Leo, Jason and Percy fought Gaia together. It had destroyed and rearranged the entire grounds of Camp Half-blood. Then Leo disappeared in a ball of fire.
Percy stayed at camp another three weeks after the war, helping with the infirmary (healing minor injuries or less critical ones with water) and other problems around. Will had had to get four people to help him so he could sedate Percy and get her to sleep for longer than eight minutes.
At the end of the two weeks she finally rummaged through her cabin for her duffle bag. She found it intact and quickly placed her thumg on the lock, opening it and finding Astron, her twin daggers, her utility belt and her suit.
This needs an update, she decided.
That was how Percy found herself making a sketch of what she wanted her new suit to look like. It now had a black, sleevelss, turtle-neck shirt that came with a mask that covered half her face (she planned to ask Bruce for the usual security features in the mask) and a dark blue trident on the front.
She left camp on August 20th, 2013.
Percy decided to visit the Manor. The summer holidays were just coming to an end, but Percy had a feeling that only Alfred would be home.
She first tried the Zeta-tube in New York.
Dam it, they removed me from the system. Must've thought I was dead, she thought with a tired sigh.
She let out a high, New York taxi cab whistle and not a moment later there was a pure black pegasus landing in front of her with a sweep of his majestic wings.
You called, boss, Blackjack greeted. Got any doughnuts?
Percy chuckled. "Hey, think you can take me to Gotham?"
Ten minutes later (Blackjack's really fast) and the promise of three dooughnuts, Blackjack landed on the gravel drive of Wayne Manor. Blackjack smoothly walked forward, stopping a few metres away from the large doors of Wayne Manor. You live here, boss?
Percy's eyes twinkling with amusment. "Come on, Blackjack, we're bound to have some doughnuts because of Dick's sugar obsession."
Blackjack didn't question anything after that. He stood behind Percy and watched as she knocked on the door.
The door was opened a few seconds later by an old man in what Blackjack assumed to be a suit, though Blackjack would have no idea because he was not in touch with mortal things.
"Hey Alfie. Did you miss me?"
Percy barely gasped when she was pulled into a hug, but she did feel shocked. Alfred rarely showed this much emotion.
"Miss Percy, you've grown since November," Alfred observed.
"Yeah. By the way, my friend her"—she pointed at Blackjack—"wants some doughnuts. Do we have any?"
Blackjack was surprised that this "Alfie" didn't show any shock at the black pegasus, he looked more happy to see Percy then be bothered to acknowledge a mythical creature.
After sending Blackjack off with a few sugarcubes and a doughnut, Percy sat at the table with a steaming cup of coffee and Alfred stading opposite her.
"How'd you know it was me?"
Alfred wasn't surprised by her question, nor did he seem particularly confused on how to answer. "I'm quite sure, Miss Percy, that no one else has a black pegasus who eats doughnuts, a trident burned into their skin and iron skin."
Percy, although no visible reaction on her face, felt herself laughing internally. Leave it to Alfred to make the perfect comment. "So what happened while I was gone?"
Alfred told her all about Bruce's new kid named Jason Todd. He met Bruce when he tried to steal the tyres off the Batmobile. Dick had become Nightwing and Jason was now Robin. Dick had fallen into depression when she disappeared and he still felt like a shadow of his former self.
In return, Percy gave a brief recount of her adventures, glossing over most details. She made sure to ask Alfred for help on the suit updates as well, giving him the duffle bag and her sketch.
Alfred had just left, with Percy staying in the kitchen. Tis Jason kid tried to steal the tyres of the Batmobile? Ha, I love this kid already.
She made herself triple shot espresso, and then sat down at the kitchen counter again. When she checked her watch, it was 11 pm. She had started spinning Riptide in her fingers a while ago, but she didn't know when. That was when she heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps, three sets of them. She heard a high, cackling laughter and a more subdued laugh.
It stopped just as the trio entered the kitchen and Percy stood up.
------
Dick had just returned from a mission with the team. Jason had been on the mission as well. They were going back to the manor with Bruce now, and Jason was laughing at something that had happened on the mission.
The trio entered the kitchen and in a seat was a girl with short, black hair; tanned skin; scars decorating her like art; and a pen spinning in her right hand. A black ballpoint pen, spun masterfully in the girl's hand.
Dick felt his breath leave him as she stood. She was tall, 6 feet tall, and she was clearly very muscular. Then she turned around and Dick really couldn't breathe.
Her eyes were of a golden brown, like that of the coffee in her mug, but Dick could see small waves of sea green woven into the soft brown eyes. She was taller than him now, an inch taller, and a lot more tanned, but Dick knew those colour-shofting eyes anywhere.
Bruce snapped out of his stupor first. "Prove that it is you."
Percy surveyed him slowly, then turned back to Dick. "We made a bet in Cadmus, around four years ago, that Bruce would adopt another kid. You owe me two hundred dollars."
Of course, only Percy could remember something so unimportant and unhelpful, but it was Percy. She was unpredictable that way. Dick felt a sob escape him as he surged forward and pulled Percy into a fierce hug.
She returned it as Dick's head rested in the crook of her neck, his tears soaking into her shirt.
"I'm here. I'm here, Dick, and I'll try not to leave again."
"Please leave a message."
"I'll try. I really will, Dick, so don't worry because I'm here right now. I'm alive and safe and right here."
The comfort Dick got from those reassuring words was astounding enough, but being in her arms was better. She just had a way of giving oerfect hugs, that comforted and gave people all the help they needed. Dick calmed down after that, and Bruce then hugged her, which shocked Jason to the core.
Dick watched as Jason went through shock, amazement and then absolute joy. Dick had told him stories of Percy and Jason had always wanted to meet her.
Finally, Jason walked forward. "Hi, I'm Jason Todd."
Percy felt her lips tug upward slightly. "Hello Jason, I'm Percy Jackson. I love your origin story."
It was easy to settle after that, Percy telling her about the quest (leaving out most of the dangerous details and glossing over Hell completely). They ate a very late dinner, more like midnight meal, and then they were meant to go on patrol, but Percy was back.
She offered an alternative. "How about I just join you guys on patrol. I'm pretty sure Alfred already made the changes to my suit." She picked up her duffle bag, whispered a soft "thank you" and then exited to get changed.
Five minutes later, they were all in the Batcave and Percy was looking over her motorbike with a twinkle of happiness in her eyes. "It's the exact same navy blue and black as when I got it repainted two years ago. You kept it in pristine condition!"
"Always," Dick answered.
Jason couldn't tell if she was smiling, but the dull eyes he had seen earlier seemed to brighten and she looked younger for a second.
Bruce gave them their patrol areas and they were off.
------
Mount Justice
August 23rd 2013, 15:32
The Team were going on separate missions, and Batman was arriving with Nightwing and Robin to give them their missions.
"Recognized: Batman, 02; Nightwing, B01; Robin, B14; Storm, B02."
Murmurs erupted, confused as to who the fourth person was. The designation had been retired since she disappeared and no one had ever heard of "Storm" before.
They stood to attention when Batman walked forward, followed by Nightwing and Robin. Then, the already straight-backed heroes stiffened. There was a powerful presence in the room, and aura that screamed danger and it originated from the woman who had just entered the room.
She was tall and very clearly well-built. Her raven black hair was wavy and held back in a very short ponytail, a prominent light grey strand tucked behind her ear. Scars littered her skin. She had eyes that seemed to be shifting between greens and blues, like the small pool that the Cave had. The aura suddenly receded, like a tap being turned off, and the heroes felt like they could breathe.
Finally, the members of the Team properly surveyed the woman. She was wearing a black kevlar suit with a mask covering half her face. Her eyes had previously been described. On the front of her suit was a blue trident and she had a blue scabbard holding a sword around her torso. She had twin daggers and a black utility belt, symbolising her being part of the Batclan. She had no kneepads like she previously did, but her shoes still had the bronze outsole that she somehow was able to walk completely silent with, even though it was metal! Finally, her hands and half her forearm was wrapped in dark brown leather.
And then the silence was broken by Kid Flash. "I actually thought you had red eyes."
AN: He knew her eyes changed so he said it as a joke. Don't worry, KF has seen her eyes change colour before.
"No way! I knew she had blue eyes," Artemis countered.
Miss Martian sighed, then she added: "Technically her eyes are greenish-blue."
"Damn it! I thought you have like some really pretty golden-brown eyes," Zatanna cursed.
"What?! With that tanned complexion? No way! She obviously had to have emerald green eyes," Rocket quickly said.
Storm stood there, amusment flashing in her eyes as she watched the members who knew her arguing about her eyes colour. It had gone on for three minutes when she finally stopped it. "Technically, you are all wrong and correct."
They turned to her, most shocked by her voice. It was deeper and more powerful, commanding the room without even trying; it was much like Batman's voice, though not as raspy.
"My eyes can change, or shift, colour to match the nearest body of liquid. My eyes currently match the small pool over there"—she pointed at the pool—"but sometimes my eyes look like bitter, black coffee. Sometimes they look like sunset on the ocean, a fiery orange and deep blue mixed. It depends on the closest body of liquid."
Zatanna broke the surprised silence. "How?"
"A trait I inherited from my dad. He is a somewhat magical being," Storm answered.
Batman cleared his throat then and everyone turned to him. "I understand that seeing Storm is a shock, but you have a mission. Storm will be joining Alpha squad for their mission."
And just like that, Storm (not Fury anymore) was back with the Team, forming bonds with the new members and strengthening her bonds with the old members.
AN: Okay, unpopular opinion is below. Warning ⚠: this may offend many people so if you like Nico Di Angelo, don't read.
I like Nico and I honestly think he is a great character, but I hate his entire fanbase. Nico has a personality outside of being gay, emo and Italian, but Nico's entire fanbase ruined his character for me by making him out to be an "emo, gay, Italian icon" and I hate it.
To be frank, I think Nico (although really cool and actually one of my favourites) to be extremely overrated and completely ruined because of his fanbase.
I still love him I just hate how his fandom perceive him and now I think he is extremely overrated.
Your opinion? And no hate for my opinion.