Work Text:
Annabeth looked down over Percy’s shoulder at the city that would become their home for the next four years, maybe even longer - New Rome.
It was as she remembered it, old roman buildings mixed in with the newer ones, the big area where the Legion had its war games and of course the temples and shrines dedicated to the Gods. She could spot a few new ones and a small one under progress. Jason had obviously been busy keeping his promise to give all gods some sort of shrine.
Percy turned his head to look at her and grin.
“What do you think Wise Girl?” He asked over the wind.
Annabeth had to confess that she preferred her arrival to New Rome this time over the last one. Then she had been almost out of her mind with worry and anger about almost everything in her life. Finding Percy, the quest of the seven demigods, hoping not to get blasted out of the sky by the Romans, saving the world and whatnot. This time she arrived with Percy and knew that they would receive a warm welcome. Although she did not look forward to the soreness she would get tomorrow from flying Blackjack all the way from Camp Half-Blood.
“I think we should make a grand entrance!” She said, hugging him tighter.
Blackjack whinnied and shook his mane. “I’m sure they have donuts in New Rome, buddy.” Percy reassured the pegasi, patting his neck. Then he turned back to Annabeth and flashed his troublemaker grin. “How do you suggest we make our entrance?”
They had been dating for almost two years, but still that grin made her heart beat faster.
“Oh, I’m sure we can come up with something good Seaweed Brain.” She laughed.
Percy leaned back a little and kissed her. “Have I mentioned that I love when you’re mischievous?”
Blackjack whinnied again and Percy’s head snapped around so fast Annabeth feared he might’ve gotten whiplash.
“No, I do not think you dropping droppings from the sky is a good idea!” He exclaimed alarmed.
The pegasi snorted as if to say “It was just a suggestion, Boss.”
Reyna walked out from the stables with Guido behind her. She’d become very fond of the pegasi over the last year. He was not Scipio but he was just as loyal, although a bit more tempered. But what hat had she expected from a Greek pegasi, really? As if reading her thoughts her steed trotted up next to her and gently nibbled at her shoulder.
“Hey! Cut it out!” She scolded him.
The pegasi just whinnied and tossed his head, knowing that she wasn’t really mad. Sometimes she wished she had Percy Jackson’s gift so that she could understand what Guido was saying. Then again, thinking of Hazel Levesque’s horse Arion and all the cusswords he apparently uttered maybe she was better off. Reyna was just about to mount when an alarmed cry made her freeze.
It better not be the fauns or lares making trouble… She thought and climbed onto Guido’s back. She urged the pegasi towards the sounds of commotion, the stallion cantering of, his wings flapping once before settling to his side. There was no need to jump into the air. Yet. They swept by a few demigods who where all heading towards the sound and… cursing?
They came around the temple of a minor God and she pulled Guido to a halt. In front of her a fountain was acting crazy, spraying water everywhere, while Hazel and Jason Grace were trying to find the cause of the problem. Every time it looked like they had found the right section to twist or pull, another spray of water hit one of them in the face.
“Jupiter’s underpants, what is wrong with this thing?!” Jason exploded as a small jet of water seemed to go out of its way to hit him in the eye. “I just had it installed!”
Hazel pushed some of her wet curls out of her face and jumped to her right when a stream went for her.
“Can’t we just destroy it?” She growled when the stream just made a U-turn in mid air and hit her in the back of the head.
“NO! It’s customized for Kymopoleia!” Jason yelled and rolled under another jet of water.
“I hate to break it to you Grace, but I don’t think she likes it.” Reyna laughed as she trotted up to the two demigods and the possessed fountain. Jason glared at her from the ground.
“It has shipwrecks, storms and screaming mortals on it! How can she not like it?” He argued, and got hit square in the face by water.
Reyna laughed again, which apparently was a bad idea. A stream of water reared up from the fountain like a snake ready to strike.
“Oh no! Don’t you dare…”
The water snake shot forward, circled around her and gathered up into a levitating ball over her head. Then it exploded, getting both her and Guido wet. The pegasi shook his mane and flapped his wings to get rid of the water. Then he snorted, clearly offended.
“Alright! Enough!” She yelled and drew her sword, imperial gold glittering in the sun.
The fountain’s water seemed to freeze, or at least hover in the air to take her in. Reyna glared at it, somewhere in her head she registered how silly she must look. She was staring down a fountain. Then all the water gathered up over their heads and spelled “Party pooper“. They all just stared at it. Hazel’s lips were moving silently, spelling the words.
“What the…?” Jason started.
“That is… That is just so…!” Reyna didn’t even know what it was.
“Immature?” A voice next to her offered.
“Yes!” She agreed.
It hit her then. That voice, it was very familiar. She looked in the direction of the voice, but there was no one there. One of the lares? Had she imagined it? No, looking at Jason and Hazel it was clear that they’d heard it too. Then in the sweep of a battered old blue Yankees cap, Annabeth Chase materialized out of thin air. Her blonde hair was windswept, her storm gray eyes sparkled mischievously and a grin was plastered on her face.
“Hi guys!”
As if on cue Guido neighed happily and was answered by an equally as happy whinny from above. They all looked up to see a pegasi the color of a raven dive from the skies and land gracefully next to the fountain, the water now spelling “Surprise!” in the air. On the back of Blackjack sat a grinning Percy Jackson, his black hair a total mess and his sea green eyes taking in all of them.
“Sup?”
Jason started laughing. “Should’ve known it was you!”
Hazel clapped her hands and ran up to hug what she could reach of Percy, which was his leg. Reyna couldn’t help the smile that was spreading across her own face.
“It’s nice to see you Percy! But did you have to soak us all?” She gestured at the group.
“Yeah, what the hell man?” Jason agreed while squeezing water out of his purple Camp Jupiter t-shirt.
Percy slid of Blackjack’s back to give Hazel a proper hug before turning to Jason.
“You give my evil sister of a storm goddess, who tried to kill us, a shrine and a fountain. I, who have fought by your side and shared my pizza with you, get nothing? Where’s my fountain dude?”
Jason stared at him in disbelief for so long that Percy shot another little jet of water in his face.
“Jackson!” He complained, taking of his already really wet glasses.
“I had to do something to get you to take of those glasses.” Percy shrugged.
Jason tackled him. The two boys wrestled on the ground while the girls just looked at them. After a few seconds they all locked eyes and said “Boys.”
Then from the crowd that had gathered around a big bulky guy came running. Frank Zhang wasn’t much for fighting if he didn’t have to, but now he pretty much dove into the ongoing friendly wrestling match.
“Hey man!” Percy shouted happily.
Annabeth started laughing and Reyna couldn’t help to join in. Hazel looked as if she didn’t know if she should laugh or try to break the boys up. Reyna jumped of Guido's back and hugged Annabeth.
"I've missed you!" She laughed at the smiling girl before turning back to shake her head at the wrestling match.
Blackjack walked over to the pile of boys and nipped at Percy.
“Ow!” He yelped. The pegasi neighed and pawed the ground with one of his front hooves.
“Yes, yes! So, uhm, celebration donuts anyone?” The son of Poseidon asked the group from the ground with a foolish grin.