What if?

The Choice

The raven haired boy paced the blackness, his hair unusually kept and although he hadn't gotten sleep in ages, no bags were under his eyes.

He ran a hand through his should be messy hair, only to find it keep coming back to how it was.

All Percy wanted to do was see someone, anyone. He had to make this choice on his own, he knew that, but would it be that hard for the fates to at least appear? Or for someone to be here?

Heck, he didn't even care if it was Octavian. He just needed someone.

"Young hero," the fates called out, like always—not there. "Would you like help in deciding?"

"Well yeah, but how are you supposed to help?"

"We will send a few people from each reality, and they will know of everything. It will start with what you want to see most,"

Before Percy could say anything, he saw an older version of himself come forward. The raven hair was messy, and a crown was on his head. The difference was that the sea green eyes of the hero were instead blood red.

"Why'd your become a monster?" Percy asked. He couldn't say he didn't agree with the actions if he knew he might do the same.

The corrupt version gave a sad shrug, "they killed her, they killed so many people. They deserved to pay,"

"But the world was burning, you destroyed everything,"

"Did you hear screams?"

"What?"

"Did you hear screams? Were the mortals sad?" After a moment of silence, the evil Percy continued, "they were happy. I didn't ruin the world, I just changed it,"

With that, the crowned Percy faded into darkness, and a gush of wind turned Percy around to face the other evil one.

"They took away the only thing we ever cared about, that and so much others. The gods are corrupt, you know it,"

"If I don't chose that reality, then the gods would've never taken that from me. So why should I chose it?"

"You get to keep your friends. Besides, you didn't just make up this reality. You overheard the gods, they had it planned in every reality,"

"Can I speak to Annabeth?"

The other Percy nodded, and disappeared only for Annabeth to emerge. She smiled at him.

"It's been a while since you've had that look in your eye," she stated quietly.

"What look?"

"Hope. It's one of the reasons I helped you. I knew what you didn't, that you had lost more than the water. You lost your hope and your loyalty,"

"Why were the gods gone? They weren't all there,"

"They joined you. They knew you didn't deserve it and wanted to help you in anyway they could,"

Before Percy could do anything, Annabeth disappeared and he was met with a new reality. Only this time, it wasn't him he was talking to.

It was luke.

"The runaway reality," he whispered to himself.

"Percy, I'm not going to waste your time on why you did it. You know why. But I am going to ask you one thing, did you like it?"

Percy was taken back, "like what?"

"Having control. You got to keep your friends, and when Thalia and Annabeth were under your control, I knew you smiled. You liked having them doing whatever you wanted,"