Thanks to all the reviews!
So the votes are in! You guys decided for me to do Jason's POV! Or, at least, that's what it was when I checked back on it to start writing. Sorry to all of those who wanted Calypso's, but the earlier I start, the sooner I'll be able to get to hers!
Reviews!
krasni (this chapter might make you happy. . . or sad, lol. "In which Piper finds out the truth. . . (and you figure out what happens back at camp)" should be the title! Hope you like it, and thanks for the review!)
Artemis Daughter (aww... Artemis cheated on her vows... aww... lol. Thank you so much for the review, these kinds of things make me feel so special!
MullerThe (thanks! I do have an idea already planned for the end, which is why I wrote this story in the first place! There are two basic endings that I see possible, but I'll tell you when the story's over what they are)
Qbert12 (I baked cookies. . . ;D )
General comment: A lot of people commented on Percy's PSTD. Like, all two of you, lol. I'd like to think that he didn't come out of Tartarus without some trauma. You all know that. So thanks to watagatapitusberry and Totalbooknerd13 for commenting on it!
And now, as most of you don't read this crap, on with the story! Now, take my cookies! (::) (::)
-teamleo4 (the win!)
Jason
Jason felt like he was staring at an alternate universe.
The walls had to be wrong. But they had been right every other time. . .
It was Camp Half-Blood, at least. The same strawberry fields, cabins, and the Big House.
On the top of the hill, stood the Athena Parthenos. How they had got it on it's feet, Jason had no idea.
In the middle of the field, though, was where the real action.
Two huge groups stood there, yelling at each other from across a small gap. Jason didn't have to guess who the groups were.
How did they get in the borders? Jason had always thought that the camp's protection would keep the Romans out. That it would at least buy them a little time.
Archers were lined up on each side of the mobs, ready to fire.
Jason did have some momentary confusion on which mass of people was which. At first he thought the group closest to the cabins were the Romans. But then he saw Octavian's face at the front of the other group.
The confusion was caused by Reyna. She was standing with the Greeks, screaming at the Romans. Jason was too used to her standing next to the centurions. It was obvious she was telling them to stand down. Beside her stood Nico, Coach Hedge, Chiron, Rachel, Travis and Connor, Katie, Clarisse, Will Solace, Jake Mason, and some of the other camp counselors.
On the other side of the gap, beside Octavian, were some of the centurions, including Dakota (who was still drinking Kool-Aid at a time like this), Larry, and Hank. They seemed nervous, as if not knowing if they should follow Reyna's orders or Octavian's.
Jason was surprised that they were even arguing. No one directly disobeyed Reyna. Reyna was there leader, even if she sided with the Greeks. They shouldn't be fighting.
Jason scanned the Greek crowd. Just behind Coach Hedge, he spotted Mellie. He could barely make out her figure, as it was transparent. But what he could make out, her stomach seemed overly large, almost as if she was. . .
He felt his mouth pop open. Mellie is pregnant? He looked over at Piper, who was analyzing the whole wall. She seemed a little shocked, but not as much as he felt.
"Did you see Mellie?" he asked, looking back at Camp Half-Blood.
"No, why? What is-" she cut off suddenly, probably spotting the aura. "Whoa, am I seeing this right?"
"If you're seeing a pregnant wind spirit, then yeah."
Piper paused. "So Coach Hedge is a father?"
Jason imagined the coach playing peek-a-boo with a baby wind nymph.
"Uh. . ." Jason said, feeling his mouth fall open again.
"Yeah, same here," Piper replied, grinning. "I got an image of Coach Hedge pulling out his bat because the kid drew on a wall."
"That's terrifying because it's possible."
Piper laughed. "The coach has a soft spot for kids."
Jason stared at her weirdly. "Since when? He's threatened to kill every living thing on the quest!"
"To protect us," Piper reminded him.
Jason shook his head, disbelieving. "Whatever you choose to believe."
He looked back towards the wall. Reyna had stepped forward, and was now face to face with Octavian. He couldn't see the details, but it looked like they were screaming over each others voice.
Nico stepped in between the two. Octavian pushed him aside, and Reyna pulled her sword out. Things were going downhill fast.
"Piper, do you have any drachma?" Jason said quickly.
Piper was on her feet in seconds. She checked her pockets, and then shook her. She took her seat again, as if understanding something. "Even if we contacted them, how would that make things better? They probably still think we're enemies."
Jason was the one standing now. "We can't stand by and watch a war start!"
Piper pointed to the walls. "Look, Reyna's got it under control."
Jason focused back on Camp Half-Blood, and saw that she was right. Reyna had somehow managed to subdue the Romans. At least, they didn't look like they were about to attack. Octavian was still yelling orders at them, but they weren't listening.
Jason wished that Leo had added audio. He wouldn't have to be guessing about what was going on.
Reyna grabbed Octavian by the arm. He protested, and some members of the legion reached for their swords. The praetor raised her other hand, telling them to hold. The Romans listened, but all eyes stayed intently on her. Jason could tell they were wary.
Reyna whispered to Octavian. His face went from being smug to afraid. He looked at Reyna in shock. Jason couldn't see Reyna's face from the angle, but the corner of her mouth seemed upturned.
What could Reyna have told him? Jason wondered.
Apparently Piper was thinking the same thing. "What does Reyna have on Octavian?"
Jason shrugged his shoulders, turning towards his girlfriend. "Maybe she threatened to kick him out of camp."
"Would that make him that afraid?"
Jason looked back at the augur's paler-than-usual face. "I don't know. . ."
He could almost hear Piper's eye roll. "Shouldn't you know? Have you ever heard the saying, 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer'?"
Jason smiled. "I might have heard that once or twice," he admitted. "But who wants to stay close to him?"
Piper grinned back. Her eyes changed from green to blue, sparkling in both shades. "Is Sparky afraid of a little augur?"
He snorted. "Afraid of him specifically? No. Afraid of the people in his group? Kind of."
With that he looked back at the wall. It looked like Reyna had full control of the Romans. Reyna turned around, towards the Greeks, her face now more composed.
Nico stepped up, smirking. It was the first time Jason had seen him remotely happy since they met Cupid. He examined Reyna, then held out his hand. She, unable to contain it, smiled, then shook it.
Jason wondered what had happened while they were on the quest. Obviously they had just gotten back that day or the night before, or this would have been settled earlier. Nico seemed completely different, and Reyna looked more relaxed then the son of Jupiter had ever seen her. They had definitely became friends in that period of time.
Chiron stepped forward, and gestured towards the Big House.
"No! Let us keep watching!" Piper yelled at the wall.
"Pipes, they can't hear us," Jason laughed. "Come on, I think they have this all sorted out."
Piper looked nervously at the wall, then nodded. He looked back, and saw the counselors of Camp Half-Blood and the centurions of Camp Jupiter were heading slowly towards the blue house. That also included Nico and Coach Hedge. Jason noticed that there were more counselors than he remembered. Before he could count them all, they disappeared into the house.
The campers left in the field started glaring at each other, but neither groups attacked. Jason thought it was kind of stupid to leave the two groups there, but what could he do about it?
He scanned the groups, and found a lot of unfamiliar faces. Camp Half-Blood must have taken in a lot of new campers, because he was positive he knew everyone before he left, if not their names.
"Is is just me, or does it look like there are more campers?" he asked, tearing his eyes away from the scene.
Piper shrugged. "The camp almost doubled in size in the time we were there."
"Yeah. . ." he said, thinking. What if I have another sibling? That weird-ed him out. He could have a brother or sister waiting for him back at the camp, one that he had never heard of before.
"Mind if we come in?" Hazel's voice broke into his thoughts.
He looked over towards the hallway, where the voice had come from. Hazel was slowly walking forward, with Frank behind her.
"Sure," Piper said, smiling. Her and Hazel had become close friends in the past month.
Hazel grinned back. "Thanks." She walked in, and Jason noticed that her and Frank were holding hands.
Frank looked around. "I thought Percy would be in here as well."
Jason shook his head. "Nah, he came in about an hour ago. He said he was going up top."
Hazel looked at him weirdly. "We just talked to him half an hour ago. He was in his room."
"What did you talk about?" Jason asked.
"What exactly happened in Tartarus," Hazel whispered, making it seem more dramatic.
"Whoa, the whole story?" Piper asked, surprised. Jason was too. They finally explained what happened?
"Not everything," Frank said, glancing at the hallway. "Just what happened with the curses."
"And what did happen?" Piper persisted.
Hazel and Frank recalled Percy's story. Piper slowly looked more and more guilty, most likely for yelling at Percy before.
Jason was sympathetic to his friend, but he thought Percy should have told the whole story before. Charging a goddess without a known reason was a little uncalled for.
After the story, there was complete silence. It was the first time they had heard part of what had happened in Tartarus, and Jason couldn't help but wonder about the rest. If it's anything like that. . . or worse. . . he shuddered at the thought.
Frank must have noticed the walls, because he asked, "What happened at your camp?" He was probably trying to distract them in some small way.
Jason helped by replying. "Nothing. Reyna was able to calm them down, and all the camp leaders went to the Big House."
"So no fighting? We get all the fighting on the ship, but the one place we expect it to happen, and it doesn't?" Hazel asked, exasperated.
"I know, right?" Piper agreed. "I don't understand it anymore than you do."
Jason focused on the walls again. There was still some accusing stares going around, but other than that, nothing seemed to be going on. Neither group knew what else to do other than stand around. The Romans weren't going to retreat, or they would be called cowards. The Greeks weren't going to disperse, because it was their camp.
"'Sup guys," another greeting came from the hallway. Jason jumped, looking around.
"Leo?" Hazel questioned, just as shocked at Jason was. "What-what are you doing here?"
"Um, getting some food," Leo responded, confused. "Is that against the law now?"
"No, just – I thought you were with Calypso!"
"She 'convinced' me to go sleep," Leo replied, putting air quotations. "She wasn't going to let me stay awake willingly, so I just agreed with her."
Frank looked like he was doing some calculations in his head. "But, if you're down here. . . and Calypso's up there. . ."
Hazel gasped, standing up.
"What? What is it?" Leo said, backing down the hallway slowly.
Jason stood up, now understanding. "Go!"
Everyone started running towards the hallway, except Leo.
"WHAT'S GOING ON!" He yelled.
"Calypso's up there with Percy!" Hazel yelled, even though she had just passed Leo.
Leo seemed to register what was going on and sprinted the rest of the way down the hall, shoved them all out of the way, took the stairs five at a time, and burst back on deck.
Thank you!
Okay, so I'm going to go on this whole speech, because guess something else? It's this stories 90 day anniversary! But if you hate me, just move on to your next story. . . (or review, but if you hate me, you won't do that anyway, so this is pointless)
*clears throat*
Just wanted to thank you by writing this:
90 days ago was when I started this story, thinking that no one would look at it. This website was just going to be a way for me to think people cared. I worried about every single comment that came in, thinking that it would be hate messages.
5 days later was when I had over 2,000 views. The comments were all amazing. I typed more than I ever had at any point in my life, and enjoyed every minute of it.
5 days later was when I had 90 Reviews! I couldn't believe it. I was jumping up and down like a crazy person, trying to read the reviews. If you've ever tried reading while jumping, it's not the easiest thing.
About a month in was when I had over 5000 views. I had over-reached my goals on this website by far. I had read, before I had a account, stories that had only 10 reviews, I I had thought they were amazing. So I definitely wasn't looking for 72 reviews in 8 chapters.
About six weeks I had over 16000 views, and over 160 reviews. I had stated that I thought the gods were influencing the workers at FanFiction. Or that I had amazing fans. This still holds true. I love all of my fans, demigods or otherwise.
Today is the 3 month anniversary of when I created this story. I just want to say thank you specifically to all of my fans. They've been amazing. They've encouraged me when I was at some low points, and have waited in excitement for the next chapter. I couldn't have asked for anyone better to read my story than the people who choose to click it all those days ago.
Thank you to all those who inspired me 90 days ago, who stayed with me through all 25 chapters. I want to say that, if they hadn't commented, I wouldn't have continued this story. This story would have been "my biggest what-if."
Thank you all for this, and. . .
-teamleo4 (the win!)