Love Against All Odds

Percy - Nereus

Percy adjusted his hat, pulling it down to shield his eyes from the harsh sunlight. 

The exhaustion weighed heavily on him, making every step feel like a precarious stumble toward unconsciousness. As he traversed the familiar path, he encountered the homeless man from the Embarcadero, who was still earnestly cautioning others about the supposed metal angels from Mars.

Though the man's aroma wasn't pleasant, it wasn't notably different. Percy continued, disregarding the persistent warnings. As he approached, a pair of dishevelled individuals, their makeshift hats fashioned from plastic grocery bags, eyed him.

"Beat it, kid!" one of them grumbled, prompting Percy to move away. Their unpleasant odour was typical, nothing out of the ordinary. A woman with a shopping cart filled with plastic flamingos shot him a hostile look as if he were planning to pilfer her avian possessions.

Reaching the pier's end, Percy came across a man who seemed ancient, sprawled out in a sunlit patch. Clad in pyjamas and a once-white, now dingy bathrobe, the man sported a rotund figure, and a beard that had transformed from white to a yellowish hue reminiscent of a neglected Santa Claus dragged through a landfill.

As Percy approached, he couldn't help but freeze. The man emitted a foul odour, but it wasn't the usual unpleasant stench but distinctly maritime. The scent resembled hot seaweed, dead fish, and brine—a manifestation of the ocean's unsightly side embodied in this peculiar individual.

He fought back the urge to retch as he settled near Santa Claus, feigning weariness. One of the old man's eyes opened suspiciously, and Percy could sense the scrutiny without meeting his gaze. Uttering something about the tiresomeness of school and exasperating parents, Percy hoped it would come off as a reasonable excuse.

Santa Claus resumed his slumber, but Percy couldn't shake the tension. Anticipating the peculiar sight he was about to create, he leapt at Santa Claus.

"Ahhhhhl!" The old man screamed, and Percy intended to grab him, but the tables turned, and it felt like Santa had never been asleep. He displayed strength far from that of a feeble old man, with a grip like steel. "Help me!" he yelled, squeezing Percy with alarming force.

"That's a crime!" shouted one of the other homeless bystanders. "Kid rolling an old man like that!"

Indeed, Percy rolled—straight down the pier until his head collided with a post. Dazed momentarily, Nereus's grip loosened, and he attempted to flee. Percy, regaining his senses, tackled him from behind.

"I don't have any money!" Nereus protested as he struggled to escape, but Percy locked his arms around his chest. Despite the putrid smell of rotten fish, Percy held on.

"I don't want money," Percy clarified amid the struggles. "I'm a half-blood! I want information."

This only fueled Nereus's resistance. "Heroes! Why do you always pick on me?"

"Because you know everything!"

Growling, Nereus attempted to shake Percy off, but he felt like he was holding onto a roller coaster. They thrashed around, making it difficult for Percy to stay on his feet, but he gritted his teeth and tightened his grip. Staggering toward the edge of the pier, Percy formulated an idea.

"Oh, no!" Percy exclaimed. "Not the water!"

The plan worked. Immediately, Nereus yelled in triumph and jumped off the edge. Together, they plunged into San Francisco Bay.

Surprised, Nereus must have been when Percy tightened his grip, the ocean imbuing him with extra strength. However, Nereus had a few tricks left. He transformed into a sleek black seal, making it even harder for Percy to hold on.

People may joke about holding a greased pig, but Percy asserted that holding onto a seal in the water was more challenging. Nereus dove straight down, wriggling and thrashing, spiralling through the dark water. If Percy hadn't been Poseidon's son, he could not have kept up with him.

Nereus spun and expanded into a killer whale, but Percy grabbed his dorsal fin as he burst out of the water. A whole bunch of tourists went, "Whoa!"

Percy acknowledged the onlookers with a wave, playing it off as if encounters like these were a daily routine in San Francisco. Nereus took the plunge into the water, transforming into a slippery eel. Seizing the opportunity, Percy began to tie him into a knot, but Nereus quickly reverted to his human form, pummeling Percy with furious fists.

"Why won't you drown?" Nereus wailed in frustration.

"I'm Poseidon's son," Percy calmly responded.

"Curse that upstart! I was here first!"

Finally, Nereus collapsed on the edge of the boat dock. Above them loomed one of those tourist piers, resembling a water-bound mall with its array of shops. Nereus heaved and gasped while Percy felt invigorated. Though he could have continued the struggle, Percy kept that to himself, wanting Nereus to believe he had put up a good fight.