Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson
The Disgraced Hero
Chapter Eighteen - Get Going
"Hello, Percy," Chiron greeted when the son of Poseidon stepped inside the Big House.
"Hey, Chiron," Percy said. "Mr. D."
"Yes, hello, Perry," Dionysus said. Percy stopped and stared at the god of wine.
"Want to try that again, Dionysus?" he asked. Dionysus looked up and stared straight into Percy's eyes, madness in his own eyes. Percy grinned, there was nothing new that Dionysus could show him. The staredown lasted under five seconds, when the god of wine stood up.
"Perseus," he acknowledged and flashed away.
"So," Percy started as he plopped down onto a couch. "Anything interesting happen in the last year?"
"No, I don't believe so," the centaur said. "It's been rather calm since you… went away."
"Ah, yes," Percy chuckled. "Since I took my leave of this plane and decided, all by myself, to go to Tartarus. Because one time just wasn't enough for me."
"I'm sorry, Percy," Chiron said, grimacing. "I did not mean to make light of your experiences."
"It's all good, Chiron," Percy said. "I know what you mean. Besides, while absolutely horrible, my stay down in the pit surely could have been worse."
"I suppose," Chiron said. "So, what do you think the plan is for the war preparations?"
"Well, for my part, I've only got the first step figured out yet."
"Indeed?"
"Yep. Wanna hear it?"
"Sure."
"Alright, Chiron, this is the plan," Percy said. "The Olympians can suck it." Chiron looked at Percy, wide-eyed.
"That is… an odd plan," the centaur stated. Percy grinned.
"I know, but it's what I've got so far."
"How do you plan to implement this course of action?"
"I don't know, really," Percy admitted.
"How about we focus on the upcoming war, Percy?" Chiron asked. "That does seem like the most pressing matter."
"Yeah, I don't know," Percy said. "I don't really want to fight for the Olympians." Chiron's expression turned confused.
"But you said that you would help us in the war."
"The demigods, yes. My friends, my family, yes," Percy grinned. "The Olympians, no. In fact I told them very specifically while they were sentencing me to Tartarus that they could forget it."
"Then what will you do?"
"Haven't really figured that out yet. There has to be some way that I can fight in the war without-" Percy stopped speaking as he felt a shift in power outside the camp. He stood up, Chiron doing the same, looking alarmed. "There's an attack happening."
"Here? Now?" Chiron asked.
"Yes, here. Yes, now. Let's go, Chiron," Percy said over his shoulder as he walked out of the Big House. He walked into the pavilion and whistled his best New York taxi cab whistle. The camp silenced as everyone in earshot stopped and turned to Percy. "Everyone! Hey! Look at me!" By now everyone had turned their attention to the man shouting like a crazy person in the middle of the pavilion. "Follow me!" He started to trek up the hill and after a moment's hesitation the demigods all followed him.
Percy reached the top and looked over at the army gathered only a few hundred feet away. At the sight of Percy the monsters paused, every single one of them. He could smell their fear. And yet… they didn't move any further. If he had met them in Tartarus only a few days before he was sure they would have run away screaming. But now they stood tall, facing him.
Reyna was the first one to reach him and stood by his side. Shortly after her were the rest of his friends, their eyes wide at the sight of the monsters. The rest of the demigods weren't far behind, every single one trying to get a look at the scene below.
"I want you to look at this army of monsters," Percy said. "And I want you to think about the damage they could do. I want you to imagine a fight between these monsters and yourselves. I want you to think about how many people would die in that fight." The demigods were uncomfortable to say the least. They were shuffling nervously and talking among themselves, not sure how they would survive. "I want you to do all that and then I want you to look at this."
Percy closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Then he snapped his fingers.
The entire army of monsters, at least a thousand strong, exploded. It wasn't particularly loud or flashy. They didn't go out in a blaze of glory. They just combusted into golden dust and were blown away by the wind.
Percy turned around and looked over the group of demigods, all of whom were staring at him wide-eyed and scared. "I, Perseus Jackson, am the Titan of time, harvest and destruction. I am the agent of Chaos. If you let me, I will lead you all to victory in this war."
The crowd before him was silent for nine seconds until Reyna put her fist over her heart. "Ave!" she said, loud and clear. Percy looked to her and nodded. The rest of the Romans quickly followed and after them the Greek demigods all did the same thing, and even though some of them misspoke and probably didn't know what they were saying, Percy knew that their heart was in the right place.
Percy smiled at the crowd and put his fist over his heart. "Ad Victoriam!" he shouted.
X
Percy appeared in the underwater palace of Poseidon and strode directly into the throne room, not even noticing the looks he was getting from his father's subjects. Inside the throne room was his father, along with his wife and son.
"Dad," Percy said, drawing their attention. "I need you to call a council meeting. Also get all as many minor gods as you can up there as well."
"Hello to you too, Percy," Poseidon said, somewhat confused.
"Yeah, hi," Percy said. "Anyway, just as soon as possible."
"Hold on, you can't just march in here and demand something like that from the god of the sea," Amphitrite said, looking offended at his gall.
"Sure can and just did," Percy said. "See you all up there in a few minutes, yeah?" then he disappeared from the throne room, leaving three bemused gods in his wake.
Percy appeared back on Olympus and whistled loudly to get the attention of everyone around. Almost immediately the people milling around had quieted down and stopped in their tracks, looking at Percy.
"Hi there," he said. "I need you all to follow me into the throne room. Now."
He started walking towards the throne room and one by one the crowd started following him. He pushed the doors open and saw Zeus and Hera sitting in their thrones.
"Jackson," Zeus growled. "I knew this had something to do with you."
"Well, that's not entirely correct," Percy said. "This has everything to do with me. Now, everyone, just find yourselves some place to sit."
One by one, the Olympians started flashing in to their thrones. The floor around also started filling up with minor gods.
"Hi there, I'm Percy," Percy said to a very large, muscular man, offering his hand. The man gripped Percy's hand tightly and shook it.
"I am Kratos," he said in a deep, rumbling voice.
"Nice to meet you, Kratos," Percy said before walking to a woman standing close by. "Hi, I'm Percy."
"I'm Hybris," the woman said. She gripped Percy's hand and pulled him close, grabbing his ass and grinning.
"That's nice," Percy said and untangled himself from the woman, stepping to the next god.
"Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Percy,"
"We all know who you are, Perseus Jackson," the man stated. "I am Dolos, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Good to know," Percy smiled at the man. "Now, if you don't mind I'd like to get that back." Dolos looked shocked for a fraction of a second before he regained his composure.
"You are good," he said and handed Percy a bronze pen. Percy smiled and winked before moving on.
"Hi, I'm-" Percy was cut off by a booming thunder that shook the room.
"Jackson!" Zeus shouted. "Why have you called the council, and why have you brought all these minor gods here as well?"
"Ah, right," Percy said, turning to the Olympian council. "Stick around after this, will you? I'd like to get to know you all," Percy said over his shoulder to the minor gods and nature spirits. He stepped closer to the Olympians and looked up into the eyes of the king. "I'm taking over."
"Excuse me?" Zeus exclaimed. The rest of the Olympians looked downright shocked and Percy could hear the minor gods start chattering among themselves.
"You are excused," Percy stated. "I will be taking over the war preparations. You either follow me or stay out of the way."
"You do not have the authority-" Zeus was cut off by the son of Poseidon.
"I am taking the authority," he said. "Your plan is always to ignore things and hope they go away. That is not good enough. People die every time. Children—your own children—die. I have watched this happen twice before and I will not again. You neglect those you deem inferior and you still expect everyone to bow down to you and do everything you want them to.
"We have seen it before, in both wars, that there are those who have had enough. If you do not intend to pull your finger out of your ass and start doing something, I will. The camps stand by me. I know that some of you will stand by me. I intend to do everything I can to get these people here, those you have deemed minor, to stand by me.
"We will all train and prepare, and when that is over we will fight. It will be the fight of our lives, nothing that any of us have faced before. We will lose people. But not as many as we would if we continue as we are now. This could be it. This could be the end of life on earth as we know it. But not if you all stand up and join me in this fight. In this war." Percy paused and turned, looking at all the people who had gathered in there. These people who would soon have to fight for their, and everyone else's lives.
"I only have one question," he said. "Who is going to join me and fight this threat, to protect our way of life, to protect those around us, and to protect the entire world, and who is deluded enough to think that they don't have to?"
A/N: Finally, I've gotten this chapter done. I'd want to have it longer but I figured I should at least get one chapter out before the year ends. I've had a hell of a time of it lately, really. Absolutely no time to write, first because of work, and then I started uni in the fall.
I am, however, a master procrastinator, so instead of studying for a chemistry final that I am almost certain to fail with how things stand right now, I decided to bang out a chapter of a story. Hope you like it, even if it's kinda short and crappy.
Please do follow and favourite, and if there's anything you like or don't like please let me know in a review. I always read them and take all the sensible ones to heart, I really do.
'Till next time,
Manimal.