Fee Fi Fo
Okay, I have an epic. It depends on whether I can remember this plot bunny. I've come to like the Ancient Greece and Percy Jackson crossovers I've seen, so why not get some ideas for a story?
Ch 1. Handle Demigod with Care (Elevator to present time not included)
The air in Tartarus's deepest pit was a physical weight, a suffocating blanket of stale ash and something anciently foul that clung to Percy's throat, each breath a shallow, burning reminder of the inescapable terror. It wasn't just the looming darkness or the oppressive pressure; it was a palpable presence, a chilling sentience in the very rock and shadow that seemed to whisper of eternal torment. Monsters advanced, their forms grotesque and shifting in the dim, malevolent light, the scrape of their claws on the jagged stone echoing the frantic beat of Percy's own heart. A wave of fetid heat washed over him with each lurching step, carrying the stench of decay and a hunger so raw it felt like a physical violation.
Percy whirled, the bronze of Riptide catching the faint, malevolent light, raised not in attack, but in a silent, desperate promise directed solely at Annabeth. His sea-green eyes, usually bright with defiance, were shadowed with a raw terror he rarely allowed to surface. He wasn't facing the monsters; he was facing her, his unspoken message a plea etched in the rigid set of his jaw and the fierce protectiveness radiating from his stance. "Get behind me. Now." His knuckles brushed against the back of her hand, a fleeting, grounding touch that spoke volumes of their shared history and unwavering bond.
His eyes darted back, a jerky movement in the dimness, the echoing gloom framing the undeniable grim already knew but had desperately tried to deny. "Faster!" The word tore from Percy's throat. It wasn't just an instruction; it was a raw, desperate plea, a shared understanding echoing in the oppressive silence punctuated by the scrape of claws on rock.
His eyes flicked back to Annabeth, a silent command to trust him, to push beyond her limits. Her grey eyes, wide but focused, met his – a flicker of understanding passing between them before her sharp nod. Her breath hitched, a visible strain in her jaw as she pushed onward, her lips pressed into a thin line of determination. Then, her foot caught on a jutting rock, and she stumbled, a small cry escaping her lips...Weariness weighed on him as his gaze met Bob's. A silent understanding forged in shared peril and loyalty passed between them.
"Bob, get Annabeth to the door! I'll try to hold them off!" The young boy's voice remained steady, his stance firm as the Titan gently pulled Annabeth away, his massive hand surprisingly tender. Good, he can see the stars once more, Percy thought, a pang of bittersweet hope in his chest as his companions began to leave.
Brutal clarity struck her: "No! I won't leave you!" Her cry was a stark blend of terror and unwavering loyalty. Inside Percy, cold dread solidified, a visceral acceptance of his impending death. A sad, lingering look passed between them. "Wise girl," he said, his voice a fragile mask of courage over the fear that shook him, "twelve minutes. Just reach the door... tell Zoe I said hi."The taste of his own words, like ashes, seemed to claw at the very air, echoing from forgotten ages. "After them! The sea-spawn will not elude me!" Unthinkable was their escape, yet the thought of those monsters spilling into the mortal world, tipping the balance irrevocably toward Gaia, spurred Percy. "Go, now, to the Elevator!" his voice tight with urgency.
As the monsters descended in chaos, Percy met them. With a will forged in the moment, he struck the earth, a raw surge of power blossoming from his leg. A defiant tremor rippled through the ground, a fleeting challenge to the ancient shadow that pursued them, a momentary breath in the suffocating dread. For twelve relentless minutes, an eternity etched in ragged gasps, he was a furious dance in a nightmare sea. Sweat blurred the monstrous edges of his vision as he met a snapping jaw, the brutal impact of a hammer blow against his aching arm sending shards of pain up his spine. Long gone was the initial fire, leaving only the cold, hard embers of survival, one desperate parry after another against the endless tide of claws and teeth. Each fallen foe dissolved into golden dust. A cold, sharp whisper grew, the precursor to a claw seeping through his skin.
Reaching for his sword was reflexive, but his arm felt heavy, encased in lead, a sluggish, unresponsive weight. Percy panicked. 'The curse? Now?'
Before the affliction fully settled, a smooth, silken voice echoed through the trembling space, carrying an undertone of ancient power that made the hairs on his neck stand on end. "Well now, little demigod, you've certainly strayed from the expected path. But I must admit, your audacity has compelled my intervention." Bored amusement tinged her voice. Percy stared at the goddess, his mind a whirlpool of exhaustion and disbelief. "Glad to be of service," he managed, the words tasting like dust. "My name is Eris, goddess of discord ."
Amusement glinted in Eris's chaotic eyes as she smirked. "Your companions in this era still require your assistance. However," she paused, her smile widening into a predatory curve, "to tamper excessively with the threads of destiny? Utterly tedious. " Her gaze was sharp, assessing him. "Do you concur?"
"It seems so," he replied, his voice resolute despite the weariness. A low laugh echoed in the heavy atmosphere as Lady Chaos smirked, a sound that seemed to bend the very silence around them. "Having discerned your predicament, I shall bestow upon you a boon: a new body, untouched by curses."
He glanced down at his limbs, his grip still tight on Riptide, its familiar weight a small comfort in the swirling chaos. Every ache, strain, and near-miss of a monster's claw testified to this scarred and weary but undeniably his body. The thought of shedding it sent a shiver down his spine, colder than Tartarus's chill. Still, the war above, the plight of his friends in this era, made his answer firm: "I just want to help my friends of this time."
. "Be careful what you ask for. Even in this time, you heroes are so gullible. Very well, mortal."
Before the question fully formed, the edges of his vision softened, Tartarus's harsh, red-tinged gloom bleeding into indistinct colors, like looking through rapidly clouding water. The monstrous shapes around him lost their sharp definition. A wave of disorientation washed over him, a sickening lurch unrelated to the fighting. His breath hitched. Something beyond his control was happening, and its suddenness, the lack of any say in his fate, sparked a primal fear dwarfing even the abyss's terror. With a snap of her fingers, the air shimmered, distorting the oppressive darkness like heat rising from asphalt
Laughter was the final thing Percy registered.
"Eris," a heavy male voice resonated with disapproval, "your meddling is unwelcome. His destruction was intended for my hand alone."
At Tartarus's edge, cruel intelligence shone in Eris's eyes. "And the reward for my release from this tedious existence?" she inquired, a mocking lilt in her tone. "A compensation, I believe, you will find exceptionally worthwhile, especially considering that persistent demigod." Her smirk blossomed, radiating chilling confidence.
"He has disrupted the very fabric of this realm! What definition of 'adequate' are you employing? Consider this: you permitted his escape!"
"Precisely as intended," she purred, satisfaction now masking her smile. "Your insignificant objections are noted and ignored. The irony, however, is a rich reward in itself. That demigod now clutches a prize desired by many, yet for him, it will be a curse." Her powerful laughter faded, leaving behind a strange, unsettling quiet and a lingering sense of wrongness.
Through a blurry haze, Percy's eyes fluttered open. The vast, distorted world swam above him. A strange sensation – being moved, cradled – furrowed his brow. Nothing made sense. His tiny hand clenched where a familiar weight should have been. Empty?
Then, a new sound drifted down, soft yet firm. Not his mother's voice. "Hypatia shall be your name, little one, a wonderful goddess you shall be."
Beside him, a familiar rumble resonated. "It's a girl?" his father's question was confirmed.
Percy's chest constricted. Squeezing his eyes shut, a terrifying certainty took hold. No. The silent protest echoed within him. Then, panic erupted. "Goddess? She called me goddess?"
Percy wailed.
Ok so I hope I'm not that rusty with storytelling. its has been a while. If you can guess which mother is Percy's new mom. Brownie points. If you can guess where I got the name Hypatia is from. Also Brownie. Yip yip.