Chapter Seven:

Leo Pov:

Transportation. That was our problem. When Percy told me the prophecy it had said "child of lighting, beware the earth". So I thought 'if the child of lighting be wares the earth, why shouldn't we?' We needed something that could fly. The first thing that came to mind was the dragon. When I had first came to camp, my cabin had told me all about it. So Beckendorf had been the only person who could tame the dragon, and ever since he died, it's been haywire in the forest. All my cabin mates had told me you would have to be crazy to try to find it. I guess I'm crazy, what a surprise.

I treaded through the forest looking for signs of a dragon. Burn leaves, broken trees, anything really. Then I saw the foot print. I felt like one of the kids from Jurassic Park. I peered through the trees, and then BOOM! The dragon jumped out of hiding his, bright red eyes piercing at me, as if to say 'You look like a nice demi-god snack, surrender now' He stomped toward Leo, his steps, shaking he ground. Leo held up his hands in protest. The dragon blew a stream of fire in his direction. Leo closed his eyes, and waited for the heat to pass. Leo opened his eyes, completely fine. The dragon cocked his head as if to say 'why no roasted demi-god '

"You can't burn me man" Leo said. "Just stay there and I can help you" the dragon took a small step forward or at least a small as a giant dragon's step gets. Slowly he started to stomp toward Leo. Then suddenly he stepped onto the trigger plate, sending him straight into the cage, the Hephaestus cabin had set up to trap the bronze dragon. "Sorry about that man, it was the only way to keep you still"

Steam whirled out of his nose in anger. "Hey man, I'm your friend" He stepped into the cage, and practically pranced onto the dragons back. He got up to the head, and found the control panel. "Wow, this is awesome!" A huge disk, connected to gears that seemed to go on forever. "And very, complicated, but have no fear! Leo is here!"

He pulled out the disk, and instantly the dragons flaming red eyes, went out. Its neck bent down and it made a sound, kind of like a video game dying. Leo set to work, cleaning the disk with his T-shirt, and fixing wires, clipping the ones that didn't need to be there. It took him at least two hours, but finally he was able to fix the dragon, as best as he could then jam the disk back inside.

The red glow came back to the dragon's eyes "You know if we're going to be riding you, I guess I'll have to name you… How about Festus?" He let out a stream of fire "I'll take that as a yes" He closed the panel then slid off Festus's back "Okay, I'm going to let you go know, don't run off anywhere" Leo cut the chains, with a pair of pliers, and then slowly he lowered the door.

Festus took a tentative step forward, and then he tromped off into the forest "Festus! Dude, aren't we tight now?" Leo followed Festus very deep into the forest. The trees were much thicker, and Leo wasn't sure what way he came from. Then he stumbled upon a tool shed. It looked at lot like his Moms Machine shop, but way more ancient. Festus charged inside. Leo had a small moment of panic, what if the door got stuck, and he could never get out just like his-

Leo dismissed the thought, telling himself, it's the only way to save the world, and he couldn't let an old fear stop him right? He stepped inside and wow! This was awesome, blue prints scattered the floor, covered with dust and grease, thousands of different tools anything Leo could've wanted. Garages full of projects, most of them only partially finished, but they were all so amazing! Leo probably could've spent eternity in there, but where had Festus gone? He walked a little farther into the workshop-like building.

A sign was hanging above one of the tables 'bunker 9' was that nine like his cabin? If that was true, why would they leave it in the middle of the forest? Then again the cabin still had secrets he hadn't found out yet. Maybe he didn't know all of the things that the Hephaestus had been hiding, even from here own cabin mates.

He heard the whirring of gears, and he followed the sound to see Festus pointing at the ceiling with his head. Leo looked up to see the outline of two grime covered wings. "Festus, this may take a while"

Percy Pov:

Leo had out done himself. He had come flying into camp on a dragon the dragon that everyone had been searching for. But how had he done it? Percy knew that Leo could summon fire, but how could he block the dragon's fire? He would have to ask him later…

"How do like my ride guys?" He had asked with this crazy grin that said 'I definitely don't need any more sugar' Piper had practically jumped out of her skin. She had been sitting on the grass, with a few other girls, trying to get her hair back to its normal state. Aphrodite's 'blessing' was not budging, and then bam, giant dragon slams right in front of her. Leo had almost died laughing at Piper's face.

He had said "No need to pack, father Leo has got everything right here. He patted a tool belt around his waist that had seemed empty. But he didn't question and if Leo ran out of things well Percy had his pack just in case. He had packed a couple bottles of water, ambrosia, nectar, some packaged food, of course riptide, and a picture of Annabeth. It was his favorite picture of her; she was standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial. After the Laistrogonians had ripped it up a couple years back (Long story) she had gave him another one. He kept it with him most the time. He had this crazy fear that he might forget what she looked like.

Piper had told them they were leaving in a couple of hours, her voice shaking. He stood up saying one last good bye to his cabin before he left. He met Piper and Leo at crest of Half-Blood hill. Leo climbed onto the dragon, or what he preferred 'Festus' Percy and Piper followed, hen hey took off into the sky to find Hera, and Percy hoped, Annabeth.