Percy Jackson son of Neptune

Jason being obnoxious and possibly kidnaped

Chapter Four

Percy spent three days recuperating from his fight with Krios, and in that time, Jason never visited him once. While he had been indifferent to his cousin when the first met, Jason had gone out of his way to try and build a relationship with Percy, though he had scorned it at first. It had taken Lupa tossing them out in Yellowstone and forcing them to work together for the beginning of a friendship to be built. They had bonded over their solitary nature as children of the Big Three, and Percy had begun to really like Jason. And then the stupid Praetorship got between them.

Percy hadn't wanted to be Praetor. For Neptune's sake, he hadn't even wanted to be centurion. But once Jason had been elevated on the field of battle, any time he had for Percy seemingly vanished. His two most common visitors were Reyna and Leila. The Senior Centurion for the Third Cohort had put herself forward for the vacant Praetor spot, and was running against a legacy of Apollo, Octavian, who was the new augur, as well as the new Centurion of the First Cohort, though how he weaselled his way into that, Percy would never know. Leila was the Junior Centurion for the Fourth now, and had been keeping Percy informed of the goings on in the cohort.

Now that he was free of the Medicus, Percy had made his way straight to the Wolf House, riding on the back of a Pegasus he had met. As he dismounted, he found himself quickly surrounded by some of Lupa's pack. They recognized his scent, no doubt, by they would keep him here until Lupa decided to see him. If she decided to see him. Percy stayed still, but kept a hand on the pommel of his gladius, ready in case one of the wolves tried something. Lupa didn't keep him waiting long, emerging from the woods, shifting into a human form as she did so.

When she approached him, she tilted his head down, looking at the new scar he had, a parting gift from Krios. It started on his forehead and went down over his left eye, finishing at his jaw. It was a brutal reminder that he wasn't infallible, but also one of his defeat of a Titan.

"Romulus had a similar scar." Lupa said simply. Once, the comparison would have frustrated Percy, knowing that he would never live up to the memory of Lupa's most famous son, but he knew better now. She didn't give the comparisons to spite Percy, but to encourage him. Romulus was Lupa's son, but Percy held a similar spot in her heart, and knowing that he reminded her of him was something that made him proud.

"A fierce warrior, then." Percy responded, and Lupa nodded.

"You are here because of Jason, I assume?" She asked him, and Percy nodded his head in affirmation. "I understand he never visited you whilst you were recovering. He is praetor now, Perseus."

"I know that, Mother Lupa, but he is praetor because I threw myself against a Titan. I don't want the position. I never have, but recognition is something I would enjoy, if not from the legion, then at least from my cousin. Yet he deems me beneath his importance, for even a single visit." Percy explained, noting how the wolves had left, leaving the two of them alone. "I do not understand it."

"Oh, my boy, it is not your place to understand. Jason is a son of Jupiter, and pride comes easier to them than it does to you." The She-Wolf explained. "He has a new role, a new responsibility, and his pride prevents him from acknowledging your role in his ascension. He will realize his mistake, in time, but for now, you must be the dutiful officer. The second in command to the Son of Jupiter. The alternative is to run for Praetor. Make Jason your equal, and he will have to recognize you as his partner, not subordinate."

"Yeah, that'll happen." Percy scoffed, only the smacked in the back of his head by Lupa. "Ow! Hey!"

"That's not why you refuse to run for praetor, and don't try to tell me otherwise. Why?" She asked him. Percy shrugged.