Reyna thought that she'd been busy before. But when she saw Percy work, it made her feel like a 7-year-old student watching an experienced teacher do maths. It irritated her, but it was endearing, nonetheless. The son of Neptune has been checking on onagers, polishing armor, making sure that everyone hasn't died in the process . . . in three hours and in a wheelchair.

Of course, Frank assisted him. Jason stayed by Reyna's side to help her deal with the paperwork and the expense. Unfortunately, Octavian had a perfectly planned-out map to invade the Greeks. Now it was put to use. Reyna wondered how had she not burned this yet, but she was slightly grateful for it.

"So this is Bunker 9." Reyna pointed a small spot on the map, which was surrounded by forests. It looked like it has been in solitude for who-knows-how-long, just like her. "Only the sons of Vulcan - Hephaestus with the gift of fire can open it. Am I correct?"

Jason nodded as he pushed up his Imperial Gold-framed glasses. Reyna never thought of a son of Jupiter wearing glasses, but, hey, you learn new things every day.

"Yes," Jason agreed. "But the Greeks have been studying. They've invented some sort of blowtorch that could equal Valdez's fire, thus, unlocking it. They've got most of their weapons in Bunker 9, the Ares cabin and the Hephaestus cabin. If we take down three of these places first, they would be almost defenseless."

Reyna sighed. "No. We shouldn't act rashly. It's a brilliant plan, Jason," she said, "but they have the Oracle Rachel Elizabeth Dare. We have none. We can only rely on dreams, and the accursed Morpheus cabin keeps pulling us off of the track."

The door to Reyna's workplace opened.

"We've got news," Hazel said, out of breath, "that the speech of the two praetors is about to commence. Are you two ready?"

* * *

The stage was okay. She wasn't a stranger to it. But when you put her in front of a crowd of hundreds of demigods with heavy armor and cameras? That was a little uneasy. What were the cameras for, anyway?

Frank looked totally at ease. His soaked back of his T-shirt said otherwise. Percy looked weird wearing his robe in a wheelchair, but he managed to shrug it off and start a stupid conversation about their godly parents with Jason. Hazel stood by Frank's side, as stiff as a statue.

Every time she stood with the Seven, she'd always felt left out. Not after Scipio - he was a brave friend. But now? She felt comfortable. Before Jason has Piper, Leo has Calypso(technically), Frank has Hazel and Percy has Annabeth.

That's the past. Now it was Percy had had Annabeth. What would happen to Jason and Piper after this war? Now Percy and Reyna are both single as a pringle at the moment.

Suddenly someone sounded the horns. The volume almost deafened everyone in the legion. Dakota smacked the son of Apollo - who was in charge of that stupid horn - and smashed the horn onto the ground. The son of Apollo scowled at the centurion.

"Romans!" Reyna used this as an opening, her voice loud, clear and commanding. "The Greeks have attacked our praetor, Percy Jackson. As you all may know, he is now fully Roman and he will serve the legion as our praetor. Unfortunately, he is bound to a wheelchair, for now. In any favor of those who want to sign his casts and bandages, please do not make his injury worse! I'm talking about you, demigods of Venus!"

Demigods snickered. No use observing formalities now, they're on the verge of war. Though the lares didn't look too happy about that.

Reyna steeled her nerves. She could feel Jason muttering silent encouragement, Percy grinning, and Frank and Hazel getting her back behind her.

"We will attack three days later," Reyna continued. "Then we will throw the spear. Discuss plans with your centurions when you get back. Do we have any questions?"

A hand was raised.

"Then what about the legion?" asked a demigod. "If we're all fighting . . . who's defending camp?"

"The First Cohort will be defending the legion," Reyna answered. Several groans and complaints shot up. "I know you hate it, but it's our last line of defense if we fail. They have skilled fighters, some not to be underestimated. But if we're comparing demigod power, we're mostly weaker than them. Do not despair, our numbers are vast and our training is sufficient."

The hand went down. Everyone seemed to nod at her answer, satisfied. Another hand was raised.

"Praetor Reyna? Is Praetor Jackson supposed to be on his feet?"

"What?" Reyna turned. She almost bumped her head onto Percy's face. He could stand, but he visibly struggled. "Percy! What are you doin-"

Percy turned to the crowd and grabbed Reyna's wrist, making her heart do a full-on dance showdown. She might've been blushing because she'd sworn she saw a camera's flash.

"Hey, Romans." He grinned. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you. That is . . ." Suddenly he didn't look so carefree. His confident tone suddenly turned into a squeak. Reyna caught Jason slapping his own face. Hazel and Frank kept holding hands and stared at Percy with glee. Dakota and the son of Apollo's eyes switched between Reyna and Percy simultaneously as if they were watching a tennis ball match.

Reyna squeezed his hand, uncertain. "That is . . ." she urged.

Percy exhaled. "That is; I'm in love with Reyna."

Silence. For a scary moment, nobody said a thing. Then two hundred demigods shrieked at once. For once in the legion, they were unorganized over a single sentence.

Reyna felt like she could faint right now. The good kind, she meant. She was overwhelmed by disbelief and love.

She forced herself to meet the son of Neptune's eyes. He turned his head at the same moment she did.

"Percy . . ." Her voice was merely a whisper. "Do . . . do you mean it?"

Percy blushed and scratched his head. He held Reyna's hand up to his heart.

"Yes," he said, "with all my heart. Ow, who threw that bouquet of roses at me? My back!"

Fangirls squealed. Frank and Hazel shrieked. Jason clapped his hands slowly, approving their choice. Dakota and the son of Apollo fist-bumped.

Reyna blinked. Then Percy asked, "Then, will you return my heart?"

Everyone stared in tense silence. Reyna stuttered, but she got the answer out soon enough.

"Y-yes," she stammered. Now she was sure she was blushing.

"Kiss! Kiss!" The entire legion chanted. Even the lares joined in. "Kiss!"

What was really happening? What happened to Venus and her curse? But that didn't matter, for now, she had Percy.

Percy sniffed and glanced at Reyna uncomfortably. "Um, should we . . . ? Or . . . neve-"

Reyna shut him up by pressing her lips against his. He seemed shocked at first, but he returned the kiss just as fast. Soon, his hands were around her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck, despite his wounds. He didn't seem to mind.

Her insides melted. She could've stayed like that forever, but she could hear the entire legion screaming, throwing their Imperial Gold helmets into the air like graduated students. Though some of them hit some unlucky demigods on the head, and one of them crashed into a window wall. Nobody cared.

She peeled herself away from Percy. She must've looked like a goldfish gasping for air because Percy was the same.

Reyna's eyes gleamed. "We gotta give them what they want, right?"

Percy sneered. "Who are you," he joked, "and what have you done to Reyna."

She helped him back to his wheelchair, though he seemed more displeased than ever. "My name is Reyna Ramirez-Arellano, praetor of the Twelfth Legion. Nice to meet you."

"GET A ROOM!" someone shouted, and everyone cheered.

Hazel grabbed Reyna's shoulder. "That was amazing."

Jason walked over to them and nodded. "That? Top-rate."

His blue eyes didn't sparkle so much, which somewhat bothered Reyna. The others seemed to notice this as well.

"Jason," Percy started, "I know what's going on with you. Just -"

Reyna didn't know why, but Jason exploded all of a sudden.

"I don't care," he hissed. "You all can wage war against Camp Half-Blood, but I'm standing with my girlfriend. When I watched you two make out, I remembered that I have someone to remember at Camp Half-Blood. Unlike you, Jackson. You abandoned your Camp because of your girlfriend breaking up with you and a stupid machine attacking you? I thought you're a leader!"

The cheering silenced. All eyes were on the son of Jupiter.

"Jason," Frank ventured, "what's -"

Jason raised his sword. "I don't care what happens to this legion, but I'm standing with the Greeks. Kill me if you have to, but I don't approve of Camp Jupiter's training styles. You're just trying to make us into the same person!"

With that, Jason stormed away. Literally. He summoned the winds to lift him up and he took off into the sky, not once looking back at the place that he once called his home.

Everyone looked at Reyna and Percy. Hazel gasped, tears brimmed her eyes. Frank had developed a sudden interest in his boots.

Reyna opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Percy saved her.

With some effort, he stood up and faced the entire legion. The wounds do not seem to affect him anymore.

"I am not a Greek," he said to everyone. "Not anymore, anyway. Jason chose his own path, we must respect him. But as for the war . . ."

He glanced at Reyna, Frank, and Hazel with uncertainty. Reyna nodded. Frank and Hazel hesitated, but they nodded as well.

"The war will commence," Reyna finished with confidence. "No matter how many traditions we have broken, this is one that we cannot ignore. Are you with me, Camp Jupiter?"

Silence.

Finally, a demigod in front raised his hand in a salute. The rest of the demigods slowly followed suit.

"Ave, Twelfth Legion Fulminata!" Reyna saluted to not only the legion, but to herself, and the rest of those who chose their own path in life. To be honest, she was quite relieved that Jason could choose for his own now. He was the one in control of his own life. Not the rules, not the legion, and not Reyna.

"Twelfth Legion Fulminata!" the legion echoed.