Romans in the Big Apple

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Percy shook his head, mentally laughing at the looks of fear of the faces of the Senate. The all stared at him, half expecting him to be furious and the other half expecting him to mock them.

He cleared his throat, "Yeah, uh, that was unexpected. I didn't know any of the gods would come here personally to assure you that I was speaking the truth. But now that they have, I hope everyone understands exactly what is at stake. If Olympus falls, control of the world will fall into the Titans' hands. Do you understand what that would mean? This camp, this wonderful place that I've grown to love and would lay down my life to protect without a second's hesitation would be burned to the ground. We barely managed to survive a fight against what was only half of their army. Imagine a force twice as big, if not larger. We won a hard fought battle, there is no denying that; we protected our home and our city but the Greeks were not as lucky as us; their camp was destroyed their numbers decimated. Yet now, even after losing so many, they are willing to risk everything to protect Olympus. Are you telling me the Twelfth Legion of the Roman Army isn't willing to fight when a bunch Greeks are?"

Percy looked around, catching the eyes of as many Senators and more specially the Centurions as he could. Once he was sure he had their undivided attention, he continued.

"Are you saying that we are unwilling to do our duty because of grudges that no one, save the Lares, were alive for? I know that I for one will be going to New York. I know Centurions Reyna and Jason are going to join me. What about the rest of you? Do you wait for Olympus to fall before you do something? Or do we show the Titans exactly how foolish it is to think the Romans wouldn't do their duty and meet them head on in New York? I say we take the war to them before they can even think of bringing their worthless monster army to our doorstep again! Who's with me?"

A number of the Centurions stood up, shouting their agreement to Percy's words. Soon, more and more of the Senators joined in until the room was abuzz with excitement.

Cassie stood up and raised her hands as the Senators slowly calmed down until the room was again silent.

She turned to Percy, "Well Jack, you have our answer. Now what do you need from us and how are we getting to New York?"

Percy smiled, his mind still a little stunned he'd managed to pull this much of the task off.

"Well, I need the legion ready to move in the morning. I need every able bodied soldier ready for battle at first light." He answered.

"Is that all?" Cassie asked.

"No, I need a clear sighted mortal as well and I'd recommend bringing as many flashlights as we can muster up."

Line Break

Percy walked alone through the streets of New Rome. Reyna and Jason had gone off to help their cohorts prepare to leave by morning but Percy needed a minute, a little time to finally think about everything he had gone through since coming to New Rome. His life had changed a lot more than he had anticipated when he arrived here. It was a strictly strategic move to come to Camp Jupiter but it didn't take long for that to change. He had friends here, a girlfriend and a place where he belonged. Well he knew he didn't really belong but he wished he did. He was proud to be a Norse and a son of Thor but it was also such an unbelievable burden. His entire childhood sacrificed to training and education, never even having a friend until he reached his early teens and even then, his first was Zoë and that wasn't exactly a normal friendship.

Now he was going to lead the people who took him in across the country and into a battle where they could easily be massacred. This could be the end of the Roman Legion and it was now on him; if they didn't win this battle, it would be his fault. He listened to these Olympian gods who he hardly knew and threw his friends, his family, into a situation that will almost certainly get most, if not all, of them killed.

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