Chapter 9- The Hunt

Thanks again to YesThatIsMyUsername for reviewing. I'm glad you like the story. Thanks to SentinalSlice for reviewing. That's a good idea, thanks. But I will keep the way Percy killed the Minotaur because he was exceptionally pissed at that time and was in the mood for a brutal and simple kill, not practicing on a new power. I just moved to Texas. So far I hate it. I hate bugs and I hate kids and I hate Texas laws. Just an update. I finally got my own laptop courtesy of my father, so no more warnings lol.

After Hestia gave me her blessing, I got many compliments and congratulations. Leo and Calypso's kids asked for Mac and Cheese, which I failed to do so Hestia summoned some for them and told me to practice on it another time.

Britomartis looked like she was about to pounce on me, so me and Thalia said our goodbyes to the whole Waystation crew and made our way to the camp van with all of our things.

"Okay Kelp Head, I'm going to go make sure Artemis hasn't moved out of Oregon. She said she wouldn't be but better safe than sorry. Don't want to drive to Oregon only to realize that she's now in Toronto or something. Are you going to wait here or come with me?" Thalia said.

"I've got nothing better to do. I'll come do the IM with you. That's how you're going to contact her right? Not some naked maiden summoning ritual involving sacrifice?" I questioned.

"From what I've learned the hunt hasn't done anything like that in several centuries. But I can't promise you that Artemis will be fully clothed when the IM pops up on her side. I'm not responsible if she's naked and she kills you."

"I'll just close my eyes until you assure me that she is fully clothed."

"No peeking, perv."

"I'm not a pervert, Thals!"

"I'll let Artemis be the judge of that." She laughed. She then flipped her hair around as she sharply walked to the bathroom to make the IM.

I followed her. In the bathroom we got the water running and through the assistance of my powers the IM started to work. Thalia flipped Iris a drachma and said "Show me Artemis, likely with her hunt in Oregon."

I took this as the cue to close my eyes. "My Lady." Thalia spoke to the IM.

"Ah Thalia, you caught me at a good time. As you can see I was just about to leave my tent." Artemis responded.

"So can I open my eyes?" I asked.

"Percy Jackson. I see my aunt has paid you a visit. I trust that it went well. You may open your eyes. My breasts are concealed."

I opened my eyes. There in the misty semi-transparent photo of the IM was Artemis. The auburn-haired goddess was in her 12 year old form, dressed in her hunter garbs like always. If I was a 12 year old I am sure I would have found her attractive, but thank the gods I am not a pedophile. Although the gods back in Greece and Rome were; I won't judge, it was a different time.

"Hestia did visit me. She made me her Vestal Warrior, and I am honored." I reported to her. She nodded.

"Am I right to assume you are still in the same spot in Oregon?" Thalia questioned.

"We are. Are you going to be leaving soon?" Artemis responded.

"Yep. The van is packed and we are ready to go."

"We?" Artemis said harshly.

Thalia gulped. I gave a weak smile and patted her on the arm. She just glared. "I was just about to ask if Percy could stay with the hunt for a bit?" I looked down and saw Thals crossing her fingers behind her back.

"You want a male to stay with the hunt?" Artemis didn't shout, but she didn't speak kindly.

"Not just any male, my lady. This is Percy we are talking about." She waved her hands around me in emphasis. I gave Artemis a thumbs up to show her I agreed. I am a nice guy after all!

"Why should I make an exception for him? For what reason do you want him to stay? Why does he want to stay? Have you broken your oath?" Artemis unloaded a barrage of questions.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Thalia and I said at the same time. "There has been no oath breaking going on. You would have felt it right?" I spoke.

"Humph. I suppose so. I would be disappointed in the both of you if you had."

"But we didn't!" Thalia shouted. "As to your previous questions, I want Percy to stay because I know he is going through an extremely hard time. Nearly everyone he knew isn't the same person or is dead. He is from a past time. And the hunters are literally locked in time. He knows more people in the hunt than in the camp! Plus he's my cousin and I care about him."
"Thanks, Thals." We fist-bumped.

Artemis rubbed her hands across her face and groaned. "I can't believe I am going to cave this easily. You're lucky I respect you, Percy Jackson. You may stay for an indefinite amount of time, but you will NOT stay permanently. You will cause NO trouble. You will not have sex with a SINGLE hunter. You will carry your OWN load. Or if I find reasonable cause to kick you out, or say turn you into a jackal-ope, I will. Any breach of these things and you're out, got it?"

I nodded vigorously. "I hear you loud and clear, lady Artemis." I gave the OK sign with my hand.

Artemis nodded back. "I will see you two when you get here. Or would you like me to flash you here?"

Thalia looked at me, and I shrugged. "Could you just flash us?" Thalia asked.

"I'll be there soon." Then Artemis swiped through the IM, ending the rainbow call.

"I'm surprised she allowed it." I said, shocked.

"I'm not. I know Artemis. You're the only male demigod she respects. Plus it is getting boring around there. Artemis can't stand boredom. She just needed to argue for show." She snorted.

We waited around for a few minutes, chatting about random things and grabbing the bags we would need out of the van. Since we are just going to leave the van here it might encourage Camp Half-Blood to get new ones.

Artemis soon flashed in. I picked my bags up off the pavement and walked over to the small goddess. I towered over her. Thalia was a few inches taller than Artemis. "Ready?" Artemis asked, reaching out her hand to Thalia. We both nodded, and Thalia grabbed her hand. I hesitated before setting my hand lightly on Artemis' shoulder. Normally I would avoid touching the man-hating goddess of the hunt.

Before I could say "Wait can I use the bathroom?" We were in the center of the hunter's camp. I had a small head rush, but my vision quickly came back. The hunters camp was arranged with a fireplace in the center, surrounded by tents, and along the outskirts had a river and a shooting range and a clearing for dueling.

"Percy Jackson?" A few voices rang out.

"Hunter ladies?" I responded with mock surprise. I smiled and waved.

"I thought you were dead!" An old hunter I knew a little bit by the name of Mary shouted.

"How is this possible?" Another older hunter by the name of Kate asked.

"I came back. It's a long story." It was good to be around people I knew, even though I barely knew them. There were about 20 hunters in the clearing, and a few more were coming in. Either with a surprised face if they knew me, or a confused look if they didn't. Both groups tried asking their sisters as everyone crowded around me.

"Lady Artemis must have found him!" I heard someone say.

"Actually, Artemis didn't find me. Technically Clarisse found me." I explained. I began talking to more people and also making introductions. Artemis had clearly added a lot of new hunters after the two wars took a toll on her. More than half of the hunters were ones that had been added since I have been gone.

"Get lost, did you boy?" One of the oldest hunters in the group asked pretty rudely. Thalia elbowed her. Which earned her a glare from the old hunter, Theodoriae, and two girls standing next to her. Thalia looked like she was about to lecture them, when Reyna brushed between Theodoriae and Thalia.

I looked at her sheepishly. "Hey Reyna."

Reyna kept a soldierly look, even while in her hunter attire. If I am being honest she looks even more intimidating. "Hello Perseus." She kept a straight poker face, except her eyes were watering. I wanted to give her a hug but used my massive brain to determine that it wouldn't be smart for me to initiate a hug in a group of hunters. The blood isn't all in my cock.

Artemis decided it was time for her to talk after letting the reunion finish. "For the new hunters, this is Percy Jackson. He has returned from the dead or wherever he has hid from us the past 26 years. I have decided to let him stay with us for the time being as he gets used to the new world around him."

"Why must he stay with us m'lady? Has the boy nowhere better to go than to bother us?" Theodoriae spoke out.

"He is a boy m'lady! This goes against our principle!" Another hunter I couldn't see shouted.

"I can castrate myself if you'd like?" I joked.

"I can do it for you." Jordan said from across from me with a serious face. She never liked me.

"I set the principle. Fall in line, Kiara." Artemis said harshly.

Just then I felt a pinch on my butt. I turned sharply around. There behind me, I nearly choked myself to death, was Hannah Nix. She had a big gushing smile. And she was wearing a hunter outfit. "Hannah Nix?"

"Hey there, boy." She whispered in my ear. But that boy sounded different from Theodoriae or the other hunters. I was scared in a completely different way. She faded back into the crowd with a wink. Thalia was right next to me, and she stuck a finger in her mouth and made a gagging motion. She obviously wasn't aware Hannah had joined the hunt while we were on our trip.

Luckily, everyone else was focused on Artemis. Most hunters seemed fine with me staying, but a decently sized minority were fussing. Artemis was having none of it. Though I'm sure it was more motivated from being questioned rather than her actually wanting me here. I'm okay with that. I came here for Thalia, Reyna, and other girls I knew, not the complete acceptance of the hunt.

"EVERYONE AT THE CAMPFIRE NOW! SIT DOWN!" Artemis ordered. The amount of backlash I was getting was making me uncomfortable. I thought most of them liked me. I walked over there with everyone else and sat down on a log with other girls. Artemis was angry, and there was no time to try and sit next to your friends.

Artemis aged herself up to an adult age to make herself be taken more seriously. My thoughts will not go to where the reader thinks they will go. Nope. They won't. Artemis stood in front of all of us with a pissed off body stance.

"I am your patron goddess. Some of you have been with me 1000 years, some of you have been with me for barely more than a single year. If you have a disagreement with me, fine. But talk to me like an adult. Don't whine and complain like you all aren't capable women. I taught you better than this. It's currently noon right now, and everyone will go to their tents and stay there for the rest of the day. You will act like children and you will be treated like children. Go now! I will speak to Theodoriae and Kiara privately."

The two girls walked up to Artemis with their tail between their legs. The rest of the girls in the clearing made their way to their tents silently and quickly. I sort of just sat there since I didn't have a tent. I couldn't hear what was exchanged between Artemis and the girls, but it didn't take long. Within a minute they made their way back to the tents, and also made sure to glare at me. I gave a weak smile in return.

Artemis then waved me over. She is really beautiful (d*mn reader!) and extremely intimidating. I have a hard time looking into her eyes when she isn't in her 12 year old form. I can look a Titan in the eyes and spit on his shoes at the same time, but the second I see a strong woman that is the end of my self respect. Annabeth enjoyed it until I got comfortable around her.

"I'm not in trouble too, am I?"

She sighed. "No, Percy." A cry of celebration went off in my head.

"Artemis?"

"What?"

"I really need to pee."

She face palmed and pointed out into the forest. I did a quick bow and scampered off. "When you come back we will get you set up!"

"Sounds good! Thanks Artemis!" Then I stopped, and looked at her. "No, seriously, thank you." She couldn't have heard me, but I think she understood.

Please review guys, it is something I really want you to do so I can improve. I feel my writing is extremely subpar, so it would help. Thanks. How about a little vote? I don't have Percy getting with anyone until the sequel, but please tell me if you would want it sooner. Also, would you want the girl to be Thalia? Artemis? Theodoriae? Reyna? OBAMA? Whoever you would like to see just put in the reviews and I will take it into consideration. It could even be a character that is an OC for this series. I have what I want, but I want to see what you guys want. Thanks for reading, updates soon. -GoldenSlayer218