Thank you all for your support!

Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Mindset

Lynetta didn't say anything else after that.

I didn't know what I did to have her give me the sudden silent treatment. I knew Athena kids could be sensitive about being wrong, but did I prove her wrong? All I did was state my own opinion. I didn't rebuke her or anything, so I didn't think that was the case. She had her eyebrows scrunched up; her dark grey eyes were stern and deep in thought. She would sometimes look my way when she thought I wasn't noticing. Whenever I did manage to catch her in the act, she would shrug it off and give me more instructions on my marksmanship training, just to keep me occupied.

What bothered me most was that Lynetta actually appeared worried, which was very unlike her. Normally, Lynetta was nonchalant. She would sometimes give a few pointers here and there, even a compliment if I was lucky enough…but worry? What did I do to get that? Whatever it was, I soon put the 'problem' out of my mind. I had other things I needed to handle, and I couldn't do much about it anyway.

My first session with marksmanship ended on a quiet note. My homework was to memorize the terms and the pistol's parts and functions, and I would be timed again tomorrow. Lynetta told me she would be recording my process. Once I reached a desired time, I would move on to a different gun. This procedure would repeat until I went through all the different types available. When that was over, then I could put those guns to use. It's very dull, but at least I got the boring stuff out of the way first.

Currently, I was on a treadmill, pacing myself casually as I ran through a mental schedule in my head.

After another 20 minutes of running, I will need to head to the music room and practice for an hour. Walt also wanted me to sweep the hallway and clean out some of the empty guest rooms. That's about 3 hours of work. Lynetta mentioned a tutoring session in the afternoon, so that's at least 1 hour. What else? Oh yeah, I have a sword fight against Lynetta today at 3 pm, so I got to warm up before that, and I need to prepare dinner tonight. I wonder what they want to eat this time…

Just another typical day for me. Only difference was that I needed to set some time aside for Assassin's Creed since Walt decided to give me a deadline.

Soon, my exercise came to an end. I got off the treadmill and wiped sweat off my face and neck with a spare towel. Looking down at my drenched shirt, I decided that I needed to change so I headed towards my room.

When I had just got out of the basement and walked down the hallway, I heard Walt mutter:

"Are you sure about this, Lynetta? If you are right, then it's best that we let Lady Artemis know."

"Yes, I am." Lynetta said. "Though it is only the first time it's happened, I've been around you long enough to notice it."

What are they talking about? I thought. What could be so important that Artemis needs to be informed? I took a quiet step closer, just so I could maybe see their faces. From the small crack of the doorway, I noticed Lynetta's back was towards me, and I could make out a little of Walt's scrunched up face.

"It is only speculation," Lynetta continued quietly. "A theory for now. It may not happen again, but he just seemed so…different… different, but also the same. I can't even put it to words. The feeling was just so off."

I narrowed my eyes in confusion. What was Lynetta talking about? Off…did our conversation earlier really spook her out that much? I didn't understand. What did I do to cause Lynetta- who could shoot a monster in the face without blinking an eye- to have such a reaction? What's worse was that she decided to confide it with Walt behind my back. I was the root of this problem. If she had such concerns, couldn't she just tell me so I could avoid it? Fix it?

Walt took a moment to answer, his expression slightly distressed.

"We'll keep a closer watch on him for now," he finally said. "It's not like it's harmful. If there are any more of these episodes, we'll inform Lady Artemis, if she doesn't know already. Did he…did Hunter realize any of this?"

I saw Lynetta shake her head. "No, and this only proves my theory further. Seth doesn't seem to be aware that he's doing it. I'll look into it some more. This would make a very interesting case."

Huh?

Okay, now my mind was in a complete jumble. Before I could organize my thoughts, I heard Lynetta backing up slowly and about to exit the room. Instead of going straight for the spiral staircase, I retraced my steps and pretended that I just exited out of the basement. I rubbed my face with my towel absentmindedly as I coincidentally met Lynetta in the hall.

I greeted her. "Hello, Lynetta. We have a tutoring session today right?"

She stared at me, almost with a suspicious edge. For a moment, I thought Lynetta might have seen through my pretense, but she only lowered her gaze.

"Yes," she said flatly. "Have you read up the extra chapter on the Renaissance?"

I nodded. We were going through World History right now. "I have and…" Lynetta raised an eyebrow.

"I-is something wrong?" I asked gently.

"What?" Her voice sounded a little harsh. I inwardly flinched.

"It's just…you seem a little under the weather?" I clarified. "Did something happen or…did I do something to offend you…?"

Lynetta sighed and shook her head. "It's nothing for you to worry about, Seth."

Liar, I thought. I didn't even need to tune in my hearing. Lately, I've been concentrating on enhancing my sight and hearing. Now, I could hear Lynetta's uneven heartbeat without even trying.

She's hiding something, something that I was unaware of doing. To think such a feat was possible…

I shrugged. "Okay."

I moved past her and I was just about halfway up the stairs when Lynetta called out.

"Seth, I…"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember that conversation we had earlier?" she asked. "The one about setting goals?"

"Yeah. What about it?" I asked. Was she finally going to tell me what's wrong?

She muttered something under her breath, something like 'So he does remember...'

She said aloud, "I only want to compliment you on your argument. You brought up many good points that I've never considered before. You would make my mother proud."

"I get that a lot," I admitted. "You know, one of your half-siblings is actually one of my close friends. Her name's Annabeth Chase. I think you two would get along if you ever decide to drop by the camp."

Lynetta looked thoughtful. "Is that right? Last time I've been to that camp, I remember getting along with my cabin mates quite nicely. Is Chiron doing okay? Is Mr. D still there?"

"Unfortunately," I muttered. "He still continues to get our names wrong on purpose you know? Chiron is alright. When's the last time you've been to camp?"

"I'm not sure…I left when I was only fourteen I think. So it's been ten years." she said, startled at her own words. "Ever since I came here, I never left."

"Never left," I repeated. "You mean you never once visited Camp Half-Blood?" She nodded.

"It's complicated," she told me. "Besides, I'm a grown woman Seth. I'm no longer a teenager. Camp Half-Blood may have been my home once, but I've moved on. Someday, you will share that same experience."

If I manage to survive long enough, I thought morbidly. I only nodded.

With that, Lynetta turned on her heels and headed down the hall, leaving a wistful air in her absence.

-o-

The rest of the day went by quickly. When your mind was preoccupied with endless stuff, time seemed to fly out the window. I had the sword fight against Lynetta. This time, I was able to land a couple of minor strikes on her, but I still had a long way to go before I could actually beat her. Chores were a mindless task as always. However, this afternoon, when I was cleaning out my wardrobe, I found a familiar slip of paper in my black trench coat pocket.

It was the Virginia address Hermes gave me.

For a moment, I thought about looking up the address on the internet. Who knew what awaited me at this location? I could be walking into some death trap. Some other part of me wanted me to uphold its secrecy. Hermes had explicitly told me that I would know once I knew what questions to ask, but that was just so vague.

In the end, I decided to do both.

I typed in Google Maps. I could at least get a sneak peek at the aerial view without spoiling it too much right?

Once I finished typing in the address on the laptop Walt provided for me, I zoomed in on the image. Once the image became clearer, I frowned.

It was in the middle of a suburb, a neighborhood. I could tell with the many houses surrounding it, but the arrow was pointing at what looked like a regular house you pass by any day. It wasn't too large, and it wasn't too small either judging from the roof size. It didn't seem like the place monsters would hang out.

Who in Hades lived there?

I shut my laptop quickly. I couldn't look into this any further. There must be a reason why Hermes didn't tell me who lived there, and I have a feeling the Fates didn't like being cheated.

Who cares about the Fates? That voice told me. It's your life. It's okay to be safe.

Even so, I didn't like this feeling of dread, like it was telling me that what I was doing was wrong. Curiosity killed the cat. There's a reason why that saying lasted for so long.

I placed the laptop away, puzzled by what I discovered. I got out of the room swiftly once I finished cleaning it up. I had a tutoring session I needed to attend.

-o-

"Seth, what is the definition of Humanism?" Lynetta asked.

"It's a term describing how people credit individualism over religion." I explained. "I think a good example would be the Renaissance artists Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Instead of claiming that their work comes from God, they take the recognition for themselves."

"Very good," Lynetta said, "but there is another definition. What is it?"

I thought about it. "It's…about the collection of Ancient Greek and Roman teachings. Basically, they use those to monitor and correct their current books or scroll things."

Lynetta appeared pleased. "I see your memory is still sharp. For next week, we will be going over the Age of Exploration. Prior to that, I want you to memorize this list of terms and examples, and major events." She handed me a packet of notes. I inwardly sighed. The length was exactly the same as last time. I was never going to have any time to myself was I? I wondered if public institutions gave out this much work.

"We will also be going through the Electric and Magnetic Fields for Physics next week," Lynetta added. "As for Biology, make sure you read the Embryology Chapter-" I instantly groaned. "It's something you must learn, Seth. I do not care how much you loathe it or believe it to be useless. It's a subject commonly taught in high school."

"It's not like I want to major in that stuff," I grumbled.

"Treat it like a Gen Ed requirement," she said, and then she narrowed her eyes, appearing confused. "I don't see how you are offended by this topic. It's not like you are any different from us."

"What do you mean?"

"Although your birth is unique, it's not like you are much different from other demigods," Lynetta pointed out. "You have abilities designated by your parent, you have a fatal flaw. Your physical appearance may be very similar to Lady Artemis, but I've met other demigods who look nearly identical to their parents as well. You are also similar to me. My mother is one of the virgin goddesses as well."

I sighed, and placed my pencil down. "I also have a friend who looks just like his dad too, but his situation and mine are still on different levels. Lady Athena may be like Artemis when it comes to children, but you at least have a dad and half-siblings. You don't have to deal with being 'different' on your own. Maybe if I had a…I don't know, maybe a little sister? It wouldn't be such a hassle since I'd at least have someone who shares the same experience as me. Then again, since the sibling is a girl…maybe she would still have an advantage over me. She wouldn't have to live up to such a high expectation."

"You think Lady Artemis doesn't approve of you." She didn't phrase it as a question, but a statement of fact.

"I'm a guy," I said. "As if that's not enough, my past history with her proves that I can be the worse of 'my kind'. You only met me after we reconciled. Before, I was this rash, stubborn idiot. I was just so blind. Looking back, I don't know how Artemis tolerated me. I was so nasty. Ms. Lewinsky would probably wash my mouth with soap if she heard half of the things I've said about Artemis. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn't know how I would deal with myself without blowing up."

"So those goals you told me," Lynetta began, "like the one about surpassing Artemis. Are you trying to compensate?"

There was a brief moment of silence.

"I am," I said finally. My voice felt so hollow. This was the first time I actually said it out loud. This place wasn't Camp Half-Blood, where I needed to worry about the rumor mill, so I supposed it was safe enough to say it. "It's one of my few reasons for living. I don't know if I'll ever achieve it, but it's what's keeping me going. Do you mind if you don't tell anyone about this? I rather not let this get out."

I especially didn't want Artemis to find out. I didn't want her to know that my willingness for reconciliation was the result of my own guilt. Apollo told me how she hoped to 'get along' with me better, and I was giving her the chance as promised. If she knew my true reasons, Artemis would feel cheated, and rightly so. If it weren't for this guilt, I probably wouldn't ever associate with Artemis if I could help it. It's not like I was still angry at her, it's more like her very presence just evoked something bitter inside me, something I rather forget. It wasn't Artemis' fault. She couldn't help it, which was why I remained silent.

"I won't. It's not my place to tell," Lynetta promised. She decided to sit down across from me, placing the history book she was holding onto the table. "Seth, there's something I wanted to discuss with you out of this. Do you know that your self-esteem is much lower than anyone I've ever met?"

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Your self-esteem is too low," she repeated. "So low that if you were to be checked for mental therapy, the psychiatrist would have labeled you suicidal."

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "Are you doubting my mental capability?

"No," she answered, "I know you can think clearly and carefully. The problem lies in your purpose and motivation. While your motivation to fight is strong, your reasons for that strength are not."

"Just what are you getting at?"

"What do you gain from comparing yourself with Lady Artemis?" she asked me. "You know that Artemis is on a whole other level, one that is impossible for demigods to surpass. The only ones who managed to reach that position so far are Hercules and Lord Dionysus, and their given godhood is what allowed them to close the gap. You also insist on being labeled 'weak' when your skills say otherwise. While I find that humble trait very rare in our generation, it's not doing you any favors when it comes to your self-esteem."

"I only insist that I'm weak only because it's the truth. I don't see any worth in comparing myself with my peers. Demigods are at the bottom of the chain, with the Primordial, Titans, and gods at the top. Why should I focus on surpassing them, when there are more powerful beings out there?"

"It's unrealistic," Lynetta argued. "I know you told me that you rather skip the 'stepping stone' process, but don't you see Seth? Your goals are the root of the problem! You know that they are impossible to accomplish, and because of that, you will be left with nothing but disappointment. That unavoidable result is sapping away your self-esteem and confidence."

I took a moment to digest what she said.

"I suppose that's something I have to give up," I replied. "I can't be perfect at everything, and I cannot will my mindset to change so easily. You can call it another flaw I am unable to fix. But if you insist on having me lower my standards, then I'll focus on surpassing Artemis' hunters for now. At least with their immortality boost, they will still prove to be a challenge. Is that fine?"

Lynetta gave a hesitant nod. "It's a start. How about this? Can you at least name 10 things you are proud of? It's been over four months since you came to live with us. I'm curious of what you would say."

I scoffed. "Lynetta, I may be younger than you, but that doesn't mean I'm a little kid."

"Just name 10," she insisted. "Then, I'll let the matter drop."

"Only 10?"

She nodded.

"Alright," I said. "Well let's see: I'm proud of being a good brother figure to Lucy and the other kids, a helper to Ms. Lewinsky, and being a good listener for my friends at camp. Um, I am proud of being able to swallow my pride and ask the hunters to forgive me back then. I'm proud of my new cooking skills. I can even make a whip cream pie without destroying the crust. How many is that now?"

"Five. You're halfway there."

"Five? Okay, I'm also proud of making such good friends. I wouldn't have lasted without them." I said with a smile. "I'm proud of my new habits. Thanks to Walt, I think I'm a lot more organized and tidy."

Lynetta smiled slightly. "I would be surprised if you weren't. You're at seven."

"Three more…I'm proud of that new score I got on Assassin's Creed," I suddenly mentioned. "You know, I think I change my mind. That video game really is entertaining. It's a nice way to kill time."

"I actually prefer the Final Fantasy series," she told me. "You should give them a try."

"Sure," I said. "Anyway, um, I'm proud of my upbringing. I wouldn't be who I am today without Ms. Lewinsky and the kids. I really owe them a lot. As for the last one…"

"I'm proud of being independent," I said finally. "I'm glad that I can stand on my own, and not depend on anyone else."

I'm also glad that love won't hinder me, I thought snidely. I won't be controlled by Aphrodite.

"That's my ten," I said.

"That's quite a list, kind of different from others I've heard over the years," Lynetta muttered.

"What's different?"

"Usually, the first things the student mentions would be their abilities," she said. "Yet you never mentioned your skill with archery, combat, or even your improvement in swordsmanship. May I ask why?"

"Oh, that's easy," I said off-handedly. "It's because those skills aren't mine to begin with."

"What?" Lynetta said, confused.

"Those are Artemis' abilities," I clarified. "I can't be proud of those skills because they belong to her right? That would be like stealing. The reason I can fight so well is because Artemis is the one who offered me her talents. She could have chosen to take them away or not give them to me. It's the same with Apollo too. I would never have my music and medical talent if it weren't for him. If demigods are proud of inheriting their parents' abilities, good for them, but I know better than to do that."

"I see," Lynetta muttered. "Very well, we will end here for today."

Without further adieu, I got up quickly and exited the room. I had a meal to plan, and I found myself eager in continuing my Assassin's Creed game.

-o-

"So did Hunter have any more of those episodes?" Walt asked. He was sitting behind his mahogany desk while Lynetta was leaning against a pillar in his study. They had just finished dinner, and their charge was currently in the basement playing video games.

"He did not," Lynetta told him. "I also learned that his memory is still perfectly intact, so my theory might be wrong."

"Really?" Walt said curiously. "That's quite a development, but you might still be right in a way."

"In a way," Lynetta relented. "There's something about Seth that we need to discuss, Mr. Forger. It's about his mindset."

"What do you mean?" he questioned.

"His way of thinking is troubling, especially at his age," Lynetta admitted. "Given his circumstances, I suppose it's not unfounded. It's not wrong, but it isn't right either. Today, I asked him to give me a list of ten things he is proud of. He gave me ten things, but his list was unlike any other demigod before him."

"How?"

Lynetta filled him in. When Lynetta finally finished, Walt also appeared concerned.

"That's...odd," he muttered when he heard their last bit of conversation.

"Isn't it?" Lynetta said; her tone incredulous. "Seth's way of thinking has gotten so twisted that I was almost convinced that they are right. I don't know if he had those views in the beginning or not, but did Lady Artemis or his friends not notice this?"

"I don't think the fault lies in his peers, but Hunter himself," Walt answered. "From my observations, Hunter is very secretive. He doesn't share much about himself, at least not willingly. If it weren't for the reports I've gotten from Chiron or the Olympians, I would barely know anything about him."

"That's true," she agreed.

"Every person's beliefs and outlook all begin at the origin," Walt said. "Our origins shape us into the people we are and will become. Hunter still hasn't fully recovered from his past trauma. Adding on his major inferiority complex and botched up relationship with Lady Artemis and her hunters, I'm surprised that Hunter can still get his act together after all that."

"So what do you suggest?" Lynetta asked.

"I was thinking about Hunter's next exam," Walt said. "I had wanted to do something environmentally challenging, but I couldn't decide how to go about it. Now, I think you just found the solution to my dilemma."

Lynetta thought for a while before her mind picked up on the best possible choice.

"Oh. Are you sure Seth is ready though?" Lynetta asked. "We can't predict what might happen."

"Whether he's ready or not doesn't matter," Walt said. "It's time Hunter focused on what is right in front of him instead of what's behind him. I'm going to be the push he needs to recover."

"So the next exam is going to be…?"

Walt gave a wicked smirk. "We're going to reenact the St. Clair's catastrophe."

-o-

A/N: This is kind of a filler chapter, but I thought I needed to add in further characterization.