act one.
the lightning thief.
❛ percy jackson ❜
SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHY IT WAS SO BAD THAT SHE HAD TAKEN AN INTEREST IN FIGHTING.
Slashing swords, fighting off monsters. She liked that.
But her brothers and sisters don't—and she hated that. She hated the way she didn't fit in. She hated the way her siblings would stare.
The girl sat on the jetty, her legs dangling off the edge, her eyes engrossed on the diamond-clear lake ahead of her. She mostly comes here to think, or to relax—most times from people.
The wind blew softly in her brown hair, the cold breeze tickling her ears. She could hear people practicing and campers talking excitedly since Capture the Flag was arriving very soon.
It was Y/n's favorite game—and although her brothers and sisters don't usually participate in these things, Y/n couldn't fight the urge to join.
Once the girl had had enough of sitting down, she walked over to the infirmary where her best friend, Annabeth, was helping a boy Grover turned in two days ago. The wooden planks creaked under her feet with each step she took.
It was told that he'd killed a Minotaur bull by himself. Y/n couldn't help but feel a tad bit envious when she heard that. She's always wanted to fend off a monster out in the mortal world but being a daughter of Aphrodite, her scent wasn't as strong as most half-bloods.
"Hey Annie." she greeted the blondie. Annabeth had grey eyes and blonde curls. Y/n had found her eyes mesmerizing. They've been a duo since they were seven and first came to camp together.
"Oh, hey Y/n." The girl replied, scooping in some pudding for the scrawny boy.
The brunette pulled a seat and sat down picking up Annabeth's book on architecture.
She flipped through the pages, unbothered to reading and looking at the pictures instead. She wasn't interested in this building stuff.
"What's the first thing you're gonna build?" Y/n asked, not breaking her gaze on the book.
Annabeth thought hard, "I've always said a city but if you want something more specific then I'm not sure."
"Could you build me my own private theme park?" She asked. "There! I just gave you an idea."
"What do you mean?" Annabeth knitted her eyebrows.
Y/n shrugged, looking at the confused blonde, "Well, you said you don't know what you're going to build, so build my theme park first."
The girl holding chocolate pudding scoffed, rolling her eyes at her best friend's playful attitude.
Y/n was known for having sarcastic responses and a short temper. If you knew her well, then it's hard not to like her. She made herself likable. But if you were new, then you'd most definitely hate her.
It's not that she's so unlikeable and annoying, it's just that she's aware of how bad things would go if you trusted someone the moment you meet them. She knows better than to judge someone based on first interaction.
She was also blunt with things, never really afraid to tell the truth. But that's only when she doesn't know you. With Annabeth and her other friends, that's a whole different story. She'll do anything to make them happy and confident in the things they do. She's always supportive and caring. Of course, she still keeps her blunt honesty, she'll just sugarcoat it.
"What will happen at the summer solstice?"
Y/n's ears perked up, hearing Annabeth whisper to the half-awoken boy. She hoisted her head from the book and sauntered toward her blonde friend, desperate for some knowledge.
"What?" The boy croaked. The two girls looked around cautiously, afraid someone might eavesdrop.
Y/n leaned closely, "What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks."
Before the boy could reply, there was a knock. The two girls turned their heads to find Argus, a blonde surfer dude who was head of security because he had eyes everywhere—, on his arms, legs, and even tongue.
Annabeth quickly shoved the pudding into the boy's mouth and dragged Y/n out of the infirmary, giving a quick wave at Argus who smiled back.
"The boy doesn't seem to know anything." Y/n whispered to her friend.
Annabeth shrugged, "Give him time, maybe he does but just couldn't spill it because Argus came. I know he's the one."
"Yeah..maybe."
𓋼𓍊𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊
Y/N SENT A BLOW TO LUKE CASTELLAN'S SHOULDER BUT WAS BLOCKED BY THE BLADE OF HIS SWORD.
"You're getting better." Luke smiled, sweat dripping off his eyebrows. It was the next day and Y/n went out to her sword lessons with Luke—the best swordsman there is.
The brunette steadied her breathing, "Thanks. You're not too bad yourself."
She pushed his blade off and they regained their energy, moving around in a circle. He lunged but she was quick to move to one side.
A few seconds later, she had disarmed her opponent, leaving his blade on the ground with a loud clang.
"You used my disarming technique." he said with a childish smile, "The one I taught you last month."
Before the brunette could reply, Charles Beckendorf yelled, "Hey Y/n! They need you at the big house!"
He was a Hephaestus kid who was good at building things. He and one of her sisters, Silena were friends. Sometimes Y/n thought they were more than that but Silena always shook her head saying she's got eyes for another boy. She just hoped Silena wouldn't choose Charles to be the one she'd break.
It was said that every Aphrodite child had to break someone's heart. Y/n thought it was cruel and honestly unnecessary.
The girl wiped the sweat off her face with her arm, "Coming Charles!" She turned to Luke, "Sorry Lu, duty calls."
She touched where the blade met the holder and it switched to a beaded ring that held a flower after six beads.
When she made it onto the porch, she smiled as she saw her best friend already there immediately shooting her questions, "Where were you? Why are you so sweaty?"
The brunette giggled, "Sword fighting with Lu."
"It amazes me how a child of Aphrodite takes an interest in fights." said a voice behind her.
Dionysus.
He had big watery eyes, pale skin, and hair so dark it almost looked purple. He was in charge of the whole camp including Chiron. Although Dionysus had no care for camp, he couldn't leave. He was punished here.
The girl clenched her fist, hiding it from Mr. D but Chiron saw it. He chuckled and shook his head. The two of them were playing pinochle.
"Has he said anything after the last time I visited?" Y/n asked the blonde.
She shook her head, "Nothing."
All four of them sat in there for a few minutes with Y/n complaining about how long she had to stay before Chiron spoke, "Ah, good, Percy. Now we have four for pinochle."
Y/n turned her head to find a boy with grubby dark hair, greenish-blueish eyes, and a confused expression plastered on him.
He was offered a seat next to Mr. D and took it with caution, examining Dionysus.
"Annabeth," Chiron called. The blondie stepped with her head up high and back straight, "This young lady nursed you back to health. And this," He gestured towards Y/n as she stepped in line with Annabeth, "Is Y/n. Girls, meet Percy Jackson."
Y/n caught Percy's eyes catching hers. She raised a brow and he looked away with tinted cheeks. Annabeth caught their little interaction and nudged the brunette on her elbow causing her to roll her eyes.
"My dears," Chiron spoke, "Why don't you check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin 11 for now."
"Sure Chiron." Annabeth smiled, she stepped off the porch and waited for Y/n whose eyes were stuck on the Minotaur horn.
Percy looked at her with confusion. Flustered with getting caught staring, she quickly pointed to the corner of her mouth, "You've got a bit of drool,"
She turned around and caught up with Annabeth, linking their arms.
𓋼𓍊𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊
THE TWO GIRLS RAN TO THE HERMES CABIN. THE PAINTING WAS CHIPPED AND THE THRESHOLD WORN OFF.
Annabeth took her book out causing Y/n to groan, "Are you seriously going to choose your book over talking to me?" Y/n made a pouting face, causing her friend to laugh.
"Yes, I am."
The brunette held her heart and gasped dramatically as if she had just been hit. She fell, pushing her acting further before she stopped to look at the moving clouds. But she couldn't sit still. She kept fidgeting, walking back and forth and playing with Annabeth's hair as she waited for Percy.
"You're terrible at making braids," Annabeth commented.
The girl rolled her eyes before she saw Chiron in centaur form and Percy next to him.
"Girls," Chiron said, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Could you take Percy from here?"
They nodded.
"Cabin eleven." Chiron told Percy, motioning towards the doorway, "Make yourself at home."
Annabeth opened the door allowing Percy to see a cabin full of people.
Cabin eleven was always packed. It consisted of kids who were undetermined and because Hermes is the god of travelers, they take in undetermined kids.
The centaur was far too big for the door but the whole cabin saw him and bowed, "Well then, good luck Percy. I'll see you at dinner." Immediately after he left, the campers turned to Percy and stared, sizing him up.
"Well?" Annabeth prompted, "Go on."
Percy tripped while going in, causing Y/n to choke, holding in her laughter while the whole cabin snickered.
"Percy Jackson, meet cabin eleven," Y/n announced.
"Regular or undetermined?" A camper asked.
"Undetermined." The whole cabin groaned.
"Now, now campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor right over there."
Luke came up wearing an orange tank top, sandals, and a leather necklace with five different-colored clay beads.
"This is Luke." Annabeth blushed, "He's your counselor for now."
"For now?"
"You're undetermined." Luke explained patiently, "They don't know what cabin to put you in so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron is the god of travellers."
"How long will I be here?" He asked.
"Good question," Luke scratched his chin, "Until you're determined."
"How long will that take?"
The campers laughed, Annabeth chuckling quietly unlike the others.
"Come on," Y/n spoke, "I'll show you the volleyball court."
"I've already seen it," Percy told her.
"Come on." Her voice was irritated. She grabbed his wrist and dragged him outside along with Annabeth following from behind.
When they were a few feet away, Y/n looked at him, "Jackson, you have to do better than that."
"What?"
Y/n sighed and looked at Annabeth, "Still think he's the one?" Annabeth brushed her off.
"What's your problem?" Percy blurted. Frustration flooded throughout his body, "All I know is I killed some bull guy—"
"Don't talk like that!" Annabeth hissed, "Do you know how many kids at camp wish they had your chance?"
"To get killed?"
His eyes switch to Y/n, "To fight the Minotaur, idiot. What do you think we train for?"
He ignored his nickname and shook his head, "Look, if the thing I fought really was the Minotaur, the same one in the stories..."
"Yes," Annabeth says firmly
"And he died like, a gazillion years ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth. So.."
"Monsters don't die, Jackson," Y/n explained. "They can be killed. But they don't die."
"Oh, thanks. That clears it up." He mumbled.
"They don't have souls like you, me, and Y/n. You can dispel them for a while, maybe even for a while lifetime if you're lucky. But they're primal forces. Chiron calls them archetypes. Eventually, they re-form."
"You mean if I killed one, accidentally, with a sword—"
The blondie nodded, "The Fur—I mean your math teacher. That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very mad."
"How did you know about Mrs. Dodds?"
"You talk in your sleep."
"You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades' torturers, right?"
Annabeth glanced nervously at the ground.
"You shouldn't call them by name, even in here. We call them the Kindly Ones if we have to speak of them at all." Annabeth explained.
"Look, is there anything we can say without it thundering? Why do I have to stay in cabin eleven anyway? Why is everybody so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there." Percy ranted.
Y/n was growing impatient, "Do you always have to complain?"
Percy narrowed his eyes at Y/n, "Are you always this rude?"
Annabeth rolls her eyes at her friend's behavior, "You don't just choose a cabin, Percy. It depends on who your parents are. Or...your parent." She stared at Percy, waiting for him to get it.
"My mom is Sally Jackson," he said, "She works at the candy store in Grand Central Station. At least, she used to."
Y/n scratched her head awkwardly, "We're sorry about your mom Percy. But that's not what Annabeth meant. She means your other parent. Your dad."
"He's dead. I never knew him."
"Your father's not dead Percy," Annabeth spoke.
"How can you know that? You know him?"
"No, of course not." Y/n scoffed.
Percy thought she was all face and attitude. He was getting tired of her. She was rude, and impatient and she called him an idiot. He ignored her and looked toward Annabeth, "Then how can you say—"
"Because I know you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us."
"You don't know anything about me."
Y/n raised a brow, "No? I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them."
"How—"
She ignored him and kept going, "Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too."
Percy tried to swallow his embarrassment, "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Taken together, it's almost a sure sign. The letters float off the page when you read right?" she didn't wait for his answer, the words rolled off her tongue effortlessly,
"That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek. And the ADHD—you're impulsive, you can't sit still in the classroom. That's your battlefield reflexes. In a real fight, they'd keep you alive. As for the attention problems, that's because you see too much Percy, not too little. Your senses are better than a regular mortal's. Of course, the teachers want you medicated. Most of them are monsters. They don't want you seeing them for what they are."
"You sound like...you went through the same thing?"
Annabeth shrugged, "Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur—"
"—much less the ambrosia and nectar." Y/n finished.
"Ambrosia and nectar."
"The food and drink we were giving you to make you better. The stuff would've killed a normal kid" Y/n clarified, "It would've turned your blood to fire and your bones to sand and you'd be dead. Face it. You're a half-blood."
A husky voice then yelled, "Well! A newbie!"
"Clarisse." Annabeth sighed, "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?"
"Sure Miss Princess." the big girl said, "So I can run you through with it Friday night." She had three other girls behind her all wearing camo jackets.
"Erre es korakas!" Annabeth yelled.
"We'll pulverize you" Clarisse threatened, "Who's this little runt?"
"Percy Jackson," Annabeth said, "Meet Clarisse, Daughter of Ares."
Percy blinked, "Like.. the war god?"
"You got a problem with that?" she sneered
Percy was quick to reply, covering his wits, "No, it explains the bad smell."
Y/n and Annabeth couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
Clarisse growled, "We got an initiation ceremony for newbies Prissy."
"Percy." he corrected.
"Whatever. Come on, I'll show you"
"Clarisse—" Y/n tried to say.
"Stay out of it beauty queen." The brunette groans at her nickname. Percy handed her his minotaur horn and got ready to fight but before he knew it, Clarisse had him by the neck and dragged him towards the bathroom. He was kicking and punching.
There was a line of toilets on one side and a line of shower stalls down the other. Y/n and Annabeth followed. The brunette scrunched her nose in disgust as they went in.
Clarisse's friends were all laughing, "Like he's 'Big Three' material," Clarisse said, pushing Percy towards one of the toilets, "Yeah, right. Minotaur probably fell over laughing, he was so stupid-looking."
Her friends snickered, Y/n and Annabeth stood in a corner both of them watching—Annie peeking through her fingers
Clarisse bent him over his knees and started pushing his head towards the toilet bowl.
Then something happened. Water shot out from every cubicle. Clarisse's grip on his hair loosened as water shot out of the toilet making an arc straight over Percy's head. Soon, the showers joined.
Clarisse and her friends ran out the door and the water stopped. The whole bathroom was flooded, Y/n and Annabeth hadn't been spared. They were dripping wet but they hadn't been pushed out the door. They stared at Percy in shock.
Percy looked down and realized he was the only one dry, there was a circle of dry floor around him. He stood up, his legs shaking.
"How did you..." Annabeth couldn't get her words out.
"I-I don't know." Percy stuttered.
"o theoí mou" Y/n whispered, holding onto the horn tightly.
The trio went out, Annabeth letting out a fit of laughter when they saw Clarisse and her friends, sprawled in the mud and a bunch of other campers had gathered around to gawk.
She gave Percy a look of absolute hatred, "You are dead. New boy. You are totally dead."
Percy found a whole new confidence and smirked, "You want to gargle with toilet water again, Clarisse? Close your mouth."
Y/n grinned at the Ares kids running back toward their cabin. She looked back to her friend who was deep in thought.
"What?" Percy asked, cluelessly, "What are you thinking?"
Annabeth looked at him, "I'm thinking I want you on my team for Capture the Flag."
The boy looked at Y/n, hoping she'd interpret but all she said was, "You're one lucky boy, Perce."
He looked at her and smiled.
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