Percy Jackson, The Hunter of Artemis (Being Rewritten Oct 2021)

Chapter 4 - Getting the Kid to Camp, or Sigh Trying

Zeus laughed at Artemis. It was a long and terrible laugh that would have made her cower in embarrassment if it weren't for the situation at hand. After way too long, Zeus stopped laughing.

"So, you're telling me that this mere demigod was somehow important enough to call on the Fates?"

"Yes."

The humor melted away, Zeus gave the baby a harsh glare.

"Artemis. I demand you tell me exactly what is going on."

The goddess took a deep breath and explained.

The apartment she found by tracing the Hellhounds' trail belonged to Lily Waterman and her husband, who she couldn't put a face or a name to. Despite the many images and documents, it seemed like all traces of Lily's husband were erased. Even the marriage certificate had his name crossed out. With this, Artemis assumed that the child was a demigod. It's likely that the godly parent pretended to marry Lily for a while but left before being found out.

"However, when my hunters found the child in the forest, he was surrounded by Hellhounds that didn't intend to hurt him. They were protecting him." Artemis glared at Hades, knowing that his children were often protected from monsters.

"I do not like where you are going with this, moon goddess." Hades said, staring directly into her soul, causing her hair to raise. "If you are insinuating that I have broken the oath holding me from siring children, I suggest you stay quiet."

"Lord Hades," Artemis took a moment to think, choosing the best working before she gets cursed, "I wish you no ill intent. I just saw the strangest thing today, and I am attempting to put it all together."

"Come on girly, get to the part with the Fates already!" Ares barked.

Aphrodite tutted, "Now now, sweetie poo. No need to get all hangry wangry." she blew him a kiss from across the room. "I'm sure Arty is getting there."

Artemis sighed again. Right as she was about to speak, the baby cried.

"Great! Just what we needed." Ares complained again.

Thankfully, Hestia knew what to do. She got up from her hearth and took the crying baby. She gently rocked him back and forth, causing him to stop. Artemis thanked her and got back on track.

When she finished with the apartment, she took the baby to Camp Half Blood to ask Chiron for his opinion. However, she wasn't able to get the child past the barrier. Luckily there were some campers coming back from a trip that offered to help her out.

"I think he's a mortal. Demigods have no issue crossing the barrier." One said.

"I can give him permission to enter if you'd like." Said the other.

But that plan ended there. Artemis had no idea what the baby's name was, so they couldn't give him permission. The goddess asked them to call Chiron for her, and they rushed off.

As soon as the campers left, something caught Artemis's eye. A string of glowing blue green yarn that extended from the baby's clothes and away from camp as a whole. Worried, Artemis followed the string, wrapping it around her hand to stop it from getting tangled. She followed it for a long distance, going further and further away, eventually leaving the forest and stepping onto the beach.

She was in Montauk Beach now, but the string kept going. She walked on the moon-lit sand, still chasing after the string.

The string led to a little cabin, sneaking inside from under the shut door. Everything screamed that this was a bad idea, but she can't go back now. The door gave a long squeal as it opened. The string was now taut, someone on the other side was pulling on it, but the goddess couldn't see inside the dark cabin. Artemis looked at the child in her arms, and he looked back with big bright green eyes. Filled with confidence, she stepped into the cabin.

After she stepped inside, the door swung shut behind her, but she didn't look back. A few more steps in, a blinding light shone down from the ceiling, highlighting three women. To the average person, they appeared to be ordinary, old ladies with matching dresses and knitting together. But Artemis knew exactly who they were. The Three Fates. Artemis saw them knitting the long string into a pair of socks. The goddess watched in fear as the one in the middle cut the string with a resounding snip.

Her heart sank.

Oh no.

Artemis looked down at the child, sending a prayer to every deity out there.

The child looked back at her. He was fine. It's fine. Everything is fine.

When she looked up again, the Fates were gone. The string was gone. She was in the cabin alone. She began the journey back to camp, hoping to drop the child off in capable hands before she discusses this with the Gods.

Once again, fate had other plans.

Luckily, Chiron was there to greet her, fully embracing his centaur form. His arms were crossed, looking down on the two campers from earlier. As she got closer, he bowed, causing the others to follow.

"Lady Artemis. How can I be of service?"

"Chiron, are you capable of taking in a newborn?"

He got up, hands clenched and face uneasy. "I'm afraid I cannot guarantee that. While I'm sure we are able to watch a child of that age for a limited period, the camp is simply unprepared to take a child in. There are few who can set aside their duties to tend to him."

"I see. Would you be able to care for him for a few days until I get his arrangements sorted then?"

"That, I can do."

Artemis smiled, for once, things were going her way.

She handed the child to Chiron and waved one of the campers over to take his bag of supplies.

"Thank you for this, Chiron."

The man nodded his head, finally giving Artemis the chance to leave, so she did.

For a few seconds.

The goddess needed to make sure that they could actually get the child to pass through the barrier before she just left them there. She hid at the top of one of the many trees and watched Chiron from below.

He said his blessings, but got stopped by the campers. They explained what happened with her before, giving him a chance to think.

Chiron tested it by passing through the gate horse side first, leaving the baby for last. It was silly, watching a centaur back up like a moving truck that took a wrong turn, but it seemed like the smartest thing to do.

However, the baby didn't pass. Chiron gently pulled him along, but the barrier simply did not accept the child. Artemis sighed, watching them try a few different methods.

They put him in one of the strawberry baskets, but that didn't work.

They tried putting him on the back of a shield and sliding him through, but that didn't work either.

One camper suggested digging a hole under the barrier and bringing the baby in through that.

The other camper suggested using a tube and putting it in the middle of the barrier and pushing him through.

It was clear they were running out of ideas. Artemis sighed once more. She had to interfere.

"Chiron, I see you haven't been able to get the child to safety."

"But we tried so hard, lady Artemis!"

"Yeah! Super hard! Let me go get the shovels, I know the tunnel plan will work."

"There will be no need for that. I'll be taking him with me."

Despite the interjections, Artemis took the child and went to Olympus, hoping someone there can help her out.

Damn, the old chapter was cringe. I was so scared of writing something that someone could fight me about:

Chaos's POV (for those who don't know who Chaos is: he is basically the creator of the universe [in Greek mythology {I don't mean to offend anyone}])