reflection ● jason grace

Daria finds out she's not as smart as she thinks she is

Daria stood. Frozen.

Smoke rapidly curled above their heads, using the forest for energy. The chemical she had smelled earlier was heightened, it was making her dizzy. They had to get out of here. Now.

She squatted beside Jason, who was terrified but still hovered protectively around Ryan's body. Daria's heart lurched; she didn't want to leave him either, but Daria needed revenge. She wasn't going to let herself die without destroying the person who had done this.

Hot tears bubbled out of her at the proclamation. She gripped Jason's arm, "we have to go." She croaked, the smoke sharp down her throat.

"Where?" Jason asked miserably. Soot landed on his blond hair, streaking it gray. "There's fire all around us."

"You have to fly, Jace," Daria held him tighter. "Now. We have to go now."

Daria flinched as she heard the crack of tree bark. It was almost too bright to see anything; she found it harder to breathe, casting piles of dirt as the fire got too close. She doubted Jason could produce any rain in the state he was in, and she was already losing her hold on the situation.

Jason shook his head rapidly. "We can't leave Ryan!"

Daria grimaced. She didn't like it any more than he did, and she knew that once they got back to camp, forgiveness was futile. Let him be mad; Daria wasn't going to let him die. "We have to, Jason. Come on."

Eyes unfocused, Jason took in the situation, coming to the same conclusion as she had. He bent down and muttered a quick prayer-ensuring that Ryan's soul would find its way to Elysium. He put an arm around her stomach, "hold on."

They flew until they couldn't see smoke anymore; a clearing, just a few hours walk from Camp Jupiter. Daria tumbled out of Jason's grasp onto the moist grass below. Her throat was parched, but she couldn't imagine how Jason felt.

His face was ashy, dull with grief. They needed water, maybe something to eat, but Daria couldn't leave her best friend like this.

She sat on the ground next to him. It was easier to breathe now, but Daria wished it wasn't. She had left one of her fellow legionnaires dead, and, oh god. What was she going to tell Leila?

Jason swallowed. "We should try and get back to camp today. We should..." he trailed off. Daria got the feeling that even he didn't know what he was about to say.

"Come on," she repeated lamely, pulling Jason to his unsteady feet. She pushed Ryan's face out of her mind, but her stomach still swelled with nausea. "Let's go."

Jess and Kai were patrolling the borders. They took one look at Daria and Jason, and rushed them to the Principia.

Daria saw a lot of familiar faces as they were escorted. Nathan, Mitch, Clara. She didn't stop to say anything to any of them. After a few minutes of confusion and shock being branded into her mind, she kept her head down; only looking at where her feet carried her.

The Principia was empty, well, knowing what she knew, the more appropriate term for it would be haunting. She couldn't help but think of the golden chair in front of them as Ryan's, the jelly beans that he had placed there as antiquated.

She reached out to take Jason's hand, maybe provide him with something resembling comfort, but he drew away from her. Daria swallowed, but didn't take offense. Not everything was about her, she reminded herself

"Can you explain it?" He murmured. "I don't want to."

Daria exhaled, already writing a script in her head. Leila entered the room with a banging noise and a sharp gaze, and the script disintegrated.