reflection ● jason grace

Jason's friends are in the worst band in the world

They reached camp several days later, covered in dirt and tired. But Jason was getting over his annoyance pretty fast; they were home again.

"This is Camp Jupiter," Daria announced as they crossed the Tiber. She had been quiet as they traveled, but Jason wasn't too surprised. She got like this sometimes, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. "We're coming up on New Rome now, but it's afternoon, so everyone's probably training."

"Training for what?" Reyna asked as they approached the Forum.

"Well," Jason shrugged. "Life."

"I've got to talk to Lucius," Octavian nodded, mostly at Daria. "Good quest. I'll see you later."

"Unfortunately," Jason grumbled.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" Daria shot back. Jason could see her expression shift, ever so slightly, her ear twitched like a wolf's. "What is that?"

"Someone's playing music?" Jason asked. "We're allowed to have fun here?"

Reyna smirked, taking everything in. "You're really selling it, Jason."

California was cooler than Texas, but it was still pretty warm. Campers milled around as they got closer to the noise, not paying them any attention. In fact, they all looked determined, like they were about to start War Games and the enemy was a group of evil Hannibals.

"Something's wrong," Daria murmured, looking at the faces around them. "Something happened when we left."

She always had good sense, so Jason didn't doubt her claim for a second. "Should we-"

They heard a loud, out of tune, guitar strum and a boy trying to sing. Jason and Daria exchanged a glance and simultaneously rolled their eyes. Nathan.

"Come on, Reyna," Jason snorted. "You're not gonna want to miss this."

The brand new amphitheater came into view, and on it were all their friends. Nathan was strumming his guitar staff, Clara had somehow gotten ahold of a bass, Dakota was on the keys, and, were those the drums they used to play Guitar Hero?

Michael was the first one to notice them. "Hey, shut up!" He called to the rest of them. "They're back."

"Oh no," Daria said dryly, approaching her friend. "Don't stop on our account."

Michael crossed his arms as the others clambered off the podium. "We're allowed to be here you know." Daria stuck her tongue out at him, forgetting to introduce Reyna. This wasn't new, Michael and Daria were the smart ones; they lived in their own little world.

"So you have competition," Reyna muttered to Jason. "Exactly how many people have a crush on Daria?"

"Too many," Jason mumbled back. "But it's whatever."

"Two weeks. We could have been dead," Daria paused to hit Nathan's shoulder. "And you started a band."

"Do not associate me with them," Michael grimaced.

"Michael's our manager," Dakota snickered. They and Clara looked over towards Jason. "Hey man, how was the quest?"

"Jason," Nathan whined, staring at him like a puppy dog. Jason grinned, he loved his best friend. "Clara was mean to me."

Clara was talking to Daria, but the girl heard everything like it was playing on surround sound. "Nathan, I swear to god I-"

"So," Jason nodded sheepishly to Reyna who was observing everything with one raised eyebrow. "This is our dysfunctional family."