In which Percy and Leo are awesome siblings and we love them- and also Percy is very protective.
Replies:
Undeath9087: I know right? I love them, I love all of the siblings. And honestly, yeah, therapy for everyone.
AkitoshTheBold: It takes time, and I'm glad you approve :).
Guest: It truly is, especially Percy.

It didn't take Percy and Leo long to reach Frank and Hazel, and when they did Frank shook his head at the looks on their faces.

"No luck so far." Frank reported, "And this place is huge. The ruins spread from the river to the base of that mountain over there, about half a kilometre."

Percy blinked, because that gave her zero clue how big the area they were dealing with was. "And how far is that in measurements that I could actually understand?"

"You know-" Frank looked faintly amused as he rolled his eyes, "That is a regular measurement in Canada and the rest of the world. Only you Americans-"

"You say that as if I understand our measurements half the time." Percy pointed out with a wry grin- and Hazel let out a laugh, shaking her head.

"It's about five or six football fields." she told them as she fed Arion a big chunk of gold which Percy assumed she'd summoned up from the ground.

"Now that I understand." Percy declared, shooting a goofy grin. "Honestly, why can't everyone describe stuff like that."

"One second you're super smart and strategic and the next you say stuff like that." Leo deadpanned, shaking his head. "You're ridiculous sis. I love you but you really are." Of course that earned him an elbow in the side from Percy and he helped in pain.

"Shut up Leo." Percy snickered, "That's what you get for being mean."

"I wasn't being mean." Leo grumbled the words, "I have a point-"

"If you two are done-" Frank was smiling despite his words. There was a soft gleam in his eyes. Percy could see relief there. Which made sense, they'd probably had to deal with the idea that they'd never see Percy, Leo and Nico again while the three were in the pit. Sure it wouldn't have been as hard as being in the pit had been but still, Percy was willing to bet that he'd missed their light-hearted bickering.

"Eh, I guess we can be were saying oh great and mighty Praetor-"

"Percy-" Frank blushed, "Can you not-"

"Sorry, but I must tease. It is in my nature."

"She's not lying about that." Leo remarked casually. "Honestly I think it's in all of the Jacksons nature to lightly torment our loved ones."

"Yep, but you had something you need to say." Percy pointed out, "Go on before I end up interrupting you again." her lips twitched.

"I didn't see anything from overhead." Frank told them, "I flew over but... nothing." he shook his head, "Definitely no sign of Nike."

"And I didn't have any luck either." Hazel piped up, "I went on a complete loop around the perimeter and there was no sign of her."

The big stallion nickered and tossed his head, his neck muscles rippling under his butterscotch coat. Percy's eyes narrowed at him and she crossed her arms over her chest as she listened to him. "Arion we have discussed this-"

"Oh gods-" Hazel muttered the words-and Arion nickered again-and Percy's eyes widened.

"Now that's just rude! Listen here I told you if you don't stop talking like that I'll tell dad-"

"She acts like she never swears." Leo stage whispered. "But she can swear like a sailor. One time she stubbed her toe and I swear I thought Chiron was going to wash her mouth out with soap. There was some poor ten year old newbie camper there."

"I had the nuns wash my mouth out with soap a couple of times." Hazel said after a moment, "It's not fun."

"See, see I love that about you." Percy snickered. "You look like butter wouldn't melt but I mean, you're just as foul mouthed as I am."

"As awesome as you two bonding over swearing a lot is very sweet-" Leo snorted, "It doesn't actually help us- and Percy I swear if you make me have to be responsible and get us back on track I will mess with your phone so that all it does is Rick Roll you I swear on my dad." he huffed. "Honestly it was bad enough that I had tobe a leader while on my quest with Jase and Piper. You're back now, I no longer have to be responsible gods damn it."

"Okay okay." Percy laughed loudly, "Okay so we aren't doing so well at finding Nike so far. So why don't we stick together, walk around and see what we stumble into. We don't usually go very long before something interesting happens and given the fact that Nike's here somewhere, chances are that interesting thing will involve her right?"

"It's ridiculous that you're actually right about that." Frank shook his head, "So much for strategy."

"Eh, it's my motto, when a well thought strategy doesn't pan out the best thing is to just do something crazy and follow your gut."

"Percy your gut tends to wind you in even worse trouble than you were to begin with-"

"Maybe so, but it usually works out at lease semi reasonably in the end."

"Well let's just hope that it works out okay this time." Hazel spoke up.

And they poked about for a while, avoiding tour groups and ducking from one patch of shade to the next.

They explored the the low hills, the scrubby trees with the drone of cicadas in the background and the oppressive summer heat.

At one point Frank found a tourist pamphlet and gave them a running commentary on what was what.

"This is the Propylon." He waved towards a stone path lined with crumbling columns. "One of the main gates into the Olympic valley."

"Rubble!" said Leo.

"And over there –" Frank pointed to a square foundation that looked like the patio for a Mexican restaurant – "is the Temple of Hera, one of the oldest structures here."

Percy and Leo automatically looked at each other at that, and it was Percy who spoke first. "Is it bad that I wish it was all in one piece so that I could destroy it all over again."

"No, no I don't think so." Leo piped up, "It would be fun- but uh, it is a very good pile of rubble."

"And that round bandstand-looking thing – that's the Philipeon, dedicated to Philip of Macedonia."

"Even more rubble! First-rate rubble!"

Hazel, who was still riding Arion, kicked Leo in the arm. "Doesn't anything impress you?"

"Impressive things impress me." Leo remarked, "Sorry but you gotta admit- I literally walked through the Mansion of Night. Not much is impressive compared to that-"

"Leo, you didn't even see it because you had your eyes closed the entire time-"

"Semantics dear sister semantics."

And clearly Frank was ignoring them and continuing with his tore- which honestly Percy didn't blame him for. "And over there... oh." he paused, his gaze flicking to Percy, "Uh, that semi-circular depression in the hill, with the niches … that's a nymphaeum, built in Roman times."

"Oh." Percy blinked slowly, "Ooooh, yeah can we maybe avoid that one?" she shuddered, "Last time was not a fun experience."

There were a few awkward moments before Frank continued. "This is the Pelopion," Frank said, pointing to another fascinating pile of stones

"Come on, Zhang," Leo said. "Pelopion isn't even a word. What was it – a sacred spot for plopping?"

Frank looked offended. "It's the burial site of Pelops. This whole part of Greece, the Peloponnese, was named after him. And you should know that Leo-"

"Eh, Chiron always says I don't pay enough attention in lessons."

"Well maybe you should." Percy grinned at him.

"You say that as if you know who he was." Leo shot back, and Percy opened her mouth to respond before pausing.

"I-" her eyes narrowed, "Shut up."

"He was a prince, won his wife in a chariot race. Supposedly he started the Olympic games in honour of that."

Hazel sniffed. "How romantic. "Nice wife you have, Prince Pelops." "Thanks. I won her in a chariot race.""

"Definitely not as romantic as finding the girl you love stranded on an island and rescuing her-"

"Eh, that's good but I think I top that-my whole love story with Annabeth and Rache is super romantic-"

"Oh com-" Leo paused, "Actually I can't argue that. Rachel threw a hairbrush at a Titan to protect you that is kind of romantic."

"Very romantic." Percy declared brightly, tossing her arm over Leo's shoulder as they kept moving.

She could see that he was getting more tense the longer they spent wandering through the ruins. She couldn't blame him, see was getting anxious herself the longer this dragged on.

Eventually Frank came to a stop at some wide steps leading to another ruined building – the Temple of Zeus, as he told them. "There used to be a huge gold-and-ivory statue of Zeus inside, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Made by the same dude who did the Athena Parthenos."

"Ugh." Percy huffed, shaking her head, "No offense to my dearest uncle-" she paused when Leo snickered, "Hey, I'm being serious here Leo. As much as I have no problem with saying exactly what I think about him it's not actually personal. I'm just kind of sick of magic statues, given what happened with the last one I feel like you can't exactly blame me."

"You have a point." Hazel conceded. "I doubt anyone could blame you for that."

Then Percy felt Leo stiffen slightly, and he shifted.

"Leo-"

"Percy-" Leo's eyes had narrowed and he was staring at the temple. "I may have something?"

"What is it?"

"Uh- maybe a plan."

"You have-" Frank started, but Leo was leaning in closer, whispering to Percy.

"Do you remember that statue of Nike that we saw in the museum? The plaque said it used to be out here right? In the temple?"

"I- yes." Percy paused- and oh, oh but her baby brother was definitely a genius if he was going where she thought he was. "Yes it was."

"You two-" Hazel frowned, "You don't have to whisper-"

"Oh we do." Leo declared, "'Cause whatever we do is probably going to be something you disapprove of. Percy- if she was anywhere-"

"This would be a good spot." Percy agreed. "The question is how-"

"Well she's around here somewhere we just need to draw her out." Leo pointed out. "But how-"

"We could piss her off-"

"Piss- you two-" Frank's eyes narrowed, "What are you two thinking?"

And Percy had a slow manic grin spreading across her lips, as did Leo.

If there was one thing that they were good at, it was pissing people off.

"What do you think of when you hear Nike?" Leo asked, and Percy tightened her arm around his shoulder.

"I think of sneakers my dearest brother." she snickered before yelling. "Nike sucks! Adidas is better-"

"Oh you have got to be kidding me." Frank groaned, "You two that's not-"

"Damn right!" Leo yelled, "Adidas shoes should be the official shoes of the Olympics!"

"You- you're both impossible." Hazel choked down a laugh, "There's no way-"

And then behind them a thunderous voice shook the ruins. "YOU WILL DIE NOW!"

And Percy moved instinctively as she whirled around, shoving Leo behind her, positioning herself between her friends and the pissed off goddess who was towering over them in a golden chariot, with a spear aimed towards them, was the goddess Nike.