Clockwork

15

"Hephaestus, why'd you do it? If you hadn't taken me from Thanatos you wouldn't have to deal with me and my monthly repairs." Percy asked. He had been caught in a storm, one that had been stirred up during an argument between Poseidon and Zeus. He managed to get the kid he had to the camp, but his body was wrecked. Human parts that hadn't been broken before had been messed up. Percy was afraid he was becoming more robot than human. Hephaestus had searched the area for whatever he could find of Percy's old body, trying to preserve his human body parts.

"I know how it feels to be cast out by the ones who were supposed to actually care," Hephaestus said. "Yeah, I know you do. Forget I asked." Percy said.

"You know, I've said this before to you. People are more difficult to work with than machines. But that was when I was narrow-minded. I was bitter at always being alone and being misunderstood. I thought it was just because of me, that it was simply for being who I am. But I was an infant when my mother threw me off of Olympus. I had no worth then. You were someone who had done so much, only for this to happen in return for everyone you've saved and every good deed you've ever done. I just found it unfair." Hephaestus said.

Unfair.

°°°°

Percy was awake. His eyes were still closed, his body didn't move, he wasn't even sure if he was actually breathing, but he was awake and aware of everything around him. He heard Hephaestus' voice. Percy was almost sure he was in the workshop. He didn't know how he was so sure though. Hephaestus was talking to people, and Hephaestus never brought people into the workshop.

The low murmurings suddenly became audible enough to hear as they came closer.

"You convinced them all to swear loyalty to Clockwork. Why?" He heard Hephaestus' voice first. "I didn't want to give Zeus the satisfaction of us swearing to his mountain." A voice said, and Percy recognized it immediately as Jasmine. "Right..." Hephaestus said, his tone not convinced.

Did they swear loyalty to him? They realize that he was a machine and they could've just sworn to Hephaestus, right? What would that even mean? Do they have to give him free food every once in a while? They know he doesn't eat right? Wait... Where was Nineteen? Did that dream mean anything?

"Can you tell me anything about him? He's a little closed off and I know that I should ask him myself but..." Jasmine trailed off. "Anything you want to know you'll have to ask him. The worst he can do is tell you no." Hephaestus said. "Alright, he should be done. A good jolt of electricity should get his gears turning."

After Hephaestus said those words, a prickling sensation spread through Percy's body. He bolted up, and a shudder passed through his body. "How long was I dead?" Percy asked Hephaestus before getting to his feet. "Not too long. Three hours." Hephaestus responded before shoving Percy back down.

"Hey! Why'd you do that?" Percy said. You were eavesdropping! Hephaestus said in Percy's mind. "Well, it's not my fault I woke up before you woke my body up. I have something I need to though." Percy said, standing up again. A new set of armor was laid out for him. "What do you have to do? You just died!" Jasmine said. "I die all the time. It's fine. Anyway, since when do you let people into the workshop?" Percy asked Hephaestus. Hephaestus shrugged.

Percy was wearing regular clothes, and he couldn't see the damage left from the blast. He looked down his shirt and grimaced. Not a pretty sight. "I'll hold off on the armor. I have to go see Nineteen." Percy said.

"Like... the kid with magic who goes to the demigod camp?" Hephaestus asked. "No the kid with magic who goes to Hogwarts, yes I'm going to Camp Half-Blood," Percy said rolling his eyes. "Without your armor? Not even your helmet?" Jasmine asked. "I have a glamour," Percy said. "But they know you're not half-goat," Jasmine said.

"They don't know that the satyr isn't him though. Percy addressed the satyr as a friend of his." Hephaestus pointed out. "That is correct. I'll be going then." Percy said, opening the door of the workshop. Feeling the energy of the sea's crashing waves below him, he fell forward.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Jasmine called down to him. The sea rose to catch him, and Percy was gently lowered down to the ground. Percy looked back up at her shocked face. He rolled his eyes. "Don't be so surprised. Head back to the hunters and keep an eye on Eighteen and Fourteen. Got a bad feeling." Percy yelled over the waves. Jasmine looked confused but nodded before Percy disappeared into the waves, tunneling to Camp Half-Blood.

He landed in the forest, next to the camp borders. The moon was rising, making Percy realize he might have been dead for only three hours but he was possibly asleep for a little longer. Percy contemplating the best way to get in without facing hungry harpies before a voice called out to him. "Clockwork." Percy turned, Riptide in one hand and his other holding a dagger. A woman stood there, made entirely of moonlight. "Relax hero. I'm Selene. Artemis is off for the night." She said.

Percy didn't lower his weapons. All new deities he met always meant trouble. They either made his life hell for their own amusement, tried to kill him, or constantly say his name wrong. There are a few exceptions of course, but very few. The weapons he had might not even affect someone made of light but it made him feel better.

"Alright. Lovely to meet you. Say, shouldn't you be... I don't know... driving the moon?" Percy asked. "The chariot's on autopilot. It'll be fine." Selene says. "I needed to speak with you... I know you're planning to see the son of Hecate, but there is a more urgent matter at hand." Selene said.

"I'll be the judge of that. What is the 'urgent matter'?" Percy asked. "The Twenty has nothing to with their age. It was how they were made. Like cattle, they're branded with their numbers, check any of them and you will find their number burned into their skin." Selene said.

"I'm missing your point," Percy said. He sheathed his dagger and lowered Riptide without putting it away.

" The day the sea comes to swallow the earth
The stars will fall and cause disarray
Shortly after one's birth
He will cause Doomsday"

Selene spoke calmly, and the prophecy flew from her almost as if she were the Oracle, but she didn't faint afterward, she didn't even seem to notice. "Hero? Are you alright?" Selene asked. Percy looked at her strangely. Had he imagined it? "Yeah say that again." He said. She furrowed her eyebrows but repeated what she said. "My point is, you have to find the rest of the Twenty. Quickly. Artemis has a bad feeling about them." Selene said. "Artemis has a bad feeling every time she sees anyone other than women. But finding the Twenty was on my to-do list anyway. Doesn't explain why I shouldn't see Nineteen."  Percy said.

Part of his mind, the robotic logical side, told him that the Titaness told him not to see the kid so he probably should listen. The other part, who was more worried than logical also known as his human side couldn't get the crying and bleeding Nineteen out of his head. "Please Clockwork. At least until the rest of the Twenty is found and everything is settled." Selene said. Her silver eyes were pleading, but she wasn't begging. She was more... commanding but making Percy feel like a bad guy. "Fine. But if anything happens to Nineteen or any of them, death won't stop me from making your immortal life hell." Percy said, glaring. The moon Titaness looked back defiantly, but Percy could tell she wasn't looking him in the eye. "Also, the moon is doing this weird tilt thing you should check up on that," Percy said. Which was true, the moon was moving off course. The moonlight lady dimmed before she was gone, and the moon righted itself.

Hefty. Connect with me to Artemis. Finding the rest of the Twenty has to be our number one priority.

And that's that! My apologies for the wait, but it's here. What'd you think? Any thoughts on the prophecy? (I'm not good at those so be gentle) More importantly what do you think it means? So I'm just gonna go... Thanks for reading,
                        ~DemonsFromAbove