Bella POV

Warmth pierced through the black unconsciousness that had encased me and I snapped open my eyes. Thalia had poured some nectar into my mouth and, feeling this, I swallowed. I felt my ribs come together and my arm stitch back. I gasped when it finished, surprised as always. I sat up with Thalia's help and asked groggily, "What happened?" She responded, "You passed out. We just now got some nectar to get you healed. Oh, and there's a group here to see you. Three male. Three female." I dropped my head into my hands and muttered, "Nice. The Cullens are here." Thalia said, "Yeah. That's their name. I'm guessing you know them?" I nodded, which was really hard with my head in my hands, and Thalia yelled, "GUYS! SHE KNOWS THEM! LET THEM GO!" Damn! That girl's yell puts Alice to shame! I immediately heard a light, trilling, bubbly voice say, "Hi, Bella!" I looked up and said, "Hi, Alice. What brings you guys by New York?" Alice squealed, "For once, it wasn't me!" I cracked a smile as I lifted my head out of my hands and was enveloped by a bear hug from Emmett. I said, "DUDE! I'm breakable! Let me down or I'll let myself down!" He said very immaturely, "Make me!" I said, "As you wish!" Within seconds, I had gotten down and had Emmett down with my right foot on his back. He yelled, "Uncle! UNCLE!" I laughed and let him up. Alice said, stretching the word, "W-o-w." Emmett exclaimed, "Holy shit a brick!" I smiled but managed to keep the blush out of my cheeks. Emmett asked, amazed, "Where'd you learn to do that?" I said, "That's a long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long story that starts about five years ago. Why don't we go to camp and talk about it?" Alice said, "Sounds fun!" I said, "Wait a sec. I have to tell Thalia and the others." As I walked to the adjoining clearing, I heard Emmett asked, "Who's Thalia?" Once in the clearing, I took Thalia aside and said, "The Cullens are coming back to camp with us. You tell the others and I'll handle telling Artemis." There was a flash of light and a commanding voice asked, "Tell Artemis what?" I said, "Well, um, there are some old friends of mine back in the adjoining clearing. Can they come back with us? There are three guys." Artemis thought for a moment and said, "Why not? If they are your friends, then yes." I smiled and said, bowing, "Thank you, Lady Artemis." I dashed back to the other clearing and Alice immediately asked, "Artemis as in Artemis the Moon Goddess?" I said, "Yeah. That's her." She asked, "Why are there all girls here?" I said, "I'll answer that when I tell you about the group. Now, c'mon. We're heading back towards camp." As I said that, a flood of girls led by the twenty-year-old-looking Artemis swarmed past. I said, "Let's go." I fell in behind the girls, ignoring Emmett's constant questions. Finally, we streamed into camp and the girls went about getting new clothes and dropping their weapons in their tents. I said, stopping outside my tent, "Wait here. I gotta take off my armor." I slipped into the tent and unlaced my armor. After sliding the heavy celestial bronze off and tying my hair back, I left the tent. Alice said, "Cool dress! What's the gold dust?" I said, "Later. Let's go talk, shall we?" They followed me to the picnic area and I sat down gracefully. After laying my bow and arrow and my daggers on the ground, I started, "Five years ago, when you guys left, Artemis found me. I had run through the woods and fell down in a cave. She asked me if I wanted to be a Huntress; an eternal, immortal maiden. I agreed immediately because I felt like it was the right decision. I pledged myself to her and I became stronger, healed. I looked just like I do now-minus the caked on gold hellhound dust and dress. I immediately became friends with Kira and Thalia, my demigod tent-mates. A demigod is a child of a God or Goddess and a human. I'm a daughter of Apollo. Anyway, that's when I began training. I became faster and gained strengths that I could only dream of. Including the power to pin Emmett here down. While training, I hunted monsters: I.E. hellhounds, minotaurs, furies, empuosi, et cetera...And here I am today, approximately ten broken bones and about a hundred deep cuts later." Emmett asked, "Only that many? Cause you were really clums-" I stood up and he immediately shut up. Dr. Cullen asked, "Did you get stitches?" I shook my head and said, "Around here, we prefer nectar and ambrosia. One vial and you're cured from about anything that's non-life-threatening. The higher the dosage, the more wounds it cures." Now that left him in stunned silence. Alice said, "So, you're immortal. And you've sworn off boys. Forever?" I responded, "Immortal unless killed in battle. And, yes. No boyfriends forever." I added quietly, "Thank the Gods." Ignoring my comment, she asked, "And you're not clumsy anymore?" I said, "Will this answer?" I ran over to a tree with absolutely no handholds and climbed up italmost as quickly as any of the Cullens. I launched myself off of the branch as far up as I could find and landed gracefully, leaving a depression in the hard earth. I sprang up, rubbing my red knuckles, and did a roundhouse kick, barely missing Alice's face by a hair's breadth. She breathed, "Whoa. That's cool." My breathing barely increased, I said, "And that shows I'm not clumsy." Emmett said, "Oh my God!" I hissed, "sss. Gods!" He said, "Oh my Gods." I asked, "Any more questions?" Jasper said, "You're certainly proud of this place." I said, "I asked for questions, but yeah. I am. I'm proud of my sisters." Suddenly, a horn sounded and I exclaimed, "Yes! Our post-victory parties rock! C'mon!" I ran as fast as I could to the stage and got up. I said, "Alice by Avril Lavigne!" The music started and my fellow Huntresses and I began singing.

Tripping out
Spinning around
I'm underground, I fell down
I fell down

I'm freaking out
So where am I now?
Upside down
And I can't stop it now
It can't stop me now

I, I'll get by
I, I'll survive
When the world's crashing down
When I fall and hit the ground
I will turn myself around
Don't you try to stop it?
I, I won't cry

I found myself in Wonderland
Get back on my feet again
Is this real?
Is this pretended?
I'll take a stand until the end

I, I'll get by
I, I'll survive
When the world's crashing down
When I'm falling hit the ground
I'll just turn myself around
Don't you try to stop me
I won't cry
I, I'll get by
I, I'll survive
When the world's crashing down
When I fall and hit the ground
I will turn myself around
Don't you try to stop me
I, I won't cry

We bowed and Thalia said, "Go again. Try another." We sang No One by Aly and AJ and then I refused to sing any more. Thalia gave me those puppy-dog-eyes (and let me tell ya something: they're almost as good as Alice's!) but I still said no. I hopped off the stage and pushed through the crowd to find the Cullens looking dumbstruck. I asked sweetly, "Did I mention that my voice got better with becoming a Huntress?"