Welcome to My Nightmares -Percy Jackson Fanfiction-

Chapter V

 Chapter V     Psshhh, Feeling My Body Get Torn to Bits? Easy. You Should Try it Sometime

It was a bone-deep sorrow. It made his heart ache and his limbs feel like lead. Even as the battle finally came to an end, and he made his way wearily to the elevator that would take him to olympus, his friends by his side, he felt himself swaying, eyes closing as grief washed over him. He was numb to the people around him. Deaf to their voices.

Luke was dead. He was gone, never to come back. His best friend, killed so easily. How come it was such a shock to Percy? He should have known. People always get hurt around him. Luke certainly had. Not harshly, but he had been injured. Percy realized he had sort of thought that Luke couldn't die, in the back of his mind.

It was a childish thought, but Percy hadn't realized that it had been in his head all along until now.
It was only the light pulling to his arm that made him aware that they had reached olympus. He trudged up the steps, Annabeth tugging lightly at him arm encouragingly. As he stood in front of the Gods, he felt rage burning inside him. Bone-deep rage. If only they had helped out more. There would have been less monsters. The battle would have been won sooner. Less people would have been hurt. Less dead. 

Luke might have survived.

But they hadn't. They had sat up here, watching, and beyond the grief his anger skyrocketed. He begrudgingly bowed when prompted, but he stood as quickly as he dipped, his head bowed and eyes set in a narrow line, surveying the thrones around him. 

He hardly listened as the conversation went on around him, only contributing when he had too. He didn't care what was going on. He was tired, angry, depressed. His ears perked up slightly when he realized the Gods were giving out gifts, but that ceased to interest him once he reminded himself they couldn't bring anyone back.

What they were offering though, surprised him. Immorality. They were offering immorality. Instantly, Percy realized that no, he didn't wish for such a thing. But then he realized. Luke would have wanted him to take the chance. Would have wanted him to seize the offer with both hands. 

It was with Luke in mind that he released a puff of air, straightened his back, and accepted the offer. Zeus raised his hand, and Percy closed his eyes in preparation. 

In an instant, Percy felt something was wrong. His eyes snapped open, no longer sea blue, but a glowing, poisonous green. Zeus hadn't even lowered his hand yet. Percy fell to his knees, a small, sharp scream leaving him as pain engulfed him. He felt as though his brain was being pushed outward, as though it was being forced to expand way beyond it's natural size. 

Percy clutched his head, curling into a ball as his head pounded. His body felt too small. He felt as though he was going to explode. He crumpled to the ground, strength leaving him. He hardly heard the screams all around him, the worrying voices and panicked shouts. He wanted to laugh. Pathetic. They were scared, over him? He was fine. He was more than fine. 

His eyes flickered open, watching the surrounding people. Oh, this was hilarious. They had gathered around him in a misshapen circle, the towering forms of the Gods watching from above. Annabeth was kneeling next to him, hands on his temples. Odd. He couldn't feel her hands. But that didn't matter.

He wanted to laugh. So he did. It was a deep, back-of-the-throat laugh, that startled everyone and caused Annabeth to fall back away from him, hands snatching back to her sides. He laughed harshly, arching off the floor and moving in sporadic, jerky movements. He finally struggled to his feet, giggles still leaving him, hands over his mouth and a killer grin stretching his face. 

"Percy?" It was like water clogging his ears, but he was able to make out the words.

"YES?" He realized he didn't have to shout, but this was more fun, making them jump back, startled.

"What happened to his eyes?" He heard Athena murmuring behind him. His ears were fine now. In fact, he thought he could hear the sound of nymphs scattered behind the doors, running around, his ears were so attuned. 

"MY EYES? WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY EYES? DO YOU NOT LIKE THEM, LADY WISEY? I THINK THEY HAPPEN TO BE QUITE THE PRETTY COLOR!" Percy shouted, laughing and giggling as he jumped around to face Athena. She stared at him with hard, narrowed eyes. 

"Percy! What did you just call my mother?" Annabeth whisper-shouted at him.

"LADY WISEY. IT'S A NICKNAME, WISE GIRL. OR MAYBE OWLHEAD IS BETTER." Percy clutched his stomach, giggling yet again. He was making himself laugh. This was amazing. The shocked faces of all those around him were just too much. "What, do you not like nicknames, Annabeth?" Percy asked, smirk playing his features. The yelling was starting to hurt his throat, and he was getting bored of it anyways. "Maybe I should call you Anna now. Or maybe just Anne. Beth? What about Beth?"

"Percy, stop it! What happened to you?" Annabeth asked, reaching out to touch him and then pulling her hand back.

Percy jumped back away from her approaching hand anyways, skipping slightly. "Ah-ah-ah. No touchy. And lots of things, Annabeth. The only difference is that now that Luke is dead, I have no. One. To. Stop. Me." 

Annabeth and those surrounding her, Thalia and Grover, took several steps back, a dark look casting shadows over Percy's face.

"Perseus! Stop this nonsense immediately!" Poseidon demanded, and Percy skipped around to face his father, an insane smile adorning his features once more.

"Ah, father dearest! How was it, sitting up here all nice and cosy while ALL THESE CHILDREN RISKED THEIR LIVES, WHILE YOU SAT ON YOUR ASS DOING JACKSHIT?" Percy shouted, and in a influx of power Poseidon was thrown off his feet and slammed into his throne, head knocking off the back of it with a loud, hollow sound. Percy snorted.

"You're all useless. You do nothing besides cause stupid power-wars. Grow up." Percy growled, twirling around smartly on his heel and walking quickly towards the exit. 

"Percy! Stop!" Grover cut in, grabbing Percy's arm. Percy did stop, not wanting to hurt the satyr. "Percy, your eyes are bright green, and not their usual green. Like leaf green. You're not being you. What happened?" He spoke quietly, quickly, aware now that Percy's mood could change with a simple choice of words.

"I'm not entirely sure. I just know I have a lot of power now. And I like it. The Gods messed up. But I'll make sure that they pay for what they did. Eventually." Giggling, Percy pried his arm gently from Grover's grasp, and skipped out of the room, laughter growing and sounding more and more crazed with each note, before he vanished with a woosh of air.

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FINALLY GETTING TO THE GOOD SHIT YAY. Also, I'm really glad this book is getting some attention. YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY

And it was kinda hard to find a picture that conveyed the insane glint in Percy's eyes but I think I did well. :D