Apollonia was on her Pegasus, Chara, flying alongside one of her best friends, Annabeth, who is in her cabin's chariot. There is a buff boy with a rainbow tattoo, Butch, guiding the Pegasus pulled chariot. All three of the demigods have serious faces on but on the inside, they were all racked with bundles of nerves, anger, and confusion. Apollonia urges Chara to fly further ahead to scout, slowly emerging from the clouds, she spots the skywalk of the Grand Canyon along with three tousled looking teens, "Beth I found them, hurry up!", upon shouting this to the chariot a little behind her, Apollonia dives toward the three.

The three teens see the girl dive toward them on a beautiful fiery orange winged horse that is decorated with elegant battle armour. Followed shortly behind her, they spot a bright yellow chariot emerging from the clouds and also heading straight towards them. The trio started scrambling back for two different reasons, the Hispanic boy and Native American girl scrambling back due to fear, whereas the blonde with a defensive expression on his face and sword in hand, scrambled back just to give them enough room to land and not get trampled.

As soon as they land, the two girls immediately storm over to the trio who look extremely warily at them, Annabeth armed with her knife and Apollonia with her sword.

"Where is he?" Annabeth growled. Waving her polished knife tauntingly to the faces of the scrawny boy and the beautiful brunette. Seeing as they were too frightened to answer, the tall blonde, who had the gleaming sword of Apollonia underneath his chin, decided to answer, "Where is who?", he asked in complete confusion.

The answer seemed to frustrate both girls but Apollonia knew he was telling the truth about not knowing— a skill inherited seeing as her father is the God of truth. Apollonia slowly lowered her sword to her side and pushed down Annabeth's knife.

"What about Gleeson? Where is your protector, Gleeson Hedge?" Apollonia asked in a firm voice slowly making eye contact with the three starting with the smaller boy, next moving her eyes to the beauty in the middle, then finally meeting her eyes with the sky blue eyes of the tall blonde in front of her. Apollonia felt her heart skip a beat and knew this boy's soul is the one Aphrodite matched her's with three millennia ago. Of course, Apollonia knew that this wasn't the time to bring up such a thing so she kept her face stoic and cold. The blonde felt the spark in his chest when they made eye contact. His eyes widened the slightest bit in shock and his lips parted to release a quiet shaky exhale.

The elf-like boy shrugged, "He got taken by some... tornado things".

"Venti", the blonde unconsciously corrected his friend, earning a raised eyebrow of suspicion from Apollonia, "Storm spirits".

"You mean Anemoi Thuellai?" Annabeth questioned, "That's the Greek term for them. Who are you - and what happened?" 

The blonde boy introduced himself as Jason, and the other two as Piper and Leo. He began to tell the story of what happened on the skywalk; this guy Dylan being a storm spirit, fighting those said storm spirits, catching Piper as she fell off the side, Gleeson Hedge saving Leo, and then the Satyr disappearing. He noticed that the more he spoke the more they looked like they were going to burst into a fit of tears.

The more Jason spoke, the more frustrated Apollonia became, and she felt like her heart was pumping in her ears as she fought back the tears that threatened to fill her eyes.

"This is all wrong...", Apollonia spoke, her voice deep and strained, in contrast to the light tone she usually possessed, "He was supposed to be here. She told us that he was going to be here - that we were going to find the answer here!"

Jason felt his heart hurt at the sight of her tears and clearly strained voice. Jason suddenly became aware of what he was feeling and shook it off due to all the confusion he felt his heart and mind playing at him.

"Annabeth... Apollonia," Butch starting slow while pointing to Jason's feet, "Check it out"

Apollonia's eyes slowly followed to where Butch's finger was pointing and she made a quiet light gasp at why she saw. Jason's left shoe was missing and his foot looked like it was slow-roasted over a fire. Apollonia made a note to herself that she will check it over later in the chariot.

"The guy with the one shoe. He's the answer", Butch pointed out.

"No, Butch," Annabeth insisted. "He can't be. I was tricked." She then glared at the sky, somehow hoping to find Hera somewhere in the clouds. "What do you want from me? What have you done with him?!"

Apollonia assessed the situation in her head. How could Jason be the answer? Too many possibilities of what could be happening in front of her were swirling in her head like a tornado. She was shaken from her thoughts when she felt the skywalk they were standing on, shudder. The Pegasi were frantically flapping their wings but still standing on the skywalk waiting for them to get back onto the chariot.

"Hey, miss sunshine we reeaallllyyy should get going... I don't feel safe on the platform we are standing on"

Apollonia sent a nod to Chara to let her know she was heard.

"Hey Beth, Butch, it's time to go. They'll be back any minute now. We will bring the newbies with us to the camp so we can chat about this in safety. I don't wish for any of you to perish in a dreadful canyon", Apollonia's tone left no room for arguing. Apollonia swung swiftly onto Chara while Annabeth fumed and stormed back to the chariot.

What's her problem?" Piper asked. "What's going on?" 

"Seriously," Leo agreed.  "We have to get you out of here," Butch said. "Nia and I will explain on the way."

"I'm not going anywhere with her," Jason insisted, pointing to the furious blonde who's already waiting in the chariot. "She looks like she wants to kill me." 

Apollonia gave them all a look, feeling defensive for her best friend. "She's okay. You gotta give her some space, though. A vision told us to come here and that the guy with one shoe would be the answer to our problem."

"What problem?" Piper asked.

"She and Nia have been looking for one of our campers who's been missing three days. She's going out of her mind with worry. We hoped he'd be here."

"Who?" Jason questioned. 

"Her boyfriend, and my best friend," Apollonia answered, her heartbreaking before she even said the name, "A boy named Percy Jackson."

********************

In the air, once the canyon was out of sight, it became silent. On the corner of her eye, Apollonia can see the trio glancing at her repeatedly, "Ask your questions". The trio got slightly startled but recovered fast enough to not look like fools. Leo was the first to speak.

"This is so cool!", Leo exclaimed while spitting out some Pegasi feathers, "So where are we going?"

"A safe place," Annabeth answered, "The only safe place for kids like us. Camp Half-Blood. 

"Half-Blood?" Piper asked defensively, and Apollonia looked back at her with an understanding expression. "Is that some kind of bad joke?"  Apollonia went to respond, but Jason beat her to it.

"She means we're Demigods. half God, half-mortal." 

Annabeth looked back at him.

"You seem to know a lot, Jason. But yes, Demigods. My mom is Athena, Goddess of wisdom. Butch here is the son of Iris, the rainbow Goddess." 

Leo choked.

"Your mom is a rainbow Goddess?" 

"Got a problem with that?" Butch asked the elvish looking boy.

"No, no. Rainbows. Very macho", Leo said nonchalantly.

"Apollonia... you're named after a war hero. The first daughter of Lord Apollo but also his champion", Jason said putting his knowledge to some good use. Apollonia nodded slowly but had an amusing glint in her eyes.

"Wait— I know this story! Wasn't Apollonia granted immortality and she helped train other demigods with Chiron when she wasn't doing jobs for the Gods? At her immortality ceremony apparently, Aphrodite blessed her with... what's it called again? Charm speaking or something and a set soulmate which is apparently rare for immortals. Ares blessed her with the immediate skill for all weapons. Then finally Poseidon blessed her with her own Pegasus that she understood that's connected with her life force along with the powers to breathe and control water" Piper brings up more of her infamous story. Apollonia nodded again with a small impressed smile playing on her lips.

"Yes... you are correct Piper. I'm impressed with your knowledge Piper. Some demigods don't even know who Zeus is when they step into camp, much less know the history of Greece's past heroes"

Annabeth, Butch, and Apollonia all have a knowing smile on their lips which get the trio curious.

"So who's your godly parent then Apollonia? Is it also Apollo?" Leo asked excitedly. Apollonia raised an eyebrow not losing the knowing smile.

"Huh. I thought you knew. Considering you just recited some of my stories..." The jaws dropped when the trio slowly pieced and processed that they were saved and sitting in front of a legendary war heroine from Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman times.

"No way! You were one of my favourites growing up!" Piper exclaimed in disbelief that her favourite heroine is right beside her and talking to her.

Apollonia sent them a small smile. She suddenly brought her Pegasus a bit closer then jumping into the chariot. She came closer to Jason then slowly bent down on her knees.

"I'm taking a look at your foot Jason. Don't move" Jason saw her hold a charm from her bracelet then immediately was greeted with some medical cleaning supplies. He guessed that she knew he wasn't hurt since she only had a damp wet cloth in her hand.

Apollonia gently wiped the damp cloth onto his blackened foot with her eyebrows slightly furrowed in slight confusion on how his foot got this way in the first place. Soon enough his foot looked squeaky clean then Apollonia gently tilting it around to check for any injuries. She then touched another charm on her bracelet that looked like a toga. Right then and there she had a new pair of socks and shoes in her hands then handing it over to Jason to put on.

"Thank you, Apollonia," Jason said with a small smile that was returned.

Piper saw this small exchange and felt a pang of hurt and jealousy in her chest. These past four months in her memory, she had Jason first and seeing as they never broke it off— they are still technically together. Jason losing his memory caused her to slightly panic as it took her so long to get a stupid simple kiss from him in the first place. Then seeing Apollonia reeling in Jason's interest so easily really hurt her. Piper turned away to look at the clouds.

The chariot lurched while the left wheel caught on fire. They've been found by the storm spirits and now they had to fight. Apollonia made a sharp whistle and Chara was there in an instant. She jumped on and tapped her charm that looks like a bow and arrow. Next second, her sword made of celestial bronze, imperial gold, and silver, was in her hand and ready for battle.

"Annabeth! Butch! I'm gonna cover you, land in the lake!" Apollonia yelled over the winds. She heard Annabeth yell back an "okay" and she dove toward the first spirit she saw and swung her sword. Immediately turning into gold dust she flew straight and fast as an arrow with her sword pointing forward then flew, quite literally, through another spirit turning them to dust as well. She killed off five more before noticing the chariot going down towards the lake of Camp Half-Blood. She followed little ways behind, tapped her sword onto her bracelet and it was gone out of her hand. She brought the water to rise a bit to ease the impact of the chariot so it doesn't get completely damaged. Unfortunately, because of the speed, they were going at, the impact was still pretty hard. Apollonia winced at her now completely broken chariot. Chara glided over the water over to the other Pegasi to cut them free and they flew back to the stables. She saw everyone from the chariot getting onto the shore with the help of the nereids. She landed beside them and hopped off Chara giving her a small pat to signal she can fly back to the stables. The five were being dried off by the magical leaf blower looking equipment made by the Hephaestus cabin. They were dry in seconds and handed towels to warm up. Then she winced when she heard a voice that she was dreading to hear after witnessing the precious chariot crash.

The others hear the legendary warrior mutter with such defeat, "Uh oh, here we go again..."

"APOLLONIA! I said you can use the chariot not destroy the chariot!" Her brother Will Solace stormed up to them completely furious. "I don't care if you are millennia older than me! You don't just go breaking the chariot! This is the third time this month!"

The five just see Apollonia give her brother a sheepish smile before replying, "My dear brother Will— didn't you see I wasn't driving it this time?"

Will glared at his sister. "Yeah but you were in charge of looking after it, you dipwit," Will said while pinching the bridge of his nose.

Jason thought Apollonia's pout was the cutest thing ever. She suddenly smiled playfully.

"At least we're all safe right Willy?" Will's look softened and relaxed then brought his shorter older sister into a tight big bear brotherly hug.

"Of course I'm glad you're okay. The way I stress over your recklessness daily makes me think I'm the one who's three millennia years old and not vice versa" Will looks back up at the new trio while shifting Apollonia into a light side hug to keep her at his side.

"These are the ones? Way older than thirteen. Why haven't they been claimed yet?" He questioned.

"Claimed?" Leo asked in utter confusion. Nia doesn't blame the poor trio. After what they went through today, they are now taken to this unfamiliar odd place.

Annabeth opened her mouth to answer only to get cut off my Will, "Any sign of Percy?"

The faces of Annabeth and Apollonia fall into despair, clearly, it was a no.

A pretty Japanese girl, Drew Tanaka, queen bitch herself, walked up. Somehow, she made a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and jeans look fashionable. Nia rolled her eyes.  Drew's eyes glanced at the three. She barely looked at Leo, stared at Jason like he was worthy of her attention, and curled her lip in disgust at Piper. "Well, I hope they're worth the trouble." 

"Of course they were Queen bitch" Nia sharply replied and Will pinched her side, making her stop. She glanced up at him with an angry look, but he gave her the stop right there look that he seems to have mastered with her. 

Leo snorted. "Gee, thanks. What are we, your new pets?"

"No kidding," Jason said. "How about some answers before you start judging us— like, what is this place, why are we here, how long do we have to stay?" 

Apollonia sighed, staring into Jason's blue eyes that somehow made her heart do a little jump.

"We will answer your questions Jason as soon as we get you guys and this situation sorted out. And you" She glared at the girl, suddenly her eyes started to glow gold. "All Demigods are worth saving, not just who fits your tiny brain criteria"

Annabeth decided to step up before Drew's head would become one with the ground, "We may have not accomplished what we wanted to, but at least we have these three." 

"Hey, we didn't ask to be brought here," Piper said. 

Drew stuck her nose in the air. "And nobody wants you, hon. Does your hair always look like a dead badger?"

The action was done so fast that it was barely visible until you see the damage. Apollonia ripped herself out of her brother's arms touching her weapon charm for a small knife and cut off half of her hair on one side giving her an Ava Max type hairdo but not as straight.

"Loving the new hair Drew... New stylist?" Apollonia said tauntingly while spinning the knife she used with her fingers.

Everyone blinked trying to process what just happened since it happened so fast and one of Drew's sisters came up quietly beside her with a handheld mirror. Drew grabbed the mirror and looked at her hair.

Drew shrieked to the Gods.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY HAIR YOU BITCH?!" Half of Drew's hair was cut to the middle of her neck where the other half was still long halfway down her back.

Jason saw the culprit smirking at the deserving girl. Apollonia was the closest thing to a God you can get without actually being one. Jason thought Drew was incredibly stupid for that comment and feared for said girl's life.

"Bitch? Tanaka, we all know I win more than I lose. That insult is irrelevant. We're supposed to welcome new demigods, not insult them" Drew stormed off grabbing her sister's wrist back to their cabin to fix her hair.

Jason stared at the girl who defended someone who she didn't know with a new admiration. He wasn't gonna lie, her skill and accurate speed with weapons startled him a bit but left him speechless.

"Would somebody tell me what 'claimed' means?" Piper asked.

Suddenly, a reddish glow appeared over Leo's head. It was the symbol of a fiery hammer. Hephaestus.

Apollonia pointed to it, "Exactly like that princess" 

"What do I do?" Leo asked, backing towards the lake and trying to make it go away. "Is my hair on fire?"

"This can't be good" Butch muttered. "The curse—" 

"Butch, shut up," Annabeth said sharply while elbowing him slightly.

"Leo, you've just been claimed—"

"By a God," Jason interrupted. "That's the symbol of Vulcan, isn't it?" 

All eyes turned to him, and Nia stared at him intently. "How do you know that?"

"I'm not sure", Jason said.

"You're not sure...?" Apollonia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Vulcan?" Leo demanded. "I don't even LIKE Star Trek. What are you talking about?"

"Vulcan is the Roman name for Hephaestus," Apollonia said, "the God of blacksmiths and fire." 

The fiery hammer began to fade, but Leo kept swatting the air. "The God of what? Who?" 

Nia turned to her brother, "Willy, do you mind giving Mr Leo here, a tour? Take him to Cabin Nine and introduce him to his siblings please"

"Sure, Nia," Will said with an amused smile.

"What's Cabin Nine?" Leo asked. "And I'm not a Vulcan!"

"Come on, Mr Spock, I'll explain everything." Will put a hand on his shoulder and steered him off toward Cabin 9.

Annabeth and Nia turned back to Jason, looking at him all over. Something was definitely unusual about him, and Nia couldn't quite put her finger on it. Piper felt a bit peeved that two beautiful girls were eyeing up her boyfriend but shrugged it off knowing it was because they were sizing him up.  Suddenly, Nia's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and she took a step forward grabbing his arm and turning the forearm upwards. He moved his other hand to remove her hand but she slapped it away.

Nia felt like a spark of electricity flowing through her body, but she pushed it away and focused on the tattoo. Under the letters SPQR, there was the symbol of an eagle and twelve horizontal straight lines.

Nia gasped and quickly let go of his arm and stumbled back still looking at the tattoo. Annabeth and Jason were about to grab her to steady her until they saw a light glow on her armour and her clothing charm. Her armour was changing out of her blueish-silver dress armour and into heavier all golden armour. Her facial expression seemed to change into a colder one as well. She reminded everyone of a high class female Roman commander that they would see in picture books at the Camp Half-Blood library. This was Apollonia's Roman war armour.

"Tell him what this place is then get him to Chiron. Immediately." Apollonia firmly stated while staring hard at the tattoo before swiftly turning around to walk to the Big House. The small crowd scrambled away to clear her a pathway.

Annabeth looked unnerved and worried at the sudden change of her best friend. Piper looked like she was about to pass out. Jason had the complete opposite reaction, he raked his eyes up and down her new armour. Piper looked over to Jason for some support only to see her boyfriend checking out another girl. Piper slightly scowled, turning her gaze to the newly transformed girl that's walking away from them.

Annabeth shook her head and got a closer look at the tattoo on Jason's arm herself.

"I've never seen this before," Annabeth muttered, then stared up into his eyes. "Where'd you get them?" 

"I'm getting really tired of saying this, but I don't know."

"They look burned into your skin," Annabeth pointed out. 

"They were," Jason said, and then winced. "I mean... I think so. I don't remember." 

The group all looked towards Annabeth and dropped her hands from Jason's arm. "Nia said that he needs to go straight to Chiron. Tiana, would you take him and also tell him more about camp as well?" Annabeth asked Tiana, a 12-year-old daughter of Apollo, who came into the crowd to see her sister.

"Yeah, sure," she said. "Come on Jason, the Big House is this way."

**********

Woohoo! The first chapter published! I have 4 other chapters written and will be posted up soon. As for character visuals, I'm not picky and you can visualise whoever you deem fit. Hope you like this first bit though!

💚,

Savanh