Mental Conversations

"ZEUS!!!"

Demeter charged into Olympus Academy's student event with one single goal. As soon as she entered, she located Zeus talking to Athena on the other side of the room.

"COME HERE, YOU LITTLE IMBECILE!!!"

Zeus turned around...

"Nope."

Jumped...

"Nope."

And shoved his cup of water into Athena's hands.

"Nopenopenopenopenope."

"Okay...then." Athena said, carefully holding the cup with two fingers, trying her best not to touch it.

She watched Zeus run off with Demeter in tow.

"I'm just gonna..." she set Zeus' cup on the closest table. "...yeah. If that spills, it's hardly my fault."

"Nononononononono!"

Zeus and Demeter were running around the room in circles.

"GIVE ME MY DAUGHTER BACK!!!"

"Nononono-what? Huh? Sure!" Zeus skidded to a stop.

"WHERE IS SHE?!"

"She's right there." Zeus pointed to where Hades stood with Persephone.

"WHERE-oh. Persephone! There you are!" Demeter ran over to hug Persephone.

Zeus tried to escape, but Hades grabbed his arm.

"Mom! Stop embarrassing me! My boyfriend's here." Persephone squirmed in Demeter's embrace.

"No worries, honey-BOYFRIEND?!"

Demeter spun around.

"WHERE IS HE?!"

"Nonono. Mom, you're getting it all wrong-"

"WHERE?!"

"We're just dating. Nothing happened-"

"DATING?!"

Demeter spun back to Persephone.

"WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU COULD DATE?!"

Persephone sucked in a breath.

"I did! I'm done being your 'perfect little daughter' for you to show off to the world! I want to be my own person, have my own relationships, and control my own life!"

Demeter was silent for a moment.

Then the unexpected happened.

Demeter smiled and hugged her daughter.

"You've finally grown up! How I've been waiting for this moment! Now I'll be able to attend all those parties I wasn't able to, and go on fancy cruise ships and vacations all the time, now that you can manage yourself! You'll be able to do that, right?"

"Uh..." Persephone was confused as to who this person standing before her was. She certainly was not her mother.

"Right, honey?"

"S-sure. Yeah. I c-can do that."

"All right then! It's settled! I'm departing tomorrow for Hawaii!"

Demeter left much happier than she had come.

"Why do I feel like I'm being abandoned?" Persephone asked Hades.

"Umm..." Hades stammered.

"Whatever. At least now we can be together!"

Athena smiled. A happy ending at last. Even if it only was for Hades and Persephone.

"I wouldn't be so happy if I were you." Iolo said.

Athena spun around.

"Iolo, what-"

Nike was hugging Iolo.

"Ugh, ew. Now I can't unsee that." Athena covered her eyes.

Nike quickly separated herself from Iolo.

"Anyways," Iolo said, as he brushed himself off, "If things are to happen in the order of mythology, then you better watch out, Athena. Otherwise you may just lose your boyfriend, since, after all, Medusa is the next act."

"There's nothing to worry about. What boyfriend-" Athena caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye.

"And...there it is," Iolo said, patting Nike on the shoulder, "Realization."

There was a beautiful girl with long, dark tresses of pitch-black hair that fell like an endless waterfall down her back. Her snake-green eyes looked around the room. Instantly, they landed on their prey.

The perfect target.

Poseidon was dressed in a loose-fitting sweatshirt and jeans. His ocean-blue hair was somehow just a little bit more shimmery that the previous day, and he was contemplating his reasons for being present at this party.

And then he saw it.

His purpose in life...

Athena.

"I would go watch out for him if I was you..." Iolo was rambling on.

Athena shrugged.

"You could end up losing your boyfriend..." Iolo was still talking.

Athena shrugged again.

"I trust him. And we're not dating or anything, so why should I care?"

She had a point.

Iolo sighed and shrugged.

"You see that, Nike?" he said, "That's what you call a healthy relationship."

The pretty new girl approached Poseidon.

Iolo produced a bowl of popcorn out of nowhere.

"Things are getting interesting."

"Uhm, hi. I'm Medusa. I'm new here, so would you mind showing me around?" the new girl asked Poseidon.

Poseidon looked around for the person this beautiful girl was talking to.

"What's your name?" she asked him.

Poseidon locked eyes with Athena.

She's talking to you. Athena made a gesture.

Who, me? He cocked his head.

Yes, you.

"Hi, I'm Poseidon. Nice to meet you." he said.

"That's a really cool name. Can we be friends?"

Do I say yes? Poseidon gestured at Athena.

Yes, you dimwit. Say yes. Was the reply.

"Oh, uh, sure."

Athena smacked herself in the face. That was terrible. How are you even popular?

Poseidon chose to ignore that comment.

"Are you single?"

Athena choked on her drink.

Poseidon blinked in surprise.

Medusa smiled like a vixen.

The entire room was listening now. All ears were perked up, waiting for Poseidon's reply.

What do I do? He asked Athena.

I don't know. Beats me. She replied.

"N-no?" Poseidon said, with absolutely zero confidence.

Athena smacked herself in the face again.

The crowd let out a gasp in unison.

Medusa was a bit annoyed. He seemed single. He gave off single-guy energy. So who could possibly-

"Poseidon!" Zeus somehow managed to smush himself all the way to the front of the crowd. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend! Why don't you introduce us to her?"

Poseidon looked around the room. He was going to get eaten alive by these gossip-hungry teenagers with nothing better to do than laugh at the misfortune of others.

Athena was dying of laughter.

Stop it! Poseidon said.

No, it's too funny. Athena replied.

Help me, please!

Why should I?

Poseidon racked his brain for any sort of leverage he had over Athena. He found nothing.

"Hey! Poseidon!" Zeus snapped his fingers. "Aren't you going to introduce us to this girlfriend of yours? Or does she not exist?"

I'll do anything! Just get me out of here! Poseidon was getting desperate.

Anything? Athena raised an eyebrow.

Whatever you want! Now help me, please!

I'm honestly starting to wonder how you even managed to survive in the popular circle.

Athena stood up.

Seriously. How did you survive Middle School after your little "incident" in second grade?

I don't want to talk about it.

Athena shrugged, and walked towards the commotion.