"Orion!"
Great, another dream.
This time, though, I was in Artemis' body, which felt just about as weird as it sounded. Aside from the fact that I was a girl, which I'm not even going to get into, there was also the fact that I was an Olympian.
It wasn't my first rodeo being merged with a god at the height of their power—I'd merged with Heket briefly a while back to break Aphrodite's bond—but there was a huge difference between being merged with her and merging with Artemis.
For one, being an Olympian was like being charged with the energy of a thousand lightning bolts. Every nerve in my body tingled with a thrilling, electric sensation. And yes, I could feel every single nerve in my body. Every muscle fiber, each artery. Every pump of my heart rang in my ears like a church bell.
I felt perpetually alert, and my senses were heightened to a supernatural level. I could hear the faintest whisper of the wind, feel the gentlest caress of a moonbeam, and see the world with a clarity that was breathtaking.
I could feel the ebb and flow of the universe, the rhythm of life itself, through the gigantic moon somewhere above me. It was like being connected to an infinite well of power, and drawing from it was as effortless as taking a breath.
I regarded the man in front of me.
Now since I wasn't in his head, I could get a better look at Orion.
He looked like he was ten feet tall, very muscular, and handsome—far more handsome than I'd ever expect any giant to look. Granted, I haven't met any, so there's that. Maybe they're all handsome. I kind of doubt it, though.
His skin was the color of wheat toast, and his dark hair was undercut, swept into spikes on top. For some reason, he looked like he was wearing night vision goggles, which were embedded in his eye sockets.
He was wearing black leather breeches and a jerkin, with a hunting knife on his belt, and a black composite bow alongside a quiver on his back, all of which made him look kind of like Robin Hood's evil, better-looking twin.
The moment I saw him, like really saw him, it was like staring at a living paradox.
He looked almost exactly the same. He still had his same tousled hair, the familiar grin splitting his face, and yet, something about him seemed so vastly different.
It was as if he had become a stranger. Warm tendrils of memories began flooding through Artemis' brain, blurring through so quickly that I couldn't really pinpoint just one of them.
I could get the bigger picture though. Artemis and Orion used to be inseparable, an unbreakable duo, until they randomly stopped hanging out.
Well, not randomly. I could fill in those parts myself based on what I'd seen so far. Somewhere along the line, Artemis created the hunt, and somewhere even more along the line, Orion tried to get her to break her vow and then left her in the dust when she didn't give in.
You know. The usual.
Artemis didn't feel too much warmth toward Orion now. In a lot of ways, I got the sense that she thought he was no longer the person she once knew. His little outburst from before hadn't helped his case, and in the interim—I wasn't really sure how long it had been—Artemis had done more growing and learning. She knew that whatever had happened that night hadn't been okay.
"Artemis," He smiled dazzlingly, holding his arms out. As he approached, I forced a smile, though it felt brittle and forced. I knew how this would go. Orion would try to exchange pleasantries, the kind that could make things seem like they were still normal if they tried hard enough. "It's so good to see you. You won't believe what I've been through in the last couple of months."
"I don't care what you've been up to!" I snapped angrily. Artemis' emotions felt like a forge, a blazing furnace of power and intensity. Her emotions, especially anger, were the bellows, pumping hot air into the flames in a way that sent shivers down my spine. "Do you seriously think I want to talk to you after the last time we saw each other?"
"Oh, come on!" Orion's dazzling smile melted into a poisonous scowl. He pointed his finger at me, and I felt a wave of hurt wash over me. The bond between Artemis and Orion seemed like a distant memory at this point. In its place was an uncharted territory, where they were two people who had grown apart. "You're still going on about that? You seemed like you needed space, so I gave you space! What else do you want from me?"
"I don't know, an apology?" I shot back. Orion's scowl looked like it deepened as the shadows from the trees swaying in the moonlight covered his face. "You tried to make me feel bad about not instantly having an answer for you! After I told you I was figuring this out and needed time!"
"Well, I'm sorry you felt that way!" Orion returned. He stepped closer to me, and I found myself taking a step back. He took a deep breath, "Fine. I shouldn't have pushed you, I understand that. But that's precisely why I gave you so much time to think! I didn't want to bother you. I thought enough time had passed. I can go away for even longer. I'll wait forever for you. I love you, Artemis."
Anxiety gripped me like ice, freezing my thoughts and leaving me trapped in a cold, numbing fear for a second.
Yikes. Artemis was definitely an avoidant type of person. I'd never really been like that—ever since I was a kid, I just kind of felt what I felt and did what I did. I never thought about it too much. It just wasn't worth my time.
Things were different in this dream, though. It was trippy. Being inside of Artemis' body was weird. Could you imagine going to bed as yourself and just…waking up as someone else? Being forced to be inside their bodies yet unable to change anything?
It was like watching a movie but being the protagonist at the same time.
It isn't always this weird, but I can feel how Artemis feels and boy, the way she compartmentalizes emotions is weird.
Instead of just, like, feeling them, Artemis does the emotional equivalent of encasing herself in sheets of protective bubble wrap and letting her feelings soak in, a little bit at a time. Kind of by design, huge displays of affection and emotion didn't mesh well with her.
"Why are you so insistent?" I snapped, rubbing my forehead. The moonlight streamed down me, making my skin glow a bright white. It wrapped around my hands and waist, and filtered in through the gaps of my fingers. "I don't…I don't know if I even want that. With you, or with anyone."
Well, that was a lie. No matter what she was telling Orion, I was inside her head, and if there's one thing I know, it's that you can't lie to yourself.
It wasn't that Artemis had something against relationships—she actually kind of enjoyed them. From afar, though.
Based on what I could tell, the reason that she always chose to observe relationships from a distance was that the thought of being emotionally entangled with another person had always been daunting, a weight that she'd rather avoid. One she wasn't sure she'd be able to handle.
People tried to make those bonds with her, but for reasons I wasn't entirely sure of yet, when someone got too close and when their emotions threatened to infiltrate her well-guarded emotional fortress, she instinctively retreated.
It was a conscious choice, a survival instinct, built upon her ironclad belief in the fact that emotional self-sufficiency was the key to independence. The absolute last thing she wanted was to become codependent, reliant on someone or something else.
But beneath the surface, right under that layer of bubble wrap, it was a dance of contradictions and a quiet longing. And, like I mentioned before, Orion seemed intent on trying to break through the surface.
"I think you do," Orion whispered. His voice was low, like shadows conspiring in the night. "We are bound by fate, Artemis."
"That doesn't mean we're bound by fate like that," I replied, my voice growing angrier. Flashes of heat were exploding all over Artemis' body.
Being this…emotionally vigilant felt weird. It was a push and pull, a constant tension. I had no doubt in my mind that if it were me, I'd be constantly exhausted.
Because the crazy thing is, deep down, behind all the walls and defenses, there's a part of Artemis that craved the warmth of human connection, that yearned to be understood and loved, maybe even more than I did.
She just figured it would never happen. For her, it was always a step back, a retreat, a self-protective measure that she couldn't seem to let go of. Even now, with Orion promising her everything she thought she'd ever wanted, Artemis couldn't bring herself to even consider it.
Relationships, Artemis believed, were as delicate as glass. She understood that they could shatter, become stained, or develop cracks. And, in her mind, no matter what, they would eventually break. Having Zeus for a dad probably didn't help that notion.
To her, being in a relationship meant inviting someone into her emotional bubble wrap, and she felt like that put her more at risk than anything.
She couldn't protect herself from the inside. So, in her mind, she'd rather spend all of her life keeping people outside than even giving them the chance to hurt her from the inside. Orion was no different.
A part of me began realizing why she blasted me off her chariot. Even if it did kind of hurt.
"We are," Orion whispered, his eyes shifting. The whirring of celestial bronze filled the night as focusing rings on his eyes began to spin and click. "I know what's stopping you. Your hunters."
"Back to this again—"
"Yes, it's back to this again!" Orion roared, smashing his fist into the ground. It impacted the dirt roughly, and birds began squawking and flying out of nearby trees. Orion's complexion turned red, and his forehead was slick with sweat. "You keep choosing them over me! Why do you keep choosing them over me? We were best friends! We were an unbeatable pair. You said we'd hunt down every monster in the world together! Now you'd rather do it with your little girl party."
"These girls need me, Orion," I reminded him. Honestly, I felt like Artemis was giving the guy more wiggle room than he deserved. In her defense, I got the sense that they had a pretty long history, and he was lowkey gaslighting her, but still. "You don't need me. Not in the way they do. I'm all they have."
"You're all I want," Orion said, whimpering and grabbing fistfuls of his own hair. Artemis felt a pang of remorse, but I wasn't buying it. The bait-and-switch of being angry and then suddenly being super sad was a classic manipulation tactic. It's the same one Smelly Gabe used to try on my mom all the time.
"It doesn't matter," To her credit, Artemis held strong. The weight of emotions pressing down on her bubble wrap felt physically suffocating. She was so anxious, I was surprised she could even get the words out. "You and I may always remain friends, but no more than that. I have a duty now, and I intend to uphold that duty as best as I can."
Orion's eyes seemed to darken, an ominous shift that made my skin prickle with unease. He was still struggling to control his emotions, but beneath the turmoil, there was something new, something unsettling. He took a step toward me, the celestial bronze rings in his eyes whirring with intensity. It was as if the shadows had crept into him, seeping into his very being.
The moonlight, which had bathed us in its ethereal glow, suddenly seemed to wane, and the world around us darkened. "How can you choose them over us?" Orion's voice was low and filled with a strange, eerie resonance. He reached out, his fingers brushing against my arm. They were cold. "You're just leaving me behind! You won't let me near your hunt, you won't hunt with me…how am I supposed to spend time with you?"
I took a cautious step back, a sense of foreboding settling over me. Orion's demeanor had shifted, and not for the better.
"My girls just need time," I said, my voice steady but laced with concern. "They're scared of men. Your presence would do little to help them. In fact, it would probably reverse all the progress I've made. They're scarred, Orion. I want to spend time with you, but I need to make sure they're okay enough to keep moving before I do. Having them retreat into their shells won't help that."
"You don't say," Orion's lips curled, and the shadows around him seemed to writhe like malevolent spirits answering his call. And then, suddenly, they retreated, and Orion plastered the same dazzling smile on his face. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Arty. Maybe we'll find some time to hunt together soon. I'm sorry for bothering you like this. I just miss you so much sometimes."
I should've done more.
I blinked. Where was that voice coming from?
I failed them, Percy. And now, I've failed them again. Please tell them I'm sorry.
"Late!" I woke up as a splash of cold water yanked me out of my dream. The water didn't stick—it instantly rolled off my face in rivulets, but the sheer surprise of the chill was enough to get me to sit up, ramrod straight. "Honestly, Percy, what would you do without me?"
My eyes adjusted to the light, and I saw Persephone sitting near my feet, wrapped in a dark robe. Her hands were wrapped around a steaming cup. I glared at her and said, "Sleep in, maybe? Enjoy my dreams? Get a good night's rest?"
"That's no way to talk to someone who just made you breakfast," Persephone said as she took a sip. Her hair fell around her shoulders, and the ends glistened with water. Some of the water droplets splattered against my bare leg, and I shivered. "I think the response you're looking for is: thank you, Sephy."
"Thank you, Sephy," I parroted, swinging my legs off the couch. Goosebumps were still dotting my body as I looked for my shirt. I tried to shake off the weird dream I'd had about Artemis. I would've preferred a pleasant dream about her. Or any goddess, for that matter. "What's on the menu? If it's anything pomegranate-related again, I'm just going to skip it."
I'd been living with Persephone for about a week.
After our little talk in the Underworld, I caved in and came to the mortal world with her. I really only planned on dinner—which we had on Olympus with my mom and Hestia. I was really craving the food from last time, and Persephone claimed she hadn't been in a long time, so we decided to go.
It's funny how rolling with two goddesses can basically give you a hall pass to do whatever you want. Some of the other options that were tossed out for dinner were in California, Vegas, and even France. If I was on better terms with Artemis, we probably could've had dinner on the moon.
But, again, Olympus won. Not that I'd ever complain about having the food of the gods. It sure tasted like it.
The guard downstairs almost fainted when Persephone demanded he let my mom come to Olympus. Unfortunately, thanks to my powers, I knew that he definitely peed his pants a little.
My mom and Hestia were both incredibly angry at me. Apparently, when your entire school gets blown up and everyone you're friends with dies, it's kind of a big deal. I think I spent the first few minutes of the dinner stuck in a hug-headlock from my mom, and the next few minutes being fussed over by her and Hestia.
Your hair is too long now. You need to shave. You have monster blood on you. Why are you wearing a suit?
And then, somewhere between the appetizer and entree, Persephone, of course, had to let it slip that I was on a quest, and things sort of fell apart after that.
My mom forced me to come back home for a while. Yeah, I know I'm a grown man, but Sally Jackson isn't the kind of person you want to piss off. She doesn't need powers for that. Plus, two goddesses were on her side, so even if I didn't care about making her sad, there was divine intervention involved.
Not that it would ever reach that level. Making my mom sad was just about the last thing I wanted to do. Ever.
So, for two weeks, all I did was spend time at home with my mom and Hestia. Triton was there sometimes, too, but my mom had made me promise not to train. It wasn't on the Styx, but she was holding a kitchen knife, so it felt pretty binding at the moment.
I thought I was slick when I tried to go through the motions with Triton when my mom had her early morning ECON class—not technically training, mind you, but we were both pushed apart when a swathe of fire mysteriously exploded between us.
Hestia, who was lounging about on the balcony with a pitcher of iced tea, claimed it wasn't her, but I got the sense that I wasn't going to be doing anything involving training. The iced tea made up for it. Kind of.
Under Hestia's constant supervision, though, I wasn't allowed to do anything resembling training except going for light jogs on the beach and yoga. For some reason, it felt like everyone in my life was telling me to do the same thing: relax.
So, for two weeks, that's what I did.
It was like when I was little and I got those breaks for February vacation or whatever. I'd wake up late to breakfast made by either my mom or Hestia, spend the day surfing or lazing about on the beach, watch some television with Triton, and spend the night playing board games with my family.
It still feels weird to say that. My family.
Anyway, it was awesome.
My mom and I baked all the blue stuff we could—cookies, cake—we even tried to make a blue pizza with some food coloring. It didn't taste good, not in the slightest, but the way my mom laughed when I almost dropped it as I pulled it out of the oven made up for it.
We went surfing a few times, too. My dad must've been in a good mood since we had almost perfect weather every time we went. I'm proud of a lot of stuff I've been able to accomplish in the last couple of years, but seeing my mom lounge about in Montauk year-round is easily the best of them all.
Hestia showed me her new daytime hobby—teaching. She claimed that she got rather lonely when my mom and Triton went to school, so she found something to do. All while keeping echoes of herself at camp and at home, mind you.
Apparently, she'd gotten used to leaving traces of herself at home, just in case Aphrodite swung by. She hadn't done that for a while, though. Coincidentally, the timeline aligned with when I helped her reunite with Jason, but that part of it, I kept to myself.
I got to visit her preschool class during show and tell, and the kids made me macaroni art, so that was something. One of the kids offered me his lunch, but I politely declined. Another one threw up on me and ruined my new jeans.
After everyone got back from their daytime routines, we spent the chilly October nights watching Halloween movies, carving pumpkins, and just overall spending quality time together. We went to a haunted house once, and Triton got so scared that he shapeshifted into a turtle, and I was forced to carry him through.
I think he just does half of this stuff for the gag, honestly. That, and the fact that all the hot girls there wanted to take turns holding him. Actually, that's probably it.
You know, it's funny how life works out. When I was a kid, all I ever dreamed of was growing up and doing all the things I was doing right now.
We were poor, so I dreamed of a world where my mom and I never had to worry about money again. Check.
I felt lonely, so I dreamed of a loving family. The kind everyone at Yancy had—where I could do all the corny stuff everyone else did, like watching Halloween movies and cutting ghosts out of table sheets. Check again.
I used to think about how awesome it would be to drive a car, stay up as late as I wanted, eat ice cream for breakfast, have my own place, and make all my decisions. I was going to travel to far-off places, become a superhero, or maybe an astronaut, and I was definitely going to have a pet dragon. My imagination was limitless, and the future seemed like this boundless canvas just waiting for me to paint my dreams on it.
And, you know what? I did it. I grew up. I became an adult. I checked off all those things on my list. I got a kickass car, I stayed up until the early hours of the morning, I indulged in ice cream breakfasts, I moved into my own place, and I made choices, lots of them.
Some of the choices I made were good. Some of them were bad.
I've been around the block a few times, and the dragons have remained elusive, but I haven't given up on that dream just yet.
Here's the kicker, though: it feels empty.
As a kid, I couldn't wait to have the freedom to do whatever I wanted. But now, as an adult, with all that freedom in my hands, it's like I'm holding this puzzle, and I can't find the last piece to make it complete.
I've ticked off all the boxes on my childhood bucket list, and yet, it's strangely unsatisfying. It's not that those experiences are any less fun than I imagined; it's just that the enchantment has faded. It's like I'm missing that wide-eyed wonder, that unbridled curiosity that used to make every little thing an adventure. As a kid, the world was full of surprises and possibilities, but now, it feels like I've seen it all.
Maybe that's the paradox of growing up. You spend your whole childhood yearning to be an adult, to have the freedom to do anything you want. But then, when you finally get there, you realize that the magic wasn't in the things you could do but in the way you saw the world.
That realization cast a pallor over the rest of my time at home. Everything went from feeling fun and relaxing to stifling and monotonous. I was getting bored. Stir-crazy.
So, to deal with the weird feeling of monotony, Triton and I began going to Rucker Park at night.
If you don't know what Rucker Park is, it's one of the most famous basketball courts in the world.
It used to just be some random court in Harlem, but all kinds of NBA legends hooped there at one point or another. Some of them played there before they became superstars, and some played after, but
Rucker Park quickly became a cult favorite in the sporting world.
We'd shoot around for a bit, get a bite at a bodega, and go home to play some video games. He thought getting some physical exercise and playing my favorite sport would help me. He was definitely right.
Now, in case you're still not sure why Rucker Park is a big deal, it brought the greatest NBA players, hip-hop artists, and celebrities from around the world to the same level as hundreds of young people. You could get home from school, go to the court, and play with an NBA player—granted, if you proved you were good enough.
And, well, I quickly found out I was.
Triton and I became local legends within a week of playing. Thanks to the Game, I was basically beyond the fitness of an Olympic athlete, and Triton was an actual god. While some of the dudes there at night were legit ballers, no question, Triton and I had a blend of chemistry and athleticism that was just too tough to deny.
Sure, we might give up a point or two, but everyone would forget about it when we'd come down the court a second later and Triton would throw me a lob that I'd funnel under my legs and slam home.
And, of course, everyone watching would lose their minds when Triton would just sit by the half-court line and sink every shot tossed his way. The man couldn't miss, and I couldn't be stopped in the paint. It was everyone's worst nightmare.
Twos quickly became threes, which turned into five on five before long. It got to the point where crowds would come and watch us play alongside some of Harlem's finest. One thing led to another, and one of the guys I ran with was on the Knicks.
He thought I was so impressive, he begged the GM to come watch me play. I impressed the guy, but he reminded me that I wasn't eligible for even a 10-day contract since I was still technically in high school.
He couldn't pay me, but he offered to let me come to team practices from time to time. Something about honing my skills and keeping interest.
Somewhere in the midst of all of that, Persephone showed up on our doorstep and asked me to go furniture shopping with her. She got an apartment in the same building as Aphrodite, and because it was so close to the practice arena, I started sleeping over some nights.
"French toast," Persephone said with a smile, breaking me out of my thoughts. I returned her smile, and she patted my shin, "And I made you a protein shake."
"As long as it's not as rancid as my dad's shakes," I said with a shudder as I pulled on my long-sleeve practice jersey. Persephone bounced over to the kitchen, where the table was set with a bowl of fruit, a pitcher of orange juice, and a basket of fresh bread. "If the FDA catches wind of what that dude's up to, he's going to do hard time behind bars."
"Or Hestia," Persephone added. She bit the end of a strawberry and sucked some of the juice that dribbled out. Her lips were unusually red this morning. "I can't believe they're related."
"Yeah, it's hard to believe for me, too," I agreed, brushing my teeth in front of Persephone's sink. My voice came out muffled as I added, "He's not too good at cooking, either."
"You know I hate it when you do that," Persephone groaned from behind me as she set my plate down. "I have a bathroom for a reason!"
"Yeah, where the countertop is full of products," I said, pausing my brushing for a moment. My toothbrush dangled out of the left side of my mouth. "Aren't you a goddess? Can't you shapeshift?"
"It's not about the look," Persephone turned her nose up in the air. "It's about the routine. And, I like the routine."
"Mmhm."
Once I was done brushing, I settled in across from Persephone and began digging in. To her credit, her shake was really good. It tasted like a Milky Way bar. That reminded me to ask, "Are you going to leave some candy out tonight?"
"Huh?" Persephone looked up from her avocado toast. "Why would I do that?"
"It's Halloween," I reminded her. I gestured toward the door. "Didn't you see the flyers everywhere? All the kids are going to dress up and probably knock on your door. You don't want to disappoint the cuties, do you?"
"I won't," Persephone placed her fork down. Her eyes glittered with emotion as if the idea of some little kids knocking on her door and not getting candy was preposterous. "We'll go shopping after you get back from practice."
"Speaking of which," I said, my eyes drifting to the clock above her oven. I shoved some French toast into my mouth and said, "I should get going. Thanks for the breakfast!"
"Bye, Percy!"
After saying bye to the doorman, I began sprinting down the sidewalk. My stomach growled, and I found myself wishing I had eaten more breakfast, but I was already late since I was going to practice on foot that day.
Usually, I'd take a cab to the facility downtown, but since it was Halloween, The Knicks were holding practice at an intercity high school south of the stadium. That meant that theoretically I could get there on foot and save, like, thirty bucks, so I'd be an idiot not to do it, right?
I found it a little bit odd that we had practice on Halloween, but some of the guys on the team mentioned that the Halloween fundraiser was always a hit. Something about a bunch of NBA players wearing goofy costumes and chucking candy at little kids really opens up the wallets of investors.
New York streets were a pleasure to run on. Nowhere else in the world would I be able to see two rats fighting over a bag of chips, a hobo passed out on a street bench with clown makeup on, and an important-looking guy in a suit eating a hot dog with a fork and knife, all in the span of ten seconds.
Before I could really hit my stride, though, I almost fell over as I ran into this guy in a trench coat and a balaclava.
"My bad, man," I said, brushing some dirt off my shorts. I offered him a hand up, only to find myself staring down the barrel of a gun.
"Run your shit," He growled as he scampered to his feet. His chest heaved, and his fingertips were gripping the gun so tightly, they turned white.
"Oh, this is too funny," I cracked a grin. I couldn't fully see his expression, but the way his eyes widened meant that he was probably a little bit confused. "Dude, I'm like the absolute last person in this city you want to rob. Do you know how funny it is that out of every single person in this city you could've chosen to rob, you chose me? Boy, you must've pissed off Lady Luck."
"Funny? Nothing's funny around here. Do I sound like I'm joking, homie?" The gun bobbed. I noticed a slight tremor in his hand. Some people who were walking by stopped, and in particular, an old lady looked more frightened than everyone else. "Run. Your. Shit."
"Alright," I raised my hands. I shook my head at him and said, "You got it. I'll run it."
[Time Dilation] flared to life, and the world crawled to a standstill around me.
For starters, I took the gun out of his hands. I slipped the clip out, emptied the bullets, and tossed it somewhere into the alleyway.
Next, I pulled his pants down, tied his shoes together, wrapped his jacket around his arms, and tightened. For good measure, I removed his balaclava and put it back on him inside-out, so he couldn't see anything.
The world resumed, and I pushed the robber backward as he basically floundered up and down like a fish.
"You showed him! Here. A good boy deserves a reward," The old lady's voice sounded like a distant whisper. I turned, and there she stood, like a figure seemingly plucked from an ancient painting. Her porcelain skin contrasted starkly with her coal-black eyes. She extended a frail hand, offering a butterscotch candy. A quick look at her stats showed that she was just human, which was kind of confusing.
Don't be rude, Percy, A voice that sounded like Triton said in my head. Take the creepy old lady's candy.
The golden candy glistened like some of the fruit in the Underworld did. I took it cautiously. My fingertips felt warm as I turned it over in my hand.
"Be careful out there, sonny," She cooed. "It's Halloween, you know. Strange things stir on this night. The veil between realms grows thin, and the shadows hold secrets even the bravest souls dare not unveil." Her words lingered in the air, heavy with cryptic meaning.
I felt a chill creeping over me, one that had nothing to do with the October breeze.
I felt like I was in the early stages of one of those Spooktober Disney movies. If the formula was anything to follow, somewhere in the next half an hour, I'd meet some mirror version of myself and we'd both fight a witch or something.
"Sure, ma'am," I said with a pleasant smile. I'd been so involved with the Greeks lately, I'd all but forgotten that creepy mortals existed, too. There was no way you'd catch me eating the candy she gave me. "I'll be careful."
"You should, dear," She added with a smile. "Samhain was considered to be a moment when the veil between this world and the otherworld was at its thinnest. Old gods had to be placated with gifts and sacrifice, and the trickery of fairies was an even greater risk than usual."
"Fairies?" I repeated, keeping my expression pleasant. Someone had to get their cuckoo grandma off the streets! "Like Tinker Bell, ma'am?"
"Mm. I fear that the robber may be the least of your worries tonight, young one," The old woman said, heaving a great sigh. "I sense a shadow clinging to your aura, a specter of guilt. Be mindful of your own inner demons. On this night, the boundary between the living and the dead is blurred. It's not only the past that comes back to haunt us."
"Right," I said as the woman kept looking at me intently. I put the candy in my pocket and gestured toward the school. "I don't mean to be rude, but I'm running late for practice, and…"
She waved off my awkwardness. "Oh, please, don't let the ramblings of an old woman stop you! Have a great day!"
"You too!"
The rest of the way to the high school was more or less easy. I did, however, see an actual sea of reporters as I got to the front steps, though.
Flashes of light exploded like wayward fireflies, casting an otherworldly glow that danced around me. A thousand different voices yelled out their questions, merging into a chaotic choir that filled the crisp October air.
"Are you new on the team?"
"Did you play overseas?"
"Is it true that you beat Julius Randle in a one-on-one yesterday?"
I paused at that one and grinned, "Yep. Shut-out. He didn't even score."
The flashes doubled, and it felt like even more voices were talking now. "Are you going to join the Knicks on a 10-day contract?"
I raised my hands and tried to wade through the crowd that was converging. The atmosphere turned heavy with a sense of foreboding. "Not at the moment. That's certainly a discussion for later."
I found myself rooted in place as the reporters surrounded me. "Do you have concrete plans on joining the league?"
"Er, yes, once I'm eligible."
"Do you think the Knicks will take you?"
"I certainly hope I can convince them to do so, yes."
"Are you currently seeing anyone?"
I grinned. "No. Do you know any models that are free later, by any chance?"
[Patch Notes]
[10/19/24]: I've decided to retroactively erase the multiverse arc. It felt a bit out of place to me, and even as I was continuing to write the newer chapters, I felt as though I'd done a disservice by packing a lot of development into that arc. As a dear friend (thank you, Jack) pointed out, the whole thing happening at the time it did and achieving what it did felt kinda...cheap.
I wanted to take some time to re-examine the way I've framed certain things. Those of you who have been here from the start know I do this from time to time. It's been a while since I've last done it, but there's no harm in doing so again. Thanks for your patience as I work to develop more content, and refine what's already here. You guys are the best!