Chereads / Percy Jackson - Beyond the Gods / Chapter 6 - Chapter 6 - Normality

Chapter 6 - Chapter 6 - Normality

Percy Jackson was having a crazy dream.

In this extremely vivid dream, he saw his hateful teacher turn into some kind of monster, as if she had walked straight out of the books Mr. Brunner assigned for his essays and tests. Anyway, she attacked him, and his best friend since childhood appeared and saved him from the monster's claws; he couldn't watch anymore because he woke up.

"Weird..."

He found himself lying on the floor of one of the halls full of Greek relics. That fact alone was strange, but he also saw several broken statues. This brought back a glimpse of his dream: his friend kicking that monster with overwhelming, inhuman strength.

Did that really happen?

It wasn't possible, right?

It was all just a dream, and this was merely a coincidence.

Telling himself that and ignoring the bad feeling rising in his chest, he got up and started heading back to where his class was. He kept wondering how he had ended up sleeping in the middle of a hall and where the teacher who had called him for a lecture had gone.

Everything was so confusing that it was giving him a headache.

On his way back to his classmates, he was surprised to run into his best friend returning from the bathroom.

"Hey, Ikki. Did you see Mrs. Dodds?"

"No, why?"

Ikki turned to him and looked at him with confused eyes.

Percy frowned and shared some of his worries with his friend.

"Can you believe I don't know where she went? I only remember following her, then having a crazy dream and waking up alone in an empty hall, with no clue as to where she went..."

His best friend looked at him with pity, like someone looking at a disturbed person, and said, "You fell asleep during a teacher's lecture? I don't know whether to applaud your bravery or worry about your stupidity. You know she's going to ride you even harder after this, right?"

Percy felt a shiver down his spine at the thought of his dark times. Ignoring his friend's look, he said, "Well, whatever. Let's go back."

The two walked together as they chatted.

Outside, it had started raining. Grover was sitting at the same fountain where the three had eaten lunch, using a museum map over his head as a makeshift umbrella. Nancy Bobofit was still there, soaking wet from the earlier soaking, grumbling to her ugly friends.

When she saw Percy and Ikki, she said to the former:

"Hope Mrs. Kerr whipped your butt..."

"Who?" Percy asked, blinking.

"Our teacher. Duh!" Nancy replied, looking at Percy as if he were an idiot.

Percy asked Nancy who she was talking about. The redhead simply rolled her eyes and turned her back on him.

This left Percy even more confused. What was going on..? First his dream, then this strange event. It wasn't real, was it? He looked at his friend, who seemed as confused as he was.

Maintaining an outward facade, Ikki sighed inwardly. It seemed that letting his friend believe he had dreamed everything wasn't as effective. He thought this way they might both have a normal life for a little longer... Yet he had forgotten one important detail.

In this world, to hide the supernatural from mortals, there was a mystical force that acted as a kind of veil, distorting mortal perception so they couldn't see monsters, gods, titans, and other supernatural occurrences, replacing them with things their mortal minds could comprehend.

If he remembered correctly, the Mist was controlled by the goddess Hecate, whose job was to replace mythological events with visions of normality. The Mist could not only distort vision but also create false memories and suppress real ones. Someone must have used the Mist to make everyone forget Mrs. Dodds.

How could he forget something so important? Over the years, everything about his past life was fading away, even though his memory was photographic. It seemed inevitable...

Well, at least he didn't have to explain his powers and such. Not that he didn't trust his friend, but explaining everything and coming up with a good excuse for having those powers would be a pain.

The two approached Grover. As they got closer, Percy asked where Mrs. Dodds was.

"Who?..." he responded hesitantly, as if he knew who Percy was talking about but couldn't say anything.

"It's not funny, dude. This is serious," Percy said, frowning, growing even more confused.

Was it a dream or not? Or had he gone crazy and imagined a monster disguised as a teacher trying to kill him all year...? It couldn't be, right?

A thunderclap exploded overhead.

It wasn't possible since his friend also remembered the teacher in question.

After a few minutes of trying to make Grover stop playing around, Percy gave up and decided to see Mr. Brunner, who was still seated in the same spot, under a red umbrella, reading his book as if he had never moved.

Ikki sighed and accompanied him to the Latin teacher.

When they reached him, the teacher raised his eyes from the book he was reading and asked with a smile,

"Oh, Mr. Jackson and Mr. Phoenix. Do you need my guidance?"

"Sir, do you know where Mrs. Dodds is?..." Percy asked directly.

"Who?" Mr. Brunner looked at the boy, confused and lost, with a blank expression.

"The other teacher with us. Mrs. Dodds. Intro to Algebra teacher..." Ikki tried to help his friend a bit.

"Ikki and Percy, there is no Mrs. Dodds on this trip. As far as I know, there has never been a Mrs. Dodds at Yancy Academy. Are you both feeling well?" Mr. Brunner frowned and leaned forward, looking slightly concerned.

His response deeply unsettled Percy, leaving him even more confused.

This confusion lingered until the end of the school trip, when everyone boarded the bus back to Yancy Academy.

On the bus, Ikki looked out the window. Just like on the way to the museum, he was seated next to his two friends, in the seat by the window.

While the three remained silent, their classmates chatted and caused a ruckus.

However, he wasn't paying attention to that. Having faced one of Hades' Furies a few hours ago had made him reflective...

The Fury; Alecto.

One of the most famous monsters in Greek mythology, a Spirit of vengeance who served the God of the Underworld, Hades.

If someone said this monster was real, it was highly unlikely anyone would believe them. And if they claimed to have just killed this mythical creature...? Even less likely—someone "normal" would probably call them crazy and laugh at them.

Ikki had to stifle the ironic smile on his lips at the thought. From a certain perspective, ignorance truly was bliss. Mortals had no idea they could practically die at any moment, merely at the whim of a Being they considered a myth.

Setting aside his thoughts on the blissful ignorance of mortals, he reflected on his first encounter with a mythical creature.

Alecto, one of the Three Furies also known as the Erinyes; tormentors of the underworld who punished the crimes of the wicked. It was said that each Fury sometimes represented vengeance for a specific type of crime, but that wasn't something Ikki was particularly interested in learning more about, so he didn't delve deeply into the subject.

His encounter with such a monster brought a faint sense of disappointment. He thought one of the most famous monsters in Greek mythology would be more powerful, but that didn't seem to be the case...

Well, when was the last time he wished for an unrestrained battle? A fight where he could give his all? He had felt something stir inside him when he first saw that monster, but he chose to ignore it...

It was a feeling akin to a ball of fire burning within him. He had already noticed that this desire was buried deep within the core of his being. It was a thirst for battle, the ultimate yearning for excitement, rather than living a dull and monotonous life. He preferred to live on the edge—where he could fight to his heart's content!

Perhaps that was why he felt disappointed by the monster. It was too weak to give him that.

Ikki let out a soft sigh and glanced at his friends. Grover sat quietly in his seat, while Percy was looking oddly at a blonde woman seated near Mr. Brunner.

The woman seemed to be a cheerful blonde as she chatted with the students sitting nearby and with Mr. Brunner. She was Mrs. Kerr, the introductory algebra teacher—or so everyone was convinced. They were friendly with her, as if they had known her for a while.

Absolutely no one seemed to remember Mrs. Dodds.

Although Percy had dropped the subject about Mrs. Dodds not existing, it was only on the surface. Knowing his friend, he wouldn't give up until he found the truth.

Indeed, his recent actions only served to hide his powers.

Ikki turned his gaze out the window and couldn't help but think that the days leading up to the summer holidays would be somewhat eventful.

And as if his thoughts were a decree of fate, that's exactly what happened in the following days.

His classmates who had gone on the field trip and forgotten Mrs. Dodds weren't the only ones; no one at Yancy Academy remembered her. Percy thought they were all playing some sort of prank on him.

Occasionally, he would bring up Mrs. Dodds in conversation, hoping to catch someone off guard, but they would look at Percy as if he were crazy.

He almost believed it himself, if it weren't for Ikki, who also remembered her, and their other friend, Grover... who was a terrible liar. Whenever Percy mentioned Mrs. Dodds, Grover hesitated before claiming she didn't exist. Even a child could tell he was lying.

Well, putting aside Percy's futile attempts to uncover something about the mythical monster that attacked him during the last field trip, the rest of the days were normal for Ikki—or as normal as they could be. He continued doing his own things, like training at night when everyone was asleep and studying like any other regular kid.

Although Ikki was a troublemaker, it didn't mean he was bad at school; in fact, he never got a grade lower than an A.

Percy, on the other hand, was struggling. His grades plummeted from D's to F's. He got into more fights with Nancy Bobofit and her friends. He was sent out of class and made to stand in the hallway in nearly every subject.

He even shouted at his English teacher, Mr. Nicoll, calling him an old dipsomaniac—a polite way of calling someone an alcoholic.

In the blink of an eye, finals week arrived.

The night before the final exam, Ikki was lying on his bed in the dormitory he shared with Percy and Grover. He was reading a book about Norse mythology.

Grover wasn't in the dorm, and Percy was lying on his own bed, studying for the exams the next day. It was the week of final exams for the semester, so he was making an effort not to flunk. Or at least trying not to fail the Latin exam the next day, as Mr. Brunner had made it seem like a matter of life or death—and, for some reason, Percy believed him.

Although he was trying hard to learn, he was struggling to understand several things due to his dyslexia, and he was starting to grow impatient.

"Ugh, this is impossible," Percy groaned, closing the Guide to Greek Mythology book and placing it beside him on the bed. He stared at the dormitory ceiling and said tiredly, "I'm reading and reading, but I can't get anywhere. It's like books and I don't speak the same language."

"Well, that would be true if you were reading a book in another language. But that's not the case," Ikki said, closing his book. "Keep trying, Percy. I know it's hard, but you can do it. While dyslexia is a challenge, it doesn't make learning or reading impossible..."

Percy snorted and replied with mild sarcasm, "Says the guy who almost never studies but always gets good grades..."

He never understood how his friend, who also had dyslexia, got good grades—and he never saw Ikki study! At least, not beyond reading some books he found interesting.

"I just happen to have a good memory, which means I don't need to study as much to learn something," Ikki said casually, placing his book beside his pillow.

"I wish I had a memory like yours. How am I supposed to remember the difference between Chiron and Charon? Or between Polydectes and Polydeuces? And how do I conjugate those cursed Latin verbs?!" Percy said, frustration creeping into his voice.

"If you're talking about the difference in the stories of those four, I'm not an expert, but I'll explain briefly. Chiron is a centaur famous for training Greek heroes like Achilles and Hercules—that should help you remember."

"As for Charon—or Kharon, if you prefer—he's the ferryman of the underworld, responsible for crossing the river separating the world of the living from the world of the dead. Regarding Polydectes and Polydeuces..."

"The first was the king of the region of Seriphos, who, in order to get rid of Perseus, pretended to marry Danaë, Perseus's mother, and demanded the head of Medusa as a wedding gift, hoping Perseus would die. The latter is Castor's brother. In some versions of the myth, his name is Polydeuces, not Pollux, though they likely refer to the same person. He's the son of Zeus and Nemesis..."

Ikki explained calmly, grabbing a pen and the book he had been reading. He opened it and wrote something on the inside cover before showing it to Percy.

"These are the names written correctly. If you remember each story, it'll be easier to recall how to write them..."

Percy looked at the names written in a way that made them easier for him to understand and fell into thought. After pondering for a moment, Percy asked,

"I think I can remember now. But how do I use all the Latin verbs?...."

"Well, that I can't explain in a way you'll understand. Unfortunately..."

Seeing his friend's disappointment, Ikki thought of something to help and said, "Why don't you ask Mr. Brunner for help? I'm sure he's still in his office, and since you're one of his favorite students, he'll definitely give you some tips."

Percy, not wanting to fail, said hopefully, "You think it's okay?"

"I don't see why not. After all, he's a teacher. If a student needs help, it's his duty to assist, right? I can even go with you if you'd like..." Ikki offered with a shrug.

"Yeah, so I don't feel like a complete idiot going there..." Percy said, grabbing his book and getting up from his bed.

Ikki merely rolled his eyes at his friend's words. Before they left the dormitory, the two descended the stairs and headed toward the teachers' offices.

As they walked through the corridors where all the teachers' offices were located, they noticed that all of them were dark and shadowy, except for one.

When they approached, they saw that Mr. Brunner's office light was still on, and the door was slightly ajar.

Ikki and Percy were just three steps away from the doorknob when they overheard voices inside the room. Mr. Brunner had asked a question. A voice that was unmistakably Grover's replied, "...worried about Ikki and Percy, sir."

The two exchanged glances before moving closer to the door to hear what Grover and Mr. Brunner were discussing.

They could clearly hear Grover saying, "...alone this summer. I mean, a Fury at the school! Now that we know for sure, and they know too..."

"We'll only make things worse if we rush them," Mr. Brunner said slowly. "We need Percy to mature more, and in Ikki's case, the longer he remains unaware, the safer he'll be."

"But they may not have time. The summer solstice deadline..."

"Will have to be resolved without them, Grover. Let them enjoy their ignorance while they still can..."

"Sir, they both saw her..."

"Their imagination," Mr. Brunner insisted. "The Mist over the students and staff will be enough to convince them of that..."

"But they've been asking questions. Ikki not as much, but I don't know how much longer I can keep lying to them."

"You must, Grover. I know it's hard, and both of them have become your friends during your time here, but it's for their safety."

"Sir, I... I can't fail in my duties again..." Grover's voice was thick with emotion. "You know what that would mean..."

"You haven't failed, Grover," Mr. Brunner said gently. "I should have seen her for what she was. Now, let's just focus on keeping Percy and Ikki alive until the next fall—"

Mr. Brunner stopped speaking when Percy accidentally let his book slip from his hands and fall to the ground with a thud that echoed down the hallway. He had been so focused on the conversation that he hadn't realized it was slipping from his grasp.

Ikki, who had been silently listening beside him, sighed internally. The moment Percy picked up the book, Ikki pulled him toward the nearest door, and the two quickly hid inside.

Seconds later, from where they were hiding, they could clearly hear a slow clop-clop-clop sound, like muffled wooden blocks, followed by the sound of something sniffing right outside the door where they were hiding.

A large dark shadow paused in front of the glass before moving on.

Somewhere down the hallway, Mr. Brunner said, "Nothing... my nerves have been on edge since the winter solstice..."

"Mine too," Grover said hesitantly. "But I could've sworn..."

"Go back to the dormitory," Mr. Brunner said. "You have a long day of exams tomorrow..."

"Don't remind me..." Grover groaned before returning to the dormitory. As soon as the lights in Mr. Brunner's office went out, Ikki and Percy emerged from their hiding place.

Without saying a word, they returned to the dormitory, both lost in their own thoughts. When they arrived, Grover was lying on his bed, studying notes for the Latin exam as if he had been there all night.

He raised his sleepy eyes from his notes and said, "Hey! Are you guys ready for tomorrow's exam?"

"No problem," Ikki replied with a shrug.

Percy didn't respond, still deep in thought about what had just happened. He looked pale, as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Hey, Percy. You look awful," Grover frowned and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Just tired..." Percy replied briefly before lying down on his bed and turning his face to sleep.

Ikki also lay on his bed, picked up the book he had placed beside his pillow earlier, and resumed reading.

When his friends fell asleep, he sat cross-legged and began cultivating as he always did.