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Chapter Text

Pallas had never expected her mom to die, not so suddenly, not so randomly. A car going wild, her mom struck down. Gabe didn’t even pay for a funeral, she didn’t even get to say goodbye. Pallas didn’t know what would become of her, but she knew one thing: she couldn’t stay with Gabe.

She knew it the same way she knew which way was North. She knew it the way she knew the feel of water on scales. She knew it in her heart, in her bones, in her hair and tail.

She didn’t know where she was going, but she knew she needed to go. She needed to flee. Gabe would only be a danger.

Right now, leaving was her only choice.

She packed her bag while Gabe was getting drunk downstairs with some “friends”. She stole what money she could, she collected her mom’s few pieces of jewelry, her mom’s favorite jacket, Pallas’ own shoes and clothes. She snatched her mom’s cookbook, passed down from her great grandmother, and carefully placed the bits of makeup her mom had in her bag.

She tried to preserve all of her mom that she could, every piece of her life. She took pictures, she took notebooks, she took skin care products-

She knew that most of this wasn’t the best things to bring when running away, but she couldn’t let go of her mother, not like that- she wouldn’t let Gabe trash it.

So, she packed one bag with her own things, her backpack. And she packed another bag with her mom’s things, one of her mom’s duffle bags. It was bigger, big enough to hold the things of her mom she wanted to keep. She did her best to organize it all, to make it something to keep and save.

She added food to her own bag’s pockets, food and a water bottle (filled in the bathroom). She’d saved snacks and the like over the last day for this, not enough but all she could.

She snuck out her window and started making her way down the fire escape.

She didn’t know how to survive on her own, or well she did- she knew how to take care of her money and make food. But she didn’t have a job and at only nine (and small for a nine-year-old) she didn’t think she’d get one either. She wasn’t going to stay though. She’d figure things out… somehow.

For now, she followed her instincts, trailing through the city with her backpack on her back and the duffle bag on her shoulder.

She didn’t really get stopped, though a few asked her where she was going, and she cheerfully informed them that she had a sleepover.

She was sweet enough to get away with it with most of them, not needing to slip away from anyone so far.

She blinked in surprise and confusion when she reached the river. It was a dirty river, one she wouldn’t like to swim in normally.

Yet at the same time-

It was like a song in her chest, a tune on the breeze, a hum in her throat. The water called to her, called to her in a way she didn’t know how to explain.

She touched her chest, her heart beating twice for the sea.

She was supposed to go here, she was supposed to enter.

And like she knew the feel of water on scales, the sight of the moon in the ocean, the feel of a pearl in her skin, she knew that the river before her was safe.

She knew that the ocean was waiting.

Maybe it was the grief, maybe it was the exhaustion of barely sleeping for two days, maybe it was the beat of two hearts (one pearl and one heart) in her chest, maybe it was the song on the breeze and in her blood, but the ocean was calling her, and she didn’t have the energy to resist.

And she no longer had a mother to hold her back.

So, she stepped into the river, trusting the feeling in her heart. The water let her in, let her breathe, and urged her forward still.

And so, she swam forward.

Unlike on land, there was no one here to question her. There was no one to keep an eye on her, to worry, to wonder, to ask if she was okay, if she needed help.

She preferred that.

She was never going back to Gabe, she’d die before she’d allow that.

Her mom was gone, what was left for her?

The ocean sang, it crooned and washed over her, in the river, through the trash, sinking into her blood and soul.

It sang of peace, of comfort, of home.

Her mother was gone, but she still had the sea.

And that was where she would go.

The river yawned before her, but the sea beckoned on curls of salt and brushes of deep swells. So she swam and swam and swam, resting at times, curled up under the trash for shelter for the time she needed to sit and even sleep.

She continued moving, seeing more fish and other creatures as she entered a bay, going deeper and following her instincts until she was far below the ships above, surrounded by all manner of sea creature, and reaching proper sea at last.

She hesitated there, but the sea’s call was louder than even when she and her mother used to go to Montauk.

She’d always heard it, but now that she answered- now that she came-

The ocean cried and begged and pulled for her, called her closer and closer and closer until she hovered in front of a house, not quite certain of how she reached this home. A home of coral and deep rocks. A home with a pearl draped doorway.

A house that felt familiar.

She hesitantly knocked on the stone, but no one answered. She suspected no one was there.

She swam inside.

It wasn’t huge, but it was a home. It had a bed, it had a strange vent that was warm and comfy. It had windows, cupboards, tables- it was small but…

The sea sang, it sang of home and peace and safety. It sang of a life under the waves, of protective currents and fierce love.

She tilted her head up and breathed deep of the salty water that filled her lungs.

This was safe.

This was home.

She could make a new life here.

And she would, for her mother, for her long-lost father, for the two heartbeats in her chest and the waves that swelled as her decision was made.

This house at the bottom of the deep swells, this house with fiery vent and gentle bedding woven of strange silk and tables of coral and walls of stone- it would be her new home.

She would make a home of her mothers items, she would build it anew and have a good life.

It wouldn’t be the life she’d expected, but this would do.

She would be safe.

She would be home.

Welcome home Oh Pearl Princess

Please do not be in distress

The ocean remembers your name

Oh we are glad you came

Oh Pearl Princess remember us now

The waters which cradled you once a vow

You are home again home again

Now with no bloodstain

Pearl Princess of waters so deep

We wish you to stay and us to keep

Do not fear the ocean’s rage

For you it shall be in a cage

Welcome home Pearl Princess

Ours always, even finless

Chapter Text

Pallas began her life in the sea with care. The home was hers, she knew this like she knew the moon was a waning cresent and the tide was rushing towards land and the fish were migrating past the deep cliff two flicks of a tail away. 

And so, with her new home, she got to work. 

Her mom's things were lovingly placed around the house. The cookbook earning a place of honor on a shelf in what appeared to be a kitchen. 

There were woven decorations that filled her heart with love. Pallas didn't know who made them, but she knew they were made for her. She ran her fingers over them and added her mom's blanket to the bed underneath one.

Her mom's favorite hair supplies and makeup went into the bathroom. The excess tucked carefully onto a shrine she found. Pallas knew it was for the dead, and there was no more important dead than her mother. 

Pallas carefully cleaned off sand and the odd shell that had scattered over the home. She removed some stubborn starfish and the odd sea worm and even a few mollusks.

She uses the sand to scrub the house to a shine and gently rubbed the pearls to gleam in the dim light of the sea with one of the cloths she brought.

Her clothes would undoubtedly wear out in the sea, she didn't think salt water was good for them long term, but it wasn't as if there was anything she could do about it. She'd just have to try and get new ones periodically.

She took care to put her clothes away neatly, only three pairs other than what she was wearing. Her mother's clothes she wanted to preserve, but the water would be bad for them right?

How could she preserve them? She didn't want them damaged, she wanted to keep what should could of her mother as long as possible-

And the closet, along with all the clothes inside, were dry.

Pallas peered at it, but something within her decreed this was right. She wanted something and so it happened. Of course the ocean would obey.

Pallas accepted this, and finished settling in. The house became a home like it had been once, over six thousand years prior. 

She smiled then, pleased and settled into this new old home. It was comfortable, safe. She knew nothing would harm her here.

Finally she lay upon the bed in the bedroom and let out a slow breath. 

This was home now. 

OO OO OO OO

The days passed in a blur. Pallas explored the area around her home. 

From the pools of mud to the fish darting round the corals and anemone to the deep cliff that was spotted with all manner of mollusk and crabs Pallas slowly learned the space.

She learned she could speak to the fish, and she quickly gained proper neighbors. They were curious about her, calling her princess and wondering why she was alone. 

She told them her dad was gone and her mom had died and they seemed very sad for her.

The fish brought treats over time, excess eggs that never hatched, the odd boiled carcass, even pieces of whale meat from a feed further away that they had gone to. 

Pallas in turn avoided eating fish, as anything she ate she also had to hunt and she felt bad killing those she could speak to.

But mollusks didn't talk to her, so they were delicious meals. Kelp and types of seaweed didn't either. 

Further still there were the odd whale falls, where Pallas joined the local fish in going to collect some meat and learned how to prepare it. It was tasty raw but she liked adding some fish eggs and kelp to it. It was particularly tasty then. 

Some sharks passed through on occasion, and Pallas learned how to get news from them of the ocean as a whole. Much she didn't understand, but she did learn that the area she lived in was under the strict guardianship of the Crown Prince of the Sea. 

They all seemed to consider Pallas as a normal part of the area, she respected it and cleaned the home and didn't upset the ecosystem so it became an open secret that a human princess lived in this territory. 

She didn't leave it often, but when she did it was to creep towards human territory once more. She didn't often leave the water itself but she would dig through the trash near the shorelines fairly often.

She found all manner of treasure in the trash. Clothes, which she saved if they were her size or larger. She'd need new clothes one day. 

Sometimes people tossed food that was still wrapped up. She didn't understand that at all. But she was careful to only collect food that was wrapped still. She didn't want to eat something that had gone bad.

Sometimes she found jewelry, and what she didn't want for herself she knew she could trade either on land or in the sea. A few sharks were happy to help her arrange trades elsewhere. She'd learned high quality land jewelry could get a lot and the sharks would do the trade as long as she gave them enough for some higher quality meals. 

She loved the times she found drinks from land. She didn't seem to need to drink in the sea, she was never thirsty just hungry. But she still liked the flavorful drinks from land.

Once she found a whole case of Coca-Cola from land and she spent two days bringing it back to her home. Halfway home she learned she could control the waves, if she wished, not just by wanting something terribly hard but by thoughts and motions.

It would've taken five days without this realization. 

She snuck onto land once, with the types of jewelry the sea didn't value, old broken time clocks, and a handful of treasures from a sunken ship that Hippolyta the Octopus showed her one day when she'd been exploring. 

She sold them at several different pawn shops, ones who didn't care that she was only ten (newly ten, still so small for her age and rather clumsy on land now that she was so used to the sea). 

With the money she bought food. Meats she couldn't get in the sea, all kinds of spices, a handful of fresh fruits and veggies and many more dried ones. 

She bought some new clothes as well, but not many. So many were thrown out that she was doing rather well on clothes. 

She did buy some books, however, two copies of each she bought. Books were valuable in the sea and she could get a good price for each. Plus, she wanted to learn how to weave like the beautiful pieces in her home. She wanted other survival skills too. And wanted to learn about the ocean and creatures more than where she lived. 

She only bought a handful of books unrelated to those subjects. One on the Arctic, one fantasy book that was about mermaids, and a handful on Greek mythology. She remembered her mom liked to check those out in the library, so Pallas figured she would honor her mother with this as well.

She actually ended up with a dictionary too, because some of the words she skimmed were confusing. She suspected she was missing out on her schooling living in the sea but it was so much better in the sea that she didn't mind.

She would save up jewelry for another trip to land another time. 

She wanted to try out the spa that one of the naiads who worked in the trench near her home told her of. Apparently it was just for those of divine heritage.

Pallas hadn't asked about it, because a part of her knew that she was divine. What else would she be? With a heart that beat twice and the voice of the sea in her ears?

OO OO OO OO

The spa was nice. 

Ms. C, the one who ran the spa, had many complaints about Pallas' hair though. Apparently she wasn't taking care of it right.

She offered Pallas some free hair products to take better care of it and showed her how to use them. Then she gave Pallas several hair pins, clips, and ties to use to make it look nice.

Pallas did love how she did it. Pallas had just been using an old hair tie to keep it back when needed. 

Ms. C said when Pallas came back again, and Pallas was to come back within 2 months, Ms. C would have some better hair pieces and clothes for her to use. 

Pallas tried to insist it was fine but Ms. C would hear nothing of it. She told Pallas to just bring some jewelry to trade, since Pallas had mentioned she collected her jewelry herself. 

Ms. C also suggested she take one of Ms. Cs weaving classes, apparently she taught it. And one of her assistants taught jewelry making, with beads and other ways. 

Pallas was delighted, she was definitely interested. 

Thus Pallas made friends.

OO OO OO OO

Ms. C never batted an eye when Pallas came to her spa, even when it became more like once or twice a week instead of once a month.

The fact that Pallas would rise out of the water much like the naiads and Okeanids didn't matter. The fact that she dressed often in odd styles combined from clothes lost to sea didn't make any of them bat an eye. Even her odd language, English and Greek mixed with fish and shark and even octopus didn't get more than a gentle reminder to keep what language she was speaking in mind. 

The fact she sometimes has a small thing of water with a fish, or octopus, or one time a shark, sometimes got a raised eyebrow (mostly the shark) but Ms. C just told Pallas to make sure not to drip any water and let her continue on her way. 

Sometimes Ms. C would put Pallas' hair up before class, in a way that reminded Pallas painfully of her mother. Ms. C never said anything when Pallas got a bit teary eyed. She just gave Pallas some cookies and hot chocolate and told her when class was starting. 

OO OO OO OO

Reyna was a little bit younger than Pallas but had started working for Ms. C already. Apparently she's run away from home, much like Pallas.

Ms. C had offered them a home in exchange for them doing some work for her. And she was teaching them skills so that they could move on when they were older if they so desired.

Reyna wasn't very good at weaving, Pallas learned quickly. Ms. C was a good teacher, but Reyna seemed to struggle a lot. Pallas whispered reminders of the correct motions sometimes, and helped Reyna review the patterns they were working on in breaks.

Pallas also let Reyna start practicing hair styles on Pallas, since Ms. C was going to have her do hair styles on the easier clients. 

Reyna was getting good quickly, and was always happy to hear about Pallas' time in the sea. Her sister joined them sometimes. 

Hylla, Reyna's sister, was learning more about accounting and billing and related matters. She was going to greet guests for a bit before getting moved to the office once she knew enough. 

Reyna would start those lessons if she wanted when she reached the same age. 

In the meantime she was taught basic skills, and lots of math to get her started. Pallas wasn't sure how she got added into those classes but she didn't mind. Ms. C was a patient teacher and Reyna was happy to help her with them. 

Pallas enjoyed time with Reyna, and suspected Ms. C provided them with a bit of extra break time so they could hang out. 

Ms. C was really nice. Pallas was glad she'd come to this spa.

Life had become... nice. 

Pallas was happy.

Chapter Text

Pallas wasn't prepared when everything came crashing down. 

It all started with a merman.

OO OO OO OO

She came back from the spa one day, an oddly stormy and chaotic day, to find a man in her home. A merman, more specifically.

He was holding her mom's cookbook, flipping through it with a frown.

Pallas didn't have any weapons, not proper ones, but she had the sea. And Ms. C had helped her hone it.

It rushed at her command, her will, towards the man laying his hands on her mom's most treasures possession. 

And then ... it stopped.

The man turned towards her, book still in hand, scowl on his face.

A scowl that dropped quickly when he saw her, eyes widening.

"Put down my mom's book," Pallas said. "It's not yours."

"Pallas," the man breathed.

It triggered something within her. The way he said it, the way he looked at her. She... knew him.

"Yes?" she said, hesitant and unsure. 

Where did she know him from?

"How- You're... here."

"It's my home."

He blinked, and his eyes shone oddly. You couldn't cry normally in the sea, it stole your tears, but Pallas suspected the man was crying. 

How did she know him?

He was important, she knew that. 

She wanted him to hug her, she knew that too.

She kicked a foot and eyed him. 

He put the cookbook down, carefully closing it and putting it back in it's place of honor above where she prepared food. 

"How long have you been here?" the man asked. 

Pallas shrugged, she hadn't been counting the days. Maybe three years? She suspected she was twelve now at least. 

He let out a breath as she repeated her thoughts aloud and flirt forward, a hand cupping her cheek.

"Your hair is a bit darker but... it really is you."

Pallas tilted her hair, what had once seemed black had slowly faded into a shimmery light brown, streaks of sun bleached blonde highlighting it. Ms. C had helped treat it so it was nice and pretty and not messy. 

Reyna had said it was "like sunlight on the water", Pallas was proud of it. 

"How do I know you?" Pallas finally asked aloud. 

He clearly knew her as she knew him, but remembered how.

"I'm your father," he said. "I- I thought you lost forever." 

Oh. 

That made sense. 

She still wanted a hug.

"Hi," she whispered.

He brought his other hand up to cup her other cheek, pressing his forehead to Pallas'.

"Hello, little pearl. I'm so glad you're home."

OO OO OO OO

Triton, her father, let her prepare food for them when she'd offered. 

He ate it without hesitation and complimented her skills, curious about the spices she used. 

He asked about her mother, and was visibly grieved to learn of her death. He apologized, for not knowing. 

"If I'd known you were in the world once more I would have come for you", he assured Pallas. "You will be safe this time."

Pallas knew not what he was keeping her safe from. But the words brought forth a memory, blood welling over golden and glittering, streaks of red yet remaining. It brought forth gray clouds before her, wide and stormy and raining. 

It brought forth grief and love and understanding and pain. 

Pallas curled into her dad, his arms bracketing her and his tails curling over her and she knew nothing would touch her here. 

"I'm okay," she said, as much to herself as him.

"Yes, and you will stay okay."

Then he explained what was happening above.

War was building amongst the Gods. Zeus had lost his Master Bolt and in turn blamed Poseidon for it. 

Poseidon was furious to be accused and obviously could not supply the Master Bolt Zeus was demanding back. He in turn was demanding an apology and denying all accusations of theft. 

Conflict was brewing, and Triton had come to make sure the home wasn't going to be caught up in the battles that may come. 

"I kept it how it was, but I- I could barely bare to come..."

"It's okay," she said. "I cleaned it up."

"Has it been satisfactory?"

"Yes," Pallas affirmed, eyes brightening. "Everyone here is so nice, and helps me out. I learned how to trade the jewelry I found from humans tossing them out and got extra stuff. And Ive gone on land a few times for spices and extra clothes and books. Plus, Ms. C has been helping me."

"Ms. C?"

"At CCs spa."

"Ah, I am glad she has helped you." 

"What will you do about the war?"

He stroked Pallas' hair, gaze intent. 

"We have done nothing we have been accused of. Father cannot do as Zeus demands, due to his innocence. We cannot do anything truly, except wait for the Bolt to be found."

"Oh," Pallas said, with a frown. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," be soothed. "You've done nothing to be sorry for. That you are alive is worth the grandest of celebrations."

Pallas had not been around terribly many people since her mom died. The most she saw was in Ms. C's classes, which had at most ten people at once. 

"It's okay, I don't need anything as such..."

Triton hummed, "We cannot do such right now regardless. To do so would draw Zeus' eye. And that cannot be allowed. Such a thing would have to wait... perhaps a small celebration?"

He looked so hopeful, Pallas couldn't imagine denying such entirely.

"A small one seems okay," she said. "Perhaps my friend could come?"

"Friend?"

"Reyna, she works for Ms. C. Ms. C would probably let her come..."

He smiled, "That sounds good. I would be delighted to meet her."

Pallas was pleased and leaned into Triton. She'd missed these hugs. Reyna gave them rarely, and Hylla not at all. Ms. C didn't really hug, more squeezing the shoulder and patting her head. 

And it wasn't quite the same from sea creatures. Not like Triton's arms around her were. She'd missed her mom's hugs. 

Her dad seemed pretty good at them too though. 

"I'll think on it and make some options for you," he murmured. "We can't start properly planning until this matter is cleared up so we have some time."

Pallas hummed, satisfied with her spot. She thought she might like having a dad.

OO OO OO OO

Triton didn't want to leave Pallas there alone, particularly not with the upcoming war. But bringing her with him would only mean that all the Gods would know by the end of the week. 

As such he compromised, and sent an Okeanid that was firmly loyal to him to assist Pallas. She was directed to not interfere with Pallas' daily activities, just to keep her safe. 

The Okeanid looked strikingly like Pallas' mother, which perhaps causes some tears as Pallas was fiercely reminded of the exact shape of her mother's face. Every line and spot and the shape of her eyes-

Pallas was perhaps a touch too attached to her Okeanid minder. 

Ms. C didn't mind when she brought the Okeanid to her next lesson, and didn't ask where she came from. Simply offered her a drink and snacks and guided Pallas to her next lesson. 

Pallas did tell Reyna what she'd learned. Reyna was glad Pallas had found her dad, that he cared for her. Pallas said she was inviting Reyna to a party her dad wanted to throw. 

Reyna looked rather excited at the idea and wondered what kind of party it would be.

Pallas wondered as well, but her dad had assured her she'd have a say in it so she wasn't worried. 

Though the matter of the theft still lingered on her mind.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas was known amongst the spa goers as Ms. Cs personal student. Ms. C said that customers didn't need to know too much about them so to keep her information close to the chest.

But apparently Pallas wasn't the best at eavesdropping yet, as the Goddess before her (Demetra, from what Hylla mentioned) was lightly scolding her for it.

Pallas apologized of course, bowing her head and murmuring sygnómi. She explained, a bit shyly, that she'd heard of the conflict on Olympos and had been worried. So when she'd heard Demetra speaking on the subject she'd started listening before realizing.

Demetra clucked her tongue but her expression softened. She assured Pallas the Gods would handle the matter, she need not worry, and tucked some soft withy flowers in Pallas' hair. 

She shooed Pallas off after that and Pallas hurried back to her Okeanid guardian. Gaining the attention of an Olympian was certainly not her goal.

OO OO OO OO

As the summer solstice loomed nearer rumors reached Pallas, even in her home where her dad had advised her to stay now that tensions were about to snap. 

A quest had been declared, apparently. Awfully last minute if you asked Pallas, but no one did. 

Rumors stated it was actually a daughter of *Haides* who was sent. Along with a satyr and a child of Athina. 

Pallas wished them luck as she reorganized her jewelry. If things didn't go to war then she planned to see about taking a trip to the Caribbean. She hadn't decided where yet, but one of Ms. C's regulars was from there and had so many stories to tell. 

Pallas hoped to see it herself. 

OO OO OO OO

The tension broke all at once at the very eve of the solstice. Mere hours before war was to begin the sea calmed and the skies settled. 

Pallas only learned several days later, when she was resting in the pools with Reyna and talking with some of the nephelai that she learned the questing team had revealed Ares as the thief, with an unknown demigod as his tool, and had retrieved the bolt for Zeus. 

An official apology had been offered to Poseidon as well, settling the matter.

Pallas was glad. She hadn't wanted war.

Now she could go back to spending time with her dad and planning the party and learning from Ms. C.

Chapter Text

Pallas has slowly grown skilled at weaving, now able to weave basic patterns and beginning on the more complex patterns.

Ms. C was pleased with her progress and was starting to teach Pallas how to weave basic spells into her clothes. 

Spells for protection, for comfort, for concealment. Pallas wasn't great at them yet, but she was good enough for Ms. C to hand her weaves to the tailors to make clothing for Pallas and others. 

Pallas ended up spending time with the tailors, curious about the clothes and how they made them.

While many squares of fabric were simply checked for errors and sent to be utilized for khitons, himations, or peplos, some were made into various styles of dress or even the odd shirts and pants.

Most were loose, flowy and pretty. Shirts flowed down, sleeveless or with flowing wide sleeves. Pants swished as you walked, light and airy and pretty. 

They didn't usually do embroidery, as one was expected to weave the patterns in, but they sometimes added delicate embroidery to some pieces. 

Pallas was awed by the embroidery they did. Delicate birds and vines and flowers bloomed across them. Dancing figures and elegant flames swirled across. 

Pallas promptly got herself a tutor from amongst those doing the embroidery and started with basic stitches. 

She was excited to be able to make her own clothing.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas' home now included her own loom to weave upon. A new room had been added, as beautiful as the rest, but filled with the loom and various tools for Pallas' fiber craft. 

It was a gift from her dad for her birthday. She loved it. 

Weaving underwater was different than above, but there were materials that could be used underwater that didn't work so well being woven on land. But her dad had given her a few completed pieces to see what they were like and they were strong once woven!

And pretty.

Pallas had started weaving at home when she had free time now. 

OO OO OO OO

The year passed quickly, and Pallas was getting quite skilled at weaving and embroidery. Making patterns for sewing clothes was a bit harder, but the tailors sold her some in exchange for one of her pieces from underwater. 

Reyna was skilled at hair styles now, having lots of practice on Pallas. She was beginning training in various makeup styles, but there were so many styles, from so many places and so many tools for all of the styles, that she was having a harder time.

Pallas enjoyed letting her do her makeup though. It started quite rough but she was slowly getting better. Tho the makeup tended to come off quickly in the ocean, unless Pallas focused on preserving it, Pallas tended to wear Kohl around her eyes now a lot. 

Ms. C was slowly advancing her education in other fields as well. Not only her capabilities with the sea, but also potions and even sea related crafts. 

Pallas was learning to weave nets, to use control them with her mind. She learned with rope first, then advanced to materials in water. She carefully braided kelp and seaweed and crafted pretty nets under Ms. C's guidance. 

She learned to wield a fishing rod, tho she wasn't fond of actually fishing much. 

She learned to heal the fishes, Ms. C cupping her hands and murmuring the words of prayer to Apollon which would weave light and life and good will together until the fish was whole once more.

And Pallas loved the feeling and sought out more opportunities to heal. Ms. C was happy to teach her.

Books of prayers and medicinal plants, primarily on land for Ms. C was usually on land, were provided for Pallas. Further more, Ms. C began to teach her potions and salves and creams. How to make something of the medicinal plants. 

When she told her dad of it he provided her similar books from the sea. Apollon was a healing deity yes, but actually secondary to Artemis. It was the opposite of the land, which venerated Apollon as a healer before Artemis. 

As such Pallas learned the prayers of Apollon for land, and Artemis for the sea. She also figured that Artemis would be the first to come at night, when she led the hunt across the heavens. Apollon in turn would be the first to come in the day, when the sun saw all. 

She wasn't certain on this matter, as none of the books spoke of such, but it felt right to her and so she kept the belief until proven wrong. 

OO OO OO OO

Beyond the medicinal lessons that had begun, Ms. C taught Pallas how to command ships. 

Both with her own hands, under experienced sailors on Ms. C's staff, but also with her mind and magic. 

Pallas learned to make ships an extension of herself. How to raise the mast and turn the rudder and man the cannons as easy as she might raise her arm or grab a drink or take a step. 

Reyna joined her sometimes in her lessons, her duty to distract Pallas to ensure she could command the ships in difficult circumstances. 

They started with easy ships, small things. Slowly working their way up. 

Reyna would dance with her, quiz her on math, do her hair, and read her medicinal books beside her. 

Pallas treasured this time. 

OO OO OO OO

There was a world beyond her sheltered home in the see and the well guarded spa of Ms. C's. There was a world that was stirring with conflict, conflict Pallas had escaped years prior.

Conflict that reached her now.

OO OO OO OO 

Pallas was on the old pirate ship Ms. C had preserved. She was to get a feel for the ship before starting controlling it after lunch, with a few of the more experienced naiads with her in case she struggled. 

She'd packed her lunch, to have on the ship, as she didn't want to lose time. She'd been curious about the pirate ship for awhile, it was such a classic. How could she not want to try it? It called to her. 

She was below in the hold when the screams reached her ears.

She frowned, hurrying towards the deck, when footsteps landed on the ship and a voice called- 

Pallas bent over with a gasp, feeling the ship she'd become a part of over the last few hours shudder. 

All at once spirits and skeletons crackled to life, took form that they never had held. Pallas stared in horror at the death pervading the ship and felt the sails rise and the rudder turn and the ship shudder as the wind caught hold.

She stumbled to the top deck in time to see Ms. C's spa on fire and dirty scraggly men waving swords from the shore. 

She ran to the edge, staring in disbelief, fear curling up her. How? What had happened?

"Who are you!?"

Pallas turned to find two girls and a boy before her. 

The boy was younger, maybe eleven, while the girls looked about Pallas' age. 

"Who am I? Who are *you* to steal this ship and set the spa on fire?"

"She's with Circe," one of the girls murmured, blonde hair shining in the sun. 

Pallas didn't see blonde hair often anymore, it wasn't terrible common amongst the Greeks or under the sea. Her own blonde highlights stood out as a rarity. 

"She's a kid," Bianca argued.

"I'm older than you," Pallas countered, though she wasn't certain of this. 

"I'm thirteen."

"As am I," she replied. 

In truth, she had no idea what day it was by the land calendar. Ms. C used an old calendar, from ancient Athens. Her dad used a calendar unique to the sea. 

She only knew her birthday in land days, and her dad hadn't minded her not knowing her new birthday in the sea calendar. He'd simply reminded her of her old birthday in the sea calendar and Pallas had been celebrating it since.

Regardless, she was probably thirteen. 

"What's your name?" the boy asked. "I'm Nico. Are you a Goddess? Do you work for Circe? Do you also turn men into guinea pigs?"

Pallas stared at him.

"Ms. C only transforms threats."

"But she transformed me!"

Pallas could feel the death upon him. The miasma he brought forth to the ship, to any space he entered. 

"Yes."

"My brother is not a threat!" snapped the other girl, black hair done up in a style she recognized as Reyna's. 

Reyna.

"Did you release the prisoners?" Pallas demanded.

"They didn't deserve to be trapped either," the blonde snapped. 

"Blackbeard, son of Aphrodite, who used his fearsome voice and appearance to strike terror into the hearts of others and who relieved them of their belongings and in some cases their free minds with a few words. You say that he, who attempted to rob the spa and all of its workers and clients of all their belongings up to and including the clothes on their backs, does not deserve imprisonment?"

"I thought he was a son of Ares," the blonde muttered. 

"He was so successful because of his enchanting voice, capable of bending the will of all who heard it," Pallas said coolly. "He tried using that voice on Ms. C and finally found someone able to resist."

"Well, being trapped for hundreds of years is too much!"

"Should she have killed him?" Pallas demanded. "Allowed him to go free and rob others? To strip more of their freedom of mind?"

The blonde huffed, "That's not the point."

"You unleashed him upon the spa!"

"Circe transformed Nico into a guinea pig!"

"Next time do a cleansing ritual before waltzing into a sacred space," Pallas snapped. 

"A what?" Nico, she assumed, muttered. 

"Well she could have told us that," the other girl said. "Instead she transformed my brother and practically drowned me in a weird bath!"

"A cleansing bath. I can still sense the miasma coming from you. How often do you raise the dead without washing afterwards?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you stupid?" Pallas asked. 

"Enough!" the blonde interrupted, stepping between them. "Let's introduce ourselves, at least. I'm Annabeth, that's Bianca-" she pointed at the other girl "-and that's Nico-" she pointed at the boy "-and you are?"

"Pallas," Pallas said. 

"Do you work for Circe?" Annabeth asked.

"She teaches me," Pallas snapped. "She takes in those in need, teaches them and prepares them for the world then provides them resources so they can survive and thrive. Those who work for her do it in exchange for shelter, food, water, and education."

"So what, indentured servitude?" Bianca demanded. 

"Are you stupid?" Pallas asked once more. 

They didn't seem impressed but Pallas didn't understand the confusion.

Pallas paid for the lessons she received. She didn't work the same way the others did, but she provided the cloths she wove. 

She allowed herself to be a practice figure for others there, especially Reyna. She provided medicine, healed those hurting, helped with lessons and was even now teaching beginners. Pallas suspected her father was supplying money now to Ms. C as well. 

Ms. C helped others, but that didn't mean she also got nothing from it. She never held debts over anyone who left. When they wanted to leave they were allowed. 

But while they were with her, in her care, they worked. 

"We didn't mean to get people hurt," Nico interrupted. "It was really... freaky, a little cool but scary when I turned into a guinea pig. They were protecting me."

Pallas frowned hard. 

"Why would you even come to the spa in your state? You're dripping with miasma!"

"We're on a quest," Annabeth said. "Our ship was destroyed and we were on a small one. We just... ended up there and were brought in."

"What's Miasma?" Bianca asked.

"It's an old word for pollution," Annabeth said. "I asked Chiron about it and he said we didn't need to worry about it anymore."

"Is Khiron stupid?" Pallas asked. "You very much do! If for nothing else than basic respect. Would you like someone to walk through your home coughing on everything?"

"Uh- no?" Annabeth said. 

"Well neither do the Gods. And neither do those running scared spaces. Even without considering the mess the pirates will make, it'll take weeks to clean the place of the miasma you guys dripped everywhere."

"What... miasma?"

Pallas looked at the confused boy and frowned more. 

"You do necromancy, the dead reek of miasma. Death is the antithesis of life and the pollution upon the living isn't proper for beings of life and divinity. Only those uniquely suited to death should be around such miasma."

"Oh..." Nico glanced at Bianca. "Do you think that's why the animals don't like us?"

"How do you clean it?" Bianca asked, frowning now as well.

Pallas had a nasty suspicion she was going to be putting Ms. C's lessons to use.

OO OO OO OO

"That was gross," Nico said, washing in the river near where Pallas had completed the cleansing ritual. 

The water ran red as he washed the blood of the pig off of him. 

Pallas was just glad she knew the island Ms. C got her pigs from for such rituals. She didn't do it often but Ms. C had brought Pallas along the prior time since she'd expressed interest. 

Pallas was washing her hands herself, that was a messy ritual. She kept her eyes away from Nico, who had stripped because of the blood.

"Now," Pallas said. "Next time you summon the dead, wash fully in a pure spring and properly cleanse yourself with khernips."

Bianca raises her hand, "What if we don't have a pure spring?"

Pallas was puzzled for a moment, then realized they were probably from the mortal world which had many less pure springs than the divine world.

"Extra khernips and a clean river?"

"We can do a river," Nico agreed behind her. 

"Try to stay away from miasma though," Pallas said. "I mean, even if necromancy is your specialty you don't need to overdo it. Remember the dead are at peace for a reason."

"Where are you going?" Annabeth asked. "I thought, well, we'd try to drop you off at the spa on our way back?"

Pallas paused by the shore, blinking back at the odd trio.

"I can swim," she said. "I want to make sure everyone is okay."

Annabeth nodded, "Stay safe."

"You as well," Pallas returned, a touch reluctant to those who'd no doubt damaged her second home greatly. 

With that Pallas disappeared into the water, finding a sea serpent not far from them that was happy to give her a lift back to the spa.

She hoped the odd trio on the quest wouldn't get hurt too bad. She wouldn't mind them getting a little hurt tho. 

OO OO OO OO

Pallas helped clean up the spa, removing damaged sections with swirls of water. They had others to heal, some of Apollon's attendants had even come to help when Ms. C sent for help. 

Pallas was growing concerned though, she hadn't seen Reyna or Hylla, nor several other of the younger attendants. 

Ms. C was still checking on everyone so didn't have a full headcount yet. It was possible the two had hidden someplace further away, or perhaps were with the healers already. Maybe they'd arrived after her check. 

Pallas worried. 

But Pallas helped clean up regardless, hopeful that they were okay. There were only a few deaths so far. No one that Pallas was particularly close with. So they should've been okay. 

Should've would've could've been okay.

Unfortunately, pirates didn't always care about should've would've could've. 

Ms. C found Pallas diverting the flow of a fountain that had been damaged.

Pallas' heart sank when she got a look at Ms. C.

"I'm sorry," Ms. C said. "We've looked everywhere, Reyna and Hylla- and several others... they're nowhere to be seen. We think the pirates took them."

Pallas dropped the fountain flow. 

Ms. C hugged her as she cried for the first time since her mother's death.

OO OO OO OO

Things weren't the same without Reyna. 

Pallas talked with others, of course. She spoke with those under Ms. C's care and with clients and with sea creatures. 

She talked to her dad, who assured her he had teams searching for Blackbeard and his captives. She learned the Questers had succeeded, with some injuries but all alive. 

She talked to the Okeanid in charge of her care (who'd been in the spa at the time, protecting several clients who were less able to resist the pirate's voice). She'd learned what happened to the spa from her and what Ms. C had done to drive them off. 

She talked to the naiads she'd long since befriended. She learned about how the sea was reacting, and to the whispers of conflict that had begun rising from the depths. 

But none of them did her hair like Reyna did. 

None of them carefully touched up the Kohl around her eyes like Reyna did.

None of them insisted on washing her hair to make sure it was washed right like Reyna did. 

None of them hugged her like Reyna did. 

None of them were Reyna.

Pallas did her best to keep going anyways. 

The regular clients knew what had happened. Some of them were aware of the different assistants and workers and their relations with each other. 

Some of them knew that Reyna and Pallas were close.

Demetra was one such regular, who always shoved fresh fruits onto Pallas when she saw her. Her hair was always decorated with flowers by Demetra. 

She was sitting under a new fruit tree, a gift from Demetra to the spa, when the Goddess came to her once more. 

This time she looked oddly somber and wasn't alone.

With her was Triton, scowling and displeased, and a Goddess Pallas had not met. 

She had black hair, pinned back with a diadem that glittered faintly in gold with silver wrought stars. A himation was wrapped over her elegant khiton, the himation seemed crafted of wind and clouds, swirling and swishing around her and hiding the exact form beneath it. 

Beneath the himation the khiton swished like the trail of a peacock. White shone through at the top, it transitioned slowly to a soft blue to a deep blue then emerald green with the Greek evil eye gleaming at the bottom. 

From her wrists and ears dripped silver wrought with gold details. Stars and constellations and storms and clouds glittered in metallics. 

She was, without a doubt, beautiful. 

Pallas swallowed, rising, bowing briefly, and looking at her dad.

"Pallas," he greeted, scowl vanishing and replaced with a soft smile. 

She accepted his hand when he held it out, letting him draw her close.

"Hi, dad."

Demetra offered Pallas a gentle smile. The other Goddess studied Pallas.

"We are glad you have been born anew," the Goddess said, "however you are at this time still mortal."

"At this time?" Pallas asked.

"Your soul, and Pearl, still need several years before you gain your immortality."

"Three more," Triton said. "There is no reason she cannot stay here in that time."

"She's mortal," chided Demetra, gently but firmly. "Until she is a Goddess in her own right she cannot stay with the Gods."

"Circe has taken in many!"

"But she has not taken in Pallas," the other Goddess said. "Pallas is here as a student yes, but not as a ward. She cannot stay in the sea nor study here during the repairs."

Pallas knew the second part was true. Ms. C had told her shortly after the basic repairs were done that she was adjusting the islands protections and it would take several months before she could teach lessons once more. All the others Pallas had learned from were equally busy with repairs. 

"Why can't I stay in the sea?" Pallas asked. "I've been there for years."

"I cannot support a child being alone in the sea, and by the laws Triton cannot care for you there either. We have made arrangements for your care on land for the next three years."

Pallas frowned. 

"I don't see the point in this, I raised her once."

"Before the laws," the Goddess said gently. "I'm sorry, but this is a firm decree."

Triton scowled.

"Am I leaving now?" Pallas asked, feeling rather small as the Gods discussed her life. 

"You can gather your belongings and say your goodbyes," Demetra assured. "And I will tell the others that frequent the spa about your temporary move. I imagine you'll be back when you've gained your immortality."

"Of course," Pallas said.

"We are willing to give you till the school year starts, in twenty-three days to prepare," the other Goddess asked. "Next summer you can stay at the camp for demigods."

Pallas nodded, lowering her head. 

"Thank you for the consideration," she offered, unsure. 

The other Goddess stepped forward, a hand resting on Pallas' head briefly.

"The camp does not have a cabin for Triton, so you may stay in my cabin. I am sorry you cannot stay with your father, but... the laws are in place for a reason."

Pallas' dad huffed and she suspected he was scowling again.

"I understand. Thank you for your kindness."

"Come, Hêrê, we should enjoy the spa while you're here."

Demetra, and Hêrê- oh, Queen of the Gods- well, they both left Pallas with her dad.

"Three years will pass by quickly," her dad murmured. "And the school they found has excellent security, water nearby, and a good program to get you into a good highschool. They should allow you to catch up with mortals in the areas you haven't covered on your own."

"I'll miss you," Pallas said, hugging him. 

His breath caught. Pallas listened the call of the waves from his chest. 

"I'll miss you too, my pearl. It won't be long, you'll be home before you know it."

"Yes," Pallas said. "Only three years."

She had a lot to prepare. 

Chapter Text

The school the Gods arranged for Pallas was a military school, and PE and other physical activities were quite important to the school.

It turned out that while living her life for the last four years in the sea or on Ms. C's island which was magic and able to accommodate things like "not used to walking on land" left her quite clumsy.

All the required physical activity helped her get her land legs back under her. The trainer had been told she was recovering from illness, apparently, as the Gods had taken her sea legs into consideration. They were patient with her and had her in private tutoring until she could keep up with the others more.

It was a boarding school, so afternoons after the classes were often spent with one of the two PE teachers, helping her with balance and flexibility and strength training. It felt like it was helping. She no longer tripped on air so much.

Her tutoring was often with a boy who had a condition in his legs. His name was Grover and he seemed to be both excellent at some tasks and terrible at others.

Pallas hadn't asked what was wrong with his legs, likewise she never talked about the "illness" she was recovering from. They respected each other's desire to keep such private and simply worked on their exercises with the tutors.

But it did lead to a friendship of sorts between them. He was also the first boy that wasn't a sea creature Pallas had gotten close to since... her mother's death.

Pallas had made a small shrine for her mother at the school. Most students shared their rooms with another, but the Gods had ensured Pallas had her own room.

She wasn't sure who exactly was in charge of that but she made sure to pray to Demetra and Hêrê both, alongside her dad.

She also did some prayers to Zeus, he was King, and to Apollon and Artemis like usual.

And to Ms. C, in the hopes her mentor would be well after the damage to the spa.

She liked having her own space, she wasn't used to spending so much time around others anymore. When she wanted space at home she could simply go home and deal with no one and nothing until she pleased.

At school she had to go out, even on weekends they were required to eat at least two meals a day.

It was probably for the best, she was used to just eating when she got hungry, which wasn't terribly often in the ocean. The ocean sustained her pretty well on its own. Needing to eat more often was odd.

And needing to drink water to stay hydrated was weird too. She hadn't needed to drink water in years. She drank things because she liked the taste.

She was glad at least she could wear her clothes from the ocean. She had a few undyed pieces she was using for embroidery practice (shirts and pants).

They fit the fairly strict clothing guidelines. Well, most of them. Not her sleeveless shirts but the rest did.

No shoulders on men or women, no backless shirts, shorts no more than four inches from the back of the knee, same with skirts (had to have shorts under as well).

But her pants and shirts worked just fine. most of her dresses too. All the ones from Ms. C were dyed and woven, some by Pallas herself even. But the ones from the sea were her beginning works and weren't dyed yet, nor had she tried anything complicated with them.

Nonetheless, her wardrobe was probably the highest quality just from being all hand made. She'd long since stopped wearing the land clothing she'd collected.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas was a bit separate from the rest of the students, other than Grover. But she didn't mind. She didn't know much about anything that had come out in the last few years so didn't understand a lot of the conversations. And before that she hadn't the money to invest in most games or activities. And Gabe never let her use the TV.

So she didn't know a lot about land entertainment.

Luckily Grover wasn't much interested in those either. He did introduce her to a new game, Mythomagic, which was interesting.

Otherwise when they were together they focused on the school subjects. There was a foraging class that Pallas enjoyed. Plus the field medicine class. Grover was also in those and seemed to enjoy them a lot so they paired up for the group work.

She enjoyed comparing notes with him on plants and their uses. And field medicine quickly became a time to practice more mundane manners of medicine.

Pallas preferred the medicine she learned from Ms. C, but it could only help to know more.

OO OO OO OO

One of Pallas' favorite classes, which she hadn't expected to be her favorite, was Biology.

The first half of the year, until the winter solstice, was to be about the animal kingdom and all the different creatures out there and how their biology worked.

Dr. Thorn taught the class, a person who used they/them pronouns and gave out detentions to anyone who forgot that. Their detentions were reportedly miserable so no one made the mistake thrice (a few did it twice though).

It was quickly obvious that Dr. Thorn favored Lions and Scorpions and Bats amongst the animal kingdom They covered these three species (and all the various subspecies) extensively.

Alongside the basic facts of the animals, whether they were herbivores or carnivores or omnivores and what climate they lived in and if they were mamals or not, the class had to memorize basic diagrams on the animals internal biology.

Other students complained endlessly about the difficulty of his class, but Pallas loved it.

Dr. Thorn didn't just focus on land animals, they covered sea creatures as well. And they often spoke of the uses of animal parts, legal, illegal, medicinal, or poisonous.

Pallas was fascinated and quickly gained a reputation as a teachers pet in Biology. But she loved all the detail, and loved animals. She couldn't help but adore the class.

Dr. Thorn in turn seemed to appreciate her dedication to their class and offered her extra reading on animals. They often gave her a second exam sheet with some short answer and essay questions she could fill in as extra credit.

She hadn't had to do essays with Ms. C, but she did have to argue her case or explain concepts often enough and so she was good at that, just needed to put it into writing. Dr. Thorn was pleased enough with her progress it seemed.

OO OO OO OO

The winter dance was upcoming, the final night before grades came out for the first semester and then everyone with homes went to them.

Pallas was staying at the school until summer, and planned a quiet ceremony. Grover was apparently staying as well.

Pallas had come to note that Grover and Dr. Thorn did not get along. Dr. Thorn had given Grover a large number of detentions for seemingly trivial matters and Grover in turn seemed terrified of and defiant towards Dr. Thorn.

Pallas didn't get it.

But it was showing extra strong with the dance coming up.

Grover had asked if she wanted to go, as friends he'd been quick to assure her.

Dr. Thorn had overheard and had swooped in to lecture Grover about being inappropriate with a young lady.

Pallas had wondered what Grover meant about going together, even as friends. They were both going to be there anyways weren't they?

In the end Grover got sent to help set up for the dance and Pallas was assured Dr. Thorn wouldn't let anyone act inappropriately at the dance.

Pallas thanked him, of course, and went to put on her dress.

Ms. C would like Dr Thorn, Pallas thought. Ms. C was also strict about propriety and what was and wasn't appropriate in her spa.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas was pleased with her dress. She'd been using it as a practice piece for sea creature embroidery.

It was a basic weave with wave patterns, Pallas owned several dresses with the weave, but this one was now different due to the array of sea creatures peaking through the waves

Across the bodice was intricate embroidery of anemone, starfish, and coral. Small fish poked out here and there. A shark was leaving the coral to go down her sleeves which she'd decorated with shells, thick and sandy at the ends of her sleeves and slowly entering the ocean as one went up the sleeves to the bodice once more.

Down the skirt of the dress were all manner of sea creatures, getting deeper and darker the further down one went. dophins swirled over her hip and a shark passed below them. A school of bluefish swirled across the center and an octopus peaked out of a cave over her other hip. Details gleamed across the entire thing, with the odd usage of metallic threads to highlight pearls and sunken treasures.

It was a bit much, perhaps, but Pallas had had fun making it. And she thought it was quite pretty.

Dr. Thorn had also been delighted by the mass of sea creatures when they saw it and declared they had to see it after the dance so they could examine all the creatures she'd snuck in. They'd been muttered about her adding species specific markings in thread as they left to check on something.

Pallas was smug about that, it had taken forever to get the details just right.

But it had been a good way to connect back to the sea while on land.

She'd learned some dances, with Reyna, so did enjoy actually dancing for a bit. But the music was a bit all over the place and really wasn't the kind of music she'd learned to dance with so after a bit she got some punch and a bowl of goldfish and claimed a spot on the bleachers to watch the crowds.

She noticed Grover coming back in, he'd disappeared earlier. He was with a few others.

Pallas recognized them.

The Questers were at her school.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas made sure not to look at them too closely, but she felt their eyes on her.

She would've noticed if they were students in this school, beyond anything else there was still a stubborn cling of miasma to the girl, Bianca.

Nico wasn't there at the moment, perhaps because he was too young to not be suspicious? But Bianca and Annabeth were there, along with a third girl that Pallas didn't know.

Grover was close with the Questers? Pallas should've known their friendship was too good to be true.

Ms. C always said to be wary of men. Pallas found her overly biased against them at times, but she did have a point about the damage men could cause to women.

The Questers and Grover, plus the other girl, started dancing.

Pallas wondered if they recognized her. She did look quite different from the last time.

Last time she'd been wearing a plain pair of pants and a shirt, her hair pinned up in an intricate style, and makeup down flawlessly.

Today she was in a dress, with shark-leather sandals and her hair in a complicated braid over her shoulder. The only makeup she wore was khol around her eyes.

She watched them from the corner of her eyes as she nibbled on goldfish until Dr Thorn came over.

They wanted to introduce her to someone, they said. She'd shown that a biology track might be good for highschool and college and they were an expert in the subject.

Dr. Thorn apologized for the late offer, but they'd only learned their friend was coming a few minutes prior when the friend had mentioned they were in the area.

Pallas saw no issue with talking to the person, though she found it rude of them to send a message so late. The school didnt offer shelter to any straggler, it had a duty to protect the students and took it seriously. Any guest could be a threat.

Pallas followed Dr. Thorn though, goldfish still in hand.

She didn't really plan to go to college, but maybe she would enjoy it so it didn't hurt to plan as if she was going.

They went through the side door, padding down the halls towards the chapel.

Pallas wasn't Christian, so hadn't been to the chapel yet. She had her altars and shrine in her room and that worked well enough. But most of the students were Christian in some way, so the chapel was a pretty popular place on the weekends.

She wondered if the friend Dr. Thorn was introducing her to was Christian, or if he just thought it was a good meeting place like Pallas' classmates.

"Through here," Dr. Thorn said, opening the chapel door.

Pallas murmured a thanks and entered.

Then frowned. Her instincts itched, something was wrong.

She didn't touch her dress, embroidered with every manner of sea creature, but the embroidery did its job all the same.

Her senses heightened, her awareness expanded, and hopefully her dress became hard as bronze.

She kept walking forward, examining the space and discreetly checking for the exits. Only one beside the door Dr. Thorn was blocking.

"I apologize for the subterfuge," Dr. Thorn said silkily. "Truly I do wish to introduce you to an expert in Biology, the expert you could say. But, alas, he is not here. You have so much potential, I could hardly bare to allow those half-bloods to snatch you away."

Pallas turned to Dr. Thorn, "Half-bloods? You mean the ones who entered during the dance?"

"Ah," they smiled, "you noticed."

"I've met a few of them before," she said easily. "It was memorable."

Their expression soured. "They will try to recruit you to their cause, destroying 'monsters' and preventing those wrongfully imprisoned from escaping. But with us, you could learn far more about the world. Creatures you've never even imagined, their makeup, their strengths, weaknesses, uses- You could learn so much."

"Sides?" she asked.

"War is coming," they declared, grand and fierce. "War is coming and everyone is choosing sides. It's only a matter of whether it's the right side."

The doors opened and Bianca stood there, sword drawn.

"Dr. Thorn, leave her alone."

Dr. Thorn sneered at Bianca, stepping closer to Pallas.

Pallas stepped away.

"I don't want to get in the middle of anything," she said.

"It's too late for that," Dr. Thorn declared. "They forced my hand. I will bring you to Lord Kronos and you will see, we can give you everything you need to grow. The great stirring has begun and-"

"Don't listen to him," Bianca cried, stepping forward, "hes-"

"They're," Pallas corrected.

Bianca stopped, "what?"

"Don't listen to *them*, *they're*-"

Bianca stared in confusion.

"They use they/them pronouns."

"... you really are the same Pallas, aren't you?"

Pallas inclined her head.

Dr. Thorn used that time to try to grab at Pallas again, but she skipped away.

"Please don't touch."

"Leave her alone!" Bianca snapped.

"I'll bring you back with me," Dr. Thorn declared. "You'll see in the end."

Their form was shifting, face remaining but fur sprouting as his arms and legs shifted and they fell forward. From their back something extended- growing and unfurling like a flower-

Spikes gleamed sharp and silver. The very tip of the new deadly tail curled like a scorpion, point glinting in the candle light.

Their paws hit the ground, claws clinking on the marble floor. A large fluffy mane had formed around their face, slowly fading into the sandy gold of their body's fur.

Pallas nearly tripped over one of the long benches, darting away as their wings unfurled. Like bat wings, connected to the front legs and a sandy colored.

"Oh," Bianca whispered.

Dr. Thorn pounced.

OO OO OO OO

The battle was vicious and fast. Pallas, unused to battling out of the sea, relied on her new ability to run and jump and skid around, dodging their attempts to corral her into a position they could snatch her up from.

Bianca was attacking, flames dancing over her sword.

They weren't natural flames, but rather flames that burned of miasma.

No wonder the girl reeked of miasma, she just summoned it willy nilly!

Pallas didn't lecture her on the subject but she did think a lecture. Also Bianca set the chapel on fire. That was probably blasphemy in Christianity but Pallas didn't know the rules enough to say.

A salvo of spikes just missed Bianca and broke the door and the wall around it. Pallas took the opportunity and leapt over a chair thingie, aisle? pew? whatever it was.

She hit the ground running and dove through the door, Bianca rushing after her.

Pallas rolled neatly and popped up, very proud of her land training.

The chapel wall exploded as Dr. Thorn leapt out.

Pallas took off, Bianca close behind.

She just needed water.

Bianca summoned skeletons as they left the chapel (broken, battered, and on fire) and they attacked the Manticore as the two girls ran.

"Why are you even here?" Pallas asked.

"To rescue you!"

"I don't need rescuing," Pallas informed her as she dodged the spikes aiming for her legs and neared the cliff.

The water below sang to her, promising safety and strength.

"Then why is there a manticore chasing us‽" Bianca demanded.

"That's your fault. We were on good terms until you arrived."

Bianca spluttered, then yelped as Pallas' embroidery enhanced senses caught wings in the air and she yanked Bianca back.

Dr. Thorn landed between them and the cliff.

"You seemed to be trying to get there," they purred. "Can't reach it now."

Bold to assume Pallas needed to reach it. She just wanted it.

There was a rumble, a crackle, and then with a BOOM- Lightning came down from the sky right on the Manticore.

Bianca tackled Pallas down, ignoring her cry, and Dr. Thorn roared.

The girl Pallas didn't know raced past them, spear crackling in her hand and shield on her arm.

"Bianca! Pallas!" Grover cried, rushing to them. "Are you okay?"

Pallas stood up, brushing snow off her hand embroidered dress. She would commit murder if her dress was damaged.

"Fine."

Annabeth shouted a warning but Pallas was already moving, spinning past the spike that just missed her and glaring at the Manticore. She was so spiking their drink with some unfortunate plants later.

Then the horns sounded.

Echoing through the forest into the clearing, singing the song of the hunt. A warning and shelter all at once.

The unknown girl groaned, "Not Them!"

"No!" Dr. Thorn cried. "You can't interfere! It's forbidden!"

"The hunt of all beasts is within my purview," declared an older teen, stepping from the trees.

Auburn hair, a khiton like dress, leather sandles, and a diadem upon her head. Her pale eyes, silvery white like the moon above, seemed to see all in the clearing in an instant.

Dr. Thorn snarled and they lunged for the unknown girl, distracted by the appearance of the woman and the other girls coming from the forest around her.

"Fire," ordered a girl beside the Goddess, her own black hair braided and free strands held back with a thin silver band.

"Look out!" Annabeth cried, lunging for Dr. Thorn and sinking her dagger into their mane.

"Annabeth!" Bianca cried.

A volley of silver and gold arrows struck Pallas' teacher.

Dr. Thorn snarled and spikes went wild.

Pallas dodged most, one hitting her side with bruising force.

But not tearing her dress.

The huntresses fired another volley, cutting through the spikes.

Dr. Thorn leapt, Annabeth still clinging to them, and went off the cliff.

Pallas felt the miasma as it came forth. Half the hunt certainly did as well, pulling back with grimaces.

"Annabeth!" Bianca cried once more, alongside the unknown girl, as they raced to the cliffside.

Pallas didn't bother. She already knew what she would find.

"Do not be a fool," said the huntress who gave the order. "She is not there."

"What? Where is she?" Bianca demanded.

"Can you not tell, daughter of Haides?" asked the Goddess. "The shadows took them. Your friend is gone."

OO OO OO OO

Pallas sat with the Goddess, Artemis of the hunt.

She was graciously allowed to pet the beautiful deer that Artemis had with her.

She'd just finished explaining what she knew of Dr. Thorn. The Goddess seemed concerned by the matter, but not overly so.

Zoë, the lieutenant and the one who gave the order to fire, was out collecting Bianca.

Pallas was considering the offer she was given while they waited.

To join the hunt, that was... she knew naiads did. Artemis had several naiads in the hunt with them right now. Mortals, demigods, naiads, nymphs, and more.

Pallas was a Goddess, but a- a minor one. Or well, she would be. Probably.

It was impossible to know for certain until she gained her divinity but at least until then she had been a nymph. Now she was considered some odd cross of mortal and demigod. Demigod because the divinity in her couldn't be denied, but too mortal to be nymph or Goddess.

For now.

Joining the hunt would give her freedom from the law that was stopping her from seeing her dad.

But she didn't intend to stay on land... she wanted to go home. She planned to as soon as she could. Would joining the hunt in the meantime be disingenuous?

She rubbed the deer's snout.

"M'lady," Zoë called. "I have brought Bianca."

Bianca was notably shivering and dripping and not dripping miasma everywhere. Someone must've forced her into a cleansing bath.

"Lady Artemis," she said, through chattering teeth. "Pallas."

"Princess Pallas," snapped Zoë.

"What?"

"It's okay," Pallas said. "I'm not really..."

Zoë looked like she disagreed but didn't speak, simply taking her place by Artemis.

"Please," Artemis said, "sit. I would like to ask you about what you learned from the Manticore."

Bianca sat and repeated much the same as what Pallas had said, at least for the part that Bianca was present.

She phrased a few things differently, and was much angrier about it than Pallas, and Pallas had to correct her using "he" for Dr. Thorn once, but there weren't many differences.

"The great stirring," Artemis murmured. "There have been rumors..."

Pallas thought to the rumors of unrest in the sea.

"What will you do?" she asked.

Artemis tilted her head, "I will investigate. The hunt will go to Camp while I search-"

"M'lady?" Zoë asked. "We can assist, at the very least I can!"

Artemis smiled, "Yes, but this hunt shall be dangerous. Tis not for those unprepared. I dare not bring others- depending on which beast it may be... no, the hunt is best elsewhere. And camp could use the defense."

Pallas nodded.

"I shall head back to my dorm then-"

Artemis turned, a faint smile on her lips. "Have you considered my offer?"

"Offer?" Bianca asked. "What offer?"

"To join the hunt," Zoë said coolly. "She is skilled, and would need only training in the weaponry. And it would allow her to return to the divine world once more."

"Camp is divine," Bianca argued.

Zoë sniffed, "Not as the hunt."

"I appreciate it," Pallas said, before Bianca could lunge. "I did think it over carefully. But I plan to return home as soon as I'm able. It wouldn't feel right to join the hunt in the intermediary."

Artemis nodded, not insulted at all, "I understand. I appreciate your consideration for what the hunt is."

Pallas bowed her head.

"However," Artemis continued, "I don't believe it's best to spend your break at the school."

Pallas frowned, "Why not?"

"Dr. Thorn has most likely told their commanders of your location. At least for the break, it would be best to convince them you aren't here. They won't take your refusal lightly."

Pallas pursed her lips.

"It's okay," Bianca said. "Camp is great. Nico and I are both there, in the Hermes cabin. It's got loads of bunks and some hammocks-"

"She would not stay in the Hermes cabin," Zoë scolded. "If not the Poseidon then M'lady's cabin would shelter her."

"Why would she be in the Poseidon-"

"Queen Hêrê already informed me that I could stay in her cabin," Pallas chimed in, trying to calm the situation.

Zoë inclined her head, a touch grudging but not upset.

"Fitting enough."

Bianca looked baffled.

"I will arrange with my brother for a ride to the camp for all of you. Pallas, Zoë will assist you in packing your things."

Pallas dipped her head once more and rose with Zoë. Bianca rose as well, still looking puzzled.

OO OO OO OO

Zoë was efficient in helping Pallas pack her things, and allowed Pallas to change into pants and a shirt so that she was no longer running around in her very high quality hand embroidered jacket.

Though changing revealed to Pallas a nasty bruise on her side. She'd have to treat it later.

Her things were packed into a backpack, a duffle bag, and a suitcase pretty quickly. Zoë excelled at organizing the things to be nice and neat and Pallas hadnt brought anything too large.

She left most of her school books there, though not her biology, foraging, or field medicine books and notes. If she didn't come back she didn't want to lose those.

Zoë was very nice, and admitted that she'd been informed of Pallas' situation (which explained her reactions) and was happy that Pallas was back.

Those of the sea had greatly mourned her passing.

Pallas thanked her, flashing to the grief and pain and memory of love and understanding as blood filled the water.

She didn't know the details, Triton had tried to tell her when she asked but he'd choked up, visibly pained by the memory as he tried to explain to her what happened.

She knew it wasn't supposed to happen, it was supposed to be a spar he'd said. But she didn't know who against, or what went wrong.

She didn't ask Zoë, but she thought she might later, since they'd be around each other for a bit.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas yawned lightly, waiting in the dark alongside Artemis and the hunters.

Apollon was to arrive shortly, and Pallas was eager to see him (the twins were both very important in her healing work, meeting Artemis had been wonderful and the Goddess had been happy to talk with Pallas about medicine into the night, truly she was wondrous).

But it was winter, so he was delayed. Especially so close to the solstice. This time of the year was Selene's domain, Helios would be delayed until the equinox.

Slowly they caught a glimpse of the faint light of dawn. Eos trailing her fingers through the sky to make way for Helios and Apollon.

"Look away," Artemis directed.

Pallas looked away from the rosy fingers of Dawn and saw the others doing the same. Including Bianca, still puzzled, and Thalia, looking rather upset for some reason.

Light blazed across the clearing and warmth seared through Pallas.

She turned when the light faded to a bright glow instead of blinding and found a young man leaning forward on a glittering golden chariot.

Wrought with fine details and glowing with the light of the sun it was clearly the sun chariot, just shy of being a ball of light and fire. Four pure white horses, with blue fiery eyes, were hooked to the front of the chariot.

"Hey, sis, how're you doing?" the young man, Apollon himself, called.

He hopped down from the chariot gracefully.

Unlike most of the Gods Pallas had seen, he wasn't dressed in traditional ancient garb.

He wore dark jeans with a black tank top covering his chest. The dark colors only made his golden skin and shining hair stand out more. His hair was braided in an intricate five strand braid, golden pins scattered through it. It rested over his shoulder and reached nearly to his waist.  

His feet were glad in leather boots, black and sleek.

Pallas peered at him curiously, fiddling with her own braid (Zoë did it, it had some pretty star pins decorating it).

"I'm doing well enough," Artemis said, moving forward to greet him as his eyes flicked over the crowd.

Pallas blinked as his eyes lingered on her for a moment.

"The hunt and the children need a lift to Camp," Artemis continued, hugging Apollon.

He hugged her back, then glanced over the crowd once more, winking at one huntress.

"Of course, happy to help. Got an interesting group today."

"Yes, you don't mind?"

"Nah," he said, ruffling the hair of the huntress he'd winked at.

"Grandpa," she whined.

"Always happy to give the kiddos a lift. And very excited to meet the little Pallas!"

Pallas startled as his eyes went to her.

"Nice to finally meet you, little princess."

Pallas bowed, "Kalimara, Phoibos Apollon."

"She's adorable," he whispered loudly to Artemis.

Artemis huffed, "Drop them all off at camp."

"Yeah, yeah. I gotcha."

He glanced at the chariot, "ah, gotta change shapes. Eyes away kids!"

Everyone looked away again, Pallas very curious to see what he was doing as brilliant light filled the clearing once more.

When she turned back the chariot had transformed into a golden bus like shape.

It was open topped, but filled with seats for everyone.

"All aboard," Apollon chirped, shooing everyone onto his bus.

He pat Pallas' head as she boarded and she felt him slide something into her hair.

"Can't let my sister call all the dibs," he said with a wink. "You're a healer on land too."

Pallas bowed her head, "Thank you, Lord Apollon."

"So formal," he said. "No need, you'll be amongst us soon."

He sounded so certain, Pallas couldn't help but smile. He was the prophetic deity, grandchild of prophetic light and the voice of Zeus to the earth. If he said she was joining them then she must be.

She claimed a seat on the bus, next to Zoë who waved her over.

The seats were comfortable, gold with beautiful silver cushions to make them easier to sit on.

Pallas watched Apollon climb on, after speaking quietly to his sister who stood watching the bus-chariot.

"Everyone seated? Alrighty! Time to go."

And with that the horses started off, going from standing to a full sprint in an instant as they pulled the chariot along and then up, up, up- fire streaming from their hooves as they brought the chariot back to its proper altitude to warm the heavens.

Pallas could see the cloak of Nyx slowly pulling away, far in the distance, as Eos lit the path ahead of the chariot.

"Next stop, Camp Half-Blood!"

OO OO OO OO

They landed without fanfare by a lake. Pallas peered out into it and could already see naiads peering up at the sun chariot.

She smiled. She loved hanging out with naiads.

"We've arrived," Apollon chirped. "Please exit single file, don't forget your bags, and we hope you fly with us again soon!"

"Can we?" wondered Pallas. "Do you give lifts?"

He laughed, "Maybe. Send a prayer and I'll consider it."

Thalia squinted at Pallas but she just followed the hunt out.

"I'll show you to Hêrê's cabin," Zoë said. "You're welcome to eat with us though, if you'd like. Eating is typically done by cabin."

"Okay," Pallas said. "I would enjoy that."

Zoë smiled and led the way, assigning a girl named Phoebe to get the hunt settled in the Artemis cabin.

Pallas nodded to Bianca and Thalia, waving to Grover, and followed Zoë to the Hêrê cabin.

It was a beautiful cabin. Traditional in appearance, with Ionic columns decorating the front. There were murals decorating the walls, beautifully crafted with shining tiles.

Painted in the most delicate of strokes on the doors were two massive beautiful peacocks.

Pallas paused to bow and offer a prayer of thanks to Hêrê for allowing her to use her cabin, then opened the doors to go inside.

Inside was set up similarly to a temple, with Ionic columns continuing to decorate the sides, leaving pathways on either side of the cabin.

Against the far wall was another mural of the Hesperides garden, if Pallas was remembering correctly, with the Hesperides painted to craft the form of dusk falling.

In front of the mural was a lovely bed, carved of olive wood and with soft blue and green blankets and pillows. The pillows were round, with the evil eye of protection on them. The blankets were beautifully woven with delicate patterns.

A fur blanket was across the base of the bed.

There was a small dresser at the base of the bed, carved once more of olive wood with clouds carved delicately into it, until it looked much like a cloud itself just in wood.

She found between two columns a doorway which led to a beautiful bathroom. And hidden between another two columns on the other side was a space for her mother's shrine.

The ceiling was painted like the constellations and Pallas was pleased to find that there was a desk against another wall behind the columns.

It was a beautiful cabin, she rather thought she'd like it here.

OO OO OO OO

Introducing herself to Khiron and Dionysos was a bit awkward.

Khiron seemed put out that she was already in the Hêrê cabin. Dionysos didnt mind at all, and simply gave her a run down of the rules.

He reminded her that though she was to be a Goddess she wasn't yet and would be held to the same standards as the others. She assured him she was aware and thanked him for the reminder.

Additionally, it appeared it was tradition to have a capture the flag match, campers vs hunters, every time the hunt the camp. As Pallas was now a camper she was expected to side with the camp.

At dinner she sat with the hunters, getting looks from various campers who seemed confused by her presence.

She supposed it would've been smarter to sit with another camper, maybe Thalia. She didn't seem to be in a good mood still. But Pallas could do that another day.

It was nice with the hunt, Zoë's clear acceptance and respect of her earned her the acceptance and respect of the rest of the hunt. They obviously valued Zoë a lot.

Pallas enjoyed her meal with them and headed to the Hêrê cabin to sleep.

"Who are you?" demanded a voice.

Pallas turned to find Thalia standing behind her.

"Bianca said she met you in the sea of monsters working for Circe, and then you're at the boarding school, and now you're here, getting special treatment from Hera."

She said Hêrê oddly, Pallas noted. Perhaps it was the accent.

"I was at the boarding school by order of Queen Hêrê," Pallas said. "I was supposed to come to camp in the summer but apparently Grover decided I needed a rescue."

"There was a manticore trying to kidnap you."

"Not until you showed up."

"Are you even upset about Annabeth getting captured to save you?" Thalia demanded, stepping forward.

"She didn't get captured to save me," Pallas corrected. "She got captured to save you."

Thalia stiffened.

"I was fine until you guys showed up," Pallas said. "I enjoyed the classes and I thought I had a friend in Grover. Then you showed up and now the school is fire damaged and their chapel demolished."

"We were protecting you!"

"Maybe next time ask if I needed it first."

Thalia looked ready to lunge for Pallas but Zoë was suddenly there.

"Is there a problem?" she asked, staring Thalia down.

Thalia glared and stomped off to the Zeus cabin.

Pallas wondered why she seemed so personally insulted by Pallas. They'd shown up and started trouble and now she was blaming Pallas for what came of it?

Pallas just wanted to be in the sea, away from all of this. She was only here until that was possible.

She sat at the vanity, tucked behind one of the columns, and undid the pins in her hair. She took out the hair pin that Apollon had slipped into her hair and examined it.

It was a Lyre, golden and elegant with fine details on it. She ran her finger over it, and placed it with the lovely stars that Zoë had put in her hair.

She'd unpack later, she just wanted to sleep now.

OO OO OO OO

Capture the flag came quickly and Pallas was assigned to defense by Thalia, who didn't look pleased with her.

Pallas didn't know what her problem was. When Pallas lost her mother or even Reyna she didn't lash out like this.

But Bianca and Nico were on defense with her so Pallas found a nice place to sit and play Mythomagic with Nico, whom she'd learned was an avid player.

She took off the armor they'd insisted she wore as well, it was bulky and annoying.

They were halfway through the game when Bianca took off towards the other side, telling them to guard the flag.

Pallas didn't care about the flag so said nothing but Nico confirmed he would, along with other guards.

Barely a minute later Zoë arrived and Nico leapt up to battle.

Pallas carefully organized their cards, marking which ones were in play with a red ribbon, which ones were in their hands with a blue ribbon, and which were their discarded with a yellow ribbon. She tied those to the decks with a white ribbon.

She neatly piled them together and glanced up, finding Nico calling to chase Zoë who'd stolen the flag.

Pallas followed out of curiosity and found Zoë knocking Bianca back and landing on the other side.

Thalia stomped up a bare minute after the Hunters were declared the winners and started yelling at Bianca for taking the flag.

"I don't understand," Pallas said, stepping forward. "If you'd gotten the flag Zoë still would have beat you, Bianca was ahead of you by at least a minute. Her getting the flag did not cost you the game."

"If she'd defended the flag then it would've bought time!"

"Not against Zoë," Pallas dismissed. "Zoë is far older, wiser, and more capable than any other here."

"No one asked you," Thalia snapped.

"When you start blaming another for your failings I think it is anyone's duty to step forward," Pallas countered.

Thalia shoved her and electricity cracked.

Pallas crashed into the river with a plume, taking a deep breath of the water as she took in what just happened.

She sat up slowly, feeling the burn on her chest already beginning to heal as the water flowed over her skin.

"I- I'm sorry I didn't-"

Pallas hadn't even stood up when the river crashed down on Thalia, reacting to Pallas' harm and anger.

"I apologize," she said as the river flowed back in, "I didn't mean to."

Thalia looked hateful as she raised her spear, lightning blossomed and crackled and Pallas felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Thalia don't-" Chiron didn't get to finish.

"Pallas!" Zoë cried, raising her bow and pointing at Thalia.

"Stop it!" Bianca shouted, miasma welling up.

Pallas called upon the river as lightning blossomed and split the air to her with a teeth rattling BOOM.

For a moment she was in a corona, lightning flowing in the water around her as an air bubble surrounded her.

Not a spark touched her as the river whirled and spun, naiads coming forth to shield Pallas. She felt the wrath of the river, the whisper of the sea beyond, the rage of the naiads and Zoë alike.

Pallas sent it back. A gift given may be returned, after all.

Thalia hit the ground with a scream as the electrified water crashed down once more.

"I did mean to do that," Pallas said.

Silence reigned as everyone stared at Pallas, even Chiron in shock.

Thalia slowly pushed up, soaked and burned from her own electricity.

"You-"

"Do not send a strike you are not willing to receive," Pallas said. "I have no obligation to take your anger. I have done nothing wrong, and I will not sit here and be attacked by you because you're angry and spiteful."

If Thalia had something to say to that, Pallas never learned it. Mist filled the clearing and the weight of destiny settled across everyone's shoulders.

The Oracle of Delphi came forth, shambling forward through the trees.

"Come forth, Speaker, and ask," hissed a voice of ten thousand years.

Zoë came forward.

Chapter Text

Pallas kicked her feet, now the official head of the Hêrê cabin as the only actual member.

Dionysos had declared such, to the obvious annoyance of Chiron and the confusion of every other cabin head.

"Five shall go west to the Goddess in Chains
Hearts of all shall bear love and pain.
With Pearl wrought miasma shall curtail
Hunters and campers combined shall prevail
The Titans verse must one withstand
And One shall fall to a parent's hand"

The Apollon child repeated the prophecy with a frown.

"Sounds like a dangerous prophecy," said the Aphrodite head. Silena, Pallas thought her name was.
 
"Five have to go," said Zoë. "I will take hunters-"

"You have to bring at least one camper," argued Thalia immediately. "It says Hunters and Campers *combined*."

An argument began over the number, so Pallas cut in. "Two campers, two hunters, and myself."

All eyes turned to her.

"You?" Thalia demanded. "Why you?"

"Pallas is correct," Zoë agreed. "She must be on the quest."

"Why?" Bianca asked. "I'm not disagreeing, but... why?"

"Pearl wrought," Dionysos cut in, flipping a page in his magazine. "She's the only Pearl around."

The campers all looked quite confused, but Pallas simply nodded.

"Two hunters," said Zoë. "I will go and... Cassidy. Her tracking skills are unmatched."

"I can go!" Grover offered. "I have great tracking spells and-"

"You wish to flirt with the hunters," Pallas noted, remembering Ms. C's lessons on when boys were trying to flirt.

Grover flushed bright red.

Pallas wondered if she should feel bad for shooting him down, but she was still bitter about the whole sending a group to retrieve her thing.

"No," Zoë said flatly. "I will accept two women."

"I'll go," Thalia said.

"And me," Bianca added.

"Are there any objections?" Zoë asked.

No one objected, though Pallas privately thought adding Thalia to the mix was akin to putting a spark to a wicker basket but it wasn't her decision.

"Very well," Zoë declared. "Myself, Cassidy, Thalia, Bianca, and Pallas."

Campers peered at Pallas curiously but she hid a yawn, exhaustion weighing at her now that she was away from the river once more.

"We should sleep," Zoë said, glancing at Pallas. "We will leave at dawn."

Agreements were made and Zoë stood, offering a hand to Pallas who accepted it and allowed the older girl to lead her back to her cabin.

She thanked Zoë once she arrived and Zoë assured her it was no trouble before reminding her to sleep well.

Pallas slipped into her cabin and found something new within.

A small, three layered, fountain sat in the middle of the space, a statue of Hêrê topping it. Iris, the Goddess of the rainbow and messenger of Hêrê, was depicted darting from Hêrê at the top down to the curled edges of the bottom part of the fountain.

Iris was crafted of a stone that shimmered like a rainbow. Hêrê was crafted of the purest white stone, with obsidian for her hair and gold decorating her form.

Pallas bowed before the fountain, thanking Hêrê for her kindness.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas had finished getting ready for bed when there was a knock on the door.

Except it was as if someone with a metal box was trying to knock using it.

Pallas peeked out the door and found- a Pegasus?

She'd seen them before, several times, but not up close. Clients at the spa sometimes came riding one.

This one was sleek and black. Their feathers large and shiny and their fur well cared for.

'Yo' the Pegasus said.

"Hi?" Pallas replied. "Can I help you?"

She hadn't known Pegasi could talk.

'I heard there was a sea kid in the area ya see,' the Pegasus said, 'and there's some hippocampi freaking out a bit out in the water saying something is in danger. Think you could help?'

Pallas was exhausted but really spending time in the ocean was no chore so she nodded and the Pegasus bent down to let her climb on.

She was rather clumsy doing so, she'd never ridden a horse before. But the Pegasus was patient and guided her to climb on properly and she settled on top of him.

He started with a gentle walk, then slowly built up speed until his wings unfurled and he took off.

Pallas held onto his mane tight and tried to keep her legs relaxed so she didn't hurt him. She found this rather terrifying, yet exhilarating. They were flying! She'd never flown before! (except, she supposed, the sun chariot.)

He took her to the sea quickly and found the spot a hippocampi was swimming around anxiously.

'Here we are, bossette.'

"Bossette?"

'Yep!'

Pallas shrugged and carefully slid off the Pegasus and into the ocean.

She took a moment just to bask in the water before turning to the Hippocampi and asking it to lead her to the problem.

It wasn't terribly far, just deeper in the water, and she found a shipwreck, perched precariously. Something must've shifted it recently because it was slowly shifting to fall upon the creature below it.

Pallas drifted closer, puzzled by the animal.

It was part cow and part fish? She hadn't heard of such a thing before. Yet on a deeper level it was familiar to her.

"Hello," she said. "I'm here to help."

She drifted closer, crooning reassurance and promises of safety to the little creature.

It spoke a language she both did and didn't understand. A language her mind didn't understand quite right but she instinctively *knew* the meaning of.

She assured Berenike, his name she gathered, that he would be okay and slowly unwound the net from around him, asking the sea to keep the ship from falling until then.

It was slow careful work but with all her lessons on nets and boats and water from Ms. C she was able to finish up within the hour.

Berenike mooed happily and did a flip as he was freed and then came to demand pets from Pallas.

She gently rubbed his forehead, then told him he should go stay in her home. It wasn't safe in the wide open sea for him.

He whined, trying to nuzzle closer but she stayed firm.

"Stay safe there, I'll be back soon enough and we can play. In the meantime, the naiads there will keep you safe."

Berenike pouted but accepted some more pets from her and slowly headed to her home, the hippocampi agreeing to take him.

Pallas swam up, heading back to the surface and the Pegasus there.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas was more tired than she'd like to admit the following morning, as they prepared to head out.

She'd packed a backpack with food, water, extra shirts, pants, and her latest embroidery project. Plus some medical supplies.

She'd also done her hair and put on good clothes for moving (shirt and pants woven by Ms. C herself, protection spells woven through them). Her hair was braided and pinned tight to her head. She'd used mostly her hair pieces from Ms. C and Reyna, knowing they were good quality and protective. But she did include the lyre pin from Apollon in the center and three little star pins from Artemis tucked by her ear.

She put her backpack in the back like the others and was assigned the passenger seat.

Zoë ignored Thalia's complaints and made sure Pallas was settled and checked with Cassidy that everything was secure.

Zoë took the drivers seat and off they went.

OO OO OO OO

The drive west was long and slow, even with Zoë's more aggressive driving.

Admittedly, Pallas slept through a lot of the first part of the drive, then got out her small loom and started working on a bracelet.

She could do the small patterns pretty well, and the movement of the car didn't disrupt her that much, so it was a good distraction from the boring ride.

She did occasionally peer out, curious about how land was so far from where she grew up, but it just looked like a lot of cars and some trees. Maybe because they were on an interstate?

She entertained herself and could hear the conversation of the others in the background.

She didn't really join in, but she listened to the theories on the quest, on where Artemis was, on if Annabeth was there too, etc etc.

Thalia was trying to backseat drive a lot and Zoë was muttering curses in eight different languages (only three that Pallas recognized) as she drove.

Bianca had brought a small notebook and was writing in it during lulls in the conversation.

"So who even are you?" Thalia said, and Pallas could feel the girl's attention on her.

"Hmm?" she asked, carefully working on the delicate flower pattern on the bracelet.

"Pearl, Hera cabin, Mr. D seems to like you, Apollo gave you a hair pin and knew of you, who's your parent?"

Cassidy snorted, "it isn't obvious?"

Pallas worked on the next row, examining the strands closely.

"Obvious?" Thalia demanded. "No it's not, I want to know who she is."

"I'm Pallas," Pallas said. "I've always been Pallas."

Thalia took in a breath, clearly not satisfied with the answer, when Bianca cut in.

"Pallas, like Pallas Athena?"

"No," Pallas said, but something twinged.

Pallas Athena, it wasn't said quite right but her name with Athina's. They'd always been a pair, hadn't they?

"But... yes," Pallas added.

"That doesn't even make sense!" Thalia snapped.

"Enough," Zoë cut in. "She does not owe thee answers. Her life is her own to worry about. She came to assist, not to be questioned by one who tried to kill her the other day."

"I wasn't trying to kill her!"

"You tried to shoot me with a full bolt of lightning," Pallas commented idly. "While I was in water as well. That would kill most."

Thalia went quiet at that.

"And if thou had succeeded then her father would have destroyed thee," Zoë commented. "Not even touching on the weapons used."

"Her father," Thalia said. "Is he Poseidon?"

There was silence in the car for a moment.

"No one should be able to control the river like that- and healing her own wounds-"

"No," Pallas said. "My father is of the sea, but he's not Poseidon."

Pallas could feel Thalia relax at that. Why? Did she not like competition for being in charge? She was certainly throwing her weight around with Bianca from what Pallas had seen.

Pallas didn't understand the conflicts here. She focused back on her mini loom and the bracelet she was weaving.

OO OO OO OO

They'd stopped for gas and snacks, Pallas eagerly getting a coke and some Oreos (plus a proper sandwich) when she felt the rising miasma.

She turned, bag swinging, and locked eyes on a skeleton.

It wasn't like the ones she'd seen Bianca summon. It thrummed with rebirth, functioning on orders but with its own consciousness.

Pallas' eyes flit over them, multiple, eight total-

And their eyes were locked on Zoë.

One raised its weapon and Pallas moved. Instict roared and something surged- her Pearl sang and shone and shook.

*CRACK*

Glass shattered, something rumbled, and the group Pallas was with became wrapped in boiling water as the gas station *exploded*.

Fire raged high and higher and burned blue with raw heat. She could see metal warping, melting. The water at her command was shielding them, wrapping over them, mixing and swirling and and cooling and heating all at once.

Water shone a thousand colors, steamed and rippled and pulsed as it collected the smoke and debris and prevented it from reaching deeper.

Pallas breathed, feeling the oil and gas bubbling and burning. She breathed feeling her heart beat twice, once muscle and once pearl. She breathed feeling the twisting miasma of the skeletons slowly being crushed and wiped clean in the fires of the station.

But by bit, until the area was clean once more.

And also in ruins.

The water splashed down with them.

"What- what was that-" Thalia choked out, gaping at the remains of the gas station.

Pallas supposed it was a good thing they were the only customers and that the one inside the store hadn't hesitated to make a break for it.

Though their car was ruined.

"Did you *do* that?" Cassidy asked, awed and horrified alike, her eyes on Pallas.

Pallas... thought she'd done it. But she also- she never needed to *make* things happen. She wanted things and things happened. This time though she felt... Tired.

"I think so," she said after a moment of consideration for what happened, what she felt. "The skeletons were attacking and... it happened."

"Those skeletons, they were a dangerous kind. I only saw them for a moment before- well, you saved my life."

Pallas shuffled a little as Zoë thanked her for saving her.

"Sorry about the car," she offered.

"How did you set it all on *fire*?" Thalia demanded.

"She didn't have to," Bianca countered. "The bullet could do that, a little bit of fumes from the gasoline would've ignited everything."

Pallas suspected she'd done more than that, but the others looked horrified enough so she said nothing.

She looked at the ruins where gasoline still lingered and wished it would get better. It wasn't a nice look, dark and destroyed.

"We must get moving," Zoë said. "Someone had to have sent the skeletons, we should not remain to see what else they have sent."

That was a worrying thought, and so the group of them hurried away from the destroyed gas station.

OO OO OO OO

They'd stopped at a small store, two towns over and in the mountains. Zoë and Cassidy looked as pristine as when they started. Thalia and Bianca were exhausted.

Pallas was somewhere in the middle, and just glad they'd already bought food and drinks earlier so shed been able to snack while walking.

They bought more food and drinks while at the small town, Zoë going up hill to check around for a car they could borrow or hire. Thalia stomped off downhill to do the same.

Pallas kicked her feet, sitting with Cassidy and Bianca.

She had a hot chocolate she was happily sipping while Bianca and Cassidy both drank their coffees. Gross.

"So," Bianca said, "what are you doing in the US anyways? You lived with Circe right?"

"No," Pallas said. "I lived in the sea. Ms. C just taught me and helped me. And the spa requires a lot of repairs after someone released some prisoner pirates, so it was deemed impossible for me to stay. The Gods said I needed to stay on land in the meantime because 'children shouldn't be alone in the sea'."

"Oh," Bianca said, clearly catching the hint that she was partly responsible for the issue.

Cassidy frowned, "They're not wrong but it's a shame you can't stay at your home."

"I'll go back," Pallas said. "It's just till I'm old enough."

Bianca hummed.

"What about your mortal parent?"

Pallas looked out at the beautiful landscape, planning to try and make a weave of it later to show her mom's shrine.

"Dead."

"I'm sorry," Bianca said. "It- my mom... she died too."

Pallas dipped her head, murmuring a soft prayer for Bianca's mother.

"How long have you been alone?" Bianca asked softly.

"I'm not alone," Pallas corrected. "I have friends in the sea, Hippolyta the Octopus, Frank, Carie, and Melon the sharks, Nemo, Joker, Jimbo, Bozo, Happy, Fool, Mime and Donald the clown fish, the local naiads, my Okeanid friend, and of course those at Ms. C's spa."

Bianca and Cassidy stared at her for a moment, "Donald the clown fish?"

"Like McDonald," Pallas informed her. "He likes fries."

Bianca opened her mouth and closed it, then opened it again.

"Well... how long have you lived in the sea?"

"Five years," Pallas said. She stared out at the land and missed the water flowing over skin. "I miss it."

The three sat quietly, each wrapped in their own thoughts.

OO OO OO OO

They didn't find a car, but that was okay. Pallas ended up finding some horses when she got bored and wandered off so they just rode those.

She pet the sleek one that had insisted on being her ride. He was a sweet horse, eager to show off a bit but making sure to keep her steady on his back.

She was notably the worst rider of all of them, with her only experience being blackjack, the Pegasus from the other day. He'd given her his name before  heading off that night.

Her horse today was named Philios, she liked it cause it sounded like Philia, friendship. The horse knickered and nuzzled her hand when she told him.

Thalia was suspicious of the good luck with the horses, but Pallas didn't see anything suspicious about it. Animals lived in nature.

The horses brought them as far as the dessert, even going a bit in at Philios' urging. But once there were no more grasses to nibble on they stopped and decided to turn back.

Pallas thanked all of them, offering them some of the apples she'd packed, and gave them each a nice pat.

She'd give them a rub down, like books mentioned, but she had no idea how to do it. So she made sure to tell them about camp instead and sent them on their way.

Once the horses were off she joined the others with Zoë, who'd also thanked the horses for their aid.

"Great," Thalia muttered. "We went from one middle of nowhere to another."

Pallas peered around.

The horses had dropped them at an old dilapidated town. Windows were boarded up and signs were faded and damaged.

Beside the town was a massive junkyard, spanning what seemed to be miles.

"Oh, Mexican," Pallas said, eyeing the boarded up restaurant. "I've never had it."

"We shall get some after the quest," Zoë declared. "Proper Mexican is a good meal."

Pallas offered her a bright smile, right before a bright light shone over them all.

"Do your smiles set shit on fire too-" Thalia started before they heard the car engine and a limo pulled up next to them.

Thalia yelped, spear out and pointed at the limo- followed by the hunters bows. Bianca drew her sword

Then the driver's door opened and Pallas felt the divine power within.

The God stepped out, sword point leveled at Bianca.

"Hey cousin, fancy seeing you here."

"Ares," she snapped, glaring and holding her chin high (partially due to the sword under it).

"Lord Ares," Pallas said, with a bow.

"Hey kiddo," Ares said, turning to her with a blood thirsty smile. "You're causing some real conflict on Olympos these days. It's great, keep it up."

Pallas blinked, puzzled. She'd never been to Olympos how was she causing conflict?

"What?" Thalia said.

Ares glanced at her then dismissed her, tilting his head in acknowledgment of the hunters.

"My girl wants to chat with two of you. Why don't the rest of ya get some Mexican."

"It's closed," Thalia said, unimpressed.

Ares tilted his head towards the Mexican and Pallas' breath caught as power force divinity flared into the air, heavy and touched with blood and fire and raw instinct.

The Mexican place lit up.

"Pallas first," he said. "My cousin can hang here for her turn."

Zoë frowned but nodded to Cassidy and the two, and Thalia, headed to Mexican.

Pallas was motioned towards the suddenly open limo door. She slid in.

"Pallas," said the woman there warmly.

'She looks like Reyna', was Pallas' first thought.

Her hair black and braided, with ribbons trailing through and tied in a complex manner to show off her skills. Eyes dark and endless, easy to fall into. Skin a lovely brown, lightly tanned as well from her time outside.

And then she was more akin to Ms. C, curls tumbling down her back in an artful style, decorated with golden pins.

And then she was someone else, someone that ached in Pallas' chest with dark hair like night and grey eyes like storms. Determination ringing from her and bringing forth memories of relaxing in the waves, playing in the coral, sneaking off giggling.

Pallas swallowed.

"Hello dear," the Goddess Aphrodite crooned. "You've had a hard time reaching this point haven't you?"

"Pardon?" Pallas asked, voice cracking.

"It's alright, you're doing amazing, building your life anew. Even finding love."

Pallas blinked, "I have?"

Aphrodite cooed, "Why, Reyna of course. You poor thing, losing her. Don't worry, you'll see her again."

Pallas straightened, "I will?"

"Yes," Aphrodite smiled. "It's truly a shame you're on this quest now. If it had happened just a few months later you would've found her. But it's okay, you'll meet her again. It's inevitable."

Pallas felt relief, an almost dizzying realization of how much she's feared for Reyna, tucked away where it wouldn't hurt.

"Thank you," she said.

"Of course," Aphrodite smiled Reyna's soft smile, her eyes glittered with the joy Å̶̤̲̳̪̪̝̳̭̹̺͇͑̉̀͐̑̌́̀́̿͌̈́͘͝͝ͅ+̸̢̳̫̻̳̭̙̰̞̫̘̞̬͖̳̳̰̳̀͆̃̽̓̑̈͆̚͜h̶͕̥̟̫̗͕͍̪͂̈́̿̃̈̎͒̒͋̚͘̕1̶͕̫̝͎͔̻̜̀̏͑̈́̈̐̀n̵̛̛̪̦̦̣̎̇̾͗͐͆̕͝4̶̡̡̭̺̩̣͇̩̞̙͎̭̣͗̔̋̓͗̏̔̀̾̀͒̉̄́̚͠͝ͅ had. "There will be such curiosity in your love life, I'm so excited for it."

Pallas tilted her head, confused.

"Don't worry about it right now," Aphrodite cooed. "I just had to see how your love looked in person, it's so sweet and fierce- like a little hurricane tucked into a jar."

Pallas bowed her head, still puzzled by Aphrodite.

"Off you go! Enjoy some Mexican while I chat with Bianca. The queso is delicious."

"Thank you for your time," Pallas said. "And for the Mexican."

"Any time," she crooned. "Just send me a prayer."

Pallas slipped out of the car, finding Ares and Bianca standing there still tense.

"Hey kid," Ares said. "Done? Then off you go."

Pallas went and got Mexican while Bianca talked with Aphrodite.

The queso was delicious.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas blinked and was within the junkyard. Her Mexican was neatly packed in a box in her hands.

Everyone looked around in equal confusion.

"Seems we are to tackle this before moving forward," Zoë murmured.

Pallas poked a silver bow on top of a small pile and blinked when it shifted into a small hair pin.

"Woah," Cassidy muttered. "Maybe we could-"

"No," Zoë stated firmly. "This is the junkyard of the Gods. We mustn't take anything or we risk a curse. Be wary."

Pallas stepped away from the small pile. It was a shame, she thought that bow would be cool.

OO OO OO OO

Getting through the junkyard was difficult. It was filled with temptation, and Pallas was charmed by several pretty objects. But they all managed to resist enough to escape. On the outside of the junkyard was some more mundane junk.

An old car, some scrap metal, a few odd beads (Pallas pocketed those).

She kicked at an odd piece of metal and puzzled over what it might be from.

"I know how to hotwire a car!"

Pallas shared a commiserating look with Bianca and Cassidy as Thalia and Zoë started arguing over the car.

Pallas examined a lizard while they worked.

OO OO OO OO

They reached a river long after the sun had risen and shortly before the car gave out.

It had been a miracle enough that Thalia and Zoë had gotten it working in the first place, much less making it work without gas as it was now.

Pallas stared at the river, longing for the water once more. It would be faster anyways-

She suggested they go to the river below, down the cliff. Thalia urged them to find a safer route, eyeing the thin path warily. Pallas didn't want to wait though, so she agreed they could find a safer path and she'd meet them down there.

Then she jumped off the cliff.

The shouts behind her were quickly drowned by the lovely water she landed it and she giggled, waving to the naiads that appeared around her.

They giggled back and when she surfaced it was with several naiads around her.

She found the others scrambling down the cliff, no longer waiting for the safer route for some reason.

Weird.

OO OO OO OO

The naiads were happy to help the others at Pallas' request but they grumbled about Zoë.

Pallas didn't know Zoë's story but she chided the naiads for holding the past against Zoë in such a manner.

She could only live her life as best she could.

The naiads quieted after that but they still curled round Pallas as she swam alongside them.

They went as far as the Hoover dam, which the naiads had complaints about. Apparently it had been stopping their water from flowing freely, and had crafted a very large lake without the permission of the land or water spirits.

Rude.

"It's a marvel of human engineering," Thalia murmured. "Made it so they could tame the yearly floods-"

"The poor water spirits," Pallas murmured, "cut off from their families on the other side and prevented from flowing freely."

There was a beat of silence.

"Its uh- super helpful to humans?" Bianca offered.

"Evil," Pallas muttered. "Evil and mean."

The river roiled, rolling higher and threatening to catch up with the quest group.

They hurried up and grabbed some snacks before praying to Zeus for a lift.

Thalia thought it was dumb and he wouldn't help, because he hadn't given a sign prior. Pallas was smug when the angels answered. The Gods would answer when there was something to do. But signs were so nebulous, of course it would be hard to define what might've been a sign when asking so vaguely.

OO OO OO OO

The city below the mountain was pretty, but the angels had dropped the Questers off high on the mountain. Pallas thought that was a shame, she'd heard it had good yarn stores.

Zoë assured her they'd stop after they finished the quest.

They found a place to rest while waiting for sunset, so they could enter the Hesperides garden. Past it would be Atlas, where they suspected Artemis was being kept.

Pallas stretched out and let Zoë rebraid her hair. It wasn't the same as Reyna doing it, but Zoë was good at it. And she was able to weave subtle protections in.

Pallas did the same for Zoë once she finished, braiding in speed and a touch of luck. Hopefully it helped.

"Are we ever gonna talk about," Thalia waved her hand at the group.

"What about it?" Cassidy wondered.

"We don't even get along! Thalia snapped. "Pallas is keeping secrets only you hunters seem to understand, youre here for Artemis and don't care about Annabeth, we never learned what the miasma was, what hearts and pain is involved? And one of us is gonna die to a parent!"

"Who's your mom?" Pallas asked coolly.

Thalia blinked, "what?"

"Do you have any siblings? Why do you think you should be in charge? Why are you at camp? Where's your home? Why did King Zeus save you? Why do you hate secrets so much? Why do you hate the hunters? Where do your anger issues come from?"

"That's none of your business," Thalia said in disbelief.

"So you're keeping secrets that only you and Annabeth seem to understand," Pallas noted. "And you're here for Annabeth and don't care about Artemis."

"That's not-"

"Everyone has a right to their privacy," Pallas barreled on. "I have my history, but it's none of your business. You aren't owed my family, my home, my power. And we aren't owed yours. Stop prying. You're not the leader of the quest and not the boss of any of us."

Thalia was silent, frowning at Pallas but not pushing the matter.

Zoë started doing Cassidy's hair and Pallas very politely offered to do Bianca's. She agreed.

They did hair in silence for a bit before Bianca started up a conversation with Pallas.

Thalia sat on the outside watching with a frown.

OO OO OO OO

"Sister," greeted the Nymphs of Dusk.

"Sisters," Zoë greeted in turn.

"What!?" Thalia hissed.

"Hello," Pallas said.

The Nymphs softened at the sight of her, as Pallas had found many Gods did when they knew her identity.

"Pallas," greeted one.

"We are gladened to see you once more."

Pallas recognized the individuals, but didn't remember any actual time with them. Nonetheless she dipped her head in greeting.

"It's nice to meet you again," she said. "Would we be able to pass? We wanted to speak to your father."

The Nymphs shared looks and shook their heads.

"We cannot allow a traitor to enter our home once more."

Zoë clenched her jaw but didn't look away.

"What's done is done," she said. "I have no intention of staying."

"Can you not allow her to greet her father, at least?" Pallas asked. "Traitor or not she has the right to greet the master of the house, does she not?"

The Nymphs murmured in sunlight and clouds, the whispers of wind and the last light of day. They looked at Zoë, examined her clothing and form, examined her stance and eyes.

Pallas eyed the grief and longing in Zoë's form, the acceptance of their hate of her.

"Very well," said one, "I shall lead the way."

They followed the singular nymph, the others fading away into mist, up steps one after the other. They seemed carved of deep blues and purples, a splash of red and vivid pink. It was as if someone had carved dusk into rocks.

As they climbed the stones grew darker, until finally they were pitch black. Bit by bit sparks of color appeared in the stones once more, Glimmers of white-silver, stars peeking through.

"Beautiful," Pallas whispered whispered.

"The steps of the palace of night," said Zoë. "If you climb long enough you'll reach the doors."

"Is that where we're headed?" Bianca asked, but she seemed confused as she examined the path.

"I don't see anything beautiful," Thalia muttered. "Just a lot of rocks."

"You would," Cassidy sniffed. "Some have more discerning eyes"

"No," Zoë said to Bianca. "Our stop is past that."

The others shared worried looks but the group continued up, Pallas turning to look this way and that. She rubbed at dusty spots on the stairs, wiping it away.

"What's past the house of night?" Bianca asked.

"The sky," Pallas said. "Lady Nyx draws the cloak of night across the heavens, hiding from below the light of Lord Aether as Lady Hemera slips within the house."

"Oh, why are we going to the sky?"

"Father is there," the nymph says. "As are our guests."

They passed a path that branches off, the night sky and the axis of the heavens drifting past, and then there was light again.

They climbed over night, into the Aether with pure white glowing stairs, and reached the top.

There, atop the mount that should've ended many miles below, the heavens came down.

A swirl of wind water clouds light- birds swooped around and through then back up up up- lightning crackled briefly and Pallas could see the cloak of night winding through it.

The heavens alone did not fill the spiral which came down on the figures back, it was the sky. A fraction of a body shaped by wind and water and light and dark and specks of space dust- a satellite drifted by. Smog and smoke filled parts of what she could see.

Her eyes were wide, head tilted up as she beheld the horror, the awe, the tragedy of the heavens.

She realizes Zoë had run forward, cupping the face of a woman- of moonlight and trees and wild wind and water and animals pressing together- Pallas blinked and saw it all tie together into a form she recognized. Artemis held up the body above her, a weight none should bear, could bear really.

"Terrible, isn't it," crooned a voice behind Pallas.

She turned and found a God before her. A man examining her. Strong and firm, wearing loose pants and a half open button up he shouldn't have looked divine but it was unmistakable.

"Pallas, yes? My daughters had told me of your death. Amazing, didn't know you could be reborn."

Pallas blinked, "I didn't know either."

He laughed, "How curious."

"Father," greeted the nymph who'd come with them.

"Daughter," he said, inclining his head. "Head back down now."

She nodded and left the way they'd come.

"Here for the Goddess?" asked Atlas, peering over her shoulder at the group. They hadn't realized he was there. "Or for the girl?"

No, Zoë had, the tension in her form revealed that. She didn't stand though, her attention on Artemis who tried to send them away.

Pallas could see the misty forms of a buildinggrowing around them, insubstantial and vague still.

"They're here for both," Pallas said. "I'm here for them."

"How kind, helping ones you barely know."

Pallas considered his words then shook her head.

"I'm helping Zoë," she said. "She helped me-" the words true through two lifetimes though she hadn't realized before now. She knew that Zoë had helped Pallas once in a time Pallas doesn't remember"-its only right I return the favor."

"Even to a traitor who abandoned her family?"

"She loves you," Pallas said, remembering the way Zoë had looked. Remembering something she didn't remember at all. "She aches at coming back because she feels bad. She wants you to love her still."

Pallas couldn't explain how she knew these things, not really, but she felt as if Zoë had told her. That she wanted nothing more than to be welcome back home. But she's long since accepted that that wasn't possible.

Atlas, on the other hand, looked truly shocked by her words. Then a stubborn tilt shaped his mouth.

"Feels bad because the boy she betrayed us for tossed her aside?"

"No. Feels bad because she only ever wanted to protect you. The man was doing what he needed to- but in the process many were hurt. He was willing to kill her sisters and Ladon, to injure you under the heavens, betrayal meant that all lived. The only one who lost was her."

Atlas frowned. He opened his mouth then closed it once more. He stared at Pallas, puzzled and confused. She likewise didn't know how she knew this.

"She doesn't dare imagine she would get a warm welcome, but she still hopes. She hopes she could come home and get a hug and know nothing would harm her in your arms."

"Did she truly do that to protect us?"

"She gave up her immortal power to ensure you would be okay."

Those words got through to Atlas.

He considered them carefully.

And then another voice cut in, "How sweet, on your knees before the Goddess."

A boy Pallas didn't know stood there. His hair was sunny blonde, eyes a sharp blue. A scar cut down from just below his eye to his chin.

"Luke," Bianca said hatefully.

"Luke," Thalia whispered.

"Boy," Zoë said, rising with fury in her eyes.

"You," Cassidy hissed.

"Hi," Pallas said, obligingly joining in.

All heads swiveled to her and Atlas.

"Kalinycha," Atlas said.

"Who are you?" Thalia demanded.

Atlas ignored her, examining Zoë carefully. Zoë in turn raised her chin, and watched Atlas back.

"So uh, who are you?" Pallas asked, looking at Luke.

"Who are *you*?" he demanded back.

"I'm Pallas," she said. "You're Luke-" she pointed at Atlas "-this is Lord Atlas... but like, I don't know why they all seem upset about you, so was more asking about that."

Atlas snorted, "Eísai mia apólafsi."

Pallas pouted, "Ochi, eímai Pallas."

"What are you saying," Thalia asked.

"He's teasing her," Zoë said. "Luke is the one responsible for Dr. Thorn's actions."

"He made Dr. Thorn try to kidnap me?"

"He's a monster," Luke said flatly. "You're lucky it was kidnap and not devouring you."

"They," said Pallas, Bianca, and Zoë.

Pallas was pleased she'd trained them in this.

"What?" Luke said.

"You're not a very good leader," Pallas noted, realizing he didn't even know Dr. Thorns pronouns.

She noticed Annabeth beside Luke, chained up tight with multiple guards and a gag.

"Thalia," Luke said, deciding to ignore Pallas. "You can join us. You can call forth the greatest of monsters and gain the power to overthrow Olympus."

"Olympos," Pallas corrected his pronunciation.

"Why are you here?" Luke demanded, turning to her in annoyance.

Atlas was leaning against the wall with increasing amusement on his face.

"The Oracle said so."

"Well, shut up before I shut you up-"

"Do not speak to Pallas that way," snapped Zoë.

"Hey!" Bianca cried.

"She doesn't shut up ever, so good luck with that," Thalia said in what could be argued to be a defense of Pallas.

"You're terrible at speaking Greek," Pallas added.

Luke's eye twitched but he motioned a hand and Pallas felt another force, not from him but someone else, rise up and form a pool there.

"Summon forth the Ophiotaurus," he said. "You could have unlimited power, the ability to overthrow the Gods. Your birthday is tomorrow, you can make the choice that decides Olympus' fa-"

"Olympos."

"Will you shut up?"

"Learn how to use words," she said.

"Thalia-" Luke tried to continue.

"Also what's an Ophiotaurus?" she wondered.

"Half cow half fish," Atlas said.

"It's said if thou sacrifice it then thou would gain the power to overthrow Olympos," Zoë added.

"Oh, you mean Berenike," Pallas said. "I sent him to live someplace nice."

There was a beat of silence.

"What?" Cassidy said.

"Berenike," Pallas repeated. "He's half cow, half fish, found him in the sea the other week. He was very sweet but had a tendency towards trouble so I sent him to a safe place."

"You-" Luke looked furious "-How dare you-"

"And why would you kill Berenike? He's a baby."

"That's it," Luke said. "Kill the girl."

Atlas snorted.

The pool for the Ophiotaurus exploded, surging forth and going for the faces of all those who even twitched towards Pallas. Monsters and demigods alike clawed for their faces, trying to breathe as water surged through their lungs.

Luke dodged death by centimeters, just slipping out of the water's reach.

"Not very nice of you," Pallas said. "I hadn't even done anything."

Atlas was smirking.

"A child of Poseidon?" Luke breathed, shock and horror on his face.

"No," she said. "Why does everyone assume that? You do realize the sea has more Gods than any other domain right? Except like, trees."

"Those trees are pretty numerous," Atlas agreed.

"That-"

"I mean really, no one in the sea says Poseidon but is that the only name you guys know? If someone starts setting things on fire do you declare Hestia? No! There's five different Gods associated with fire!"

"Hang on-"

"And agriculture! If someone can grow plants there's three Olympian Gods associated with that and dozens more of non-Olympians!"

"Then who-"

"I mean, if someone drop kicked you off a cliff that doesn't mean they're a child of Ares, it just means they know how to drop kick you-"

Zoë helpfully demonstrated by kicking him off the cliff.

Everyone had been quite distracted by Pallas' rant and hadn't noticed her moving closer.

"See," Pallas said, rhetorically, "she's a daughter of Atlas, not Ares."

"She's what? Thalia said in shock.

Annabeth was staring in horror at where Luke had been.

"Hmm," Atlas said. "I'll be nice, just this once. You-" he pointed at a random guy who pointed at himself "-yeah you, take the sky."

"What!?"

"You heard me," Atlas drawled. "I grant the singular mercy to my daughter."

Atlas looked at Zoë. Zoë swallowed, bowing her head.

"Thanking you, Father."

"What are you waiting for?" Atlas snapped at the random guy.

The guy reluctantly went under the sky next to Artemis and took it from her.

Zoë darted towards Artemis, but one of the monsters lunged for her while she was distracted, clearly furious with this mercy.

Atlas vaporized the monster, gone from behind Pallas in an instant as he formed by the monster's remains.

Zoë stumbled, tripping right into Atlas in her shock at his action.

"One shall fall to a parent's hand," Pallas noted. "Fits."

"You're joking," Cassidy said, disbelieving.

Pallas left Zoë and Atlas to their awkward but heartwarming reunion and went to check on Artemis.

Hopefully the Goddess was okay.

OO OO OO OO

The questing group, plus Annabeth who was insisting Luke wasn't so bad (Pallas suspected brainwashing while she was trapped) were flown down from the mountain by Artemis.

Zoë was pretending she wasn't thrilled over her father saying she was his daughter and he was sorry for not hearing her out.

Artemis was not pretending and had made sure Zoë knew how happy she was for her.

Pallas was leaning over the edge of the moon chariot as far as she could in awe (with Cassidy holding a hand on her back in blatant concern for her).

Thalia, Bianca, and Annabeth were having a somewhat teary reunion slash argument over Luke.

They landed smoothly, a man running over.

"Oh wow, I knew you'd come to stay with us but to imagine you brought a Sikorsky R-4 this is AMAZING- I didn't even know these still existed-"

Pallas actually did know what he was talking about thanks to her military history class. The first mass-produced helicopter. However... who was he?

"Dad," Annabeth said. "I'm not here to move here."

"She was kidnapped," Thalia said flatly.

"Hi," Pallas said.

"Men," muttered Cassidy.

Artemis shooed him away eventually, ignoring his fascination with her chariot appearing like a really old helicopter.

"I have called rides for you, so that you can come to Olympos. I must go ahead of you. Stay safe and come quickly."

"Yes, Lady Artemis," Pallas said.

Lady Artemis left in a chariot of silver and gold, two beautiful pure white horses flying it into the heavens.

"Pretty," Pallas whispered, seeing the wings unfurling the crown gleaming and the figure shaping the chariot.

"So, your dad?" Thalia said.

"Yes," Zoë said.

Thalia visibly restrained herself from asking.

"If the Ophiotaurus isn't the choice I have to make... what is?"

Pallas shrugged. "Why do you think there is a choice?"

"The prophecy says so," Annabeth says.

"Maybe it's like our prophecy, Zoë 'fell' to her dad's hand."

"That was ridiculous," Cassidy said.

"Well, you two are the only ones who parents we don't know," Thalia pointed out.

"I'm not hiding it," Cassidy said. "I just don't see how it's relevant. I'm a mortal who joined the hunt a few years back. My dad is some mercenary and my mom works in accounting."

Thalia blinked.

"Not as interesting as the King of the Gods or the King of the dead or a Titan," she said in amusement. "But it's my family."

Pallas looked up, "Blackjack!"

"What?"

The others followed her gaze to see Pegasi flying towards them.

"Blackjack! He's my Pegasus friend."

"Hi, bossette!" Blackjack knickered as he land by her. "Miss me?"

"Missed you dearly," Pallas assured him, stroking his snout.

The others all gathered around a pegasus, even Bianca who'd refrained from utilizing techniques with miasma on the trip so was still nice and miasma free.

And off they went.

Pallas pouted as she realized halfway back that she didn't get to see the yarn stores.

OO OO OO OO

Olympos was amazing. The most beautiful site Pallas had ever seen.

A mountain yet crafted of light and power and divinity. Temples crafted of materials Pallas had never seen before. Figures shining and bright wandered freely. Aether flowed all around them, not taking a solid form because why would he? He was everywhere here.

Pallas was dragged into the throne room due to her distraction.

Artemis greeted them, explaining that the Gods had voted to take action.

"And now we must determine what to do about the prophecy," declared Zeus, solemn and serious.

Pallas barely heard his words though, her eyes had been trailing from one God to another and had finally landed on one.

Eyes like storms, hair dark as pitch, armor that glistened and lips soft as petals.

Pallas' breath caught.

Athina, her love, her heart, the one who killed her, stared back.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas didn't register the vote, though it seemed in the favor of the demigods. She barely registered Thalia being offered a place in the hunt so that she might find herself and have people beside her, so she needn't be older than she remembers. Pallas didn't hear her answer. She certainly didn't register a party being declared.

But she did register Athina coming to her. Their eyes had never separated through everything.

She registered Athina opening her mouth, Pallas tilting her head up to see the one who had held her pearl in her hand, who had shattered it with her spear.

And she registered Poseidon appearing between them in a swirl of storm and water and thundered danger.

"Leave," he ordered Athina.

"I have a right-"

Pallas' breath caught, hearing her voice again (for the first time, the last time-)

"Not with Pallas," he said. "Leave."

Pallas was swaying, she realized as Zoë steadied her.

Artemis was beside them as well, giving Athina a hard look.

Zeus drew Athina away, saying nothing to Pallas or Poseidon.

Pallas leaned into Zoë.

"Are you okay?" she asked Pallas.

Pallas didn't know how to answer.

Athina was the person she'd trusted most in the world.

Athina was the one who'd killed her.

Pallas loved her.

Pallas forgave her.

Pallas could feel the spear shattering her pearl and tearing her apart from the inside.

Pallas could feel the river rushing over her as she swam to the afterlife, swam away from where she was meant, swam someplace else.

Pallas felt the moment her pearl slid into a new body. Her soul clicking into place. 

Poseidon's hand was on her shoulder, his voice soft and gentle and she didn't register a single word of it.

Pallas stared towards Athina, hidden from view now.

Pallas fled.

OO OO OO OO

The quest was over and Blackjack was happy to bring Pallas back to camp.

She said perfunctory thanks to everyone as she left, pausing only for Hêrê who tucked a soft blanket around her shoulders and chided her softly for being careless with her well being. She was shooed off with directions to drink the tea Hêrê would send to her cabin.

So Pallas went back and Pallas drank the tea and Pallas slept.

And Pallas dreamed of storm grey eyes and love and hope and child Gods holding hands and making dreams together.

OO OO OO OO

The hunt was leaving the next day, Zoë hugging Pallas and pressing a box into her hand to "open later".

Zoë whispered she herself had a new mission as well, finding her immortal essence she'd given to Herakles.

Pallas wished her luck, thanking Cassidy for the aid on the quest as well.

Cassidy told her to stay out of trouble and to look out for troublesome men. Pallas promised to stay safe.

The hunt left, efficiently, out of sight quickly.

Pallas stood at the hill for several minutes, watching until the last one was gone, before retreating back to her cabin.

Bianca asked her if she was okay as she did and Pallas affirmed she was just tired.

She hid away in her cabin once more and settled on the bed to open the box.

The box Zoë had given her contained three hair pins. A moon and two stars.

Pallas picked it up and remembered the one in the junkyard. She pushed it's power with her own and the moon became a beautiful silver sword.

She transformed it back and checked the stars. Lovely silver hunting knives.

Pallas smiled, carefully redoing her hair to include her new weapons.

She hoped to never use them, but she would keep them. At the very least they'd be good for hunting food.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas was returned to school by Argus, returning with all the others (except Grover). She took a deep breath of the chilly and fresh air and tucked her dreams and nightmares away.

She went inside.

Her eyes locked with a pair of mismatched eyes, Dr. Thorn inclined their head to her.

Pallas smiled. Maybe the second half of the year wouldn't be so bad after all.

Chapter Text

Pallas enjoyed being back at her school, even with the new addition of Dr. Thorn trying to weedle her over to the Titans side in their free time.

She had no real interest in that, and was more trying to breathe after remembering-

Hands cradled her, wails split the air, father, love, the King above with concern and anger and guilt- grey storms and still green pools over her as her pearl shattered apart.

She didn't get to say goodbye.

Pallas shook her head and focused on her essay.

Athina, Goddess of Wisdom, Annabeth's mother... Pallas' lover in her last life.

It had been innocent, the flashes of memory she had, shy hand holding and soft kisses on each other's cheeks. Lovingly doing each others hair, picking clothing, giggling over weapons and fighting styles.

Maybe that was why she didn't use weapons now, or maybe she just preferred the sea. She didn't know, but a part of her shook holding the sword Artemis had gifted her. The silver shine was unique tho, only the priests and hunters of Artemis could wield them in the sea.

Artemis had laid a claim on her with them, and also given her a weapon Pallas had never wielded in either life.

It helped, and she slowly relearned forms she'd once known.

She wanted to speak to Athina, she wanted to tell her she didn't blame her. It was a terrible mistake, one that cost Pallas everything. But everything could be rebuilt, as shown now.

Pallas was back, she could rebuild.

She thought of Annabeth, blonde hair, similar features to Pallas. She hadn't noticed, originally. She hadn't thought of the sun blonde hair. Pallas in this life was born with black hair, so it hadn't occurred to her.

In her last life she'd had blonde hair, bright as the sun. Curls that tumbled in the waves and wind, Athina stroking her hair and saying it was like sunbeams in the dark of the depths of the sea.

Blessed by Apollon and Artemis, some said. For Golden hair like such could only be from them.

Even now, born with black hair, it had become golden in part. Streaks and waves of gold that shone like sun dabbled sea.

Athina's children were in Pallas' image.

Pallas touched her chest, Pearl thrumming in tune with her heart.

Pallas should never have been reborn, but she was. Pallas should never have remembered, but she did. Pallas should never have died, but she had.

A King staring down at a princess dying. Grey storms locking with sun dabbled green.

Apollon sliding a pin in her hair with a wink. Artemis gifting her weapons as hair pieces.

Apollon wasn't surprised by her presence.

A King stared down at her, guilt in his eyes, anger and pain and concern swirled together.

Her hair shone with the blessing of the Twin Archers, Apollon of Light and Prophecy, Artemis of Golden Arrows and Wild Chance.

Pallas stared at her essay, something for her English class on some book she'd barely registered reading.

Was it possible?

A King stared down at her, guilt in his eyes, pain and concern visible, anger swirling and whirling and-

Grief stared down at her on Olympos.

Resignation marked her path.

Three Kings looked at a Princess. What did they see?

Pallas fell asleep wondering.

Marked by the Light Bringers, Prophecy and Chance, Healing and Plague, Life and Death.

Dionysos held out a hand to her, recognition in his eyes.

His lips moved, words spoken echoed in her chest.

The Fates spun their thread, unheeding of the grief they bring when they cut it short.

And a King watches.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas wasn't concerned with Dr. Thorn, they seemed to enjoy the back and forth between the two of them.

Bianca, who seemed determined to keep in contact with Pallas even while at school (weird) was concerned.

Nico, who enjoyed crashing her IMs to Pallas thought it was funny and was trying to convince Pallas to teach him Mythomagic.

Zoë and Cassidy, who IMed Pallas at least once a month (but more like once a week) said she could handle him but not to tempt fate.

Thalia, who showed up behind Bianca on the odd day, thought they were all rather insane. She advocated for removing Dr. Thorn immediately.

They still didn't get along, but she was doing a bit better in not being a major pain.

Pallas continued to excel in her classes, to wonder over what she was meant to do, and to fall asleep to dreams of Kings and Threads and a God offering her a hand.

Who it was varied, but she never took it. Not yet. Something told her to wait.

Just a little longer.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas remained top of her class in Field Medicine, Foraging, and Biology.

English became her worst class by virtue of her always getting distracted by her thoughts in it.

Math was pretty easy to Pallas, who'd been taught accounting already, so she barely tried there. She was probably top of her class but she didn't care.

She had improved in leaps and bounds in her physical classes. Now able to do impressive flexibility exercises and rather acrobatic, her main weakness was stamina and speed in running.

She was focusing on that more, telling her teachers where she wanted to improve.

She also wasn't the strongest by a large margin, but she didn't care too much about strength. She was strong enough to hold someone so they wouldn't fall and that was enough for her.

Pallas had also managed to convince the teachers (with Dr. Thorn's help) to enroll her in the self defense class they had.

It was mostly basic defense techniques for her, since she hadn't gotten the base skills the others had, but it was good to learn.

History was an interesting class for Pallas, she didn't know much of it since they'd only done like geography when she was younger. Pallas found it interesting, but did struggle remembering all the names and dates.

OO OO OO OO

Hêrê had come to the school for a parents day event, along with Triton who had somehow argued his way into it.

Triton had spent the time hugging her and learning about her education. He approved for the most part, and was proud of her.

Hêrê had allowed them some time to catch up and bond, quietly accepting the drink and snacks from Pallas when offered.

Only once Pallas had finished rambling to her dad about all she'd been studying and doing (plus showing her hair pins from Apollon and Artemis) did Hêrê speak.

Pallas was given a number of options for highschool, apparently. They'd picked this school for security and to ensure that she was well adjusted to land, but highschool had other options.

She could go to a school in New York, with other demigods like Bianca. She could also go to the next level of the military school, it included stuff like sailing lessons, flight lessons, and other more military based programs. Additionally, she could transfer to a school with a focus on preparing one for their college goals, which could also allow dual enrollment.

Pallas asked after that and was told she could take college classes while in highschool. So things like math and biology she could go to college for, to stop being bored, but things like English she could stick to her level in.

Pallas liked that idea.

Apparently the school in New York allowed such too and had the advantage of several very good schools for biology there.

Pallas did enjoy biology...

"You don't have to pick it," Hêrê said. "But you seem to enjoy biology most of all in your classes."

It was true, biology was delightful. She loved learning how different animals worked. Field Medicine and Foraging were fun, and of course she loved getting better in physical acts...

"However," Hêrê added, "the New York school is not a boarding school. One of the teachers would host you while you're there."

Pallas frowned, she wasn't the biggest fan of that but... "I would have my own room?"

"And bathroom," the Goddess affirmed.

Pallas frowned, "I think I would like the dual enrollment..."

Hêrê nodded, "I will make the arrangements then and send Iris with news when it's prepared."

"Thank you," Pallas said.

"Thank you," Triton added solemnly.

"Tis the least that I can do," Hêrê assured.

Pallas spent the rest of the time learning about what the Gods were doing while she was at school.

Apparently her becoming a proper Goddess was a big deal. One hadn't been born in... a long time. Several Gods were ignoring the war entirely to prepare celebrations for her Ascension

Pallas had pointed out nymphs had been born, like her, but Triton softly informed her that she was showing signs of growing into a divine domain. Something larger than a single stream, river, or even a small area of the ocean.

They expected her to become a Goddess of something notable, not a minor nymph.

Pallas didn't know what to say to that. She had no idea what she might rule.

"We must simply wait for you to grow into it," Hêrê said. "You will rule what you do. There is no point in guessing."

Pallas nodded, but she knew her mind would linger on the idea.

She hadn't expected to become a notable Goddess. Just a quiet nymph that could spend her time at home.

What would she become the Goddess of?

OO OO OO OO

Pallas didn't know what she'd be the Goddess of, but she did know that New York had a stupid and confusing system for high school.

Luckily, Hêrê and Apollon were handling most of it.  But she still had to fill out some forms and write a few essays to prove she was dedicated to biology.

Apollon would just appear in her room, always when she was doing homework, and cheerfully hand her the forms.

She'd asked him if Iris wasn't in charge of that, but he insisted that he was in charge of schooling matters so it was his job.

Pallas thus did her work under Apollon's watchful eye.

She usually found that when he'd left there was something left behind.

Pretty shell's from dolphins that knew of her. Extra hair pins when she'd started getting into new hair styles. A pack of nice pens and pencils for her work. Lovely copies of her favorite books.

She touched her hair pins from Artemis and figured it was like that.

She thought of her hair and the way the Divine Twins watched her and knew there was something else there.

Perhaps Apollon knew what she would rule, it would fit. Perhaps she'd be working closely with them.

But there was no way for her to know, not yet. So she accepted the gifts and used them and made sure to leave extra offerings for Apollon on the altar.

By March she was confirmed to be accepted to Goody's high, and directed to arrive for introductions and orientation.

By April she was accepted into Cornell University for Biology, dual enrollment to be arranged.

May was spent preparing for exams (with Apollon occasionally popping in to help) and figuring out what classes to take in dual enrollment (with Apollon popping in to give his opinion).

Lady Artemis had tips and thoughts too, making suggestions in biology and helping her plan her time. She'd recommended signing up for after school activities, such as a martial arts or perhaps a dance, to take advantage of the variety offered.

She learned she'd be getting picked up by the teacher who was chosen for her as a student host who she'd be spending the week before orientation with to make sure it was a good fit.

And then exams arrived and she was busy with them. Hopefully her essay on Shakespeare would be passable.

OO OO OO OO

Grades came out the day before everyone was leaving and Pallas was top of the class in Field Medicine, Foraging, Biology, Math, and her hand to hand combat class (she advanced quickly there). She got low As or high Bs in her physical classes and a low B in English and History which was honestly better than she was expecting.

Apollon had helped her prepare though so maybe she shouldn't be surprised, he was very good at English and History.

She was satisfied with her grades, and IMed Zoë to tell her about them. Zoë was proud of her and quickly dragged Cassidy over to learn about it. Lady Artemis also made sure to praise Pallas, telling her she'd come a long way.

Pallas was pleased, and made sure to make a note for her dad and Lady Hêrê to let them know as well. She fed them through the IM with drachmae and knew they'd reach their destination.

Then she got back to packing, she had to be ready to go the next day after all.

OO OO OO OO

Before she got picked up, Dr. Thorn gave her a card with their number and told her that if she ever changed her mind they'd be delighted to welcome her to the Titans. She told them they were delusional and she didn't want to be involved with any of that nonsense.

They laughed and wished her luck in college. She suspected she hadn't seen the last of them.

The teacher who picked Pallas up was in his thirties, with salt and pepper hair and brown eyes. His name was Paul, and he taught English class.

Apparently he was delighted to be hosting a student this year, as there was rarely more than a handful needing hosting and he'd never had the opportunity to host one. He assured Pallas her Aunt Hêrê had sent him the important documents and a list of her basic food necessities and asked if there was anything else she needed.

Pallas had no idea, and he didn't seem bothered just told her to let him know if anything came up.

The car ride to his home was a long one, but he was happy to chatter the time away asking about Pallas and telling her about himself.

She learned he'd always wanted a cat, but his neighbor was deathly allergic and he didn't want to risk any issues. His favorite color was green, because the trees and grass were green and he really liked laying on the grass. He liked his coffee with lots of milk and was shocked that Pallas had never had coffee before.

Pallas in turn shared with him that she loved animals of all kinds, was dual enrolled in the Biology program because she enjoyed biology a lot, and her favorite color was blue like the ocean and her mom.

He asked about her mom and winced when she said she was dead. She said Ms. C took her in for a bit until her Aunt Hêrê got custody, her dad traveled a lot for his job so couldn't get custody but loved her a lot and made sure to send her messages as often as he could.

He asked if she wanted to talk about her mom and Pallas... did. She'd only talked about her to her dad before, but-

She told Paul how her mom was the nicest person you'd ever meet, how she was so nice even to the nasty man she'd married who didn't deserve her. How she always made food blue cause Pallas loved blue food. She told him that her mom had loved mythology and the sea, and had been trying to write a book. She mentioned that while she was going into biology, she hoped to one day write the book her mom had dreamed of so her mom could be published, even if in death.

Paul listened quietly and asked follow up questions, and offered to teach Pallas about the publishing industry so she could publish the book.

Pallas thanked him. She hadn't gotten around to trying, the book notes her mom had were still tucked into her shrine, but she might want to start trying.

Paul told her his parents were still alive, and lived further south in Kentucky. His dad was from Virginia though, and his mom from Florida. They'd met in college. He was one of three kids, the middle child. Both his parents were Protestant and devout Christians.

Paul was a bit less devout than them, but still attended church weekly. He asked if she wanted to go and she said no. She wasn't Christian and neither was her family.

He nodded and assured her that was okay, she was welcome to practice her religion in his home. He asked if she had a religious temple, church, or otherwise she could go to.

Pallas didn't know of one, so said no it was mostly private worship.

He asked if she had friends in New York and she said she knew people there. Bianca was apparently attending Goody's too so she'd know her. Annabeth might've been too but Pallas wasn't sure.

He said she could have friends over if she wanted, though boys weren't allowed in her room.

Pallas nodded and accepted that rule easily.

He went through the rules of his home, which seemed pretty simple.

Don't break stuff on purpose and if something was broken clean it up, or if it was dangerous call for him and he'd help.

Don't leave messes around, there were trash cans for a reason.

Keep her space clean, it didn't have to be sparkling but don't leave stuff on the floor for weeks at a time.

She had to keep up with her homework and her after school activities, if she needed help he'd help her. Otherwise she was free to spend her free time as she pleased with a curfew of nine o'clock each night.

Punishments would consist of extra assignments, not for a grade but to review what she'd done, and an earlier curfew.

Pallas agreed to the rules easily enough, they didn't seem too difficult for her.

She rather thought this would work out well.

OO OO OO OO

Paul lived in an apartment building in Manhattan, at about the midpoint between the college and the school.

There was a bus stop down the street from his apartment and a subway a block away.

The apartment had two bedrooms and an office, he said she was welcome to borrow books from the office as long as she took care of them and returned them.

Pallas' bedroom had its own bathroom.

He showed her around briefly, there was a living room and kitchen, a small dining room, and a small half bath.

There were two closets outside of the bedroom, and her room had a small closet as well. He's also provided a bed with bedding and a dresser. There was also a small vanity.

He said his sister, the youngest sibling, had given it to him when he'd mentioned he'd be hosting a girl for the school year.

Pallas liked the room, it was nice enough.

She was encouraged to unpack and make herself at home and he would prepare dinner.

She got to work unpacking once more.

OO OO OO OO

Paul was a good host, he made sure there were snacks available and made breakfast and dinner every day. He did have errands to run during the middle of the day but Pallas had assured him she could cook for herself and he made sure to leave some easy to prepare ingredients at home for her.

He helped her find a dojo she liked along with a dance studio.

He signed her up for a library card and they went to the YMCA to get her a membership. Her aunt has apparently covered all the fees she might have already, and had arranged a stipend for Pallas.

He helped her get some more embroidery supplies, very impressed when she mentioned she did full scale weaving, and offered to help find her a place she could do that nearby.

She was intrigued so agreed and he got to looking.

By orientation Pallas was satisfied with her placement, and was all set to go to camp with her necessities.

So naturally, orientation was a mess.

OO OO OO OO

Orientation started well enough.

Paul and her arrived early, she was introduced to the teachers, her dual enrollment schedule wasn't finalized yet but would be by the end of the summer and today she'd get to look around like the other students.

Her aunt had apparently donated a hefty amount so they could improve the library so they were all quite pleased to meet her niece.

Pallas wondered but smiled and nodded.

She claimed a spot on the bleachers and was soon surrounded by other students.

And that's when a redhead shoved her way next to Pallas, eyes intent.

"You're the one who flew with those metal angles," she hissed. "At the Hoover Dam."

Pallas blinked at her.

"Yes."

She turned back to the front and frowned as cheerleaders came in.

Two of them... they were wrong. Flames wreathed their heads and they had odd mismatched legs.

"What are they," Rachel breathed in horror.

"Monsters," Pallas said easily. "If you ignore them they might go away."

They did, eventually, go away, but only after Pallas saw Bianca and Annabeth sneak away. Pallas had a bad feeling.

"You know what they are," said Rachel. "You believe me."

"Yes," Pallas said. "I see them too. I've always seen them."

"What are they? They're- you said monsters but-"

Pallas lightly led Rachel by the arm with the group.

"You know Greek mythology?"

"Yeah?"

"More of it is real than one might think."

"You're saying the myths are real?" Rachel asked in disbelief.

"No, they're more real than you'd think. Some are just stories, some are just propaganda, but they're filled with grains of truth. Monsters exist, the Gods and their children too. And-"

The doors to the music room opened with a bang and one of the fiery figures exploded into flames as Bianca brought a sword down on her.

"And they disguise themselves so normal mortals can't see them for what they are," she finished as Paul shouted in shock and Bianca and Annabeth fled.

That would be a mess to clear up.

"Normal mortals?"

"Some have... some have a blessing, I suppose. The Gods, or a God, allows you to see past the divine mist which cloaks divinity."

"Monsters are divine?" Rachel asked, clearly confused.

"In a way, they're divine omens. Sent as a message often times, good or bad. Aid or enemy. I had a manticore as a teacher last year and they were pretty good. Those two don't seem nice though."

"Oh," she said.

"It can be a lot," Pallas added.

"How did you learn?" Rachel asked.

"My mom died and I stumbled right into the Gods."

Rachel looked curious but Paul was checking on everyone, lingering on Pallas to double check she was good.

Pallas made sure to ask why the cheerleader had blown herself up like that.

Other students picked up on the hint and one started crying about suicide bombers. Pallas had no idea what that was beyond the obvious concept but hopefully it made them not look at Bianca and Annabeth.

Rachel gave Pallas her phone number and declared Pallas WOULD call her. Pallas assured her she'd keep in touch but phones were hard to come by in the summer.

With that orientation ended early so the police could examine the mess.

Pallas leaned to Apollon for assistance and left it to him.

OO OO OO OO

"Have a good time at camp, let me know if you need me to pick you up early," Paul said.

"I will."

"You have everything you need?"

"Yes," Pallas said. "And the camp has a store if needed."

"Good, take care of yourself. I'm sorry orientation kinda..."

"Bombed?" Pallas asked innocently.

Paul huffed, but smiled faintly, "Yeah. I don't know what those cheerleaders were thinking. We haven't found a trace of them!"

"Keep safe," Pallas said in turn, though she didn't think the cheerleaders would be back.

"I will, have a good time at camp."

Pallas for out of the car and said goodbye to Paul, climbing the hill to camp.

Things were a bit tense, war officially declared and all. She'd arrived with a bit of time until dinner so headed to the Hêrê cabin to put her stuff down before dinner.

Others greeted her as she passed, the ones who'd been there for the winter time at least. She nodded back and hurried into her cabin. She felt confused eyes on her back at the cabin she entered.

It was as she left it, except for a box at the base of her bed.

She quickly put her things away and opened it, curious, and then excited.

It was clothes from Ms. C.

Dresses, pants, shirts, skirts, shorts, some new sandals, and some closed toed shoes she was experimenting with.

Pallas ran her fingers over them, delighted.

At the bottom was a box with some new jewelry in it for her and Pallas smiled.

She missed Ms. C.

She found some notes at the bottom as well, one from Ms. C, one from Demetra, a handful of letters from other regulars, some extra ones from other workers at the spa.

She put them on the bedside table for when she came back from dinner with a smile.

OO OO OO OO

Dinner had a very dramatic minute where Annabeth sat with Grover and Bianca at the Hermes table, insisting on an option for a quest while Khiron stared down at her judgementally.

Thalia was still on her way to camp, apparently having decided to go to a different high school than Bianca and Annabeth.

Dionysos was gone this summer, off doing work for the Gods, so apparently they had a new guy helping out.

Pallas thought he looked strange, doubled up oddly like a grainy video. No one else seemed to mind but Pallas found it headache inducing.

Regardless, at the end of dinner she went and read the letters, smiling and feeling loved as she read how the spa had been, how the various regulars missed their conversations, how Demetra had set up a pretty tree just for Pallas when she returned and how Ms. C found it easier to teach when Pallas was there to help.

Pallas ran her fingers over the letters and decided she would keep them all.

OO OO OO OO

Camp was a bit odd. Or perhaps it was the new guy working at it.

He'd set up a new activity for Friday, a team exercise to collect packages on the back of giant scorpions.

Pallas was teamed up with Nico and they'd ended up winning the contest between their skills.

Thalia was teamed up with Clarisse and was visibly annoyed by Pallas and Nico winning. They'd come close, nearby when Pallas and Nico had killed the scorpions.

Pallas had asked nymphs for help and had used her tracking skills to trail various scorpions until she'd been satisfied on which was the right one.

Then they'd realized that Annabeth and Bianca were missing and had had to search for hours.

Until the two stumbled out of Zeus' fist (a rock formation) talking about the labyrinth.

OO OO OO OO

A quest was issued, to Annabeth specifically. She'd looked almost eager before getting the prophecy. Then she'd looked near sick.

But the questing team was decided.

Annabeth, Bianca, Nico, Grover.

Chiron had objected, as he felt it was better to have three or six, not four.

Annabeth said she needed all of them and didn't need anyone else.

Thalia seemed hurt but a quiet conversation between the two had settled her.

Pallas grew bored and wandered off at some point because really she wasn't needed here.

She ran her fingers over the railing and considered the prophecy. It seemed messy, especially with the bit Annabeth "forgot".

She shrugged, deciding it really wasnt her business. She wasn't the one going on the quest after all.

"Pallas," Bianca said, coming up behind her.

Pallas glanced back at her.

"You can keep the camp safe, right?"

Pallas blinked, head tilted, "do you expect to fail?"

"No! But... Luke has been looking way longer. We don't know- well, it may be too late. If something happens while we're away- I know Thalia is here and Annabeth wants her to keep the camp safe but you-"

"I'll keep the camp safe," she said.

Bianca looked relieved.

"Thank you."

OO OO OO OO

Keeping the camp safe seemed to mostly consist of critiquing their defenses.

She remembered lessons, in her chest and heart and pearl. She remembered careful guidance in war alongside Athina.

She sat with them now, explaining the best defenses to use, recommending more vicious defenses. They couldn't go inside the labyrinth for it, but they could make the outside deadly. After all, they knew where they were coming out. It was a choke point.

She directed the defenses and they dug deep trenches, deep enough to make the minor giants they might face falter.

Spikes of multiple metals were slipped into the holes, around their sides, forming hand holds for those small enough to use them but only if you knew what metals to hold. They would also allow Thalia to channel her lightning with less effort.

Bombs were prepared by the entrance to be thrown and detonated right inside.

Pallas said the healers should be mid-range, ready to heal but protected. Healers were always the first targets.

Satyrs wove complex living wooden shields and traps.

Nymphs offered seeds and branches for Satyrs and Demetra kids to weaponize.

Dionysos kids and Demetra kids grew deadly plants together.

Pallas was satisfied as the defenses grew each day. Deadly and complex, ready for most things.

The Hephaestus cabin had a cannon of all things to use, catapults were prepared and stations with nymphs ready to use them. Archers were made places in the trees. Water was provided in case of fire.

Pallas redirected a part of the creek to them on one side of the battlefield, to keep the opponent from easily spreading out.

Extra defenses were added around the cabins, each cabin adding some unique touches. Pallas covered the big three cabins (Hêrê, Zeus, Poseidon). Thalia assisted with the Zeus cabin but went back to arranging their forces at the entrance after.

By the time Annabeth returned with news that Bianca had shaken a volcano with the force of the earth she'd displaced and caused an eruption, the camp was ready.

Pallas... was upset by the death though.

OO OO OO OO

Turned out Bianca wasn't dead, who knew! Nico and Grover had split off to find Pan and Bianca had instinctively traveled through shadows, still injured but alive.

She'd returned now, speaking of an island she'd recovered on. Annabeth seemed hurt, worried, and also frustrated. But Bianca was okay and Annabeth was clearly relieved by that.

"We need a clear sighted mortal," Bianca said at the counselor meeting. "Where are we going to find one?"

"Psych ward?" suggested Clarisse.

She got dark looks.

"What? It's true! Most get treated like they're crazy!"

"I know one," Pallas said, thinking of Rachel. "I can call and see if she's willing to help."

That solved that problem and so Pallas was assigned onto the quest. She did not like that.

OO OO OO OO

Rachel was willing to help in exchange for getting more answers about this Godly stuff Pallas had mentioned.

She also happened to know about another labyrinth entrance, so they headed there while Annabeth dropped into lecture mode to explain everything they'd learned.

Pallas didn't want to go underground. Why couldn't the labyrinth be in the sea?

But they needed to go in in order to find the way to stop the invasion so in they went.

Rachel led the way, speaking of a golden line she could see. Pallas could see golden sparks herself, coming to life and skittering down the hall before fading and returning.

Maybe it was a different golden line? Or maybe her divine nature allowed her to see it?

Who knew, not her.

They'd walked for what felt like hours before they stumbled into some monsters and were dragged into a stadium.

Pallas' heart beat twice.

Loud speaking could be heard and Bianca was shoved into the arena but Pallas felt- unbalanced.

She shifted.

She'd died in an arena. One similar to this one, though with less skulls.

Bianca won her first fight, but hesitated in her second. The boy she was facing raised his blade, entirely ready to go for the throat.

Pallas drew one of her knives and remembered what Zoë had taught her.

It struck the boy in the side, not the arm she'd aimed for but at least it hit him.

He cried out and fell back and the monsters, and Luke, grew angry.

"Interference!" cried the giant in the seat of honor.

"I'm sorry," Luke said silkily, glaring at Pallas. "Your niece can be a difficult one."

"Oh ho! My niece you say? Why, Id be interested in seeing her fight."

Pallas ignored their back and forth, moving forward and collecting her knife from the boy bleeding. She pressed a hand to his side, cursed the fact they were underground, but whispered a prayer to Artemis and Apollon all the same.

She felt the healing take root, slowly weaving through his side.

"I don't fight for entertainment," she said, pretending her legs didn't want to shake and her breath wasn't carefully modulated.

"You do for me," her apparent uncle declared.

Pallas stared up at him, "I'll fight you, but not for you."

"You dare to think you can beat me?" he demanded, laughing at her.

Pallas stared up at him and remembered all her training. She thought of the ground beneath her feet and the calm her father could bring.

"Yes."

The giant sneered, "Very well. If I win then I get to fight all your puny friends. If you win, you all can go free."

"You swear it?" she asked.

"I swear it," he drawled.

"And those beneath you, they swear such too?"

"My word isn't enough?"

"If I win you will be dead, who would enforce your word?"

The giant gave a look to Luke who grit his teeth and nodded, "I swear to the terms you've laid out."

The giant leapt forth and landed before Pallas, Bianca dragging the injured boy away with wide eyes and a frantic look at her.

Rachel looked horrified and Annabeth had her hands over her mouth.

Pallas... Pallas looked up at the giant and felt relieved.

Fighting someone so different didn't make her shake and shatter, he was totally different from her fatal fight. She could do this.

"You shall be the announcer," the giant said to Luke. "Ready?"

"Begin," Luke ordered.

Pallas didn't move.

The giant struck, hand slamming down where she stood.

"Hahahaha, that was quick-"

Pallas didn't breathe, she didn't move her arms or legs, she flowed smoothly and in a single stream.

Her sword came to life with a ring, the ring of the moon echoing as she sliced through his neck.

She landed lightly, internally thanking her tutors at the military school.

The giant roared, staggering, but as she watched sand rose and healed him.

"Not bad, niece, I see how you move now though. Your liquid form won't protect you!"

Pallas fought with the instincts of a Goddess, trained by her father alongside the Goddess of War.

The air shook from the force of her blows, moonlight glowing brighter and brighter, the blessing of Artemis in her blade.

But so long as Gaia healed the giant he would live.

She needed to get rid of the ground then.

What she did next wasn't elegant, it wasn't something she remembered from her last life either. It was instinct, raw and natural. The ground was in her way, and so she would remove it.

Her blade sunk into the ground, a moonbeam shining bright and brilliant.

"Ha! And what are you doing no-"

She pushed.

She pulled.

The moon thrummed, her pearl thumped, her heart beat. They synched up with the tides push and pull, with the winds singing flow, with the currents shivering feel.

The Earth shattered.

When Pallas came back to herself, standing in the only safe space in the arena, the giant was dying. Torn apart into too many pieces for the Earth to fix, as the Earth itself was shattered, he died as sand fell from the wounds.

"We're free to go then?" Pallas asked, turning away from the giant.

"How-" Luke gaped.

"Thank you for your time," Pallas said, turning to her questing companions who quickly picked their way across to her.

They fled, Bianca leading the way and doing something with the Earth so they didn't injure themselves.

OO OO OO OO

"How did you do that?" Bianca asked, as they readied to sleep.

Pallas shrugged, "I just... knew I could."

She couldn't explain the instinct that told her she could shatter the Earth, she could ruin it, leave it in pieces.

It was almost scarier that she was certain that she could put it back together as well.

"Scary," Annabeth murmured.

"Hot," Rachel said.

Bianca spluttered and Pallas blinked.

"What?"

"You faced him down and melted into water then stabbed him. Then when you figured out that didn't do anything, after basically dancing around him you broke the ground. Hot."

Bianca coughed, "I guess, a little bit-"

"Oh my Gods no," Annabeth said.

"You don't think it's hot when I do it?" Bianca asked with sad eyes.

"What- that's you though!"

"Uh, Pallas is hot," Rachel said. "Like-" she motioned to Pallas "-that hair is so pretty and done so nicely you'd never know she just broke the ground to pieces in one move. And those clothes- so pretty, they really hug-"

"Stop!" Annabeth squawked. "She's like- a baby- you cant-"

"I'm the same age as you," Pallas argued.

"And half the Gods look ready to smite anyone who looks at your wrong."

"That's pretty hot too," Rachel said.

"No!"

Pallas giggled, she felt like she was in a chat with the naiads at the spa.

All three of them went silent and Pallas blinked at them.

"Oh," Rachel murmured, cheeks flushed.

"I've never heard you laugh before!" Bianca cried.

"Okay, I'll admit she's cute but stop calling her hot!"

"You just don't have taste," Rachel noted.

Pallas thought they'd get along with the naiads she knew.

OO OO OO OO

They found Daedalus' workshop but it turned out the guy was the glitchy camp assistant, he'd already given everything to Luke, and also he was a nephew murderer. Yikes.

"I can't risk dying, Minos-"

"Minos?" Pallas asked. "You did some good deeds, sure, but you do realize killing your nephew cause you're jealous is like... a horrible thing to do. Right?"

"And I've paid for it-"

"Oh noooo," Pallas drawled. "You have a tattoo immortalizing the fact that you killed him. Truly, a suffering like no other."

Rachel snickered.

"You killed a kid cause you were jealous then stole his ideas to escape death. Minos isn't the only judge you need to worry about."

"You don't understand -"

"He trusted you," Pallas said. "He put his life in your hands and you- you-" Pallas could barely articulate her words, anger clawing at her throat "-you might as well have stabbed him yourself!"

The others took a step back, wide eyed as they stared at her.

"He was your nephew!"

"And I regret it!"

"What good is regret?" Pallas demanded. "It doesn't bring back the dead or soothe the hurt you've caused. You saw your nephew thriving, growing and being happy while you were a bitter cruel man. And you killed him for it."

"It means something that I regret it-"

"To you," she said viciously, "it means something to you. You who killed him. I'm sure that's a cold comfort."

"Who are you?" he demanded. "Chiron wouldnt tell me-"

"Can't recognize a Goddess when you see one?" laughed a ghost. "Pallas, daughter of Triton. The spirits whisper about you."

Pallas studied the ghost and the monsters who came in with him.

"I am here to collect your soul at long last, Daedalus."

"No," Daedalus said. "I was promised-"

"He lied," Pallas said. "That's what he does. You put your own well being before your siblings, before all the children who relied on you. And it was all for nothing."

Daedalus was pale as a battle broke out, Annabeth and Bianca rushing to fight the monsters. Rachel huddled by Pallas.

"Regret means nothing when you do it again," Pallas said, the battle waging around them. "Grief means nothing if you don't do better."

Bianca leapt on top of the monster from the music room. Annabeth drove her knife in.

"It doesn't bring back the dead," Pallas said.

She walked the paths to the underworld, yet she was not meant to have a soul. Her father had crafted one on accident.

She was a Goddess, she was meant to be gone. The pearl heart shattered. She'd fallen and broken and become nothing.

This was how a God died, it's realm destroyed.

"We're the same, you and I," a voice whispered in the dark of the afterlife. "It's okay, you'll rise again. It's your fate."

Pallas died and crossed the river, not meant to have a mortal soul yet not a Goddess either. A God held out his hand, flames of purple glowing around him.

"I'll show you the path."

"Not yet," Pallas had said.

It wasn't time then.

"The dead only come back in a new life."

It was time now.

Pallas turned her back on the dead man walking. She ignored the fires raging and drew Rachel away. She collected what she could in the space by the windows and helped Rachel put the wings on. Bianca and Annabeth rushed to her side.

The God wasn't here now. That was okay. She was here, he'd done as he promised.

She knew how she lived again.

She spread her wings and flew.

OO OO OO OO

They'd rushed back to camp. Intending no detours yet taking two.

First they found Grover and Nico, alive but injured.

Grover had found Pan, found his God and patron, alive but weakened.

"I feared discovering what death was to a God for so long," he murmured. "The wild whittled away bit by bit. But hope has returned. I give my blessing, and ask you to hold out a little longer."

Grover was teary eyed but relieving, and each of them got a blessing.

Pallas got a baby saber toothed cat and was assured by Pan that it would not make the neighbor have an allergic reaction.

Pallas cuddled the kitty as they headed off again.

The second distraction Bianca insisted on.

And brought forth a Titan.

Pallas had never met him, only heard of him, but the Titan King was every bit as powerful as she'd imagined.

In the mortal form he may be, but the divinity overflowed. The body would only hold him for so long.

Rachel saved Bianca, and Nico saved all of them with his stone shield, and Pallas wondered if that's what she looked like, inside of her mortal form.

There were no more distractions as they reached the exit, thanking Rachel for her help. Pallas promising to meet up with her again before the school year started.

They made it to camp in time, before the battle started.

They reported what happened, with Kronos, with Daedalus, with Minos. Pallas warned that the attack might come immediately, or in several days.

And they prepared.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas was whole, her memories fully returned now. She wondered at it, at how she'd grown into this.

A God couldn't be permanently cleansed by the Lethe, and so close to her Ascension she has regained them.

Pallas touched her chest, felt the pulse of the Pearl and the beat of her Heart.

She wasn't certain, but she had a suspicion. A suspicion of what she ruled, and why she'd died.

A King above her.

She looked up at the sky as she waited for the Titan's attack.

She'd had to die, hadn't she? The world needed her, but in order to be what it needed she'd had to die.

She grieved what could've been.

But she accepted what was.

She wasn't okay with it, not really. But she was coming to understand it.

She'd ask, when she ascended. She'd confirm her suspicions.

Until then, she would learn to be okay.

The ground rumbled and she turned her eyes back before her.

The ground shook.

And the rocks of Zeus' fist shattered outward. Giants stormed from the opening with crushed cars as shields as they raged forward.

They hit the first pit trap and fell, tumbling apart into dust as they hit the weapons within.

The next wave barely had enough time to realize what had happened before they were tumbling over the edge.

The third wave realized and leapt, landing on the far side for some and others fell in as well.

The battle began.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas was next to the river when the Titan came through.

Not Kronos, nor Atlas. No. This Titan shone with golden light, brilliant and all consuming.

His hair was a golden that Pallas' once was. His eyes orbs of light that seemed to make the world colorful, to give it light, rather than to absorb light.

His blade came down but Pallas had moved.

The boy Hyperion had aimed for was shoved back, her blade of moonbeam catching the blade of light and holding.

The Titan narrowed his beams onto her.

She heard other battles as they clashed, crossing the battlefield with beams of light and whirls of energy.

She heard a roar and campers screaming, thunder boomed and stones falling.

But it was her vs Hyperion and she couldn't afford to look away.

His light didn't know what had happened to the world. He'd been sealed away. Pallas could teach him.

She wasn't sure what she was doing, falling on battle instincts from her last life and remembering Athina lecturing her. Her blade crossed with his and she looked into his eyes.

So bright, so untouched by the pollution of the world. Sunlight, starlight, moonlight, he was all of it and more.

Candle light, fire light, electrical lights, he was the firefly glowing and the deep sea bioluminescence. He was the algae and odd flowers. He was the light one could see and couldn't.

She went for it.

She called upon something, something within her Pearl, something that shaped her and made her whole and herself. It wasn't her divinity, she knew that.

It was something too mortal. Something too shaped by death and afterlife. By something that ends and something that stains. Mortals couldn't help it, they stained everything they touched. Babies spread their food, children spread paint, adults spread their ideals.

The richest amongst them couldn't help but spread their poisonous smog through the world.

Hyperion hadnt experienced it, but Pallas had. She'd scrounged through shipwrecks and helped during oil spills. She'd rescued the Ophiotaurus from nets and collected treasures from trash.

He hasn't faced what had become of the world.

Pallas would teach him.

His light dimmed, smudged and dark, and he ripped away from her, eyes wide in shock and horror.

She didn't know what she looked like right then, but she could feel the miasma of life and death alike curling over her.

Before their battle could resume, Grover screamed.

And the battle was over.

OO OO OO OO

Pallas had scratches and bruises but precious little more. Others were much worse off.

But there were more survivors than they'd expected.

Pollux came over and thanked Pallas, she'd apparently saved Castor.

Campers of all cabins murmured over her and her battle with the Titan.

Daedalus had apparently made an appearance so he could die with an audience and save the day. How nice.

A hundred handed one was there as well, apparently they'd saved him earlier on the quest.

Pallas pet her saber toothed baby tiger and wondered at what she'd called forth.

Was that what she was growing into?

She supposed she'd learn soon.

Her birthday was just a year away. And her divinity with it.