I had trouble falling asleep and it was mostly because of Coach Hedge. He spent the first hour after curfew doing his nightly duty, walking up and down the passageway. He would yell "Lights out! Settle down! Try to sneak out, and I'll smack you back to Long Island!"  He would then bang his baseball bat against a cabin door whenever he heard a noise, shouting at everyone to go to sleep. After that hour long fiasco was done with, I slept like a baby.

When morning came, I got dressed for the day and got ready. I yawned, walking out of my cabin into the hallway. Percy had walked out at of his room two doors down. He was dresssed in faded jeans and a fresh orange Camp Half-Blood tshirt. The only Roman thing on him was his tattoo.

"Good morning." He grinned at me, waiting for me to walk over to him.

"Good morning." I smiled, finally feeling happy again. Percy was here. He slipped his hand into mine as we headed to the mess hall for breakfast. "What are you thinking about right now?"

"Well, I think I missed the purple in your hair." Percy reached over and twisted a lock of my hair around his finger. "When did you stop retouching it?"

"When you went missing. I've been caught up looking for you, that I lost interest in it." I shrugged.

"Hmm. I think you should retouch it when we get back home." Percy said, a sadness momentarily crossing his features. He shook his head as we entered the mess hall. "But that can wait. I'm just glad you're here with me."

"Same." I grinned, wrapping my other arm around his. I leaned my head against his shoulder as we grabbed our plates. "Want something quick and easy to eat?"

"Sure, why not?" Percy shrugged. "What do you think?"

"French toast?" I suggested. "Or bagels?"

"A bagel breakfast sandwich sounds great right now." Percy said.

We both for the bagel sandwich and decided to go up onto the deck to eat out breakfast. The both of us stood near the railing of the ship. The clouds were lower this morning and the sunrise was gorgeous. Blends of oranges and pinks lit up the sky. Percy and I were talking amongst ourselves, eating our breakfast. When we finished, Percy placed an arm around my shoulder and brought me closer to him.

"Gods, I've missed you." I muttered, wrapping my arms around his waist. My head laid against his chest. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too." Percy kissed the crown of my head and held me tighter. "Hera made us waste months of not seeing each other."

"You know, she was the only one from the gods who actually spoke to me throughout these months." I said. "She visited me in this dream vision and that's how we found Jason, Piper, and Leo. She said I would find your whereabouts. It took a while for us to understand once Jason got his memories back. She meant that you were at Camp Jupiter."

"She did allow me to have at least the memory of you." Percy glanced down at me with a faint smile. "But I'm sure Aphrodite had a say in that."

"Most likely." I chuckled.

"Okay, so, quick question." Percy grinned. "Did you really have to judo flip me?"

"Not really, but my emotions took over." I breathed out a laugh and shrugged. "It kinda just happened."

"Well, it kinda hurt." Percy grumbled.

"Good. It reminded you not to make me angry." I smiled up at him.

"Will never let that happen again." Percy promised.

Percy glanced over his shoulder and sent a smile to someone in greeting. I turned to see Piper walking out way with a bagel in hand. Leo was beside her with his Wii controller. The others started to make their way toward us.

"Morning, Pipes." I smiled toward her.

"Morning, Ives." Piper went to take a bite out of her bagel.

"So!" Annabeth snuck up behind her and plucked the bagel out of her hand. Piper shrugged it off. The both of them have had this game of snatching each other's breakfast back at camp. "Here we are. What's the plan?"

"I want to check out the highway." Piper said. "Find the sign that says TOPEKA 32."

"We shouldn't be far." Leo spun his Wii controller in a circle, and the sails lowered themselves. "Festus and I calculated the landing as best as we could. What do you expect to find at the mile marker?"

Piper explained what she'd seen in the knife-the man in purple with a goblet. She described his hat to be decorated with vines. It sounded like the Roman version of my dad. It had to be Bacchus.

"It has to be my father." I said.

"Purple shirt?" Jason asked. "Vines in his hat? Sounds like Bacchus."

"Dionysus." Percy muttered. "If we came all the way to Kansas to see Mr.D-"

"Be nice. You know he doesn't hate you as much anymore." I reminded him.

"Bacchus isn't so bad." Jason said. "I don't like his followers much..."

Piper shuddered. A few months ago, Piper, Jason, and Leo had an encounter with the maenads and almost got torn to pieces.

"But the god himself is okay." Jason continued. "I did him a favor once up in wine country."

"Whatever, man." Percy looked appalled. "Maybe he's better on the Roman side. But why would he be hanging around in Kansas? Didn't Zeus order the gods to cease all contact with mortals?"

"There has to be a reason if Dad- I mean Bacchus is there. You know my father, he wouldn't just do something just because." I brought up.

"The gods haven't been very good at following that order." Frank noted in his blue tracksuit. "Besides, if the gods have gone schizophrenic like Hazel said-"

"And Leo said." Added Leo.

"Then who knows what's going on with the Olympians?" Frank scowled at Leo. "Could be some pretty bad stuff out there."

"Sounds dangerous!" Leo agreed cheerfully. "Well...you guys have fun. I've got to finish repairs in the hull. Coach Hedge is gonna work on the broken crossbows. And, uh, Annabeth-I could really use your help. You're the only other person who even sort of understands engineering."

"Okay." Annabeth nodded. She then glanced at Percy and I. "You two behave."

"That's absurd."

"We would never!"

"Percy, you're meeting Bacchus." Annabeth raised a brow. "Be nice. Remember, Mr. D finally allowed you two to date after we defeated Kronos. Don't screw it up, Seaweed Brain."

"Thanks." Percy said sarcastically.

"Ivy, it's his Roman counterpart. I don't know if he'll recognize you as his Greek side's daughter. Be careful with what you say around him." Annabeth warned.

"Right." I sighed and gave her a nod. I glanced at Percy who was already looking at me. "I'll keep an eye on Shark Boy. Don't need my dad turning him into a dolphin."

"Yeah, I love dolphins, but I would never want to be one." Percy slowly nodded. "Vine Girl, you'll also need to see if your dad has better control over the schizophrenic thing. He does have some power when it comes to the mind, right? Because of him creating and curing madness?"

"Yeah, I'll keep an eye out for that." I nodded. "It's also why charmspeak doesn't really work on me as well."

"Then, we should get going soon." Piper brought up.

"I think I should turn into a crow or something," Frank slid his bow off his shoulder and propped it against the rail, "and fly around, keep an eye out for Roman eagles."

"Why a crow?" Leo asked. "Man, if you can turn into a dragon, why don't you just turn into a dragon every time? That's the coolest."

"That's like asking why you don't bench press your maximum weight every time you lift." Frank's face turned red. "Because it's hard, and you'd hurt yourself. Turning into a dragon isn't easy."

"Oh." Leo nodded. "I wouldn't know. I don't lift weight."

"Yeah. Well, maybe you should consider it. Mr.-"

"I'll help you, Frank." Hazel stepped between them. She shot Leo an evil look. "I can summon Arion and scout around below."

"Sure." Frank was still glaring at Leo. "Yeah, thanks."

I was wondering what was going on with those three. The boys were showing off for Hazel and razzing each other. But it almost seemed like Hazel and Leo had history. As far I knew they'd only met for the first time yesterday. I wonder if something had happened on the trip to the great Salt Lake that was not mentioned. Maybe I should talk with Annabeth about this later, maybe she knows something about it when she was with them.

"Just be careful when you go out there." Hazel turned to Percy. "Lots of fields, a lot of crops. Could be karpoi on the loose."

"Karpoi?" Piper asked.

"Grain spirits." Hazel said. "You don't want to meet them."

"Grain spirits are bad?" I furrowed my brows together. Frank, Hazel, and Percy all nodded grimly. "Huh, that's interesting."

"That leaves the four of us to check on the mile marker." Percy said. "Me, Ivy, Jason, Piper. I'm not psyched about seeing Mr. D again. But, Jason, if you're on better terms with him-

"Yeah." Jason said. "If we find him, Ivy and I can talk to him. Piper, it's your vision. You should take the lead."

"Of course." Piper said, trying to sound upbeat. I looked at her in confusion. She only shook her head in dismissal. "Let's find the highway."

🍇

Leo had said they were close. His idea of "close" needed some work. After trudging half a mile through hot fields, getting bitten by mosquitoes and whacked in the face by sunflowers, we finally reached the road. An old billboard for Bubba's Gas 'n' Grub indicated we were still 40 miles from the first Topeka exit.

"Correct my math," Percy said, "but doesn't that mean we have 8 miles to walk?"

Jason peered both ways down the deserted road. He looks better today things to the magical healing of ambrosia nectar. His color was back to normal, and the scar on his forehead almost vanished.

"No..." Jason said. "But I guess we wouldn't want to hitchhike."

"No." Piper agreed, gazing and nervously down the highway. "We've already spent too much time going overland. The earth is Gaea's territory."

"We need to find a way to get off the earth." I brought up.

"Hmm..." Jason snapped his fingers. " I can call a friend for a ride."

"Oh, yeah?" Percy raised his eyebrows. "Me too. Let's see whose friend gets here first."

Jason whistled. Percy simply close eyes and concentrated. I already knew what Percy was doing Blackjack should be here soon. Thunder crackled in the clear sky. Jason's ride must be coming soon.

"Soon." Jason said.

"Too late." Percy pointed east were a black winged shape was spiraling toward them.

A smile grew on my face. Blackjack.

"A black pegasus?" Piper said. "Never seen one like that."

The winged stallion came in for a landing. He trotted over to Percy, and nuzzled his face. Blackjack acknowledged me by walking toward me, so I can stroke his muzzle.

"Hey Blackjack." I greeted. "Glad you can make it."

Blackjack let out a whinny. He must've said something because Percy rolled his eyes and bit back a smile. Blackjack turned his head, inquisitively toward Piper and Jason.

"Blackjack, this is Piper and Jason. They're friends." Percy said. The horse nickered. "Uh, maybe later."

"What does Blackjack want?" Piper asked.

"Donuts." Percy said. "Always donuts. He can carry three of us if-"

Suddenly the air turned cold. My ears popped. About 50 yards away, a miniature cyclone three stories tall tore across the top of sunflowers like a scene from the Wizard of Oz. It touched down on the road next to Jason, and took the form of a horse- a misty steed with lightning flickering out through its body.

"Tempest." Jason said, grinning broadly. "Long time, my friend."

The storm of spirit, reared and whinnied. Blackjack backed up skittishly.

"Easy, boy. He's a friend too." Percy gave Jason, an impressed look. "Nice ride, Grace."

"I made friends with him during our fight at the Wolf House." Jason shrugged. "He's a free spirit literally, but once in a while, he agrees to help me."

Percy and Jason climbed on their respective horses. Percy extended a hand for me to take. I grabbed his hand and he pulled me onto the Blackjack's back. I wrapped my arms around his waist. Piper had gone on the back of Tempest with Jason.

Tempest raced down the road with Blackjack soaring overhead. Fortunately, we didn't pass any cars or we may have caused a wreck. In no time we arrived at the 32 mile marker. Blackjack landed. Both horses pawed the asphalt. Neither looked pleased to have stopped, so suddenly just when they'd found their stride.

Blackjack whinnied.

"You're right." Percy said, "No sign of the wine dude."

"You both know he hates it when you call him that." I reminded them.

"I beg your pardon?" a voice from the fields said.

Tempest turned so quickly, Piper almost fell off. The wheat parted, and a man with a wide brimmed hat wreathed in grape vines, a purple short sleeve shirt, khaki shorts, and Birkenstocks with white socks came out. He looked maybe thirty with a slight potbelly like a frat boy who hadn't yet realized college was over.

It was my dad, but the Roman version.

😁😁😁