In the last 6 months, Miles had gotten a lot better about accepting that certain things in his life could simply be attributed to being a demigod. Proclaimed the leader of an ancient faction of ruthless warriors, with sworn allegiance to a long-forgotten goddess, with his best friends revealed to be Olympian warriors and his entire life tied to the saving of Greek mythology? Sure, why not? Pencil it in for Tuesday between football practice and math class. He had come to accept that not everything was what it seemed, and it was a lot easier to roll with what came of you assumed weird stuff happened because demigod. Which explained, if only a little, why Sky's presence had not sent the son of Zeus spiraling.
"BEST friend?" Amanda scoffed, and in spite of the crushing weight of the world and a dozen new plot twists added to his life Miles couldn't help but smile. Only Amanda at a time like this would focus not on the fate of the world, the arrival of a stranger from a long-lost maze, or even her own impending doom, but on the idea that anyone was a better friend to Miles than her. The answer, of course, was no. Sky had history, Reggie was his boy, even Lucas and Roxie and Dani had wormed their way into his life. But nobody was unseating the hunter anytime soon. "Stand down, no one's taking your spot Blondie." Miles chuckled as Amanda folded her arms defensively. "Better not be." The blonde growled. "Don't tell me you replaced me just like that?" Sky snickered as Miles raised an eyebrow. "Define replace." The son of Zeus mused. "Well your obviously very close with her, so if it's not me than it must be- "Sky began, only to be interrupted by the hunter gagging. "EW! What is wrong with her?!" Amanda shrieked indignantly as Miles turned red and Reggie tried and failed not to burst out laughing. "Reg. Not helping." Miles glowered as his commander tried to keep it together.
"Aw man, aw I'm real sorry dude. I just…like yknow what I mean? Like that's…. what is that?" Reggie asked. "Wrong?" Miles offered. "Deluded?" Roxie chimed in. "About as far from correct as she could possibly get?" Lucas interjected. "I'd say batshit crazy, but I'll stick with my original answer of EW and try and move on with my life, scarred as I am now." Amanda whined. "Okay okay! Jeez I didn't realize it was such a loaded question." Sky appealed, freckled face about as red as her hair. "Don't feel bad, Amanda doesn't exactly pick up her social skills from flying solo all the time." Miles chided as the new arrivals' eyes widened. "Wait, your Amanda? Like, the Princess of the Wild?" Sky asked, generating shocked amusement from Miles and Reggie as a smirk a mile wide covered the younger girls face. "FINALLY! About time somebody's heard of me!" Amanda beamed. "Wait a minute, how in the world have you heard of Fun Size?" Reggie asked, dodging an errant swat from the hunter at the pet name. "Sometimes the Hunters of Artemis use the maze for passage and I run into them. They talk about her sometimes and…I mean how many short blondes in all white with a bow and glowing do you tend to meet in a day?" Sky asked. "More than you'd think but fewer than it being likely you've got the wrong girl." Reggie mused.
"Alright, if we're done with this whole…whatever that was, can we get back to what's actually important? We've got 4 days to find Dani and bust Hails out of Creepo Castle, and I'm assuming we just ran into our navigator?" Lucas said hopefully, as if another complete stranger might pop out of the ground any second, though the confused look on the redheads' face didn't inspire his confidence. "Ok, I just got here so I'm sure I'm behind, but what the hell is he talking about?" Sky asked, and before anyone could speak Amanda decided to take the lead. "Evil King. Ultra-bad guy dark god dude. They teamed up to kidnap the scruffy one's girlfriend and a magic child were supposed to be keeping an eye on. Girlfriend is being held hostage somewhere in your magic maze. We need you to be our tour guide, so we can bring her back safe and sound, and then take us to some fancy dump in Texas owned by some asshole, where I can I think be taken prisoner? Haven't worked that out yet. Sound good?" The blonde spouted, and after a moment Sky nodded. "Sounds about right. When do we leave?" She asked as Lucas snorted. "Ideally yesterday, but we are somehow still standing here. So, like…now, or as soon after now as we can get please." The son of Hermes prodded. "I'll get my stuff. Miles, come with? You can fill me in on all the details your best friend skipped." Sky instructed, and after a silent exchange between the two Miles shrugged. "10 minutes. Everybody pack up. Lead the way Red." He said as they wandered to the Athena cabin. As the crowd dispersed and Lucas and Roxie absconded to pack up, Reggie and Amanda convened, sharing the same look. "You saw it too?" The commander asked. "What, the extremely weird 10 second staring contest they had? Duh." The hunter agreed. "What did it seem like to you?" Reggie asked. "Why does it matter what I think, you know her. I just met her." Amanda retorted. "You read people girl. It's a skill, and you read whatever that was like a book I can see it on your face." Reggie pressed as the blonde thought for a moment. "Well, in my expert people reading opinion, she said something like 'We have to go talk about other stuff but I'm not gonna say that' and he was all 'What are we talking about cuz we have to leave' and she was like 'I'm gonna bat my eyes and your gonna come with me because you are so totally still into me even if you don't really know it' and then Miles said yes. In my opinion." Amanda declared. "Yeah. That sounds about right." Reggie agreed. "What's her deal anyway? You guys knew her?"
"Back in Detroit, when we were kids, well before Angel, or whatever she is now came into the picture, Sky moved there from Georgia. Her old man was in the Air Force flying fighter jets, they moved around a lot. Started school the same time as Miles, and she just kinda fell in with me and Miles and Andre. That was before any of us had a clue about…well any of this shit. They always liked each other, always took care of each other Y'know how puppy love does. He asked her out in 7th grade and they went on right until she moved again before freshman year started. It ate him up hard I think, she didn't come around no more, I don't even think they talked. I thought something went down because he was touchy about her but…I don't know. Somehow it didn't seem like it happened like that." Reggie recounted as Amanda tapped her foot impatiently. "I don't like it. First the She-Demon goes haywire, then she bails, and now some face from the past conveniently appears to lead us through some ultra-deadly maze? That sounds like we're asking to get killed. All 3 of us." Amanda spat, her words hanging heavy between them. The case of Miles invulnerability had been an issue for weeks since Angels departure. The King of the North had a lot of gifts, but without his wings in the sky he was about as killable as everyone not blessed by Artemis. It had only been known to the inner circle of Amanda, Reggie, AJ and Kaiya to protect Miles and keep the legion from knowing anything was amiss. "He's gonna be fine Blondie. He's still got all the pieces, he's just a little more like everybody else now." Reggie reasoned, trying to quell his friend's anxiety as Amanda chewed on her bottom lip. "That's exactly what I'm worried about."
The walk to the Athena cabin took no time at all, barely giving Miles a chance to collect his thoughts on the situation. As they crossed the threshold into the cabin and Sky led the way to her bunk, the son of Zeus was sure of one thing: he was not going to like any of it. After a moment to ensure they were alone, Sky turned to face him, the look on her face as familiar as it got for Miles. It was her trademark 'how could you possibly be that stupid' look. It was very cute, except for right now where it was annoying. "What are you DOING HERE?!" Sky exclaimed, her outward calm fading in the privacy. "Me?! I saved the world like six months ago, I'm running an army, I haven't seen you in years and what, your HERE? When the hell did that happen?!" Miles argued. "Oh, like you don't have a fucking clue. I've down in that stupid maze for a YEAR mapping it out, no one tells me why, and I find out not only am I risking my neck for YOU, but you haven't even stopped by to check on me! What kind of a self-centered ass does that!" Sky pushed back, angrily stuffing some of her stuff into her bag. "What are you even talking about, this is the first time anyone told me that! How the hell was I supposed to know you were here? Also, quick news flash, stopping by works both ways genius! You knew where I was, what's your excuse?" The athlete accused as Sky laughed. "Like I would ever waste my time visiting King High and Mighty, when he's been GHOSTING ME THE WHOLE TIME!" The navigator barked, expecting to see rage on his face but was met with confusion. "Ghosting you? Sky I've been trying to talk to you from the day after you left until all this started! I texted, I called, I tried to write a fucking letter, you never said anything! You ghosted me!" Miles replied. Sky tried her best to read him, looking for any betrayal of what she thought for sure was a lie. All she saw was him. "Well that doesn't make any sense. Because I've been doing the same thing, and you've never once responded." "The same thing?" "I swear. I texted, I called, I wrote, when I found out about Iris messages I tried that, Miles I went back home when I got my license to try and come see you! It was like…. like you had stopped existing after I moved. I even went to a bunch of the old spots to try and find you!" Sky insisted.
"Where did you go?" Miles asked. "The usual haunts. The practice field, the basketball court in Beacon Park, I even went to the corner store on 86th street and asked Monroe if he knew where you were! Nothing!" The redhead listed off, a startled look crossing her friends face. "Do you remember when you were there? Like, the day?" He pressed, and of course she did. "July 15th. The day after I turned 16, I got my license took my dad's beater off base and drove all the way home. And you weren't there." Sky said, a tone of accusation in her voice which faded when Miles spoke again. "But…I was there." Now it was Sky's turn for bewilderment. "You were THERE?" She exclaimed. "Sky not only was I home, I was standing in that corner store that morning. Bobby was making my sandwich, I couldn't have been more than 10 feet from Monroe, how is it possible we missed each other?" Miles asked as the redhead thought. "Do you have your phone?" She finally asked, and with a shrug Miles pulled it out. "Hardly works worth a damn anymore." The athlete added as Sky swiftly scrolled to their conversation before finding her own phone and opening her side. "Huh. Well, I figured out why we haven't talked." The daughter of Athena declared as Miles stood closer for a better view. What greeting him were two text threads, each one side of a conversation. One his, one hers. Both to the other. But not one response between them. "That's…how does that work?" Miles asked and Sky could only shrug. After a moment, perhaps growing tired of the question, a summer breeze swept through the room and there stood Apollo, still displeased. "I might be able to explain." The sun god offered as the two demigods met his eyes. "Don't tell me. The gods are fucking with us?" Miles groaned as Apollo could only shrug.
"Of course. Of course! Why am I not in the least bit shocked! OF COURSE THEY ARE!" The king of the north yelled, feeling as if he had just now discovered he was playing a game no one had told him the rules to. "Wait, what do you mean? Why would they do that?" Sky asked as the sun god sighed. "When certain…. events need to line up in a certain way, the Olympians tend to involve themselves. Guide things in a certain direction so to speak. I don't know why, but it's what happened with you two." Apollo offered. "Do you know which one 'guided' us?" The daughter of Athena pressed. "It's news to me. I've often cautioned against doing things like that, but my family sees it otherwise." The god admitted. "Oh, like you even need to ask. I'll bet you anything this has my old man's finger prints all over it." Miles declared. "Why would he do that?" She asked, and now he was on a roll. "Oh, who gives a shit why! You'll never get the answer! This is what happens, he gets involved, he leaves, and everything's in fucking shambles! Thanks a lot DAD." Miles shouted at no one, and in the distance a rumble of thunder responded. "OH, BLOW ME SKYFUCK." The son of Zeus spat, and this time no response. "You uh…you don't get along with him, do you?" Sky asked sheepishly and Miles rolled his eyes. "Ask the walking Abercrombie ad if he's worth getting along with." He pointed at Apollo, who seemed to be doing his best not to agree. "Zeus is…temperamental. Stubborn. Authoritative. Possessed by his need to be right. Sound like anyone else?" The sun god mused as Miles glared at him, the lights beginning to flicker as his hands crackled to life with energy. "Y'know I can't kill you but it will hurt like a mother fucker." Miles said pointedly, and all he got in return was laughter from the god of the sun. "That's where we differ little brother. You can't kill me. I could kill you, the only reason you continue to exist is because Blondie would throw a fit." Apollo reasoned as Miles snorted. "Nothing to do with Pops blasting you from existence?" The son of Zeus snapped. "Zeus might have his eye on things, but wiping you from where your standing won't get to him for awhile. Amanda on the other hand…." Apollo mused, his eyes drawn to one of the windows. Sky and Miles followed the gods look, three sets of eyes falling on a peculiar white furred squirrel who seemed to be minding its own business. After a moment of watching it munch on a sunflower seed, Miles couldn't help but smirk. "What? It's a squirrel. Do they not have those in Detroit anymore?" Sky snorted, and Miles shushed her. "Shut up and watch Red." The athlete mused as he raised his hand to the air vent. Slowly but surely the vent pulled harder, dragging air from the outside in until after a moment he managed to suck up the squirrel. With a clattering that sounded much larger than a squirrel, and about halfway through much more swearing, the inner vent cover popped open and put came Amanda, a pack of sunflower seeds in her hand.
"Uhhhh…what's up guys! I was…not spying. I was outside, eating these seeds, and I saw this crazy squirrel!" The blonde lied, and if Miles could've rolled his eyes any harder he would have. "Sureee you were Blondie." Miles snickered as Amanda sighed and sat up. "What gave it away! I was totally killing it out there!" The hunter whined as she wiped a little vent grease off her arm. "Your sweet old uncle gave you away. Also, every time you shift to a squirrel you bring those seeds along with you. And since when are squirrels white?" Miles explained. In response Amanda rolled her eyes and grabbed a fist full of seeds. "You try spying with no snacks! And that's pretty rude to the albino squirrels Sparky." She sniped as she popped a few into her mouth and stood up. "What in the world are those? "Apollo asked. "Salt and vinegar sunflower seeds." Amanda replied, nudging him with the bag as the god took a few to eat. After a moment he spoke again. "Those taste like evil…but with pizazz." Apollo mused as he ate another and Amanda grinned. "Just like me!" She declared as Miles snickered. "She really eats those?" Sky asked as her ex simply shrugged. "A pack a day, every day since the day I met her. I don't understand it, I just keep it on tap at the compound and follow the trail of shells if I need her." Miles explained, and as if on cue Amanda spit her shells into the trash. "No floor?" Miles asked. "It's not my cabin. I'm being nice!" She replied. "It's not your compound either!" He pressed, and Amanda could only laugh.
"Oh Buddy, we both know that's not true." She said as she filled her mouth again. "So, what gives new girl? He's not ghosting you, you're not ghosting him, Apollo says we're clear, you coming with us or not? Cuz not to pressure you, but like, Lucas is getting stabby. And nobody likes him when he's stabby." All eyes now fell to Sky, each with different feelings behind them. Miles semi-hopeful, Apollo's ever watchful, and Amanda's, hazed over with boredom at first glance but hidden behind was a sharp, needling kind of intrigue. Sky knew that look well. She wasn't sure if it was intentional or not, but knowing what she knew about the hunter she doubted it was by accident. Amanda had placed the ball firmly in her court. Angel was gone, under circumstances yet unknown to her. Sky had never trusted her but that was another story. She doubted Amanda had either. Either way, the blonde had established herself something as a gatekeeper. To Miles, to Reggie, to Detroit, and to a life Sky sorely missed. And she wasn't just going to let her back in. The younger blonde, though small and unheralded from the outside, reminded the daughter of Athena of something her mom had once told her. 'Nothing in life is earned or given. It is simply taken by those who have the will to take it.' Her old life was finally there again. And Sky wasn't letting a second chance pass her by. "Let's do it."