Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or any related characters! Please, please, PLEASE review if you read; all feedback is greatly appreciated. You all are awesome, and thank you for reading my story!
Percy, Thalia, and Grover had gotten back to Camp Jupiter that day and informed Frank and Reyna of Iris and Fleecy's death. Percy chose to leave out the information about their trip to Nereus. Frank was silent as he listened, then got up and thanked them for their information. Reyna called an emergency gathering of all the Roman campers and announced the death of Iris. A ripple of emotions fluttered over the usually stoic Romans; fear, sadness, despair, confusion, etc. Reyna informed them that there would be a Roman funeral later in the day. When people started to disperse, Percy had grabbed Frank's shoulder.
Percy looked Frank in the eyes. "Both you and I know that Iris felt like she did not have what she deserved. So, when we found her...her body, we created a makeshift shrine for her that stands right behind her shop. I don't know if it's possible, but it would be amazing if you could get Camp Jupiter to make regular trips to Iris' shrine. She provided both camps with an amazing way to contact people that was safer than cell-phones, and frankly, we took her for granted. We would be able to show our appreciation if we paid respect to where she's buried."Frank nodded and Percy felt bad. He heard that Iris gave Frank some really great advice regarding his fire-stick, as well as his destiny. Frank used that advice to become his own man and really take control of his own destiny. He hoped that Frank would find follow through and encourage Camp Jupiter to pay their respects.
Percy met up with Thalia and Grover and they had gone to lunch together. Though Camp Jupiter provided some more Ceres-blessed food; Percy was not too hungry. He kept thinking about the wounds in Iris and Fleecy's necks and the ichor flowing down. Whoever had done this must have either power or resources, and Percy needed to be ready when the time came. He was not going to fail Cyrene. Percy left the Mess Hall early and changed into some battle clothes. He walked out to the Field of Mars where he was overlooking Berkeley across the River Tiber. He had on his black T-shirt, a breastplate, his battle pants and boots. He had to get back in fighting shape if he wanted to beat this new (or old?) enemy. He swung Riptide experimentally. He tried a one hand jab, a parry, an overhead strike, a beheading swipe, and a backhand attack. He swung it again, and again, and again, until Riptide was just a golden arc moving and twirling around his hands.
"Need a dance partner?" Percy smelled Thalia before he saw her. He turned to see her dressed in a dark gray shirt with black battle pants and boots. She had brought her spear with her, along with her bow and arrows.
Percy eyed Thalia warily. She always brought out his competitive side, and he did not have faith in himself that he wouldn't get too caught up and completely lift the River Tiber out of its place. However, he did probably look pretty stupid swinging Riptide against no one. He nodded and raised his sword.
Thalia laughed. "Nu-uh, Kelp Head. No armor. Take that breastplate off, you're going toe to toe with the Lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis. You need to get back into fighting shape."
Percy shrugged off his breastplate. "Bring it, Wonder Woman."
Thalia grinned. "I like that nickname. Also, quick rules; you cannot use your powers, but I can use all of mine."
Percy's eyebrows rose so high up that he thought they were going to slide off his face. "Really? How is that fair?"
Thalia kept her smile. "No one said anything about fair, Aquaman. I have to get you back for that flip at the Big House somehow. And I've been in battle shape over the past months, you have not."
"That's because I thought I was retired," Percy grumbled. He hefted Riptide and pointed it towards Thalia. He felt clouds begin to form over them and he sensed the humidity level increase in the air around them. Thalia's body had a silver glow around it, and her eyes arced with electricity. Thalia opened her hands and her bow and arrows disappeared. She was left with her spear, and she leveled it so it was pointing to Percy's neck.
Percy charged and Thalia held her ground. He tried for an overhead tomahawk strike. It was one of his strongest moves, and usually caught his adversaries off guard by the sheer power behind it. He brought it down on Thalia, but she blocked it with her spear. Unfortunately for Percy, Thalia seemed unfazed by the strength of the attack, so Percy couldn't follow up with any kick of sword slam.
Thalia swept kicked his feet from under him and he landed painfully on the field. He forgot that the Romans made sure their ground was not soft, in order to incentivize people to not get knocked down. Percy sprang up and tried for a run through with Riptide. In a display of unnatural speed, Thalia turned her body so Riptide missed her. In that same second, she grabbed Riptide, ripped it from Percy's grasp, and hit him in the chin with the sword's hilt. Percy staggered, and fell to one knee. Thalia leapt and delivered a solid roundhouse kick to Percy's chest, sending him flying back ten feet.
Pain seared through Percy; his head was splitting, his chest was hurting, and his chin felt like it almost broke. The worst part about it? He could tell she was holding back. Thalia rushed to him and punched him in the face, electricity arcing through her fist and through Percy's face, adding to the impact. It knocked him back to the ground. He hadn't been hit that hard in a long time. Blood fell from his chin and face. Percy realized how much he had relied on his powers, environment, and luck to beat all the enemies he had faced over the years.
Thalia grabbed him by his head, and brought it down on her knee. Percy's head shot back and he landed on his back. Stars started to show in Percy's vision, and he was hearing a ringing sound. Thalia tossed his sword to him as he was on the ground. It clattered and bounced until it was next to his hand. Bounced. That's how hard the ground was.
Percy couldn't believe it. When he and Annabeth sparred, she usually let him get up. Thalia was ruthless. But Percy had done ruthless before. He had gotten literally torn apart by Lupa's pack as they taught him their ways. Percy realized that he was still in sparring mode when he needed to be in Wolf Mode.
Percy opened his eyes, and for a split second, they were the eyes of a feral animal. Thalia's eyes widened and she backed up a bit. Percy bared his teeth and got up. He felt adrenaline rush through his body and he scooped up his sword. He rushed to Thalia. She attacked him at full speed and turned into a blur. Percy felt like he was attacking multiple swordsmen. Percy's senses were in overdrive, smelling, seeing, and hearing Thalia's multiple light attacks. He managed to parry them all, but he did not even have time to finish a single thought. Finally, Thalia got impatient. She grasped her spear and tried for a power swing at Percy. On instinct, he leapt over the swipe extended his body in mid-air, as if he was diving into the ocean. Instead, he dove to tackle Thalia. They tumbled to the ground with Percy on top of her. Percy yelled and knocked the spear out of her hands and raised his fist. She headbutted him with electricity, stunning him, and flipped Percy off of her.
She opened her hands and her bow and arrow re-appeared. She notched one and shot it at his chest. Percy caught it, but an arrow had gone through his knee; Thalia had shot two arrows so quickly that he only saw one. Percy grunted. However, the pain was deafened as the adrenaline continued to surge. He scooped up Riptide and ran to Thalia with the arrow still in his knee. She notched another arrow and shot it at him, but time slowed down. Percy heard the whistle of the arrow in the air as it cut the humidity in the air. Percy's limbs seemed to move at super-speed and he cleaved the arrow in half. Time went to normal speed and Percy continued to charge. She opened her hands and her spear re-appeared. They went toe to toe with Riptide vs. her electric spear. Percy side-stepped a perfect form thrust from Thalia, grabbed her wrist, and twisted it the opposite way. Her wrist cracked and Percy flipped her. Thalia backflipped to get space from Percy, but he was advancing with Riptide. Riptide was a golden arc, but Thalia was a silver flash. She dodged almost all his strikes until he feinted a low blow. Thalia dodged it, but Percy followed with a high strike that swiped a wound on Thalia's face. In a fraction of a second, he turned Riptide to another angle and slammed her head with the flat of his sword. Thalia crumpled.
He tapped his wristwatch and his shield sprung to full glory. Thalia scrambled up and her eyes widened. Percy grabbed the side of the shield, swinging it like a bat. The shield knocked Thalia square in the face, and she staggered for a bit. Percy brought the shield down on the top of her head, and Thalia fell. He raised his shield and brought it down on her as if he was going to put the shield through her neck. In another display of unnatural speed, she caught the edge of the shield before it punctured her neck. Her face was flowing with ichor, but her expression was of pure anger. She kicked his knee, and it bent the wrong direction. Percy cried out in pain and collapsed to one side. Thalia wound up and Percy saw the white-blue electricity surging under her skin. She gave him a strong roundhouse punch, and Thalia felt the force of her punch, the Hunters, and a bolt of lightning hit him. Blood and teeth came out his mouth and he fell to the ground. Percy tried to get up, but his body was not responding.
Thalia regarded Percy with ichor coming down her chin, and her face. She was ready for Percy to get up, but when he didn't, she threw her weapons to the side and rushed to him. She placed a gentle hand on his back and a silvery glow went over his entire body. Bones re-aligned themselves, wounds healed, teeth re-grew, and his body felt the original strength he started with. The arrow that was in his knee had gotten pushed out cleanly by the healing skin. Thalia stepped back as Percy struggled up.
He looked at Thalia, who was looking back at him. Percy noticed she was in a defensive stance, ready to defend herself if Percy tried to argue. Her eyes were un-blinking, and Percy used his Lupa senses to smell anxiety coming off her. She was nervous that he would be mad. Though everything was still a bit sore, and Percy was a little peeved, Percy tried for a grin. "Looks like Wonder Woman won that round. But Aquaman shall win the second!"
She matched his smile. "Not in a million years. Let's go." Percy took out Riptide and shrunk his shield and leveled it towards Thalia. Her ichor and wounds had already healed completely. Percy and Thalia charged towards each other.
They fought each other until sunset. They were unnecessarily brutal at some points though; Thalia had struck Percy with a bolt of lightning from the sky, Percy ran Riptide through Thalia's leg, Thalia had broke Percy's arm, Percy had kicked her in the nose. It was an escape for the both of them, and a good outlet to vent their emotions and frustration. Percy had gotten back into the groove of going into Wolf Mode, but still being a controlled and calculating swordsman. His proficiency with Riptide had increased to the point where he was almost at his prime. Thalia reveled in the fight; it had been a long time since she had faced an adversary like that, especially since Percy had learned some new moves at Camp Jupiter.
They ended up concluding their sparring session when Thalia had caught Percy's shield throw. She charged the shield with so much electricity that it took on an electric blue color with tendrils coming off it. She threw it so hard that a small sonic boom erupted from the throw. Percy caught it, but once he caught it, he was shocked with all the electricity in the shield, and fell to the ground. Percy fell on his back and Thalia healed him. Percy shook his head; his head had a splitting migraine, and his body felt like he was not in it anymore. "Wow. I must have died about eight times in the past hours."
Thalia helped him up and smiled. "Yeah. You almost made me sweat."
Percy was drenched with sweat, while Thalia's gray shirt was completely dry. However, they both knew that if Thalia was still mortal, her body would have been crying out for help. They turned away from each other and realized that a large crowd had formed around them. Campers were watching with their mouths the the ground. Percy began to limp towards the field outside of the Fifth Cohort Barracks. The crowd parted to allow Percy room. When he almost fell, Thalia caught him and helped him walk to the funeral for Iris. The crowd went to follow them. Percy was very aware of Thalia's arm around his waist and he could feel heat rising to Thalia's face as Percy's arm was around her. Percy realized that he probably doesn't smell the best, but decided against apologizing for it.
They arrived at the field and saw that a lot of campers were already there. Each one was putting a small wooden boat into the Little Tiber. Each wooden boat had a note that was handwritten by the camper who owned the boat. Once it was pushed off into the Tiber, the camper would say a quick prayer and the wooden boat and letter would burst into rainbow flames, giving off a quick scent of Iris' shop. As the sun set and dusk fell over Camp Jupiter, the hundreds of wooden boats and rainbow flames made for a pretty cool vision. Percy hoped that Iris saw what a difference she made in these people's lives. He made a mental note to have Camp Half-Blood pay their respects as well.
Percy unhooked from Thalia and sat on the ground. His entire body was sore, but he felt at peace. Iris' shop smells wafted through the air. He looked up at Thalia and she was staring at all the wooden boats and the rainbow flames flowing down the river. As the night got darker, the flames grew brighter and the light reflected a rainbow-colored luminescence off Thalia's face. Even with that color on her face, her blue eyes popped.
Percy looked past Thalia and saw Grover put a wooden boat in the River. He turned to Percy and rasied his arm very high in greeting. Percy saluted, and let his arm fall down slowly. Grover was talking to other satyrs, no doubt trying to convince them that they are better than this. Percy thought back to what Grover said about being the rainbow in life's storms. Thalia has been his rainbow a few times in this storm. She had cried with him, did detective work with him, sparred with him, then went to a rainbow-flamed funeral and still managed to be pretty dam cool. And he couldn't thank her enough.
She looked down and saw him smiling at her. She raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Nothing. Just glad to have you with me," Percy half-lied.
Thalia held in a smile and looked away.