Just a few hours prior...

Artemis POV:

The moment I heard the faint sound of water droplets forming out of thin air, my smile faltered. I remember when that sound was unfamiliar at first, and what followed after would be able to surprise me from time to time, usually with mutual welcome and love. It was the sound of someone vapor-traveling into camp, and if not Perseus, then it could only be Zoe. My sister in arms who I imagined would never ever leave the Hunt for a man, even one with a good heart, who always made each passing day in my immortal life more enjoyable. Someone who I've rarely if never have associated my negative feelings with. But here I was, thrown into a maelstrom of unpleasant feelings each time she returned to visit.

I knew Perseus was off doing something important. That much I understood. I also felt he was entitled to keep his mission a secret for the time being, as he was dabbling in many events that would occur much later in the future. To be fairly honest, I could care less what he was doing, as he was clearly working with the gods and demigods to prevent the same devastating future from happening. Although, that was before Zoe came into the picture.

Having lived and laughed with Zoe for 2000 years, the trust formed between us was unbreakable. Secrets were nonexistent, and issues rarely rose between us. We could fight blindfolded and win, because we knew each other that well. We witnessed many generations of humanity, the rise and the falls, the victories and tragedies. Nothing could come between us, but Perseus.

Perhaps it was because he loved Zoe already, and yearned to create the connection he never got to make in his universe. But stories from himself and Atalanta told me otherwise, as Perseus had originally been in love with and dated the blonde daughter of Athena, Annabeth. His chances in his universe were even slimmer than this time, as he, in his words, had been "a weak and puny male" at first glance. And even his hypothesis about Zoe's essence attaching with himself because of his relationship with Riptide had no solid evidence supporting Zoe's ability to like him. Whatever the case, Perseus became Zoe's opposite in this world, her knight of shining armor. And I had never witnessed in several millennia the look of pure joy on Zoe's face caused by the presence of a male every time he came to visit.

Of course, Perseus couldn't help but make me like him as well. And at the beginning, he became what I could only describe as my other brother. Someone who teased me kindly, respected who I was, and could hold a respectful conversation about pretty much anything. He shared hilarious and heartwarming stories of his universe, even though some were clearly just to spite me or the Hunters. For a male to become more than just simply tolerable according to the lieutenant of the Hunt, to eventually become her immortal boyfriend is simply unheard of. Especially for someone like Zoe.

I heard the excited greetings of welcome the Hunters gave to their returning sister. 'I should be over there', I thought. But I couldn't get myself to move. I shouldn't be nervous, but each time I heard the scuffle of Zoe's hunting boots over the earth, I dreaded my choice to speak to her first. Although, I had no choice, as Perseus was extremely good at hiding his location from even the gods themselves.

"Mi'lady!" Zoe flipped open the flap of my tent and approached me, not seeming to notice my tension and throwing me into a hug that I hurriedly reciprocated. Like always, I didn't fail to notice the glistening aquamarine gem that laid beautifully against Zoe's skin. Despite Perseus' attempt to downplay the monetary value of his first gift, Atalanta's words said otherwise. As a goddess, I wasn't very understanding with how mortal currency worked, since anything I needed I could simply conjure, create, or have someone else make it for me. Regardless, I knew that Perseus had gone out of his way to afford something spectacular for Zoe, in the best way he saw possible.

I stepped back and took a good look at my sister. It had taken a few weeks at first to get used to Zoe's new and more mature looks. From the day I met her till just recently, she was a 2000 year old maiden in mind living in a 13 year old girl's body. Now, with the return of her family's blessing, she had been aged up into her early teens. Instead of her usual ponytail, Zoe had let her hair hang loose behind her back. Her obsidian colored eyes were rimmed with a greenish blue hue, the same shade as Perseus' eyes. She was dressed in a classic Hunter style uniform, and everything looked about the same besides the fact that her silver circlet was now on Thalia's head. And of course, I couldn't miss the beautifully crafted Tiber metal bow on her back, also a gift from the time traveler himself.

"How have you been doing?" Zoe asked.

"Alright," I replied. "Thalia has been doing quite an excellent job in your place." I winced internally at my response, but Zoe didn't seem to notice.

"I knew she would," Zoe smiled, turning back to stare at the Hunt for a moment. "I should've learned to put aside my past differences with her aside earlier, so that I could have learned just how amazing of a friend she would become."

"I sense a bit of wisdom of his leeching off onto you," I smirked. "Spending a ton of time around a time traveler seems to have made you smarter, Zoe."

Zoe sighed. "Thankfully Percy has shown me the truths of this world that I have failed to see. You know just as well as I do that we have major issues accepting the changes in the mortal world."

I smiled, though slightly forced. "Indeed, Zoe. Now tell me, what's been going on lately? I didn't ask you to come visit just so that we could discuss your wisdom."

Zoe laughed. "Of course. But I can only tell you so much, you know?"

"I understand," I said. "I've simply missed Perseus, you know?"

"Percy... he often stresses about the importance of improving the lives of demigods early. I can't say exactly what happens in his future, but he and a few of his friends were able to create a union between two demigod parties that had originally been at each other's throats for historical reasons. Percy and his friends found ways of including everything in our world, including honoring the minor gods, a task that the gods themselves rarely care about." Zoe explained.

"So, this secret mission, is secret because it cannot reach the ears of my father?" I asked. 'Or me,' I thought.

Zoe nodded. "It's dangerous. Percy told me that even though the Zeus here is apparently less of an overbearing god when it comes to demigod activity, what Percy is working on is a relatively touchy subject. Even for you, Artemis."

"Why has he told you then?" I couldn't help but ask. I may have sounded spiteful, because Zoe's eyes widened in surprise.

"Originally he didn't want me along," Zoe admitted, rubbing a strand of hair nervously. "He thought it'd be better if he worked on the project himself, and instead had me stay and train with Atalanta." She clenched her jaw. "But I wanted to show him I could handle it. It was far beyond repaying the favor of him saving my life, it was also because I wanted to prove I was worthy to him." Zoe gave a sad sigh. "I knew he was an honorable male, he'd proved it time and time again that he was not going to follow the same path that Hercules went down. And when he offered to help train my returned abilities and improve my swordsmanship without wanting anything in return, it was something I didn't know how to react to."

"You know, Artemis, you understand why I joined the Hunt. I had abandoned my family for the mistake of love, and was simply used as a tool by a male hero before being tossed aside." Zoe said. "Alongside you, we know every trick a male can pull to attempt to attract our attention. But Percy... he didn't pull anything we knew. He just..." She tapered off, leaving us in a moment of silence.

"Then you know, we began dating," Zoe said. "And well, I wanted to be beside him wherever he went. See the world through his eyes and learn to change my biased views of the mortal world. He thought I felt that I was obligated to follow him, and even asked what would you think about it if I went."

"And..."

"He said you might be a bit annoyed." Zoe blushed in embarrassment. "Are you?"

I put my hands on my hips and stared at the girl. Since I was in my teenage form, we were eye-level with each other. "What do you think, Zoe?"

"I'm sorry, Artemis," Zoe said, "But it was difficult understanding my own decisions as well. Because simply put..."

"You abandoned your family for love," I said. "Again." The words sounded so hurtful, but I could barely hold myself back at this point.

Zoe blinked, stunned at my words. I must've looked murderous because she reached out tentatively for my face. "No, no Mi'lady why would you say that?"

I batted her hand aside. "You did! Did you have a shred of thought about what I would've felt when you asked to leave the Hunt?"

"I-"

I cut her off. "Right after I had recovered, I wanted nothing more than to see you all again. But then I heard that half the time, you weren't even in the Hunt. You had continuously left your sisters in my cabin at camp, while you went off to enjoy your personal time with Perseus."

Zoe's gaze hardened. "Mi'lady, with all due respect, you're crossing the line."

I glared back. "I'm crossing the line? According to my brother, Zeus had assigned you and Percy to take care of the Hunt in my stead. As my faithful lieutenant and forever sister in arms, I believed that was an amazing decision. Only now it turns out that you hardly cared about us." I was angry and saying things that barely made sense, but Zoe hardly seemed to notice.

"Artemis," Zoe's eyes glinted dangerously. "Listen to yourself. What are you saying?"

At this point, I wasn't even sure what I was so bothered about. It wasn't that Zoe was able to find love in someone who truly cared for her back, was it? And it surely wasn't that I hadn't seen Perseus in what felt like eons now. Was I being petty about my feelings for Perseus? And why was I getting Zoe caught in the crossfire?

"You heard me," My arms tensed, as if I were to draw my bow in a second. "You nominated Thalia to replace you without my input. Probably because Perseus told you it was a good idea, didn't he?" I didn't hate Perseus for not coming to visit, I didn't hate him for telling my best friend a secret she couldn't tell me, I didn't hate him... no I didn't... "Have you really been only training with him when you abandoned the Hunt at camp?" I asked, frustrated and angry at nothing in particular.

"Mi'lady!" Zoe yelled angrily, her face a dark blush. "You're assuming that just because I've chosen Percy to be my partner, that he makes all the decisions for me. He'd never stop me from making a choice, you know that! I chose Thalia myself, without his influence. And of course, I've been training my powers with him every session he brings me on! Now please, why are you acting like this?"

"I'm not stupid, Zoe," I cried. "You think I don't know how much you love him? I can see it in your face, every time he's here, and even when he's not. For all I know, this secret mission could simply be a vacation for the two of you alone."

Zoe took a deep breath and exhaled. She closed her eyes then opened them again. "Are you jealous, Artemis?"

I stepped back. "Are you serious? Of what, what would I be jealous about?"

"Of me?" Zoe asked quietly. "Of my relationship with Percy?"

I snarled. "If you think you're funny to make a joke like this right now, you might as well be asking me to banish you from the Hunt."

Zoe's gaze didn't waver however. "You must enjoy his company as much as I have since he arrived. In fact, I know you did. No goddess would have begged a male to bring them out to visit the mortal world, especially not someone who hates males in general."

Zoe's calculating expression only made me more angry with her, because I was now annoyed on how correct she was. I did miss Perseus, I missed his humorous presence and his light teasing that made each day more passable than the last. As much as I hated to admit, I was jealous of Zoe for taking his time away from me, and that she got all his personal time instead of myself. It couldn't be wrong for me to like Perseus in that way if Zoe could... right?

"You're wrong," I said instead. "How could I feel anything for a male, even if he's a good one?"

Zoe shook her head. "Do you even hear yourself right now? It's written all over your face. You know how I know?"

I seethed, waiting for her verdict.

"Because you're acting like how I was when I realized I loved him," Zoe said, her cheeks pink as she proclaimed her true feelings. "I believed that all males could only amount to someone like Hercules, and put up walls against everything that could possibly thwart me from thinking so. But Perseus showed me the truth, and made me understand that he wasn't ever going to be like Hercules, and that he was a man I could trust without worry. And maybe it annoys me a bit to admit, but I think you like Perseus as well."

Silence.

"Do you?" Zoe looked hurt, though for what reason, I couldn't tell.

"I-" I stammered. "I'm not sure."

Whatever I was expecting, it wasn't Zoe pulling me into a tight hug. There were a lot of unspoken words traded between us as she held me tight. What could we say? Neither of us had ever been truly in love before. I've had males who joined the Hunt out of respect for myself and under the promise to foreswear love just as the rest of my maidens did. But I never loved them romantically, much less felt anything further than appreciation. And Zoe, who felt only abusive love, knew nothing much about the finicky emotion either, having not loved in such a way for 2000 years of life. It was such a tricky feeling to understand, I wondered for a moment how Aphrodite managed to tolerate it as a domain.

"So, what now?" I asked nervously. I couldn't admit that I liked Perseus. Not... not in that way yet at least. Zoe and I needed time to think, and admitting my crush on her boyfriend definitely would only make tensions worse between us.

Zoe wiped her eyes. I was surprised to see that she'd been on the edge of tears, and cursed myself for causing it. But then, my ugly feelings of jealousy returned, and I could only feel uneasy about what could come next.

"I'm not sure," Zoe admitted, pulling away and rubbing her arms. "I can't stop all..." She gestured to her chest, then mimed the spreading out of something. "All this unfamiliar feeling from surging through my body. I don't know what this is."

I shuffled uncomfortably. "I'm feeling the same. But what can we do?"

Zoe seemed to be keen on looking everywhere but me. "I suppose, we could only ask the man in question about what to do."

I paled. Admitting to Zoe was painful enough, but to Perseus? What would he say? What would he think? "Perseus? Would he come?"

"Who else would be able to say anything?" Zoe asked, her voice tight. "Two huntresses vowing to be maidens forever, sisters in arms and family no matter what, have now fallen for the same hero." The huntress was clenching her necklace as if her life depended on it. "Who else could possibly help us?"

I remained silent with my face turned away as I didn't have an answer. The sound of my tent flap opening made me turn back, and I saw half of Zoe's body outside.

"Now if you'll excuse me, Mi'lady," Zoe's voice sounded painfully respectful. I couldn't see her face, but she sounded close to crying. "I have a call to make."

She left me alone in my tent, wondering just how badly things had went. But I couldn't. I couldn't deny the truth now. Despite everything that I'd experienced, seen, heard, and done, Perseus had made his way into my heart. And now, I was at war with my best friend for him.

§§§§§

Present

Percy POV:

The moment I exited the boundaries of Camp Jupiter, I concentrated on Zoe's location before vaporizing into water. When I materialized once more, I seemed to have startled a family of deer who shrieked in surprise at the sight of an armored man appearing out of thin air. After a slight apology, I headed towards camp, fully expecting to see it in ruins or at least a patch of tents burning in ashes. However, when I arrived, nothing seemed to have happened. Everything was peaceful, like any normal day in the Hunt. Several girls that had decided to stop hating my guts greeted me kindly, and Thalia even came to give me a hug.

"What are you doing here, Aquaman?" Thalia asked, throwing a small bolt at my shoulder.

"Ouch!" I winced, but smiled regardless. It was her way of greeting me, a way of keeping me I my toes I suppose. "Er... I got a report about some problems."

Thalia tilted her head. "Problems? There haven't been any that I'm aware of at least. Who's involved?"

"Zoe," I said. "And Artemis."

Thalia's smirk was instantly replaced with a look of understanding. "Oh."

"So you're aware?"

"Um, let's just say they aren't having the best of times together," Thalia gestured to the right, where Zoe was standing outside of Artemis' main tent, her arms crossed with a look of sadness crossing her face.

"Reyna told me they were throwing hands and stuff," I shook my head. "I came here as fast as I could cause I was afraid half the camp would've been destroyed!"

Thalia gave a humorless laugh. "Yeh, honestly that would probably happen. Now, if you could please go find out what the heck is wrong, I would really appreciate it. Playing therapist is not exactly my strong point."

I nodded. "Thanks Thals." Without another word, I made my way towards Zoe, my armor folding back to reveal my Hunter's uniform underneath. I figured this would make hugging more comfortable, since my girlfriend looked like she really needed one.

"Hey, Zoe!" I called out, speed walking towards her. "Zoe, what's-"

I couldn't finish, as said girl leapt into my arms, her face buried in my chest. Whatever had happened between her and Artemis must have really messed her up, because she looked like she was about to cry.

"Zoe," I said again, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders. "Zoe, you gotta tell me what's wrong or I can't help you."

"Perseus," the huntress said, and that caught my attention. Rarely did Zoe ever use my full name, unless something was seriously up. "This may be a... stupid question, but if someone else were to capture your heart, what would become of us?"

I stood, stunned. I didn't want to think too hard of what Zoe may be implying, and decided just to answer as best I could. "Nothing would happen to our current relationship." I said. "My heart has chosen you, as yours has mine. And you know, my loyalty is unbreakable."

"Of course I do," Zoe murmured. "That's what makes me even more unsure."

"Zoe...?"

My girlfriend sighed, her arms tightening around my waist. "It's about Artemis."

I gave a faint smile. "That's what Thalia told me. Something about the two of you disagreeing with something, so much to the point that I thought you had torn the camp apart."

"You got the message then," Zoe said. "I hope Reyna wasn't too bothered?"

I thought of how annoyed Reyna had been and shrugged. "She was fine. I got here as fast as I could when I heard you and Artemis were fighting, which by the way, were you really?"

"Not actually," Zoe admitted. "I only told Reyna to say so because I really needed you to be here. This wasn't something mi'lady and I could solve ourselves."

I took a deep breath. "Alright. Can you at least tell me the reason why you are arguing to this extent?"

Zoe stared up at me, then looked away, blushing. "You."

"Me?"

"Yes," Zoe said. "You are the issue."

"Nani?" I must have looked really confused, because a small smile crossed Zoe's face. "I'm the issue?"

"You'll see," Zoe gave me a peck on the cheek and grabbed my hand, pulling me into Artemis' tent. I caught said goddess' gaze and gave an uneasy smile, something that felt so wrong on my face that I could've sworn it was a new expression my muscles learned to make.

"You're finally here," Artemis stood from her seat and walked towards me, her hand held out towards me. Then, her movements stiffened and she pulled back, looking guilty while her eyes remained somewhat defiant.

"I know it's been a while, Moonbeam," I gave a tense laugh and wrapped the goddess in a hug as well. I didn't miss the immortal's sigh of... relief? I dunno, but I didn't miss my girlfriend's indignant huff behind me. Something was seriously wrong with the two girls and I was about to get down to it.

"What have I said about nicknames?" Artemis giggled.

"Uh, not to use them?" I asked warily, feeling Zoe's laser gaze burning the back of my head.

"Percy?" Artemis again.

"..." Zoe this time.

I shook my head. "Okay, both of you, stop!" I stared at Artemis, who was acting very weird, and Zoe, who looked angry not at me, but at the goddess. They turned to me, wondering what I was going to say.

"Seriously, I knew something was wrong the moment Reyna came up to me and said you were fighting." I took a deep breath. "I come here and Thalia tells me the same. And coming from Thals, it sounds like this has been an issue for a while, Artemis." I turned to the goddess, then Zoe herself. "Please, the two of you need to tell me what's going on. Right now, all I'm getting is that Zoe, you can't stand me joking around with Artemis, and Artemis, you for whatever reason aren't acting like yourself. What is wrong with you two?" I was frustrated because I knew how powerful of a bond the two girls had with each other. They've been through thick and thin for centuries, and apparently once I became the issue, these two were stumbling all over the place like mindless zombies.

"She likes you." Zoe said.

"..." I blinked once, twice, then turned to Artemis. "Run that by me again."

Zoe sighed. "Artemis, she has some sort of feelings for you. Neither of us really know what, so we asked you for help."

This cannot be happening. "Wait, but..." I was cut off by an indignant goddess in my face.

"Are you saying that I can't fall for a man because I'm a millennia old goddess who swore off love forever?" Artemis asked. "If you could melt Zoe's heart, why not mine?"

I could feel Artemis' pulsating aura, like someone had thrown a really heavy blanket of frustration and confusion on me. Zoe wasn't helping, most likely because she didn't know what to do. And I was wracking my mind for exactly what to say without getting an arrow shot through me.

"Zoe." I turned, my hand tapping my thigh nervously. "Could you wait outside, princess? There are some things we," I gestured to Artemis, then myself. "-need to discuss. Privately."

Zoe didn't look happy but nodded, walking up to kiss me again on the cheek, except purposely kissed me longer. I gave her the best reassuring smile I could, before the girl made her way out. Once I checked that she had really left, I took a deep breath and sat down where Artemis had been sitting.

"First off," I turned to the goddess. "Please don't let your relationship with Zoe deteriorate because of me. I don't want to be the reason you break up your sisterhood. And second, why don't you explain to me exactly how you feel?"

Artemis seemed to hesitate at first, but upon catching my serious gaze, nodded and sat down. I listened intently, and found that Zoe hadn't been wrong. With all these conflicting emotions that the goddess clearly had a hard time interpreting properly, it was no wonder tensions were so high between the two friends.

"I've missed you," The goddess said again, maybe the sixth time or so. "All I kept hearing was how you saved my life, and my hunters, one by one from the brink. Then you took up the task of handling my Hunt, even though they despised your mere existence. I wanted to thank you for everything after I woke, and perhaps spend more time to understand and learn from you from a mortal standpoint."

"That trip into the city... I've never imagined even doing such a thing. Apollo goes to mortal bars at time with Hermes and I thought, maybe that's all the mortal world is good for. But you showed me the truth."

"You were gone before I could admit anything," Artemis glanced down at her clasped hands. "I wanted to contact you, but you were gone on some secret mission." Here, she glared at me a bit. "You managed to sway my best friend and sister into keeping that secret from me, and it frustrated me. Not only were you hiding, but even Zoe was helping you hide. I felt..."

"I felt like you were trying to avoid me," Artemis admitted, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You've made a much larger impact in my life than you may believe, Perseus Jackson."

I sat back, my foot tapping like crazy. "I'm sorry you felt that way," I said first thing after her confession. "However, Zoe was right to keep the secret from you. Not because I wanted to spite you in any way. And not because I don't trust you." I held her gaze without hesitation, staring into the gray-yellow orbs that glowed with confusion. "I swear that when the time is right, I will explain why I'm acting the way I am. But what I'm messing with could really get me seriously hurt if everything goes wrong, so I must take precaution in doing so."

"Now then, about your feelings for me..." I hesitated, hoping whatever I said wasn't going to get me vaporized. Rejecting a girl was no strange thing, I'd done it many times while I was dating Annabeth. But rejecting a goddess? One that had never fallen for a man before (according to her, not history textbooks at least)? That was a whole different matter.

"I'm already dating Zoe," I said. "And you know that. The love I have for her is genuine, and I cannot simply abandon the girl. That being said, that doesn't mean I can't spend time with you, be it with other friends or alone. After all," I smiled warmly. "We don't necessarily have to be dating to be good friends and have an epic time."

"I know," Artemis sat back, pouting. She seemed to be thinking deeply, but shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it like she changed her mind. "Could you... maybe bring me out to the city again? Sometime?"

"Sure." I said. "After all this is over, I'll take you out somewhere okay, Arty?"

"Okay," The goddess beamed, and I felt relief for a moment.

I stood up, patting myself down. I was not free yet however, as there was still my fuming girlfriend outside who was probably a mix between a nervous wreck and jealousy monster. I sighed. So complicated.

"And Artemis," I stared at the goddess. "If you want to talk again, just call me first okay? I'm here to listen, if you need it."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you Percy."

When I left the tent, I kept a straight face until I reached Zoe, who had found herself drinking tea next to Thalia at one of the campfires. Thalia seemed to be in the middle of talking to my girlfriend when I walked up. The daughter of Zeus' face lightened up significantly when she saw me.

"Hey Waterboy, how was your therapy session with mi'lady?" Thalia asked.

"Didn't you call me Aquaman at first? What happened?" I raised an eyebrow.

"See, I realized you aren't mature enough to be a man," Thalia waved her hand up and down. "After all, what kind of man throws away his pride for the sake of whether or not food is blue?"

"Hey hey hey," I said warningly. "Watch it."

"See what I mean?" Thalia chuckled, then cleared her throat. "But seriously, is everything better now?"

I sighed, fully aware of Zoe's presence when I responded. "To be honest, I'm just as confused how this all happened. I never imagined that..." I shrugged. "Why do these things always happen to me?"

Zoe gave me a half-hearted nudge. "Maybe because you're so likable? Try being less funny?"

I rolled my eyes. "Percy Jackson without humor is nothing. I need my sarcasm to live!"

"Obviously," Thalia smirked. "No one likes a floppy dead fish after all."

"I cleared the air in the best way possible I think," I said seriously. "Made sure that it was clear I was in an official relationship with Zoe, and that even as a goddess, Artemis should respect my decision to do so. If it were the other way around, I would've expected Zoe to respond the same way. Even immortals should respect the boundaries of a relationship if they want to maintain mutual positivity and trust between them and the other person."

"Hopefully that'll be enough," Thalia shuddered. "Not that I don't enjoy helping Artemis sort out her problems or anything."

I smirked. "Your sarcasm needs a bit of work, Pinecone Face."

Thalia's eyes narrowed. "Sorry, but I don't think yours is that perfect either, Barnacle Scum."

"Pine Splinter."

"Salt Breath."

"Air Head."

"Really, that's the best you can do? Call me an idiot, Seaweed Brain?"

"Is that the best you can do? Call me an old nickname? Looks like all you really got is air in your head?"

Apparently, that was all we needed to say to make Zoe burst out laughing. We sat back and grinned as the huntress between us finally seemed to let go of the stressful thoughts she'd been having about her argument with Artemis. I wrapped my arm around Zoe and hugged her tight, kissing her forehead.

"And that's my cue to leave," Thalia said.

"Can't stand a bit of lovey-dovey action?" I chuckled.

"Nah, I could care less," Thalia chuckled. "But you two make it extra sappy, it's so ugh. I agree with Atti, you guys are so mushy sometimes."

I made a face. "I need to talk with my sister it seems about what vocabulary words not to use to describe my relationships."

"Eh, it's pretty accurate," Thalia said. "I'm off now."

When Thalia finally disappeared, Zoe turned to me and tugged my face towards hers. Our lips connected, the girl pouring out so much feeling that I understood her thoughts without her needing to say them. When we parted, the huntress was blushing a bright red, her dark eyes finally seemingly clear of worry.

"Percy." Zoe said. "I was so... unsure of what to do, and I didn't want to lose Artemis, so I had to ask you to come."

I chuckled and ran my hand through her hair. "I know, I get it, princess. She and I exchanged a few words and I got to understand her point of view a lot better. That being said," I paused for a moment. "Like I said a few seconds ago, I made it clear that I had chosen you. In this world, you are mine, and I am as certain as my love for blue food as I am of my love for you. If you're okay with that, of course."

"Obviously," Zoe giggled. "Why else would I let you do all this?"

"You're right," I deadpanned. "If not, I'm sure I'd be missing an arm and half my genitals if we weren't dating."

The huntress smirked. "I would never."

"That's bullshit."

"No..." Zoe stared then turned away. "Okay, I surrender."

"You better," I stood, realizing at that moment that perhaps making out with Zoe at the edge of camp wasn't the best idea. Sure enough, most of the younger Hunters were peeking our direction, their cheeks red when I caught them watching.

"Oh," Zoe noticed as well and turned embarrassingly into my chest. "Oops."

I smiled. "They were bound to have found out at some point, Zoe."

"Are you busy right now?" Zoe asked.

I thought for a moment. "Nah. I'd just finished a meeting with Hades before coming here, and I have nothing really in... you know where. So, no, I'm free. What, you wanna go somewhere and chill a bit?"

"How about..." Zoe spoke close to my ears. "The Roman baths?"

My eyes widened. "Damn, what's got you in such a mood?"

The girl giggled and stepped away, turning into vapor without another word. I rolled my eyes at her antics and focused on the borders of Camp Jupiter. I turned my attention to Artemis' tent for a few seconds, hoping my message had gotten across to the goddess. Hopefully, nothing else too dramatic would happen again. Without thinking much more about that complicated discussion, I vaporized in place and disappeared.

§§§§§

Atalanta POV:

"What was that?" Rachel managed to ask as we ran for our lives.

"I'll tell you later!" I panted, not daring to look back. "We have to cover as much ground as possible. If he gets to us, we're fucked."

We ran until our lungs finally couldn't take it anymore. Rachel steered us away from traps and dodgy tunnels with barely a millisecond of hesitation, heading towards nowhere but opposite the direction from where we came. After tens of loop de loops and drifting around several sharp corners, we finally collapsed in a tunnel of wet white rock, like the inside of a natural cave. I couldn't hear anything else behind us, and focused on the water molecules around us just to make sure I didn't miss anything my ears couldn't pick up.

"Safe?" Rachel asked, observing my stance.

I nodded, and the two of us fell to our knees, gasping for breath. I could still see Kronos' golden eyes in my head, and feel my heart pounding with fear. The feeling of being slowed in midair as I tried to escape, immobilized by the flow of time. How did Percy win in his world against such a monster?

"Seriously, I've never felt such an evil and powerful presence before," Rachel coughed. "I thought I was going to pass out."

I laughed dryly. "You saved my life, throwing that hairbrush?"

"I saw you running back," Rachel shivered. "And you were not moving at all, so I did what I had to." She was pale, and I doubt it was from the cold tunnel.

"Thanks, Red." I said. "Geez, how on earth are we supposed to beat that thing?"

"Who was he?" Rachel asked.

"The Titan of Time," I said. "That's who you beamed in the eye."

Rachel covered her mouth. "Oh... right, names are powerful." She paused. "So what now?"

I stood up, despite wanting nothing more than to sleep. "We gotta get back to camp and warn them. K- you know, he's fully resurrected now. I doubt he's going to wait for very long before attacking our camp. With the string, he's going to have no problem navigating the maze. C'mon, we gotta keep moving."

Rachel nodded and we were back on our feet after a few seconds of painful groaning. When she stood back up, we got back to straggling around the Labyrinth again, the only thing keeping us moving was to stay alive.

"Alright, let's head straight to New York, Rachel can you–"

"Atti?"

I stopped speaking, as my eyes had caught a very familiar object resting in a small puddle in front of us. My flashlight beam was fixed on the trampled clump of red fabric that turned out to be a Rasta cap. Grover, Tyson, they'd been through here.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked, seeing me pick up the cap.

I examined the tunnel around us and looked for any signs of my friends. It was then I caught the footprints on the floor of the mushy wet cave floor, a pair of large footprints accompanying smaller prints – goat hooves – leading off to the left.

"We have to follow them," I gestured. "They must have been here recently."

"Are they your other questmates?" Rachel said, pointing her flashlight down.

"Yeh," I said, forging ahead and leaping over a stream of cave water.

The tunnel was treacherous. Without the usual guide railings you see in natural cave national parks, navigating the slopes and weird angles of the wet stalactite cave was extremely difficult. The walls were all slimy, as was the floor. Most of time, we were slipping and sliding until we reached a large cave filled with massive stalagmite columns. And through the center of the room ran an underground river, where Tyson and Grover were at, Tyson cradling Grover in his lap.

Thank god they're alive. "Tyson!" I yelled, watching my step as I ran over to my brother.

"Atti, come quick!"

Grover wasn't dead, thankfully, but his whole body was shivering like he was freezing to death.

"What happened?" I asked.

"So many things," Tyson murmured. "Large snake. Large dogs. Men with swords. But then... we got close to here. Grover was excited. He ran. Then we reached this room, and he fell. Like this."

"Did he say anything?" I asked.

"He said, 'We're close.' Then he hit his head on the rocks."

I knelt next to Tyson. I'd never seen Grover pass out like this. Perhaps because he could sense the presence of the Wild God, and the power may have been too much for him to handle.

Rachel was shining her flashlight around the cavern. The rocks glittered with the dew of water dripping above us. At the far end was another cave, flanked by gigantic columns of purple and blue crystals that looked like diamonds. And beyond that entrance...

"Hey G-man, wake up," I shook Grover's shoulder. "I think you've really done it!"

"Uhhhhhh..."

"Aight," I smirked. "Guess I gotta do this then." I pulled a sphere of icy cold water from the river and dunked it in Grover's face. The results were immediate. Resident goat boy woke up with a start, surprised.

"Splurg!" Grover's eyelids fluttered. "Atti? Where..."

"It's okay," I said, helping him up and drying his face. "You passed out. The presence was too much for you, I think."

"I–I remember. Pan."

"Yeah," I said. "Something powerful is just beyond that doorway."

When Grover finally regained himself, I introduced him and Tyson to Rachel before we continued on. We braced ourselves in crossing the underground river, as we had to to get to the cave entrance. The current was strong, the water coming up to our waists. I was able to will myself and my friends to stay dry, but couldn't do much about the cold. It made me long for Percy's Greek fire heating system, which worked pretty much anywhere on the planet. Thinking about it only made me colder, and eventually, I just settled for chattering my teeth like everyone else.

We got out the water after reaching the opposing bank and kept walking. As the crystal pillars loomed larger, I started to feel the power emanating from the next room. I'd been the presence of gods before, but this was different. My skin tingled with sentient energy. My weariness fell away, and my cramps disappeared. It was like I'd finally gotten that good night's sleep I wanted, but in a millisecond of time. I could feel myself growing stronger, like one of those plants in a time-lapse video. The relief in my friend's faces showed that they were feeling the same too.

Grover whimpered with excitement. The scent coming from the cave was nothing like the dank wet underground. It smelled of trees and flowers on a warm summer day. I was too stunned to talk. Nobody could manage a word of appreciation until we stepped into the cave.

"Oh, wow." Rachel said breathlessly.

'Wow' was an understatement. The walls glittered with crystals, beautiful shades of reds, greens and blues. In the strange light, beautiful plants I'd never seen in real life before grew, giant orchids, star-shaped flowers, vines bursting with orange and purple berries that crept alongside the crystals. The cave floor was covered in soft green moss. Overhead, the ceiling was higher than a cathedral, sparkling like a galaxy of stars. In the center of the cave stood a Roman-style bed, gilded wood shaped like a curly U, with velvet cushions. Animals that should've been extinct long ago lounged around it. There was a dodo bird, something that looked like a cross between a wolf and a tiger, a huge rodent like the mother of all guinea pigs, and roaming behind the bed, picking berries with its trunk was a wooly mammoth.

On the bed lay an old satyr. He watched us as we approached, his eyes as blue as the sky. His curly hair was white and so was his pointed beard. Even the goat fur on his legs were frosted with gray. His horns were enormous, ain't no way he hiding them under a hat like Grover could. Glossy brown and curved, like those longhorn antiques you could find in Texas. Around his neck hung a set of reed pipes that also looked as aged as the satyr himself.

Grover fell to his knees in front of the bed. "Lord Pan!"

The god smiled kindly, but there was sadness in his eyes. "Grover, my dear, brave satyr. I have waited a very long time for you."

"I... got lost," Grover apologized.

Pan laughed. It was a wonderful sound, like the first breeze of springtime, filling the whole cavern of hope. Pan was the living embodiment of nature itself. He exuded such great power, yet despite all the beauty around us, the god looked exhausted. His whole form shimmered from time to time as if he were merely a hologram.

"This place..." I was speechless. "It's amazing."

"It's the most beautiful place!" Rachel exclaimed, her eyes glistening with awe. "It's better than any art I've created!"

"I'm glad you like it, dear," Pan said. "It is one of the last wild places. My realm above is gone, I'm afraid. Only small pockets remain. Tiny pieces of life. This one shall stay undisturbed... for a little longer."

"My lord!" Grover was kneeling in front of the god. "Please, come back with me. The Elders will never believe it! They'll be overjoyed! You can save the Wild!"

Pan placed his hand on Grover's head and ruffled his curly hair. "You are so young, Grover. So good and true. I think I chose well."

"Chose?" Grover said. "I–I don't understand. Why..."

Pan's image flickered more violently this time, momentarily turning to smoke. The giant guinea pig scuttled under the bed with a terrified squeal. The wooly mammoth grunted nervously. The dodo bird stuck its head under its wing. Then Pan re-formed.

"I have slept many eons," the god said forlornly. "My dreams have been rather dark. I wake fitfully, and each time my waking is shorter. Now we are near the end."

"What?!" Grover cried. "No, no, but you're right here!"

"My dear satyr," Pan said. "I tried to tell the world, two thousand years ago. I announced it to Lysas, a satyr very much like yourself. He lived in Ephesos, and he tried to spread the word."

"I know," Grover said. "But that wasn't true!"

"Your kind never believed it," Pan said. "You sweet, stubborn satyrs refused to accept my passing. And I love you for that, but you were only delaying the inevitable. You only prolonged my long, painful passing, my dark twilight sleep. It must end."

"No!" Grover's voice trembled.

I closed my eyes and shook my head, placing a hand on Grover's shaking shoulder. "Pan's right. It's... I've been feeling the life forces around here, and well, under all that power, there's not much left. He's more like a memory, brought back every now and then to see the world one last time."

"But gods can't die." Grover tried."

"They can fade," Pan nodded to me. "when everything they stood for is gone. Daughter of Poseidon, you're far more observant than I imagined."

"Thanks," I said.

"Anyways," Pan continued, turning back to Grover. "any god can fade as their domains become less powerful. Once their sacred places disappear, we become less and less remembered. The wild, my dear Grover, is so small now, so shattered, that no god could save it without the destruction of the beings who live on it. My realm is gone. That is why I need you to carry a message. You must go back to the council. You must tell the satyrs, and the dryads, and the other spirits of nature, that the great god Pan is dead. Tell them of my passing. Because they must stop waiting for me to save them. I cannot. The only salvation you must make yourself."

Grover looked close to tears but a new and strong glow seemed to have taken up in his eyes. He swam between denial and acceptance as he listened to what the Wild God had to say.

"Be strong," Pan grasped Grover's shoulder. "You have found me. And now, you must release me. you must carry on my spirit. It can no longer be carried by a god. It must be taken up by all of you."

Pan looked straight at me with his clear blue eyes, and I realized he wasn't just talking about the satyrs. He meant demigods, too, and humans. Everyone.

"Atalanta Jackson," the god began. "I know what you've seen, and what you've learned. I know your doubts. But I give you this news: When the time comes, you will not be ruled by fear."

"Master Cyclops," He turned to Tyson. "do not despair. Heroes rarely live up to our expectations. But you, Tyson, your name will live among the Cyclops for many generations to come."

"And you," Pan smiled warmly at Rachel, who looked guilty as she gazed at the dying god. "Miss Rachel Dare. I know you believe you cannot make amends. But you're just as important as your father."

"I–" Rachel faltered, a tear tracing her cheek as she nodded gently.

"I know you may not believe what I've said now," Pan said. "But look for opportunities. They will come, just as the future will."

Finally, he turned back toward Grover. "My dear satyr," Pan said kindly, "Will you carry my message?"

"I–I can't"

"You can," Pan said. "You are the strongest and bravest. Your heart is true. You have believed in me more than anyone ever has, and sacrificed everything to find me. You must be the one to bring the message, and therefore, must be the one to release me."

"I don't want to." Grover admitted.

"I know," the god said. "But my name, Pan... originally it meant rustic. Did you know that? But over the years it has come to mean all. The spirit of the wild must pass to all of you now. You must tell each one you meet: if you would find Pan, take up Pan's spirit. Remake the wild, a little at a time, each in your own corner of the world. You cannot wait for anyone else, even a god, to do that for you."

Grover wiped his eyes and nodded once, then second, more firmly. He stood up and gazed reverently at the dying god before him. "I've spent my whole life searching for you. And now..." He paused, as if he were saying one final goodbye to a dearest friend. "I release you."

Pan smiled. "Thank you, my dear satyr. My final blessing."

He closed his eyes, and began to dissolve before our eyes. White mist divided into wisps of energy, but this kind of energy wasn't scary like the blue power I'd seen from Kronos. It filled the room. A curl of smoke went straight into my mouth, and Grover's and the others. I think most of it went to Grover. The crystals dimmed. The animals gave us a sad look, before the turned gray and crumbled to dust. The vines and plants withered, until they were no different from the gray walls behind them. We were alone in the now dark cave, with an empty bed.

I switched on my flashlight.

Grover took a deep breath.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

He looked older and sadder and chose not to respond. Grover took his cap from me, brushed off the mud and stuck it firmly on his head. He turned towards us and I caught the glint of finality in his eyes.

"We should go now," he said. "And tell them. The great god Pan is dead."

A/N: Yes, I'm alive. I have forgotten how much I enjoy writing, and finally, my schedule has emptied out enough to let me sit down and continue on.

Things to clarify. I've mentioned previously that this PART I focuses mainly on the relationship between Percy and Zoe. Percy did friendzone Artemis at this current moment, simply because as he said, he was already in a relationship. Artemis herself has yet to truly find words to describe her emotions, and Percy isn't just going to assume Zoe's fine with him dating two people at once. Thus far, Percy treats Artemis as more like a sister if anything, so any romance between them just isn't going to happen in this story. Pertemis shippers, sorry, but all you're gonna get is a bunch of hilarious and maybe suggestive scenes between Percy and the goddess.

I hope I described the issue between Zoe and Artemis well enough. Having never been in a relationship/love triangle crisis before, it was sort of difficult to figure out how to write the scene without sounding too cringe or biased on either side. Perhaps it can be tweaked later on, but I'm satisfied as is with what it is now.

This chapter wasn't too exciting I know, but the next one I'll publish either today or tomorrow will be much more action packed. Once again, thanks for your eternal patience and support for my writing. Y'all don't know how overjoyed I was to reach 1000+ followers. Compared to much more impressive writings, this isn't much, but it was enough for me to start cheering to the point that my roommate thought I was going insane.

Thanks for everything, R&R, all the good stuff.

Peace out, you legends.

~ Zayden Shade