The Vines of Fate (Percy Jackson fanfic)

Roman Mob

"That's not giants." Percy grasped my hand. The two of us started to run in the direction of the attack. "We crushed them."

Another explosion. This time we saw it. I gaped as the Argo II fired at the forum again. Another volley of Greek fire sailed straight through the broken dome of the Senate House. It exploded inside, lighting up the inside of the building. Oh gods, if anyone was in there...

"What? That makes no sense!" I told Percy with wide eyes. We pushed past retreating families and got closer to the forum. "Is it Octavian?"

"He's a punk, but loyal to the Romans." Percy shook his head. "He wouldn't do this."

"Leo wouldn't either." I said as we grew closer to a water fountain. "Something is up."

I saw Percy's Roman friends scanning the crowd. The girl, Hazel, tapped Frank's shoulder and pointed in our direction when she saw us. Frank and Hazel were looking at us with wide eyes. They met us at the fountain.

"What is going on?" Frank asked.

"We don't know." Percy informed them. A few Roman demigods saw us. Anger flashed in their eyes when they saw me. They started to make their way toward us. "I think they may need to cool off if they don't back away."

"Graecus!" A Roman pointed at me, his finger shaking in anger.

"I-what? Should I be insulted?"

"Um...in this case, I think so?" Hazel said.

"Great."

They started to swarm us, yelling all at once. I couldn't even hear what they were saying. It was just a blur of shouts. I just held up my hands in defense, not knowing how to react. One tried to reach for me, but Percy was quick to smack his hand away with a glare.

"Don't touch her." Percy growled. His glare was enough to send the first row of demigods back a step.

"Let's calm down." I tried to tell them, placing an hand on Percy's arm to calm him down as well. "I-"

"Calm down? You're attacking us!"

"There's a misunderstanding-"

I was cut off by more yells of protests. My voice was drowned out and nobody could hear me. Frank and Hazel tried to help calm the situation. Percy was trying to order them to back up. It only angered them. The Romans started to push and shoved toward us. I stumbled backwards, almost falling into the fountain. Percy caught me.

"You don't deserve to be praetor!" A demigod grabbed a fist full of Percy's purple toga and tugged.

Percy turned quickly and shoved the guy away, ripping the fabric. Others got the same idea, trying to rip the toga off of him. I grabbed Percy's arm and led the both of us into the fountain. His toga now ripped on many places. Frank and Hazel were quick to follow. Romans tried to step into the fountain with their hands clenched into fists. Percy started to repel them with blasts of water. I grew a hedge of vines between us and the Romans.

"Ivy! Percy!" I heard Annabeth call out as another explosion rocked the forum.

The flash of light was overhead. One of the Roman catapults had fired at the Argo II, forcing the ship to groan and tilt sideways. Flames bubbled over the bronze-plated hull. I glanced to the ship to see a figure desperately clinging to the rope ladder, trying to climb down. It was Octavian, his robes steaming and his face black with soot.

Percy blasted another angry Roman mob with water. I started to make the vines wrap around the ankles to hold them in place. Annabeth was running toward us. She ducked when a Roman threw a punch and another threw a plate of sandwiches.