Previously:
They quickly turn and ran, and some ran straight into the monster army behind them in their panic, being subsequently cut down. And just like that, the whole Cohort's morale shattered, and everybody ran for their lives.
What everybody considered to be a routine war patrol had become the greatest blot on Roman military history since the sacking of Rome.
Presently:
The Senate was in uproar. The First had yet to come back, but something as earth shattering as the humiliating defeat that they had endured made the entire Greco-Roman world tremor. What was planned to be simple moping up operations where proving to have the opposite affect, with monster war bands popping up left and right.
Demigods on their way to Camp Jupiter or Camp Half-Blood were being cut down as these war bands not only increased in number, but also daring. The Greeks, always the hot headed sort, were quick to blame the Romans, proving that things between the two cultures were not healed in the slightest. Quite the contrary to the bullshit the leaders of both camps were sprouting.
"We need to have Jackson executed for high treason!" squawked a walrus of a woman, one of the new Senators from the last election cycle. Reyna almost scoffed, but held herself back once she saw how many Senators were nodding along in agreement.
She sighed, and rubbed her eyes tiredly. Between this and fighting Giants, I'd rather take the Giants any day she thought to herself.
"Okay, hold your Pegasi, nobody is executing anybody. Primus Pilus Jackson is still just that, Primus Pilus. We can't just kill him. And if anyone tries, they will be dealt with accordingly" Reyna began, shooting a meaningful glare at the entire Senate, ensuring her message was received.
"In addition, this is a military matter. The Legion and the Legion alone with decide Primus Pilus Jackson's punishment. If we decide to punish him that is" Reyna continued, before being interrupted by another new Senator who she likewise didn't know by name.
"What!? He must be punished! He embarrassed us!" he raged.
Reyna stared at him, a glint of fury in her eyes for a moment.
"And you are?" she asked cooly.
"Senator Alexandar Valerian" He announced almost proudly.
"You didn't fight in the war, did you?" She asked. Senator Valerian shifted uncomfortably, confirming her suspicion.
"Who among us here fought in either the Titan War or Giant War?" Reyna asked suddenly, facing the Senate once more. Most of the Senators raised their hands, including some of the people who had just been baying for Jackson's blood.
"So, I'm sure you all remember the terror you felt on the battlefield?" She asked, watching the Senate nod their heads and begin murmuring.
"The monster that handed us this defeat was none other than Kampe, the jailer of Tartarus." She revealed. Lupa had ordered her not to, but right now, it was either this or having Jackson murdered by a blood thirsty mob.
At the mere mention of that infamous jailer's name, the entire Senate shuddered. They had all heard the legends, but since Kampe had not raised her blades against a Roman Legion in millennia, she was more of a boogieman story.
Reyna opened her mouth to speak, however the doors banged open, revealing none other than the debated Primus Pilus, flanked by Michael. Both with bloodied and bruised, clearly having been transported by godly means.
Percy stalked into the Senate, a dark and cold air about him. He walked towards Reyna, ignoring the hisses and curses thrown his way by the still unconvinced Senate.
Once he got to her, he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Lupa wants to talk to you once this is over with."
Upon seeing Reyna's nod, he spun around and walked to his seat.
This was going to be a very long Senate meeting.
Timeskip
Percy sat deathly still, something that was bordering on impossible for a demigod. Insults, glares, even an empty bottle of water being thrown his way. But throughout all of that, he didn't react in the slightest.
The useless Senators behind these childish displays were beneath him, although he ensured to remember their faces so they too would get their punishments.
Right now, his mind was fixed firmly on what is ingrained in every human. What everyone is taught to avoid, but what everybody craves.
Revenge.
Cold, merciless revenge.
He knew that the monsters had someone on the inside in order to pull of their attack. Monsters, while certainly not dumb mindless creatures, where simply not intelligent enough to plan something of that magnitude. Someone had to have been feeding them information. Someone who had been involved in the inner workings of the Legion, and more importantly, the inner workings of the Legion's officer corps. Only they had the relevant information.
A water bottle was thrown at Percy once again. And this time, Percy snapped.
As he stood, a hush fell over the Senate. Interrupting Senator Valerian in the middle of his nonsensical rambling about the humiliating ways Percy should be put to death, Percy spoke.
"If I am forced to endure one more degradation, I swear on the Styx, the person responsible will not like the outcome."
Those there would later swear that they heard a pin drop. The seriousness in his tone served to get his point across.
"If we're all quite finished, I would like to go on with the rest of my day." Percy said.
Reyna stood to address him, but he was gone before she could open her mouth. She took off after him, although what she hoped to achieve she herself wasn't sure.
She found Percy standing by the Tiber, muttering angrily to himself. The Tiber was churning and frothing, reflecting the son of the Sea's emotions.
"You could at least go for a swim if you're here anyways" she said mildly, walking up to him.
Percy whirled around, his lips curled in a vicious snarl before he recognized Reyna.
"That's not a bad idea, come to think of it." he replied, sighing.
The two simply stood there for a few moments before Percy spoke again.
"I didn't think it'd be this hard."
Reyna's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "What would be this hard?"
"The whole Primus Pilus thing." He said, shrugging.
"Well, sorry to burst your bubble. Did you think you were just going to walk in there, shaking hands and signing autographs?" she snorted.
"No, but I didn't think..." he trailed off. "I don't know"
"Want my advice?" Reyna asked.
"Sure" he replied.
"Call someone you trust." She said, annoyingly cryptic. She turned around and left, leaving the son of Poseidon to his thoughts once more. He knew that she had a point, but by the gods. Who could he trust?
He wanted to talk to someone unaffected by this. He could go to Michael, or Isir, or even Larry, but they would all not give an unbiased opinion. Michael would rant about striking immediately, avenging their fallen and bringing honor back to the First Cohort. Isir would excitedly babble about something before eventually acknowledging it was Percys decision. And Larry would just scoff and tell him that he only had himself to blame for being a Graeci.
Which only left...the gods. More specifically one god.
Sighing himself as he eventually decided to take the plunge, he softly called to the Tiber in front of him
"Dad..."
Nothing. He waited a few more seconds before closing his eyes. Even his father didn't seem to want to talk. However, just as Percy began to turn to leave, just the voice he had been hoping to hear rang out.
"You gotta give your old man some time, Perce. I'm not nearly as spry as I once was" Poseidon said, warmth filling his tone.
"You're a god, dad" Percy replied, deadpan. The two stared at each other for a moment before both began cracking up. Poseidon rushed to envelope his son in a hug that made Tyson's hug seem soft.
Soon the two broke apart, and Percy smiled at his father. Say what you want about Poseidon, but nobody could deny he was a caring father.
"I need some advice, dad. Things are..." Percy trailed off.
"Not here, son. Let me take you home." Poseidon said, smiling. Percy nodded, and the two turned to a fine mist, leaving prying eyes frustrated.
AN: We'll get into the meat and potatoes of this story soon enough. This is going to be one of the last world building chapters before we get started on what I originally planned.