A Dishonored Demigod

The Monster Man

"Monsters are real, ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes they win"~ Stephen King
Bold- Power/Voice change
Italics- Thoughts/recalling

It all goes downhill alright. Three months after my little stunt with my monster form people had been spreading rumors that I'm a spy for the Titans and an asleep Gaea. I don't care really about if people think I'm a monster or not, but I am upset that they think I would betray them. I mean my fatal flaw is loyalty by the way. One day when I got back from visiting mom for the day I try to get back into camp but the patrol won't let me until in Chiron comes over and chews them out for being foolish. When I do get in people stare at me with disgust and fear but I ignore them as I make my way over to my cabin and plop down on the bed, exhausted. When it's dinner time I go over to the dining hall with everyone else and get my food and I can feel the people staring at me while my friends halfheartedly try to get them to stop. I finish eating and walk out to head down to the ocean, it always calms me down. The waves seem to be choppy as if responding to my conflicting emotions and I feel someone sit down next to me. I turn my head to see June's ten year old face looking at me with worry. She is the only one who still treats me as a full human,"Percy are you okay?"
I sigh as she scoots directly next to me and say,"No not really. My mom is afraid of me but she just hides it pretty good, and the people here, besides you, can only see my monster form and not me when I walk past them. It's so frustrating that I've spent years with these people and yet in a few short months I've almost lost that bond. A part of me wants to just be the monster they see and not be Percy Jackson."
June's face is scrunched in a grimace,"No you don't. I don't want you to look like the thing that tried to kill me. You're strong Percy, from what everybody's told me you're strong enough to take this. This can't last forever Percy, oh and by the, tag!  You're it!"
She tags me and runs off down the beach with me hot on her heels. A few days later June is found mauled with claw marks all over her small body and everyone assumes its me. I'm beaten by my former friends before I'm brought to the gods and sentence is pronounced.
****
Blackjack is silent for a bit before he nuzzles my side and says,"Sorry boss."
I rub his head,"Don't be, you did nothing wrong."
He keeps nuzzling me and I fall asleep with no dreams. Things are starting to look up for me.
****
Thalia
I wake up in the camp infirmary and my stomach hurts really bad. I sit up and see the bandages covering my stomach and shoulder are caked with dried blood and remember. I remember catching up with Percy and Blackjack, him slashing his claws across my body, and threatening to kill anyone who came after him. A groan from another cot makes me turn my head and I see Annabeth's new sister, June, is awake and grabbing at the bandages before looking at me,"What happened to me?"
I say,"We found you in the woods after Percy mauled you, you were pretty badly scratched up."
Her eyes suddenly lock onto me with a fierce intensity,"What are you talking about? Percy never hurt me, it was that stupid hellhound that caught me without a sword. Where is Percy anyway, it's my birthday and he promised to give me a present."
My mouth suddenly dries up but I say,"Percy was banished."
June sits straight up,"He was what?! Why would you banish a friend?!"
I sheepishly say,"We thought that with the claw markings, and Percy being a monster-"
I'm cut off when June screams,"He is not a monster!! You're supposed to be one of his closest friends and you thought just because he was cursed that he would go around trying to kill people?! He wanted to just give up and become what you thought he was but I managed to talk him out of it, and now you do this?! I hate you and everyone at this camp!"
She falls back onto her cot sobbing while I'm in shock, she was attacked by a hellhound, Percy never hurt her. Right then the tent flap opens and Chiron walks in with the rest of the gods and campers to see June a mess and me sitting still, something I never do. When Athena sees June awake she goes to hug her but June backs away with the sword Percy gave her in her hand and shouts,"Stay away from me!"
Everyone is confused and I ask,"How long was I out?"
Annabeth sits next to me,"The Hunters got you here a week ago after Percy clawed you. Don't worry we'll find him, and kill him."
June suddenly lunges forward with her sword and I have to hold her as she struggles to cut Annabeth and say,"We made a mistake about Percy."
Piper asks,"What do you mean Thalia? We all saw what he did to June."
I don't answer because June screams,"He never hurt me, it was that stupid hellhound!"
Jason sits next to her,"June you aren't thinking straight. You just woke up."
June gives up and slinks down while crying but sobs out,"I know what I saw. I saw a hellhound in the woods and it caught me without my sword! Percy never hurt me or even touched me!"
A thump outside catches our attention and when we get outside a black pegasus is flying away while a package is sitting on the ground with a note attached and Hermes reads it aloud,"Happy birthday June, use these together and have some fun."
June steps forward while declining any offer of help we give and tears the blue wrapping paper away to show a beautiful silver sword and a intricate silver ring. A note on the inside reads,"Sorry but the monster has finally won the battle. I know everyone will see this so say this part aloud, try to find me and I will not hesitate to go for the kill. Tell my mom she doesn't have to be afraid anymore because I'll never bother her again. Happy birthday June."
June is crying now and Annabeth asks,"What did he mean the monster finally won the battle?"
June glares at her and doesn't answer her so I say,"When Percy last talked with June he said he just wanted to give up and let the monster win. We drove him over the edge."
June snarls at us,"You sure did, right when I pulled him away too! Ever since you saw him as a monster he's been fighting himself whether or not to just give up. I hate you all!"
She runs off into the woods and nobody tries to stop her or even go after her as her words sink in. A few minutes after she runs off we hear the roar of a drakon and race only to see June fighting it while wearing a full set of modern styled silver armor and a sword in each hand. She screams as she drives both swords into the scales and they pass through like knives through butter and don't snap like our swords do. She pulls her swords out before the silver glows and she slams it into the ground. Earthen spikes shoot up from the ground at different angles and spear the drakon to hold it in place while she drives her free sword into its skull. The drakon roars in pain before dissolving and its blood drips down the bronze blade as it glows with a blue light and the word "Destroyer" is outlined in blood. And the silver blade glows brighter like molten metal as the word "Earth Shaker" writes itself across the blade. She turns to see us before collapsing in a heap while her armor disconnects in interlocking pieces and forms the ring Percy gave her. When we get her into the infirmary Athena lays her down I peel the bandages off my stomach while slipping into a new shirt. When I'm done I join everybody around the ping pong table and we sit in silence before Hermes says,"Well we were obviously wrong to banish Percy and issue his death warrant, but how do we let him know?"
Nico raises a hand,"Why don't we just IM him? I mean it just might work."
We all stare at him in shock and I say,"Nico you actually said something smart for a change. Wow."
He scowls at me but pauses as Poseidon creates a rainbow with some water from the goblets scattered around the table. When a rainbow appears Zeus says,"Iris show us Percy Jackson."
Iris responds,"I'm sorry Lord Zeus, but Mr.Jackson has requested that he isn't disturbed."
Zeus says,"This is important Iris. We need to talk to him."
She says,"Very well, patching you through." and Percy's image appears.
We all gasp at the change in him, his eyes are red with green flecks and only slits for pupils, his hair is still black but it is darker to the point where it looks purple in the light, messier than it ever was, and one of his canines pokes out from his upper lip. He snarls before chomping into a empousa's neck and she dissolves with a wail. He spits out the dust and mutters,"I hate the taste of monster. Don't know why I bother with the biting, I ain't no vampire."
We just watch in silence as he goes back to normal but it isn't his original normal. His eyes have a circle of red around the green and his fangs only shrink down to regular size but they're still sharper than a normal set of canines. He walks a little ways before he says,"I know you are watching, a monster can hear much better than a frail human or demigod."
We're all shocked at how cold his voice is and Poseidon says,"Son why are you calling yourself a monster?"
Percy glares at him,"Are you kidding me? I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that. The campers all called me a monster when they beat me and Zeus ordered the hunters to track me down and kill me like the animal I am. I am a monster and I love it, now why did you call me? If it isn't important then I'm gonna cut the connection and go home. So speak before I do."
My father turns red,"You dare speak to us like that?!"
Percy snorts,"I dare. You have five seconds to get to the point, starting now."
He starts counting and Annabeth says,"Percy please come back! June told us what happened and that a hellhound had clawed her. Now you can come back to camp!"
Laughter rumbles in Percy's chest and Annabeth's expression crumbles. He keeps laughing until I hear a tentative voice,"Percy is that you?"
I turn around to see June using a walking stick and her eyes tear up,"Why did you give up?"
I hear Percy's voice turn soft,"You know why June, you all do. Because these idiots think I could hurt anybody I'm loyal to. I'm sorry but that was the final straw. Do you like my birthday gifts by the way? Found them in a monster den I cleaned out."
She nods and Percy smiles a genuine smile,"Good. If you tap the hilts the swords will become bracelets and you tap them twice if you want the swords. I'll talk to you later June, and happy eleventh birthday, princess."
He cuts the connection but before he does I hear him say,"My threat still stands, try to find me and I will not hesitate to go for the kill."
****
Percy
I fall back onto my bed and stretch my limbs before curling up next to blackjack and fall asleep. I will my dream to connect with June's and soon I'm standing in front of a eleven year old girl. I open my arms and she jumps onto me as I hug her and say,"Easy princess, I'm here now. Are you feeling okay, I mean is the hellhound wound getting better?"
She nods her head and says,"Why did you have to give up? Why couldn't you wait for me to wake up?"
I sigh,"I wanted to, honestly I really did. I had to leave though because the gods issued my death warrant and said Artemis and her girls would hunt me like the monster I am before killing me. I had no choice but to leave camp, but before I did I left a little present."
June nods her head,"I saw the effects of your gift. Where are you now?"
I scratch my chin,"Alaska with Blackjack. If you want to visit I can send him to come pick you up since I can't set foot in the gods territory without the threat of being killed."
She nods her head before she turns transparent and I say,"You're waking up now. I'll send Blackjack as soon as I wake up. Bye princess and stay safe."
She fades and I want to wake up but something else draws me to them and a voice whispers,"Perseus Jackson you are needed somewhere else. Follow my presence when you are ready."
I wake up and just lie in bed for a little bit before I wake up and nudge Blackjack. I wait until he's awake to say,"Hey man I know you're tired but I need you to make a pick up from camp."
Blackjack groggily neighs,"Sorry boss but at most I could do a one way trip."
I think before making a crucial decision,"Okay can you just get us halfway? Then I'll go the rest of the way with my monster speed."
He agrees to carry me halfway and I mount up before we fly out the door and towards the territory of the gods.