Chapter 4

A/N: I am so, so, so, so, so, so, so…

Annabeth: We get it! You're sorry for being gone for so long!

Me: Yeah, that. I've had some complications in school, so I've been held up. To put you at ease, I've found a sequel, but to stay on schedule, I will skip the Thalico story until the sequel is complete.

Annabeth: YOU PROMISED THALICO!

Percy: Yeah, um, Annabeth is a bit angry because her school cut the architecture classes for her college, so I'd start the story if I were you. I'm hanging out with Grover and Nico for a little while, so have fun

Me: Punk

Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or HoO

Thalia POV:

Hearing that scream from the Artemis cabin, it was probably a boy using their shower or something like that. Still, that scream doesn't sound right. I ran across the field, and burst into the Artemis cabin. It felt like I entered a maiden's worst nightmare.

All the girls were either being chased by, or aiming their weapons at shades of boyfriends past. Dozens of shades were walking about, all of them taking the forms of boys. Phoebe was aiming her weapon at two boys who were trying to get close to her to apologize, but kept their distance.

"Forgiive me!" one of the shades wailed.

"Taake me back!" another said.

"Stay back, vile males! I'm warning you no more!" Phoebe commanded.

I don't believe it. A Hunter's true fear was meeting the males who broke their hearts. Jane, another Hunter, was being mobbed by two shades. She told me her story a few months ago.

Jane once had the perfect boyfriend about 25 years ago. She told me that he had blond hair and black eyes, and with a lot of muscles. In high school, they were going to go to prom, but before she could tell him that she was going, she caught him kissing a cheerleader in the hallway. Heartbroken, she transferred schools, where she met another guy. Same thing happened, but she stood strong against him.

She publicly humiliated him in front of the whole school, which caught Artemis' attention. She recruited her immediately afterward, and she accepted. A few months after she joined, she found her first boyfriend with the cheerleader at a lake. Still upset with ruining her life, she asked Artemis to change him into a toad. She also found her last boyfriend and he got turned into a cockroach.

The shades were trying to grab her, both of them trying to apologize to her. "I'm sooo sorry!" they wailed at the same time.

"Please forgive me!" another said.

They sounded like ghosts when they wailed. Before I could act, one of the shades got so fed up with Phoebe, that he smacked her. She fell to the ground.

"Hey!" I yelled in anger.

The shade looked at me, and my skin crawled. He had blood red eyes that bore into my soul. I saw fires burning in his eyes, pure evil. I found it strange that a shade was here, almost like Thanatos was causing this. You know, Thanatos, the lieutenant of Hades. Hey, just because I'm a Hunter, it doesn't mean I can't talk to Nico every once and a while.

Wait a minute, Nico. Phoebe would probably kill me later, but I needed help. The shade advanced on me, sensing my thoughts.

"The Ghost King won't save you this time!" he wailed.

I nocked an arrow, and aimed at his head. I fired, and it passed through its head, and impaled itself into the wooden bed behind Phoebe.

The shade continued to advance on me, and he raised his hand at me. I moved out of the way before he slapped me. I nocked another arrow, and fired at his chest. It was buried into his transparent flesh.

With a second of freedom, I cupped my hands over my mouth and yelled. "NICO!"

Phoebe groaned and mumbled something about Artemis and turning me into porcupine or something like that. The shade grabbed me by the neck, and raised me.

"The Ghost King won't save you this time. He has no power over us!" he said.

He started to squeeze, and I felt my eyes bulging out of my skull. The shade's eyes glowed red, and I would guess that it was pure evil he was sensing, but then his eyes widened. He looked down, and there was a black blade impaled into his chest.

"Spare me, son of Hades," he mumbled before turning to dust.

I dropped to the floor, clutching my cold neck. I looked up, and there was Nico with his sword in his hand. He was wearing a leather jacket, a black shirt with a skull on it, and black pants. His dark eyes were filled with anger, but softened when he saw me. He offered his hand, and I gladly took it. He helped me to my feet, and smiled.

"Hey Thals," he said.

I smiled. "Hey Death breath," I responded.

He smirked, and looked around. All the shades stopped tormenting the girls, and stared at Nico. He planted his sword into the floor, and extended his hands. "Kneel before the Ghost King!" he ordered.

Hard to believe, but every single shade bowed. "Return to the Fields of Asphodel where you belong! My father will deal with you all!"

The shades wailed in agony as they faded into the Underworld. The girls stared at me like I disgraced the Hunters and more importantly, Lady Artemis. Phoebe stepped up to me, and stared daggers at me.

"Just because you're the lieutenant of the Hunt doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Wait until Lady Artemis hears about this," she said.

I glared at her. "Stand down Phoebe," I said.

She was still glaring at me. "I said, stand down Phoebe!"

She didn't say anything, but walked away. I turned to thank Nico, but he was already out the door with his sword. He was never the hero type, but he was always there for his friends. While the girls cleaned up, I decided to take a walk. I saw Percy giving Nico a noogie, Clarisse was wrestling with her brother, and Annabeth was pacing outside the Hecate cabin. I decided to check up on Annabeth and the cure for this curse.

A/N: Like I said before, I am so sorry for not updating. I will try to get in as much as possible, and maybe stay on track.

Annabeth: Painful memories, so many painful memories

Me: Don't worry Annabeth, so many good things came out of it. You're the architect of Olympus for crying out loud.

Percy: He's got a point

Me: Thanks Perce. You guys are great to hang out with. So please review, I want to know whose fear should be revealed next.

-Unknown

Annabeth: Why do you keep calling yourself Unknown?

Me: That's a secret, but I will tell you this. My namesake will be making a comeback in the future

Annabeth: Oh Rachel!

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