Percy has had weird dreams as long as he's known himself.
He knows the feeling of mundanity in dreams and going where-did-that-come-from!? when it ends.
He knows that sometimes they stick, as if you want them to continue— as if you want every single dream from now on to be the same dream continuing, like some weird DIY reality show at night.
He also knows that sometimes you don't and sometimes you wake up in the middle of the night huddled in thick blankets but still feeling cold all over your body- the kind that makes your whole body shake from head to toe-the kind that stretches your muscles to the absolute limit and feels like almost letting that scream stuck in your throat out raw—
He's having a time deciding between them about his most recent dream.
He had started out on a countryside farm, the bright hot sun beating onto him; the warm air both crushing and energizing him.
He remembers going inside the worn down looking building and seeing tons of barnyard animals trying in desperation to get to him, almost stepping over themselves in their haste; their hungry gazes locking right onto him.
He knows he saw their foaming mouths and how they almost seemed to hurt themselves to get to him, fever bright eyes tracking his every move.
He also knows that he had seen animals trying to get to seeds and their normal nutrients on high shelves, how those ones had seemed almost sad in comparison to the rest of them.
He had gotten a bit too close to a pigs den, how one the things had squealed in mad happiness before going into a rush-filled dash, almost getting him before a man in a wheelchair coming in and shouting a "Wha-ho Percy!" and hacking the mud and drool coated creature away with a leafy, somewhat familiar sword.
He remembers bright light coming from everywhere and him ducking his head to avoid its intensity, remembers how he could almost see the light through his closed eye lashes.
He recalls feeling sharp talons on his shoulders, gentle where they should have been wild, he remembers soaring to the blue sky and getting dropped on tall grasses.
He sees a bright purple rat coming out of the grasses, looking curious and then scurrying away once it sees him or how a bird's cry seemed to cut through the air, making him look up at a blurry streak in the sky for a second before it went away.
He remembers peeking out from the tall grasses, feeling like the purple rat from earlier and looking at a majestic dragon; its bright orange scales glittering lazily in the sun's rays with a fierce fire-lit tail.
He sees, stuck in place, that the creature had opened up its mouth and was roaring up at the whole wide world, its defiance, hell-scorching blazes erupting from its mouth and tail.
He remembers an answering call from a blue snake-like thing diving out of the darker blue waters.
He sees and he sees and he sees and then-
He is in a white room with a pillow under his head and blankets on top of him.
With bleary eyes he sits upright and starts rubbing his eyes, noticing sleepily that he seemed to be in much better health now.
He shivers for a moment before hunching in on himself thinking of his mom and how he will never see her again, how she will never bring candy from her work or how she wouldn't help him with his issues with Smelly Gabe.
Percy gets lost in his thoughts, going from one memory to another until he starts sobbing to himself; the pain, the loneliness, the raw wound in him opens up and he lets out a hoarse scream.
There is a movement outside the white doors, something going clink, clink, clink before the door opens and him going back to sleep with a little thump as his back hits the strangely soft floor.
Thankfully, he doesn't dream anything this time, or rather, if he does he doesn't remember.
When he wakes up again his head is much clearer.
Yes, he still feels like God had decided to make everything a few shades darker; like nothing was beautiful because his mom was gone but-
Percy isn't feeling grief like a blade in his side now, he feels it like it is a storm cloud determined to make everything a little worse for him.
He can't decide which one was worse to feel.
He gets out of bed, figures that if the people who had put him here had intended any harm they would have done it already while he was sleeping, and opens up the white wooden door.
Percy steps into a white themed corridor and starts to feel a little claustrophobic.
Taking a few deep breaths and lightly padding down the long and twisty corridor he looks at different colored doors and wonders what they mean.
But he is not dumb enough to get in any of them, he knows they represent something from the symbols and he knows whoever is keeping him here is powerful; so powerful in fact that the whole place seems to glow with said power.
Looking around he also notices that after a few twists and turns, he is lost.
Percy's earlier claustrophobia returns full force and leaves him feeling like the earth is spinning out of control for a moment.
He lays there in his own little bubble for an unknown amount of time before finally pulling himself together again.
Percy knows he is going to go mad if he stays in this narrow corridor any longer so he breaks into a mad dash towards the faintly seen door that seems identical to his own.
How funny that he had thought he wouldn't have done something as stupid as going to an unknown glowing door just a while ago.
Percy madly decides he can't be bothered to give a fuck about his past self at the moment.
He crashes inside, not caring if he scared someone.
He skidded to a stop right after breaking inside the door to a huge room.
He examined the room (if it could even be called that) with wonder-filled eyes, the ceiling of the room was an ever-changing galaxy; its stars dazzled him for a moment and saddened him. He forcefully tears his eyes away from them.
The walls are, from what he can see, covered in ancient-looking marble with vines crawling out of tiny dents in random cracks, giving the room a mysterious presence.
Hovering in the middle of the room was a silvery goat-like creature, its movements, and appearance radiating elegance and unnatural grace.
He looked upon the creature and found he couldn't compare it to the monster that had taken his mother from him, The Minotaur had blubbering rage in its every move, hatred in its eyes, and ugliness in its nature.
This being looked opposite in every shape and form.
The silvery creature looks at him with all-knowing golden eyes.
"We have been waiting for you, Perseus Jackson." It says. Its mouth never moves.
The voice seemed to echo in his mind.
Percy stands there, struck dumb. His head hurts like a bunch of horses trampled on it and left it pitifully in the ensuing dust.
"What." He says, squinting at the gigantic creature. He feels like he is on the verge of breaking.
"You have a great destiny ahead of you, Perseus." The floating goat says, not realizing the hilarity of the situation. "I have ripped you away from the cruel hands of my sisters, for they are playing a dangerous game." Its eyes flicker across his form. He feels a little uncomfortable if he is being honest.
Percy's normally uncontrollable ADHD is, for once, silent. Trying to wrap his mind around the situation he stands there.
Just when it was starting to get awkward the creature spoke again.
"I am afraid I haven't introduced myself, my name is Arceus and I am here to save you from
a fate worse than death," the newly dubbed Arceus said. "It seems like I had been late for your mother, apologies that you had to see that; no boy should watch their mother die."
Percy wondered when Arceus last had someone to talk to because his (her? its?) social skills sucked. Then he imagines Arceus going to a public mall and trying to order some burgers and he feels a hysteric laugh clutch his throat. He reels it in, thankfully.
"Welcome to the world of Pokémon where creatures not known to you dwell. Humans and Pokémon have been getting along since the birth of time, they have been inseparable partners and the best of friends, treating each other with the utmost respect, "Arceus's voice said in his head, the sound neither feminine nor masculine.
Percy snaps out of his trance.
"W-What are these 'Pokémon' and what destiny are you talking about? Who are these sisters you keep mentioning!? How are you even speaking inside my head! What even are you!" He shouts his last sentence. He could almost hear his mom's voice in his head chiding him for being so rude; the memory makes him take a ragged breath.
He is practically boiling with questions.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE MY MOTHER!? WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN 'LATE'? HOW AM I HERE? WHERE AM I?"
His voice seemed to echo in the room, much like the voice of the creature in his head.
When he needed air in his lungs he stopped and looked at Arceus, daring the being to answer him.
Arceus looked at him with ancient gold eyes and began to answer his questions calmly,
"Pokémon are creatures of all shapes and sizes who live in the wild or alongside humans. For the most part, Pokémon do not speak except to utter 'animal sounds' like growling, roaring, snarling, and such. Pokémon are raised and commanded by their owners called 'Trainers', "Arceus paused and waited for him to process. Percy gave a tiny nod, feeling a little ashamed of himself because of his earlier outburst.
"During their adventures, Pokémon grow and become more experienced and even, on occasion, evolve into stronger Pokémon. There are currently more than 700 creatures that inhabit the Pokémon universe, "Arceus said, side-eyeing him. "Although in your journey you will see much less of that number."
When Percy looked ready to interrupt Arceus held up a forearm to hush him, the first movement the flying silvery goat did since Percy had seen the being.
"Your destiny is, I will admit, a tragic and saddening one that I can only share bits of."
Arceus closed its eyes and spoke again.
A Half-Blood of the eldest gods,
Shall reach sixteen against all odds,
And see the world in endless sleep.
The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap,
A single choice shall end his days,
Olympus to preserve or raze.
Percy... didn't want to believe it.
He wanted all this to be a terrible dream and him to wake up this morning again, instantaneously forgetting this nightmare he seemed to live in for the past couple of... hours? Days? He didn't even know anymore.
He wanted someplace other than the cold marble beneath to sit on. To just.. calm his racing thoughts, going a mile a minute.
As if magic an office chair appeared next to him, he didn't look on in amazement at the chair that had seemingly been made out of thin air; he just went and sat on it.
He didn't notice Arceus vanishing, nor did he notice how only two of his questions had been answered. He was too deep in the hole he had inadvertently dug for himself.
He thought about his mom, Pokémon, a life that seemed so far away when it had been a day for him, the prophecy and how it seemed to signify his ultimate demise.
He thought about the unfairness of the life that had been thrust upon him so suddenly, about his father, because his mom sure as hell wasn't one of the eldest gods (or was she now?)
(Had she abandoned him? He thought about the gold dust and- no he wouldn't go down that road now, not without any proof-)
He thought and he thought and he thought and he thought.
Finally, when he was so exhausted that he couldn't even think anymore he left the room and stood in the white corridor again.
Percy felt a strong tug in his gut and a strong sense of... kinship? Feeling intrigued despite himself, he let his feet go wherever they wanted.
A few minutes later he was standing in front of a door with a symbol that looked like a circle being connected to two separate circles.
He stood there for a few seconds, feeling unsure.
The tug in his gut (along with his earlier sureness that he was doing the right thing) had disappeared, leaving an aching in its place.
He brought a hand up to knock on the door and let it hang there, dreading seeing another Arceus-like creature.
Just as he was about to leave the door opened on its own.
Thanking whatever was up there that the freaking thing hadn't creaked like he was in a damn horror movie, Percy stepped inside and took a good look around.
What he noticed first was how it smelled. With faraway eyes, he deeply inhaled the clear and strong sea breeze coming inside the room.
What he next noticed was that the room was not cast in a dark, ominous glow. He looked up at the ceiling and felt his stomach sink.
Like in Arceus' room, the ceiling seems to be like someone had taken the sky out of its place and stuck it inside the room. However, unlike Arceus' galaxy and star theme, this room has a sky with a slightly cloudy, sunny day.
He thinks he hates the room.
He thinks how everything in the room looks so good, that nothing should be this happy when his happiness died, that nothing should be like the day before his mom died, all sticky marshmallows and brilliant warmth.
He feels his legs move again to the center where there is a tiny creature with light blue skin and golden circles around his eyes.
He thinks about Arceus and how it had that inhumane grace that it had, how even while standing still it had still given an impression to him.
He looks at the creature again and its pink jewel down its throat and the long horn-like thing coming out of its head and thinks huh, maybe the guy was fucking with him when he said there was only Pokémon around because the thing in front of me has no resemblance to this so-called creature.
Except they do.
It's subtle, sure but it's definitely there in the way that it feels like something is beating into his skull, the way that being in their presence feels like an accomplishment in itself. Like some sort of fucked up instinct.
He inwardly curses his legs and starts to walk out the room, going quiet and fast.
But none of that mattered when the creature turned towards him.
He immediately took notice of its eyes, the same shade that seemed to turn into a wistful blue when the sun hit, the same blue that had always looked at him lovingly and motherly.
His mom's eyes were in this creature.
He didn't need the pull to want to go to the creature, now.
They stared at one another, one assessing and almost shocked and the other teary-eyed.
Ever so slowly the thing moved towards its right side, probably inviting him to go over there.
Percy hesitated for a second but then went over.
He sat down next to it. "I can't keep calling you an 'it' in my head." He said abruptly.
It cracked a smile. "Then don't." It tilted its head aside.
Well, Percy thought dryly. How helpful.
He tapped his foot impatiently. "What should I call you then?" Percy asked.
"Manaphy." It said simply. "You can call me Manaphy."
Percy, now sick of this bullshit, went on his way to leave with surer strides.
"You have a great power, you know." Manaphy said fleetingly from behind him. "But most importantly, you have a good heart, Perseus Jackson. It will help you a lot more than you will expect in your journey. More than you would think it would." Manaphy called out.
"Your father is searching for you." Manaphy said one last time.
Percy stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to face the floating monster.
"Ah, yes. In your world, the great terrible sea is churning like never before. There are reports of storms and earthquakes from all over the world, scientists are going crazy trying to figure out why. Your father was just inches away from making humanity go into an ice age. At the very last second his brothers, your uncles, intervened. Which is surprising in itself since they are also quite angry at everything."
It took a deep breath. "I know I shouldn't do this, seeing it all would make you more wistful since now we can't return you without certain conditions being fulfilled, but I know what a mother's loss does to someone so young, Perseus." Manaphy hunched. "I will establish a connection line through your blood and the oceans to have a direct line of contact with your mother. Be aware, though, that this power is fleeting and can be used once every full moon where our universes collide for a fraction of a second. It is enough for me to establish a connection, but it won't be for long."
"What do you mean my mother?" Percy asked, ignoring the blossoming hope in his chest.
"My mother is dead, gone. In the hands of a monster squeezing the life out of her." He felt bone-deep tired. Couldn't this day just and already. "I don't need your false promises and empty words to assure myself. I know what I've seen just fine."
Manaphy was there. Then she was not.
Percy gave a startled shout as he stumbled backward. His hands strangely flew to his dirty pockets but there was nothing for him to grasp.
Manaphy stared at him. "You mean you don't know the ongoings of your world? The fact that your dad is the God of the Seas, Poseidon? That the monster you killed was the Minotaur straight from the legends? The fact that your uncle Zeus's symbol of power was stolen and was framed on you? Your other uncle Hades is mad your father broke his promise? Camp Half-Blood?"
Percy stared back at her. Was she just speaking gibberish in order to fuck with him? He didn't think he did anything too bad to deserve this.
Manaphy closed its eyes in exasperation. It muttered underneath its breath.
"This is why I voted for anyone other than Arceus to speak with him." It opened its eyes again. "Sleep, child. We will talk in the morning."
Just like that, Percy was out once again.
-o-
So, um, it's me again.
Sorry about the really long wait. I got really excited when I wrote the first chapter and published it without thinking much of it. I also realized I couldn't really write well so I took a long break. Again, sorry about that.
But now I am here with Chapter 2 so there is that, I guess.
I also got a new beta editor, Theseus_Theo since I suck at grammar and need ideas. Huge thanks to him on this chapter. This story also became available on ao3. You can now check it there.
And that is it for now.
Peace.
