UNFORGIVEN¹ PERCY JACKSON

Bonus I

What if Evelyn was the one to sit in the throne?

Both of them stood up, looking up at the golden statue holding the shield, next to it there was a shining throne.

"How are we supposed to get that thing down?" Percy questioned.

"These things are connected somehow" Evelyn inspected the machine, furrowing her brows "It's a machine, but how do you start it?"

"It was a gift, with a hidden purpose, Hephaestus offered it to Hera but as soon as she sat in it, she couldn't get up," Percy explained. "All the gods tried but the machine was too smart. It was too strong, even for the gods. Finally, they said if Hephaestus set Hera free, Aphrodite would be his wife," Percy continued, "The chair is the bargain, one of us goes in, the other gets the shield"

One of us...

Oh.

"I'll do it." the girl said immediately, stepping forward."

What? No, wait a minute" Percy grabbed her hand, stopping her from going further.

"Whoever goes in there isn't coming back." Evelyn declared, her eyes meeting Percy's. "That seems pretty clear."

"I know that's why I said wait" Percy's grip on her hand tightened, and Evelyn took her hand out of his hold. Percy's face flickers with something she couldn't read. 

"You need to stay alive, Percy." Evelyn asserted, emphasizing her words. 

"So do you!"

"You have your mom to save, you have a life to go back to," Evelyn said. "Like Annabeth said, you are a part of something much bigger than what we know and understand right now. People need you."

Percy's face is filled with hurt, what about him? What about Evelyn? He looks at the throne, breaking eye contact with Evelyn but she maintains her gaze on him, and continues on.

"This is your quest, Percy. The oracle chose you, the gods chose you."

"Stop, this isn't about that." Percy protests, looking back at her. He looks so afraid, so serious. it makes Evelyn's heart hurt but she goes on. 

"It is, and you know it. It all goes back to the fates" Evelyn softly says, "I don't want to believe it either, but it all connects to your prophecy."

Evelyn's eyes water, tears threating to spill out but she takes a deep breath, as Percy shakes his head, knowing he can't convince her, "This is wrong, you can't do this." He chokes out, his words trembling. 

Evelyn takes off her ring, and takes Percy's hand to slide it on his middle finger, "But you can do this without me." She took both of his hand and held them between her own, "You have Annabeth and Grover with you, you'll be okay." Percy looks down, he can't meet her gaze. 

Her gaze settled on the throne, a tear falls down but she quickly wipes it away. She needs to stay strong, for Percy. Evelyn lets go of his hands and walks over to the throne, her heart racing but she holds her head up high; she would not cower, even in the face of death. "Hey, Percy?"

Percy's head snaps up, he's holding back his tears too, and Evelyn gives him a gentle smile, the one he's grown to love, "Save your mom, get her back and get the bolt to end this." She takes another deep breath to prepare herself, "And tell Annabeth and Grover I'm sorry. Especially to Annabeth."

Evelyn can picture Annabeth (oh gods, Annabeth) and Grover's reaction once they find out what happened to her, their devastated faces make her heart hurt as she stands in front of the throne. "And, you know. If you have a chance to get back here, try to get me out?"

Percy laughs sadly, "You think you had to ask?" 

"Just making sure." She wants to give Percy a final hug, but she holds herself back.

Evelyn sits on the throne. Nothing happens, and she worries that she said all of that for nothing.

And then—

"It's warm," Evelyn says. "It's weird." She sees fear in his eyes and how he holds onto her ring. Something climbs onto her leg, it's smooth and fast. It feels like wax as she feels it hardens over her skin.

"This is a bad idea," Percy says, his eyes tracks whatever is snaking its way on her leg. She doesn't dare look. "Stand up."

"I can't." Panic rises in her chest, fast and unwelcome. Evelyn refuses to meet Percy's eyes, keeping her gaze straight-ahead. 

"Eve, get out of there, I mean it."

"It's okay," Evelyn whispered, her voice hoarse, her breath coming in short gasps, oh gods she's really gonna die. "It's okay. I'm... okay." She gives him empty reassures, for both Percy and herself, "I'm gonna be okay."

Whatever was on her legs, is now on her face, brittle and smooth. She notices Percy's eyes (they're so blue, like the ocean), as she hears a voice in her head. 

Oh, my dear Evelyn. I'm afraid sacrifices are a part of your journey with love. This is only the beginning, my little dove. I'm sorry.

The voice sounds like her mother, if she could, she would laugh at herself. How silly, imagining Aphrodite's voice in her head during her final moments. 

Evelyn takes one last look at Percy, fear is evident in his eyes, "It's gonna be okay..." Her voice fades, and the gold completely covers her. Percy's eyes were the last thing she saw before the last traces of Evelyn Nolan disappears.

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What happens next is in a blur. All Evelyn can remember is not being able to breath, like someone was suffocating her.

She could feel her life slipping away, before suddenly, the gold that turned her into a statue frees her, as she transformed back into herself. She takes a deep breath, the air coming back into her lungs, as she quickly looks around before noticing an unknown man above Percy.

Evelyn quickly rushes in front of Percy, the second she became free, extending her arm in front of him.

Percy held onto her arm with one hand as the other entwined his fingers with hers, "Hey, you're okay. It's okay." He said, soothing her.

"Some of us don't like being that way either." the unknown man spoke, Evelyn's bewildered mind somehow recognizes him as Hephaestus. "You're a good kid, Percy. I'll put in a good word for you." Hephaestus said as he opened the door, walking away and leaving the two alone.

Once the door closes, Percy pulls Evelyn into a hug, holding onto her desperately, as if she would disappear again. Percy let out a sigh of relief, Evelyn was here, in his arms, safe. 

"I told you seaweed brain, it's gonna be okay." Evelyn said, holding him just as tight as he did. 

Percy lets out a shaky laugh, "You're not getting away from me that easy lovebug."

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Ngl, I wasn't gonna add that last part of Percy saving her but I felt bad for just leaving it on a sad note LMAO.