Taste of the Other Side

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson & The Olympians

Chapter 1: A Taste of the Other Side

A female figure dashed through the forest chasing down her target, the Teumessian Fox. The fox was much faster than its hunter and even stopped to insult the one chasing it.

"Damn you" The female said as she watched the fox run in a circle holding a one her hunting knives. "I will catch thou" The hunter said, this was Zoe Nightshade lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis.

She glared at the fox who toyed with her, she had no idea why the fox was appeared but when she went to shoot it easily dodge the arrow and the look in its eyes clearly told her that it was mocking her.

The fox ran through the forest after jumping on her head. Zoe growled as she continued chasing the fox shooting arrows at the uncatchable fox. She saw the fox yawn as it looked at her with a look of boredom in its eyes.

The fox after another yawn run into the forest which Zoe stubbornly followed. She looked around for the fox before she angrily stomped her foot. "It got away"

Zoe sighed before she saw something that made her scowl. She wasn't alone in the forest as another person was sitting in a clearing close to a once lit fire looking up watching the clouds role by. The reason why she was scowling was because that the person was male.

He was holding a hunting knife and then he turned his head to the hunter. "Is this yours?" He asked the hunter. "The fox was carrying this as he ran past"

Zoe walked over to the teen and grabbed the knife. "Yes this knife is mine boy" She said without hiding the venom in her tone when she said boy.

The teen noticed this but he didn't seem to care. "Ah I see now" The teen said. "You're a hunter of Artemis that actually explains a lot"

Zoe narrowed her eyes and summoned her bow pointing an arrow at him. "Give me one reason to not kill you boy"

The teen stood up. "My name is not boy, girl" He said without venom. "My name is Vadimas" He said as he dusted himself off ignoring the arrow pointed at his head.

Vadimas had light skin, short brown hair, and deep blue eyes. His attire consisted of red haori closed with a black and blue strap with two brown belts wrapped around it. He wears a black pants and shoes that have brown straps and triangular metal plating and a black shirt under the haori.

"Now put that down before you hurt someone" He said in a lazy tone.

Zoe growled at the man and fired her arrow as Vadimas just tilted his head as the arrow went pass his head. "Now that was uncalled for" He said. "It's dangerous to point sharp objects at others"

"I should have killed thou boy"

"I'm not really a boy if I'm 17" Vadimas told the hunter as he side stepped and turned dodging a few arrows. "I don't know why you suddenly want to kill me. All I said was out the bow and arrow down before you hurt someone there was no need to resort to violence it also gives a hunters an even worse name and even for Artemis"

Zoe lowered her bow with a scowl on her face. He was right in a way, Artemis wasn't really well received with most demigods and this would just add more reasons against Artemis.

"Who is thy parent?" She asked with her trying to hide her frustration.

Vadimas looked at her and smiled. "My godly parent is Hecate" The demigod then started to walk away. "Now if you excuse me I need to continue, having fun chasing the fox"

Zoe's eyes twitched when he mentioned the fox, she failed to even remotely get closed to it unless you count it jumping on her head but that didn't count. "Next time protect your head"

She glared at the son of Hecate almost as if it would make his head explode. "You saw that!"

Vadimas looked over his shoulder and nodded. "Yeah it was pretty hard not seeing a large red fox jump on your head" He watched the hunter growl once more. "If you keep growling like that people might think it's your-" He didn't finished as he dodged an arrow.

"Thou better not finish thy sentence" Zoe growled out.

"Man its true huh" Vadimas said. "All hunters are extremely angry" He ran his hand through his hair. "People will really think you waken up on the wrong side of the bed each morning"

Zoe didn't want to be near this man any longer and he was really starting to piss her off and she bet he knew this she blinked as she remembered something. "I have never seen you at the camp"

"Oh yeah that place" Vadimas said as if he recalled the camp. "Never been there, heard of it but never actually been there"

The two in the clearing were silent as Zoe was trying to think how he could have survived for so long and Vadimas looked at the sky. "Why do you hate us?"

Zoe turned to him. "What those thou mean?"

"Before I even spoke to you, you immediately hated me" Vadimas looked Zoe in the eyes. "I can understand some reasons to hate us but why hate the innocent?"

He sighed. "It's a shame you hate the ones who are also innocent, it makes me wonder if Artemis is really a goddess of childbirth"

Zoe glared at him. "Before you ask why Artemis is a goddess of childbirth correct?" He asked as she nodded. "Then that means she would of helped birth multiple males. Since she is a man hater why does she let males be born?"

Zoe didn't say a word but continued her glare. "She might be a man hater but even she knows that the young are innocent. But then there's you and the other older hunters showing your disgust for men even if they are children who don't know better and need guidance. You should be shaping the future generation not making it worse. Now I don't know if Artemis is a goddess that sees young boy's innocent until they are in their teens or if she hates even the new born boys that bring mothers and fathers much joy to their lives. You are her hunters and seen as her reputation amongst demigods and believe me you are making it worse"

Zoe had enough of this man. "SHUT UP!" She shot multiple arrows at the demigod who easily dodged the arrows before she resorted to fists.

Vadimas countered and blocked each strike the angry hunter sent at him. Vadimas pointed his finger at her and she heard him mumble something before speaking louder. "Maybe you might learn something with this… goodbye, Zoe Nightshade"

"How did he know my name?" Zoe thought as a bright light shone causing the hunter to cover her eyes. When the light was gone Zoe was left alone in the forest. "Why does my body feel heavier?" Zoe looked to see a different man in front of her.

The man had brown hair like Vadimas but just a little longer and was wearing a white shirt with a popped collar with the first button undone with a silver jacket over top and a pair of grey boots with a matching pair of long, grey pants.

Zoe scowled at the man who scowled back. "What are you doing here boy" She said at the teen who also…said it… back and she noticed her voice was deeper as well.

Zoe's eyes widened as did the males as she saw that it was a large mirror in front of her. "This can't be… I must be dreaming" Zoe nervously laughed. "There is just no way" Her hand moved down and she grabbed… something.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!" A loud shout was heard in the forest that caused many birds to flee the area. A red face Zoe couldn't believe what was happening. "I'm a… male? No! That's impossible!"

Zoe looked at herself in the mirror of being in the body of a male. She watched as the mirror disintegrated and saw a note on the ground. She picked up the note that read 'I hope you learn something from this experience, if you hate something try being in the others shoes for a while. This spell can only be stopped by me but you have maybe a day or a week before it will go away. Have fun Zoe or should I say Zac'.

The note disappeared in her hands and multiple thoughts were going through his head. "A day or a week!" She shouted and then got an idea. "That's it I'll just go to Lady Artemis and… get changed… back" A look of horror appeared of Zoe.

"I can't return to Lady Artemis or else I will be turned to a jackalope or the others will shoot me full of arrows" She said not noticing how her speech mannerisms changed.

She or now he paced back and forth she didn't really want to stay as a male for a whole week and needed to return to normal if after the first day she didn't return to normal. "For a whole week I need to avoid the hunters and Lady Artemis and find that child of Hecate" Zac said as he nodded at his plan.

She noticed how different the bodies were, her original body was lighter while this body was heavier and it seemed that her speed and flexibility was traded for strength and durability. She needed to get used to these changes and survive until the effects wore off as off right now until she got used to this body she was easy picking for monsters.

Well not really an easy picking but since this body would take getting used to monsters would have an easier time. She sighed in relief at seeing how she could still summon her bow and arrows as well as her hunting knives.

She also remembered the name on the note, Zac Nightshade. The name she would have to use until she went back to normal. Zac decided that after the first day she didn't turn back to normal she…he would go find the son of Hecate.

I will be referring Zoe/Zac as both male and female when talking about her or him. It might get very confusing.