Chapter Text
I cut silently through the water as I approached la isla Santa Prisca, beaching myself at the thinnest part of the beach. After the Team had talked out our secrets, I had decided this was the best option. Who’d have thought that M’gann was a white martian, not green and that Sportsmaster and Cheshire were Atremis’ family. Not to mention Superboy is only half Kryptonian, with Lex Luthor as the other donor. I think that makes him more of a force grown test tube baby than a clone, actually. On my part, I had admitted to being a Greek demigod and daughter of Poseidon instead of an Egyptian magician. Not that I had done a good job hiding that. Based on Aqualad’s face, we’d be having a long discussion about that later. I still hadn’t told them my name.
“You have made the right decision,” A voice gruffs above me. “This is for the best.”
Anger simmers through my blood with each beat of my heart as I look up into sunglass-covered eyes. “Let the war begin.”
Ares and I clasp forearms as he pulls me from the surf. He grins crookedly, somehow making his face even uglier. He releases my arm as soon as I’m fully out of the surf before turning and leading the way to an inland clearing.
Looking around the clearing, I push surprise to dart across my face as I look at the others present. Superboy stands next to Lex Luthor, with Mercy a step behind them. I’m still not sure if she’s a cyborg or a robot, but it doesn’t matter if she bleeds red or black oil. She’s not my biggest concern. I keep one eye on Ares. Blockbuster and Queen Bee stand to one side as Aretmis and Cheshire join Sportsmaster, all looking vaguely menacing.
“Hey Ches-y,” I greet the cat themed villain. “Hope our little plane adventure didn’t get your fur too wet. I hear cats get pissy when you bathe them.”
“Nightshade.” She purrs, lip curled in distaste, “Or should I say Perseus Jackson. I wouldn’t try that game with me, I always win.” Cheshire waved a sai in my direction.
“Jellyfish toxin won’t work on me. Knowing my name, you should know that too.”
“Oh, I do.” Cheshire smirked. “What about your mother and all of those delightful little books she’s written, though? Practically a primer on defeating you. The shadows know everything.”
My muscles tighten as Cheshire threatens my mother and I go on guard, staring the supervillainess’ mask down.
“Ladies.” Lex Luthor interjects, stepping forward. “Save the animosity for the Justice League, hmm? I believe our last… guest… has just arrived.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see M’gann touch down as I position myself to keep eyes on both Cheshire and Ares. The first real sound I process comes again from Luthor and it’s one I know means things have gone to shit. Red Sun.
I forcibly relax my muscles as Luthor gathers the villains, moving towards a secondary location. We can’t let that happen.
Luckily, I don’t have to do something as Artemis starts shooting arrows at the villains. At least until Miss Martian pulls her off, dangling her in mid air.
Rage drifts through the clearing, Ares amplifying the already present emotion as battle breaks out.
“You can’t interfere in the affairs of mortals.” I remind him, keeping one eye on the battle as Kid Flash streaks in.
“Not directly, but I am everywhere there is war. This is my domain. We fought once in yours, care to face me in mine?” The god asks.
I lower myself and charge the god as if I was one of his boars. As I close the distance, his sunglasses start to bubble, burned by the flames making his eyes. The sunglasses burn into nothing. He lowers into a ready stance, ready to start a contest of brute strength.
Just as we are about to hit, I drop even further, sliding right past him and into the forest. “I think you will find, Ares, that I’m no longer the skinny eleven-year-old with something to prove you fought on that beach all those years ago.” I taunt, retreating further into the underbrush. “If you want me, come find me.”
Ares burst into laughter. “You underestimate me, demigod, I do not want you. You still have a part to play in this plan. For that, you will escape me. But mark my words, Perseus Jackson. Next time we meet, your strength will fail you.”
I drop to the forest floor as my arms burn, my eyes instinctively squeezed closed just as Ares erupts into his True Form before vanishing. Worry takes up residence in my mind as I remember the last time Ares cursed me.
As soon as I regain my bearings, I drag myself from the bushes to see the Justice League leaving with their new prisoners contained by a green lantern. I join my team still in the clearing.
“A+ for communication!” Robin smirks, “Now I really know all of your dirty little secrets.”
The others groan as the file back to the bioship, leaving Superboy and me in the clearing.
“So, Perseus.” He smirked at me shifting on his feet a little.
I groan. “It’s Percy.”
“Ok… Percy.”
I smile up at him as we stare into eachothers’ eyes. His face seems to drift towards mine slowly.
Suddenly, a blur resolves into Kid Flash right next to me, making us jump apart. “So, Perseus.” Kid Flash chatters like a monkey. “If you have a ship and you replace all of the parts of it, is it still your ship?” Further ahead on the trail, I see Aqualad stumble a little at my name.
“That’s Theseus, Kid Idiot,” Artemis corrected from next to him, “Not Perseus.”
“Oh, right.” Kid replied, mock serious. “Not The-seus, just Per-seus. Hey, maybe one day she'll even be Dr. seus!”
I smile at the two, cracking up at the bad joke despite a churning mix of disappointment, fear, and uncertainty churning in my stomach. “It’s always my ship. I’m the demigod of the sea.” I like them. They're cute together.
Kid Flash squints his eyes at me as we enter the bioship. “Yeah, I still don’t believe in gods. Super powerful, ancient metahumans or aliens, maybe, but all powerful beings? Pass. Hey, maybe they’re aliens from a super advanced society that conquered the Earth in ancient times and pretended to be gods!”
I snort. I hadn’t been sure about Kid Flash previously, he was kind of abrasive but just with that comment, I decided I like him. It takes a special person to be so willfully ignorant of the supernatural. “I wish I could pass. Maybe one day.”