Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson.
A/N: Well one flame out of 98 odd reviews is not bad. Hope you enjoy my twist on the Medusa scene.
Camp Half-Blood Next day
Percy walked out of his cabin. His sword safely tucked away in his pocket. He also had a rucksack containing a few things. These included a certain scroll, seven slabs of Ambrosia and litre container of nectar. Percy had also been given a credit card by his father, just in case he needed it. Percy turned his head and frowned. He see Annabeth and Mark walking close together, Mark seemed to be carrying some sort of box. Percy growled. He knew exactly what was in the box. Luke's cursed winged trainers. The ones that nearly dragged Grover down to Kronos. Percy saw the two heading for the big house. He quietly followed behind. He noticed Chiron was waiting for them on the porch.
"Good Morning. Glad to see you three are up early. Angus is waiting at the bottom of the hill ready to transport you to New york. Once there you're on your own. Now in this bag are a few bars of Ambrosia, small container of Nectar, and some money for emergencies. Remember you have less then a week to find the bolt and return it, before Zeus declares war on Olympus.
Percy watched Mark take the bag, and placed it on his shoulder. Once they had said their good byes they made their way towards the bottom of the hill where Angus was waiting for them. They all climbed into the car and then set off towards New york. While in the car Percy noticed his brother trying to flirt with Annabeth. He growled under his breath. He couldn't wait to free his Thalia. They soon arrived in the city. Angus waved them good bye before driving away.
Percy noticed Annabeth had pulled out a map, if it was one thing he admired about the Daughter of Athena it was that she was always prepared. Percy knew where they would heading next. In the last time they had boarded a bus heading west. Of course Hades had then sent his Furies to attack them. Although Hades and Percy was now working together, they decided for appearance purposes that the furies would attack again. It was after that they had found the gardens where they had encountered Medusa. Last time he had used Riptide to slice her head off, however this time, he was planning a more diplomatic approach. The scroll he had in his bag was the power to break the curse on Medusa, in doing so cause one Owl head Goddess to throw a hissy fit.
After a long ride on the subway, the three teens finally made it to the bus station. Mark had insisted that they fly. Percy was all for it, after all he was the son of Chaos now, not Poseidon, and who knows maybe Zeus would do him a favour by taking care of his brother. However that thought immediately evaporated, as Annabeth spoke up.
"Mark as the son of Poseidon, you are not allowed to step in Zeus Domain, unless invited too. The same rules apply if Zeus had a child, she or he would be prohibited from entering the sea, unless invited by Poseidon. Seeing how Zeus domain is the sky, then travelling by plane Is a big no,no."
Percy growled. Trust wise girl to spoil, his fun. Wise girl, where did that come from? Percy hadn't used that nickname since before the big break up. He shook his head of those thought and muttered so no one else could hear him.
"Okay Percy, don't get a head of yourself, this isn't your Annabeth, just a obsticle that the fates have placed in front of you."
The three teens bought their tickets and climbed onto the bus. Percy noticed they were the only three apart from the driver on the bus. Percy laid his head back and looked out the window, as the city skyline soon vanished. He noticed Annabeth and Mark was laughing with each other. Percy frowned, he knew the bus wouldn't be attacked for another few hours yet and decided to get some sleep. He was suddenly woken up by a loud noise. He looked out the window and noticed the bus was near where they had stopped last time. Percy heard the sound of wings and the sound of claws on the top of the bus. Percy braced himself. Hades had promised him that the Furies would not harm any of them, as this was all an act, just to throw the other Gods of their plan. Percy suddenly noticed the driver was pulled out through the window. He noticed Mark and Annabeth immediately froze up. Percy sighed, and then noticed the roof ripped off. Revealing three furies looking down on them, teeth bared and talons out.
"Give us the Bolt Lightning Thief!"
Percy looked and noticed one of the Furies winked, before starting to try claw at Annabeth and Mark. Percy withdrew his blade before slicing one of the Furies wings off. He watched it let out a loud scream before turning to dust. Percy looked towards his brother and saw him trying to defend himself. However he didn't see Annabeth and assumed she was using her cap to hide. Percy growled.
"Must I do everything!"
Percy put his sword away before raising his hand causing three bolt of lightning to strike the other two furies turning them to dust. Once the coast was clear, Percy climbed off the bus and noticed they had stopped right outside Medusa lair. Of course if any mortal was to see it, then they would assume it was just a normal garden centre, however Percy knew Different. He waited for Mark and Annabeth to climb down from the bus, then pointed towards the Garden centre.
"Maybe we can send an Iris message to Chiron and see if he could help us some way."
Annabeth and Mark nodded, following Percy across the road. He pushed the doors open, and took a look around, it was just has he remembered it, the counter was dirty and the fridge where refreshments were normally sold, was giving off a nasty smell as it was filled with mould. Percy and three teens suddenly turned to come face to face with a tall woman, dressed in black trench coat. She had scarf over her head and wear a huge pair of Sun glasses. The woman smiled at the three teens.
"My, my visitors. Its been so long since I have had any company. Why don't you stick around for a little bit, it looks like you have all had a rough day. "
Percy stepped forward, in front of the woman, standing in front of Annabeth and Mark. "Hmm no thanks, we are just looking for a phone. Is there one available?"
The woman smiled sweetly. "Why yes of course. Why don't you follow me, it's in my office at the back of the gardens."
Percy nodded, then gestured for Annabeth and Mark to follow him. While they were walking he dropped back and whispered to Annabeth.
"Does any of this seem odd to you? You now front being run down, and this garden full of statues. It reminds me of something, what about you?"
Percy didn't want to do all the work, so he decided to give Annabeth something to think about. Percy noticed her eyes suddenly widened as realisation appeared on her face. Percy grinned, it seems she had finally worked out what was happening. They soon stopped as the woman turned to them.
"You know I never knew it could be so easy to snag three demigods. You three will be the first of my new collection. Hmm yes I can smell your mother stench from here daughter of Athena. After all it was her who cursed me, and whats this a son of Poseidon, oh how perfect. Both of them took something from me and now I will take something from them."
Marked suddenly back up nervously. "Who are you? I think you have has mistaken with someone else."
The woman smiled, before removing her scarf from her head. Revealing her hair to be a load of snakes hissing and snapping.
Annabeth quickly screamed. "Everyone close your eyes. She a gorgon!"
The woman growled. "I am not just any gorgon, I am the Gorgon, the woman that your mother cursed in her temple. I am Medusa!"
Mark immediately fainted causing Percy to shake his head in disbelieve. It seems he couldn't do anything bloody right. Percy turned to Medusa and watched as she was about to remove her shades. Percy quickly used his power to summon a wall of water, and freezed it, creating a barrier between himself and Medusa. He turned to see Annabeth had her eyes closed.
"Perfect! Medusa, I know a way to lift your curse. As the son of Chaos I have the power to break Olympian curses. I know what Poseidon did to you, I know that you cried to Athena for comfort. Instead of offering you that comfort she cursed you to become the monster you are. I can lift the curse if you let me."
There was silence for a few seconds when he heard Annabeth shout. "Percy what do you thing you are doing? Medusa was cursed for reason, she disgraced my mother temple."
Percy turned and growled. "Your mother is a bitch Annabeth, like all the Olympian, all we are to them are toys. Yes Medusa did disgrace Athena temple, but it wasn't her choice. Poseidon took her on the cold floor of your mother temple. Instead of stopping Poseidon she cursed the woman who was calling out for help. All because she was jealous, just like she was jealous of arachnid and her weaving."
Annabeth growled. "Don't you dare talk about my mother like that. She is a Goddess on the Olympian council, if she wanted she could smite you right now."
Percy laughed. "She wouldn't dare, after all my father has warned the Olympian that they are not to harm me or he will wipe them from existence. Now Medusa, will you allow me to break the curse on you?"
Again there was silence, before he heard Medusa speak. "How do I know this is not some trick, that the moment I let my guard down you will slice my head off, like your ancestor did all those years ago."
Percy removed his sword and threw around the other side of the ice barrier. "That is my only weapon. Now will you please put your shades back on so that I might free you from that bitch's curse."
He heard the sound of footsteps and saw Medusa appear from behind the ice barrier her eyes hidden behind her shades. "Very well son of Chaos, you release me from this curse and you and your friends can go free."
Percy opened his bag and pulled out the scroll Chaos had given him. He then started to read it. In aloud voice he began to speak in Ancient Greek. A huge Vortex appeared and wrapped it self around Medusa, forcing her to scream. Percy carried on speaking until the Vortex had vanished leaving Medusa kneeling on the floor. Percy grinned, it seemed his idea had worked. he noticed her hair was no longer, made of snakes, but was long and blonde. He watched her stand and place her hands to her head. He heard her gasp. He then noticed she moved her hands to her shades before removing them. Her eyes now longer black but light blue. Percy could now see how Poseidon had been tempted. Medusa was bloody hot.
His eye's suddenly widened as he was engulfed into a huge hug by now crying woman. "Thank you, thank you. At last I can finally be free. You kept your word son of Chaos so I will keep mine. You're free to go."
Suddenly there was choirs of groans. It seemed when Percy broke the curse, then he also broke the curse on those who had been turned to stone. Many of the people were tourist , who immediately made for the exit. Percy then noticed that Annabeth was glaring at him. He just frowned back. He then broke the hug with Medusa. "Although I appreciate the hug, Medusa, we need to get going."
Medusa pulled back and nodded her head. "Yes, I have a lot of catching up to do, Thank you again son of Chaos. And good bye." Percy watched as the woman left them standing in the garden, he couldn't help but smile. He had freed a innocent soul."
Olympus
Every God and Goddess were hiding behind their thrones. If there was one Goddess you didn't want to piss off, it was Athena. She had just seen Percy break her curse on Medusa, and she was livid. No one had ever challenged the Gods powers in such a way. It wasn't only that he had broken the curse that was making eyes glow, but he had accused her of being jealous, of those who she had cursed. Athena swore had Chaos not warned them, then the brat would now be in the underworld. She turned to see one God smirking. She growled, if it was one God she hated it was Poseidon.
"What so funny Fish breathe? I don't see why your laughing? Your son is a bloody coward and a disgrace to all demigods. Fainting in middle of confrontation with a gorgon. You're just lucky Percy was there, or Medusa would now have two new statues."
Poseidon stopped laughing, his own eyes started to glow. He stood from his throne striking his trident into the ground. "You dare call my son a coward, You good for nothing know it all!"
Athena grabbed her spear and shield before confronting her uncle. "What are you going to do about it Barnacle beard?"
Poseidon also stepped off his throne, trident ready to strike, when both God and Goddess were stopped by Zeus shouting.
"Enough! Now Athena I know how you feel, but you know what Chaos said, we are forbidden from touching his son. As for you brother, I have to agree with Athena. You said this Mark was something special, so far he failed to beat a fury, fainted in front of a Minotaur and now done the same in front of a Gorgon. I dread to think what he would do if he was confronted by a hell-hound or worse Hades Cerberus. In fact had it not been for Percy then we would be looking at the shortest quest in demigod history."
Athena glared at her father. "So what are we suppose to do? Just allow him to carry on insulting us. We are god and Goddess for a reason and yet we are all scared of a little mortal. Well I am warning you now, next time he insults me I will smite him and send him to Hades. No one makes a mockery of the Goddess Athena."
A/N: Whoops looks like Percy has pushed a few of Athena's buttons. I thought breaking the curse would be a nice twist to show the readers that Percy isn't totally dark, but he won't stand seeing the God mess with peoples life's especially when it is through no fault of their own.