Alrighty. Update from 3:50 BRT:

THIS A JOKE. This is an April fools chapter, it won't be the continuation of the story. Dream twists are literally the dumbest plot twist that one can think of and I can't believe some of you guys actually thought this was legit.

Like, there's a 'lmfao' at the end. Wtf guys we're smarter than this.

Anyway the ACTUAL chapter will be released in a few days. And despite your feelings about the story and if it's good or not I can't imagine how would this dumb af twist improve it in any way.

Now bye, love you guys.

As the Nightshade floated across the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, under the soft bright of the stars above, Percy couldn't help but feel himself uneasy at heart.

Sometimes, the weight of his life did this to him, and it wasn't very fun. Like the past three years, guilt stayed on his head 24/7, without any hope of forgetting what happened or forgiving himself. In the end, the only thing that mattered was that he was here, and everyone else that had died wasn't.

And now he was in search of a ship that might not even exist, commanding a crew composed of weird dead people, and having a goddess as his companion.

Percy found himself in an existential crisis. Was this how his life was supposed to play out? He knew heroes didn't have it easy, but the only thing he strived for was normality. College. Working. A normal relationship with Annabeth. Instead, it looked like after everything he had to endure when saving the world two times, he couldn't catch a break. And sure, most teens would drool at the prospect of being a captain of a ship where its sailors were dead, and having Artemis to come along.

It made him wonder, what would have happened if they had reached Camp Jupiter? Would Annabeth and him be married? Would they have children? What would they do? These were questions that plagued his mind.

Another possibility was if he had accepted godhood. It kind of was never his choice, considering that the prophecy of the Seven was only a surprise to the Greeks, since the Romans knew it for millennia, but what if he had done it? He most likely wouldn't have stayed with Annabeth. Hell, at that time they weren't even together yet. He would have probably stayed as a member of the Atlantis court, with countless water nymphs drooling over him. And he would have only spectated as the Seven, with probably Nico or Reyna replacing him, saved the world from Gaia, while he did nothing but sit back and watch the world burn.

Okay, maybe he had made an okay-ish choice with that one.

Percy heard steps behind him, but judging by how silent they were, it could only mean one thing.

"You know, I never noticed how calming the seas were." Artemis said as she joined beside him, near the figure of the Huntress, the place Percy spent the most amount of time on the ship.

"It really depends on the moment for me." The demigod answered sincerely.

Artemis seemed thoughtful. Her silver eyes were unfocused. "It's funny because I've noticed that I have a weird connection to the sea. Did you know that?"

Percy blinked. "I'm not sure I follow."

In response, the goddess chuckled. "Well, for starters, I believe you are aware of how much the moon influences tides."

He nodded. "I suppose so. But does that have any significance in the end?"

Once again, Artemis took a moment before answering. "I can't confirm it, but some of the closest persons in my life had some connection to the sea, or waters."

"Really? Like who?" Percy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"For starters, Zöe, daughter of a water nymph." Artemis pointed.

"It's not exactly the sea, you know." Percy said while staring at the perfect replica of the former lieutenant.

"I know, but it's close enough. But it doesn't end there." Some distaste passed through Artemis's eyes. "The only mortal men I've ever been actually friendly all had some connection to the sea. Or at least I believe so."

Percy was undoubtedly surprised. "Like who?"

Artemis sighed. "Orion. Well, I don't know if he was a son of Poseidon or not, but he was a son of Gaia."

"I've met someone with that ancestry. He wasn't nice, to say the least." Percy shuddered as he remembered the duel of Antaeus.

"Neither was Orion, in the end." A scowl took over Artemis's face. "In the beginning, he had been charming, despite some violence. He was a naturally gifted hunter, and handsome. But I never noticed how much of a bastard he was until…" She stopped, seemingly angry.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't feel comfortable." Percy assured. Artemis glanced over to him, her eyes softening.

"I just don't think it's appropriate. I would rather forget." Another sigh. "I never knew if I had feelings for him. I was at a crossroad moment. At least I didn't make any rash decisions."

"Yeah, I guess." Percy answered in a rather blunt way. He couldn't help but to feel some jealousy but what he was hearing, even if all of that had happened three thousand years ago.

Artemis stared at him, perhaps noticing his sour voice. "The second one was Hippolytus. He was just as uninterested in romance as I was. Do you know the story?"

"Parts of it." Percy said. "He died, Asclepius resurrected him, a lot of people got mad and Apollo ended up as a mortal for killing the elder Cyclops."

"That's an… accurate enough retelling of events." The goddess admitted with amusement. "But yes. He was a legacy of Poseidon. His father, none other than Theseus, killed him thanks to Aphrodite's meddling." Artemis scowled again. "It's incredible how much love and hate are interchangeable."

"Passion is something that few comprehend." The demigod complemented.

"Yes… passion." Artemis gazed into the horizon. "I guess you are the third relative to Poseidon that I become infatuated with."

"Considering the history, I'm not sure if I should feel complimented or worried for my well being." Percy joked, but his heartbeats had accelerated. Artemis simply laughed.

"I assure you it's a compliment." She glanced over to him, looking directly into his eyes. Percy had to force himself to close his mouth. "You know, you are not subtle."

What he felt next was like he had been shot again. "Uh… what do you mean?"

For once, Artemis looked a bit inpatient. "You cannot hide your feelings forever, Percy. I've seen looks like that before."

Percy felt like he was having a heart attack by how nervous she was. "Artemis, I…"

"Perseus Jackson, you would be better off if you only spoke when someone talked to you." Artemis interrupted with a smirk, placing a finger on top of his mouth. "Just answer me, okay?"

He nodded.

"Do you find me attractive?"

Another nod, with him already wondering what his house would be in Elysium if he got there.

"Do you like me?"

Percy hesitated. Artemis raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.

"I can't lie anymore." He sighed. "Yes, I do. You can turn me into a jackalope or something. It's my fault anyway." Percy diverted his look away from the goddess, but Artemis placed a hand on his chin, moving his face until they had eye contact again.

"Another question." He could see her lips curving upwards just slightly. "How much do you wanna kiss me?"

Percy was at a loss of words. "You're joking, right?"

She gave him an innocent look. "Yeah, I guessed as such. Maybe you got your feeling conf… –"

The goddess of the moon never finished her sentence, since Percy crashed his lips into her own, kissing her with passion, releasing every drop of tension that was stored in his body. The kiss felt like nothing he had experienced before, and Artemis responded in kind, her hands behind his head while Percy held her by the waist. After some time making out furiously, they broke the kiss when air became a necessity.

"Gods." Percy muttered, not believing what had just transpired.

Artemis smirked. "So?"

He let out a nervous laugh. "What do you want me to say? I feel like I'm in heaven." Despite how good he was feeling, a thought passed through his mind, enough to make his smile fade.

"Percy?" Artemis asked with worry.

"Artemis, this isn't…" He hesitated, trying to find the best words. "I'm not sure if I could endure just being a one night stand or something like it."

Judging by the glare Artemis gave him, it looked like she wanted to slap him. "Percy, do I look like I'm a person to have these sort of relationships?"

"You're a goddess." He remarked.

"It doesn't matter." She retorted.

"You're also a maiden goddess with an oath to reject the company of men." Percy counterpointed.

"Percy, don't you think I'm tired of having the same life for millennia?!" Artemis raised her voice, moving a few steps away from him. "I've seen my whole world turn upside down in the last few years, I can't continue in the same way, at least let it be something different. Styx be damned." Her eyes were almost begging.

"I have to ask," Percy coursed a hand through his hair. "Why me?"

"I won't answer that. You know why. I like you too. Perhaps even more. What I know is that I want you." She moved closer to him again, her face dangerously close to his.

"For the record, I'd totally run away with you." Percy said, his voice no louder than a whisper.

"I think I would too." Artemis admitted with a smirk, her voice also low. They stared at each other for a few seconds before their mouths were one more connected. This kiss was even better than the previous, without any restraints, or fear. He felt like he could stay like this forever.

That was, until he heard a cough behind them. The two awkwardly broke the kiss, only to find Cora staring at them with amusement.

"I hope I'm not being a nuisance." The ghoul said playfully.

"No, Cora, it's fine." Percy adjusted his hair, his face slightly red. "What is it?"

"We've spotted a ship in the distance, south of us. And not a normal one, captain." Cora explained.

"Understood. Halt the ship. Let's meet with Captain Jones."

The female ghoul nodded and left, but not before winking subtly at Percy, who was still feeling dizzy from all of this.

"This conversation isn't over, by the way." Artemis said.

"I'm sure it isn't, milady." He smiled. With that, they walked to the other side of the ship, the rest of the crew in a nervous mood, and soon Percy understood why. The Flying Dutchman was absolutely terrifying to look at. The ghost ship had a green glow to it, ragged sails, and overall a spectral look. Despite this, it looked formidable, with Percy noticing that the ship didn't even touch the water, instead, flying like the Argo II did in the past.

"Let's try to make contact." Percy declared, but instead of being answered, there was screaming. Thanks to the ship's green glow, he failed to realize the barrage of Greek fire flying in the direction of the Nightshade.

There wasn't even a moment to react. It was unfair, but what was he supposed to do? Before he could even give a command, his ship exploded, lighting the night up.

For a moment, there was unbearable pain. Despite falling into the water, his element did nothing to heal his destroyed flesh and bones. He was sure half of his face was missing. He could blindly notice a silver glow, and out of nowhere, he felt the ground solidifying, and someone holding him. He heard sobs. His mind numbly thought about Artemis. Apparently Styx didn't lose anytime, with that punishment for breaking her oath.

Payment.

The Hero of Olympus faintly heard three words. I love you. He tried to answer, but no sound came from his mouth. Maybe his vocal chords had been destroyed, or he was just too weak to speak. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. The pain ceased abruptly, as well as every other sense in his body. The last thing he saw before darkness took over was Artemis's face, her eyes red and filled with tears. His heart ached for one last time, before everything went pitch black.

The Butcher was no more.

*

That was, until the light returned, almost blinding to his eyes.

He gasped and tried to get up, expecting some sort of major pain, but there was none. His vision soon became focused, and he noticed he was in some form of dormitory.

"Percy?"

He turned his head so fast that he felt his neck snapping. This couldn't be. But there she was. gray eyes, looking as alive as ever, staring at him from another bed.

"Annabeth?!" Percy exclaimed, not believing his eyes. He felt like fainting. Was he dead? He had to be. But it didn't make sense for Elysium to look like the most bland and boring college dorm ever.

"Yes, Seaweed Brain, why do you look so surprised?" His late girlfriend asked with a smile, but soon that faded when she noticed how distraught Percy was. "Percy, what's wrong?"

He couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing. How was she here? What happened to him? Did he die? He felt like dying. There was no way.

Percy fell back onto the bed, his head dizzy. Annabeth ran to him with worry, and grabbed something from nearby.

"Here, eat this." She fed him some blue food that Percy at first didn't recognized until he felt overwhelmed by the taste of his mother's cookies. How he had missed those…

But how could those exist? His mother was dead. He was pretty sure Annabeth couldn't make those cookies. Despite his mind running wild, he felt better, like there was nectar in cookies recipe. It was just that good.

"There, feeling better?" Annabeth asked, caressing his hair.

"I…" Percy didn't know what to say. "Where are we?"

Annabeth blinked. "Camp Jupiter. Why?"

Camp Jupiter. With Annabeth. Had they arrived? Had she not died?

"What year is this?" Percy asked desperately.

Annabeth soon said the year, and Percy felt like fainting again. Had he been transported back in time? There was no way. No one that was around had this sort of power.

"Percy, did you have a bad dream?" Annabeth questioned, her eyes still full of worry. He couldn't believe she was here. He wanted to kiss her so badly, but decided not to do this yet.

"I…" He paused. "Yes. I g-guess… You died. My mother also died, in childbirth. Artemis was there. I killed a lot of monsters in brutal ways." He let out a sob. He have had vivid dreams in the past, but this was insanity. Could three years of his life have been just a product of his mind?

"Percy, I'm not dead." Annabeth spoke after a while. "Neither is Sally. I really can't explain why you dreamt of this. We're all here, seaweed brain."

She bended over slightly and gave him a kiss. When their lips connected, Percy remembered a similar moment with Artemis, and felt his face heating up. Thankfully, or not, it was all inside of his head.

"I… I guess… it just felt so real." Percy mumbled after they departed the kiss.

"But it wasn't, okay?" He nodded. "Now, do you want to clean your mind with some coffee?" His girlfriend asked with a smile.

"I… I think I could use that."

Yeah, it was all a dream. All along. Trust me bro.

lmfao