Book Cult (New and Improved)

Leo XXIV

"Ladies and gentlemen, demigods and gods, may I please present to you, Leo XXIV!" Leo cheerfully said.

The readers exchanged looks at his sudden shift in attitude, Athena looked especially confused.

Why bother reading the book, when you can hear the story straight from the source? Leo thought, smiling to himself as he began to 'read'.

 I... er... Leo ente- no!- charged into the warehouse, armed with his deadly mallet!

He looked up at the catwalk, searching for his friends, but they were nowhere in sight. It's like they disappeared into thin air. He wanted to call out to them but something stopped him. Something about the factory felt... off. Leo waved his hand dramatically to empathize his point.

He didn't know how he knew, but he knew something nonhuman was... Leo briefly paused. What's a stronger word for hiding...? Lurking! Lurking in the factory. Nice! It was almost like his spidey senses were tingling.

The Stolls snickered.

Leo stopped to grin at his own joke. 

Suddenly! He paused. It was kinda funny to see some of the others leaned forward with anticipation. Somewhere in the factory, Piper's voice cried out: "Leo, help!" He made sure to say Piper's line in a shrill voice.

Katie jumped at the sudden change in pitch.

"What the Hades was that?!" she asked, her tone filled with confusion.

"Character voices." he patiently said, as if that explained everything. "I thought that if I'm going to read a story with different people, I should add little voices. Was Piper's voice too high just now?"

Drew gave him a thumbs up.

"That was supposed to be Piper's voice?" Aphrodite said in disbelief. 

"That was awful!" Connor exclaimed, laughing along with Travis.

"How 'bout you don't add voices at all." Clarisse told him, the rest loudly agreed.

Leo rolled his eyes. "You guys are no fun." He turned his attention back to the first page of the chapter.

Some unlucky demigods might have fallen for the trap, but not Leo Valdez, Supreme Commander of the Tool Belt!

"Supreme what?" Travis laughed harder.

"There's no way the book says that." Chris stated.

I guess I got a little overboard there. Leo thought. "Sorry, you're right. I couldn't help myself." I'll have to be more careful next time.

The others looked mildly annoyed, but he shrugged and stared back innocently. 

"I don't have to read this," Leo reminded, playing with the corner of the page. "If you guys don't like how I'm reading it than one of you can-"

"No, you should keep reading." Athena cut in. "I insist."

Leo pretended to look disappointed. For a goddess of wisdom, you sure are predictable. I wonder if it's 'cause of the Minerva side.

Leo didn't say anything. The son of Hephaestus sighed. Not as fun as my original line, but hey, gotta give the people what they want.

He knew there was no way Piper could've gone down the catwalk with a broken ankle... He stopped as if considering something. Well, unless Jason carried her, but that's not the point! He bravely followed the sound of the voice and reached an assembly line close by. He crouched behind a crane with a robotic arm.