Grover Underwood

After fainting, I woke up in a tent with Nico, Percy, and two girls I recognized as Hunters of Artemis, though I couldn't place their names.

"Hm..." I hummed, sitting up, earning everyone's attention pretty quickly. "What happened? Where are the others?"

I moved to get up, but Percy put a hand on my leg, stopping me.

"Woah, G-man, relax." He insisted. "The girls are fine- they're talking with Lady Artemis. Are you okay? You're the one that took a hit."

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm okay." I insisted, stretching the leg that got stung earlier. It felt okay. "the hunters are good healers. I'm a little surprised they let us stay in here after they finished making sure I wasn't dead, though. What... Why is Lady Artemis speaking with the girls?"

Percy shrugged.

"Beats me, it's a girls-only conversation." My boyfriend insisted, sliding a hand of cards to me. "Nico's been teaching me how to play Mythomagic."

"He's really bad at it." Nico told me, which I couldn't help but laugh at. "I've beat him three times already."

"That's just because Percy's awful at most card games," I told the young demigod, earning the punch I got from Percy. "Hey! I'm not wrong."

"I got my mom to drive like six hours to bring me here," Percy told me. "And you're going to be mean to me?"

Percy played his turn, placing a character down.

"I don't think being objectively honest is being mean right now," I insisted, watching Nico as he drew and played two different cards— one for land mass, one for a character. "But I will thank your Mom when I see her. Did you come straight from school? Is that why you guys didn't get here until the dance started?"

Shaking his head, Percy let Nico explain the general rules of Mythomagic to me and help me put my first card down— a land card.

"No, I haven't... Been in school." My boyfriend told me, which was concerning enough on it own. "for a few weeks now. Um, I'll explain why later, but... Yeah. We just had to pick Annabeth and Thalia up from camp, and Mom worked this morning so... Dad says hi, by the way."

"O...Kay." I said, audibly worried about what happened over these last few weeks that we haven't been able to talk. I offered him my hand. "Are you okay right now?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah," Percy promised me, motioning to Nico before taking my hand— a gesture the young demigod seemed to notice this time. "I'm bad at it, but Mythomagic is kind of fun."

"Wait," Nico said, delivering a play that killed half of Percy's current playing field. "I have a question."

Both of us looked at him.

"So I—" he stopped himself, looking like he was trying to find the right way to ask his question. "You guys are holding hands?"

"I..." Percy started, looking at me, then back to Nico. "is this your question? Or just an observation?"

Nico shifted, and I suddenly recalled something that Percy himself told us earlier:

The last time this kid was in the normal world, it was 1939.

"Well it... I thought that boys couldn't do that with each other." The young demigod articulated, and I think if my face doesn't turn blue from holding my breath, it'll be a miracle. "Bianca and like... Not just Bianca, but Bianca said that boys can't hold hands or kiss boys and girls can't hold hands with or kiss girls. It like..." And it shouldn't have been funny, but Nico pointed his two pointer fingers towards each other and bumped them together. "Doesn't work."

In order to not completely shame this kid with my hysteria, I used my free hand to cover my mouth and let Percy handle this conversation.

"It..." Percy took a moment, collecting himself. He was blushing harder than I've ever seen before. "I mean, it can work. Um... I know that before you went into the casino, people thought that people couldn't be gay, but they can be. Some people are weird about it still, but it's okay if you're gay or if you're bi or straight or ace or whatever now."

Nico nodded his head, taking in the information.

"I don't know what any of those other words meant besides gay and straight."

Percy smiled.

"That's okay, you're still young, you have to learn sometime." My boyfriend reassured the younger demigod, and I couldn't help but smile at how nice and gentle he seemed to be with Nico. "Bi, or bisexual, is just if you like both boys and girls. Being ace, or asexual, means you don't like anyone. The hunters are ace."

Percy turned to one of the girls in the tent behind us.

"Right?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I guess so." The girl said, shrugging. "I've never heard of a term for it, but that would be it. Asexual, you said?"

"Um, I guess if you give up dating and relationships completely, you could say ace-aro," Percy informed her. "Aromantic, so no romantic attraction, and asexual, no sexual attraction."

She nodded.

"Interesting." She commented, looking at the girl next to her. "Did you know of that, Phoebe?"

"I'd heard of the term ace, but I never knew what it meant." Phoebe answered, standing up. "we're going to check in on Lady Artemis— don't touch anything."

The two hunters exited the tent, leaving the three of us.

Nico remained silent for a moment, processing this new information, seeming to have another question that would go with it.

"So wh..." Nico began. "what if I don't know what I like?"

"That's okay!" Percy promised him. "You're not old enough to date, so you don't have to know yet. And even when you are old enough, you don't need to know. Just date the person you like. And if your sister thinks it's gross, then she's lame, because look at how cute my boyfriend is when I embarrass him by actually calling him my boyfriend and complimenting him."

I hate that he was able to make me blush.

Well, I don't hate it, I enjoy it quite a lot. But you get my point.

"Oh, whatever, now you're just showing off." I said, nudging him. "play your turn— if there's anything you can do to save yourself."

•••
Thalia Grace

Lovely day to have an identity shattering revelation, isn't it?

As I predicted, Artemis was trying to recruit the three of us into her Hunt because we're all "young girls with a lot of potential".

She lost me at girls, which I quickly realized isn't where she should've lost me.

I should've lost interest soon thereafter, when she mentioned that the huntresses must swear of any romantic interests and pursuits. Because you know, I have a boyfriend.

Not that any of the gods besides Mr. D know about that boyfriend, which is how it's going to stay for another year and a half or so, but still.

Furthermore, she could've lost me when I'd realized that I'd have to always be around a goddess.

But no. She lost me at "girls".

"What do the three of you think?" Lady Artemis asked in closing as we sat inside her tent, her lieutenant standing at the 'door' of the tent, which felt weird to me. "No pressure, and it doesn't have to be at this very moment, but know that we always accept newcomers to the Hunt. If they serious."

"I... Think it sounds awesome." Bianca said, and I forced myself to hold my tongue. "No responsibilities, immortality, getting to travel? How soon can I join? Do I have to go to camp still if I join?"

"We can have you take the vow momentarily," Artemis answered. "as for the camp question, I'll answer that later. It's a bit complicated. Annabeth? Thalia? Thoughts?"

"As enticing as the benefits are, Lady Artemis, I can't take the offer." I told her. "I just got my life back, and taking a vow feels like it would tie me down right now. My mother had a very exciting life— I don't know if I want the same."

Artemis smiled.

"Maidenhood isn't for everyone," she admitted. "My twin, for instance. I sense there may be a man in your heart, Thalia— I'm sure you'll find him one day. And when you do, you'll make a fine couple."

I smiled back, trying to not think about how she would never think that if she knew what was happening behind the scenes right now.

"Thank you for understanding."

The goddess looked to Annabeth.

"And you, dear?"

Annabeth remained silent, deep in thought. She played with the ring on her camp necklace, the way she often does when she's thinking.

"I... I would love to, but I have questions that might change that." the daughter of Athena finally answered.

"Okay! That is logical, being Athena's daughter," Artemis responded and rose. "let us honor Bianca's wish to take the vow and you and I can discuss more one on one while we wait for your ride to camp. This way, Thalia may be free to socialize as well."

Ushering the three of us out of the tent, the hunters outside all seemed to stand at attention as I walked over to where Nico, Percy, and Grover were sitting— just outside the medic tent where Grover had been set down earlier. He was up now, which seemed like a good sign.

"Hey, what did she want to talk with you guys about?" Percy asked in a quiet voice.

I motioned towards Artemis and Bianca, standing next to one another.

"Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Bianca di Angelo." The goddess of the hunt began. "She wishes to join us in our ranks. Zoë— would you be able to do the honors?"

Her lieutenant, Zoë Nightshade (what a YA/middle grade book name to have) nodded curtly and stepped forward.

"Raise your right hand." Zoë instructed, and Bianca followed suit. "And repeat after me:

"I, Bianca di Angelo—"

"I, Bianca di Angelo." Bianca said with a slightly heavier Italian accent.

"Pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."

"Pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."

Glancing down at the boys, I saw Grover's expression slowly drop— the first to realize what she was doing.

"I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the hunt."

There was no hesitation from Bianca di Angelo.

"I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the hunt."

Then it clicked for Percy.

Nico leaned towards the two older boys.

"Why is Bianca repeating the scary girl?"

"Congratulations, Bianca di Angelo." Zoë Nightshade said as a silvery light seemed to sharpen around Bianca. Immortality— although a fragile form of it, setting in. "by morning, we will have a new bow, quiver, and arrows for you, along with anything else you may need as a huntress. For tonight, sleep well knowing you have a new family."

I don't think any of us had the heart to tell the young boy what had just happened to him.

"Um... You know, Nico," Percy said, holding his breath. "I think that's a great question to ask your sister. Why don't you go do that and Grover, Thalia and I will figure out how we're getting you back to camp, okay?"

"Okay!"

As Nico walked away, Percy and Grover stood up, facing me as if I could explain the whims of a 12 year old orphan.

Like, sure, I could— but not that 12 year old orphan.

The only 12 year old orphan I could explain the whims of is 12 year old me.

But even that's walking a fine line. I don't know what was going on in my brain when I was 12 outside of the fact that I desperately needed to survive and that the boy I was on the run with was kind of cute and really annoying.

"Look, I don't know, I don't get it." I told the two of them. "Annabeth is also considering it, but I guess she had more questions? Probably about camp or how long she can wait before joining or whatever. It doesn't look like there's a single fully formed frontal cortex in this entire group, so."

Percy stopped himself from laughing.

"Hey, be nice." Grover told me. "The Hunters do come to camp occasionally, they're... Friendly enough. A little stand-offish, but friendly. I just don't understand how Bianca barely trusted me, somebody she's known for months now— but she trusted somebody claiming to be, and is in all fairness, a goddess in less than an hour."

"I mean she did witness a monster get killed," Percy piped in. "though I expected her to at least talk to Nico before she just... Pledged herself. Also, just... Why? Immortality sounds awful."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Says the person who can't be left alone overnight." I reminded the son of Poseidon that we had to take Percy-duty throughout the summer so he didn't try to kill himself. "I just can't believe Annabeth is seriously considering it—she must be giving up on her taste in men, because it's not like she's not attracted to them."

"Oh, yeah, she used to have a crush on Luke." Percy recalled. "That was... Weird."

We all nodded in agreement, seeing Nico finally earn his sister's attention.

"Oh, Nico, hello." Bianca said, seeming surprised that he approached her. "I see that you were playing Mythomagic with Grover and Percy. Was it fun?"

Nico nodded his head.

"Mythomagic is always fun!" He reminded his sister, and my break broke for him. "Percy is bad at mythomagic, but nice. Grover said that Percy's bad at card games."

The older di Angelo sibling smiled down at the younger one, messing with his hair.

"I'm glad you're having fun with them," she told him, her tone sweet. "you're going to get to spend a lot more time with them at camp."

"Yeah!" Nico agreed, sounding excited about the idea. "then all four of us can play together!

Bianca exhaled.

"Yeah, about that, Nico... It'll just be the three of you." She told him. "I'll visit from time to time, but I'm going to be busy with the other hunters. Isn't it great that they let me join? We can each have our own spaces now!"

A silence fell over the group, Nico's feelings clear on his expression, but his response still being debated.

"Uh, yeah, I was thinking that like, we'd each get our own room, but yeah. That's... Great. For you." Nico told his sister, no longer looking at her. "So you're not coming to camp at all?"

"Rest assured, young one, you'll have a bit more time with your sister before she must bid you adieu." Artemis assured him, then addressing the rest of us. "your ride to Camp Half Blood will arrive shortly— all of you are to go to Camp Half Blood until further notice. I have a mission I must take alone."

"But, Lady A—"

"You will all remain at camp until I call for a summons— or my hunters, that is," the goddess continued, looking at Grover, Percy, and I with a slight distaste. "I can't control those not within my ranks. When I call for summons, I will communicate that with Zoë, as usual. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am!" The hunters all called out as the moon seemed to be getting way too warm and bright for a December evening.

Looking up, I was just able to catch the end of Led Zeppelins Immigrant Song before a Ferrari crashed onto the cliff we'd been using to camp out on.

From the fiery rubble, a handsome man not much older than me (maybe a year or so older than Luke) stumbled out and steadied himself against the blazing vehicle.

"Hey, little sis." He said. "I definitely meant to do that."

Artemis sighed.

"Speak of the devil," she muttered to herself. "Turn your chariot into something more realistic for a large group of adolescents. And stop calling me your younger sister— we're twins."

He sighed, walking over and wrapping an arm around his sister as one thing became painfully clear to me.

"Okay, fine, twin sister, I'll transport your little gang to Long Island," the god said, snapping his fingers and turning the burning Ferrari into a normal school bus. "But you owe me— big time."

This was about to be the worst bus ride of my life.