Everyone Deserves to be Happy (Solangelo)

The New World (Calypso)

After the battle, if one could call it that, Leo flew back down, and landed on the beach. He trusted the Mist to take care of the tourists hanging out on the beach. Up ahead, a city bustled, filled with cars and houses and shops.

He looked around for Calypso, but there was no sign of her.

"CALYPSO?" Leo looked around wildly, but the only results were some strange glances.

She had gone...somewhere.

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Calypso was feeling quite miffed. She knew objectively that she was flammable, but it still hurt to be dropped off like a piece of luggage.

It wasn't really like that. I didn't actually want to be up there.

I hate it when he's right.

Calypso always paced when she thought, and now she was absentmindedly walking away from where Leo dropped her off. At least, it was absentminded until she reached a giant gray path, cutting off the beach. There were people everywhere, dressed in clothes kind of like what Percy had been wearing. They were skirting the edge of the path, except for some who seemed to walk across yellow paths in the middle at random intervals. What is going on? She started to take a step, except then a giant metal beast came rushing towards her, screaming at the top of it's lungs. She jumped back, nearly missing being squished under it's wheels. There was...a person inside. He was yelling at her in broken ancient Greek to get off the road. He said something about a...car? What? And why isn't he speaking properly? It's almost like everyone has learned a new dialect.

Hermes didn't mention anything about this when he visited me.

She was fighting to stand still in the knot of people congregating around where she was standing. Finally, she lost the battle and was pushed across the giant 'road'. For some reason, all the 'cars' stopped in front of. She looked around, trying to find the beast tamer but all she saw were lights flashing different colors, indicating...something.

Most people were getting into those metal machines, and using them to move at speeds she had never seen before.

Was the whole world like this?

She bumped into a group of people, nearly knocking one of them over. The other, she passed right though. For some reason, he was wearing an chiton, a tunic, instead of what she had previously seen as modern clothes. He looked at her, slightly annoyed but then his face softened as he saw the confused look in her eyes. He had a classically handsome face. Black hair, sea green eyes, olive skin characteristic of ancient royalty. He reminded her of Percy. He beckoned her to follow him, and then morphed into a dog, padding across a sidewalk. She wasn't going to follow him, but he was a ghost. Relatively harmless. After a moment of consideration, she followed him.

He guided her along the sidewalk in front of white buildings with red adobe roofs, until they reached a large stand of trees, where the city just stopped. There were houses, pavement, and then...BAM. Forest.

Once they were under the trees, the man morphed back into his human form.

"You are not of this time." He said it as a statement. It took Calypso a moment to realize he was speaking ancient Greek. After not hearing her language for so long, it felt wonderful. Safe. She didn't even notice the hard edge to his voice.

Calypso was confused, though, to say the least. Why was a Greek ghost talking to her? How could he shape shift? "Who are you? How do you do...that...thing?" 

"It has been so long since someone has asked my name." He sighed. "I am Periklymenus. I was the Prince of Pylos. Grandson of Poseidon. Not that my title does much good now. I can shape shift because it is my power, gifted from the gods." He sounded mock-excited, more wistful than anything else.

"Why..."

"Am I a ghost?" he finished for her. "I didn't want the afterlife I knew I was going to get. Apshodel." he laughed. "Herakles killed me. I had sailed with the Argonauts, but not done anything very important. I'm not a hero. Pylos fell because a swarm of bees couldn't fight the 'mightiest hero.'" he stopped. "But I didn't call you here to wax poetic about my ills." He stared out at the sea. "I wanted to talk. One relic to another."

"How do you know..."

"I can see it in your eyes. The 21st century, it's hard to navigate. Being thrown into a world of cars and cell phones and computers, it's terrifying for an ancient spirit."

"It's...odd yes. But Leo will explain."

"Huh. Leo. I have heard your story Calypso. How long is it before he leaves you?"

"He-Leo's not-he's different from the others."

"Didn't you think think that Odysseus was different too? That Percy was different?"

"I-" Calypso buried her face in her hands. "He came back for me. He's different."

A deformed shadow of what looked like a storm cloud passed over Periklymenus' face, even though it was a clear day. But before Calypso could register it, it was gone.

"He's not. Wouldn't it be better to stay here?"

That pushed Calypso over the edge.

"I AM DONE 'STAYING HERE'! I spent so many years on that literally godforsaken island and I am not about to sit tight again. That man, the one who you say will betray me? HE HAS ALREADY PROVEN HIMSELF. He came back for me, because he made a promise. And he made a promise on his life because he was so sure. You know how much bravery that takes? I doubt it, honestly." She turned away. "I'm leaving. I have nothing more to say to you, Prince of Pylos."

"You'll regret this!" He called out after her.

She simply walked faster, not looking back.

She made it five paces before she felt the tears in her eyes.