Artemis
In the shelter
I woke in the once frigid shelter now turned comfy to the sound of footsteps echoing off the hard stone. Turning over I saw Percy looking at me while smothering the fire with his boot.
"It seems the storm has finally let up for good, we should probably get back to camp before it starts again," he said while rubbing his stomach, obviously wishing to get some food.
Me and you both, I thought
"Well then let's get to it." Hopping to my feet to follow an already crawling Percy.
When I reached the end I was met by Percy's hand offering to help me up. I took it and started to brush the compacted snow off the front of my uniform. He was looking around like he was trying to decide which way to start walking.
"Don't worry about it, just follow me. I can always tell exactly where my camp is," I said while stepping past him. "Can't you have you wasting too much time."
I looked back at him to see him put on his mock offended face, "Well how am I supposed to know where your camp is."
"You're not supposed to, thats the point," I said turning back after shooting him a smile.
We kept walking for three hours without break. We were making good time, only a couple miles out by now. We had crossed the border into Canada long ago and my strength has returned. I could have flashed us straight there, but I was enjoying the hike through snow covered forest.
"So you never told me what happened after I got knocked out," I said, indirectly asking a question.
"Neither of you had seen me, but I was right behind you. After you were knocked out and at my feet, I tested out some of my new power on the fella," he said, "I froze him in the ice and showed him it was me before I sent a spike of ice his way to send him back to timeout." He finished with a light laugh.
I let out a small laugh and we continued walking in silence for a couple minutes.
"Thank you by the way. I should have thanked you sooner for helping me. Without you, I'd probably be reforming or chained up in Alaska, powerless," I said sincerely.
"It's really no problem...wasn't too busy," he replied jokingly, "But I know you would do the same."
I nodded, "You seem so sure about that boy," turning back to face him with a grin plastered on my face.
Is he rubbing off on me or am I really just opening myself up this much, I questioned myself. Maybe we're more alike than I would've guessed. I guess I have always been a little...mischievous.
Soon we were nearing the edge of camp.
"We're almost there," I announced.
"I know, I'm starting to regret not bringing my rubber suit."
I looked back at him confused, "Why would you bring a rubber suit?"
He gave a nervous laugh, "Because when Thalia sees me I'm gonna have twenty thousand volts running arcing through my body."
"So where does the rubber suit come in?" I asked, still confused.
"Oh never mind," he replied, "I doubt we have time for a science lesson."
Nodding, I turned back ahead, seeing the tips of my hunters's tents over the crest of the hill that lay in front of us. When we got to the top yells began ringing out through the camp.
Me and Percy stood next to each other taking in the view and the smell of meat cooking over a smoky fire. The hunters began running up to us, a couple unslinging their already strung bows. A few of my newer hunters set arrows on their strings and drew them back.
"Step away from my milady, boy," Iana, one of the newer ones said while sighting in on Percy.
Maybe I should use this as a lesson.
Percy looked at me, a look of confusion on his face as to why I wasn't saying anything, which turned to worry as I started to step out of the line of fire.
"You should learn to move quicker than that," Iana said smugly.
"Wait hold-," he said diving to the side to avoid the oncoming arrow.
He jumped to his feet, the near legendary Riptide in hand, slashing the next arrow out of the air. Another newer hunter joined in, adding her arrows to the mix. Iana and Keegan loosing arrows faster and more accurate than any mortal could hope to accomplish. Still Percy almost effortlessly dodged the arrows, and occasionally redirected them passed himself off the side of his sword.
Well doesn't look like he's too rusty after being out of the game for so long, I thought, mildly impressed.
He shoot a glance at me to see me staring at him, telling him to take up the challenge.
He smirked and began advancing, pulling his second sword out of it's sheath. He was now cutting down every arrow in it's path. As he neared Keegan began to draw her hunting knife while Iana continued shooting.
Keegan charged him hoping to get inside his guard with a wild swing, only for him to duck it at the last second, simultaneously swinging his sword backwards smashing the hilt of it into the back of her wrist. The knife dropped from her now temporarily paralyzed hand, which she started to reach for as Percy spun on his heel and sent a kick at her chest that made even myself wince. As she went flying back, he turned to Iana, and cut down another of her arrows, not breaking his stride. He lunged forward at my hunter, who already had another arrow notched. He flicked his sword, the tip catching her taught bowstring, severing the 60lb line, sending it recoiling and one of the braids lashing her across the face before he smashed the pommel of his sword against the side of her head, leaving her unconscious.
He turned to see the rest of my now enraged hunters start pulling their bows off their backs.
"Wait," I commanded striding towards the group and my know injured hunters. "He is not an enemy and he is my guest...and target. Percy take off your hood."
He did as I said and shot a welcoming smile at some of the campers who recognized him. He bent down towards his previous attacker and picked up a handful of snow, which turned into water and began to reach down towards the lash on her face, only to meet the protests of a few hunters.
He glanced up at me reassuringly, to which I nodded. "Let him."
He looked back down and put his hand on the now bloodied hunter's face and closed his eyes in concentration. To everyones' surprise, including myself, the cut on her face almost immediately sealed, leaving no trace of injury.
So that explains it, now he's the most badass healer. Is there anything he can't do?
"Thank you Percy. Girls, get these two to the infirmary ten-"
"PERSEUS JACKSON! You are DEAD!" I spun to see a sparking Thalia Grace thundering out of the crowd with her spear and shield at the ready.
Percy looked to me for help, with a look st of genuine worry. "You're on your own," I said turning my back to them, heading towards the large dining tent.
"Come on girls, let's let them make up for lost time."
Percy
I stared at the back of a retreating Artemis as she dipped into a tent.
Really? You're just gonna let this happen?
I looked back to see an approaching Thalia, who raised her spear in the air, Uh Oh, was all I could think before being blasted back and smacking against a tree. I fell into a snow drift, standing up I was met by a now unarmed Thalia running straight at me.
I don't want to hurt my cousin and one of my best friends, but I really doubt anything I could say would calm her downor change her mind.
I guess we'll just have to kick eachother's ass until she's tired out, I thought reluctantly.
I stepped to the side to avoid her first swing. Barely dodging her punch that would make Mike Tyson proud. She stumbled passed me, not meeting her expected resistance only for me to send an equally hard punch straight into her kidneys, and in reward catching a spinning back fist in my jaw.
I stumbled back massaging my jaw with my hand, while she turned to face me rubbing her hand on her lower back.
Gods, did they turn their camp into Ultimate Fighter training?
We started circling each other, waiting for the other to reengage the brawl.
"It's good to see you too Cuz," I said still moving my now stiff jaw.
She smirked at me only to lunge at and try another swing, hoping to put me out for the count. I ducked inside her guard and threw us both to ground. We both threw wild punches at each other anywhere we could get them to land, all the while fighting to get on top and into full mount. This went on for a couple minutes, the snow starting to take on a red tinge.
We were both panting hard, with no end in sight, I was ready for this to end. I threw every bit of my remaining energy I had into flipping Thalia over, putting my knee onto her chest. I got in a last punch aimed straight at her chin, before having the snow coagulate around her bottom half and her hands, willing it to freeze her to the permafrost.
"You fucking CHEATER," she screamed.
"You're the one who fucking blasted me with lightning!"
"Let me up so we can finish this Kelp breath!"
I just stared at her, before spitting some more blood onto the snow, "No. We're done."
"You fucking pussy. You run away for years and come back scared to fight."
I just glared at her before laughing, "Why don't you say that tomorrow when you're jaw is locked up and your eyes are swollen shut."
She stared at me, electricity visibly dancing over her body. "I'd say the same to you," she said through her gritted, blood stained teeth.
I chuckled, "Yeah, you wouldn't be wrong, but at least I'm not being a sore loser about it. Look, let's just call it a draw. Sound good?"
She narrowed her eyes and continued staring at me with rage filled eyes. After a few seconds had passed I saw her start to calm herself down, still breathing heavily.
"Let me up Seaweed Brain," to which I complied and let the ice thaw around her.
I reached my hand out, just to have it smacked away and another shot of electricity arc up to my shoulder.
"I don't need your help, and don't even try that shit you did with Iana," she said picking herself up, not breaking eye contact.
As she stood up, I stepped forward and grabbed her into a hug, my arm still tingling, "I missed you too Sparky."
She hesitated, before embracing me back. She took a step back and gave me another half hearted punch to the chest, "So where have you been? And how did you do that, with the ice and healing?"
"Well, it's a long story. Let's go find Artemis and the rest of the hunters and I'll tell the whole story," I said while putting my arm around her shoulder, walking in the direction of the dining tent, not wanting to repeat the story more times than I have to.
Artemis
In the dining tent
Percy and Thalia stumbled in through the flaps, arms around each other's shoulders, laughing like idiots. They were both bloodied far beyond what I thought they would do to each other.
Well at least it seemed to work, I thought thankfully.
Most of my hunters tensed at seeing a male in their dining tent, with his arm over their bloodied sister's shoulders. Seeing my cool attitude towards the situation, some of them relaxed and began eating once again.
He looked at me offended, "So you started eating without me?!"
"Well I sa-"
"You think you can just walk into our camp, fight three of our sisters and then expect us to feed you, a filthy male, with the bounty of our hunt?!" One of my hunters exclaimed while standing up.
"Frea! He is my guest in my camp. We have both been in the Alaskan wilderness for days without food. He saved my life and prevented me from having to reform or worse. He can have some food," I said scooting over and patting the bench for him and Thalia to sit.
Thalia sat down next to me, leaving the spot between herself and another hunter for him to sit. Immediately the whole hunt stared at him almost daring him to sit down next to the young hunter.
"Umm..it's okay Artemis, I can just eat standing up or outside of the tent," he replied while reaching for a piece of cooked venison on the table.
"Percy. Sit. Now," I commanded with a glare. "Thalia scoot over."
Percy reluctantly took his seat between me and Thalia, to which a couple gasps where heard.
He leaned closer to me, "I think this is worse than the other way," looking around at the faces of the hunters, "Even the ones I've known for years are looking like they're thinking about castrating me," he muttered barely above a whisper.
"You'll be fine Prissy, they'll just have to get over it for now and so will you," I said with a very unladylike snort.
"So you're giving me nicknames now? Whats even worse is that Clarisse beat you to that one, you're gonna have to think of something more original," he muttered while piling his plate.
I scoffed and gave him a smirk, before looking around at my hunters' stunned faces at my seemingly cool interaction with Percy.
"So kelp head, you gonna tell us that story now," Thalia cut in.
Percy, looking more nervous than before looked down at his now full plate of food, "Could I eat my food first?"
He sure does have a one track mind, I thought fondly.
"Yes, girls let him eat and you do the same and then we'll listen to his extraordinarilyexciting story," I said, adding some sarcasm to the last part, which brought forth a few giggles from my hunters.
Percy
As we ate I would occasionally glance up to meet the eyes of at least a couple seemingly male intolerant hunters. After we finished Artemis asked me to tell the story and I did. To my surprise, as I told the story a few of hunters would butt in to ask a question, not that I minded, it was better than what could've happened. As I got to the part with Artemis I was worried that I would say the wrong thing and end up getting chased by a bunch of very angry little girls with very sharp knives.
Instead if the anger that I was expecting, I was met by uncomfortable gratitude at saving their mistress, which I was grateful for. It was dark by the time I finished the story and answered a couple questions.
Artemis stood up, "Girls, me and Percy are going to go to Olympus, you need to get some rest. I should be back before first light. Goodnight," she finished before grabbing my arm and pulling me up off the bench out of the flap of the tent.
Got a little more action in this chapter, and I know it's a little iffy, but I'm working on it.
Let me know what you think of the chapter!