Vesta's Child

Chapter 3

"Sowwy Apollo!" He continued to shoot at the targets which were automations from Hephaestus.

Pluto was watching from a distance as well and was surprised, Vesta had told him about Percy and he had wanted to meet him for a long time. Watching his nephew shoot arrows with such skill made him proud, especially if he was Vesta's kid. Vesta was his favorite sister and he already adored his nephew. He cleared his throat loudly and unknowingly had eight pairs of eyes on him. Percy stepped towards him and thrust out his hand.

"Hello mistew! I'm Pewcy, what's youw name?" Pluto smiled and was surprised at his politeness and shook his hand.

"Hi Percy, I'm your uncle Pluto." Percy's jaw dropped.

"You'we like the coolest god evew! You contwol the dead, and wow! You'we amazing!" Percy enthused and Apollo slumped, great more competition. He thought sourly and Pluto smiled at Percy widely.

"I see Apollo has blessed you, you face many challenges in the future, especially if you're hanging around man haters. If you don't mind, I would like to bless you. You have my blessing of riches, the dead, and shadow traveling. Visit me anytime nephew, I'll be back to teach you how to do use your new powers properly." He touched Percy's forehead and he was cocooned in a dark aura. He partially gave him the blessing to piss off Neptune...and because Percy flattered him. Once he was blessed he gave Percy a big hug which Percy happily returned.

"Good bye son." He didn't know where that came from but he felt as though Percy was one of his own. Maybe it was because Percy embraced him so much despite him being the god of death. Not to mention his children were forever in the Lotus Casino. He vanished on the spot leaving Percy smiling.

"I guess it's my turn." Artemis shifted into her roman form and touched Percy's forehead as well. He glowed silver and could feel power coursing through his veins.

"May you be stronger at night, speak with wolves, and have stealth that would put a panther to shame." Percy felt as though he could sprint twenty miles. Phoebe watched from a distance and grimaced, it was like the force fed the kid coffee beans.

"Thank you soo much Awty! I can be a ninja now. Hiya!" He yelled and raised his hand to swipe the air but instead poked Apollo in the eye.

"Ouch!" He yelped and started healing his eye. Artemis roared with laughter and then there was a loud plunk. All eyes turned to Phoebe who was on her stomach staring wide eyed at everything while she tried to regain her breath. This made Artemis and Apollo laugh even harder and Percy went to Phoebe aid.

"Awe you okay Phobe?" He asked with concern and she flopped onto her back breathing heavily.

"I'm fine Perce, thanks." He helped her up and she smiled warmly at him.

"You're a cool guy Perce." She ruffled his hair and he grinned up at her before he started to laugh.

"You fell out of a twee!" He clutched his stomach as he bent down laughing and Phoebe scowled, before she could say anything a silver arrow whizzed by Percy's head. Apollo stepped by him and glared at the angry Zoe.

"Watch where you're shooting that thing girl!" He sneered and she stared up at him in anger. She was about to retort when Phoebe and Artemis stood by the shocked five year old.

"Seriously! What's your problem, he's five for Zeus sake!" Phoebe roared with rage as she stood in front of him. Zoe snorted at her in disgust.

"He needs to leave. He's only a male, I don't care how old he is. Lady Artemis, surely you can see how wrong it is for a boy to be in the hunt! He'll end up like Orion in a heartbeat, they do after all share the same father." Artemis and Apollo glared at her menacingly, though Artemis was proud that Zoe detested men so much, she was appalled at the way she treated Percy. She was also angry that she even compared the sweet five year old to someone as demented and vile as Orion. Percy's eyes lit a flame making Apollo jump in shock, Percy saw this and looked at the ground bitterly.

"I'm going fow a walk." He grumbled and left them standing at the archery range. He was sick of frightening his friends. All his life people had feared him, all his life people had freaked out once they saw his red eyes. Apollo is scared of me too, he thought and began to think about Zoe. Though she hated him he kinda had a small crush on her, she was really pretty but extremely infuriating. He realized that the longer he stayed, the larger hole he put in between the hunters and he didn't want that. The hunters were a family and he was ripping them apart, I can't help being a male. He thought angrily as he stalked through the woods. He still had his golden bow clutched tightly in his hands and began to fiddle with the strings as he became lost in thought. He was awoken by a loud scream and he ran in the direction despite his nerves telling him to flee. He burst through a forest clearing to see a boy about fourteen years old holding a sword to a monsters throat.

"Kronos is sick of you messing up Thorn, sick of you doubting him. He sent me to end you." The lion thing glared at the boy from his position on the ground.

"You're a fool! Kronos will never give you power! You are a pawn even more than the children serving the gods, once he's through with you he'll kill you and then destroy civilization as we know it." Percy's eyes widened and he felt compelled to help the lion with the spiked tail. The Kronos guy sounded bad and so did the guy trying to kill Thorn, he notched an arrow and aimed for the guys stomach. He let it fly and saw the boy starring at the arrow that was now lodged in his stomach in shock, he fell on his knees and looked around wildly as blood seeped from his wound. Percy stepped out and looked at Thorn.

"Awe you alwight?" He asked in concern and the lion looked at him in surprise, he then turned his attention to the demigod and smacked him with a giant paw. He flew backwards and slammed into a tree. Percy could feel his life force fading and he felt bad for partaking in killing someone.

"Why did you save me demigod?" Thorn asked but felt extremely grateful that he did so.

"My names Pewcy, youw names Thown cuz I heawd the guy say it. I saved you because that guy didn't seem vewy nice." Thorn was surprised that Percy actually cared, all demigods usually feared him...well...he had eaten a few here and there. Percy had jumped in and saved his life despite him being a monster. He was kind to him and could judge character really well. He knew had a huntress jumped in, she would have killed him without a second thought and the demigod would kill her, but Percy could tell who was on the right side. He had waited and listened which was very wise, especially for a boy his age.

"Thank you so much Percy, I'm forever in your debt. I must go, I hope we meet again someday." He gave Percy a smile before bounding off into the woods. Not all demigods are the same, he thought happily as he vanished out of sight.

Percy was happy that he made a new friend but looked at the now dead demigod sadly, his eyes were glazed over as he looked at nothing with empty blue eyes. He walked over to the dead boy who was slumped against the tree and closed his eyes with his finger tips.

"I'm sowwy I had to kill you, youw heawt was in the wwong place and you wewe mislead. I hope my uncle will let you go to heaven ow(or) whatevew that happy place is called. You wewe vewy bittew and angwy. You lost the most impowtant thing, hope." He sent a silent prayer to his uncle to hear out the misunderstood demigod.