Chapter Nine
One Month Later
Percy walked into the convenience store, pulling his leather jacket closer to himself. He kept his head down as he walked through the aisles. He turned into an aisle full of candy. He figured that he needed a cart.
He went back to the entrance and picked up a basket. He walked back to the candy aisle and started to load the basket up. He put in bags of Kit Kats, Hershey's chocolate bars, 3 Musketeers, basically anything that had chocolate in it. He cleared out the entire stock of chocolate.
He carried the heavy basket to the cash register. He placed it onto the counter and smiled at the clerk.
"Big spender, eh?" She asked him.
"I have an addiction. Need it to live!" He joked.
She chuckled and started to ring up the candy. Percy pulled out his wallet and pulled out his debit card. In the last month, he had opened a bank account and gotten a debit card. It was a hard process, but in the end, he was successful. Now to make sure that he had enough money to pay for all the chocolate.
The clerk finished ringing and bagging all the items. "Your total is $130.54."
Percy breathed in and stuck his credit card in the chip reader. He held his breath as he waited to see if it would be successful. In hindsight, he probably should've checked his bank account before coming in.
The screen flashed green, reading 'Transaction Complete!' in big black letters. Percy sighed in relief.
He pulled his card out and put it back in his wallet. He took the bags from the clerk, "Thank you-" He looked at her name tag. "- Mrs. Chen. Have a good day."
"You too sir." She said.
Percy walked out of the store holding the several pound bags. He shivered in the cooling weather. His leather jacket didn't do much in keeping him warm.
"You cost too much." Percy said.
"Would you like me to feast on your liver? It's looking mighty delicious right now."
"I swear to Gods, you even touch my liver, I will burn you alive!"
A lady who was walking by stared at him. She had her phone to her ear, like she was in the middle of a call.
"Sorry, I'm schizophrenic." He said, hoping she believed him.
He walked past quickly, moving his arms so as to not hit her with the bags. He crossed the street and entered the woods. He passed the treeline and went deeper. He walked for a couple of minutes before reaching his camp. A dead fire surrounded by rocks, a tent, and a backpack all laid exactly where he left it. A log sat on the side of a tent.
Percy sat on the log facing the makeshift fire pit. He opened the bag and pulled out a Kit Kat. He unwrapped it and broke off a stick. He bit it and stared into the dead fire. He shivered again.
It was close to Winter. Time moved differently in Tartarus, as it does in most Mythological places, like the Sea of Monsters. It didn't help that they were far North. What state were they in?
"Minnesota." Venom said.
"Thank you."
"Anytime."
It had gotten a little better with Venom. Sure, he was sadistic, almost sociopathic, who's only goal was wanting to live, but it was also a bit of a friend. He was helpful to Percy, and tried to understand where his host was coming from, but his limited empathy didn't really help.
But while Venom was there, he did feel a bit lonely. After all, Venom was kind of just like a voice in his head. Akin to a parasite.
"I AM NOT A PARASITE! APOLOGIZE! NOW!"
"Damn, okay, geez. I'm sorry, you're not a parasite." Percy relented, before going back to his thoughts.
He wished he had someone else to talk to. He wished he hadn't pushed Thalia away. What he wouldn't do for a taste of her humor right now. He wished Artemis could come see the stars where he was. There was barely any light pollution and the night sky looked much better than it did in Central Park a couple of years ago.
He stuck the rest of the Kit Kat stick in his mouth and broke off another one.
The snapping of a branch a couple of meters away disturbed his thoughts. He turned his head to see a deer. Guess he found dinner.
Percy stood up and slowly drew his knife. He slowly approached the deer, not wanting to disturb it and chase it away. He watched his step, avoiding fallen leaves and sticks. The deer looked at him before running away.
Percy chased after it. Venom helped him run faster than he could normally, but the deer was still faster. Just barely. Percy pushed himself harder. His legs went black, gaining mass. Venom was helping him even more.
Percy jumped, lunging at the deer. He caught it by the neck and wrapped his arms around it. He took the knife and slid it across the deer's neck. Blood leaked from the wound. Finally, the deer stopped struggling.
Percy dropped the deer. Venom took over the body and licked his non-existent lips. He reached out and grabbed the deer. He ripped its head off. Venom stuck a couple of fingers down its mouth and ripped the jaw apart.
With a hole in the deer's head he was able to reach into the skull of the deer and pull out its brain. Blood dripped out of the skull, falling onto the grass. Venom grasped the brain and bit into it. He tossed the deer's head behind him, eating the brain.
When he was done, Venom picked up the body of the deer and carried it back to Percy's campsite. He placed it by the fire and let Percy assume control of the body again. The symbiote receded back into his body as he sheathed the knife.
Percy needed fire. He gathered sticks from the forest, building up quite the collection. His collection of sticks put those collections of lego sets that those people on Tik Tok have to shame. He dumped them in the fire pit. He went into his tent and rummaged around.
His tent was a mess. There was a blanket and a pillow, with a cooler next to it. On the other side was a bag. He opened it and pulled out his lighter. He exited the tent and flicked the lighter.
He set flame to the sticks. He chose a long stick and started to poke the fire, making sure it would get very big.
"This makes me nervous."
"Yeah, I know. Fire burns you. You're not the only one pal."
"You can't say anything. Poseidon protects you against fire. Didn't somebody throw lava at you once?"
"Fine. You win. Besides, just stay tucked away and you'll be fine."
Eventually, the fire was blazing hot. Percy started to prepare the deer for cooking. He skinned the deer, and started to chop away the meat from the bones.
"Heads up. We're surrounded by a bunch of girls with bows."
Percy sighed. "I guess they were gonna find us anyway."
"Don't act sad. You're very happy your hunter girl has come for you."
"Shut up."
"You didn't deny it."
"I am going to jump in the fire and burn you."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Try me bitch."
Venom was silent.
"That's what I thought." Percy said. He breathed in and decided that he would deal with the Hunters before putting the deer on the fire. This way, he didn't have to rush a fight because the meat was going to be burned. He put the meat in the cooler in his tent and walked to the self proclaimed edge of his territory.
"Artemis, you don't have to surround me. I'm not going anywhere." He announced to the woods. The only response was the chirping of the birds. "Are you hunting me for Zeus?"
There was no answer.
"That's what it is, isn't it? That's why you're not showing your face to me."
Again, no answer.
"I'm not going back. I'm sorry Artemis. But I'm not going back." Percy said.
An arrow flew from a tree and impaled itself in his shoulder. Percy howled in pain before ripping it out of his flesh. He dropped it onto the floor. Black goo started to cover the wound, healing it. The goo started to cover his entire body as Venom took control.
Venom leaped up and grasped at a tree branch. He swung off of it like it was a monkey bar and flew through the air. He landed on the ground running. Arrows flew at him. He dodged almost every one, and the ones that he didn't, he swatted away.
Venom growled as he climbed a tree. He grasped a branch and used it to fling himself up. He dug a claw into the tree trunk and leapt off the trunk onto another branch. He tackled the young girl that sat there.
They fell off the branch and onto the ground. Venom landed on top of her and wrapped a hand around her neck. He started to squeeze.
"Percy!" Someone screamed.
Venom turned to face the speaker. Running towards him was Artemis and Thalia. They both had bows slung over their backs.
"Percy, unhand her!" Artemis yelled.
Venom retracted into Percy's body. He removed his hands from around the girl. He stayed where he was though. He eyed the two girls, his eyes showing nothing but discontent. "I'm not going back. We aren't." His voice became deeper and multi-layered, like it wasn't just him talking. "Tell Zeus he can piss off!"
"We aren't here for Zeus dumbass!" Thalia said.
"What?"
"Zeus doesn't know that you're out." Artemis said. "No one but us knows."
They finally reached him.
Percy got off of the girl. He stared down at her. She looked scared. Because of him. He caused that. He suddenly felt uncomfortable. He held out his hand, as a gesture of peace and goodwill, to help her up, but she only flinched back.
Percy took his hand back. He felt guilty. "I'm sorry." He said. "I... I don't know what... what came over me."
That was a lie. He knew exactly what it was. But they couldn't know, know anything more than they already saw.
"It's alright." The girl said. But Percy knew that was a lie too. She had no conviction in her voice.
"Percy. We want you to stay with us. Zeus will soon find out that you've escaped if you continue this." Artemis said.
"I've made it a month. I think I could do it."
"But we could hide you. He would never expect you to be with us." Thalia said.
"I... I can't. You saw what I just did. Who knows what I'll do next? I don't even know."
"Because you were threatened! But you'll be safe with us!" Thalia reasoned.
"How can you be sure?!" Percy said.
"I just am." Thalia said. "You didn't harm me in Tartarus. You won't harm me now. Or any of us."
Percy felt torn. He really wanted to accept. But the thoughts of danger in the future kept him from finally making the decision. The perks sounded good. Hidden from Zeus, not having to go back to Tartarus. Plus he got to live with Artemis and Thalia. Anyone else would jump at the chance. So why wasn't he?
Danger, his mind screamed. Not Venom, he was silent, leaving the decision to Percy. This was all Percy. But danger was just part of his life. Any demigod's life. And that was the thing. Danger would come no matter what.
LINE BREAK
"I accept." He said.
He entered the Hunters camp with his belongings packed in a backpack. He left his tent, Artemis telling him that she'll get him a better one, a more cozy one. He lifted the cooler full of meat in his arms. Artemis had offered to carry it for him, but Percy refused.
The Hunter's camp was tidy. Organized. A circle of tents surrounded a fire pit. Logs surrounded the fire pit as well, each one about ten feet in front of a tent, and two feet from the fire.
"Percy, until I get you a tent, you will stay in that one." Artemis said. She was pointing at the largest tent.
"Are you sure Artemis, he can stay with me if you'd like." Thalia asked.
"No, Thalia. He will stay with me. It isn't a big deal."
Percy didn't know what to do. His mind was blank. On autopilot, he followed Artemis. She led him into her tent.
Percy remembered her tent from that one time at Westover. It was still the same.
"We can share the bed. I trust you won't do... anything." Artemis said.
"No, I'll uh, I'll sleep on the floor. All the blankets should provide nice padding." Percy said, placing his stuff in the corner.
"Are you sure?" Artemis asked. "I'm okay with sharing the bed."
"No, no. I'm good."
Artemis stared at him. "Well, the offer's always open if you change your mind."
Percy lied down and found an opening in between the blankets. He wiggled into it. Artemis clapped her hands and the brazier went out.
"Good night, Percy." She said.
"Good night Artemis."
Percy didn't fall asleep. He was seriously regretting sleeping on the ground. Damn him and his awkwardness. Why didn't he just take the offer?
"Pussy."
Percy ignored him.
"You like her, dumbass."
Artemis's snoring started to fill the room. It wasn't obnoxious snoring, it was small little puffs.
Percy sighed. He wiggled out of the blankets and stood up. He looked over to Artemis, before leaving the tent.
Outside, the moon shone brightly. The entire forest seemed to glow silver in the moonlight. Percy started to walk throughout the forest. He came across a lake. He kneeled down before it and looked down at his reflection. In the water he didn't see himself, he saw Venom.
"What's happening to me?" He muttered to himself. "I almost killed that Hunter."
"We are bonding."
"What... I thought we already bonded?"
"We are bonding deeper than thought possible. We are becoming one."
"Symbiosis." Percy muttered.
"Indeed. This will have an interesting effect on us."
Us. Percy would have to get used to that. More than he already had. Us.
LINE BREAK
Percy entered Artemis's tent. He looked at where he had lain down earlier. He wasn't eager to revisit that, so he looked to the bed. Artemis said that the offer was still up. He decided that he wouldn't sleep on the ground.
He slipped into the bed, moving slowly so as not to disturb her. He stayed near the edge of the bed, giving her her space. He rested his head on the pillow. He closed his eyes.
Sleep came easier to him.
