Chapter Eight: I Turn Into My Girlfriend

Zoë Nightshade

It seemed like we had finally run out of luck. The van I was driving was being pursued by a black military helicopter, the awful boy Percy was on our quest (I will admit that it is hard to resist the puppy eyes Thalia made at me in his favor), and I could see we were quickly running out of gas as well.

"They know the van, we have to ditch it," I heard. I was not much paying attention to who was speaking.

I switched lanes, speeding up as I went.

"Maybe the military will shoot it down."

"The military probably thinks it's one of theirs. How can the General use mortals, anyway?"

"Mercenaries," I said. "It is distasteful, but many mortals will fight for any cause as long as they are paid."

"But don't these mortals see who they're working for? Don't they notice all the monsters around them?"

"I do not know how much they see through the Mist," I said, shaking my head in disgust. "I doubt it would matter to them if they knew the truth. Sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters." I sped up, as the helicopter was gaining.

"Hey, Dad. A lightning bolt would be nice right about now. Please?" Thalia begged of Zeus.

Nothing happened.

"There! That parking lot!"

I took a quick look to where Bianca was pointing. "We'll be trapped," I said, confused.

Bianca looked at me grimly. "Trust me," she begged.

I quickly switched to two lanes over, parking on the bank of a river. Bianca jumped out before I had even stopped the car. Thalia leaped behind her, followed by Percy and Grover. I finally reluctantly ran after my quest group.

Bianca ran down a flight of stairs into an underground area. "Subway entrance," she explained. "Let's go south. Alexandria."

Thalia and I looked at each other and stifled a bit of laughter. That was her middle name- she was Thalia Alexandria Grace. It was such an odd coincidence that it was a tad amusing.

We saw that Percy, Grover, and Bianca were looking at us, so we swallowed our giggles. "Anything," Thalia agreed.

We bought five tickets for the next train and managed to get on just as it was about to leave. We had, I noticed, lost our pursuers. Unfortunately, we had also lost our van. Chiron would not be pleased.

"Nice job, Bianca," Grover said, panting. "Thinking of the subway."

"Yeah, well..." she smiled, obviously pleased to be recognized. "I saw that station when Nico and I came through last summer. I remember being really surprised to see it because it wasn't here when we used to live in D.C."

"New? But that station looked really old." Grover asked. We all frowned, confused.

"I guess, but trust me, when we lived here as little kids, there was no subway."

"Wait a moment." Thalia sat straighter in her seat and leaned forward slightly, suddenly very interested. "No subway at all?" Bianca nodded confirmation.

That is impossible! The trains must be more than twelve years old; likely about fifteen or sixteen. "Bianca, how long ago..."

The sound of the helicopters interrupted me. They have found us.

"We need to change trains next station," Percy said. I nodded.

It took nearly forty-five minutes and three different trains before we felt safe enough to get off- the end of the line, with old warehouses abounding. Snow was falling, dusting us, making the demigods cold. Even Bianca and I felt chilly, and it was hard for Hunters to feel cold, one of the gifts we are blessed with when we take the oath. "Let us find a path or road," I said.

The quest group nodded and followed me. "Maybe there'll be a train we can jump on," Thalia said.

"A warm train," added Grover. "With a snack car."

"There are only freight trains here. This is not a passenger stop," I explained. The satyr's face fell. Thalia tried not to look disappointed. I was about to shrug off the ski jacket that was part of the Hunters of Artemis winter uniform and place it around her frail shoulders when I caught a glimpse of a fire, and a man standing there. He was more disgusting than the usual man- he had no teeth, his red flannel shirt was much too big, and he was wearing a patchwork skirt, making him look ridiculous.

He smiled, and it only served to repulse me more. "Y'all need to get warmed up? Come on over!"

Grudgingly, I stood between Thalia and Bianca and together we huddled, attempting to keep the warmth in our little circle of people. I could hear Thalia's teeth chattering, and grabbed her hand, using it to pull her a little closer to me. "Well this is just g-g-g-great," she complained anyway.

"My hooves are frozen," Grover whined.

"Feet," Percy corrected.

Bianca glanced at me, looking for approval to speak. I nodded, but still she hesitated. Eventually, she said "Maybe we should contact camp. Chiron..."

I cut her off, willing her not to say any more. "No. They cannot help us any more. We must finish this quest ourselves."

The homeless man smiled, and I tried not to shudder. "You know, you're never completely without friends. You kids need a train going west?"

"Yes, sir," Percy said gratefully before I could deny it. I was almost grateful that the boy did not give me the chance to- my pride could remain intact, and hopefully, this method of travel would be warm for Thalia.

The man pointed to a shiny new train loaded with automobiles. "That's... convenient," Thalia said with a small laugh, seeming to say How did we not notice that? "Thanks... uh..."

I looked back to where the man was, and noticed that he had vanished. Glancing back to the train, I noticed the logo on the side: Sun West Line.

Lord Apollo.

I offered up a silent prayer of thanks and walked over to it. Percy and Grover jumped on, racing to find the "coolest" cars. I helped Bianca up, then Thalia. "I suppose we shall pick a vehicle. Thalia, would thou care to join Bianca and me?"

Thalia looked at me, then at my sister Hunter. "No," she said flatly, and headed after the boys.

What was that about? I thought that our disagreement was over, and yet she seems to be angered? What have I done wrong?

I sighed. "Come, Bianca. Let us find a place to sleep."

We climbed to the top deck and found a vehicle that was not too fancy that we could sleep in. Before long, we felt the lurch of the train as it started west. Bianca and I talked freely, though not about my suspicions about the monster, about my family, or the mission. We spoke as friends. I only wished that Thalia would have joined us.

As though to respond to my wish, there came a knock on the driver's side door. I looked up eagerly. It was but Grover the satyr, an eager expression on his face. I suppressed a groan. "Please go away," I asked.

"What?" he shouted. "I can't hear you!"

Louder, I ordered "Away!"

"Play? Yes, ma'am!"

Within a few seconds, horrible music was sprouting from a set of pipes... and poison ivy was sprouting from the vehicle. "Bianca, let us go!" I said, opening a back door. Together we raced towards the next car. Grover followed, and I punched him in the face. "I said away! You have almost caused a severe allergic reaction to the poison ivy! Does thou not realize that most are allergic to it?"

He ran off, back towards Percy. Bianca and I settled into another car. I was too tired and too deep in thought to continue talking, so we prepared to sleep instead. Before long, we had both dozed off.

The wind whistled in my ear. I could tell an arrow had just come by. My brain told me to reach for my own weapon, but something... something made me laugh. "Nice try, Amaryll," I said, and I did not sound like me.

I turned, and a Hunter was standing there, though not one I recognized. She... Amaryll?... looked a little old compared to the others, maybe sixteen or seventeen. She was flanked by two other Hunters that I did not recognize. Amaryll laughed. "That wasn't me, lieutenant," she giggled. "It was Erika."

My head tilted, my hands landed on my waist. "Erika..."

Another girl rolled her eyes. "Geez! I was just trying to goof off."

"Well, we've got a recruiting mission going on. And then maybe we should head to NYC. Depends on what Artie thinks."

"Artie?" a voice said from behind me. Again, I turned, this time to face Lady Artemis.

She did not look as though she had been chained, trapped. She looked whole and healthy, though worried. I chuckled. "Well, I told you that saying 'Lady Artemis' was a mouthful. You told me I could call you by something shorter."

"Yes, my Hunter, I did. But Artie?"

I shrugged. "It seemed like a good nickname at the time."

"Well, I think you have learned better now. Anyway, my lieutenant... I have a job for you. I must join my brother and sister gods in Olympus once again, and from there, likely continue on to the war that is beginning. I need you to lead the Hunters to New York, as you mentioned."

"Aye aye, ma'am," I said, saluting.

"Do well. Do as I would," Artemis smiled.

I began to walk away, the Hunters following me. After a few steps, I paused and turned. "Lady Artemis?" I asked.

"Yes?"

I looked into her eyes. "Does it bother you that I'm so different than Zoë?"

Artemis frowned. "No. You are different people. You bring different things. But change is good, necessary. Zoë was formal, traditional, the ideal Hunter. You are modern, friendly, headstrong and willful. Maybe you are what the Hunters need to become. Yes, Zoë was the finest of my attendants... you heard that. But that does not mean you are bad."

"She was better, though."

Artemis put her hand on my shoulder. "She was best when she lived. You are the Hunter of today. Do not falter, Thalia; it will be your fall."

Thalia?

I awoke with a shock. Thalia... the lieutenant attendant of Artemis, my successor? This was the proof I needed... in this mission, I would die. And, in this mission, I would succeed.

Bianca still slept soundly. The radio blared from Thalia's car, new music that I did not know. I quietly opened the door of my own vehicle and began to creep down to her, wanting to say something, anything.

I got to her car, which was easy to find with the music so loud. I knocked on the door.

Thalia opened it, still screaming the lyrics. Her eyes fell on me and they narrowed. "Oh. Zoë. What do you want?"

I took a deep breath. "This," I whispered, and I kissed her soft lips carefully.

Author's Note: Short chapter! And what an ending! Who's excited to get Thalia's point of view in this? Hehehe!

Sorry this update isn't as soon as I like; finals and EOCT week are messing me up! Anyway, we're about halfway through the story now. I'm considering a prequel about the first time Zoë and Thalia had a relationship. The title, if I write it, would be Pursuing The Griffin. Points if you get why.