Exotic butters. Hope you enjoy it.
Confusion was the emotion that Natalie was most familiar with, for one entire day already.
First, she ran half the United States trying to get to a safe place for demigods. Matt only said that it would be safe when they reached New York. Sometimes he would mutter to himself about a camp of some sorts. That unnerved her a lot, as she didn't know exactly what to expect of a camp.
Then, Matthew died. A single blow by one of those snake-women, and he dropped to the floor, lifeless. Natalie screamed, but nothing changed it. She couldn't even hear his last words. She managed to get within the monsters (a feat that she to this day didn't know how she managed) and grabbed his knife, turning to run again. The guilt would burn in her throat every time she thought about her friend's demise. Natalie had even thought that she had started to develop feelings for him. What a wonderful bonding experience, running away from monsters who want to eat, maim and kill you. Surely a date.
Some states later, it was him that showed up. Percy terrified her. To her very core, to her bones, to her soul. The guy was built like a god, and not only in the physical way, because he did he have the body of a god in Natalie's perception. Natalie couldn't contain the blushes that took over her face when she had a peak of his body earlier in that cave. But she wasn't delusional to think that a guy six years older than her (by what he told) would fall for her, a fifteen year old from North Vegas. And Natalie wasn't even sure if she had a crush for him, she just recognized his beauty, because if she did not, it would be a gigantic lie. What really made the man intimidating were his powers. He could kill beings with a snap of his fingers with him being (according to Percy, of course) just a demigod. She didn't fully believe it. How could a mortal man possess so much power? It didn't make sense. Even if you couldn't spell demigod without god, his powers were something that she thought would be exclusive to a comic book super hero, not a real living being. And even so, perhaps exclusive to the gods themselves.
But surprisingly, when he talked to her, he was so much nicer than she had expected. She was truly expecting a ruthless killing machine of a man who would only talk about blood and violence. And although he had some... moments, he was very nice. He apparently discovered that he was a demigod, a son of the sea god himself, Poseidon, when he was only twelve, going through so much conflicts that Natalie couldn't even comprehend everything. Having prophecies attached to him that brought him to hell and back. Quite literally, since he did fall into Tartarus, the closest thing to christian Hell just by how the place is built to torture and kill you slowly, according to Percy. Natalie was astonished that he was still alive and well, for all intensive purposes. There was certain events that he talked about with caution, like what exactly happened in Tartarus, and some personal details. But he did told her that both his mother and girlfriend died in a short period of time. It made it even more impressive that he found reason to keep on going.
Natalie told Percy her own story, which wasn't nearly as interesting as his's. She never knew her family at all, so she couldn't even tell if his mother or father was the god in the family. Apparently ADHD and dyslexia were common for demigods, improving their skills and perception on the battlefield. That made Natalie sigh in relief, as that always bothered her a lot. After wandering around in orphanages and boarding schools, she finally became homeless when she was thirteen. Hooray. It wasn't long until the monsters started to pile up on her, and two years later she would find Matthew, and Percy of course, not soon after.
Natalie looked at the latter, on top of a tree, sitting at a branch while smoking a cigarette. She didn't know why, but it was a fascinating sight, watching him blowing the smoke in the air, while looking at the starlit sky. Of course, Natalie wouldn't mind having another opportunity to glance over those eyes of his. The eyes were something that made her almost fall into a trance. It distracted her multiple times when talking to her about her own life and while listening to his tales. Those sea green irises changed a lot depending on his mood, reminding her of the sea itself. When she told him that she was fifteen, the rage that took over his eyes unmatched anyone that she had ever seen before. They truly resembled a storm. The reason for the anger apparently went back to a promise that the gods themselves made to him. And judging by his feats, it wasn't that surprising that he could force the gods to make promises. It just made sense for him to do so much that even deities would have to listen to his will.
Near Natalie, at a nearly conjured tent, Lady Artemis snorted. She did that a lot when she was annoyed, and Percy really got on her nerve. Natalie had heard that he had been escaping the goddess's grasp for months by now, and that he was overall disrespectful to her. But even that, Natalie could admire. Not standing up for superiors just because they were that. Of course, she herself wouldn't probably live to see another day if she used Percy's tone with the moon goddess, as such she tried to be the most respectful as she could when calling her, as she did right now. Artemis didn't even respond, just moving her head away from Percy and glancing over to Natalie with those incredible silver eyes that rivaled Percy's. Apparently even the maiden goddess (although a lot less than Natalie) couldn't help but to glance over to the Butcher, even if periodically.
"I wanted to ask something about... Percy." she said with caution, not wanting to become the source of anger for a god. Artemis just waved one hand, as if saying get this over with. "Is he really a demigod?" Was what Natalie asked, in a low voice.
Artemis frowned. "What do you mean, Natalie?"
"Like, he looks so, so divine. Even on my first encounter with him, he just ended the monsters' lives with a movement of his hand! He just feels different than everything that I have encountered in my entire life. With all due respect, and I know that you are an actual goddess, but he feels more intimidating, dangerous, powerful."
Artemis sighed, straightining her posture. "I wish he was a god, to be honest." the goddess stated, to Natalie's shock. "Of course he is going to look like one, he has all those flashy abilities of his, courtesy of his father. I always knew that if he had accepted godhood when he was sixteen, he wouldn't just be a servant of Poseidon for long like father intended him to be. He has achieved much more than Dionysus, the last addition to the council that only recent became bearable because of father's - Lord Zeus," she corrected herself. "prohibition. And by now, he has more feats than a lot of gods, even the Council. He would have ascended to Olympus. And at least the Percy Jackson that we all knew before would have really changed things for the better. Someone sane on that mess."
Natalie's brain was still trying to process the information. It truly was a lot to take in.
"Wait. Hold. Are you saying that... he could have become a god?" Natalie asked, shocked, and Artemis nodded in response.
"Yes. Right after he led the demigods against the Titan Lord for four years. He did earn my own respect too, in the midst of the war. After all, he quite literally took the weight of the sky for me." Artemis smirked at Natalie's wide eyes. "And most importantly, mended my former lieutenant's heart. Zöe. Who hated and was distrustful of men more than any other being that wandered across this world because of a... an occurrance with Heracles himself. And Percy, in less than one week, managed to change Zöe's views by just being who he was. His sword, that he showed earlier this day, it was created by her millennia ago, and she deemed him worthy of keeping it."
Natalie was once again taken aback with more information about Percy Jackson, and she once again glanced over to the branch. The man was still there, the cigarette still in his hands. The bright but soft light that the moon reflected from the sun shone down on his face, but his eyes were closed. He looked in peace at that moment. Natalie could see how he could heal a man-hating person. But still...
"By the way, was he always like this?" Natalie questioned, without specifying what was she talking about. But Artemis instantly knew.
"No. I don't know how he became like this. He used to be... even clumsy at times. Not anymore."
Natalie couldn't imagine Percy Jackson of all people being clumsy. "That's very unimaginable, Lady Artemis. He looks anything but clumsy, or say, unprofessional."
Artemis nodded.
"Indeed, Natalie Lawrence. He managed to subdue an empousa, for Zeus's sake. Making her obey him. Those monsters are usually the ones that seduce man for them to suck their blood. They inspired the mortal tales of vampires, of course." The goddess added. "And they are servants of Hecate. Makes me wonder what he did to that empousa, Kelli is her name, for her to even consider serving him just to not get tortured and go back to the pit. I just wish to be able to decipher this mystery and see where his allegiances lie."
Natalie saw the process from the top of the hill, using Percy's rifle. She didn't know how to shoot with it, of course, but she managed to zoom in, and the sight was terrifying. The way that the blood came out of the fire-haired monster made her sick, almost puking on the spot. But that wasn't the only reason that made Natalie nervous, but also what Artemis had said about allegiances. Natalie wasn't trying to pretend like she was "besties" with a goddess. This was still a super powered being that could turn her into a goldfish. She was very worried about what the goddess could do to Percy if he crossed any lines.
Natalie was driven away from her thoughts when she glanced over to the branch once more and Percy was nowhere to be seen. She looked around quickly, and he was just standing at her side while staring at her with those sea green eyes, as if he had just materialized there.
"Hello." he greeted.
Natalie looked at him from top to bottom, analyzing.
"Are you sure you didn't teleport here?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow. In response he simply laughed.
"The correct term is flashed." He said, while glancing over to Artemis who was looking at the demigods' interaction. "And no, I did not. Ever heard of stealth?"
"He is quite... stealthy, indeed." Artemis pointed out, making Percy now raise his eyebrows.
"I'm not sure if that is even a word, Lady Artemis. If it is, it looks very informal to come out of your mouth."
"Please." the goddess complained, but she had a smirk on her face. "If you want formalities, go to Athena."
"Fair enough. Even thinking about Athena makes me shudder." Percy answered with a smirk of his own. "Anyway, good night to you two."
Natalie blinked. "What do you mean? You don't have a tent."
"I don't." Percy agreed. Without much worry, Percy simply laid on the grass, leaning his head over a rock.
"I could just create a tent for you." Artemis suggested, but Percy shook his head, his eyes already closed. Guess that was that. "You can go to sleep too, Natalie, I will keep watch for you two."
"Do gods even have to sleep?" Natalie wondered out loud, which earned her a chuckle from Artemis.
"Not necessarily, but we like to. Go on, no need to stay awake." the goddess signaled to the tent right next to her.
Natalie nodded and went to the tent. Before entering, she gave Percy another glance. He was a fun mystery, if Natalie knew anything about it, and his mere presence created hundreds of questions.
He couldn't even catch a break.
He was in some sort of underground facility. Monsters wandered around with weapons and shields, chatting casually. He walked around for a bit, until he spotted a small streak of fire. He ran in that direction, just in time too, since he entered a room right before the door closed. He heard a scream and something made out of metal falling to the ground.
"By Hecate! Can't you fucking knock?!"
Kelli was the one on the ground, but she quickly got up. She glanced over to Percy, perhaps cursing him on her mind so much that if he killed one arai his body would just explode.
"I don't think I have a body right now. Can you even hear me?" he asked. Kelli nodded.
"Somehow, yeah."
"Good." Percy stated. "Anything useful?"
Kelli rolled her blood red eyes.
"Straight to business? Boring." the monster complained. "But yeah, Percy, I know who is behind this. And the purpose of this entire thing."
Percy stared at her for a few seconds. "Well, go on."
Kelli once again rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't know exactly who is behind this. I just know that it's one of the elder titans. Not many of them left, I think. And the purpose of this thing is to cut off Camp Half-Blood from Camp Jupiter. Quarantine it, per say. No one gets in or out. And then they might attack. There are indeed a lot of patrols by land and air. And as always, your gods can't do shit about it." she added with a grin. Percy kept his cold expression.
"Remember your own allegiances. They're more your gods than mine right now. And even before that you served Hecate."
That made Kelli grimace, unsatisfied with the truth.
"Fine. Whatever. Can I at least get a reward for my efforts?" she asked, once again enlacing her tone with charmspeak.
Percy shook his head in annoyance.
"It won't ever be easy with you, will it?"
Before Kelli could respond, everything went dark. The scenario changed abruptly. He was not inside of an underground room anymore, but instead back in the dirt road.
He was in front of Kelli once. Her pale face had various emotions. Fear, terror, anger, sadness, perhaps even lust and desire, most likely, but Percy wasn't a detective to tell that. But it all came to halt. With a thought, he had full control over her blood. He could feel the liquids flowing through her veins and arteries. The beating of her heart.
He closed his hand. Veins inside of the empousa started to overflow quickly. Kelli grimaced, knowing what was coming. They went through this together in Texas. But this time, he would teach her a lesson. He just felt rage. He needed to do this.
Against Kelli wishes, she started convulsing. The monster hugged herself, as if trying to stop the pain with an embrace. Percy only pushed it further. He had no mercy for the ones that weren't merciful themselves.
Kelli started to scream in pain. Her cries resonated in his ears, but it only brought pleasure to him. But he did not smile while doing this. In his eyes, he was only doing his job. Nevertheless, he appreciated the screams of a being that had surely tortured dozens of innocent men just to feast on their blood. As he had said to her in Dallas, how good was it for her to have her own blood drawn from-
"Percy."
He instantly let go of Kelli's blood, who gasped in relief, still shaking on the ground. He turned his head so fast that his neck let out a soft snap.
Annabeth glared down on him, with her arms crossed and an enraged expression.
"Wise girl?" Percy muttered in shock. Annabeth shook her head and brought herself to smile.
"Hey, seaweed brain."
"H-how..."
"Shhhh..." Annabeth placed one finger over his mouth and pulled him closer. Percy didn't even wait an extra second. He brought his lips to hers faster than he ever thought of doing anything.
But he could barely feel her lips once more before a blinding pain hit in the back. Right where he had his weak spot all those years ago after bathing on the Styx.
He glanced over to Annabeth's face and saw her grinning maniacally. She pushed her sword even further into Percy's body, who yelled in pain.
"How does it feel? To bring so much suffer to others? What have you become, Percy? You promised me that you wouldn't control things not meant to be controlled, or have you forgotten that? You're just as a monster as her." She signaled to Kelli, who was getting up from the ground with fury on her red eyes. She didn't even glance at Annabeth, the one that actually killed her in the Labyrinth all those years ago, instead looking directly at his neck.
Percy couldn't even speak. He couldn't understand it. Annabeth kept smiling at him. He could feel that he was dying. Kelli got on top of him, showing off her fangs. With one go, she went straight to his neck. He tried to prepare for the fangs piercing his neck, but the pain struck him hard.
He didn't even know if that was real, but the pain surely was. Annabeth laughed cruelly at him while he could feel his blood flowing outside of his neck and into the empousa's mouth. The more it happened, the less he could see, his vision darkening every second. That was until he spotted a silver light
He woke up screaming, and with someone staggering their way away from him in surprise.
"What the Hades?!" Artemis yelled, but Percy barely heard it while he sat on the grass. He was sweating cold, and shaking. Artemis had no doubt that his heart would be beating extremely faster by how panicked he looked. He seemed to shiver when he brought one hand to his neck, apparently searching for possible wounds. Whatever had happened in his sleep, it affected him heavily.
"I... I'm sorry." Percy apologized, bringing his head to his hands. To Artemis's shock, the Butcher started to cry. A being so ruthless to most vile beasts was now openly crying in front of her. The man that her and the Hunt tracked down for months, never able to capture him. She stared at him for a few seconds, questions popping up inside her head. Her mind traced back to when Apollo had ascended to godhood again, three years ago. How her brother was so vulnerable, how she had felt horrible for being such a bad sister, completely lost in her hate for his playboy personality, unable to see the façade that it was, all along. Slowly they sorted out their differences, and she had never been in such good terms with Apollo like nowadays. And that was after six months of extreme trauma, seeing many people dying on his watch, and with lots of other actively blaming him.
She thought of what Percy had suffered. Undergoing multiple quests since he was barely a teenager, seeing so many die before his eyes. She saw his gaze when Zöe let out her last breath. He undoubtedly blamed himself for her lieutenant death. Just how many others fell that were also his fault on his own eyes? How many demigods had died in the wars? Even immortals. She had heard of the tale of the titan of the west, Iapetus, and the bane of Ares, Damasen, who had sacrificed themselves so him and Annabeth could escape the pit. His own mother had died in childbirth. It pained her when she heard of Sally Jackson's fate, because childbirth was one of her own domains. She had heard how much Apollo praised Percy's mother. And not to mention seeing his girlfriend dying in his arms. The couple of Olympus that even Athena and Poseidon started supporting after a while, destroyed by a monster attack. She had seen how depressed Thalia had become in the weeks that followed Annabeth Chase's and what most thought was also Percy Jackson's death. If Thalia was that affected, how was Percy even standing even after all of this?
With resolve, she sat beside Percy, who raised his head slightly, his eyes wet and already bloodshot. Artemis was taken by surprise by just how miserable he looked. His pain was immense, she could see that. She moved one arm around him and caught him in an embrace, pulling him closer to herself in a hug.
He didn't speak at first, but was clearly shocked by her action, until he conceded, unable to resist the prospect of someone looking over him. He once again began crying, holding onto the moon goddess like his life depended on it.
"Thank you." Was all that Percy could mutter under his tears. Artemis felt very, very weird about this situation. She wasn't the most reliable person to be emotional support, she couldn't deny it. However, if Percy was to be her hunt companion as she intended him to be, even if it was to keep an eye on him and make sure that he wouldn't oppose the Council, he could have at least a shoulder to cry on for if needed be.
"Don't mention it. Just rest." Artemis told the Butcher, and his sobs eventually morphed into silent crying, but she could tell that he felt better. The Percy Jackson enygma continued to puzzle her, and it was a rabbit hole that Artemis was willing to jump in.
Bonding! Not my favorite chapter yet but at least a reason for Artemis to be sympathetic to him at first. Hope you enjoyed it, leave a review if you want, and see you soon.