A\N: I'm baaack! And here to stay, hopefully. This story is a response to one of whitetigerwolf's challenges, so make sure to thank him\her for getting me back in the game. I'll be updating my profile shortly with the order I plan to update my stories, so if you like one of my other stories, head over there.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

PROLOGUE

WRATH OF A GODDESS

Percy, Annabeth and Grover left Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium discussing where they should spend the night. The best choice was the Emporium itself, but none of the children wanted to sleep near Medusa's petrified victims. Especially Grover, considering one of these victims was his uncle. They decided to camp at the nearby woods and come up with a way to travel to Los Angeles after they'd somewhat recovered from their recent ordeals. Three Furies and the Medusa in one day was simply too much for the two demigods, let alone the satyr.

As the energy from the adrenaline rush left Percy, leaving him exhausted, so did his temper. Which in turn made him worry about his latest action. Namely sending Medusa's head to the Olympians in a way that was practically taunting and mocking them. And if there was one thing Percy knew from the myths-and his recent experiences-, it was that one doesn't taunt and mock a god or goddess with impunity. Let alone all twelve of them at the same time. Percy was sure this was some kind of record which, somehow, failed to make him feel better.

His only hope was that they considered his quest too important to punish him now and that they would forgive when he returned Zeus his master-bolt. Assuming he manages to pull that off.

Of course, with Percy' s luck being what it is, and in accordance with the universal law of Murphy, he was right to be worried, as he found out almost as soon as they entered the woods.

Standing in their way was a girl dressed in jeans and a silvery ski parka and holding a silver bow that resembled gazelle horns. She looked to be around the same age as Percy, maybe a year older. She had auburn hair and possessed an unearthly beauty. However, what really told Percy that she wasn't a simple human, besides the fact that she suddenly appeared in the middle of nowhere, were her eyes. Cold, silver eyes. Eyes like the full moon. The fact that he could feel the cold fury coming out of her in waves probably helped as well.

He heard Annabeth gasp and he was suddenly dragged to his knees by the daughter of Athena that was already kneeling. He heard Grover grunt in surprise as he shared his fate. Then he heard Annabeth's next words. "To what do we owe the honor of your presence, Lady Artemis?"

Percy could swear he felt his blood grow cold and his knees turn to jelly at that. He turned his eyes to the ground and kept them there. He silently prayed that his punishment would be something quick and relatively painless. He didn't have much hope though. If half the stories about her were true, Artemis wasn't exactly merciful with her punishments. She was also very proud and very easily insulted, even by Olympian standards. Yep, he was done for.

He didn't hear her footsteps, but he could feel the Hunter Goddess approaching them.

When she spoke her voice was as cold as her eyes. "So, you feel impertinent, Perseus Jackson?"

Percy was pretty sure he whimpered at that. Any retort he might have had disappeared before it could even form in his brain.

"Do you realize what the consequences of your actions could have been, boy? We are almost at war with one another, tempers run in an all-time high, and the son of Poseidon, who is also the main suspect, at least in father's eyes, decides that this is the right time to be impertinent." Artemis continued when she saw that Percy didn't speak. Which, any thinking observer would agree, was the smart thing to do.

Of course, twelve-year-olds aren't exactly known for their brains, especially if their name happens to be Percy Jackson. "I, I wasn't thinking clea..." stammered Percy, only to be interrupted by the angry goddess.

"Of course you weren't, which is what I would expect from a boy, but..." she turned to Annabeth, who seemed to wither under Artemis's glare, "... I would expect better form a girl, especially from a daughter of Athena. Why didn't you stop him?"

When no answer was forthcoming, the goddess took a deep breath and seemed to calm down slightly. "I can understand the half-bloods' frustration with the gods... up to a point. No matter what grievances you have with us, you must be respectful when dealing with us, at least when not dealing only with your parent."

Artemis shook her head. "Make no mistake, Perseus Jackson, you will be punished, though you should count yourself doubly lucky. Firstly, because there were only two gods in the throne room when your...package arrived, one being obviously me. This is the only reason I'm here now and you didn't receive thunderbolt on the head. Tough I'll admit the punishment I had in store was just as bad for you, albeit much more amusing for me..."

Percy reminded himself repeatedly to keep breathing as the goddess stopped for a second, thinking, Percy was certain, about the fun she would have punishing him.

"... Which brings me to the second reason why you were lucky. The second goddess with me was aunt Hestia. As she has a very big soft spot for demigods, she tried to talk me out of punishing you altogether. While that was out of the question, I did agree to let her choose a suitable punishment...which I regret now, since I honestly fail to see how what she came up with is a punishment. If anything, it's a reward. It's something I would never have thought of doing nor would I ever consider doing it, if not for the respect and affection I have for Lady Hestia. She almost always wears the form of little girl tending the fires, both when in Olympus and when in Camp Half-Blood, so you would do well to thank her, if you manage to return alive that is. Now prepare for your punishment."

It was at that moment that Annabeth gasped and was about to interfere when a glare of Artemis stopped her short. Which made Percy even more confused and worried than he already was. A punishment that was apparently lighter than the originally intended for him and that Artemis considered a reward but made Annabeth very nervous...what the hell was that? He was about to ask, but something told him that would be a bad idea. So that left him with only one choice. To suck it up and take it like a man.

He gulped loudly and lifted his eyes. "I'm ready Lady Artemis."

The goddess looked almost disappointed as she approached him. "Had you asked what you punishment is, I would have done to you what I originally planned." she commented offhandedly as she place her hands on his head.

That surprised him for a moment but the surprise faded quickly as a very weird feeling took over his entire body, almost as if his entire being had turned to water and was shifting around. In a moment of panic he remembered how Artemis had a habit of turning men to animals, but he didn't feel like falling on all fours, didn't feel like he was growing horns or fur and didn't feel like barking... which he supposed was a good thing.

What he did feel was as if there was something changing inside him, some of his organs or maybe his bones, he wasn't sure. He thought he felt his hair getting longer. As the weird feeling begun to leave his body, he felt one final change, that one between his legs. It was as if something that was there was suddenly missing. And he had a pretty good idea what that something was. As a shocked "What?" left his lips, he realized one last change. His voice sounded considerably different. It sounded more...girlish.

He looked shocked at the goddess standing in front of him. Her expression was as serious as always, but something in her eyes made him think she was laughing at him and the only thing stopping her from doing so openly was her continent-sized pride and dignity. Which he was glad for.

Artemis clicked her fingers and a body sized mirror appeared in front of Percy allowing him to take a good look at his new self, which he did...and was sent straight into shock as his suspicions became certainty.

Where there should have been the reflection of Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, was the reflection of a much different person. That person had the same height and eyes that Percy had, but longer and smoother hair, as well as softer features. The person in the mirror could easily pass as Percy' s sibling. And she was undeniably a girl.

Percy turned to Artemis, not sure how he, or rather, she could express any of her jumbled thoughts, when she saw that the goddess was already leaving. Artemis talked over her shoulder. "Since you are now a girl, you need a new name. And since I'm the one that changed you, I'll give it to you. Your new name will be...Atalanta." With those words, the goddess disappeared into the woods.

The last feeling the newly christened Atalanta had before the goddess disappeared was a longing. A longing to be free of obligations and responsibilities. A longing to be able to run freely under the moon.

And the shock and exhaustion of the day finally caught up with her and she passed out.