The Rise Of The Heroes

by JkAlex

What if, as a child, Percy had made a decision that changed the course of his own story and that of others? What if he had ended up on the streets, surviving on his own for years, meeting a mortal girl who could see through the mist? And found three other demigods with the promise of a better family. PercyxThalia.

9. Queen - Under Pressure

A/N: JkAlex here with a new chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson book series. The only thing I own is the pack of beer in my fridge, which was the fuel to write, translate and edit this long chapter.

Anyway, and without further ado... Let's go!

---

Chapter 6: The appearance of the loli goddess

There were many things Percy didn't believe in.

He also did not believe that happiness, a feeling of bliss that never fades for a second and lasts a lifetime, was something indescribable and impossible for him to attain.

He did not believe that there were 'good' and 'bad' people, because someone may consider a person 'good', but another person may consider the same person 'bad'. In the end, there were only people who were subject to different perspectives.

Finally, he definitely and irrefutably believed that pizza should NOT have pineapple.

Seriously, that's disgusting, how can there be people who like that abomination? That crap... It made him sick just to think about it.

Well, among the many things that Percy did not believe in, destiny was one of them. He did not believe that a person was destined to do an action. When he thought of the word 'destiny', he thought of the word 'death'. From the moment you are born, your destiny is to die. No one can escape it.

That is why he did not believe the words of Halcyon Green, the son of Apollo who had the gift of prophecy, when he predicted his future. And despite the dreams he had been having lately, dreams that prophesied his future, he decided not to believe them.

He would live his life and die on his own terms. He had decided that since the day he started living on the streets.

He would never again be subjugated or oppressed in any way.

---

As he slept, Percy thought he would have the same dreams again, dreams of his future. But it was not the future he was dreaming of, but the past; his past.

He dreamed of the day he discovered that although he was capable of great things that no one else could do, he was still human. A mere mortal.

He dreamed of the person who showed him that.

He dreamed of the day he met Sammy.

Percy remembered that day as if it was yesterday. It had been five years since he had started living on the streets, since that fateful day. The day he lost everything.

He looked at a beautiful garden. Leafy trees casting welcome shade on a green, well-mown lawn. Flowers of every color danced to the gentle rhythm of the cool breeze that tickled his skin.

Sitting on one of the many benches in the garden, Percy didn't notice when someone sat down next to him.

"Hi," a sharp voice snapped him out of his evaluation.

Percy turned to look at her. He wondered how she could get so close to him without him noticing. He was always on guard.

'It must be those damn sedatives,' Percy thought.

They made his head feel cloudy and his thoughts confused.

He tried to concentrate and look at who had been talking to him. It was a girl, about ten-years-old. With brown hair tied in two braids and honey-colored eyes. She was small, so small that her feet dangled from the bench they were sitting on.

Percy just frowned and looked away from her, not bothering to answer.

"Are you sick too?" she asked the girl innocently, not seeing the hard expression on Percy's face, or maybe she didn't care.

The question echoed in his mind.

Was he?

Doctors used to say that being sick did not necessarily mean that something was wrong with the body, but also with the mind. If so, yes. Percy was sick. And when he put it that way, there wasn't a single 'sane' person in the world.

Percy simply nodded at the girl's question. He hadn't spoken in days, not since he'd been in the hospital after a car accident on the bus. Everyone died, everyone but him. He was the only survivor.

He always had been.

"Oh ̴ ... that means we have something in common!" she said excitedly.

Percy looked at her and raised an eyebrow, confused by the girl's strange logic and why she seemed so excited about it.

"I can see you're very hurt," the girl said, looking at the state Percy was in. "Have you been in some kind of accident? Are you all right? Does it hurt? How long have you been here? Do you come here often? Do you like the garden?" The girl continued to bombard him with questions, much to Percy's growing irritation.

Unable to take it any longer, Percy stood up as abruptly as his aching body would allow and limped back to his hospital room, not giving the girl a look or an apology.

---

Percy slowly opened his eyes, slowly coming out of his dream state.

He was lying in the backseat of the car. His arms were crossed over his chest so as not to disturb Sammy and Annabeth, who were leaning against each of his shoulders, Sammy on the right and Annabeth on the left, forming a Percy sandwich.

In the front seat was Thalia, her legs propped up on the dashboard, her black jacket like a makeshift blanket. Her face was pressed against the back of the seat, her mouth slightly agape, giving her an amused expression.

The seat behind the wheel was empty, so he deduced that Luke was keeping watch until dawn, which wasn't long, as Percy could see the dark sky beginning to lighten.

With a smoothness and stealth worthy of a ninja, Percy removed himself from the back seat and managed to get out without waking any of the girls. He breathed in the fresh morning air and stretched his back, listening to the satisfying sound of his vertebrae creaking.

"You don't always have to get up so early, you know?"

Percy turned to see Luke leaning against the tires of the car, giving him one of his trademark mischievous grins.

"I know, but I still want to," Percy said as he stretched out the rest of his body to shake off the last vestiges of sleep.

"You're weird," Luke said, raising an eyebrow. "Anyone would choose to sleep more instead of getting up so early in the morning."

Percy just shrugged.

"You get used to it. Besides, there's something I want to do before the girls wake up."

Luke frowned.

"I'm not going to lend you one of my magazines so you can go into the woods and touch yourself."

"What...?! What the hell did you think I was going to do?" he whispered loudly to Luke so as not to wake the girls. His face turned a healthy shade of red.

"Oh, you know," Luke said as he clenched his fist and mimicked a churning motion. "Polishing the spear, squeezing the sausage, peeling the banana, you know."

Percy stared at him. He wondered how the hell Luke knew all these names.

"You're a fucking pervert, you know that?"

Luke gave him a cheeky smile.

"Did I ever deny it? But please don't tell the girls."

"As long as you don't try anything weird with them..."

"I would never do that!" Luke said, sounding offended.

"I guess not," Percy sighed wearily. "By the way, where is the goat boy?"

Luke yawned loudly. He was sleepy, and Percy couldn't blame him, since he was on the last watch until he got up. The previous watch had been done by Annabeth, as she always had trouble falling asleep, so she usually did the first watch until about 2 a.m. and then woke up the next person to watch until dawn.

"Grover went to sleep in the woods," Luke said, pointing to a small forest that stretched along a road where they'd parked the car. "He said he felt more comfortable sleeping in the 'wild', whatever that means."

Percy just shook his head. About a week had passed since his encounter with the food-stealing satyr. A week since they had left the cyclops' lair with Luke's new weapon. A week since he had discovered the existence of the so-called 'Camp Half-Blood'. And a week of Grover's constant nagging, trying to convince them to go to this mysterious camp of demigods.

"Do you think what he says is true?" Luke asked. "Is there really a camp for people like us? Where can we be safe?"

Skepticism crept into Luke's voice, and again, Percy couldn't blame him. They had both lived on the streets for a few years. Percy more than him. Trusting the word of a stranger was not something that kept you alive. Even Percy and Luke hadn't trusted each other until a few months later, at first they had only worked together because they both benefited from each other. Until a beautiful non-gay friendship blossomed.

"I don't know," Percy admitted. "It sounds too good to be true. And good things are never free, they always come with a price."

Luke nodded, sharing his point of view.

"I thought the same thing." He looked at the trees where Percy assumed Grover was. "Why is he showing up now? Why not before? We've both been on the road for years, but we've never seen another satyr or heard of this secret camp."

"There is a possibility that he is deceiving us. He is trying to get us to trust him and then lure us into a trap. I've faced a lot of monsters that act like that," Percy said.

"But it wouldn't hurt to take a look at this 'Camp Half-Blood'. Maybe it's the answer to all our problems. We can find others like us and stop looking over our shoulders. Sounds like a good life, doesn't it?"

Percy didn't want to say it, but he didn't share the same hope as his friend. He didn't want to say it because of Luke's excited and hopeful voice. His friend has not been living on the streets as long as he has, so it was to be expected that he would have hope of finding a way out. A light at the end of the tunnel. But Percy, in his skepticism forged by years of living in the streets, couldn't see that.

"Yeah... that sounds great," Percy agreed, but he didn't convey his doubt. "But stay alert. If we want to get to that place, I wouldn't be surprised if we find more monsters than usual that prevent us from reaching the camp."

Luke nodded understandingly. He was thinking the same thing.

"I'll keep that in mind. Anyway, what are you going to do before the girls wake up? I hope it's nothing dangerous and stupid like you always do."

Percy chuckled.

"Today is a special day," Percy said. "And so I am going to do something special. I'm going to go into town. I'll do a few things and be back in a few hours."

Luke raised his eyebrow curiously, but didn't question Percy or anything. When you were in a group as special as they were, it was important that everyone had their own space or time. He had that too... sometimes.

"Fare thee well," Luke said with a wave of his hand. "Just make sure you come back in one piece or the girls will kill me."

"Yeah, don't worry," Percy said as he walked toward the town a few miles away. "I'm the picture of caution. How do you think I managed to survive all these years?"

'He's got a point,' Luke thought as he watched Percy walk to the side of the road.

---

It took him only a little over thirty minutes to reach the city. The sun had peeked over the horizon by the time he arrived.

As he walked, the sidewalks beginning to fill with morning joggers on their way to work or school, he couldn't help but think that he was comfortable with a familiar sight. The same streets full of people, full of themselves, full of confidence and ambition. The same polluted air that plagued the city and hit you in the face like a punch from Mike Tyson. And as he looked down one of the alleys, he could see the shadows shift and begin to form a shape that Percy knew all too well.

'Hellhounds,' Percy thought as he unconsciously reached for his knife in the back of his jeans. 'Great. Anyway, I needed to vent. And what better way to start the day than by killing a bunch of monsters?'

His fingers trembled with anticipation and his heart began to beat faster at the thought of battle. A defiant smile spread across his lips as he walked towards the alley.

'One... two... Only three?' Percy thought slightly disappointed. 'Never mind, it will be good to stretch the muscles.'

With stealth and speed, Percy entered the dark alley. The buildings were so tall that he looked as if he had come back at night. Dirt and grime clung to the walls, and the humidity made the air heavy. But that faded into the background as Percy focused on the place where the shadows seemed to gather and be darkest.

The three hellhounds were huddled over something Percy couldn't see, but when they heard the sound of approaching footsteps, they looked up and gave a guttural growl as they recognized him.

"Firulays, Fyfy, Fydo, how many times have I told you not to run in the streets? It's dangerous, there could be some really ugly monsters out there," Percy said as he pulled the knife out of him, causing the hellhounds to growl as they recognized what he was made of. "Now I must punish you... very severely."

With a bark of defiance, the three charged at Percy, who wasted no time waiting for them. He moved quickly toward the first hellhound that had lunged at him, claws outstretched. Percy dodged the claws at the last second, and with one sure motion, plunged his knife into the creature's neck, disintegrating it in a cloud of dust.

The second hellhound, a few seconds behind, couldn't react in time as Percy kicked it in the chest like a soccer ball. The monster crashed into a garbage can with a loud thud, leaving a small dent in it. Taking advantage of his outstretched leg, Percy drew the bronze dagger he kept in his boot, turned, and threw it at the third hellhound that tried to attack him from behind. The dagger struck right between its eyes, killing the monster and turning it to dust.

Percy walked over and picked up the dagger that had fallen to the ground. Since Luke had gotten a sword from his father, he had given him the dagger he had received from Hal, saying that it should be wielded by someone who knew how.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the last hellhound begin to stand shakily. He tightened his grip on the dagger as the hound lunged at him again. The monster didn't even see Percy throw the dagger, which impaled its head with accuracy and speed honed by years of practice. The monster exploded into a cloud of dust before falling to the ground.

"Well, that was easy," Percy sighed.

As he picked up his dagger and sheathed it in his boot, he realized why the monsters were huddled together and raised an eyebrow in curiosity. On the side of an old garbage can, he found the much smaller but unmistakable shape of a hellhound. It was so small that Percy could have mistaken it for a normal dog, but one look at its red eyes and its body, which seemed to want to blend into the shadows of the alley, gave it away as a hellhound.

"Wow... this is the first time I've seen a hellhound this small," Percy commented to himself.

Usually the hellhounds he encountered were the size of tigers, like the one he had just killed, cars, and even the size of a garbage truck. He had never seen one as small as the one in front of him.

The hound... or hellhound, gave him a frightened look as it tried and failed to get away from him. Looking closer at its body, Percy could see that its front leg had a nasty cut that almost reached its body, causing it to limp weakly. He recognized that kind of injury.

"So those hellhounds from earlier attacked you," Percy said.

The little hellhound gave a pitiful whimper as it lowered its head and licked its wound. Percy sighed wearily and put his knife down. It was the first time he felt a little sorry for a monster, a hellhound no less.

"It's... okay. I won't kill you if you're hurt and can't even defend yourself."

The hellhound looked up as if it understood and gave him a weak bark, perhaps in thanks or understanding, Percy didn't know. He turned and started to leave the dark alley, he had to go to some shops to buy some things and for that he had to 'accidentally' bump into some people. It would take a few hours to get the money he needed.

As Percy walked down the sidewalk, he became aware that he was being followed. Maybe it was just his imagination, but when he turned around, he could see that the same wounded hellhound was following him. As he looked at it, the hellhound stopped and sat on its hind legs, barking at him while its tail wagged happily.

Percy had a hard time imagining it like its other relatives, huge and fierce. With a viciousness and bloodlust that Percy had come to associate with them. But the hellhound before him had none of that, it could almost pass for a normal dog, the size of a full-grown Saint Bernard. Even its face resembled one.

"Why are you following me?" Percy asked, as if the hellhound could understand him. But judging by the small glimmer of intelligence in its eyes, maybe it could. "You know we are enemies, right? I killed those hellhounds from before, and I killed hundreds more. That is the relationship between your kind and mine."

The hellhound gave a few happy barks, as if it didn't care. It approached Percy and stood on its hind legs while its front legs rested on Percy's body. Its tail wagged happily all the time.

"You are strange. I've never seen a hellhound like you before," Percy said, and received a bark from the dog. "You're not going to suddenly attack me, are you?"

The hellhound barked happily at him again. It stretched out a bit and began to lick Percy's face enthusiastically, making him laugh.

"Okay, okay. I get it," he said, gently brushing the dog away from his face.

Tentatively, he reached up and stroked the hound behind its ears, causing the hellhound to stick out its tongue and wag its tail even faster.

"You're strange," he repeated, chuckling. "And I guess that's why I like you. Come on, boy." The hellhound gave him a disapproving whimper. "Uh... girl?" it... she barked at him excitedly. "Okay Mrs. I hope you like the company of two adorable girls, a punk girl, a goat boy and a hormonal boy. But don't worry, they're good. Please don't try to eat them."

As he walked down the sidewalk in search of the things he had come to buy, accompanied by a supernatural being, Percy couldn't help but laugh at himself.

'This is indeed a special day. I just got a hellhound. And it's a female. I'm all gallant.'

---

Thalia took an angry bite out of her ham sandwich. She brought the bottle of water to her mouth and took a deep gulp, not caring that some dripped down her chin.

"Where was that idiot?" she snapped as she finished the water before attacking her sandwich again.

Luke, who was sitting on a stump across from her, quietly eating his peanut butter sandwich, replied,

"Thalia...this is the fifth time you've asked in the last hour," Luke replied with what little patience he had left. "And the answer is still the same, I don't know. He went into town and said he'd be back in a few hours."

"Well, I'm worried! How do we know he hasn't gotten into trouble?"

"I'm sure Percy can handle it," Annabeth commented, taking a bite out of her veggie sandwich. She insisted on eating it, claiming that she was growing and needed as many nutrients as possible. Children of Athena, always worrying about the details.

"Yes! Percy won't lose to anyone!" Sammy exclaimed excitedly. "Not even you, who have a sword!" she said, pointing at Luke. "And not even you, who have a shield as ugly as your face!" She finished, pointing at Thalia.

"What did you say, brat?" Thalia shouted and stood up abruptly. "Repeat it if you have the courage!"

"It's your face that scares the monsters, not your shield!" Sammy shouted before running off as she roared with laughter.

"You'll see when I get you!"

Thalia ran after her, ready to catch the elusive mortal who laughed loudly at her anger.

"Are they always like this?" asked a new voice, shy and a little frightened.

Grover stumbled out of the bushes. He was still wearing the same clothes as a week ago, only a little cleaner. Looking at him closely, he looked like any boy entering his teens, the acne that was beginning to adorn his face was proof of that.

"Sammy's always looking to upset someone, and Thalia's always the most temperamental of us," Luke explained, not giving him a second glance or stopping to eat his sandwich. The only way he could interrupt his meal was if they were under attack.

"Yes, the sons of Zeus are always temperamental. It's in their nature," Grover said, sitting down on a stump a bit away from the others.

"Do you know any?" Annabeth asked, always curious.

"No, I have never met a son of Zeus, but I have heard stories about them. The last children of the Big Three were born over fifty years ago, and... let's just say it didn't end very well."

"What happened?" Luke asked, curious about the conversation.

"World War II, that's what happened," Grover said, his tone somber. "It was mostly a brawl between the children of the Big Three, and we all know it wasn't very pretty."

"Oh..." was all they could say.

"No, Thalia, let go of me! You'll make me bald!" Sammy yelled in protest.

"I won't. Let's see if we can learn some respect this way, brat," Thalia said with a mischievous smile. She had Sammy in a tight grip as she smacked her on the head.

"You're not the best person to teach me respect!" Sammy shouted, trying in vain to break free of her grip.

They all shared a laugh before Grover scowled and abruptly stood up from his stump, catching everyone's attention.

"Grover, what's wrong...?" Annabeth began.

"A monster..." Grover said softly as he sniffed the air. "It's coming..."

"What?! Where?!" Thalia said, releasing Sammy and pulling her safely behind her as she held her spray can, ready to release her spear.

"Over there, but... it's not alone..."

Before they could ask him what he meant, the bushes in front of them began to rustle, making everyone alert, but that feeling disappeared as quickly as it appeared when they saw Percy emerge from the bushes. He was carrying a new dark green backpack on his back as he calmly ate a bag of chips, though he almost slipped out of his hands at the alertness of his friends with their weapons drawn.

"Hey guys, what's up...? Whoa, calm down! Where is the fire?" Percy said, holding up a hand to calm them down.

For five seconds no one said anything. They just stared like idiots until Thalia broke the silence.

"Percy, damn it! Where the hell were you?"

"Uh... well... I was..."

"WOOF!"

"Percy, behind you!" Luke yelled in alarm.

They all watched as a hellhound emerged from the bushes, but it did so quietly, and it was... small, like a normal dog. It even stuck out its tongue and wagged its tail happily as it sat on its hind legs next to Percy. One of its legs was completely wrapped in bandages, which they found curious.

"WOOF!" It barked again, energetically.

"A... Hellhound?" Thalia asked, doubtfully and cautiously.

"Yes, it is," Grover assured her as he ducked behind Luke. "Why isn't it attacking us?"

"It's because she is grown quite fond of me," Percy explained with a smile as he stroked the hellhound's head, much to the astonishment of those present. "Isn't that right, Mrs. O'Leary?"

"WOOF!" The hound barked at him, her tail wagging happily.

"Mrs. O'Leary? Did you give it a name?" Thalia asked incredulously.

"Everyone needs a name, Thalia. And don't call her 'it'. She doesn't like it. Now come closer. I have gifts for all of you."

"Gifts?!" Sammy exclaimed excitedly.

Percy gave her a friendly smile as he sat down on a stump and put his new backpack on the ground. From the sound it made, there were several things inside. Everyone had forgotten about the hellhound curled up at Percy's feet.

"Of course. I haven't forgotten what day it is."

"What day is today?" Annabeth asked. "It's Saturday."

"Ask Sammy," Percy said with an amused smile. "She knows the answer very well."

"Sammy, what day is...?"

"Today is Saturday, August 9th!" Sammy exclaimed as she walked over and hugged Percy. "It's my birthday! Percy, you didn't forget! You're the best!"

Percy returned the hug with a hand.

"Of course I didn't forget. I even brought presents for everyone."

"For everyone?" Luke asked a little uncomfortably. "But Percy..."

"My birthday is over," Annabeth said, a little depressed.

"And mine is a long way off," Thalia said.

"No one really thought much of it," Luke said. "There are more important things than celebrating the day we were born."

"Like surviving the monsters?" Percy asked rhetorically. "I... I understand very well what it means to fight to survive day after day, but... What's the point of surviving if you don't appreciate the little things in life? A good meal, a conversation with the people you care about, a sincere hug, watching the sunrise... although I do appreciate those things," he laughed awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head. "Sammy likes gifts. And since today is her birthday, what better time to give it to her than now?"

Percy reached into his backpack and rummaged around for a few seconds until he pulled out a box wrapped in gift paper.

"Happy birthday, Sammy. You're twelve-years-old now, and you're about to enter your teens, so good luck with that!"

"Yeah, it's not nice at all," Thalia grumbled. "I'm still having a hard time getting used to all this shit."

"It's not that bad," Luke said with a reassuring smile.

"You're just saying that because you're a man. You don't know what we women suffer."

"What do we suffer?" Sammy asked innocently.

"That's a topic for another time," Percy said, changing the subject. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a small wrapped object about the size of a cell phone and held it out to Luke. "I think you'll like this."

"Percy, I..." Luke started, not knowing what to say.

"Thank me later. Now, next."

He pulled out another wrapped package, this one a little wider than the others, and handed it to Annabeth, who looked stunned between him and the gift.

"I know this is your style, and you'll like it."

"I... I..." She didn't know what to say, the stammering as she spoke and the blush on her cheeks made her look incredibly adorable. In the end, she settled for saying "Thank you" in a choked voice.

"Consider this my apology for not doing anything on your birthday. I didn't know," he told her with an apologetic smile. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a small box, no bigger than his fist. "Well, Thalia. It was hard to find a present for you, because you like weird stuff..."

"Hey!"

"... But I think I found something that will fit you perfectly. And fits with the things you enjoy. So it's a bonus."

Thalia took the small box with trembling hands and pressed it tightly to her chest.

"Thank you, Percy," she said with a warm smile.

He gave her a wry grin before reaching into his backpack one last time.

"And don't think I've forgotten about you, goat boy."

"M-me?" Grover asked hesitantly, pointing at himself. "Are you sure? I... I've only been with you a week, and I've already eaten your saved food!" he finished, followed by a pitiful bleat before covering his mouth in embarrassment.

They all laughed, but Luke could tell that Percy's smile was forced. It was the same smile he had when he was forced to talk to a mortal; a fake smile.

Faker than Mia Khalifa's breasts.

"I didn't want you to feel left out in any way," Percy said, handing him a wrapped package. "Very well... Now, open it!"

Immediately, the sound of ripping paper filled the small clearing they were in, followed by gasps of surprise and appreciation, but a scream louder than Sammy's excited squeak.

"It's... It's... It's a camera!" she shouted excitedly, jumping up and down where she was standing.

"Not just any camera," Percy said, boasting. "It's an instant camera. The moment you take a picture, the camera prints it."

"Percy, you are the best!" Sammy yelled, lunging at Percy and wrapping her hands around his neck.

Next to react was Annabeth, who gasped in surprise when she saw her gift. She immediately recognized it from the image printed on the box.

"A chessboard!" she said, her gray eyes sparkling with excitement. "I've always wanted one, but... I don't know how to play," she finished, slightly depressed.

Percy just gave her a comforting smile and stroked the top of her head.

"Then it's lucky that I do know how to play," he said.

The sparkle returned to Annabeth's eyes and she looked at him hopefully.

"Would you teach me?"

Percy chuckled.

"Of course." Then he turned to Luke, who had unwrapped his present and was looking curiously at a playing card. "As a son of Hermes, I thought you should know how to trick people. What better way than to play poker? I made a lot of my money playing poker in killer bars. These are laminated cards, so they will last you for several years."

"Percy, I..." Luke looked at Percy, then at the cards, not knowing what to say, his lips trembling slightly. "I... I don't know how to play poker."

Percy just laughed, good-natured.

"Then I'll teach you," he said when he finished laughing. "Wow, who would have thought he would make me a teacher? Fortunately, I don't have to teach you anything, Thalia. What do you think?"

Thalia didn't answer him right away, as she appreciated the gift Percy had given her. Inside a small box was a pair of skull earrings. Nothing too fancy, but Thalia found a certain elegance in them.

"Percy, this is..." she began, feeling a strange lump in her throat and a warm feeling in her stomach as she spoke. "It's... really cool."

Percy scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed if the slight blush on his cheeks meant anything.

"I know they're not the best presents, but I wanted to give everyone something. And I thought you might like..."

"And we love them!" Luke said quickly. "It's just... it's the first time anyone other than my parents has given me anything. It's the first time a friend has given me something, so I feel a little... overwhelmed."

Thalia and Annabeth nodded in agreement, still looking gratefully at Percy.

"Even I can't help but be grateful," Grover said, attracting everyone's attention with his new rasta cap that hid his curly brown hair and gave him a hippie look. "By the way, I like the color combination, but... why a cap? It's not that I'm ungrateful or anything! It's just curiosity."

"Well, because of your horns," Percy said, raising an eyebrow. "I think you'd draw too much attention if mortals saw little horns sprouting from your head."

Grover blushed and tried to hide behind his new cap, causing everyone to laugh in amusement.

At that moment, as Grover stammered incoherently and everyone laughed at him as they tried to calm the agitated satyr, Percy smiled wistfully and sadly, but his eyes gleamed with determination.

This was what he was fighting for. The reason he didn't give up day after day. The smiles and happiness of his friends. His well-being and safety, he would make sure they survived this hell.

Even if it cost him his own life, as Hal had predicted.

---

Have you ever woken up with a goat's hoof in front of you when you opened your eyes?

No?

Well, then you don't know what it was like for Luke to suddenly wake up from his little nap. He was sleeping on the hard ground of a forest in... he didn't even know where the hell they were. All he knew was that they were somewhere in Ohio, on their way to upstate New York, Long Island to be exact.

Grover, who was lying next to him, showing him his dirty hooves, followed by his hairy legs of which he was proud, had been leading them on foot for the last two days. Two days since Sammy's birthday, and one day since their car had broken down due to lack of maintenance.

But he hadn't gotten up because of Grover's smelly feet, but because of a scream. A scream of terror that Luke knew all too well.

He immediately got up and walked out of his little tent. As he left, his eyes widened in surprise and fear. Fear not of himself, but of the situation he found when he left the tent.

He could see Thalia with her spear and shield unfurled. A look of complete rage was on her face as flashes of electricity shot from her body.

A few feet in front of them, Luke saw a figure looming over them. Its lower body was long, thick and covered in deep green scales; the body of a snake. It was the upper part that amazed him, it was that of a woman, slender and what many would consider desirable, but that beauty ended when you saw her face. What should have been a serene and beautiful face was a disturbed one, full of madness. Her eyes were wide open, with pronounced black marks around them, as if she had never blinked. It was a rather frightening sight, but that didn't matter when Luke saw who she had trapped in her arms.

"Annabeth!" Luke shouted, concern in his voice.

"Luke! Thalia!" Annabeth screamed in fear. "Please help...!"

"Silence, child!" snapped the monster in a hissing voice, as if a snake had learned human speech. "Be quiet, and I may consider not eating you alive."

"You will die if you don't put her down right now!" Thalia screamed, filled with rage as electricity sparked through her body.

"Oh, but what do we have here?" she asked, looking appreciatively at Thalia and Luke. "A couple of demigods, and you're all such cute kids! So... appetizing. And a child of Zeus! You know? I used to go out with your daddy... Until that bitch Hera got jealous and envious of my beauty and turned me into this! Now I just can't resist demigod flesh when I see it..."

She opened her mouth and a long, forked tongue like a snake came out. She ran her tongue over Annabeth's face, who flinched at the contact.

"No doubt you will be a delicacy, but unfortunately I don't have time for you."

"Then release Annabeth and go! Leave us alone!" Luke shouted at her. His hand tightly gripped his caduceus pendant, ready to release Backbiter.

"Oh, why would I do that when she's my ticket out?" she asked as she caressed Annabeth's face with her long fingers.

Luke felt a little uncomfortable looking at this strange monster. Her eyes were wide open, and she never blinked, like a predator waiting for the right moment to pounce on her prey.

"What the hell do you mean?" Thalia asked. Her eyes subtly scanned the area. She seemed to be searching for something or someone.

It was then that Luke realized something. Where were Percy and Sammy? They weren't in the tent, and they weren't anywhere in the clearing. He wanted them to be here. Percy always found a way out of a desperate situation.

"You'll find out soon enough," the snake woman hissed hatefully.

Thalia and Luke looked at her, feeling strange that the snake woman was looking past them. They both turned around, but saw nothing but a group of trees and bushes that were silent.

'Wait... Silence?' Luke thought. 'If there's one thing I've learned, it's that the forest is never quiet unless...'

The sound of a hiss brought him out of his thoughts as he watched a thin, elongated object slash through the air until it landed in front of the snake woman's feet, or tail. Those present identified it as a silver arrow. The snake woman backed up erratically and fearfully toward a tree, Annabeth still trapped in her arms.

"Damn hunters!" the snake woman growled, venom dripping from her voice. "Always sticking your disgusting noses where you don't belong!"

"The only disgusting thing here is your very existence," a new voice said, coming from where the arrow had emerged.

Luke watched as a group of similarly dressed people emerged from the forest; white shirts with silver jackets, silver camouflage pants, and black combat boots. A group of girls; a dozen or so. They held bows with arrows aimed at the only monster present. They surrounded her in a deadly semicircle, pinning her against a tree.

"Release the young maiden," demanded one of the girls, who seemed to be the leader. If the silver tiara around her head meant anything.

If he looked up the meaning of 'beauty' in the dictionary, Luke was sure he would find a picture of this girl. She was tall and graceful. She had silky black hair braided over her shoulder. Flawless copper skin and hard, cold black eyes. Everything about her, from her posture to her expression, radiated elegance and mortality.

"If you don't want this innocent girl to drown in her own blood, stand back!" the snake woman said, bringing her long, sharp nails to Annabeth's exposed neck.

The beautiful girl's face scrunched up in conflict. She obviously wanted to kill the monster, but she didn't want Annabeth to get hurt.

"Put down your weapons!" she ordered the other girls, gritting her teeth in frustration.

"But, Zoë...!" another protested, reluctant to lower her bow.

"Hush, Phoebe!" Zoë hissed with a stern look. "I will not endanger a young maiden. Lower your bow, it is an order from your lieutenant."

Reluctantly, Phoebe lowered her bow, but she still had the arrow ready to fire at the slightest opening.

"My lady will not let this threat pass," Zoe said, her voice cold as ice, which, though not directed at him, sent a shiver down Luke's spine.

"I'm not afraid of that pathetic excuse for a goddess," the snake woman hissed mockingly, causing all the girls to tense and stare at her. "I'm not afraid of anyone...! AGGGHHHRRR!"

The snake woman screamed in pain as something lodged itself in her left shoulder, causing the arm holding Annabeth to drop limply, freeing the girl.

A black blur shot out of the bushes and grabbed Annabeth, pulling her away from the writhing snake woman. Luke recognized Mrs. O'Leary with Sammy on her back. The hellhound was holding Annabeth by the hood of her sweatshirt as if she were some kind of puppy.

"Mrs. O'Leary, good girl!" Thalia said as the hound walked up to her and gently released Annabeth. She earned a pat behind the ears from Sammy and a pat behind the ear from Thalia, causing her tail to wag happily.

Another loud howl of pain caught the attention of those present. Everyone watched as both of the snake woman's arms fell limply to the sides of her body.

"What...?!" Phoebe exclaimed in disbelief as she readied her bow and arrow.

She didn't have time to fire when something landed on the snake woman's shoulders, knocking her to the ground and brutally smashing her face into the ground as the back of her head was grabbed. There was a sound of something breaking and the earth trembled slightly under their feet, causing everyone to focus on not losing their balance.

A lone figure towered over the fallen monster, planting both feet on the snake woman's shoulders and roughly grabbing her tangled, filthy hair, forcing her to look up, exposing her neck and face, which was bruised due to the heavy blow, with a broken nose and several teeth knocked out.

"So you were going to let Annabeth drown in her own blood, huh?" Percy said in a cold voice.

With his free hand, he ripped out the object lodged in the snake woman's shoulder, cutting and disabling her arm and causing her to scream in pain. He placed the object on her exposed neck, revealing a knife made of monster fangs.

"I think it only fair that I kill you the same way..."

"Wait!" pleaded the snake woman with an expression of utter fear on her blood-stained face. "Please no...!"

Her pleas fell on deaf ears as the knife sliced across her neck from side to side. A gurgling sound escaped the snake woman's mouth as she choked on her own blood.

Thalia and Luke blindfolded Sammy and Annabeth as the snake woman died and then exploded in a cloud of dust, leaving nothing but a still warm bloodstain on the floor.

Zoë, Phoebe, and the other girls watched with wide eyes as the snake woman met her demise, until they saw the killer, and all of them raised their bows and arrows again as a sign of caution.

"You!" Zoë spat, with recognition in her voice.

But despite that she didn't lower her bow and looked cautiously at Percy, ready to fire her arrow if he turned out to be a threat.

No... he is already a threat. Zoe knew that all too well.

Despite being surrounded by more than a dozen girls with bows and arrows pointed directly at him, Percy remained unperturbed, studying them with a cold stare. When his green eyes landed on Zoe, there was a glint of recognition in them, but he quickly ignored it as he turned to look at Annabeth. All traces of coldness disappeared and were replaced by concern.

"Annabeth, are you all right?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, just... a little scared," Annabeth confessed, her voice shaking.

Percy walked over to her, still under the wary and distrustful gaze of the girls with bows and arrows, and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Percy said, his voice soothing. "The monster is gone."

"Thank you for... saving me."

"I think someone else deserves the thanks, don't you?"

Annabeth arched an eyebrow in confusion until something nudged her gently. She looked to her side and there was Mrs. O'Leary, looking at her expectantly. She smiled at her and patted her head gently. Before, she had been a little afraid to be around the hellhound, but she had shown herself to be very kind to her, and now she had just saved her, so she had earned her affection.

"That's... a hellhound!" one of the girls exclaimed, paying more attention to the dog. Quickly, she raised her bow and drew an arrow.

"No! Don't hurt her!" Sammy defended her, stepping protectively in front of Mrs. O'Leary. "She's done nothing wrong! She's a good girl!"

"It's a monster! It's dangerous!" Phoebe argued this time, drawing her bow.

"She's with us," Luke said, also shielding Mrs. O'Leary. "She's not dangerous. She's our partner."

"Partner?" Phoebe inquired, mockery evident in her voice. "Of course, only a male would claim a monster as a mate. After all, monsters tend to hang out together."

That comment bothered Luke, and he scowled and tightened his grip on his sword.

"What the hell does that mean?" he asked, growing more and more irritated.

"Typical retarded man," she snorted amused, although there was a malicious edge to her voice.

"What's your fucking problem?" he snapped at her roughly and took a step forward.

Phoebe stepped forward as well, glaring at Luke with barely concealed hatred.

"My problem is you and everyone in your class, boys," she spat out the last word in disgust.

"Do you hate me just because I am a boy?" Luke asked. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life!"

"Enough!" two voices shouted in unison.

Everyone looked in surprise at Zoё and Percy, who spoke at the same time. They both looked at each other and raised an eyebrow as a sign of curiosity, in Zoё's case more as a sign of annoyance, but they didn't say anything. They just approached Phoebe and Luke, who seemed to be about to disembowel each other.

"Control your temper, Phoebe," Zoë admonished. "We are not here to incite anyone, regardless of whether he is a dunce boy or not."

The demigods looked at her strangely at her choice of words, but the hunters simply rolled their eyes at their lieutenant's words, as if it was a common occurrence.

"What... what did she tell me?" Luke asked, torn between intrigue and annoyance.

"Never mind," Percy said with a weary sigh. "Just... don't provoke them. Especially if their leader is around."

Luke looked at his friend in confusion. Judging by his reaction, he seemed to know that group of girls.

"Listen to your friend, he seems to be more wise than you," a new voice said.

They all turned to see a new person emerge from the bushes. It was a girl. She was about twelve-years-old. Her bright auburn hair was pulled back into a ponytail, a few strands framing her face, which was of such sublime beauty that it took your breath away, and she had a serious and incredibly threatening expression. But it was her eyes that caught Luke's attention, they were a brilliant silver-yellow. He compared them to a full moon shining on a dark night.

The moment she entered the clearing, the air itself seemed to change. It became heavier. Her very presence seemed to force you to bow down before her.

Everyone was alerted. The girls immediately lowered their bows and struck a professional pose, bows pressed against their bodies.

Zoë, who had been scolding Phoebe, dropped to one knee and bowed her head in respect and submission.

"My lady," she greeted. "I didn't expect you so soon."

The girl Zoё called her lady nodded in acknowledgement.

"The information I was given was too vague. False at worst," she said, her tone reflecting her annoyance. "The monster we seek is still unaccounted for, but that won't stop us from our current hunt. I assume you've already dealt with the elusive Lamia."

A sour scowl graced Zoё's beautiful features before she replied:

"The Lamia has met her demise, my lady, but... it was not by our hands."

A slight expression of curiosity graced the auburn haired girl's features.

"Oh, who did it?" she asked.

"It was... a boy," she replied, frowning.

The girl turned to look at Percy. Her bright eyes seemed to look deep into his soul, but he didn't flinch. She approached with grace and elegance, but Percy likened it to a tiger slowly approaching a rabbit.

"It seems that our paths have met again," said the girl.

"Not because I wanted," he replied.

The girl's eyes narrowed slightly, her eyes colder and brighter than the moon in winter.

"I see that you still retain your insolence. The punishment I meted out to you last time doesn't seem to have tempered that" her gaze then settled on his blood-stained blade and then on the spot where the monster had been, where nothing remained but a pile of golden dust. "And apparently you've gone back to your old ways. You have taken the prey from my hunters. A deadly and elusive prey that took us weeks to find."

"This 'prey' of yours kidnapped and threatened my friend," Percy said, undeterred by the girl's look and tone. "That was more than enough reason to kill her. No matter who or what she was."

"That happened?" the girl asked, looking at Zoё and receiving a grudging nod of confirmation from her.

"Who are you?" Thalia interjected. Her spear and shield returned to their spay can and bracelet form. This girl and Percy knew each other. And although there was some tension between them, there was no hostility.

The girl looked at her and her expression softened a bit.

"I'm not an enemy, if that's what you're worried about."

"Well, it doesn't look like it," Luke muttered.

The girl didn't hear him, or more likely, she ignored him.

"The group of female hunters accompanying me, along with the purpose of hunting monsters, should give you a clue."

Thalia frowned in thought, but found no answer. Her knowledge of the Greek mythological world was not very extensive. That wasn't her specialty, it was anime and punk music.

"An all-girl group... don't like men... hunt monsters," Annabeth muttered to herself until her face lit up with recognition, and she looked at the girl with a new light in her eyes. "You mean you are...! You are...!" she stammered quickly.

"It seems you have found the answer, my young maiden," the girl said with a small smile that faded as quickly as it had appeared. "I am Artemis, goddess of the hunt, the moon, the wilderness, chastity, virginity and maidens. And these are my hunters."

A deadly silence fell over the small clearing. Everyone looked in surprise at the little girl who was now known as the goddess Artemis. No one noticed the little rabbit that entered the clearing and then ran away when it saw the number of people in one place.

The first person to break the silence was Luke, with a very clever answer.

"Well... Shit..."

"That's a lot of titles," Sammy commented. "That's great!"

"As expected of an Olympian goddess," Annabeth said, admiring the goddess before her.

"A goddess... A loli goddess?" Thalia said incredulously.

"I'm not familiar with the term 'loli'," Artemis said, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "If you're curious about my appearance, I can take on many forms, but this is the one I prefer. It's the age of my hunters and all the young maidens."

"No, it's just... this is the first time I've seen a god face to face, an Olympian goddess no less!" Thalia exclaimed in surprise. She then turned to look at Percy. "And you know her! How?! Why didn't you ever tell us?!"

Percy scratched the back of his head and looked away uncomfortably.

"Our first meeting wasn't very... pleasant," he said.

"Maybe not for you, but I found it... fun," said Artemis.

There was a glint of amusement in her eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Seeing that only made Percy feel annoyed.

"Of course it would be for you," he mumbled under his breath before looking at his friends. "I met her and her hunters in Manhattan... one year ago?"

"One year, three months and twelve days," said Artemis, surprising everyone with her accuracy. Seeing the look on everyone's face, she decided to clarify. "I am a goddess. My memory is perfect. Now, since the monster we hunted is dead, we must..." Her gaze wandered to the side and she seemed slightly surprised. "A hellhound?"

"WOOF!" Mrs. O'Leary barked at her, animatedly, her tail fluttering.

"She's grown quite fond of us," Annabeth reported. "Especially with Percy."

"This is the first time in all my millennia of life that I have seen one tamed," said Artemis in a fascinated tone. She studied the hellhound as an object she had never seen before.

"Did you hear that, chief?" Thalia asked, giving Percy a friendly tap on the shoulder, causing him to stumble. "You did something no one else has done in the history of mankind. Be proud, damn it!"

Percy just chuckled slightly in embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head.

Artemis looked at Percy for a moment.

"Very interesting indeed, but we can talk later," Artemis said, then turned to her lieutenant. "Zoë, we'll be here for a few hours. Put up the tents. You haven't rested properly for days, searching for the Lamia."

"So much hard work for nothing," Zoё sighed, giving Percy an annoyed look before turning to Artemis and bowing slightly. "As you wish, my lady."

"As for you three." Artemis turned to the girls in the group. "Will you accompany me? I wish to speak with you," although it was a request, it ended up sounding more like a demand.

The three girls looked at each other, weighing their options. They didn't have much to decide, a goddess, an Olympian, asking - demanding - to talk to them. They all came to the same conclusion: it was better not to push their luck.

With a shrug, the three of them followed Artemis and Zoë toward the group of hunters who were beginning to pitch their tents, leaving behind two confused boys and a very happy supernatural dog.

"I don't like them," Luke commented as he looked suspiciously at the group of girls who were completely ignoring them.

"You don't have to," Percy said with a shrug. "As long as they don't endanger us or attack us, they can do whatever they want. I don't care. I have more important things to do."

"Oh, yeah? Like what?" he asked skeptically.

Percy pulled the backpack off his back and pulled out three dead rabbits by their ears. All three had a deep cut on their heads, as if something had been embedded there. It seemed that Percy had been practicing knife throwing with the small animals.

"I have to skin these rabbits to eat. How about I show you how to do it? It's always useful to know these things."

---

In just a few minutes, the hunters had set up a medium-sized camp. Seven large silver-colored tents arranged in a crescent around a campfire. Compared to the big, fancy tents of the hunters, Percy and Luke's looked like a homeless person's tent.

In the last tent, which seemed no different from the others, was the goddess Artemis and her lieutenant Zoë. Both of them were sitting in front of a golden brazier where a small fire was burning, sending a comforting warmth throughout the place. At any other time, Thalia would have been amazed and fascinated by how the fire seemed to burn without anything to burn, or how the fire gave off no smoke. But she couldn't take her eyes off the shimmering silver-yellow orbs of the goddess Artemis. The proposal she had made to her hung in the air like a foul odor or a very pleasant one, depending on one's point of view.

"You... you want me to join the hunt?" Thalia asked, confused.

Artemis nodded, not taking her eyes off of Thalia. She implied the seriousness of the situation.

"You are a powerful demigoddess, Thalia. A daughter of Zeus. That makes you my sister, in a way," Artemis said. "You will be a great addition to the hunt. My hunters follow me on my adventures. They are my servants, my companions, my sisters in arms. If you want a more appropriate term, we are like a big family. We support each other in everything. The success of one is the success of all. And the sorrows of one are the sorrows of all."

Thalia fell silent, pondering the goddess' words. Her eyes glazed over as she thought of a faraway place.

Recognizing Thalia's pensive state, Artemis turned to Annabeth and Sammy.

"My proposal extends to you as well. I can see that each of you is special, in your own way. And that is exactly what I look for in my hunters."

"But, I... I'm not a demigod," Sammy said in a low tone. "I'm not powerful like Thalia, and I'm not smart and cunning like Annabeth. I... I'm just a mortal."

Zoё looked at the little girl sympathetically.

"You don't have to be a demigod to achieve great things. Our best trapper, Lizbeth, is a mortal. If I didn't know her, I'd say she was a daughter of Athena because of her wit. She's capable of killing a cyclops without lifting a finger," she said proudly. "Lady Artemis and the hunt don't discriminate against anyone because of their birth. All who honor the goddess can join us. Demigod, nymphs, mortals..."

"There is no discrimination in a true family," Artemis said solemnly.

That seemed to touch a sensitive nerve with all three girls. Each of them had left home because of a broken family. A family that didn't care about them and had abandoned them.

"I can see you haven't had an easy life," Artemis continued. "I can change that. I am offering you the opportunity to leave everything behind and join me forever on my travels around the world."

"Forever?" Thalia asked.

"The hunters are immortal," Annabeth explained to the astonishment of both girls. "Once they swear allegiance to the goddess Artemis, they become immortal. Unless they die in battle or..."

Their eyes widened in wonder and surprise.

"You are perceptive. You truly are a daughter of Athena," Artemis congratulated, bringing a slight blush to Annabeth's cheeks. "There are only two ways for a hunter to lose her immortality. To fall in battle, which is highly unlikely, or to break her vows."

"What vows?" Thalia asked.

"Reject romantic love forever. You will not grow up, and you will not marry. You must swear to remain maidens forever."

This surprised the girls, except for Annabeth, who already knew. A silence fell over the room as the two demigod and the mortal considered the proposal. The silence was broken by the least likely of the three.

"If I agree, that means I have to follow you and leave Percy, right?" Sammy said. It was more of a statement than a question.

Artemis nodded.

"No boys are allowed in my fighters. If you accept, you will no longer need to be with Perseus to seek your safety. I can teach you to hunt, to fight, to protect yourself. You can be free."

"Be free..." Sammy repeated quietly, thinking about what that word meant. She clenched her fists and looked up determinedly. "Then there is not much to think about. I cannot accept your proposal."

Artemis' eyebrows raised slightly in surprise, but she quickly returned her serious gaze.

"Do you refuse my lady's generous offer for that boy?" Zoë questioned, incredulous, "Don't you know who he is? What he has done? That boy is extremely dangerous! Going over there in his company is tempting fate after all the monsters he has killed for years before my mistress decided to put a stop to his crusade..."

Zoë stopped when Artemis raised her hand.

"That's enough, Zoë," she said.

"But, my lady, they must know what kind of... person they travel with."

"What do you mean by who he is and what he has done?" Thalia asked, not liking at all how that girl referred to Percy, as if he was some kind of psychopath.

"He is... someone who has spent the last years of his life in a dark and endless crusade," said Artemis, surprising the girls. "I don't know the reason for his actions, but that boy has wandered all over the country murdering any monster that crossed his path with barbaric cruelty. And he would have continued on his bloody path had I not decided to put a stop to it a year ago. But his actions had already shaken the foundations of our world. He changed what many considered the established; monsters hunting demigods. Changed the thinking in every monster roaming these lands. That it was no longer they who hunted the demigods, but that there was a demigod who hunted them. Each monster that encountered him cemented the great pile of corpses he left in his wake and the few that survived him fled in fear calling him 'Monster Slayer'."

There was a stony silence when Artemis finished speaking. The brazier fire had dimmed, dimming the light in the tent and accentuating the shadows, remarking the grim expression on the young face of the goddess of the hunt.

Neither Annabeth nor Thalia knew what to say. They had never thought, or even considered, that Percy could have such a shady past as that.

Thalia could understand that because of the years he had lived on the streets, he had to do many things to survive the monsters. But to find out that he didn't survive the monsters, but actively hunted them like some sort of boogeyman. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

Annabeth also didn't seem to be able to assimilate the image that the goddess Artemis put forth with the image she knew of Percy, a boy who, despite having known him as someone cold and hard, proved to be someone extremely considerate and caring.

Artemis' gaze fell on Sammy. Her eyes seemed to see deep into his soul.

"Now that you know the true nature of the boy you are accompanying, I urge you to reconsider my proposal," she said. "The opportunity before you is one of the greatest you will ever have in your life. You would be wise to think carefully before making a decision."

Surprisingly, the only one who was unperturbed by the revelation was Sammy. Sure, she was surprised, but not shocked like Thalia and Annabeth. She took it as a minor revelation, as if they had told her Percy was part of a swimming group and had won trophies for it.

"Percy's nature... I know it very well," she said. "He's a kind and caring person. He can be a little harsh at times, but he doesn't mean it in a bad way, but because he cares so much about us, about me... sometimes so much that he can't sleep because of it. He loves chips, looking at the sea and the stars. I guess... he's like a tired old watchdog. And ever since I met him, he's done nothing but look after me," she shook her head gently with a smile. "So there's nothing to reconsider. I will not abandon the person who saved me when all hope was lost. When I lost my dad who I loved so much and left me with my aunt who abused and beat me."

This information left everyone in shock. Even Artemis seemed a little surprised.

"A woman... did she abuse you?" Zoe asked, all traces of annoyance were replaced by concern.

"She did it. And she didn't mind leaving marks," Sammy said sadly as she seemed to shrink into her oversized sweatshirt. "One day she went too far and caused me to be taken to the hospital. That was where I met Percy. I thought he would sympathize and feel sorry for me like everyone else, but instead he looked at me disapprovingly and said in a hard voice, 'How long are you going to wallow in your pain? If you have time to sit and cry, then you have time to do something about it. Tears have never solved anything'"

A wistful smile appeared on Sammy's face as she remembered the past. Percy's words were harsh, but it was what she needed to do something about it.

"Yeah... that sounds like something Percy would say," Thalia said with a smile. "I remember him saying something similar to me when Luke was taken by that strange monster a few months ago. I swear, that idiot talks like a fortune cookie sometimes."

"That's what got me through it," Sammy said. "I got out of that horrible place. And I've been with Percy ever since."

Thalia and Annabeth stared at the girl in amazement. She never talked about her past, she acted so happy and cheerful that it was hard to believe she had been through something so tragic. But it shouldn't come as a surprise. A child does not live on the streets for years without a good reason.

"Sammy, you..."

"Don't worry, Annabeth." Sammy smiled at her reassuringly. "I've accepted what happened. I'm not alone anymore. I have Percy and I have you guys. I don't need anything else."

She smiled. Not in a friendly and funny way like she always did, but in a happy way.

"That's why I can't accept your offer, as tempting as it sounds. I'm sorry," she finished, bowing to the goddess in apology.

"Don't worry, child," Artemis said. "If this is the path you have chosen, there is nothing I can do to change it. I just hope you don't regret it."

"I won't!" She said with a broad smile.

Zoe didn't seem happy with the answer, but she accepted it anyway. However, she had a conflicted look on her face.

"She has made her decision, what do you say?" Artemis asked, turning to Thalia and Annabeth.

Both straightened their backs under the attentive, scrutinizing gaze of the goddess. Thalia felt uncomfortable under Artemis' gaze, as if she were being tested.

"I... I don't think I can do this," Annabeth said after a few moments, but when she saw the frown Zoё threw at her, she felt the need to explain. "It's not that I'm ungrateful or anything! I feel very honored to be offered this opportunity by a goddess, but... I feel like it's not for me. I have other plans. Other ambitions that I want to fulfill."

"Plans?" Thalia asked, raising an eyebrow. "You never told us that there was something you wanted to do."

"I never told you. Well... except to Percy. He was the one who helped me decide when I wasn't sure what I wanted to do."

"And what do you want to do?" Sammy asked, curious and a bit excited.

"I want to be the best architect of my time!" Annabeth exclaimed with pride and determination. "The Acropolis in Athens, the various archaeological sites on the island of Delos, the Colosseum in Rome, the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt... They all represent the best of architecture and are a heritage for humanity. I want to create a monument that will surpass them all and stand the test of time!"

As she finished her speech, Annabeth's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"That is a great ambition you have, child," Artemis said with a small smile. "But seeing who your mother is, I'm not surprised."

Annabeth blushed with embarrassment at the goddess' honest compliment and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"That leaves only you, Thalia. What is your decision?"

Thalia shifted uncomfortably. Until now, she had been sitting cross-legged, her legs felt numb, and she felt the need to get up and do something instead of sitting. Sometimes the instincts of a demigod were a bit overwhelming and annoying. She studied Artemis briefly. She wondered how in the world she could do such a perfect lotus position without looking the least bit uncomfortable.

"Uh... Do you mind if I think about it?" she said a little hesitantly. "You said this was a very important decision in my life. And I'd like to think properly to make sure I make the right decision."

Artemis nodded solemnly, understanding her words.

"A wise decision. If you wish, I can ask one of my hunters to show you what life on the hunt is like, so you can get an idea of what to expect if you decide to join us."

"Okay."

"Zoё, can you accompany her?"

"Of course, my lady," Zoё said. She stood and looked at Thalia expectantly. "Follow me, there is much to see."

Thalia slowly got up, her legs still feeling a bit numb, and accompanied Zoё, who was waiting for her at the entrance of the shop.

"Zoë, one last thing," Artemis said, getting everyone's attention. "Please bring that boy, Percy, to me. I want to talk to him."

The girls felt a chill run down their spines. They felt that nothing good could come from this conversation. Percy was very... direct with people, no matter who they were. It often got him into trouble. They just hoped that the goddess would be lenient, although she did not give that impression.

Zoë looked at her mistress in obvious surprise, but she didn't question her. She was not worried about her mistress, Artemis was a goddess, she could defend herself. Zoë obviously didn't care what happened to Percy. She was only curious why her mistress wanted to talk to a boy.

---

"Okay, Luke. Now that the rabbit is skinned, we need to remove the entrails," Percy sensed, causing Luke to turn slightly green. "To do this, we need to cut into the belly. Be careful not to cut into the bladder or intestines."

"Why?" Luke asked, watching as Percy prepared to cut the rabbit's skin.

"Because you might spoil the meat," a new voice said.

They both turned to see the hunter's lieutenant, Zoë, approaching them with an annoyed expression, but a hint of intrigue in her eyes.

"How do you know this? Have you done this before?"

Zoe looked at Luke like he was an idiot.

"I'm a hunter, silly boy," she replied with a frown. "I was hunting rabbits long before your mother could utter a word."

"A simple 'yes' would have sufficed," Luke grumbled.

"So can you show us how to gut a rabbit?" Percy asked. "I suppose you know the easiest way, since you have more experience than I do."

Zoë raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"You want me to teach you something? Are you asking a hunter for knowledge?"

Percy raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Yeah. Is that wrong?" he asked, "Or have I offended you in some way?"

"No, it's just... weird, but not bad."

"That's a yes?"

"I... I think so," she said, still confused.

Zoё moved forward, a little hesitant and cautious, as if she expected Percy to attack her in some way.

Under the watchful eyes of Percy and an increasingly ill Luke, Zoё taught them how to properly gut a rabbit using her own knife, as she felt more comfortable with it. It was second nature to her, as she had done it so many times in the past that she could even do it with her eyes closed. She had even bet Phoebe once on who could gut a rabbit faster and more accurately. At this point, the count was 1327 for her and 1323 against her. A pretty close count.

After a few minutes, she was done. She had even taught them how to butcher the rabbit properly, without wasting a single part. It was a bit strange for Percy. The hunters had been very hostile in his or Luke's presence, but Zoё patiently taught them, answering a few questions from Percy about how she should cook the rabbit and what spices would suit it, though she completely ignored Luke's questions, cataloging them like idiots.

"Well, that's all," she said, putting her knife away. "Now that I'm done with this triviality... You, boy," she pointed at Percy, "Come with me. Lady Artemis wishes to speak with you."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but can I say no?" Percy asked, a bit annoyed. "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I don't want to talk to a goddess. Or any god in general. Especially after what he did to me last time."

"This is not negotiable," she said flatly. "Now follow me."

Percy sighed tiredly and began to follow the hunter.

"What do I do now?" Luke asked from a distance.

"Just make a fire!" Percy shouted at him from a distance. "When I come back, we'll cook the rabbit and prepare the others! Don't touch it! You'll cut your finger or ruin the rabbit!"

"Thanks for your trust, chief!"

"My pleasure!"

He waved Luke off and walked over to where Zoë was waiting with a frown. He felt something lightly bump his leg and glanced at Mrs. O'Leary, who walked beside him and placed herself between him and Zoё, causing the hunter to cast suspicious glances at her.

"So... what's it like to be a hunter?" Percy asked, just to break the silence and out of curiosity. "You must have seen all kinds of ugly monsters if you spend your life hunting them."

Zoё gave him a slight sideways glance. Percy thought she would ignore him, but was surprised when she replied:

"When you live as long as I have, you tend to see a lot of things. The number of monsters I've seen and hunted exceeds anything you can imagine."

"Then there's not much that can surprise you, is there?"

Zoё took her time to answer again, a distant look in her eyes before she glanced sideways at Percy and Mrs. O'Leary, then straight ahead again.

"Life always tends to surprise us in some way. Even when you've lived as many centuries as I have."

"Oh, that's deep," Percy commented, they were silent for a few seconds before Percy asked something that intrigued him, "Have you ever seen Bigfoot?"

They reached the tent of the goddess Artemis before Zoë could answer. Percy was surprised to find her alone, sitting in a lotus position with something on her lap. Percy thought it was some kind of animal skin, but when it moved, he was surprised to see a deer with a gleaming coat of silver antlers.

"Sit down, boy," Artemis said as her eyes met his.

Percy sat across from her in a relaxed position, as if unaffected by the fact that he was in the presence of an ancient and incredibly powerful being. Zoë sat down next to Artemis and studied him with a frown.

Mrs. O'Leary mimicked the deer herself, resting her head on Percy's lap and giving the deer a defiant look that was returned. It was a strange image. A goddess with a beautiful stag on her lap. And a demigod with a hellhound on his lap. Both sitting across from each other.

"Would you like a cold drink?" the goddess broke the silence and handed him a glass made of polished clay. Inside was an orange liquid.

"Uh... sure," Percy said a little hesitantly. He took the glass and took an experimental sip, enjoying the delicious taste. He felt a warm feeling in his stomach, but decided to ignore it in favor of drinking more of the delicious juice. "Oh, wow. This is very good. What is it?"

"An old family recipe," the goddess replied vaguely. "So, I guess you're wondering why you're here."

"To tell you the truth, I didn't even want to be here," Percy said cheekily. "I wanted to build a small fire and cook the rabbits I caught. I would even test the advice your hunter gave me," he finished, pointing at Zoë.

Artemis raised a curious eyebrow at her lieutenant.

"Did you give him advice on how to cook rabbits?" she asked, intrigued by her hunter's behavior.

"Uh... Yes, my lady. The boy asked me for it, so I decided to show it to him as payment."

"Payment?" Percy asked, confused. "I don't remember doing anything for you as a favor to me. Hell, I even killed the monster you were hunting. You should be angry."

"I still am!" he said hotly, "Do you know how hard it was to track that elusive beast?"

"I wasn't going to sit idly by while that monster threatened my friend," Percy grumbled, putting his hand to his chin in thought, then snapping his fingers, "How about I give you one of the rabbits I caught as a token of my apology?"

"Don't try to buy me off like that, boy," Zoë snapped.

"Are you sure? One of the rabbits I caught was quite big. It must have been about seven pounds."

"I could get as many rabbits as I wanted. And much bigger than you can imagine."

Percy chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm sure you could."

Artemis watched their interaction with mild amusement. It was strange that her lieutenant did not speak with hostility to a boy. She still seemed quite reluctant to talk to him, but she couldn't detect any hatred towards him, although she looked visibly upset. Which was a breakthrough for Zoë, even if she didn't seem to realize it herself.

"Petty squabbles aside, I've brought you here to answer a few questions," Artemis said, staring at Percy as if expecting something.

"And what would a goddess like you want to know from someone like me?" Percy asked lazily. For some reason, he felt a little sleepy.

"Not much. First, I'd like you to answer a few simple questions. Let's start with something easy; what's your name?"

Percy raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"My name is Percy."

"Just 'Percy'?" She raised an eyebrow slightly.

"It's short for Perseus, but it's too formal. I prefer to be called Percy."

"I see. And your last name?"

Percy narrowed his eyes coldly, feeling slightly annoyed.

"I'm just Percy. I don't have a last name."

"But you're a demigod. That means one of your parents is mortal. And demigods usually take the last name of their mortal parent."

Percy's eyes glazed over, as if he remembered something that happened a long time ago. Before he knew it, he answered:

"I had it once, but I don't deserve it anymore. I don't deserve to have that last name. I'm just Percy now," he said in a somber tone. Then Percy's eyes focused and he frowned in annoyance. "I don't see how that matters."

"Believe me, it is," Artemis confirmed. "How old are you?"

If Percy had been confused before, he was even more confused now, and he didn't try to hide it.

"I'm seventeen," he replied slowly. "I'll be eighteen on August 18th. Why do you ask me these pointless questions?"

Artemis's eyes glowed for a moment, though Percy could pass it off as an effect of the light from the fire in the brazier.

"To fulfill the requirement of three questions. Now it's time for you to answer my real questions." Her eyes grew cold and hard. "What is your intention with the young maidens who accompany you? Do you intend to take advantage of them in any way?"

Percy's confusion turned to anger. He wanted to tell the girl, goddess or not, that she had the nerve to ask such a thing when she had only met the girls less than an hour ago. But the words that came out of his mouth were completely different from what he was thinking.

"No. I don't intend to take advantage of them in any way. They are the closest thing to family I have left. I would never hurt them."

Artemis' hard expression seemed to soften a bit, though she still had those cold eyes. Even Zoё's frown relaxed a bit, although she looked a little disappointed, as if she hadn't gotten the Christmas present she was expecting.

"I see. That's fine," Artemis said satisfied. "Although I would have liked to punish you again in the same way I did when we first met. But you can still give me reasons to do so, only this time it will be permanent." she finished with a warning tone.

"Wait... What?... Why did I say that?" Percy asked, more puzzled than annoyed. He had a hard time focusing his eyes on the goddess, though, as his eyelids felt a bit heavy.

"Because of this," the goddess showed him the clay pot where there were traces of the liquid Percy drank earlier, "You see, there are very, very few useful things my annoying brother Apollo can do. He is the god of medicine, so he can cure almost any known disease or injury. He is also the god of truth. He can tell when someone is lying, whether they are a god, a demigod, or a mortal. Using and combining this knowledge and ability, I asked him to create this concoction as a special favor, which is a nervous system inhibitor. That's why you feel a little drowsy."

"In simple words, so that a slow boy like you can understand it, what you just drank is a truth serum," Zoé explained condescendingly, "You will answer all questions with absolute sincerity, even if you don't want to."

Percy took a few seconds to process everything the two girls told him, feeling a little sleepy.

"Why... Why would you do this to me?!" Percy shouted, but his words seemed slurred, as if his tongue was numb.

"To know the kind of man you are," Artemis said, her voice hard. "The maidens who accompany you hold you in high esteem, especially the mortal girl. Despite revealing to them what you have done in your past as a monster slayer, the mortal girl still decided to stay by your side. I wanted to make sure they were safe traveling with someone like you, and that you didn't take advantage of their feelings for you. I've seen it happen countless times. And unfortunately, I will continue to do so. That's how men are; manipulative and selfish."

"Just because you met them, you care about them?" Percy asked pointedly, his eyes matching the coldness of the goddess.

Artemis slowly straightened. Her aura seemed to change, and her body began to emanate a dangerous silver glow. The air felt much thicker. And Percy began to feel a pressure on his shoulders that pushed him to the ground, but he gritted his teeth and resisted.

"I am the goddess of the maidens," her silvery yellow eyes looked at him as if he were nothing more than a cockroach she wanted to step on with her combat boots, "It is my sworn duty to protect all the maidens and innocent women from anyone who tries to hurt them, especially the men," she spat out the last word with disgust.

"Well, you do a lousy job," Percy said, earning a look from Zoë and Artemis. "And if your intention is to protect Sammy, Annabeth and Thalia, the damage is already done! Each of them has been hurt by those who were supposed to be their family. Those who were supposed to protect them!"

Percy didn't know if the speaker was himself or the truth serum, but he didn't care. He was greatly annoyed by the Goddess' impertinence in proclaiming that it was her duty to protect all maidens and women.

"You call yourself the protector of women, but... Where were you when Annabeth's stepmother abused her daily for the simple fact of her existence?" Percy spat angrily as he stood to cross the goddess' height, "Where were you when Thalia's mother came home drunk and beat her because Zeus had abandoned her? Where were you when Sammy's aunt poured boiling water over her body, leaving scars that wouldn't heal?! Where the fuck were you when my monster stepfather beat up my mother countless times?! So don't give me that bullshit about protecting women! Not to me, Sammy, Annabeth or Thalia!"

Tears fell down Percy's cheeks at that moment, but he didn't care. He didn't care how completely shocked Zoë was, whether it was because of what he had just said or because he was talking to an Olympian goddess, he didn't know. He didn't care about the glazed look on Artemis' face, or how her shoulders trembled slightly. He didn't care about anything. Not even if the goddess turned him into some kind of animal and then hunted him down. Or if she killed him on the spot for his insolence.

Mrs. O'Leary approached Percy and pushed him gently on the leg with her head, trying to get his attention and comfort him in some way. He just smiled sadly at her as he patted her head, feeling his anger slowly ebbing away, though he still felt it bubbling up inside him.

Percy turned to look at Artemis had a downcast look and a strong, quivering frown, her eyes seeming to burn with pure rage, but it wasn't directed at him. Her fists were clenched so tightly that she was drawing blood from her palms. Percy watched in fascination as her blood turned golden, like liquid gold.

"Do you think... I don't know all that?" Artemis spoke slowly. Her voice was no more than a whisper. "Do you think I don't know about all the atrocities all women go through, even now?"

"Artemis..." Zoë whispered with concern.

"You don't know how frustrating it is for me, a goddess who calls herself their protector... Not being able to do anything to save all these innocent women!"

"Why...?" Percy asked dejectedly. "If you know what's going on, why can't you do anything? You're a god, right? You can do whatever you want."

"I may be a goddess, but I am not omnipotent or omnipresent." Artemis relaxed, her anger fading into sad resignation. She sat down beside Zoë again and looked into the fire in the brazier. Her face was stoic, but Percy caught a deep sadness in her eyes, so much so that it was painful just to look at them. "Even gods have limits. It's something we often ignore. We only realize it when it's too late and the consequences are devastating for the victims."

"I've heard about that... Ancient Laws, right? It prevents the gods from speaking directly to their children."

"Not just their children. The gods have too many restrictions when it comes to interacting with the mortal world. We only do it in extreme cases, when necessary."

"But Artemis is a bit different," Zoé chimed in. "Her domains allows her to interact more with the mortal world. That's why she can have a group of hunters under her command."

"I see. That's... cool, I guess," Percy said, not sounding too impressed. He still felt very tired, and his tongue was numb.

"Don't you see what this means? Gods, you really are slow. But I shouldn't be surprised, you're a boy after all," Zoë said with a mocking tone.

"Maybe if you stopped talking with so many obstacles..."

"Maybe if you were a little more perceptive..."

Percy and Zoé frowned at each other, trying to make the other back away. Maybe it was a lighting effect, but sparks flew between their eyes until they both looked away at the same time and crossed their arms.

'They're acting like children,' Artemis thought as she watched their interaction, 'Although it's a bit refreshing. It's been a long time since I've seen Zoё react like that. And with a boy, no less'

"Perseus," Artemis called, getting the young demigod's attention, as it was the first time she had called him by name. "As Zoё said, it's within my power to lead a group of young maidens I deem worthy under my command. And I'm always on the lookout for them."

"Wait, so..." Percy fought the sleepiness and clouded mind and was able to see the bigger picture. "You want to ask Sammy, Thalia and Annabeth to join your hunters?"

Artemis nodded.

"I'm glad you understand so quickly."

Percy turned to Zoë and gave her a cheeky smile.

"See? I can be perceptive, princess."

"Hmph. You're still a slow boy to me. And don't you dare call me 'princess'!"

Percy just chuckled without feeling threatened. Then he took on a serious expression as he looked at Artemis.

"So Sammy, Thalia and Annabeth... have agreed to join your hunters?" Percy asked carefully. His heart was heavy at the thought of separating from any of them. Each of them was important to him. But if they really wanted to join the goddess, then he would agree.

"Unfortunately, no," Artemis replied. "The mortal child, Sammy, refused my offer on the grounds that she would not abandon the person who saved her in her time of greatest need: you."

Percy's eyes widened in surprise. He felt immensely moved by Sammy's action. But he couldn't help but wonder if this was the best thing for her.

"Athena's daughter, Annabeth, also declined my offer and decided to pursue her dream of becoming an architect. And as for Thalia..."

Percy felt his heart clench at the mention of Thalia. He felt strangely anxious about Thalia's reaction.

"She's considering the offer."

"I... I see," Percy said slowly. He felt a little confused.

"Is that a problem?" Artemis asked, squinting her cold eyes at him. Again, daring him to say something.

"It's her choice. No matter which way she chooses, I will support her. Because that's what a friend would do," Percy said, and he really meant it. Truth serum or not.

At that moment, he had an epiphany. A possible solution to the dilemma he had been facing for the past few weeks, the one that had tormented him in his dreams. But he needed the support of the goddess before him. But he had to do it, for Sammy.

With that in mind, he asked:

"Is there... Is there any chance that you could ask Sammy to join the hunt again?"

Artemis and Zoë raised their eyebrows, confused by the request.

"The hunt will always have open arms to welcome a young maiden it deems worthy," Artemis said. "Do you wish to be rid of this young maiden?"

Percy didn't flinch at the hard look the goddess gave him or the disapproving look the lieutenant gave him.

"No, I don't want to," Percy said sadly. "But I have no other choice if I want to keep Sammy safe. Because I won't be able to in the future."

Artemis looked at him with mild curiosity. Knowing that Percy couldn't possibly lie to her, she said:

"Explain yourself."

Percy lowered his head and stared at the ground.

"The place the satyr is taking us, the Camp Half-Blood, is a place for demigods," Percy began slowly. "According to him, we can live there without worrying about monsters. We will find others like us, and we will live in peace, as peacefully as a demigod can. But Sammy isn't a demigod, she's a mortal. And I'm afraid the camp won't be a home for her like it would be for Luke, Thalia and Annabeth."

"I can understand your reasoning, but I do not share your solution," Artemis said, "The girl is not going to the camp because it is safe for all of you, she is going because you are. As long as you do, she will not join the hunt at your request."

A sad smile appeared on Percy's lips.

"Then that's no problem. When everyone gets to the camp, I won't be there with them."

"Are you going to leave them?" Zoё asked, her face taking on a clear mixture of disgust, "After proclaiming so much your desire to protect them, are you going to abandon them when they are safe?"

Percy shook his head gently.

"My desire was, is, and always will be to protect those I love. I will not let anyone die again if I can help it. And if my last act means giving those I love a future, then I will do so without hesitation."

It was then that the realization hit Zoë's face, causing her eyes to widen in surprise. Artemis seemed as unflappable as ever, but for a second, Percy caught a glimpse of something he didn't know. Sadness? Disappointment? Grief? He didn't know it, but he felt a little touched by the slight empathy he was evoking in the beautiful goddess.

"By 'last act', do you mean...?" Zoë began.

Percy nodded, still smiling with sad resignation.

"When we get to Camp Half-Blood... I will die."

...

..

.

---

Special Nº 2

Percy's Punishment

"He is... someone who has spent the last years of his life on a dark and endless crusade," Artemis revealed, surprising the girls. "I don't know the reason for his actions, but this boy roamed the land, murdering every monster that crossed his path with barbaric cruelty. And he would have continued on his bloody path if I hadn't decided to put an end to it a year ago."

"Did you... Did you stop Percy?" Annabeth asked, shocked not only at what Percy had done, but that it was the goddess of the hunt who had decided to stop him. "Why?"

Artemis looked at the brazier where the fire burned. The flames reflected in her silver eyes as she was lost in thought. Even Zoë seemed to be deep in thought as she frowned slightly.

"At first I did it because he interfered with one of my hunts. My hunters and I spent days searching for the Giant Cacus because of... certain things. And when we did, we ran into Perseus, who was also hunting him. I ordered him to stay out of the way and not to interfere with my hunt, but he refused and showed me blatant disrespect."

Zoë snorted at the memory.

"His insolence seemed to know no bounds," she said. "Even when he was in the presence of an Olympian goddess."

"Yeah... it's definitely Percy," Thalia said, knowing this side of her friend well.

"And it was for this insolence that I punished him by turning him into a capybara," Artemis said.

Annabeth and Sammy opened their mouths in disbelief. Thalia, on the other hand, couldn't help herself and burst out laughing. Even a small, amused smile stretched Zoë's lips.

"Wait... A capybara?!" Thalia asked with a chuckle. "Did you turn Percy into a capybara?"

Artemis shrugged.

"My intention was to teach him some respect. I planned to return him to normal as soon as our hunt was over, but I didn't wait for Perseus to join us with the intention of killing the giant Cacus. It was the first time in my centuries of existence that I had seen a capybara attack a monster with a knife in its teeth."

The three girls looked at the goddess in amazement, unable to believe the story. Thalia tried to imagine a green-eyed capybara with a knife between its teeth and a threatening look. Such an image was surreal to Thalia, especially when she imagined the Percy capybara sticking his head into a bag of chips. A shrill laugh escaped her mouth as she imagined it.

"Percy... A capybara that fights monsters...?" Annabeth muttered, as if struggling to imagine such a scene.

"Percy... capybara..." Reflected Sammy before snapping her fingers with a big grin on her face. "Percybara!"

Thalia laughed again, louder this time.

The hunters outside the tent looked on in confusion as they heard the laughter coming from their mistress' tent. They found it disturbing, as their mistress was not known for her sense of humor.

...

..

.

---

And that's all for now, dear readers!

This is getting intense and I'm loving it!

What do you think of the appearance of Artemis and Percy's interaction with her and her hunters?

As you can see, the Percy I'm presenting to you is someone who doesn't beat around the bush. He acts, lashes out, and attacks without hesitation. Even when he's afraid, he doesn't hesitate to do what he has to do, even against an Olympian goddess like Artemis. It was exciting to write that part, to tell you the truth.

What do you think? What do you think is going to happen?

I await your theories and opinions in the comments.

And with nothing more to say... Until next time, beautiful people!