An Impossible Choice|| Lani Jackson Book 2|| Piper McLean

Everything Goes to Shit: Take One (Rewritten)

Good news guys, I've figured out how I want to go about things and have made a few adjustments to Lani's past, nothing that affects the last book or this one, but they'll be pretty important when we get around to House of Hades and honestly the changes are already making this story so much better. So for now, here's the new version of this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Lani

"I'm sorry, that was awkward, me volunteering to show you around when I don't even know you and you don't know me" I said, scratching the back of my neck sheepishly.

"It's alright. I actually appreciate it." Piper admitted.

"Really? I didn't realize things were awkward between you and Jason" I smiled.

"Then why did you volunteer?" she asked.

"Because Reyna still likes Jason... obviously. Why else would I volunteer to show a complete stranger around?" I spoke quickly, an awkward pacing to my words.

"Okay. So, about New Rome?" Piper reminded.

"Right, uh, well I guess we should start with the via principalis. Really there isn't much explaining to do for most of the buildings, unless you want a lecture on the architecture, but Annie has always been better at that, as I'm sure you know by now" I pointed to different buildings, talking about some of the people I met that ran different shops and things like that.

"Something's bothering you, what is it?" Piper asked when we sat down with hot chocolate on a bench near a fountain.

"The masthead of your ship. It's the dragon from the woods of Camp Half-Blood isn't it? The one that Cabin 9 was trying to destroy." I stated.

"Yeah, it's Festus, how did you know?" She inquired.

"Festus, that's the name you gave it." I chuckled. "Selina wanted to name him Blaze. I wanted to name him Inferno. In the end, the poor dragon didn't get a name. Not until your friend Leo found it, at least I'm assuming it was him. I'm guessing he's a son of Hephaestus?"

"Yeah" Piper nodded. "You knew Selina?"

"Of course I did, she and Charlie were like a second set of parents or older siblings to me, even though they were only a few years older. Charlie was the one who fixed Bl-Festus the first time, he went crazy after Charlie died. Selina was barely able to talk Festus into disappearing into the woods. Then she died, I was never able to find the dragon in the woods, but I thought, maybe if I did, we wouldn't have to destroy the only thing left of them," I explained sadly. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

"He got blown apart by lasers, he took the fire so Jason, Leo and I could survive" Piper answered.

I smiled slightly. "I knew Charlie did a good job with his control disk. Did you guys ever find the lever on his left foreleg that turned him into a suitcase?"

"Yeah, how did you know about it?"

"Selina and I kept Charlie company while he was working on the dragon, the suitcase thing was my idea. Selina thought it was ridiculous, but Charlie did it anyway. Selina always said it would be too heavy to carry so Charlie made a handle and wheels." I smiled wistfully. "I think you and Selina would've gotten along. During the final battle of Manhattan, she stole Clarisse's armor to trick cabin 5 into joining the fight. Without her we would've lost. I assume no one in your cabin mentioned that, especially not Drew."

"No, she didn't, but why are we talking about Drew now?" Piper asked.

"I kind of just guessed that you were a daughter of Aphrodite, I mean, you used charmspeak earlier so, it made sense." I shrugged as a few kids ran up to the nearby fountain, tossing in coins.