Octavian's Pride

by Percyjacksonfan3

A fight between Percy and Octavian, hmm, I wonder who wins? As if it isn't obvious. A story in which Percy beats Octavian easily, Chiron worries over his pupil and Annabeth gets to give her boyfriend a lecture after it all! Who doesn't love that? Short one shot but a fun read.

Just a short little story I wrote on the request of the fanfictioner ydshahid. A fight between Percy and Octavian, fun to read and fun to write, no?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

oooOOOooo

"The Legion will not follow graceus into battle! Absolutely not, it's disgraceful!"

Piper pinched the bridge of her nose. "Octavian," she started to say before being interrupted.

"Silence, witch!" Octavian yelled, pointing a trembling finger at her. "Do not attempt to use your word sorcery on me. I assure you, I won't fall for it!"

"Hey," Jason stood from his seat to stand beside his girlfriend, eyes narrowed threateningly at the Legion's augur. "Watch it. That's my girlfriend."

"Oh, forgive me, Praetor Grace," Octavian sneered his title before pausing for effect. "Oh wait, but you're not praetor any longer, are you?" He sneered in Jason's direction. "In fact," he said, looking around at the other demigods and Chiron, "you're not even fully Roman any more. That means I don't take my orders from you."

"No," Frank agreed, standing up from where he was sitting between Jason and Hazel. "You take them from me."

Octavian's sneer grew even more distinct and Piper resisted the urge to slap it off his face. Or at least shoot a honey coated ham at it. "Ah, yes, Praetor Zhang," he said Frank's title mockingly. "The mighty son of Ares who used to not even be able to strap his armor on correctly, never mind lead an entire camp of demigods-."

"Then Frank and I have that in common," Percy's voice sounded from his place around the ping pong table, where he sat between Annabeth and Travis Stoll. He didn't get up, he only sent Frank a wink. "I would speak carefully if I were you, Octavian."

Octavian seemed not to have heard him.

"We're losing sight of what the purpose of this meeting was," Annabeth stood along with her friends, shooting Chiron an exasperated glance that seemed to say 'can we just dump this guy in the lake and be done with it'? On either side of her Hazel and Percy stayed sitting. "The Seven returned to Camp Half-Blood to unite the camps."

"Annabeth is correct," Chiron spoke from where he stood, surveying the collection of demigods there. It was an impressive collection, Piper admitted. The Roman centurions and Greek Head Counselors, along with Hazel, Nico, Frank and Reyna. "We need to talk strategy."

"Why talk strategy when we're not even sure we're merging the camps together?" A centurion named Drake asked loudly.

Piper scowled. He was one of Octavian's supporters.

"We're merging the camps together for the battle against the Earth Mother and her monsters," Reyna said in a commanding tone. "For now, that is enough, and reason enough to talk strategy I think."

"Seconded," Frank said.

"And we all know where the Greeks stand," Clarisse said. "So let's start talking strategy."

"Wait!" Octavian practically spat the word. "Who says we even need the graceus as allies?" He started walking around the room, talking as he went, before Reyna could interrupt him. "Praetors of the Legion," he said in a simpering tone. "Centurions. Rome has survived centuries, countless years, by itself. We've needed no help from these... fellow demigods, in the past. We stormed Mount Othrys, the Titan's Stronghold and Palace! Where were the Greeks when we did this?" He went on without letting anybody answer. "We defeated the Titan Krios. We tore down their headquarters brick by brick with no help from Greeks." Octavian turned his eyes to the centurions. "We do not need their help."

"You think the Titans are as strong as their Mother?" Jason asked derisively and Piper squeezed his hand. "It took our entire camp to storm their palace and take down one of them. The giants are ten times more powerful, and Gaea even more so. Alone and divided we have no chance."

Piper squeezed his hand once more, smiling at him warmly. "Together we have a chance," she finished.

"Yeah, together we will bring their army down!" Leo exclaimed, jumping up to stand as well.

"After everything the Seven of us have gone through, we're proof that Romans and Greeks can work together," Hazel said, standing up beside Frank.

"We need each other," Piper stressed. "Otherwise we'll all die in this fight and Olympus will fall."

"We don't need them," Octavian said once more.

"Oh, Octavian, shut up!" Reyna snapped, finally seeming to be fed up with his antics. She wasn't the only one. "We've proven time and time again-"

"We are better strategists," Octavian said. "We're better fighters-"

"Care to test that?" Now Percy did stand up, his eyes focused solely on the augur. Piper was surprised at his words, throughout this entire meeting he had been strangely... tame.

Octavian faltered, but only for a moment. "What do you mean, Jackson?"

"We'll spar," Percy said simply. "You and me. A Roman against a Greek. If you win, fine. The Romans and Greeks can fight separately."

"Percy!" Annabeth, Hazel and Katie Gardner all exclaimed at once. He shot them all a smile but otherwise paid them no attention.

"Percy, my boy, do not gamble when you can't be sure of the outcome," Chiron warned him.

But Percy still looked only at Octavian. "What do you say? This is the perfect opportunity for you to prove that Romans are better than Greeks, Octavian."

"I-." The augur looked around but nobody made any move to help him. "That's ridiculous," he scoffed, trying to cover his slip up.

"Why?" Percy asked. "It's a perfectly simple test I think. If you win, you're right. Romans are superior to the Greeks." Now Percy smiled, but it wasn't his usual smile. It was knowing and slightly menacing. Now Piper knew why he had been able to lead the Greeks in the Battle of Manhattan.

He was a natural leader.

"But if I win," Percy continued, "The camps fight together. We merge. Share resources, techniques, weapons, tools, armor... everything."

"I don't think-."

"I think it's a great idea," Reyna said, watching Percy carefully before turning to her slack jawed augur. "An ideal compromise. A chance to see who beats who."

"Perhaps somebody else should fight-."

"But Octavian this is exactly what you wanted, isn't it?" Jason asked. "A chance to beat a Greek in battle and prove to us Romans will conquer, every time. Now you have your chance."

Piper grinned. They had him trapped.

"Does anybody think this an unreasonable request?" Frank asked suddenly, speaking mainly to his centurions.

Nobody did.

"Well then, that's settled," Percy said, stepping away from the table. "You can choose the conditions. When, what and where."

Octavian swallowed, glancing around at everybody before his eyes rested on Percy, narrowed in loathing. "In your training arena," he spat. "We each get a shield and one weapon of our choice. No armor. We fight as soon as both of us are ready."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't want armor?"

"No armor," Octavian repeated. "Is that a problem, Jackson?"

"Not at all, Octavian."

"Very well then," Chiron said, watching Percy. "The rules have been agreed upon. The time and place have been set. Both of you, hurry and arm yourselves." He sighed, tail swishing back and forth. "We will soon see who comes out victorious."

And with that the meeting was adjourned- for now.

oooOOOooo

"Seaweed Brain, what are you doing?" Annabeth asked worriedly from where she walked hand in hand beside him.

He smiled down at her. "Don't worry Wise Girl," he said to her. "I have a plan."

She glared at him. "He would gladly pierce you with his spear and call it an accident, Percy, you know that as well as I do."

"He won't."

"How do you know?"

"Because I won't let him," Percy replied, stepping inside his cabin to grab his wristwatch shield Tyson had made years ago. "Come on Annabeth, do you really think that he'll beat me?"

She hesitated. "I don't know," she said softly. "I've never seen him fight."

"I have," Percy said. "I'll be fine." He closed his cabin door behind them before starting to walk to the arena where people were already piling in.

Honestly he wasn't as confident as he was trying to get her to believe, but he sure as Hades wasn't about to let her see that.

"Seaweed Brain," she stopped them outside the arena, ignoring the steady flow of demigods around him. "Don't get hurt. If you get hurt so close to the war- it could harm your fighting in the real battle."

"I'll forfeit if I ever think he'll get that close," Percy told her. "I told you, I have a plan."

She frowned. "Your plans tend to go sideways, I know that better than anyone."

He smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and kissing her forehead. "That's why I usually leave the planning up to you. But I promise, this time I'll be okay."

"You better be," she murmured. "After everything in Tartarus-"

"Exactly," Percy said. "After Tartarus, Octavian should be an easy win."

She sighed as they walked in. "You better be right," she said quietly before standing on her tiptoe to kiss him quickly. "Don't die," she warned him seriously before turning to go and sit on a front bleacher with Piper and Hazel.

He snorted. Annabeth Chase everyone, ever the optimist.

"Stop making out with your girlfriend, Jackson. Let's do this."

"Are you sure?" Percy turned to walk side by side with Octavian towards the center of the arena. Brown soil covered the floor. "Still time to back out if you want."

"You wish."

"You sound a little scared Octavian," Percy turned to face him. "Scared of a guy who's weak from just getting out of Tartarus?" Percy taunted. "Then again, I made it out of Tartarus, so maybe you should be scared."

Octavian sneered, getting into a fighting stance, holding his pilum like a spear in one hand.

Chiron spoke before either of them could say anything else. "The rules have been set. Light maiming only, first person to surrender is the loser." Chiron hesitated. "Keep it clean," he told them both, and Percy met his eyes, trying to convey confidence to his teacher. If the centaur saw it he made no sign as he turned and trotted to the bleachers. "You may proceed," he granted once he had turned back around to watch them.

And proceed they did.

From Octavian's first strike Percy knew he had worried over nothing. He had beaten Octavian by surprise in war games at New Rome, he had thought maybe that was what had made the augur so easy to defeat.

He was wrong. Octavian was just pitifully weak and ill taught.

His footing was all wrong and his thrusts from the beginning were erratic and thoughtless. He wasn't quick enough to wield a pilum, Percy probably could have grabbed it from his hands if he'd tried.

Instead he stepped to the side at Octavian's first stab, uncapping Riptide as he did. He felt the sword's familiar weight settle in his palm and grinned the the blond before him.

"Oh this will be fun," he said loud enough for Octavian to hear him.

Octavian's only answer was to sloppily re position himself, slowly. Too slowly. Percy could have struck him down twice already, and he was leaving too many openings. Percy doubted he was even using the shield attached to his left forearm, it hung forgotten at his side.

Percy's shield was still safely tucked away in his watch. Of course, Octavian didn't know that.

"Fight," Octavian demanded of him, lunging to try and spear him once more. Percy sidestepped once again. "Why aren't you fighting, Jackson? Too weak? Too scared?"

"The day I'm scared of you is the day the Underworld sees sunlight," Percy replied, ducking another one of Octavian's spearing attempts.

"Then fight!" Octavian said loudly.

"Fine," Percy said.

So he did.

He advanced like a storm, even without water around him he moved like a hurricane. Quick and calculated, he aimed low and slashed Octavian's ankles, scratching his right ankle lightly. Immediately after that he turned and now he was standing behind the augur. He slashed the back of Octavian's calf, hearing the demigod cry out. With another twist he hit the pilum out of Octavian's hands, sending it skittering across the floor.

Then he was standing in front of the surprised augur. Percy kicked Octavian in the chest and sent him stumbling backwards until he landed painfully on his back.

Okay, so he wanted to humiliate the guy a little. It wasn't like he didn't deserve it.

Hardly breathing heavily at all Percy pointed his sword at Octavian's throat. "Dead," he announced, suddenly becoming aware of the cheers from both the Romans and Greeks watching.

"Not quite," Octavian breathed out, reaching to pull out a dagger from his waistband. Quickly, more quickly than he had done anything else the entire fight, he flung it, aiming for Percy's chest.

Luckily, due to reflexes and incredibly bad aim, Percy moved and the dagger pierced his left shoulder.

Well, unluckily, Percy thought as pain exploded through him and he staggered back, hearing outraged cries from the people watching. Percy watched through pain clouded eyes as Octavian regained his breath and picked up his pilum once more.

The dagger was deep, hilt deep, and Percy pulled it out with a cry. "We said one weapon," he said, breathing heavily.

Octavian grinned maliciously. "Oh.. no. I said two. You must have misheard me."

Percy swallowed heavily and straightened his shoulders, ignoring the pain. He sidestepped the pilum's point quickly after, watching the augur's eyes widen in shock.

"My mistake," Percy said. "I'll make sure not to repeat it."

This time, now that Percy really was angry and trying his hardest, the fight lasted all of two seconds. With an outraged cry the Greek demigod twirled and slashed a cut across Octavian's chest, one that went maybe a little deeper than Chiron would have liked. After that he really did grab Octavian's golden weapon around the smooth cylindrical surface and pulled with his left arm. It was painful but Octavian released the object with little fight.

Percy kicked the augur's legs out from under him, this time making sure both the dagger and pilum were out of reach. He pressed the tip of Riptide to Octavian's throat, drawing drops of blood.

"Dead," he pronounced once more.

"Dead," Chiron agreed from above him. "Dead and a cheat."

"Who cares," Octavian sneered, obviously trying to save some dignity. "He still won."

He was failing.

"Yes, well," Chiron hmmed. "I'll let your own Praetors deal with you. As for you, Percy," Chiron's eyes softened as he turned to look at his pupil. "Get a medic to look at your shoulder. With nectar and ambrosia it should be healed by the time you- by the time you leave to go to Greece."

Percy let out a breath and let Riptide clatter to the ground. "Yes, Chiron," he said.

"That was brave of you my boy," the centaur declared as a medic leaned over Octavian. Percy saw Annabeth, Reyna and Frank headed towards them as well. "Brave but foolish."

Percy grinned tiredly. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Only because the Roman Praetors wanted it to work," Chiron said. "I do not think they would have sent someone with so little," he hesitated, "skills, up again you if they had not."

Percy's smile only grew wider. "I think you're right," he told his teacher. "It's a good thing I knew they wanted it to work."

"Hmm," Chiron said again. "Well, I will leave you in capable hands," he said, dipping his head to Annabeth who was almost upon them. "Find a medic."

With that he trotted away.

And Percy turned to face his not-so-happy girlfriend.

The shoulder wound was nothing compared to her.