The other Grace/HoO fanfiction

(5) Happy The Dragon???

She woke up the next morning filled with energy which she found weird. Jason's bed was already empty and neatly made. Apparently, he had left. Layla didn't mind he didn't wait for her, though. She was used to getting up alone, after all.

She got up and started preparing for the quest. Well, not exactly preparing. She got dressed in a pair of jeans, a grey top and her black combat boots and the only thing she took with her was her bronze coin sword.

And what about all the necessary stuff like ambrosia? You ask. Well, Layla wisely decided to let someone else like Jason or Piper, (definitely not Leo though, he was going mess them up). That because, every time she had to pack the necessary stuff she always got anxious she would forget something and ended up getting only half of the things. That's a minor problem that could be solve with a list, you might think and you'll be totally right. Layla, however, still uses that as an excuse because she dislikes packing.

She could've at least taken a jacket with her. The light yet cold breeze slowly made her regret no doing so, but she didn't want to go back to the cabin.

On her way to the dining pavilion, she stumbled across two younger girls, that she didn't recognise. They must have been newcomers. She waved at them and they greeted back, but the smile they gave her seems fake and forced. They almost looked like they were scared of her.

That happened quite often, especially with younger campers and she hated it. She wanted people to like her, and not to pretend they do because they thought they would get electrocuted by Zeus of they don't. Alas, she knew that wouldn't happen. Her father was how she became popular on the first place. Most of the campers never liked her but as the daughter of the most powerful God they had to respect her. At least now she had Jason. He surely would be familiar with that feeling.

Speaking of Jason, there he was, sitting in Zeus table with an apple in his hand.

"Good morning." He said when she sat across from him in the table.

"Morning. How did you sleep?"

"Fine, I guess. How about you? What happened?" He asked referring yo the fact that she had woken up nearly crying the previous night.

"Not so good. You know, demigod dreams can be really terrible."

He looked at her sympathetically. Of course, he understood. All demigods had bad dreams whether they were memories or visions of the future.

After that they ate in silence. Not the awkward and uncomfortable kind of silence, but the kind of silence when you know don't need to speak to communicate with other. It was almost as if the could read each other's thoughts. Only twins like them have that kind of connection.

Until a loud sound of metal clashing ruined the silence. It sounded like a giant metal bird was flapping his wings violently while learning to fly for the first time. All the campers looked alarmed. Some of them even raised from their seats and ran for the hill were the gigantic metal chicken was about to land. They had their weapons ready.

"What's up there?" Jason asked not able to see that far. Layla didn't reply but she had an idea. Even though she knew Leo for less than a day this sounded exactly like sounded exactly like something he would do plan to fix the transportation problem.

She ran to the hill as well with her bronze coin at her hand ready to be flipped. Jason followed closely behind.

"Leo?" She heard Piper yell in disbelief proving Layla's assumption right.

"Don't kill me. It's cool. Don't shoot." Leo said to the campers who had gathered around him and his 'vehicle'.

As Layla got closer she realized that the metal chicken was a bronze dragon. And not just any bronze dragon. The bronze dragon that had been destroying camp half-blood's forest since Beckendorf's death. Yes, the magnificent idea Leo had for transportation was to tame a bronze dragon.

No matter how dangerous this machine was Layla couldn't help but admire its beauty. It was really well constructed, down to the last detail, almost flawless.

"It's beautiful." She muttered, her finger tips touching its bronze legs. People looked at her like she was nuts. Being used to receiving that look she shrugged it off.

"People of earth, I come in peace. Festus is just saying hello!" Leo shouted. From up close he looked really tired and his clothes were torn and dirty. Alas, a wide grin spread on his face.

"This thing is dangerous!" A son of Ares yelled. "Kill it now!"

"Stand down!" Jason ordered making his way through the crowd. "Leo, what have you done?"

"Found a ride!" He beamed. "You said I could go on the quest if I got you a ride. Well, I got you a class-A metallic flying bad boy! Festus can take us anywhere!"

"It- has wings." Nyssa pointed out in amazement.

"Yeah! I found them and reattached them."

"But it never had wings. Where did you find them?"

Leo hesitated. "In... the woods. Repaired his circuits, too, mostly, so no more problems with him going haywire." He said at last.

"Mostly?" Layla asked raising one brow. Coming from a normal person that would be reassuring for her. In Leo's language however mostly probably meant 'Meh, what if the dragon will go crazy and we're going to die? I've always wanted to die in a bronze dragon.'

As if to prove her right the Dragon tilted his haid and a stream of black oil-like liquid poured out of his ear, all over Leo.

"Just a few Knicks to work out." He laughed nervously.

A few, yeah right.

"But how did you survive...? I mean the fire breath..." Nyssa asked again.

"I'm quick and lucky." Again he knew more that he let on. "Now, am I on this quest or what?"

"You named him Festus? You know that in Latin, 'festus' means 'happy'?" Jason said scratching his head.

"Yay, we are going to save the world on 'Happy The dargon'." Layla said sarcastically.

"You know, when you guys say it like that it sounds weird but yes." Leo said. "Now, I'm, I'd really suggest we get going, guys. I already picked up some supplies in the - um, in the woods. And all these people with weapons are making Festus nervous."

Jason frowned. "But we haven't planned anything yet. We can't just -"

"Go!" Annabeth said. "Jason, you've only got three days until the solstice now, and you you should never keep a nervous dragon waiting. This is certainly a good omen. Go!" Layla didn't wait to be told twice. She quickly climbed in the dragon right beside Leo. Jason helped Piper up and Happy the dragon took off.