A/N: I am so sorry for all the long chapters!
(Piper POV)
So, Leo and Madi were claimed. And her boyfriend, wait right he's not her boyfriend! She was stuck in the worst do-over ever! Jason had a tattoo on his forearm. How had Piper never noticed it before? She had looked at his arms thousands of times. There was no way it could've just appeared there. It was darkly etched, like it was burned into his skin, about a dozen lines, an eagle, and the letters SPQR. The group stared at them as if they were a declaration of war.
"I've never seen marks like this," Annabeth said, "where'd you get them?"
"I'm really tired of saying this, but, I don't know." Jason admitted.
"They look burned into his skin." Madi noticed.
"They were." Jason winced, "I mean... I think so. I don't remember."
No one said anything. It was clear they saw Annabeth as the leader. They were waiting for her verdict.
"He needs to go straight to Chiron. As well as Madi. Drew would you–" Annabeth decided.
"Absolutely" Drew laced her arm through Jason's, "This way Sweetie. I'll introduce you to our director. He's ... an interesting guy." She flashed Piper a smug look and headed up a hill to a blue farm house. Madi ran after them turning to Piper,
"I'll make sure she doesn't flirt with him!" then ran to catch up. The crowd dispersed until only Piper and Annabeth were left.
"Who's Chiron?" she asked, "Is Jason in trouble?"
Annabeth hesitated, "Good question, Piper. Come on, I'll give you the tour. We need to talk."
(Madi POV)
I am short. I stand at five foot one. Leo is five foot four. And most of the people at this camp are about a foot taller than me. Embarrassment. Drew, this stuck up little princess, called me what, a metal mouth?!
"Wait, up!" I panted. Drew didn't wait. Jason looked back at me cringing. He wasn't cringing at me, but at Drew. I knew she was making moves, and I wanted revenge for being called 'metal mouth'. I saw the house and Jason paled.
"Here we are!" Drew smiled, "Camp head-quarters!" The house didn't look threatening, it was just a four story building with a wrap-around porch.
But Jason's body seemed to tense, "I am not supposed to be here."
Drew laced her arm through his, "Oh please. You're perfect here sweetie. And trust me, I've seen a lot of heroes." Jason looked uncomfortable and slipped his arm out of hers gently.
"Look, I appreciate–"
"Is it that girl?" she pouted, "Please tell me you're not dating the Dumpster Queen?"
"You mean Piper? Um..." he replied unsure. I shook my head. Boys were so clueless at times. I remember when Piper was trying to get into more than a friendship with Jason; and he didn't even notice!
"Please, dear, let me help you decide sweetie." Drew rolled her eyes at me, "You can do better; I mean a guy with your looks and obvious talent?" But Drew wasn't looking at him, but the spot above his head.
"You're looking for a sign." I said.
"What?"
"Like what popped up over me and my cr- my friend." I blushed. I was thinking about Leo. I almost let it slip that I liked him. But Drew caught on.
"Wait one minute! You like that Hephaestus boy that you came with today!" she smiled. And she actually seemed nice, "Of course a brace face like you would want him." She turned her attention back to Jason.
"So why are you looking for a sign?" Jason asked her.
"Because you can't date a member from the same cabin! But everyone else is all game! So you and that scrawny guy could-" she smirked at me. Then a man with the rear end of a white stallion came out of the house.
"Does he have a horse for a butt?" I whispered to Jason. Though he didn't seem to notice my question.
"Chiron! This is Jason. He is totally awesome!" I coughed, "Oh and uhm– her uh Brace Face!" I smiled at the horse man. He pointed at Jason and scowled. Poor Jason, he got a lot of that today.
"You should be dead." Then invited us, well it sounded like an order to come inside. Drew started to follow but Chiron told her to go back to her cabin. I followed as well.
"Follow me," He ordered, "We have lemonade." The living room looked like it was swallowed by a rainforest. With lots of grape vines hanging from the ceiling. Odd. There was a stuffed leopard head on the wall above the fireplace. It snarled at us as we walked by and were sitting down.
"AAH!" I jumped up and Jason caught me. It was embarrassing; I tend to jump when something startles me. But only when it comes out of nowhere, and because I am so short I tend to jump high.
"Now Seymour," Chiron chided, "Jason and her are our friends."
"Madi, my name is Madi." I added.
"That thing is alive!" Jason put me down. I sat on the couch farthest away from the leopard and Chiron.
"Please excuse the decor, it was a parting gift from our director Mr. D." He explained.
"Mr. D? Like Diyonsis?" I asked. Chiron nodded.
"Your camp director is the wine god?" Jason asked. Chiron nodded as though it was completely normal.
"So, Jason, do you mind telling me where you're from? You as well Madison." Chiron asked.
"Well I was born in California. But we moved to Houston, Texas when I was six. That's where my mom died. I was adopted in South Carolina but got into school fights and was sent to the Wilderness school in Armpit, Nevada." I answered.
"I wish I knew." Jason explained their whole story from the minute he woke up on the bus, to when we crashed landed at camp, and Leo and I got claimed. Chiron was a good listener and didn't push for information.
(Leo's POV at campfire)
So, fun fact: I really like Madi. She's my best friend; but I don't know if she likes me like that back. I mean, I risked my life for hers at the canyon. Could I make it any more obvious? Piper and Madi weren't at dinner; Jason told me they were asleep. Now we were singing songs and laughing around a campfire. Madi and Piper came. I shot finger guns at Madi and winked. I saw her giggle.
(Madi POV)
Leo always makes me laugh.
"You two are too cute." Piper whispered to me and I blushed. Piper is the ONLY person who knows I like Leo. And I was about to tell her that Drew figured it out but was rudely cut off.
"I would like to welcome all our new arrivals! Welcome to camp half-blood." Chiron welcomed. I was still recovering from Hera's vision. I think Piper was too.
"What about capture the flag?" Someone from the area underneath a red banner with a boar's head on it called out.
"Yes I am aware that the Ares cabin is anxious to get back into the woods and play our fun games," Chiron directed.
"And kill people!" One added.
"But until the dragon is brought under control, that is not possible. Cabin Nine, anything to report?"
A girl from Leo's group stood up, Leo winked at me again and smiled his big smile.
"We're working on it." she said.
"How Nyssa?" And Ares' kid demanded. More grumbled and I got mad.
"Really hard." she gritted her teeth. She sat down to lots of yelling and complaining.
"OH WILL ALL OF YOU BABIES SHUT UP!?" I stood. I lost my cool in front of an entire camp that had access to swords. Annabeth, Jason, Leo, Piper, Chiron, the Rachel girl, everyone, stared at me. I heard whispers like, "Percy's twin!", "Rude?", "Babies?" I took a deep breath and continued.
"Well, yes. You all are acting like giant overgrown self absorbed brats! You want to know something? Nyssa and her cabin are actually doing something about this dragon! And what are you all doing? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO HELP! THAT'S WHAT!" I looked at all of them, "You all could be helping! Maybe the Ares kids could I don't know help set traps in the woods? Maybe Athena's kids could help devise plans to trap the creature? THAT WAY THE PROBLEM COULD BE SOLVED QUICKER AND YOU CAN PLAY YOUR DUMB SILLY GAMES!!" I sat down next to Piper. Nyssa mouthed a thank you to me. And I gave her a thumbs up.
"Yes, thank you Madi." Chiron cleared his throat, "But for now we will have to be patient. We have more pressing matters to discuss."
"Percy?" A camper asked. The fire in front of them dimmed. My half-brother seemed to be a big deal around here. Annabeth stepped forward,
"I didn't find Percy. He wasn't at the Grand Canyon like I thought. But we're not giving up. We have teams everywhere. But Chiron is discussing a new matter. A new quest."
"It's the Great Prophecy, isn't it?" A girl asked. She stood up; it was Drew. Everyone looked surprised, apparently Drew didn't speak like this often.
"Drew, what do you mean?" Annabeth asked.
"Well come on!" Drew spread her hands like it was just obvious, "Olympus is closed. Percy's missing. And Hera sends you a vision and you come back with four new demigods in one day. I mean, something weird is going on. The Great Prophecy has started right?"
Piper whispered to Rachel, "What's the Great Prophecy?" I was thinking the same thing. I quieted down after my outburst. Then Piper noticed everyone was staring at Rachel too.
"Well?" Drew asked impatiently, "Has it started? I mean you are the Oracle."
Rachel stepped forward, her eyes scary in the fire light, "Yes. The Great Prophecy had begun." Chaos ignited. I looked at Leo and he just shrugged and gave me his charming smile, the smile that I fell for. When the noise subsided, Rachel continued.
"For those of you who don't know, The Great Prophecy was my first prediction. It goes like this:
Eight Half-Bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall–" Jason stood up, his eyes wild.
"Ut cum spiritu postrema sacramentum dejuremus," He chanted, "Et hostes ornamenta addent ad ianuam necen." Uneasy silence fell on the campers. I could tell he was talking in Latin, but knew none of the words he was speaking.
"You just finished the prophecy... An oath to keep with the final breath/And foes bear arms to the doors of death. How did you–" Rachel stared stunned.
"I know those lines." He winced.
"In Latin no less," Drew called out, "Handsome and smart." Lots of giggles came from Ahprodite's cabin. They were such losers! I thought. Rachel looked to Chiron for guidance, and he nodded motioning for her to continue.
"Well," Rachel tried her best to regain her composure as the camp's oracle, "So, yeah, that's the Great Prophecy. We hoped it wouldn't happen for a few years now, but I fear it's starting now. I can't give you proof. But whoever the eight demigods are, have not been gathered yet. But I feel some are here tonight." Lots of muttering came from the campers, "Anyway, we don't know what the demigods will face, but since the first Great Prophecy predicted the Titan War, this Great Prophecy might predict something worse."
"Something worse," Chiron repeated. The campfire turned dark purple and Piper caught her breath.
"What we do know," Rachel continued, "Is that the first phase has begun. Hera, the queen of the gods, has been taken." she was so dead serious it gave me chills. So many demigods started talking at once. Chiron pounded his hoof on the pavement gaining everyone's attention once more. Rachel explained what had happened at the skywalk, how Piper fainted in Hera's cabin, Jason's vision in the Bighouse, and how I, Madison Dane, had passed out as well. Drew mimicked me and Piper fainting when she thought we weren't looking and I clenched my fists.
"Jason...do you remember your last name?" Rachel asked. He shook his head, "We'll just call you Jason then. It is clear Hera has issued you a quest."
"I agree," Jason said.
"You must save Hera to prevent a great evil," Rachel continued, "Some sort of king from rising. For reasons we don't yet understand, it must happen by the winter solstice, only four days from now."
"That's the council day of the gods," Annabeth said, "If they don't already know Hera's missing, they most certainly will by then; and will probably break out fighting, accusing each other."
"The winter solstice," Chiron mentioned, "Is also a time of great darkness. The gods gather on that day, just as mortals do, because there is a strength in numbers." The way he said this made it sound like some sinister scheme.
"Okay," Annabeth glared at the centaur, "Thank you Mr. Sunshine and Rainbows. Whatever's going on, I agree with Rachel. Jason has been chosen to lead this quest, so–"
"Why hasn't he been claimed?" another Ares' kid shouted. Man, couldn't they just keep their mouths shut for five minutes? "Why if he's so important?"
"He has been claimed. Long ago." Chiron answered, "Jason give them a demonstration." Jason pulled out his coin and flipped it. When he caught it he was holding a lance, like a spear.
"How? It was a sword before?" I said. Jason studied it.
"It came up tails I think. Same coin, long-range weapon form." He said.
"Dude I want one!" a kid shouted.
"Better than Clarrise's electric spear, Lamer!" One added. Jason seemed to think 'electric' was a good idea.
"Electric," he murmured, "Stand back." Jason raised his javelin and thunder broke out across the sky and I shivered. I really really hate storms. Lightning arced down and blasted out their campfire.
When the smoke cleared, the entire camp was frozen in shock. Jason lowered his lance, "Sorry."
"Maybe a little overboard." Chiron admitted, "But I believe you know who your father is?"
"Jupiter — I mean Zues. Lord of the sky." Piper smiled like it made sense. I really have no idea what she sees in that blonde, tall, annoying boy. But whatever.
"How could we not know about him sooner?" Annabeth brought up.
"The important thing is that he's here now. And he has a quest to save Hera, which means he needs a prophecy." Rachel swayed back and forth, her helpers ran and got ready. Green smoke poured from her mouth and eyes and when she spoke, she didn't sound like Rachel. But a much older woman with a snake-like voice.
Child of Lightning beware the earth,
The giants' revenge, the eight shall birth,
Water and Fire relive their past,
Their true feelings revealed at last
The forge, dove and trident shall break the cage,
And death unleashed through Hera's rage
On the last note Rachel collapsed but her helpers were there and caught her. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. So I'm trident and water. Jason's the child of lightning. But who's forge/fire and dove? I looked at Leo, he could be the forge, but what about the fire?
"Is that normal?" Piper asked, "Like ... does she spew green smoke like that a lot?"
"Gods you're so dense!" Drew sneered, "She just issued a prophecy–"
"Well, then." I said glaring at Drew, "If she's so dense then what are you?" I smirked, "A rat with a makeup addiction?" Drew scowled at me,
"Why don't you just–"
"Drew, Piper asked a fair question. Something about that prophecy was definitely off. If breaking Hera's cage released death and her rage... then why are we freeing her? And what did it mean 'Water and Fire relive their past'?" Annabeth said. I was surprised she didn't mention my comment to Drew. Instead, she looked at me with a twinkle of pride in her eyes, but it was quickly followed by sadness.
"I have to go." Jason stood, "Hera has my memories. I need them back. Plus, she's the queen of the gods. We have to help her." The Nyssa girl stood.
"Maybe we should listen to Annabeth on this one. Hera can be vengeful. She threw her son, our dad, off of a cliff just because he was ugly."
"Real ugly." An Aphrodite kid snickered.
"Shut up!" Nyssa snapped. Chiron and Annabeth seemed to be having a silent conversation and I hated it.
"It's Jason's quest." Annabeth sighed, "So it's his choice. According to tradition he may choose any two companions–"
"Annabeth." Rachel said, "The prophecy mentioned more than three people on this quest."
"Right. In this scenario Jason you must choose three companions. But the prophecy makes it clear–"
"I'm going." I interrupted, "It said trident and water. Percy's missing. And I'm a daughter of Poseidon. I have to go too."
Jason smiled, "Of course!"
"Are you two sure about this? Two children of the big three, Poseidon and Zues no less. You may be hoarded with monsters." Annabeth began.
"No. It said we need a child of water and lightning." Jason grinned at me, "Madi's coming with me!"
"Besides. I can't let blondie here have all the fun!" I laughed.
"It's connected." Piper said, "All this, Percy's disappearing, Jason shows up on our bus, and now Hera's in trouble!"
"How–" Drew tried, but was quickly cut off.
"You may be right Piper." Annabeth said.
"The prophecy said to avoid the earth. So you need to avoid ground travel. The flying chariots broken, and we're using the pegasi to find Percy. You need to travel by air" Nyssa said. I wanted to say that Jason could fly, but there was no way he could fly 4 people all over the place looking for a goddess.
"Maybe my cabin and I could come up with something. And with Jake incapacitated. I'm senior camper. I can volunteer for the quest." Nyssa wasn't thrilled but was willing to do it anyway.
"No!" Leo stood up. I was shocked by how quiet he was during this whole thing, "It's me." Several of his bunk mates tried to make him sit down but he resisted, "I know it is! I have an idea for your transportation problem! Let me try, please?" He looked at Jason and me. I looked to Jason who smiled once more,
"We started this Leo. If you can get us a ride you're in!" I was so excited to hear this.
"Yes!" Leo pumped his fists.
"It's dangerous," Nyssa warned him, "Some of you might not come back. And not to mention terrible suffering." Leo's spirits seemed to deflate for about a second.
"Oh, I mean suffering? Of course! Man, I love suffering!" I giggled.
"All you need to do is choose a dove Jason." I said.
"Well we all know that the dove is Aphrodite!" Drew stood up. I wanted to shrink and back out of the quest. If she was going on this quest, I was NOT!
"No." Piper stood with clenched fists.
"Oh please, Dumpster girl. What can you do?" I started to Drew but Jason put his hand on my shoulder and whispered, "Calm down. Piper can handle this." I nodded.
"I had the vision of Hera. Not you!" Piper reasoned.
Drew scoffed, "Anyone can have a vision hun. You were just in the right place at the right time. Look, fighting is fine" she faced Jason, then scrunched her face at Leo and I, "And I suppose someone needs to get their hands dirty. But you need charm on your side. I can be very persuasive." Then everyone started muttering about how she was so persuasive.
"Well, it does fit the wording of the prophecy–" Annabeth began.
"NO!" Piper said, "I'm supposed to go!" And I immediately felt compelled to agree. I mean, I already did, but now even more!
"Oh please." Drew said, rolling her eyes, "What can Piper do?"
Suddenly everyone gasped and Piper had a strange aura around her now. There was a dove emblem over her head and she was wearing a white, sleeveless dress and makeup!
"Piper," Jason said out of breath, "Y-You're a knockout." I rolled my eyes at him. Real smooth, I thought. I saw Leo making a mad dash for the woods. Everyone was too busy staring at Piper, so I followed Leo.