CHAPTER III

The first thing Percy did back in the world of the living was to find some fast food to wolf down. Piper and him weren't exactly starving in the Pit, her cornucopia managed to survive the fall with them and kept them from wanting for food, but nothing could compare to a nice fat juicy grease-riddled burger. Sitting in a diner booth munching on his 4th cheeseburger, he mulled over his situation, everyone probably thought he was dead, hopefully, Gaea does as well, he was gonna need that tactical advantage. He was gonna need to stop a war in order to fight and win another, all the while hiding the fact he had created a weapon potentially powerful enough to truly kill an immortal. Even now Percy could feel the black hole inside of him, silently urging to be released, to be wielded. Thinking about the anomaly inside of him, Percy froze, realizing that ever since he had woken up and returned to the overworld, Kronos hadn't said a word. He closed his eyes and concentrated, searching the depths of his mind and soul, and was unable to feel any other presence besides the black hole. Hm, guess he was weakened more than I thought, Percy mused to himself, wondering if this meant he didn't have control of time anymore. He looked down at the nearly finished cheeseburger and focused. He grinned as the feeling of flowing sand passed through him and out his hands, pouring into the burger, and watched in satisfaction as it slowly reverted back to being whole. Percy got up, leaving a 10-dollar tip on the table, and winked at a small kid who was staring at him wide-eyed, unable to process what he had just witnessed. Percy chuckled as he watched the kid intently staring at the crumbs on his plate as he walked out.

Walking back out into the street, he decided he needed an isolated place to experiment with the black hole, its urging was becoming harder to ignore, a pressure building deep in his chest. He let out a loud sharp whistle, ignoring the looks that people passing by gave him, and smiled as he saw a large black figure descend from the clouds.

"Boss! Holy horse shit it IS you! I knew you weren't dead!" Black Jack whinnied in excitement.

"Hey Black Jack, good to see you too buddy," Percy replied, petting his old loyal friend's mane as he mounted him.

"Porkpie is gonna be so fucking pissed, Boss! Guido and him made a bet on whether or not you were still alive, he's gonna be owing me and Guido 20 donuts each, Ha!" The pegasus said, launching into the air.

"You guys betted on whether or not I was alive??" Percy responded, guiding them towards a harbor with some run-down warehouses he had spotted while on his hunt for a burger shack earlier. Honestly, he wasn't too surprised, if pegasus' could have a gambling addiction, Guido and Porkpie would be at the top of the list.

"Well, Boss, I never doubted you for a second, not to say I wasn't worried but I mean, after everything we've been through.." Black Jack trailed off. Percy chuckled but was touched, he could feel how Black Jack was distressed the last couple of weeks, not knowing for certain what had happened.

"It's good to know you care, bud, thanks for believing in me, maybe I could get you some sugar cubes here in a bit," Percy said, reveling in the feeling of the air whipping at his face and the wind whistling in his ears. Granted, being a son of Poseidon meant flying was a no-no but that didn't apply to riding on Black Jack, Percy almost felt just at home riding in the air on a pegasus than when he was underwater. Black Jack seemed to swell at the praise and picked up the pace when he heard he might get something in return. Finally, Percy spotted the harbor and instructed Black Jack to touch down.

"You want me to wait out here, Boss?" the pegasus asked as Percy slid off him and started towards the building.

"Nah, it's alright, I'll whistle for you when I'm ready to go, thanks though," Percy responded, Black Jack nodded and launched himself into the air, probably heading to go rub it into Porkpie's face that he had lost the bet and claim his donuts. Percy turned back towards the warehouse, it sure looked abandoned, he thought to himself as he stepped through the hole in the wall where he guessed a door must've been at some point. Holes also littered the ceiling, letting in the only source of lighting, an old rotten boat lay on its side in one of the back corners, scrap metal sprawled around it, the whole place looked like it could crumble with a single earthquake. He looked around one more time and felt satisfied he was alone. He concentrated and called on the sphere and it appeared hovering in front of him silently. Just like he remembered it seemed to suck in all the light around it. Percy reached for the sphere and held it in his palm, it was about the same size as his head. Holding it, Percy realized something, this thing was still a liquid. He let it float out in front of him again and concentrated, willing it to turn into different shapes and moving it around him until an idea hit him. He concentrated again but this time, willed it to turn into a sword, he smiled as the sphere obeyed his command and turned into an exact replica of Riptide, then he turned it into a hunting knife, a shield, a spear, and a trident.

He called it to his hands and changed it back into a sword, testing its weight and balance, and just like Riptide it felt perfect. He made his way over to one of the wooden support beams to practice some moves, he started with some simple slashes and stabs, slowly working his way up to more advanced techniques fueled by pure muscle memory until he took a step he didn't mean to, shifted his weight in a way he hadn't intended and started doing a technique he had no idea he knew. Percy stopped, a little freaked out until realization dawned on him, he took a breath and let his mind wander, his body moved on its own and got into a wide stance, and his mind drifted to the time his mom had taken him to go see a movie about King Arthur and the knights of the roundtable, suddenly images started flashing in his head. Memories of a siege against a castle, of fighting barbarian Vikings invading a village, of dueling a large man in plate armor wielding some sort of halberd. Percy looked down and saw that his sword had turned from a Riptide lookalike into a longsword, just under 4 and a half feet long. He broke the stance and looked down at the sword in wonder, "No way.." he breathed out, "Oh, you are way more than I expected," he said quietly, smiling like an idiot. The sword was still actively connected to the rivers, Percy figured he knew how to use a longsword because the sword itself gave him the knowledge which came from the river Lethe, some medieval knight chose rebirth and drank the water of the Lethe, leaving behind all of their knowledge and skill.

"Well now, what do we have here? Some motherfucker snooping around our spot?" Percy tensed as a voice called out from across the warehouse, he turned around and saw three men making their way toward him.

"You ain't supposed to be here shithead," one of them growled out.

"Yea, these here docks is our territory, or did ya miss the sign?" another spat. Percy shot a glance at one of the few walls in the warehouse that didn't have some sort of hole in it and saw some sort of symbol spray painted on it. He quickly willed the sword to disappear and gave the thugs a blank smile.

"Hey guys, no need to get things mixed up, I guess I got lost," he replied, putting his hands up in defense, "I'll just be on my way out now," he said, turning to make his way out before the mortals decided he looked easy to rob.

"Aw nah, you ain't going nowhere pretty boy," one of them shouted at him. Two more thugs appeared from the entrance, promptly cutting it off.

"Look at the way this white boy dressed, I bet he's got a wallet that's nice and fat from his daddy," the first one said, smiling. Percy's own smile slowly left his face, he really didn't have time for this. A quiet voice in the back of his head was telling him to just kill them all and leave, but he brushed it off.

"Look, you guys want money? Fine, here take it, I don't really care," Percy said, digging into his pocket and throwing the leftover cash he had that Thanatos must've given him when he teleported him back up on the floor in front of who he guessed was the leader of this gang. The leader gestured to one of his goons to pick it up and count it.

"900 an' some change, boss," he said, handing the bills to him. The leader whistled when he heard that.

"My man! You just carryin this shit around with you in cash? God damn, you tourists get stupider every year," the leader started laughing as he pocketed it, the other thugs following along and laughing as well.

"Look, I'm kind of in a hurry, if you don't mind, I'm leaving," Percy said shortly, turning around again.

"I do mind, actually. See, since you're oh so generous you won't mind if we take everything else you might be carrying too don't ya?" the leader said, emphasizing his point by taking out a pistol and clicking its safety off. Percy tensed when he heard the click and turned around once more, eyeing the other thugs as they took out different weapons, from brass knuckles to switch blades and handguns. "You look big an' strong but I bet you ain't bulletproof, huh bitch?"

"Honestly, at this point, I might as well be," Percy muttered under his breath.

"What was that? You prayin' for your life or sum shit, boy?" the gang leader shouted.

"I said, you don't want this fight," Percy said, raising his voice, making thunder boom overhead for added effect. The other thugs shifted nervously as the weather outside seemed to worsen by the second. The leader stalked up to him and put his gun right to Percy's temple.

"Oh, I think I do. Hand it over," he spit out, glaring at him in a way that Percy guessed was supposed to be intimidating.

"Last. Chance." Percy growled out, his eyes slightly glowing with power. Every second that went by he felt more and more anger and bloodlust, the little voice in his head wasn't so little anymore as it shouted at him to rip them apart. The man in front of him seemed to hesitate, fear showing in his eyes, he quickly looked around, gaining confidence in the fact he had a gun to this guy's head, and that his men had his back. He looked back and hardened his resolve as he got ready to pull the trigger. Percy knew the man had decided what to do as soon as he looked back at him and punched him in the gut before he had a chance to act. The other gangsters shouted in confusion and fear as Percy quickly grabbed the man by his head and held him in a headlock. "I warned you," Percy whispered in his ear and smiled sadistically as the gang leader whimpered in fear. With a roar he twisted the man's head violently in one direction, and then the other, watching in satisfaction as he crumpled to the floor, twitching violently and bleeding from his mouth and eyes. He cast his gaze across the remaining gang members, standing stock still in shock and fear, his vision started turning red as he let a cruel smile spread and laughed sadistically.

Minutes later, Percy emerged from the warehouse covered in blood, none his own. His rage and bloodlust weren't satisfied but, it would have to do for now. He sighed as his mental state reverted back to some level of normalcy. He had no idea when he started acting like this. When the urge to kill and destroy became so ingrained in him. He knew he should've just let it go, should've just bruised them up a bit, maybe scared them away from this type of lifestyle, but that little voice in the back of his head... That little voice roared for blood. And when Percy drew blood, it was hard to stop until everything around him was dead or gone. A shuffling sound behind him drew him from his moral musing. One of the thugs was crawling out of the entrance and trying to get away from him, though he wouldn't get far seeing as Percy had mangled one of his legs beyond repair. Percy made his way towards him and stood watching, the man shakily looked up and let out a garbled yell, clawing at the ground trying to get away, his eyes wide in panic and fear. Percy flipped him over onto his back with his foot. The man was pleading for his life, begging him, crying, and sniffling. Percy didn't even feel an ounce of pity, did that make him a sociopath? He didn't want to think about that too much.

He reached down to end the man's suffering, but something caught his attention, he was wearing a gold chain with a locket attached to it, and inside was a picture of a little girl, smiling wide at the camera. Percy touched the man's shoulder, ignoring the way he kept squirming and asking what the hell he was doing, and concentrated, he imagined the man's memories flowing into him, and a series of flashing images popped into his mind. A woman smiling as she said yes to a proposal, a little girl running up and jumping into a hug, an elderly man in a hospital bed, a final eviction notice, and past due bills. Percy's eyes fluttered open as he processed everything he had just absorbed. "Hm, so you only do this to provide for your family, huh?" Percy said, looking down at the man who had seemingly passed out from the interaction. He sighed and quickly checked to make sure he hadn't accidentally killed him, his pulse was weak but there. Percy touched the man's forehead and transferred back the memories he had taken. He stood up and looked around making sure no one was walking by. Percy held up a hand and felt the familiar feeling of flowing sand and the faint ticking of a clock, he slowly rewound the flow of time on the man, concentrating, Percy heard the faint cracks as the man's bones slowly shifted back into place and mended, a couple more seconds later and he was completely healed, back to the state he was in before Percy went and nearly ripped him apart. His eyes fluttered open and snapped to Percy, quickly he shot up and back crawled away from him.

"What the- what the- what the FUCK are you man? What the fuck did you do- do to me?" he stammered out, backing up into a wall and staring at Percy in fear.

"I saved your life, Jonathan," Percy replied, squatting in front of him, "Keep in mind though, I also nearly ended it, just like I killed all your gang-banger buddies back there," he added, lazily shooting a thumb over his shoulder at the warehouse. "As for what I am? I'm your worst fucking nightmare. I want you to remember today, Johnny boy. I want you to go home, to kiss your fiance and your beautiful daughter, Bella, and tell them that you're gonna be an honest man now, that you're going to go out and get a real job and be a provider." Percy whispered, staring into the eyes of the mortal, letting his own eyes glow slightly with power, just to scare the shit out of him even more. "Nod if you understand." Jonathan nodded. "Oh, one more thing," Percy said as he stood up, he threw him the cash that this whole ordeal was over. "If I ever catch you doing this again, I won't be so nice." He smiled menacingly at the man as he scrambled to his feet, shoved the money in his pocket, and sprinted away. Percy looked back at the old warehouse, best if there wasn't any evidence, he mused, and waved his hand, making a wave form and swallow the warehouse up, dragging the debris out into the harbor. He then looked down at himself and sighed. Percy used to not care about being covered in blood but, he wasn't in the pit anymore. He willed some water to swirl around him, washing the blood away but leaving him dry. He ran a hand through his hair and felt satisfied. Looking up to the sky, he let out a whistle and waited for Black Jack.

Percy could hear Black Jack before he could see him, the pegasus was swearing up a storm, something about Porkpie being a flakey piece of horse shit that could never be trusted. He landed gracefully in front of Percy, his wings spread out and his hooves pawing the ground in frustration. "Woah hey bud what's wrong?" Percy asked, stifling a laugh at his antics.

"That good for nothing, two-timing, lying, flakey, unicorn-looking son of a bitch Porkpie, Boss! He swore up and down that if he lost he would pay up but nooooo of course not, soon as I bring up the fact that you're alive and he lost he starts making up some shit about never actually doubting you and that it was all just a joke! 20 donuts down the drain, by Poseidon's balls I think I might be depressed." Black Jack said with a groan. This time Percy couldn't hold back his laughter. "Oh yea sure, laugh it up! A good pegasus just lost 20 donuts and you're laughing, hmph." he snorted out.

"Don't worry, Black Jack, I'll get you those donuts, just as soon as you help me get some apples," Percy managed to finally say after his laughing fit, he patted Black Jack on the head and hopped on.

"Apples? Oh, man are you saying we're going to where I think we're going?" the pegasus whinnied.

"Yup," Percy replied, popping the p.

"Ugh, that place gives me the heebie-jeebies. Y'know boss, I once knew this one pegasus, he told me that the girl he was flying around with way back in the old days decided she was gonna sneak herself one of the apples so she could be immortal and what-not, turns out those hesperide chicks really don't like females, and after 4 days and 4 nights my friend had to leave because his rider had danced herself to death, courtesy of the hesperide sisters." Black Jack said, "And don't get me started on that boring duty-driven dragon, ugh, the guy wouldn't know a good joke if it bit him on one of his hundred heads."

"Ah, never a dull story with you huh, Black Jack?" Percy chuckled as he thought of ways to steal the apples without dying to the infamous dragon.

The Garden of the Hesperides was as beautiful as he remembered it, the grass shimmered with silvery evening light, and the flowers were such brilliant colors they almost glowed in the dark. Stepping stones of polished black marble led around either side of the five-story-tall apple tree, every bough glittering with Golden Apples. He had Black Jack touch down on the trail leading towards the entrance after he had circled the garden from above.

"Boss, you don't mind if I wait up in the sky right? Like I said earlier this place gives-"

"Gives you the heebie-jeebies, I remember. It's all good bud, you can be my eyes in the sky," Percy said, patting his mane and focusing on the trail ahead of him. As soon as Percy passed over the archway that marked the entrance to the Garden, a strange mist formed and covered every inch of the place, from the mist rose the four Hesperide sisters.

"Halt!" the sisters spoke in unison.

"Aegle, Arethusa, Hesperia, Erytheia, I'd say it's lovely to see you all again but, it's sort of not," Percy replied, giving them a lazy wave and grin.

"State thy name and business 'i the Garden, mortal," Hesperia commanded.

"Honestly I'm kinda hurt that you guys don't remember me, but whatever, I'm here for the apples, so if you guys could just give those to me, that would be great, I'm trying to stop the end of the world and all that, again."

"Ha! Thou regard we simply hand thou the apples, foolish boy?" Arethusa laughed.

"That's a no then? Well can't say I didn't ask nicely," Percy sighed and started walking towards the tree.

"You would to die?!" Erytheia yelled out. Percy ignored her and trotted on.

"Most well, we shall grant thou thy hope, wake Ladon!" The sisters shouted in unison again. The hundred-headed dragon began to stir awake from its slumber, its coil along the tree tightening even more as it opened its mouths and let out a roar that split the air and shook the mountain. Percy glanced back at the sisters annoyed.

"Not cool."

Hey y'all its been far too long since ive updated this story, alot of personal stuff went down in my life and i had to put all this on hiatus for a while, but im gonna start uploading bi weekly now, once on Monday, once on Friday, though that will only be for this story, all of my other stories ( the ones im sure i want to continue at least ) will be updated weekly on friday. I am so sorry for the people who enjoyed the first two chapters and were left wanting for months but eyy im back now! This is just a short 3k i had written a while back that i edited and am now posting, big chapter next, pinky promise.