ᵐᵉⁿᵒᵈᵒʳᵃ ⁻ ⁱ ᵃˡᵐᵒˢᵗ ᵍᵉᵗ ᵖᵘˢʰᵉᵈ ᵈᵒʷⁿ ᵗᵒ ʰᵉˡˡ
˚ ✦ . . ˚ . . ✦ ˚ . ★⋆.
EVERY MUSCLE IN HER FACE TENSED; this was not how it was supposed to go. Menodora was clueless as to how this was supposed to go, but most definitely not like this.
The past year, little snippets of her past teased her endlessly, only showing faces, and shouting names that remained in her sleep.
One of those faces was Zoë's. Menodora had wanted to talk to her, figure out if she could tell her something about her past. But Menodora had choked, and couldn't get any words past her throat around Zoë. The mere sight of her face evoked old emotions in Menodora she never recalled feeling, as if Zoë cut through a freshly healed wound.
She still remained mute, to the point Bianca had to shake her, urging her to answer Artemis' question.
"Menodora?" Her head snapped in Artemis' direction. It happened even before Menodora registered her environment again, as if someone was controlling her.
"Would you like to join the Hunt?"
"No." Fast and easy.
"Menodora," Artemis started but Menodora shook her head profusely.
"No. That's my answer; it's no."
Silence, and a rather tense one, too.
Artemis bore her eyes in Menodora's, as if to challenge her fear. The glimmer in her eyes fueled into a fire. The blaze of fire on the ground intensified, and so did the fire in Artemis' eyes. Menodora saw literal fire in the goddess' eyes.
"That's unfair." If it wasn't for Artemis staring at her, Menodora could've sworn the goddess was talking to someone else.
"I taught you everything you know," Artemis said, her voice growing louder with every syllable.
"I taught you how to survive in that wretched temple!" She shouted, painlessly trudging through the fire.
"I taught you how to harness a bow and arrow, how to protect yourself, and how to fight against those who belittled you! And when those men treated you like dirt and left you to die, you came crawling to me!"
What is she talking about, Menodora thought as she slowly backed away from the goddess.
Artemis was so close to Menodora that she could smell the smoke Artemis breathed out.
"Don't you get it? You were supposed to be mine!" Artemis yelled.
Just as she had done before, Menodora got her knife from the back pocket of her jeans and, without much thinking, jabbed at the goddess' side.
The thirteen-year-old girl before Menodora was way faster than any manticore could ever be.
With a loud cry, she slammed Menodora into the ground. The force pushed Menodora several inches into the hard winter ground.
All the air left Menodora's lungs. Weirdly, it wasn't her airless lungs that hurt like all hell broke loose. It was more her spine that, more than likely, broke into a million little chunks.
It hurt so much, screaming wouldn't distract her from it. All she could do was pray for it to cease.
"Stop!" Bianca pleaded, throwing herself between Artemis and Menodora. "Please, stop it!"
As soon as the fire had ignited, the goddess' eyes dimmed. Artemis backed away from Bianca and Menodora, laughing nervously. "Excuse me. I'm just... really upset with your answer."
"You did that out of upsetness?" Percy said. "Help her!"
"Don't tell me what to do, boy," Artemis said.
With a shaky breath, the goddess kneeled down next to Menodora and spoke an enchantment Menodora caught little of. Her ears were too busy ringing.
As Artemis placed her shivering hand on Menodora's forehead, the warmth coursed through Menodora's body. Her spine burnt delightfully, and all the pain in her body oozed away.
Menodora scrambled away from Artemis before fumbling her way onto her feet. "What the fuck," she breathed. "I'm sorry. You were—you scared me. It just—I just—I don't know why I did that."
Nor did she know why she was the one apologizing for almost being crushed to death.
"I must apologize for my behavior," Artemis mumbled. "But, it's understandable as to why you'd decline. You've been robbed of your memories."
Here she went again, talking about Menodora's stolen memories. If she knew so much, why couldn't this goddess just tell her?
"My invitation still stands," Artemis said banally. "Call upon me and I'll be ready to accept your pledge. Now, you must get to camp somehow."
Menodora doubted she'd willingly reach out to Artemis.
Artemis turned away from Menodora and ordered Zoë to break down camp.
She didn't seem too happy with the order, but she followed it anyway. "Come on, Bianca. I'll show thee the necessary equipment."
Just as she was about to leave the tent, Zoë smiled encouragingly at Menodora.
Menodora looked at Bianca who kept her head down as she followed Zoë. Menodora's heart sunk a little.
Now, she was left alone with two strangers who both almost led her to death; Percy and Artemis.
"Dawn is breaking," Artemis said. "Bianca isn't the only one with an annoying brother. My brother will bring you to camp."
"Your brother?" Percy asked quietly.
"It's time for you to meet my irresponsible twin brother, Apollo."
˗ˏˋ 'ˎ˗
Menodora still felt horrible and clammy, even after seeing Apollo, who was, like, the most awesome man ever.
Percy and Menodora had left the tent together. Nico and Bianca were talking by one of the tents. Judging by Nico's gloomy face, it was obvious Bianca was telling him about her decision.
Menodora wanted to be happy for Bianca, really. Yet, she couldn't.
'Free of responsibility' she had dared to say. As if Menodora hadn't been the one protecting both of them for months! The biggest responsibility Menodora had let her carry was making sure Nico didn't choke on one of his figurines at night.
"Are you okay?" Percy's word snapped Menodora back into reality.
"What?"
"I don't know, Artemis almost slammed you down into the Underworld," Percy chuckled lightheartedly. "And, uhm, your fingers are kind of..." Percy muttered, eyeing her hands.
Menodora looked down and pursed her lips. Her fingertips had turned into an eerie white, blending with her tan skin. It was one of the many aberrant things Menodora had gotten used to.
"Yeah, they tend to do that," Menodora replied banally, wrapping her fingers into her palm.
"Wicked," Percy laughed.
They stood in an awkwardly calm silence, letting the last of the moon's light kiss them goodbye.
"Apollo is almost here," Menodora said, not being able to stand the silence anymore. "I should go and get my stuff."
"Thalia went to get them," Percy said. "They should be back soon."
"Oh, okay," Menodora said.
She watched as Percy frowned, shifting his gaze from the sky to Menodora. He seemed to be studying her, like a face from his past he couldn't quite identify.
Boys are idiots, she thought.
"Where do I know you from?" Menodora thought that he'd never ask.
"You don't remember?" Menodora asked, more curious than hurt.
"No..? I mean, it's vague," Percy admitted.
"Lotus Hotel," Menodora reminded him.
"Lotus Casino," Percy said at the same time.
"Jinx!" Percy yelled out.
"What?"
"Jinx... like, you know, when two people say the same thing at the same time. Now you can't talk until your name is said three times."
"We didn't even say the same thing," Menodora noticed. "And it sounds a bit stupid that you get to silence me for it."
Percy laughed. "Sorta."
Menodora had met many people back at the hotel, most of them being adults. Children were rare in the casino. She had been pretty lonely before the di Angelos came into her life.
Most of the people before the siblings were adults drunk on fun, and, on bad occasions, on alcohol.
So, naturally, when Percy, Annabeth and Grover walked into the casino, they had immediately stood out to Menodora.
"But, yes. I remember now! You're the girl that helped us get out," Percy recalled. "Thanks again, for that."
"Yeah, don't worry about it," Menodora smiled.
"I was about to ask you why you didn't accept my offer to come with us, but," Percy said, turning his head to Nico and Bianca. Nico's head rested on Bianca's lap; he was talking about his figurines to her. "I can see why you stayed."
"Yeah," Menodora said softly.
Percy turned back to Menodora. The sky lightened, shining down on his face. He looked different from last time. His face structure was more defined, and his voice seemed to crack between deep and high-pitched.
Menodora liked his voice, a lot.
"If you knew how to get out, why didn't you leave with them, though? Disregarding how fun—"
"Percy!" Thalia came running up to them, Grover, the goat humanoid, on her heels.
"Grover told me about Artemis. Was that really her shouting? Darn it, why did I have to take care of the boring stuff," Thalia groaned. "Don't just stand there? Tell us what happened!"
Percy explained everything that happened. Everything.
"You tried to stab her?" Thalia gawked.
"You tried to kill a goddess?" Grover asked.
"I wasn't thinking! It was instinct," Menodora said in an attempt to defend herself.
"Instinct? When a goddess is yelling at you, your instinct should definitely not be 'let's stab her!'" Thalia said. "But, that's pretty brave. Nonetheless, extremely stupid."
"I'm sorry," Menodora said, not allowing her eyes to leave Thalia's thunder gray ones.
"Don't apologize," Thalia said. "You'll make an interesting half-blood."
Menodora simply nodded, although she had no clue what Thalia meant by that.
"Where'd you even get a knife from?" Thalia asked.
"I don't know. I stole it from in one of the tents," Menodora explained.
She bent through her knees, pulling up her pants. A shiny butter knife was revealed, secured into place with her tight socks. "And this one is from the cafeteria."
"Oh," Grover said. "Do you have a weapon in your hair?"
Menodora fixed him with a scowl. Sure enough, Grover muttered a soft apology. "But, like, your hair is so long! You could hide an entire nymph in—"
"So, who's this Apollo?" Menodora asked, cutting Grover off.
"The god of the Sun, medicine, prophecies, et cetera. He is Apollo, or sometimes Helios. He is the reason the sun rises and sets," Thalia explained insipidly.
"Like Ra?"
"Who's Ra?" Percy asked.
"Exactly like Ra," Artemis confirmed, walking up from behind them. She didn't visually consider them, her eyes fixed on the somber sky. "Only difference is that Apollo drives the sun around and doesn't carry it on his head."
"Drive the sun around? Do you mean he's going to pull up in a—"
Menodora's chance at saying what Apollo would pull up in got cut short by Artemis's piercing words.
"Look away! He's going to park!"
"Park?" Percy repeated dumbfoundly, staring into the sky.
Instinctively, Menodora grabbed Percy by the body part closest to her—his wrist—and yanked him downwards with her.
Even with her body and arms protecting her from the sun, its light pierced through her eyelids. A burst of warmness embraced her, welcoming her into yesterday's tomorrow.
The light died, allowing everyone in a ten miles radius to open their eyes if they hadn't turned into dehydrated grapes.
Menodora looked up. She was met with the last thing she was expecting.
It was a horse drawn chariot. Even through misted memories, Menodora would recognize this stupid chariot with its stupid horses. Just by sound and touch Menodora would recognize that chariot.
The snow had melted in a perfect circle around the vehicle, explaining why Menodora's knees were wet and green blades of grass distinctly sliced her bare skin.
The driver animatedly jumped out of the chariot, smiling a set of white teeth which shone as bright as the sun.
He belonged on the sunny beach, where the sea breeze would do justice to his sandy hair, and where the sunlight would endlessly kiss his freckles.
For a second, time seemed to warp. The mixture of green grass and white snow continuously shifted into sand dunes. Menodora could feel the sand skim against her skin, welcoming her back to her old life. The Hunters dissolved into sand grains, along with Percy, Thalia and Grover. She wasn't in Maine, not even in America.
Apollo's freckles weren't his. That playful smile that graced his face wasn't his. That sun-kissed skin wasn't Apollo's.
Apollo wasn't Apollo. Before her stood the boy that endlessly teased her in her dreams at night. He'd call out her name, only to run away from her.
Just before Menodora desperately grasped for his name, everything was back to normal. She was back in the present. She was back in security.
"No need to faint, ladies!" Apollo laughed. "There's enough Apollo for all of you."
It wasn't until Apollo mentioned it, that she felt Percy's arms reassuringly supporting her.
Embarrassed, Menodora mumbled a small 'thank you' before scrambling up and facing the god of the Sun.
"Sorry," Menodora said to Apollo, bowing to him.
Thankfully, Apollo laughed instead of making her one with the earth. "Still as naïve as I remember, I see. Sorry this, sorry that. And, what are you even doing here? Last time I remember we're in the early years of the twenty first century and not two thousand years—"
"Hello, Apollo," Artemis hushed him.
"Little sister!" Apollo called, considering her only just now. "What's up? You never call. You never write. You never even visit! Honestly, I was worried!"
Artemis sighed. "Im fine, Apollo. And for the umpteenth time; I am not your little sister!"
"I was born first," Apollo argumented.
"We are twins! How many more eons are we going to fight about this? It just doesn't matter—"
"So, what's up?" Apollo cut her short. "See you've got your girls with you, and even the dead!"
Apollo winked at Menodora, confirming the eerie feeling that 'the dead' he mentioned referred to her.
"She's not dead, you halfwit," Artemis said.
"If you claim so," Apollo laughed warmly. "So, what is it you called for? Archery lessons?"
Artemis grit her teeth. "I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to camp Half-Blood."
"Sure, sis!" Then, he abruptly raised his hand in a stop everything gesture. "I feel a haiku coming."
The Hunters all sighed as though this wasn't the first time they'd been dealing with Apollo.
"Green grass breaks through the snow.
Artemis pleads for my help.
I am so cool."
He grinned at us, supposedly awaiting the praise. "Aren't you going to applaud?"
Reluctantly, Menodora awkwardly clapped her hands. Everyone looked at her, making her face heat. At least Apollo's smile widened.
Zoë softly shook her head as she lowered Menodora's hands.
"That last line was four syllables instead of five," Artemis said, unimpressed and rather annoyed.
"Oh, really?" Apollo frowned, looking at his feet as if that's where he'd find his missing syllable.
"Yeah, how about I am so big-headed?"
"No, no. That's six syllables." Apollo turned away from the group, muttering to himself.
In response, Zoë turned towards the males and, Thalia and Menodora. "Lord Apollo has been going through his haiku phase ever since he has visited Japan. 'Tis not as bad as when he visited Limerick. If I had to hear another poem that started with, There was once a goddess from Sparta—"
"I've got it!" Apollo announced, throwing his arms up. "I am so awesome. That's five syllables!"
He vividly bowed, looking very pleased with his verse.
"And now, sis," he said after bouncing up. "Transportation. Lucky for you I was just about to roll."
"These demigods will also need a ride," Artemis added, gesturing at the demigods. "Some of Chiron's campers."
"Ah, right!" Apollo said, checking them out. "Let's see... Thalia, right? Yeah, I've heard all about you!"
Thalia blushed. "Hi, Lord Apollo."
"Zeus's girl, yeah? Makes you my half sister. Used to be a tree, right? Man, do I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. I remember this one time—"
"Apollo," Artemis said. "Let's not talk about that. Be considerate of other people's feelings."
"As you wish, my lady," Apollo joked.
He turned to Percy, only granting him a sly chuckle. "Percy Jackson."
"Yeah. I mean... yes. Yes, sir," Percy stuttered, showing Apollo his hair rather than his face.
Menodora could tell he was nervous, who couldn't? He kept tapping his finger against his leg, and his face was slightly scrunched.
"And you, of course," he said, looking down at Menodora. "Although, I do not know how on this earth you got here. Menodora Delune. I don't think I'll ever forget that name. I, personally, thought it was a stupid name. Solange or Aelia would've suit you so much better. But your father, he insisted on Menodora—"
"You knew my father?" Menodora asked, dumbfounded.
"Oh," Apollo chuckled mischievously. "I did more than know your father."
"Apollo!" Artemis exclaimed.
"Sorry, sorry," he muttered insincerely, turning back to Menodora. "You're my stepdaughter, in theory. Which makes Thalia your step-half aunt. Or half-step aunt..."
"Where is he, my father?" Menodora asked.
"Step-half aunt. She's your step-half aunt," he decided, before getting back to the initial conversation. "Well, he's in the Esylian Fields, of course." His smile turned sour. "With your brother, who's my child, who you put there. Rings a bell?"
It didn't. Nothing really ringed any bell. Menodora didn't remember bringing anyone besides Bianca and Nico wherever. And she had definitely not brought anyone to these Elysian Fields Apollo was talking about. Heck, she didn't even remember having a brother.
"Your child? With Menodora's father?" Percy wondered out loud. "But... you're a man."
Apollo's eyes narrowed. "I am no man, Jackson. I am a god. And as a god, I can have children with whomever I please. I could have a child with a horse, if you'd like. Although, Poseidon wouldn't enjoy me experimenting on his sacred animals very much. Humans are no god's sacred creatures. Not many gods particularly care for humans, so, yeah."
Great to know, Menodora thought.
"Are you my father then? Second father? My godly parent?" Menodora asked. Perhaps Apollo was the face that had been haunting her dreams, although she doubted it. But she was so desperate that she wanted to believe it.
Apollo's smile faltered, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. The kind twinkle in his eyes faded, making space for an old sadness. Even the sun felt colder than it should've.
"No," he said stiffly. "Your father was revolted by me, but when that blasted mother of yours showed up—"
"APOLLO!" Artemis bellowed, silencing every living creature on the grounds. "Please! I thought you'd talk yourself to a stop, but it seems like you're going to be pondering about the past forever! Please," Artemis said, a hint of pity lacing her words. "Don't."
Apollo pursed his lips before taking a deep breath. His lips snaked back into his usual, perpetual smile.
Menodora noted that gods were very spontaneous when it came to the past.
"Well! We better load up, huh? Ride only goes one way—west. So if you miss it, you miss it."
Menodora tilted her head slightly, allowing herself to see the chariot. She couldn't imagine more than two people on it, three if absolutely necessary.
They were about twenty.
"Cool car," Nico said.
"Thanks, kid," Apollo said.
"That's a chariot," Menodora intervened.
"Oh, my! I forgot." He summoned something out of thin air, pointed it at the chariot and it turned into a school bus that was less yellow and less spacious. "I had this thing on creative mode. Everyone in!"
Zoë ordered the Hunters to load their stuff. She picked up her camping equipment and Apollo said, "Let me help with that, sweetheart."
Zoë recoiled. Her eyes flashed murderously.
"Brother," Artemis chided. "You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you most definitely do not call them sweetheart."
Apollo apologetically threw his hands up in the air. "I forgot, my bad. Hey, sis, where are you off to, anyway?"
"Hunting," Artemis replied. "It's none of your business, really."
"I'll find out. I see all. Know all. You know," Apollo said with an additional and very unnecessary wink.
Artemis snorted. "Yeah, of course you do. Just drop them off, Apollo. And no messing around!"
"Messing around? Me? Never," Apollo stated firmly.
Artemis rolled her eyes, then looked at the group of children. Well, visually speaking. From what she had understood, some of these girls were, chronically speaking, hundreds of years old.
"I will see you by winter solstice. Zoë, you are in charge of the Hunters. Do as I would do."
"Yes, my lady," Zoë said.
Artemis kneeled to the ground and touched it, letting its history flow through her. When she rose, she looked troubled. "So much danger. The beast must be found."
She sprinted towards the woods and melted into the snow and shadows.
Even though Artemis almost smashed her to bits, Menodora wanted to run after her. She wanted to run after her like a lion cub would run after its mother, unable to protect itself.
Menodora felt vulnerable, left alone with a bunch of strangers she didn't know, who were heavily armoured. At least Artemis had been honest with her.
a/n
chapter four DONE
bye much love and cya next chapter
-mae