Hippolytos snorted. "Well, well, well," he rumbled, "If it isn't my inferior half. I'd say it's a pleasure to see you again, but we both know that'd be a lie."
His eyes traced over Percy's figure, a lightning strike behind him briefly illuminating his orange skin. "And the gods' little plaything. I almost feel sorry for you."
The Giant's hair was slicked back with grease, and his face was sharp. He looked like an Italian mobster - a really big and really ugly Italian mobster.
Hermes was quick to grow to his full godly size, nearly twenty feet tall, but was still dwarfed by Hippolytos. He said something to Percy, but the noise was easily drowned out by the wind. He pulled Riptide out as quickly as he could, the sword providing him and his allies a small amount of light that the darkness couldn't quell. A wave slammed down onto the deck, and it nearly washed Jason and Zoe away - he had to grab them with two large, watery hands that he constructed from the sea to prevent them from being stolen by the ocean.
Hippolytos was content to laugh at them as Percy fought against the storm - he didn't even have to do anything and the Argo II was still about ready to capsize. He seemed content to just watch as Percy slowly lost this war of attrition.
He narrowed his eyes at the Giant. He thought he was safe, huh?
Percy would show him. Even with his focus split three different ways already, he wasn't going to let this asshole sit around and act all high and mighty - especially after he threatened his friends. He reached out for Hippolytos's blood, but the Giant decided that now was finally the time to move.
And move he did.
The bow of the Argo II lurched forward dangerously as the weight of Hippolytos (which must have been several tons) immediately disappeared, with Hermes only just able to raise his sword in time to deflect the Giant's strike. As it was, the Olympian was sent flying, nearly crushing the mast as he landed right next to it.
"You always were too slow," Hippolytos taunted, only to grimace as Hermes socked him in the jaw with a well-placed uppercut. It didn't seem to do any more than irritate the Giant, but it gave Percy renewed hope.
"Oh yeah?" Hermes spat, "If I remember correctly, you're the one who couldn't hold a candle to me - not in speed, not in intelligence, and certainly not in looks."
Whatever history was there, it clearly wasn't pleasant. Hippolytos snarled in anger and disappeared again, but he wasn't aiming for Hermes this time.
Percy yelped in surprise as a massive halberd was swung down onto him, only for Hermes to barely get his own weapon in between them. Both combatants quickly traded what was easily over a dozen blows, practically teleporting across the deck in an attempt to break through the other's defenses.
He was quick to try and join the fray, putting his body into overdrive and pushing his heart faster and faster once more - ever since his fight with Enceladus, it had become easier and easier to control this state.
Even so, he was barely able to keep up - especially considering the fact that the storm was only getting worse and worse around them. He was far more preoccupied with trying to keep the Argo II from sinking, especially since Hermes looked to be holding his own for now.
It wasn't easy. It was like the water was trying to disobey him, bucking at his call and wriggling against his hold. He didn't know why it would try and fight his will so hard, but he had a funny feeling that the answer wasn't going to be one he liked.
Percy just barely kept a forty-foot wave from swallowing the ship whole when he realized that Hermes was no longer fighting alone. Even as he fought the howling winds and raging waters, barely able to see a foot in front of him, he could feel Zoe jump into the fray, with Jason doing his best to support the two from further back.
It was easy to tell where his efforts were being felt - every single lightning bolt in the sky suddenly found Hippolytos to be the most effective lightning rod in the world. Even if most of them were (ironically) far too slow to hit the blur that was the giant, a few definitely met their mark considering the roars of anger he was hearing.
Hermes lunged forward, Imperial Gold sword glinting in the nonexistent light, only for it to be parried by a slightly crispy Giant. Zoe attempted to rush in while the two were in a deadlock, but was tripped up on the slippery deck and thrown backwards by a lazy kick from Hippolytos.
Had he been able to, Percy simply would have caught Zoe in a cushion of water. However, considering the fact that said water would be just as prone to throwing her overboard as it would be saving her, he had to do it the old-fashioned way.
Percy grunted as he leapt halfway across the stern in a single bound before reaching out and grabbing Zoe mid-jump. The air left his lungs slightly as she crashed into his chest, and the feeling only got worse as they crash-landed into the wooden deck.
Zoe gasped as they hit the slick wooden planks, blindly fumbling around in the darkness. "Percy?"
"Yeah," he wheezed, "I've got you."
For a moment she seemed content to lay on top of him in the middle of the storm, but yet another bolt of lightning narrowly missed the Argo II - and that seemed to drag her back to reality.
If it wasn't for the fact that he was definitely hallucinating due to his lack of sleep, he would have sworn that she was blushing in the dim light Riptide was providing.
Percy shook his head. There was no time for this - a thought that was vilified only moments later as yet another massive wave came crashing down onto the ship. The Argo II was practically dwarfed by the raging seas, and it was only a matter of time before the ship succumbed to the storm - regardless of Percy's interference.
Something was fueling this storm, something that lurked beneath the waves, waiting for them all to be capsized and at the water's mercy.
And if he did nothing about it, that would be exactly what happened.
The Argo II rocked sideways dangerously as Hippolytos continued to stomp around the deck at mach speed, Hermes meeting him blow for blow. Percy could barely follow their fight, so he had no idea what it was like for Zoe and Jason. The fact that the son of Jupiter was able to redirect lightning and actually hit Hippolytos every so often spoke to exactly how powerful he was.
Apparently Hippolytos realized that too.
The Giant bellowed in anger at yet another bolt of electricity that singed his leathery hide, before his form flickered away at the sight of the next one. Hermes immediately moved to follow Hippolytos, but he was done playing games.
The Giant appeared in front of Jason and in less than an instant swatted the son of Jupiter off the deck, into the air, and ragdolling into the raging sea.
For a moment, there was nothing but silence.
Percy's blood ran cold. Someone screamed.
It might have been him.
Hippolytos laughed - before he was quickly silenced by Hermes tackling him into the deck - but Percy couldn't hear any of it. Blood rushed in his ears as his mind went into overdrive, and barely a second passed before he was throwing himself over the side of the Argo II to follow Jason into the pitch-black depths.
He wouldn't let him die today.
He didn't think about what was going to happen to the Argo II without him guarding it against the storm.
If the rain had been merely pleasant, then there were no words to describe how the waters of the Mediterranean Sea felt as he became submerged in his father's domain. But even so…
Something felt wrong.
There was a swarm of sea creatures around him immediately, and for the first time in a long time he couldn't recognize most of them - his second warning that things were decidedly NOT okay.
"Leave!" He thundered angrily, already searching for any trace of Jason or his blood. Most of them were quick to disappear in a frenzy, although he had to forcefully shove some of the unknown creatures out of the way himself.
Jason wasn't hard to spot - even if the sea was pitch-black, there weren't exactly many other humans in the sea nearby - and Percy was quick to shoot himself over towards his fellow demigod.
He wasn't in great shape. His abdomen was slowly seeping out blood into the water, but that was hardly the worst of his problems. Like Percy, he was surrounded by ocean life, but they were decidedly less friendly to him - to put it in the gentlest way possible.
Sharks were circling around him. Eight, nine, ten feet long - on the low end. Occasionally one would lurch towards him only to retreat just as quickly once he started to leak electricity. Long, thin creatures that Percy would call eels if not for their extra limbs floating silently in the water slowly wrapped around Jason, forming an almost cocoon-like structure that he was constantly forced to break out of. There were more, with anglerfish and giant squids and a half-dozen other monsters Percy didn't know the name of, and it was very clear what their goal was.
Oh yeah, and Jason was currently trying to fight all of them off with the single gasp of air he had been able to suck in before the sea had swallowed him up. The guy was turning blue.
All in all, not great odds for the son of Jupiter.
Percy shot towards him like a torpedo, uncaring for the handful of sea life he cleaved through them in a desperate attempt to reach his comrade. Some of the animals made noises voicing their displeasure (and wasn't that weird, to not hear the voices of the sea life and instead just predatory hissing), and a giant squid actually attempted to block his path, but with hardly a thought the water around it compressed the creature in on itself and destroyed it.
"Jason!" Percy shouted, finally grasping onto his shoulder. Jason gasped as the water around him disappeared in an instant, oxygen flooding his lungs for the first time in well over a minute.
He turned back to face the hoard of sea monsters. "LEAVE!"
Percy's voice shook the sea, but these creatures took to his suggestion less kindly than the ones before. A few of them fled his anger, but a large portion of them remained steadfast - eyes locked hungrily on Jason, and in some cases, him.
He narrowed his eyes. He wouldn't be so kind this time.
Riptide was out in an instant, gleaming silver piercing through the darkness with ease. One of the fleshy eels that was slowly orbiting them lunged, and with a simple flick of the wrist was turned into golden dust and brown sludge. That made them hesitate, but they didn't flee.
Jason coughed heavily, and Percy's grip on him tightened. "Sh-shouldn't they be listening to you?"
His eyes never left the horde. "Yeah. They should."
The sea monsters began to inch closer.
Yeah, no thanks. He had given them their warnings.
All it took was a single deep breath to immediately concentrate and grasp onto all of their blood, before watching in grim satisfaction as they were torn to pieces by their own blood tearing them apart. It didn't take long at all until it was just the two of them alone in the middle of the sea.
"Hold still," Percy grunted. Jason was silent as he nodded, but he couldn't stifle his gasp of shock as Percy began to slowly take control of his friend's blood (and wasn't that an uncomfortable thought, what he could do to his friends now?) and clot the wound.
"What the–"
"We need to go deeper," Percy said quickly, wanting to both nip this conversation in the bud and get to the bottom of what was going on with this storm. "Something isn't right."
"What?" Jason blurted out, "But Hippolytos–"
"Polybotes is down there." Percy pointed down into the blackness with Riptide - but not even the silver glow of the blade could pierce the darkness of the ocean. "Hermes and Zoe can handle Hippolytos. But this storm isn't natural, something is at the seafloor with Polybotes and fueling it. No matter what we do to stop that prick up there, it doesn't matter unless we stop the storm from sinking the Argo."
Jason hesitated. "I– are you sure?"
"Yes." He nodded instantly. "We have to trust them with this."
He didn't give his comrade the chance to respond. Considering that the only thing keeping Jason alive this far down was the fact that Percy could help him breathe, he didn't have a choice in the matter.
A shaft of green light erupted from the murky depths.
It and Riptide were the only solace they could find as they descended into black.
–
It took a long time for the two of them to reach the seafloor. With every passing moment, the feeling of nausea and terror that was running through Percy's veins got worse and worse - along with that horrifying knowledge that they were getting closer to Polybotes and whatever that secondary presence was.
The green light that blinked into existence every so often was starting to concern him too. It felt less like it was guiding them and more like it was attempting to find something, find them, with every passing second.
Suffice to say, Percy's nerves were completely shot. There was a chance they were too slow, that the Argo II had already sunk beneath Hippolytos's assault and the relentless waves, but he couldn't afford to think about that now.
To be fair, he couldn't afford to think about a lot of things anymore. There was too much that made him sad, or angry, or completely terrified. Percy had to rely on his gut more than ever these days.
And Riptide. His blade always had his back.
Finally, the darkness fell away. It wasn't natural - they were way too deep for any light to be penetrating from the surface, and the storm was definitely still blotting out the sky (ignoring the fact that it was also the middle of the night). There were small schools of jellyfish that greeted him as they passed by, as well as dozens of positively massive algae colonies that littered the seafloor, luminously swaying in the water, but even then their visibility was too good to be explained away so easily.
"Woah…" Jason mumbled in awe, "Where are we?"
Percy's grip on the son of Jupiter tightened. "Good question."
It looked like they had found the ruins of Atlantis. Silt swirled through the empty courtyards with abalone floors. Barnacle-covered Greek columns rose a citadel larger than Grand Central Station, its walls encrusted with pearls, its domed golden roof cracked open like an egg. Beautiful turquoise tiles cracked and crumbled along the seabed.
Even in its forgotten, bygone state, the palace looked absolutely majestic.
It felt like home. Percy never wanted to leave.
"Is this, like, Atlantis?" He asked, nudging Percy when he realized that the son of Poseidon was completely enraptured by the ruins.
"...No." Percy shook his head slowly as he pulled Jason towards the structure. "This… this feels familiar. It–"
He jerked to a stop. His heart pounded in his chest. "This is my dad's - Poseidon's - original palace. That's why I feel like–"
He cut himself off again. No need to explain his life story to Jason.
Jason squinted at the ruins, adjusting his glasses slightly as though they would help him see better through the inky blackness. "Really?" He asked, "How can you tell? Does that mean your dad is making the storm?"
Percy frowned. "I… don't know. It just is. But my dad isn't here. Only Polybotes and someone else, and that someone else is probably fueling the storm up above. We need to hurry."
He sighed at the reminder of the Giant. "Great," Jason sighed, "How in Pluto's name are we supposed to kill that guy? Hermes is a little preoccupied at the moment."
Riptide hummed in Percy's free hand. "We'll find a way," he insisted, eyes hard, "We have to."
The green spotlight flashed from within the broken dome in front of them. He was quick to follow it, and Jason didn't exactly have much of a choice in following along.
Percy did not like what awaited them.
Standing before them was a twenty-foot woman in a flowing green dress, cinched at the waist with a belt of abalone shells. Her skin was a luminous white - as white as the fields of algae. Her hair swayed and glowed like jellyfish tendrils, and her face had a sort of unearthly beauty to it - too perfect. Her eyes were too bright, her features too delicate, her smile too cold, as if she'd been studying human smiles and hadn't quite mastered the art.
Her hands rested on a disk of polished green metal about six feet in diameter, sitting on a bronze tripod. It reminded Percy of a cymbal that drummers would use in their setups.
The woman turned it like a steering wheel. A shaft of green light shot upward, churning the waters and shaking the ruins of the palace. A few of the turquoise tiles from above fell loose and slowly sank down to the sand outside.
"You're making the storm," Jason realized.
Thanks, captain obvious.
"Indeed I am." The woman's voice was melodic - yet it had a strange resonance, as if it extended past the human range of hearing. Percy was a little less human than the rest of his comrades, though, so maybe it sounded even weirder to them. Jason's brow furrowed like it was giving him a migraine.
The woman locked eyes with him. "It has been a long time coming, Perseus Jackson." She turned her nose up at him after a moment. "I must say, I am not impressed. Poseidon's prodigal son?"
She scoffed. "How far the Olympians have fallen if this is their greatest acolyte now."
Percy's eyes narrowed. "Uh-huh." He scanned the goddess (there was no doubt about it, nothing short of a god could be creating a storm strong enough to overrule his own power) cautiously. Something about her screamed familiarity, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It was the same sort of feeling he got when he dusted off a really old book on his shelf, only to open it to its first page and realize he remembered nothing about it. "I'm guessing that you're in cahoots with Hippolytos, then?"
The woman nodded softly - too softly. "Yes."
"Guess you don't plan on changing that any time soon then, huh?" He asked dourly.
She shot him a nasty smile that made the hair on his arms stand up. "Right again, Perseus Jackson."
"Um," Jason interrupted, "Who even are you? Why would you side with the Giants?"
Her dark smile morphed into an evil sneer at Jason's interruption. "Perhaps you could educate your friend here, Perseus? Why don't you try and explain who I am to him?"
He glanced towards Percy in confusion. "You know her?"
"No," he clarified slowly, eyes never leaving the woman's face, "I can't say we've met before."
That didn't please the woman, so he tried again. Clearly she knew who he was, and she expected him to at least try and figure out who she was, so it was time to put his thinking cap on.
Goddess controlling storms, sitting at the old, abandoned center of his father's realm, acted like she knew him, made him feel nostalgic…
"Rhode?" He ventured, before immediately putting his hand up and shaking his head. "Wait, no. Not Rhode. But you're definitely one of Poseidon and Amphitrite's daughters… right?"
The woman blinked in surprise. "Well, color me impressed. Even if you don't know my name, that is correct. I am your sister, Kymopoleia. I suppose I can forgive your ignorance," she sighed, "It is not as though anybody else knows my name anymore."
Jason gave the lady (Kym, he decided) a pity-filled look before Percy not-so-subtly jabbed an elbow into his side. She was definitely putting on a show for them, and even if she wasn't Kymopoleia was still trying to sink the Argo II miles above them. She wasn't getting a pass from Percy anytime soon.
"So, uh, Kym," Jason tried, "Any chance you can put a stop to the storm?"
She ignored his question, instead focusing her attention on Jason for the moment. "Jason Grace," Kym muttered, "Son of Jupiter."
He looked at her weirdly. "Um, yeah, but you didn't really answer my–"
"So it's true." Percy's sister narrowed her eyes. "These times make for strange friends and unexpected enemies. The Romans never worshiped me. To them, I was a nameless fear - a sign of Neptune's greatest wrath. I doubt they knew I even existed. They never worshiped Kymopoleia, the goddess of violent sea storms!"
The ocean rumbled as though thunder had somehow made its way down into the depths. She spun her disk again, and another beam of green light flashed upward, churning the water once more.
Percy would have tried to stop it, but he didn't exactly have a good idea on how to stop light. And there was still a chance for a peaceful resolution, wasn't there?
"Uh, yeah," he said, "The Romans aren't big on navies. They had, like, one rowboat. Which I sank. Speaking of violent storms, you're doing a first-rate job upstairs. Any chance you could, I don't know, postpone it a few days?"
"Thank you," she replied easily, "But no. That boat will sink. It is very close already, and I'm rather amazed it's held together this long. Excellent workmanship."
"Are you sure about that?" Jason tried, "I mean, surely there's something we can offer you that might make you change your mind right? You'd be doing a huge favor for your dad, after all–"
At the word 'dad', Kymopoleia got mad. And not mad like Annabeth or Clarisse would get, no, she got Percy mad.
"You insolent FOOL!" She snarled, causing the already somewhat unstable ruins to shudder once more. "You think I do not know who you children are working for? That I would take on a battle like this without knowing full well who I am hurting? Do you even know where you are right now, godling?"
Percy's grip on Jason's arm tightened. He was not helping.
"Uh, yeah." He nodded slowly. "Poseidon's old palace? That's what Percy said, at least."
Kym spared him a glance at the revelation, and he awkwardly waved back with the hand he was holding Riptide in. Speaking of the sword, it was starting to heat up again like it did when it 'recharged' him back on the Argo II.
Uh oh. If he wasn't careful Percy might end up frying Jason.
"You are perceptive," she muttered, but Percy was able to hear her with ease. "Too perceptive. But yes dear boy, Poseidon's old palace. Do you know why I am at his old palace? Because I am never invited to see my parents. They find my presence… disturbing. I am unwelcome, forced to wander the seas where their reign wanes and fades around the edges."
She spun her wheel again. The ground rumbled like they were standing in a construction zone that was taking out a few blocks of New York. The entire back wall of the building collapsed, sending a cloud of silt and algae through the chamber.
Percy took it better than Jason did. The son of Jupiter was left coughing and hacking as it flew into them, even with his attempts to blow it away.
"Disruptive?" Jason choked out with a gasp, "You?"
Again, Kym seemed to ignore him. "Our father does not welcome me in his court," she sneered, "You have been there more times than I, I'm sure, and I have millenia on you, brother. He restricts my powers. This storm above? I haven't had this much fun in ages, yet it is only a small taste of what I can do!"
"A little goes a long way," he tried again, "Anyway, to Jason's question about changing your mind–"
"Poseidon," she spat, venom filling her mouth at the name of their father, "Even married me off. Without my permission. He gave me away like a trophy to Briares, a Hundred-Handed One, as a reward for supporting the gods in the war with Kronos eons ago."
Normally, Percy's face would brighten at the mention of Briares. However, considering the situation they were in, he had a funny feeling that talking positively about the man would not bring Kym to brighter spirits.
"I know of Briares," he said cautiously, "You two are… married? He never gave away the impression that he had a wife."
Kym narrowed her eyes at him, and they glinted coldly in the strange light. "Yes. I heard you freed him, and I was not pleased at the information. I hate my husband. It would have been better if you had left him to rot in Alcatraz."
Percy hesitated. "Does that mean he's here right now?"
Her laugh sounded like dolphin chatter. "No, thank Gaea! He's off at Mount Olympus in New York, shoring up the gods' defenses. Not that it will matter. My point, dear brother, is that Poseidon has never treated me fairly. I like to come here, to his old palace, because it pleases me to see his works in ruins. Someday soon, his new palace will look like this one, and the seas will rage unchecked."
He was at a loss for words. It felt like anything he said at this point would just piss her off more.
"You know that Gaea won't keep her promises, right?" Jason tried. "She's using you, just like she's using the Giants."
She scoffed. "I am touched by your concern. The Olympian gods, on the other hand, have never used anyone, eh?"
Kym shot Percy a pointed look at that one, filled with contempt and pity and a million other emotions, and he was forced to look away awkwardly.
"At least they're trying!" Jason argued, "Tell her, Percy!"
He nodded slowly. "They've been trying to be better. A lot better than Gaea would be, at any rate. Minor gods getting cabins, respect, pardons. Offerings at meals, banners–"
"And have I gotten such offerings?" Kym interrupted. They both knew the answer before she was finished.
"No." He had a feeling she wouldn't appreciate empty platitudes.
"Then save your words, brother." Her tentacle hair floated towards him, as if anxious to paralyze new prey. "I have heard so much about the great Percy Jackson. The giants are quite obsessed with capturing you. I must say… I can almost see why. Almost."
Percy's nostrils flared as Riptide began to buzz in a frenzy. He had nearly forgotten about Polybotes during their little chat, but at the reminder of the Giants he had been put right back onto high alert.
And not a moment too soon. Above them, at the edge of the broken roof - the same spot Jason and Percy had originally entered from - a dark figure leapt down towards them, viscous poison flowing out of his blue skin.
He was coming in quick, clearly assisted by Kymopoleia to blast through the water at such speeds, but Percy was quicker.
Riptide swung high in a wide arc, sparking harshly as it met the Giant's Trident. Polybotes had the clear advantage of inertia and size, but with a little nudge of the ocean Percy was able to hurl him back towards Kym. She clearly wasn't keen on letting the massive son of Gaea crush her, and was quick to guide him to land beside her. It wasn't lost on Percy that she put a lot more effort into that move than she did the one that she used to launch Polybotes towards him originally.
He picked himself up slowly, shaking his dreadlocks and letting loose a dozen basilisks. "With every annoying little move you make, Percy Jackson," Polybotes warned, "I will make your death that much more painful. I do not know how you escaped my tracking across Tartarus, but here, in your father's ruins, I plan to slay you once and for all. Fitting, is it not?"
Jason tensed up. "Polybotes."
The Giant spared him a glance, before turning his hate-filled eyes back to Percy. "Indeed, son of Rome. But I have no quarrel with you. For now. Perhaps later I shall feast on your bones. Kymopoleia, if you would?"
Percy's grip on Jason grew impossibly tight, but it was no use. A single wave of Kym's hand was all it took for her to take command of the ocean and wrench Jason away from Percy, leaving him trapped in a watery prison that he had no hope of breaching.
"No!" He gasped, immediately focusing on the tug in his gut - to no avail.
The basilisks lunged towards him, but they were unfortunately not informed of the fact that he could control blood. Even as he was completely focused on Jason and Kymopoleia, it only took a single stray thought to immediately pop them like bloody water balloons. Their blood was waved away quickly by a disgusted Kymopoleia, and their bodies went belly up in the water.
"Well then," Polybotes rumbled, "Blood control. Interesting, eh?"
"Let him go!" Percy shouted at his sister. "Now!"
She regarded him coolly. "No, I don't think I will. But I will not kill him. Yet. I have decided that he will be granted permission to live long enough to witness your death."
The water around Jason parted to form a small air pocket, but it wasn't much. He slumped down within it with a gasp, clearly grateful for the ability to breathe again.
"Be quick, Polybotes," Kym said stoically, "I do not wish to remain here for long. I want to be free to wreak havoc on the ocean as I please."
Polybotes let out a rumbling laugh as he stepped forward, his grimy… well, everything, making Kymopoleia wrinkle her nose in disgust. "Do not worry, sea-spawn!" He boomed, "Once these children are dead and their ship is sunk, you will be free to do as you please in Gaea's new world!"
She offered him a prim smile. "Good."
The Giant only had eyes for Percy, twirling his trident experimentally as he leered down at him. The fact that there was a giant net sitting in his other hand was not lost on him.
"Well then," Polybotes sneered, "Let's not keep your sister waiting, shall we?"
Percy gripped Riptide tight, knuckles turning white as the blade shone silver with power. "I'm going to fuck you up."
If anything, his words just riled Polybotes up even further. "Oh?" He laughed, "It seems your vocabulary has regressed quite a bit since our last fight. Perhaps it is only a matter of time until your time in Tartarus turns you into a mindless savage."
He swung his trident experimentally, growling at the way Percy dodged it with ease. Polybotes pressed forward again, but was forced backwards by a wall of seawater at his behest.
"I am not in the mood for games, scum." With every word that dripped from his mouth, poison continued to seep out of his skin. "Perhaps you'd enjoy an acid bath?"
He launched the poison towards Percy in a manner similar to how he would control water, but was left gaping as Percy wrenched control away from the Giant and dispersed the toxins with a wave of his hand.
Polybotes' eyes popped out of his skull. "What the–"
"You think I made it out of there by just sitting around with my thumb up my ass?" He hissed, eyes full of hatred, "No. I did what I had to survive. I've done some things that would make you freaks sick to your stomachs. You think you're a problem for me, Polybotes? You're nothing but an ant beneath my boot now."
He snarled in fury as Percy continued to talk, tauntingly swinging Riptide around him in a wide arc. "When I am through with you, you will be begging my mother for death." He looked like a rabid dog as he spoke, foaming at the mouth. "Unfortunately, I do not deal in small mercies such as that."
Percy rolled his eyes. This guy sure was full of himself, huh?
It wasn't hard to reach out for the ocean once more - lucky for Percy, Kymopoleia wasn't interfering in their little spat for some reason - and wrap it around Polybotes. In an instant, watery chains had bound him to the floor of the ruins and left him completely helpless.
"Release me!" He bellowed. "I do not know what trickery you are employing, son of Poseidon, but I will not be cowed!"
"Go fuck yourself."
Polybotes looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel. Poison flowed out of his skin quicker than ever, but it didn't faze Percy. Every few seconds it was dispersed by a wave of his hand. He thrashed around in his binds, but it just made Percy pull the chains tighter.
"Kymopoleia!" The Giant roared, "Free me! Crush that puny half-blood!"
His sister raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "That was not part of the deal, Polybotes. All I agreed to do was lure Jackson here and sink their little ship, remember? It is your job to kill him. I am not a kinslayer… as putrid as this one may be."
The Giant opened his mouth to respond, no doubt angrily, but Percy forced it shut with the power of the sea as quickly as he could. If she wasn't going to get involved, no need to risk him convincing her otherwise.
Kym's eyes narrowed as she watched the two of them, eerily calm as Percy began to advance on the trapped Polybotes. "You know, brother," she said offhandedly, eyeing up her nails, "It would be much more efficient to freeze him in ice. You wouldn't need to maintain your focus to to nearly the same extent."
Percy tried to ignore her, focusing on the fact that Polybotes was producing so much poison around him that his eyes were starting to burn - as soon as he dispersed the cloud there was even more to take its place. "I'll keep that in mind next time."
She hummed. "Clearly your hydrokinesis has a long way to go."
"MMPH!" Polybotes flailed around, head bashing against the ground as he struggled to break free. "NGH!"
Whatever he was trying to say, it probably wasn't going to help him. Hades, he couldn't even get his mouth open while Percy was putting that much pressure on–
"KILL HIM!" Polybotes screamed as he broke free for a brief second. "SPITE YOUR FATHER!"
It was only a second. Percy slammed his mouth back shut with enough force that he bit the end of his tongue off mid sentence, and he couldn't find it in himself to care too much about that. Polybotes screamed in pain, but it was heavily muffled this time.
It was too little, too late.
"Hmm?" Kym's eyes widened slightly as she turned to look at Polybotes in surprise, the gears in her head already spinning. "Kill my brother to spite my father?"
Percy shook his head quickly, closing in on the Giant to deal the killing blow. He was fighting harder than ever now that he had grabbed Kymopoleia's interest, but Percy's will was iron. The water would not budge an inch. "Don't listen to him! Look how desperate he is, do you really think Gaea can win when this is the best she can come up with? You said it yourself, you aren't a–"
His sister's cool, pale eyes flickered back to him for a moment. "Hold on," she said softly, as though she were speaking to an infant, "I'd like to hear him out."
And just like that, it was over. The water under Percy's influence bucked as Kym fought him for control, and it was a losing battle from the start. Even when he put everything he had into it, he simply couldn't hold a candle to his immortal sister's power and influence - not to mention the millennia of experience she had on him.
Percy felt like he was going to throw up. He had never been humbled like that, and he felt like he had been sucker-punched in the gut.
Meanwhile, Polybotes gasped as he was freed, immediately letting out a string of curses as he spat ichor and poison.
If looks could kill, Percy would have found himself back in Tartarus. "I'm going to fucking hurt you," He said, deadly calm. He would have taken the Giant more seriously if he wasn't speaking with a thick lisp now that part of his tongue was missing. "You're dead. Your girlfriend is dead. Your parents are dead. Your–"
Kym snapped her fingers. "Yes, yes," she droned on, a dark glint in her eyes, "What was this about spiting my father?"
It was like a switch was flipping in Polybotes. One moment he was cursing Percy's very existence, and the next he was the world's greatest salesman. "Oh, yes!" He urged, the 'yes' sounding more like 'yeth', "Jackson is your father's favorite offspring! I've heard he takes more pride in that mutt than Triton! Imagine just how devastated he would be if his own, true, immortal daughter brought him his pride and joy's head!"
Polybotes sounded like a five year old. However, the content of his words and the fact that Kym looked enticed made sure he wasn't laughing.
"Now, Kym," he tried, placing his hands out in front of him, "Let's not be too hasty here. You know Poseidon–"
Kym shook her head, her new smile looking positively ecstatic as she stepped forward. "No, no, Polybotes is correct," she chuckled, spinning her jade disk around one more time to try and sink the Argo II, "You are his favorite. You're the one the citizens of the sea won't shut up about. Not Triton, and gods know not Rhode… he would be quite disheartened by your untimely demise."
Behind her, several large, watery tridents formed behind her - all aimed straight at him. She didn't even twitch, and if Percy didn't know better he wouldn't have thought she was the one behind them.
Riptide buzzed angrily. The warmth that had persisted up until now was starting to burn.
"It is nothing personal, brother," she said simply, "But Polybotes is correct. You must die."
He swallowed heavily, but met her gaze in defiance. "People a lot more powerful than you have tried this, you know. None of them have succeeded, what makes you think you will?"
She regarded him with a look that crossed between contempt, pity, and apathy. "We both know you cannot overpower me. I am simply your superior in every aspect down here. If I wasn't, you wouldn't have needed to come down here to try and convince me to stop my storm. You are powerful, but there is only so much a mere mortal can do. It is a shame - you could have been something… interesting… some day."
Ouch. Kym clearly wasn't one to mince her words. Not that she was wrong or anything, but still. Kinda hurt to be humbled like that by his own sister.
There was no fanfare as she flung the half-dozen tridents at him; she didn't even bother holding him in place. It wasn't as if he could outrun them, after all.
He was doomed to die.
Jason was screaming.
Polybotes was laughing.
They both knew it just as well as he and Kym did.
That didn't mean he was just going to lay down and take it though.
Percy only had one option, and that was to overpower Kym. There was no time to do anything but stop the tridents in their tracks.
His body groaned as he threw all of his power into stopping the water and keeping himself alive - and for a brief, fleeting moment, it looked like it worked. The tridents slammed against the wall of water he had thrown up for himself, just barely not breaking through.
Kym raised an eyebrow. The wall Percy had built crumbled like sand the moment she took control away from him.
She sent the tridents again, and this time there was nothing stopping them.
Except Riptide.
The darkness of the deep-sea was washed away as Riptide burned with titanic energy once more, flooding Percy's body with enough power to light up most of the Tri-State Area for a few weeks. Time slowed down to what felt like milliseconds, and the world felt like it was in slow motion.
He tried to wave away the tridents, but that didn't work. Pushing them back did, however, and he sent them flying back towards Kymopoleia while he had the chance.
Percy couldn't see Jason or Polybotes' reactions, but that didn't matter. His eyes were trained solely on those of his sister, whose jaw had dropped in shock as Riptide empowered him to greater heights than should have been possible.
Even so, she was cognizant enough to quickly put a stop to his little counterattack, freezing her tridents in place as they shot back towards her - leaving the two of them in a tense control over the waters between them.
Kym was clearly the stronger of the two of them. Everything she had said was correct; she was immortal, the daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite, and had millenia to train and master her godly powers. Percy was nothing to her.
And yet she couldn't overpower him.
Or rather, she couldn't overpower him while he was being fueled by Riptide to an almost comical degree.
"What is this?" She asked, eyes narrowed in frustration. His sister reached her hand out and pushed, but the tridents didn't budge. It was a close call, however, and Riptide began pouring even more energy into the conduit of his body.
It wasn't very pleasant. Percy could feel his body tearing itself apart with all the excess power - just to immediately repair the ripped muscles, skin, and bones and repeat the process a hundred more times before the moment ended. But he didn't allow himself to show weakness, because it was either this or a death that was decidedly less kind… that also came with the additional penalty of Gaea overthrowing the world and killing everybody he cared about.
Riptide was like a mini-sun at this point. He was glowing as well - it was getting to the point that he was worried the Argo II's crew would be able to see the light show soon.
"Don't do this!" He grit out, shouting over the intense thrum of Riptide. "Please! You're my sister!"
Kym's eyes were hard, but she was clearly wary of him now. "I do not care about my relationship with a bastard. Your skull will make a great trophy on my mantle."
Percy squeezed his eyes shut in pain as she doubled down. They had ditched the tridents by this point; instead, the two of them were fighting for control over the thousands of gallons of seawater between them. Whichever one of them got the upper hand first would no doubt pulverize the other beneath the pressure, and Jason and Polybotes were equally as fucked as the child of Poseidon that lost this duel.
To put it simply, it was excruciatingly painful. And a losing battle. But Percy was nothing if not stubborn.
"Gaea is a liar!" He screamed desperately, "She'll throw you away the moment you're through with me!"
She stared coldly forward. "Gaea can not harm me down here. Once Poseidon is gone, nothing in these seas that cares would be strong enough to endanger me."
His chest spasmed as he started to cough, blood beginning to drip from his lips. If he was lucky, he could keep this up for a few more minutes before his body turned to dust.
Or his soul melted. Either or, really - it was anyone's guess as to which came first.
"Your fatal flaw is loyalty, right? Just like me?" Percy was out of options, might as well take a few shots in the dark. Even with Riptide's help, Kym was (albeit very slowly) gaining the upper hand. "That's why you're so hurt by dad's actions, yeah?"
"Shut up." Kym's tone was cold, but her eyes betrayed her. Even as she continued to push him and black dots began sprouting up at the edge of his vision, he could clearly see the hesitation within them. "You don't know anything about me. About Triton, about Poseidon. You know nothing! You wouldn't understand what I've gone through! To be an outcast, to be lost and abandoned and completely forgotten by your family!"
Percy was shaking violently now. If they were above water, he likely would have collapsed by this point - or worse. This had been going on for far longer than it had when he was on board the Argo, and it was much more intense. And painful. Did he mention he was in agony?
"Yes I do!" He shouted, but it came out as more of a groan. "You think dad loves me? The first thing he ever told me was that I was a mistake. Unforgivable, he said. He apologized for my existence."
That got his sister's attention. "Huh?"
Her concentration was weakened, but even if he wanted to Percy couldn't go for the killing blow. Even with Polyphemus and Antaeus he struggled with the idea of killing one of his siblings, and this was no different - in fact, she looked even less interested in killing him than Triton did… to an extent.
Also, he was barely able to hold himself together at this point. It felt like if he tried to do anything too risky he'd burst into ashes.
"You heard me!" Percy yelled, voice rough and hoarse. "I'm sure you know about the previous Great Prophecy. I was an accident, a mistake, a criminal just for being born. All I've done is fight for the Olympians since I was twelve, and all I've gotten in return is never-ending nightmares, dead friends, and a bunch of immortals who want me executed. Would Poseidon be upset if you killed me? Sure. But he'd be equally as angry for you. Remember Odysseus? He cursed that guy for so much as blinding Polyphemus. He's possessive of all of us. I'm positive that goes for you as well. I'm not special, it's like you said - I'm just their current pawn."
A million thoughts must have been swirling around behind Kymopoleia's eyes. Her expression was unreadable, but he hoped that he wasn't mistaking the 'I don't know if I want to kill you anymore' look in her eyes.
He'd been on the receiving end of that one more times than he could count.
"Enough!" Polybotes bellowed, his newly-acquired lisp making it sound like 'emough', "If you will not deal with the little parasite, then I will!"
He hurled a few globs of poison at Percy (who had by now been forced to release the Giant), and he immediately grit his teeth as he prepared to fight against Polybotes's renewed assault. It was up in the air if he could actually stop it, but he'd be damned if he didn't try.
Fortunately for Percy, he didn't have to.
Kym waved the wave of poison away with a flick of her wrist.
"Do not interfere," she warned the Giant, "We are discussing family matters."
"'FAMILY MATTERS'?!" Polybotes roared in anger, a far cry from the frozen facade Kym was putting up. "Your bastard brother cut off my tongue! I will have his head!"
She looked at him in utter disdain - not dissimilar from how Jason told him Thalia looked at Leo. "Perhaps he should have cut off all of it. You talk too much."
Before Polybotes could respond Kym waved her hand once more, and the Giant suddenly found himself encased in a sheet of ice.
"You would have done well to remember whose home you are in," she told the brand new ice sculpture. "The sea does not take kindly to unwelcome guests."
Her eyes turned towards Percy, who looked - and felt - like he was going to keel over. Even if the amount of power Riptide was funneling into him had decreased, he was still about ready to burst like a balloon.
"Mind, uh, letting up on the pressure?" He croaked. Kym continued to stare at him, before finally relenting with a tired sigh and vanquishing control of the water.
It couldn't have come sooner. The moment he was no longer in mortal danger Riptide shut down, and Percy collapsed to the old, cracked tile floor.
And promptly puked his guts out. Literally.
Ok, not literally, but there was a lot of blood and half-digested food that gave him quite the fright for a moment.
Kym walked over slowly, eyeing him like a primed bomb as she rolled him onto his back with her foot. "I want answers," she said simply, "What was that? How were you able to fight my power? How are you not dead?"
His head lolled as she moved him, his eyes rolling around in his skull as he tried to focus on his sister.
"My sword," he mumbled. His tongue felt like lead in his mouth. "It helps me."
She cocked her head to the side as she stared at Riptide, an indecipherable look in her eyes. "...It must be a good sword, then."
Percy nodded (or tried to). "The best."
Riptide buzzed in agreement one last time before finally going still. Kym seemed more invested in the blade than in her brother.
"Where did you acquire such a weapon?" She asked, genuinely interested.
He gave his best attempt at a shrug. "A gift from a friend, you could say."
By friend, he meant Zoe. Chiron may have been the one to give him Riptide, all those years ago, but it was Zoe's blade and it was with her blessing that he continued to fight with it.
Kym shot him a brief glare. "Be more descriptive, why don't you?"
"Uh, guys?"
Jason's quiet interruption reminded the two of them that they weren't alone, with the son of Jupiter still sitting inside his small bubble of air. "Now that you're, uh, friendly with each other, any chance you could, maybe, kill Polybotes and stop the storm up above?"
Kym eyed Jason with annoyance. "Oh, right." She sneered at the both of them, her brief interest in Riptide forgotten for the time being. "You want me to acquiesce to your petty demands and offer you free passage to Athens, and in return I get absolutely nothing. I would advise you to not interrupt again, Jason Grace. Need I remind you what happened to the last person to irritate me?"
Jason, rather wisely in Percy's opinion, shut his mouth quickly and turned around in his bubble - leaving the two siblings to their own devices.
Percy felt rather small beneath Kymopoleia's gaze. "Um," he started, quite eloquently in his opinion, "Thanks. For not, you know, killing me."
She crossed her arms sternly. "As I told Polybotes, I am not a fan of kinslaying as Triton has been known to do."
He gulped involuntarily. "Triton likes killing Poseidon's children?"
"Only the demigods," Kym said plainly, "Or at least, that is what I have heard. It has been a very long time since I have actually spoken to any of my family members, as I said. You are the first relative of mine I have seen in many eons."
Percy winced. "I'm sorry."
She continued to stare at him. "It is not your fault. Besides, you claim that Poseidon's treatment of you is not too dissimilar from my experience."
"Well," he sighed, "I don't think I've had it quite as bad as you. I've only lived for seventeen years or so, after all."
She hummed. "Still, I would rather hear your story. Only so much can be conveyed from the stories the rare fish or crab will divulge with me, especially when they embellish the details so much."
Percy let out a harsh laugh at that, before a new coughing fit took hold of him.
Kym raised an eyebrow. "Are you ill?"
He shook his head quickly, waving off her concern. "No," he said hurriedly, "But that thing Riptide did takes a lot out of me sometimes."
Her gaze turned scrutinous after a moment, before she found what she was looking for in his eyes. "I see."
She blinked twice and Percy immediately felt better. Not by much, but enough so that the fatigue that was plaguing his body began to ebb away and he was able to pull himself up into a sitting position.
"Uh, thanks?" He said, "That was you, right?"
Kym nodded. "Yes, I just wiped some of your exhaustion away. When you get to my age, things like that become second nature to you. That little spat with you earlier is the first time in a long time that I've had to put any effort into fighting. By the way, your toxikinesis needs work."
Percy blinked. "Noted."
They stared at each other for a moment, before she made a 'go on' gesture with her hands. He realized that she still wanted him to start talking, and so talk he did.
"Um, I didn't know I was a demigod until I was twelve," he said, "But weird stuff was always happening to me beforehand. Monsters had been going after me for as long as I could remember, even if I didn't know that was what they were until much later. My scent was so powerful that my mom had to marry the worst mortal on Earth to try and hide me, and even then it only worked for so long."
Kym nodded. "Yes, yes, but talk about your experiences with Poseidon. That is what I want to hear."
Percy shrugged. "Well, I never knew the guy until I found out I was a demigod, of course. I made it to Camp Half-Blood, and was only claimed after it became obvious that water could heal me. He claimed me because Zeus's Master Bolt had been stolen - and he believed Poseidon had used me as the thief. My first quest was to retrieve it, and somehow my friends and I succeeded. I met him on Olympus, alongside Zeus, and, well, it went about as good as I said it did. I saw him on my next trip to Olympus a few years later when the gods voted on whether or not to kill me, and he voted to keep me alive. Then on my fifteenth birthday he showed up and gave me a sand dollar."
He decided to keep out the part where Poseidon called him 'his favorite son'. Percy had a funny feeling Kym wouldn't take that so well.
"I see…" she said slowly, eyes shut as if she were trying to imagine the scenes playing out before her. "Go on."
Her fingers danced along the rim of her jade disk, and he noticed that she hadn't sent any more fuel to the storm in a while.
Or maybe the Argo II had sunk already and there was no point in keeping the assault up. But he didn't really want to think about that option.
"During the end of the Second Titan War I saw him again, in Atlantis," Percy said, "It's the only time I've ever been there. He told me about the war with Oceanus and I met Triton. It wasn't a very fun meeting. Then he almost killed me when I used his throne on Olympus to contact him to try and get him to fight Typhon, and I haven't seen him since the party the gods threw after we beat Kronos."
Kym frowned. "Really? That's it?"
"I told you I didn't exactly have a stellar relationship with him," he muttered, "Ever since I had my memory wiped and disappeared for the better part of a year, I haven't seen either of my parents. I've just been fighting."
She noted the bitterness in his voice, but chose not to comment. "Memory wiped?"
He rolled his eyes. "Blame Hera. Or Juno. Whatever that cow calls herself these days."
Kym's eyes grew foggy at the mention of the queen of the gods. "Hera… I remember her. She visited these floors, many eons ago. She was very kind. One of father's favorite siblings."
Percy narrowed his eyes at his sister. Wasn't she, like, cursing Poseidon's existence a few minutes ago? Hadn't Polybotes's goading about him being their dad's favorite son been enough to get her to try and kill him?
It was weird. In fact, it was almost like–
The answer hit him like a ton of bricks.
"You miss dad."
Kym froze like a deer in headlights. Within a second, her shock turned into anger.
"I do not miss that bastard," she hissed, pressure immediately building up behind her in the water, "I hate him. Poseidon is NOTHING to me!"
"You didn't like me at first because you assumed he and I were close," Percy pointed out, "Polybotes saying so was enough for you to decide to kill me. You stopped because I told you we weren't, and now you're listening to me recount our relationship. You're jealous of me, and want to be in my shoes."
Kymopoleia looked pissed. Scratch that, she looked downright murderous, even more so than when she was actively trying to kill him.
But she didn't deny it.
He gulped. It was now or never.
"I think you should go to see him," Percy said quickly.
Once again, the surprise was clear on her face. "What?"
Feeling brave (or perhaps suicidal, as many would claim), Percy pressed on. "You heard me. I think you should go to Atlantis, knock on the door, and give dad a hug."
She looked completely lost for words. "I– you–" Kym shook her head. "No. That is ridiculous! Why would he want to see me? You think I can just go to Atlantis and everything will be back to normal, just like that?"
Percy sighed. She wasn't getting it. "Of course not," he tried, "Maybe it helps, maybe it doesn't. Maybe it just makes things worse. But I think you have a right to go and see your family, yeah? You've been alone for too long. I think dad deserves an unexpected visit from you. You said he cast you out because they found you disruptive? Disturbing? Well I don't know about Jason, but that's not the impression I've been getting from you today."
Kym tried to interrupt, but Percy just trucked on. "Immortals can change. Is it easy? No. Do they like to change? Absolutely not. But they can. I've seen it with my own eyes. And dad's been around for a long time, I think there's a pretty good chance that somewhere along the line he realized he made a mistake casting you out, and there's a small part of him that hopes he'll get to see you again, and maybe even apologize."
His sister let out a shaky breath, mist in her eyes. "You– you're making that up."
In response, he could only give her a lopsided smile. "Maybe. But wouldn't it be nice? I'm not saying it will happen, but it could."
Kym's voice was small now. A far cry from the start of their meeting. "And if he rejects me, and casts me out to the fringes of the world once again?"
"Then you and I will both know that he made a horrible mistake." Percy's tone left no room for argument. "If he does that, I won't speak with Poseidon either. Or visit. After this war is done, I'll–"
She didn't give him the chance to finish, wrapping him up in a hug strong enough to crack his ribs.
Literally.
Kym didn't say a word as he turned blue from the lack of oxygen, just holding Percy tightly and squeezing his body even tighter every so often. It was pretty painful, but nothing compared to what Riptide was doing to him a few minutes ago.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally released him - and ruffled his hair for good measure.
"You are a good brother, Percy," she whispered, "I will go and see father."
He rubbed his chest gingerly as she spoke, but nodded eagerly nonetheless. "Good!" He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "While you do that, I guess I'll, uh, get back to work fighting Gaea. And maybe once this is all said and done, I can look into getting you and the rest of our siblings some cabins and shrines at Camp Half-Blood and New Rome. And maybe a few sacrifices here and there, just so everybody else knows to respect you like we do."
Her eyes lit up at the mention of a shrine. Kym nodded her head so fast Percy was worried it might fly off her head. "Yes! Yes, that would do nicely." Her smile was bright enough to blind him - and unlike her previous facial expressions, it felt like a real smile. "I like you, Percy."
He smiled awkwardly, another idea forming in his mind. "Thanks. But, um, you said you were married to Briares, right? Maybe you should talk to him too after you work things out with dad."
Her smile dipped. "Don't push your luck."
"Uh, got it."
Kym turned over her disk, revealing straps on the bottom side like a shield. She slipped it over her shoulders, Captain America style. "Your little boat is still afloat. It will survive the sea long enough for your crew to repair it. I will be watching your progress with great interest, brother. Gaea is a different beast entirely from Polybotes, as I'm sure you know. Speaking of…"
She turned towards the Giant-turned-icicle, and the two of them watched in satisfaction as the ice collapsed, completely crushing Polybotes from the inside. Percy chipped in a little bit of power to make sure he was dead, and by the time Kym waved away the slush there was nothing but gold powder and a pile of sludge left of Poseidon's bane.
"The Giants are very confident of your blood awakening Gaea," she continued.
Percy gulped. "Mine, personally?"
Kym offered him a wry smile. "I am not an Oracle. But I heard what the seer Phineas told you in the city of Portland. You will face a sacrifice that you may not be able to make, and it will cost you the world. You have yet to face your fatal flaw, my brother. Look around. All works of gods and men eventually turn to ruins."
He thought long and hard about his next words. "Maybe so," he relented, "But I'll be damned if that happens because of me."
"We'll see."
Without doing anything that would otherwise give her away, she brought the bubble that contained Jason within back towards them. Now that he had some time to rest, the son of Jupiter looked a little better than he had earlier - but he looked oddly queasy.
"Uh, we cool?" He asked.
Kym nodded. "Yes, son of Jupiter. We are 'cool'." She wrinkled her nose at the modern slang. "You amuse me. I hope you live to defeat Gaea."
"Thanks," he said, "Any tips on defeating a goddess who can't be defeated?"
"I will not give you all the answers," she said plainly, tilting her head to the side, "But I'm sure you know the answer already. If not, why not ask your captain?"
Before Jason could process what she said, Kym turned back to Percy. "Join him in the bubble," she instructed, "It will take the two of you back to your ship quicker than you could in your condition."
Percy made to protest, but winced back as he started coughing up blood again. "Thanks."
Man, Hermes was gonna be pissed. Zoe might skin him alive.
"Do not mention it." Kymopoleia waved him off. "And… thank you. I will go to see your… our father now. Farewell, and may the Fates smile upon you, assuming the Fates survive."
He offered her a deadpan look. "I don't think those old hags have ever smiled. Much less at me."
Kym chuckled before ushering him into the little pocket of air Jason was still sitting in. The bubble grew slightly once Percy was inside, and with a final wave Kym sent them back to the surface.
–
The moment his sister was out of sight things got awkward.
"Um…" Jason started them off slowly, staring at Percy. "That was… something."
He nodded gingerly. Ever since he had gotten into the bubble, and away from the water's soothing hold, the pain his body had been in since Riptide's little outburst had come back like a freight train. It was a miracle the sword hadn't killed him.
Then again, it was a miracle Kym didn't kill him immediately either, so he was content to count his blessings as it was.
"Has Riptide always been able to do that?" Jason asked, sparing a glance towards Percy's pocket.
He shook his head. "Nah," Percy sighed, "Riptide has, uh, gotten some… upgrades, you could say."
Jason snorted. "I'll say. That was some power there. Think I could get my sword to pull that off?"
"...Probably not, sorry."
"Oh, damn." The guy could probably tell that Percy wasn't in a chatty mood, but Jason had about a dozen bombs dropped on his brain over the past hour or so. It didn't shock him in the slightest when he started talking again. "You can control poison?"
Of course, that didn't mean Percy was thrilled with him. He tensed, and Jason immediately realized he hit a sore spot, raising his hands placatingly.
"You don't have to tell me!" He said quickly, "Um, if it has to do with that place–"
"It does." Percy stared straight ahead into the vast blue sea. "I had to do a lot of things down there to survive. Some I'm not proud of. That was one of them."
Jason looked down at his lap. "I see."
At least he was tactful enough to not comment on the fact that he could do the same to blood.
"You think you know what Kym was talking about with your fatal flaw?" He tried, "We only have five days left."
Percy sighed. "I know. And considering the prophecy, I might."
"What do you mean?"
He fought the urge to roll his eyes. "To storm or fire. World must fall. It's kind of obvious. Get her up in the air somehow and then you, me, or Leo take her out somehow."
Jason raised an eyebrow. "You figured out the air thing too?"
He offered the boy a shrug. "It's the opposite of how Kronos took Ouranos out."
It had taken him a long time to come to that conclusion, but considering the amount of sleepless nights he'd had, it was only a matter of time before worrying about the looming prophecy led him to that conclusion. Especially when battle strategy was one of the only things he had been able to think about since he and Zoe had been freed from Tartarus. Most other things made him depressed or angry.
Jason looked hesitant. "Percy," he whispered, "I don't think the prophecy is talking about you."
He sighed through his nose. He did not want to get into this now. "It could be."
"But–"
Percy cut Jason off before he actually made him angry. "Storm or fire. Poseidon is the stormbringer. You've never seen me make a monsoon before but trust me, I could. I'm capable of a lot of stuff when my back is against the wall. Remember when Mount St. Helens erupted?"
Jason's brow furrowed. "Yeah… that was some freak nature event–"
He cut himself off in shock, turning towards Percy with wide eyes. His slow nod only made the look on Jason's face worse.
Just wait until he found out about what Percy could do with fire.
"The point is," Percy finished, "There's no point thinking about that yet. We have a lot more bullshit to survive before we're at that point, at any rate. If it comes down to it, I'm not going to step back when duty calls. No matter what."
The son of Jupiter nodded slowly, still taking in his words. "...Yeah. Okay."
Things got quiet again. The pressure around them was getting lighter. Soon they'd be back at the water's surface.
"I think I'm going to become a priest."
Percy blinked. "Like, in a church?"
His comrade chuckled quietly. "Nah, like Pontifex Maximus - Caesar's position before he became the leader of Rome. Nowadays it's a mostly ceremonial thing, but I think I'm going to use it to bring worship to all the minor gods. Like Kym. Give them some respect, sacrifices, they deserve it."
"That's a noble goal," he commented, his mind briefly flickering to the memory of Phlegethon and his request for a cabin and some sacrifices, "Think you can handle it?"
Jason shrugged. "Someone has to. Think of all the good that could have come from it during the last war?"
"It would be good," he agreed. "You look better, by the way. Your wound healing up?"
Jason blinked, before pulling up his shirt and staring in surprise. "Yeah… I guess so. It's completely gone!"
Percy smiled. "Guess you beat it, then. Soul's all healed up!"
He laughed. "Yeah, I guess so."
The bubble surged forward as it approached the surface, and finally popped the moment it hit air. Jason floundered around for a moment, and Percy was content to let the water hold his weight for the time being.
He pointed to the Argo II in the distance, a few hundred meters away. "Think you can get their attention?"
Jason shrugged. "I can try."
The son of Jupiter waved his arms around in the water like an idiot - did he forget it was pitch-black outside? - before realizing his mistake and summoning a lightning bolt onto himself instead.
The results were instantaneous - the Argo II immediately honed in on their position, and a slightly charred Percy swore up a storm as a few stray marks from the electricity hit him instead.
"Oh, shit!" Jason cursed, "Sorry."
Percy glared at him as he coughed out ash. "Apology not accepted. Maybe don't try to fry us next time?"
At least Jason had the decency to look guilty. It wasn't like he was going to be the one getting chewed out by half the people on board for nearly dying again.
And as he began to hear shouts from everybody on board, Percy had a funny feeling that was exactly what he was going to get.
—
A/N: Been a while, huh? Sorry about that lol, but I just wasn't feeling it until a few days ago. Hope the longer chapter makes up for it! Also that it's a good chapter, I might be shaking off the rust here. But let me know what you think! Good, bad, any and all comments are welcome!
Hope you enjoyed it! Hope to see you next time, and that next time comes a little bit quicker!