Okay, so now we move to a new perspective, and we get some more names and even a bit of background for the OCs.

Enjoy.

POV: Pyra, First Person

When Percy's reaction to Lady Artemis introducing herself to him was, "Uh…okay." I couldn't keep from chuckling.

"Lady Artemis, I think you broke him." I said casually, as if I wasn't talking to a goddess. "Then again, learning that there's a special forces unit led by an 11-year-old probably didn't help."

Artemis actually smirked a little in response to my comment and replied, "I think you might be right."

Then, the satyr, Grover (thank you mind reading powers), snapped out of his stupor. He gasped, then knelt hastily in the snow and started yammering, "Thank you, Lady Artemis! You're so… you're so… Wow!"

Thalia, however, was not pleased with her friend's reaction. "Get up, goat boy!" she snapped. "We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!"

"Whoa," Bianca di Angelo, a newly discovered half-blood who seemed to smell a bit like death, said. "Hold up. Time out."

Everybody looked at her. She pointed her finger at all of us in turn, like she was trying to connect the dots. "Who… who are you people?"

Artemis's expression softened. "It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are you! Who are your parents?"

Bianca glanced nervously at her brother, who was still staring in awe at Artemis.

"Our parents are dead," Bianca said. "We're orphans. There's a bank trust that pays for our school, but…"

She faltered. I guess she could tell from our faces that we didn't believe her. Damnit, I should have never taken my helmet off. Then again, with the fact that only DPDS had helmets, it's not like it would have really mattered.

"What?" she demanded. "I'm telling the truth."

"You are a half-blood," Zoë said. Her accent seemed to be a mix of Ancient Greek, Latin, and Old English. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian."

"And not Olympian as in an Olympian Athlete." Dawn said, cutting off Bianca's response. "Olympian as in one of the Greek gods."

"Cool!" said Nico.

"No!" Bianca's voice quavered. "This is not cool!"

Nico seemed to ignore her as he proceeded to dance around like he needed to use the restroom. "Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for—"

"Nico, shut up!" Bianca put her hands to her face. "This is not your stupid Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!"

Thalia calmed down a bit, and said, "Bianca, I know it's hard to believe. But the gods are still around. Trust me. They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well… Our lives are dangerous."

"Dangerous," Bianca said, "like the girl who fell."

At that, Thalia turned away. Even Artemis looked pained.

"Do not despair for Annabeth," the goddess said. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."

"Then why won't you let us go look for her?" Percy asked.

"I have mental abilities. One aspect of them lets me feel the minds of people within a certain radius around me. Currently, I'm searching out as far as I can, which at present is about 15 miles away, and I've got nothing. Practically the moment that thing jumped off the cliff, both its mind and hers disappeared." I said.

"Oo!" Nico raised his hand. "What about Dr. Thorn? That was awesome how you shot him with arrows! Is he dead?"

"He was a manticore," Artemis said. "Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They re-form over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they reappear."

"Or they'll hunt us," Thalia said.

Bianca shivered. "That explains… Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in DC?"

"And that bus driver," Nico said. "The one with the ram's horns. I told you that was real."

"That's why Grover has been watching you," Percy said. "To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half-bloods."

"Grover?" Bianca stared at him. "You're a demigod?"

"Well, a satyr, actually." He kicked off his shoes and displayed his goat hooves.

"Grover, put your shoes back on," Thalia said. "You're freaking her out."

"Hey, my hooves are clean!"

"That's not the point and you bloody well know it, goat brain!" Preston retorted in his heavily accented English. Thank the gods that the accent was nowhere near as bad in Japanese.

"Hey!"

"Bianca," Percy said, "we came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won't be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp."

"Camp?" she asked.

"Camp Half-Blood," He replied. "It's where half-bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay there year-round if you like."

"Sweet, let's go!" said Nico.

"Wait," Bianca shook her head. "I don't—"

"There is another option," Zoë said.

"No, there isn't!" Thalia said.

Thalia and Zoë glared at each other. I knew exactly what they were talking about, and I could tell there was bad history between them. For some reason, which I could probably guess why, they seriously hated each other.

"We've burdened these children enough," Artemis announced. "Zoë, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the school."

"Yes, my lady."

"And, Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you. Pyra, I wish to speak with you as well, but I ask you to wait for a few minutes while I speak to Bianca."

I immediately snapped a salute for about a second as I replied, "Understood, Lady Artemis."

"What about me?" Nico asked.

Artemis considered the boy. "Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that card game you enjoy. I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while… as a favor to me?"

Grover just about tripped over himself getting up. "You bet! Come on, Nico!"

Nico and Grover walked off toward the woods, talking about hit points and armor ratings and other things of the sort. Artemis led a confused-looking Bianca along the cliff. The Hunters began unpacking their knapsacks and making camp.

At the same time, my team put their helmets back on, while I kept mine off. "3, find a spot and keep an eye out for anything that'll try and kill us. 2, make that heli crash look like it happened due to a malfunction in the tail rotor and not a case of an M19 slamming into the tail. 4, help him out."

"Sir." All three said, snapping a salute for a brief moment, before going about their tasks.

Zoë gave Thalia one more evil look, then left to oversee things.

As soon as she was gone, Thalia stamped her foot in frustration. "The nerve of those Hunters! They think they're so… Argh!"

"I'm with you," Percy said. "I don't trust—"

"Oh, you're with me?" Thalia turned on him furiously. "What were you thinking back there in the gym, Percy? You'd take on Dr. Thorn all by yourself? You knew he was a monster! If we'd stuck together, we could've taken him without the Hunters getting involved. Annabeth might still be here. Did you think of that?"

I decided to go help the Hunters with their fire, rather than stick around and listen to Percy and Thalia's argument, as I saw they were building it and with my powers, I would be able to start it much easier than they could.

The Hunters set up their camping site in a matter of minutes. Seven large tents, all of silver silk, curved in a crescent around one side of a bonfire. One of the girls blew a silver dog whistle, and a dozen white wolves appeared out of the woods. They began circling the camp like guard dogs, along with falcons that watched from the trees. I sat by the fire, which I lit for the Hunters, tending to it as I waited. I could see Percy sitting on the other side. Just as Sakura and Preston were coming back to the camp, Zoë came over to me.

"Pyra Demou."

"Lieutenant Nightshade." My response, alongside my gender, actually got a look that held a decent amount of respect from her.

"Come with me," she said. "Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee."

"Lead the way, Lieutenant." I responded with a nod.

Zoë led me to the last tent, which looked no different from the others, and waved me inside. Bianca di Angelo was seated next to Lady Artemis.

The inside of the tent was warm and comfortable. Silk rugs and pillows covered the floor. In the center, a golden brazier of fire seemed to burn without fuel or smoke. Behind the goddess, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge silver bow, carved to resemble gazelle horns. The walls were hung with animal pelts: black bear, tiger, and several others. An animal rights activist probably would've had a heart attack looking at all those rare skins, but since Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, she could probably replenish whatever she shot. She had a live animal lying next to her, a deer with glittering fur and silver horns, its head resting contentedly in Artemis's lap.

"Join us, Pyra Demou." She said.

I sat across from her on the tent floor. The goddess studied me, but I didn't care.

"You know, when I saw the fire, I was kind of hoping it would actually have fuel of some kind so I could absentmindedly tend to it as we speak." I said.

Zoë looked outraged, and Bianca seemed terrified that I spoke to a goddess like that, but Artemis simply chuckled and said, "I suppose that is to be expected of you."

"Indeed." I responded with a chuckle of my own.

"You'll have to forgive my Hunters if some do not welcome you with open arms, even if you are a girl. Some of them only accept those who have joined the hunt." The goddess said.

"Eh, I've had worse welcoming committees."

At that, she actually laughed. "Indeed. What was that one group's name? They were at your guild hall when you returned from Tenrou in 791."

"Ah, Twilight Ogre. Yeah, I say they got what was comin' to 'em."

"You don't seem surprised by my knowledge of what occurred on Earthland."

"The letter my mother gave me in 784 explained who was on which side of the debate of should I live or die, among other things. I figured that those who wanted me to live would have been watching me and all the shenanigans the guild got up to." I explained as I pulled out my pouch of unlimited gummy bears.

"Most of us did, and Demeter, Ares, Hephaestus, and Hermes even joined us after a while. Dionysus watched as well, but he still wants you dead, as he does with all demigods. Zeus, on the other hand, while he watched you, still feels as though you are too dangerous, but has warmed up to the idea of letting you live to a degree."

"Neat, neat, saw that coming, and merde, respectively."

"Watch thy tongue." Zoe said, before asking "What is that?" While pointing to the pouch in my hands.

"Pouch full of unlimited gummy bears. Want some?" I offered.

"I am fine." Zoë responded.

"Could I have some?" Bianca asked.

"Sure." I held the pouch out to her, and she grabbed a hand full.

I then proceeded to grab a few from the pouch myself before continuing the conversation. "So, back on topic, I doubt you asked for me to come here just to get to know me."

"You are correct. About a year ago now, there was a strange energy that came from the Los Angeles area, and a couple of days afterwards, a police officer was found dead with charred flesh lining a set of claw marks, and his head was nowhere to be found." The goddess explained. "None of us know what it was, but I figured that with your powers and experiences, you might have a better time finding out what caused it. That, and trouble always seems to find you." She then finished by saying, "I would also offer you and your dragon the opportunity to join my Hunters, but I know that both of you would politely decline my offer, citing your positions in Fiore's military and your promise to see your friends in Fiore again."

"I can't give anything definitive at the moment, but if I find anything, I'll let you and the other gods know. As for the second one, you are absolutely right." I said with a chuckle, before sighing, "If I had known just how much paperwork would be involved in being the CINCFAF, I probably would have declined the position."

Artemis chuckled at that. "There is one more thing." Artemis said, before turning to Zoë, "Zoë, would you go get Percy Jackson, and bring him here, I wish to speak with him, and I will be done speaking to Pyra by the time you get back with him."

"Yes, Lady Artemis." Zoë said, bowing to her before leaving the tent.

Artemis then pulled out an envelope. It was nothing special, just a standard letter size envelope. "Hera seemed to know that you would be arriving in this world here in Maine, and that I would be here at the same time. She asked me to give this to you." She said, handing me the envelope.

"Thank you, Lady Artemis." I said, before moving over towards the wall of the tent, and opening the envelope carefully.

Inside the envelope was a letter written in Ancient Green that said;

To Pyra Demou,

I am glad that you finally made it back to Earth after all this time. The first Demigod in over a thousand years to actually be conceived and born inside of wedlock, and my husband decides to try and kill them. I swear, I love him, but he has a bad habit of doing shit that pisses me off.

I am writing to you, because I am aware that your mother does not have a cabin at Camp Half Blood. Due to this, and the fact that you are not a bastard child, I am willing to allow you and your dragon, Dawn, to reside in my cabin and use my table at the camp. Shun and Preston also have permission to enter and reside from time to time, but not to stay as permanent residents. However, if any of you do anything too stupid in or with my cabin, I will revoke your permission to reside in my cabin. You may invite others into the cabin, but not as residents, permanent or temporary, and their actions are on you. Just show the letter to Chiron and Dionysus, and there should be no issues from that point on.

From, Hera

P.S. Athena asked me to inform you that Preston is allowed to reside in her cabin with Shun.

I was in shock, but managed to at least gently fold the letter and put it away in time to see Zoë return with Percy.

Artemis started the conversation the same way she started the conversation with me. "Join us, Percy Jackson." He did so.

I then decided to be an idiot and open my mouth. "I'm the only one who bites, and I only do so if you piss me off."

Bianca looked at me with a fair amount of fear, while Percy just stared at me with confusion. Zoë was clearly in the same boat as Percy, confusion, though she masked it pretty well. Artemis, on the other hand, chuckled a bit.

"You're kidding, right?" Percy asked.

"Nope." I replied. I then allowed my canines to grow to be the fangs they really were. "I'm a kitsune, demigod, Spartan, vampire, and both the Maliki and Sephiroth, though I do have the vampire bloodlust well under control." He suddenly scooted away, and Bianca was completely terrified. "Oh for the love of- I'm not the kind to just indiscriminately suck people's blood. In fact, only so I don't lose my sanity, I ONLY drink the blood of things like pigs and cows, which I get from butchers. I even swore an unbreakable oath to never drink the blood of any living, intelligent being. So I physically CAN'T drink your blood even if I wanted too." I practically shouted as my fangs receded. I then sighed, "Lady Artemis, please take over before I say something else that's completely stupid."

"I can do that." She said, chuckling, before looking to Percy. "Are you surprised by my age?"

"Uh… A little." He responded.

"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray."

"Go astray?"

"Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves."

"Oh."

Zoë then sat down at Artemis's right, and glared at Percy.

"You must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you," Artemis said. "It is very rare that we would have boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp…" She looked at Zoë. "Which one was it?"

"That boy in Colorado," Zoë said. "You turned him into a jackalope."

"Ah, yes." Artemis nodded, satisfied. "I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Percy, I've asked you here so that you might tell me more of the manticore. Bianca has reported some of the… mmm, disturbing things the monster said. But she may not have understood them. I'd like to hear them from you."

He proceeded to then tell her. When he finished speaking, she put her hand thoughtfully on her silver bow. "I feared this was the answer."

Zoë sat forward. "The scent, my lady?"

"Yes."

"What scent?" Me and Percy asked simultaneously.

"Things are stirring that I have not hunted in millennia," Artemis murmured. "Prey so old I have nearly forgotten."

She stared at Percy intently. "We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, exactly what Dr. Thorn said."

"Um, 'I hate middle school dances.'" At that, I let out a snort.

"No, no. After that."

"He said somebody called the General was going to explain things to me."

Zoë's face paled. She turned to Artemis and started to say something, but Artemis raised her hand.

"Go on, Percy," the goddess said.

"Well, then Thorn was talking about the Great Stir Pot—" And another snort from me.

"Stirring," Bianca corrected.

"Yeah. And he said, 'Soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus.'"

The goddess was so still she could've been a statue.

"Maybe he was lying,"

Artemis shook her head. "No. He was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."

Zoë looked like she was trying very hard not to be afraid, but she nodded. "We will leave right away, my lady."

"No, Zoë. I must do this alone."

"But, Artemis—"

"This task is too dangerous even for the Hunters. You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me."

"As… as you wish, my lady."

"I will find this creature," Artemis vowed. "And I shall bring it back to Olympus by winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods of how much danger we are in."

"You know what the monster is?" Percy asked.

Artemis gripped her bow. "Let us pray I am wrong."

"Can goddesses pray?" Yet another snort.

A flicker of a smile played across Artemis's lips. "Before I go, Percy Jackson, I have a small task for you."

"Does it involve getting turned into a jackalope?"

"Sadly, no. I want you to escort the Hunters back to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there in safety until I return."

"What?" Zoë' blurted out. "But, Artemis, we hate that place. The last time we stayed there—"

"Yes, I know," Artemis said. "But I'm sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It's your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down."

Zoë muttered something about foolish campers.

"And now there is one last decision to make." Artemis turned to Bianca. "Have you made up your mind, my girl?"

Bianca hesitated. "I'm still thinking about it."

"Wait," Percy said. "Thinking about what?"

"They… they've invited me to join the Hunt."

"What? But-" Percy started, only for him to get an armored hand slapping him in the back of the head, hard.

"Camp isn't the only way for a girl. If Bianca wants to join the Hunters, then so be it. If she doesn't, then same thing, so be it. It's her choice, not yours. Now please, for the love of the gods, shut up. Otherwise, I'll make you be silent by using a spell to make it so you physically can't make noise until I undo it." I said, cutting him off.

After a second, Zoë said, "I thank thee for silencing him."

Bianca then looked at Zoë. "Is it worth it?"

Zoë nodded. "It is."

"What do I have to do?"

"Say this," Zoë told her, " 'I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.'"

"I… I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."

"'I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.'"

Bianca repeated the lines. "That's it?"

Zoë nodded. "If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding."

"I accept it," Artemis said.

The flames in the brazier brightened, casting a silver glow over the room. Bianca looked no different, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. "I feel… stronger."

"Welcome, sister," Zoë said.

"Remember your pledge," Artemis said. "It is now your life."

I could tell exactly what Percy felt in that moment. "Percy, just because she's not going to be staying at camp, doesn't mean that she won't be helping in the fight. In fact, I do believe that the Hunters will do everything they can to assist in the fighting when the time comes."

"You are correct." Artemis said, "And do not despair, Percy Jackson. You will still get to show the di Angelos your camp. And if Nico so chooses, he can stay there."

"Great," He said. "How are we supposed to get there?"

Artemis closed her eyes. "Dawn is approaching. Zoë, break camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. I shall summon a ride from my brother."

"I'll go round up DPDS." I said, placing my helmet back on my head before leaving the tent to do exactly that.

Please review and let me know if you spot any errors I may have made. After all, I'm only human, and by no means am I perfect.