Everyday Thalia and Percy had meet up at around 7 in the Fist of Zeus and went into Percy's ID to train. It was sort of their personal couple's time, but while most couples went out for a movie or for dinner Thalia and Percy liked to bend the laws of physics and control the very elements of nature.
Percy and Thalia walked hand in hand into the Mess Hall where they were forced to separate and go to their respective tables. Every since Chiron found out about their relationship he had been...observant.
He didn't say anything about their relationship itself, just that they needed to be careful. He also made sure that they didn't spend too much alone time together, he was adamant about them acting like proper demigods.
The poor guy was trying, in all honesty he had almost gotten a heart attack when he found out. A child of Poseidon and a child of Zeus? Yes, not the most stable of relationships. But Thalia and Percy seemed to make it work.
After breakfast Percy had his daily training session with the campers. Over the last three months they had all improved significantly. The demigods in the level 1 category were now able to keep up with the ones in level 2, while a few of the ones in level 2 were moved up to level 3.
Overall each squad of demigods have become powerful enough to take down a Legion zombie on their own. While that wasn't much it was still an impressive thing to do.
They were definitely better trained the the Romans. Percy remembered even now how that day went;
One Month Ago;
Percy stood at the Fist of Zeus waiting for the rest of the head counselors to show up. It was the weekend and Percy had already contacted Julia in the Roman camp and told her he was coming.
Soon the first one to show up was Katie Gardner, the head of the Demeter camp.
"Hey Katie," Percy waved at her.
"Hey Percy," Katie waved back as she looked around awkwardly waiting in silence.
Percy chuckled, "okay why are you acting so weird?"
Katie bleached, "I-I not acting weird! Why do you think I'm acting weird?"
"Because you refuse to make eye contact with me for longer than five seconds?"
Katie tried to deny it but Percy kept probing into her before she finally gave up. Katie sighed, "well it's just that...well I always thought you were kind of cute, but we never really seemed to talk much. So it's kind of...awkward."
Percy chuckled, "yeah you're right, we haven't spoken much. Maybe we should change that," Percy sat down on the rocks, "so tell me something about yourself?"
Katie blinked, "well...I like flowers. And ah....I like gardening."
"Well with a name like Gardening you better," Percy joked causing Katie to chuckle in response.
"Well you are right."
"So tell me about Demeter, what type of Goddess is she?"
"My mom is....well she's different. She's kind of....she has this dazed attitude about her that freaks people out. She's also a total klutz when it comes to things that doesn't involve plants. I would think she's kind of crazy, but every time I thought that I noticed that my plants all turned blue and I have spent forever-shit! I mentioned it! Fuck, mom is going to turn roses blue!"
Percy smiled at Katie's dazed attitude, 'like mother like daughter I suppose'. Percy waited for her to calm down before he spoke, "blue roses huh? Mind if I buy them off of you?"
Katie blinked, "really? But it would look like it has been dipped in ink and then spray painted, you okay with that?"
Percy smiled, "blue is my favorite colour, if you haven't noticed," Percy pointed to his shirt, "plus my mom loves all things blue. Maybe I'll give her some blue roses."
Katie smiled, as the two continued to talk until the rest of the head counselors arrived.
Percy looked at them, "guess we'll talk later."
Katie smiled, "I'll like that."
"Oh and before I forget," Percy calle doubt as he opened his inventory and pulled out a fruit. It looked like an apple but it was shaped like a pear, "here, try to see whether you can make more of these."
Percy threw the fruit to Katie who caught it with ease and examined it close. Slowly she looked amazed as a wide smile came on her face, "what is this?"
"It's called a fruit of happiness," Percy told here, "anyone who eats it will become happier for the next hour."
"So that's why I feel so happy."
Percy raised an eyebrow, "I thought you were supposed to eat it first before you felt the effects, hm....must have read that wrong," the last part he muttered under his breath.
"No, you see as a child of Demeter I can feel plants and their powers. Kind of like you and the sea I think. Usually I can only feel the plants and tell what they are and what he can do, but this fruit...this is really powerful, it's influencing me and I'm not even trying to feel it out."
Percy nodded, "hm...must be something to do with your powers. Etherway try to figure out how to make more, we can totally use those in parties."
Katie grinned, "I like the way you think Percy."
The two new friends quickly ended their conversations as the last of the head counselors, Thalia, showed up.
They were all here, Clarisse, the Stoll brothers, Selina, Charles, Lee, Annabeth, Castor, the son of Dionysus and of course Katie, Percy and Thalia. And representing the minor Gods was Bianca, who was mostly selected because no one else wanted the job and she was the only one among them all who had the mental maturity to fill the position.
Percy stepped in front of the whole underneath the fist of Zeus and cleared his throat, "alright guys listen up. As you know we are all going to camp Jupiter today. You all will be going there to learn from them how to fight as an army. As individuals of even small squads we have them beat, But their teamwork is unparalleled."
"Who will we be learning all of this from?" Lee Fletcher asked.
"Mostly from the Centurions from each cohort," that their confused looks Percy continued, "they are the like head counselors there. Didn't I tell you all this before?"
Travis and Conner shrugged as the former spoke, "they're Roman, who actually takes time to remember them?"
Percy sighed, "and another thing. While there I expect you all to be on your best behaviour. No fighting," he glared at Clarisse, "no pranks," he looked at the Stoll brothers, "and no....ah, guess that's it."
"Sweetie you challenged Rob the first day there," Thalia spoke up, "you telling us not to pick fights is kind of hypocritical, don't you think?"
Percy sighed as he rubbed his temples, "look this alliance is fragile enough as it is. Just don't....don't do something to piss them off."
"Really?" Annabeth raised her eyebrow, "you're going to tell us that?"
Percy groaned, "I'm allowed to piss people off Annabeth, it's kind of my deal. Plus the Romans know me, and most of all, they fear me. I have that to back me up you guys....don't. So be careful, please."
"Alright alright, no need to beg," Clarisse said in a mocking tone, "we will all behave like adults."
"Mostly," Selina added at the end grinning at her friend.
Clarisse grinned back, "mostly."
Percy sighed, "this is going to end so badly, I just know it."
After explaining to them all how Percy was able to travel through the labyrinth, and after calming Annabeth down after she realised that the labyrinth was real, Percy took the group of head counselors and went into Labyrinth.
Percy had a rope tied on each demigods had stringing along everyone in a straight line. The tunnel felt more like a cave and it got narrower and narrower. But just then it suddenly opened up letting each demigod walk in pairs comfortably.
Percy lead them through the comfortable five minute walk and soon the tunnel ended with a wall standing in front of them.
"Did we seriously hit a dead end?" Castor asked in a belittling tone reminding Percy that yes, he was in fact related to Dionysus.
"No we didn't," Percy pressed his hand on the wall allowing it to slide open, "it was just locked."
The demigods walked out into the tunnel as they all quickly untied the ropes around them. Percy closed the entrance to the Labyrinth as Thalia guided them towards camp Jupiter.
A look of wonder and amazement came onto their faces as they looked down into the valley in which camp Jupiter stood.
"This is camp Jupiter," Percy said as he walked up to them, "that right there," he pointed to the Roman encampment, "is their military base. Kind of like our camp site. The flat lands next to them is called the field of Mars, the place where they train, and that," he pointed to New Rome, "is where demigods go to retire."
"Holy shit," Lee cursed, "they have a fucking city?!"
Thalia nodded, "yeah, after a Legionnaire, I mean camper, after they serve 10 years with the army they get to live in the city. Inside there is a college and plenty of room for a family."
"Woah," the Stoll brothers said at once. "So people actually grow old and die?" Conner asked in amazement.
Percy chuckled, "it's kind of messed up that we find that amazing."
"Yes, it is," Charles agreed as he sprouted a small smile, "we should build a place like this back in our camp. A place for the Greek demigods."
Percy nodded, "I fully intend to."
"What?!" Annabeth cried out, "are you serious?"
Percy blinked in surprise, "yeah...didn't I tell you?"
"NO!"
Percy chuckled nervously, "well I honestly meant to. I wanted your help to design this city of ours."
Annabeth started to panic, "holy shit holy shit holy shit! I am so freaking out right now! Where are we going to build it?! Will we even have enough material to build it? How is it going to be designed? What protections will it have?"
Percy smiled, underneath all that nervousness Percy could tell Annabeth was excited. Per put a hand on her shoulder, "relax Annabeth, we'll figure it out," he smiled reassuringly at her, "leave the materials and land buying up to me. I got the money."
Annabeth blinked, "are you serious? How much."
"More than enough to basically give you a blank check when it comes to the cost of designing the city."
Annabeth squealed in joy as Thalia chuckled at her friends actions. She leaned into Percy's ear, "I think you might have just given her an orgasim."
Percy blushed, "l-let's move forward guys! Don't want to keep the Romans waiting!"
Thalia chuckled but said nothing as Percy lead them down to the valley. When they reached little Tiber Percy froze a bridge for them to walk over the water and guided the Greeks across. He and Thalia then stepped up to the front of the wooden gates while the others waited patiently behind looking forward.
Percy knocked the door, "open up!"
The shutter in the middle of the gate slide open, "what do you-oh it's you Percy! Come in man!" The shutter closed but Percy could hear the guy on the other side call for the Praetors and to open the gates.
The wooden doors creaked as they swung inside allowing the greek demigods their first look at the camps.
They were distracted by everything, mostly due to their ADHD acting up. They stared at all as slowly more and more Roman Legionaires gathered around the entrance.
"Percy and Thalia are back!" some one cried.
"And they brought more Greeks with them!" another called out
"Oh great! Let's just hope the new ones aren't as crazy as them."
"Who said that?!" Percy roared.
"Sorry!" the same voice yelled as slowly the crowd parted allowing Julia and Rob to walk towards them. The two Praetor's hadn't changed at all, they wore the same uniform, Percy wondered if they even changed their togas.
"It felt like you both left camp just the other day," Rob said grinning at Percy, "what's the matter? Missed the awesomeness at is Rome the moment you went back to the Greek camp?"
"Actually yeah, I totally missed the way I humiliated you the last time I was here," Percy snarked back, "oh and by the way, remind me again who you are?"
Rob went pale, "you can't be serious man! I mean come on! That was over a week ago!"
Percy shrugged, "a deal's a deal. Or does the Roman Praetor break his word?"
Rob grumbled, "Neptune is the greatest, and I am a stupid dumb son of Mars."
Percy grinned, "good boy."
Thalia sighed, "not even five seconds and you already pissing people off," she turned to Julia, "how have you been Julia? Keeping Rob in check?"
Julia chuckled, "as much as I can. Good to see you as well Thalia," she looked at the head counselors behind her, "I am assuming that these are the head counselors you spoke off?"
Thalia nodded, "yup. Come on up here guys!" The demigods walked up slowly, they looked around at the Roman around them and were understandably nervous.
"Relax guys, they don't bite," Percy assured them, "they are all a bunch of softies," Percy gripped Rob's cheeks and pinched them, "aren't you, you Roman Praetor you? Aren't you a big softie?"
Annabeth sighed, "weren't you the same guy who told us not to do something that would piss people off?"
Percy nodded, "I also said I was allowed to do so because I'm special."
Rob rolled his eyes, "yes you are. The ability to make me angry with three words or less is truly something worth call special." Romans around chuckled at Rob's joke while Percy also grinned from ear to ear.
"Well then let's get the introductions out of the way," Thalia spoke up, "this is Annabeth, daughter of Athena or Minerva in your case. Charles, son of Vulcan. the Stoll brothers, Travis and Conner, the twins of Mercury, be careful they prank people, like a lot."
From there Percy took over, "the girl that looks like she is itching for a fight is Clarisse, daughter of Mars, you sister Rob," Rob waved at her and Clarisse nodded in acknowledgement, "the beauty queen over there is the daughter of Venus, Selina. The guy who looks like he is analyzing everything in sight is Lee, son of Apollo. The girl with the brown hair and green eyes and the smile that just won't go away is Katie, daughter of a....what's the Roman form of Demeter?"
"Ceres," Julia supplied.
Percy nodded, "right, Ceres. And last but not the least is Castor, son of Bacchus."
Julia nodded, "welcome head counselors of camp Half-blood, I am Julia Roberts, the Praetor of this camp and daughter of Venus."
"What?!" Thalia and Percy shouted at once.
Julia raised an eyebrow, "why is that so surprising?"
Percy paled under Julia's glare, "well it's just that— ah.....you tell her Thalia!"
Thalia blinked, "me?" Julia looked at her, "well it's just that....you don't really feel like a daughter of Venus."
"What do you mean?" Selina asked crossing her arms.
Thalia paled, "you answer her Percy!"
"What?! Why do I have to?"