Disclaimer: I don't own the Characters… Sadly…

Jason I Jason started but then groaned.

"Awesome! It's in my point of view," So much sarcasm in that sentence.

"Yeah we get to hear that Great Jason Grace's thoughts!" Bobby threw his hands up in the air.

"And possibly get some dirt," Dakota snickered while he finished another pack of Kool Aid.

Reyna rolled her eyes. "I would love to finish the first chapter before the war games tonight, so would all of you just kindly shut up,"

"The war games are tonight? Awesome, Dad can I play?" Sky asked her father.

"Sure you and Luke can play, you can just pick your team, I'm going to read now considering Reyna's shooting me death glares," Jason approved.

Even before he got electrocuted, Jason was having a rotten day.

"Hey is it weird to like talk about yourself in third person?" Nico asked randomly.

"Yeah," Gwen backed up her crush.

"Gwen we're on the first line and we're already having a second discussion," Hazel sighed.

"What's wrong with discussions?" Luke asked. He was very good at discussions and debating since his Mum was a daughter of Athena.

"Nothing, it's just taking our time," Hazel explained not wanting to offend him.

Luke just shrugged and motioned for Jason to proceed. But he stopped.

"Nice to know that you all care about me guys, I mean I got electrocuted and all and on top of that, I was having a bad day!"

Bobby smirked, "Come on Raichu, we know you're Jupiter's son so we know it won't hurt you… much,"

Laughs all around!

Octavian just rolled his eyes; I would've been a much better Praetor.

He woke up at the back seat of a school bus, not sure where he was, holding hands with a girl he didn't know. That wasn't necessarily the rotten part.

"If you said it was I'm going to tell Mum," Sky threatened.

This was followed by laughs all around (I think when I say all around you all know not Octavian). Even Reyna cracked another smile, but regained her posture again.

After Jason relaxed he continued reading.

The girt was cute,

"Duh! How do you think I am able to look this good?" Sky motioned to herself.

"Um, well because I'm your father?" Jason motioned to himself.

"I look good too guys," Dakota motioned to himself.

"I'm the daughter of Venus here guys so I look the best," Gwen flipped her hair.

"Black is the new cool thing guys so I think I look best,"

"Not everyone likes black Nico," Hazel rolled her eyes.

"Anubis likes black, he pulled it off very well, not that you don't Nico,"

"And you're saying he looks better than me?" Luke raised his eyebrows.

She pecked him on the lips, "'Course not Babe, no one can top you,"

Jason felt uncomfortable with his daughter's PDA so he continued reading.

But he couldn't figure out who she was or what he was doing here.

"You left camp?" Reyna asked.

"I don't know Reyna, this hasn't happened yet," Jason answered frustrated.

Octavian just muttered, "Irresponsible Praetor,"

"How come he gets to leave camp?" Bobby complained.

"Because he isn't a doofus like you!" Gwen explained.

Hazel leaned to Nico and asked, "What's a doofus?"

He promised her that he'll tell her if they have a break.

"B- B- But why can he leave camp when I can't!" Bobby cried. Not Literally.

"Because you're also an idiot?" Hazel asks politely slightly teasing.

He pouted and finished another pack of Kool Aid. Where does he get those?

They looked at the couple who are suspiciously quiet. When they looked at them Sky had green eyes which surprised them and she was making mini tornadoes with her index finger. And Luke was playing with her hair. When they noticed everyone was looking at them they stopped what they were doing and Sky's eyes turned back to electric blue.

"What?"

"Your eyes turn green?" Hazel asked.

"Yeah, I'm bored, like I said I already heard this story."

"They turn green when you're bored?" Gwen asked and she just nodded.

Jason figured that he didn't want to spend a whole year reading this book so he continued reading.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to think. A few dozen kids were sprawled in the seats in front of him, listening to iPods, talking or sleeping. They all looked around his age… Fifteen? Sixteen? Okay, that was scary. He didn't know his own age.

"You're fifteen," Bobby pointed.

"You have amnesia?" Reyna asked.

"That's a way to put it," Sky grumbled, and Luke chuckled at her.

The bus rumbled along a bumpy road. Out of the windows, desert rolled by under a blue sky. Jason was pretty sure he didn't live in the desert. He tried to think back… the last thing he remembered…

The girl squeezed his hand, 'Jason, you okay?'

"She seems to know you," Hazel mused.

"Are you living a double life?" Dakota raised his eyebrows.

"Because you seem to know her," Bobby teased.

"She's my Mum," Sky rolled her eyes.

"What does she look like?" Nico asked.

Hazel hit him over the head, "Nico!"

He raised his hands up in innocence.

She wore faded jeans, hiking boots and a fleece snowboarding jacket. Her chocolate-brown hair was cut choppy and uneven, with thin strands braided down the sides. She wore no make-up like she was trying not to draw attention to herself, but it didn't work. She was seriously pretty.

"I'll tell Mum you said that," Sky winked at her father.

Jason blushed.

Everyone else snickered at their blushing Leader.

"In all fairness though, she sounds hot," Bobby shrugged.

Gwen hit him over the head.

"I actually agree with you on that one bro," Dakota nodded.

"Oh Gods, it's so weird, you're talking about my Mum!"

"If you'd like, we could talk about how hot you are," Bobby tried to flirt.

"Ha, ha, ha, say that again and I'll put you in a hurricane and send you Kansas," Luke threatened.

Hazel asked her brother what Hot meant. He would explain later was what he answered.

Jason really didn't want to listen to everybody talk about how hot his future daughter or his wife was.

Her eyes seemed to change colour like a kaleidoscope – brown, blue and green.

"That's why your eyes change colour!" Nico realized.

"Wow Nico, congratulations!" Dakota teased.

"Yeah man, we could've never got that without you," Bobby laughed.

Hazel rolled her eyes. Reyna did too and she motioned Jason to keep reading.

Jason let go of her hand. 'Um, I don't –'

"Wow, dad,"

"I'm sorry!"

"Bad move Mr. Praetor,"

"I said sorry!" Jason kept reading.

In the front of the bus, a teacher shouted, "All right, cupcakes, listen up!"

Sky giggled and whispered to her boyfriend, "Hedge a teacher," He snickered with her.

Everyone looked at them weirdly. Sky just motioned for her father to go on.

"Greeks," Octavian sneered.

Bobby interrupted. "Cupcakes!"

Dakota laughed along with him.

Jason just read.

The guy was obviously a coach. His baseball cap was pulled low over his hair, so you could just see his beady eyes. He had a wispy goatee and a sour face, like he'd eaten something mouldy.

"You are so nice dad,"

"This hasn't happen yet!"

"Whatever you say,"

His buff arms and chest pushed up against a bright orange polo shirt. His nylon workout pants and Nikes were spotless white.

"How does he do that?" Nico asked.

"Not everyone goes off traveling and stepping on a lot of things Nico," Hazel explained.

"But, how!"

"Maybe he just cleans them all the time," Bobby shrugged.

"Because he doesn't have a life," Dakota laughed, drunk.

Jason laughed at his friends and kept reading.

A whistle hung from his neck, and a mega-phone was clipped to his belt. He would have looked pretty scary if he hadn't been five feet zero. When he stood up in the aisle, one of the students called, "Stand up, Coach Hedge!"

"He sounds like a faun," Gwen pointed.

"We don't have fauns outside of camp." Reyna frowned.

Everyone looked at Sky and Luke for an explanation. "We're not spoiling anything,"

Everyone groaned.

"Why his name Hedge?" Dakota blurted randomly.

"You're drunk… Again," Gwen sighed.

"What are you talking about?" He asked innocently. "I'm always drunk,"

Cue the laughter.

"Idiots," Muttered Octavian.

Jason kept reading but also wondered if the coach was a faun.

"I heard that!" The coach scanned the bus for the offender. Then his eyes fixed on Jason, and his scowl deepened.

"Ooh, you're in trouble!" Bobby smirked.

"You're the offender?" Dakota asked.

"Or maybe he knows that Jason doesn't belong there," Reyna went on.

"Stop being so serious Reyna,"

"We're Roman! We're supposed to be serious!" She snapped.

"This is why you needed Leo in your life, you needed humour and he needed maturity," Sky acknowledged.

A jolt went down Jason's spine. He was sure the coach knew he didn't belong there.

"See?"

"We get it Reyna! Your right!"

"Gosh, I wish who ever Leo was is here now,"

"I heard that!"

"It's true!"

He was going to call Jason out, demand to know what he was doing on the bus – and Jason wouldn't have a clue what to say.

"How 'bout you say, I'm a praetor who doesn't belong here take me back,"

"I will not be saying that! And I can't since I don't know who I am there,"

"Good point,"

"Shut Up Bobby!" Was heard.

But Coach Hedge looked away and cleared his throat.

"He does know," Hazel agreed with Reyna.

"But we don't have fauns outside of camp!" Reyna argued frustrated.

"It's either that or he's a monster." Gwen rambled with the girls.

Sky didn't say anything.

"We'll arrive in five minutes! Stay with your partner. Don't lose your worksheet. And if any of you precious cupcakes causes any trouble on this trip I will personally send you back to campus the hard way." He picked up a baseball bat and made like he was hitting a homer.

"He sounds so nice,"

"Relax guys, he wouldn't actually hit anybody," Luke assured.

"Aw," Guess who said that.

"That's not a way to talk to kids," Reyna boasted.

"He was grumpy," Sky insisted.

Jason looked at the girl next to him, "Can he talk to us that way?"

"I agree with you there Pikachu," Bobby expressed.

"I think everyone is," Hazel estimated.

She shrugged. "Always does. This is the Wilderness School. 'Where kids are the animals.'"

"Wow, that's so awesome," Gwen exclaimed sarcastically.

"There's nothing wrong with animals, they're very cute and fluffy," Dakota chided.

"Okay," Jason spoke slowly.

"Animals," Sky sighed then suddenly jolted straight up, "My cat! Jesus! I need to feed her!"

"Relax Babe; I'm sure Charlie will feed her,"

"Who's Charlie?" Jason asked.

"My twin brother," Sky replied nonchalantly like it was nothing.

Jason didn't ask any more questions.

She said it like it was some joke they'd shared before.

"I hate and love the mist," Sky shrugged.

"Ditto," Everyone nodded. Octavian was just there glaring. Then he disappeared and a note fell from the sky.

Reyna read it, "Octavian was being a joy killer so I put him somewhere and he won't remember a thing… Sincerely,
Apollo (The awesome one,)

P.S. Sky, your brother fed Silvermist, and your dad didn't kill me."

"Well on the bright side! Octavian's gone!"

Jason kept reading.

"This is some kind of mistake," Jason said. "I'm not supposed to be here."

"Yeah, you're supposed to be here suffering with us and not having fun with a cute girl," Dakota and Bobby wailed.

"It's fun here!" Reyna insisted.

"Yeah, especially in the future," Sky's eyes glazed over.

"What so great about it?" Gwen asked.

"We're in charge of everything and we made a few tweaks," Luke smiled.

"You're praetors?" Reyna asked, "But you both leave camp!"

"Not this year or next year, we're done high school, we're available for two years," Sky explained.

"Yeah, and when we're gone, your daughter Leona's in charge along with her boyfriend Nico and Gwen knows who's son," Luke winked at Gwen and she blushed.

Jason kept reading.

The boy in front of them turned and laughed. "Yeah, right, Jason. We've all been framed! I didn't run away six times. Piper didn't steal a BMW."

"There's Uncle Leo!"

"He ran away six times!" Dakota cheered.

"And Jason's future wife stole a BMW!" Bobby grinned.

"How do you get away with that?" Hazel asked.

"Maybe she's a daughter of Mercury," Reyna suggested.

"Or Hermes," Nico added, "He's the Greek form of Mercury,"

"You're Greek?" Gwen asked.

He nodded.

"We'll talk about that later," Jason decided.

The girl blushed. "I didn't steal that car Leo!"

"Oh, I forgot, Piper. What was your story? You "talked" the dealer into lending it to you?" He raised his eyebrows at Jason like, can you believe her?

"She still sounds like a child of Mercury… or Hermes," Gwen added the Greek form.

"She could be," Reyna agreed.

"Damn, she could be my sister," Bobby snapped his fingers.

"Ha! She's not related to me," Dakota laughed.

"I'm marrying Bobby's sister?" Jason asked horrified.

"What?!" Sky was suddenly interested, "My mother is not a child of Hermes or Mercury for that matter, excuse you,"

"Sorry,"

"She isn't related to me either! Woo!" Bobby jumped up and down.

Jason continued reading.

Leo looked like a Latino Santa's elf, with curly black hair, pointy ears, a cheerful, babyish face and a mischievous smile that told you right away that this guy should not be trusted around matches or sharp objects.

"I'm pretty sure he's my brother," Bobby nodded.

"Yeah, he sounds like a child of Mercury, or Hermes, jeez Greek and Roman, so confusing," Gwen complained.

"Uncle Leo doesn't need matches," Sky whispered at her Boyfriend's ear.

His long, nimble fingers wouldn't stop moving – drumming on the seat sweeping his hair behind his ears, fiddling with the buttons of his army fatigue jacket. Either the kid was naturally hyper or he was hopped up on enough sugar and caffeine to give a heart attack to a water buffalo.

"How would you know how much caffeine that takes Jason?" Nico asked.

"I don't know,"

"Then why woul-,"

"This is the future Bobby! Now shut up so I can read!"

Hazel thought that the description of this guy was very close to Sammy.

"Anyway," Leo said, "I hope you've got your worksheet, 'cause I used mine for spit wads days ago. Why are you looking at me like that? Someone draw on my face again?"

"This guy is awesome!" Dakota giggled with a mouth full of Kool aid.

"Again?" Hazel asked. He still sounds like Sammy.

"That's awesome!" Bobby high fived Dakota. "I would love it if he was my brother,"

"Shut it! Be quiet! Let Jason read!"

"Well sorry for expressing our dear opinions about your probably future husband Praetor Reyna,"

"I will let Hannibal sit on you Bobby,"

That shut him up.

"I don't know you," Jason said.

"Way to be blunt Jason," Gwen laughed.

"Yeah Dad, you totally just go up to strangers and say, 'Hi! I don't know you, now can you tell me why I'm here?'" Sky did her best imitation of her dad. It pretty much sucked.

Jason blushed while he others just laughed.

Leo gave him a crocodile grin. "Sure. I'm not your best friend. I'm his evil clone."

"What's that?" Dakota asked.

"An evil clone, that thing that looks exactly like you, but turns on everything you love and painfully kills them," Nico replied.

Everyone except Hazel, Sky and Luke backed their chairs away a lot.

"What? I spend a lot of time in the Underworld sorry,"

"No, not that Bro, a crocodile grin!"

"Oh, that's like a very wide grin,"

"Why not like just smile like a Cheshire cat then?"

"I don't know,"

"Leo Valdez!" Coach Hedge yelled from the front. "Problem back there?"

Leo winked at Jason. "Watch this." He turned to the front. "Sorry, Coach! I was having trouble hearing you. Could you use your mega-phone, please?"

Jason paused reading.

"Jason! Read!" Bobby urged.

"Oh sorry, I thought you guys had comments so you can interrupt!"

"Well, we don't so keep going so we know what happens!"

"Jeez, okay,"

Coach Hedge grunted like he was pleased to have an excuse. He unclipped his mega-phone from his belt and continued giving directions, but his voice came out like Darth Vader's.

Everyone laughed. Reyna only chuckled a little.

"This guy is amazing!" Bobby hit his armrest.

Dakota on the other hand was choking on his Kool Aid from laughing too much. Hazel slapped him on the back a couple of times then he finally spit it out.

"How do you do that?!" Nico was laughing.

"Why are you asking us? Do we look like Leo?" Jason asked.

The kids cracked up. The coach tried again, but this time the mega-phone blared: "The cow says moo!"

More laughter, Reyna cracked a smile. He could be worse.

"I want a megaphone like that,"

The kids howled, and the coach slammed down the mega-phone. "Valdez!"

Hazel sat up. Valdez. That's Sammy's last name. Stop! You're going to get a black out.

Piper stifled a laugh. "My god, Leo. How did you do that?"

"Gods," Reyna corrected.

"Hush up Reyna, she doesn't know,"

"You're just saying that because you're going to marry her,"

He continued reading.

Leo slipped a tiny Phillips-head screw driver from his sleeve. "I'm a special boy."

"In the head," Reyna snorted.

"Reyna, it's rude to make fun of your hubby," Sky teased.

"Says the one who makes fun of her boyfriend twenty four, seven," Luke smiled.

"That's different,"

"Did Reyna just joke?"

"Impossible,"

"The world is ending!" After his comment Jason started reading.

"Guys, seriously." Jason pleaded. "What am I doing here? Where are we going?"

"They're going to think you're joking, the mist might be playing with them," Reyna pointed.

"This hasn't happened yet!"

"Ha, the great Jason Grace pleading,"

"Shut it Bobby,"

"Please, I don't know you! Take me home!"

"Don't mock me Dakota, just drown in your Kool Aid,"

"Rude,"

Piper knitted her eyebrows. "Jason, are you joking?"

"Obviously not,"

"Shut up and let me read!"

"No need to get touchy Pichu,"

"No! I have no idea –"

"Aw, yeah, he's joking." Leo said. "He's trying to get me back for that shaving cream on Jell-O thing aren't you?"

"That is such a classic!"

"Why Bobby, have you done it to other innocent campers before,"

"No, no, no, Reyna, of course not,"

"Uh huh, then why do my dogs want to rip you apart?"

"Because… you didn't feed them?"

Laughter erupted. Luke had tears in his eyes. Sky was holding her stomach. This was Bobby for you.

Jason started at him blankly.

"No, I think he's serious." Piper tried to take his hand again, but he pulled it away.

'I'm sorry,' he said. 'I don't – I can't –'

"I want to slap you for doing that but you're my dad, so I can't,"

"Thank the Gods,"

"I also want to slap you but you're the praetor,"

"Ha, my title's amazing, I don't get hurt,"

Reyna slapped him over the head.

"Ow, I thought you didn't care about love,"

"I don't, I did it for them,"

"In your face Dad, Reyna's on my side,"

"That's it!" Coach Hedge yelled from the front. "The back row has just volunteered to clean up after lunch!"

The rest of the kids cheered.

"There's a shocker," Leo muttered.

But Piper kept her eyes on Jason, like she couldn't decide whether to be hurt or worried.

"Poor girl," Hazel sighed.

"She just lost her not real, mist boyfriend," Gwen sniffed and Nico who was beside her awkwardly patted her back.

"Eh, she sounds hot, I'll take her,"

"No way Dakota, I call dibs,"

Sky coughed. "Err, I just said that Jason was my dad and that girl you're calling dibs on is my Mum, so it's very safe to say that none of you are going to be with my Mum in the future except Dad,"

"It's very possible!" Bobby and Dakota pouted.

Jason reminded himself not to do anything to hurt her in the future. But then, he was going to lose his memory anyway. Eh, it's worth a shot.

"Did you hit your head or something? You really don't know who we are?"

Jason shrugged helplessly. "It's worse than that. I don't even know who I am."

"Wow, so dramatic!" Bobby laughed.

"I know right, even more than Nico,"

"What! I am not dramatic!"

"Are so,"

"Am not,"

"Are so,"

"Am not,"

"Are so,"

"Am not,"

"Are so,"

The bus dropped them in front of a big red stucco complex like a museum, just sitting in the middle of nowhere. Maybe that's what it was: The Natural Museum of Nowhere, Jason thought. A cold wind blew across the desert. Jason hadn't paid much attention to what he was wearing but it wasn't nearly warm enough: jeans and trainers, a purple T-shirt and thin black wind-breaker.

"Camp Jupiter shirt!" Bobby screamed.

"We know! Now shut up!"

"Okay jeez,"

"So, a crash course for the amnesiac," Leo said, in a helpful tone that made Jason think this was not going to be helpful.

"We go to the 'Wilderness School'" Leo made air quotes with his fingers. "Which means were "bad kids". Your family, or the court, or whoever, decided you were too much trouble and shipped you off to this lovely prison – sorry, "boarding school" – in Armpit, Nevada –

"Armpit?!" Bobby, Nico, and Dakota fell off their seats laughing while the others amusingly stare at them.

Jason just continued reading wanting to finish this chapter in time for capture the flag.

where you learn valuable nature skills like running ten miles a day through the cacti

"How is that survival?" Bobby asked.

"Running and dodging? Because you know, you have to run and dodge the thorns from the cacti,"

Everyone gawked at Dakota. He just said something intelligent! That doesn't happen often.

"You- how- what-," Reyna started.

"Who are you and what have you done to Dakota?" Gwen demanded.

"Hey, give the guy a break, he's like Uncle Percy, he can be smart when he wants to and sometimes by accident," Sky shrugged.

"She's totally right," Nico agreed.

"My dad is totally smart," People gave Luke some looks, "Okay, sometimes,"

and weaving daisies into hats!

"Okay, that is just cruel!" Luke announced. Bobby, Dakota, Nico, Gwen, Hazel and Jason agreed.

"Hush up Babe."

"I'm serious though,"

"You can make a protest against that when we get back home,"

"You'll help me?"

"Sure, if your Mum agrees to you doing that,"

"So we're not doing it then?"

"Got that right,"

"Okay,"

So much amusement for the Romans in one day.

And for a special treat we go on 'educational' field trips with Coach Hedge, who keeps order with a baseball bat. Is it all coming back to you now?"

"No,"

"Jason, you're talking to a book," Hazel pointed.

"People have their hobbies Hazel,"

"You like talking to books?"

"No, it's just a habit, when I get too into things,"

"Was that supposed to mean something?" Nico asked Gwen.

She shrugged.

Jason kept reading.

"No." Jason glanced apprehensively at the other kids: maybe twenty guys, half that many girls. None of them looked like hardened criminals, but he wondered what they'd all done to get sentenced to a school for delinquents, and he wondered why he belonged with them.

"Because you're also a troubled kid Pichu,"

"Shut Up,"

"Dad, if you didn't go there, I wouldn't be here and you wouldn't have met Mum,"

"That is probably the best outcome yet, remind me, how many kids do I have?"

"Three, me, my twin brother, Charlie and Felix, my eight year old brother,"

"I am a great Dad,"

"Just keep reading Jason,"

"Shut up Reyna,"

Leo rolled his eyes. "You're really gonna play this out, huh? Okay, so the three of us started here together this semester. We're totally tight. You do everything I say and give me your dessert and do my chores—"

"Like I would listen to that,"

"It's such a classic!" Bobby and Dakota high- Fived.

Nico shook his head, and chuckled.

Reyna cracked a smile.

Hazel pondered at the thought; He's sounding like Sammy more and more.

"Leo!" Piper snapped.

"Thank you," Jason commented.

"She sees sense too," Reyna nodded.

"Now look at who's talking to a book,"

"Shut up and keep reading Jason,"

"Whatever Reyna,"

"Fine. Ignore that last part. But we are friends. Well, Piper's a little more than your friend, the last few weeks—"

"You go Pichu!" Bobby cheered.

"Yeah! Score a hot girlfriend!"

Jason rolled his eyes but was blushing in a deep shape of red.

"Leo, stop it!" Piper's face turned red. Jason could feel his face burning too. He'd remember if he'd been going out with a girl like Piper.

"Is that supposed to mean something Dad?" Sky leaned in.

"No of course not," He was blushing madly.

"Good," She was very amused of how her dad was very red.

"He's got amnesia or something," Piper said. "We've got to tell somebody."

"I like her already," Gwen nodded.

"Yeah, I would love to meet her," Hazel agreed.

"She's the only smart one in their group," Reyna smirked.

"I'm smart,"

"Keep telling yourself that,"

Leo scoffed. "Who, Coach Hedge? He'd try to fix Jason by whacking him upside the head."

"I can actually imagine that," Nico laughed.

"Is he that violent?" Gwen asked.

"I don't know, you tell me,"

"I'm guessing yes,"

"Stop flirting and let's get on with the book!" Bobby indicated.

They blushed and Jason continued reading.

The coach was at the front of the group, barking orders and blowing his whistle to keep the kids in line; but every so often he'd glance back at Jason and scowl.

"He knows,"

"Yeah,"

"Is it like the mist or something?"

"Obviously,"

"Sorry, no need to be touchy,"

"Leo, Jason needs help," Piper insisted. "He's got a concussion or—"

"Please, Pichu's got more than a concussion,"

"Shut up Dakota,"

"You're not denying it,"

"I will skewer you,"

"What is it with people being touchy?!"

"Yo, Piper." One of the other guys dropped back to join them as the group was heading into the museum. The new guy wedged himself between Jason and Piper and knocked Leo down.

"Rude," Jason huffed.

"You're just jealous,"

"Bobby,"

"I'm stating the fact oh great Mr. Son of Jupiter,"

"Shut up,"

"Whatever you say Pichu,"

"Don't talk to these bottom-feeders. You're my partner, remember?"

"Was that supposed to be an insult?"

"Yeah, Leo seems pretty cool,"

"Jason's pretty cool too,"

"Thanks Nico, you're the only nice one here,"

"C'mon dad, don't take them seriously,"

The new guy had dark hair cut Superman style, a deep tan, and teeth so white they should've come with a warning label: do not stare directly at teeth. permanent blindness may occur.

"Where the heck do you come up with these comparisons?!" Hazel asked.

"Yeah, Jason where?" Reyna raised an eyebrow.

"He gets that from us," Dakota motioned at him and Bobby.

"We are rubbing off on him,"

"Well that sucks," Jason sulked.

"Hey!"

"Sorry,"

"Anyway, He has no right to be compared to superman," Sky huffed.

"Yeah superman is way better, Uncle J you should know better,"

"Sorry!"

He wore a Dallas Cowboys jersey, Western jeans and boots, and he smiled like he was God's gift to juvenile delinquent girls everywhere. Jason hated him instantly.

"Why?" Nico teased.

Jason turned into a deep shade of red.

"Yeah, is it because he insulted you or that he came between you and Piper?" Bobby grinned.

"Shut up guys,"

"Okay, Lover boy,"

"Shut it!"

"Whatever, you say ,"

"Go away, Dylan," Piper grumbled. "I didn't ask to work with you."

"Ah, that's no way to be. This is your lucky day!"

"Holy Jupiter, someone has to slap this boy in the face!" Reyna threw her hands up in the air.

"I totally agree!" Gwen nodded. This guy is getting on the way of Jason and Piper's relationship.

Dylan hooked his arm through hers and dragged her through the museum entrance. Piper shot one last look over her shoulder like, 911.

Everyone laughed at this.

"I already want to throttle him,"

"I agree," Nico nodded.

Leo got up and brushed himself off. "I hate that guy." He offered Jason his arm, like they should go skipping inside together. "'I'm Dylan. I'm so cool, I want to date myself, but I can't figure out how! You want to date me instead? You're so lucky!'"

"I marry him?" Reyna asked shocked.

"Hey, you needed a little humour and he needed a little maturity," Sky shrugged.

"Opposites do attract," Gwen sighed. She was all perky and Nico was gloomy. Maybe… Just maybe that there's a chance that they can end up together too.

"Leo," Jason said, "you're weird."

"That's not nice Jason,"

"Yeah, you shouldn't insult your friends,"

"Says the guys who endlessly tease me,"

"Water under the bridge,"

"Ha! Water under the bridge my ass,"

"Jason! Language!"

"Yeah, you tell me that a lot." Leo grinned. "But if you don't remember me, that means I can reuse all my old jokes. Come on!"

"That's totally what we would do!" Bobby laughed.

"Maybe he's your brother!"Dakota nodded.

"Gods forbid I marry a son of Mercury,"

"Well, it's a good thing he isn't one then," Sky smiled.

Reyna sighed in relief while Bobby pouted.

Jason figured that if this was his best friend, his life must be pretty messed up; but he followed Leo into the museum.

"You have so much faith on Uncle Leo," Luke chuckled.

"Yeah dad, so much faith on him,"

"Well if it helps, your life is pretty messed up," Bobby smirked.

"Gee, guys I feel so much better, thanks,"

"You're welcome," They all felt pretty happy.

Jason groaned.

They walked through the building, stopping here and there for Coach Hedge to lecture them with his megaphone, which alternately made him sound like a Sith Lord or blared out random comments like "The pig says oink."

"Why doesn't he stop using it?"

"I don't know Bobby why do you keep interrupting?"

"I don't know Jason, why don't you keep reading so we find out,"

"Don't mock me,"

"Don't tell me what to do,"

"I can I'm Praetor,"

"Touché,"

Leo kept pulling out nuts, bolts, and pipe cleaners from the pockets of his army jacket and putting them together, like he had to keep his hands busy at all times.

"He's ADHD,"

"You don't say,"

"But I just said it,"

"Dakota, it's called sarcasm,"

"What is?"

"Never mind just keep drinking your Kool Aid."

"Okay,"

Jason was too distracted to pay much attention to the exhibits, but they were about the Grand Canyon and the Hualapai tribe, which owned the museum.

"What is that?"

"What?"

"The Hula-hoop Tribe,"

"Bobby it's Hualapai Tribe," Hazel corrected.

"Yeah that,"

"A Native American tribe," Reyna answered.

Some girls kept looking over at Piper and Dylan and snickering. Jason figured these girls were the popular clique. They wore matching jeans and pink tops and enough make-up for a Halloween party.

"I'd hate to see them without make up," Bobby shuddered.

"Yeah man, they must be ug-ly," Dakota agreed.

"At least Piper doesn't wear makeup," Gwen smiled.

Jason smiled too. Piper does sound naturally beautiful.

One of them said, "Hey, Piper, does your tribe run this place? Do you get in free if you do a rain dance?"

"So rude," Hazel huffed.

"I'm debating on how I should kill them," Nico mused.

"Well whatever it is, count me in," Gwen hated it when people are rude.

"Me too," Reyna agreed.

"What could go wrong," Jason smiled.

"I just want to go there and bitch slap them!" Sky shouted.

Everyone looked at her weird.

"What! I was just saying what everyone was thinking,"

Nobody could deny that.

The other girls laughed. Even Piper's so-called partner Dylan suppressed a smile. Piper's snowboarding jacket sleeves hid her hands, but Jason got the feeling she was clenching her fists.

"She probably was," Reyna pointed.

"If they only knew who granddad was,"

"Who is he?" Everyone asked.

"Who says I was going to tell you?"

"I do, I'm your dad,"

"Sorry Dad, I love you and all but I don't do spoilers,"

Everyone groaned and Jason continued reading.

"My dad's Cherokee," she said. "Not Hualapai. 'Course, you'd need a few brain cells to know the difference, Isabel."

"Oh she just got burned," Dakota laughed.

"She's smart, I could tell," Reyna smiled.

Isabel widened her eyes in mock surprise, so that she looked like an owl with a make-up addiction.

"Athena and Minivera will be so pissed that you said that," Nico laughed.

"Sorry!" Jason yelled at the sky.

Thunder was his response.

"Oh, sorry! Was your mom in this tribe? Oh, that's right. You never knew your mom."

"Well at least her Mum actually cared enough to make sure she didn't grow up to be a female dog!" Sky snapped.

"Whoa, relax Babe, it's a book,"

"It's still rude though,"

"I thought you already read this,"

"I did, I just wanted to say that,"

Piper charged her, but before a fight could start, Coach Hedge barked, "Enough back there! Set a good example or I'll break out my baseball bat!"

"Aw, I wanted to hear about how cake face got killed,"

"Wow, Bro, so violent,"

"Wouldn't you want to?"

"Of course I would,"

"Exactly,"

The group shuffled on to the next exhibit, but the girls kept calling out little comments to Piper.

"Good to be back on the rez?" one asked in a sweet voice.

"I am really starting to hate these people," Hazel shook her head. She knew what getting bullied felt like.

"They are such bullies," Gwen sniffed.

"Shoot them down with a million volts of lightning!" Sky laughed and lightning crackled from the sky.

Luke laughed along with her. "Drown them they feed them to sharks!"

"Are you guys okay?" Reyna asked.

"Sure," They both answered in unison.

"Dad's probably too drunk to work," another said with fake sympathy. "That's why she turned klepto."

"That's it, I want to kill them. Now," Reyna glared at the book. Piper sounded like a cool girl. they could be friends.

"And you asked if we were okay," Luke raised his eyebrows.

"I retract my question,"

"Thank you,"

Piper ignored them, but Jason was ready to punch them himself.

"Yeah! Go Jason!" Everyone cheered.

"Give her lots of bruises!"

"Wipe the make-up off her face!"

He might not remember Piper, or even who he was, but he knew he hated mean kids.

"Who doesn't?"

Nobody answered.

"Exactly,"

Leo caught his arm. "Be cool. Piper doesn't like us fighting her battles. Besides, if those girls found out the truth about her dad, they'd be all bowing down to her and screaming, 'We're not worthy!'"

"Who the heck is her dad!" Dakota almost threw his Kool Aid up in the air.

"A guy," Sky answered.

"What kind of guy?"

"The one with the name,"

"What name,"

"The one his parents gave him,"

"What is it?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me,"

"Just tell me!"

Everyone leaned in, except for Luke since he knew what she was going to do. He wasn't her boyfriend for nothing.

"The name his parents gave him," Everyone leaned closer. "Is the name he has now,"

Everyone groaned. While the couple laughed.

"You troll!" Bobby screamed.

"So much suspense! For nothing!" Nico frowned.

"Why? What about her dad?"

Leo laughed in disbelief. "You're not kidding? You really don't remember that your girlfriend's dad—"

"Read on!"

"Okay,"

"Look, I wish I did, but I don't even remember her, much less her dad."

"Dude! Why'd you cut him off!"

"I don't know, this hasn't happened yet,"

Leo whistled. "Whatever. We have to talk when we get back to the dorm."

"I'm guessing that you won't have that talk," Hazel said quietly.

Everyone agreed silently.

They reached the far end of the exhibit hall, where some big glass doors led out to a terrace.

"All right, cupcakes," Coach Hedge announced. "You are about to see the Grand Canyon. Try not to break it.

"How do you break the Grand Canyon?" Bobby asked.

Sky and Luke looked at everything but everyone.

Jason face palmed. "You broke the Grand Canyon,"

"We had to!" Luke explained.

"I fixed it!" Sky insisted.

"How do you fix the Grand Canyon before anyone notices?" Nico asked while smiling. Percy's son was more of a Percy than an Annabeth.

"With magic," Luke said mysteriously.

"I'm serious,"

"So are we, I can do magic Uncle Nico, I'm that amazing," Sky persisted.

"Oh,"

The sky walk can hold the weight of seventy jumbo jets, so you featherweights should be safe out there. If possible, try to avoid pushing each other over the edge, as that would cause me extra paperwork."

"Because Gods forbid that you have more paperwork," Jason rolled his eyes.

Everyone laughed at this while he started reading again.

The coach opened the doors, and they all stepped outside. The Grand Canyon spread before them, live and in person. Extending over the edge was a horseshoe-shaped walkway made of glass, so you could see right through it.

"Hey Reyna, can we take a field trip to the Grand-,"

"No,"

"Hey Jason-,"

"No Bobby,"

"Aw,"

"Man," Leo said. "That's pretty wicked."

Jason had to agree. Despite his amnesia and his feeling that he didn't belong there, he couldn't help being impressed.

"Are you sure we can't-,"

"Yes Bobby!"

The canyon was bigger and wider than you could appreciate from a picture. They were up so high that birds circled below their feet. Five hundred feet down, a river snaked along the canyon floor. Banks of storm clouds had moved overhead while they'd been inside, casting shadows like angry faces across the cliffs. As far as Jason could see in any direction, red and gray ravines cut through the desert like some crazy god had taken a knife to it.

"That was Granddad,"

"Why?" Everyone asked.

"You don't want to know,"

"Why?" Gwen asked.

"Because,"

"Okay,"

Jason got a piercing pain behind his eyes.

Crazy gods... Where had he come up with that idea?

"You're remembering something," Reyna pointed.

"Yeah Reyna, I can see that,"

She rolled her eyes.

He felt like he'd gotten close to something important—something he should know about. He also got the unmistakable feeling he was in danger.

"Because you are in danger," Nico said.

"Thanks Nico,"

"Glad I could help,"

"You all right?" Leo asked. "You're not going to throw up over the side, are you? 'Cause I should've brought my camera."

That broke all the tension.

Everyone laughed at Leo's comment.

Jason grabbed the railing. He was shivering and sweaty, but it had nothing to do with heights. He blinked, and the pain behind his eyes subsided.

"I'm fine," he managed. "Just a headache."

"This is all her fault, crazy hippy goddess," Sky muttered and thunder rolled. "Nobody likes you! Suck it up!" More thunder.

"Who are you talking about?" Gwen asked.

"Someone,"

"Well obviously,"

Thunder rumbled overhead. A cold wind almost knocked him sideways.

Everyone raised their eyebrows.

"This can't be safe." Leo squinted at the clouds. "Storm's right over us, but it's clear all the way around. Weird, huh?"

"That is weird," Dakota agreed.

"I wonder why?" Nico asked.

"This book is so interesting yet irritating,"

"I know right!"

Jason looked up and saw Leo was right. A dark circle of clouds had parked itself over the skywalk, but the rest of the sky in every direction was perfectly clear. Jason had a bad feeling about that.

Everyone did.

"All right, cupcakes!" Coach Hedge yelled. He frowned at the storm like it bothered him too. "We may have to cut this short, so get to work! Remember, complete sentences!"

"Who has time for complete sentences?" Bobby asked.

The storm rumbled, and Jason's head began to hurt again. Not knowing why he did it, he reached into his jeans pocket and brought out a coin—a circle of gold the size of a half-dollar, but thicker and more uneven. Stamped on one side was a picture of a battle-ax. On the other was some guy's face wreathed in laurels. The inscription said something like ivlivs.

"Well you have that at least," Hazel looked at the bright side.

"Yeah, but will I have to use it?" Jason asked her.

"I don't know, I'm not there,"

"True,"

"Keep reading Pichu!"

"Okay Bobby, Jeez,"

"Dang, is that gold?" Leo asked. "You been holding out on me!"

"Yeah Jason, has anyone told you not to hide gold from your friends?"

"No,"

"Well now someone has,"

"No they haven't,"

"You know what I mean,"

"Shut up both of you! Keep reading!"

"Okay Reyna,"

Jason put the coin away, wondering how he'd come to have it, and why he had the feeling he was going to need it soon.

"Uh oh,"

"You can say that again,"

"Uh-,"

"Not literally!"

"Sorry,"

"It's nothing," he said. "Just a coin."

"Yep, just an ordinary coin that turns into a sword and a spear, of course it's just a coin,"

"Shut UP!"

"Sorry!"

Leo shrugged. Maybe his mind had to keep moving as much as his hands. "Come on," he said. "Dare you to spit over the edge."

Everyone laughed.

"I like Leo," Nico decided.

"Be jealous, he's my best friend in the future," Jason smiled smugly.

Reyna slapped him over the head.

"What? I get bragging rights,"

"No you don't,"

"Shut up I do,"

"I am working with a kid," She mumbled under her breath.

They didn't try very hard on the worksheet. For one thing, Jason was too distracted by the storm and his own mixed-up feelings. For another thing, he didn't have any idea how to "name three sedimentary strata you observe" or "describe two examples of erosion."

"What is and erosion?"

"What the heck does sedimentary mean?"

Reyna opened her mouth to answer, Sky saw her and yelled, "Keep reading!"

She frowned and Sky sighed in relief.

Luke rolled his eyes at his girlfriend. She pecked his nose and everyone else crinkled theirs, "Ew," Except Gwen who went "Aw,"

Leo was no help. He was too busy building a helicopter out of pipe cleaners.

"That's not gonna work,"

"How do you know?"

"I tried,"

"He failed miserably,"

Bobby glared at Dakota.

"Check it out." He launched the copter. Jason figured it would plummet, but the pipe-cleaner blades actually spun. The little copter made it halfway across the canyon before it lost momentum and spiralled into the void.

"What!" Bobby screamed.

"Ha! He's just more talented than you," Nico teased with Dakota.

"You should see him fly one," Luke laughed.

"Leo knows how to fly a helicopter?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, built one, flew one, Luke wrecked one," Sky shrugged.

"How'd he wreck it?" Reyna asked.

"Long story,"

"Totally Leona's fault,"

"Luke," Sky warned.

"It's true!"

"Don't bring my daughter into this!" Reyna defended.

"But it was her fault,"

"Luke," Sky warned again.

Jason don't want a full fight to break out so he kept reading.

"How'd you do that?" Jason asked.

Leo shrugged. "Would've been cooler if I had some rubber bands."

"Ah, good ol' rubber bands,"

"Shut up Dakota!"

"Sorry,"

"Seriously," Jason said, "are we friends?"

"Wow, Jason, so blunt,"

"Sorry!"

"Last I checked."

So much laughter. Nico smiled, this guy would go great along with Percy.

"You sure? What was the first day we met? What did we talk about?"

"Don't expect him to know that!" Reyna scolded.

"Yeah, he might be affected by the mist," Hazel said.

"It'll be harder since he probably has ADHD," Gwen shook her head.

Jason groaned and banged his head on the table while the others laughed at him.

"It was …" Leo frowned. "I don't recall exactly. I'm ADHD, man. You can't expect me to remember details."

"I knew he was ADHD," Gwen said smugly.

"We know Gwen," Bobby rolled his eyes.

"But I don't remember you at all. I don't remember anyone here. What if—"

"You're right and everyone else is wrong?" Leo asked. "You think you just appeared here this morning, and we've all got fake memories of you?"

"That is what happened,"

"So ironic,"

"Shut up both of you!"

"Sorry Reyna,"

A little voice in Jason's head said, That's exactly what I think.

"You should keep listening to that little voice," Hazel advised.

"Yeah, it's the sane part of you," Reyna smirked.

Jason rolled his eyes.

But it sounded crazy. Everybody here took him for granted. Everyone acted like he was a normal part of the class—except for Coach Hedge.

"Because he's an all knowing faun who despises you!" Dakota laughed sipping his Kool Aid.

"Take the worksheet." Jason handed Leo the paper. "I'll be right back."

Before Leo could protest, Jason headed across the skywalk.

"Where you goin'?" Bobby sang.

"I don't know," Jason was getting tired of saying this.

"This hasn't happened yet,"

Their school group had the place to themselves. Maybe it was too early in the day for tourists, or maybe the weird weather had scared them off.

"Or they were just too lazy to go out that day,"

"Yeah, it can be a possibility,"

The Wilderness School kids had spread out in pairs across the skywalk. Most were joking around or talking. Some of the guys were dropping pennies over the side. About fifty feet away, Piper was trying to fill out her worksheet, but her stupid partner Dylan was hitting on her, putting his hand on her shoulder and giving her that blinding white smile. She kept pushing him away, and when she saw Jason she gave him a look like,Throttle this guy for me.

"Gladly," Jason answered.

"I think everyone would gladly throttle him," Gwen wrinkled her nose.

"Who wouldn't" Nico huffed.

Jason motioned for her to hang on. He walked up to Coach Hedge, who was leaning on his baseball bat, studying the storm clouds.

"Why do I feel like something's going to go wrong very soon?" Reyna asked.

"Because maybe they will,"

"Oh-no,"

"You got that right,"

"Did you do this?" the coach asked him.

"Yeah, the kid who can't remember anything made the storm," Bobby smiled.

"Oh-my," Dakota squeaked in a high pitched voice.

They laughed together.

Some people will never grow up."I can make storms but I'm pretty sure I didn't make that one," Jason confirmed.

Coach Hedge glared at him, his beady little eyes glinting under the brim of his cap. "Don't play games with me, kid. What are you doing here, and why are you messing up my job?"

Jason took a step back. "Do what?" It sounded like the coach had just asked if he'd made the thunderstorm.

"He did," Nico pointed.

"What job! We don't send fauns out of camp!"

"Maybe it isn't your camp," Nico suggested.

"Maybe it's another one," Luke implied.

"A very fun camp," Sky sighed.

"You mean...you don't know me?" Jason said. "I'm not one of your students?"

Hedge snorted. "Never seen you before today."

"Why would he tell the truth!" Nico cried.

"That's not very smart," Hazel shook her head.

"Jason's just going to get even more confused,"

Jason wanted to know what happens so he started reading again.

Jason was so relieved he almost wanted to cry.

That eased all the tension.

"The great Jason Grace crying," Bobby laughed.

"I would've payed to see that," Dakota laughed with him.

At least he wasn't going insane. He was in the wrong place. "Look, sir, I don't know how I got here. I just woke up on the school bus. All I know is I'm not supposed to be here."

"Is it bad that I kind of am glad that I did?"

"Is it because of Piper?" Gwen asked.

"Maybe,"

"Then no, it's not weird,"

"Got that right." Hedge's gruff voice dropped to a murmur, like he was sharing a secret. "You got a powerful way with the Mist, kid, if you can make all these people think they know you; but you can't fool me. I've been smelling monster for days now.

"He's still telling the truth!"

"Why would you do that!"

"Oh my Gods,"

I knew we had an infiltrator, but you don't smell like a monster. You smell like a half-blood. So—who are you, and where'd you come from?"

"I give up,"

"I know right,"

"This faun is sort of messed up," Hazel tried to make it sound nice.

Most of what the coach said didn't make sense, but Jason decided to answer honestly. "I don't know who I am. I don't have any memories. You've got to help me."

Coach Hedge studied his face like was trying to read Jason's thoughts.

"Can fauns do that?" Bobby asked.

"No, they can only read emotion," Nico answered.

Gwen poked him, "Nico diAngelo said something intelligent,"

"Yeah, wait, Hey!"

Everyone laughed, this kid also knew how to ease tension sometimes.

"Great," Hedge muttered. "You're being truthful."

"Duh," Jason answered.

"Of course I am! And what was all that about monsters and half-bloods? Are those code words or something?"

Hedge narrowed his eyes. Part of Jason wondered if the guy was just nuts. But the other part knew better.

"No actually, Hedge is nuts," Sky agreed with the first statement.

"I agree, too much push-ups for one day," Luke rubbed his shoulders.

"Look, kid," Hedge said, "I don't know who you are. I just know what you are, and it means trouble. Now I got to protect three of you rather than two. Are you the special package? Is that it?"

"The what now?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah, that is so confusing," Dakota scratched the back of his head.

"Satyrs," Nico shook his head.

"What!?" All the Romans asked.

"The Greek term of fauns,"

"What are you talking about?"

Hedge looked at the storm. The clouds were getting thicker and darker, hovering right over the skywalk.

Everyone groaned.

"Why!" Dakota shouted at the sky as dramatically as he can.

Everyone just chuckled at him.

"This morning," Hedge said, "I got a message from camp. They said an extraction team is on the way. They're coming to pick up a special package, but they wouldn't give me details.

"I am so confused right now,"

I thought to myself, Fine. The two I'm watching are pretty powerful,

"Jason, Reyna, you hear that, you two get powerful ones," Bobby nudged Reyna.

She slapped him at the back of his head.

"Stop Bobby, just stop,"

"Okay,"

older than most. I know they're being stalked. I can smell a monster in the group. I figure that's why the camp is suddenly frantic to pick them up. But then you pop up out of nowhere. So, are you the special package?"

Everyone (except Sky and Luke) was so confused.

The pain behind Jason's eyes got worse than ever.

"That sucks," Jason sulked.

Everyone just laughed at him.

Half-bloods. Camp.

"Camp Half-Blood!" Sky, Luke and Nico cheered.

And for some reason Dakota added "Yay!" after they cheered.

Monsters. He still didn't know what Hedge was talking about, but the words gave him a massive brain freeze—like his mind was trying to access information that should've been there but wasn't.

"That is bad," Hazel said.

"Yeah, you're gone!" Gwen cried.

He stumbled, and Coach Hedge caught him. For a short guy, the coach had hands like steel. "Whoa, there, cupcake. You say you got no memories, huh? Fine. I'll just have to watch you, too, until the team gets here. We'll let the director figure things out."

Nico snorted. Dionysus, help someone? Since when?

Luke and Sky just chuckled.

The Romans were just very worried for their praetor.

"What director?" Jason said. "What camp?"

"Just sit tight. Reinforcements should be here soon. Hopefully nothing happens before—"

"He just had to say something," Gwen face palmed.

"This is bad," Hazel stated.

"You don't say,"

"I just said,"

"Never mind,"

Lightning crackled overhead. The wind picked up with a vengeance. Worksheets flew into the Grand Canyon, and the entire bridge shuddered. Kids screamed, stumbling and grabbing the rails.

"This would be amusing if it wasn't about you," Nico said.

Bobby and Dakota agreed.

Everyone just chuckled at them.

"I had to say something," Hedge grumbled. He bellowed into his megaphone: "Everyone inside! The cow says moo! Off the skywalk!"

"Why doesn't he just stop using that?"

"I thought you said this thing was stable!" Jason shouted over the wind.

"Under normal circumstances," Hedge agreed, "which these aren't. Come on!"

"Chapter's done!" Jason explained.

"What!" Bobby exclaimed.

"The first time I actually read a book and the first chapter ends in a cliff hanger.

Someone was about to reply but there was a flash of blinding light.

Tell me I need to work on the dialogue guys. If it's too much. Or too little.