Ok wait what if new rome had a policy where swordfighting is like a social club until 21 which is when you have to be a legit part of the military till like 30 instead of having child soldiers. So then you'll have a 29 year old Reyna convinced Percy is a god cause a) he's carrying Juno, the first god in new rome in like 500 years and b) he's a child but then Juno introduces him as the son of Neptune and Reyna's all like
Percy: To deliver lazy ass old ladies *jazz hands*
Reyna *muttering I hate kids*: Why aren't you in school
Throughout the whole first week Reyna is desperately trying to make Percy go to school in New Rome which leads to the following incidents in no particular order
a) he kidnaps Hannibal the elephant
b) somehow managed to sneak out of school multiple times
c) organises a protest with the other teens
d) defeats Ovtavian (who's 32) in a swordfight in less than a minute
Poor Reyna's losing her mind. She already lost her fellow praetor and now she had to deal with a teenager who was acting out
this is when Mars shows up ofc and personally requests Percy to be on the quest and everyone's like...he's a kid???
Percy: I thought you'd be glad to be rid of me
Reyna: That doesn't mean I want a child to go on a deadly quest???
Percy *indignantly*: I'm almost 18... I think I still don't have my memories
