Disclaimer - I do not own PJO or HOO. All rights to our dear Uncle Rick.
Six year old Percy sat by himself in the back of his first-grade class, toying with a pencil as the teacher talked on and on and on. He knew he should listen, but he couldn't find the motivation to do so. Kindergarten was the same as always and Percy longed for something different.
It seems like his wish for once came true as there was an urgent knock on the door, followed by a frown from the teachers as she opened it. Percy didn't look up until he heard quick footsteps walking into the room, mumbling a soft apology and sitting down beside Percy in the back of the classroom.
Percy took a glance at the person next to him, startled when he identified a girl with long wavy auburn hair which now sat down beside him. She looked up, surprising Percy even more, when he realized her eyes were a bright silver, like the moon.
The girl scowled at him when she noticed he was staring and he quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to see what this girl would do to him.
Percy turned his focus to the teacher, staring blankly at the whiteboard as the teacher wrote a couple words down. He was trying to figure out but his dyslexia was getting in the way. He squirmed under his teachers look, as he frowned at the words. 'Bake you poke nok'
"It says to take out your notebook," the girl next to him whispered in his ears softly and Percy nodded his thanks. She didn't see it though, just staring back onto the board while looking bored.
When the bell rang, Percy was one of the first to rush out, not wanting to stay in the suffocating classroom any longer. He went toward his usual spot under a tree, watching the other kids play as he ate his apple by himself.
"Why don't you join them?"
Percy mentally jumped up at the voice as he looked at the new girl from his class in surprise when she sat down beside him. Percy shrugged before going back to eating his apple.
"I'm Luna by the way," the girl spoke up again after a moment of silence, making Percy look up once more as he swallowed his food.
"Percy," he smiled at the girl before going back to his food. A question suddenly appeared in his mind as he turned to Luna. "Why did you move here in the middle of the year?"
"Can't I move here in the middle of the year?" Luna countered in a slightly challenging tone as Percy shrugged.
"I don't know. I don't think anyone comes to this school in the middle of the year."
"Then I'll be the first," Luna joked lightly, making Percy smile again.
"Nah, you'll be the second," he said casually as he started eating a blue cookie, making Luna raise her eyebrow.
"And why's that?"
"Because I'm the first," was his only answer as he started munching on the cookie, ignoring the startled look Luna gave him.
Eight years old Percy was one of the first people to rush out of the bus when they arrived at the aquarium, the most interesting place Percy had ever been at. Luna followed him as fast as possible, her arms crossed with a cute pout on her face. "I thought you said you would wait for me."
"You're just too slow," Percy sticked his tongue out at her as Luna rolled her eyes. They had been best friends for two years now and Percy couldn't imagine his life without her.
He told her everything, that would be on his mind, his interests, but he never told her about Gabe, his disgusting step-father. He knew for a fact that it would worry her beyond belief and she might even kill Gabe if no one would stop her. So he lied about it, always giving excuses why they couldn't meet up at his small apartment.
"Come on class, this way," their teacher, Mrs. Glasgow, a woman with blonde hair and dark brown eyes, called out from the front. Everyone followed as they all looked around with interest at the sea creatures around them, feeling lucky that they got the behind the scene tour.
"I hate the ocean," Luna grumbled under her breath beside Percy and he punched her playfully.
"Don't you dare insult my favorite place on Earth."
"I didn't insult it," Luna argued as Percy raised his eyebrow. "Okay, I slightly insult it but seriously, how can someone like the ocean?"
"Because it's amazing Percy exclaimed, blushing slightly.
Luna cracked a small smile before she shoved him playfully, muttering about kelp- heads under her breath.
Percy just ignored her,, wanting to hear what their tour guide had to say.
"Next, you will be experiencing something little people will be able to," the tour guide said as they stopped in front of the shark tank, sending some kids to look at it in shock and some looking at it with interest or excitement. "Do not touch anything."
Percy looked towards Luna with a huge smile on his face only to see Luna with a scowl on her face as they walked after the tour guide. "Cheer up a bit, Lune! This isn't a walk to death, this is the walk of a lifetime! Seriously, who else would be able to do this?"
"The workers that work in the aquarium?" Luna suggested as Percy sighed, dragging Luna after him. But due to his excitement, something bubbled up inside him as he continued to rush quickly across the shark tank, looking back at Luna, who was still scowling, every now and then. He didn't even realize it when he walked right into the lever that controlled the opening and closing of the bridge.
A big splash brought Percy back to reality when he realized he was in the water, Luna clung to his arms tightly, her face pale as they floated in the middle of the shark tank, the sharks surrounding them as if studying their prey before killing it.
He saw his teacher, waving hectically her arms around as she shouted at Percy with a murderous look in her eyes. "YOU ARE EXPELLED FROM THIS SCHOOL IF WE MAKE IT OUT ALIVE!"
Nine years old Luna looked nervous as she fidgeted with her hand after school, waiting for her best friend. It was their third school they went to, getting kicked out of the second school a few months ago because Percy sends the class into an unplanned swim with the sharks. Luna shuddered as she paced impatiently, waiting for the black haired boy.
She twirled her auburn hair with her fingers, thinking about how much her life had changed over the long period of time ever since she started looking after the son of Poseidon. Luna, or Artemis, her real name, couldn't believe how much she didn't know about the mortal world and she was glad for this new-found knowledge of the world, being able to see it in a completely different view.
She never actually thought she would become friends with Percy, thinking that she would just watch and observe from afar, and maybe recruit a new hunter every now and then, but the fates seemed to have something entirely different in mind. And that brought her here, waiting for Percy since she finally decided to invite him to her 'house' since mortal seemed to have something called 'playdate'. She never really understood it but she decided to go along with it anyway.
Luna looked around, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for Percy. He was one of the only males that could get close to her.
She never wanted it to be this way but he had changed her views slightly and she wasnt as cold to the other males anymore. And all the time forging experiences with him, Luna knew that she could trust him with anything, especially with his fatal flaw of personal loyalty.
"Hey!" Percy panted as he ran toward Luna, out of breath. Luna rolled her eyes as she fixed him with a glare which he shrugged off, used to it by now. "Sorry for being late."
"Where were you Perce?" Luna asked impatiently as she dragged him toward her uncle's car. Poseidon was standing there, a friendly smile on his face as he waved at them, his sea-green eyes sparkling with excitement because he was able to talk with his son, Without violating the ancient laws his brother had put up. Luna took a deep breath before flashing Poseidon a smile. "Hey, dad!"
"Hey," Percy waved shyly, a bit nervous. He was finally going to see his best friend's house! Meet her family. He was both nervous and excited about it. He didn't know what to expect when they got out of Luna's dad's car, arriving in front of a two-story house in a nice neighborhood.
They went through the front door, Luna walking in first, followed by Percy. For some reason, Percy thought he had seen Luna's father before, something about him just seemed so familiar but he couldn't quite place it.
"Welcome," Luna smiled warmly as she took a hold of his hand, dragging him toward the back of the house. "Come on! I want to show you my room!"
Percy hurried after her, his previous thoughts now forgotten as Luna quickly opened her room. Percy gasped at the sight. Her bedroom wall was painted with the scene of a forest at night, the full moon shining brightly on one of the walls. He saw a silver bow leaning against her bed with a quiver of arrows next to it. Percy studied it with interest. "Is this real?"
"Yep!" Luna said cheerfully as she sat on her bed, patting the spot next to her, making Percy climb up to sit beside her. "I do archery as a sport. And tennis as well, since archery is not common these days. It's more of a hobby."
"Archery sounds difficult," Percy stated as he laid down on her bed, staring at her ceiling which was filled with stars that are acting as light in her room. "The stars look so realistic! So does the moon and the forest! Did you paint it?"
Luna flushed in embarrassment as she nodded. "My aunt helped me a bit but otherwise ya, I painted it. Got to say, it's my best work."
"I never know you like drawing," Percy said, staring at his best friend with newfound interest.
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Perce," Luna chuckled as she jumped off the bed, finding something. "Everyone has their share of secrets."
"I don't have any secret," Percy spoke up, realizing how wrong it was the second he said it, making him regretted it when Luna raised her eyebrow.
"No secret, huh?"
Percy shuttered as he tried to look convincing and failing. "Uh... yeah... no secret! No secret from me!"
Luna let it go for now with an unconvinced look as she took stood up, opening her bedroom door once more. "Come on! Let's play outside instead. Being in a room with you make me suffocate," she smiled jokingly, making Percy protested the whole way to their backyard.
"No unplanned swim this time, understand young man?" Percy's mom, Sally Jackson, insulted him as she handed him his pack lunch for the school field trip.
"Yes mom," Percy quickly nodded, putting on his sweater over his head before shouldering his backpack after putting his lunch inside. He hugged his mom tightly. "Love you, mom! Stay safe."
"Love you too," His mom hugged him tightly as well as they both looked toward the living room, where Percy's stepdad, Gabe, was laying drunk, a beer bottle in his hand. They both looked away, not wanting to acknowledge him. He was nice for the first few minutes of their wedding being proofing to be the world's worst stepdad in the history of stepdad. Percy hated him with a passion.
Suddenly, the doorbell ran loudly, making mother and son to looked toward Gabe, who is now awoken, in alert. Percy felt his mother nudged him slightly, asking a silent question. 'Did you invite anyone here?' Percy quickly shook his head as Gabe glared at them murderously.
"Why did you brats interrupted me from my sleep?"
"W-we didn't," Percy started but Gabe wasn't having it. He walked forward threateningly when a knock interrupted them this time. Gabe still didn't answer it and both Percy and his mom are too scared about what he'll do to move. This time, whoever is at the door started banging on it.
"COME ON PERCY, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" Luna's voice rang out, making Percy flinched when Gabe glared at the trembling Percy more as he walked toward him.
"You stupid son of a bit-"
"I AM KICKING DOWN THIS DOOR IF YOU DON'T OPEN IT THIS INSTANT! I DON'T WANT TO BE LATE BECAUSE OF YOU!" Luna called out again making Gabe lose his focus on Percy, giving him an 'I'll deal with you later look' as he slammed the door open, giving his death glare to his best friend at the door. Percy watched, afraid for her.
"What do you want brat?" Gabe growled at Luna, who simply scowled at him.
"Who the fuck are you, stupid boy?" Luna snarled as if 'boy' was an insult, which it is in her dictionary. Luna couldn't believe her eyes. So this was the stepdad Percy talked about. He always said that he's nice and caring. But staring at the overweight and clearly drunk male in front of her, she knew he was lying.
Why does her best friend have to have this bad luck?
"You dare insult me, girl?" Gabe rolled up his sleeve as if ready to fight, making Luna rolled her eyes at him. "DON'T YOU DARE ROLL YOUR EYES AT ME."
"You don't own me," Luna growled back as she pushed him out of her side easily. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have something better to do."
"You are not going anywhere!" Gabe grabbed Luna, catching her off guard, as he pinned her against the wall. Luna's eyes flashed dangerously as she wiggled her arm free easily, sending a punch toward his face.
"DON'T TOUCH ME, YOU STUPID BOY!" She took a deep breath as she glared at him with all of her hatred and anger, making him coward under her glare. "If you know what's best for you, you will be leaving them alone. Or else I will find you. I will harm you. And you will not live to see the sunlight again. Understood?"
Gabe quickly nodded as he scrambled deep into the apartment, slamming the door to the master bedroom as Luna wiped her hand on her jeans as if nothing happened, finally seeing the startled look on Percy and his mother's face, making her chuckled mentally. She just flashed them a smile as if nothing happened. "Come on! We don't want to be late."
Percy shook himself out of his daze as he nodded quickly. Luna pushed him out the door. "You go first, I'll be right behind you."
Percy didn't question it, quickly walking out of his apartment as Luna stayed behind. Sally stared at the girl in front of her before quickly bowing. "Lady Artemis."
Luna looked surprised as she waved her hand, telling her to get up. "How do you know it's me?"
"Your aura, my lady," Sally explained before quickly adding. "Thank you for taking care of my son."
"He really is something different," Artemis stated calmly as she chuckled softly to herself. "It is an honor to meet someone as kind and caring as him."
"May I ask, Lady Artemis, why are you looking after him?" Sally asked cautiously.
"Let's just say I owe his old man something and it didn't go the way I planned," was all Artemis said before she turned away, waving the mortal goodbye, but not before telling her. "If that male is causing any trouble, don't be afraid to pray to me any time."
"Thank you Lady Artemis," Sally bowed again as Artemis smiled softly.
"And one more thing, don't bow to me, it's unnecessary," Artemis started, surprisingly both herself and Sally. "And call me Artemis, Lady makes me seems so old."
"Of course La- Artemis," Sally pulled her goddess into a hug, surprising her but she welcomes it. It had been so long since she last saw her mother, Leto. Maybe she should pay her a visit soon. Artemis pulled away before waving goodbye again, Sally smiled at her as she closed the apartment door after Artemis left, leaning her back against the door, trying to process everything that just happened.
"I swear I wasn't aiming at the school bus," Percy protested as he sat in the principal office, Luna next to him and her dad and his mom sitting in the room as well, giving them a disappointed look.
"But you were aiming for something," the principal, Mr. Black, a tall man with short dark brown hair always swipe to the side and always seen with a suit, said.
Luna snicked slightly when Percy looked back down toward his hand as Mr. Black looked over at Luna, making her gulp. "And you, Miss Moore, what do you have to say about this?"
"It was an accident sir," Luna quickly said, trying to think of an excuse. They really weren't aiming for anything, somehow Percy reactivated the canon and without warning, its position was aimed at the school bus and it was fired without warning. Luna just happened to be there at the moment, making her called to the principal office as well.
"I am disappointed in you two, Mr. Jackson and Miss Moore. I expect better from our students," Mr. Black started as he stood up and started pacing, Percy was still staring at his hands. "You are lucky there was no one in the school bus or the matter will be much worst. The teacher and I had a conference just now and it is agreed, you two won't be coming here next year. You may both leave."
Percy nodded as he stood up, his mom giving him her disappointed look as Poseidon tried not to smirk at Artemis, who glared at him giving him a 'don't you dare tell anyone' look. Not that he could. The two of them didn't tell any of the other Olympians what they're doing.
"See you later Luna," Percy hugged her gently, his tone sad, as he pulled away a second later, still looking at the ground as he followed his mom to the car.
"See you later, Percy," Luna called back, still glaring at Poseidon. Once there was no one around, the two of them flashed near her hunter's camp, with Poseidon collapsing in laughter soon.
"Zeus' favorite daughter who follow all the rules, got expelled from a mortal school," Poseidon started as Artemis slapped his head.
"Shut up!"
"I am never letting this go," Poseidon snickered as Artemis gave him her death glare, making him gulp as he quickly flashed away. "Got to go."
"Come back here!" Artemis shouted angrily as she flashed out after him.
AN: So some people think that the previous chapter was a bit short but it's just the prologue. I tend to keep my prologue short and simple, just getting a preview and the writer's writing style. I swear the chapter from now on will always be 2k if not more words long. The shortest might be 1k or 1.5k if I can't squeeze out a chapter or idea. (I hope this chapter was long enough for you guys.)
I will update every day, every other day, or every two days depending on how busy/free I am. If I'm really really busy, the update might change to every three days or even once every week. For now, it'll be every other day or every two days. (With the expedition of today)
Hope you guys enjoy this chapter and leave a review! I enjoy hearing your thoughts about it :D
Also, sorry for all the Luna/Artemis thing. I refer to her as Luna when it's Percy's thoughts and kinda still refer to her as Luna when it's her own thought. But I switch to Artemis sometimes when they're talking about greek mythology and stuff. If you don't like it, please tell me! I want to know what you readers are more comfortable in reading. Weather all Luna or all Artemis, or both!
- Kathy