"Jason," she whispers. "It's time to leave."
He recognizes her voice. It haunts his dreams, telling him that it's time to leave his home, and to help unite the seven. He knows that the voice is trying to help him, however it still sounds alarming. Somewhere deep inside, he knows the voice is trustworthy. No, scratch that, on his side no matter how much it despises him.
He hesitates. "No, not yet, how will they survive without me?" He had no intention in sounding arrogant, and he wasn't really, but when you're desperate, you need to face the truth. And he knew it.
He could feel the goddess roll her eyes. "Do you honestly think you're the greatest demigod to roam the earth? There have been, and are, demigods who have endured and are to endure greater feats. You yourself have not come near to what you will accomplish."
Why the Pluto were they talking in two different tenses. And what did she mean, that he was unaware of a completely different race (he didn't know if the use of the word was correct, much less his theory) of demigods who were greater than the Romans? The undefeatable Romans?
"Just tell me what you're trying to say?" Jason was tired of the riddles and the words with secret meanings.
"Let me say this blatantly," she sighed, wishing he could take a hint. "Someone with a larger range of experience is going to take your place here, while you take their place there."
She was being too vague for Jason to get a firm grasp of understanding on what he was forcing him against his will to do.
Whatever that was.
"Who is this guy who is so much better than me, is coming here to steal my family, and is sending me to his crap of a home?"
"I won't pretend like I favor the Greeks." she added this in an undertone. "But, he is very experienced and it is an opinion you're asking for, which I am not required to give. Keep this in mind: how do you know he is not coming to the same conclusions? How do you know his home is to him worth dying for? And he is taking the same risk you are to. You are entrusting each other with a great deal of your opposite's lives. Whatever you are feeling, he is feeling as well. Whatever you're sacrificing is mutual."
Jason now understood the risk that he was taking, as was the Greek.
The Greek.
"The GREEK!" Jason huffed. "You're kidding right? You told him? They're unreliable and immature, you've made a mistake."
"I know your fatal flaw Jason Grace. Do you know his?"
Jason's breath caught in his throat. His fatal flaw was his reputation of being kind and considerate. Could the Greek have it worse?
"You've seen and done much," The goddess continued. "As has he. You've both seen too much and that makes up for your immaturity. He is rash, but can hardly be held for immature."
Jason squeezed his eyes shut. This can't be happening.
"You will be leaving soon, Jason Grace. Oh, and please make your goodbyes subtle, it will make my job easier."
This can't be happening. He thought again as the voice faded into the wind.
"Thank you, Juno." He whispered sarcastically under his breath.
Jason ran through camp all day finishing task that the other demigods couldn't complete without him. Such as: killing the Hydra that was stalking campers out in the woods surrounding the camp. Finding missing weapons to arm the camp in case of an attack. Cornering children of Mercury and threatening them not to be too bad of thieves while he was gone (without telling them he was leaving). The only task left on his "bucket list". It was to give one small goodbye to someone important. Not important as in someone he was in love with, but someone who knew him enough to convince the camp not to give up on him, to remember that he did love them, and didn't run away or commit suicide.
It wasn't too hard of a decision. He picked Reyna above all others because she was co-Praetor with him, and therefore had an influence over a higher number of people.
Another reason was because he felt guilty. Reyna and he had a rocky history (they had hated each other for the longest time) and when Reyna and Jason became Praetors, they had become friends and gotten through the awkward phase of whether or not they should hate or be friends with each other. In the end, they chose friends. Probably only because you can't run an entire camp when you are too uncomfortable to talk to each other.
"Reyna!"
Jason honestly didn't want to speak to her before he left, it would be too painful.
"Jason! What are you surprised to see me here, or what?" She looked a little hurt when she saw his disappointed expression.
"Erm… No, I was looking for you actually!" He tried to sound cheerful, but it was hard when all he could think about was this might be the last time he will see Reyna again.
"So?" Crap, Jason thought. She was waiting for him to say something.
"Uh, I was going to give you something, but I'll leave it in your house."
"Okay." There was a silence. Reyna knew Jason was leaving something out, but didn't want to push him.
Jason noticeably hesitated for a second.
"What is it, Jason?" she asked, hoping he would let her in.
The pain in Jason's eyes grew. He quickly gave her a short hug before whispering in her ear:
"Thank you for being a good friend."
He turned and disappeared from sight as quick as lightening.
Reyna stood there dumbstruck wondering what was going through Jason's mind.
It's almost time to leave, Jason Grace.
Jason groaned. Why wouldn't she just leave him alone?
I will allow you seven more minutes.
Seven? Oh, haha, Jason thought sarcastically. The pun: you shall unite seven demigods. The weird prediction from his dreams.
"How ironic." Jason whispered to the air.
He could almost hear Juno grinning slyly.
Jason was denying the inevitable. If he didn't write the note to Reyna now, he never would. It took him several minutes to come to that conclusion.
Four more minutes.
He ran to Reyna's house and was relieved not to find her there.
He found a scrap piece of paper and a stub of a pencil.
Reyna,
Tell them I said goodbye. Someone is coming to help. Don't worry.
-Jason
Just as he scrawled the note he started to feel himself fade away somehow.
He threw the note hoping it would land on the desk.
He was surprised by his luck that it did. Had it landed on the floor, Reyna would have never found it. Surprisingly, she was a very messy person.
Then he was gone.
Thousands of miles away Jason reappeared and found himself staring at the faces of Juno and Lupa and a black haired Greek.
Back to the desk where the note lay, a breeze carried through the window. The breeze magically lifted the note and it floated under the desk. Reyna would never find it.
Juno said subtle, not blunt.