This chap for some reason took me forever to complete because I have stumped at some point of it. Yet, it still feels weird at some parts despite running multiple different ways that weren't satisfactory *sad face*
On to a happy note: 300+ Followers?! and 171 Favourites?! I really love you guys, and this must be said.
THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT YOU'VE SHOWN ON THIS FIC (REVIEWS, FAVS AND FOLLOWS), THEY ALL MEAN SOOOO MUCH TO ME.
*ahem* excuse me for caps locking, I wished to convey my excitement and would love to apologize if it overwhelmed you. Now, off to the main event where we say hi to the Serpent.
7. BIG SNAKE LEARNS TO PLAY FETCH
When Percy returned to camp, the campfire had died out but he could see everyone had fallen asleep with the help of the dim moonlight. He rested himself back to his previous sleeping spot on the hard ground and closed his eyes. The dreams still came back, though he failed to get any new information – or he just failed to remember any when he woke up.
Morning arrived quicker than he expected, and the group were quick to pack up while Percy scanned his surroundings. When he wasn't keeping an eye on the perimeter, he would silently indulge himself by watching Katara repeatedly check on the others to make sure that they had packed all their belongings, only to receive varying responses. The family of three and Suki had replied with a smile regardless of how many times she asked, Aang and Sokka replied with forceful smiles everytime, while Toph would often make snide remarks that Katara was getting older faster than expected. The Toph's remarks always ended in Katara letting out a sigh or bicker with Toph.
The cycle of 'Check-Reply-Argue' repeated itself for a good five minutes, which only ended when Sokka reminded the others that they needed to get going. A small smile formed on Percy's lips as they left camp, fondly reminded of his own quests that he partook on when he was younger. A question popped up at the back of his mind.
Were my quests ever so… chaotic?
His train of thought was cut short when he almost walked into Sokka and Suki at the tail end of the group, who apparently stopped walking. Being over a head taller than the next tallest person – the family man Than – allowed Percy to easily see that they had stopped in front of a dead end. A section of the Path is underwater and stretched for approximately a good distance that Percy compared to 100 meter tracks.
The demigod noticed Aang hanging his head dejectedly. The only way they have forward is underwater, and it would make zero sense to get everyone to swim across, especially with a pregnant lady amongst them. He was about to create an air bubble when Katara's voice broke the solemn silence.
"Everyone single file."
She started waving her arms, and Percy raised an eyebrow and curled his lips upwards in amusement when the water parted into two walls, revealing the path. Everyone complied, filing behind Katara with Percy standing behind Aang at the back of the file. The airbender had handed Toph his staff and started waving his arms too upon Katara's request that she needed some help.
So this is waterbending. Neat.
They found themselves in an air bubble as they traversed the underwater path. Percy guessed that Aang was probably bending some oxygen into the bubble because the air smelt exactly like freshwater. Granted, the walls of the air bubble were made of freshwater from the lake, and they were underwater.
An air bubble underwater was not something seen everyday, so it didn't exactly surprise Percy that the fish once again surrounded it out of curiousity. Though, he should learn to tune out the voices that echo into his head.
What is this large bubble?
Are there more man in bubble?
Man can't walk underwater, stupid!
Look who's talking!
Percy was tempted to tell the fish to 'Scram!' again, but he felt he had used that line yesterday. Instead, he resorted to his next favourite line.
Shut up!
The fish did not take the hint. The conversation took a different turn altogether.
What is this?! A man talking to fish?!
Isn't that the same one who told us to scram a few chapters ago?
What are you even talking about?
Didn't you hear him? He said shut up!
He wasn't talking to me! He was telling you to shut up!
How'd you know he wasn't talking to you?!
How'd you know that he is a 'he'? Hmm?
"I said Shut Up!"
"Who are you talking to?" Aang eyed Percy. No one was talking as far as he was concerned, and Percy's sudden outburst almost took him out of his concentration.
Percy snapped his head to realize that the others, save Katara and Toph, had turned to look at him. In his impatience with the talkative school of fish, he had accidentally spoken up instead of mentally ordering the fish to stop talking. Seeing the confused looks on their faces, he thought of an answer and blurted out the first one that crossed his mind.
"The fish."
Percy was certain he heard Toph snicker.
"Right," Sokka sarcastically replied. He pointed at the large-eared lemur perched on Aang's shoulder. "And this is Momo, our talking flying-lemur."
Percy fought the urge to roll his eyes. Of course they wouldn't believe him, and despite having people capable of controlling the elements, somehow Percy talking to fish makes less sense than seeing Sokka argue with that weird looking large-eared lemur that can fly called Momo.
Katara continued waving her arms as she led the group forward, oblivious to the conversation behind her as she focused all her strength on maintaining the watery dome. She was also oblivious when Momo dived out of the dome to swim amongst the fish, only to dive back in when a large shadow loomed over them. Everyone's attention turned to the shadow, including Katara.
"Oh, it's a just Sea Serpent." She heard Percy explain like he was repeating an answer he got, before he spoke again, shouting this time. "SEA SERPENT!"
Before she could be alarmed by the sudden rise in octaves in Percy's voice, the shadow broke through the walls and Katara panicked. She closed her eyes and covered her face, bracing to be hit by the pressures of the water.
It never came.
Slowly, she lowered her arms and opened her eyes to see the dome split in two, but still intact. It quickly merged back into one and she noticed that Aang had stopped bending too. Everyone was looking awestruck at the wall of water that didn't fall apart. Everyone, except one.
"Go!" Percy's voice caught everyone's attention. They looked at the man, who suddenly spread his arms and the air bubble expanded. Katara's eyes widened in realization.
"You're a waterbender!"
"Now's not the time!" Percy yelled before a loud shriek forced Katara to cover her ears. Percy lowered his arms as he glared at the large green creature with red eyes that broke through the surface of the water.
"I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass!" Sokka exclaimed in panic while pointing at the large creature. He turned to the Kyoshi Warrior next to him. "Suki, you know about giant sea monsters, make it go away!"
"Sokka, now's really not the time!" Percy shouted before Suki could give her own retort. So, the girl smacked Sokka at the back of his head. Percy decided to file the information about 'Suki living near giant sea monsters' for later.
When Percy lowered his arms, everyone expected the water to crash into them again. But it didn't. Katara's eyes would have widened more if she could, but Percy snapped her back to reality.
"Aang, Katara get everyone to safety! Now!"
Aang looked like he was about to object, but Katara pulled him by the arm and he followed the group who ran past the end of the wall of water and up towards the surface, leaving Percy behind to face the Serpent alone. Just as they reached the surface, the walls water crashed together.
"No!" Aang screamed and immediately dived into the lake, the water muffling Katara's voice calling out to him as he created a small air bubble around his head before swimming towards where he last saw Percy.
oOo
When Percy was certain everyone was safe, he released his control over the walls of water. The water slammed into him but did no harm. The Serpent was pulled from the current and it dived its head back underwater and its red eyes scrutinizing its man-prey that had somehow not drowned.
Food.
Its voice boomed in Percy's head, but he resisted the reflexive wince. Instead, he stared down at the creature.
He thought of a moment, ignoring the gaze that the serpent gave him. This large serpent was hungry, but then there were so many fish in the lake for it to it. Its shape fitted the large, angry silhouette that he saw yesterday. Maybe it thinks he was trespassing and saw him as food.
No, no. Not food.
Food talk with me?
Yes, and I'm not invading your home. I'm just… Percy paused midsentence. He was just trying to take a shortcut to Ba Sing Se. Not that a large sea monster would know where Ba Sing Se is. Taking a shortcut.
Food no take shortcut. Food took swim yesterday but still here.
So the serpent isn't as dumb as it sounded. Percy had to think fast. Why did he not just swim to the other end of the Lake yesterday? Oh right! Fire Nation ship.
I swim yesterday because I sunk the large Fire Nation ship? He tried.
The serpent tilted its head, and its elongated body followed suit. Food end hot ship?
Yes, I did. Percy replied, maybe a little too prideful about sinking the Fire Nation ship. The way the serpent names things reminded Percy of a certain large green creature with anger management issues that he saw in a superhero movie. He heard the serpent hum – hiss? – in thought.
Food end hot ship for Serpent. Serpent is in debt.
Err, sure?
Not Food is good. Not Food can go.
The serpent sounded satisfied but at the same time disappointed at not getting an additional meal. Percy didn't think twice, he concentrated and created a large ice pole in his hand. He waved the bar in front of the reptile, whose bright red eyes followed the movement of the large ice stick.
What did Not Food bring?
A chew toy!
Serpent don't need chew. Serpent mouth big.
Well, you could chew it when you're doing nothing but laying at the bottom of the Lakes. And you could keep your teeth sharp.
There was silence for a moment. Percy thought he overstepped.
Serpent wants keep teeth sharp.
Great! By the way, have you ever chased for something you want?
No.
Do you wanna know the feeling of chasing something you want?
Another brief silence. Yes.
Good, this is good practice. Be careful though, it's cold. Very cold.
Percy threw the stick as far as he could, then willed the waters to push the ice further and faster away from him and the serpent. The serpent looked at the stick float away before turning back at him. Percy just smiled.
What are you waiting for? Go get it!
With that encouragement, the serpent swam in the direction of the icy chew toy. A strong current was formed from its sudden movement, but it didn't push Percy backwards. Instead, it just died off the moment it touched Percy.
Seeing the serpent disappear into the shadows, Percy turned around and was ready to find the rest of his group when he saw Aang just floating in front of him. An air bubble surrounded his head, and still, Percy could see his facial features clearly. The airbender's eyes were rounded and wide open, and his mouth was shaped into an 'O'.
Percy chuckled at Aang's shocked expression.
oOo
When he and Aang had resurfaced from the Lake, everyone was delighted that they were still alive and Aang was still wide-eyed and hadn't said a word since Percy found him staring at him underwater. It took Toph socking him on the shoulder to remove the expression off Aang's face. Sokka was extremely excited.
"Now it's nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se."
As if the universe was against Sokka's wish, Ying – the pregnant lady – suddenly took a sharp breath and claimed that the baby's coming. Sokka, in a fit of impatience, suggested that Ying hold the baby in a little longer.
Percy could only pinch the bridge of his nose while Katara whacked her brother at the back of his head as the teen continued breaking down before she delegated work to everyone. Aang was assigned to getting some rags, Sokka had to get water, Toph needed to make a big earth tent, and Suki followed the waterbender into the tent. Percy, well, he tagged along with Sokka to make sure the guy didn't break down again when collecting water.
Sokka fainted when he saw the small head of the baby being pushed out.
Percy found himself dragging Sokka out of the tent and waited with Aang and Toph under the hot sun. He noticed Toph's relaxed posture while Sokka was rubbing his temple when he came to. Aang had wrapped his knees with his arms, a dejected look on his face. Percy felt that he needed to talk to the 'destined saviour of the world'.
He sat next to Aang, though he still towered over the airbender given their height difference.
"I know how it feels," Percy started.
"Know how what feels?" Aang kept his gaze on the floor, and Percy realized it was the same slumped look he saw the night before. Devoid of hope, like he didn't want to continue fighting. It was the contrast of the small spark Percy saw in the shocked look on Aang's face earlier in the water.
"To have the weight of the world on your shoulders. To feel like you can't win."
Aang turned his head to look at Percy. "How?"
Before Percy could answer, the sound of a baby crying followed by Katara's rejoice that it's a girl along with Toph and Sokka entering the tent cut the conversation short. Percy got on both his feet and offered a hand to Aang.
"Another time then. Wanna go in and have a look?"
Aang stared at the outstretched hand and planned to turn down the offer until Katara called him.
"Aang, you have to come to see this."
Sighing, Aang got on his feet, ignoring Percy's offer to pull him up, and walked into the tent with the much taller man following behind.
Ying was laying down with both Than and their teenage daughter sitting by her sides. When Aang laid eyes on the baby wrapped in a rag and cuddled in Ying's arms, he felt the world around him brighten up as his eyes pricked with tears. He didn't pay heed to Sokka making a remark about the baby looking squishy, Percy's instant reply that 'it's a baby', nor Than and Ying's discussion on picking a baby's name. He took a step forward with the corners of his lips curving upwards just so slightly.
"I've been going through a really hard time lately," he told the family. "But you've made me ... hopeful again."
And that became the name of the newest addition to Than and Ying's family. Hope.
oOo
"So, you're a waterbender."
Katara noticed green eyes roll at her allegations as she and the group continued their journey towards Ba Sing Se.
Since his first (bizarre and unexpected) appearance, Katara had several questions for Percy. And after seeing him bend the Lake, the girl was certain that the newcomer to the group was a waterbender just like her, if not more powerful given the lack of struggle he showed when he bent the water. But Aang and Percy's resurfacing from the lake - and the latter's mysteriously dry state as he did so - a few hours ago left Katara with even more unanswered questions than she liked. The tail-end of the conversation she heard between Aang and Percy made her even more confused, especially when Percy promised the Avatar to continue their conversation at another time.
It was like her own conversation with Percy the night before.
But now, with Aang taking a head start to the Earth Kingdom capital along with Momo and Suki returning to the Kyoshi Warriors (after she and Sokka kissed, a few times too), the remainder of the group found themselves travelling on foot under the sun, but Katara wasn't going to let it stop ger from getting some answers.
Cue now, with Percy glancing over towards Katara but he never stopped walking. She thought that the glare from the sunlight was playing games on her when she saw the tips of his lips curve up slightly as she eyed him suspiciously while waiting for an answer.
"No, I'm not," Percy answered lazily.
"Then, who kept the path at the Lake opened?" Katara asked. She wasn't willing to outright admit that she and Aang lost control of the air bubble, but wanted Percy to admit that it was he who took control after.
"You and Aang," was Percy's nonchalant answer before he added, "We all saw with our own eyes you know."
"I didn't," Toph added.
"Not now Toph!" Katara snapped at the earthbender when she heard the hint of levity in the latter's voice. Her blind jokes always had bad timing, and it was making the waterbender lose her patience. Toph shrugged and grumbled, but a smile formed on her face. Katara turned back to look at Percy, who was looking at Toph.
"Maybe I should rephrase my question," Katara lowered her tone. "Who kept the water walls up when the Sea Serpent crushed it? And how did the ship sink to a wave on a lake?"
"Me, and also me."
"But you don't waterbend?"
"I don't."
"If you don't waterbend how did you do what you said you did?"
"By controlling it."
"That makes you a waterbender!"
"Still no."
Katara was left stumped at that, none of Percy's answers made sense. So, she tried something else before she really loses her cool running around in circles.
"Where are you from?"
"Earth."
"The Earth Kingdom?"
"Nope."
"So you're Water Tribe then."
"Huh?" Percy almost stopped walking for the first time. "No."
"When you said Earth, are you saying you came from the ground?"
"Do I look like Gaea to you?"
"What's a Gaya?"
"Mother Earth."
"You don't make any sense."
"Mmhmm," was Percy's only response.
It was going nowhere, Katara realised. And when she studied Percy's face, she noticed that he had a shit-eating grin on it. It felt like he was toying with her, and frustration had built up to her chest.
"If you're such a powerful waterbender," Katara gritted her teeth, "Why aren't you fighting in the war against the Fire Nation?"
A sharp 'What' escaped Percy's lips as he stopped in his tracks. Katara saw the bewildered look replacing the grin on his face, almost like Sokka's when the fortune teller said his life was going to be full of self-inflicted pain. Good.
"I was never involved in the first place," Percy answered monotonously. "Nor was I aware of it until a few days ago."
What?
"That's impossible!" Katara's voice almost went up an octave. She just couldn't wrap her head around this man. The war waged by the Fire Nation had lasted a hundred years, and torn her from her mother, while her father joined the frontlines a few years ago. How is this man not aware of the war that lasted a hundred years?
Even the name should be alarming!
"The War has been going on for a hundred years! Were you also frozen in ice?!"
"Also?" Percy quirked an eyebrow. "Didn't know you guys have Captain America too."
Another word that Katara couldn't understand. Maybe it's a person, and if he knows a Captain means he's probably a soldier stuck in ice. Which means…
"If you were just made aware of the war, why didn't you find a way join and maybe stop it?"
Percy's eyebrows knitted together as he stopped walking again. Where's a meat-flavoured sack and a pack of wolves when you need one?
"Okay, time-out!" Hequickly formed a T with his hands, signalling for it. Though he was certain they did not understand the meaning of his hand sign, enough was enough. Percy needed to get to Ba Sing Se. This Katara was not helping.
Katara watched as Percy snapped his head around so fast she thought for a second that his neck was going to break, but the thought left her when she made the mistake of looking into his eyes. Her heart almost stopped beating and she felt dread wash over her.
"I don't know what your issue is here, missy," Percy growled as he stalked up to Katara. When he got up close, the height difference forced both to tilt their necks to maintain eye contact. "I'm not part of this war, nor am I some bender from some Water Tribe."
Katara flinched and fought hard not to squirm under Percy's sudden dark gaze, but he wasn't done.
"I'm on my way to Ba Sing Se to make sure someone I know is safe before I find my way back. And in case you're still confused from whatever information disclosed to you, I'll give you the 'TLDR' version: Percy Jackson, yours truly, isn't from around here."
Sokka blinked at the weird words that the young adult used, trying to comprehend the phrases he heard. His attention snapped back as his brain narrowed on a piece of particular information and he quickly got in between Katara and Percy.
"Easy, easy," he tried, keeping his gaze on Katara and trying hard not to look at Percy. He made the mistake of turning over to the towering man and he instinctively felt shivers under his skin.
Percy's eyes had a different shade of green, reminding the Water Tribesman of the time they travelled under the depths of the Lake, but darker. The rest of his features were similar to his eyes, as if all light around him had been sucked out. Sokka felt like he was a small prey out in the wilderness, stalked by a large alpha wolf that successfully cornered him with its pack and was about to pounce at any moment.
This guy's intense. Way too intense
"You're not from around here?" not the best attempt to shift the direction of the conversation from the glare but Sokka could only manage to speak that much under the scrutiny of the towering man in front of him.
"He's lying," Katara managed to sputter out. "And where does 'here' even refer to?"
Percy was about to glare in the girl's direction again when someone else beat him to it and argued against Katara's point.
"Actually, he's telling the truth."
"Thank you," Percy said when he heard Toph take his side, his facial expression lightening. He snapped his head towards the short girl. "Wait? How'd you know?"
"I can feel your breathing and heartbeat," Toph said smugly. "When people lie, there's a physical reaction. You're telling the truth."
"But… but… "Katara was relieved that Percy was no longer glaring daggers at her or her brother, but the sudden shift in atmosphere made her uncomfortable as she felt her body stopped shaking. She found herself trying to find an argument against Toph's sudden support of the man. Her whole life she always understood the simple logic of the world: waterbenders come from the Water Tribes, Earthbenders from the Earth Kingdom, Firebenders from Fire Nation and Airbenders from Air Temples.
It's that simple. Wait, was the ground shaking just now?
Percy ignored the sputtered mess that was Katara and focused on Toph instead. "So you're basically a walking lie detector."
"Of course," the smile on Toph's face widened. "Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't see."
Percy found himself trying to process that information and the way it was worded to him. "So how do you see?"
"With my feet, dummy."
Percy looked down at the girl's feet, and realized she was barefooted. For some reason he was expecting eyeballs to appear on her toes like Argus. They didn't.
Sokka snapped out of his thoughts about an unexpected earthquake and Earthbender Thugs in the vicinity when he saw the confused look on Percy's face. At least he's not angry anymore.
"She has something I like to call 'Seismic Sense'," seeing Percy's blank look, Sokka tried to explain further. "Basically she can sense the vibration on the ground and create an image of her surroundings."
"So, her feet's also a radar," Percy remarked while raising an eyebrow.
"It sounds cool," Sokka pondered. "But what does a Ray-da even mean?"
"Don't look at me, I still don't know how it works," Percy raised his hands. Now, he really wished he had Leo's mad understanding on how technology works. Or at least paid more attention whenever the Son of Hephaestus had gone on his blabbering sprees on how some of the machines ticked.
"Guys, you may want to see this," Ying spoke up.
She and Than had shared an uneasy look at the exchange that transpired earlier between their new travel companion and the Waterbender girl, and wondered what they got themselves into when Percy looked like he was about to unleash Hell upon Katara. His furious look reminded them of someone who was considering between squashing their target with earth and skewering them with a pike. It didn't help that he could easily shift from annoyed to furious to stunned in a short time span. Though they did not understand the words that came out of the teens' mouths, seeing them past the point of cutthroat allowed them to release a breath neither knew were holding in.
Everyone looked up to the direction the mother of two had pointed and saw the all too familiar shape of a glider headed in their direction. Aang landed in front of them, the worrisome look on his face alerting his friends and travel companions.
"We've got a big problem."
Did I confidently say the Serpent scene was gonna be interesting?
*runs away from flying bronze spears and fireballs 2.0*
First off, sorry if this chapter is as chatty as the last one (if not more). Kinda wanted to put the Team's own reaction to Percy's abilities. Oh, and they're gonna learn about his heritage really, really soon. *Crosses fingers* hopefully. Maybe some of it
Andddd in case you're wondering how Percy can lift an oversized ice pole that could fit the serpent's mouth and toss it through the water, well he is given a power boost from water and maybeee he could control the currents to help him move the large dam thing. Or you could just say it's the power of 'plot-logic'. *shameless grin*
Oh and I took a wild guess and came to the crazy conclusion that Sokka was about 5' 6" (167cm) and Than looked slightly (just abit) taller in the animation so I said Than was the tallest in the travel group.
Percy is still ONE HEAD taller than Than. (6' 1" vs 5' 6" or 7")
What did he eat when he was a kid? Do blue cookies make people that tall? Does being the child of a god give you extra height? No, right?
Do they?
Or he's just the son of a "handsome" God and that probably entails him to godly genetics. Yes, that makes more sense than blue cookies.
Right?
By the way, I'm on Instagram and Twitter too. Just joined actually. I rarely update there and would only do so if I have an announcement to make (new story, a fic is done, an idea popped out in my head etc etc etc), but if you guys kinda like wanna just checkout what I would be up to in the near future my Fanfic username is the same with both Insta and Twitter (LaidEffect) :D
Also, I didn't like the idea that I usually left you guys wondering if I'm on hiatus or AWOL or would I ever update my fics without a word, so yea Twitter's for that (Insta too, though that's just for stuff).