Percy walked to an alley way and quickly opened his inventory pulling Thalia out and setting her down.
"Woah," Thalia said looking around, "everything's so different now."
Percy raised an eyebrow, "you have been here before?"
Thalia nodded, "yeah. With my mom.....everything was less...bright than."
Percy nodded, "well yeah, I suppose if there is one truth in the world it is that time moves on without you, regardless of who you are."
Thalia nodded and then turned to Madison square Garden, "how much time do we have?"
Percy looked at his watch, "ten minutes."
"How are we getting in?" Thali asked looking at the people, "there are so many people."
Percy pulled out the two platinum passes from his inventory, "booyah."
Thalia smiled as took one ticket as the two demigods quickly walked towards the hall. There were huge lines in front of them, people were still trying to get it. But Percy noticed a side entrance with the title, 'exclusive passes only,' written on top.
"There," Percy pointed as he dragged Thalia towards the entrance.
Standing in front of the entrance was a large black man in a tight fitting black t-shirt. He had a ear piece on his side and he looked down as Percy and Thalia approached, "what do you two want?"
"What do you think we want?" Thalia asked sarcastically, "we obviously want in."
"Tickets," the large man, whose name Percy read as William. The two demigods handed over their passes and the gaurd scrutinised them. He nodded and gave them back before stepping to the side opening the door for the two, "have a good time kids."
"Thanks Will," Percy said walking in dragging Thalia along with him before she started a fight.
The large man blinked at Percy;s and Thalia's retreating form, "how did that kid know my name?"
Thalia turned to Percy, "I could have taken him."
"I know, so could I, but we didn't come here to fight. We came here to have a good time," Percy said as the two walked down a corridor which said 'Platinum passes here.'
They walked down the corridor and after another check point they walked out onto the concert hall. It was packed, people filled almost all the seats. The lights were bright and colorful, the people were abuzz with excitement.
"I'm surprised Green Day is still so popular."
Thalia huffed, "what did you expect? They are awesome beyond belief, of course they would still have fans."
Percy smiled as the two tried to find their seats It seemed platinum passes gave to them front row seats center stage. Percy and Thalia quickly found their seats, but there was a small problem, they were currently occupied by two busty beauties. Percy was stunned for a second, they both had blonde hair and wore tight leather pants with a choker around their necks. Thier breasts looked obviously fake, but Percy didn't mind. After all Santa was fake and he still liked opening his gifts on christmas morning.
"Hey!" Thalia shouted snapping Percy out of his boob filled dream, "those are our seats!"
The two blondes look at Thalia and huffed. The one with a red blouse spoke up "get lost kid."
"I said those are out seats bitch!"
"What did you call my friend?!" the other one, with a black shirt, shouted getting up and personal with Thalia.
"I called her a bitch! And you are too, now get of our seats!"
"Listen here you little brat I worked hard to get these seats! So just fuck off!"
"Showing your tits to the security guys isn't considered working hard!" Thalia shot back. By now everyone around them began to look the fight brewing up, some even had their phones out set to record the fight.
"Why you little-"
"-Woah, let's cool it down people," Percy said walking between Thalia and the blonde leather wearing bimbo, "let's not say something you'll regret."
The blonde sneered, "and who are you? Her boyfriend?"
"And if I am?" Percy asked with a smile causing Thalia to blush.
The blonde looked Percy over, "at least she has good taste."
Percy chuckled, "thanks, but she is right. These are our seats," Percy showed her his tickets, "see."
The blonde woman satched the ticket and was about to tear it when suddenly the ticket was gone from her hands, "what the— where is it?"
"You mean this?" Percy asked waving the ticket in his hand, "it really is rude to steal something which isn't your you know."
The two blonde women looked down at them, "look kid why don't you just leave. I'll even make it worth your time," the woman said giving Percy a suggestive wink.
Percy gulped and slammed his Gamer's mind down, 'curse you Goblin's growth!' "Tempting, but I doubt my girlfriend here would be persuaded the same way."
Thalia growled, "right. So get lost bimbos."
The two looked pissed beyond belief, "make us."
Percy sighed, "she said get lost." He poured a little bit of blood lust into his voice startling them both, "we asked you nicely, but apparently when you two got those implants installed the doctor also removed your brain and your sense of dignity. So I'll say this simply so that even you can understand. Fuck off."
Percy had began increasing his blood lust slowly the more he spoke until everyone who heard him began covering in their seats. Percy's voice sounded like a tiger about to jump in for the kill, and the two bimbos didn't want to be next.
You have succeeded in using Enslavement! You can now scare them into fulling your request.
"W-what do you want us to do?" One of them asked.
"I want you to leave," Percy growled out.
The two turned and ran without saying as thing. Percy directed Thalia to her seat before sitting down himself. He then turned around and saw several people look at him with fear in their eyes. "What?"
They immediately turned away and began looking into their phones.
"Percy you have got to teach me how to do that," Thalia said, "you sounded scarier than a Hellhound!"
Percy smiled, "thanks Thalia."
"Welcome, boyfriend dearest," Thalia said with a smile, "why did you call me your girlfriend anyway?"
Percy shrugged, "if I had said I was just your cousin they would have hit on me even more."
Thalia laughed, "you're not that handsome."
"So I am a little handsome?"
Thalia blushed, "ah...let's move on to another topic, yes?"
Percy was smiling but inside he was wondering what just happened, 'it must have been the enslavement skill Ophidian gave me. That means I managed the scare them so much that they listened to what I was saying. So to invoke the skill I needed to be scary to the person who I was trying to scare. Hm..... this could be very useful in the future.'
The two demigods then chatted away the time. Soon the lights went down and a man walked on stage. He had black hair and black eyes with eyeliner underneath them.
"Ladies and gentlemen are you ready to rock?!" he shouted.
"Yeah!" everyone shouted as the got off their seat. Thalia did so as well and Percy followed suit.
"Then without further adieu, let's get this fucking show on the road!" The lights exploded revealing the rest of the stage. There was a man in guitar, a man on bass and one on drums. The lead was singing, and the moment he began everyone lost their shit.
The first song was called American Idiot and Thalia kept yelling, 'I love you!' at the top of her voice.
Percy watched and listened throwing his hands up and waving that band. He let the music reach him and he quickly realised he was a fan of the punk genre. The music was fast paced and very entertaining to listen to. Percy smiled and enjoyed as for the first time in a long time he did something a normal teenager was supposed to do.
Percy watched the players with interest, he saw how they played, how they smiled enjoying the music they were playing. He listened to crowd roar in happiness, Thalia was probably the loudest.
Just then, something happened drawing Percy attention away from the music and fun;
Ping!
You have learnt new skills through watching someone via your photographic reflexes!
Singing, Lv— 18 (80%)
Your ability to sing.
Your singing voice— 4/10
20% chance of people liking what you sing. +10% bonus if they know you.
Musical instruments;
Different instruments that produce music
Drums, Lv— 20
You can play the drums!
Efficiency— 70%
Uniqueness— 30%
Fun— 60% chance of people loving your playing
Bass, Lv— 23
You can play the Bass!
Efficiency— 60%
Uniqueness— 70%
Fun— 40% chance of people loving your playing
Guitar, Lv— 25
You can play the guitar!
Efficiency— 80%
Uniqueness— 30%
Fun— 80% chance of people loving your playing
You have learned to play a song!
Songs you know!
American Idiot!
Percy was amazed at all he gained from his photographic reflexes. He had only been watching them all play for a few minutes and yet he had absorbed their skills and patterns. Hell he even learned the song they were singing!
Percy could clearly remember how to play each and every instrument. He knew what to do, but he didn't know how he knew that. He didn't know what made music sound the way it did, all he knew is that if he pressed his finger on the string and then strike it a certain sound will be produced. This was an amazing skill he needed to develop.
Percy closed the boxes and returned his attention to the concert. The song was over now and new one began. This one was called Holiday and it blew everyone's mind the moment they started playing.
Percy looked over to Thalia and saw e having a great time. She looked so happy Percy wondered when she ever had fun. Suddenly he got an idea.
"Hey Thalia!" Percy yelled above the music getting her attention.
"What?!"
"Why don't you give them a light show?!"
"What?!" Thalia shouted in surprise.
"Come one, electrify the place!" Percy said with a smile.
Thalia looked at him with amazement in her eyes, "you're crazy!"
"I know!"
Thalia grinned and closed her eyes concentrating. She then opened them and Percy felt her mana roar out of her. Suddenly a blast of lightning exploded outwards hitting the roof surprising everyone there. The band member stopped playing and everyone was surprised.
"FUCK YEAH!" Someone from the back yelled. Everyone then screamed in agreement as the band continued, more energized than ever.
"I'm surprised they didn't know it was me," Thalia said with a smile.
"Mist," Percy simply replied. He had used the Mist to hide their presence to all, making it seem like an unplanned stage lighting problem.
The songs kept coming and people kept wanting more. Percy felt relaxed, he had nothing to worry about, no prophecies looming over his head. No camp to train. No people to fight. No levels to gain.
He was happy.
In the end he leanred a shit load of songs from just watching the band. And pretty soon everything closed down. People started to move, but Percy and Thalia knew their night wasn't over.
"So where exactly is the after party?" Thalia asked as they made their way to the exit.
"A few blocks from here," Percy told her, "but it's also starts only in a hour, so we have plenty of time to kill."
Thalia smiled, "sweet, what do you want to do?"
Percy shrugged, "I'm good for anything. Didn't you say you were hungry before we left?"
Thalia blinked and then held her stomach, "yeah. I must have forgotten in all the excitement. Oh, and speak of the devil, my hunger just came back."
"Okay then, first stop, food," Percy said with a smile as they left the concert walking around New York.
They stopped by a pizza joint along they way and both got several slices. They walked and sat down on a bench at a local park and began eating while talking.
"So did you have fun?" Percy asked.
Thalia rolled her eyes, "you were with me the whole time. Did I look like I wasn't having fun."
Percy chuckled as he ate his pizza, "you're right. Stupid question."
"So did you have fun?"
Percy nodded, "surprisingly yeah. I never was much for music, but I definitely enjoyed it."
Thalia smiled as she finished her food, "nice. It's so good to finally get out of camp."
Percy nodded, "I know what you mean. All that training, all the fighting. I sometime forget to have fun."
Thalia chuckled, "dude you are Mr. Serious, I wouldn't believe you know how to have fun if I didn't see you today."
Percy blinked, "what are you talking about? I'm a fun guy!"
"Ah, no you're not."
"Yes I am."
"What was the last fun thing you did? And don't say go to the concert, it doesn't count."
Percy nodded, "fair enough... well let's see. I played with my dog yesterday."
Thalia shrugged, "cute, but not really fun."
"Ah... I traveled halfway across the country two weeks ago."
"You think running for three hours is fun?"
"Guess not.... Oh, I went sailing with pirates!"
Thalia shrugged, "cool, but that was for a quest. You didn't chose to do it, it just happened."
Percy sighed, "well I'm out of ideas."
Thalia smiled, "relax sea head, it's not too bad. You have me, now, I'll make sure you learn to live a little and not just waste away at camp."
"My hero, Thalia Grace the fun police."
Thalia laughed, "well it is what I'm best at."
Percy smiled as the two went into a comfortable silence. "Thanks Thalia," Percy said after some time, "this was fun."
Thalia smiled, "yeah, it was. And thank you for helping me with the mana thing."
Percy waved it away, "not a problem."
Thalia nodded, "oh and Percy... I was wondering whether I could ask you something."
Percy nodded, "shoot."
"Yesterday, when you went into those trials, you came out...kind of different. You seem more...calm? Less childish? I don't know, something."
Percy nodded, "yeah....that took a lot out of me."
"What happened? If-you know, if you don't mind sharing."
Percy sighed, "why not. It would at least help to talk to someone." Percy then began to explain to Thalia everything that happens in that illusionary world. Her dying, his mother being killed. Him turned mortal and then sacrificing himself to destroy Kronos.
"So I died?" Thalia asked when he was done.
Percy nodded, "yeah. You died. I held you in my arms as you said my name."
"So... is that why you suddenly wanted to train me? Why the first thing you gave me was a spell to protect myself."
Percy nodded "yeah. I know it was an illusion, it wasn't real. But..... but it felt real. That week I spent alone.... It was the worst time of my life. I realise now that I have to make sure nothing is left to chance. That's why I'm even training Nico and Bianca, and not just you. I won't let the demigods be defenseless without me."
