Rambo

Ch. 2 Memories and dreams

I do not own Percy Jackson or Rambo

Rick Riordan, David Morell, and Sylvester Stallone do.

Positive reviews are welcome.

Author's note: A friend helped me to better this chapter, so it's gone a re-edit into a better version. Let me know what you think. Be sure to thank HowlnMadHowie as well for helping me on this.

Ch. 2 Memories and dreams

Rambo Ranch

The sun had risen within the horizon. The ending of the darkness of the morning had brought a new day. He had awoken from another night of sleep filled with nightmares, but this time, not of the past. No, these dreams or nightmares, depending on how one looked at it, was different. No longer tired, he slipped on some jeans and a shirt. Once he had a pair of socks on followed by boots, he went to his bathroom to wash his face of any excess sleep, cleaned himself up, and took care of his natural morning rest room business.

With that finished, John exited the rest room after being freshened up and descended the stairs leading to his and the old mans room. Making a breakfast for three within the family kitchen, seeing as his father had hired an at home nurse instead of being placed into a retirement facility or nursing home. The nurse, a woman named Melinda Sanchez, just pulled into the yard. Her vehicle was a white 92' Lincoln Continental. Melinda was a woman in her early thirties with a slim build and shoulder length black hair. Her skin tone was mocha, due to her Spanish Heritage. Today, she was wearing a light-blue nurses uniform with flower designs on the shirt.

She and Richard got along well enough, though she wasn't so fond of John due to how long he was gone from his fathers life, forcing Richard to hire men from in town who were trustworthy people. But a warning from Richard set her straight as she rarely spoke to John at all or if ever, even when he arrived.

The old man, Richard Rambo, of German descent, yet born American, slowly walked into the kitchen with most of his weight being supported by the gray metal cane he was now forced to use. John pulled out his fathers chair, allowing the elder Rambo to sit down, John as gently as he could, pushed his father back into the table as John went back into the kitchen and brought out the breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, some biscuits, grits, some toast, some fruit, orange juice, and coffee. A small saucer of butter was in between in case anyone wanted to use it for the toast and or biscuits. Melinda came in the two story house and set her medical stuff down as Richard invited her to join them as John was thoughtful enough to make breakfast for three.

Melinda smiled at Richard in appreciation as she joined them, but she looked at John, she could only frown. John payed the look no mind as he ate in silence. Once breakfast was over, John picked up the used dishes, cleaned them, and cleaned up the table.

When all the breakfast material was cleaned and laying in the strainer to dry, John approached Richard as Melinda went to her morning ritual of checking on Richards health. "I'm going to look in on one of the horses, Zorro. He looks as if he has a limp, so I'm just going to check on him."

"That's fine son. I'll just be here, continuing to be touched by a beautiful young latino woman.", Richard joked in good fun as Melinda blushed with a smile and lightly hit his arm and spoke a bit of Spanish, to which Richard, who was apparently fluent in Spanish now, returned whatever it was she said with a smile. Maria had been deceased for some time, and Richard hoped she didn't mind his flirtatiousness with Melinda, though he didn't take it any further than that.

John just rolled his eyes and turned away and proceeded out of the house while grumbling about old men taking young women and what not. Entering the stables, John got the needed gear to check on the apparently injured horse. Once he had his tools, John went to the brown Arabian Stallion with a white crown and brown mane. Grabbing the bit and leading the horse to his work station, John sat down and got to work as he found he needed to shave the horses hoof as it only need a bit of a shave and some new appropriate horse shoes.

While he worked, his mind went to the one place where he always went as he worked. The past. For years the nightmares, though different, were always the same as well. They all reminded him that he was a soldier, and a killer. But he didn't kill for just for his country, or himself, unlike what he told himself when he forged his knife, preparing to save the Missionaries in Burma, he also killed for the men he fought beside. His brothers in arms. He was the last of an elite unit. A group he was proud to be a part of and a group he deeply missed.

So why was his recent dream different? Who were the teens in the weird armor and the woman in silver clothes, driving or should he say, 'flying' the silver chariot with what looked like reigndeer? Why did the young man who took the spear to the chest feel familiar to him, let alone look like him, or even looking at him as he lay dying? Who were those giant people inside the Greek looking temple wearing the various modern clothing? What was going on? Was he in the beginning stages of dementia, of losing his mind?

Having finished shaving the hoof, John began to implement the new metal horseshoe he forged the night before. As he was banging the metal object onto the hoof, his mind just couldn't get away from the image that woke him up. The image that snapped him awake was the image of the boy who intercepted the spear to the chest turn to look at him as he lay dying and saying his name, "John. Help us."

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, it was then John noticed a humanoid shadow behind him. Turning to the person the shadow belonged to, he heard a familiar voice, "Hello John."

John squinted because he couldn't outright see the man due to the fact he stood in the light, but he knew that voice anywhere.

'No way', he thought to himself. It was then he began to berate himself for not calling this man a day or two after arriving within the states or when he came home, as he had promised. Colonel Samuel Troutman, the man who forged him into the perfect weapon and soldier. "Colonel?"

Sighing, Troutman slowly walked into the barn and sat on a double stacked bale of hay. "I'm retired John. I have been for a while now. It's been a long time. How have you been? You look good."

Now that he could see his old mentor better, he saw the civilian clothes and stuffed jean jacket with an inner camouflage design inside. The old man had a file in his hands that he sat beside himself on the hay.

John eyed the file before he looked back to the retired Colonel, "I'm alive, unfortunately." Having finished helping repairing the horses hoof and installing a new horseshoe, John walked Zorro around a bit while Troutman watched, as the horse was no longer limping as it walked. John patted the creature on the neck affectionately and brushed its mane when he grabbed a brush from behind him and used it on Zorro. When he was done, he placed the horse back into its stall and returned to sit in front of Troutman.

"You're good with them.", the retired Colonel stated as a matter of fact.

"They take care of me, and I do the same for them. But that's not why you're here, is it?", John said as he once again, eyed the file beside his friend.

"Am I that easy to read.", Troutman chuckled as he pulled the file into his hands. "Before I show this file to you, all I ask is you keep an open mind. Do you think you can do that?"

John shrugged as the former Colonel chuckled again. Handing the file to John, he saw John open it and begin to read.

The moment John opened the file, he found several papers with pictures of several teens who all looked familiar. They were the teens from his nightmare/dream from the night before. One in particular caught his eye as his eyes rested on a Charles Jones. The file told him a lot as he found Charles parents names Leslie Ann and Christopher Jones, though Christopher was listed as his step-father, the name of his true father was listed as 'Poseidon-God of the Sea!'

Looking up from the file and at his oldest living friend, he asked, "Is this a joke? Poseidon-God of the Sea?"

"It's not a joke, John." Troutman sighed as he turned away for a moment and then looked back at John. "The Gods of Olympus are real, always have been, and they, or we, may fall or will be falling soon, unless we seek help from our children. One Demi-God in particular."

"We?"

"Caught that, did you?" Troutman chuckled to himself. "Yes we. What you need to know is the Gods are active in the mortal world, taking many forms. Though I was Troutman for many years, I am truly, in life, Ares, God of War."

John then wore a skeptical look until the supposed Ares looked down and sighed again. His body began to glow as he looked up, "I'd look away if I was you."

As he began to glow brighter, the aged soldier looked away on instinct as the light started to become too much, and a second later, when he noticed the light die down, he turned back, and the person that stood before him reminded him of a biker in a black leather jacket with a multitude of scars on his face, and in his facial sockets, where his eyes should be, though hidden with black tinted glasses, John Rambo could see through the shaded glasses, the eyes were burning with fire.

John looked on in awe for a few moments and then looked down and placed his face in his now entwined hands and went silent as Ares waited for him to say something.

The barn remained silent for a few minutes as John was the first to continue speaking, but not before he turned back to the file and saw that on the file page of Charles Jones, it read KIA. Taking that specific page from the file, he looked and studied Charles image. His mind went to work as his eyes roamed over the image of Charles, and it was then, one out of several questions that brought themselves to the forefront of his mind, came from his lips in almost a whisper, "I'm a Demi-God, aren't I"

Ares winced before he looked down and nodded. Something John didn't miss. "Poseidon?"

Ares nodded again without looking up.

"Tell me what happened."

Ares looked up then with hope in his eyes as he told John about a prophecy, about the Sea God and of just one of various brothers John had. How Artemis was captured next to one of the other Demi-Goddesses, a daughter of Athena, named Annabeth Chase. John listened with apt attention as Ares spoke of how a rogue Demi-God son of Hermes, Luke Castellan, betrayed the Gods, his siblings, and his cousins and was aiding the King of the Titans, Kronos's resurrection. How Charles and Artemis alongside Thalia Grace, a daughter of Zeus fought against both Luke and Atlas, who if John remembered in his younger days read as Atlas was the holder of the sky. He spoke of how Charles took the sky for Artemis, as the Goddess fought the Titan in single combat. When it was all said and done, the fatalities were of Zoe Nightshade, Atlas's own daughter and a Lieutenant and Hunter of Artemis, Bianca Di Angelo, a daughter of Hades and a recent newly made member of Artemis's huntresses, and Charles, son of Poseidon, and now John's confirmed half-brother.

When John asked about the traitor Luke, it was explained that Thalia was thought to have ended Luke, but there was still a chance that he was alive as Hades denied Luke's soul having arrived within his realm, as of yet. When they all escaped after a successful rescue mission despite their loss, Charles was the last casualty. Charles having taken a spear for Artemis as it flew from an unknown assailant on a trajectory for the Moon Goddesses back, and Charles being the Hero that he was, with his last act, though sore due to holding the sky for the Moon Goddess, found the strength and energy, and placed himself between the spear and Artemis and was hit, and his dying mere minutes after Zoe did though her wounds were due to her father beating the hell out of her and the poison of a dragon called Ladon, from the garden of Hesperides, flowing through her veins.

He asked how Poseidon could be his father and Ares explained what he knew according to Poseidon's words. John knew Richard was his stepfather as Richard had told him that bit of truth 'years ago', he thought to himself as he lowered his head deep in his thoughts. It was then Ares dropped the bomb on him about if Kronos was resurrected, how he could possibly destroy the world as Kronos was the Titan of time and was able to use that particular gift over time to destroy the Gods one by one, and eventually, destroy the world.

It was then Richard hobbled into the barn as John and Ares looked up. Looking to the War God, Richard nodded in respect, "Lord Ares."

"Richard.", Ares returned.

"Been awhile."

"Over 60 years.", Ares nodded in confirmation.

Looking back to his son, Richard hobbled over and sat beside John as he pulled out a huge metal pale and sat down. "So, this is awkward.", The old man said as he looked down.

"You knew?, John asked, turning to his father with an emotionless face.

He nodded as he sighed. "Poseidon just contacted me and told me about Charles."

"Why would he contact you?", John asked raising an eyebrow and his voice getting a little higher due to anger.

"Because he's my Grandfather."

"What?", here John stood dumbfounded.

"When your mother left New York, shortly after you were born, your real father being connected to you, followed and though forbidden from having anything to do with you by Zeus's decree, had kept an eye on you. I met your mother when she took the alias of Maria Drago. We started dating after that, and before we married, we both revealed the truth about our past and our families, first your mother, then me. When we married, as a means of protecting you from the monsters who were attracted to your scent, Poseidon bound your powers to the sea, and any connection to the sea. But don't think he never cared. The Gods may seem petty and cruel, but they have their reasons. Every time a Demi-God dies, the Godly parent, whether its a God or Goddess, gets torn apart up inside. That's the way it's been for thousands of years. That's why the Gods are forbidden in interfering in their childrens lives. Because unless their son's and daughters are gifted with immortality, they still have to watch as the Mortal Demi-Gods die, either to old age or battle, sometimes something else."

"And Charles?", Rambo asked as he felt himself calming down somewhat.

"He died a heroes death John. Defending my sister, to which I am grateful for. And at that, you will never hear me say twice, even in this life time. After all, I have an image to maintain as the God of War.", Ares said.

As Richard chuckled, John stood and walked over to the horse, Zorro, whom he took care of moments before, as he went deep into thought. The stallion that Richard affectionately called Zorro, came forward and nudged John's right arm to which John sighed and stuck out his arm and the horse rubbed his head in John's hand. After a few moments of silence, John came to a decision.

"I'm too old for this. I've seen enough of the dead and dying, especially considering a good portion of those deaths came from these hands.", John said as he gazed at his now open palms. "And now you're asking me to get back into this, at my age. I'm too old, and too tired."

Ares not giving up, pointed at the file, "The alternative is those kids, who barely understand the concept of war, will be killed. You once swore yourself, that you won't let kids die needslessly. That's the alternative we face! My kids, the other God's kids. Teenagers John!", Ares yelled as he stood. "When your brother Charles died, the hope of Olympus died with him. That's the reality we are facing. In Vietnam, you fought for your country. When you came home, you waged your own personal war in Hope, Washington. When I asked you to help with the POW's left behind in Vietnam, you didn't turn your back on your brother soldiers. Even when that Jackass Murdock turned on us both, that didn't stop you from fighting back, destroying two battalions of enemy personnel, and rescuing your brothers in arms and getting them out of enemy territory. I know I tried to ask you to help in Afghanistan, and you declined, even when I threw that story at your face, you still said no. But the moment I was captured and you were informed about my capture, you chose to go into the Lions den and got me out and freed the Afghan people from Russian oppresion. All of those are examples of a man who does not give up when the odds are against him. That's the kind of person we need because, with the odd right now, the odds are against us, and we call ourselves Gods." Ares said with a sigh as he sat back down.

"I wish we didn't have to ask you to do this, but given the alternative, it's this, or we might as well hand Olympus over to the Titans. And John, I know you're old and tired, but we can work something out. All I'm asking is to think about it, you're going to have to go to Olympus and go before my father Zeus, as he has requested your presence. Besides, I'm not leaving you go into Olympus unarmed."

Turning around, Ares held out two bronze pens and a ring. "All you need to do is click the pens, and one will transform into into a sword called Riptide and a knife that the Smith God, Hephaestus remade from your knife you used in Afghanistan. The sword was your brothers and before him, well, it's had a bad history, which I won't go into. The knife's design is based on the knife you used in the fight in Afghanistan with the combination of Titanium Steel and Celestial Bronze. The ring will transform into a bow which is capable of firing the arrow's you would normally use, standard and explosive. The arrows can be summoned on thought alone. But they will all, like the knife, will be Celestial Bronze tipped arrows mixed with Titanium Steel and Titanium shafts, the Celestial bronze is one of several metals capable of killing monsters. If these gifts ever leave you, they will return in seconds, unless you are dead, to which they will be returned to Olympus and or Chiron, who is the legendary trainer of Heroes like the asshole Hercules and such."

Placing the ring on the table last, Ares looked back at John and said, "Just think about it, look these over, I'm sure you'll want to try them out. Oh, and don't worry about hurting any humans with the sword, that's the knifes job. The sword was forged from Celestial Bronze alone, so it can only harm monsters."

With that, Ares turned and walked out of the barn and disappeared in flames. John and Richard remained in the barn and was staring at the place where Ares vanished. John then looked at the pens and ring in his left hand. Taking one pen, he pressed his thumb on the top and as it clicked, it transformed into a Greek sword with the name, Anaklusmos. Ares called it Riptide and John guessed the name on the blade was its Greek name. Without thinking about, he spun the blade as it felt it right and belonged in his hands. The last wielder of this blade was his younger half-brother, and John, thinking on his younger half brother, swore he would not let his death be in vain. Rubbing the blades pommel with his thumb by accident, the blade transformed into the bronze pen again.

After practicing turning the first pen into a sword and back, he placed it in right pocket once it resumed it's pen form. He then clicked the second pen and found himself amazed at the Smith Gods work as the pen took a form he was very familiar with. Richard whistled in amazement as he looked at the blade his son wielded. John nodded in approval as he turned the blade around and liked what he saw. The knife did indeed look like the one he made in Asia and used in Afghanistan against the Russians.

Returning the knife to its pen form, he stuck that in his pocket as well. Placing the ring on his right ring finger, not knowing how to summon the bow, he attempted to visualized what his bow he had used all these years, and in his hand, materialized a bow that also looked like the bow currently in his fathers house amongst his stuff Military belongings. Moments later, he and Richard stood outside, looking at some cans and three Watermelons that currently rested on the wooden fence post outside the barn. Taking a breath, he summoned the bow back into his hand, brought his arm and bow up, and pulled back the string. Visualizing a standard arrow, it came into being as he let the string lose. As he did, the can flew back several feet due to the power of John's release as the arrow penetrated the can and flew right through, not stopping within the can itself, as it kept going, flying off into the distance. He did it several more times, and all the cans suffered the same fate.

If he had sensed them, he would have known that he had several Archers, one male, and several females watching from the roof of the Rambo's house. All of the watchers went slack-jawed in shock as Rambo didn't miss a single shot, even though he was many yards away from his target. John then summoned an explosive arrow, and repeated his performance as he brought the bow up yet again, took his time, breathed, and let the now explosive arrow loose. Upon impact, the watermelons exploded, much to Richards and the audience on his roof's enjoyment and entertainment. He did the same thing to the other watermelons, all with the same outcome when the arrows touched them.

The audience on the roof, one being Apollo,and the others being Artemis and Thalia Grace and Phoebe, another hunter of Artemis, watched as John Rambo dispatched his targets without missing. Thankfully, they managed to maintain their silence through the whole thing, though Apollo didn't look like he could keep quiet much longer due to his excitement at Rambo's arrows destroying his targets in the fashion only John Rambo is known for.

In Camp Half-Blood, the sons and daughters of Ares, Athena, Apollo, and even the hunters of Artemis were given privileged information on John Rambo as a man not to be crossed or taken lightly as he was a very dangerous man. Phoebe scoffed until Athena who journeyed into her sisters camp heard and saw the disrespect the huntress showed her John, let fly an image of many of John's exploits. The scenes of things John did in his life, not only killing, but the amount of damage he had caused to his enemies, had many if not all hunters turning green and fearful, including Phoebe. She retracted her statement after that and decided to accompany her mistress in watching John practice with the bow.

When the show was over, the God, Goddess, and the Goddesses hunters returned to their camps. Suffice to say, there would be rumors flying around Camp Half-blood and the Hunters camp about a full grown Demi-God/American Military Veteran who would be entering their life very soon, and their lives were about to get a hole lot more interesting.