Apollonia did a single knock on the door of Chiron's office before storming in, not even waiting for a response. She sees Chiron still nose deep reading an old scroll and in his ridiculous World's Best Centaur t-shirt.

"Chiron we didn't find Percy. Hera led us to the kids Gleeson was supposed to protect instead" She finally got the old man's attention with this. She sees his face contort into confusion at her Roman outfit.

"Apollonia, why are you in your Roman form?"

Apollonia closed her eyes and took a deep breath and touched her clothing charm to turn back to Greek form. It is strange for someone who isn't a God to have both Greek and Roman form. She was shocked when it first happened a millennium ago. Apollonia didn't like her Roman form too much because she would become destructive and ruthless. Like a loose cannon determined to kill all the enemy no matter the cost. She much preferred her Greek form who is a lot more approachable. She can fight just as well as her Roman form but with more logic making her more effective in a fight.

"One of the boys is a Roman. What makes this situation even more laughable, is that Aphrodite paired my soul up with his. A Roman. I don't want to change into my Roman form every time I see his damn mark– I'll end up killing someone!" Apollonia was seething at this point. She felt like cursing Aphrodite for this awful choice of pairing. As stated earlier, she is not fond of her Roman form, so being soulmates with one is not a good thing according to her.

"What do you mean Roman? He should not be here, you know this. Why was he with the others?" Chiron questioned.

Apollonia opened her mouth to answer until they were suddenly interrupted by approaching footsteps so they leave the office towards the sound.

"Chiron, it's Tiana, I brought Jason here as my sister ordered. I gave the mini-tour and everything" Just as Tiana finished her last sentence, Apollonia and Chiron made it to the main area of the Big House to greet them.

She witnesses Jason back up so fast after getting a glimpse of Chiron, almost toppling her little sister.

"Chiron, I don't think your t-shirt made you less intimidating," Apollonia said with a small amused look on her face. She can see Chiron's eyes widening when he spotted Jason, shooing away my sister back to her archery lessons.

"You are supposed to be dead," Chiron said quite bluntly. Apollonia showed an exasperated look on her face while pinching her nose bridge.

"Okay Mr Jollypants, you don't just go around saying that especially as a first impression. A nice 'Hello, Jason, you're supposed to be dead' would've been better."

Chiron just looked at her " Follow me," Chiron ordered while slowly walking to the living room "We have lemonade"

Apollonia can see Jason looking uneasy while looking around the room. The stuffed leopard's head at the fireplace suddenly snarled at him, making him jump out of his bones.

"Now. Seymour," Chiron chided the leopard head, "Jason is a friend."

"That thing is alive!" Jason exclaimed with wide eyes. 

Apollonia rolled her eyes, "Yes, we noticed that thank you, Jason." she replied sarcastically.

Chiron rummaged his wheelchair for a pack of sausages. He threw one to the leopard, who snapped it into his mouth and licked his lips afterwards.

"You must excuse the decor," Chiron said "All of this was a parting gift from our old director before he was recalled back to Olympus. He thought it would help us remember him. Mr D has a strange sense of humour."

"Mr D?" Jason asked, "Dionysus?"

"You are spot-on Jason, that bugger just wanted to annoy me with all this one last time before he left," Apollonia said while pouring three cups of lemonade before walking over and handing out the cups. She decided to seat herself right by the fireplace. She didn't want to be close with her soulmate just yet, because he's Roman and she doesn't want to risk changing again.

"If it's only a leopard head," he asked, "Then where does the food go when he eats?"

"It's best if you don't ask," Chiron said, "But please, sit"

Chiron sat back into his wheelchair and tried his best to smile at Jason but anyone could tell that it was forced. The old man's eyes were as deep as they were dark just by looking at poor Jason.

"So, Jason," Chiron said, "Would you mind telling me— ah— where you are from?"

"I wish I knew," Jason started. He started telling the whole story from when he woke up on the bus to landing in the lake at Camp Half-Blood. He knew there was no point in hiding details from either one of them. Apollonia sat back looking at the fire but you could tell she was still listening by the way she occasionally nodded her head along since she heard the majority of the story already. Chiron was a really good listener. He stared intently at Jason the whole time, not saying a word, only nodding his head a couple of times to show he was following along with the story. When Jason finished his story, Chiron looked deep in thought while sipping his lemonade.

"I see," he started slowly, "I have another question for you Jason, and bear with me and be open-minded about this"

Nia snapped her head back to Chiron. She had a feeling what topic the old centaur was going to bring up and she did not like that.

"Of course sir" Jason replied leaning forward resting his elbows on his knees.

"What do you know about soulmates?" the man asked.

Apollonia head snapped to the centaur and threw a harsh glare his way but he threw her a look saying not a word. She could see Jason looking a bit uncomfortable. I mean– who wouldn't? An older man asking a teen about soulmates while looking like he is looking into their soul. Plain and simple— it's creepy. For anyone.

Jason turns to glance at Apollonia for some help but sees her glaring golden daggers at Chiron instead. She saw it but didn't dare look back at him.

"Not much sir besides the commonly known fact that they are two souls that are destined for each other," he said, "Why ask such an odd question?"

"Yes, Chiron? Why such an odd question?" Apollonia seethed through her teeth tauntingly

Chiron ignored her comment, "Jason, how would you feel if you were to meet your soulmate now?" Apollonia was mentally killing Chiron over and over again painfully, how any more obvious could that horse get?

Jason spared a glance at Apollonia and she could tell he was slowly putting the pieces together but wasn't entirely sure "Of course I would accept them. If they are my destined soulmate I'll cherish them"

Chiron gave an obvious pointed glance at Apollonia. Apollonia was furious, her outfit kept flickering from Greek to Roman aspects, her eyes were not fully gold anymore just around the rims.

Chiron derived from the topic, "So do you have any questions for me?"

"Just one," Jason stated, "What did you mean earlier when you said I should be dead?"

Chiron studied him with such concern as if he would blow up on the spot, "My boy, do you know what the marks on your arm mean? The colour of your shirt? Do you remember anything?"

Jason glanced at his arm, "No," he said "Nothing"

Chiron glanced at Apollonia who gave him a slight nod telling him that Jason was indeed telling the unfortunate truth.

"Do you know where you are?" Chiron asked, "Do you understand what this place is, and who I am?"

"You're Chiron, the centaur," Jason said immediately, "I'm guessing you're the same from the old stories, who used to train the Greek heroes with Apollonia like Hercules. This camp is for demigods, children of the gods"

"Do you believe the gods still exist?" Chiron questioned further.

"Yes," Jason said with no hesitation 'Well I mean, I don't think we should worship them or sacrifice chickens to them or anything, but they're still around because they're a powerful part of civilization. They moved from country to country as the centre of power shift— as they moved from Ancient Greece to Rome."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Chiron said in Latin. Apollonia jumped in, "So you already know the gods are real. You have been claimed before, haven't you?" Jason had his eyebrows furrowed as he can tell their voices sounded different but didn't think much of it and replied with ease.

"Maybe," he answered, "I'm not really sure"

Seymour the leopard head snarled.

Chiron and Apollonia waited, and she could see the realization pass through his head that both she and Chiron spoke in a different language and he understood, automatically answering in the same tongue.

"Quis erat—" he paused, waited for a second for his brain to process and kept speaking but this in English, "What was that?"

"You know Latin," Chiron observed "Most demigods, courtesy of Apollonia here, can recognise only a few phrases, of course. It's in their blood, but not as much as Ancient Greek. None of them can speak Latin without practice."

She could see the tornado of thoughts whirling through Jason's head. 

The fire reflected in Chiron and Apollonia's eyes, making them dance fretfully. "We've taught you, namesake, you know. The original Jason, Apollonia's good friend. He had a hard path. I've seen many heroes come and go. Occasionally, they had happy endings. Though they mostly, don't. It breaks my heart, like losing a child each time one of my pupils dies. But you— you are not like anyone I've taught. Your presence here could be a disaster."

Apollonia rolled her eyes while Jason looked even more uncomfortable, "Thanks," he said. "You must be such a truly inspiring teacher" Jason replied sarcastically which made Apollonia smile.

"I am truly sorry, my boy, but sadly it's true. I hoped after Apollonia and Percy's many successes—" Chiron got cut off.

"Jackson, Percy Jackson, you mean. Annabeth's boyfriend, the one who's missing" Jason concluded.

Chiron nodded grimly, "Yes, I see they told you about him but I hoped that after they succeeded in the Titan War and saved Mount Olympus, we might have some peace. I might be able to enjoy one final triumph, a happy ending, and perhaps retire quietly. I should have known better. The last chapter is nearing, just as it did before. The worst is yet to come"

Apollonia can hear the arcade game in the corner make a sad pew-pew sound in the silence. How fitting.

"Ohhh-kay," he said, "So— the last chapter happened before, worst yet to come. Sounds fantastic, but can we possibly go back to the part where I'm supposed to be dead? I kinda don't like it"

Apollonia crossed her leg over to readjust herself, "I personally don't know why you're supposed to be dead but as for the 'not supposed to be here'  part, I'm afraid neither of us can say, We both swore on the River Styx and all things sacred that we would never... But you're here in violation of that same oath. If I had seen your mark before I would have split from my group to bring you somewhere else. Someone is clearly behind this but we don't know who would do such a thing." She said grimly looking down at her lap.

Then time froze. Literally.