Authors Note: I do not own any of the characters nor do I own any of the works of Rick Riordan. Not sure how this story will turn out but I've always liked the idea of a more Roman Percy where he doesn't miss his old life so to speak.
Percy opened his sea green eyes to darkness, it was still the hour of the wolf and the sun had yet to peek over the horizon. He rolled over and reached for the lamp next to his bed. As the light flared he took in the sight of lavish marble. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He was still getting used to his own room and the freedom it allowed him. As a Praetor Percy no longer slept in a barracks with the fifth cohort. He now had his own property, a small villa with a courtyard. It was nothing extravagant but it was a step up from common a citizen of New Rome. His mind returned to the thought at hand, his dream. Percy had been dreaming but couldn't remember what about. He could only remember blond hair and grey eyes.
Percy stepped into his courtyard as the sun began to rise. Today would be rough he imagined, there were many task that would need tending too after the battle for New Rome, number one on that list being to help the engineers repair the destroyed aqueduct. Percy sighed with the wind and he put one armored foot in front of the other. He wasn't used to actual leadership, Camp Half-Blood was home and always would be but there was a difference between a camp councilor and being praetor of the 12th legion. It troubled Percy that he almost seemed to like the way Camp Jupiter was ran better, Camp Jupiter he thought prepared its citizens far better than Camp Half-Blood did. For starters it was the fact that he could even use the word "citizen" to describe New Romes people. While Camp Half-Blood was a summer camp with extreme training New Rome was permanent settlement to the descendants and children of an ancient civilization. Camp Half-Blood was an escape for a few months except for a select few and that troubled Percy greatly, he filed his thought away for another time there was more he wanted to change, more that he wanted to make better.
As Percy walked through the streets of New Rome he could feel stares from every direction as if Argus was everywhere at once. Percy had expected this, his new armor had been finished the night before. Although the legion had disbanded the position of Legate the armor that distinguished officer from soldier were still present today. Percys new armor was black in color, the helm had a red horizontal plumage rather than the vertical plumage that signifies a centurion. The curved overlapping plates that made up the shoulders had three half-inch spikes made of gold spaced evenly horizontally . The chest was mostly unadorned at Percys request, however in the center of the chest a trident stood proudly with a wave crashing behind it. Unlike Greek armor where the standard Hoplite armor left room for most mortal clothing underneath the Roman armor had be unchanged since it was last worn in the ancient days. Under the armor Percy wore a thin red open tunic like a dress, the end of it stopped just above his knees letting his muscled legs show below, thill they met his greaves. One thing that has change since the ancient times is vambraces, historically Roman soldiers had never worn protective gear on the forearms. Yet after demigods growing up in the medieval era saw how helpful the piece of armor was to Europeans, they had incorporated their own version in the standard outfit of armor. Percys matched the rest of his armor, black steel with etched tridents on both arms. His greaves were you guessed it black like the rest of his armor, however just like the shoulders the greaves were covered in half-inch spikes that would defend against kicks from enemies. Percy wore a pair of leather sandals know as caliga and finally a purple cloak rested on his back.
Percy wasn't one to enjoy his popularity too much, but ever since he had incorporated himself into New Roman society he couldn't help craving a little bit of power. He relaxed his gaze and walked with calm purpose. He wanted his fellow soldiers to feel a since of confidence and help improve the morale. The engineers were already hard at work when Percy arrived and the haggard looks let Percy know that they had been here before the sun rose. As Percy walked up the engineers all snapped to attention standing tall with there chins raised slightly. Percy smiled and waved a hand "so where do you need me" he said to Hank. Hank was tall yet was proportioned all wrong. Hank was a legacy of Vulcan and it showed his longs though long seemed short for his tall body and one arm was slightly higher up than the other. Percy quite like him even if he was from the first cohort.
Hank smiled back. "I just need you to hold the water back while we lift the final blocks into place."
When Percys work was done he headed towards the Principium. Reyna was expecting him in a timely manner to start teaching him the ways of politics in Roman society. A grueling task to Percy considering how things were ran by a God back home. When Percy arrived it was noon, he was late and he knew that if he told Reyna there had been a big line at Bombilo's Coffee Shop he'd probably end up impaled by the Pugio Reyna kept on her waist at all times."Your late Percy," said Reyna with an air of annoyance that would make people think she'd rather be anywhere else, instead of working with Percy. As a subtle apology he handed Reyna a coffee, though it may have been a few drinks short he thought that unnecessary to tell her. Percy sat at his desk and skimmed over some of the papers as Reyna took several drinks of coffee.
Percy with a slight frown and a tone of mild nervousness towards Reyna "So where do we begin."
"We need to teach you politics, you know how to lead people but do you know how to play the game?" Said Reyna "Do you know what it takes to not end up as Caesar did?"
Percy looked at her questioningly "I don't want power if it means I have to worry about my friends stabbing in the back." Then Percy thought how many of the people are actually my friends. Frank and hazel for sure but how many others would be loyal to him?
Reyna smiled "Percy it was just a joke, no ones has been assassinated in a couple hundred years." Then a thought occurred to Reyna "you may seriously have to worry about Octavian, his face was quite red when you were lifted onto the shields."
The next couple of hours were spent in training Percys mind to deftly tell the difference of when someone was lying and telling the truth. It was tiresome and Percy felt oddly surprised he was good at it. He thanked Reyna and was about to bid her goodnight but then he wanted to ask her something. "When my friends come Reyna I don't know if I should go with them, what would you do?"
Reyna pondered the question for a bit then said "I can't say Percy you have become a valuable member of our society, I would hate to see you leave." But what she thought was completely different she wanted Percy to stay, she saw the potential. Percy had the look of someone who wanted to change the world not just keep it going, she saw power and that was Roman. There had been powerful Greeks and the Greeks had paved the way for Rome. But to be Roman meant to be powerful and Percy became more Roman every single day.
"Percy you could be great here, I see in you what the Lares describe they saw in Caesar."
"Reyna I'm just one guy, I'm no Caesar."
"Really Percy? Because where I'm standing from I can see you at he head of the legion bringing glory to Rome, restoring what has been lost."
Percy stared he wasn't sure what to say to Reyna. He felt more and more conflicted every day. He turned from her and walked out. He started navigating the streets of New Rome to find his way to the Little Tiber. He felt at home in the small river and felt close to his dad, his dad hadn't spoken to him since he'd come to Camp Jupiter. He knew that the gods were far more strict in their Roman forms and that worried him. He was used to his father providing advice and he was worried that perhaps his father was completely incapacitated, his Roman and Greek side fighting for control. Once he made it to the bottom it was to much for Percy, he screamed. Eight months he'd been gone and in those months the reflection looking back at him was different then the memories. He saw what Reyna saw, but he saw power where there had once been a goofy teenager, he saw the will of an unmoving motivation when water was supposed to be flexible. He screamed again, the Tiber responding to his emotions, frightening those who stood on the shore.
Hazel and Frank had both arrive to the banks of the little Tiber just as the waves started to turn more aggressive in there lapping of the bank.
"Do you think he's ok Frank? I'm worried."
"I'm not sure Hazel, Percy remembers his old life but everyday I can tell he becomes more and more Roman." Frank thought for a moment "I wonder if Jason has gone through the same thing, becoming more and more Greek as time goes by."
Percy was still sitting when he felt his first tear fall and then he felt the water calm. What's happening he thought? He hadn't calmed down at all if anything his emotions were even more turbulent.
"Hello son." Neptune stood tall and proud in front of Percy. Percy knew it was Neptune, Poseidon had been relax with his loud Hawaiian shirts and his cargo shorts. Neptune was strong wearing Legate armor that seemed to flow with all sorts of sea creatures swimming in and out of view.
"What are you doing here father?" Percy asked.
Neptune smirked " I thought you would be happy to see me son, is that not what you were worried about?" When Percy didn't speak Neptune continued "The sea is always changing son, never settling on one mood for to long." Neptune let that sink in then chuckled at his own pun. "Your tumultuous emotions have giving me enough clarity to come and speak to you for a time."
Percy was confused his emotions hadn't been that jumbled he thought. Sure he'd felt some sadness and anger that was all wasn't it?
"The sadness of loosing your old life, the anger of loving the new one." Neptune bent over slightly and his image flickered to that of a tan man in a orange shirt covered in purple flowers and shorts, then the armor was back. "The longing for advice from a father who can't always be there, yet wanting to shove that father away when he is here."
Percy blanched at this but still didn't speak, he didn't want to ask questions and run out time with his father.
"The Ocean is a fickle thing controlled by my emotions just as your emotions guide who are Percy."
Percy finally spoke "But my emotions aren't guiding me one moment I want to go back home to mom, to Annabeth, and to Camp-Halfblood." Percy gritted his teeth " Or I want to stay here as Praetor and continue to serve New Rome.
"You seem to be suffering from the same ailments as us gods, Greek or Roman?"
"Everyday I've spent here I've felt more and more at home, the Latin comes easier, the Roman gods come to me faster than the Greeks."
"And you feel as if your betraying those who call you friend back home, all of the campers you have grown up with." It wasn't question merely a simple statement.
Percy got frustrated "I don't need you tell me how I feel, I need you to tell me how I should feel, what I should do!" Instantly his fathers hold on the Little Tiber slackened and it began to imitate a withering snake poised to strike a Percys discretion. It last only a second as the God reined in the tumultuous waters.
"Out of all of my children Percy you perplex me the most even with the answer in front of you, you hesitate."
Percy bark a laugh out "Really because from where I'm at I don't see anything." Then ever so slowly it dawned on Percy.
"Your Neptune."
Neptune smiled sadly as if there was a joke at Percys expense. "The exchange is more than just two different people Percy, Juno could not foresee that I'm sure, even now Jason Grace becomes more and more Greek everyday."
A tear made a lone winding trail down Percys face. "Is it reversible?" Percy asked.
"My dear boy there is nothing to reverse, you can not change who you are, this side of you has always been in you, he's just never had a reason to come out till now."
Just like that Percys smile shown through the cloudy water like a bright beacon. It was out there now, he had admitted to himself that he liked being Roman.
Neptune smiled one last time and then doubled over in pain. "Get away Percy, now!"
Neptune began to flicker between two forms, a laid back man in a Hawaiian short and cargo shorts or a strong tall man covered from head to toe in Legate armor. As Percy swam away he could feel a pull he realized that the the sea it's self was pulling on his father to get him as far away from New Rome as possible. Though Percy didn't see it but he felt it, a small earthquake struck the coast of California that day.
Percy broke the surface of the water and was greeted by two tackles,both Frank and Hazel hit him like an all star linebackers. Many people were near the banks looking at him fearfully. Percy couldn't really hear or understand what Hazel and Frank were saying to him. All he saw before passing out was the angry face of Octavian.
Percys dreams rarely made since but this dream took the cake. He saw a man on a raised platform he stood tall and proud wearing a Corona Civica around his head. The dream shifted he saw a Greek trireme flying through the sky. Annabeth was standing on the deck he could hear her say "I'm coming for you Percy just wait."
Percy felt a great sadness at her words, then a great anger when he saw a boy come and put his arm around her. He had dark hat and it seemed green eyes, but that's was all Percy could take in before his dreamscape shifted one last time. Latin words floated through the air, then Rachel Elizabeth Dares voice cut through. All hail Caesar.
Authors Note: well first chapter finished and hopefully likable...I know I don't have the best grammar but criticism is always welcome. I've always liked the idea of a powerful Roman Percy and I thought I'd finally write the story the way I wanted it.