Luke was effectively running for his life.
Luke: Come on, poor man's Hydra! I'm right here!
To any outsider looking in, it appeared that Luke was left for dead. Ladon's eyes were centered only on him, alongside the many heads it still had, despite Kiyotaka and Luke's best attempt at decapitating them moments prior.
Luke: (I won't buy enough time for Kiyotaka by engaging in close combat. I'll need to trust in my cardio. I'd be lying if I said I fully trusted my life to a 10-year-old. I mean, sure he can control the mist but what's he going to make that can stop a dragon like Ladon? Ah... less talking and more running.)
He slid through an opening of rock and dirt created from a stray acid breath from Ladon. Close on his tail, however, was another one of its heads, drilling through and taking a bite at Luke.
*STAB*
He thought quick on his feet, stabbing his celestial bronze sword into the ditch and jumped off his blade like a trampoline, narrowly avoiding his top half getting eaten.
Luke: (That was close... but now I need to get my weapon...)
Ladon's body followed its own head and crushed through the ditch, creating another crater. This displaced Luke's sword into the air, with the sword prodigy rushing over to retrieve it before Ladon recovered.
*SPIT*
*SPIT*
Just as he clung onto his blade, two of Ladon's heads released acid. Luke responded with a backflip and weaved through multiple brush of vegetation, each of the vines and grass dying with the acid spreading.
*SWIPE*
Suddenly, Luke looked on in surprise as Ladon leapt forward with its full strength, squishing Luke into a crimson paste on the ground.
Ladon looked on, sniffing the blood but finding no half-blood scent.
*WARP*
Almost like a curtain falling down, the mist opened, revealing a collapsed tree covered in yellow sap.
*ROAR*
The dragon, not too kind for the deception, started to go into a frenzy and released several blasts of acid. It's heads biting out chunks of the ground, utterly destroying the once beautiful garden.
Luke: Oh, thank the gods, hehe.
The swordsman emerged, close at the tree filled to the brim with golden apples. Before Ladon completely recovered and almost flattened him, the mist changed his perception and he destroyed a tree to the left of him, saving his life.
Despite making all the preparations possible for his 'trump card', he still found time to divert Ladon's attention and save Luke.
Luke stood up, catching his breath as Kiyotaka, still sheathing him from within the mist, spoke to him.
Kiyotaka: I still need more time. Do a better job.
Luke: I'm getting a baring on his movement trajectory... I'll buy you the time you need. Just make sure it works, ok?
Kiyotaka: It wouldn't be a trump card if it didn't.
Speaking more would mess up with his illusionary abilities at work so he left Luke to his own devices.
Luke: Alright, round 2... or is it round 3 at this point?
*ROAR*
Ladon leapt high into the air with its heads moving incredibly crazedly.
*ROLL*
Luke weaved through and brought Ladon through another section of this large garden, using trees and vines to ensnare the violent beast.
*SLICE*
He cut through some vines and nearby trees to bring them down onto Ladon as it propelled into the very same pathway Luke ran through.
Luke: Oh, lucky.
With a very narrow opening, he extended his whole body forward and dove through a small hole created from two rocks collided into one another.
*CRASH*
Despite this, Ladon used acid to destroy the piece of rock and ram itself through in search for the half-blood.
Claws swiped across the horizon creating a flat surface and open space.
*STAB*
Luke: Took your eyes off me, didn't you?
Cleaving right through Ladon's left claw, the celestial bronze sword opened a gashing hole where the beast spilled its own blood.
This same sword dragged through and exited out the tip of the claw, opening it up like a ziplock bag.
Writhing in agony and chaotically throwing around its tail and many heads, Luke took the opportunity to weave through the beast's blind spot.
*SLASH*
A clean cut through the beast's left thigh brought it down as Luke jumped over the tail and rushed through the displaced vegetation, hiding for a while to catch his breath.
Luke: (How much longer...? All that effort and it's still brimming-)
*STARE*
Although he assumed the beast was left in the back, a head poked through and stared intently at Luke, its mouth salivating at the thought of fresh half-blood food.
Luke: Oh, hello? What's up?
Ladon's mouth opened widely, ready to take a delicious first bite.
???: Look at the state of my garden. I put you here to guard the tree, not leave the site in shambles. Stand down.
Ladon's eyes moved to the left and saw its master, Hera, right in the flesh.
Luke: No way...
She has long licorice-black hair, large, soft brown eyes that one could get lost in, and a face of regal and unapproachable beauty like that of a supermodel. She wore a glowing white gown, a cloak of peacock feathers over her shoulders, and a staff topped with a lotus flower. A gold crown sat on her head, shining ever so bright that Luke needed to look away.
Luke: (Hera in the flesh... looks like we're all screwed. Unless...)
The violent beast that crazedly destroyed the entire garden in fury as a result of numerous injuries inflicted to it by both Kiyotaka and Luke, behaved like a dog. It collapsed on the ground, making itself vulnerable, either out of fear or love. It didn't really matter which.
Hera: Here, have a bite and take a rest to lick your wounds. Then you can get back to work.
One of its mouths opened as a golden apple, held in Hera's hand, entered the dragons' jaws, quickly devoured.
Moments of silence passed... then a minute... and finally... Ladon's many heads started to fall to the ground, one after the other. Its tail rested on the flat surface and its body flopped aside.
The dragon was now... unconscious. It entered into a deep trance. It appears the golden apple it consumed was the culprit.
Luke sighed.
Luke: Oh, it's you. How'd you pull that off?
The mist cleared as Hera's calm and tall figure eroded back into a ten-year-old boy.
Kiyotaka: Appearing as Hera didn't take much effort to do. All I needed to do was visualize her form from the references I had before and then replicate it like a cloak around me. That golden apple took the majority of my time.
Holding out his hands, Luke noted they were bleeding.
Kiyotaka: I don't have the tools for creating glyphs of magic here. So, I needed to use my blood as a medium for the signs. While you distracted Ladon, I plucked a golden apple and imbued it with slumber since it's the only thing durable enough to withstand such acid. My abilities being amped, the element of surprise, and the subversion of expectations led to an easy opening.
Luke, in what he perceived to be a pathetic state, couldn't help but laugh.
Luke: You already threw away the idea we could beat it. So, you chose to incapacitate and used me like bait.
Kiyotaka knelt down next to Luke.
Kiyotaka: Sorry, it was the only way we could get out of this ali-
*HEAD PAT*
Luke ruffled Kiyotaka's hair again which irritated him but allowed it since he had Luke to thank for giving him the opening.
Luke: Are you kidding me? You're a little genius. My dad was right. The things you can do... they're almost impossible to believe. So, what else you hiding? Got any other abilities?
Kiyotaka: Aside from different glyphs, that's the extent of what I can do now.
Luke: Well, we can talk all about it when we get back to camp. Let's grab an apple.
Kiyotaka: No.
Luke: Hm?
Walking over to the tree just feet away, Kiyotaka brought down the tree by cutting the base with his dagger. The golden apples littered on the branches fell down and rolled to Luke.
Kiyotaka: We're getting all of them. I want to hand one over to Piper and keep the rest. That's the way you can pay me back.
Luke stood up.
Luke: But you didn't even like them.
Kiyotaka: Could fetch a decent price, or maybe they'll be good in an apple pie.
Luke's mouth salivated slightly.
Luke: Ah... now you got me thinking about apple pie... I'm so hungry.
*RUMBLE*
Kiyotaka's stomach rumbled at the same time.
Kiyotaka: Me too.
Luke was all smiles and chuckles while Kiyotaka, despite wielding a stone-like poker face, found himself experiencing a semblance of happiness.
The two, in the midst of the destroyed garden that once housed Hesperides, started collecting all the golden apples they could carry in their bag. Luke overstretched his shirt, as well as Kiyotaka's, and filled it like a satchel to the brim with the remaining apples.
However, before leaving, Kiyotaka's legs gave out on him, collapsing on the ground. The one saving grace of it all was he managed to hold onto the apples.
Luke: Legs gave out on you. It makes sense though. All those abilities being used at once along with the makeshift glyphs, of course you'd be exhausted.
Crouching down at Kiyotaka's level and turning around, Luke smiled.
Luke: Wrap your arms around my shoulders and get on. I'll give you a ride.
Kiyotaka: Are you sure? I'm sure if we wait a bit, I'll get more feeling in my legs.
Luke: Not for discussion. I roped you into this. It's the least I can do.
Kiyotaka sighed.
Kiyotaka: Well, if you insist.
Tying off his shirt like a small pouch filled with apples, the small boy grabbed onto Luke's back and held on.
Kiyotaka: (Never really experienced this before. It's incredibly uncomfortable and I still am in a terrible state. But at the same time, it feels somewhat nice.)
Luke gave Kiyotaka a piggy bank ride as the two left the garden and made their way back to Camp Half-Blood.
...
...
...
Luke: Just a little more to the post office.
Kiyotaka: I know.
After traveling for several hours from the Garden of Hesperides, Kiyotaka and Luke were getting close to their destination. Hermes had told his son that the moment he secures a golden apple, they send it through a package addressing his name. He would get it almost instantly, being the god of messengers and such.
Of course, despite their near-death experience against Ladon the dragon, monsters didn't give them a pass. They were ever the more aggressive towards the pair, seeing them as easy food due to their injuries.
But fodder, no matter the circumstances, will act like fodder. Luke made sure of that, cutting them through before they could even react.
Kiyotaka just relaxed on the ground before Luke would finish and carry him again. But now, arriving at a park in Long Island nearby a post office, he finally regained the strength in his feet and walked with Luke. Although their conflict with Ladon and retrieval of golden apples started at night, it was already early morning by the time the Post Office was within walking distance.
Luke: Just a little more.
The pair entered the Post Office.
Kiyotaka: Here's a golden apple. We're only sending one though since that's all he asked for.
Luke chuckled.
Luke: Yeah, I know.
They spoke to the clerk, wrapping up the golden apple in a cloth and into a box provided by the post office. Minutes later, the package was sent through, completing Luke's first quest.
Luke: Finally! High-five, Kiyo.
Kiyotaka: Ok...
An incredibly awkward high five followed, to which left the two in silence until they exited and sat down at a nearby bench, utterly exhausted.
Luke: And that's that. How was your first quest?
Kiyotaka: Do you even have to ask?
Luke: To be honest, not many half-bloods have to face a dragon like Ladon on their first quest.
Kiyotaka: And that's supposed to be reassuring how exactly?
Luke smiled.
Luke: I'm just giving you the heaps of praise you deserve.
Kiyotaka: Well, I don't need it. I'm just really hungry and I don't feel like eating these apples...oh.
The young boy's eyes gleamed forward and noticed a small stand setting itself up for the day. The sign had hotdogs at its center.
Kiyotaka: I don't have money. Can you give me some for a hotdog?
Luke: Sure. Here.
He handed over a 20-dollar bill to Kiyotaka.
Luke: Keep the change and eat what you want. When you're ready, we can head back. With the package sent, we have all day.
Kiyotaka stood up and stretched his tiny body.
Kiyotaka: Thank you. I won't take long.
Luke, seeing Kiyotaka walk away towards the stand, slouched on the bench, taking in the vibrant sunlight shining down on him.
*BLIP*
Luke: (Huh? What's going on?)
Around him, it appeared like something affected the air. A group of people passed by Luke's bench. He called out to them but noticed they didn't even respond, nor acknowledge his presence. It was as if he became a ghost.
Suddenly, on the bench close to Luke's, a middle-aged man with an athletic figure, curly black hair, and blue eyes, wearing nylon running shorts and a New York City Marathon T-shirt, appeared and sat nonchalantly while staring intently on Luke. There could be only one explanation for the sudden appearance.
///Author's Note: (Don't got any pics of how Hermes looks in Percy Jackson so bear with me lol.)\\\
Hermes: Hey Luke, got your package. Congrats on completing the quest.
Luke: Dad?
Hermes: You stuck onto that little boy very quickly, so I needed to use one of my servants to make a separate stand. We have ample time so come on, sit down with me.
Luke didn't look the happiest for a child seeing his distant father.
Luke: No, I'll just stand.
Hermes looked taken aback by his son's utter rejection.
Hermes: Is there something wrong, Luke?
Luke sighed.
Luke: I just... I completed this quest so you can finally make things right. My mother... she's needed help for so long. Please, as my reward, help her to recover.
Hermes, not wanting to look at Luke direct in the eyes, appeared slightly guilty and answered as such.
Hermes: I don't know how to tell you this... but I've said it multiple times. There's nothing I can do. Her condition can't be healed.
Hearing this response, Luke got angry, raising his voice.
Luke: What do you mean you can't do a thing?! You're a god, you're immortal, what kind of excuse is that?! Beings like you all hold the power to change the world into whatever you want it to be, but my mother is where you draw the line? I risked a kid's life to get that fucking apple for you. I risked my own life. We fought a fucking dragon, and I can't get the reward I want?!
Hermes threw up his hands.
Hermes: While I can't give you what you're asking for, I got other cool goods right... here.
He pulled out a large bag where multiple tools were stored. In a hurry, a multitude of assorted goods escaped and spilled over on the floor.
Hermes: Shoes that can make you invisible... a magical lockpick... oh what about a book that can predict lottery numbers although you can only use it once a year-
*SLAP*
The many tools Hermes pushed onto Luke were slapped away in anger.
Luke: Those things mean nothing to me, absolutely nothing. I said what I wanted. And you're doing what you've always been good at: deflect, deflect, deflect. I don't even want a close relationship with you, nor do I want anything all powerful. Is it so much to ask for my mother to regain her sanity?! First her, then Thalia, all you gods give me nothing but struggles. Even now, all I did alongside Kiyotaka was for a fucking golden apple. You don't give a fuck about us.
Hermes tried to put his hand on Luke's shoulder.
Hermes: Luke, I don't know wha-
*SLAP*
Luke: Don't act like your care. You never cared about my mom so why try on me, fraud? Forget about the reward. I'm done with you. Fuck off.
Hermes didn't accept the blow gracefully. It was pretty obvious, given his facial expression, that Luke's words hurt him. But without any answers to Luke's serious gripes about him, he was left speechless in the matter.
*BLAST*
In the middle of their conversation, however, Luke felt a paining sensation of energy hit him right at the torso.
Hermes: Luke!
Hermes was too late to react as his son was sent flying through multiple benches and stone staircases until crashing into the post office's marble pillar.
Hermes: What is the meaning of-
His words stopped suddenly, as he was now in the presence of another ethereal being, the queen of Olympus. And this time, her appearance was no mere illusion.
Hera: You ordered the quest to desecrate my garden, Hermes. And all because I forbade you to eat a golden apple. And in response, you decided it was best to rob me of all of them?
Hermes: I only wanted one just for a taste! I thought that if you were so overprotective of it, it must taste really good!
Luke coughed up a decent amount of blood, his feet almost going numb.
Luke: (Are you kidding me? We went through all that trouble just because you wanted a midnight snack like a curious kid. This is what your children mean to you?)
Hera: Don't worry, I won't lay a finger on you. I'll take your son's blood as punishment enough.
Hermes: No! Hera, there's no need to take it up on the boy. I'll make it up to you-
Hera: I want the rest of my apples. If I don't get them in the next minute, I'll flail your son in front of y-
Kiyotaka: Just take them, hag.
Luke: ...
Hermes: ...
Hera: ...
Having finished his hotdog with all the assorted toppings, Kiyotaka overheard the conversation when looking through the mist. He stopped sipping his cold sprite and gathered a couple of bags.
Their backpack filled with golden apples alongside two cloth bags they purchased a way before to put the rest of the apples, were thrown right at Hera.
Kiyotaka: It was my decision to take the rest of your apples. They tasted awful but since they were gold, I thought I could get a decent profit from them, but I guess not. Just let Luke go. This whole situation is childish at best for a bunch of gods who should be superior to us mortals.
Hera: The witch's child... of course you'd be her spawn. Shrewd, disgusting vermin only suitable to serve the Olympians with your lives. Be thankful I don't want to expend my strength on a minor demigod like you. You two set foot in my garden again, I'll make sure Tartaros is the least of your worries. I swear this on the River of Styx.
Kiyotaka: (The River of Styx, huh? She's really furious if she's resorting to this. Gods can be incredibly emotional.) Fine by me. Bye, bye.
Hera sighed at the pathetic display she saw.
Hera: Hermes, pick up these bags and come with me. You'll personally plant the rest of my apples back.
He pinched his ear and dragged him with her into the mist, about to disappear.
Luke: ...What bullshit...get back here... dad...
Hermes: W-Wait!
*BLIP*
Just as quickly as he arrived, he was gone alongside Hera and their golden apples. The atmosphere alongside the rest of the civilians now appeared normal as the pair could be seen again. However, Kiyotaka manipulated the mist to alter the damage done to the park in the mortals' eyes.
Luke tried to get up but slouched down again. Whatever hit him in the chest, tore through a rib and knocked the wind right out of him.
Kiyotaka: Here, let me help you. You've taken a worse beating than the one Ladon gave you.
Luke: You heard all that?
Kiyotaka: Most of it, your father is really good at providing vague information instead of answers. Anyway, come on, we're taking a bus.
Luke: But what about monsters?
Kiyotaka: I'll just kill them myself. Thanks to you, I ate a decent meal, so I have my energy back. We can risk it if it means I can bring you to Camp Half-Blood as soon as possible.
Luke: I'm sorry about the apples. I know you wanted them-
Kiyotaka: Apples don't equate to a human life. Can you walk on your own?
Luke: I think so.
Kiyotaka: Good.
Luke and Kiyotaka walked together, away from the park and in the direction of a bus stop.
Luke: Aren't you curious about my mother or the other information you've heard?
Kiyotaka: Not really if you're not comfortable telling me. Prying is annoying. If you want to talk about it with me, save it until we get back.
Luke sighed.
Luke: Counseling from a kid, I really am pathetic.
Kiyotaka: If it makes you feel better, I have a better grasp on psychology than the average shrink or psychiatrist.
Luke forced a weak smile.
Luke: Now that... is the least surprising thing I've heard today.
...
...
...
'Kiyotaka Ayanokouji and the Claiming' coming soon...