"And I want a moment to be real. Wanna touch things I don't feel. Wanna hold on and feel I belong. And how can the world want me to change? They're the ones that stay the same. They don't know me coz' I'm not here."

The sound of someone knocking on my door caused me to flail around and fall of my chair. My earphones plopped off, interrupting "I'm Still Here" by Johnny Rzeznik.

"What is it?" I called.

"Lunch is ready," came the reply.

"Aight! I'll be down in a bit." I scrambled up and hit the pause button on my iPod shuffle. Yes, I know demigods and technology don't usual mix but I found out that if it's something as small as an iPod shuffle or practically any small music player, monsters don't come knocking on your front door.

I rolled up my earphones and placed it on my desk, next to the iPod before walking out of my room. This became a sort of routine. No, I don't always fall of my chair when people knock on my door. I've been here for about four months already. I know my search for Jason has been delayed by a lot but I needed to sort myself out first. I planned to check out Camp Half-Blood but something told me that now wasn't the time to go. Besides, I didn't think I was ready to face the other camp. Who knows what I'd encounter?

I sat down and ate as quickly as I could. I didn't have much of an appetite anyway. I was alone since my mother was off surveying the lake of some out of town mountain. She's a limnologist. Frequent out of town trips to look at lakes were part of her job description. She just so happened to be at home when I arrived.

Just as I was about to get up and head back to my room, somebody cleared her throat.

"Won't even have dessert?" a familiar voice said. I looked up and felt my blood go cold. Sitting at the opposite end of the table was the Queen of Olympus herself, Juno. She was wearing a baby blue dress with a cloak made of goatskin over her shoulders. She held a staff with a lotus flower on top and she looked more relaxed than usual, as if everything was going according to her plan.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. The temperature in the room dropped significantly. Frost began to creep all over the chair I was holding. I let go and the frost receded. Juno smirked.

"Not even a 'hello'?"

"You're not welcome here," I said coldly. "You've tormented and insulted me throughout the years. You didn't even approve of my friendship with Jason! I don't care if you're his patron. The only reason why you favor him is because his mom sacrificed him to you. Jason was separated from his family because you couldn't control your jealous rage!"

Jason told me that the reason why he was in Camp Jupiter was because his mother gave him to Juno. He felt and looked so upset when he told me that. He thought his mortal family didn't love him. Then I remembered what Thalia shared months ago. I didn't realize that Juno's simple (but not really) act of taking Jason could have affected someone as much as it did Thalia.

"You met his sister." It wasn't a question. I stood up straighter as if meeting Juno in a challenge.

"What's it to you?" I asked. Juno laughed lightly. I scowled. I can't believe she had the audacity to do that. Suffice to say, I felt insulted.

"Oh Selene, if only somebody cared about you," she said.

What's that supposed to mean? I wanted to ask. The words died in my throat.

Unconsciously, a spike of ice flew from my hand. It whizzed past Juno's face, impaling the wall behind her. She didn't even flinch.

"Still have anger management issues, I see." Juno stood up and walked closer. She stopped a few feet away from me. She must have seen the murderous glint in my eyes. At least, I hope that's what made her stop.

"Just say what you came to say then leave," I spat out.

"Stop looking for Jason," she said simply. I gawked.

"What? Are you serious? You go through all this trouble, to tell me to stop looking for my best friend?" Juno's eyes narrowed. They no longer held a faint light of amusement.

"He has no need for you anymore!" My heart seemed to stop. "Nobody does."

That's when I lost it. I flicked the gear on my ring and Avalanche appeared. I drew the sword and lunged towards Juno. I stabbed downward. The goddess raised her staff and blasted me back.

"Stop, you fool!" she snarled. "The rest of the gods and I have reached an agreement. We removed you from the memories of the demigods you may have come in contact with."

My thoughts immediately flew to Reyna. The one person she hoped would be the most successful in finding Jason would be erased from her memory. One of her last rays of hope would be extinguished. Let's not forget the fact that I was with her through most of her stay in Camp Jupiter alongside Jason.

"Don't worry about your friends. Their memories have been altered. They won't feel any different. It's as if you never existed." Juno huffed. "Your father and your patron made such a big fuss about it but all the other gods agreed. Majority wins. Democracy, right?"

"Was this even necessary?" I exclaimed. "What did I even do wrong? Did I mess with your plans by, oh I don't know, existing?"

"Yes, actually." I blanched. Juno sighed. "Listen, Selene. Right now, you're a wild card. Nobody knows what you're going to do. I'm sorry it had to come to this but I'm sure you know that the second Giant War is starting. You've been having dreams." I swallowed.

Yes, I did have dreams. I know that Enceladus was defeated by Jason and his company. I also know that Porphyrion has risen and he's somewhere in Greece. Alcyoneus and Polybotes are next. I don't know about the rest but I'm not too keen on meeting them.

"You are not part of any Camp now. The only people who remember you are the people in the Philippines. Even your Greek friend, Thalia, doesn't remember you," Juno continued.

"What happens if I go back to America?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Then your mother forgets about you. The things you left here will be transported to the Underworld, in the River Styx."

"But her relatives, the ones who hate her, will they forget too?" I pressed. I really had to know.

"Yes. Perhaps, they'll lose their ill feelings towards your mother. She'll be welcomed back," Juno surmised. She looked at me slyly. "You're still planning on leaving aren't you?"

I nodded.

"You won't have any place to stay. You'll be a wandering demigod. If you make a move against Olympus, we will strike you down."

"I'm not planning on making a move against you," I snapped. "If what you say is true, that the other demigods don't remember me, then that means I can work in the shadows without anybody wondering what I'm doing. I can find a way to save Olympus." Juno laughed.

"How noble of you. You do know that your actions will have a price."

"I'm willing to pay it," I said adamantly. I looked Juno in the eye. "Even if the price is my life."

"There's your fatal flaw again," she said. I raised an eyebrow. "You don't care about yourself. If there's an opportunity to lighten the burdens of others, you'll jump at it."

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Rather, I don't matter."

Juno gave me a small smile that I guess was supposed to show pity.

"Diana will visit you one of these days. She will need you to do something." Juno began to glow. "One more thing Selene. You might not live long enough to see the end of this war."

"We'll see about that." I averted my eyes as Juno revealed her true form.

The light she emitted died and I was alone once again.

Notes