~•♡•~

her ghost to come forth,
a choice made; evening embers
or promise of peace?

of course my own personal prophecy would be delivered in a haiku.

this was the only thought i had when i woke up coughing, my head clunking into leo's. i heard a collective gasp around me. i couldn't open my eyes yet- someone had pulled my face into warm cloth- but i had an idea of what was going on.

piper was next to me, her cold fingers around mine. jason was behind me, my head once on his muscular torso. hera was somewhere off to the left, and leo was holding me tightly into his chest and...

crying?

"she's alive!" piper cried.

"impossible!" hera snapped. "no mortal has ever-"

leo finally pulled away, and i was finally able to open my eyes. for a moment, all i saw was a blinding gold, but it faded as soon as it came. around me, i smelled something burning and nectar.

i looked around. the entire battlefield had been thawed when hera went whammo. i gulped, my throat dry and scratchy as sandpaper, but i didn't mind. leo brushed my sweaty, matted hair from my eyes, and i finally looked at him.

his eyes were bloodshot. tears streaked down, lining clean marks on his otherwise muddy face. his lips trembled as they curved into a sort of smile, his rustic eyes boring into mine.

"what- huh?" i gulped as my body felt weak.

"impossible!" hera repeated.

"you s-said that." i snapped, followed by a groan of pain. piper hugged me, followed by jason, and i grumbled.

"air?"

they pulled away.

"sorry." piper smiled as she wiped her eyes. thalia ran over to me and stared down at me.

"how do you feel?" she asked.

"burnt." i said, my voice cracking. "hot. dry mouth. and... and..."

"you saw a god's true form." jason finished for me.

"that was hera." thalia grumbled. "her majesty, the loose cannon."

"that's it, thalia grace. i will turn you into an aardvark, so help me-"

"stop it, you two." piper said. miraculously, both shut up.

"no, not that." i shook my head as piper helped me to my feet. "i heard a voice."

"that was just leo." jason said as piper gave me the last of the nectar. "he was all-"

"dude." leo groaned as he stepped away.

"no." i shook my head. "it was my mom."

"selene?" hera prodded.

"no, i mean that other birthgiver in texas." i rolled my eyes at hera and she turned purple. "she... she told me a prophecy."

"what?" piper breathed.

"the prophecy of the stars." leo said. "y-you mentioned that in your boast-match with porpoise fear."

i nodded. "she told me it."

hera stared at me. "she's playing a bold game, that one. care to repeat it?"

hera said it like i didn't have much of a choice, so i sighed.

"her trauma come forth/a choice made; evening embers/or promise of peace." i ran off. everyone went silent, so i started talking again.

"so, you guys don't happen to have a milkshake?"

piper smiled and turned away, choosing to address the prophecy later. i looked at hera, and staggered forward.

"why me?" i asked. hera looked me up and down, like a pawn shop owner when soneone tries to turn in a broken, rotted out acoustic guitar.

"until this point, i was not sure." she admitted. my random-bullshit idea was true, i guess. "even now, your future is uncertain, even to me. the fates are spinning intrictate, turning threads for you. what i can see, however, is the power you possess. it seems, as an older deity with less influence, selene pooled most of her essence when she had relations with your father, bestowing some of her most important powers onto her sole child. all i can see is you will shape the fate of the eight- either you will pave the way to righteousness, or you will be their doom."

i swooned and nodded. leo embraced me, his face morphed with concern.

"how... lovely..."

i passed out.

i awoke when hera did her weird god magic thing. i yelped as i took in my surroundings.

we were in the middle of the dining pavillion. we landed on the aphrodite table, and piper had one foot in drew's pizza. whatever hera did was not good for any of us. piper looked nauseous, jason looked queasy.

leo jumped off the table, ran to the nearest bronze brazier, and threw up in it.

i, however, was the unluckiest. i fell right off the table, and promptly threw up straight into the mud. everyone groaned and a few gagges and leo and i made uncomfortable groaning noise.

i used my arms to support me as i looked around angrily.

"that-" i gasped. "IS THE THIRD TIME, ON THE SAME QUEST!" i bellowed.

"jason?" chiron staggered forward, shocked. "aruna? why are you burnt? what- how?"

"hi." piper said casually. "we're back."

~•♡•~

i don't remember much else. leo, piper, and jason recounted the story and i occasionally chimed in with, "uh-huh, she was so cool." or "and he went all WHAM!" and "blondie, that's cold!" as will solace started tending to my wounds.

i was immediately taken to the infirmary once we were done and i got my milkshake. it felt so good to sleep on a cot, i didn't even dream that night. it was so wonderful.

i woke up some time around noon the next day. the shades were drawn- an easy gesture that made me feel better about myself. i groaned as every single bone in my body popped when i sat up.

i leaned against my pillows and wiped my eyes as i yawned.

"hey, space girl."

i nearly screamed as my eyes fixated on leo. he smiled at me, his elbow propped onto my cot and his head in his hands. he wore an orange camp half-blood t-shirt and grey cargo pants, as well as his magical toolbelt. his curly hair was freshly washed, and he hadn't a speck of dust on him.

"gods, you scared me." i croaked. he passed me a bottle of water, which i gladly chugged.

"feel better?" he asked, his voice softer and slower than usual.

i shrugged. "good as i can be. how about you?"

leo shrugged. "better, now that you're awake and okay."

i am the seldom type to blush.

"so, what did chiron say?" i asked.

"i dunno. i didn't pay much attention." leo admitted. i rolled my eyes and he cracked a smile. "you'll have to ask piper and jason, but i think they're making out in the amphitheater right now."

"it's official?"

"yup." leo said as he looked at an empty cot across from mine. "the jasper ship has sailed."

i looked away, somewhat caught in a whirlwind. it didn't take very long for piper to fall in love with jason.

i sneaked a peak at leo's hand on my bed before quickly averting my eyes. could i have something like that?

no. you never will.

i scowled and took a deep breath before throwing my covers off.

"wh-what are you doing?" leo asked as he shot up. i swung my legs off the bed, letting my bare feet hit the floor.

"i need to get up." i said as i forced myself up. leo eyes widened at the sound of my bones crunching, and then he looked down at me.

i looked down, and scowled. why, oh, why did my nurse put me in hello kitty pink shorts, and a white barbie tanktop?

"who took care of me?" i asked.

"erm- a girl from hecate named lou ellen, and a girl from apollo named kayla. i-" leo looked away awkwardly. "we specifically requested female nurses."

i blushed. "leo?"

"hm?" he refused to look at me.

"piper and jason... they don't know about that." i said tentatively. leo turned scarlet and started pulling bolts and screws from his toolbelt to play with.

"did you- maybe, perhaps- make that request alone?" i asked nervously. leo nodded slowly as he seemed to feign interest in his screws.

"just... didn't want you to feel bad." he muttered.

i didn't know what to do. nobody has ever done something like that for me. my neck, ears, and cheeks heated up unnaturally. i told myself it's because it was warm.

(it was december but shhhhh.)

"well... thank you." i awkwardly blurted. leo bit his lip and nodded before turning completely away.

"there's a change of clothes on the table." he said as he walked off. "just meet me outside when you're ready."

"wait." i surged forward and grabbed leo's wrist, his limb heating up unnaturally at the contact. he looked at me with wide eyes, and i cursed at myself.

i hugged him.

leo wasn't sure what to do. i've never really initiated a hug with him. in fact, our only ever hug was at midas's compound, but he did that. and, of course, after i died, but he intiated that, too.

his body heated as i wrapped my arms around his waist, carefully not to hold him too tight. in fact, my grip was rather loose as i rested my chin on his shoulder.

leo wrapped his arms around me. he was so warm- like a personal furnace. his head leaned against mine and he didn't hold back with his firm grip, which prompted me to pull him tighter and closer.

"thank you." i repeated softly.

"anytime." he whispered. i pulled away first, and quickly turned to the change of clothes. leo's footsteps retreated, and i hastily began to change.

i am the seldom type to cry. i am akin to stone- i cannot be moved. i refuse to let anyone in.

so i wiped my tears of happiness away as i put on the new clothes. happy tears- something completely foreign to me- were produced because someone showed me a basic kindness. i had to admit- i almost felt a little pathetic.

but then i remembered how leo felt in my arms. he was perfect against me, even with loaned clothes and a heart rate faster than a mouse. even with his slightly ashy smell, he was sweet like honey, golden in my eyes.

and i had to admit- i really, really hated that i had developed a little crush on him.

~•♡•~

i was supplied with my silver cloak, which i chose to fashion as an average, hoodless jacket. i had to wear one of the obnoxious orange camp shirts (seriously, not only do i not feel at home here, but the shirts make me visible from a mile away?), and a pair of olive-colored cargo pants, which i actually really liked. i slapped my bracelets onto my wrists and brushed my hair before joining leo outside.

right away the sun blinded me. i squinted and stumbled back before my eyes finally adjusted, revealing leo with his mischievous grin and bright eyes.

"so, where to?" he asked as he rocked back and forth on his feet.

"i'm starving." i said immediately.

"i knew it." leo slipped a hand into his toolbelt pocket, and produced a meatball sub; wrapped so it didn't make a mess.

"bro!" i snatched it and immediately began eating. "who made this?"

"oh, some italian kid from tyche called marino." leo said. "he's like, nine or something. i dunno. but i paid him a toy helicopter to make it." leo explained. "it was kinda hard because he didn't speak any english or spanish."

i wonder how that exchange went. i could imagine some little italian kid rapid firing in another language, and leo just waving around going MEATBALL! MEATBALL, PUTO! MEATBALL.

leo and i just began walking, not really sure where to go. i felt a little awkward and angry as several people stared at us, but almost every time, leo would crack a joke and i'd let it go.

"have you um..." i looked at a young girl before pulling leo aside.

"have you shown them bunker 9 yet?" i asked in a hushed tone.

leo shook his head. "i was waiting for you so we could do it together."

"together?"

"well, yeah. you forget- you were there when..." sadness flashed leo, and he quickly cleared his throat. "when we repaired festus."

"why do you always say we?" i sighed. "it was all you. i just sat around and occasionally passed you a wrench or a hammer."

"because i felt better with you there." leo said. "i got a lot more done, a lot faster because i had a friend."

i smiled and nodded. "okay. we fixed festus."

"right on! now, let's go get superman and the beauty queen."

"right on!"

~•♡•~

leo hadn't looked this jumpy since he offered tofu burgers to wolves. i walked right alongside him, my steps somewhat peppier now that my stomach was full and the quest was over.

we stopped right before the limestone wall. leo turned to the group and smiled nervously, and i just turned and stared.

"here we go." leo gulped. he willed his hand to catch fire, and placed it on the door.

his cabinmates gasped.

"leo!" nyssa cried. "you're a fire user!"

"yeah, thanks. i know."

i snorted at leo's remark. jake mason stepped forward, now on crutches and out of his full body cast. "holy hephaestus. that means- it's so rare that-"

the massive stone door swung open, and everyone's jaws dropped. leo's hand seemed insignificant as they peered into the bunker. only chiron didn't look surprised, though he knitted his eyebrows and stroked his beard as though everyone was about to walk through a minefield.

leo's heartrate increased. he sighed and stepped forward.

"welcome to bunker 9." he said, doing his best to look confident. "c'mo-"

"festus!"

i surged forward, quickly followed by leo. both of us stopped at a central work table where festus's head sat, still battered and scorched from the omaha incident.

"wha- how?" i gaped as leo stroked the dragon's forehead.

"when you were passed out in omaha, i asked my dad if he could put festus somewhere safe." leo explained sadly.

"but you can't repair him." jason guessed.

"no way." leo admitted. "but the head is going to be reused. festus will be going with us."

piper came forward and frowned. "what do you mean?"

"guys! look at this!" nyssa called. she stood over one of the worktables, flipping through a sketchbook full of diagrams for hundreds of machines and weapons. "i-i've never seen anything like this." she said. "there are more ideas here than in daedalus's workshop. it would take a century just to prototype them all."

"who built this place?" jake asked. "and why?"

chiron stayed silent. leo's eyes darted to the wall map we had seen when we first came here- the one of camp half-blood marked with trenches, catapaults, and marked traps.

"it's a wartime command center." leo said. "the camp was attacked once, wasn't it?"

"in the titan war?" piper asked.

"older." i answered. "the levels of dust in the place are that of over a century old."

"besides, this map looks really old." nyssa said. "does that... is the date 1864?"

"the civil war." i stated as we all turned to chiron. his tail swished fretfully and he nodded.

"civil war..." piper murmured. "you mean the american civil war, a hundred and fifty years ago?"

"no, that's a map of the hungarian civil war in the 1260s." i blurted.

"slap yourself."

i did.

"yes and no." chiron said. "the two conflicts- mortal and demigod- mirrored each other, as they usually do in western history. mark any conflict from the fall of rome onward, and it marks a time when demigods also fought one another. but that civil war was particularly horrible. for american mortals, it is still their bloodiest conflict of all time- worse than their casualties from both world wars. for demigods, it was equally devastating. even back then, this valley was camp half-blood. there was a horrible battle in these woods lasting for days, with terrible losses on both sides."

i need an empanada to feel better about this.

"both sides." leo said. "you mean the camp split apart?"

"no." jason spoke up. "he meana two different groups. camp half-blood was on one side of the war."

leo looked uneasy. "who was the other?"

"the answer is dangerous." chiron warned. "it is something i swore upon the river styx never to speak of. after the american civil war, the gods were so horrified by the toll it took on their children, that they swore it would never happen again. the two groups were separated. the gods bent all their will, wove the mist as tightly as they could, to make sure the enemies never remembered each other, never met on their quests, so that bloodshed could be avoided. this map is from the final dark days of 1864, the last time the two groups fought. we've had several close calls until then. but we've managed to avoid another civil war, at least for now."

i took a great interest in leo's shoes.

"just as leo guessed, this bunker was a command center for the hephaestus cabin. in the last century, it has been reopened a few times, usually as a hiding place in times of great unrest." chiron continued. "but coming here is dangerous. it stirs old memories, awakens the old conflicts. even when the titans threatened last year, i did not think it worth the risk to use this place."

leo's stomach dropped into a pit of guilt. "hey, look, this place found me. it was meant to happen. it's a good thing." he said awkwardly.

"i hope you're right."

"he is!"

"i am!" leo looked at me weirdly before pulling out whatever aeolus had given him, and he spread it on the table for everyone to see. i leaned over him, resting my chin on his shoulder as i investigated it.

nyssa frowned. "leo, this is a crayon drawing of a boat."

"look." leo pointed to the largest schematic in the bulletin board- a blueprint showing a greek trireme. slowly, the hephaestus bunch's eyes widened as they compared the two designs. they were identical- the number of masts and oars, the decorations on the sails and shields- it all matched up to leo's drawing.

"that's impossible." nyssa said. "that blueprint has to be a century old at least."

"prophecy-unclear-flight." jake read from the blueprint. "it's a diagram for a flying ship. look- that's the landing gear. and weaponry- holy hephaestus: rotating ballista, mounted crossbows..."

i zoned out as i focused on the masthead. not only was jake listing a whole lot of things i didn't know, i felt my heart lurch in my chest.

i snatched up the drawing and leo grinned, knowing my idea as i marched to the bulletin.

"hey! give it back!" nyssa shouted.

"was it ever made?" jake asked.

"not yet." leo answered as i held up the drawing close to the blueprint. "look at the masthead."

everyone stared as two different copies of festus sat side by side- one a well-done blueprint in gray pencil, made 150 years ago. the other was a clumpy, waxy, yellow crayon made sometime in 1999.

"festus." piper said. everyone looked at the dragon head on the table, and leo nodded.

"he has to be our masthead." he explained as i put the drawing back down. "our good luck charm, our eyes at sea. i'm supposed to build this ship. i'm gonna call it the argo II. and guys, i'm gonna need your help."

"the argo II." piper smiled. "after jason's ship."

jason looked queasy, but he nodded. "leo's right. the ship is needed for our journey."

"what?!" nyssa and i yelled.

"you just got back!" nyssa exclaimed.

"i'd like to eat a few more dinners before i start killing monsters again." i huffed.

piper ran her fingers over the crayon drawing. "we've got to confront porphyrion, the giant king."

"wha- i just seen that fool last night!" i groaned as i fell into a chair.

"he said he would destroy the gods at their roots." piper continued, ignoring me.

"indeed." chiron said. "much of rachel's great prophecy is unclear to me, but one thing i clear. you four- jason, piper, leo, and aruna- are among the eight demigods who must take on that quest. you must confront the giants in their homeland, where they are strongest. you must stop them before they wake gaea fully, before they destroy mount olympus."

jason handied me a twix for my troubles.

"um..." nyssa shifted. "you don't mean manhattan, do you?"

"no." leo said. "the original mount olympus. we have to sail to greece."

~•♡•~