━━ chapter twenty
midas's tale
( jason )

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

    ━━It took all of them to hold back the satyr. 

     Jason had his arms wrapped under the Coach's arms, tugging him back and trying to avoid his kicking hooves. "Whoa, Coach!" he grunted, straining. "Bring it down a few notches!" He wanted to have Sav calm him down, but since Leo's powers didn't work in here, he was sure Sav's won't either, and so he was left with wincing when Coach's hoove knicked his shin very hard. 

     A younger man charged into the room. Jason guessed he must be Lit, the old guy's son. He looked like John Cena had a field day━(he can remember John Cena but not━? Jason is so sick of his amnesia! It was getting old!)━with ripped arms filled with scars like lightning and a handsome face hidden behind dark curly hair shredded with even more. He was intimidating even in his pyjama bottoms and sleevless CORNHUSKERS tee-shirt, and Jason seriously wished he looked that intimidating in Cookie Monster pants.

    But Jason could tell Lit immediately zeroed him like he was the biggest threat, which sort of made him feel good in a strange way. He stalked towards him, swinging his sword overhead. 

     Oh, come on, seriously?

     Jason tried to hand Coach off to Leo who was desperately trying to pull his face away from Coach's flying fists. 

     "Wait!" Savreen stepped forward desperately, her hair a little array from holding back their muderous goat friend. She took a deep breath, trying to be calming━lucky for her, she held a calming presence even without powers. Lit stopped in his tracks, but still looked wary. Sav took this as a good sign and continued, "Please, this is just a misunderstanding. Everything is fine. We don't wish anyone any harm."

    "I'll get them!" meanwhile, Coach was still screaming. "Don't worry! Let me at 'em!"

     Savreen winced, and muttered something bitterly under her breath. She looked frustrated, even, and so Jason quickly spoke up to help━

    "Coach!" he pleaded; scolding, almost. "They may be friendly. Besides, we're trespassing in their home."

     "Thank you!" said the old man in the bathrobe. "now, who are you, and why are you here?"

    "We'll explain, promise," said Savreen. "But we should all put our weapons down first, I think━so we can talk first, then pass judgment, is that fair? I believe that's fair. Coach, you first, please."

     Hedge settled enough in which Jason, Leo and Piper could finally set him down. Jason kept a clenched grip on his shoulder though, ready to hold him back again if he randomly went kill mode again. The satyr clenched his jaw. Then, he raised his club sheepishly, "Just one thwack?"

     "Not even a small smack."

     "What about a compromise? I'll kill them first, and if it turns out they were friendly, I'll apologise."

     "No!" cried Savreen and Piper at the same time, horrified.

      Leo stared at Coach, shaking his head with a dubious, "What is wrong with you, dude?"

     Savreen fiddled with her fingers, looking very apologetic for Coach Hedge's violent tendencies. She gave the old man and his son, Lit, a small, sheepish smile. 

     It made him huff and sheathe his sword, "Perhaps you are right, girl━diplomacy is always a better first option. Your friends are fortunate for you, otherwise I would've run them through."

     "Appreciate it," said Leo, sounding sa though he was trying very hard not to be sarcastic. "You know, I try not to get run through before lunchtime. Messes up with my digestion."

     The old man in the bathrobe sighed, kicking the seapot that Coach Hedge had smashed. "Well, since you're here. Please, sit down."

     Lit frowned, "Your Majesty━"

    "No, no, it's fine, Lit," assured the owner of the home. "New land, new customs. They may sit in my presence. After all, they've seen me in my nightclothes. No sense observing formalities." He did his best to smile, though it seemed very forced. "Welcome to my humble home. I am King Midas."

     There was a shocked silence. Piper gaped, leaning forward a little━unable to believe it. Then, she quickly sobered and cleared her throat. Awkwardly, they all sat back down on the sofas, though Jason didn't find it comfortable. He kept eyeing Lit who was the only one standing, sitting behind his father's throne with both hands on his sword. He was letting it known that one wrong move, and he'd take action; he gripped the hilt, flexed his muscles━a constant threat. Jason hoped he was giving off the same. If this Lit attacked his friends, he wasn't going to go without a fight, either. Though, he was sure he must look nothing in comparison━just a fifteen-year-old boy with little scars, baby-blue eyes and still maturing into his face; he must seem so dainty, so, oh, look at you, and it infuriated him. 

     Finally, Coach spoke up: "Midas? Impossible. He died."

     Piper rushed a more polite, "What our satyr friend means, Your Majesty, is that you're the second mortal we've met who should be━sorry━dead. King Midas lived thousands of years ago."

     "Interesting," the king gazed out of the windows at the brilliant blue skies and the winter sunlight. In the distance, downtown Omaha looked like a cluster of children's blocks━way to clean and small for a regular city. "You know," he then said, "I think I was dead for a while. It was strange. Seems like a dream, doesn't it, Lit?"

     "A very long dream, Your Majesty."

    "And yet now we're here. I'm enjoying myself very much. I like being alive better."

     "But how?" asked Piper. "You didn't have to have a ..." she chose her words carefully, but there was no sugar-coating it, "... a patron?"

     Midas hesitated, but there was a sly twinkle in his eyes━like Fools Gold, tricking the miner into believing they had made millions, but instead made nothing more than a shilling. "Does it matter, my dear?"

     "We could kill them again?" offered Hedge.

     "Coach, seriously," Leo threw his hands up, exasperated.

     "Coach, how about you go outside and stand guard?" suggested Jason, though he hoped it came out as more of an order with no other choice. He was not helping their cause, at all. 

     Leo coughed, "Is that safe? They've got some serious security."

    "Oh, yes," said the king. "Sorry about that. But it's lovely stuff, isn't it? Amazing what gold can still buy. Such excellent toys you have in this country!" 

     He fished a remote control out of his bathrobe pocket and pressed a few buttons━a pass code, Jason guessed. "There," he set it down. "Safe to go out now."

     Coach Hedge grunted. "Fine," he reluctantly stood back up. "But if you need me ..." he winked at Jason meaningfully. Then, he pointed at himself, pointed two fingers at their hosts and sliced a finger across his throat. (Very subtle...)

     Jason hid his wince and forced a grateful nod, "Uh ... Yeah, thanks, Coach..."

     After the satyr left, Savreen glanced at Piper briefly before asking, "So ... you don't know how you got here?"

     "Oh, well, yes. Sort of," said Midas. He frowned at Lit. "Why did we pick Omaha, again? I know it wasn't the weather."

     "The Oracle," said Lit.

    "Oh, yes! I was told there was an Oracle in Omaha," the king shrugged. "Apparently I was mistaken. But this is a rather nice house, isn't it? Lit━it's short for Lityerses, by the way━horrible name, but his mother insisted━Lit has plenty of wide-open space to practise his swordplay. He was quite a reputation for that. They called him the Reaper of Men back in the old days."

     Another subtle threat. Jason was inching to grab the coin burning in his pocket. He was starting to regret sending Coach outside, now. 

     "Oh," Sav tried to sound enthusiastic. "How ... nice."

     Lit's smile was more of a cruel sneer.

     Jason sat forward a little bit, clasping his hands together with his elbows on his knees. He inched in front of his friends, determined to protect them. "So," he said. "All this gold━?"

     The king's eyes lit up. "Are you here for gold, my boy? Please, take a brochure!"

    He didn't want to, but considering the longer they put off a fight, the better. So, he glanced down at the brochures on the table. They all held a title that said: GOLD: Invest for Eternity! "Um ... you sell gold?"

    "No, no," Midas shook his head. "I make it. In uncertain times like these, gold is the wisest investment, don't you think? Government falls. The dead rise. Giants attack Olympus. But gold retains its value!"

    Leo leaned back, eyes wide, "Wait━hang on, I've seen that commercial!"

    "Oh, don't be fooled by cheap imiators! I assure you, I can beat any price for a serious investor. I can make a wide assortment of gold items at a moment's notice."

     "But ..." Piper was hesitant. She rubbed her hands along her frayed jeans. Jason knew she had a story in the back of her head━one that gave them an upper hand. Jason was so glad her father made a Greek Mythology movie and Piper remembered everything, otherwise they were sure to be dead by now. "Your Majesty, you gave up the golden touch, didn't you?"

    King Midas looked astonished. "Gave it up?"

    "Yes," said Piper. "You got it from some god━"

    "Dionysus," he agreed. "I rescued one of his satyrs, and in return the god granted me one wish. I chose the golden touch."

     "But you accidentally turned your own daughter to gold. And you realised how━uh━greedy you'd been. So, you repented."

    "Repented!" Midas hollered quietly, giving Lit an incredulous glance. "You see, son? You're away for a few thousand years, and the story gets twisted all around. My dear girl, did those stories ever say I'd lost my magic touch?"

     "Well ... I guess not. They just said you learned how to reverse it with running water, and you brought your daughter back to life."

     "That's all true. Sometimes, I still have to reverse my touch. There's no running water in teh house because I don't want accidents━" the king gestured to his many statues, "━but we chose to live next to a river just in case. Occasionally, I'll forget and pat Lit on the shoulder━"

     His son retreated a few steps. "I hate that."

    "I told you I was sorry, son. At any rate, gold is wonderful. Why would I give it up?"

     "Well ..." Piper looked severly troubled. "Isn't that the point of the story? That you learned your lesson?"

     Midas laughed again; louder, this time. "My dear, may I see your backpack for a moment? Toss it here."

     Piper hesitated, but she wasn't eager to offend the king. So, she dumped everything out of the pack and tossed it to Midas. As soon as he caught it, the pack turned from denim to gold━running like frost. It still looked flexible and soft, but definitely gold. He tossed it back.

     "As you see, I can still turn anything to gold," said Midas. "That pack is magic now, as well. Go ahead━put your little storm spirit enemies in there."

     And Leo's interest was sparked like a lighter flame. "Seriously?" he took the bag from Piper before she could even have a proper look and held it up to the cage. As soon as he unzipped it, the winds stirred and hwoled with protest. The cage bars sudded. Then, the door of the prison sprung open and the winds got sucked straight into the pack. Leo zipped it shut and a great, big grin grew onto his face. "Gotta admit. That's cool!"

     "You see?" Midas held out a lazy hand in gesture. "My golden touch a curse? Please. I did't learn any lesson, and life isn't a story, girl. Honestly, my daughter Zoe was much more pleasant as a gold statue."

     Savreen made a face. 

    "She talked a lot," Lit offered.

    "Exactly! And so, I turned her back to gold." Midas pointed. There, in the corner, was a gold statue of a girl froze mid-shock as if thinking, Dad!

     "That's horrible!" breathed Sav.

     "Nonsense. She doesn't mind. Besides, if I'd learned my lesson, would I have got these?"

     He pulled off his sleeping cap and Jason didn't know whether to laugh or get sick. Midas had long, fuzzy grey ears sticking up from his white air━like Bugs Bunny's, but they weren't rabbit ears. Instead, they were donkey ears.

    "Oh, wow," muttered Leo. "I did not need to see that..."

    "Terrible, isn't it?" sighed Midas. "A few years after the golden touch incident, I judged a music contest between Apollo and Pan, and I declared Pan the winner. Apollo, sore loser, said I must have the ears of an ass, and voilà. This was my reward for being truthful." (Jason made a note never to anger Claire and her siblings, incase they'd give him donkey ears). "I tried to keep them a secret. Only my barber knew, but he couldn't stop blabbing." Midas pointed out aother golden statue━a bald man in a toga, holding a pair of shears. "That's him. He won't be telling anyone's secrets again."

     The king gave them a smile. It wasn't kind. He didn't strike Jason as a harmless old man in a bathrobe. No, that glint in his eyes like the gold he made━it was the look of a madman who knew he was mad, accepted his madness and enjoyed it. "Yes, gold has many uses. I think that must be why I was brought back, eh, Lit? To bankroll our patron."

     Lit nodded, "That and my good sword arm."

     Jason unclasped his fingers. He settled his hands on his pockets. The coin was white-hot now. He shared a brief glance with his friends━suddenly, it was as if they had walked into the cold lounge of Boreas's penthouse. "So, you do have a patron," said Jason. "You work for the giants."

    King Midas waved his hand dismissively. "Well, I don't care for the giants myself, of course. But even supernatural armies need to get paid. I do owe my patron a great debt. I tried to explain that to the last group that came through, but they were very unfriendly. Wouldn't cooperate at all."

     His fingers slipped into his pocket. Jason clasped his coin. His heart began to race, as if already knowing the answer before he himself did. "The last group?"

    "Hunters," snarled the king's son. "Blasted girls from Artemis."

    A spark of electricity jolted down Jason's spine━a true, real, slither of lightning that stenched of an electrical fire, like he had just melted some of the springs in the sofa.

    His ... his sister had been here.

    "When?" he demanded, unable to stop himself. Jason wanted to spring onto his feat, brandish his sword and yell for answers. But he contained the severe urge to add another scar to Lit's face. "What happened?"

    Lit shrugged. "Few days ago? I didn't get to kill them, unfortunately." Relief washed over Jason's chest. "They were looking for some evil wolves, or something. Said they were following a trail, heading west. Missing demigod━I don't recall."

     Savreen met Jason's gaze along the sofa. Percy Jackson. Annabeth and Claire had mentioned the Hunters were looking for him. And in Jason's dream of the burnt-out house in the redwoods, he'd heard enemy wolves baying. Hera had called them her keepers. It had to be connected somehow. 

     Midas scratched his donkey ears. "Very unpleasant young ladies, those Hunters," he recalled. "They absolutely refused to be turned into gold. Much of the security system outside I installed to keep that sort of thing from happening again, you know. I don't have time for those who aren't serious investors."

    They all got the message. Loud and clear. Jason took a deep breath through his nose. He clenched his coin so tight, ready to bring it out at a second's notice. 

     "Well," said Piper cautiously, managing a smile. "It's been a great visit. Welcome back to life. Thanks for the gold bag."

    "Oh, but you can't leave!" said Midas. "I know you're not serious investors, but that's all right! I have to rebuild my collection."

     Lit was smiling creully. The king rose and Jason was on his feet, glowering. Leo, Piper and Sav moved away from Midas and towards Jason.

     "Don't worry," the king assured them. "You don't have to be turned to gold. I give all my guests a choice━join my collection, or die at the hands of Lityerses. Really, it's good either way."

    Piper tried to use her charmspeak. "Your Majesty, you can't━"

    Quicker than any old man should be able to move, Midas lashed out and grabbed her wrist. 

    Jason had been too slow. "No!" he yelled.

     His heart dropped. Horrified, he watched a frost of gold spread over Piper, up her arm, to her face and down her chest to her legs; in an heartbeat, she was a glittering statue. Savreen was desperate to help her. "Stop!" she cried, attempting to unleash her weapon, but Midas turned to her quicker than Jason could blink. 

     "Sav━!" Jason surged forward..

     "Hey, don't touch her━!" brandishing his hand, no fire lit from Leo's fingertips and he, too, beside Savreen, was turned into solid, glinting gold. They were statues━frozen ... were━were they even alive?

     Jason was so horrified he couldn't move. He felt sick. His friends━just gone. And he hadn't been quick enough to stop it. He stared, wide-eyed at Piper's cut-off gasp, Savreen's attempt to block and Leo's rush to stand in front of her, hand stuck before him in a cold picture━not even a whiff of smoke able to come forth from his fingers.

    Midas smiled apologetically. "Gold trumps fire, I'm afraid." He waved around him at all the gold curtains and furniture. "In this room, my power dampens all others: fire ... charmspeak ... even empathy. Which leaves me only one more trophy to collect."

     Jason's breath hitched. He was scared. Jason was terrified.

    "Hedge!" he yelled, pleading for some sort of help━some way where he wasn't in this alone. "Need help in here!"

     For once, the satyr didn't charge in. Jason wondered━horrified━that maybe the lasers had got him, or if he was sitting at the bottom of a trap pit.

     Midas chuckled lowly with fake pity. "No goat to the rescue? Sad. But don't worry, my boy. It's not really painful. Lit can tell you."

     Jason fixed on an idea━a crazy idea, but it was the only chance he'd get himself and his friends out of here ... that was ... that was if he didn't die trying. He held up his head and his chest, trying to look as brave and strong as he possibly could. I'm the son of the King of Olympus, he reminded himself. I'm the son of Jupiter.

     He didn't know why he didn't think Zues, but Jupiter ... it felt right. It felt empowering. It felt more him than he's been since he first woke up on that bus. 

     "I choose combat," he announced strongly. He slipped the coin out of his clenched hand and in between his fingers ready for a toss. "You said I could choose to fight Lit instead."

    Midas looked disappointed, but he shrugged, "I said you could die fighting Lit. But, of course, if you wish."

     "He can try to kill me," replied Jason, courageous despite the want to quiver in his boots. But he felt like he's faced worse than Lit. He felt he's faced worse, and he's walked out, alive and victorious. It made him square his shoulders, stance his feet; technique that he didn't realise he knew━but it was muscle memory, refined with discipline, training, and study. "But he'll fail."

     Lit laughed at his words, "I'm going to ejoy this," he stepped forward. "I am the Reaper of Men!"

     Jason flipped his coin. "Come on, Cornhusker." In a flash, his weapon morphed mid-air into a long, gold javelin. Jason caught it, gave it a spin and got into position, glad for the extra length. 

    "Oh, gold weapon!" exclaimed Midas happily. "Very nice."

     He charged.

     Jason blocked his first strike━a lunge that turned into a swipe; twisting it with the bar of his javelin and stepping away, sneakers squeaking against the golden tiles. Lit was fast; he slashed and he sliced━Jason barely dodge the strikes, spinning his javelin up, down, to the side to block and duck. But as his arms worked, his mind worked harder. Jason went into a mode he didn't even think to: he started to analyse. Every single step, every single movement━he watched the way Lit's wrists moved, the way his arms jerked. He analysed his footing, searching for weak spots, faults in his technique━waiting for the perfect moment to strike. 

     And when it occured━a slight shift in Lit's footing as he went for a second line of offence, no defence at all, Jason jabbed. 

     He aimed for the torso, dipping in under his sword and swinging it over away from Lit's attempted strike. Jason locked it in against the tiles and faster than Lit could comprehend what he had just done, he brought up the butt of his javelin to his shoulder and knocked him back enough for a jab upwards━slamming him right across the jar. So hard that Lit stumbled backwards. 

     Jason let a planned, calm breath out of his lips then stepped back into position for another go. 

    He watched Lit's eyes widen, then into a glare as he spat out a thick clot of blood from his mouth. Jason checked his balance as he did, ready to watch the way he charged. 

    "What is this style?!" growled Lit. "You don't fight like a Greek."

     "Legion training," said Jason before he even thought about his words; or how he even knew that. "It's Roman."

     "Roman?" Lit struck again and Jason deflected his blade, side-stepping and watching him stumble a little with nothing to stop his fast speed. He spun back just as quickly. "What is Roman?"

     He yelled and charged. Jason parried. It went back and forth for a few seconds, Jason taking the defence and waiting ... waiting ... He saw the right moment; trained to see every possibility. "News flash," he said, blocking Lit's downwards strike with the rod of his javelin, pushing against his strength with his own. He looked straight into his eyes, and felt a little smug. "While you were dead, Rome defeated Greece. Created the greatest empire of all time."

     "Impossible," Lit said, teeth gritted with strain as he pushed down against Jason's weapon. "Never heard of them."

     "Your mistake━" Jason gathered enough strength to push his blade up; since Lit had been putting so much pressure into his arms, it left his ankles unstable. The sudden change of weight made him stumble. Jason spun on his heel to gain momentum and slammed the butt of his javelin against Lit's chest. He was sent toppling into Midas's throne. 

    "Oh, dear," said Midas━so soft in his words, so unable to believe that someone (let alone a fifteen-year-old boy) could knock down his son. "Lit?"

    "I'm fine!" growled his son.

   "You'd better help him up," said Jason with faux polite concern.

     Lit cried, "Wait━Dad, no!"

    Too late. Midas put his hand on his son's shoulder, and suddenly, a very angry-looking gold statue was sitting on Midas's throne. 

     "Curses!" wailed the king. "That was a naughty trick, demigod! I'll get you for that!" He patted Lit's golden shoulder. "Don't worry, son. I'll get you down to the river right after I collect this prize."

     Jason just answered with bending his knees ready to fight. 

     Midas raced forward. Jason dodged, but the old man was fast, too. He smacked down a hand that stretched towards Jason's chest and kicked him back to gather enough space. Midas doubled over, but it only just made him angrier. 

     Jason spun on his heel and raced towards the coffee table. He leapt over it and kicked it backwards, watching it hit the old man's legs so hard there was a horrible smack! It knocked him over, but Midas wouldn't stay down for long. 

     He took a deep breath, trying to keep his breathing controlled. In through his nose, out through his mouth. In through his nose, out through his mouth ... 

     His eyes wandered over towards Piper. Something sparked within him to see her so still; taken out so quickly with no chance to fight. She was taken by surprise, and something rooted within Jason made him grow with fury━she was taken out by a coward move. Piper deserved better than that. She was strong, and she was determined, and he could almost imagine her voice in his mind saying, kick his ass, Jason!

     Like a storm; Jason was filled with confidence and determination━sparking with it in fact. It gave him an idea. 

     He glared back at Midas. He changed his grip on his javelin. As the king pushed himself back onto his feet, Jason willed the feeling in his gut━a pull, a twist. The air pressure around them dropped so rapidly that his ears popped. Midas must've felt it, too, because he stumbled, grabbing his donkey ears. 

     "Ow! What are you doing?!" he demanded. "My power is supreme here!"

     Thunder rumbled. Outside, the sky had turned black.

    "You know another good use for gold?" Jason countered.

    Midas raised his eyebrows, met with sudden excitement. "Yes?"

    "It's an excellent conductor of electricity."

     And like that, Jason threw up his javellin.

     The ceiling exploded. 

    A lightning bolt ripped down through the roof with a mighty, loud roar it shook Jason's knees and vibrated within his chest. It connected with the tip of his spear, snending out arcs of energy that blasted the sofas to shreds. Chunks of golden ceiling plaster crashed down. The chandelier groaned and snapped off its chain, and Midas screamed as it pinned him to the floor. The glass immediately turned into gold. 

    When the rumbling stopped, freezing rain poured into the building. Jason took a deep breath amongst it all, feeling drained, but also buzzing with life. His hair was wet to his scalp, his clothes were drenched, but he felt alive━he felt ... he felt himself.

     This is me, he realised. 

     And Jason knew that he could lead this quest. He knew that they were going to succeed. Why? Because he had the discipline and stubborness to not let them fail. 

     The rain soaked everything, turning gold back into glass, wood, fabric. Piper, Sav and Leo were slowly changing back, too, along with the other statues in the room. 

     The front door burst open, and Coach Hedge charged in, club ready. His mouth was covered with dirt, snow and grass. 

     "What did I miss?"

    Jason clenched his jaw. "Where were you?!" he demanded. Despite the pounding energy of his heart, his head was spinning, and it was all he could do to keep from passing out. "I was screaming for help."

    Hedge belched. "Getting a snack. Sorry. Who needs killing?"

    "No one, now!" Jason snapped. Then, he calmed himself down. There was no time for this. "Sorry, I shouldn't shout━just, grab Leo. I'll get Piper and Sav."

     "Don't leave me like this!" wailed Midas from under the chandelier. 

     All around him the statues of his victims were turning to flesh━his daughter, his barber and a whole lot of angry-looking guys with swords. 

     "I think you're overdue for a lesson." Jason told him before grabbing Piper's golden bag and his own supplies. Then, he threw a rug over the golden statue of Lit on the throne. Hopefully, that would keep the Reaper of Men from turning back to flesh━at least until after Midas's victims did.

     "Let's get out of here," Jason then said to Hedge. "I think these guys will want some quality time with Midas."

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

    a/n:

     jason in this scene━

     my badass boi deserves recognition he's amazing and he's also kind and gentle and thoughtful but will most definitely fuq u up with lightning. 

     he gives me such steve rogers vibes, maybe that's why i love him so much. 

     also not me fleshing out the fight scenes cos i love writing action. 

      (btw, just imagine claire giving someone donkey ears ... most likely percy back when they were young omfg━)

      anyway, expect mistakes, i'm a terrible editor. but i hope you like it anyway! see you all in the next chapter xx