Percy

The trek towards the outskirts of the city had been gruelling, but civilisation finally seemed to be coming into view.

'An Arby's!' I called out.

Artemis made a face. 'I'd rather hunt.'

I shrugged, and pulled my wallet out of my pocket. 'Suit yourself.'

The place looked okay, and thankfully the Arby's was open. I ordered and took a seat. Artemis took a seat opposite of me.

'Aw, two young lovers sharing a milkshake, how adorable!' The waitress exclaimed.

'We're not-' I began, but the waitress had already left. I sighed. 'Well, we need to decide where we go from here.'

'I um, I think I'm going to take a bathroom break.' I said as I got up. Artemis nodded, refusing to make eye contact. Privately, I smiled to myself. She had trusted me to go alone.

And before you ask, yes, that had caused some very uncomfortable moments before.

I looked at myself in the mirror as I checked myself. What was I doing?

I was pulled out of my reverie by a voice coming from behind me. 'So, you're my little sister's companion.'

I sighed. What is it with people introducing themselves from behind me? 'Lord Apollo, it's an honour.' I tried to summon some semblance of emotion into my voice.

Apollo smiled brilliantly as I studied him from the mirror. 'None of that "lord" crap.' He leaned in conspiratorially. 'Actually, call me Fred, I'm incognito right now. Pops was pissed that I interfered in your quest already as is.' He gestured up and down to me. 'Speaking of which, it's good to see you recovered well.'

Gods and their theatrics. 'Right, "Fred", to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?'

Apollo got more serious at this. 'I know you and my sister are hunting Porphyrion.' I looked up in shock, and Apollo held up his hands placatingly. 'I know it's like this top secret mission-slash-prophecy inter-pantheon thingy,'

Right, not that I really knew. I made a mental note to ask Artemis about the actual quest.

'but-' he pointed at himself, 'god of prophecy, comes with the territory, every now and then I see the future.'

'I see.' I didn't, but better not tempt the god to try and explain, gods have a terrible sense of time. And everything else, really.

'So! What do you know about Nereus?' Apollo grinned enthusiastically.

I wracked my brain for any knowledge I may have on this Nereus from mythology class in New Rome. 'Sea deity, right? Son of Pontus.'

Apollo nodded sagely in mock-seriousness. 'That's right, that's right, any idea what he was famous for?' I shook my head. He sighed. 'Always have to explain everything.' he muttered.

'Nereus has the honour of being considered prophetic, known to help heroes find information for their quests.' He gesticulated to me. 'Do you see where I'm going with this?'

I nodded irritatedly. Hanging around Artemis lowered my tolerance for normal goddish tomfoolery.

'We're on a tight schedule, Fred, so if you don't mind,' I explained.

Apollo waved his hands dismissively. 'Nonsense!' He said, leaning in. 'Between you and me, I had a secondary reason to meet you today.' He leaned back, casually checking his nails. 'You know, it's been millenia since Artemis has accepted the company of a man.'

He held up a hand as I opened my mouth to protest. 'I mean literally at all. This is sort of big news in Olympus, you're officially Aphrodite's new favourite demigod, she has big plans for you apparently.'

Apollo shivered in horror. 'Anyways! Basically, don't hurt my sister's feelings, or I will hunt you down for eternity, revive you, and do it again! But you seem like a nice guy, so hopefully we won't get to that point. Contrary to popular opinion, I do actually care for my sister, and I'd rather not see her get hurt. Oh, and find Nereus to complete your quest, he usually bums around the docks of San Francisco, so you should probably start there. Good luck!' That said, he flashed out.

I took a few moments to process what the fuck just happened, and remind myself for the millionth time that no, this isn't a dream, or a nightmare, Before sighing and making my way back to find Artemis and tell her the news.

XIXI

Percy

I plopped back down in my seat opposite of Artemis.

'Where have you been?' She hissed at me.

I shrugged nonchalantly. 'Talking to your brother.'

She looked at me in surprise. 'Really?' She finally asked.

'Yeah, told me that we had to find Nereus to tell us where Porphyrion is, and some other stuff.' I couldn't confirm, but I was pretty confident I was blushing as I said that.

Artemis swore. 'Boys, I'll never understand- anyways, we need to discuss my prophecy.'

'What's there to discuss?' I asked. 'It seems pretty straight forward. I, an unlikely ally, help you kill the king of the giants, thus ensuring we have a chance to end this war.'

'You're not wrong, but there's more to it than that.' Artemis began.

'Westwards moon goddess shall find an unlikely ally. Gold and purple will he be. If absent Olympus shall tremble. Two shall slay the gigantes king.' Artemis recited.

'Seems pretty straightforward to me.' I said unabashedly.

Artemis rolled her eyes. 'Yes, but there are two more lines that I cannot make sense of. And Fortuna shall seal their fate, In a land curses hate.'

I pondered the last two lines. ' I mean… I don't know about you guys, but us Romans have a feast of Fortuna every year.'

Artemis raised an eyebrow. 'Is that so?'

I nodded. 'Yeah it's meant to give us good luck for the whol- You're pulling my leg aren't you?'

Artemis smirked. 'Maybe. I'll remind you I was there for the very first celebration.'

I threw my hands up in exasperation. 'So why bother asking me?'

Artemis shrugged. 'I didn't know if you guys still celebrated the holiday.'

'Well we do, and coincidentally, it takes place in about a month.'

'There are no such things such as coincidences.'

'Well then I'd be inclined to say your prophecy isn't a dud.'

'Your problem-solving skills are unmatched.'

'Very witty of you.'

Artemis brought out a hunting knife, slamming it down on the table in front of me.

'We are discussing a prophecy which is paramount to olympian success, and you are ridiculing it and me.' Artemis said as she stared at me intensely.

I leaned forward slowly. This back and forth was slowly getting on my nerves. 'Listen, I don't know about you, but I've had a really shitty quest so far. I've been stabbed, knocked out, have a million other injuries in places I didn't even know existed. Excuse me if I'm a little featherbrained.'

Artemis sighed, her knife dematerialising. 'Look, okay, maybe we're both a little high-strung after the events of the last couple of days. But this is important. We can take a break once we follow up on the lead my brother gave you.'

I accepted the implied olive branch, slowly leaning back in my side of the booth.

'Okay. Okay. So feast of Fortuna, could be interpreted as a deadline, could be that the giant can't be killed or found before then. Who knows.' I listened quickly.

Artemis nodded. 'I presume the meaning will make itself clear as the deadline gets closer.'

I shrugged nonchalantly. 'As for the last line, I have no clue. I don't know of any land that curses hate. I mean, it can't be Olympus, and apart from that I can't think of anywhere else that could have enough of a divine presence to literally dissolve a curse.'

Artemis nodded. 'This is already more than I expected. Although walking in semi-blind is not ideal.'

I frowned as I felt a presence behind me. My gut told me that something was wrong.

And trust me, my gut has saved me from a lot of sticky situations.

I reached out through the molecules of water in the air, creating a perfect recreation of the environment around me inside my mind.

I instantly noticed the woman sitting in a booth a couple of metres away, staring straight at me, unmoving.

'Did you not notice the woman back there burning a hole into the back of my skull?'

Artemis didn't say anything, but simply glanced over behind me, I assume at the creepy lady.

'Doesn't look particularly dangerous to me, perhaps we could corner it in the parking lot.' She suggested nonchalantly, spinning one of her knives in one hand discreetly.

'As long as I get to hurt it, I don't mind.' I said with a dark grimace as I promptly slid out of our shared booth, waiting for Artemis to follow me before the two of us made our way out of the shop, turning into the more discreet abandoned parking lot behind the Arby's.

I looked back to see the same figure, now swaddled in a long billowing trench coat.

Suddenly, I spun around, summoning my trident and launching it straight into the shady character.

As it turns out, the hours and hours I had spent drilling my aim with the trident had paid off, as the figure found itself yanked to the ground as two of the prongs on my trident sandwiched its neck perfectly, holding it in the ground.

I quickly marched up to the figure, closely followed by an increasingly annoyed Artemis.

'Next time you're going to pull something like that, tell me before you do it.' She said snappily as we approached the figure.

I made a noncommittal noise of acceptance as I identified the mysterious figure.

'A single empousa. I would feel offended if I didn't have anything better to do.' I said, staring down at the monster with disdain, not caring for the murderous gaze it was directing at me.

'Oh hush, let's just get on with it.'

'Tell me Artemis, do you think this one will have any important information?'

'I don't know Percy. But I am a firm believer in not leaving things to chance.' I rolled my eyes at her incessant formality. 'I was thinking of interrogating her for the fun of it.'

I smiled, before quickly pulling out my trident and with pinpoint accuracy spearing the empousa, ramming the three points into her shoulders and collarbone, pinning her to the ground.

I squatted on the ground beside the empousa as Artemis did the same opposite of me.

The empousa spit out some blood, but she was so weak it dribbled down her cheek. 'Who are you to question me?'

'Your doom, if you aren't careful.' I hissed angrily. 'Who sent you?'

The empousa cackled. 'The earth mother will reward me for my silence. I won't tell you anything.'

Artemis raised an eyebrow. 'Seems to me you already told us who you're working for.' She looked over to me. 'Then again, education isn't exactly mandatory in Tartarus.' She remarked dryly.

I turned back to the empousa. 'Only one to deal with a child of the elder gods and a goddess? I don't believe you.'

The empousa cackled. 'I will never te-AHH!' She screamed at the end as one of her bones snapped, courtesy of the moisture in the air around it condensing with a rather violent motion.

'Okay! Okay. I was sent to seduce you, kill you off, the Earth Mother knows of the goddess's quest, her sky-minions overheard the issuing of the prophecy.' The empousa said frantically.

Artemis simply bent down beside me, inserting one of her knives into the empousa's throat.

'Clean kill.' She remarked.

I turned on her. 'Why did you do that! I could have gotten more information.' I said, anger seeping into my voice.

Artemis's countenance hardened. 'There was little more she could have said.'

I huffed. 'So much for that.'

XIXI

Percy

The walk through San Francisco had been nice. We passed the golden gate park, and I enjoyed a small nap in the sunlight before finally making our way to the fisherman's wharf.

'Apparently Nereus should be somewhere around here.' I said, looking around. 'Seems like a bunch of hobos to me.'

Artemis rolled her eyes. 'You really are thick. Do you really think Nereus would just be sitting here in a toga?' I shrugged sheepishly. 'Luckily for us, I've met him before already.' She wrinkled her nose. 'We just have to follow the smell.'

The smell got worse as we made our way along the docks, becoming close to overpowering. 'Gods, what is this stuff?'

Artemis made a face. 'The key to completing our quest, apparently.' Suddenly she stopped, pulling me close behind the corner of a warehouse nearby.

As we came face to face, I noticed how close we were. Knock it off Percy. I blushed and quickly jumped away, noticing Artemis doing the same.

'What is it?' I asked, hoping to get past this incredibly awkward moment as quickly as possible. Focus on the quest. I chanted to myself, almost like a mantra.

'He's there, I recognised him.' She snorted. 'I'd recognise that pink bathrobe anywhere.'

'Right.' I decided not to question that. Summoning whatever energy I had left, taking in the seabreeze, letting the power of my father's domain flow through me.

'What are you doing?' Artemis asked me curiously.

'Getting ready to meet a sea deity.' I said, before promptly striding forwards a hobo dressed in a pink bathrobe.

'You Nereus?' I asked as I got into earshot of the sea deity. He was lounging around, idly twirling his hands in the water on the dock.

'Who's asking?' The god returned, giving me a quick once-over.

'Someone who needs some information.' Nereus's eyes widened as I said this, and quicker than I would have thought possible, the sea god jumped up, slowly making his way to the edge of the docks.

'Now now,' he began nervously, 'I'm done with that life, I don't answer questions any more.'

I sighed. This was really the absolute last thing I needed today. 'Look, listen here, I really wouldn't ask, but we kinda have an important quest, and I'd really rather be on my way.'

The next series of events happened out of what seemed like their own volition to me, as Nereus jumped into the water, I dove after him, tackling him into the water. I instantly felt rejuvenated as soon as the water enveloped me, giving me my patented "Sea rush".

And thank the gods for that, because it was purely because of that that I was able to hold on as Nereus rocketed around the harbour, turning into a great white shark, a killer whale and an eel before turning back into his original form and shooting us out of the water, as he and myself crashed into the dock.

'How- how did you hold on?' The old man asked out of breath. I held up my SPQR tattoo, showing my trident tattoo over my eleven bars, signifying my eleven years of service.

'Son of Neptune.'

Nereus let out a shout of rage, hitting the ground as if he was having a temper tantrum. 'Damn upstart sea god and his damn upstart children!' He took a couple of deep breaths before turning back to me. 'Well, since you were able to catch me, I will allow you to ask one question.'

I laughed as I felt a familiar presence behind me.

'Perseus! Perseus are you alright?' In any other situation I probably would have found a way to make fun of Artemis, but the slight edge of hysteria in her voice made me think she wouldn't appreciate it this time around.

'I'm fine.' I responded, my voice suddenly feeling much more croaky.

Artemis showed up in my peripheral vision, quickly checking me over for any injury. 'You seem to be okay.' She said, and stepped back, although if her facial expressions were anything to go by, she was unconvinced at best.

'I got Nereus here-' I gestured towards the sullen sea god, 'to grant us one question.'

Nereus simply huffed and said nothing.

'Now, Lord Nereus, where would we find Porphyrion?' I asked.

Nereus's eyes widened. 'No no no, you can't do that to me!' He went on his knees, pulling at the hem of my praetor's cape. 'The Earth Mother, she will come after me!' He pleaded.

I nodded calmly. 'Then you're on our side, so you'd better hope that we win. I suggest you don't even omit the smallest tidbit of information on Porphyrion's whereabouts.

Nereus hung his head in defeat. 'I hope you can live with my blood on your hands, demigod.'

'FIrst off, icor, not blood, second off, you're immortal, you literally can't die.' I pointed out cheerfully, although in reality, I was scanning my surroundings. I had a bad feeling about hanging around here, and not just because of all of the homeless people and less savoury characters around.

I could tell that Artemis felt the same, as she pressed her side against mine, her eyes frantically taking in our surroundings. Although frankly I didn't mind the first detail.

Woah, when did that happen?

I shook my head, focusing myself on the issue at hand.

Nereus sighed and took in a deep breath. 'I hope despite myself that your-' I looked at him pointedly, 'our side wins this.'

I nodded in understanding, although honestly I could care less what happens to Nereus.

I gestured for him to continue speaking. 'Are you actually going to tell us where Porphyrion is, or are you going to keep feeling sorry for yourself?'

Nereus took in a deep breath. 'Porphyrion is based around Mount Tamalpais, he has a monster army there, there's no way you could get to him, and even if you could, he is a fearsome foe, and can only be defeated with the help of a god.' He pleaded helplessly.

I nodded to Artemis, who now walked up to Nereus. 'I appreciate your concern, great-uncle, but I assure you that Percy and myself are perfectly capable of taking down this monster.'

Nereus studied Artemis confusedly. Suddenly his eyes widened in recognition. 'Lady Artemis!' He exclaimed with reverence in his voice. He quickly kneeled. 'Had I known-' He began, only to be cut off by Artemis. 'Enough of that. I don't have time to spare for grovelling.'

Nereus nodded fervently and slowly backed off, standing up once again.

'In that case, I shall take my leave.' He grumbled. 'It is no longer safe for me on the surface.' That said, he promptly jumped off the dock into the sea.

I looked over to Artemis. 'What now?'

'Now,' Artemis responded, quickly making her way into the city, 'we go to Mount Tamalpais.'

AN:

Actual-chapter-I-was-meant-to-upload time, Yay!

So yeah, this is what I was planning to upload originally without any context, christ the lord.

Anyways, hope you enjoy, if you find any pesky grammar or changes from first to third person, please tell me, they irritate the hell out of me.

Review:

Darth Kyuubi kurama: Buddy, you really made my day, people like you are what make me actually want to become a better writer. Hope this lives up to your expectations.

Yeah that's about it.

Murph, signing off.