Avengers Initiative: Percy Jackson

Where Is My Mind? (No, Seriously, Where Is It?)

No One's POV/ Afternoon/ Training floor (song start: 1:40)

"You've got to push against me, Victoria." Loki yelled over the maelstrom forming in the middle of the room. Victoria's eyes were glowing silver and she swept her hands up, moving more of her magic out of her body, pushing and pressing against the barrier that Loki had erected in front of him. It started to crack.

"You're almost there, Victoria, keeping pushing!" With a final push and a yell of resolution, the immortal clasped her hands together and swung her fists upwards, crashing, ripping through Loki's shield and forcing the god onto his knees. Victoria dropped to the floor, her body thumping against the training mats, panting and sweating profusely. Across the room, Percy stopped punching the punching bag- Steve was holding it for him-and looked towards the two powerhouses.

"Well, she finally got past his shield." Steve commented, looking on with him. Percy nodded.

"You guys okay?" Natasha asked from her spot on the balance beams; her legs were spread, pointing away from her body, her hands between them as she perched precariously. Her face was an odd mixture of extreme focus and worry.

Victoria, still breathing deeply, raised her thumb at her. "Peachy keen."

"You... you don't know the... the meaning of restraint, do you?" Loki asked, slowly getting up to his feet. He moved towards her and held out his hand, helping her up.

"When it comes to training, that word flies right out of her head and into the bin." Enya replied, twisting her steel staff in her hand, a smoking pipe in her mouth, looking like a female version of Gandalf- albeit a blind and younger version of Gandalf without the long beard.

"What did I say about smoking in my training room?" Tony asked, hands on his hips. Enya snorted and blew smoke in his direction, sliding back in her chair.

"Not to do it." She replied, cheekily.

"And you're doing it why?"

She smirked and took another drag. "Because I know that it pisses you off. You're almost as fun to rile up as Brucie over there." She nodded towards the doctor, who was currently ignoring everyone in favor of meditation; surprisingly, Thor had joined him. Percy shook his head at their antics and turned back to the punching bag in front of him.

"You want to go again or do you want to switch?" Steve asked, looking at Percy. The demigod adjusted his wrappings and fist his hands.

"I want to go again." He answered, getting back into his stance. Steve frowned at the shadowed look that passed over the man's face.

"Percy... You know that you don't have to push yourself this hard." Green eyes slid over blue and narrowed slightly.

"I do though, Steve." He gave the bag a solid right hook, his body moving smoothly with him. "You..." He released a breathy, hopeless sounding laugh. "You don't know the world I come from. The world of Ancient Heroes and Gods- especially Greek and Roman Gods- is not a pretty world. Even Asgard, has nothing on my world. We're trained to be soldiers, trained to fight monsters and myths and the occasional rogue Titan." He attacked the bag again, this time with his left hand, then his right, and back to left. He looked up at the Super Soldier. "The last time I fought a primordial god, I almost... lost everyone I everyone I ever fought with. I did end up loosing the first person I loved. I almost lost my own life... And it's starting all over again." Steve's frown deepened and he latched onto Percy's hand.

"You won't lose anything this time. Not your friends, not the people you love, and certainly not your life." He squeezed his hand, trying to convey comfort to the man. "This time, you have the Avengers on your side... and if you do end up dying, then you can be damned sure we'll avenge you." Percy gave him a hope, but amused look, before looking at him scandalous and yelling: