Ohh you should be happy, 5,000 words. I am so tired. Now someone asked about The turtle and The penguin. That was one of my friends ideas that she was just joking about and I took seriously.
Also I am posting a poll asking if You like small chapters every 2 days or long chapters every 5. I know most don't like short ones while other do and I just want to see if I can find a balance
Also I have finished my internship, and I almost finished with testing making my time all opened up so I can do this.
Hica "This chapter is brought to you by.."
No sleep
Hica "and So Close"
Artemis POV
"Hell to the NO!" surprisingly that wasn't from me, it was from Hica. The news of Percy asking me on a date and me saying yes, spread like wild fire on a gasoline-covered forest. Every Goddess I knew wanted to help me get ready but truly I didn't want help, Luck for me, Hica is trying to make sure that I don't get put into something I don't agree with. Since Thalia still on her recruitment mission, it leaves Hica being the only person with a similar personality to mine that can still fight with a Goddess and have a chance of winning. One more reason to hate being pregnant.
Aphrodite whined as she held up the silver dress with too much of a low cut "What's wrong with this one?" Aphrodite truly doesn't understand that I hate dresses especially those kind of dresses, they are too much off a hassle at times, and all it takes it a gust of wind to fling one up. Sitting back in my chair I watched as Hica turned her sheepherder staff into a scythe and tried to cut the dress in half. Gotta love Hica at times, she knows how to get her point across in the most aggressive of manners.
Hera crossed her arms and asked "You do know that Percy is planning something special, so looking ready for pregnant boot camp isn't ok." Since she truly gave up with Zeus finally, Hera has become much more manageable and nice, sometimes she could be even helpful even when you don't want her to be. A flash went off in her hands, she handed me a simple silver blouse and some pale blue jeans. Seeing This Aphrodite whined once again "But she wears stuff like that every day" All Aphrodite got in response is a bop on the head from Hera.
Finally I asked though off topic "what's the report from Mount Hood" The last I heard we were in the final stretches to getting all the ash out of the way so we can get back into the mountain. So since my date is this evening, I wanted to visit the mountain site beforehand. The Mountain still had the feeling of having no control over it, animals still avoided it, and it almost seemed angry.
Athena pulled out a chart from thin air; it was over stuffed with papers that a couple threatened to fall out. She flipped through at least 20 pages before answering "The ash was just cleared from the entrance and an expedition is planned for 5 with Hades leading and coming with him is his son, also two sons of Hermes". That is an interesting mix of people but it would work.
Hica broke her evil glaring contest with Aphrodite "Can I go, I want to learn some stuff about where I came from" right; Hica wasn't raised by the first creation, from what Apollo told me 3 sheepherders raised her. It must be haunting to not know anything about where you come from. From what I know, Hica barely understands what she is.
Unfortunately someone had to ask and poke into Hica private life "What do you mean" this came from Hestia, who was in the corner doing a brilliant impersonation of an assassin, because of this Hica yelped and flung her arms as she spun accidently letting her staff get caught on my dining room table so it flung from her hand, making her blind. Everyone in the room sighed at how much of a klutz Hica is.
Still even blind, Hica searched for her staff as she explained "My Mother died before she could raise me, so I was raised by 3 sheep herders". Aphrodite picked up Hica staff and handed it to her prompting a "Thanks".
I turned my head to see Hestia still had curiosity burning in her gold eyes, maybe she could see how, as Hica herself puts it, how messed up Hica life was.
Suddenly without warning Aphrodite hauled me out of my seat and started dragging me towards my room "If you aren't going to let us mess with your outfit, at least we can do something with you hair". The other Goddess followed which included Athena, Hecate, Demeter, and Hera. Strangely Hestia stayed behind with Hica, who called after me "I ain't helping anymore"
Looking back at Hica as I was dragged away, I felt worried. For the whole day she's been distant, something about her gave off the aura of sadness. It seemed her strong girl act was breaking as my brother and everyone else began to peel back all the layers about her.
Athena whispered to me "we are also dragging you away in hopes that Hestia can figure out more pieces about Hica, I know you trust her but we can't unless we know more about her, with everything that is happening we need to be 100%" oh geez, if they push her too hard then she might snap.
_HEHE_
Hica POV
Before she had a chance to ask, I made it very clear on my boundaries "No, you cannot ask me about my life, it's not even interesting, Hestia" with that I started to get ready to go that mountain they always talk about, maybe I could learn more about my mother. I knew she was big and powerful but still died because of the blade, but that's pretty much all I know on the subject. I want to also learn about my sister.
I gripped my staff; it was like… no it is my lifeline. I have to stop thinking about my sister, the one that haunted my dreams with Kilalon, the one who makes me feel mortal, the one that at times I swear I see out of the corner of my eye, The one that could explain everything to me because she's already went through it all but she can't. The reason she can't is just as a mystery to me as anyone else, she just can't with what she gave up.
Even with my rather uninviting mood, Hestia pushed "This is not good for your health having everything bottled up" Looking into her eyes I saw pity, sympathy, all the things I hated people giving me. Even when I am blind I could feel the pitiful stares directed at me, it drove me to insanity. I don't need sympathy or pity for that matter because of how I was born. I have learned, I have grown, and I have achieved enough to not need sympathy.
Letting my spike of anger control me, I accused Hestia "Don't Dare Give Me YOUR STUPID PITY, I don't need pity, I don't need some counselor, I am not mental an' in need of help, I don't care that I don't have family anymore" Crap I let that slip.
Hestia is the Goddess of families; she's most likely seen billions of cases like mine. Walking up to me she put a hand my shoulder but I ignored her, not wanting to speak to anyone who thought of me as a person in need of pity.
As I thought of why people gave me pity, a vision passed in my mind of a little girl in brown poor herder cloths with a staff too big for her. She was walking down a dark path as the night obscured everything ahead of her while a farm burned behind her causing the shepalots to whine and kick inside there pen as the fire began to spread to them already beginning to engulf a couple young ones. The girl looked back at the fire, it light up her eyes and made her stare at the beauty even as it killed all the shepalots in a gruesome massacre. As the whole pen was finally engulfed lighting up the fields of grain, the girl whispered to the wind "For the spirits and their rightful passage" with that she turned back to the darkness and walked further down the path leaving behind any sense of peace.
A shake, made the image fade from my mind's eye and let me refocus on the present to see Hestia once again giving me eyes of pity though mixed with concern. Being a goddess she must have been able to read my mind and see what I was seeing. Almost to prove my thoughts she stated, "Please, just let someone help you" I DON'T NEED HELP! How dare she invade my thoughts, I don't care if she thinks she's helping.
Swinging around on the balls of the feet, I simple began to walk away, Hestia tried to grab my arm, but as she got close I casted a spell "Didctivon" I disappeared from their view but just zapped into a different plain of matter. The power plain was an odd place; it could be described as everything being made of gases, each gas was colored differently depending upon the object it was coming from. Hestia for example looked like a gas fire with the reds and oranges'. Here I was at peace but it was hard to come into the power plain because it had a 1% percent chance of working for most, but for me it was more around 4%. The walls of the building were black because they were stone while the furniture was a light gray because it was the remains of something living being the trees they were made of. Now I was boring because my power was invisible to me, one's self without risk of corruption cannot see power of them.
I watched as Hestia slumped and walked away, down the hall towards Artemis and the others. Turning back to a solid by releasing the spell, I walked out and planning on going towards Apollo's temple. He was the only one I felt wouldn't go blabber all my secrets and wouldn't lie to me. To my surprise as I walked out, there was Apollo himself. Taking my shoulders in a half hug kind of thing, he asked, "who'd you get mad at?" how does he already know me so well.
Looking away not wanting to see his reaction "Hestia"
Apollo sighed "How is that possible that she made you mad, she usually the one to calm people down" he squeezed my shoulders I looked just to see curiosity burning in his sky blue eyes. I felt the need to just say everything but I know I can't. He would think I am crazy if I told me. He doesn't even know the back-story of it all; I would have to explain that as well.
Almost knowing I would try to brush it off, grabbing my hand, he twirled me like one of those people that Percy called ballerinos or was it ballerinas? Off topic, as I was face to face with Apollo, he forced "No brushing it off, you can tell me, I have heard crazier" damn him.
"You listen to my thoughts" I accused; he raised his hands in surrender but continued to smile. He already knew that his smile made it almost unthinkable to think ill of him. This smile wasn't his players; it was his relaxed natural smile that he doesn't practice in the mirror every day. It was imperfect making it so much closer to perfection then his player smile that's meant for perfection. All this we both found out after are make out session 2 days ago and just us hanging out yesterday.
With that smile there is no way around it "Can we go somewhere private".
_HAHA_
Artemis POV
Hestia frowned out the window, she couldn't crack Hica's code even the slights but here is Apollo doing it with ease even doing a better job then was needed. It didn't help that we all knew that he wasn't even trying for information like Hestia was. Maybe that's why he is having an easier time, Hica doesn't feel like she being pitied or pried at.
Finally I scuffed "You deserve it" Not just Hestia gave me a bit of a glare.
Hestia sighed, "most people feel comfortable around me, I have never met someone like Hica who felt the opposite, and it was like she hated the attention and sympathy. Maybe I was just a little too forward." I rolled my eyes at this; Of course she doesn't like attention or sympathy. She is supposed to be strong in her own eyes; she keeps herself to a high stander in that department.
Aphrodite cooed like some love struck fool "I know why Apollo so good at it, because the two are in love, oh how cute" here we go again, here comes the peanut gallery of love "I have been watching them almost as closely as Artemis and Percy" wait what! Now I listened in with determination "Apollo even is holding back so that she not just another girl in the long line, How noble!"
Finally I asked, "what do you mean 'watching them almost as closely as Artemis and Percy'" Aphrodite just gave a shrug in response like it was nothing at all like stalker-ish behavior. I was very close to punching her over the head; maybe I could manage to knock her out.
Hestia sighed in defeat as she pushed away from the window. Everyone else following suit to give Apollo and Hica some privacy that they didn't know was gone. I wonder if Apollo can manage to have a healthy relationship since if they are still talking after the first date, it must have went well till Kilalon interrupted.
Aphrodite squealed suddenly making all of us jump "Back to Artemis's Hair" I thought they were kidding so they could get away so Hica and Hestia could have privacy. So with that I began to run away putting my hands over my head, no way in Hades were they touching my hair. But with being pregnant I wasn't too fast, another reason to hate pregnancy
-HAHA-
Hica POV
The walk was silent as Apollo and I enjoyed the peace that was rare to come by. I knew once we reached wherever we were going, that he was going to push to find out what's wrong but I don't know how to tell him without sound at least a little bit crazy. It's not every day that these kinds of things happen to people unless they are in an insane asylum.
Suddenly Apollo stopped making me lightly pump into him. Looking past him, I saw the skyline of New York, The best way I could describe it, is awfully designed castles all crammed into a tiny piece of land. The cawrs were zipping down black roads stopping sometimes because of colored lights which seems stupid too me. Also there was steam rolling off the gray and blue castles, I don't know from where though. The place also had an awful smell to it, like burnt food mixed with smoke but the smell barely could penetrate to Olympus.
Apollo asked, "So what's up?" Great I ran out of time to try and figure out the sanest way to explain everything. Shuffling my feet and staring at the ground, I sighed, "I don't know if I can tell you" I started to make little lines in the dirt at the edge of Olympus with the end of my staff.
I felt calloused hands touch my cheek and he pulled my face up so that we were eye to eye, He gave a smile and reassured "trust me, I have heard of a lot of things in my life, so trust me that I won't judge you because of this, I do judge on figure though" I hit him the chest as I hard as I could making him stumble back and wheeze "I was joking!" still he walked back and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, geez he is stubborn if he comes back to a girl that just hit him.
Taking a big breath I started "Well many things are irking me lately, just this place is one, but a couple years ago a voice stopped. To explain this I have to go back, remember when I told you that the reason my staff gives me my sight, is for another time" he gave a nod of recognition "well My dads' told me that on one dark night where it felt as if the land was agitated there was a thud at the door, The knowledgeable one went forth to the door and opened it too see a women, her hair was as red as semi-dried blood, her eyes were like red roses, to top all the red was her platinum blood as sever stabs and cuts litter her body but within her arms was a bundle holding a baby"
Apollo mumbles "You?" I gave a nod before continuing "Yes, The women looked close to dead, her eyes were already going dull, she had just enough strength to hold me up to him, The knowledgeable one took me into his arms and looked me over, the first thing he saw were my white eyes, he knew I was blind, The women suddenly spoke 'Please protect the Holy ones child', My other two dads came up just as she said this and looked at me with shock, the women spoke once again 'Do have anything I can the last of my strength into' The caring one ran to the back and grabbed an old sheepherder's, it was his own staff. He came back and handed it to her, she gripped the staff tell her knuckles were white, slowly in astonishment My dads' watched as her power went into the staff causing her to fade leaving behind just tattered clothing. After a while they found that when I touched the staff it brought back my sight but also I would swear up and down that I heard a voice from the staff but never could I understand the voice because it was so quiet and now it's completely gone".
I looked at him with worry, as his face didn't give away what he was thinking; he then looked at my staff more closely.
_HAHA_
Apollo POV
I looked at her staff from what I just heard it sounded like an immortal put the last of their essence in the staff. The staff was very simple with a wooden design that I know from seeing it can change into a scythe. But with a closer look I could see the red power flowing deep in the groves and cracks of the staff, pulsing ever so slightly like a heartbeat. I asked, "how long ago was that?"
Confusion bubble inside of me as I saw Hica blush and look away, then it hit me, I had basically just asked her age. Well it nice to know how old people are especially if you are dating them, right. Finally she responded "About 50,000 years ago" wait that makes her older than me by a lot. Seeing this, she accused "You going to judge me by my age now!" I quickly shook my head no as I really can't trust my voice, you look at her and she looks 18 at best, even her eyes showed this sense of being young.
Realizing I have drifted from the original topic, I shook my head and leaned back away from the staff "well, maybe the immortal finally dissolved away within the staff" I saw Hica looked down once again like I had finally confirmed a fear of hers. I stutter in hopes to fix this "wait... Uhh but it can also mean she is preparing to come back"
Hica smiled a smile that meant she knew I was trying to sugar coat it but the smile was also something else. She leaned her head against my shoulder since my left arm was still wrapped around her shoulders. Before the romance could continue I heard a cough from behind me. I turned to see my sister standing awkwardly. Noticing she had gotten my attention she stated, "The mountain expedition is about to start so I just came to get Hica"
Hica smiled a bright smile, she muttered to herself but loud enough that I could hear "Time to finally learn something about what I am" she seemed so excited that it made me almost just as excited.
_TIME SKIP_
The wind howled almost blasting into a pile of ash by the completely freaky entrance. I had heard that the entrance was ominous but this was completely insane. I felt like I could simple fade any second as I got closer and closer to the entrance. Hica gripped my arm as discreetly as she could, trying to cover up how freaked she was.
The entrance was this black hole at the end of a cavern made by 200 feets walls of ash on both side of a small path only 5 feet on both sides of us from bull dozers coming in. The people in our line were Hica, Artemis, Athena Hades, Nico, and I. Unfortunately the two Hermes boys back out last second when they saw where they would be going, 2 minutes ago I would have called them pussies but now I call them smart. I asked Hica "why did I come and where's Percy"
She looked up at me from her fiddling with the hem of her white shirt "You came because I was going, and Percy is with his dad for the day till his and Artemis date in an hour, he would be here if she had told him". I could feel Artemis glare at the back of our heads as we were at the top of the line. Ever since Percy had become The Guardian, The two usually do this kind of thing together so everyone expects them to be together, so she shouldn't be glaring.
Lights began to turn on within the tunnel as people had added lights for the first hundred feet. I could clearly see the ash-covered skeletons at the entrance to what felt was certain death. I started to look back at our group; we were all battle ready except for Artemis, who began to hold the small of her back as she walked with a semi waddle to her step. Finally I had to ask even though it guaranteed me getting hit "Is this safe for Artemis, she is almost 6 months" I dived just in time to miss the silver arrow that went right into the rock of the entrance.
Artemis started to rant "Just because I am pregnant does not make me disabled or useless so shut your trap Apollo, I hate how everyone is trying to treat me like glass" this had to be a mood swing, I looked back to see her now close to stomping as the yellow lights enveloped us all.
Though one of the workers that was a minor god came running down the path yelling "Stop" we all froze in our step and he gasped "We had a robot going down and reached a snag, just 200 feet down a wall is collapsed and we have to check if the whole areas stable, also we have someone here saying Artemis can't go"
I could almost feel the anger beginning to roll off of Artemis as she glared at the poor minor god. It wasn't his fault though, wait this must be her hormones acting up because usually she only glares at me for no reason. Finally Artemis grinded out "Who dare?"
"That would be me" I looked up the path to see someone I hadn't seen since last year, my mother. She still had her long black hair that made her always pale skin stand out, she also had deep blue eyes like the night sky after the sunset, and she was dressed in a white sundress. Surprisingly she was giving Artemis a stern look but I did have a theory why, Artemis hasn't visit mom for over 10 years, Artemis hasn't even informed mom she is pregnant, and lastly She hasn't told Mom about her little thing with Percy.
Hica whispered a question "Who's that?" I mouthed back 'My mom'. This made Hica take in a big breath in anticipation maybe even a little fear, she should because any girl that I plan on having a long relationship with that isn't mortal, my mother gives her a stern talking too. Sometimes I think that's why I go through relationships so fast is because the girl are scared of my mother.
My mother walked forward so she was face to face with Artemis, she huffed "we need to talk young lady" oh crap, when ever my mom refers to Artemis anything but her name, it translates to 'Mom is not happy'.
Artemis tried to argue but within a millie-second Mom had Artemis by the ear dragging her away from the mountains entrance. This caused Artemis to yelp "Stop, I am an adult, a goddess at that so stop" poor Artemis that never works, and that held true as Mom hissed "I am your mother, you haven't even visited me for just over 11 years, and even 11 years ago it was just a 'High and bye' kind of greeting, Now here we are 11 years later and you are pregnant and I had to be the last to know about it"
I heard snickering and looked over to see everyone in our group laughing. Hades was just letting himself laugh while Nico was trying his best to not laugh but failing at it, Athena was trying not to laugh by covering her mouth and acting like she was coughing. Lastly Hica was covering her mouth and stabbing herself in the toe so to not laugh but it wasn't working. I was expecting this so all I did was give Artemis a pity look that is until "Apollo you come as well with your girlfriend"
Oh no
_HAHA_
3rd person around the same time.
Kilalon smiled as he looked down the hill to the quite camp well as quite as a camp could get filled with ADHD kids when they were all at early dinner so that they could play capture the flag while the sun was still up. No one would notice him tell it was too late for him or her. The shadows behind him jumped ever so slight in their anticipation. Kilalon calmed "Stop my pets, you may kill all those who don't follow my lead but with my words that will be little"
The dragon around the tree opened an eye as Kilalon walked forward but as it went to growl, the poor dragon was silenced by a shadow appearing out of the darkness of his shadow to wrap it's way around his muzzle silencing him thoroughly letting Kilalon pass by without a problem.
Kilalon walked down the hill, the slight breeze flipping his leather jacket around being the only noise that he created with his walk, no sound of footsteps or rustle of grass. He was a silent assassin. As the dining hall came into view several shadows appeared ready to take out the for sure against him, The marble dinning floor gave him away as a loud tap rang out getting all the kids in orange shirts to turn and look at him.
A white stallion centaur took off his bow and got ready to aim; his voice was strong as he commanded, "Who are you?" Kilalon smirked at the centaur; behind Kilalon sunglasses a gold flash went off and the shadows rose past him at the speed of light pouncing onto the centaur biting down. The Centaur gave a yell and tried to bat the shadows off several Campers went to stop the creature but stopped as Kilalon warned, "One touch and they turn on you".
Noticing a rather fat god wearing a leopard shirt and khakis was getting up with a glare growing in his eyes, Kilalon made another flash behind his sunglasses and shadows appeared out of the god's shadow and started to give him the same treatment as the Centaur was getting.
Kilalon proposed "Unless you truly want to end up like them, Join me in a glorious revolution, now before you refuse hear me out, For thousands of years the gods have been in power, it time for that power to end as the world is obviously not benefiting from it and neither are you, shoved in this camp to keep a secret that seems like it should not be a secret, the mortals making fun of you by calling you names like ADHD or weirdo when you are truly are just warriors. I am not asking for past mistakes by trying to put the titans back in place but no, I am asking to put you, heroes, in power, I don't want any of it, I am just here to encourage what is right."
About half of the Demigods cheered, ¼ smiled, leaving only ¼ looking against. Kilalon smiled as he picked out who would die tonight.
Hica "Well then"
I know
Hica "that was a long chapter"
Yep
Hica "You know what should happen to people who don't review"
Y..
Apollo "We send Hormonal Artemis after them"
Not what I was thinking but good one
Artemis "What do you me by 'Hormonal'
Me, Apollo, and Hica O-O "Oh no"
Artemis "Run, Run you fools"
ME *Trips Apollo and Hica*
Hica "Damn YOU"
I ain't dying today, and review so you don't