CHAPTER
THREE

I'M ACTUALLY A COOL DEMIGOD?

"ANNABETH!" PERCY EXCLAIMED. I looked down, sighing as Nico tried to pry my hands away from him. I stopped covering his eyes, getting ready for the questions.

"What happe—" He was cut off by the sound of gunfire. It startled both of us but in only a few seconds it was gone. The helicopter had turned into a flock of ravens, Nico looked astonished while I was still extremely confused.

Bianca had sat back up beside me, equally confused. "How, how did that just happen?!" Bianca stammered, her eyes widening.

"It might have to do with them," I murmured, pointing over to a group.

Shield girl, brown curly-haired boy, Percy, Zoë, and the hunters' leader spoke, their voices hushed. Sometimes Percy would raise his voice, but nothing he said could explain this.

"Why'd you cover my eyes," Nico groaned, crossing his arms. I turned to him, giving up on eavesdropping on the group.

I smiled. "You're still my little brother, I wouldn't willingly let you see anything graphic," I told him. Nico groaned before muttering something about, "I'm not a baby." I noticed Shield girl glancing at us and frowning. I waved, maybe I could make a friend. She looked surprised, before waving back her attention was averted when Zoë said something.

Nico sighed, "Fine, either way, the girl from before isn't dead. I just feel it." I nodded, I had the same feeling.' The di Angelo kids, including me, have been sensing things for awhile. It's been weird, really weird.

"Whoa," Bianca said beside me, I turned to her as she stood up. "Hold up. Time out," She told them. Nico and I got up, standing awkwardly beside her.

Bianca looked at them curiously before pointing her finger at them, "Who are you, people?"

"And what was that furry thing?" I added to her question. Nico looked at me, his eyes saying 'You know what it was.' I sighed, "Nico minotaurs aren't real."

The huntress leader girl turned to us, her face much different from before. It had softened slightly "It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are you! Who are your parents?"

Bianca looked at me, she knew about the dreams. For the last few days, I've been having vague dreams about a throne but that's just my imagination...

Could we even trust these people, but then again they did save us. I stepped forward, "Our parents are, erm, gone. We're orphans," I lied, which also wasn't a lie at the same time it was just the half-truth. The whole truth is we had no idea who our parents were

"You are a half-blood," Zoë said, "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian."

"An Olympian... athlete?" Bianca and I questioned in unison. I had a hunch we were wrong though.

"No," Zoë said. "One of the gods."

"Cool!" said Nico.

"Demigod," Was all I could manage to get out. Bianca looked at me as if I was crazy, I might as well be. Does that mean my 'Us being demigods' theory is correct? Or is my 'I'm going crazy' theory correct?  Nope, I was going crazy.

"No!" Bianca exclaimed, "This is not cool," She said towards Nico before She turned to me. And we are not demigods, we can't be."

Nico ignored our sister's scolding and was overjoyed. "Nico-" I called but was interrupted. "Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for—"

"Nico, shut up!"

Bianca had definitely gotten to her breaking point. "This is not your stupid mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods." Even though she was telling Nico this, I knew she was reassuring herself. Nico had stopped his celebrating.

"Yeah this is crazy I'm crazy," I murmured before looking up. "Maybe we stumbled on some weird RPG thing," I told my siblings.

Nico didn't seem too sure but Bianca nodded and calmed down a bit, "Yeah, let's just go back to the party. Maybe they refilled the chip bowl." Potato chips did sound good after a failed kidnapping.

"Bianca, Maria-" The shield girl started. How did she know our names? "I know it's hard to believe.  But the gods are still around. Trust me, they're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well... Our lives are dangerous."

"Dangerous, like the girl who fell."

I looked at the cliff while Bianca said that. I knew she wasn't dead, I didn't know how but I just did. "Do not despair for Annabeth," The lead huntress said, "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."

All of the huntresses' voices –I've heard so far– were regal and had an accent, I don't know from where though it sounded ancient almost. "Then why won't you let us go look for her?" Percy asked, he did not have this majestic accent.

"She is gone. Can't you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished." Percy looked upset but understood.

Nico raised his hand, "Ooo! What about Dr. Thorn? That was awesome how you shot him with arrows! Is he dead?" I was almost worried about how happy he was that our Vice-Principal got shot with arrows.

"He was a manticore," The huntress said. "Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They re-form over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they reappear."

"Or they'll hunt us," Thalia said. We're actually demigods, that explains... A lot.

"That explains... Nico Maria, remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us on the alley in D.C. then Maria threatened them with her pocket knife and they just ran away," Bianca said.

I had my pocket knife. The whole time I had my pocket knife and I completely forgot... I checked my pockets and it was in there, as usual. To be honest, I have no idea where I got it. One day it just appeared, and I've never questioned it. The color of the knife was a bit weird, it was the darkest color I've ever seen.

"Can I see it?" Shield girl asked me, the second I pulled the knife out a few of the hunters backed away, which looked like out of instinct. Others had flinched, the huntress leader lady simply raised an eyebrow. I gave Shield Girl the knife.

Right, when I placed it in her hand, Shield girl flinched and it dropped. "What?" I heard Percy mutter to himself.

"Never mind," Shield girl said, eyeing the knife carefully. I grabbed it off the floor and shrugged, placing it back in my pocket.

"Ha! She's invincible when she wields that thing. Oh! And that bus driver!" Nico exclaimed, "I told you the horns were real, neither of you believed me."

"That's why Grover has been watching you," Percy said. "To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half-bloods." Wait, Grover? I haven't met him personally or really talked to him I just knew he was Nico's and Bianca's friend.

"Isn't Grover you're friend?" I asked Bianca and she nodded, looking confused.

"Grover?" Bianca questioned, "You're a demigod too?"

I think I might've almost fainted when Grover said, "Well Satyr actually," And kicked off his shoes. He had hooves, literal hooves, actual hooves, and furry legs, like goat legs. I would've fainted into the snow if it wasn't snowing and I wasn't currently freezing.

"Grover put your shoes on," Shield girl said, "You're freaking them out." I turned to my side and saw Bianca in the same state as me.

"Hey, my hooves are clean."

Okay, this is real. "He, he has hooves," I
stuttered.

Nico, who somehow heard me, looked at me with those big eyes full of wonder that looked at the world as some magical adventure and said, "Yeah! Isn't it so cool, do you think Satyrs eat like tin cans?"

I really hoped he never had to grow up.

"Maria, Bianca," Percy started, "We came here to help you. You guys and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won't be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp."

"Camp?" I questioned, turning my attention away from Nico.

He nodded, "Camp Half-Blood," Straightforward name, I like it. "It's where half-bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay there year-round if you like."

Nico looked like he was ready to run towards him, "Sweet! Let's go," He said as he began to run towards Percy.

Quickly I grabbed the hood of his jacket and pulled him back towards me and Bianca, "Calm down Nico, we don't even know the details. Where it is, does it cost mo-" I was cut off by Zoë.

"There's always another option," She said.

Another option? I looked at Percy who looked as confused as me. Did he not know of this 'other option' either?

"No there isn't!" Shield Girl exclaimed, she definitely didn't like this other option. Zoë and Her glared at each other, it didn't seem like they enjoyed each other very much either.

"We've burdened these children enough," The lead huntress lady said, "Zoë, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the school."

Zoë nodded, "Yes, m'lady"

The lead huntress lady turned to Bianca and me, "Maria, Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you two."

What about Nico? Almost right after I thought that Nico asked, "What about me?"

"Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that card game you enjoy. I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while... As a favor to me?" She asked which sounded more like a statement than a question.

Grover nodded, scurrying up and almost tripping himself. "You bet! Come on, Nico!"

Nico began running towards Grover and then looked at me mid-way. Was he waiting for me to stop him and pull him back here like usual? That broke my heart a little, he deserves the world, I thought before nodding and gesturing for him to go. He smiled before walking off with Grover towards the woods.

The huntress lady looked at Bianca and I signaling to follow her. I really need to learn her name, I can't just call her ''The huntress lady.' "Excuse me, Miss," I said, trying to be as polite as I could.

The huntress lady stopped and turned to me. "What is your name? I didn't hear anyone say it," I asked.

"Artemis, goddess of hunt."

Wait, I was in the presence of a goddess, a literal goddess. Bianca looked as surprised as me. I nodded really quickly and we continued our walk along the cliff. As Artemis spoke I still couldn't believe I was in the presence of her.

She told us about, the huntresses and how they ran things. Also, the benefits, how they gained eternal youth unless they fell in battle or in love, amazing archery skills, enhanced psychical skills, and how they could talk to animals. She also spoke about how they swore off love and how they were not to 'go astray' which basically meant grow up. The whole thing sounded amazing, it sounded like a big hunting family.

It looked like Bianca loved the idea too, she was hooked on every word Artemis said. I personally don't know, yes it sounded amazing but to never grow up? Eternal maidenhood? Plus what does that mean for Nico?

He's still a kid, and a naive one at that; he'd be willing to jump into a stranger's van if they said they had the latest addition of mythomagic cards. To be honest, there's a chance I would too but back to Nico. Our mom is gone and we don't even know if our father cares about us.

He'll be all alone if Bianca and I are out traveling the country. I don't think I could live knowing my little brother could be at the camp, alone, waiting for us to visit him. I don't want him to ever feel alone.

Then there's Bianca, I don't want to leave her alone in the hunters. But when Artemis was talking about it, it did sound like one big family. Maybe she would be fine? I haven't heard much about this 'Camp Half-Blood'. How could I choose one without knowing anything about the other?

After a while, Artemis began directing us to a tent. Once we got inside I already loved the 'feel' of it, it felt homey and warm, there was a fire in the middle which warmed the room. Around the fire were comfortable pillows and a silk rug covered the floor, it was beautiful. On the walls of the tent were animal pelts, along with a stand behind Artemis that held a majestic bow and arrow.

I sat beside Bianca, who was also amazed by this tent. A few seconds after Artemis began asking us questions about the attack, Bianca answered the most because for most of the attack I was stuck inside my head trying to figure out and debunk theories.

Randomly a deer walked inside and planted its head in Artemis' lap. From her calm face, I assumed this was a regular action.

I was still a little wary about this hunter thing, I couldn't imagine killing something. But with this whole demigod thing, I'll have to assume I'd have to kill something or even someone in either path I took.

NOTE & DISCLAIMER

I DO NOT OWN PJO OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. I ONLY OWN MY OC, MARIA

word count > 2313

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