Here's the second update for today :) Might do another one, actually.
I found this a little difficult to write, and it's really just a bit of a filler, so we can get
to more exciting parts of the story!

Hope you like it anyway xx

Chapter eighteen: The Romans
~Leo's POV ~

The flight took less time than they'd originally anticipated.
Within a couple of hours, and after sending his video message ahead, Leo could see the valley where Jason had said the camp was in the distance.
The view of the landscape was awesome, and he smiled as the wind blew through his hair.
All he needed now was some friendly Roman demigods and he'd be golden.
Just then Annabeth and Penelope came up to where he was standing, and leaned against the railing, Annabeth to his left, Penelope to his right.
"Everything all right, captain?" Annabeth said. She was trying to sound casual and joking, but Leo could detect the definite nervousness in her voice. It was obvious that she was scared about what the outcome of the next few hours would be. They all were.
"Just wanted to remind you to raise the white flag." Annabeth told him.
"I still think the smiley would have worked better." Leo grumbled, which made a smile appear on Penelope's face, and a frown on Annabeth's.
"Just do it, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I will." Leo replied, rolling his eyes. Annabeth could be so bossy, sometimes.
"And I wanted to tell you something else." now her tone was uneasy. "Ever since we've boarded here I've been feeling this cold-"
BOOM. A loud bang came from beneath, followed by Coach Hedge's swears.
"I'd better check it out" Annabeth said, hurrying off.
"What's she been feeling?" Leo asked Penelope, who shrugged her shoulders.
"No idea."
Leo watched his friend, as she gazed raptly at the scenery beneath them, her turquoise eyes widened in wonder.
"Amazing, huh?"
"Oh yes" she breathed, turning around to smile at him, causing his insides to flutter a bit. "It's breathtaking."
It sure is...
"So when will we be there?" Pen asked, bringing Leo back to the present.
"Oh, er, about ten minutes, I think."
Penelope nodded, touching her necklace nervously.
It had been a surprise for Leo when Piper had told him about its part-time invisibility, as he'd always been able to see it, whether Penelope was touching it or not.
He couldn't explain it though, so he decided to simply accept it. After all, it wasn't the strangest thing in his life.
"Better get ready" Pen smiled, letting go of the railing. Unexpectedly, she gave his shoulder a squeeze when she walked by and said "See you later, fire boy. Don't forget the flag." She left.
When Leo turned back to the controls, there was a smile on his face.

Several minutes later, after an encounter with a statue that had some serious anger-management issues, the crew of the Argo II (except Coach Hedge) were standing in front of a crowd of Romans.
Leo thought they looked okay, except that some of them were wearing weird bed sheets or whatever.
There was one girl who looked like the leader and was really pretty, and next to her stood the famous Percy Jackson.
He was pretty much what Leo had expected, and looked like someone he could be friends with.
When Percy introduced himself, Leo watched Penelope out of the corner of his eye.
She didn't show any visible signs of recognition, except maybe the hint of a frown as Percy said his name. Leo'd have to talk to her about it later.
Right now the pretty girl, Reyna, was leading them to a place called the forum so they could have some food, which suited Leo just fine.
Just before they walked into the forum, he felt a cold tingling down his spine, but put it off for the moment as nerves.
The inside was pretty cool, and soon Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Percy, Reyna, Penelope, two Roman kids called Frank and Hazel, himself and a bunch of others were sitting on the floor, enjoying the Roman food. Leo noticed that the girl Hazel kept shooting him funny looks. What was all that about?
The next half an hour or so they exchanged stories, Jason telling the Romans all about their quest to free Hera and Percy telling them about his trip to Alaska. Leo was seriously impressed with this guy, and kinda intimidated.
Then Reyna spoke.
"So let me just see if I have gotten this right. You" she pointed at Annabeth "are the daughter of Athena" Annabeth nodded, and Reyna proceeded to name all their godly parents, a glint in her eyes. Leo found it hard to say anything when she looked at him and asked if Hephaestus was his dad, so he just nodded.
"And you" Reyna had arrived at Penelope, who had been very quiet all the time. "You are a daughter of Hecate, or Trivia as we call her. And you say that all of you will be going on the quest described by the prophecy of the seven."
Annabeth nodded, confirming what Reyna had just said.
Here, Percy added that Hazel, Frank and himself would also be going on the quest, which made Reyna narrow her eyes.
"But that would make eight heroes. And the prophecy clearly states seven."
Penelope shifted nervously, but Piper spoke up for her.
"Actually, there is a second part to the prophecy. Our oracle, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, spoke it only a few weeks ago.."
She explained everything, including how Penelope had arrived at Camp Half-Blood and how they'd found out that she was the lost one of the prophecy.
The creepy teddy-bear guy, Octupus or something, had arrived in the middle of Piper's explanation and now narrowed his eyes. "I never knew anything of this second part. Are you sure they are telling the truth, Reyna?"
Leo did not like this kid. His weak appearance didn't fool Leo, who'd dealt with bullies like this for years.
Reyna, although still suspicious, said "We will believe what they are saying for the time being, Octavian." and the talk turned to the quest at hand.
Leo got a little bored, so he started making some wind-wheels and stuck them into passing wind spirits. Penelope shot him a look, and he shrugged.
Then, a Cyclops and a harpy appeared at their table, a combination which Leo found odd, but apparently the Cyclops, Tyson, was Percy's little brother and the harpy was called Ella.
When Ella looked at Annabeth, she started to recite what sounded like a prophecy, but the others tried to hide it.
It was all very confusing, and Leo found himself zoning out until he heard someone say
"Leo!" and he jumped up, looking around confusedly.
"What?"
"Give Octavian a tour of the Argo II. Show him everything." Annabeth's voice sounded tight, but Leo knew it was probably a good idea.
"Okay. Come on, bear boy, I'll show you my ship."
Octavian didn't look happy, but Reyna put her foot down, and so they ended up leaving the forum for the Argo II.
As the Roman dude and him were walking out, Leo got that cold feeling down his spine again, like someone had just walked over his grave.