A/N: Hello again, all! I think I've decided that I will likely be posting Sundays and perhaps either Wednesdays or Thursdays until the week of January 22nd, when it will be only Sunday postings if that. I start all upper level, really hard classes soon so I'm going to have a lot on my plate come January.

Also, this fic would be terrifyingly long if I did every single chapter over in the same format as The Lost Hero, so I will only be writing from Reyna's perspective. This means that anything that happens without Reyna involved I will not be narrative or rewriting, because if it doesn't involve her it very likely would not change much. However, I will be making my greatest effort to integrate everything in background scenes into the story so that this AU narrative stays stable.

Thank you, also, for all the feedback! I'm definitely taking into consideration a lot of the comments and critiques, and I really appreciate the reviews. Thank you for reading! And thanks to creatureofthegeeks on tumblr for helping me decide the level to which Percy is dramatic. On with the show!

Read, review, and I hope you enjoy.

As the chariot landed, not particularly well, a boy of around sixteen essentially stumbled out of it as he began to search around for gods knew what. He was talk and dark haired, and kind of the sort of guy Reyna would think handsome and, strangely, beautiful. Not feminine, but less hardened and rugged than a lot of guys and he didn't look like the ridiculous, bulky buffoons that generally frequented the minds of teenagers. Dylan came to mind.

The boy's foot got caught on part of the chariot, but it was as if he didn't notice. He essentially ripped his foot out of the hole in which it had been caught, still looking horribly frantic and frightened. "Annabeth!" he shouted, looking around. He turned behind him. "She's not here." He began breathing deeply, glaring at absolutely nothing in the distance, but it was clear he was seeing something more than just the horizon. "You said she would be here," he growled, staring ahead, "you told me I would find her."

Okay, thought Reyna, maybe the whole looking good thing was completely irrelevant when he was appearing to have a psychotic break.

"Where's Annabeth?" he demanded as he ran toward Reyna and took her by the shoulders. "You're not Annabeth."

Reyna momentarily felt the urge to step away from him, but instead she glared back and pushed his hands away. "Of course I'm not!" she replied. "And get off of me."

The girl who was next to him in the chariot clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Cool it, Jackson, we'll find her."

The boy, whom Reyna assumed was called Jackson, glared at the girl with the scraggly brown hair. "I swear to Hades, Clarisse, if you don't move your hand…"

Clarisse stepped back about three feet and sighed. "What did you expect? Annabeth to be sitting here, legs crossed in front of her computer as she babbled on about the Arkda Triumph's infrastructure or whatever?"

"Arc de Triomphe," the boy corrected. It seemed automatic and unintentional, like he hadn't actually intended to say it. "There has to be some sort of clue around here. We wouldn't have been sent here if there hadn't been a reason." Resuming the frantic frenzy, Percy began pacing, his head down, until he stopped right in front of Reyna. "She's got a shoe missing," shouted the Jackson kid, pointing at Reyna in an almost accusing manner. "She was supposed to lead us to Annabeth!"

Reyna blinked. "My shoe isn't m –" She looked to the ground. She was wearing a grand total of one dark blue converse. "Oh."

"Wait, wait, wait," said Piper, holding up her hands. "Everybody, hold your horses, because those metaphorical horses are getting seriously out of control." It was as if a wave of calmness rushed over everyone, which surprised Reyna since she had been feeling horribly lost. "Who are you, who is Annabeth, and why are there flying horses in front of me when that clearly isn't something that makes sense in this world?" Then she nodded over to the Jackson boy. "And, for god's sake, what is his damage?"

"Pegasi," said the kid named Jackson.

Piper blinked. "Excuse me?"

"The flying horse," he muttered, "they're called Pegasi."

Piper nodded slowly. "I thought there was only one named Pegasus. But alright then, Jackson, Pegasi."

"It's Percy, actually. Percy Jackson."

"Okay, Percy," said Reyna, stepping in. "Why exactly are you in such a rage right now, and how can we help out?"

Percy looked as if he were about to cry. "Annabeth's missing."

"Yeah, dude?" interjected Leo. "Not to be rude, but we kind of guessed that."

Piper elbowed Leo in the ribs. "Leo, cool it," she hissed.

"Can you tell us who Annabeth is?" asked Reyna carefully.

"His girlfriend," said Clarisse.

Percy nodded. "Disappeared about three days ago. Just – gone." As if washed over with rage, Percy ripped a pen out of his pocket, uncapped it to reveal a massive sword, and drove it into the side of the building.

Reyna, Piper and Leo stepped back, whereas Clarisse basically just rolled her eyes.

"I'd be tempted to make a pen-to-sword innuendo," said Leo, eyeing Percy's weapon, "but I'm afraid you'd skewer me."

As if Percy hadn't heard a word, he walked toward the edge of the canyon and yelled, "WHERE HAVE YOU TAKEN HER?!" The thunderous roar echoed too many times. He dropped to his knees and curled onto himself, shouting. Leo actually stumbled away from Percy, situating himself conveniently behind Reyna and Piper. Piper turned around and raised one eyebrow at him.

He mumbled something about not meaning to do it and moved back next to her.

"Don't mind him," said Clarisse. "The goddess of marriage hates his girlfriend and swept her up to gods know where, so he's having a bit of a constant hissy fit these days."

Clarisse's nonchalance worried Reyna. "And you think it's acceptable just to mock him in this situation?" she asked. "Really, he needs assistance, not someone trying to tear him down."

Reyna rolled back her shoulders and walked over to Percy, grabbing the back of his shirt and pulling him into a standing position. He stared at her, looking bewildered. "Alright now, Percy," began Reyna sternly. "Nothing's going to be accomplished by throwing yourself on the ground and shouting at dirt. It's not going to respond, and it's not going to help you."

Percy coughed and steadied himself, looking surprised. "I – alright then. Where's Gleeson?"

"Where's who?"

"Your protector," said Percy, capping his sword – what? – and Reyna watched in surprise as it shrunk to a pen again. "Gleeson Hedge?"

"Coach? The guy with the goat legs? I think it's called a satyr?" asked Leo. "Yeah, he…"

"The venti got him," said Reyna quietly.

"The what?" Clarisse asked. "I'm not sure I've heard that…Oh, well, he's gone?"

Percy turned to her. "A little sensitivity, maybe?"

Clarisse rolled her eyes. "Whatever. You demigods okay?"

"Demi-whos?" asked Leo, frowning. "There's a lot of weird lingo going around, people, you might want to make some of this clearer."

"Half god, half human," said Percy, still looking a bit distracted. "Also known as –"

"Halfblood," interrupted Reyna.

All four of the others whirled around to stare at her. "How did you know that?" asked Percy.

Reyna struggled for an explanation. "I – I have no idea," she said, fighting for another glimpse of memory. "I don't know."

Clarisse turned to Piper. "What's wrong with her?"

"Not sure," said Piper, shrugging, "it's either memory loss or she was dropped in our lives randomly."

Percy began to say something, changed it to a yelp mid syllable, and then looked away.

"What the…?" said Piper.

Percy cleared his throat. "We need to get the three of you out of here," he said authoritatively. "We're going to need more of your story, but you can explain on the way."

Reyna strode toward the chariot, and immediately pet one of the pegasi in front of her. For reasons she couldn't explain, it comforted her and gave her strength. "A group of venti attacked us, we almost died, I was called a daughter of war, I apparently lost my shoe, and we've been called demigods," clarified Reyna as her eyes were locked on the beautiful creature nuzzling into her hand. "That good enough for you?"

Clarisse climbed in the chariot. "Oh!" she said, as if she was suddenly remembering something. "You mean wind spirits?" she asked. "The, uh, ane – anemoina…" She trailed off. "Well, they have a Greek name that's definitely not some Starbucks drink. How did you know that?"

Reyna, still with the Pegasus, shrugged. "No idea," she muttered.

Gently, Piper came up beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Reyna, we should probably go."

Nodding, she moved away from the Pegasus and stepped onto the chariot.

Percy was curled up on the ground, looking worse for wear.

"Are you alright?" Piper asked him. "You look…Not good."

He waved away the question. "I'll find her," he muttered. "I'll find you, Annabeth."

Piper glanced over to Reyna, who simply shrugged in response, and they looked over to Clarisse.

"Yeah, yeah, I've got it," Clarisse said with an eye roll. "You, the one missing a shoe, take care of Weepy the Waterboy over there. He's supposed to be piloting, but he's not really in the right state of mind." She took a deep breath. "Damn it, Butch, why'd you have to get in that archery accident…" She seemed to be readying herself.

"Are you okay?" Reyna asked her.

Clarisse nodded, not looking at her. "Yeah. Drove my dad's ride once. This'll be cake." She jerked her head over to where Percy was sitting, looking like he was about to tear out his hair. "Now sit."

Reyna nodded and sat between Percy and Piper, feeling a little uncomfortable.

Piper wasn't quite focusing on anything and appeared to be thinking deeply, and Reyna didn't want to get in the middle of it, so she settled for staring ahead and grinning at Leo, who was looking uncomfortable.

"So what's this about demigods?" Leo asked. "Are we, like, able to fly or something? Because that would have made me nearly falling off a canyon a lot less terrifying."

Reyna shrugged. "No idea. In case you've forgotten, I don't even know my last name."

There was a silence for longer than Reyna wanted to think about. She wasn't just lacking a memory, she was horribly uncomfortable, and beyond that she really wanted to want to put her arm around Piper, but it wouldn't have been fair to either of them.

A few minutes through the awkward silence, the chariot started to jolt.

"Oh – oh no," said Clarisse. "Jackson! Jackson! I- I need help!" The last sentence left her as if it was forced out, like she had never thought she would utter those words in her life. "PERCY!"

As if waking from a trance, Percy lifted his head. "What?"

"They're back," Clarisse said, "the – the wind things. Anemonoai – the things that are trying to kill us are back – and they're trying to kill us!"

Reyna turned around. Whirling winds clashed together to create angry horses stampeding toward them. "Oh dear," she managed to say before one of them slammed into the back wheel.

"Percy!" shouted Clarisse. "Oh, gods, Percy, where's the button?"

"Button?!" asked Leo, halfway to a shriek. "What's the button do, send us to happy land and out of evil horseville? And why aren't they people anymore?"

"They change shape," said Percy, scrambling to the front of the chariot. "And there is no button, Clarisse, it's a flick of the reigns! They're not mechanical!"

Percy shoved her out of the way, only for the chariot to be hit even harder the second time, sending him flailing off balance and falling on top of Leo.

Reyna, feeling almost as if she was on autopilot, rolled to the front of the chariot, snatched up the reigns, and checked behind her one last time. The venti were gaining on them. With a technical twist of her wrists, she flicked the reigns, sending them flying into a black wall of speed.

Reyna fought to hold on as the entire chariot felt as if it was struggling not to shatter under their weight and the force of speed. The reins felt as if they were trying to pull out of her hands. She heard Piper scream, Leo swear, Percy yell something about, "DON'T KILL US, ZEUS, I'M SORRY!" and Clarisse whimper quietly on the floor.

Finally the chariot slowed, and Reyna, not expecting it, was thrown over the front of the chariot.

"REYNA!" screamed Piper. She ran to the front of the chariot, leaning over it to see Reyna still holding onto the reins. They'd been looped through metal rings to prevent them from flying out, and the rings were just strong enough to hold a teenage girl.

"Um," said Reyna, trying to remain calm, "help?"

Piper was already reaching down to pull up the reins, but she didn't quite have the strength.

"Leo! Percy! Somebody help me!" she commanded. In an instant both boys were over, and they managed to pull Reyna up quickly enough that she didn't quite have time to be terrified. She went to sit on the floor when Percy took the reins and tried to steer, until he realized that the Pegasi weren't steady.

"Oh no," he said, groaning, "not again."

"Not what again?" asked Leo. "Not WHAT again?!"

"We're crashing," said Percy, trying to configure the Pegasi to go the right way.

"Aim for the lake!" shouted Clarisse. "The lake!"

Piper, Leo, and Reyna's screams were interwoven as the three of them at the same time realized they were plummeting into water from about three hundred feet in the air.

The crash never came.

"Hah!" exclaimed Percy. "Ye-heah!" He moved his arms and caught the chariot in what appeared to be a pillar of water, and gently lowered them over to the beach.

The five of them plus the Pegasi froze for a brief moment as the chariot landed.

"We lived?" asked Leo. "How did – I'm alive, how does that even work?"

"Yeah, what was that weird ninja water power?" asked Piper, standing and holding out a hand for Reyna to pull herself up on. Reyna took it and stood next to her, realizing a second too late that she didn't stop holding it when it would have been appropriate.

"I'm a son of Poseidon," said Percy, running toward the edge of the chariot and leaping over it. He held out a hand to help everyone else down, but Piper pulled herself up to sit on the ledge and dropped down, Leo scrambled over it and landed on his butt, and Reyna got off in the same move Percy made. "It's what I do. I manipulate water."

"Like a water ninja," suggested Leo as he brushed off the seat of his pants

"Sure, yeah, like a water ninja."

A group of people began to surround them. "Aw, man," groaned a boy with blonde hair. "I said you could borrow the chariot, not destroy it."

Percy smiled apologetically, something Reyna could tell wouldn't even get him out of trouble with his girlfriend. "Sorry, Will, we ran into anem-ano…" He paused, then turned to Reyna. "What did you call them?"

"Venti," said Reyna. "We ran into a couple of venti."

"Anemoi thuellai," corrected Will. "You're using the Roman name."

"Thank you!" said Percy. "Gods, usually if I was stuck I'd just ask Annabeth, but –" He cut himself off with a look like a kicked puppy and a deep sigh.

"I take that as there's no sign of Annabeth yet."

Percy simply shook his head in response.

"So you're the new kids," said the kid named Will. "You're definitely over thirteen, aren't you? How come no one's claimed you yet?"

Percy shrugged. "Not sure."

"Wait," interrupted Leo, "what does claiming mean?"

A tall girl, Asian, with perfect hair and makeup, walked forward. "Look what the ocean washed up," she said, folding her arms. She turned to Percy. "So, get any information about Blondie?"

"Her name's Annabeth," growled Percy, his hand just touching his pocket. "And, no. So you can drop it. You would have known that if you had been here before, Drew."

Drew rolled her exquisitely made up eyes. "So, what, we're stuck with three newbies who don't know their ass from a tea pot and Jackson's still losing his head?" She sighed deeply. "Just our luck."

"Hey!" said Piper. "Back off!"

Before she could do anything rash, Reyna reached out a hand and took Piper's to calm her. "Calm down," said Reyna, "don't – don't do anything stupid."

Percy, who seemed like he hadn't heard a word of that conflict, said, "we'll give all three of them a tour of the camp. Hopefully they all get claimed so that they get a counselor and a cabin before dark."

Will nodded. "I'll go get Chiron."

"Sorry to bring the conversation back my original question from what feels like hours ago," said Leo, tone dripping with sarcasm, "but could somebody please tell me what claiming means?"

Reyna gasped when she saw a fiery hammer appear over Leo's head. She dropped Piper's hand in surprise, and the cold air washing over her hand reminded her of how much nicer it had been when the other girl's smaller hand had been in hers.

Percy sighed. "That, my friends, is 'claiming'."

Drew laughed. "Well, that would explain his unfortunate looks."

Leo hadn't heard her. He had looked up briefly, saw the flame, and began to freak out. "Somebody put my hair out!" he shrieked, running around. "I'm on fire! What's everyone doing, just standing there? Help!"

"Relax," said Percy, clapping him on the back. "You've been claimed. You're not on fire."

"The curse though," said Clarisse under her breath to Percy, not noticing that Reyna could hear. "Percy, what about –"

"Shut up," he replied. He turned back to Leo. "Well, it looks like your godly parent has identified you as theirs."

"Who's – what's – my what?"

"Godly parent," said Clarisse.

"Vulcan."

Everyone turned to stare at Reyna. "What?" she asked. "What'd I do?"

"Vulcan's the Roman name," said Percy carefully. "We call him Hephaestus."

"I don't even like Star Trek!" exclaimed Leo. "I can't even do that thing with my hands." As if trying to prove it, he fiddled with his hands until it appeared he got all of his fingers tangled into a ball. "Oh, damn," he said with a sigh.

Percy turned to Will. "Can you take Leo to Cabin Nine to meet his people?"

Will nodded. "Come on, Mr. Spock. I'll take you to your leader."

Leo shot a look of worry back at Reyna, but she shrugged and smiled. She didn't feel like he was unsafe, though she felt a bit uneasy for herself.

She realized how stiff she felt, and stretched. The sleeve of her jacket fell down her arm, and the second the skin was exposed, Piper and Percy started.

"What?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"There's something on your arm," said Percy. "Can I…?"

Reyna held out her arm for him to look at. "You have…You have marks. They look –"

"Burned onto my arm," murmured Reyna. "Yeah th-they were."

"I've never seen anything like this," said Percy, "and I've seen a flying pig. Drew, can you take her to Chiron?"

Drew rolled her eyes. "Fine…"

As Reyna walked away, she saw Piper talking to Percy, and began to wonder what they had gotten themselves into. They were definitely in for a long run of major complications.

And something still felt wrong about her being in that place.