Chapter 10: A Reunion
Hi again. Reyna is here. I honestly have nothing against Solangelo, but I really needed someone for Reyna and I didn't want to put her with Thalia so... Reyco/Reynico! Please read and review! XP
Leo
You will always be the outsider, the seventh wheel. You will not find a place among your brethren. Leo watched in horror as an unrecognized Roman legionnaire advanced toward him. The legionnaire picked Leo up by the front of his shirt and tossed him aside like he was weightless.
You are the weakest link. The most useless link as well. Your physical prowess is unimpressive. The legionnaire picked him up again and ran his sword against his throat. Time to die Leo Valdez. Leo gulped in terror, and the man pulled his sword back and thrust.
Leo screamed and sat up in bed, panting and sweating. He remembered his surroundings and whimpered. Suddenly the door swung open, and Jason was standing in the room, sword drawn. "I heard you scream."
"S-Sorry." Leo noticed that his body was trembling.
Jason coined his sword and sat on the bed beside Leo. "Nightmares?"
"Y-Yeah... about the seventh wheel and stuff." Jason scowled at that. "And about my weakness. He would have k-killed me if I hadn't woken. Whoever it was."
Jason nodded. "Was it Gaea's voice? Anyone we know?" Was it? Nope. He shook his head.
"Wh-What time is it? Oh gods I didn't wake you did I?!" Jason smirked at his friend's worry.
"Don't worry. It's well past nine in the morning, and I've been awake forever, waiting for you."
Leo's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "NINE?! WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP?!" He literally jumped out of bed, and sprinted into the bathroom, brushing his teeth while still managing to cuss at a grinning Jason through a mouthful of toothpaste. Leo looked at himself in the mirror. He looked the same. The grease on his shirt. The rip on his jeans. Thank the gods. Nothing had hurt him in the nightmare. Well, you know. Physically.
He emerged from the bathroom and glared at the son of Jupiter, who put both hands up in surrender. His glare softened, until it looked almost sad. "It's true you know. I'm the weakest link."
Jason sighed. "How many times do I need to tell you before you understand. We all need you. You're only weak in muscle. You have more control over your element than any of us. And we wouldn't have been doing much without the Argo II. You know the ship you designed. So don't you dare belittle yourself." The taller blonde slapped Leo on the back, bringing a hint of a grin onto his face. "Cmon. For once, we can relax in safety."
The thought was preposterous. Demigods? Safe? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! But somehow, Leo believed it. "Alright. Let's go. I guess we're not making those repairs?"
Jason suddenly remembered the purpose of their quest into the city, and slapped his forehead in frustration. "Ahh... damnit. Sorry."
"Eh I don't blame ya. I wouldn't risk my skin for it either." As they climbed the stairs to the deck, they saw clouds blocking any further view. "Whoa..."
Leo took account of the people on deck—Piper, Frank, Nico, and Percy. Percy looked like he was going to either barf from airsickness or pass out. Nico was doing all he could to hold him up and comfort him. It was pretty comic.
Jason raised an arm, and an enormous, blinding strike of lightning hit him. Leo would have screamed, had he not known of Jason's godly heritage. "Overkill much?"
"I like to make my presence known. Hey Leo. I think Percy wants us to go higher."
The son of Poseidon's eyes widened, and he shook his head faster than Leo thought possible. Too late. Jason had used the winds to push the Argo II higher. Percy scowled. "What the hell man!"
Nico rolled his eyes. "You two..." He held Percy by the shoulders and took him belowdecks so he could rest.
Leo/Jason
Piper was standing at the rail, looking over the edge with a distant look in her eyes. Jason gulped. "After dating her for so long... I still don't know how to start a conversation."
Leo punched the nervous guy in the shoulder. "Real smooth Grace."
Frank put a hand on Jason's shoulder. "I feel your pain. Sadly, I have no idea how to make it easier."
Leo grabbed Jason by the front of his shirt and shoved him in Piper's direction. He stumbled and almost fell over, shooting Leo a glare, then he walked up to Piper and opened his mouth. Nothing came out. He tried again, but to the same result. I probably look like a retarded seal.
"Jason you look like a retarded seal." Ack! She saw me! He could hear Leo trying not to lose it behind him. Which meant he failed to not lose it.
"H-Hey. I haven't seen you much since the crap yesterday." He glanced back, to see Frank holding a hand over Leo's mouth, and Leo clawing at it. He'd have to remember to thank him.
"Aww you're so cute." Jason blushed. "You're so shyyyyy." He blushed more. "But anyway, be on deck at one in the morning. We're watching clouds—not stars, clouds."
"One in the morning?! B-But... ok." Piper patted him on the head.
"Good boy. Annabeth needed help with something. Gotta go." Thus saying, the daughter of Aphrodite disappeared beneath the deck.
Frank couldn't keep the hand there. Leo pulled it free and doubled over with laughter. "Aww you're so shyyyyyy!" Jason's face looked like a tomato, but he still managed to look scary as hell to Leo when he glared. The son of Hephaestus did all he could to not tremble.
"Thanks Zhang. I owe you one." The burly demigod nodded acknowledgement.
Jason walked up to Leo with the same glare, and the scrawny boy backed away in fear. "I'll have your hide!" Leo yelped and sprinted away; it broke into an all out chase. "Get back here you coward!"
"Nope I don't think that's good for my health!"
At one point, Jason had Leo almost cornered. "Whoo! Jason if ya wanna catch me you're gonna have to run fas—HEPHAESTUS!" He ducked quickly to save himself from Jason's fist, which instead slammed into the wooden wall, cracking it severely. Holy crap he's gonna kill me. Leo darted away, and bumped into a specific son of Poseidon in the corridor. "Percy!" He quickly hid behind the larger teen. Jason appeared around the corner.
"LEO I KNOW YOU'RE HIDING BEHIND PERCY!"
Leo clung to the back of Percy's shirt. "Save me please!"
Jason glared at Percy. "Don't tell me I have to pound my way through you too." He put his fist into his other palm threateningly. "Because I will."
Percy gulped. "N-No I'll pass on that—"
"Percy! Please!" The son of the sea god looked apologetically to the demigod begging for his assistance. "Jason have mercy!"
Percy looked back and forth between his two friends before running madly from both of them, unable to choose.
The son of Hephaestus looked at his pursuer (and possible killer) in horror, as Jason grinned murderously. "M-Mercy!" Jason tackled him to the ground, knocking him over easily. Leo whimpered. "P-Please!" Jason pulled his fist back, and Leo winced for the impact.
And it hurt. Like hell. It landed on his chest. Jason got off of him, satisfied with just one punch. Leo opened his eyes to see Jason's hand hovering over him. He took it and let himself be pulled to his feet. "O-Oww..."
"Sorry. Did I hurt you?" Leo lightly touched his chest.
"Well yeah but I deserved it. And it's my fault that I'm so weak." Jason lightly patted him on the chest. It didn't hurt so much after all.
"Whew. You gave me quite the run Leo." The taller blonde ran a hand through his hair.
"I can run pretty fast when someone is trying to take my life."
Leo/Nico
Nico di Angelo appeared out of one of the cabin doors. "Hey guys. Where did Percy run off to?" Both shrugged. "And I forgot to tell you Jason. Reyna will be here—" Jason heard a thump on deck. "...soon."
The three demigods climbed the stairs to find Percy and Frank already on deck, surprised at the third hero—daughter of Bellona—in their midst. Her eyes fell on the son of death, and the hint of a smile appeared on her face. "Hey. Where are the others?"
Annabeth, Piper, and Hazel appeared from the stairs. Piper beamed. "REYNA!" Reyna smiled and fidgeted with her hair.
"Hey. There was surprisingly no monster action in the skies on the way."
Jason grinned and stuck out his chest in mock pride. "Yeah that's my lightning."
"I presume Nico told you I'd come? Well Chiron and the Senate agreed you'd need help, so they sent me." Piper dragged her down the stairs along with Annabeth and Hazel. Leo had to feel bad for Reyna. She was probably in for a special seminar on eyeliner or something like that.
"Well... that was unexpected." Percy blinked with surprise.
Literally everyone rolled their eyes at the same time, and Nico sighed. "No Perce that was completely expected."
"Yeah I guess it kinda was."
Leo was doing all he could to not sprint to the helm and lift off. You heard Jason. You have to rest Leo! But we're wasting time! We could be fighting Gaea now! But health is a priority! His inner conflict was obviously showing externally, since he was fidgeting and rubbing his hand on his neck.
Jason sensed his indecision and put his arm around the scrawny shoulders. "Don't even think about it man. Today and tomorrow you're not going within five feet of the engine room or the ... other control thing." He pulled Leo in closer, shoulder pushing against shoulder. At first, Leo felt like protesting, but then—having realized how much Jason seemed to care for him—felt like crying and hugging the taller boy.
"Alright alright. So... what do you guys do around here?"
Jason grinned. "That's the problem with being in the engine room all night." He pulled him even tighter. "Cmon guys." Jason walked, with his arm still around Leo—not that Leo was complaining, on the contrary rather—and led the other three down the stairs. "So whaddaya guys wanna do? This is probably the first time in months that we're gonna get Leo."
Percy shrugged. "Dunno... Swordfighting? Leo can you swordfight?"
"A little. Not as good as you guys."
Nico put a hand on Jason's shoulder. "Wanna go somewhere? I can take you guys if you want."
Leo looked at the son of Hades with a concerned gaze. "Dude you sure you're strong enough yet? You alright? We almost... lost you after the war."
He heard Percy choke behind him. Nico put a hand on Percy's back and flashed him a You ok? look. Percy hurriedly nodded.
"I'm fine. So where to?"
Percy spoke. "Underworld. I haven't been to your place in a while."
Nico looked up with narrowed eyes. "Why...?"
"Just cause."
The son of Hades shrugged and concentrated. He wasn't as rested as he thought. As soon as he shadow traveled the group, he could feel himself slipping. No no no no Hades please I beg of you save the others please. Thankfully, they had reached the gates of the palace of Hades.
The black gate opened. Nico led them into the palace, only to find his father's throne empty. "Strange... Where could he be?"
Jason was the first to reply. "My father gave him a throne on Olympus. He's temporarily staying there. I guess Jupiter—or Zeus—has stopped being a jerk now."
The son of Hades was speechless. "You're saying... Hades is on Olympus?" He smirked more than anyone had ever seen before. Leo figured he knew secrets about the king of the Underworld that the rest didn't. "Well anyway, it's about time I returned to my place." Nico walked out of the palace and took a deep breath.
Percy followed. "What are you talking about?"
"In the war... I originally died. Then Hazel begged your father to keep my life, and Poseidon spoke to my father. He agreed, but I've been meaning to return here for some time actually. The son of death... should not cheat death. Goodbye Perseus Jackson."
With that, Nico di Angelo turned and walked toward the Fields of Punishment. Percy was speechless. He stood with his mouth wide open. "N-Nico! Nico! Y-You can't go there! Come back with us! Anyway you should be in Elysium!"
Nico shook his head. "The Fates have chosen Punishment for me. It is probably best that Elysium not be poisoned by the filth of the likes of me." Before Percy could stop him, the Ghost King took the step and immediately dematerialized into a shadowy ghost form. "Goodbye."
Percy fell to his knees, and was vaguely aware of Frank's hand on his shoulder as he saw Nico's spirit vanish into thin air as he flew deeper into his new prison.
Ok I felt like doing that in the end. Don't hate me. Please review! ^_^ And also the irony that the title is "Reunion" but then they lose Nico :P don't hate me.
