Hey Stranger

Chapter 10

Percy was getting used to the whispers, the comparisons between him and the renown son of Jupiter. Jason had arrived the day before Percy did, the Son of Jupiter had returned and everyone was happy, whilst when Percy returned in the wagon of Mercury And only the praetors along with his friends batted an eye to him because the rest was busy groveling in front of the god.

The celebrations of the son of Jupiter's return hadn't ended yet but Percy had yet to catch a glimpse of the Jason they all spoke of. It was hard not to feel jealous because Percy had restored the rightful place of the lightning bolt while Jason had retrieved a lost package from an old container.

"Don't mind them." Reyna repeated. It was the only thing she said to him nowadays, along with, 'Keep your sword up, smartass.' She didn't change over the summer, except for the tan she got from training in the sun.

"The son of Neptune." Their cohort leader called out as they continued to march down the field of Mars. "Praetor is calling for you." There was a smug smile appearing on several faces of the First Cohort. "Maybe it is to question you about your whereabouts."

"I literally stepped out of Mercury's wagon." Percy muttered and straightened his back before calling out, "Sir, yes, sir!" After he reached the weapon rack, he neatly placed it down before he ran over to the Principia.

He ran in a light jog, he left behind his weapons with Terminus who by now, already knew the drill. The statue just rolled his eyes, told him to hurry and to stop throwing his swords at him. Percy passed his former roommate, he turned his head and held up his hand to wave.

His hand faltered when he saw the blonde next to Frank, patting his back and telling him to look out in front. There was a crowd of people following the two of them, and even Gwen who narrowed her eyes at him when he ran past them.

The son of Jupiter returned and he felt more on the tip of his toes than ever before.

Percy turned his head back forward as he came to a halt in front of the Principia. The doors opened and the clerk said that they were in the usual room. When Percy awkwardly stood still for ten seconds, seeing that the clerk wasn't going to guide him to where it was, he just walked down the tunnel where he had been only once.

"Perseus." The praetor Mack greeted shortly as he walked past Percy. The son of Neptune greeted him with a nod as he continued down the hallway.

"Blue." Praetor Jess smiled and walked over, giving Percy a quick hug before nudging him over to the big table. "You've had quite the impression on some gods, Blue. I don't know what you did, but you did it." She chuckled and laid down a few scrolls on the big table.

"What are these?" Percy asked as he curiously looked at them.

"Quests," Jess said with a bright smile, "Normally quest are issued through our augur but these have come for you directly. Lord Triton said that you are to only do the quests in the matter of urgency and routine."

"Urgency and routine?" Percy questioned.

"Well, some are more urgent than others." The praetor said, "Some even require you to go to New York." She let out an impressed whistle. "Really, this is a very big gift from the gods."

Percy didn't have the heart to say that he had to do the quests to show his loyalty towards Olympus, or else he would be killed at an instant by the lightning bolt that he had returned. So he just smiled. "I'm very honored."

Jess snorted, "No you're not." She said and squinted at him. "I know when you lie, Perseus." Percy raised his eyebrows when she said his whole name. "But I am not going to question the gods, I don't want to be smited by the King of Gods."