Alrighty so here is a fic based on Leo/Flame Princess art by viria on tumblr.
This a prologue of sorts and it's just shy of 2,000 words!
Feel free to leave a review and I hope you enjoy the fic.
This year would be the second time the newest half-bloods return to camp. It was strange to say the least seeing a sea of purple among the usual friendly orange. Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter made a truce of sorts after both camps discovered each other's existence. Campers were allowed to travel freely between both camps to experience both Roman and Greek traditions. Percy, Annabeth, Piper, Jason, Hazel, Leo, and Frank all decided to stay at Camp Half-Blood this summer. The seven had been through a lot together but this time around they didn't want their time spent together to consist of kicking monster butt no matter how cool that may sound the first time around.
The first to arrive at camp were Percy and Annabeth. The two walked hand in hand until they came to the fire pit. Sitting on a log by the blazing fire was a young girl who looked to be around the age of seven. She had mousy brown hair and eyes that flickered like flames, Hestia. "Why don't you go put your stuff down. I'll catch up with you in a bit." Percy gave Annabeth a reassuring nod which she replied to with a muffled, "Sure" before heading towards the Athena Cabin. Percy took a seat beside the goddess before striking up a conversation. "It's been a while since I've seen you around here, my lady." The small girl smiled knowingly before replying. "Well, it has been a while since you have returned to camp so that is a reasonable conclusion to come to, Percy Jackson." Percy chuckled at the comment. "I guess you're right about that. The gods never really cut me a break." Hestia nodded. "That is right, Percy. I'm afraid I might have to trouble you again this summer though I hope this task won't be as daunting as ones you have previously faced". Percy's face darkened as the goddess's words reached his ears."What is it?" Hestia shook her head. "Don't make such a face, young hero. You have faced many tribulations and I am sure this is something you will be able to handle." She looked over at the demi-good before continuing. He still looked tentative to comply but he hadn't protested yet.
"Do you know the story of how mortals received fire?" Percy shook his head. "Very well. You met who was responsible last year, Prometheus. Before mortals had fire they were helpless beings seeing that Prometheus took it upon himself to grant them a gateway to a better life. He requested council with the gods but Zeus refused the suggestion for he was afraid of the power the mortals would gain if given fire. Even after his idea was rejected Prometheus was intent on giving fire to the mortals. He snuck back to Olympus when the gods were away and touched a stalk to Zeus's master bolt thus setting it aflame. He returned to the mortal world with fire and gifted it to man. He was then—" Percy cut in. "Chained to Olympus and a vulture would make his liver his lunch every day until Hercules came around, right?" Hestia nodded. "So what does any of this have to do with me?" Percy asked. "To be quite honest this task doesn't necessarily have to involve just you." The goddess replied. Almost as if on cue Annabeth returned along their other five friends who had just arrived. They all filed in silently as Annabeth filled with them in on who Percy was talking to.
Hestia then addressed all seven of the demi-gods picking up where she had left off in her conversation with Percy. "I have come to ask you to protect something, no, someone who is in danger but who is also very important." At that moment the fire died until only a small burst of flame remained. Hestia slid off the log she was sitting on and picked up the flame with her bare hands. "This is no normal fire. This is the first fire given to mortals. I have kept her in this form for a while now but she is becoming much too hard to contain. For the first time since her creation she will be taking on a human form. While she exists this way I will no longer be able to keep her safe. Zeus is still bitter about what Prometheus did for mortals and if he finds that she still exists he will not hesitate to destroy her." The whole group remained silent as Hestia spoke. "Much like a nymph she has to be a tied to a physical element she embodies, a fire. Fortunately fires are able to move so her location is not restricted making her easier to keep out of harm's way. As of right now her life source is tied to the fire I have made if this fire goes out she will not die immediately but you will have a limited amount of time to set her ablaze and use her flames to build another fire. One—." The goddess locked eyes with Leo for a moment before continuing on. "Or many of you will guard her fire and keep her safe. While she is capable of handling herself she unable to control her own power and will be emotional unstable once I give her a proper body."
The seven immediately turned to each other and began to argue and discuss the situation at hand all the while the goddess knelt down and placed the small fire on the ground. She blew on the flames until they began to grow and roughly take human form. "Alright alright guys stop! We don't have to decide right away who takes care of her." Percy managed to grab the group's attention for a moment before Jason chimed in. "I know man but Vesta, I mean, Hestia sounded pretty serious." Of course Leo added the comic relief to the conversation. "I don't know guys she seems like my kind of girl. You know hot and angry. I think that's my specialty and I don't think any of you can argue with that." Just to add to his joking tone he raised his eyebrows suggestively for good measure. In response he got a series of eye rolling all except for one pair which then met another. Percy and Annabeth were both studying each other having a wordless conversation of sorts before Percy spoke up. "That actually isn't a bad idea." Leo looked completely stunned. "Wait. What?" Percy nodded his head as he got more used to the idea. "I mean out of all of us you kinda have the advantage when it comes to all things fire." The other demi-gods nodded along. "Looks like you're getting what you wished for. Look a little excited gods, repair boy." Piper playfully slapped Leo on the back but the son of Hephaestus was still in shock. Percy turned to face Hestia once more and nodded at the goddess. "She is the princess of the flame and you may call her what you wish for she has no proper name. Treat her well." The goddess's flashing eyes wandered over to the shocked boy. "I am counting on you, Leo Valdez, and soon so will she." Hestia returned to the fire pit and once the flames completly engulfed her she disappeared leaving the seven demi-gods alone with the nymph-like girl.
"Since that's settled" Jason stood up from the log he was sitting on and nonchalantly strode over to his friend. "Good luck dude she's definitely gonna be more than a handful but I'm sure you can handle it." The blond boy smiled before waving at the rest of group and leaving. The others followed after him giving Leo words of encouragement but they fell upon deaf ears. Soon enough he was left alone with the blazing girl. He was allowed a few more moments of silence until the flames died around the girl allowing him to see her clearly for the first time. Her skin was tinted orange and her eyes glowed bright red like rubies. She looked to be around 15 or so and surprisingly her hair was still set on fire. Leo figured it was always meant to be that way since it didn't seem to be dying down anytime soon. It took everything within him to pull himself up and approach the girl. She on the other hand paid him no mind as she seemed much more interested with inspecting her new body. The flaming girl stared at her hands with an odd curiosity until finally out of the corner of her eye she spotted the boy coming towards her. Immediately she went into defense mode and threw a sizable fireball in Leo's direction. Just in time Leo ducked but not fast enough to prevent the tips of hair from getting singed off. Obviously he couldn't burn but it wasn't like getting nailed in the face with fire was the most pleasant thing to deal with. "Whoa wait hold on! I'm not trying to hurt you so could you could down for a sec!" Leo put his hands up to show he meant no harm but the girl still didn't look convinced even though she stopped trying to kill him. "Who are you and what has happened to me?" Leo could tell her voice was usually sweet but at the moment her words sounded as if they could burn right through him. "I'm Leo and I'm er um kinda sorta your…protector? I guess? I can't really answer what happened to you bu—" As soon as he saw the look of utter rage on her face he lost the ability to speak. "I. DON'T. NEED. PROTECTING!" Another fireball came sailing at him but this time he caught the flaming projectile. For once he felt confident in himself around an angry girl. He could definitely fight fire with fire. "You wanna bet?" The look on the girl's face was priceless. She was in for a lot more than she had bargained for and maybe just maybe she was regretting starting this fight.