TTC C1

Edited

Two figures stood in the dark night of the mountains in Northern California. As the bright moonlight reflected of their skin, you could tell that they were very powerful beings. Their auras emitted an ancient feeling. The man had a golden bow strung on his back that matched his glowing aura. Apollo, the god of archery and healing plus many more things. He had tattered clothes and was obviously running from someone even more powerful than himself. In the man's arms was a baby boy. He couldn't have been more than a month old. The woman talking to Apollo is Artemis, his twin sister. The cold wind rushed through their hair and the baby almost started to cry. "Please Artemis, I promise to never say that I'm older than you ever again."

Artemis put her hands on her hips and glared at her brother. "And why can't you just take the child to Camp Half-Blood?"

A deer scampered in the leaves near them and Apollo jumped up, frightened by the sudden movement. It was very unusual to see the normally upbeat god in such a fragile manner. "Daddy dearest threw a tantrum. It wasn't bad at first but he is really angry now. If you had heard what he said he was going to do to this child you would be as worried as me."

Artemis cocked her head to the side. "Why are you trying so hard? You never cared for any of your other demigod children. I guess I wouldn't care as much if they were from random skanks from around the world. And the answer is no."

Apollos face hardened as he took the meaning of death glare to a whole new level. A low blow, especially from his own sister. "I do love all my children, even if I can't always be there for them. You know that. I'm begging you to take him in for me. Father will kill him. You can send him to the camp as soon as I am sure dad won't kill my child."

Artemis looked at the child and her heart sank. She is the goddess of childbirth so she did have a slight weakness for children, even male ones. The boy had stormy blue eyes with gold specks. He had dark hair with natural blond highlights. She looked back at Apollo who was on his knees begging her. Apollo would never do this unless the child is very important to him. "Fine. But only for a little. And you owe me big time."

Apollo grinned and squeezed his sister tight in a hug and before he handed her the baby he touched the child's head and whispered, "I give you my blessing my little Perseus." He nodded towards Artemis like she was supposed to do something.

"You want me to bless the child? You're out of your mind."

"Please, Arty. It will mask my scent."

Artemis sighed and ignored the nickname. "Maybe if he earns it." With that, she grabbed the baby from her twin brother's arms and teleported away back to her camp. Apollo was left on his own and just sat on the cold rock until finally, his brother Ares found him and took him back to Olympus.

Olympus

Apollo was pulled up to the King's throne with his hands behind his back. Ares was holding him there so he could move as Zeus bombarded the sun god with threats to his child. "If I ever see that child there will be no mercy for either of you! Ares, you can leave." The god nodded and left the king and his son by themselves. "You disappoint me Apollo."

Apollo spit on his father's throne. Not a smart move. "You will never touch my son you old bastard." Zeus's face became red with anger and he brought out his master bolt. It crackled against Apollo's skin, burning the outer layer. Apollo flinched against it and it didn't even touch him.

"You better watch yourself my son. Now try that again."

Don't be stupid. Do the smart thing and apologize, Apollo thought to himself. "I'm sorry father."

"Don't ever insult me again. And keep your boy safe, because he won't know what hit him."

Artemis' Camp, 1823

Artemis stared at the baby boy in her arms as she sat in the camp of maidens. How would she explain a baby boy coming to their camp when all of them were taught to hate all men? She closed her eyes and walked out of her tent with the child in her arms. She could hear the shouts of laughter at the campfire were her hunters were eating dinner. It was still pitch black outside, if it weren't for the stars and the moon in the sky. She stepped through the camp luckily all of the hunters were eating so she would only explain this once. She stepped into the light and all of the hunters looked her way. She held the baby towards them and told them the news. "This is Percy and he is the son of Apollo. He will be staying with us for a while because my father is trying to kill him. Any questions?"

All hell broke loose when she finished speaking. Food flew through the air and weapons were out. One girl even through a knife at the baby but Artemis dodged it and got mad. "Shut up! Everybody sit down. Now any questions?"

Zoe stood up. "How can you let a boy enter our camp, let alone live with us?"

A few other hunters agreed with her. Artemis looked at her best hunter sadly. "This boy is being hunted down by all of Olympus and even if I don't like it, he is a part of my family. Apollo begged on his knees to me. Plus, he living with us doesn't mean we can't show him who is boss." A few girls relaxed at this and Artemis knew eventually they would warm up to the boy.

Five years later

Percy sprinted through the forest as fast as humanly possible for his small age. The hunters still haven't warmed up to the boy fully. Yeah, five years and they're still hesitant about him. Right now he's being chased by a wolf. Of course the wolf knows not to kill the boy. The hunters told it to scare the little kid. Unfortunately the young boy didn't know that so he took out his knife and hid behind a tree, breathing slowly. He could hear the wolf coming towards him so he jumped out from behind the tree and jumped on top of the wolf stabbing it in the leg. The wolf fell down into a pile of leaves as the hunters gasped and jumped down from the trees where they were laughing a few seconds before. "What the hell did you do?" One of the hunters started screaming at him so tears began to stream down his face.

"I'm sorry." The little boy ran over to the injured wolf. He hugged the wolf and began to glow gold and the wolves cut leg closed up. The hunters looked astonished at the boy. That day was the beginning of a long friendship between man and beast.

Ten years later

The fifteen year old boy sprinted across the dirt ground on the outskirts of the forest with his wolf, Wolf. Yeah, very creative but he named him when he was five. Percy had only his bearskin pants so his toned body was showed off the world. Luckily he was in the middle of the forest so no one would see him. Not that he cared. He grabbed a tree branch and swung himself up a tree like a monkey. Wolf stopped chasing him and crouched down. Percy peered through the trees and saw something breaking down the forest as he charged towards them. A Minotaur. Percy didn't have any weapons on him but he couldn't just let the monster roam free. Percy hopped down from the tree. "Wolf go back to the site." His loyal pet didn't want to, but Wolf left. "Time to have fun." The Minotaur stopped charging when he saw the boy. Then he growled and hurled himself at Percy. The young hunter dodged left and grabbed the beast's leg tripping it. It pushed its self up and grabbed at Percy who stabbed it with a rock he picked up. That didn't do anything so Percy jumped up and grabbed a hold of the horns on the Minotaur. Pulling as hard on the beast as he was swung around. He clenched his teeth so he wouldn't bite his tongue off. He was flung off into a tree still holding onto the horn, which was ripped off the monsters head. His head buzzed and he could barely see. He opened his eyes and saw a blurry figure roaring and charging towards him so he stuck the horn up and felt it sink into the monsters stomach. Just as the Minotaur fell on him it exploded into gold dust and covered Percy with it. He laughed out loud and wiped his eyes. Slowly standing up, Percy then took off towards the sound of rushing water. He was heading there in the first place but the Minotaur distracted him. He got to a small shore on the beach and jumped in wearing his birthday suit. He wasn't worried about anyone coming here. A hunter was under the waterfall bathing herself, but Percy didn't know that so he swam around under water washing his body off. The lake was really clear and deep at some points so Percy swam to the waterfall part for a shower. He rubbed his hands through his hair and closed his eyes when he felt someone bump into him. He opened his eyes and saw Zoe Nightshade staring right at him. She was frozen there as Percy stared at her with his jaw to the floor. She looked at his stomach to avoid eye contact but when she saw his abs it just made her face even redder. Percy had never seen anything like her. That's when she snapped out of it. She didn't have any weapons so she punched him in the face multiple times. She swam back to the shore and left Percy there to die in the water. He crawled up on a rock and waited for himself to heal.

One month later

Percy sat down next to Zoe Nightshade at the bonfire. They hadn't talked much in that month but Percy kept trying to apologize and make it up to her. They didn't look at each other, just stared at the roaring fire. "Come with me." Zoe told him and they quickly left to talk alone, without anyone noticing they're gone.

Once they were outside the camp boundaries Percy leant against a tree and ran his hand through his hair. Zoe looked away. Luckily it was dark so Percy couldn't see her blush. She couldn't be falling for a male. Especially not Percy, but why not? He was handsome. Ugh, she couldn't be thinking that. The way he leaned on the tree was so cute, and when he brushed his hand through his hair. No, that's stupid! How can leaning against a tree be handsome? No, She just thinks he is a decent looking human being. That's all.

Percy stared at Zoe's beautiful face. Her obsidian eyes perfectly matched her silky black hair that flowed down her copper colored skin. She was the most gorgeous girl in the world. He had this feeling inside of him that was growing for her and as much as he wanted to deny it, he wasn't stupid. He knew he was falling for her. "I'm sorry about what happened." He walked over to a grass patch and laid down on the ground. She laid down right next to him. She was beginning to have feelings like this and she was worried. Her first and only romance didn't end well. But Percy was nothing like Hercules. Artemis had taught him well.

"It's okay, I wasn't your fault. You're lucky. If you were any other male. You would have more than just a bloody face." They turned to each other at the same time so they were nose to nose. Percy looked into her obsidian eyes. She turned away from him and Percy flipped on his back. There were stars all through the sky.

"It's so beautiful out tonight." Percy told her as she turned perpendicular to him and used his chest as a pillow. Percy knew she would never love him like he loved her. Even if she did, the chances being one to one million, she would never break her oath for a man. "But that's not the most beautiful thing here tonight." A gutsy move on his part. He looked at her face. He missed his chance, she already fell asleep. He sighed. Probably a good thing she didn't hear, she probably would have punched him in the face.

Three months later

Percy was wide awake in his tent. He was about to sneak out. The girls told him about the other people. How the people in the town were all different, unlike here. Maybe he could finally meet another guy. Not that he didn't mind the girls. They warmed up to him when he was about eight and now they're like sisters to him but he wanted to experience the real world. He slowly got up and exited the camp in a pair of grey pants and a white shirt. Hopefully that wouldn't be a weird thing to wear. He didn't know. He's never been there. Percy climbed up a tree nimbly and without detection as he easily snuck past camp borders. He has been training and is now a highly skilled hunter. He traveled through the large forest and by the time he got to the small town it was day time. A few people were on the streets. He looked at all the people in the town. It was amazing, until he saw the grocery store. A woman was yelling at a man. She, a pretty white woman with rich accessories, was the exact opposite of the man, an African-American man in rags. Percy walked up to the lady just as she was about to strike the man and he got in her way. "What are you doing?"

The woman looked shocked that Percy interfered with what she was doing. Almost as shocked as the black man. "You're lucky you are a white boy. This nigger disrespected me." She walked away and the black man looked at me without emotion. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Why did you let her disrespect you like that? And what's a nigger?"

He looked at me strangely, "You're not from around here are you?" Just when he asked me that a white man came from behind the pile of fruits.

"Hey, Nigger! Why you talkin' to that little white boy?" He punched the black man making him drop all of his stuff. "Pick it up!" Percy leant over to help him pick all the stuff up. "What are you doing? Let the nigger work." Without saying a word Percy backed up, and he was about to pull out a knife until the black man saw him and shook his head.

When they left Percy quickly ran outside and followed them up the dirt trail to the farm (plantation but Percy didn't know) about a mile away. It was dirty in this town. Eventually he got to a giant, light blue house. It had a few cracks in the walls, and the paint was chipping off but it was a big house. Probably two stories and four bedrooms. Percy grabbed onto the wall and climbed up it until he got to the roof. He walked to the back of the house crouching don so now one could hear him, and he got a perfect view of what was going on. A whole bunch of African American people working on a cotton yard. He looked over the edge of a roof and shimmied down the other side of the house. On the porch there was a rocking chair but no one outside, besides the workers. He looked inside and saw the dining room. Decorations covered the walls and they had a grand piano in the back. All the white people were laughing and eating. Percy turned away from the house and ran down the steps and across the dirt road until he reached the cotton field. He saw his friend at the market hitting a tree with an axe and he ran over, ignoring all the strange looks from the other workers. "Hey, need some help?"

The man turned to him wide eyed and even stopped working to talk to the white boy trying to work on the ranch. "What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here."

"I just came to help you guys with your job." Percy picked up an axe and swung at the tree.

"You really don't want to be here."

Percy looked at the slave (he doesn't know he's a slave) and smiled. "Come on man, help me out here. I don't want any money or anything."

Percy hit the axe for about half an hour. He was strong from all the hunter training so this wasn't a big deal. Percy grinned when he heard a woman start to sing. Music was maybe his favorite thing in the world. "Be my woman girl, I'll be your man! Be you're man! Be my woman girl, I'll be your man! Be you're man!" Everyone was singing now, so Percy decided what the Hades, and he jumped in. "Every Sunday dollar, in your hand! In your hand! Every Sunday dollar, in your hand! In your hand! Stick to the promise girl, you made me! Stick to the promise girl, you made me! Wouldn't go get married til' uh, I gone free!" Percy was confused here but kept singing with everyone else while they worked. Gone free? "I gone free Lordy! I gone free! Wouldn't go get married til' uh, I gone free! Ahhhhh, Rosie! Hold on gal! Ahhhhh, Rosie! Hold on gal! When she walks she really, rock behind! When she walks she really, rock behind! Ain't that enough to worry, convict's minds!" Convicts? Percy thought, but these are just employees. Right? "Ain't that enough to worry, convict's minds! Ahhhhh, Rosie! Hold on gal! Ahhhhh, Rosie! Hold on gal! Be my woman girl, I'll be your man! Be my woman girl, I'll be your man!"

Just then a man in fancy clothing came out of the house, slammed the door, and screamed at the top of his lungs. "What are all you niggers doing!? Shut the hell up!" He walked down the stairs and saw Percy swinging the axe. Against the tree. Everyone was quiet now. Percy still swung the axe as the hot sun beat down in him and sweat trickled down his forehead. The white man walked over to Percy and the young hunter finally put down the axe when the man started to talk to him. "Who the hell are you little boy?"

Percy ignored the question and narrowed his eyes at the dressed up ma standing in a field of people with raggedy clothes. "What are these people to you?"

The man laughed out loud. Everyone was watching them. "These niggers are my damn slaves!"

That just confirmed the worst possible scenario. A million things rushed through Percy's head but he only did one thing. He punched the man in the face. The man fell to the floor. Percy knew about slaves but he thought that it ended in Egypt. Percy picked up the man by his collar as the slaves just stood there watching. "You're going to sell me these people so I can set them free. Or do you want me to hurt you even more." The man spit in Percy's face. Blood splattered all over Percy. That's when the son of Apollo snapped. His blue eyes burned gold with the light of the sun and he closed his hands on the white man's throat. His hands started to turn bright red, like he stuck them in a pot of boiling water, and it burned the man's throat until it was raw and the man was screaming in agony. Percy healed the man's neck so he wouldn't die but left most of the pain. "You should reconsider."

Next day

"Thank you for your business." The man and his family quickly left the sights of Percy. He could have killed them but he wasn't going to stoop to their level. Percy turned to the bunch of slaves. "You guys don't have to be here. You're free now." A woman in rags ran up to Percy and hugged him tightly. "Thank you. I can see now that God truly sent us an angel."

"I'm just a guy trying to do what's right." Percy turned and sprinted from the people back into the forest. To his family.

Percy walked into the camp and saw Artemis with her head down sharpening her knife, and she did not look happy. "Hey mom." Artemis looked up at her son. Yes she told Percy that he was her son. She didn't want him to try and find Apollo while her dad is looking for him. It will break his heart when he finds out, but it is necessary for his protection. She launched at the boy and punched him in the face.

"Where were you?"

"I have a lot to tell you." Percy explained what happened and how he set the slaves free. "I'm… I'm proud of you. But you can't do that again. I was worried." She lied and pulled him into a hug. She did warm up to him slightly but still when Apollo comes for him she won't be sad.

"Alright Percy get out of here. We're leaving tomorrow."

Percy left the tent and walked to the campfire where the rest of the girls were. He was about to say hi when he heard them talking about him. "Hopefully Percy doesn't come back. I'm tired of that boy always getting in the way of things." Percy's heart dropped to the floor and he completely forgot about what he was going to tell his sisters. He climbed up in a tree slowly and watched them talk about him.

"Yeah Artemis should have just took him to Zeus the first day she got him. Even worse she told him that she was his mom. Come on, if Apollo doesn't love his own kid enough to claim him why does she have to take him in."

"Come on girls, all the guy has done is respect us and treat us fairly even though some of our pranks could have killed him." At least one of the hunters stood up for him. Percy sat on the branch. Tears were about to fall from his eyes. This was his family, people who loved him, or so he thought. He knows he loves them. Then someone spoke who would change his decision to leave or stay. Zoe Nightshade, the girl who he loved in a different way. She didn't love him at all. In any way.

"Come on girls, what did you expect from a male? Runaway as soon as he felt unwanted. He should be lucky he ever had the chance to live with us" She felt slightly sad but boys were not meant to be here. Percy closed his eyes as one tear fell from his eye. He took out a piece of parchment paper and a pen and still listening to the harsh remarks he wrote his goodbye letter.

Dear family,

Obviously I am not wanted, so you can call me weak or whatever else you have been saying. I loved you like a family but if you can't get over the fact that I am a man. Some of you in particular I hoped could get over this but I guess not. Thank you for telling me the truth. Now I can find my real family. I really wouldn't go looking for them but I have nowhere else to go.

Goodbye

They would know who it was from. Percy jump down out of the tree and started walking towards the town. At least he had some real friends there. Unless they already left for the north.

When he was about to be there he heard gun shots and started sprinting towards the town. He looked around and saw a whole bunch of bodies, most of them from former slaves but some from the white southerners. He growled. That former slave owner probably called some of his friends. Percy turned around the first house and saw the mayhem. There were only five former slaves left and all their friends were on the floor, bleeding out or dead. Seven white men, two with muskets. Percy jumped in quickly and now that he had all of his equipment, he could fight way better. He shot two guys with an arrow so it was a more even fight and took out a knife. He cut one mans throat as his friends jumped on the fourth guy. Percy smiled, thinking that the fight was over and that's when the man shot his musket at Percy's shoulder. It blew a hole and Percy was in shock but he managed to throw his knife at the mans eye. He touched his shoulder and used most of his energy on healing his shoulder. The bullet popped out and splurged blood but their were only four of his friends left. The fifth one was on the ground bleeding. Percy walked over their, his vision slightly blurry, and he pressed his hands over the mans wound closing it up and healing him at least so he wouldn't die. The two men and two women started to thank god for sending and angel to them. Percy spoke to them, "What happened? Never mind, that guy came back for you. We have to get out of here now." The big buff man picked up the wounded guy and they all started walking north.

North, the next day

Percy finally got to lay down, after days of walking. His shoulder still hurt but he ignored it and went to help the people in this hideout. "Who is hurt the worst?" He asked some random man and the guy took him to a woman with a large gash in her stomach. Percy grimaced, blood did not appeal to him. He pressed his hands like he did with the man in town. "This might sting a bit." He healed the lady as fast as he could but he has only been healing people for about nine months. He remembered when he first had to do it. He and Zoe were alone and some random monster hurt her. He freaked and healed her on accident. At first he thought it was a gift from Artemis, his "mom" but obviously it was from his real parent, Apollo. The woman's gash was fully closed up now so he laid down right there on the floor and passed out.

Zoe's POV

Zoe laughed along with her sisters but inside she hated what she was saying. She had to look down on Percy to cover up the fact that she didn't hate him. Zoe laughed when she heard the rest of the girls laugh but her mind was focused on him. The fire toasted her face on the cool night. "Come on girls, all the guy has done is respect us and treat us fairly even though some of our pranks could have killed him." It was true. Zoe never helped with any of them but she couldn't tell them to stop. They would know something was up.

The girls looked at her. Gotta keep the cover. "Come on girls, what did you expect from a male? Runaway as soon as he felt unwanted. He should be lucky he ever had the chance to live with us." Zoe didn't mean what she was saying. Something ruffled in the tree behind them so she flung her bow out. "Who's there?" She creeped over to the tree and saw a note attached to the trunk. A million emotions rushed through her head as she read it. Mostly anger and sadness. That stupid boy! Does he ever think anything through? Zoe ripped the note off. She kind of felt bad. He loved these girls like his sisters and her like something more and they just treat him like every other dirty make in the world. The hunters were behind her and Zoe showed them the letter.

"Who could have guessed the boy would have left."

Zoe turned toward her sisters. "You don't get it do you? Once Artemis finds out about this we're screwed. Apollo asked her to do this for him and once she finds out that he is actually heading where he is not supposed to go."

The hunters frowned. "Do we really have to go get him?"

Zoe clenched her teeth, "Yes!

Border of Canada and the US, two months later

Percy fought to catch his breath as the monster, Echidna, chased him through the dark, dense forest. It was snowing and Percy had nothing on but a pair of pants and a t shirt. He was freezing his ass off so at least the running kept him slightly warmer. "Where are you? My children want to play!" Percy heard the beautiful voice of a woman say to him. Echidna's upper half was the torso of a pretty human woman, but her lower half was a giant snake. And she was probably the least scary thing in the forest. Her children, that's what Percy is worried about. The Hydra and Chimera, two multi headed freaks. He could hear their loud footsteps behind him so Percy took out his bow and arrow and fired at the Chimera's lion head. One arrow impaled itself in the lions eye and another in its neck. The monster roared and the snake head jabbed at Percy. He barely managed to dodge it but just then the Hydra bit his foot and held him upside down.

"AHHHH!" Percy screamed in pain when the snake shot at his shoulder and ripped a chunk of flesh out. The monsters dropped his body on the floor. He heard a crack in his body and his vision began to fade away and the last thing he remembered was the mother of all monsters slithering up to him and dragging his body across the dirt floor.

A/N: So this is the story I said I would write while my brother's recovering. I will try and update fast but ill be with him a lot. Percy will most likely with Zoe. So R&R please.