Hey everyone! Basura here, and I don't know what I'm doing.

This is my first fanfiction. The idea has been bouncing around in my head for a while, and I finally decided to pursue it. I have no idea if someone else has done anything like this, if so I'm sorry, I didn't know. I'm also really nervous about uploading this, but I sucked it up.

Anyway, this begins in The Son of Neptune, and you may notice that this chapter seems a lot like the first chapter in SoN. That's because in the book, the chapter was written with focus on Percy. The reason I wrote this was so I could write scenes that canonically weren't written with focus on him. (Like a certain battle scene or the end of MoA cough cough) I thought it'd be interesting, and a great way to procrastinate.

SO, here we go. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Rick Riordan. I am merely writing his work from a different perspective.

The gorgons still weren't dead, and I didn't know why.

I guess it could've been worse. I could have gotten stuck with a hydra chasing me around for days on end ever since I left the Wolf House. Instead, I was lucky enough to got some pretty stupid gorgons, half-snake half-woman monsters. But gods were they annoying. And impossible to kill.

I should probably explain what's going on.

About two months ago, I had woken up freezing and lost in the middle of a burnt-out mansion in a forest in California. I had no memories of anything, except for my name, Percy Jackson. After getting more and more panicked with each passing minute, a pack of giant talking wolves appeared (I know, I was surprised, too). The lead wolf, Lupa, explained that I was the demigod child of an ancient Roman god from the old myths. All of those gods and monsters were real, and it was my job to deal with them. She claimed to not know who my godly parent was, and that I would find out for myself in a few days. Things only got more suspicious when I discovered that I had come prepackaged with fighting skills and even a specially-included sword, even though Lupa was supposed to provide those things, as she had for many demigods before me.

So for a few weeks, I became a follower of Lupa with the rest of her pack, where she taught me to sharpen my senses and follow my instincts more than anything. She told me I'd become an even greater fighter than I already was. However, she refused to answer any questions I had about my past life, which prompted me to shut my mouth about the one thing, or rather one person, that I did remember. She'd already threatened to feed me to her young for asking about the mysterious necklace I wore, and I had had a feeling that if I had mentioned the pretty blonde girl, I might have woken up another week later with her gone, too. So I stopped asking questions and let Lupa guide my training without complaint.

Then she threw me out on to the streets.

Lupa said I could only get any answers if I proved myself. My goal was to reach some camp in Southern California, where I'd find safety, other demigods, and maybe regain my memory. Lupa told me that my instincts would lead me to the camp, and that I should have no problem fighting monsters and finding my way.

Well, it's not so easy when your instincts are crap.

My brain told me to go south like I'd been instructed, but the rest of me wanted to go north, towards San Francisco. Every time I thought of the city, the blonde girl named Annabeth would pop up in my head. She was there, or at least had been there. In the complete opposite direction of my destination was my only link to my old life. It gave me a headache to ignore it, but I figured I should get my memory back before looking for her. Besides, another feeling told me she was also at the camp. I hoped she was. I missed her a lot.

But I'd never find her if I didn't defeat the idiot gorgons.

It was my fault they found me. I'd wandered into some deserted Napa Bargain Mart, planning to steal some chips and other supplies for a fabulous breakfast, when the two workers giving out free samples revealed themselves to be gorgons. It wasn't a total loss; I'd managed to snag a portable GPS, a roll of duct tape, a lighter, some superglue, a water bottle, a camping roll, a pocket knife, and an as-seen-on-TV Panda Pillow Pet before running out of the store. I had tried to lose them, but the gorgons were always bragging about how they could find me because they could 'smell' me. I still wasn't sure if they actually could or were just being insulting. Just to be safe, I tried everything to get rid of the scent: rolling in mud, going swimming in the nastiest water I could find, even putting air fresheners in my pockets. Nothing worked.

In addition to my amazing instincts via Lupa being a bust, so was the information about how to defeat monsters. I'd crushed the gorgons with a crate of bowling balls three days ago, ran them over with a stolen police car two days ago, and decapitated them this morning. They always crumpled to dust like they should, but then returned from the dead a few hours later like they shouldn't. The only reason I hadn't died either was because their attacks against me seemed to be useless too. They'd thrown everything they had at me, but I still didn't have a scratch. It was like my skin was impenetrable. I had even tried cutting my skin with my own sword a few days ago, practically hacking my arm off, and not a drop of blood appeared. I had wondered if all demigods were like this. The gorgons' obvious frustration about my invulnerability told me that I was unique.

Anyway, back to the present.

I was standing at the top of a cliff overlooking the golden hills of California, trying to catch my breath. Just west was Berkeley and Oakland, and a little farther was San Francisco, smothered in fog. I felt a pinprick of a memory in the back of my head.

It's not fog, it's Mist.

The disgusting smell of slime and scales interrupted the gorgeous view. In the woods behind me, I heard hissing and crunching. I sighed. The gorgons were back.

I looked at the glittering San Francisco bay. Somehow, I could hear the waves lapping onto the shore from miles away, calling to me. I wanted to go there. For unexplained reasons, water seemed to make me stronger and give me energy, particularly salt water. I'd discovered that when I fought a sea monster in the Carquinez Strait. I could even move the water like some sort of water bender if I tried. I could probably fight off the gorgons in the bay, and maybe even drown them once and for all. But the bay was too far. I'd never make it across the city. Besides, I knew I was close to the camp. It felt like it was right under my feet. But where?

The hissing got closer. I ran towards the end of the cliff, hoping to find a road or some other way down. But all I saw was a straight 80-foot drop to the roof of an apartment building alongside a highway. I cursed. The gorgons had cornered me. Again.

Even though the gorgons would burst from the trees at any moment, I kept staring at the cars flowing in and out of the tunnel on the highway. The tunnel passed right through the hill I stood on.

My internal alarm went crazy. I was close. So close. That tunnel had something to do with camp. I was only a few hundred feet away. I had to get down there. I took off my backpack and tore through it like a maniac. There had to be something I could use as a parachute or a sled to get down there. But the Pillow Pet wasn't exactly useful. I could either jump to my death or fight. Both equally sucked.

I pulled the pen out of my pocket. Normally, it looked like a cheap ballpoint pen you could get at the Bargain Mart checkout, but it was actually my greatest defense. When uncapped, it turned into a gleaming bronze sword that felt like it was designed specifically for me. Engraved into the blade was the word Anaklusmos, which was Greek for Riptide. I had no idea how I knew that, so don't ask. It'd been the first thing I saw when I awoke in the Wolf House. The only reason I'd been able to see was because of the eerie glow it cast in the dark. I'd wandered around in the cold, terrified, and then Lupa's pack came-

"There you are!"

I nearly fell right off the cliff when the voice spoke right into my ear. I whirled around and held Riptide in front of me. I was lucky- It was the dumber one that smiled a lot, named Beano.

Her name wasn't actually Beano, that's just what I thought her name tag had first said when we met. It really read Stheno, but whenever I tried to read something, all the letters floated away, like I was dyslexic. Another thing you shouldn't ask about. At least I had a better deal than Stheno. Not even the green apron and floral dress could cover up the fact that she had rooster feet and husks sticking out of her mouth. Oh, and the red eyes. And hair made of snakes. But what really ticked me off was the fact that she still had that stupid beaten-up free samples tray. The tray was on the verge of snapping in two, but the little Crispy Cheese 'n' Wieners looked fresh out of the box. If I ever needed armor, I'd make it out of those things. At this point, I was convinced they'd survive a nuclear blast.

Stheno held out the tray. "Try one?"

I pointed Riptide at her. "Where's your sister?" I asked. I wasn't getting ambushed today.

"Oh, put the sword away," Stheno said nonchalantly. "You know by now that even Celestial Bronze can't kill us for long. Have a Cheese 'n' Wiener! They're on sale this week, and I'd hate to kill you on an empty stomach." Anytime Stheno appeared, she was always courteous enough to offer me a Cheese 'n' Wiener before she tried to kill me. I never did eat one though. They were probably laced with poison for all I knew.

"Stheno!" I jumped as the second gorgon appeared, glaring at her sister. "I told you to sneak up on him and kill him!"

Stheno's smile dropped. "But Euryale," she whined. "Can't I give him a sample first?"

"No, you imbecile!" Euryale cried. Over the past few days, I'd learned that Stheno put offering me a Cheese 'n' Wiener higher on her list of priorities over actually killing me. This made Euryale go off on her instead of me, and was probably the only reason I'd killed them at all so far.

Euryale looked just like her sister, except that her snake-do was coral-colored instead of green. She had also been covered head to toe (talon?) in 50% off stickers, remnants of our battle at the Napa Bargain Mart.

"You've led us on quite a chase, Percy Jackson," Euryale growled. "But now you're trapped, and we'll have our revenge!"

"The Cheese 'n' Wieners are only $2.99. Grocery Department, aisle three," Stheno said with a smile.

"Stheno!" Euryale practically screamed in annoyance. "The Bargain Mart was a front! You're going native! Now, put down that ridiculous tray and help me kill this demigod. Or have you forgotten that he's the one who vaporized Medusa?"

From my sketchy understanding of mythology, Medusa was a really ugly snake-haired lady that could turn people to stone. Apparently, these gorgons were her angry sisters, trying to get back at me for killing Medusa. But you'd think I would at least recall decapitating some famous snake lady.

I glanced over the edge again. "Look, ladies," I pleaded. "We've been over this. I don't even remember killing Medusa. I don't remember anything! Can't we just call it a truce and talk about your weekly specials?"

Stheno's face lit up. "Can we?" she asked Euryale.

"No!" Euryale stepped toward me. "I don't care what you remember, son of the sea god."

Son of the sea god? That explains a lot.

"I can smell Medusa's blood on you. It's faint, yes, several years old, but you were the last one to defeat her. She still has not returned from Tartarus. It's your fault!"

Euryale and Stheno have gone on and on about Tartarus and returning from the dead, and I still didn't understand it. When monsters died, they were supposed to go straight to Tartarus, wherever that was, and then come back to life somehow. I didn't get why Euryale and Stheno were so upset about Medusa not returning. They were able to return just fine.

"How about we call it a draw?" I suggested. "I can't kill you. You can't kill me. If you're Medusa's sisters - like, the Medusa who turned people to stone - shouldn't I be petrified by now?"

"Heroes!" Euryale howled with hatred. Despite it being a legitimate question, it always ticked the two gorgons off without fail. "They always bring that up, just like our mother!" She raised her voice to that nagging, motherly tone. "'Why can't you turn people into stone? Your sister can turn people into stone.' Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, boy! That was Medusa's curse alone. She was the most hideous one in the family. She got all the luck!"

Stheno pouted. "Mother said I was the most hideous."

"Quiet!" Euryale snapped. "As for you, Percy Jackson, it's true that you bear the mark of Achilles. That makes you a little tougher to kill. But don't worry. We'll find a way."

"The mark of what?" I asked.

"Achilles. Oh, he was gorgeous! Dipped in the River Styx as a child, you know, so he was invulnerable except for a tiny spot on his ankle," Stheno explained happily, sounding like a too-upbeat tour guide. "That's what happened to you, dear. Someone must've dumped you in the Styx and made your skin like iron. But not to worry. Heroes like you always have a weak spot. We just have to find it, and then we can kill you. Won't that be lovely? Have a Cheese 'n' Wiener!"

So there was a reason behind my invulnerability. But I didn't remember being put in some river.

Yes I do. It was like being boiled alive. The current was dark and crushing. And Annabeth was there, trying to help me out…

Even if I was immune to harm, I couldn't hold off the gorgons. I was too tired and hungry to fight. Sure, they might have not been able to hurt me while I defended myself, but they'd probably find my weak spot if I passed out from exhaustion. My lower back ached...

I just needed a way down the cliff side. I couldn't just jump down; that'd be an easy way to break my spine. If only I had something to slide down on like a sled, then I might survive…

My eye caught Stheno's wide tray of Cheese 'n' Wieners.

"Reconsidering?" Stheno asked cheerfully. "Very wise, dear. I added some gorgon's blood to these, so your death will be quick and painless."

I felt my stomach twist. "You added your blood to the Cheese 'n' Wieners?" Just this morning, I'd nearly eaten one that had fallen on the ground in the middle of our fight. I had been so hungry. If I had eaten it…

"Just a little. A tiny nick on my arm, but you're sweet to be concerned. Blood from our right side can cure anything, you know, but blood from our left side is deadly-"

"You dimwit!" Euryale shrieked, smacking her sister's arm. "You're not supposed to tell him that! He won't eat the wieners if you tell you tell him they're poisoned!" What do you know, I was right.

This was news to Stheno. "He won't? But I said it would be quick and painless."

"Nevermind!" Euryale said in disgust. Her hands morphed into claws. "We'll kill him the hard way - just keep slashing until we find the weak spot. Once we defeat Percy Jackson, we'll be more famous than Medusa! Our patron we'll reward us greatly!"

I had heard that line more than once. It seemed like every monster I fought thought that it was a great achievement to defeat me, and that it would make their mysterious patron very happy. I couldn't care less about why they thought that, but for now I could use it as a great distraction to delay my death. Keep them talking.

"Before you slash me to bits, who's this patron you mentioned?" I asked, feigning curiosity.

"The goddess Gaea, of course!" Euryale said. "The one who brought us back from oblivion! You won't live long enough to meet her, but your friends below will soon face her wrath. Even now, her armies are marching south. At the Feast of Fortune, she'll awaken, and the demigods will be cut down like- like-"

"Like our prices at Bargain Mart!" Stheno finished.

Euryale screamed in frustration and marched toward Stheno. I took my chance. I grabbed the tray out of Stheno's hand, tossed the Cheese 'n' Wieners off, and cut Euryale in half with Riptide. I held the tray up to Stheno, just in case she decided to lash out. Instead, she screamed at her reflection.

"Medusa!"

Euryale had dissolved into dust, but she was already starting to reform. "Stheno, you fool!" She yelled, her voice garbled by her half-melted form. "That's just your own reflection! Get him!"

I hit the tray as hard as I could on Stheno's head before she could react, and she crumpled to the ground. I quickly balanced the tray on the edge of the cliff and took my seat. I couldn't believe that I was doing this. The side of my head tingled, and I heard a slightly high-pitched, crackly voice, typical of a teenage boy.

"Blah-ha-ha! You can't seriously be doing this, Percy!"

Shout-out to my subconscious for letting me know that I wasn't the only one who thought this was insane. I sent a silent prayer to whatever Roman god that would listen, and launched myself down the cliff.

I soared down the cliff side so fast the wind was knocked out of me. I bounced from rock to rock, and I was afraid that the tray would shatter from the impact. Despite me plummeting to my death, my mind started up again, and I suddenly flashed back to another memory.

I was flying down a snowy hillside, even faster than I was now. I was careening through the trees on - what? A shield? Sitting next to me was a girl with short black hair, screaming her head off.

Well, at least it wasn't the first time I had risked my life doing free-style sledding away from monsters.

A/N: Sooo, whaddya think? Like it? Love it? Hate it? OOC? Should I upload another chapter? Or should I delete this story and ya'll can pretend it never happened? Please tell me in a REVIEW!

(Also, if you noticed any mistakes in my conventions, please tell me. I have immense pride when it comes to spelling and grammar. I'm honestly worse than Annabeth. Point something out and I'll fix it right away.)

Thanks for reading!

~ Basura