A New Order of Chaos

Feeling Useless

Apollo didn't know how to help.

Since the War against Gaea almost three years ago and the took of his Oracle by Python, the snake (seems kind of obvious, doesn't it?), Apollo couldn't do much, except to heal the wounded and entertain deities with his music. He'd like to mop around in a corner, almost wishing he'd get his prophecy powers back.

Because he didn't know what to do.

He couldn't help his sister with her rebel Hunters (which weren't rebel at all now). Or Poseidon with his Cyclops (he couldn't stand the big guys). Or even Dionysus with his satyrs (who were almost decided because they had a new Lord of the Wild, who was personal friend with Perseus Jackson).

Though, there was one thing he could try.

With a new hope in his head, Apollo flashed away from Olympus and reappeared on an alley inside the new New Rome. Disguised as a mere demigod, he wondered the streets until he found the library. Luckily for him, no one was around nor even inside. He searched around, not even knowing what he was looking for, but he was a god. He'll known when he finds it.

~oOo~

Apollo spent hours in that library, pulling out scrolls, reading books, checking dates.  And, so far, he couldn't fid anything remotely close to what he was looking for. Though, knowing what I'm looking for would be a start...

"What are you doing?!" A voice he knew too well startled him. Caught with the hand inside 'the cookie jar', Apollo turned to face an angry Oracle of Delphi "If Ella sees you, she's gonna have a fit!!"

"I'm sorry-" he began to apologize, but Rachel didn't let him.

"Oh, you'll be sorry, buddy!!" she cut him, starting to put back his mess "No one is allow to look into the scrolls without my permission and you know that too damn well!"

"You're not the boss of me" he found himself blurting out. Rachel stopped what she was doing and faced him, her green eyes barely showing from her slits. Apollo wanted to take back his words, but there was no turning backs now "I wanted to help, but if this is the direction we're taking, then..." he whistled and made a sinking gesture with his hand. Rachel turned even more red, but bot because of embarrassment. Because of anger.

"You think you can do better than me?! That's what you're saying?! That I'm useless and a waste of space here?!" Apollo swallowed hard, wanting to smack himself. Rachel took his words the wrong way and now, it looked like he was questioning her value. And no words he spoke will turn that around.

"Look, that wasn't what I meant..." he admitted. Suddenly, what he thought was a 'saved by the bell' moment, walked in. It was one of the Guards of Chaos, walking in.

"Good afternoon" the Guard had male voice, which was made deeper with the cloth over his mouth "I was hoping if we could have a word, um... Oracle" he asked Rachel, who still was glaring at Apollo.

"I'll deal with you when I'm done with him" she spatted, her eyes still burning in Apollo. The Guard took notice of his presence and nodded, heading towards one of the tables and sat there, waiting "You should get out" she recommended him. Apollo didn't think it twice and walked out of their view, before turning invisible. Any information the Guard could give Rachel, would be reported back to Olympus.

"I hope that guy hadn't set you in a really bad mood..." the Guard finally said, getting up from his seat "I know what it feels to be looked down"

"I'm sorry, which one are you again?" Rachel questioned him. Despite Rachel's bad mood, the question was genuine concern and curiosity.

"I'm Lambda, Oracle" he reminded her. Apollo took mental notes about it.

"Sorry, you all look and sound alike" she excused herself, still cleaning the mess he did.

"Allow me" Lambda clapped his hands together and all the scrolls, books and papers went back to their places, flying around.

"OK, that was really cool" Rachel recognized, smiling slightly "I though you guys didn't have powers and stuff..."

"We don't" Lambda confessed "But, where we live, we were trained to know how to use the elements of nature in our favor"

"What did you mean 'you know what it feels to be looked down'?" By the posture, Apollo could tell Lambda was uncomfortable with the question "You can't throw something like that and don't expect to be asked-"

"No, you're absolutely right" he agreed, interrupting her "Well, some of us, of the Guards, we were... dead"

"Dead? As dead 'dead'?" she repeated, checking. Apollo couldn't believe his luck. We'd only have to ask Hades which souls had escaped his realm! "Like, centuries?"

"Yeah, it feels like centuries ago..." Rachel gave him a confused look "You'll know when you die..."

"OK..." Rachel shruddered, uncomfortable with the topic "Why are you only nice to me? I've seen you with the others and you're always quiet..."

"Because you're not like the others" he replied. If Apollo wasn't who he was, he couldn't tell the difference between a flirt and a complement. And this had both "The fact that you're mortal and you're still standing against them is something I admire..." Rachel blushed and Apollo wanted to reveal himself "Besides, I was roman and I found curious on how the Oracle works..."

"You're not gonna be like the last one who asked me that, are you?"

"Wha- what last one?" Lambda stuttered, took by surprise.

"The last roman Augur... A troubled kid, if I must say so..." Rachel shook her head "I'm sure he wasn't a bad person, but I'll never known" she shrugged, not wanting to discuss the topic any longer "Why were you looking for me?"

"Because I was an Augur when I was alive... And, I have an ability with riddles... I could be some help"

"Welcome aboard" Rachel pulled her hand out for him to shake it.

Dead. Roman. Augur.

Hades had something to work with.