"What are you doing here?" Tony glared at the offending god with a burning hatred. "Shouldn't you be locked up in your little jail cell?" he scoffed. Loki sighed, before a sneer took hold of his expression. "I would be, if it weren't for your newest member letting me out," he said, savoring the emotions that flickered across Tony's face as he spun to look at Percy. "You did what?!" he screamed. Percy just shrugged at the sight of the red-faced billionaire. "We needed help. He's willing to help. What's the problem?" he asked.
"'What's the problem?' 'What's the problem?!' The problem is that Reindeer Games over here is a crazy serial killer who tried to take over our planet a few months ago!" Tony sputtered.
Percy blinked. "And?" He waited for Tony to continue.
"What do you mean 'and'?! He insulted me countless times! Along with that, he killed nearly a hundred people!" Percy rolled his eyes. "Glad to see your priorities are in order," he deadpanned, before a bright grin formed on his face. "I almost forgot! I arranged for us to go to see the camps. Figured we should let them know about the giant, evil immortal thing coming to kill them. Or me. We should probably get going soon, but Blackjack needs a break after all the favors recently. I got him his donuts, but he needs some relaxation time, y'know? I was going to call-"
He stopped midsentence and his head snapped towards the window. Piercing eyes narrowed, Percy walked over to peer outside. Seemingly spotting what he was looking for, he scowled. "Ah, man! Leo told me about these dudes! Never thought I'd have to deal with the monkey people myself though. What were they called again? Kerkopes? Yeah, their names were Akmon and...Pasta? No, wait, it was Passalos! Now I'm glad I studied up on Greek myths before coming here," he rambled. Tony made a time-out gesture with his hands. "Hold up- what are you talking about? Who are Blackjack and Leo? Why are monkey people outside our window? What's going on?"
There was a snicker from behind the group. In all the commotion, the occupants missed the two short figures who snuck into the room. The dwarf brothers gazed at Percy, eyes alight with excitement. "You are Blue Bottom's friend, aren't you!" the first dwarf exclaimed. Some of the...less prepared Avengers jumped. "How did you get in here? Are you the monkey people? Who is 'Blue Bottom'?" Tony bombarded them with questions. In the moment it took for the dwarves to look at Tony, Percy scooped a small foil ball out of his pocket and lit it on fire using a lighter. He threw it towards the dwarfs and shielded his eyes as it exploded. While everyone except Loki, Thor, Natasha, Clint, and Percy(AKA the only ones smart enough to realize they should close their eyes) was dazed, the last-mentioned scrambled to take another small piece of metal from his shoe.
A celestial bronze net closed over the brothers and the Avengers collected themselves(mostly). "That certainly proves you know him! Tell us- does he have anyone else for us to harass?" the second dwarf questioned. Percy hesitated a moment. "Leo's dead. He died several months ago." He said the words as if they left a bitter taste in his mouth. Clearing his throat, Percy pressed past this clearly sensitive point. "Anyways, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be off stealing and tormenting people?" he asked.
The first dwarf answered. "We were planning to take the shinys from here! Let us out of this net. We owe something to Black Bottom the Sequel for showing us new victims, and what better way to repay our debt than helping his friend? Even if he is dead, Passalos and I will swear to leave you alone and return the shinys if you let us out of the net!" said what everyone assumed to be Akmon.
Percy's eyes softened. "Fine. Swear it and I will set you free. Take whatever you want from the tower though. Except stuff from my room," he told them shrugging. "Now wait just a minute-" Tony started. "Done! We swear! We swear on the River Styx not to steal from you and will leave this place once you let us go," Akmon squealed. A thunderclap sounded in the distance. Percy grinned. "Perfect," he said before deactivating the net. It folded itself back up and the twins escaped through the window, screeching and howling all the way. Everyone was gaping at him.
"Why did you say they could take my stuff?!" Tony whined despairingly. "How did you cause the flash?" Steve asked. "Why were they swearing on river sticks?" Clint inquired. Before any more questions could be asked, Percy started answering. "The oath they made is very dangerous to break, the flash was from a bomb I made from the supplies I bought from the store, and I told them they could take your stuff because...why not?" he explained. "Now let's get going. I know a great cab service." A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes, and no one could tell if he was being sarcastic or not.
A ear-shattering whistle pierced the air. "Gah!" Steve cried out. Him and Bruce clapped their hands over their ears, the latter looking a tad green, before he banished the chartreuse hue from his face. Tony stuffed his fingers into his ears, and Natasha just stood there, though signs of irritation and discomfort showed in her stance.
Clint winced, fumbling with his hearing aids, and when the horrid noise ceased, he grumbled "You couldn't have given us a warning first?" at the offender, who just shrugged and offered a smirk. Loki and Thor stood in the back and shook their heads to clear the ringing in their ears.
Percy then yelled out "Stêthi 'Ô hárma diabolês,(Stop, Chariot of Damnation)" and dropped a heavy gold coin on the ground. "This is the quickest way to camp that doesn't use up any energy. Just try not to throw up, and if you do, aim for the window. Or Tony, whichever," he joked.
Before Tony could voice his protests, a taxi that appeared to be woven out of smoke appeared in front of them and the door swung open. Percy slipped in and waved the others in. They were all squashed together, but the vehicle seemed to expand just enough to accommodate them. The seats were cracked and lumpy, just as every other New York taxi, but rather than having seat belts, black chains wrapped and tangled themselves around the Avengers(and company, AKA Loki). "Έλα, πάμε,(Come on, let's go)" Percy told the three old ladies who sat in the front.
They had dirty straw for hair and wore gray rags, the glinting of knives hidden beneath the scarce cloth. Their faces were perhaps the most terrifying thing about them, with the way their features appeared withered and sagged, like they had on permanent melting masks. Of the six eye sockets, only one was filled. The eye was green and bloodshot, and the single tooth that the sisters also shared was a mossy yellow incisor. "Where to?" the middle one asked in a strange voice that was garbled and gravelly.
"Camp Half-Blood, please," Percy requested, unfazed by the woman's appearance. He turned to the rest of the group, craning his neck to do so. "These are the Gray Sisters- Anger, Tempest and Wasp. They share their one eye and tooth, and-" Percy was cut off as the taxi took to the skies. The needle looked like it was permanently stuck on the right side of the speedometer. The one with the eye scanned everything hungrily, as if she couldn't get enough of what she saw. The car tossed it's passengers every which way and continued accelerating until the outside world was nothing but a blur. Soon enough, Percy began unlocking the doors.
"What are you doing?! Are you insane?!" Clint yelled at him. "Get ready to jump!" Percy looked out the open door, ignoring the frightened protests behind him. "In 3...2...1! Go!" He leapt out of the car and the Avengers tumbled out behind him. While Percy ducked into a roll, his friends landed sprawled across the ground. He helped everyone up and led them to a large stone sign held up by pillars. 'Camp Half-Blood' was scrawled across the banner, and long strawberry fields stretched across the land in front.
"This is it?" Tony asked with disappointment, "This is the great demigod camp?" Steve, Loki and Thor looked over at him, bewildered, before returning to gaping at the fields. "Oh, right, I forgot, only they can see through the Mist," Percy threw his thumb towards the gapers, "Here." Percy made a three fingered claw over his heart and pushed away from his chest. Everyone's jaws dropped. The fields had turned into rock walls and cabins, campfire pits and archery ranges. A glittering lake stretched around the opposite border in the distance. "Εγώ, ο Πέρσυ Τζάκσον, γιος του Ποσειδώνα, επιτρέπω στον Θορ Όντιν, Λόκι Λοφιόνσον, Στιβ Ρότζερς, Τόνυ Σταρκ, Κλιντ Μπέρτον, Μπρους Μπάνερ και Νατάσα Ρομανόν στην κατασκήνωση ημι-αίματος.(A/N: I know that this is incorrect, because I used Google Translate as I cannot speak Greek, but what I meant to say was "I, Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, allow Thor Odinson, Loki Laufeyson, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, and Natasha Romanoff into Camp Half-Blood." Sorry 'bout that.)," Percy announced, and the magical barrier around camp shimmered and disappeared.
Walking through the entranceway, Percy spun around and said "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood."
YOU ARE READING
Beating Hearts
ActionPerseus Jackson. The name that sent chills down monsters spines, and that sparked hope in demigods everywhere. But beyond that, this name belongs to a boy. A man. A man who has seen so much, too much. Who has watched as his friends were killed, murd...
