A Percy Jackson Fan Fiction: The Capture

   Author’s note: I’ve never written a story with only dialogue, and this is only the second fan fiction I’ve ever written. So yeah. I’m quite inexperienced (I mean I’m inexperienced in writing in general). This is a fan fiction of some series and books that are in the Percy Jackson universe (Riordanverse). Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus spoilers below. Hope you’ll enjoy it!

   “As long as we’re together. . . Tartarus. . . Give up. . . I must stand here. The Roman must bring me. . . Arachne. . . Kelli. . . Percy! Someone fix him! He’s dying! Bob. . . Damasen. . . No!!! Percy!!!No. . . No. Gaea. I’ll never work with you. . . I can’t do it. I can’t kill the people I love. Never. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

   “Annabeth! Are you okay? You were talking in your sleep. Turning pale. Sweating. I thought. . .”

   “I’m fine. I had a dream of Tartarus. What happened down there. But it was different. We failed. I failed. You— you died. So did Bob. Damasen. Small Bob. I was alone in Tartarus, trapped in there forever, with monsters I had killed, but they kept me alive. I— I had to work with Gaea. I had to kill the Argo II crew. I had to raze both camps to the ground. All of those deaths. It was my fault, all because my mind was too weak and I could be controlled by Gaea too easily. It was terrifying.”

   “Shhh. It’s okay. You’re okay. We’re okay. That never happened. You’re at camp. You’re good.” 

   “Thanks. My dreams are getting more and more vivid. It’s like I can’t tell the difference between my dreams and reality. I’m afraid. . . Wait. Seaweed Brain, what are you doing in my cabin? It’s the middle of the night. Do you know what would happen if Mr. D found out we’re breaking curfew?”

   “Relax. I’ve covered up our tracks. I wanted to take you out on a walk.”

   “Why?”

   “You’re my girlfriend! Can’t we take a walk in the middle of the night when no one else is at camp? Besides. I have a feeling that you're not fine. You could use a little cheering up.”

   “You know me too well. Fine. But if Mr. D turns us into grapes or feeds us to the harpies, I’m blaming it on you.”  

***

   “The stars really are beautiful tonight. Which reminds me. If I had a star for every time you brightened my day, I'd have a galaxy in my hand.”

   “Well, Mr. Smooth-talk, someone’s been looking up their cheesy pick lines. Explains all of the monsters at the border today.”

   “Just shut up and accept the compliment.”

   “My pleasure.”

   “So, um. Can we get to the beach?”

   “Why—“

   “Just humor me.” 

***

   “Did you really think I would forget?”

   “Forget what, Seaweed brain?”

   “Your birthday. Today’s January twelfth. Isn’t today your birthday?”

   “Percy, my birthday’s in July. Not January.”

   “I could’ve sworn your birthday certificate said January. I can’t believe I was that stupid. I literally planned your eighteenth birthday last year in July.”

   “You’re dyslexic and you forget things too easily sometimes. Things like that happen.”

   “Dang it. I had a whole plan and now I have to wait six months to do it?”

   “Well, I am going back to college next month. Camp Jupiter had some problems with the Lares and wolves. A good chunk of New Rome was destroyed. I’m going to help redesign some of the buildings and architecture that got destroyed.”

   “You’re doing work. On vacation?!”

   “It’s not really work if you love what you’re doing. Besides, vacation ends by the end of January.”

   “Wait. What does your birthday being in July have to do with you going back to New Rome? As you might know, I happen to go to New Rome University, too. Being an idiot doesn’t stop you from attending college.”

   “You’re not an idiot. If you were, you wouldn’t be alive. Besides, college is suspended because of all of the damage. I’m only going back to fix the city, not continue my studies.”

   “Well, can’t New Rome University do what mortals do? The remote learning thing? With— oh. Right. Demigods and electronics don’t mix.”

   “Yeah. Iris messages don’t exactly work for six hour long classes, especially if we have to do six hours of classes five times a week. No matter how many gods are on our side, I doubt we have enough drachma for that much Iris-messaging.”

   “Okay. It’ll be nice for an even longer break. But you’re making it sound like I’m not going back with you to New Rome. College or not, I’d prefer to stay with you.”

   “You aren’t going with me. I already asked. Hazel and Frank said no.”

   “Why?”

   “They consulted Ella. I consulted Rachel. They both said that you have to stay at camp.”

   “Why me?”

   “Their whatnot prophecy stuff said that camp’s going to have ‘sea problems’ soon and it’s going to need you to help.”

   “I cannot argue with the power of ‘whatnot prophecy stuff’.”

   “You know you can’t.”

   “So. . . Even though it’s not your birthday, can we still do what I planned? Pretty please with a blueberry on top?”

   “I cannot argue with the power of ‘pretty please with a blueberry on top’.”

   “Oh, shut up.”

   “Sure. Let’s do it now.”

   “YES! Jump in the water.”

   “Percy, it’s like thirty seven degrees Fahrenheit. Three degrees Celsius.”

   “I’m not going to even ask how you knew the exact temperature. Just do it.”

***

   “What are we doing underwater?”

   “Just swim and follow me.”

   “Where are we going?”

   “Somewhere special. You can breathe and stuff. Don’t worry. You’re going to love what I planned.”

   “Percy. . .”

   “I know your dreams have made you a little paranoid lately, but it’s going to be all fine.”

   “Is a huge sea monster ‘fine’?”

   “You’re just seeing things. There’s no sea— oh. That one. What is that doing here? Okay. It didn’t see us yet. Let’s split up. You use your cap and try to find weak chinks in its skin. I’ll distract it. Then once you find its weak spot, you stab it and it’ll die, and hopefully Poseidon won’t mind a lot of gold dust in Long Island Sound.”

   “Percy, we can’t kill it. Well, actually, her.”

   “Why? Is she Poseidon’s beloved sea monster, Mare? Or maybe Litore? Or perhaps Fluctus?”

   “What? No, Percy. She’s Scylla.”

   “Not again. What’s Scylla doing here in Long Island Sound? Doesn’t she have a nice little home in the Sea of Monsters, happily gobbling up sailors at random?”

   “Yes. But Scylla doesn’t usually leave the Sea of Monsters. She might be an illusion.”

   “Maybe.”

   “I’ll use my cap and try to see if she’s an illusion.”

   “Alone?”

   “If that is the real Scylla, she’ll notice an invisible demigod a lot slower than a visible one. And I don’t have an invisibility cloak or anything for two people. That’s more of Harry’s thing.”

   “What now?”

   “Never mind. My point is, I’m going to see if it’s Scylla or something else. If it’s actually Scylla, then maybe we can wake Nico and ask him to transport Scylla back to the Sea of Monsters so she doesn’t hurt anyone here. We’ll work something out. Wish me luck.”

   “Oh, you make your own luck.”

***

   “Gods dam it. It’s not an illusion.”

   “That’s right. I consider myself quite real.”

   “Oh sh— Who are you?”

   “If I told you, you would figure out some ingenious way to defeat me. I can’t have that.”

   “You’re not wrong. I admit it. But that’s not the point. What do you want?”

   “You.”

   “Excuse me?”

   “I want you, Annabeth Chase. My master would certainly be pleased with you. You’ll be the perfect bait.”

   “No one uses me for bait.”

   “But what about that time you were kidnapped by the manticore? I thought you were quite excellent bait to get you and your friends on the Titans’ home turf.”

   “How did you—“

   “I have been watching you for a very long time, Annabeth. Ever since you were seven. I’ve helped you in ways you don’t understand. I’m on your side.”

   “Yes. Watching me for years and tricking me into coming here shows to me that you are definitely on my side.”

   “I’ve helped you. I made you run away when you were seven. I turned Luke’s mind against him. I made you jump off the cliff with that manticore. I gave you your fatal flaw. I strayed your mind from the spider web around your ankle so you could fall.”

   “That was helping?”

   “Yes. Do you know how things would’ve turned out if I didn’t interfere?”

   “I. . . I suppose.”

   “Good girl. All you need to do now is swear an oath on the River Styx. Then I’ll take you to my master, who will help you with all of your problems.”

   “I don’t think so.”

   “You think you’re so clever? Attacking me with your drakon bone sword? That won’t do anything. I’m an immortal being powerful beyond measure.”

   “It’ll— oh. Oh. I. . . I’m on your side. I will. . . I will do as you ask. You may take. . . . You may. . . You may take me to your master and do whatever you want with me.”

   “Excellent. A little brain control always helps. Especially if you’re a forgotten Titaness like me.”