Zoe nodded, "yes...lead the way," Percy did and she the rest of the hunters followed, weary as to his presence. Percy could almost feel the glares being thrown his way, he understood why of course, but it didn't mean he liked it.
As they approached the Roman camp Percy walked up to Zoe and spoke up, "have you ever been to new Rome before?"
"I have, but not the others," Zoe pointed to the Hunters, "a few like Phoebe and Madeline have," she pointed at a tall red haired hunter with a hateful glare and a black skinned hunter with a more casual smile;
Phoebe Nightrider, Hunter of Artemis
Lv-32
Madeline, Hunter of Artemis
Lv— 28
Percy nodded at the hunters, Phoebe simply glared back while Madeline nodded in return. Percy turned to Zoe, "why is that?"
"We have been with Lady Artemis the longest, we were there before the Romans and Greeks were separated by the Gods. Though we thought they were dead, not simply hidden."
Percy nodded, "alright, so you know the basic layout of this place?"
Zoe shrugged, "a long time has passed, things might have changed."
"I wouldn't beat on it, you know how Romans are with tradition," Percy stopped before the banks of the Little Timber and turned to Zoe, "stay here, I'll tell them you all have arrived."
Zoe nodded, and then suddenly Percy disappeared in a blur of speed. Zoe blinked in surprise, [that is new,] she switched to her native tongue in surprise.
[I don't understand why we must follow this man!] Phoebe hissed out in ancient greek, [he is so dismissive of us and our abilities!]
[What can we do? It was the lady's order,] Carol, another Hunter argued, the other Hunters all nodded in agreement.
[Why does she trust this man so much?] Madeline asked what the others were thinking, [has she ever mentioned him before?]
[Once or twice,] Zoe groaned, [she always had praise for him and his actions though.]
"Ah, excuse me," Franchie, the youngest hunter to join them spoke up, "you all are doing that thing again."
Zoe blinked, they had all unknowingly switched to their mother tongue. Only a few of the hunters, Artemis' most elite and oldest hunters, could speak it. While the others were used to this, Franchie was not, it was still very new to her.
Zoe smiled, "I am sorry little one, we didn't realise we were doing so," she patted Franchise on the head, the 10 year old girl was small for her age, small and easily scared. But she had the heart of a hunter, and that was all that mattered.
"It's fine," the raven haired girl smiled, "what were you talking about?"
"We were talking about that man," Phoebe spat, "we don't trust him."
"Why?" Franchie asked.
"We have seen the worst man has to offer the world," Zoe explained, "we are weary of them."
"Well the puppies seem to like him," Franchie turned to the Baloths, who had once again escaped their captors running circles around the Hunters.
Zoe was about to respond when suddenly there was a gust of wind and Percy spread before them all startling them. Franchie herself yipped in shock before running behind Zoe's legs.
"I have spoken to one of the praetors, she will be sending someone to guide you all inside," Percy spoke up, "they'll give you all some place to rest, we aren't expecting them for sometime now, so I suggest you use what free time you have to rest up."
"We don't need your suggestions boy," Phoebe spat out. Zoe was about to tell the girl to hold her tongue when Percy spoke up.
"Wow, didn't realise the sexism ran strong in you," Percy whistled, "so sad, so sad."
"What?!" Phoebe's eyes went wide, "I'm not sexist!"
"Really? Define sexism."
"The discrimination of women by men," she shot back.
"See, sexist," Percy waved, "I swear I had the same conversation with Artemis when we first meet."
"How is that sexist?" Madeline asked questioningly, even a few of the others looked either confused or pissed off.
"Well she did kind of failed to mention men in that definition didn't she?"
"Men cannot be discriminated against," Zoe argued.
"Says who?"
"I have lived for thousands of years, I have seen it," Zoe narrowed her eyes.
Percy blinked, "damn, well how many of those years have you spent in civilisation?"
Zoe paused, "what does thou mean?"
"You are a hunter yes? From what I know you all live in forests and tents, yes?" the hunters nodded, curious as to what his point was, "well then how can you say you know what this world's like if you haven't lived in it?"
Zoe was surprised at the argument made, she turned to the others who looked just as surprised as she.
"Look I didn't come here to argue," Percy held his hands up, "I know you all have a reason to hate men and I'm not going to pretend to know what all you've have been through. But as a wise puppet once said, 'fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate and hate leads to suffering'."
Phoebe blinked, "who said that?"
"Yoda," Percy grinned. At the hunters questioning looks he continued, "you know...from Star Wars?" Still nothing, "Empire strikes back? Little green thing? About the height of my knee? Talks in riddles, he does?"
"We have not heard of this, 'Star Wars'," Zoe mashed the words out as if it was foreign to her, "is it a play?"
Percy blinked, "you guys have never seen Star Wars?"
"We have never heard of it, no," Zoe shook her head.
Percy stayed silent, for the longest time he did nothing but blink. Finally he spoke up, "I am so going to make you guys watch it before you leave."
The Hunters didn't know what to make of that. One moment he was arguing that they were sexist, the next he was talking about a puppet and something called a 'movie'. He really was a strange boy.
Just then, out of the shadows cast down by the several trees surrounding them, a large black and white blur jumped out.
"Hellhound!" Phoebe yelled out as she and the rest of the Hunters moved, grabbing their bows and launching an arrow in three seconds.
Percy turned to the invader and immediately realised who it was. "No!" he yelled out, but it was too late. The arrows were flying towards the surprise guest. Percy reached out with his mental powers and suddenly they all stopped mid flight, floating in the air.
The hunters turned toward Percy, who held out both hands frowned in concentration. He let out a breath and the arrows fell down. He grumbled at the hunters, "next time wait."
"Master!" Leo barked as he ran towards Percy.
"Watch thienself!" Zoe yelled out, she moved to intercept the hellhound and Percy but the demigod just waved her away.
Leo jumped into Percy's hands, it's front legs on his shoulders as it licked his face over and over. The son of Poseidon laughed, "stop it boy, I'm ticklish!"
"I missed you master!" Leo barked as it go down before rubbing his head on Percy's leg.
"I missed you too bud, I'm happy you didn't get hurt," Percy smiled as he scratched Leo behind the ear causing the Hellhound wolf hybrid to growl in pleasure.
The Hunters watched their interactions in amazement as they saw Percy play with the giant beast. Finally he stopped and noticed their faces. He chuckled, "what? Thought you guys were the only ones with a monster for a pet?"
Just then the Baloths came running at Leo, yipping loudly. The companion didn't mind the little blue pups surrounding his feet, their bites were nothing to him and they were minor annoyances at best.
"What is it?" Franchie asked, stepping out from behind Zoe to get a better look at the newest pet.
"Well now, who's this?" Percy asked with a smile as he noticed Franchie;
Francesca Bond, Daughter of Tyche
Lv— 2
Percy blinked, 'Tyche, that's the goddess of luck,' "whoa, aren't you a lucky one."
The hunters looked confused, Franchise however looked curious. She looked from Percy to Leo, curiosity burning in her eyes.
Percy chuckled, "he doesn't bite you know. Well, he does, but he would never bite girls, he much prefers to bite men."
"Sounds like a smart dog," Phoebe snapped.
"Yeah, he is, after all I did raise him," Percy grinned back silencing Phoebe who simply glared back. Franchise stepped away from Zoe and walked towards Leo, the hellhound hybrid turned to the little hunter and remained still, knowing any move would startle the girl.
She pressed her hand against his fur, petting it gently. "It's warm," she whispered.
"Yeah," Percy nodded, "he also likes hugs." Franchie looked at him in surprise and hope, Percy nodded at the girl, and she slowly moved, wrapping her arms around Leo's neck, snuggling into his coat.
The Hunters awed at the cute girl trying to wrap her hands around Leo's body, Percy had to admit it was one of the most adorable sights he had ever seen. And then suddenly Franchies' eyes turned from a sky blue to a sea green, flashing another girl in her place.
'Bethany,' Percy thought, that was the name of his daughter, the daughter he had in the dream, his daughter with Thalia. And Franchie was wearing a silver parkha, the same one his daughter with Artemis was wearing. Andrea, if he remembered right.
Percy didn't even want to go down that road of thought, that dream...it really got to him. He never really had the time to process it all, but now...
"Percy?" came a call. Percy turned around to find Julia and Carrie White, the librarian of Rome. They both wore armor with their weapons strapped to their hips. For Julia it was normal, but for Carrie, someone who preferred books over weapons, it was odd.
"Ah, that was faster than I thought," Percy nodded, he stepped aside displaying the hunters, "these are the Hunters of Artemis. Hunters this is Julia Brown, the praetor of Rome and Carrie White, the Librarian of Rome."
Carrie looked surprised that Percy still remembered her name while Julia nodded at Zoe, who she correctly assumed to be the leader.
"Welcome to camp Jupiter's hunters," Julia bowed, "we thank you for coming to our aide when you didn't have to. We are eternally grateful. Please follow Carrie, she will show you where you will be staying. We will have a war council a little while later, am I correct in assuming that you are their leader?" she asked Zoe.
Zoe nodded, "I am indeed the lieutenant of the Hunters."
"Good, then I shall see you soon," Julia turned to Percy, "the Senate is waiting."
Percy groaned, "great , just great. Sigh, of well," he turned to Leo, "I can't bring him with me can I?"
Julia turned to Leo and gulped, the beast was enormous. When she first saw him in the Dreamworld she thought he was going to attack Percy and rip him in half, imagine her surprise when she found out he was little more than a pet!
The hellhound hybrid was friendly, but the Senate was jumpy as it was, they didn't need this adding fuel to the fire. "I'm sorry Percy, but no."
Percy sighed, "I figured," he looked at Leo and the Hunters, "hey bud, do you want to stay with the women for sometime?"
Leo perked up, "really master? I can?" his tail was wagging from side to side in excitement.
Percy rolled his eyes, "yes, you can, that is if it's alright with you," he asked Zoe.
Zoe looked at the hellhound with narrowed eyes, "if he attacks us we will kill him."
Percy grinned, "that's fair. Got that Leo? No attacking the hunters."
Leo nodded, "yes boss!"
Percy chuckled, "alright then, Franchie, take care of him for me will you?" the little girl looked up in surprise and nodded mutely, "thanks!"
"We better get going," Julia turned to leave when Percy stopped her.
"Wait, I have one more thing to do, Carrie," he turned to the librarian, "can we talk for a moment?"
The girl looked dangerously at Percy, it wasn't really intimidating for him, but whatever made her feel safe. In the end she simply nodded as they walked away from the others, much to the confusion and curiosity of the hunters and Julia.
"What?" Carrie asked in a scathing tone.
"I need you to research something," Percy informed her.
"I'm not your personal google search engine Jackson," Carrie narrowed her eyes, "do it yourself."
"I would, but I don't have time. The Senate is on my ass and we don't have time for me to bumble around the library. This is important Carrie, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't. The last time I asked for your help it was to bring our camps together, this time it is far more important."
Carrie remained silent for the longest time before she nodded. Percy sighed, "thanks. I need everything you have about the curse of Achilles, can you do that?"
Carrie raised an eyebrow, "the curse of Achilles? Why do you want to know about that?"
"I think Kronos is going to use that to keep his body intact," Percy told her, "I can't tell you how I know this, but my source is very reliable. Can you do this for me? Please?"
Carrie searched Percy's eyes for any form of deceit, but found none. She sighed, "I'll have everything about the curse ready for you by the time you leave the Senate."
"Thank you, and please, the few people who know about this the better," Carrie agreed and soon they were off. Carrie with the Hunters and Julia with Percy.
"What did you and Carrie talk about?" Julia asked just as she and Percy finished depositing their weapons at the pomerian line, ignoring Terminus' wild rantings about how Percy's armor gauntlet was technically a weapon, which it technically wasn't.
"It's something important," Percy told her, "but I don't want to worry you over nothing just yet. Let's see what she can dig up first. Then we talk doomsday preparations."
Julia didn't like the fact Percy was hiding things for her, but she nodded in agreement.
"Tell me then, how did you know Kronos was coming after us?" Julia asked.
Percy shrugged, "the Hermes squad told me they were stationed nearby, and so I figured that could only mean one thing, they know about you."
"Yes but how?"
"I...I'm not sure. But I believe it's because there's a spy amidst your ranks feeding them intel."
"What?" Julia hissed, her voice going quite.
Percy nodded, "yeah, it's the only thing that makes sense. Luke didn't know about you, so we know it wasn't him. Kronos has been dead for a long time and Hyperion in jail. That leaves only one option..."
"But a spy?" Julia groaned, "it's just too...bizarre for a Roman to turn traitor."
"Maybe, but either way we can sort this out later. We need to focus on staying alive now. Agreed?"
Julia sighed, "agreed."
As they walked through the streets of New Rome Percy realised that the streets were filled with people. They weren't working, shopping, or even moving around. They were instead staring at them passing by, whispering to themselves.
Percy grumbled, "I wish they would stop staring."
