Percy Jackson-Leo's Return.

The Lost Hero

I was thinking about the prophecy.  I hadn't before, but that was only because I was physically incapable, "Guys."  I broke the silence, "About the prophecy... 'And find the item which the Joker lost, hidden deep beneath the frost'.  What could that be?  What are we looking for?  We have such a vague prophecy, nothing to go off.  Why are we even doing this?  We aren't saving the world, or a god or goddess, or any mortal, legacy, or demigod I know of.  We aren't protecting out camp.  We aren't finding new demigods to bring back.  What are we doing?"  Percy looked like he wanted to speak, but didn't have an answer.  Leo looked like he didn't hear me.  

What a great team we had.  I guess that was the point though, to make our lives harder, to make the gods' lives more interesting.  That was always how it went, and always would go.

"Loose anything important?"  Percy asked.  Was it just me or did he get taller?

"Nothing I can think of, other than my mind for a little while.  But that doesn't count, does it?" He shook his head.  We continued thinking together, and Leo seemed to wander further and further away from us as we walked, as if he was subconsciously avoiding people.   It was sad to see him like this, all beaten down emotionally but built up physically.  That was no way to live.

"Leo?"  He turned his head to me as if snapping out of a trance, "You're getting real far away."  He moved in a diagonal closer to us, still about three feet away.

"We're trying to decode the prophecy, or at least try to find out what we're doing."  Percy took over.  

"Don't try to figure it out.  They just lead to trouble anyways.  They're prophecies, whatever they prophicize will happen weather we know what we're doing or not."  What did I expect the Broken to say, honestly?  I sighed.

"Fine.  Maybe you're right.  Still, I don't know about you two but I like knowing whats going on!"  Leo grunted and turned away from us.  Percy put his arm around me.  He HAD gotten taller!  I looked up at him, "Feel any different?"  I wasn't sure if he'd noticed.  He looked at me like I was insane.

"What are you talking about?" He stared down at me.  I decided it wasn't important and waved it off.

"You have to tell me now, I'm curious."

I shrugged, "You just seem taller is all."  He smirked.

"By how much?"  The idea seemed to amuse him.  A Hero thing?

"I don't know, three, four inches?"  Probably more, but I didn't want his ego to grow with him.  He smiled slyly down at me.  It scared me a little, but I knew it would be over soon enough.

"Cool..."  He seemed pleased with himself, and completely abandoned the idea of the quest and everything to do with it, except himself.  

I was with two people, but I felt alone as if I were locked in a room by myself.  I was left to my thoughts.  It was depressing, to think about everything by myself.  I suddenly understood why Leo was as he was.  He had been left alone for over a year, with only his thoughts to console him and lead him through life.  After a while, with no sign of hope, of course he would become The Broken.  I know I would.

It was amazing that a new thought could make you understand old people.  I looked at him and saw what I expected to see.  He was broken on the inside, the smallest sliver of happiness trying to break out.  But I saw something else in him, too.  Hope.  He still clung onto hope...

"Leo...?"  I asked quietly.  He looked at me.  "Can you promise me something?"  He shrugged, "Don't let go of hope.  Keep it close.  It could save us some day."  He smiled sadly at me and nodded.

"I swear it on the river Styx..."

~~~

We got tired after who knows how long we walked and decided to lay down and sleep for a few hours.  I drifted off easily, using Leo's jacket as a pillow.  When I woke up the sun blinded me.  It was orange-pink light so it had to be sunrise.  I had slept for that long?  

Behind me Leo was just starting to stir and Percy-.

Wait, where was Percy?  He wouldn't have just left, would he?  Percy might not have, but I wasn't sure about this 'Hero'.  Leo opened his eyes.  He seemed to notice that Percy was gone faster than I did.  He stood and picked up his jacket, putting it on, and started walking.

"Where are you going?"  I scrambled after him.

He smirked, "To find the lost Hero, of course."