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Athena felt…strange.
Now, for some, a strange feeling wasn’t anything to worry over. Perhaps it was just a common cold or a little indigestion mortals apparently had or even a passing sensation of the brain that would depart as quickly as it came. It could be anything, and the chance of it being something truly bad was very minimal, what with all the other possibilities that could come before calamity.
But grey-eyed Pallas Athena, goddess of wisdom and war, DID NOT get strange feelings. She was always to be in perfect health; it was expected of her, as the highest ranking of Zeus’ children. She had to be like that, or she would lose everything she worked for in an instant. And she would not be able to deal with that.
However, she wouldn’t deny that she didn’t feel just a little bit off. It wasn’t exactly painful, but it wasn’t pleasant, either. It was like her guts were squirming under her skin, trying to reshape her organ system entirely. Or maybe it was like she had swallowed an amphora full of snakes and now they were fighting for a way out. Whatever it was, she didn’t like it. Not one bit.
There wasn’t much she could do about it, though. Not only was she stuck in this godly council meeting for Helios knows how long, but she also wasn’t one to ask for any aid with anything. And even if she were to throw away her dignity to do so, she’d have to go to Apollo for medical help, who would definitely tease her. And she could not handle that.
So, she dealt with it.
And then she started to get dizzy and thought that maybe this would be harder than she expected.
What was wrong with her? Was she sick? No, gods weren’t supposed to get sick… Unless she was a defective god…
By Hades, was she a defective god?!
No. There was no way. She was fine! It was just a little…godly cold. Yeah. That was what it was. A godly cold. Nothing to fret over.
Oh great, now her head hurt. Was the world out to get her or something?!
Apparently it was because she began to feel faint, and she was sure she was going to black out. And unless she wanted to go unconscious in front of the other Olympians, then she had to leave. Now.
Hoping to maybe slide out of the meeting hall without having to explain herself, she pushed back her silvered throne and stood up. Instantly, an unpleasant wave of vertigo and nausea washed over her, nearly sending her right back down, but she managed to remain on her feet. Worse than that, though, was how the current conversation about mortal hunting cut off and all heads turned to stare at her.
Damnit. If she were Ares, she probably could have escaped with ease. Nobody ever cared when he left!
“Athena,” Zeus said. “What are you doing?”
Now obligated to give an explanation, Athena said, “Returning to my palace.”
Hermes gave a laugh. “We’re even boring Athena! I told you this was a dumb topic to discuss, Artie.”
Artemis scowled at him from across the table.
“No, it’s a fine topic,” Athena said, not wanting a fight to break out. That happened far too often and her head might just explode if it did again. Swallowing her pride, she added, “I just do not feel the best and would like to return to my chambers.”
Zeus looked confused. “You don’t feel…fine?”
“Yes,” Athena said.
“I don’t understand.”
“The child is unwell, Zeus,” Demeter said, her exasperation for the god barely reigned in.
“Oh. Well, that’s strange,” Zeus said. “Yes, you may leave.”
Athena bowed her head to him, then fled the hall, the tips of her ears burning gold beneath her hair.
It would all be better once she slept. Everything would be okay in the morning…
The next morning dawned pale grey and drizzly. Athena awoke feeling slightly less awful than the day before, but she swore her body was lighter, less heavy, and she joked to herself that all her godly burdens were relieved from her shoulders as she slid out of bed.
Weird. Why did her room seem so much bigger? And why was her armor stand so tall all of a sudden?
She looked down at herself.
Was she…smaller?
Slightly frantic, but not quite panicked just yet, she grabbed her breastplate set up on the armor stand and peered into it.
Her face was less defined and rounded, her hair was shorter, her head-wings were covered in baby down instead of adult feathers…
She screamed and dropped the breastplate.
She had been turned into a child.
Athena felt ice cold. Was she shaking? She was definitely shaking. What has happened to her?!
She looked down at her hands, and only then did she notice how little they were. They weren’t the hands of a war goddess at all! How was she even supposed to hold her spear with these short fingers?!
Alright, she had to calm down… Perhaps she just transformed into a child in her daze the night before. She had been quite dizzy, after all. Yes, that was it. There was no need to contract the mania over this.
…Except when she tried to transform back into her regular mortal form, she couldn’t.
She tried again. Nothing.
One more time. No change at all.
She could feel her powers trying to work, feel the tense and pull of her godly magic running through her muscles, but it was like trying to retrieve water out of a dry well- there was no real energy there for her to draw from. Something was blocking her.
Okay. Now she had the mania.
Athena stumbled backwards, winding her arms around herself and squeezing tightly. How could this happen? How did this happen?! Turning into a child and not being able to turn back isn’t just a thing gods did! This didn’t make any sense!
She had to think. There had to be a reasonable explanation for this. There was a reasonable explanation for everything in the world!
She sat down on her bed and put her small head into her equally small hands. This happened after she started feeling bad the evening before during the council meeting, so something there had to be the cause of this calamity. And although every god that had attended that meeting had the power to easily turn someone into something else, a child included, she didn’t think they had any reason to do that to her. She never did anything wrong! She barely even spoke during that meeting to warrant this kind of punishment, anyway. All she did was offhandedly mention something about not getting a childhood to the twins and then occasionally contribute to an argument about a particularly haughty king, but that was—
Wait.
That conversation with the twins… She remembered how Hebe had given her an interested look after she made that comment. And she remembered how Hebe had seemed to be smothering a smile for the entire evening after that.
Hebe, the cupbearer of the gods.
Hebe, who passed out their cups of wine for a council.
Hebe, the goddess of youth.
Athena clenched her fists into owl talons.
She found her offender.
Athena found Hebe in her room in the Palace of Zeus. As a more minor god, she didn’t get a castle of her own, but she didn’t ever seem to mind. She was content with living in the main building of Olympos, which was good for Athena in return. Made her easier to find.
Hebe was still getting ready for the day, brushing her hair out in the polished mirror at her vanity, when Athena jetted through the open window, pecking her as hard as possible in the head. Hebe yelped in pain, jerking away, and turned her wide, frightened eyes on Athena, looking like she was completely innocent.
“What have you done?” Athena hissed lowly in her owl form. Even when she was an animal, she appeared as a young creature. How was she supposed to be intimidating and threatening when she was covered in fluffy baby down?!
“What?” Hebe blinked.
“What have you done?!” Athena repeated, louder, more worked up.
“Athena, is that you?” Hebe asked.
“Yes, it’s me, you absolute buffoon!” Athena screeched, flaring her feathers—only for her to remember she was covered in baby fuzz. GODS, she hated this child body.
“Oh. Hello!”
Athena bit her finger.
“Ow!” Hebe squealed, cradling her injured hand against her chest. “What’s wrong? Why are you so mad?”
“Why am I so mad? Why am I so mad?!” Athena yelled. “THIS is why I’m so mad!”
She reverted back to her mortal form. Hebe had to look down at her.
“Oh!” Hebe said, frustrating Athena beyond belief. “It worked! Wonderful!”
“No, not wonderful! Why am I a child?!”
“Well, yesterday before the council, I heard you mentioning to the twins that you never had a childhood,” Hebe explained. “And I felt so bad for you. So, as the goddess of youth, I decided to grant you that! You deserve to be a child, too.”
Athena stared at her.
“ARE YOU A FOOL?!”
Hebe flinched away. “I don’t understand why you’re so upset.”
“You turned me into a CHILD, Hebe!” Athena shouted. “Without asking me first! De-aging someone is something that requires consent, you jellyfish!”
Hebe winced, then lowered her head. “Oh. Sorry…”
Athena sighed, pressing a hand to her head. “You know what? It’ll all be fine. Just change me back please, before anyone sees me like this.”
Hebe then got a very nervous-looking expression on her face.
“Hebe…” Athena said. “You can turn me back, right?”
Hebe wasn’t looking at her anymore.
“Right?”
A slow shake of the head from Hebe, and that was all it took for Athena’s entire world to crumple beneath her feet.
Athena hid beneath the blankets of her bed, unable to set her eyes upon her appalling new appearance. Hebe’s words kept echoing throughout her head, making her want to scream and cry and destroy everything in the general vicinity of her person.
“I keep the youth… I revert age… I cannot turn you back… I’m so sorry…”
She gritted her teeth, tears stinging her eyes.
What was she going to do? Who knew how long she would be stuck like this! She couldn’t go out on a battlefield looking like this! Everyone would laugh at her!
That thought struck Athena like a spear straight to her gut. She sucked in a sharp breath and released a quiet whimper.
Everyone would laugh at her… She couldn’t handle anyone laughing at her…
Another whimper built into a soft sob.
She already believed she wasn’t good enough. That was why she pushed herself so hard in the first place. But there was only so much she could do when in the body of an eleven-year-old.
A noise snapped Athena out of her self-hatred-spurred thoughts. Something that made her ichor turn to ice in her veins.
A knock at her bedroom door.
“Athena?”
It was Hestia’s voice.
“Are you alright?”
“I— I—” Athena stammered.
“You haven’t been out at all today,” Hestia went on. “I was worried about you.”
Of course she was. Hestia was always like that with Zeus’ children, making an effort to check on her nephews and nieces when their parents wouldn’t. And although Athena secretly did appreciate dearly, she didn’t want to deal with anyone right now when she was like this.
“I’m— I’m fine—” Athena said, her voice weak and strained.
There was silence on the other side of the door, and then Hestia said, “Athena, do you feel alright? You sound…off.”
Athena was panicking internally.
Clearing her throat, she tried to sound less like a child, but her voice still came out high pitched and youthful when she said, “Yes. All is well.”
Another pause. Hestia wasn’t buying it for a moment.
“Athena, what is wrong? You’re usually more honest than this…”
Athena winced. She was backed into a corner, wasn’t she?
Well…out of all her family members finding out about this, Hestia was probably the best possible option. Hestia wouldn’t tease her relentlessly like her brothers would or croon over her like Aphrodite would. Perhaps she could even help her.
Sliding out of her bed, ditching the blanket that shielded her horrible new form, Athena crept over to the doors on light feet. She knew Hestia was waiting just outside, patient in regards to her answer.
“Something…” Athena’s voice was small when she finally got the courage to speak. “Something happened. Something is wrong.”
“What is?” Hestia asked. “Can I help?”
“I don’t know,” Athena answered.
“Well, what is going on? Perhaps if I know exactly then I can see if I can aid you.”
Athena hesitated. “I— I don’t know how to describe it. I’ll have to show you.”
“Oh?”
“You can’t laugh,” Athena spit out. “Please. Don’t laugh.”
“Why would I laugh?”
“Because…you’ll see. Just promise me you won’t laugh. I don’t think I could handle it.”
“I promise I won’t laugh.”
Athena nodded. “Alright.” She hesitated a moment longer, took a deep breath, then opened the door.
Hestia, in all her golden-orange glory, swept inside the bedroom like a spreading wildfire. Her flame-colored eyes were, naturally, turned up to look at Athena, but slowly lowered down when she realized Athena’s size. The two of them stared at each other.
Silence.
Then, Hestia covered her mouth and began to giggle.
Athena’s face flushed gold. She felt like she had just thrown herself into one of her aunt’s hearths, burning all over. The shame was painful, but the self-hatred was worse.
Clenching her small fists, Athena cried, “You said you wouldn’t laugh!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Hestia said, waving her other hand. Her entire face was lit up with amusement. “I just— I wasn’t expecting this.”
Tears stung the corners of Athena’s eyes and she glared at the ground furiously. Furious that she was acting like a child over something so stupid. Furious that she had an idiot for a younger sister. Furious that she was stuck in this pathetic body. Furious that she was completely and utterly helpless.
Hestia noticed her becoming genuinely upset and stopped laughing in an instant. Her brow furrowed in concern. “Athena…what is wrong? Why are you crying?”
“Because I’m stuck like this!” Athena shouted, tears scalding hot against her cheeks, merging seamlessly with the heat of her shake. “Hebe— Hebe gave me something yesterday and now she can’t turn me back! I’m stuck in this body for Gaia knows how long! Do you understand how much this ruins for me?”
Hestia opened her mouth to answer, but Athena was already spiraling into a tangent, “I can’t perform any miracles looking like this. I can’t do anything looking like this! If I show up to war with this body then they’ll all laugh at me!” The thought of that happening made her stomach ache intensely. She couldn’t handle such a thing. “They’re all gonna laugh at me…”
Hestia knelt down in front of her and gently cupped her wet face, brushing away her tears. Athena couldn’t help but press her cheeks into her aunt’s hands, always craving touch. Usually she was more inconspicuous, but she didn’t bother at that moment when she was sure she couldn’t get more embarrassed than she already was.
“Breathe, Athena,” Hestia instructed.
Athena whimpered and shook her head, her breathing picking up. “No— no, you don’t understand! I’m— I’m supposed to be an idol to the mortals! A mature example of what is right! But there’s nothing right about this body!”
“My darling, you are having an attack,” Hestia said, alarm in her voice, but Athena was too wrapped up in her anxiety to hear her.
Pulling out of the warm touch, Athena began to pace around her room, knotting her fingers in her hair. “They’re gonna be so disappointed in me… What will Zeus say? I’m— I’m supposed to be perfect! What if—” Her head-wings go low in horror. “What if he kicks me out of Olympos? Oh, I have put shame on the name of the gods! I’m going to be disowned and everyone will hate me! I can’t— I can’t handle everyone hating me— I need—”
“Athena!”
Hestia was there in front of her again, and she was slightly blurry from Athena’s hazing vision. She grabbed Athena by the forearm and squeezed tightly.
“Athena, sweetheart, look at me,” Hestia said, her voice the calm in Athena’s anxious storm.
Shaking all over, Athena met Hestia’s fire-hued eyes. Hestia smiled when their gazes locked and gently stroked Athena’s face.
“Very good,” Hestia praised her. “Can you try breathing for me? In and out. You can do it.”
Athena swallowed hard, then tried to breathe. She ended up expelling a weak sob, her chest tightening. Hestia caressed her face again, hoping to encourage her.
“Try again,” Hestia said. “Watch me.”
Hestia demonstrated, and Athena just barely found the strength to follow. Hestia’s smile grew when she did so.
“Good girl,” Hestia cooed. “That’s very good, sweetie. Now, let’s figure this out, hm? First of all, I promise you will not be thrown off the mountain for a mishap you had no control of.”
Athena opened her mouth to argue, but Hestia cut her off, saying, “I will never allow that to happen. Especially Over something like this. It wasn’t your fault.”
Athena wanted to reprimand, but she found that she was much too tired to do so, so she resigned to nodding.
“Next, we will find a way to turn you back,” Hestia said. “For now, I need you to try and relax. Once you have a more level head, then we can start coming up with solutions.”
Athena nodded again.
“Come, sit with me,” Hestia said, guiding Athena over to the bed by the hand. “Rest for a moment.”
Well, Athena was pretty tired after her little outburst…
Hestia always gave off a natural warmth thanks to her role as the hearth goddess, and Athena couldn’t help but gravitate towards that warmth. Usually she had more self-control, but something about this body she was in made her even more needy for attention and affection. She curled against Hestia in the bed, shutting her eyes when her aunt stroked her hair and rubbed her back.
“It’ll be okay, Athena,” Hestia assured her. “It’ll all be okay…”