Omg, so I finally updated. I'm so sorry; there is absolutely no reason why I should've been taking so long, it's fully my responsibility. But to somewhat make it up to you, I'm going to add a chapter tonight and one very soon! Like, two days later soon! Well, I know I left off with a cliffie, but here is the answer! Oh, and Jacen is not the same guy as Jason Grace. Two. Different. People.

Chapter 9

Claiming

My stomach feels like it just jumped off a cliff and flipped inside out. Even I could feel my face turning as white as a ghost. I stared into the goddess' silver eyes, watching as they turned from intense to kind and warm.

"Dahlia," Artemis says. "I know now isn't the best time, but we need you. We need as many huntresses as we can if we take part in this war. If we lose too many of my precious girls, we might not even have enough to continue the hunt."

I think about joining the Hunt. Of course I know what comes with it. Eternal maidenhood, immortality…. Hanging out with girls for the rest of eternity seemed pretty cool, but I was frozen with the idea of watching my beloved friends die while I never aged.

I could feel the papery skin of the two girls on either side of me, who were holding my hands. They lean in so close to my ears I just barely feel their lips. "We like you," whispers the girls on the left.

"We really do," says the other on the right.

I gaze at each of the hunters, with beautiful leaves in their hair and short white tunics. I stop and stare at Thalia, who mouths the word 'Please'. I'm torn. I don't know what to do, this is a life changing decision…

"Do you like boys?" a girl with red hair speaks up.

I gasp in shock but ponder the question, trying to remember if I did. There was one boy back at home, but I didn't even know how I felt about him. I had been having an internal conflict of my feelings for him for quite a while. He is so nice to me. Quite a lovely person-never did wrong. But he was a grade ahead of me, so I sort of knew that any other gorgeous eight grade girl would have better chances than me. Me. The 'ugly' girl. Or my nickname at school, "Flat Chested Freak". I mean I don't care what they think; I only care of what I think of myself. I try to stay confident; remind myself that I am beautiful in my own way. But sometimes I doubted myself, wondering if it is true, that I won't be loved. Well…. It's not like he'd ever be mine.

"No," I reply. "I don't like boys. In the end, they're only going to hold me back." I then turned to Artemis.

"I accept your request," I say with determination. "And join the hunt."

Artemis' smile is so big that I can't help grinning myself. The girls beside me hug me so tight I almost can't breathe, but I don't care, for excitement is surging through me. Hunters are giggling so much I'm afraid they might have a heart attack, and they look at me a different way. No more cold stares- but warmth towards me with every blink.

Artemis straightened up, "Are you ready?"

"Of course," I state, feeling more adrenaline surge through my veins.

"Repeat after me," my master begins. "I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."

I breathe in deeply. "I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."

"I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt."

"I turn my back…. On the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood," I stammer. I then stopped. It seemed like the last four words were stuck in the back of my throat. I must do this. I look Artemis right in the eye, seeing encouragement for me to say the last words.

"And join the Hunt," I proclaim. After that, things went in a blur. Electricity crackled through my veins and it felt as if cold water was being dumped on me. My drowsiness from the day was wiped away and I felt amazing. I leap up and girls from the Hunt are hugging me, congratulating me. But celebrating stops when we here a conch shell, calling us to the dining pavilion. Artemis' head snapped toward the window and she looks like she's hearing something we can't. She turns to us with a look of extreme annoyance. "Well ladies," she sighs. "Looks like we have to celebrate later. They're gathering everyone because apparently the gods didn't do their job by claiming their kids. But since everyone's here tonight, they want to get it over with and claim them."

I was a bit surprised and excited. That meant Chione, Rose, Sam, Gene, and so many others will finally be able to get some space and they're own bed instead of the floor.

The Hunters and I bounded down the field towards the pavilion, but not before giving me a backpack full of hunting gear and clothing. We all made our way to our table and I could see people staring and whispering as we sat down. Once everyone was settled, Chiron made his way to the front of the pavilion. "Well ladies and gentlemen, you all know why you're here. The gods," Chiron gestured to them standing beside him. "Are here to claim you tonight. Let us begin." A wave of excitement rolls over everyone, and I'm excited myself.

First, Zeus steps forward, for he is Cabin One. He begins a long list of people I don't even know, and with each name, Hera looks more and more like she smells a stink bomb. Also, as every name went off, each kid would be surrounded by spider webs of lightning. Suddenly, there was a shock of thunder and a blinding light. Everyone screamed but when everyone was able to see again, the children of Zeus were covered in jumpsuits that crackled with electricity. They're hair was flowing in the wind… but there was no wind. They looked amazing. No need to show off Zeus.

Next, Poseidon steps forward, for he is Cabin Three and Hera doesn't have affairs. He starts searching the crowd for me when he sees me and smiles. "Young campers!" he laughs. "If you think the children of Zeus look good, just wait! I have but one child to present to you tonight. Dahlia Reef!" He points directly at me and I can feel everyone staring. And right when I think I'm okay and I can stop being embarrassed...I hear…. A bubbling noise….? I look down to see water gurgling out of a crack in the marble. It streams up around me and swirls above me. My vision is blurred as a gush of water falls on top of me. Good thing: I'm not wet. Bad thing: my hair now is in cascading curls, covered in sea shells and pearls. I look down in horror at what I'm wearing. My dirty sweatshirt and clothes are now replaced with a strapless aqua dress. It flows down to my feet and there are seashells around the perimeter under my chest. My shoes were gone too. I looked up to see Aphrodite smiling like a madwoman, everyone staring at me, and goose bumps forming over my pale skin.

"Oh!" Aphrodite squealed. "She's drop dead gorgeous! Though she looks beautiful, just see my children! Hahahahaha!" Aphrodite raised her hands to claim her children, but Hera pushed her, breaking her concentration.

"Everyone stop!" Hera bellowed. "This isn't a fashion show for gods' sakes! Look at Dahlia, she's gonna get hypothermia in that dress! Those creatures of Zeus are gonna catch that table on fire if you don't get that electricity off of them!" Aphrodite pouted while Zeus and Poseidon argued over whose child looked better. Even the tables did start to smoke a little bit, and I would've actually caught hypothermia if I didn't have my new coat in my bag.

After that incident, things went by fast without the whole outfit transforming junk. Jacen got some new brothers and sisters in Athena Cabin, so that was pretty cool. Jacen… There's something that's bothering me. Something about Jacen that's an issue. It's on the tip of my tongue but I can't think of it… oh well, I'll figure it out. Rose got claimed by Hephaestus- well there's a surprise. She also has four other new siblings. Sam got claimed by Apollo, which also wasn't too startling. Gene was claimed by Dionysus but when he said her name, he mispronounced it. I couldn't tell if it was on purpose though or if he was just heavily intoxicated. Go figure.

Though there weren't any kids added to some of the cabins, there was a large amount of kids who were piled into single cabins at a time. There are now 13 kids in Hecate, 27 in Aphrodite, 9 in Demeter, 6 in Zeus (yeah, Hera's not too happy), and so many other weird numbers like that. Even that kid Nico in the Hades Cabin got an older brother. I'm happy for him. His sister, Bianca di Angelo, was killed in battle against a huge machine on a quest a couple of years ago. I heard she was all Nico had left. But then she joined the Hunt, like I did, and left his brother to stay at Camp Half-Blood. But Bianca di Angelo died only a couple weeks later. When I heard this story from Annabeth, I'm not going to lie; I was a little mad Bianca would do such a thing to her own brother. But I guess I understand that she just wanted people to talk to besides her brother. I think I get that. Although, when Nico heard what had happened to his sister, he summoned the dead right here in the pavilion. That's why this crack is across the floor. That's when he learned he was son of Hades- God of the Underworld. He had no other siblings in that cabin, but now, he has an older brother to look up to. To share his life with. So tonight was pretty interesting.

Oh, and then there was Chione. Though her mother wasn't there, she was still claimed. Claimed by Khione-Goddess of snow. Daughter of Boreas, the Master of the North Wind. She was named after her mother, they just spelled her name a different way. When Chione is claimed, she looks frozen solid. Her skin turns a pale blue and her hair covers with frost. But then she exhales and relaxes, her skin tone and hair go back to normal. I never thought of her as a child of Khione, goddess of snow. But I can think back to days ago when the first freezing wind came across the camp, Chione became different. She was so anxious, checking the weather every five minutes. Checking for snow. And now she is so happy. So energetic.

After everyone was sorted through, we were dispersed. While the Hunters went back to our cabin, I left to the forest for a walk. I hugged my jacket close to me as the winter breeze pierced through my thin dress. I walked and walked for about fifteen minutes, whistling to the snowy owls as they whistled back.

I stopped at Zeus' Thumb when I heard other footsteps trudging through the snow. I spun around the giant rock and tried to look out. With Ophis returning, there could be an enemy. My breath quickened and I could almost hear my thumping heart as the frequent noise of footsteps grew louder and louder. But I couldn't see anyone appear from the trees. The snow was slippery and I clung to the rock, trying not to fall down. I reached for my bow and arrows when I felt arms grab my waist from behind and pull me back. I fell down screaming and thrashing. I felt a hand cover my mouth and the other cover my eyes. I could feel that I was lying on top of someone's chest and they were not letting go. I then heard wicked laughing and when the hands let go of me I sprang up and was mortified by what I saw.

How dare he?

Uhh… dun dun dun! The next chapter will come out sometime soon, so be sure to look out! And the final battle is approaching, the army of Ophis is coming, whether we like it or not. There are surprises in store for the last chapters of Going Down. The question is, how will it end. So if you review, I want you to maybe answer two questions.

Who tackled Dahlia? Could it have been Ophis? Or a trickster? Or a traitor?

How will it end? I mean, how will Dahlia's adventure end? Will she have a happy ending, or will there be devastation for Camp Half-Blood?