Porcelain Face | Percy Jackson

red is a color of danger

He should have stopped when he saw red. Maybe, he should have run away to his home.

(Home is in New York, with his mother, with his stepfather, and with his little sister.)

But like the Seaweed Brain he is, he stayed. Of course, he stayed.

He stayed with hope in future, hope in their faith intertwined together, hope that she is his fate. It takes only so long before delusion crumbles when one is forced to open their eyes to the reality of the world. (The world can be a cruel place.)

In this life, he was snatched away from the idea of normality and simplicity. 

In the beginning, it was because he stood out; with his small and skinny frame, large and too bright eyes, bruised cheeks, uneven teeth, unclear skin... Percy can go on and on listing the reasons.

Now, it was because he stood out but differently. His name was like a brand, the savior and hero of Olympus Perseus Jackson, son of Sally Jackson and Poseidon, the god of the seas. He was a son, a student, a counselor, a hero, a warrior, a survivor, a leader, a former praetor, a demigod loved by his immortal family, a friend, an idol, son of the sea... so many names he was called by, and none were said with a false intension.

"Seaweed Brain, you need to stop helping every... creature you see." She hissed.

He flinched a little at her accusing tone and the word choice.

Sally Jackson was the avatar of a goddess for everyone at camp. Percy would not lie; he is jealous sometimes. Clarisse and Thalia call his mom 'Mom'. It started when one sunny and happy day the daughter of war blurted out "Thanks mom" and everyone at the dining table froze. Then, Sally smiled at her.

They say his mother is the kindest person and he feels so so proud, his heart swells in his chest. (The say he had inherited his kindness from her.)

The kindest people live through the worst, he believes this. After all the struggles and the suffering, she had borne, all the pain she harbored, no one can deny the cruelty of the Fates.

With her, Percy had experienced what it means to be poor. (Poor health, poor wealth, poor smiles, poor clothes, poor eyes, poor home.) He would never take what he has as for granted. He knows the value of things because once they were deprived of it.

So, he is not kind. He just knows the pain and he remember it which is why he helps to his best ability. The outside watchers don't know his story and call it kindness, modesty, goodwill.

"They take advantage of you, and you don't even realize it."

It was an accident (when it first happened), he was fighting a monster near a polluted river. He had hit his head and the monster was looming over him, nearing. Percy was bleeding and he his vision was swarming with the glow of those red eyes. His sword was out of his reach, and he was alone and... the toxins in the river burst and Percy's thoughts spiraled, no, he had promised. The wave of toxins froze midair forming sharp projectiles and shards of deformed weapons. A warm feeling pooled in his gut.

Golden dust rained on him, and the toxins vanished in thin air, also freeing the river of waste and pollutants.

That was all he remembered of the fight. One moment he was too afraid to use his powers and the next, his life was saved because of them.

Then he realized, his powers were not dark or evil. It depends on how he is using his powers, it depends on his intentions, on his instincts. 

Nature found a way to help him overcome this fear of his own abilities, maybe it was because of the blessing of Pan. After that incident he helped many minor sea deities and cleansed their rivers. 

"You- You even save those monsters." There was a hesitance which he did not like. (Say your mind, Annabeth Chase.)

Monsters are not monsters until they are made. Until, they are forced, compelled by the circumstances to become. Stacy the baby cyclops, Pearl the sea kraken, Bessy, Mrs. O'Leary were the poof of it.

That argument ended with a punch to his gut and then Annabeth stomped away mumbling curses. The scent of mountain laurels followed her.

Percy sighed loudly and closed his eyes. He did not like it when she raised her voice at him. It made his instincts scream at him to fight and lash out or to flee. This, this was the feeling of being trapped and contained. His father had said true words, the sea does not like to be restrained.

(Athena was also correct, his flaw will destroy him. It will eat him out from the inside.)

Percy tried to dilute his senses, he could feel the water in the air, the water hundreds of feet under them, the water in the veins, he could feel the blood. 

He had already scared her, and she never fails to keep reminding him that. Her eyes widen and she takes a step back from him almost instinctively every time he uses his powers in front of her.

His powers had saved their life many times. She would mutter how he should use his skills to win a fight, his expertise in sword fighting should be enough unless he wants to prove something to her, show her that he is the stronger one.

In the end, she found the root of his problems; he had become too dependent on his powers.

"Normal humans do not cook food with magic, Seaweed Brain."

He said that they are demigods. "I see the god. Where is the human, Percy?"

Percy felt a hole in his chest, contracting on itself, leaving a gaping wound of hurt and bitterness.

She is right, a part of his mind supplied.