"Well well, Lady Artemis." A voice spoke once the moon Goddess flashed to her Hunt. "Maybe now you'll be able to explain where were you every Fridays?"
It was Thalia Grace, Artemis' lieutenant and her half sister. Her arms were crossed, and she was looking at the goddess with a bit of scrutiny.
"Well, I was checking up on Zoë and-"
The goddess couldn't even finish because the lieutenant spoke once more. "And that! Why didn't you tell me where Zoë is?" Now the daughter of Zeus was furious. "You know that she's my best friend right?!"
Facing her half-sister, all the moon goddess could do was apologize. "I'm sorry for not telling you about it, Thalia. I knew where she was but it took me a month before I did." Her head hung low, not wanting to look at the fuming girl.
Thalia calmed down after hearing her mistress apologize, and was now asking about her best friend. "How did Zoë end up living with Percy?" Asked the maiden curiously.
"You know that Zoë asked to have a vacation right?" Artemis asked before she explained. Nodding in agreement, the goddess started to explain. "Well she was on Manhattan when she found Jackson working on a convenience store. He then invited her to live with him because Zoë was feeling lost."
"What did you mean she's feeling lost, Milady?"
"She felt that she have done her part for us. That she already had no regrets when she died. Once she was revived, she felt lost." The patron goddess of the hunt explained.
"But why would she feel that?" Questioned Thalia. "She knows that we wouldn't turn our backs on her right?"
"Don't be hard on Zoë, Thalia. I allowed her to pursue and find herself, because I know that when we need her the most, Zoë will come and stand by our side." The moon goddess defended the once dead lieutenant. "Did you know that Zoë was into painting now? And that she was studying Modern English? She was really good with painting, and her speaking skills definitely have improved."
"But how did she end up living with Percy?" The daughter of the sky god asked again.
"It's simple, Perseus offered her a place to live." Replied Artemis, who was now holding her half-sister's hands. "In fact, it wasn't just Zoë who you would find on his place. You would be surprised by who are hanging out there when you visit."
"Who?"
"You'll know when you visit." Smiled Artemis as she left to attend to the other hunters. "I'll bring you on his place next Friday."
Once alone, Thalia muttered to herself. "I guess I better ask him or Zoë once I get in his place." Confident that she'll get her answers, the girl went back to her duties.
"Looks like Perseus is not here, Thalia." Artemis said when they flashed into his place. As the goddess promised, she brought her half-sister to his place when Friday came.
"Who's not here?" The voice that spoke made the goddess of the hunt curse.
"Skata." Artemis and Thalia slowly turned around to see the son of Poseidon.
Topless.
The faces of the daughters of Zeus had blushed, with Thalia getting red and the goddess got golden. The two averted their gazes which made the said demigod become self conscious and put on his shirt.
Percy was sure he heard a whimper once he did. Not paying any mind on what he heard, he opened the door to his place. "I was exercising when you two arrived. Come, let's eat some breakfast."
This snapped the girls out of their stupor.
Quickly following the demigod, Thalia decided to talk to her cousin. "I heard from Milady that Zoë lives here. Did she already leave to go to art school?" The huntress asked.
Percy decided not to answer the question. He instead increased his pace so they could get to where Zoë is. Once inside the gorgeous house, the emerald eyed man led them to the dining room.
"Percy! You're ba-" Whatever the former hesperide wanted to say was stopped when she saw the moon goddess and her best friend. "Milady, Thalia?"
The daughter of the sky god quickly leaped into the arms of Zoë. "I've missed you so much, Zoë." Exclaimed Thalia, whose eyes were tearing up. The girl then dragged the former hesperide to her room to talk about what happened in the past months.
With the demigod and the moon goddess left, Percy decided to ask the woman. "So, Milady, you didn't answer my question last time."
Upon hearing the son of Poseidon speak, the goddess of archery became flustered. "Can I opt out to answer the question?" Bargained the silver eyed woman.
"Nope." Percy even clapped his hands when he answered. "And you told me that you'll bring the Hunt here next time."
"I come here every Friday because I'm getting bored." Answered the goddess. "Did you know that the hunt rarely gets to hunt monsters anymore? When Gaia was subdued, the amount of monsters lurking around became scarce. It's like they've went into hiding." Artemis paused to breathe. "And you said that I could come when I want to, didn't you?"
"Yeah I did, but please let me know when you come. Or at least stay long enough for me to see you when I get back." Percy replied to her question. "You won't like it when I sneak in your hunt now, right?"
"Try doing that, boy." The goddess gained a dark look. "You're going to get hit by arrows where the sun don't shine."
The demigod rolled his eyes, as if he has proven his point. Sighing, he started a new topic. "So, I guess that's why you knew how to play Smitten huh? Has Hera been teaching you?"
"She did, but she only taught me the basics. Those advanced moves and how to chain combos, I've learned through practicing." Answered Artemis, who grabbed the controller to play her favorite game.
Welcome to Minecraft The splash screen loaded.
"So, spill it Zoë, do you like my cousin?"
The question quickly made the girl blush. "What's with the question!?" Asked the flustered Zoë. "I don't like him that way!" She exclaimed as she furiously waved her hands to deny her friend's accusations. "I'm just thankful that he let me live here. Percy's a great friend, he even came to help me pick a dress for an event."
Thalia then rolled her eyes at the girl. "See, you even took him to a date. How can you say that you don't like him?"
"But it wasn't a date at all!"
"One, you guys went out. Two, he helped you pick clothes. Three, you guys ate dinner afterwards yes?" Questioned the daughter of Zeus, to which Zoë nodded. "See, that sounds like a proper date to me."
Under the scrutinizing gaze of the girl, all Zoë could do was shrink.
"Fine." Muttered the former hesperide. "I like your cousin Thals." The girl finally admits. "It's just that I know that I'm not the only one who likes him that way."
"What do you mean by that?" asked the curious daughter of Zeus. "Yeah sure, Percy is popular, but I don't think that there's a lot of people that have the hots for him."
'Oh you have no idea.' Thought Zoë as she smiled, which caught by the other lieutenant. Intrigued, Thalia asked about the reason she's smiling. "I think I'm not the only person who likes your cousin Thals. There are other who hangs out here."
"Milady told me that." replied Thalia, who looked at the girl to see if she would get an answer. "Who are the others that come here other than Lady Artemis?"
The huntress on vacation, hearing the grunts and cheers outside her room, smiled as she dragged the huntress outside.
once outside, the lieutenants can see Hestia and Hera, playing Mario Kart with Artemis and Percy.
"Sister! why must you hit me with a turtle?!" Hestia exclaimed as the moon goddess and the demigod laughed at the goddess' misfortune.
"Too bad!" The queen of the gods fired back as she also laughed at her sister's predicament.
Thalia's wisest action was to stay still, drop her jaw on the floor, and shut down. Zoë saw her reaction and laughed, causing the four to look at the laughing girl.
"Zoë!" It was Hestia who spoke first. "I see that you haven't gone to school yet!" The hearth goddess then turned to Artemis. "So you've brought Thalia this time." Hestia smiled and returned to her attention to the screen.
"Come, Thalia." Surprisingly, it was Hera who invited the young lieutenant. "Sit with us and play."
The said girl nodded dumbly and sat down beside the queen of the gods. 'Isn't Hera angry at demigods? Especially those of Zeus?' Questioned Thalia to herself, which she vocalized. "Aren't you supposed to be angry at demigods, especially those sired by Zeus?"
Hearing the question, the goddess of matrimony then looked to the daughter of Zeus. "I used to be. But a certain demigod opened my eyes and made me love them. After all, aren't they family?"
Hearing the goddess' reasoning, Thalia became at ease. she looked at the screen and asked. "I thought demigods couldn't use technology? Won't this attract monsters?"
It was Percy who answered the question. "It was Hephaestus' gift. This is the Gamestation X, a console that lets me play any game made by humans. Besides, this place is protected by a powerful barrier, monsters won't be able to smell or detect our signatures here." The son of Poseidon then handed his controller to the lieutenant. "Here, go ahead and try to beat the goddesses. Ask Lady Artemis about the controls." Said Percy as he stood up. "I'm going with Zoë to her school."
The daughter of Zeus then mutters under her breath. "And she says that he doesn't like her."
"So, you steer the kart using the analog stick. Press the A button to accelerate." Hestia explained the controls to her. "B or R to use the brakes."
When Thalia could not find the R button, she looked towards the goddess of hearth once again. The goddess then pointed to where the said button is and continued to explain. "On the opposite side is the L button, used for the items you get on the race. You get boosts and things that can impede others."
Thalia then tested the waters, practicing until she got the hang of it. "I think I'm ready to play." Said the girl, who looked around and noticed that her mistress is nowhere to be found. "Where did Lady Artemis go?"
The goddess of matrimony was the one who answered her question. "She said she's going to check up on the hunters."
"Thanks for coming with me, Percy." Zoe thanked the demigod for accompanying her. Percy smiled at her before replying on her.
"It's no big deal." Said Percy. "It's refreshing hearing you talk about arts." His statement made the former hesperide smile.
"Even though you space out when I start to go in-depth?" She teased the emerald eyed young man, who became flustered and blushed a little.
"Just don't go too much in-depth." Percy smiled at her sheepishly.
"Well, see you later Perce!" Said Zoe as she went ahead to go inside the art school.
"Lady Artemis, what are you doing here?" Asked the demigod as he saw the mood goddess behind his back. "Did you follow me and Zoe all the way to here?"
"No, I was just trying to make sure that you're not going to do something to her." Replied the goddess, who was trying to dismiss his accusation by waving her hands in front of her.
"So you tail and stalk us like a stalker?"
"I told you I wasn't doing anything of the sort."
"To me it looks like that's what you're doing, Milady."
"Then fine!" Shouted the goddess. "If I need to stalk you to make sure that you're not doing anything to Zoe, then I'll gladly let myself be called a stalker."
"And I told you, Lady Artemis, that I won't do anything of sort to my friend." Percy said angrily. Annoyed at what the goddess was accusing him. "If that's all, then I'm going back home." the demigod then started walking, leaving Artemis behind. "You know your way here right? See you next time, Lady Artemis."
"Wait." The moon goddess tried to stop the walking son of Poseidon. When it didn't work, she chased him down to grab on his arm. "I said wait!" Exclaimed the silver eyed goddess as the surprised Jackson turned around to look at her.
"What do you want from me, Milady?" Uttered the surprised young man.
"I'm sorry." Apologized Artemis, which surprised him even more. "I'm sorry for being overprotective of Zoe. It's just that she's my friend, and I don't want her to get harmed." The moon goddess then holds both his hands. "That's why I'm sorry if I sound like an overprotective mother."
"Well you certainly look like one." Percy remarked which made the silver eyed goddess pinch his hands. "Ow! That was a joke!" Exclaimed the demigod, who got teary eyed because the pinch was too strong. This made the goddess of the hunt laugh, which made the demigod smile.
Once the goddess stopped laughing, Percy continued to speak. "Zoe can take care of herself you know? She's a grown woman."
Realizing it herself, the moon goddess spoke. "You're right, I shouldn't be overprotective that much."
"Good to know that you're not going to stalk her anymore." Remarked the son of Poseidon, which earned him a glare from the goddess. "Once again, it was a joke."
"Good, cause I'm ready to pull out my bow any second now." Artemis replied, which made the demigod shiver.
Quickly deciding on changing the subject, the emerald eyed man then asked the goddess of the hunt. "Are you free today, Milady?"
"Sadly, yes." Answered the silver eyed woman. "The hunt rarely gets anything to do since Gaia was defeated. Why are you asking?"
"Remember our bet last week?"
"Yes, what of it?"
"I'm cashing in on that." Percy said smiling. "I'm going to ask for your time today, Milady, let's paint the town red."
Deceased.