Who We Used to Be

Chapter 5

Whenever he asked someone where he was, all they said was that he was working on a new project and was holed up in Bunker 9. But Percy found that pretty hard to believe, after all, from what he'd heard, it had only taken Leo about 3 days to build the massive Greek warship that was the Argo II. What kind of project was it that it would honestly take this long to make?

Percy was about ready to give up on his friend ever coming to see him when his birthday rolled around. It was the day he had first been allowed out of his isolated infirmary room, and his friends had thrown him a little birthday party, much to his protest.

It was there that Leo had made his dramatic re-entrance into the camp, bearing with him a singular box about the length of his forearm. The box, that he said contained the project he had been working on for the past 18 days.

With some much needed help due to his missing right arm, he opened the box to find a very intricately made prosthetic arm made of bronze. The pieces that made it were so small and delicate, Percy could definitely see why it had taken Leo so long to build it.

Needless to say, Percy had been extremely grateful. And the next day with his father's help, Leo attached the arm, melding it to his skin with a little bit of godly energy. The arm was almost just like his real one was. The only difference was that it couldn't feel anything. But it would move when his brain told it to move, and after a little bit of practice, he could use it to wield his swords just as skilfully as he had before.

With that little problem taken care of, he honestly didn't know what he was going to do with his life. His plan had been to go to New Rome and settle down with Annabeth: go to college, eventually have a family. But all of those plans had been ruined the moment his love had stopped breathing. All he knew now was that he eventually wanted to go back out into the mortal world to see his Mom and Paul, and that wherever he ended up had to be with Thalia and Nico, and away from both Camps.

Everywhere he looked he saw painful memories of her, even the beach, a place which had previously been his sanctuary, now only reminded him of their picnics and happy dates he had gotten to go on with her before he was kidnapped and thrust into the next bloody war which eventually claimed her life. If he was going to get his life back on track, he couldn't have those memories constantly floating around him and threatening to pull him back under.

He needed something new, something fresh. Something that would keep his mind completely focused off of what had happened and onto whatever he had to do next.

Luckily for him, the perfect opportunity came during the rewards ceremony for the last war.

The gods had waited until he was further recovered and could stand to be in the same room with so many people at one time. He almost laughed at that: he could stand to be next to the ocean for hours and hours on end. The ocean, which was the largest body of water in the world.

He had long since progressed on his powers: hearts no longer beat in his ears unless he wanted them to. The real reason the gods had waited so long was because they were still picking up their own pieces. Olympus had never been in such a state of disarray as it was during the Second Giant War. They needed the time to compose themselves so they still came off as the almighty rulers of the universe they were trying to be.

Percy didn't really know why they bothered. They'd all seen the gods' true nature during the wars. They weren't almighty and courageous, they were pitiful, and cowards.

But still he stood, as each of his friends were given their wish and celebrated, Percy knew his one true wish could never be fulfilled. After all, the gods couldn't bring back the dead.