Replies:
So when will he tell Chiron and Annabeth about his little problem –CaptinJar
When Percy tells them.
Good chapter, looking forward to what happens next. –Shigure Toshiro
Looking forward to writing what's next…
tbh this chapter was a little slow. I WOULD BE 100% OKAY WITH YOU KILLING OFF JASON! In fact, please do! –Omega Alpha Hydra
Yeah, it was slow, that's why I hated it. As for Jason, I will consider it.
Hmm, interesting ransom note (assuming that's what it is). Also the self-insert isn't too cringy XD and the chapter's pretty good. –ImpossibleThings12
Yes, it's the ransom note, and the real deal. Glad it wasn't too bad.
Wait, VAN is you? Lololol. You wear glasses? Glasses...check. Awkward smile...check XDD Oml VAN's talking to himself. I do that all the time omg. Is he writing the next fanfic chapter ;) MAKE THEM GO THROUGH THE WINDOW OMG XDD A chiseled victim… MEDUSA OMGOMG Persephonean seeds… get Nico to eat some pomergrantes and spit out 13 seeds. 24 hours of moonlight...? Perhaps hourglasses...? Hourglasses set on the moon or Artemis's moon chariot to collect the moonlight. And instead of sand in the hourglasses, it would be like, crystalized moonlight falling. –SoulHorse
Yes – kinda, I don't know. I feel like I'm super awkward, but they could be teenage mentality. But what I do know, is that my mom tells me that I spend too much time writing and talking to myself. *Shrugs* Yes, out the window. And yes and no to a bunch of those guesses on the plot. I don't wanna spoil and tell everyone which ones are correct.
dude what the hell no no no i do not accept this. –Gogeta12345
Well fuck. I can't have that.
When you can please write more! I have been waiting for my copy of b͟͟l͟͟o͟͟o͟͟d͟͟ o͟͟f͟͟ O͟͟l͟͟y͟͟m͟͟p͟͟u͟͟s͟͟ And needed something to read, than I found this fanfic and loved it! this was very creative for the fact it was written in your spare time! –Guest
Sorry for the wait, dude. It's here now.
-Part One: Pressed-
Chapter 11: Percy
So I was expecting to have at least another two weeks to start writing again, but you guys guilted me with your reviews. Fudge….
But here's an update! I promised it was going to be an Annabeth chapter, but I wasn't really in the mood for writing one. Sorry. But it is better than nothing… right?
Last time with Percy:
"Look, I – I don't," I began, trying to find the right words.
But then I noticed the girls weren't looking at me. They were staring at something above my head.
Schist….
"Percy," Annabeth stuttered, pointing. Her hair dripped.
By the time I looked up, the sign was already fading, but I could still make out the hologram of green light – spinning and gleaming.
A three tipped spear: My father's trident.
"Your father…" Annabeth murmured. "This is really not good..."
"It is determined," Chiron announced, surprising me.
I turned around, finding him and a crowd of very stunned looking demigods. One guy was naked, with only a towel around his waist and soap still in his hair.
They looked at me, and then all began kneeling. Even Clarisse, though she didn't seem very happy about it.
"Hail, Perseus Jackson. Son of the sea god."
LINEBREAKISMADVACATIONWASCUTSHORT
Later that afternoon, Chiron moved me to cabin three.
The new development had been both a big relief and a complete shock. I hadn't planned on changing the past. In fact, I still wasn't sure if this was the past…
Oh how did I ever got into these situations?
I silently murmured how even Hercules had less troubles, but the comment only gave a moment of reprieve. Self-pity wasn't going to do anything for me.
On one side, having my own cabin allowed me to have a great flexibility in my schedule. Without Luke or any of the other Hermes kids keeping an eye on me, I was more free with my activities, without peering eyes. Although I wasn't sure what I was going to do, maybe I could snoop around. Maybe I'll learn something.
One thing Annabeth had taught me: Don't assume until you have all the facts. Maybe I was in the past – but this feeling on the back of my neck; a shiver told me to think otherwise.
I just wasn't sure what to think of, yet.
But it wasn't as if I was in the midst of fighting some time controlling deity that could've messed and launch me back in the timeline or anything. Then maybe this would make a lot more sense.
My life story was often mangled with myths and legends, but it wasn't some sort of fairy tale. I dearly hope my life wouldn't become some kind of story, people read for entertainment.
And while myths were myths; time travel was a different matter altogether. Science fiction; and while shows like Doctor Who made the adventures sound fun, (Annabeth and Leo had introduced the show to us during the quest to Athens. When we we're questing, sleeping or battling with pesky immortals, Doctor Who reruns served nicely as a source of entertainment. There was even enough action that Coach Hedge approved of it.) I didn't want to be back in time.
Time travel and Greek myths couldn't mix. Could it?
Anyway, the changes from the bathroom incident were already being felt.
I was three days ahead of schedule; and I hope I didn't just cause some time ripple that would end the universe. Because that would've suck.
Percy Jackson destroys all Space-Time Continuum when he can't control himself in the bathroom.
Maybe someone should write a book about me. My feats would be hilarious….
Anyway, the morning after, Chiron was eager to give me my choice of classes, although he made sure to get me a slot with Luke for private lessons about sword fighting.
For the entire morning, everyone avoided me like the plague. The sky was cloudy (It was NEVER cloudy) and I sat alone at my father's table. It became evident that I was at the center of everyone's discussions. As I passed, demigods would hush their conversations and avoid my glance.
The ones that were brave enough eyed me like I had killed their dog.
Even Grover didn't make an appearance or anything to congratulate me or talk to me. When I confronted Annabeth at her table where he was, she gave me the same sort of stand-offish tone everyone was now giving me. She answered how he was busy with the Council, but did not divulge any details. I guess maybe we never had the extra few days for me to swoon her with my naïve yet charming questions.
I rotated around my classes and activities the entire morning. Woodrow – nervous chap – tried to showed me how to finger a clarinet, but by the end of the lesson we both had three throttled reeds and the agreement that maybe musicianship wasn't going to be my forte.
Afterwards, I crushed the Hephaestus cabin in canoeing, but I had this suspicion that they were holding back, afraid of having the same fate Clarisse and her sisters had while challenging me in the middle of my element.
I found my lesson with Annabeth to be half hazardous and counterproductive. While she was still obligated to teach me, she avoided actually talking and commenting about my studies.
Luckily, I didn't appear like a doofus in front of her, and was able to stumble over a few pages of the Illaid, without much trouble, but Annabeth's mind seemed distance and her eyes gave the impression of raging storms.
She wasn't in the mood for talking; which was kind of hard to learn Greek from, as half the lesson was supposed to be vocal. Her eyes were distant, and her murmurs about Poseidon discouraged me from messing with her while she was in her thoughts.
I spied the Ares kids a few times, but Clarisse made sure to steer clear. She narrowed her eyes and growled at me to back off when I bumped into her by accident on the way to lunch, but nothing eventful came out of it, fortunately.
After lunch was I had my 'first' sword fighting lesson.
I made sure to arrive to my lesson early, but even then Luke made it too the arena before me. I walked into him already slashing and mauling on one of those stuffed dummies they had for newbies to train on, and when I made my presence known, he greeted me with a rather bright and optimistic smile, which made me uneased.
"Morning, Percy!" Luke began as he sheathed his blade. It was the one he owned before he had made Backbiter. Luke's smile widened when he saw I was already wearing my own armor. "Your lesson doesn't start till noon. You wanted an early start?"
It wasn't a question, but more of an interested statement. There was no malice or distaste in the words. Luke sounded like he was the one person genuinely eager to talk to me. Like being the son of Poseidon was no big deal. I shuffled and tried not to squirm, and he slapped me on the back and showed be to the Barracks before I could even greet him back.
He opened up and barged into the shack of spare weapons the camp had, while I stood and the door not sure what to say.
"Ahh, I remember my first sword lesson," he began. He stared in wonder at all the dusty swords and daggers and spears. "I had already been using a sword I had found for months but then they gave me a blade that was balanced just right."
He winked, and gestured towards the blade at his waste. The one that he had been using earlier. "Improved my fighting ability tenfold! And when you're fighting for your life, tenfold can make quite a difference."
He shuffled and jumbled through the racks, murmuring about adjustments based on my height. He was about halfway down before he realized I hadn't followed him in.
"Come on!" he told me. "The swords aren't going to bite you."
It's not the swords I'm worried about, I thought.
Nevertheless, I decided to enter and Luke helped me find a good weapon. We tried a few blades out that he thought might suit me, but some were too long. Others weighed liked bowling balls in my hands. One felt like a featherweight, and when I tried to swing with it the sword flew right out of my grasp. It nearly decapitated Luke, and made a nice etched whole in the wall.
I quickly apologized but he merely shrugged it off like it was a normal occurrence when working with newbies.
The son of Hermes swaggered through the weapons, not at all deterred that I might not find my chosen weapon amongst the camp supplies. I already knew what I would be using, but I wasn't going to confront Chiron about Riptide yet. All will hopefully come in its own time.
We finally settled on this bronze leaf blade which was about five inches too short, but its grip was firm, and the balancing was near perfect.
With a decent blade now in my hands, Luke preceded to teach me the basics of sword fighting. We started with some basic stabbing and slashing, suing some of the straw-stuffed dummies for practice, but when it became apparent I already knew most my way around my blade, he decided to try some more complex maneuvers.
We practiced with me head on, parrying, slashing and blocking each other's attacks. I tried my best to make my efforts sloppy, but my fighting instincts took over and I could tell Luke wasn't going as easy as he had planned too.
Finally, after a few minutes, he struck my sword while I was expecting a block, and my sword flew out of my hands. The tip of his blade poked the bottom of my chin, before he relaxed. His expression covered in sweat but obviously in wonder.
"You're a natural!" he exclaimed. His eyes glimmered with what I thought might be pride. "You sure you haven't touched a sword before?"
I shook my head, I think it was pretty obvious I was lying. The son of Hermes didn't push for information though.
"Well either way you're great," he said, before his wrist watch beeped, and he had to stop and look at the time. "Guess we have a few more minutes before we clean up. I got rock climbing next, and I've got for sure not let the Stolls unbuckle Harry's harness again."
He looked at me and winked. "But I think we can place one more lesson, before I've got too go."
Coincidentally, it was the same disarming maneuver he had shown and tested on me in my very first lesson. And the actual first at that.
"Okay, so this one is a difficult one," he stressed. "I've had it used against me. Most swordsmen have to work years to master this technique.
He demonstrated the move too me in slow motion. Sure enough, the sword clattered out of my hands.
"Now in real time," he said, after I had retrieved my weapon. "We keep sparring until one of us pulls it off. Got it?"
I nodded and Luke went after me. Somehow, I prevented him from hitting my wrist but he still pushed his advantage. Unlike last time, he had already experienced the lengths of my skills, and he didn't hold back.
My senses opened up, as he slashed and ducked my strikes. I narrowed my eyes, trying to push for an offensive. That was my mistake. I stepped forwards and tried to thrust towards his wrist. He saw my overextension and took advantage my ducking and slashing at the base of my blade.
Clang.
My sword rattled on the stones. The tip of his blade was an inch from my undefended chest.
I stood there still, utterly surprised. For a moment, I was too stunned to speak.
"Well, sorry about that," Luke said before lowering his weapon. His scarred face opened in a wide grin, and he wiped the sweat out of his blonde hair. "I got a little bit excited. It's just that in a real battle, your enemy would've taken of that mistake. But you're the most natural swordsmen I've seen yet."
He patted my back before sheathing his blade, and unstrapping his armor.
"Class dismissed! See ya back here tomorrow, Jackson."
I think this chapter was one of my better works – despite my half lucidness. Maybe I should write more late at night! (or… would it be early morning?) I don't know, lol.
It just…. Flowed better and was less slow. Blah, you know what I'm talking about! (Maybe.)
I'd love reviews! :D
Best Wishes, from a Junior Scribe of Camp Half-Blood,
~VCRx
(This chapter has not been betaed.)
[Last Edited: 4.18.2017]