Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase: Parental Approval [Completed]

9: Two Missions

Sorry I haven't posted in a while ( I just checked, the last time was November). Please enjoy this! :) 

Percy awoke on the beach, his face looking up at the sky. 

"Argh... Annabeth?" He asked groggily. He looked around and couldn't find her. He scrambled until he realized he was alone. 

Or not. About 10 feet away, another boy was laying on his back. In between Percy and the other guy, two swords were lying waiting to be held and used. Percy quickly jumped up and rolled his neck around. He heard a popping noise or two before he crouched down to pick up a sword that looked like riptide, but wasn't quite. 

He stood up and stretched his calf muscles before fully standing up and looking down at the boy. He had black hair, similar to Percy's, and very pale face, unlike Percy's tanned complexion. Percy stretched his arms and turned to face the sea green water. 

"Annabeth!" Percy heard a raspy voice behind him moan. Percy sharply turned around to find the boy standing up. 

"What about her?" Percy asked. He was genuinely curious to find out who this guy was-- and why Athena decided to put him into this mission. 

"The love of my life. The women I love, the girl who is forever mine. My one and only. My true true love." 

"What?" Percy spit out. "No, no, no, Athena is just trying to confuse you--"

"Are you saying that my love is not true?" The boy was shaking in rage. "Who are you to be telling me about my feelings?" The boy bent down and took a sword in his hand. "I challenge you to a duel." 

"What--" Percy could barely finish his sentence before the crazy, delusional boy started stabbing at him. Percy dodged each stab and defended himself. Percy swung his sword in an arc, somehow missing the other boy. Riptide would have made it, Percy thought to himself. 

The boy cut Percy's shoulder as he tried to defend himself. "That's it," Percy said through gritted teeth. He lunged forward and swung his terrible sword in a way that would disarm the other boy. It worked and the other sword flew into the ocean. The ocean!

Percy pulled on his core and felt the water's energy course inside of him. He made the wave enlarge and pushed it down on the other boy. The other boy... reacted in a way that Percy didn't expect. 

All of a sudden leafs and vines started forming together to make shackles. The boy raised his arms and willed the leafs to come and capture Percy for denying his love for Annabeth. This boy must have been Persephone's son.

Percy dived into the water, to escape the vines. He heard from under the water the boy laugh and scream, "COWARD! RUNNING AWAY!" Percy didn't fall for it. "MY LOVE FOR ANNABETH IS SO TRUE, YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND!" Percy fell for it.

He fabricated a tremendous wave and rode the top of it. "NO! SHE IS MY ONE AND ONLY!" Percy shook with rage, his arms trembling at his sides. "YOU CAN NEVER TAKE THAT AWAY, AND YOU WILL NEVER EVER HAVE HER-- WHILE I'M ALIVE I AM HERS AND SHE IS MINE!" 

The boy disappeared in front of Percy's eyes and instead of being at the beach Percy was transferred to a new setting. He was immediately sent onto ground level, as if the ocean wave was never there. A cement room built itself around Percy and metal spikes rose out of the floor in front of him. 

"Woah," he stepped back. "This is way too intense," Percy murmured. He looked around and noticed two wooden beams running along the tops of the walls, directly over the metal pieces. The rest of the room was either metal or cement.

 A small child, about 2 years old, popped up behind the spikes. "Da-da!" He giggled and stepped forward towards the spikes. 

"Nononononononononononono," Percy shouted. The baby stopped and tilted his head to the side, unsure why Percy didn't want him to come closer. 

"Percy, save the baby." Athena's voice echoed throughout the entire room, but it felt like it was inside of Percy's head. Percy wondered if Annabeth was watching this, and though about what she would do to save the little boy. 

The baby took another step forward and almost fell directly over the spikes. Percy could imagine the boy being split open by the spiked and tried to shake the image out of his head. 

Percy hesitated for a second, wondering how far Athena was willing to go. The baby stepped even closer, which caused Percy's heart to stop. He reacted without even thinking and jumped into the air, his arms grabbing on to the wooden beams. Thank the gods I trained for something like this. 

Percy hung on and side climbed to the child. He used his upper arm and torso strength to make it across, but he almost fell off the wood twice due to splinters in his hands. It's worth it. 

He finally reached the child who hugged his legs and said, "Da-da" again. 

"What?" Percy breathed. 

The scenery changed and Annabeth appeared. "Oh Percy!" She ran up and pulled him into a hug. She ran her fingers through his hair, which he unapologetically claimed felt good.  "That was genius!"

Percy pulled back and planted a kiss on her lips. "I promise you an idea like that will never appear in my brain again," Percy joked. 

"Well, I'm glad it did. The child was just an illusion."

"Good. I was worried how far your mom would go." 

"She wouldn't. Go that far, I mean," Annabeth assured him. 

"How many more tests?" Percy asked. He could already feel the tiredness setting in, but he would continue until he physically dropped, just for Annabeth. 

Percy hoped that at the end of this they would be together and that Annabeth would know how he felt without those three simple words needed.