Blood of Olympus: Side Story

Jason

The trip was going great until Festus decided to quit. He didn't even send Leo clicks or squeaks or whatever those two did. As they neared the Italian hillsides, he slowly came in for a decent and landed. Leo lowered his head toward the dragon's and asked, "What's up buddy? Why did we stop?" Festus made a few clicking noises in response, but Leo's brow furrowed in confusion. "He's not making any sense." Leo said sadly. Frank pointed up toward the hills and said, "Well, it looks like we're here". Jason followed his finger up to the small shape of a cottage at the top of the nearest hill.
Suddenly, Piper, Hazel, Annabeth, and Percy came up from the Argo Cabin. Leo planned to make the Argo III, but for now, the rough cabin inside Festus would have to do. "Why did we land?" Annabeth asked Leo. Jason pointed up at the cottage for the rest of them and said, "We're here." Annabeth took a moment to spot the cottage, then asked, "Well why didn't we just fly up there?" Leo clicked at Festus for a moment, then replied, "I don't know. Something's up with Festus." Percy slumped down and asked, "Does this mean we have to walk?" Frank slid down Festus onto the ground and said, "I could turn into a dragon and carry a few people. Jason could fly Piper up there, and a could take Percy and Annabeth in my claws." Percy put his hand on Frank's shoulder and said, "Zhang, maybe this time Annabeth and I could not be in your claws. Thanks buddy." Frank gave an uncomfortable look,
Then took a deep breath, and began his dragon transformation.
Then the strangest thing happened. The buff Chinese Canadian didn't turn into a dragon. He sat there holding up his fists squeezing his eyes shut for a few seconds, then took a deep breathe out. He tried a second time with no results. Frank looked up at everyone in confusion. "It's not working," he said, with panic in his voice." Hazel stepped forward. "Are you sure it's not just, umm," she went silent, and everyone knew that she had purposefully forgotten to say "you".
"Jason, try flying." Piper said. Jason felt the winds, took hold, and urged himself up. Nothing. "He looked up and said, "I've got nothing." Him and Frank both exchanged a look knowing that they were going through the same thing. It felt scary not having his powers. He felt vulnerable.
Leo tried to summon fire with no results, which actually didn't seem to bother him that much. Percy had no connection with a nearby pond. Piper even commanded Leo to kick himself. He just gave a her a puzzled look and said, "No," which made Piper silently yelp. Their powers were out of order. Annabeth was the first to realize it. "It must be this place." She said, "It must have some enchantment so we can't cheat our way up the hill." Leo grinned at a challenge, pulled up his belt, and said, "Ok campers! Lets all follow Uncle Leo up the mountain to the creepy cottage on the mountain!" Piper rolled her eyes, and they all began walking toward the hill.

As they ascended the rocky hillside, Jason was seriously upset. Ever few seconds, he would urge the wind to help push him up the hill with no results. He thought how all his friends must feel this way too, missing their powers. All of them, except Annabeth. He had never given it much though, but it had never occurred to him that Annabeth was the only one of the seven without an crazy powers. Of course, she made up for it with intelligence. She could outsmart anyone, solve any problem, and pretty well keep Percy in line. Still, she had no water, fire, she couldn't fly or change into an animal. She was convincing, but not like Pipers charm-speaking, and was nothing like Hazel. Then it occurred to him that she didn't need any of that. She was as powerful as any of them, and no magic could take that from her.
Soon they had all managed to reach the top. A small patch of trees surrounded the quaint little house. The roof looked like it was made from packed down straw, and the walls were made of clay. A garden sat on the side of the house, filled with small golden plants. Piper walked over to the garden and analyzed the plants. "Are those... Ambrosia?" She asked confused. Leo quickly pulled out a small square of the godly food and compared it. "Ya, I think it is!" He answered. She continued looking for a second, then returned to the group. "So, what do we do now?" She asked." "We'll, there's nothing else to do," Jason replied, "but knock." He stepped forward and knocked on the door. They heard a small rumble inside the house, when the door swung open and a girl stood there. She looked no older than them, maybe fifteen, but Jason had learned never to judge age by appearance. She had long, dark brown hair pulled out of her face rolling down her back in long curls. She had dark eyes and a pale face. The girl reminded him of Calypso, who he had just met that spring. She smiled warmly at them and said, "Welcome. Come in." The group all awkwardly made their way in and looked around. It was a simple house. It looked new, yet old fashioned, in an organic sort of way. Not like hippie organic, but definitely not modern. the door opened up to a small kitchen and living room. They walked through to the living room where she ushered them to all have a seat on an old red sofa. The girl stayed standing and facing them and asked, " So, why have you come?" Jason spoke up, "We are on a quest to save Apollo. It said that first we must come here to find peace." She smiled and said, "Well, that would be me." "Wait, you're peace?" Piper asked. The girl huffed lightly and said, "Well it's not my name. I am Adelius, goddess of fairness, kindness, and of course, peace." Percy raised his hand and commented, "I think I once met a god of balance." Adelius smiled and said, "Let me assure you, there is a difference between balance and peace."
Jason felt a twinge of hate in his heart for this goddess. His life had never been fair. He had never had peace. He turned to see a look on everyone's face that showed that they felt the same way. Adeluis only smiled. "You know, many people do not understand peace. They see peace and fairness as the same thing." Silence after that phrase stood for only two seconds before Frank stood up suddenly making them all jerk. He had a hurt look on his face. "You don't exist. We've all had it hard, not one of us has had an easy life. Don't tell me
what fairness is or isn't." All of them looked shocked at Frank, who sat back down and looked at the floor in shame. They had never seem this hurt side of Frank Zhang. Only Adelius looked unaffected by his outburst.
"But Zhang, you must understand this better that anyone. Your mother died in war, which may not seem fair. But you had peace. When you watched your stick burn, you understood what it meant to die for something." Frank looked up, his face red. The goddess went on, "Fairness and peace are not the same. Many people have come to me telling me what is fair and not fair. War, Death. Yet sadly, these things are unpreventable. To make it "fair", I could not simple defy Ares and Hades, ending all war and death for everyone. Many people believe that to have peace, there must be fairness. But you see, peace is inside a person; when someone can truely be happy and accept their hardships." She looked over at Leo, and her kind face turned to concern. "All demigods must have a harsh life. It is simply how a great hero is born. Imagine handing a sword and a bunch of powers to a normal kid with a great life." Jason could see how responsibility might be an issue. "A demigods life comes with fairness. And yes, balance." She finished. They all sat in silence for a moment, until Percy broke the silence and asked, "So why were our powers not working when we came to your hill?" Adelius smiled and answered, "It wouldn't be fair. My laws of fairness apply to mortals too. What if a mortal was to walk these mountains as you simply fly your way to the top." Percy took a moment to think about it, then say back down satisfied. Jason noticed that the goddess kept looking back at Leo with concern. Finally she said, "You have all had hard lives, and not all have lived long enough to find true peace." She looked directly at Leo, and said, "Tell me your story Leo Valdez." Leo was pretty good at covering his feelings from everyone (even Annabeth!), but Jason could tell his friend was uncomfortable.
Thinking about it, what did Jason know about Leo's past? His mother had died, he knew that, and he had runaway from foster cares like six times. Leo had dots of sweat on his forehead. "Umm, when I was little my mom died." He said, trying to be calm. Adelius concentrated on him, and asked, "How did she die?" Leo turned pail, and answered, with his voice quivering, "In a fire."
The words hung in the air like daggers. Leo had never told anyone that but Jason. Adelius stood from the chair that she had just become comfortable in and said, "Leo Valdez, I see your past fully. I have not been kind or fair to you. Please, forgive me." Then in a flash, she stepped forward and placed her thumb on Leo's forehead. He jumped for a moment, then his eyelids fluttered and his eyes closed.