Another Percy Jackson one shot which I don't have any active plans of extending, but you never know. This fic can be a prequel to my other fic, "Easing the Burden".
Clash of the Demigods
Percy Jackson felt the breeze on his face as he looked out to the sea. While the sea was his father's domain, Percy was becoming quite powerful, and thanks to the cloak hiding the ship, he could drive the Princess Andromeda at a faster rate than any normal cruise ship. Once the ship began to slow, Percy went to the captain's quarters and waited outside for Luke. While Percy had seen reasoning in Luke's plan for taking down Olympus, he was not so dedicated in following the titan and tried to avoid any unnecessary encounters of being in the same room as the golden coffin.
Luke came out of the captain's quarters, and turned to see Percy. Percy noticed the loss of color in his trainer's face, looking more weary, which happened every time he spent time speaking with the Lord of Time.
"So," Percy asked, "What's the plan?"
Luke walked passed him and Percy followed behind as they made their way to the bridge.
"The ship is set to continue on course until we reach our destination."
"OK, and after-"
"However, I have an assignment for you, Percy."
Percy knew that if Luke was sending him, the mission must have been sensitive. Luke usually only sent Percy is the mission was highly important or if it involved the need of Percy's unique skills.
"I've just gotten word that there are two unclaimed half-bloods that we need on our side. They are attending a school in Maine. The General sent someone ahead to see if they were half-bloods."
"Who?"
Luke paused and exhaled, "Thorn"
Percy's eyes widened in disbelief, "You sent Thorn to check out two demigods? He's not exactly reliable."
"He is sure they are the kids we need, and he is planning of extracting them soon."
"I'm sure he's right about them, but it's the part about extracting them that I worry. He is very careless and they could be killed," Percy expressed with force. The very idea of leaving demigods in the mercy of that monster was just unthinkable.
"That's why," Luke said, "I am sending you. You can get them and I have no doubt that you could recruit them to our cause."
Percy could feel the tension lightened, remembering Luke had a plan. It is why Percy still followed him: Save as many demigods before they become tools of the gods of Olympus.
"What do you need me to do?"
"You will arrive, and make contact with Thorn. He is posing as vice-principal. You will find the demigods, and if you can, you could try to warm up to them. I'll message you when we are ready to extract them."
"And if something goes wrong?"
"You make for the extraction point Thorn has set up."
"Alright," Percy said, about to prepare to leave.
"And Percy," Luke said, stopping the demigod in his tracks, "You might run into old friends from camp. Don't let it distract you. Just get the demigods, but if all else fails, just get back here alive."
Percy nodded, and continued to his assignment.
Percy arrived at the school Westover Hall a few days later. He was greeted by Dr. Thorn and some mortal woman who ran the school, who wanted to question him. Thorn eased her concerns, saying Percy was just visiting to see the school in case he planned to attend next year.
After the woman had left, Thorn glared at Percy, "Just so you know, I won't be needing your help. I've got this all handled."
"Yeah, yeah," Percy said, disinterestedly, "Just tell me how we will extract the kids, and where they are."
Thorn reluctantly explained the plan to Percy, and then led Percy to a classroom where one of the siblings, Nico di Angelo, was attending. Percy sat in the back of class and watched the kid looking through some cards and not paying attention to the lecture.
Between classes, Percy was approaching Nico, hoping to speak with him (maybe try to hold his interest by talking about his card game).
"Percy?"
The demigod stopped and turned to see the frightened look of one of his old friends, Grover. Percy couldn't help but chuckle at Fate's sense of humor.
"This is surprising," Percy stated, "I guess I don't have to ask what you're doing here."
"Percy…" Grover started looking for the words to say, "You…um…you shouldn't be here."
"Well, according to the staff, I am allowed to be here. Just as much as you are," he said, seeing Grover in school uniform.
"Please, don't do this. They don't know what they are and they need proper training."
"I agree they do need proper training. And I intend to help with that, out of reach of their abusive parent."
"I don't want to fight you," Grover said solemnly.
"And I don't want to fight you either. You were my guardian when this all started, and I'll never forget it."
"We still have an empathetic connection. I know you have doubts about this whole thing."
"Maybe about working with monsters, but I don't have any doubts against the tyrants on Olympus. I will do what I can to make the best of this whole situation, but I am not crawling back to them. And those children are not going to be used by them either."
The bell rang and students started shuffling to the classrooms.
"But seriously Grover, it is good to see you again." And Percy walked back to his next class to observe the other di Angelo sibling.
Percy waited anxiously off the dance floor, waiting for the signal for Thorn to take the children. He did not have time to try to socialize with the siblings, and instead accelerated the time of extraction to tonight. He knew that if Grover was here, that campers would arrive soon to take the kids.
He found a spot in the room where he could monitor the demigods, as well as Thorn and some entrances to the room. It was then the doors swung open and he saw her. Annabeth walked in, dressed in her usual attire, and next to her was another girl with short dark hair and wearing punk-style clothing. Next to them was Grover, who pointed out the two di Angelo siblings. Percy figured Grover knew of the monster already and told the girls of Percy's presence. Thalia grabbed Grover for a dance, which Percy assumed was a way of blending in and observing, leaving Annabeth alone.
He got a sly smile and walked through the crowd, grabbing Annabeth arm firmly but gently, turning her to face him.
"Would you like a dance?"
Before she could answer (or draw her blade) he had already pulled her to the dance floor.
"What are you doing here, Percy?" she asked, glaring at him with her grey eyes.
"Don't play dumb, Wise Girl. We both know why. Two demigods, unclaimed, perfect recruits for both of us."
"I mean, why are you here? Why would Luke send you for them if you're so important to Kronos?"
"Maybe it's my natural charm he needed," Percy said with a smile. Annabeth looked at him unamused.
"I don't think so," she said, "Luke wouldn't let you leave his side unless he had no choice or there was a task that he felt only you could accomplish. What is it?"
Percy was stunned, silent, contemplating her words.
"You don't know, Seaweed Brain," she answered with a little smug in her voice, "You're left out of the loop."
"Just like you are with these quests they send you on," Percy said, defensively, "The difference is, I know what Luke wants in the end. What I do, I do for us. All demigods, you, me, Luke, your friend, those two siblings we're both after, I do this to help all us demigods. Luke might not tell me everything but I trust him enough to accept that."
"And that is your big mistake, Percy. You can't trust him." Annabeth said, with some sadness in her voice. He saw tears she refused to shed, and he realized that she really lost two of her friends to betrayal that night he left.
"I'm sorry Annabeth. Not about bringing down Olympus, but I am sorry that you got hurt. If I could have it, we wouldn't be enemies, and I hope that someday we won't have to be."
"Percy, I-" she stopped when she looked around and saw the di Angelo kids missing. Annabeth pushed Percy away and drew her dagger.
"Where are they?"
He remained silent and remorseful as he pulled out his pen.
"Annabeth," he saw Annabeth's friend shout as she jumped between the couple, "They went out the back with Dr. Thorn. You go get them. I'll deal with him."
Annabeth nodded and took one last look at Percy before vanishing beneath her cap.
Percy looked at the demigod, and saw the spear that appeared in her hand, as well as the shield, Aegis. From the stories Luke told him, he realized who this girl was.
"So you're Thalia. I've heard a lot about you."
"And I heard a lot about you, Percy Jackson."
He felt raw power radiate from this girl, which shouldn't be a surprise since she was a child of Zeus, one of the Big Three. But despite the fact that she was more powerful than Annabeth, he was a little relieved to not have to fight an old friend. Of course, that relief started fading as she struck him with lightning from the spear. The electricity caused some of the circuits in the room to crash, the lights to go out, and the students fled the dance room, leaving the two demigods to their private duel.
Percy patted out the fire on his shirt as he got up and uncapped Riptide, "That the best you got?"
The two clashed, sword against spear and shield. Despite being back for only a few months, Thalia was a more than a formidable opponent for Percy. She finally got a good strike at Percy and he went falling to the ground, with a shallow slash across his chest. He opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling and got a clever idea.
He ran up the stage, "You can't beat me. I am stronger than you. And you are out of practice."
"Then why don't you come down here and say it to my face," she shouted in anger.
"I thought you'd want to use your legs more after being rooted for a few years, Pinecone Face."
That seemed to egg her on, and she threw a blast of lightning at Percy who hid behind a curtain causing it to ignite. The smoke filled the room and it set off the fire extinguishers. Percy felt the water fall around him as his wounds began to heal.
"My turn," he said, and used his power to cause the pipes to break, causing the room to fill with a few inches of water. With one motion, he sent a small explosion of water right in front of Thalia sending her flying back. She got up, drenched and began to channel electricity in her body. Had Percy not been the son of Poseidon, the electric water might have done some damage. He saw Thalia begin another direct attack, and he grabbed Riptide with both hands tightly as large patches of water levitated in the air. Both reflected Olympian rage in their eyes, each wanting to better their foe.
But before they could attack, a bright spotlight shined through the windows of the room, as the sound of propellers echoed from outside, causing both demigods to loss focus. The lightning died down and the water fell still.
Percy looked down in disappointment but calmed and looked back at his opponent. "Till next time, Pinecone head." He ran to the side exit.
"You're not getting away," she shouted, as she tried to jump to block his path. Unfortunately, the water around her ankles had gone dense and she fell face first into the flood, as Percy made his escape.
Percy arrived at the extraction point, only to see the helicopter taken out by a series of arrows. He saw Grover protecting the di Angelo kids as a group of silver-dressed girls of various ages were firing at Percy's allies, one of them being Dr. Thorn, who revealed his monstrous form in the heat of battle. He saw one of the Hunters speak to her leader, who he could see carried an aura of authority. She was certainly no half-blood, but an Olympian.
Thorn roared in anger, "If I can't have them alive," he said, looking at Grover and the di Angelo kids, "Then you can have them dead."
Percy knew he was going to pay dearly for his next decision. But he knew his reasons for joining Luke. And he wasn't going to stand by and be a hypocrite. He ran up towards Thorn at the same time as Annabeth. The archers didn't fire, while Annabeth was in the way, and she jumped on the manticore's back. He saw the manticore struggling but begin to aim his spiked tail at the unclaimed demigods and Grover. With a strong swing with Riptide Thorn's tail was pushed away from the targets and sent the needles flying upward harmlessly.
The creature turned his head to Percy in rage, "Traitor!"
He tried to move to Percy as the archers were telling Annabeth to get out of the way and Percy tried to help pull her off. Percy knew if he could get him over the cliff, at least he could save these demigods. Unfortunately, Annabeth had her dagger dug into the mane, and it was moving to much for her to safely let go, as he struggled against Thorn, trying to get to her.
The second Percy heard someone shout "Fire" he put himself behind the manticore and arrows flung at him, happily missing him and apparently Annabeth.
Unfortunately, the impact seemed to put in enough force, to cause Thorn to fall backward, towards the cliff's edge. Percy knew there was no way for Annabeth to escape, and looked at her.
"I'm sorry Wise Girl," he said, "Looks like you're coming with us."
Percy pulled on Thorn with his strength and the manticore fell over the cliff's edge, with Percy and Annabeth. Percy saw the sea come closer and turned his head to see Annabeth next to him. Then everything went dark, before he could tell her they would be ok.
AN: I hope I did okay. Maybe I'll make more stories like these in the future.