Emily couldn't believe of how long it took them to go from Glacier bay to Camp Jupiter, it took them four hours on Arion. Emily kept looking back at Bucky, Percy, and Frank, they were uncomfortable from the looks of it but she couldn't blame them. As they went down the coastline that everything started to look familiar to her, they raced past the Mendocino lighthouse. Than they raced past Mount Tam and the Marin headlands loomed out of the fog and Arion shot straight under the Golden Gate Bridge. Arion tore through Berkeley before he tore into the Oakland hills, when they reached the hilltop above the Caldecott tunnel that Arion stopped. He shuddered like a broken car, his chest was heaving, Emily wasn't surprised considering of how far he went and how fast he went. Hazel patted Arion.
"You did great, Arion." Apparently Arion was too tired to cuss.
'Of course I did great. What did you expect?' Emily was surprised that he didn't cuss or anything. Emily jumped off of Arion as Bucky, Percy and Frank jumped off from the chariot. From how they were able to walk that it was clear that the four of them have a rough ride on the way down. For their legs were wobbly and it seemed that their joints might be stiff as well, for they could barely walk. Emily walked over to Bucky and helped him steady himself, Bucky gave her a look that clearly said unfair. For unlike Bucky, Emily didn't have stiff joints or wobbly legs. Frank was hobbling to the top of the hill and peered down
"Guys…you need to see this." Percy, Hazel, Emily and Bucky joined Frank, Emily managed to choke down a scream. The twelfth legion was arranged on the field of Mars trying to protect the city, Scorpions fired into the ranks of the earthborns. Hannibal was plowing down monsters right and left but the defenders were badly outnumbered. Reyna was on her Pegasus, Scipio and she was flying around the giant Polybotes, trying to keep him occupied. The lares were fighting against a mob of black vaporous shades, of which made sense since the lares were the best ones to fight the shades. Other than Emily, Nico or Arabella, but Arabella and Nico were out of the picture at the moment, but she was unsure if Jennifer and Hazel could do anything to the shades. Out of the corner of her eye that she saw Jennifer among the lares and she has her imperial gold dagger and she thrust into a shade, the shade turned to vapor. Emily smiled in relief, at least Jennifer could fight the shades as well as herself, she knows it has to do with her heritage. It was like with Jason for Jason was about the only one that could do any harm to storm spirits.
Veteran demigods, from the city, joined the battle as well and were going against an onslaught of wild Centaurs. Emily winced slightly as she watched the veterans fought with the centaurs, Emily knows that there was wild centaurs but she hoped she would never meet one. There were giant eagles were circling the battlefield doing aerial combat with two snake haired ladies in green bargain mart vests, Emily assumed it was Sthenosphere and Euryale. The legion, itself, was taking the worst of the attack and their formation was breaking, each cohort was an island in a sea of enemies. There was an enemy siege tower shot glowing green cannonballs into the city blasting craters in the forum. Emily reached out with her protection, as she did so a bubble formed around New Rome, though it seems she was the only one who could see this though. Since the twelfth legion didn't seem to notice that there was a bubble around New Rome, though they might be to busy fighting, but Bucky, Percy, Hazel or Frank didn't notice the bubble. Just before the bubble could finish forming that one last cannonball entered New Rome, the cannonball hit the senate house and the dome partially collapsed. The next cannonball that hit the bubble bounced back and hit some of the monsters, that seem to surprise everyone but Emily. However the main problem was the fighting that was still happening, they overlooked the protection of New Rome for the time being.
"We're too late," Hazel said.
"No. They're still fighting. We can do this."
"Where's Lupa? She and the wolves…they should be here." Emily bite her lip when Frank said that, it was clear that he spend little time with Lupa if he asked that question.
"She did what she could. She slowed down the army on its way south. Now it's up to us. We've got to get the gold eagle and these weapons to the legion."
"But Arion is out of steam! We can't haul this stuff ourselves."
"Maybe we don't have to." Percy scanned the hilltops, Emily knew he was looking for Tyson. Than Percy whistled as loud as he could, shadows rippled in the trees as a huge black shape bounded out of nowhere. A mastiff that was the size of an SUV with a cyclops and a harpy on his back ran over to Percy. Emily snorted as Frank scrambled backward from Thron.
"Hellhound!"
"It's okay! These are friends."
"Brother!" Tyson climbed off of Thron and ran towards Percy, Tyson slammed into Percy like a best woudk run into a mountain. After a few moments that Tyson let go of Percy and looked Percy over with his one eye, "You are not dead! I like it when you are not dead!" Than Ella fluttered to the ground and began to preening her feathers.
"Ella found a dog, a large dog. And a Cyclops." Emily was close of laughing, for it seem that Ella was blushing. Before Percy could say or do much of anything at Thron pounced on him and barked so loudly that even Arion backed up.
"Hey, Thron. Yeah, I love you too, boy. Good dog." Hazel made a squeaking sound when Percy said that.
"You have a hellhound named Thron?"
"Not unusual for Greek demigods apparently, I also have a hellhound." Hazel looked over at her and gave her a look that said, well you are my half sister. Emily just shrugged when Hazel looked at her like that. Percy managed to get to his feet and wipe off the dog slobber.
"Long story. You can ask your brother…" Percy stopped when he saw the look on Hazel's face. "Sorry, But yeah, this is my dog, Thron. Tyson—these are my friends, Frank and Hazel." Than Percy looked at Emily. "How come you never said anything about knowing me before? What about Arabella or Nico?" Emily could tell that he wanted to wring their necks, but it was clear he knew better to do that to Emily since it wouldn't be easy for him to do that with how long she has been alive.
"None of us could say anything cause the time was not right to do so. But that is not important right now." Percy nodded and turned to Ella.
"Are you okay? We were worried about you."
"Ella is not strong. Cyclopes are strong. Tyson found Ella. Tyson took care of Ella." Emily was close of giggling as Ella blushed.
"Tyson, you big charmer, you." Tyson turned the same color as Ella's plumage,
"Um…No." He leaned down and whispered nervously, but it was loud enough for all the others to hear: "She is pretty."
"Anyway, there's this battle happening."
"Right, Tyson, where's Annabeth? Is any other help coming?"
"The big ship is not ready. Leo says tomorrow, maybe two days. Then they will come."
"We don't have two minutes, Okay, here's the plan." Percy pointed out which were the good guys and bad guys to Tyson. Tyson was alarmed that there were bad Cyclops and bad centaurs in the army.
"I have to hit pony-men?"
"Just scare them away."
"Um, Percy? I just…don't want our friend here getting hurt. Is Tyson a fighter?"
"Is he a fighter? Frank, you're looking at General Tyson of the Cyclops army. And by the way, Tyson, Frank is a descendant of Poseidon."
"Brother!" Tyson crushed Frank in a hug, Emily was so close of laughing when Tyson crushed Frank, so was Percy and Bucky.
"Actually he's more like a great-great-…Oh, never mind. Yeah, he's your brother." Frank mumbled through a mouthful of flannel.
"Thanks, But if the legion mistakes Tyson for an enemy—"
"I've got it!" Hazel ran over to the chariot and dug out the biggest Roman helmet she could find, plus an old Roman banner embroidered with SPQR. Than Hazel handed the items to Tyson.
"Put those on, big guy. Then our friends will know you're on our team."
"Yay! I'm on your team!" Emily cover her mouth from trying not to laugh at Tyson, for the helmet was ridiculously small and he out the cape on backwards.
"It'll do, Ella, just stay here. Stay safe."
"Safe, Ella likes being safe. Safety in numbers. Safety deposit boxes. Ella will go with Tyson."
"What? Oh…fine. Whatever. Just don't get hurt. And Thron—"
"ROOOF!"
"How do you feel about pulling a chariot?" They tied the chariot to Thron and when they were finished that Emily looked up to the sky. It was than that Emily noticed a black dot against the sky, Emily looked at it and gasp slightly. She knew at once of what it was and who it was, before Percy got on Thron that Emily whistled. It was the whistle she used for a Pegasus back at camp as oppose to Mrs. O'Leary. Percy looked back at her in surprise, he was about ready to say something when the black dot came closer. They all looked up as the black dot got close enough to see it was a black Pegasus up in the sky. After a minute that Blackjack landed in front of Percy and nickered, Percy and rushed forward and hugged Blackjack around the neck.
"Blackjack." Hazel and Frank looked surprised as Percy let go of Blackjack and climbed on Blackjack. "This is Blackjack, my Pegasus. Blackjack, this is Frank and Hazel." As Percy said that, that Bucky and Emily climbed onto Thron. Once Emily got on that she snapped her fingers and her appearance changed into her daughter if Hades appearance than Emily spoke.
"Come on, it is time for the strangest reinforcements in Roman military history." There was no doubt about that they were the strangest reinforcements in Roman military history. Hazel rode Arion in, who recovered enough to carry one person at normal horse speed, Emily could hear him cuss about his aching hooves all the way downhill. Frank transformed into a bald eagle and soared above them, while Tyson ran down the hill waving his club yelling. "Bad pony-men! BOO!" While Ella was fluttering around him, reciting facts from the Old Farmer's Almanac. Percy was flying next to Frank on Blackjack holding the eagle in one of his hands, that was raised above him, while he held Riptide in the other hand. Emily and Bucky were riding Thron down the hill with the chariot behind them. Bucky was sitting behind Emily. They skirted the perimeter of the camp and took the northernmost bridge over the little Tiber before charging onto the field of Mars at the western edge of the battle. A horde of Cyclopes was hammering away at the campers of the fifth cohort, they were trying to keep their shields locked just to stay alive. Emily heard Percy shout from above.
"Fifth Cohort!" As Percy said that, that Thron slammed into the nearest Cyclops, the last thing the monster was Thron's teeth. Blackjack landed next to the fifth cohort and Percy got off of Blackjack while Emily and Bucky got off of Thron. Percy, Emily, and Bucky slashed wildly through the other monsters, Tyson charge at the Cyclopes leader, Ma Gasket if Emily heard the Cyclopes yells correctly. She was gawking at Tyson when he charged and started to speak.
"Who—?" Tyson hit her so hard in the head that she spun in a circle and landed on her rump. Tyson bellowed at her.
"Bad Cyclops Lady! General Tyson says GO AWAY!" Tyson hit her again and she turned into dust, meanwhile Hazel was charging around on Arion slicing her sword thought one cyclops after another. While Frank was blinding the enemies with his talons, once every Cyclopes within fifty yard were reduced to ashes that Frank landed in front of the fifth cohort and transformed into a human and bellowed.
"Fifth Cohort! Get your Imperial gold weapons right here!" The campers recovered from their shock and mopped the chariot, Emily, Bucky, Percy handed out the equipment as quick as they could. Dakota was grinning like a madman as he swigged some red kool aid from his flask and urged the fifth cohort.
"Let's go, let's go! Our comrades need help!" As soon as the fifth cohort was equipped with new weapons, shields and helmets that they looked like they been shopping at a King Midas clearance sale. Not only that but they were suddenly the most powerful cohort in the legion like they used to be back before the 80s.
"Follow the eagle! To battle!" Emily got up on Thron once more while Bucky remained with the fifth cohort, Percy got back on Blackjack as the campers cheered. As Percy and Emily lead the way on Thron and Blackjack that the fifth cohort followed them. All of the fifth cohort were screaming for blood as they slammed into a herd of wild centaurs that were attacking the third cohort. When the third cohort saw the eagle that Percy has in his hand that they shouted insanely and fought with renewed effort. The centaurs didn't stand a chance against the two cohorts for they crushed them, so that all was left was nothing but piles of dust, assorted hooves and horns.
"Form ranks!" The centurions shouted, the two cohorts comes together. Their military training kicking on and shields locked and the marched into battle against the Earthborn.
"Pila!" A hundred spears bristled and when Frank yelled fire that the spears sailed through the air. A wave of death cutting though the six armed monsters, the campers drew their swords and advanced to the center of the battle. At the base of the aqueduct, the first and second cohorts were trying to encircle Polybotes but they were not doing well. Some of the Karpoui grain spirits rushed fored and pulled campers away as well as the basilisks using their poison and fire on some of the campers. Reyna soared above the giant, diving in with her javelin whenever he turned his attention to the ground troops. It seem that she noticed the fifth cohort, she looked stunned as a result that the giant was close of swatted her out of the sky, if her Pegasus hadn't been as nimble as Arion she would have been swatted out of the sky. Reyna looked at Percy of who was on Blackjack and her looked even more stunned than she was a moment ago. She gave Percy a smile when she saw him and the eagle in his hand than her voice boomed across the fields.
"Romans! Rally to the eagle!" Demigods and monsters turned and gawked as Emily and Bucky bounded forward on Thron and Percy was flying just above her on Blackjack.
"What is this? What is this?" Emily walked on top of Thron's head before she grasp her poppy and it changed into her celestial bronze sword making the Romans gasp when they saw the sword. Than Percy spoke.
"Twelfth Legion Fulminata!" Thunder shook the valley, the eagle let loose a blinding flash. A thousand tendrils of lightning exploded from it's golden wings, arcing in front of Percy like branches of an enormous deadly trees. The lightning connected with the nearest monsters, the lightning leaped from one to another completely ignoring the roman forces. When the lightning stopped that the first and second cohorts were facing once surprised looking giant and several hundred smoking piles of ash. The center line of the enemy was charred into oblivion. The cohorts started to shout the same word over again, "Rome! Rome! Rome!" The giant backed up away from Percy and Emily uncertainly, but it was clear that the battle wasn't over. For the fourth cohort was still surrounded by Cyclopes, even Hannibal was having a hard time wading through the monsters. Emily whistled but this time the whistle was the one she called for Mrs. O'Leary, shadows rippled before she bounded out and started attacked the Cyclopes that were surrounding the fourth cohort and she turned back to Polybotes as he spoke.
"You think this changes anything, Percy Jackson and Rachel Blackthrone? I cannot be destroyed! Come forward, son of Neptune and daughter of Pluto. I will break you!" Percy dismounted Blackjack as Blackjack landed, Emily jumped off of Thron and stood besides Percy as he handed Dakota the standard.
"You are the cohort's senior centurion. Take care of this." Dakota blinked before he dropped his Kool-Aid flask and took the eagle.
"I will carry it with honor."
"Frank, Hazel, Tyson, help the Fourth Cohort. I've got a giant to kill." Emily nodded to Bucky and he understood, Emily knows that Mrs. O'Leary would be a big help but the fourth cohort would still need help. Bucky looked concern and he mouthed, Are you sure? Emily nodded when he mouthed that, he shook his head and went to help the fourth cohort. Emily knew he was worried for two reasons, one because he didn't want to lose her again like they lost each other seventy years ago. Two because she was carrying their child, Emily was doing her best not to pay any attention to her Hestia powers telling her she was with a child. Emily and Percy raised her sword and riptide, before they could advance that horns blew in the northern hills. Another army appeared on the ridge, hundreds of warriors in black and gray camouflage armed with spears and shields. Shattered among their ranks were a dozen battle forklifts, their sharpened times gleaming in the sunset and flaming bolts nocked in their crossbows. Emily felt a slight panic mainly because Emily has a feeling that they were in the giant's side.
"Amazons. Great." Polybotes laughed.
"You, see? Our reinforcements have arrived! Rome will fall today!" The amazons lowered their spears and charged down the hill, their forklifts barreled into battle and the Giant's army cheered. That was until the amazons changed their course and headed straight for the monsters' intact eastern flank. Emily sighed in relief, Emily noticed on the largest forklift stood a girl that was an older version of Reyna. But the difference was that she was in black combat armor with a glittering gold belt around her waist.
"Amazons, forward!"
"Queen Hylla! She survived!"
"To my sister's aid! Destroy the monsters!"
"Destroy!" The amazons cry echoed through the valley. Reyna wheeled her Pegasus towards Percy, her eyes gleamed. Her expression said that she could hug Percy right now, Emily smiled lightly when she saw that. It was clear that Reyna has a small amount of crush on Percy but she has a bigger one on Jason. But Emily knows those feelings were not returned to back to Reyna, Emily felt awful for her because of it.
"Romans! Advance!" The battlefield descended into absolute chaos, amazon and roman lines swung toward the enemies like they were the doors of death themselves. Percy looked at Emily and gave her a look that said he would handle it the giant, looking and pointing at the Giant.
"You. Me. To the finish." Emily ran over to where Bucky was and fought along side Bucky, he smiled when she joined him. They fought back to back much like how they fought in World War II but this time it was with swords instead of guns. Mrs. O'Leary was nearby attacking the monster army, Hazel and Arion were galloping across the battlefields cutting down centaurs and Karpoi. Emily cut down a few Karpoi was well, to was clear that they sensed she was a child of Demeter and tried to pull her away from the battle. But they should have known better than do that to a child of Demeter, for Emily used their own bodies against them before killing them. Queen Hylla and Reyna joined forces, forklift and Pegasus together, they were scattering the dark shades of fallen warriors. Frank was an elephant and he was stomping through some Cyclopes, Dakota was holding the eagle high blasting anyone with lighting that dared challenge the fifth cohort.
Soon enough Percy managed to get Polybotes close to New Rome, Emily and Bucky fought their way over there. The bubble, that was around New Rome, was breaking down and some more things had went though but it seems that Terminus managed to stop some of the cannonballs and other things from hitting New Rome. Frank changed into a weasel and went after the basilisks that they freaked out and slithered away from Frank. Frank chased after them and that was when it happened, that Polybotes pointed his trident and ran towards Percy. As the giant reached the line that Percy jumped to one side and the giant entered the city with his trident in his hand. Emily smiled, she knew what was going to happen, this was one of the few times that she was going like Terminus.
"THAT'S IT! That's AGAINST THE RULES!" Polybotes frowned, but he was confused that he was being told off by a statue.
"What are you? Shut up!" He pushed the statue over and turned back to Percy, that was Polybotes' biggest mistake. Terminus shrieked.
"Now I'm MAD! I'm strangling you. Feel that? Those are my hands around your neck, you big bully. Get over here! I'm going to head-butt you so hard—"
"Enough!" The giant stepped on the statue and broke terminus in three pieces, pedestal, body and head.
"You DIDN'T! Percy Jackson, you've got yourself a deal! Let's kill this upstart." The giant laughed so hard that he hadn't realized Percy was charging till it was too late. Percy jumped up and drove riptide straight through one of the metal mouths on Polybotes' breastplate. The giant stumbled backward tripping over Terminus's pedestal and crashing to the ground. While the giant clawed at the sword and tried to get up that Percy hefted the head of the statue.
"You'll never win! You cannot defeat me alone." Percy raised the stone head above the giant's face.
"I'm not alone. I'd like you to meet my friend Terminus. He's a god!" The awareness and fear dawned on the giant's face too late, Percy smashed the god's head as hard as he could into Polybotes's nose. The giant dissolved crumpling into a steaming heap of seaweed, reptile skin and poisonous muck. Percy staggered away, he looked exhausted.
"Ha! That will teach him to obey the rules of Rome." The battlefield was silent expect for a few fires burning, a few retreating monsters screaming in panic. A ragged circle of Romans and amazons stood around Percy, Emily, Tyson, Ella, and Bucky. Than the Romans began to chant.
"Percy! Percy!" The Romans mobbed Percy, before Percy knew what was happening that they were raising him on a shield and the cry changed to "Praetor! Praetor!" Emily saw Reyna hold her hand and grasped Percy's in congratulation. The Romans carried him around the line avoiding the borders. Emily grasp Bucky's hand and they walked behind the Romans and amazons as they chanted and escorted Percy back to Camp Jupiter.
Campers, amazons and lares crowed the mess hall for a lavish dinner, Emily was still in her daughter of Hades appearance. What surprised Emily was that the fauns were invited to the dinner, that was mostly because of the fact hat they helped out with the wounded after the battle. Wind nymphs were zipping around the room, delivering orders of pizza, burgers, steaks and salads, Chinese food and so much more. Despite the exhausting battle, everyone was in good spirits and casualties were light. The few campers that died from the battle came back to life like Gwen, Emily was sure that Hades and Thanatos gave them a free pass. The amazon and roman banners were hanging side by side from the rafters, the restored golden eagle stood proudly behind the praetor' stable, the walls were decorated with cornucopia that kept spilling out recycling waterfalls of fruit, chocolates and cookies. The cohorts mingled freely with the amazons, jumping from couch to couch as they pleased.
Emily and Bucky changed seats so many times that Emily would have last track of her food if she didn't have any power of the home or have the natural ability to cook. There was a lot of flirting and arm wrestling, though it seemed to be the same thing for the amazons. There have been a couple of times when Bucky was cornered by an amazon because of his looks or the fact they saw him fighting. Luckily for Bucky that Emily claimed him before it went to far by telling the amazons that he was married to her. The amazons took it well though and comment if they went their different ways that they made the moment that they thought he would look great in an iron collar and an orange jumpsuit. The second time it happened that Emily picked another couch and they sat down that Bucky spoke.
"What does that mean, that they think I would look good in an iron collar and an orange jumpsuit." Emily waved her hand and two sandwiches appeared, Bucky grabbed one of the sandwiches and started to eat the sandwich. Emily took a bite of her sandwich and shallowed before she spoke.
"That is their way of flirting with men as well as arm wrestling. In that respect they are more bearable than the hunters when it comes to men. The men at their warehouses are more like workers and hunters would wound or kill men."
"You know, I think I prefer the amazons." When everyone eaten that the plates stopped flying, than Reyna made a short speech to the Romans. Reyna formally welcome the amazons, she thanked them for their help in the battle before she hugged her older sister. Emily looked at the two of them, with her Hestia powers that she knew that they have a rough spot in the last four years. Emily wasn't sure what happened but she could tell that some of the rift between them drifted away during the battle. Everyone applauded when Reyna and Hylla hugged, when they pulled away that Reyna raised her hands for quiet.
"My sister and I haven't always seen eye to eye—" Hylla laughed when Reyna said that.
"That's an understatement."
"She joined the Amazons, I joined Camp Jupiter. But looking around this room, I think we both made good choices. Strangely, our destinies were made possible by the hero you all just raised to praetor on the battlefield—Percy Jackson." More cheering followed this, Reyna and Hylla raised their glasses to Percy before beckoned him forward. Everyone was asking him for a speech, but it was clear that Percy didn't know what to say. He protested that he really wasn't the best person for praetor, she knew everyone decided against that, she was sure the Greeks would be the same way if Percy said something similar to the Greeks and that was if they did something similar like having praetors. Reyna took his probatio neck plate away, Lee-Ann ripped open a teddy bear and pronounced good omens for the coming year and that Fortuna would bless them, than she passed her hand over Percy's arm and shouted.
"Percy Jackson, son of Neptune, first year of service!" Emily watched as the roman tattoo burned into Percy's arm, a trident, SPQR, and a single stripe. Emily knows what that felt like, that someone was pressing a hit iron into his skin. Emily was surprised that Percy didn't scream, Emily did scream when she got her tattoo but hers lasted longer due to the bar lines. Reyna gave him an eagle medal and a purple cloak, the symbols of praetor.
"You earned these, Percy." Hylla pounded him on the back.
"And I've decided not to kill you."
"Um, thanks." Percy made his way around the mess hell one more time because the romans and amazons wanted him at their tables but Emily and Bucky told Percy to go to the next table since they could talk to him later. Vitellius followed Percy around and he kept stumbling over his shimmering purple toga as well as readjusting his sword telling everyone of how he predicted Percy's rise to greatness. Emily rolled her eyes at Vitellius, Bucky was close of laughing as they watched Percy and Vitellius.
"I demanded he join the Fifth Cohort! Spotted his talent right away!" Of course many of the campers kept coming over to Emily and Bucky to talk them. Emily was sure if Bucky hadn't be used to getting attention from girls, before Emily and Bucky were reunited, that he might have been embarrassed about this. Emily got use to this behavior from the Romans in the last many years, Hazel and Frank were being treated well and were called the saviors of a Rome, there was even some talk about reinstating Frank's great grandfather, Shen Lun, to the Legion's roll of Honor. For apparently he hadn't caused the 1906 earthquake after all, Emily noticed that Percy was sitting close to Emily and Bucky. He was sitting at the next table over with Tyson and Ella, of who were the honored guests at Dakota's table. Tyson kept calling for Peanut butter sandwiches, he ate the sandwiches as fast as the nymphs could deliver. A few times Emily used her Hestia powers to give him more peanut butter sandwiches and the nymphs looked happy whenever she did that. Ella was perched on his shoulder on top of the couch, nibbled furiously on cinnamon rolls.
"Cinnamon rolls are good for harpies, June twenty-fourth is a good day. Roy Disney's birthday, and Fortuna's Feast, and Independence Day for Zanzibar. And Tyson." Emily and Bucky chuckled when Ella glanced at Tyson before she blushed and looked away. After dinner the entire legion got the night off. So Emily and Bucky went to New Rome, at the Pomerian line, the statue of terminus wore a paper party hat, of which looked funny. Emily could see that the citizens were cleaning up from the damage that was done, before dinner Emily managed to use her protection over new Rome and got rid of the big pieces that would be hard to get rid of. Percy, Hazel and Frank were just in front of Emily and Bucky.
"Welcome, praetor! You need any giants' faces smashed while you're in town, just let me know."
"Thanks, Terminus, I'll keep that in mind."
"Yes, good. Your praetor's cape is an inch too low on the left. There—that's better. Where is my assistant? Julia!" Emily smiled as Julia ran out from behind the pedestal, she was wearing a green dress and her hair was still in pigtails. When she smiled that Emily noticed her front teeth were starting to come in and she held up a box full of party hats. Percy tried to decline but with the eyes of hers that Percy couldn't resist.
"Ah, sure, I'll take the blue crown." Julia offered Hazel a gold pirate hate.
"I'm gonna be Percy Jackson when I grow up." Emily smirked when Julia said that, it sounded like a girl her age would say. Hazel smiled and ruffled her hair.
"That's a good thing to be, Julia." Frank picked out a hat shaped like a polar bear's head.
"Although, Frank Zhang would be good too."
"Frank!" Emily picked up a purple crown while Bucky picked up a blue helmet that look like it could come from World War II. They put on their hats, before walking to the forum, Percy, Hazel, and Frank went one way while Bucky and Emily went another way. As they walked around the forum for a minute that Bucky spoke.
"You know, I am not sure which is more celebrated, the Fourth of July at Camp Halfblood or a battle that was in victory here in New Rome."
"That is a question I have been asking myself for seventy years. But I could never figured it out." Bucky smiled when Emily said that. There were street musicians that filled the air with different music, some of the roman couples started to dance to the music. The last time Emily had danced with Bucky was at the bar before the mission to capture Zola before Bucky fell off the train. Or at least it felt like that the last time they danced, though she knows they danced at Steve's wedding. Bucky took her hand and lead Emily to where the couple, old and young, were dancing and they joined in. Emily thought for sure she would stumble but she was surprised that the dancing still came to her as easily as it did back in the war. During the celebration that the forum started to lit up with multicolored lanterns and the fountains glowed purple. Emily figured that Iris was in a party mood since she could see a dazzling rainbow appear in the night sky near the senate house. As it become late in the night that Bucky and Emily left New Rome and went to her house in Camp Jupiter. As they walked back that Emily wondered what tomorrow would bring, for she knows that the Argo II would be on it's way soon enough.
When they entered her house that Emily and Bucky went to their room, Bucky fell asleep as soon as he laid down on the bed. Emily laid down next to Bucky and put her head over his chest listening to his heart, she can remember the first time they meet when Emily and Steve were five and Bucky was seven. When they meet that Emily called him a brother and accepted him without much thought, as well as Steve. That surprised their father of who have been growing ill and died a year later. Than she was adopted and taken away from Bucky and Steve a couple of months later, when she ran away that her life changed and honestly running away changed her life around. If she hadn't ran away, she doubted she would have learned about Camp Halfblood, gaining a sister in all but blood before going off to war to find Steve and Bucky once more. Than she lost them both before she found all three of them again, it just seem like that one simple choice changed her whole life. Even with all the suffering she went though, she felt like it was worth it. When Emily closed her eyes that she fell asleep.
The next morning, Emily and Bucky ate at her house and Emily used her own powers to eat what they wanted before they went to New Rome. Thanks to the fact that Emily was the ambassador of Vesta and protector of the Roman State and the home that she could go wherever she wanted as well as anyone that was with her. Apparently, Emily and Bucky were not the only ones that got up early, for they spotted Percy, Hazel, and Frank, they were sitting by the fountains. So Bucky and Emily went over to them and sat down besides them watching the sun come up. As the sun come up that the citizens were busy sweeping up from the celebration last night, the engineer corps was working on a new arch. Hazel brought up that she heard talk of a formal triumph for the five of them, a parade around the city, followed by a week of games and celebrations. But she knows that they never get that chance for they didn't have that kind of time. Than Percy told them about his dream of Juno.
"The gods were busy last night. Show him, Frank." Frank reached into his coat pocket and produced a thin paperback book with a note on red stationery. Frank passed the items to Percy.
"These were on my pillow this morning. Like the Tooth Fairy visited." Emily could see the book and the letter. The book was the art of war by Sun Tzu, it was obvious of who sent Frank the book. The letter said: Good job, kid. A real man's best weapon is his mind. This was your mom's favorite book. Give it a read. P.S.—I hope your friend Percy has learned some respect for me. Percy handed the book back to Frank
"Wow. Maybe Mars is different than Ares. I don't think Ares can read." Frank flipped through the pages.
"There's a lot in here about sacrifice, knowing the cost of war. Back in Vancouver, Mars told me I'd have to put my duty ahead of my life or the entire war would go sideways. I thought he meant freeing Thanatos, but now…I don't know. I'm still alive, so maybe the worst is yet to come."
"You risked your life. You were willing to burn up to save the quest. Mars can't expect more than that."
"Maybe." Hazel squeezed Frank's hand, Emily noticed that Frank and Hazel seem more comfortable around each other that morning, they were not nearly as nervous and awkward as they were before. Emily figured that Frank and Hazel started dating or at least become boyfriend and girlfriend last night.
"Hazel, how about you? Any word from Pluto?" Hazel looked down, several diamonds popped out of the ground.
"No. In a way, I think he sent a message through Thanatos. My name wasn't on that list of escaped souls. It should have been."
"You think your dad is giving you a pass?" Hazel shrugged.
"Pluto can't visit me or even talk to me without acknowledging I'm alive. Then he'd have to enforce the laws of death and have Thanatos bring me back to the Underworld. I think my dad is turning a blind eye. I think—I think he wants me to find Nico and Arabella." Emily looked to the sunrise, she knows at least Annabeth, Jason, Piper and Leo were going to be on the Argo II but she wasn't sure of who else would be on that ship.
"We'll find your brother and sister, As soon as the ship gets here, we'll sail for Rome." Emily watched as Hazel and Frank shared uneasy looks, like they had talked about this.
"Percy… If you want us to come along, we're in. But are you sure? I mean…we know you've got tons of friends at the other camp. And you could pick anyone at Camp Jupiter now. If we're not part of the eight, we'd understand—"
"Are you kidding? You think I'd leave my team behind? After surviving Fleecy's wheat germ, running from cannibals, and hiding under blue giant butts in Alaska? Come on!" The tension broke, all five of them cracked up, after they stopped that Hazel spoke.
"The prophecy Ella gave us—about the child of wisdom, and the mark of Athena burning through Rome…do you know what that's about?"
"I'm not sure, I think there's more to the prophecy. Maybe Ella can remember the rest of it." Frank put his book back in his pocket.
"We need to take her with us—I mean, for her own safety. If Larry finds out Ella has the Sibylline Books memorized…"
"You're right, We've got to protect her. I just hope we can convince her—"
"Percy!" Emily looked over as Tyson came running across the forum, Ella was fluttering behind him with a scroll in her talons. When they reached the fountains that Ella dropped the scroll in Percy's lap.
"Special delivery, From an aura. A wind spirit. Yes, Ella got a special delivery."
"Good morning, brothers! The scroll is from Leo. He is funny and small." Emily looked at the scroll as Percy spread it across his lap, a video recording flickered on the parchment. It was Leo, he was wearing Greek armor and he was grinning up at them. He was sitting in a dark room with timber walls like a ship's cabin, oil lamps swung back and forth on the ceiling. Hazel stifled a scream, Emily looked at Hazel when she did that, Emily knew why she stifled that scream for Leo looked just like Sammy.
"What? What's wrong?"
"Hey! Greetings from your friends at Camp Half-Blood, et cetera. This is Leo. I'm the…" He looked off screen before he spoke. "What's my title? Am I like admiral, or captain, or—"
"Repair boy."
"Very funny, Piper." Emily smiled when she heard Piper say that, Leo and Piper were like brother and sister. "So yeah, I'm ... ah ... supreme commander of the Argo II. Yeah, I like that! Anyway, we're gonna be sailing toward you in about, I dunno, an hour in this big mother warship. We'd appreciate it if you'd not, like, blow us out of the sky or anything. So okay! If you could tell the Romans that. See you soon. Yours in demigodishness, and all that. Peace out." The parchment turned blank.
"It can't be."
"What? You know that guy?" Hazel looked like she had seen a ghost, Emily could understand why, Emily has a guess that Leo and Sammy were related but she was unsure of how they were related. But Emily was still unsure about that simple fact.
"It's Sammy Valdez. But how…how—"
"It can't be. That guy's name is Leo. And it's been seventy-something years. It has to be a…" Emily got up and knelt down in front of Hazel and spoke.
"Hazel, trust me when I say this, but the guy in the parchment video is not Sammy."
"He has too be."
"No he isn't. I would know Hazel. I am a daughter of Hades and the champion of Hestia. I know what Gaea told you about Sammy and that he is dead. It is true that Sammy is dead, but I am not sure when or how he is died. But he is in the underworld. But I do believe that Leo and Sammy might be related to each other." Hazel looked like she was going to say something else but horns were blowing in the distance.
"It's meeting time, Come on. We've got to warn them about the warship." Emily got up and the five of them went to the senate house.
"Why should we trust these Greeks?" Larry was pacing the senate floor for five minutes, going on and on as well trying to counter what Percy told them about Juno's plan and the prophecy of the eight. The senate shifted restlessly, most were too afraid to interrupt James. The senate house was packed, Hylla, Frank, Hazel, Emily and Bucky were sitting in the front row with the senators, veterans and ghosts filled the back rows, even Tyson and Ella were allowed in to sit in the back, Percy and Reyna were sitting in the praetors' chairs.
"The camp is safe, I'll be the first to congratulate our heroes for bringing back the legion's eagle and so much Imperial gold! Truly we have been blessed with good fortune. But why do more? Why tempt fate?"
"I'm glad you asked."
"I wasn't—"
"—part of the quest. Yes, I know. And you're wise to let me explain, since I was." Emily snickered as Larry sit back down and try not to look embarrassed.
"Gaea is waking, We've defeated two of her giants, but that's only the beginning. The real war will take place in the old land of the gods. The quest will take us to Rome, and eventually to Greece." An uneasy muttered spread through the senate.
"I know, I know. You've always thought of the Greeks as your enemies. And there's a good reason for that. I think the gods have kept our two camps apart because whenever we meet, we fight. But that can change. It has to change if we're to defeat Gaea. That's what the Prophecy of eight means. Eight demigods, Greek and Roman, will have to close the Doors of Death together."
"Ha! The last time a praetor tried to interpret the Prophecy of Seven, it was Michael Varus, who lost our eagle in Alaska! Why should we believe you now?" Larry was smiling now, some of his allies were nodding and agreeing, even some of the veterans looked uncertain.
"I carried Juno across the Tiber, She told me that the Prophecy of eight is coming to pass. Mars also appeared to you in person. Do you think two of your most important gods would appear at camp if the situation wasn't serious?"
"He's right. I, for one, trust Percy's word. Greek or not, he restored the honor of the legion. You saw him on the battlefield last night. Would anyone here say he is not a true hero of Rome?" No one argued, Reyna stood up.
"You claim this is a combined quest. You claim Juno intends for us to work with this—this other group, Camp Half-Blood. Yet the Greeks have been our enemies for eons. They are known for their deceptions."
"Maybe so. But enemies can become friends. A week ago, would you have thought Romans and Amazons would be fighting side by side?" Hylla laughed.
"He's got a point."
"The demigods of Camp Half-Blood have already been working with Camp Jupiter. We just didn't realize it. During the Titan War last summer, while you were attacking Mount Othrys, we were defending Mount Olympus in Manhattan. I fought Kronos myself." Reyna backed up almost tripped over her toga.
"You… what?"
"I know it's hard to believe. But I think I've earned your trust. I'm on your side. Hazel and Frank—I'm sure they're meant to go with me on this quest. I believe, Jennifer, from what I heard from Hazel about her half sister, is also part of this quest. The other four are on their way from Camp Half-Blood right now. One of them is Jason Grace, your old praetor."
"Oh, come on! He's making things up, now."
"It is a lot to believe. Jason is coming back with a bunch of Greek demigods? You say they're going to appear in the sky in a heavily armed warship, but we shouldn't be worried."
"Yes. Just let them land. Hear them out. Jason will back up everything I'm telling you. I swear it on my life."
"On your life? We will remember that, if this turns out to be a trick." Suddenly Larry was throw out of his chair by shadows and against the wall, Emily stood up and walked over to him.
"You know, ever since Jason disappeared that the first cohort been nothing but trouble. You and the whole cohort make me sick for trying to play with words and gain power. I told you many months ago that anyone who use words or any other means, for those that don't deserve the spot, to try get a higher spot or anyone who seeks power doesn't belong in a spot of power. For we entered a time of war with Gaea. You always tried to twist evryone's words around." Emily looked at the senate of who looked unease than she looked at Larry and she allows the shadows to drop him to the ground. He looked up at her.
"Greeks are known for their tricks. They destroyed our home before." When Larry said that, that the shadows grabbed his legs and arms before a poppy tied him to the wall, Emily walked forward some more steps before she stopped.
"If that were so, than explain of why Percy helped Camp Jupiter it and why Bucky helped save it. Most of all, why is that you have a Greek as your protector of the roman state and the home." The senate gasp when she said that.
"You are Greek."
"I am indeed, my father and my patron told me about this and help the demigods find their way to the wolf house and protect camp Jupiter as much as I can. No matter what I am protecting from and I have done so for the last seventy years. I never once tricked anyone, I did everything that I could to protect this place." Emily turned to the senate and spoke. "I swear on the river Styx that not once have I ever tricked any romans to only did my duty as a demigod to protect my kind no matter if the demigod was Greek or roman. I also swear that I am greek." Thunder rumbled, everyone stared at her for a moment before they started muttering. Than one of the senators stood up and spoke.
"I make a motion for Larry to be stripped of his position, rank and the legion to be an outcast for trying to trick us." The senate agreed with this motion and a couple of guards took Larry away. When they took Larry away that a messenger rushed into the senate house.
"Praetors! I'm sorry to interrupt, but our scouts report—"
"Ship! Yay!" Emily looked up and smiled as the Argo II appeared out of the clouds about a half mile away.
"Praetors! What are your orders?" Everyone looked to Reyna.
"Hold your fire. But have the legion stand ready. Percy Jackson is your newly chosen praetor. We will trust his word—unless we are given clear reason not to. Senators, let us adjourn to the forum and meet our…new friends." The senate stampeded out of the senate house. Tyson was running after them yelling yay with Ella fluttering around his head. Reyna stood at Percy's side as Emily went to Bucky's side. "I support you, Percy. I trust your judgment. But for all our sakes, I hope we can keep the peace between our campers and your Greek friends."
"We will, You'll see." Reyna looked up at the warship, her expression was wistful
"You say Jason is aboard…I hope that's true. I've missed him." Reyna turned to Emily. "How come you never said that you were greek."
"It wasn't time to, I was raised in Camp Halfblood basically."
"Is there anything else you haven't told me?"
"Only my real name and appearance and some details of my past that I prefer to keep myself. But I swear that I gave the Romans a basic history of my past." Thunder rumbled up ahead. When nothing happened that Reyna spoke.
"What is your real name and Appearance." Emily tilted her head before she spoke.
"I respect you, Reyna. I am not going to deny that. But I prefer to keep that information to myself. Besides, I think you would have a hard time believing of who I am really."
"Why? Because you not a warrior or something?"
"I am a warrior, but you could say that I am more of a jokester than you know me as. Unlike with everyone else and anywhere else, that I needed to be more serious here like when I am in battle. But it would be simpler if the Romans know me as Rachel Blackthrone."
"Vey well, Rachel." Reyna marched outside leaving Bucky, Emily, Percy, Hazel and Frank of where they were standing. As Emily looked up at the ship that she sensed something, she realized what it was, Eidolons. Emily whispered in Ancient Greek and focus on the three Eidolons, she could hear the three of them screaming before she felt them going back down to the underworld.
"They're coming down right in the forum, Terminus is going to have a heart attack."
"Percy, you swore on your life. Romans take that seriously. If anything goes wrong, even by accident, they will kill you. You know that, right?" Emily looked at Hazel and spoke.
"Don't worry Hazel, that won't happen. When Romans enter this camp that they are placed under my protection, the only exceptions to that are the Greeks that entered this camp unless if they are legacies and been accepted into the legion. There been a couple of Greeks in this camp before, however the moment Percy was accepted and than he got the tattoo that he become a roman in a way, so he is under my protection. The Romans would have to go through me before they can kill him." Percy smiled, than he threw one arm around Hazel and the other around Frank.
"Come on, Let me introduce you to my other family." Bucky and Emily walked out holding each other's hands, Jennifer was near the back of the crowd. Emily and Bucky walked over to Jennifer and watched as the Argo II come closer to New Rome.