~12 Years Old~
He stepped through the security gate, eyes wide with fascination. Buttons glowed as they passed by. His twelve year old mind amazed by everything he was seeing. His mother watched him from the other side of the large gate as it slowly began to shut with nervous eyes and clasped hands but he only offered her a bright smile and a wave before the principle was leading him towards the front doors. The guards that had escorted them to the building were still frowning as they escorted his mother back to their car.
The atmosphere was exhilarating and unlike his other schools, he began to feel at home right away. No one was staring at him as if he was a monster; no one was watching him as if they were waiting for him to attack them all. His mom had told him the stories and he knew people were afraid of what he was but here, no one seemed to care.
The students walking by continued on with their daily lives, ignoring him completely or barely glancing his way. It was refreshing to not be the freak for once; to be in a place where someone like him was considered normal.
"We've been waiting for a student just like you Mr. Jackson." Principle Alvis complimented. "If I may be frank, you complete the set. We have plenty of other students who have special abilities such as yourself but only three others can control the elements; you four are going to be the key to protecting our country's problems. Here you will be safe."
"Woah." Percy gasped when Principle Alvis pushed open the main door. The school was huge. Marble walls seemingly stretching forever and a ceiling that seemed to be as high as the clouds themselves. Students wandered through the halls absently; millions of conversations going on at once.
Percy saw a girl with green tinted skin laugh; a bright, yellow flower blooming behind her ear as she did.
A boy with curly brown hair walked by; his tool belt clanking against his hip. A large robot followed behind him like a lost puppy and Percy was amazed when the boy flicked his wrist and the robot's palm morph to have a small cup holder. The boy grinned and placed his drink in the holder before continuing on his way.
A girl slammed her locker shut with enough force to bend it completely; the lockers surrounding it even seemed to shake.
A boy laughed happily as he zipped down the hall; Percy blinked and in the second it took, the boy had disappeared.
Percy's smile widened as he took everything in. Then he remembered the principle's words and gasped excitedly.
"You mean I get to be a superhero!?"
Principle Alvis chuckled but nodded.
"In a way." He agreed. "You may know about the creatures attacking the world and how schools just like ours have been scattered across the globe to help gather students with gifts like yours to protect us."
"Wow." Percy whispered. "I'm gonna be a super hero."
Principle Alvis chuckled and ushered him down the hall with another wave. Percy was still awestruck by the school and the students inside. He could hear the principle greeting several students by name and wondered if he would be as well liked as Principle Alvis. They came to stop in front of a steel door. Principle Alvis smiled comfortingly.
"Now Percy, I know how wonderful your gift is. You're one of the main four; almost a national treasure. I want you to meet the other three. They will become your partners in the fight against evil and hopefully in time…your friends."
Percy held his breath as Principle Alvis slowly pushed open the door. He heard the swoosh before feeling the hot air smack his skin; his eyes shutting from the sensation. Percy held up his hands defensively and a water shield that quickly hardened into ice formed in front of his hands. The air grew quiet; the heat disappeared.
Percy released the water shield with a sheepish smile; he wasn't used to controlling it quite yet. Principle Alvis eyes were almost sparkling from the display. Percy looked into the room to find three people staring back at him. He could almost guess their talents based on how they presented themselves.
The boy who floated two feet off the ground, a happy smile on his face, was clearly able to control the air around him. When his sky blue eyes met Percy's sea green ones, he lifted his hand in a wave before bowing quickly in greeting. Principle Alvis straighten next to him.
"Jason Grace; Air."
The dark haired girl next to him cracked her knuckles with a smirk as she sized him up. Her blue eyes were gleaming with mischief. She was barefoot despite being indoors and Percy wasn't surprised to see a crusty layer of dried mud coating the bottom of her feet. If feet could have abs; Percy was sure hers would have an eight pack. She wiggled her toes and Percy felt the ground rumbling beneath him as if it was purring for her.
"Thalia Grace; Earth."
When Percy turned to meet the last person in the room; he swore all the air left his lungs. This girl had to be fire; she was hot. Percy blushed at his thoughts. Not hot in the attractive sense –though who was he kidding she was—but the way she carried herself just screamed dangerous, uncontrollable if handled the wrong way, and beautiful; everything fire was. Percy felt his throat go dry when her steel eyes narrowed. Everything about her was intimidating in an exciting way. He figured he should be afraid of her; more wary then interested because she was his opposite but he couldn't tear his eyes away.
Principle Alvis cleared his throat when he regarded her.
"Annabeth Chase: Fire."
Annabeth. Percy mused to himself. Now that was a name he knew he would remember. Annabeth's eyes flickered over to Principle Alvis's but ultimately settled back on his. Percy gulped under her heated gaze and offered her a sheepish wave. Her eyes narrowed but she said nothing.
"Are you going to give Percy a demonstration?" Principle Alvis asked curiously, his tone suggesting it was more of a demand then a suggestion. Annabeth trained her glare on him and Percy felt a shiver go down his spine. She lifted her hands, fingers spread and palms up but clenched them tightly.
"No."
The one word was somehow cold as ice. Principle Alvis's eyes narrowed and they had a small showdown before Percy coughed to try and defuse the tension. He lifted his own hand and let water swirl around his fingertips. Though they had seen his display of protection earlier, Percy knew it was still a sight to see when his made water float in the air as if it was weightless. Jason gasped and dropped to the ground silently as he leaned closer to watch.
"It's beautiful." He whispered appreciatively. Percy smiled.
"Percy Jackson; Water." He introduced himself. Principle Alvis grinned and shoved him a little closer to the trio before heading towards the door.
"Yes, well why don't the four of you get to know each other and meet me in the gym in a few hours?" His eyes drifted over to Annabeth's. "You're running the show today; don't forget."
"How could I? You're constantly reminding me."
Principle Alvis merely smiled at her tone and disappeared behind the closed steel door. Percy sighed and turned to meet his new partners with a bright smile. Jason smiled back, Thalia looked at him as if he was fresh meat and Annabeth regarded him with steel eyes. He clapped his hands together and let water cover them like gloves.
"I have a good feeling about this!"
0~0~0~0~0
Annabeth slowly breathed in and held her breath for a few seconds before deeply exhaling. The room was growing warmer and a thin layer of sweat coated her skin as she continued to meditate. The torches she had lit to prevent herself from being in complete darkness were growing and shrinking in synch with her breaths and even with her eyes closed, Annabeth could still feel them moving across from her. The fire seemed to hum to her the larger she let it grow.
Annabeth shhh. Just stay in there a little longer. You can breathe; the dark can't hurt you.
Annabeth felt her eye twitch and a few small embers broke free of her control to lick her skin as they sizzled out in the air around her. Taking a longer breath, she tried to drown out his words and replace them with her own.
Annabeth shhh. Just stay in there a little longer. You can breathe; the dark can't hurt you.
It was always those words; those haunting words that always seemed to follow her no matter where she went. Meditation was supposed to help her control her power and escape into her mind to bring her spiritual peace. She had regrets and guilts that she could never truly atone for but taking these moments of the day to simply breathe and be with her element could help her forget, if only for a few minutes. She could forget what she was, what she did and what had happened to her…if only for a few minutes.
Just as she began to recontrol her emotions and her fire, there was a loud knock on her door. The kind of knock that had her gasping lightly and making her eyes pop open. The very same knock she heard every morning for the past five years. Annabeth rubbed her temple as she uncrossed her legs and stood up to walk towards the door. She wasn't ready for this yet. He would greet her the same way he did every morning.
When the door slid open, Percy grinned at her brightly and offered her a breakfast muffin; her favorite one.
"Hey Annabeth! I thought I would come and get you a few minutes early so we could walk to the gym together. The welcome ceremony is starting soon."
The welcome ceremony.
The ceremony they held every year to welcome the newest of abnormals into their school.
The same ceremony that put her and her partners smack in the middle of the school for everyone to stare at. They were supposed to represent all the abnormals and unite them but Annabeth felt like she was being studied under bright lights and judged for what she was. She tried to find ways out of going every year and every year she still found herself under those stares.
Annabeth held back a tired sigh. She must have been making a face because Percy smiled at her sympathetically and easily stepped past her to enter her room. He turned her to face him and wrapped an arm around her shoulder before offering her the muffin again.
"You know he only puts us on display like that because the four of us are one of kind. Only four abnormals can be elementals in each generation. We're basically poster boys for this place y'know? And we're practically superheroes known around the globe."
Annabeth grabbed the muffin and easily shrugged off his arm. She glared at the muffin as she picked at it. Once she noticed the flames of the torches growing as her irritation did, she took another breath and glanced up at Percy as patiently as she could.
"We're rarely seen as heroes Percy and you know why."
"We've had some papers and news reporters call us heroes. Not everyone sees us as monsters."
Annabeth's eyes fell back to her muffin and the hands that held it. The burns on the rest of her body had faded over time but the burns on her palms had never disappeared; faded maybe but still clearly visible. She had learned young just how uncontrollable fire was and paid the price. Annabeth let a small puff of air leave her nose and shook her head.
"Well I'm sure you've been seen as a hero. Water is not something to fear."
Cool hands covered hers gently. His touch had become comforting in the years they had grown side by side. She could remember how often she would flinch away from his touch when they had first met. It had always been so cold and she worried somehow it could hurt her and her element. Percy had made it his personal goal to make her realize his element wasn't something to fear and insisted on touching her hands or arms until his touch simply became second nature. She grew used to it and often relied on it when she couldn't cool her hands on her own.
Annabeth gently pulled her hands free of his comforting touch and gave him the usual look. She would always try to look annoyed and even angry but it always somehow ended up looking like she was apologizing. Percy sighed.
"You'll get used to me holding your hand someday you know? When you're officially my girl."
Ah there it was; another usual morning routine of his. Annabeth rolled her eyes affectionately and brushed past him. Percy eagerly followed like he usually did. She peeled off a small chunk of her muffin and popped it into her mouth as they walked towards the gym together.
"You've been saying that for a few years now." Annabeth reminded him. "And yet here I am, still peacefully single and Percy-boyfriend-free."
"I'm waiting for the right moment."
Annabeth shook her head and let a small laugh break through her lips. While he had been shy with his affection when they were younger, when they began to fully grow into their bodies, Percy became emboldened and easily told her his feelings. He had announced to the entire school only a year before that he planned to marry her and that it was only a matter of time until she ignored the 'stupid rule' about elementals being together and admitted she was in love with him.
"You know the rule Percy." Annabeth reminded him once again. She couldn't count how many times she would have to say it in a day. Now she simply told him 'rule' when he was crossing a line he knew he wasn't supposed to.
"It's a stupid rule Annabeth!" Percy argued childishly. He walked a little ahead only to turn around and walk backwards so he could face her. "We can't be together because they're worried we won't be able to pass on the elemental gene? We'll just have two kids! One water and one fire."
Annabeth simply popped another piece of her muffin into her mouth. Percy groaned loudly. He knew the rule and he knew she wouldn't budge on it.
Normally abnormals were born randomly; a lucky pick if you will. Sometimes there were siblings who had abnormal abilities but when the parents were tested for it, both would come up negative. Most of the time, abnormals were simply born with a special gene and no explanation. They would be raised by their parents until they reached an age where they could no longer control their ability –or control it too well in some cases—and be sent to one of the abnormals schools in the nation.
Elemental abnormals were different. The gene that made them what they are could usually been found somewhere in their family tree. It could skip generations but it was always found traced back to the same man.
A man who went by many names; a man who had once been able to control all four elements. The legend went that this man took four different lovers and had a child with each one. Fearing for the world once he was gone, the man gifted each child with one element to control and pass down so the world would always be protected.
Elementals were expected to marry and conceive a child with a normal human to ensure that their power would be passed down and continued. There were cases of elementals conceiving with other abnormals but the abnormals they married had abilities that complimented their element and usually produced an elemental child.
There was an unspoken rule for the elements that they are not to conceive with another elemental. There was too high of a risk of not producing an elemental child or even worse, creating an elemental child that controlled two elements instead of one. It could ruin the balance and the cycle.
Annabeth was smart for her age and didn't really see such 'catastrophes' happening as it was basic human genetics controlling all of it and the chances of a child being born with two elemental abilities was close to impossible, there was still a sliver of possibility and that small sliver built a large wall between her and Percy and made it impossible for her to think of them being together. Late in the night, she might find herself musing about what it might be like to be more with Percy but she would quickly remember the rule and Principle's Alvis's threats and push the taboo thoughts away.
It never stopped Percy though.
"Thalia and Jason are siblings and you don't see anyone freaking out about it!" Percy huffed. Annabeth gave him a look.
"They were raised in the same foster home Percy. They took their foster mother's last name but they both have different parents. Siblings by bond but not by blood." Annabeth took another bite of her muffin. "We have this conversation every morning. You should know by now how it ends."
"One morning you'll get tired of resisting and just fall into my arms." Percy jested, his eyebrows wiggling suggestively. Since he was still walking backwards and unable to see where he was going, he walked straight into the gym doors and acted as a great barrier as Annabeth crashed into him. His arms instantly went around her waist as he smiled down at her. "See we've already started."
The door next to them opened and made her jump out of Percy's arms in fear of Principle Alvis catching them in such a positon. Thalia and Jason appeared in the open doorway and greeted both of them. Thalia –always being the one to have a sixth sense about anything regarding her and Percy—grinned cheekily and tapped on the door.
"The ceremony is about to start but if you want, we can give you love birds another minute or two."
"Yes please."
"No."
Jason laughed and shook his head before opening the door wider for her. Annabeth nodded at him thankfully and brushed past her three partners to enter the gym.
Their gym was different than usual high schools and could easily be called an arena. It was one of many training grounds throughout the school and was built to be protected against most abnormal abilities. The bleachers they had built in for the humans to observe them, now held their abnormals eagerly waiting for their new year at Goode to start. Both new and familiar faces stared back at her as Annabeth glanced up.
She took another breath to try and calm her racing heart as Principle Alvis met her eye. He grinned and urged them all over to the chairs beside him and the other teachers. Annabeth practically jogged to her seat and tried to prevent her knee from bouncing when Percy sat on the other side of her and casually threw his arm over the back of her chair; his fingers brushing her shoulders. She glanced over at him as Principle Alvis began the ceremony.
"Rule." She hissed lowly. Percy scoffed playfully and threw his other arm over the back of Thalia's chair. Annabeth sighed and simply ignored him as Principle Alvis gestured to the four of them.
"-and these are our elementals! Think of them as ASB officers for the school. If you have questions or worries, please feel free to ask them."
Please don't. Annabeth gritted her teeth. She scowled as the new students began to whisper amongst each other; murmured voices all blending together. No doubt they were talking about the elementals' history.
No doubt they were afraid of what they could do; what they have done.
Annabeth jumped when Percy gently pinched her shoulder. He had just been introduced, meaning she was next. When Principle Alvis said her name, his voice filled with barely contained annoyance, Annabeth fought back a smirk as she raised her hand to the crowd.
A hush fell over the crowd as Principle Alvis rubbed his eyes, his glasses being pushed up higher on his face. His face became remorseful and Annabeth clasped her hands together in her lap to have something else to focus on. Percy's cold fingertips gently tapped her shoulder in a soft melody to help distract her. They all never liked this part.
"As many of you know, a hundred years ago, there was a devastating tragedy that almost destroyed the world and everyone in it."
Annabeth sucked in a breath as she felt everyone's stares on her and the other elementals. She hated this; why would Principle Alvis do this to them? Put them on display like this and remind everyone?
"Volcanos exploded and erupted all over the nation and created monsters made entirely of lava. The oceans grew and spread tsunamis', destroying several cities and letting creatures from the deep come to the surface. When the Earth's first layer was broken, creatures we didn't know existed broke free and now roam up here on the surface. All these monsters attack the humans and threaten our existence. The government created schools across the nation to act as a safe haven for the abnormals. As long as you help us protect the country and fight these creatures, you will always have somewhere safe to rest."
And if you don't help us? Well good luck staying alive out there. If the monsters don't kill you; the humans will.
Annabeth lightly scoffed. The threat hung heavily in the air and the younger abnormals in the crowd began to quiver. She remembered being that scared of death. Back then, trading part of her freedom for her safety had been a good idea. Now she wasn't so sure.
"You will be protected here. You'll have dorms to stay in, food to eat and friends to stand by your side. You'll have to complete both academic and abnormal courses to ensure you'll have both the strength and knowledge to survive out of the school but once the courses are completed, you'll be assigned to a team and a city and help whenever there is an attack."
Annabeth zoned out once Principle Alvis began to explain how they will balance both academic school and abnormal training. It was something she had heard for years and nothing was new; she knew how it worked around here.
"I remember thinking we would be kings and queens around here." Thalia whispered to the three of them. Annabeth glanced over at her. "But even the young abnormals get to leave the school grounds. The four of us are on permanent lock down around here. We're only allowed to help if we have those stupid agents watching our every move."
"You know why the humans don't want us out there Thalia." Annabeth reminded her coolly. Thalia sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"It's not so bad is it?" Jason asked quietly. "I mean we all have our own rooms and they're bigger and nicer than the others. And we're so close to graduating. We have more freedom then the other abnormals."
"We get to stay out in the training grounds an hour later then everyone Jase." Percy laughed quietly. "I wouldn't exactly call that 'more freedom'."
"But it's something." Jason reminded them. Annabeth smiled lightly. Jason was always the type to look on the bright side. He was good to have by your side during the darker times. Thalia smiled at her brother but shrugged.
"Yeah but sometimes I miss the outside world." She sighed. "I miss the way the Earth feels against my feet. I know they have that field for me but it's so small compared to the rest of the world. I know there's more out there for me. I can feel it sometimes. The Earth calls to me and I'm stuck here."
"I wouldn't mind knowing what the oceans feel like." Percy agreed wistfully. "I mean could you imagine what I could do with all that water around me?"
Bad thoughts! Annabeth internally screamed. If anyone else heard him say something like that, he would be locked away faster than anyone could blink. The world had already seen what someone like Percy could do with all that water. Annabeth stiffened as Principle Alvis glanced over at them. She quickly nudged Percy to make him stop talking and the four of them fell into silence once more.
They barely had the freedom of speech around here either. Annabeth felt boxed in. The gym began to feel like it was closing in around her and she sighed in relief when Principle Alvis signaled for them to stand. The ceremony was almost over.
"Now to officially welcome you to our school-"Principle Alvis gave them all a quick look. "-our elementals will each light their panels."
Annabeth held back a sigh. Just like every year previous, Thalia started them off. The gym held each of their elements and Principle Alvis always liked to show them off like toys to the new students.
"Earth!" Thalia shouted as she pounded her fist into the floor. The ground rumbled beneath their feet and seemingly purred as Thalia delicately ran her fingers over the surface. A large green panel above their heads and on the wall behind them began to glow.
"Water." Percy yelled next. The water fountain near the door began to shake before a large stream of water was flying towards them and surrounding Percy like a hula hoop. The blue panel lit up a beautiful sea blue.
"Fire!" Annabeth roared half-heartedly. She glanced down at her palms briefly. Her scars seemed to glow as small flames erupted from her palms. Unable to stop herself from staring at them, Annabeth shook her head and changed tactics. She put the flames in her hands and yelled her element once more; letting out another roar. Fire exploded from her mouth and into the air above her. She remembered that Percy had called her a dragon the first time he had seen her do it. The red panel glowed as brightly as her flame.
"Air!" Jason bellowed finally. A large swirl of air blew throughout the room and shook her fire. Annabeth felt her hair blowing around her face. The white panel lit up next and the four panels linked together to form a perfect circle.
All the elements shone together to show unity. Principle Alvis clapped loudly and the students carefully followed his example. Annabeth quickly put out her flame and the red panel faded. She rubbed her hands together and coughed a few times to ease the small ache in her throat. She would need to work on how long she could hold her 'dragon's roar' as Percy liked to affectionately call it.
Annabeth stormed past her friends and came to a halt next to Principle Alvis. The other students in the stands began to gather their things and walk down the steps but she could feel their eyes on her. Principle Alvis stared down at her calmly.
"I hope you enjoyed the show." She seethed as quietly as she could. Principle Alvis shrugged indifferently.
"Your flames could have been bigger and hotter." He told her passively. Annabeth huffed and felt small embers escaping her nose. She would need to work on controlling her anger around Alvis again.
"Fine." Annabeth fumed. "I'll make sure you feel like you're in hell the next time I use them then."
Principle Alvis grinned pleasantly.
"I'm looking forward to it." Annabeth held back a growl when she felt Percy's cool hands fall gently on her shoulders and began to steer her away. "I'll see you tomorrow morning Miss. Chase."
Annabeth bit her tongue to prevent from saying anything that would get her in trouble later. Percy mumbled a quick goodbye to Principle Alvis as he began to tug her towards the doors. Thalia and Jason quickly rushed to her side. Students cleared a path for them as she stomped down the hall, her fellow elementals casually trailing behind her.
Annabeth felt her entire body growing hot when she watched a small group of abnormals debriefing before their trip to the outside. They would be gone within the hour and free to roam wherever they wanted as they battled whatever monster they were chasing. Jealously clawed bitterly at her chest. She wanted to be free too; she wanted to be outside these walls where her flame could grow as large as she wanted.
Thalia threw her arm over her shoulder and barely flinched when Annabeth's skin lightly burned hers. Thalia began to steer her towards the fenced field they would practice in.
"C'mon Chase, let's go a few rounds." Thalia suggested quickly. "You put up a good fight when you're this fired up."
"How can it not make you guys mad?" Annabeth huffed. She let the others take her to the field. "We're feared for something we didn't even do. We've been locked away. Fire burns out if it's locked away!"
"We have each other Annabeth." Percy reminded her. "It won't be like this forever. Right now, we just have to put up with this. Once the world is back to normal, things will change. Wounds will heal and eventually we'll be out of these walls."
Annabeth didn't say anything after that as they all prepared to train together but she couldn't shake her thoughts. Waiting for the world to go back to normal after all the damage it was put through? Could they wait that long? Could she wait that long? Could they wait and let the other abnormals fix the problems other elementals had caused while the four of them just sat back and watched?
Annabeth stared down at her palms and the scars that marred her skin. She knew how dangerous she could be.
She could wait for now. She would let them box her up but not for too much longer. Fire burns out if it's contained for too long…Annabeth wouldn't let them burn her out.
Maybe Percy was right.
It was just a matter of waiting for the right moment.
Headcannons:
~Percy only started bringing Annabeth muffins as an excuse to see her every morning. He slept in one morning and missed breakfast, making Annabeth panic as she thought he had died in his sleep since he hadn't been at her door with a muffin. He still reminds her of that day when she insists she doesn't think of him romantically.
~When the elementals all first met, Annabeth hadn't spoken to any of them for weeks. It wasn't until Jason farted as a joke and made the smell circulate throughout the room, did she gag and ask him what had died in his stomach.
~The first time Percy tried to hold Annabeth's hand -on instinct- she panicked and practically lit her hand on fire. Percy anticipated this and created a water glove, which cause smoke to explode from their hands and set off the fire alarm.
Here we go again on another adventure guys. This one is a little different from Saudade but it is also an angst/romance.
Its based on my one shot The Elements and could almost be considered a remastered and better version of Controlling What's Inside.
I'm probably going to stick with doing flashbacks in the beginning of the chapter that has something to do with the rest of the chapter and headcannons at the end of each chapter. I think they're cute :3
Thanks for reading!
~20 reviews equals a sneak peek at the end of the next chapter~