A drop here, a drop there (a one-shots/snippet book)

Begin, Again (Percy Jackson)

A high pitched scream cut through people's dreams in the morning, waking a few up and making the ones already awake glance at the direction it came from. Some looked annoyed, others curious, and a few were concerned, but none were as concerned as Sally Jackson who immediately dropped the spatula she was cooking with. Ignoring Gabe's snort as he woke from the noise–he's just gonna fall asleep again anyways–she hurriedly knocked on her daughter's door.

"Percy, are you okay?"

There was no answer for a few seconds. "... M-Mom?... Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine."

Sally opened the door when she noticed the shaky and almost hysterical note in her voice, to see Percy sitting on her bed. Her black hair is disheveled and her clothes rumpled, she had a look in her face as if the world flipped and jumped sideways while doing a barrel roll; shock, disbelief, and a look that says the-fuck-I-have-no-idea-what-is-going-on-please-help.

"Are you okay?" Sally repeated tentatively.

Percy ran a hand through her hair and gave her a shaky smile. "Yeah, sorry. Just a dream."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"... No. It's nothing."

"Okay," Sally hesitated on leaving, "You know you can talk to me if anything is bothering you, right?"

Percy gave her another smile, more sincere this time, and it made something in Sally ease. "Yeah, okay. Thanks."

Sally smiled and closed the door. Still slightly concerned, she went back down the stairs to finish her cooking.

Behind the closed door, Percy stood up on shaky legs to stand in front of the mirror again. He stared at his reflection and wondered which god had he pissed off this time.

Or rather, which god had she pissed off this time.

"What. The actual. Fuck."

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Percy didn't know whether to feel disappointed or not, when he saw that Grover remained to be his male goat self. He was still a he, as Nancy was still a she, and Chiron-sorry, Mr. Bruner remained a he. Even Alecto was still her original gender.

Percy didn't really remember much of his other classmates, but he can guess that they were the same gender as the first time he ended up in this class.

Was Percy really the only one who switched genders here?!

He swore, if he actually ends up just secretly pining after Annabeth, with absolutely no chance at all because she's straight the last time he checked, he's gonna strangle someone. And now Kronos is trying to rise, followed by Gaea, so he would have to deal with all the other messes and near death experiences he got into because they can't be bothered to continue taking their beauty sleep. Again.

Percy swallowed a sudden rush of despair.

He thought he can have peace, finally. Or close enough to it that he can live happily despite bloodthirsty monsters trying to get a little nibble out of him every other day. But no, the Fates just can't stop playing with their favorite chew toy, can they?

He and Annabeth almost finished college. He was gonna propose to her!

And the others... they may not remember, but their peace had been ruthlessly stolen away from them, too. They are back in the wars, little demigods fighting against Giants and Titans and Primordials.

Only Percy remembered. Only he can remember.

... But knowledge is power, isn't it? With this new variable, with this future knowledge, he can... make things even better.

The people he had lost. He can save them.

Air rushed into his lungs as he inhaled deeply. The heavy weight of despair was stubbornly pushed away as calm determination took it's place, letting the new purpose settle in his bones. Don't focus on what he had lost for now. Focus on what he can give to others. Turquoise eyes almost glowed as they narrowed in the darkness of his room.

He did this before, he can do this again.

He will do this.

I kept using he, because Percy still thought of himself as male, no matter what this new reality is telling him.