I know what your thinking. Percy, in the army following orders? You've got to be kidding me. Yes, folks, I joined the army I just needed something different for my life and military life is as different as I could get.
Everyone were surprised at my physical ability while training. My quick thinking got us out of a lot of sticky situations. It's been three and a half years now and I've scaled the ranks until I became a staff sergeant of the army. I actually became one earlier than most. Four years is the average time. Being a demigod played a big part in that, but I did work hard for this and maybe I went overboard at times...
Monsters would come occasionally, but I was able to deal with them.
Right now I had taken a leave. So, basically a vacation. I was with my mother for three days, but in that time I've been having dreams about the Fates. Each dream is the same. The Fates always looked exhausted.
"Sister, we are fading. The prophecy is happening," one fate would say to the other.
"Chaos is suspicious. Things are happening according to plan," the other one would say.
Then they would all turn to me.
"Soon, little demigod. Very soon."
Then I'd wake up. The dreams are weird, but they are better then the usual nightmares that left me screaming.
Tonight's dream was pretty much the same. This time, I woke up to the smell of pancakes and bacon. I smiled, this would be a good day.
How can it be a good day when they're gone. I closed my eyes. Percy, we are not going there today. I'm going to be with Mom and I'm going to enjoy my stay. I got dressed in a normal t-shirt and jeans. It was kinda weird to wear regular clothes after wearing a uniform for so long.
I walked up to the mirror, scowling at myself. Scars littered my arms. Underneath my shirt was even worse. Most of the scars came from my stay in Tartarus. I saw ribs poking out even from under my shirt. This is why I stick to baggy clothes.
My cheeks thin or gaunt. Tartaras didn't exactly have a five-star buffet.
Before they died my favorite part of me was my eyes. They always shone back at me with life and laughter. They were always bright and expressive. Anger made them swirl like a sea in the storm. Happiness would make them shine brightly. Not anymore. Now they were dull and lifeless. People at the base would talk behind my back of how they looked haunted, like they've seen too much. Like a veteran that. There were all sorts of rumors floating around.
Now, I hated my eye color. They show that I'm weak. They tell people secrets that I don't want them to know. Why can't they look like normal mortals eyes?
"Percy! Breakfast!"
"Coming, Mom!"
I grabbed a fluffy sweater and went the kitchen looking at the feast laid before me. I'm going to throw up. Knowing Mom, she was going to make to make me eat it all. And Paul wasn't here to save me.
Mom glared at me.
"You're going to eat it and you're going to eat it now!" Mom said sternly.
I looked at her in disbelief, gesturing to the whole plate. She nodded.
"Yes, the whole plate."
I nibbled at the bacon and blue pancakes until Mom went out of the kitchen. Then I dumped the rest in the garbage and covered it with paper towels. I smiled innocently as she walked into the kitchen. She just huffed at me and dished her own plate.
"So, how did you sleep?" She said referring to the nightmares.
I look at her before answering.
"Actually, I haven't been having nightmares recently. I've been having demigod dreams," I said looking at her nervously.
Mother looked at me worriedly. She put her hand on mine.
"Percy, what happened?"
I explained the whole dream to her. I could tell she was worried about what this could mean. I haven't had demigod dreams since they all died.
"I don't know what to tell you, Percy. We can worry about this later. Today is your last day here and we're going to have a normal day at the zoo. Just you and me."
The day at the zoo was actually a relief. I was able to chat with some zebras and a donkey at the petting zoo. Mom bought some blue treats for us too. I guess the monsters decided to give us a break.
At about five at noon, I boarded the plane to go back to my base. I don't know why Zeus no longer noticed me in his domain. In fact no god or goddess seems to notice when I'm in their domain since I left, but I'm not complaining.
So, the next few days went along like normal. No monsters, no dreams, no nothing. I still had my normal nightmares and they were as bad as they always were, but nothing was wrong.
Four days later and things are still going good. Or so I thought.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen. Time for a ruck march. Let's go! Get your crap and meet out in formation.
We leave in two hours," Captain Kern yelled.
I jumped out of bed before she even stopped talking. Big mistake. A jolt of pain ran through my body. Come on, Percy. No weakness. I shakily went to go get my clothes to take a shower. The good thing about getting up fast is that you get the shower first. Hopefully it would help. It did, to a point. Every time too much pressure was applied to my skin it would ache. Every time I moved to much my whole body groaned in protest. I did my best to ignore it.
Getting my clothes on was a whole different story. I carefully pulled on some clean undergarments, light S.I. thermals, and my ACU's, wincing everything I move wrong. The winter weight army boots were easier.
I walked over to a mirror that was sitting in my locker. I grimaced at how bloodshot my eyes were and the bags that occupied the space under them. I pulled my hair now short raven black hair into a tight bun and adjusted my uniform by tightening the velcro straps over my wrist, tucking my shirt in my pants, and patting straightening my pocket flaps on my sleeves.
The remaining time went by quickly. Our 190 people company had gathered in front of their respective barracks before boarding the buses that would take us to the outskirts of a small town we were starting our march from. Here we were going to break up into squads and make our way through the 4,000 square mile wilderness we were in. We had to hit certain markers, touching up on our navigating skills using compasses and maps.
This only happens once in awhile, but it's still exhausting. I don't really know if I'm going to be much help. Every little movement sent jolt of pain.
At about 0900 or 9 in the morning we arrived at the starting point.
The clearing was small. It lead to the woods. Birds were singing their songs and the footsteps rang throughout the place. It was quite beautiful in its own way.
We were served a hot breakfast that I didn't even touch it.
I just went to grab my M16 along with some other weapons, ammo, packs of food for the trip, and I went to fill all five of my canteens. I then went to grab my bellet proof vest and a helmet. Waiting for the others was boring, but I managed until we were split into squads.
"It should take you about four days to get back to base camp. You will find stations to refill your canteens, but you'll need to ration your food; it should last you five days. Six if you stretch it. The first five squads to get there will get hot showers, hot meals and the following day off. Company, attention!"
We all stood up straight and had our rifles to our sides.
"Dismissed!"
People went to check for everything before slowly disappearing into the woods.
I glanced around my squad. Marilyn Lacy Wayner was the sergeant first class. She was squad leader. As for personality. She was laid back yet still a strong leader. Then came myself, Staff Sergeant, Perceia Achilles Jackson. Then came Staff Sergeant, Rose Layla Ross. She was quiet and observant yet way stronger than she looked. She was our navigator. The last three were newer to our company.
The was Alondra Lopez, a Private First Class. She's only been here for two months. She was a bit bubbly and annoyed the crap out of me, but she was a good person unlike Victoria Becker.
Victoria Becker is a buff girl that hated just about everyone. She was a bit of a bully and has only been here for a week. She was also a Private First Class.
Then there was Becky Arm. She was a scrawny and perky girl that was also Private First Class.
You may be wondering how I knew all five of these random women without even interacting with them. Well, I observe and memorize every soul that joins the company. I don't make friends with them. I don't even talk with them unless it was for the job. People here know me to be untouchable, cold, or almost emotionless. And I'm fine with that. 'Observe, don't engage' has been my motto for years now.
"Alright, let's hit the road, people. Everyone got all their stuff? No? Okay. Let's get our butts moving." Andrews adjusted her ruck before moving on.
I silently waved the rest of them on while they glanced at me warily.
We weren't far when it happened. Just a three miles out. The pain got significantly worse. It started out slowly. I ignored it as best as I could, but I still was limping and slowing down. It was only until the pain got too bad too walk did I stop.
"Wait! Stop, I need to catch my breath." I was leaning on a nearby tree and letting out shaky breaths.
"Are you okay?" Marilyn looked at me in concern. She stopped the others.
Victoria scoffed. "Just leave her here. The poor whimp was too weak to handle this anyway."
I glared at her.
"Knock it off. She's been here longer than you," Alondra said angrily.
I really don't know why they defended me. I never even really talked to them after all.
"Exactly, she should handle this no problem," Victoria retorted.
Alondra opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by my sudden screams of pain.
I couldn't help it. The pain was unbearable. It was way worse then the River Styx. Agony, that's what I felt. Pain everywhere. At this point I didn't even notice that I was letting out blood-curdling screams. I didn't notice the horrified looks I was attracting. I didn't notice that some other people nearby heard my screams and ran to help.
Then I saw them. The Fates right in front of me.
"It's time, demigod," they said looking straight at me. "Take our place."
Then they just disappeared or more like faded. The wind blowing the dust away.
I looked at them in confusion before everything went black.
Marilyn's P.O.V.
I didn't know what to do! Calm down, Marilyn. Get this under control.
"Rose, grab her by the arm pits and Alondra grab her legs," I ordered.
The squad was all scared, but they did what they were asked anyways.
"How are we going to carry the whimp a whole three miles back?" Victoria said sneering.
"By taking turns of course," I said smirking.
A few more people nearby had heard the screams and were kind enough to help.
Victoria glared at me, but kept her mouth shut.
Getting to the small town was hard especially when Percy still screamed and squirmed even in her sleep, but we made it eventually and contacted the ambulance.
Director Fury's P.O.V.
Things have been pretty normal lately. That's what has been worrying me. Loki has been banished to earth. We detained him in an improved cell a few months ago. A week ago we decided to put him in the Avengers Tower to keep an eye on him. He's been behaving well. He stayed away from the others and didn't talk to anyone unless it was to insult them, but that's as good as were going to get.
Lately I've been having a feeling that something was going to happen. I learned to trust my instincts over the years, so I waited. And I wasn't disappointed.
"Sir our tech is going haywire. There's a...disturbance. We're trying to track it," an agent told me.
You see, we have advanced computers that tracked energy signatures. All the computers have gone haywire. Some of them broke, but they all lead to a certain place near a small town in Europe.
"Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton, please report to my office."
The assassins arrived together and took a seat on the chairs in the front of my desk.
"Sir?" Natasha asked.
"I want you two to investigate a case."
Okay! Lots of research here. Like a lot! I've never been in the army before (uncle and grandpa, and great great grandpa all in air force). So please correct my mistakes. Percy is changed to a sergeant. I was having trouble deciding before and now it's final. Making up names is harder than you think. Thanks for reading this. Please comment and voting is good too. I'm thinking of changing the title. Don't know how to add more pics above so I just added them below. Thanks guys. No 'please updates' please. They're annoying.