When MYTHS Become Real

NICO
The kids at camp were ready to go within half an hour. We loaded up two school buses and made the trip into the city. Naida sat with me and leaned her head on my shoulder. I tried to apologize for forgetting months of our relationship but she wouldn't let me, instead saying that there was nothing to be sorry for. That wasn't like my snarky girlfriend at all.
"If wonder what it's like up there," she mused gazing up at the giant Empire State Building. She'd been through so much that I sometimes forgot she wasn't there during the Titan War and didn't visit the last time we were all invited.
"You'll see soon enough," I said as I laced my fingers through hers.
Something flashed in her eyes, like the annoyance I'd expect from her, before they brightened into smug satisfaction. I small grin formed on her full mouth that made me uneasy for some reason.
We all had to take the elevator up to Olympus in groups. Naida and I went first with Percy, Annabeth, Tyson, Grover, Clarisse, and her boyfriend Chris. It was always weird to see scary Clarisse act like an actual girl in love, but Chris was good for her.
The two older girls talked about Annabeth's remodel of Olympus and then the prospect of seeing our parents, something Clarisse didn't look forward to. I expected Naida to say something against her father but she was silent. I glanced down at her and she wasn't even paying attention to the rest of us. Naida was looking in the mirror set into the wall, almost checking herself out. Naida was beautiful, she knew it but wasn't vain. Naida didn't care about looks, her appearance usually got messed up in the pool or from surfing anyway. Speaking of which...
I wrapped her in my arms and she jumped. "Listen, I know you said that you're not mad but I want to make the last few months up to you. I'm going to take you somewhere for the weekend. Pick anywhere, we can do whatever you want."
"Hmm, shopping in Paris?"
"Sure." Shopping? Last time I planned a date, she teased me about my attempt at romance saying that a simple beach somewhere would always be her first choice. Something was definitely wrong here.

NAIDA
I felt like absolute crap when I finally came to. My chest ached and my mouth was dry. But worst of all, my head was pounding like never before. My eyes opened with an enormous amount of effort and when they did, I couldn't make sense of what I was seeing. I was looking at my own reflection in an elevator mirror. Nico had his arm around my shoulder and was promising me a shopping trip to Paris. I opened my mouth to as what was going on but instead, what came out was, “Let’s go today, after we’re done on Mount Olympus.”
I tried opening my mouth, moving my fingers, blinking, anything but nothing happened. I wasn’t in control of my own body. What the hell?
Oh, you’re awake? Perfect timing. I wouldn’t want you to miss this, Naida.
A moment of pure panic gripped me just as the elevator doors chimed open. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the gorgeous, sprawling city definitely wasn’t it. It reminded me of Washington DC with the white dome buildings and columns but it seemed nicer than DC. Everything was so green and tranquil. Nymphs, satyrs, and other nature spirits wondered around, waving at us as we passed. We walked along the sidewalk with wisps of clouds at our feet until we reached the largest building of them all. The giant, heavy doors were propped open and we were ushered into an assembly room. Twelve huge thrones of various designs were occupied by people, each as tall as my single-story house back in California, while others of the same height milled around the outskirts.
My stomach dropped and I was feeling completely insignificant but outwardly, I flipped my red hair haughtily over my shoulder and popped out my hip even as I tried to cling onto Nico. All of the gods stared down at us as the kids from camp filed into the room. Some waved to their parents and a couple even broke away from the group to talk comfortably with some of the gods. When everyone settled down, I really wished that I could stay invisible because my Zeus, the largest, most imposing one there, stood and stared right at me. “Naida Hale, step forward.”
I was shaking on the inside but like everything else today, my body responded despite the commands I was giving it. I stepped forward until I was under everyone’s scrutiny. Once again, I flipped my hair over my shoulder like I had an obnoxious tic or something. “Yes?”
“It is not often that Camp Half-Blood is attacked. And it all seems to be centered around you. Tell us, why would Mnemosyne specifically target you?”
I snorted and all I wanted to do was disappear from the spotlight. Instead, I said, “She didn’t target me. She was targeting you but I got in the way before she could use your children. It’s your fault for making us fight your battles.”
A collective gasp went through the room and from the look in Zeus’s eyes, I was sure I was half a second from getting killed. There were murmurs from gods and their kids. I felt Percy step up behind me and snag my wrist. “Naida, what are you doing?”
I didn’t stop my spiel. “You’ve all become weak, complacent. Why should demigods be the ones to suffer for your indolence? If it weren’t for them, the gods wouldn’t even exist anymore.”
Lightning shot from Zeus’s fists but my body didn’t even flinch when all I wanted to do was get swallowed up by the ground. Poseidon jumped to his feet at the same time that Nico ran in front of me, blocking any godly attack. “Naida, stop this,” my father said.
Then, Nico solidified his role as best boyfriend ever. “Wait, don't. I don't know what's going on but I do know one thing for sure. That’s not Naida.”

Notes

bum, bum, BUM!