Previously:
"Lord Percy was most brave to relay the information the way he did."

"Ready whoever will brave the gates with me." Poseidon said, causing the advisor to breathe a sigh of relief now that they'd moved on. "We will storm the attacking forces in two hours."

"Yes, my lord."

"Even if you don't know if you can trust them, you still need to treat people with a modicum of respect!" Hazel Levesque was livid. "Honestly, were you raised by Titans?"

It was not something one saw very often.

"If I see you within a hundred feet of them again, I will shove your spear so far up your podex, Apollo will find it on his trip across the sky, you—you—you rude gardening tool!"

"Did she just indirectly call her a hoe?" Leo stage whispered to Jason.

Jason was finding it hard to stay impassive. On one had, Hazel was right; the camper was much too rude to the naiad who was just trying to lead them to the mess hall. On the other hand...well...it was Clarisse. Jason really didn't want to be on the warrior lady's bad side. He'd heard something about toilets with her and he'd rather not find out specifics.

"Am I clear?"

On the other other hand, he'd never seen Hazel quite this mad before. Something told him to side with her this time. And it wasn't just because she was right.

Clarisse refused to budge, she merely remained glowering at the daughter of Pluto, unimpressed with her threat. That is, until her spear began jiggling out of her iron grasp.

"Yes." It was barely audible but seeing as sound carried a little better underwater, almost everyone heard her.

"If you are quite finished," Jason turned to see Lord Triton standing further down the hallway of Poseidon's palace. "My father wishes to meet with whomever you have put in charge for a war council."

Jason locked eyes with Leo. "You go grab Frank and Reyna, I'll go get Malcolm and Piper?" He asked.

Leo nodded before swimming off to the barracks that had been put up for the visiting campers. Jason continued towards the mess hall after telling Lord Triton they would be there shortly.

Will, Nico, and the other cabin counselors had stayed at camp to help defend it against potential raids. Thalia and Hylla with their teams remained there as well.

The first meeting of Artemis' Hunt and the Amazons had been somewhat anti-climactic. Apparently they'd known about each other but hadn't actually met yet. They had been sending recruits to each other over the years.

"I will begin by thanking you all for being here." Poseidon said, beginning the meeting. Many of the long time veteran campers blinked in surprise. It was not often the demigods met a god who so readily portrayed gratitude towards them. It was normally done grudgingly—if at all—and more often than not, in a snobbish or condescending way.

"Y-you're welcome, Lord Poseidon." Reyna said when it was clear he was waiting for a response. "It is our honor."

Poseidon smiled sadly. "Poor honor when I ask you to leave your home to defend a place none of you will ever see again."

None of the campers knew what to say to that very true statement, so they remained silent.

"Perhaps we should..." Lord Tristan gestured to the map on the massive table they stood around.

"Yes, of course." Poseidon cleared his throat. "How many have you brought again?"

Their planning continued past dinner time. Poseidon had some mermaid servants bring food once he realized this. Causing the camp counselors to be even more perplexed by his actions.

"I see why Percy seems so close to his father now." Jason muttered to Frank by the end of the meeting. "He's the most...emotionally available god I've ever seen."

Frank nodded.

"Mr. Zhang."

The son of Mars froze like he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Yes?"

"You are the one Percy said was a descendant of my grandson, Periclymenus?" Poseidon didn't need Frank to confirm (though he did so anyway) and eyed him carefully, seemingly searching for something. "Ah, yes, I see. You have the nose and chin. It is good be meet you. Perhaps you remember another of my sons, Tyson?" Poseidon turned just as the doors opened to reveal a cyclopes smaller than any Jason had ever met.

"Dad, the cyclopes troops refuse to leave the forge." He began. "They have not stopped to rest or even eat in days."

"Triton?" Poseidon turned to his heir expectantly.

Lord Triton smiled kindly at his cyclopes brother as he swam out. "Don't worry, Tyson, I'll take care of it."

"Tyson, have you rested?" Poseidon asked.

Tyson sheepishly ducked his head. "No." He said quietly.

"Then you will have some of the food here before joining Frank here to rest." Poseidon rested a heavy hand on Frank's shoulder, making him look very small. "He is a descendant of a grandson of mine. I think you have met before in New Rome?"

Tyson's big blue eye turned to the son of Mars. "Frank!" He exclaimed happily. "Brother! It is good to see you!" The young cyclopes strode forward to envelope him in a bone crushing hug.

"H-hi, Tyson. How've you been? How is Ella?" Frank asked, his voice muffled by Tyson's broad chest.

Jason left Frank to his sort-of-family-reunion. There was a lot of rest he needed to get himself to be ready for tomorrow.

            —-        —-        —-

"Yeah, we put Clarisse in charge of the group that would have the least amount of interaction with friendly sea life." Piper was saying to Thalia through an Iris Message. "Hopefully that keeps morale and relations from going to Hades."

"That's probably best." Thalia was smiling. "Gotta say, I'm not sure I believe you about Hazel."

"It's true, sis." Jason joined in. He'd just gotten back from the morning training and preparations. "It was scary. I've never seen her like that."

Thalia still looked unbelieving but left it alone. "How are Tyson and Poseidon?"

Jason and Piper shared a look. "They seem alright." Jason answered. "We don't know them well enough to notice any different behavior."

"No, I guess that's true." Thalia admitted. "Even Tyson has gotten more grown up. Less emotional because of it. It's just that they were so close with Percy."

"Not Triton?" Piper asked.

"Have you met any of your godly siblings?" Thalia asked with a knowing look, then nodded when Piper let loose a sheepish smile. "It might be less violent than anyone else's but it's no less tense."

Before Jason or Piper could say anything in response, three blows of a conch horn sounded throughout Atlantis. With a swipe of Piper's hand through the message and a hurried goodbye, Thalia disappeared. Jason and Piper then made their way to their assigned stations. The first of many attacks had begun. Now it was a matter of who survived the next few days and whether they could push Pontus' forces. back.

            —-        —-        —-

It had been three days since the campers had shown up. Many were surprised Atlantis had lasted this long. None more surprised—or frustrated—than the giants and Titans leading the opposing forces.

Normally, surprised and frustrated opponents led to mistakes. Mistakes the campers were professionals at taking advantage of.

Unfortunately, in this case, it only led to more vicious attacks and more damage done. The demigod force had been reduced by an entire third of their original numbers. Atlantis' forces (already significantly reduced from before) were even lower than that, and even more exhausted. It was helpful, to be sure, that the demigods and a few minor gods with water affinities had come to help. But it wasn't enough. They were loosing energy, numbers, and morale quickly.

One day more than Pontus had expected. And only a week away from the ritual Pontus had been waiting for. (Not that the gods or campers knew that)

The monster forces weren't desperate yet, but they were about to be. And that was going to be dangerous for Atlantis.

"Praetor Frank." This was Neptune. Since he was talking to a Roman demigod, he found it less of a headache to actually stick to his Roman form. "If you and your troops don't get rest, how can we expect to keep the enemy forces at bay?"

Frank would have pointed out that the god looked like he needed just as much rest as they did, but figured it wouldn't have been polite. As the days have progressed, the sea god grew older and older in appearance. White hair and beard, wrinkles on the face and hands, and he even started stooping with age.

"Yes, sire." He said instead.

The sea god had been the nicest to him than any other god. He figured he could push some liberties? Just a little? Percy would be disappointed if he didn't.

It was the last thought that prompted him to speak. "My lord, might I suggest you take a few moments to rest as well?"

The flurry of advisors and even Lord Triden froze upon Frank's words. He began to worry he'd stepped over a line until he realized the advisors and Triton were staring at Neptune. Not him. He waited. Ten seconds. Thirty. A full minute passed and Frank stood there, locked in Neptune's stern gaze.

The god slumped. "Yes, I suppose you are right."

Frank's jaw dropped. As did a few advisors'.

Then, in a way that reminded him too much of Percy, he said, "Lia, get me a chair, would you?"

As one, the advisors rolled their eyes. Triton facepalmed, and Frank stood there, mouth gaping like a fish.

Until, in a sudden stroke of inspiration, Frank called after the mermaid who'd reluctantly started to follow Neptune's orders. "Grab me one as well?"

Neptune's head spun to glare at Frank, who shrugged.

"If this is what you mean by rest, I can hardly argue, can I?" Frank said, the picture of innocence.

Now, Neptune looked to be holding in a laugh. His eyes battled between frustration, exhaustion, and laughter. Laughter won. "Very well, son of Mars." He boomed. "If you will have yourself and your troops rest properly, I will as well."

Frank nodded, then grinned.

"If only so we are well enough rested for our deaths."

Frank's smile turned grim. Another thing Percy got from his father. A grim, dark sense of humor.