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"Should've known, little girl that you'd do me wrong/ Should've known by the way you were showing off
Bad habits, yeah/ Bad habits, ooh"
- Bad Habits (The Last Shadow Puppets)
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A THORN IN THEIR SIDES
ARYA WAS FAR BEHIND ANNABETH, who in turn was catching up to Grover and Thalia. The fifteen-year-old racked her brain as she followed the twists and turns through the school hallway, as Arya wondered how in the world they knew where Percy was. It wasn't until they all got outside that Arya remembered that Percy chose to keep the empathy link between Grover and him after their adventure last summer.
As the group all got closer to the edge of the cliff. The silhouette of Percy and two much smaller figures behind him appeared, and standing in front of them, closer to Arya, was Dr. Thorn. Who was surprisingly not in his monster form yet.
Grover, Thalia, and Annabeth stopped behind a tree and had a short discussion while Arya was still jogging to catch up. Cursing herself for her lack of cardio abilities.
"Annabeth go. I'll follow. Arya, wait your turn." Thalia commanded waiting for a nod from all of them. Annabeth quickly switched her beanie with her invisibility cap and disappeared before their eyes. Arya wasn't sure what the plan was, but it wasn't time to ask, it was already in motion. So she would have to listen to Thalia and wait her turn. Whenever that was supposed to be.
Annabeth had run full speed at Thorn and knocked him off of his feet, Thalia marched forward with her spear in her hands, and Aegis, her frightening shield that mirrored her fathers, even Thorn winced at it, and when he did Thalia took this as her time to throw her spear at his head.
Thorn, with his hand now a claw with razor sharp nails, scratched at Thalia who raised her shield to stop herself from being sliced open. There was a second of nothing, as both parties recovered and Thorn then shot his missiles at Thalia who dogged them by the hair of her chin.
Grover then stepped out from where Arya and him were hiding and started playing a dancing jig on his reed pipes. Grass came out from the snow and started to tangle up Thorn. Arya was now confused, Thalia hadn't mentioned Grover when she recapped the plan and was still confused as to when it was her turn.
She watched for a few more seconds as Thorn showed his true form, and started to scratch away at the grass holding him, all while getting ready to shoot another volley of misses, right at Percy. Arya decided she wasn't waiting any longer, her friends were in danger and she was sitting here doing nothing.
Arya took a dagger out from her belt and sliced off the sleeve on her shirt and ripped it off, revealing the arm band Tyson and given her at the end of the summer as a present. She then, ran forward hitting the button on her arm band, and pulling out water for her to work with. She tossed it towards and formed a flat circle with it, about two feet in diameter. She jumped onto it with one foot and like a trampoline, she willed it to bounce her to the top of the treeline. In the air she summoned her spear and as she fell back to the earth, aimed the tip right into Thorns back and,with the full force, cut into most of him.
Thorn screamed in pain and attempted to move his head to see who was on his back. She caught out of the corner of her eye, Annabeth shoving the Di Angelo siblings into the snow, and realized why. She pulled more water out the thrusted it forward, hoping to surround the missles and stop them from hitting anyone, but she only managed to catch three of them. She was lucky to see that Percy got his shield opened in time to block the last two.
Arya was bucked off of the Manticores back and with a backflip to control herself, landed towards Percy, spear still in Thorns back.
It was only then that Arya noticed the giant black helicopter hovering over the cliff. She had been too blind with battle to notice it before.
Arya stood up in front of everyone in a protective stance. She hit her gauntlets together four times and her spear was back into her hands and she was ready to continue fighting.
"Ahh, you're the famous Arya. I was warned about you." She heard Thorn growl out, his annoying French accent still prominent.
It was at that moment Arya knew without a doubt that both the helicopter and the manticore worked for Luke, and she let out a small huff.
"All good things I hope." She retorted with a smug smile on her face, which only enraged Thorn even more.
"Yield!" He yelled.
"Never!" Thalia screamed in return, charging again at Thorn, but the Helicopter pulled up higher and turned on its searchlights. Right in Thalia's face, blinding her right before she could attack. Thorn used this to his advantage and his tail swatted Thalia away, hard. Her sword and spear went in two different directions.
Percy yelled, and ran past Arya, after Thalia and covered both of them with her shield as Percy parried a thorn away from them.
Arya took a few steps back to make sure she was close to the kids. Then she pulled out more water from her band and sent water blade, after water blade, towards the Manticore. It was effective in pulling his attention away from her brother and cousin. But it did nothing to hurt him other than slicing some cuts into his hard outer skin.
Arya heard Nico whispering to Bianca how cool it was, and in return Bianca told him to be quiet, that they were in serious danger. After about ten total water blades plus her two regular daggers, Arya became tired and couldn't throw them any longer. She fell to her hands and knees in the snow, breathing heavy
"Now do you see how hopeless it is? Yield little heroes!"
"Little my-" But before she could finish, she was cut off by a noise that sounded familiar. A hunting horn from the woods.
"No! It cannot be!"
The Manticore then let out another hiss of pain as an arrow embedded itself into Thorns shoulder. Arya watched as Thorn sent dozens of spikes towards the woods but before they reached the woods, arrows met the spikes in mid air and split every single one of them in half.
Arya had a suspicion she knew who was in the woods, only one group of people had aimed that good in the world.
Thorn pulled the arrow from his arm and took his gaze from the woods to Percy and Thalia, raising his tail ready to strike them.
Without thinking Aryas feet were running straight to the manticore. She didn't have a plan, but she needed to put its attention on her, and not Thalia and Percy.
She summoned her spear and threw it at its head causing a low, intimidating growl to leave its mouth. Thorn turned to her, narrowed its eyes. Arya came to a stop, then within a fraction of a second Thorn pounced and had Arya on her back in the snow, his breath on her face.
She struggled to fight against him and summon her spear, but once she did she held it against his neck so he was unable to get close enough to bite her head off.
Arya was so busy with Thorn that she didn't take notice of the group of girls walking out of the woods. The archers.
"Permission to kill my lady." A soft but firm voice spoke loudly, enough to grab both Thorn and Aryas attention.
"This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the laws!" Thorn demanded and Arya found it amusing how much he sounded like a child.
Before Arya could hear the response, she felt someone grab her by her shoulders and drag her backwards, out from under Thorn. He went to swipe at them, but Riptide came in front of her and blocked the attack.
Once she was far enough away, the grip on her shoulders was let go and she stood up to see Percy who did not look happy at her actions.
As she heard the phrase 'Zoe, permission granted'. Arya took in exactly who was talking.
Artemis, and her hunters. A dark feeling set into her gut as memories resurface to her head. It was safe to say Arya wasn't a big fan of the hunters.
"If I can not have them alive! Then I shall have them dead!" Thorn growled and jumped at Thalia, Percy and Arya.
"No!" Annabeth yelled and started running at the monster.
"Get back half-blood. Get out of the line of fire." Zoe Nightshade said, her how already drawn and aimed.
If Annabeth heard her, she gave no indication as she jumped onto the Manticore's back stabbing him in his mane. Thorne yelled and turned in circles trying to buck Annabeth off, as he had done to Arya earlier. But Annabeth was holding on for dear life.
"Fire" Zoe called out to the other hunters.
"No!" Percy and Arya called out. But it was too late and the arrows had already been released and embedded into different parts of Thorn. Luckily none of them hit Annabeth.
"This is not the end huntress! You shall pay!" The Manticore screamed before running to the end of the cliff and jumping off. Without thinking, Percy and Arya both started running towards the cliff.
However as the helicopter started firing bullets into the opening where the hunters and demigods were standing, Percy stopped his running but Arya didn't. She wasn't going to let Annabeth go alone, she had to get to her. Arya couldn't loose her too. Her feet we're getting to the edge of the cliff when she felt someone tackle her down to the snow before she could jump.
She looked and sent a glare at whoever it was that stopped her, and saw that it was the ten year old, Nico Di Angelo. Confused, she took the glare off of her face and instead felt her features go soft.
"Why did you stop me?"
"Percy was yelling at you to stop, but you didn't seem like you were going too. He couldn't reach you but I could."
Arya just nodded her head and stood up brushing the snow off of her, just in time to watch the helicopter turn into a flock of black birds. She turned back to the hunters to see Artemis with her hand in the air.
She watched as Bianca rushed over and pulled Nico off of Arya, telling him in a hushed voice that he needs to be careful and not make any stupid decisions.
"Zoe Nightshade." Thalila practically growled. "Perfect timing as usual."
"Four half bloods and a sayter, my lady." Zoe informed Artemis, the second in command then looked past the four in front of her, and right
into Aryas soul. "Five half-bloods, my mistake."
Arya felt her eyes narrowing. Her anger had left her briefly when Nico prevented her from throwing herself off of a cliff. But now that she was noticed by Zoe and the other hunters, it was back, and stronger than ever.
"Yes. Some of Chiron's campers I see." Artemis nodded back in her overly soft and calm voice that did nothing but irritate Arya.
Percy had no time for bad blood, his head was clearly still on his best friend.
"Annabeth! You have to let us save her!"
"I'm sorry Percy Jackson but your friend is beyond help" Artemis informed him.
Arya made her way away from the cliff and next to her brother.
"You shouldn't have tried to stop me." She seethed.
"And what, lose you too? I don't think so. We all go together" Percy spat back. Taking Arya by surprise, it was rare that he take his anger out on the people he cared about. It was one of the major differences between them as siblings. Percy attempted to stand up and Arya held her hand up to help him but he was pushed back down by some hunters.
"None of you are in any condition to be jumping off cliffs." Zoe told them.
"Let me go!" Percy tried to fight them. "Who do you think you are?"
Zoes face twisted into rage, and she stepped forward swinging her hand back as if to hit Percy. Arya stepped forward and grabbed her arm.
"Don't you dare." It was Arya's turn to growl. "He doesn't know."
"No." Artemis ordered, although neither girls glare faltered, and neither made a move to be the first to back down from each other. "I sense no disrespect. He is simply distraught. Like Arya said, he does not know."
Artemis turned towards Percy.
"I am Artemis, Goddess of the hunt." She informed Percy. "Back down Zoe."
Zoes face stayed hard, but with a small nod she took a step backward and Arya let go of Zoes arm.
Arya found herself unable to stand still. So while the others talked, she found herself pacing. Looking back over the cliff to see if she could see where the manticore went, but it was no use. She walked over to where Thorn had done most of his fighting and she kicked around in the snow until she found her two daggers and sheathed them back in her belt. She re laced her gauntlets as she listened to Bianca and Nico get told about demigods.
"Do not despair for Annabeth, She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."
Arya stopped with her needless fidgeting at the Goddesses words. Was she really going to look for Annabeth?
"Then why won't you let us go look for her?" Percy asked.
"She is gone. Can't you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished."
Arya hated agreeing with any god, but even she could see there was truth in what the Goddess of the Hunt was saying. It's why Arya didn't try to jump off the cliff again after Nico stopped her. She could feel it was pointless.
The group continued to talk as Bianca slowly got around to accepting that her and Nico were half-bloods. It was kind of chaotic as no one really knew how to go about explaining everything. Arya was too annoyed at life to even input, even though she had a feeling she could have helped the situation. She had helped many campers over the years adjust to the demigod life.
"Bianca," Percy said eventually, "we came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr.Thorn won't be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp."
"Camp?" she asked.
"Camp Half-Blood," Percy said. "It's where half-bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay there year-round if you like."
"Sweet, let's go!" said Nico.
"Wait," Bianca shook her head. "I don't—"
"There is another option," Zoe said.
"No, there isn't!" Thalia said.
Arya let out a gasp and snapped her head to Artemis' second in command. She couldn't believe Zoe would even allude to something like that already. It was outrageous. Appalling.
Thalia and Zoe glared at each other with the same intensity that Arya and Zoe had been glaring at each other earlier. It was obvious that Thalia had the same disdain towards the hunters that she did. Honestly, Arya wouldn't be surprised if Thalia had gone through the same situation she had with the hunters.
"We've burdened these children enough," Artemis announced. "Zoe, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the school."
"Yes, my lady."
"And, Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you."
Arya had a strong feeling that she knew exactly what Artemis was going to 'talk' to Bianca about, she wanted to speak out, tell Bianca not to go, or at least to make sure she thought through her decision. But it wasn't her place, she barely knew Bianca. They hadn't even been introduced yet.
"What about me?" Nico asked in a soft voice, clearly upset that no God wanted to talk to him.
Arya took a deep breath and decided she needed a distraction. She needed away for right now.
"Hey Nico, let's go for a walk yeah? You can teach me about that card game you like to play and i'll answer any questions you have."
Nico, excited to be getting some attention stood up with a smile on his face. "Okay!"
Nico took Aryas hand and started dragging her off towards the woods. She looked back once more and both Percy and Thalia, who had a similar look of 'we need to talk later'. In response she just nodded at them and turned back to Nico, hoping that Bianca would make a good decision.