Percy didn't understand why the goddess Juno called her a Gallae, or why everyone was looking at her like she had shoved a torch down their throats, but even more so as to why Reyna looked at her with both interest and spite.

"Hazel, could you please step out of the room?"

Hazel glanced nervously at Percy, but she waved her off. "I'll see you outside."

Her gold eyes did a double take, before the kinky-haired girl left the area.

"Lady Juno rarely introduces us a demigod." Reyna started, sitting on her desk. She probably should have looked silly, in a bed sheet dyed purple and a lopsided gold leaf crown, but she looked more intimidating. The jelly bean bowl next to her caught a lot more of Percy's attention than she'd like to admit. "So what did you do to catch her attention."

Percy looked up at her deep brown eyes. "I don't know."

Reyna raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

Percy shifted nervously. "Before I crossed that river, I had no idea what my name was. Well, I knew my firsts name obviously, but that second name…"

Percy paused, noticing she probably sounded ridiculous.

"You remember nothing of your past?"

Percy thought for a moment. She remembered one person - a guy named Grover who seemed very fond of wearing fur pants. But beyond that…

"I… don't know?"

Reyna's shoulders dropped a little in a relaxing way.

"Very well. I must send you to our augur, so he can read the gods' message on whether or not we shall keep you as an ally-"

Her eyes scanned over Percy with a newfound emotion in them, dare he say empathy.

"Or if we shall rain you as our enemy."

Percy was about to follow after Hazel and Frank, on the start of her quest, when Reyna pulled her aside.

"Percy." Reyna started.

Percy looked up at the taller girl, green eyes meeting brown.

"I wish you luck on your quest."

Percy took a moment.

"Uh… thanks?"

Reyna's gaze soften and she pulled something off her hand - a silver and ruby ring, as well as a small golden band with a little white stone in the front.

"This ring," she held the ruby ring up, "Is a gift from my sister, I wish for you to stop in Seattle and see her. I fear she may be in trouble, but she will not accept your help without this."

Percy glanced at the other ring.

"And the gold band?"

Reyna's lips twitched. "A good luck gift, if you wish to take it. It's nothing much, no magical abilities that I know of, but it's been with me since I was a little girl."

Percy took the two rings from Reyna. The gold band fit perfectly on her ring finger, but the ruby ring seemed a bit big.

"And one more thing." Reyna took out an envelope. "A letter signed by the active praetor. If you ever need help in anything, show this to a retired member of the legion and they are oath-bound to serve your needs."

"Thank you." Percy said, then awkwardly gave Reyna a hug. The leader stiffened, then awkwardly hugged Percy back.

"Save us all, Percy Jackson."

Percy watched Octavian furiously glare at her from across the field. She didn't care though, the roaring crowd started to crowd-surf her across to the ruined senate building. Reyna stood on the marble, a smile on her face. Amazons and Romans alike filled in around to watch as Percy in her short glory landed on the marble pavement.

She barely had time to stand up before everyone started to shout "Praetor Percy! Praetor Percy!"

Reyna raised her left hand and the voices died down instantly.

"Before me stands the hero you have selected as our newest praetor. You picked well, but first we must hear her story about the quest."

Reyna turned to Percy. "The floor is yours."

Percy took a deep breath in, and turned to face the crowd.

"When I left New Rome, I had no knowledge of who I was." Percy started her story, describing the trip through the only ship they had to offer, the gorgon blood gamble, the earth that spoke to him, Seattle, Frank's grandmother, what Alaska was like, and the memories that came back slowly over the entire trip. "I remember Juno coming to me, after the battle on Olympus. She seemed concerned, and now I know why. A greek standing among romans is unheard, at least until today. I did not ask to be a hero, or a praetor, but instead it was gifted to me. 5 days ago I was a stranger. Today, I'll stand as your leader with honour and pride, knowing that I have a place in Rome too."

The crowd soaked up the speech with excitement, breaking out into cheers and applause at the end. Percy's chest filled a a feeling of hope, pride, and passion.

Octavian grumbled as he walked up to her. Percy stretched out her right arm to him, a smirk on her face.

"Nice to see you again, Octavian."

The anemic augur just held his dagger up and spoke in perfect latin - Gods of Olympus please hear my cry and mark this man-

"Woman" Percy corrected.

Octavian stuttered a little, then corrected himself - woman with our symbol, this daughter of Neptune, this Praetor of Rome.

Black lines burned to life on her arm. The pain wasn't as bad as she expected, more of a slight tingle than the needles and daggers both Hazel and Frank had described. A trident right above four dark letters and a single black strip wrapped all up in a laurel wreath.

"All Hail Percy Jackson, Praetor of Rome."

Annabeth, Piper, Leo, and Jason all looked uncomfortable at the head table. Percy couldn't blame them, the tension in the air was enough to cut Ares' ankle again.

"So Mr D just up and left the camp?" Percy looked up from her kool-aid, in which Dakota had given to her this morning as a gift.

"Shortly after you disappeared, Mr D packed up everything and vanished to Olympus." Annabeth stated. "Something about paranoia."

Percy, though she hadn't been fond of Mr D when she first met him, felt a soft twist in her heart. The god had given her a gift, had given her a remodeled body after so many quests and years of dysphoria and being called the wrong gender by so many people. She had to admit that he was a sorta nice god to have around, even though he kept calling her names like Petunia, Patty, Pauleen, Pansy, and even Pickle {in which Percy had nearly died of laughter}.

"Anything else changed?"

Annabeth looked at her with steel grey eyes. "Clarisse nearly blew up the rock wall again. But other than that, we've already told you our story."

Percy got the hint. She put down the blue koolaid and broke into their side of the story, starting with Lupa and ending with the hologramic scroll Leo sent. Hazel and Frank jumped in, adding things that THEY saw, like Frank with Mars or Hazel with Gaia.

"7 demigods against one earth." Percy muttered. "How realistic."

Jason nodded in agreement. "And that prophecy is just half of it. Figuring out where to start, now that's the problem we'd also have to-"

Ella, who had been sitting next to Percy, shuddered and squawked. She cupped her eyes like she was trying to listen to a small noise and raised her head.

"Wisdom's Daughter Walks Alone,

The Mark of Athena Burns Through Rome

Twins Snuff Out The Angel's Breath

Whom Holds The Key To Endless Death

Giant's Bane Stands Gold And Pale

Won Through Pain Of A Woven Jail."

She paused, the titled her head. "Burned? The rest is burned."

Then she sat down.

Reyna and Percy exchanged a quick look with the same message - That a was prophecy, don't let Octavian get his hands on her.

A spilt moment later, Octavian stood up.

"That was a prophecy."

Percy stood up to. "No it was not."

"She just recited a-"

"She probably read it in a book." Hazel joined in, somehow keeping away a desperate look. "Ella was found in a library, she probably read one of those fictional books about some fantasy land."

Ella started making paper cranes out of the napkins at the table, happily muttering the directions under her breath.

"But-"

"Octavian, sit down." Jason grumbled. Octavian glared at Jason, but sat down anyways.

Jason blinked, then bit his lip.

"We have three praetors." He pointed out. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"I can step down for you." Percy offered. Reyna glanced at him, her hand tightening around the knife she was using to cut her omelet.

Jason shook his head. "They raised you on a shield. You're praetor, not me."

Percy watched Jason's body language, then decided not to push. "Every well."

The meal wrapped up fairly quickly, and at the end Reyna stood up.

"Annabeth, Percy… I must speak with you two."

The two greek girls glanced at each other, then followed Reyna anyways.

"That was a prophecy, you know that just as I."

Percy nodded as they walked up the cobblestone path. "Ella gave us a prophecy in Portland too. I didn't want to mention it, not in front of that augur, but-"

"What is it?" Reyna asked.

Percy took a deep breath.

"To the north beyond the gods lies the legions crown. Falling from ice, the child of Neptune shall drown. The rest was burned."

Annabeth looked between the two praetors with an unreadable look in her eyes.

"That prophecy, about wisdom's daughter… I think I know who that is."

"Who?" Percy glanced at her.

"Me." She whispered. "My mother, she came to me last month, ans she seemed… stripped. Like a bad generic brand version of herself. She told me 'Don't trust them, follow the mark' over and over."

"The mark… Ella said 'Mark of Athena Burns Through Rome'." Percy looked towards the ship. "Do you think-"

"The ancient lands are bad luck, Percy." Reyna warned. "No one leaves for them and comes back to New Rome alive."

"We have to try." Annabeth insisted.

Reyna thought for a moment. "That prophecy, I've heard it before On Circe's island. This man in his 30′s washed up on our shore, muttering 'Mark of Athena, she wants to come home. Don't trust them, don't trust them.' over and over."

"What happened to him?" Annabeth questioned

"He got turned into a guinea pig." Reyna stated plainly. "But he yelled something out right before. 'Return the Statue'."

"That helps a lot." Annabeth frowned. They reached a water fountain park, one with a very familiar face on a statue.

"You have a fountain for Mr D?"

Reyna shook her head. "We call him Bacchus, and yes we have a park for him. The bees love this place, it's my favourite."

Percy instantly noticed the bees and the flowers too, and how beautiful the place looked.

"There is an old roman tale, I do not know much about it. But Rome took something from Greece and hid it away, something important." Reyna started.

Then the plaza at the base of the hill exploded into fire. And Percy's mind went blank.

"The statue!" Annabeth cried. "Secure her!"

Percy hadn't noticed, but Athena had started to tip and lean on support webs. "Frank, Jason, help Leo secure the statue. This floor won't hold without that web, we need to get up to the ship now."

Frank nodded and changed into a huge eagle, flying over to help Leo attach the ropes. Jason grabbed Piper then soared up to help the others.

Percy held Annabeth's hand. His best friend looked worn down and tired, her face still pale. It was hard, facing your worst fears, Percy knew that. "I'll be okay, let's get to the ship."

She started forward, but Annabeth started backwards. She looked confused, trying to take a step forward.

"Annabeth?" Hazel looked at her, then her eyes widened. "Oh gods, her ankle. Cut it, cut it!"

Percy didn't understand. Annabeth needed her ankle, you can't just cut it off.

Annabeth fell forward, falling out of her grasp. Percy noticed the web, the one line going down into the pit.

Oh schist… how did she not notice?

She lept forward, grabbing the blonde's hand. Too late did she realise they were both going over, that the spider lady had trapped them both.

Percy went over the edge, and she reached out and grabbed the first thing she could - another spider web.

They were 20 or so feet from the ledge when Percy's vision cleared. Hazel was leaning over the edge, offering her a hand.

But Percy just shook her head.

"Promise me you'll see us on the mortal side."

Hazel's eyes widened. "But Nico said-"

"We'll do it." Percy cried out. "I'll get there. Annabeth with get there. Promise me."

Hazel hesitated, then nodded. Annabeth started shaking in Percy's grasp.

"Tell Jason I promote him to Praetor, he should have been praetor this entire time." Percy continued. "And Hazel… stay safe."

With a deep breath, she let go.

Her eyes closed as she leaned against the wall of the shrine, then she was instantly pulled into a dream.

A woman, with deep cinnamon toned skin and black hair aged with grey, stood at the beach shore. Percy was waist deep in the water, but she recognized the place - Montauk.

"You have come far, young one." The woman spoke, her wine cloak flapping in the wind. "I can see why my daughter favours you."

Percy thought she looked familiar, but she couldn't put her finger down on it.

"Remember these two lines, remember them with your life." The woman's eyes turned bright red. "'Roma's Leader Flies Beyond Greece, Bearing The Statue And Restoring The Peace'."

Percy shook her head. "Why? What does that mean?"

The woman's body turned into shreds of fabric, fluttering off in the wind towards land. Her voice echoed around her, repeating those two lines over and over until they were about to drive Percy insane.

Then someone shook her awake. Annabeth's grey eyes filled Percy's vision.

"What do you mean 'Restoring The Peace?'"

Percy's mind was foggy from all the bad air. "What?"

Annabeth glared a little. "You were talking in your sleep."

Percy frowned, then sighed. "Oops."

She told Annabeth about the weird dream. Annabeth looked at her hands. "My mom… she came to me too. She said 'The roman girl. The roman girl must return me.' Do you think-"

Percy realised who that woman in her dream was. "Bellona. She… she gave us the last two lines of the prophecy. Reyna is supposed to return your mom to camp."

Annabeth looked a little sick. "I don't know Percy. I don't really… trust Reyna."

Percy's stomach twisted. "Why not? Because she's Roman?"

"That's not what I meant-"

"We don't have any other choice." Percy exclaimed. "We might not make it out of here, we need to find a way to tell her."

The empty shrine suddenly flared with white light and a packet of skittles dropped to the floor.

Annabeth gingerly picked it up, then looked up at her best friend.

"We're in Hermes shrine."

Percy's mind clicked. "Travis always sacrifices skittles to his dad."

"Do you have a pen?"

"You're kidding, right?" Percy pulled Riptide out of her tattered pocket. The cap pooped off with ease, turning into her blade.

Annabeth tilted her head. "What do you do to put Riptide back into pen form?"

"Press the cap to the tip." Percy shrugged.

"Try placing it at the hilt."

Percy blinked, then did that anyways. It shorted into a pen again, this time the ball point tip was exposed.

"Holy Hera."

Annabeth took the pen and carefully opened the bag of skittles so she could use the white inside. They split the contents into thirds, one for Percy, one for Annabeth, and one for the friendly titan outside.

"Wait, what if someone reads it who wasn't suppose to." Annabeth grumbled, the tip of the pen hovering above the wrapper.

Percy thought for a moment. "Reyna speaks Portuguese, and in 9th grade I had a teacher who made me learn as much Portuguese as I could handle."

"Do you know enough to translate?"

Percy frowned, taking Riptide. "I can try."

Annabeth took a deep breath, and Percy started writing.

The sunlight hurt Percy's eyes, but seeing Reyna made the sun seem a lot more bearable.

"I had no idea you knew Portuguese." The praetor mused. Percy smiled a little, her cheeks flushing.

"I guess it's a good thing I did. I'm so glad you got the message, I didn't think-"

"Percy, you asked for my help. I would come to your aid, even if it were to my death." Percy felt flattered at this.

"Athena has to get to camp, we'll all die if this conflict doesn't get resolved."

Reyna nodded. "I'll get her to Camp, I promise."

Percy fumbled with her thumbs, then gave Reyna a hug. Reyna stumbled a little, then gently placed her hands on Percy's back and hugged her back.

When they parted, they said their final farewells, then prayed to the gods they'd see each other again.

Before Percy sat a half a thousand demigods, all chattering up a storm. She stood on the head table, and everyone's eyes turned to her and silence fell down upon them.

"A year ago, I turned 16." Percy started. "I lead less than 50 campers up to Olympus and defended the gods, unknowing to the hundreds of Romans who did the same thing on Mouth Tam. I watched Kronos fall as Rome watched his throne crumble. A year ago, a war was fought with three sides, two of which were demigods who had no idea they were working side by side. A half a year ago, Jason Grace stood up at this very camp and restored Hera to her throne. He did not know who he was or if he should trust the Greeks, but he did it anyways. He became a leader. Just a few weeks ago, I stood on a marble slab and became Praetor, even if that was short lived. I defended Rome during the Feast of Fortune, even though by then I had every memory telling me I was a Greek. Together, though, was our first night united. This is our first night where we all sit by the same fire as friends, not as mutuals or enemies. We are the children of the gods, the leaders and the heroes that make Olympus strong. Tonight, I raise my sword and proudly say - There is no more 'Greeks' and 'Romans'. Tonight, we are demigods. Tonight, we are Olympian Heroes."

She raised Riptide up, the bronze glittering in the light of the sacrifice fire. Hundreds of swords, daggers, bows, and spears raised up too.

Percy stepped down from the table and noticed Reyna standing at the edge of the pavilion. She walked over to the tall dark eyes praetor, who embraced her in a hug.

That took Percy a little off guard, but she leaned into the hug anyways.

"You do know how to make a speech.' Reyna said when they parted. Percy motioned for her to walk, and they started towards the canoe lake.

"After hearing Zeus make exactly 2 more than necessary speeches, you learn a thing or two."

Reyna's lips pulled into a small smile. "You know, I don't think the gods like mortals saying bad things about them."

"I saved Olympus twice, I think the king can handle a few bad mouthings."

Reyna laughed a little, and Percy found herself happier because of it.

They walked in silence until they reached the grassy shore of the lake.

"I assume you'll be staying at Camp Half Blood?" Reyna looked at Percy.

She took a deep breath. "I like New Rome…"

"But?" Reyna tilted her head a little, her braid shifting a little. The moon was full above even though it should have been new, which meant that Artemis was looking for her brother.

"No that's it. I like New Rome. I'll probably go there in the fall, attend the high school available so I could actually catch up on everything I missed without random poodle incidents."

Reyna blinked. "Pood- Never mind, I don't think I want to know."

Percy laughed a little, watching Reyna's face.

"It's okay, it was just a trick of the Mist that did it." Percy left it at that.

She didn't know how it happened, but they ended up in the middle of the lake in one of the canoes. The fish below them swam around, saying hi to Percy every now and then.

They talked about a lot of things - Percy's mom, Reyna's favourite food, Percy's bad school reputation.

Then Reyna looked at Percy.

"I… was wondering if you could help me with something."

Percy's stomach twisted. "How so?"

"I… Me and Jason went to Charleston a couple of years back, to deal with some rapid ghosts. But… I met Venus there, and she told… I guess cursed me?"

Percy's eyebrows knitted together. "Cursed? How so?"

Reyna cleared her throat. "'No man shall heal your heart, love will never be where you thought it was.'"

Percy thought for a moment. She had met Aphrodite before, the goddess wasn't on her favourites list. Mostly because she told the demigod that 'You'll never find love in a man'.

"Aphrodite is a goddess who is never straight forward about anything." Percy pointed out. "Maybe she wasn't trying to curse you."

"Oh?" Reyna's eyebrow went up.

"In 8th grade we were told to make a presentation about one certain god in the Olympic Pantheon. I got Aphrodite, even though I should have gotten my dad. Anyways, the more research I did, the more I noticed how Aphrodite didn't work straight forward."

Percy paused, then snorted a little. "Well I mean she was the patron to lesbians, so working straight forward would have been-"

She paused again. Patron to lesbians…

'No man shall heal your heart.'

'You'll never find love in a man.'

"Oh gods." Percy whispered.

Reyna noticed the change in mood.

"What is it? Is there a monster?"

"She's the patron to lesbians. She wasn't trying to curse you, she was trying to tell us we were lesbians."

"Wait… us?"

Percy's cheeks burned up. "She… she said something similar to me once, years ago. Oh gods she was trying to say we we lesbians."

Somewhere deep underwater, she head a naiad start to hum 'Kiss the Girl'

'Love will never be where you thought it was.'

Percy didn't think twice. She leaned over and kissed Reyna.

A moment passed where they were both stiff, then Reyna kissed her back.

It was the best kiss Percy ever had in her life.

That was 4 years ago. Today, Percy walked through Manhattan, carrying two cups of hot chocolate - one for her and one for her girlfriend.