Disclaimer: I do not own PJO nor Mythology.
Stubborn
For a while both gods just sat there, enjoying each others company. But Percy knew that they had to get out of the alley before the monsters actually caught on to their scent and started chasing them.
Percy stood and held out a hand for Artemis to take, she hesitated, but took his outstretched hand into hers. With that single touch she felt a small spark, like an electric shock. Immediately, she let go once she was up. Her head was spinning and her vision was a bit blurry. She held her head trying to calm it.
"You okay?" Percy asked, worriedly.
She nodded her head, "Yeah, I'm just tired."
Perseus nodded, but wasn't convinced. They both needed a place to rest and they couldn't go to Olympus, because Percy didn't want to face the other gods. The gods may get suspicious of him and he couldn't risk seeing his parents. They couldn't go to Camp Half-Blood, because the monsters already destroyed the place. At least that's what Perseus thought.
"Are you okay is the better question." Artemis asked, seeing Perseus in deep thought.
"Yeah, it's just that I was thinking on where we could find a place to rest for the night." Percy snapped his fingers figuring it out, "I know! How about we stay in a hotel?"
Artemis grimaced, "A-a hotel?"
"Yeah, that's the only thing that I can think of. Or do you want to stay out here in the cold of the night?" Percy suggested.
Artemis shook her head, "No. I just think that... I don't know. A hotel?"
Percy sighed clearly seeing that she was uncomfortable with the idea of them both staying in the same room, "Don't worry, we'll be staying in separate rooms. That is if you don't like staying alone..."
She looked hesitant on staying in a hotel. Perseus noticed her discomfort and knew that a hotel was a bad idea. Maybe they could stay in the woods. He had a little hiding place around there somewhere. But it wasn't around civilization. In fact it was in the forest. He didn't want for Artemis to know where it was, but since she didn't seem to want to stay in a hotel then he would have to show her his secret hiding place.
"Um, well, if you don't want to then maybe we can stay on my camping site..." Percy rubbed his hands together and nervously looked toward the ground.
"You have a camping site?" Artemis questioned.
"Yeah."
"Okay, then lead the way." Artemis nodded. She was relieved that they would be staying somewhere else other then a stinky hotel where mortals slept and... Well, she didn't want to think what else they did in those rooms. But she did shudder knowing exactly what the mortals had done.
Percy grimaced, "I'd have to flash us there, but..."
"But what?" Artemis questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Never mind. Lets go." Perseus answered. He took hold of her hand before she could react and quickly turned into his true form.
A blue purplish light appeared in a section of a forest that was secluded from all humanity. As Artemis' vision cleared she found herself to stand in a section of a forest that she had never seen before, which was weird since she was the goddess of the forest and she's been to every forest known to man.
Artemis was quiet for a moment, mulling over the thought. This couldn't be the forest where she had met Perseus millennium ago. This forest was different. It was smaller and it didn't hold the aura that the other forest had. It was simply a normal forest.
"Where are we?" Artemis asked, curiously.
"The woods. Where else would we be?"
Artemis shook her head, "No, I meant what part of the woods are we. What forest?"
Perseus scratched his head, "Um... I-I don't know. Aren't you supposed to be the one who knows all about forest's and where they lay?"
"This isn't an ordinary forest. I've been here... where are we really?" Artemis narrowed her eyes toward Perseus.
Percy sighed heavily, "Look, I can't say, okay? Let's just stay for the night and we'll leave at sunrise."
"Where?"
"To Camp Half-Blood." Perseus answered.
"I thought you said it was dangerous to go back, what business do you have over there?" Artemis looked at Perseus, quizzically.
Percy looked confused, "Aren't we going to get your hunters and the remaining survivors?"
Artemis looked as if she had just been slapped, "My hunters..."
"I need to go back." Artemis stated, "My hunters are in danger."
"That's why we're leaving tomorrow at sunrise."
"No, I need to go now." Artemis stubbornly stated.
"You can't go alone, you'll die out there." Perseus frowned.
Artemis growled in frustration, "My hunters are in danger. I need to go now, Perseus. Either you accompany me or I go alone."
Perseus sighed, "Please, Artemis, wait until tomorrow. There's no use of going now when it's the middle of the night."
"I can't wait for tomorrow to come. Their like a second family to me and if I lose them... I won't know what to do without them. I'm leaving." Artemis turned on her heel and was about to walk off, but was stopped by Perseus who grabbed her by her arm.
"Please, Artemis, I know you love them, but understand that you can't risk yourself like this. I put you in a danger that can kill you and your own family. Everyone around me may die because of my mistake. I need you to stay, just for tonight." Perseus pleaded.
Artemis looked at Perseus seeing the worried expression he held in his beautiful ocean colored eyes. They held a pain so deep that it was indescribable. She noticed that this Perseus had the same look as the Perseus she had met millennium ago. It had to be him, but she couldn't jump to conclusions. Perseus had betrayed her and she would never forgive him. But did he really betray her or had he done it for her own well being?
"I'll stay." Artemis whispered.
Percy nodded, "Follow me."
Perseus took the lead seeing as Artemis didn't know where his camping site was. Artemis kept quiet as she followed him, but she was also looking around the new area. It was dark and the only light there was, was the glow that the two gods emanated. The moon was still clouded by the stormy clouds that occupied the sky. It was noticeable that they were still in New York, but what part of New York were they in?
Artemis turned to look at Percy. His glow seemed different; it was very weak. How could she help him? The first step for a god to fade is to become a mortal and then slowly the mortal dies because of the blood it holds. Mortals can't hold the blood of a god and if Percy becomes a mortal he'll still have that blood and eventually, die.
"You're fading, aren't you?" Artemis stated.
Perseus turned to her, surprised, "No... I'm just weak from the fight... Why would you think that?"
"You're glow is weak. I god never gets tired from simply fighting against a mortal, even though that mortal is the son of a god. Why do you keep lying, why don't tell the truth?" Artemis said simply.
"I-I'm not lying," Percy paused not knowing what to say, "I'm telling the truth..."
Artemis shook her head, "No, you're lying."
Percy sighed. It was no use to keep telling her lies, he was horrible at it. It was better if he told her.
"... Yeah, I am fading."
Artemis took a shaky breath, "And you're fine with that?"
Percy shrugged, "I guess. I mean, when you don't have anyone that cares for you in your life you just seem to not care about yourself anymore. The meaning of living is no longer a gift to me. It's simply a sort of Nightmare you could call it..."
"A nightmare..." Artemis trailed off.
"Yeah, a nightmare." Perseus nodded.
"Perseus, I've had some pretty rough times myself, but I don't ever think of dying as the only alternative to run away from my problems. There has to be a way to cure you... To make you live again." Artemis argued.
Perseus grimaced, "... Well, there is a way, but..."
"But?"
"No, I can't. I promised myself I would never ask for her help." Perseus' fists clenched at the thought of asking that woman for any help. She abandoned him. She left him for dead.
"Perseus, this isn't about keeping your pride anymore, this is about your health. Who is this person, maybe I can help." Artemis offered.
Perseus shook his head, "No, I don't need that person's help. And it's not about my pride, it's just... I hate that person with all my heart and I don't need it. I'm fine and I'll survive this."
"Stop trying to sound like you're okay, because you're not. You need help," Artemis looked Percy dead in the eye, "Who is it?"
Percy hesitated, "Um, well, you know her and well, she's my mother."
"Your mother?"
"Yeah, she's Aphrodite." Perseus nodded, nervously.
Artemis gasped, "The love goddess?"
Perseus nodded once more, "Yeah, she's the love goddess."
"Of all the people out there it had to be her. So, she's your mother?" Artemis angrily asked.
"Yup, the love goddess is my mother and the sea god is my father." Perseus stated.
Artemis sighed deeply, "So, Luke was telling the truth... You must be quiet powerful then, huh?"
"Well, I wouldn't say powerful, but I am their first child, so..."
"Zeus is going to be furious." Artemis breathed.
Perseus tilted his head in confusion. He had heard that name before. He remembered that his mother would always talk about Zeus and how he would be angry about something, but his memories were still a little blurry therefore it was hard for him to remember what his mother was talking about.
He decided to ask, "Who's Zeus?"
Artemis turned and looked at him incredulously, "He's my father, the king of the gods and heaven... You don't know that?"
"No, I think I've heard of him before, but I never knew who he truly was... So, he's your father?"
"Yeah."
Percy nodded, but said nothing else. His mind was whirling with many questions that hadn't been answered in a while, but he decided not to question her any further. He'd look dumb in front of her and he didn't want that. He already had a bad reputation with her and it wouldn't help to worsen it.
They kept walking in the silence of the night the tension that had gone had come back to haunt them again. Artemis was buried in her thoughts, while Perseus was buried in his own thoughts. Both had many questions, but none had the guts to question each other any further. Perseus broke the silence as they neared some bushes.
"We're here." He stated.
Artemis rose an eyebrow, "Where's here?"
Perseus opened the bushes, "Ladies first."
Artemis scoffed, but entered anyway. A bright warm light welcomed her as she crawled out of the bushes. She stood to her full height and stared in amazement at the sight in front of her, "This is amazing."
"What is?" Percy asked as he crawled out of the bushes himself.
"This. Is this your camping site?" Artemis asked in awe.
Percy nodded, a golden blush appearing on his cheeks, "Y-yeah. Why?"
"It's beautiful." Artemis closed her eyes and breathed in a breath.
Artemis found that the place felt quiet similar to where she used to live with Perseus only that it was completely different. They were inside a tent, but to Artemis it felt like she was in her own temple. Everything that occupied the tent was made out of pure marble and a silver like substance. The tent glowed with an aura of light so pure and clean that she couldn't help but relax her tensed up muscles and let down her inner defenses. She felt at home again, like she was back in the forest where she found Percy. Everything felt the same.
But everything was not the same. She opened her eyes and saw that she was in the tent and not in the forest where she grew up. She turned around and caught Perseus' eye. He too was staring off into the distance, a thoughtful expression on his features.
"What are you thinking about?" Artemis asked, curiously.
"Huh, oh, nothing... I was just thinking about a plan to get your hunters tomorrow." Percy lied.
Artemis knew that he was lying, but decided on not questioning him any further. She was tired from the days events and all she wanted to do was lie in a soft bed and rest for at least a few hours before they left for Camp Half-Blood at sunrise.
"You tired?" Perseus asked when he saw her yawn.
"A little." Artemis winced, while rubbing her arm.
"What's wrong?" Percy asked, worriedly.
Artemis shook her head, "Nothing."
Perseus looked more clearly toward her arm. A long slash could be seen as golden ichor fell from the wound. How couldn't he have noticed before! She was injured and he barely noticed it now? 'I'm so stupid!'
"You're injured, come with me." Percy ordered.
"I don't need-" Perseus cut her off.
"Are you going to suffer with the pain or are you going to heal it?"
Artemis narrowed her eyes, "I wouldn't be talking if I were you."
"Are you still on about that? I'll be fine, okay. Now, lets go treat that wound of yours." Perseus waved for her to come.
She sighed, but obliged, "Fine."
Both walked toward a big wooden door that had a sort of gold knocker on it that had the shape of the last letter of the Greek alphabet, an Omega Ω.
Perseus opened the mysterious door, while Artemis waited in anticipation to see what laid at the other side. A room. It was an ordinary room that seemed like any other room, but something in the room attracted her to it.
Cautiously, she scanned the room making sure that it wasn't some sort of trap. After seeing that it was safe enough to go in she took a cautious step like she was in a bomb field and smelt the air like an animal sniffing for danger. She was about to sigh when she caught a strange smell that she didn't think of ever smelling it again in her life. The scent was of a rose. But not just any rose, she knew the difference between an ordinary rose and the rose she just smelt. It had been the rose that Percy had given her a long time ago. It was the silver rose. The question was, where was that beautiful rose.
Artemis stood there for a brief moment not knowing how to react to the ancient scent, but she quickly regained her composure and proceeded to sit on the soft, comfy bed.
"Here let-" Perseus had been reaching for her arm only to have Artemis push his hand away.
"I can do it myself." She responded sternly.
Percy nodded, "Okay."
Artemis looked at him, "Can I have my privacy?"
"Uh, yeah, sorry... Um, just call me if you need anything, okay?" Percy spoke a little hurt evident in his voice.
"Okay..."
Quickly, Perseus made his way out the door.
Artemis waited for a second before she jumped off the bed and hurriedly got on her hands and knees looking under the bed. She could feel it, smell it, she could practically taste it's sweet scent. The smell of the rose penetrated her senses with it's lovely poison, because truly, the rose was like a deadly poison to her.
Her eyes landed on a glowing object that sparkled like her own eyes with it's silvery aura. With trembling hands she picked up the deadly rose and stared at it as if it were an offense. 'It can't be...'
Artemis shot toward the door, opening it in a hurry. 'I need to find him.'
"Perseus!" She called. No answer.
"Please, Perseus, who are you really?" Artemis questioned in a hoarse voice, "I need to know... Please."
Artemis continued to look, but found nothing. Maybe he went out for a walk or something. She made her way out the bushes, the warmth leaving her completely as she exited the big tent.
"Perseus!" She called out again. Still no answer. She looked at the rose angrily as if him not answering were it's fault.
Artemis let out a frustrated yell, "Where the Hades are you?"
Suddenly, she caught whispers near by and couldn't help but nearing the familiar voices.
"What am I going to do, Apollo. She's onto me... soon she'll find out about me." Perseus' voice spoke up.
Artemis' brother, Apollo, sighed, "How am I supposed to know, you're the one who decided to go to that camp."
"I didn't have anywhere else to go." Percy growled.
"What about the camping site?" Apollo suggested.
"They know where it is." Perseus answered, angrily.
"Then why did you bring my sister here!" Apollo screamed.
Percy shook his head, "It's just for tonight, they won't notice... I hope."
"Let me get this straight, you brought my twin sister with you seeing that you were in danger of getting killed and your powers aren't at their full potential?" Apollo gritted his teeth together.
"What else was I supposed to do, leave her?" Percy argued.
Apollo slapped Percy in the back of his head, "What in Zeus' name is wrong with you!"
"Ow! What the fuck is wrong with you!" Percy yelled, rubbing his head in pain.
Apollo's whole body was shaking with anger, "How could you bring her here!"
"I didn't have any other choice..."
"I just can't-" Apollo was cut off by Perseus' small whimper. Apollo turned toward the boy as he clutched his head in pain, his form flickering.
Apollo worriedly grabbed the boy's arm, "It's happening, isn't it?"
Percy could only nod. The pain ripped through him as it flowed through every vein in his body. It was getting worse and soon he wouldn't be able to stand it.
"You need help... Let me help you," Apollo pleaded, "I can't stand seeing you like this and I bet my sister wouldn't either."
Percy shook his head, "No, I'll be fine. I just need to get used to it..."
"Well, then let your mother-"
"No, I will never ask anything from that woman. Never." Perseus stated, stubbornly.
Apollo shook his head, angrily, "Don't you understand that you need help. Stop trying to act so strong, it just makes you look weak, Perseus. I can feel the agony coming off your body and it's because the pain is multiplying. You need to go back to your mother or at least let me help you, please."
"No."
"Fine let yourself fade, just don't come crying to me when you see your body turning into golden dust, you understand me?" Apollo growled.
"Clearly."
Artemis shook her head at the boy's stubbornness. His ego was pretty big if he didn't want any help from neither her brother nor her. Were all boys like this? 'Yes.' Was her answer.
Suddenly, something rough covered her mouth.
An equally rough voice spoke, "Well, well, well, what do we have here... It seems a little girl lost in the woods. You're not supposed to be out here in the big dark woods."
Artemis swallowed in fear. She knew that voice and she thought to never hear it again. It's power radiated off in torrents.
The general had escaped.
…
Uh, where should I begin... I'm sooo sorry for the late post and for such a short chapter I've just been really busy. I promise the next chapter will be longer, but there may be a slight delay. I'll probably post the next chapter a little late, so please don't hate. Also, I want to know if you guys want me to make a sequel the story isn't over by a long shot, but I just need to know so I'll start planning. Please, tell me in a review. Another thing. Tell me how I'm doing, because I'm not sure if I'm that good...
Please Review!
-PercyxArtemis
