Children of the Big Three Book 4: Battle of the Labyrinth

Chapter Eleven: Wondering

Percy expected many things at the end of hall. A spike pit, a hellhound, maybe even Zeus with a pistol. Instead, all he got was a door. It took a bit of maneuvering, but he managed to shove the door open with minimal effort. Behind it was a spherical, almost empty room, with only one other occupant.

"Percy!" Thalia came running at Percy, throwing him to the ground in a tackle of a hug. Before The Son of Poseidon could even get a word out, The Daughter of Zeus had her head firmly planted on his chest, crying into his shirt. Thalia's mascara was ruined, the blush she applied was running, and her soft pink lipstick was smudged. On instinct, Percy wrapped an arm around Thalia.

"Thals? What, what happened?" Percy had seen a Thalia cry before, he'd seen her at her lowest; but even then it wasn't the hopeless sob that she exuded now. In response, Thalia seemed to only grip him tighter, her eyes sealed shut while tears flowed freely from her.

"Percy, it was horrible! In order to prove my 'worth' they did things, made me do things! I can't talk about it, I just can't!"

"Thalia-"

"Perce, let's just.. Leave this all behind!"

"What?"

"Let's run away, Percy! Let's just pack up our things and go! Let's have this stupid choice be someone else's problem! We could move somewhere far away, Nico could come too! We could find our own plot of land. Can you imagine it? Just me, you, and Nico living off the land, relying on no one but ourselves. We could have our own little farm, cook our own blue food, and just be.. Us. No pressure, no world ending choice, just me and you; together."

"Thalia, listen to yourself! We can't just walk away from this! We have responsibilities, people are counting on us to-"

"Sacrifice our own happiness for their sakes! Time after time after time! For the last three years all we have done is give, all we've done is been selfless! Why can't we be selfish for once! Why can't I just want something!.. Why can't I just want you?" Thalia unwrapped her arms from Percy, instead taking his free hand in hers. The Daughter of Zeus scooted up his body, until her eyes were locked with the sea green orbs that adorned The Son of The Sea God. Thalia leaned forward, not for a kiss, but rather, she simply put her forehead on his, in a moment of stillness. "I love you."

A mixture of emotions flooded through Percy as he heard those three words. Happiness, shock, sadness, and finally realization. A sigh escaped the teenager, followed by a single chuckle. He patted the woman's back a few times, a toothless small smile appearing on his face. "You're not really Thalia, are you?" A pout came to her face, upset that Percy her disturbed her fun. The Son of Poseidon blinked, and suddenly the entire scene was different. It was a scene that was vaguely familiar. The horribly picked music, the empty dance floor, that blue streak in Thalia's hair. The dance. His dance partner, the being pretending to be Thalia.

"What gave me away?" Percy rolled his eyes.

"Thalia doesn't wear blush, or pink lipstick. She'd never abandon all this to run away, and she most definitely wouldn't be the first one to say I love you."

"And what makes you so sure of that?"

"I know her."

"Do you?" Against his will, The Son of Poseidon found himself leading the fake Thalia in a rather sophisticated dance, using moves he didn't even know. "Did you know that she would have taken Luke's hand if not for your last minute intervention?"

"That's not-"

"Did you know that she would have joined the Hunters of Artemis had you not stormed through?" Percy pulled her in for a twirl.

"You don't-"

"Time after time you have been her obedient lapdog, running you her every beck and call. Time after time you have been an unmovable rock for her yo balance herself, and then you become a stepping stone. One more rung on her ladder to Godhood. She is kin of Zeus, manipulation is in her blood." Percy couldn't even think of anything to say. The being saw this, and nodded understandingly. "So I ask you, why repeatedly slam yourself against a brick wall? You fight destiny, a power beyond Gods. Why? There are many who bark at the chance." Percy's mind flashed with the image of female companions of his. Percy let out a gasp, and then weakly guesses who was behind this.

"Begone, Aphrodite." The being seemed amused.

"You think me Aphrodite? No, child. I am something far simpler, yet more complex. I am not your enemy, Perseus. My mother wished love for you be given, and then yanked away, until you are all but stripped from it. I offer you a way out. All you need do is let go. Accept that this is beyond you, that her destiny cannot be swayed by you. You will know happiness, you will know love." Percy was silent for a while, long enough for the music to fade from the room and from memory.

"Are you saying that I do not already know love?"

"Not in the way you wish."

With another blink, Percy and the fake Thalia were sat in the old zoo truck. Nostalgic. "Why should I believe a word you say? You Gods love meddling in mortals lives!"

"Not this one."

"I.."

"You don't want to let go. You feel so strongly for her, that you will always wonder what if."

"Yes."

"I understand, but there comes a point where that want becomes selfish, does it not? There is a point where when you must put duty over your feelings. If Thalia truly wishes to be a Goddess, who are you to stop her? You can't sacrifice the world to save a friend, Percy."

"What does that mean?" His question rang empty, he was back in the chamber, alone. The question echoed in the chamber for a moment, before it was lost to silence. Percy sighed, and looked to his metal hand. "At some point it becomes selfish. Where is that point?" Percy asked the empty room, with no answer. That was fine, he needed some time to himself. Of course, because destiny hates him, a door swung opened, and who else could it be? Black lipstick, no blush, blue streak.

"Percy?"

"Oh you are fucking kidding me!"