Sorry! In a rush so I'll respond to reviews in the next chapter! :D

I slip as silently as I can through the trees, my flesh blending into the shadows. I have become a shadow, silent and undetected. I find the girl at the edge of the tree line, standing in front of a tall oak.

She begins to scale the worn tree, her blonde hair floating around angelically behind her as she climbs. Her hands find notches and grooves that seem almost nonexistent. I'm left to wonder why she climbing since there doesn't seem to be anything in this tree. Why would the huntresses be sending Zelda the warrior princess over her if all she's going to do is climb a tree?

I look upward, searching through its branches for something, anything that may possibly explain this strange expedition. My eyes trail through the branches, one by one, until I spot it. Her reason for climbing. She's going for the small, red flag hidden on the lowest branch, her hands reaching for it.

I know I have to stop this. Somehow, I know I must. Yet I have no idea how and at the same time I know that I cannot simply stand here and not do anything.

"Hey!" I shout at her, causing her to turn, a worried look on her face. "Yeah, you!"

I hear her mutter something under her breath but it's lost in the wind.

I move nearer to her, pulling out my sword and pointing it towards her neck.

"Drop your weapons and put your hands up!" I shout at her, sounding like a cop of sorts.

"You don't scare me," she says confidently, taking her bow in her hands. Her eyes search for me, going back and forth. At one point in time, her eyes fall upon mine and I'm worried that she's seen me.

"You don't mess with a spirit," I say, lying as I attempt to scare her. "You don't mess with poltergeists."

Her hands tremble as she attempts to string her bow. "That's not even Greek mythology!"

I chuckle slightly at her words, not knowing if this is true or not, but willing to take the risk. "Hades would be disappointed with those words. He holds great love for us poltergeists."

"Poltergeists are urban legends!"

"And you aren't daughter of Aphrodite?"

I've taken a huge risk. I don't know whether she truly is a daughter of Aphrodite or not. If I'm right, then I'll have scared the living hell out of her. But if I'm wrong, she'll know I'm a fake.

The look of shock on her face washes the worry out of me, replacing it with a sense of relief. I'm glad I'm invisible because I can't imagine the look on her face if she saw the size of my grin.

"H-how?" she asks incredulously. "I'm not... I..."

"I know everything," I whisper maliciously, trying to hold back my laughs. "I hear every whisper, every secret. I know yours, silly girl. I know them all."

"Y-you do not," she stammers. This time, her words are oddly convincing. Yes, maybe I don't.

"You should just leave me alone," she adds in a calm, soothing voice.

No, I have no idea what I'm talking about and I should leave her alone.

I am about to leave when my mind snaps back into attention.

Eye on the prize, Layla. Keep your eye on the prize.

"I am quite certain that you have some better reason for me to disperse," I respond nonchalantly, turning towards her. "An ancient spirit always searches for trouble."

Her eyes widen with fear when she realises that she has no power over me. She steps back slowly, her shoelace snagging on a fallen branch and sending her sprawling to the ground.

"D-don't hurt me!" she sobs, her hands in the air in an act of surrender. My lips contort into a smug smirk, dagger in hand in case she tries something.

"Please," she cries again.

"Just go and do not return," I whisper in a cold, other-earthly tone. I watch, close to laughter, as she shivers with fear. She gets to her feet slowly, hands still in the air and eyes trained in the direction of my voice. She then turns her back to me and runs off as fast as she can through the trees.

I walk back towards Zeus Fist, my hands fiddling with the edge of my shirt. I am, as always, restless. Yet for once it is not due to my ADHD but due to the giddiness and butterflies that form in my stomach.

I practically start skipping, something I never do, as I run back towards Malcolm. My skin begins to return its colour and the pain in my stomach loosens as I return to normal. Thank goodness. I thought I was going to drop dead with how exhausted I was.

"What's with Little Miss Sunshine?" I hear a cold voice from behind me. "You know, skipping in broad daylight while wearing an orange t-shirt isn't the greatest thing when you're in a battle against the Hunters."

Nico. I could recognise that voice anywhere.

"Aren't you just a bucket of fun?" I ask him sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "Having a nice day?"

He holds up his hand to show me a large bandage wrapped loosely around the back of his hand. "Not the greatest. Again, what's with all the butterflies and rainbows?"

"I just scared the crap out of some Huntress," I laugh.

"Which one?" he asks curiously.

I eye him carefully. "Why do you ask?"

He blushes slightly and turns away, mumbling something beneath his breath.

"Well, if you must know," I continue excitedly. "Some five year old, former Aphrodite kid."

"Holy crap, Cali? You scared Cali?" he asks, eyes widening. "That girl scares the crap out of all of us and you're telling me you managed to scare the crap out of her?"

"Nico Di Angelo, scared of a five year old. Tsk, tsk, Nico. I thought you could do better."