Chapter 80: Apollo

A/N: Here's the new Chapter! Which also means the next four chapters are up on my for early access as well as the chance to vote on the direction of the story! I also have an announcement about my at the bottom of the post! Please read it!

Hitching a ride.

-x-X-x-

"So we know where Artemis is and therefore where we need to go. The only question left is… how do we get there?"

There's a pause as everyone looks at one another for a long moment. They all know they have options, but not all of them seem like necessarily good options on the face of it. And yet, just standing around doing nothing seems like the worst option of all.

"… We could call upon Lord Apollo. I imagine he would get us there the swiftest, and he IS incentivized to see his sister rescued I presume."

Phoebe's suggestion causes Zoe to wince a little. Artemis' Lieutenant still doesn't fully understand Lord Apollo's motivations. He'd clearly known more than he told them when he had sent them to Camp Half-Blood, and yet he'd let them bumble around in the dark blindly all the same. And sure, it had all worked out after a fashion, but at the same time…

She opens her mouth to shoot down Phoebe's suggestion, but before she can, they're interrupted.

"I suppose I am, aren't I?"

Everyone whips around, with Zoe's shoulders slumping as she realizes she was too late. But then to be fair, for him to react so fast… Apollo must have been waiting for his name to be mentioned so he could interject.

The Sun God smiles brightly with his hands on his waist and a twinkle in his eye while looking over the lot of them. He's as tall and muscular as ever, with golden hair and bronzed skin. Zoe and Phoebe, of course, know better than to be taken in by his good looks. Bianca and Thalia, meanwhile, don't seem all that impressed.

To be fair… its only now, with Lord Apollo and Percy Jackson side by side, that Zoe begins to realize just how far along Percy is on his path to godhood. Apollo still manages to outshine Percy something fierce, but at the same time… it wouldn't be quite accurate to say that Percy doesn't hold at least a candle to him at this point.

Of course, part of that might just be the golden coat that Percy is wearing at the moment. The Nemean Lion's Pelt was Percy Jackson's by rite of conquest. They all agreed on that fact, though just before he could take it for himself, he'd been stabbed in the gut.

That same thing wouldn't likely be happening any time soon though, because when he'd finally gotten the chance to put the Pelt on, it had taken the form of a full-length, golden duster that covered him from neck to ankle. He wore it well to be honest, and while its radiance and brilliance definitely didn't compare to Lord Apollo's, it was still very present and very noticeable.

As such, it only makes sense that Bianca and Thalia would both lean in towards their lover, even as Apollo's gaze sweeps over the lot of them.

"So, finally called me in huh?"

Zoe frowns at that, bristling a little bit. She's careful not to make her tone too accusatory, but at the same time…

"Did you know where Lady Artemis was all along, Lord Apollo?"

Apollo hums at that, reaching up and scratching an ear almost casually.

"Hm? Know what now? Honestly… you of all people should understand that everything I know can fill an ocean, Zoe. And what I can act upon would fill a kiddie pool."

Flinching, Zoe grimaces. Right, that was… fair enough. Honestly, it was more honest and direct than she was used to getting from the gods. Apollo just smirks at her for a long moment before turning his attention to Percy.

"Ah, though I must say… appreciate the offing of dear old dad. Shit has been so much less… constraining without him around to do his whole 'do as I say, not as I do!' shtick."

Silence falls as everyone registers that for a moment. Apollo was thanking Percy… for killing Zeus? Even Percy himself looks a little baffled as he shakes his head.

"I didn't… really do anything. I just stood up to him I guess. Everything happened after that."

For a brief moment, a shadow crosses Apollo's otherwise radiant features. His smile drops and a shiver runs down Zoe's spine. But then it's like it never happened and the Sun God is right back to grinning.

"Hah! Yeah, funny how that works isn't it? All these eons of gods and goddesses, of demigods and mortals… of all sorts standing up to Zeus… and him getting away with whatever the fuck he wanted anyways. Then you come along and get Hestia on your side and wham, bam, thank you ma'am, we've got an entire new system of governance!"

Zoe swallows thickly, watching the exchange with no small amount of trepidation. Lord Apollo didn't necessarily seem dangerous at the moment… but gods were fickle and capricious creatures at the best of times. The look on Percy's face makes it clear he doesn't really know how to react to all of this either.

"Ah, but enough about all of that! Zeus might be gone, but the world still turns eh? And the more things change, the more they stay the same. You lot want me to take you to California, right?"

Deciding that stepping back in at this point seemed more than prudent, Zoe clears her throat and nods.

"Yes Lord Apollo. We believe that the General has escaped his punishment and that your sister is held captive on Mount Othrys where she's been 'chained' by being forced with holding up the weight of the sky. We need to go there immediately to rescue Lady Artemis."

Apollo tilts his head to the side.

"Oh? And if you rescue my sister, who will hold up the sky and keep it from crashing down on all our heads?"

Blinking, Zoe's brow furrows. Was he… advocating for them to NOT save Lady Artemis? No, that wasn't possible. Perhaps he was testing her loyalties. That stung, given she'd been a loyal servant to Lady Artemis for over two thousand years. Not once, not a single time had she tried to free her father or anything like that. Atlas… he deserved his punishment. Zoe had never felt an urge to try and help him either. Still, if this was a test, it was an easy one to pass.

"We will have to find a way to lure Atlas back to Mount Othrys and trick him into taking up his burden once more, Lord Apollo. Do you have any ideas?"

There's a brief pause as Apollo eyes her for a long moment. And then he's all smiles again.

"Well, luckily for you, all roads converge in this particular case. Its less about luring… and more about timing. Speaking of which, I suppose we should be getting a move on. Daylight is burning, as the mortals like to say!"

Zoe's mouth opens… and then closes. What was with that turnaround?! Was it just her or was Lord Apollo acting even weirder than usual?!

Still, when he turns away from them, he's suddenly walking right up to a Maserati that definitely wasn't there before. The red Maserati, positively gleaming in the sun, sits almost innocuously until Apollo reaches it and turns to regard them all for a brief moment.

"Eh… but of a tight fit, isn't it?"

He snaps his fingers and a moment later the Maserati has become an old-fashioned Volkswagen Beach Bus, complete with a peel-back sunroof on top.

"Hop in, you lot!"

The van, which is actually Apollo's Chariot, has an inviting warmth to it. Even still, they all exchange looks for a moment before finally taking the plunge. Was this a good idea? Even Zoe wasn't sure, and she was Lady Artemis' most loyal servant. And everyone knew full well how much Lord Apollo cared for his sister…

-x-X-x-

Percy honestly couldn't tell how Apollo felt about him. The man had seemed happy to express his gratitude over the part that Percy had played in the death of his father, but at the same time… it was his father. Was he truly happy or was he just hiding his real feelings behind a quite literally sunny smile?

Honestly, he was half-worried that Apollo would find some excuse to toss him out of his Chariot-turned-Beach-Van as they traveled across the sky with the journeying Sun. Fortunately, that doesn't happen. Double fortunately they were starting in the East and the Sun set in the West, allowing for them to make good time from the East Coast of the US all the way over to the West Coast and more specifically California.

However, their luck couldn't last forever, it would seem.

"Going to have to drop you all off soon! Can't get much closer than this to your final destination."

Needless to say, hearing the words 'final destination' while high up in the air like this sent a shiver down Percy's spine, but from the way nobody else in the van reacted like he did, he could only assume they weren't really movie buffs. Which was fair, given all of his party members' extenuating circumstances. Apollo though… Apollo looks back and gives Percy a wink and a grin, like he knows exactly what he's saying.

The others don't notice, even as Zoe complains.

"This far away? Lord Apollo, at this rate we'll have to spend hours on foot and then pass through the Garden of the Hesperides to boot. Surely you can take us a little closer than this!"

Percy tenses up, worried that the Sun God will take offense to Zoe's words, but if he does he doesn't show it. All smiles even now, Apollo just shakes his head and shrugs.

"No can do, Zoe! Even with dear old dad dead, there are still limits in place. You know how it is. Besides… this next part is up to all of you!"

Despite saying 'all of you', Apollo's eyes once again find Percy and pin him in place, making him feel more like the Sun God is saying that the next part is 'all up to HIM'.

In the end though, he doesn't get a chance to really sit with that very concerning feeling, because the next thing any of them know, they've come in for a landing just outside of the San Francisco City Limits. Off in the distance, Percy can see the Mountain that must be Mount Tamalpais, aka the new location for Mount Othrys. Like Zoe said, they're going to be walking for hours at this rate…

And the sun… the sun is already starting to set.

"Good luck ladies, gentleman. You're going to need it."

On that particularly ominous final note, Apollo pats the side of his beach van and is gone a moment later, faster than Percy can even blink. For a moment, the five of them just stand there, looking off towards Mount Tamalpais.

"… We should probably find a place in town to stay for the night."

Percy's words cause Zoe and Phoebe to both frown, but he continues on before they can try to argue with him.

"Apollo said that 'all roads converge in this particular case' right? That means there's a strong likelihood of us having to face Atlas when we reach the place where Artemis is imprisoned."

Shrugging, Percy looks around at the others.

"I don't know about you, but personally I don't necessarily like our chances of spending the next several hours climbing up the mountain if it means we'll be fighting a Titan at the end without any rest."

Zoe lets out a sigh, looking for a moment like she wants to argue before shaking her head.

"… I hate the thought of leaving Lady Artemis imprisoned for even a moment longer, but you're right. We're no use to her if we show up half-dead and completely exhausted. But at the same time, we can't just go into the city to find a hotel. Three demigods in a metropolis like that is liable to attract monsters by the wagon load. We'll make camp here for the evening."

That… was very fair. Percy nods, the others signal their own agreement, and just like that, the five of them set out to make camp. Zoe and Phoebe lead the charge on that, and while it's certainly not hotel accommodations or anything like that, they soon have the basics all set up and a nice cozy campfire going.

Just as he's starting to get comfortable however… a sensation he's felt once before fills the area while he's off collecting fresh water for the others.

"Perseus."

Turning, Percy straightens up at the sight of Hera, Queen of the Gods, standing right there just a few paces away from him. She's as beautiful as ever, but given the trying circumstances behind their first meeting, Percy finds himself noticing her looks more than he did previously. Especially after what Aphrodite had told him…

"Your Majesty."

Hera smiles, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes as she walks forward.

"You know, when I nudged you in the direction of the Ophiotaurus, I expected you to do the smart thing and ask for my help again. I understood when you chose to seek assistance from Poseidon instead, given the creature's aquatic nature. But Apollo? You could have already been up the mountain and past the garden by now if you'd asked for my assistance, you know."

Percy's mouth opens… and then closes as he fully processes what she's saying and turns everything over in his head. First and foremost, he's not sure she actually knew about the Ophiotaurus or was the one who 'nudged' him in that direction. She wouldn't have left such a massive threat to Mount Olympus up to chance like that, would she have?

But he wasn't about to confront her about that. He wasn't an idiot. At the same time, he had to find a way to respond without pissing the Queen of the Gods off further. How best to word this in such a way that she would be mollified…

"… I didn't want to overly burden you with my problems."

Hera's expression softens and Percy does an internal fist pump. Nailed it.

"Of course. You are too self-sacrificing for your own good, my very young King. Not to worry though… I am here now. And on the morrow, I will be able to help you make your way through my garden."

Right. Because the Garden of the Hesperides, the Golden Apple Tree, and even the Dragon guarding the place… all of it belonged to Hera. Percy had sort of known that, especially seeing as Hera had given him a slice of a golden apple to heal him just a day ago, but honestly… he hadn't fully registered what that would mean until now.

Except putting himself further into Hera's debt sounded like a bad idea. And of course, there was what Aphrodite had told him to take into consideration as well…

-x-X-x-

The Vote:

[X] Put Aphrodite's advice regarding Hera into action here and now - 91%[ ] Hold off on that but accept Hera's help tomorrow - 8%[ ] Hold off on that and don't accept Hera's help tomorrow - 1%

-x-X-x-

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