THUD THUD, THUD THUD! Went my heart as I sat there, cold and wet in the New York alley. I was tired, but I picked up my baseball bat and set off. I started out at a slow walk, and then gradually picked up my pace to a medium jog. As I jogged, I thought.
"I wonder how much time I have?" I thought to myself grimly as I moved passed a homeless man.
"Spare some change?" the man asked.
"I'm really sorry, I wish I could. I don't have any money at all," I replied.
"Well, young man, I am really sorry too," he solemnly told me.
With a sinking feeling, I realized where this was heading. Instead of answering the man, or thing rather, I turned and ran. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins as I sprinted down the street, raising my baseball bat.
"Chuck!" I screamed as I bolted from street to street, bush to bush. I threw the baseball bat up in the air and a furry mass of human and goat leaped forward to catch it. The satyr bounded towards the homeless thing and jumped to bring the bat crashing upon its head. Instead of the creature crumbling to the ground, it raised its hand, which transformed into the hand of a gorilla, longer, harrier, and a lot bigger. Then it grew taller, with two large golden-brown feet and the head of a kangaroo.
"What is it?" I shouted as Chuck skidded away as the thing brought its fist crashing down upon the spot where he used to be.
"Judging by his changing physiology, I'm gonna go with Kobalos, a ship-shifting trickster," he replied, deftly skirting around the thing's strikes.
"Come on, we need to find a weapon," I yelled as he started to run away and Chuck followed suit. I reached out with my mind, feeling around.
"In here!" he reported. I am a child of Ares, god of war, so I have a special connection with weapons and war. I stretched out my hand, and an explosion shook the building next to us. A golden fork came out, but with a thought, it became a shining sword.
"Let's go!" I roared as he leapt towards the kobalos. I slashed, nicking the back of the kangaroo foot, but the kobalos merely changed into a mosquito and buzzed about. It transformed into a bear while speeding towards me, and I just barely managed to escape its extended paws. I staggered backwards and looked around, as the stupid thing had changed yet again into a bug. I heard a faint buzzing sound and managed to bring my sword up just in time to impale the now 5 foot python that was suspended above me.
"Wow, good job!" Chuck encouraged me.
"Great, thanks. Now guide me to Camp Half-Blood already!" I exasperatedly said.
"Alright, alright, lets go," he grumbled and we set off at a brisk pace. We ran over hills and across a street. I was mad. As a son of Ares, I was susceptible to this.
"Go," I warned Chuck and he trotted off, taking the hint. I knelt down and touched my finger to the ground. I let out a roar, blood red tendrils of rage spread out from me. I watched, and after a minute or two, they disappeared. As I stood up, I heard a roar. Not a monstrous roar, more like a human that is enraged. I heard the thud of fist connecting with face, and my rage dissipated, leaving a feeling of sadness at the rage and war I had caused. That person was not a bad person, they were just a casualty in my rage pool. I trekked up the hill, rejoining Chuck and together we topped the hill and surveyed the scene below.