enjoy, and read below for some thoughts and background on some of my design choices!

TROY | CYCLOPS ft. Odysseus, Athena, Eurylochus, and Polites

With Odysseus, I really wanted to emphasize his free spirit in this era and mark him as Athena's warrior, so I gave him a special belt and some armbands that represent her (this was inspired by some of @mircsy's work). He also has heterochromia; his left eye is green, representing his cunning, wisdom, and spirit; his right eye is gray, representing his ruthlessness and warrior side.

I simply love Athena in purple/gold. Her mask is a symbol of her invulnerability and comes off only during "My Goodbye" when Odysseus tells her that she's alone. Her cape can also transform into wings, and her eyes are actually golden without the mask.

I had to give Eurylochus his large anime sword (it's just as heavy as it looks but he likes it that way because that means no one besides him is strong enough to wield it ... I imagine Eurylochus can bench press at least Odysseus' and Polites' weights combined. He and Polites are also wearing variants of Odysseus' armor, indicating that they belong to the same army.

Listen, I can vibe with Eurylochus' giant sword but I draw the line at Polites with glasses, sorry. He still gets the hairband, of course. He's also dressed more casually, and without a weapon, because of his pacifistic outlook. He's the physically weakest among the trio by far but also still an inch taller than Odysseus (it's fine, Odysseus is still like 5'10, his friends are just all so freaking tall...)

OCEAN ft. Aeolus, Poseidon, and Odysseus

Not gonna lie, I LOVED designing Aeolus' outfit. She's playful and mischievous and loves to hang out in the clouds all day; her outfit is probably made out of clouds let's be real. Also yes, her image on the windbag moves to make cheeky faces.

Poseidon I cannot imagine without tentacles anymore thanks to @gigizetz's "Ruthlessness", idk it just fits him so well. He definitely got all dressed up to go and sink Odysseus' fleet that day, he has a reputation, you know? And he just likes the shiny gold and accessories; the ocean is full of them so why wouldn't he?

Edit: I actually updated this design somewhat significantly; if you're interested in the current one, check here! He still has a tentacle/monster form, but it's not his only one.

Since breaking up with Athena, Odysseus lost her belt and armbands. He's still wearing her brooch because he couldn't bring himself to fully throw that away as well yet. Polites' hairband around his wrist reminds him of what he's fighting for and what to live by ... for now (Poseidon is about to ruin this man's whole career...)

CIRCE | UNDERWORLD ft. Circe, Hermes, and Tiresias

I wanted to give Circe the "witch" vibe while putting a Greek spin on it and I actually adore her design. She seems both immortally youthful (something I aim for with all my god designs) and motherly. There she was, gathering some herbs when a bunch of strangers crash onto her island ... Oh well, at least this man was a good man this time.

Hermes is kind of just Hermes. I wanted to keep him shaded, a bit impish, and definitely up to no good. He's wearing the contrasting colors on purpose, by the way. And yes, his hat can fly on its own ... But for it to do that he'd have to actually be willing to show his face which he seldom does unless he really trusts you.

Tiresias is a soul, so he has the same kind of ageless youth as all my gods (something that goes for souls of dead people too, since I like to think they get to appear at whatever age they want after death.) He's looking a bit regal since he's a prophet, so I imagine regarded highly, even in the Underworld. Instead of the blindfold, his hood covers his face, adorned with a symbolic eye to identify him and his skill.

***

Well, that's it for ACT I, friends, I hope you liked these! I will upload ACT II asap. Please comment and/or tell me your thoughts about my designs! And feel free to ask any questions you may have! I would love to talk more about these.

[bisexualbrainrots]

a while ago I had an idea for a one-shot, sort of inspired by @ohithankyou's posts about lexie grey's confession to mark, and I just got to start writing it. it's 3rd person, tommy's pov (for the most of it)

so, here's a snippet, it's still in the works.

and yeah, tommy is NOT doing okay, he's a very unreliable narrator here.

It should be awkward, shouldn't it?

Tommy's standing outside on the porch, trying to convince himself to just knock, but it's getting harder. It's especially hard since he can hear the music and loud conversations taking place inside, and he fears he will ruin the atmosphere.

He squeezes the bag, This is stupid he thinks, they don't want me here.

He wants them to not want him here.

It would be much easier that way, if the resentment was still fresh in their brains and they could just shut him out, but it's been over 5 months and resentment is probably a thing from the past, at least for most of them. Resentment would be much easier than what Tommy has in mind: indifference, like he stopped existing entirely to them and there's no reason to remember him even. Yeah, that hurts more.

But I deserve it.

After what was probably 5 minutes but felt like 5 hours, he finally rang the doorbell, taking a few steps behind to make his presence less threatening.

A warm smile received him, the kind eyes of Sergeant Grant looking straight at him.

“Tommy! You made it” he wanted to believe this was all an act, that her warm arms pulling him into a hug were just a way to pretend, for her to be civil about this, and yet, he missed them.

Missed this.

Missed the way in which her arm, like right now, would drive him inside the new place the couple built for themselves, missed the little comments about what they were having to eat and drink, and missed the way in which Bobby would appear, a beer bottle in hand ready for him to drink accompanied by a big smile.

“I’m glad you could make it Tommy, I didn't know if you'd feel up to it”

The coldness of the bottle helped him to ground himself, to remind himself this was just a cordial invitation: he wasn't a priority.

“For you and Athena? Believe me I'd even fly into a hurricane again” a small smile appeared on his lips when the couple laughed, both holding onto each other with a love he always dreamed of.

A love he let himself lose.

He looked down at the big bag, suddenly nervous about what he had gotten them “I-I got you two this, as a housewarming gift” Bobby's fingers brushing against his as he took the bag felt like fire, like he was being burned and was being warned and reminded not to get too close again “You don't have to hang it anywhere it's just— you can even put it in the garage if you want”

Athena's eyebrow arched and looked at Bobby, a question in both of their minds as they took the Kraft paper covered rectangle out of the bag. Their reaction when the paper was ripped would've made a good video, the kind that spread throughout social media and even reached the news.

Their eyes were glued to the painting, sparkling as they took in the details: a faceless couple dancing around what looked like dusts of wind, with leafs and flowers around them. The piece had a warm palette, except for the couple: a combination of pink and purple. “A hurricane of love” read the post-it note attached to the corner, which made the couple gasp when Bobby took it out, revealing the signature.

“You made this?” Bobby's voice hitched, and Tommy hoped it was a good thing that the man's eyes were glistening.

He nodded, his cheeks feeling strangely warm, and fidgeted with his fingers “I took on painting after—” he stopped himself from talking, a lump in his throat that suddenly made it harder for him to keep going.

After I broke my own heart.

part 2

[violettavonviolet]

Percy Jackson fic rec's

All fics are finished and amazing! The word count goes up as it goes, all fics are completed, I've added the ships and ratings but do make sure to read the tags!

Fic's marked with a star haven't left my brain since I read them

Deep Sea Fury

HumbleservantofHypnos

Summary:

Someone stabbed Tyson’s eye, and Percy is unable to stop himself from going unhinged.

Nemesis had talked to him, whispered in his ear that the rule should be the same for everyone. An eye for an eye.

1.8k gen

Percy's Questers' Quests

WardofWinters (QoLife)

Summary:

Hi! I’m Percy of Questers Quests, where all Quests are dedicated to Kronos the Titan of Time, what can I do for you today? Mhm, okay, I understand, yeah we can do that, do you have any questions? -oh why do we dedicate our Quests to Kronos? Well, that’s because I’m sick and tired of my relatives harassing me. Anyways! We’ll have that Quest done for you by the end of the week, thank you for your business!

3.5k Genfic

Blood in the Wine *

mrthology

Summary:

“It’s a good thing that father of yours is so protective of you,” Dionysus said, joining the demigod on the beach the next night, looking cautiously out to the lapping waves to gauge his uncle’s mood.

The demigod blinked, eyes bright despite the lack of light.

Dionysus ignored his surprise and studied the demigod carefully, noting the faint hint of gold exuding from his skin.

Ah. Well then.

He could remember noting the same sheen to his own skin millennia ago now. Jackson was on the precipice of something, and only time would tell if it were madness or greatness.

——

Percy’s on the edge of something. Dionysus notices, even if Percy doesn’t want him (or anyone) to.

4.5k Percy/Dionysus

A Godly Quest

CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

Summary:

Paul is like… eighty percent sure that some of Percy’s so-called "quests" are all one big hoax. He isn’t able to prove it until he goes to Taco Bell at three in the morning.

5k gen

Sand Dollar Child

withay

Summary:

There's far too much divinity in Percy Jackson. It oozes from him, to the point where he's sometimes mistaken for Poseidon. Percy doesn't know this yet. All he knows is that this nereid is asking to borrow five drachmas.

6.4k percabeth gen

Of All That Breathe and Crawl Across the Earth

mrthology

Summary:

"All of you demigods are bred for war, for me," Ares said. "That's just a fact of life." He took another drag of his cigar, then snuffed it out on the bricks near Jackson's ear. "You're chess pieces to move as we want, and nothing more."

Jackson laughed, his voice echoing in the small alleyway in a way no mortals should. "I'm surprised you even know what chess is," he snapped. He grinned, all sharp teeth and eyes that saw far too much. "I thought that was more Athena's area. You're just carnage."

Ares tightened his grip, wanting to see the boy squirm. Jackson reminded him of someone from millennia past, a Hero still loved by the ages. Ares wished he could place who.

—

Ares takes notice of Percy Jackson. Even he isn't sure if it's a good thing, not when his very presence seems to bring back memories of things best left forgotten.

8k ares/percy mature

I know the end

Ghxst_Bird

Summary:

Ever since Tartarus there’s been something… strange about Percy. They all know it, they’ve all seen it. Obviously the gods know about it, too, but they’re about as helpful about it as Charybdis in a swimming pool.

Nico just hopes Percy will stop glaring at everyone who looks at Nico or Jason the wrong way… and preferably tell his godly relatives to not threaten doom on them all every time Percy so much as scrapes his knee.

8.3k genfic, percy&nico&jason

Get Under Your Skin Just Like A Bomb That's Ready To Blow

ashilrak

Summary:

“That was a mistake,” Ares says, walking beside him. “You’re not one to abandon your post. This is going to eat at you.”

Just like every other time he’s spoken with Ares, Percy is vibrating with anger. How dare Ares tell him what’s best for him. At his sides, he tightens his hands into fists tight enough he’s sure he’s drawn blood.

“What’s it to you?” he spits out.

“You’ve got war in your heart, boy,” Ares says. Percy can’t see his eyes because of his sunglasses, but he’s sure they’re glowing red like charcoal. “I can taste it.”

—

Or: Percy's struggling without a war looming over him, and who better to help him find his purpose than the God of War?

9k Ares/Percy explicit

What’s in a Name?

anxious_tofu

Summary:

Percy didn’t realize at the time that when his boyfriend came up to him one Friday afternoon with his coffee order in hand and a nervous grin on his face it was the beginning of the end. 

After six months of dating, Apollo brings Percy to meet his family. This proves to be a mistake.

-----

All human/meet the family AU. Crack taken too seriously/ attempt at humor.

10.2k perpollo teen

The Burden of Our Mortal Misery *

mrthology

Summary:

“Get up,” Dionysus ordered.

Percy ignored him. As they always did, memories of Tartarus crept back, a hold on him that never quite left. Falling, falling, falling. Always falling, never quite clawing his way back to the surface.

Dionysus hauled him to his feet, hands a burning brand.

Percy panted and met his eyes, barely able to stand under the force of the god's divinity. He wondered if this was what people meant when they talked about the myths, why people loved and worshipped the gods and feared them in turn. Percy had never seen them as people to revere and love. They were cruel; petty. They had done nothing but treat Percy like a pawn in their schemes, then thrown him to the proverbial wolves once they’d been done with him.

But he thought he was beginning to understand. He felt tiny before Dionysus, insignificant. It was more of a comfort than Percy wanted to admit.

“What’s happening to me?”

—

Percy had left something of himself down in Tartarus, and he didn’t think he’d ever get it back. He wasn’t sure he wanted to.

12k Percy/Dionysus teen

The Drowned God

robindrake93

Summary:

It's Hermes job to summon all of the gods to the summer solstice meeting...and that includes the newest one: Percy Jackson. From that moment on, Percy's life changes forever. Again.

17k Percy/Hermes mature

Walking Backward Into My Own Myth

mrthology

Summary:

"You should have ascended years ago," Zeus said without preamble, looking down at Percy. The other Olympians, even his father, remained silent, watching the proceedings with uncharacteristic solemnity.

"I said no years ago," Percy snapped, rage making his voice tremble and hands shake. "I didn't want to be a God then, and I want to even less now. I've seen how horrible eternity is."

"You would defy the fates themselves?" Athena asked softly, leaning forwards with narrowed eyes. She looked more godly than Percy had ever seen her, to the point where it was nearly unbearable to look at her face. Percy did so nevertheless, glaring at the Goddess he'd lost almost all respect for.

"You had children die today," he snapped, desperate to return to Camp. "Annabeth could still die—hasn't she done enough?"

———

Or, Percy keeps living the same horrible day over and over and over again, regardless of what he does. Eventually, something will have to give. Percy just isn't sure what.

19k  gen

Until you break, until you yield

Sappho_of_Space

Summary:

Despite everything that Percy did for the gods, he was still being used as a pawn. When an opportunity arises that Zeus can't ignore, Apollo will stop at nothing for his lover to return to his arms.

If people die in the process, that's not his problem.

27.4k Perpollo

Set in Stone *

CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

Summary:

“Find Medusa?” Percy spluttered, trying and failing not to sound indignant. “Nobody wants to find Medusa. You run into Medusa while trying to retrieve your uncle’s stolen lightning bolt and then mail her head to the gods after she keeps talking about how your eyes are like your father’s.”

From behind him, Piper raised a single finger. “When you mail what to whom?”

Percy glanced over his shoulder to give her a shrug. “Don’t worry about it. I was twelve,” he said before turning back to where Gabe was still fighting against the ropes binding his hands together. “Do you have any idea what to do with him?”

Nico leaned over, craning his neck to better peer at the hot sauce that still stained Gabe’s face despite the years of statue-ification. “Um, we could see if your dad wants to turn him into a fish or something?”

Percy grimaced. If Gabe Ugliano was a fish, then he’d be forced to hear the man’s voice in his head for years to come. But also, he could maybe mount him on a wall, so perhaps it wasn’t an entirely terrible idea.

Or

Medusa’s sculptures are mysteriously coming back to life. Percy doesn’t think murder is an unreasonable action given the circumstances.

38k gen abuse via Gabe

Fishing in Alaska *

CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

Summary:

“This… this would qualify as a mental breakdown, right?” Triton asked, frowning over his shoulder to where Percy was still fuming in the corner. The lady at the counter curiously glanced over before lifting a questioning brow. “My brother – half-brother, technically, I have much better breeding – decided to run away from home to where our father can’t reach him and now he won’t leave. And now I can’t leave unless he leaves,” Triton continued. Percy opened his mouth to object that wasn’t what happened at all, but the tyrant only waved a hand to silence him. “He’s seen war or whatever, so if you could maybe just drug him then I’ll throw him into a suitcase and we can be out of here by the Summer Solstice!”

Silence. Finally, the woman cleared her throat and turned to Percy.

“I’m guessing he’s the one you want checked into the mental hospital?” She asked. Triton gasped as Percy punched the air in victory.

“Aha!”

Or

Getting in trouble works a little differently when your parent is an all-powerful god. Sometimes you have to escape to the land beyond gods and get your immortal brother turned human to drag you back so you can be exploded a million pieces. You know, normal teenage stuff.

112k gen Percy&Triton

The Hero Unsung

SomePsychopomp

Summary:

“Oh gods,” Percy thought, “I got fucking isekai’ed.”

---

Thrown back in time and tossed onto the scorching shores of ancient Greece, Percy becomes the unwilling center of attention for an entire army. One destined to sail for Troy and wage a ten year war. If only they could appease the gods keeping them far from their destination first…

Meanwhile, Percy will have to make allies fast while navigating a pantheon of deities who have not yet been tempered by time. Because here, it’s not just the kings who have taken a terrible interest in him; Percy will soon learn just how painful the attention of a god can really be.

135k percy/achilles/patroculus

HAUNT ME, THEN— *

ashilrak, mrthology

Summary:

Percy collapsed once he reached the porch and looked up to a rickety ceiling fan. A moth darted around the light, drawing his attention. It was easier to focus on it than on what had happened. His mom, the strange recollections that dogged the edges of his memory, Grover, everything.

A stern and familiar man looked down at him, concern and apprehension written across his face.

“Hello, Kassandra.”

———

Or, when Apollo cursed Kassandra before the Trojan War, it didn’t go as planned. Now, millennia later, Apollo and Kassandra are still stuck in an endless cycle of death and rebirth. Percy Jackson doesn’t know why people keep calling him Kassandra, or why he’s plagued by memories; all he knows is that he didn’t want to be a demigod.

270k perpollo & Percy& Will

[sxber-r]

Aaahhh!! It’s been so long since I’ve updated, I’m sorry! (I don’t know who I’m apologizing to) But I finished SoN a while ago but haven’t made anything, so here it is! If you haven’t read SoN, this is a warning!

SoN made me think. Seeing Percy so confused about who he was constantly had me on edge, especially because the reader (if having read the previous books) knew what he had gone through. I was just waiting to see his reaction when he finally got it back, and it was worth it. When he first turned down praetorship because he was loyal to Annabeth I was giggling and kicking my feet. The entire time, he just wanted to see his girlfriend again. When that one Amazonian warrior (I forgot her name, it was Kaylie or Kaize or something) asked him out and said he’d look good in an orange jumpsuit and a COLLAR I had to put the book down. Like, girl. WHAT? I was appalled, to say the least. Seeing Tyson and Mrs. O’Leary made me smile, I missed those big guys. The dream scene with Grover made me sad :( Percy thought he was a faun asking for change. 

Percy wasn’t the only character that had me on the edge of my seat. Frank was such an interesting character to read. He was a shy, big guy who was ridiculed for being a probatio. His reaction to Percy calling the cannibals Canadians made me giggle. Frank had struggled to accept being a son of Mars, which was hard for someone who thought it was horrible, especially because of his mom’s death. The scene with his grandmother in the house? SOBBING. When he gave Hazel the stick I was screaming. In all, his character development wasn’t rushed and it was gradual, creating an interesting character to read. He and Hazel’s relationship felt slightly rushed, but I think it’s just because I was so accustomed to the five-book slow burn that was Percabeth. The age gap did make me question it, but I wasn’t too weirded out. 13 and 16 aren’t too bad in my opinion, especially because She was dead for a few decades and they kinda match maturity levels(?). That is probably a risky opinion so please educate me if I sound like a creepy person.

Hazel was also a very well-written character. Learning about how she had come back from the dead was very interesting as well. I had already know, due to spoilers, but it was interesting to hear the full story on her death. It was heartbreaking to hear about her mother, and Gaea, and just everything that happened in Alaska. Her powers are interesting as well, and I like how the powers a demigod gets depends on if they were roman or Greek. How Nico can summond skeletons because Hades is the god of the Underworld, but Hazel has earth and jewel powers, contributing to the wealth side of Pluto. It reminds me of how poetic the planet Pluto is. Pluto, the god, wasn't considered an Olympian despite being one of the big three, just like how Pluto wasn't considered a planet. Overall, I love Hazel. Her character is amazing, and I love that Nico got a sister back, especially with the scene on the roof where he accidentally calls her Bianca.

Beautiful book, amazing writing, 10/10. I need to start reading Mark of Athena, which I do have, but i need to do it quick because the book was due the Sixth! Since school has started up I have to do thirty minutes of reading per night and would love to update you guys every time about the chapters. Love you guys, have a good night!

[marantis]

Some more of my general thoughts about the Ithaca Saga, now that I've had some time to let them stew.

I love the chord/note progression (quick reminder I have like no knowledge of actual music terms^^) of 'Cause I'd rather lie, than to allow them to think they've won' and consequitive uses of that same one. The belt on the second 'buying you time' is everything, absolutely great.

While we're on the topic of belts, I love Antinous belting in Hold them down, it's so good. Also that gurgle from Antinous when Ody shoots him in the throat, visceral, love it.

I do think it is neat that King got renamed, had to read a post pointing it out, but it is nice that it now matches all the other 'Monster' Songs that only have the coresponding name as the title. I also wonder about the armory though, like was that Odysseus cause it seems unlikely, or is it that Telemachus got home, clocked that it's killing suitors time, got himself to the armory armed himself, and then the suitors already found the thing, kind of surprising him there, arming themselves before he then confronts them? Or is there a third option I might be missing?

Can't help but wonder marks the point I started bawling uncontrollably if anyone's wondering. Athena's appearance did me in in the end. But the whole song is just so unbearably sweet.

Would you fall in love with me again still manages to make me cry by the way (twice in the last two days) it's always Ody singing 'I know that you've been waiting, waiting for love' that does it. The emotion there is just urghh. Also the little breath right at the start of the song is so precious. The raw emotions throughout that song especially Penelope getting angry, and I love that she essentially puts a riddle before Odysseus with the wedding bed request, it is a really nice way of emphasising again that they are evenly matched when it comes to wits. But my favourite part is the 'I will fall in love with you again, over and over again, no matter how where or when' She is so fed up with her idiot husband that has been gone for twenty years, and she loves him so much

[pjo-tvs-version]

Here is a little rant about the judo flip scene in the Mark of Athena. Please don't be offended by this because I just wanted to express my views. I respect all opinions till the time they make sense.

At the time I read the Mark of Athena, I wasn't really into the pjo fandom. Honestly the time period from when I read the Son of Neptune to reading Mark of Athena was by far the most stressful and I finished Mark of Athena in just one day! I was soo looking forward to reunion and was flipping the pages and enjoying it as everything came by. I reached the judo flip scene and just read it like it was nothing though I found it surprising and amusing for a short period of time. To be honest I was mentally obsessing over percabeth's reunion kiss not their judo flip. I want to be honest and in this post so I will say that I had literally no issue with the judo flip. I didn't even think about the judo flip after I finished the book (albeit my brain was too busy digesting the ending of the book but you know....)

Flash forward to me now. I am a part of the pjo fandom and like to keep myself updated with everything. In the fandom, the judo flip is unarguably one of the most controversial topics. I was so surprised that there is so much of debate on this one incident to be honest. It shocked me soo much that went and reread the scene again and then thinking to myself - was it that weird?

Now whenever I make an opinion I try my best to hear both sides. People find it toxic and abusive and others find it cute and adorable. Now I will like to remind you that this is strictly my opinions on the topic so please do not be offended if you do not agree with me.

Percy and Annabeth are characters who are fictional. Their relationship is adored by many and a few dislike it which is completely alright. However I would like to point a few things. Annabeth and Percy have known each other for about 4 years. They have been trained in battle and have fought a literal war side by side. Plus they are demigods. Annabeth is a warrior and we know she loves Percy because even if you don't ship percabeth you have to agree with the fact that the girl was seriously concerned when Percy went missing and searched for him for 6 months. Would she do that if she didn't love him?

They are very close and have even dated for 4 months. That is when Percy disappears with no fault of his. But I urge you to just imagine Annabeth's situation a little please. She is seeing her boyfriend, her best friend after legit 6 months of searching, not knowing whether he is alive or not, not knowing whether he remembers her or not.

Obviously her emotions are running high. Their is relief, joy and anger too which is understandable. However this anger is directed to the wrong person and that makes this scene debatable. Annabeth had no right to blame Percy for his disappearance but she did. But now just see her situation too. Like girl was going through a bad phase too and her anger did evaporate when Percy smiled because he too understands what she must be feeling.

What she did was not right but it is understandable too. It depends on perspective. In my eyes I would say that this scene was a failed attempt at humour by Uncle Rick. There were other ways about how he could have gone with this scene.

In the end, do I hate this scene? No. Do I like it? Also No. To me it's just an incident which occured and that's all. I don't really think about this scene often but the fandom has amplified it a little too much ( I know this is so ironic because with this post I'm just adding on to the already multiple discussions on this topic but let's just ignore that fact). One should be free to interpret this scene in the way they want but without insulting the other side. I wish to do the same too...

[mushroom-the-trauma]

Mark of Athena

Okay, I finally found time to start reading. If it's not starting with both camps meeting each other I'm gonna throw something!

Leo the man you are❤️

Okay, I don't think Jason will betray us, but I agree with you Annabeth. He is too perfect. Still wanna hate him for that. He had a lot of doubts in first book but he had amnesia so yeah.

Terminus don't scare me like this, Annabeth makes me paranoid and without you

I'm crying... Their reunion! It's perfect! Why do I care so much?! 😭😭😭😭😭😭💔

Percy and Jason bonding over annoying Octavian is precious all. They are already besties

It's the most confusing prophecy so far. Just What?

What is happening with my Leo? Stop freaking me out! I was told he is just ancestor of Sammy (?) or whatever his name was! Why is this sound so evil? Is it about something else? I need more Percabeth! It's all so stressful

Ohh come on! They had such a nice talk! We almost found out what Annabeth quest is! Fuck you guys, I blame Octavian! I bet he fired that missile

I'm gonna rip you to shreds so there's no place of untouched skin on your body and then I will poor fucking boiling acid all over your miserable stinking body, and enjoy your screams of agony as acid burns your raw flesh, nerves and muscles, Octavian. You will be my sacrificial teddy bear. Fear me for you have angered me, you weak excuse of a human being.

Leo...What...NO! What is going on? My baby? What have you done to my baby?! (I will still torture you Octavian, I blame you for everything bad in the world)

I wanna cry, my poor baby.

#scarypercy #welovescarypercy

Why have they brought this goat? He's pain in the ass.

Man, this book will be hard on Leo.

Nemesis... I want to like you. Even if you will bring bad fortune for us I for some reason want to like you. But you had to do that one thing I hate the most. NOT ANSWERING DAMN QUESTIONS!!!! I resent y'all

I'm so tired. I want to sleep. I want to read... One more chapter.

I feel like I like gods in this book grow more crazy and schizophrenic

Leo, you my miserable insecure babygirl, for once I get you.

Hi Echo!

How does salt water look different from not salt water? How do I imagine color of salt water?

I like her

Ugh, Narcissus. Why am I already annoyed?

Leo I love you and your crazy mind 😂😂😂😂

Yeah Team Leo for the win! The cutest of scrawny and fanny boys!

Seriously dude, why won't you settle on a normal mirror. It's not like you would care what junk of metal you stare at as long as you see yourself.🙄

Oh... I realized why I don't feel like Piper's and Jason relationship wouldn't work out. They're too desperate. Like with Annabeth and Percy there's more passion than desperation even though you totally could feel some. But I don't feel that passion from Piper, just desperation to keep him. Idk I just have never read something where that type of relationship would work. Maybe I'm wrong. Probably I am. But that's what my half lucid brain tells me.

What a chaos, love that

Tension between Percy and Jason for leadership reminds me of the same situation with Thalia. Interestingly they all would listen Annabeth in the end

As always one chapter turned into a four. I really need to sleep

@please-be-nice-im-sensitive

[scarred-but-still-smiling]

Jay's Odyssey (chapter 2 of 3)

So, you know how this all started with something cute and hopeful?

Oops.

Read here on AO3

"Am I going to have to push the entire way there?"

"It's only been two hours, Hermes!" Jorge laughed, looking out over the back of the boat, "I'm disappointed in you."

Hermes glared up at him, "your trip from Ithaca to America is gonna be a nightmare, mark my words."

Jay pouted, "Oh, c'mon, it was just a joke, I barely even scratched you."

"I'd apologize if I were you," He looked behind him, seeing Athena keeping watch at the starboard side. "He just cursed you." She said, "as a musician, I'm sure you heard it; that extra resonance on his words, that's an invocation."

Jay looked back at Hermes, and was met with a glare of genuine malice, a sinking feeling in his gut. "Okay, how about we make a deal." He offered, "you push during the day, from sunrise to sunset, and then during the night you can do whatever the hell you wanna do as long as it won't make the journey longer. Deal?"

"Fine." Hermes grumbled, "we're still not even, but I'll lift the curse."

"Thank you. If it helps, I'll buy you a bunch of candy when we get home." He walked towards the front of the boat, taking up position on the port side to keep watch.

"You're aware it's winter, right?" Athena said, "that's far fewer hours of speed than not."

"Yeah, but with the kinda speed we're talking about, that shouldn't matter all that much." Jay smiled, "besides, he seemed genuinely afraid I was actually gonna stab him, so I really needed to sweeten the pot."

The rest of the day passed without incident, they had lowered the sail when Hermes had started pushing to reduce drag, so as the sun began to set, he and Athena raised it again as Hermes climbed out of the water.

"So, what're your plans for tonight, Hermes?" Jay asked, finishing securing the ropes he was responsible for.

Hermes tossed aside the blanket he was using as a towel and began to dress himself, "I was thinking about asking Mason if he could see anything about the lotto. Any lotto, really, there's gotta be a few somewhere in the world this close to Christmas."

Athena's head swivelled to face them, rather aggressively reminding Jay about her connection to owls, "Christmas?"

Hermes put a hand to his mouth, playing at being scandalized, "Jay, don't tell me you've not told her about how religion has changed? Does she even know that only a small fraction of the world even believes in us any more?" He threw on his coat and laughed, "anyway, I'll see you two in the morning, ta-ta!"

Jay sighed as he watched Hermes disappear in a shower of sparkles, this was gonna be a complicated discussion.

It took a few tangents in their conversation as he ate his dinner to explain landmasses that she wasn't familiar with, and he himself wasn't an encyclopedia, so he wasn't able to give her all the details she asked for, but Athena took it surprisingly well.

She smiled, "I suppose as times change, and more is suffered, there will be need for different types of faith to help mortals to endure their many kinds of pain."

"I guess," he said, throwing the bones from his salted fish overboard and grabbing the spare blanket from the storage hut, "you know, I almost wonder if you'll be able to see the world I come from. Like, given that this specific version of you is one I wrote, it's not likely, but maybe we can find a way. I mean, weirder things have happened." Smiling, Jay took off his Epic sweater and bundled it up as a pillow, curling up at the edge of the deck, sheltered from the wind by the side of the boat, the rocking motion lulling him to sleep as it had the past two nights.

"Jorge!"

Jay jolted awake, the only light the crescent moon above and the scant torches along the edges of the boat, "Teagan!?" He looked around in a panic, looking for the source of the panicked voice, and was met with a face he didn't recognize inches from his own; feminine, but feathered and birdlike, sharp teeth in a maw opened in a screech. Then he became aware of the ticking, then where he was, then who he was with.

He scrambled out of the corner he was pinned in, fumbling for the dagger he'd been given and looking around for Athena. She was engaged with half a dozen of the bird women, clearly unable to come to his aid. He wasn't a violent man, he wasn't a warrior, but at this point, he had no choice.

The least he could do was make it quick.

Moving behind the harpy that was attacking him, he gripped the dagger tightly in his hand and drove it directly into the base of her skull, hoping he was right in remembering where the brainstem was.

He looked over at Athena as the first harpy crumpled, the harpies were still harrying her, and she almost looked like she was beginning to flag. There would be time for the guilt and nausea later; if anything happened to Athena, he was as good as stuck.

He grabbed his bow and quiver and moved to a more advantageous position, firing off one, two, three arrows in quick succession. One harpy fell, lifeless, into the water, an arrow piercing her eye. Another was hit in the shoulder, and fell to the deck. The third arrow barely grazed the leg of a third, succeeding in nothing but getting her attention.

The ticking faded, and Jay dropped the bow, pulling out his dagger again as the third harpy charged him, but without Quick Thought, she was far faster than he was, and before he could react, he was knocked backwards onto the deck.

His left arm had been pinned painfully beneath him as he attempted to break his fall, so all he had to defend himself was the hand he held the dagger in. He tried to swipe at the harpy with the dagger, but his grip wasn't strong enough, and it clattered across the deck as it met an incoming talon.

The harpy swiped at him again, and Jay cried out, searing pain blossoming as he instinctively brought his free arm up to block the blow, quickly followed by a very deliberate feeling slash down the length of his forearm that went from his wrist to his elbow. He felt blood begin to gush out of the wound rapidly, knowing in his gut that something critical had been severed.

Another slash, this one across his chest as his wounded arm fell, limp, to the deck, his hand unmoving.

Another, across his face, and one half of his vision went black.

Jay's remaining vision began to swim, the pain and fear and blood loss piling up as he realized that he was probably going to die here, die in the ancient past and never see his loved ones again. The harpy lunged forward, teeth bared, to tear out his throat.

But suddenly stopped, a spearhead protruding from between her eyes.

"Jorge? Are you okay?" Athena might as well have been speaking to him through 10ft of water, "Jay?!"

"Good," he murmured, letting himself collapse backward onto the deck, "you're okay." As his vision faded, Jay could see Athena dropping to her knees beside him, covered in harpy blood, face an image of guilt and fear as she tore strips from her cloak, desparately trying to bandage his arm.

And then he saw nothing at all.

Jay sat up and looked around, he found himself on the rocky banks of a large river, the water glowing an eerie green. Standing and looking around himself, he saw countless people wandering, aimless, through the darkness, barely seeming to notice each other.

He felt ill.

He knew where he was.

The sound of sloshing drew his attention back to the river, and he saw a tiny boat pull ashore, a cloaked figure with a long pole at the helm. The figure held out its hand.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and spun around. Before him was a tall, slender man with long hair and glasses, a headband across his brow. The man wore a dark suit with a yellow tie and skull-shaped pin on his left breast, and what looked like pomegranate earrings, with an odd two-pronged trident, a bident Jay supposed, in one hand. The strange man smiled at him warmly. "Not now. Your time will come, but not for a long while yet, Jorge Rivera-Herrans." Before Jay could question who the man was, how he knew his name, and why he sounded vaguely European, the man put a hand to his chest and shoved.

Suddenly, Jay felt something pull at the core of his being, like someone had attached a tow cable to his ribcage through the back and hit the gas, and, the next thing he knew, he was blinded by a bright light.

All his senses were being assaulted at once; the light, the sound of waves and speech he couldn't quite make out, the salty smell of the ocean, the rocking of the floor beneath him. He felt his arms had been moved, hands laid overtop each other over his somach, which led him to notice his tshirt had been removed at some point. He felt his wounds burning. He tasted a warm and tingling sweetness on his lips.

As his eyes adjusted, Jay could see Athena and Hermes looking down at him with fear in their eyes. He tried to speak, but all that escaped his lips was a pained groan.

"Oh, thank Asclepius, you're alright." Hermes swooped down to hug him, and Jay gasped in pain. "I was worried I hadn't been quick enough."

"Easy, Hermes, he's probably still sore. Mortal wounds are meant to heal slowly, so the rapid healing of the ambrosia probably hurts a great deal." Athena placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled gently. "I'm glad you're still with us, Jay."

Jay smiled up at Hermes, who had released him rather quickly and now looked like he'd watched someone kick a puppy. "Guess I owe you my life now." he croaked, "feel free to dangle that over my head forever, you've earned it." He looked over at Athena, "Are you alright? Those harpies seemed to be giving you a lot of trouble."

"Thanks to your intervention, I'm doing a lot better than I would have been. Though drawing that harpy away was reckless, you told me yourself that you're not a warrior, you knew the risks."

"I knew that, without you, there was a good chance I'd never get home. Besides, your new family needs you." He cautiously lifted himself up on his elbows, "How long was I out? It only felt like a minute or two."

"About a day. I tried to dress your wounds as best I could, but you were bleeding too much. You managed to hang on for an hour or so, but by the time Hermes returned, you were already cold. So I sent him back to Olympus to grab the only thing I could think of that could heal your wounds and bring you back." She hugged herself, looking away in shame, "I would have gone myself, but I couldn't bare to leave your body unprotected. After that, it was only a few minutes until he returned with it, and it revived you within moments."

"Which, I must say, is somewhat unusual." Hermes said, "normally, Hades takes anyone who enters his realm."

"You know, I think I met him. Like, I think he spoke to me." Jay thought back to the odd man he'd met on the banks of the Styx. "Tall, thin, dark suit and yellow tie?"

"Long hair and headband?" Athena offered.

"Glasses, pomegranate earrings and a european accent?" Hermes continued.

"That's the one." Jay nodded, "He said that it wasn't my time yet. Not for a long time apparently."

The two gods looked at each other.

"What? Is that bad?"

"I mean, it depends on your definition of bad," Hermes said.

"It appears," Athena continued, "that you have a Destiny."

"A capital dee Destiny." Hermes emphasized. "So, no pressure. Well, either that, or we're looking a simple case of the ambrosia lengthening your lifespan."

Jay let himself fall back with a groan. "Hermes?"

"Yes Jay?"

"If you tell my friends about this particular detail, especially my mom, I will actually stab you for real. The last thing she needs to hear is that I literally died."

"I owe you that secrecy, my friend."

"What do you mean by that?" Athena asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Well, you know how your trip had been perfectly smooth sailing up until now? With no attacks at all?"

"Hermes..."

"I'm so sorry, Jay, I didn't know this would happen. I thought Athena could handle a few little monsters. I just wanted to freak you out a little, not kill you!" Hermes' voice cracked, and Jay could see he was crying. "Please, I beg you, forgive me."

Jay smiled, "Let's call it even, then." He awkwardly reached across his body with his left hand and pulled out his phone, opening the front facing camera.

It didn't look nearly as bad as it probably should have; instead of his face being completely mangled, there were just three, faint, parallel scars running across his face. Other than that, the only indication that anything had happened at all was the slight golden shimmer in his right iris. "You said you gave me ambrosia?" he asked, sitting up fully and slipping his phone into the left pocket of his jeans for less painful access until the burning in his right forearm had faded. "That's not gonna have any negative side effects, right? Like, I appreciate it, I just wanna know what I'm in for."

"You'd already been dead for a few hours at that point. I didn't want to take any chances of not being able to bring you back." Athena gave him an awkward smile, "I swore that I wouldn't fail you, I intend to keep that oath."

Jay looked around, noticing, at last, the stickiness of the deck beneath him. He carefully hauled himself to his feet, looking at the spot where he'd been laying, and seeing a very large, dark red stain.

His stomach turned.

He staggered over to the storage hut and slid down one wall, sitting with his knees up to his chest, the cold sea air slicing through him as Hermes resumed speeding them towards Circe's island.

He'd died.

Like, actually died.

He needed to get home, quickly, before something permenant happened to him.

He felt Athena sit down next to him, "Jay," this was only the second time she'd called him that, the first being... well he didn't want to think about it. "I'm sorry."

"For what? You did the best you could, even gods have limits." He smiled, "besides, I think bringing me back from the dead makes up for anything you might think you did wrong beforehand." He looked at the scars along and across his forearm, watching them glitter slightly as the sun hit, it seemed as though someone had removed the makeshift dressing Athena had made from her cloak when he'd first fallen, "but if you really wanna do something for me, how about you help me think of a story to tell mom to explain these scars in a way that won't give her a heart attack."

Athena giggled, and Jay was satisfied he'd helped pull her out of her spiral, "You really don't have to change much," she said, "simply omitting the fact you died should be enough."

"That's true. I'll have to swear Steven to secrecy when I get back though."

"And who would that be?" Athena asked, curiously.

"One of my friends." He said, "Steven Dookie, the voice for Polites. He works in the medical field, so of all my friends he'd probably be able to tell that this kinda wound, in this specific place," he gestured to the scar, "would kill very quickly."

"You'll need to tell someone, though." Athena said softly, "keeping that kind of secret to yourself won't do you any good. Something I learned from Odysseus is that mortals need support when they go through something as horrific as what you did."

"Actually," Jay said brightly, rapidly changing the subject, "speaking of Odysseus, how did that adoption go down? I forgot to ask back at the palace."

Athena smiled, "Well, with Telemachus as my new Warrior of the Mind, I would need to train him regularly like I did with Odysseus when he was a child, and after being smited by my father trying to get Odysseus released from Ogygia, I was not in a hurry to return to Olympus." she idly raised a hand to trace the scarring over her right eye, "so Odysseus set up a bedroom for me. At some point after that, Penelope found out what happened," she chuckled, "you should have seen her; a true warrior's heart she has. She threatened to storm Olympus itself, on her own, and fight my father for my honour."

"Odysseus talked her out of it, right?"

"Eventually, yes. That was the point where she declared that I was her daughter." Athena looked up to the sky, smiling warmly, "Telemachus was overjoyed to have a new sister, and while it was slightly awkward with Odysseus at first, he said that I didn't have to treat or address him any differently than before."

"Does the rest of Olympus know?" Jay asked, "how did Zeus react?"

"Oh he was not happy, but all it took to dissuade him from attacking the palace was to remind him what Odysseus did to Poseidon, and he thought better of it. As for my siblings, a few of them have paid a visit. Ares, especially; he never had the best relationship with father, so I don't blame him. He always seems so happy when he's with us."

With how kind and welcoming Penelope had been to him, even with zero context of who he was and why he was there, Jay didn't blame him. The Queen really had a way of making you feel at home.

He shivered, he hadn't noticed until now, likely because of adrenaline, just how cold he was. He stood, and carefully made his way over to where his sweater lay on the deck as a pillow from the night of the harpy attack.

Picking up the sweater, he ran a hand over the scars across his chest, his insides twisting as he imagined how deep the slashes might have been. He pulled it on, rubbing his arms to try and warm himself up,

Images and sensations flashed through his mind in quick succession; the sickening pop as he killed the first harpy, the way the body crumpled to the deck. The sight of the harpies baring down on Athena, the sight of Athena, a goddess of war, struggling against the onslaught. The bloody talons of the harpy that killed him. The teeth as she went to finish him off. The spear protruding from her head.

Jorge felt sick.

He hunched over the side of the boat and heaved.

He really needed to get home.

Time began passing erratically after that; the sun rose and fell, he didn't sleep much, barely ate, every time he tried, he would remember that night.

At one point, Hermes had strung magical fairylights along the edge of the boat, promising him that they would protect him from anything else that tried to approach, and Athena would ask him about his friends, trying to keep his mind on less traumatic things. He appreciated that.

Approximately 3 days after the harpy attack, they finally caught sight of their objective on the horizon, and he was relieved to have something to actively think about again.

He walked over to the stern and called down to Hermes, "Hey Hermes, Circe doesn't hate you, does she?"

"No more than you do, darling," Hermes replied, smiling, "you want me to help you navigate to her palace, don't you?"

"If you don't mind. This island doesn't exactly exist in my world so I don't have any prior knowledge to go off."

Athena came up behind him, "So, Jay, what's the plan?"

He turned around to face her, "So far, the plan is to get to Circe without dying again, tell her what my whole deal is while specifically mentioning Talya since bringing up Penelope is what worked for Odysseus, if that doesn't work also bring up my parents, if that also doesn't work get some Moly from Hermes, sail into the underworld, find Chronos in Tartarus, convince him to make a time gate in conjunction with Hermes using his traveller mojo, get back to my world's Ithaca, do the Ithaca Saga launch stream."

She nodded, "And how do you plan on convincing Chronos?"

"Ah."

"You hadn't thought about that, had you?"

"I kinda thought you'd be able to?" He shugged, "I mean, if worst comes to worst, Hermes could just pester him into submission."

Athena smiled, "Well, you still have everything else planned out decently well, I suppose we can think on ways to convince grandfather along the way."

Within the hour, they finally made landfall on the isle of Aeaea, the sound of rustling foliage like music to Jay's ears after so long at sea. He vaulted onto the sand, wincing as he was forced to bare his weight on his chest in the process, the longest part of their journey was over, and he'd soon be back with his loved ones.

"Alright, darlings, this way!" Hermes crowed, barging past Jay as he stood on the beach, "next stop, the palace of Circe!"

Jay looked at the dense jungle in front of him nervously; the sticky heat was already apparant from here, and all he had was his sweater.

He felt Athena tap him on the shoulder and turned, "Here," she said, offering a tunic, "this might help."

"Thanks," he took it from her and replaced his sweater with it, choosing to tie the outer around his waist for safekeeping.

More suitable clothing attained, Jay and Athena followed Hermes through the jungle, Athena naming every plant they came across with the eagerness of a young child telling you about their favourite dinosaurs. He supposed that she'd found something other than warfare to learn about since Odysseus had returned. He liked that for her.

With Hermes' guidance, they arrived at the palace within the hour, the grunting of pigs and the laughter of nymphs announcing its proximity. As they entered the clearing where the palace stood, Jay watched as several nymphs darted into the brush, and one into the open door of the palace itself.

Standing at the door, Jay took a deep breath, preparing himself to confront a woman who was going to look and sound almost exactly like his girlfriend.

He'd got this.

He stepped across the threshold, trying his best to project enough confidence that it would give the enchantress pause, but not enough to appear as a threat. Athena slipped into the shadow of one of the columns by the door, and Hermes went invisible.

As Circe came into view at the opposite end of the entrace hall, Jay felt something familiar catch in his chest, and he tried to ignore it.

"Hey there!" He called out, going for something between casual and cheerful but not entirely sure if he managed to not sound afraid. "We're just travellers, we come in peace!" He screwed his eyes shut and swore at himself; god, he hoped this would go better than the last time that greeting was used.

Circe tilted her head, "My, my." she smirked at him, and Jay's ears fully went pink. Fuck, this was gonna be harder than he thought. "Is this who I think it is?"

As if sensing his struggle, Athena stepped forward into the light, "Lady Circe, this is not the man you think it is. This is Jorge Rivera-Herrans, and he is a man from a different time. We seek access to the underworld so that we may meet with my grandfather Chronos in Tartarus in order to help him return home."

"And why, pray tell, should I do that?"

Jay gulped, "Because I have a love to return to." He pulled out his phone, bringing it out of sleep mode to show Circe the lockscreen image of himself and Tayla. "I know she looks like you, there's a complicated reason for that, but that's Tayla Sindel; the love of my life." He looked Circe in the eyes, "Please, Lady Circe, I need to see her again."

He watched Circe study the phone in his hand, and could feel Athena giving him A Look, "Very well," she said, "but only on one condition."

"Anything!"

"I want you to explain to me that complicated reason why your beloved and I are identical." she smirked at him again, and this time Jay swore she was doing it on purpose, "and why you look so much like a man I met so many years ago."

And so he did; as Circe prepared the spell that would allow them into the underworld, Jay explained everything; how this world was a story that he and his friends had told, how the reason she looked like Talya was because she was the character that Talya had played and how the same thing applied to him and Odysseus. He explained how she is homaged in countless media in the future, almost all of those characters also being great sorceresses. He began pacing around the room, beginning to just list random facts he knew; he explained his phone, he explained electricity, he explained what little he knew about chemistry since he had a feeling she'd be especially interested in that. He gave her as much information as he could think of off the top of his head, hoping he was making it worth her while, hoping it would be enough to help him get home.

After about half an hour he ran out of steam, the only thing he could think of when reaching for more information was Talya and his parents and his friends and how he was gonna being entering the underworld for the second time this week, but at least he'd be alive this time, and how his chest was still sore and his arm wasn't much better and-

He felt arms around him. It felt so similar to Talya, he knew it wasn't her, that it couldn't be her, not yet, but for a brief moment he allowed himself to pretend. Just to get his racing heart to calm, just to get his growing panic to subside. "Jorge," the familar voice said, "you're going to be alright. You have the best protectors you could possibly have for this journey; a goddess of war, and the god of travel, there is nothing in the underworld you aren't prepared for." Circe held him out at arms length, "give Talya my best, dear."

Jay smiled weakly at her, "Thank you, I will."

"Wait, hang on," Hermes' voice rang out from nowhere, before he appeared behind Jay, "how did you-?"

"Hermes," Circe cocked an eyebrow, "you've snooped around enough over the years that even the pigs can tell when you're here."

"He does that to you too?" Jay said, incredulous.

"Why does no one ever seem to remember thievery also falls under my domain?" He flew up into the vaulted ceiling, "The only reason I don't steal from you, Circe, is because you actually intimidate me a little, and that's hard to do."

"Not hard enough if I managed it," Jay teased.

"Oh hush, you. You're an actor, that's cheating."

"Anyway," Jay was fighting back laughter, "thank you, Lady Circe. We won't intrude on your hospitality any longer."

Circe handed Jay a vial of a shimmering liquid, "All you need to do is pour this around the perimeter of your vessel, and you and yours shall be protected and allowed to cross through the barrier at the underworld's entrance."

After the appropriate goodbyes, the trio returned to their vessel, Hermes taking the vial from Jay as they approached. "I think I should be the one to do this part," he said, his voice abnormally sincere as he applied the potion, "for good luck. I want to give you all the blessings I can for this."

"You still feel guilty, don't you?" Jay said, climbing aboard with Athena.

"Of course I do! I got you killed!" Hermes wailed, "I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for that!"

Jay sighed, "Look man, come here." Hermes fluttered over and he placed his hands on either side of the god's face. "If you really want to feel like you've been punished enough for this then we'll make sure you're there when I inevitably have to tell mom what happened. Does that work?" Hermes nodded. "Okay, good." Jay hugged him, "for what it's worth, I don't hold it against you. You didn't plan for it to spiral like that, you had no way of knowing I'd be a dumbass and try to fight a harpy with a knife."

Hermes giggled softly, "That was pretty dumb, wasn't it?"

"Increadibly dumb!" Jay agreed, emphatically, "just, the most dumb thing I think I've done in my entire life!"

"Almost as foolish as Odysseus telling that Cyclops his name," Athena agreed.

Smiling, Jay began to approach the oars to push them away from the shore, but Athena had already beaten him to it. So he just sat against the storage hut and watched the clouds go by, quietly humming Full Speed Ahead to himelf as Hermes pushed them on their way.

He was nearly home.

The day it took to get to the cave passed in almost the blink of an eye, and before Jay knew it, they were staring it down. Hermes was standing beside him, and Athena was at the oars, and he could feel the enormity of what they were about to do looming over him.

"Don't worry, darling, we've got you." Hermes reassured him, taking his hand and giving it a light squeeze, the twinkling of the lights he had summoned a few days earlier giving off a comforting glow.

He took a deep breath, "Full speed ahead."

Athena nodded and slowly propelled them towards the barrier. "Brace yourselves."

They hit, and Jay was taken aback by how alike it sounded to the sound he'd made for the song; a sound and feeling like all the air being sucked out of a room.

And then there were the screams.

The screams were so much worse than what he'd had his friends record; these were real screams of anguish, of torment, of fear. He tried not to look around too much, not wanting to be reminded of the last time he found himself here. He hoped they'd be able to find what they were looking for quickly.

"Uncle!" Athena called out from the oars, "we seek an audience!" Her words rang dully, barely audible over the screams.

Suddenly, Jay heard a laugh echo over their vessel, and felt a presence behind him that he'd felt once before. He turned, and was met with the same face as the last time he'd found himself down here.

"Jorge, my guy," the god said jovially, clapping him on the shoulder, "I told you last time; you're not on the list." He walked around Jay and leaned against the side of the boat, looking down at Athena over his glasses. "Goddess of Wisdom, in my underworld? Colour me surprised."

Athena stopped rowing and looked up to bow her head in the the guy's direction. "Greetings, Uncle Hades. My friends and I were hoping you could help us. We're looking for grandfather."

Hades raised a hand to his mouth in shock, "Friends? Athena?" He looked around, "and yet, no ice. Fancy that."

Jay squinted, a hell freezing over joke? In Ancient Greece?

"Anyway, you say you want a day pass to visit Grandpa Chronos? Let me guess, you need his help to get Jorge home?"

"And you know this because..." Hermes raised an eyebrow.

Hades laughed, summoning a scroll, "Look, flyboy, you, of all gods, should know the importance of proper paperwork. While this thing might be a bit fucked up by him existing at a point millenia before he was even born, he's not due down here for a very, very long time. By this scroll, he's got at least a century left in him."

Jay's eyes widened in shock, "A century?"

"Back to the converstion at hand, Uncle, can you help us? Please?"

"Oh, sure. I'm glad you're here actually." Hades reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a smaller scroll, sealed with golden wax that bore the image of a sunflower, turning to, finally, acknowledge the third member of their party, "Hermes, after you get done sending this guy home, could you deliver this to Demeter for me? It's from Persephone."

"Sure," Hermes smiled, taking the scroll and stowing it away inside his coat, "I mean, I suppose it is my job after all."

"Well, let's go then!" Hades cheered. Turning to the front of the boat, he summoned his bident in a burst of green flame, waving it in a circular motion. Before them, standing upright in the river, opened a portal just large enough to accomodate them, "onward!"

With a nod, Athena resumed rowing, and propelled them slowly through.

As they came out the other side, Jay noticed how dingy it was in this area; like a root cellar where something had curled up and died about a year ago, somehow both damp and dusty and smelling faintly of decay. He briefly wondered if it wasn't a bit overkill to put Chronos here, then he remembered the infant cannibalism.

After a few minutes of travel, Jay squinted into the distance and saw something slowly coming into view. As they got closer, it became more recognisable as a very large man.

Athena drew them to the edge of the rocky outcropping closest to Chronos, and Jay gathered up his belongings for what he hoped would be the final time in this adventure; putting on his sweater over the tunic Athena had given him, slinging his bow and quiver over his shoulders and hooking the scabbard of his dagger into the belt of his jeans before following the others off the boat and onto the island. Only now, did Jay grasp, truly, why the word titan had the implications it did in modern day.

Chronos was enormous, put simply; just one hand was bigger than their entire vessel, one forearm alone rivalled the largest redwoods he'd ever seen, just one link in the chains of the inky black shackles around each wrist was about as big as Armando. From down here, Jay couldn't even see his face. He was almost too big to even comprehend.

"Ah," A deep, rumbling voice boomed around them, "company."

"Hey Pops!" Hades shouted, "could ya come down here a sec? I've got a couple of your grandkids here who wanna ask you a favour."

The ground began to rumble, and the form of the titan began to shrink. The shackles on his wrists glowed brightly with runes in gold, blue and green and shrank with him, ensuring he remained prisoner, and Jay shielded his eyes.

When he looked back, he saw a, still very tall, old man; probably a couple feet taller than him, in just a tattered loincloth, with long, neatly braided, white hair and a beard that had seen an equal amount of love. Jay supposed that, with nothing to do for millenia, he probably had lots of time to look after his hair.

The titan looked over the 4 of them, grey eyes shrewdly taking them in one by one. "It is not often I get visitors," he hummed, "what can the gods possibly require that they cannot achive themselves?"

Athena stepped forward, "Titan Chronos," she bowed, "I am your granddaughter, Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and War, and this," she gestured to Hermes, "Is my brother Hermes, God of Travellers, Tricksters and Thieves."

Hermes also bowed, "And this is our friend Jorge, he's why we need your help."

Jay followed the example of the two gods and bowed, "I am," he paused, "not supposed to be here."

Chronos chuckled, a deep and hearty sound that made the dust on the ground tremble, "I can see that, mortal. You are a man out of time, are you not? And a hair out of reality, if I'm not mistaken."

He nodded, "Indeed, the reason we're here is that we, that I, hoped you could help me get home."

"Which is why you brought the god of travellers, I presume." Chronos said, "me for the when, and him for the where."

Jay nodded again, "If it's not too much trouble, of course, sir."

"As a thanks for your company, it would be my pleasure." Chronos smiled. "How far forward do you need to go?"

"Hang on, I hadn't actually figured that part out yet." He looked at Athena, "how-?"

"3202 years." Hermes piped up, "give or take a month." He looked at Chronos, "When I say the words 'Christmas day, 2024 AD' do you understand when I'm referring to?"

"Hmm..." The titan closed his eyes for a few moments and stood in silence. "Yes," he answered, eventually, "yes, I see when you mean. Around this time of day? It is approximately 2 hours past Apollo's peak."

"Oh, that will do marvellously darling." Hermes summoned his caduceus, "you first, I'll follow."

"Jorge," Jay turned around, Hades was stood over by the boat, looking at him with a serious expression on his face. "Can you come over here a sec?"

Jay, somewhat reluctantly since he was curious what the process of summoning a portal through space and time would look like, walked over. "You okay?"

When he'd made it over, he watched as Hades reached into his jacket and pulled out a tiny crystalline vial of what looked like water on a necklace-lengthed piece of golden thread. "This is for you," he said, holding it out. "It's a very small amount of Lethe water."

He took it, examining the contents, and saw how the water inside shimmered in the light from Hermes' fairy lights on the boat. "The river of forgetfulness? But why?"

Hades smiled sadly at him, "I know what it looks like when a man is haunted. You won't forget everything, it's not enough for that, but if the nightmares ever get to be too much, then if you hold them in your mind as you drink, they will be erased from your memory forever."

Jay stared at the vial, barely the size of his thumb, his right forearm twinging as he ran his thumb over its surface. He looked back up at the god of the underworld, "Thank you, Hades." He hoped he wouldn't need it, but he hung it around his neck regardless. "I truly appreciate everything you've done for me, today and last time."

Hades shrugged, "Nah, it's no biggie; you seem like a cool guy, you don't deserve to spend the rest of that long life of yours in constant fear and pain." He glanced past Jay, "Looks like your ride is here."

Turning back to where the others were stood, he saw a shimmering portal between where Chronos and Hermes stood, and, through it, a familiar set of ruins.

Finally.

He ran over excitedly, stopping just short of going through. Now he was closer, he could see Troy sat just across from them, leaning against a wall on his phone. Jay smiled, he supposed the others had chosen Troy to keep watch due to his newly aquired speed letting him go fetch them quickly when Jay returned.

He turned to the others to say his goodbyes, and saw Athena looking between Troy and Hermes with amusement, "You were being serious when you said you looked identical." she said to Hermes, sounding as if she hadn't believed him at the time.

"I know right? Whenever has a mortal been so blessed?"

Jay sighed, "Y'know, I'm kinda gonna miss this."

Athena brought her attention back to him, smiling at him fondly. "I think I shall miss you as well, Jay." She made a small swooping gesture with one hand, and, in her palm, appeared a familiar looking pendant; circular, with an engraving of an owl's face. Just like the ones owned by Odysseus and Telemachus. She handed it to him, taking his hands in her own and clasping them around the gift. "Perhaps, the gods of your world be willing, we shall meet again, my friend."

"I'd like that." he replied, securing it through one of his belt loops. "I really would."

He turned to Chronos and bowed, "Great Titan of Time, I cannot thank you enough for this gift. You will forever have my gratitude."

"It is quite alright," Chronos smiled, and he seemed to genuinely mean it, "as I said, I am simply happy to have had visitors." He looked to the portal, "I wish you all the best."

Jay looked at Hermes and grinned, "See you at the launch party?"

Hermes winked at him, "Wouldn't miss it for the world, darling."

He nodded, turning back to the portal. All his goodbyes had been said, there was nothing left to do but finally, finally, make it home.

He took a deep breath.

And stepped through.

[dragonfly0808]

A Heroes of Olympus… Rant? Idk

So, I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump so I decided to reread my Riordan books to get me out of it and I’ve been thinking a lot about the Heroes of Olympus series specifically because… as much as I love that series looking back on it… there was just so much potential not just with the story but with the characters so… I’ve decided to make a small list of shit I would change just cause I feel like it.

So, first off, I don’t think I’d change much about The Lost Hero and Son of Neptune other than 3 tiny things.

1st, in The Lost Hero, Jason doesn’t fully remember Reyna like Percy does Annabeth, but he knows that there’s someone waiting for him. Also, Piper and Jason have an actual conversation in which they’re both like ‘Look, neither of us asked for this and I’m really sorry but we shouldn’t be together when our relationship never really existed.’

2nd, about Piper… SHE SHOULDN’T BE AN ‘I’M NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS’ GIRL BECAUSE GIRLY GIRLS CAN BE JUST AS BADASS AND HAVE STORIES JUST AS GOOD AS TOMBOY AND NERDY GIRLS FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK- Sorry I am just so sick and tired of fantasy books specifically treating girly girls with little to no respect. Like… come on man.

For Piper she’d either be a girly girl from the start or she’d embrace her girly side while hanging out with the Aphrodite cabin (who deserve so much justice, I might actually do a one-shot about the Aphrodite cabin just cause I had an idea of Percy on his first week getting his nails done by Silena cause he always wanted to but couldn’t cause of Gabe/bullies idk) but yeah, Piper could go on a small journey of learning to embrace her girly side and also discovering she’s lesbian/bi, to which Drew reminds her that Aphrodite is the goddess of all kinds of love.

Son of Neptune I would only change Frank, he wouldn’t get his weird glow up, let him stay chubby and awkward!!!

Now… this is when we really deviate.

Cause… I would actually have Reyna and Nico be part of the 7 while Percy and Annabeth stay behind in New Rome (Percy stays in New Rome as Praetor and Annabeth returns to Camp Half-Blood to lead or they both stay in New Rome and Annabeth gets the idea to build something like that in Camp Half-Blood you know… BUILD SOMETHING PERMANENT).

Maybe Reyna or Nico get a vision that lets them know that they are the ones supposed to go with the 7 instead of Annabeth and Percy. (Maybe instead of Nico it’s Thalia who’s in the Jar idk) and so Reyna and Nico go with the 7 (Reyna and Jason have an emotional reunion as they should’ve but they still don’t talk about their feelings cause they’re Romans and duty comes first)

And… hear me out! 1) Piper, Hazel and Reyna would make such a powerful trio just… women! 2) Nico would have a tough time bonding with the boys (he has a strong bond with Hazel and I feel like Nico would be surprised to bond with Reyna quickly, but eventually he and Jason would become low-key besties and his banter with Leo would be very fun.) 3) ACTUAL SCENES OF THE 7 BONDING.

So Reyna would get Annabeth’s quest maybe with another villain? Point is, at the end of Mark of Athena, Reyna is the one that’s getting dragged to Tartarus, Jason tries to catch her, they’re hanging off the ledge, Jason can’t fly because the pit is trying to suck them in or smth. Reyna tells him to let her go, it’s his duty to lead the group yadda yadda yadda. Jason refuses to, tells Nico (or Thalia if she’s the one they rescue who knows?) to meet them on the other side of the Gates and we get a Jeyna Tartarus fall.

House of Hades. After years of not knowing how to approach the subject because of awkwardness/fear of abandonment/trust issues/too many praetor duties, etc… the fact that Jason was willing to fall into Tartarus with her, and the very real possibility of dying, makes Reyna and Jason finally talk about their feelings and get together and they survive Tartarus together.

In the meanwhile shit is going down in New Rome cause of stupid Octavian. Percy and Annabeth have to leave. On the Argo II everyone is having a mental breakdown so Nico or maybe Piper step up to try and lead (I would actually love it to be Piper cause she had potential as a leader so yeah).

Then another big change, Ogygia. Leo does land up on Ogygia, he does meet Calypso BUT- they don’t fall in love, however, they do grow to love each other which is what allows Leo to leave.

I don’t know exactly how it would work but I would love for platonic love to be the thing that finally saves Calypso and gets her off Ogygia. This would also play into an arc I’d give Leo all about 1) learning that he doesn’t have to be in love to be complete and growing and being okay with being alone as long as he’s not lonely and learning that platonic love can be just as strong as romantic love or 2) Leo realizing that he’s aromantic and asexual and it’s just heteronormative thinking that makes him believe he isn’t complete without a romantic partner and finally accepting himself as he is. And again, learning that platonic love can be just as strong as romantic love.

Also, more angst to Hazel’s Hecate-like powers, maybe for a moment she thinks she’s dead again or smth like that idk.

Finally, Blood of Olympus.

First off. The Athena Parthenos. That quest would go to Percy, Annabeth… AND GROVER. FUCK YEAH BITCHES. That way, we get our original trio back with an important quest and we get to see them again.

Real Jeyna Tartarus PTSD, just, angst galore.

A longer final battle with each of the 7 having a critical role in the final battle. Nico and Hazel fighting side by side, Frank and Leo, Reyna and Piper, Jason striking lightning from above. Percy doing his thing with Annabeth leading the Greek side.

And finally… I’d honestly have an actual death. One of the 7 would die, no resurrection, no nothing.

I think it’d either be Frank or Piper.

Frank because of the set up with the stick and the underrated boy finally coming into his own and sacrificing his life for the greater good.

But the better option (to me at least in my version of the story) would be Piper. We see her grow so much through the story. First coming into her own and embracing her girly side, then being forced to step up and lead when Jason and Reyna are in Tartarus and just overall becoming a hero in her own right. (Also I feel like Piper would just have a strong bond with every single one of the 7, she’s Leo’s person, low-key besties with Reyna, she’s one of Jason’s closest friends she inspires and is always there for Hazel and Frank, etc. so it’d be all the more painful, she and Nico bond over not being straight).

Also also, it would almost close the circle of the Aphrodite hero. Silena was the first hero of Aphrodite cabin, but some people still doubt her, Piper is the second hero of Aphrodite cabin that no one will ever doubt or try to discredit. They burn a pink shroud and her siblings and every single one of the seven, along with Percy and Annabeth mourn her. And all of Camp Half-Blood silently agrees to never underestimate or take the Aphrodite kids for granted again.

The series ends with Leo keeping his promise to Calypso to go back for her with help from Frank and Hazel, Annabeth asking Reyna for help to build a New Rome in Camp Half-Blood and Jason, Nico and Percy maybe confronting the gods or smth like that.

So yeah uh… those are the things I’d change that no one asked for… yay… I stayed up until like 2 am just thinking about this don’t ask me why ajajjajajaa hope you enjoyed my ramblings!

[snarkythewoecrow]

okay, for a little treat, here's some super big feels in snippet form from my mpreg!buck story (which i should make a special tag for) but this is a buddie, one night stand to enemies to reluctant roommates to lovers/family fic, with misunderstandings and lots of hurt/comfort, and this out-of-context snippet is from some stuff I wrote tonight, with Athena being the best surrogate mom to Buck in his time of need, like the feels!

tagging @kookieisbaby and @underwater-ninja-13 since i think they might be interested, i've never done a tag list but i can try to make one for snippets from this fic if you want, just let me know if you want on it

“Buck, sweetheart, you did take it, didn’t you?” she asked.

Something clawed at his throat, scraping upwards and making him cough, trying to ease it. The sensation didn’t abate, but he pushed past it, nodding tightly a few times, then managing to rasp, “Yeah, I—it’s in there, but, uh, I couldn’t—I couldn’t—I can’t—”

He shook his head, not able to explain—and not just because he didn’t know how, but because his chest had suddenly refused to expand how it should, leaving the tissues burning for oxygen, screaming for him to suck in faster--pull harder--to fill his lungs. Though that only made the panic worse.

“Woah, woah, woah,” she said, touching his shoulders, then his face, turning him to face her. “Breathe, Buck. Come on, baby.”

The room spun when he shook his head. “Can’t—can’t—I can’t.”

“Easy—look at me—that’s it, baby—there you are.” One of her hands slid to the back of his neck, putting him in a scruff that sent a jolt through his arms, then into his chest, working like the opposite of adrenaline. “I promise—you can, and very much are, breathing. You’re moving air, baby. It might not feel like it, but I promise you are.”

The tight cinch of panic around his ribcage eased.

His gaze locked with hers, latching on and finding faith. In and out. He wasn’t suffocating—Athena wouldn’t let him drown.

Her lips twitched, an almost smile. “There you go—those lungs are working a little better for you now, huh? Alright, just keep breathing, nice and slow, for a bit longer, then we’ll go from there. That sound good to you?”

A quick nod, then he closed his eyes, focusing on the warmth of her hand squeezing his neck, grounding and reminding him of a childhood he never had, with a mother who’d never cared to soothe him this way.

Then, after gathering himself, though his nerves still buzzed with static, he took an easier breath and opened his eyes to face Athena, and everything that time refused to stop chasing.

Because no matter what, sooner or later, the test would need to be read—and his life would change—even if he wasn’t pregnant, as this experience had already left its mark.

“Um, thanks—and sorry, for, you know, all that.”

She rolled her eyes, brows lifting and dropping her hand from his neck. “You’re just as bad as Bobby—and you know, you’re not the only one who struggles—we all do from time to time. But that’s what pack is for, right? We’re here for each other, through thick and thin, or whatever is waiting behind that door.”

“Yeah, I know.”

She shrugged a little. “Eh, I’m not sure you do, but it’s a work in progress, baby. We all are, in our own ways. But the real question is, are you ready to see what the next step is gonna be—where this path is leading?”

His throat still ached when he swallowed. Then he inhaled hard and fast, exhaling just as roughly afterward. “I’m scared, ’Thena.”

“I bet you are—probably downright terrified, but I’m here, and the pack is a phone call away. You know Maddie will drop everything if you ask, and no matter what—we’ll back you up. However you want to play it.”

He had to stop his hand from sliding to his lower belly. Then, glancing at the door, he asked, not even turning back to her, “Can you—would you look? Then—then tell me. I can’t and I—I think it would be easier if you…”

She patted his shoulder. “Of course, baby.”

[beehiveofblorbos]

Re: the post talking about Percy being blamed for a lot of things not his fault and your additions to it: I think I can actually even defend the Hylla and Reyna thing, if you’re alright with me sharing my thoughts about it like this!

So I understand that Circe’s island was the sisters’ safe place after the ordeal with their father, but unfortunately in the PJO verse I just don’t think it was a good one. Circe is very shady at best, and what she planned on doing to Percy was really screwed when you think about it in depth, especially when you consider that Percy and Annabeth (both just kids) had just survived a shipwreck and though they’d lost Tyson. And the fact she said and did so much spiteful stuff despite not even knowing him! Like I’m sorry but no.

(Ik there are other characterizations of Circe and I actually like her in certain other adaptations, but I would get incredibly derailed talking about that here so I’ll just be talking PJO canon exclusively 😅)

Contrary to what might be popular belief, she was definitely preying on the girls too. She was only nice to Annabeth when she thought to make her a servant. Once Annabeth was no longer on board with her schemes she was quick to turn on her and planned on turning her into a rodent too. And later on in Mark of Athena, I remember Chrysaor mentions having made a deal with her to deliver the girls from the Argo II because she needed more servants. Doesn’t make it sound like they’d be there willingly.

So Hylla and Reyna are angry with Percy and Annabeth for??? Escaping??? Screw Percy for not wanting to be a guinea pig? Screw Annabeth for not wanting to be Circe’s servant???

To your point that maybe more caution could have been used: like you also said, it was a rush situation, they had to escape from Circe and if I’m remembering right Annabeth actually couldn’t tell which of the hamsters was Percy which is why she had to throw all the pills so that he could get to them. They just didn’t have time for her to carefully pick him out from the bunch and feed the vitamins only to him.

Anyway this is just my two cents! I hope this analysis is alright! Actually though this whole scene in Sea of Monsters always made me very uncomfortable to the point where if/when they adapt it for Season 2 of the PJO show I think I’ll actually skip it altogether 😬

hi anon! yes that’s totally fine, I’d love to hear ur thoughts on Hylla and Reyna!

yes! I think I originally came away from SoM thinking that the girls on Circe’s island were bewitched since that’s what happened to Annabeth, but Reyna and Hylla display a startling level of clarity about their situation that does make them somewhat at fault for the continued suffering of any innocent heroes Circe had trapped

I mean I do like Circe even in PJO canon she’s not a good character but she’s cool, she’s got her part of the sea that she runs by her rules, I can respect that

Wow I totally forgot about all of that that she did to Annabeth… Ty for reminder yeah she def needed to go down

Ahh yeah your point makes sense. Essentially, even if Reyna + Hylla not somewhat complicit it’s at the very least not totally unexpected that victims of your morally bankrupt seaside resort would kill it with fire. Which resolves whatever moral dilemma remains w Annabeth loosing all the rodents; she was in a time pressured situation that they caused

yes, this was a very cool read, thank you for bringing back up all of those specific details and contextualizing everything!! so much goes on in PJO 🫠 I hope for your sake they cut as much as possible. always a chance it’ll turn out diff anyway since the show is on a different track than the books

[gaymortagokat]

Character Analysis: Reyna

Part 2A: Analysis Based on Other’s Chapters

Intro:

Just as a reminder/disclaimer while reading, the page numbers seen below may not line up with a physical copy of the books since I got them based on my digital copies. It may feel a bit essay-like, so sorry in advance for that it helps me be more precise with my words. And for obvious reasons everything below this paragraph contains spoilers to Heroes of Olympus books. If you haven’t read part 1 you can here .

The goal of this section is to go into more detail of what specific characters have noticed about Reyna and what it says about her character as well as go into a bit of their relationship. It will stay in timeline order as much as possible unless there are quotes that support the same idea. Anything mentioned in the above sections will not be gone over again in this section unless it relates to a character’s observations of Reyna in a way that wasn’t already stated.

Jason

Jason is easily one of the most important people in Reyna’s life. This section will explore their connection from Jason’s perspective because it is the only detailed perspective of it that is available in the books. This section will also reveal information that Jason knows about Reyna, though it may be incomplete.

First what will be explored is the never would have happened romance between them. This almost couple is something that from Jason’s perspective wouldn't have happened. In The Lost Hero as his memory slowly returns all Jason remembers is Reyna’s name and that she might have felt the same way about her that he feels about Piper (page 409). By the time The Mark of Athena Jason remembers more. He remembers a trip to Charleston where Reyna spoke to what he thought was a ghost and was shaken up about it after, wouldn’t tell him what happened,and as he says “Reyna never acted the same around me after that,” -Reyna would later have her one perspective on this conversation which will be explored later (The Mark of Athena page 168). In this quote Jason might not know/remember how Reyna felt about him but he did notice how she started treating him differently. 

Earlier in the book, he does remember how he feels about Reyna saying “It’s just…I never felt that way toward Reyna,” on page 122 of The Mark of Athena. Which leads to the next section. His guilt.

In The House of Hades we learn that Jason feels quite guilty for what he had done to Reyna. In short, he feels guilty for two things: 1) letting “her believe they had a future together” instead of shutting her down and 2) he disappeared leaving her to run camp alone and when he returned and abruptly left he left her to deal with a war (page 182). His guilt about point 2 is further explored on page 313 where he says “She needed his help. If he turned his back on her…someone like Octavian could take over and ruin everything Jason did love about New Rome. Could he be so selfish as to leave?” (The House of Hades). His guilt doesn’t show that their friendship could end, in fact, at the very least it shows how much he cares about her. 

Even after Jason’s actions, his perspective shows that they still trust and believe in each other. Shortly after fleeing New Rome in The Mark of Athena, Jason suggests contacting Reyna knowing that she would believe what they have to say (page 111). In The House of Hades during Jason’s dream where he sees Reyna in New York Reyna says “If they are sailing for Greece, I know a place Jason will stop,” showing how she knows Jason (187). This idea of trust continues on page 200 where Jason, having gone exactly where Reyna said he would, states how much he trusts that Reyna will find the note he is leaving for her (The House of Hades). As for how much belief in Reyna Jason has, he says “I’d never bet against Reyna. If anyone can make it, she will,” (The House of Hades 191). Based off this line, despite everything in the last 8 months Jason knows he can still count on Reyna to be there for him and by extension the mission. 

Jason’s point of view for the most part demonstrates his relationship with Reyna, but in The House of Hades at least two important details about Reyna are revealed. 1) “Nobody ever used Reyna’s full name” and 2) “she hated telling anyone what it was” (page 184). The reason behind wanting to use her full name is that Reyna see’s it as the name of her childhood self and she abandoned the name when she left San Juan, Puerto Rico where she grew up (The House of Hades page 184). There are many possible reasons for doing this. First thing to understand is: in the Percy Jackson Universe/ the Riordanverse, names are said to contain power. This is generally in reference to the gods and titans as stated by Mr. D. in The Lightning Thief. In real life, a person’s name is their identity. 

Abandoning a name does a couple things for a person. Choosing what to be called (ie what name a person wants people to use) means that person is taking control of their identity. Abandoning a name also creates a separation between then and now. Both of these things can exist at the same time and separately from one another. At the time of The House of Hades we have nothing that suggests why Reyna might have abandoned her childhood name, and we won’t have that information until The Blood of Olympus. This set of facts will be revisited again later through Reyna’s perspective and Nico’s.

[theneptunianmoon]

I am very sorry ( not ), but this has pissed me off VERY MUCH. You sound like you've never read the series.

First of, Annabeth does have powers dumbass. Just because she can't fly or control water or fire or bones and jewelry or shawdow travel or charmspeak DOES NOT mean she doesn't have powers. Might I remind you, Annabeth was the unofficial leader and strategist of not only the Argo II but also of Camp-half blood. When Reyna first met Annabeth, she asked her, " are you you're not an Amazon, Annabeth, or a Roman?" Though this was rude, it was depiction of amount of power Annabeth held. Annabeth was often reffered to as the blonde scary one. Wisdom is the greatest power of all. " Even strength has to bow to wisdom sometimes. " The entire point of the character of Annabeth, or the basic metaphor behind it I feel, is that you don't need to have magic to be strong, the real magic is in your brain, your mind.

2. 'The wisdom's daughter walks alone,'- Mark of Athena. It is SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED in the m.o.a, your meme, wisdom's daughter walks alone does not only mean that Annabeth's quest was a solo quest, it meant that she walked without any special powers that other, ALL demigods on the Argo II had. Her powers may seem ordinary to you, but she as much, or maybe even more important and powerful than other demigods on the ship. I need people to recognize wisdom, intelligence, strategic ingenuity, and physical strength as legit powers, BECAUSE THEY ARE.

3. Next, do you mean to say that whatever percy or others did only increased the problems and if Annabeth had been given the upperhand, things could have been solved in one book or just 50 pages? Guess what, YOU ARE WRONG. You have messed with a big-time percy fan. I hate this thing people do, you know - just because he's the protagonist, they're going to hate him. Just BECAUSE he is the protagonist. Percy was one different protagonist, he was not 'the chosen one', he chose himself. Je knew the dangers, he decided to chose the hrad path anyway. He was not the 'all pure' protagonist too. Percy had his dark past, his darkness inside of him. He CHOSE to be good. So, I need people to stop making fun of him, or trolling him for just the heck of it.

Lastly, l knew this was a joke post but l couldn't resist this. Spreading misinformation and trolling characters ticks me off.

Signing off,

[totallynotreadingatwork]

Mini Book Reviews Again Again

Look I know I did one of these five minutes ago but I still have 20 books to get through here so bear with me okay.

Down Among the Dead Men by Peter Lovesey, book 15 of the Peter Diamond series - I don't normally read crime novels and this book reminded me why. It was a lot of police propaganda in places, a lot of nonsense in others, and overall just a bit boring. There was also a bit where someone being a lesbian was a major plot twist like??? what decade are we in??? (tbf it was written in 2015 but that's no excuse!). So yeah, didn't like this one much.

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor, book 2 of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series - Well, if I could marry a book series then this would be the one. It's beautifully crafted and beautifully written, and the worldbuilding in this one is incredible. I love the characters and the conflict and I can't quite articulate specifically how or why without giving too much away but seriously everyone should give this a go, I've even given it to my mum to read.

Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley - Oh boy was that one weird. It's not very long, but it doesn't need to be. It was cool and creepy and ominous in so many ways, and I think it would be good for people who like more gothic horror than slasher horror. I'll never look at a hare the same way again. TW for off-screen child death though. Like almost the whole book is focused around a couple dealing with the loss of their son.

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan, book 3 of the Heroes of Olympus series - What can be said that hasn't been said already? Pretty sure all of Tumblr already knows that this man is a brilliant author and that these books are amazing so I'm not going to elaborate here.

Fractured by Teri Terry, book 2 of the Slated series - Very early 2010s dystopia but still very good. I really do very strongly believe that part of the reason these books never majorly blew up the way The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner did is because they're set in Britain, and obviously weren't marketed as much. I'm enjoying them a lot. They're not the very best things I've ever read in my life, but I would have devoured them as a teenager if I'd gotten around to reading them back then.

Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick - Cute little lesbian love story. I enjoyed it well enough but it wasn't my favourite. It made me laugh in places, but I was never really invested in the relationship between the girls unfortunately. However, I was in a major reading slump at the time I read it, and was really stressed with work and life and stuff so maybe that was why I bounced off it.

Songbirds by Christy Lefteri - I'm not normally one for books that feel like they'd win a lot of awards (I like Blue Bloods for crying out loud!) but this one was very good indeed. I can't say I enjoyed it because the subject matter was really depressing, but it was very well written and had a lot to say about it's topic. It's about a live-in maid called Nisha who works for a woman in Cyprus but goes missing in chapter 1 and the rest of the book is her partner and her employer desperately trying to find her but struggling because basically no one else cares. It was a very powerful book in all honesty.

Rhosllannerchrugog, Johnstown, Ponciau, and Penycae: A Collection of Pictures by Dennis W. Gilpin - Just me out here reading some local history. Nothing that would really interest anyone who doesn't know the area, but it was fun to see places I know today as how they looked in the past.

The Dissolution of Valle Crucis Abbey by Derrick Pratt - Again, local history. It was a bit dry, as expected, but still fun to learn more about the local area.

Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz, book 2 of the Blue Bloods series - Again, complete trash, but for some reason I love it. I think it's partially nostalgia because I first read these back in 2010 or so when I was 11 or 12 and loved them then, but sometimes I think it's because we all need something to just switch our brains off to. Some people like reality TV, some people like Ali Hazlewood, I like Blue Bloods. It's all the same.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow - This is one of those books that you get from the library and enjoy so much you immediately wan't to go out and buy your own copy of. Like I feel like I'm going to be incomplete if I don't have this book in my life forever. A truly beautiful world-hopping story about finding yourself and where you belong, and it has the 'book within a book' thing going on like in The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. Can't say too much without giving it away, but it's very good and I recommend it.

Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz, book 3 of the Blue Bloods series - It's Armageddon time baby! No not really but there is a little bit of a reckoning. That all obviously comes secondary to the terrible romance thought because of course it does and that's what we're all here for anyway. It's still thoroughly problematic and off the wall, but hey, 2000s vampire novels were never going to be sensible. Cringe is dead give me more vampires.

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz, book 4 of the Blue Bloods series - Oh look, more vampires! Originally, and for most of the year, I decided not to read too many books form the series too close to one another in case I got burnt out on the series, but Blue Bloods made me break that because I was having too much fun with them. I'm officially caught up to all the ones that were out when I first read the so form here on out I'm in uncharted territory. I'm hoping it's still all just as trashy.

The House of Hades by Rick Riordan, book 4 of the Heroes of Olympus series - Again, we all know Rick Riordan is god so I won't spend too much time on this one but I will say that I think that one is my favourite of the series. The bits in Tartarus are really well done and I still love all the characters and everyone on earth should read this book series.

The Dark Archive by Genevieve Cogman, book 7 of the Invisible Library series - This is the second to last book in the series so things are really ramping up here and getting everything in place for the finale, and it managed to do all that whilst also telling a satisfying contained story. We've got another new main character, the return of an old villain or two, and adventure to be had all round. I'm very much looking forward to the next book.

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King - Another lesbian romance one I didn't really enjoy. I think I'm getting too old for coming of age stories like this. Or maybe this one just wasn't very well written. It was okay for the most part, but I didn't like the love interest at all and it seemed a lot of the time that the main character didn't either, which isn't ideal for a romance. Also, there's a running thing where the main character will watch aeroplanes flying overhead and 'send her love' up to the passengers and then we'd cut to a passenger on the flight for a few pages as they magically feel overwhelmed with a sense of love that helps cure all their troubles or whatever and I thought that was silly and I didn't like it. Not the worst thing I've ever read though.

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan, book 5 of the Heroes of Olympus series - A cracking finale, even if I do still find the fight with Gaia a little anticlimactic. I love getting to hear from Reyna and Nico for the first time; they're some of my favourite characters. Honestly just a 10/10 series.

[coinandcandle]

Apollo Deity Guide

The Romans knew him as either Apollo or Phoebus, he is the god of the sun, art, and music.

Who is Apollo?

Apollo was also worshipped as god of healing and medicine as well as prophecy and divination.

Unlike his more introverted twin sister, Apollo kept the company of many beings from deities to mortals.

Parents and Siblings

Zeus is his father, his mother is Leto

Artemis is his only full sibling.

Ares

Dionysus

Hermes

Hephaestus

Heracles

Minos

Perseus

Rhadamanthus

Athena

Persephone

Eileithyia

Hebe

Eris

Helen of Troy

The Graces

The Muses

Moirae

Lovers or Partners

Apollo had lovers of both the male and female variety!

Female Lovers include: Hecuba, Ourea, Arsinoe, Coronis, Creusa, Cyrene, Rhoeo, Evadne, Thero, Dryope and The Muses.

Male Lovers include: Cyparissus, Branchus, Admetus, Adonis, Atymnius, Boreas, Helenus, Hippolytus, Hymenaios, Hyacinth, Lapis, Phorbas

Apollo also had many one-sided loves such as Daphne, Hyrie/Thyrie, and Melia.

Children

He had many children including, Asclepius, Orpheus, Ion, Aristaeus, Amphiaraus, Troilus and Scylla. Look here for a bigger list of Apollo's children and their mothers.

Epithets

Paean

Apollon

Phoebus Apollo, or just Pheobus

Loxias” (referring to the god’s ambiguous oracles, called loxia)

“Lyceus” (a word that simultaneously evokes light, wolves, and the region of Lycia) (Mythopedia)

Apollo Daphnephoros

He is often conflated with Helios, the personification of the sun.

Holy Days/Festivals

The Pythian Games

The Delia

Celebrated in Athens, The Boedromia, Metageitnia, and Pyanepsia

Thargelia.) - Apollo’s Birthday, the day after Artemis’, would be the 7th day of Thargelion, which is roughly May 25th in the Gregorian calendar.

The Carneia and Hyacinthia were celebrated in Sparta

The Daphnephoria was celebrated every nine years in Thebes

Notes

From literature we know that the twins didn’t immediately start out as deities of the moon and sun respectively.

The most important temple dedicated to Apollo is the temple and Oracle at Delphi. The priestess Pythia would listen to and deliver Apollo’s prohocies and words. The story says that Pythia had breathed in vapors that rose from a spring underneath the temple.

Modern Deity Work

Correspondences

Disclaimer - Not all of these are traditional or historic correspondences nor do they need to be. However, any correspondence that can be considered traditional will be marked with a (T).

Rocks/Stone/Crystals

Sunstone

Gold

Tiger’s eye jasper

Citrine

Herbs/Plants

Laurel (T)

Hyacinth (T)

Palm tree (T)

Larkspur (T)

Sunflowers

Marigolds (Calendula)

Animals

Swans (T)

Cicadas

Ravens and crows (T)

Wolves/Dogs

Dolphins

Deer (T)

Hawks (T)

Snakes

Mice

Lions

Symbols

Lyre/Harp (T)

Curved Bow (T)

The Sun (T)

Plectrum (pick)

Sword

Laurel Crown (T)

Offerings

Any of the items listed above, or iconography of the items

Art of or that reminds you of Apollo (T)

Signs of the Sun

Honey (T)

Baked goods

Fruits and nuts (T)

Sun water

Wine (T)

Olives, olive oil, olive branch (T)

Oranges

Acts of Devotion

Celebrate the Olympics

Take up a sport

Dance

Read hymns of Apollo (T)

Watch and appreciate the sunrise and sunset

Bask in the sunlight (use sunscreen if you plan on doing this for longer than a few minutes!)

Practice divination (T)

Study philosophy, medicine, and pursue knowledge!

Write or read poetry and songs written for Apollo (T)

Keep in mind that these are only some ideas for offerings and correspondences! Items and activities that connect you to her in a more personal way are just as good, and often better, than those you find on the internet. As with any relationship, feel it out, ask questions, and be attentive and receptive!

References and Further Reading

Apollo - Mythopedia

Mythopedia has huge lists on either page for further reading on both Artemis and Apollo.

Apollo - Wikipedia

Apollo - Theoi Project

More Epithets here

Apollo - Greekmythology.com

Myths of Greece and Rome; Apollo (Phoebus) By Jane Harrison (Via Sacred-Texts)

Fun fact about Coin: I have a tattoo inspired by Apollo, with an arrow going through the roman numeral XIII and a minimalist sun overlaying the middle of the number in honor of my own twin who has the same tattoo but with a moon instead of a sun.