Chapter Text
The Fates of Themis always have a funny way of messing with someone’s life especially the life of one Perseus Jackson, however there are times when on occasion. That there’s a twist within one’s string of fate and is entwined with another, most of the time it’s a soulmate, other times it’s a family member, but this time. This twist in the string of fate involves two complete strangers, who walk amongst titans.
The engine of the autobot hummed underneath Jack’s seated position on Arcee, this was the farthest they had ever driven from base without having to resort to using the ground bridge. Jack smiled under his helmet, it was times like this that he had held close to his heart. Times where he and Arcee could just relax a little bit. The raven haired teen looked down at the cluster of gauges with the autobot symbol prominent in the middle and asked. “Hey, do you wanna celebrate a little bit?” The pair of partners had ample reason to, they had just successfully scouted a location for an untouched energon mine.
The gauges lit up as the femme autobot spoke. “We’re not going racing if that’s what you had in mind.”
Jack leaned back a bit and shook his head, “What? No. I was thinking since we’re close to the Hoover Dam that we could stop by, take a load off and enjoy ourselves for a little bit. Just take a break and smell the roses.”
“Jack-” Arcee started but was cut off by her human charge.
“Yeah, I know we’re in the middle of a war and don’t have time to relax. Sorry.” Jack said dismissively and it had somewhat of a melancholy tone to it. He looked away briefly from the gauges and then focused back on the road.
Arcee’s spark broke for the teen, despite all his responsibility and leadership capabilities. He was still just a kid, and could feel her attitude affecting his mental health a little bit. Just because they were at war doesn’t mean they couldn’t spare a little time to relax. “I was gonna say, before you interrupted me.” Jack mumbled an apology for the rudeness and Arcee dismissed it, “I get it, I know I’m not the most agreeable bot at times. But I was gonna say that I don’t have a nose. But we can enjoy ourselves a bit.”
“R-Really?” Jack stuttered before Arcee started to accelerate a little bit more.
“Hold on!” Arcee encouraged as Jack gripped her handlebars tighter and he smiled, as the pair sped to the Hoover Dam. The pair soon found a parking space to look out over the rush of water and feel the power of the hydroelectric dam.
Jack slowly took off his helmet and let it rest in his lap, looking over the lake, taking a deep breath through his nose and letting it out through his mouth. He smiled a little bit, “Thanks Arcee. I appreciate it.” He thanked the autobot as he rubbed the side of her gas tank.
“Watch your servos smooth operator.” Arcee teased her charge, knowing that he didn’t mean anything by it, Jack smirked and sarcastically held up his hands, “But, you’re welcome Jack. You were right.”
“What was that?” Jack cupped his ear and tilted his head. “Couldn’t hear you.”
“Couldn’t hear anything you can prove,” Arcee teased him back. Jack could almost feel the smirk on her faceplates.
“Damn, I should have been recording.” Jack jerked slightly, though the pair could tell he was being playful. Jack got off Arcee, stretching his legs and back. Resting his helmet on her seat. “Sorry that you can’t enjoy it fully. It’s a pretty decent tourist destination.”
“I’m just fine Jack, I appreciate your concern though. I’m just glad you get a moment to relax a bit.” Arcee thanked her charge, if there was one thing that Jack didn’t lack it was empathy.
“I’m gonna go use the restroom, but on the way back. Can we talk about something?” Jack said as he felt his chest, the key to vector sigma between his sternum and undershirt.
“Of course.” Arcee replied with a soothing undertone, she could tell that something was weighing on Jack’s mind and she would definitely lend an audial. “Don’t forget to wash your servos!”
Jack’s lips quirked up slightly before he nodded, “Thanks.” He said before he went into the tourist center and started searching for a bathroom. Finally finding one that wasn’t closed for maintenance or cleaning, heading into the bathroom and relieving himself from the long trip.
When he exited the bathroom as he was walking back someone grabbed his wrist, he was ready to haul off and punch the person before stopping and seeing that it was a goth girl around his age. “Good job Kelp Head, changing to throw them off our scent.” She dragged Jack off by his wrist.
“K-Kelp head?” Jack questioned as the goth girl pulled him along, at a faster pace.
“Do you still have the Nemean Lion Pelt?” The girl asked then stopped her talking, “What am I saying, of course you do.” Jack was too stunned to speak as other girls and a guy joined him and the goth girl.
“Thalia, good thou hast found Percy.” A girl in what looked to be a silver parka and had braided hair, he looked to see that she was carrying a bow and quiver full of arrows?
Wait hold on, why is she talking like that? Jack thought to himself before a hand grabbed his bicep, “Where’s the lion pelt?” Asked a guy with…hooves?!
Jack opened his mouth to ask what was going on before they were interrupted by a gunshot, Jack instinctively grabbed the nearest people and pulled them out of the way. That being the girl in the silver parka and the goth Jack shouted,“Get down!” Getting them to duck behind a car as skeletons with guns approached. The goatman followed soon behind. Jack pulled out his cellphone and flipped it open, ready to call Arcee when it was slapped out of his hands and onto the ground, shattering it into several pieces.
Jack stared at the goth girl who was apparently named Thalia as if she grew three heads. “Are you insane, kelp head? That’ll lead them right to us! ” She whispered.
Jack who was fed up with these strange people and having his sarcasm flare up, “What do you suppose we do? Pray?! ” Jack whispered back.
“I told you before that won’t work, dad doesn’t answer my prayers. ” Thalia replied.
“Why the fuck not? Not like we have any other option, because I dunno if you noticed the fucking skeletons with guns! And we only have a bow and arrow!” Jack was now irritated as he whispered.
“He has a point, Thals.” The goatman whispered as Thalia rolled her eyes and closed them. As the other girl in the parka notched an arrow. The giant metal guardians of the dam moved, as Thalia opened her eyes, finishing her prayer. Picking the four of them backhanding the skeletons before taking off into the sky.
Jack’s heart nearly seized up, “Wait, wait, wait! No!” He shouted as he got further from the Hoover Dam. Jack reached out toward the dam as he was cupped in the hand of the guardian. Jack hir his face behind his hands, closing his eyes in frustration and confusion. This is just like the day I met Arcee. Arcee!
Jack reached for his phone only to remember that the girl named Thalia destroyed it. He looked over at the other hand first to see the girl in question only to see her freaking out. Hyperventilating, Jack went from angry to empathetic right now the only thing on his mind was comforting the person who broke his phone. He’d get his due later. “H-Hey you alright?!” He shouted over the winds that displaced their clothing and hair.
“I-I’m afraid of heights.” Thalia shouted back, her eyes still glued to the ground. “Don’t you dare even think about laughing, Kelp Head!”
Jack rolled his eyes and shook his head. This girl was just like Miko; headstrong, brash, and Jack didn’t doubt for a second that she would punch him in the arm. Hell, if Jack introduced her to Slash Monkey they would be sisters. “Hey, look at me!” Jack shouted, “Don’t look at the ground. Look at me!”
Thalia turned to look at Jack, who she thought was Percy, she smiled a bit as her breathing calmed. Looking at the kind face, the raven black hair, the reassuring smile, the cooling blue eyes. Thalia’s face scrunched in confusion as a rogue thought occurred to her. What color were Percy’s eyes again? The pair smiled at each other as they continued their journey through the sky westward.
Percy Jackson burst out of the visitor’s center near the parking lot. It took him almost an hour to circle back around inside the dam; he looked around for Thalia, Grover, and Zoë, only to see no trace of them. He took a deep breath and noticed that the giant metal guardians dedicated to Zeus gifted from Athena were no longer there. “Where are they?” Percy looked westward and noticed in the distance two statues getting smaller and smaller.
The demi-god’s jaw dropped, “They abandoned me?” He mumbled to himself.
“About time, I was getting worried there after I heard the gunshots.” He heard a female’s voice come from seemingly nowhere. He whirled around to look at where the voice was coming from, his instincts kicking in as he dropped his waist. Lowering his center of gravity and shifting to the balls of his feet. He saw the motorcycle flash its headlights. Grabbing his attention, “Jeez did you stop off at the gift shop too?” Percy heard the voice coming from the motorcycle? The navy bike with shades of pink started itself, “C’mon, get on. Let’s get back before Ratchet blows a processor.”
Percy shook his head and decided that this was another one of the gods tricks before he started to walk away. The motorcycle spoke up, “Jackson, you had better listen to your guardian!” The motorcycle scorned Percy and he froze.
How does it know my name? Wait, guardian? Did Hephaestus send me a guardian as a way to apologize for the Junkyard? Percy thought to himself, as he eyed the motorcycle. He slowly approached the bike, seeing the helmet resting on the seat he grabbed it and put it on making adjustments to the chinstrap before settling in.
Percy swung his leg over the motorcycle, settling his feet on the foot rests, holding onto the handlebars, the motorcycle turned down the road and took off. He smiled underneath the helmet, “Thanks.” Percy said aloud, not meaning for it to slip out of his mouth.
“You’re welcome, Jack. Though I would appreciate it if you let me know you were hiding in the bathroom when the scrap hit the fan. Just send me a text next time, I thought M.E.C.H. were on our tailpipe” The motorcycle replied, much to Percy’s confusion.
Jack? Percy thought to himself, Well it’s a lot better than Perseus at least. “Sorry, I couldn’t use a phone. You know how it is?”
“You didn’t want them tracking you inside and getting innocent people hurt, smart thinking.” The motorcycle complimented Percy which made him feel…really warm inside. He smiled but before he could say anything another voice spoke up.
“Autobot Outpost Omega One to Arcee. Come in Arcee.” A gruff voice cut through their peace. It reminded Percy of Mr. D at camp.
“Go for Arcee.” The motorcycle replied, its name was apparently Arcee?
“I just received a call from June asking for the whereabouts of Jack, she couldn’t get in touch with him. I informed her that he was with you at the Hoover Dam, and Rafael has informed me of the news of violence surrounding the monument. Are you two unharmed?” The voice informed and asked.
“We’re fine Ratchet, Jack hid in the bathroom when the shooting started. It didn’t look related to the Decepticons or M.E.C.H. so we kept a low profile. Jack also decided to drop by the gift shop or the lost and found.” Arcee replied to the voice dubbed Ratchet.
“That is good to hear.” Another voice replied. It was deeper, but with kinder undertones. It was the vocal version of safety, it reminded Percy a lot of his father. “Please escort Jack home safely as soon as possible. I will contact Agent Fowler to follow up with the local authorities.” The voice commanded with a stern but kind tone.
“Will do Optimus, Arcee out.” Arce replied as she shut off the comm link. Turning her attention back to Percy, “So what did you want to talk about?”
That snapped Percy out of his stupor, looking down at the glowing cluster of gauges with a weird symbol in the middle. “Sorry?”
“I thought you said you wanted to talk about something on the way back?” Arcee asked sincerely.
“I…forgot?” Percy offered innocently, realizing now that he was in much deeper trouble than a quest. He was being kidnapped, albeit politely kidnapped. Worst case scenario, a mistaken identity, which means that Thalia, Grover, and Zoë have a mortal alongside them.
Arcee lightly huffed, “Alright, I won’t push…just know that you can talk to me, alright? I can’t promise to know everything about you humans, but I can listen.” The motorcycle offered.
Percy felt a smile bloom on his face and tears pricked out of the corner of his eyes. Wait a minute, hold off on the waterworks son of Poseidon. She said ‘you humans’. His inner voice told him, his eyes slightly widened at that. “I…appreciate it.” Percy thanked the motorcycle.
The pair continued to ride until they reached a small town, Percy noticed the sign said ‘Welcome to Jasper, Nevada! Entertainment Capital of the world.’ Percy’s inner New Yorker just chuckled. Which also accidentally slipped out of his mouth. “Agreed, but I mean I honestly prefer this over your cities. Don’t get me wrong, I love the city. Cybertron was practically a planet of cities. But not built for a femme like me, y’know?” Arcee replied with a teasing undertone.
Percy was confused but nodded. He did his best to not be offended and to his advantage the motorcycle didn’t point it out, the helmet also helped hide his disdain. The motorcycle pulled up to a suburban house that opened the garage door and pulled in going around the cream white Crown Vic.
Percy got off the motorcycle and took off the helmet. Putting the helmet on a side table as the door to the house opened and out popped the head of a woman who could honestly be mistaken for a gender bent version of his father, she wore casual clothing, had her raven black hair tied back into a low ponytail and a warm smile on her face. She looked at the motorcycle in the garage and hit the garage door button. Closing it, “Alright Arcee, you’re good.”
“Oh thank Primus.” The motorcycle said before it began to change.
Before Percy’s eyes the motorcycle turned into a woman, Percy’s jaw dropped as the motorcycle woman robot named Arcee stretched out like a cat. She got a smirk on her face that reminded Percy of whenever Annabeth was right about something. “Scraplet got your glossa, smooth operator?”
Percy’s jaw snapped shut with a slight click. “Sorry just…every time I see it I’m always impressed?” The son of Poseidon offered, hoping his lie had been convincing enough.
Arcee chuckled and rolled her eyes, “You’re sure to rev a femme’s engines with that line Jack.” She lay on her stomach, folding her arms in front of her head and laying her head down on her arms. “I think I’m gonna get a nap before you head off to work, June.”
June smiled at the giant robot woman, “Thanks Arcee, I hate the night shift but it pays better. Do you want the light on or off?” She asked as the robot closed her eyes.
“Off please.” Arcee replied as the woman named June flicked a switch inside the house and the garage light turned off. “Thank you.” The robot thanked the woman as Percy hesitantly followed the woman inside.
Percy’s guard was still up until he saw the pictures hanging on the wall and he could honestly see the confusion, because in the picture he was looking at he and this Jack person were spitting images of one another. It seemed to be a picture of him and his mom June camping, smiling in the great outdoors as they hugged. He rounded the corner and saw June setting a plate of lasagna on a kitchen island. She took a look at his clothing. “Camp Half-Blood? Why would they have that at the Hoover Dam?”
“It was in the lost and found.” Percy lied while pulling open the coat slightly, “I figured if I change my clothes I wouldn’t be as easily recognizable, just in case.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay.” June said as she hugged Percy, Percy felt a little guilty because he knew he wasn’t Jack but he still felt good for the mom hug. “By the way what happened to your phone? I tried calling and every time it went straight to voicemail.” June asked after she separated from Percy.
“Uh…it got smashed?” Percy lied again looking away, causing June to sigh, she brought a hand up to Percy’s cheek.
“Ah well I think you were due for an upgrade anyways. There’s no need to be embarrassed.” She lightly patted his cheek with her hand, “Wash your hands and eat your supper. I gotta get ready for work.” June gestured to the lasagna sitting on a kitchen island with a glass of water and utensils next to it, as he dug into the homemade hot food he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. Here he was sitting in someone else’s life, as Jack presumably is sitting in his.