Chapter I
Naomi

Naomi really didn't like the hippie.

Her day started out normal, with an early morning run with her sister, then a quick trip into the city for breakfast. Patrol was boring and her swim in the harbor afterwards was cut short by a younger legionnaire nearly setting fire to the temple of Phoebus Apollo, followed by a centurion meeting at the senate house. The mess hall was serving cheeseburgers - praise the gods - and Naomi was strolling across the grounds before the war games later that night.

All good. Perfect, dare she say.

Then the black haired, amnestic kid had to ruin her day.

He came stumbling out of the tunnel entrance, looking every bit the ragtag child he probably was, lugging some old hag in a homeless rendition of the coat of many colors. Two of the newer recruits in cohort five - Naomi thinks one of the them was her cousin? - charged out behind him, weapons barred.

Naomi sighed, staring longing at her burger, wondering whether or not the younger soldiers needed her help. Her mental debate ended as two gorgons dressed in cheap Walmart employee vests flew in behind them. "I'm sure you would have been delicious," she muttered before chucking her sandwich at the monsters, hitting the taller of the two in the face. "Hey, dollar general!"

They hissed. They fucking hissed. Naomi winced at the hoarse sound and jogged forward before she could talk herself out of it, drawing her spatha from its sheath on her back. Three feet of solid gold, sharpened to a fine point on both edges and tip. Most demigods struggled with a longer blade, but Naomi wielded tridents for funnzies.

"I have a complaint to make on a count of you're trying to eat people! Should I take it up with you or your supervisor?"

"You insolent child," one of them hissed. Below them, the newbies plunged into the river. The black haired boy had stalled, though, and seemed to be in deep conversation with the hag in his arms. Who was that? Ain't no way a demigod lived to be that old and not be able to take care of themselves.

One of the gorgons chucked a platter of... something - was that cheese? - at Naomi. She ducked under it and charged forward. "I wanna speak to your manager!" Hurry up, kid. Gods.

"No! No manager! Only death to the half blood."

The kid plowed into the water - finally - and started across. Naomi just had to keep Things 1 and 2 distracted till then. Naomi gritted her teeth and focused on the water coursing at her feet. The damned beasts were in the air, and without Jason or a decent archer, they were sitting ducks. Unless Naomi put herself between them. There was a sharp tug in her gut, and she stepped out. Waves rippled around where she stepped but she stayed above the water.

Reese likes to joke she was a Roman Jesus. Constance told her to scare the newbies into submission. Her little trick was handy, keeping the playing field more level, but she could only hold it so long. Water bending was not her strong suit.

Focus, Naomi. Gorgons. Recruits. Fight.

The four demigods were halfway across now, with the hippie sporting a 'I know something you don't' smile and the boy gawking like a child seeing their first magic trick. More pressing matters.

Naomi redirected. "No thanks. I choose life."

That was the wrong answer, apparently.

The right Gorgon dropped down to swipe at the blonde, and Naomi swung her blade, only to spin on her heel and stab at the other monster as she came in from behind. "Come on, sea spawn. We only want to taste a little bit. I'm sure your delicious."

"If you like seafood, maybe." Stab again. Slash. The little shits stayed just out of reach, and with the black haired boy still in the river, she couldn't risk calling on a storm. Too much destruction for two monsters. Double shit... triple? It didn't matter.

Naomi stumbled, sinking into the water an inch before regaining control. She felt her grip on the river slip - but not from exhaustion. Someone else had taken it from her.

She stood stock still for a moment, steadying herself, which was all the Gorgons needed. They dove down and Naomi released the water and fell in. But not quick enough. One of them - the one on the right - dug her claw into Naomi's shoulder. Her arm burned something fierce. Her body was evidence that this wasn't the first time she'd been injured, and it certainly wouldn't be the last, but gods dammit did it hurt.

Naomi swung her free arm up at the winged bitch, but her sword was in her right arm, the one she was dangling from. She tugged at the water, but before she could use it, the newcomer had already taken control.

The river surged up around her, forming two liquid hands that grabbed the monsters. The gorgon released her, and Naomi took the opportunity and retreated from the Little Tiber.

"Holy shit."

"That's what we say when we see you do your shit." Reese saddled up beside her, arms crossed, watching in awe as the black haired boy bent the water to his will.

His hands folded into fists, then waved around, the river mimicking his movement. The Gorgons were thrown onto the water surface and burst into dust. Naomi waiting, feeling the river swirl and separate the dust until it was completely washed downstream and gone.

Everyone was silent. The two sentries were both dripping wet, and Naomi waved a hand, familiar tug pulling in her stomach, and the water drained from their clothes and armor. She called it over and allowed it to soak into her shoulder - directly into the would the gorgon had left, and sighed in relief as the skin stitched itself back together.

"Well, that was a lovely trip," the old hag said. Something about her was tickling the back of Naomi's mind, but she was still peeved at the lady. Naomi had helped keep her from becoming filet mingorgon, and she still hadn't uttered a thank you. But there was something... "Thank you, Percy Jackson, for bringing me to Camp Jupiter."

So that's the boy's name. Reyna choked. "Percy... Jackson?" Naomi tilted her head, but kept her mouth shut. A nice change of pace, even if she was still curious how their precious Praetor knew this child.

The old lady laughed - practically cackled, honestly, - with delight. "Oh, yes. You'll have such fun together."

Reese elbowed Naomi in the ribs... hard, and the blonde snarled at her adopted sister. Reese wasn't having it and whispered in her ear, "She's a goddess. For dad's sake, keep your mouth shut."

Naomi didn't question the daughter of Mars. Reese had a way of knowing stuff like that. A gift. She only began lowering onto one knee at the same time at the hippie shifted form. The entire field filled with clattering at legionnaires dropped to their knees, bowing before the queen of the gods.

The girl who had brought Jackson in - tiny thing, really - a few inches shorter than Naomi herself, with dark skin and bronze colored hair - was the first to speak. "Juno."

Brave little thing. Good thing it was her though, because Naomi wasn't particularly known for being the most respectful person. Part of the reason why she rose the ranks so quickly.

And to the sea daughter's surprise - and utter delight - Percy remained standing. She snorted, and Reese elbowed her again.

"Juno, huh?" Percy asked. "If I passed your test, can I have my memory and my life back?" Memory? Naomi and Reese shared a glance. Did he have brain damage, or did the gods really strip his memories? Who was he, where that kind of extreme was needed?

Juno just smiled down at him. "In time, Percy Jackson, if you succeed here at camp. You've done well today, which is a good start. Perhaps there's hope for you yet." With a dramatic flair only a goddess could possess, Juno spun to Reyna, and the rest of the legion. "Romans, I present to you the Son of Neptune." The fuck? Naomi's jaw dropped. "For months he has been slumbering, but now he is awake. His fate is on your hands. The Feast of Fortune comes quickly, and Death must be unleashed if you are to stand any hope in the battle. Do not fail me!" Then she disappeared. Just... poof, gone.

"I hate when they do that," Reese grumbled, standing up beside me.

"He's a son of Neptune, Reese." I watched Reyna step forward to greet Jackson. He looked confused, and Reyna just stood stiffer than usual... which said a lot. Jackson's eyes drifted to mine, his just a few shades greener. "He's my half brother."

"He comes with the blessings of the gods," Reese muttered. "Octavian better not fuck this one up."