It was a boring Saturday, at least for the Moon goddess Artemis. With the defeat of Gaia, the monster activities have diminished.
From hunting three times a week, to being lucky if there's something to hunt at all.
Of course, there's the matter of training the Hunt, but that could be left to her half sister/lieutenant, Thalia. Now, the goddess of archery was walking the streets of Olympus, bored and looking for something to do.
'I could always go to his place.' Thought the goddess. 'He said that I'm always welcome and could drop by if I wanted to.' With a destination set and her mind made up, Artemis smiled as she flashed to his place.
Once there, the goddess noted grunts of frustration and giggles. 'It must be Aunt Hestia who's giggling.' Her hypothesis were confirmed when she reached the living room. A seventeen year old Hestia was giggling like a schoolgirl. She was sitting beside a frustrated Hera, who was looking furious at the giant tv screen. Also in the same age as Hestia.
Sitting beside the Queen of the gods, was the owner of the place. Percy Jackson was also laughing at the goddess of marriage's predicament, namely getting beaten at Smitten.
"I thought you're at work on daytime?" The silver eyed goddess decided to speak, catching the attention of the trio who all looked at her.
Percy was the first to speak. "It's my day off today." The emerald eyed demigod then smiled mischievously towards the auburn haired goddess. "Why? You wanted to play Minecraft?"
"No! I wanted to check up on Zoë." Artemis fervently denied. "It's been three months since I last met her." She added. The golden tint on her cheeks betrayed her act though.
The sister goddesses laughed at the blushing goddess. "Come on Artemis! You should've just admitted that you've come here to play that blocky game you love so much. I've seen you sneak up here last month." The goddess of the hearth pointed out.
Two months after the moon goddess visited his place the first time, she snuck in one time when she thought there was no one there. When she flashed that day, she was met with the curious eyes of the hearth goddess. Hestia then agreed to hide Artemis' visit that day.
The son of Poseidon laughed at her and her golden blush intensified.
"I told you before Lady Artemis, you're always welcome here." Spoke Percy, who turned towards the screen to watch Hera get beaten once more. "Zoë's on the art school."
Artemis wanted to flash outside, but before she could, she heard Hera challenge the demigod once more.
"Percy! I challenge you to a duel once more!" Exclaimed the queen of the gods. This was enough for the goddess of the Hunt to stay and get entertained by seeing the queen of Olympus get bodied once more.
And also, because she still harbors a little bit of resentment towards the wife of his father.
"Are you sure about that?" Asked Jackson. He was sure that the result would be pretty much the same as last time. "Okay then. What would be the stakes?" He asked the goddess who challenged him.
"Oh! I know! How about the winner bosses around the loser for a day?" Like earlier, it was Hestia who answered first.
"Sister!" Hera, who challenged the son of Poseidon, turned her attention towards her older sister. "If that's the stakes, then I'm not the only one who should be fighting him. You're fighting him too, Hestia."
The glee on the goddess of the hearth was replaced with shock.
"How about you, Artemis? You want to prove that we girls are better than boys?" Hera threw the bait, knowing that the goddess of the moon won't pass up an opportunity to prove that statement.
"Count me in." Like the emerald eyed demigod predicted, the silver eyed goddess took in the bait. "How do we decide the winner?"
"Best of three." Percy answered. "First person to win two fights wins."
"Then let's start with me." Hestia spoke.
"Told ya Hera, you're still not strong enough to bring him down." Hestia spoke towards the beaten goddess of marriage. Percy has managed to sweep both Hestia and Hera, using a deity named Anubis. Hestia, who didn't even wanna fight in the first place, just button-mashed her way to a loss.
Hera on the other hand, gave it her all. Using every bit of tips and tricks she learnt. From animation cancel to fake whiffing, which meant that she was to create a fake opening.
It wasn't enough, the demigod read everything she had dished out and gave her a thorough beating.
Sulking, the wife of the sky god shut up.
It was time for the moon goddess to face the demigod. Once ready, the game prompted them to begin. Artemis has chosen herself, while Percy chose to use Amaterasu, the Shinto goddess of creation.
Fight! The game shouted.
Percy Jackson decided to test the woman. He faked her into dodging a high kick. The silver eyed goddess did dodge, which made the demigod cancel the attack and switch into a low sweeping kick. Shocked, the goddess tried to separate herself from the sun goddess, but was too late. Her health bar dropped into half after Percy did his combo, sending two punches and a kick that flung the goddess away.
Thankful that she got breathing room, Artemis decided to quickly roll over to prevent the son of Poseidon from capitalizing on her downed state. Percy, knowing that he can't continue his combo, relented. He opted to stop getting closer before the moon goddess could send a low kick.
'No more falling for feints.' Thought the goddess of the hunt with pure determination. She readied herself to whatever feints she could capitalize on, and patiently waited.
She got her chance not long after that, with the son of Poseidon overextending a high jab. The moon goddess then parried his jab, forcing the Shinto goddess to eat the dirt. She then followed up with a stomp, a sweep, another sweep, then a rising kick, effectively juggling the demigod, who now has the same health as her. 'I better continue to punish him.' Artemis thought, which she immediately did. Her namesake then raised her hands, which effectively brought down a beam of lunar light.
The light has struck true, hitting the downed Jackson dead center, making him bounce once more which the goddess of the hunt happily obliged. Sending jabs, kicks and a shoulder shove to throw the demigod around.
Percy was surprised by the actions of the silver eyed goddess, who as far as he knows was a beginner in the game. 'How can she juggle me like a pro? Either she has played this game or she's just that talented.' Thought the emerald eyed young man, looking for ways to breakeven. 'I need to stop getting thrown around. At the rate she's going, the first round's going her way.' Now at a tenth of his original health, he knew that a heavy strike from the goddess of the moon could finish the sun goddess that he controlled. He was thankful that Artemis' kick missed, stopping the combo and giving the demigod space to breathe.
Hera, who was watching the fight intently, was surprised and jealous towards her husband's daughter. 'Artemis is really a fighter.' Thought the queen of the gods as she watched the final seconds of the first bout.
"Wow! It's the first time I've seen Percy at this health." Pointed out the goddess of the hearth, who was also watching intently. Though Unlike his sister, she was just curious if her niece would win.
The final fifteen seconds were tense. Percy was keeping his distance, dashing backwards and sidestepping like a maniac. Artemis meanwhile was doing the opposite, trying to catch him to deal the finishing blow.
When the demigod sidestepped to the wrong direction, the goddess of the hunt smiled. 'I've won.' Thought the goddess as she performed a heavy middle kick.
Percy, who saw what she was doing, tried to put distance between them, which proved futile as the range of the kick got him. With a shriek of pain, the Shinto goddess of creation he was using fell down.
Artemis had triumphed.
"Yay! Artemis won!" Exclaimed Hestia, clearly happy for her niece. "I knew you had it in you!" The hearth goddess proudly spoke out.
"Do it again and you can cash in a favor from me, Artemis." Spoke Hera, who wanted to see the demigod lose so bad she was willing to owe someone. This surprised the moon goddess, who was now more determined to beat the boy.
'A favor from the queen of the gods? Who wouldn't want that?' Thought Artemis as she readied once more.
"That won't happen again." Spoke Percy, who decided to take it seriously this time.
Fight!
This prompted the two combatants to start sizing each other up. Percy, who was faking whiffs before now backed up. He was not going to lose because of carelessness. The demigod then swerved left, right, backwards and then jumped to create some space between them.
Artemis, took his actions as cowardice, and smiled to herself for being gifted an opening. 'This is going to be easy.' She inwardly smirked as she lunged towards the demigod. Her character lunged with a jumping high kick, aiming towards the sea spawn's head.
The demigod knew what she was doing, and already had a counter to her opening attack. Once the kick almost grazed the Shinto goddess, Percy maneuvered the sun goddess to duck and send a rising uppercut. It caught the moon goddess, who spun like a top from the force of the blow.
He wasted no time in capitalizing on the window he was given. He started the follow up by throwing a one-two jab combo. Then he sent a heavy right punch to increase the damage. The demigod then pressed precise inputs to make sure she won't escape her position. He continued to combo her until she fell, the goddess of the hunt squeaking in defeat.
It only took ten seconds for all of that to transpire.
It was silent. The sister goddesses not really wanting to speak, and the combatants were preparing for the next round.
Fight!
Once again, the combatants started to size each other. Artemis not wanting to do the same mistake she did earlier, while the son of Poseidon wanting it to happen again. Percy then overextended once more, which the silver eyed goddess gladly punished him. She started her combo with a heavy punch, then ducked to set up her rising uppercut.
Percy's health bar was now halved.
Lucky that the combo stopped because the attack she made didn't connect, he rolled to the side to recover. 'I'll be dead if this continues.' Thought the demigod.
This time, it was the moon goddess who made a mistake. She sent a move that Percy knew how to counter. Artemis sent a straight punch that was quickly countered by the emerald eyed man, who ducked and sent an uppercut of his own. The goddess staggered, which started his combo. Left punch, right low kick, left middle kick, falling axe kick, a sweep, then another uppercut. It shaved the goddess' health down to one percent.
It surprised the demigod that she was able to survive his onslaught, though it wasn't only him that was surprised. The goddesses were just as surprised as he was, though the goddess of the hunt masked hers by focusing on how to win. The silver eyed woman then sent a shield breaking shoulder shove, which she followed by a running kick that chipped the sea spawn's health to five percent.
Both fighters one hit away from death, decided to send a hail marry attack which resulted to both of their attacks getting the slow-mo effect. Artemis sent a middle kick, while the demigod sent high straight punch.
The first move to connect was...
"I hope you three honor your end of the bargain." Spoke the son of Poseidon, who won all three battles.
"Of course." It was the man hating goddess who replied first. "I don't go back on my word."
"Then we're good." Percy smiled, which made the others smile as well. "I'm going to catch my breath outside, see you later guys." He stood up, leaving the Olympian goddesses as he went for a walk. Once outside, the emerald eyed demigod received an Iris Message.
"Hey Percy!" It was Zoe, who was outside the art school.
"Sup Zoe."
"Are you free today?" The huntress questioned.
"Well yes, it's my day off today." Answered the son of the sea god. "Is there something you need?" This time he was the one who asked.
"Good!" Exclaimed the daughter of Atlas. "Can you accompany me? I need someone else's opinion about this."
"Are you shopping for a dress?" Guessed the demigod. "Because if you're shopping for a dress, then I think Lady Artemis would be a much better choice of a companion."
"I wanted it to be a surprise from her, that's why I asked you." Explained Zoe, who was looking flustered. "Just come okay? I'll tell you about the specifics once you're here."
"Alright." Relented the son of Poseidon. "Where are we meeting?"
"Time's square."
"Then I'll see you in thirty." Percy replied once he knew the location. "Bye Zoe."
"Bye Percy."
The demigod wasted no time and quickly changed clothes.
"So, why are you in need of a dress?" Asked Jackson once he arrived on their meeting spot. "Is this for the art exhibit that your school will be having?"
"How do you know about it?!" Exclaimed the former Hesperide, who was surprised that he knew about the exhibit.
"I saw the posters when I was walking back home last week." The demigod explained. "So, where are we going first?" Asked the son of Poseidon.
"How about there?" The huntress pointed out towards H&M. "They probably have some beautiful dresses over there."
"Alright." Replied the emerald eyed man. "You've been studying Modern English right?"
"Yes, what of it?" Asked back Zoe, who was lightly glaring at the demigod.
"It sounds good." This made the huntress smile. After she started going to the art school, she realized that she needed to learn Modern English if she wanted to communicate properly. So that's what she did, taking up classes after her art school, to improve her speaking skills.
It is now bearing fruit.
The former hesperide smiled at his compliment. "Thanks Percy, I appreciate it."
Inside the said botique, the lieutenant of Artemis were looking for dresses to try. She was also dragging the emerald eyed demigod around the store. Once they've reached a shelf full of sundress, the immortal girl then turned towards her companion. "Do you think this will look good on me, Percy?"
"How about you try it first, then we can see how it looks on you?"
"Then I guess you're going to judge how I look then?" Questioned Zoe as she grabbed dresses of varying styles and colors, leaving the demigod sitting on a bench near the fitting room. "I won't take long!" Exclaimed the woman as she disappeared into the confines of the fitting room.
'Hey Percy!" An IM popped in front of the sitting son of Poseidon. The person on the other side of the screen was Percy's cousin, Thalia Grace.
"Sup Thals." Greeted back the emerald eyed demigod. "What's with the IM? You missed me already?" He smugly asked the daughter of the sky god.
Disgusted, the woman made a sour face before replying to his question. "You wish!" Percy had to hold back a laugh from the girl's antics. "No, I'm Im'ing you because I wanted to ask if you've seen Milady? We've finished all the tasks she wanted us to do." The huntress asked for her mistress' whereabouts.
"I think she's at my place. Well I'll tell her about it once I come home, I'm actually outside today."
"Why would Lady Artemis be at your place? What would she do there?" The woman then glared daggers at her cousin, who was getting nervous the longer they talked.
"Well she's playing videogames there. I told her to bring you guys along if she wanted, but I guess she haven't done that yet. Hestia told me she used to sneak into my place when I'm at work."
As if a puzzle got solved, the huntress's face lit up. "So that's where she's been going every Friday!"
The shock on the sea spawns face was hilarious, that even his cousin couldn't contain her laughter. After the laughter died down, Thalia spoke once more. "But yeah, she always leaves us to ourselves on Fridays, telling us to do this and that. She even comes back late at times."
"I'll talk to her about it once I'm home." Replied the demigod, who looked smug once more.
"Where are you anyways?" Asked the daughter of Zeus. "From the looks of it you're inside a clothing store. Unless you work there then I don't know what the Hades are you doing there." Deduced the woman.
"Well Zoe has dragged me in-" He wasn't able to finish as the sentence as the huntress from the other side of the screen interrupted him.
"What!? Why are you with Zoe?!" Interrogated the girl, who's getting pissed off at the demigod. "You're walking on thin ice Kelp Brain. Why is she with you?! I've asked Lady Artemis about where she is but all she said was that Zoe's in a safe place."
Not really sure how to explain, the son of Poseidon put all the blame to the moon goddess. "You better ask your Milady next time. Long story short, Zoe's been living at my place ever since she took a vacation. There, happy now?"
"Not yet." Replied the girl. "Did you do anything to Zoe?"
"Come on Thals, you know that I wont do things like that!" Exclaimed the "Kelp Brain."
"Good. This talk isn't over, Seaweed Brain. I'll drop by your place one time so we could thoroughly talk about this. Later." Just like that, the IM was stopped.
"Percy?" It was at this moment that the daughter of Atlas walked to him. "Are you okay? You look winded."
"Yeah I'm okay!" Replied Percy, who scanned the look of the huntress. "You... look great!"
This made the said girl blush, her cheeks reddened. "Thanks, but I need your honest opinion. Do you think this will do?" Twirled the woman as she showed the dress to her companion. She was wearing a white dress with red polka dots and a red ribbon tied to her hair.
"While I think the dress is great, the color is a bit off for me." The demigod answered. "Let's see if there's more to offer, eh?"
Sighing, the woman then spoke out. "Fine, let's check out more items."
Reaching his place, the former hesperide then spoke to the demigod. "Thank you Percy for coming with me today, your input was spot on." In the end, Zoe chose a black halter dress that stopped above the knees. Percy dubbed it as a "little black dress."
"No problem. It was fun for me too." Replied the savior of Olympus. "Especially seeing you in that little black dress that you chose." At the mention of the dress, the huntress once again blushed.
"So that's where you went." A voice cut off between them. Looking at the source, the pair found Artemis, leaning on the doorway, arms crossed and looking at the demigod questioningly. "Why are you with him, Zoe?"
"I asked for his help." Replied the girl, nervously.
"She needed help for choosing art materials." Percy answered. "She tried to IM you but the message was blocked by my place. And before you ask, no, I didn't do anything to Zoe here."
"Good. Then I'll see you later." Walked off the moon goddess as she readied to flash out.
"You might want to explain to Thalia your whereabouts, Milady." Chimed the son of Poseidon, who continued to speak. "She IM'ed me earlier and was furious when she learned what you've been doing." Then, the demigod remembered his cousin's words. "Speaking of which, Thalia said that you've been sneaking out of your camp every Friday. Are you coming here on Fridays?" Inquired the teen.
Artemis did the wisest thing she could think of at the moment, and just flashed out.
Sighing, Percy spoke once more. "I guess that's true then. Did you know about this, Zoe?" When he turned to his side, the huntress was also out of sight. All the demigod could do was sigh once again. "Fine, I won't getting answers tonight." He muttered as he entered his place.
A/N: Sup! Jasserru here with a new chapter!
This time, no more introductions. I'm starting with the bonds so expect more interactions with the four towards Percy.
I started to write this on my phone, but transferred to word in the middle. You can identify on what point I started writing on PC. Also, yay! longer chapter!
As I said, I really don't have an update schedule, so don't expect me to pop out a chapter every week or so. I don't have that much creativity to write that consistent. But hey! I still update.
Well that's all I have for this chapter! Follow and Fave if you liked it! Leave a review if you have something to say, and as always, thanks for reading!
-Jasserru out!
A/N 2: Hello, new author here.
Long story short, Jasserru decided to hand me his account, telling me to update it for him. He was neck deep in researches, he said. So I've taken the liberty of managing his account for him. He told me to do what I see fit, so I changed up things a little.
This was the last chapter he finished before handing the reigns to me. So in the future chapters, it would probably be me who's going to write about the story. Don't worry, I like where the story is going too, and I think he's done a good job so far. I just wish to live up to you expectations.
I don't know when he's going to come back, but I think I might attached on what I will write and be reluctant on giving it back.
Keep safe guys!
-Seized, Dseized, Cease and Desist.