Together - A PJO Collab
Reunion
This is the last part, and is inspired by Three by icy roses, and Landfill by thelittlelioness. Hazel Knight helped me a lot with this chapter. This is more of a one-shot than anything else, just saying.
eding420: “Everybody, say hi to Hazel Knight!”
Readers: “Hi, Hazel Knight!”
Hazel Knight: “Hi, everyone!”
Listen to “This Love” by Taylor Swift, and there is a 30% chance you’ll cry!
It took years.
Decades.
Centuries,
Millennia.
But they all followed.
Thalia Grace, an arrow through the spine.
Piper McLean, old age.
Percy Jackson, a broken heart.
XxXxXxX
Paradise was less brutal with her long-lost friends, but Annabeth still longed for one person.
Everything was so much different back then.
So she simply waited and watched.
XxXxXxX (Following Section Written by Hazel Knight)
Life never goes as planned. It was the only way to explain all of the crazy stuff that had happened to Percy.
Did he plan to find out that his father was an ancient, barnacle encrusted pagan god?
No.
Did he plan to have his mother kidnapped and dragged to the Underworld as a hostage?
Of course not!
Did he want to travel around the world, risking his life for the sake of immortals that didn’t give a single drachma about him?
No freaking way!
Did he choose to lose the love of his life doing so?
Annabeth.
If only.
A monotonous beep echoed through his skull.
He remembered now.
A heart attack.
Sirens.
Annabeth.
Flashing lights.
An ambulance rushing him to the hospital.
Annabeth Chase.
The gurney speeding him through the hallways.
Is it my time?
Being hooked up to a metal monster.
His life ebbing away, bit by bit.
Drop by drop.
Will I see her again?
Sounds and colors floated through his mind, not being processed in the slightest.
He was an excited little boy, once more.
He was finally going to see her again.
Annabeth, he thought, anticipation overtaking him.
I’m coming.
XxXxXxX
The end is much like the beginning, peace and quiet, at last.
This wasn’t so bad.
And when he opens his eyes, he knows deep, deep down that he is dead.
It feels weird.
The journey is over.
He tries to remember, but can’t.
All shapes, and sounds.
They’re there, but scrambled, just a hint of reality.
He lifts his head, and looks around, and sure enough, sees a very familiar room.
No Solicitors
No Loitering
No Living
He takes a tentative step forward, sneakers slightly sinking into the lush grey carpet.
Percy is slightly disappointed.
He lifts his forearm, a little.
It works normally, but if he looked at it long enough - there! - it seemed… almost transparent.
The realization hit him like a speeding train.
I’m dead.
I’m actually dead.
It is a strange sensation, to realize that you’ll never take another shaky breath, your heart will never beat again, you’ll never be able to physically touch a living person as long as you live (or die).
Time slows down as he processes all of this new information. He feels as if he is frozen in this moment, forever.
Eternity is a scary thing.
His head aches like hell, but he pushes away the pain and makes his way through the crowd to a familiar podium in the middle of the room.
Charon looks up from a copy of Time, tortoiseshell shades slightly askew. He raises an eyebrow, obviously bored.
“Yes?”
Percy closes his eyes, ready for the moment he’s been waiting for since he was seventeen.
“I need to get to the Underworld.”
“Well, that’s refreshing.”
“You know who I am.”
“Yes, unfortunately I do. I told you it would be your turn soon, young man, didn’t I?”
He lets out a small, bitter chuckle.
“Yeah, that’s great and all, but did…” His voice trails away at her name.
Charon gives him a knowing look.“Yes, she came through a while ago. Was extremely rude, too.”
“But you let her in, right?”
“Yes, I did.”
Charon extends his long, bony fingers towards him.
He digs into his pockets, and pulls out a drachma, sending out a quick prayer.
He has never been so glad to see a coin in his entire existence. He pushes it into Charon’s hand.
“There.”
“This way.”
Charon steps off his podium, and strolls towards the elevators.
Percy follows him, hands in pockets.
The descent is a quiet event, surrounded by dead people, all anxious to take Percy’s spot on Charon’s boat. Earlier in life, he might have been scared for his safety, but too much had happened to Percy for him to be frightened by much of anything
Memories stream back, one by one.
“What happens to the spirits waiting in the lobby?’
“The River Styx, it’s so…”
She grabbed hold of my hand. She wanted reassurance that somebody else was alive on this boat.
Percy smiles at that one.
Not anymore.
Percy isn’t able to fully notice the spirits grappling at his shirt. He might as well be floating. Annabeth. He was actually going to see her again.
He gazes at the flowing stretch of grayish water below him.
Another ghost bump into Percy, making him jump.
He steps out, onto black sand.
Left, right.
Left, right.
Left, right. It should’ve been simple.
-- a cross between airport security and the Jersey Turnpike.
He steps forward, into the ATTENDANT ON DUTY line. He remembers enough for that.
He isn’t sure how long it had been.
Time is irrelevant down in the depths.
But as the front of the line drew closer, he starts to recall his last visit to the Underworld.
“There’s a court for dead people?”
“Yeah. Three judges. They switch around who sites on the bench. King Minos, Thomas Jefferson, Shakespeare - people like that.”
He hopes that he doesn’t get Minos for a judge.
And then Percy sees Cerberus, his old buddy.
“Hey, old pal.”
“WOOF!”
“Yeah, sorry, no red rubber balls this time. But I’ll play with you if I get the time, okay?”
“WOOF!”
“Yeah. Okay.”
Percy strolls ahead, towards the judges pavilion.
It is a beautiful day, by Underworld standards.
The cavern roof glows a sinister red.
The dead aren’t scary.
They’re just sad.
He waits.
XxXxXxX
“Next!”
He shuffles forward, entering the Judging Hall.
Three tall, cloaked figures sit before him, golden masks glowering at him from their podium.
“Perseus Jackson,” murmurs one.
“We’ve been expecting you,” says the second.
“It’s a surprise you’ve survived this long, to be honest,” says the third, dryly.
“Saved Olympus from the Titans.”
“Helped to stop Gaea from rising.”
“Risked death multiple times for the sake of his friends and family.”
“Didn’t die to save anyone, though,” adds the third disdainfully.
The second waves her hand at the third. “You’re being unfair to this young man. I think that we can all agree that he deserves Elysium. Next!” she hollers.
XxXxXxX
He walks along the path to Elysium, full of energy, full of life.
He can’t wait to talk to her.
There are so many things he wants to say.
It’s a new beginning, a new life.
For once, they might have gotten lucky.
But who knows?
A long time ago - a very long time ago - she gave him a kiss for luck.
Nothing could stop him from sprinting through the golden gate, exhilarated by what was on the other side. Who was on the other side.
Somewhere out there, she is waiting, and finally - finally - he is here.
You came to me
I came to you
I was lost, and
You found me
This is heavily inspired by Three by icy roses on fanfiction.net.
Also, I’ve entered this into the 2017 Wattys, so wish me luck!
I might add in the actual reunion soon.
Be sure to review, because I have one review on this entire story as of 8/2/17.
Come on. One review. Just type something!
eding420: “Everybody, say hi to Hazel Knight!”
Readers: “Hi, Hazel Knight!”
Hazel Knight: “Hi, everyone!”
Listen to “This Love” by Taylor Swift, and there is a 30% chance you’ll cry!
It took years.
Decades.
Centuries,
Millennia.
But they all followed.
Thalia Grace, an arrow through the spine.
Piper McLean, old age.
Percy Jackson, a broken heart.
XxXxXxX
Paradise was less brutal with her long-lost friends, but Annabeth still longed for one person.
Everything was so much different back then.
So she simply waited and watched.
XxXxXxX (Following Section Written by Hazel Knight)
Life never goes as planned. It was the only way to explain all of the crazy stuff that had happened to Percy.
Did he plan to find out that his father was an ancient, barnacle encrusted pagan god?
No.
Did he plan to have his mother kidnapped and dragged to the Underworld as a hostage?
Of course not!
Did he want to travel around the world, risking his life for the sake of immortals that didn’t give a single drachma about him?
No freaking way!
Did he choose to lose the love of his life doing so?
Annabeth.
If only.
A monotonous beep echoed through his skull.
He remembered now.
A heart attack.
Sirens.
Annabeth.
Flashing lights.
An ambulance rushing him to the hospital.
Annabeth Chase.
The gurney speeding him through the hallways.
Is it my time?
Being hooked up to a metal monster.
His life ebbing away, bit by bit.
Drop by drop.
Will I see her again?
Sounds and colors floated through his mind, not being processed in the slightest.
He was an excited little boy, once more.
He was finally going to see her again.
Annabeth, he thought, anticipation overtaking him.
I’m coming.
XxXxXxX
The end is much like the beginning, peace and quiet, at last.
This wasn’t so bad.
And when he opens his eyes, he knows deep, deep down that he is dead.
It feels weird.
The journey is over.
He tries to remember, but can’t.
All shapes, and sounds.
They’re there, but scrambled, just a hint of reality.
He lifts his head, and looks around, and sure enough, sees a very familiar room.
No Solicitors
No Loitering
No Living
He takes a tentative step forward, sneakers slightly sinking into the lush grey carpet.
Percy is slightly disappointed.
He lifts his forearm, a little.
It works normally, but if he looked at it long enough - there! - it seemed… almost transparent.
The realization hit him like a speeding train.
I’m dead.
I’m actually dead.
It is a strange sensation, to realize that you’ll never take another shaky breath, your heart will never beat again, you’ll never be able to physically touch a living person as long as you live (or die).
Time slows down as he processes all of this new information. He feels as if he is frozen in this moment, forever.
Eternity is a scary thing.
His head aches like hell, but he pushes away the pain and makes his way through the crowd to a familiar podium in the middle of the room.
Charon looks up from a copy of Time, tortoiseshell shades slightly askew. He raises an eyebrow, obviously bored.
“Yes?”
Percy closes his eyes, ready for the moment he’s been waiting for since he was seventeen.
“I need to get to the Underworld.”
“Well, that’s refreshing.”
“You know who I am.”
“Yes, unfortunately I do. I told you it would be your turn soon, young man, didn’t I?”
He lets out a small, bitter chuckle.
“Yeah, that’s great and all, but did…” His voice trails away at her name.
Charon gives him a knowing look.“Yes, she came through a while ago. Was extremely rude, too.”
“But you let her in, right?”
“Yes, I did.”
Charon extends his long, bony fingers towards him.
He digs into his pockets, and pulls out a drachma, sending out a quick prayer.
He has never been so glad to see a coin in his entire existence. He pushes it into Charon’s hand.
“There.”
“This way.”
Charon steps off his podium, and strolls towards the elevators.
Percy follows him, hands in pockets.
The descent is a quiet event, surrounded by dead people, all anxious to take Percy’s spot on Charon’s boat. Earlier in life, he might have been scared for his safety, but too much had happened to Percy for him to be frightened by much of anything
Memories stream back, one by one.
“What happens to the spirits waiting in the lobby?’
“The River Styx, it’s so…”
She grabbed hold of my hand. She wanted reassurance that somebody else was alive on this boat.
Percy smiles at that one.
Not anymore.
Percy isn’t able to fully notice the spirits grappling at his shirt. He might as well be floating. Annabeth. He was actually going to see her again.
He gazes at the flowing stretch of grayish water below him.
Another ghost bump into Percy, making him jump.
He steps out, onto black sand.
Left, right.
Left, right.
Left, right. It should’ve been simple.
-- a cross between airport security and the Jersey Turnpike.
He steps forward, into the ATTENDANT ON DUTY line. He remembers enough for that.
He isn’t sure how long it had been.
Time is irrelevant down in the depths.
But as the front of the line drew closer, he starts to recall his last visit to the Underworld.
“There’s a court for dead people?”
“Yeah. Three judges. They switch around who sites on the bench. King Minos, Thomas Jefferson, Shakespeare - people like that.”
He hopes that he doesn’t get Minos for a judge.
And then Percy sees Cerberus, his old buddy.
“Hey, old pal.”
“WOOF!”
“Yeah, sorry, no red rubber balls this time. But I’ll play with you if I get the time, okay?”
“WOOF!”
“Yeah. Okay.”
Percy strolls ahead, towards the judges pavilion.
It is a beautiful day, by Underworld standards.
The cavern roof glows a sinister red.
The dead aren’t scary.
They’re just sad.
He waits.
XxXxXxX
“Next!”
He shuffles forward, entering the Judging Hall.
Three tall, cloaked figures sit before him, golden masks glowering at him from their podium.
“Perseus Jackson,” murmurs one.
“We’ve been expecting you,” says the second.
“It’s a surprise you’ve survived this long, to be honest,” says the third, dryly.
“Saved Olympus from the Titans.”
“Helped to stop Gaea from rising.”
“Risked death multiple times for the sake of his friends and family.”
“Didn’t die to save anyone, though,” adds the third disdainfully.
The second waves her hand at the third. “You’re being unfair to this young man. I think that we can all agree that he deserves Elysium. Next!” she hollers.
XxXxXxX
He walks along the path to Elysium, full of energy, full of life.
He can’t wait to talk to her.
There are so many things he wants to say.
It’s a new beginning, a new life.
For once, they might have gotten lucky.
But who knows?
A long time ago - a very long time ago - she gave him a kiss for luck.
Nothing could stop him from sprinting through the golden gate, exhilarated by what was on the other side. Who was on the other side.
Somewhere out there, she is waiting, and finally - finally - he is here.
You came to me
I came to you
I was lost, and
You found me
This is heavily inspired by Three by icy roses on fanfiction.net.
Also, I’ve entered this into the 2017 Wattys, so wish me luck!
I might add in the actual reunion soon.
Be sure to review, because I have one review on this entire story as of 8/2/17.
Come on. One review. Just type something!
Notes
Please review!
