Hey guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter- there's definitely plenty of action in here I know that much. Please do tell me what you think.
Also, I've definitely got a lot of interest in the Roman AU, lots of you have lots of questions which honestly I can't answer yet- it's a rough idea so I haven't got anything set in stone so your suggestions are all noted. Some people want Jercy and some people don't, though I do think I like the idea of Jercy if I'm honest- though one person also suggested Percy/Jason/Reyna. Most people want Jason to be Fem too so say what you all think there too.
Also, to the person who asked- Frank is descended from Poseidon so it can happen that a Roman god can be with a Greek Legacy and I assume it can happen the same way around.
Sorta poll for Sally's parentage/who she's a legacy of. I won't be including the vote for Vesta because she's a maiden.
Ceres: 1
Baccus: 1
Jupiter: 1
Pluto: 1
Neptune: 1
Saturn: 1
Apollo: 1
Mars: 1
Venus: 2
Daughter of Venus: 1
Climbing a rope in gym class was one thing- Percy could do it faster than literally anyone other than Annabeth, they were way ahead of the others in their class, though Rachel wasn't too shabby- she always got the third fastest time when they did it- the training she'd done over the last year had really paid off, Percy knew that much, Rachel was a lot fitter- still, Percy was pretty sure if it was Rachel in her current position the other girl would have fallen off within seconds.
Percy gritted her teeth as they flew through the city, clinging tightly to the rope, tangling her legs around it tightly to get a firm grip
on it, swinging herself to avoid a streetlamp as she tightened her grip on the rope and slowly, her arms aching as she did- pulled herself upwards, pushing herself up with her feet too.
It was difficult- beyond difficult really as they zigzagged along several blocks and continued south on Park Avenue.
She was probably pretty lucky to not be sliding down the rope every time she was swung wildly outwards.
But she was doing it- it was very slow but she was getting there- she faltered when she saw something flying close below them before she heard a familiar voice calling out.
"Yo! Boss lady, you need a ride?"
"Be careful." Percy screamed down to him, "Be ready to catch me if I fall!"
"On it boss lady." the Pegasi flew closer to to them, and Percy kept dragging herself upwards, her heart pounding in her chest as she managed to reach the top of the rope- she was almost brained by a flap of the wings but she managed to hook an arm around the base of it, dragging herself up, her entire body shaking with effort as she hauled herself up onto it's back, gasping and panting as she pressed her body flat against the monsters back, wrapping her arms around it's neck- which she did just in time because the Sow let out an angry squeal, shaking itself to try and shake her off, but she clung on, screaming right in the creatures ear as she dug her nails into the monsters neck to anchor herself.
It did a few loop's in the air- and Percy would have screamed if she wasn't terrified that she'd somehow bite her own tongue off, still she did manage to stay on, that was something.
Okay. Okay so the plan had worked so far. Now she just had to stay on and figure out how to kill it mid air without killing herself- if she hit the ground from this far up... if she hit the ground on her back... it could kill her, her mortal spot could be hit. She couldn't risk it- besides, invulnerable or not it would probably at least wind her and she didn't want that- if she landed on her front she could get unlucky, if there were enemies nearby her back would be exposed.
Of course if she did it right then Blackjack could catch her but that would be tricky to say the least.
Besides, it was going to be very awkward getting her sword out while she was flying on the Sow's back.
Then Percy spotted Grand Central in the distance- though it was rapidly coming closer.
Percy wasn't smart like Annabeth, she knew that- but she did have a good instinct for battle- it was why she was the leader.
And, she was very good at coming up with insane plans on the spot- and usually they worked.
Well, she might as well try.
She clamped her thighs down on the Sow's side, gritting her teeth as she slowly shifted one hand, moving it to the pocket of her jeans, slipping her hand into them and curling her fingers around Riptide.
"Blackjack! Be ready if I fall okay?"
"Of course Boss Lady." Blackjack was staying close, "What are you planning?"
"Something crazy, you know, the usual."
"When is it ever not?" Blackjack sounded almost as exasperated as Annabeth usually did, and Percy found herself laughing brightly as she managed to push herself so that she was sat up- the sow had stopped trying to shake her off, that was good, though she tightened her legs around the Sow as much as she could to try and keep her balance.
She'd need to time this right- they got closer and closer- and Percy clung tightly- ten seconds, that was roughly when it would be time. And she counted down- and if the Sow turned she'd be screwed.
She gritted her teeth when she reached ten and she judged that they were about right and she quickly uncapped Riptide and slammed the blade downwards into the Sow's neck, and the Sow let out a deafening squeal of pain, and Percy gripped Riptide tightly as she was tossed from side to side again- and the jerking moments were what did it, she pushed downwards, the blade sliding deeper before wrenching to the side when the Sow tossed from side to side to try and get her off of its back.
Percy clamped down with her legs, yanking the blade the other way- and then the Sow burst into familiar golden dust and Percy was falling- right onto the roof of the Grand Central building- and she started sliding down the roof- and she braced herself as she smashed into the statue on the facade of the building- and she grabbed onto it as she almost rolled over the side of it, gripping onto the stone statues, stopping herself from plunging off the edge of the building, panting loudly as she let her head drop back and she tried to catch her breath.
She didn't give herself long though, dragging herself to her feet slowly, clinging to the statues to keep herself from falling off the roof.
Well, she hadn't exactly expected things to go like this but she might as well make the most of the situation. "Hello, Hermes! Command sequence: Daedalus Twenty-three. Defend Manhattan from monsters! Begin Activation!"
And Percy almost sobbed with relief when the statue at the centre of the facade moved immediately, springing into action, he pulled free from the roof, leaping down to the ground and bounding away, clearly ready for battle- and Percy closed her eyes, letting out a breath.
"Boss Lady are you okay?" and Percy opened her eyes, grinning with relief when she saw Blackjack flying just a feet feet away from her, approaching the edge of the roof.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine buddy." Percy took a deep breath. "You gonna give me a lift."
"Sure thing, you look like you could do with some doughnuts."
"Not until the battle's over." Percy's voice was firm, "Sorry buddy- believe me I would love a doughnut break but- we need to focus."
"Of course boss." Blackjack moved as close as he could get, and Percy took a deep breath before pushing herself away from the statues, grabbing onto Blackjack's neck with shaking hands, hauling herself onto his back, wrapping her arms around the Pegasi tightly as she swallowed hard.
"Ooooh I'm glad to be back on you Blackjack." her friend was familiar and safe, and she could let herself shake, she didn't have to cling on for deal life- Blackjack wouldn't ever just let her fall.
"Of course you are Boss Lady. You're safe. I won't drop you."
"I know you won't." Percy pressed her face into Blackjacks neck, letting out a shuddering breath before she pulled herself together,
"We need to get back to the battle- they need us."
"On it boss." and Blackjack wheeled around and flew North, towards the sound of battle and explosions in the distance.
When they reached Midtown it was a war zone. No matter how much Percy had been expecting it that still didn't change the fact that it was a horrific sight that stole her breath away.
They flew over skirmishes everywhere- a giant was ripping up trees in Bryant park while dryads pelted him with nuts. Outside the Waldorf Astoria, a bronze statue of Benjamin Franklin was whacking a hellhound with a rolled-up newspaper. A trio of Hephaestus campers fought a squad of dracaenae in the middle of Rockefeller Center.
Percy hated not being able to stop and help with a passion- her friends needed her. But she had to focus, she knew that she needed to prioritise and she could tell from the smoke and noise that the real action had moved farther south. their defences were collapsing.
The enemy was closing in on the Empire State Building.
Percy and Blackjack did a quick sweep of the surrounding area. The Hunters had set up a defensive line on 37th, just three blocks north of Olympus. To the east on Park Avenue, Jake Mason and some other Hephaestus campers were leading an army of statues against the enemy. To the west, the Demeter cabin and Grover's nature spirits had turned Sixth Avenue into a jungle that was hampering a squadron of Kronos's demigods. In the south Luke, Thalia and Leo were fending off half a dozen Hellhounds- Leo was still on Festus' back but the dragons wing had been damaged- there was a huge hole in it. Festus wouldn't be flying anywhere, but he was still able to move on foot and incinerate monsters that got too close.
They needed to land wherever they were needed most- the problem was that they were needed everywhere.
Percy closed her eyes, fighting back tears as she tightened her grip on Blackjack, "We need to land where they need us most buddy. Help me out here."
"They need us everywhere boss-"
"I know that." Percy huffed, eyes scanning the battlefield- there were also dozens of skeleton warriors at all sides of the battle, and Nico was hopping out of the shadows, attacking monsters before melting back into them and reappearing on the other side of the battlefield to help the next group.
Then Percy spotted a familiar silvery owl banner in the southeast corner of the fight, 33rd at the Park Avenue tunnel. Annabeth and two of her siblings were holding back a Hyperborean giant.
"There." She ordered Blackjack, pointing towards her girlfriend as he plunged towards the battle.
When they were close enough Percy threw herself off his back and she literally landed on the giant's head.
When he looked up Percy slid down, kicking his nose hard as she went.
"RAWWWR!' The giant staggered backward, blue blood trickling from his nostrils and as Percy landed she was already thrusting her blade up through the monsters belly. The Hyperborean breathed a cloud of white mist, and the temperature dropped. The spot where Percy had landed was now coated with ice, and she was covered in frost like a sugar doughnut but that seemed to be the last thing he could do because a moment later he was freezing- literally freezing, he turned to solid ice and cracks had formed and were spreading out from the point where her blade was in his belly.
Then Annabeth was on her, arms wrapping around Percy and she felt warm lips pressing against her own.
Percy closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around Annabeth tightly and kissing back before she heard- "Seriously!" and she turned her head, grinning faintly when she saw Drew- she was with Clarisse and Silena in the flying chariot above their heads- and Kayla was in there too, shooting down at the monsters from above.
"Screw you bitchface!" She flipped her middle finger up at Drew, who poked her tongue out, "Make out later you losers-" then they were moving on and Percy focused her gaze on Annabeth, who let out a shaky laugh.
"Your friend is so annoying-"
"Eh, you get used to her." Percy declared dismissively.
"The pig?"
"Dead. And can I just say that Blackjack is a much smoother ride-"
And Annabeth let out an almost hysterical little laugh at that, pressing her lips to Percy's cheek. "I love you so much you lunatic."
"I activated the Hermes statue on the roof at Grand Central by the way-"
"I- don't even want to know." Annabeth grabbed Percy's hand for a second and squeezed before she released it, "Now, shall we go kick some monster ass and help the rest of camp survive this war?"
"Sounds like a plan Wise Girl."
