Chapter 9

I doubted I was deep enough in my unconsciousness to warrant a slap, but Thalia seemed to think otherwise.

I immediately shot upwards, and upon seeing that I was attacked by the daughter of Zeus as opposed to a monster, I wasn't any less eager to use my scythe to handle it, yet I was able to calm myself down.

"It was the only way to get you to wake up." Thalia said, as if her logic was reasonable. She didn't give me any time to respond as she walked off to the back of the van, outside of my view.

I let out a scowl, and scanned my surrounding to see I was the only left inside the vehicle, laying across all three seats of the back row.

Next I noticed that my black leather chest piece was on the floor, and I was currently shirtless, though my hood remained over my head.

Replacing my armor were surprisingly clean bandages that wrapped around my right shoulder, though they didn't seem to be the first set.

I was glad enough to realize that the special bandages placed over me and Elaine's shared arm had been left alone.

With a grunt and minimal pain, I was able to get on my armor and exit the car.

It appeared that the wound from the Newman Lion had healed to some degree, though to say it was gone would be an overstatement.

"This quest is far from over.

To be this damaged after the first challenge, I begin to doubt your competence." Came the condescending voice of Pluto's from inside my head.

"I don't need your input right now." I shot back.

"Wether you wish to listen or not, my words remain true."

"Master, if I may," began Elaine. "Perhaps Plutus is right-"

"Please Elaine. Not right now."

I used a softer tone when addressing the spirit, yet I had cut her off all the same.

Right now my mind was in disarray after just waking up, and I didn't need the spirits to try and help me.

I didn't need anybody.

Once I made my way to the back of the van to follow the path Thalia had taken, I was surprised to see her waiting for me, though by herself.

"Your still here." I noted.

"I had to wait, or else you wouldn't have been able to find your way to the others." She replied as she immediately started her move.

She descended down stairs that I presumed led to a subway, though she said nothing else, so I decided to follow.

We walked for a few minutes before I started to realize that thought this may have been a subway, it appeared to be abandoned at this point.

"Where are we? And where are the others."

"We had to ditch the van, it started acting up, and the Spartoi knew it belonged to us.

Bianca said she recognized the place, so we decided to try and find a ride here.

We're going to meet them."

Bianca? What could she possible know way out here.

After another moment of silence, Thalia spoke up.

"The others were all pretty worried about you. Even the huntress, surprisingly."

"The others?

Then I take this as you saying you didn't care."

She turned to look at me for the first time.

"You really are an idiot, huh. You don't get it?

We're on quest, and for most demigods you only get one of those, assuming you come back alive.

Me and Theseus have been strong enough to make it this far, and Zoe can handle herself, but we're not invincible.

Even past our differences, we have to rely on each other.

But you seem to think differently."

She said, and for the first time since she had woken me up, she was making sure her voice was heard.

I had barely noticed it before, but Thalia had been talking relatively monotone, and hadn't used any emotion while speaking.

I had guessed that maybe she was upset, but never imagined it was at me.

"You think you're so above us that idea of even fighting together seems beneath you, right?" She asked, getting angry.

You almost got yourself killed against the lion!

Whenever you were trying to play some dark hero, did you stop the think about what would happen if you had died, or were even just knocked out?

It becomes 4 of us instead of 5, and then we lose.

Quest over, we're dead.

But I guess that thought never crossed your mind, huh?"

I was a little surprised as the girl jutted a finger into my chest with her final sentence.

I moved her hand off of me with my own, walking past her.

"You got me all wrong, Thalia. Playing hero is my last priority.

I'm here to finish a job, and so are you.

I suggest you stay focused." I said as I continued walk, trying my best to just blow her off completely.

I had been through too much to get into it with everyone who started an argument with me, especially at times like this.

I could tell Thalia was surprised I don't match her energy, but what she did next surprised me just as much.

I immediately felt her strong grip on my shoulder, swinging me around to face her.

A second later, her spear had been summoned and was pointing directly at me.

"You don't just get to decide when I'm done talking to you." She said through gnashed teeth.

I could feel my hairs sticking up already. Electricity was in the air.

"Choose your next actions wisely, girl." I said lowly as my hand reached for my sheathed sword, but I was just now realizing it wasn't there.

If I really needed it, I decided I would use my scythe.

Thalia made no move to attack, but kept her spear right where it was.

I didn't know how long we were stuck like this, but the tension in the air was finally cut as we both heard talking in the distance.

I immediately whipped around and turned my focus towards the sound of the voices, ignoring Thalia, which could've honestly gotten me killed.

I was half expecting something to jump out the shadows when Thalia placed a hand on my shoulder.

"It's the others." She said as she walked off, not bothering to turn back.

It appeared that she had calmed down slightly, but she still hadn't met my eyes.

"You know, when you were knocked out, Zoe and Bianca really did their best to make sure you stayed alive." She said softly as she stopped.

"I really didn't get it. I didn't understand how they don't see how you were putting us in danger.

Or maybe they did, but they didn't care because your life was in on the line."

She turned back to look at me one more time.

"I don't want to be enemies, Plutus, I have enough of those.

I'm just tired of losing my friends."

With that, she turned the corner to approach the others, leaving me to follow.

I obviously didn't respond, but I don't think I could as I was at a loss for words.

I had never been apart of a team like this. A real team. I wasn't used to having others rely on me like this, and definitely wasn't ready to rely on others, especially now.

I could only shake my head.

Shit like this could never be easy.

I rounded the same corner as Thalia to see the group standing in a loose circle, talking.

"Finally want to make an appearance?" Zoe said with crossed arms.

"It doesn't look like I had missed much." I grunted in response.

Theseus, who had had his back turned to me, nearly jumped in surprise.

"Man, you can't be doing that." He said as he turned to me, rubbing his neck slightly.

"Your like a ghost with that hood on."

I paid him no mind, instead looking for Bianca who was standing by Zoe's side, as expected.

"He shouldn't be walking so soon." She said in almost a whisper, almost as if she was talking to herself.

"If he can stand, he can walk,. And if he can walk, he can fight." Barked Zoe, surprising Bianca a little.

"I hope you don't expect to take things easy after fighting the lion, man. Things are far from over."

I waved my hand dismissively.

"I didn't plan on it.

Though from what I can see, we're not doing much of anything. What exactly or the plan?"

My question went unanswered for a few moments, as no one seemed to have an answer.

Theo made himself busy by studying the walls, and Bianca merely looked to Zoe for a response, who herself seemed upset at the fact that she didn't have much of an idea.

And Thalia had been standing off to the side since arriving, paying no mind to the conversation.

Zoe was about to speak up, but was cut short by the sounds of a man coughing from our side.

The entire group turned to the sound, our hands ready to summon a weapon.

However, the source of the sound was simply a homeless man who seemed quite at home, sitting by a fire across the tracks.

I could've sworn he wasn't there before, yet somehow there he was, apparently undetected by any of us.

He looked up to face us, a kind look in his eyes.

"You lot look cold. Don't be shy, my fire is free for anyone to use." He said, waiving us over.

I glanced at the rest of us to see they were just as suspicious as me, but after seeing Bianca trying to hide her shiver, I made my decision.

I was the first to jump down onto the tracks.

I looked back at the rest. "Are you coming?"

Bianca didn't need any more convincing as she was the first to follow suit.

"Uhh, you guys sure it's safe? What if a train comes?" Asked Theo, but Zoe and Thalia had already jumped across the gap completely.

"I guess this is what we're doing then." The boy said under his breath as he reluctantly hopped down.

"Here." I said, placing my hands in a cupping motion. "Get up."

Bianca stared at me for a moment before letting out a sigh.

She placed her foot in my hands, and with my boost, was able to get up.

"I don't need you to baby me." She grumbled.

I said nothing in response as I hopped back onto the platform with a slight running jump.

I wasn't able to take a step however as the bottom of my cloak caught on the railing, causing me to lose my balance and fall backwards.

I heard a quick gasp come from Theo behind me, but could tell he was too far away to catch me.

I had nearly completely fallen off when Bianca grabbed my hand, pulling me foreword and keeping me stable.

"There." She said, giving me a slight pat on my shoulder. "I guess we're even now."

I was a little at a loss for words, but said the first thing I could think of.

"You ripped my cloak. We're hardly even." I glanced down to see the bottom of the cape had been ripped, giving it a jagged look.

Bianca furrowed her brow. "Thank you would've worked."

We walked side by side to catch up with Zoe and Thalia who were already talking to the old man with Theseus a step behind us.

Thankfully the two had not seen my fall, I could never live that down.

"You kids in need of a ride?" Asked the old man.

"We are." Said Zoe. "Are you aware of when the next train will come?"

"Welll if I had to guess…" the man started, looking at his wrist as if there was a watch there.

There wasn't.

"I'd say right about now."

Just as he finished talking, there was the sound of metal screeching down the tunnel.

"We we're just on those tracks." Theseus noted, but yet again he was ignored.

Zoe turned to the man, a little surprised.

"Thank you." She said, and wasted no time to board the coming train as it slowed down in front of us.

I watched as Thalia and Bianca followed the lieutenant, being the first to enter the train.

"You coming?" Asked Bianca while turning back.

"In a second." I responded.

I turned to face the homeless man yet again.

I was about to say something, but Theseus beat me to it.

"Where exactly do these tracks lead to?" He asked, his voice skeptical.

I guess the boy wasn't as stupid as he had sometimes appeared.

"West." He replied.

"You can never go wrong by keeping west.

I'm sure you have questions, Theo, however now is not the time."

As if on cue, the train began to make noise again as it prepared to make its departure.

Me and Theo had both turned in response to the noise, and when we looked back, the man had gone, putting out the fire with him.

"Weird." Said Theo.

I only grunted as I didn't plan on being left behind, opening the train doors and stepping through.

I was surprised to see that the inside of the train car was filled with an array luxurious cars, which all but confirmed who exactly we had just met.

Only one man was this flashy

I opted to ride inside an all black corvette near the back of freight on the second floor, while Theo chose one near the front.

While walking towards the back, I caught a glimpse of Thalia through the slight tint of the window of her car of choice.

I noted she did her best to ignore me.

After climbing the steps leading into the car, I opened up the door and slid into the passenger seat.

I would've preferred the driver side, yet I couldn't be bothered to make my way to the other side.

I let out a long sigh as I closed the door, enclosing myself in the small space of the car.

I slouched down in my seat as I started to decompress.

Something about being in such a nice environment during a quest like this was somewhat relaxing.

I was enjoying myself so much so that I opted to take off my hood for the first time in what felt like forever.

However, I was glad I didn't fully follow through.

As soon as my hands had reached the brim of my cloak, the driver side to my door had opened up.

And accounting my terrible luck, the one to open it was none other then Zoe.

The hunter hadn't seen me until she was halfway in the car, and at this point she was already seated with her feet dangling out the side.

I cleared my throat to alert her of my presence.

It nearly brought a smile to my face to see the hunter jump, if even just a little.

It seemed like just as myself, she had started to relax after entering the train, so much so that she hadn't even noticed me.

"Plutus." She said, her voice somewhat trailing towards the end of my name.

"I didn't see you there. That cover of yours is truly effective.

I didn't mean to intrude. I shall leave you to yourself." She said as she started to get up.

Zoe was only able to take a single step out the car before the train started it's movements yet again, the momentum sending her flying back into her seat, also closing the door in the progress.

I stifled my laugh.

"I doubt the cars were meant to be used while on the train." I said, somewhat tauntingly.

"Curse these damn automobiles."

Automobiles. I hadn't heard that word used in ages.

Zoe made a move towards the door handle, but I raised my hand to stop her.

"It's fine, Hunter. You can stay in the car.

I don't want you damaging any of these just because you don't know how to work a door." I said.

Zoe let out a snort of sort.

"Do you really believe me to be that incompetent when it comes to modern technology?" She asked, apparently offended.

I shook my head.

"I digress, hunter." She said.

She decided to stay in the car with me.

I noticed that my heart did a little jump of happiness as this.

"I suppose this gives me the opportunity to give this back then." Zoe said.

I eyed her with a raised brow.

Zoe reached for her hair, which I just noticed was being held in a bun by a wide hair clip, and undid it.

Immediately, the clip transformed into the sword that I had been wielding up until this point.

The one Hades had modified, and one that Zoe herself had given to me.

"I took it off your person while applying the bandages. I didn't want you stabbing yourself in your sleep." She said.

"Honestly, for such an uptight man, you move a lot in your sleep." Zoe said as she eyed the sword laying across her lap.

Her hands glided around the engravings that lined the blade and the hilt.

"A lieutenant calling me uptight.

What a world we live in.

Though I still give my thanks, I suppose."

Zoe nodded. "The bandages are still of service then, I presume? They were sloppily applied, not my best work I must admit."

"They make things manageable." I said. "Comfort is not a necessity."

Zoe remained quiet, and I had just noticed that she was still staring at the sword. Her eyes had never left it.

After an increasingly long silence, she spoke yet again.

"This sword is similar to the ones created for the hunters of Artemis.

Nearly identical.

Where did you get it?"

I felt my heart rate spike.

"Found it in within some ruins.

Liked it, so had it altered to suit me more." I replied smoothly enough.

"Hmm."

Zoe handed me the sword, but I noticed she held the sword a little longer than necessary.

"Intriguing."

"How so?"

"Not so much the sword, but instead you yourself.

I must say, you are one of the strangest I have traveled with, Plutus."

"I can't say I ever imagined myself siding with a hunter, either.

Allying myself with others has never been a priority of mine. Especially one that hates me as you do."

Zoe seemed thoughtful for a moment. "I do not think I truly hate you, as you say."

Hmm? "It is only us here, lieutenant. Save the lies for yourself."

"No, no. I do find you quite unpleasant, that is true, but that is what you want, is it not.

To be hated."

I turned to her with a curious brow.

"Yet you contradict yourself.

You wish to be seen as man with no mercy, no morals, yet you yourself cannot stay true to the act.

The boy we travel with, as well as Bianca, even if only slightly, you've opened up to them.

Even in battle, you appear to have your every move calculated, yet you've made irrational decisions, all for the sake for you comrades."

I let out a rough laugh.

"So you say they've turned me soft?"

"No.

I say they are talking to the real you.

So I will say it again, I cannot sincerely hold hate for you, Plutus, because I know not who the man Plutus truly is."

I scanned the hunters eyes, looking for any signs of deceit, yet found none.

"I am a nobody, hunter."

"No one is born a nobody."

I scoffed. "What could you know." I mocked.

"Because I was once a nobody too.

I once believed their was nothing left for me in this world. Artemis showed me differently."

When I responded, my voice came filled with spite. "I'm afraid to say that not all patrons come as saviors like your own, lieutenant."

Zoe furrowed a brow.

"I am not saying it must be a god.

I simply suggest that they're may be someone out there for you, one that can make you a somebody, again."

"Did you come here to convert me, hunter?"

Zoe scowled. "I merely proposed a solution. Those who remain blind to change cannot expect things to change by itself."

I shook my head.

"Then I shall remain blind.

You don't seem to understand, their is not a solution for me.

I am a lost cause."

"That is only true because that is all you wish to believe."

I tried to respond, but the words had escaped me. I didn't know what to say.

"I'm glad you were able to get out of your situation Zoe, but not everyone can be saved.

I've long since gave up on it, at least.

I don't even know why you even waste your time talking to me. Your better off saving your words, and getting rest."

Zoe's eyes evaded mine, instead looking down at her lap. She too seemed confused, wondering exactly what she had hoped to get out of this talk.

"I don't know what it is either." She said finally.

"Maybe because your'e one who must be saved from hisself.

Because I was once like you.

Lost, but later found again.

And.. and I know of another. One who needed saving just like you."

"I doubt you've met anyone like me, before." I said quietly.

"You'd be surprised."

I felt my heart twitch.

Could she mean what I thought she meant?

"And what exactly did you end up doing for this person."

She shook her head.

"Nothing."

She didn't know how far she was from the truth.

"He was a man, one that I despised just as much as you.

But he changed my perspective. Showed me there was more to him then I had first thought.

He showed me that maybe even him, one I had first believed to only be a despicable man, was worthy of saving."

She took another long pause, as if thinking of her next words carefully.

"But in the end, I could not help him. I was powerless to change his coming fate.

And now I doubt I'll ever see him again."

I wanted to let Zoe know that he was sitting right across from her, and that she had done more for him than anyone else had ever came close to.

But I couldn't.

"I'm… sorry, hunter." The words seemed foreign coming out my mouth, but I had tried my best to be sincere

"Don't be." She said while shaking her head.

"Perhaps it is you say. Perhaps not everyone can be saved.

Or possibly, the stars did not wish for me to be the one. The one to save him.

I only wish I could've repaid the one man to truly help me."

"Is that why you wish to help me? To repay a debt to the man you couldn't save."

"I truly don't know, Plutus." She said, shaking her head with sincerity.

"At the very least, if it is not in my fate to be the one to save you, then maybe I can only hope you find the one that will."

"I appreciate the sentiment, Zoe."

I paused before I kept going, trying to think of the words that could truly convey what I was thinking, while also keeping up the act. I had to reply as Plutus, I reminded myself. Not Percy.

"But I simply wasn't meant to be saved. It's simply not apart of my fate."

"And what if there was one waiting out there, who could change this supposed fate?"

I felt my gaze drift to the side. Waiting to meet mine was Zoe's own obsidian eyes, staring right back at me, right past my hood.

"Then I think, one day, I would like to meet that person."

I watched Zoe's lip quiver, as if she was about to say something, but she held her tongue.

I took in the moment to study her face, not only her full lips, but her long eyelashes and even the structure of her face, framed by her flowing, black hair with its curly pattern, a product of the braids she had previously worn.

While she remained unmoving, I couldn't help but notice just how regal she really looked.

It was times like these where Zoe looked much less like a hunter, and more like a goddess.

"Plutus..?"

She breathed out, but at that point, it was too late.

My body had completely dropped its defenses, and my willpower alone wasn't enough to hold me back.

No matter how much I told myself that I was making a mistake, I knew that I wanted nothing more in the moment.

I felt my body rise up before slowly leaning forward.

Zoe noticed my movements, but did nothing in response, only staring back with those piercing, black eyes.

Before long, we were nearly touching noses, the warmth of her body reaching me across the distance.

Despite my better judgment, it only seemed to draw me in more.

I closed my eyes, but before I could do something that I knew I wouldn't regret, there was a flash of movement.

Before I could process what had happened, it was already over.

One moment, me and Zoe were face to face, and the next, she was halfway on top of me, leaning over the armrest between us.

One hand had her knife pressed against my neck, and the other had a handful of my hood in its grasp.

"Wait- wait Zoe stop!" I immediately realized what she was going for, what she really wanted to see, but I was powerless to stop it.

"Damn you and this cursed mask …."

Zoe took in a quick breath that almost sounded like a hiccup.

I could tell she had wished she had kept the mask on just as much as me.

"Perseus."

It was quiet enough to be a whisper.

"Z-"

I was cut off with a quick slap to the left side of my face.

My jaw clamped down in pain.

"I p-"

Another one, this time harder and faster and coming across my other cheek.

This time, I held my tongue, fearful of warranting another hit.

We lay locked there for a moment, and even though she had just hit me twice, her knife never left it's position against my throat.

Zoe's eyes never left mine, taking in the image of my face for the first time since I had met her under my alias.

She looked as if she had see a ghost.

"Perseus." She repeated my name as if she couldn't believe it herself.

"…Perseus." This time her voice was angry, and her face had turned spiteful.

"How dare you lie to me."

As she spoke, her breath was shaky. I could tell it was taking everything in her to not press her blade any deeper.

"Zoe." I said, my voice steady, not betraying my true thoughts.

"You wouldn't understand."

I waited. Zoe said nothing.

After what felt like an eternity of anticipation, her response finally came, but not in words. I felt the edge of her blade pressed just deep enough to cut the surface of my skin.

I took in a quick breath as a small trickle of blood slid down the right side of my neck.

"I understand enough to know you are a coward of a man."

With that, Zoe removed herself off of me and turned towards the door.

"I though I could trust you. I thought you were different.

It appears I was wrong."

Zoe opened the door, not caring that the train was still moving at full speeds.

I watched her for a moment, not sure what to say.

She was right.

My hand found it's way to my neck, touching my new wound as if it was foreign.

I looked down at my hand, a smudge of blood present on my fingertips.

It wasn't a deep slice, and it didn't inflict all that much pain.

The wound itself didn't hurt, but coming from Zoe it might as well have been placed inside my heart.

Before Zoe could completely get out, I turned towards her.

I couldn't just simply let her leave.

"Their Hades's children."

Zoe stopped for just a moment.

She turned back to look at me. In her eyes their was still rage, but also a look of curiosity.

"What?"

"Bianca and Nico are the children of Hades."

I heard Zoe curse to herself.

She stepped back in the car, leaving the door open as she leaned towards me.

"Then your master is-"

"Hades." I confirmed.

Her hand shot back as if she was waiting to attack, but no slap came this time.

"Perseus, you fool!

How could you hold that information back?"

I scowled. "They don't even know themselves, and you weren't supposed to know either."

"But I do, now, and it changes everything.

You're aware of the prophecy, are you not?

This changes everything."

"It changes nothing." I shot back.

"Screw that damn prophecy! They're both too young, it has nothing to do with them!" I could feel myself getting angrier the more I talked, my words becoming more emotional, yet I couldn't stop myself.

"Is that what your dear lord Hades told you then, boy?" She said with distaste.

"That's what I told myself, Zoe.

They don't deserve to be dragged into the god's own problems.

They don't deserve to end up like me."

I couldn't stop my voice from going hoarse near the end.

"That wound was not made to be deep. Your throat was left intact.

If you will act like a coward, do not speak like one too, or else next time you deceive me I shall make sure that I never hear that voice again."

I had never been one to be hurt by words. I guess there was a first time for everything.

"You are right about one thing, however.

No one deserves to end up like you. I wouldn't wish that on my worse enemy."

Zoe swiftly turned her head away from me, and took a step out the car.

She left me with one more thing before she slammed the door in my face.

"Goodbye, Plutus."

This is really a hard chapter to write after such a long break, but I think this is the best I can do without putting it off.

The reason I published my newest story, Champion of Artemis (CoA) was to kinda get back into a rhythm before I came back to this.

CoA was a story I had originally planned to publish around the same time I started Book 3, but I held off because I had so many other stories going on.

If you noticed, I put the rest of my stories on hiatus to focus on these two as they are my priority.

Though the others will for sure not going to be abandoned.

Other than that, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and though I do wanna get back into writing frequently, I won't make any promises as I seem to suck at keeping those.

Besides that, please feel free to review as they are really what motivate me the most to write.

-Also, in those reviews, let me know if you'd me to upload a separate story on my account filled with just author notes, somewhat like a blog. There I'd be able to respond to some of the reviews I get on certain stories, while also sharing some of my thoughts on my own stories, and maybe even others.