A/N: So… I apparently had half this chapter sitting in some obscure corner in the back of all my documents without realizing it. Hehe. Er. Sorry?
Published: 10/14/2017
Warnings: A bit of language. Not that it phases most of you. And some violence. Nothing too graphic, more of implied, although if I actually make the implication real I'll have to change the story rating
Chapter 3
A Bitter World
Another blast shook the earth, shocking Jason out of his state. There was no time to wonder where things had gone wrong, no time to wonder what sort of twisted higher power had decided to throw this particular curveball at them, no time at all.
This was war.
Percy had brought war against them.
Percy had brought war against them in the name of Saturn.
Jason spun towards his fellow Praetor.
"Reyna, we need to form a defensive barrier around the city. I'm going to try and draw Percy away from the fight. As long as he's leading it, we-"
"DRAKON!"
Eyes wide, Jason spun. Indeed. There was a massive Drakon ripping its way through the camp. Jason recognized it in a heartbeat. He'd never met this beast, but he knew what it was. He'd heard Clarisse La Rue rant about her great victory several times, after all.
The Lydian Drakon roared.
"Schist!"
Then, without warning, a dragon collided with the Drakon. Jason and Reyna blinked as the two beasts snapped and scratched at one another.
"Is… Is that…"
"No time! Rally the troops! Wish me luck?"
"Wait, luck with wha- JASON GRACE!"
Jason, already in the air, turned towards her. He smiled, gave a salute, then blasted off towards the Argo II.
Percy looked down below at the battle with a bored expression.
Really, did he have to be here?
He had better things to do with his time.
Personally, Percy would prefer to be part of the team that was about to attack Hotel Valhalla. Or maybe join Alabaster in taking out the House of Life. What threat could the Romans possible pose? History had shown, time and time again, that the Romans had been slaughtered by the Greeks at each and every turn.
Perhaps not normal history books, but to someone who knows how to look, who can see the signs of a Demigod Civil War, the signs were obvious and they were there.
These disgusting creatures weren't worth the dirt beneath his feet. Copycats of an era they had no understanding of, imitations. A fake never matches up to the original, after all.
All in all, Percy would personally like to thank Minerva, if there was anything left of her. She really had done a good job of tearing apart the Demigods across the centuries.
Really, though. As his eyes fixed below at the Romans colliding against Lord Kronos' loyal monsters and Demigods, Percy wished he'd been assigned elsewhere. Why was he here agai-
"Sir, approaching- ah!"
Percy, with a bored expression, turned. Several members of the crew turned to the commotion. Brandishing a golden sword, a lone Roman Demigod had committed suicide by boarding the Argo II. The sand of a dead monster spilled across the deck as the Demigod let his gaze slip over them all, seizing them up, wondering where to strike first.
Those blue eyes locked onto Percy's, a strange glint in them. A longing.
Oh.
Right.
This was why he was here.
Duh.
"Kill him," Percy motioned with the enthusiasm of a dying fish.
Jason Grace then idiotically closed his eyes, face scrunched in pain. Why the Roman demigod chose to do that while surrounded by enemies was beyond Percy. Perhaps the reports of Grace's power were nothing more than tall exaggerations?
That didn't last long though, because soon the blond was a whirlwind of sword slashes and spear thrusts as the monsters attacked.
Grace's sword suddenly became a spear, which he stabbed into the ship deck. Using the pole, Grace swung his legs, kicking out both physically and with wind. The spear was suddenly a sword and lightning arched from the tip, blasting several Dracanne.
Percy, bored with the show, turned and waved his hand.
The Roman Eagles that had been firing rocks at them screeched as they were sent hurtling away, several of them smashing into the unforgiving earth as the battle raged.
Percy, with surprise, noted a dragon was fighting the Drakon he'd unleashed.
Smirking, Percy tilted his head.
"Distant nephews really are interesting."
Of course, at that moment, Percy couldn't keep gazing at the battle beneath him. He couldn't because a golden blade was coming at his throat, and while Percy was sure it wouldn't do much damage, he really did like this shirt.
Reyna didn't think twice about it.
Once that idiot Jason had gone, she'd realized several things.
One, Percy was leading this attack.
Two, this wasn't your average Greco-Roman War. Saturn was behind this.
Three… If Jason faced Percy alone, there would only be one end. Everything here in this place was literally backwards. This wasn't the Percy they knew. Jason, with his kind and pure heart, though, wouldn't see that. He would see a friend and he would try to save that friend, everything else be damned.
Oh, Jason definitely wouldn't go down without a fight, but really, how can one win a battle against someone who's willing to use full force against you when you yourself are not?
Jason would die. This new twisted Percy that called Saturn master would kill him.
Besides, in war, you strike at the general. Take out the general, and the rest of the pieces fall in place.
"Centurions! Attack pattern Delta!" Reyna commanded. Then, with one last glance at the raging battle, Reyna mounted Scipio and took off.
Okay, so maybe she should have stayed behind and rallied the troops more, but still. Taking out Percy would be the quickest way to end this. If she and Jason could stop him here and now, at the very beginning of the battle, that would be a demoralizing blow to the enemy side.
That didn't stop Reyna from letting her Battle Meditation sweep across the camp. The concept of multitasking was one that was simple for someone like her.
Jason would need back up. Frank, unfortunately, would have to face the Drakon alone. A part of her wondered why he could transform in the first place when he hadn't learned the ability until much later in the original timeline, but Reyna decided she could focus on that later.
The canons of the Argo II, mysteriously, did not fire upon her. As she landed, it didn't take Reyna long to figure out why.
In the middle of the deck, Jason was fended off a very bored looking Percy. All around them were either the ashes of deceased monsters or knocked out Demigods that Jason had put out of commission.
Wait…
Bored looking?
Jason leapt back as his sword flipped, become a spear. Sliding across the wooden floor of the Argo II, he lifted the blade and let loose a destructive blast of lightning.
Percy yawned before batting it away with his hand.
His hand.
Not his sword.
His hand.
"Is this really the best you people have? I am so disappointed." Percy drawled.
Jason roared. Somersaulting into the air, Jason's blade transformed into a sword, the edges cackling with the power of his father.
He never struck.
Instead, Percy raised a single hand and Jason's movement came to a grinding halt. A little twist of Percy's fingers had Jason's weapon flying. Percy tilted his head as Jason began to choke, gripping at his throat.
"You're blonde. I've never liked blonds. I think I'll kill you slowly. I'll make you last." Percy grinned, "Make you watch."
His expression twisted. His sea green eyes churned with such hatred that for a second Reyna doubted it was him. Doubted that it was Percy. Riptide glowing at his side, it seemed Percy hadn't even bothered to draw the sword. He'd caught Jason, blade to hand.
This…
This monster…
Reyna decided that this monster could not be Percy. It was simply too powerful. Percy Jackson may be one of the strongest Half-Bloods to ever live, but so was Jason Grace. It was like standing before Titans, here on this deck with the pair of them. That was an apt comparison, Reyna realized. The pair of them had actually defeated Titans, struck them down and cast them away.
Reyna, however, was no slouch herself.
Jackson's right hand lifted towards her as Reyna fell down, knife aimed for his neck. The knife swerved through the air. Casually, Jackson moved his head to the side as ripped past him.
Reyna choked as she too was halted midair.
What… What was this? What was this power?
Jackson grinned up at her.
"Can you feel it? That tingling, below your skin?"
She could. She could feel it. She could feel it flowing through every part of her body, connecting it, flowing like the rivers.
What…
Jackson's grin turned malicious.
"That's your blood. Do you know how much of the human body is water? How much of any organism, really, is made of water? Do you know what happens when you make a Gods ichor boil? I wonder… What happened if I make your blood boil?"
Jackson was slowly approaching her, his eyes dancing with madness. He was mad. This whole world was mad. Everything was wrong. That insane glint in his eyes told Reyna he would do it.
Percy would make her choke to death on her own boiling blood. And he would do it with a smile.
Percy, the kind boy she had grown to trust. Percy, one of her most trusted comrades. Percy, the boy she had chosen to stand by her side as Predator. Percy, hero of two wars, friend, ally, cute, adorable, loveable, monstrous Percy.
The Son of Poseidon was going to kill her.
Reyna screamed. Already, she could feel her blood begin to heat.
He was going to really…
Jason roared.
Reyna had the satisfaction of seeing shock light Jackson's features as Jason seemed to break free of whatever hold contained him. Jackson didn't even have time to block as Jason came at him with a slash.
Reyna fell with a cough as Jackson leapt back, his shirt torn open. Jackson looked downright murderous, insane joy replaced by fury.
"You… You… Son of Cephalopod! Do you have any idea how long it took me to find this motherfucking shirt?! Could you not have aimed for the neck!?"
Jason looked stunned. Reyna couldn't blame him.
Then, and only then, Jackson drew his sword.
"For glorious murdered badass t-shirts!"
Then, Jackson was on him. With a growl, Reyna stood and joined the fray, not that it made much difference. Jackson, as always, was a whirlwind in combat, acrobatic leaps in every direction. He used his full body in combat. Legs, arms, one particular headbut which tossed Jason back several feet.
Jackson gave a small gasp of surprise as Reyna leaped and managed to wrap her legs around his sword arm. They fell to the ground in a clash of limbs as Reyna, instinct taking over, drove a dagger through her former friends neck.
Or attempted.
Jackson grinned up at her as the blade shattered upon colliding with his neck.
"Blessing of the Styx, sweetheart."
A knee to the chest sent Reyna flying. With a rattling groan, Reyna managed to land on her feet in a crouch. Jackson, however, was already there, faster than she could see.
"Another blessing, sweetheart."
A tap. Just a tap. Reyna screamed as her arm shattered.
Falling to her knees, Reyna coughed, blood falling from his lips.
"You're too young to play with the big boys. Both of you are. Seriously, of all the assignments, this pathetic hellhole?"
Jackson then spun. With ease, he disarmed Jason and gripped him in a headlock, his front to Jason's back.
This…
This just wasn't possible.
It just wasn't.
Did… Did the Curse of Achilles really make such a difference between them? Demigods were already stronger and more powerful than ordinary beings. But Jackson was on a whole nother level.
"Jay, Jay, Jay. Sloppy. You'd think you wanted to be held in my loving arms, superboy."
Jason gritted his teeth.
"Did you know, Percy, that I helped build this ship? According to Leo, I'm actually a blacksmith's godsend because of my ability to manipulate wind."
That got a shocked blink from Jackson.
"... I'll have to discuss with Valdez on to whom it's appropriate to work with, it seems. Fraternization with the enemy is a big no no."
Jason, however, was smirking.
Reyna knew that look. Reyna knew it well.
All too easy. That capture had been to easy.
Jason twisted his neck slightly so he could look Jackson in the eyes, sky blue to sea green.
"Do you know, Percy, what happens when you remove all the air particles in a particular area?"
Jackson sneered. "Should I care?"
Arrogance. Assured of his own victory. Like a god.
"In the vacuum of space, Astronauts have to be careful. There is no air, so… When you leave metal around, it actually fuses automatically. Air is really the only thing that prevents it from happening naturally, you see." Jason revealed.
The look of realization came a second too late.
There was a flash of sudden light as the metallic armor of the Titan commander twisted on itself, the pieces fusing into one. Jackson gave a yelp of surprise before Jason ripped himself free.
Without a moment's hesitation, Reyna roared. Leg swinging, it collided with Jackson's chest. The look of rage in his face was all the sweeter as he was blasted off the Argo II, falling below to the waters of the Little Tibet beneath.
Reyna gave one last shiver before her eyes rolled into the back of her skull. Falling headfirst onto the floor, it took every ounce of will not to fall unconscious. Warm, familiar hands gripped her shoulders and she leant into it. Something was pressed into her mouth and Reyna didn't hesitate.
The ambrosia burned.
It had never tasted so bitter.
For some reason, it tastes like cookies. Cookies, Reyna's mind supplied, baked by Sally Jackson. Warmth and home. Warmth that reality had now twisted.
Yes.
This really was a bitter world they had found themselves in. It really was.
