The Fiction Games

Chapter One - Procession

Percy Jackson arranged his blue toga, tuning the fine silk accordingly with his trembling body. Just outside, an audience wait for a line of chariots to cross and enter a training center. His hands wrapped around a trident, Percy stared into a mirror twice his size. He looked like a younger version of his father, the Sea God, but winced at the comparison. It reminded him too much of what he was leaving behind.

Annabeth, in a similar gray toga, adjusts her headdress of owl feathers. Percy can see murky tears streak down her face. With one hand, Percy wrapped her in a hug, kissing her abnormal hair the stylists configured.

"As long as we're together, we're unstoppable," Percy whispered.

Annabeth choked with her words. "Why would anyone do this to us? How on earth did they find the camp?"

Two days ago, Percy and the rest of Camp Half-Blood witnessed their home being invaded by an alien-like people. They were not in Greek or Roman myths, but something none of them have encountered before. They looked human, but in Percy's gut he had a feeling they weren't. These aliens wore white armor and electric batons to prohibit any rebellion.

The demigods were stripped from all their weapons, and when Percy unleashed a torrent of water to wipe out the guards, he was shot with a dart that subsided his powers.

The only person, or creature, who did not wear a blinding suit was a woman, or what Percy thought was a woman. She was white as powder with caked neon makeup, wearing a hot pink pant suit and holding two jars with slips of paper.

"Welcome, demigods, to the first ever Game of the Universes," she squeaked. "My name is Emily Strong, and I am here two select one girl and one boy to fight to the death with other tributes in an honorable arena! Winning the tournament grants the victor anything we have to offer. Let's get started, shall we?"

She reached in one bowl and drew Annabeth's name. In the other jar, she selected Leo Valdez. As soon as the woman asked for volunteers, Percy raised his hand. There is no way he'll leave his girlfriend again. Not voluntary, anyways.

They had a few minutes to say goodbye to their friend before they were escorted through a gateway to another dimension, a gateway which Percy only believed to be two trees with trunks almost entwining.

At that moment Chiron trotted in the room. His centaur body was not a shock to anyone in this world, except for the other contenders. Although Percy and Annabeth did see a boy with blue arrow tattoos all over his body.

He was holding a twitching owl for Annabeth.

"We don't have much time," Chiron said. He was allowed to come along as their mentor, but was really someone who brought them back to reality. Greek and Roman mythology were bad enough, but alternate universes? "Remember, these people know all about you. All you need to do is to let them love you."

"Chiron, there's nothing in mythology about this place?" said Percy.

"I'm afraid not, but we're stuck here nonetheless. If they love you, they'll help you get out of here."

He let the owl perch on Annabeth's outstretched arm. She wiped her sobs with the other. Percy and Annabeth locked their free hands and got on their chariot, half coral-looking and half silver to represent their parentage. Two centaurs, half men and half horses, wield the chariot. How the alien race copied centaurs in their world, they didn't know. The doors open, and the two of them are showered in a light. 

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Arthur Weasley gave Harry and Hermione their wands. Harry noticed his face more pale and hollow than usual. The light-hearted man now reminded Harry of a skeleton rocking in the wind.

"You are allowed to use these," Arthur spoke. "Throw a couple of sparks, make the audience excited, but nothing else."

Harry felt hot blood surge in his ears, "Why don't we use them to finish them off?"

"Harry," Hermione chimed, eyes widening, "we can't take on a full army. We don't stand a chance with just our wands."

"What about the others, then?" Harry said, voice rising. "They must want an escape, too. I saw a man who morphed into a green monster just because he was angry--"

"And he was suppressed immediately," Hermione added. "Harry, the only way we can go home is to win, and that's what we are going to do!"

"Hermione's right, Harry," said Arthur. "Whoever these people are, they are prepared for anything we have in store."

Hermione shuddered. "It's like they've studied us..."

Harry's memory flashed like lightning bolts. He remembered Cedric's murder, the battle in the Ministry of Magic, and the demise of Voldemort in a quick blink of an eye. Have these people been watching them since their first year at Hogwarts? The very thought made the hairs on Harry's neck stand on end. Could Voldemort not in fact be dead? Was there another horcrux Harry overlooked? These people looked oddly like descendants of him...

"Time's up," Arthur snapped. He put on a false smile to warm them. "On your chariots, now."

Hermione and Harry wear their robes from Hogwarts, only measured accurately and made from soft black silk. Harry almost couldn't recognize Hermione, for she looked the way she did at the Yule Ball. The stylists worked on her frizzy mane for hours, in result of a slight wave. She was beautiful, even though tears swelled in her eyes.

"Harry," Arthur grabbed his hand. "I...I want to thank you, for stepping in Ron's place. You were...you were always like a son to me and--" He didn't finish. The slick black horses hauled the chariot before he could finish.

Hermione grabbed his hand, and whispered, "Thank you, Harry."

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The procession commenced. Twelve chariots for twelve different dimensions paraded through a single street lined with stands of exotic-looking aliens, who exploded with cheers as their heroes passed their vision.

The first chariot was a hovercraft, carrying a redhead in a shiny black skin-tight suit. Her counterpart, the green monster, had shackles that rattled every time he attempted to escape. The crowd was petrified but delighted of his ear-splitting roars.

More chariots passed, until Percy and Annabeth's chariot rolled in the middle of the ceremony. As Annabeth smiled with her rows of white teeth, Percy spun water in a small tornado, and when Percy released it the matter sprinkled in a light rain.

The audience applauded heavily, but not as much as when they saw the colorful sparks emitting from Harry and Hermione's wands in the seventh chariot. They shot in the air and burst in an array of blue, green, and red streams. 

But what really shocked the aliens was the final chariot. The two tributes did not possess any powers the others had, but wore an outfit unlike the others. They dressed as flaming birds, gray feathers in a dress and a suit with fringes of smoldering fabric. Their make up is focused on their noses to resemble beaks, and the audience were debating whether or not they were half human and half bird.

They didn't smile. They didn't wave. They shared the same dull expression as if they've been through this tournament before.