"Is there anyone who will stand for Bianca di Angelo?" Reyna declared, turning to observe the legion.
Silence. Just as Percy was about to say something, one camper stepped out.
"I will stand for my sister, Bianca di Angelo, daughter of Pluto," Hazel said. Snickers emerged from the First through Third legions. This was what always happened whenever one joined the Fifth.
"Silentium!" he snapped, patience waning. "Legionnaire Levesque is a credit to the legion. In her time with the Hunters of Diana, she has served the gods more than most will in their lifetime. I am sure she will be able to guide probatio di Angelo to do the same."
The legion fell silent as he glared at all of them. "I should have put a stop to this sooner. The Fifth Cohort is just as important to the legion as the First."
There was some grumbling in the First at his words. He directed his ire to that crowd. "Am I understood?" he snapped. The lack of words was blissful.
The legion collectively agreed.
"Good," he said, satisfied. Percy turned to Reyna, smiling apologetically at her, letting her continue the proceedings. She just rolled her eyes, and continued speaking.
Calling the War Games that night eventful would be an understatement, with a centurion coming back to life and with the appearance of his father, Neptune. A quest had been issued, to free Death, and he had been called to lead it, directed to take Bianca along with him.
He'd chosen Hazel as the third member, despite Reyna's protests. He trusted her to have his back, and he knew that she would be experienced enough.
They'd set early morning after a quick emergency Senate meeting, making their way to the docks, where they would travel by sea. It'd been smooth sailing, at least, for a while, until-
"Is it just me or did that just appear out of nowhere?" Percy asked, glancing at his two questing companions, dread filling him at Bianca's white face.
"Bianca?" he asked. "Are you alright?"
"I…" she said as their boat floated closer to the island. "We need to get out of here now!"
Percy immediately attempted to move the boat back and away, only for it to keep going toward the island. "I can't do anything. The boat's moving on it's own. What's wrong?"
"This island. I've been here before, it feels familiar," Bianca said in a panic. "We need to get out of here."
"I told you I can't do anything," Percy responded. "Do you remember this place then? What's so dangerous about it?"
"I-I…" the boat thumped as it reached the docs. Waiting for them with a clipboard was a smiling woman in a blue suit, with perfect makeup and hair pulled back in a perfect ponytail.
"Welcome!" the woman greeted them as they warily stepped out of the boat. "Welcome to C.C. Resorts! Is this your first time here? We've remodeled over the years due to some circumstances, but the name is always the same."
Percy glanced at Hazel and Bianca. Hazel looked wary while Bianca still looked to be in a panic.
"Apologies, but my travel companions and I never meant to make our way to this island. We're planning on leaving now."
The woman with the clipboard stepped closer. "Oh no! But you've just gotten here. C.C. will want to speak with you," she sunnily said.
Percy motioned for Hazel and Bianca to step back as he reached for his sword. Hazel unstrapped her bow, putting more distance in between herself and the woman.
"I don't think so, Perseus Jackson," a melodious voice spoke, freezing him in place.
A woman with long dark hair and piercing green eyes, wearing a silk black dress walked toward them.
"C.C., wait…" Hazel said. "You're Circe!"
"Yes my dear," the woman, Circe, said. "I am."
She then glanced at the attendant with the clipboard, commandingly saying, "Leave us. I will handle this matter personally."
Her gaze locked onto Bianca. "You," she hissed. "I've dreamed of meeting you again."
"I…" Bianca trailed off, hand clutching her head. "I've been here before, I've met you before."
"Yes, you have," Circe spat. "You're the one that destroyed this place once before. I even had to relocate out of the Sea of Monsters because of that. Do you know how much time it took to rebuild?"
"I don't remember," Bianca responded. "But if you could refresh my memory that'd be great."
"Don't remember?" she sneered. "Are you telling me you've lost your memory? Or was it just that insignificant to you."
Percy drew his sword, holding it up threateningly up at Circe, who clicked her tongue.
"Foolish male, you should know that those paltry weapons won't work against me." She smiled sweetly at him. "Now, why don't you be a dear and put that down?"
He should… put his sword down. Of cou-
"Stop toying with him!" Hazel snapped, stringing an arrow on her silver bow. "Circe, we just want to leave. Let us go, and you'll never see us again."
"Hazel Levesque…" Circe sighed. "You were with the Hunters of Artemis for decades. I would've thought you of all people would know of what I mean. Men are pigs, and they should be returned to that state. But then again, with your past, I do suppose you would never understand."
Hunters of… Artemis? That was the Greek name for Diana. Hazel stiffened at Circe's words. When Percy tried to move, Circe clicked her fingertips together, freezing him in place. She then walked around him, toward Bianca.
Standing in front of Bianca, she grasped her chin, studying her eyes.
"Your memories do seem to have a block on them," she mused. "No matter. It is nothing in the face of my magic," Circe continued, doing something, which made Bianca's knees buckle, and seemingly instinctively summon a crew of skeletal warriors, who seized Circe, pulling her away from Bianca's prone figure.
Piercing, shrill screams filled the air as Circe fought against the skeletons.
"Curse you Hades!" Percy could hear her screeching in the background. "This isn't fair!"
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Percy grabbed Bianca's body, and beelined for the boat, knowing that Hazel wouldn't be far behind him. With Circe distracted, he could finally grab hold of the waters, quickly propelling them out of range of the island's magic.
"Welcome back to the land of the living," Percy joked, as he saw Bianca awaken from her nap.
"My head is killing me," she groaned, rubbing at her eyes, then forcing them open, blinking rapidly. "How long have I been out?"
"Around five hours," Hazel responded.
Bianca blinked up at the almost setting sun, sitting up. The sun had been at it's highest point last she remembered. She seemed faraway for a moment, before she glanced at Percy, her eyes widening.
"That's why you seem familiar!" she shouted.
Percy blinked at her, confused. "Huh? What're yo-"
"Annabeth's photo. You're her childhood friend."
Understanding flooded through him. "Ah," he said. "So you do know Annabeth. You got your memories back?"
"She's my best friend," Bianca stated. "And I think Circe did something. I remember everything now."
Best friend huh? That had been him, once. He shoved those thoughts out of his mind as Bianca turned to stare accusingly at Hazel, who looked apologetic, but not regretful. "We have met before."
Hazel nodded. "We have."
Percy looked between the two of them. "Alright I got that from the day you came to the legion, Bianca, with how Hazel was acting, but what I never got was how."
"I…" Bianca trailed off, as if unsure of how to respond. She looked toward Hazel, who only nodded toward her.
"It's not my secret to tell. Juno sent you for a reason," Hazel said.
Bianca hesitated for a moment before starting her story.
"The Romans aren't the only demigods around," she said.
They weren't? But they hadn't ever come across anyone else before, at least not in recent history. But no, he had… hadn't he?
"The Lares called you graceus. That wasn't just because you looked Greek," Percy said, studying Bianca. "You're not a Roman demigod, are you? You're a daughter of Hades, not Pluto. And you said you know Annabeth. That means she's also a Greek demigod."
Bianca nodded. "You're right. There's a whole other group out there," she said as her eyes grew distant, and she turned northeast like she could see something. "Camp Half-Blood."
"A camp of Greeks," he flatly said, forcing down his instincts that screamed DANGER!
"Your friend, Annabeth," Bianca said, with a look that said she knew exactly what he was thinking. "She's a Greek too. Is she your enemy?"
Annabeth. His mind pictured a blurry image of a laughing blonde girl with sparkling gray eyes. That image had mostly faded from his mind. It had been years. But could he really call her his enemy?
"Every time the Greeks and Romans have met, there has been conflict," Hazel started. "But Lady Juno brought you here for a reason. Perhaps it's time for a change," she optimistically added.
"And there's something else," Bianca added. "If I was sent here, as the leader of Camp Half-Blood to the Romans…"
"Jason," Percy immediately said. "You're saying Jason's at Camp Half-Blood."
"That's right," Bianca confirmed. "And he probably woke up just as confused as I was, without his memory."
Jason. His cousin was surrounded by a bunch of Greeks. His worry must've shown on his face, as Hazel immediately reassured him.
"Don't worry," she said. "The Greeks are accepting to all demigods. I'm sure Jason will fit in fine." She then smiled at him. "Trust me. He'll be okay."
Percy wryly smiled. "That obvious, huh? Fine then. I… guess I'll believe you when you say that he'll be fine. So how did you two meet?"
Hazel and Bianca exchanged a glance.
"I suppose I'll tell the story since I probably remember it the most clearly," Hazel said. "You already know that I was with the Hunters for a few decades. That's how I met Annabeth, Bianca, and our little brother, Nico, who's Bianca's full-blooded brother…"