Disclaimer: Percy Jackson belongs to Rick Riordan and Avatar belongs to Nickelodeon Animation Studio, as well as any other element of any other work, creation that appears, credits to whomever it may apply.
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"Thoughts"
"Speaking"
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Somewhere in the vast ocean, what appeared to be an ancient quinquereme was sailing.
If viewed from a distance, anyone in the 21st century could have mistaken it for a vessel from another time, something that would baffle even the most experienced modern sailor. However, as he got closer, it would be revealed that he was not just any quinquereme, but an improved one, equipped with today's naval advances.
But that wasn't all that boat had.
The majestic vessel was built of the sturdiest wood from the ancient and hidden forests that the king of Atlantis had hidden from mortal eyes, whose pine and ash trees grew in the ancestral lands of the Greco-Roman pantheon. Meanwhile a gleaming shine came from the ship's hull, which was coated with an alloy of celestial bronze and orichalcum, the Atlanteans' favorite metal. (Note 1 and 2)
To those with supernatural senses they might feel as if the very essence of the sea had been sealed into every inch of the ship and they wouldn't be wrong, because the ship was completely blessed by the very gods of the ocean to sail the waters in an unparalleled way.
This floating wonder roamed the turquoise waves of the Pacific, sunlight reflecting off its polished hull, illuminating the intricate carvings of sea serpents and other mythical sea creatures that adorned its structure.
Engravings on both the metal hull and the wood depicting everything from sea serpents and dolphins, to monsters from the ocean floor, as well as various symbols of the ancient Mediterranean civilizations and the Atlantean people decorated its sides, creating a living masterpiece of history and mythology. While at the bow, the figure of an Atlantean hippocampus made up the imposing figurehead that led the journey.
The ship had three masts, the central one was the largest, while the smallest was at the front, but the sail of the main mast was painted a green trident, a symbol of power and control over the waters, flanked by two crab claws that extended to both sides, as a sign that the power of the king and queen of Atlantis was linked to the ship.
On the other hand, the other sails were decorated with drawings of jellyfish, sea shells, waves and symbols that evoked other gods of the sea, creating a visual display that reflected the dominance of the waters and the mysteries that were hidden there.
But who was it that sailed such a prodigy of naval creation?
The answer was simple, who was at the helm of the ship was none other than Percy Jackson, the son of Neptune with his dark hair tousled by the salty wind and an ironic smile drawn on his lips, Percy was the perfect demigod to command that imposing vessel.
The demigod had been forged by several battles, hardened by fighting the monsters and divine beings he had faced, as well as by the adventures/quests he had lived on the orders of the Legion.
However, the mischievous sparkle in his blue-green eyes gave away the boy who still carried with him the youthful spark that his experiences could not erase because despite his achievements and scars, he had not lost the essence of his free spirit... on the contrary, it seemed that the sea offered him new opportunities to explore, challenge himself and, of course, also be at peace with himself while giving him the possibility to face any threat that stood in his way.
"You know," Percy said slowly, leaning against the helm and glancing at the figure that stood rigid by the nearest mast "For a vacation, you look as relaxed as a gorgon in a beauty pageant."
But who was Neptune's 20-year-old son talking to?
To his 18-year-old cousin, Jason Grace, the son of Jupiter, who sighed and ran a hand through his carefully combed blonde hair. His blue eyes, usually filled with ardent determination, reflected a hint of weariness and exhaustion, but he stood tall and proud like a Roman leader from head to toe, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed the restlessness and stress that afflicted him.
"Percy, I really appreciate this... this gesture" Jason said, trying to sound polite and grateful, but a slight hint of exasperation seeped into his voice, as this was the third or fourth time he'd said the same thing in the last few hours "But leaving New Rome during the negotiations with the lesser gods wasn't exactly the ideal... or wise thing to do."
Thalia Grace's brother paused for a moment, hoping that his words would be assimilated by his cousin, but, as before, it didn't happen, so Jupiter's son continued to speak
"Many of them still feel ignored despite the recognition they've been given since the war against the giants and Terra"
Jackson snorted before saying "And how many of them have really done anything more than sit back and wait for the world to give them everything they want and think they deserve?" though Neptune's son refrained from saying that he could count on his fingers the gods who actually helped or did something during the fight against the primordial goddess and the giants
"Percy!" Jason exclaimed, raising his voice.
The black-haired demigod ignored the blond and his claim, so he continued talking "If they want some respect, do something to deserve it... Not that the demigods have to save their asses or solve their damn problems"
"PERCY!" Jupiter's son exclaimed louder with what was basically a scream, plus the bespectacled demigod was clearly upset at his cousin's disrespect for the gods. Jason knew that Percy had always had opinions like that about various deities, but he never mentioned them out loud... at least he didn't do so until after the war against the Titans, but after the defeat of Terra and leaving the legion, Jackson had become more vocal and direct in speaking his mind about the certain gods.
Of all the Romans, Jason was the one who spends the most time interacting with the Greeks, because he traveled constantly between the two camps since he gave his word to one of Poseidon's daughters about making the minor gods receive their respective recognition, temples, collection cards, and several other things. In addition to the months he was living with them after Juno exchanged him with Neptune's Greek daughter, so he understood them better than the rest of the Romans
However, Jackson was the Roman demigod who can certainly fit in and mingle better with the Greek demigods despite the very little time he has spent with them, such as the apparent fact that he seemed to have been infected by the disrespect that many Greeks had for the gods when anyone with common sense should know that it was necessary to maintain courtesy, especially with the gods
Although perhaps it was the sea within Jackson that made him different, after all, the black-haired demigod was not only the son of Neptune, but was also on his late mother's side the great-great-grandson of Salacia, the queen of the seas. Which explained that Percy was either more rebellious than most members of New Rome and the legion or the most rebellious in the way the Romans do things.
On the other hand, that lack of respect for others unless they earned it, as well as rebellion was the reason why Jackson was the demigod that the goddess Lupa liked more than any other Roman, but it was also part of the reason why he did not completely fit the Roman mold.
However, ever since the Olympian gods decided to reward the seven, his sister, Reyna, and Percy after the war against the giants and Gaia, Jason had noticed that his cousin seemed to have become more... Greek. So he sometimes wondered if Neptune's Greek personality had somehow influenced him with some blessing or something.
"Don't worry, Golden Boy, you know that Reyna and Frank have everything under control... well, mainly Reyna. Remember that the only thing the lesser gods are waiting for is for their temples and collectible figures to be ready, they just don't have patience despite all the time they've been alive" Jackson said, dismissing his cousin's concerns and dropping a slight mockery in the last part "Besides, you were beginning to look more like a senator than a demigod or a legionnaire. A little sea air will do you good, maybe even help you remember how to smile"
Jupiter's son looked at him without showing any emotion, but his blue eyes reflected his tiredness and resigned annoyance "Oh... I'm sure fighting strange sea creatures is just what the doctor prescribed to relieve political and divine stress" he replied with a biting calm.
"Hey, you never know," Percy said with a shrug, though inwardly he was pleased to have infected some of his sarcasm on Jason after all these years. "Maybe we'll find a giant squid playing poker with a kraken." It would make a great holiday story or at least a fun one!"
The blond man, for his part, had to hold back a growl of anger and exasperation at his cousin's relaxed and carefree attitude. But ever since Thalia's brother met Percy's Greek half-sister, Andromeda, Jason had a hard time seeing the differences between Neptune's and Poseidon's children... especially since the council rewarded them, it seemed that the distinctions between them were blurring.
But the key difference was that Jackson had discipline, even if everyone had a hard time noticing unless you knew him well, while the Greek daughter of the sea was more impulsive and impetuous.
Andromeda could mindlessly throw herself into battle for those she cares about and loves, but Jackson, at least, would take her time to analyze the situation as well as the danger, realize what may be in her favor, and think of an effective or at least good strategy before jumping into action.
But leaving aside the current state of mind of blonde-haired demigod, as well as the differences between the children of the earthshaker, the great-great-grandson of the queen of Atlantis noticed the anger and exasperation in his cousin's gaze, so he said, trying to soften the atmosphere "Well, if you are so worried, you can always say that Neptune's son kidnapped you" although he rolled his eyes at the overly serious and worried attitude of Jupiter's son
"And don't you think that would make things worse?" Jason replied, with frustration in his voice because if he were to say that, even if that statement were, in a way, true, as well as a perfect excuse, the gods would take it as an admission that he was weaker than Jackson and if it reached the ears of the king of Olympus...
Well, Grace didn't even want to imagine what his father would do, Jupiter may have been less paranoid than Zeus, more sensible, disciplined and responsible, but he's just as proud, if not more so, than his Greek counterpart, as well as being much more bellicose.
So if Jason used those words, no one outside of his own father would try anything against Neptune, but that was what worried him and the last thing he wanted was for his father to start a war with Percy's father over some kind of absurd and ridiculous perception of wounded pride.
So he decided to change his focus and looked out over the horizon as he headed elsewhere on the ship's deck before his cousin, who was the closest Jason had to a brother, gave him a new headache.
For his part, Jackson snorted as he saw that the brother of the lieutenant of the huntresses was looking for a place that would provide him with more calm. So the son of the sea decided to focus on keeping the quinquereme on course, making sure that the ship continued to move smoothly even though he didn't need much of it because his ship, 'The Tempest', was a clear testament to the peculiar combination of divine craftsmanship with advancement and modern technology.
Under Triton's supervision, the Atlantean Cyclopes had not only built the vessel with unmatched dexterity, but had also integrated powerful enchantments that allowed it to reach surprising speeds, as well as endowing it with exceptional endurance against the fiercest and most dangerous storms.
The Tempest is a masterpiece of combined engineering and magic that could challenge the limits of the sea itself because it wasn't just the Cyclopes of Atlantis who had participated in its creation.
Neptune himself had blessed the vessel, ensuring that its passage was always safe, no matter what treacherous seas it entered. In addition, the ship had been equipped with formidable weaponry, a set of weapons that had been disguised under the guise of oars and other objects thanks to the magic of the gods, this was a strategy that allowed him to maintain his discretion and the element of surprise while being ready to defend himself from any threat that might arise, plus they would always return to the ship if someone tried to steal them.
But the blessings of the quinquereme were not limited to Neptune's power alone. His father's Greek side had also conferred his protection over The Tempest, making it in a sense virtually indestructible, not only would it withstand any physical harm it might suffer, but it also had a sort of magical mechanism that healed any injury or impairment it might suffer, while it remained at sea.
To make matters worse, Triton, Rhodes, and Bentesicime had also made sure that The Tempest was never without any kind of provisions. In addition, they worked closely with the Cyclopes to enlarge the interior of the ship, making it much larger than its exterior suggested. And as if it were an extension of the sea gods' own domains, The Tempest also possessed the ability to change its appearance to other modern ships measuring less than 180 feet in length, similar to some of the gods' carriages, without the various rooms below deck suffering any danger.
This gave him an advantage, he did not depend on the Mist to hide from mortal eyes or human means. Even The Tempest had the means so that it could be invisible when needed, adapting to the demands of the moment without the need for external magic.
Kymopoleia, the goddess of the violent sea, storms, and marine disasters, had also blessed her demigod half-brother's ship, though she did so after Percy helped Jason with the design of her temple, cards, and collectible figures. So the goddess known for her impetuous character and her dominion over the roughest seas, offered her blessing to The Tempest to stand strong in the face of any adversity... and because she also wanted to test the ship against the storms she sent in surprise moments.
The old god Dolphin who played a role similar to that of Athena with Zeus or Mars with Jupiter, was the god of wisdom and strategy of the Atlanteans, not only the god of dolphins, he was also the right hand of Neptune/Poseidon, so Dolphin had also contributed to the creation of the ship. In fact, one of the compartments inside the ship was entirely dedicated to knowledge of the sea: shelves full of enchanted books about the ocean depths, the diverse inhabitants of the ocean, various islands in the sea or the ocean and more, along with an impressive array of naval navigation and mapping equipment, all imbued with magic from the sea deities.
While Salacia, Jackson's stepmother and great-great-grandmother, had also added her personal touch, embedding pearls of protection along the ship's structure, creating a mystical barrier that not only scared away evil sea spirits, but also protected the vessel from any attack by hostile sea or other deities. And as a final touch, Salacia endowed the quinquereme with the ability to dive underwater, giving it a unique strategic advantage over other non-submarine ships.
In the end, The Tempest despite its appearance turned out to be a kind of divine battleship/destroyer much more powerful than any ship built by the Greek camp, but of course, that was to be expected because it was designed and forged by the Atlanteans, not by the Greek demigods who did not even have the daughter of Poseidon among them to help in the creation of the Argo II.
Percy had received the quinquereme as a birthday present on his eighteenth birthday, as the sea gods knew beforehand that Jackson had no plans to stay in the legion because of the way most Romans behave with anything to do with the sea and the descendants of sea deities, despite the opinions of Lupa herself who hoped that Neptune's son would bring the legion out of its stagnation.
It didn't help the stupid actions the Legion performed when they followed the legacy of Apollo, who had tried to get rid of Neptune's son as one of his first actions once Bellona's daughter went after the seven to the ancestral lands and the augur took command, so Jackson had to escape and warn the Greeks, helping them prepare for the impending attack of the Romans.
Initially, The Tempest was to be a kind of safe haven from monsters or a home for Percy as he settled in the mortal world. But since she decided to write down her experiences and publish them as a literary novel because of a memory she had about her mother who wanted to be a writer, from the time he was allowed to talk to her after retrieving his helmet from Pluto, had become her permanent home while the 3 books he had managed to publish during the last year and a half were quite successful among young mortals who believed it was fantasy. (Note 3)
From then on, Neptune's son used The Tempest to patrol the Pacific, protecting the oceans from poachers, smugglers, modern-day pirates, and other mortals. In addition to the fact that from time to time Jackson had to take down wandering monsters, although that led him to learn almost a year ago about the existence of other pantheons.
But lately, rumors of unusual marine activity in this ocean had reached his ears and even news of humans had begun to arrive.
Strange and never-before-seen creatures were emerging in the Pacific, causing amazement, confusion and fear among some mortals who had seen them, triggering various groups of mortals to want to investigate, from marine biologists or reporters to dishonest people. But Percy suspected that something more serious was at play, something that might require more than brute force or mortal capabilities to solve it since he had learned that only part of the Pacific was his father's territory, this perhaps originated from some of the other pantheons.
Hence the 'vacation' with Jason, it never hurt to have someone have your back, and considering some of the things that have happened to Jason over the last year and a half, this was a good distraction for his cousin.
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October 19, 2000
The demigod in front of the goddess Lupa didn't seem like much, but the pure, untapped power she could feel emanating from him was astounding, especially for an 8-year-old boy.
Lupa cocked her head. "Yes, this could be another Romulus, another Caesar" she thought, she just had to train him, teach him to be a great leader.
The wolf goddess sniffed the child, prowling around her as her wolves watched, but the boy's eyes rarely turned away from hers despite the deep sadness in them, they only wandered when another wolf moved. The boy was different from Jason, the last son of one of the big three who was in her care, in fact, he could become more powerful if she pushed him hard enough.
But therein lay the problem, Juno wanted its champion to lead Camp Jupiter and eventually, New Rome.
So how would he handle a cousin more powerful than himself, who occupied a subordinate position? And, more importantly, how would Perseus himself feel about that situation?
It didn't matter, because if Jason was to lead the camp, he would do it, and if Perseus was supposed to do it, he would do it too. The Fates worked in mysterious ways, and Lupa would not be surprised if it turned one way or the other, that they both did it, or that something different happened... although she would prefer someone capable not a Juno puppet.
Turning her attention to the son of Neptune, Lupa sensed the fear in him, although she controlled it well despite the sadness that gnawed at him. She wondered if he learned to do it from the life he had before Neptune brought him with her or if the loss that sadness causes him was also what drove him to move forward, to face the danger.
Finally, after nearly ten minutes of circling around him, she simply stood in front of him and squatted down.
"Perseus" Lupa said, and his eyes widened, surprised, before narrowing "We have a lot to talk about, son of Neptune... Come, follow me and I will tell you about your father, and perhaps we can decipher your role in the world"
Perseus watched her cautiously for a moment, before following her.
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Well here we have a Roman Percy Jackson who is close to the Roman aspects of Poseidon, Amphitrite, and Triton, as well as Rhodes and Bentesicime even though these two sea goddesses and half-sisters of Percy, have no Roman personality.
In addition to having a Greek half-sister who took her place among the Greeks, although Percy learned of the existence of the Greeks before the rest of the Romans due to the fact that he also ended up in search of the master ray, I will show another part of this later as I showed when Jackson met the goddess Lupa. And it's a year older than it is in the books.
But Percy is also fully recognized by Poseidon as his son since Gaia was defeated even though he does not interact with his father's Greek side, something that does not entirely occur with other gods and the children of his other personalities, so that has affected and strengthened Jackson. Hence, Jason notices that his cousin has changed and looks more Greek.
This is a Percy Jackson that Lupa hoped would lead the Romans into a new era and out of their stagnation, but it didn't work out that way because neither Percy nor Jason ended up as Praetors at the end of the second saga. In addition, he knew of the existence of the Greeks before the rest of the Romans.
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Note 1 : Ash and pine are sacred trees of Poseidon.
Note 2 : Orichalcum is the mythical metal of Atlantis.
Note 3 : Within Riordan's books it is assumed that Percy became a writer, as he has 'published' two books
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Thanks to suonie jones, SG093, Archer FX, Luke Hunter, harjit singh, c_2003, Jesús Ernesto Ortiz Menchaca, OnTheRoof, WithAWolf, Gojo Satoru, Samuel Quintero, Kieran Dunkley, Robert Addy, Tiran Sarukhanyan, theguyver1343, Gabriel Lopez, Traiton Moses, CaptPartyspock, Deathgrips099, Errin Jacob Villar, Yato. God, Yusuf Ahmad, cordell Moore, Mezz015, Adam, Nicholas Heringer, Logan65, Aaron Roberts, Primordial_Will, Jt5342,Kyan Coy, DarkSpider, joe nelso, Attmay33, Arashi Hayabusa, HugoH, Alex Hershon, Tex, Julien, Helios, Justin Goetz, Rich, boby, remivaneldom, ONI1123, Chamar Ellis, Robin, Vegito Blue, c Meier, Michael Davis, Shawn Franks, Junkurrji O'shane Nona, kevon deshazier, Greg Robinson, Adam Doherty, LarsGameS, Peter Johnson, Oi Oi, jorge castillo, Stremms, Sin Hunter, LT Butterfly287, UnknownSkiz, Dean, Wilver Onofre, D-Arius, D-Arius, Aidan Jones, M360, Alan Lasalle, MrE, David Nguyen, Nerd Side, Raphael Rietti Souto, Lachlan Mathison, Dillon, Kyle Schmitz, Guillermo Chuy, Alejandro Ruiz Conejo, Keith Thomas II, Nozibjon, Elaina Friedrich, nitsuJ, Adrian, Justin Roy van Westering, dawid Yisrael, Saint Maximus, kurtis trickett, Joseph Grant, Nathan Grindstaff, Zak_McD, Ryan McCaughan, Rocket The Raccon, Tuxford Rorke, Jeremiah Matthews, Audio Tool, arthur, trey linebrink, Adam Blackmore, Josh, Adam Blackmore, RobinHaren, Zirfala, Jeremy D Peak, Ryan Leyden, Ranmaru Kurosaki, Madelyn, Trent Roe, Wiliam Croston, Brandon Wilson, Kissa454, Yonko Magikarp, willowskeith, Scarlet Fox, dorian wilson, SVTM62vl, doompie, Andrew Steven, Damian syers, Anthony Baca, Dylan, twistedflame899, Zook, k, kolokolo, Soul, Aaron Clay, Kirito, Sbhat Asfaha, Alexander Cullison, Jose Castro, Sergio Avila Jr, Charles, Edavila, Doom 7bz, Robin DiWinter, Yorda, Red, Wesbrook, John Smith, Bear, DuranteEmrys, Kingjames2332, Hollow_d_wrld, Wat3rF0xKail, D3m0nRulerZ, Stephen Odom, Enrique Cristobal Luna, Christophe Dean, Jake, Leo Clark, Shrimp, Nicholas Fritz, Connor, Lachlan, Aiming, Brandon Ossandon, JamesNic20, Forgotten Frost, julio vega, Connor Lloyd, Godaken, Alex Hawthorne, Roger Gaulke, Kitsune, Jose Vazquez, Brad Rieman, Charles Beecham, WhoisMitch, Ken Harris, Ravunz, Stefan Gottlieb, joshua scroggins, Benji, Rocket22, Luis, Chronicle Clock, God of Wind 200, Alchem, Orioles Enjoyer, Raj, James Cavazos , United Federation, Daniel bridges , XVenomX159, Voidful 911, Malignance, luis a. v. r., Henry, Daniel R. and OettamLass for their support on P*t*e*n
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