Chapter 9
"Where is she? She should've arrived at camp by now." Percy said impatiently as he paced back and forth with Dakota.
The son of Bacchus and Percy were standing under the Caldecott Tunnel on guard duty keeping an eye out for a possible arrival whether that be recruit or monster. Dakota pulled a swig from a small flask that had his super sugar charged kool-aid, "Relax Percy. Lupa takes her time with some initiates. If she thinks this Bianca girl is powerful then she may want to put a little more effort into it to ensure she is up to a standard you eldest Olympians kids are held too. I mean you and Jason got here so young it is unusual to find a demigod so powerful so old. Besides Olympus knows she isn't going to be treated well as a daughter of Pluto."
Dakota was a few years older than Percy himself, and had been an Optio a tad longer as well even though Percy had joined the legion first. The young man was tall and buff with curly black hair and blue eyes. He did look a bit like a vampire though due to his mouth almost always being stained with red kool-aid. When Percy looked at him sadly he sighed, "Well she will probably be treated a little better than you if that makes you feel any better."
Percy grumbled under his breath as he kicked a rock, "It doesn't."
"You did great in the gladiator challenge, and saved Olympus from World War Three. I can't understand how some of these punks are still so disrespectful." Dakota complained.
This made Percy roll his eyes, "Join the club. I wasn't expecting everyone to suddenly start playing nice, but I thought it would at least silence some of it."
"Gwen about tore Octavian a new one when he suggested it was possible that you stole the Master Bolt." Dakota said with a grin noticing the boy's cheeks darken a bit at the mention of the Senior Centurion.
The worst guarded secret in the cohort Percy thought grumpily when he felt the ground shake. He looked around in a panic making sure the tunnel wasn't going to collapse while Dakota just gave him a nervous look, "Sorry Percy I didn't mean anything by it."
Percy stared at the opposite end of the tunnel suspiciously, "That wasn't me."
Just as Dakota was about to question it Percy took off in a run towards the entrance to the tunnel. Dakota called after him, but Percy knew there was only one other person who could shake the ground like that. He had felt it in the Lotus Casino when the daughter of Pluto had jumped him.
It didn't take him long to cross the tunnel and see a brown haired girl coming blasting towards him with arrows nearly hitting her heels. Her tan skin seemed darker than the last time he had seen her a few weeks ago, but her panicked brown eyes remained the same as when they first met until she saw Percy. As she approached him he noticed one of her hands was holding a towel on her shoulder that seemed to be covered in blood. The two met in the middle and Percy deflected an arrow coming at her with his drawn weapon, "Bianca! I'd say it's good to see you, but it looks like you brought company. What happened to your shoulder?"
She glared at him as she dodged another incoming arrow, "Empousai! Didn't seem to like that I escaped them and got their leader punished by Saturn. They have been chasing after me for nearly three days. They hurt my sword wielding arm on the first day so I couldn't make a good stand. It's been a lot of running since then."
Percy nodded at her as he chased after her towards Dakota who had drawn his bow preparing to fire at the first enemy target that popped up, "Let's get to the water, and I will take care of it. How many are there?"
"At least five." She shouted at him not slowing down as they caught up to Dakota.
The son of Bacchus looked down the tunnel seeing the snake woman for the first, "You two go on ahead I will buy you both some time."
Bianca however not knowing who the boy was merely hooked her arm through his, "Oh no you don't. No one is getting left behind on my watch. We get to the top and Percy will drown them alright?"
Dakota's eyes widened at the intensity of the girl, and seemed to forget that he was an optio and he gave the orders around here because he merely nodded his head in agreement as Bianca dragged him with her one good arm.
Percy followed behind the two occasionally deflecting arrows that looked like they might find the mark, but suddenly the arrows seemed to be coming faster. The snake women were closing the distance quickly, and Percy knew he was about to have to get creative. He needed to thin their numbers somehow, but his only immediate solution was to collapse the tunnel. He knew the Praetors would not like him for that though so he steadied his retreat realizing the distance between himself and the other two half bloods were getting further and further. Soon one empousa was in lunging range, and he sidestepped her strike while deflecting an arrow that flew at his face, and dodged another that was aimed at his chest. He was in trouble.
Before he could make a decision though, a large black wall of power erupted from under the ground crushing three of the empousa immediately. The remaining few all looked shocked wondering how he did it, but Percy knew Bianca had interfered. Before he could even launch an offensive though, a part of the tunnel's ceiling collapsed and buried the remaining few in a pile of rubble. The rest of the tunnel held though as he looked around realizing all the enemies had been defeated. He turned to see Bianca who was lowering her hand heaving for breath, while Dakota was staring at her with huge eyes. The young man had never looked so stunned in his life, "You just saved Percy's ass."
She grinned at the son of Neptune, "Well it isn't the first time is it Percy?"
He stared at her in shock another moment longer before grinning, "I'd hug you, but I don't want to hurt that arm anymore. Let's get you to Gwen. Dakota, will you inform the Praetors our new recruit has arrived?"
Dakota nodded his head immediately, "Yeah, and I will send Bobby plus another to cover our absence. I think the tunnel will be fine for a few minutes."
Percy nodded his head at the young man as Percy led Bianca towards the river where she groaned, "Swimming across the river is going to suck."
The son of Neptune grinned at her while Dakota slapped Percy on the back, "Good thing you are with our resident son of the Sea. I love doing patrols with him, because we never get wet."
Bianca looked at Percy questioningly for a moment but she watched as he strode forward to the water, and began walking on it with ease. Bianca's eyes widened, "You can walk on water?"
Shrugging his shoulders Percy flippantly said, "Yes and I can help you two cross as well. Just don't try to run. I will solidify the water where you step. Just stay steady."
It didn't take long at all for the three to cross the river, and Dakota took off in a run towards the Praetoria as soon as they made it ashore, while Percy led Bianca in the direction of the fifth cohort barracks where he expected Gwen would be. As it would happen though the entire cohort was out marching, and Percy looked around in surprise, "Drills must have run late this afternoon. We will need to make our way towards New Rome."
Bianca sighed wincing in pain, "It's okay. I have been running around with this for three days. I don't think another few minutes is going to make too much of a difference."
Just as Percy was about to lead her out of the area though Percy looked towards the fire that was burning in the barracks common room. A young woman he had never seen before was tending to the flame where they often made small sacrifices at meals. Percy could tell there was a power to this woman, and immediately realized they were in the presence of a goddess. Thinking a goddess wouldn't appear to them if she didn't want to talk Percy gave Bianca a warning look as he approached the young woman, and when her eyes went to him he bowed, "My lady."
The woman smiled as Bianca also gave a short bow. Her eyes were like small little campfires, warm and comfortable. She had an ethereal look that only goddesses had and this twenty year old auburn hair woman had something breathtaking about her, "Perseus Jackson. It has been a while since someone has stopped to talk to me. I was just tending to the fire here making sure it stays bright. With the arrival of Ms. Di Angelo here I believe yours burns brighter than ever. I must thank you for that. It gives me happiness to feel hope at its strongest."
Percy immediately put together who they were in the presence of, "Lady Vesta, I am sorry I never stopped to speak with you. I just-"
"Never noticed a goddess attending to a flame in your own home? I admit I usually don't appear so blatantly to demigods in this camp. There are many older legacies here though so I often pass as a regular mortal." The woman said with a small smile.
Everything about this goddess made Percy feel warm inside. He felt like he was back in the presence of his mother all those years ago. He felt courage swell inside him, while Bianca asked, "Why did you appear to us my lady?"
Vesta gave the daughter of Pluto a smile, "You have approached the hearth my dear where I am strongest. You have not yet noticed that just being in the presence of my domain while you are close to me your shoulder has begun to heal. I fear your time here at Camp Jupiter will be somewhat of a slow start. Your welcome may not be quite what you are expecting, and I want you in good condition to face the coming challenges."
Percy looked over at Bianca's shoulder, and tried to get a look at the bare skin that was showing from where her clothes had been slightly torn. When he saw it earlier it looked nearly infected, and blood was pulsing out even from her bandage, but now if nothing else the bleeding seemed to have stopped pumping blood, "You honor us my lady, but I don't understand."
Percy's question seemed to make the goddess of the hearth smile, "Understand? Can a goddess not just help mortals she favors from time to time? Olympus knows all my nieces, nephews, brothers, and sisters do."
Bianca seemed to catch Percy's meaning though, "Why us though Lady Vesta? We have never met before today?"
This made the woman smile as she poked the fire with a metal rod that magically appeared in her hand, "Haven't we though? Ms. Di Angelo we met many years ago before the great war broke out across the world. I believe it was in DC. Your brother had broken his arm after the bus driver cyclops attacked you."
Bianca's eyes widened, "But that's interference? I thought the ancient laws forbade that sort of thing?"
Vesta's eyes gleamed in the fire, "What about you Perseus Jackson? Do you remember when we met?"
Percy stared at the woman in confusion, but then a feeling of cold swept over him as the memory came crashing over him.
Three days Percy had been on the run. He was starving, and monsters seemed to catch up to him anytime he rested. The one eyed beasts had been relentless in their chase, and he was feeling the desperation of needed sleep beginning to set in when he made it to the top of the hill he had been climbing.
When he reached the top he saw a small fire burning ahead. His mother would never have endorsed stealing, but he knew he wasn't going to make it much further without some food. When he approached the fire though a little girl was sitting there around his age. She had dark curly auburn hair, and was poking at some hot dogs on a stick roasting above the fire. Her pale skin seemed to glow in the moonlight, and Percy wondered if he could steal from this little girl. Her parents would likely help her replace the food or feed her right?
As Percy approached the fire, and began searching for ways to distract the girl though he felt a warm feeling enter his stomach as the girl's eyes turned to him, "Hello Percy. Would you like something to eat?"
As the memory completed in his mind the warm feeling reentered his body as he remembered how strong he felt after that small meal. The little girl had promised to look over him if he needed rest, and he didn't remember anything after that. When he woke up however the girl was gone, "Why did you help me?"
Vesta now turned her eyes on him. The little campfires seemed a little brighter than before, "You were both just children when I offered you assistance. I knew the rules would need to be bent if the two of you could live up to the destiny that has been placed on each of your shoulders. One day my hearth may burn out, and all hope may be on the verge of disappearing. It will be on each of you that day to allow destiny to complete its circle, and the hearth may find it at each of your mercies to bring it back to balance. You each represent hope, strength, and perseverance. All traits you look back to the hearth to find, so you see Percy Jackson my help was not free it was just early."
Her eyes flickered to Bianca, "Your shoulder Ms. Di Angelo?"
Bianca seemed to rotate it with ease, and her eyes widened, "It feels much better. Than-"
"Do not thank me dear girl. Remember what I said, the help is not free. It's just early. Now I do believe the Praetors of Rome will wish to speak with the two of you as they find a new home for you daughter of Pluto. As my niece and nephew I hope we will speak again when you are needing the strength to continue." Vesta said cryptically.
It was then when she disappeared into nothing. Percy and Bianca's eyes were on the spot the woman had been sitting on previously as they replayed the conversation in their heads. Bianca asked, "What do you think she meant when she said that the hearth may be at our mercy to bring it back to balance?"
Percy shook his head, "I don't know. It didn't sound good though. She said it would be when all hope was nearly lost."
The two pondered this only a moment longer when Gwen popped into the room, "Percy! We were looking for you. Dakota said you brought a new recruit, and that she was injured?"
Her eyes immediately went to Bianca and they widened when she saw the blood, "Good gods that is a lot of blood."
Bianca immediately protested, "I actually think I am alright now."
Gwen looked puzzled at this, but didn't allow it to dissuade her from approaching the girl, and checked the spot that was previously a whole in her shoulder as she pulled back the bloodied bandages to see a small scar, "You must have had some healer. It looks like the puncture wound is already closed, and healing."
Gwen looked like she was waiting for an answer, but Bianca said nothing so she let it drop, "Well anyways I am Centurion Gwen Brown of the fifth cohort. Seeing as Percy told me he plans to vouch for you I guess that means I will be your senior officer. Daughter of Pluto right?"
Gwen offered her hand to the girl which Bianca immediately accepted, "Yes, Bianca Di Angelo pleasure to meet you."
The daughter of Ceres looked to the ceiling, "Thank Olympus the gods sent me a child of the eldest gods with some manors!"
Percy frowned at that, "I have always been very polite to you!"
Gwen ignored him, placing a hand around Bianca's shoulders, "Come on sweetheart let's take you to Mark and Cassie to get you situated."
Percy was happy to see Gwen and Bianca get on almost immediately. Gwen battered her with questions about her journey while they made their way towards New Rome where Mark and Cassie were currently situated. Bianca told them about how her father had come to her at the wolf house before Lupa arrived, and took her to the Underworld for a week-long crash course of training with the Furies. Gwen seemed pretty impressed by this, and the Centurion told her all about Camp Jupiter, how great it was, and what would be expected of her while she was there. By the time they made it to Cassie and Mark they were practically best friends.
It was a pretty easy formality for her arrival. She came with a letter of introduction from her father saying that he claimed her, and wished for her to be granted entrance into the legion. When they asked for someone to vouch for her Percy immediately volunteered guaranteeing her induction into the fifth cohort. By the time they caught up with Jason and filled him in with all that had gone on they were celebrating over cokes at the arrival of another new member to add to their little family.
(A/N) Sorry for the two day delay. Totally forgot what day it was. Big shoutout to all my reviewers coming through for me on the last chapter, you guys rock!
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