The House of Hades (discontinued)

[ II ] Piper

II

Piper

The Romans marched determinedly towards camp, wearing full armor with their shields and weapons poised. Although Piper would think they'd choose a better attack route, here they were, vulnerable and unknowing about the demigods of the prophecy's next move.

Maybe she overestimated Reyna.

Hazel and Leo were already in position, getting the giant party poppers that would blast out stored lightning bolts and a defeaning clap of thunder. It was like a miniature thunder storm without the rain, and Leo was an absolute genius. They would release it the moment Jason and the trio would appear riding storm clouds. And with Aphrodite's enchantment, Piper had her hopes up that the plan would go well.

She glanced at Jason, who looked very different. A shiver ran through her. It felt kinda weird, seeing her boyfriend like this. He appeared and seemed older, with shoulder-length gray hair, a scruffy beard, a taller, buff, body, and slight crow feet forming near his eyes, which remained to be the usual electric blue, not gold, when the eidolon had posessed him, or any other color for that matter.

Although she would've thought they'd be a stormy gray (he was portraying Zeus, after all, and Frank's eyes were fiery orbs) . . . like Annabeth's.

The thought of her name made Piper's heart ache, and she wondered how they were doing. But then again, it was Annabeth and Percy they were talking about. Two extremely experienced campers. They would know what to do, and Piper found comfort in that thought.

"Okay, so what do I say again?" Frank asked, his expression clearly not matching his appearance.

A strange, angry ambience cloaked him as if he was Ares himself. Piper felt herself get a little mad - he'd asked too many times already. Or more likely, it was his aura. Aphrodite's enchantment was working all too well.

She recited his lines loudly. She'd already memorized it; courtesy of Frank not being able to recall it, therefore asking Piper over and over again what he was going to say.

After she finished, she looked at him, her brows slightly scrunched up. "Remember that, okay? Drill it deep into your head, or something," she added a little power there, just to make sure.

Her charmspeak worked the way she wanted to, and Frank started to practice his lines as if he knew it all along. If he took it literally - and gods, he had a scary weapon collection - Piper wouldn't know what to do.

"Hey guys, we better get moving. They're only ten meters away from the camp's borders," Jason said. Then he turned to her, "Are you ready?"

She smiled half-heartedly. "Antsy, but I'm good to go," she reached up to feel the vial that hung across her collarbone.

"Don't worry. You'll do great," He smiled, and though she saw Zeus' face, she managed to smile back.

"Frank!" Jason called. "Let's go,"

He started to brew up a storm. Thunder rumbled, lightning flashed, the wind blew strongly, and Piper had to pull her chiton down. Miniature storm clouds formed above Jason's head, complete with cackling electricity running through it.

"Uh, Jason, you better get rid of that. I don't want us barbecued before we even get to the Romans," Piper was referring to the glowing yellow sparks just beneath the dark clouds.

He snapped his fingers. The shocks stopped. By now, Frank was looking confident and ready. "Do you have your lines memorized?" Piper asked.

Frank gave her two thumbs up. "Like I'm about to audition for a blockbuster movie."