Everyone found themselves back in the Mess Hall again. Tonight was their last night at Camp Jupiter and tomorrow morning they would embark their heroic mission which entailed the retaking of Death's Doors. They knew the stakes and they understood the sacrifices they would have to make; thus making the ambience of the room of desperate elations, young people attempting the suck the marrow out of life before they would be forced to choke on the bone.
The heroes that had competed in the Originals vs Moderns contests all sat at the same table. Each contestant conversing with the table mate next to them, bellies full, plates empty, and glasses continuously being topped off with refills of their preferred beverage.
Biff, the son of Kratos had to eat his food with a straw due to the wretched state Theseus left him in. The young man had three cracked ribs, a broken jaw, fractured toes, and a black eye. When Theseus approached him, he flinched and cowered behind his hands.
Theseus smiled and merely gave him a light pat on the back while whispering in the most gentle tone, "Don't ever disrespect me or my friends ever again or I'll hang you by your intestines. Understand?" Kratos nodded his head vigorously and before he left, Theseus flashed him one more smile.
Frank and Hercules sat across from each other; both with one of their arms in a sling and a brace wrapped around their necks. The medics said they would be fully recovered within the next couple of days thanks to their demigod healing, nectar, unicorns' horns, and ambrosia. Despite their physical state and the events that occurred the night before, specifically the brutal fight that took place between the two, they both were talking like their were old friends. Apparently they had made their peace or they were faking it. Either way, they weren't tearing the place a part.
"...So I said to him, 'Welcome to Canada, idiot!'" shouted Frank, "Welcome to Canada, Idiot!" He repeated with emphasis, like he was delivering the greatest punchline ever and then started to crack up with Hercules joining in on merriment.
"Oh, you're a funny one," Hercules bellowed as he gave Frank a friendly smack causing the boy to jolt forward and wince in pain. It seemed as if Hercules had really harmed Frank and he broke out into rapid apologies but Frank pointed a finger at him and started to laugh.
"Gotcha," Frank said. Hercules exploded into laughter as well.
"You had me going there for a moment!" Hercules pointed back.
Grace and Jackson sat with Jason and Perseus. The four of them going into great detail about the previous day and the sword fight they participated in.
"...I admit that it was pretty awesome but not as cool as that somersault that you did!" Percy said to Perseus. Then Perseus or someone else would comment on another skillful move that someone pulled off.
"...Percy, what were you thinking? You could've been sliced into to bits!" Grace said as he recalled when Percy launched himself at Jason and Perseus in order to distract them.
Further down the table was Bellerophon telling Butch what to feed pegasi and how to groom them; the Spartans telling dirty jokes in ancient Greek which were too dirty to translate; Achilles explaining to Clarisse on how to properly lift an enemy into the air with a spear and then throw them into another; Odysseus bragged about his adventures on across the Sea of Monsters; and Theseus arm-wrestled different children of Ares/Mars showing them the true meaning of "size maters, not."
After an hour or so of festivities, everyone dispersed from their tables and sat at new ones to allow themselves to speak with old friends or introduce themselves to new ones.
Percy, Jason, Piper, Annabeth, Frank, Leo, Hazel, Reyna, Thalia, Grover, and Tyson all sat at one table sharing stories of what had happened in the last year.
"Can we just get things straightened out here and just call the Gods by their Greek names please?" Leo asked.
"Why should we do that," asked Reyna accusingly.
"I'm tired of having to say to say Ares/Mars, or Zeus/Jupiter, or Vulcan/Hephaestus. It would be a lot easier just to say Poseidon or Hermes."
"Are you saying that Greeks are better?" Reyna asked with slanted eyes.
"No, it's just that-that-that it makes sense to call them by their Greek names because that's what they were known as in the first place and I don't know most of the Roman names anyway," Leo stammered.
Reyna stared him down till he almost ran for his life but she cracked a smile, "I was kidding." Leo let out a breath of relief. "Most of my campers are used to the Roman names but what you're saying makes sense. All in favor of referring to the Gods by their original names?"
Every nodded in agreement.
Then Leo turned to Frank, "So you're telling me you killed a giant?"
"Yep," Frank nodded trying not to move his neck too much because of the brace. "Stabbed him in his shiny face," he said wistfully but then adding, "I had help of course." He looked to Percy and Hazel. Hazel responded b squeezing his hand gently.
"What do you guys think of these prophecies lately? They seem too self explanatory," Annabeth put in.
"Yeah, that's true," Thalia agreed. "All the ones that I've heard before are always full of riddles or meant the opposite of what they said."
"I like them better that way," Percy said. "I used to hate them but the ones now are just, too simple."
Everyone else agreed.
"Somehow they seem more dangerous than the mysterious," said Grover.
"One way or another, we'll understand the prophecies better when they actually happen," Jason spoke up. "Every time someone tries to figure them out or change them, bad things always happens," Jason reminded them. "Just talking about it seems like we're jinxing our selves in some way."
"Agreed, let's change the subject," Piper said quickly.
There was an awkward silence, not because they were nervous in front of each because it seemed like all of them had been friends for years, but because they had run out of things to talk about.
Finally Hazel said something, "There's me, Frank, Percy, Jason, Piper, and Leo. Who do you think the last demigod is for the Prophecy of Seven?"
Percy was about to say Annabeth but he remembered the disturbing lines that Ella had recited:
"Wisdom's daughter walks alone,
The Mark of Athena burns through Rome."
What ever it meant could be either be good or bad but most likely the latter. Besides, the prophecy probably was not even the full prophecy, just a small piece. Also, like Jason had said earlier, speaking of prophecies could jinx them. Percy decided it was best to keep his mouth shut.
"I don't think it's anyone we know or anyone that goest to Camp Jupiter or Camp Half-Blood because if they did I think they would have been revealed themselves by now," Frank explained.
"That demigod, the chosen one, the demigod of demigods," Leo said with a grin. "The whole concept is very cliche."
"Yeah, this person will probably show up at the last minute when we need him/her the most." Percy said.
"Deus ex Machina," said Annabeth.
"What?" Everyone else questioned.
Annabeth sighed in exasperation. "It's a literary device in which when the heroes are at their lowest moment, all hope is lost, an all powerful being saves the day."
"So you're saying some super demigod will save us?" Percy asked.
Annabeth shook her head. "That's what it seems like but I hope not. These Deus ex Machinas don't occur till a lot of people die and besides its stupid when it happiness in stories, lazy writing if you ask me."
"What if it's Nico?" Hazel said with bright eyes.
All eyebrows were perked.
"I don't know," Thalia said skeptically. "As much as we all miss Nico, I don't think it's him."
"We'll find him right?" Hazel asked hopefully, almost desperately.
"Yeah," said Percy confidently. "Even if it's the last thing I do." Nico was Hazel's brother but he was almost like one to Percy.
More things were to be said but Thanatos called for everyones attention. All eyes in the Mess Hall were directed to the cloaked and hooded god.
"I need the counselors from Camp Half-Blood, the Praetors, the Senate, the Centurions, and the Heroes of Old in the Senate Building please."
No one got up to move. "Now would be great, please. Lupa and Chiron come too."
"But My Lord what happened to closing your doors as soon as possible?" Chiron asked trying to keep his cool.
"Your forces aren't ready yet. If you were to go now you would all wiped out." Thanatos told him.
"Gaea's forces can't be that strong My Lord. We could can beat them, especially since the Heroes of Old have joined us."
"Still, our numbers aren't large enough and you need time to prepare to prepare troops. I'm talking about weapons, battle plans, and strategies. That is why tomorrow you will go to Camp Half-Blood and prepare an invasion force. You will have five days to get them ready. Achilles will be in charge of training them."
"Understood My Lord but were will you be?" Achilles asked.
"I will be doing some reconnaissance and trying to gather what allies the Gods still have left. I must also take on the difficult task of trying to persuade the rest of my relatives into giving you a little more assistance. They are still refusing to take a direct part in this 'Gaea situation'. In the mean time however, I want you at Camp Half-Blood training."
"How many troops do you wish for Camp Jupiter to offer?" Reyna asked.
"Mr. Valdez, how much room do you have left on your ship?" Thanatos asked him.
Leo did some calculations in his head, "Well most of Camp Half-Blood came here, some weapons storage, lavatories, supplies, uh, about enough room to fit five-hundred more heavily armed demigods comfortably.
"Then Three-hundred of Rome's finest troops will accompany you then. Praetor Reyna it's your decision on the fighters you choose. That is all from me." Thanatos snapped his fingers and disappeared into the shadows.
"What a prick," Odysseus said convinced that the god was out of ear shot.
"The Fifth and First Cohort will go." Reyna decided immediately. "Grace and Zhang will lead the Fifth with the Eagle while Octavian and I will lead the first."
A few frustrated moans at the sound of Octavian's name. Most of his followers, credibility, and respect had been lost in the last few days but Reyna couldn't just up and get rid of him. He was as much of Rome as was Terminus. As much as Reyna hated the idea, Octavian would have to come, and he still had much to contribute.
"Will there be enough room for the Amazons as well?" Queen Hylla asked entering the room.
"For beautiful ladies such as yourselves, of course," Leo smiled while fixing his hair.
"Shut up," Reyna and Hylla said to him in unison.
Achilles stood in the center of the room. "All right, it's decided then. Everyone get your people organized and prepared. We live at first light tomorrow. Understood?"
"Aye, sir!"
"Then get too it."
They boarded in columns into the lower deck of the ship. A crowd gathered around the ship waving their goodbyes. The demigods of Camp Half-blood and it's delegates boarded first, then the troops from Camp Jupiter, the Amazons, the Hunters of Artemis, the Heroes of Old and the Spartans, and finally Mrs. O'Leary, Tyson, Ella, and what ever animals that were coming along.
Leo Valdez had really out done himself. Argo II was impressive for only being built in eight months. More than impressive, it was magnificent. The ship was almost twice the size of Camp Jupiter's senate house. It was beautiful slender looking hybrid of a Civil war era steamboat and ancient greek war ship. The ship had two decks with the railings lined with the cannons and peep holes in the bottom decks with even more artillery guns. At the nose of the ship was the menacing face of Festus the dragon with his gleaming red eyes.
"This is huge! This must by ten times the bigger than the original Argo," exclaimed the original Jason as he entered the ship while looking around in awe.
"I had a lot of help," Leo said from behind him. "Weird, I never thought I would show THE Jason this ship," Leo said. "Want to take a tour?"
Jason followed Leo around the ship who showed him the cannons that were lined along the ship's perimeter jutting out of holes along the exterior. The weapons were of civil war design that fired shells made of greek fire incased in celestial bronze and grappling hooks too. The barracks were simply a large open room that was a quarter of Grand Central Station. Hundreds of hammocks hung over every square inch of the room with footlockers that sat below them. Then Leo lead him up a ladder to the upper deck. The upper deck was the size of two foot ball fields. The center mast was as tall as a watchtower and the along the railings were more cannons. At the bow and prow of the ship were two fifty caliber machine guns that fired celestial bronze bullets. Leo then led Jason up a small staircase to the bridge. A deck that sat in the bow of the ship that had a clear vantage point of the rest of the ship.
"See these are the controls," Leo said touching a handle that led to the tiller.
The control center of the ship was a cross between classic ships seen in pirate movies with a steering wheel, tiller, and the like, but it also contained several computer monitors, cables, switches, and gauges that encompassed the ship's steering wheel.
"Then what's that?" Jason said to a box shaped object connected to odd string and more box objects.
Leo's smile widened. "That's called a t.v. and this," Leo said picking up two white remotes, "this is the Wii nun chuck."
"I don't understand."
Leo shook his head, "It's a future thing but anyway it controls pretty much all the ships functions."
Leo turned on the t.v. and pointed the Wii-motes at the screen and began waving his hands.
"We got our basic controls, weapons systems, vertical take off, altitude measurements, gauges…."
Leo rambled on and Jason nodded pretending he understood everything that was being explained to him. The world had changed since he had last been here.
"...And the outer-hull is made of a mixture of celestial bronze and titanium," said Leo as he stroked the railing of the ship. "So that concludes our tour. What do you think?"
"It's...it's beautiful," Jason managed to say.
After the final preparations were made, the ship finally was ready for take off. Leo took his spot at the helm and through the ships built in PA he ordered all hands on deck. He flipped a few switches, pressed a few buttons, picked up the Wii nun chuck while simultaneously making adjustments with joy sticks and the stirring wheel. His hands were a blur as he worked. Slowly the ships engines hummed causing the entire vessel to vibrate. The ship hovered slightly above ground, meters above the air, as it's landing gear folded in to itself. The sound of the engines churning increased in volume.
"…And Houston we have liftoff," Leo said as the ship rose in the air and began to collect altitude.
The crowd below cheered and waved goodbye. The people aboard the boat gathered around the railings of the upper deck, where they all surprisingly managed to fit, and in turn waved their goodbyes and blew kisses.
Tyson could be heard yelling, "Bye ghosty, bye people, bye!"
The ship hovered higher and higher till the people on the ground were tiny ants. The ship finally stopped ascending when it was floating comfortably underneath the clouds. Everyone remained outside on the upper deck for a while enjoying the sights. They looked on in wonderment of the vast redwood forests of California, the running streams, and the sloping hills that were sprawled below them. They soon passed the California borderline and left the ravishing state behind them. For some of the campers from Camp Jupiter this was their first time leaving California in years. After a few more moments of reminiscing good times, making silent prayers, and giving one last farewell to their home, they dispersed to various regions of the ship, drawn away their duties.
Annabeth found Percy leaning over the railing, overlooking the countryside below him. Percy hated flying but at that moment, he had found serenity.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Annabeth asked from Percy's side as she curled her fingers into his.
"Yeah," said Percy deep in thought while wrapping an arm around her. "It's strange leaving that place. It was like another home," Percy told her softly.
"You were only there for a week and out of four of those days, you were roaming the West coast trying to save the God of Death."
"Camp Jupiter showed me something I never thought possible. It showed me that demigods could get a proper education, they could have families, and grow old. I never thought that would ever happen for a person like me, like us, but..." Percy trailed off longingly. "We have to win this time Annabeth or else-"
Annabeth cut him off. "We will win Percy! Listen Seaweed Brain, you have me and I have you, not to mention all the friends, new and old, that will stand by us. We can do this Percy and we're going to make Gaea wish she stayed asleep by the time we're finished with her. Besides, when you and I are work as a team, let's face it, we own."
Percy turned and looked deeply into her grey eyes and brushed his lips against hers. "You're awesome, you know that?"
"I know," she said as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Now let's go home."
"What do you think my mom is going to say about all this?" Percy said.
Annabeth inspected every aspect of his body with her intelligent eyes. "You need a haircut," she said plainly.
"I do not!"
"Do too."
"Do not."
"Do too! She also wanted me to remind you that your chores are piling up."
"What! She thought I was dead!"
"So did I! I was worried, not to mention angry and maybe insane, and so was she. We had every right to be."
"This is so not fair!"
The ship sailed off eastward towards the rising sun. Apollo had been generous that morning and awarded the Earth with a golden sun. The ship faded into the clouds as Annabeth and Percy's playful banter also faded away.
"Good young heroes," said the earth lady with her eyes closed. "Form these friendships, these bonds, these connection, because when I crush you, your defeat will be even more devastating."
Review please and if you haven't already hit that favorite button, you can do so bellow, and it's much appreciated. Constructive criticism is welcomed and questions and comments will be answered. If you add the story or review you also get a high-five. Note that I just gave you one for incentive.