AN: I own nothing all credit goes to the author Rick Riordan

PPOV

"What," I asked? As we were walking towards the elevator that connected Mount. Olympus to the mortal world, more specifically the Empire state building in New York.

"The Red String of Fate or sometimes called the red string of destiny is a myth from the ancient eastern folklore that stares that two people's lives are connected," she began to explain while a noticeable blush consumed her face.

"But how does that have to do with us," I said while stepping into the elevator ignoring the tune, 'Stayin Alive' by the Bee Gees.

"Well it sometimes was used in Greek mythology as a reference since fate is intertwined all forms and beliefs based on how they look at things just like the gods," she said, "In truth all different religions and beliefs are connected or the same it just matters how people perceive them, but let's get back to the topic at hand."

"Wait how do you know all of this if you just worshiped the Greek gods and beliefs," I asked very confused. Did this mean that there were other Gods out there, were there a Panthenon for the Roman gods just like there is one for the Greeks? This hurts my head to think about, I might bring it up later.

"Spend thousands of years alive you learn to accept the world around you and how they view the world," she replied answering my question. I wondered how much she actually does know. "In Chinese belief is about their god Yue Xia Lao, the god of Love and Marriage. It is said that he travels at night under the moon with a silken yarn and ties it to two that are meant to be no matter if they know each other.

There is one story about a young boy who is walking home one night and meets a man sitting staring up at the moon. This man tells the young boy that he is connected to a person who is meant to one day be his wife by an invisible red thread. Yue Xia Lao eventually shows the boy a young girl who is meant or destined you could say to be his wife. The young boy refused his claim, picking up a rock then he threw it at the young girl. Later when he becomes a young man, his parents arrange a wedding with this beautiful girl. On the wedding day, the man lifts the tradition veil off if his wife's face to discover that she was indeed beautiful, but he noticed that a small jewel was set along her eyebrow. When he asked her about it, she said it was to cover a scar that a boy gave her when she was young. He asked how it, she said a boy had thrown a rock at her when she was young. This young woman was proven to in fact be the one Yue Xia Lao showed him as a little boy."

"Butt," I questioned, my voice obviously stuttering, "How does that have to do with us? I mean, I pretty sure that we are not meant to be together. Plus you are pretty much still a hunter and you all hate males or any other boy that even comes close to you let alone me." It pained me to say it, but as I did I wished that she could prove me wrong, but that would mean reciprocating my feelings and she would never do that. Once I had feelings for my friend, Annabeth, but I had learned on this quest that she cared for our friend Luke more ever since they traveled together several years ago, but that's a different story.

I almost ran into the door as we were leaving the empire state building, but I could myself in time hearing Zoe giving a light laugh at my misfortune. I bet I was blushing like a tomato and grinning like a fool. Outside of the building, people were starting with their usual hustle and bustle of the city.

"Well," she said while looking around for a ride to get us back to Camp, "there is a slight alteration of that belief in Japanese mythology where a red thread would be attached to two people ankles signifying that they were equal or shared in the same experience or burden. What I am saying is that it is like that, but I don't know much about how much of our fate is intertwined. From the sound of it we are connected and that parts of our fate are one now. Which unfortunately means I must leave my sisters," she said voice cracking towards the end of her statement. I whistled loudly, as in calling for a New York cab, hoping that I could catch Blackjack and Porkpie for a ride back to camp. Catching her forlorn expression I did my best to comfort her.

"Shhh I am sorry again Zoe," I said softly keeping a respectable distance away from her since she was a hunter, "I'm sorry that I saved your life, but part of me could let you die." What she did next surprised me as I took a few steps back to stabilize myself from her hug.

"I know," She said voice shaking, "you couldn't go back on your oath, which reminds me." I heard the anger surge in her voice when she mentioned my oath. SLAP, she slapped me across the face so hard, but next thing I know I felt a hard fist connect with my nose. I guess I deserved this for my foolishness and for my manliness, which is commonly disgusted by the hunter. I was a little disoriented, but at the same time I notice that Zoe appeared disoriented as well with blood leaking from her nose.

"Zoe," I said shocked that she was bleeding, "How," but I was cut off by her reassurances.

"Its fine," She started trying to sooth my worries, "given the situation I guess what injures thee will also happen to thy." Given that she still spook with an old accent, I stared at her blankly trying to make sense of what she said. The ex-lieutenant of Artemis must have noticed that I had no clue what she was saying because she reiterated herself. "Gods Percy, don't you get it, she said with frustration in her voice, "our connection means that what happens to one also happens to the other." Now I understood what she was saying.

By this time I noticed two distinct figures circling overhead, which I quickly concluded that one of them was blackjack from the next words that I heard. You see I rescued this specific Pegasus from the ship, the Princess Andromeda, which were carrying Kronos's forces' last summer on a quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. He had told me that his name with Blackjack and persistently called my boss.

"Yo Boss," the black Pegasus said, "What's up? I heard that you and your lady friend needed a ride. I quickly mumbled shut up and that we weren't in a kind of relationship that he was hinting at. Chancing a look towards Zoe to tell her about the ride, I noticed that she was wide eyed and completely shocked.

"Zoe," I asked, "what's the matter? These two Pegasus are only here to transport us to Camp, but you look as if you have seen a ghost." She glared at me for what I don't know before speaking her thoughts.

"I know that they are here to take us to camp you stupid boy," she snapped, which had hurt that she was referring to me again like the scum of the earth. I thought we had gotten past that, I guess some habits are hard to change. That being said I brushed the feeling away and continued to listen to her current thoughts. "It's just," she said, "I heard part of the black Pegasus's thoughts."

"First off he is my Pegasus and his name is Blackjack," I said pointing out a fact, "and it is one the gifts of mine, but I am confused as to how you would be able to hear him. I guess were are tied together more then we think." I was given a menacing glare at the beginning of my thoughts, which quickly turned into an expression like, 'you think.'

"Um Boss," Blackjack said earning both of our attention, "Are we going to get going or are you two going to keep flirting." Before he could say more Zoe cut him off with a glare worthy of the Hunt, while I looked down at my shoes discerning his observations. Rising my face towards others, I noticed Zoe walking towards Porkpie, but remembering something I grabbed her shoulders. She stopped turning around with a huff of Annoyment waiting for the reason.

"Wait Zoe you are still bleeding," I said worried which she shot back 'so are you', but I ignored that stepping towards her.

"What are you doing," She said annoyed with curiosity in her voice.

"Stay still for a minute," I said while reaching my hand up to her face slightly caressing her face while my fingers reached towards her nose. She flinched when I touched her face, most likely fighting her instinct from being touched, before quickly relaxing and blushing. My hand started glowing orange like before, meaning that I was using Lady Hestia's power given from her blessing. After a few seconds, I removed my hand and looked towards her to see her reaction. Once my eyes fell on her volcanic eyes, we immediately jumped back from each other noticing how close we were. During the healing, we had leaned close and when we looked each other in the eyes, we were close enough that we could share a kiss.

"What did you do," she asked curiosity, "How were you," but I cut her off to explain myself before the flames rose in my cheeks.

"It was from Hestia's blessing," I explained, "It was also how I saved you. She had given me her blessing when she figured out that I would get myself on the quest." I didn't want to say what else she had said because it was embarrassing and hinted that I liked someone else. She accepted this and turned around saying that we should get traveling before it gets any later. I sighed and walked towards Blackjack.

ZPOV

I got on the other Pegasus eager to be by myself in Artemis cabin back at camp. There was so much going on and so much information that I needed to process. From being willing to sacrifice myself for Lady Artemis, to being saved by Percy, finding out that my life was now tied to his, the embarrassment of explaining to Percy about the bond, and all the information I just found out.

The Pegasus quickly ascended into the sky and set off towards that wretched Camp Half-Blood. I could really blame Percy for saving me from death, since he made that stupid oath about protecting me. I knew my fate and accepted it, but once he made that oath I was increasingly worried about him and what he would inevitably do. But to be honest I never wanted to be saved because either way it would mean leaving the hunt and I was so sad to find that out. I might have become great friends with Percy and he might be the most wonderful guy I know, but I felt resentful for him saving me. Now I am tied to him and had to leave the hunt, but it left me so worried and confused because now I had nothing in my life but Percy. Since I left the hunt I debated starting over, but that is hard.

Looking on the flip side, I was terrified because I started having these feelings and a pull towards Percy. I never thought that I could have feelings for another male after what happened with Heracles. It was just that I have groan a great admiration for him during the hunt for his kindness and outstanding loyalty towards his friends, but ever since I came back from the dead, I found that I was pulled towards him. Most likely from the bond, but I started loving his facial expressions especially when he was clueless. He was extremely humble and had worried greatly how this affected me not thinking about himself. Though he could be a bonehead at times, I am glad that I still had a partial bless so I could hit him and make it count. I was shocked that it rebounded to me, but I never thought the bond we now had wold be that strong. Even when I started accessing his powers when I heard Blackjack talking to Percy. I swear I will kill that horse for assuming that we were, gulp, together.

When I had decided to leave and he had pulled me back to him, I was thoroughly annoyed, but froze when he placed his hand on my face. I felt that familiar warmth that I felt before I woken to see Percy when he saved me. Speaking of which how and why Hestia condoned Percy joining the quest, I was livid when he joined, but she is the most cryptic goddess anyhow.

By this time we had reached Camp and set down by the stables. Percy took the reins and took the Pegasus back to their stalls. I sigh thinking about how everything will keep changing while gracefully walking towards the glow of cabin eight. I ignored the pleas from Percy as he ran up to me claiming that I needed to get some sleep. By now I stood facing the door to the cabin.

"Good night Percy," I said after turning towards the direction he was walking in heading towards the cabin by the lake, otherwise known as Poseidon's cabin. He looked back at me at my words and gave me a slight smile responding in kind, before continuing on to his cabin. I entered mine and collapsed on my bed that I had always used when the hunt would stay in camp, but now I had to stay as they left. I started crying and must have cried myself asleep as darkness overcame my vision.

AN: How was it? Should I keep going? Thanks for all the readers that have read and/or commented so far. I hope you enjoyed and agreed with Zoe explaining the Red string of fate, and I hope I got it right. Until next time on any of my stories BRMCscout45 signing out._