A/N: I thought i'd do this chapter differently, just to shake it up. Also, watch out for the names i use. Most of them are crosses of characters from my favourite book and tv series. Review the ones you recognize!
Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or HoO or Penderwicks, or any of the tv/book series i make allusions to in this chapter.
Annabeth banged on the table with her fist, trying to restore order to the meeting. "People!" she yelled over the chattering. No one looked her way. "Oh for the love of Zeus: SHUT UP!" Everyone, every single cabin leader looked up at her, shocked.
"That's better," Annabeth said teresly. "Next time, i'd appreciate it if you respond when i ask for quiet." The others looked down guiltily.
"Annabeth is right," Chiron said. he was sitting in his wheelchair. "At times like these, order is essential." The leaders muttered their 'sorrys' and 'it won't happen agains'.
"Now," Annabeth said, returning to her normal self. "As you know, Tyson visited a few days ago. He gave us some information." Immediately, excited chatting broke out, but one look from Annabeth made them stop immediately.
"He said. . . he said. . " Annabeth sighed. 'Get it together,' she thought to herself. 'Now is not the time for a breakdown.' "He said that Percy is alright-" cheering broke out, which Annabeth allowed, seeing as she had felt like cheering when she first heard. "But that he recently started a quest, and there is a good chance he won't be alright after it." The table descended once again into silence.
"But guys," Travis said after a while. "C'mon. Percy will be fine! He's gone on, like, a million quests before!"
"This one's different," Annabeth said grimly. "First of all, he's going with Romans, and who knows how much we can trust them. And secondly. . .there are armies marching south, towards them. And he's headed to Alaska, where the gods can't help you. And. . ." she trailed off, realizing she wasn't exactly helping on the optimism front.
"The point is," Chiron said. "Since Percy is on a quest, whether or not he returns, it means we must get ready for our journey."
"You mean the one to the Roman camp?" Willow Summers, daughter of Eunomia, asked.
"And to Greece," Sophie added.
Annabeth nodded. "Yes. We will be taking a number of people to the camp, but only seven- Romans included- will go on to Greece."
Outraged comments rang through the air. Some people moaned and groaned.
"Guys, c'mon," Annabeth said. "You knew this already. Besides, not even all of you are going to the Roman camp!"
Dead silence fell.
"What?" Leo asked angrily.
"Oh, give me a break," Annabeth sighed. "You know you're going." He grinned happily, for he did know this.
"Are you serious?" Darcy Delaney, son of Morpheus, asked.
"Of course she is," Katie Gardner said. "We can't all go! What would be the point?"
"Thank you Katie," Annabeth said, jumping in before anyone said anything else. "There are a select few going, and they were picked for a reason." SHe ruffled through some papers, until she found her list, something she had worked on with Chiron, Grover and Juniper.
"Okay," she said, glancing at the first few names. "I think it's obvious that Piper, Jason and Leo are going, seeing as it's clear they're part of the seven."
"Yeah, hive-five!" Leo exclaimed, raising his hand to his friends in triumph. Out of tact, neither of them responded.
Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Alright, next. . . Sophie. You're the leader of the children of peace, so your, um. .skills might be beneficial when we first meet the Romans."
"I'll try," Sophie beamed.
"Nico," Annabeth siad, looking up to make eye contact with the boy. "You're a very valuable asset. We'll take you, but seeing as the Romans don't. . .um. . take to well to spawn of Hades, you might have to work from the sidelines." He nodded grimly, fully aware of the Roman's prejudice.
"Katie," Annabeth continued, "I know you can't go. But i feel like we should have a child of Demeter on our ship. I was thinking about taking Olivia?"
Olivia was a daughter of Demeter, and she was Katie's second in command. "i've already spoken to her," Katie said. "I thought this might happen." Annabeth nodded.
"Connor and Travis."
THe two boys looked up eagarly.
"Despite your constant attempts to bribe me, you will not be going." Their faces fell immediately. Annabeth held up her hands to ward off any protests. "Guys, seriously," she said. "I'm only addressing you directly, because I know that if I don't, you'll find some sort of loophole in the system. Which is exactly why you aren't going. You'll just cause trouble, which is the last thing we need right now.
"Willow, we could use a daughter of the goddess of order and lawfullness." Willow nodded.
"And, Thomas," Thomas Crawley looked up. "A son of Nike could really help us."
Okay. . ." Annabeth looked nervously to Chiron, who gave her an encouraging stone-faced look. "That was the list until about a week ago-"
"What about fighting power?" Will Solace asked angrily.
"We're taking the Hunters as well," Annabeth said, galring back at him. "As i was saying, until about a few weeks ago, that was the list."
"What changed?" Pollux asked.
Annabeth's eyes slid over to Rosalind, who, as the only Daughter of Hera, was included in the meeting. Rosalind had been so quiet the whole time, that almost no one had noticed her. But everyone did now.
Rosalind's eye's widened. She was about to protest, but Annabeth stopped her before she began.
"You're a daughter of Hera. You have natural leadership skills. And, clearly, seeing as you live with three sisters, you are an expert at diffusing fights. We're going to need a lot of that with the Romans." She stared at Rosalind, propping her fists on the table.
"But i have no experience! I would get killed out there!" Rosalind said desperately.
"We'd keep you out of battle. We need you to help with the attitude between Romans and Greeks, not with the combat." She softened when she saw Rosalind's uncertain and unconfident eyes. "Rosalind," she added gently. "We need you."
Rosalind bit her lip, and stared at the table. Then, slowly, she brought her head up, and nodded.
Annabeth grinned. "Wonderful. Now. . .as you know, Percy is likely to be at the Roman camp." Her heart fluttered when she heard his name, which was ridiculous, seeing as she was the one saying it.
"You're happy about that, aren't you Annie?" Travis called.
"We all are," Katie said, in a tone that said; stop-being-an-idiot-and-shut-up.
Annabeth shot Katie a grateful look, her cheeks red. "As i was saying, Percy might be there. And, so I thought. . ." She trailed off once again, unsure of how to phrase the next part, seeing as it could cause some unease.
Chiron wheeled himself forward. "We were considering bringing Miss Elizabeth Penderwick on our trip."
THere was a confused silence around the table.
"Batty?" Rosalind said in disbelief. The others understood immediately.
"Now Rosalind," Chiron said soothingly. "She would be out of danger. We would keep her at the Roman camp, protected at all times."
"But why?" Rosalind said, her voice rising. "Why does she need to go."
"We thought it'd be nice for her to meet Percy," Annabeth said quietly. "And for Percy to meet her."
"Why can't she meet him when he gets back from the Greece quest?" Rosalind frowned.
Annabeth was bent her head, quiet. She tried to still her heart, which was beating rapidly at what Rosalind failed to realize was being implied.
Rosalind's eyes widened. She shook her head at her own obliviousness, and sighed. "Of course. Batty can go."
"Thank you," Annabeth whispered. "It would mean alot to him." Then, she scolded herself silently for being so cynical. Percy wasn't they type to. . .go missing, on a quest. That is, if he went at all.
"So, there you have it," Chiron said. "That is our Roman Camp quest team." Indignant 'heys!' and grumbles sounded immediately.
"Actually," Annabeth called over the din. everyone fell hopefully silent. "There was one more person i would. .. like to bring with us."
Chiron frowned, but adjusted himself to look curiously at her.
"Over the past few days, I've come to realize the. . .value of one of my siblings." Annabeth regarded the frowning faces of her peers, yet she was fully confident in her choice.
"She has helped me alot, and she's kind of. . .incredible."
"Just tell us already!" Darcy shouted.
"I would like to bring Skye Penderwick."
"She just got here!" Travis shouted. "Why should she go?"
Annabeth leaned into the table, as if telling a secret. "I know it sounds crazy. But you haven't really talked to her. Things are obvious to her, when it takes ages for the rest of us to figure it out. We won Capture the Flag yesturday because of her."
"That was her strategy?" Sophie asked. "I thought it was yours."
Annabeth shook her head excitedly. "It took even me a while to realize that it was brilliant. See, she's that type of person we need. Someone who thinks outside the box. And she'll never get arrogant, so she'll never screw up the way arrogant people tend to do."
There were still frowns around the table. "Look," Annabeth said. "She's fierce, she's loyal, she's an amazing fighter, and she's got a subtle kind of genius that none of the rest of us have. If there's anyone else we should take, it's her."
"I agree," Chiron said. Annabeth looked over in surprise. He was one of the people she expected to be skeptical. "Skye is strong. We could use her."
"I think it's a good idea too," Willow said.
"Yeah, maybe that's because you're already going," Darcy said sullenly. "Three Penderwicks? Give me a break."
Rosalind raised an eyebrow at his rudness, considering one of said Penderwicks was in his presence.
"They're going," Annabeth stated. "And that's final."
As they were walking out of the room, Annabeth galnced nervously at Chiron. "Do you think it is wise to bring three Penderwicks?"
'They are remarkable children," Chiron replied. and with that, he rose from his chair and cantered away, leaving Annabeth to muse over her decision.
A/N: Okay, i'm kind of skeptical, just like Darcy. But it could work. And don't worry, i haven't excluded Jane and Jeffery. Now, review!