here is the Valentine's Day contribution to my 'Class of the Titans' fanfiction, 'The Warrior of the Friend Zone and the Oblivious Huntress', or as my readers know it, the story of the series as told from Archie's point of view. yes, I know it's a little late for Valentine's Day, but this was the fastest I could get this eighth chapter posted. I have just needed a break from writing this fanfiction any further over the course of February, but I'm back to posting this fanfiction now. this eighth chapter of my fanfiction is a good long seven-thousand-nine-hundred-six words worth of pure storyline, which does not include the comments from yours truly disguised as author's notes. it also doesn't include this explanatory headnote, nor does it include the (mandatory) disclaimer that is the paragraph following this one.

disclamation: I do not own the 'Class of the Titans' series in any way, shape, or form. believe me, if I had owned the show at all, I would never have ended the series on a cliffhanger plotline. the folks of Nelvana, Teletoon, and Studio B Productions of my country's neighbors to the north, Canada, are the ones for whom the show's ownership rights are reserved.

So, it was the day before Valentine's Day, which was only the holiest of all girly holidays, and I was admittingly a nervous wreck about exactly what to do the following day just to romance my Atlanta. Jay and Herry were both with me at the time.

Yours Truly: Oh, I wanna get Atlanta something for Valentine's Day tomorrow, but what?

That was when I saw Jay looking at a Valentine's poster on the wall next to all three of us in the hallway.

Jay: Send your sweetheart a love-balloon-o-gram. Only three bucks.

I just shuddered at the very thought of even giving Atlanta one of those beyond cheesy heart-balloons.

Yours Truly: I can't do that.

Herry shrugged at me about it while asking me a question over it.

Herry: Why? You need the three bucks?

I wish it were just that. The sad truth, however, was that that was not even close to my reasons against giving my Atlanta a love-balloon-o-gram.

Yours Truly: No, a love-balloon-o-gram is way too obvious!

A/N: *cough* chicken! *cough*

That was around when Jay leaned himself towards me to commence with the teasing.

Jay: Yeah, ya wouldn't want Atlanta to know ya like her. Better to keep her guessing.

A/N: yeah, Jay's totally right about that… NOT!

Herry just chuckled up a laugh or two at Jay's comment about me not wanting to be too obvious.

Yours Truly: Fear of rejection is a serious thing. Millions suffer from it, and we don't appreciate your sarcasm.

A/N: I stand by my calling Archibald Khilles a chicken from earlier. and I still pretty much think that even less guys out there suffer from 'fear of rejection' quite as much as you do, ya goon!

Jay and Herry then began laughing up a storm at my fear of rejection.

A/N: couldn't have called the grape-headed warrior out on his cowardice of chicks better, myself. what a chicken heart. bawk, bawk, baw gawk!

Some friends those two were, laughing at my insecurities like they were some kind of joke.

A/N: yeah, the thing about your insecurities, Archie, is that they might as well be some kind of joke considering that you can barley even talk to Atlanta whenever you two are alone together without looking like a total goof to the strawberry redheaded huntress!

Just a short while later that day, Herry and I were playing a pickup game of basketball with Atlanta and her girl friend, Theresa. I had the ball and just when Atlanta thought it was cool for her to grab it from me, I tossed it over to my teammate for the pickup game, Herry. Herry even dodged Theresa's game left and right during the pickup game. We would have won, too, if the big lug did not bend the basket over onto its front and all the way down just close enough to the ground for it to be against the very regulations of the sport. Herry chose to take a shot at placing the ball in through the hoop, anyway.

Herry: Two points?

The big guy sounded pretty unsure of his victory at that set point in time. Theresa, however, could only chuckle at Herry before reprimanding him about bending the net over on its front.

Theresa: Ya gotta take it down a notch, Herry.

I approached the both of them as Herry rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly.

Herry: Sorry. Sometimes I don't know my own strength.

I picked the ball back up as I had a few hopes left of salvaging the game from defeat at the hands of the ladies. That was just when Atlanta struck and grabbed the ball out of my hands and shot it at the anti-regulation basketball net and shouted out hers and Theresa's perceived victory very loudly.

Atlanta: Yeah! Whoo-hoo! The girls win! Oh yeah!

Then, the strawberry redheaded huntress of our shared team of Greek heroes' descendants just thrusted her pelvis out in front of her.

Of course, Herry was more than disappointed at Atlanta for having the nerve to see it as the victory that she had.

Herry: Hey, no fair! That's not a regulation net.

I, myself, did not really think that it was a big deal or anything. I mean, the four of us were just playing a pickup game of basketball. It was not like we were on a mission or anything. I sort of thought that Herry was overreacting just slightly.

Besides, I did not really think that he had much right to scold Atlanta about hers and Theresa's slightly fixed victory against even yours truly, especially since considering that it was all Herry's fault the basketball hoop wound up the way it was by Atlanta's try at it.

That was when the trouble for our little crew of Greek heroes' descendants had first started, and it had even started with yours truly, too. I honestly did not know what had gotten into me at the time, but all of a sudden, I had found myself ironically hating my Atlanta's guts. It felt as though I suddenly saw the love of my life as my worst possible enemy in the world.

I did not know what happened to make me hate Atlanta, of all my teammates, in the first place, but it felt like I was shot with a jolt of hate and Atlanta just wound up being the first person within my line of vision upon being shot by said jolt of hate. Granted that Theresa was also in my line of vision, but the other redheaded chick on the team never actually mattered that much to me. The so-called psychic of our team of Greek heroes' descendants was only there to give Atlanta a high five. I growled at her and walked up to her as soon as Theresa left her side.

Yours Truly: We're not goin' down without a fight!

I did not know from where that had even come, but it was not what I had felt about the pickup game before feeling the sensation of something getting shot with the sudden jolt of hate. It was a lot closer to how Herry had felt about the way the game went than me.

Then, as though the hate I felt was contagious, my Atlanta suddenly began acting hateful, herself.

Atlanta: Bring it on, loser!

Alright, now that was way hurtful. It had even felt as though it were frankly a stab through the chest. I admit that I had a little control over what I had said to Atlanta next, but not enough for my real self to break through the cloud of hate I had felt so suddenly towards her beyond any of my self-control.

Yours Truly: What did you say?

Then, Atlanta just walked up to me and started to talk like she was way angry with me possibly about being a sore loser from her own views, I had bet by then.

Atlanta: I said, bring-it-on!

Then, I heard Theresa, of all voices, ask Herry what was happening with Atlanta and I at the time from just behind me.

Theresa: Whoa! What's that all about?

Then, Theresa and Herry suddenly began acting the same way Atlanta and I were by then.

Theresa (continued): Well, what are you waiting for, meathead? Gimme the ball!

That was when Herry just had to ruin all the fun of our little pickup game by intentionally popping the basketball.

Herry: Oops, sorry. Sometimes I don't know my own strength.

The scene going on between the four of us was the work of complete and total madness.

It only managed to get all the worse between even the rest of our friends as soon as we all got back home to the Brownstone. It was only after Jay had finally arrived back to the Brownstone dorm all seven of us shared that Atlanta and I had taken matters of dealing with our sudden hatred towards one another and all the other member of our ragtag team into our own hands. It all started the minute she rushed out the door on her skateboard the minute Jay made it back to the Brownstone slightly later than the rest of us, and he looked and acted as though he were the only one of us who seemed unaffected by the surge of unrelenting hate between all the other six of us and everyone else in New Olympia.

Jay: Man, people have been acting crazy today. I broke up three fights just on the way here.

Then, Atlanta went rushing out the door and nearly ran Jay over while on her skateboard.

Atlanta: Look out!

Jay: Whoa!

That was when I heard Jay's opinion about Atlanta rushing out the door on her skateboard.

Jay (continued): Correction; people are still acting crazy!

Of course, I had my own opinions about the way that the day had been going at the time as I prepared myself to head out the door, even at the risk of looking as though I were simply copying off of Atlanta.

Yours Truly: I'm outta here!

I just barely managed to hear Jay's voice from behind me as the leader of our so-called team commented on mine and Atlanta's shared behavior.

Jay: What?!

As soon as I headed out the door, myself, I honestly did not even know where to go until I remembered that one spot in the woods just at the foot of Mount Olympia where I had practically made a career out of camping just within the area. I would go there, so that I could forget that I ever even had friends in any of those people.

Once I made it to my special camp site, however, I had failed to remember soon enough to realize that I had been following Atlanta out to the Olympia Woods at the foot of Mount Olympia until someone suddenly threw something or other at my tent just as I was trying to set it up. Upon my closer inspection of the object which had been thrown in my direction, I had finally noticed that I had followed Atlanta to her own special camping spot while in my fit of hatred towards her and the others that came to me out of nowhere it had felt from the beginning.

Atlanta: What're you doing here?

I responded back to her question with another couple of equally hateful and angry questions of my own.

Yours Truly: What am I doing here? More like what are you doing here?

Then, I responded with a statement in addition to the two questions I asked Atlanta in response to her own question.

Yours Truly (continued): This is my special camping place!

I then turned back around and pitched my instant blow-up tent. Just when I foolishly thought it was actually safe to have pitched up my blow-up tent, I heard Atlanta growl from behind me just before she shot an energy arrow from her wrist crossbow at none other than my poor tent. It was instantly flattened, and the air which held it together even hissed as it was released upon its destruction by then. As soon as I turned myself back around, I had gone from being mildly angry at her to being completely hostile towards Atlanta for flattening my tent.

Yours Truly (continued): You're going to regret that!

I let loose my ninja-styled tri-knifed shuriken on her own tent in my retaliation. The throwing tri-knife slid across her tent, and it was flattened in an instant. My own blow-up tent had been avenged just like that. I then began taunting her about her own tent being destroyed by my rotating tri-knife as soon as I caught the thing in my hands without getting any a scratch.

Yours Truly (continued): What was it you said earlier? Oh, right; bring it on!

Atlanta then leapt down onto the ground which was at my feet at the very base of Mount Olympia. We both fought it out for quite some time before any of the others on our team even showed up anywhere near us. The two of us even went as far as to totally ignore any and all calls made out to us on our personal mobile radios.

By the time any of the other members of our little team of Greek heroes' descendants even joined us at Mount Olympia, Atlanta had my nose by her hands and hung on my back like an attack cat of some kind.

A/N: well, attack dog doesn't always work when talking about something on your back, does it? I'm not sure, but I kinda think attack cat would make more sense if it's about the back.

I screamed out in pain as Atlanta held onto my nose like she was trying to rip it clean off of my face. That was when I heard her screaming something or other right back at me.

Atlanta: Come on! Oink!

Then, Atlanta snorted at me to get me to do it myself. So, that was what her fit of anger towards me by that point had been about. She was calling me a pig, and not the animal, either. I could tell that she was calling me a male chauvinistic pig just by the tone in her snort at me. Luckily for me, I managed to knock her off of my back like a wild horse would have done to her.

Yours Truly: You fight like a girl!

As soon as I had knocked her off of my back, however, Atlanta managed to recover from it.

Atlanta: Yup. Can't handle it, can you?

Atlanta then lunged herself towards me, most likely in hopes of grabbing onto me. I just as quickly leapt out of her way, though. As soon as I made it out of her way, however, she instantly kicked me down like a soccer ball just before tossing my camping bag onto the ground at me.

Atlanta (continued): Now, get lost!

I, however, was far from being done with her.

Yours Truly: Oh no, ya don't! You're not gonna get this camp site to yourself that easily.

Atlanta: Pft. What more do you think you can_

I tackled Atlanta into the ground the minute I got up, myself. I almost had her pinned down before she counteracted my actions and pinned me to the ground, herself.

Atlanta (continued): There! That should teach you a thing or two about respect, and you also owe me an apology for trying to take over my special camping space because of this.

Yours Truly: Three words; Never gonna happen! You'll never get me to apologize for anything, least of all, for this.

That was when I suddenly pushed Atlanta off of me. I actually succeeded on my second try at fighting her when I pushed her off of my torso and back onto the dirt beneath my feet and hers. I panted from having her atop me before just as I finally gained the upper hand against her in our fight for the camping spot which neither one of us were willing to give up so easily.

Yours Truly (continued): You give up?

Atlanta just rose off of the ground, grabbing onto a wooden log with which to probably strike me down and take back the upper hand.

Atlanta: Not a chance!

Suddenly, just as the two of us were both about to engage in even further mortal combat, what looked like a sword had suddenly fell down from the heavens and stopped Atlanta short of just beating me with her log. I recognized said blade and even spoke to Atlanta about it.

Yours Truly: That's_

I could hear Atlanta talking about the sword as I made my way to pick up the sword, but just barely, however. Even as I could barely hear what she was saying, it sounded a lot like she had finished my sentence for me.

Atlanta: Jay's sword.

Then as though she were snapping out of a trance of some kind, Atlanta shook her head and looked up into the sky. Was she out of her mind or something? Then, I heard her ask me a question or something. What a time for her focus to drift away from our fight. She even dropped her log weapon as she asked me her question.

Atlanta (continued): What're we doin'?

I picked up the sword that Atlanta and I had both recognized to be Jay's gravitational blade and prepared myself to strike her down with her back turned towards me. The stupid girl! She had no idea what I planned to do to her the minute she turned her attention away from both me and our fight.

As soon as I picked up Jay's sword, however, I just as suddenly felt a reason not to even argue with my Atlanta any further than I had been doing. It even felt to me as though I, myself, were just escaping a tranced state of my own the minute I picked up Jay's gravitational blade by then. I felt myself quickly go back to the state in which I had clearly belonged by then; on the side of all my friends, including my Atlanta.

Yours Truly: We're helping our friends!

Then, my Atlanta finally smiled at me for the first time since the pick up game of basketball we played with Theresa and Herry as our teammates for said game. She actually smiled at me.

My brain: OK, that's enough, Archie! Stay focused on what needs to be done about our friends' situation at the hands of Cronus.

We heard roaring and screaming coming from just above our heads, and that was when the two of us both began looking upwards towards the sky into which I saw Atlanta staring just after she stopped feeling hostile towards me when Jay's sword fell to the ground near the both of us. It was Neil! He was in trouble as there were three massive serpents attacking him.

Neil: Ah! Oh, no! I can't control this thing!

Neil was right! He had to let go of the wings on his wing suit right away for more reasons than being under attack from those ginormous serpents. Atlanta even called out to the luckiest guy on our team of Greek heroes' descendants in concern for his safety since Neil was literally falling right out of the sky.

Atlanta: Neil!

Of course, I knew that Jay and whoever else was in the sky just above us by then would definitely need our help, especially if it were Cronus they were fighting.

Yours Truly: Come on, we gotta find a way to get up the mountain to help them.

Atlanta agreed with my theory about the probability that there was more than just Neil in the skies at the time. I knew Neil, and the one thing I knew about him was that other than ugliness, heights were a particularly large phobia of Neil's.

A/N: by the way, the part about heights as yet another phobia of Neil's after ugliness is just a fact from my imagination. I personally think that Neil's real second biggest phobia after ugliness would be school bullies. you know, because they could give him ugliness in the face such as a black eye or two. I'm somewhat guessing that heights would actually be Odie's second worst phobia, or even Herry's number one phobia. for one reason or another, I think that heights would be somewhere around number five on the list of Neil's phobias. Neil probably has a fear of spiders, too, especially after the time that Arachne paid them all a visit via Atlanta's surprising frustration with Ares when he called her out just for being a girl and Archie not passing the first of the exams from that time the way the god of the savagery in warfare wanted his protégé to pass the exam. I guess Ares was embarrassed at that time about when Archie and all other members of their team ran away from the harpy like a bunch of scared little children. pun so not intended, by the way.

Atlanta: Then, let's head up there.

Yours Truly: I agree! Knowing Jay, he's probably at the center of the fighting against Cronus and his scheme.

Atlanta: We'll have to climb up Mount Olympia if we wanna get to him, it looks like.

Then, Atlanta suddenly began heading towards the foot of the mountain to climb up it.

Yours Truly: I don't think that's really all that necessary, Atlanta.

It was too late for me to try lecturing her about wanting to climb up Mount Olympia, however, as my Atlanta was already well on her way up the mountain because she had started climbing said mountain without me.

Atlanta: Come on, Archie, before you get left behind.

It was just a short while later that the two of us were both climbing up Mount Olympia to help the others on our team with their mission, whatever it was.

Yours Truly: You know, Atlanta, I tried to tell you this earlier, but you wouldn't listen. There is an easier way for us to get up Mount Olympia so we can help Jay beat Cronus.

Atlanta was covered in sweat as she still tried to be her usual independent self. It was a trait of hers to be admired, for sure, but it still did not sanction her unrivaled stubbornness about being a girl who could take care of herself, least of all in a situation such as the one in which we were, along with all of our friends, most likely.

Atlanta: Not like we have any time to talk about this, but I guess I'll open the floor to you for our solution of finally making it up to where Jay clearly needs us.

Yours Truly: I think it'd be a lot easier if I used my Hephaestus whip to grapple us up Mount Olympia to where Jay's fighting Cronus right now.

I personally thought that my solution about using my whip to get us to the top of Mount Olympia to help out Jay was self-explanatory. For one reason or another, however, my Atlanta seemed to see a flaw in the solution with which I came up by then.

Atlanta: I see. And how exactly would I get up Mount Olympia if you're gonna just use your Hephaestus whip to get to the top by yourself? I mean, it's not like I can easily follow you up the mountain or anything.

Just like my Atlanta to not catch onto my solution about making it up the top of Mount Olympia just to help Jay. I suppose I had to explain it to her, after all. I tried my hardest not to blush as I explained my solution for our collective situation with our friends by then.

Yours Truly: Unless you hold… onto… me… while my whip… helps us make… our way… up the mountain.

That was when Atlanta finally realized what my solution to our friend, Jay's, little predicament atop Mount Olympia entailed for the two of us. She just laughed at me for it, though.

Atlanta: Oh, that's a good one, Archie. That was really funny. And the last time I checked, we 'girls' are the ones who don't always say what we mean. I never actually thought that guys had that same sense of humor, though.

Well, that was what I got for putting my heart out there just the day before Valentine's Day. I told the guys that fear of rejection was a serious thing, but they did not listen to me about it.

A/N: well, it's not like anybody on this planet suffers from fear of rejection any worse than you, Archie. plus, you can't keep throwing yourself at Atlanta the way you do and groveling at her feet. you really want the girl to fall for you, I personally think that you should really try to let her come to you.

It was only when we had made it even further up the cliffside of Mount Olympia when I was finally able to get my Atlanta to see that there was some logic involved with my solution of making it up the mountain to help Jay. The two of us were both still climbing up the side of Mount Olympia when Atlanta suddenly spoke to me about where we would need to go in order to help Jay.

Atlanta: We'll need to work our way over there.

Of course, it had to be at the top of the mountain. It was not as though we actually had any further time to waste simply climbing up Mount Olympia, however, especially since Jay still needed our help atop the mountain and was more than likely even at Cronus's mercy. As much as I admired Atlanta's independent spirit, there were times in our lives together where her independence could only get her so far. That time we were running behind on helping our friend, Jay, was one of those exact times. I had to do something.

Yours Truly: There's no time!

I did something about our timing, alright. I launched my Hephaestus whip at a rock protruding out from the cliffside of Mount Olympia. As I did just that, it caught the rock like a grappling hook. I knew just what to do with my Atlanta. I only hoped that she knew what she needed to do with me at the time. She might have thought I was only joking around with her when I had first suggested the solution of it, but that no longer mattered. My Atlanta needed to trust me on it, and I needed her to trust me with her life. The only question was whether or not she, herself, saw it as the truth.

Yours Truly (continued): Come on.

I guess that I just needed to grab onto my Atlanta regardless of whether or not she trusted me on it and just held onto her tightly as my Hephaestus whip carried us both up the side of Mount Olympia. And so I did just that, as I pulled both the two of us toward the mountain top to where Jay was most likely battling against Cronus and even more likely fighting for his life against whatever plans for our team the beyond evil god of time and space had in store for us by then. We suddenly heard a voice call out.

Voice: Whoa!

Just then, Atlanta and I both say Jay plummeting off the cliffside of the mountain and heading towards the ground below. I swung the two of us towards him as my Atlanta reached out her hand to grab onto Jay's own hand. Then, I finally swung us on our way up to the edge of the cliffside on Mount Olympia off of which Jay had fallen just before Atlanta and I rescued him. It was a better landing for Atlanta and I than it clearly was for Jay. He even groaned in pain just after his own landing. Atlanta rushed over to our leader and examined Jay closely.

Atlanta: Jay! He's hurt!

I raced over to Jay's side as Atlanta examined our leader's apparent injuries… however, not as quickly as Atlanta, herself, had… just in time for something or someone to begin growling at all three of us. It was Agnon, Cronus's lead minion giant! I knew that Atlanta could take him. The time that day of which Agnon had us cornered while Jay was hurt really was my Atlanta's time to shine in the ways of independence and self-reliance.

Yours Truly: He's yours.

Then, I held onto her elbow and reassured my Atlanta that I believed in her stopping Agnon.

Yours Truly (continued): He won't stand a chance against you.

My Atlanta just smiled at my acknowledgement.

Atlanta: I won't go as easy on him.

My strawberry redheaded crush's reply sounded more than a little playful before my Atlanta zipped away to lure Agnon away from me while I helped Jay up by then. I almost did not realize that Jay and I were still in danger, even with Agnon distracted while trying in vain to keep up with Atlanta's speed. That was to say that I did not realize Jay and I were still in danger by then until Jay spoke out his concerns to me about our suddenly shared positions in the battle which was going on between us and Cronus.

Jay: Archie, look out!

And that was when a giant winged sky serpent came flying towards Jay and I at top speed just before it circled back in Cronus's direction when the both of us ducked out of the way of said monster's attack on us.

Cronus, the god of time and space: Foolish beast!

Needless to say, Cronus sounded pretty disappointed in the winged sky serpent which was obviously of his own creation. He even sliced his two sickles at the serpent, and the monster disintegrated into dust at Cronus's touch of the beast. Another one of them roared from behind the beyond evil god of time and space as though it were angry about Cronus killing its comrade. But then, Cronus dodged the other monster's attack and climbed onto the sky serpent for the use of riding on it. I took out Jay's gravitational blade, meanwhile.

Yours Truly: Heads up, Jay!

I tossed Jay his gravitational blade so he could fight with it, since he stood a better chance against Cronus and his winged sky serpent than our fearless leader did if he were to risk his life against the evil god of time and space and try to get him to fight like a man. He swung the sword of his gravitational blade at Cronus's pet beast before the monster could injure him any further, but at the cost of having to hold onto his abdomen as he winced in pain from the feeling he doubtlessly got there. Then, as luck would have had it, Cronus tried to attack Jay, himself, and succeed where both of his winged sky serpents failed. That was when I used my Hephaestus whip on Cronus for the first time since our journey to collect Neil for our little team of Greek heroes' descendants and pulled the evil god of time and space off of his riding serpent just before the beast could flick his own rider off of the side of Mount Olympia's cliff face.

Yours Truly: Buh-bye!

Then, the winged sky serpent still came flying towards both Jay and I as though it were ungrateful for what we did for it. Jay, however, was ready for the deadly flying serpent monster.

Jay: OK. Come on!

Jay still held onto his abdomen, however, but sliced the sky monster right down its throat to its stomach as it flew by while attacking him. Cronus's creature then disintegrated as soon as Jay's sword sliced it right down its underbelly. Jay, himself, fell to the ground, however, only a short minute after he defeated that monster of Cronus's and held tightly onto his abdominal section as he groaned further in pain. I rushed to ask our fearless leader if he needed any help getting up after his nasty collapse.

Yours Truly: Jay, you OK?

Jay just took a breath as I tried to help him make it up from off of the ground and out of the dirt. His breathing seemed slightly labored to me. It was as though he thought he was going to die.

Jay: Yeah!

That was when Jay and I both heard a high grunt and a dangerously low scream. I almost forgot about Atlanta and how she would hold up while fighting against Agnon. Jay and I both looked in the direction from where we heard the grunting and the screaming only to find that Agnon was the one screaming and Atlanta grunted as she pushed him towards the edge of Mount Olympia's cliff side. Agnon even looked as though he was cornered by our team's strawberry redheaded huntress as she aimed the energy crossbow on her wrist at the giant.

Atlanta: Jump!

Agnon just shook his head as he whimpered and begged for mercy from my Atlanta. Fat chance of that happening. My Atlanta was merciless towards Cronus and his thugs all day, every single day we would fight against them.

Atlanta (continued): Fine then.

My Atlanta then used the energy arrows from her wrist-sized crossbow to push Agnon off of the cliffside and at Mount Olympia's foot below us. Jay and I took a final look at the giant as he plummeted all the way to the foot of the mountain. Then while Jay stayed focused on watching Agnon's fate, I, myself, gave my Atlanta a good, long stare as I commented on her fight against Agnon with my arms going a little slack by then.

Yours Truly: Man, that's hot!

Jay then started talking to me about what I had just said at the time.

Jay: What're you talking about, Arch? Agnon got away like Cronus did.

I just ignored Jay for the moment if only to tell him what I was talking about, myself.

Yours Truly: Not Agnon; I was talking about Atlanta, and the way she sent Agnon, himself, jumping off the cliff. Now, that was really, really hot!

That was when what I said about Atlanta finally caught up to my ears, and I realized that I said every word of it out loud instead of in my head. I suddenly felt the need to look at Jay just to see whatever kind of look he was giving me by then. I turned my head to face Jay's direction, and he wore what had to have quite possibly been the absolute most satisfied smirk on his face I had ever seen that day on February 13th. I just blushed a great deal from ear to ear at the way our team's fearless leader looked at me while holding a cheesy grin of total uncertainty on my face towards him. I had to do something about it, and fast.

Yours Truly (continued): You won't mention what I said about her fighting skills to Atlanta, will you?

Jay was still pretty injured because he still held onto his abdominal section as though he thought he were really going to die if he took his hand away from it. My fearless leader, however, did still make the time to make fun of me for liking Atlanta, of all girls in my life, as more than a friend.

Jay: That all depends on what you don't want me to mention to Atlanta about her fighting skills. Do you not want her to find out that you think they're hot?

I grew petrified with fear at the thought of Atlanta finding out that I thought her fighting skills hot just for pushing Agnon off the face of Mount Olympia's cliffside and even called them that. I had to find a way to keep Jay from telling Atlanta what I said about her just after she pushed Agnon down the mountain.

Yours Truly: Oh please, Jay. I'll do anything you ask me to if you don't tell Atlanta what I said about her fighting skills.

I could not tell, but it seemed as though Jay just continued to see no reason as to why I really needed him to to keep my crush on Atlanta a secret from my strawberry redheaded huntress.

Jay: I don't know, Arch. Seems to me like Atlanta would really like to hear what you said about her. It's kinda what girls are into hearing at our ages. Are you sure you actually wanna keep those kinds of complimentary terms of endearment from her even as the recipient of your words?

I could not believe Jay. He really saw no reason to keep what I said about her fighting skills, of all her traits, a secret from her.

Yours Truly: Are you kidding me right now, Jay? If Atlanta ever gets wind of what I said about her fighting skills, of all things about her, she'll throw a hissy fit at me and never talk to me again for as long as we're both alive.

Jay still held onto his abdominal area as he continued making fun of my crush on our shared teammate, Atlanta. From there, however, I was done playing nice.

Yours Truly: OK, here's my deal just because I'm so done begging and pleading. You keep your lips zipped about what I said about Atlanta's fighting skills, and I won't drop you, you won't fall into the dirt and your injuries'll have no chance of getting infected by the ground beneath the both of us.

Jay: You wouldn't dare!

Yours Truly: Try me, Jayson! Go ahead! I dare you!

Jay: I'm calling your bluff, Khilles!

Yours Truly: I didn't want this argument to come to this, Jay. I really didn't.

As soon as I made myself ready to drop him onto the ground, Jay screamed out in fear as I prepared to drop him onto the ground while he was still injured. He suddenly saw that I was serious about him never once breathing a word to Atlanta about what I had said regarding her fighting skills just before then when I called them 'hot' out loud instead of in my head.

Jay: OK, Archie. You win! I'll keep everything you just said about Atlanta's fighting skills a secret from her.

Yours Truly: I thought you'd see it my way, Jay.

I pulled my 'friend' back up from within my grasp on his shoulders as I went back to fully supporting him. Then as my luck would have it, my team's fearless leader suddenly had a thing or two left to say to me about what I had wanted so desperately to keep secret from my Atlanta.

Jay: But I can't say for sure that the others'll know to keep their lips shut about what you said about Atlanta's fighting skills.

Yours Truly: Oh, what do I even have to worry about with that? Herry's not even here, Jay.

Then, Jay stepped closer to my ear. I did not know what he hoped to hold over me about it, but it could not have been too much, especially since Herry really was not even present during the newest fight at Mount Olympia. Granted that Theresa was also not at Mount Olympia when Atlanta and I rejoined the team, and it was why I could not do anything involving her to get Jay to keep what I said about my Atlanta's fighting skills away from her knowledge.

Jay: Who said I was talking about Herry? I meant Odie and Neil when I said I couldn't say for sure that the others'll keep their lips sealed about what you said about Atlanta's fighting skills.

I suddenly grew paler than usual once again as soon as I realized that Jay was talking about our teammates who had joined him in stopping Cronus. It was the very same ones that Atlanta and I had no choice but to replace in battle when the tranced state in which the two of us both were was finally broken just by recognizing then touching Jay's gravitational blade. I could not even believe that I had actually managed to forget that Odie and Neil were the ones helping Jay stop Cronus while Atlanta and I were still under the influence of our shared tranced state. I tried to keep a brave face, though.

Yours Truly: Oh yeah, those two were helping work to take down Cronus before Atlanta and I showed up. Guess we were both kinda lucky that your sword landed in front of us while we were fighting each other for one reason or another. He-he.

I just bore the cheesiest grin on my face towards Jay at being reminded of who he was talking about when he said he could not be too certain that the others would have kept their lips zipped about what I said before then about my Atlanta's fighting skills the minute she sent Agnon packing and plummeting to the foot of Mount Olympia after Cronus.

That was when I suddenly remembered what Jay said about Agnon earlier when he thought I called Agnon 'hot'. That creature was more of a 'not' than any kind of 'hot'. Just what did Jay take me for then and there? But that was beside the point of what Jay told me about Agnon when he plummeted to the foot of Mount Olympia, which as it turned out, he actually did not. Cronus must have opened a portal for him and Agnon to escape back to the evil god of space and time's lair.

Yours Truly: Wait, Agnon escaped? Through Cronus's portal?

I did not know what I had done to make him so angry at me by then, but Jay looked pretty ticked off about it having taken as long as it had for my brain to finally register what he told me about Agnon having escaped through Cronus's portal back to the safety of the evil time and space god's lair.

Jay: I can't believe you. I just don't believe that it took you this long to hear what I said about Agnon escaping through Cronus's portal.

(A/N: well, there went any chance that the gods might someday think about reaching out to Agnon and his brothers and let them know why they should join them against the god of time and space in their fight against the worst father in the entire Greek mythological history of fathers. Cronus will rule over his giants to never say that he never did anything for them, because, in this story, at least, he clearly did something for even one of them.)

Yours Truly: Well, I can't believe that I spaced on what even you told me about Agnon escaping through Cronus's portal just after he plummeted off the face of Mount Olympia's cliffside.

Jay: I admit that you've always been a resourceful ally, Archie, but whenever it came to Atlanta, you and total focus on our task at hand have rarely ever mixed well together.

Yours Truly: Are you saying I can't focus on a mission whenever Atlanta and I are in the same room, Jay?

Jay: Not at all, Arch. I'm just saying that your crush on Atlanta always seems to really cloud up your thoughts.

A/N: with that, I stand by my 'love makes you stupid' theory about Archie's crush on Atlanta. it messes your head up something fierce. it plays tricks with your mind. it sets you up to become a mindless zombie. granted that it can also make you go completely insane, and it can even turn you against your friends and family and make you join forces with the wrong kind of people, but love can still make you into a total idiot, anyway.

With that fact in mind, I suddenly saw just how right Jay actually seemed to be about directing my focus away from being solely on Atlanta and extend it to the rest of our team of Greek heroes' descendants.

Yours Truly: I guess you're right about that much, Jay. I do kinda need to focus my energy more on our prolonging mission to stop Cronus once and for all and less on girls.

However, the fact that I finally got what Jay was trying to tell me did not instantly mean that I had no counterattack against my team's fearless leader about thinking with our hearts instead of our heads.

Yours Truly (continued): But I still gotta say more of what's on my mind, Jay. If my crush on Atlanta is something of a distraction to me, just what does that even make Theresa to you?

Yes, I had done it. It was finally Jay's turn to blush up a storm and get all defensive and just stammer about like a hopeless fool in love. Of course, those were the very things he did when responding to my question about his relationship, or friendship or whatever it was that he had with the other girl of our little team. Jay even pulled on his flying suit collar a little.

Jay: Well, I wouldn't exactly call Theresa that much of a distraction for me. It's not like she and I really have anything special, Arch. Why? Did she mention anything to you about whatever we have with each other?

That was how I knew Jay was nuts about Theresa. I guess it was true what they say; love can trick you like no one's business.

That was when Atlanta finally rejoined the both of us and got us to stop fighting and questioning one another.

Atlanta: Come on, guys. We gotta get Neil, Odie and Cronus's third hostage free.

Yours Truly: OK, OK, Atlanta. We both heard you the first time.

Jay: And just so you two know, Cronus's third hostage is Psyche, Eros's wife.

Yours Truly: Psyche? Eros? Who are they?

Jay: Eros is both the god of love and Aphrodite's son. Psyche is the dude's wife.

Yours Truly: You're kidding me, right?

I admit that I did not know about Atlanta's opinion, but I naturally had a hard time believing Jay.

Atlanta: Aphrodite not only has a son, but he's also a married god?

With that comment from her, I guess that I finally got my answer to what my Atlanta thought of the whole situation regarding Cronus's other hostage whom he held atop Mount Olympia besides Neil and Odie.

Jay: I'm serious, you two. We gotta help Psyche in particular since Eros was spreading hate throughout New Olympia all day thanks to Cronus holding her hostage on Mount Olympia.

Yours Truly: Pfft. Just like Cronus to do something obvious like hold the god of love's wife hostage so he'll do our enemy's dirty work.

Atlanta: Seriously. Cronus's laziness is one of the many reasons why I live by the term about doing things yourself if ya want 'em done the right way.

Jay: Enough talk, you two. We gotta get to Odie, Neil and Psyche as fast as we can.

As soon as we made it to Odie, Neil and Psyche, the wife of Eros, we all did a rock-paper-scissors to see who would free whom. Well, that was to say that Atlanta and I did rock-paper-scissors to see who would free whom from their bindings and mouth gags. Jay still needed to save his strength to make it back to New Olympia High School in one piece since he was technically still injured from the battle with Cronus's winged sky serpents earlier that day. I threw down scissors while Atlanta drew the rock. So Atlanta got the privilege of freeing Eros's wife, Psyche. The god of love's wife was even super grateful to Atlanta for freeing her and untying her mouth gag. Meanwhile, I was the one to untie Neil and Odie and undo their mouth gags.

Psyche: Oh, thank you.

Atlanta just gratefully accepted the god's wife's gratitude modestly.

Atlanta: No problem.

I can admit that I was a little jealous, but I guess I could not have accepted Psyche's gratitude better, myself.

Then, a chubby balding man seemed to teleport to where we all were by then.

Chubby, balding man: Psyche, you're safe.

My brain: That's Aphrodite's son, Eros. He looked a lot more Cupid-like than I originally imagined any son of Aphrodite would have.

Psyche: Eros, you're OK.

Then, just when I thought that things could not get any more bizarre, Eros and Psyche suddenly began to kiss, and kiss loudly, too.

Atlanta: Is that necessary?

Of course, I just watched them deck it out at one another like two lovers pitched in tongue combat with a slight dose of some tonsil hockey. I guess I just thought that I could learn something from it in case I ever got the chance to finally kiss my precious strawberry redheaded huntress, Atlanta Kestrelson.

Neil and Odie, themselves, were not quite as thrilled that Eros and Psyche were finally back together with one another just in time for their day of Valentine's to start the following day.

Neil: Ew. Get a room, will ya?

Odie: Geez!

A/N: spoken like two truly lonely men who have no one to pine after for themselves. as for Atlanta's opinion about that kiss, I guess that she'd need to be aware of another's pining for her to understand and appreciate love.

Of course, Jay only smiled at it as though to say that he was happy for the danger to have finally passed us by for our most recent adventure just in time for Valentine's Day the following day.

Then, a wave of some sort emerged from their kiss. It suddenly felt as though the wave which emerged from said kiss returned all manner of love to the world.

The following day on Valentine's Day, it seemed like five out of seven of us got a secret admirer love-balloon-o-gram of one unknown origin or two. Even Odie, the science and computer nerd, and Neil, the freshly shaved head of once 'perfect' hair, managed to score out on Valentine's Day goods just by getting a love-balloon-o-gram alone. A girl from the school committee who handled all of the love-balloon-o-grams for the entire school handed us our love-balloon-o-gram Valentine's Day balloons. She handed the first of our love-balloon-o-grams to Odie.

Odie: A Valentine? For me?

The next one to receive their love-balloon-o-gram from a secret admirer was Herry.

Herry: Looks like yours truly has a secret admirer.

The next secret admirer's love-balloon-o-gram went surprisingly to the newly head shaven Neil.

Neil: Somebody must like my new look.

My brain: Yeah, the same way I liked the water, Neil.

The last ones to get love-balloon-o-grams other than Jay or Theresa were none other than Atlanta and yours truly. Atlanta, I could have easily understood getting one of the final love-balloon-o-grams, but someone having given me a love-balloon-o-gram? I had to have been dreaming or something.

Atlanta: Hey, wait a minute. We all got a Valentine from a secret admirer.

Then, Atlanta started to interrogate us all about the love-balloon-o-grams we all received.

Atlanta (continued): OK, fess up. Who sent them?

She even pointed her main pointer finger at me while she playfully interrogated all four of us guys who were all but present by then.

Yours Truly: Uh, wasn't me!

It was the truth. While I would have more than likely sent Atlanta her love-balloon-o-gram, I had nothing to do with even my strawberry redheaded huntress crush's gift from her secret admirer.

That was when Jay spoke up to us all about the love-balloon-o-grams which were sent to us all on that day of Valentines.

Jay: Who knows? Could've been anyone.

We all looked in Jay's direction and noticed his arm was in a cast just as it had needed to be and just as his abdominal area was most likely covered in bandages until he would have fully recovered from Cronus's attack on him from our little fight against the beyond evil god of time and space atop Mount Olympia.

That was when Theresa suddenly approached Jay with several or more love-balloon-o-grams held up in her left hand as she handed them to him.

Jay: Huh?

Then, Jay took all those love-balloon-o-grams from Theresa, accepting them gratefully.

Jay (continued): Are these all from you?

Theresa just wore a shocked look on her face when looking at us all as we all sent her a look which said that she should have just told Jay the truth right then and there.

Theresa: No, they're from all of us. To say thanks.

Then, she just kissed Jay on the cheek right before Herry suddenly began chuckling at the two of them about the kiss the lady gave her man. I knew it all along that Theresa was just as distracting to Jay as Atlanta was to me whenever it was just the two of them or even just the two of us, respectively.

A/N: hmm. I'll say!