CHAPTER 12: NAT… MEET EZE

PREVIOUSLY:

"I really shouldn't be the tactician here" Percy grumbled.

"You shouldn't really complain, you looked so cool back there" Natasha teased as she gave him a peck on the cheek whilst holding his right palm.

Steve whom was holding his left hand (and looked very uncomfortable at the blatant display of affection), brought up a question, "This friend of yours, anything we should know about him?" he asked curiously to which Percy replied.

"Oh yeah, he's a racist prick with an unnatural hate for Islam and a lot of resources at his disposal… he's also my best friend"

His companions frowned at him.

"Where exactly are we going?" Natasha asked after a few seconds of awkward silence.

Percy gave her a dopey smile.

"Oh you know, a certain country on a shithole continent"

NOW:

Considering their ordeal for the past few days, one would think that Percy's companions would have gotten used to his 'unique' method of travelling…

… the mixture of gastric juices and a paltry breakfast on the floor said otherwise.

"I still don't get why you guys puke so much when I teleport, I mean it's not that turbulent compared to when a deity teleports you…" Percy commented idly in a voice that seemed noncommittal, even though the twinkling amusement in his eyes spoke otherwise.

The duo did not deem it necessary to grant him a response… considering the fact that talking while puking would lead to bad, nasty and all round unpleasant results.

Once they were done with their 'business' Natasha and Steve got up and began to spit out multiple globs of saliva to get rid of the horrid taste of bile in their mouth.

Efforts which proved to be futile as the revolting taste remained in their mouth. Well, at least until two ice cups filled to the brim with water were shoved into their faces.

Not one two look a gift horse in the mouth, they both gratefully accepted the cups filled with life saving elixir before rinsing their mouths with half the cup and guzzling down the other half.

Once they were done, the ice cups reverted back to their liquid state and ran down to the soil they stood on in rivulets.

Before they could begin to muse in awe over how awesome that looked, Percy's voice brought them back to focus. "Okay, if I remember correctly, then his house is…" he turned in a semi circle before pointing west, "… that way" he stated with a note of finality in his voice before heading in that direction,

Natasha and Steve shared a look, before surveying their environment and to their slight surprise, they found themselves in what appeared to be the typical scenery one would find in a west African village, sharing another look the two shrugged in tandem and following after him.

FIVE LONG, BORING HOURS LATER:

The trio finally arrived in what could best be described as a fine piece of estate… which was creepy because the village, as they had found out during the course of their long trek, was completely abandoned.

Percy, who had had a contemplative look on his face throughout the walk schooled his features and stretched out his two hands which his companions immediately took and in an instant they're world twisted and warped as the all too familiar sensation of water teleportation washed over them.

…

…

…

When everything came back into focus, they no longer stood in front of the massive gates, but rather in a large room… that was currently occupied by three other individuals.

They only managed to observe that they were all Nigerian (or at least looked Nigerian), before an overwhelming aura suddenly crashed down on Percy's companions forcing them to their knees and making them heave as their airways were robbed of oxygen

Without missing a beat, an ice spear materialized in his right hand and he threw it with all his might.

A sonic boom went off and the building shook from its foundations, the windows shattered and four pairs of eyes widened as the spear shattered to bits, only to form multiple shards of ice that soared towards them at supersonic speeds.

Only one of the three managed to move in time to dodge the incoming barrage of death…

… the other three weren't so fortunate and were quickly pierced all over by the shards of ice.

Steve and Natasha got up as air found its way back into their lungs. The third individual who managed to dodge the shards of ice got up and dusted himself off before turning towards the trio with a raised brow.

The trio stared back.

After a few moments of tense silence, the figure rolled his eyes, "Is that how you white pigs behave these days? Coming into a man's house and then impaling his guests with shards of ice?" he drawled in a voice that wasn't quite quiet per se, but controlled nonetheless.

Steve looked affronted, Natasha's eyebrow twitched in annoyance and Percy smirked, "I don't know, last I checked Black Monkeys sell well in the West African market" the half blood shot back.

"That's true… I hear that the pinker the pig, the better the bacon. I wonder if I should test that out"

Percy laughed mockingly, "Cannibalizing filth"

"Lazy opinionated pig"

"Racist prick"

"Gay supporting trash"

The trio sputtered at that making the figure laugh, "I win again Percy Jackass"

Percy grumbled a bit before he was snapped out of his reverie as he was on the receiving end of a massive bear hug.

"It's good to see you again Percy" the man admitted as Percy hugged him back. The two separated and Steve and Natasha struggled to comprehend exactly what they were looking at.

"Are we going to ignore the fact that three innocents are dead just a couple of feet away from us" Steve deadpanned.

The man looked at the Captain before sneering, "Thanks for bringing a blond into my house Percy, just know that if he breaks anything you're buying it back double" he said to the Raven haired half blood, a statement which made Percy roll his eyes in exasperation.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Steve shot back hotly making Percy and Natasha look at him in surprise considering the fact that he was usually less confrontational.

The man did not deem Steve worthy of his attention and continued talking to Percy with the sneer still on his face, "So this one has a back bone after all?"

Steve looked furious but did not act on it (something which Percy would never admit that he respected), "You still haven't answered my question" he stated.

The man regarded the blond from the corner of his eyes, "You of everyone in this room should know the answer to that question" he stated coolly.

"Meaning?"

"Aren't all blondes stupid?" he questioned, turning to face the super soldier this time.

The super soldier frowned and turned to Percy, "Is he usually this myopic and narrow minded?" he asked.

The man laughed condescendingly, "Oh look at the blond using big words to make himself look smart, could you please explain the meaning of the word 'myopic' while you're at that"

Percy sighed and interrupted before Steve could prolong his own 'roasting session' (so to speak), "Ezeugo, could you please stop antagonizing Captain America?" he asked in his best (faux) polite voice.

The now christened Ezeugo turned to him with a slight raising of his brows, "I'm surprised that you managed to promounce my name right this time around" he stated.

Percy stuck his tongue out at him.

The sound of thunder suddenly boomed from the outside, and the three avenger where temporarily as lightning flashed brightly, before they could recover from the ringing in their ears and rub out the spots dancing in their vision, they were immediately knocked of their feet as the earth shook violently.

…

…

…

After a few moments, they finally managed to reorient themselves before getting to their feet….

… only to come face to face with the two previously deceased individuals.

Percy's companions took defensive stances while Percy furrowed his brows.

"Shouldn't you guys have faded by now?"

"Ha! Do you think us to be as pitiful as that pantheon of yours?" the first individual, a white haired and dark skinned male, powerfully built and with azure blue eyes (Natasha bit back a laugh at the paradox of his physiology) who seemed to be in his forties, spat at him in response…

He literally spat at him.

The second individual, a fair skinned female with deep brown hair and forest green eyes, frowned at the male before addressing Percy with a small smile (one that made him cringe as he had flashbacks of a certain Primordial goddess), "What he means Percy, is that we have never needed worship in the first place to exist…" she paused a bit to remove a particularly large icicle from her abdomen, "… the prayers and sacrifices were just a sign of respect" she finished all the while giving him a half smile as she rubbed her own blood between her fingers.

The half blood's companions were creeped out.

The lady wiped the blood off on her white dress and slapped her fore head, "Oh! Where are my manners, my name is Ani, and the angry one's Amadioha. You both seem to be friend of Percy over here, could I please have your names?" she asked in a motherly tone.

The blood on her white dress was still unsettling though.

"Natasha Romanoff"

"Steve Rogers"

"That's lovely!..."

"Ani…" Percy began.

"Yes Percy?"

"I think you're scaring Percy's friends" Ezeugo answered in place of Percy, his voice laced in amusement.

"Nonsense! I'm not scaring you people am I?" Ani asked in her same overly excited voice.

They both shook their head in the negative.

"See?!"

Percy took that as his cue to interrupt her before she could make Steve and Natasha any more uncomfortable than they already were, "That aside, Steve, Nat, meet Amadioha the god of thunder, which is a less fancy way of saying god of the skies in this part of the world… " he paused to take a breath, "… he doesn't like the west for obvious reasons. The creepy lady is Ani goddess of the Earth, and it's a good thing that you're uncomfortable, shows that your self preservation instincts haven't dulled in the slightest, this lady has a track record of granting humans the most gruesome deaths ever seen in the history of mankind" he stated .

"Hello again!" Ani chirped.

Amadioha sneered.

Percy continued, "They were just about to leave us alone so that we could discuss on the reason we came here" at that Percy glared at them, non verbally challenging them to say other wise.

Amadioha scoffed at him and disappeared in a flash of lightning which was accompanied by the boom of thunder. Ani on the other hand waved at them as the Earth began to swallow her up, and continued waving until she disappeared from sight.

"Crazy lady" Natasha muttered to herself while Steve silently agreed via nodding.

Ezeugo and Percy shared a look.

The former crossed his arms, "So… what did you do now?"

LINEBREAK

Ezeugo rubbed his jaw tiredly before fixing Percy with a stern look, "Percy… when we were still stuck in that… hell hole what was the principle that we stuck to matter what?" he asked in that same paradoxical voice of his.

Percy's jaw tightened at the question, but he answered nonetheless, "This world is no place for heroes, you take what you can when you and however you can…"

Ezeugo narrowed his eyes at Percy, "… and?"

"… let your head do the thinking, and the heart pump the blood"

Nodding in satisfaction, Ezeugo continued, "and are you doing that now?" he asked while sparing a glance at Natasha who was discussing quietly with Steve.

Percy smirked at him, "I kinda stopped following rules when Mr. sanity in my case went on vacation in the Bahamas and was eaten by Sharks" he stated off handedly.

Ezeugo regarded him for a while before shrugging and walking to a shelf, "I think I have about a hundred and ninety something men available at the moment, will that do?" he asked as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a drink.

Percy nodded, "That's about enough…" he stated, before hesitating a bit, "… I really appreciate your assistance" he bit out.

It was obvious that he wasn't used to thanking people… honestly at least.

Ezeugo shrugged once more and took a sip of his drink, "Eh, whatever… as long as you don't get yourself killed over a woman…" he gestured towards Natasha, "… then that'll be thanks enough for me" he finished and took another sip of whiskey.

Percy nodded and got up to leave, but was halted his steps as Ezeugo called out to him, "Percy?"

"Yeah"

"… I really think you should she her before going" Ezeugo stated cryptically as he took another sip.

Percy's brows flattened, "Is she okay?"

Ezeugo gave him a deadpan stare, "She's been calling your name every night for the past two years, I had to lock her up in a safety room after she tried to slit her throat"

Percy's eyebrows shot up in surprise at that statement, "She did what?!"

Natasha and Steve (who were done with their own discussion) regarded the two males curiously…

… well Steve did, Natasha on the other hand did not like where their conversation was going… considering the fact that a female was involved after all.

The shadows in the room suddenly darkened and in an instant, they coalesced into the form of a sixteen(ish) year old girl with midnight black hair… and all black eyes.

Everything in both eyes were pitch black.

"Percy?" she called out, her voice timid… and broke,

Percy smiled slightly, "Hey N…"

In the blink of an eye, she had crossed the distance between them and threw her arms around him and attaching her lips to his.

Steve blinked.

Natasha stared as she felt white hot rage boil in her person.

"Who is that?" Steve managed to ask.

Ezeugo sipped his whiskey once more, "That, is Nyx"

AN: I was supposed to wait for my beta to take a look at this, but I won't be having access to electricity or internet considering where I'm going. Sonofcreation if you're reading this, then I'm terribly sorry, but family came up and family comes first