Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When the child arrived his black hair was tousled, he lay sleeping in the fallen needles of the pine tree that stood above him. The boy was lay on his side; he looked peaceful as if he had just plain down for a moment and lost track of time.

His face was soft looking in sleep a light brown with his lips slightly parted. His hands were curled protectively around the empty space beside him. He wore a faded orange shirt and baggy jeans with tattered old converse poking out from the hem of his jeans. The wind brushed lightly against his skin. His face was littered with little pale nicks on his nose and cheeks showing an insight to the life the boy had led.

As the moonlight shone on him every so often his skin would seem to ripple, scales seeming to creep up his scared arms, slits appearing in his neck. But it was surely a trick of the light as the boy who lay there his black hair filling over his eyes was surely completely normal.

A week later the winter frost was starting to melt and still the boy lay there calm and peaceful. The forest was quiet as the wolf watched him lying there his chest gently rising and falling only the bristling of the trees disturbed the silence. Shattered sunlight slowly began to turn from pink to orange to a brighter yellow and the creature stood up. My paws crunched through the leaves cracking a twig here and there and my tail swished behind me.

The boy's eyelids flickered, and he stirred as the wolf drew closer. His eyes finally snapped open, and he took one look at me before jumping back and seemingly self-consciously reaching for his jean pocket. ‘’calm boy’’ said the wolf in a low growl stooping in her tracks.

The boy froze; ‘’what...’’ he began his hand practically aching to reach for the lump in his pocket.

‘’I am Lupa’’ said the wolf sitting on her hind paws.

The boy opened his mouth as if about to speak and then shut it again tilting his head slightly his green eyes flashing and for a moment it was as if his pupils turned into slits. The wolf, Lupa, stared at him unblinking not caring about the strangeness of the boy Infront of her. A pause then she turned and padded back through the woods.

‘’Come.’’ she said over her shoulder before disappearing around the trees with a swish of her tail. The boy seemed to grapple with some primal instinct not to follow strangers, but he seemed to cave and made his way through the trees after her. He fell into step just behind her the shattered sunlight bouncing off his strange sometimes glistening blue skin.

‘’why am I here?’’ the boy asked his voice was low and quiet as it hadn't been used for a while. Lupa didn't speak for a while letting them walk in silence holding the boy in suspense. He watched her waiting but instead of answering his question she said,

‘’what do you remember boy?’’ the black-haired boys mind seemed to begin wiring he opened his mouth again but paused.

‘’I- I am Percy Jackson and...’’ he furrowed his brow trying to remember something that seemed to be just at the edge of his mind. Lupa continued moving seemingly not caring if Percy was behind or not.

‘’you are Perseus Jackson son of a roman god or goddess.’’ Percy shook his head like a dog with something in its ear.

‘’no that's...’’ Lupa looked back at him curiously as if daring him to challenge her, he shook his head again and gave up on his sentence, the thought dying on his lips. They made the rest of their journey in silence making their way around windy trees the shattered sunlight guiding their way.

Lupa stopped and Percy stumbled to not crash into the wolf. Lupa looked back at Percy and then continued to move she seemed to shimmer slightly as if she had passed through an invisible wall of clingfilm, Percy cocked his head blinking curiously his pupils flashing slit like once again skin shimmering with almost ethereal light. He attentively stepped forward. He seemed to struggle for a moment through the invisible barrier before breaking through. Lupa looked at him curiously taking in his slightly glistening, honey sometimes blue, skin and understanding seemed to dawn on her and she nodded her head to herself before turning and leading Percy up a hill to a beautiful temple carved in marble with pale collum's it looked untouched and pristine.

Percy gapped at it in wonder taking in the towering arch which obviously led inside. He turned to Lupa as if waiting for her, but she had bound off around the back of the temple. Percy jogged slowly to keep up and followed Lupa further up the hill watching the temple grow further away. At the top of the steep hill was a cave carved inside of the grassy out crop looking over the surroundings it was the perfect view to see everything below.

‘’in’’ Lupa said nudging Percy with her nose.

‘’what-’’ he began before Lupa cut him of

‘’there shall be no training today dusk is upon us but tomorrow you shall begin’’ she said simply and sure enough the sun was already setting the walk from his resting place to the forest had seemed short but that was obviously not the case.

Percy wandered into the cave a wave of relief filling him as darkness descended on his eyes his body relaxed, and he looked around. About 10 wolf cubs bounded over barking at him and bowling him over. Percy laughed and extracted himself from the cubs who were still jumping excitedly. In the corner where about7 only slightly older looking wolf cubs snuggled up together looking sleepily disapproved at the antics of their younger siblings. One of the older wolf cubs made a grunting noise and sleepily shuffled up moving sluggishly on top of its siblings much to their indignation.

Percy looked back at Lupa who nodded and said, ‘’sleep Perseus you will need rest for your training.’’ and with that she settled herself down at the entrance to the cave and lay her head on her paws looking out at the night sky.

Percy looked back at the pile of pups and gave up on his pride and made his way over to the pile of wolves. The younger pups bounded over too and clambered on top of Percy as he lay down. His eyes felt heavy strangely heavy as he had slept for most of the day and the just had a walk, a long walk but still. He buried his face into the shaggy coat of the wolf cub nearest him and his breathing eased up falling into time with the pants coming from the pile.

Lupa watched from the mouth of the cave the moon had just risen, and it shone into their little hole in the hill. She surveyed her cubs some wagged their tails gently in their sleep while others had covered their snouts with their paws. Her sharp wolf eyes drifted to the child. Perseus Jackson. He was an odd creature. He seemed human but not quiet whenever he was in the corner of her eye Lupa thought she would see his skin glisten a blue, his pupils turn slit like and scales run up his arms. Looking at him now his skin seemed to shimmer from the soft honey brown to something alien his slightly open mouth revealing sharp teeth surely pointer then any normal human should have. Yes. Lupa thought to herself, he was a strange one.

Perseus Jackson.

Chapter Text

The moon was just falling over the edge of the thick forest when Perseus Jackson awoke.

His vison was blurry with sleep and his scrubbed at his green eyes blearily. He suddenly became aware of the weight on his chest and was just about to lurch up throwing the furry creature off of him when the gentle fog that had been covering his mind lifted and the memories of yesterday came flooding back and-. And nothing, it was still just the memories of yesterday and a fuzzy memory of someone or something at the edge of his mind.

He lay there for a while still smothered by a pile of the still sleeping wolf cubs fiddling with his fingers and thinking. Thinking. He was just an empty shell was he not? The world kept spinning and yet he, Percy Jackson, did not. There was nothing to tie him down to anywhere. No label, which would have been helpful, and certainly no memory. Except. His mind began to swirl filtering what little he had trying to reach for that fuzzy thought that drifted slowly at the edge of his mind.

He looked towards the cave entrance expecting to see Lupa however to his discomfort she was not there. He had only known Lupa for under a day and yet... he trusted her. There was something calming about her quiet resolve and her shaggy from her breathing steady back rising and falling with every pant. With her at the mouth of the cave there had been safety knowing he could rely on someone else but now... the cracking of a twig pulled him from his thoughts, and he looked up to see Lupa standing in the entrance to the cave silhouetted against the now pale pink sky. She sniffed the air and barked at the cubs. Slowly each woke up with disgruntled snorts and reluctantly they extracted themselves from the pile.

Percy watched from where he was still sat his panic now receded as the younger wolf cubs started to jump around their older siblings barking playfully and wagging their tails. Lupa looked on seemingly amused sitting on her hind paws. Eventually she gave a bark, and the younger wolf cubs looked at her winning slightly but bounded out of the cave any way jumping on each other's backs and rolling around on the hillside. They were the followed by their much more elegant elder siblings who bounded out after them. Percy stood up his tattered, faded, orange T-shirt caked with grey fur, made to follow them.

Lupa stood and blocked the exit. ‘’your weapon’’ she said simply, ‘’leave it.’’

Percy tilted his head the wolfs words not registering in his head or a second.

‘’sword in your pocket.’’ the wolf added and with that she left with a swish of her tail.

Percy reached down and pulled out a cylindrical object from his jeans it was caked in mud probably from his long LONG nap. Riptide Percy thought looking towards the cave entrance; his sword. Percy placed it down gently and made his way out jogging lightly down the hill he felt confused. How did he not know where he was from, but he knew his sword. He did not know how he knew he just did. He shook the thought from his brain and caught up to the wolf pack.

He did not need to travel very far as Lupa was still trying to wrangle her younger cubs who were frolicking around in the lush grass of the hill. Percy could hear the birds overhead and could feel the sun beating down, but he just felt so out of place as he watched the young wolves run around him eventually being rounded up by their mother and finally staying still. Lupa looked over to him and beckoned him forward with a jolt of her head her furry ears flicking.

‘’We shall hunt today, Perseus.’’ Lupa called to Percy, and he nodded seemingly enthusiastic the thought of having something to do seeming to give him purpose.

The walk from the hill was not an eventful on Percy had fallen into step with the older cubs and watched bemused as the pups played around running in circles and jumping over flowers. As they wondered further into the forest the pups still did not seem a bit concerned not caring about what could be out the they were quickly approaching the temple the shimmering filament glistening just beyond that but instead of passing through it like Lupa and the boy had yesterday they turned and made their way deeper into the forest but still not passing the film that seemingly shielded them from the outside world. The pack of wolves and the boy halted in a clearing the sound of birds' fulling the air.

The wolf cubs looked to Lupa who gave them a nod and they promptly bound of, she then looked to Percy ‘’you know how to hunt child?’’ she said.

He nodded scratching at the back of his hands which always seemed to be bothering him. ‘’good’’ Lupa nodded ‘’then go hunt.’’

A grin spread across Percys face at this, and his teeth were most definitely too sharp for a human. Lupa eyed them curiously but before she could see any more of the strange demigod, he was off sprinting into the woods faster than the normal roman pups she had to train. But nothing about that child seemed normal did it.

A little way from the glade the woods where quiet. A rabbit hopped along in the undergrowth sniffing the fallen leaves. The wind gentle rustled the ferns carpeting the floor. A twig cracked a shadow crept through the trees and the rabbit went still looking around eyes wide. The figure pounced.

A flash of gleaming teeth. The rabbit squealed, struggling. A crunch. The dripping of blood began to sound and the stranger darted back into the cover of the trees.

Twigs cracked as the figure walked through the forest the rabbit dangled from its mouth dripping blood onto the ferns and leaves of the forest floor. Creature scurried back flitting back into the forest up trees and through brambles. The figures eyes seemed to glow slightly in the dull forest light. A dangerous green with slit like pupils. The stranger's face was only illuminated by the rare, shattered beam of sun light that shone through the thick canopy of trees above.

Lupa waited for her cubs to come back. She sat peacefully wondering what they would bring today, perhaps some more birds or a squirrel maybe some wouldn't get any, after all they were still young.

Her mind flitted to the boy she had picked up yesterday. He was a wild thing; she was sure of it there was no doubt in her mind about that. But. He had very clearly been raised by humans, and she had told him to leave the sword, so Lupa wasn't sure about him. She didn't quite know what to expect. She looked up at the snap of a twig and out stepped the boy, Perseus, his tousled black hair covered slightly in leaves.

She looked at him more closely, ‘’Perseus! Drop that!’’ she barked in alarm bounding over to him.

He looked at her confused his slit like pupils rounding out again his eyes widening looking innocent. He dropped the rabbit from his mouth. ‘’was I not supposed to kill anything?’’ he said smiling apologetically at Lupa revealing his blood-stained teeth.

Lupa looked at him slightly worried. ‘’no, you did well, however...’’ she shook her head in exasperation at the strange human boy in front of her. Percy waited for her to continue completely bewildered at the look in Lupas intelligent grey eyes. ‘’humans get viruses from meat like this Perseus’’ she finished, eyeing Percys blood-stained face.

He looked slightly abashed and held shifted the rabbit to one hand in an effort to wipe of the blood from around his mouth, unfortunately his hand was also covered in blood making his problem worse. Lupa cast her eyes upwards and shook her shaggy head. She turned and left Percy there feeling slightly awkward. ‘’you may continue your hunt just be careful Perseus’’ she said softly and slightly amused.

Percy nodded dropping them rabbit beside Lupas tail as if he was a young boy presenting his mother with a home-made craft. He grinned at Lupa once more ad then with a little nod of his head he bound off back into the woods.

Hours passed the cubs, and Percy had gradually built up a little pile of different animals such as: quite squirrels, some rabbits, about three pigeons and a boar (Percy was particularly proud of that catch). Lupa surveyed their catches and nodded approvingly. The cubs bounded around happily, and Percy watched them grinning the metalicky taste of blood still thick in his mouth. The sky was dark now and the cubs had already begun to run up the hill back to the cave. Percy looked back at the pile of food opening his mouth about to ask if Lupa needed help when he shut it again confused. The food was no longer there. He looked towards Lupa tilting his head in confusion. ‘’I may be a wolf, but I am still a goddess’’ she said simply and with that she followed her cubs up the hill. Percy paused for a moment and then followed her.

Percy settled down easier this time burying himself into the pile of cubs who welcomed him warmly shuffling into the mass of furry limbs. It was quiet in the cave. The panting of the cubs and Lupa where softer now and Percy was left alone to drift off to sleep with his own thoughts and memories which where... not... A lot. He turned over and shut his eyes.

Percy sat on the floor his head was fuzzy so where his surroundings. A girl stood above him she had blonde hair but that was all he could make out her face was blurred no distinct features where visible. She stood above him and seemed to hold a hand out to him, he reached out his skin was covered in shimmering greeny blue scales, and he recoiled horrified at his skin. The girl did nothing but laugh and took his hand gently kissing it, she pulled him up and they began to dance. Early in the morning Percy woke up with a name on his tongue. Annabeth.

Chapter Text

Over the next few days Lupa began to seclude Percy more taking him to the temple that stood proud at the bottom of the hill and train him more secluded. The days turned to weeks and the training had set in quickly. Percy had found a natural feel in the hand to hand combat and with the help of Lupa seemed almost unstoppable with a sword. The training seemed oddly trying however; Percy would always find himself exhausted and ready to flop down when dusk came.

When Percy slept, he would feel no joy only an odd emptiness. His dreams where plagued with the girl Annabeth. He would dance with her sometimes and her hair would seem to float around her as if she were under water or some ethereal being. Maybe it was a goddess Percy was dreaming of. Other times the two of them would sit on a hill and she would be by his side laughing. One reoccurring feature was that she was always indistinct, beautiful and ethereal yes, but always blurry as if never quite willing to come into focus; it was almost as if viewing everything from though a frosted glass lens. When he would wake the empty feeling would not leave him it would seem to almost grow. It was warm in the cave but a cold stabbing pain would pierce him through the heart not letting him have peace in the early dew filled mornings in the cave where Percy was awake with nothing but the heavy panting of the wolf cubs and his own thoughts for company.

The emptiness would follow him throughout the day.

Through his training.

Through his meals.

Through his dreams.

Eventually the safe haven of Lupa woodland hide away began to ell like a prison and there was nothing Percy wanted more than to escape. Escape the memory's as if to make sure there was still space for the old ones to come back. Still space for them to come back... There would be space.

The day was bright when Percy awoke, he lay there quietly, his back was pressed up against the cave wall. Over his time with Lupa he had become estranged from the other wolf cubs, he still slept near them but... he felt sad. Percy had been feeling sad a lot lately, he did not know why. Why should an empty shell feel upset.

His legs were curled up pressing tightly against his body. He traced the lines of his palms trying to ignore the itching from the side of his legs, arms, back of his hands... and well everywhere. But it was difficult to accomplish said task. Ever since he had woken up under that pine tree, aside from the pang every time he thought of his lost memories, an insistent gnawing had been pestering. It was worse sometimes and better others. Sometimes his eyes would feel heavy or the world would flash too bright for a second. His gums would ache and sometimes he would feel the metalic taste of blood in his mouth and the sharp pain of biting his tongue. It was strange, and the problem was Percy had no memories to figure out what was happening to him.

He scratched the back of his hand trying to ignore the slight feelings of many sharp cold bumps. He cringed as he caught one of the scabs, he had caused a few days ago and felt the wet blood soak onto his finger tips once more. Percy swore under his breath.

‘’Perseus'’ the soft voice of Lupa sounded through the cave, jolting him abruptly from his daze.

Percy turned and shot up wiping the blood from the back of his hand onto his jeans in an effort to halt the bleeding. Lupa jerked her head in a gesture that said follow me and walked out the cave. Percy scrambled to his feet, knowing that if he did not follow, he would be left behind and loose Lupa entirely, and hurriedly followed Lupa out of the cave leaving behind the warmth of the cave and still sleeping pile of fur that was the cubs.

A wave of cool air hit Percys hot face as he left the comfort of the cave. He shivered slightly in the breeze and hugged himself tight. The moon was still in the sky and the night was dark. Not many stars seemed to hang in the sky as they were being blotted out by the dark clouds that had recently been hanging over Lupas hill.

Percy had noticed some things whilst training with Lupa; one, it was not natural for humans to have such an eagerness for the taste of blood hunting with no weapon. Two, Lupa did not like to speak much and it was politer to learn the wolfs way of speaking. The first two were trivial things but the most prominent was three, the sky had seemed to become angrier, more conflicted with every day. The clouds where always dark and even though it never rained or stormed around the temple Percy could sense that something was wrong. It was almost as if the sky was warring with itself.

A crack. Percy tripped and nearly face planted in the dirt of the hill they were nearly at the bottom now and Lupa had paused waiting for him. She looked at him bemused as he dusted off his faded orange shirt and tattered jeans. Percy straightened up feeling slightly embarrassed and shifted awkwardly waiting for Lupa to do something, anything to relieve the awkwardness of the situation. Lupa snorted and shook her head bemused once more before returning to the job at hand. Percy followed Lupa in confusion as they turned towards the temple, surely, they would not be training now, he thought, it was far too early the sun wasn't even up yet. However, Lupa led Percy through the soft marble pillars and out of the other side of the temple. Twigs cracked under foot as Percy followed Lupa growing more and more confused. She eventually stopped.

The trees where swaying gently in the breeze as Percy came to stand next to Lupa. He recognised this place it was where he had first entered Lupas domain. He turned to her confused.

‘’why are we here’’ Percy asked eyeing the barrier he knew was there suspiciously.

‘’it is time for you to leave Perseus..’’

silence

‘’what...’’ Percy said in response to Lupas statement.

The shaggy wolf turned to him and for a moment her disguise dropped, Lupa was sitting on her hind paws but were the shaggy wolf once stood a tall beast now resided. Her tail was perfectly clean, her fur soft looking. No matter the appearance of cleanliness an aura of danger resonated out of her, she stared down at Percy intently. No mistake she was a wild thing. But as Percy looked up, he grinned sharp teeth on full display and stared back at her matching her gaze. They stood like that for a moment, the not quiet boy and the wolf goddess made a strange pair. Percy jumped as Lupa bent down. The shaggy wolf was back and she touched her forehead gently to Percys closing her eyes. Percy calmed and lent into the gesture. After a second they broke apart.

‘’travel safe my young wolf’’ Lupa said softly as Percy stepped forward towards the barrier. Percy took one look back before breaking through with nothing more than training riptide and the fading memory of a girl.

Percy looked back. The protective field around the wolf house lay their unseen hiding the world behind it. Percy turned back to the woods. He had wanted out for so long, but now he actually had it Percy wasn't entirely sure if it was what he wanted. Percy stared ahead. This was the mortal world now, not the world of roman goddess, wolves. He had to play by a different rule book, the only problem... he didn't quiet remember it.

Chapter Text

Percys irritation was growing more and more as he ran through the forest. This day was not going to plan, much like all the other days ever since leaving the safety and comfort of Lupas domain. His footsteps pounded through the forest his hair was longer now and was flailing widely behind him. Somewhere along the line Percy had lost one of his shoes and a piece of his shirt had been torn out which gave him quite the bizarre look of a very bedraggled young man who had recently been dosed up on cocaine and thrown to the wolves (literally). Percy whipped his head around searching the trees behind him for any signs of the old ladies that had been chasing him for the last weeks.

The snake haired ladies were starting to become the bane of his existence. They should have died three days ago when, much to the people around his surprise, he had dropped a crate of Napa Bargain Mart bowling balls on them. But no. They should have died two days ago when he had driven them over with a police car, he had very politely borrowed from a police station in Martinez. The definitely should have died this morning when he cut their heads off in Tilden Park. But no matter what Percy they managed to crawl back from wherever they came from and track him down again. No matter how many times he saw them crumble into gold dust they would reform. The first time it happened Percy felt quite hard done by all his hard work gone down the drain, but now it was just a nuisance. He couldn't understand why they didn't just die already.

He couldn't even seem to outrun them. No matter where he went, they tracked him down. He sprinted up the hill and the trees began to thin out. Percy stopped for a moment breathing heavily as he bent double on top of the hill trying to catch his breath. He scratched at his arms. The itching from the previous months had gotten worse and had now spread to his legs and arms which was most irksome seeing as Percy couldn't do much about that.

Percy shook his head like a dog his dark curly hair flopping into his eyes. He had to focus. How long since he had last killed them? Two hours maybe? Time wasn't his friend it seemed he could never keep track of what was going on minuets seemed to pass like hours and days seemed to fly by with nothing being done in them. He paused looking back down the hill from where he’d come out of the woods and where they’d surely come too.

He had hardly slept the past few days. And it was getting to him. Percy felt like an absolute mess. He clawed at his stomach which was aching. Food was a scarcity nowadays. He couldn't use any of the hunting techniques he had learned with Lupa as between running killing and stealing any poor mortal's car he happened to find he simply didn't have the time, patience or energy. He had started to take whatever he could find. Vending machine gummi bears, stale bagels and even a MacDonald's that was half eaten and, in the trash, which was a new personal low.

His clothes where in rags and dusted all over with monster blood and even, what Percy was ashamed to admit, the blood of a mortal who had tried to fight him down an alley. To be fair Percy hadn't started that one.

The only reason the Percy was still alive was that the snake haired- gorgons as they called themselves- didn't seem to be able to kill him either.

Their claws couldn't cut him.

Their teeth broke upon impact of his skin.

But Percy couldn't keep going forever soon exhaustion would take over him and he would collapse and as tough as his skin seemed to be he wasn't happy to lie down and let the gorgons try to test his limits.

He scanned his surrounding trying to decide the best course of action. To his left was the forest he had come from which two hungry gorgons where probably racing through as he stood there. To his right stood a vast stretch of neighbourhoods which probably wouldn't take kindly to his destructive presence. Beyond lay San Francisco covered in a thick layer of fog only the tip of each tower of the golden gate bridge lay visible.

Something constricted inside of Percys throat an uncomfortable tightness lay there. he knew he had been there before... somehow, he knew he had been there. Maybe it was something to do with Annabeth. Something to do with the only person he seemed to remember. Something to do with the girl he had danced with under the hazy lights in some grand hall in his first dream at Lupa cave.

Lupa had told him that he would find a way to retain his memory eventually but how long would that take.

He looked at the horizon and considered crossing the bay ahead. He could feel the alluring pull of the sea calling out to him seeping into his mind and body. He could drown the gorgons. But no that would be too risky and some unknown sense Lupa had taught him to train told him the end of his journey was near. He didn't understand what his inbuilt raider was telling him however as there was nothing on this hill except from the forest behind him and his gut was telling him north which meant forward. He ran a hand through his hair and bit at his nails.

The wind changed. A sent of reptile drifted up towards Percy. He whipped around instinctively reaching for his pocket where, as well as a panda pet Percy had picked up, his weapon lay waiting. A twig cracked and Percy flinched stepping back. From behind the trees a hissing noise sounded.

Gorgons.

Once again Percy cursed his stupid demigod sent. It seemed to be the way they were tracking him, or that's what they said. Percy had done everything to mask his scent rolled in mud, splashing in creeks and such. But apparently his stink was hard to mask.

Percy didn't wait to see when the gorgons would come after him. He scrambled to the side of the hill rearing back slightly as it cut off and suddenly plummeted downwards... he turned back around. He was cornered stuck between the forest and the drop which led straight to the highway. But he was in the right place he knew it. Only maybe a bit too high up. He would have to find some way to check out those tunnels below. Without getting killed by traffic and for that matter the gorgons.

“Ah there you are.” a familiar voice sounded jolting Percy back to reality he stepped back slightly being cautious of the drop and laid eyes on Beano. Well, that wasn't actually her name it was Stheno but out of the few things he knew Percy knew he was dyslexic, so it wasn't really his fault her name tag was in the most horrible slanty font imaginable- ok maybe that was a bit dramatic.

From a distance she would have looked like any old ugly lady until you looked down. She had roster feet that were poking out of the bottom of her green bargain mart employee uniform. Or until u looked up and saw sharp yellow tusks pointing out of the corner of her mouth. She had bright red eyes that seemed to glow and a grotesque pile of writhing snakes on her head. The weirdest thing about her? She still had the tray of cheese ‘n’ wiener samples which she had seemingly carried with her all the time they had been chasing Percy.

The plate was slightly dented from all the times Percy had killed her, but the cheese ‘n’ wieners were perfectly fine. They seemed indestructible. Maybe that's what his skin was made of Percy thought absentmindedly. He snapped back to reality when Stheno offered him the plate a smile slightly too wide to look normal stretching across her face.

“Want one?” she offered

“where's your sister?” Percy said knocking the plate out of the way cautiously with his sword. Stheno retracted her arm looking rather hurt.

“put the sword away boy” Stheno chided “you know you can't kill us, so why not have a cheese ‘n’ wiz I'd hate to kill you on an empty stomach” she tried to offer up the plate again when her sister appeared on Percys right making him jump and nearly fall of the edge and onto the rocky slope.

“Stheno!” her sister yelled. “I told you to sneak up on him!”

“But Euryale...” whined Stheno

It looked rather comical, and it would be if not for the fact that Percy was pretty sure that even with his invincible skin he would be killed very shortly.

Euryale turned to Percy bearing her fangs Percy gut sank just like his maybe he was a...

“You have led us on quite the chase Perseus Jackson” she said baring her teeth “but there's nowhere to go now.”

“The cheese ‘n’ wieners are only $2.99” Stheno added

“Shut up and help me kill this demigod or did you forget that he was the one who killed medusa.” Stheno yelled back irritated

“Look I don't remember doing anything to medusa” Percy said placatingly. “Can we just call it a draw and we can all go on our merry way.”

“No!” Stheno said cutting her sister off before she could get words out of her open mouth. “I don't care what you remember boy! I can smell the stench of blood on you and even though its faint and I can smell medusas on you! Which means it's your fault she still hasn't reformed from Tartarus!”

Percy didn't like the connotations that came with Stheno's little speech. He didn't really get the logistics of the dying and coming back to life of monsters but that wasn't the thing that bothered him the most. It was the connotations of Sthenos sentences about ‘’the stench of blood....’’ which implied that he rank of peoples misfortune and death. He wouldn't be surprised however he seemed to bring destruction wherever he went... Percy shook his head ridding himself of those thoughts he wouldn't know anything until he found his memories which meant focusing on the task at hand.

“well, if your medusas sister like the medusa” he began “then shouldn't I be petrified by now?”

“Heroes!” Euryale said with disgust “they always bring that up so inconsiderate.” she through her hands un “well I'm sorry to disappoint boy but that was medusas curse alone!”

Percy stepped back slightly edging towards the edge of the cliff looking down it. He seemed to have cheese ‘n’ wiener style indestructible skin so maybe he could just chuck himself off the mountain and hope for the best... that wouldn't work though. He would need some kind of sled. He scanned his surroundings until his eyes landed on Stheno's very large plate. Perfect. He thought to himself.

“oooo~ reconsidering, are you?” she held out the plate to Percy smiling in that too wide smile “very wise added some gorgons blood to make your death extra quick and painless!”

Percys eyes widened he didn't feel nearly disgusted as he knew he should be at the thought. “What.” he said blankly.

“Just a little.” Stheno replied “blood from our right side can cure anything you know but from the left. Well, its deadly.”

“you dimwit!” Euryale screeched “he won't eat them now he knows they're poisoned!”

“He won't?” Stheno said bewildered. “But I said it would be quick and painless?”

“Never mind!” Euryale screeched turning back to Percy her claws bared. “Just get the boy”

With that final statement she lunged at Percy. Percy stood his ground, after all the only escape route was down the VERY steep slope and Percy was not trying that even if his skin was invincible. His mind went into overdrive as Euryale launched at him, but time was not kind to him it seemed to not wait for his thoughts to catch up with the situation. Nevertheless, Percy dodged the strike his instincts kicking in. He raised his sword slicing at Euryale.

She dodged at came at him again with a screech of anger yelling, “once we kill you Perseus Jackson our patron will be greatly impressed, and we will be praised!”

Percy ducked the attack again and spun at Stheno who had abandoned the pretence of caring for her samples and came at him with the silver plate. “Before you kill me and all, mind telling me who the patron is or am I gunna be in the dark?” Percy said blocking Stheno’s rather pathetic attack of shoving the plate at him.

He lips curled into a smile her teeth where just as yellow as her tusks and she pushed against the plate forcing Percy to edge towards the cliff. “She is Gaia of course and-”

“And she will lift us high above the others in her army for killing you. She is sleeping now Perseus Jackson but soon, soon at the feast of fortuna she will arise and cut your kind down like-” but before Euryale could finish her sentence Stehno cut her off.

“Like our bargain mart prices!”

Euryale screeched, enraged, at her sister and instead of making a grab for Percy she lunged at Stheno. The gorgon steeped back ready to fend off her sister holding to plate up like a shield. Taking his chance Percy snatched the silver plate from her hands, sent a quick prayer to whichever roman god oversaw stupid sledding tricks and jumped off the side of the hill.

Chapter Text

Percy smashed down the hill holding onto the silver plate for dear life. He cringed every time he hit the rocky slope, inwardly he mourned the loss of the skin on his knuckles. It was a bumpy ride, not that he’d expected five star treatment but stil. He landed, eventually, on the windscreen of a blue BMW, the plate fell to the ground next to the car. surprisingly, by some Miracle, he had managed to stay upright all the way down the hill…Maybe that prayer had worked.

Percy groaned, his insides felt dead and his head was throbbing from the fall. He lay there for a moment before the windshield wipers on the car started to move, as if trying to wipe him away. Stupid teenagers falling from the sky, I have places to be! That's what the guy in the car was probably saying right now. Percy groaned once again and rolled off the windscreen of the car, clutching at his side with one hand and putting the other up in an apologetic gesture towards the driver. He stumbled away from the spot he had landed, still clutching his side, ignoring the discarded plate and thanking the gods that his skin was impenetrable. He paused, on a grassy patch separating the road from others, coughing slightly into his palm he felt something wet, it gave him and uneasy feeling, but now was not the time for that feeling, or the tugging feeling gnawing at his gut signalling his growing hunger. He looked back up at the steep slope he had just come down and saw the two gorgon sisters picking their way, gingerly down the rocks. Those chicken feet must give them excellent grip, Percy thought absentmindedly. Percy shook the thought from his head, it was maybe five minutes until they reached him, which meant he would need to hurry up, a lot. He carried on for a couple more meters, before stopping and leaning against the chain link fence. On the other side of it there was a neighbourhood of winding streets and perfect little gardens. The fence was tall but there where holes in it and Percy reckoned they were just about big enough for him to fit through into the neighbourhood. He could ‘borrow’ a car again and drive west towards the ocean, he’d be safe there. He didn't like stealing cars but there was a sort of thrill in everything ever since his training with Lupa and it didn't make him feel, that, bad anymore. He always took them with the intention of returning them, but they never seemed to last very long, and Percy wasn't sure he could find the people he ‘borrowed’ them from.

He glanced east his eyes resting on the two tunnel entrances at the base of a cliff about 200 yards away. The tunnels seemed to glare at him like the eye sockets of a gaping skull daring him to go closer. In the middle a cement wall jutted out from the base of the cliff. It looked like the entrance to a bunker with that massive metal door in the middle of it. To the mortals it would have looked like a maintenance tunnel but Percy knew better.

Two guards seemed to flank the entrance; they wore gold plated armour. The guard on the right looked like a girl, she was turned away from Percy and was leaning on the wall fiddling with the tip of her spear. Their weapons where long wooden sticks with sharp deadly looking points at the end like an extra-long spear. The guy on the right held his spear nervously. He was much taller than the girl but also bigger and gave the air of a teddy bear in real life.

Percy's internal raider was going crazy. This was where he was supposed to be but at the same time this was wrong. He didn't belong with these romans who had purple poking out from beneath their armour their helmets under their arms. But... he needed to be here. He just knew it. Something deep inside him was fighting his instinct to go forward it was the part that still clung to that last memory of the girl he danced with in his dreams. Behind him the gorgons where still picking their way down the mountain and they had nearly reached the place where he had landed, they would reach him in three minutes. Max.

Part of him was urging him to run to the door in the hill the other part pulled his mind to the ocean. You'll be safe there it seemed to say. Percy knew the right choice was the door in the hill, but the promise of safety was a great premise. The roman guards at the door made him feel uneasy. The second voice screamed in his head once more; this isn't your territory get out. This is dangerous.

“you’re right, it isn't.” A voice beside him said.

Percy jumped spinning around thinking for a moment beano had managed to sneak up on him, his eyes landed on an old lady. She had white hair that looked smooth and silky, it lay gently over his pale wrinkled face. Her eye where old and grey. She wore a patchwork dress of bits of what looked like discarded plastic and scraps of clothes that had been thrown away. When she smiled her teeth where perfectly white and aligned beautifully. The old woman had a strange aura about her, her appearance seemed to flicker. She sometimes appeared in this strange mixture of young beauty integrated with the age of years gone by. Other times she seemed to glow even if it was for a second Percy could've sworn he saw her skin soften and her hair turn a soft auburn brown.

“It isn't a maintenance tunnel it's the entrance to camp” She confided.

A jolt went up Percy's spine. He pushed away the thought of the lady's strange appearances and tried to ignore the voice telling him it was all wrong. He was supposed to go to camp. Camp was supposed to be where Annabeth was maybe he could find her.

He looked back at the gorgons. They were getting closer and the only reason they hadn't spotted him yet was because of a massive truck that was stuck in the traffic. But it wouldn't stay there for long. Percy made up his mind.

“Listen lady there are some gorgons coming which means I got to go. But...” She cocked her head as he paused his voice wavering. There was obviously something about this lady that was different from the gorgons, and she was most definitely not mortal. The question was: would the gorgons attack her.

“Will you let me be attacked young man?” creature more like

Percy's resolve waivered he looked back at the gorgons who could see him clearly, as the truck had moved, and where now scrambling through traffic to get to him. He stiffened instincts taking over. He hesitated slightly before grabbing onto the old lady's hand. Her skin was warm and as he hoisted her onto his back she laughed, almost cruelly.

“Interesting choice Perseus.” She said her voice hoarser and more ancient sounding now. Percy pushed away the question of how she knew his name, he could deal with that later as the current task was not getting him or the lady killed. Percy looked over his shoulder once more his eyes fliting to the gorgons and the sea. They were getting closer now.

“If I go to camp, will I get my memory back?” he said panic starting to rise in his throat.

“Eventually. But you'll lose the mark of Achilles...” The old woman said cryptically.

Percy stepped forward the weight of the old woman laying heavily against his back. Panic was starting to rise in his throat.

“What about the guards at the door?” he said pausing.

“Don't worry they’ll let you in!” she said he nails digging into his shoulders.

He stepped forward and started to make his way through the traffic the gorgons now hot on his heels. A driver honked irritated swerving out of the way to avoid hitting him. Percy mused for a minute that he must have made a strange sight.

A shadow flashed into view and the screechy voice of Stheno called gleefully after him. “Found yourself a goddess to carry did you boy?”

A goddess?

The old lady on his back cackled with delight as a car severed around Percy once more almost killing them.

Somewhere to his left, Euryale screamed “Get them! Two prizes are better than one!”

Percy quickened his pace now nearly sprinting across the last few lanes of traffic it was a miracle he got to the middle lane alive. Percy ran for the door in the hillside the old lady still on his back, clutching at his throat. The lady got heavier with every step. Percys heart was pounding he could almost feel the blood moving rapidly around his body. His ribs ached still as well from his fall.

One of the guards took the bow from his back and nocked an arrow. Percy ducked involuntarily but the arrow soared over his head and hit Stheno right in the forehead. It had obviously not been meant for him. The gorgon wailed in pain and the second guard readied her spear gesturing frantically for Percy to hurry. He was so close now. Thirty feet.

“Gotcha!” Euryale screeched. Percy turned his head just in time to see another arrow land in the eye. She stumbled back into the traffic. Then. She was gone; a truck had come along and smashed into her. A few moments later she re appeared pulling the arrow from her head.

“That arrow should’ve killed her!” The archer protested.

“Welcome to my world.” Percy replied.

“Frank!” The girl said, “get them inside those are gorgons!”

Franks eyes widened, “will the door hold them?”

The lady on Percy back cackled, “no it won't! Onward to the river Percy Jackson!”

The girl looked at him curiously. Percy supposed he must look like a sight; a random, malnourished looking, seventeen-year-old boy, with, probably, ripped clothes falling of him and one shoe.

“Get inside!” The girl said, “ill hold them off!”

“Hazel no!” Frank said.

“Go!” she demanded.

Frank cursed in Latin.

Percy followed Frank staggering under the weight of the woman of his back who was most definitely getting heavier now. The tunnel cut through solid rock it was pitch dark Percy couldn't see anything. The world was gone the only thing reminding him he was not dead from exhaustion was the feeling of dirt writhing up under his own bear feet and the feeling of the woman crushing him with her weight. Percy wished the ground would swallow him up, choke him, and he could wake up still dancing with that blurry face, the golden hair flashing through his vision.

The pounding of footsteps echoed through his hearing coming close from behind drowning out the now faint footsteps of Frank. Percy shivered and prepared for claws to pierce through the woman on his back and reach him.

A gold glow.

What? Percy thought the gorgons didn't have glowing eyes...

A hand gripped his shoulder, Percy jumped about five feet in the air.

“FOR F-” he began but Hazel cut him off.

“Hurry!” she yelled back practically dragging him, despite being practically a whole head shorter than him she was surprisingly strong.

Percy shook the thoughts from him and sprinted even quicker, powering through the pain from his legs which were now screaming and begging for him to stop and melt into the ground like water.

A soft glow illuminated Percy's eyes as the end of the tunnel came into sight. The woman on his back cackled with glee at some joke he was not yet aware of but Percy did not care. He turned back to look at the tunnel still running after Frank and Hazel. He could hear more footsteps. The gorgons, they were still here, Hazel hadn't managed to kill them. Percys heart sank as he turned back to Frank and Hazel.

“Come on!” Frank yelled.

“Where... Are.... we going.” Percy panted hoisting the lady back up so he wouldn't drop her.

“All roads lead there, child. You should know that” The woman chuckled.

“Detention?" Percy asked as instinctively.

“Rome, child” the old woman replied. “Rome”

Percy felt confused, he knew his brain was haywire and all his memory was gone but he was pretty sure Rome wasn't supposed to be in California. When he finally took in the surrounding, he saw a bowl-shaped valley spread out beneath his feet. It stretchered out far in front of him with rolling green hills and right at the bottom was what looked like a small city nestled bellow, just down from the hill they were on, it was surrounded by a clear river encircling its perimeter. Percy looked to Frank and Hazel.

“Camp Jupiter” Frank supplied. “We'll be safe once -”

A screech came from the tunnel behind them and the sound of the gorgons became louder. Hazel groaned from beside Percy shaking off some of the dust that Percy could now see coated her in a fine powder giving her the appearance of a ghost, especially with those eyes, Percy thought.

“Ugh!” Hazel said starting to move down the hill, “I only slowed them down a bit, they’ll be here any second.”

Frank cursed. “We have to get across the river.”

The woman cackled again. “Oh yes! But you have to carry me I can't get my dress wet!”

Percy bit his tongue. He was carrying a goddess, or at least that's what the gorgons said, here. It could be a test. And if this was a test, couldn't afford to get an F. He stumbled after the two romans down to the river. Hazel looked back and paused for a minute letting Percy catch her up. She looped her hand around his back keeping him steady.

They reached the river, and Percy stopped to catch his breath. The river didn't look deep, or that far across from the city. The front gates went that far.

“Go Hazel.” Frank said. “You escort Percy, so the centuries don't shoot him ill hold off the gorgons.”

She nodded and started to drag Percy by his upper wrist; he stumbled slightly trying not to drop the old lady. And followed Hazel down the hill, one day, Percy thought, I'm going to live somewhere with no hill to run down. He practically rolled down the hill as Hazel sprinted a few steps Infront of him. He didn't dare look back, for Frank, for fear of tripping up on his own feet. Soon enough they arrived at the bank of river. It glistened up at Percy, tempting him to touch its waters. Hazel splashed forward turning back to look at Percy.

“You coming?” she questioned beckoning towards Percy. Percy hesitated, looking back up at the slope they had just come down. He wasn't sure what was stopping him going into the river it was water, water was good.

The old woman cackled once more, nails digging in painfully to him neck. “You can go child.” Percy eyed her suspiciously. She looked back cackling even more her cracked teeth showing from under her wrinkled lips. “Don't look at me like that child!” she said. “You can go in the river but...it'll wash away your blessing~”

“What?” Percy said confused.

“The mark of Achillies boy! It's a Greek blessing; you can't take it through a roman river it'll get washed away! Now hurry boy! Hurry!” the lady cackled and Percy was beginning to wish he could rip his ears out; the sound was grating unpleasantly on his ears.

“Percy!” Hazel yelled, she was further across the river and looked like she was about to turn around to drag him herself. Percy looked back internally debating with himself. No more invulnerability, But. Rest... or invulnerability and endless running from his problems. The first option sounded much more appealing even if he wouldn't have iron skin anymore but... he shook of any more doubts and strode into the river.

Pain. It shot through him like a knife. It pierced him from every angle, ripping and tearing at him. Percy stumbled and bit his lip stifling a cry of pain. Tears welled up in his eyes as the water began to tear at him more. He could feel tendrils of water crawling up and under his skin, invading his body, reaching for every inch of the only thing that tied him to where he was from. He gritted his teeth fists clenching at the ripped fabric of the woman he was carrying. The water seeped into him pulling away the last of the blessing. The last sliver began to leave him, Percy could feel it and regret welled up in him as the last once slipped from his grasp...

A hand, laid, gently on his shoulder. The world froze. The woman stopped cackling, the water stopped stealing, the gorgons stopped screeching. It was still. Even Percy could not move. Only his eyes, darting fearfully to the hand on his shoulder. It was covered in murky scales, they reminded him of something, himself, he could feel silky hair brushing against his back, moving rhythmically, calm, familiar.

“Not yet child.” A silky voice spoke to him. “I will not allow you to be released from my grasp yet.”

The hand on his shoulder exploded into water, raining down onto him. A soft glow filled his insides as he felt the curse of Achillies return to him. He stood there frozen as the curse settled familiarly in his stomach once more. Before he could relish in the silence once more it ceased. Noise cascaded back into his ears everything rushing in at once overwhelming him. With new determination he ploughed forward refusing to stop again. Surprisingly the river he strode through did not take from him again it seemed to be kept at bay by something. He splashed through it after Hazel now free of pain. The city was close. So close.

He looked down at his burden.

She looked back eyes cold. She was no longer cackling.

“What did you do boy.” Her words were laced with venom, cold, unrelenting.

Percy did not answer, could not answer. He, himself did not know, quiet, what had happened. A phantom hand slid from his shoulder once more as he stumbled after Hazel.

Percy practically threw himself out of the water and onto land. He panted heavily still carrying the woman.

A splashing sound came from behind him, he craned his neck around to see Frank, clumsily rushing towards them. He was fast. Looking at Frank cross the river it seemed much quicker than when Percy had done. Time was against him yet again.

“Come on, we’ll be safe inside the gates.” Hazel said.

She grabbed Franks arm and beckoned for Percy to follow. The three of them stumbled tiredly inside to glorious gates of the city. A group of people, mostly teenagers, stood there pretty much all clad in purple T-shirts, just like the ones Percy had caught glimpses pf under Hazel and Franks armour. Percy gently sat the woman in her arms down and turned back to look at the crowd. Percy had never, in the memories he had, been in a crowd with everybody watching him and he found he rather didn't like it. Percy side stepped slightly to stand behind Frank in an attempt to avoid the stares. A tall girl with long dark hair and tan skin pushed her way through the crowd and faced the three of them.

“Frank. Hazel.” She said sharply, gesturing to the rest of the group. Frank and Hazel obeyed her obvious command and scurried off to melt in with the rest of, what Percy presumed were, romans.

“Now.” She began, turning to Percy and him alone this time. Her gaze was sharp he didn't have a Frank to hide behind now. “Who are you and why-” the girl stopped in her tracks looking at something behind him. Percy turned. A flash of bright green feathers had engulfed the old woman. Percy jumped back with a yelp. As the feathers dissipated a tall elegant looking woman was revealed in place of the frail one before her. The dark-haired girl in front of Percy sunk into a bow, almost instantaneously, the rest of the purple clad group followed.

“Lady Juno.” He heard the girl mutter in reverence.

“I am Juno.” The goddess spoke in a smooth voice, like liquid gold. “I bring you Perseus Jackson. Son of Neptune. He has my blessing.”

At the mention of his name Percy heard a chocking sound coming from the group, by the time Percy had whipped his head around to look for the culprit, the noise was untraceable.

The goddess raised her eyebrows at the noise and then turned to Percy.

“Thank you, Percy, for my lovely trip to Camp Jupiter. But I must be going” with that rather unimpressive last sentiment she vanished in a flurry of the green peacock feathers. Percy turned back to the romans, shifting uncomfortably as he does.

“So,” The girl who had spoken before says, stepping forward. “A son of Neptune, with, Juno's blessing. How... new.” The girl had sharp features, her long dark hair was tied in a plate which was snaking down her back. Percy had a vague sense he recognised her from somewhere, but the memory was foggy, just like all his others. She surveyed he silently the medals on her armour glinting cheekily up at him.

“Now. I am Reyna of the twelfth legion, and I shall decide what to do with you.” she began again. “The question is whether Juno has brought us a new recruit... or” Reyna paused a slight hopeful tilt creeping into her voice. “An enemy to kill... Hazel bring him inside I want to question him on the principia.”