And here's chapter 7! Percy and Rachel finally meet the Hunt...and Percy and Artemis finally get their first moment. Twas a bit of a long time coming but hopefully the pace wasn't too sudden. Now, enjoy Chapter 7!

Chapter 7: "Where are you taking me, Percy Jackson?"

"…are you even listening to me right now?"

"Hey! Perseus Jackson…don't tell me. You're actually still asleep?"

Percy tried to ignore the sweet sounding voice in his head a little while longer.

"PERCY JACKSON!"

"Ow! Artemis, please don't speak so loudly. You're giving me a headache…"

"Then pick up next time. You should be awake by now. Anyways, did you rescue the girl?"

"Pick up? This isn't instant messaging for crying out loud; this is my mind! And yes, I rescued the girl. Her name's Emily by the way, and she's one special kid. Tell you more when I see you."

"Great. Can you hurry on back? Rachel nearly got into a fight like…only a dozen times since she got here. Geez Percy of all the mortals you could have blessed, you chose that redheaded nightmare from hell—"

"Artemis, we can talk more about Rachel Elizabeth Dare later. She's actually quite sweet once you get to know her. Emily and I will come by soon. Over and out!"

And with that, Percy shut off his mind so that he could get some peace and quiet. This whole telepathy thing the gods did with one another seemed cool but really started to get annoying after a few unplanned encounters. After a couple minutes, Percy opened his eyes and took in his bearings. He was still on the sofa from the evening before, and Emily was still curled up in a ball beside him, her head resting on Percy's chest. Percy smiled fondly as he gazed at the young demigod—demititaness, her golden blond and red streaked curls dangling down past her shoulders. She actually reminded him a bit of Annabeth. A daughter of Rhea. Wow…Percy wasn't even aware of the existence of demititans. And yet, one presently lay in his very arms. Wait till Artemis gets hold of this, he thought.

He felt Emily stir. She slowly opened her eyes then looked up at Percy, twin pools of emerald light twinkling like stars.

"Morning," she said softly, then gave Percy a small smile.

"Hello Emily, sleep alright?"

"Yep," she blushed, "Sorry I kinda used you as a pillow…"

Percy laughed, "That's okay. I've been told I make a really nice pillow. Common, let's eat breakfast."

After Percy and Emily washed up, he promptly snapped his fingers and made them his favorite breakfast: blue pancakes with blue orange juice. When Emily saw what was for breakfast, she asked, "Why is everything blue?" to which Percy gave the standard explanation. She laughed, shrugged, and dug in.

After inhaling a couple of pancakes, Emily looked at Percy hopefully.

"So, did you find out who my mother is?"

Percy nodded and looked at her with a mischievous smile, "Yes I did. She contacted me last night actually, and you're not going to believe who she is."

"No way! Who is she? Please tell me," Emily leaned forward and tilted her head, giving Percy an Olympic-grade puppy dog eyes display that was impossible to resist.

He caved. "Your mother is Rhea, Titaness of Motherhood…and you're a demititaness."

"A demititaness? But…I thought my mother is supposed to be a goddess?"

"That's what I thought," Percy admitted, "I've never met a demititaness before, and I think you may be the only one around…but that won't matter. We'll find you a home either way."

Emily looked a little uncertain, but she nodded and put on a brave smile,

"As long as I'm with you, I know everything's going to be okay. Mmm…," she mused, "What is…Rhea like?"

Percy gave her an apologetic look, "I'm sorry Emily, but I haven't actually met her before…very few people have. She contacted me last night, and from what little I know about her, I'd say she's a really sweet person whom everyone loved. She said she'd check on the two of us one day, so there's that to look forward to."

That answer seemed to satisfy Emily as she returned to her pancakes. After they finished breakfast, Percy finally told Emily about the Hunters of Artemis and how he even came to know about her. When he asked her whether she would be willing to join the Hunters, she looked at him worriedly and asked,

"I don't suppose you'll be there? Since it's an all-girls group…"

"Well, actually…," Percy grinned, "I'm kinda attached there right now along with my friend Rachel, who you'll soon meet. I'm sure the two of you are gonna get along splendidly! So what do you say? At least meet Artemis. She's really nice."

"She's the goddess of the hunt right?" Emily asked.

"The one and only silver-eyed heroine!"

Emily laughed. "Well, I suppose there's no harm in going for a visit right? How are we gonna get there though? Oh wait, don't tell me. You can teleport too?" she added sarcastically.

Percy gave her a smug smile, "Give me your hand, daughter of Rhea."

She did, and the two of them disappeared in a golden burst of light.

LINE BREAK

Where on earth was Percy Jackson, Artemis thought anxiously. At this point, she was seriously tempted to flash to the son of Poseidon in person and drag him back here, if only for her genuine fear that chaos would erupt in her absence. From the moment the mortal Rachel Elizabeth Dare had set foot in camp, tensions were at an all-time high. She clearly didn't like Artemis and her hunters, and for the most part tried to keep to herself. She even made her own meals and summoned her own tent. However, her hunters knew Rachel despised them, and therefore felt the need to antagonize her. Phoebe and Atalanta in particular, two of her more senior hunters, kept trying to command Rachel to do the worst chores. And every time they—

"HEY! LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD! That wasn't a request! It was an order! Now, if you don't get started on those arrows this instant—"

"Listen up FEEBLE, if you say one more word to me, I'll take that as an excuse to break your face!" Rachel shot to her feet. She was sitting a few meters away from the rest of the hunters as they ate their lunch. Everyone paused what they were doing, burgers in hand as they watched what would happen next. Rachel started munching on her fries as Phoebe and Atalanta glared at her with rancor.

Artemis cleared her throat, "Phoebe, Atalanta, what do you think you're doing? Do you think your behavior is appropriate? We're all trying to enjoy our lunch breaks here."

"But my lady!" Atalanta protested, "This mortal hasn't done anything to deserve a lunch break! Ever since she's got here, she hasn't contributed at all!"

Rachel stopped twirling the apple in her hand and took a bite, "Let me remind you," she said between munches, "that while I may not have contributed, I've kept to myself. I'm only here for Percy—"

"Oh yeah, can't wait till that **** boy gets here," Phoebe sneered.

Rachel put down her apple and snarled, "I dare you to say that again!"

Phoebe marched up to Rachel and got into her face. Artemis rose to her feet and decided this was as far as she was going to let this argument go.

"Phoebe and Atalanta," she raised her voice, "I command the two of you to return to my side at once."

At that moment, a burst of golden light filled the clearing. When it died down, Percy Jackson stood before them, a beautiful blond haired girl with red streaks and emerald green eyes holding his arm.

"Look who finally decided to show up," Artemis said drily, secretly relieved the Savior of Olympus had arrived. He flashed her a dazzling smile and she indulged herself in staring at him, how his wind swept hair fell perfectly into place, how his sea green eyes sparkled with new warmth and spirit, and how his glowing aura seemed to accentuate his good looks. What am I doing…she chastised herself.

"Oh look, Percy Jackson the man*****—" Phoebe was abruptly cut off as Rachel waved her hand and let loose a golden blast of light that smashed the hunter in the chest, sending her crashing into a nearby tree.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Rachel murmured grimly.

Percy walked up to Artemis and quickly took her hand, making her jump with surprise.

"Gods, I'm so sorry for what Rachel just did. I'll calm her down while you take a look at Phoebe, okay? This is Emily, the girl I rescued," he gestured at the blond girl still holding his arm. She gave Artemis a shy smile and a small wave.

Artemis smiled back, "It's a pleasure to meet you Emily. We'll talk more later, okay?"

"Sure thing," Emily said.

"And Percy," Artemis added, "You better think of how you're gonna make this up to me. Your friend has been a nightmare to host…"

Percy gave her a wink and said, "Uh huh, and I'm sure your hunters were soooo nice to Rachel. And honestly I'm so heartbroken to be called names the moment I step foot in your camp…" He sniffed dramatically a few times to hammer home his point before making his way towards Rachel. Artemis sighed and knelt down to examine Phoebe's injuries. Five broken ribs, concussion, and severe chest burns. Gods, Percy was crazy blessing Rachel with so much power… Artemis did what she could, bathing Phoebe in a silver blanket of light before giving a quick incantation to wrap up the process. She instructed Jasmine, a daughter of Apollo and the Hunt's best healer, to ensure Phoebe was brought to the infirmary and placed under intensive care. She then ordered the rest of the hunt to disperse and carry on with the rest of their duties. Finally, she made her way toward Percy.

"…and honestly, they can say all they want about me—I really couldn't give a rat's ass! But I'm not gonna sit by while they insult you!" Rachel was clearly on a roll.

Percy was putting on his best stern face, but he just didn't wear the look very well. "Rachel, we knew what we'd face when it came to the Hunters of Artemis. They can be infuriating, I know, but we need to be the bigger people here. Especially after you've received my blessing. You could've killed her…Rachel, you don't know your own strength."

Rachel pouted, looking genuinely crestfallen. Her green eyes fell to the ground and she looked so sad that even Artemis felt bad for her.

"But…I know you meant well and she kinda deserved it for trying to bully you," Percy draped his arm around Rachel's shoulders, "Just promise me you won't assault our new friends anymore, no matter what."

Artemis' jaw dropped. She couldn't believe how fast Percy was letting Rachel off the hook! Totally unfair!

"I promise," Rachel mumbled.

Percy smiled, "That's the Rachel I love."

He kissed the top of her head and that was that, the redheaded nightmare from the vilest layers of hell subdued in a matter of a few sentences.

"Moving on!" Percy gently pushed Emily forward until she was standing in front of him, "This is Emily Drake, the girl I rescued." Percy whispered something into Rachel's ear and her eyes widened. She turned to Emily and gave her a warm smile, something Artemis never got from her.

"Hello, Emily. I'm Rachel Elizabeth Dare, an old friend of Percy's."

Emily's eyes twinkled, "Hi Rachel, how come you have Percy's powers? I saw what you did earlier to that hunter."

Percy face-palmed while Rachel laughed. Rachel took Emily's arm and went a little way of into the distance, as if they were already best friends. Percy turned to Artemis and gave her a tired smile, "being the only guy around here is tiring…"

Artemis laughed and, without thinking, punched Percy playfully. He looked at her in surprise, his eyes lighting up, while she inwardly slapped herself. What was that?! OMGs!

"Hey, it's okay! You should be like that more…I like easy-going Artemis," Percy teased.

Artemis paused, "Wait, you heard that?"

"Yup, I guess it kinda slipped through your consciousness."

Artemis blushed golden, "Well…that's rather embarrassing. Anyways, what did you want to tell me about Emily? She seems different."

Percy had a knowing look on his face, "Yeah, Emily's a daughter of Rhea. She's a demititaness".

Artemis' eyes widened slightly in surprise, "a daughter of Rhea? That makes her our aunt. I had no idea Rhea still went around having children. Well to be honest no one knows where Rhea is…she hasn't been seen in millennia."

Percy smirked, "Well, I must get my stealth abilities from her then. As for Emily, I think the Hunt could be the place for her, though Camp Half Blood could do too."

"No," Artemis quickly said, "I'd like her to be one of my Hunters."

Percy called over to Emily and Rachel, and the two green-eyed girls made their way towards him. "Emily, Artemis would like to speak with you."

The demititaness approached Artemis, marveling at the fact the goddess appeared to be her own age.

"Hello, my lady. It's a bit strange that you look like someone my age…"

Artemis stifled a laugh, "Don't worry, though I've just found out you're technically my aunt! Emily, I do have an offer for you though. Would you like to join my Hunt?"

Emily looked thoughtful, "So you girls live and travel and fight together for all time? I'd become immortal…but I would have to take the vow wouldn't I?"

"That's right, it's not for everyone," Artemis glanced at Rachel, "But it's incredibly fulfilling for those who seek this life."

The daughter of Rhea looked at Percy and Rachel, then back at Artemis. "Can I have a week to decide?"

"Of course, there's no hurry," Artemis said, "Until then, we can get you settled in and begin your combat training. How's that sound?"

Emily smiled excitedly, "That sounds awesome, my lady!

LINE BREAK

For the next week or so, Artemis brought her Hunters along her usual route, through dense forests, vast plains, and rural countryside. She made it a point to personally show Emily the ropes and integrate her as best as she knew how into life as a Hunter. The demititaness seemed receptive and was really starting to open up to everyone around her; in fact, everyone seemed to love her. It was as if she had some sort of hypnotic aura. Her apparent influence wasn't just personal, those around her seemed to get along with one another too, almost like she was enhancing camaraderie. In any case, relations between Percy and Rachel and the Hunt had gotten to a point where they could exchange words without hostility, which was great. In fact, with the exception of Phoebe and Atalanta, Artemis would say her hunters actually liked the two green-eyed delinquents.

"Owww! That sorta hurt…" Emily complained, rubbing her shoulder where Rachel had just smacked her with the flat of her blade. The daughter of Rhea then put on a determined face and lunged.

Artemis watched from a distance as the two girls practiced their sword fighting in an open clearing. The trees above rustled softly with a pleasant wind, the surrounding lush vegetation swayed gently, and a little way off in the distance, a gleaming lake decorated the background. What a picturesque moment, Artemis thought. She suddenly felt a warm, familiar presence by her side.

"Heyya Artemis," Percy said softly.

Percy. Over the past week, Artemis had been able to see a lot more of the Savior of Olympus, more than she was used to. They even managed to have a few good talks, though they were hardly ever alone. Sometimes, Rachel had to go off for her classes, and when she did, Artemis was secretly happy—it meant alone time with Percy.

"What are you thinking about?" Percy smirked, "You have on this cute pondering look. Like, your eyebrows sorta squish together and you get this faraway look. You kinda pout too."

Artemis blushed furiously, "Wha…I do not pout! I-"

At a genuine loss for words, Artemis decided the best course of action would be to cross her arms and…pout some more.

"Jerk…," she muttered.

That made Percy laugh. "Artemis, there's somewhere I want to bring you."

"…where?" she asked curiously.

"A place I've visited a lot the past three years, and honestly I just thought we could chill a bit," he paused, "just the two of us."

Artemis felt her heartbeat pick up. What's happening to me?

"Is this a date?" she blurted out. She quickly covered her mouth. He was engaged for crying out loud…Just kill me now.

She saw Percy blush, which surprised her. She hadn't seen him blush before.

"Percy, I'm sorry, I didn't—"

Percy brought his index finger to Artemis' lips, effectively shutting her up. He gave her a nervous smile, one he didn't give very much. "Tell you what, we'll leave that question unanswered…and see what happens."

Artemis looked into Percy's eyes and immediately started getting a bit light-headed. What was it with this guy…Artemis thought. Ever since that council meeting three years ago, every time Artemis saw Percy, some…previously dormant part of her kept igniting…and every time she tried to deny or shut it away, it would come back stronger. It went without saying that she had never felt this way about anyone before, so for the first time in her life, she was completely lost, at the mercy of her own feelings. Percy Jackson was one of the only males she even respected, but he also made her feel vulnerable, emotional, and longing…and she hated herself for it. She was a maiden goddess. She took a vow of maidenhood, she led a group of girls who took the same oath…and Percy probably told himself he wouldn't love again anyways—so what was the point! She'd be lying to herself if she insisted there wasn't any chemistry between them though…and if she went with him now, she knew herself well enough that she'd be taking that final step off the edge, that he'd be taking her to places she'd never been to before. She was an immortal goddess millennia old, and yet her mind was telling her no but her heart was telling her yes!

Without her consciously doing it, she allowed herself to transform into her twenty-one year old form, wanting to match Percy. He blinked at her and stared, star struck. His jaw dropped slightly and he quickly looked Artemis head to toe. That made her self-conscious and she blushed. She was surprised to see him blush too, and for once the quick-witted son of the sea god was silent. Artemis wasn't sure how this worked, but she was feeling brave. She closed the distance between the two of them and took his arm,

"Where are you taking me, Percy Jackson?"

So how was it? I actually had a lot of fun writing the Percy/Artemis segment. These things always seem to take a life of their own :P Appreciate all the feedback, reviews, favs, and follows so keep em coming! Until next time!