Disclaimer; I don't own Percy Jackson
AU- After WWII, the gods decided to limit their children so they wouldn't be tempted to use them in their schemes unless it was under dire or extreme circumstances. To this end, at their children's birth they would seal their powers, effectively negating their godly heritage. This prevented them from seeing through the Mist or using their abilities, but also erased their scent, protecting them from monsters. Because the gods only awoke the demigods they needed, Camp Half Blood was never created, as the heroes were too scattered to ever unite and be safe. The only way to be awoken was by having anther demigod or a god Awaken their abilities. At age eleven Percy's abilities were unsealed by Luke who used the chaos this provided to steal the Master Bolt. On the run, he encountered Annabeth and Grover, and eventually cleared his name. From that point on it was a fight against Kronos as he rose, with quests for the Fleece, the Ophiotaurus, and the Labyrinth, although occurring much differently than in the novels. As of the Last Olympian, Perseus and several other heroes founded Camp Half Blood, and later dealt with the rising situation in the Heroes of Olympus series.
x-X-x
"But I'm not tired yet!" Leo whined indignantly, crossing his arms and pouting up at his boyfriend.
Jason groaned and flopped back onto the couch beside me while the credit played across the screen. It was movie night here at Camp Half Blood- well more like movie morning by now, but whatever.
The whole gang had gathered up at the Big House for some fun; Annabeth and Piper, Leo and Jason, Calypso, and finally Nico and I. Reyna, Frank, and Hazel had tried to make it but they'd been called off on urgent Roman business just before we'd started, and still weren't back.
It had actually been a nice change of pace, things felt so uptight nowadays. Thanks to Leo and I had meddled with the polls, we'd spent the last seven hours on a Disney binge. Piper had fallen asleep in Annabeth's lap after 101 Dalmatians, and Nico had nuzzle up and cocooned himself into my side halfway through the Nightmare Before Christmas. He was still asleep now, snoring lightly, his face hidden under his tousled mop of ebony hair.
"Leo it's four in the morning." Jason's voice was strained with exhaustion, and he was struggling to rub the sleep out of his eyes "Can we please go to bed?"
"Don't be such a party pooper. If it's the movies we can stop with the Disney. How about Transformers?"
Annabeth, Jason, and I instantly sat up shouting "No!"
"How come?" Leo demanded.
"Because the last time we let you watch that you tried to redesign Festus into a Leo-bot and he ended up freaking out and blowing up half the camp."
"That was one time! Come on!" He looked back and forth between Jason and Annabeth's stony faces, then to me in desperation "Et tu, Percy?"
I shrugged carefully, readjusting my arm around my sleeping boyfriend. "Sorry dude. I don't need my eyebrows burned off again."
Leo groaned and collapsed in an angry heap on the floor.
"But I'm not tired, I don't wanna go to bed yet!"
Jason gave an unimpressed grunt and poked him with his foot. Leo just pouted, refusing to move another inch.
"Come on babe, I have to get to work soon. I just want to get some sleep," Jason begged "If I go out there and have to deal with the minor gods squabbling about action figures and golf carts and haunted animatronics on less than two hours of sleep I am literally going to die."
"Oh don't be so dramatic, we've pulled all-nighters before and you were happy enough to stay up then." Leo scoffed.
Annabeth raised an eyebrow and shot a look to Jason.
"Oh really? Would one of those nights have happened to be when Piper and I heard Leo screaming 'Oh yeah, Jason right there, that's the spot, harder, oh yeah, oh it's so big', and then set fire to your cabin?"
Jason avoided our gazes and Leo flushed a little, scowling under his dark curls.
"None of your beeswax." Leo muttered, leaping up and pouncing on his Roman, straddling Jason's lap and hiding his face.
Calypso stifled a giggle from her chair, sitting up and giving a catlike stretch.
"I'm with the firebug on this one. All I've got to look forward to when I get back to my cabin is an empty bed. At least here I'm with friends."
Dang Calypso and her stupid guilt tripping. Leo smirked in triumph as Calypso gave us all pleading looks. No one could resist Calypso when she really wanted something, especially not with Leo backing her. Eh, I wasn't that tired anyway, and at least I had Neeks already dreaming.
"What the heck, I'm in." I grinned, the son of Hephaestus giving a hoot and cheer.
Jason elbowed me irritably and Annabeth laid her head down on my knee, both looking drowsy and unhappy. Knowing those two I was in for trouble later if they cornered me; probably should make sure I didn't go down any dark alleys for a few days.
"Fine." Jason gave in "But no more movies."
"How about video games? I just got a new one!" Leo offered.
Annabeth shook her head. Leo frowned a little and glanced back to me.
"Um… Dancing?"
Another no. Robot fighting, fireworks, tag, human puppets, Russian roulette, hang gliding, arson, and go fish were also shot down.
"Well then what do you guys want to do?" Leo asked exasperatedly.
"Sleep." They replied in unison.
Leo dead panned while Calypso and I chuckled, pinching ourselves to stay up. Leo was still grumbling and muttering to himself when Calypso sat up, a finger spinning through her hair.
"I may have an idea."
"Anything!" Leo jumped at the opportunity.
"Well I know this generation of yours is so fascinated with their electronics and gadgets, but we didn't have any of those things back in my day."
"Caly, for your own sake never say back in my day unless you're joking. It makes you sound like some old geezer or that weird bat lady who used to live in the house next to us."
"Don't you mean weird cat lady?" Jason asked.
Leo shook his head, shivering a little as he muttered something about murciélagos.
Calypso meanwhile glared Leo down until she was sure he didn't have anything else to say before going on.
As I was saying, back in my day we used to gather around the hearth and tell stories. We would talk about our histories, our ideas, our fantasies. I haven't had a good tale in a very long while, why don't we change that."
Jason and Annabeth exchanged glances.
"Not a bad idea actually."
Jason nodded in agreement and looked back to Caly.
"Alright, we're all ears."
Calypso was opening her mouth when Leo jumped in.
"Wait why does Caly get to tell the story?"
"Because it was her idea, now shush."
Jason caught Leo as he bounced up and folded the struggling Latino into a ball against his chest. He held him close as Leo wiggled and squirmed halfheartedly, before rolling his eyes and snuggling into his lovers embrace.
Calypso looked down shyly, her hair cascading over her face as she meekly said "Actually I was hoping one of you would have a story. I'm sure you all know so many."
"I'll go, I've got one!" Leo tried to struggle but Jason kept him pinned tight and put a hand over his mouth.
"I've told all my good ones." The blonde shrugged and turned to Annabeth.
She just shook her head no. "I'm low on brainpower, maybe some other time."
Then all eyes went to me, patiently waiting.
"Uh… yeah. I got nothing."
Lego gave me an incredulous look. "Dude, you were the one who took on Kronos with a sword and a potato. You fought in the Titan wars, you helped found Camp Half Blood, you've been on more quests than I can count, and you've been all over the world, even down to the Underworld and Tartarus, and you 'got nothing'?"
"I don't like to brag, it's not like-" I tried.
Annabeth let out a snort.
"Oh please. Seaweed brain we couldn't get you to shut up after they declared you the Hero of Olympus."
"Please Percy, there has to be something we don't know, something cool, amazing, and hopefully explosive you haven't told us about." Leo begged.
"Please!" Caly joined in, literally getting on her hands and knees.
I just shook my head, praying the moment would pass. But then Nico let out a drowsy hum as he rolled over. Leo's gaze snapped to my sleeping boyfriend and his eyes got wide and his face split in an excited grin.
"I know! Tell us how you met Nico!"
Calypso nodded eagerly and even Jason seemed intrigued.
"He never did tell me how you two met." He added, getting comfortable as he waited.
"There's really not much to tell…" I tried, but Annabeth didn't buy it.
Figures though. I'd told her parts of the story after it happened, the pieces she needed to know. It was a part of my history I wasn't proud of, one that sent guilt gnawing at my heartstrings every time I remembered it.
"Didn't you two meet in Maine? When you were trying to lead Kronos' forces away from Thalia?" She prodded.
"Well yeah, but it's kind of a long story. Didn't you say you had to get to sleep for work later Jace?"
The traitor shook his head and buried his face into his little imp's hair, eyes shining mischievously up at me.
"Please Percy…"
I let out a drawn out groaned and sat up a bit, digging out the memories.
"Fine, the story of how I met Nico it is. Let's see, where do I start?"
"The beginning usually helps." Annabeth winked.
I gave her a withering glare before clearing my throat. "Whatever, let's just get this over with. So once upon a time-"
"Once upon a time? What kind of a start is that?" Calypso objected.
"Who's telling the story here huh, you or me?" I demanded.
"All I'm saying is there are better ways to start a story." Caly sulked, sitting back in her chair.
"It is a little cliché Percy." Leo offered "This is the story of how you met the love of your life, there has to be some excitement, some drama, some adventure! Now, lights, camera, action!"
Oh this was going to be a long night. Morning. Whatever. You get the picture. I rolled my eyes, the gears in my head starting to turn. Drama and excitement? If only they knew. And they would. They wanted a little pizazz? Here goes nothing.
"How's this; my name is Perseus Jackson, and this is the story of how I made a monster."
The room fell quiet, eyes going wide with surprise and interest.
"I'll take that as my cue to keep going. Now it's been a long time since this happened. Three years, seven months, and nineteen days to be exact."
"You remember the exact date?" Leo popped off, glancing up at Jason "This lug can't even remember our anniversary."
"Neither can you." The blonde shot back.
The girls hushed them, anxiously turning back and motioning me on. I took a few seconds to give a dramatic pause, taking in their varying expressions before going on.
"Yeah. I still remember. Funny how things like that stay with you…"
I trailed off, the memories blooming back to life in my head. It was as though it had only just happened.
"It was the early days of the war. Thalia and I were the only ones let of our strike team against Kronos' forces. Everything had gone all wrong. We had to split up, and I ran ahead to cover her scent, leading the monsters away. I was lying low in a small town in Maine, a place called Opportunity. That, is where I first met Nico Di Angelo."
x-X-x
Life sucked. That was the conclusion I had come to over the last few hours as I stared up at my ceiling. I'd been trying to get some sleep, but after an eternity of sleeping on hard ground and frozen cement, my body was on strike, refusing to rest until it found someplace comfy and relaxing.
The inn I was staying at didn't appear to qualify.
The mattress was only a bit softer than the ground I'd been forced to live on, and the random squealing's of a rat or maybe a squirrel trapped in the wall kept me flinching and stressed. There was also the fact that the thermostat had glitched out and it was now somehow colder inside than the frozen scenery out my window, but I'm sure that had absolutely nothing to do with my insomnia.
So I stayed up, wanting to drop dead from exhaustion, brain fading in and out. After a month of playing cat and mouse with Kronos' forces, I was running on low. At least now I was almost back to our safe house in New York.
Maybe I could even try to find my mom. It had been almost a year since we last talk. I couldn't' keep coming back, especially not with the monsters following me. I'd already lost my mom once, it wasn't going to happen again.
At least now I got a little bit of a break. I'd shaken he Titan forces off back in Chicago, sending a fair amount of the uglies to the depths of Lake Michigan. From there I'd hightailed it out of there, zigzagging my way back to the east coast, making sure to shake off any lingering pursuers.
I'd meant to keep right on running through this snow clogged town, but a vicious blizzard had miraculously spun up as I got to the edge of town and forced me to retreat. I'm pretty sure it was Zeus, ticked off that I'd abandoned his daughter.
I swear there was no pleasing that guy, it was always something. Then again, about ninety percent of mythology as nothing more than Zeus getting a little too pleased and having 'somethings' with anything that moved.
I'd managed to scrap enough money and sympathy together to stay here until the storm ended. Only it hadn't ended. Even today it was still coming down, a white blanket suffocating the town, making it disappear without a trace.
I don't know whether I was lucky or not when the elderly couple who owned this joint insisted I stay, unwilling to send, as they said themselves 'a poor unfortunate young soul', out into the cold. Although I did appreciate the free meals they handed out.
I was ready to get on the move again, my friends could be in trouble. I was out of drachmas, I couldn't call for the Chariot of the Damned to get me through this storm, or even Iris Message our trainer Chiron or my friends.
So until this storm let up, I was out of luck. I finally had to get up, too full of restless energy. I jumped up, planking and doing pushups, doing hand stands, playing with Riptide, and experimenting with my powers. Control over ice and snow was just out of my reach. I could trace small trails of frost on my cold window now, but the cold still gnawed at me and made my skin turn blue (and not in the cool, awesome way).
Thalia had been nagging at me for months now to branch out my powers so I could be more capable in certain environments, such as arctic conditions. And blizzards. Like the one I was stuck in now. Hilarious right?
I kept going around and around in my newest prison, starting to go stir crazy. I couldn't stay here one more day. If I did I'd go off like a water balloon hooked up to a fire house. Storm or no storm, come tomorrow I was busting out of here. Time to move on.
When I finally managed to get to sleep- "This is boring!"
x-X-x
I blinked several times, looking to Leo.
"Well I just started, what did you expect?"
"It's you and Nico! I expected this epic fantasy start. So far all you've done is run and hide in some hotel. Com on where are the monsters? Where's Nico and all his badassery and sarcasm, what about the adventures and the fighting?"
Jason hushed Leo and I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow.
"Fine. Nico and I met, people got murdered, and we became mortal enemies and lovers. The end."
Everyone instantly shot up, protesting and trying to get me to keep going. I stayed quiet and waited until they finally shut up before going on.
"You guys forced me to tell this story, don't go complaining when it's not what you wanted. I'm still setting everything up, but if you guys want to take over…" I let the threat hang for a few seconds while they shook their heads "No? Good. Alright, where was I again Wise Girl?"
"You were going stir crazy and finally got to bed. By the way Thalia says she told you so."
"Wait what?" I leaned over, groaning when I saw Annabeth's phone out, the story so far typed up on her screen.
""She wanted to know what was up, so I told her. She's with Leo by the way, she wants more action." Her phone buzzed and Annabeth glanced down at her new text before looking back up "And she says if the story gets too 'fluffy and lovey dovey' she's going to tell Zeus about the noodle incident."
I narrowed my eyes "She wouldn't dare."
Annabeth's phone buzzed again a second later. A playful smirk shot up at the corners of her lips.
"She says she so would."
"Yeah? Well you tell Thalia that she can-"
"Percy!" Caly interrupted "What happened when you woke up?"
I mumbled under my breath, promising to go back and drown the daughter of Zeus next time she passed through. Gods, did Homer have these kinds of problems when he told everybody about Odysseus and Troy?
Piper gave a sleepy moan and sat up, rubbing her eyes and stretching out.
"What's going on?" She managed, stopping halfway through to yawn.
"Percy's telling the sorry about how he met Nico." Annabeth explained.
"He was on the run from Kronos' army." Jason added.
"And now it's gotten really boring." Leo piped in, only to shrink back as I glared over at him.
"Are you all going to shut up and let me finish or can we all just go to bed?" I snapped "Moving on! In the end I basically collapsed from exhaustion, and then in the morning…"
x-X-x
The morning lights are what ended up waking me. It'd been so long with nothing but pure white outside my window that the changed started me awake. Well, not really. Around seven o'clock when I'd smacked my alarm clock to bits I'd seen the rays brushing through, but the urge to hit snooze on my brain was way too tempting and I'd cocooned back under the sheets.
It wasn't until an icicle fell and shattered against my window sill five hours later that I actually got up, tensing myself for an attack and leaping out of bed. A look out the window made me smile. The skies were blue, not a single cloud in sight, and the sun was beating down on the town.
I could actually see it all now that the buildings weren't buried under a mountain of snow. Between the sun, a plow, and a couple of strangers with shovels, the town was slowly starting to reaper, slush pooling up on the streets.
This was it, I was free!
I let out a whoop and charged around my room, throwing all my stuff together. Let's see, on foot, blizzard permitting, it would take me about three days to get back to the New York safe house, four if I stopped to risk a visit with mom. I'd have to leave now though. Leaving at night around this year wasn't a safe idea.
I was just zipping my backpack closed when I heard the voices of my elderly hosts carrying from down the hall. I paused, tilting my head to the side and listening intently.
"Definitely been on the run for a while. You can see it in his eyes." The man, Mr. Dearly was saying.
"We're just worried. He's so young." That would be Mrs. Dearly.
But then an unfamiliar, authoritative voice spoke up, and my heart froze. "I can understand your concern, teenage run away nowadays are an all too common occurrence. I would have been here sooner, but what with all the storm issues all officers have been working to make sure folks are getting the support they need. Did you happen to catch his name, I could run it through the database just to make sure."
Ah hell, they'd called the police on me. Dang it, I knew they were too nice to be real! I had to get out of her and fast. I wasn't stupid, I'd given a false name when I checked in here, but that wouldn't stop them from marching down her to 'talk' to me.
It wouldn't' take much effort to get to my criminal record either. Monster hunting wasn't always the cleanest process, and I'd made a few too many messes to go unnoticed by the authorities. Thanks to the timely intervention of Chiron or said beasties I was hunting, I never ended up in the slammer, but it was probably not a good idea to press my luck.
Not, it was definitely time to get going. I could still hear them all talking as I crawled out the window, scaling down the side of the house. The snow crunched loudly under my feet as I sprinted off their lawn and down the street, pulling up my hood and racing for the highway.
This wasn't much of a head start but once I reached the towns borders I would have the advantage. No one looked as I trampled past, feet slapping the sloshy asphalt as I raced for the edge of town. Opportunity only had one road coming in and out of its city limits, and was surrounded by dense woodland on all sides.
If I could make it the three miles down the road to the highway without that cop coming after me then there'd be nothing to worry about. If they did though, I would be totally screwed. Running into the trees would be my only real option.
I was past the last building in town with the welcome and farewell sign a few feet ahead. Just a little more…
And then the sirens started.
I didn't bother looking back I just kept sprinting, the woods coming closer and closer. Come on, just a couple more feet! I could hear the roar of an engine and tires squealing in the snow. I couldn't help it then, I had to look back. The police cruiser had turned the corner and was coming straight at me.
I wasn't going to make it, not when they were going at that speed. I slipped on a patch of slush, barely keeping my balance before an idea sprang to mind. I spun to a stop, hand snapping out at the icy water beneath the car's tires.
Come on ice powers, give me something! It was getting closer, no chance of it slowing down. Were they trying to run me over or something? I tried again, feeling my gut tug from the effort. Still nothing.
Oh well, if you can't teach a dog new tricks, stick with what he knows.
When I pushed this time, the melting slush answered my call. It pooled together in the middle of the road and the car veered off course as it lost traction with the road. It struggled to maintain tis speed and course, before finally spinning out, tires spitting snow in every direction.
"Booyah!" I grinned and took off down the road.
I could probably pull that a few more times if I had too, no more worrying about the cops. But just to be safe when I reached the tree line I ran in, dodging away from the road and gliding through the trees. The snow here was almost nonexistent, the trees were so thick and tall they kept it all off the ground.
I could keep up a good pace like this for a few miles at least until I reached the highway. I'd probably have to hitchhike, the whole running from the cop's thing was sort of exhausting after it went on for a few days.
I made it over a snowy ridge, trees surrounding me on all sides before I heard the purr of an engine. The cop was back, and racing down towards the highway. Good thing I followed my gut, now all I had to do was duck down, squeezing in behind a pine tree and waiting for the cruiser to pass. I could hear it getting closer and closer, and was counting down for it to pass. But it didn't.
My breath caught in my throat as I heard the cruiser slow down, stopping in my blind side. No way, they couldn't have seen me, I was hidden on all sides. Screw my luck, of course they'd somehow spotted me, it must have been my jacket. Stupid blue obsession, why did it have to be such an amazing color?
I bit my lip, curling into a ball and praying that maybe it was just a coincidence. They'd just turn around now and be out of my life for good. A door opened and slammed shut as heavy boots stopped across the road, then came to an abrupt stop. Come on, leave me alone, go back to your doughnuts and cars and-
"Perseus Jackson!"
Oh fantastic. Please, I'm begging you don't let that be who I think it is. The officer's voice had sounded familiar sure, but what were the chances that it was her?
"Come out demigod. I can smell you out there, you little sea brat. Why don't you just make things easier for the both of us and surrender?"
Nope, it was definitely her. Damn it.
"Fat chance Alecto!" I called out, my voice echoing in the snowy landscape.
There was a gunshot and a branch beside my head exploded, bark splintering off in every direction. Smooth move Jackson. I really needed to stop talking to the bad guys. I threw myself to the ground, crawling fast as more gunshots went off, snow flying and bullets shooting past my head.
Alecto and I had a messy past, what with her boss Hades sending her and the other furies after me during my quest for the Master Bolt. The last time I'd seen her had been when Grover, Annabeth, and I managed to trap her in a car and push it off a bridge. Judging by her attitude now, I was going to go out on a limb and say she hadn't been thrilled.
The shots stopped and I froze, holding my breath and hoping she was out of bullets. I risked poking my head out from the snow, only for a bullet to collide with the embankment in front of me. I yelped, the bullet emerging and shooting right past my arm. Not out of bullets, move, move!
I scrambled to my feet and sprinted up a hill, zigzagging my way to the top. I didn't' look back as shots kept firing, I just pushed to go faster and faster. I heard Alecto curse and risked another look back at the road.
Alecto had thrown her gun to the ground, reaching to her uniform and ripping it off. The clothes peeled off her body, followed by a hollowed, human skin, and there she was, the queen of the furies in her true form. Twisted bat like wings jutted from her mottle grey back, claws ripped out of her fingers, and her eyes glowed red over a mouthful of gnarled fangs.
"Cease your trespass and your death will be swift!" She snarled, a fiery whip burning into existence in her clenched fist.
Trespass? What was the crazy going on about this time? It didn't matter, dying now was an option. I kept sprinting up the hill, my breath coming out in jagged gasps of mist as I fished Riptide out of my pocket. The air cracked as the Fury took to the air, leathery wings outstretched as she barreled towards me.
I made my stand at the top of the hill, spinning to a stop ready for her. Alecto dived at me, wings flapping an agonized pace as she approached. I uncapped Riptide, the blade shining the morning light and charged her, jumping onto a snowy boulder and launching myself at the Fury at the same time as she flicked her whip.
Riptide sliced through the flames with ease, even managing to clip one of her wings as I swung, but the Fury's weight still sent us both crashing back to earth and rolled us down the hill.
"Insufferable wretch!" Alecto cried, clawing at me as we tumbled down the slope.
Her swipe went wide, missing me entirely but tearing the front of my jacket to shreds. We hit a bump and came to a stop, giving me enough time to kick the monster off, head spinning from the trip downhill.
"Oh come on." I moaned, tugging at the hem of my ruined jacket.
This was the last thing my mom had gotten me before I went on the run. Maybe I could get Annie to fix it up somehow. I turned to glare at the Fury as she started to right herself, shaking snow off with her remaining wing.
"Oh it's so on!" I growled, reaching for Riptide, more than ready to end this jacket killing psycho bat.
Except it wasn't there. It took a few seconds for it to click in my brain, and I looked back up the hill, catching sight of my blade half buried in the snow and shining brightly in the morning glow. Ah crap.
I scampered after it while I still had time, but even with one wing down the old bat was fast. I only trudged a few feet towards it when she collided with me, the two of us crumbling into the snow. It was a mad mess of limbs and claws, I honestly didn't know if I was punching my leg or hers, or whether it was my wing that keep flipping up sheets of snow, the frozen powder making the world go fuzzy.
Alecto got in a sucker punch, her claws digging into my cheek and making me see stars as I fell back onto the frozen ground. My head was spinning as I lay there, the Fury hovering overhead as she leered down at me.
"You cheated death long enough, I will not allow you to upset the balance once again. Powers beyond your feeble comprehension are at work here."
Yeah, yeah, just keep talking. A grin was sliding across my face as I realized that Riptide had vanished from the snow above. Let's try this again shall we?
"Send my regards to-" Alecto screeched, shutting up and backtracking her escape as I leapt up, pulling the newly materialized Riptide from my pocket. She never made it though, she'd been too close to start with, and I sliced right through her, dashing under her outstretched arm and sliding behind her.
We stayed frozen like hat for as split second, her form in a grotesque pose, arms outstretched to stop me and face a grimace of panic. Then there was me, crouched behind her, sword still extended from the blow. And then the moment ended and with an enraged screech, she exploded in a shower of gold.
"Another one bites the dust!" I panted, laughing at my own joke, bad as it was.
The laugh died in my throat though. I didn't have Annabeth here to roll her eyes, or Thalia to smack me, or even Grover to start chiming in and add in a couple of pan solos. Gods I missed my friends.
I hummed the song to myself while I did inventory, making sure I still had all my limbs. I was in pretty good shape all things considered. At most I had a few nicks and scratches, and a mark on my leg I was positive was going to turn into a bruise later. My clothes on the other hand were pretty torn up, I'd have to scavenge some on the way. Fantastic.
At least my backpack was- oh great, where was my bag now? I groaned, jogging around the glade, but it was nowhere in sight. Without my bag the trip home would take forever, where was it? I dug through the snow and then stumbled up the hill, shivering at the frigid breeze. Come on, where are you?
I actually missed it entirely on the first go, the blue camo material blending in with the trees somehow, but I got it eventually.
"There you are!" I beamed, trotting over and starting to tug it down. It must have got caught when we first collided.
I had just managed to get it off, slinging the bag over my shoulders when I felt it. Demigod magic.
Everything in the mythical world makes ripples, ripples in the universe I guess. I don't really know how to describe it. When there' a lot of power pouring out, either from gods, monsters, demigods or anything else, then it makes these ripples. It's kind of like a built in sonar, it lets us know when there's danger.
But this didn't feel like danger. I closed my eyes and let it wash over me, frowning as I felt longing and loneliness and fear tainting the air. It didn't feel right. The magic was definitely a demigods, but it was weak and spread out, almost like an old SOS, a desperate call for help.
I took a few unconscious steps forward, instinct guiding me as I followed a nonexistent trail. Curiosity and I have always been a bit too friendly (and it had tried to kill me too many times to count), and now was no different. The further I went, the worse I had to find out where it was coming from. I wonder if this is how Grover was when he felt the fleece.
Perhaps I should slow down a little and thing about all this, it could be some kind of trap. Unfortunately that turned out to be a very, extremely, monumentally bad decision.
I'd been sprinting, caught up in a daze, and was 'smart' enough to slow down in the middle of an icy road. I had a split second to snap out of my magic dazed mind as the squeaking of tires filled my ears, eyes going wide was I saw got caught in somebody's headlights.
And then a jolt of agony exploded through me and the world went dark.
x-X-x
"You got run over?" Leo demanded, eyes bulging out of his head.
Jason gave a snort. "He fell down a pit into Tartarus babe. Getting hit by a car is kind of tame for him actually."
"Yeah, but that was before he was an awesome wall of epic heroness."
I let them squabble back and forth, rubbing circles in Nico's back and planting a kiss in his curls. I couldn't wait to get back to the cabin and curl up with the love of my life and finally get some sleep. Gods, I don't' know if hat sounded too sappy or too old. What happened to staying up for days without sleep, kicking butt and all that awkward love stuff? Oh right, we beat all the bad guys and that awkward love stuff was still awkward, only Nico loved it. I was so whipped.
"Oi, Seaweed brain!"
I jumped, giving a yelp as Annabeth pinched my leg.
"No sleeping on the job Percy, you have a story to tell."
I aimed a pitiful kick at her, the blow missing by a mile. Annabeth just smirked, pinching me again and cuddling up with her girlfriend.
"Can't we just put it on pause?" I moaned, trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes.
"No!" Leo and Calypso chimed in unison.
"What happened next, you've got everything set up to make a great romance, so spill." Piper ordered, staring me down, not seeming to notice as Annabeth spun braids into her hair.
"Now would be a good time to get run over again." I muttered and cleared my throat, thinking back to when I first woke up.
"I was out for most of the day. I'd gotten lucky enough to land in a really big puddle, so most of the damage was already fixed by the time the driver got out. They didn't know whether to leave me or risk taking me back to their home. But in the end she took me back to the Westover Di Angelo Estate. And that is how I met my new rescuer and crazy driver, Lilith Voróvka, Nico's caretaker."
x-X-x
I've hit my head. A lot. Annabeth says it's nothing short of a miracle that I'm still alive today and still have brain cells oozing around in my head, or whatever it is that they do. Being run down by a car going well over sixty and cracking my head against the frozen asphalt though was a whole new all-time low for me.
When I finally woke up my vision was a bit fuzzy, my skull was throbbing, and I was pretty sure my brain had turned into a bongo drum. At least I was alive. Count your blessings right? Healing was an epic perk in the whole hero gig. I failed when I tried to sit up, only managing to flop around on velvety plush.
Oh my gods it was like I was lying on a cloud! I think I let out a little moan, fingers kneading into the strange material. I could probably die happy on this thing and just float straight down to Elysium.
Hold up a second. Amazing as this was, it most certainly was not snow or earth or even road, and I wasn't outside. Crap, Had I been caught? I managed to sit up this time, head spinning out of control at the jerking motion and I peered around at my new surroundings.
The room I was in was large, about three times the size of my craped space back at the inn, the ceiling hidden in shadows above. Everything was made from the same pitch black material, but I could distinguish granite pillars, and carefully paneled with expert craftsmanship and a roaring fire, giving the room some illumination.
Enormous shelves filled with books lined the far wall, and a chandelier of dark crystal and iron dangled in the air, with various tables and benches scattered about. I had been set up on a good sized fainting couch, its wood the same shade as the dark material that made up the rest of the room, while the upholstery was the color of blood.
Translation; whoever hit me was loaded bigtime.
I tried to take a closer look, but a dark curtain blocked all light from the outside world, and the fire did little to actually light up the room. I could make out what I think was a picture over the mantle, the flames flickering enough from me to make out what looked like a family portrait.
I took another casual glance around before deciding it was time to split. My backpack had been thrown at the edge of the couch, and my shoes and shredded jacket were hanging neatly beside the fireplace drying. Even with the fire the room seemed ice cold, and I had to fight the urge to shiver.
First order of business, get packed and get out. I didn't want to be here when the owner came around. Nice as they were for taking me in, they had run me over with their car. Even if it was kind of my fault. And besides, this place was sending chills down my spine. Something familiar lingered in the air, and not in the good way. No, it was probably best to just bow out gracefully while I still had the chance.
I stepped up and over to the mantle with only a few dizzying steps, but as I pulled my jacked back on I ended up collapsing to the floor, holding my head between my legs. Dang, that car had really done a number on me. Come on Percy, you can do this.
I was still trying to reach for my shoes when I heard a lock click in the shadows. My eyes darted to the wall, realizing that there was a door hidden in its panels a second before it opened, and candle light gleaming from an equally dark hallway.
A woman stood in the dim light, a tray in her hands, staring in at me. I stared back. We were quiet for a long time, the only sound coming from the crack of the fire as it turned wood to ash.
"Good, you finally woke up."
Only it sounded more like 'vinally voke' thanks to her accent, her tone thick and strong. She came in, posture stiff and poised, firmly closing the door behind her. She approached the couch, neatly setting herself down on the corner and placing her tray down at her side.
"I was beginning to fear you would not awake. After all, digging graves this time of year is tedious at beast, and I am busy enough as it is."
I couldn't really tell if she was joking or not, and I wasn't sure I really wanted to know.
"Yeah I'm fine." I smiled politely, quickly pulling on my right shoe.
The woman clicked her tongue and nodded, turning to her tray. I focused on it for the first time since she had come in, making out two teacups and a teapot. They were made of that fine china that mom tucked away in a box for safekeeping at home, only about a thousand times nicer.
"Yes, your injuries were surprisingly few. Miraculous, no?"
I didn't like the way she said miraculous, it was almost like she was insinuating something with it.
"Yeah well that's my life. Miraculous I mean." If only she knew.
The woman carefully poured some of the teapots steaming contents into a cup and extended it out to me.
"Drink."
"I'm good actually. In fact I probably need to get going, my family's waiting for me, they'll probably be worried."
She gave me an unimpressed look, hand still extended.
"Is that so? Tell me, how long have they been waiting Mr. Solace from Chicago. Or is it Mr. Collins from Idaho, Or Mr. Hansen from Wisconsin?"
She'd gone through my bag and found my fake ID's. Not good. Damage control time, got to try and fix this fast.
"They wouldn't be waiting as long for me to get back if you hadn't hit me with your car."
A hint of a smile tugged at her lips and she offered me the cup again.
"This is true. Here, this will likely help any aches, or at least fill your belly."
I sighed, reluctantly accepting the warm cup and brought it to my mouth, surprised when I tasted hot broth and smell chicken soup. I eagerly gulped the concoction down, burning my throat, pausing to nibble on some of the noodles.
The woman poured a cup for herself, stirring hers before taking a sip.
"We seem to be at an impasse, but I see a simple solution to our problems. I wish to not have the authorities involved in our incident, and I assume you have no wish for them to delve into your story? True?"
I nodded slowly, taking another sip.
"Good, good. In that case, let us forget our pesky little problems and move on with life."
"Cheers." I raised my cup, starting to relax.
Sure the Russian chick had just run me over, called me out on my lies, and was a little too anxious to avoid the police, but I had the feeling I'd get out of here without a hitch. Might as well sit back and enjoy the fire while I had it.
"I can go as soon as I'm finished." I offered, praying she'd decline. I gave a sigh of relief when she shook her head.
"If you are willing to wait I can drive you to the bus station when one arrives going to your destination."
"You'd do that?"
I didn't really know what to feel, but red flags were starting to go off. Nobody was this nice. Well I mean Rachel was this nice when we first me, but Rachel's crazy. The woman shrugged and turned her gaze to the ceiling, eyeing it carefully before nodding.
"Um… thanks? Is there anything I can do to pay you back?"
She just shook her head and offered me some more soup. In the light I could see her more clearly. She was tall, probably taller than me, with hair the same color as the flames, and pale, sickly skin. Her eyes were onyx, and she was strapped in stiff, yet capable attire, something that could easily take her from talking business to killing monsters.
I accepted the soup, taking another glance around the room. She was awfully eager to get me out of here, did she have a secret or something? Then again I probably wouldn't want to keep a stranger I'd run over in my house any longer than I had to.
My eyes turned back to the portrait, eyes washing over the family. There were four of them altogether, a tall man in a coal suit whose face was still obscured, and a vaguely foreign looking woman at his side, Italian I think.
She smiled out at the room, the man's arm around her shoulder and her arms around two children. The older was a girl with curly hair, dressed up in a grim, but fancy dress with a mischievous look in her eyes. And then there was the younger, a boy with a wild mane of black locks, olive toned skin, and eyes that seemed to shift between endless abyss' and warm chocolate as the fire flickered.
"Is that your family?" I asked politely, trying to piece together any resemblance.
The woman nodded, seemingly refusing to acknowledge it as she stirred her soup.
"Are they around?"
She sighed and cast me a strained look.
"For a boy who was just run over you ask a lot of questions."
I shrugged and cracked an apologetic smile. "Sorry just curious. I typically get paid with stories and adventures, and it's been a while since I've had business."
She stopped stirring for a few seconds, tapping her spoon on the edge of her cup a few times, settling for saying "I imagine both of us are curious. The soonest bus will not arrive for another hour, it would be a pity to lose a good conversation. It has been… a while since I had a pleasant talk."
I nodded eagerly, sitting up a little and extending a hand.
"Well I'm glad I can help. I'm Percy Jackson."
She took my hand firmly as she shook responding "Lilith Voróvka."
"So where are we?" I motioned to the room around us to get the point across.
"This is the Westover DI Angelo Estate, a few miles outside of Opportunity. You came from there?"
"Just passing through, I got caught up in the storm."
Lilith gave an understanding nod, muttering something under her breath and giving the portrait a glare. I tiled my head to look at it again. This time when I saw it though my heart plummeted and panic started to gnaw at me.
"Di immortales." I swore, staring up at the face of my uncle Hades, giving a grim smile while he held his family.
Crap, was this what Alecto had meant by trespassing? This must be some kind of escape or getaway of his. The demigod magic had just ben leftover from him or whatever unfortunate things he did with trespassers around here. I needed to get out fast.
"What was that?"
I winced, remembering Lilith was still in the room and turned back, expecting a confused expression. Instead her face was guarded and she was scrutinizing me closely.
"I just- uh was thinking that they look like a lovely family."
Lilith stared me down, my heart beating wildly in my chest. What if she had poisoned me, what if she hit me on purpose? This could all be a big trap setup by Hades to get back at me!
"No. They weren't. My niece and nephew were monsters, my cousin was trapped in a loveless marriage, and he was a cheating scum who had an affair and child with the scullery maid from New Orleans. Not to mention he dealt closely with death. Although I have a feeling you know more about that than I do."
She sent me a meaningful look and I gulped. She knew about the mythical world, or at least she knew what she was getting into.
"You're probably right. You said were? What happened to them?" It was a weak avoidance tactic, but at least it kept the subject back on something I could work with.
Lilith was quiet, tapping her cup again.
"He left, vanished in the middle of the night. The maid and her child fled back to their roots a few days later. My dear cousin and her children died shortly after that in an accident."
"I'm sorry for your loss." I murmured.
It was hardly a horror story when it came to the gods standards. So the kids had been from Hades and he had another with the maid. The gods wouldn't' like this. We already had enough children of the big three running around as it was.
Lilith nodded absently, turning back to me.
"Why are you running?"
"To protect the people important to me." I replied on instinct.
She seemed happy with that explanation, and I stayed quiet, letting her take control of the conversation now.
"How long have you been running?"
"A few years now."
I didn't want to think too much about the time. Otherwise I'd start getting homesick and then Id' definitely have to stop off at home, no matter what the risk was.
"How much do you know?" I asked, studying her closely.
"Enough to have lost my ignorance. You are not what I expected."
"You expected me?" Another red flag, heading back towards crazy territory or worse, Hades. Best to be careful here.
"Not you, and never here. It is just you are different."
Oh. Different good or different bad? And that still didn't' really answer my question. Still, we talked for a long time after that, going in circles, unwilling to give into some subjects, but happy to keep talking for the sake of talking.
She had moved her from her home back when her cousin, Maria, had been pregnant with her first child, and had stayed at the estate ever since. After the death of the family, Lilith took over to keep things up and hold onto the memory of her cousin, the only one in the family she liked apparently. Apart from that, she lived alone, liked jazz, hated rats, and was trying to install a heater in the house.
We talked a lot. We both had been on our own for so long that talking to someone who could somewhat relate and understand was practically a necessity.
"I would offer you a room for the night," Lilith explained "But your ride will arrive soon, and you said you were in a rush."
"Thanks anyways. It's nice to just kick back and talk once in a while."
Lilith nodded and stood up, taking her tray with her.
"I will go fetch the car, wait here."
And then she was gone, tray and all vanishing out the door. I stretched out, enjoying my last few moments by the fire and pulling my other shoe on. I kind of did want to stay, just to get some rest. But hey, I could sleep on the bus, and on top of that I had a bus. I didn't have to walk all the way back to New York, everything would turn out alright.
I looked my backup up and plopped down on the couch, fingers digging into the soft material one last time. And then I felt it. A sudden twist, the air filling with demigod magic, that same longing loneliness feeling working me over.
I heard something moving around in the floor above, light scrapes echoing down to me, and then it was silent and the magic dissipated. I was still staring up at the ceiling in curiosity when Lilith returned, strapped into a tight trench coat.
"I have some more soup heating up to take with you, are you ready?"
I nodded, giving her a smile and making my way to the door. The hallway was just as dark as the room had been, with candles lining the walls. Noticing my gaze as I saw the light switch on the wall, Lilith quickly explained "I do not turn on the lights unless I must. Electricity bill for this place is unbelievable."
I could buy that. Lilith had pointed out a picture of the estate, a massive, gargoyle infested dark castle of a place. It had to cost a small fortune to keep it all going.
"Do you have a cat or something?"
Lilith blinked a few times, casting me a confused gaze.
"Excuse me?"
"Pets I mean. Do you have any? I thought I heard something scraping around upstairs. Just wanted to let you know in case it's a rat or something."
I'd still been walking when I asked, and it took me a few seconds to realize that Lilith had frozen in place a few feet back. In the glow of the candles I could make out a look of fear spread across her face.
"Hey, what's wrong? Did I say something?"
Lilith snapped out of her daze, quickly shaking her head and starting to propel me down the hall, her boots clicking and clanking against the cold floor.
"Whoa slow down!" I complained, nearly tripping up as we turned a corner.
"Wait outside." She ordered, working over at least a good twenty locks, two deadbolts, and an electric pad until the front door finally swung open.
She practically flung me out, sending me stumbling down the front steps while she slammed the door shut, locks grinding back into place. What had all that been about? I pulled my jacket close, shivering in the frigid night air. This was my first time on the outside of the house, when I was conscious I mean. It didn't look as clean cut as it had in the picture my host had shown off.
The walls were dirty and overgrown with dead ivy, and the ice covered everything, its weight easily sending a few unfortunate gargoyles crashing to the frozen ground. The whole place looked like it was in a state of disrepair. If I hadn't known better I probably would have thought the joint was abandoned.
The yard was no better. Everything but a wide path that led to the garage had been heaped with snow while dead, skeletal trees stretched their bony branches to the midnight sky to pluck the stars from the sky.
The whole place looked like it belonged in a horror movie. Then again maybe it did, I mean this was Hades' place. He'd had kids and a family here, all in secret with the gods none the wiser. He'd run away of course. Abandoned a family that loved him, well, at least as much as anyone could love the god of death.
And he just left them, left them to die. Figures though. Gods weren't exactly the best parents. Even Poseidon had his flaws, although when it came to gods he was definitely one of the better ones to get stuck with. But in the end they always left, didn't they?
I hated to think it, but sometimes I worried that Luke was right about all of this. Thalia would flog me for it, and I knew it was wrong to think about, but what if he was right? What then? Sure Kronos was beyond bad, but the gods weren't exactly paragons of virtue. It was because of them my life had fallen apart, and yet here I was, fighting their war while they sat up in their thrones doing nothing.
Di immortales, I gotta stop that train of thought. I've got enough troubles as it is. I definitely don't need anything else on my plate, I swear if one more thing happens-
"Hey!"
Huh? I spun about, but nobody was there.
"Up here!" The voice called.
I glanced up, doing a double take when I saw a boy leaning out the second story window. He was completely hidden in shadows, I could only see his inky silhouette set black against the sky. It was only thanks to his voice and his shape that I could even tell it wasn't Voróvka.
"Um… Hi?" I called, brain glitching.
There was a kid here? But Lilith said she lived alone. Unless that sound hadn't been an animal scampering around, it had been him. But still-
"You said you usually get pain in adventures and stories right? Back in the study, you told her that." The boy hissed down, his head swinging to the side of the house and then back to me.
"Yeah, I did. I mean I prefer when I actually get paid, like money and stuff. Those work too though. But who are you?"
I heard him laugh, an unbelieving, crazy, happy laugh that escaped the boys lips.
"Me? I'm a boy with a great story and an adventure you wouldn't believe."
That was totally specific and exactly what I'd asked for. Okay, before I get entirely lost I needed to work some things out. Starting with the kid, and hopefully before Lilith got back. I was got the feeling that she had known what I meant when I heard something scuttling around. This was so weird.
I let out a gasp as I felt more of the demigod magic in the pouring out, my eyes going wide as I stared up at the boy. It was all coming from him.
"So will you help me?" He asked, a hint of desperation creeping in his voice.
"Help you what?" I asked dumbly.
"Get out of here, escape!"
Oh right. Hang on, wait. What would Annabeth do in this situation? How was I supposed to know, I wasn't some brainiac! Getting him out seemed like the obvious answer, but that probably had a lot of issues I wasn't thinking about. Ungh, gotta think fast!
A car started in the distance, and I saw the garage on the side of the house starting to crack open. Terrific, now I had Lilith to worry about in this whole mess too. Should I confront her about all this? I mean, I don't' think she would tell me anything, but at least I could figure some of this out.
"What's your name?" I shouted up.
A sleek black car was pulling out, quickly making its way down the drive. I hopped on my feet, feeling the time for action ticking away, any chance of understanding threatening to vanish at a moment's notice. The boy spoke at the same time that the headlights illuminated the window he was leaning out form, a familiar boy with pale olive toned skin, brown eyes, and a mop of sooty black hair smiling down at me.
"I'm Nico Di Angelo. Please, save me!"
And then the window slammed shut and there was no trace he had ever been there at all. I was still staring up at the glass when Lilith rolled her window down.
"Come, come, you need to go."
I nodded mutely, giving it a final look as I made my way to the car and hopped in, pulling on my seatbelt. As we drove away we were both silent, only the purr of the engine as we blitzed through the darkness making any sound at all.
The whole time I could only thing about the boy, Nico Di Angelo. A son of Hades. A son of Hades who my new 'friend' had told me was dead. A kid that was trapped in an old house and couldn't escape. I think he was right. He had a great story a fun looking adventure.
So when Lilith handed me a wad of crumpled hundreds and kicked me out at the bus station, I waited until she was out of sight before sprinting the long run after her. Home could wait a little bit long.
x-X-x
"I just knew I had to save him. And that's basically all I knew back then. Well that and 'oh my gosh there's an angel in that window'. And so I went back." I paused, gauging my audience's reactions.
"Whoa, so Nico was being held hostage by some freaky Russian chick?" Leo gasped.
"I bet she kill her cousin and set the whole thing up so she could get the house." Piper said, quickly joining Leo in conspiracy theories.
"That does sound stupid enough to be something you'd rush into." Annabeth nodded.
I glared at her and stuck out my tongue, crossing my arms.
"Whatever. I was trying to help a DID; dude in distress."
Jason tried to hush his boyfriend and went back to me. "The maid from New Orleans and her daughter, was that Hazel and her mom?"
I shrugged. "I was never sure. They left when Neeks was still a baby and Lilith didn't exactly want to talk about her."
"So what happened next?" Calypso asked.
"Well next-"
"Thalia thinks the whole idiot thing fits too." Annabeth cut me off "And that she thinks you're making some of this up."
I glared down at her phone while she typed, giving it an experimental tug with my powers. She yelped, dropping the device as a sheet of ice came into existence, covering the screen.
"Oh so you did get your whole ice powers thing down eventually?" Piper said, studying the frozen phone while Annabeth roller her eyes and pulled out a second phone, going back to texting Thalia.
We went through a lot of phones around here, what with the freezing, water, fire, lightning, platypus, shadows, and various battle damage. Some of the perks of being a demigod.
"Anyway getting back to the point, everything I've said is true. That is exactly how it happened. Now who's ready for the next part?"
Everyone settled down, eyes glued expectantly to me.
"I was running back to the DI Angelo estate, ready to bust Neeks out of there when-"
"That is not how it happened." A voice in my side announce.
I frowned, looking down as everyone stared down at my chest, wehre Nico was staring up at me, arms crossed and smirking.
"Yes it is." I shot back, poking his side.
My boyfriend tensed up, fighting the urge to laugh and sat up, still smirking at me.
"Wait, what did Percy lie about?" Leo asked a little too eagerly.
"I didn't' lie about anything that is exactly how it happened." I complained, let my head fall to the back of the couch.
"Obviously not." Jason muttered under his breath.
"How much do you want to be a Popsicle blondie?" I warned, raising my hand threateningly.
Jason snorted and called my bluff, giving a wink. Dang Romans. Neeks cooed and came back over, cuddling into my side and pulling my arms around him.
"Percy's not lying about anything. It's just Seaweed brain messing up the little things."
"As if." I muttered, untangling my arms and dropping them at my sides.
Nico pouted then grinned, working himself into my lap, grinding a little as he got comfortable.
"Why don't you help tell the tale?" Calypso offered.
Nico tilted his head up at my face, reaching a hand to tangle with my hair as he smiled up at me.
"What do you say love? Willing to split the spotlight?"
I sighed and sat back, leaning into the contact. Sleepy Nico or Nico who'd stayed up insanely late didn't have his usual reservations about PDA and boundaries. I might as well just enjoy the ride and let him have his fun.
Even if he was wrong.
"Go ahead, at least I don't have to do it." I mumbled, leaning back and closing his eyes.
Nico reached up, kissing my cheek and giving me a playful love bite before turning back to our group.
"You want to know the story of how I met my Sea Prince huh?"
Everyone nodded, scooting up close to hear every word as my boyfriend took over.
"Well then, listen close because this is how it all really went down…"
Pet project/commision a friend wanted me to do an alternate meeting for Percy and Nico as well as a few more details I'll keep under wraps until we get there. I hope it's not too far out of the ball park and you guys are enjoying it, I'm open to opinions on this as it's something new, so hit me with your best shot. Thanks everybody, have a great morning/day/night!