Thank to everyone who has read my story so far! Here's the next chapter, about Reyna, as asked by two people out of three!

Powerful/brave

Today, I beat all of my sword fighting opponents, scaled the lava wall, and managed to actually make something worth keeping in arts and crafts (I'll admit it – I'd forgotten to get a present for Hazel's birthday. That is the only reason I was in there). This made me feel good – powerful. And that's why I'm writing about Reyna.

What's the first thing that jumps into anyone's head when they think of Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano?

(And yes, I only put her full name in there to annoy her, should she ever find this.)

Strong. Brave. Powerful. Proud.

And it's all true – but in the wrong sense. If you were to ask this hypothetical person why, they would reply that it's because she's a daughter of Bellona, or because she's praetor. But in my opinion, it's the way she feels about other people that pushes her to be these things.

Sure, as a daughter of Bellona and the descendant of many great warriors and pirates (so jealous), she gets an advantage, but she doesn't have to lend her strength to people (though I'm glad she does). She doesn't have to shoulder these enormous amounts of responsibility. She doesn't have to stay strong – she doesn't have to put up a front.

But she does it anyway. Why, Nico? You ask. Why would she?

Because she cares too much. She cares too much about her fellow demigods to see them falter in battle, so she lends them her strength even though it puts a weight on her for each and every one of them. She cares too much about others to let them feel sad for her. She cares too much to let them share her burden. To be honest, I think it's her fatal flaw. She can't let others step up for her, because if they get hurt, she'll feel it's her own fault, and she can't bear to let that happen.

I think, though she never really talks about it, it all started when her dad attacked Hylla and she dispelled his ghost. She felt personally responsible for Hylla getting hurt – she thinks if she hadn't been protecting Reyna at the time, she would have been alright.

What Reyna doesn't realise though, is that some people are meant to take responsibility of her protection; her family, her friends. Then again, you can't blame her for that. She was raised without a mother by a paranoid war survivor who was being egged on by her ancestors, with only her sister caring about her.

But, going back to my earlier point (recap: what would most people think of Reyna) there is a small group of people who think differently. And no, I'm not talking about monsters who see her as a tasty snack.

I'm talking about me. And Jason. And Piper. And Hazel, and Frank, and all of the seven. I'm talking about her friends.

Were you to ask us what Reyna's like, we'd say:

Strong. Brave. Powerful. Proud.

But also…

Fun. Sarcastic. Loyal. Caring. Teasing. Competitive. And above all: A good friend.

She's got a flair for strategy, and you know you'll win anything with her on your side. Except maybe being tied to a burning stake with twenty immortal giants who want to eat you- Nah. She's Reyna. She'd get us out.

She's also rather cynical, which makes it impossible to watch a film with her. She'll burst out laughing at the sad bits, then talk over the rest of it, mimicking the characters surprisingly impressively. In many ways, she and I were made to be friends.

Another one of Reyna's many impressive traits is that she is the most competitive person you've ever met. Even in something like thumb wars, she has to come out on top or she'll sulk for ages. Therefore, she has managed to break several people's thumbs. It's lucky she's so good at everything, otherwise we'd be in for major tantrums.

That's one of the things people don't know about her, because they don't get to know her. Yes, Reyna throws tantrums. It's surprising to everyone who hasn't really interacted with her, because they think of her as this emotionless, stoic figure. But she's not like that – she laughs, she gets angry, frustrated, she shouts, she runs, she gives bone-crushing hugs, she'll have her dogs rip things to shreds … just regular demigod things.

That's the problem. People don't seem to think of her as human. But she is. She has human emotions, and human needs – she just keeps her emotions in check, and suppresses her needs for the needs of others, because she's so caring.

Reyna's my inspiration. Every day, she keeps my spirit going, keeps me from melting into the shadows, and keeps me from fleeing to dad's palace. She's what I always dreamed to be, but could never achieve.

I guess that's just Reyna though.

Aww, this one's cute too!

Get out of my feelings book Jason!

Jeez Nico, your closet? Such a predictable hiding place. And no, I won't. I think I'll show this to Reyna now.

DAMN YOU GRACE!

Well, what did you think? Hope you liked it!

Flamingo