Chapter II
Percy

Percy wasn't scared of ghosts, which was lucky. Half the people in camp were dead.

Shimmering purple warriors stood outside the armory, polishing ethereal swords. Others hung out in front of the barracks. A ghostly boy chased a ghostly dog down the street.

No one seemed to mind the ghosts, as Percy's entourage walked by, all the spirits stopped to stare. A few looked angry. The little boy ghost shrieked something like "Greggus!" and turned invisible.

Percy wished he could turn invisible too. After weeks on his own, all the attention made him uneasy. He stayed between Frank and Hazel and tried to look inconspicuous.

"Am I seeing things or are those -"

"Ghosts?" Hazel turned. Her eyes were a startling shade - like fourteen karat gold. "They're lares. House gods."

"House gods." Because of course. "Like... smaller than real gods, but larger than apartment gods?"

"Ancestral spirits," Frank explained. He'd removed his helmet, revealing a baby face that didn't quite go with his military haircut or his burly frame. He looked like a toddler who'd taken steroids and joined the marines. "The lares are like mascots. Mostly harmless, but I've never seen them so agitated."

"They're staring at me," Percy pointed out. "That one kid called me Greggus. My name's not Greg."

"Graecus." Hazel said. "Once you've been here a while, you'll start understanding Latin. Demigods have a natural sense for it. Graecus means Greek."

Frank coughed. "Maybe not. But you've got that type of complexion, dark hair and all. Maybe they think you're actually Greek. Is your family from there?"

"Don't know. Like I said, my memory is gone."

"Or maybe..." Frank paused.

"What?" Percy asked.

"Probably nothing. Romans and Greeks have an old rivalry. Sometimes Romans use graecus as an insult for someone who's an outsider - and enemy. I wouldn't worry about it."

He sounded pretty worried.

They stopped at the center of camp, where two wide stone paved roads met in a T.

Percy took in the signs and mile markers - Berkeley, New Rome, Old Rome, Hades, Reno, and Certain Death. And for Certain Death, the place was pretty clean. Barracks had porches and campers laughed outside their dorms on hammocks. Each collection of dorms was themed to an animal - eagle, bear, wolf, horse, and something like a hamster.

There were advertised shops and toga rentals. Even a chariot dealership.

At one corner of the crossroads stood the most impressive building - a two story wedge of white marble with a columned portico like an old fashioned bank. Roman guards stood out front and over the doorway hung a big purple banner with the gold letters SPQR embroidered inside a laurel wreath.

"Your headquarters?" Percy asked.

Reyna faced him, her eyes cold and hostile. "It's called the principia."

She scanned the mob of curious campers who had followed them from the river. "Everyone back to your duties. I'll give you an update at evening muster. Remember we have war games after dinner. Marlin, stay behind - I'll need your report."

The thought of dinner made Percy's stomach rumble. The scent of barbecue from the dining hall made his mouth water. The bakery down the street smelled wonderful too, but he doubted Reyna would let him get an order to go.

The crowd dispersed reluctantly. Some muttered comments about Percy's chances.

"He's dead."

"Would be those two who found him."

"Yea, let him join the fifth cohort. Greeks and geeks."

Several kids laughed at that, but a blonde girl - the same girl from the river, Percy realized with a start - glared and they scuttled off.

"Hazel," Reyna said. "Come with us. I want your report on what happened at the gates."

"Me too?" Frank asked. "What he did? We've got to let him -"

"I'd remind you, Frank Zhang, you are on probatio yourself. You've caused enough trouble this week." Her words were cutting and Frank's ears turned red. "Go to the armory. Check our inventory. I'll call if you're needed."

"But -" Frank caught himself. "Yes, Reyna."

He hurried off.

"Marlin!" Reyna called. "Come."

The blonde girl who walked on water - and isn't that the coolest thing to say? - sauntered over, lip twisting up on one side. "I love when you order me around like a dog. I really wish you'd do it more." Even Percy could feel the sarcasm.

Reyna's jaw clenched. "Just follow please."

"I had a cheeseburger calling my name, but I suppose I can make time for you, Praetor."

Hazel and Percy shared a glance, swallowing down their laugh.

Marlin smirked and Percy took the second to observe. She was shorter than him, by a few inches, with blonde hair. Not the golden blonde from his last remaining memory, but the same shade as a sandy beach. Her eyes were a dark blue - like those pictures from deep underwater.

She held out her hand to Percy first, then Hazel. Her forearm, like everyone else's Percy had noticed, bore a symbol and a varied number of bars. Her's was a trident, with fourteen lines. "Naomi Marlin, centurion of the second cohort and daughter of Neptune."

Percy's head shot up. "You too?"

"How else do you think I walked on water?"

That ... made sense.

"Percy Jackson. Son of Neptune... And I'm not sure which cohort I am." Percy said.

"You'll get assigned one," Hazel answered. "Hazel Levesque. Daughter of Pluto, fifth cohort."

Naomi blinked, then smiled. "I don't know why I didn't realize we were related. Of course everyone here is technically related, but -" she shrugged.

Reyna waved the three of them toward the headquarters. "Now, Percy Jackson, let's see if we can improve your memory."