Leo's POV

"Please!" I begged.

"No!" Reyna replied curtly.

"Then how about laser vision?" I ventured.

"Don't touch my dogs, Valdez!" She commanded.

I tried once more. "Well how about-"

"No!" She stopped walking and turned to face me. "Go find some other means to entertain yourself!"

I pouted and crossed my arms. "Nobody ever lets me have any fun!"

She rolled her eyes and walked away. "Graecus..."

I sighed.

Once again, Leo Valdez has to go off and find something else to do. Solo style. Ugh, they always end up leaving me! Even the new people dropped me like a hot tamale! I grumbled at the memory.

FLASHBACK

Almost immediately after our introductions, Jason was snatched up by Romans. Apparently, they had some catching up to do. Pfft whatever.

They dragged him down a path, but before they rounded the corner he managed to say, "I-I won't be long, I promise!"

Piper went into depressed mode as soon as he was gone. She mumbled something about being tired and then went shuffling towards the cabins we'd be staying in.

"Well, who needs those two!" I fist pumped. "We can have fun without them, right guys?"

Frank shifted on his feet awkwardly, and Hazel didn't meet my gaze. Actually now that I think of it, she hadn't really looked at me at all since we've been here.

"Sorry Leo, but Hazel and I were going to get muffins. Together. Alone." Frank said.

Hazel looked away from me and mumbled something intelligible that might've been a, "Sorry, Leo..."

They headed down a dirt road opposite to that of the one Piper took.

"Fine! Whatever!" I turned to Percy and Annabeth. "I guess it's just us three then?"

"About that..." Percy started, scratching the back of his head.

"You too?" I grumbled.

Annabeth nodded her head sheepishly. "Percy said he had something to show me, so..." She trailed off.

"Whatever." I said, trying to sound like I didn't care. "I can take a hint! I'll just go hang with some Roman chicks, then."

"There you go, Leo!" Annabeth exclaimed. She joined hands with Percy and they ran off into the sunset. Probably to make out some more. Bleh

I sighed and kicked a pebble dejectedly. I looked up and saw that Reyna girl with two automatons.

Smirking, I had set off in that direction. That should be something fun to do.

FLASHBACK OVER

Now what am I supposed to do? I thought long and hard. Suddenly, an idea popped into that genius brain of mine.

I'll head to the Roman forge! I mean, it'll be just like back at Camp Half-Blood! Except more...Roman-y?

I grinned. Leo Valdez, you are just too smart for your own good.

I didn't really pay much attention during the tour, so I had no idea where to start. After an intense session of eenie-meenie-miney-moe, I finally set off on a dirt path.

Whistling, I looked at my surroundings for anything that looked like it might be a forge. I noticed that among the Roman teens in purple shirts, there were ghost-like creatures. They looked at me strangely and muttered, "Graecus." I would have to find out what makes them tick later. On my other side, I saw some kids chasing after an elephant in Roman armor. They were really failing at trying to catch it. I laughed and shook my head.

Walking on, I smelled a familiar scent in the air.

The scent of fire and forges.

I smiled and rounded a corner.

I have to say, the Roman forge was mighty impressive. The entire structure was made from a mixture of metals; huge iron, copper, silver, and even gold plates made up the walls and floors. The very screws and bolts holding the foundation together were comprised of glittering ores. In the late afternoon sun, it shone brighter even than the Apollo cabin back at Camp Half-Blood.

A large chimney in the dead center of the roof constantly poured out a steady stream of black, cloudy smog. From outside, I could hear the clanging and banging of hammers busy at work. Kids went in and out, some carrying large lumps of mineral, others wielding newly made weapons. The glass windows displayed large controlled fires going on in the inside.

"Whoa..." I breathed. "Flippin' awesome!"

I grinned and strolled right through the front door. Almost immediately I felt in my element. Like I could do anything. Like I could-

"What are you doing in here, Graecus?"

I turned to my left. Who darest interrupt my awesome feels?

A really buff guy stepped to me. And when I say buff, I mean steroids buff. He had coal dust all over him and he wore thick working gloves. He had dark, almost black eyes. His blonde hair was almost black with soot and Hades knows what else.

I grinned proudly. "I'm a son of Hephaestus, just like you. I have as much right to be in here than anyone else."

"No you don't! Only Vulcan kids are allowed in here! You're no sibling to us, Greek!"

I crossed my arms over my chest and smirked at him. "Aww, you mad bro?"

He growled and lunged at me. He may be strong, but he was definitely slow. I sidestepped him easily, tripping him in the process. He landed with a satisfying thud and poof of ash. The whole forge roared with laughter. Apparently this chump wasn't too popular with anyone.

I smirked and leaned down close to his face. "Yeah, you real mad."

I stood back up straight and adjusted my tool belt. All of a sudden, a loud conch's horn rippled throughout the land. Everyone looked up, confused at first, then panicky. People snatched up weapons left and right and filed out.

"Is it dinner time then?" I asked, completely lost. "'Cuz you don't need weapons for dinner, guys."

A girl in pigtails stopped in her tracks and looked at me like I was stupid. "The conch means an emergency, not food!"

"Oh..." I muttered. Pigtails ran outside, and I followed close behind.

I looked around and spotted my friends gathered in a circle. I sprinted over to them.

What's going on?" Piper asked groggily, rubbing her eyes.

"Apparently, it's an emergency." I stated.

Everyone turned to me, incredulous.

I got defensive. "What? I know stuff!"

Reyna came and joined the group suddenly. "We have a situation."

"Naw, really?" Percy said sarcastically.

I couldn't help but chuckle.

Reyna glared at us. "How can you Greeks be so nonchalant about everything?"

I rolled my eyes. "Well, it kinda helps that we don't know what the problem is."

She folded her arms over her chest. "We're being attacked by three cyclopes."

All the humor drained from my body. "Oh..."

"Yeah." She said smugly.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Percy asked, amped up. I'm not entirely sure how amped up a guy could be in a dress.

I smirked. "Yeah! Let's kick some ass!"

We all ran towards the camp entrance. As I looked farther ahead, I saw a wide river with a bridge going over it. On the farther side of the bridge, there were three cyclopes just like Reyna had said. They were huge and really ugly. All of them wielded large sticks that could probably deal a lot of damage. They lumbered up, completely unfazed by the fact that they were outnumbered. Of course, we still had a long ways to run before we could reach them. I only prayed to Olympus that they didn't have any reinforcements.

After running for what was probably a mile, we all had to stop and catch a breath.

Doubled over, I panted out between breaths. "Why...is this camp...so flippin' big?!"

"I'm too tired...to even laugh!" Hazel gasped out. I felt touched; that was the most amount of words she's said to me all day.

"Oh my gods!" I heard Piper exclaim. I glanced up. I followed her gaze in the direction of the cyclopes.

I did NOT expect what I saw.

Sprinting out of the tunnel behind the monsters was a girl.

She wore a tattered and torn red plaid skirt. She had no shoes; only knee highs that were more holes than socks. She wore a filthy, mud splotched, used-to-be-white long sleeved button down shirt. Her golden blonde hair blew in a ponytail around her. She had medium tone skin and a confident smirk. In her right hand she gripped an Imperial Gold sword.

"Who is that?!" I asked, awestruck.

Everyone turned to Reyna, but she shook her head. "I have no idea. She must be a new demigod."

All eyes were on this strange new girl. What was she going to do? How was she going to get around those cyclopes to safety?

"We've got to help her." Percy stated. I nodded. There was no way she could make it around those cyclopes.

"No!" Reyna commanded.

"What do you mean 'no'? She'll get creamed out there!" Annabeth cried.

Reyna held out her hand to stop us from advancing. "No. It is initiation for a demigod to cross the bridge into Camp Jupiter on their own. If they are unable, then they are unworthy."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" I shouted, outraged. How dare she not help this girl? It's the right thing to do.

"Know you're place, Graecus!" Reyna snapped at me.

"Will everyone stop calling me that?! I've got a name! Leo motherfucking Valdez!"

Before it could get anymore heated, our argument was suddenly interrupted.

It was the girl.

"Oi!" She shouted at the cyclopes.

They turned to look at her, grinning evilly at their next victim. They swung their sticks experimentally, changing their course to advance on her. What was wrong with this chick?! Did she have a death wish or something?!

She only smirked. "Yeah, that's right! Come get some!" She gripped her sword tighter, and I could tell that she knew what she was doing with it.

I couldn't take my eyes off of her. What was she going to do next?

The cyclopes were only a stone's throw away form her. I bit my lip. What was she planning?

She grinned and charged them. She sprinted up to one and leapt high into the air. The cyclopes lifted his club and swung it at her. I gasped and shut my eyes.

But all I heard was laughter. I opened my eyes and saw that she had slashed his stick in half when he tried to hit her with it.

I grinned.

This chick was awesome!

When she landed on the ground, she rolled to the left. The cyclopes stared dumbfounded at his stump of a weapon.

"Don't worry, dollface." I heard her say to the monster. "You'll be joining it soon!" With that, she swung her sword at the monster's neck. She sliced his head clean off and he exploded into golden dust. The other two cyclopes growled in anger. They charged at her from both sides. She was like a dancer as she fought, twirling and leaping over them. She was graceful and confident in her movements. She threw her sword at the second cyclopes and sent it flying straight through his eyeball. Recovering her weapon, she rolled under the third's legs. She kicked upwards, giving him a brutal nutshot. When he doubled over in pain, she stabbed him through the chest. He disintegrated into a pile of golden dust just like his two friends.

She had just made light work of three huge cyclopes.

She dusted off her hands and smirked. "And that's how you do that!"

"Hell, yeah!" I cried, lifting my hands in the air. We all cheered, and I noticed a large crowd had gathered to watch her amazing fight. The entire camp was crying out in joy.

She jerked her head at us and grinned. She had just now noticed the crowd as well. She waved at us vigorously. "Hey! What's up?"

Suddenly, Hazel gasped. She pointed and screamed, "Behind you!"

The girl looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened. An assault of pointed missile-like needles rocketed towards her. She leapt and dodged the brunt of the attack, but about a dozen pin missiles buried themselves deep inside her stomach. She gasped and clutched her stomach, blood oozing through her fingers. She staggered, then collapsed face first onto the ground. Blood soaked though her shirt, staining the grass. Her grasp on her weapon weakened and the glimmering sword fell beside her. Blonde hair cascading around her face, she lay still on the ground.

Out of the shadows of the tunnel emerged a cyclopes bigger than all the rest. He held a spiked club in his hand and a wicked grin on his face.

I growled. How dare he? Who blindsides someone like that?!

Annabeth, Piper, Percy, and I immediately charged forward to help her. We were held back by about half a dozen Romans.

Percy thrashed angrily. "Let us go!"

"We need to help her!" I shouted at the two Roman boys holding me down. How could they just watch someone be hurt like that?

"Jason?" Piper breathed. I realized that neither Frank, Hazel, nor Jason had moved an inch.

Jason looked away from us and muttered, "We're not to interfere. It's Roman initiation..."

I chuckled darkly. "Don't you get it, Piper? He's Roman. We're Greek."

I looked at my feet. The three of us were never really friends; it was just the Mist.

"I refuse to watch this girl get slaughtered!" Percy declared. He tried breaking free of the Romans, but royally failed at it.

"It's just the way we do things here." Reyna said. "If you're not worthy, you don't gain entrance."

I was about to say something really ungentlemanly when someone from the crowd cried out, "Look!"

Everyone turned their attention back to the fight.

The cyclopes was now towering over the girl. He lifted his spiked club high into the air. He pushed a button and the spikes shot straight up.

So that's how he did it.

He bellowed out a loud warrior cry and brought the club down hard onto the girl.

"No!" I cried out, struggling against the mass of people holding me back.

That's when things went into crazy slow motion.

The girl rolled over, narrowly avoiding the attack. She hopped up onto her feet, wobbling slightly. The cyclopes' club got stuck into the ground, and he stared at the spot the girl used to be at, dumbfounded. He yanked at the club to no avail, and the girl made her move. She dove for her weapon, rolling to her feet and gripping it tightly. Her sword shimmered brightly in the low light, and I swear it grew to an even larger size in her hands.

Piper gasped. "Did you see-"

"Yeah." I nodded feverishly.

I couldn't look away. How could she still be standing, let alone rolling and jumping? She must be in pain with every step she takes!

"Wow." I breathed.

She smirked through the pain and took a step towards the cyclopes. It desperately tugged to free its spiked club, but she just grinned.

"Ya know, I really should be thanking you," She started, taking another step towards the cowering monster. "I might have to get some badass stitches for that little trick you pulled."

She stood over the monster, her confident smirk plastered over her face.

"B-b-but h-how?" The cyclopes stuttered. "Didn't it hurt you? Are you invincible?"

The girl looked taken aback by the monster. She laughed, her golden ponytail bobbing with the action.

"Oh, hell yeah that shit hurt!" She exclaimed between laughs.

She smirked again. "But that's just progress pain, baby." With that, she stabbed the cyclopes dead center in the eye. Golden dust rained down from the sky.

I gasped.

She had done it again.

"WOOHOO!" The crowd cheered, elated. The Romans holding us back with their vice grips let us go. Everyone was high fiving one another. Piper and Annabeth did a little happy dance. Some people threw their hats in the air. I fist pumped, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Reyna give an approving nod of her head.

I looked over at the girl, and my fist stopped in mid air.

She was doubled over, clutching her right side again. A small pool of blood surrounded her, and her right arm weakly held her sword by her side. She was wobbling dangerously, and I could tell she was trying not to pass out. She fumbled forward, practically limping across the bridge. As soon as she crossed over the bridge, she collapsed, her body completely spent.

Immediately, the Romans went into emergency mode.