#like percy almost flying off into tartarus was even so good. just all of it it was FUCK it was literally so good i'm just i'm crunching i'm
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I think one of the things that made HOO a less fun read for me was the big difference with how the mesh between mythological and modern was handled because it was one of PJO's biggest selling points (at least for me).
One of my favourite tropes in books is seeing how the fantastical relates to everyday life or adapt to everyday life. Things like Chiron, maker of heroes, doing his thing at a summer camp, The lotus flowers beds becoming a casino, Mt Olympus being on the Empire States building.
Not only did this make the series just generally enjoying to read, it also made for a very interesting juxtaposition with the titans and the difference between them and the demigods. In the first two books, the heroes went to a summer camp for monster fighting and the bad guys ran around in magic doughnut shops and cruise ships. Then the titans start to get really involved in the narrative and we get things like underground arena fights and an obsidian palace/fortress on a mountain.
The goal of the titans is to usher in a new Golden Age, they want the Good Old Days back, so this is visually portrayed with their stricter adherence to the myths and their older architecture. Luke appears to be fully in control of the titan army when we see him in SoM but in TTC he's taking orders from the bigger guy and in TTC we also start to see this stricter adherence and more ancient visual style. When Luke fully looses power to Kronos he's laying in a gold sarcophagus in a massive palace complex on a mountain.
The gods on the other hand have adapted to the times. They send their kids to summer camp and go to work in pinstriped suits. And they're the ones that come out on top. The whole series takes place in the very modern America where the only people who haven't got the memo are the bad guys who essentially want to turn back time to when they were the ones in charge.
Contrast this with HOO, the first two books largely took place in North America but after that little tussle in NR they mostly spend their time in hell or Europe. There's also a lot less creativity when it comes to adapting myths for modern times. Heracles is literally just standing on a tropical island in the middle of the sea. Their fight with the Golden Boy pirate just takes place on some grassy stump of an island after he almost shoots Frank. And doesn't that wind god just straight up live in an ice palace?
Most of HOO takes place on a flying replica of an ancient trireme or in old ruins. They even go to literal Tartarus and it's just a barren waste of bad guys and hazards.
I think it was better in the first two books when Minos lived in a lakeside mansion and that whole thing with the Harpies trying to steal that guys lunch but then you have things like New Rome which make me unreasonably mad. They're literally just a boot camp with a city attached. And not like a modern boot camp to highlight the mix between modern an ancient they are literally just an ancient Roman military camp with a shiny modern city hanging off the back. They wear togas!
Of course, there are the small things like the purple T-shirts or Octavian switching out animals with stuffed toys but the overall effect is still the same. War games instead of capture the flag and tens years or required service for a few decades of peace that you might not even get to reach. I understand Rick wanted to highlight how staunch and traditional the Romans are and he managed to that but at the cost of their likability. After reading PJO I understood that the heroes were the ones who adapted with the times and don't have the Old Republican obsession with the past and the bad guys were too stubborn to move on. All that pre-existing tuning plus the much harsher attitude of New Rome in general presented them in a very antagonistic light.
HOO tries too hard to follow the aesthetic rules of the ancient world it's parodying when breaking those rules is what made PJO such an interesting read in the first place. Think Percy having a pen that turns into a sword in PJO compared to Jason having an imperial coin flip weapon that breaks at the end of book one of HOO.
#and THAT is why the hunters of Artemis should have been immortal monster hunting girl scouts#i rest my case#Also New Rome should have been like#idk cadets or something#you still the army thing but it's more modern#also#no titans au where Ethan and Percy duke it out in an illegal dog fighting ring#pjo#hoo#heroes of olympus#percy jackson
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Things about Tower of Nero that I want to highlight to remember them forever:
Lu being an absolute badass woman, I just love her too much
Piper McClean being canon wlw, she was actually kissing another girl, we really fell in love in october
Chaos being canonically female (just chaos being mentioned as a deity rather than what's below tartarus)
nobody DIED, like no one on the good side at least?? yes plenty of beings have died throughout TOA, but nobody died in TON?? so many died in TLO and BOO, I expected to mourn someone and I didn't have too??! it made me so happy
solangelo. that's it. solangelo makes me happy.
will being incredibly supportive of nico, and instead of stopping him, going with him on dangerous adventures because he doesn't want to leave him alone. also them treating Nico's PTSD for what it is
WILL SOLACE CANONICALLY GLOWS IN THE DARK. HE'S A GLOWSTICK BABY.
also will just appearing at the gates of the throne room, glowing in rage because someone touched his boyfriend (and tried to kill his dad), and him just marching through everyone (everyone else letting him), just to pick up his hurt precious boyfriend and take care of him.
meg McCaffrey got her happy ending. she's baby, she deserves her family and her happy ending. also Lu being the mother and the 12 children being siblings?? that's one hell of a way to tell nero to fuck off and right his mistakes. we love meg.
dionysus being the best olympian after apollo. the duo content we needed, and now will never get
nico mentioning bob and how he wants to go look for him, because he can still be in tartarus
rachel still being a Total badass and hitting people in the eye with her blue hairbrush thus being iconic
meg acting as lester's anchor and only reason why he didn't let go of the ledge, not falling into chaos, is top tier 'reasons why I cried reading', because if you think about it, Meg is the first ever friend apollo ever had, and them being best friends is everything to me
also apollo choosing to go looking as lester rather than apollo because lester feels like home is on top tier 'reasons why I cried reading' too
again, the only thing apollo did in the end (once he was god again) that could be described as 'godly' was be in several places at once, fly his chariot, and get meg her unicorn
but apollo shooting fucking fire out of his hands is crazy asf, it was so cool. he really got amazing godly powers this book.
rick being bold enough to showcase abusive parenting knowing that a huge porcentage of his readers are minors, helping many realize that they could be in abusive households, and giving them a tool to reach out for help
apollo defeating nero was so satisfactory, because you realize in the end, that nero wasn't really a monster, he was monstrous, but still very much human (if only with some godly power), and pretty useless once he couldn't hide behind props and weapons, his being wasn't powerful, he was just under layers of protection
the jackson/blofis scene was so warm and loving, they really are willing to put their family in danger, baby estelle in danger, to help 'percy's friends' even tho she knew percy didn't like apollo, but she still takes in everyone who needs help, and paul being a loving and accepting husband
sally working on her SECOND novel, she really is having her best life
none of the big heroes from other series having protagonism, besides nico and will, instead giving the other kids from camp halfblood their chance to show they're just as worthy as the "heroes of olympus"
(still I would have loved to see a scene with everyone else, like the heroes of olympus guys, fighting together one last time, just for nostalgia's sake - I legit hoped to see percy and annabeth arriving with chiron in triumvirate tower, but yeah)
the arrow of dodona may have been a dumb, cringey, and slightly ridiculous thing at first, and I personally rolled my eyes everytime it said anything, but it knew what would happen from the start, and without its sacrifice, apollo would have achieved nothing. we stan one arrow
nico wearing a white cowboy hat. idky but it makes my heart swell with joy. he a gay cowboy
y'all know I love Apollo's arch, and I just gotta point this out. his trials, his time as lester, started with him falling to earth, and ended with him getting up after purposely throwing himself off the earth, towards tartarus, almost falling to chaos. that's really clever writing.
the olympians watching over him, and some actually being concerned for him rather than his progress.
poseidon not really giving a fuck about the world or council meetings anymore because percy's not there anymore
athena being the only one apart from artemis who trusted apollo could do it makes me warm fsr
lester deciding that the best way to retell his adventures is by singing is hilarious to me, he really thinks it'll solve everything
Grover not telling percy and annabeth jason died seems so funny to me, he really said "nah it doesn't matter much, field trip, yes"
"hey man" my heart broke in twenty million pieces. like I don't know where I expected to see jason. but that wasn't it. and it hurt me as much as it hurt apollo man.
(also I kinda hoped we would see nico summon his spirit or smth, but I'm actually happy nico realized that jason went by his own choice, and he was in peace, so he decided not to summon him, because it was alright. that hurt too)
kinda love how lester passes out after literally every battle. it reminds you that even tho he's apollo, his body isn't. I'm sure we all would pass out too if we did a quarter of what lester did in the span of 4 days. his body isn't made to endure that, it doesn't even have a halfblood endurance, it's a weak mortal body
the trogs were fucking hilarious. their screeches and grrs, idk there's something ridiculous and so childish about them, it's so fun
really happy that apollo never had a /real/ love interest (reyna doesn't count), cause that wasn't what his story was about. instead he got to make so many friends, and have quality time with them and his children, it's amazing
apollo being thankful people were telling him he'd grown, and was more human, because he realized that was the best thing he could have learned from his time as a mortal
also him saying fuck you man to zeus and his speech, like "no asshole dad, I did learn, I'm not going to see this as punishment, it was a great time in which bad things happened but I enjoyed it." yes, we love apollo not letting zeus win
getting to see what everyone will do now. nico and will figuring out rachel's prophecy, probs saving bob. rachel living her best life away from her parents. leo doing what leo does, always helping those who have no one else. the hunters' open storyline about this fox, possibly hinting at content? piper settling down in a quiet life is what she deserves tbh, she's earned quiet life with a cute gf, wish her the best. Frank and hazel being the best praetors, and I bet they will continue to be so. And annabeth and percy, who chose their happiness over all, at last
kinda wish we got to see someone still really miss jason after apollo becomes god again tho lmao like apollo missed jason more than the others, nico and piper being the exception. I mean, leo is fine and dandy, hazel and frank are okay, percy and annabeth are done mourning... I just we got to see any of them really mourning, rather than reading they mourned. it would have made it feel more emotional
the last conversation and the last words in general. "the sun always comes back" and "we're friends now. call on me. I'll be there for you" that shit got me sobbing my heart out. rick really managed to do right by the books and end it like he should have, unlike BOO. he took what made TLO good and used a similar formula. it's very different from "and for once I didn't look back", but it still fills you with warmth and the feeling that even though it's over, it's okay.
I'm just really emotional, this is all I can think about, but you bet I'm gonna add more when I remember
#ton#toa#tower of nero#the tower of nero#trials of apollo#pjo#hoo#ton spoilers#toa spoilers#riordanverse#pjoverse#lester papadopoulos#meg mccaffrey#will solace#nico di angelo#jason grace#rachel elizabeth dare#luguselwa#percy jackson#annabeth chase#piper mcclean#camp halfblood#percy jackson and the olympians
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Amicus Certus in re Incerta Cernitur
The first installment of my Reyna Swap AU, Alea Iacta Est // Percy Jackson & Reyna Avilla Ramírez Arellano // Hurt - Comfort // roughly two or three days post-Tartarus // tw vomiting & tw implied/referenced past child sexual assault // light swearing // 3.4k
(hey, @specific-dreamer, i started writing it :))
ao3
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Reyna exits her bed smoothly, flicking on the lamp as she goes. At night, when her cabin feels too dark and too small, the light is one of her only wards against her stiff spine and the shake of her shoulders. She ghosts her hands through her closet, searching for something thick and substantial, like the light and the reassuring click of the lock as she opens her door.
The floor of the quarter deck is cold under her bare feet, but the polished wood is soothing in its smoothness. She tugs on her sweatshirt against the cool temperature that accompanies flying far above the warm Mediterranean. Someone must have screwed with the thermostat last night–tonight–otherwise it would be compensating for the chill in the air.
It doesn’t affect the rest of the ship. The wood doesn’t contract or expand under the temperature, the boat doesn’t creak. It’s immune to the cold air and warm water in that way. She can’t quite decide if the silence that accompanies it is comforting or not as she descends to the main deck.
All of the lights are on down here, the rooms devoid of people. She knows that the lights of the lower deck will be off, because Leo sleeps down in the engine room, but the main deck is no man's land at this time of night. Someone has swept the floors, and with the lights on and undisturbed by organic shadow, this level seems more like a model of a ship than somewhere where people live. When the feeling turns from interesting to uncanny she finishes her route to the galley.
Though the galley is less of a galley, straight and narrow, than an actual kitchen you would find in a home. It’s large, even though Leo claims it’s unnecessary given his plate technology, and rather comfortable. A counter winds around the room, a large refrigerator with people’s personal food labeled, an oven and stove, and lastly, the sink: her destination.
She’s almost to the kitchen island before she sees Percy, sitting on the counter, looking for all the world as if he is a fixture of the kitchen itself. She doesn’t freeze when she sees him–she’s better than that–but she does let herself take stock of him, one leg hanging off the counter and his other knee propped under his chin, holding his head up.
His eyes look irritated, bags underneath that more closely resemble bruises, and a few pieces of hair are falling into his eyes, but he doesn’t do more than glance her way as she crosses to the sink next to him, so she leaves him be. Percy’s always been… observant. She could tell by the way he looked at her as she dropped from the Argo’s rope ladder. But since Tartarus he’s gotten quieter. Before, it used to just be a thing about him, not speaking unless he had something to say. Now it’s more obvious, like something or someone is keeping him.
She fills her glass of water and leans against the island, staring at the fridge.
She and Jason had had their own kitchen, as praetors. It was in the Principa, tucked out of the way, cold blue-greys and aggressively modern appliances. It reminded her of her childhood kitchen in that way. Cleanly impersonal–it more closely resembled an office break room. She and Jason barely used it, but still, they tucked their s’more supplies into a corner cupboard, and occasionally they would find each other there, making tea during late nights and early mornings.
The Argo kitchen is nicer, filled with warm colors and the smell of cinnamon. Percy cooks in here, she knows, though she has never seen him at it. When she had woken up that first morning after the disaster in New Rome there had been conchas on the counter. Leo, for all his initial grumbling, took to cooking in here while Percy and Annabeth were gone. His own little way of grieving, she thinks, taking a sip of water.
Percy lurches as if the ship has, uncharacteristically uncoordinated in his urgency. She straightens immediately as he twists off the counter and onto his feet. His forearms come down hard on the ledge of the counter, bracketing himself, and then he retches into the sink.
Strings of hair hang in his face as he does, she can now see that they are separated by sweat, and before she knows what she’s doing she’s across the aisle and holding his hair back and gives him the privacy of looking away, tucking away loose strands of hair. It’s deceptively soft, even with charred and patchy places here and there, and curlier than Leo’s. Memories of Hylla rage strong as she twists it around her finger, leaving no chance of it falling in the way again, the grey streak resembling a swirl.
Reyna can practically feel Hylla’s hands in her hair, her body sprawled against the wall of their cabin, head in a bucket. Hylla’s body, pressed against one side of her back, not overbearing, just a reminder that she was there now. On good nights they would end up in their bed before Reyna fell asleep, talking until Reyna’s brain could come back home. Hylla would twist Reyna’s hair into braids more beautiful and pure than Reyna could ever imagine being, and Reyna would complain about the smell of the bucket until Hylla got up to throw the contents overboard.
“Better your lunch than yourself,” Hylla sometimes joked upon her return, in that way people do when they are living through horrible things, doing horrible things, having horrible things thrust upon them. The memory burns now that Reyna isn’t there. She can’t find the humor in the joke now, only the threat of the first mate holding Reyna by the hair and threatening to make her walk the plank if she didn’t stop crying.
She couldn’t stop, but he didn’t seem to understand that, he just held her wrists until Hylla was there, in his cabin, talking with her voice smooth in a way it had never been before the Queen Anne’s Revenge. She talked until Reyna was allowed to leave, until the door shut with her still inside.
That was the night Blackbeard and his crew decided Reyna wasn’t worth it, a night she would forever be thankful for. Reyna couldn’t recover as fast as Hylla, she couldn’t put up with as much, she was wrecked after each encounter, and that night she would be thankful for it, and the day after, and the next, until she and Hylla were running the ship and she never had to think about it again.
Percy pants against the sink, signaling that he is done, and she takes a step back, suddenly uncomfortable and anxious for something to do.
She decides on giving him her glass of water–gods know he needs it more than she does–and watches him down the whole thing greedily. An air of clarity seems to blow through him, clearing his eyes and fixing his posture. Maybe that is the magic of a child of Poseidon. Water: an instant cure to all ailments.
“Thank you,” he says with a gasp as he finishes drinking. He wipes some vomit off a corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, frowning before he rinses it off in the sink. Reyna nods serenely in response, no judgement.
It’s a wrestle with herself, to decide if she wants to ask what has him puking his guts out. The fine line she always walks is taunting her, telling her not to alienate people, telling her that knowledge is power. The voice sounds suspiciously like Michelle, which only makes her prickle further. It’s a moot point, regardless. She can remember sitting with Thalia, legs swinging over the edge of a bridge, “I loved him to pieces, Reyna, but that asshole wouldn’t tell me he was hurt unless I pinned him down and threatened to zap his eyebrows off.” She’s going to ask.
“Are you okay?” They are hollow words, because none of them are, and she knows his answer.
“I’m fine,” And then a second later he is over the sink again, all of the water coming right back up.
She takes a place behind him, Hylla’s place, holding his hair back and drawing on his back with her other hand. She can feel his muscles clench each time more of his stomach empties, takes in his breathy swears, traces the letters on the back of his New Rome hoodie. She thinks it might have been hers at one point. It swallows him.
He pulls back, eventually, putting space between them. She lets him have it, but sticks to her spot, crossing her arms.
“Want to try that again?”
He breathes raggedly, head hung. “I can’t–” he lifts a hand to gesture to himself vaguely, but rests it swiftly, looking like he regrets the action. “I haven’t been able to keep food down. Since we got back. It’s too rich. Too much. I was stupid, forgetting how that worked,” he explains, reading the pull of her brow. “Forgot how it felt, too,” he adds, quietly.
She flicks the sink on, letting his remnants wash down the drain, and looks at him thoughtfully. He’s too tired to notice, or maybe to care. His knuckles white out on the edge of the counter, pulsing no doubt in tandem with his stomach. One of his legs begins to quake and she nudges it with her knee. He shifts.
“Is there a reason you’re camped out in here and not the bathroom?”
His breathing, slow and steady, a trained pattern, is interrupted by a faint chuckle. “Thought I wouldn’t run into no one. It’s not working out, clearly.”
He sits back on the counter gently, already clutching his stomach again. “I’ll get over it soon. Just a couple more days. I just–need to make sure I don’t tear my stomach lining.” His words come spaced out and slow, working between his breaths.
“Annabeth?” she asks, unable to mask concern, or maybe uninterested in doing so.
“Got over it,” he answers swiftly. It almost sounds like he is going to say more, but he doesn’t, and she lets it drop in favor of watching him. When he gulps she’s already by his side.
This time bile is the only thing that comes up. He hacks, searching for more, but all that's left is acid. She’s supporting almost his entire weight with one arm. A twitch of worry makes her muscles tense, alien to any type of worry she experienced while he and Annabeth were in the pits of hell. This is immediate, intimate, not abstract. Like seeing Jason’s face dripping gold.
Percy’s whole body shudders, head so deep in the sink she thinks he might be able to touch the sick and the porcelain with his nose if he were to go any further, but the spell seems to have stopped. His arms shake against the counter, and before he can follow through with getting his own vomit plastered across his face she uses her hold on his hair to gently tilt his head towards her.
His eyes are almost completely unfocused, squinting against the kitchen lighting behind her. His water lines have released their tears, finally surmounting the amount of control he had been maintaining. He looks utterly wrecked, and not in the deranged and semi-wild way he had been fresh out of the Doors of Death.
She switches her arm from propping him up to wrapping it around him, keeping him from falling back against the sink and grunting between his weight and his condition. His limbs are loose with relief, now. Almost limp. She orients him until he’s pressed against her hip, utterly malleable under her hands. An odd sense of warmth seems to travel up her arms and into her heart as he slots against her. From what she’s seen, from what she knows, Percy is not one to be controlled. He rebels against it, particularly resistant to anyone who is not a peer, or better yet, a friend. Yet here he is, letting her move his body for him.
It’s something she could never imagine herself doing; willingly handing herself over like this. But with the warmth is a new desire, a spark of hope that one day she will grow with people until she can let them take care of her like this.
“Let’s get you to the med bay,” she says.
“No.” It comes quiet and breathy, and then again with urgency, “No. Annabeth likes to take inventory there when she can’t sleep. Not the med bay.”
Avoiding the med bay on account of Annabeth is a stupid decision, but she reminds herself that Percy cares more about other people than he does himself. He doesn’t want Annabeth to be worried, Reyna thinks, to keep his problems to himself, and though that is not always the best plan, it’s not the worst. Reyna recognizes the necessity of keeping your shit to yourself. Percy might be one of the only people she knows that understands that and deserves it, so she just sighs.
“Okay.” She hooks her other arm under his, making sure he’s steady, and lowers him to the floor. “We’ll just set up camp here.”
He presses the back of his head against the cabinets, hands groping the cool stone floor, and then lets himself tip fully onto it. No complaints. Apparently he likes the change in location. She grabs a dish towel, folding it up and sliding it under his head, and a bowl, if he needs to give up his internal organs while she’s gone and can’t quite make it to the sink. With a shove of his shoulder he turns on his side, loosely grabbing his stomach and making her feel safe in the fact that he can’t choke on his own vomit.
She feels funny when she stands again, brushing her hands against her pant legs. She’s never taken care of someone like this before, never had to. She and Jason were there for each other during their fair share of unfortunate situations, but she never had to watch him like this; curled up on the ground, shaking, weak. She wonders if he was ever caught like this, in the bathroom across the hall. If he had ever wanted to ask her for help.
Annabeth isn’t in the med bay when Reyna goes to scrounge up some anti-nausea medication, and she isn’t coming down the stairs when Reyna makes her way back to the kitchen. Percy’s in the same spot, though. She supposes that counts for something as she sits next to his head, reading the directions on the back of the box.
It’s generic, a syrupy red that reminds her of fake blood in old horror movies. Percy coughs as it goes down, making a face and muttering something about cherry flavoring and scented markers.
When she’s sure he’s not going to up chuck the medicine, which would be a type of irony she is not ready for, she goes searching for something he can eat. The stores on the Argo II are significantly better than that of the Queen Anne’s Revenge, and greatly aided by the presence of a fridge, but she ends up with a packet of pedialyte powder she remembers seeing Percy use during their first week on the Argo. It’s orange, which she can respect as it’s the best artificial flavor.
Percy groans while she’s stirring it, and before she knows it she’s sitting by his side, letting him press his face into her leg. Her body seems to know what to do, even if she doesn’t, and she’s grateful for it.
“Would you rather rehydrate or take more medication?”
He groans again, nose brushing her thigh, and says, “Both.”
“Disregard the instructions?”
He hums against her leg, whispering her resolve into the ground, because she doesn’t argue. It doesn’t hurt that she couldn’t decide either, or that she has always been good at knowing when to break the rules.
“Whatever repercussions there are to this, it’s your fault,” she says instead, already measuring another dose.
He downs it like a shot and with a grimace, even though he is still laying on the floor. It manages to wring a snort out of her, as does the way he remarks that the straw she put in the pedialyte looks like a worm: “Which I’ll allow only because you chose blue; the best color.”
He fumbles in and out of consciousness, mind half addled, and she thinks she’s found a cheat code to becoming his friend. With his sharp eyes half closed and his height stolen by his horizontal position on the floor, too tired to keep his body wired and slurping through a straw because the energy to sit up seems like a far flung concept, he’s easy to see and even easier to like.
“You made the good shit,” he half slurs as he takes another sip.
“Yeah?”
“Grew up on this stuff,” he says by way of explanation. “It was free at my first school, low income and what not. Wanted to make sure we had enough calories to suffer through the school day. Picked it up at food banks, too.”
She hums, pretending he hasn’t just revealed something that she doubts he’s told anyone else. “Kept it around for the taste?”
“Malnourished after Lupa, just a bit,” he says arching his neck in discomfort before taking another sip. “I made sure to pick some up while we were still in the states. ‘Beth knows I like it though. I think she already bought some.”
“Yeah.” Reyna can vaguely remember something along those lines, sitting with Annabeth and going over supply lists for the ship. She’d been rambling and scatterbrained, which Reyna now knew was her default state.
He switches subjects after that, nothing sticking for long. It’s an interesting contrast to the Percy that she’s met. She wonders if he was like ths as a kid, or maybe it was longer than that. Maybe it was until they were swapped, maybe it was until Tartarus and she just never got the chance to see.
“You’re talkative when half your guts are down the drain,” she tells him, after listening to him ramble about the Knicks for a couple minutes.
“Blame my state.”
“I am, dumbass.”
“So rude,” he says in Spanish, sounding like her neighbors in Puerto Rico, getting together under the shade during the heat of the day, complaining about their daughters. “What’re you doing here anyway,” he asks, “Why aren’t you nice and cozy in your bed.”
“Obviously sitting on the floor with you is superior.”
He coughs out a laugh, there. Weak, but she can feel his amusement from the crinkle of his eyes before he sobers. “Really, why?”
“Nightmare.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
“Want to talk about Tartarus?” she snaps, because no, she does not want to talk about her historical issues with boats, or how she’s thinking of Jason, out there escorting a forty foot statue in an attempt to stop yet another war.
“Sorry,” Percy whispers, pulling his head back a bit.
“No, I’m sorry.” She’s supposed to be better than this. She’s supposed to be a leader, which does not include letting her frustrations out on others, no matter the time of day–or night. “That was unprofessional of me.”
He snorts. “We’re lying on the kitchen floor and I’m wearing Black panther pajama pants. Trust me, you don’t have to be professional here… And I’m sorry–for asking.”
“It’s alright,” she ends up saying, mostly thinking that he’s right. She’s about to tell him so when she notices that his eyes have slipped closed. “Let's get you to bed.”
“I’m not gonna sleep,” he grumbles.
“Well if I get you some more magic potion can you lie to me?”
He smiles at that, one side of his mouth going up farther than the other, like in almost every photo she saw of him during her months at Camp Half-Blood. “If you, Reyna Ramírez Allreano, get me more orange pedialyte, I will absolutely fall asleep as soon as I’m in my bed.”
“Glad we’re on the same page.”
#percy jackson#reyna avila ramirez arellano#reyna ramirez arellano#its been a while since i posted something for pjo#pjo#pjo fanfic#hoo fanfic#hoo#alea iacta est#Reyna!Swap au#chart writes#fic: Amicus Certus in re Incerta Cernitur#riordanverse#anyways I'm pretty happy with this and if you want some explanations or clarifications you can ask me or look at my final notes on ao3!#i already have another one in the works! it just needs to be beta read
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AU where Nico dies (don't hate me pls I'm sorry I love Nico and ship the hell out of Solangelo, this is just to allow for some dark AUs) transporting the Athena Parthenos in BoO.
(Sorry it's such a long post)
Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, revered praetor and peace-loving daughter of Bellona, loses the ability to share strength. Now, when she uses her power, she saps your energy, draws on your bravery, and poisons your mind with horrific images. Nico's death has allowed suppressed traits to resurface and overwhelm all her progress since San Juan all those years ago. She picks fights. She becomes a dictator in all but name, abolishing the Senate and making War Games a lot more "realistic": weekly funerals become commonplace, words are spoken under breaths, and terror resides in the heart of every New Roman. And so, Reyna Ramírez-Arellano turns her brilliant mind and poisonous power to Gaea's aid.
Gleeson Hedge doesn't seem more than a broken satyr at first glance, his smiles never sincere, his voice never loud, his bat never raised. But when he slips off into the wilderness, he does not sit quietly among the trees and reflect. He whispers into the trees' leaves, his twisted words echoing the bitterness that now consumes his being. He has been tricked too many times: Pan, forcing thousands of satyrs to lose their lives in their quest to find him when he was alive all along; Clarisse, who never tried to connect with nature or understand his own ties to the natural world, who teaches his child the game of death while Mellie watches, fading away, unable to fight back; the gods, who, in their promise of protection, conveniently ignored the nature spirits. He is bitterest about Nico's death: about all he could have done, about what the kid should have done. The glint in his eyes scares even the worst monster that Tartarus could send. But it is Gaea he turns his allegiance to. It is Gaea who promises that he will always be good enough for her. And so, Gleeson Hedge turns nature back to its true mother: Gaea.
Hazel Levesque is not someone you want as an enemy. Her golden eyes, gold like the masks of the judges of the dead, seem to see everything. Her powers grow stronger, but now she is able to control them. One glance, and she can cause an entire legion to scream and writhe in agony as she manipulates the iron in their blood, twists their shining armour, forces weapons to turn on their handlers. She stops wearing normal, mortal clothes, and now she wears flowing dresses of molten gold and bronze that no spear could pierce nor hand touch. She calls on the remnants of metal in the cave in Resurrection Bay to rise, and rise they do, twisting and weaving together at her command to form a cathedral-like vault with a solid Stygian iron throne. At the front of her temple lies a chasm from which her first creation arises, complete and healed, at last. Alcyoneus clambers out of the pit, back with his mother's life and Hazel's burning desire for destruction. And so, after seventy years, Hazel Levesque joins forces with Gaea of her own free will.
Frank Zhang's arrows are no longer aimed at Tartarus's monsters, but at the people he once considered friends. The ruins of the Zhang family mansion become a shrine to Gaea, the ancient walls falling in blissful happiness into the Earth Mother's embrace. Frank returns often with fresh skulls, unfailingly whole - his arrow pierces cleanly through the eye every time. His piece of firewood safe in Gaea's belly, protected where no flame could reach, he is unstoppable. His shapeshifting causes unforseen problems with the allies' plans, it's very hard to plan how to fight a lion when he could turn into a swarm of bees at any moment. He is the ultimate spy, a literal fly on the wall, and for once, he feels needed. He feels worth something. He feels as though he is good enough, something the gods could never give. All the gods ever did for Frank, he realises bitterly, is take. His mother. His grandmother. His self-confidence. His chance for a stable, loving family. Nico. And so, Frank Zhang finds a different kind of family, one that will not let him down, in Gaea.
Piper McLean never wanted to be a tragic love story; that was purely for her mother's entertainment. She
cuts her hair short. She kills Gaea's enemies on sight. Her charmspeak forces even her old family, Camp Half-Blood, to turn against each other, brother against brother, sister against sister, until bodies litter the strawberry fields and the Big House crumbles to smouldering ashes. The gods have her no love. Their boundaries mean nothing to her any more. Her love extends to her favourite mother, her boyfriend, the rest of the Seven, Grover, Reyna and Hedge. Beyond that, it is poison. Gaea takes her hands, looks into her eyes, and tells Piper that she is more than the spawn of an unfaithful, air-headed immortal, more than the damsel in distress. She tells Piper that she is who she decides to be. And Piper agrees. Gaea gives her the opportunity to be out of others' shadows. Piper McLean takes the chance and joins with Gaea, her charmspeak almost her most dangerous feature, second only to her unbridled wrath when Nico's death is mentioned.
Jason Grace owes fealty to only one eternal goddess now. He scours the Underworld with Hazel and Frank, relentless like the wolves he was brought up with. He knows no bounds, his destruction barely controllable by even Piper and her charmspeak. He has obliterated entire cities, counties, even an entire nation. He feels no regret, no remorse, no nagging guilt. He seeks out and electrocutes homophobes as his powers grow in complexity, along with his ability to control them. No matter how much they scream, the same two words shoot from Jason's scarred lips like the lightning bolts he commands: for Nico. As the darkness inside him grows, the son of Jupiter advances on Olympus, eyes and hands blazing, to destroy his father, as one of Gaea's allies, as one of Gaea's found children. Jason Grace vows by Nico's soul and Gaea's love to destroy the gods who shamelessly abandoned them.
Percy Jackson has been close to the darkness before. As just one examole, he's controlled poison to choke the goddess of misery at the edge of Chaos. But now, Annabeth's words at the time - some things aren't meant to be controlled - strike differently. Percy doesn't follow rules any more. That brooding, troublemaking face now alludes to his new form: gone is the class clown, here is something more akin to a devil. Like Hazel, he has made hundreds of people and monsters shriek in pain as he controls their blood, contorting their bodies into unnatural forms and snapping necks with a mere snap of his fingers. If Nico's death is mentioned around the pair of them - Hazel and Percy - both turn on the individual, eyes smouldering with the deceitfully cool ashes of the fire of grief, and slowly unleash their wrath. Percy cannot be controlled. He wants revenge. Part of him wishes he had never given his mother the head of Medusa to kill Smelly Gabe; it tore him to pieces when he made the fluid in her head seep out of her eyes. But she wouldn't stop begging him to leave Gaea. She had to go. She was no longer loving him as he knew he deserved. Now, Percy Jackson takes his support from the mother he should have accepted long ago: Gaea.
Annabeth Chase did not accept powers from her new mother, her better mother. She chose to use her mind as her weapon and Gaea respected that. Gaea gave her the resources she needed to wreak havoc on mortals and immortals alike. Now, instead of studying for a stupid internship in a misogynistic, capitalist society, Annabeth unleashes her fury, her grief, her mind on the world. The gods deserve to pay for what happened to Nico. The demigods need to feel her grief. The mortals started this stupid cycle of overwork and inadequate pay. Annabeth is ready to work with the mother that respects her, that loves her, that nurtures her as she deserves. And work she does. Plan after plan is developed, improved, redrafted, mocked up, redeveloped, and finally executed with clinical precision. Her mind becomes what her enemies most fear, even above her reputation: first child of Athena in millennia to reach Arachne, retriever of the Athena Parthenos, survivor of Tartarus. And she laughs, laughs in a maniacal way that makes you want to take a step back as she strides towards you, grey eyes alight with an unnatural glint as you realise that she knows everything about you and she knows how this will end. She will not let herself or her friends die. She refuses to let another situation like Nico's death happen again. So, Annabeth Chase takes Gaea's resources and turns them into a mass genocide, executed with her new mother's blessing.
Grover Underwood leads the nature spirits now. He commands dryads to extend their unstoppable tendrils through the paths that Gaea forms for them, deep in the earth, then sending them exploding through the surface and reclaiming all that was torn from them under the pretence of friendship. His empathy link with Percy allows him some degree of control, both over the son of Poseidon and over naiads. Grover is betrayed and bitterly disappointed in Pan, in the gods, in demigods, in mortals, in Nico. And so, he turns nature back home with Gleeson Hedge. The hauntingly beautiful whistling of his pipes lures demigods, mortals, even gods to their doom. Apollo is the first to fall, trapped by the music of the satyr whose horns now make him seem diabolical as he dances in the flames. Grover Underwood finds his roots in Gaea and his revenge in destruction.
Leo Valdez wants to burn the world to ashes. There's not a moment he's not on fire, his hair smouldering, his skin aglow. At his feet lies Hera, trussed up like a rodeo calf, bound by the power of the guardian Leo knows he deserved as a child. There is no Piper with her charmspeak to free the ex-queen; at least, Piper is by Leo's side as he blasts her with his searing flames. There's a smile on Leo's face that rivals even Annabeth's as he torches cities, razes acres and lights up the sky with plumes of smoke and columns of fire. His reasoning feels etched into his heart: the gods let Nico die. The gods let us down one time too many. And so he lets the flames go. Gaea stands behind him, her hand on his shoulder, proud and respectful. She knows that he secretly enjoyed starting the war with New Rome. He has fire powers; it's only natural, and that Octavian is enough to drive anyone mad. So, Leo Valdez finally makes his peace with Gaea.
Will Solace goes out like a light as the news of his beloved's death is announced. He lies, broken and silent, in Gaea's arms, tears streaming down his face. He stirs only for Nico's name, and his eyes turn slowly to whoever dared say it. He reaches out an arm, eyes turning black, leaching all the colour from the surroundings as his whisper echoes: there is no hope. Behind him stands Gaea, a tear of her own on her earthen cheek. She feels his pain, raw and fresh. But she takes some of it onto herself. Will Solace shares his grief with Gaea now.
And so they stand, eyes alight and expressions dark and triumphant, by the side of the goddess who did not want to let Nico die.
Gaea smiles.
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hey!! i loved your hoo playlist! can you explain more or less where which book begins and ends? or just your thought process behind picking the songs?
omg hi!! this is going to be really long I’m so sorry... I vaguely broke them up by book and sorta character/event/theme, it’s not super strict or anything but that was the logic!
I kinda imagine it playing out like a movie or tv series.. and so some of these kinda play over a scene or transition to the credits in my head? some more than others! otherwise it’s like punny titles or just songs that remind of plot points!
Lost Hero
- Goodbye Stranger - for Jason, since he has no idea what’s going on lol
- Teenage Dream - for the three of them, but mostly Piper!
You think I'm pretty without any makeup on
You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong
- Parachute - kinda Jason and Piper, I think as she realizes their relationship isn’t quite what it seems? (and just playing with his flying lol!)
- Metal Guru - Leo!
- Pretty Girl - Piper, I was imagining this when she clashes with Drew/learns about the Aphrodite cabin
And I could be a pretty girl
Shut up when you want me to
And I could be a pretty girl
Won't ever make you blue
And I could be a pretty girl
I'll lose myself in you
- The Sky’s The Limit - when the three of them take off on Festus
- Snowqueen Of Texas - this was for Khione lol
I'm on my knees, your majesty;
Snowqueen, save a cold kiss for me
I'm on my knees your majesty
- Sweet Talkin’ Woman - this is book-wide but it’s for Piper’s charmspeak!
- Are You Gonna Be My Girl - is sorta general but I was imagining it when Jason and Piper kinda decide to be together/give it another go
- It’s Not Unusual - I think this was sorta the entire book/wider series but I just think it’s cute and fun and a Guardians of the Galaxy type end credits song? And just them accepting their very bizarre situation
Son of Neptune + Mark of Athena
I put these together because there wasn’t really a set bookend in my head!
- Hello Stranger - finally reuniting with Percy! (and I wanted the Percy and Jason songs to mirror each other)
Hello stranger
(Ooh) It seems so good to see you back again
How long has it been?
(Ooh it seems like a mighty long time)
- Diamonds - Hazel
- Don’t Go Breaking My Heart - Frank trusting Hazel with the wood, also Percy + Annabeth, everyone really
Don't go breaking my heart
You take the weight off of me
Oh, honey when you knock on my door
Ooh, I gave you my key
- Beautiful Soul - I literally don’t know why I added this I just wanted an excuse to add a Jesse McCartney song (which feels so tonally correct to me?) but also I think it’s Frank liking Hazel in spite of her big secret and Percy loving Annabeth
- Pocketful of Rainbows - encountering Iris!
I don't worry
Whenever skies are gray above
Got a pocketful of rainbows
Got a heart full of love
- Am I The Same Girl - Annabeth’s POV upon reunion!
Why don´t you stop
And look me over
Am I the same girl you used to know?
Why don´t you stop
And think it over
Am I the same girl who knew your soul?
- Bizarre Love Triangle - Frank, Hazel, and Leo
- Treasure - Hazel again + the literal treasure?
Pretty girl, pretty girl, pretty girl you should be smiling (you should be smiling)
A girl like you should never look so blue (blue)
You're everything I see in my dreams
I wouldn't say that to you if it wasn't true
- The Sweet Escape - off on the Argo II
- Okay Okay - to Italy! and I just think Italian disco is so fun
- On An Evening in Roma - walking around Rome, seeing all its history
Though there's grinning and mandolining in sunny Italy
The beginning has just begun when the sun goes down
So please meet me in the plaza near your casa
I am only one and that is one too few
On an evening in Roma
Don't know what the country's coming to
But in Rome do as the Romans do
Will you on an evening in Roma
- Stuck on the puzzle - Annabeth + the Mark of Athena
- Coca Cola - I was imagining the pirates+sacrifice to Dionysus/ his appearance
- Edge of Seventeen - I think Annabeth remarks to herself something like am I really going to die at 17? so this is for her and all the kids just on the cusp of being 17
And the days go by, like a strand in the wind
In the web that is my own, I begin again
Said to my friend, baby (everything stopped)
Nothin' else mattered
- Landslide - when everything goes wrong and they start falling to Tartarus
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Well, I've been afraid of changin'
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older too
House of Hades + Blood of Olympus
these are more thematic I think? but a few moments in particular
- Head Over Heels - falling down...
I made a fire, and watching it burn
Thought of your future
With one foot in the past, now just how long will it last?
Something happens and I'm head over heels
I never find out until I'm head over heels
Something happens and I'm head over heels
Ah, don't take my heart, don't break my heart
Don't, don't, don't throw it away
- You and Me - Percy and Annabeth in Tartarus
If the stars don't shine
If the moon won't rise
If I never see the setting sun again
You won't hear me cry as I testify
Please believe me boy you know I would I lie
As long as there is you and me
- Don’t Worry Baby - Percy and Annabeth in Tartarus, on the shore of the river
Well it's been building up inside of me
For oh I don't know how long
I don't know why
But I keep thinking
Something's bound to go wrong
But she looks in my eyes
And makes me realize
And she says "don't worry, baby"
- It’s Only A Paper Moon - the mist and Hazel starting to understand it
You smile, the bubble has a rainbow in it
Say, it's only a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
- Money, Money, Money - Hazel + Pluto
Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
- Magic - the whole story, but particularly with the presence of Hecate
- Summer Wind - Jason harnessing the winds!
The summer wind came blowin' in from across the sea
It lingered there, to touch your hair and walk with me
All summer long we sang a song and then we strolled that golden sand
Two sweethearts and the summer wind
- Mala Femmina - the return of Khione
- Would You? - Leo and Calypso
Well, you know she took my hand
And we walked away
And I can't understand why she would stay
Would you like to fall in love with me?
- Love is Like a Fire - Leo and also Frank
- Don’t Wanna Fight - Percy and Annabeth
Take from my hand
Put in your hands
The fruit of all my grief
Lying down ain't easy
When everyone is pleasing
I can't get no relief
Living ain't no fun
The constant dedication
Keeping the water and power on
There ain't nobody left
Why can't I catch my breath?
I'm gonna work myself to death
- Love Really Hurts With You - Leo after leaving Calypso’s island
- What Makes the Sunset - Percy and Annabeth (and by extension Bob and Damasen)
What makes the sunset?
What makes the moonrise?
What makes the tide remember to hide and why does it soon rise?
What makes a star fall?
Where does it fall to?
Why does its flight make us stop in the night and wish as we all do?
- Dedicated to the One I Love - everybody, but an ode to Bob and Damasen (their goodbye made me cry!)
While I'm far away from you my baby
I know it's hard for you my baby
Because it's hard for me my baby
And the darkest hour is just before dawn
Each night before you go to bed my baby
Whisper a little prayer for me my baby
And tell all the stars above
This is dedicated to the one I love
- Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want - Percy and Annabeth in Tartarus, I was thinking about this post-curses and them being so done with everything
Good times for a change
See, the luck I've had
Can make a good man
Turn bad
So please, please, please
Let me, let me, let me
Let me get what I want
This time
- Lonely Boy - Nico
- Fantasy - indulging all their visions... the mist, etc.
- Stupid Cupid - Nico and Cupid (of course)
Stupid Cupid you're a real mean guy (stupid Cupid)
I'd like to clip your wings so you can't fly (stupid Cupid)
I'm in love and it's a crying shame (stupid Cupid)
And I know that you're the one to blame (stupid Cupid)
Hey hey, set me free
Stupid Cupid stop picking on me
- Suzanne - still Nico, looking over at the couple (sorry... all the mopey songs)
- Dream A Little Dream of Me - dreams... also Percy’s wishes of the future
Stars shining bright above you
Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"
Birds singing in the sycamore tree
Dream a little dream of me
- Our Day Will Come - I think Annabeth says a line almost like this? somewhere at the end of HOH, I think when they’ve just gotten out of Tartarus and are all sitting together, like haven’t they had enough? won’t their day finally come?
Our day will come
If we just wait a while
No tears for us
Think love and wear a smile
Our dreams have magic because
We'll always stay
In love this way
- Call Me - all of them! also Nico and Reyna, just being there for each other
Tell me and I'll be around
Now don't forget me 'cause if you let me
I will always stay by you
You've got to trust me, that's how it must be
- Nobody - Nico... oh buddy
Venus, planet of love
Was destroyed by global warming
Did its people want too much too?
Did its people want too much?
And I don't want your pity
I just want somebody near me
Guess I'm a coward
I just want to feel alright
- I’m a Believer - Jason and Piper
I thought love was only true in fairy tales
Meant for someone else but not for me
Love was out to get me
That's the way it seemed
Disappointment haunted all my dreams
Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer
Not a trace of doubt in my mind
- Summertime - Piper singing and it being the end of summer
- Happy Trails - more singing ( I want to include the songs actually mentioned!)
- The End of the World - the big battle!!
Why does the sun go on shining?
Why does the sea rush to shore?
Don't they know it's the end of the world?
'Cause you don't love me any more
- Too Late To Turn Back Now - departing with Festus (I think Leo almost says this too!)
- Here Comes The Sun - day comes, the Athena Parthenos is back
Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
- Walking On Sunshine - Will Solace
- Evil Woman - Gaea fight
Evil woman, how you done me wrong
But now you're tryin' to wail a different song
Ha, ha, funny, how you broke me up
You made the wine, now you drink a cup
I came runnin' every time you cried
Thought I saw love smilin' in your eyes
Ha, ha, very nice to know
That you ain't got no place left to go
- Seven Wonders - the seven! also traveling the world... making it this far
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
The rainbow's edge
- This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) - to me this is just after Annabeth and Percy’s kiss, shots of everyone back to camp, wides of people running around, new cabins under construction, the sun is shining, the camera pulls out
Loving you is some kind of wonderful
Because you showed me just how much you care
You've given me the thrill of a lifetime
And made me believe you've got more thrills to spare, oh!
- Love Makes the World Go Round - like the end credits! last pov with Piper, love makes it all happen
Without love flowers wouldn't grow in the spring
And without spring, yeah the birdies just couldnt sing
Everybody needs love
to watch the twinkling stars above
It makes a boy and girl,
Say they feel so fine, now
#SORRY I REALLY WASTED A LOT OF TIME ON IT#percy jackson#pjo#hoo#heroes of olympus#piper mclean#annabeth chase#jason grace#leo valdez#hazel levesque#frank zhang#Anonymous
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Y/N L/N AND THE HALFBLOODS
Percy Jackson X Reader
-Y/N L/N met Percy Jackson and everything was now ruined.
CHAPTER 19: Sand On My Feet Are The Worst
Imagine the largest concert crowd you've ever seen, a football field packed with a million fans.
Now imagine a field a million times that big, packed with people, and imagine the electricity has gone out, and there is no noise, no light, no beach ball bouncing around over the crowd. Something tragic has happened backstage. Whispering masses of people are just milling around in the shadows, waiting for a concert that will never start.
If you can picture that, you have a pretty good idea what the Fields of Asphodel looked like. The black grass had been trampled by eons of dead feet. A warm, moist wind blew like the breath of a swamp. Black trees—Grover told me they were poplars—grew in clumps here and there.
The cavern ceiling was so high above us it might've been a bank of storm clouds, except for the stalactites, which glowed faint gray and looked wickedly pointed. I tried not to imagine they'd fall on us at any moment, but dotted around the fields were several that had fallen and impaled themselves in the black grass. I guess the dead didn't have to worry about little hazards like being speared by stalactites the size of booster rockets.
Annabeth, Grover, Percy, and I tried to blend into the crowd, keeping an eye out for security ghouls. I couldn't help looking for familiar faces among the spirits of Asphodel, but the dead are hard to look at. Their faces shimmer. They all look slightly angry or confused. They will come up to you and speak, but their voices sound like chatter, like bats twittering. Once they realize you can't understand them, they frown and move away.
The dead aren't scary. They're just sad.
Don't worry... Death isn't bad compared to life.
We crept along, following the line of new arrivals that snaked from the main gates toward a black-tented pavilion with a banner that read:
JUDGMENTS FOR ELYSIUM AND ETERNAL DAMNATION
Welcome, Newly Deceased!
Out the back of the tent came two much smaller lines.
To the left, spirits flanked by security ghouls were marched down a rocky path toward the Fields of Punishment, which glowed and smoked in the distance, a vast, cracked wasteland with rivers of lava and minefields and miles of barbed wire separating the different torture areas. Even from far away, I could see people being chased by hellhounds, burned at the stake, forced to run naked through cactus patches or listen to opera music. I could just make out a tiny hill, with the ant-size figure of Sisyphus struggling to move his boulder to the top. And I saw worse tortures, too—things I don't want to describe.
The line coming from the right side of the judgment pavilion was much better. This one led down toward a small valley surrounded by walls—a gated community, which seemed to be the only happy part of the Underworld. Beyond the security gate were neighborhoods of beautiful houses from every time period in history, Roman villas and medieval castles and Victorian mansions. Silver and gold flowers bloomed on the lawns. The grass rippled in rainbow colors. I could hear laughter and smell barbecue cooking.
Elysium.
In the middle of that valley was a glittering blue lake, with three small islands like a vacation resort in the Bahamas. The Isles of the Blest, for people who had chosen to be reborn three times, and three times achieved Elysium. Immediately I knew that's where I wanted to go when I died. If I die.
"I am so ready to die if that's where I'll go."
"That's what it's all about," Annabeth said, "That's the place for heroes."
But I thought of how few people there were in Elysium, how tiny it was compared to the Fields of Asphodel or even the Fields of Punishment. So few people did good in their lives. It was depressing.
We left the judgment pavilion and moved deeper into the Asphodel Fields. It got darker. The colors faded from our clothes. The crowds of chattering spirits began to thin.
After a few miles of walking, we began to hear a familiar screech in the distance. Looming on the horizon was a palace of glittering black obsidian. Above the parapets swirled three dark bat like creatures: the Furies. I got the feeling they were waiting for us.
"I suppose it's too late to turn back," Percy said wistfully.
"We'll be okay." I smiled.
"Maybe we should search some of the other places first," Grover suggested. "Like, Elysium, for instance..."
"Come on, goat boy." Annabeth grabbed his arm.
Grover yelped. His sneakers sprouted wings and his legs shot forward, pulling him away from Annabeth. He landed flat on his back in the grass.
"Grover," Annabeth chided. "Stop messing around."
"But I didn't—"
He yelped again. His shoes were flapping like crazy now. They levitated off the ground and started dragging him away from us.
"Maia!" he yelled, but the magic word seemed to have no effect. "Maia, already! Nine-one-one! Help!"
I got over being stunned and made a grab for Grover's hand, but too late. He was picking up speed, skidding downhill like a bobsled.
We ran after him.
Annabeth shouted, "Untie the shoes!"
It was a smart idea, but I guess it's not so easy when your shoes are pulling you along feetfirst at full speed. Grover tried to sit up, but he couldn't get close to the laces.
We kept after him, trying to keep him in sight as he ripped between the legs of spirits who chattered at him in annoyance.
I was sure Grover was going to barrel straight through the gates of Hades's palace, but his shoes veered sharply to the right and dragged him in the opposite direction.
The slope got steeper. Grover picked up speed. Annabeth, Percy and I had to sprint to keep up. The cavern walls narrowed on either side, and I realized we'd entered some kind of side tunnel. No black grass or trees now, just rock underfoot, and the dim light of the stalactites above.
"Grover!" Percy yelled, my voice echoing. "Hold on to something!"
"What?" he yelled back.
He was grabbing at gravel, but there was nothing big enough to slow him down.
The tunnel got darker and colder. The hairs on my arms bristled. It smelled evil down here. It made me think of things I shouldn't even know about—blood spilled on an ancient stone altar, the foul breath of a murderer.
Percy saw what was ahead of us, and he stopped dead in my tracks.
The tunnel widened into a huge dark cavern, and in the middle was a chasm the size of a city block.
Grover was sliding straight toward the edge.
"Come on, Percy!" I yelled, tugging at his wrist.
"But that's—"
"I know!" Annabeth shouted. "The place you described in your dream! But Grover's going to fall if we don't catch him." She was right, of course. Grover's predicament got me moving again.
He was yelling, clawing at the ground, but the winged shoes kept dragging him toward the pit, and it didn't look like we could possibly get to him in time.
What saved him were his hooves.
The flying sneakers had always been a loose fit on him, and finally Grover hit a big rock and the left shoe came flying off. It sped into the darkness, down into the chasm. The right shoe kept tugging him along, but not as fast. Grover was able to slow himself down by grabbing on to the big rock and using it like an anchor.
He was ten feet from the edge of the pit when we caught him and hauled him back up the slope. The other winged shoe tugged itself off, circled around us angrily and kicked our heads in protest before flying off into the chasm to join its twin.
We all collapsed, exhausted, on the obsidian gravel.
"Are you okay?"
Grover was scratched up pretty bad. His hands were bleeding. His eyes had gone slit-pupiled, goat style, the way they did whenever he was terrified.
"I don't know how..." he panted. "I didn't..."
"Wait," I said. "Listen."
I heard something—a deep whisper in the darkness.
Another few seconds, and Annabeth said, "Y/N, this place—"
"Shh." I stood.
The sound was getting louder, a muttering, evil voice from far, far below us. Coming from the pit.
Grover sat up. "Wh—what's that noise?"
Annabeth heard it too, now. I could see it in her eyes. "Tartarus. The entrance to Tartarus."
I turned to Percy, he uncapped Riptide.
The bronze sword expanded, gleaming in the darkness, and the evil voice seemed to falter, just for a moment, before resuming its chant.
I could almost make out words now, ancient, ancient words, older even than Greek. As if...
"Magic," I said.
"We have to get out of here," Annabeth said.
Annabeth and I dragged Grover to his hooves and started back up the tunnel. Percy was lagging behind us. The voice got louder and angrier behind us, and we broke into a run.
Not a moment too soon.
A cold blast of wind pulled at our backs, as if the entire pit were inhaling. For a terrifying moment, Percy lost ground, I luckily got a hold of him. If we'd been any closer to the edge, we would've been sucked in.
We kept struggling forward, and finally reached the top of the tunnel, where the cavern widened out into the Fields of Asphodel. The wind died. A wail of outrage echoed from deep in the tunnel. Something was not happy we'd gotten away.
"What was that?" Grover panted, when we'd collapsed in the relative safety of a black poplar grove. "One of Hades's pets?"
No... We all know what's down there.
Annabeth and Percy looked at each other. I could tell they knew what's down there.
Percy capped his sword, put the pen back in jis pocket. "Let's keep going."
I looked at Grover. "Can you walk?"
He swallowed. "Yeah, sure. I never liked those shoes, anyway."
He tried to sound brave about it, but he was trembling as badly as Annabeth and I were. Whatever was in that pit was nobody's pet. It was unspeakably old and powerful. Even Echidna hadn't given me that feeling. I was almost relieved to turn my back on that tunnel and head toward the palace of Hades.
Almost.
The Furies circled the parapets, high in the gloom. The outer walls of the fortress glittered black, and the two-story-tall bronze gates stood wide open.
Up close, I saw that the engravings on the gates were scenes of death. Some were from modern times—an atomic bomb exploding over a city, a trench filled with gas mask-wearing soldiers, a line of African famine victims waiting with empty bowls—but all of them looked as if they'd been etched into the bronze thousands of years ago. I wondered if I was looking at prophecies that had come true.
Inside the courtyard was the strangest garden I'd ever seen. Multicolored mushrooms, poisonous shrubs, and weird luminous plants grew without sunlight. Precious jewels made up for the lack of flowers, piles of rubies as big as my fist, clumps of raw diamonds. Standing here and there like frozen party guests were Medusa's garden statues— petrified children, satyrs, and centaurs—all smiling grotesquely.
In the center of the garden was an orchard of pomegranate trees, their orange blooms neon bright in the dark. "The garden of Persephone," Annabeth said. "Keep walking."
I understood why she wanted to move on. The tart smell of those pomegranates was almost overwhelming. I had a sudden desire to eat them, but then I remembered the story of Persephone. One bite of Underworld food, and we would never be able to leave. I pulled Grover away to keep him from picking a big juicy one.
We walked up the steps of the palace, between black columns, through a black marble portico, and into the house of Hades. The entry hall had a polished bronze floor, which seemed to boil in the reflected torchlight. There was no ceiling, just the cavern roof, far above. I guess they never had to worry about rain down here.
Every side doorway was guarded by a skeleton in military gear. Some wore Greek armor, some British redcoat uniforms, some camouflage with tattered American flags on the shoulders. They carried spears or muskets or M-16s. None of them bothered us, but their hollow eye sockets followed us as we walked down the hall, toward the big set of doors at the opposite end.
Two U.S. Marine skeletons guarded the doors. They grinned down at us, rocket-propelled grenade launchers held across their chests.
"You know," Grover mumbled, "I bet Hades doesn't have trouble with door-to-door salesmen."
"Well, guys," I said. "I suppose we should ... knock?"
A hot wind blew down the corridor, and the doors swung open. The guards stepped aside.
"I guess that means entrez-vous," Annabeth said.
A god we shall meet. But this one's different.
The room inside looked just like in my dream, except this time the throne of Hades was occupied.
He was the third god I'd met, but the first who really struck me as godlike.
He was at least ten feet tall, for one thing, and dressed in black silk robes and a crown of braided gold. His skin was albino white, his hair shoulder-length and jet black. He wasn't bulked up like Ares, but he radiated power. He lounged on his throne of fused human bones, looking lithe, graceful, and dangerous as a panther.
I immediately felt like he should be giving the orders. He knew more than I did. He should be my master. Then I told myself to snap out of it.
Hades's aura was affecting me, just as Ares's had. The Lord of the Dead resembled pictures I'd seen of Adolph Hitler, or Napoleon, or the terrorist leaders who direct suicide bombers. Hades had the same intense eyes, the same kind of mesmerizing, evil charisma.
"You are brave to come here, Son of Poseidon," he said in an oily voice. "After what you have done to me, very brave indeed. Or perhaps you are simply very foolish."
I fought the feeling to step forward.
Percy knew what to say, he had to be the one to talk... "Lord and Uncle, I come with two requests."
Hades raised an eyebrow. When he sat forward in his throne, shadowy faces appeared in the folds of his black robes, faces of torment, as if the garment were stitched of trapped souls from the Fields of Punishment, trying to get out. The ADHD part of me wondered, off-task, whether the rest of his clothes were made the same way. What horrible things would you have to do in your life to get woven into Hades's underwear?
"Only two requests?" Hades said. "Arrogant child. As if you have not already taken enough. Speak, then. It amuses me not to strike you dead yet."
I glanced at the empty, smaller throne next to Hades's. It was shaped like a black flower, gilded with gold. I wished Queen Persephone were here. I recalled something in the myths about how she could calm her husband's moods. But it was summer. Of course, Persephone would be above in the world of light with her mother, the goddess of agriculture, Demeter. Her visits, not the tilt of the planet, create the seasons.
Annabeth cleared her throat. Her finger prodded Percy in the back.
"Lord Hades," Percy said. "Look, sir, there can't be a war among the gods. It would be... bad."
"Really bad," Grover added helpfully.
"Return Zeus's master bolt to me," Percy said. "Please, sir. Let me carry it to Olympus."
Hades's eyes grew dangerously bright. "You dare keep up this pretense, after what you have done?"
Percy glanced back to us.
"Um... Uncle," He said. "You keep saying 'after what you've done.' What exactly have I done?"
The throne room shook with a tremor so strong, they probably felt it upstairs in Los Angeles. Debris fell from the cavern ceiling. Doors burst open all along the walls, and skeletal warriors marched in, hundreds of them, from every time period and nation in Western civilization. They lined the perimeter of the room, blocking the exits.
Hades bellowed, "Do you think I want war, godling?"
"Well, these guys don't look like peace activists." I accidentally slipped.
The three of them looked at me in surprise. Hades glared at me.
"The unclaimed." He scoffed. "You are as foolish as every Gods had said."
I wanted to say more but Annabeth had grabbed me and forced me to bow.
"U-Uhm... Y-You are the Lord of the Dead," Percy said carefully. "A war would expand your kingdom, right?"
"A typical thing for my brothers to say! Do you think I need more subjects? Did you not see the sprawl of the Asphodel Fields?"
"Well..."
"Have you any idea how much my kingdom has swollen in this past century alone, how many subdivisions I've had to open?"
Hades was on a roll now. Go Hades.
"More security ghouls," he moaned. "Traffic problems at the judgment pavilion. Double overtime for the staff. I used to be a rich god, Percy Jackson. I control all the precious metals under the earth. But my expenses!"
"Charon wants a pay raise," I smirked.
"Don't get me started on Charon!" Hades yelled. "He's been impossible ever since he discovered Italian suits! Problems everywhere, and I've got to handle all of them personally. The commute time alone from the palace to the gates is enough to drive me insane! And the dead just keep arriving. No, godling. I need no help getting subjects! I did not ask for this war."
"But you took Zeus's master bolt."
"Lies!" More rumbling. Hades rose from his throne, towering to the height of a football goalpost. "Your father may fool Zeus, boy, but I am not so stupid. I see his plan."
"His plan?"
"You were the thief on the winter solstice," he said. "Your father thought to keep you his little secret. He directed you into the throne room on Olympus, You took the master bolt and my helm. Had I not sent my Fury to discover you at Yancy Academy, Poseidon might have succeeded in hiding his scheme to start a war. But now you have been forced into the open. You will be exposed as Poseidon's thief, and I will have my helm back!"
"But...." Annabeth spoke. I could tell her mind was going a million miles an hour. "Lord Hades, your helm of darkness is missing, too?"
"Do not play innocent with me, girl. You and the satyr have been helping this hero—coming here to threaten me in Poseidon's name, no doubt—to bring me an ultimatum. Does Poseidon think I can be blackmailed into supporting him?"
"No!" Percy said. "Poseidon didn't—I didn't—"
"I have said nothing of the helm's disappearance," Hades snarled, "because I had no illusions that anyone on Olympus would offer me the slightest justice, the slightest help. I can ill afford for word to get out that my most powerful weapon of fear is missing. So I searched for you myself, and when it was clear you were coming to me to deliver your threat, I did not try to stop you."
"You didn't try to stop us? But—"
"Return my helm now, or I will stop death," Hades threatened. "That is my counterproposal. I will open the earth and have the dead pour back into the world. I will make your lands a nightmare. And you, Percy Jackson—your skeleton will lead my army out of Hades."
The skeletal soldiers all took one step forward, making their weapons ready.
At that point, I probably should have been terrified. The strange thing was, I felt offended. Nothing gets me angrier than being accused of something I didn't do. I've had a lot of experience with that.
"You're as bad as Zeus and Poseidon," I said. "You think Percy stole from you? That's why you sent the Furies after us?"
"Of course," Hades said.
"And the other monsters?"
Hades curled his lip. "I had nothing to do with them. I wanted no quick death for you—I wanted you brought before me alive so you might face every torture in the Fields of Punishment. Why do you think I let you enter my kingdom so easily?"
"Easily?" I scoffed. "You are the worse! My gods! I hate all of you!" I was gripping my hair laughing like a maniac.
Annabeth was about to grab me when I shrugged her and walked forward which alerted everyone.
"Wat---"
"Wait up, I let you go on a roll dead guy. My turn." I hissed staring at him right in the eye.
We are going to talk.
I had no idea why but no one moved, Hades looked at me curiously then to my friends who are either scared of Hades's upcoming wrath or mine.
"Do carry on."
"Listen here big guy." Pointing my finger at him, "You. Are. Mean. Are all gods stupid and mean?! I can't get close to water since I was a kid because there's an idiot who hates me! And here I am trying to help him get something! And he hadn't even bothered to keep his hate for me until this stupid quest is over!!" I panted.
"Y/---"
"Not yet goat boy!" I pointed at what ever was above us. "and that stuck up, up there who thinks he's all high and mighty? Does he have to cause a war?! Can't he just get down from his high throne none of this would happen if he wasn't all high and mighty when all he could do is take a child's parents because they cheated on sims!"
"I don---"
"And you Mr. Emo! You've had Mrs. Dodds on Percy! What made you think he's have your stupid helmet?! When did he get it? During his potty time?! Did his father Amazon that thing to him or something?! We. Don't. Have. Anything! Grover doesn't even have shoes!! What made you think we'd have the luxury of carrying the bolt and helm but not extra shoes for the goat?!"
"Y/N!" Percy yelled.
"What?!"
"If you're done with your point calm down... I don't think Lord Hades would be kind enough to entertain you anymore..." Annabeth whispered.
"I am almost done." I took a deep breath. And walked closer to actually be able to touch him, the three behind me caught their breath. "... My parents... are M/N and F/N L/N. I am Y/N L/N. I don't care which all mighty it is. I am not unclaimed. I will get them back. I will save them. And I will come back here and get on with you again if I have to just to save them. Because they're my parents, I have no other." I then gave him a smile which was a total turn of my emotions, "And kill me now if you will. Just know, I'll be here in your kingdom forever which ever part and I will be taking it as a compliment of how much you enjoy my company."
He was much larger than I was so all I could do there was shove whatever I could, then walked back to Percy.
They all looked at Hades, he was going to kill us. That was one thing everyone agreed on.
Nine. I chose that prophecy. You are aware of my prophecy. You are aware of who our parents are after all.
"Y/N L/N, daughter of L/N. It's foolish of you to talk to me like that. You best be careful of how you talk to Gods. Others won't hesitate killing you."
The other three were stunned. Looking between me and Hades.
"Whoa, wait a minute. You won't kill me? Are you saying it was cool I talked to you like that? "
"I will not kill you." Hades emphasized on the word 'you' and looked at Percy, Grover and Annabeth. "And I may spare your friends, if you return what is mine."
"We don't have it."
Pointing at Percy, "Open your pack, then."
A horrible feeling struck me.
Percy slung it off his shoulder and unzipped it. Inside was a two-foot-long metal cylinder, spiked on both ends, humming with energy.
"Percy," Annabeth said. "How—"
"I—I don't know. I don't understand."
"You heroes are always the same," Hades said. "Your pride makes you foolish, thinking you could bring such a weapon before me. I did not ask for Zeus's master bolt, but since it is here, you will yield it to me. I am sure it will make an excellent bargaining tool. And now... my helm. Where is it?"
I was speechless. I knew Percy had no helm. I had no idea how the master bolt had gotten into his backpack. I wanted to think Hades was pulling some kind of trick.
I realized we've been played with. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades had been set at each other's throats by someone else. The master bolt had been in the backpack, and I'd gotten the backpack from...
"Hades bro, wait," I said. "This is all a mistake."
"Bro?" Percy looked at me.
"A mistake?" Hades roared.
The skeletons aimed their weapons. From high above, there was a fluttering of leathery wings, and the three Furies swooped down to perch on the back of their master's throne. Mrs. Rudolph grinned at Percy eagerly and flicked her whip.
"There is no mistake," Hades said. "I know why you have come—I know the real reason you brought the bolt. You came to bargain for her."
Hades loosed a ball of gold fire from his palm. It exploded on the steps in front of me, and there was Mrs. Jackson, frozen in a shower of gold, just as she was at the moment when the Minotaur began to squeeze her to death.
I couldn't speak. Percy reached out to touch her, but the light was as hot as a bonfire.
"Yes," Hades said with satisfaction. "I took her. I knew, Percy Jackson, that you would come to bargain with me eventually. Return my helm, and perhaps I will let her go. She is not dead, you know. Not yet. But if you displease me, that will change."
"Ah, the pearls," Hades said, and my blood froze. I turned to see Percy with his hands in his pocket. "Yes, my brother and his little tricks. Bring them forth, Percy Jackson."
Percy brought out the pearls.
"Only four," Hades said. "What a shame. You do realize each only protects a single person. Try to take your mother, then, little godling. And which of your friends will you leave behind to spend eternity with me? Go on. Choose. Or give me the backpack and accept my terms."
Percy looked at Me, Annabeth and Grover. Their faces were grim.
"We were tricked," Percy told them. "Set up."
"Yes, but why?" Annabeth asked. "And the voice in the pit—"
"I don't know yet," Percy said. "But I intend to ask."
"Decide, boy!" Hades yelled.
"Percy." Grover put his hand on his shoulder. "You can't give him the bolt,"
"I know that."
"Leave me here," he said. "Use the third pearl on your mom."
"No!"
"I'm a satyr," Grover said. "We don't have souls like humans do. He can torture me until I die, but he won't get me forever. I'll just be reincarnated as a flower or something. It's the best way."
"No." Annabeth drew her bronze knife. "You two go on. Grover, you have to protect Percy. You have to get your searcher's license and start your quest for Pan. Get his mom out of here. I'll cover you. I plan to go down fighting."
"No way," Grover said. "I'm staying behind."
"Think again, goat boy," Annabeth said.
"I'll stay. I low-key wanna be bros with Hades right now honestly. I also high-key don't want to meet the two sticks up there."
"Stop it, I know what to do," Percy said. "Take these."
He handed us each a pearl.
Annabeth said, "But, Percy..."
He turned and faced his mother. I desperately wanted to sacrifice myself and use the last pearl on her, but I knew what she wouldn’t like that. She would never allow it. We had to get the bolt back to Olympus and tell Zeus the truth. We had to stop the war. She would never forgive us if we saved her instead. I thought about the prophecy made at Half-Blood Hill, what seemed like a million years ago, the one Percy shared.
You will fail to save what matters most in the end.
"I'm sorry," He told her. "I'll be back. I'll find a way."
The smug look on Hades's face faded. He said, "Godling... ?"
"I'll find your helm, Uncle," Percy told him. "I'll return it. Remember about Charon's pay raise."
"Do not defy me—"
"And it wouldn't hurt to play with Cerberus once in a while. He likes red rubber balls."
"Percy Jackson, you will not—"
He shouted, "Now, guys!"
We smashed the pearls at our feet. For a scary moment, nothing happened.
Hades yelled, "Destroy them!"
The army of skeletons rushed forward, swords out, guns clicking to full automatic. The Furies lunged, their whips bursting into flame.
Just as the skeletons opened fire, the pearl fragments at their feet exploded with a burst of green light and a gust of fresh sea wind. They were encased in a milky white sphere, which was starting to float off the ground.
"Y/N?" Percy looked at me in shock.
Annabeth and Grover were right behind him.
At my feet were dry sand. My eyes widened.
"NO! Y/N!!"
Mrs. Rudolph pulled me close to her as spears and bullets sparked harmlessly off the pearl bubbles while they floated up. Hades yelled with such rage, the entire fortress shook and I knew it was not going to be a peaceful night in L.A.
I could still see Percy and Annabeth trying to break the bubble.
But sure enough, they were racing right toward the stalactites, which I figured would pop their bubbles like the two wanted.
Then they vanished. I fell on my knees tears filling my eyes.
"D-Did Poseidon just leave me here in hopes you'll kill me...?" I managed to say. Tears were pilling up my eyes.
"Sweetie..." I heard Mrs. Rudolph say. She was back to her soft demeanor, the one she had back then.
"Does he hate me this much? After all I've done to help with this quest? Drowning me wasn't enough?" Tears were now flowing. "Taking my parents and torturing them wasn't enough?"
I curled up my knees and sobs escaped my mouth.
"Y/N..." I heard a familiar voice. I looked up to see Mrs. Jackson.
I gasped and turned to Hades who looked at me with a frown. "You are in luck, I don't wish to kill you. Converse with one another to comfort yourself, I will not provide you of such."
I weak laugh escaped from me, "So, you're a softie huh Hades?"
The ground cracked beneath me but I didn't fall. "Don't make me regret my choices child."
Mrs. Jackson smiled at Hades and gave me a hug. Then as if things couldn't get better, I heard a bark.
"D/N!!" At Hades's foot he sat, a skeleton was holding his leash. "You have him!! You are so my favorite."
Hades signaled the skeleton to free D/N who immediately ran to me.
Our parents had already decided on our parent.
"Yeah." Mrs. Jackson said.
"What?"
"Your parents will tell you who your god parent is." Mrs. Jackson said.
"Don't you guys know?"
"We do." Mrs. Jackson gave a look at Hades who rolled his eyes.
"Only Hades is the parent I want right now. But I don't like the idea of my mom and Hades together."
"I do not wish to have you as a child."
"Go away, I am the best daughter. You'd be honored to have me."
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Percy Jackson and the Avengers: Convergence - the avengers are humbled
Welcome back! I know it's been awhile but I hope I didn't lose too many of you. I just wanted to say thank you for all of the support I've been getting on all platforms. Honestly, I did not expect this story to take off the way it did.
Now that that's over, I'm gonna clarify something for SOME PEOPLE. I started writing this last October, which means that I have absolutely no interest in going back over already-edited work just to change a minor detail some people seem to find maddening. This chapter, I can say for certain, was written during December, so I don't always remember what happened. Okay?
This chapter is kinda just one big fluffy piece but I love it so no hate pls.
Now please remember to comment, like, follow me, and reblog!
- you author
Ω ♆ Ω
"Okay! Assignments...Annabeth and Piper, go with Widow, Frank with Hawkeye, Hazel and Leo with Tony, and Jason and Percy with Bruce and I. Everyone okay with that?" Steve said.
"Yep."
"Got it, Cap."
"This should be fun..."
The heroes separated into their groups and stood, waiting for more orders from Captain America.
"As I said before, this is just to further evaluate and document your abilities. It shouldn't take long. That's it, get to work," He ordered, turning and walking towards the sparring pads with Jason, Percy, and Dr. Banner.
They were back on the training floor for the evaluations, after an uneventful lunch break. Well, unless you count Frank's disgust with the attempt at proper Chinese food as eventful.
Ω ♆ Ω
Despite them being on the sparring mats, Percy and Jason would not be sparring. Even to someone who doesn't know the full extent of the sons of the Poseidon and Zeus' relationship, it's pretty obvious that they should not be allowed to fight each other. Their personalities are almost exact opposites; Carefree vs Serious.
"Just show us something we haven't seen from you before, and then we'll build from there," Bruce told the teens.
Percy and Jason looked at each other expectantly, waiting for the other to begin. Their powers were similar in the way that they could get out of hand quickly. Neither of them wanted to be the reason that the tower lost power or got flooded. Zeus knows it would be a mess to clean up.
After a whole two minutes of waiting for them to get started, Steve let out a sigh, "Oh, for God's sake! Jason, you go."
"Umm...let's see here," Jason muttered under his breath, looking around the room for inspiration, "Oh! I got it!"
He positioned himself a couple of feet away from a practice dummy and held his hands together in front of him. Taking a deep breath and imagining his goal, he let sparks fly around his hands. He let them grow for a couple of seconds before slowly starting to separate his hands. While doing this, he made sure a line of electricity was stable between his hands. He kept separating his hands until he couldn't anymore, and then he slowly released his grip on the line from his left hand. He made sure to keep feeding the lightning rod so that it held form.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Percy, Steve, and Bruce were all watching with equal amounts of shock. Percy had never seen or known Jason could do this, and Steve and Bruce were completely new to all of this. Then, Jason proceeded to shock them further.
He made the line of electricity into a whip. He made a lighting whip.
Percy was so proud of his friend's imagination. It was almost enough to make a grown demigod cry...
Jason readied his whip and struck the practice dummy, slicing it completely in half. Then, he turned to his group, smiling and making the lightning dissipate. It should've been illegal how easy he made it look, in Percy's opinion.
"Dude! That was awesome! I didn't know you could do that!" Percy exclaimed, slapping the son of Zeus on the back with a proud, blinding smile.
No matter what it seemed like sometimes, Percy was the big brother of the Seven.
"Yeah! That was pretty good, son," Steve said, nodding his head in appreciation, "Now we only need to get that process sped-up and it will be an amazing asset in a fight."
"This means you could do so much more with your abilities, including maybe providing infinite power, which we have been searching for for decades! You kids are truly lucky to have these powers," Bruce rattled off.
Percy whispered to Steve, "Does he get like this a lot?"
Steve nodded, "Yeah. I tend to tune-out the sciency rambling and just focus on stuff I can understand. He had Tony if he needs to bounce ideas off of someone, anyway."
"Got it," Percy said, "I guess this means I'm next?"
He had thought about this a lot during lunch, and had decided to go into the exercise with the comfort and ease he had possessed using his powers before Tartarus, and see where he got from there. Like Annabeth said, it was all in his head. He just needed to believe that he had control, and he would get it.
Simple, in theory.
"Yep. I want you to copy Jason, but with water," Steve said.
He gave more specific instructions to Percy because he felt like he needed that. He was a leader, and leaders need to notice and know what their troops need. Percy needed specifics because he was cautious with using his powers, and he wanted to know exactly what was needed of him before going in. That way there is no possibility of him losing control.
Once again, only in theory.
"Okay, Percy... you got this," Percy muttered to himself, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet and cracking his neck.
He shook his hands out once before readying himself in a slightly-more relaxed version of Jason's stance. But this time, he did not hold his hands together. Instead, he reached his hands out towards the bucket of water the Avengers had brought to the sparring mats earlier. Taking a deep breath, he felt the barely-there familiar tug in his gut before a tendril of water was rising from the bucket and reaching towards his outstretched hands. Percy willed it to wrap around his arms and hands, and then he slowly put his hands together like he had seen Jason do (he wasn't quite sure how he planned to make the whip yet, so this seemed like the best bet). Taking another deep breath, he started separating his hands, but keeping a solid tendril of water stretched between them.
He tried to move slightly faster than his cousin did, just because of the ever present, unconscious competitiveness ingrained between them.
Finally, he let go with his left hand and let the water form into a whip in his right. It kept shape, but was more flexible than the rod had been. Percy turned to the other practice dummy and whipped it twice, forming two straight slices right through the rubber.
Everyone in their group stood in shock, including Percy after he had deposited the water back in the bucket. He hadn't known he could use a whip.
Must be another natural demigod thing, he thought. Most weaponry came easy to him (except archery, of course).
It took a moment for them to recollect themselves, but Steve shook himself out of his stupor first, "That was...impressive, Percy. I didn't know you had such control over your powers."
The demigod in question shrugged modestly, "Yeah. I didn't really either, to be completely honest."
Jason surged forward and hung an arm around his friend, "Stop being so modest, Kelphead! That was amazing!"
Sure, Jason had done the same thing, but he hadn't gone through literal Hell and come back scarred forever, emotionally and physically. But mentioning that topic wasn't wise, so he stuck with just congratulating his older cousin.
"What else do you want us to do?" Percy asked Steve and Bruce, trying to move the attention off of him.
"Well...I guess just do a couple more small things with your powers and then we can be done. I think you've proved your point of not being newbies," he answered.
Percy and Jason smiled at each other once, then nodded at the Captain.
Ω ♆ Ω
"Okay, Frank, let's see what you got! Any special skills besides turning into animals?" Clint asked.
Frank shifted from foot to foot, "Well, I'm pretty good at archery, I guess. Better than my swordsmanship, anyways."
Clint smirked, "You guess? If you're going to be on this team, you need to be completely sure of your skills. So let's see what you can do."
Frank had grabbed his bow and magical quiver during lunch because he figured he would need it for something during this exercise, so he only had to sling the bow over his shoulder to be ready. The quiver was designed by Leo to never run out of celestial bronze and imperial gold arrows. The celestial bronze ones were normal, and the imperial gold were exploding. A combination of both metals would shoot out hardening foam (also designed by Leo) to stop monsters. Or in this case, people.
He set himself up on the first line on the archery range, and let the arrow fly. It hit the bullseye dead-on. Frank turned to look at Clint to find him raising his eyebrows in appreciation.
"Good. But I'm not impressed until I see you do that from a longer distance and on the move, so let's work our way up there, huh? I'm interested in seeing if we can finally have another good archer on this team," Clint said.
Frank smiled, "I've been doing this practically my whole life, so I'd hope I was pretty good by now. Plus, I've been in battle before, shooting on the move."
There was the newfound confidence that still baffled a certain son of Poseidon after a whole year. You go into the deepest parts of Hades with a shy Canadian Baby Man, and then miraculously you make it out and the kid is taller, buffer, and much more confident.
"Sounds interesting... Any war stories you care to share with the class?" Clint asked, intrigued.
Frank's happy expression steeled over, "I think I'd rather keep those to myself, thank you. Maybe another time."
Clint nodded, but you could see he wasn't going to let that go. Frank had made a mistake saying he had seen battle before. It was pretty obvious that the teens had, but he had just confirmed it, therefore furthering the Avengers' curiosity.
So, basically, he had screwed them over further and faster.
With a great sigh, Frank went aimed and shot another arrow, choosing to ignore the awkwardness that had formed between the two archers.
Ω ♆ Ω
Leo and Hazel were... unsure how to react to Tony's exercise, to say the least. They got over to their part of the room and their eyes immediately tunneled-in on the giant block of metal in the center. Nothing special about it besides the fact that it was black, and about four feet tall, and four feet wide. They weren't sure what to make of it.
Tony was beaming next to them, which was a sure sign of nothing good. It was pretty maniacal, too.
"Mr. Stark... what exactly are we doing with this?" Hazel asked.
Somehow, Stark's grin managed to widen even more before he answered with, "Oh, you know, a simple thing, really. I want to see something unique from both of you, so I brought this out of storage. I designed it years ago, not knowing what the hell I would be using it for, but it turns out my genius brain was just preparing me for this moment where I would evidently be training a bunch of teenagers... but anyway! This will mold to any specifications that I need it to, kinda like the LMDs. Just tell me what you're planning to do, and I'll program it to follow your needs."
Hazel raised her eyebrows at Tony's complete disregard for modesty. The others were not kidding when they said he was an arrogant mortal. She was even considering going all "I am your superior because of my divine blood" on him, but then she remembered that that would make her a huge hypocrite.
Leo, on the other hand, was starstruck. He was convinced that he could never come up with even half the stuff Tony invented. He was a true genius in every right. A role model of many Hephestus kids.
"So... who's going first?" Tony asked.
"I'll go!" Leo exclaimed, like an eager child vying for their father's attention.
"Great! That's the spirit! What're you gonna do?"
Leo thought about it, and then the perfect idea came to mind. It wasn't really using his usual extravagant and fiery powers, but it wasn't any less impressive. He wanted to impress Mr. Stark, and this was the way to do it.
"Make it the hardest safe to crack in the world," he answered, a, well, fire lighting up his eyes.
Tony was intrigued, that's for sure. It was pretty obvious what the kid was planning on attempting, but it would be just that: an attempt. Nobody could crack this safe. It was designed by himself personally to house some of his most secret projects for the Avengers. He was literally the only one in the world that even knew of its existence. There was no way Leo could pull off cracking that type of safe without years of preparation.
But, he still programmed the block to make itself into the safe. If anything, it would show these teens how not to underestimate Tony Stark.
"Okay, kid. Good luck," he said, and then whispered, "You're gonna need it."
Leo didn't comment on Tony's quieter remark, but he did smile wider at the prospect of a real challenge. Sure, he could come off as a little overconfident sometimes, but he really was smart and powerful when he tried. He just wasn't a serious child of Athena, he was a fun son of Hephaestus, and he would act as such.
Still, when the block turned into something he had never seen before, he took a deep breath, focused his mind on the task at hand, and got to work.
Tony was smiling wide over his shoulder, interested in seeing how far the kid could get, but little did he know, Leo had this under control. To someone who didn't know him, what he was doing would seem weird, but he was actually just listening to the machine. Yes, listening to it.
He had his ear pressed up against the safe, both hands pressed flat against it next to his head. Leo was already learning the mechanisms of it, and in no time, he would be able to tell the safe to open itself without even lifting a finger.
He was almost vibrating with excitement over how Tony would react. It was sure to be a show.
Sure enough, a little less than a minute later, there was a series of soft clicking heard before the light on the pad flashed green and the door was open.
Of course, it was empty, but Tony was still in shock. A sixteen year old kid had beaten his strongest security system besides JARVIS. It wasn't possible. There was no way that Leo had just cracked his safe.
"No. Not possible," he insisted, turning with wide eyes to stare at the demigod, who had a proud grin on his face.
"Yep, it is. I just did it. Were you not watching?" Leo said, channeling his inner-Percy for sass.
Tony so wanted to protest more, but he knew it was futile. Plus, having someone almost as smart as him around might be some fun. Bruce was always worrying whenever they worked together, and Leo gave off way different vibes.
"I was watching, still working on believing, though," Tony said, "That was some pretty cool shit there, kid. Care to tell me what it was?"
Leo said, "I just talked to the safe. It was a little harder to crack than some of the other ones I've done before, but I got through to it eventually. It was pretty strong. Good work on that design."
"Thank you... I guess," Tony said.
Tony couldn't remember telling Leo who had created the safe, but he figured he would get the same answer as before if he asked. Believing these kids' powers was a little difficult, especially when all of them defied the laws of any science. Tony was starting to think that they were Asgardians, with how they fought and everything.
"Well, let's move onto Hazel. We don't have all day," he said, turning to the daughter of Pluto, who had stayed to the side during Leo's entire turn, "What are you gonna do? It's gonna be pretty hard to follow up on that performance."
Hazel had had time to figure it out while she was waiting, so she answered right away, "I won't be needing the box for my turn. I just need you."
Tony gave her an incredulous look, "What do you need me for?"
"Just tell me a metal. Any metal in the world, and I'll bring it here," she answered.
Okay, Tony was done. There was NO WAY that was possible, and he knew it. He wasn't stupid. These kids were messing with him now.
"Seriously?! I'm not falling for that! You can't do that!" he exclaimed.
Hazel just gave him a knowing smile, "I get that a lot. But I always seem to prove those people wrong..."
Tony sighed, "Okay, sure. Let's do... Vibranium."
He kept a straight face on the outside, but on the inside he was smiling like a maniac. Vibranium could only be found in Wakanda, and they barely had any left. There was no way she could get it all the way here, even if there was any left.
Hazel nodded and closed her eyes, letting her powers search for the precious metal. She had heard of it before from some people in the Underworld. Apparently, it could only be found in a small country in Africa, so she had to widen her search.
It didn't take long to find some, but that was only because what she found was Steve's shield. She hadn't known that it was made of vibranium, and stored that knowledge away for future use. Then, she kept looking.
Soon, she found some and told a very small piece to come to her. You couldn't ask her how it reached all the way up through the tower, but she always just concluded that it was magic. It's the simplest solution.
When she opened her eyes, a content smile on her face, she looked up at Tony with expectation of a shocked outburst, only to find him looking expectantly at her. So he hadn't figured out what she had done yet, apparently.
"Look down," she instructed.
And Tony did. Only to find that a small rock of Vibranium was poking up from the floor. At first, he wasn't sure how to react, but then, he reached down to touch it, trying to make sure what he was seeing was actually true. But before he could put one finger on it, Hazel shoved him away.
"Don't pick it up! It's cursed, you idiot!" she yelled, but then her own face slacked in shock.
She hadn't meant to say that last part. It was the truth, but her powers could definitely be linked back to the gods. She was not going to be the one to let the secret slip. That was going to be Percy or Leo, if anyone.
"That's amazing," Tony breathed, openly staring in shock at the metal.
But before another second had passed, the rock popped back through the floor and was gone as quickly as it had come.
When Tony looked up at Hazel in question, all he got was a shrug in response. It wasn't safe to keep the metals lying around.
Tony physically shook the shock out of him, and said, "Alright. That was pretty impressive, I'll admit, both of you. We can be done for the day. I'm gonna go check out what some of the others are doing."
"Yeah, I'll do that too," Hazel said, turning to Leo. "What about you? What are you gonna do?"
"I think I'll try to help JARVIS find the bad guys," he responded. "I'm getting nervous just waiting for them to blow something else up."
While Tony was walking away, he yelled to Leo, "Don't break anything! Everything here costs more than everything you own!"
Leo wasn't so sure about that, considering the amount of celestial bronze he owned, but he didn't comment on it.
Ω ♆ Ω
Annabeth and Piper were hard to find an exercise for. Neither of them had very obvious superpowers (one didn't have one at all), in Natasha's opinion. She wanted to see how much the others would have to protect them if it came down to a fight of powers. Sure, she didn't have any abilities, but she had also been training how to make up for that almost her whole life.
So, if anyone could find a weakness in these two girls, it would be her, and Natasha was determined to find it.
"Okay girls, this shouldn't take too long. You're only throwing knives at moving targets. The trick is, you won't know when the targets will pop up. You'll be standing in the middle and holographic targets will form around you at random times, always speeding up. If you're as good as you say you are, you can handle this no problem," Natasha said, eyes piercing into Piper and Annabeth.
"Yeah, we got this," Annabeth shot back, standing proud. "I'll go first."
Natasha was not making it unknown that she didn't trust the demigods, and Annabeth was not going to let that continue. Only the "kids" knew what was really going on, so the adults needed to get in line with their way of doing things before somebody got killed. These people that they were hunting had already killed many people, so they knew they were capable of it. This makeshift group needed to be a well-oiled machine by the time they found the bad guys.
"Okay, just step into that square on the ground, and it'll begin. Piper and I will be stepping out of the range," Natasha said, grabbing Piper's arm and dragging her back about seven yards, "Let's begin!"
It seemingly came out of nowhere, the target. Annabeth had barely been able to grab some of the knives from the table next to her before it formed. It was an orange color, and very pixelated. As soon as she shot the arrow right through the bullseye, it exploded in a shower of orange pixels. She barely had time to let that sink in before another one popped up. They seemed to be stopping the knives, but as soon as they deformed, the weapons just dropped to the ground.
It was rapidly speeding up, but it was nothing to being overrun with monsters trying to kill you. Soon enough, the targets started moving, so she had to adjust her stance to hit them where they would be, not where they were.
It was exhilarating. She hadn't had this much of an adrenaline rush in a year!
Her five minutes of throwing seemed to end all-too-quickly. Soon, the targets stopped popping up, and Natasha was walking towards her with an almost-impressed look on her face.
"Not bad, Chase," she conceded.
"Thanks," Annabeth responded, going and helping Piper pick up the knives lying around their area.
When she got to her, her friend looked up, "That was pretty good, Annabeth. I don't know how I'm supposed to follow that, though."
Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Oh, shut up. I could've done better. And you'll do great, Pipes. I trained you, right?"
She had a light twinkle in her eyes that always came when she was joking around (and that wasn't often). Piper had been trying her very best to see it out as much as possible after Tartarus. Percy and Annabeth put on a strong front, but the Seven could all see they were still recovering, and probably would always be. Nobody just jumped right back into things after something as traumatic as that trip through Hell.
But Piper didn't let it be known how proud she was of Annabeth for making a joke; that would only stop the fun right in its tracks.
"Thanks," Piper said, picking up the last knife before replacing Annabeth in her previous spot in the square.
In her opinion, she wasn't doing as good as Annabeth, or making it look as easy, but it wasn't too difficult. She had been practicing all the time on her fighting skills, and she especially focused on daggers. Knives were balanced a bit differently, but it was the same concept. She just had to compensate for the loss of weight.
Soon enough, Piper found the flow and could slightly anticipate when the next target would pop up.
Annabeth knew Piper would be fine doing this exercise. Sure, it got the blood flowing, but it wasn't the hardest thing they had done. They had fought in actual wars.
Before Piper had known what happened, the targets stopped showing up, and the five minutes were up. She was breathing a little heavily, but a giant grin was taking up her face.
"Not bad, either," Natasha complemented, "You will probably be able to take care of yourselves in a fight."
"Probably?" Annabeth glared.
Natasha returned the glare, "Probably."
Annabeth wanted to say more, but a shout from Leo, who had just sprinted back into the room, interrupted her.
"Guys! Guys! We got a hit!" he screamed, eyes wild with excitement.
Ω ♆ Ω
Everyone but Hazel and Tony stared at Leo in confusion and concern. They didn't know that he had gone to work with JARVIS on tracking the bombers.
Tony ran up to Leo, "What? Where?"
"In Las Vegas," Leo answered.
The rest of the heroes had all formed a group around Leo. Percy and Annabeth had naturally gravitated next to each other. At Leo's answer, they clasped hands and shared a look. They knew why Las Vegas was chosen: The Lotus Hotel and Casino. Flashbacks to zebras and old games flashed through their minds.
"What would they want in Las Vegas?" Steve asked.
"Who cares?! We're going to Vegas baby!" Tony exclaimed, pumping his fist. "JARVIS? Prepare the jet."
Tony was the only one who hadn't noticed the oldest demigods' reaction towards
Las Vegas. He didn't realize how bad this could really be. The demigods didn't have the time to make sure the Avengers didn't get stuck in the casino, if that's where they were going (which it probably was).
"Um, care to share what's bothering you two?" Steve asked Percy and Annabeth.
"We've been to Vegas before. If we're going where we think we might be going, this could be bad. You need to listen to us exactly, okay? It's important," Percy answered.
Tony gave him a confused look. "What are you talking about, kid? We'll be fine. I don't need a teeanger telling me how to do what I'm best at."
Annabeth glared at the billionaire, "And what is that; what you're good at? Because I thought it was being lazy and never taking anything seriously."
"Annabeth, just let it go. We'll just have to watch him closer." Percy said, resting a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder.
With one last glare at Tony, and a warning look to the other Avengers, Annabeth stormed out of the training room, heading back up to her room to prepare without another word. Mortals were so stubborn, she thought, especially when you're trying to protect them. It's literally their birthright to protect mortals, and they never let them!
Storming into her room, Annabeth grabbed a duffle bag and started stuffing supplies into it: weapons, spare clothes, ambrosia and nectar, armor, and a couple other things. She was so distracted by her anger that she didn't see the shadows fluctuating in the corner, or the black snout poking out.
She didn't see it until it was too late.
Ω ♆ Ω
"Are you going to tell us what that was all about back there?" Jason asked Percy as the rest of the demigods were walking back to their rooms.
Percy sighed, exhausted with the day but knowing it was not even close to being over, "Las Vegas is where Annabeth, Grover and I went during our first quest together. We got stuck in the Lotus Hotel and Casino. It's the home of the Lotus-eaters. They trap you in there and you don't feel time passing. We were in there for a week without realizing it. It's dangerous, man."
Piper and Jason shared a worried look, and Piper said, "So... we need to keep a close eye on the mortals on this mission, right?"
"A very close eye," Percy nodded.
When Percy reached Annabeth's door, he decided to go check on her. "Go get your stuff. Let's meet in the living room."
"Okay, Aquaman," Leo said, dashing into his soot-stained room.
Percy wasn't sure what he was expecting to find, maybe Annabeth crying, screaming, or angrily throwing things into a bag (that's the most likely), but he was NOT prepared for nothing. Literally nothing; the room was empty. There was an open duffle on the bed, along with a couple of weapons lying around it, but no Annabeth.
He wasn't getting worried yet, though. She could just be in the bathroom. That was a viable option. He would not allow himself to freak out yet. At least not until he checked the bathroom...
... And the bathroom was empty! Now he allowed himself to freak out. He started storming around the room, tossing things around looking for a clue as to where she went, anything!
"Annabeth! Wise girl!" he called, though he knew it was fruitless.
In their lives, nothing was ever as easy as simply calling for someone and they came back. Annabeth was missing, and he had no idea how to find her.
Unless someone was stupid enough to leave a trail of shadows, that is. Looking in the corner, Percy saw that the shadows in the right corner were moving around unnaturally, a lot like what happened after they were used for shadow travel. He had spent enough time around Nico to understand what it looked like.
So this meant that someone with access to shadow traveling took her, and that wasn't a long list. It was probably a hellhound that took her! Oh, were they going to pay.
Percy could feel his powers slipping, and the walls were giving scary creaks. No matter how much he wanted to just explode, he knew that he had to take a deep breath and focus on recentering himself. He would be no help to Annabeth if he wasn't in control. Some part of his brain was telling him that maybe letting off a little steam WOULD help get his powers under control, but no, he promised Annabeth. And Percy refused to break that promise if he could.
"JARVIS!" he yelled, already rushing out the door, "Call everyone to the living room! Now!"
"Right away, sir," JARVIS responded.
Percy ended up just running to the living room, not wasting any time being careful. Annabeth was missing, and he needed to find her and get her back NOW.
His emotions were running high, so he could sense all the water and liquids around him (it was a lot), and it was becoming distracting.
When he got there, only Steve, Clint, and Natasha were waiting so far. Though Hazel and Frank walked in right after him, probably having heard him scream before JARVIS had even called everyone.
"What's going on?" Steve asked, concern filling his eyes.
Percy paced and said, "Wait until everyone else is here. Then I'll tell you."
His mind kept flashing pictures of all his and Annabeth's enemies. Years and years of fighting monsters and wars were playing on his brain. There were so many possible people, even if it probably was the current gang that they were searching for. He didn't want to let himself believe that mortals could be so messed-up that they worked with monsters, monsters that they couldn't even begin to understand. It was so far-fetched, and yet it was his life!
As these thoughts were going through his head, the rest of the team had finally made it in. They were all sporting confused and concerned glances. Natasha seemed to have figured out that one of them was missing, and that it wasn't normal for that person and Percy to be separated. Annabeth was missing.
"Percy, man. Stop pacing and tell us what's wrong," Jason laid a hand on his friend's shoulder.
Percy's eyes got a little misty as he told them, "Annabeth is missing. Taken. She's gone, and I don't know where to find her."
Hazel gasped.
Nothing was right with this. Percy without Annabeth was wrong. So wrong. They needed to be reunited soon, and quickly.
Percy started pacing again, absentmindedly twirling Riptide around his fingers. He had decided that it was best to start in Las Vegas and go from there. There was a good chance that it was the gang who had taken her, and that they were holding her there. It was his only idea.
The others had just been sharing worried looks and a few whispered thoughts before Tony suddenly jumped up, holding his phone like it might explode.
"Guys, I think I know who has her..." he said, making a few hand gestures before his phone screen was projected in front of them.
It was a picture. Of Annabeth.
She was hanging from celestial bronze chains, with a leather gag in her mouth, and shackles on her ankles. Her hair was a matted mess, and she was unconscious. Even so, Percy could see that she had a black eye, probably from struggling. She wouldn't go without a fight, that's for sure. But still, this was not the Annabeth they knew. The Annabeth they knew was a strong force to be reckoned with. This...person was not her.
Percy let out an almost animalistic growl at the sight. They were going to pay, whoever had taken her. All of them.
"It has a note," Tony said, throwing up another picture.
It said:
We are The Truth Seekers. We have your blonde bitch, and she will be dead in the next 24 hours unless you reveal yourselves. The world deserves to know! It is our right to know the monstrosities that go unseen, right beneath our noses! 24 hours, or she's dead. We're at the Lotus Hotel and Casino, another one of the hidden monstrosities in our world. Tell the truth!
Percy was going to kill them. He didn't care if they were mortals, they were going to die. They hurt Annabeth, he hurts back. Worse.
"We need to suit-up, and then we can get going and rescue her. But first, we need a plan," Steve started to speak, but before he could, the world flooded in.
Screw control, Percy thought.
He let the pipes and burst and break the windows. Standing on the very edge of the empty window seal, he let out the loudest taxi whistle the Avengers had ever heard. Waiting only a second for a black blur to show up on the horizon, Percy jumped.
Ω ♆ Ω
other chapters :)
#pjo#the avengers#mcu#avengers#percy jackson and the olympians#heroes of olympus#crossover#fanfiction#fanfic#wattpad#webnovel#inkitt#this is a big fluffy piece don't judge
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NON-CANNON
When one has fear, one can and will do stupid stuff, that is the law of emotions. No matter, good or bad, emotions in quantity make us go crazy. Too happy? Crazy, too angry? Crazy, too sad? Crazy, too thrilled? Crazy. Tell me I am wrong, I dare you.
But I won’t talk about all emotions, no, I will tell you about two of them, two that are so different but so similar at the same time; Fear and Love.
This is the story, the true story, of what happened just before the seven of the prophecy arrived in Rome, before Annabeth Chase went on her solo quest, before Nico D’Angelo was rescued, before Perseus Jackson and Annabeth fell into Tartarus.
…
The air on the Argo II, to say the least, was tense, how could it not? They were on a clock and the things that awaited them in Rome weren’t exactly the most delightful ones.
And they were still teenagers, they had fights and disagreements, sometimes they didn’t get along, sometimes they wish for everything but to see each other’s faces, and sometimes they had lover’s quarrels.
And this was one of those times.
“So,” Annabeth said, sitting next to Piper “Are you done ignoring me?”
Piper said nothing, instead, she took a cookie from the bag of cookies she had in her hand and ate it.
“I guess that is a no”
Piper swallowed, threw the now empty package at Annabeth, and stood up to leave. Before she could walk out of the room, Annabeth grabbed her arm, spinning her around “What is your problem?”
“Are you seriously asking me this?”
“Yes, you have been avoiding me ever since Camp Jupiter, only talking to me in quests”
“If I could not talk to you during quests I would, but I prefer to stay alive, I’m not stupid”
“What did I do to make you mad?”
“Don’t act like you don’t remember”
Annabeth bit her lip, “I don’t”
Piper scoffed “Fuck you, Chase”
Annabeth couldn’t answer. The ship shook, throwing both of them out of balance. Everything went still for a second before the ship trembled and went flying downward, Annabeth and Piper, along with many furniture, slamming against the wall.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know”
Annabeth and Piper, ignoring the pain shooting through all their bodies, run to the deck, where they found Leo along with Percy, and Hazel.
“What happened?” Piper repeated
“Something malfunctioned, we came crashing down, but I don’t know what, everything seems fine” Leo informed, his hand doing something weir with what seems to be a small version of the Argo ii “I will run a test through all the ship, just to make sure, then we can take off again”
“How long would that take? We don’t have time, Nico could die if we don’t hurry”
“Hazel, I will work fast if it makes you feel better, but if we keep going without a check of the ship there are high chances we blow up mid-air, I have to make sure everything is alright”
“Fine” Hazel turned around, tears in her eyes, and left, probably to find Frank.
“Are you two okay?”
Annabeth’s gaze moved to Piper before going back to Percy, and her eyes told Piper what Annabeth didn’t utter, it was loud and clear, We will talk later. Piper didn’t want to talk, hadn’t she made that much clear?
“Yes, we are”
Percy moved toward Annabeth, giving her a hug, and then a kiss. A sweet and short kiss. And Piper hopped Percy’s life was poisoned.
Piper turned to Leo, her hands clenched together, her nails digging into her skin “How much will this take, Leo?”
“Two, three hours, at least”
“Okey. IM when you’re about to finish so I come back”
“Do I look like your personal assistant?”
“Please Leo, I need to get some air” Leo raised his head and saw the couple, and then Piper, he gave her a sad smile
“Okey, be safe”
“You can’t go out without a partner, you’ll get yourself killed”
“Don’t tell me I can’t and can do,” Piper snapped “Chase”
Piper left the ship in less than a minute, her steps were loud and you could almost see how much she wanted to punch Annabeth.
“What happen between you two?” Percy asked
Leo laughed “What didn’t happen, is the question”
“Shut up, Valdez”
Annabeth left the ship too. Looking for Piper.
“Don’t even think about following them” Leo said “You are helping me here”
“But…”
“You are the only one that can breathe underwater, so get down there and give me an inform”
“Fine”
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A/N, so in this one shot Marinette, Sophie, Aru, Sadie and Percy already know each other, The 5 are also best friends.
The girls are 16 and Percy is 17.
Backstory
Percy's mom just died and somehow gabe is not a statue anymore, so since Percy is underage and gabe is Percy's only living relative he gets custody of him.
Marinette's POV
I'm just sitting in class, bored out of my mind when I get this gut feeling to check on Percy. So I walk out of the class, go to the washroom and IM Percy.
"Hey Fleecy, do me a solid and show me Percy Jackson in.... wherever he is"
What I see makes me want to murder someone...
A bloody Percy is tied in a chair and is being beaten by a belt by smelly gabe.
I swipe through the IM, and stomp to the classroom door, startling my classmates and stomp to my house to get the horse miraculous and then to first teleport to my friends and then to Percy to save him.
First stop Sophie.
Sophie's POV
I was just sitting in the healing centre with keefe and elvin because I burned Lady Galvin's cape and myself (again) keefe is so not gonna let this go. *sigh*.
Suddenly a portal appeared in the middle of the healing centre startling keefe and elvin so much that they almost fell out of their chairs, while I didn't even flinch. Out of the portal stepped out a enraged Marinette who said only four words but it was enough.
"PPS emergency, come on"
I jumped in the portal before keefe or elvin coul even think about stopping me.
Marinette's POV
One done two more to go.
Next stop Sadie.
Sadie's POV
I was just chilling out at home with Anubis, Carter and Zia when out of no where a portal appeared a enraged Marinette and a confused Sophie.
Marinette said only two words but it was enough...
"PPS, come"
I was just about to jump in the portal but Zia stopped me.
"Where are you going and who are these people" Zia said.
"My friends, I'll tell you guys later"
And without a second thought I jumped in the portal.
Marinette's POV
Third stop Aru.
Aru's POV
I was just dreaming of flying when I was rudely awoken by someone shaking me. Hard.
I open my eyes to see three of my friends looking at me urgency clear on their faces.
"What do you want just let me sleep" I said sleepily.
"PPS" replied Sophie. I quickly jump out of bed and say.
" then come on, what are you waiting for" then I stop "how are we gonna get there"
"I'll take us" Marinette said "voyage" a swirling portal of blue, black and purple just appears out of nowhere, and we jump in.
3rd person's POV
Gabe had just went out the window after abusing Percy for about an hour. Percy sighed in relief maybe that was all for today..... never mind gabe just entered the basement again this time with his 'toys'.
"Oh we'll have so much fun today" gabe said. But before he could even touch Percy the basement door was ripped off it's hinges and in came the four friends.
What they saw made them even more angry...
Percy was tied in a chair all bloody and beaten up and gabe was just about to hit him again.
Just in a few seconds the girls had freed Percy and gabe was tied to the chair in his place.
"So you like to torture Percy" marinette said.
"let's see how you like to be on the receiving end" Sophie said. Meanwhile Sadie has gotten the 'toys'.
Soon Sadie was pouring boiling hot water on gabe, Sophie and marinette were carving words on his skin (marinette with blades dipped in poison) and Aru after preparing the Brazon bull torture was breaking every bone in gabe's body.
After a few hours of beating, carving and an hour of the Brazon bull torture, gabe was finally dead and dragged to Tartarus for some more torture by Tartarus himself.
All this while Percy was dead silent.
"Are you ok" Sophie asked Percy.
"Ya, but you four are scary when you're mad" Percy said. The four girls just laughed, and Percy smiled for the first time in weeks.
So...
Good or bad or ehh.
-See ya suckers
Ps. This legit took me like an hour or two.
This is also my fist post on tumblr.
My Wattpad account is @DaShadowQyeen
#wattpad#miraculous marinette#marinette dupen chang#percy jackson#smelly gabe#sophie foster#kotlc#keeper of the lost cities#keefe sencen#aru shah#miraculous ladybug#the kane chronicles
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Things i forgot about in PJO/HOO
TLT:
Percy accidentally fired a war cannon into a school bus
He also accidentally made his entire class fall into an aquarium tank thing
Grover cries when he’s frustrated
Grover has a note excusing him from PE “for the rest of his life”
Halfway though the school year their old math teacher had a nervous breakdown
Once, Percy told Grover that he didn’t think mrs Dodds was human and Grover was deadass just like “yes. You’re right” completely seriously
Chiron has tournament days where he would dress up in Roman armor
Percy assumed all the weird weather was because of global warming
Percy called his English teacher an old sot
Grover is a terrible liar
MASSIVE BLUE SOCK
Grover’s bladder acts up when he gets upset
Sally’s parents died in a plane crash when she was 5, and was raised by her uncle who didn’t really care about her
Sally wanted to be a novelist
She had to quit school her senior year to take care of said uncle, who got cancer
Gabe made Percy provide his gambling funds, and Percy said that if he didn’t, Gabe would “punch his lights out”
Percy has nightmares about Mrs Dodds
Percy genuinely liked Yancy Academy
Percy did the warding off evil gesture towards Gabe, and the screen door shut so hard “it whacked him in the butt and sent him flying up the stairs as if he’d been shot from a cannon”
Percy was stalked by a cyclops in 3rd grade
In preschool, he strangled a snake with his bare hands, and his mom found him playing with it like a rope
At the cabin, grover cursed in Ancient Greek, and Percy understood it perfectly
Percy thought Grover was a donkey from the waist down
Percy tried to get the Minotaurs attention by waving his red rain coat
Percy said he would rather live on the streets or pretend he was 17 and join the army if it meant not living with Gabe
Percy said that Mr D looked like a Cherub
They have satyrs at most schools
There was a different Latin teacher for the first week of the school, but Chiron convinced him to take a leave of absence
Mr D plays pinochle with the satyrs
There’s an orientation film
Grover eats mr D’s Diet Coke cans
Probation in the 1900s was Zeus’s punishment to Mr D
Percy likes basketball
Percy tripped when coming into the Hermes cabin for the first time
Most teachers are literally monsters
For a mortal, nectar and ambrosia turns their blood to fire and their skin to sand
Clarisse calls Annabeth “wise girl”
Percy accidentally sprayed Annabeth with toilet water
Chiron told Percy that he might be considered a myth in 2000 years
Luke pulled a switchblade out of his pocket and Percy thought Luke was gonna gut him
Percy is really good at canoeing
Luke’s the best swordsman they’d had in 300 years
Percy was able to disarm Luke on his first try after he poured water on his head
Hitler was a son of hades, since WW11 was the sons of Zeus and Poseidon on one side, and the sons of hades on the other
Houdini went on a quest to the underworld
In capture the flag, clarisse tried to cut Percy’s hair
Percy apologized for the water healing his Injuries
Someone left a newspaper about Percy and his mom going missing inside his doorway
Mr D wanted to Spontaneous Combust Percy
It’s illegal to make copies of Zeus’s lightning bolt
CHB has a hydra head from Woodstock
The oracle told Percy the prophecy through the image of Gabe and his friends
Grover eats pinochle cards “like potato chips”
Luke made Percy blush almost as much as Annabeth blushes when she’s around Luke
Chiron told Percy only to use his sword in emergencies
Mortals aren’t important enough to be killed by celestial bronze
Percy was famous for loosing pens at school
Annabeth was explaining the Athens rivalry thing to Percy, and he was like “they must have really liked olives” and Annabeth got mad and then he was like “Now, if she’d invited pizza—*that* i could understand” which made her even more mad, and Argus then winked at Percy
Annabeth gave Percy her hat so he could escape off the bus
Grover was gonna defend himself from the furies with a tin can
Grover ties Mrs Dodds’s legs up with her own whip
Percy told Mrs Dodds to eat his pants in Latin
Medusa turned Grover’s uncle to stone
Medusa is/sounds middle eastern
Percy told Medusa that they were from a traveling circus, and when they were alone Annabeth told Percy “your head is full of kelp”
Grover told Medusa that he takes vitamins for his ears
Satyrs can’t get migraines
Percy fucking mailed Medusa’s head to mount Olympus, and he signed the package “with best wishes”
GLADIOLA THE FUCKING PINK POODLE
Annabeth appeared on her dads doorstep in a golden cradle
Annabeth calls Grover “goat boy”
Percy hates confined spaces
I JUST REALIZED THIS HIS FIRST OUT OF 2 (i think 2?? Maybe there’s more??) TRAUMATIC ELEVATOR EXPERIENCES
The chimera has a rhinestone collar that says “Chimera— rabid, fire-breathing, poisonous— if found, please call Tartarus—ext. 954”
Echidna told Percy what she is— the mother of all monsters, and Percy was like “isn’t that a type of anteater”
The chimera poisoned Percy
Percy jumped from the arch assuming that it would kill him, in order to protect the mortals that were on the arch
Percy fucking lit a lighter at the bottom of the Mississippi
The campers were taking sides— Zeus or Poseidon
Gods can’t steal each other’s items directly
Percy said the leather on ares’s motercycle looked like “Caucasian human skin”
Percy said that ares’s was handsome
Percy said he broke clarisse’s spear and ares was like “oh dope”
Ares threatened to turn Percy into a prairie dog
Ares gave them a bag of double stuffed Oreos
Percy thought that the reason he could talk to zebras but not lions was because of another learning disability
They released a zebra into Las Vegas
Percy snapped Annabeth out of the lotus haze by looking her in the eyes and saying “spiders. Large, hairy spiders”
Percy threw away ares’s backpack, but once they left the lotus hotel, it reappeared on his shoulders
THE WATER BEDS
The lotus card had infinite money, and the cab driver referred to her as “your highness”, which Annabeth likes
They let the cab driver keep the (infinite) change
When at santa monica, percy looked out at the ocean, thought about how 2/3rds of the world is covered in water, and wondered how he could be the son of someone so powerful
Percy just. Fucking walks into the water and annabeth is like “percy what the fuck are you doing” and headass just keeps walking until he’s fully submerged
A mako shark nuzzled him like a dog
Percy used to see sea spirits smiling at him in the waves at Montauk beach
Houdini could “escape even the depths of tartarus… damn, talk about foreshadowing
Percy told the bus driver he was a stunt double for a bunch of child actors
Percy said L.A. reminded him of Ares
They got attacked by a gang
CRUSTY
Percy tricked crusty into getting into his own beds, and percy then cut his head off
Grover told Charon that all 3 of them drowned in a bathtub, and Charon looked mildly impressed
Percy bribed Charon into letting them in
Percy’s Traumatic Elevator Experience count so far: 2
The river Styx is polluted
Annabeth held percy’s hand on the boat
Thomas Jefferson is a judge of the underworld
Grover compared Asphodel to standing in a wheat field in Kansas forever
Cerberus is a purebred Rottweiler
Annabeth played fetch with Cerberus
Annabeth promised Cerberus that she would come back and play fetch with him again
Cerberus considers Annabeth a friend
Percy saw things in the Fields Of Punishment that he “didnt want to describe”
Percy said he wanted to go to the Isles of The Blest when he dies
THEY ALMOST FALL INTO TARTARUS.
Percy said that Hades’s eyes reminded him of Hitler’s
Percy wondered if Hades’s underwear was made of trapped souls like his robe was
Percy interrupted Hades to tell him that Charon wanted a raise
Hades threatened to “stop death”
PERCY TOLD HADES TO PLAY WITH CERBERUS MORE
Annabeth gave percy her necklace to wear for good luck (with fighting ares)
Percy jumped over ares on a 6-foot wave
Percy fucking told the entire city of LA that they could get a free appliance, and he gave them Gabe’s phone number. Fucking love this kid.
Finally, a non-traumatic elevator experience
Zeus went to purify his bolt in the waters of Lemnos
Podeiden told percy that his rebelliousness was because “the sea does not like to be restrained”
Poseidon said that sally is a goddess among women
Gabe fucking made Sally go to work when she got back
Percy didnt know that Gabe had been hitting sally, until he saw her flinch when Gabe raised his hand
Poseiden sent him Medusa’s head back to use against gabe
The ares cabin made Percy’s laurel and painted “loser” on it
Sally sold her “sculpture” to an art collector in Soho, got a new apartment, and started going to college
The Soho gallery called the sculpture “a huge step forward in super-ugly neorealism”
Percy told luke he misses being on the quest
Ares caught luke with the bolt and helm
Grover “confused the (flying shoe) curse”
#pjo#percy jackson#percy jackon and the olympians#things i forgot#the lightning thief#heros of olympus#rick riordan#uncle rick
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If the Avengers and HOO/BOO characters came together
Clint Barton would immediately make a fatherly connection with all. of. them. Especially Percy, who’s dealt with a lot of abuse for a majority of life because of Smelly Gabe. Clint is kinda just the man that Percy needs in his life.
Percy would also grow close with Tony and Natasha; seeing as they all have a similar sense of humor and have a habit of pissing off the wrong people. The three of them understand each other in ways other people never possibly could. And the three of them all on the same team? That’s one hell of a sass team.
You might think Percy, Nat and Tony together are too much to handle; but just wait when Leo gets in the mix.
Percy also seems to really like being around Sam Wilson as well—but they definately have a “dude/bro” kinda relationship rather than a father/son relationship. They share a lot of inside jokes, and have similar personalities.
Percy and Bucky definately have some kind of friendship/father/son going also; they’ve both experienced things that no one ever should. They’ve both been traumatized and tortured in ways others couldn’t ever imagine. Bucky, who had managed to overcome most of his trauma, teaches Percy how to come to terms with his own and vise/versa. They also tend to share their own stories when the time is right. These two really understand each other.
In the end, Percy has a really good relationship with all of the Avengers. He’s just too easy to get along with if your vibe matches. Percy’s loyal and (sometimes) reasonable, which is why he’s so widely trusted and easily considered reliable among the team.
Natasha would absolutely become like a mentor to Piper. She would teach Piper how to be a badass and fly asf all at the same time when needed—they’d either become like sister or mother & daughter, I still can’t decide which.
“You are strong, beautiful, and powerful.” Natasha reminded Piper, who was mervous for her first mission with the team, “nothing can beat you. Remember that.”
Also, Peter P. definately as a huge crush on Piper.
Don’t tell Jason.
Leo and Pietro are hella troublesome, like, they’re both so hyper and fast paced that everyone has a hard time keeping up with them. But they can keep up with each other just fine, which makes them the perfect fit, ya know? They’re basically the best brother/brother duo to ever exist.
Leo would also get along hella good with Thor—they both have the same kind of cocky behavior on the outside, but on the inside they’re both really unsure of themselves and they can bond over that
Leo also gains a father/son connection with Tony. They’re both really in tune with engineering and creating things, they can teach each other. Best of all, Leo helps Tony improve his products to help build up his industry even more.
And Leo loves helping Tony create the best suits for the rest of the team—when they work together on these londs of things, you can expect it to be hella advanced.
“You’re going places, kid,” Tony oftened praised, which was a big change for Leo. No one ever really noticed his talent. “I’m sure of it.”
Just like with Pietro, Leo and Peter P. have a good relationship also. They’re both really smart and quick in similar ways, but also very differently.
Steve is the kinda guy Nico needs in his life—Cap is lighthearted, understanding, and trustworthy. Because Hades isn’t always so dependable, Steve is the man Nico turns to for actual good advice because he knows Steve can be trusted.
But because Nico can really appreciate comfortable silence, he and Bucky vibe pretty well. They aren’t awkward around each other, and both have experienced similar trauma. That being said, they all understand what it’s like to be thrown into a completely different time period. It’s something that Nico, Steve and Bucky can relate to.
But unlike Nico, Hazel and Wanda finds themselves drawn to each other. Like sisters, mostly. They know what it’s like to be treated like their weird; with Hazel’s mortal mother being a ‘witch’ and Wanda pretty much being a witch herself, it kinda just pulls them to each other.
Jason and Thor would be pretty tense—with Thor being the god of thunder and Zeus the god of lightning, they just have an unspoken mindset that wants to prove which is better than the other. BUT there are times when the two work together very well; they have a very strange love/hate relationship, kind of like an older brother and a younger brother. In the end, they DO care for and appreciate one another.
Jason would also probably look up to Steve, hoping that one day he could be as 'righteous’ and as good of a leader. The Roger’s man is strong and intimidating when he has to be, but friendly and laid back on the regular.
Jason and Nat would both probably have a pretty big brother/sister relationship. They had both been trained young to fight and show no merch, both their parents sucked. It was like they had lived the same lives with the same parents, despite not ever knowing the other had existed.
“We’ve lived rough lives,” Natasha once said, “but only so that we can provide better ones, safer ones, for the people who can’t do it themselves. It had to be us.”
Just like Percy, Jason and Sam have a “dude/bro” kind of relationship. And the three of them often hang out in Sam’s apartment making stupid jokes and messing around. It’s nice to have some mortal friends that can introduce them to normal human things, and Sam does just that.
Frank and Clint definately hit it off pretty good. Sooner or later, the two of them become like father/son like Clint does with all of them. But they’re different. The two of them fight back-to-back with their bow and arrows and together, they’re basically unstoppable. On missions, the rest of the team usually like to say things like, “we’re gonna need our favorite archers for this one”
Frank, for the most part, tried to avoid Tony. The Stark man just gets on his nerves sometimes with his cocky attitude. But, Frank’s a pretty reasonable person. He pushes aside his channeling resentment when it’s time to get serious.
Much like Hazel, Frank gets along well with Wanda. They have pretty strange powers, and when the time is right, like to show off to each other what they can do. It’s not a competition; they’re just genuinely interested in the things one another can do.
Thor and the Stoll brothers would drfinately welcome each other with wide open arms. They have similar humors and personalities, and after losing his chance to truly make Loki his brother, he finds that Connor and Travis Stoll are the younger brothers he needed all along. In a way, they’re just Loki—but kind of a better version of him. Thor doesn’t doubt for a second that Loki and the Stoll’s would’ve appreciated each other’s company.
Also, these kids would def love Stephen Strange, and Stephen Strange would def love them, too. They each have abilities they’ve never even imagined having, and Strange has no problem helping them reach their full potential.
But most importantly, Stephen would see HUGE potential in Annabeth. So he would take her under his wing and teach her to do the things he knows how to do; it just fits so well.
And overtime, he begins to father her more than he mentors her. Because Stephen knows that Annabeth could never really come to terms with her mortal father—he was just too misunderstanding toward her, it was toxic. At this point, he’s like her emotional support.
And Annabeth is so smart and strategic, Stephen is just so frickin proud of how far she’s come as she really begins to understand the concept of his magic. And just like with Chiron, Annabeth looks up to Strange. She just wishes she had run into him earlier. Maybe then she and Percy wouldn’t have had to suffer through Tartarus and all that. Maybe she could’ve protected Thalia all those years ago.
And Stephen may not ever have his own kids, but having Annabeth often refer to him as her father makes his nose tingle emotionally. Her biological father had really given up something that could’ve been a truly amazing aspect in his life.
“I’m proud of you, Annabeth. I really am.”
And Annabeth almost cried, thankful that someone other than Percy really appreciated her talents.
That’s what really needed in the end—recognition, support, and for people like Leo or Nico, all they needed was some sort of family that could see not their flaws, but their potential.
#avengers#percy jackson#heroes of olympus#blood of olympus#infinity war#endgame#crossover#steve rogers#bucky barnes#clint barton#loki#sam wilson#thor#avengers x reader#percy jackson x reader#jason grace#leo valdez#frank zhang#nico di angelo#will solace#stoll#greek gods#norse gods#heroes#stephen strange#avengers headcannons#percy jackson headcannons#demigods#avengers one shots#percy jackson one shots
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I am so unbelievably upset right now I can’t even words but like
Luke
He
Dhhsjdjd he freaking
The shoes
He gave
Jsjdnndnfnfnmf
He gave Percy the shoes
And he knew
That the shoes were supposed to drag the wearer down into tarturus
And even if
Somehow
He literally jumped into Kronos’ plan so fast that he didn’t stop to think (which isn’t a good thing either but)
Even if he didn’t process that Percy can’t fly because Zeus hates him right now and he’d obviously give the shoes to someone else (which he really should have processed because it’s so obvious like three seperate people yell at Percy for being dumb for not thinking about it)
But even if he didn’t
He was like the only adult at CHB (Mr. D and Chiron aren’t adults; they’re not bad they’re just not adults) and he was watching over Percy from his cabin
Percy is this tiny heartbroken sixth grader who tries his absolute best to be nice to everyone despite awful circumstances and who only agreed to go on this quest to save his mom, and Luke was the only adult figure he had left, and he was just like “yep okay time to send him off to die in freaking Tarturus”
If you look at the dialogue, he seems to be struggling to give Percy the shoes, but???? That makes it worse???? If he didn’t have any regrets I’d be able to give him plausable deniability like maybe he’s just really that dumb and didn’t know what would happen??? But he’s struggling!!! Which means he knew and he did it anyways!!!
And he knew Annabeth was going on the quest! He couldn’t have forgotten because she was standing right! Next to him! When he handed Percy the shoes! And he knew how badly she wanted to prove herself!!!!
In the book, when grover almost got dragged into Tarturus, she and Percy ran after him!!! Because they’re heroes and that’s what they do!!!!! You can’t honestly tell me that sending Percy off to Tarturus while Annabeth was on a quest with him wouldn’t have posed a serious risk for Annabeth too!!!!
(And this is all ignoring the horrifying but very possible “what if Annabeth had put on the shoes instead of Grover” and what would’ve happened if she’d been actually sucked down into the pit)
But even if everything went “well” and Percy was sucked down into Tartarus and Annabeth retured “safe” somehow, what the frick was Luke going to do??? Did he think she’d be okay??!
She’s still blaming herself for not reacting fast enough to save Thalia when she was literally seven, almost half her life ago! The quest was something she cared about enough that she was placing her entire self worth on it! She desperately wanted to prove herself!!!
And Luke freaking stepped in and rigged it!!!
Did Luke really think she’d just watch her questing partner die (or worse) horribly and then proceed to fail at her quest and then just hop back home and be totally unscarred???? Did he think she wouldn’t form super close bonds with the trio she was a part of???
He’s experienced being a part of a trio of demigods against the world and having one of them die (him Thalia and Annabeth). And he didn’t think about it???
He didn’t even try to talk to Annabeth like “oh hey btw don’t hate urself if you fail this quest the gods aren’t that great anyways” he just let her go on so she could be crushed if he succeeded
So I just djdjkdkdkfkkfkfk
“Luke isn’t evil he just wants to protect his friends” which ones???? Because it looks to me like the poor little baby half-bloods who were abandoned by the gods were never a priority to him
(Also he’s the one who leaked information to the campers and started in-fighting within the camp and it’s like fjjfjjfkf if you really wanted the gods to fight so you could protect the demigods why are you getting the demigods involved in the fight)
And anyway this is listy now but he’s not protecting Annabeth or Thalia at all between this while fiasco, and then poisening the tree, and then almost killing Annabeth several times, and then dumping the weight of the sky on Annabeths shoulders, and then trying to kill Thalia with a sword, and that’s not even all of it from the first three books and there’s two more books and djjdjdkfnf
I just hate Luke a lot right now and I’m feeling very upset at him for his stupid dumb choices fnkf
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Percy Jackson, The Avenger
A/N: This is already posted on Ao3 and ff.net but figured I’d post it here as well. Enjoy.
Summary: Percy has an encounter with Nick Fury. A year later, he’s being called on to help protect the world… again. He’s not alone in this Avengers Initiative. A genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist; a super soldier; a green scientist; a Norse god; and two secret agents. What could go wrong?
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson nor Marvel (Just wish I did)
This is unedited.
This chapter has 3,032 words
1 – The Pegasus wants a Donut
The week had been a long one for Fury and it wasn’t showing any signs of stopping. Even the week after the incident in Budapest hadn’t been this tiring. Just within the span of a few days, the director of SHIELD was dealing with unmovable hammers falling into deserts, General Ross pestering him about the manhunt for scientist-turned-fugitive Bruce Banner, and dealing with Tony Stark who was just being… Tony.
And then he got the call about the horse.
“You’re telling me that you saw a horse flying around the base?”
“Yessir,” the agent said on the other side of the phone. “At first, we thought it was some type of missile, but it moved too fast. Once I figured out what it was, I ordered for it to be tranquilized and brought to the labs.”
Fury pushed aside the paperwork he had been working on and picked up a file that he had been the topic of many debates with the World Council recently. Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. He knew a flying horse was called a Pegasus from Greek mythology. Was this some kind of sign for them to go ahead with the project? A warning to stop?
“Give me the lab number.”
Fury knew that whatever this was, it was just the beginning.
\~*~/
Percy silently cursed Blackjack down to Tartarus and back. He’d had a demigod dream of the pegasus getting captured, prompting the demigod to go and rescue him in the middle of finals week. Not that he wasn’t glad for the excuse to get away from the mind-numbing hours of sitting around and studying, testing, and eating too many snacks and not enough meals, but this wasn’t the break he was looking for.
He was outside a huge, government-looking facility. The building was big, with a guard monitoring the gate that allowed people in and out. It had been hard to find. The place was in the middle of nowhere, with only a single road leading up to it. Surrounded by a forest and hills on all sides, the only way in or out undetected was through the sky.
Schist.
He wished desperately that Annabeth was with him to help him come up with a clever plan to get in, but she was too busy taking tests this week for her to accompany him. And now Percy was glad that she didn’t come. On the high chance that something went wrong, she wouldn’t get dragged down too.
Percy fiddled with the pen in his pocket. Several ideas were racing through his head. He could always crawl through the vents, spy style. Or come up with some kind of lie that would get him into the building. The son of Poseidon wished he could shadow-travel like Nico, or that he could have Mrs. O’Leary jump him in there, but Percy figured that having a hellhound larger than a tank appearing out of nowhere might cause some trouble, even if the mist made her look like—
A new idea hit Percy like one of Tyson’s hugs.
There were several things that were missing, like what he would do once he got in, if he got in, but it was the best plan he had and would manage to come up with. Now all he needed was a car.
\~*~/
Fury thought he had seen everything. He should've known better, working in this line of work, that even when you thought you've seen everything, there was something new lurking around the corner.
Including a horse with wings.
The pegasus seemed relatively unharmed. One of its wings was folded over its stomach, which rose and fell steadily. The other was spread out behind it, showing its massive wingspan.
Fury stood behind a glass panel staring at the sedated equestrian while scientists ran around, prepping blood tests and taking DNA samples. He motioned over the head scientist.
"Give me a full report."
"Well we, uh, we, um..." She fumbled over her words.
"Get to it."
"We don't know. All tests so far have been inconclusive. No one knows what it is. It isn't a horse or bird—the DNA doesn't match. It's its own breed."
"It's a pegasus." Fury told her.
“Well, yes. But the thing is, pegasus don’t exist.” She started explaining.” Their fairytales, myths, something you tell your kid in their bedtime stories. Nothing before today has shown any indication of the existence of a pegasus species so for one to just pop up out of the blue… it has to be the result of experimentation, but nothing is adding up.”
Fury watched the pegasus. "So you mean that no one can tell me anything about it?"
“No sir, but we're working hard on it." She amended. "We'll have results by the end of the day."
"I want them in an hour."
He gave one last look to the pegasus before leaving the lab, not seeing the stressed face of the scientist.
\~*~/
If anyone were to ask Percy, the official story was that he got in, got Blackjack, and got out without a hitch.
He wished it had happened like that.
Things started off smooth. He'd gotten the car and driven his way up to the road, wondering the entire time if his idea would work or if he’d get hauled away. There was only one way to find out.
He approached the gate, rolling his window down. Percy tried to look confident. The guard eyed him warily. “How can I help you?”
Percy had never really used the Mist before, but he figured he could wing it. He looked the man in the eyes, focused really hard (he hoped he didn’t look like he was about to fart), and snapped his fingers—making a loud, clear snap. Mustering his most confident voice, he told the guard, “I forgot my key card. You will let me in and not tell anyone about me.”
There was a tense second where Percy was sure that the man was about to haul him away, but then a calm expression settled over his face and he pressed a button. A second later, the gate rolled open. He contained his jump of joy and instead nodded at the guard and drove off.
Percy felt a little bit of relief. Using the mist had been a bit of a wild card, the last time having used it, it didn’t work. But that was just the first part, he reminded himself as he saw people dressed in suits and business outfits. He felt underdressed in his Camp Half-Blood shirt and jeans.
It was after he snuck in through the maintenance door that things started getting rough. The building looked bigger on the inside than it had on the outside. Before him laid a maze of halls, designed to trap anyone who didn’t know their way around (maybe not literally but either way it felt like an attack on Percy). Somewhere inside the mortal version of the Labyrinth was Blackjack, alone, probably scared, and most likely wanting a donut.
And Percy had to find him.
\~*~/
It wasn’t too long after Percy had set off in the building that Fury became aware of the intruder. Video feeds showed a young man manipulating the guard at the front gate to let him pass. After talking to the guard who had no memory of the incident, Fury ordered for the man to be brought to him so he could interrogate him.
Percy couldn’t tell something was off. He was wondering the halls, searching for Lab 28 where he had figured out a knocked-out Blackjack had been brought to. It made him furious to think that his pegasus was being used as some sort of lab rat.
He was in the right area, if the BLA sign had been any indication (and that’s all science sounded like to him anyway—bla, bla, bla).
I can’t believe they gave me this horse crap. A faint voice entered Percy’s head. I need sugar cubes at the least.
Blackjack? Percy tried reaching out. Blackjack? Can you hear me?
Boss?
Definitely Blackjack.
Blackjack, thank the gods. Stay put, I’m coming to get you.
Thanks boss. I couldn’t’ve moved anyway. They have me tied to a table. They also gave me this stupid hay that horses eat. Can you believe that?
Percy followed Blackjack’s voice as a homing beacon. It got steadily louder and louder.
Blackjack, you look like a horse. You are part horse.
You wouldn’t happen to have donuts with you, would you?
The son of Poseidon opened a door. Blackjack looked over at him, kneeling on the floor.
No donuts, I see.
“This is a rescue mission,” Percy told him as he moved to free the pegasus from his restraints. “Why would I bring donuts with me?”
Percy got the first latch undone and started working on the second one.
Maybe we can get some later then.
“Sure. Later. After we get out of here. I almost got you. Just another minute and—”
Behind you!
Blackjack had shouted the words too late. Something hit his back, causing a burning sensation to flow through him. He fell to the floor with a thud and was unable to move. Percy could see Blackjack struggling to get his attacker, but he couldn’t hear him or anything else. His own heartbeat was too loud. The last thing he saw was a pair of boots stepping in front of him before his head fell to the floor and the world faded to black.
He couldn’t tell how long he had been out, but judging from his stiff shoulders and the small ache in his neck, it had probably been a good while. Percy tried to make himself as comfortable as possible. His hands had been cuffed to the table, which didn’t surprise Percy, but the addition of gloves did.
It wasn’t much longer before the door opened and a man walked in and hold up. The first thing Percy noticed was the spy/pirate-ish look—a black trench coat, don’t-mess-with-me attitude, and, as the final touch, an eye patch. Percy hoped that the man knew Halloween had happened seven months ago.
“Mr. Jackson,” the man said in a way that made him hate the name almost as much as when monsters called him Perseus. “I must say, it was a surprise when I was alerted that someone had broken into a facility more secure than the White House.”
Percy swallowed uncomfortably. “You might want to update your security.”
“We will. And this time, we’ll take into account mind control.” The demigod frowned in confusion. He couldn’t mind control peo… the mist. Looking down at his gloves, he realized that these people thought that he could manipulate people. “But I’m not here to talk about that.” The pirate-man continued. “What I want to know is how you knew about this.”
He slid a photo of Blackjack across the table. Percy couldn’t help but wonder what was going to happen to his pegasus now that his only shot at rescue now needed rescuing himself. “Why should I tell you anything?” Percy eventually told the man.
“I’ve had a long week, and the sooner you’re gone, the sooner I can get back to other, bigger problems.” The man explained. Percy was surprised that the man was going to let him go, and suddenly thought that this might be a trap. But the chance that this man would actually let him free seemed like a better deal than he would get otherwise.
“I had a dream,” Percy said lowly. “That may sound strange, but I swear to Hades its true. I saw—”
“I’m gonna stop you right there,” Pirate-man held up his hand to stop him. “Did you just swear to Hades?”
Percy froze, realizing that he had messed up. “Well, uh, you see, it’s—” he started back-pedaling, but the man wasn’t paying attention to him anymore.
“First the pegasus, then the mention of Hades,” Pirate-man mumbled under his breath. “Let me guess,” he turned his attention back to Percy. “The Greek gods are real? Hades, Zeus, Apollo—all of them?”
Percy wondered if he could get away with saying no before remembering that the man could probably give him some truth serum if they had any and he’d be forced to tell him. His shoulders slumped. “Yeah,” he mumbled. “Yeah, they’re real. That pegasus you captured—” he pointed to the picture of Blackjack. “he’s mine. So when I had the dream of you guys capturing him, I had to come rescue him.”
The man stared at Percy, trying to determine if he was really telling the truth or not. Percy started to grow uncomfortable when the man dropped his gaze and rubbed his head, like soothing a headache. “If the Greek gods are real,” he started asking, “why haven’t we seen any proof of them?”
“The mist,” Percy answered. “It’s a mystical force that stops mortals from seeing our world. I used the mist to get past the guard at the front gate. Some can see past it, like my mom. It’s how she met my dad.”
“And your dad is…”
“Poseidon.”
“And that makes you what. A god?”
“Demigod, actually. Half mortal, half god.”
The man was taking this all exceptionally well, Percy thought. A sudden thought struck Percy. “Hey, uh, this doesn’t change our little agreement, right? About you letting me go?” When the man didn’t respond right away, Percy’s fear grew. “Please, I gotta get back so I can take finals tomorrow, and if I don’t my girlfriend’s gonna kill me and nothing, not even you, could stop her.”
Pirate-dude held up his hand. “I’ll let you go,” Percy’s shoulder’s sagged in relief. “Just on one condition.”
And there’s the catch. There’s always a catch.
“I’m assuming you can fight,” When Percy nodded, he continued. “If ever needed, I want you to come fight for us.”
Percy paused. “Who’s ‘us’?”
“SHIELD.”
The son of Poseidon considered the offer. On one hand, he really didn’t want to fight anymore. He’d seen and done enough fighting to last him a lifetime. The thought of fighting for this government agency or whatever they were didn’t sit too well with him.
But saying no didn’t sit well either. Saying no meant he wouldn’t get to leave, and Blackjack would be stuck here. He couldn’t fail his family, who were so excited for him to finally be at college. Percy couldn’t fail Annabeth, who was waiting back in New Rome for him.
“Okay.” He said a beat later. Percy wasn’t sure if he was ever going to regret that, but right now, he knew it was his only choice.
The man nodded. “Now that that’s settled,” he reached over the table and unlocked Percy’s handcuffs. Percy rubbed his wrists a little and took off the gloves. “I’ll have someone take you to your… pegasus.”
“Aye aye.” Percy mocked saluted the man whose glare seemed to grow. “Oh, I’m sorry, that was insensitive of me. Aye.”
“Let’s hope you never meet Stark.”
“Who?”
The man ignored him and led him out of the room. A woman was waiting, tapping away on a pad. She looked up when they walked out, eyeing Percy. Percy gave a small wave. She tilted her head a little before addressing the man. “Director Fury, your plane is waiting.”
Pirate-man, or Fury, nodded. He started walking away, leaving Percy with the woman. “Wait,” Percy called. Fury paused and turned around. “You wouldn’t happen to have any donuts, would you?”
\~*~/
When Percy arrived back in New Rome, the sun had started setting. Blackjack took his time, moaning about how awful his day there had been. The woman, whose name Percy didn’t get had led him to Blackjack who was happy to see him (especially with a box of donuts in his hand). Before they left, Percy had asked the woman if they needed his contact info. All she had said was “We’ll find you” and left, which didn’t exactly reassure the demigod.
Blackjack dropped Percy off on the street in front of his apartment. “Stay safe buddy,” Percy told him. “Don’t get caught by any more secret government agencies.”
I wasn’t plannin’ on it boss.
The son of Poseidon smiled. “Alright. Now go get some rest,” Blackjack gave the demigod one last farewell before taking off towards the stables. Percy waited until Blackjack had flown out of sight behind the buildings before heading inside.
Annabeth was waiting on the couch. She had notes spread out all over the coffee table and on the cushions next to her. Percy remembered that she had her final test tomorrow, and it was her one for her major architecture.
She looked up when Percy entered. A smile spread across her face as she rose to greet him. “How’d it go?” She asked, giving him a small peck on the cheek.
“Without a hitch,” Percy lied. “Blackjack’s fine, he’s off to the stables right now to rest.”
“Wonderful.” Annabeth’s smile made Percy feel guilty for lying to her, but he told himself that she didn’t need to be concerned for him. If SHIELD ever decided that they needed him, then he’d cross that bridge when it came time. But for now, as far as Annabeth would know, everything was fine. “Come on, I know you might be tired, but you have your final tomorrow and I want to test you.”
Percy let her lead him to the couch while she quizzed him on Marine Biology. Soon, the thought of SHIELD left his head as he started worrying about his final tomorrow and reassuring Annabeth that she would do fine and that she didn’t need to be worried.
On the other side of California, Nick Fury was looking up research on Greek Mythology. He looked down at the two files that sat next to him. One was Percy Jackson’s file, filled with every school he had attended, who his friends were, even if he had a dental plan.
Next to Percy’s file sat another, thicker file. This one had the SHIELD logo stamped across the front.
And underneath it were the words AVENGERS INITIATIVE.
2
#Percy Jackson the Avenger#percy jackson#percy jackson and the heroes of olympus#percy jackson au#Avengers#marvel#MCU#nick fury#annabeth chase#blackjack#fanfiction#fanfic#percy jackson fanfic#PJO#pjo fandom
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The Princess Andromeda (2): What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Everything, Apparently
read it here on ao3
chapter 1 is here
I set off at a brisk pace, holding the layout of the ship in my head as we went. We followed a narrow corridor down to the service stairwell. A sixth sense stopped me in my tracks, and I threw an arm across Percy’s chest.
The snarls of a telekhine drifted down the stairwell. “I don’t care what your nose says! The last time you smelled half-blood, it turned out to be a meatloaf sandwich!”
I tried to pinpoint the monster’s voice: maybe the landing above us? In any case, the engine room was floors below. I gestured to the stairs, and we descended as quietly as possible.
My heart was pounding so hard in my chest that I was sure every monster on the ship could hear it.
Next to me, Percy seemed calm, unruffled. He was probably going to come out of this alive. He was practically guranteed to survive until sixteen, when the fate of Olympus would be decided or something. He’d taken on Titans, gods, and basically every monster mythology had to offer. Exploding a cruise ship was just another day on the job for him. Me, on the other hand…
My camp necklace had five beads for five completed summers, from eighth grade through senior year. I had been on exactly zero quests, not counting the missions earlier this summer.
I was enrolled at NYU for the fall semester. My life was about as normal as a demigod’s could get: I had a girlfriend, a little brother, parents. They were strapped for cash, relying on money I made doing repairs when I was home. I tried not to think about how they would feel if I didn’t make it back.
We arrived at the engine room. The doors were bolted shut. I rummaged through my bag for a pair of chain cutters, careful not to jostle the jars of Greek fire. I didn’t want to think about what would happen if one of the jars broke. It probably did not involve getting off this ship alive and preventing the end of Western civilization.
With a sigh of relief, I closed my hand around the handle of the tool. I carefully severed the chains one by one, easing the door open. There was a second where we both held our breath. If an alarm was going to go off, it would be now. Nothing happened.
I grinned and strolled into the heart of the cruise ship.
Wow. I couldn’t help but be impressed. Big yellow turbines the size of grain silos lined one wall. I could only imagine the amount of horsepower it took to keep a cruise ship of this size going. I’d always wanted to build a boat when I was younger, like maybe a flying warship or Greek trireme…
There would be time for that when we survived this war.
The other wall was lined with computer terminals and pressure gauges, manned by a single telekhine. Percy sliced him from shoulder to hip, and he exploded into yellow powder.
“One down,” I said, wiping the monster dust from my forehead. It was caked with my own sweat, forming a thick yellow goo. Gross. “About five thousand to go.”
I surreptitiously wiped my hand on my cargo shorts and handed Percy a jar of Greek fire and a roll of duct tape. “Slap those on the console. I’ll get the turbines.”
It was humid and hot in the control room. It wasn’t as bad as the forges at camp, but it was warm enough that both of us were drenched in sweat in no time. My fingers were slipping as I taped the jars to the turbines. More than once, I fumbled the jars, which would’ve been very bad for us if I hadn’t caught them before they hit the floor.
There were two turbines left when I heard the pounding of feet on the stairs outside, getting louder by the second. I blanched, thinking about the number of monsters that could be headed this way right now. There was no way we could hold them all off. Percy met my eyes, wiping the sweat from his face. “How much longer?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Too long,” I said around the roll of duct tape, fixing the second-to-last jar of fire in place. “I still have to wire the receiver and prime the charges. Ten more minutes at least.”
Percy seemed to come to a decision. “I’ll distract them. Meet you at the rendezvous point.”
I straightened, looking him in the face. Percy Jackson was maybe the best fighter I’d ever met, but even he couldn’t take on a shipful of five thousand monsters at once. “Percy–”
“Wish me luck.” He uncapped Riptide and unlatched the door.
“Good luck,” I sighed, and he disappeared outside. I heard telekhine yelps and snarls, then the swish of Percy’s blade as he cut them apart.
Part of me—the part that wondered if this was the last time I’d see him alive—wanted to dart outside and help him. Then I took a deep breath. Percy was doing this for me so that I could finish the job. I couldn’t let him down.
I attached the last jar of Greek fire to the last turbine. I pulled the receiver out of my bag and began wiring the circuit. My mind focused until there was nothing but the job in front of me. There was a cruise ship that needed blowing up. I was the one that was going to blow it up. That was all.
My hands flew, priming the explosives and setting the timer. Then I paused. The original plan had been to set it for five minutes so we could escape before the boat exploded.
I looked at my watch; the LED face read 10:29 PM. How long had it been since Percy had left? Five minutes? Seven? If he had been captured, neither of us would be getting off this ship alive.
I took a deep breath and set the timer to zero. When Kronos discovered the explosives, it would be far too late. I could detonate them at any time. Besides, if we were captured and the ship exploded, it wouldn’t matter to us.
Either way, we would be dead.
I finished wiring the receiver and packed everything up in my bag, minus the Greek fire. I took a deep breath and unlatched the door. All I had to do was make it to the rendezvous point—the helipad on the bow of the Princess Andromeda. What could go wrong?
Footsteps—many, many footsteps—echoed from the corridor to the right. I was faced with a split-second decision: engage them in front of the engine room, or take my chances with the hallway to the left, which was the way we had come. Think! I have to think.
This was the second large wave of monsters that had come this way within fifteen minutes. That couldn’t possibly be a coincidence.
Somehow, Kronos knew we were here.
Either Percy had been captured and let something slip… or someone had told them that we would be here. A spy. A spy at camp.
Our entire mission had been compromised, and I had to find Percy and get out of here as soon as possible, hopefully detonating the explosives along the way.
I desperately wracked my brains for a way out of the situation. If the monsters checked the engine room, they would disable the explosives, and our mission would fail. New York would fall, and Olympus would follow. I couldn’t let that happen.
So.... if I wanted them to avoid the engine room, I had to create a diversion. Then I had to convince them the explosives hadn’t been set yet, so they wouldn’t come to check. A plan began to take shape in my mind—a stupid, crazy plan, but it was the only one I had.
First. Kill any monsters that were coming to check the engine room right now. I unhooked a Greek fire grenade from my utility belt. Yanked out the pin. Took a second to think about how stupid I was being: if the corridor caves in, I’m doomed.
Before I could do any more second-guessing, I chucked the grenade into the horde of monsters rounding the corner, shut my eyes, and clapped my hands over my ears.
The resulting blast shook the floor, but the walls seemed to contain the shock wave well enough. I cautiously opened my eyes, ready to finish off the survivors. There were none. The walls weren’t even scorched, and any leftover monster dust had been totally incinerated.
I blew out a breath, trying to calm my racing heart. Next step, I told myself. What’s the next step?
Second. Convince Kronos’s minions I was heading towards the engine room and hadn’t set the explosives yet. Backtrack. Find fake explosives.
I turned and ran down the left-hand corridor, retracing my steps back up the dingy stairwell where we had first heard the telekhines. I heard noise from the flight above me, and I instantly spun around and pretended to be heading downstairs.
Two dracaenae snake women slithered around the corner and spotted me. “What issss thissss?” one hissed. Her forked tongue flickered. “An enemy demigod?”
“Yup, that’s me,” I said automatically, my brain running on autopilot. Stupid.
They made their way down the stairs, every step making an audible thud and causing their armor to clank. It would’ve been funny if I wasn’t stuck on a cruise ship with five thousand monsters and only one demigod for backup.
“For Kronossss,” one hissed, jabbing at me with a spear. I sidestepped and lunged, slicing it to dust with my sword. Then I turned and sprinted down the stairwell, leaving the other one to raise the alarm.
Next step. Fake explosives. Where was I supposed going to find fake explosives on a golden cruise ship?
Glass jars. The kitchens. I swore, trying to remember where the kitchens were as I ran. My armor and bag clanked loud enough to raise Hades. With my luck, I’d attract another horde of monsters by stumbling around like a bull in a china shop.
I skidded around a corner and almost ran straight into a Cyclopes. It froze when it saw me, a hotdog halfway to its mouth. Before it could react, I stabbed it through the eye and sent it back to Tartarus.
I darted into the kitchen, sword at the ready. There was no one else in there, possibly because it was nearly eleven o’clock. Or maybe most of the monsters on this ship ate something else—like demigod.
I rummaged through the kitchen pantry, past packages of Froot Loops and Double Stuf Oreos. Please, I prayed. Please let there be something useful.
Finally, in the very back, I unearthed a dozen jars of peach preserves, in pristine condition, as if they’d been waiting for this very moment. Was it divine intervention, or was it the fact that Greek monsters liked preservatives instead of preserved fruit? I sent a quick prayer of thanks to my father anyway.
Right outside the kitchen, the hallway forked again. I knew the left corridor would lead to the engine room—where a third horde of monsters was probably heading—and almost certain capture and death. If I went back there, I wouldn't be able to make it off the ship before detonation. I would go down with the Princess Andromeda.
The other corridor… if I took it, maybe I would be able to escape detection. I could make it to the rendezvous point with Percy, and we coud get away and detonate the charges from a distance.
A choice. I have a choice.
No, I didn’t. Not really. If I ran, Kronos would find and dismantle the charges. Our only hope for success lay in me getting down to the engine room before the third wave of minions came to investigate.
Deep down, I knew I would never be able to chicken out. I had committed to this mission. It was my responsibility to see it through to the end.
I took a second to catch my breath, making sure my watch was set to the detonator. I fastened it more securely around my wrist—it would be just my luck to have it slip off in the next fifteen minutes. I glanced at the image of Silena in my pocket one last time. If everything went to plan… I would never see her smile again. I’m sorry, Lena.
An ice-cold clarity settled over my mind. For the ruse to work, the enemy had to see me creeping towards the engine room. I would be captured, and after that, there would be no way off this ship. I would detonate the charges, and then… I would die.
Don’t get me wrong. A part of me was freaking out. I was, not to be cliché, too young to die. I wanted to go to college, drive my brother to football practice every day, and major in political science. Maybe start my own crafting business on the side.
If I hit the big red button on my watch, all of those dreams would go up in a giant plume of Greek fire. There wouldn’t even be a body for my parents to bury.
I blinked away sudden tears.
But if I didn’t do this, I would still die. If this ship made it to New York, it wouldn’t matter if I survived tonight. The Titans would take Olympus. All of Western Civilization would crumble within a week.
I had to do this.
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Princess 2: Poison
Hey! So this is the other chapter from the Princess!AU I had going. It isn’t sequential, and takes place much farther in the future. Percabeth is an established thing, has been for a while. Again, this won’t be a series any time soon, you guys just requested the other chapter I had in mind, and this was it! More after! Oh, and shoutout to @cakesnomnom for convincing me to actually write it up.
XxXxXxXxX
Annabeth peaked out the window with a sigh, watching the forest pass by them as they trotted along. Now normally, Annabeth would have preferred to ride out in front on a horse with them, next to Percy, but he had thrown a fit. They were traveling to a neutral village to have peace talks with their neighboring country. They had been in a slow war for a few years now, neither side willing to fully invest themselves into a massive assault.
Hence, the fact that they were traveling outside of the safety of their borders.
Percy, being the overprotective boyfriend/knight he was, refused to let her ride out in the open. Now while she had the authority to do whatever she wanted, she was the princess after all, it was clear how much it worried him. He had started rambling on about ambushes, archers, traps. He had even started warning her about the dangers of poison ivy. To shut him up, and get rid of her least favorite expression he wore, one of concern and fear, she had kissed him and agreed to ride in the carriage. At least once they had crossed the border.
So now here they were, just a few minutes outside of the village. Percy had put his helmet back on, and was riding in the front. Unfortunately. Annabeth hated that helmet. When he wore it, she couldn't see his expressions, his messy hair, her favorite smirk. Most importantly, it hid his beautiful eyes. She had actually ordered him to never wear the helmet unless they were in some sort of official or public business. Luckily he didn't seem to mind, claimed it was too stuffy anyway.
Annabeth was about to get out and just ride the rest of her way when she heard his voice cut through the forest.
“HOLD!” His voice was clear and precise. “Jason, Frank, on Annabeth.” He ordered as he hopped off the horse.
Peering out the window curiously, Annabeth's hand grabbed her sword just in case. The hell if she was going to be protected while she sat in a little box while her friends risked their lives. Looking farther down the lane, Annabeth's heart skipped a beat. There was a little girl, her back against a tree as she sobbed, two thugs looming over her. She couldn't hear the conversation, but they said something, the girl flinched, then Percy stepped up. Words were exchanged, and Percy glanced back, as if asking for permission.
Hardly debating a moment, Annabeth nodded, as she placed her sword back down and rested her arm on the window to watch. Percy said something to the thugs, who both drew their swords. A few minutes later both of them were on the ground, and Percy was stowing his sword as he turned to the little girl. The little girl said something, and Percy knelt down. A small smile played at Annabeth's lip as she saw him speak to her, before rustling her hair, then she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. A warmth spread through Annabeth's chest. Percy really was good with kids, and some part of her imagined seeing him with kids of their own. Blushing, and shaking out her head, she saw him walking back. Eating... something. Quirking an eyebrow, she looked on until she saw he was munching happily on an apple. “She was delivering them to her grandparents. Made me take one as thanks for saving her.” He offered with a shrug. He climbed back on the horse, and soon the caravan was finishing up the last few minuets of the journey. Realizing she actually had to get back into princess mode, Annabeth took a deep breath and pushed idle thoughts of domestic life out of her mind.
They were dealing with the kingdom of Tartarus. Where luke had fled after he betrayed them. Still, they needed this war over. It was costing too many lives, and there was little prospect for either side actually winning in any meaningful way.
The air had been tense as they made their way through the village. Everyone could tell it was a royal caravan, and no one dared tried anything risky. Especially those who recognized some of the elite members of the Olympian army guarding the princess.
When the caravan finally wound to a halt, Annabeth made sure her crown was on just right, and settled her necklace properly. A gift from Percy after their first year knowing each other.
The door opened, and Percy was standing there, hand outstretched as he helped her out of the carriage. Hardly needed, but they were in public and their image was important. It had never been confirmed to the public that they were an item, but there certain had been rumors flying around for a while now. Ones she hadn't exactly denied overtly. It was just better to stay quiet, for both of them, until a more opportune time presented itself. No matter how much she just wanted to brag about her boyfriend, and use him as a shield from the annoying suitors that held no interest in her other than what rested on top of her head, and between her legs.
No, it was all proper and formal procedure as they were lead to the neutral grounds for the negotiations, and as they began. Both Annabeth, and one of the princes from Tartarus sat in the room, each allowed a single guard, the rest waited outside. There was no question who Annabeth chose, but she didn't recognize the guard of compatriot. Which was both good, and bad. Glad he didn't seem to be famous enough for a legacy, but unknown factors were always scary.
It seemed like her fears were for naught though, as the negotiations had passed without a hitch. They hadn't exactly reached a clear agreement yet, but it seemed both kingdoms tired of the war, and the drain it put on them, and were both looking to settle. It would take some more time, and some more consultations with the heads of each country respectively, but Annabeth felt hopeful.
“I guess that concludes talks for the day.” The man said with a yawn, rolling up his scroll of notes and passing it off to his guard to hold. Annabeth neatly closed her book and wrapped the cord around it as she tucked it into her bag. She trusted Percy with her life, her heart, and her kingdom. But damn if she trusted him with anything she needed him to keep in his possession for more than 5 minutes. His ability to lose things was only matched by his skill with a sword.
As she stood up to leave, she heard the man say one last thing.
“Say, Princess Chase. Have you ever chopped a redwood before?”
She froze, instantly understanding he was hinting at something. Standing up straight, she looked back at him with a careful expression. “I have, actually. It's extremely practical to learn basic survival skills. That includes camping.”
The man nodded, unphased. “They really are mighty trees. Stretch all the way to the heavens, and larger than a man laying from one end to the other. How do you suppose you go about chopping one. Do you start at the top?”
Annabeth paused, regarding him carefully. “Of course not. That's the hardest spot to reach, and needless effort. Take out the base, and the rest will come crumbling down.” Annabeth offered.
The man nodded, his wicked grin never leaving his face. “Of course. Just thought I'd ask. I'm thinking of going camping later, and thought I'd make sure I was doing it right.” He offered, before standing up and walking out of the room before Annabeth could respond.
Letting Percy lead the way as she tried to puzzle out the remarks from the prince, Annabeth had a bad feeling in her gut. Her intuition was screaming that something was wrong. There was no chance in hell he was just asking about logging. He was far too smart for that. She had barely flinched as a random villager had jumped out of the crowd with a knife as he headed for her. Percy had successfully pinned and disarmed him moments later anyway. She merely had hopped in the carriage and was beginning to the ride back. At one point she had seen Percy pulled up next to the carriage on his horse. He took off his helmet as he leaned over to speak with her.
“Why was he asking about chopping down trees. Wouldn't he have someone else to do that for him?”
Annabeth just laughed, reaching out the window to cup his face with a hand gently. It seemed Percy had caught the strange remark as well, even if he hadn't quite pieced together what the meaning was behind it either. She was about to reply when she noticed his condition. She frowned, leaning over to get a better look. “Percy, you look a little pale.” She said, concern dripping from her tone. “Maybe you should ride inside...”
Percy sat back up proper, putting on his helmet after flashing her his signature grin. “I'm fine. Just a little tired is all.” He offered before riding back to be in the front of the caravan.
Annabeth glared after him, debating pulling rank and just ordering him in the caravan. But she figured he was as stubborn as she was and that he was also built like an Ox so he'd be fine. She would just make sure he had the day off tomorrow. Maybe they could finally try that new restaurant that had opened up too.
Before long they had successfully passed the border back to their own country without issue. They were met at the border by the local guard, and Annabeth switched to riding her horse back. She needed some fresh open air after that long ride anyway.
Normally whenever she was riding, Percy would fall in beside her almost immediately. Both for security reasons, and because they just enjoyed each other's company. Only this time, he didn't make a move from the head of the caravan. Frowning, Annabeth began to feel a panic building up within her. First he looked pale, and now he was ignoring her. Craning her neck to look ahead, she saw his head was down. Was he moping about something? Annabeth ran over the entire meeting in her mind, but she couldn't think of any thing Percy could have done that would have him upset. He had acted perfectly.
Spurring on her horse, she sped up to his side.
“Percy, are you okay?” She asked gently, peaking over and trying to get a good look at his face under his helmet.
He gave her a quick nod. “Just a little tired. Been in the sun too long in this armor I think.” He offered. His voice sounded off, but Annabeth figured it was just exhaustion. They had been riding for ages, and Percy had been tense since they first left the borders.
“I see. Well you can say what you want about that kingdom, their architecture certainly is beautiful. If you noticed the molding on all of the buildings, they run with the theme of...” Annabeth continued to recount what she had learned both from the visit there, and the books she had read on the subject.
Before long though, she realized Percy wasn't even offering the polite “uh-huh” that he usually did when she got into a rant about architecture.
“You know, even if you're only pretending to listen, you could try a little harder.” She teased.
When she didn't hear a response, she looked over curiously. Her eyes widened when she saw Percy's head bobbing, before he slumped forward on his horse.
Before Annabeth could grab the reigns of the horse. Percy's body slid off the side and collapsed in a heap on the ground. She saw him fall in slow motion, her heart falling with him and shattering to pieces.
Letting out a shriek, Annabeth quickly hopped off her own horse as she knelt down next to him, trying to roll him over. Ripping off his helmet, she found his face a pale green. Most concerning though were the streaks of blood leaving the corners of his mouth. Reaching up with a shaking hand, she found his temperature was burning.
In a second, the rest of her guards had formed a protective circle around her and Percy, looking for any possible outside threats as Jason knelt next to her to figure out the situation.
She saw his eyes widened, before he quickly fished around Percy's neck for a pulse. Letting out a sigh of relief, she saw him looked at her as his shoulders relaxed ever so slightly. “He has a pulse.” He confirmed, letting Annabeth breath again. “But it's weak. I don't know whats wrong with him... it's like he was poisoned... But we never ate any-”
“The apple.” Annabeth spoke in a cold tone. The apple the kid had given him. Fist clenching in the dirt, Annabeth felt a fist around her heart. She didn't know if the kid had known what they were doing, but this war had already cost too many lives. Percy's was not one she was going to lose. She refused.
Standing up and attempting to hide fear that was growing in her very core, she looked at everyone.
“Percy's been poisoned.” Her voice cracked slightly on the last word, nevertheless she pressed on. “Jason, get him into the carriage, we're heading straight back now, as fast as we can. Frank, get Hazel. Now.”
The large man paused, clearly not expecting to be called out. “I... I do-”
Annabeth took a step towards him, the frustration leaking from her. “I don't care about the kingdom's policy on witches. I swear on the crown she'll have my protection while she's here. I know you are close to her. Go get her now and bring her to the castle, or else.” She said, before turning without waiting for a response. Frank was a good man, he'd never let his friend die. Neither would Hazel, from what Annabeth had heard.
Jason was already finishing loading the young man into the carriage as Annabeth climbed in with him.
“Get us home. Now.” She ordered before closing the door.
Beginning to strip Percy out of his armor, she kept running a hand through his hair. It was faint, but she could see the smallest rise and fall of his chest. She felt like her world was cracking. Her mind wasn't quite as sharp, and her heart rate was far too fast to be healthy. Percy was dying in her arms, and there was nothing she could do about it. No knowledge in her arsenal would cure him. No gold in her coffers would help. She would bring together all the best magic and medicine she could to save him. She would save him, if it was the last thing she did.
They had been through far too much together to be separated by a poisoned apple.
She had too keep it together though. Too much was riding on this. No matter how much of her life was currently dying in her arms, she was still the princess and she didn't have the luxury of losing control. Percy would be fine, and then they would address this unforgivable act.
She jumped when she felt a hand cup her cheek.
“Your nose scrunches up when you're angry.” Percy's weak voice offered. His thumb brushed over the edge of it gently. “Promise me you won't do anything stupid. I'm not worth making a mistake over.” He said, before he coughed a few times, splattering Annabeth's sleeve with blood. He tried to reach up again, but his arm struggled to make it. Leaning down, Annabeth gently nudged her head into his hand, staring at him with wide desperate eyes.
“Shut up Percy. You are worth everything to me. This crown means nothing to me if you aren't by my side. You aren't allowed to leave me. You will be okay. I order you to be.” She said weakly, unable to stop the tears that cascaded down her face and splashed onto his.
Percy just offered her one last grin, wiping a tear with a weak thumb before his eyes slid shut and his head lolled to the side.
Annabeth shrieked in horror, but she still felt a gentle breath coming out of his chest. He was alive. By God, he was alive.
Annabeth just ran her hand through his hair over and over again like she knew he loved.
He would be okay.
He would be okay.
He would be okay.
When they finally reached the kingdom, Annabeth found the best doctors already waiting for them. Apparently someone had rode ahead and warned them of what to expect. Chiron had already put everything in place, and Hazel was waiting as well.
As they carried Percy in on a stretcher, she strode elegantly beside him. Her red eyes the only sign of any crack in her composure, in the public she remained as regal as ever as they accompanied Percy to the infirmary.
She stood by the side as they worked, attempting to figure out the exact poison, how to counteract it, and Hazel's magic. She refused to leave her side, and thankfully her status prevented anyone from even thinking of ordering her to.
After what felt like hours, the doctors had identified the poison. It was strong, but with a name to the poison Hazel was able to counteract it. Annabeth had already sent to have any imaginable ingredient or catalyst brought over so they were quick to act.
Eventually the witch had told her that it was up to Percy now. The poison was being burned out of his system, but his body still had to fight the fight.
Percy was resting in Annabeth's personal bed, and only Jason was left.
She turned to him, still sitting on the edge of the bed and running a hand through her knight's hair. “Get Piper.” She said without looking up from Percy's sleeping face.
Jason nodded. “As you wish. Should I bring her here directly?”
Annabeth looked at him, and she could already feel her walls crumbling to bits. It was a miracle she had kept it together as long as she had.
“Please.” Was all she said as her voice cracked on the word.
Sensing her distress, Jason quickly made his way out towards his girlfriend's house.
Meanwhile, Annabeth lost it. Collapsing on the bed, she curled up against her boyfriend's side as she sobbed into his shoulder.
Any dignity or grace she had left her as she broke down. She wasn't the princess of a kingdom. She wasn't the youth prodigy of the battlefield. She was just a young woman who had nearly lost the love of her life.
Annabeth couldn't tell how long it had been but eventually Piper had barged into the room. The merchant girl had a small bag which she dumped on the edge of the bed before she pulled Annabeth into a tight hug.
Accepting the comfort from the only person she trusted as much as Percy, she just cried over her shoulder. Piper held her friend, rubbing her back gently.
Eventually Annabeth calmed down enough to sit back.
She saw her friend looking at her with a patient smile. “I brought you cookies and your favorite cider.” She said, gesturing to the end of the bed with the bag.
Unable to help the small smile that crept on her face, Annabeth nodded. “Thank you.” She said in a slightly hoarse voice.
Piper just nodded, patting her on the head patiently. A few minutes later and the girls were sitting on the end of the bed, quietly chatting. Piper was telling Annabeth all the stories of the varied, and unusually odd customers that always found their way to her shop. Annabeth had to suppress her giggles a few times to avoid disturbing Percy, but she was grateful for Piper. She had needed a distraction to break her from her own downward spiral of worry and doubt.
Eventually though, Annabeth put down her cookie and hung her head. “What if he doesn't get better? I can't... I don't know if I can do this without him. He's save my life so many times. I know it's silly. He's just... so important to me.” Annabeth trailed off, glancing back at the sleeping boy.
Piper rested a hand her shoulder. “Annabeth, look at me. You won't need to. Percy is too stubborn to die. He will be back to normal before you know it, goofing off with Jason. The four of us can get a nice quiet dinner somewhere, and try to forget everything, okay?” She said, her voice slipping into that tone that seemed to sway anyone's mind.
Annabeth nodded after a moment. “That sounds... nice.”
Piper smirked. “Of course it does. Now it's late, and I need to get back. I kinda left things in a hurry. If Percy isn't better by tomorrow I'll swing by again, and I'll bring some wine this time.” She said with a wink.
Annabeth nodded after a moment. Moving over to her dresser, she pulled out a small bag of coins. She gave it to Piper. “I'm sure I cost you money by dragging you out here tonight. I know today was a prime day for sales.” She offered a bit sheepishly.
Piper just shook her head, pushing back the money. “I'm not friends with you for your money, princess. I'd close down my shop for good before I turned my back on you.”
An uncontrollable grin crept over Annabeth's face. “I know. That's why you're the best. Even if you're still technically not allowed to sell to the crown because you're too good at bartering.”
Piper just winked again, nudging Annabeth with her hip.
Annabeth laughed and forced her to take the money. “It's really my pleasure though. You've done a lot for us. Use this to treat yourself for once. Take a day off.”
Piper looked in the bag, gasping slightly. “More like a week.” She muttered, before rolling her eyes and safely storing the coin. “Fine. If you insist.”
Giving Annabeth one last long hug, she turned to Percy. Leaning down, she kissed his forehead, whispering quietly. “Get better Percy, your princess needs you.”
Waving goodbye to Annabeth, she quickly made her way back to her shop, a whistle in her step and a jingle in her purse.
Judging by the moon in the sky, Annabeth figured she had talked with her friend longer than expected. Quickly giving an order to the guard outside her door, she arranged for an escort for her friend. It wasn't exactly safe to wander the streets at night with an absurd amount of money in a purse.
Telling her guard she was turning in for the night, Annabeth quickly changed into her sleepwear.
Raising the covers, she slid underneath them and nestled herself against Percy. He was looking a little less pale, and his breathing was more consistent. She kissed his forehead one last time. “I'm waiting for you, seaweed brain. Please come home.” She muttered, before she curled up a little closer and passed out.
XxXxXxXxX
Annabeth woke up to the sun streaming through her windows. She figured they must have canceled her wake up call after the events of the last day, something she definitely needed to thank them for.
Annabeth had hoped to wake up to her favorite pair of strong arms around her, but Percy was still fast asleep, even if he did look a little healthier.
Sitting up, Annabeth dropped her head into her hands as the gravity of the situation set in again. Moving to the edge of the bed, she set her feet on the floor. She should get up, get ready, and call for doctors. It had been a while, maybe there was something more they could do to help Percy n-
“It's too early.” Percy's voice was so soft, Annabeth would have missed it if she hadn't been yearning to hear his voice for ages.
In a flash she was next to him, leaning over him. “Percy? Was that you? Say something. Please.”
Annabeth saw his eyes shift before they fluttered open after a moment. They were a bit bloodshot, but they were open. Thank God they were open.
“An-nn..” He muttered weakly.
He tried to sit up but Annabeth held a hand to his shoulder. “No. You were just poisoned and nearly died. Do not try to move right now.” She ordered. She was not in the mood to deal with his defiant ass, especially after he was so close to recovering.
Percy seemed to understand her tone and she felt him relax back against the bed. “Okay.” He muttered, before his eyebrows knit together. “Poisoned? Are you okay?” He asked worriedly, one hand reaching up to grab her wrist.
Nodding, Annabeth felt her heart swell at the sound of his voice. He was okay. He was okay.
“It was just you, idiot. We're all fine. We're going to be okay.” She repeated to herself.
Percy nodded after a moment. “As long as you're okay.”
Annabeth just leaned down, kissing him properly. “You can't scare me like that again. I almost lost you. We have too much to do, you mean too much to me. Promise me you won't almost leave me like that again.” She said before she kissed him again.
“Promise.” He said after a moment. His eyes were drooping, and it was clear he was still utterly exhausted.
“Good. Now sleep. You still need to recover.”
Percy nodded. “Sounds good.” He muttered, before his hand snaked up her arm a little. “Can I be selfish?” He asked in a whisper.
Annabeth raised an eyebrow. “Always. What do you want?”
“Can... you stay? I know you have meetings and stuff. But... One of my dreams had you being attacked... and I wasn't able to do anything... And I know you can take care of yourself, but I can't sleep knowing you could be in dan-” He was cut off from his tired rambling as Annabeth kissed him. “Quiet. Of course. The kingdom can wait a day. Besides, I don't think you understand how worried I was. It's not like I can think very clearly with you sick as well.” She offered before she pulled the covers back and snuggled up against him under the sheets.
His arms wrapped around her, not quite their usual firm embrace, but welcome just the same. Annabeth made up for it by snuggling just a little closer anyway. Before long she felt his breathing slow as he fell back asleep.
Annabeth figured the officials could wait for a debrief a little longer. She had written out a brief note for them anyway when they were working on him so they knew the details. Kissing Percy's jaw, she buried her head into him and let sleep overtake her again.
Percy would be okay. They would be okay. They'd figure out everything else later, right now they just had each other and that was enough.
XxXxXxXxX
Thank you for reading! That’s the last of this AU I will be posting for a while. I’m going to try and get back into the swing of the Cafe!AU. I have a lot planned for that, just got held up on a chapter. I also want to finish the Prompts I have from you. Haven’t forgotten them, just haven’t gotten around to them yet. They will be answered!
Thank you to all my readers. I really do appreciate all the notes. I hope I can continue to provide you with some good Percabeth fluff!
Merry Christmas and happy holidays!
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A Definitely Incomplete List Of My Favorite Moments From The Lightning Thief (book), because I'm having Feelings
Percy very causally mentioning times he accidentally hit a school bus with a canon or dropped fifth graders into shark-infested water
Grover Underwood
Just everything he’s ever done
Percy running an illegal candy ring out of his dorm room
“I was worried they found out I got my essay on Tom Sawyer from the internet and were going to take away my grade. Or worse, they were going to make me read the book.”
When Percy thought Grover was going to give him some deep, meaningful commentary on life to make him feel better but Grover just wanted Percy’s lunch
Percy tried so hard to do well on his Latin final and Chiron somehow thinks it’s a good idea to tell him he’s ‘not normal’ in front of the class my poor boy
That one part where Percy essentially went “Oh hey mom’s home!!! Better reschedule this panic attack I was having!!”
When Percy did that weird hand sign (that was never explained) and the door slammed on Gabe so hard he flew up the steps
The fact that when Grover finally tracked Percy down he wasn’t wearing any pants. Like, there was literally no reason for him to not have the fake feet and the jeans on. No actual reason for him to be free balling it. Percy just needed a shock apparently. Showing up in the middle of a hurricane with no pants, dramatic ass satyr I love him.
The SATISFYING DEATH of Gabe’s Camaro + Sally apparently learned bullfighting just in case because she truly is the best mom
Percy killing the minotaur with its own horn
Percy dragging Grover over the camp line while crying for his mom literally end me
“You drool when you sleep.” could we get more iconic here
Percy teasing Annabeth about her crush on Luke
When Luke stole some toiletries for Percy and he got a little choked up because it was apparently the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him
The fact that Chiron basically told Annabeth that Percy was her destiny
The fact that a recovering alcoholic god of wine who hates children was deemed fit to run a camp for children
Not so fun: Percy, upon meeting Mr. D, immediately recognizing the signs of an alcoholic and going out of his way to sit far away from him ‘just in case’
The fact that everyone just expected him to hear ‘the greek gods are real’ and move on?? why would no one let this boy be in shock omg
Zeus apparently had a thing for the fluffy 80′s hairstyles
“the real world is where the monsters are”
The fact that Poseidon could have claimed Percy at literally any moment but he apparently decided he really needed that dramatic reveal during capture the flag.
When Zeus was feeling Extra Dramatic(tm) after Percy’s claiming so he started making it rain inside the camp boarders and everyone was lowkey freaking out
When Annabeth pulls off her invisible cap and declares she’s going on the quest with him and Percy was like, beyond unsurprised that she was there and didn’t even attempt to fight her
Chiron forgot to give Percy a sword from his father for like, an entire month.
Grover with those freaking flying shoes oh my God
Annabeth blushing literally any time Luke talks to her
IN THIS HOUSE WE LOVE AND RESPECT ARGUS, HEAD OF CAMP SECURITY
lmao when Percy and Annabeth start bickering about something and Argus just winks at Percy because he knows
When they were playing hackey sack with an apple but it got too close to Grover’s mouth and he just ate the whole thing
The entire bus scene oh my God
“I was about to become the ADHD Poster Child of the Year” as he’s CRASHING A BUS
Annabeth on a fury’s back
the explosion. just. all gr8.
When Grover tries to play a path finder song and Percy just immediately slams into a tree. Also the fact that the path finder song was actually just a Hillary Duff number.
“You two are giving me a migraine, and satyr's don’t even get migraines!”
Percy actually, truly trying to sell the story that the three of them are circus orphans who got separated from their ringleader
Grover: hey guys this place is REALLY SHADY and we need to leave
Annabeth and Percy: but f o o d
Can you imagine walking into a store and finding your dead uncle’s body on display? Like????
When Medusa revealed herself and Annabeth’s running around invisible, Percy’s swinging a sword blindly and Grover’s flying around screaming and trying to whack her with a stick: everyone here is a MESS
When Annabeth was overly annoyed with Percy after that ordeal??? Sweetheart you fell for the trick too
Name something more iconic than 12 year old Percy Jackson mailing the decapitated head of Medusa to the gods on Mt. Olympus in an act of sheer pettiness. I dare you.
When Percy was insisting on taking first watch while the others slept and Grover was basically like “hey kiddo listen to this” and played a song that immediately knocked him out so he could sleep all night
“Percy. Say hello to the poodle.”
Percy seeing all the Greek creatures from the train window
When Annabeth was dragging the boys to the St. Louis Arch and Percy’s claustrophobic ass Did Not Want To Get In That Tiny Elevator but he went anyway because he wanted Annabeth to be happy. That boy has had it bad since the start.
“I am Echidna!”
“Isn’t...isn’t that a type of anteater?”
“I HATE AUSTRALIA.”
How many times has Percy actually been poisoned throughout all the series I literally want a count
‘Lemme just, uh....jump off the fucking St. Louis Arch and hope I don’t die when I hit the water.’
There is just something very aesthetic about Percy lighting a fire in the bottom of a river
Percy’s got so much pent-up rage that he’s just immediately ready to wreck Ares upon meeting him omfg
THE THRILL RIDE O’ LOVE
Annabeth getting so worked up and flustered over going down there with Percy because it’s a love ride and Percy’s just like “you literally do not have to make this a Thing” lmao
Annabeth wouldn’t let Percy touch Aphrodite’s scarf because she didn’t want him getting infected by love magic but then...touched it herself lol
The entire sequence with the mechanical spiders and the cameras and the ride itself
Percy’s plan to get off the ride!!!! He’s so smart okay can people stop calling him stupid!!!
Grover trying to catch them both in mid-air but they‘re too heavy so the three of them just kind of slowly crash into one of those face-cut-out posters lol
Percy, turning to the camera’s broadcasting this shit on Olympus: “Show’s over! Thank You! Goodnight!”
THE FUCKING ZOO BUS
Everything about that scene omg. The animals they had to help. Trying to convince Grover of how great he is. The baby percabeth. my h e a r t
“What if it does line up like the Trojan War? Athena versus Poseidon?”
“I don’t know what my mom will do. I just know I’ll be fighting next to you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re my friend, Seaweed Brain, any more stupid questions?”
Do you hear that sound? That’s me, ages 13-21(+) sobbing uncontrollably oh my God I love them so much
‘let’s just set a fucking lion loose in Las Vegas’
“I put a Blessing of the Wild on them, so they’ll safely find food and shelter wherever they go.”
“Why can’t you put on of those on us?”
“It only works on wild animals.”
“So it would only effect Percy...”
“HEY!”
When they get to the Lotus hotel and Grover starts playing that game where the deer shoot the hunters azxjhnhdjx
Percy physically having to drag his friends out of there once he realized it was the lair of the lotus eaters
When Annabeth gave the taxi driver her lotus credit card and he started calling her “Your Highness” lmao
Every time in this book Percy comes close to uncovering a Dark Truth the people around him are just like “let’s not worry about that :) “ and my polite boy actually shuts up it’s so wild because I would just keep going lol
CRUSTY THE WATER BED SALESMAN
Listen that entire scene has lowkey always been one of my Favs and I’m not even sure why but Percy chopping his head off was g r e a t
The entrance to the Underworld is DOA Recording Studios and I love it
“We, uh...all drowned in a bathtub.”
Poor Charon just wants his Italian suits he doesn’t need all this bullshit
Grover almost getting dragged into Tartarus: not good. very bad. bad shit.
Annabeth getting emotionally attached to Cerberus in the span of 3 minutes: RELATABLE
‘huh my backpack that I thought I got rid of five days ago is getting weirdly heavy, that’s not suspicious though, right?’
When Hades just starts monologue-ing about all the shit he has to put up with
“what kind of awful things do you have to do to get sewn into Hades underwear?” p e r c y
when Percy realizes the Master Bolt is in his backpack and he’s just like. tell me why. why. I’m a good person. what did I DO.
When Percy has to sacrifice his mom to get Annabeth and Grover out of there I Cri Evey Tiem
My cute lil’ baby yelling around on a beach to get Ares to show up
ahdbsjznx when Grover gives Percy a crushed, half eaten tin can for good like and Percy is just like “Grover...I don’t know what to say.” I LOVE HIM
My sweet son kicking the god of war’s ass. bless. blessed on this day.
The news crews who suddenly started backtracking and writing Percy as a hero
Percy, choking back tears, giving Gabe’s store’s phone number out on national television and promising everyone free appliances IM STILL CACKLING I LOVE THIS BOY SO MUCH HE’S ICONIC
Hades actually releasing Sally because he’s Not As Big Of A Dick As He Could Have Been
Percy: hey I think there’s a really good chance that Kronos was behind this whole mess-
Zeus and Poseidon: XXX KRONOS DO NOT INTERACT XXX
Poseidon rolling his eyes at literally everything Zeus says and does
Poseidon and Percy’s whole talk omg my sweet boy just wants his dad to love him and Poseidon’s trying to figure out how to show affection when he basically signed this kid’s death sentence I’m crying
A man will never satisfy me as much or in the same way as Sally Jackson murdering Gabe Ugliano did
Percy was spending months of summer stressing over who the friend that’s supposed to betray him was but like...Sweetie you had exactly three (3) friends and you knew two of them weren’t gonna hurt you
ahbdjsnx when Percy and Luke were having their conversation in the woods and like Luke’s acting shady af the whole time but it’s literally not until he litters that Percy is like “something...is Wrong.” this boy I s2g
Percy getting bit by a scorpion is Not A Favorite Moment but the nymphs helping him out was
Percy making his Official Decision to go home for the school year only after Annabeth reveals that he actually did talk her into trying again with her family
I didn’t mean to write out a summary of the whole damn book it’s six am listen I’m just feeling nostalgia for the original series in this chili’s tonight
whoops
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