Frank did exactly as Leo suggested, after sending him an irritated look. Persephone watched as he turned into an eagle and plunged off the edge of the boat. Her mouth made an 'o' shape. 

Percy and Annabeth had made themselves busy, leaving Persephone and Leo to themselves. Leo looked like he wanted to disappear, or run up to his controls and make himself useful. But he kept staring at Persephone.

The daughter of Hades, herself, didn't quite know what to do. It was painfully awkward, and every time she thought of something to say, she'd decide against it and the silence would continue.

Until Festus blew off steam from his ears, hitting Leo square in the face. His curls stood straight up, almost like they'd been gelled, his eyes were closed, brows raised, lips pursed. Persephone giggled, quietly, at the state of the boy. He opened one eye to glare at the dragon, before he saw the small grin on her face. His lips quirked up, before his face fell, sighing.

"Sephy- I'm so sorry." He said, his voice cracking. Persephone's smile fell. "I didn't- I don't know- Are you okay?"

She nodded.

"Percy said my back won't scar, and the nectar pretty much cleared up my concussion, there's only a small headache left." Leo's face fell further. "But I'm okay, really! I'm not upset at all. Are you okay? Percy said he knocked you out."

Leo rubbed a hand through his hair, the hairstyle Festus had given him now falling away as his curls bounced back. "You're asking if I'm-" He sighed, softly. Her gaze fell onto the bandage on his left forearm, courtesy of her sword. I'm okay."

He glanced at his right hand and stepped towards her, clearing his throat. He held his right hand out, palm facing up.

"I found your ring on the deck, must've shrunk back after I-" He trailed off. "Annabeth told me to look after it for you, until you wanted it back so..."

Persephone took it, gingerly, placing it on her finger.

"Thanks." She said.

The daughter of Hades wanted to claw her eyes out with how awkward the interaction was going. Leo looked about ready to do the same.

Finally, he plucked up the courage to move towards her, surprising the girl in a tight hug. His arms tightened around her back, feeling the bandages under her t-shirt, scolding himself for it, fingers dancing and tapping. Persephone sighed, deeply as she slid her arms around his neck, the familiar scent of cinnamon, motor oil and burned wood comforting her. Her heart thumped against her chest, worrying her that the son of Hephaestus would feel it. Leo's thoughts mirrored hers.

"Alright cupcakes, break it up." Coach Hedge interrupted them, his hooves clopping along the deck. "Annabeth said we're landing this thing, so let's get moving." He hurried them along. Persephone pulled back and grinned at Leo, rolling her eyes at the satyr. Leo smiled. 

"You got it, coach." He saluted, walking towards his controls. Persephone joined Festus, petting his snout. He snorted at her.

"I'm okay." She told him.

The journey to the Great Salt Lake started smoothly, Frank had flown back to the ship and immediately headed downstairs, after transforming back into his regular demigod self. Then they got to the decent.

"Outta the way, cupcake. You should be over there with the mechanic." Coach told Persephone. "Rides gonna get bumpy." He said, excitedly. Persephone all but scrambled over to Leo, clutching the railings tightly, as the ship creaked and groaned. She just made it to the controls panel before a particularly harsh bump in the decent shook her.

"Hold on, Hermosa." Leo gritted his teeth. Persephone realised, too late, that she should've joined the others below deck, but she didn't have a lot of time to dwell on that as Festus sent warning creaks and whirrs through the intercom to the captain. Coach Hedge was clinging to the forward rail, yelling into the air, his voice being drowned out by the boat's groans, and Festus' worried squeaks.

"I know, I know." Leo replied, brows creased in concentration. 

Persephone would've enjoyed the scenery around them, if she wasn't so concentrated on not falling over the side of the ship. 

"Hang on, Coach!" Leo called to the satyr. Persephone gripped his arm. "This is going to hurt."

"I was born for hurt!" Hedge called back.

"He's insane!" Persephone screeched. 

"Well-"

"Leo!"

And with a thunderous crash, they hit the lake, water washing overboard and dowsing the three of them. The Argo II listed dangerously to starboard, before righting itself, rocking on the surface of the lake.

Persephone pushed her hair back, out of her face, her eyes wide. A grin crept onto her face, and she laughed a little, hysterically. Leo grinned at her.

"Good job, Festus," He told the dragon. "Take us towards the south shore."

"Yeah!" Coach Hedge pumped his fists in the air. "Do it again!"

"Maybe later, Coach." Persephone told him, ringing the water from her dark hair. 

"Just stay above deck, okay?" Leo explained. "You can keep watch, in case- you know, the lake decides to attack us or something."

"On it." Coach nodded.

Leo rang the 'everything's cool again' bell and headed in the direction of the stairs. Persephone moved to follow, before loud bangs and hooved echoed on the deck. A tan stallion appeared near Persephone, with Hazel on his back.

"How-" Leo started to question. "We're in the middle of a lake! Can that thing fly?"

The horse whinnied, angrily, at the Latino.

"I think you upset him." Persephone told him.

"Arion can't fly," Hazel said. "But he can run across just about anything. Water, vertical surfaces, small mountains- none of that bothers him."

"You sure he's not just a tall mountain goat?" Persephone asked, eyeing up the horse, who seemed to almost glare at her. Hazel shook her head at Persephone, in answer.

Persephone noticed the girl's gaze on the son of Hephaestus, the same gaze from back at the Roman camp. Like she was searching for something, but couldn't quite find it. It made Persephone feel quite defensive, the gaze from the younger girl unsettling her. She opened her mouth to say something before Coach hedge caught her eye, his baseball bat readied.

"Valdez, does this count as an invasion?"

"No!" Leo and Persephone defended. The satyr shrugged. 

"Um, Hazel, you'd better come with me. I built a stable below decks, if Arion wants to-"

"He's more of a free spirit." Hazel slid off the horse. "He'll graze around the lake until I call him. But I want to see the ship. Lead the way."

The tour went smoothly. The two showed Hazel the cabins, pointing out the rooms already taken. They passed Jason's room, and Persephone didn't miss the falter in Leo's steps as he caught sight of his friends. Piper waved at Persephone, smiling, happy to see she was okay, before holding a finger to her lips at Leo, to signal them to be quiet as she tended to Jason. She held no anger in her eyes. 

Persephone kept running through different questions in her head to ask her new sibling- on her godly parent's side. How old was she? She didn't look any older than Persephone- possibly even younger than Nico. What was living in the Roman camp like? Though, she would probably have the same answers as Jason. How did she know Nico? Did Nico tell her about Persephone- she doubted it, considering this was the first she'd heard of another sister. Why did she keep staring at Leo?

None of those questions were asked. Instead, Persephone said; "So... cool horse you got there."

Hazel pulled an awkward smile and nodded. "Yeah, I feed him gold." 

Persephone nodded, trying to disguise her puzzled expression. She saw Hazel pull a face at herself. 

Persephone opened her mouth to ask if children of Pluto had any different powers than children of Hades, when they got to the mess hall. Percy, Annabeth and Frank were sitting at the dining table, looking rather put-out.

Persephone spied the live-feed walls of Camp Half-Blood, smiling at it, before a feeling of homesickness hit her. She shook that away and joined the trio at the table, slouching in her seat. The minimal exercise she'd done since waking up had caused her headache to increase and her vision to strain. Fun times.

"So we've landed." Percy began. "What now?"