# 𝑰 𝑲𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒏𝒅 / 𝑨 𝑷𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍
HEROES OF OLYMPUS FANFICTION
✩ risasprings, 2024 ✷

CHAPTER TWO ━━ PAIN, SUFFERING AND OCTAVIAN

EURYDICE GULPED as she stared into the all too familiar sea green eyes of Percy Jackson. The exact person she had been trying to find this entire time. She knew exactly what this meant. Her suspicions were right about the way he looked at her, with confusion. He didn't know her. All she could feel was a sense of panic as she stared into the boy's sea green eyes. He looked a lot different than the last time she had saw him. Hazel awkwardly stood off to the side as she watched the awkward exchange of introductions.

No one noticed but she could see suck in a breath of relief, he didn't recognize them. He was acting as if this was the first time he's ever seen them. And maybe to Percy, this was the first time he was seeing them. At least in his mind. That factor doesn't help to make her feel any better in this situation. Honestly she would take having to sit through an hour of Octavian ogling her than this. Actually, no she'd rather kill herself than do that.

Nico shook Percy's hand first, as the two of them studied each other warily. Eurydice grimaced slightly. They had never gotten along no matter how hard Eurydice tried to get them too. Hopefully this wouldn't end in the two of them fighting, again. It's already hard enough to choose whose side to be on when they were at odds with each other. To go with the boy she had loved ever since she gotten to camp or her little brother who needed all the help he could get?

Yeah, not an easy choice at all.

For a second there Eurydice hadn't sworn Percy had looked like a roman god himself for a second. Maybe it was the fact that he had the curse of Achilles, from what she could remember. Or maybe it was the fact that now he looked more like a man than just a boy at sixteen. It was strange to see everyone else grow up around her, but not feel like she's changed one bit.

Percy had this aura of power that she had always noticed, even when they were kids. But now it was somehow heightened, which she hadn't thought was even possible. His hair looked like it was naturally blown away by the wind, yet so effortlessly etched onto his face. Eurydice anxiously fiddled with her keychain through her hands as she watched with some panic in her eyes.

Over her shoulder she could see a confused Troy give her a worried look. She mouthed a few apologetic words at him apologizing for her brother. 'Sorry' She mouthed as she pointed her head towards an anxiously looking Hazel who had looked like she had just introduced two nuclear bombs that could blow up any second. She patted her sister comfortingly on the back. She smiled hesitantly, but looked grateful nonetheless.

Nico really wasn't scary at all despite what people might say. He was a scrawny, skinny teenage boy sloppy in his rumpled black clothing. She always had to remind him to straighten out his clothes, or else she'd have to do it for him. His hair, as always, looked like he'd just rolled out of bed. He liked to act scary, but he really wasn't at all. He just had a lot to deal with, and she understood that. He's her brother, she just can't abandon him.

She just hoped she at at least gets a thank you from him after all of this is over. Which might be a while, but she's been waiting for people her entire life. Eurydice had managed to relax herself slightly. Decidedly thinking about the worst ways she could kill Octavian if he tried to shamelessly flirt with her in front of half the legion for at least the eighth time since she's gotten here.

Her happy thoughts of how great it would be to kill that blonde sucker were interrupted. Percy scowled as he stared at Nico. "I—I know you." Eurydice's mouth went dry. Shit. Nico raised his eyebrows at the older boy. "Do you?" He looked at Hazel for explanation, feigning innocence and confusion. While their sister was fighting a war with herself in her head.

Hazel hesitated slightly. She didn't look so sure about Nico's request, but she let it go. "Um...Percy's lost his memory." She told the two siblings. Eurydice did her best to put on her best acting face. Gods, she deserves an oscar after this. She frowned at Percy sympathetically. "Oh, I'm so sorry. That sounds horrible." She grimaced slightly. She was wincing slightly as Percy stared at her tentatively, like he wasn't sure what to make of her. 

Percy blinked in confusion. "Oh, yeah. It is." He muttered awkwardly in a way that was so Percy that it hurt. He reached out to grab her hand and shake it. She jolted slightly in surprise. "Sorry, I just realized I forgot to shake your hand. I'm Percy but you already know that." She nodded at him with a slight smile. "Yep." She awkwardly shook his hand back. She attempted to pull her hand out of his grasp, but he didn't let go.

She blinked in confusion as there seemed to be an internal war Percy was having in his mind. Shit, that wasn't good. "Do— Do I know you?" He asked again, but this time the question was aimed at her. She didn't know how to respond at first, so she just started laughing. Percy stared at her in complete confusion for a second as she continued to laugh. At this point Hazel and Troy were started to get concerned.

Percy blinked in confusion again, he looks like he doesn't know why but he gets a feeling that they've met before. The confirmation that he doesn't know who she is hasn't begun to set yet. She's not sure how long she can keep this up without having the overwhelming urge to cry. She laughs again, shaking her head at Percy as she chuckles. "No, no, no, you don't." She's lying through her teeth but somehow she's never make it look so effortless.

Percy almost looks convinced, before his eyes flash a hesitant look at her. He can't tell that she's lying. And it hurts her so badly that he can't tell like he used to. His eyebrows narrow at her slightly, like he's not so sure anymore. "Are you sure you don't know me?" He asked her again, just to make sure. He really looks like he doesn't want to believe that they don't know each other.

Eurydice just laughed again. "I'm a hundred percent sure I would remember meeting somebody like you." She smirks unconvincingly, but he doesn't seem to notice the way her smile falters. The lies feel natural coming out of her lips. The others look more convinced now and she can feel her shoulders slump slightly in relief.

Percy laughed awkwardly. "Oh, maybe it's just deja vu? Or something." He suggested with a shrug of his shoulders. Eurydice laughed. "Maybe." She mutters, and suddenly she feels like she's going to suffocate. He looks like he wants to say something before he's interrupted by Hazel. She'd never been so glad to be interrupted before.

Hazel cleared her throat slightly. "So, uh Nico..." She continued carefully, "I thought...you know, you travel all over. Maybe you've met demigods like Percy before, or... Eurydice maybe you—" Nico's expression turned dark, Hazel seemed to get the message that he didn't want to talk about it after that. She winced slightly as she tried to cover up for him. "Like I said before, I'm sure I'd remember meeting someone like him." Troy and Hazel nodded, like they seemed to believe her.

Nico shook his head, going straight to business. "This story about Gaea's army," The boy said. "You warned Reyna?" He asked their sister, whose mouth just went dry in response. Percy's eyebrow narrowed slightly in confusion. "Who is Gaea, anyway?" Hazel looked down at the floor, not wanting to answer him. "She's the earth goddess." Nico glanced at the ground as if it might be listening, Eurydice prayed to all of the gods that would listen that it wasn't.

Eurydice cleared her throat. "She's the oldest goddess of all. She's been in a deep sleep most of the time, but she hates the gods and their children." She told him with a slight grimace, Gaea wasn't a big fan of demigods. "Mother Earth...is evil?" Percy asked in sheer confusion. "Very," Nico said gravely. "She convinced her son, the Titan Kronos—" Eurydice nearly choked on her own spit.

She corrected him quickly. "Saturn." She muttered. Nico nodded slightly panicked. "Right yes— um, I mean, Saturn—to kill his dad, Uranus, and take over the world. The Titans ruled for a long time. Then the Titans' children, the Olympian gods, overthrew them." Percy nodded, looking like he was remembering something. "That story seems familiar," He sounded surprised, like an old memory had partially surfaced. "But I don't think I ever heard the part about Gaea." He frowned slightly.

Eurydice sucked in a shaky breath. "Yeah, she's not a big fan of demigods. At all." She winced. Troy grimaced slightly. "Clearly." He muttered with a distasteful look on his face. Nico shrugged. "She got mad when the gods took over. She took a new husband—Tartarus, the spirit of the abyss—and gave birth to a race of giants. They tried to destroy Mount Olympus, but the gods finally beat them. At least...the first time." He finished.

Percy looked so confused that she wanted to slap him. "The first time?" He repeated. Nico glanced at Hazel, who anxiously swallowed at the look he gave her. Eurydice, ever the actress held strong enough for the both of them. She has to make sure the worried looks didn't look too suspicious. She knows what she's doing, someone else would be put off by someone not being worried. But Percy never was so observant.

"Last summer," Nico continued, "Saturn tried to make a comeback. There was a second Titan war. The Romans at Camp Jupiter stormed his headquarters on Mount Othrys, across the bay, and destroyed his throne. Saturn disappeared—" He hesitated, watching Percy's face. She got the feeling that if Nico continued in his story they might share a bit too much. Too much that Percy might get his memory back, and they can't risk that. Even though she desperately wants to.

"Um, anyway," Nico continued, staring at his older sister slightly anxiously. Eurydice gave him a look of support, whatever he said she'd back him up on it no matter what. "Saturn probably faded back to the abyss. We all thought the war was over. Now it looks like the Titans' defeat stirred up Gaea." He stopped speaking for a second, having a hard time continuing.

Eurydice nodded gravely. "Gaea's starting to wake. We've heard reports of giants being reborn. If they mean to challenge the gods again, they'll probably start by destroying the demigods first." She sighed deeply. "You've told Reyna this?" Percy asked in confusion. Nico grimaced. "Of course." His jaw tensed. "The Romans don't trust me. That's why I was hoping she'd listen to you." He shrugged.

Her brother continued. "Children of Pluto...well, no offense, but they think we're even worse than children of Neptune. We're bad luck." Percy looked confused again. "But they let Hazel stay here," He muttered in confusion. "That's different," Nico said immediately. "Why?" Her little brother looked like the last of his patience was being tested before she interrupted.

Eurydice frowned. "They don't think of us as... well. Needed. On paper I'm apart of the fifth cohort but I'm usually sent away to go on other errands for the Praetor. More specifically to look for Praetor Grace." Percy nodded slightly in some understanding. Troy's expression darkened at the mention of his boyfriend. She knew exactly where Jason way, and she wanted do badly to tell her friend. But she knew she couldn't.

One thing the two had in common was missing boyfriends. By the end of this maybe the two of them could make a club out of it with Annabeth. That would be the day.

Percy looked tentative for a second. "But that doesn't seem fair does it?" He was instinctively sticking up for her even without knowing her. Somehow that hurt even more. Hazel cut in before he could say anything else. "Percy," Hazel cut in, "Look, the giants aren't the worst problem. Even— Gaea isn't the worst problem. The thing you noticed about the gorgons, how they wouldn't die, that's our biggest worry."

Eurydice's face darkened as she remembered their father telling her about the monsters that he can't seem to keep dead. It was way beyond his comprehension and he couldn't stop it. Which was worrying, meaning this was a lot worse than they had first thought it was. Nico and Hazel looked like they didn't want to say anymore about what the three of them knew.

But Hazel didn't look so sure. "Nico, Eurydice and I." She said carefully, "We think that what's happening is...Death isn't—" Before she could finish, a shout came from down the hill. Eurydice took a deep breath in some relief. She smiled as she waved at Frank who was jogging towards them. Frank Zhang was this chubby chinese boy who was probably one of the sweetest people in their cohort. Which was saying a lot.

He was wearing his jeans, a purple camp shirt, and his denim jacket. His hands were covered with grease from cleaning weapons. She had been on cleaning duty a few times and grimaced at the memory of the grease in her hands. She did not like cleaning duty whatsoever. Hazel grinned as soon as she caught a glimpse of Frank. It was clear that the two of them were head over heels for each other. Well, it was obvious to everyone except the two of them.

It was painfully adorably to see the two of them tip-toe around their feelings for each other. It really reminded her of the early days in her relationship with Annabeth and Percy. Thinking about those times again gives her a longing for a different time where things weren't as complicated as this. Frank was only a year older than Hazel, but way taller to Hazel's detest.

Hazel seemed determined to not like Frank, but that clearly wasn't working out well for her by the looks of it. After a few seconds Frank had caught up to them the shrine. "Hey, Nico.. Eurydice." He smiled at the two of them. Nico grinned right back. "Frank." He seemed to like Frank, maybe because he was one of the few people who wasn't uneasy around children of Pluto like them.

Eurydice hugged Frank's side with a soft smile. "Hey, Frank. How are you?" The boy grinned at her. "I'm good. Welcome back! I'm guessing you didn't find Jason then, huh?" She nodded slightly melancholy. She could see Troy softly sight at that. "Hey, we'll find him eventually. Alright?" The younger boy didn't seem comforted by that, but he nodded appreciatively. "Yeah."

"Reyna sent me to get Percy," Frank muttered. "Did Octavian accept you?" He asked. "Yeah," Percy said. "He slaughtered my panda." Eurydice shook her head in disgust. "I seriously hate him. I hate Octavian with a burning passion. He needs to get over his weird-ass crush on me because I do not like him. And I never will!" She ranted angrily, her eye twitching slightly as she held her fists clenched together.

Eurydice laughed manically. "If he was the last man on earth I would kill myself so humanity would die out of spite! That's how much I don't like him!" She finished her rant with a shaky breath. Usually she didn't get so riled up, but whenever Octavian was brought up she couldn't help but have the slightest urge to kill him and not tell anyone where the body is.

Hazel and Nico looked spooked for a moment. She never yelled at that, clearly Octavian was bringing out a side of her that wasn't pretty. Troy nodded in agreement, unfazed. "Right? Seriously that guy is such an asshole!" He groaned in annoyance. Percy grimaced in disgust. "Oh, gross seriously? That guys got a crush on you? Suddenly I hate him even more." He shook his head distastefully.

Now Percy's making it even harder to get over him, oh come on! Frank blinked in confusion. "He...Oh. The augury? Yeah, teddy bears must have nightmares about that guy." Eurydice winced. "Those poor teddy bears... at least he hasn't touched mine." She needs emotional support stuffed animals if she's going to pretend to be a child of pluto, okay? Don't judge her.

Troy had a look of disgust on his face. "I think that's only because he likes you." He was clearly as weirded out with Octavian's crush as she was. Percy scowled. "I think I hate him." He muttered with a shake of his head. "Like come on, killing poor innocent stuffed toys and not taking a hint when a girl doesn't like you? That's criminal!" He complained.

Frank cleared his throat. "But anyways. But you're in! We need to get you cleaned up before evening muster." He said to Percy. Eurydice looked out at the sky as she realized that the sun was getting lower and lower. Hazel seemed to notice it too. "You're right," She said. "We'd better—" She was interrupted by their brother. "Frank, Troy." Nico interrupted, "Why don't you take Percy down? Hazel and I will be along soon."

Hazel looked like she was trying her best not to look anxious but it was hard for her. Troy and Frank exchanged a look, nodding at Nico slightly. "That's—that's a good idea," Hazel managed to say. "Go ahead, guys. We'll catch up." Nico cleared his throat as he looked at his older sister. "You should go with them too Eurydice." The older girl stared at him in confusion. "Are you sure?" She muttered in confusion.

Percy looked at Nico one more time, as though he was still trying to place a memory. "I'd like to talk with you some more. I can't shake the feeling—" Nico stopped him. "Sure," He agreed. "Later. I'll be staying overnight." Hazel blinked in confusion. "You will?" She blurted.

Eurydice sighed. "I'll catch up with you guys. I just need to talk to them for a second." She reassured the three boys. Nico sighed but he didn't argue. "Go on, Percy," Nico said. "Settle in." He turned to Hazel, a worried look on his face. "My sisters and I need to talk." As soon as the three boys disappeared from their view the three children of pluto relaxed slightly.

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"You know him, don't you," Hazel said suddenly. "Both of you." Eurydice swallowed slightly. "Hazel—" She started. "No, Hazel. Don't." She warned her younger sister, a grimace at her lips. "The way you look at him—" Her mouth went dry, but Nico interrupted her before Hazel could pry more information out of her. The younger girl looked concerned for a second, before she let it go.

They sat on the roof of Pluto's shrine, covered with bones and diamonds. The bones had always been there but the diamonds were a result of Hazel... and her powers. Hazel was special, her powers especially. If she sat anywhere for too long or got anxious they started to pop up around her like mushrooms. There were about several million dollar's worth of stones glittered around the roof.

But luckily, most of the other campers wouldn't touch them. They knew better than to steal from Pluto. Hazel shuddered slightly as she stared at the stones on the roof wiht them. Nico swung his feet from the ledge like a little kid. His Stygian iron sword lying by his side, next to Eurydice's backup sword in her holster. Hazel's spatha was the last weapon in the row of dangerous pluto kid weapons.

Eurydice took a deep breath as her younger brother quietly gazed across the valley. Construction crews were working in the Field of Mars, building fortifications for tonight's games. Usually war games were a plethora of different games, unlike Camp Half Blood where they'd always play the same game of capture the flag. The Praetor chose was game was to happen during what day, and it usually takes the construction crews a day to build one in preparation for the war games they have that night.

It was another that Camp Jupiter seemed to be better at than Camp Half Blood. Their games were, brutal.

Eurydice cleared her throat finally. "Percy Jackson." Her voice faltered slightly when she uttered his name. "We have to be careful about what we say around him, Hazel." She sighed. Nico nodded with a frown. "Important things are at work here. Some secrets need to stay secret. You of all people—you should understand that.

Hazel's cheeks went hot in embarrassment. "But he's not like...like me?" Eurydice shook her head at her younger sister sympathetically. "No, I'm so sorry honey." She grabbed the younger girl's hands gently. She frowned significantly. "Yeah, she's right," Nico said. "We're sorry either of us can't tell you more. I can't interfere. Percy has to find his own way at this camp. And Eurydice... well." He trailed off.

The older sister sighed deeply. "I'll have to watch over him, but I can't interfere either. Even if we wanted to." Hazel nodded slowly. "Is he dangerous?" She asked. Nico managed a dry smile. "Very. To his enemies. But he's not a threat to Camp Jupiter. You can trust him." Eurydice chuckled slightly. "Yeah. He is." Her smile faltered slightly, catching herself. "Trustworthy I mean." She sighed.

"Like I trust you," Hazel said bitterly, looking at their brother unhappily. Nico twisted his skull ring. Around him, bones began to quiver as if they were trying to form a new skeleton. Eurydice squeezed Hazel's hand comfortingly, but she didn't squeeze back. Whenever their brother got moody, he had this effect on the dead, kind of like Hazel's curse and the way Eurydice could sees and hear ghosts.

The fact she could hear ghosts warnings constantly got annoying, and it was truly a blessing and a curse at times. Sometimes the ghosts were so loud that they made her ears bleed. Over the years she managed to get some control over what she did hear. But she kept an ear out for the important warnings she should hear.

Nico sighed, and once again the older sister was reminded of a certain son of Hades who had acted the same way Hazel was right now with him. He was trying to get through to Hazel just like Eurydice had gotten through to him all those years ago. "Look, I know this is hard," He muttered. "But you have a second chance. You can make things right."

Hazel disagreed. "Nothing about this is right," She muttered. "If they find out the truth about me—" She squeezed her sister's hand tighter at that. "They won't," Nico promised. "They'll call a quest soon. They have to. You'll make me proud. Trust me, Bi—" Hazel's face immediately fell at those words. Nico had managed to caught himself, but it was clear what he'd almost called her. He almost called her Bianca.

She's never felt so hurt for two people at the same time in her life. Hazel frowned, her eyes locking onto her feet. Eurydice gingerly rubbed the back of Hazel's hand as a mantra, telling her that she was here. "I'm sorry," Nico said awkwardly, he wasn't sure how to react to that slip up. Hazel didn't say anything, but she nodded silently.

Hazel cleared her throat."Then it's true about Death? Is Alcyoneus to blame?" She asked the two death siblings. Eurydice and Nico exchanged a look. "I think so," Nico said. "It's getting bad in the Underworld. Dad's going crazy trying to keep things under control." Eurydice grimaced, she remembered the last time she had seen her father. He looked stressed out of his mind, clearly not doing well from how disheveled he looked.

Eurydice frowned again. "From what Percy said about the gorgons, things are getting worse up here, too. But look, that's why you're here." Nico nodded in agreement. "All that stuff in your past—you can make something good come out of it. You belong at Camp Jupiter." Hazel didn't seem so convinced, she almost looked like she was about to laugh.

For a few seconds Hazel was there, until she wasn't. She immediately cursed when she realized her little sister was stuck in another one of her episodes again. She wasn't here anymore, now she was somewhere else entirely. Her memories would often wash over her with such perfect clarity, she felt she was actually there. She described it to them as being a horrifying feeling, to be stuck in a past you didn't want to remember. "Shit." She muttered to herself under her breath.

Eurydice couldn't imagine what she was going through right now. All she and Nico could do for her right now was support her through it. A few moments later she was back, the sun was lower in the sky. And more diamonds had surfaced around her, and her eyes stung from crying. "S-sorry," She murmured, ashamed of herself.

Hazel buried herself into her older sister's side slightly. Eurydice rubbed her back in circles comfortingly with a gentle smile. "It's okay. Really." Nico nodded in agreement. "She's right. Don't be," He muttered. "Where were you?" He asked in concern. "My mother's apartment. The day we moved." Her sister said trying to wipe away the tears from her eyes. The younger girl buried herself into the older girl's embrace tighter after a moment.

Nico nodded. He understood her history better than Eurydice ever could. They were both children from the 1940s. He'd been born only a few years after Hazel, and had been locked away in the lotus hotel. Those two had a sort of kinship that Eurydice couldn't dream of trying to understand. She would never know how it felt to be stuck in a different time than the one you had lived and grown in.

Eurydice was onto ever good at comfortingly them emotionally, the only way she knew how to. But she knew no matter how hard she tried her hugs and holds of comfort wouldn't stop another time from haunting her two younger siblings.

Nico cleared his throat. "You have to work on controlling those memories," He warned Hazel with a shake of his head. "If a flashback like that happens when you're in combat—" Hazel interrupted. "I know," she said. "I'm trying." Eurydice nodded in agreement. "We know. It's just.. we know you're doing your best. All of this sucks."

Nico's hand wrapped around Hazel's other hand, squeezing it comfortingly. "It's okay. I think it's a side effect from...you know, your time in the Underworld. Hopefully it'll get easier." Eurydice nodded in agreement, an enthusiastic look on her face. "He's right. It will get better." She told her, like she was sure of it. And she was. She knew she could do it. Hazel was strong, she just needed to believe in herself.

Hazel didn't look so sure once again. After eight months, the blackouts seemed to be getting worse, as if her soul were attempting to live in two different time periods at once. No one had ever come back from the dead before—at least, not the way she had. their brother was trying to reassure her, but neither of the three of them knew what would happen.

Hazel didn't seem happy. "I can't go north again," She said. "If I have to go back to where it happened—" Nico winced. "You'll be fine," He promised. "You'll have friends this time. Percy Jackson—he's got a role to play in this. You can sense that, can't you? He's a good person to have at your side." He reassured her. "And, Eurydice will be with you the entire time." Hazel's eyes wished. "Really?" She asked their older sister with hope in her eyes.

Eurydice nodded and smiled at her younger sister. "Really." She told her with a small smile. Hazel smiled, a little more confident now. Eurydice remembered what Hazel had said about what Pluto had told her long ago: A descendant of Neptune will wash away your curse and give you peace. Maybe Percy was the one who would do that. He was usually involved in curse ending business of some kind.

It made sense the more she thought of it. If she was going to stay at Camp Jupiter for her sister's sake she had to make sure she couldn't get even close to getting put on that quest. She knew there was going to be a quest, because wasn't there always one? But for some godawful reasons quests seemed to love her, so she prayed to all the gods above that for once she wouldn't be on this one. She's not sure she could survive a whole quest pretending to not know Percy.

"Where did he come from?" Hazel suddenly asked. "Why do the ghosts call him the Greek?" But before either her or Nico could respond, horns blew across the river. The legionnaires were gathering for evening muster. Eurydice sighed slightly in relief. "We'd better get down there," Nico said. "I have a feeling tonight's war games are going to be interesting."

Yeah, they sure were going to be interesting tonight.

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ON THE WAY BACK, HAZEL TRIPPED OVER A GOLD BAR. Eurydice grimaced, she knew Hazel had been afraid of being late but this wasn't good.  The gold had pipped out of the ground just in time for Hazel's foot to hit it. Nico and Eurydice had tried to catch her, but she took a spill and scraped her hands. Even though The Fifth Cohort had the nicest centurions in camp. Still, even they would have to punish her if she was tardy. Roman punishments were harsh.

She really didn't want Hazel to meet a fate of being brutally punished if she was tardy. "You okay?" Nico knelt next to her and reached for the bar of gold. "Don't!" Hazel warned him frantically. Eurydice kicked the gold bar away with her foot in annoyance. Hazel's curse never gave her a break, of course she was pissed on behalf of her younger sister.

Nico froze. "Right. Sorry. It's just...jeez. That thing is huge." He pulled a flask of nectar from his aviator jacket and poured a little on Hazel's hands. Immediately the cuts started to heal. "Can you stand?" Hazel shook her head slightly, as the two siblings helped her up. The three of them stared at the gold. It was the size of a bread loaf, stamped with a serial number and the words u.s. treasury. Nico shook his head. "How in Tartarus—?" He muttered in confusion.

Eurydice looked at the number. "Wow, u.s. treasury? That's... like a few hundred years backwards or am I wrong?" She muttered in confusion. "I don't know," Hazel said miserably. "It could've been buried there by robbers or dropped off a wagon a hundred years ago. Maybe it migrated from the nearest bank vault. Whatever's in the ground, anywhere close to me—it just pops up. And the more valuable it is—"

"The more dangerous it is." Nico frowned. "Should we cover it up? If the fauns find it..." Eurydice grimaced at that. "They'd want to get their grimy little hands on it." No offence to Grover's roman cousins at all but satyrs are way better than fauns. Hazel looked like she was imagining something terrible. "It should sink back underground after I leave, eventually, but just to be sure..."

Her sister pointed at the gold bar and tried to concentrate. The gold levitated. She looked like she was channeling her anger by the look on her face, which wasn't hard—she hates her curse just as much as Eurydice hates Octavian. Which is a lot. Nico gulped. "Um, Hazel, are you sure...?" He muttered worriedly. Eurydice shook her head at him. "No, let her." She trusted whatever Hazel was trying to do would work.

The girl clenched her fist. And the gold bent like putty. She forced it to twist into a giant, lumpy ring. Then she flicked her hand toward the ground. Her million-dollar doughnut slammed into the earth. It sank so deep, nothing was left but a scar of fresh dirt. Eurydice smiled in relief, patting her sister on her back with a proud smile. "Good job." Hazel smiled appreciatively at this.

Meanwhile, Nico has the exact opposite reaction. "That was...terrifying." His eyes widened. Hazel didn't seem to think it was so impressive, but she looked like she felt good to surprise him for a change. Inside the camp, horns blew again. The cohorts would be starting roll call, and she had no desire to get a roman punishment like Hazel would have.

"Hurry!" Hazel told her siblings, and they ran for the gates. Eurydice breathed in shakily as they ran for their lives, neither of them wanted to get punished. One thing she appreciated about Camp Half Blood was that their punishments weren't as extreme! There were almost no punishments at all but she definitely preferred this over what Camp Jupiter did any day!

The first time Eurydice had been in front of the legion. It was terrifying. But after having been at the camp for half of the year she had gotten used to it. Pretending to be a Daughter of Pluto wasn't so bad, when you were used to blending into the background. Travelling between the greek and roman camps had given her a new appreciation for staying in one place at a time. But somehow she had the feeling she'd be stuck at Camp Jupiter for a while.

The first four cohorts, each forty kids strong, stood in rows in front of their barracks on either side of the Via Praetoria. The Fifth Cohort assembled at the very end, in front of the principia, since their barracks were tucked in the back corner of camp next to the stables and the latrines. Which meant Hazel and her had to run right down the middle of the legion to reach to their places.

Eurydice, Hazel and Nico jogged down the street as everyone was coming to attention, so their entrance was really obvious. Just great. Their footsteps echoed underneath the stoke ground as Hazel tried to avoid eye contact. Octavian smirked at the head of the First Cohort looking smug in his plumed centurion's helmet with a dozen medals pinned on his chest. He really didn't like Hazel despite the fact that he had a weird thing for Eurydice.

She immediately recoiled as she made eye contact with Octavian, who winked at her flirtatiously. She put a note in her head to throw up later. The other campers were dressed for war. Their polished chain mail and greaves gleamed over purple T-shirts and jeans. They had sword-and-skull designs that decorated their helmets. Even their leather combat boots looked ferocious with their iron cleats, great for marching through mud or stomping on faces.

Eurydice's own black combat boots had done the job to protect herself. If Octavian flirted with her again, she'd kick him in the balls. In front of the legionnaires, like a line of giant sized dominoes, stood their red and gold shields, each the size of a refrigerator door. So they were gigantic, all of the legionnaires looked like they could hold it steady even though some of the shields were bigger than their holders.

All legionnaires carried a harpoonlike spear called a pilum, a gladius, a dagger, and about a hundred pounds of other equipment. Hazel seethed at Octavian angrily, he seemed to have something against her specifically. Which worried Eurydice significantly. She really wished she could kick Octavian in his stupid face, but unlike some people she had self respect.

Eurydice stealthily shadow travelled herself into her spot next to Troy in the section the fifth cohort occupied. Hazel, wasn't so lucky as she ran past Reyna, who was cantering back and forth on her pegasus Scipio—nicknamed Skippy because he was the color of peanut butter. The metal dogs Aurum and Argentum trotted at her side. Her purple officer's cape billowed behind her.

Troy stared at her in confusion. "What took you so long?" He whispered as the Praetor was distracted with Hazel tardiness. "Long story. Just know that I'm lucky I got here before Reyna noticed." She muttered underneath her breath as she straightened herself out in her row. Troy gave her a weird look, but let it go.

"Hazel Levesque," Reyna called, "So glad you could join us." Her younger sister nervously nodded as she hurried to her place in line next to Frank and stood at attention. Their lead centurion, a big seventeen-year-old guy named Dakota, was just calling her name—the last one on the roll. "Present!" Hazel squeaked.

She felt bad that she had left Hazel like that, but she knew better than to get in trouble with Reyna of all people. She ran the camp with an iron fist, and Eurydice did not want to be on the chopping block. Luckily, technically Hazel wasn't late. Nico joined Percy, who was standing off to one side with a couple of guards. His hair was wet from the baths. But still his hair was flawlessly placed around his face.

She noticed how Percy still looked uncomfortable, even after putting on fresh clothes. She couldn't blame him, she was scared the first time she was in front of the legion too. Though now it more looked to her like a bunch of heavily armed teenagers and kids with swords in an organized attack.

The Lares were the last ones to fall in. Their purple forms flickered as they jockeyed for places. They seemed to especially like her as she could see and hear other ghosts who were different than them. Octavian shouted, "Colors!" And suddenly the standard-bearers stepped forward. They wore lion-skincapes and held poles decorated with each cohort's emblems. The last to present his standard was Jacob, the legion's eagle bearer.

He held a long pole with absolutely nothing on top. The job was supposed to be a big honor, but Jacob obviously hated it. Which she couldn't blame him for. She'd hate the job too. Even though Reyna insisted on following tradition, every time the eagleless pole was raised, everyone in the legion was clearly embarrassed of it. She and Troy always made faces at each other during a legion gathering to see which one of them would break first.

Usually it would end in the two of them frantically trying to hide their giggles or choking out into laughter as soon as the meeting was over. Reyna brought her pegasus to a halt, and everyone's attention went to their praetor. "Romans!" The lightly tanned skinned girl announced. "You've probably heard about the incursion today. Two gorgons were swept into the river by this newcomer, Percy Jackson. Juno herself guided him here, and proclaimed him a son of Neptune."

Some of the kids behind them craned their necks to catch a glimpse at Percy. A few seconds later he raised his hand and said, "Hi." Eurydice stifled a laugh underneath her hand, nearly choking on her laughter. Reyna gave her a pointed look as she cleared her throat. Some of the legion gave her judging looks as she attempted to regain her composure.

"He seeks to join the legion," Reyna continued. "What do the auguries say?" She asked Octavian. Who happily announced. "I have read the entrails!" He said, like this was something to be celebrated. And it clearly was not. "The auguries are favorable. He is qualified to serve!" He said.

The campers gave a shout: "Ave!" Hail! Frank was a little late with his "ave," so it came out as a high-pitched echo. The other legionnaires snickered. Eurydice glared at the ones who laughed at him, they'd be getting rude awakening later. She'd make sure of it. Reyna motioned some of the senior officers forward—one from each cohort. Octavian, as the most senior centurion, turned to Percy.

"Recruit," He asked, "Do you have credentials? Letters of reference?" Eurydice rolled her eyes instinctively at this. A lot of kids brought letters from older demigods in the outside world, adults who were veterans of the camp. Some recruits had rich and famous sponsors. While others didn't have any of that, like Eurydice who had only been allowed to join as her father's roman counterpart had blessed her.

A good letter could get you a position in the better cohorts, sometimes even special jobs. Which was why Eurydice had been trusted with searching for Jason due to her powers. She was told to tell Reyna of whatever she found, so she made up the most convincing lies she could. So far, Reyna seemed to believe every word that came out of her mouth.

Percy shifted. "Letters? Um, no." He muttered in confusion. Octavian wrinkled his nose slightly. Eurydice shot him a glare, to which he had the gall to smile at. She was practically fuming by now. You see, Octavian was a nepo baby of sorts. His family had been sending kids to camp for over a century. He oh, so loved reminding recruits that they were less important than he was.

No matter how hard tried to get her to like him, she didn't respond. He seemed to like the chase, which grossed her out even more. "No letters," Octavian said regretfully. "Will any legionnaires stand for him?" He turned to the crowd of campers, like he was so sure none of them would. "I will!" Frank stepped forward. "He saved my life!" Eurydice sighed in some relief, at least someone was on Percy's side.

Unfortunately for Percy, there were shouts of protest from the other cohorts. Reyna raised her hand for silence and glared at Frank. "Frank Zhang," She said, her patience fading. "For the second time today, I remind you that you are on probatio. Your godly parent has not even claimed you yet. You're not eligible to stand for another camper until you've earned your first stripe."

Frank looked like he might die of embarrassment. Eurydice clenched her fists slightly. She could see the way Hazel looked at him, as she immediately stepped out of line in solidarity. "What Frank means is that Percy saved both our lives. I am a full member of the legion. I will stand for Percy Jackson." Eurydice slightly relaxed at this, if they were lucky Percy would get accepted into the legion without a fuss.

Frank glanced over at Hazel gratefully, but the other campers didn't seem to be happy with her decision. Eurydice was just glad that Hazel had decided to stand for him. If she had done it, it would have been a little too obvious. Eurydice gave Hazel a supportive smile, shooting her a thumbs up even though she looked terrified.

To the rest of the legion Hazel was barely eligible. She'd only gotten her stripe a few weeks ago, and the "act of valor" that earned it for her had been mostly an accident. Being a daughter of Pluto and apart of the disgraced Fifth Cohort wasn't helping her case. Reyna wrinkled her nose, but she turned to Octavian. The augur smiled and shrugged, like the idea amused him. Eurydice rolled her eyes mentally at the smugness on his face.

Octavian seemed to like to keep all his enemies in one place, he had kept vying for Eurydice getting into a higher cohort in an attempt to keep her closer to him. But she had managed to shoot him down almost every time. She made sure she had bad behaviour on purpose. Which was great for her because she'd rather die than be in close quarters with Octavian.

"Very well," Reyna announced. "Hazel Levesque, you may stand for the recruit. Does your cohort accept him?" The other cohorts started coughing, trying not to laugh. Eurydice clenched her fists again. She knew what they were thinking: Another loser for the Fifth. Fucking assholes. It seemed like no matter where you went in the mythological world, bullies would follow.

Frank pounded his shield against the ground. The other members of the Fifth followed his lead, but they didn't seem very excited. Their centurions, Dakota and Gwen, exchanged pained looks, like: Here we go again. Eurydice felt bad for them in a way, their cohort had been disgraced ever since Jason's disappearance. He had been apart of the fifth before he went missing.

So now the Fifth Cohort was seen as the unlucky cohort, which wasn't great for them at all. "My cohort has spoken," Dakota said. "We accept the recruit." He looked like he didn't want to be there at all. Reyna turned to look at Percy with pity. "Congratulations, Percy Jackson. You stand on probatio. You will be given a tablet with your name and cohort. In one year's time, or as soon as you complete an act of valor, you will become a full member of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata. Serve Rome, obey the rules of the legion, and defend the camp with honor. Senatus Populusque Romanus!"

The rest of the legion echoed the cheer. Reyna wheeled her pegasus away from Percy, like she was glad to be done with him. Skippy spread his beautiful wings. Hazel looked mesmerized by the horse, she really loved horses. The girl had told her once how she wished to have one someday. Eurydice hoped that day would come, for her sister's sake.

"Centurions," Reyna said, "You and your troops have one hour for dinner. Then we will meet on the Field of Mars. The First and Second Cohorts will defend. The Third, Fourth, and Fifth will attack. Good fortune!" She finished as a bigger cheer went up—for the war games and for dinner. The cohorts broke ranks and ran for the mess hall. Eurydice sighed in relief as she broke from her place in line to reach Hazel.

Her sister waved at Percy, who made his way through the crowd with Nico at his side. Surprisingly, Nico beamed at Hazel. For someone who didn't like Percy he sure was happy. "Good job, Sis," He said. "That took guts, standing for him." Eurydice grinned at Hazel just as proudly. "You did great, Haze. Thanks for putting Octavian in his place." Her sister grinned at her, "Anytime Eury."

Percy blinked in confusion like he remembered that nickname for a second, a memory flashing through him. Until after a second he blinked again, and it was gone. Eurydice was holding her breath up until that moment. Troy stared at her in confusion at this, before congratulating Hazel. "Good one, the look on his face was priceless." He said to the girl as she smiled back.

One of the guards had given Percy his probatio nameplate. Percy strung it on his leather necklace with some very familiar beads. Eurydice felt a pang at her heart as she stared at them. Hazel and Troy gave her matching looks of confusion, to which she just shrugged. They seemed to think it was because she was suspicious of the beads. Huh, her acting really does work.

"Thanks, Hazel," Percy said. "Um, what exactly does it mean—your standing for me?" He muttered in confusion, his eyes wandering at each of the people in the group. Hazel took a deep breath before she explained. "I guarantee your good behavior," She muttered. "I teach you the rules, answer your questions, make sure you don't disgrace the legion." She told him.

"Eurydice was the one who stood for me when I first got to the legion." Hazel added with a smile at her older sister. She had been lucky enough to join the legion long enough for them to get used to her. Nico and Hazel were seen as more suspicious, though because of her they were hesitantly trusted.

"And...if I do something wrong?" Percy asked nervously in confusion. "Then I get killed along with you," Hazel said so casually, and Percy looked like he had gotten the air knocked right it of him. "Hungry? Let's eat." She muttered with a slight smile. Eurydice snorted and patted Percy on the shoulder with pity. "You'll get used to it, don't worry." She told him, but he didn't look excited about it at all.

Troy smiled slightly as they walked to the mess hall. "Great, I'm starving." They settled into a casual conversation as Hazel attempted to explain a few things to a frazzled looking Percy struggling to follow along.

So, number one. Eurydice really wants to kill herself every single time she looks at Percy with that same stupid expression on her face. And, number two she really needs to get ahold of herself or else all of this is going to end badly! And number three. She just needs to be careful, as much as she possibly can to avoid Percy Jackson at all costs. Even if it hurts her to do so.

Gods, she doesn't get paid enough for this. And by that she means that she doesn't get paid for this at all. No one notices the longing look she gave to Percy as she turned back around to look at him from her conversation with Troy. Hazel was trying to explain the rules of the legion to him, but Percy was just in his own little world. Desperately trying to pick up the pieces of who he once was.

Well, this is gonna be a wild ride. She just hopes that she has no part in it, it'll keep her sanity very much alive if she doesn't.

█⠀⠀⠀. ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ RAI SPEAKS!! . . .
◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ Words: 8338

Woohoo! A longer chapter for you guys 😉 This chapter was insanely fun to write. Ah, how I missed writing Eurydice's pov. Percy's confusion and deja vu with Eurydice is so funny to me. She's just straight up denying it. She's my favourite unreliable narrator!!! Well she's pretty reliable when talking about other people, but not herself specifically.

This chapter was really long and took a while to write. But here it is. Enjoy the content, because this is leading up to the quest and dinner with the other legionnaires. Lots of foreshadowing this chapter too. Can't wait to hear what you guys think of this and your theories! Toodles <33