Butcher

III

As soon they flashed away, Percy was sure he was going to receive a god tier slap to his face. Thankfully it did not happen, but the moon goddess was still pissed at him.

"The nerve of you to not reveal who you were for months! Do you know how much time we actually lost hunting you? And I honestly don't know how you do it." Artemis complained to Percy. As soon as they arrived at the Hunters camp, multiple Hunters that were placed to guard the place pointed arrows at him, but lowered their bows, although reluctantly, when Artemis raised one hand, as if saying don't shoot him. Not yet.

"Do what?" Percy asked, smiling underneath the mask. Artemis motioned him to follow her, and follow her, he did.

Artemis snorted as they walked. "How do you manage to make us fear for our lives. We are not even mortal! Even if it is you, and all of your feats that come with that knowledge..." she complained some more, not fully believing how scared the Olympians showed themselves to be when faced by a single demigod, albeit, a powerful one. And one who had been the demise of several immortals and countless monsters, even before his disappearence.

Percy was silent for a brief moment before coming up with an answer. Artemis looked at him, but it was particularly difficult to decipher someone wearing a mask covering the entirety of their face.

"Have you ever read The Art of War?" he asked after some time.

"What?" Artemis replied, confused.

"Have you?" he insisted.

"No, do I look like a war goddess to you?"

The Butcher chuckled.

"Sometimes. And you should read things out of your expertise, also." Artemis glared at him after that particular comment. "There is a statement in the book that really defines this situation. Appear weak when you are strong, and appear strong when you are weak".

"You do not look weak to me. At all." Artemis affirmed, earning another chuckle of Percy.

"That's because I'm not. But I am punching above my weight here, I probably would have difficulty beating every Olympian out there at once."

Once again Artemis snorted in annoyance, right when they had reached her tent. Said tent was significantly larger than a normal tent, even on the outside.

"Probably?!" she yelled loudly as they entered it. "You have been more humble in the past, Percy Jackson."

"WHAT?!" another person yelled even louder inside of the quite large tent, making a second individual fall out of a couch with an ugly thump. The latter moaned in pain on the ground, but the former, a blue eyed daughter of Zeus, was on her feet, glaring at her mistress and the Butcher.

"Yes, Thalia?" Artemis asked her fuming sister.

Thalia shook her head, as to wipe her head clear of a possible thought.

"Sorry, milady, I thought you called this guy who we've been tracking for months now and that for some reason is still alive and here at camp P-Per..." Just like her father earlier that day, Thalia stopped talking as the Butcher removed his mask. Artemis noted that his eyes were much more friendlier than they were previously at the Throne Room.

"Hello, Thalia." Percy greeted as if the cousins had just seen each other the day before. Thalia stared at him in shock for a few seconds, perhaps deciding if it was an illusion or actually real, before jumping in his direction, tackling him with a strong embrace.

"You're alive?!" she looked directly at his eyes with tears forming on her own. Percy simply nodded. "You didn't know how much I mourned you and h-her... Right after I learned of Jason's death..."