It is not surprising that she plucks you from the group.

She is a few years older than you—Luke's age, give or take a few years probably. It's hard to tell.

She seems nice enough, but there is a definite regal air to her. Indeed, she is even wearing some sort of tiara. Even her mannerisms seem like they come from some sort of palace. You really couldn't be more different from her—she and her crisp silver jacket and gleaming tiara and long hair and you in your ratty jeans and t-shirts and short, knotted hair.

But you can see why she chooses you immediately.

You are just the right age—old enough to make your own decisions, but just young enough not to have become so fully immersed into the world of boys. They can snatch you away right now, in the blink of an eye—you know that's what they are thinking—and you won't even think twice about it. Off you go, that's what they'll tell you, safe from the monsters and free from all of this.

And you've got just the right attitude for it, they probably think. Independence, that's what it's about with them, and rebellion. Really, right now you bet they're all laughing about what a perfect match they've found for the Hunters.

"Hello," she tells you first, saying none of this. "I am Zoë Nightshade." You do not know at first how to feel. She seems nice enough, having offered you shelter. But it does not quite seem like friendly conversation while she holds her bow at the ready, and you are equally prepared to fight.

So you say, "Thalia" as fast as you possibly can, making it ever so clear that you don't want to bother with the niceties.

And of course, she proceeds to ask you the question.

You don't have a last name, you tell her, because in your eyes you don't. You are not going to associate yourself with her.

She nods, and moves on. "Yes. I hope you are well?"

"Fantastic."

"Lady Artemis—"

"—wants to talk to me?" you finish, because you can't stand listening to her much longer.

"She wishes me to do so."

Well, that's the last thing you wanted.

"You could join the Hunters."

"I could," you say, and for a second—just a second—you are tempted. But you never would. Annabeth's just a kid, and even though Luke's older than you, you feel like he needs to be looked after as well.

"You are not going to do so," Zoë finished, and you feel your dislike for her growing.

You've never liked being ordered around. Even though she said exactly what you were going to, you almost want to say yes. Just to prove her wrong, just to get on her nerves.

Because there is something about her eyes, and something about her voice that just makes you despise her. There is something about her slight sense of superiority that makes you want to take that bow of hers and send one of those nice silver arrows right at her. There is something about her that simply makes you want to defy her.

(Maybe, you think, you see a bit of yourself in that slight overconfidence and stubbornness.)

But you can't, because she is right. She's absolutely right. You're not going to join them. You're not going to leave them. And yes, maybe there's kind of sort of another reason that maybe interferes with the whole swearing-off-men thing. But that's not it. You simply can't leave another kid behind no matter how you try to remind yourself that Jason wasn't your fault.

Perhaps she does not find you worth her time. What use to her, after all, is another teenage demigod, especially one so very ridiculous as to wear torn jeans and faded t-shirts?

(You fight anyway.)

And she tells you about how terrible boys are. They'll always disappoint you, she tells you over and over and over. But you don't listen. You've already made up your mind.

But it won't stop the words from echoing in your mind.

Years later—many years,—you see her again. It could have been yesterday that you last saw her. But it wasn't. You don't even know how long it's been. You've never been exactly aware of time, but you're even less so now, confused about dates and years and ages.

Maybe that's how you would have ended up anyway—unaware of the time passing by. You don't want to find out. You just want to find Annabeth, find Luke. And if you have to put up with her, then so be it. She almost got in your way of seeing them before, and she's not going to do so again.

And so off you go into that world you have before caught only glimpses of.

The quest is no better than you expected, but no worse.

Until that moment.

It's your choice all of the sudden, and the prophecy is coming true right before your eyes and none of them can do a single thing but watch.

And it all goes downhill from there, doesn't it?

Because all of the sudden, there's not a doubt in your mind that your Luke is gone. And you're fighting him, and a thousand things happen at once. And he's falling, and Zoë is dying and you're completely powerless.

You don't like this feeling at all.

And then it's to Olympus for all of you, to be either honored or killed.

It's certainly a close one.

Artemis—now she's offering you a place in the Hunters once more.

But this time, you say yes.

AN: As I mentioned before, this fic was written for Kelly. If you don't know who Kelly is, please do yourself a favor and search for livingondaydreams right now. She's much more talented than I am, and basically flawless. She's also on Tumblr by the same name. Shower her with love. Now. Even if you hated this fic. Because as I said, she's far better at writing and everything than I am. But I do hope you enjoyed it. Thank you very much for reading.