Elysium, a Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Chapter 2

I'm not Rick Riordan. You should know that by now.

Chapter 3: School

Percy POV

For the past two weeks, Percy had played for tips at Goode, all the while searching for a drummer to work with Nico and him. Since it was a rather warm day, most people were spending their free time at the benches and picnic tables that sat outside one of the entrances to Goode.

At lunch, Percy walked outside and picked a table at random. He sat on top, and got Riptide out, ready to play. He started out slow and soft, barely audible. Slowly, he began getting faster, the chords becoming angrier, and rougher. The nickels and dimes slowly started appearing in the guitar case, as the melody coming from Percy's guitar grew louder and faster.

The louder the music became, the more people it drew in. Soon Percy had a small crowd assembled in a half-circle around his table. Suddenly the music's volume hit its peak, and with a crashing sound, cut off completely in the middle of a chord. The people around him gasped in shock. With a smile only he knew was there, Percy started playing again, very softly, in the exact same melody as in the beginning. Slowly, it grew softer and softer, until it cut out completely.

The people around him clapped, and more than a few threw more change into the case at Percy's feet. Just as he started the opening chords of the next song, a very angry voice cut through the music.

"Jackson! That's our table. Move your ass NOW!" Percy looked up from his guitar to find the crowd around him had disappeared after the shouting.

Great He thought bitterly I'm on my own now. Not turning around to face the speaker, Percy picked up Riptide's case and set on the table, gathering up the change inside. Then same voice shouted at him again

"Are you deaf, Jackson? Move!" Still, Percy didn't react. Instead he just grimaced to himself, and began shoveling the change into a pocket of his backpack. He was setting Riptide back into its proper spot, when the voice yelled at him a third time.

"JACKSON!" Percy finally turned around, and found himself face to face with his main tormentors; The "Rich and Populares". Despite the fact that Percy hated almost all of them, he knew who most of them were.

The main group was Piper McLean, Drew Tanka, Ethan Namakura, Rachel Dare, Reyna Ramirez-Arrellano, and Jason Grace. Percy didn't actually hate Jason. In his mind, the dude was just a follower, who went along with everything because he was forced to. Then there were the hang arounds, the people who weren't a part of the group, but wanted to be. Percy never actually bothered to learn their names. Finally, at the head of the group was Annabeth Chase, the Queen Bee, yet one of the smartest people in the school, and her boyfriend Luke Castellian, Captain and Quarterback of the football team.

Jason POV

Jason stood in the back of the group and watched as Annabeth glared daggers at Percy, and they seemed to just bounce off his back.

She shouted again. "JACKSON!"

Finally Percy turned around, his face blank. Jason couldn't help feeling bad for Percy. The kid went through this every day, yet here he was, not putting up a fight.

"Move" Annabeth commanded, yet person just stood there. Jason was shocked. Not many people could look an angry Annabeth in the eyes and not react.

Then Luke shoved his way forward, so he was next to her. "Did you not hear my girlfriend, Jackson? Do what she says." Still, Percy did nothing. This kid's crazy. He's going to get killed Jason thought Still, he's got guts. And talent. I've never heard anyone play guitar like that.

Jason was knocked out of his musings by Luke, saying "Do I need to remind you to listen to your betters, Jackson?", before slugging Percy in the gut. Hard. Percy doubled over, clutching his stomach, wheezing.

"That should teach you a lesson" Luke said, looking down at Percy, before looking back up at the table. "That's a really nice guitar, Jackson. Who'd you have to rob to get it?" When Percy didn't respond, Luke continued. "Maybe I'll keep it for myself"

Before Luke's hand even touched the case, Percy shot up. There was a blur of incredibly fast movement, so fast Jason couldn't see what happened. When his mind finally registered what it was seeing, Jason's jaw hit the floor.

Percy Jackson had Luke Castellian by the throat.

For a moment, no one moved. Then Percy tightened his grip on Luke's throat slightly, but enough to make the other boy start wheezing.

"If you ever, even think about touching that guitar," Percy growled threateningly, his voice low and full of hate. "I will snap your neck in half. Understand?"

A shocked Luke could only nod, while the rest of the group watched, too shocked to move. Percy shoved Luke backwards, causing him to fall flat onto the cement.

Percy calmly turned around, closed the guitar case, and walked away without another word, leaving two dozen people speechless.