Work Text:
Percy was having a okayish weekend.
Which was honestly impressive, considering she had started the morning optimistic.
Her mom and Paul had decided that a “family weekend trip” to a place called Jasper would be “relaxing,” which translated to Percy being trapped in the middle of nowhere with bad cell service. Not that she even used her phone much, but she still felt entitled to complain about it.
Normally, Percy would have loved the peace and quiet.
But she had been stuck there for almost two days already, and somehow that was enough to make her want to throw herself into the ocean out of boredom.
At least Estelle was cute.
Percy adjusted her baby sister against her shoulder as she walked farther into the desert, the evening sun stretching gold across the sand and rocks. Estelle was wrapped in a tiny blanket, half asleep against Percy’s chest while clutching Percy’s orange Camp Half-Blood shirt with tiny fists.
“You’re lucky you’re adorable,” Percy informed her.
Estelle blinked happily.
The desert stretched endlessly around them, orange sand glowing beneath the setting sun. Honestly, Percy had only gone out because she needed a break from the cabin they were renting. Paul and Sally were making dinner together while acting disgustingly in love, and Percy had realized very quickly she was going to lose her mind if she had to witness another shared smile over pasta sauce.
So: desert walk it was.
The ground suddenly shook beneath her feet.
Percy stopped immediately.
Then a massive silver-and-purple robot crashed through a cliffside, firing purple blasts behind itself while another giant machine chased after it.
The second robot was blue and red with glowing blue optics and a giant freaking sword.
Percy froze.
“…No.”
The robots kept fighting.
The silver one suddenly transformed into a fighter jet.
Percy physically recoiled.
The jet screamed overhead before transforming back into a robot midair.
“That should not be physically possible!”
Estelle giggled like this was the greatest thing she had ever seen.
“Seastar,” Percy whispered, horrified, “the jet became a person.”
Percy turned around immediately.
“Nope. Nope. I’m done. I’m leaving. Giant robot death battle? Not my problem.”
She started speed-walking away.
Behind her came explosions, shouting, and the sound of several tons of metal punching each other through rock formations.
Then a deep mechanical voice echoed across the canyon.
“Unknown organic lifeform detected.”
Percy stopped.
She turned around.
Very slowly.
Three identical robots stood on a ridge above her, their red optics glowing against the darkening sky.
Percy had no idea what they were supposed to be called. All she knew was they looked exactly like evil background robot villains from a superhero movie.
One tilted its head.
Percy stared back.
Estelle sneezed.
The robots immediately locked onto the baby.
Percy’s expression dropped.
“Oh, absolutely not.”
The robots transformed instantly.
Into jets.
Percy’s brain finally gave up trying to understand reality.
“WHY ARE YOU ROBOTS *AND* JETS?!”
The jet launched toward her.
Percy ran.
Sand exploded behind her as blaster fire ripped through the desert.
Estelle started crying.
“It’s okay!” Percy yelled while sprinting faster than should have been biologically possible. “Your big sister is only being hunted by evil transforming murder robots! Totally normal!”
A blast hit the ground beside her.
Percy jumped ten feet sideways on instinct.
The robots immediately noticed.
“The organic is enhanced.”
“Oh great,” Percy groaned. “Now I’m interesting.”
One of the robots transformed back and landed directly in front of her, blocking her path.
Its arm cannon charged.
Percy shifted Estelle protectively against her shoulder.
Years of fighting monsters kicked in instantly.
The Vehicon fired.
Percy ducked beneath the blast and uncapped Riptide from her pocket. The celestial bronze sword appeared in a flash.
The robot paused.
“…Weapon detected.”
“Yeah,” Percy snapped, “I noticed!”
One Vehicon swung at her.
Percy slashed instinctively.
Riptide sliced straight through its leg.
The robot collapsed onto one knee in a shower of sparks.
Percy blinked.
“…Okay, that worked way better than expected.”
Another Vehicon lunged from the side, trying to grab her.
Percy rolled through the sand while somehow keeping Estelle safely against her chest.
“WHY IS THIS MY LIFE?!”
The robot reached for her again—
Percy stabbed upward blindly.
Riptide pierced glowing machinery in its chest.
The Vehicon froze before collapsing heavily into the sand.
Silence.
Percy stared at the smoking robot corpse.
“…I killed Wall-E’s evil cousin.”
The remaining Vehicons backed away slightly.
Then suddenly all of them looked upward.
A massive shadow passed overhead.
The blue-and-red robot from earlier landed between Percy and the Decepticons hard enough to shake the canyon floor.
Blue optics flickered toward Percy and the baby in her arms.
The giant robot visibly paused.
“…There is a sparkling present,” he said carefully.
Percy stared up at him.
“…A what?”
The robot pointed gently toward Estelle.
Percy tightened her grip protectively. “This is my sister.”
The Decepticons opened fire again.
The blue-and-red robot turned instantly, blocking the blasts with one arm before deploying glowing energon blades from his wrists.
“Run!” he ordered.
Percy did not need to be told twice.
She sprinted.
Behind her came the sound of giant robots trying to brutally dismantle each other.
Again.
Honestly, Percy was starting to think the universe hated her personally.
Another explosion shook the canyon.
One blast struck nearby, sending sand flying everywhere.
Percy stumbled—
And instinctively reached for the nearest source of moisture.
The water in the air answered immediately.
Relief flooded through her.
“Oh, thank the gods.”
Mist swirled around her body.
The world dissolved.
A second later, Percy crashed face-first into the backyard of the rental cabin.
Estelle giggled happily.
Percy stayed sprawled across the grass for a full five seconds before groaning into the dirt.
“I hate Nevada.”