The Great Eight (Temporary Hiatus)

Chaos 101

Back at New Olympus High School, the secret section, Jay was walking to the indoor gazebo that Hera was in, petting her peacock. A few blue birds also swooping in and around the Goddess, as if they were her little messengers.

"Jay, good to see you. Athena was starting to worry about you." Hera spoke in her trademark, maternal tone as a blue bird landed on her shoulder. Turning to see the young hero she swore to protect with a dramatic flair, as per usual.

"I only came to say goodbye." Jay announced with his head and shoulders hunched inwards. "I can't be what you think I am." Before Hera could dissuade Jay of his leave, the doors to the area they were in were knocked on.

"Come in!" Hera called, and a hefty centaur with a golden walking stick, or was it a spear, clopped inside the threshold.

"Milady. Jay." The bearded centaur, looking like a horse-ified Gandalf, greeted them. " I have bad news." But then yet another interruption came forth in the manifestation of Hermes.

"Hey, excuse me. I am the messenger, I deliver the messages around here!" Hermes leaned on the centaur's flank as he emphasized his quick sentences with finger pointing and wild movements.

"What is it?" Hera, now impatient, asked of the God of trade, travel, luck, language, and let's add hyper energy. Without further ado, the smaller God squeezed himself between the centaur and the doorframe, without the luck he was so attributed.

"The Typhus has escaped!" Hermes announced to the room, stuck in his spot.

"No! It can't be." Hera's eyes widened and one of her hands came up to cup her thin chin.

"Actually - " The centaur began his input, " - he was freed. By Cronus, most assuredly."

"What is that? The Typhus?" Jay asked of Hera.

"Ask Chiron, he is the master of all manner of beasts." Hera pointed out with a fatigued tone as she proceeded to walk away from the group.

"Takes one to know one! Ya' know." Hermes remarked as he giggled at the centaur who growled lowly at the enthusiastic God. And since Hermes did not cease his laughter after his nonverbal warning, he happened to use his flank to swat Hermes forwards onto his face as he also left the area.

"Jay! You're here!" Atlanta, accompanied by Herry, arrived to see Jay pacing after the news he was inadvertently subjected to. They ran the last few paces to see him from the hall they were in. Presumably roaming the place to get to know it better before the settled in for the night.

"No. I'm outta here. You were right, Atlanta, this is just a crazy dream!" Jay responded as he tugged at his hair and then swung his arms wide in disbelief. Then, not unlike a dramatic Goddess, left the scene and proceeded to leave the school grounds. Leaving the two to scratch their heads at his odd behavior and ask Hera, who showed up randomly to observe his leaving, what was wrong. But not really one for conversation at the moment, Hera only stood there solemnly and silently. Causing the other heroes present at the school to chase after their disheartened leader.

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"What's going on, Jay?" catching up to Jay, the two teens stopped running and Atlanta began to grill Jay for answers.

"Ya know I found Cronus, looked him in the eye - " Jay began with a forlorn look as Herry interrupted.

"Wow! You're good! We just got here." He practically applauded Jay.

" - And I was scared Herry! Fighting him is insane, we're just kids! I can't do this." Jay tucked his hands in his pockets and then began walking away again with his head lowered like a one wolf who lost his prey.

"I don't know, this all seems sorta right to me." Herry began to try and persuade Jay back to the good fight.

"Me too!" Atlanta jumped in as well, trying to give jay back his confidence. "You know all this Greek history right? Who was Jason, your ancestor? What did he do?"

"He was the leader of the Argonauts. A team of heroes that sailed in the quest for the Golden Fleece." Jay answered back without stopping his gait nor did his followers.

"But he gave up, right?" Atlanta cleverly asked of Jay, prompting him to stop and rethink his perspective on things at the moment.

"No, no he didn't" Jay spoke with rising confidence, their antics getting to him and making him feel more assured.

"Now that I know that Cronus wants to destroy the world," Herry punched a fist into his other hand, " I can't just walk away."

"You're right!" Jay finally turned around, and with his shoulders squared back, to address his fellow heroes.

"After you." Herry theatrically bowed at his hips as he showcased the sidewalk behind the trio that they had walked to head back to the High school. Atlanta sporting a grin and a cocked hip.

"No. This way." Jay beckoned the other two in the opposing direction. "There is something that we need to check out." Now that their band was back together, the other two glanced at each other with triumphant grins. Atlanta playfully punched Herry on his arm before they took off after their reinstated leader.

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Once again, the Ports of New Olympia but this time at dusk, the teens all popped their heads around a corner to see the vessel that Jay had seen earlier.

"Looks like they're gone. Just need to find out if the Typhus in on that ship." Jay spoke up once they saw the coast was clear. Having brought his companions up to speed on the way there.

"Well if what you told us is true, a huge fire-breathing giant shouldn't be too hard to find." Atlanta retorted with a witty tone. Getting up from her crouch on the ground that she had been in to carefully peak around at the vessel.

"No, it shouldn't. Come on, let's take a look." Jay smirked back at Atlanta and just as he began to creep out in the open, Herry held him back with a worried look.

"Wait a second! If we find the huge, fire-breathing giant? What do we do?" Herry asked aloud, seeming to be the one with the big brains tonight.

"Yeah, we don't exactly have any weapons." Atlanta tagged on her two cents as well, forcing their leader to assure them.

"We've got Herry, he's our weapon!" With a nervous smile, last-minute thought out plan, Jay pointed at Herry who stood just behind his shoulder. ( Prompting Herry to break the fourth wall with a befuddled look on his face ). "Don't worry about it, we'll just take a quick look. If it's here, we'll tell Hera and get some help." With that, the trio began their ascent onto the ship to find the escaped monster.