Leo VII

Everything was ready, the engines where heating up and the mast was flying in the early evening breeze. All that was missing was Percy, who seemed to be taking a little longer than he promised. The rest of them where sat in the small room they had reserved for meetings, they didn't want to be in deck it would draw too much attention for the Romans. It was strange to think Jason had from this camp, who seemed to absolutely hate them, if he hadn't been swapped would he have thought the same as Octavian? No Leo couldn't think that of his friend. His best friend. One of his only friends.

The room wasn't much, just a rectangular space cut off with a large wooden table in the centre. Annabeth set at the head, drumming her fingers in anticipation. Jason had his hands behind his back and was stood by one of the port holes looking out. He was nervous that much was obvious. Leo tried to remember that this was his home. Hazel was sat opposite him, leaning against one of her hands lazily. She kept sending Leo nervous, questioning glances. He noted that she was very pretty, probably a year or two younger than himself, with big brown eyes and frizzy black hair that whizzed around her face in dizzy excitement. Though he was pretty sure she was dating that Frank guy who was next to her and seemed to be in his own little world.

"What do you think is taking him so long?" Piper asked from next to Leo. "Do you think we should send someone out to look for him?"

"Yeah maybe they've fed him to the lions." Leo offered.

"They wouldn't do that." Jason said, still not looking at any of them.

"Percy's faced the Nemean Lion before, I'm sure he'd have no problem." Annabeth said offhandedly, Leo saw Jason shift his feet on the floor, was he ok? Should Leo go see what was wrong? Nah they were guys and Jason was a son of the most powerful god ever.

"Hey Annabeth you were kind of spooked by that Octapus guy…"

"Octavian." Piper reminded him.

"Yeah that's what I said, anyway I've never seen you look like that before, not even what that Clarisse went on that rampage during capture the flag."

"He just reminded me of a friend." She shrugged. At this Jason turned to look at her with a frown creasing his eyebrows, but he didn't have a chance to say anything because at that moment footsteps where heard running up the ramp and then across the deck.

"Guys?" It was Percy. "Annabeth? We gotta go!" Jason turned quickly back to the port hole and looked out.

"Octavian's set the roman army after us." He said in a weird dead pan voice, something was definitely up with him. On hearing the news Annabeth got up from her seat, drawing her famous knife, her eyes had suddenly gone a weird, cold, grey, her 'battle' eyes. Leo had noticed everybody had them, that look they get before they're about to gut something.

"I'll go up and help Percy pull the ramp, Frank you come with us you look pretty strong." Frank seemed to puff his chest out a little and Hazel smiled at him.

"I'm strong!" Leo demanded like a child.

"Grow up, we need you to start the ship, you've got that remote thing Jake gave you?" Leo nodded holding it up with pride. They'd decided that it would be easier to have a sort of autopilot; everything could be controlled by this remote no matter where Leo was on the ship, though personally he preferred using the real steering wheel like a real captain.

"Right here!" He told her with a grin, suddenly the ship lurched slightly as a huge, BOOM! Filled the room.

"What in the name of Hades was that?" Piper asked, she'd picked up the lingo well at camp half-blood.

"The catapults." Hazel told her.

"Come on!" Annabeth cried with urgency, dragging Frank to the top of the ship with her. Leo looked down at the remote, he hadn't actually made it, he'd been far too busy with the ship but Jake had spent months on it. Leo couldn't help but smile, it had been so long since he'd had what could be called a family and the kids in the 'Hephy'* cabin with him where pretty cool people.

"Should I press that button now?" Leo asked looking around at the remaining people in the room. Piper opened her mouth to speak just as a call from above screamed:

"LEO WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE OLYMPIANS ARE YOU WAITING FOR?"

"I think you're safe to do it now." Hazel told him.

Leo pressed his finger down on the button that had a set of wings on it (Jake had said he deliberately made it so even an idiot could use it, Leo wasn't quite sure yet whether that was an insult). Suddenly the boat sprang into the air faster than he had meant it to. Hazel was gripping the table turning her knuckles bright white, chewing her lip. Piper had screamed and Jason had fallen over since he didn't have anything to hold onto.

"TURN IT OFF TURN IT OFF TURN IT OFF!" Annabeth screamed from the deck. Quickly as he could, with a shaking finger, Leo turned the knob at the top that looked kind of like volume control. The ship came to a halt, hanging in the air as if gravity didn't exist. Actually did it exist? Leo wondered. If science was just a crack pot mortal theory? Jason got slowly to his feet; Piper held a hand to her heart and Hazel wiped sweat from her brow. None of them said anything, just glared meaningfully at Leo who sunk into his chair.
After a few moments the door banged open and in came Annabeth and Frank supporting a pale Percy who didn't seem to like being helped.

"Is he ok?" Piper asked. "Did he get hurt?"

"Did they feed him to the lions?" Leo asked but everyone seemed to ignore him, as per usual.

"'mm fine." Percy mumbled as Annabeth placed him down into a chair.

"Few cuts and bruises." Annabeth said frowning.

"He's not so good with air travel." Hazel told the other three. "And that little lift off was enough to make anybody want to puke.

"Please don't." Leo told her. "I only just got this thing carpeted." Hazel smiled and looked at him.

"I'll try not to."

"Percy man do you want some water?" Frank asked, Percy shook his head and then placed it in his hands.

"I just need a few minutes."

"Well they'll have to wait. Why do you have cuts and bruises?" Annabeth asked angrily.

"Because he was attacked?" Piper offered.

"No, Percy doesn't get cuts and bruises." She said determinedly.

"Never? No one is that good, not even Jason." Leo commented.

"Not Percy, at least he didn't." She knelt down beside him. "Did you get rid of your curse?" Percy lifted his hands up from his eyes and looked at her, his bright sea green eyes dulled by the darkness around them and nodded.

"Hera got rid of it for me, when I crossed the river."

"Curse?" Hazel asked. "You where cursed?" This seemed to have everyone's attention; even Jason was looking intrigued by the story.

"Yes." Percy said simply turning to look at Hazel, "And it was all your brothers' god damn fault."