Chapter 2: A Little Help
Thalia's POV
When I left the Hunter's camp, all of the Huntresses stared at me with curiosity. Maybe they're wondering what Artemis came to my tent for. Or maybe it's that I'm not wearing the usual Hunter's outfit. Instead, I'm wearing a pair of jeans, my winged converse that Luke gave to me a long time ago, and an electric blue shirt.
"Where are you going?" Fiona asked.
She's one of the few Huntresses that actually likes me.
"Somewhere." I answered.
"Where's somewhere?" She asked.
"It's a secret quest given to me by Artemis." I explained.
It wasn't a lie.
"Why so secret?" She asked.
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret. And I'd have to kill you." I smiled.
"Right. It's just that... I don't trust the other Huntresses being unsupervised, if Artemis happens to be gone at the same time that is. I was hoping to know when you'd be back." She said.
"That's why I'm leaving you in charge. And I don't know when I'll be back." I said.
She perked up at being in charge.
"Why don't you know when you'll be back?" She asked.
"Always with the questions. I just don't know. I'll see you when I get back." I said.
"Okay." She said.
And then I left. I decided I would need some help, so I rode a giant wolf to Camp Half-Blood. (The giant wolf belongs to Artemis.) When I got to Camp, I headed for the Big House.
"Hello Thalia." Argus said.
"Hi Argus." I said.
He's one of Hera's only creations that I trust.
"Hello Thalia. To what do we owe the pleasure of seeing you?" Chiron greeted.
"Hello sister." Dionysus said.
"Hey Mr. D. It's nice to see you too Chiron. Can you call Percy, Annabeth, and Grover to the Big House?" I asked.
"Of course." Chiron said.
Dionysus grabbed the microphone that's attached to the loudspeaker and yelled, "Mr. Jackson, future Mrs. Jackson, and Mr. Underwood, to the Big House, now."
Annabeth's gonna kill him.
Grover ran right in. He was panting really hard. He must've ran from somewhere far away.
"Yes sir?" He panted.
Good old Grover.
"Oh, hey Thalia." He said.
"Hi Grover." I rolled my eyes.
Then Annabeth and Percy walked in.
"What do you want Mrs. D?" Annabeth asked.
Percy stared at her. Why did she say Mrs. D?
"Don't worry, she and I have a running gag about the whole 'Mrs./future Mrs.' thing." Dionysus said.
"Okay then. Why were we called here?" Percy asked.
"I need your help." I said.
"Hi Thalia." Annabeth smiled.
"Hey Pinecone Face." Percy said.
"Hi guys." I rolled my eyes again. "I need to talk to you three alone, can you come to my pine tree with me?" I asked.
"Sure." Annabeth and Percy said. They blushed.
I grinned.
"Okay." Grover said.
Then we walked to my pine tree and sat down.
"What do you need..." Annabeth started.
"Our help with?" Percy finished.
They blushed again. They finish each other's sentences. How cute. I wish I could do that with Luke. I frowned.
"What's wrong?" Percy asked.
Annabeth looked curious. Grover had a look of surprise. That damned empathy link.
"Can you explain to me how you got through the Underworld?" I asked.
"You mean Tartarus?" Annabeth asked.
"No. The Underworld." I said.
"Sure." Grover cautiously said.
They explained it.
"Now remind me how people have set their loved ones free of the Underworld in the past." I wondered.
"Why?" Annabeth asked.
"Please." I begged.
I think I started to cry.
Percy quickly reminded me.
"How do you remember all that?" Grover asked.
"I have a genius for a girlfriend." Percy explained.
"Right." Grover remembered.
Duh, Annabeth spouts off random facts all the time. Some of them are bound to stick in Percy's brain.
"Okay, now I just have to get some things from my cabin and go." I said.
"What is this information for though?" Annabeth asked.
"A quest from Lady Artemis." I said.
Once again, it's not a lie.
"Uh..." Grover started to say, then noticed the threatening look on my face.
"Maybe it's so Artemis can be allowed to save the original Perseus." Grover decided to keep his mouth shut.
"What?" Annabeth asked.
"Oh yeah." Percy said sincerely.
"You know she... likes him?!" I asked Percy.
"She says I remind her of him. And even before I got her to tell me, it wasn't hard to take a guess. But she was so upset on the anniversary of his death, she kissed me and apologized saying how I was a lot like him." Percy explained.
Mine and Grover's jaws dropped.
Annabeth just looked shocked and asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because Artemis doesn't want anyone to know about how she cares for Perseus, or that she kissed me because I remind her of him." Percy said apologetically.
"Artemis has mentioned that you're one of the only two good and tolerable men in existence. And I've noticed how much she cares about Pereus too." I confirmed.
"Grover Underwood! Where are all the strawberries?!" Katie Gardener screamed.
"Coming Katie!" Grover said and ran odf.
"He really lets people walk all over him." I noted.
"Sometimes. But he can stick up for himself." Percy said.
"Do you know where Grover keeps any extra reed pipes? I need a set." I asked.
"Take mine. I'll get some new ones. Or maybe not." Annabeth gave me hers.
"Annabeth! Manny's hitting me!" Annabeth's little brother Max yelled.
"Ugh." Annabeth said and walked down the hill.
I was about to go to my cabin when Percy grabbed my arm.
"Is this about your mom?" He asked.
"No." I said.
I've been so focused on Luke, I almost forgot my mom was dead too.
"Luke?" Percy asked.
I looked up at him in surprise.
"When I met you, I noticed that you wouldn't give up on Luke as easily as Annabeth did. Plus, after he died, you looked a lot more sad. And from the way Annabeth describes your adventures, it seems like you care about him. Not to mention Luke said he would've let us yse the fleece after he was done with it. I don't think his reasoning was to have another prophecy child available." Percy explained gently.
I started crying. Then he hugged me.
"I don't know what it would be like without Anbabeth, so I can only imagine how you feel." Percy said.
"I never thought you'd be the one comforting me." I tried to laugh.
"You may be an annoying Pincone Face, but you're still my favorite cousin, and the only Huntress who doesn't hate me." He smiled.
I can see why Annabeth loves him.
A few minutes later, Percy went to my cabin with me. We looked through my stuff to see if there were any supplies I missed and he saw me off to Half-Blood hill.
"Good luck, Pinecone Face." Percy smiled.
"Thanks Seaweed Brain." I said.
Now I'm off to see Hades.