The Son of Artemis

two

first chapter of 2020!!

i do not own pjo!

thalia in media

"

Three days had passed since the Olympian meeting when Artemis finally returned to camp in Northern Maine. Following the meeting she had travelled to California, the northern coast to check on the waters. There was talk among the supernatural world that the waves were at a level beyond normal, that only a deity could have caused such an unusual disruption.

Once she arrived in Northern California and travelled up the coast, it was obvious that the waves were not the doing of Percy Jackson, nor any other deity. The waves were high because of natural causes, Mother Nature for lack of other terminology.

Artemis is currently sitting on a large rock along the side of the riverbed. Her legs are crossed over each other and her eyes are closed. The wind breezed around her form and rustled the branches of the trees surrounding her. There is little movement and her hunters are unaware of her return to camp. Artemis sits still, mimicking a statue, in an attempt to calm her mind and think of more possibilities.

Her mind is clouded with anger and it is not fading as quickly as she would like. She breathes in deeply, before releasing a shuddering breath.

"California a bust?"

Artemis takes another breath in, "Yes."

She clenched her fists and gracefully lifts herself to her feet and hops down from the top of the rock before turning. Leaning on a tall evergreen tree, arms crossed and eyebrow quirked, is her second in command.

"How were the girls?"

"Same as always. How was dad?"

"Same as always."

Artemis and Thalia Grace return to the camp in practiced silence, the news not anything new to either party. As with the demigod camps, the Hunters are surviving as best they can. They have more practice, as many have been around much longer than the typical demigod, but there are many newer and younger recruits who require more watching and caution in fighting situations.

With the help of Percy, Artemis and Thalia had been building up the Hunters each time they saved a child from their families or the streets. While the numbers and training for the youngsters is good, they are much more vulnerable and inexperienced on the battlefield.

The Hunters as a whole are downtrodden and paranoid of what could be happening around them, always alert.

Upon Artemis and Thalia's arrival, the girls doing chores around the camp perked up and peeked at them from wherever they were currently stationed, only to go back to work at the closed-off expression on the goddess' face.

Thalia peeks over at Artemis before walking towards her tent and shooing away the girls cleaning her laundry. "Come on." Artemis follows silently.

"Here," Thalia hands her a steaming mug of hot chocolate, made specially with blue-charmed chocolate.

Artemis takes sips as she sits on her bed of animal pelts. She looks up and meets Thalia's expectant gaze and set her mug down.

"They discontinued the search," she says, eyes on the floor.

"Excuse me?" Thalia quips back immediately. "Why?"

"It's been six years, they think he's gone. They think he doesn't want to be found," Artemis informs Thalia, her voice monotone and quiet.

Thalia rolls her eyes and grabs a chair to sit on backwards. "Of course he doesn't want to be found." She scoffs. "Doesn't mean we stop looking for the kelphead."

Suddenly, Artemis explodes upward from her spot on the bed. "What do you think I've been doing? I've been across the country in every state, at every possible disturbance. Everywhere there is whispers of a disturbance, of godly activity, or unusual event, I'm there! It is a bust, every single time," she spits, her hands thrown above her head and her voice raised. "This time it was the waves. 'Unnaturally high waves,' they said, but no. People can't even tell the difference between nature and the Gods apparently."

Thalia narrows her eyes at Artemis and her tone. "So we are done?"

Artemis spins on her, eyes ablaze, "Done?"

"You obviously give up and I'm not going to lead the girls on a hunt that their patron believes is useless. If we are done here, then we need to move on, help the camps," Thalia explains with contained frustration.

"We are helping the camps," Artemis replies from her desk where she moved to look at her map.

"No," Thalia disagrees. "They have been doing the same chores for weeks. Those clothes have been washed three times the amount of times they've been worn. We have so much meat we can't eat it all."

Artemis pauses and turns to look over her shoulder at Thalia. "Is it really that bad?"

Thalia nods.

"What should we do then Thalia?" Artemis is confused and unsure how to continue.

"Do you want to stop looking for Percy?" Thalia asks inquisitively.

"No, Gods no."

"Good," Thalia nods. "It would be depressing to everyone if we stopped, especially the girls. We can't stop when we've been looking for so long. We just need to think this out."

Artemis huffs, "We've thought everything out."

"Have we checked Canada?" Thalia asks, proving her point.

"No," Artemis answers after some hesitation.

"The Gods' sphere of influence in only the United States, we just need to search somewhere outside of it," Thalia walks over to the maps on Artemis' desk and pulls the world map out from the very bottom.

"There's so many," Artemis says, not yet expecting to find anything new.

"Let's eliminate what we can," Thalia picks up a black marker and crosses out the United States, Italy, and Greece. "You guys would know if he was anywhere in these countries." She circles a few other countries including Norway and Russia. "Check with the other pagan Gods in these countries to see if he's there."

Artemis' mood was slightly improving along with the hope she feels for Percy's safe return. "What about all of the other countries? There's still so many to cover."

Thalia chews on the cap of the pen in her mouth. "He couldn't have flown so that eliminates almost everything," she decides, slashing almost half the map.

"No," Artemis disagrees with her. "Percy can travel by water."

"He can't do it with multiple people," Thalia points out. "And I don't think he's figured it out because of his lack of training and the only person who can do something similar is Nico, but he never worked with him on it."

Artemis nods while thinking through the possibilities of where Percy could be, before Thalia's words process. "What do you mean multiple people? Thalia so help me if you know something," Artemis trailed off suspiciously.

Thalia just shakes her head, unconcerned. "When has Percy ever been by himself? He couldn't do it. I bet he kept saving kids and even travels with some of them, but he wouldn't do this alone for so long."

Artemis contemplates the validity, but Thalia is right, Percy would have company.

"So, Canada?"

"

alright guys here's chapter 2!!

it's been a hot minute, sorry guys. the end of the year was crazy! hope everyone had a great holidays & great start to 2020!

still no percy, but don't worry, he's coming soon. 

feedback & votes much appreciated :)