I have gone back and edited this, just minor stuff. Also, I realized how much I hated the title.

Disclaimer-I do not in any way shape or form own Rick Riordan's PJ&O universe.


Immundus


The boy with black hair and sea green eyes walked alone through the earthen tunnel. Dirt was smudged on his face and under his eyes, or was that darkness from lack of sleep? Either way, one could hardly tell he was originally of fair skin, so filthy was he. His clothing was torn and sad, and his shoes were caked with stinking mud. His eyes were a strange mix of resignation and determination, face drawn and grave.

He walked on. A path was worn through the middle of the underground trail, and the echo of the ancient marble flooring that was revealed resounded from under his feet. The boy- or the almost-man- was could see the opening ahead of him, and he could see the darkness.

Hello Percy Jackson. Welcome home.

Percy's jaw clenched. "I'm here, Gaia. Remember the deal."

How could I forget, boy? Come closer, I want to see you.

Percy forced his feet moving again; they had neglected to keep walking forward. It took a considerable effort.

He halted at the threshold of the cavern. "I can't see you."

You don't need to, child. This will work as it is.

"But I would rather I saw who I was talking too."

There was a tired sigh. As you wish.

Torches ignited in the corners, casting a heavy red glow over everything. A rumble began at the opposite end of the room, and thick slabs of moist earth sloughed off the walls with a wet smacking sound as they flopped to the ground, chiseling into the mud the face of a sleeping woman. She was beautiful, but there was an off-ish quality about her, something disjointed.

Satisfied, child? Now, onto business…

"You said you had my mom," Percy blurted.

So I did. That was a lie, son. You must learn to distinguish between them and the truth. Others may try to take advantage of you.

"Like you," he almost smiled. Almost. The time had long since pasted for smiles.

So jaded. But while I do not hold you mother, I do have the power to destroy her, even at a distance. So watch your step, demigod.

There was a loaded paused. "I'm here. What do you want?" Percy said again.

He could almost feel the sleeping woman smile. I want you, child. You are a most valuable pawn, dear, and you are necessary to my plans. You know that from your gamble…

Percy did remember. He remembered Phineas telling him his fate; 'a big sacrifice is coming, and you won't have the courage to make it.'

And now is your time. You belong to me, Perseus Jackson.

Percy, not Perseus, gritted his teeth. "I do not. I do not belong to you. And never will." With that he spat at the earthen woman's base.

The sleeping lips twitched with vague displeasure, like a bad dream. Now that was uncalled for. Now I will have to increase the playing field.On the ground before the face, the mud rippled and cleared into transparency, almost like water, but not quite. It still wasn't as…clean. It was filtered, but sluggish. Underneath the almost-water, was Sally Jackson.

But she wasn't actually there, it was more of a window, revealing her going about her daily life. In this case, she was in bed. It was about two in the morning, after all.

Percy's heart clenched, and shared the sentiment with his fists.

You know what your destiny is, Perseus.

He closed his eyes.

It's with me, in the earth.

His nails cut into his palm.

What do you decide?

"I need time. Give me three days."

Very well.


"I have to ask one more time, where were you a few nights ago? You missed that emergency meeting, and gave us all heart attacks."

"Now's not the time, Annabeth," Percy replied. "We're almost ready to go in."

"I just wanted to know…if we don't come back."

Percy swung himself in front of her, gripping her forearms firmly. "Don't think like that. We will. After all, it's just Gaia, right? We faced Atlas and Hyperion and Polybotes and Kronos. I'm sure we can beat an old woman."

What he didn't say was that this might give him one more chance to trump her and her shit deal. This was his last day to stall. All he had been able to get done in his allotted time was to get a Hecate girl to weave some protective enchantments for his mother and Paul. He told her that he ought to have done it years ago, to keep her safe from all that crap that came with the demigod package. The girl was pretty powerful, but it really was going to be nothing for Gaia. It just made Percy feel a tad better.

He couldn't tell anyone. They wouldn't understand. They'd step in a ruin the fragile balance he had created. The buddings of the plan. A horrible plan, true, but beggars can't be choosers.

Annabeth gave him a weary smile. "This is the beginning, Percy. She's the one who gave birth to them all. She's seen everything."

"She hasn't seen us."


A breath of silence. Then:

"CHARGE!"

Then it was pure chaos as the demigod forces stormed the low building; most of which was underground. Their billowing breath made clouds in the air directly above them. Even as they leveled their weapons, they could feel the air biting at their noses and cheeks. The ice covering the snow just barely held.

~Time stands still,

~Beauty, I know she is

~I will be brave

Inside then, slashing monsters and creeping tentacles of root. Stomping snow and ice off of boots. Rolling to avoid the swords of opposition. Rubbing noses and hands to regain warmth. Fighting helped warm them up.

~I will not let anything

~Take away

~What's standing in front of me

Jason and Percy nodded at eachother. They shoved the others, Annabeth, Piper, Leo, Hazel, Frank. With a look of dawning realization, the rest of the seven followed the plan and fought their way down to where they knew Gaia was waiting.

~Every breath

~Every hour has come to this

I can smell you, child.

Percy ignored her.

There wasn't time to think before bursting through to the opening of the cavern, the one that was so familiar. He had been there only three days ago. But there was one difference.

Along the opposite wall, there stood six stoic men, nine feet tall. Only six. There were seven demigods charging.

~One step closer

Welcome back, Perseus.She then extended her voice then to the others. Welcome. I know why you're here of course; I can hear the ruckus upstairs. I don't suppose that I can expect any submission from any of you…

Percy was glad that she didn't tell. He was the one most likely to display submission. But he shook that thought out of his head. This was his plan; he wouldn't have to make the decision if Gaia was defeated first. If he defeated Gaia, it all would be gone. His humiliation would die with her.

Jason spat, "No. Not on our lives." He charged at the figure of the woman in the wall. Very brave. Very Roman. Very hopeless.

~Darling don't be afraid

~I have loved you

He was intercepted abruptly by one of the earthen giants. The startling clang of metal on metal rippled through the air and up the tunnels, to be heard but ignored by the demigods up there. The man seemed to be made entirely of dirt, but was solid enough to withstand Jason's blows. In fact, this golem was beating him down too. The other figures on the opposite wall just stood, still as statues, while their kin battled the blond adolescent. The demigods were frozen, perverse interest keeping them in their selected spots. This was a show, even if they didn't want it to be.

~For a thousand years

"Who-ah!-what are you?" Jason spluttered between gasps. The golem man battered his sword, nearly out of his hand.

"I am you," the deep, gravelly voice reverberated.

A moment of silence, reserved for the gasping breath and dawning horror of the onlookers. No one moved. Annabeth tried to lift her foot, but something sucked it back down.

~I'll love you for a thousand more

"Wh-what?" The silent moment was broken with Jason's gulp. The giant-that-was-him resumed his assault with renewed vigor. Clang. Sword battered. Clang. Sword hand knocked.Clang. Sword grip nearly broken. Clang. Clatter.Sword on the ground. Echo resounds. Shock all around. Jason lost.

This was the signal; the other five mud giants were aroused, and launched. Five golems, six heroes. One was to be left out. Now that he looked, Percy could see that everyone was there, with their details impressed upon the mud giants' faces.

A quick picture: Jason Grace, with a sword at his throat, desperately scanning his attacker, searching for similarities (it did say that it was him). Scarily, he found them.

Another picture: Percy Jackson standing in the back, with his eyes screwed tightly shut. Then he opens them and runs toward the attackers.

The mud men have their victims picked out; they were modeled after these teenagers after all. Everyone's corresponding golem matched their every move, matching style naturally. But not one of them rushed Percy. As hard as he tried, no one would fight him. But he was attacking them! Why were they not turning to deal with him? With his sword swinging madly, he beat on the backs of one giant after another, but not one of them acknowledged his presence.

~Hear beats fast

~Colors and promises

"Come on! Fight back you cowards! Fight me! Get off them; I'll chop your head off! Come on! I'm right here! Fight me now!" he half sobbed. But he knew why they wouldn't.

It's been three days, deary.This time everyone heard.

"What the hell is she talking about now?" Leo frowned, from under his assailant. Percy halted his one-sided attack on the golems and just stood, silent, with his back to the woman in the wall.

"Me. She's talking to me."

~How to be brave

The last sword and dagger clattered to the earthen floor. Everyone was held at sword tip.

"What do you mean, Percy?" Annabeth asked. Her face was an expressionless mask. Her eyes bore into the back of his head.

I don't have to say anything, do I, Percy Jackson? All of my cards are on the table. You know what I can do.

"I know."

"Percy, that night that you didn't come to the emergency meeting…" Annabeth started.

Jason stared at him as if for the first time. "What were you doing, Percy?"

He came to see me.

Percy slowly pivoted. "This is low, Gaia."

You should have expected it.

"You're right. I should have."

~How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?

Annabeth understood with dawning trepidation. Her Percy… "What did she offer you? Or better yet, what did she threaten? I know you wouldn't do this by yourself."

Percy smiled wearily back at her. "Mom."

And his girl couldn't do anything but stare back at him. Oh why…

~But watching you stand alone

~All of my doubt

~Suddenly goes away somehow

In the silence that followed, Percy turned back to the figure in the mud. "I want to know that you'll keep your promises. I assume the River Styx doesn't work on you."

Of course not. I'll swear on anything you want me to.

"Everything, if anything, that is important to you," he demanded. All the while, thoughts spun around in his head like a broken record: Is there a loophole? Will she find a loophole? Will it be for nothing?

I swear on everything important to me.

"Then it's settled."

This jolted the seven, six now, into protest.

"No! Percy, think! We'll figure it out; you don't have to do this! Just think!"

"You get back in line, remember your duty! Get back!"

"What are you doing? Don't! Don't, don't, don't! Listen!"

"Please, Perce…"

A hand spun itself out of the muck.

~One step closer

One more gaze at his partner. She looks distressed, he thought. With a wry smile, Percy strived to put her at ease. "I love you, Annabeth," he said.

Instead of comfort, she was put out of her depth. "Percy, I love you too…"

With his last genuine smile, the boy grips the hand made out of mud.

~One step closer…


~I have died everyday

~Waiting for you

~Darling don't be afraid

~I have loved you

~For a thousand years

~I'll love you for a thousand more


It was Annabeth, sitting all by herself on the fireworks beach.

Jason hesitated behind the girl before cautiously approaching. But he didn't know what to say. What do you say to a broken heart? He didn't know what it felt like. So he settled with the all purpose, "Hey."

"Hey."

"Annabeth…it's been two years."

Her blonde curls bobbed as he tucked her chin into her clutched knees. "I know."

"The war's been over for a couple months now."

Her dry and scratchy hands strangled her shins. "I know."

"He would've come back by now if he wasn't…you know."

Annabeth Chase raised her head and straightened her legs, and her eyes were dry. " Of course I know. But we never saw him, did we? What did she need him for so badly? To keep us on edge? To make us think before we killed anyone with armor on, so we couldn't see their face? Her entire army was like that. But we checked. We always saw their face, one way or another, and it was never him. Why?"

Jason sighed. "It's a bit late for strategizing and theorizing, Annabeth."

This time it was her turn to sigh. "I know."

A breath of awkward silence. Annabeth couldn't help but remember how it was never awkward with…him.

"You know he was never really on her side, right?"

"Um, that's a little out of the blue there, Anna-"

"He only joined her to keep us from getting hurt!"

She was getting in her groove now. Jason had heard people talk about her ranting like this to them before, but she had never delivered her sermon to him before. "Uh, I guess…"

"Gaia threatened his family! She threatened us! What would you have done?"

With perfect honesty, Jason said, "I wouldn't have joined her."

Annabeth deflated. "Why not? I can't say the same thing for me."

The Roman took a second to answer. "Well, that's the biggest difference between us, right? Me and him. I have sense of duty. I make sacrifices."

The girl felt like she should be offended on her partner's behalf, but she couldn't manage. That was his fatal flaw; loyalty to love more than cause.

"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing," she said.

"I know," he said back.

And they both sit back and watch the ocean breath contentedly.


~And all along

~I believed I would find you

~Time has brought

~Your heart to me

~I have loved you

~For a thousand years

~I'll love you for a thousand years


"Guys, you might want to see this."

The camp creeps slowly around the figure eagle spread on the top of half-blood hill, under Thalia's Tree. It's a weird déjà vu feeling, almost like when the daughter of Zeus was discovered. Only this time, the campers don't think the body is alive.

"Is it him?"

"You can't tell, there's a shroud over him."

"It's blue though, so it has to be him."

"But why would it be him?"

But only Annabeth has the bravery to remove the veil over the man's face.

She sniffs away her tears.

Percy Jackson, after two years, has made it home. Even alive. (If barely. His chest hardly rises and falls and his skin is the albino of cave crabs.)

There is mud on his hands.


I also decided that I had more to write. I am now working on a second chapter, so keep your eyes open!

Reviews are greatly appreciated!