Percy clutched his head in his hands, staring at the diagrams of marine animals in his textbook, his mind stubbornly refusing to process anything. How could he have thought that being a son of Poseidon would make this subject any easier?

Pushing aside the textbook, Percy pulled up a notebook he kept for Latin classes. The Greeks were required to take Latin classes at the university, even those who had studied it in high school.

"Well, that's the first time you've set aside a book and not immediately leave your seat," Annabeth said, observing from her own desk next to his. "Usually you'd get up and take a walk or something."

Percy stood up.

"I spoke too soon," Annabeth said.

Percy hurried over and gave Annabeth a quick kiss. "I'll be right back," he said, before grabbing his coat and walking out of the house.

It wasn't seven yet, so most of the stores in New Rome were still open. Percy strolled along, watching families of modern Romans dine in restaurants and cafes, head to the amphitheatre or merely hang out around the province. Percy still felt dizzy from his success of surviving and ending the war, and living in New Rome with Annabeth, where they were guaranteed asylum from monsters.

That evening, however, there were other matters on his mind.

Percy slumped down onto a bench, watching an elderly Roman couple walk by with their granddaughter. He lifted his head slightly to see the silhouette of the domes of the university in the distance, and groaned slightly.

Despite being the son of Poseidon, Percy found out he couldn't stand marine biology. It was cool talking to the fish and all, but studying them? He didn't think he could cope with it anymore, and there was only one way out, but he was afraid of disappointing both Annabeth and his parents. He remembered his mother and stepfather's proud faces on the day of his high school graduation, and how they were so sure he was going to be successful. Annabeth had been pretty glad when he decided he would continue his education.

Could he just drop out now?

"Hello, Percy."

Percy's heart did a somersault, as he leaped to his feet and reached into his pocket for Riptide, before noticing the praetor standing before him, rolling her eyes.

"Well, at least you still have your battle reflexes, despite having enjoyed the security New Rome affords," said Reyna. She was dressed informally, only in a t-shirt and jeans, without all the fancy regalia she usually wore on duty. "That's good. We Romans admire that."

"Good to see you, too, Reyna," Percy said, flopping back down onto the bench. "Aren't you afraid, wandering about at this hour, unarmed? Wasn't Julius Caesar assassinated?"

"What's wrong?" Reyna inquired after his forlorn demeanor, with no regard to his latter comment.

"Uni stuff, that's all."

"You don't like the university? I heard Annabeth got the scholarship named after me, and that you both share some premium accommodation?"

"It's a nice house," Percy said. "That's not the matter, though. I just happen to be thinking of dropping out."

"Well, that wouldn't be very Roman of you," Reyna said. "We Romans believe in..."

"Yes, yes, I know you believe in commitment and whatnot," Percy said, receiving some rather annoyed stares from several passers-by who clearly disapproved of his tone. They bowed slightly in Reyna's direction before shooting him one last glare and hurrying off. "But it doesn't seem like I'm cut out for marine biology. Yes, I'm the son of Poseidon. No, it's all still like Old Norse."

"You could switch courses," Reyna suggested.

"Doesn't seem like there's anything else I can switch to."

After a short pause, Reyna said, "Well, I figure I can help start up a new faculty in the university. A faculty of Classics. It exists in many universities outside of New Rome, but not here. That's because it involves Ancient Greece, and Greeks, so it's been banned for some time here."

"Studying Ancient Greek shouldn't be a problem," Percy said. "And regarding Ancient Greece? Please, I pretty much wrote a book on the Greek gods and heroes a few years ago, mainly because a publisher in New York asked me to. It's even named after me, Percy Jackson's Greek Gods."

"Never heard of it," Reyna said, shortly. "But yes, I believe I can, and I think it'll be a pretty wise move as well, seeing how we're having an influx of Greek migrants into New Rome."

"It sounds bad when you put it that way," Percy said.

Reyna slowly lowered herself onto the bench. "You know, it is getting a little bad," Reyna said. Her voice had dropped to a loud whisper. "The number of campers from Camp Half Blood entering Camp Jupiter is high, and a lot of Romans are displeased. Some have not even forgiven the Argo II's attack."

"That wasn't..."

"I know it wasn't Leo's fault," Reyna said, a little impatiently, though there was a slight tinge of melancholy to her tone. "I've granted him a... posthumous pardon, anyway. I'm only confiding this in you because you used to be praetor. Frank and I are trying to diffuse the situation, and we're trying all sorts of measures to properly unite Greeks and Romans. Nico would be arriving in a few days, being the Ambassador of Pluto and a son of Hades."

#

"You did what?"

Percy grinned at the look of surprise on Annabeth's face. "Switched courses, that's all," he said. "You know I was having problems with marine biology."

"Yes, but... Are you sure about this? Taking Latin and Greek? Studying 'mythology'? What are the career prospects?"

Percy thought about it. "I could be a teacher, like Chiron, when he was undercover at Yancy. A mythology teacher." Percy's green eyes gleamed. "And besides, I was thinking... ya know, since I am dyslexic, and I know how hard it can be, I could help dyslexic kids cope as well, being a teacher. As opposed to what I went through in school. ADHD, too."

Annabeth smiled. "I love you, Seaweed Brain," she said, pulling him into a hug.