Chapter 3

Yay, so here I am again, finally back on all of my old stories…and actually finishing them this time! I think…

So, this one was surprisingly popular compared with some of my other fanfics- I thought that this was a super cliché topic that wouldn't get any views, but I guess it did! So I'd like to continue it. This chapter will hopefully introduce more of the characters. Also I realized that I used third person POV while writing this, which is really surprising and impressive for me.

Enjoy and sorry for the long A/N!

Leo walked down the stone path, fuming. How could they take away Festus? Terminus had confiscated not only his best creation, but his friend. Not to mention the fact that he had been expelled from New Rome "for all eternity", as the statue had made fairly clear; and Leo doubted his tool belt would ever be returned.

"Leo! Hey buddy, what's up?" Leo turned and saw Jason running down the cobblestone towards him, Piper in tow. He stopped and gave them a small smile as they approached. He was glad to see them, even considering his current situation.

Piper gave him a brief hug, then held him at arm's length.

"What's wrong? Leo, are you okay?" Leo nodded hastily, stepping out of Piper's embrace.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good. I'm fine. Just a little tired, ya know? Saving the world, coming back to life, and flying to Ogygia in the same day is no easy task for the average demigod. For the great Leo Valdez, on the other hand…" he shrugged, grinning mischievously. "Let's just say I was up to the task."

Piper regarded him for a moment, trying to meet his eyes. Leo hoped she couldn't see through his cheerful exterior to the trouble beneath. Finally she smiled and shook her head. Jason, oblivious as ever, spared a quick glance at Piper before gaping at Leo.

"Wait, slow down. How exactly did you fly to a land that nobody has ever found their way back to?" Leo chuckled.

"Well, of course I rebuilt Festus, why wouldn't I? And apparently someone has found their way back there, and I doubt that that person is ever going back."

"What do you mean? You couldn't have possibly…" Jason trailed off, before grinning broadly. "You got your Calypso, didn't you?"

Leo blushed. "She's not my Calypso, you know that." As if on cue, he looked beyond Piper and Jason and spotted another person running down the path. Calypso.

Her long hair flowed out behind her as she ran gracefully down the hill past the Roman statues and plants. Piper followed his gaze and sucked in a breath. Jason whistled, and earned a slap from Piper.

The three demigods stood there, staring at the girl until she came to a stop by Leo's side, barely out of breath. Leo cleared his throat, and his friends looked at him in wonder and confusion.

"Uh, guys, this is Calypso. Calypso, this is Piper and Jason." The three nodded to each other in acknowledgement. Calypso turned to Leo and addressed him sternly.

"Leo Valdez! What were you thinking?" She shook her head. "Bringing Festus into New Rome in the first place was a bad idea, and you knew that!"

"Wait, what? You brought Festus into New Rome? How did you get that past Terminus?" Jason and Piper both looked at him with astonishment.

"He was in transportation mode, obviously. It's not like I was going to just march into the heart of Camp Jupiter with a giant metal dragon in tow. Seriously, guys." He shook his head, but his voice trembled slightly. He cleared his throat and turned back to Calypso.

"I'm sorry, Caly. But where else could he go? I wasn't going to just leave him!"

"It's not the dragon!" Calypso's sudden yell made Leo flinch, and Jason and Piper looked at each other warily.

"Uh, maybe you guys should, you know, work this out alone…" Calypso nodded tersely and the couple hurried off, muttering excuses. As soon as they were alone, Calypso turned and struck a shamefaced Leo across the face. The blow left him stumbling backwards, yelling "Hey! Calypso, I'm sorry!"

"It's too late" she snapped. "You've already been banished from New Rome, lost your tool belt and your dragon, and possibly broken the truce between the camps days after you created it! All because you just had to brag to your Roman counterpart that you were awesome, you saved the world, you can create fire. It's always been about you, Leo, not anyone else, and if you want me to stick around you'd better change that!" With that, she turned around and left the astounded Leo crouching on the ground.

"Oh gods" he moaned. How was he supposed to fix this now?

Yes, I know. It's really short. But I kinda had to leave it there, ya know? I hope to write and post another chapter soon!

~Divergent. Lunar. Shadowhunter.