disclaimer - it is I, Kathy, who is not the author of PJO or HOO
i'm actually back guys! so, i've decided I'll probably keep to an update schedule to keep me more motivated and stuff.
i will be update every Monday, (maybe) Wednesday, and Friday
so... today's update will count as monday's!
anyways, without further words, i hope you enjoy! feelings will be admitted ;)
- kathy
"So… how long does this take?" Percy sat crossed legs on the ground, staring at the mysterious woman who had taken a similar position across from Percy. She said something was supposed to happen, but so far Percy just felt stupid. "What am I supposed to feel? Like pain, tingly feelings, or what?"
The woman opened her eyes and sighed. "It takes patience, Perseus. You already passed the first trials when I blessed you a few days ago, now you just need to pass a second trial to completely receive the blessing."
"Ooookay," Percy glanced around them, before his ADHD got the better of him and he started fidgeting, pulling off grass on the ground as a way to pass time. Artemis is going to kill me, he thought to himself before he sat on both of his hands so he could stop ruining Artemis' domain. "So… how long does this take?"
The woman sighed again. "Which part of the patient do you not understand? Should I get you a hearing aid?"
"Me and patient don't mix well," Percy pointed out, pouting as he crossed his arms. "I'm not sure if you've heard but us demigods have something called ADHD that literally makes us incapable of sitting still. So, whatever you're doing, better come quick."
Something that sounds suspiciously like 'why am I doing this again?' came from the woman before she finally uncrossed her own legs and glared at Percy. "The trial will appear as soon as the shadows reaches your heart which is right about-"
"OH MY HADES! WHAT IS THIS?!" Percy suddenly exclaimed when a pain blossomed around his chest, as if someone had taken a knife and stabbed it right into his heart. It was not a feeling he wanted to experience again any time soon. He changed his chest, but there was no blood when he glanced down.
"-about now," the woman finished, looking self satisfied as she stood up. Percy cried out in pain and curled around himself on the grass. "I'll put a barrier around you so no one can hurt you when you're going through your trial, and you can't hurt anyone unintentionally. Hopefully I'll see you before today ends, I have more important matters to attend to." She glanced up at the sky before glancing down at the demigod. "Good luck, Perseus."
Percy sighed when a wall of shadow went up around him, closing him off from the rest of the world. But the surroundings weren't the only thing darkening, he found himself slipping, barely having the ability to keep his eyes opened. "Fantastic, just fantastic."
The darkness took him and he slipped into his mind for the second time that week.
Artemis wasn't sure what she was expecting when she flashed herself to Percy's location but it certainly wasn't a wall of darkness. There was a woman standing guard beside the wall of energy, and Percy's name fell from Artemis' lips. She could sense him inside, but no matter how hard Artemis tried, she couldn't see through it. There was a certain energy to the woman standing there that Artemis couldn't quite place, and she hated it.
Just to be safe, Artemis took out her twin hunting knives before she cautiously approached the woman. But the woman noticed despite Artemis' ability to blend into the forest, which only made the hair stand up on the back of her neck. There was something about this woman she didn't quite like.
And when Artemis saw the woman's face, she instantly understood why.
"YOU!" She slashed her hunting knives downwards, but twin blades made from the shadows blocked the blow. The woman merely smirked, stepping away from the dome of shadow that was currently containing Percy. "I know who you are."
"Hello, Artemis dear," the woman danced away from the next blow made from Artemis' knives. "There's no need to be aggressive, I'm simply trying to help."
Artemis sneered, jumping towards the woman, who melted into the shadow. Artemis dropped and rolled before she could land wrong, knives holding out defensively in front of her as she scanned her surroundings. The woman was nowhere to be found.
A rustling to her left made Artemis turn towards the sound, and she watched as the woman appeared once more, looking as calm as ever, if a little annoyed. "It would save us both a lot of trouble if you stop trying to attack me. You aren't going to win."
"Then let Percy go," Artemis leaped forward and barely stopped herself before she crashed into a tree. The woman disappeared once again, appearing a few feet away. "What do you want with him?"
The woman blocked the next series of Artemis' strikes quickly and flawlessly. "I'm helping him win the war. Now, if you know what's good for your boyfriend, you will stop fighting me."
There was burning anger, aching in her chest. How dare this random woman trapped Percy in a glowing dome of shadow and say it's good for him? There's nothing good about the dome of shadows and Artemis was going to get Percy out if it was the last thing she did. "YOU KISSED MY BOYFRIEND."
Artemis' own eyes widened when her own words reached her ears. Oh my gosh. Aphrodite is going to have a field day. The woman's smirk widened, and she blocked another blow. "You're welcome."
That only angered Artemis more. But before she could send any more attacks, she found the woman's arms wrapped tightly around her, and before she knew it, she was pushed back against a tree. The woman's eyes lost all of their previous mirth when Artemis glanced up. They were just inches apart, and in the eye of the storm, she finally studied the face of the other woman.
Her eyes widened when her eyes met dark ones, and then the small tattoo of a shooting star on her collarbone. "You're N-umph."
Nyx.
Artemis' mouth was covered by Nyx's hand before the primordial's name could be uttered aloud. But Nyx nodded, glancing around them once more before letting go of Artemis' mouth. "She will know if my name is said. Percy is safe, there's nothing to worry about. I'm here to help."
"Wouldn't you side with your sister in this war?" Artemis questioned, letting her body relax when Nyx finally let go of her. It doesn't make sense. Why would a primordial go against their own kind when they know they would be stronger together? She regarded the goddess with curiosity. There was no telling what her end goal was.
"I saw what happened when I sided with them," Nyx growled, before glancing worriedly at the dome of shadows again. It was almost as if she was concerned about Percy. Almost. "If this war were to be won, you need to trust me. You all need to trust me. A gift is arriving in two days, be ready for it."
Artemis glanced at the dome of shadow once more, but she still couldn't see past it. "Well, when will Percy be freed of that… thing?"
Nyx glanced back, her brows furrowing before shrugging. "It depends on how well he passed his tests. You can leave if you need to be somewhere else, but I will be sitting here until he wakes up."
"You're crazy if you think I'm leaving my friend alone," Artemis rolled her eyes and plopped down on the ground beside the primordial goddess, who simply shrugged.
"Suit yourself."
"Fine."
"Fine," Nyx raised her eyebrows in a challenging manner. Artemis just huffed and turned away.
"Fine," she whispered to herself, just so she could have the last word.
The familiar feeling of the darkness dragged Percy under and he struggled to break free to the surface. It was weirder this time, as when he surfaced once again, he found himself in a dark cave surrounded by torches. There was a long hallway in front of him, and at the end of the hallway, a single door stood.
Percy glanced around, before uncapping Riptide, just to be safe.
There was nothing engraved on the cave wall, but Percy felt as if there was something watching him. He glanced back at the places he had come from, but instead of light he saw darkness. What used to be lit torches were now blown out, and the wind started blowing. Percy started running before his mind could register the events that were happening. The door only seems to get further and further away though.
Come back, Perseussss. Come back. COME BACK!
He kept running, until his legs felt like jelly and the shadows were further and further behind him. The door finally drew closer, and Percy reached out his hands as he arrived. The door pushed open easily and before he could even take a breath, he slammed the door behind him and locked the door.
What Percy found in front of him was… why was he back at his apartment?
Well, Sally's apartment. But it was weird.
It looked exactly the way he had last seen it, unwashed dishes still waiting in the sink, a half drank coffee cup on the kitchen counter, a blanket thrown across the couch. Part of him wondered if he was actually back at his mother's apartment, and he took a seat on the couch.
"What am I doing here?" Percy wondered aloud, glancing around. The last thing he remembered was… what was the last thing he remembered? "I am actually going to murder Hera if she pulled the same trick she pulled last time…"
Percy couldn't remember what brought him to his mother's apartment, but there must be something. Where was Sally anyways? She should be at home, resting, Estelle could be born any day now. A knock on the door brought Percy out of his thoughts and he got up to open it.
A woman with dark eyes and black hair, sprouting a hunter's outfit stood on the other side. "Hi Perseus. I'm Cornelia, and I'm going to explain everything."
Percy's mouth hung open, and he wordlessly step aside as the woman stepped in.
The quietness of the forest usually calms Artemis, but not when Percy's trapped within a shadow dome. She sat on the ground for a few hours (in reality, only a few minutes) just sharpening her knives before she went on to sharpen her arrows. Then when that wasn't enough, she got up and started pacing. Nyx could tolerate pacing for a few minutes, afterall it was an activity she herself was guilty of. But pacing paired with sighing, groaning, and muttering was beyond her.
When Artemis continued her pacing for another twenty minutes, Nyx finally had enough. "Can you stop pacing for a few minutes? You're going to open a gate to the Underworld."
Artemis paused, her eyes flashing. "You try waiting for someone without knowing the outcome."
"I am currently doing that," Nyx crossed her arms, her mind flashing to the girl she had adopted as her daughter, who was now going through her own journey before her ultimate return to this time.
"You don't care about Percy like I do."
"I'm not talking about Perseus," Nyx shot back before Artemis' sentence was even completed. Honestly, Olympians like to believe they are the center of the entire universe, but they cannot be more wrong. She sighed and leaned back against the tree. "If it makes you feel any better, my daughter is currently with your precious Percy."
Artemis stopped her pacing, and just stared at Nyx as if she growed a second head. "Another primordial is in there with Percy?! Inside that dome?"
Nyx pulled the goddess back before she could do something stupid like charge into the dome and push back all progress Perseus most likely had made within the dome. "No, inside his mind. This is a mental test, and my demigod daughter will be guiding him. You should know her, she's one of the oldest huntresses in your hunt."
Those words seemed to relax Artemis slightly before her shoulder tensed again. "Percy is in there with Cornelia? He is so dead."
Nyx shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. Anything to prevent Artemis from pacing really, will be preferable. "I'm sure he will be fine."
The door closed behind Cornelia and Percy stood dumbly to the side. "Umm… welcome?"
"Hi Perseus," she flopped down onto the sofa carelessly, and Percy followed. There was something about this girl that seemed strangely familiar, but he couldn't quite place his hands on it.
"Do I know you from somewhere?"
Cornelia smirked, crossing her arms. "You could say that. I'm sure you've recognized me as a hunter. I've seen you around camp a few times before."
Percy racked his brain, trying to remember. The girl in front of him reminded him of his sister, Cathline, but their resemblance ended in the black hair. "I don't think I remember you."
"I prefer hiding in plain sight," she shrugged simply, before crossing her legs and sitting up. Cornelia regarded Percy with a certain look in her eyes that reminded him of the goddess that had blessed him in the first place. "So… what do you know about primordials?"
"Umm… Gaea is one?" Percy tried. It wasn't like he didn't study history (he totally didn't study history), mythology is just so complicated his head hurts after a few names. And don't even get him started on the mess up map that is the gods' family tree. "I know they're powerful, I mean Gaea was really powerful. But like, they don't die easily…?"
The sigh Cornelia let out was long, and Percy scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Now I understand why mother believed that I am better equipped to deal with you."
"Thank you?"
"That was not a compliment," Cornelia rolled her eyes. "But let's start simple. Primordials are basically the Olympians gods, but they are a thousand times more powerful and they are basically the olympians' great-grandmother. Chaos was the first primordial, and then he got bored and lonely, blah blah blah, so he added Gaea and Uranus. Then Gaea and Uranus got really cozy and gave birth to the twelve titans, among those are Rhea and Kronos, I'm sure you've heard that story. But anyways- PERCY, ARE YOU STILL LISTENING?!"
The loud noise jotted Percy out of his short nap. It wasn't his fault if history put him to sleep. "WHAT? I'M AWAKE!"
"Good, because I'm not done and this is important, Percy," Cornelia pulled out a poster, and Percy wanted to fall back asleep looking at it. It was as if he was back in Mr. Bunner's class all over again, trying to stay awake as Chiron drone on about Greek mythology.
"I mean, I'm sure history is important so we don't repeat it or whatever, but what does that have to do with the blessings? Like do I get cool powers? Also I thought this was another trial thing," Percy furrowed his eyebrows and pointed towards Cornelia lazily. "What does this have to do with you?"
Cornelia's face palmed, pulling her legs up to her chest before burying her face in her legs. Her voice was muffled when she began to talk again. "My mother blessed you, so I had to teach you stuff. Yes, you have powers, no, I won't teach you. It's one of those, figure out yourself stuff, everyone's shade power works differently. Yes, this is part of a trial, but first, my mother wants you to know about the primordials so you can actually find a way to defeat them."
A silence stretched on, and Percy simply stared. This was too much information all at once. To be honest, Percy was starting to think this mind trial was worse than school. It doesn't matter if he was getting cool power or whatever, this was not worth it. Cornelia took his silence as the sign to continue.
"The primordial's family tree is as messed up as the Olympian's but that's not really the point. The point is that not all primordials agreed with the poison goddess. Aether, the primordial god of light. Hemera, primordial goddess of day. Chronos, not the K one, the C one. He's the primordial god of time. Hypnos, Tanatos, and Ananke are fortunately working against the poison goddess as well so you can consider yourself lucky– Percy can you pay attention for just a moment? I'm a demigod and my ADHD isn't nearly half as bad as yours."
Percy pouted, crossing his arms. "You try sitting through a history lesson."
"I did actually, that's how I learned those facts I just taught you!" Cornelia raised an eyebrow threatendly. "I'll let you go after you repeat the names I just said. Who is on our side?"
It wasn't that hard to remember names, for styx's sake, he could remember a whole prophecy, of course he could remember names.
"Aether, Hemera, Chronos with a C, Hypnos, Tanatos, and Ananke. Did I miss anyone?" Percy asked mockingly. Cornelia sighed, looking about done with the conversation as well. She gestured towards the door and Percy didn't wait for a second before rushing towards it. As much as he loves this fake apartment of his mother's, he prefers the real thing. Who knew how long he had been in this 'trial'? He needs to be with his mother.
The problem came when he tried to open the door, but found it locked. Percy frowned, before unlocking it from the inside and pulling it again. It wouldn't budge. Cornelia walked up from the sofa, a small frown on her face.
"Hmm, I guess you haven't passed your test yet."
"What test?" Percy turned wide eyed to the woman beside him. He was not getting stuck in his own mind, goddammit.
"All those who bear the blessing of my mother need to pass a courage test."
Percy groaned. "I'm a demigod, of course I have courage! I've lived through two wars, Cornelia. Two wars!"
The other woman looked unimpressed. "I've lived through Julius Caesar's time, Perseus. Those aren't the courage my mother's blessing is looking for. Usually it's something simple, like getting over a fear of height, or getting over fears of spiders. Of course, sometimes it's deeper than that, maybe something you're afraid to tell someone, or something you're afraid to tell yourself. Admitting it is the key to passing this test. Anything is a possibility."
Well, he would be stuck here for a while.
"Is it supposed to take this long?" Artemis started pacing again. With the look Nyx is sending her, Artemis knew the primordial was one her way to exploding from annoyance alone. But it was way past four hours and still there's no sight of Percy. "I thought you said three hours, max! It's been four hours, almost five, what's taking him so long?!"
Nyx sighed, rubbing her temple. She glanced up at the sky, her foot tapping impatiently on the ground. "He might be stuck on his final test."
Artemis glanced at the primordial goddess beside her. "And why would he be stuck on his final test?"
"He needs to pass his courage test. And… that takes courage."
The air was thick with tension, and Artemis found herself scoffing in disbelief. Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon, lacking courage? He was the bravest demigod she had ever had the pleasure of meeting. If he fails a courage test, then everyone will fail the courage test. He literally took the whole sky for her, that takes courage.
"How can he lack courage?"
Nyx eyed Artemis with a strange look on her face. She didn't say anything until she looked away and glanced at something in the distance. "Maybe there's certain feelings he's afraid to admit to himself."
Once again, Percy charged the wooden door head-on, pushing with his shoulder and failing once again. No matter what he tried, it just wouldn't budge. Cornelia watched on the sideline, amused. "Breaking a door does not show courage, Percy."
"It will when I break through an impossible to break door," he grunted, failing once again. Percy sighed, before settling himself on the ground, his back leaning against the door.
Never once in his demigod life did he ever think he would fail at a test of courage. Wasn't charging monsters head-on everyday to protect his family and friends courage? Isn't fighting a war courage? Isn't confronting the literal man-hating goddess courage. Said goddess who still somehow hated him for something he still has no clue of.
"I don't know what I'm lacking?" Percy sighed, and Cornelia took a seat in front of him.
"Is there anything you've been afraid to admit to yourself? I know that today was the death of Annabeth Chase, could it have something to do with that?" Cornelia's voice was soft for the first time since Percy had met her.
Percy shrugged. "I didn't lack courage when she died, I wasn't quick enough to protect her. It's been a year, Cornelia, I've gotten over it. Truely. Like five stages of grief and all of that. It can't be about Annabeth." He stayed quiet for a while before he finally spoke up again. "But recently I've been fighting with my best friend."
"Oh? Does it happen to be a certain silver-eyed goddess?" Cornelia teased softly. "I'm sure she'll forgive you soon. I've never seen Lady Artemis take as much liking to somebody as she did to you. She may be the moon goddess but she looked at you as if you hung the moon and stars."
"That's poetic," Percy chuckled, and Cornelia shrugged.
"I tried."
It was quiet again, and Percy felt his mind turning over the words that Cornelia had said. Maybe it does have something to do with Artemis. And… he knew exactly what it was. He never had the courage to actually put a name to the things he had been feeling for his best friend, but maybe that's exactly the thing that he needs to get out of this test. "I… have these feelings."
"Feelings?"
"Yeah, feelings," Percy nodded. "I think, I think-"
Cornelia looked at him encouragingly.
"I think I'm in love with Artemis."
The room started to blur, before light started shining in and Percy covered his eyes with his hands. Cornelia faded along with the light, but Percy swore he saw a proud smile on the huntress' face.
When the light finally faded, he groaned, holding up his head with his hands. It was way too bright right now. There was the sound of a footstep, and before he knew what was happening, familiar arms wrapped tightly around him.
Percy opened his eyes, but instead of the forest he got an eye-full of auburn hair. He wrapped his arms around Artemis, and felt the moment the tension faded from his body. He saw the mysterious woman once more, who gave him a nod and a small smile, before she melted into the shadow.
"Hi."
"Don't you dare disappear on me like that again," Artemis muttered. "I may be mad at you but I still care, okay? Ignore everything I said before, I'm ready to hear you out."
Percy nodded, hugging his best friend close to him and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I promise I'll explain everything."
He had expected Artemis to reply but when he glanced down at her, Artemis' face was pulled into a frown. Before Percy could ask what's wrong, Artemis glanced up again, her eyes wide. "Your mom's in labor."
The arrival of Estelle Blofis was a chaotic matter.
Thalia was already there when Artemis flashed her and Percy into the Blofis' household.
"The baby is too early," Thalia had said to Artemis and without another word, the goddess dragged Percy with her to the bedroom.
There was a groan of pain coming from Sally, and poor Paul looked like his hands had looked better. Upon taking one look at his mom, Percy decided to stay in the living room with Thalia, leaving the childbirth stuff to the goddess of childbirth.
Artemis had nodded simply before pushing Percy towards the living room and then closing the door to the master bedroom. Percy sat on the couch he had previously sat on in his mind, trying to comprehend everything that was currently happening.
One glance at a pale Thalia and he knew they both needed a distraction. The baby was definitely premature, it wasn't due for another week or so. So Percy blurted out the first thing on his mind. "I finally admit to myself what I feel for Artemis is love. Like head over heels in love."
Thalia glanced over at him with a blank look. "I'm glad you finally pulled your head out of your ass."
Then she went back to staring at the blank wall in front of her. Percy sighed.
"I got the blessing of a goddess."
"Good for you," Thalia barely spread him a glance the second time. She was biting her nails nervously, and Percy took out Riptide in pen form, twirling in with his index and middle finger. Anything to take his mind off the birth that was currently taking place a room over. Thalia finally spoke up a while later. "Do you think mom will be okay? And Estelle? Do you think being premature will harm her?"
Percy turned, so that he was facing Thalia. "I think Artemis is the goddess of childbirth, who every father and mother prayed to in ancient Greek when they wanted a safe childbirth. So if there's anyone more fit to do the job, it would be Artemis."
"I guess so," Thalia sighed, but went back to biting her nails as if her life depended on it. Percy prayed that his baby sister would be born soon before Thalia loses all of her nails.
"I know so."
It was silent again, and Percy closed his eyes, hoping time would move faster.
Estelle Blofis was born on May seventeen, at 20:34, weighing 6 pounds, and the loudest set of lungs Percy had the pressure of knowing.
"She's healthy? Is she good? They're all good?" Thalia was the first to ask when Artemis went out of the bedroom. The goddess just smiled.
"Yes, the healthiest. Are you ready to meet your baby sister?"
"Yes."
Artemis led both Percy and Thalia into the room, and Percy found his eyes watering as he took in the sight of his new baby sister in his mother's arms.
While all the attention was on the newborn baby and mother, a shadow slipped into the room before disappearing once again. In its wake, a silver ring laid in the crib.
if you watched supergirl, one of the scenes was inspired by it hehe
anyways, i hope you enjoy! let me know what you think of it ;)
see you soon ~