The Problem With Leo Valdez
Disclaimer: All characters[aside from a few OC's] belong to RR.
Leo Valdez is-unfortunately- not my creation as with the other demigod characters.
They're pretty cool, though.
Good job, Rick.

A/N: Geez, guys. How long was I gone?

This chapter is pretty short, sorry! I just wanted to get back into the swing of things.


Chapter: IX
LEO

Give Up

If Leo had even the slightest clue on where he was, then maybe he wouldn't have felt like a giant harpy was tearing at his stomach. He, however, did not know his current location, and so the imaginary harpy continued on with its ripping and shredding.

If anything, Leo really wanted a hug, or maybe even a slice of chocolate cake to calm his nerves.

The scene around him wasn't a pretty one. He was underground, that much was obvious, but any other revelation was lost from there. There were no signs, no notes, no secret passageways that could somehow be found, unlocked, and opened. Leo was at a complete disadvantage here, and frankly he didn't think any of it was very fair.

"Alright, you got me." Leo muttered, throwing his hands up in the air. "You win, Gaea! Okay? Now let me out of this damned hole in the ground or I swear to Hephaestus I'll-"

Do not speak rash with me, demigod. Gaea's voice seethed. In case you have forgotten so quickly, I'm the one who is in charge.

Leo puffed out his cheeks and clapped his hands together. "Great! Fantastic! Let's hit a Dairy Queen and buy a cake or something, eh?"

You believe you are clever, Valdez. It is a shame that you are not the genius you've fooled yourself into thinking you are.

Leo lowered an eyebrow. "That's a lot of 'you's', lady. How about we quit yapping on about me and focus more on you. What's your starting price to get me outta this dump?"

It was silence that answered him at first, but no doubt, Gaea pulled through with her usual carefully selected answer.

He and her had done a lot of talking since he had first woken up, which was a surprise since before that she'd only worked through that annoyin Eidolon. Mostly their conversations went something like:

Gaea: You suck.

Leo: I'm aware.

Gaea: Idiot. There's no trap door.

Leo: So I see.

Gaea: Your friends are going to die if you don't hurry this up.

Leo: You've told me that already.

But now, Leo was getting desperate. He had been trapped underground for too long, and really it was getting downright uncomfortable. He liked being in places where the earth over top of him couldn't crumble, or more specifically, where the only thing over his head was a nice, well constructed roof.

Whatever Gaea was asking for, Leo had decided he'd at least think about it first.

You are valuable, Valdez. Gaea hissed. If you wished, you could set an entire city up in flames.

Ah, yes. Because Leo totally digged being responsible for the deaths of thousands. Yes. Great way to start a business deal, Toilet Sludge.

What I am asking for is your power, little hero. I need to use it in order to win this war.

"If an entire war is depending on one scrawny elf-man, I'm afraid you've got a military problem." Leo remarked, folding his hands across his chest. "Why me, anyway? Can't you just make up a monster who has fire powers?"

Do you mistake me for a fool? Creating monsters could take centuries! I do not have that kind of time! Gaea screeched, her voice ringing in Leo's ears.

"Then just. . . I don't know, covert one to your gory cause. Be like, 'Excuse me, do you have time to speak about total word domination, death, and doom?' It's foolproof, trust me."

Even though she wasn't physically there, Leo could feel Gaea's anger towards him. He wasn't cooperating like she had planned, he knew, but really he was just trying to stall.

Surely his friends could figure out where he was, couldn't they? Like, sure he had attacked and burned Annabeth, and was probably responsible for the blackout in some way, but it hadn't actually been him. None of his friends had any reason to hate and ignore him. They'd pull through. . . eventually.

I am not going to waste my time pleading for your permission, Valdez. If you will not willingly join me, then I will take you by force.

Gaea didn't need to give any further explanation for Leo to understand. He knew what she meant. It was clear as crystal to him.

The stupid Eidolon was coming back.

"Wait!" Leo blurted out, knowing that if the Eidolon took control again, there'd be no way it'd allow Leo's friends to help. "Don't you need to test me? You know, to make sure I meet all the Gaea's Army qualifications?"

I do not need to assess how skilled you are in your ability, little hero. It will be my son who does the fighting, all you will need to do is not let yourself die.

Leo wasn't sure if he liked that idea. It sounded like he'd be a puppet more than some supreme member of a prophecy, and truthfully that didn't make him feel all so good.

He was already the extra wheel in the group, the one that gave it an uneven number. The last thing Leo needed was to be the one who burnt everyone alive against his own will, too.

However, before he could complain, Leo felt the most horrific feeling in the world for yet another time. Slowly he began to lose control of his arms, then legs, and then suddenly it felt like he was being pushed out of his own body, as if there wasn't enough room for him anymore.

Not at all for the first time, Leo felt like he was watching himself do things while he was shoved off to the side, completely helpless. It made him feel anger over anything else. He wasn't upset, he wasn't distraught, he was purely and completely angry. He was just a toy in Gaea's plans, it seemed, and it was really starting to take some stabs at him.

Above anything, though, was that no one was coming to his rescue. Normally he wouldn't have been up to someone swooping in and saving the day, but it felt like none of his friends were even trying. There were no signs of battle going on outside. No one shouting his name, desperately trying to find him.

They left you. Gaea breathed in his ears.

She was right. His friends had left him on his own, even after Jason and Percy had learned what was going on with him.

They don't care, do they? If they did, you'd have someone fighting for you right now.

The realization made his stomach twist, and then his anger began to slowly fade away.

You're friends might not value your worth, but I do.

What had he been thinking? Of course none of his friends wanted to find him. They could do just fine without an annoying, hyperactive demigod. He shouldn't have ever left the Wilderness School, or even better, he should have been good and stayed in Houston.

You can get your revenge- Gaea began to say, but Leo cut her off.

"I don't want revenge." He said, slumping his shoulders. It was true, he didn't. Even if his friends weren't going to come and find him, he didn't want to rage any kind of war on them.

After all, he didn't blame them for wanting to leave him to die.

They don't see how great you are, little hero. I do, and I understand exactly what you're feeling. The gods cast me out, just as your friends did to you. I know what you're feeling.

She was playing with his head, Leo could feel it, but at that moment he believed she was right. She was telling him the opposite, but Leo was feeling completely worthless.

He felt like he wanted to give up, to give in to Gaea's plans.

In the darkness of the underground room, Leo's eyes burned gold.