Song Recommendation: "Magnetoscope" by Freeze the Atlantic. Now, this is definitely not a band I could imagine many people knowing. They've got very few listeners, but if you're a fan of Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace, you should definitely check them out. It's not him, but the lead singer's style is very reminiscent of it. Now, interestingly, this is a song that I consider to be very directly about Artemis in a sense. It's something that I haven't explored much, but it is something I've very broadly approached and mentioned. It'll be explored more in depth later on, but Artemis is a mess. Not necessarily in a bad way, but she's in unexplored territory. As the huntress, she's comfortable with that, but it doesn't mean she knows how to handle it. More than anything, she's worried about doing more harm to Percy than she is worried about doing good. She's rough around the edges to most, coming off as an abrasive, isolated goddess when in reality, she's not. That being said, you can't hear that about yourself for thousands of years, and not think there's some modicum of truth to it. Let me know what you think.

"You want to do something for dinner?" Percy asked idly as they walked down the streets of Camp Jupiter, having just brought Sedena back to the hospital after a few hours.

"What do you have in mind?" Artemis asked curiously.

"Dunno yet," Percy shrugged, "I know I technically owe your hunters a lesson tonight but I was thinking that maybe we could do something before then."

"That sounds nice," The moon goddess smiled.

"Great!" Percy grinned at her, "I'm thinking we could do something easy, maybe find a small bar or something and get something like pub food."

Artemis nodded, "Here or somewhere else?"

"There's a good one not far from here. Hermes mentioned it to me once after a night out."

"What will you get?"

Percy shrugged, "Burger sounds good but I also kinda want wings."

"Get both."

"That's a lot to eat."

"Then we can split one of them."

Percy smiled, "Sounds good to me."

And so, nearly half an hour later, they found themselves sitting at the bar of a rather small restaurant. It was sandwiched awkwardly between two other buildings, causing it to wrap around strangely. It looked far smaller than it was, but that made it cozy. In a way, it added to the charm. It was quiet, only having a handful of patrons scattered around two other tables. Their waiter/bartender was off dealing with some of the other people after having taken Percy and Artemis's orders, leaving them free to talk. While it had been a decently large order for two people, consisting of two burgers, a large basket of wings, and a plate of fried green tomatoes, their order had only totaled around twenty-five or so dollars (not that it really mattered). The cost of it was the last thing on their minds as they were talking much more animatedly about his plans for the night's session.

"I'm pretty sure they're going to be annoyed that we disappeared for so long."

"Not we," Artemis smirked, "You. I can be in multiple places at once."

"Which is super unfair," Percy laughed, "But probably for the best. I'll just make it up to them tonight."

"Trust me, they will hardly notice your absence tonight."

"Ouch. That unloved, am I?"

Artemis laughed, "You are quite possibly their favorite person outside of my hunt other than maybe Lupa. I say that because there were some important topics to discuss."

Percy grinned, "Glad to see they love me."

"Love may be pushing it," Artemis said easily, eyes closed as she enjoyed their surroundings.

Percy laughed, "Noted. I've got you though so it's whatever."

Artemis smiled, "What did you have planned for them?"

"Not sure yet. I kinda just come up with things on the spot. Maybe footwork or something?"

"Maneuverability is never bad," Artemis nodded approvingly, "perhaps we can make a lesson out of it together?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"At the moment, I am not sure. Many of my hunters could use a lesson on spacing, especially given a limited area."

Percy nodded as he considered it, "Well maybe we could have them chase each other around with sticks."

Artemis seemed to seriously consider this, "We could have them pair up. Both could have their blades, but only one could attack."

Percy liked that, "That could be good. The one defending can't attack, but it'd get them used to dodging with something in their hands. Maybe you could have them swap to their bows every so often and they could practice that way"

"Perhaps we could give them some sort of stock system. After so many hits, they swap," Artemis brainstormed, fleshing out the details in her mind, "I like that idea."

Percy had a sudden thought, "Maybe, just for fun as a sort of warmup thing, you could have them do an infection style game."

Artemis looked interested, "Go on."

"Well," Percy started mapping things out on the bar in front of them. He pulled a few of their items, mapping them out similarly to camp, "If this is your camp here, right, maybe we could have a little line they can't go over. One person starts as a hunter and has to catch the others. We could have the camp be the grounds, and maybe a bit of the forest around too to make things a bit more fun and they could all chase each other around until there is nobody left. They've already shown that they're competitive, right? It would probably motivate them more."

Artemis nodded along as he explained, smile growing as he did, "Perhaps you should be a teacher."

Percy gave her a confused look, "What makes you say that?"

"You obviously care about them, and you're taking time to work with them in a way that is both helpful and entertaining."

He rubbed the back of his head, "I'm not doing that much."

Artemis stared at him for a moment, "Right."

"Okay okay," Percy laughed, putting his hands up, "I know. I do enjoy it. It's a lot of fun, and I like to think they like it too."

"They are quite happy," Artemis confirmed, "You have done an excellent job, even despite your short stint."

Percy smiled, "I aim to please."

"Then you wouldn't mind doing this every so often?"

"Like coming and teaching them something?" Percy asked for confirmation, which he got, "All you have to do is ask, and I'll be happy to."

"I imagined you would say that."

Percy grinned and was about to say something, only for a plate to be set down between them. He gave a quick thanks to their waiter before turning back towards the moon goddess, "Who do you think should be the first hunter?"

"For your game?"

"Mhmm."
"If you want them to really try, I think that you should take that spot."

Percy grinned as he considered it, "That's not a bad idea but you're going to have to join me."

"A bit unfair, don't you think?"

"Yeah for us," he laughed, "How are any of us going to catch you?"

"What did you think I meant?" Artemis smirked.
Percy laughed again, "Fair enough. Really though, you should join in. It could be a whole camp thing."

"Then perhaps we could put a wager on it?" Artemis smirked.

"Just between the two of us?" Percy couldn't help but perk up, "What are your terms?"

"If you manage to catch me, I'll get you a gift. If you don't though, I will turn you into an animal again."

Percy laughed, "You were going to do that anyway so I can't really complain about that. And there's no need for gifts."

"Well then there is no reason to not accept it," Artemis smiled.

Percy had to agree, "Fair enough. How about if I win, we do something neither of us have ever done before?"

"And what might that be?"

"Dunno yet," Percy shrugged, "What haven't you done?"

Artemis was thoughtful, "I can think of a few things."

For some reason, Percy couldn't help but shiver as she stared at him with one of those looks, feeling a small thrill run down his spine, "Such as?"

Artemis tapped her fork against her plate a few times with a smirk, "You will find out soon enough."

"That's not helpful at all," Percy pointed out.

Artemis poked him in the ribs, "Forget about our little competition for now. In the coming nights, we're going to do something fun."

"And that would be?"

"For me to know."

Percy sighed, "How did I know you were going to say that?"
Artemis just laughed, "I promise it will be nothing you won't enjoy."

"Should I be worried?"

"Probably."

Percy just nodded, "This must be what other people feel like when they talk to me."

"Yes," Artemis nodded, "I've come up with an idea, so I think it's only fair you do the same."

"Yeah but I still don't know what it is," Percy pointed out. Artemis just shrugged, causing him to groan, "Alright alright. Let me think."

Percy sat there, idly picking at their appetizer while he thought about what to do. For several minutes, he sat there, unable to come up with something interesting. At first, he ended up with mostly mundane stuff, like going on a hike or making a pipe bomb. Then, it shifted to some just flat out common things like doing a movie marathon. Not that it didn't sound fun, but it didn't really have the pizazz he was looking for. Plus, he was pretty sure the goddess had done most of those things before. So the question was, what would they do? Finally, after another solid five minutes, he came up with something. It was just childish enough that she might not have done it, but fun enough that it could be interesting and just plain out entertaining.

"Let's make a fort!" Percy said happily, already considering designs.

Artemis stared at her friend for a moment, "A fort?"

"Yep!" Percy chirped, "We could make it ourselves and it could be our little thing. Like a secret little hideaway or whatever. It could have a secret room! That would be awesome."

Artemis laughed, "Alright."

"So that's a yes?"

The moon goddess nodded, "We can do that."

Percy looked overjoyed, causing the goddess to smile, "What would we put in it?"

"You mentioned a secret room of some sort?"

Percy nodded as he considered it, "Yeah but what do we put in that room? I'm thinking it should have like a little skylight or something. It probably wouldn't be big, but I'm thinking it could have a small bookshelf as one of the walls and the floor could be a mattress sort of thing so it'd be like a cool nap spot."

"Do you even take naps?"

"No but still," Percy laughed, "What if we wanted to?"

Artemis laughed, "Don't you think this is a bit childish?"

"Yeah," Percy said, "But that's what makes it fun right?"

The moon goddess smiled, "I suppose so."

Percy paused for a second to take a bite out of their food. He hadn't even touched it with how deep in thought he'd been. Artemis watched as his face lit up, "You're going to help me with this right? I eat a lot but we've got a lot of food coming."

She smiled, picking up her own fork and taking a small amount for herself. It was quite good, but she'd expected that. If Hermes recommended something, it tended to be good. Percy agreed on that, having been dragged around random places around the country at seemingly random times just to get a good meal. Percy joked about the amount of times that the messenger god had woken him up at an odd hour so they could eat. Naturally, Percy didn't mind one bit. Food was food, and it was good at any time. Add to that that he was a young man with a seemingly insatiable appetite, and Hermes had a perfect friend to take to all of the weird places he liked.

Artemis smiled as she watched the young man. He wasn't doing much more than sitting and eating, cracking the occasional joke during their conversation, but he was having a good time. She was happy to see that, especially given her recent conversation. Artemis's smile grew a little as Percy said something particularly odd, but she couldn't help herself. Perhaps she'd discuss it with her own mother. It had been a while since the two had spoken, and the moon goddess found herself in need of some advice. Perhaps they'd make a detour during their next stop to do so?

Artemis had to admit that she was curious of what her mother would think of the young man. She knew what her father thought, not that it held much gravity in her mind, but she'd always been closer to her mother. She hardly even noticed that their conversation had stopped, coming to a gradual halt as the two simply sat at the bar. Of course, Percy didn't either, not realizing that he'd taken to staring at the goddess with a small smile playing across his face.
Really, this continued on for a few minutes before finally coming to a head when Percy seemingly snapped back to reality, shaking his head for a moment before looking away in embarrassment. This, in turn, caused the goddess to come out of her own thoughts, watching as the young man attempted to play something off.
"What?" she asked curiously, "Did something happen?"

"Uh no," he rubbed the back of his head with a smile, "I'm just stupid."

"I will not argue with that," she smiled, poking him gently in the side, "but what brings this on?"

"Nothing," Percy laughed, "Just having a good time."

"Are you now?"

"Kinda hard not to," Percy shrugged.

"Even though we were not talking?"

"Talking isn't everything," Percy said simply, "I'm just happy to be here."

Artemis smiled before full on laughing as something clicked, "Were you staring again?"

Percy looked away, but she could see the smile on his face, "Maybe a little."

"You seem to do that a lot," Artemis teased lightly.
"I don't mean to," Percy said, "It just happens."

"I did not say that I took offense to it. If anything, I find it quite pleasing," Artemis laughed.

"Really?"

Artemis looked amused, "Yes Perseus. Really."

"Why?"

"Why indeed," Artemis laughed, "You do make it too easy to tease you."

He chuckled, "Oh my bad. I'll work on that. Maybe I'll come up with some better retorts too."

Artemis agreed, "That would be wise. You could sharpen your tongue on Apollo before trying again."

"Wow," Percy stopped, "You are old. I don't think anyone's said that this century."

The moon goddess rolled her eyes, "You choose now to point out my speech?"

"Well," Percy shrugged, "that just happened to be a particularly bad case. Don't people ever look at you weirdly?"

"My speech tends to be the last thing on their minds," Artemis shrugged, "You should know, seeing how we go everywhere together."

"Fair enough," Percy laughed before changing gears, "On a somewhat related note, I saw this really cool music shop on our way here and totally forgot to say something about it."

"Would you like to go after?"

"No I just brought it up so we could avoid it," Percy couldn't help himself, causing the moon goddess to smack him. He laughed, "If you don't mind, I'd like to stop in for a minute."

Artemis smiled, "Are you looking for another guitar or something?"

"Always," he laughed before explaining his real reasoning, "I was thinking about getting something for Thalia since we're here."

"And what did you have in mind?"

"Not sure yet," he shrugged, "Do you think she'd play the bass or the drums?"

Artemis laughed, "No guitar for her?"

"Definitely not," Percy shook his head, "Don't need her trying to compete with me."

"So your other options are a bass or a drum set?"

"Eh," Percy shrugged, "I'd get her a violin as a joke but she might kill me."

Artemis laughed, "It would be amusing. But purely out of a functional perspective, go with a bass. It will be too much of a hassle to set up and break down a full set of drums every time we move camp."

"Good point," Percy agreed.

"I do not recall my Lieutenant knowing how to play though."

"Yeah," Percy shrugged, "but I think she might like it."

The Huntress could agree with that, "So long as she does not force us to listen to impromptu concerts, I think it's a great idea."

"If she was more like Apollo I'd be concerned," Percy laughed before tacking something else on, "But in the off chance she is, if she doesn't bother you guys with it, she'll bother me with it."

"You are the one starting this."

"Good point," Percy laughed, "I'm sure it'll be fine."

Artemis was not sure she shared his optimism but they didn't have much longer to talk about it as their food came. It was more than she'd thought it would be, with the portions being enough for two people at a time. Sure, she could eat it given the fact that it wasn't godly food, but she was curious how Percy was going to handle it. He too looked mildly surprised at the portions but he didn't say much, instead asking her if she wanted to share some of his.

Naturally, given that they'd gone for different things, Percy was quick to offer portions of his food to the moon goddess. It was amusing, but also sweet. He laughed, saying that he'd have to take home a box if she didn't help him. It ended with Artemis taking nearly half of his plate. They'd just take the other bit home since it was a bit much, and Percy figured someone would eat it back at camp if he didn't get to it.

The rest of dinner wrapped up smoothly, and other than Percy nearly bumping into some girl with black hair, they made their way outside without a hitch. From there, it was off to the music shop. It was a short walk, not taking much more than fifteen minutes, but it was pleasant.

"I didn't realize it was already dark out," Percy chuckled as they walked down the sidewalk. The glow of the street lights was soft, quietly illuminating their path. Percy appreciated that. He'd always hated the super bright lights that more cities had started to use recently.

"We sat around for nearly two hours," Artemis pointed out.

"Fair enough," Percy laughed, hands up behind his head, "You think they'll be mad?"

"Not particularly," Artemis said easily, "They may tease you a little for being late, but I doubt they'll actually care. If anything, it may work out in your favor."

"How so?"

"I imagine this particular training session is one better suited for the night."

Percy nodded as he considered it, "Yeah that makes sense. I'd definitely want to do it at night. Makes everything feel more fun."

"Does it?" Artemis laughed.

"Definitely," Percy confirmed, "Nothing like running around in the woods at weird hours."

"Is that why we always find ourselves outside at night?"

"Nope," Percy shook his head, "That's just because you're more comfortable when we are and I like seeing the moon."

The moon goddess smiled a little wider, "You think I'm more comfortable outside?"

"Am I wrong?" Percy asked curiously, "Not saying you're not happy inside, but I think you'd definitely prefer to be in the woods or just outside in general."

The moon goddess didn't find herself disagreeing, "I suppose that is fair enough. What makes you say this?"

Percy shrugged, "I've just noticed you seem more relaxed. And, if you've got the choice, we're doing something outside instead of inside. Makes sense too. I feel like we're similar in that sense."

"In what regard?" Artemis asked curiously, glancing at her friend.

"I feel like we're both pretty free spirits. We tend to wander around and do whatever strikes our fancy. I do it because I'm not used to being stuck in one place for long periods of time. Gives me something to do. I think you do it because that's who you are."

"How so?"

Percy looked thoughtful for a moment, "I don't think I've ever seen nature enjoy being confined."

"Do you think that nature is aware of its confinement?" Artemis smiled.

Percy nodded, "Yeah."

"And why do you say that?"

"Oh, well," Percy turned and grinned at the moon goddess, "Probably because I'm best friends with her, but who's to say?"

Artemis laughed, "I suppose that would make you one of the world's foremost experts."

"Right?" Percy chuckled, "But really though, I don't think you've ever really liked being confined by anything. Buildings included."
"I could agree with that," Artemis nodded before asking a question, "When you say confined, what do you mean?"

"Like being held down or limited."

Artemis rolled her eyes, but she could see he was joking, "Do not play dumb. It doesn't suit you."

"But it's kinda fun," Percy shrugged with a smile.

"You haven't answered my question," Artemis smiled easily, watching as the man beside her laughed.

"Nope," Percy replied easily.

She rolled her eyes, "Any reason why?"

"Cause it annoys you," Percy grinned, "And you make this face I really like when I annoy you."

"Have I told you that you've been insufferable recently?"

"Nope. Probably thought about it at least a hundred times today though."

"Generous," Artemis said amusedly, "Is this because I turned you into a dog?"

"Maybe," Percy said cheekily, smiling as he turned towards the goddess.

"Did it bother you?"

"Not really. You looked happy."

"And that was enough for you to not mind?" Artemis sounded interested.

"Pretty much," Percy nodded, "I like it when you're happy. And, it was kinda fun."

"So what you are saying is," Artemis looked at him with a foxy grin, "Is that I can do it again?"

"So long as I'm allowed to sleep, I don't really mind."
Artemis laughed, "That is your only stipulation?"

"Yeah basically," Percy confirmed, "Like I said, you looked really happy."

"Excellent," Artemis's look sent a shiver down his spine for the second time that night.

"Why do I feel like I should be worried?"

"When have I ever done anything to worry you?" Artemis asked.

"Fair enough," Percy acknowledged, "But you've got this look on your face and I feel like I'm in danger."
"Only a little."

"Oh so I am in danger then?"

Artemis shot him a foxy smile, "In one way or another."

He chuckled, "Wonder why that would be."

"Who's to say?"

Percy laughed and the two joked about it a little more before they eventually found themselves outside the shop Percy had seen earlier. It was nice. The shopfront was neat, but Percy could see lines and lines of various instruments either hung up on the walls or on display on the floor. Artemis seemed to notice his excitement and was quick to grab his hand and drag him in. Naturally, Percy found himself staring at a whole wall of guitars, trying to stop himself from picking up each and every one that caught his attention while Artemis watched in amusement. She'd already found one that she'd liked. It was simple, just a baby blue color with a single coil and two doubles strung on what looked like a thick piece of ebony.

Naturally, she'd taken to sitting on one of the various benches scattered around the store and was gently strumming her own tune while watching her friend bounce around from place to place. Eventually, he did find one that caught his fancy and wouldn't you know, it was almost exactly the same as hers. The headstock was a bit different, and it was a pale pink color, but everything else was pretty much the same. Given the shape of the headstock, his was a bit more finicky, but he didn't seem to mind.

Artemis watched as he smiled to himself, busy playing away in his own little world. She recognized the tune he was playing as being one of his favorite songs. It fit him too, in more ways than one. He hummed along as he played and Artemis found herself playing along without even realizing. Percy glanced up for a second before going back to playing.

"So you said we get matching guitars?" he joked, looking up at his companion.

"I thought you weren't looking for another one," Artemis said easily.

"Too good to pass up on," he shrugged, "Can't really help myself."

"Then yes," Artemis smiled, "I suppose we can."

"Perfect," Percy grinned, "What are you going to name yours?"

"I'm not sure yet," Artemis said thoughtfully, "Did you have something in mind?"

Percy scratched at his cheek, "Not too sure yet. I'm definitely not naming it Annabeth if that's what you're asking."

Artemis laughed, "Would it not be a fitting name?"

"Maybe if she was gray," Percy held up the instrument, "I'm thinking something like Lillian."

"Lillian?"

"Lily for short, but yeah," Percy shrugged, "My other option is Helena, but I'm not sure I like it as much."

"Go with the first one," Artemis laughed, "You will not be naming your guitar Helena."

Percy grinned, "You're talking but you haven't even come up with a name for yours yet."

"Do I need to do so immediately?" Artemis asked sarcastically, "We've yet to even purchase them."

"Fair enough," Percy laughed, "but I just had a thought."

"Go on."

"I'm going to name Thalia's bass Helena."

"Don't do that," Artemis swatted him, "I'd rather not have to bury you tonight."

"She'll think it's funny, plus it's the name of a song she really likes and I don't think it's right to name her Grace."

"Have you even chosen something for her?"

"I saw it on the way in," Percy pointed it out, and Artemis's head followed. Naturally, the instrument he'd picked out was an all black bass with silver hardware and some white accents on the fretboard. Artemis thought it was fitting.

"She'll like that."

"Right?" Percy asked rhetorically, "And I think Helena's not a bad name for her either."

Artemis wasn't so sure, "We can workshop it on the way home."

Percy shrugged before turning his attention back to his friend, "So why'd you choose out this one?"

"I liked the color," Artemis shrugged. Percy had to agree.

"Hard to go wrong with blue," Percy grinned, "Kinda reminds me of the northern lights."

Artemis nodded, seeing how he would think of that, "What do you think of the name Aurora?"

Percy thought for a second, staring at the instrument, before nodding enthusiastically, "I think that's pretty fitting."

"Then should we purchase these and be on our way?"

"Sounds good to me," Percy agreed before pausing, "I should probably get her a pick too huh?"

"It would be wise," Artemis nodded, "I will grab a set while you get your gift and we can meet at the counter."

"Deal," Percy nodded before marching off in the direction he'd pointed earlier.

Hey! Huge thanks again to everyone who's been reading. Also, wouldn't you know I used the names of my own guitars. Wonder why they're named that. Hmm. Anyway, just a slow chapter, just enjoying the time, making it a small slice of life thing. It seems like you guys really enjoyed the last chapter given that it's the single most reviewed chapter I have. Thank you guys so much. On to that though.

To kikinder: This ones a bit more relaxed. The next one will be too, but I hope you still enjoy. Always a pleasure to hear from you! To TomorrowCarpe Diem: Thanks! I definitely intend to bring her back more because I think she's very similar to Percy in many ways. And glad to see you enjoyed Sally and Artemis. It was fun to write. To Mapster1: Thanks! You guys are what inspire me to keep writing, so a massive thank you. To PhantomFuryJP: Always happy to hear from you! Glad you enjoyed. It was a ton of fun to write and I really just enjoyed that chapter as a whole. Hope you like this one too. Ti Ladis11: Ah yeah, I was trying to figure out something that would be a bit light hearted while also conveying the point and that's what I settled on. And about nail polish, I haven't thought about it much, but I could definitely see that too. I like leaving those things up to the reader, hence why I try to avoid showing off more than just her general expressions, and occasionally her outfit. To Ishimaru Taiki: Love writing Sally! She's a blast since I imagine her a lot like Thalia, just older and a bit more wise. And thanks! The hospital thing was something I want to return to in other chapters. It's fun to write since it really makes me think about exploring how to write it without bogging everything down. To Vladiz45: Love that album actually. Lorna Shore's vocalist is super impressive to me and he's super talented. Same with the rest of the band. I do wish they'd do more cleans though because they really have the skill for it. I'm also a sucker for operatic style songs, so having I, II, and III all together just makes me happy. To iNeptune: Thanks! I obviously had her take it a bit slower here, alluded to some stuff, and just generally had a slice of life chapter. It's been a bit since the two of them were the only ones to interact in the chapter, so I really wanted to just have some fun with it. To sametepelu: Every Wednesday! Glad to see you're enjoying. It's been a blast to write and I intend to keep this going for a while. To Dudududhehe: Thanks! Always love hearing from you and even happier to know you enjoyed. It's just fun to write. Hope you enjoy this chapter too, even if it's a bit slower. To SpeedCannon: Thanks! That's huge praise. The characters of this story are definitely what sell it since there's not actually all that much going on otherwise. Glad to hear that you're enjoying it though. And, I do intend to keep this going at least until the point where I can stop it at a believable point. To Popeye220: I love to hear that. It was a ton of fun to have Artemis admit it, especially since we don't really get her perspective all that much. Fun to write! To Icefire99: Always great to hear from you! I thought soo too, and I'm having a blast brainstorming where to go from there. I've got some fun stuff planned, but I need to iron out the details. Glad to hear you enjoyed! To TakeYoCookie: Hey, glad to have you! I really think that's more than I deserve, but it means so much to me that you did take the time to review and say that. I think there are some amazing stories here that far outdo this little one so hearing people say that always blows me away. I've really got some amazing peers here. Regardless of that, thank you for taking the time! And rereading is kinda crazy, but I really appreciate it. I really enjoyed writing Sally and Artemis and I want to do it again so I'm laying the groundwork for it. More than that though, thank you for reading. It's part of what inspires me to keep going because I suck at sticking with writing all the way to the end. Again, thank you! To OkBoomer147: Thanks! It was super enjoyable to write it and I really want to explore the two interacting again since I feel like it'll be a bit different from what I usually write. I'm so used to Artemis being the collected one, but it was a lot of fun to write her in a more uncertain light. To BoyFromAngels: Thanks! I have too. It's been a long time coming, and I've definitely got more coming on that. To Suahtloh: Ah thank you! That's some amazing affirmation. It means everything to me, so thank you. And I know what you mean. There are awesome writers on this platform and I always feel honored to call them my peers so massive thanks to you! To REVANtheProdigalKnight: I think that is a compliment that I am underserving of honestly. There are incredible, incredible writers here that I'm so proud to call my peers. Moving on from that though, I'm glad you're enjoying! I never really meant for it to turn out this way, but I'm glad it did. It's a blast to write and is just super enjoyable. Thank you again and I wish you the best as well! To Aisling-SA: Ah thank you! I feel like the characters are what really make this story. It's what pulls everything together since I'm not amazing at writing my own ideas out. I wanted these characters to be relatable and enjoyable. I like to think they're still the same characters at heart, but just in a slightly different light. I think it's what helps this story. I also just wanted to show my own little light on the story, mixing it up a bit. I see a lot of stories that have super creative narratives and I ended up wanting to try my own. And, finally to mastercheif1229: That's incredible to hear, even if I don't think I'm really that deserving of it. I have spoken to some of those authors and they are incredible writers. But, as for recommendations, I figured I'd attach a little blurb down here at the end so it'd be the last thing people saw. I know you mentioned some amazing ones so I'll just add those in here too, without the explanations.

A (very short) list of a few of my personal recommendations:

Percy Jackson: An Age Gone By: Just a fun story to read. Good and long too, still being worked on. Great story with lots of history and interesting twists. Still in progress, but I think it's coming to a close soon? Don't quote me on that, but amazing writing overall especially if you're a history nerd and something that I've enjoyed reading over while in college and taking classes on the same subjects.

Gambit's Refrain and Ephemerality: Two really impressive AU ones where the characters are super fleshed out. The stories are amazing and the themes are incredible and definitely involve a lot of thinking. Great grammar and amazing reads overall. Both complete as well! Not necessarily fun reads, but they are amazing! I try to emulate aspects of this writing. I always seem to link them in my head even thought they're different writers.

A String and a Choice: A more casual, fun read that's good to just chill on. Super fun and I think it's about to be finished(?) but it's the easiest read on this list. Has some really interesting choices and a lot of things worth considering and some themes that I adore.

Moonlit Liquor: My current favorite fic and just wow. I want to steal this idea and put my own twist on it, but I'm writing this story at the moment. Maybe I'll take inspiration in my next fic? Incredible, incredible story and definitely worth checking out. Super super impressive stuff that really makes you think about the characters and yourself. I couldn't sing this story's praises enough.

Another Chance, Road to Tranquility, The Legend of the Son of Poseidon, A Maiden's Dilemma, In an Ocean of Stars, Flipping the Hourglass, Titan of the Hunt, and Forbidden Child were all mentioned in the review that asked for my recommendations so I haven't included them here, but they are all stories that you should check out if you haven't. I've taken inspiration from some of these stories so it'd be remiss to not point them out as well, particularly Forbidden Child and A Maiden's Dilemma.

Each of the stories here are incredible and certainly worth a read if you have the time. They may not all be fun per se, but they are amazing, amazing reads and make you think a little. I love stories like that. Kind of a nerd in that sense. Admittedly, I haven't been reading as much in the community, but I do try to check in to these once a month or so. All are great reads.

And finally, fuck I feel like these little author's notes get longer and longer every time. Enjoy!