VARINA NEVER DREAMED IN A MILLION years that she'd be going to meet Romans. Though there she was, aboard a ship, about to land in their territory.
She also couldn't believe that Cabin Nine was capable of building a warship as enticing as the Argo II. Varina knew, of course, that their ability to build was already great- Hey, they built a freaking huge dragon automation and geniusly trapped monsters during the Titan War- but she didn't know it was that… extravagant. Sure, the Hephaestus cabin spent their days in the forges and they lacked social skills because of it, but they still managed to amaze Varina. Sometimes she wished that she was a craftsman's child and not a brain child; but she'd probably do worse there than in Cabin Six.
Anyway, it had kind of sucked when the fizzy-robot-something-or-others had busted, and their moment of high glory was gone. Though it was mostly because the wait to collapse into a Sleep Number mattress and watch Doctor Who on a 3-D TV grew longer, but the care of Cabin Nine mattered more than luxury.
Thankfully the repair was only a two-day thing. Soon enough, first thing after the fix was officially done, most of the campers climbed aboard the finished Argo II. Then they were off.
A room full of arcade games and gaming systems had been installed, fortunately, along with a glass-floored swimming pool and a huge kitchen. Come on- you had about 225 restless, hyperactive demigods on the ship; you had to put in something to keep their attention. The mission was accomplished- most of the population spent their time in there all day long.
Then after a day and a half of sailing, Jason Grace, who was actually Roman (Much to Varina's strange dismay), announced that they were close to Camp Jupiter. Leo Valdez, the "supreme commander" of the Argo II (Extreme quotation-using), sent out a video-message of truce.
Right then and there, the thought came to her: Oh my gods, Varina, you're about to meet a bunch of Romans. She could've dropped dead right there when she reacted. The shock and anxiety was nearly too strong to handle.
Questions bubbled through her mind: What were they like? Were any of the Athena- er, Minerva (Why did the Romans have to change their names? It just made everything more complicated) nice? And most importantly- Were togas as cool as I think?
Of course, Varina thought about Percy Jackson, too. She wondered if he was okay (Not like she cared… He had a girlfriend… She didn't care… Pfft, of course… Okay she did care about the missing son of Poseidon- a whole lot), and if he did remember everything; especially Annabeth.
Annabeth. It seemed like a bullet directly to Varina's heart. She couldn't resist thinking about the last night she saw her older sister, and that fight… Varina couldn't bear it anymore, so she pushed it out of her conscious with haste.
But it stayed, quite arrogantly. The thought was burned into her mind, along with a bold thought: In what way-and how- was she going to tell Percy this? How was anyone able to without looking into those hurt sea-green eyes?
These thoughts sped through Varina's mind as she anxiously watched the Hephaestus cabin wait for the call to begin letting the timber door come down, along with the rest of the campers that had boarded the ship more than 36 hours ago.
Most were too tense and nervous to talk. Only a few were whispering to one another, confirming their fears and worries. Though most moved- wiggled their fingers that were by their sides, played with the hem of their shirts or just rocking back and forth on their heels.
Varina tapped the toe of her sparkly black shoes together repeatedly, curling a fiery, neon orange strand of her hair and humming The Black Keys. Her whole body was seemed to be tense, and her heart beat like a timpani. The more her adrenaline increased, the more she was sure that strand of hair would soon fall out in one colorful clump.
The adrenaline was quickly as high as Mount Olympus. Her hums grew gradually louder and the strand was more teased and sure to fall any minute from then.
Finally someone next to her hissed dangerously, "For the gods' sake, shut up, Varina." Who knew I was famous? That's fabulous! "I don't want to hear any more of your freak music." I would like to see your freak face out of my face.
"My adrenaline is ignoring your concern, unfortunately," Varina mused. "Though I think you can go to the Help Center for more ignorance, which is pointing in the direction where your butt breath is out of my face. You're welcome. Hope you meet a fabulous Roman today."
The demigod's face burned red, and they stalked off, pushing through the crowd.
Varina couldn't help but grin, ignoring her slight feeling of guilt, as she turned her attention back to the Hephaestus cabin, who was arguing with their counselor, Leo. She noted that they used more than 27 emotions in a single conversation, which would probably be coming in handy someday.
Then Leo turned to the restless crowd with his arms raised as if he were about to yell, halleluiah! Instead, he yelled, "Let's get our Roman on!"
The campers gave a quarter-hearted cheer as Cabin Nine let the door come down. Sunlight and a loud sound of Roman conversation poured in quickly, and the crowd started to come forth curiously and anxiously.
"Oh my gods," Varina muttered, clutching the material that covered her heart. The organ in the middle of her chest was pounding so fast and heavily that Varina was positive that she would die of a heart attack.
Then came the full sunlight and commotion from outside, and the door was fully opened, coming to the cobblestone ground with a deep and loud CRASH! Now the whole population was at the edge of the door, about to step on it. Varina tore her way through the crowd, her heart starting to beat faster than possible, anxious to see Percy Jackson.
Her first thought as she stumbled next to Jason, Leo and Piper? Is this real life?
There was… a legion (What a good pun) of people. Varina saw from little toddlers to elderly people standing there, all of their amazed expression matching. Their pure purple t-shirts stood flat against the orange ones that Varina's people wore. Besides the expression of awe, their faces seemed grim and powerful. Most of them were decked with armor, though the ones in the front were decked in togas (Which, fortunately, were looking as epic as Varina had always imagined).
That's when Varina saw Percy Jackson.
"That's one freaking sexy toga." Varina mumbled, her face turning as hot as Satan's butt-cheeks. Without thinking she said to Jason quietly, "You need to try one on; that'll make my dreams come true."
He grinned all goofy-like down at her, which totally destroyed the serious moment that Varina had already ruined like a total goofus.
Varina, in a weird feeling of satisfaction and near school-girl giddiness, turned her eyes back to Percy.
There he was, with his tangled and messy jet black hair, matching his bright, waiting sea-green eyes. His sun-kissed skin was hidden under a crisp white toga that neatly covered his body, its folds strengthening his aura of power that Varina had always felt weak to. Varina spotted his bright green Toms that he'd been obsessed with since last August, and she smiled. He was wearing his trademark Toms. Surely he remembered. And next to him, was a dark-haired girl that also wore a toga, her posture straighter than a ruler.
Varina's smile faded. A girl. Oh gods, a girl. I mean, he's had a girl with him always. It's not like she's his girlfriend or something. Annabeth would be- Oh dear Lord, don't think of her. This is not the time for this.
Her fear was unconfirmed as Percy Jackson stepped forward, not even giving the girl a glance, or apparently, a thought, by the way his body language seemed.
"Where is she?" He asked, his voice ringing through the air. "I mean- where's Annabeth?"
Oh dear gods. Please no, this can't be. This is the moment you've been dreading for days. Now you've got to tell him, Varina. You've got to tell him that Annabeth's… No, I can't do this. Why can't I just shrivel up and die right here, right now? Please, any god that's listening, please strike me. Any reason. For being an idiot, whatever. Just let me not break his heart into a million shards of sadness.
Though to Varina's great disappointment, no one said anything. They were too chicken or sad to break the news; not even Piper, Jason or Leo. They couldn't do it.
I guess I have to do it. I came up here for a reason. Come on, Varina, you can say it. Get some balls.
She straightened up her posture, and, with her heart beating just like an earthquake, she took a deep breath and let the words flow.
"Percy, I'm so, so sorry about this, but… Annabeth's been missing for a little while now. It was just before we were supposed to leave for here the first time. I'm so sorry."
That's when that moment came that Varina had been dreading.