nobody's soldier, percy jackson

6. are people supposed to be so mean?

"You must be hungry," Medusa called from the kitchen as Venus entered, followed by Grover and Percy "I left snacks on the table while I get something proper going."

The long table was decorated with a large arrangement of different foods and treats.

Venus still had the gummies from the gas station, but she looked at the table with a large smile.

"You think it's safe to eat?" Percy whispered.

"Percy, I'm not gonna lie to you, I'm really hungry, and I'm ready to take that chance" Grover responded, staring at the food laid out on the table.

"What are we supposed to do?" Venus asked quietly, looking over at the boys.

"I don't know" Percy answered.

The two looked at each other silently for a moment, neither of them wanting to speak first. Something felt wrong now.

The bell chimed at the front door chimed as Annabeth walked in, joining them in the dining room.

"Thanks for coming" Percy said.

"This isn't the same for me as it is for you" she responded as Venus walked over to her.

"Why?" Percy asked, but Medusa walked in before Annabeth would explain, though it was clear she wasn't going to.

"You're concerned I would hold a grudge against you simply because you are a daughter of Athena? You shouldn't be. We're not our parents after all. And you and I might have more in common than you think" Medusa said.

"Please, sit and eat" she smiled as she finished filling each of the four glasses set out with what Venus hoped was lemonade.

Grover and Percy listened and did as she said, but Annabeth remained standing with Venus staying next to her, hoping to offer some support since that was what Annabeth had shown her in the forest.

"So, you're not a monster, what are you then?" Percy asked as he began to take food and put it on his plate.

"A survivor" Medusa answered.

"You must be a little more than that. There's a Fury out there that seems terrified of you."

"Because she knows what I think of her. I don't like bullies. When one shows up on my doorstep, they end up spending a lot more time there than they planned for" Medusa said as she sat down "the gift the gods gave me is that I cannot be bullied anymore."

"What my mother did to you wasn't a gift, it was a curse" Annabeth spoke up, causing Venus to put a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

"You are loyal to your mother" Medusa said.

"Yes."

"You stand by her?"

"Always."

"You love her?"

"Of course, I do."

"And so did I."

"So did I," Medusa repeated "do you know the story of how I came to be this way?"

"I do" Grover said through a full mouth, which made Venus feel extremely grossed out.

"Do you?" Medusa asked.

"Do I?" Grover said as a loud bell tolled.

"Athena was everything to me. I worshipped her, I prayed to her, I made offerings... she never answered. Not even an omen to suggest she appreciated my love,"

"I wasn't like you, sweetheart, I was you. I would have worshipped her that way for a lifetime... in silence. But then one day, another god came, and he broke that silence. Your father," she looked at Percy "the Sea God told me that he loved me. I felt as though he had saw me in a way I had never felt seen before. But then Athena declared that I had embarrassed her and I needed to be punished."