Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Even if Percy doesn’t remember anything else, he still knew how to fight.

That Percy was immensely grateful for as he just barely rolled out of the giant man’s fist smashing into the ground, leaving a large crater where he had been standing seconds ago.

The giant man was really starting to get on his nerves. He should have died minutes ago when Percy stabbed him in the gut. Or, you know, the second time Percy stabbed him in the gut. His sword wasn’t making a dent on the giant’s skin. Well, maybe the third time’s the charm.
Percy dodged another blow, leaping out of the way of another enormous punch, scrambling backwards further onto the beach. He had managed to successfully lead the giant man away from the city which had been his main goal.

Like everything these last few days, Percy had been running on pure instinct. Since he woke up a week ago in the middle of nowhere Kansas with a talking horse standing over him and had spent the previous seven days just running and fighting, then more fighting. His internal monoluge had been something like FUCK!! FUUUUUCK! WHAT THE FUCK! WHAT IS GOING ON!! Percy’s mind was totally blank, the only thing he had going for him was his gut and that hadn’t gotten him killed. Yet. And apparently this time his instinct had been to get himself killed via being squashed by a giant’s punch.

When he said giant, Percy meant it. The guy would have towered over your average building. Standing probably eleven, twelve feet with skin the color of sand that with cracks like a desert floor and the bulk to match it. His hair was a dirty color and his face, well, let’s just say it was a face only a mother could love.

The giant lunged again. He was fast, when accounting for all the extra weight he must have been carrying around. But Percy was faster.
Percy’s eyes shot around as he took in his surroundings. He needed to get closer to the water. He could feel the power of the ocean, the push and the pull of the waves. Water helped him, Percy hadn’t figured out why yet. It healed him, gave him strength. He could control it. Percy had figured that out when he fought some sort of ice bad guy (?) in Star City. Not only did the icicles he hurled through the air at him not dissolve the second before they would have pierced his skin, the water that splashed back surged through him and gave him an extra supply of energy. The power twisted in Percy, it felt good. Natural. Percy turned it back on him, flooding the street and nearly drowning the guy. He would have, if the green guy hadn’t shown up and tried to shot him an arrow for no reason. Percy had just been defending himself. The arrow hit his shoulder, glinting off his skin and falling to the ground because why not. Percy's skin didn't cut or bruise. Nothing pierced it or slashed into it which Percy couldn't make sense of. He wasn't complaining. Impenetrable skin was at least a little advantage against all the people who were trying to kill him.

The giant made another swipe at him and Percy was knocked out of his thoughts, Percy blocked his blow with the gleaming bronze sword. His knuckles turning white around the hilt. When Percy woke up in the middle of nowhere Kansas, the only things he had in his pockets was a ballpoint pen. But when Percy uncapped, it grew into a bronze sword that fit like it had been molded for his hand. Etched along the blade was an Ancient Greek word that Percy wasn’t sure how he understood: Anaklusmos- Riptide. Reading Ancient Greek was just one thing to be added to the list of weird things Percy could do.

1. Sword fighting. (Didn’t you have to be, like, trained to do that? Percy just picked up the blade and it was like he had always had one in his hand.)
2. Super freaky water powers. (Generally pretty convenient, Percy probably would have been dead when the arrow lodged in his shoulder) 3. Unbreakable skin
4. Reading ancient greek. (other than the sword, this had yet to come in super handy)
And perhaps the weirdest one of all,
5. The ability to talk to horses.

It was the talking horse who had helped him when he was in middle of nowhere Kansas. An old tawny mare living in one of the fields had been standing over him when he came to. Her name was Blue Jeans and she had called him little prince which Percy honestly didn’t catch until later because he was more focused on the fact that a horse had been talking to him.
“You must find Diana of Themyscira. The one they call Wonder Woman.”

Wonder Woman was, apparently, a superhero, which Percy absolutely didn't know was like a real thing. But she was. A bonafide superheroine who fought crime in a bathing suit and had been doing so since the first World War. At least, that’s what he had gathered. She was a member of the Justice League, other superheroes who also fought crime in varying degrees of bathing suits. Some of them even fought space crime. The green guy that had tried to shoot him was one of them. Green Arrow. More like Green Asshole.
Another sluggish punch was thrown by the giant. Percy held his blade flat as he ducked down, skidding under his legs and rolling out on the other side. It hadn’t been working to attack the giant face on. Percy needed to find the Achilles Heel. Now behind the giant, he wrenched his sword back and thrust the blade as hard as he could, stabbing into the back of the giant’s knee. It howled, falling backwards. Percy only barely managed to get out of the way.

He fell directly into the water. His back hitting the sandy ground for less than a second before he managed to spring back up, soaking the bottom of his jeans. The ocean started to rise up and down, mirroring his rapid breathing as it coiled up around his legs.
The push and pull of the ocean was a comfort to him, Percy crouched, lowering further into a fighting stance. There was the faint feeling that he was finally on home turf. The giant would soon be playing in Percy’s arena.
It roared again, taking another, now staggering step towards Percy.

That was when Percy spied a girl on the horizon. Dressed in green and knocking an arrow into a truly fearsome looking military tactical bow. Green Asshole had been a dude but Percy seriously wasn’t about to take any chances. An enemy was an enemy.
The girl wasn’t aiming at him. The arrow landed in the giant’s back and an fiery explosion blasted out from behind the giant’s shoulder. “Hey!” He shouted.
“Move!” The girl called out.
He didn’t need to be told twice. Percy kept his sword up as he veered out of the way just as a boy launched up from behind the giant’s back, literally pummeling him with his bare fists. With a roar, the giant turned back to face his attacker but the boy held on steadfast to the guy’s back as the giant tried to buck him off as he aimed another punch at the guy’s face.
Percy doubted the effectiveness of that strategy as a blur of yellow dashed past him, running circles around giant and trying to box it in.
“What the-'' A chill ran through Percy as the water stilled around him. Somebody was next to him. A boy with dark skin and bleach blonde hair, drawing two glowing swords from the back of his red and black wetsuit. He also launched himself at the giant, attacking it from the front.
The giant’s back was to Percy now. The girl’s arrow had ripped open the giant’s back. His armor was his skin and every crack was a weakness, that’s why the knee had hurt him and his sword had only glinted off the gut.
Percy jumped, calling forth the water. It rose up, forming a wave that carried his feet higher, further onto the beach, Percy launched and slashed twice into the crack in the giant’s impenetrable back. It cried out again, stumbling back.

A girl who had been previously floating in the air seized the moment of vulnerability to throw a hand up, launching the giant several feet in the air. His skin armor shattered on impact.

Leaving a normal, if enormous man knocked out cold in the sand that the flying girl landed beside, she had green skin. Percy noted. Which was really nothing compared to the fact that she had been flying moments ago and had knocked a guy across a beach without touching him.
The yellow blur came to a stop in front of him, revealing himself to be a very normal looking red headed teenager in a yellow suit with a red lightning bolt at the chest. The coloring reminded Percy of a fast food restaurant. Gods, he was hungry. He hadn’t eaten in a day, at least. The suit went straight from a cowl that covered the upper half of his face and led his red hair to flop out down to his feet in some sort of built in boots. It was technically a onesie.

“Who are you supposed to be?” A caped kid asked as he appeared at Percy’s right, keeping careful distance. He looked younger than the others but Percy knew a fighter when he saw one.
“More importantly, what are you?” The dark haired boy who had been trying to punch the giant into submission, demanded. He wasn’t wearing a suit like the others, just a dark t-shirt and cargo pants. With a start, Percy recognized the S symbol on the dark haired boy’s shirt. That was the same symbol as the one on the chest of the guy who Diana of Themyscira was always standing next to. Superman. He frowned.
“You’re the Justice League?” Percy narrowed his eyes, scoffing. "Camera must add fifteen years."

,

“My teammate’s questions stand.” The boy with the glowing swords from before spoke, his weapons were gone now. Their leader, Percy figured.
His eyes swept over the group, as he kept the blade taut at his side. There were six of them. The onesie guy, the green girl, the girl with the arrows, guy with glowing swords, the caped kid and possibly Superman.

The ocean stirred once again. Home turf, he reminded himself. There was an inherent safety Percy felt, even surrounded by enemies. The water churned at his feet, swirling further. He could dive in- the thought poked at his brain. He could dive in and hide in the sea and no one would be able to find him ever. But that wouldn’t really help him with his main goal.

“My name’s Percy Jackson. I need to talk to Diana of Themyscira,” Would they even know her by that name? In everything Percy had seen, she was referred to as Wonder Woman. “Wonder Woman, I think she’s supposed to be one of you.”

“Yeah,” The red headed boy said, “Nice try. You don’t just show up here, destroy a few city streets and demand to talk to one of the founding members of the Justice League.”

“It is certainly one way to get an audience.” A woman’s voice spoke as she descended from the clouds above. She looked like a goddess, standing a few inches taller than Percy. She was a striking woman with a long, narrow face and steely blue eyes. Her hair was long inky black running down her back, pulled away from her tan face with a silver circlet. The sun above cast her face in a halo.

Glowing sword boy's head jerked up. "Wonder Woman." He exclaimed.

“I’ve been expecting you, Perseus Jackson.”

“You’re Diana?” He asked. How did she know his name? He must have known her from before last week. Maybe they were even friends. Percy could only hope they weren't enemies. She radiated power and Percy was not eager to take that. A giant with a brain the size of a golf ball was one thing, against an experienced and intelligent warrior, flocked by... well, Percy didn't know how experienced or intelligent the others were, but they armed and some of them were clearly powered. Percy's exhaustion and empty stomach didn't bode well for him.

On reflex, he straightened. Percy knew he must have looked insane. He was filthy, the dirt and grime on his clothes the same as a week ago. It’s hard to reason spending cash on a laundromat when that same money could go to making sure his stomach wasn’t attacking him with hunger pains for another half day, he had just been washing his clothes in streams and water foundations, where ever he could find. To top it off, Percy was exhausted. He had running on half an hour of sleep and a thing of vending machine gummies he ate forty eight hours ago. Yeah, Percy looked like a madman. She fixed her intense gaze on him for a moment, scrutinizing his features before she glanced back at the others.

"I am."

Percy’s sword hand faltered, lowering only slightly.

“If you’ll give us a moment please.” She said, in a calm but commanding voice. "The beserker must be dealt with still."

The assorted mix of teenagers and kid in colorful costumes didn’t protest Diana’s orders and all slunk away with minimal grumbling to deal with the corpse of the giant. Percy didn't know exactly what the green girl's powers had done but he was not clear on whether that guy was still breathing. Did the Justice League kill people? For Percy's sake he hoped not.

“Sorry, my memory's pretty fuzzy, it's gone actually.” Percy blinked as they left. “Just checking, do we know each other right?”

“We do not.” Diana tilted her head to the side. “But I was told you would be coming.”

“By a talking horse?” Percy blurted, uncertainty was knotted tightly in his chest, refusing to allow him to lower his sword fully.

At that Diana’s face showed the same confusion Percy was feeling, gazing at him quizzically. “No. There was a prophecy.”

Something about the word made Percy’s blood go cold.

“You fight like a Greek, Perseus Jackson.” Diana said after a minute of contemplation. “Who trained you?”

“No clue?” Percy muttered. “Like I said, memory’s wiped.” Logically, Percy knew he probably had been trained. People don’t just pick up swords and do what he could. Except that's exactly what had happened.

“It’s something I have not seen for many years. Many, many years.”

“A friend gave me your name, she said you could help.” Percy's shoulders wanted to relax. He didn't think this lady was an enemy. Didn't want to think that in a couple minutes he would have to be fighting again. He wanted it all to be over. Wanted to go home. Wherever that was. He resisted the urge.

“This friend was a talking horse?” Diana’s voice wasn’t cold but it wasn’t warm either, both of her eyebrows were raising as she waited for clarification.

“Yeah.” Percy felt a sudden surge of protectiveness for Blue Jeans.

“Help you with what?”

Percy’s chest fell as his expression went slack with disappointment. “I was kind of hoping you knew.”

“If you do not mind, Perseus Jackson.” She held out a piece of golden rope from her belt, that glowed just like his sword did. Percy only blinked at her. Did she want him restrained? Because that was not happening. His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword. "What?"

“It is my lasso of truth. It shall simply determine the validity of your words.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Then we will have no issue.”

"If I lie, will I, like, explode?"

"The lasso will compel the truth out of you. It shouldn't have any physical consequences." Diana's brow quirked in what, if Percy didn't know better, he might have thought was amusement.

"Is a polygraph an option?"

"This is simpler." She asserted.

Suppressing a scowl, Percy reached out for the lasso.

“What’s your name?”

The lasso forced the words out of him before he could even think it through. “Percy Jackson.”

“And what is your business here?”

“I don’t know. Like I said, I was told to seek you out by a talking horse named Blue Jeans. I don’t remember anything from a week ago.”

The rest of the story followed out, as the golden rope tightened around his hand. The way he had just woken up in the middle of a field, the horse guiding him. He described his past week, running from place to place, fighting things because they were attacking other people and Percy didn’t know why but he couldn’t let that happen. He told her about the guy who had shot him and the way the water had healed him.
Diana watched him with curiosity. "The prophecy foretold of a son of Poseidon. Is that you?"

The sea god? Percy couldn’t say the thought was any weirder than everything else.

“I don’t know,” He admitted as the words kept spilling out. “I can’t remember my father. Or if I have one.” Percy knew he had a mother. Or had had one at some point because he missed her. When he saw a mom and a little boy walking down the street, he knew that at one point, he had experienced that even if he couldn’t put a face or a name to the feeling. Nothing stirred in him when he thought of his dad. Was it this sea guy? It would make sense, with Percy’s water powers. If his dad was some kind of god, he could probably help Percy, help him get home or remember at least. The only thing he could remember clearly was the name of the girl that floated around his brain, -Annabeth- He really had to figure out who she was.

“The ocean responds to you.” Diana observed. “I would make an educated guess that you are the same as me.”

Percy released his grasp on the lasso. “What do you mean?”

“A demigod.”

“A demi-what?”

Chapter Text

“Do you understand?”

“Uh huh.” Percy did not understand.

“So, this sea guy-” Percy started, shifting from one foot to another, under Diana’s piercing gaze. He let his bronze sword hang down at his side. Wet sand clung to his shoes and socks, coating the bottoms of his jeans with tiny grains. It was rough against his skin.

“Poseidon.” She clarified, her tone still even and diplomatic.

He had a dad, he knew his name. He could find him. Percy was pretty sure that was a good thing. If his dad was some sort of god, then he definitely could help Percy get the rest of his memories back. Had his family been looking for him? Percy wondered if they had missed him as much as he missed them. Even if he couldn’t remember anything about them, he felt their absence like a hole in his chest. He hoped, distantly, that they had missed him, that they had been looking for him. Pretty depressing if there was no one.

“My dad,” Percy corrected, bluntly. “Where is he?”

Diana had known he was coming. Had his father told her? Percy’s eyes shot around his surroundings, as he backed up and turned in an aggravated circle, surveying the beach. “Is he here?”

“No.” Diana said somberly, eyes softer than before, taking the step towards him that he had taken backwards so the space between them was roughly the same as before. “You don’t know?”

“I don’t know very many things. No memory, remember?”

Diana stood, watching him carefully, her stance wasn’t threatening but Percy wasn’t ready to let his guard down. A powerful, regal aura radiated off her being. He couldn’t get a clue on how old she was. She didn’t look old, early thirties maybe? But she held herself with a maturity and wisdom that leaned far beyond her years. Her outfit was more of a costume than a uniform, a red and blue bodysuit that left her arms and legs exposed. He didn’t think it would be very practical armor. With all her uncovered skin and the low neckline might as well have had a STAB HERE sign pointed at it. But maybe she was like him and she didn’t need armor. All of it seemed more ceremonial with her silver armbands and tiara emblazoned with a red star emblem. With her flowing dark hair and tall stature, she cut an almost intimidating figure. He could understand why they called her Wonder Woman, a normal person probably would have been curled up in a ball, crying if they saw her with the slightest bit of anger in her piercing blue eyes. She was looking at him with sympathy, which Percy thought was much, much worse.

“Perseus, I’m afraid your father is not here. He won’t be able to help you.”

“He’s my father.” Percy said forcefully. “He’ll-”

Did an Ancient Greek god have a paternal instinct? Percy couldn’t remember if he loved his dad or not. If his father loved him.

“He has faded. It is as close to death as gods can get.”

For a second, it was as if Percy remembered something. “He can’t be. There’s no way. I just-”

“Just what?” She prompted.

The memory was just as quickly snapped away from his grasp.

“I don’t-“ His jaw tensed, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. “Forget it.”
Percy glared up at her instead. “You said there was a prophecy. Do I have to do something? Am I supposed to bring him back? Restore Olympic rule or whatever?” If there was something Percy could do to get his memory back, he would. If it meant raising an ancient undead Greek god, he wasn’t sure how he would go about that, but Percy would figure it out. How hard could it be?”

She shook her head regally. “It only told of your arrival.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sorry.”

Percy felt the glimmer of hope of a possible connection to his memories, being crushed under the feet of a hundred thousand giants.

“What about my mom? Where is she? Is she gone too?” His voice cracked. He had meant to let the emotion into his voice. The last week must have been catching up to him.

Diana’s eyes had a sympathy in them that made Percy want to crawl out of his skin. “I don’t know your mother.”

“But she could be alive? Right? You don’t know.” Percy took a staggered step back. “You don’t know.”

He wanted to ask about Annabeth- the girl with the blonde hair. Was she dead too? Horror grabbed at the edges of the memory and he forced it back down, tucking Annabeth and her blonde hair safely back into his head. He didn’t want to speak her name, he couldn’t- she wasn’t dead until he knew without a shadow of a doubt. Until then she was alive. She had to be alive.

“You don’t know.” He whispered aloud, more to remind himself than anything. His parents could be alive. Diana didn’t know that they weren’t. He couldn’t stop the tears pricking at his eyes. His chest had become so tight it was almost hard to breathe as he took another staggered step back. He could only vaguely hear the increasingly large waves crashing against the shore.

“You’re right, Perseus. I don’t know.” Diana’s voice was gentler than it had been before, less dipolmatic and more personal. “In fact, I do not know anything about you.”

The tide from the waves crashed up against his legs, further soaking the bottoms of his jeans.

“However, I know that we are the same. I had thought I was the last demigod. But here you are.” She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. Percy balked at the sudden contact. “That makes us family. Of a sort. I would like to help you.”

Percy scoffed but he couldn’t find it in himself to push off her hand. It was the first human contact he had in that week that wasn’t a fight.
“Ten out of ten job so far.” Percy said, sarcasm dripping from his dry, humorless tone.

“Let me try at least. Are you hungry?”

Percy was starving.

-
“It’s called ice cream.” Diana explained as she set the familiar desert in front of him.

“I’ve had ice cream before.” Percy said, digging his spoon into the mountain of a sundae he had ordered the second Diana had said she was paying and took a large bite. He had already inhaled the burger and fries she had ordered him. The full hunger torturing him the last week, suppressed by the pure adrenaline, had turned into a shockwave as soon as the smell of greasy, grilling food entered his nose.

Diana had brought him to a mostly deserted mom and pop diner on the boardwalk. Most patrons had run when the giant had been tearing through the streets, ripping up concrete roads and knocking down street signs like they were pylons so Percy and Diana were the only ones in the place, seated into a corner booth. The whole place looked like it had been torn straight from the 1950s with its checkerboard floors and red vinyl booths. Like something straight out of Pleasantville. That fit especially since Percy had learnt the town he was in was called Happy Harbour which Percy thought that seemed a little too optimistic.

He probably should have paid closer attention in school. He’d been cursing that recently. Especially geography, it seemed like cities had been popping up out of thin air that Percy swore he had never heard of.

“In my opinion, it’s the best thing about the world of man.” Diana said, eating her own, much less ravenously than Percy had been.

“You don’t have ice cream where you’re from? Uh, Themyscira?” Percy stumbled over the pronunciation.

“No, we don’t.”

“That’s the home of the Amazons, right? The ancient warriors- not the delivery company.”

“You’re correct, Perseus. Though I was not aware of any delivery company?”

“You should look into trademark laws on that.” Percy shrugged.

Diana raised an eyebrow with an amused tick of her mouth. “Your semantic memory seems to be in tack.”

“My what?”

“You remember common knowledge, the names of things and places and basic facts. Same goes for your procedural memory, you still remember the things you learnt.”

“Like the fighting.”

“Yes, exactly.” Diana placed her spoon back down on the table. “You’re very skilled.”

“Thank you?”

“You don’t recall anything? Your teacher’s name, possibly?”

Percy shook his head. “Sorry.”

Diana frowned. “It’s a very distinct style. The same style as me but you wouldn’t have learnt it from the Amazons.”

“Because I’m a guy?”

“Exactly.”

“It’s reminiscent of the ancient greats. Hercules, Achilles, Theseus.”

Percy nodded, the names were familiar to him. Percy polished off the last bit of his sundae, scraping the side of the plastic dish to get the remaining. “You said you were a demigod like me? How does that work if you’re an Amazon?”

“My father is Zeus.”

“I hate him.” Percy said, words spilling out on reflex. It felt right.

Her eyes had gone wide. “You- you know him?”

“Just a feeling.” Percy muttered. “No offense.” He added on as an afterthought, it was her dad after all.

“I’ve never met him.” Percy’s nose crinkled. Was being an absentee dad an Olympian thing? Percy was becoming less and less of a fan. “Much like your father, he is long faded.”

“Hey, Zeus and Poseidon were brothers, right? Does that make us cousins?”

“I believe so.”

Percy racked his brain to try and remember if he had regular cousins or if the world famous superheroine was his first one. “Uh.. cool.”

“I agree.” Silence swelled between the two of them. Diana regarded him with genuine warmth, tilting her head so her dark hair spilled over her shoulders. “I had thought I stood alone in my family line. It is very nice to no longer.”

Percy nodded, overwhelmed by the sentiment. “It’s nice to not be alone, period.”

In the last hour and a bit, he had found out his part of his family or, faded or whatever. And then he had found another part. A whole world famous superhero cousin, which Percy didn’t know much about cousins, but he was pretty sure that was better than a normal cousin who was like an accountant, or something. If his dad couldn’t, or wouldn’t, help him, Percy thought Diana’s account might have been a bit generous, Wonder Woman was the next best thing. She probably knew people who could help him get his memory and stuff. Maybe that’s why Blue Jeans has directed him to her. “You’re sure we don’t know each other?”

“I would have remembered you, Perseus.”

“About that, it’s just Percy.”

Chapter Text

“In other news,” Diana clapped her hands together lightly to emphasize.

The Watchtower meeting had already come to an end but Batman had yet to utter his official dismissal that permitted Earth’s mightiest heroes to return to their day jobs.

“I will be undertaking a protege. My cousin and my fellow demigod.”

“That’s amazing, Wonder Woman!” Captain Marvel was the first to speak, excitement lighting up his features. “I did not know there were any more demigods other than you.”

“Neither did I.” Diana agreed. The idea of not being the last demigod was still something she would have to get used to. The Greek gods had long faded out, their power dying little by little as fewer and fewer people believed in them. As such, having less and less children until Diana had believed she had stood alone in her family line. Until the son of Poseidon had, falling straight out of a prophecy, and onto the beach in front of Mount Justice. Bronze sword in hand, and the sea in his veins. He was currently, as he had put it, killing time, in her apartment.

"I second that." Black Canary tilted her head so her loose hair fell over her shoulder as she looked at Diana, curiosity on her face. “I’ll admit, Wonder Woman. I thought you were against the practice.”

“In the general sense, yes.” Diana gave Batman a pointed look before turning back to her blonde teammate. The Dark Knight didn’t react, used to the grief she tended to give him over Robin at this point. “This is a special case. He is a very promising young hero.”

“He?” The brown haired Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, turned his head, looking at Diana in disbelief as if she had misspoke.

Diana only nodded. “Yes. My cousin, as I said.”

The other members of the League looked at her in curious anticipation as Hal took his place as the spokesperson for their collective confusion.

“I didn’t think you had any male relatives.” The Green Lantern raised a singular eyebrow. “Thought that was your thing or something. Or have the Amazons started adopting?”

“Perseus is not Amazonian. On my mother’s side, I do not have any male relatives. I had previously believed my father’s side to have died out, I am delighted to learn that is not the case.”

At that mention, she felt her eyes shifting to her friend on the other end of the table. The only other person who might relate to recently learning they were no longer the last of their kind. Kal-El sat stiff as a board, his broad shoulders pulled back with tension as the Man of Steel stared straight ahead, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Will he be joining the team?” Canary asked, leaning back into her chair.

“I think it would do him well.” There was only so long Perseus would stay put. Diana needed time to figure out where he had come from and why he was here now. The team would help her bide time.

“We all look forward to meeting him, Wonder Woman.” Kal-El added, with a strained smile, the same one that appeared on his face as every time anyone brought up anything to do with the team of sidekicks and the boy- Diana did understand his reaction and his avoidance. She tried to smile reassuringly at her friend but, as was becoming a new norm, he dodged her eyes.

Their situations may be the same but their circumstances were quite different, Diana thought. Perseus was her family, long lost, but her family nonetheless. She could not pretend to know what it was like with him and his clone, the Superboy. To have your own DNA stolen from you and made into a weapon, intended to kill you, even if that weapon had the face of a child. Kal-El's discomfort was completely understandable. No, their circumstances were not the same as all.

"Thank you-"

“Hang on.'' Green Arrow halted, interrupting Diana’s train of thought as he threw a green gloved hand up. “You're not seriously talking about the kid with a goddamn sword that destroyed downtown Star City, are you?”

"Yes," Diana sighed. "Though, I understand that he was defending himself against Icicle Jr."

"That kid caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage. You're not seriously going to let him join the team? With all of our sidekicks? He's a loose cannon!"

"You certainly have a strong opinion for someone whose never spoken to him." Her tone was measured, diplomatic but firm, with an undertone of fierce protectiveness. “The destruction was not intentional. Of course, if there is anything I can do to help with the reconstruction, I will.”

“Is he dangerous?” Batman questioned in his typical monotone, interrupting before Green Arrow could take her up on the offer.

When a son of Poseidon had been foretold, Diana had expected someone, well, more like her. An ancient hero descended onto the modern age to help the world of man, glorious and wise. Percy was not that. He was just a boy. A confused, very powerful boy that he himself did not understand. The limits to his powers unknown to even him.

Even under the lasso of truth, he could not explain to her who he was, or why he was there. Could not explain why he fought like the many greats of Ancient Greece, as if he had been trained by Chiron himself.

Perseus was certainly powerful. Like her, he was powerful. Like her friends and allies, he was powerful. But also, like her enemies, he was powerful. Very powerful. Did that make him dangerous? Many people would consider Diana dangerous. Her eyes surveyed her peers sitting around the oval table. They were her allies, some of them her friends. She knew very well that all of them could be classified as dangerous. All of them could cause enormous damage, if they ever turnt or lost control. Their bodies were some of the most dangerous weapons in the world. If not that, then their minds, the resources at their disposal. Any of one of them, if they wanted to, they could. But that did not mean that they would.

Even exhausted and confused, he fought like the Ancient greats, as if he had been trained by the hero-maker, Chiron. Like Theseus, he commanded the ocean and it obeyed. Like Achilles, his skin did not break or bleed, not at the mercy of a giant’s swinging fist or an arrow hurtled directly towards his shoulder. Green Asshole, her cousin had called the archer sitting across from her. (Admittedly, Diana had giggled at that in the moment.)

“He is… powerful.” Diana admitted. Even through the whites in his cowl, she could see Batman’s eyes narrowing. “Precisely why I would prefer to keep him close.”

Batman nodded stiffly in response.

Arrow scoffed, gesturing his annoyance with a raised hand. “I'll say, kid flooded a landlocked city block.”

Batman fixed his gaze on her, ignoring Arrow's comment. “And this hydrokinesis, can you do that as well?”

“No. I cannot." Diana shook her head. "My power set is different from Perseus’. My father is Zeus, King of Olympus, hence flight, strength and lightning. Perseus’ is reflective of his father’s domain.”

“And that is?”

“Poseidon.”

“You mean to tell us that the Greek Paratheon is real?” Flash said, dubiously.

“Hardly stranger than aliens.” Hal leaned back in his chair.

“Yeah! Most of the beings that ancient religions believed in were all real to an extent." Captain Marvel explained. "Some were aliens, some were metahumans, but a few of them were the real deal. Like you, Wonder Woman. Many of them have faded over the years, they would have drawn their powers from belief. So less people who worship them, the less powerful they have. They start to fade, their power going away bit by bit. Until they disappear!”

"If they're wasting away, how'd one of them have a kid?"

“Exactly-” Aquaman cleared his throat, his face several shades paler than it had been moments ago. “No one has seen Lord Poseidon in hundreds of years. How can you be sure that this boy is truly who he says he is?”

"Well," The Captain coughed, uncomfortably, turning a bright red. "If there's one thing nothing can't stop a Greek god from doing, it's, well, you know."

“Besides all that, I trust him.” Diana said firmly.

“I must think of what implications this has for Atlantis.” Aquaman protested, before shaking his head. "If there is a son of Poseidon, he would have a claim to-"

“We can discuss politics at a later date.” Batman said brusquely. "This meeting is already overtime. Wonder Woman, if you wouldn't mind staying for a few minutes. We'll discuss."

Chapter Text

Percy had been half way through an episode of some daytime talk show when there was the faintest sound of a footstep.

The barely there sound sent shockwaves through him, lurching him off the couch and into action. It was much too heavy to be Diana, the muscular woman was inhumanely light on her feet.

Diana’s apartment wasn’t particularly well guarded. It was just in the top floor apartment, on a quiet street in Washington, DC, (a city that Percy was thankfully familiar with), in a pretty nice neighbourhood with lots of old trees. But as far as Percy knew it was a completely average building with scalable walls and breakable windows. The only security system Wonder Woman needed was the fact that she was Wonder Woman. But Diana wasn’t here. Percy was. She had been gone for the last several hours, off superheroing, not that Percy minded.

She had been concerned, almost, about leaving him alone. He had even promised not to flood the apartment and it hadn’t seemed to reassure her. Maybe this was what she had been worried about, somebody like Diana was bound to have a lot of enemies. If she was his cousin after all, did that make his enemies her enemies? Like most things recently, Percy didn’t know the answer to that. But she had been pretty nice to him, especially compared to everyone else Percy had encountered over the last few days. He wasn’t about to let somebody break into her apartment. It was the least he could do.

Percy rose from the couch. He kept his back closed to the wall as he slunk down the hallway, his socked feet silent as they shuffled down the hallway. If it was Diana’s enemies, he could handle that. If it was your run of the mill burglar, they were about to get the scare of their lives.

There’s a pause. Percy couldn’t hear the footsteps anymore, just the chatter of the talk show he had left on it, the door to the main room was open and Percy could see a man’s strange shadow casting down on the floor. Any faint hope he had that this was some sort of normal burglar was pushed from his mind. Percy should have figured. He didn’t have the luck.

The intruder wore a large, dark heavy looking cape that billowed out from his shoulders and gave him a strange triangular silhouette that enveloped his entire frame, making it impossible for Percy to tell if he had any weapons on him. It was a strange choice of armour, but weirdly practical.

Percy pulled the ballpoint pen from his pocket and popped the cap off. In a second, a formidable bronze sword formed from thin air, replacing the pen in his hand. The sword glowed in the darkened hallway, humming with power as Percy’s hand twisted around the familiar leather grip as he creeped further into the main room, trying to get a better look. The intruder’s back was to him. A dark cowl obstructed the back of his head, pointy ears protruding from the top, like a demonic Mickey Mouse. Immediately Percy didn’t like this guy. What kind of people wore capes? Self important assholes, that’s who. Seriously. Percy crouched low from his spot behind the door and prepared to attack, his sword extended in front of him and held taut. Then he turned towards Percy.

The bottom half of his face was exposed and Percy could see a firmly set frown on the man’s thin lips as he turned as the intruder's eyes narrowed on him.

With a swift motion, Percy lunged, Riptide slicing through the air as the intruder dodged his attack with ease. The cape swept behind him, swallowing everything behind him into a black hole. The costume was really ridiculous but Percy could still recognize a threat when he saw one. This guy had to go.

Diana’s living room seemed to shrink around them as Percy raced forward. The intruder was quicker still, grip tightening around Percy’s shoulder and driving him against the wall. Percy couldn’t feel the impact. Riptide stayed in his hand.

The lower half of the intruder’s face wasn’t armoured, Percy thought as he recovered, leaping forward. He could drive the blade into his cheek. Percy made another dashing move towards the intruder as blade made contact with armour instead of flesh. But not Kevlar, instead clashing against silver bracelets, knocking him back.

“Diana.” Percy grit out, socked feet catching on the carpeted floor as he recovered from the force of the push, glaring at Diana, in full Wonder Woman regalia. She stood in front of the intruder, blocking Percy’s attack. “Friend of yours?”

“Yes, actually.” Diana lowered her arms, the intruder took a step forward so he and Diana stood on equal footing. “Perseus, meet Batman. Batman, my cousin, Perseus.”
Part of him bristled at the use of his full name. The other part screamed at him that this was not the time. His entire body was still wired. Interrupted adrenaline coursed through his veins, keeping his eyes narrowed.

With the intruder (Diana’s friend?) standing straight on, the cape was no longer obstructing the bat insignia on the guy’s chest. Percy recognized it vaguely. He hadn’t paid very close attention to any of the other members of the Justice League that weren’t Diana but Percy recognized Batman from some of the pictures online. He wasn’t as public of a figure as some of the others like Diana or uh… the blue and red guy.

Percy had tried to read the Wikipedia page on the League, which made no sense, it was like the words were a jumble. To Percy’s enormous frustration, he retained less information than he had started out with. Bat-guy was from another city Percy was sure he had never heard of, Gotham. In the League, which seemed to have a primary colour requirement, Bat-guy wore all black, Bat-themed tactical armour, his face permanently cast in shadows, as if he was allergic to the sun. Momentarily, Percy wondered if the guy was a vampire. He was standing stock-still, like a cardboard cutout, his entire look awkward and out of place in Diana’s apartment. It was a weird get up, the only place he might have fit in was a Dracula cosplaying convention and he probably still would have been considered overzealous. He was still glowering at Percy.

“Heads up would have been nice.” He said icily, turning to Diana as Riptide flicked through the air before resting at his side. “I almost cut his head off.”

Diana ran an elegant hand through her long black hair. “If we could not decapitate anyone, I would truly appreciate it.”

Percy didn’t make any promises.

“I see the family resemblance.” Bat-guy said in a low growl, his voice inhumanely low. Another point in the possible vampire category or just a guy who needed to lay off the cigarettes.

Percy’s attention snapped back his attention back to the Bat-guy. “Anyone ever told you you shouldn’t sneak up on a guy with a sword?”

“Perseus, I invited him.” Diana said, lightly. “Besides, I do not think he can help it. Let us all put our weapons aside. We are among friends.”

Percy made no movement. If this was Diana’s friend, that did not make him Percy’s. No. Percy was not among friends.

“Please, Perseus.” Diana sighed.

Percy scowled at the targeted question because he was the only one openly brandishing an glowing bronze sword in the living room. If it came down to it, whose side would she be on? She had called Percy family but they hadn’t really known each other all that long. He obliged reluctantly, tapping Riptide’s cap to the top of the sword. The weight changed, automatically becoming a discreet writing utensil, keeping it twisted in his hand, ready to draw at any moment.

“How did you do that?” Bat-guy questioned harshly.

“I don’t know.” Percy shrugged, forcing the casualness of the movement as he kept Riptide twisted between his fingers. He smiled ruefully. “Problems of magical memory loss.”

At least, Percy assumed it was magical. It would be beyond embarrassing if it wasn’t. If he had just fell and hit his head or something. Like if he had walked into a stop sign. How would that even work, if he was invulnerable? It had to be something magic. Something magic, something Greek. And it was probably old. That’s what he had so far. Old Greek magic.

“Only your autobiographical memories?”

That’s what Diana had called it, he cast a glance over to her. “Sounds like you already know.”

Diana looked between the two of them, no guilt on her features. “Batman is the leader of the team I told you about.”

“I don’t really have time. I’m pretty busy,” Percy exhaled air from behind his gritted teeth, aiming for casualness as he drew Riptide from his pocket, keeping it in pen form, twirling it between his fingers. “You know, raising ancient gods from the dead thing. Still got to figure out the logistics on that one.”

Out of the corner, he saw Bat-guy stiffened. Something Diana hadn’t mentioned?

“Kidding.” A sly smile tugged at Percy’s lips. Then he shrugged, a laugh bubbling up in his throat. “Mostly.”

“It would be a very valuable battle experience-”

“I have battle experience.” Percy said, a touch of frustration beginning to enter his tone.

“Modern battle experience.” Diana clarified.

Percy raised an eyebrow. “You mean running around in a cape and tights?”

“It would be good to be around children your own age?”

“Additionally, these children have been trained by some of the greatest heroes of the Justice League." Bat-guy added in. "They will be some of the best one day."

“Neither of us know how old I am.” Percy argued. “I could be thousands of years old. Or like forty-two.”

“You certainly have the maturity of a teenager.” Somehow it was more offensive in Bat-guy’s monotone.

“Oh, says the guy dressed up as a giant bat.”

“Enough.” Diana said firmly.

“Look, Di,” Percy moved towards the kitchen, turning his back on the pair momentarily before leaning up against the wall. A tension Percy couldn’t understand was already rising up in his chest, he had to work to keep his voice light. “It’s cool what you do, people need it but it’s not really my thing.”

“Perseus,” Diana’s eyes always felt like they could see through his skin. Percy didn’t feel nearly as invulnerable under her gaze, shifting back uncomfortably. “I came into this world, knowing nothing. It was only through other people that I built a life in the world of man and,” she added on thoughtfully. “Recovered from the loss of my home.”

Percy whipped back to face her, his hands curled into fists.

“My home isn’t gone, I just can’t remember mine.” Percy spat out. His wasn’t- it couldn’t be. Percy could feel it, or at least its absence, it was heavy in his chest, the weight of nothing. He had a home, it was just out of reach. Percy would find it. “You’re the one who was banished from yours.”

The sheer cruelty of the idea he would have been kicked from his home without a memory in his head was unthinkable- there wasn’t anything he could have done to deserve that. Right?

Hurt didn’t flood Diana’s eyes as her shoulders drew back. Percy watched her carefully, waiting for anything to flit across her features. She didn’t lunge at him in a rage. No, just her unwavering, infuriating calm. Good-natured help only went so far. Even for family. Diana had done a lot for him over the last few days and Percy couldn’t get any sense of the line. Even now, Diana fixed him with a sympathetic gaze that made Percy’s skin crawl.

“You’re right, we’re not the same.” Diana intoned. “I truly believe this would be beneficial for you, as it was for me. While we figure out a way to regain your memories.”

Percy straightened. If he became like Wonder Woman, an international hero, nearly worshipped. Maybe he could get his father’s attention. If Percy could just get his attention- Percy swallowed the tightening lump that had formed in his throat.

"Fine," He said sharply, flicking Riptide between his fingers. “What do I have to do?”

Chapter Text

AUGUST 19TH, HAPPY HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND

“Initiate combat training. 3, 2, 1.”

The cave’s automated voice rang off in its emotionless monotone. Artemis stood reflexively at the edge of the main room of the cave, eyes surveying the training ring, a faint turquoise dome light cast down around them as Superbody and Aqualad circled each other. Superboy threw the first punch,
Artemis shifted, Miss Martian was standing next to her. She should say something, shouldn’t she? But what? Out of all of her teammates, Miss Martian was the second newest.

The others had already known each other for years. Except for Superboy, who was a unique case, with the whole not even being a year old thing, but even they had known him before her and Miss Martian, their loyalties were already set. Miss Martian was also undeniably powerful. The very idea of telepathy unnerved Artemis, and it took a lot to do that. It wouldn’t hurt to have Miss Martian on her side if things did end up going to shit, especially if Miss Martian could literally melt her brain if she was on the other side. Artemis liked her brain the way it was, unmelted and not telepathically torn to shreds. The fact that the bubbly girl next to her, outright staring at the sparring boys in front of them, could even do that was disturbing. Could she hear her thoughts know? Artemis spared a seconds short glance at the green-skinned girl standing next to her. That would be mortifying if she could, any foothold Artemis could have hoped to gain with her very new teammates, most of who didn’t trust her as far as they could throw her. She looked away just as quickly, eyes darting back to Superboy and Aqualad’s fighting forms.

If M’gann could actually hear her now, she must be some sort of saint or she was gathering intel on her. It was hard to imagine Miss Martian as any sort of successful spy but Artemis was from Gotham; she knew appearances were deceiving and it would be a major mistake for her to write Miss Martian off, especially when she knew so little about the extent of her abilities. Artemis could make nice for now.

That broached another spot of trouble, how did she do that? What did you even talk to an alien about? What do you talk to an alien that is simultaneously a teenage girl about? Artemis wasn’t even clear for the most part on what normal teenage girls talked about. Artemis had friends, she had people she ate lunch with at school and didn’t mind doing group work with- but making them had never been her forte. Besides, she didn’t really hang out with them or talk to them more than to complain about the weather or whatever teacher was being the worst that day. She didn’t really liked them most of the time and they were also so different than Miss Martian, Miss Martian looked like she had walked off the set of a teen rom com and fell into a vault of green paint.

“Kaldur’s, uh, nice, don’t you think?” Artemis said aloud, catching Miss Martian attention away from the spar. She folded her arms across her chest.

“Handsome, commanding, you should totally ask him out.”

“Kaldur? He’s like a big brother to me. But you know who would make the cutest couple?” Miss Martian grinned, Artemis had been right, she wanted to talk about boys. Looking over her shoulder to where Kid Flash was stuffing his face. “You and Wally.” Artemis raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“You’re so, full of passion and he’s so full of, uhhh-” she trailed off.

“It?” Artemis countered. Miss Martian laughed and Artemis felt herself joining in. In the background, Artemis saw Superboy and Aqualad past Miss Martian head, they collided once more. With a quick move, Superboy swept Aqualad’s leg out from under them.

“FAIL, AQUALAD.” The cave’s automated voice rang out as Aqualad’s back hit the glowing floor.

“Black Canary taught me that.” Superboy said proudly, brushing off his hands as a gust of powerful wind filled the cave from the opening at the top. The swirling cyclone brought down Red Tornado, the android's long blue cape, the only clothing he wore on his otherwise metallic body, trailed off behind him as the tornado around his legs faded into faint red ripples through the air.

Kid Flash dashed forward to meet him at the front of their group. Superboy and Aqualad not far behind. “Do you have a mission for us?”

“Mission assignments are the Batman’s responsibility.” Red Tornado looked impassively at Kid Flash, robotic unblinking eyes not shifting over to the growing gathering.

“Yeah, well, the Batman’s with the Robin, doing the dynamic duo thing in Gotham,” Kid Flash pointed behind him, as if to emphasize the lack of Batman-ness in the cave. “But you’re head somewhere, right? Hot date? Or a- a mission?”

“If we can be of help-” Aqualad offered but Tornado glanced backwards to the zeta tube.

“I don’t expect you will be bored much longer.”

“0-3, Wonder Woman.”

Artemis’s head dashed up at the sound of the cave’s automated voice watching as the Amazonian princess came into sight as the light from the Zeta beam shone behind her. Wonder Woman never visited the cave. At least, not in Artemis’ limited experience and based off the widened expressions of her teammates, she doubted it was common. “B-08, Wonder Boy.”

Appearing in the glow of the Zeta, was someone Artemis recognized sharply. The boy from the beach. Percy Jackson. He had introduced himself then and demanded to talk to Wonder Woman and she had appeared. If only getting a mentor had been as easy for Artemis, who knew you just had to shout at the sky and Wonder Woman would fly down?

“I would like you all to meet my cousin,” Wonder Woman spread her arm in an elegant, fluid motion, gesturing to the teenage boy standing behind her who looked at them with a skeptical expression. “Meet Wonder Boy. He’ll be joining your ranks for the team being.”

He looked around at them, his brow raised behind windblown bangs. Artemis could definitely believe they were family. They did look alike, at least in her opinion. They had the same dark dramatic hair and tan skin with almost unnaturally cut good looks. More than their features, they both radiated an aura of power, The kind that was not human, not alien, but something… much more. Wonder Woman’s backstory was that she was some sort of goddess. Was this new Percy Jackson, Wonder Boy whatever he was called, some sort of god as well? He had an edge to him that wasn’t present in Wonder Woman.

A danger that swirled in his eyes, also greener than Wonder Woman’s, and in the way he held himself, tense, yes but casual, like he was completely ready to jump into battle at a moment’s notice and the thought didn’t rattle him a second. Even though he had been filthy and obviously extremely exhausted on the beach, he had fought like a demon, in a style that Artemis had never seen before and she knew, if not was trained in, a lot of styles.

He didn’t wear a super suit, or anything resembling anything Wonder Woman’s armoured regalia, instead he was in blue jeans with a rip over the knee and a Wonder Woman hoodie, blue and red with a swooping golden W that cut across the chest, the kind Artemis knew for a fact that you could find at the League of Justice gift shop.

“You’re the guy from the beach. Percy Jackson!” Kid Flash exclaimed, racing forward to the front of the group. “Huh, I guess you did know Wonder Woman after all.”

“Uh, yeah.” Wonder Boy shrugged, impassively, a dangerous tilt never leaving his eyes. He didn’t have a Greek accent like Wonder Woman, instead a gruff New York accent that came from the godly newcomer. She didn’t let it catch her off guard, her eyes scanning over the rest of her teammates to try and gauge their reactions. He glanced back at Wonder Woman, who looked at him encouragingly. “That’s me.”

Aqualad straightened his back and stepped forward. “I’m Aqualad, welcome to the team, Wonder Boy. This is Superboy, Kid Flash, Artemis and Miss Martian.”

Miss Martian gave a short wave, the only one of them to respond in turn to her name. Superboy cast him a glare that Percy- Wonder Boy didn’t seem particularly intimidated by. He smiled in response, though it was more of a smirk as his eyebrows lifted in amusement. “Did all your parents lose a bet or something?”

No one else laughed.

“Uh, yeah, the guy named Wonder Boy.” Kid Flash retorted.

Wonder Boy coughed. I didn’t come up with that name. Just call me Percy. And we met, a few days ago, with the giant guy?”

“Not our usual job but the Berserker had attacked close to our base.” Aqualad said.

Wonder Boy nodded. “Yeah, nice, uh, mountain? You got here.”

“I assumed Wonder Woman mentioned that we are a covert operations team?”

Wonder Boy shrugged. “The Bat-guy said something about it.”

“Do you mean Batman?” Superboy looked around the group, speaking for the first time. “When did you talk to Batman?”

“You mean the guy with the pointy ears?”

“Perseus,” Wonder Woman chided faintly, her voice barely a whisper and her eyes gave away her good humor.

“Yeah,” Wonder Boy shifted back to Wonder Woman. They were almost the same height. “Diana introduced us.”

“How do you not know Batman?” Artemis questioned, the Gothamite in her speaking. “Everyone knows Batman.
”
“I just got here.” He shrugged, glancing back at Wonder Woman and Red Tornado. Artemis figured that everyone knew Batman because, well, it was Batman. Even Superboy knew Batman and he had just come out of a test tube a month ago.

“You just got here? Did you grow up on some remote island that’s like stuck in Ancient Greece?”

“Sure, something like that.” He turned back to Wonder Woman. “Sorry,” he said awkwardly. “Small talk’s nice and all, but you said you had something?”
“Yes,” Wonder Woman said. “Red Tornado, if you’ll do the honours?”

Red Tornado turned back around as a blue keypad appeared under his heads. A picture soon appeared of an elderly man in a suit looking sternly at the camera, straight on in the sort of profile shot taken for League records.

“This is Kent Nelson, a friend. He is one hundred and six years old.”

Kid Flash leaned over to Artemis. “Guy doesn’t look a day over ninety.”

“And he has been missing for twenty-three days. Kent was a charter member of the Justice Society, the precursor to your mentors’ Justice League.”

“Of course.” A flash of realization passed through Aqualad’s eyes. “Nelson was Earth’s sorcerer supreme. He was Doctor Fate.”
Kid Flash scoffed. “More like Doctor fake.”

“You’re on a team with aliens and standing in a room with demigods but magic’s where you draw the line?” Wonder Boy asked, sounding genuinely confused.

“Aliens, sure. Demigods, we’ll see.” He shrugged. “But guys like this? Guy knows a little advanced science and dumbledores it up to scare the bad guys and impress the babes.”

Artemis rolled her eyes as Wonder Boy’s eyes let out a half muttered, disbelieving. “Okay.”

“Kent may simply be on one of his walkabouts but he is caretaker to the helmet of fate.” Tornado stated plainly.

Wonder Woman nodded in agreement. “The source of the Doctor’s mystic might. Nobody should need to tell you how powerful that is.”
“It is unwise to leave such power unguarded.”

Miss Martian spread her hands out. “He’s like the great sorcerer priests and priestesses of Mars. I would be honoured to help find him.”

Kid Flash’s hand shot up as if on cue, suddenly falling over himself to gain Miss Martian’s . “Me too! So honored I can barely stand it. Magic rocks.”

“You already know I’m in.” Wonder Boy said, directing it towards Wonder Woman. Her nod was barely perceivable.

“Take this.” Red Tornado held out a golden key. “It is the key to the tower of Fate.”

Kid Flash took it from him before flashing Miss Martian a toothy grin. “What are the chances we both admire the mystic arts?”

This was going to be a long mission, Artemis already knew it.

Chapter Text

“So, Wally,” Artemis asked, “When did you first realize your honest affinity for sorcery?”

“Well, I don’t like to brag but,” Kid Flash stretched, placing his arms behind his head to not so subtly look at Miss Martian. “Before I became Kid Flash, I seriously considered becoming a wizard myself.”

Artemis rolled her eyes minutely before looking back over at Percy. “What about you, new guy?”

Percy drew back from his thoughts, turning quickly to look at him. “Huh?”

“Have you never been in a plane before or something?” Artemis asked.

Percy couldn’t remember but he had been instinctively white-knuckling through the plane ride- the Martian bioship ride- whatever the fuck that was. Something about being up in the air filled him with a gut wrenching sense of wrong, hardly listening to the others' conversation as the blonde girl, “Nah, I don’t think so. Just feels wrong.”

“No planes on your ancient Greek island?” Kid Flash joked, spinning around in the chair.

“Guess not.”

“Do you prefer flying yourself?” Miss Martian, asked in a kind tone.

“No, I can’t fly.” Percy shook his head.

“Oh- I assumed because Wonder Woman could-“ Miss Martian spoke quickly, looking between Percy and Superboy, whose shoulders were hunched. Huh, Percy figured, there was something there.

“It’s cool. We have different things.”

“Like the water.” Aqualad observed. He looked at Percy intently with a curious look. “I’ve never seen Wonder Woman do that before. It’s very similar to Atlantean sorcery.”

Of course Atlanteans were real. Percy should have assumed by now. Just add it to the roster of aliens, demigods, superheroes. Percy wasn’t even surprised.

“I don’t think its sorcery. I don’t have to say magic words or anything to make it work- I can just do it.” Percy just shrugged.

Percy thought about Kent Nelson. Wonder Woman had thought there was a good chance Nelson might have a clue about Percy’s whole memory problem. It wasn’t any magic she had seen before but Kent was supposedly the expert. Just Percy’s luck- the guy would be missing when Percy needed a hand. Magic didn’t even exist in the realm of weird that was Percy’s life. It wouldn’t even be half the weirdest thing Percy had seen in the last… fifteen minutes considering he was sitting in a literal Martian ship. “I’m pretty sure my sword’s magic.”

Artemis leaned forward in interest. “The bronze one you had on the beach? Do you have it with you?”

Percy dug Riptide out of his pocket, turning it over in his palm.

“Uh, sorry, dude, I hate to break it to you but I think that’s a pen.” Kid Flash repeated with evident disbelief and a undeserved bravado.

Percy grinned. “Just wait.”

Percy stood and took off the cap and it sprung to its full length, the bronze sword glinting in the bioluminescent light of the bioship. All the others stared at the sudden appearance of the blade as Percy turned the blade over in his hand, the movement fluid and natural like it had always fit in his hands. “It’s Anaklusmos- Riptide.”

“That is… a magic sword, alright.” Artemis agreed.

“Shrinking technology.” Kid Flash argued. “Molecule manipulation. Same as my suit or half Artemis’ arrows.”

“I’ve never seen anything like it.” Aqualad remarked. “Where is it from?”

“Don’t know. I just had it when I woke up.”

“When you woke up?” Artemis looked up at Percy, her eyes narrowing in brief confusion. Before she could continue questioning Miss Martian cut her off.

“We’ve reached Tornado’s coordinates.”

Percy’s gaze moved back to the open windshield as the bioship flew lower over an mostly empty street.

“Nothing’s there.” Superboy vocalized everyone’s thoughts. There was a few brick buildings, with boarded up windows and a lonely car parked on the street. The street lights flickered with light inconsistently. What looked like a closed off theatre stood solidly in the middle of the block, the painted blue letters on the sign advertising a movie from years ago were crooked, the paint chipped off in large chunks.

“Take us down.” Aqualad dictated.
-

“There’s nothing!” Kid Flash said, coming to a loop after his fourth super-speed lap around the field and any surrounding city blocks. His brow was furrowed in deep thought as he looked past his teammates’ shoulders. “This isn’t simple camouflage.”

“So what do you think, adaptive micro-opto-electronics, combined with phase shifting?” Artemis retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Absolutely!” Wally looked over at Miss Martian, his attempts to impress the mostly oblivious girl were getting old to the extreme with a smile that was not as smooth as he thought. “Not! Clearly mystical powers are at work here.”

Percy kicked at the dirt with the toe of his sneaker. A few crickets chirped in the background in the otherwise perfectly silent night. “It’s probably right in front of us.”

“A test of faith.” Aqualad murmured, holding up the key Red Tornado had given him. He took a step forward. “Stand behind me.”
Aqualad held up the key in the air and turned it. The sound of a lock unclicking sounded out in the empty field as a tower suddenly appeared before his eyes, made of brown stone and taller than any of the buildings around them. His eyes widened in shock as he staggered back half-a-step, the magic pen in his hand just as quickly, his thumb pressing on the cap to push it off and summon Riptide in a second. “What the-”

Percy really needed to stop being surprised.

Aqualad pushed the door open tentatively, looking back at his teammates before stepping inside.

The logical part of Percy’s brain told him that walking blindly into the magic death tower was probably a bad idea. Percy was pretty generally against the idea of dying. Especially the idea of dying with a bunch of strangers with not even a memory of home. If he wanted those memories, Nelson was his best chance. Wonder Woman hadn’t thought it was a coincidence that Nelson had disappeared on the same day that Percy had arrived, twenty-three days ago.
It wasn’t as if he could let Kaldur go into the magical death tower by himself. The pen still gripped tightly in Percy’s hand, he headed inside. A normal person never would have stepped blindly into the magic tower that had just appeared at random, but nobody could have ever accused Percy of being normal.

The room was emptier than the street had been. The floor, walls and ceiling, was all made up out of blank stone that made the place look like a torture dungeon. All it was missing was the odd skull and it could have been straight out of the dark ages. Percy suppressed the shiver that ran up his back. The only thing on the wall was a few torches, radiating light throughout the room. Percy turned, surveying the room with creeping dread. Every wall was identical, they might as well have been exactly the same, marked with nothing- not even.

“Where’d the door go?” Superboy asked.

A magical buzz filled the air and Percy’s hand tightened around the pen.

“What’s happening?”

An apparition that looked suspiciously like the picture of Kent Nelson Percy had seen in the cave- only if he had been made out of golden pixie dust materialized in the cave, his voice booming off the walls. “Greetings. You have entered with a key but the tower does not recognize you. Please state your purpose and intent.”

Kid Flash spread his arms out to the side with a shit-eating grin, taking on a fantastical voice. “We are true believers, here to find Dr Fate.”

The apparition glared, at least as much as Percy thought a ghost could glare, disappearing like a mirage. The floor let out a groaning creak as it shifted under Percy’s feet, wobbling unsteadily. A sound, bubbling like lava, began to echo throughout as the stoney floor began to break apart
Percy yelled, joining the course of startled sounds from the others as the floor gave way and they all plummeted down.

The fall lasted only a few horrible seconds, Percy felt the pool of fire underneath them before he saw it, the heat radiated out in heavy, oppressive waves, smoke came up in plumes, hitting Percy in the face and covering the pit in smog. His breath caught in his throat as Percy pushed the cap off the pen in his hands. Riptide sprung to life just as quickly as Percy swung the blade out, catching it in the rocky wall of the cave. His arms strained as his muscles tightened to hold himself up by Riptide’s hilt. Below him was a bubbling pit of certain fiery doom.

Superboy’s harsh yell dragged him out of his own doom. He was below Percy, less than an inch above the lava.He had caught the wall by his fingertips, curling up to hold his feet above the pool. His boots had burnt away with a splash of the lava. His skin was miraculously unharmed. “Those were my favourite boots.” Superboy growled. “This Nelson guy better be worth it.”

The others were caught in suspension, Aqualad and Artemis were pressed against the wall, dangling from a grappling hook- where the fuck had she gotten that from? Miss Martian flew above all their heads, having caught Kid Flash with one arm, her flight wavering as she grit her teeth. “I’m- having trouble- maintaining altitude.” The heat had brought beads of sweat to her forehead that dripped down her face. “So hot.”

“You certainly are.” Kid Flash’s nerves showed by his tight smile.

“Wally!” Artemis yelled.

“Hey! Inches above sizzling death- I’m entitled to speak my mind!”

“My physiology and M'gann are susceptible to extreme heat.” Aqualad spoke, voice sounding equally strained. “We must climb out quickly.”

Percy held onto Riptide with both hands, as he tried to pull himself up. The metal heating up with every second over the lava pit, getting dangerously hot. It should have been burning but his skin didn’t even seem to blister. His eyes shot up to the hole above them- where they had been standing minutes ago. Miss Martian swayed in the air, her green face growing paler by the minute. Her own weight seemed almost too much for her to support in the face of the deadly heat, supporting Kid Flash on top of that- she was going to fall. They floated down agonizingly slow, nearing Percy. Miss Martian wavered mid-air. Percy swung out with his free hand without thinking. “Grab onto me! Miss Martian can try to fly without your weight.”

Kid Flash’s hand coiled around Percy’s wrist and he gripped back, Miss Martian wavered again at the motion. Percy’s arm staggered under the added weight.

“Hello, Megan!” Her voice was laborious as she slapped her own forehead lightly, the eased weight seeming to let her think. “We never truly answered the question! Red Tornado sent us to search for Mr Nelson and the helmet!”

At Miss Martian’s words, the floor under them sealed, stone flooring covering the bubbly pit of lava. The wafting heat was gone in an instant. Superboy jumped down onto the floor. “It’s solid.” He called back out.

Miss Martian’s flight totally gave out. Percy and Kid Flash plummeted down with her as she fell, Kid Flash still holding onto her and Percy holding onto Kid Flash. Riptide was ripped out with him. Percy hit the floor hard.

The impact confirmed the floor’s solidity in case he had doubted Superboy’s report. The floor was cold underneath him, no residue of the burning heat which had been torturous only a second ago.

He groaned, rolling onto his side. The fall hadn’t hurt as much as it should have. Artemis and Aqualad landed with a touch more grace, swinging down from their grappling line as Aqualad knelt, pressing a hand down to the stone floor. “This platform, it should be red-hot, but it is cold to the touch.” Percy looked around at the others. No one else seemed to be hurt, no burns from the lava or broken bones from the wall. Percy was only glad that he didn’t land straight on top of Riptide. Only Megan seemed weakened, her shoulders hunched in, unsteady on her feet. Kid Flash spread an arm around her shoulders. His cheesy grin appeared like it had never left. He just would not quit, even seconds after sure death. “Don’t worry, Megalicious, I got you.”

“Enough!” Artemis cried, angrily, shoving Kid Flash back as she stormed forward. “Your “little impress Megan at all costs” game nearly got us all barbecued! If Wonder Boy hadn’t grabbed you two, you would be roasting right now!”

Percy sheathed Riptide, tapping the cap to the pen-sword as it shrunk back down to size in silent agreement. He looked down at Aqualad still examining the floor, ignoring the argument behind him.

Wally exclaimed incredulously. “When did this become my fault?”

His fingers were webbed, Percy realized, flexing his own subconsciously. The Atlantean was mostly humanoid, at first glance, he would be convincing but there was a few details, the gills at his neck, the webbing on his fingers.

“When you lied to that- whatever it was and called yourself a true believer!”

“Wally,” Miss Martian said quietly. “You don’t believe?”

“Fine! Fine!” Kid Flash waved his hands in the air. “I lied about believing in magic! But magic is the real lie- a major load!”

“Seriously- that’s where you’re actually drawing the line?” A frown creased Percy’s face. The redhead’s voice was starting to grate.

“Wally, I studied for a year at the conservatory of sorcery in Atlantis.” Aqualad’s voice was impenetrably calm. “The mystic arts created the skin icons that power my water bearers.”

“Dude, have you ever heard of bioelectricity?” Wally retorted in his seeming constant need for disagreement. “In primitive cultures, fire was considered magical too! Today, it’s all just a bunch of tricks.”

“You’re a pretty close-minded for a guy was breaking the sound barrier in his sneakers.” Percy responded dryly.

“That’s science.” Kid Flash glared. “I recreated Flash’s lab experiment and here I am! Everything can be explained by science.”

“Look,” Percy started, he took a step forward into the centre of the group. “Whatever. Can we all agree, no more lying because clearly- ghosty up there
wasn’t a fan and I wasn’t the biggest fan of the whole dangling over a fiery pit thing.” He said it, pointedly, his patience waning to nearly non-existent. Kid Flash seemed determined to make everything harder, just to prove a point, making about six hundred dumb jokes along the way.

“Fine by me.” Artemis folded her arms. “Kid?”

“Fine.”

“I’ve found something.” Aqualad interrupted, drawing Percy’s gaze down to where he was still crouched. The Atlantean pushed down on a spot on the floor, a pressure point of some sort.

“Wait!” Kid Flash yelled. “The back-draft from the lava will roast us alive!”
A cold wind shot through the open trap door instead, running a chill over Percy’s skin. Flecks of snow blew through the pit as cold winter air blew around them.

“It’s snow!” Miss Martian exclaimed delightedly, holding up a hand to catch some of the flakes.

“Do you ever get tired of being wrong?” Artemis asked Kid Flash, a snide grin of her own on her face.