At last, here it is. As an apology for my lack of good will to write, here is a chonky chapter. Thank you so much for 200 followers, still thinking of changing the rating to T since there will not be smut. But I have to wonder, where are all these recents followers (last 4 days or so) coming from? If someone advertised this story anywhere, lemme know, because it can't be a coincidence considering I haven't updated it in almost 2 weeks. Anyway, a shout-out to Liverpool fans after that awful result, and enjoy the chapter!
The all mighty and powerful Goddess of the Moon was not happy. But her mood was surely better than it was a few hours ago. Compared to how she felt when confronting that minor goddess. Really, who did Ohio think she was? For starters, she wasn't even Greek at all. Not even Roman. She was 100% American, and that alone irritated her. There were times that Artemis really thought that maybe following Athena's advice and moving to Brazil wasn't that bad of an idea. And the fact that Ohio dared to retort her in that way made the Olympian feel like changing the water from the Ohio River into poison. Or worse.
But of course, what should she expect from someone that was… what was the term again? A fangirl of Percy Jackson. Of course the girl would be just as disrespectful to the gods as the man himself. And she hoped that the man would know his place. Artemis was not Aphrodite, but even she could perceive the dreamy and even lustful looks that Ohio gave to Percy all throughout their encounter. Not to mention her audacity, turning around so he would 'sign the back of her shirt'. As Thalia would say, it was all bullshit. Thankfully, Percy seemed to have the composure that not all men had, avoiding any… unfortunate glances.
But one part of her had to wonder, why was she so stressed about this? He was a free man, after all. If he really wanted to date a minor goddess, or even that empousa for that matter, it was his choice. He probably deserved at least a little bit of rest and love after all that has happened to him throughout his life.
And yet, Artemis simply couldn't tolerate that. This line of thought was wrong. She knew it. She wanted Percy to stay away from all those flirtatious girls that only wanted him for what he has accomplished, or for his good looks. Surely it wouldn't end well for him if he did pursue anything with them.
Was Artemis jealous? She couldn't be, right? There was no way. She never allowed herself to lust over or feel attracted to even the most beautiful mortals, like her brethren did. What she would never dare to admit out loud, however, was that she wasn't immune to carnal desires. That, along with other things.
Yes, she had chastised herself out of fear of ending up in an abusive relationship and in her desire to be something more. Because at the time, it wasn't like there were relationships like the ones of today. There were only the married men who cheated on their wives with the first being with a dress that appeared in front of them. Women were, to put it mildly, not in for a good time. In the end, it was choosing whether she wanted to become a cheated and abused housewife, powerless to stop the suffering, or the path that she actually went up to follow. A symbol for feminine strength, the protector of all maidens. She didn't, in any way, shape or form, regret what she had chosen.
But with hindsight in play, would she have altered her decision? Maybe, in all honesty. It would have made things difficult during ancient times, but eventually, who knows? She could speculate about it all she wanted. Not that it would change anything in the current day and age.
But with that said, Artemis was still acting like a jealous lover of Percy Jackson. Even if her actions regarding this matter weren't the most wise, like threatening a group of small water deities, the reasons behind them were what Artemis honestly wanted at that moment. For Percy to not fall in love with anyone.
One small voice inside her head, maybe even Diana, who knows, whispered something to her. But this couldn't be. Artemis was just worried about her best friend. Percy had done enough to be called that. It wasn't like she had many friends anyway, if you exclude the Hunt. And even then, it wasn't the same thing, more like a family.
One thing was for certain, Percy Jackson was driving Artemis crazy, and it was hardly his fault. Not directly, at least. Indirectly, there wasn't a doubt about it. She only hoped that no other rash decisions would be taken based purely on her emotions.
Shaking her head slightly so she would snap back to reality, Artemis found herself holding onto Percy as they flew above the Ohio River on top of Blackjack. Just the body of water below made her insides boil in fury. She couldn't be sure, but she had a sensation that the damned spirit of the river was probably watching them, lusting over Percy like a cheap whore.
Artemis blinked after she processed those thoughts. Usually she had a much more polite and educated vocabulary than this. Just great, another side effect of this situation. Cursing like a Phoenician sailor.
If it was up to her, she would definitely choose to just go back and keep hunting stuff with Percy. They did it once, and it was very good. Hunting was one of the only times she really felt complete. It was all great up until the dead unicorn part. That wasn't too ideal.
What was really puzzling was the fact that Percy seemed very eager to help Mississippi. Artemis could think of a few reasons as to why he would be so interested. The only one that mattered to her was if he was trying to gain the favor of his devout follower. Which didn't seem to be too necessary, if you think about it. If Percy actually wanted Ohio, the minor goddess would just jump into his arms without looking back. That was obvious, even Artemis could see it.
But then, she couldn't come up with an explanation of why Percy had his eyes fixated on the horizon for hours already, watching from above like a hawk searching for its prey. It was already late afternoon, and still no sign of the wicked boat.
"Are you sure we're gonna find something?" Artemis finally asked after a while. They had made one stop earlier, only to rest for a moment. But even then, they had remained mostly in silence while Blackjack devoured newly conjured donuts.
"I'm certain of it." Was what he replied. "I can sense something wrong around here. It can't be that far."
Artemis wasn't a sea deity, and had no way of knowing if Percy spoke the truth, but she was still skeptical. The Sun Chariot was already quite close to landing, while the Moon Chariot was soon scheduled to depart. The truth was, Artemis had no idea about what she should expect.
Blackjack continued to fly forward, as the sky descended from blue to orange, then from orange to dark blue. The stars and constellations above were starting to become visible when at last, Artemis spotted something in the horizon.
"There!" She said out loud. In the distance, a ship could be seen coursing through the river. It looked like an ironclad, steam powered warship. As they approached it, Artemis noticed that the ship had cannons installed on its sides. The hull of the ship was black and red, and it seemed quite formidable.
"Blackjack, fly ahead of it." Percy ordered his pegasus, who promptly obliged. Artemis was confused as to why they would keep going if they found the ship, but didn't say anything at first. They kept flying for approximately three minutes, with Artemis constantly looking at her companion, wondering what he had in his mind. Finally, after another few minutes of flight, Percy signaled for Blackjack to land near the river. There weren't any signs of civilization around, only the wild. That at least made Artemis slightly more content. When they did reach the ground, Percy didn't even wait an extra second to get out of Blackjack, immediately walking toward the waters. Artemis followed him closely, until he stopped at the shore.
"I wish I had a staff for this." He said, taking a deep breath.
Artemis frowned. "Why's that?"
In response, he smirked, and extended his right hand towards the river. The waters started to move, as if there was a strong wind, something that was not present in this early evening.
Slowly, but surely, the water started to separate from itself, creating a big gap in the river. Percy looked at Artemis with a confident smirk. Artemis rolled her eyes, but had to admire the extent of his abilities. It was a wonder that he was allowed to roam around at all, with so much power at his fingertips.
Soon, the ship started to approach them. On its bow, there was a statue of a woman that looked mildly familiar. Artemis could make out the figures of… no, they weren't normal sailors. They were definitely spirits, most likely ghouls, by the way their skin seemed to have a grayish color to it. Whatever they were, they started to yell and shout at each other as soon as they noticed the gap ahead of them. The ship started to turn, but Percy was quick to act, repeating the same process as before, raising up his arm in the direction of the Ohio River.
Soon, the ship was trapped between two equally sized gaps. Where the ship stood, there was water beneath it, resembling a cube. Percy ran to Blackjack, and got on top of the pegasus.
"Wait." Percy said when Artemis tried to follow him.
"What's the problem?" She said with a frown.
"Let me do an entrance." He requested with a cocky smile. Maybe it was because of the smile, or just the fact that Percy really had an effect on her, but Artemis nodded, letting him go. She watched as Blackjack took off from the ground, a wave of wind hitting her after the pegasus flapped his dark wings and made his way to the skies.
*
It was well known that the Big Three had, above all else, a particular good sense of intimidation. Even the bravest beings trembled at the sight of the bolts of Zeus or the darkness of Hades. And this trait was without a question passed to the offspring of the elder gods. Percy had seen Nico di Angelo subjugate one of the judges of the Underworld, proclaiming himself as the Ghost King, both Thalia and Jason Grace summoning terrifying storms and lightning bolts, and the magic deception of Hazel Levesque.
Not to mention all of their fighting skills. Sword, spear, gladius, spatha. Weapons that brought the demise of so many beings.
But some would argue that while Zeus and Hades were without a doubt incredibly intimidating, none came close to Poseidon. He wasn't called the Stormbringer, the Earthshaker for nothing. And Percy certainly lived up to the expectations that came from being the offspring of the God of the Seas.
Be it through the hardships of war and loss, that helped to mold an incredibly resilient man, be it the so-called wolf stare that he had inherited in his time when he was trained by Lupa, or even when he completely isolated himself from the divine world and embraced a lifestyle in the wild. Percy Jackson would be intimidating even if he was stripped of his powers. But like his father, his powers made an impression on their own. As an example, trapping the pirate ship below him without too much effort. It was still exhausting, but not nearly as it would have been even five years ago.
Blackjack kept flying in circles, above the ship, waiting for Percy to make his move.
What's the plan, boss?
Percy chuckled. "Not much of a plan, really. Go pick up Artemis for me."
Pick her up? Why- Boss! Blackjack exclaimed as Percy jumped down, while also pressing the button placed behind his head, activating his ever trustworthy dark mask. Condensing the air and water as he fell, creating a sort of vortex below him, he landed smoothly right next to a figurehead that seemed very familiar to him. Turning his attention to the crowd that was currently observing him, they looked like they had seen a ghost. Ironic, considering that all of them were probably ghouls.
"State your business!" A feminine, plus sized ghoul yelled at him. She looked like one of those blonde ladies that would yell at you at a parking slot.
"Now, now, dear, let's not be impolite." Another ghoul stepped forward, this time a man. He had prominent muscles, which was surprising for a deceased being, and a smug expression. "Who are you, friend?"
"My identity isn't important. Yours, on the other hand, is all that matters, Colonel Plug." Percy shortly replied, trying his best not to laugh at the unfortunate name that the river pirate possessed. The ghoul scowled.
"I see, then." Plug looked at an also well built, although slim, ghoul, who's face had a look of understanding. Grabbing a knife from his belt, he threw it at Percy with precision, aiming for the demigod's head.
Maybe Percy should have at least been cautious of the attack, but he had a feeling that he was gonna be alright. As he had predicted, right as the knife was just centimeters away from hitting his face, a silver arrow deflected it, causing the knife to fall on the steely deck. Artemis joined him right after, jumping right at his side. All of the crew of the ship backed down, obviously cautious of the goddess, who had her attention turned to Percy, glaring down at the demigod, who smirked behind the mask at her own entrance.
"Safe to say, the gods are on my side today." Percy said, in his best evil-ish voice . The Colonel didn't look all too impressed, but he, as well as the rest of the crew, were all in defensive stances.
"Understandable. You must be the… Butcher, that's what they call you?" Asked the Colonel.
Percy grinned, despite no one being able to see it. "My reputation precedes me." He bowed mockingly. "Why don't you introduce yourself, Colonel?"
The ghoul raised an eyebrow. "You seem already too familiar with myself, assassin. What else could you seek to know?"
Percy's grin became even wider. "Let's just say I've had a sudden interest in this ship. What is her name?"
The Colonel seemed worried, but corrected his posture in a proud manner. "You are aboard the Calypso. Named after the sorceress, of course. This ship was very recently upgraded… of course, we couldn't sail around in a wooden trash can anymore." The Colonel gave him a savage smile, one that lacked a worryingly large number of teeth. The crew behind him also had expressions ranging from pride to arrogance.
"I've met Calypso before. I don't think she would approve of your actions. Much less this… over sexualized homage." He nodded in the direction of the figurehead of the former titaness, that portrayed her in… not a very appropriate way, to say the least.
The smile instantly faded from the Colonel's face. "This matter does not concern me. Now, we would all be glad if you were to enlighten us, Butcher, and tell what your intentions are regarding my ship."
Percy didn't flinch as the Colonel spoke in a rough manner. Instead, he begin to walk slowly to his sides, much like a predator would do to its prey. "Well, good Colonel. At first, this was just supposed to be a mission for a goddess. Pest control, you could say."
"I knew those cursed water deities were involved in this!" The woman next to the Colonel yelled in an unstable way. "That also explains… her presence!" She pointed at Artemis with a pointy finger, the nail looking rotten. The goddess simply raised an eyebrow, not fazed at all.
"I assure you, Lady Artemis isn't exactly involved with this. But I am." He growled those last words. "I could just simply kill all of you if I wanted to, you know. With a snap of my fingers," He did the movement in a theatrical way. "whatever blood runs through your deceased bodies would boil, evaporate, and you would die painfully."
He was in silence for a second, relishing in the fear that the living dead crew emanated.
"But no!" He suddenly spoke loudly, taking some members of the crew by surprise, who proceeded to aim old looking muskets at him, guns that were laughably handicapped if compared to his sniper rifle. "I'm a fair man. I believe in justice. As such, I challenge you, Colonel, for the ownership of this vessel."
Murmurs echoed through the crew, while the Colonel glared daggers at him, with the same being true for the woman and the knife thrower ghoul. Behind him, Artemis approached with caution.
"Percy…" She whispered-yelled. "What exactly are you doing?!"
"Milady," He turned to her, staring directly at her face. Percy was a bit glad that his mask was covering his head. He feared that his eyes might get a bit too dreamy as he looked at his companion. "Trust me. Just this once."
She looked at him with unbelieving eyes. "It's never gonna be just this once. But fine. If you die, it's your own fault."
Percy smiled, and nodded. Turning his attention back to the crew, he could see that they were still muttering with each other.
"And what if I simply reject your offer?" The Colonel asked with an arrogant smile.
Percy shrugged. "Then, I will simply kill you all, take control of this ship, and sail into the sunset. Pardon, moonrise." If his ears weren't mistaken, he heard Artemis chuckling behind him. The Colonel on the other hand was not pleased with this development.
"Fair enough." Plug marched forward, but not before removing his ragged trench coat, giving it to the woman. The two deceased beings actually kissed, causing Percy to feel slightly nauseated.
"So… classic or modern?" Percy asked, remembering when these words were spoken to him. The Colonel gritted his teeth, and drew a thin steel sword that while providing mobility, almost made Percy laugh. He picked Riptide from his pocket and uncapped her, the celestial bronze sword as mighty as ever.
Percy got into a defensive position, holding Riptide in his right hand. The two adversaries began to circle one another, weary of themselves, both prepared to exploit any openings. The ghoul was visibly nervous, but Percy himself wasn't as comfortable as he wished to be. Much in thanks to the effort of holding the river so the ship stayed trapped. A single drop of sweat ran through his forehead.
After a few seconds of stand-off, the Colonel yelled and finally attacked at a slow pace, not one Percy would associate to someone that brandished his kind of sword. Then again, he wasn't really alive, probably not possessing the same speed and dexterity as an alive opponent would have.
Nevertheless, the ghoul knew how to fight. Slashing his sword forward, fighting in a very unorthodox way. There wasn't really a technique to it, he just knew where and how to slash and stab, which was probably enough for a river pirate. Percy, on the other hand, deflected the Colonel's blows with precision, if not ease. He had enough experience to not be defeated by some clumsy movements from a freshwater pirate.
Despite this, he didn't underestimate the Colonel, treating this fight seriously. Plug probably knew that one touch from Percy's sword would signify his end, being a ghoul and all, and as such, he never left room for Percy to strike back a deadly blow. But eventually, an opportunity arose. Instead of defending against a particular bold slash, Percy dodged it, retreating, and taking the Colonel by surprise. It would be the last emotion Colonel Plug would feel. Surprise. Since right after, Percy slashed Riptide forward for the first time, aiming straight for the neck of the river sailor. But of course, instead of being decapitated, the Colonel turned into dust.
The Butcher adjusted his posture, and looked at Artemis, who was staring at him with an amused expression. As much as Percy would have wanted to keep looking at the goddess, he was unceremoniously interrupted by a feminine scream behind him, followed by the unfortunate event of him being shot in the leg.
Percy knew immediately that it wouldn't be fatal. At least that. However, he still collapsed on the deck. He heard a commotion, but was unable to tell what was really going on, apart from silver objects flying above him. He tried to get up, but failed, a massive surge of pain flowing through his body, making him groan. He took heavy breaths, and tried again, this time successful. But the pain remained, too sharp for his taste.
Looking around him, he could notice the undead crew running around, avoiding silver projectiles, that were being shot repeatedly by a very furious looking Artemis. He noticed that the woman that had probably shot him, the one that had kissed the Colonel, wasn't present anywhere. A revolver could be seen on the ground where she had previously stood. Percy muttered the opposite of a passing blessing.
"Artemis." Percy tried to call, but his voice came alongside another cry of pain. Despite that, Artemis managed to hear him, running in his direction, still looking furious.
"Next time, I'm gonna let you die." She threatened while she healed her wound, using more magic than conventional methods.
"That's so reassuring." Percy answered sarcastically, unable to not grimace, twinges of pain hitting him while Artemis treated the wound. She looked directly at him, the anger replaced by worry. The goddess brought her hand all the way to behind Percy's head, finding the button of his mask. Unable to really prevent her, Artemis pressed it, revealing Percy's face as the mask retreated.
"Please, don't take such risks again." She pleaded while directly looking at his eyes. Percy felt guilty, he felt bad for allowing himself to be wounded like that. It wasn't the first time this happened recently. If it was someone else in his place, he would also feel extremely worried and angry for taking such risks.
"I'm sorry." He looked down, ashamed. "It won't happen again."
To his surprise, she brought her hand to his chin and raised his head until they had eye contact. Never before Percy felt so entranced by her eyes, no matter how cold they seemed to be.
"It's fine." She said. "Just don't be that reckless again. Now get up."
Percy quickly nodded, and got up from the deck with Artemis's help. His wound still ached, but it was considerably better than before.
"You know, sometimes I appreciate the fact that most of the mythological world still uses melee weapons. At best a bow like you do."
Artemis nodded. "It would be a disaster if we started to use guns." She looked around, where some still alive (alive?) crew members were hidden. "What will you do with the ship?"
"Keep it." Artemis looked at him in awe. "Oh, that reminds me." At last, he finally released his grip from the waters, which let him sigh in relief, a heavy weight being torn away from his shoulders. Artemis slightly widened her eyes.
"I can't believe you were still holding the water in place after being shot." She said, to which Percy shrugged.
"I was too focused. It doesn't matter." He limped until he was right next to Blackjack, who had landed on the ship after the fight was over. "Can you do me a favor?"
Anything, boss. He heard in his head.
"Be ready to pick me up."
Blackjack understood, and took off from the deck. Artemis on the other hand was confused.
"Pick you up?" The goddess questioned.
"I need to talk to someone. While I'm out, try to convince the crew to serve me. It's easier than me having to control the entire ship by myself. Which I can do, by the way."
Multiple expressions passed through Artemis's face as he spoke. Understanding, then apparently anger for some reason, and finally settling down on a humorous face.
"Would I be a fool if I asked you to be careful down there?" She pondered, both hands on her waist.
"Maybe." Percy made his way with difficulty to the edge of the ship. "You could say I have a wild lifestyle, milady."
Without elaborating further, he clumsily jumped over the edge, thanks to his injury, but nonetheless succeeded in diving deep into the Ohio River. Immediately, the bullet wound healed itself completely, the water curing the wound like magic. Despite the darkness on the surface, he could see clearly underwater, which certainly made it easier for him to glance at the two figures that were swimming in his direction.
"My hero!" Ohio dived forward in a speed that shouldn't be possible underwater, hugging him at a strength that rivaled Tyson's. Thankfully, she released him shortly, letting him breathe normally. Not really breathing, he was still under the water, but still. He liked his ribs intact.
"Hello again, Percy." Mississippi greeted him with a wide smile, looking younger and significantly less tired. "I'm glad that you've been successful in your quest."
"Of course. It was a pleasure." He grinned back.
"What will be done with the ship?" Miss asked.
"Well… I think I will keep it. We will sail it down to the Gulf, by the way." He quickly added when the older looking river goddess looked at him with disbelief.
"Okay, I understand." She sighed. "I just don't want to have that thing sailing in my waters. No offense."
"None taken." Percy assured.
"You can sail in my river anytime you want, Percy." Ohio abruptly added, making Percy a bit uncomfortable. Scratch that, very uncomfortable. Mississippi glared furiously at the younger looking goddess.
"Yeah, I think I will pass." He retorted sharply. Ohio seemed really hurt, looking at him with widened eyes, and vanished in a wave of bubbles.
"She will get over it." Miss assured, like if Ohio was her daughter. "She's very emotional about you."
"I see that." Percy said, running a hand through his hair. "Lady Mississippi, I would like to request a small favor."
The goddess arched an eyebrow. Percy told her his wish, to which she laughed softly, but conceded it without much discussion.
"Simple enough." She bowed her head slightly, a sign of respect. "It has been an honor catching up to you, Percy Jackson. You truly are just as noble as the stories tell."
Percy tried to ignore the fact that there were stories about him. Because of course there were. "The honor is all mine, Lady Mississippi." He too bowed his head. The river goddess burst out into bubbles like Ohio did, leaving Percy alone at the bottom of the river. He swam back to the surface, the cold wind hitting him like the bullet earlier. Global warming was not okay, if the spring now felt like this, regardless if it was nighttime. The demigod happily noticed that his pegasus was waiting for him right at the river shore.
Howdy', boss?
Percy frowned. "This is not your accent." He noted while he got on top of Blackjack. The winged equine neighed in a way that resembled laughter, and took off from the ground.
I'm just playing. Glad to see you didn't get soft after all that time.
"Trust me, if anything, I got sharper." Percy answered with a smile.
Can't argue with that.
It wasn't long until Blackjack landed again at the ship, right next to where Artemis was waiting.
"So," She started. "Did you get things done underwater?" Her voice was neutral, but her eyes let out glimpses of anger, which made Percy very confused.
"Yes. I talked to Mississippi, she did me a favor. Ohio tried to flirt with me again. She ran off when I said no. What about the crew?"
Percy wasn't a specialist on micro expressions and the behavior of human and human-like beings, but Artemis's shoulders clearly were a lot less tense as he spoke. Mental note to dive into that later.
"They've accepted, of course. Retreated into their cabins, but still eager to talk to you properly. I still don't get why you need a dead crew, or a ship at all."
He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it. A thought sparked in his head. "Blackjack, can you do me another favor?"
Sure thing, boss.
"I need you to deliver a message to Thalia. Tell her to meet us at Camp Half-Blood the day before the summer solstice. The Hunt along with her. Can you do that?"
I probably can't speak with them, boss.
Right. "Uh…" He turned to an Artemis that had a skeptical expression. "Do you have any paper lying around?"
With a flicker of her hand, a piece of paper and a pen materialized from thin air. Percy grabbed the objects with a 'thanks', before beginning to write on the paper.
"Also…" He spoke to Artemis again. "Maybe a small bag?"
The goddess rolled her eyes at him, but conjured a small compartment, in which Percy stored the paper, and attached it to Blackjack's upper leg.
It itches. Blackjack complained.
"Don't be a crybaby. You carried a magical statue with no problems." He joked. Blackjack didn't answer, instead departing to the sky.
"Could you explain your intentions with this ship now?" Artemis asked, a small bit of annoyance present in her voice.
"First there's something I want to show you. Come here." He boldly grabbed her hand, which thankfully didn't signify the end of his journey of almost twenty one years, despite her face showing heavy signs of impatience. Instead, they both made their way to the figurehead of the ship.
Artemis was still confused, a frown present in her face. "What are we doing here?"
Percy snickered. "Don't be dense, milady, just take a closer look." He cocked his head towards the figurehead of the ship.
Artemis took a closer look at it, the frown being replaced by raised eyebrows. "It… it looks just like…"
The demigod laughed again. "Well, this ship was already named after a daughter of Atlas. And no offense to Calypso, of course, but I thought that a better homage could be paid." Percy examined the newly changed figurehead for the first time. Where previously it had been made of ordinary metal, it was now made of pure silver. Instead of Calypso, the facial features were sharper, the face more regal. Of course, the hair was tied up in a ponytail, and to finalize, the figure had a bow in her hands.
"Welcome aboard the Nightshade, milady." He grinned as he looked at Artemis's extremely surprised expression.
"I…" She said, at a loss of words. She swallowed. "I was not expecting this. Truly, I was not." Artemis looked into the distance, her eyes unfocused.
"Think of it like something special. I think she would have appreciated it. Just–"
Percy interrupted himself as Artemis actually gave him a hug, to his absolute and utter shock. It wasn't a very tight embrace, but it surely was enough to almost fry his brain. For the first time he noticed how well she smelled, a scent reminiscent of nature itself. The warmth was quite intoxicating, making him wish to not really break the contact, ever. But to not make this too awkward, Percy managed to take a hold of himself, just as Artemis began talking again.
"It is incredibly hard to situate myself in a reality in which a person that I knew for… three millennia, give or take, is now dead." Tears weren't coming out of her eyes, but her voice was solemn, full of grief. "And this goes for all deceased Hunters. But Zöe…"
"I understand. She was your lieutenant, after all. I can only imagine how hard it was for you. You have always been the most human of all the gods."
Percy wasn't sure if Artemis got offended, but she let go of him. The goddess looked directly to him, those sharp silver eyes analyzing his entire being. Down to his very soul, it seemed.
"I… see." He wondered whether or not that last statement got to her mind in some way. If that was the case, Percy didn't find out. Artemis shook her head. "Look, let's just… forget this. It's getting too… heavy."
Percy nodded. "It's fine."
Artemis diverted her gaze from him, glancing around the ship. "But thank you for this. And I mean it. Anyway… where to now?"
The Butcher couldn't help but to smile. "Well, there's this tale every sailor and man of the sea has heard throughout his life. Something desirable, but incredibly dangerous."
Artemis placed a hand on her waist, an eyebrow arched. "I hope you are not talking about the sirens."
With wide eyes, Percy let out a nervous laugh. "No, that's preposterous." A look of determination took over his face, his jaw clenching, but a smirk still remained in his lips. "Have you ever heard of the Flying Dutchman, milady?"