Chapter 7, Act II - My Return to Camp.

It was November when I returned to camp. Percy had updated me over an IM that my plan worked, and that Chiron returned. I later got word from a Roman eagle from Reyna, thanking me, telling me that Hylla went to Seattle, to join the Amazons, and she went to Camp Jupiter.

I walked through the barrier, which gave me vertigo from how strong it was now. A dragon lay coiled around Thalia's tree. "Peleus. Hello there." I crouched at the peak of Half-Blood Hill.

Peleus snarled faintly. "I'm no threat. I am Nikomedes Arcus-Lupin, son of Hecate." I brought my hands up in surrender. He seemed to accept that, a puff of smoke rising from his snout. I made my way to the Big House, false confidence in my stride.

I found Chiron on the porch, reading a book.

"Chiron." I greeted politely. "Niko! It is nice to see you've returned, child. Percy had told me..." I raised my hand. "Circe took me in for a few months, in exchange for a favor to keep her sanctuary intact. I don't plan to return there, but I learned much from her." I told him, a warning undertone, hopefully indicative that I didn't want to speak of it.

She had learned rather quickly of my impenetrable mental guards, and didn't attempt to manipulate me. She taught me lessons, sure, but I was acutely aware of any manipulation, psychological or otherwise, occurring. He was likely concerned about that.

He frowned. "You've changed." He noted. "Ah, it's just a facade. I'm still the same silly old me. I just have to readjust to the camp environment. I had to be too formal since early June, and it sucked." I wrinkled my nose.

He smiled slightly. "He had told me of the...trouble with the Oracle." My smile faded. "The Fates can't give me a prophecy, because I'm not restricted by their rules. I'm able to take paths they think are inadequate. So they don't bother giving me an outline, because I already know what to do, and they can't accurately predict what'll happen, with what I do." I explained hesitantly.

"I...see." He said, seemingly disturbed.

"I heard about Thalia's return from her grave." I mused. "Ah, yes. She's at a school with Annabeth, currently, though they visit every other weekend. Do you plan to stick around for their visit?" He asked.

"Of course I plan to, Chiron. I've got a cabin to run, that I've been unfortunately absent from for far too long, and I honestly need to be back for a while. I do plan to visit Percy, though, tomorrow morning." I responded, honestly kinda insulted he'd think that I'd be so eager to leave again.

"Speaking of, I should probably visit them and the di Angelos." I backed away. "I'll be back to talk again another time, Chiron." I said, rushing off to my cabin. I knocked sharply on the door. A face I didn't recognize opened the door. "Who are you?" The girl asked sharply.

"I'm Niko. I'm the counselor for the cabin, and Lou should be acting counselor, right? Where is she?" I asked. "She's off on a solo quest. Alabaster's the acting counselor." I hesitated. Alabaster was cool and all, but he was ambitious, and rather fiery at times. That's why I chose Lou as acting counselor for while I was out.

"Can I drop my stuff off?" I asked. "Sure. I'm Dawn. I got here a month ago." She extended a hand. I shook it. "Nice to meet you, Dawn. Good to have a new sibling." I dropped my stuff by my bed. I glanced at the schedule. Alabaster should be...ah, showers. I decided to visit the Hades cabin, until then. I approached Cabin Thirteen, and knocked.

I almost didn't recognize Bianca. Months of training here could do that to you, I guess. "Niko!" Nico called from further back in the cabin. "Where have you been?" Bianca asked calmly. I was eerily reminded of Dumbledore, in the Goblet of Fire. I couldn't decide which rendition, between the film and book.

"I thought Percy told you?" I asked. She pressed a finger to my chest. "Nico was worried out of his mind. Percy wouldn't tell us, acting like you were dead, and Annabeth just wouldn't talk about you at all. What happened?" She asked again.

"Let's get inside. I can't tell the full story, but I'll try my best." I promised her. We walked inside, and I conjured a chair from the ground. "Gather round, children. Uncle Niko's got quite the story." I grinned at them. "You're seventy years younger than us, though!" Bianca protested.

I laughed, but told them what happened, from the Princess Andromeda, all the way to Circe's island, cutting out what I did with Hylla and Reyna. They can't know about the Romans. Not yet. I ended with talking about my agreement to her offer of apprenticeship, not detailing how I killed the pirates.

Nico had stars in his eyes, so to speak. "That's so cool! What did she teach you?" He asked, bouncing up and down where he sat. Bianca was quiet. "They think you betrayed them. You abandoned them for power on a quest." She said dully.

I raised my hands in surrender. "I told them what to do. I helped them get Chiron back, I got the Fleece here in doing so. Maybe I wasn't there to do it, but I gave them guidelines to work off of. I pursued power for a reason, too. I need it for something important, in the years ahead." Bianca narrowed her eyes.

"Elaborate." She insisted. "I plan on helping Percy when he fights the Crooked One, when he turns sixteen." I confessed. "I'm not as tightly held by the Fates as they would like. I can help Percy how and where I want."

Their questioning continued, and I answered as much as I could. It was dinnertime by the time I finished. I arrived with the two Hades kids. People muttered at seeing the three of us. I didn't have the heart to speak up. They probably felt as betrayed at my disappearance as they did with Luke.

I settled into my table, sitting at a corner. When it came to be our turn to dish some of our food into the fire, I slid most of it into the fire, hoping nobody would notice. "To Hecate. To Hestia. To Zeus." I muttered.

I figure an offering to Zeus may appeal to him, in the case he was at all bitter regarding my disappearance. Thunder faintly rumbled in the distance, almost approvingly.

I sat back at my table, and mutely ate the last of the food remaining. I wasn't all that hungry.

The next morning, I left to see Percy before he left for school that day. I shadow traveled to the outside of their apartment complex. After about fifteen minutes, a familiar kid staggered out, setting down his skateboard. "Percy." I called. He twisted to see me, his hand already holding his pen.

He set Riptide back in his pocket when he realized it was me. "I wasn't trying to abandon you. I had a plan, and it would accelerate my growth, to where the plan was feasible. I'm sorry if it seemed like I betrayed you." I apologized to him. "No, dude, I don't blame you. I needed time to adjust to the fact that you just up and left the quest, but I'm grateful you left us with what we needed. I'm glad to see you." He sounded sincere, and the System didn't alert me of a lie.

I snorted. "Tell the camp you said that." We started walking, presumably towards his school. "Are they mad at you or something?" He asked. "Of course they are. I wasn't there, you guys made it clear I didn't die. It sounded to them like I became another Luke. They seem to believe I'm a traitor. Nobody lashed out, thankfully, but I sure didn't feel welcome." I explained.

He sighed. "I'm sure Chiron'll say something or another to convince them. Of course, they usually cool down after a while, anyways. Just give it time. It was nice to see you, but I've got to run. I'm nearly late." He set down his skateboard, and set off. I sighed. I walked back to their apartments, and shadow traveled into their apartment.

It wasn't the first time I'd done it, so Sally wasn't all too surprised when I popped in. "Hey, Miss Jackson." I said glumly. "Hey, Niko!" She greeted me back. She paused as soon as she said it. "Wait, Niko. Where have you been? Percy wouldn't tell me a thing." I sighed. I told her everything, from beginning, to summarizing the apprenticeship, to my arrival back at camp.

"I see where that went wrong. I'm sorry they didn't clarify everything. Percy...has his doubts, after Luke." She told me. I nodded. "I get that, but it's not like Circe was about to send me off to join the Titan army, after what I've done. Luke lost a hand because of me, and I stole stuff that was speeding up the Crooked One's regeneration. I wasn't about to betray them, after everything." I frowned.

"What did Luke do for camp, before he betrayed you guys?" She asked gently. "He gave everyone a place, the best he could. He tried to accommodate. He was nothing if not welcoming, nice, funny, and considerate." I was quiet for a moment after I said it. "I guess I see your point." I mused.

"But that doesn't mean anything, because I still gave them the answers for the rest of the quest, and it worked. Percy told me himself." I pointed out. "It doesn't excuse their distrust, you're absolutely right. But trust issues can't be reasoned with." She said passively.

I sighed. "You're right, Miss Jackson, as always." I admitted. "Just Sally, please. You're mature enough, we can talk like adults, so let's treat each other like that." She told me. I smiled slightly. "Thank you, Sally." I rose from my seat. "I should probably go. I was supposed to meet with some of the council after my quest, so I should probably do that now." I told her.

"I'll be back later this afternoon. When does Percy get off of class?" I asked. "He gets off at around two. He usually gets back by two thirty." I nodded. "Alright. I'll be back by two twenty, then." I promised her, shadow traveling out, and into the Empire State Building.

The guard, thankfully recognizing me, handed me the key. I honestly think you're supposed to have express permission from a god to go up, and Hestia likely talked to the guard about letting me up.

Speaking of Hestia, after minutes of torture by elevator music, I was at the top, and she was waiting for me. "Nikomedes." She said neutrally. "Hestia. It's nice to see you again." I greeted warmly. She nodded. "Walk with me." Her appearance flickered as we walked.

"Lord Zeus saw your interactions with the children of Bellona." Well fuck. "Hera has vouched for you, saying you won't cause trouble. Several other gods on the council voted to keep you safe from him. Don't worry, the majority ruled to keep you safe." She assured me as I froze.

"They are, however, concerned about you taking refuge with an enemy of Olympus." Hestia, her appearance flickered, switching to something unfamiliar. Not Hestia, but Vesta, said. "Lady Vesta, I assure you, it was part of a plan on my part, to grow more powerful. I do not oppose Olympus, Circe had just provided an opportunity I couldn't refuse. Knowledge and power. Enough to be a worthy threat to any Titan who tried to oppose me. I have helped to assure the safety of Olympus before, and I plan to continue that trend." I explained.

"Some of the council do not see it that way. Bacchus, Vulcan, and Diana voted to kill you, the rest remaining neutral, or in favor of keeping you alive." She explained. "I am painfully aware of what is to come this winter. But as it turns to the new year, the council decided to send you to New Rome, as a potential recruit, and you will introduce yourself to the Romans as an ambassador of mine." She paused, letting me take it all in.

"When you have done such, you will remain there until Camp Half-Blood's summer session begins. Claim that I have sent you on a quest to New York, to extinguish a portion of Saturn's growing army. After you are done with your business with the Greeks that summer, you will return to Olympus, and meet with me. I will send you back to the Romans, with proof that you accomplished the quest, and only then you will be fully integrated into the camp. You will return back to the Greeks only days before August that summer. Is that understood?" She asked.

I nodded. "If you see the daughter of Bellona, be sure to tell the masses during the praetorian election that she has the recommendation of Lord Jupiter." She finished. "Understood, my Lady." She smiled warmly, and her appearance flickered back to that of Hestia.

"I apologize for the bluntness of my counterpart." She started. "I honestly think I prefer you. She's a lot harsher. You're like the nice mom, and she's the stepmother who was a general at Vietnam." She laughed. "I truly wonder what goes on in that head of yours." I bid her goodbye, and I sought out Hera at her temple.

"Nikomedes." I turned around, away from the entrance to Hera's temple. "Lady Juno." I greeted the Roman queen. She smiled without any warmth. "I understand you were seeking out my counterpart, but I do also understand that you have Roman artifacts, and request them back." She told me firmly.

"That was actually what this was about." I took out the remaining original magic items, and passed them to her. "Thank you, Lady Juno." I bowed my head. I turned away, and started to head to Athena's temple, when she placed a hand on my shoulder. "My lady?" I asked.

"I hope you understand the severity of this. You cannot blunder once with something such as this. If you fail, Jupiter is certain to kill you." She informed me. "I'm aware, Lady Juno. That's why I had broached this with your counterpart before. If I did not have utmost confidence in myself in regards to this, I would not have offered myself up for such a task beforehand." I told her.

She nodded, and she twirled away, her goatskin cloak trailing behind her.

Gods and their dramatic exits.