The Last Part

Pinecone Face and Beauty Queen

Percy's POV

   Percy had to admit, the training room was pretty cool.
   If you first walked into it, it wouldn't seem very impressive. Just an abnormally large metal room. But once someone programmed it to do something, the room was amazing. Thor got the room to produce the metal warriors with swords. There was about five of them. Percy uncapped and looked at Thor.
   "And all I have to do is fight them?" Percy was a bit offended. He could fight more than five people.
   "That's all you have to do. For now," Thor said with a slight grin.
   The metal soldiers charged. Percy fought back against the metal people. He parried and slashed, hitting the butt of his blade on top of the machinery's head. Percy rolled on the ground and jumped up, stabbing the last warrior, and it fell on the ground.
   Percy turned to look at Thor, grinning. He was rather pleased and slightly embarrassed, for Thor was wide eyed and grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. "That was spectacular! You are even better then the stories foretold."
   "There was only five of them," Percy said sheepishly.
   "Yeah, five metal people that attack you and defend themselves." Percy turned around and saw Steve there. "Nice job."
   "Thanks," Percy said.
   "Percy, would you like to try a worthier opponent?" Thor inquired, looking eager.
   "Sure." Percy, shrugged not knowing what he meant.
   "Then let us fight!" Thor cried out jubilee. "Son of Poseidon and Odin. Sword vs  hammer!"
   Steve raised an eyebrow. "Thor, you can call lightning. You have a MASSIVE hammer. You sure?"
   Percy shrugged again. "I'm fine with it. The only question is, where are we going to do this 'epic' battle?"
   Thor looked a little crestfallen. "Any ideas, Captain America?"
   Cap pondered for a moment. "Not Central Park, the press would be all over. Thor, when you and the Hulk fight to see who's stronger, where do you go?"
   "Last time it was the moon."
   Percy pointed at himself. "Yeah, slight disadvantage here. Can't breathe there, so..."
   "Good point," Steve said. "Where did you go another time?"
   "I believe it was in a meadow and river in Ohio."
   Percy was okay with that, plenty of water. "I'm okay with that, how are we going to get there?"
   "Get where?"
   Percy whipped around and nearly fell over once he saw Thalia and Piper came walking in, followed by a burnt looking Hawkeye.
   Thalia looked like she did the last time Percy saw her, same short dark hair, same sparkling blue eyes, same goth looking clothes. The only difference was there faint traces of eyeliner running down her cheeks.
   Jason hadn't been lying when he said Piper was a wreck. Percy could tell Piper had tried to clean up a little bit, brushed hair, nice jeans and fresh CHB tshirt- but he knew Piper. Her eyes weren't usually this red, and her posture was normally better, but she still looked good.
   Clint was swearing under his breath. His clothes were charred and burnt and the purple glasses he usually wore were hanging on by one ear. He yelled to the ceiling. "I swear JARVIS, that is the last time I EVER open the door EVER again!"
   "I'm sorry, sir. How was I supposed to know she would electrify you?"
   Percy looked at Thalia. She shrugged and had a, 'what was I supposed to do?' face. "You shot lightning at Hawkeye?"
   "He wouldn't let us in," Thalia said simply, as if that was a good reason.
   "Percy you know these two girls?" Steve asked.
   "Yeah, Ms. Sparky over there is Thalia. And that's Piper McLean. Hey Piper," Percy was trying to be nice with Piper. He didn't want her crying.
   "Hi, Percy," Pipers voice was thinner then usual.
   "What are you guys doing here?" Percy asked.
   "What do you think, Seaweed Brain?" Thalia rolled her eyes.
   Percy's stomach dropped, like he was going down a steep hill on a roller coaster. He felt himself go pale and his hands shook.
   Thalia looked sorry and astonished. "I'm so sorry, Percy. I wasn't thinking I-"
   "It's okay," Percy said, waving her off.
   Thalia nodded. "Who are these guys?"
   "Oh. Um, that's Thor, and that's Captain America."
   Piper perked up at this. "Captain America? My dad has all of your comic books and used to tell me stories about you all the time."
   Steve blushed and gave a small smile. "Who's your dad? Your last name sounds familiar."
   It was Pipers turn to blush. "My dad's Tristan McLean."
   Steve blinked. "Isn't he a movie star? Wasn't he in King of Sparta, or something?"
   Piper shuffled. "Yup, that's my dad."
   Steve was about to say something but Thalia interrupted. "Okay, can we get to the point here?" She pointed at Percy. "You are coming with us."
   Percy sighed, exasperated. "Didn't Jason tell you?"
   "He told us you were... Unstable," Piper said.
   Oh, thanks Jason, Percy thought. "Yeah, well, Sparky lied. I'm perfectly fine, there is a door in that direction, I'd be happy to walk you two through it."
   Thalia's glare deepened. "Somehow, I'm having trouble believing that."
   Steve injected cautiously, "Percy, shouldn't you give them a chance to talk?"
   "I already let one person talk to me today, it wasn't very helpful."
   "After our battle, we may talk!" Thor cried out. "Let us go to Ohio. To the AvengJet!"
   "Let's go," Percy said. "Catch you guys later."
   That seemed to be enough for Piper. "Oh no,"  she marched right over to Percy and grabbed his wrist. "You are coming with us and talking to us right here, right now. Stop pretending Annabeth's death isn't bothering you, stop being a hero, because the last thing we need right now is a hero!"
   Percy was stunned. Piper NEVER shouted, at least not like that. He could hear the charmspeak in her voice, and he really wanted to agree with her, nicely at least. But he wasn't going to crumble. "Pipes, I'm sorry, I really am. But I can't go with you to Camp. I'll talk with you, I promise. Right after the battle with Thor, come with us and I'll talk with you and Thals on the way back."
   A single tear glided down Pipers cheek. "Okay."
   Thalia sighed. "Sure whatever. Why are we going to Ohio?"
   Percy grinned. "Plenty of space, plenty of water, no civilians. To the AvengJet!"

   The jet was high quality.
   Super comfy seats, complete stereo systems, and a nice flying system. Percy didn't care much about the tech, but the ride made his flight through the air a little less scary then most of time.
   Percy was almost as afraid of flying then Thalia was. She clenched the arm rests and kept her eyes shut the entire time. The enormous glass windows didn't help.
   Piper was the only one that enjoyed the ride, with Percy and Thalia freaking out. Thor kept trying to talk to Percy, but Percy could only say a few words per seconds, due to his freaking out.
   At one points Thor cried out, "Cousin!" and turned to Thalia who opened one eye and squinted at Thor. "What?"
   "Daughter of Zeus, we are related! You can also control lightning can you not?" 
   Thalia opened both eyes and blinked. "Uh yeah, I can."
   "What about flying?"
   Thalia's cheeks flushed. "I've never tried."
   Piper turned to look at Thalia and grinned. "Really?"
   The jet hit turbulence and Thalia closed her eyes again. "Shut up, McLean." Percy agreed with her, flying was not in his high on his likings list.
   In a few minutes they touched down in Ohio. Percy didn't care much about appearances, but dang, the spot they picked was good. Percy almost felt guilty at the possibility he and Thor might destroy it.
   There was a big hill, with bright soft grass that was dotted with flowers. To Percy's left there was a big lake. And it looked pretty clean too, he saw a naiad or two swimming and he waved. Behind Percy was a forest full of every tree you could imagine, but there was lots of fighting space. "Great spot," Percy said.
   "An even greater spot it will be, once we finish our battle," Thor claimed. "Be warned, cousin. I will not go easy on you."
   Percy grinned. "I wasn't planning on doing that either."
   Thor laughed. "We shall see."
   Steve looked at Percy, raising an eyebrow. "You sure you want to do this?"
   "Why not?"
   "He's a prince of thunder."
   "Your point?"
   Steve sighed. "If you get killed, don't blame me." Percy went rigid all over, and Piper tensed too. Percy thought grimly, "if I die, that's the best thing that would happen to me all day." He didn't have a death wish, but if it meant being with Annabeth...
   Thalia snapped him out of his reverie. "Ugh. Just hurry up, Jackson. We don't have all day."
   "Don't be like that, I can fight him."
   Thalia grinned. "Go whip his butt, Percy," she whispered. Percy nodded and Piper, Thalia, and Steve went a respectable distance away to watch.
   Thor gripped his hammer and grinned. "Are you ready young hero?"
   Percy uncapped Riptide and stood in his usual fighting position.
   "Son of Poseidon," Thor announced dramatically, "let us begin!"