Percy Jackson and The Fire Prince

Chapter 5: Heracles and A Decision

Heracles leaped down from the metal blimp and the Gaang gasped as he fell like a rock. An enormous dust cloud mushroomed up from the top of the neighboring mountain when he landed. Percy scowled and felt the blood rushing through his veins as he remembered all the cruddy things this "god" had done to women, especially Zoe.

"Who the heck is that?" Sokka exclaimed. Percy stalked toward the mountain angrily and Sokka grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back. "Dude, come on! We have to go."

Percy turned back, unable to keep the anger off his face. He tried to tone it back when his friends recoiled, but he felt almost as pissed as when Ares was in the vicinity (tbh maybe he was).

"Don't worry, I'll catch up," he promised, clapping a hand on Sokka's shoulder and pushing past him.

The water-tribe boy looked torn, "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, pulling Percy back by the arm. "That guy just jumped off a blimp and destroyed the top of a mountain. He's obviously an insanely strong earth-bender and you're going to fight him off on your own?"

Katara cut in, "He's right. We can't leave you to fight alone." She looked at the kids who were sitting in Appa's saddle. "Aang, you can take the kids to the Temple and we'll meet you there."

Percy and Aang started protesting at the same time.

"You have no idea what that guy is capable of!"

"I can't just go--"

"He could destroy--"

"And you're my friends, so I--"

Toph suddenly appeared in the middle of them, stomping a foot and sending Aang flying onto Appa's back. "Just SHUT IT!" Percy jumped and took a step back as the young girl turned her unseeing glare on him.

"We're all getting on Appa's giant back and Aang is flying us out of here," she said, her next stomp shook the earth as she cut off their complaints. "Wait until I'm finished! Aang is going to fly us to that mountain and then we're going to kick some serious butt and then, we'll all escape together."

Percy didn't notice his mouth hanging open until he closed it with a snap. "You guys . . . you--"

Toph held up her hand and slammed his mouth shut with a mud ball. Percy recoiled and his face twisted into disgust. Did she seriously just throw mud in his face?

"Save it for the bison," she snapped.

Aang and the others quickly complied, not wanting to get Toph's mud ball to their faces. Aang turned back to the group they were leaving behind with a grimace. He said, "Thank you, all of you, for being here today. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten. We will be back to save you all." The children took one last look at their families and then they flew off.

As Appa took off, the mud on Percy's mouth disintegrated. He hacked a few times, trying to get the smell and taste away. "You guys don't understand who that is," he said, throwing his arm toward the mountain for emphasis.

Sokka snarked back, "Well, you could tell us so we know what we're up against."

They didn't get it. Why didn't they get it? They don't have to fight. They could escape with the kids and go to whatever secret base Aang was thinking of and get out of there. There was no prophecy forcing them to fight Heracles. They had no reason to. WHY would they--

His thoughts were interrupted when Katara's hand appeared on his shoulder, jostling him back to reality. He turned to look at her and realized that he had curled up into a ball.