𝖘𝖍𝖎𝖊𝖑𝖉 𝖔𝖋 𝖌𝖑𝖆𝖘𝖘 ── 𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔠𝔶 𝔧𝔞𝔠𝔨𝔰𝔬𝔫

iv. percy

For Percy, the feeling was indescribable. He had waited for this moment since the second he woke up. Even after not knowing what the name Celeste meant to him, he could still tell that she was someone very important to him. 

And after so long, he had her back in his arms. He could practically feel her excitement through the bond. It brought a small smile to his face. 

When he initially found out that she could talk to people through a mental bond, he decided that he wanted to learn as much as possible about it. When he had finally done some reading (with Annabeth's help, since he can't exactly read) he practiced with her all the time. Sending her little thoughts throughout the day.

I wanna show you New Rome. I'm gonna ask after blondie does.

Percy, sweetheart, calm down. I'm gonna be here for a long time. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

It calmed him. It really did. 

"Uh, Reyna," Jason said, "if you don't mind, I'd like to show Piper around before the senate meeting. She's never seen New Rome." Reyna's expression hardened.

Strike one. 

"Of course," Reyna said coldly.

That's when Percy took that as his queue to ask her about showing his own girlfriend around.

"Hey, um me to-"

"Before all that" She stood, "I'd like a few words with Annabeth, "Reyna said. "Alone. If you don't mind, my fellow praetor." Her tone made it clear she wasn't really asking permission.

"Come, daughter of Athena, walk with me."

✧

"This place is amazing! It really is!" her admiration for the certain location confused him. They were just standing in front of a coffee shop.

"You think....out of everything in New Rome, a coffee shop is amazing?"

That earned him a slap to the shoulder, as he laughed it off with her. After Reyna had walked off with Annabeth, the two of them left and decided to start looking around a little more, just deciding to be adventurous. 

"So...." he started. She smiled at him again. The same smile that made him fall in love with her all over again.

"So...." she imitated him. Rolling his eyes at her, he started walking faster as she ran to catch up with him. They were popped out of their little bubble when they heard a loud explosion. 

"Giants?" she yelled over the frantic sounds and panic of the other demigods in the forum. Percy shook his head, this really wasn't any good news.

"It's the Argo ii! Something's going on!" He yelled to her. She looked at him in confusion but let it go. Unfortunately for them, all their weapons had been left on board the giant ship that was currently firing at the Romans. So they had to rely on their powers and other domestic resources.

Soon enough, Hazel, Frank, Celeste, and Percy were in the middle of a fountain as Percy blasted Romans away with spurts of water. He could see that Celeste was holding back numerous Romans by creating shadow walls, and she had conjured shadow beings, that we're fighting the Romans attacking them. But using numerous parts of her strength was really taking a toll on her and he could see that. 

Hold on Celeste, we're going to get out of here.

He felt a minor brush against his mental shields in return to his message, almost like confirmation and assurance that she would try her best. And then, in the crowd, he spotted Annabeth who had been talking to Reyna and he really wanted to know how that went.

"Annabeth!" he yelled. "What?-"

"I don't know!" she yelled back. They could see Octavian trying to climb down the rope ladder on the Argo ii.

"I'll tell you what!" cried a voice from above. Octavian had reached the bottom of the ladder. "The Greeks have fired on us! Your boy Leo has trained his weapons on Rome!"

"You're lying," Annabeth yelled in return. "Leo would never—"

"I was just there!" Octavian shrieked. "I saw it with my own eyes!"The Argo II returned fire. Legionnaires in the field scattered as one of their catapults were blasted to splinters. 

"You see?" Octavian screamed."Romans, kill the invaders!"

He faintly heard Celeste growl under her breath in what he assumed was frustration. It was followed by a yell when a giant shadow wall erupted from the ground and surrounded them away from the mob.

"We have to leave now!" she yelled at them. "I can't hold it for long!"

He nodded grimly. Hazel took Arion and rode away leaving them to fend for themselves. Celeste nodded at them as the wall fell once again to reveal Jason and Piper. They seemed to be in some sort of trouble since Jason was on the ground, probably passed out. 

"Frank," Percy said, "it's up to you. Can you help them?" Annabeth didn't understand how Frank could do that all by himself, but he swallowed nervously. 

"Oh, gods," he murmured. "Okay, sure. Just get up the ropes.Now."

Percy, Annabeth, and Celeste lunged for the ladder. Octavian was still clinging to the bottom, but Percy yanked him off and threw him into the mob. They began to climb as armed legionnaires flooded into the forum. Arrows whistled past Percy's head. An explosion almost knocked Celeste off the ladder. Halfway up, he heard a road below and glanced down.

Romans screamed and scattered as a full-sized dragon charged through the forum—a beast even scarier than the bronze dragon figurehead on the Argo II. It had rough gray skin like Komodo lizards and leathery bat wings. Arrows and rocks bounced harmlessly off its hide as it lumbered towardPiper and Jason, grabbed them with its front claws, and vaulted into the air.

"Is that?-" Celeste asked.

"Frank" Percy confirmed. "he has a few special talents"

"Understatement" he heard Annabeth mutter. "let's keep going."

Finally, they climbed past a row of broken aerial oars and onto the deck. The rigging was on fire. The foresail was ripped down the middle, and the ship listed badly to starboard. There was no sign of Coach Hedge, but Leo stood amidships, calmly reloading the ballista.

"Leo!" Celeste screamed. "What are you doing?" 

"Destroy them..." He faced Annabeth. His eyes were glazed. His movements were like a robot's. "Destroy them all."He turned back to the ballista, but Percy tackled him. Leo's head hit the deck hard, and his eyes rolled up so that only the whites showed. The gray dragon soared into view. It circled the ship once and landed at the bow, depositing Jason and Piper, who both collapsed. 

"Go!" Percy yelled. "Get us out of here!"

With a shock, Celeste probably realized he was talking to her. She ran for the helm. She made the mistake of glancing over the rail and saw armed legionnaires closing ranks in the forum, preparing flaming arrows. Hazel spurred Arion, and they raced out of the city with a mob chasing after them. More catapults were being wheeled into range. 

All along the Pomeranian Line, the statues of Terminus were glowing purple as if building up energy for some kind of attack. Annabeth looked over the controls. She cursed Leo for making them so complicated. No time for fancy maneuvers, but she did know one basic command: Up. She grabbed the aviation throttle and yanked it straight back. The ship groaned. The bow tilted up at a horrifying angle. The mooring lines snapped, and the Argo II shot into the clouds.