✩ ━━━ chapter nine, kingfisher. ❝You're the light of my life. The grey world is dyed in your color,❞

THE GOD OF SLEEP SAUNTERED THROUGH HIS MOTHER'S APARTMENT LIKE HE HAD BEEN HERE COUNTLESS TIMES BEFORE. Given the fact he had gone through Percy's memories, it probably felt like it to him. The son of Poseidon didn't want to think of what the god probably saw him do with Micah in the past, so he focused on the present: Hypnos seemed to be searching for something, scrutinizing every surface and surface with almost maniacal desperation.

"Um..." Percy began unsurely. "Lord Hypnos?"

"Sorry, sorry!" The little god laughed nervously, looking troubled as he muttered to himself. "When I went through your memories, I realized—I heard the birds, in your memories! My birds!—So, he must've left something with you, of course, important enough to be protected by my birds and given to who else but his love? Hm, but where? Where is the question?"

He stared at the pacing god, a little hand tugging on his white-bleached curls. Lord Hypnos was clearly deep in thought. When he seemed to get overwhelmed and a golden blush brightened his cheeks, Percy asked. "Are we searching for something?"

"Did my son ever gift you a box?" Hypnos asked curiously, hands mimicking a container. "Tell me, Percy, have you ever been followed by a flock of birds, perhaps? Or, or—Eaten such a delicious cookie, you envisioned the future!"

"I..." Percy wasn't sure how to reply. "I don't think so, Lord Hypnos. Sorry?"

The god waved away his uncertainty. "Don't mind, don't mind! Of course, he would never give you a fortune cookie, it was silly of me to even ask! Too dangerous for you, surely."

Percy thought carefully. "Nico did say he heard the sound of birds earlier when he was here..." He headed towards his room, the god fluttering behind him.

Opening his bedroom door, Percy tried to figure out if anything was amidst, but he suddenly became stunned by how unfamiliar his own bedroom had become. He didn't spend a lot of time in his mother's apartment after she got together with Paul. It felt like he was intruding whenever he stopped by;  he didn't fully fit into their lives anymore.

"Okay, Percy Jackson..." The god said quietly, champagne-colored eyes moving across each wall and window carefully. "Imagine this... You are the so-important are Micah, the ambassador of the gods. The gatekeeper of Olympus, someone who knows every single hush-hush secret of the deities. The collector of unimaginable treasures, paranoid as one can be..." He turned slowly, narrowing his eyes, a tilt to his head.

"Now, where would you hide something? Something dangerous, something that has the potential to change the course of the war..." The god didn't ask. He was speaking to himself, tutting every once in a while like a cartoon character when he froze, as if he had heard something. "Listen, listen, Percy! Did you hear that?"

The son of Poseidon shook his head, trying to mute out the sound of his heart.

That's when he heard it—a bird chirping, an unusual singsong pouring into his bedroom.

Percy reached past the god to the fire escape, checking the window latch to see it unlocked. Uneasiness crept into him as he shared a look with Hypnos, but the god had a sharp look on his chubby face.

Slowly, he pushed the window open.

In the rust-covered metal platform, a single bird continued to sing from its perch on the railing, a thin white ribbon confining it to the ground.

The bird is small, roughly five inches, brightly colored with thin auburn legs and a long, pointed beak. Pale azure-blue with orange marks dotted its fragile body. On its throat, where the feathers resembled white bib underneath their beaks, a small scroll of a paper hung from the length of a chain.

"A river kingfisher," Hypnos observed. "Said to be the first bird to fly from Noah's ark after the deluge, supposedly received the orange of the setting sun on its breast and the blue of the sky on its back. It's considered a symbol of peace and love."

The god sounded close to swooning. "Ah, Hiroki, my precious, gentle boy! What a romantic! Certainly, he inhered it from me,"

Percy ignored him, reaching with shaking hands for the scroll. The caged bird allowed him, continuing to watch the sky with its innocent eyes; it looked content, humming its sanguine song, swaying with the breeze but did not take off in flight. When he unfurled the note, he understood why:

To you, I gift hope. Micah's handwriting greeted him. If you were to give up, I would no longer have any reason to continue.

In front of him, in the form of a bird, sang Elpis, the Spirit of Hope.

"Oh, dear." Hypnos sounded faint. "That's maybe just a little too romantic, I think."

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Percy and Lord Hypnos arrived at the Empire State Building in the late afternoon, spending a majority of the day searching for other clues his son might've left. When Percy attempted to hold Elpis, the white ribbon that had tied her to the fire escaped transformed into a cage. He refused to dwell on Micah's letter.

Instead, he called Annabeth and asked her to gather the campers. Hypnos didn't listen to his conversation, toying with the same baby quilt he had in Hades' throne room. It looks warm and comfortable, the texture of the fabric smooth and decorated with shimmering gold stars. Noticing Percy's eyes, the little god explained. "It belonged to Naoki, then to Hiroki."

"I'll...admit to not having the best reputation." Lord Hypnos seemed embarrassed, puffy cheeks shining like twin suns. "I'm often called a coward and the laziest deity. The worst is that I am those things. I could be as active as the gods, but ah, it sounds so tiring... Because of that, I don't have lovers or many children. Those I have, I try to treasure equally, but I'll admit to having favorites."

"Considering Morpheus is one of your sons, I prefer Hiroki too," Percy made a snide comment. The god of sleep smiled with resignation.

Hypnos admitted reluctantly. "I love my sons. Morpheus, Phobetor, and Phantasos are a little thoughtless. They joined Kronos' side to follow Hiroki's example. Once they discover his ruse, they'll be enraged. This is why I must ask this of you, Percy...Please, protect him."

"Of course," Percy agreed easily. It's been his plan all along.

"Not just from Kronos," Hypnos clarified quickly, starring at Elpis with a soft pleading in his eyes. "From the gods as well. I'm sure they won't take kindly to my son domineering the Second Titanomachy."

Horrible thoughts entered Percy's mind. He knew how petty the Olympians can be—his whole existence is proof—but to fool them to the extent Micah has? They will punish him, even if he saves the whole world.

He tried to give Hypnos a confident smile. "I swear by the River Styx to protect Hikori Matsuoka with everything that I have, for how many lives I have. Until we..." Percy stumbled over his words; how much of his love was he willing to declare in front of the gods and Fate itself?

He thought of his Micah, the stupid one who says tacky jokes to make him laugh and traveled thousands of miles just to see Percy; then, of Hiroki, who gave up his life and personal happiness because the thought of demigods—children—being unloved by their godly parents torn him apart.

Percy loves Micah, the abandoned orphan who fooled the gods, the titans, and him alike, and he loves Hiroki, the beloved son who cut his own wings to suffer for others. He loves both of them. Percy is agonizingly is in love with whatever name or face he decides to wear.

How much of his love is he willing to declare in front of the gods and Fate itself? All of it, unfiltered. How long did he want to spend with him? Until the universe exploded and time stopped, and even then, Percy would find a way to him.

But he didn't want to scare Lord Hypnos, so taking a deep breath with the calmness of a new goal in mind, Percy vowed. "Until we reach the Isles of the Blest together."

Thunder boomed, seemingly shaking the whole word. Percy smiled: the deal is done.

Hypnos thanked him quietly, a soft glint in his golden eyes. "You have the blessing of this cowardly minor god, if it matters at all, Percy Jackson."

Percy laughed as three white vans pulled up at the curb of the Empire State Building. "I don't care about the gods," he shrugged. "But I'll take your blessing as a father, Lord Hypnos."

The little god shimmered away as a bunch of campers climbed out, assuring he will see them once they reach the six-hundredth floor. Percy turned to the group, "Thanks for coming, everybody. Chiron, after you."

Chiron shook his head. "I came to wish you luck, my boy. But I make it a point never to visit Olympus unless I am summoned."

"But you're our leader." Percy frowned, gripping the handle of Elpis' cage.

He smiled. "I am your trainer, your teacher. That is not the same as being your leader. I will go gather what allies I can. It may not be too late to convince my brother centaurs to help. Meanwhile, you called the campers here, Percy. You are the leader."

Percy wanted to protest, but everybody was looking at him expectantly.

"Okay," the son of Poseidon said. "Like I told Annabeth on the phone, something bad is going to happen by tonight. Some kind of trap. We have to convince the gods to defend the city. Remember, we can't take no for an answer."

The forty-or-so campers followed him to the path of floating stones that led through the clouds up to Mount Olympus, hovering six thousand feet over Manhattan.

Annabeth studied him. "You look... different. Where exactly did you go?"

Percy had no idea how to describe the major changes in his life. "Let's get to the palace,"

They walked across the sky bridge into the streets of Olympus, trying to ignore the emptiness of the usually lively kingdom. The hall of the gods was unguarded, the only creature inside the Ophiotaurus, half-cow, half-serpent, swimming happily in his house-size globe of water hovered in the air.

As they neared the thrones, a woman's voice called out, "Hello again, Percy Jackson. You and your friends are welcome."

He turned to see Hestia, now in the form of an adult, tending the heath. The person next to the goddess nearly caused him to stumble. It was Hiroki, but not quite—Micah is impossibly tall, but quite thin and wiry; he is lovely with one of the most beautiful faces he has ever seen, undeniable, but a little boyish compared to the god in front of them. The god in front of them is muscular and well-built with broad shoulders, the lines of his cheekbones and jaw cut like a statue, the pallor of his skin so lucent it seemed to have a light shining underneath. Wings sprouted from his temples, white hair like starlight elaborately arranged, some tying in knots and some hanging freely from his head.

Percy bowed. "Lady Hestia, Lord Hypnos,"

Hestia regarded Percy with her red glowing eyes. "I see you went through with your plan. You bear the curse of Achilles."

"He is aware of the consequences," Hypnos told the goddess. "He will not lose sight,"

Hestia did not relent. "And if he does?"

Hypnos looked at Percy: he smiled warmly with those champagne-color eyes, and Percy saw Micah. The god said firmly, "He has no reason to."

They did not say anything more. The demigods behind Percy shuffled uncomfortably. When Hestia bowed to leave, he peered down at the caged river kingfisher, staring entrancingly at the fire of the hearth. "Lady Hestia!" When the goddess turned to him, Percy announced; "Hestia, I give this to you as an offering."

Although Hiroki may not have intended it, Percy knew he would hold onto hope as long as Hiroki was still within reach. 

The goddess tilted her head. "I am the least of the gods. Why would you trust me with this?"

"You're the last Olympian, and the most important."

"And why is that, Percy Jackson?" Hestia asked.

She's the goddess of the home. It's her power to know who and what a person cares for, and in return, who cares for them. "Because Hope survives best at the hearth," Percy said. "Guard it for me; it was a gift."

The goddess smiled. She took the river kingfisher—the symbol of peace and love, given to him by the love of his life—and the hearth fire burned a little brighter. "Well done, Percy Jackson," she said. "May the gods bless you."

"Then," Hypnos said. "Kronos is going to attack New York. I will try to convivence Zeus, as discussed. Demigods, scout Olympus until I return. The magical wards are strong, but so are our enemy."

Annabeth grumbled. "Your son is our enemy. Why should we trust you?"

"Hey," Percy scolded. "Knock it off!"

He turned to the campers, signally them to do as Hypnos ordered.

"Percy," the god suddenly said, a dazed look overcoming his golden eyes. "My sons..."

Just then the Stroll brothers ran into the throne room. "You need to see this," Connor said. "Now!"

Percy and Annabeth followed Hypnos to the edge of Olympus—from there, the entirety of New York is visible; the East River and the Hudson River carving the shape of Manhattan, the grid of streets, the lights of skyscrapers, the dark stretch of Central Park in the north. But it all seemed empty.

"I don't... hear anything," Annabeth said.

That was the problem, Percy realized.

"What did they do?" He turned to Hypnos, enraged. "What did they do to my city?"

"The Oneiroi has put the entire island of Manhattan to sleep," Hypnos explained, expressing hardening. "The invasion has started."

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𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 ! ! !

I cut out a few scenes if they are important just assume they happened off-screen lol anyways now for the explanation notes;

the Isles of the Blest is basically like exclusive heaven for super SUPER good and awesome heroes you have to be reborn and get into the Elysian Fields (aka regular heaven for heroes) three times in a row

i turned elpis into a bird because its romantic and as a proud dramatic micah would've found a way to do that in order to woo percy.

percy gave hestia pandora's birdcage lol so i can avoid taking more from the books than necessary to and to shorten things up  

Please comment and vote! Until next time!