Challenge 1 Part 1

The next day, all of us woke up apprehensive, as we waited the First Challenge. The Tests were already bad enough, so how much worse could they go?

Breakfast was a quiet affair, with all of us staying mute, only asking for something or the other on the other side of the table.

Before we could finish breakfast, the Fates spawned in.

"The First Challenge shall begin," Clotho said, then she teleported us to the Meeting Room.

"Before the Challenge begins, we must explain the rules going into the next season," Atropos said. "As we have seen, you have found an element thereby which you can **** the Charis system we have placed. Moving onwards, you will only be rewarded Charis for your first time achieving a milestone with the Master, then you will earn Drachma for any repetitions."

"But that's not—" I began.

"Fair?" Lachesis rolled her eyes. "See if I care."

I simmered in my anger.

Lachesis moved on. "Hazel, you will receive your punishments for not getting an orgasm from Perseus after the Challenge."

"And about the Eliminations," Atropos said. "You will Compete in this Challenge, then the Audience will vote for your quality in the Challenge and/or the Season. The Bottom 3 Contestants will be Eliminated. The Middle 3, or in this Season's case, Middle 2, will lose 15 and 20 Charis respectively. The Top 3 will earn 15, 20, and 25 Charis respectively. After that, we will look to see if anyone else is at a negative Charis, and they will also be summarily Eliminated."

"Now, for some more upcoming changes to the Next Seasons," Lachesis said. "The Audience has complained about there not being enough romance, not enough drama. "To fix that, we've added a new requirement for each of your nights. You will be required to take Perseus on an outing of sorts, we will provide the furnishings, within reason."

"Now, for the Challenge itself," Clotho began. "We have created a window into a pocket reality that one of the Contestants is very familiar with."

All Three Fates looked at Estelle.

"Me?" Estelle asked, then she paled as she realized what they meant.

"Yes," Clotho said. "We have opened a temporary window to your origin. Each Contestant will inhabit their body in the world, and then they will fulfill their mission. Do not be worried about your Transformations causing trouble; no one will be aware of the difference between you and the original you in the timeline."

"As for your mission," Lachesis picked up the pace. "Each of you will have 3 Olympaballs," the board changed to display a gold and black ball. "Throw them at someone, and you will bring them here. The Audience will rate your performance based off of how you caught your target, as well as how much they appreciate your target. You cannot catch the same person twice, if another Contestant has already caught an individual, you will have to find a different target."

"When you've finished your mission, snap and say 'Home Base,'" Atropos ordered. "You will be retrieved."

Clotho snapped, and everyone except for me disappeared.

"Where'd they go?" I asked.

"They're in the world," Lachesis said, gesturing around us, and the walls turned to large TVs. "Let's watch your Harem get to work."

I glared at Lachesis, then I focused on Mom's screen.

Estelle shot up in her bed.

She looked around, observing the room she intimately knew, but ultimate never knew.

At first, she thought the past week was a fever dream, then she realized that she was actually just brought here for the Challenge.

Just as she got out of the bed, a knock came on her door.

Estelle opened it to see her mom, then she sighed as she saw her mom topless.

"I was hoping it had all been a dream," Estelle said as she took off her shirt and gave it to her mom.

"Thank you," Sally said as she wore the shirt. "I wish it was all a dream."

"So, what's the plan?" Estelle asked.

"We need someone that'll appease the Audience," Sally said. "Judging from how much they like the two of us, the more taboo, the better."

Estelle's eyes widened as she understood what Sally was hinting at. "No."

"If you say no, I won't do it," Sally said. "But this way, at least we get to bring him into the new world."

"We can remake him on our own," Estelle protested weakly.

"You know it'd just be an imitation," Sally said consolingly. "It won't really be him."

"But if he goes through the show, he won't really be him either," Estelle protested.

"It's the Ship of Theseus," Sally said. "Would you rather make an imitation of him that's just slightly off, or would you rather bring him in and accept the changes?"

"Can I at least do it?" Estelle asked weakly.

"Of course," Sally said, handing an Olympaball to Estelle.

Quietly, Estelle went to her parents bedroom, then she looked at her dad sleeping softly.

Quietly, she gave him a soft kiss on his forehead, and he opened his eyes blearily.

"Estelle?" He asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I just had a bad dream and I missed you, Dad," Estelle said as a few tears dropped down her cheeks.

"Oh, that's alright," Paul said. "Wanna tell me —"

In his attempt to comfort her, Paul had went for Estelle's hand, when he touched the Olympaball.

"Where is he?" Estelle asked in fright.

"The ball is blinking," Sally said.

Sure enough, the ball was blinking, and it was getting faster, like a timer. Suddenly, it flashed, blinding both Estelle and Sally.

When they opened their eyes, the ball was no longer there.

"I guess that means it succeeded," Estelle said sadly. "Now what?"

"Now, we go to Montauk," Sally said, grabbing the car keys from the counter.

After an hour long drive, Sally and Estelle finally arrived at the cabin in Montauk.

"Are we really..." Estelle asked hesitantly.

"It's what has to be done," Sally said. "At least this way, Poseidon joins us in the new world."

Sally tentatively walked into the water, getting knee deep.

"Poseidon, I need a favor from you," Sally said to the water around her.

At first, it seemed like there was no effect, then water started getting choppy, then Poseidon appeared next to Sally.

"Sally, and the daughter," Poseidon said. "What can I do for you?"

"It's about Percy," Sally said. "He's in... A pickle of sorts."

The waves got rougher, reflecting Poseidon's emotions.

"What's happening?" He asked.

"The Fates, they've asked something of him, and it's large," Sally began explaining. "I don't know the whole of it, but I think they want to overturn the Olympians."

"The Fates?" Poseidon asked. "They'd never try to do something so... Brazen."

"I don't know, all I know is that this ball is something they gave him," Sally tossed the ball at Poseidon, who caught it.

He looked at it for a second, then his eyes widened in horror. "This isn't just a —"

The Olympaball swallowed him, and the waters calmed down.

"I don't have any ideas for a last person, do you?" Sally asked Estelle as she wiped a line tear.

"No," Estelle said.

"Home Base," Sally snapped, and a moment later, Sally and Estelle disappeared, as if they were never there.