Chapter 3: Pegasus?

"What do you mean?" Marco and Jackie asked simultaneously. Star frowned at the synchronize between them. She thought of asking Chiron if they really have to do this, but Jackie's expensive spray bottle had ran out. The message shimmered again then disappeared. Jackie barely hold back a cry for her moisturize spray, while Marco and Ferguson patted her on the back. But Star didn't pay any attention. She was too busy finding something in her pockets.

"Finally." She mumbled and pulled out a silver whistle.

"What is that?"

"Just wait and see." Star blew into the small object. It hummed a clear and beautiful sound, like a bird's first song. Everyone was in awe of the whistle.

But nothing happened.

"Anytime now." Star said nervously. Heck, why did they choose this time to play with her?

"I see nothing." Jackie pointed out the obvious. Star had to held back her wild desire to make the daughter of Aphrodite beg for mercy. Luckily, just right then, two bird like figures appeared on the sky.

"There we go!" She exclaimed triumphantly.

"Birds? How are those going to help us?" Marco asked.

"They are not birds, boy. They're pegasus."

"Pegasus!?"

The two pegasus dropped out of the sky, and landed next to Star. They're large, beautiful stallions with wing span longer than Star herself.

"Hi, Luna." She said to the pegasi with a beautiful coat of pure black fur. The winged horse, it must be a "she", had the same sparkling blue eyes as Star, but in a darker shade. Luna nuzzled Star and, Marco swore, the horse smiled.

"A winged horse!?" He jumped back in disbelief.

"I have a name, if you must." Luna spoke.

"A TALKING winged horse?"

"Marco!" Jackie chided, "That's impolite!"

"You just told me to be polite to a horse?"

"Hey, dude. That's my sister." The other pegasi scolded. This one had caramel brown fur, with warm hazel eyes.

"Sol. Give him a break. He's just a newbie." Star chilled. Sol whined in disapproval, but say nothing.

"So." Star rubbed her hands in anxiety. "Everyone, meet Luna and Sol. Normal pegasus can't speak, but they can, because they're daughter and son of Lord Pegasus, the immortal lord of horses. They're also, apparently, sacred to Apollo and Artemis, but it's not like they're the gods' barn animal or something. It's more like an on-going friendship. Plus, Luna and Sol are also twins, like, you know." She turned to Luna. "What can they call you guys? Can they use your names?"

"You can call me Queen Bee." Luna hummed.

"Luna, you're still obsessed with that song?"

"Uh huh! That's a good song!"

"Well, forget what I said. Call her Luna." Star said to the confusing people who didn't get the reference.

"And that made me a Prince, I suppose." Sol said reluctantly.

"Don't be ridiculous. Call him Sol. He's a friend of mine. Aren't you, Sunshine?"

"Sunshine?" Marco asked in disbelief.

"I hate it when you call me that." Sol grumbled, while Luna whined in a horsy laugh.

"Aww. Would you like Little Sunny Light better?" Star teased.

"No!" He immediately retorted, leaving Luna on the floor, literately trying to clutch her stomach, hurting from laughter. Marco was starting to feel uncomfortable and extremely bored with the laughing horses and all, so he asked if they could cut the get-together part and start to do something.

"Oh. This kid is ADHD. Like, really." Luna commented. She got up on all four and nuzzled her brother, who still had disapproving glares like daggers aimed at Star. But she gave him a pretty clear message that they should move on, so, like a good role-model brother, he did.

"It's time to fly." He declared like a pilot and spread his silky brown wings. They fanned out and hit Jackie in the face.

"Ow! Be careful with them!" Jackie complained, while Star was hardly able to hold back a laugh.

"Ok," She wiped a tear and pointed at Marco, "Jackie and I are going to hitch a ride with Luna, while you and Ferguson will go with Sol. Ok?"

"But I want to go with Marco!" Jackie protested.

"Zip it, Blondie. I'm the one who's in charge."

"What? Blondie? That's offensive! Besides, you're blond, too!"

"Yeah. But at least I'm not stupid. You're the typical kind of dumb blonde."

"Agh!" Jackie was ready to jump in and teach Star a lesson, but Marco held her back. After getting first hand experience, he doubted even his GF could take on his scary—, um, friend? He had no idea who she was, or what she was to him. She had said that they're not friends, but she didn't say anything about what kind of relationship they're in. I hope it's not the "I-want-to-get-rid-of-you-as-soon-as-I-can" type, he thought. Nah. She seems like a nice person, once you get pass the I-will-kill-you-slowly-and-painfully-if-you-touch-me vibe that she generated.

"Ok." She said. "Climb on board, everyone!"

"But I've never ride a pegasus before." Marco tried to explain.

"Well, neither do I." Ferguson agreed.

"That means you will have to go with someone else. Me or your GF." Star nodded to Marco.

"Hey, by the way, I'm not carrying Star." Sol suddenly grumbled.

"And I'm not gonna let the fat satyr on my back." Luna gave Ferguson a disgusted look, if horses can give a look.

"Hey!" The said satyr protested. "I haven't met you before, but Alfonzo was right! You are mean."

"Thank you. I take that as a compliment."

"Time out! Let's do some thinking logic here. So, Sol don't want to carry me," she glared at Sol, "that means I have to go with Luna. Luna don't want to carry Ferguson, that means he had to go with Sol. And he can't go with Marco because they're both inexperience. That leaves Ferguson with Jackie and me with Marco, I believe."

"What!? But I want to go with Marco!" Jackie demanded.

"Well, I'm afraid I can't do anything about that. I can't be on the same ride with Ferguson. Work logic, girl. I know it's hard for you, but at least try."

"You— Agh! I am not a dumb blonde!"

"Whatever you say. Come, we need to leave before sunset." Star said, and motioned for Marco to go with her. "Sorry, Luna." She whispered.

"No big deal. What are friends for?" Luna whined. Star climbed on, and Marco struggled his way up. She glanced at Sol's team, where Ferguson got half of his butt out in the open (It made her gagged), and Jackie just looked at him in distaste. She chuckled at the awkward situation.

"Alrighty then. Everybody ready?" The rest of the crew murmured agreements. "Great. Let's go."

And they soared up the sky.

It was the first time Marco fly like this.

Like, really. Just cut him some slack. Heck, he didn't even know pegasus existed until today.

So he did the natural thing, being the infamous "safe kid". Scream like a 12 year old fangirl and hold onto Star for dear life.

"What are you doing?" Star swatted his hands away quickly. An insane blush crept it's way up to her face. "Don't touch me!"

"Sorry!" He shrieked at the top of his lungs. "I'm scared!" He admitted. Now he was relief that he went with Star instead of Jackie, because this might be considered being a coward. Not a good way to keep your relationship with a girl that hot, if you ask him. But he ignored Star and grabbed her waist like a teddy bear. Falling off to his dead seems like a much bigger problem that getting scolded by Star.

Oh, wait. Scratch that. She probably gonna kill him when they landed.

He's dead anyway! What else to lose?

"Shut up!" Star shouted. "I can't navigate like this!"

"Hahaha! He screamed like a little girl!" Luna laughed hard, starting to lose her balance.

"Careful!" Star warned. But Luna still laughs and Marco still screams. Why did I even choose this team?

"Chill, Star." Luna squeaked between laughters. "I got it under control."

Of course, that's when the Fates decided enough was enough. You can't just go around and declare that you think you're fine! It's time for disasters!

"Look out!" Star shouted just as something hit Luna. The pegasus cried out in agony, and starting to lost control.

"Aaaaaaaah!" Marco's voice flew in the air as they dropped down like a sack of rocks, at the speed of a haywire truck. They would've hit the bottom and became a demigod/pegasus grease on the road, but luckily, Sol dived down like an arrow and helped Luna. He struggled to support his sister, and they slowed down to a clearing in the middle of the woods.

Sol's help was enough to slow the fall, but it wasn't enough to make a soft landing. They rolled down to the slightly wet grass, which was starting to get stained in red with Luna's blood.

Wait, what? Luna's blood?

"Luna!" Star ran to her friend and checked the wound. It wasn't too deep, and it wasn't an arrow.

It was a bullet wound.

"Damn those hunters! It was the guy with his fake clay pigeons! I saw him!" She cursed then turned to Luna. "Alright, you're fine. Don't worry. I'm here. We're all here." Luckily, the bullet shot cleanly through the base of Luna's right wing. It didn't get stuck or anything. Star pulled out a first aid kit from her backpack, then cleaned Luna's wound. She opened her canteen of nectar and sprinkled some. It hissed like a frying pan, and so did Luna, but the bleeding stopped. She took out the bandages and wrapped it around the wound.

"That should be ok. I'm no daughter of Apollo, but I know a bit first aid." She said, then hugged her friend carefully. "I'm sorry. I should've warned you when I saw the pigeon hunter. I'm so, so sorry."

"It's fine. I should've paid more attention." Luna nuzzled Star. She smiled in respond.

"Oh gods. The sun is going down fast. I think we need to set up a camp."

"Where are we?" Jackie set the million drachmas question.

"That's not the matter for today. I don't care about it now!" Star rolled her eyes. She pulled out two handkerchiefs from her backpack, then set them on the ground.

"My original plan was only two people, but you guys butted in, so now we have to share the tents. Marco and Ferguson in one, me and Jackie in the other." She fanned the silvery papers. They immediately starting to grow, into two medium-sized tents. But when they looked inside, it felt like an entire one-person-apartment.

"Wha– But how?" Marco asked in amazement.

"The Mist, boy. It creates incredible things." Star said, then stepped in her tent. There is only one bed per tent, but there is a couch in there, too.

"Jackie, come in. But, to give you a 'heads up', I'm not gonna sleep on the couch." She turned to the boys. "You go to your tent, now. And if I caught any of you sneak into my tent tonight, you're dead meat. Remember?" The boys nodded quickly. They didn't seem too eager to cross the line, especially with Star and her scary threat.

"Ok. That solved the sleeping problem. Now, you guys," Star pointed at Marco and Ferguson, "go and collect some twigs for the fire. If this is where I think it is, there would be monsters lurking here. A lot, to be precise."

"And just where do you think we are?" Jackie questioned with a bad attitude.

"Angeles National Forest. We Hunters usually hunts here, because this place is seriously infested with monsters. Result of being located too close to the Underworld entrance, I guess. Now boys, shoo!" She pushed them, and they went inside the woods with their faces looked like they've just discovered that they had a rare disease, whimpered something inaudible.

"You guys should find somewhere to sleep, too. Unfortunately, I don't have a tent that is big enough for both of you, and I can't let Luna sleep alone tonight." Star said to the twin, who nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry." Sol said reassuringly. "We can sleep near the fire. That's good for Luna, too."

"Okay. So do you need my help?"

"Nah. We got this." Luna whined. It was her wing that is hurting like Hades, not her legs. She's not a disabled pegasus! She can still walk around, but gods forbid, she can't run as she pleased. It was driving her freaking insane.

They camped that night in the clearing, with a crackling fire going on. It spread warmth across the darkness and the awkward silence, but failed to lift the spirit up. Unlike others, Star was really troubled by the situation they're in. Monsters are following their trail, and if they don't move fast, they will never make it to Camp. And what about Marco's parentage? That is also something to be worried about. Her head spun like a tornado, and when she saw the moon up high on the sky, she settled for a prayer.

Artemis, my mistress. Star said mentally. I have been loyal to you for more than a thousand years. Now I have a question that required your wisdom to be answered. Why? Why me? Why don't you let the satyr take Marco to Camp? What part do I play in this? And why can't you help me? She waited. And waited. And waited. But nothing come.

That's when she decided she have had enough of this long, eventful day.

"Bedtime." She stood up, and slung her backpack over her shoulder, heading for the tent she shared with Jackie. Others scrambled behind her, but Luna and Sol stayed there. They will sleep here, after all. Star had set up all sorts of traps and protection around the campfire to prevent monsters. And she had asked a favor from Hestia: a hearth that burns through the night. The goddess had granted it, because that's the only explanation for the weird fire which burns without fuel.

Star threw her bag down to her bed in distress. She fell down to the soft and familiar sheets herself, and let out a small sigh.

"Dang. What bothers you so much?" Jackie asked surprisingly. Star can't believe it. Jackie actually cares?

"Nothing. But thanks for asking."

"It's no use lying to me, you know."

"What, you're gonna charmspeak me?"

"Nah. You're immune to that. I'm gonna talk to you. As your super duper younger sister." Jackie cracked a small innocent grin, which makes Star questioned what is this girl's real intention. Then she realized something. Jackie is her sister. The fact weirded Star out, and she is sure as Hades have never think of Jackie as her sister before. But, that's the truth.

"Um, sorry. Not in the mood tonight." Star found the first excuse and clung to it. Jackie just shrugged and climb into her couch.

What does this girl want? Star thought. She turned her feelings about me into a complete opposite! What should I do? Agh! Star turned and turned again, but she can't find the perfect sleeping position. She rolled her pillow into an uncomfortable ball of cotton, then smacked it flat again. She winced at the noise, but nobody seems to pay attention. Jackie was sleeping soundly already. Star sighed, and think about what she will do when this ends to distract herself. Unfortunately, that only makes her wondering questions about this so-called quest more than she should do.

With another problem in mind, she slowly drifted to sleep.

A/N: Hi everyone! Jenny here. I just want to say thank you for reading my story and sorry for not update sooner. I got caught up with school and stuff, you know. But anyway, thank you so much to EVAunit42 for leaving reviews! You guys should check out his/her (sorry :( ) stories, there are amazing Starco stuff there. Again, thank you! Suggest what you want to happen by reviews, and next chapter is going up, hopefully a week from now. Bye!

Favs, follows and especially reviews are always highly appreciated. If you did one of those things, thanks!

Jenny 3