DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PJO
Chapter 8:
Percy met up with Nico after he supposedly 'needed to leave camp.' And obviously, Nico arrived with his cloak, and discreetly joined his brothers.
Percy led about two thirds of their brethren to the arena. The other third was either climbing the lava, checking out the forges, or hitting some archery ranges
"Chose a partner!" Percy commanded and they automatically chose one. His brothers were excited. When Percy says 'chose a partner' no one knows if they were going to fight their partner, or fight with their partner against another pair.
"Spar!" Percy said and they happily obliged. So one VS one it was
The campers were awed by the finesse and grace the Pack showed.
"C! You are too slow, dive in and get out quickly! Feel the rhythm! G, you're stance is too open, that's why C is getting some hits, guard up!" Percy barked
"J! You have feet, use them, not just your arms, remember that! Z, stop playing with J! It's him you want to slice up, not his sword! Stop blocking!" Nico says
"D, stop using offense as a defence; that's no use against R!" Nico says
"K! For Vesta's sake, this is a sword fight, not a dodge fight! Get your damn sword out and stop dodging. N, you're faster than K, sheesh! It's just that you keep on following K's pace!" Percy say
"Yessirs!" were heard.
The campers were in awe. They didn't even see the flaws.
"Switch partners!" Percy heard. The millisecond after the 's' in partners was heard, they switched. They didn't even know who, they just clashed swords.
More campers were watching now.
After one more switch partners, Percy and Nico grinned. "Brothers! Get ready!" Percy says. "If any of you manage to take my hood off, you get to choose breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week! Ready?" Nico announce
"Alright!" Percy shouts. The Pack was still fighting in pairs, but Nico and Percy surged forward. They would attack the person nearest to them behind their backs. That person will have to block Percy and then his partner will get a chance to either unhood Percy or Nico or attack his partner who was being attacked by two. They had to do this before Percy was able to move on to a next opponent.
And they had to unhood him before he reaches the last brother. Obviously, Percy and Nico's hood remained up.
"On to two's!" Nico shouted and each pair found another pair to fight.
It has been one hour now. "Training end! You may continue to spar or rest at your please!" Percy announced"
Percy looked at Nico. "Want to spar?"
Nico grinned and quickly jumped backwards and had his sword appear on the ground.
"Ready, Mister I'm-so-powerful-Ace?" Nico mocked
With one swift motion that no one saw, Percy uncapped riptide. But riptide looked different.
"I'm ready when you are Mister I'm-just-as-powerful-as-you Lieutenant" Percy says which made Nico laugh
At this point, the Pack gasped at the sudden realization of who was about to fight. Each of the Pack looked at their sparring partner, shrugged, and sheathed their swords and turn to watch.
"Oh my gods, this is gonna be good"
"Too bad Aku and Pisto aren't here"
"Yeah, they'd make the fight more interesting"
'It's been what? Fifteen years, since they fought publicly?"
"I know right, now shush!"
They bowed at each other.
Percy and Nico were circling each other.
In a normal speed they clashed swords, but just as their swords clashed, as fast as lightning, a series of 'twang' 'clank' 'chick' 'chug' that were unseen by the others occurred and the two quickly jumped back and proceeded circling.
Percy took the first step. They slow mo-ed clashing swords, and as soon as their swords clashed, a series of sparring began and ended just as quick, no one saw the movement, they only heard the series of the swords clashing.
"Aw c'mon Ace! This isn't much of a show! We can't see anything! Booooring!"
Percy laughed as he dodged Nico's sword and started to slash on him but it ended yet with another 'clang' Of course, all of this was unseen.
"Our brothers want a show, Nics, want to give them one?" Percy asked. It was an inside joke calling Nico 'Nics' Why? Ever since Thalia named her tigress 'Nix' Percy made it his job to taunt the two of them that the reason why Thalia named her tigress 'Nics/Nix' was because it sounded like Nico's name
"Why not, Perce?" Nico says. Of course, no one can hear them but themselves. With one final (though no one saw it) clank, they jumped backed again and continued to circle each other.
Percy lunged at Nico and Nico dodged. "Want a show, Q? We'll give you a show" Nico says, then and Percy slowing down so they could see how the battle was progressing
They moved as if responding to a beat. Percy swiped at Nico's feet, who jumped and was about to slash down on Percy's head who just quickly brought his sword up and blocked it in one swing and proceed to slashing him on the side which Nico used Percy's blade as a stepping stone. Percy then flipped backwards and Nico recovered quickly and proceeded to swipe on Percy who was in mid-flip, so he was standing on his hands
Percy seeing this, used his hands to jump, and he tried to kick Nico as Percy got back to using his feet but Nico jumped back and with one final clank, they separated. They looked like they were dancing the way they were fighting
"You can't get enough of me, can you, Mister I-shall-kill-you-by-my-own-hands?" Percy smirked
"Eh, you talking about yourself, Mister Oh-have-mercy-on-me-greatest-lieutenant-in-the-wor ld?" Nico asked and the whole pack nodded.
"Beta, you don't want her to hear that you're the greatest lieutenant in the world, right!?" Someone from the pack mocked
Of course, when he said 'her' he meant Thalia. At his Nico paled and the pack continued to laugh.
"Well, that's enough warm ups for one day, eh?" Percy called out to his pack who nodded in agreement. The campers however thought 'those were just warm ups?'
"Pack, disperse!"
And they did just that.
"We need to talk" Nico tells Percy inside Cabin 13
Percy groaned. He knows what this is about.
"I know, I know"
"Yo, bros! We're going for a walk!" Nico called back
"Oh, please! We all know you two want to talk. Just go drama over your life already!" they answered back and Percy chuckled not at all surprise at their brothers knowing.
They walked into the woods. They stumbled across Aku, Pisto, and Nix.
When you look at the three of them, they seem to be the animal personification of their masters.
Nix, Thalia's tigress, was as regal yet punkish as Thalia. Her black fur screams 'don't mess with me' and the white stripes of the tigress gives off that elegant feeling you get when you see the lieutenant of Artemis's hunters.
Pisto, the white lion, was acting exactly like Nico, giving off that 'i-dominate-you-in-a-mysterious-way' feeling that every son of Hades does. His white fur is as white as Nico seems dark.
Aku, on the other hand, seems to be amused with the other two. Aku seems to be taunting Nix and making fun of Pisto. His silver fur gave off the aura that you want to be given attention by Aku like the way Percy makes you feel like you want to gain his attention.
Pisto and Aku's head shot up as if noticing the presence of their masters.
Pisto tackled Nico and swung him by the back of his cloak 3600 so that Nico could land on Pisto's back to sit.
Aku raced towards Percy and Percy did the same. As they were meeting, Percy jumps up and lands on Aku and shifts so that once again, he was lying down at the back of his wolf.
Nix tilted her head and quickly snapped it to another direction looking annoyed as if to say, sheesh, boys
Seeing that, the two boys and their companions made their way to Nix.
Nico got off of Pisto and went to Nix. "Aw, you poor thing, you being neglected by your master?" Nico cooed and scratched Nix behind your thing.
"Meh, keep that up bro, and Pisto will be jealous" Percy says, not bothering to get off Aku and proceeded looking at the sky that were hindered by the woods' trees' branches. "So, what you want to talk about" Percy says switching to another language
"Why are speaking Latin for?" Nico says
"Someone might here us. But I doubt it" Percy reasoned
"What are we gonna do Percy? You can pretend all you want, but I know that you know that all of the Pack's, including you, very uncomfortable with this setup. And think of Thalia. She's practically betraying the hunters keeping all her knowledge from her mistress. You can't make her do that, Percy. We're tearing her apart because if she can't be loyal to us and the hunters at the same time. She can't help one of her family without feeling like a traitor to the other"
Percy sighs.
"Yeah, I know, Nico. I know"
"And that's not the only problem. Now that we're discovered, the Olympians will undoubtedly try to search more info on us. Sooner or later, they'll know our identities. And once they do, it won't be long until a certain king of the gods figure out the secrets we've been keeping from them. Shit, if those secrets get out, we might go to war again"
"I know, Nico. But in no way will we allow that certain god to know of those secrets. We'll take it to our graves" Percy says. "What's the plan now? We have to be discreet for the rest of the time we'll be spending with the hunters. We're keeping way too many secrets. We'll have to have a plan before we fake our deaths"
Percy sighs. Aku grumbles and whines as if telling Percy that he knows the feeling he's feeling. Pisto nudges Nico in comfort, while Nix who sensed Nico's discomfort had Nico combing her fur by his hands to reassure her.
"We'll have to talk to Thalia about this soon, before we leave camp half-blood" Percy says and Nico nods.
Someone gasped. Nico turned to see who it was while Percy didn't move a muscle and just lied down Aku staring at the sky. He just grumbled, "Who is it now, Beta?"
Nico recognized the owner of the voice as Phoebe's
"What are you doing with my lieutenant's Tigress?" Phoebe demanded
"I'm petting her, what else?" Nico replied
"That's…that's impossible! The only one it even allows to go near is mi'lady and Thalia herself. The last person who came near her was…." Phoebe left it at that but Percy and Nico seemed to snicker at the thought. They could so imagine Nix doing that
"Well, I guess Pisto and Aku made friends with her so she's cool with us" Percy says not bothering to sit up and look at Phoebe
"What do you want, huntress?" Nico asked
"I was just walking through the woods" Phoebe growled and made her way pass them. Once the two were sure Phoebe was gone, they resumed the topic they were talking about
"We'll have to talk to Thalia tonight" Percy said
"Dream state?"
"No, if we did, Lord Hypnos or Morpheus might hear or eavesdrop. We'll have to talk to her the other way" Percy says. Nico groaned. "Aw, that way sucks and is annoying" He complained. "But it's safer," Percy countered. "Fine"
That night, when every camper, hunter, and Pack member was asleep, Percy, Nico, snuck out.
Nico went back to the woods and climbed a tree and hid himself well in the shadows
Percy went up to the roof of Cabin 13
Thalia went over near Zeus' fist
They closed their eyes so that they'll get their maximum concentration. Usually, they can do this effortlessly, but tonight, they need to concentrate more so that no one can eavesdrop on their minds
Okay, guys, you sure no one followed you? Percy asked through his mind
Absolutely sure Thalia replied
Of course, I'm sure Nico replied at the same time
Thalia, I know that you know what we want to talk about today
Yeah, whatever. Look, don't you guys worry about me. I'll…I'll keep this façade as long as I have to, just go hurry up and die already so that everyone can forget about you again
…
…
That was you're plan right? The Pack's gonna fake their own death?
Thalia….we can't make you lie to your family….
You're not making me, Nico. And you guys are my family too.
Just stop with the façade Thalia! We know you don't want to lie! We know it's painful for you to protect us! Just rat us out already!
Whoa, Percy thought. Nico snapped. Percy knew why. The guilt is eating Nico up. When it comes to torture, there's nothing worse than guilt. Percy'd bath any day in the River Styx again if it meant he'd stop feeling guilty at…at…everything!
Thalia was ticked off at Nico's sudden outburst
WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO?! WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME NOT TO HELP YOU?!
That's not it, Thalia. We're gonna be stuck with the hunters for who knows how long, and we're sure as hell that Zeus will ask Artemis and all the hunters to try to figure out who we are or order you to find out who we are. And you'll have to sabotage their plans for us! Don't! And when they realise that, and all the secrets we're keeping, all the things we'd done, we're gonna drag you down with us!
IT'S MY CHOICE NICO! I'LL CHOSE TO HELP MY FAMILY IF I WANT TO! DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO
If you're so kin on destroying the huntress's life you love so much just for us, you're so-called family, then..then!
Oh NO! Percy knew what Nico was going to say. Shit. This was going worse. Don't say it Nico, don't say it, Percy chanted
Then we don't want you to be part of our family! You're no one to me! No one!
Percy palm faced and he knew Thalia's eyes widened and was feeling like someone drove a spear in her heart
…
Percy felt Nico realize what he said
I DIDN'T MEAN IT THALS, I DIDN'T! I PROMISE
You sounded so serious to me, Thalia said and her voice….it sounded dead
Thalia, please, I just wanted, you're like my- -
I'm you're no one, remember, boy
Thalia-
We're gonna tell Artemis the truth Percy blurts out because he was panicking. If he didn't intervene now, things would be catastrophic
WHAT?!
Percy, I can't ask that from you Thalia says with such sincerity that she forgot what she and Nico were fighting about
Percy, we can't do that. If we tell Artemis, that's a HUGE risk
Nico's right, Kelp Head. We're talking about you-dying-and-risking-a-secret-that-could-cause-th e-whole-world-to-be-destroyed risk
Guys, I love you both. I won't let Thalia do this as much as possible so, I think it's the only choice…besides…we can just tell her 'specific' things on a need to know basis. We can still protect our secrets
…..
This conversation is over guys. Don't worry about it. We've been surviving a millennia minus a few centuries now. We'll get through this. Alright?
But Percy- -
Something alerted Percy's concentration. It was a mellifluous voice
"What are you doing here, boy"
Guys, I need to go now. Nico, shadow travel inside the ranch. Artemis found me on the roof. Thalia, GO BACK TO YOUR CABIN BEFORE ARTEMIS KNOWS YOU'RE GONE.
With that, Percy dropped the connection
"I was just…debating in my head" Percy says and he couldn't help but smile at the true meaning of those words.
Percy drew his breath and opened his eyes. Sure enough, the goddess of the moon was in front of him. His auburn hair was straight, but at the end it twisted into wild curls. Her eyes were a replica of the moon and the moonlight acted as if it was bathing her skin.
Percy mentally shook himself
"If I may, Lady Artemis…." Percy asked cautiously. "…did you wish to speak to me?"
Said moon goddess was studying him, trying to get what little detail she can get of the mysterious Ace of the Pack's face
"Yes, I did want to speak to you" Artemis said. Artemis' voice hit Percy hard. Suddenly pieces of memories rushed through him. He shuddered at the…at the memory of that…hell
"I just wanted your word that you do not harm in any way my hunters" Artemis said.
As if I would ever harm them, Percy thought. As if I would harm you, he added. I've done everything and gave years to this goddess. I don't regret a thing and I'd do the same thing again. If only Artemis knew just what she made Percy go through, but the things that she did make Percy go through…well, that's another secret….another secret threatening to be exposed.
"My pack won't, Lady Artemis. Do you know what things Lord Mars engraved us to have?" Percy asked. Artemis raised her eyes. She was curious as to what the Pack had gone through all this years of them being unknown. And she couldn't help but notice the way the Ace said engraved
"Dignity, Duty, Respect. When it came to respect, we had three rules. Respect everyone you do not know: be the first to give it. None of our brothers interact with outsiders out of the Pack unless they approach us first. And if so, we give them respect. The second rule is to know who doesn't deserve our respect. And the third rule is to have self-respect. That has been the hardest on us. The way our 'parents' treated us and made us feel nothing. It took a while before he had that." Percy explained. He didn't know why he was telling this to her. This our something never said outside the Pack. Specially the third rule, too personal
"But the third rule's not the point though. The first one is. In fact, we do not want to place discomfort to your hunters. My Pack would happily camp separately from your Hunt. We'd not touch, talk, nor breathe in your direction lest you did so first. If you even want to accomplish your missions alone, we would gladly step on the side lines and let you accomplish it without cramping your style" Percy says.
Silence enveloped them, it wasn't completely comfortable though
"May I ask another question?" Artemis says.
"Yes, Lady Artemis"
"I can't help but notice the way you said…'engraved' when you were mentioning what Lord Mars wanted you're…Pack to value…"
"That wasn't a question, Lady Artemis...but I know what you wanted to know. It's best that I show you though"
Percy released the button of his cloak and pulled up the sleeve of his shirt revealing what looked like iron-branded marks in Latin that said 'I uphold my dignity. I am bound to duty. I know the value of respect. To have dignity is to…" it went on and one.
Percy even went as far as to pull his hood to a side (not taking it off) to show that the iron-branded markings started from up to his neck and stopped at his shoulders
Artemis gasped at the mark, but the reason her eyes grew was because he saw the colour of Percy's hair.
"We all have it. We can make it disappear" Percy informed Artemis and true enough, it disappeared. Percy buttoned his cloak together.
"Lord Mars didn't put it on us to brand us his, but to remind us of what we must value. It disappears because it was never meant to be permanent. What was important was the endurance we held when he branded the iron against us. We didn't find it harsh. Not at all. The branding is just a reminder, there would be now damage to our body. In fact, I could have made the marks disappear forever right now. But all of us just….don't. We don't know why though, it just feels right for it to not be permanently gone"
Silence came. Artemis realized she had long before accomplished what she needed: to get the boy's word. So why was it that she insisted to still talk to him? And she even had her guard down when they were talking! This is preposterous!
"I shall go, now, boy. Thank you" She says
"What are you thanking me for?" Percy asked
"Thank you for your word, and more importantly, for answering my question"
At that, Percy's eyes widened and he felt as if it could pop any moment. What the hell was wrong with him?! He opened up to the goddess! About things that only the Pack knew! And it felt as if telling her was the most natural thing to do! WHAT THE HELL?! He had his guard DOWN.
"Gamiseme Tora" I groaned
"Excuse me?" Artemis demanded
Oh shit, Lady Hestia was right, he should watch his language. Saying fuck me now to yourself with a maiden goddess present is sooo not ideal
"Lady Artemis, I…I need your word too. Whatever you have found out about my Pack, please keep it to yourself" Percy says almost begging. Almost.
"What do you mean? I know so little, and what I know seems unimportant"
"You should know nothing about it in the first place, so what you know that is little is a huge mistake for us. Please, I want your word. It is important. Like my word is important to ensure your Hunters safety, this is important for me to protect my brothers. Please. No outsider knows even a drop of our traditions yet here you are knowing about our brands, the qualities we wish to uphold, please, swear on it"
Percy was a little paranoid. After being trained by his father for how many years before he was betrayed, he had discovered secrets. Years after he was betrayed, he had discovered and created even more secrets. He feels as if a little leak of the silliest information could destroy his family, his Pack
Artemis looked bewildered. It was petty things, yet the Ace was asking him with so much sincerity as if the little knowledge she has could destroy his entire Pack. It was obvious how he treasured his Pack. He said it with a familiar passion. The same passion she has with the Hunters.
That was the thought that made Artemis swear without hesitation "I swear on the River Styx not to relay any information I have discovered when we talked this night"
Percy thanked her sincerely. And because he didn't trust himself not to reveal any more information, he was anxious to part with the goddess.
"Goodnight, Lady Artemis. I wish your hunters good luck on tomorrow's games" Percy says hoping to part with a completely different topic
"Yes, but I think your Pack will need it more" Artemis couldn't help but smirk at the boy, though she didn't know why. In fact, it was out of character for her.
"I know. Knowing them, I know they didn't even make a strategy" Percy says as he sweeps down and enters Cabin 13.