Percy sighed, "why do I get the weird ones."
"What was that?"
"Nothing!" Percy turned away from Artemis and looked around the park. He stopped moving and took a deep breath taking in various scents. Artemis strangle smelt like vanilla and mint mixed together, so her bow should smell the same.
Percy let the scents flow through him and slowly he started to see the park though his nose. He could smell everyone and everything. The man with heavy cologne sitting to their right with his wife who smelled of his cologne and mangos. The dog standing few feet in front of him smelt like....well a dog. And just as he started to process all this information something stuck out.
Percy's eyes shot open, "this way." The deer then charged ahead using a little bit of his Speed demon perk to run faster.
"See i knew you could do it!" Artemis said as she ran right next to the deer. Soon the two came the a fountain surrounded by several people, "where is she Percy?"
Percy however didn't answer and instead ran right to an ice cream salesman and stood in front of the man. The ice cream man looked alarmed that a deer was right now in front of him but Percy didn't care as he started to sniff the ice cream box the man pushed around.
"Is she in there?" Artemis asked reaching for her daggers.
"I want it," Percy said pointing to the ice cream box, "please?"
Artemis blinked, "you want...ice cream?"
Percy nodded, "yup. The money I smelt the ice cream I haven't been able to think or focus on anything else."
"Perseus you can't-" Artemis started but immediately stopped as Percy slowly started to look at the goddess with pleading eyes, "-I know what you're doing Percus and it will not-" Percy's eyes slowly started to gloss over as tears started to take over the corners, "-I have loved thousands of years and I will not-" slowly a tear rolled down his check and Artemis knew she lost.
Ping!
By making a desperate looking face you have gained a new skill!
Puppy dog eyes, Lv-1 (20%)
You can use these eyes to guilt trip people into doing what you want them to do.
Success rate— (Luc)% chance of success
Percy smiled as he licked a bowl of blueberry ice cream with his deer tongue. It felt strange eating with a different tongue but Percy quickly got used to it. Artemis sat on a bench to his side eating a vanilla flavored ice cream bar.
"After this can we please go back to searching for my symbol of power?" Artemis asked licking her cold treat.
"Sure we can," Percy said looking at her, "and why is it that most gods lose their symbols of power so easily? Like don't you guys-" Percy's ramblings stopped midway as he simply stared mouth open at Artemis who was licking split ice cream off her fingers. The white sticky substance rolled between her fingers coating them fully. Her tongue licked the cream clean off before she sucked the ice cream on the stick over and over again.
"What's wrong Percy?" Artemis asked raising an eyebrow.
"N-Nothing!" Percy turned around and quickly began to finish his ice cream. He was so glad he was not human right now, otherwise she would notice the huge blush he had on his face right now. He finished his ice cream and threw the cup away into trash. "Let's go find your bow."
The two began their search again with Percy's nose taking the lead. But the image of Artemis licking ice cream off her hands kept distracting his concentration. Gamer's mind then kicked in and allowed him to focus on the task at hand but slowly he got bored.
"So why are you here all alone?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like I heard from several campers you have like a team of all female Hunters that you hunt with. So I was just wondering why they aren't here with you."
"I gave them some time off, we recently have been trying to track the titans and the Gergosa, with no luck."
"The Gergosa? Why them? Sure the Titan's are like...titans, but why Gergosa?"
"Because those things once almost wiped out the entire human race Perseus. And the fact they are now alive and popping up all over the place is cause for concern. I understand that you have faced them before, is that true?"
"Yeah. My friends and I were on a quest to track Luke's movement inside Abyss. We thought he had him when he sprung his trap on us. I managed to take one down that tried to bite my arm off, and my friends took down another."
"Then you understand why we need to get this Lamia and fast, she has information on the traitor Luke and his companions, we get to talk we get the first leg up in this war."
Percy nodded and then quickly began his work again. His nose just then picked up something, something that smelt like wet rocks and scales. He looked up, "I think I got her scent." He then took them to a secluded part of the park and soon they came upon Lamia still tied up with Artemis's bow in her hands.
"Great we found her, can you please transform me back now?" Percy asked. Artemis transformed Percy back who then quickly checked to make sure everything was back to where it was, after all the last time she transformed him back she forgot about his clothes.
Artemis kneeled down in front of the Lamia and narrowed her eyes, "where is Luke?"
"I don't know who it issss you speak of, whore of Olympussss!"
"You should not have said that," Percy focused on his mana around the Lamia and made her bounds tighter squeezing the monster.
"ARGH!" The monster roared in pain.
"If you want him to stop than answer my question, or else," Artemis said as she snatched her bow from the Lamia's grasp before aiming an arrow right next to the monster's throat, "now tell me all you know."
Quest Completed!
Find Artemis's bow!
Reward,
2,000 Exp
Lunch
The monster narrowed her eyes, "he and Argo are sssssearching for ssssssssomething."
"What?"
"A poisssson, ssssssomehting ssssstrong."
"Why?"
"I do not know. All I know issss that, and the fact that they are looking for a way to gain more soilderssssss."
Artemis started into the monster's eyes before nodding, "okay then," Artemis then stood up and drew back her arrow.
The Lamia's eyes widened in fear, "wait! You sssssaid you would spare me if I told you all I know!"
"I never said that, I just said I won't prolong your suffering," Artemis let the arrow fly causing the monster to explode in an explosion of dust leaving behind some drachma, a leather skin pouch and a fang;
Lamia's fang
Consuming this will cure a person of any snake venom.
Percy picked up the money and purse and gave them to Artemis, "here I don't really need these."
The goddess looked at them strangely before accepting them, "thank you, this is very good leather."
Percy nodded as he put the fnag away in his inventory when Artemis was not looking.
"Those were very....peculiar spoils of war. I have never seen someone get a bag before."
Percy rubbed his neck, "yeah I know, I'm a strange one. Anyway...what now?"
"Now I leave, you have assisted me greatly today Percus and for that I will always be grateful but now I must-"
Groan!
The sound came from artemis's stomach, the goddess was now holding her stomach in guilt. Percy smiled, "guess now it's time for lunch."
"That is kind Perseus but I must-"
Groan!
"Yeah, you're hungry," Percy said with a smile, "come on, my treat."
The goddess looked as if she wanted to argue but Percy didn't really let her argue. He grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the Park.
"Where exactly are you taking me?" Artemis asked as they exited the park walking into the city.
"I have no idea," Percy said with a smile, "what are you hungry for?"
"This was your idea, so you decided."
"Hm...how about," Percy then turned a corner and there stuck right between to huge building was a small pizzeria what smelt amazing. Percy took a deep breath and let it out, "you up from some pizza?"
Artemis sighed, "sure, why not." They ordered several slices of pizza, vegetarian for Artemis and a meat lovers delight for Percy. They took their order to go as they munched on their lunch while taking a walk around Central Park once more.
"I forget how beautiful human civilization can be sometimes," Artemis said looking at the birds in the trees and the dogs being walked around.
"Yeah I know what you mean."
"You do?"
"Well so far the last four months has been kind of crazy. I found out I was a demigod, saved my mom from the Underworld, battled monsters that are literally considered legends and I even fought an Olympian, twice!"
"Yes well I don't really consider our meeting a proper fight, it was more of me hitting you and you running away."
"Well excuse me for not wanting to get my ass handed to me."
"Strange you seemed far more open to fight Ares than me, any reason why?"
Percy shrugged, "it's not because you're a woman if that's what you're thinking. I didn't really want to fight you, and I was kind of in a hurry back then, you know with my friends body decomposing every second I wasted and all. Also I didn't really like Ares so I took great pleasure in fighting him."
"What did you do to him? every time we asked he shuts down and Poseidon and Zeus snicker."
Percy shuckled, "yeah dad would find it funny, but why Zeus? After all I did shove the Master Bolt up Ares's behind. Gods I hope he washed that thing before he used it." Just then the sky rumbled, "guess I'm supposed to take that as a yes then."
Artemis stood shocked, "wait.... you shoved the Master Bolt up Ares's ass?"
Percy nodded, "yup. And then I shoot one right up Main street."
"You fired the Master bolt, the most powerful weapon in greek Mythology, up Ares's ass?" Percy nodded causing Artemis to burst into laughter, "no wonder he still uses that hemorrhoid pillow!"
"Wait he still used that?!" Percy asked surprised.
"Of course he does! You shoot a lightning bolt up his ass! Even for a god that's a little too much!"
Percy laughed with Artemis as they slowly reached the lake Percy and Poseidon fought on yesterday. They sat down on the same bench Percy sat on before and watched the ducks swim across the water.
"You know something ,Perseus you are a decent man," Artemis said breaking the silence.
"Why thanks you coming from you that means a lot," Percy said sarcastically.
"I am serious Perseus, you impressed me before with your loyalty to your friends, something which is rare."
"No, it's not."
"Why do you think so?"
"Why do you think I was loyal to them?"
"Because they were your friends."
Percy nodded, "yeah, and more than that they were my family, or the closest thing I had to one. And I wasn't they only on there who was loyal to them, they were also loyal to me."
"That may be true Percy, but only you were willing to go to the Underworld to bring them back, do you really think they would do the same for you?"
"Yes, I do."
Artemis smiled, "not a moment's hesitation, good, that is good."
Silence won again as the two simply enjoyed the sight and the weather. The sun was shining, lucky not to harshly to cause a heat stroke but just warm enough to make everyone brozy with sleep. "So what's your deal?" Percy asked breaking the silence again.
"What do you mean?"
"well it's just that in camp everyone goes on and one about how much you hate men and how I was lucky you didn't get me, but...well" target="_blank">but...well... we just spent the after together and you didn't really seem all that hateful."
Artemis chuckled, "oh don't be ridiculous. I don't blindly hate every man I see, I would have to certifiably insane if that was the case."
"You hated me when we first meet."
"You were my mission and usually I would be sent to capture very bad men"
"Then why did you turn me into a deer? The first time I mean."
"You pissed me off, so forgive me for losing my temper and transforming you into a deer okay?" Artemis snapped crossing her arms.
"It's I forgive you," Percy shot back angering the goddess.
"Cheeky brat!" Artemis said punching Percy in the shoulder.
"Wow that hurts!" Percy grabbed his shoulder rolling off the bench in pain, "damn that godly strength!"
Artemis chuckled, "oh get up. I expect that man who fought one on one with Hyperion and survived to tell the tale be able to take a few hits now and then."
Percy groand as he got back on his seat, "it still hurts."
"You want me to kiss it and make you feel better?"
Percy nodded rolling his sleeve, "yes please," he said smugly daring her to do it. Artemis narrowed her eyes before turning away causing Percy to grin.
They stayed silent for some time before Percy asked, "so you're not a man hatter, so why the rumors?"
"It was what I did in the past mostly," Artemis said looking at the sun though the leave on the tree branch above them, "during ancient greece woman were treated....poorly."
Percy nodded, "if even half of what I read is true that's an understatement."
Artemis nodded as well, "so you understand what I mean. Back then women were nothing more than property to be used or traded. Married women were treated worse than trash, and if a man cheats on a woman it is her fault for not satisfying him," Artemis's face turned cold as she clenched her arms in anger.
"So you punished those who mistreated women."
Artemis nodded, "correct. I protected those who couldn't protect themselves. Soon it became a legend that if you mistreat a woman I would come to punish those responsible."
"So....sort of like a greek boogeyman that targeted assholes and protected women?"
Artemis's cold features melted away as she laughed out, "haha, yes well I suppose you are right Perseus."
Percy chuckled, "so you aren't much of a man hater than you are the boogy man huh?" Artemis's laugh grew louder, something which made Percy happy to hear, after all it sounded so beautiful even a tone deaf man could appreciate it. "So...you know in ancient greek legends how whenever a mortal assists a god in a task they get a reward right?"
Artemis blinked, before frowning and sighing, "all right what do you want?" 'You men are all the same, always wanting something or the other. Stupid boy'
"I want you to call me Percy," the demigod said surprising the goddess.
"What?"
"I want you to call me Percy, none of that Perseus bull shit."
Artemis was understandable surprised at the request. "Is that all? You know you can ask for a lot more right?"
Percy waved her off, "neah you have nothing I want. Just call me Percy, for love of the gods please call me Percy. Perseus makes me feel so old!"
Artemis smiled, "alright then, Percy." The demigod smiled at the goddess as the two slowly feel silent. The warm wind blew across their face as the sun warmed them both up. Their lunch made them feel sleepy as slowly they both drifted asleep. Percy didn't need sleep but he still could fall asleep and right now that's all he wanted to do.
