New Rome was enthralled in celebration.
It had been years since a celebration of this magnitude had occured and, by the gods, they were going to celebrate. The streets ran red with wine, the colosseum was filled with celebrating Romans, even the praetor Reyna had a glass in celebration.
Two of the three heroes, Frank Zhang and Hazel LeVesque, were being toured around new Rome, sat atop Hannibal the war elephant. The great animal trumpeted its trunk as people threw gold streams into the streets. The party was in their honour, those two, as they were the ones who'd freed Thanatos the god of death and made it possible to send monsters back to Tartarus again.
Frank and Hazel both smiled and waved, their hands firmly clutched together, as the praise continued to rain over them. But in truth, their minds could barely focus on the party. They could only keep stealing glances in a certain direction. The direction their third member, and close friend, had firmly headed in.
The direction of the graveyard.
The graveyard of New Rome was vast. Vast and full. Many heroes laid there, their final resting place in the safety of New Rome to forever be remembered. It was considered a great honour to be buried here, amongst the legends, amongst the heroes.
Percy Jackson didn't care. He didnt care about any of that as he furiously dug at an empty plot. His hands had gone raw at this point, his palms leaking blood onto the wooden handle of his shovel. He ignored it, ignored the splinters in his hands too. He ignored the stiffness in his shoulders and the wounds he still nursed over his body from the quest he'd just been sent on, and the fact that his Achilles spot still had a slight ache in it. All he focused on was the hole he was digging.
Eventually he had decided it was deep enough. He pulled himself out and dusted himself off as he reached into his back pocket and fished something out. It was a photograph, and an old one at that. The edges were frayed and the corners rounded and there was a long crease down the middle where it had been folded in his pocket. That's not what he cared about, though.
It was a picture of Sally Jackson.
She looked young, so young and so happy. Her lips were pulled into a big beaming smile as she wrapped her arms around a young Percy who was laughing in the photo. It was at the beach. Percy flipped the photo around and read the writing on the back.
Montauk, 1999.
The place where they'd always go together, the place where she'd read him stories about the sea as he'd fall asleep, the place where she'd met his father and he'd ruined her life.
He tossed the photo in the grave as tears fell down his cheeks. He pushed the dirt back into the grave, flattening it before he hefted a tombstone over his head and struck it into the ground.
It was a simple thing, two pieces of wood nailed together with just enough space on it to write what he needed to.
"Sally Jackson, 1972- 2010, a mother and a hero."
It was crude, and not even close to what she deserved, but it was all he could manage.
He stood there for a moment in silence, letting the light breeze blow through his hair, ignoring all that surrounded him. He listened to the drumming of his heart in his ears, focusing on the sound, focusing on the feeling.
"Percy?"
He tried his best to ignore the voice, to push it from his mind. He hoped if he didn't respond, she'd leave, but she wouldn't. She cared too much for that.
"Percy? It's me. It's Hazel." The girl spoke to him with a voice so gentle it hurt. "What are you doing here?" She asked him.
"Go back to the party Hazel. It's in your honour, you've earned it." Percy replied, not a drop of emotion in his voice.
"The party's over, Percy, they called it off. There was an emergency." She took a step toward him, he kept facing away from her, staring at the grave. "Percy. Someone... burned down Neptune's shrine. They torched it to the ground, enough accelerant to melt the foundation."
He didn't move. He just stared.
"Percy?" She asked, reaching out to him. He turned towards her, stopping her in her tracks, before marching towards the town without a word. She followed him, a look of concern plastered across her face.
"Percy are you okay?"
"Percy?"
"Percy?"
"Perseus."
Percy groaned in semi consciousness. He felt like shit, like he had 10 hangovers all stacked in his brain, jumping up and down to get his attention. He cracked his eyes open, adjusting his eyes to the brightness and trying to gauge his surroundings. He was in his kitchen again, and tied to a chair, his arms tightly wound to the arms of the furniture, binding him to it. He gritted his teeth and struggled against his bonds, shifting his chair side to side as he did.
"Perseus." The voice repeated, bringing his attention to his front. A scowl worked it's way across his face.
Hunters. Hunters of Artemis and Artemis herself. She looked (unsurprisingly) exactly the same as last time. Auburn hair, olive skin, silver eyes. A bow across her back covered by a silver track suit and silver knives at her waist.
She had a foreign look on her face, one Percy could almost discern as concern.
Perseus." She repeated, firmer this time, as she took a step forward. He scowled, glaring daggers in her direction.
"What." He hissed, venom dripping off his voice. A hunter to her right stepped forward, hand raised in a clear move to slap him. He let her get close before he brought his leg up and kicked her hard in the stomach with enough force to send her flying into her sisters and him back into his counter. Bows were drawn and arrows were notched pretty well immediately, with the only thing stopping their flight being Artemis' shout.
"No!" She yelled to her hunters, "Do not harm him."
"Why not?" Percy laughed from across the kitchen, still struggling against his bonds. "We've got breaking and entering, unlawful detainment, why not stack murder on top?" He couldn't believe he was quoting work stuff.
Artemis let out a frustrated sigh. "Perseus, enough, please-"
"Oh are we asking nicely now?" He asked in a harsh tone. "Are we asking nicely? Well what are we asking, Artemis? Hmm?" He demanded, leaning forward as he did. "Because I swear, if it's another fucking prophecy..."
"You watch your tongue, boy!" One of the hunters called out from behind their goddess. He tensed at the words, before noticing something.
He looked down. His feet were free.
Oh, big mistake he thought to himself as he stood up and jumped backwards, landing on his chair and smashing it to pieces. The hunters surged forward immediately, but he was already on his feet and moving toward his knife block. He reached for the third knife on the left, praying he hadn't moved it at some point.
He hadn't.
He pulled the knife out, a simple blade of celestial bronze, and spun around in an arc bringing the knife around with him. The hunters pulled back as he did, narrowly dodging his errant swings. He held them back, holding the dagger with as much of a threatening look as he could in a pair of boxers.
"Not a fucking step closer." He said, slowly waving the knife in their direction. He pointed the blade at Artemis and said a single word.
"Talk."
She stepped forward, hands raised and arms stiff, her silver eyes steady and firm in the presence of this danger.
"Have you been here the whole time?" She asked, her voice low. She knew she needed to be careful with her words, considering where she was.
"I have." He replied. "How did you find me?"
"By accident." She replied, "This was merely a coincidence that we discovered you here."
"Aww." He replied in a mocking tone, "that's so sweet. Well I hope you've enjoyed this little meetup and intend to never repeat it." He said, shifting over to his right.
"Perseus." She pressed, "We have been looking for you, all of us. The Gods' search hasn't stopped, not unless Hades were to report your death. Poseidon himself has sacked the seas, unwavering in his search for the last 5 years." She said, sincerity in her tone.
"I'm so touched." He said, moving again towards his counters. "You guys lose your number one errand boy and everyone pitches in to find him. What's the matter, got another prophecy and no fools left to die for it?" He asked, pulling open one of his drawers and digging through it.
"No, Perseus, we have no intention of-" Her voice stopped in her tracks as he pulled a revolver out of his drawer and pointed it directly at her head, pulling the hammer back as he did so. The hunters behind her tensed, their bows still drawn.
"Shut up." He said, his tone unwavering. "You shut up and you listen. I know what happens when gods are in Alaska, I know how it weakens you, and I know you can sense what these bullets are made of." He stated, giving the pistol a shake. "Celestial bronze, silver, and imperial gold alloy. Took a lot of each metal and a lot of time to make. Luckily I've had both."
He stepped forward, just enough to make a point but not enough to put the gun in reach of her hands. "Here's what's going to happen. You and every hunter in this building are going to swear on the Styx, swear on Olympus, swear on the fucking leash around Cerberus' neck, I don't care. You're gonna swear to forget me, forget you ever saw me, and never mention it to anyone. I'm done, you hear me? I'm not coming back."
Artemis stayed perfectly still. She didn't want to admit it, but she was scared. Scared of him, and how much hate he had for her and the other gods. This wasn't the same Perseus she'd known, the same boy who'd held the sky for her. She was saved when a familiar voice spoke up.
"Not coming back, huh? Not even for an old friend, kelp head?"
Percy's gaze softened. His body language changed and his grip lightened on the gun. He turned to the crowd, locking eyes with a pair of electric blue orbs.
"Thalia..." he breathed. She looked... different. Like she was aging again. Her hair was a bit longer, her body a bit fuller, her face a bit more feminine. She walked forward with confidence, k owing damn well he wasn't going to threaten her.
"Thalia, I-" He couldn't get the words out before fist was driven into his face. His gun slid across the floor and the knife clattered across the other way. He fell back into the counter as another fist caught him in the stomach, doubling him over. She grabbed him by his shirt and held him up, making him look her in the eye.
"What is wrong with you." She hissed, tears welling in her eyes. "You get stabbed through the chest, fall off a cliff, and disappear. You make everyone think you're gone and this whole time, this whole FUCKING TIME, YOU'RE UP IN ALASKA BEING SHERIFF IN SOME FUCKING TOWN!" she roared in his face.
He took a deep breath, running his hand over the bruise she'd left on his cheek. "I'm a deputy, actually." He replied. She scoffed and stepped back.
"Unbelievable. Un-fucking-believable. You got any idea how many people are looking for you, Percy Jackson? Hmm?" she demanded, before she started listing people off, holding up a finger after every name. "Frank and hazel have been scouring Canada looking for any sign, Leo, Piper, and Jason have spent so much time on the southern border that the last two are practically fluent in Spanish, Tyson hasn't left the ocean in years Perce..." She took a step forward, jamming a finger in his face. "And Annabeth, how could you do that to her? She still says your name in her sleep you-"
It was Percy's time to step forward. He swatted Thalia's hand out of his face and jammed his own finger in hers. "Don't you talk about her like you know a damn thing, Thalia." He sneered, as Thalia took a step back. "I've made my choices for reasons you couldn't possibly understand."
He took deep breaths as he tried to calm himself. His kitchen sink was shaking at this point, the water in the pipes responding to his raw emotion. Thalia stood still, a bit in shock at the way he'd responded. His breath was heavy and his eyes filled with rage. He didn't seem like the Percy she had known at all.
Artemis stepped forward again, still in unrest despite Percy's gun being across the room.
"Percy." She said, using his preferred name. "I think you know who we're here for." She said insistently. He closed his eyes, trying to hold back his emotion.
"I do." He said.
"How long has she been here for." Artemis pressed in a gentle voice, taking a step forward.
"Seven, almost eight years." He said, before letting out a dry chuckle. "Been trying to get out ever since I showed up though."
"Yes, I can't imagine why." She said, glancing at the gun on the floor. "Do you have any idea how this is possible? How she got here?" Artemis pressed.
Percy clicked his tongue. "I have some ideas. Some... other gods may have been involved."
Artemis frowned and looked away. "Other gods, then this is worse than I thought..."
"She can't leave." Percy said, getting her attention again. She looked up at him with a cocked eyebrow.
"I beg your pardon?"
"She can't leave. There's a curse, or maybe it's because she died? I'm not sure. But she can't leave." He said, leaning back into his counter with a frown. "Although I'm sure she'd love to now."
Artemis frowned. "I suspected as much. I felt her presence leave the stars immediately after I'd put her there, but I'd never imagined she'd have been brought here of all places."
"Yeah, you and me both." He replied, walking over to grab his gun off the floor, uncocking the hammer, and dropping it back in his drawer.
"Are we done here?" He asked.
"No, not even close." Artemis replied, crossing over to him. She snapped her fingers and he was suddenly fully clothed in blue jeans, his boots, and a red flannel over his white shirt. He stepped back in shock, pressing his hands to the clothes, and taking note of how her black cloak had glowed with symbols as she'd snapped.
"Your powers, you-"
"Can use them here." She confirmed, gesturing at her robe. "Compliments of the magic of Hecate."
He shook his head. "You were never in any danger at all." He concluded.
"No, but the rest of my hunters were. Couldn't have you putting slugs in anyone." She replied. "Percy, I understand you have very... strong emotions regarding your family. But I have two problems here. One, I need to talk to my old friend, one I have not seen I years and one I wish to speak with alone." She said, taking a step forward. "Two, you have some explaining to do to a large number of people in New York."
His eyes widened, and his teeth clenched. "Don't you dare-"
"Just for a day, Percy. Spend a day there, and I'll send you right back. Just let them know you're okay. Don't worry, I'll make sure Zoe knows where her friend went."
He opened his mouth to protest but she snapped her fingers and he felt himself surrounded by light, before plopping down in a very familiar room in a very familiar big house in front of a very familiar centaur. The old horse looked up at him, having been sat at his desk hunched over an old book, Percy had caught him in the middle of flipping a page. His hands fell though as he caught sight of the young man who'd appeared in his office. His jaw dropped, his eyes went wide, he was speechless for a minute as Percy stood there, his mouth a firm line.
"By gods." The centaur breathed, and Percy could swear there were tears in his eyes, "Percy?"
Percy let out a sigh, and fell into a chair that had conveniently been right behind him. He held out his arms before dropping them to his thighs and shot the old centaur a tired smile.
"In the flesh."
They spoke for probably around 20 minutes, but with the amount of words spoken it felt like hours. Chiron had, admittedly, dozens upon dozens of questions for Percy. They ranged from where have you been, to, have you been dead this whole time, to even, have you made sure to eat enough protein. He asked questions up until and even after Percy had disappeared, making the young man paint a detailed map of every event that had transpired surrounding his disappearance.
Their conversation eventually turned from a borderline interrogation to a more casual conversation. They laughed, shared stories, and caught each other up to the best of their ability. Percy didn't really like to or want to admit it but goddamn he'd really missed the old horse.
"I'm sorry, Chiron." Percy said at some point near the end of their conversation. "I know it hasn't been easy for you with me being gone, but... if it's any consolation I've been quite happy in my isolation."
Chiron let out a chuckle and placed a hand on his shoulder from across the desk. "I hold no ill wills, my boy. You're a clever man, always have been, and a selfless one. I trust you did what you did with good intentions in mind."
Percy felt a pang of guilt through his heart, but buried it. "So... do they know I'm here?" He asked, pointing up at the sky.
"I'd imagine they knew the second you left Alaska." Chiron replied, giving his thick beard a stroke. "They've been looking for you, Percy. Everyone has."
"I know." Percy replied, "Artemis made that very clear. In honesty Chiron I was hoping you'd all just... forget about me." Percy admitted.
The Centaur gave his head a shake. "Not a chance, my boy. Heroes don't just fade from memory in a few years." He let out a soft laugh, "Why, if you saw the monument Annabeth designed for you, your jaw would hit the floor. She made certain no one would forget."
Percy felt his jaw clench involuntarily at her name. "Yes well... she's always jumped at opportunities to design, hasn't she?" Percy said.
Chiron frowned as he watched the young man's eyes drop and his mood sour at her name. Chiton was a smart man, and Percy wasn't too hard to read.
"Percy, what happened between you two? I've been trying to drag it out of her for years and she wont budge. I must say, I normally don't concern myself with the personal affairs of heroes, but my curiosity has gotten the better of me." He said.
Percy stood up, putting his hands in his pockets as he grimaced at the floor.
"Maybe another day, old friend." He said, faming a smile at his old mentor. Chiron nodded uncertainly, silently reading Percy's true emotions in his eyes.
"What time is it Chiron?" Percy asked, glancing out a window at the dark sky.
"Around 7 a.m." He answered before grinning, "Planning on seeing the camp?"
"Maybe." Percy said, "just so long as I don't run into any... old friends."
Camp was different.
It was the same, don't be mistaken, still that same assortment of cabins in a U shape (albeit with new cabins for the minor gods) with the same lava spraying rock wall and the same open pavilion dining area and the same sparring arena and the same chariot track, but it just felt... different.
There was more stuff around. More weapons racks stacked in the empty spaces between cabins, more seats in the dining pavilion, more structures scattered around. There was a second building, a short wide structure with a concrete slab roof that sat next to the big house that Percy couldn't help but let his curiosity wander to. He had tried the door, but it was locked, so he b-lined for his next stop.
The Poseidon cabin.
He tried sneaking up. Despite it being pretty early in the morning, he presumed there were still at least some demigods wandering around, and he'd prefer if no one he knew noticed he was back.
He marched up to the Poseidon cabin, giving the door handle a twist and realizing it was locked.
"For fuck sakes..." He grumbled under his breath and instead cracked open the window next to the door with his elbow, reaching in and unlocking it. He opened the door and stepped in, taking a deep breath of room. It smelled like the sea, it smelled like home. He gave his head a light shake. Focus, he told himself.
He walked over to his bunk, at least the one he'd remembered always using, and checked his bedside table, rummaging through the drawers as he looked.
"Come on... come on... They've gotta be here."
He pulled open a drawer and felt a slight tug at his heart and his chest clench. There they were, his necklace from so many years ago, covered in dust, sure, but still his. He plucked it up and wrapped it around his neck, relishing the feeling of having it back on. He ran his hand over the beads as he looked back into the drawer and found the other thing he was looking for. His heart tightened.
A picture of his mom. The last one that ever existed. It was a simple photo, her and Paul on their wedding day. She looked so happy, so full of life. Her smile beamed at Percy as he felt tears well in his eyes. He grabbed the frame, slamming it onto his bunk, shattering it. He pulled the photo out of the wrecked wood, holding it in his hands as he discarded the frame on the floor. He stared at the photo, running his hand over his mothers face.
It was right where he'd left it.
Right where he'd left it
Right where he'd left it.
Reyna didn't quite know how to react as Percy stood before her, holding out a thin leather necklace with an assortment of wooden beads on them. The strap was old, that was evident, but the beads hadn't worn down a bit. The entire time she'd known him he'd worn it, why was he giving it to her now? He held it with certainty in his eyes.
"What do you mean you want me to take it?" Reyna asked.
He grimaced. "Reyna, just listen, I need you to take it." He began, "Take it and bring it to camp half-blood. Bring it to the Poseidon cabin, find my bunk, and put it on the picture I have in by dresser drawer."
She looked at him incredulously, her arms crossed in front of her chest. "Percy, why are you asking me this? Why do you need me to do this? I'm not following here, why -"
"No more questions, Reyna. Please, I know I can trust you with this." He said, taking a step forward and lightly taking her hand in his. He opened her palm and placed the necklace in it, closing her hand around it. "Look, if there was ever anything here, between us..." He said, looking her in the eye as she blushed at his words, "...then let it be what makes you do this."
She looked down for a moment, her hand still tightly gripping the necklace, before she pulled it to her chest, before looking back up at him with tears in her eyes.
"What are you going to do, Percy?" She asked, her voice weak and breaking.
His expression darkened, "If I'm lucky, disappear, and never be their plaything again."
She was still for a moment, thinking about his words, before she nodded and left the room, the necklace still firm in her grasp. Percy was about to leave too, until he felt it, felt the other person in the room, standing in the corner. An invisible person, standing there with a magical Yankees cap on. A person he hadn't realized was there until his godly blood sensed her tears hitting the floorboards.
He snapped back to reality as he heard a horn call in the courtyard. He cursed under his breath and immediately ducked behind his bunk. Now he'd done it, he'd gone and gotten himself well and truly fucked. He slinked over to the window, peering out as he watched campers file out towards the pavilion. All he had to do now was wait...
"Hey! What happened to the Poseidon cabin?" He heard a voice call out from outside.
"Shit." Percy hissed under his breath. He whirled his head around, looking for an escape. He found it in the form of an open window in the back of the cabin. He shoved the photo of his mother in his back pocket and sprinted for the window, grabbing a camp half-blood zip up hoodie from a bunk as he did and throwing it over his outfit and pulling the hood over his head. He dived out the window, pressing himself to the outer wall of the cabin as he heard some people enter the cabin.
They mumbled some things Percy couldn't hear and he heard them pick up the glass from the shattered photo frame. It wasn't until he was sure they'd gone that he got up and started making his way back to the big house. He tried blending into the crowd, ducking his head and not standing out too much, but it's a bit difficult when you're a fully grown man in a camp of mostly teens. He couldn't exactly wallflower his way through an open pavilion either.
He happened a glance up at the pavilions main stage and caught a glance of Chiron up there, a microphone in front of him. He spoke into it while excitedly cantering back and forth in place.
"Heroes! Warriors! I have an important announcement to make."
Oh shit, Percy though to himself, as he picked up his pace toward the big house.
"As some of you know, there's been a stirring on Olympus. I'm certain many of you heard news of the... surprise guest who showed up in the Olympic council yesterday." He said, "A rather shocking introduction was made, but I digress."
Percy kept moving, he kept going towards the big house, he was just about a third the way there.
"That news, however, is not what concerns us. No, the news refers to the seven!" He announced, gesturing over. Percy looked up to see two members of the seven up there with him, Leo and Annabeth. He took in the faces of his old friends. They all looked basically the same, save for some new scars and a but more muscle on their frames. They'd aged, but not in the way he had, they were still the same people, just older.
"These heroes, as you may know." Chiron continued, "Lost one of their allies during the second giant war. A great hero. Perseus Jackson."
C'mon, drag it out a bit longer. Percy though to himself, almost halfway to the big house.
"However." Chiron continued, "I bring good news, news of his status." They both perked up at that, smiled drawing across their faces. Percy couldn't help but take a moment to stare at Annabeth, who's eyes lit up in a way that he hated to admit made his heart tighten.
"Our hero, Perseus, has returned to us." He said, as Percy barely cleared the crowd, almost to the big house.
"And, well... he's right there." Chiron finished, a bit sloppily as Percy assumed he didn't have time to finish his speech once he'd spotted Percy rushing through the crowd.
Percy froze on the spot, feeling the crowd go quiet. He wasn't facing them. He'd left the crowd and was facing the big house. He didn't move for a moment, kinda just hoping he'd sink into the ground, or float off into the sky, or Artemis would decide he had suffered enough and flash him back home.
Home, this place used to be home for him.
He took a deep breath as Chiron cleared his throat into the microphone. Percy turned around, pulling his hood off as he did. He took in all the stares, which there were quite a few of to be fair.
He shifted nervously in place as Chiron cleared his throat into the microphone again.
"Percy." He said gently, "Why don't you come up here and address everyone?"
Percy took a deep breath and started making his way over to the stage. Every step he took felt like he was walking through molasses. Every breath he took felt like fire in his lungs. It felt like he was back in the pit.
Back in Tartarus
"I never loved you."
His eyes snapped open as he was suddenly standing in front of the microphone, wringing his hands together nervously. He looked out over the crowd, at the old faces and the new. He felt like he was going to puke, even though he didn't normally get stage fright. Chiron stepped forward.
"Yes, well, campers. This man is Perseus Jackson. You all already know who he is I'm sure, and I'm sure you all have many questions to ask him!" Chiron turned to Percy with a look that clearly said are you up for that? Percy let out a short nod.
"Uh... does anyone have any questions?" Percy asked, rubbing the back of his head.
90% Percent of the pavilion raised their hands immediately.
Percy let out a short sigh and pointed to one of the campers, a son of Hermes by the looks of it. "You. Go."
"Did you really fight Kronos and win?" The boy asked.
"I fought him but... someone else killed him." He admitted, using all his willpower to not look over at Annabeth, who's gaze he could feel on the back of his head. He pointed at another camper.
"Can you really control water?"
Percy flicked his hand and all the water that was in the audience, be it cups, or bottles, or rain water, flew into the air, landing on a fire that had been in one of the hearths surrounding the pavilion.
"Yes." Percy said, before pointing at another camper. "You, go."
"Did you really meet my dad?" The girl asked, she was probably no older than 12.
"Is your dad Apollo?" Percy asked the girl, she nodded. "Yeah, I flew in his chariot with him." The girl's mouth dropped agape and Percy had to smile at that. He pointed at another camper.
"Are you here to save us from the next big threat?"
Percy froze, his previous smile falling from his face as he did. He was silent for a moment, staring off into space as he registered what the boy had said. Next big threat, next big threat, next big fucking threat.
He looked over at Chiron, who cantered nervously at his look.
"So that's why you brought me here." He said, accusation dripping from his tone. His teacher took a step forward.
"Percy, it's not-" Percy held up his hand, silencing him. He turned back to the crowd.
"I have a question for you all, now." He said, "Why do you think you're here?" He asked in a mock announcer tone. The campers looked around nervously as the hero of Olympus glared out over them. His line of sight shifting over the crowd as he waited for someone to speak up.
"You." Percy said, pointing at a camper. "Why do you think you're here?" He asked.
"To become a hero." The camper answered.
"Wrong." Percy replied, he pointed at another camper. "What about you?" He asked
"To prepare ourselves for the outside world." The girl answered confidently.
"Nope." Percy replied. He pointed at a rather buff looking son of Ares. "What about you?" He asked.
"To prepare us to die honorably in battle." The boy declared confidently. Percy let out laugh that wiped the look from his face. Percy chuckled a bit to himself, clapping while he did, giving a short applause to no one. Campers looked around nervously as he did, confused at the actions of the son of Poseidon. He turned to Chiron.
"Oh they've really got them fooled, don't they?"
Chiron looked at him with a sad look.
"Percy..." He tried, but the young man turned away.
Percy turned back to the crowd as he took off his flannel. "You want to know why you're here? I'll show you. Its not for glory, or honor, or anything like that." He pulled his shirt up and showed his body to the room. "It's this."
The pavilion acted accordingly. Some stared, others turned away, some looked like they were going to be sick. Percy held up his arms, showing off all the scars that lined them. He did a little spin, showing those still looking the exit wound on his back. A couple more turned away. As his back was turned, he finally let his emotions get the best of him. He stared at Annabeth.
She had a sickening look on her face. A look of disgust and realization and sadness all at once that twisted her expression accordingly. It... it wasn't fun look at her like that, to see her with that expression, even if he at least partially believed she deserved what she was feeling, he didn't like it.
Her eyes lingered on the massive scar that ran up his midsection. The scar from the sword that he'd taken for her.
"I can't just abandon my family Percy!'"
His eyes dropped from her face as he turned away, facing back towards the crowd. "This is why you're here." He said bitterly, gesturing to his body. "You're not here to be heroes or to save the world or to have a happily ever after." He spat, as if the words were poison on his tongue. "You're here to do as they command." He said, jamming a finger at the sky. "Until you're broken, and battered, and have nothing left to give." He angrily put his shirt back down, "Then they put your name on a statue and call it even." Thunder rolled through the sky, but it didn't dissuade the son of Poseidon at all.
He hopped off the stage, landing with a thump as he marched back to the big house. His fists were clenched at his sides as he walked, his glare pointed at the ground. People moved as he marched.
He made sure they were all behind him before he let any tears fall from his eyes.
Camp half blood was quiet that day.
Normally on any given day of the week the camp would be bustling. People would be going about the camp, either training, or building, or working on something. There would be voices in the air, and laughter too. Old campers would be teaching the young how to fight, satyrs would be lounging in the fields, campers would be canoeing in the lake. Sure, there were still some activities being done, and some campers wandering about doing the odd task, but it was quiet, and nobody really wanted to say why out loud.
Percy Jackson, and his speech.
There was a stir in the mood when it had happened. A lot of the people watching were new campers who had only heard about him, about his tales of his heroism, of his acts. How he had saved the world over and over again. Many of them had never met him and, frankly, never thought they would. He wasn't just a person to them, he was a legend. People obsessed over him, and his friends. Whenever a member of the seven would show up in camp they would always be asked at least once about Percy Jackson. What was he like? Was he kind? Or brave? Was he as handsome as they'd heard?
In less than 2 minutes he'd answered every question they could've possibly had about him.
And now he was in the big house, puking his guts out into the bathroom attached to Chiron's office.
He heaved over the bowl, gripping the rim as sweat poured off his face, soaking his brow line.
He wiped his forehead as Chiron walked into the room, looking at him through the doorway. He had a sad look on his face, a look of wayward thought and disappointment that could only be shown properly on a face that was thousands of years old.
"Are you alright, my boy?" Chiron asked him, leaning against the doorframe. Percy fell back onto his ass, spitting a last bit of puke into the toilet as he did.
"Never better." He grumbled, looking at the centaur with frustration in his eyes. "Why did you do that?"
"Didn't have much of a choice, son." Chiron answered solemnly. "It was either I say it or an Olympian says it, and I don't think your little speech would've gone as well if they were present."
Percy scoffed. "I don't care what they think of me, and I would hope the feeling were mutual." Another roll of thunder made Percy glance up at the sky. "I suppose not."
"Percy..." Chiron said, taking a step toward the door frame.
"How do you use this thing?" Percy asked, gesturing towards the toilet, "I mean, you know, with all the centaur..." He jiggled his fingers in Chiron's direction, "...parts."
"Percy." Chiron pressed, straightening up, "there's people who need to talk to you. The rest of the seven have already been notified and are on their way, but those here-"
"If they're more than a day out they won't catch me." Percy said, standing up and brushing past Chiron, making his way over to his desk. "Artemis was very clear, just one day Perseus, I don't intend to make my presence any longer than that."
"Percy..." Chiron pleaded, but was cut off again.
"Do you have any liquor?" Percy asked, rummaging around Chiron's desk.
"This is a camp for children, Percy, and it's eight a.m." Chiron answered, exasperated.
"Yes, a camp for thousands of half God children that you personally train." Percy replied, cocking an eyebrow at him. "And this is me in this camp."
Chiron rolled his eyes, and approached him tossing him a key. "Bottom drawer, left side."
Percy smiled and unlocked it, pulling out an ancient looking bottle of liqueur. He uncorked it and took a swig, gagging almost instantly.
"What is that? Gasoline?" He asked, spitting it out.
"It's 3000 year old rum." Chiron answered, gently taking the bottle from his hand and putting it back in the drawer. He had poured Percy a glass of water from the bathroom as Percy went to drink, probably expecting it to happen, and handed it to Percy, which Percy gulped down.
"Percy, listen. The Gods are on their way. They're bringing a visitor as well, one you know personally."
Percy's expression tightened. "Thor..."
"You know him?" Chiron asked, amazed at the boy's godly relations.
"Yeah. Helped him fix a boat. Charming fellow, bit less of an ego than his Greek lightning spewing counterpart, too." Thunder rumbled again at his words.
"This is good. If he's made contact with you already it means he can be trusted. He wouldn't have let you live if he were a threat. He surely knows how dangerous you are." Chiron explained, stroking his beard as he did.
Percy leaned back against Chiron's bookshelf, setting the glass down on his desk and crossing his arms as he did. "Chiron, there's something else you should know. Something about Alaska." He said, a serious yet thoughtful look in his eye. "I don't really know who else to tell this."
"What is it, Percy?" Chiron asked, his voice full of concern.
"There's someone else there, another hero. Someone who died a long time ago." Percy replied, his hands tight fists as his face took on a more concerned look. "I don't really want her getting wrapped up in all this."
"Do I know this person, Percy?" He asked, his brow furrowed in thought.
Percy nodded, "Yeah, she's-"
He stopped suddenly, his body going rigid. Chiron noticed the reaction and stepped back nervously.
"Percy?" He asked, before Percy raised his hand.
Percy's eyes narrowed as he uncrossed his arms, glaring over the room. His eyes hovered until he focused on a corner of the room that was emptier than the others. He flicked his wrist and the remaining water in his glass shot out from the desk across the room as a fine mist, spraying the corner, leaving a human shaped patch of dryness outlined on the wall.
He stayed still, fists clenched at his sides, as the figure slowly reached up and took the Yankees cap off, allowing blonde hair to fall down her shoulders, her grey eyes staring at him.
"He's the one I should've been with, not you!"
"He gave me what I was meant to have all along."
"Percy, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. The river, it... it makes you see things, makes you do things you wouldn't do."
"You're still my Seaweed Brain."
He clenched his hands tight, squaring his jaw.
Percy's gaze was locked on the floor, right between her legs. He didn't look up, he barely breathed, he tried his best to show nothing even as his mind spun with thought. He just looked at the spot on the floor between her feet.
"Right, well... Perhaps we can have this discussion another time." Chiron said, as he nervously left the room, shutting the door behind him. It was just him and her now. Alone, a million thoughts going through either of their minds.
Him and her.
Him and her.
Him and her.
They dragged him. His body was beaten, broken. He was covered in cuts and bruises, his left eye swollen shut as blood dripped from his busted lip. He tried to put up a fight, tried to push them off him, but they were stronger than him, much more so. They pulled him down, deeper and deeper into the cavern, pulling him until they brought him to a pair of chains on the floor, one on either side if the room.
He struggled when he saw them, when he saw the chains. He struggled as best he could before a fist was driven into his midsection. He doubled over as they grabbed his arms, chaining him to the wall, spread across the cavern.
He laid for a moment, hoping he'd find some peace in the silence m, if even for a moment. But no, there was no peace in Tartarus. Especially none for him. He raised his head, watching as a figure came out of the darkness. Tan skin, blonde hair, a scar on his cheek.
Golden eyes.
The figure walked forward, kneeling down next to Perseus. It was barely existing, appearing only to be a floating mass of dust hovering over the ground as it moved towards him. It hadn't fully formed yet, and would take millennia to do so again, but it was more than enough. The figure leaned in close as it whispered in Percy's ear.
"I am but a suggestion, a gentle invitation, Perseus Jackson. I am a simple image, with no control to be had. Her choice she makes, it is her own. I want you to know that."
The figure stepped back as another stepped forward. A girl, with blonde hair and grey eyes, eyes that had the same wildness as she'd drank from the river. She stepped toward the man, running a palm over his face.
"Luke..." She spoke, her voice gentle.
"No Annabeth..." The boy in chains pleaded, the words choked up in his throat from the beating he'd taken.
She ignored him as she brought her other hand up, pulling the blonde man's face in for a passionate kiss. The boy in chains tried to look away, tried to close his eyes, until a monster appeared behind him, grabbing him by the hair and pressing a knife to his throat.
"Out master demands you watch." The monster whispered into his ear.
Percy gritted his teeth, tears welling in his swollen eyes as the girl pressed the blonde man against the wall, pulling his shirt over his head as he did the same to herself. The chained boy felt the tears start to fall as he hissed out a futile protest.
"No."
"No."
No.
His eyes snapped open, his fists still clenched. He felt a warm feeling run down his hand and realized that he'd cut his hand open with his fingernails. He looked down, refusing to look at her. Hard thing, too, she was as beautiful as he remembered. Her blonde curls cascaded around her face, her storm grey eyes shone in the morning light. Her face was still perfect, still a perfect collection of facial features that made Percy's heart melt whenever he looked at her.
That's why he stared at the floor.
He stared, and she stood, and there was just silence. Deafening, smothering, heavy silence. Silence that years ago would've lasted all of a few seconds before one of them broke it, silence that made Percy uncomfortable every second it went on for, silence that hurt to sit through, but he knew would hurt more to break.
Silence he knew wouldn't last. She knew it too, but neither broke it. They simply kept their gazes locked on whatever they were looking at until Percy's stubbornly talkative mind finally broke free of the chains he'd thrown around it.
"Hi."
Hi. That was the best he could do. The best he could manage to say after years of avoiding this exact interaction. Years of hiding from this across the country, years of planning what he would say to her if they ever spoke again, years of swapping between anger and sadness and regret and longing until his mind had just given up and settled on ignorance.
He finally had a chance to speak up, to ask questions, to get angry, to get sad, to do something, and what did he come up with?
Hi.
She didn't move, not at first. Kept her eyes locked on him and her arms tightened across her chest as she maintained her composure. It was making him nervous, which at least that hadn't changed about her, but it still wasn't preferable. He cleared his throat and leaned against Chiron's table as he let his gaze raise from the floor to her shoulder level.
"Are you gonna say something."
She didn't, not at first. But it was amde she was going through the same internal turmoil he was the second she opened her mouth and spoke.
"I have been thinking about this exact moment for years, Percy " Her eyes narrowed and her arms tightened across her chest, "For years and years I've thought about it. When you finally showed up again, because we both knew you would, what would I say to you? I've had five years to think about it."
She loosened her arms and let her eyes slip down to his chest, "You know what I want to do?"
He tensed, feeling his heart pound in his chest as his eyes finally made their way up to her face.
"What?"
She closed her eyes, "Punch you. Stab you. Call you an asshole. Call you a coward. Call you a lot of things."
Percy let his eyes slip back down to her shoulders as his eyes got a dark look in them. A dark, frustrated look, that showed the hurt he was feeling.
"Are you going to?"
She held for a second, then shook her head.
"No." Her eyes raised back up to his, "But I'm gonna ask you something, and I want you to answer."
He took a shaky breath and leaned a little more into the desk, "What's that?"
She took her own breath as her voice seemed to crack a bit.
"Why didn't you come back?"
He expected that, but that didn't make it any easier to answer. It just made it a lot harder because, well... shit, what was he supposed to say? I was scared of you, It hurt to much to think of seeing you again, I was too angry to be around this place after everything I'd been through. Every one of those options was a possibility, but another stood out in his mind.
I couldn't just leave Zoe.
He knew he couldn't say that, so he took a deep breath and said another thing that was weighing on his mind.
"Because I knew every time I'd look at you..." He closed his eyes as his mouth tightened into a straight line, "... that I'd just see him again."
He didn't clarify, but didn't need to. He knew she knew exactly what he was talking about the second he saw her eyes clamp shut and her arms tighten across her chest again.
She didn't answer, but he had some idea she wouldn't. They had both been walking on eggshells days entire time and he'd just went ahead and dropped a hand grenade on their path. He let out a deep sigh and grabbed the bottle of alcohol, this time drinking it without complaint, before setting it down and meeting her eyes.
"I don't want to fight with you." He said in a quiet tone, "But I need to know. It's all I've thought about for years and it's all I'll probably think about for the rest of my life if I don't ask."
Her gaze raised up and he took a shaky breath.
"Did you love him?"
She held her gaze for a moment, a whole bunch of emotion very clear in her eyes as another topic she'd probably thought about for years worked itself about in her brain.
She took a deep breath, and let it out, and met his eyes again.
"I didn't know how I felt until..." She caught herself, her lip twitched, and her voice broke, just enough to make that little part of his heart she still held hurt.
She closed her eyes and shook her head.
"...until it was too late."
He didn't move, his body remaining tense as he leaned into Chiron's desk, before he hissed out a breath through his nose and dropped his gaze.
"Why was it too late?"
She opened her eyes, and met his, and five years of frustration seemed to pour itself into the eights words she replied with.
"Because you'd already taken a sword through the stomach."
He closed his eyes and dropped his head and crossed his arms over his chest as a deep breath worked its way out of him.
"I hope you aren't..." He caught his voice wavering and closed his eyes tight, swallowing his emotions as he forced out what needed to be said Ina quiet voice, "I hope you aren't holding out for this."
He opened his eyes and met hers, and could tell those words weren't fun for her to hear. It wasn't fun for him either. She didn't reply, choosing to just give her head a soft shake.
He let out a breath through his nose and nodded, getting up off the desk.
"Good." He said in a weak tone, "For both of us, that's... that's good."
He didn't give her a chance to answer, he just grabbed Chiron's bottle and walked out of the room, leaving her on her own.
He left the office, then the big house, choosing to head out the back where no one would be watching. Partially because he didn't need any questions right now, and partially so no one would see when he downed the rest of the bottle in one go.
Percy paced through the camps training arena, winging his sword around as he did, practicing a few swings while simultaneously letting some frustration out. He needed to be alone, to focus, to think.
"Be careful Seaweed Brain."
The words from years ago echoed in his mind, louder than they ever had in the last five years. He scowled as he slashed at a practice dummy. His thoughts were crashing around his head like waves against the hull of a ship. He couldn't think straight, he couldn't focus, not here. He missed the calm that he'd known these last year's, the peace, he missed Alaska, he missed...
Zoe.
Her face glowed in his mind, a shining image in his head. She looked beautiful in his memory, magnificent. Her dark hair, her olive complexion, her onyx eyes. Her confidence, her bravery, her lack of any fear, her readiness to call him an idiot at any moment. He...
He missed her so much. He thought back to the events of yesterday, what had happened. He thought back to the kiss they'd shared, and the other ones they'd shared. He brought his hand up to his lips, remembering the feeling of hers. He remembered what he'd said to her in the car.
"You're all I've fucking got!"
He frowned, because now she wasn't all he had. He was back, back to the place where he had everything. His friends, his family, Her. He had everything all over again and, from the way people were acting, he could pretty easily slip back into a life here. Not the same life as before, but...
Here he had everything, everything that he had once been.
And yet, he had nothing.
Nothing
Nothing
"It's nothing, Perseus." Zoe told him, trying to pull her hand away.
He grimaced, reaching for her hand again. "No, it's certainly not nothing. It's something Zoe, you're hurt."
"Bah." She replied, "Tis but a scratch."
He looked at her incredulously, "Did you seriously just quote Monty python at me?" He asked her as he wrapped her hand in a bandage.
She gave him a confused look. "Who Is this... Monty python?" She asked him.
He sighed, "Well, I guess that's another movie to add to the list." He grumbled, wrapping up her wrist. She had a long cut that ran up her thumb and forearm. Not too deep, but deep enough.
"How'd you get this anyway?" He asked her. She looked away, in what he guessed was shame.
"I fell... climbing a tree." She admitted.
"Why were you climbing a tree?" He asked her.
"I thought I'd found a way out." She said, "at the top of a pine deep in the forest."
"And then you fell out of this tree?" He asked her, tightening off the bandage.
She hissed at the pain. "Yes, I fell, okay? I, the great huntress Zoe fell from a tree. Are you going to laugh at me?" She accused, a glare forming on her face.
"Not at all." He said, her glare falling.
"You won't?" She asked him.
"No." He replied, "But promise me something."
She grimaced as the bandage tightened around her wound.
"What is it?"
"Next time you climb a tree? Bring me, and I'll make sure to catch you if you fall." He said, still staring at her wound.
She smiled a bit at his words, a blush forming in her cheeks. "Thank you Perseus." She said, "I will."
"Good. And Zoe?" He asked, tying off her bandage.
She looked him in the eye, letting her gaze linger for a moment. "Yes?"
"It's just Percy." He said with a slight smile.
"Of course... Percy." She said, staring into his eyes. She let herself stare a bit longer than she needed. He didn't seem to complain, he just stared right back.
"Percy."
"Percy."
"Percy?"
He snapped out if his daze, feeling the smile that was on his lips start to fade. He whirled around to face who was talking to him, a slight smile forming across his mouth as he did.
"Hey Leo."
The boy was not entertained. He had his arms crossed and his feet together and his mouth pulled into an unimpressed frown.
"Hi Perce." He answered.
They were silent for a while, Percy not moving, nor Leo. They just looked at each other.
"So..." Leo began, "You met Thor?"
"Yeah " Percy replied, rubbing the back of his head.
"Is he like he is in avengers?" The boy asked, drumming his fingers on his crossed arm.
"No. He's... fatter. And hairier." Percy replied, "And he has a lot of braids."
"I see." Leo answered, kicking a pebble out from under his shoe. He let his lips spread into a smile. "Is his hammer as cool as mine?"
Percy smiled back. "Sorry hothead, it's about a million times cooler."
Leo let his smile grow into a grin. "Fat chance, Jackson. Mine makes fire."
"His has electricity." Percy countered.
"Jason has electricity, and he's lame as hell." Leo shot back.
"You gonna let him hear you say that?" Percy challenged.
"Maybe I will." Leo said, looking at Percy with pursed lips and a sly squint. "I've got a bodyguard now who's a lot scarier than me." He said, holding up his left hand which now had a ring in his ring finger. Percy's mouth dropped.
"You sneaky slippery son of a bitch." Percy chuckled, "Who's the lucky lady?"
"She's standing behind you." A voice said in his ear. Percy whirled around, not really expecting who he found.
"Calypso?"
The young lady smiled at him. She looked... well, just as beautiful as the day he'd left her on that island. Her light caramel hair, her dark eyes, her pale skin. She even still had on her white dress.
"Calypso? You... you're here. And..." He turned to Leo, "You're married? To Leo? How did-"
"It's a long story." Leo said, crossing over to his wife and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "A long, cute, romantic, sickeningly sweet story." He said as Calypso rolled her eyes and planted a kiss on her husband's cheek.
"Yes, a story you like to downplay even though you're the hero." She said, shaking her head, "Leave it to me to fall in love with the dumbest-"
"-And cutest" Leo cut her off.
She smiled, "-And cutest boy I could find." She smiled at Percy. "Now you. Where have you been? What on earth have you been so busy with that you couldn't come see us. You missed a wedding you know."
"A Spanish wedding, Perce." Leo said, "We even made a blue cake, in your memory."
Percy felt a bit of guilt in his heart. "You didn't have to do that." He said.
Leo let out a small frown. "There's a lot of things we didn't have to do, Perce." He rolled something in his hand, Percy caught sight of it. It was a skull ring.
Nico's ring.
Leo sighed slipping the ring into his pocket.
"That's not important. What's important is you're back." He said, throwing his free hand in the air, "And dios mio hallelujah for that."
Percy chuckled, before letting his face turn a little serious. "Leo, you should know. I'm not here to stay." He said, watching his old friends face fall.
"I suspected as much." Leo admitted. We've heard a little about your... situation. Seems like you're enjoying your status pretty well."
Calypso put a hand on her husband's chest.
"We're happy for you Percy. Even if you choose to go, well... it's not like it's anything I'm not used to." She said in a tough, yet kind tone.
"That was a really good line." Percy grumbled, rubbing the back of his head nervously, "If it's any consolation I'll let you know where I am this time."
"Percy." Leo asked, looking his friend in the eyes, "Why didn't you come back until now?"
Percy stayed quiet for a moment, feeling the breeze go through his hair as he thought.
"I was scared of seeing her." He admitted.
Leo shook his head. "That's deep, man. Deep and sappy. Some serious romance for the ages shit."
Calypso slapped her husband's chest. He gave her a look. "... stuff. That's some serious romance for the ages stuff."
"It's not romance." Percy replied bitterly, staring at the ground, making them both look at him in concern. "Not anymore."
Leo reached out, touching his friend on the arm.
"Well... we're here for you buddy. Whatever you're going through, with her, if you want to talk about it." He said, Percy smiling at his kind words. "But not right now." He said, pulling his wife tight, "Our little Esperanza should be up any second now and we need to make sure she doesn't set her crib on fire. Again."
Percy looked up in shock, "Esperanza? Did you two- You have a- wait what?"
Leo smiled at his friend, before rubbing Calypso on the stomach. " And another on the way. Remember Percy, five years. Lot's can happen."
They turned and walked off, leaving a dumbstruck Percy standing in the training arena.
Percy marched across the camp, his shoulders drawn tight. He couldn't believe it. He definitely enjoyed believing it, and was happy while he believed it, but he couldn't believe it. Leo and Calypso. Not only in love, not only married, but with a baby, and another on the way.
He couldn't help but smile at the thought. His feet padded across the floor, a pep in his step as he walked towards the big house. He liked kids, as well as one could. He wondered what Leo's daughter looked like, if she had Leo's eyes, or Calypso's hair, or if she was as feisty as leo, or as nurturing as Calypso..
He started wondering about kids. About having his own kids. He wondered about how he'd raise his kids, surely his house could handle a couple? He'd probably have to get dozens, if not hundreds of tips from Freya and Erik. Would their kids be friends? What would his kids look like? Would they have his black hair and green eyes, or maybe her dark brown hair and onyx eyes? Would they be as foolhardy as him, or as brave as her? Would they-
He froze, as he realized the context and content of his thoughts. He breathed a deep breath and focused, shaking the ideas out. Looking a little too far ahead there, Jackson he thought to himself. He kept walking towards the big house.
The day was getting late, and as much as he'd been surprised at how nice certain aspects of camp had been (notably beating his long standing record on the rock wall) he needed to get home.
He approached the big house, feeling a sense of regret. He could just stay. The idea skirted across his mind for a moment, his memories of this place pulling him deeper and deeper into the idea that staying wasn't so bad.
Zoe. No, he couldn't stay, and didn't want to either. She was still back home, in Alaska, and he could not, no, would not abandon her.
"You're all I've fucking got!"
He wanted to keep it that way.
He opened the door to the big house, hearing voices from Chiron's room. He frowned slightly, worried about who might be there. He turned the corner and entered the room, holding his breath the whole way. He grabbed Chiron's door handle, twisting it and opening the door.
It was Thor. The old god was stood there, still in his jumpsuit, still with his braids, and still with his hammer sitting on Chiron's desk.
He turned to Percy and smiled. "Percy! My boy, me and your lovely teacher here were just discussing you!" He turned back to chiron, "And your turbulent history with storm gods. A bolt in your hands at age 12? stuff of legend right there."
Percy went to nod, before movement from the corner behind him grabbed his attention. He turned and saw him. Him. There he was. There he stood, with his board shorts, and his hawaiian shirt, and his sun crinkled smile. He beamed at Percy who stood frozen before him.
"Percy." Poseidon said, "At last I've found you, son."
Percy stood still for a moment, before he took a step forward, and another, then another. He got closer and closer to Poseidon who beamed at him with pure joy at his son. The son he'd lost, the son he'd missed for years, the so he'd scoured the seas for.
He was so busy beaming he barely had time to summon his trident and block a slash from riptide.
He held his ground, pushing his son back from the corner, taken aback by the sudden attack. Percy was angry, with venom in his eyes. Chiron and Thor had stepped back, seeing the pure hate that emanated off the boy. Poseidon felt shock run through him.
"Percy." He asked, but the boy had no time for that, he brought riptide down again, locking in place with his father. He bored his eyes into Poseidon staring directly into his soul as his mouth opened and he spoke six words that sent a chill down the Gods spine.
"Why did you let her die?"