Percy Jackson-Estranged

Chapter 7-Attempting Rebirth

Percy looked around at his surroundings, seeing he was in the hunters hastily set up camp not far from where the recent little... interaction was. Darting away in the opposite direction in which he was facing, he found himself running away parallel from where the huntresses were. He covered plenty of distance, his instincts kicking in, allowing him to glide smoothly through the brush and trees while his mind races with thoughts. Many ideas and questions flurried through his head, and moments of weakness slip into his cold, empty demeanor. What have I done? I know they saw my expression, and they recognized me. I could go into deeper, more true hiding. Maybe avoid hunting monsters for a while. Or I could visit Uncle's territory downstairs. Or... oh, who am I kidding? There's no point hiding when you can't hide forever. Maybe it's time to face my sins. Or perhaps, I could try to do some good before I let myself be taken. I wonder if my plan from a while ago could possibly work.. well; no use avoiding the slight hope. She deserves a second chance anyway. Much more than I do. Fighting his instincts as best he can, Percy stops in place, does a 180, and begins running in that direction, going slightly faster than before. He has a few questions to ask a certain moon goddess. The beast in him seems to be displeased by this, which, to Percy, makes him decide it is the best decision. If he stayed away, he wasn't sure how much longer he'd last. He was already close enough to losing control as it is. 

(Artemis Third Person POV)

After the reveal of the legendary, formerly secret hunter, her and Thalia refused to move. They stared at where he disappeared, seeming to be lost in space, and despite the hunters nagging and tugging at them, they just seemed to be stuck in their stupor. That is, until Pheobe walked up and slapped Thalia, hard enough to get a look of anger in return. Coming back to reality, the goddess and her lieutenant made eye contact for a few seconds before Artemis gave a nod. They had a goal in mind, a man to catch and hopefully fix, and more than a few tears to shed on their own with apologies to give. The hunter without a title would soon be reformed if they had their way. Beginning the trek back to their campsite, answering a few of the questions they were asked without giving away the man's identity, Artemis paused for a moment when she thought she heard something. After a few moments, she decided to take a risk. "Reveal yourself!" The goddess spoke, raising her voice, startling a few of the huntresses. Others simply turned to her with a questioning expression. Several seconds passed, Artemis feeling more and more embarrassed as time went on. Finally, a voice broke the silence.

"I'm impressed you heard me. Perhaps I'll have to be even more cautious around you." The person spoke, before dropping to the ground from a tree where he had been nearly invisible, so much that the huntresses didn't even have a clue he was there. As soon as he had landed, several different arrows were flying in his direction. However, much like last time they tried to shoot him, he ended up slicing each arrow out of the air, one getting slightly closer than the others before the point was cleanly cut off. Percy was as precise as ever. After a few moments of staring, he spoke. "I'm glad you guys missed me so much, but anyway, I need to know a few things. Care to help an old assistant and new monster?" His dry voice dripped with sarcasm and a little wistfulness. Thalia was completely frozen, staring at her cousin, and Artemis had to take a second to compose herself. Eventually, she straightened and realized what the man had said. 

"Continue, and then we have some things to say in return. And you will heed me." Artemis stated, attempting to leave no room for debate. Percy simply responded with a slight shake of his head. "I'll listen, but do not think you can threaten me or force anything of me. I'd sooner die than lose that which I've gotten." This answer shook Artemis, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she bit her lip, glared for a moment, and then waved him on. "Tell me. Naiads are immortal, yes? So, they can be resurrected with enough power. These are things we both know, right?" Percy paused for an answer, and Artemis nodded once, an unreadable expression on her face. "I thought so. Now, are you aware of all the properties of the five rivers of the Underworld?" She nodded again, more impatiently. "Okay, so, if I were to combine all of the rivers into one, what would be made?" Upon hearing this, the goddesses expression turned confused. "I don't know. The Phlegathon might not mix with anything, the Styx can purify most things when its clean, but I don't know how it'd work with the Cocytus and Acheron, and Lethe of course has its one known purpose. Why does this topic concern you?" Percy jotted down the information in his head, ignoring her question in favor of musing to himself. Eventually, he looked back up, his eyes having a bit of a shine to them. "Alright, that's all I need to know. Now, make your statements." He seemed to have been reignited temporarily. Artemis opened her mouth to speak, but a certain daughter of Zeus interrupted her, desperate to understand her old friend, cousin, and brother. "What happened to you? Why did you leave, and how are you so talented? You're more skilled than I have ever seen!" She stared at Percy, noticeably trembling. The hunters nearby look on in confusion, unsure of why they were tolerating the males presence, and not able to comprehend their sisters' emotion. The son of Poseidon turned slightly towards his cousin, inclining his head in her direction. "To answer one of your questions, training in the woods, practicing my powers for days on end, and realizing just how much I had to learn all made me stronger. I've yet to truly peak, but I am at the point in which I can't expect much more, at least not without learning something else about myself. I can humbly say I have more power than any demigod I've known or heard of. As for the other question, perhaps asking around at Camp Half-Blood would give you the answer." Percy's tone souded no different than usual, but there was a layer of bitterness beneath his final words. It was like a stench that fouled the air around him, and suddenly his desire to leave increased tenfold. He braced himself against a tree, playing it off as if he simply needed to lean against it. After a few seconds of quiet, deep breathing, he looked back towards Artemis and made eye contact with her. Eventually, she continued, Thalia seeming to be frozen in time again. 

"You need to come with me to Olympus, or back to camp. It is unsafe out here, and despite your skill, you won't last forever. I'm sure you're also feeling lonely by now. Don't you miss your friends, and that daughter of Athena?" Upon hearing this, Percy leaned more heavily into the tree, and paled slightly. He sighed, sounding full of melancholy and a little anger. When he responded, his words shocked the virgin huntress. "No, I do not miss them. Out here, I've felt more peace than ever before. While I know it won't last forever, and I see your intentions all too clearly, I have more things to do before I face... them. Besides, I can last out here better than anyone besides perhaps yourself, Lady Artemis. Trying to force me to leave won't work either, despite my being a male." His words sparked some anger in the goddess, her face darkening and her eyes glowing ever so slightly. "So you left your girlfriend to be alone. What justifies that, sea spawn?" In answer, Perseus' stood straight and pushed off the oak he had been against. He glared fiercly, the silver-eyed huntress doing the same to him. "You shouldn't speak on something you don't understand. I did nothing to harm her, and while I may be a demon, and I do little more than slay, day in day out, my intentions have been and always will be pure. Perhaps you'll understand some day. Until then, don't hunt me. I will find you again. Despite your blatant lack of empathy, I give you respect, and if things go well, you'll have a sort of... gift." He started to dissolve, eyes still boring his Artemis' own. "Until then." The boy fully vanished, gone, to be found again later as fate fortold. However, before that would happen, Percy had a plan to act on, and a fix to make. The fates could be defied, and death could be reversed. He just had to figure out a way besides the physicians cure. And he would, if it killed him. 

Meanwhile, a goddess stood still and thought, the moon rising above. Eventually, she turned back to the girls with her. "Let's leave. We shall find him again soon, and he will come with us, whether he likes it or not." Without question, the girls darted off, only Thalia hesitating, staring at the place where her former closest male acquaintence used to be. She had never been more demoralized and confused in her life. Finally, a single tear falling from her cheek, she turned and ran off into the forest, after her sisters. 

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