Circe's revenge- a Percy Jackson genderbend (New version)

The embrace of minds

When Annabeth eventually woke, it was to a hand resting on her head and a dull muttering voice followed by several hushed voices. As she woke more, she recognised the various voices as those of her siblings. Opening her eyes gradually revealed the identity of the other voice, her mother. The one who was also responsible for the hand on her head.

As her daughter stirred, Athena's gaze shifted from her other children to the one lying down. Annabeth saw a flicker of emotion in the goddess' eyes, a rare sight from the usually stoic deity. Seeing her favourite child stirring was a relief, a sign that she was all right.

Unfortunately, she wasn't.

Now that Annabeth was awake, she couldn't help but feel the emptiness again. The loss of her connection to Percy, who had meant the most to her, still weighed heavily upon her. Athena was many things, but a brilliant empath wasn't one of them. She was a fine mother and an inquisitive genius but not so good at emotions.

Annabeth had always sought comfort from her mother despite being separated for so long (stupid Olympian rules). Although Athena may not have been hands-on throughout Annabeth's childhood, she had tried to ensure her daughter knew of her mother's admiration.

The two had not had much contact (or any, really), yet the demigod had always been closer to her mother than the rest of her family. When she was younger, Annabeth yearned for the goddess' approval. In her youth, she had let that yearning dictate not only her actions but her every thought.

As she grew, she became more than that. More than a narrow-minded zealot solely focused on getting her mother's attention. Annabeth became a woman who stood up for herself and others, no matter who opposed her. The independent warrior who stood against gods and titans made Athena far more proud than the subservient worshipper.

Over time, their relationship changed to one of mutual respect. Annabeth still held her mother in high regard, yet the two were more like equals than ever before. Of all her progeny, Annabeth was undoubtedly the one that Athena was closest to.

Despite this, the two of them were not emotionally synced. As one whose defining trait was her wit and wisdom, Athena was hardwired for logic. This may not have been as concrete in her offspring, but it was a part of them all. Annabeth was much better than her mother regarding emotions, yet deep down, she still held that logical core.

As a result, they both needed to learn how to talk to each other. Although the barrier between them had gotten thinner over the years, it remained nonetheless.

Unsure how to react to her daughter's sudden drop, the goddess leant forward so their foreheads pressed against each other. Athena had started doing this long ago, connecting to her children by mind. She believed it stemmed from how they were all "born." She left a touch of her mind in another's, and that grew to be a child. This meant there was a little piece of herself in every one of her children. (Not in a horcrux-y way.)

While connecting with her daughter Annabeth, Athena searched for the fragment of herself that lingered in her daughter's mind. The connection between them was faint, but as Annabeth's mind grew and developed significantly over the years, so did their connection. Nonetheless, Athena located the tenuous link and sent reassuring thoughts through it. This connection was unique to Athena and her children. It had occurred to her that other gods could have abilities that they used to communicate only with their children in a way that was unique to them. She wasn't entirely sure, but it had crossed her mind.

Through the centuries, Athena had developed the ability to send her kids mental images, and she had also, on occasion, been able to transmit her voice (provided the recipient had a particularly strong mind). Dejectedly (another word I've wanted to use), this connection had a significant drawback, as her children could not communicate with her.

The rest of Athena's offspring elected to give the two some space and went about their day. Some of the younger ones stayed nearby, having spent less time with their mother than the older kids.

Annabeth's breathing, which had been short and shallow, smoothed out. Her mother's touch did as the goddess intended, calming the suffering demigod. The mother and daughter sat together in tranquil silence, their minds dancing.

To the outside world, they appeared motionless and inactive. Yet, within their minds, the two danced freely, swimming in the endless sea of consciousness. They stayed that way for a long time. They were stationary yet immersed in their mental waltz, an intimate and private experience between mother and daughter.

Poseidon and Athena were not the only ones spending time with their children. After the sea god and his daughter left, Aphrodite elected to spend time with her own. Back in her cabin, she sat on one of the beds with her kids around her. Aphrodite smiled as one of her daughters gushed over a new hobby she'd discovered. The deity loved seeing her children's passion.

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of light outside, followed by a deafening crash of thunder. The extravaganza instantly drew the attention of everyone in the camp.

In the sea, two heads immediately appeared above the water, having blasted their way to the surface. Percy and Poseidon turned to each other and nodded in silent agreement, submerging and rocketing towards the camp.

Over in cabin 10, the children of Aphrodite all rushed to the window while their mother simply sighed. The goddess gently picked up and moved one of her young daughters, who was sitting on her lap. She gracefully stood and opened the door, leaving her children watching her walk toward the central hearth. The love goddess rolled her eyes at the young girl at the hearth, who responded with a mischievous smile.

The thunder also broke the peaceful silence between Athena and Annabeth, causing their eyes to fly open. Having both had experience dealing with this, the two women shared an exasperated look before standing in unison, leaving to join the Goddess of Love.

As the lord of the sea and his daughter arrived, the three goddesses acknowledged them. However, the demigods couldn't bear to look at each other; instead, they turned their faces to the sky. As the deities did the same, all eyes were on the storm. The lightning struck once more, announcing the impending arrival. The king was on his way...

...and he was pissed.

I am so sorry for taking so long. Stress, studying, exams, the usual excuses. Anyway, this one took a long time to write because I'm not great at writing emotion.

If you have any grievances or improvements or requests or advice, I am very open. (I have no idea what I'm doing.)