It was a sunny morning, the buildings on fire, the tornado raging on and the city still submerged, all in all it was a normal day.
And in one of these burning buildings, lounging within a luxurious condo was our protagonist filling up magazines of various guns laying beside him.
[1st person pov]
Man who knew that filling up magazines was such an arduous task, but was it worth it? Absolutely!
I mainly used guns for crowd control or when I want to enact John Wick on some leaders, otherwise I used my cool glowing swords to cut down hordes of monsters and it was therapeutic, don't let them tell you otherwise.
*crash*
*Sigh*"How many times have I asked you to come through doors Kelli?" I asked the Empousa with whom I sort of got a friendly relationship with.
"Meh, doors are overrated" came the reply "Anyways, you were planning to go to New York anyway. I just did you a favour"
*Sigh* That's Kelli, she is friendly within reason, she only tries to kill me a couple of times a day instead of a lot of times a day which I count as progress.
Blocking a punch with my elbow I asked "What are you doing here, Kelli? I thought we agreed to meet when it is time to leave."
"Joe wants to meet." she said as she sauntered around the room.
"Joe huh? What does he want this time"
"Don't know, Don't care" she went to the edge of the broken "He just told me tell you, it's urgent. So, be there or be square" Aaaand she jumped out.
"Haaahh...." I gave out an tired sigh as I thought about what Joe wants now.
Oh! You don't know who Joe is? He is the same Harpy leader I killed when I came to this world.
[5 months back]
'Shit!'
That one thought summarized the scene infront of me, the city was like a real life manifestation of a comic-book panel of hell.
Chances are there would be no time to rest as I enter the city, but I wanna shit so bad.
What to do? What to do?
Fuck it! We going to the city boys!
As I approached the city I could see imaginary ominous aura wafting of the city. I entered the city silently keeping a lookout for any kind of attack.
I had walked a few miles before I could find a house on a hill, calling it a house would be an understatement it was gorgeous white mansion with a walk up, garden, fountain and everything 'Good to know I was in rich part of the town.'
The hill was half submerged in water.
First things first, I took a shit, then I started to explore the mansion, someone filthy rich used to live here, but I guess they too perished with the rest of human race judging by what the harpy said.
There were plenty expensive items, chandeliers even the paint job looked expensive and fortunately whoever lived here had a ten year old boy.
I started to look through the clothes and came to the realisation none of them would fit me. I was little more than four foot, I started to go through his I guess older brother's clothes and he must have not been much older cause they were a little loose but they were better than air tight shirt. I then went to the garage and boy oh boy did the owner had taste, infront of me were three cars. I lifted the covers to confirm my suspicions and what was under brought rush back into my body.
Infront of me was a classic 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback GT 390 in blue with white racing stripes with a leather interior standing side by side with, Oh My gods! A restored Ford GT40 with red paint and white racing stripes.
And the last car was a classic dark green Porsche 911S. The owner must have been quite the car collector, after covering the cars back and sealing the garage doors with whatever I could find I started to close all the curtains and locked all the doors and windows. I double checked the garage doors.
After making sure everything was sealed except a hole I made in one of bedroom windows, I do not want to suffocate. I took a shower, turned off the lights and I climbed upon my newly acquired (seized) King-sized bed.
I had not thought of nor did I had the energy to ponder why everything was working perfectly.
Off to dreamland I went.
[In the dream]
It was all hazy, sort off like looking through a layer of smoke, I was walking, someone was holding my hands giggling, I looked down to see a little girl holding my hand and holding a man's hand.
The man looked at me with a fond smile, he leaned over to give me a kiss but was interrupted by a loud noise coming from The Empire State Building, 'It's New York then.'
A beam of light originated from the top of the building, then a wave emanated from it spreading outwards. I carried the little girl in my arms with the man following behind us but the wave was much faster, I watched as the man was consumed and he disintegrated into dust.
The wave passed over me and the girl, I crouched down holding the little girl in my arms tightly who was bawling loudly seeing her father? being disintegrated.
Seeing no disintegration taking place in me or the little girl, I had just sighed in relief when I caught the sight of a stampede of monsters. Immediately I was running in the opposite direction with the little girl in my arms when I was tackled by a demon dog over fourteen feet tall.
I crashed into a car, holding the little girl, she was fine but the dog immediately attacked ripping off one of my arms, just then an Empousa appeared out of nowhere stabbing me in the back.
I was kneeling over the crying little girl, blood pouring all over her yellow dress "Mama! Mama! Mamaaa"
Tears fell on her face "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry I couldn't prote-"
The last thing I heard before it went all black was "REPENT" then I woke up with a start. I wiped my face feeling the wetness on my face.
[Dream ends]
I had just taken a shower and put on some clothes when I started extremely uneasy, my heart was hammering in my chest.
I opened one of the windows slightly and it looked like the city had come to welcome it's newest resident. The whole hill was surrounded by various monsters, I could see cyclops, laestrygonians, manticores, a couple of centaurs and the rest were harpies.
Immediately shutting the window, I thought of how to get out of the situation because no way in hell I want to fight for days at end and why were they still waiting? It was well past midday which means I had slept for more than ten hours. My stomach was growling like a hellhound, if I did not eat anything quick I would die from starvation before the monsters outside get the chance to kill me.
I tried to focus on my connection with the water around the hill, feeling the faint tug in the gut I tried to control some water in a glass, the glass exploded.
Grinning I went to open the front door of the mansion, I was greeted by the sight of a twelve foot giant with one of the best sneers that I had seen arguing so loud with a almost seven foot tall harpy I could hear it uphill, the same harpy I had killed yesterday, do monsters resurrect in this universe too?
"Why do we have to keep waiting?!" the giant spat "There is a demigod in there, the first live breathing demigod in almost a decade. Me and my brethren want to taste that delicious godling, who are you to ask us to wait?"
The harpy seemed to mutter something I could not properly hear but that did not seem to satisfy the giant, I was hoping they would fight amongst themselves and spare me the easy task of cleaning uo the stragglers but no! As the saying goes fate is a bitch! The giant started to gather his army and the rest and began closing in. I pulled on the connection with the water around me.
The monsters halted in their approach as water began to rise in to the air around them, they looked around to find the culprit standing on the front porch, hands raised, face full of concentration, teeth gritting. The monsters realised two things, one, the demigod was the one controlling the water, and more important than that, who the godly parent of said demigod was.
As the monster realised the severity of the situation they began to sprint towards the demigod to claim the prize but the same moment they realised that, the demigod smacked his hands on the floor and a ripple spread.
The hill began to shake thunderously and the water came crashing down on the monsters. Most of the monsters flattened like an ihop pancake but those who were spared had lost their footing because of the impromptu earthquake, the water slithered towards them, binding them, entering their bodies through their orifices, tearing them apart from the inside.
The only one spared was the harpy, only because he had backed away when the water rose in the air.
Seeing there were no monsters I relaxed a little, unfortunately that little was me going down on my knees like a puppet that got his string cut 'Man, that was fucking tiring, it was like completing an iron man triathlon' I thought between labored breaths 'How did I manage to produce an earthquake? I was only thinking of slamming down the water'
I tried to scan my surroundings to see if there were any left, but it was difficult, I had to fight the urge to fall asleep. I could see someone coming my way hands raised, I willed the water to form a spear.
[3rd person pov]
"Woah, Woah, woah kid I am not here to fight." the harpy held his hands up in a surrendering gesture "Just here to talk and deliver some food" he held up a big plastic container "I'm guessing you have not eaten yet. I have got some chicken alfredo with chicken breasts, seasoned, I am not that much of a monster, some rice, beans, tortillas, salsa, seared fish and chicken curry."
He showed the container to the downed boy, the boy was looking confused, alternating his gaze between the container and the harpy.
"Nice handiwork back there, could have told you were son of the sea god. Would have saved me yesterday's trouble. Here, eat" He said sliding the box towards the boy.
The boy backed away a little, casting a suspicious glance at the box and the harpy.
The harpy in a placating manner said "No, it is not poisoned. I assure you it is not."
Seeing the boy was still not believing him, he sighed and held his hand up " I swear on styx that the food is not poisoned, nor it will cause any form of harm "
They both looked up hearing the distant sound of thunder " See-"
Next second there was a gaping hole through his head, right where his mouth should have been.
The harpy rolled his eyes falling down.
[1st person pov]
'Food, food, food' I happily chanted as I picked up the container, entered the house and locked the door.
[5 hours later]
[Random pov]
There was a knock on the front door of the mansion. The door opened itself to show a harpy waiting at the front, the harpy entered the house surprised to see a water tentacle by the door.
The tentacle then guided him to where the boy was present, he was taken to the entrance of the kitchen.
The boy was sitting by the kitchen Island, his swords laid on top, the boys eyes followed him daring him to make any moves.
Taking a quick glance at the water around him the harpy spoke in a gruff voice "Well that was completely unfair, I said I had come in peace. Blowing a hole through me was completely unnecessary."
The boy quirked an eyebrow at the statement.
"Fair" the harpy shrugged "Now, you do you know how to speak or they did not teach that where you had swam out of? My name is Joe by the way, hope the food was to your liking, hadn't cooked in decades until you came along, it was hard to procure some ingredients."
(Silence)
The boy was scrutinizing him from top to bottom, his eyes gave this ghostly green glow like he was judging him for every feather on his body. Just as he was speak up to fill the awkward silence.
"Percy"
The name barely reached him 'Percy, So that is his name', accepting that it was all he was going to get out of him for now, he tried to contin-
"You are a harpy aren't you? You are aren't you? Oh man I knew it. And your name is Joe, that does not seem very greek to me or is this progressive thing? Doesn't matter, how are you alive cause decapitation seems very permanent to me and there is not even a scar. Or is it not enough for monsters? Did you resurrect? You resurrected didn't you? So, every monster I kill is going to keep resurrecting forever and keep coming after me, innit? FUCK! Now I have to sleep vigilantly all the time, look over my shoulders, always second guessing things. That reminds me why did you keep them waiting to attack me? It's not like I am ungrateful or anything but seems a bit out of character considering what happened yesterday. And why is the city submerged, fire I can accept keeping in mind 'Monsters, Duh' but water seems out of place, cause let me tell you something I have got three classic beauties, wheewwww, that are begging to be driven and I can't to do that if the city is submerged now can I? Look man you have got to look at the car, they are-"
'Oh GODS!!!' the harpy thought in horror, 'Does being son of poseidon exempt you from breathing?' he watched as the boy continued on and on criticizing the dishes.
[Flashback ends]
And after that Joe would only deliver food, swear on river styx it was not poisoned and fly away before I got the chance to talk. Weird I had pegged him for a talker.
Anyways, I had caught him one time and asked him about humans and the world. He had told me after the disappearance of the humans the world went into a stasis. Everything halted but that did not mean there were not some major problems but the bigwigs? took care of them and the world was functioning as it should just with some major aesthetic changes.
He and I managed to drain the city of water in some parts of the city but not all because it just keeps filling up.
Then my life sort of fell into a rhythm I go into to sightsee, drown some monsters, snatch some new clothes, cut some monsters, drive my (since when?) new cars around, shoot a lot of monsters.
The bullets for guns were made from things that affected the monsters like celestial bronze, imperial gold or the bones of monster corpses. A cyclope made them, a friend of Joe. He was even happy to make them.
What? Why did the monster corpse not disappear? Well Joe told me that they still disappear but take a little longer to do, if you can take anything out of there for personal use you can keep it.
Well the rest is history, after some time the monsters stopped attacking me on sight and asked for fight to death or a spar.
*Click*
Loading up the last magazine, 'It's time to meet Joe.'
[Random pov]
Walking the streets you could see smaller centaurs running in the streets, harpies perched atop buildings yelling at each other and some laestrygonians chucking iron balls covered in flames at each other.
Seeing Percy they greeted him.
"Hey Percy!" "Hello there!"
"Hey Percy! Catch" Ducking under the hypersonic flaming ball Percy berated the giant "Duck my foot! You idiot! You know damn well I would be flying with the ball you overgrown dirtmuncher. Don't make me call your mom again."
The giant who threw the ball shivered at the mention of his mom and the other one just laughed pointing a finger at the first one until he was punched in the face.
The harpies stopped there argument for a moment to greet Percy ""Hey Percy"" "If you are looking for Joe is at the usual place"
"Got It"
After walking for a few more minutes he came to a halt infront of a giant building. The sign at the top read 'Joe's Diner'.
He entered the building and was almost got trampled over by a giant.
"Heyhey Percy!" the giant greeted him "Sorry didn't see you there, Joe's at the back"
Thanking him Percy went to the back of the kitchen, greeting everyone on the way, dodging and retaliating a few attacks.
At the back he met Joe working on something "Hey Joe, you wanted to see me?"
Joe turned around and said "Ah Percy, just the boy I wanted to see. Wait a minute just done with this."
Joe finished his dish and addressed him " Come on Percy, walk with me"
They exited the building through backdoor and walked in a particular direction.
"Percy, you are leaving today, so I thought of telling you something" hearing the serious in his voice Percy gave his full attention, atleast as much as he could afford "You never asked me what happened to godlings such as yourself? Which I am thankful for but from what I know of demigods you know or have some sort of inkling to what happened."
Seeing Percy nod Joe continued "I won't talk about others but I am going to share about me and It is true, I can swear on styx if you want."
Percy shook his head "No need, If you wanted to hurt me you would have done so long ago."
"Hahaha, never change Percy never change " He said with a bitter tone, then with a jovial tone continued "Okay maybe a little"
They both laughed at that. Joe spoke "This is going to be difficult for me so, I ask you to listen to the end."
Seeing Percy nod, he continued "The day the beam wiped away humanity, it also turned monsters instincts upto eleven. I was working in camp during those days, Yes Percy there were camps for safeguarding and training demigods. There were quite a few actually and some of them had some wild feats, like I heard some punk defeated Ares the god of war, can you believe that ?"
As Joe laughed, he failed to notice the look in Percy's eyes.
"Anyways, those kids were the best, I used to cook for them that is why I am familiar with the human cuisine, man you should have seen the kind of combination they used to come up with." The jovial tone suddenly turned somber "That was a long time ago, the day beam and the wave happened, all I could see was red, I could not control my urges."
He gulped and instead of the usual chirpy harpy, there was a sad defeated harpy "The lives I took that day, those smiling faces asking for weird food, I am still....hmm haunted might not be the right word but I still remember those blood on my hands."
He took a deep breath "I am not asking to be forgiven or some shit like that, I could not control myself well until I guess you showed up." He blew a big sigh " I guess what I want to say is that, I..... I........I just want to see a demigod growing up one last time."
He looked straight into Percy's eyes "All I wanted to ask was, If you allowed I would like to come with you on this trip."
Percy remained stoic, his gaze remained unreadable as he looked into Joe's sad yet hopefull eyes.
"You can't do that."
Joe deflated into sadness "I could understand that, why would want a mons-"
"When did I say that you could not join?"
Joe looked puzzled. Percy in a fussy tone spoke "Only the captain asks someone to be in his crew and I am the captain, not you" pointing a finger at Joe.
"Hahahahahahaha" Joe lifted Percy up and begin to spin around.
After setting Percy down, Percy asked "So, Joe wanna join the crew of the man who is going to be strongest demigod to ever live."
"Hahaha Yes." "Can't really say it's a competition if you are the only one alive can you?"
A voice spoke from the shadow, which revealed itself to be Kelli. *Bark* And her hellhound Bruno.
"I was wondering when you would join us?" asked Percy "So, wanna join this impromptu crew?"
Kelli gave a grin which showed all her teeth "You bet your ass I do? And Bruno is joining as well." *Bark* The ten feet tall dog barked wagging his tail back and forth.
Percy and Joe just shrugged looking at each other.
They all began to laugh, even the dog. Then Percy asked Joe "So, where were you taking me?"
"Oh Yes, Come with me it was something if you would have said yes and well I guess you have said yes. Kelli you come too." He asked them to follow him to warehouse.
Reaching the warehouse, he opened the gates for the rest to see inside a surprising sight.
In the warehouse was an RV of astronomical proportions, attached to it was a tow in which you could transport multiple vehicles and in the front was his third favourite car, a Bentley continental GT.
"I had prepared this to travel with you and Shell is also coming" He pointed at the cyclope who waved at them hearing his name being called out "The RV is created by Shell to let us travel alongside you with ease and the tow can store upto six cars, so choose your favourites."
"Can't he make one to store all my favourites?" whined Percy.
"No, Percy. Remember your Porsche."
[Flashback]
We can see Percy in His Porsche 911S with Kelli in the passenger seat doing doughnuts in an empty parking lot when *POP* a backwheel popped, whirling the Porsche forward into a cement barrier.
" Myyy PORSCHE NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
[Flashback End]
"Why do you have to remind me of that?"
Joe shrugged.
*Sigh*"Okay, let's get ready after today's revelation we are going to go three days from now" Percy said "Get your shit ready because we going Newww Yooork!" *Bark*
~Omake~ (Non-Cannon)
The Sleeping Molester
Two laestrygonians were playing catch discussing about different stuff when the topic shifted to recent hot news, the demigod.
"Why don't we just attack him when he is asleep?" one asked "Might find his weakpoint too."
The other one looked at him like he was looking at a moron "What and end up getting violated, no thank you"
"What do you mean getting violated?" The first one sked confused.
The second caught the ball with wide eyes "You don't know?"
"What?" the first one asked irritated.
"You really don't know huh?" the second asked wide eyed "It's quite a famous story actually."
"Will you tell me already?" the first one was looking furious now.
"Okay okay calm down a bit" the second one said in a placating manner "It happened a few months back, when the demigod was new here, five monsters decided to attack him in the middle of the night, when the demigod would be asleep. They had infiltrated the house and they were just outside his bedroom when water tentacles caught them from behind, gagging them, hoisting them in air, all limbs spread apart."
*Gulp* The first one gulped in fear.
"The Bedroom opened. They were expecting the demigod to come and finish them with his sword but instead he was half asleep, he stumbled infront of them and raised his hand. Expecting quick deaths they closed their eyes but the death never came, instead the water started to enter everywhere, and I mean everywhere."
They shivered "When they were resurrected they couldn't say much for a few days but one of them told us that the water tentacles controlled them to the demigod's wishes until the demigod woke up, killing them after seeing them in such a state, which they thanked the demigod for when they could meet him. Since then no one has tried to attack him in sleep."
"Damn" the first one said astonished "What do you think of challenging him only when he is awake?"
The second one nodded in agreement, then they went back to playing catch.
(Omake End)
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I am trying to pin down the personality, so it is a little messy.
Thank you for reading!