The Daughter of Artemis ψ Percy Jackson

Off To Olympus

Luckily my bus was still pretty much empty, so I got my pick of a middle row seat by the window. I did not really want to be disturbed by some one else on the ride to wherever, so I took my Jan-sport backpack off and set it down next to me-making sure no one would sit.

The ride was long, and I am pretty sure that I was asleep for half of it-but when I woke up-it was do it an annoying pup licking the palm of my hand. Frowning, I growled at Orion and wiped my hand on my pant  leg and sat up. "Gross Orion, don't do that."       

I yawned at stretched myself out. I stared out the window and was shocked to see that the green lush scenery that had passed by my window before I fell asleep was gone, and was now replaced with large, towering buildings that scraped the sky-skyscrapers.      

Orion was glaring at my backpack as if it was disgusting him. "Oh, what? You now want to hang out with me now that all of your friends aren't here?" I chuckled and moved the backpack on to the floor so that Orion could jump up onto the seat next to me.    

 He gave me a toothy, dog grin and barked happily. Turning my head back towards the window, I got a good look as to where we where headed. "The Empire State Building?" I cocked an eyed brow and looked around for someone who seemed to know what was going on-no one even seemed to care all that much.      

I looked around for the familiar patch of blond hair sitting down on the bus and finally located it at the very front. Luke was sitting there staring into space, even though he was four rows in front of me I still tried to get his attention. "LUKE!" But he did not even hear me. "Luke!" I tried again, but to no avail.    

People who had been sleeping in the rows in front of me all turned around and glared, mumbling curses under their breaths. "Keep it down would ya?" A fairly large boy with striking blond hair mumbled at me, but tried to smile like a peace offering.

Grumbling under my breath I looked around for something to throw at the idiot's head and saw my hiking boot. I slid it off and weighted it in my hand, calculating how hard I should throw it to get it to my desired destination, but I didn't want to give the kid a concussion.

I shrugged. "Here goes nothing." I said to Orion and he barked in a sense of agreement. I heaved the shoe in the air and watched as it thudded against the back of Luke's head. 

"Ow!" He cursed and rubbed the back of his head angrily. "Who threw this at me?!" He held up my hiking boot and I quickly raised my hand. 

"That's mine." Orion let out what seemed to be a dog chuckle, but I really couldn't tell. 

"Why did you throw this at me?" His anger dispersed into a form of amusement. "It hurt.."

I smiled and waved him over to the seat next to me, moving Orion into my lap. "I need to talk to you." The people who had glared at me before were now throwing their hands over their ears and wishing they could kill me. 

Luke nodded and carefully made his way over, trying to stay steady on his feet through the moving bus, then plopped down in the seat next to me. "So, what's up?"

I pointed out the window to the Empire State Building. "Why are we going there?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "That's the entrance to Olympus." He noticed my confused look and tried to explain further. "The Greek gods are drawn to Western civilization, and since America is the main country of that, they flocked to where we are represented the most, and that is the Empire State Building. Also it goes up to the sky so it's easier access than other ways to get in. Does that make sense?" 

Frowning, I tried to figure out what he was trying to say. "Yeah...I guess."

I remained quiet for the rest of the ride, avoiding any eye contact that Luke tried to make with me. "So..have you thought about it?" He mumbled to me, trying not to draw attention.

"Er, no-not really." I muttered and kept staring out the window.

Truth is, I really did think about it some time in the night. He kept popping into my brain all night along with my parent problem. The truth is that I had made my decision-I don't want a relationship right now, and not with someone who I felt had a lot of baggage and was constantly hiding his true self from me. In all honesty, if my parent hadn't given me that warning, I probably would be dating him-but the fact that they intervened shows me that he is more complicated than I figured.

 "Oh, well-" He looked at his feet before giving me a big grin. "Think about it? Cause I know I have." 

I forced a quick half smile as the bus came to a steady stop. Luke quickly stood up and grabbed his clipboard on his seat up front. "Alright, everyone off! We have a tight schedule here people!" He chuckled and winked at me.

Rolling my eyes, I dug through my backpack to get a collar and leash for Orion. He tried to scramble out of my hands, but I kept a firm grip on him. "Come on, Or you have to wear it-you can't wander the streets alone-remember the day I saved you? You almost got hit by Cherrie's car." He stuck his nose in the air and nipped at the collar that I tried once more to put around his neck.

I struggled against his tiny frame to put the stupid leash and collar on him, after a two minute battle-I finally popped the collar over his head. With a successful grin, I laughed at him. "HA! Take that." Then, I hooked the leash through his collar and he got off the bus-Orion trying to bend over backwards to bite the leash.

Everyone filed into a large line and took turns getting into an elevator that would take us up to Olympus-how this worked I have no idea-but it did. 

"The 600th floor?" Some one chuckled behind me. "There isn't a 600th floor."

I was crammed into the elevator with Luke and the other cabin mates of Hermes' cabin and it was kind of awkward to be squashed up against him after I knew I was eventually going to have to tell him I wasn't going to date him.

Finally, the elevator doors slid open and I tumbled out...onto a cloud. I gazed around me in awe. "Woah." Every where I looked there was something to behold. Streets and buildings were paved in gold and the people here were beautiful-there were green fields in the distance that were filled to the brim with spring flowers for the summer solstice. 

"Welcome to Olympus, Campers." Luke stood up in front of the whole camp. "As you know, you must follow the commands of we camp leaders and the camp directors. Mr. D, for obvious reasons, could not join us, but don't think that we won't crack down on you all like he would. " He chuckled and a few people in crowd joined along. 

"Alright, every one is going to sleep in his or her parents palace for the night, the gods have gracefully let us stay in their-so I want you all to be on your best behaviors." The petite girl from Apollo's cabin stood up in front of every one and started reading off a check list. "Now, go get settled then we will meet up with everyone at noon for lunch with the gods-a special treat." She smiled and we all nodded.

"So..." I walked with Luke up to the cabin in an awkward silence. "What does one do in Olympus?" 

Luke smiled down at me and made sure everyone was following us to Hermes' cabin. "Well, you see it's just like at camp-but we train in front of the Olympians. It's kind of like a beauty contest really-they decide wither or not they want to claim you as their own." 

I looked down at my toes and remember what my parent had said to me. "Oh..really?"

Luke's smile faltered a little as he looked down at me. "Well..yeah-why? You don't need to be scared you know."

I smiled lightly in thanks for his reassurance, but I did not feel too cheerful on the inside-what if I don't prove myself to my parent? What if I am a disappointment?