𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑, percy jackson

CHAPTER 40! she despised thinking about percy's feelings for annabeth

zoe started the meeting off on a positive note. "this is pointless."

"cheez whiz!" grover gasped.

he began scooping up crackers and ping-pong balls and spraying them with topping.

cherry, who wasn't paying attention at all, whispered something to thalia. she giggled in response.

percy wondered what was so funny.

he would've asked, too, until he shoved down the feelings of horrible jealousy; why was he jealous?

there was nothing to be jealous about. cherry could have more than one friend. (that was a lie. percy wanted to be her only friend for the rest of her life.)

"there is no time for talk," zoe continued. "our goddess needs us. the hunters must leave immediately."

"and go where?" chiron asked.

"west!" bianca said.

cherry analyzed the girl.

she looked different.

her dark hair was braided like zoe's now, so you could actually see her face. freckles danced across her nose, and her skin glowed faintly, like the other hunters.

percy thought it'd look like she'd been taking showers in liquid moonlight.

"you heard the prophecy. six shall go west to the
goddess in chains. we can get six hunters and go." bianca told everyone.

percy was clearly a little upset.

all he thought about was his pity for nico.

"yes," zoe agreed. "artemis is being held hostage! we must find her and free her."

"you're missing something, as usual," thalia said. "campers and hunters combined prevail. we're supposed to do this together."

"no! the hunters do not need thy help."

"your. nobody has said thy in, like, three hundred years, zoe. get with the times."

"yerrr. we do not need yerrr help."

"forget it."

cherry frowned.

she would've stayed in the aphrodite cabin with some of her friends if she'd known all they would do is argue.

thalia matched her frown, seemingly mimicking the girls emotions.

she didn't know why she was so upset at just the expression of discontent on the redheads face, but she thought cherry should never feel anything except pure joy.

"i fear the prophecy says you do need our help." chiron said. "campers and hunters must cooperate."

"or do they?" mr. d mused, swirling his diet coke under his nose like it had a fine bouquet. "one shall be lost. one shall perish. that sounds rather nasty, doesn't it? what if you fail because you try to cooperate?"

"mr. d," chiron sighed, "with all due respect, whose side are you on?"

dionysus raised his eyebrows. "sorry, my dear centaur. just trying to be helpful."

cherry laughed, which contused everybody at the meeting.

"dionysus and chiron are so us." cherry grinned at grover.

"i think so too." grover set down the bottle of cheez whiz.

"we're supposed to work together." thalia returned to the original subject, stubbornly. "i don't like it either, zoe, but you know prophecies. you want to fight against one?"