Hello! This is my first Percy Jackson fanfiction so please go easy, as Im not a complete expert. I have NOT read the Heroes of Olympus books, just the Percy Jackson series, though I will read them soon. This will have nothing to do with those books. However, after I finish this series I may start one on the events of that storyline. It will be in first pov for my OC. I do not own anything else besides her, and maybe a few other details. Percy Jackson and The Olympians belongs to Rick Riordan. I hope you enjoy!
My name is Odessa Rena Royce. Everyone just calls me Rena though. I am twelve years old, and much weirder than I originally thought. I have always been different. Dyslexia and ADHD make sure I have a hard time focusing and doing well in class, and most people tend to avoid me because they think im a vampire. I don't like the sun very much and prefer the night. Oh, I almost forgot. I can also see in the dark, sort of. No matter how dark it is, im always able to tell exactly where everything is, and know what's going on around me. I can't actually see like I do in the light, but I might as well be able to. Not only that, but to add to my problems, Im an orphan. I live in a particularly crowded orphanage in Manhattan New York, and had never even left town. My mother Riley Royce died giving birth to me, and my father left way before that. This is what used to be the extent of my troubles, but that's nothing anymore. Nowadays, the general person's definition of 'normal' was something I would never be able to achieve. No matter how much I wished I could.
It happened on what had been a terrible day to start with. I was attending classes at a nearby public school and it wasn't going well. I had already failed two tests and had been forced to read out loud by a mean old hag of a teacher who hated my existence. All the kids got annoyed by my terrible try at the paragraph, and many had nailed me in the back of the head with balls of paper. Mrs. Lewis did nothing to stop them and only ended my suffering when she got bored of waiting on me.
"Thank you Rena for your excellent job." She sneered at me in the middle of my sentence, calling on another kid to take my place.
I narrowed my eyes at her but just turned back to my notebook doodling on the page in between meaningless words. The bell rang and I quickly gathered my stuff and rushed out. Grabbing my backpack from my locker I left the school building and found a place behind the main building to eat my lunch. I brought my entire bag to lunch, because if I didn't someone would break into the crappy locker and steal something like always. Munching on an apple I watched the sky. It was a cloudy day, and I was trying to decide if this particular one looked more like a rabbit, or a fat pug. The custodian came out the back entrance with a big bag of trash and tossed it into the dumpster. When I glanced back down to put the apple core into my crinkled brown paper bag a pair of feet suddenly appeared in front of me. Quickly looking up again I saw the custodian smiling down at me. What? How did he walk all the way over here that fast? I thought bewildered looking back at the distant dumpster on the opposite side of the wall.
"Hello," He said "I could throw away that bag for you if you want."
I nodded and handed it to him smiling a little in thanks. He walked over to the bin and threw it away as well, and when I was certain he would go back inside, he turned around and started coming right back over. Okay, this was getting awkward. What could he want to talk to me about? As he neared me, his smile turned into a scowl that turned into an evil smirk. I stood up and was about to bolt when his appearance completely changed. He got a lot taller and more brutish looking and his teeth were a rotting yellow. My eyes widened, and I turned running. Just like before he seemed to teleport in front of me and pushed me back against the wall by the neck. I gasped for air as his fingers tightened around my throat. My feet dangled a full 2 feet above the ground.
"Thought I wouldn't find you did you little half-blood. Well I did, and now Im quite hungry. You'll make a good meal." He laughed in a deep raspy voice that was definitely not human.
"What the hell are you talking about?" I croaked gripping at his large hands trying to pull them away. He just grinned and held tighter. I could feel my consciousness fading and I knew I would die.
My stomach twisted suddenly, and the hard wall seemed to melt like a cool liquid around me. The hand around my neck was forced off as it couldn't get through, and the next thing I knew I was completely enveloped. I dropped to the ground shuddering and gasping for breath. I saw my hands and shrieked. They were a slightly darker black than the shadows and so was the rest of me. Even my clothes. The thing was still standing above me looking at the wall furiously. It pounded the area where my head would be but I could barely feel it. I grinned in my triumph forgetting the weird circumstances for a second and mocked him with a few rude gestures. I lowered my gaze to the backpack that was still on the ground. I cautiously reached out and grabbed it. As soon as I made contact with it, it turned a shadowy black color and I could easily pull it into the wall as well. Putting it on, I quickly let the fear of what he would do if this strange power wore off force me into a run along the wall. I turned a corner and as soon as I left the shadows, my body returned to normal. I stopped for a second glancing at my no longer smoky colored skin and then back at the monster. He was leaning around watching me and apparently this was news to him because he looked surprised that I was no longer untouchable. The beast's shock wore off quick though and soon he was barreling towards me. I spun around darting for the street.
Leaving the school grounds, and bolting across the busy street was probably the most dangerous thing I'd ever done. Cars skidded to avoid me, and some even crashed into each other. I yelled a quick sorry when I reached the other side and took off down the sidewalk. The pileup had delayed the thing briefly, but he was quickly making his way through the mess snarling at me. Dashing around the corner and losing sight of the school I began mapping out the path that would get me back to the orphanage the quickest. Running another block, I took a left and then another. Down two more blocks and a right, one more block. I could see it in the distance and I snuck a peek over my shoulder. It was right on my trail, and gaining speed. I wouldn't be able to unlock the door and get inside in time. Reaching my destination I ditched the front door, sprinting for the back entrance. It was usually propped open so the kitchen wouldn't be so hot. Relief flooded me when I saw that it was. Grabbing the handle I ripped open the door, startling the few people cleaning up in the kitchen, and slammed it shut locking all the deadbolts. I only stopped to catch my breath when I was on the other side of the room. The cook, Ms. Johnson, ran to my aid with a cool glass of water. She was a short little woman that looked like your typical grandma complete with a love for cookie baking. She was always very nice to me and usually snuck me a little snack in between meals.
"Good heavens Rena! What's happened?" She squeaked running to the window to look for anything that could be dangerous. I only answered once I could breathe without feeling like my lungs where deserts that had been sprayed with gas and lit on fire. "This crazy custodian from school attacked me, saying that he wanted to eat me! He was not normal! He was huge and his voice didn't sound human!" I rushed fumbling over my words. I decided I wouldn't tell her about the whole becoming-a-shadow scenario. That would only get me locked up in a nut house. She ran to me refilling my water glass and patting me on the shoulder, leading me to a chair in the dining hall.
"That's terrible! Im so glad you made it back safely. We should no doubt tell the headmaster about this…" She mumbled the last part. "You stay right there and try to calm down, I'll go get him." She ordered scurrying out of the room. I sat there trying to not explode from the millions of thoughts and questions in my mind. The adrenaline was wearing off and I was getting extremely tired. I collapsed right there on the table and slept for what felt like days.
When I woke up a tall man with a long coat quickly made his way to my side. Ms. Johnson was right behind him. The man, Headmaster Rasmussen ran the orphanage and was always the one to solve the problems.
"Rena, are you feeling alright?" He asked.
I nodded and sat up.
"Thank goodness. Tell me everything." He demanded seriously sitting next to me. I started from the beginning changing a few details around the part that I became a wall. That would be my little secret. "-and so I ran here knowing if I stayed at school he could probably find another chance to kill me." I stated, "He was right behind me until I reached the back door. I don't know where the psycho went after that."
He nodded and quickly flipped on the only T.V in the orphanage that was on the wall at the end of the table. Sure enough, the story about the huge crash was playing on T.V. It was night time so I knew I'd been out for a while.
"I was just driving a long when suddenly this girl dashes across the road as fast as she could. I swerved to avoid her and rammed into the car next to me. I swear, that girl almost died. Somehow she made it across the street alright, and looked back with this look of pure terror on her face. I was about to scream at her when she yelled 'sorry' and kept right on running. A huge guy in a custodian suit with the meanest looking face I ever saw was just on the other side of my car, scowling at the escaping girl like he would kill her. I got out and tried to stop him but he punched me out cold and kept moving. I hope that girl's okay…" A man being interviewed stated.
"There you have it, this huge crash was caused only a few hours ago earlier today when a girl tried to escape from a potential kidnapping. Police are asking for any information on the girl's whereabouts as well as the suspect's." The reporter stated as the security camera footage showed the incident. There I was, sprinting across the street. But the guy chasing me looked different. He was slightly blurry, and didn't seem as horribly tall as earlier. After I disappeared around the corner the footage cut off and a picture of the school custodian, and my school picture were put up on the screen. I suppose the school was able to identify us. Mr. Rasmussen quickly called the police and told them I was alright. When he hung up he faced me again.
"The police are coming by to get your statement. Are you willing to tell them the story?" He consulted with me. I nodded and scarfed down the dinner Ms. Johnson had brought. I could hear the other kids, who were now back from school, outside the hall trying to listen in on the conversation. I knew that rumors would already be circulating around the building. I would clear everything up as soon as the police left.
A few cop cars had parked themselves outside the front door, and their owners were asking me questions about what had happened. I told them the story about four times, all exactly the same as the last. After giving my own description of the custodian, they finally left me alone. I slumped in the chair and sighed. It had been a long day and I couldn't wait until I could go to sleep. But of course, Nooooo. As soon as the big oak door closed behind the officers, the hall door flung open and almost every other resident swarmed me.
"Oh come on! You were all eavesdropping outside the door anyways, why do you need me to tell it again?" I yelled tiredly.
"Because the door is huge and hard to hear through!" One kid countered.
"Yeah right, I've been on the other side of this situation before and I know for a fact that you can hear perfectly fine through it." I said.
From the other side of the mob I could hear Mr. Rasmussen mumble something like, "Perhaps we need another room to discuss things in after all…"
"Okay okay, fine! I'll retell it all in great detail tomorrow morning at breakfast." I relented willing to do anything to be able to sleep. They grumbled some agreement when they realized they wouldn't get anywhere and allowed me to make my way to bed. Laying down, my eyes closed instantly and I was fast asleep.
Usually I don't have dreams. And if I do, they're lucid. But this time, I had a really weird one that I had no control over. The huge custodian was chasing me again. I could just barely move through what appeared to be a sea of ink. Thick black water weighed me down and the monster was gaining on me fast. It laughed maniacally, "Come back tiny half-blood! If you keep running like this it'll only make me even hungrier!" It laughed again, and suddenly a huge fist closed around my waist. I screamed, but my mouth made no sound. Beating at the hand with all my strength, it slowly lifted me up towards the thing's terrible face. Laughing again it swallowed me whole. Tumbling down its throat I never reached the disgusting pit of the stomach like I expected, and kept falling right through the ground. Soon it opened up into a huge underground cavern. Thousands of people in black robes where there, all either shuffling around some huge field, screaming from a place I'd rather not talk about, or laughing in this one gated community. A giant obsidian and gold castle loomed at the center of it all, and I wondered what kind of king ruled over such a place. I suddenly stopped falling and shot straight forward towards the gated community. Whatever was flying me around finally set me down in front of a particularly beautiful house. A woman was standing in the doorway and I could somehow tell exactly who she was. She was my mother. The expression on her face was warm and kind. I knew where I was now. The afterlife, or underworld, or whatever you called it. She opened her mouth to say something but as soon as she did the dream whisked me away to another place. We were flying over a strip of land that I recognized from pictures. Long Island. This time it stopped me above what looked like a summer camp. Only it was odd. People were training with weapons and doing other really weird things. It flew me from there back to the orphanage and at the front entrance I woke up.
Sitting up in my bed I noticed that it was still night. 1:24 am something told me. I checked the clock on the wall and sure enough that was the time. Weird. I rubbed my tired eyes and went over the dream in my mind. So much had happened that I couldn't even find where to begin. What really interested me was my mother, and that camp. I could remember the exact route dream-me had taken to get there, and I felt a strong urge to go. Shaking my head I stood up and made my way through the rows of beds to one of the bathroom. I locked the door behind me and splashed water in my face. Sitting on the toilet lid I put my head in my hands and tried to make sense of what all was going on. I didn't have much time though, because someone knocked on the door. Jumping from the sudden noise I stood and opened the door.
"There, It's all yours-" I began. Actually looking up at who it was stopped me dead in my tracks. The terrifying face of what looked like the custodian's brother grinned down at me. I screamed for help but was cut off when one of his hands clamped over my mouth. I tore it away with strength I didn't know I had and pushed him back to the other side of the hall. Dashing down the corridor I ran to my room and screamed for help again. Why was no one coming? I launched myself into the long room that I shared with about 40 other kids and grabbed my stuff. Not one was waking up. I shook the kid on the bed next to mine yelling at them, but they slept on.
"What the hell is going on?!" I panicked. The big brute was now advancing on me. It completely ignored the others and for some unlucky reason focused only on me. Sprinting around him to the door I quickly exited the building. It was obvious that no one would be coming to help. I noticed how incredibly faster I was now than before. It alarmed me, but not enough to stop and try to figure it out. Got to get to the police station. They'll keep him- no it- away from me. I thought. Running down the dark streets I noticed how abnormally empty the roads were. This was New York! Nothing was ever this quiet no matter how late it was. A second later I felt a weird sensation overcome my body and found myself somewhere very far away from where I just was. Great, now I was teleporting. I looked at my surroundings while I was running and found myself on an old country road. The same road from my dream. I could barely see through the rain that had just come out of nowhere. This was a really bad storm. Behind me I heard the sounds of a car and the thundering sound of some gigantic creature's footsteps. Headlights came into view through the rain and I stumbled back to avoid being hit. However before the car reached where I was, a huge lightning bolt shot down from the sky and struck the Camaro sending it flying over my head. I gasped and ran to the car. Looking inside I saw three people. A middle aged woman at the wheel and two boys in the back seat. One of them had really furry pants on and seemed to be unconscious, the other was struggling against the seatbelt. I pounded on the window to get their attention and the two awake looked at me afraid. I held onto the handle of the door that wasn't buried in mud and wrenched it open. Again, strangely strong. Why couldn't this happen in Gym?
"Are you guys alright?" I yelled over the wind, "What's going on?" While I talked I helped the woman out and turned to the back of the car. There was no way that door was opening.
"Cover your face!" I warned. He nodded and shielded himself. I took off my backpack and smashed in the window glass. He crawled out and then we both helped out Fuzzy-Pants.
"Who are you?" He asked bewildered.
"Ya really wanna ask that now?" I answered and began carrying the mumbling one after the woman. I guessed she was the mother of the one helping me. They looked similar. A loud roar interrupted my thoughts and I spun around. My eyes widened when I saw the thing. He was huge and had the head of a bull with the body of a man.
"What is that?" I shouted.
Niether of them seemed to hear me though because they were struggling up the hill. I followed and recognized the hill as the one the camp was behind. The same big tree stood there. I couldn't believe it actually existed. I had other things to think about though because when we reached the top, the bull charged. Mom told boy something about dodging sideways and I followed their example. The cowman mooed in frustration and turned around to try again. This time it aimed for me. I was backed up against the huge oak and had nowhere to go. I closed my eyes and pleaded with myself to do the same thing as before. The familiar twist in my gut and the feel of being sucked into jello told me it worked. I was one with the tree. The bull guy's horn got embedded in it, but I wasn't hurt. I had no idea how to get out of the tree. Last time it worked when I left the shadow, but it was night time now. Before I could move, the crazy boy with green eyes leaped on the back of the monster. It roared and reared up yanking its horn out. Snap! Off it came and the boy fell down to the ground. I stepped away from the tree and I melted back to my original form. I really needed to get that under control. The thing charged towards the mom and other one, and I knew that if I didn't help, Fuzzy-Pants at least would be roadkill. I sprinted towards them and grabbed his arm tugging him away. The mom tried to sidestep but the monster caught her. The boy screamed and a second later the woman had dissolved in a gold shower. I stood there holding onto the unconscious one horrified. The crazy kid yelled and rammed the horn into the things chest. It instantly dissolved into dust leaving only the horn behind. I walked over to him and looked him over. He seemed to be fine for the most part, so I pointed down the other side of the hill. Lit up buildings were visible through the downpour and he nodded. We both took an arm and dragged his friend over the top. Instantly the rain stopped and the sky cleared. We made it down the hill, but as soon as we reached the light of the first building I felt all my strength drain. I collapsed and fell to the ground breathing heavily, and barely awake. The others were also now on the ground. A few people had come outside and were standing over us. My eyes couldn't be bothered to stay open but I could hear them.
"He's the one, he has to be." A girl said.
"Yes, but who is the girl? I've never seen her before. I expected Percy and Grover, but she is new. She must be a half-blood or she would not have been able to get in…" A man said. There it was again. Half-blood. That was the last thought I had before I gave in to sleep.
There you go! Chapter 1 complete. I know it was pretty long. I'm not sure yet if all chapters will turn out this way but I hoped you liked it. Please leave a review so I know how to improve. Look forward to the next chapter, it should be up soon! ^w^