After what happened at the field of Mars that it seem to bring everyone on edge, Emily walked back to her house while Arabella and Nico went to where they were to sleep. Normally when Arabella spent the nights here she would stay with Emily but if Nico was here that she would go with Nico. Emily wasn't going to make Arabella stay with her, that was one thing Emily never wants to do with Arabella. Emily just wants to be her sister happy, and she knows Arabella and Nico were closer to each other than she was to either one. Seeing the two of them together reminded her in a way of Steve and herself or even Phil and herself. Out of all the demigods, she knows how important family was, being the champion of Hestia comes with that and knowing how deep the connection was between family members. Emily pulled herself out of her thoughts as she reached her house and went inside, when she was inside that she noticed she wasn't alone. Sitting on the couch was Aubrey, she turned around when Emily had entered the house.
Emily was slightly surprised that Aubrey was here in her house, since Phil hadn't come with her. Honestly this was one time she was glad that Bucky left earlier as well as Phil not being there with her. None of them seen her get as angry or as mad as the Romans did when they did something like the one centurion did that night. The last time she was that angry was when she punished Octavian for being a traitor and the entire camp saw what Emily did to him. However she couldn't say if all of New Rome saw what she did but it was clear that they heard what she did since that happened. Emily wondered why Aubrey was here, for the most part she was in Portland but she comes and visit New Rome from time to time. For camp Jupiter was part of her past like World War II was part of Emily's past, even though Emily wants to forget about most of what happen in World War II. Emily walked over to Aubrey and sat next to her before she spoke.
"What brings you here?" Aubrey was fiddling with her fingers as she did so that she spoke.
"I heard about the new legionnaire and what happen today and at the war games."
"I think it would be hard for any Romans not to know by tomorrow. But what of it."
"Is it true?"
"What is true?" Aubrey took a breath and let go before she spoke.
"That Percy is a Graecus?" Emily raised her eyebrow when Aubrey said that.
"What makes you think he is a Graecus?" Aubrey looked over at Emily.
"From the things I heard from the lares as well as what happened. Not only that but it sounds like he kept using the Greek names of the gods."
"Does this worry you or something?"
"No, but I want to know if Percy is in truth a Greek demigod?" Emily stood up and walked over to a wall before turning back to Aubrey and leaned against the wall. Ever since she brought Phil here to camp Jupiter at she wondered if Aubery knows about the Greeks.
"Is there any other reason of you are asking this?"
"Yes, after I learned that Phil was alive that he told me about the Greeks since his mother told him that he could tell me. That till the time was right that I couldn't tell anyone, even if he didn't tell me that, that I would figured something was into an about him. You act like a roman and know how they think and everything, as well as knowing how to punish a roman for his wrong doings like with Octavian and the one roman centurion tonight. But you also don't act like a roman either for the most part, you are a warrior but a different kind of warrior one who can stand alone without being part of a cohort. Of I didn't know any better that you both are Greek demigods. Considering with what is happening and everyone saying east is bad luck and that the Greek half was saved after Rome fell that it would make sense if the gods had a roman and Greek aspect." Emily tilted her head when Aubrey said that.
"Before I say anything, I want to know. Phil being greek, does that bother you or do you even care that he is not roman?"
"No. I love him too much to even care if he is a Greek demigod. He could be a child of Ares and I still wouldn't care." Emily smiled slightly when Aubrey said that. Emily walked back over to Aubrey, she looked a little confused till Emily spoke.
"I know you loved him, I will admit that I was slightly worried whenever he was here." Aubrey was about ready to say something but Emily went on. "You already know why Aubrey, however there were other things I was worried about, dating demigods with living in the mortal world is difficult but add the fact you are roman and he is Greek, that there was a chance that it could tear you apart. However the first time you two were torn apart that it had noting to do with being demigods. Watching you two for the last few months that I know how you two feel about each other."
"So it's true that Percy and yourself are Greek."
"Yes, Percy is a son of Poseidon. Phil is a son of Demeter and my half brother on my mother's side. But it would be better if Phil explains more to you since he knows you better. I can fill in anything he left out, for I know he doesn't know everything." Aubrey looked confused when Emily said that.
"But you are a daughter of Pluto. Aren't you?"
"I am. But like I said Phil can explain things to you. For I am sure that there are still things that he hasn't told you, but what he will tell you about me that you must swear on the river styx not to tell anyone till I give you my permission."
"All right. I swear on the river Styx that whatever Phil tells me about you that I won't say anything." Thunder rumbled overheard, Emily held her hand to Aubrey and Aubrey took her hand and they were engulf in shadows and they reappeared just outside of the avenger tower. Aubrey looked up at it in surprise before she looked around, Emily thought of changing her appearance but decided not to since all of the avengers seen her in both appearance enough times to recognize Emily in both appearances.
"We are in New York."
"Yes, knowing Phil as I do that he is either here, at the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, or at home ." Emily walked into the tower followed closely by Aubrey, once inside that Emily gestured for Aubrey to stop for a moment. Aubrey stood still when Emily did that, than Emily spoke into the air to J.A.R.V.I.S. "J.A.R.V.I.S." Emily could see the confused look on Aubrey's face till J.A.R.V.I.S. spoke.
"Good evening, Miss Barnes." Aubrey looked shock when she heard J.A.R.V.I.S. Talking.
"Aubrey, that is J.A.R.V.I.S. He is a computer and a butler. He takes care of the building and assist any of the avengers when we need him." Aubrey looked stunned, than Emily spoke to J.A.R.V.I.S. "J.A.R.V.I.S., is Phil Coulson here?"
"He's down in the lab with Mr. Stark, ma'am." Emily figured that was likely, it seemed like half of the time Phil was here that he was either talking to Emily, Steve or Tony. Emily started to walk towards the elevator gesturing for Aubrey to join her as she spoke to J.A.R.V.I.S. once more.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., send the elevator up and let Phil Coulson and Tony know at I will coming down there with a friend. Also inform all of the avengers and the other residents know that I would be spending the night at Camp Jupiter."
"Will do, Miss Barnes." When J.A.R.V.I.S. stopped talking that the elevator opened, Emily and Aubrey went onto the floor that the elevator stopped on. Once the doors closed that they started going down the passageway, than Aubrey spoke.
"Emily, what lab?"
"You will see." When the doors open that they stepped into a lab, it looked like a mix of a garage and a science lab. For there cars as well different things that was being worked or or build as well as a bunch of iron suits including some of the Iron Patriot suits. Emily couldn't help but giggle when she saw those three suits, for they were designed after Steve's uniform. Sure, her uniform has similar designs as Steve's but it was clear that the design of the iron patriot came from Steve's uniform. However there two other people in the room, one was Tony and he was wearing a black sabbath shirt and jeans. The other was Phil and he was wearing his usual suit, of which Emily was used to seeing him after phil was in S.H.I.E.L.D. for so long. The only thing she was used to see him in was the orange camp Halfblood shirt, sneakers and jeans. It was still a strange sight to her seeing Phil wearing a purple camp Jupiter shirt. Aubrey was looking around in amazement, it seem like she hadn't noticed Phil or Tony yet, of which was fine since Phil and Tony still hadn't noticed them yet either. It wasn't till Tony spoke that Aubrey noticed Phil and Tony in the middle of the room.
"You always seem to do this half of the time you come here. You always to be looking after me." Aubrey looked at Emily when Tony said that with a confused look on her face. Emily mouthed, this is normal for this two. Than Phil spoke.
"That is because you act like you did back under the house arrest."
"Yeah so. Are you still going to say the same thing as you did back than." As Tony spoke that Emily gestured Aubrey to move against the wall and into the shadows of which aubrey did as Emily asked. Emily walked forward quietly behind Tony, Phil noticed that Emily walking up behind Tony. As Emily walked behind Tony that she mouthed, go on ahead and say it.
"'If you try to play any sort of games with me, I will taze you and watch 'Supernanny' while you drool into the carpet.'" Emily was sure that Aubrey was close of laughing when Phil said that, every time Emily heard Phil say that she would burst into laughter or would be close to it. Emily was just behind Tony when he spoke.
"You say that. Most of the time when you come ... " Tony didn't even get to finish for Emily jumped up in greek style before hitting the back of the chair that Tony was in. When Emily hit the chair with her feet that Tony fell off the side of the chair and the chair landed a few feet from where it was on it's side. Phil jumped to one side as the chair moved past him, Tony looked up at Emily in somewhat surprise like usually when he knows she was here or coming down here.
"That he does. Like every other time you fell for that trick." Tony started to stand up as he spoke.
"The only reason I fall for that trick is because you so quiet and Phil never gives it away." Emily snorted when Tony said that.
"Of course he doesn't, he is an agent and he is the director. Not only that but Phil and myself are demigods. Besides we done enough times that you should know that was coming. What do you expect candy?" Toy gave her a dirty look when she said that.
"You two can be too much like two super nannies." Emily smiled before she looked at Phil when Tony said that, Phil was close of laughing. When he opened his mouth that she thought he was going to laugh but he spoke instead.
"As for Emily, that is because of her mother. That is one reason for me. But most of it is because I keep having to look after the avengers or most of them anyway." Phil looked at over he said that, and phil went on. "J.A.R.V.I.S. told us you were coming down here with friend. But I don't see the friend." Tony looked around when Phil said that.
"Me neither, where is he?" Emily raised her eyebrow when Tony said that. Tony shrugged before he went on. "I assume it was your one half adopted brother, what's his name." Emily laughed when Tony said that.
"If it was Nico or any of my siblings, I would have said sibling or siblings depending on the fact that if it was one or more siblings when you were informed instead of being told that it was a friend."
"Who is it than? And where is the friend?" Emily didn't say anything when Phil said that, instead she turned and looked to where Aubrey was. Even though she was in the corner and the shadows, Emily could see her clearly due to her night version. But Emily knew that Tony and Phil couldn't see her, plus Emily made sure that the darkness and shadows were thicker when Aubrey went into the corner. As Aubrey stepped out of the corner that she allowed the darkness and shadows to return to their normal state. When Aubrey come out of the corner that she ran over to Phil and hugged him and phil hugged but he was surprised though. As he hugged her that he looked over at Emily.
"You brought her here, why?" Emily got onto a nearby table and sat down before she spoke.
"She managed to figure out about me being greek. So I brought her for you tell her about my life or what I told you. You may want to show her around Camp Halfblood and tell her a few other things, you may also want to tell Chiron about her. If you haven't already."Phil looked at Aubrey.
"How did you figure that out that Emily is a demigod." Aubrey pulled away from the hug before spoke.
"A new demigod entered the camp and with what happen today and some other hints. So I asked if Emily and the other demigod were Greeks." Phil looked at Emily, so Emily spoke.
"A certain son of Neptune by the name of Percy Jackson entered the camp this morning. Like with a certain son of Zeus, Percy has no memories expect for his name at the very least." Emily jumped off the table as Tony spoke.
"So you found Percy than?"
"Yes and no. Yes, I know where he is. No, because he is suppose to find his own way though Camp Jupiter and back home." Tony looked confused but looked at Phil and Aubrey of who were holding hands.
"Who are you?"
"Aubrey Nathan, daughter of Apollo." Tony looked between Phil and Emily, Emily spoke.
"You would know her better as the cellist." Tony looked surprised when Emily said that, Emily walked towards one of the shadows and spoke. "I would stay longer but I need to get back, there's a senate meeting tomorrow and I would need to be there." Before Emily was engulf by shadows that Phil spoke.
"Emily, you don't need attend every senate meeting." Emily turned and looked at him.
"I know, but with this meeting, I must be there. After the meeting that I will come back here, provided that you hadn't tasered Tony and are watching super nanny." Aubrey than spoke up.
"Emily?" Aubrey looked between Tony and Phil. It that she realized that Tony and Phil hadn't called her Rachel. "Why call her Emily? That is not her name."
"Phil will explain." Before Aubrey, Tony or Phil could say anything that Emily ran Into the shadows and was engulf by the shadows and reappear in her bedroom in Camp Jupiter. When the next morning arrived that Emily went to breakfast wearing her orange toga, before she wore a black toga but since Nico was one of two ambassadors of Pluto that he was one of the ones that wears it. Emily noticed that she was the only one used to wearing the toga, though she doesn't like wearing the toga all that much. As Emily sat down with her food that she noticed that everyone was looking at Percy and she could hear the whispering about him.
"Two gods in one day…"
"Un-Roman fighting…"
"Water cannon up my nose…" Emily chuckled slightly, if they knew what Percy has been doing for the last four to five years they wouldn't be talking about Percy like that. Emily noticed of how much Percy put on his plate, Emily thought he would have eaten more than that if Reyna hadn't announced that the senate would convene in the city now. So everyone that was wearing togas got up as well as Frank, Hazel and Percy. Emily noticed the one lares appeared next to Hazel, Percy and Frank. Reyna and Lee-Ann lead the procession of senator out of the camp, Reyna's dogs dashed back and forth along the road. Emily was walking along with Frank, Hazel and Percy, Emily noticed that Nico and Arabella was talking and walking with Gwen. Gwen looked pale but she looked healthy since she died last night, last night made Emily even more aware of the fact that the underworld was getting harder to control but she never thought that people would come back alive other than Hazel.
In Hazel's case it was different since Hades asked her to being her back to the world of the living or at least his way of asking. Besides Hazel was one of the eight in the prophecy so she was meant to come back to help with the prophecy. Otherwise they may not succeed of defeating Gaea, if there was only seven of the eight that were foretold. Emily noticed that Nico and Arabella waved at Percy before he went back to their conversation with Gwen. Emily knew that Nico and Arabella was avoiding Percy due to the fact that Nico and Arabella knows Percy just like Emily knows Percy. But Emily didn't bother to avoid Percy since she has no reason to do or no need to do so, for she knows about both camps for so long that she knows not to say anything. As they walked towards New Rome that Emily noticed that Dakota was stumbling along in his red robes. A lot of the other senators were having similar problems all but Emily of who had been doing it long enough that she knew of how to deal with the problems of wearing a toga.
"How could Romans move in those things?"
"They were just for formal occasions. Like tuxedos. I bet the ancient Romans hated togas as much as we do. By the way, you didn't bring any weapons, did you?"
"Why? Are we not supposed to?"
"No weapons allowed inside the Pomerian Line."
"The what line?"
"Pomerian. The city limits. Inside is a sacred 'safe zone.' Legions can't march through. No weapons allowed. That's so senate meetings don't get bloody."
"Like Julius Caesar getting assassinated?"
"Don't worry. Nothing like that has happened in months." Emily was present when that happened, she shuddered as she thought of the times things got bloody. There had been times of when a weapon finds it's way over the line, the only weapon that was allowed over the line was her poppy. As they reached the city that they came to the statues of Terminus, Emily always found him annoying. He was shouting at the Romans at the moment of which wasn't a big surprise.
"Single file, please! Have your IDs ready. Gwendolyn, senator, Fifth Cohort, yes. Nico di Angelo, ambassador of Pluto—very well. Arabella Evans, ambassador of Pluto. Reyna, praetor, of course. Hank, senator, Third Cohort—oh, nice shoes, Hank! Ah, who have we here?" Emily was just behind Frank when they reached Terminus, they were the last ones to reach the statues.
"Terminus, this is Percy Jackson. Percy, this is Terminus, the god of boundaries."
"New, eh? Yes, probatio tablet. Fine. Ah, weapon in your pocket? Take it out! Take it out!" Percy took out his pen and Terminus looked at it. "Quite dangerous, Leave it in the tray. Wait, where's my assistant? Julia!" Julia peeked out from behind the base of the statue, she was no more than six, she has pigtails, a pink dress and an impish grin with two missing teeth.
"Julia? Where did that girl go?" Terminus glanced behind him as Julia scurried in the other direction. Than he looked the other way and caught sight of Julia before she could hide and she squealed with delight. "Oh, there you are, Front and center. Bring the tray." Julia scrambles out from when she went and brushed off her dress before she picked up a tray and presented it to Percy. There were several paring knives, a corkscrew, an oversized container of sun lotion and a water bottle. "You can pick up your weapon on the way out, Julia will take good care of it. She's a trained professional." Julia nodded.
"Pro-fess-ion-al." Emily smile as Julia said each syllable carefully like she has been practicing. Percy glanced back at Hazel, Frank and Emily.
"The thing is, the pen returns to my pocket automatically, so even if I give it up—"
"Not to worry, We'll make sure it doesn't wander off. Won't we, Juila?"
"Yes, Mr. Terminus." Reluctantly Percy put his pen down on the tray that Julia was holding.
"Now, a few rules, since you're are entering the boundaries of the city proper. Keep the peace inside the line. Yield to chariot traffic while walking on public roads. When you get to the Senate House, sit on the left-hand side. And, down there—do you see where I'm pointing?"
"Um, you don't have any hands." Emily shook her head when Percy said that.
"A smart aleck, eh? Well, Mr. Rule Flouter, right down there in the forum—Julia, point for me, please—" Julia set the tray down before she pointed towards the main plaza. "The shop with the blue awning, that's the general store. They sell tape measures. Buy one! I want those pants exactly one inch above the ankles and that hair regulation cut. And tuck your shirt in."
"Thank you, Terminus. We need to get going."
"Fine, fine, you may pass. But stay on the right side of the road! And that rock right there—No, Hazel, look where I'm pointing. That rock is entirely too close to that tree. Move it two inches to the left." Hazel did what she was told, Hazel and Frank went through the line before it was Emily's turn.
"Rachel Blackthrone, ambassador of Vesta and Princess of the underworld." It was always odd to hear that whenever she cross the line, even before she gave her ambassador of Pluto duties to Nico that it was odd to her that. Emily took off her necklace and two bracelets, but she didn't take off her poppy, no matter what she did that the poppy stay in her wrist. It was struck there in her wrist. That was part of the gift from her mother, that the poppy would remain on her wrist at all times, even when she was asleep. Terminus was not happy about the first time Emily entered New Rome but he was forced to allow the poppy inside due to it was permanently on her wrist till her mother decided to take it back or removes it.
"Is he always like that?" Percy asked.
"No. Today he was laid back. Usually he's more obsessive/compulsive."
"You should have seen him when he first meet me. He was not thrilled about the poppy on my wrist." Emily raised the poppy as she spoke. Hazel spoke as as they walked to the senate.
"I still don't get of why he never makes the comment that never goes on the tray. Why is on your wrist all the time and why does he not seem happy about letting it into New Rome."
"I told you that it was a gift from our aunt for my birthday some years ago. It is permanently struck on my wrist, that is part of it's magic. Besides I don't use it has often as my other items." The last part was not entirely true, sure she uses her other weapons all right but she uses the poppy the most often. More in the last couple of years, since she reveals that Emily Barnes was still Frank changed the subject, so that Emily didn't have of say anything more about her sword.
"He inhabits every boundary stone around the city. Kind of our last line of defense if the city's attacked."
"Terminus isn't so bad, Just don't make him angry, or he'll force you to measure every blade of grass in the valley."
"And the kid? Julia?"
"Yeah, she's a cutie. Her parents live in the city. Come on. We'd better catch up to the senators." As they approached the forum that Emily could see the surprise on Percy's face by the amount of people hanging out at the fountain. Many were waving at the senators as they went pass, Emily smiled as she watched the different couple of New Rome. This was one thing she loved about New Rome and Camp Jupiter. That the demigods can grow up here without worry of monsters and trying to survive outside of this camp. When Bucky first come here that he suggested of moving there, even with how much she liked that idea that she said no for it was not really for Greeks like them. After leaving the first time that he agreed with her but he comment it would be nice if Camp Halfblood has something similar as New Rome. Besides, Emily felt better, that is if they have a child, if the child was raised outside of New Rome as well as Camp Halfblood. Emily knows that the child could go to New Rome but she wasn't sure of the child might be accepted there. She was unsure if the child would be able to enter Camp Halfblood, for no Greek demigods have children or at least in modern times.
"All these people are demigods?"
"Or descended from demigods. Like I told you, it's a good place to go to college or raise a family without worrying about monster attacks every day. Maybe two, three hundred people live here? The veterans act as, like, advisers and reserve forces as needed, but mostly they're just citizens living their lives."
The senators made their way to a big white domed building on the west end of the forum. Percy paused at the doorway for a minute before he followed Hazel and Frank inside, Emily followed Percy inside. The inside of the senate house looked like a high school lecture hall, though Emily wasn't sure if the Romans knew that fact or not. A semicircle of seats faced a stage with a podium and two chairs, at the moment one of the chairs were empty but one has a small velvet package on the seat. Emily knew at once of what was in the box on the one seat, for she has seen it many times before when there was a new centurion or a medal to be handed out. Percy, Hazel and Frank sat on the left side of the semicircle while Emily, Nico, Arabella and the ten senators sat on the right of the front row. The veterans from the city entered, Reyna and Lee-Ann followed them and they walked up to the stage. Lee-Ann has stuffed bears and a knife while Reyna walked to the podium and raised her hand for attention.
"Right, this is an emergency meeting. We won't stand on formalities."
"I love formalities!" Emily sent the ghost a death glare and he shrunk back. Reyna nodded thanks to Emily.
"First of all, we're not here to vote on the quest itself. The quest has been issued by Mars Ultor, patron of Rome. We will obey his wishes. Nor are we here to debate the choice of Frank Zhang's companions."
"All three from the Fifth Cohort? That's not fair."
"And not smart, We know the Fifth will mess up. They should take somebody good." Dakota got up so fast that he spilled kool-aid from his flask.
"We were plenty good last night when we whipped your podex, Larry!"
"Enough, Dakota. Let's leave Larry's podexout of this. As quest leader, Frank has the right to choose his companions. He has chosen Percy Jackson and Hazel Levesque."
"Absurdus! Frank Zhang isn't even a full member of the legion! He's on probatio. A quest must be led by someone of centurion rank or higher. This is completely—"
"Cato, We must obey the wishes of Mars Ultor. That means certain ... adjustments." Lee-Ann came forward when Reyna clapped her hands, she set the knife and the stuff bear down before she took the velvet package from the chair.
"Frank Zhang, come forward." Frank glanced nervously at Percy and Emily, Emily nodded as well as Percy, Frank got to his feet and approached Lee-Ann. It was funny that Frank was scared of a twelve almost thirteen year old, but again she was the augur. Thankfully Lee-Ann didn't show any signs of dislike, hatred or favorites among the members of the legions. She rarely showed any emotions in a time like this or most of the time, Emily wasn't sure what to make of her but she knows that Lee-Ann was no traitor.
"It is my pleasure to bestow upon you the Mural Crown for being first over the walls in siege warfare. Also, by order of Praetor Reyna, to promote you to the rank of centurion." Lee-Ann handed him a bronze badge shape like a laurel wreath first before she handed Frank another badge, a bronze crescent. The senate exploded in protest.
"He's still a probie!"
"Impossible!"
"Water cannon up my nose!"
"Silence!" For a twelve year old, her voice was loud and commanding. "Our praetor recognizes that no one below the rank of centurion may lead a quest. For good or ill, Frank must lead this quest—so our praetor, and I must agree with her, has decreed that Frank Zhang must be made centurion. For we must listen to the gods and he had picked Frank to lead this quest."
"There is an opening for centurion. One of our officers, also a senator, has decided to step down. After ten years in the legion, she will retire to the city and attend college. Gwen of the Fifth Cohort, we thank you for your service." Everyone turned to Gwen, she put a brave smile on and she looked tired from what happened last night. Gwen also looked relieved as well, Emily couldn't blame Gwen for that, she would feel the same way if it was her. More so after last night.
"As praetor, I have the right to replace officers. I admit it's unusual for a camper on probatio to rise directly to the rank of centurion, but I think we can agree…last night was unusual. Frank Zhang, your ID, please." Frank removed the tablet from around his neck and handed it to Lee-Ann.
"Your arm." Frank held up his forearm and Lee-Ann raised her hands to the heavens.
"We accept Frank Zhang, Son of Mars, to the Twelfth Legion Fulminata for his first year of service. Do you pledge your life to the senate and people of Rome?" At first of what Frank said sounded like 'us-dud'. Than he cleared his throat before he managed to speak.
"I do."
"Senatus Populusque Romanus!" Fire blazed on Frank's arm, Emily winced as she watched, she remembered when she got her tattoo and it was unexpected. Lupa did it as to show a sign that the Romans should trust Emily and that she was sent by Pluto to be an ambassador. Emily could see Frank's eyes were full of terror, Emily thought that Frank would pass out from the burning. Than the smoke and flame died, new marks were seared onto Frank's skin, SPQR and an image of crossed spears and a single strip representing the first year of service.
"You may sit down." Than Reyna spoke as Frank returned to his seat.
"Now, we must discuss the quest." Emily heard Percy whisper to Frank as soon as Frank sat down since Emily wasn't too far them.
"Did it hurt?" Frank looked at his forearm of which was still steaming,
"Yeah. A lot."
"Here. Let me." Emily and Percy smiled as Hazel pinned the medals to Frank's shirt.
"You deserve it, man. What you did last night? Natural leadership."
"But centurion—"
"Centurion Zhang, Did you hear the question?"
"Um…sorry. What?" Lee-Ann smiled rather sadly like she pitied Frank of what he has to face while he was on this quest.
"I was asking, if you have a plan for the quest. Do you even know where you are going?"
"Um..." Hazel put her hand on Frank's shoulder
"Weren't you listening last night, Lee-Ann? Mars was pretty clear. We're going to the land beyond the gods—Alaska." Emily could see that the senators squirmed and some of the ghosts shimmered and disappeared. Even Reyna's metal dogs rolled over on their backs and whimpered. Than Senator Larry stood up and spoke.
"I know what Mars said, but that's crazy. Alaska is cursed! They call it the land beyond the gods for a reason. It's so far north, the Roman gods have no power there. The place is swarming with monsters. No demigod has come back from there alive since ... "
"Since you lost your eagle." Larry was so startled when Percy spoke, that Larry fell back, Emily smirked when that happen. Percy went on. "Look, I know I'm new here. I know you guys don't like to mention that massacre in the nineteen-eighties ... "
"He mentioned it!" Emily glared at the ghost that spoke and the ghosted whimpered and disappeared.
"But don't you get it? The Fifth Cohort led that expedition. We failed, and we have to be responsible for making things right. That's why Mars is sending us. This giant, the son of Gaea, he's the one who defeated your forces thirty years ago. I'm sure of it. Now he's sitting up there in Alaska with a chained death god, and all your old equipment. He's mustering his armies and sending them south to attack this camp." Larry stood up and spoke as he looked at Percy.
"Really? You seem to know a lot about our enemy's plans, Percy Jackson." Emily stood up and walked over to where Larry was standing.
"Are you stupid or have you not looked at the signs? It is clear of what is going on, even though he has only been here a day, that one can learn much of what is going around here from all the talking the Romans and Lares do, any idiot who listens and ask around would be able to figure that out."
"He could be a spy though."
Larry glared at her, Emily glared right back at him and he shrunk under her gaze but he didn't sit back down. Emily was about use the shadows when suddenly the doors flew open and Larry was flew back into the wall by the wind. Everyone was shocked even Emily, Emily turned and looked at the doors expecting Jason to be standing there. Honestly it was unlikely to be Jason but she couldn't think of who else it could be other than Bucky. But Bucky only enters New Rome if he was with her. It wasn't Jason or even Bucky, it was the last person she expected to see there more so with the fact that she never been here before and only heard about Camp Jupiter from Emily in the last few months. Standing in the doorway was Lauren Rogers, her best friend since the age of ten when they first meet after she killed the monster that was going after Emily. Everyone was staring at Lauren as she walked forward wearing her gold jacket, brown shirt, blue jeans and tennis shoes. Wind was blowing around her making her hair fly around her face, the senators leaned back as Lauren walked till she stood by Emily's side. Lauren looked at Larry of who just barely stood back up, as he stood up the wind around Lauren died down and the doors closed as the wind hit the doors.
"Did I hear you correctly in saying that one of among you are traitors or spy?"
"It is possible that this Percy could be a spy for Gaea?"
"Do you have any proof of this?" Larry looked pissed as Lauren asked that question.
"This is none of your concern, traitor. You are not part of this ... " Larry didn't even finished before lightning flashed across the room, thunder rumbled over head and the wind throw Larry back against the wall. One thing that one should never do was to piss of a child of Zeus or Jupiter. Lauren walked forward and spoke in a clear and loud voice.
"Are you saying at a child of Jupiter is a traitor to Rome?" The senators muttered at this, Lauren rolled down her sleeve and revealed the SPQR tattoo on her forearm with an eagle, that tattoo has ten lines on it as well. Emily opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out, so she closed it again, it was clear that Lauren gained that tattoo recently. Thinking of it, during breakfast that she thought she felt three legionnaires were added that morning but Emily shrugged it off thinking her senses were acting up. Larry looked scared as he looked at Lauren and her tattoo, realized his mistake of calling her a traitor. "Do you want to finish what you were saying or would you prefer to sit down?" Larry moved away from the wall and went to his chair, before he could sit down that shadows hit him throwing him against the wall again and he looked at Emily in shock and surprise.
"Next time I hear you call Lauren or any member of the legion a spy or traitor without me saying hat they are, even when they are not full members yet, that you would regret saying it. For I am able to pick up when there is a traitor among the moment the roman is accepted into the legion. Percy was accepted into the legion even if he is now and I can sense he is no traitor." Larry got up before he sat back down, everyone was looked at Lauren shocked before Reyna spoke up.
"I don't remember you." Lauren looked at Reyna.
"I was here at the same time as Rachel and after the war I become immortal to help the world to be safe from threats among other hints. Apollo made the group that I lead to help protect demigods and mortals a like to make sure that no threat can harm the demigods and mortals or thin out the threats. Only in the last couple of days that Apollo made me his ambassador. But I am not the only new ambassador." There was stunned silence in the senate, after a minute that Reyna spoke.
"In that case, we welcome you. What is your name?"
"Lauren Rogers, daughter of Jupiter and leader of the commandos." At the last part, Lauren winked at Emily, Emily rolled her eyes when she did that. Emily knew Lauren meet the howling commandos, but she was wondering Lauren meet by that last comment about the new ambassadors. It was than that one of the senators spoke up.
"Wait, you mean, the wife of Steve Rogers, Captain America?" Lauren merely nodded when the senator said that.
"Yes." Before the one senator could say anything else that Reyna spoke.
"What other new ambassadors are you talking about?"
"One of them you have meet before when he came here with Rachel." Lauren turned to the doors and they opened once more, Emily was stunned of who came into the senate. It was Steve and Bucky, she figures that they were ambassadors of Ceres and Auster. Emily could hear the sharp intake of brew from the senate as Steve and Bucky walked over to them. When they stood by them that Reyna spoke.
"I assume you are ambassadors of Ceres and Auster." Steve and Bucky merely nodded, when they did that Emily waved her hand and three chair appeared next to the chair she was using. Bucky sat down next to her while Steve and Lauren in the last two chairs. Emily looked at Bucky's wrist and noticed the same tattoo that Emily has on Bucky's flesh arm but the symbol was that of smoking barley. But everything else was the same though, after a minute of silence that Reyna went on. "Anyway before that happened as I was saying. And now a giant has captured him, So if we could free Thanatos, then the dead would stay dead? Um…no offense."
"It's more complicated than that."
"You mean the Doors of Death. They are mentioned in the Prophecy of eight, which sent the first expedition to Alaska ... " One of the ghosts snorted.
"We all know how that turned out! We Lares remember!" The other ghosts grumbled in agreement. Nico put his fingers to his lips, suddenly all the lares went silent.
"Thanatos is only part of the solution. The Doors of Death…well, that's a concept even I don't completely understand. There are many ways into the Underworld—the River Styx, the Door of Orpheus—plus smaller escape routes that open up from time to time. With Thanatos imprisoned, all those exits will be easier to use. Sometimes it might work to our advantage and let a friendly soul come back—like Gwen here. More often, it will benefit evil souls and monsters, the sneaky ones who are looking to escape. Now, the Doors of Death ... those are the personal doors of Thanatos, his fast lane between Life and Death. Only Thanatos is supposed to know where they are, and the location shifts over the ages. If I understand correctly, the Doors of Death have been forced open. Gaea's minions have seized control of them ... "
"Which means Gaea controls who can come back from the dead." Nico nodded when Percy said that.
"She can pick and choose who to let out ... the worst monsters, the most evil souls. If we rescue Thanatos, that means at least he can catch souls again and send them below. Monsters will die when we kill them, like they used to, and we'll get a little breathing room. But unless we're able to retake the Doors of Death, our enemies won't stay down for long. They'll have an easy way back to the world of the living."
"So we can catch them and deport them, but they'll just keep coming back across."
"In a depressing nutshell, yes."
"But Thanatos knows where the doors are, right? If we free him, he can retake them."
"I don't think so, Not alone. He's no match for Gaea. That would take a massive quest…an army of the best demigods."
"Foes bear arms to the Doors of Death. That's the Prophecy of eight…" Reyna looked at Percy, Emily could see of how scared she was. Honestly Emily thinks every leader felt scared from time to time but they do their best to hid their feelings to try to raise their soldier's spirits up in times like this. "If this begins the ancient prophecy, we don't have resources to send an army to these Doors of Death and protect the camp. I can't imagine even sparing seven demigod's ... "
"First things first. I don't know who the eight are, or what that old prophecy means, exactly. But first we have to free Thanatos. Mars told us we only needed three people for the quest to Alaska. Let's concentrate on succeeding with that and getting back before the Feast of Fortuna. Then we can worry about the Doors of Death."
"Yeah, That's probably enough for one week."
"So you do have a plan?" It was the Larry that spoke up once more. Percy looked at Frank and Hazel.
"We go to Alaska as fast as possible..."
"And we improvise."
"A lot." Reyna studied them, she looked like she was mentally writing for her obituary.
"Very well. Nothing remains except for us to vote what support we can give the quest—transportation, money, magic, weapons."
"Praetor, if I may." Larry, the same senator that Emily and Lauren knocked into the wall. Emily heard Percy muttering.
"Oh, great, Here it comes."
"The camp is in grave danger. Two gods have warned us we will be attacked four days from now. We must not spread our resources too thin, especially by funding projects that have a slim chance of success." Larry looked at them to say poor little things. "Mars has clearly chosen the least likely candidates for this quest. Perhaps that is because he considers them the most expendable. Perhaps Mars is playing the long odds. Whatever the case, he wisely didn't order a massive expedition, nor did he ask us to fund their adventure. I say we keep our resources here and defend the camp. This is where the battle will be lost or won. If these three succeed, wonderful! But they should do so by their own ingenuity." An uneasy murmur passed through the crowds Frank jumped up to his feet for a fight, Emily got up and put a hand on Frank's shoulder. As Frank sit down as she calmed him down using the powers she got from Hestia, when Frank sat down that Emily looked at Larry.
"Senator, unless if you forget, I am the ambassador of Vesta and I am also the protector of the roman state and the home as well as being the champion of Vesta. My patron is still the guardian and will still guard the roman state and the home if something were to happen to me. But you seem to forget that if the senate can't provided them with what they need when a battle is approaching the camp that I can provided for them." Emily waved her hands and three back packs appeared in her hands and she tossed one back to each of the questors, Percy, Frank and Hazel. "There is food, ambrosia, nectar, clothing, some money and a few other things as well. There is still enough room in there if there is anything else you need." Emily waved her hand one more and a debt card appeared in her hand and she put it in Hazel's hand. "You can use this to pull more money out if you need if you don't have enough." Emily looked at the three of them, all three of them looked surprised.
"What about transportation. Gaea is the earth goddess, right? Going overland, across the earth ... I'm guessing we should avoid that. Plus, it'll be too slow." Emily waved her hand as a pair of keys fell in her hand and she handed it to Percy, he looked stunned.
"My father has enough money and I trend to travel a lot. For the most part, I use shadow travel, thankfully I can use an airplane due to the fact my best friend is a daughter of Jupiter and I can use a boat since I am Neptune's favorite niece or one of them at any rate." Emily looked at Lauren of who smiled when Emily said that, they know it was mostly because they were friends with his son Jason as well as friends with Percy but they were closer to Jason though hat they were able to cross the water without worry. "I have a boat that you can use and it is in the Alameda port not far from here. It should be able to take you where you need to go. That is what the keys are for." Emily turned to the rest of Romans and spoke. "So all the resources stay here while this three get some of their own resources to help them. Any questions?" There was a mutter that filled the chamber.
"Very well. We'll put it to a vote. Senators, the motion is as follows: The quest shall go to Alaska. The senate shall provide full access to the Roman navy docked at Alameda. The aid that they have is gained though Rachel while the resources stays here. The three adventurers will survive or fail from that point on. All in favor?" Every senator's hand went up. "The motion is passed." Reyna turned to Frank. "Centurion, your party is excused. The senate has other matters to discuss. And, Lee-Ann, if I may confer with you for a moment." Emily mouthed to Steve, Lauren and Bucky to stay here while she followed Percy, Frank and Hazel out. Once outside that Hazel picked up a large emerald from the path and slipped it into her pocket before turning around and looked at Emily.
"Thank you. We have a better chance of succeed on this quest because of you, even if I don't like the water." Hazel hugged her and Emily hugged Hazel back.
"It is the least I can do Hazel and you are my sister and I don't want to see you fail this quest besides I am the protector of the Roman State and the home. So it is my job to help if I can and protect the romans to the best of my abilities if I can." When Hazel let go that Emily knelt down in front of Hazel and spoke. "You know what awaits there, out of the three of you, it would harder on you, I believe. Make sure you are ready when you reach the end." Hazel nodded and Emily stood back up, than Frank spoke.
"Look if either of you wants to back out, I wouldn't blame you."
"Are you kidding? And pull sentry duty for the rest of the week?" Frank turned to Percy of who was gazing across the forum. Emily could tell he was thinking, he was trying to figure out his past. Than Percy looked away and back at Frank.
"I'm with you. Besides, I want to check out the Roman navy." Emily merely smiled before she went back into the meeting and sat down next to Bucky, Bucky looked at her with worry. Emily mouthed, don't worry, after a while that the senate was dismissed. Emily, Nico, Arabella, Steve, Bucky and Lauren were the last ones in the senate hall, Emily looked at Steve, Bucky and Lauren. Emily nodded to Lauren's tattoo
"All right, how did you get that and did Apollo really sent you here? Did you just say you were me because we were both at Camp Halfblood?"
"Yes, Apollo sent me here and he was the one that put this on my forearm. Once more, yes, I figured it would be bette if I said that I was at Camp with you." Lauren winced slightly as she was thinking of how the tattoo felt being burned into her arm. Emily noticed that Steve and Bucky winced as well, Emily wasn't surprised by Bucky winced.
"I know that is painful, trust me, I remember when I got it." Emily looked at Steve and Bucky as well. "I am going to assume the same thing with you two, that you were made ambassadors by your parents and they got you those tattoos as well."
"Yes, we have the tattoos as well." Bucky and Steve rolled their sleeves up, Emily already saw Bucky's tattoo but not Steve's. Steve's symbol was a sheave of wheat. Emily shook her head, honestly she didn't expect them to get the tattoos as well, she hopes that Nico, Arabella and Phil will never have one.
"Come on, we need to go to the mess hall." Lunch seems more like a funeral party than lunch, sure everyone was eating and talking to each other, but they were talking in hushed tones. No one was really happy either, Emily knows that part of the reason of why the romans were not happy was because of the upcoming battle that they would be facing. Emily did notice that the legionnaires kept glancing over at Percy like he was the corpse of honor or something like that. This whole lunch was making Bucky, Steve and Lauren rather uncomfortable, this was the first time that Lauren and Steve have been to Camp Jupiter. Reyna made a brief speech wishing them luck than Lee-Ann ripped open one of the stuff bears hanging from her belt. As soon as Lee-Ann did that, that Lauren, Bucky and Steve winced, Emily looked at them. The three of them looked at her, asking the same question, was this normal, Emily merely nodded and mouthed, just be glad it's teddy bears. Than Lee-Ann spoke and pronounced grave omens and hard times ahead, that the camp would be saved by an unexpected hero. After lunch that the campers went to their afternoon actives while Frank, Percy and Hazel went to add their own things to the backpacks that she gave them. Emily did leave enough room in the backpacks for anything else that Percy, Frank and Hazel might need for their quest. When it was only Emily, Lauren, Steve and Bucky that Steve spoke.
"Was that a normal meal here?"
"No, it wasn't. It is usually much louder than that." The four of them left the mess hall and when they entered her house that she explained things better to Steve and Lauren as well as added things that she hasn't told Bucky yet. She even told them that children of Pluto and Neptune were considered as bad luck, when Emily finished that no of them said anything for a few minutes. But Lauren broke the silence.
"Are children of Ceres consider bad luck?"
"No, they are not. Though I am not sure what their reputation is. The romans only know me as Rachel Blackthrone, daughter of Pluto and champion of Vesta." The four of them spent another few houses inside her house, Emily looked at Lauren a couple of times during those hours. In the past couple of days that Emily could sense something different about Lauren and it was coming from her Hestia powers. Emily guessed of what it was for that sense acted up a lot around New Rome, but Emily decided to let Lauren tell her in her own of the news. After a while that Emily got out of her toga before they shadow travel back to the tower. Steve and Lauren went to their own level while Emily and Bucky went to their level, even though it has been a couple of days that they last say each other that they didn't have much time to spend alone with each other. As soon as they reached their level that they started kissing as Bucky lead her to the bedroom, it was clear Bucky was thinking along the same lines as Emily was and that he wanted to make it up to her as much as she wanted to make it up to him.
A few hours later that Emily stirred in the bed, sheets were covering her as well as Bucky, her head was still on Bucky's chest. Emily could hear his heart and it was calm next to how it was after they stopped and fell asleep. One of her arms was behind his neck while her other arm was over his chest like usual when she has her head on his chest. One of Bucky's arms was around her shoulders while his other arm was wrapped around her waist, Emily would admit that at first the metal arm was odd but she got use to it as time went on. Emily was so used to it now that she never gave it much thought anymore unless if Bucky sneaks up on her and surprise her with the cold metal of his arm. However Emily was getting used to that as well, it still surprises her slightly when that happens, but not as often. Emily shifted her head up to look at Bucky, his hair was a little longer than it was when he cut shortly after he found Emily in the one HYDRA base and she was getting close of being killed. But it was no where near as long as it was when he was the winter soldier, but it wasn't a big surprise that hi hair was messed up from last night. As Emily lay there that she felt odd, it was partly her body and partly her Hestia powers acting up on her. It felt like her body changed or something and her Hestia powers noticed it, but she was too tired and sleepy to even care or think straight of why that it might because she was half asleep at the moment, Emily nuzzled into Bucky more to try to fell asleep again when J.A.R.V.I.S. spoke
"Miss Barnes." Emily moaned when she heard him.
"J.A.R.V.I.S. go away. I don't want to be bothered."
"Miss Rogers says it's important." Emily sighed when J.A.R.V.I.S. said that.
"Well it better be good. Tell her I am coming up to her level." Emily got out of bed and out her night clothes, of which consist of a SSR shirt and tan baggy pants, before going up to Steve's and Lauren's level. When she entered that Lauren was sitting on the couch in the main room of Steve's and her level in her bathrobe. Lauren has one hand over her stomach of which Emily found odd, Emily went over to where Lauren was and sat down next to her. "All right, why did you want me to come up here?"
"Well, it's something I hadn't told Steve yet." Emily raised her eyebrow when Lauren said that, most of the time Lauren went to her first to tell her things before she told Steve. Even after she married Steve, Lauren still did that. From how she spoke that it sounded like that Lauren should have told Steve first before she told Emily of what she was going to tell Emily.
"Usually you tell me first before you tell Steve, what makes this so different that you woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me this. I was awake but still usually I am asleep by this point of the night. If you hadn't notice it's early morning." Emily gestured to the window, it was still dark outside though the lights of the city made the city look like it was day time. Lauren lowered her head before Lauren spoke.
"There is a reason, I thought of telling Steve first when I found out, but I wasn't sure of how he will take the news." Emily raised her eyebrow when Lauren looked up at her before she spoke the last two words that Emily didn't expect to hear form Lauren ever. "I'm pregnant." Emily slid off the couch in shock when Lauren said that.
"You're pregnant?" Lauren nodded when Emily said that. "That explains it than."
"Explains what?"
"Lauren, I can always sense not long after a baby is made. A baby falls under the family, home and hearth that Hestia reigns over." Lauren smiled a little when Emily said that.
"So you knew already."
"Sort of, I felt it but I thought my powers were going crazy." Emily climbed back on the couch and leaned back. "So, how far are you?"
"About a month." Emily shook her head when Lauren said that.
"It seem hard to believe I didn't notice sooner than today but with what has been going on, that is not a big surprise. Sometimes I don't noticed till a month has passed. Usually I can picked it up like a few days after it happens. It is like half and half, I him it depends of how well I know the person and how much they want a child."
"Emily." Emily looked over at Lauren. "If you can tell when a baby is made, won't you be able to tell the minute you are Pregnant." Emily shrugged when Lauren said that.
"I guess, I don't know. Considering that I haven't had a child ... " Emily stopped right there. She thought of what Lauren said and the powers that Hestia gave her and that those powers were going crazy, even more crazy than they should be. However earlier those powers were going crazy around Lauren but it seems like those powers were extra crazy right now. Lauren was watching her as Emily sat there thinking.
"Emily?" Emily looked over at Lauren. "What is it?" Emily looked at Lauren before she spoke.
"I think Bucky and I just conceived."