Well, this was interesting. I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with this, but then I finally got inspiration!

The song mentioned below is by the Silversun Pickups. I only included a few lyrics to get the point across, not to steal.

I own nothing you recognize as canon.

37: Panic Switch

It's There For a Reason

Percy Jackson hated his ADHD sometimes. It was the one thing that kept him from functioning as a normal teenager.

Sure, he didn't mind that he sometimes had the attention span of a fish—he liked fish—and it was a great help in trying to zone out during boring lectures from teachers or Annabeth. It was when he was actually trying to focus when it became a problem.

Like trying to focus on navigating through a really rocky strait. Percy could sense where the rocks were, and normally it wouldn't be that bad to steer.

But Percy had noticed a lever near the helm the other day. It was something Leo had obviously installed. Panic Switch.

Percy wanted to pull it so bad! But Leo was very protective of his stuff. He had specifically said that no one was to touch anything, push any buttons, or pull any switches without his say-so. Percy knew that the son of Hephaestus, as crazy as he was, was completely serious about his projects and Percy knew better than to touch anything dangerous of Leo's.

But this lever!

Gods, Percy was going to go crazy if he didn't pull the panic switch!

Of course, there was actually no emergency to justify pulling it, so Percy didn't have an excuse ready. Percy sighed and tried to focus, but his gaze kept pulling back to the "panic switch".

Suddenly, the ship lurched to the side. Percy cursed in Ancient Greek as he pitched forward over the helm. He hadn't sensed any rocks, so the disturbance must have been a monster.

He was right, of course. A serpent reared up out of the water—no, wait, it wasn't a serpent. It was a water hydra!

Oh, joy, he thought. As if I didn't have enough on my mind…

This hydra had only three heads, but it was more than enough to keep Percy on his toes. Festus, the figurehead of the Argo II, roared and tried to snap at the dragon, but the monster kept just out of reach. It probably knew Festus could breathe fire, which would keep it from growing another hundred heads.

One of the heads spat a hydra curse at Percy, baring its yellow fangs. All three heads tried to eat the demigod, failing. The Argo was still sailing, even with a hydra on its bow, so Percy had to keep the stupid boat afloat, as well as make sure it didn't run into any rocks—whoops, bottom just scraped a little boulder…

Percy looked back at the switch. The other demigods were probably pitching and rolling around down below, or still sleeping, since it was two in the morning.

But Leo refuses to sleep sometimes. If I pull the switch, maybe it'll make an alarm and Leo will rush to help?

Percy knew he needed help. He wasn't foolish enough to take a hydra alone. A serpent or minotaur, sure. But not a hydra, regardless of its head count.

The son of Poseidon dodged the heads and ran for the switch. He pulled it, expecting an alarm or some fireworks or maybe even a flare.

What he got was fifty seconds of a sick drumbeat, rocking bass, and a low, screeching guitar. Everyone, including Festus, paused, listening. The hydra hissed, as if it didn't like the tune.

"Time is never worth my time…

Blue shine bleeds into my eyes…"

Percy looked around. "What the…? What's going on?"

As the song progressed, it became increasingly clear that the hydra was not a fan of this music. Percy had to admit that the guitar was pretty scratchy, but the vocals were nice. The hydra spat and hissed, throwing its heads around as the beat picked up and the chorus began:

"When you see yourself in a crowded room,

Do your fingers itch, are you pistol whipped?

Will you step in line or release the glitch?

Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?"

The hydra snarled and snapped, angry at the song for existing and hurting its ears. Percy realized that must be the problem—the music must be hurting its ears, or earholes…? Whatever.

Percy looked on the control booth and saw something that kinda looked like volume control. He pressed the plus symbol and the music got unbearably loud. The whole ship vibrated with each bass note and drum beat. The water rippled in rhythm.

The hydra was not pleased. Its three heads yowled in disharmony and fled, returning to the sea to tell its friends not to ever play that song near it ever.

Just as the hydra disappeared, Leo ran on deck, holding his pants up as he tried to button his suspenders. The son of Hephaestus stomped over to the control booth and pushed the lever back, ending the song.

"Really, Percy?" he shouted, sounding ticked off. "You choose balls o'clock in the morning to play that song? I'll get you the CD, dude—and some headphones, if you wanna jam out!"

"Dude, I thought it was a literal panic switch!" Percy pointed to the sea. "A stupid hydra decided it was breakfast time and was about to overwhelm the ship, so I pulled the switch, thinking it would alert you guys."

"It definitely alerted me," Leo grumbled. "You didn't have to play it so loud."

"The hydra wasn't a fan of the music, so I figured it was the best way to get rid of it. It worked." Percy frowned at the switch. "Why is that even there?"

Leo shrugged. "I like that song. Also, it's my timer. I play that song when I got five free minutes to see if I can make something in that time."

Percy groaned. "Can you at least label it better next time? That's like putting a button out in the open marked Self Destruct and it starts playing a song instead of doing what it says."

Leo chuckled. "Fine. I'll make sure to remember that." He glanced around. "At least you got us out of that rocky-stuff."

Percy hadn't even noticed that they were out of the strait and in open water. He sighed in relief.

Leo patted him on the back. "I'm up, now. Since you just got us out of two messes, I'll take over. Get some rest."

Percy wanted to argue, but Leo was already pushing him out of the way. He yawned. "Fine. Sorry about the wake-up call. I know you haven't been sleeping as much lately."

"No big deal." Leo started messing with the controls, turning down the volume for the song before replaying it. "It's an interesting song to wake up to. But now it's gonna be stuck in my head."

Percy left and shuffled to his room, explaining five different times to five cranky demigods why the ship had suddenly become a moving rock concert.

The next afternoon, Percy noticed he hadn't seen Leo at breakfast or lunch. He walked upstairs and on deck, seeing Leo asleep at the controls. Buford the wonder table was driving—somehow—so there was no immediate danger of crashing. The son of Hephaestus was curled up with a wrench in his hand, drooling all over the buttons and levers.

Percy rolled his eyes and shook the teen's shoulders. "Leo. Leo, wake up."

Leo snorted and jumped back. "Wha…?"

"Come on, Leo," Percy said softly as he began leading Leo away. "You need to go to the engine room. I think there are some mechanical sheep there that need counting."

Leo mumbled sleepily as he shuffled. Percy looked behind him, making sure the son of Hephaestus didn't leave anything important lying around.

He grinned when he saw the duct tape under the Panic Switch lever. On the tape was a little note scrawled in bad handwriting: THE SONG.

A/N: I actually like that song. I just think that the way the guitar is played would probably hurt a monster's ears. It's not metal or anything, it's just different. :)