Chapter 21: Welcome to Boot Camp
3RD PERSON POV
Percy and the Hunt arrived at CHB after the meeting and the Hunt went to set their things in their cabin and mulled around to train before dinner. Percy was dragged along by the little ones to oversee their training in the meantime. He was still cold and calculating, but after his talk with Artemis the night before, he had lightened up on them a bit. Unfortunately, it was only them. He was less cold to the Hunt, but not nearly as much and he would be ruthless to the campers.
War was upon them. They hadn't the luxury to be soft and naive. Everyone settled in to their tables at dinner and the needless chatter soon filled the air of the pavilion. Percy looked at Artemis and got a swift nod, then looked to Chiron who gave him a similar signal. Chiron stomped his hooves against the marble to garner attention.
"Campers, Hunters. As most of you have heard, war is upon us," Chiron began and murmuring broke out amongst them. "We must be prepared in six months at the earliest. It could be longer, but fortune favors those who are ready," he said and a hushed determination settled into the pavilion. "As such, we have a great hero to train us and the Romans. The Romans will likely be arriving within a week's time," Chiron finished and everyone looked around.
"Who?" a camper from the Ares table asked. "Me," Percy said as he rose from his place at Artemis' table. Murmuring broke out as Percy looked over each and every one of them there. Percy wasn't one to flaunt his achievements; he hated to do it because he knew that he did none of it alone. However, six months to prepare was not a lot of time and he needed their respect immediately.
He vapor traveled to the front of the Pavilion next to Chiron, who smiled brightly and took a step back to give him the floor. Percy also wasn't one for speeches, but he hadn't the choice.
"For those of you who don't know me, I am Perseus Achilles Jackson. To put it shortly and spare you of my titles, I am the Bane of All. I defeated Kronos in the Second Giant War and Gaea in the Second Giant War. Though neither of those were without help," Percy said and turned to look at the Seven and veteran campers. They all gave him a smile and a nod. "I have also claimed the title 'The Destroyer' from the Titan Perses and hold the position of Guardian of the Hunt," he said and murmuring broke out again.
He held up a hand for silence. "We are at war with the Pit itself; Tartarus," he paused to let the gravity of the situation set in. "It will be a harder fight than the last two wars combined. Tartarus has recruited both the Giants and the Titans to his cause: the downfall of Olympus," Percy stated.
"I will train you all as well as the Romans. I have learned much from my travels around the world and from my time with the Hunt. I will do everything in my power to prepare you, but you will only get out of my training what you put into it and it will not be easy," he said and silence still dominated the pavilion. "All I ask is when you are tired or feel hopeless, look to the camper or hunter beside you. Fight to protect one another and Olympus, because above all else… we are family."
Cheers erupted from the pavilion and it brought a small smile to the Guardian's face. A moment later the silence settled in again. "I will push you to your absolute limits; physically and mentally. Training begins tomorrow morning at 6AM," he said and groans ran throughout the tables. Percy growled at this. "We do not have time to complain. If you are late, punishments will be administered! Leave your armor and weapons in your cabins tomorrow morning, they will not be needed yet."
Percy took a moment for the weird looks to subside. "Rest well. Boot camp starts tomorrow," he said with a small smirk before roaring, "FOR OLYMPUS!" The campers and hunters echoed his roar and he turned to Chiron once more before nodding and disappearing in a sea breeze.
PERCY POV
'Gods, I hate speeches,' I thought, chuckling dryly as I sat in the sand at the lake. My hands fiddled with loose grains of sand as I reflected on what was to come. I knew I would have to face the Pit, but would I do it alone? That was the only question on my mind as Artemis approached.
"Quite the rousing speech… Commander," she said and I groaned and flopped onto my back as she sat next to me. "Please, don't call me that. I already hate how much power I have. I don't need any more," I said and she chuckled lightly at my misfortune. "True. We don't need your head to get any bigger 'Bane of All'," she said and I rolled my eyes.
"I needed to garner their respect if I am to pull this off. I figured it would save what little time we already have," I said and looked at her. She nodded before turning her attention back to the water. "Why do they not need their armor or weapons tomorrow?" she asked with an eyebrow raised. "Their stamina and strength is subpar compared to mine and the Hunt's. They need to get that up if they want to survive," I replied and she nodded again.
"I know you loathe the campers and especially the males, but can I count on you to lead the archery for the most part? I'll check in regularly, but even I can't be everywhere at once," I asked her and she stared at me for a bit. She sighed reluctantly, "Only because it was you who asked." I smiled softly at that and felt a dose of butterflies in my stomach. "Just for me, huh?" I asked cheekily and she may have blushed faintly, but I assumed it was the moonlight.
She rolled her eyes before asking again, "How exactly are you going to go about this?" I sighed again, not entirely sure of it myself. "I'll lean on the older campers for sure. I can't really train spear work. I can get by with knives. Sword play will be my forte along with archery and axes and hammers. I want to try and train them with their powers as well if I can. And the little ones will learn how to defend themselves and provide support; nothing more. They're still kids and I won't rob them of that," I said and she smiled.
"Not so cold anymore, are we?" she said and I stared out to the water. "I wouldn't say that… but you're right. I want them to have even a sliver of what I couldn't," I said quietly. She shifted so she was facing me. "I have a gift for you," she said and I quirked an eyebrow as I sat up. She summoned a pair of hunting knives like the Hunt uses, but instead of all silver, they were jet black with silver trimming coating the edges. 'Probably if we face any werewolves. Lycaon has been rather quiet so far,' I mused.
She handed them to me in sheaths and looked down. This time I did notice a faint blush. 'Gods, she looks so perfect,' I thought before shaking those thoughts away and grabbing them. On the hilts of each, my name and title of Guardian were engraved. I chuckled lightly and said, "Do I really need to add to my arsenal?" She slapped my arm playfully and looked at the sand again. "I-I was going to gift them to you to mark a year of you being with the Hunt. But I figured if you're training them everyday and we'd miss the date… I'd give you them early," she said and the blush came back.
I smiled and gave her a hug. 'Gods, that was incredibly bold of me. I love her embrace though. I really am a Seaweed Brain,' I mused as her delicate, yet firm arms snaked around my waist and we sat there for a moment in comfortable silence. Absolute bliss and contentment was all I felt in that moment and the lack of warmth when her arms retreated sent a pang of longing to my heart.
"Thank you, Arty. I love them," I said with the first genuine smile on my face since escaping the Pit again.
ARTEMIS POV
When Percy wrapped his strong yet gentle arms around me, everything felt so perfect. It felt like everything in the world was exactly where it needed to be. His embrace was a drug that, if I wasn't careful, would quickly become an addiction. Alas, I still had a reputation to uphold, so I let go. I regretted it immediately and missed his touch, but I quickly pushed those thoughts aside.
"Thank you, Arty. I love them," he said and his smile set my entire being on fire. The first genuine smile from him since his capture and my heart hammered against my chest. 'Toothy and lopsided, yes. But Gods, it is perfect. This man,' I mused happily and smiled right back. His sea-green eyes captivating my own silver. "I'm glad you like them, Sea Sponge," I said and he quietly laughed at the nickname.
Not wanting to spoil the moment, I didn't ask about how he was feeling or his time in the Pit, so we shared a comfortable silence while staring at the water. Apparently, neither did he as he didn't ask me about Apollo. We chatted idly about the girls and training. I agreed to train him with the knives almost instantly and began internally berating myself for seeming too eager to have more time alone with him, but he didn't seem to notice. The silence fell one more time and he rose from his spot on the sand and helped me to my feet as well. I whispered a soft thank you and he smiled and nodded.
'I must say, I love how he doesn't try to force conversation. He speaks when words are needed and knows to share the silence when they aren't. I really am falling for him,' I mused as he spoke.
"Goodnight, Moonlace," he called to me before walking to his cabin. I felt a worry in my heart knowing he would only get three hours of sleep and it would likely be disturbed by the nightmares, but I smiled nonetheless. "Goodnight, Perseus."
3RD PERSON POV
Percy bolted awake at 3AM coated in a slimy layer of sweat. 'Guess Kronos really won't give me a break,' he thought bitterly before shaking himself out of it and hopping in the shower. The water rinsed the sweat and stress from the nightmares away along with any aches and pains. He stepped out instantly dry and toweled his hair as he got dressed.
Since weapons weren't necessary for the morning's training session, he opted for a pair of sweatpants that tapered tightly to his legs from the calf down and a long sleeve t-shirt. He didn't want to scare or spark any questions with the campers about the scars. And he just wasn't ready to show or talk to Thalia about it, though he suspected she knew of them. 'Well, she probably knows I have them, just not how many,' he mused bitterly and headed to the arena to train on his own before 6AM rolled around.
He got time in with all of his weapons in the first two hours. Opting to visualize his opponents rather than demolishing the practice dummies. He didn't want to use those unless absolutely necessary. The last hour, he trained his powers. Again using controlled and concise movements and releases as to not destroy everything. He rather liked his new title; he just knew there was a time and a place for it.
The campers and hunters began to pour in, some were early but most arrived right at 6AM, much to his displeasure. As soon as 6AM struck, his switch was slipped and he was all business.
"Good morning," he said and got some yawns and grumbles in reply. "For the morning training, we will focus on your strength and endurance. You have until 8AM to complete five laps around the camp and after each lap you will do as many push-ups as you can before you collapse and take off for your next lap," he said and received a lot of groans as the stragglers trickled in. Irritated, Percy flared his aura to inspire discipline.
"Breakfast is at 8:30. Make sure you eat enough, but not too much. For those of you that were late, you will be given half portions as punishment. You will need the fuel for my training so I advise you not to make it a habit." Percy said and looked at those who were tardy. "We will have more running and exercises after breakfast. Lunch is at noon and then we will begin weapons training at 1PM." he said and determination set in again. "Get going." The campers and hunters took off.
Percy didn't expect the hunters to be remotely tired after the morning warm up, but they were already trained better than the campers and required less guidance and supervision, so he didn't worry much. To inspire morale, Percy joined in a couple of laps and push-ups and it paid off, garnering more respect from the campers.
After breakfast, everyone was tired and sore already, but alert and awake. They had three more laps to repeat and sets of sit-ups instead of push ups. A lot of them complained verbally to him, but Percy didn't acknowledge it. The Seven came to him while the campers were running after breakfast.
PERCY POV
"Never seen you so strict, Perce. It's almost like you're a true Roman," Jason mused as they approached me. I still didn't know how to react to them, but I wasn't going to break the persona I had created. "You should expect nothing less, former Praetor," I said emotionlessly.
"Why are you having them run anyways?" Leo asked this time. "They need to be prepared and right now, their stamina is atrocious. They can't fight effectively if they can't fight for hours," I told him and they all frowned, except Jason and Annabeth.
"If you would like, I can train you Seven as well. If they breach the camp, you'll actually be able to get involved without repercussions from the Ancient Laws," I said and they looked at me incredulously. "Err, Perce. We're Gods now," Jason said, but Percy cut him off before he could continue. "Minor Gods, yes. I was simply offering to help you so you and they can be better prepared. If you do not want my help, that is fine," I said and I could tell I struck a nerve.
Not wanting to deal with them, I gracefully walked away to observe those who had finished. I gave them each a nod of approval as they struggled to catch their breaths.
Lunch went off without a hitch, but I did notice some glares being thrown my way. I pointedly ignored them and finished my food before heading to the arena to prepare for the afternoon's lesson. I changed into my Guardian attire and gathered my weapons and sat patiently in the middle of the arena meditating.
They began to trickle in with weapons and armor on their persons and I rose and assessed each of them. "I want all of the campers that are 11 years old and younger behind me please," I said and they filed in behind me. "Archers, go to the range and await Lady Artemis. She will be monitoring you and I will check in periodically to help," I said and got a few looks of disbelief and excitement at the thought of a Goddess training them.
"If you fancy yourself a swordsman, stand to my left. I will be overseeing you directly," I said and they separated themselves. I noticed Estelle skip over toward them with her sword in hairclip form and I smiled softly before hardening myself again. "Spear wielders to the right. Thalia and Clarisse will be overseeing you and I will help where I can," I said and saw Thalia and Clarisse fist bump and grin.
"Miscellaneous weapons users; axes, knives, hammers,etc, front and center. I will oversee you as well and assist all I can, though I am better with knives and axes, I can probably translate that to hammers," I said and Annabeth, Leo, and Piper stepped forward. "We'll help them out too since that's what we wield," Annabeth said and I nodded appreciatively to her. Jason joined the swordsman group and said, "I'll help out here and with the spears where I can." I nodded gratefully to him as well.
"Pair off and spar for a bit. I want to assess your skills as they are now so that I can speedtrack your development," I said and as they began I turned around to the little ones. Since they had such a soft spot in my heart, I let my cold demeanor drop ever so slightly as I crouched down to their level.
"Alright little ones," I said softly and gathered their attention. "You are too young and small to fight directly, but I know you want to help. I will teach you all how to defend yourselves in case it comes to that, but understand me: you are not to join the fight. I want you all to be careful and able to provide support to your siblings. Gather arrows, sharpen weapons, and apply first aid if need be, okay?" I asked softly and got a lot of nods.
"Why do the hunters that are young get to fight?" a little girl with grey eyes asked and I couldn't help but smile at her. "I have been training them myself for nearly a year. They are more prepared than you are, but they too will hang back and provide cover fire and will only get involved if they absolutely need to," I told her. She didn't like the answer, but understood nonetheless, much to my relief.
"I think I can handle the little ones, Percy," Chiron said and I turned around to see him smiling kindly at both me and the group. I nodded in thanks and offered a small smile, and they left the arena to do their own training.
Some of the campers had a little bit of skill, but all of them had a lot of work to do. 'This is going to be a long six months,' I thought as the first day of training wrapped up. Everyone was drenched in sweat and exhausted from the day's hard work, but I felt an air of satisfaction as well. "You all worked hard today. Good job. Dinner is in about an hour; wash up and eat and rest well," I said and heard a few sighs of relief.
"If you are interested, I will hold an hour long training session for those of you with any godly abilities. I know none of you can manipulate fire or water like I can, but I will offer any insight I can to controlling those abilities better. Same time tomorrow morning," I said and dismissed them.
Artemis approached me after. "Good first day," she said and I nodded. "A long way to go though," I said back, looking at the campers as they walked away. I turned to her and asked, "After the training tonight, could you begin to help me with the knives?" She smiled widely and nodded, making me smile in reply.
3RD PERSON POV
After dinner, most campers went directly to bed from being so exhausted from the day's training. Percy got a few campers that were interested in learning about their godly abilities. A few from Demeter and Dionysus Cabins and some minor gods' and goddess' children. Training wasn't a very apt description for the session as Percy had no idea how to actually train them.
Instead, they talked about what Percy thinks about and feels when using his powers; the interconnectedness of it all really. For some, it was enough to open the first barrier of their power. For others, they were just as confused, if not more so than when they started.
Regardless, Percy encouraged them as best as he could and talked them through it. Making sure to listen to them about what they were feeling when trying to utilize the power.
After the session was done, Percy met Artemis in the arena for his own training.
ARTEMIS POV
"Hunting knives would be closest to your dual swords, but still completely different. They don't have the range of your swords, but have similar speed as your katana. Think of it as a middle ground between your dual wield and your katana," I told Percy during a break in our training.
He muttered something under his breath before saying, "I get that but it's harder to put into practice." I rolled my eyes at him before getting ready to spar again. "Of course it is, Sea Sponge. Come on. Let's go again," I told him and he readied himself again.
We sparred for a couple hours and Percy finally began to get the hang of them, but still was nowhere near me which was to be expected. We finished up and settled into the middle of the arena, sitting back to back on the ground leaning against one another.
"You're progressing fast for your first night, but that was to be expected," I said and felt him nod after sipping his water. "Yeah, you were right. The techniques are similar enough, but it's gonna take some time to adjust," he replied. "Well, I don't mind having these nightly training sessions. Duties permitting of course," I said with a smile and he chuckled lightly before turning around to face me. "I'd really enjoy that, Arty," he said and my heart skipped a beat from the way we looked into my eyes.
"How are the nights treating you?" I asked softly and he sighed, getting a faraway look in his eyes. "The same as always: three hours and nightmares," he said quietly. "Not much I can do about it though," he added and I frowned. 'I want to help him, but I don't even know how to,' I thought.
"You know I'm here if you ever want to just talk about it," I told him reassuringly. He gave me a small smile and nodded, "I know. Talking to you and Apollo helps… but even that only does so much. I-I keep it at bay for Estelle and the Hunt but…" he trailed off and I sighed. I grabbed his hand in mine. 'So calloused. So much destruction is capable and has happened by these hands. But they're also so gentle and reassuring. He could hide my whole hand in his,' I mused and then looked up to him.
He had a blush on his face as his eyes found mine and a blush of my own certainly followed. "Everything will be okay. You will protect everyone. And I'll protect you," I said softly then looked to the ground in slight embarrassment. I felt his hand leave mine and felt sad, but it was short lived. The same hand picked my chin up to look at him. "I know, Arty," he said equally as soft and gave me a small smile.
My heart thundered in my chest again at his words and actions and I smiled in return.
3RD PERSON POV
That was the first day and night of the training Percy would lead. Things were looking up, even with a lot of work to do. But Percy couldn't help his growing anxiety. 'This is the calm before the storm. I know that all too well,' he thought as he drifted off into his nightmare plagued sleep.
AN: Chapter 21 done! Reviews and comments as always and see you next time my loyal fans!