To the Sun, to the Stars, to the Sky (A Soldier/Rebellion AU)

Chapter 10: Red Berries and Poison

Nico POV

The next few days went by in a blur. I met more of the camp, like Luke a former soldier, like me and, as I learned, like much of the camp⁠—the army's horrible treatment was leading to escapees and small revolts and Annabeth. Both were extremely kind, and both began to join our little picnics. Reyna tried to make it to the ones she could, which admittedly was not a lot, but it was nice to have her there when she could.

At one such picnic, Reyna had promised to show up a rebellion in Hermesneedstu Learnparenteeng, [E/n Yes, he really does.] a city in the west, had gone surprisingly well so she was celebrating but had yet to do so, so we held off the meal until she was here. Instead, we went fishing, with actual fishing poles this time, to Will's disappointment, though that didn't stop him from jokingly trying to give me another "token of love" and Annabeth came over to speak with me.

"Have you caught anything?" I asked.

"No, I'm not big on fishing. I saw your boyfriend over there was, though," she smiled. "You really snatched up the prince, huh?"

I turned red. "Well, uh, kind of?" I sideyed her. "Were⁠—were you interested in him?"

She made a face before quickly apologizing. "He's nice, it's just⁠—well, I have a boyfriend, and I actually wanted to ask you about him." Her posture quickly changed from friendly to exhausted.

"What about him?" I asked, worried she was going to ask⁠—

"I just wanted to know.... I mean, you're the soldier they found, right?"

I nodded, knowing what was coming and very worried about what answer I would have to give.

"Percy's in the army, too. He went in as a spy, but he never came back and I was just wondering..." she swallowed, bracing herself for the answer. "I was just wondering if you had ever met him? Percy Jackson was his full name."

My eyes widened and I looked up. Well, shit. "Yeah, I knew Percy, actually."

He had made himself known not just to me, but to everyone. When he left camp, he wanted to make sure all of us would remember the name Percy Jackson⁠—and not necessarily in the same light as one remembers good fighters, though he was one, mind you⁠—Soldier 642.

He challenged everything. Not at first, but right out the gate you could tell something was different about him. He didn't hold his stances with as much precision, and his eyes followed you everywhere. There was no fear in his eyes, only curiosity and intelligence. He might want to make himself known, but even more than that, he wanted to know you. It was unsettling, and I had tried to avoid him for my own safety, but that quickly failed as I was pulled into his orbit, just like everyone else at the camp. He spoke like a professional⁠—convincing us of ideas we didn't even know were possible.

Word of rebellion spread like wildfire around the camp. We would fight the general, and the lieutenant, and the king if we had to. We were going to revolt, and we were going to free ourselves from this torture. Within weeks, we were all convinced it would happen, and at the center of the rumors was Percy whispering ideas into our head and then turning around and stealing the spotlight once again as he fought General Ares, or as he openly broke form during a test. He was a whirlwind, causing chaos everywhere his quiet whispers stirred sleeping soldiers or where his boots stirred dirt from the ground⁠—Percy Jackson was more than a force to be reckoned with; Percy Jackson was Chaos himself. (A/N: This might be the most epic way I've ever described Percy.)

The day Bianca died. The day she reached for those berries, and I broke form.

Percy had been there.

~~A fun little flashback that definitely holds no murder~~

We'd been standing in form for hours by this point. We hadn't eaten all day, or the day before. We'd been given water, but that was it. It was a test, they told us. The challenge was obvious: Make it through the whole time which they didn't tell us⁠—only that General Ares would be back in when he felt it'd been long enough without eating the food laying out on the table so you could move up a rank level.

I was rank three, and so were Bianca and Percy. About fifty or so other rank-threes were standing at attention around the table.

And on the table was a feast⁠—everything covered in sticky red sauces and garnished with the leaves of unknown plants and decorated with little red berries. Turkey, salads, sandwiches, fruit bowls and cakes.