Chapter 12: Percy Makes Some New Friends

I just want to let you know that I have permission from the author LostHeroGuide

go check out the story on

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11493775/1/Heroes-and-Ghosts

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Thanks guys, for being patient. For those of you who's souls are shriveling, drink. Drink of the fruits of my labor. If that last sentence creeped you out, then good. Enjoy the chapter, I had fun writing it.

Sam:

Steve was there to break the news.

"A new teammate?" They all asked at the same time. Sam and James exchanged a look. They glanced over at Wanda. She was shaking her head in astonishment. Out of all the new team, she was the hardest to gain trust.

"Who are they? And what do they do?" Vision asked, hovering majestically over the rest of them. Sam nodded in agreement while Wanda began to shake.

"We are working well enough on our own. We do not need another member on the team." She said, which Sam rolled his eyes at. They were probably the most dysfunctional Avengers in the history of Avengers, besides maybe Tony and Steve.

Steve shook his head like 'see? I knew it wouldn't work'. Natasha rolled her eyes and stepped up. "Look, the decision isn't yours to make. He was invited into the team, and he accepted. A Team is full, you guys have enough for a few more."

Sam stepped up. "Look, we've got enough problems as it is trying to keep the warehouses secure. Ever since that Scott-"

"He kicked your butt pretty good." Steve whispered.

"-broke in we've been studying the ins and outs of everything around here. We don't have time to train another Avenger." Sam finished.

"Has he even been cleared? What's his name?" James asked.

Steve stepped forward. "His name is Percy, and as far as I've seen he might not need that much training."

"May I have his last name?" Vision asked.

"Not at this time." Natasha said.

"He hiding or something?" James asked, stepping out of the War Machine suit. "Or is that a fake name?"

Natasha and Steve exchanged a look. "Better we let him explain." She said.

The door at the other end of the gym opened and someone stepped in.

Sam watched as something big and lumbering entered the gym, the bright light from outside blinding the team to everything but his silhouette. With every step he got closer, and he let out grunt after grunt.

The new team was impressed. He was at least seven foot, and buff looking at that. His demeanor spoke volumes, and his back looked straight and disciplined. A military man, Sam thought in satisfaction.

Then the teenager put his duffle bag down as the door closed behind him and Sam could hear Steve's suppressed laughter. The team all sent glares towards Nat and Steve, but they were both smiling slightly and keeping their mouths shut. The teen realized he was being watched and turned to see the new team. He froze, then waved awkwardly. "Ummm, hi?" He tried.

"I hate you, Steve." Sam said in a conversational tone. Steve put a hand on Sam's shoulder in response and waved the teen over.

"Good to see you, Percy." He greeted as Percy ran up to him. He shook his hand firmly.

"Likewise, Rogers."

Natasha tapped Percy on the shoulder and he jumped slightly, still not used to how she could do that. He ended up hugging her anyway. "Hey." He said.

She replied in kind, then Steve introduced Percy to the team. He shook all of their hands, not even looking at Vision funny when he saw him. Sam figured he must've somehow gotten their files or something.

"And this is Sam. He's the unofficial leader here." Steve introduced. When Percy stuck out his hand, Sam noticed how firmly Percy gripped, and the way he made eye contact. Percy smiled and his green eyes shone.

"It's nice to meet you. I can't wait to start working with you." He said, as if this was a fast food job. Sam frowned, but kept his attitude in check.

"Nice to meet you too." He said politely. When introductions were over a silence hung over all of them, no one wanting to speak. Finally Steve clapped his hands like a first grade teacher.

"Alright! Why don't we leave you to demonstrate what you can do? Percy, there's a bathroom right outside these doors." He said, then left. Sam was left in confusion.

"Seventh grade all over again." Percy muttered.

After some debating they decided that they'd show him their stuff first, then he would go.

Sam demonstrated the wings, and showed him the micro Uzi's he carried around on his hips. He moved around the room and Percy simple watched in fascination.

Vision showed how he could phase through walls and the laser on his forehead. He explained his origins, and how he was the 'son' of Ultron. Percy took the news rather well, saying it explained the red skin. That might've gotten a smile out of Vision.

James hopped into the War Machine suit and flew around. They brought out a few fake targets to shoot at and he hit them flawlessly. Percy commented that he'd met Tony but never seen any of the suits.

Wanda destroyed a few dummies with her powers, letting her eyes get all red and scary in the way that unnerved Sam still. She flew around and explained her powers over the mind. Percy took it in surprisingly well.

Then he stepped up. He stood in the center of the gym, almost awkwardly. He wasn't fitted in a suit, instead wearing a blue sweatshirt and some jeans. He looked like a very inexperienced teenager standing next to some of the most powerful people on the planet.

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen.

"Uh, can I get some dummies to work with?" He asked no one in particular. Sam had a brilliant idea to see if this kid was really worth the time.

He put a hand to the com in his ear. "Can someone send in a few drones to the combat room?" He asked. Sure enough, while Percy stood there waiting, three of the Iron Legion entered the room from the main doors. Percy's eyes bulged but otherwise he looked okay.

He took off his sweatshirt, throwing it to the side. Sam watched in amusement as he put the pen in both his hands, like he was wielding a sword. "Is there any chance I could get some music?" He asked evenly. He'd grown fond hearing any beat of music since his hearing was restored.

James took pity on him and put on a song with a steady beat. Sam realized vaguely it was 'Another One Bites The Dust' and wondered why James would pick that song. He started chuckling at the way the teen sized up the three bots as they circled around him on their repulsor boots. How was Percy even gonna get them up there?

Then he flicked the cap off the pen, and Sam wasn't smiling anymore. Percy didn't even hesitate in charging towards the first bot in front of him while carrying a bronze sword that came from nowhere. He let out a yell and jumped as high as he could... Grabbing onto the robot's leg.

The bot tried flying higher, but ended up dragging Percy along. Percy climbed up the leg until he was on its back. The two other bots tried to rush in and save their friend, but couldn't get in close enough. Percy grabbed his bots hand and aimed it at the nearest bot.

Maybe it was luck, but it hit the bot with a glancing blow. It crashed to the ground, it's right leg useless. Percy turned his attention to bot 3 when his bot shook him free and tried to crush him against a wall.

Sam watched in stunned silence as Percy leapt off just in time not to be smashed. He rolled onto the gym floor, his sword still in hand, and looked at what he'd caused. All three bots were still moving, but the one with the limp was closest. He reached out his hand as if he was using the force.

Then the gym doors burst open and water spilled into the room. The water moved like a single wave, crashing against the bot with a broken leg. Percy lifted his hand up, and the water followed. The bot was crushed against the ceiling so hard, it stuck there.

Bot 1 and bot 3 sent each other a look like 'oh snap. We shouldn't mess with him' when Percy willed the water to come to him. Percy stood on his own wave, now very much able to handle the two remaining bots. He yelled, using the water to vault himself towards bot 1. He stabbed his sword all the way to the hilt into the robot, and after it fizzled and popped a few times, it crashed to the ground.

Percy was back on his feet in a second, and the final bot flew at him as fast as possible. Percy yelled in defiance, charging at the bot as it charged at him. Just before the collided, Percy baseball slid under the bot and kept his sword up, slicing its arm off in the process. The bot crashed, but soon stood.

Percy got up off the ground, then raised his hand again. Suddenly, the water began to shift and slide until it was all behind him. Percy threw a wall of water, but the bot was quick to jump up as high as it could with its repulsors. It knocked Percy to the ground and the sword skittered away.

It stood up, holding Percy by the collar and lifting him in the air. Percy struggle for a second and then reached into his pocket. Sam saw the pen, and when he checked- where was his sword?

It reappeared in his hand as he slashed through the middle of the bot with relative ease. He fell to the ground and the four Avengers checked the carnage. Three bots, a flooded gym, and a teenager with a sword standing in the middle of it all.

"So, when do I start?"

...

They were rude to him.

Man, he realized how harsh it sounded, but it was true. They put him through every test they had on the highest difficulty and then some, but he nearly beat them all. He broke Vision's record on the obstacle course, and Sam's record on the climbing wall. He even beat James' record on the pinball machine.

Percy took it with relative ease. Anything physical, he could overcome. He had a unique way of problem solving, and a strange sense of fighting. Even against guns, he seemed to have an advantage. He was a really good throw with his sword arm.

But Sam saw how he wasn't doing too well with anything remotely educational. Studying mission files was a vastly horrible experience when Percy was in the room. Clicking pens, drumming fingers... All of it.

Wanda made a comment about how he'd failed a simulation because he didn't read the file all the way through. He'd blushed, but they all made fun of it anyway. They felt insulted he was on the team, and how he wouldn't talk about himself that much.

Only Vision seemed impartial, not choosing sides, but giving Sam a disapproving stare every time Percy left the mess hall early. Other agents in the halls stared at him like he didn't belong, and Percy's hood started to dip lower and lower. Sam wasn't that impressed anymore by the powers. The kid just wasn't meant to fit.

And then there was the pit test.

A pit constructed of two wooden towers, and mud right below you. Everyone had difficulty getting across, but no one had ever fallen.

Until Percy, that is. He tried it every which way, but failed everytime. They laughed about that, too.

And Sam was laughing until he had to get a snack on August 17, ten minutes till midnight.

He, like everyone else there, had nightmares. Demons and ghosts that kept him up at night, giving him a cold sweat. Usually he had the focus groups every week to talk to, but now he usually just went to the mini fridge in the rec. room of their building. The caffeine kept him alert until he could pass out again.

But this time he wasn't alone in the rec. room.

He heard Percy before he saw him, some mumbling that bounced off the walls late at night. He almost mistook it for a ghost from his dreams, but quickly dismissed it. Still, he was careful to be quiet as he got to the door.

"Almost time, mom. Just another minute..." Percy said. Sam frowned, but kept his ear to the door. "And... Now!" He whispered. Sam heard the sound of a keyboard, then the click of a button. "It's on it's way, mom. Your book, your legacy... Finally going to where it belongs." He whispered.

Sam opened the door a crack, feeling quite silly, but still didn't disrupt the moment. Percy was sitting at the table, a blue cupcake in front of him and a candle sticking out of it. Percy tentatively ran his hand around the flame, staring deeply at it. "Happy Birthday to me." He whispered. He blew out the candle. "I know it's childish to wish on a pastry, but... Help me. It's not like I wasn't hated before, just... Help them understand that I need their help."

Sam didn't get to sleep that night, realizing that maybe, just maybe, he was being an idiot.

...

Only a week later, Percy was okay with sitting with his team at lunch. They started treating him better, especially Sam. They sympathized with him after learning about the ADHD and dyslexia. Sam was surprised to hear about the PTSD, but told him if he ever needed an ear, his was open.

Percy told them about his sister and his mother. He mentioned an 'Annabeth' once and they'd teased him, saying that it must be his girlfriend. They apologized when he'd gotten up and walked out of the mess hall because of it.

And when he went up to face the pit again, they gave him a water bottle and some rope, telling him to do his best and they'd help him get through it. Together.

When Percy commented that pastries had magical properties, Sam had to smile.

Next few chapters are my own characters, so I hope you enjoy it! Those of you who enjoy this story, you can make it better! Tell me what you like about it and what you don't! PM me. Call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me.

LHG :)