A/N: I got this idea a while ago and never really tried to put it into words before, but I decided a few days ago I'd go through it to try and ease my writers block for my other PJO stories. Hope you guys like it!
The Argo II hovered over the Long Island Sound, closing in on Camp Half-Blood. While the war against the Giants and Gaea had been won, and the prophecy fulfilled, there was still something the Seven had to deal with.
Reyna and Nico had managed to keep the two camps at bay from each other, but neither had been able to convince them to make peace. After all, the Greeks were wary of the Son of Hades long before they found out about the Romans, and Octavian had managed to convince the Romans that Reyna was going soft, and it hadn't helped that she broke Roman law going into the ancient lands.
The Seven could see the camp from where they were, up in the air. All eyes were focussed on the two large masses of demigods down below, getting threateningly close to each other.
"They're about to attack" Hazel murmured, a hand coming up to cover her mouth.
"Jason" Percy's ragged voice jarred all of the demigods on board from their staring, all of them turned to the battered and broken Son of Poseidon, who was definitely the worst off member of the group, Annabeth right behind him in the category of injuries. He'd pushed his limits to the max to escape Tartarus, and then further to fight Gaea. It was as if he had hidden a reserve of energy for that moment.
That energy was all but spent up now.
"What is it?" Jason asked warily. He was in rough shape as well, but nothing compared to how bad Percy was feeling, even the numerous cuts, burns and bruises didn't shed light on it. Neither boy was in any shape to fight, though.
Percy's broken gaze turned to him, "Take me down there." He stated, authoritatively. Jason was spared from answering when Annabeth stepped in front of Percy, frowning.
"You're in no shape to fight, Seaweed Brain!" she said, placing her hands gently on his stomach, as if signalling to back off from what he had planned.
The Son of Poseidon looked down at her, sighing. "I'm not going there to fight a way, I'm going there to stop it." He told her, kissing her forehead lightly. Annabeth leaned into him as he did so, and Percy wrapped a protective arm around her for the moment. "Besides, "he reasoned, "I'll have Jason with me, and all of you once the Argo II gets there. We need to have someone there now though to keep them all at bay, and Jason and I are the two Hera switched." He looked at Jason with a confident and determined glint in his eyes, one that reminded the demigods of what Percy used to look like almost all the time, before the war had broken him. "This is our job to finish."
He let his grip on Annabeth lessen, and she backed away, nodding her head reluctantly. She clenched her fists as she spoke, "Fine." She grumbled, "Fine."
Jason stepped up beside Percy and wrapped an arm around him after a silent argument with Piper. Percy did the same to Jason's shoulder. "Beam me up, Scotty." Percy said, sending a shock through the demigods present, who had rarely heard Percy joke around in the past few days, or even weeks. Jason was the first the get past it, focusing on the job at hand, and the two boys launched off of the deck, heading down towards the crowd.
Meanwhile, on the ground. The two groups of demigods were within feet of each other. Clarisse leading the Greeks and Octavian the Romans. Nico and Reyna, in a desperate last effort, were standing between the two groups, shouting at them to stop and listen to reason. Neither side seemed inclined to obey, with shouting continuing from both large groups. Seeming to hit the breaking point, both sides started to move towards each other, but come to an abrupt stop when a loud Booming sound was heard, followed by an explosion of dust and dirt between the two groups, shaking the earth and making the demigods closest to it stumble back, covering their eyes from the dust cloud that expanded outwards at them.
What was revealed at the center of this entrance, which seemed like something that a God would have done, surprised both the Greeks and the Romans.
Percy, with his head down, was on one knee with Riptide stabbed more than half of its length into the hard packed dirt, and Jason, crouching with his own sword drawn, shifting around warily as if examining the threats around him.
Percy slowly pulled his sword out of the ground and got to his feet, albeit unsteadily, and stared at both groups. The Romans seemed shocked that he and Jason were here, and the Greeks had seemed to have forgotten why they had weapons, taking in how mauled Percy was and wanting to shout with happiness that he was back, but ask what had happened to him as well.
It didn't seem like he'd be shouting with happiness and greeting them like old friends any time soon though, as his stare was harsh and unsettling.
His first words were addressed to the crowd, as Reyna and Nico moved and stood closer to the two new arrivals, to back them up.
"We did not go through everything we just went through just to let you ruin it by fighting each other."
Octavian tried to challenge him, "You attacked our camp! You - "Jason pointed his sword at him, cutting him off.
"You shut your mouth, you disobeyed direct orders from your Praetor by bringing the Legion into this Camp and trying to attack. You're guilty of Treason and will be punished for such action."
Octavian sneered, "You speak of Treason as you defend the enemy from the Legion, Jason Grace."
Percy glowered, stepping up real close to Octavian and standing over him. "Gaea is the enemy, and we beat him while you tried to attack your newest and most valuable ally. If I hear you speak one more time I'll send you to Tartarus" Jason's eyes widened, as did the eyes of everyone else there, but Jason, Reyna and Nico were the almost the only ones present who knew the severity of Percy saying something like that."
Octavian's sneer increased, "And just why would I believe that statement, Jackson?" he spat, which caused Percy to dig the point of Riptide into Octavian's neck a little.
"Because I know how to get there, and I know how to get out." He spat right back, shoving Octavian backwards into the Romans behind him. "You don't"
Octavian seemed to realize what Percy meant, because all of the fight left his eyes, replaced by shock and fear.
Percy, stepping back in between the two groups, raised out his arms mockingly. "Any Demigod. Greek or Roman. Will have to go through me first if they want to attack the other side." He challenged, "I will not go easy on any of you. I will not back down." Jason stepped beside him. "You'll have to go through me as well."
One Roman soldier stepped forward, Jason recognized him as one of Octavian's bought friends, a Son of Mars who had a bloodthist problem. He grunted and rushed forward, stabbing at the Son of Poseidon in challenge.
Despite how worn out and tired Percy was, he parried the strike with ease, before letting the larger Demigod's forward momentum carry his face right into Percy's oncoming fist. The Son of Mars was instantly flattened, his helm hit the ground hard and he was out for the count. Just like that.
Percy glared at the Roman side, "Anyone else? Because I definitely am not scared of fighting any of you after the hell I've been through." There were some surprised gasps from the Greek side as someone stepped forwards. Percy and Jason both turned to see Clarisse stepping into the clearing, spear in hand. She stared at Percy intently, before throwing her spear on the ground in front of him, surrendering the weapon. "We don't want a war anyways, and we're certainly not going against our leader."
This spurred the Greek side the bang on their shields in agreement, though as Clarisse returned to their ranks, the others kept their weapons in hand, in case the Romans did not do the same as they had.
There was shuffling in the Roman ranks as someone made their way to the front. A very unhappy looking Dakota managed to stumble into the clearing past all of the armoured demigods in front of him. He glanced at Percy and Jason before locking eyes with Reyna, who still had her Praetor's uniform on. He drew his sword but made no advance. "I stand by our Praetor." He said, before glaring at Octavian, "Our real Praetor, Reyna!" he raised his sword arm in the air, and turned, staring down the Roman Legion.
After a few seconds, a similar cry was heard deep within the crowd, and another sword raised, followed by another, and then groups of swords lifted into the air before the entire legion had done so, even some reluctant followers of Octavian, and Octavian himself, who seemed shaken and disoriented.
As this had unfolded, the Argo had gotten close enough and dropped the rope ladder, letting the rest of the Seven descend and join Jason and Percy in the middle. The two were engulfed in hugs from Piper and Annabeth, respectively, while Reyna took back her Legion, a real smile on her face for the first time in over a month.
The Greeks and Romans had been lead into the Ampitheatre once the commotion had settled, where the Seven, along with Reyna and Nico, recounted their journeys on the quest. Percy and Annabeth confirmed to everyone what had happened to them, as well as Nico, but none of the three would go into any detail.
Slowly, the rift began to close, as the two groups heard how these seven demigods, who were both Greek and Roman, had come together and saved them all.
If one had paid close attention afterwards, they might've noticed Annabeth and Percy hugging a bearded man in a wheelchair together, while tears of joy flowed down his face freely.