THE SENATE HOUSE INTERIOR…consult the god of cutesy collectibles
Everybody chuckled.
"The guy's murdering innocent pillow pets. It's painful." Pollux shook his head
Reyna walked to the podium…"That's not fair."
"You're a demigod and you still didn't learn the motto. Life's not fair, mate." Nico said dryly
"And its not upto you for his companions." Rachel rolled her eyes at the book
"And not smart,"… They should take somebody good."
"Honestly, at this point I want to see him have a spar with Percy without any powers and just see just how desperately he loses." Triton shook his head in annoyance
"I swear, the guy has no idea who the hell he's talking about. He's literally talking about three of the seven most powerful demigods now gods in the world." Travis chuckled. Percy, Frank and Hazel turned red at the praise.
"Dude, and one of them is literally the most powerful." Connor laughed.
"Even if they keep that aside, I think it was the fifth cohort to beat those guys the last night." Artemis said amusedly and then shook her head.
Dakota got up so fast…when we whipped your podex, Larry!"
"You tell him, Dakota!" The Stolls and Leo whooped and Dakota grinned.
"Just the facts." He shrugged
"Indeed." Dionysus nodded.
"Enough, Dakota," Reyna said…This is completely—"
Ares gritted his teeth. "I don't think that I implied that you had a choice to decide who leads the quest." He growled.
"I'm pretty sure you didn't." Hades agreed
"Cato," Reyna snapped.
"The hunger games guy? That makes sense." Leo shook his head. Everybody chuckled.
"True." Piper grinned
"I mean, not all Catos are annoying." Jason pointed out with a chuckle and the other two shrugged in agreement with grins.
We must obey the wishes of…cannon up my nose!" yelled a third.
"Poor guy's still traumatized by that." Percy chuckled.
"Good job." Poseidon grinned at Percy "Not that I'm encouraging making water cannons go up everybody's noses." He added causing Amphitrite to shake her head fondly and amusedly.
"Silence!" Octavian's voice sounded…he seemed to say.
"That's the kind of tricks he pulled." Reyna shook her head
If it went wrong, Reyna was…a kid might be a dangerous enemy.
"Exactly, not many people notice that." Frank nodded
"Its Percy, the guy's the definition of observant." Lee chuckled.
"What a reputation." Percy grinned
"Indeed, seaweed brain." Annabeth chuckled.
"No but seriously, the way Octavian tried to and did fairly well at manipulating the council at times in concerning." Dakota said
"And yet he never could become praetor." Nico snorted
"He would have if Percy hadn't showed up because he was desperate to get a replacement for Jason because he wanted himself to be that replacement." Dakota told Nico who nodded.
Reyna must have recognized…college sounded pretty good.
"Definitely." Everybody chorused
"I still have to kill Octavian for killing her though." Dakota said, cracking his knuckles
"Call us when you do." Nico told him casually
"Oh yeah, sure. Get popcorn." Dakota grinned and everybody chuckled as Nico nodded.
"Will do." He said
"As praetor," Reyna continued…representing the first year of service.
Ares winced badly due to burning pain in his arm.
"I am soo not a fan of this custom." Castor muttered under his breath but everybody heard him.
"It's a tradition." Reyna said
"Well then I guess that's what you would have said if Frank's wooden stick had been left out and if he had died then I guess you would said 'It's a tradition. We had to do that and we can't help that he died.'" Castor retorted. Reyna stared at him open mouthed.
"We would never-" she started
"Never what?" Castor snapped "See, I value roman values and I would never go against them especially not in anything like war but there is some serious issue with burning this into their arms to make it an allegiance. You're literally burning your mark into their arms and even though they belong to the camp as well, you're making it hard for everything because it makes it seem like you're making a statement that they belong to you when the truth is that they belong to nobody and nobody has the right to burn any mark into the skin unless the person does it on their own." Castor said
"I have a roman brother who I would do anything for but I honestly feel like this tradition is obsessive and controlling. Hey, even we have bracelets to mark the summers but burning it into somebody's skin takes it to a different level." He said. Dakota gave a small smile when Castor said that he would do anything for him.
"I guess your point makes sense, Castor. Its just that this tradition has passed on since generations and none of us really thought about removing it, thinking that it was going to be wrong." Reyna sighed
"I agree with both of you. Though Hazel and I have handed down our praetorship, we'll make sure to give a notice of not compulsorily burning marks in the skin and rather giving a choice. Those who want to get it burned into their arms are free to do so and those who want some other marking that they are part of Camp Jupiter are free to get those as well and both will hold equal value." Frank nodded with a smile which Castor returned.
"You may sit down."… "Yeah. A lot."
Ares winced again as he rubbed his arm.
He seemed mystified by the badges…the medals to Frank's shirt.
Frank and Hazel smiled at each other.
Percy smiled…but he felt proud of him too.
"Oh, this is going to be hilarious." Grover chuckled.
"What is?" Percy asked his best friend
"Watching you third wheel." Grover grinned and Percy pouted at him.
"Ouch." He said. Grover snickered.
"You deserve it, man," he said.
"Thanks dude." Frank smiled at Percy.
"Of course." Percy grinned.
"What you did last night?... What did I tell you?
Everybody rolled their eyes.
"Jerk." Clarisse muttered
"I was asking," Octavian said…"Weren't you listening last night, Octavian?
"You tell him, Haze!" Nico whooped. Everybody else cheered as well and Hazel blushed.
"That's our cousin." Thalia grinned.
Mars was pretty clear…he fell back on his podex.
Everybody laughed.
"That's Percy for you. Blunt af." Michael laughed.
"Why beat around the bush, man. Why waste time when you know nobody's gonna say it." Percy shook his head.
"Agreed." Michael nodded.
"Look," Percy continued…enemy's plans, Percy Jackson."
"Did he just-?" Annabeth asked in a low voice
"He did." Poseidon's eyes darkened
"He just called Percy a traitor. That bitch-" Will started and went on swearing in Greek. Nico looked at his boyfriend with raised eyebrows but shared the similar emotion.
"That's the only insult towards me that I can't tolerate." Percy shook his head
"This is crossing a line and even I can admit that." Clarisse gritted her teeth.
Most insults Percy could shrug off…trying to make him look unstable.
"Its good that you have that observance, Percy and the fact that you were able to control yourself is good because that's exactly what Octavian was going for and that would be the exact reaction that would be reflected by the rest of the senate." Reyna stated grimly.
"I still wouldn't say anything to Percy if he punched Octavian but yes, Reyna's right." Dakota stated
Percy took a deep breath…we're happy to let him stay Greek."
"I mean Thanatos isn't a killer just a collector of souls." Nico pointed out.
Octavian sighed in exasperation…giant's name is Alcyoneus."
Everybody shuddered. Hades gripped Hazel's shoulder.
That name seemed to lower…Because you're a child of Pluto?"
"Not really a point to be discussed right then." Thalia said to Reyna who sighed.
"You have to be cautious." She said, giving an apologetic glance to Hazel.
Nico di Angelo had been so quiet…You sound quite familiar with him."
"You guys have to stop assuming that every person who might not be as old of a member of the camp is a traitor." Katie said with a raised eyebrow
"Its fine. Just precautions." Nico sighed
Nico picked at the edge…"The quest is impossible!" shouted a senator.
"Just like it will be impossible for you to live if the quest isn't carried out." Ares said simply. Everybody stared at him and then shrugged. He wasn't really wrong there.
"We're doomed!"… "More Kool-Aid!" yelled Dakota.
"Priorities." Travis chuckled
"Silence!" Reyna called…who's like the border patrol, the police.
"Couldn't have put it better myself." Hades smiled at Nico who grinned.
"That was honestly well explained." Rachel nodded.
"Thanatos catches souls,"… wrestled him to the ground."
"He's really not fond of those incidents." Hades said with a light chuckle.
"Not surprising." Poseidon said with a nod.
"And now a giant has captured him,"… "Why does that not surprise me?"
"Shut up." Everybody chorused.
"You mean the Doors of Death,"… the most evil souls
"And that's the biggest problem." Silena sighed "At least at that moment." She said
"I don't even want to think about how the doors can be closed." Triton shuddered "Just gives me bad vibes." He said
"Oh you don't know, do you?" Nico said as the realization hit him.
"Ohh crap." Percy muttered.
"Know what?" Triton asked sharply
"Guess, you'll have to find out. I don't think we can tell." Nico sighed and gave him an apologetic glance. Triton genuinely looked scared and so did the ones who didn't know.
If we rescue Thanatos, that means…"In a depressing nutshell, yes," Nico said.
"Depressing nutshell indeed." Apollo sighed.
Frank scratched his head…by monsters that couldn't be killed
"You have to be the most observant person I've ever met." Reyna grumbled to Percy.
"My apologies." He grinned.
"If this begins the ancient prophecy…"That's probably enough for one week."
"That's boring." Connor said sarcastically and everybody couldn't help but chuckle.
"So you do have a plan?"… mentally writing her own obituary.
"Yes." Reyna nodded.
"Very well," she said… he considers them the most expendable
"I'm not even mad, just disappointed." Percy shook his head
"If I had to choose the most expendable, it would be Octavian." Ares nodded
Perhaps Mars is playing the long odds…but he isn't much of a Roman!"
"Indeed." Percy nodded.
"Octavian," Reyna said sternly…without help, like true Romans!"
"Can I drown him?" Percy said with raised eyebrows
"We'll help manually." Thalia nodded along with Nico.
"It's a plan then." Percy grinned and everybody laughed.
More muttering filled the chamber…I want to check out the Roman navy."
"Uhhhhh." Dakota started "Awkward." He said sheepishly.
"Yeah." Percy sighed.
They were only halfway across the forum…good bye, Percy Jackson."
"They guy's annoying." Hermes said, rubbing his eyes.
"Chapter's done." Hephaestus said
"I'll read next." Artemis said.