disclaimer: I don't own the characters or world this is taking placing place in, Rick Riordan does

Percy's POV:

I'm on my way to Olympus to talk to Athena, about getting her blessing to marry Annabeth. Thalia, Nico, Malcolm, and most of our friends know what I am planning but agreed to keep it from Annabeth. I want to surprise her after all. Now, I know what you're thinking, 'but Percy you're too young to get married', yeah well my life expectancy was twelve and now I'm seventeen, so just forget about lecturing me. 

Like always, I had to threaten the security guard for the key to come here. You would think that after like 6 years he would just hand the key over to me, but nope the guard always plays that same story about it not existing.

So, I'm walking on Olympus to Athena's Palace hoping that she just gives me her permission, but knowing her she is going to give me some task like the twelve labors or something, which I already did most of. After what felt like five hours, but was probably only minutes I finally found myself in front of Athena's door, and surprisingly she is already there waiting. "Lady Athena" I nod

"Ah Perseus, you finally made it, " she said with sarcasm, which I didn't think was possible for her, "before you start I know why you are here, and no you don't have my permission nor my blessing"

"Go figure" I mumbled, "I'm taking it you already have a task for me then," I asked hoping she ignored the first part

"Yes, you are to acquire a golden apple from the garden of the Hesperides, by your own hand. Not by tricking Atlas into doing it for you like Heracles" She said

"I don't think Atlas would, he already hates me more than Ares does" I joked, but I don't think she liked it. "Anyways, what am I to do with the apple once I acquire it," I asked

"Bring it to me" 

"Fine I'll get going on my quest then," I said. Since going to Tartarus is not enough, I thought.

*Le time skip*

I'm sitting here at the base of the mountain waiting for the entrance of the garden to open. I've only talked to Nico and Thalia about the details of this quest, which is near certain death for me, or anyone for that matter, to complete, but I'm doing it anyway for Annabeth.

Time starts to fly by and I hardly even recognize that it is sunset and I need to get a move on if I'm to complete this quest ASAP. I spent a couple of minutes walking through the garden trying to think of a strategy to beat the unbeatable before I get to the tree.

"Ah, Perseus, good to see you again,"  Erytheia said with sarcasm, at least I'm pretty sure it was her.

"Good to see you too, still hating your sister, I presume" I replied back 

"Why she's not here," I think it was Hesperia this time, "Anyways, we know why you're here. We hope you fail" she finished, commanding Ladon to wake up

I hate them so much right now, I mean seriously there's no need to be that rude.

"Ladon, I don't wish to fight you, but I will if I must. I'm only here to retrieve an Apple by request of Athena for herself. I swear it on the Styx". I hope he likes diplomacy and isn't in a mood to fight today, as I heard thunder rumble sealing the oath. A few seconds later I felt a presence enter my mind

You have an interesting approach young demigod, one never tried before. What makes you think I will allow you to collect an apple from the tree? It is, after all, my job to protect this tree from people aiming to collect an apple. I'm guessing that is Ladon.

"I don't think you will give one to me willingly, but what's the harm in asking. As I said, I'm here so I can deliver it to Athena"

And why does she want you to collect an apple for her

"I'm not sure as to why she wants me to collect one for her, but I am doing this in return for her blessing to marry her daughter, whom I do wish to see again"

As I'm sure you are aware, I can't give you the apple so you'll have to fight for it, even if your reasons are sound and worthy.

AN: I'm not good at fight scenes, and this is my first one so deal with it

"Then, I will fight. And may it be an honorable one" I said drawing Riptide, and awaiting for Ladon to get ready for this fight. 

Yes. Let it be an honorable fight, indeed

Once he finished we both went into our fighting positions, him circling the tree, at least keeping a few heads trained on me, and myself circling both, biding my time for an opening.

After what felt like minutes with my ADHD I saw a slight opening, the only problem was I would have to be quicker than Zoë to be able to be successful in this attack. There was a split second where the majority of his heads would be stuck around the other side of the tree leaving him at only a part of what his full strength would be. 

I bid my time for another few seconds before I ran in and back out of his range taking a few heads with me. I didn't care to count, a moment of my distraction could end with me dead fairly quickly. I kept repeating the attack slowly dwindling the number of heads he has. Lucky for me he's not like a Hydra, if he was this would be over already with me likely dead or dying. He caught on eventually and changed his strategy, putting his entire self between me and the tree ignoring the possibility of anyone deciding to join the battle.

I took this time to count the number of heads he had left, not taking my focus away from him entirely. 

I counted 70 heads remaining. So, now I need to be quick, flexible, precise, and energy conservative, if I plan on winning. Noticing no weaknesses in his defenses or alertness, there was only one option left, attack and pray that death just chooses to ignore me. 

I, eventually, found myself inside his defenses getting under his guard much like a wielder of a dagger or knife would do to someone with a longer weapon. Get in close enough, they won't be able to attack. I started cutting heads off, one after another not bothering to count, as I was under his guard and only focusing on maintaining that close distance making it harder for him to attack. 

That worked for all of 30 seconds before I got hit into a tree by his tail, and dam did that hurt. Haha dam. Stupid ADHD now's not the time, focus. I get up only to quickly roll away before I get my head chopped off and eaten. I steady myself looking between Ladon and where the tree is. I keep taking glances and I see an apple I could reach. The only problem is, can I beat Ladon to it.

Considering I just got tail slammed into a tree, I doubt I can beat Ladon in a foot race. So, I was left once again to completely focus on Ladon, who was positioning himself closer to the tree. I think he caught on to that train of thought. I know that if I am to beat him I need to go after that tail, so I can stay under his guard, or not have to get hit by something the thickness of a large tree and the density of, what feels like solid titanium. 

I decide, once again, to try and get inside his guard only this time he blocks me and scrapes me with his teeth. So, at this point, I'm guessing he doesn't easily fall for the same tricks twice, and that I will soon fall to the effects of his poison if I'm not quick about it. I started summoning water, to heal the poison, only a small amount, but I was also summoning a large amount of water behind him since his focus was on me and he wouldn't catch onto my pending plan.

The good news is that Ladon doesn't know about the large amounts of water behind him. The bad news, was the water only diluted the poison and didn't cure it, much like Polybotes's poison. I quickly brought the water around to the front side and sent it at jet-like speeds into his many heads. Which distracted him well enough for me to run under his guard unnoticed. Until I cut off a few heads, to let him know where I am. I hope this plan works. Moments later I noticed he started to turn to hit me with his tail once again, but I rolled and stuck my sword out close to the base of where his tail connected to his body, and the tail went flying many many yards into the trees. Like one of those toy rockets set at an angle, instead of perpendicular to the ground.

Stupid ADHD. I think Ladon was shocked that his tail went flying off and not me as he didn't move, and seemed a bit shocked. But alas with a badass immortal dragon, who's been guarding a tree for the majority of its life, one may never know. That left me with about 60 heads, a couple of claws, a poisonous bite, and the worst breath in history left to face.

 I quickly went back to work on his heads using Riptide to take multiple heads off in the initial swing and another or two on the recovery. Thankfully we got into a pattern, one favorable to myself, I think.

Swing a few heads fall off, dodge, faint a stab, duck, actually attempt at a stab, dip, block, dive and roll, slash, and dodge(an: get the reference), which leads to the start of the next cycle. I couldn't keep it up forever, but he also would have to be more conservative about the number of heads he had left. Which quickly dwindled from 60 to 45 to 35 eventually making my way down to the last 15 heads. The only problem on my last dive and roll, I dived and rolled too far, allowing Ladon to resettle himself and get back on point. This is where the real battle would begin, a dragon with 85 missing heads and a missing tail versus a tiring and slightly poisoned demigod. 

I made a plan, albeit a super dumb one, but if it worked, I would win. So, I just went into battle against the 15 heads with no real plan or strategy whatsoever. I ran back into the fight catching Ladon, for a very short time off guard, as I was running to my death, and he knew it. I got one head chopped off before the remaining 14 started to attack viciously.

I was just repetitively dodging, as his strikes came one after another, not allowing any break in the attacks. It lasted a few minutes like this until I realized I would tire out and not be able to keep up my dodging efforts. So I let him bite me in my non-sword arm and chopped off another head. Then in the preceding state of confusion, I cut off four more leaving him with nine heads. 

Thankfully, the battlefield was still soaked from when I blasted him with water, so the poison wasn't at full strength, but now there was more of it and I knew I couldn't pull that trick again. Although it did take a total of 5 heads it wasn't effective enough to consider again. So, I once again charged back into battle, mainly taking wild and ever-changing swings and slashes, at Ladon, just hoping that I would connect with heads and I did, taking him down to four heads remaining. I was tiring quickly at this point and knew I needed to finish it quickly, so increased my attacks diving deep into whatever energy I had remaining. 

I quickly took off another two heads leaving him with two, and myself sweating profusely. I dipped under an attempt from one head and sliced the other off, before rolling out of his attack range, panting excessively.

"Ladon... it's...it's over. I've won this battle, please stop this senseless fighting, while you still live and yield" I said taking a couple of deep breaths. "as I said, I wasn't here to fight you, and I don't want to kill you, but I will, if I have to" I finished, regaining my breath. Ladon bowed his last remaining head, I think accepting defeat.

I have never been bested before. And those who have tried wouldn't have given me the option of yielding such as you did. They would have wanted the title from fully defeating me and thus killing me. Why do you decide to let me live now?

"Like I said before we started to fight I only wished to acquire one of the apples as I was instructed to do by Athena. I never wanted to fight you nor did I want the title for defeating you, but I was and am willing to do what is necessary to acquire one of the apples" I replied

Then, I yield, mighty Hero, may you be known as the first true defeater of Ladon. And as for your kindness, I shall deem you my champion, making you immune to my poison and any lesser poisons. As you have defeated me, you may come back anytime to pick an apple from the tree, under the condition that the apple is not for yourself, as is the case this time.

When he finished I felt the effects of the poison wear off and I felt another burn being added next to my legion tattoo, "Thank you Ladon. But I'm curious as to how you will recover, I do not wish for the tree to remain relatively unguarded, in comparison to when I arrived" 

Do not fret about that I have ways of healing, he spoke, into my mind once again, before eating that low-hanging apple I was thinking of running to get earlier. Mere seconds later his body started to produce this beautiful glow and when it diminished, he was standing there once again in his full glory  Go ahead and pick an Apple to return to Athena.

" Thank you again, Ladon. And may I say, that that was the hardest fight, I think I ever had" I said picking an apple, then start preparing to leave. 

Ditto to you. Please do come back though it does get lonely here. Yes, there are the Hesperides, but I feel as if I betrayed them when I attacked Zoë. That and having the same company for all your life does get boring when no one wishes to talk to you and instead just attacks.

"I'll try Ladon, and don't beat yourself up too much over Zoë. It was Atlas who dealt the final blow, not you. And he would have likely made that blow either way." I said leaving the garden, hopefully avoiding the Hesperides.