I can't believe these are getting so long! I wrote this in less than a day but I'm realizing I can't post every single day I'm on break. I do not have this much time when I'm in school. Also, yeah, I changed some stuff. Because I tried writing it with the dance but it just didn't work. So now they're just chilling during break in a student lounge.
Percy sat down in the student lounge at Westover Hall. He had a set of Mythomagic cards in front of him with various Greek figures on them.
According to the teachers at the school, he was a new student who had decided to transfer while the school was on break to get accumulated. In reality, his uncle and mother had sent him there to keep Bianca and Nico di Angelo safe.
He hadn't really figured out Mythomagic yet, but he was hoping that Nico would see him playing it. Luckily, he was right.
"Is that Mythomagic?" The ten-year-old asked, pulling his sister over to Percy's table.
"Yeah." The son of Hestia said with a nod. "I don't really know how to play. Can you teach me?"
Nico smiled and nodded. "Yeah!" He sat across from Percy with Bianca next to him. "My name's Nico, and this is my sister Bianca."
"Percy. Now how exactly does all of this work?"
The three spent the next few hours playing and talking. It certainty hadn't felt like that long, but they became fast friends. Nico was infatuated with Percy, who found he actually really enjoyed Mythomagic. Bianca was kind and Percy already felt like the di Angelo siblings were familt.
The entire atmosphere changed when four new people walked in. Percy recognized them as Grover, Orion, Annabeth and Thalia. He was glad to see they were all well. They took a seat at a nearby table.
Percy and the di Angelo's returned to their game. "Gods, Nico, how are you so good at this?"
"Gods?" Bianca asked, not missing the slip up.
Percy ignored her question when he saw Dr. Thorn, the manticore, walk in. He looked ready to kill, probably angered by the demigods in the room. "Do you trust me?" He asked, looking between the demigods and the monster.
Bianca and Nico looked at each other for a minute, but nodded.
"I need you to follow me. You're in danger." Bianca paled, but quickly grabbed Nico's hand and followed Percy. The son of Hestia led them out to a cliff, where he would at least be able to fight without mortal eyes watching.
The four campers emerged right behind them. "Who the hell are you?" Thalia asked, crackling with electricity.
"He's not the monster." Grover added.
"Of course I'm not! He is." Percy said, pointing to Dr. Thorn, who had just walked out.
"Bianca, Nico. Behind me." Percy ordered. "I'll answer all your questions later."
Percy pulled out Riptide. "Why are you here, manticore?"
The manticore growled. "The Great Stirring is upon us. The downfall of Olympus is near. My master has sent me to kill you all."
Before anyone could get another word in, a hunting horn sounded in the distance. For a second, nobody moved. The snow even seemed to stop falling in respect.
"It can't be…" The manticore said, voice shaking. A silver arrow hit him in the shoulder and he wailed in pain. He released his spikes, dozens upon dozens.
The hunters expertly shot them out of the air, while Percy threw up a shield of fire, getting into a fighting stance once again. The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder, clearly trying to assess which was the greater threat.
Before he could make the decision, Annabeth advanced, attempting to take advantage of the manticore's moment of weakness. But the manticore was not as weak as he looked, and a smash of his table sent her flying backwards. Thalia knelt down next to her friend.
The manticore stood there stunned as the hunters advanced. Leading them was a fourteen-year-old girl with a circlet weaved into her dark hair. She held a bow in her hand, aiming at the manticore's head. She looked like a Persian princess with her coppery skin and volcanic black eyes. "Permission to kill, my lady?"
She never moved her eyes from the manticore. Percy resisted the urge to just kill the monster, knowing better than to take away the hunter's kill.
"This is against the Ancient Laws!" The manticore cried, in a desperate attempt. "Direct interference is not allowed!"
"Not so." Said a girl with auburn hair and silvery eyes like the moon. She was twelve, maybe thirteen, but her expression was dangerously lethal. "The hunting of monsters lies in my domain." She turned to the girl with her arrow trained on the monster. "Permission granted, Zoë."
"You will not get them alive!" The monster shouted, swinging his tail and sending the recovering Annabeth and Thalia, who was still next to her, over the cliff.
Percy could faintly hear a shout as he followed them, jumping off the cliff. He quickly grabbed them and fire travelled them back up to the cliff. When he reappeared, all that was left was a pile of monster dust.
"Mortals may not witness my hunt." The auburn-haired girl said as the helicopters turned into a flock of ravens.
Percy was the first of them to bow. "Lady Artemis." He said, and could feel the hunt's eyes trained on him.
"Who are you, half-blood?" The goddess asked, eyeing him curiously. "You are not of Chiron's campers."
"My lady, I will answer your questions on one condition." Percy said, and the lieutenant, Zoë advanced angrily.
"You are in no position to be making demands, boy." She spat.
"Stand down, Zoë." The goddess said, and Zoë took a step back. "Continue."
Percy smiled, grateful at the goddess' kindness. "Nico and Bianca will be allowed to leave."
The goddess looked curiously at the demigod, and Percy could feel the confusion from behind him too. Artemis narrowed her eyes, but nodded. "I trust your word. Do not make me regret it."
Almost on cue, the three furies flew in, looking over the scene. The hunters' arrows were immediately pointed at them, but they did not fire. Percy turned to Alecto. "Take Nico and Bianca. I made a promise to Lady Artemis."
Alecto nodded reluctantly, grabbing Bianca as Megaera took Nico. The two flew off with the demigods in their clutches. "Your uncle nor your mother will be happy with you." Tisiphone said.
Percy shrugged, but smiled. "Don't worry, Tisiphone." With that, the final fury flew away.
"Name and parentage." The goddess demanded, most of the hunter's arrows now pointed towards him.
"Percy Jackson, adopted son of Hestia." He said, much to the hunters' and campers' shock.
"What are your orders?" She asked, confusion growing. She wasn't surprised that her sister had adopted a demigod. The goddess knew Hestia had always longed for a child, but would never break her oath.
"I was sent here to rescue Bianca and Nico for their father." Percy said, and Artemis' fierce look goaded him on, silently asking who their father was. "Hades."
"Of course Hades has broken the oath." A hunter commented. "All of those worthless gods have."
Percy's eyes turned into burning flames as he glared at the hunter. "Do not speak of my uncle like that. He most certainty did not break the oath."
Artemis looked over him, saying nothing. The boy was defending his family, and her hunter's comment was uncalled for. She was quite confused about how Hades had not broken the oath yet had two children, but she dismissed it. The Lotus Casino was an option, after all. "Mariella, quiet." She ordered.
"Who is your father?"
Percy crossed his arms. "I do not recognize my birth father as my father."
Artemis' steely glare settled on the demigod, but before she could say anything Orion spoke up. "Probably because he's weak, just like you."
The son of Hestia chuckled. "Oh shut it, sea spawn. You're just threatened by the fact that I actually have power." Orion flushed but before he could say anything was cut off by the goddess.
"Percy, I would like to speak with you. Zoë, accompany me." Artemis said, leading them to a tent.
Percy's first observation was that it was much larger than it looked. There were pelts scattered around and a deer that rested on the goddess' lap when she sat down. Zoë took a seat to her side, Percy across from her.
"You must forgive me if my hunters are not welcoming." The goddess said. "We do not usually have boys in our camp. They're usually jackalopes by now."
"Um… Thanks?" Percy said awkwardly, unsure of what to say.
To his surprise, the goddess smiled. "You are an enigma, Percy. It is not every day that the Olympians' hear of a child of Hestia."
"None of this is my mother's fault." Percy defended, wanting to protect his mother.
Zoë looked at Percy with contempt. "Lady Artemis would never assume—"
"He means no disrespect, Zoë. I can already tell he is different. Do not assume him to be any normal male."
Zoë eyed Percy curiously, but nodded, her gaze softening. "Yes, my lady."
"Now, where have you been all of these years." The goddess said, and Percy sighed.
He explained everything, minus Hades' training. His mother's death, his life of training and why he was sent to Westover Hall in the first place. He left out any detail that would pertain to his time in the Underworld.
"I want to know how you learned a hunter's stance." Artemis stated, and Percy's eyes widened. He paled knowing that it wasn't something he could disclose.
He sent a quick prayer to his uncle, asking if it was information he could divulge to the goddess.
The reply came seconds later. Ask Artemis and her lieutenant to swear on the Styx. Then you may.
"I ask you to swear on the Styx not to tell anyone this information unless I give you the permission." The two looked at him curiously. "I cannot tell you if you don't swear it." Percy clarified.
Both the goddess and her lieutenant swore on the River Styx.
"Atalanta trained me."
"She is dead." Zoë stated bluntly, but somehow knew the boy was telling the truth.
"I lived in the Underworld with Uncle Hades when Persephone wasn't there. Achilles and Atalanta trained me."
Artemis looked at the boy curiously. "Atalanta taught you well."
Percy nodded with a smile. "Yeah. She's a really great friend. Like my sister."
Zoë didn't know what to do with this boy. Despite her cruelty, he wasn't fazed. Atalanta trained him, likely saw him as a brother too. How could she hate her sister's friend? "I apologize for my cruel words, Percy. You are not as bad of a male as I thought." Zoë amended, quite shaken by having to apologize to a male.
Percy waved it off.
The goddess nodded. "Yes, you might be the only decent male on the planet. Most would have not honored our agreement. Do not let me down."
Percy nodded seriously. "I won't."
Artemis smiled, but it quickly faded. "Please repeat to me what the manticore said about this 'Stirring.'"
The son of Hestia explained what exactly had happened, down to the manticore's exact phrasing.
"I must hunt this monster. I was ignorant to ignore the signs." Artemis said, face slightly pale.
To Zoë's credit, she tried her hardest not to look afraid. "We will leave at once, my lady."
Artemis shook her head. "Zoë, you and the hunters will be staying at Camp Half Blood. I trust you will try your best not to burn down the camp."
"Artemis, I can—" Zoë protested, but Artemis held up her hand.
"It is far too dangerous. I will go alone." Artemis said with finality.
She turned to Percy. "I will call my brother to escort both my hunters and the campers to Camp Half Blood. I trust you to keep my brother in line."
The demigod nodded. "I will, my lady."
"Zoë, break camp. Tell the hunters to treat this boy…" She paused, looking for the right word. "Neutrally. They may not insult him but they do not have to talk to him either." Zoë nodded in response and left.
Percy figured that was the best he was going to get.
The goddess turned back to him. "Percy, I have a feeling about what this monster is. And I ask you to tell me who your birth father is."
The demigod took a deep breath, but nodded lightly. "Poseidon."
Artemis didn't seem fazed, and Percy imagined she had guessed it. "When it becomes necessary, have your mother tell you the Great Prophecy. I do not need to be my brother to know that you will be the prophecy child."
Percy looked down. "I may have never heard the prophecy, but I have trained for it."
Artemis looked thoughtful for a second. "You do not want the glory. I admire that."
"Most of my life has been spent with the dead. It won't be too bad for me to go back to that."
"I wish to ask Thalia to join the hunt very soon." Artemis said, surprised that she was telling Percy this. "I do not know how old she is. That is a question for my brother."
Percy nodded. "I don't think she wants to be the child of the prophecy. From what I've seen, she would make a wonderful hunter. Annabeth too. Atalanta agrees."
The goddess chuckled. "Someday, I would like to truly know your life story. I miss my huntress." Percy smiled. "Now, you must be going. My brother is here."