Percy Jackson's Twin Sister

Leo's Back

"Leo, gods! Where have you been!" I demand.

"Valdez, if you ever disappear like that again I will knock you into next month!" Coach yells.

Frank patted Leo on his back and Hazel plants a kiss on his cheek.

"We thought you were dead!" Piper yells.

Leo musters a faint smile, "Hey guys. Nah, nah, I'm good."

He wasn't good. Something was bothering him but I knew he wouldn't open up to me.

"Hey man," Jason says, "What happened?"

"I got marooned," Leo says, "Long story. How about you guys? What happened with Khione?"

"Piper happened," I say.

Piper and I recount what happened. Piper tried to be modest but I hyped her up a bit.

"I mean, I couldn't have done any of it without Festus," Piper says.

Leo raises an eyebrow, "But Festus was disabled."

Piper explained how she rebooted him with her charmspeak.

"It shouldn't be possible," Leo mutters, "Unless the upgrades let him respond to voice commands. But if he's permanently activated, that means the navigation system and the crystals..."

"Crystals?" Jason asks.

Leo flinched, "nothing. Any ways what happened after the wind bomb went off?"

Hazel took up the story. The waitress came over and offered us menus. In no time we were eating sandwiches and enjoying the sunny day like a group of regular teenagers.

Despite the happy reunion, everybody seemed more subdue than usual. It's like they were picking up on Leo's mood.

I had never considered how important leis humor was to the group.

"Do, Jason harnessed the venti and here we are," Hazel finishes.

Leo whistled, "hot air horses? Dang,  Jason. So basically you held a bunch of hot air together all the way to Malta?"

Leo makes a few more jokes about hot air. The groups spirit lifts a little bit.

"I'm still wondering why Malta? I just kind of ended up here on a raft," Leo says.

"Maybe because of this. It says here Malta is where calypso lived," Frank says.

Leo and my head both shoot up. That's what's wrong with Leo. I'd seen this exact thing with Percy. Even though I was stuck in the labyrinth I heard all about it after because he didn't want to talk to Annabeth, his other crush, about it.

Leo chokes a little, "W-what?"

"According to this, her original home was an island called gozo just north of here. She's a Greek myth thingy right?" Says Frank.

"Yah," I say, "I don't really want to get into details about her. For multiple reasons," I say looking at Leo.

"Maybe we can fight here?" Coach says eagerly.

"No!" Leo says.

That just reinforces my thought. I look at Leo and he looks me directly in the eyes. He was heartsick for her. His eyes plead with me not to say anything.

"Leo what's wrong?" Asks Piper, "You look-"

"Nothings wrong!" Leo yells, "Hey we should get going. We've got work to do!"

"But where did you go?" Hazel asks, "Where did you get those clothes. How-"

"Jeez ladies," Leo says, "I appreciate the concern, but I don't need two extra moms."

Piper tried to protest but Leo pushes through.

"Ships to fix!" Leo says, "Festus to check! Earth goddess to punch in the face! What are we waiting for? Leo's back!"

We start to walk back and Jason and Piper both pull me aside.

"What's with calypso? What are you not telling us?" Piper asks.

I gulp, "Trust me, for Leo's sake I shouldn't say yet. He needs time."

"But what is she?" Jason asks, "A sorceress like Circe or Medea? Why is he so sad?"

"Because he's heart sick!" I say.

They both look at me concerned.

"Look give him space. Percy had a brief encounter a few years ago. I wasn't even there but I still know all about her. I promise Leo isn't hurt in anyway, just give him some time," I say.

Before they could protest or ask any more questions hazel gasps.

"Guys....." she says pointing at the horizon.

The three of us renter the group looking to where she's pointing.

At first I saw nothing but sea. Then a streak of darkness shot into the air like black lightning as if pure night had torn into daytime.

"I don't see anything," Coach says.

"Me neither," Piper says.

I scan my friends faces. Most of them just look confused. Nico was the only one who seems to have noticed the black lightning.

"That can't be..." he mumbles, "Greece is hundreds of miles away."

Darkness flashes again momentarily.

"You think it's Epirus?" Jason asks.

Nico nodded, "The house of hades is open for business."

"It's begun," Hazel says.

"What has?" Asks Leo.

When the next flash happens Hazel's eyes darken, "Gaea's final push," she says, "The doors of death are working overtime. Her forces are entering the mortal worlds in masses."

"We'll never make it," Nico says, "By the time we arrive, there'll be to many monsters to fight."

My jaw sets, "we have to make! We'll defeat the mo steed. We've got Leo back."

"Yah, he'll give us the speed we need," Jason says.

Leo's eyes shine a little more. He manages a smile, "Time to fly boys and girls. Uncle Leo's still got a few tricks up his sleeve."