Story Series Title: Parallel meets Parallel
Chapter Title: Deception
Author's Story Motto: Unlimited discount of ships! (I don't know what this means either; it's up to you to decipher *giggles*)
Story's Summary: Persephone Jackson was never one whom had many desires, so it's no surprise when she turned down Chaos's offer. But because of her witty-made decision, she is now where she least yearned – the parallel universe. Will she find a way back to where she was supposed to be? Or will she want to stay?
Rating: T
Disclaimer: And IIIIIIIIIIIII will always not own the Percy Jackson Characters. (Song Reference: I Will Always Love You)
Note of Author: Yes, I decided to restart because I have just reread the chapters in the story and couldn't help myself but grimace at the terrible usage of wording in sentences so... Wee! I'm sorry if you have to reread the intros and all, but I've also decided to make the chapters longer than I usually do them. Plus there will be a lot of changes. So... Brace thyself! Aye, onto the chapter, and read to find out!
– Deception–
Persephone
"...cy? Percy? Hello? Anyone home?" Annabeth tried snapping her fingers in front of Persephone's face.
She blinked out of her personal nightmare and sheepishly grinned. "Sorry, Annabeth; you were saying something?"
They were hanging out on Annabeth's bed, while Persephone on the opposite one, and from what Persephone remembered, they were talking about how annoying it is to travel on planes – or was it jets? She can't recall events properly.
Annabeth huffed and crossed her arms. "It's been the eighth time you've zonked out of my speech. Are they that boring?"
Percy let out a strained smile. "They aren't – I was just... never mind. You were saying?"
Annabeth rolled her eyes, unaware of her friend's discomfort on the subject. "You have to try harder than that to lie to me, Percy."
Percy gulped. She was hoping not to tell Annabeth on the Titan Lord's visits – no, she can't. That's the problem. Kronos told her not to tell anyone of his visits in her dream because, as he puts it, "There will be consequences."
She was hoping to die before finding out what they were.
Annabeth softened her gaze immediately and brought her hands to Percy's shoulders' and caressed them slightly. "It's about Tartarus, isn't it?"
It wasn't the truth – she had the help of the Apollo cabin to cleanse the horrors from her mind, so she can only remember the events, not the emotion – but it wasn't a lie either, Kronos was – is – in Tartarus; so it's not completely a lie, but not the truth either.
Percy nodded, hoping that Annabeth won't push the subject anymore.
Annabeth nodded along, thinking she understood the pain Percy is going through.
A comfortable silence fell between them.
"You know," Annabeth stated suddenly, lying down on her bed, stretching her arms into the air. "Do you think there is another world out there?"
Percy did a double take. Were they talking about Parallel Universes earlier?
"Do you think...? I don't know – maybe a world where our friends are alive?" Annabeth rolled herself up, until she was propped onto her elbows, facing Percy. "Or a world where nobody has to worry about anything?"
Percy contemplated this for a moment, and then lay down on the bed she was sitting on, forcefully. "Nope," she replied, popping the consonant 'p'. "Believing in gods is as far as I'm going. Any more than that, and I think my head will spin."
And from that point, they talked until late night, where Persephone will have to leave and sleep in her own cabin.
She doesn't really call it her home; not anymore, since Kronos' visits, it became her nightmare. Not even the blue colours on the walls look so innocent anymore.
She dressed up fast and prepared herself for the upcoming nightmare.
Dream-Persephone
She cowered herself before the form before her – it was Kronos, she was sure – tears ready to spill. "Go away! Leave, Kronos! Quit trying to get into my head for gods' sake – "
"Hush, dearest Persephone. Dry those tears, and open your eyes. It is not Kronos whom you are speaking to."
The voice sounded so calm, and it was feminine, so naturally Percy did as she told to.
And she was shocked.
She had beauty that could measure up to Calypso's and Aphrodite's. Her dress was pearly white, and milky. On top of her head were the planets of the solar system, just in a form of a halo. Her sandals are Japanese-styled geta (a wooden flip-flop) and her feet weren't calloused. Her hands looked soft and gentle too. But, gods, her face.
Her lips are twitched into a smile, that could be a match for Apollo's one, and her nose was curved perfectly. Her hair was a different array of colours, hanging in a long braid from her head to her hip. But her eyes. Her eyes are horrifying.
Persephone could feel that it could suck the life from her soul – how tempting it is to look at her eyes, though. Kind of like Medusa's punishment, but with no snakes.
"Whoa. Who... are you? I mean, milady." Percy asked.
"Based on my appearance, I'm surprised you hadn't guessed who I could be."
No. Way.
Percy squinted at her. "... Chaos?!"
"There you have it!" She cheekily replied.
"But... how? Why am I – "
"You see, ruling the universe is getting... boring by myself. I'd like for you to be my consort." She beamed, closing her eyes in ecstasy.
"Oh, um... ye – wait a minute. What – What do you mean?"
Chaos eyed her questioningly. "You very well know what it means, Persephone. I want you to marry me!"
Suddenly she felt like Kronos' visits are easier to handle than this.
Percy steadied her breath and stood up, straightening her body posture. She looked into Chaos' eyes, and for some reason, death doesn't feel threatening if she took Percy's life away. She felt accomplished.
"Milady, Chaos, whatever you want to be called, I can't marry you; I can't abandon my grieving friends down at earth! I can't allow them to blame themselves for my sudden disappearance – and at this point, I can't be selfish and leave them be; so, apologies, I can't."
Chaos's figure dimmed, her carefree demeanour gone. "Apology..." Her cheeky self reappeared. "... Accepted."
Percy sighed in relief.
As soon as Percy felt like she should wake up, Chaos' next words made her want to crawl into a hole and hide. "Watch your back!"
Persephone
Percy woke up sweating; arching her back, anticipating a monster, but it never came. She relaxed her stance; her adrenaline starting to dissipate, and got up from her bed.
She then walked towards the beach, not really caring if the harpies come out and get her. She sat on the shore where the sand met the water, hugging her knees and burying her face in them.
Why does she really have to be the one who has to deal with people's problems?
"Don't we all want to know?"
Percy's head shot up, cursing when Kronos was sitting beside her –wait, was she dreaming? The last thing she remembered was... the conversation where it involved Annabeth and parallel universes. That was seconds ago! Did she fall asleep on her bed–?
"No, you didn't. Chaos visited you shortly after, remember?" Kronos/Luke patiently replied – of course he can patiently reply; he has all the time in the world! He is time.
You see, after Percy killed Luke, Kronos wasn't able to reform properly, heavily relying on Luke's appearance. Bastard; sometimes she felt like Kronos is purposely using Luke's body to remind her of what she did to Luke.
"You fell asleep here, remember?" Kronos asked, prompting her to recall.
Percy growled. "Stop trying to imply false information into me! It was afternoon when I slept – I don't remember walking to the beach!"
Kronos shook his head and shifted his golden gaze out into the sea instead.
"You're going to wake up soon, you know."
Percy just stared out into the open sea.
Kronos sighed. "Farewell, Persephone. Until tomorrow, we meet again."
Percy said nothing.
?
'Her memory span is getting far worse than anticipated.' He contemplated, while sighing, eyeing the diamond in his palm, reflecting thousands of golden eyes staring right at him.
"Curse that monster in Tartarus!" He whispered under his breath. "She just had to be cursed by Mnemosyne. (A/N: I'm not actually sure whether Mnemosyne actually is in Tartarus, but let's just pretend she is.) Now her memory is mixed and she can't recollect situations properly." He scowled, enhancing the marred scar across his left face.
He gripped the diamond, which, for the record, is seconds from shattering into thousands of glittering pieces.
He then bemoaned, releasing tension from his grip on the precious coruscating object, and bowed his head slightly, allowing some of his blonde hair to cover his eyes.
"Will you ever remember?"
Persephone
She woke up, sitting in the same position as she had been, when she buried her face in her knees.
'See?' thought Persephone. 'I told you, Kronos, I was sleeping on the beach, not in Annabeth's cabin!' She proudly finished her thought.
What a dolt to think he can imply false events into her mind – she is Persephone Jackson, and she won't be manipulated by time lords!
She stretched her arms and stood up slowly, dizzy from her dream, and staggered back to her cabin – but without stumbling face first into the sand.
'Stupid floor, why can't you steady yourself?' She mentally chided. Huh, talking to non-existent things is starting to bother her. Was she this insane before she fell into Tartarus?
She... she can't remember.
She then continued staggering back to her cabin.
Persephone
'Nothing insane happened... yet,' she thought.
She's still aware of Chaos' warning, and for the past two days, she's been skeptical of everything.
She guessed this was what mortals call 'paranoia'.
She's been looking at her cabin, the dining area, the training area, and even the showers for any sign of danger.
She frowned and kicked the sand beneath her feet.
That's right; she's at the beach... again.
It's her personal thinking spot – well, as a child of the sea, everyone would've guessed that this would be the place where she would... think about things.
She huffed and frowned, crossing her arms.
How long will this keep up? How long will Chaos –
Maybe this was what Chaos had in mind – to turn Percy insane with paranoia.
Well, Chaos is doing one heck of a good job, so far.
All of a sudden, a ticklish feeling erupted from her used-to-be mortal point. Percy giggled, turning around to see who was tickling her – she was sure it was either Leo or the Stolls, they love messing around with her – when she saw nobody.
She's becoming delirious – it's not possible!
But... is this Chaos' –
She tried finishing her thought, though, they're becoming... fuzzy and... sluggish...
Persephone
When Persephone came to, she inwardly groaned.
She was possibly teleported to the worst place imaginable.
'Curse Chaos!' she mentally screamed.
What's so bad about her predicament, you may be asking?
Well, she's in the last place she could call 'home'.
The last place where she could have possibly thought she was going to.
The Parallel Universe.
How, you may ask?
A pair of sea-green eyes were staring right back at her.
END OF CHAPTER ONE
How did you think I did in this Chapter? Please review, I'd like your opinion on how I did this. ;-;
Thank you for reading!
This is BrokenVows, signing out.
*tips hat*