Chapter Text
~~~~~ Percy Jackson ~~~~~
I: Medusa
~~~~~ Percy Jackson ~~~~~
October 15th, 2011
Aunty Em’s Garden Gnome Emporium - New Jersey
“Back in business…”
Percy sighed, running a hand through his short hair. His nose twitched at the feeling. He didn't like it short. Maybe he could grow it out.
He fished a pair of sunglasses out of his bag and put them on before knocking on the door. When no answer came, he entered.
“Oh, welc… Ome… you.”
“Hey, Aunty Em,” Percy said with no emotion in his voice as he looked directly at Medusa.
He didn't turn to stone.
She was beautiful, just like before. She'd taken off her hat to reveal the serpent hair twisted into an updo. They came loose and hissed at Percy.
“Here to kill me again?” Medusa snarled, her nails sharpening.
“...I don't know,” Percy admitted softly. Medusa's eyes narrowed. “Sorry, just uh… Not on a quest, I'll be honest. I'm… Maybe… Kinda-sorta running from my responsibilities?”
Medusa raised an eyebrow while her serpents stopped hissing, yet remained on edge. Her nails returned to normal. “Really now? I suppose that's just like one of his brood.”
Percy winced. “...I know what happened,” he said quietly. “What my father did to you. What Athena did to you.”
“Then why did you—”
“But I didn't, then,” Percy said, cutting her off. “Five years ago, I didn't even know how to swing my sword. I didn't even know you had sisters. I…” He gave an empty laugh, running a hand through his hair again. “...I didn't know why you hated us so much.”
Medusa’s shoulders slowly eased as her gaze became… Curious. “You're not like Theseus,” she said in an oddly flat voice. “...You’re more like your namesake.”
“Wh… What?”
“Sit,” Medusa said, gesturing to a booth.
Percy hesitated, but obliged, dropping his bag next to him. He watched as Medusa began to bustle in the kitchen. It wasn't long before she handed him a tray with a burger and fries while she speared her fork into a salad.
“Perseus… The first Perseus… He spoke to me,” she said softly. “He wasn't willing to listen blindly to the gods… But then, he was older than you were then,” she begrudged. “He had time to know better.”
Percy grimaced. He didn't touch the food. Not because he wasn't hungry or he didn't trust it. His stomach just… Couldn't. “But he still killed you,” he pointed out.
“Oh… Yes,” Medusa agreed. “But he apologized for it. He didn't have a choice, as it was for the sake of his mother. I wasn't very upset… Or at least, my anger towards Poseidon and Athena was greater.”
Percy grimaced as he remembered when he finally got Annabeth to tell him the story. He wasn't proud of the circumstances - Tartarus had worn her down, she probably didn't remember anything she'd said in the pit. But…
“You were her priestess,” he said, his voice rasping. “You… You loved her.”
“I did.”
“But… My father…” Percy put his hands behind his neck and closed his eyes, not wanting the tears to fall. “I never knew… That-that he was capable of tha…” He faltered, thinking of Tyson. Of how he'd been abandoned… to ‘appreciate things more’... “...No, no I just didn't want to think about it.”
Medusa gave an unimpressed huff. “You and hundreds of other demigods,” she said, disinterested. “Everyone is so willing to treat the gods as infallible, and monsters as… Monsters.” Her tone was mocking, and he deserved it.
“...Yeah,” he said quietly. “I was… I asked for… For less than the basics after the Titanomachy, and was stupidly satisfied. I asked for more after the Gigantomachy… The barest of basics…” He laced his fingers behind his neck and took a shaky breath. “Fuck, but I am no hero.”
“Oh, well isn't that an interesting thought,” Medusa mused. “You, Bane of Hyperion, Glacier-shatterer, a former Praetor, the prophesied golden child … Aren't a hero?”
“A hero would get the job done right,” Percy said stubbornly. A hollow laugh came out of him. “The Campers… They looked to me, and… And they were happy. But the thing is… They shouldn't be. They deserve…” His shoulders sagged. Tears fell and pooled on the inside of his sunglasses. “They deserve better.”
Medusa sighed. “Knock it off with the pity party,” she said boredly.
Percy looked up at her with a dead expression. “This isn't pity, Medusa. It's anger,” he said flatly. “Anger at myself. My failures. I—”
“My gods, you’re the first person to make things better for demigods in millennia, and you consider yourself a failure,” Medusa said with disgust. “I was wrong. You're not like Perseus - you're like Odysseus. Always moping because you feel you aren't enough. Boy, did you ever stop to consider that maybe they're allowed to be happy and still want more at the same time?”
“I—”
“No, you didn't,” Medusa snapped. “Because you're so stupidly heroic and thick-headed. You act as if the world not being a utopia means there is no good left. Either those wars truly broke you, or—”
“Tartarus.”
“Excuse me?”
“It was… It was Tartarus,” Percy said. He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I… I scared myself there. I scared Annabeth. I…”
“You went to the pit?” Medusa said in a very serious tone. Percy nodded. “Well… Perhaps I was too hasty. That does explain things,” she begrudged. “Though I'm not sure why you're so emotional. What is it you did?”
Percy pursed his lips for a moment before answering. “Akhlys,” he whispered. It was the first time he'd said her name since Gaea was defeated. “She… She was going to… To kill us - Annabeth and I - so… I-I turned her poison against her…”
“You overpowered a god with their own domain?” Medusa said with surprise. Percy nodded. “Hmm… Continue.”
“I-I… I wanted to… To hurt her… T-to… To make her sc-scream, I…” He shuddered. The tears were spilling out of the glasses and onto the french fries. “...If Annabeth hadn't been there, I would have done it.”
Medusa was quiet for a moment before she spoke. “It isn't uncommon for demigods - especially strong ones - to face corruption. Mortals face it as well. Odysseus nearly lost his mind while returning to Ithaca, Theseus went mad and sought his own son’s death, Jason betrayed his wife and led to his children’s death, Blackbeard targeted Circe and was turned into a guinea pig for his troubles. But few… Very few can come back or even stop themselves. And besides, Tartarus makes even the kindest of souls become twisted and wretched in order to survive. Don't villainize yourself so quickly.”
“A-ah…” Percy paused. “You… Know Circe?”
Medusa nodded. “We haven't spoken since I reformed,” she admitted. “I heard the pirates are dead, so either she snapped or…” She looked at Percy again, her eyes narrowing. “You know something?”
He grimaced. “We… Wound up there. Annabeth and I. Circe…” He sighed. “She showed me… Something… And I stupidly took the potion. Became a guinea pig. Annabeth dumped the moly vitamins in the pen, and… And dragged me away before I could realize what the pirates would do. I didn't find out until I met one of her former attendants in Camp Jupiter.”
Medusa’s eyes narrowed further. “...If you were not a boy, I would strike you down on the spot,” she said coldly. “But your gender means Circe very much would transform you. And your idiocy makes that daughter of Athena’s actions quite understandable. She wanted to keep you innocent, since you're so… Noble.”
Percy blinked as he looked up. The rest of his tears fell onto his untouched food. “Annabeth… Manipulated me? No, that—”
“Is the only answer,” Medusa said flatly. “Tell me, how often does that girl explain her actions to you?”
“Well, not often, but—”
“And how often has she told you the stories behind monsters - the full stories?”
“N-not often, but—”
“And how often,” Medusa said coldly as she leaned in. “Has that girl actually said she believes in you.”
His throat was dry. “...She has her reasons,” he said weakly.
“Manipulation. It is Athena’s strong suit. Ask me,” she said mildly. “Ask Arachne. Ask Odysseus. Ask any of her victims, and you will know that Athena and her spawn are heartless and calculating.”
“Sh-she… Annabeth… But…” He faltered. “But we're dating… She wouldn't… She wouldn't lie unless she really needed to…”
“The fact you believe that actually makes me pity you,” Medusa said, disgusted. “You have been manipulated at every turn by this girl. Tell me, Percy - does she ever actually compliment you? A real compliment, not something backhanded. Does she guilt you into helping her with tasks she isn't explicitly meant to do alone? Does she seem disappointed whenever you seek rest?”
Percy didn't answer.
“Quite like Athena, then… narcissistic. Vain. I bet her fatal flaw is even hubris, isn't it?” Percy's look of being caught probably gave it away, because she laughed. “What a surprise,” she said flatly.
“...There's a lot I don't know,” Percy admitted quietly. “About… Me. The world… Annabeth… Everything. So… But I just— for her to— I-it doesn't make sense.”
“Hmm… Why else are you here? There's another reason, and your narcissist of a girlfriend isn't why,” Medusa said boredly. “I certainly appreciate your apology now that I can see how pathetic you truly are - and besides, you're not the first demigod to slay me, nor will you be the last. Holding a grudge for that is beneath me. It was your ignorance that drew my ire… But you don't have it anymore. So, what is your issue?”
“I'm… Not sure,” Percy admitted. “Like I said, I kinda ran away… I'm planning to… Make more apologies, I guess. To the Amazons, to the Hunters, to Circe… I didn't wrong all the people I met, I think. But better to apologize and learn how to be better than assume otherwise.”
“So he can be taught,” Medusa mused. Percy’s glare was halfhearted at best. “Anything else?”
Percy squirmed. “I… I've been having trouble with… With my powers,” he admitted. “And… And being around people… And looking at myself… I've just… there's so much about me I don't understand anymore. My Mom says it's because I never got therapy,” he muttered. “She's right, but there isn't exactly a therapist for demigods. I go to a therapist and they'll think I'm schizophrenic or something.”
“Probably,” Medusa agreed.
Percy gave her a half-hearted glare for how happy she sounded, but his heart wasn't in it. “I don't know if I trust you about Annabeth,” he said. “But… I guess, thanks for the input. But I want to talk to her first before I make any decisions.”
“And just how long will it take you to do so?” Medusa drawled. “Weeks? Months? A year?”
“I don't know,” Percy admitted. “I don't keep a phone on me, and I asked Iris to block all incoming calls. I just…” He sighed. “I need to sort myself out before I talk to… Her…”
Medusa gave him another appraising look. Well, he guessed it wasn't so surprising. He had changed in a lot of ways since they'd first met.
In his opinion the changes were far from for the best, but it wasn't like Medusa knew every single horrible thing he'd done.
“It's probably for the best,” Medusa said boredly. “I'm still a monster.”
He blinked at her. “But you weren't always.”
“No,” Medusa agreed. “I am a product of the gods, just as you are.”
“I'm not a monster… And… And you shouldn't have been,” Percy insisted.
“True, I shouldn't. But I am one,” Medusa countered. “And… No, you aren't a monster. But a victim…”
“We're all victims of the gods, one way or another,” Percy said with a weak chuckle. “I’m fine. I'm nothing special.”
Medusa made an unconvinced sound. “Well, regardless. If you're worried about me holding a grudge, don't. You did what you had to. And in the end, we are monster and demigod. Whether you slay me or my sisters, you're doing what you have to so you can survive. I'm not going to kill you today, but… someone will come again. Some other twelve year old who doesn't know better.”
Percy grimaced. “That's still so messed up,” he muttered. “I was twelve… twelve. But they thought I stole… And they made me risk my life, I just…” He sighed. “Then again, it isn't like they have many adult kids.”
“Very true. Any kids who would have become adults have since died,” Medusa commented dryly.
Percy stilled. “I… I m-made it to adulthood,” he said, though his voice was shaky.
“Mmm. ‘Against all odds’, right?”
He turned away.
“I thought so. That's the gods for you. They push… push… and push… Until either you break or you become the diamond they're seeking,” Medusa said, her eyes glinting while open malice showed on her face. “Some think you're a diamond… But it would seem there are more cracks than you've shown to most, hmm?”
Percy sighed, leaning back in his seat as he stared at the ceiling. “You’re not exactly likely to talk to the people I know,” he pointed out. “And… Well, you were the start of my journey. My first real monster after the Minotaur.”
“Ah, true,” Medusa mused. “What are you seeking, anyway? Closure? Answers? Forgiveness?”
“...I don't know,” Percy admitted. “Not… Not forgiveness. That's not something to ask for. Though, I’ll still apologize. But… If they don't forgive me, that's their decision. And I don't know about closure, since I don't… Know who, if anyone, is responsible for my fuck-ups other than me… Answers, maybe.”
Medusa sighed. “You really are a morose one,” she said distastefully. “You sure you're not a child of Hades.”
Percy rolled his eyes. “Pretty sure. That's Nico,” he said dismissively. “I'm just a child of Poseidon who can't get his powers to work right.”
“Hah. Fair enough.”
He sighed and turned, getting up and out of the booth. He picked up his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. “I think… I should probably move on,” he admitted. “See whoever I can run into next.”
“Hm… well, I certainly won't stop you,” Medusa said. “Do you have an idea of where you'll be going next?”
“...Maybe Circe?” Percy frowned, shifting his weight. “There's… Something that's been bothering me. Her mirror. I don't know what she saw, but I doubt it's what I saw. Her reaction was… Off.”
“How so?”
Percy gave Medusa a bittersweet smile. “Circe only turns men into pigs.”