Fury clenched and unclenched his grip on the railing, watching the group of officers busying themselves with the computers below his platform in the command room, a constant myriad of activities and voice buzzing through the room. Mentally he checked the list of precautions in his head. The deflector shields are on, all engines working normally, the radar and sonic probes online, nothing showing up in all the surveillance he set up across the globe or the sonars below the Helicarrier, working nonstop below the hull in the sea…
And that is exactly what bugged him the most. No signs of the two... "demigods" that showed up and slipped away. Not on the satellites, nor from the public profiles, the Jackson couples were missing as well, as if they never existed. That certainly was not true. Percy Jackson was on camera in the Helicarrier, nothing could disprove that. Once again he had sent Agents Romanoff and Hawkseye off on another investigation mission after they had had a rest.
By then, five in the afternoon, they must have noticed that he ignored their warnings completely, continuing his massive search for these "demigods" without even bothering to hide the fact. Fury had no doubt that the demigods will retaliate, hard and mercilessly... but why is he still alive then?
"Hill!" he called out, looking up as the agent approached him, who gave him a quizzed slant of her head. Fury asked, "Anything yet?"
"No sir, nothing so far," she replied cautiously, knowing that Fury's fusee was close to snapping and burning.
Sighing, Fury shook his head tiredly before saying, "Keep an eye here. Report to me immediately if anything, anything, happens. Are we clear?"
"Yes sir," came the curt reply.
"Good,"Fury said, walking away back into the Globe Room behind. The Globe is a holographic Earth, a floating see-through planet crossed understand with flight marks, dotted with many marks of agent activities and objects of interests. The Stark Tower, the Stark Manor, the Helicarrier, all the various bases... all are on the Globe. The Globe hovered in the middle of a halo table, chairs ringed around it.
Perching on one of them, was doctor Banner, his glassed eyes scrutinizing the surface, his fingers flying across other holographic screens that hind in the air. Fury himself personally understand half of what Banner is doing, which is more than another human on the Helicarrier. After watching for a while, Fury lost track of whatever he thought he was watching, giving up and sat down on the leading bench.
Bruce suddenly threw his arms up in frustration and slumped backward into his seat, taking his glasses off, wiping them furiously while cursing savagely, a dangerous green tint rising up alarmingly before fading away swiftly. Fury raised an eyebrow, asking, "Problem?"
"Director, there is simply nothing I can do anymore. We've searched every possible corner of the Earth, nothing matches, no residue, not footprints that matches. You can't find him if he doesn't exist!"
"I am very sure that Percy Jackson existed, doctor," Fury said lazily.
"What? Oh, I mean that he is gone from this dimension! Or not on earth, in other time streams, in space — whichever it is — that he is not here. Not on Earth, now."
Fury considered this for a moment, before saying, "Keep the surveillance on. If anything happens-"
He was cut short when a great alarmed murmur rose up in the command room. Turning around, he heard Agent Hill yelling out, "Director, an unknown boogie just appeared on the sonar! Its huge and it's heading straight for us!"
Hurrying out of the room with haste, a foreboding sensation settling over his heart, doctor Banner following behind, Fury took a quick look at the sonar screens, a mere glance at the massive white blotch taking up the screen, and immediately roared, "FULL ALERT! BATTLE AT ARMS, LEVEL FIVE, NOW!"
The well trained officers immediately reacted, switching all the torpedoes and cannons on, the deflector shields burrowing and rearranging itself to form a stronger hull, all the pilots activated, herded to their planes.
The giant blotch on the was approaching fast, very fast, like a homing missile it swiveled toward the Helicarrier head on at an alarming rate. How on earth had that thing appeared without a warning? What is that thing? It was absolutely huge, at least four times as long in length than the Helicarrier itself, which in itself is more than astounding, and just as wide as the Helicarrier... like a serpent.
Suddenly, the thing gave an impossible burst of speed, closing in the remaining kilometer in seconds. Through the windows at the front of the command room, Fury saw a bulge approaching from the sea beyond the Helicarrier, white waves boiling at them. Fury instinctively bellowed into the COM, his heart beating madly, "BRACE FOR IMPACT!" Not looking to see that wether the crew heeded his warning or not, he grabbed the emergency steering rod and twisted violently towards the right, his knees bending in a brace-
WHAMM!
The massive impact threw everyone off their feet despite the warning, the unfortunate un-readied even flew through the air, crashing on to the walls. Fury had driven the Helicarrier to the right, so the thing only grazed its side, but the impact was still just as devastating. The impact's shockwave ripped through the Helicarrier, shattering windows and screens, throwing everything that is not nailed down onto the side, papers, files, computers, everything crashing together in a colossus crunch.
On the deck, pilots clambering onto their Quinjets were tossed into the sea along with their planes, sinking to the murky depth snared to their comrades, vehicles raining off the side of the Helicarrier as it was lifted on its side for a moment, splashing back firmly into the sea seconds later. The things rammed onto the Helicarrier's fore-left, leaving a gaping dent on the hull, sheering the first engine away like leave before steering clear, the bulk sinking below the waves.
The impact also released a ridiculous EMP shockwave, all the lights and computers fizzled out, the ventilations, the cooling system, the engines, all down with a tragic whirling sound, the electric windows/screens flashed once before fading away.
Alarms failing to blare, Fury struggled to stand up, staggering around and leaning on the twisted railing, his forehead bleeding where he smashed it against the said-railing. Opening his eyes, lights flashing across his eyes and blurring for a moment before fading away, his eyes adjusting to the darkness.
Fury looked around and despaired at the sight. Most of the officers are immediately incapacitated, those that are still awake are either squirming in pain or flopping weakly. The only other one still standing is Hill, bleeding gashes on her arms where broken glass rained on her, waving a 'I'm fine' sign at him. Behind Fury, he found that Banner was missing — and that a hulk shaped hole appeared on the wall, light shining in.
Fury's stomach did a flip when he saw that. It meant that the Hulk is up and fighting what ever that thing was — and that two destructive behemoths are fighting on his Helicarrier, a floating, unstable platform of uncountable value filled with vulnerable relics and officers. A very dangerous situation that both can destroy them.
Fury slapped the main controller, turning the screens back on, which mercifully indicated that electricity is still working now, the EMP leaving the electrical system. He manually set the self-defense system online, the turrets swiveling back on, the energy tubes shimmering with power. Fury flipped open his black trench coat, reached inside and took a disk out — a courtesy of Stark, the Jarvis 2, an AI that he made especially more the Helicarrier in case of emergency, something that Fury swore not to use — and plugged it in, the data streaming out immediately. In seconds, the turrets started booming, firing away at an unseen adversity under the water.
Good afternoon, Director fury, the all too polite voice of the AI rang out from the COMs, I trust you had a nice day?
"No, I did not have a nice day!" Fury yelled back, stumbling to the Globe Room, calling, "Hill! Get over here!"
"Sir-" Agent hill began to say, but caught herself in time. They can't rely on anyone now. They have no idea what they were up against now, and Fury after all is an experienced battle commander. Also, she was cut short when she caught sight of Hulk flying in front of the windows, landing heavily on the other side of the ship, where it letted out a beast-like war.
And what was even more alarming than Hulk flung through the air like tossed junk, is the fact that another thing letting out a roar of its own, even louder than the Hulk's with equal fury.
Fury restarted the screen windows, impatiently ordering Hill to help the others. As soon as the computers are ready, he manually accessed the security cameras, only to find that most of them had been knocked sideway by the crash.
One, however, posed majestically on the roof above the control room.
And the view is not pretty. He practically stared with his mouth handing open, at the immensity of the colossus rearing above the water, with a green monster hanging off its many frills like an annoying parasite.
Sir, the creature just loosed another electric blast. The computer system was not build to withstand high voltage, if the voltage is any higher the circuits will burn, Jarvis 2 supplied helpfully.
Where is Stark when you need him?
PERCY~
Percy hated portals with all his heart. Wether you were launched magically into space, smacked across the entire planet with a godly slap in a ship, miracle elevators with bad music, it's still equally horrible (with the exception of shadow traveling. Percy loves that).
And this time when Hera offered to give him a 'hand', he smartly declined. No thank you, he would very much like to stay in one piece.
He can go his own way (aka jumping off Olympus into the sea below. Don't worry, he'll live), without any godly interference and help. Using the his coordinate senses, he guided himself through the busy city of Olympus, until he was sure that he was standing above the harbor. He was standing on a bridge, spanning across two piece of clouds, golden tiled and built.
Readying himself, he stood at the edge of the bridge (railings are for wimps!). Staring down from such a height send danger tingles up his spine, knowing that anyone sane would be running screaming away from here. Yet, gazing the sea, the golden light of sunset glancing off the water filled him with a sense of peace, knowing that it was his domain, and he will be safe.
Just when he was about to leap off, a sudden booming voice, "JACKSON!" appeared next to him, almost startling Percy to tumble off the bridge. Looking up from his stumble, he was surprised to see Hephaestus walking at him in human form.
Taking the safe route, Percy cautiously bowed, speaking in a respectful tone, "Lord Hephaestus,"
"Jackson,"
"Yes... my lord?"
"Give me your sword," the God said bluntly.
Percy blinked once, before reaching for riptide, handing it to the god, not arguing
The god uncapped the pen, the sword sprang to full size in a fraction of a second. Holding the blade precariously on his palm, Hephaestus breathed onto the sword, fire dancing along his super-hot metal. Holding it in front of him, scanning the weapon with a godly eye swinging it for a few good measures, he grunted in satisfaction before capping Riptide, giving it back to Percy.
Taking it, wincing from the heat, Percy said, "Thank you... for what ever you did," He looked down at Riptide, testing its weight and found no differences, still as natural as it was on the first time he touched it.
"Now, Jackson..." Hephaestus said uncomfortably, "We have something that we decided not to tell you directly. You understand that you will be joining the mortal's ranks as an ambassador, right?"
"Yes...?" Percy ventured cautiously, knowing something wrong is going to slap him in the face soon.
Hephaestus took a strangely nervous breath, before looking at Percy straight in the eye, said, "As a part of the mortals rank, you will be expected to fight other mortals. Do you understand what I'm implying?"
Percy's mind clouded in confusion for a moment, before a startling and horrifying clarity rushed in.
He will have to kill other man and creatures. Not monsters, not dangerous spirits that will simply comeback for more, but humans. Hephaestus came to tell him that he will be the God's butcher in the mortal realm.
He realized with a sinking heart and a even more unstable stomach that he had actually foreseen this. How can he not? He knew that demigods are mortal's champion, the best in them and also the worst. All the way world war one, two to every war there is back to Greece, demigods are involved directly or indirectly (courtesy of Annabeth).
He wanted to throw up all over the edge of the bridge. He never understood what it meant by 'having butterflies in your stomach' meant, now he can feel how literal it was.
Hephaestus looked at him with apologetic grunt, slapping him in the shoulder, but Percy barely noticed it. His mind raced back all the way back to the first time he killed a mortal, or a demigod. When was it? With a start, he realized that he no longer remember. Was it during the battle for Olympus? Or the battles later, on their quest for Rome?
"Soldier, look up," a commanding voice said. Somehow that order snapped Percy out of his trance, his head raising from the point on the horizon he had been staring at.
Out of all the deities and gods, Ares is the last person Percy expected to see. Big and muscular, the god of war was dressed in a toga, a huge sword hanging off his belt at his waist, one hand cradling his helm. He was strolling leisurely across the bridge at him, his footpace slow but powerful, Hephaestus shrugged helplessly at him before walking away past him. Percy simply at the approaching God and said, "Ares?"
"Yes, everyone knows who I am. Look, I'm not too fond of you, but I cannot deny that you had proved your worth for greek and Rome," Ares admitted gruffly, setting down his helmet on the bridge, "And also the fact you are a comrade of my sons and daughters, and we owed you our allegiance,"
"And now you ask me to fight for you in a war that I have no part of," Percy said tonelessly, staring at the god and his facade.
"I wouldn't put it that way, but yes."
Percy didn't reply but simply looking back with a baleful expression.
"Now, tell me, are you feeling squeamish?" Ares asked.
"Squeamish? You are asking me to kill people that I never knew,not monsters or Gods that will want my head on a platter stuffed with an apple!"
"Squeamish it is," Ares decided, and snapped his fingers, a sound more like a rifle firing than a finger snap, louder than any cab-whistle, a boom that must have echoed all over Olympus.
When Percy's ears stopped ringing, he glared at the god, opening his mouth to retort, but was only stopped by one strange fact—his mind was cleared. His stomach stopped wanting to jump out of his bowels. Percy hugged himself to check he was still in one piece, and asked, "What have you done?"
"Removing battle queasiness from your heart. Giving you a clarity of mind in combat, before or after. Overruling your ridiculous sense of moral with the sense of duty," Ares said, cutting off Percy next predictable question, "And I did that because we... as hard as it is do admit, we owe you."
"You've changed, more sociable, not just mindless combat Ares used to be," Percy realized, his eyes surveying the newly reformed god of war.
The said God shrugged, "My Roman side is getting to me, and that is a trait I wouldn't mind having. By the way, do you still remember the curse I placed on you all those you ago, all the 'when you need it most your blade will fail you' business?"
"How can I not?"
"I officially lifted it from you,"
"Oh wow, thanks...?"
Ares scratched his buzz-cut head, adopting a rare (close to non-existence) sheepish expression, saying, "How many monsters have you not be able to defeat with your sword skills? Perhaps you will remember... Chrysaor? That ridiculous son of Medusa? Or the part that you almost got your Achilles' heel back stabbed?"
"Wait. You are telling me that the curse is still there? After five years, its still there?" Percy asked incredulously, outraged.
Ares shrugged nonchalantly, "Not anymore, cupcake,"
Percy blinked once, before realizing what that meant.
He had been fighting underhanded all these times, and yet he is still living and winning.
MOAR HA HA HA
NEW CHAPTER PEOPLE, AND HAIL ME AS YOUR MENTAL SAVIOR!
Okay, once again thanks for reading, please review, feel free to do so, blah blah blah...
Did you ever wonder how some authors can literally write random things in the 'Author's Corner' and yet still make perfect sense? I do, and am still puzzled.
So, here is a little survey question, not sure intelligent or not, so here it is: How old do you think I am?
I know its weird, but... Just interested how what people think.
So bye!
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Nah. Surprise!
Heimdallr opened his eyes once more and stared onto the distant planet, narrowing his eyes again, in the first time in forever doubting his sight.
No, it cannot be. How—?
Snapping his eyes away from the scene he witnessed, he ran from his position at the edge of the Bifrost, up the bridge, crashing into the busy city, evoking started yelps and yell as he elbowed everyone out of his way.
Odin must be warned. Thor must be warned.