A/N: Okay, so there was some flames about Reyna being a jerk. I want to be perfectly clear that I like Reyna very much and I admire her. This story won't be related about Reyna being the one between JASPER. Their different worlds separate them. And I was just thinking that for a first time meeting the Greeks Reyna wouldn't be so nice and friendly. Romans and Greeks had always hated each other and that can't be overcome in a second. Plus, she's a daughter of war! Besides, she's supposedly into Jason. Maybe she'll get a little hot-heated, I know I would.
After all, she never really trusted them that much in the first place. She was just too noble to show her emotions. She started trusting Annabeth and the rest of the seven, well, maybe except Leo. But I don't see her hugging and stuff with them.
Chapter 4: All kinds of news
It was really overwhelming, Jason decided. Before dinner time he finally had time to wander a little around the Greek camp. After a lot of Romans stopped him to converse or complain about something he had to find himself a private place. He needed to think. That's why he walked behind the cabin of Jupi…Zeus (he had to remember that this was the Greek camp and this was Zeus, not Jupiter) and making sure that no one can see him he casually flew up and on the rooftop. It wasn't such a brilliant cover but he wasn't going to be noticed unless someone looked up. Good thing it wasn't night just yet.
There, on the rooftop with the early summer breeze touching lightly his exposed face and arms he managed to finally let the guard down completely. He sat cross legged and his eyes started wandering from the fighting arena where ten or so buff-looking kids were practicing with their swords. He unconsciously started following their moves, amazed by the new technique. They weren't fighting like the Romans; that was for sure. It would give both sides a hard time in a mixed combat. But they weren't the enemy.
His eyes stopped on the shooting range. Chiron was teaching archery there to some of the small kids. He noticed a fairly familiar face, the Will guy, head councilor of the Apollo cabin. He was there also, helping the kids with a kind beaming smile that could rival the sun. This kind of behavior towards soldiers was completely intolerable in the Roman camp. Even in his early days at the camp (when he was only 5 or 6 years old) only a few from the fifth cohort tried to help him. The others just gave him his work and left, expecting him to do it without complain. And he did, he had always been doing ever since.
His eyes widened, seeing a wall that was covered in lava. Two kids were trying to reach the top, one was a girl. At closer inspection Jason could recognize Piper's form as she grabbed on the wall, trying to pull herself up and get ahead of her opponent. His chest tightened at the sight of her climbing up like a cat, somehow managing to avoid being burned by the white-hot lava or falling.
Truth been told, deep down Jason wasn't much surprised of her in general. He had always knew that she was different from the other girls. The way she had fought with Jimmy Donovan at their school in San Francisco just for making an insulting comment about her parents should have led him to the conclusion that she could fight if she wanted to. Maybe the only thing he was really surprised by was her godly parentage. Sure, she was very beautiful but Venus? He would have never guessed. And not because she lacked the looks, more like she lacked the lack of…girly behavior from her. He had never seen her wear make-up. Not even on the school dances where she was dressed in a long barely reaching her mid-thighs tunic and black leggings underneath it. No short skirts, no cleavage-revealing tops…anything that screamed 'daughter of Love'.
And yet again, it was so obvious, now that he thought of it. She was also nice, caring and loving. She was the one to pull him away from fights, muttering it's not worth it in a way that always made him to untangle his fingers from the fists they were in. She was always able to point the bright site of the problem, even when he was put in detention for hitting Jack Morris after P.E. He felt thousands of times lighter when he was with her. So much that there were times when he dreaded going back to camp after school and finding himself wanting to run back and accept her offer to hang out at her place. But Octavian would have grown suspicious if he was not back in time.
A horn blew not far away and he sighed. Time to return back to his life.
''You told her what?'' an incredulous sounding voice came from not far away and Jason spotted the curly Latino buy from earlier, the son of Hephaestus Leo two chairs away looking with eyes blown wide at one of the twin-brothers-but-not-really that were sons of Mercury, or rather Hermes since they were Greek.
''You heard me right man, I totally blew her away.'' He stated proudly, mischievous blue eyes twinkling with a fire that always caused trouble.
''And you want to tell me that you escaped Clarisse La Rue's wrath just like that?'' Another boy, who resembled Dakota a little (Jason thought his name was Polux, a silent kid actually) asked.
The son of Hermes puffed his chest out, not saying a word but his grin was enough.
''I wouldn't count on it Connor.'' Piper's voice cut off the boys' talk, gaining their attention while Jason tried to not look as he was eavesdropping their conversation.
''And why is that Beauty queen?'' the guy asked and Jason had to clench his fists tightly to prevent himself from going there and taking her with him.
''First, do not ever call me that or you'll meet Katorpsis.'' She threatened and Jason raised an eyebrow at no one in particular. Who the heck was that? ''And second, Clarisse will take the first chance she has to kick you so hard that you'll end up in the infirmary for at least a month. I advise you to watch your back.''
Connor stood silent for a while and he had just opened his mouth to speak when Chiron's hooves clomped and gained the attention of the campers.
''I hope that our guests have enjoyed the night here or at least found it interesting.'' Chiron smiled, addressing the Romans.
Truth been told, all the sitting-around-camp-fire and the sing-along even felt nice. In a strange, unfamiliar way but still. For a few minutes Jason almost forgot the reality. It was like they all were regular kids in a regular camp doing normal stuff. Like they weren't only allies, like they were friends as well. Some sort of a family even though that was a little far-fetched. But it was a relaxing change of the scenery. And by the nodding and murmuring of some of his fellow legionaries, he wasn't the only one liking it.
''However, we need to discus a more serious matter. An information has been confirmed that the army of monsters is nearing. They have reached the border line between Omaha and Pennsylvania which is further away as we thought they would progress. But this is good news for us. Tomorrow morning I want all head councilors to be gathered in the Big house where they will be given a tight schedule for training and building up defense systems.''
A few dozen campers from both camps groaned, the Greeks being more than the Romans. Jason could hear the murmurs around him.
''Seriously, it reminds me too much of the battle of Manhattan.'' Some grumbled.
''Like we don't deserve any rest.'' Another angry voice sounded.
Jason felt grim too. He didn't know the part the Greeks had in the Titan war but if it was anything like the battle that was held for mount Tam, he could understand them perfectly. War wasn't his favorite thing at all. He had seen so many friends getting killed in it…He was sure that the horrific memories would haunt him until the end.
''On the brighter side, Mr. D, our director decided that in attempt for proper battle training a tradition should be kept. Tomorrow evening, just after lunch would be held a game of Capture the flag!''
His voice after that was muffled by excited shouts from the Greeks. Especially from the Mars/Ares cabin, that were glowing with satisfaction. The biff girl, leading them looked at Connor and draw a thumb under her head while smiling. Even from this distance the son of Jupiter could hear the loud gulping sound that came from the boy.
''Told you so.'' Piper mumbled.
''I wander what the arrangements will be. Obviously, not all of the campers can play or either there would be more campers than trees in the woods.'' A girl, Jason thought her name was Lou Ellen, asked.
''No idea, we'll probably get the instructions tomorrow….''
''Jason…'' he nearly jumped up from his bench, being so caught up listening on the conversation that forgot about his surroundings.
''Sorry, yeah?'' he turned to his fellow praetor sitting next to him.
''Nothing I just…'' for a while the daughter of Belona looked a little insecure if she should speak or not but then she sighed and held her head up like usual, not facing him. ''I'm sorry about the argument we previously had. I didn't have any real reason to doubt your loyalty towards our home.''
''It's okay Rey.'' He answered a little lowly, not wanting their conversation to be overheard. ''I wasn't really that affected by it anyway.'' He lied smoothly. ''A lot of things happened recently, the battle in San Francisco, loosing our home, moving all the way here...all of us are too nervous and jumpy.'' He concluded not wanting to continue this conversation. He knew that Reyna didn't admit her mistakes so easily and he wasn't the one to ponder over it anyway.
''I'm just concerned that this…'' she gestured towards all the campers sitting in a circle around the blazing fire. ''…is not going to end well. Some of the legionaries aren't…but we can't talk about this here.'' She shook her casting a sideways glance at Octavian, sitting two seats away from them. Jason only nodded in understanding.
''The minions, I get it.'' It was their private joke, to call the augur's followers like that. Like a code word that no one knew. ''But there always will be people that don't approve. It's our job to keep the balance.''
''We can do it.'' She nodded, looking at Chiron who was finishing his speech about who was going on guard tonight and where.
''Of course we can. We've done it before.'' He agreed. A rather comfortable silence fell between them since the tension from before was gone.
Reyna was about to speak again when a collective gasp coming from around gained their attention and the two looked at the opposite side of the fire. Jason's eyes got wide as he spotted the person.
''Sorry that we're late. We ran in some monsters not far away but we took care of them. What did I miss?'' the girl asked, grinning. A faint silver glow was surrounding her, making her spiky black hair and electric blue eyes stand out even more. Her head was held high as she took in her surroundings before finally greeting Annabeth and Percy.
Not far away, Jason noticed Piper waving with a smile too.
Chiron turned towards the Romans.
''Everyone, this is the lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis…''
Jason barely recognized his voice as he spoke, the only one standing up from the Romans and staring at the girl in disbelief.
''Thalia!?''
A\N: Okay, this was a bit shorter than the previous ones but I just couldn't resist to stop it here. Now it's up to you, do you want to see the siblings reunion in the next chapter (meaning it will be Jason's POV again) or do you want to skip directly to the start of Capture the flag? Decisions, decisions…It's all up to you, my brilliant readers! Thank you for all the support and I really hope that you enjoy this story so far! LOVE YOU ALL!
P.S. A little Jayna friendship moment for all of you who like their friendship like me. They are one of my favorite broships (of I can call it like that since she's a girl) along with Percy and Piper, Percy and Jason, Leo and Piper and Jason, Thalia and Annabeth/Percy and so on. You get the idea…:))