I huffed and rolled my eyes. Of course no one knew anything around here. What good are immortal gods if they couldn't do anything for themselves...unless they choose not to know; keeping their conscious clear and their hands clean...or they were too lazy and that's why they had children. With a growl and a sigh of resignation I followed the guys.

Apollo led us inside the building and through many halls and doors and finally to a little pharmacy where there was all kinds of medication lining the shelves. Some I recognized; Tylenol and advil, little bottles of pink tables for upset stomachs, allergy meds, cold and flu medicine and vitamins. And then there were all kinds of things I hadn't seen before. Clearly for the immortals and mythological creatures remedies.

Apollo swaggered up to the pharmacy counter where a younger girl sat on a chair, her feet up on the counter, a big wad of gum in her mouth, she blew a big bubble, while she flipped a page in the magazine she was reading.

"Panacea!" Apollo leaned on the counter, and flashed his dazzling smile. "How's my favorite grand daughter doing?"

"Apollo!" She cried, suddenly flustered. She pulled her feet off the counter, tossed the trashy magazine over her shoulder, and suddenly was shuffling the order forms and prescription paper and doctors request forms out of her way and straightening her scrubs and lab coat. "Wha-what can I do for you? What a-a lovely surprise!"

"Panacea, my dear, I have a few rush orders." Apollo started, "would it be at all possible-"

"Absolutely! Not a problem, like at all!"

We all produced our prescriptions and handed them to Apollo who handed them over to the gum chewing young Pharmacist.

"Who's this?" I whispered to Will and Raph.

"Panacea. She's one of Doctor Asclepius's daughters." Will said immediately. "She's the goddess of remedies. So...pharmacist makes perfect scenes."

Apollo waited, his elbows on the counter humming and drumming his fingers. Will slid up to Apollo and started chatting about anything and all things medicine.

I went over to one of the waiting chairs in the corner and sunk down. Today had been very overwhelming. I placed my head in my hands and tried not to cry. I was very tired and stressed. There was so much information thrown at me in the last few days or hours. I didn't even know how to tell time right now. I felt the red stained cloth still around my head. I pulled it off, knowing I didn't need it anymore, and tossed it into the floor with a frustrated sigh.

I heard Apollo and Will talking, their conversation had switched to Camp and how the rest of cabin 7 was doing. I heard Raph's heavy footsteps come through the shelves of remedies and over to me. He knelt down in front of me. He was so tall he was the same height as me and I was sitting on a chair, sure I was slouched and leaning my elbows on my knees.

"You alright Sunshine?" The quiet concern in his deep gruff voice made my stomach flutter. I didn't hear the softness often.

"Never better." I looked up with a tight forced smile.

He had a lopsided little smirk, his dark eyes flicked over my face. "You may be able to detect lies from others...but you're a terrible liar."

I chuckled sadly, "I always sucked at lying. That's how dad knew I was telling the truth when weird stuff happened and I couldn't explain it."

"It's nice having someone believe you."

"Did...did your mom believe you?" I asked hesitantly.

"Not really, but she grew up in the Italian mafia...violence was always around, so being attacked or picked on was a regular Monday morning for her and just assumed all my fights were mafia related and not monster related. She never thought I was different until I started getting ahold of weapons. Then the schools for trouble makers like us started. After she found out I was the son of the war god, she tried gaining his attention again, thinking she got it once without trying... she could gain his attention again, so she became...mean and violent. The time I pushed her back, she fell back into the china cabinet and smashed all her grandmothers china...I fled and became a full time camper. Never went back."

"Raph, I'm sorry. What sounds so awful."

He shrugged. "Most demi gods have sucky back stories. It is what it is."

I just looked sadly at him. I didn't know what to say. I knew my childhood years were not good, but I always had dad and he had my back. Always. Raph cleared his throat and his deep husky voice was back.

"You didn't answer my question; you all right Sunshine? That rock left a pretty cool scar." He reached a few fingers and gently ran them over the jagged fresh scar by my temple that disappeared into my hair. I felt a wild electricity where his fingers brushed my skin. I could feel his pulse quicken and mine was so wild and out of control. I had no idea what was going on, my heart beat against my ribs so hard, they hurt. I couldn't form words for a moment. He removed his hand, placing it back on his knee. His dark eyes held me still, like he was trying to read my soul. I took a shaking breath.

"It's a lot." I finally whispered. He hummed in agreement, but didn't say anything. "Like a lot a lot. You at least have had a few years to adjust to this world. I've only been a demi god since like ... Tuesday."

I groaned and rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands, trying to contain the emotional upheaval. I could feel the anger building. I wasn't sure if this was Raph's Ares thing he was doing or if this was just all my pent up anger starting to break through.

"And...I'm so...angry!" I confessed with a tight control of my anger, but it made my voice shake and tears prickled my eyes.  "I feel all hot and tingly and this burning anger..." I sat up and placed a hand on my chest, "the burning is right here. And it won't go away. It gets bigger and bigger, and tighter and heavier! And I don't know how to make it go away!"

"It takes time. We all feel that."

"You're an Ares kid. Don't you always feel that?"

"A little stereotypical, don't ya think?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry." I snapped.

"It's normal to feel that."

"It shouldn't be!" I raised my voice. "None of this should be normal!" I threw my hands around. Apollo and Will glanced over at us and I clamped my jaw closed and slumped back into the seat, and crossed my arms tight over my chest.

"Most of us weren't thrown  into a quest our first day of camp. Actually, the only other one was Percy."

"Ya, he told me about it, but he was also trying to save his mom. I don't actually have Hades holding my dad captive...and at the moment I'm fresh out of Percys." My voice was tight, I felt the emotional dam trying to break.

I sighed and leaned forwards, my elbows now on my knees. I was feeling that anxious nervous energy; the I need to get up and move, get up and do something, I felt trapped and stuck. My fingers itched. I checked my pockets but the marker was gone. I must have lost it somewhere in the labyrinth. Suddenly a blue pen was held infront of my eyes.

"You lost your marker. I snatched a pen from arts and crafts."

"How did...?"

"I have eyes Sunshine." He rolled his eyes, but the smug little smirk he had on made a small smile tug at my quivering lip. I took the pen and he held his hand palm out for me to doodle on. "We all got ADHD and some form of anxiety... Drawing helps you chill."

"Thank you." I whispered.

"It's a pen drawn hand or I deal with an emotional breakdown I am not equipped to handle."

I snorted in bitter amusement. Using the back of my hands to get rid of the tears before they fell, I started drawing on his hand.

"If that vision I had was right, Percy's alive at least. At least..the time I saw him he was, before we came here. And who knows what time zone were in, were in Florida for Hades sake! And camp was still okay."

"We'll find them again. Percy and Annabeth and Grover are the best quest team there is." He nodded.

"I dunno. We might give them a run for their money."

"True!"

"Okay children! Prescriptions are ready." Apollo called. "Hey. You two. Six feet apart!"

I rolled my eyes. I tried giving the pen back but Raph shook his head.

"If we're caught stealing from this place it's all on you, you violent criminal! Vandalizing and now we can possibly add theft!"

"It was a sunflow! And it's a pen!"

"Like I said. Violent criminal!"

"Who's a violent criminal?" Apollo gasped, just about dropping the prescriptions. "You? Ahhh man! I liked you, young man! Ahh the dirty laundry always  airs out eventually! Now 6 feet apart!"

"I'm the criminal." I narrowed my eyes at Apollo.

"Oh. Well...yes, that does happen from time to time." He nodded seriously. Then his face broke out into a big smile. "And they were the prettiest Sunflowers I have ever seen!"

"It's like a toddler handing a scribbled picture to their dad... And he gushes over it." Will whispered to me.

I smack him. "I never handed the vandalized wall to him!"

"Bet you would!" He poked me.

I poked him back, "would not!"

"Would too!"

"Would not! Times a thousand!"

Apollo was too busy glaring at Raph to notice me and Will arguing and smacking each other like, well, siblings. He finally clapped his hands and made us jump with the loud noise.

"Excellent now that your ready to leave, I'll bid you farewell. Remember children, I love you. Call on me when ever you need." He beamed a bright smile at me and Will and then he turned to Raph, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes. "And you Raphael,
...six feet from my daughter at all times!"

"Apollo! Chill out dude!"

"I'm always chill, my sunbeam! Happy hunting!"

He walked away and back out into the lawn gardens with a big cheerful wave.

A loud gum bubble popped. "Huh." Said a voice behind us. I turned and saw Panacea frowning after Apollo.

"What's huh?" I asked.

"Last time he was here, a week ago, he was having a very heated argument with Helios and Helios's sister. Eos." She added for my frown of confusion.  I was still confused, I needed a book of all the gods and the family tree and who's with who and who's done who and who's the god of what book. That would have been way more helpful on this quest than the book of the Labyrinth.

"She's the goddess of dawn. Anyways...And the next day Helios disappeared."

That caught my attention back.

"Are you saying it's not a missing god but a kidnapping?" Raph asked with a serious growl.

"Exactly what I'm saying, Son of War."

🔆

Panacea waved us closer to the desk. As we came over she leaned in, she seemed extra excited about this gossip.

"Okay so...you know how Helios was like, forced to retire?"

"Ya. We know. Apollo took over." Will confirmed.

"Ya...they had like, a whole interview process and everything! But Helios's younger sister wanted the job. She thought she was a shoe in. 'Cause like, being the sister of the sun god... But she had failed her driver's test like a zillion times. She's a pretty big brat, and cannot drive. At all. She gave me a lift once. Holy Hera! I almost died, like six times and we hadn't even left Olympus yet! Ya know a brat with Daddy issues."

"Ya 'cause none of us have issues with our fathers...they are the perfect father figures." I scoffed. Raph elbowed me.

"I know right? Some are better than others," she shrugged. She thought for a minute while she blew another big bubble. "But. But, girl, listen, okay?" She glanced around making sure no one was in line, and then leaned in even closer. Making the three of us lean in. "You know Titans are all 'we wanna rule,' and the whole 'We hate our Olympic god children!'  and they're trying to resurrect Kronos from Tartarus? Well! Rumor has it, that like, Daddy Titan is feeling guilty his spoilt baby girl didn't get the keys to the sun chariot, and like, is super mad Apollo got the job."

"Daddy Titan?" Raph repeated blankly.

"Hyperion. Helios and Eos's dad." She answered with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh. Right." I had no idea. But I'll roll with it.  "Well okay... But why would that have to do with Apollo and them fighting here?" I asked. "I thought Helios was... uhh...loosing it?"

"He comes and goes. Is gone most of the time. But. When he is in his right mind, sometimes, Apollo will take him for a spin in the car. Passenger side of course, Helios can't see worth Nyx! But. Eos was mad. She wants the car keys."

She leaned in and whispered even quieter, like she was mouthing the words at this point.

"I think... she's trying to get control of the car because she's working with her father. If Hyperion has control of the sun? He pretty much has control of all the heavens. No sun, means no crops. And there goes Apollo, Demeter, Persephone, Dionysus...just to name a few."

"Anyone who relys on the sun..." Raph summed up, his dark eyebrows were pulled together as he thought this through.

"Well Styx. This just got a whole lot more complicated."

"A little?" 

I smacked Raph's arm.

"Eos was not happy when Helios sided with Apollo. She stormed out of here screaming and stomping her feet and throwing a huge temper tantrum. Next day...He didn't show up for lawn games."

She finally sat back in her chair, looking satisfied that she got to spill some secrets and rumors. She blew another big bubble.

"And you know this how?"

"Just because I work with old people and medicine all day...I have ears, and I have a social life outside work! Gods talk, and they ain't as discreet as they think. Also the fight happened right here...down isle 4 where the fiber supliments are. So...I heard it all."

"Okay. We need to get going. If that's true and Hyperion is trying to get ahold of the sun chariot were running on limited time." Raph said slapping the counter.

"Well good luck demi gods. Also." She leaned back, her elbows on the counter, we leaned in expecting something more. More juicy gossip. But all she did was bat her eyelashes at Raph.

"When you come back I can show you the storage closet...?"

I wrinkled my nose and felt a spike in my blood pressure. I pushed off the counter and walked away towards the door.

"Oh, uh, thank you, that's very kind. But medicine isn't my thing."

A moment later Will and Raph were right beside me.

"Where are we going? The way we came in was down that hall." Will asked, pointing to the main entrance.

"Doc said Helios left through the emergency exit. So. We leave through the emergency exit too."

"Smart thinking Sunshine."

"I asked you not to call me that!" I snapped at Raph.

He frowned but didn't say anything. I found the back stairs and out the emergency exit. The door closed behind us with a snap. And we were engalphed into darkness of the maze again. Pulling out my flashlight I stormed down the dirt packed hall into the wild unknown of the labyrinth.

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