Disclaimer: I don't own HP/PJO/HoO

Thank you to Small Bob for the idea for Percy's challenge :) that's coming next

also warning: very non-funny Leo coming, I'm sorry I just can't write Leo very well...

Leo POV

Finally the Second Task day arrived, and as far as Leo knew, he'd won the award for "Most Annoying Champion", having completed messed with Rita Skewer's head the day before during his "special interview".

"So Leo, how does it feel to be the temporary champion? Are you excited? Nervous?"

"Nope, just doing my job! I've done way scarier things."

"Oh really? Like what?"

"Not s'posed to say."

"Oh. All right, then...Got any plans for the second task?"

"Plenty, I'm already done working on what I'm gonna do! Well, if I can get it to work here, magic and technology don't usually mix but it should be fine and if not I'll go out with a bang! Or at least my stuff will. I probably won't win or anything but whatever, I get a great chance to show off my flair. Would've been nice to have had this last year though, I'm not supposed to hit on any girls...Though I must say, you really do look stunning, your green and my red would go amazingly great if I wasn't already dating someone-"

Needless to say, Skewer wrote a very rude article about him later.

Leo was standing on the docks between Percy (wearing a slightly-modified Camp shirt that had "New World Academy: Manhattan Branch" on the front) and Harry Potter. THe other champions going into the lake wore more suitable swimming attire.

Leo wore his usual clothes and accesories, as well as having his briefcased-dragon in his hand.

The person who was supposedly announcing everything was rambling. Leo entertained himself by messing with the guy's name.

Ludacious Biggleman, Ludo Bugman, Luigi Buckleman, Lumos Brightman-

"STOP DAYDREAMING AND GET MOVING REAPIR BOY!" Piper yelled from behind him. Leo jumped and jumped in, unpacking his dragon as he went.

He'd nearly suffocated by the time Festus, modified into a submarine (or as much as Leo could make him into a fighter submarine on short notice and limited resoures) finally finished unfolding and Leo was inside the small cockpit.

Festus creaked and blew bubbles.

"Thanks, boy. Let's get moving-I got a feeling Callie's our "sorely missed"." Leo said, steering Festus towards a part of the lake Percy frequented. AKA the most likely places for the merpeople to be.

It hadn't been too hard undonig the riddle (it was much easier then an prophecy and even with Percy trying to be "mysterious" about it it was kind of easy to figure out the answer were the merpeople n the Black Lake) and Leo found that his hunch had been right when he saw the merpeople up ahead. And in the center of their part of the lake were five figures, with Calypso in the middle.

Harry Potter was cutting away the bindings that held a boy Leo remembered as being a friend of Harry's, and he guess the one next to him was for Krum, even though she was also always hanging around Harry. There was a little girl next to Calypso and finally another girl that had gone with Cedric DIggory to the Yule Ball.

The merpeople, having given up with Harry, went for Leo and Festus. Bad move: Festus, being a 50-ton dragon, easily sent them all flying backwards with a few well-placed kicks. Physics did the rest.

Harry gaped at Leo's submarine dragon, but Leo waved him off and started directing Festus to cut away Calypso's bindings, before getting out to bring her inside the small airtight compartment. Which of course cued her to revive once more.

As Leo was finishing up he saw Krum swimming off with his "sorely missed" and Cedric arriving for his girlfriend. No doubt Fleur was on the way for what was probably her little sister.

"Let's move, Festus." Leo said cheerfully to his dragon, who creaked in agreement and started properling for the surface.

Calypso, who was waking up properly now, lightly punched Leo. "Took you long enough."

"Sorry Sunshine. Waterproofing Festus was a great idea but it's way slower swimming then it is flying."

"So how are you not pushing water onto everything behind you?"

"Front leg movement only-" Leo glanced back and winced. "Which might be a small issue now. I don't think rocket launchers work underwater very well-"

Calypso took one look at the grindylows and rammed the large red button in front of her.,sending dragon, fire boy, and formor sorcerer shooting much too fast for Leo's stomach to keep up.

They went flying out of the lake and into the air, where Festus awkwardly tried (and just barely) succeeded in giving them a semi-smooth landing.

It was better then the one in Indiana, anyways.

Chiron came running (galloping?) towards them as Festus puffed smoke and ash and creaked out Ow, ow, ow between pieces of Celestial Bronze falling off.

Calypso easily jumped out. "Hey Mr. B. Uh, can we get an order of extra bronze for repairs?"

Leo almost fell while getting to the ground. "Yeah, we got out but now Festus is broken again. By the way you did great buddy."

Festus creaked and dribbled oil and water.

Jason and Piper joined them. "You came in first, dude. I thought we talked about going easy?" Jason pretended to be mad, though he was really just glad Calypso and Leo weren't underwater in a slight-faulty dragon-marine anymore.

"Grindylows suck. I met them once and never want to meet them again." Calypso shrugged. "Besides the next champions won't have to deal with them. They burned, I think."

"Who knew? Not-Greek fire burns underwater when shot at high speeds at close range. Good to know." Leo agreed. "Oh, and sorry, we didn't pick up souvenirs on this rescue mission. I mean, unless you count water...'

"I'm just glad you both-you three-are safe. I need to chat with the other headmasters, now that all the champions are here." Chiron gestured at the other schools. Dumbledore was talking to a mermaid, Fleur was crying and hugging her sister while thaanking Harry for something. "I believe something big has happened. We should see what is going on."

Leo and his friends agreed and followed Chiron back to the others. The nearest students took one look at Festus and moved waaayyy back.

Leo stayed next to his dragon, not wanting to put him back into suitcase mode just in case that broke something. And upon Ludo Bagman's appearance in his field of vision, Leo lost attention in whatever Dumbldore was saying about Harry and Leo tying for first place and started thinking up more funny alternate names for the poor man while Calypso rolled her eyes at him and actually listened so she could give her ADHD boyfriend the rundown later.

Got names for the Festus: Submarine version? Let me know and don't forget the follow, review, and whatever else :)