Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or any related characters! Please, please, PLEASE review if you read; all feedback is greatly appreciated. You all are awesome, and thank you for reading my story!
Six Months Since The Incident
Percy just got off work and hustled out of the community center for three reasons.
The first was that he was hungry. He felt like he could eat a whole table's worth of his mother's cooking, and he planned to. The second was that he had a feeling that Thalia had sent him a package. It was Thursday, and Thalia hadn't sent a package on Thursday in weeks. Percy thought this may be the day. He was looking forward to her updates about her adventures and the comic book.
He and Thalia had planned to get a coffee after their forest race (Thalia won after an unsportsmanlike arrow to the knee) and just hang out, but Hunter Kowalski, one of the Hunters, had found them right outside of the forest. She told Thalia that Artemis was looking for her, and in an awkward moment, Thalia shook Percy's hand and rushed off into the forest before Percy could say bye.
Hunter had given him a disgusted up-down look as if to say, "Why were you talking to her," and jogged off after Thalia.
The third reason why he was anxious to leave the community center was that he had gone on a not-date with Carly.
And it was torture.
To appease his mother and avoid the incurrence of her wrath, he asked Carly to get ice cream. She had said yes immediately, and when he picked her up, she was wearing a short green dress with about a pound of makeup caked on her. She reminded him of Drew from the Aphrodite cabin. Percy told himself to tell his mother "I told you so," when he got home.
They got to the ice cream place and Carly had talked the entire time about her college, her sorority (he called it), her friends drinking too much and doing something dangerous, etc.
Percy usually liked ice cream, but he had lost his appetite as soon as Carly had launched into her stories. He was bored, and was struggling through her stories.
Suddenly, Carly had perked up and asked him, "You must be terribly bored."
Percy agreed.
She leaned forward. "Did you want to take this conversation back to my room?"
Percy did not agree.
She must've seen his face because she frowned. Then that smile came back. "Oh, that's why you look like that. We can go to your place if you want."
Percy had just stared at her and she frowned again. She was a nice girl, she was just…uninteresting. She cocked her head at Percy.
"You're feeling some other girl."
Percy jolted up so quickly that his knee banged the table and spilled a bit of his Oreo ice cream. "What? Why do you say that?"
Carly sat back and crossed her legs. "I just know. I know these things. No straight guy can turn down this and not be focused on some other girl."
Percy continued to stare at her as if she has just turned into Mrs. Dodds, then turned into a Fury. Carly huffed and stood up suddenly. "Percy. Come on. Is she cooler than me?"
He thought back to he and Thalia's conversation about Black Panther vs. Batman. He stood up.
"Yes. Come on, I'll take you home."
Carly's mouth had opened and closed multiple times like she had rehearsed a clever comeback, but it wasn't coming out. Finally, her mouth stayed closed and her face scrunched up so tight as she squealed. Percy had stood up and walked to his car as she was yelling and cursing him out. He thought it was funny when he had walked to the passenger side and opened her door for her like his mother taught him. She was still cursing and pointing, stopped and took a breath to say thank you, and then continued to yell.
And that was their "not-date." Now, Percy was trying to get out of the community center as soon as possible so he could avoid seeing Carly. He hopped in the car and drove home, almost tasting the amazing meal and feeling himself laugh at the new comic book from Thalia.
He got to the apartment complex, and spun his keys around his finger as he walked through the halls. He passed by one of his neighbors talking on the phone and smoking. She must have been out of weed, because she was trying to convince someone on the phone to buy her some more. She licked her teeth when she saw Percy and continued with her conversation.
He made it to his door, but before he entered, he heard two female voices. He recognized his mother's voice, and unless Cyrene learned how to talk in an adult woman voice, there was a visitor in their apartment. Percy's hand twitched. Since Riptide had lost its life months ago, Percy had to suffer through a few reflexive hand-to-the-pocket moves only to remember that he was weaponless.
Percy opened the door to see his mother on the far side of the couch, facing him. She was talking to a woman on the side of the couch closest to Percy, with her back to him. His mother saw him and smiled.
"Percy. This wonderful woman says that she knows Thalia."
The woman turned and it was a young woman in her twenties, who looked to be of Native American descent. Her dark black hair was worn down so it fell to her back. She wore a black windbreaker jacket, with a silver quarter-zip fleece sweater underneath it. She wore black cargo pants, along with winter boots. She was extremely beautiful, but struck Percy as mysterious, like the crescent moon. She had well-built shoulders and arms; Percy only recognized that body type on warriors. She had almost perfect facial features, but what struck Percy were her eyes. They were a striking combination of mostly silver, mixed with some grey and yellow in them.
When her eyes glowed, Percy knew.
He bowed to her. "Artemis."
The goddess cocked her head. "Hello, Percy. Please, sit."
His mother looked from Artemis to Percy. She met Percy's eyes and mouthed, "Artemis…wow" and winked at him before leaving the room. Percy felt compelled to sit, so he did so. When he sat on the couch, he saw that she had a half-eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a plate in front of her. Percy knew that his mother had given her the premium guest treatment.
Artemis watched his mother go. "She is an impressive woman. She would have made a good Hunter in her youth."
Percy tried for a smile. He felt like he was in a meeting with the principal about something that Percy had done, and only he knew what Percy did, but Percy was nervous because he had done a lot of bad things and wasn't sure which one he was in trouble for.
"Thanks…I think."
Artemis shifted uncomfortably. "So…how…are you doing, Perseus?"
Percy's hair on the back of his neck stood up at the mention of his birth name, but he felt like Artemis was put up to this by someone. Small talk was unlike her. "Uh…I'm fine. How are you?"
Artemis' eyes glowed. "I cannot do this. I despise this tiny dialogue."
"You mean small ta-"
Artemis continued over Percy's attempted correction. "Perseus, do you know the story of Orion and Hippolytos?"
Percy had heard about Orion before, but only in comic books and in passing regarding the constellations in the sky. He shook his head. Artemis nodded as if she had expected that answer, and Percy suspected she would've told him the story even if he had said he did know it.
"Orion and Hippolytos were the only two men who found my favor. Orion met and befriended me on the island of Delos long ago. His hunting skills were…superb, and he had impressed me with his talent and his respect for the Wild. He impressed me so much, in fact, that I offered him a position with my Hunters."
Percy blinked twice. "You let a man into your Hunters."
Artemis nodded gravely. "Yes, I did. He surpassed all my Hunters in skill and in bravery. He accepted the position. Though it caused quite a stir among the gods and my Hunters, Orion kept a respectful distance at all times and only intervened when necessary. He…began to find favor with my heart."
Percy couldn't believe it. "I thought you were the maiden goddess?"
Artemis nodded once more. "Aye, I am. No man has ever defiled me. But Orion made my heart feel like it was being constantly attacked by fire."
She gazed off into the window and Percy wondered if having a heart on fire was Artemis' way of saying in love. He cleared his throat and she turned back to him.
"Alas, my brother Apollo was getting jealous. Orion was quite handsome and charming. He had won the respect of my Hunters as well as me. They began to accept his company more and more while they continued to treat Apollo like the regular chauvinist male. He wanted the attention. He entered Orion's mind at nightfall and sent him on an un-conquerable quest to hunt every beast on the planet."
Percy's throat was dry. The guy who had showed up at his door for help had done that to someone?
"The quest drove him insane. One cannot make his life goal to hunt every beast on the planet when more and more are born each day. One day, my Hunters and I found him dead on the ground, surrounded by dead animals. Apollo lied and claimed that he was afraid that I would give up my maidenhood to Orion. I did not believe him; I know my brother and my wrath fell upon him. But, to honor Orion, I made sure his constellation lives amongst the stars."
Percy felt bad for Artemis. The only guy she ever loved was driven insane and eventually killed by her jealous brother.
Artemis continued. "Hippolytos was the son of the hero Theseus, which I suppose makes him your ancient relative."
Percy blanched. He didn't know how he felt about having all these relatives with these tragic stories. Artemis looked at him with a playful glint in her eye. "He had a passion for hunting that I had not seen since Orion. He wasn't as skilled, but he felt more at home in the Wild than he did in the arms of any man or woman. The mortals today would have called him…ah…'aromantic.' Or 'asexual.' He just wanted to hunt, which I respected. I let him into my Hunters, and he ran with them, earning their respect as time went on as well."
Percy didn't like where this story was going. His namesake was one of the only people in Greek mythology to have a happy ending, and he didn't think that he was going to add another happy ending to the list.
"His very existence and lack of sexual attraction was almost an insult to Aphrodite. One day, the goddess of love sent him a beautiful being. The being could shift from male to female to a combination of the two. Their job was to seduce Hippolytos to spite me and show that every male has an insatiable desire for sexual intimacy. However, when Hippolytos encountered him, he stared at the being for a heartbeat. Translated to English, he then told them, 'You are in the way. A deer is right behind you.' He had turned down Aphrodite's attempt to indirectly seduce him, and as a result, she brought her wrath upon him. She fostered insanity in Theseus' head and sent him to kill his own son, which he did."
Percy's head had started to hurt. He felt like Aphrodite may be instilling insanity in his head as well. He rubbed it as he looked at Artemis. "Respectfully…Lord….Artemis…, why are you telling me this?"
She leaned towards him. "Any male who gets inappropriately involved with the Hunters of Artemis, no matter how well-meaning they are, meet a terrible fate."
He looked at the goddess dumbly. He thought about Thalia, but he wasn't sure that she was talking about her. Artemis sighed.
"Percy, I am here because Thalia has not been acting rationally lately. Ever since you all went on the excursion to rescue Cyrene, she has been…different."
Percy was caught off guard; Thalia had seemed just like herself when she had seen him at Grover's wedding a few months ago.
"She has been reckless, angry, and aggressive-"
"Well, that's just Thalia."
Artemis' eyes glowed and Percy decided to stop talking. "At night, she will hum a song that I've never heard before. She will sleep with a Camp Half-Blood shirt tucked tightly under her arm. A few of my newest Hunters questioned her about it, but she became defensive almost immediately. Every opportunity she gets on our adventures, she will stand by a body of water and just look out at it. She does this a lot at night, as well. I can sense the sadness and longing emanating from her heart, and I don't need an enchanted flower petal to do that."
Percy hid his petal underneath his leg. It had been glowing a deep blue.
Artemis turned her eyes on the half-eaten sandwich. "Though her actions spell dedication to the Hunters, her mind and heart is somewhere else."
Artemis regarded Percy, and for a moment, he thought he saw the moon in her eyes. In a voice that dripped with slight malice, she asked him, "You would have her break her oath of maidenhood?"
Percy felt like running out of the apartment. He couldn't believe this was happening. "But that's just…that's just ridiculous. Thalia doesn't like me. And she doesn't definitely won't give up her immortality for me."
"And why is that?"
"Because…because she…loves to attack me and correct me and try to kill me! She never said anything…about…"
"Did the daughter of Athena not do that as well?"
She got him there. Percy thought back to how Annabeth had treated him before they were dating, and there was definitely an overlap between behavior. But Thalia was a Hunter…she would never give that up. That's part of who she is.
Artemis asked him a question that almost made him choke on his own saliva. "Do you feel for her?"
Percy felt his petal glow, but didn't dare take it out to see what color it was glowing. His heart folded itself and he felt his hands sweating.
Artemis watched him hesitate and nodded. "Aye, I have seen the look on Thalia before. I've seen them on my Hunters who resign and go fight with the Amazons. I know how she feels. And now, I know how you feel. But she swore an oath to be my lieutenant, and she must uphold her promise of no men. So, I implore you…whatever you do, son of Poseidon-"
She leaned forward some more so she was looking straight into his eyes.
"-you cannot have Thalia's heart while she runs with my pack of Hunters."
After a heartbeat of silence, Cyrene began crying, and Percy looks down miserably at the couch. He thought about his date with Carly and how in a rare moment of awareness, she called him out on his feelings. Percy realized that Thalia's packages were on the list of what he looked forward to the most. He caught himself missing her scent on some nights. He thought about her a lot.
He did feel something for Thalia.
He remembered Annabeth and Chiron, under different circumstances, telling him that he was just like Thalia. Annabeth had said that it was "scary" how alike he and Thalia were. And when she had been resurrected by the Fleece, Percy was the first one that she had seen in her chance at a new life. But when she opened her eyes, Percy knew that she was going to be different. Her eyes were electric blue as opposed to the stormy green that he had seen in his dreams. Years later, the two of them have matured, they are among the only people who can really get to one another. Percy cared about everyone at Camp Half-Blood, but he could only see himself crying in front of one person.
She was intelligent, strong, loyal, funny, beautiful, and brutal in combat. She relates to Percy and has the same love for comic books and the same investment in this crazy world as he does. She was a natural leader and had the power to both strike fear in others as well as soothe him to sleep. He'd be crazy not to be crazy about her.
But did Thalia really feel something for him?
Whatever the answer, though, Artemis was right. He didn't want to be the cause of her losing her immortality and her place with the Hunters; that was her home.
He nodded at Artemis and she nodded in turn. She picked up the half of the sandwich and finished it. Somehow, she even looked graceful eating a sandwich. She seemed to be in deep thought for a second as she finished his mother's snack.
After a few seconds, she turned to him with a few crumbs on her cheek.
"Perseus, you have my respect. You are humble, brave, and have been raised around strong women. Some of which, have very strong lungs."
Artemis smiled as Percy heard Cyrene crying once more. He leapt over the couch and gave Cyrene her favorite toy; a plush shark that he bought her at the local aquarium. Cyrene stopped crying and hugged the toy close to her. Percy walked back to the couch as Artemis stared at him.
"I haven't made this offer since Hippolytos, but would you like to join my Hunters? You would be closer to Thalia, but you would not be able to…court her. You would be immortal and you would only fall in battle."
Percy felt like the room was spinning. Him? Be a Hunter? He imagined himself in silver gear, running alongside Thalia and the Hunters like he was with Lupa's pack. He imagined fighting with a group of teenage girls for all time and talking comic books by the fire with Thalia.
"Thank you for the offer, but I'm going to pass, Artemis. Honestly, it's not for me. The Hunters should be passionate about the Wild and should only have a few focuses in life, which is hunting and serving you. And in truth, I don't think that I would be able to do that with all my being. I would be too worried about Camp Half-Blood, too focused on my mother and keeping Cyrene safe, as well as continuously finding other things to worry about. I don't think I would be able to serve you to the best of my ability. I understand what you are trying to tell me regarding Thalia, though, and I will keep that in mind."
Artemis wiped the crumbs off her mouth and continued to stare at him without blinking. "I predicted you turning down my offer. You remind me a lot of your father, in looks and in personality. You're too much of a free spirit to be tied down so easily. I believe that your final calling will be to the sea."
Artemis stood up while Percy tried to figure out what her last statement meant. She looked towards Cyrene and began to head out.
Percy's mother appeared in the doorway, wiping her hand on a towel. "You're leaving?"
Artemis turned to regard Ms. Jackson. She nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you for allowing me into your home."
Percy's mother waved her hand dismissively. "Come by any time. I'll always have time to make you and any of the other gods snacks!"
Despite the turmoil in his heart, Percy smiled. He knew his mother meant what she said; she would literally bake snacks for the gods and make it special for one god in particular.
Artemis gave her a smile. "Thank you, Ms. Jackson. Your hospitality does you well, and you have found favor with me. I will personally make sure that your daughter lives a long and fruitful life."
His mom blinked. "Oh…oh-okay. Thank you…for that!"
Artemis looked at Percy one more time meaningfully and disappeared into mist.