MAELSTROM [femPercy x DC]

Chapter 39 - Old House, 322, Grundy Lane, Otisburg, 12345.

-

"I'm sorry, Percy. But it's true. Scarecrow- no. Jonathan Crane is a Demigod."

There was a pause before Percy answered.

"Whose?"

"Whose do you think?" Talia said, sounding pained, "You've met him before, on that adventure with your friend Clarice."

"Phobos." Percy snarled, "I really hate his dad. So much more than Ares. And I hate Scarecrow too. He took mom- why would anybody who could relate take my mother- I helped save us all, didn't I? Just a bit?"

"You did. Only- Scarecrow is a villain. Even in the mortal world. He cares not for morals. He's just as bad as his father, I'm afraid."

"But-"

"I'm sorry, Percy," Talia repeated, this was truly going to be hard for the young demigod. To fight one of her own. When her loyalty made her do everything she could to protect just about everybody. It wasn't about Scarecrow and villains anymore, no, this was personal. She knew it was.

"Don't be," Percy said, growling. Her eyes glinted with tears, "I'll make him pay."

-

Percy sighed, raking a hand through her hair. Her mask felt suffocating now. This is what she had been dreading. A mix of her personal and professional worlds- well, they had already mixed when she met Talia, but this... no. This was wrong. This was intentional, and she hated it. She hated that somebody she could possibly relate to on the aspect of being a demigod was sick enough to actually target her. Somebody she had wished to protect, even before knowing of him, was after her, just like all the monsters she killed to save her kind. This was betrayal.

But was it? Percy knew, from all her training with the league, to never have any sort of expectations from strangers. After all, humans are humans, but they are so cruel to one another. What made demigods any different? Just because she chose to act in the name of goodness, didn't mean they all did.

Percy loathed the Scarecrow. He was proof of her miscalculation, her fear of her own kind being as bad as their predators. He took her parents, her family. And Percy had a fatal flaw- Loyalty. It was clear on whose side her loyalties lay. And it was not Jonathan's. Demigod or not.

"We need to stop him."

"Indeed, we must."

Percy looked over her shoulder to where the rest were.

"RED ROBIN! HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU ON THAT LOCATION, HONEY?"

She could see him turn faintly red. Just as always, he was easy to embarrass.

"Alm- I got it!"

"Great," Percy called, turning around and walking back to where the others were, near their parked bikes, "then let's go, people! We got some hostages to save!"

-

The location had been a rooftop in Otisburg. It was in Gotham City all along. Of course it had been. Fates bless her, Percy truly had the worst luck ever. A ruse? Only to find that the real location of her parents was basically where her journey began? Percy could feel her hatred for the fates only getting deeper- more potent.

She smiled, then turned back to Red Robin.

"So... good or bad news?"

"That's good news! Otisburg is right down the Trigate bridge! Just across the water! I got the address- it's at Old House, 322, Grundy Lane, Otisburg, 12345."

"Well then, let's get driving. Any last words before we enter what might be a literal battle between us and Scarecrow?", Maelstrom asked, looking around the group. She hadn't gotten the chance to properly meet Nightwing [as Nightwing], or Batwoman, so she hoped she could get a word in after the fight. They were here to fight on their behalf, after all, so she wanted to give them a sincere thank you. But only after the fight. Because she had to make it out alive.

She had to find her parents.

"We'll get everybody back.", Red Hood supplied, placing an arm on Maelstrom's shoulder. Something that Batman took note of. He couldn't help but get the feeling that Red Hood knew who Maelstrom was... but that would be impossible, Jason would've told them. Wouldn't he have?

"That's right." Mr. Freeze said, shaking him out of his thoughts, "So let's get going already!"

-

The drive was not as long as anticipated, after all, they only had to cross the bridge. The house was in one of the first lanes off Trigate.

Percy could feel her heart pounding. This building had her parents in it. Finally, after two whole years, she was going to meet her parents. And she was scared of what she'd find.

The world seemed to be getting larger and larger. Percy felt minuscule. She felt like she knew what the outcome of the fight would be, and she couldn't do a thing to change it. Even if she did find her parents, she couldn't help but feel that things would never be the same again.

"Maelstrom." Talia called to her, nodding, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah,", Percy said, pausing, "Let's do this."

This was it. A final showdown.

A storm was brewing, and Percy knew what was to come.

It was time for war.

-

A/N OKAY. Let's go! Another chapter done. So only a few more left ahhhhhhhhh, I'm dreading the end of this book. I'm literally gonna miss the 'Maelstrom' days once 'Avyssos' comes around.

:D

Anyways, about the question from the previous chapter, about who Scarecrow's godly parent is, I was genuinely surprised that the first comment I got on the entire chapter had the correct answer- He is a SON OF PHOBOS- Good job, , I didn't think it would be that easy, but cheers to you.

ALSO- that address is total rubbish. I tried googling Gotham zip codes to make it more realistic, but i got nothing, so 12345 it is. I don't know where that zip code is actually for, but I'm sorry for taking your zip code.

Questions for this chapter:

1) How do you think this book ends? [I kinda wanna know, cus I feel so smart knowing the ending to a book when other people don't- not that you can help it lol]

2) How do you think Damian finds out about his heritage? [It happens in this book for sure]

HOPE EVERYBODY votes, comments, and has a brilliant day or night [or in between :) ], wherever they are!!!

ALSO:

TYSM GUYS WHAT??? #4 in DC? That's HUGE, thanks for all the love and support!