Not Exactly A Half-blood || PJO/ HOO Fanfic || Solangelo

Chapter 9

Maree's Pov:

She managed to regain her balance before hitting the ground. There were three kids who knocked into her. A blonde, a redhead and a dark one. The blonde had caught the dark one in his arms and was supporting him. Wait. Maree blinked. That was Will and Nico. But the girl next to them...

"Maree!"

Soon she was being engulfed in a bear hug. Maree's siblings hovered nearby, Nico having gotten over his grogginess. Will stood awkwardly off to the side.

"Uh, hi..." managed Maree.

The redhead let go Maree and look her in the face. Oh, now she recognised her.

"Hi August," smiled Maree.

"You're not shocked?" August asked.

"Nah, my brain has had a strange day, gimme a minute." Maree shut her mouth, thinking. "How the hell are you here!"

August grinned. "Found these two halfbloods facing off a group of empousi." She waved her hand at Nico and Will. "So I killed them. They explained that they knew you when they heard I was looking for you. Then Ghost over there." She pointed to Nico. "Pulled us through the shadows. Creepy but cool. Anyway I need to contact Artemis and see if I'm still part of the Hunters."

"Wait, what?" Maree's brain was short circuiting. "Artemis?"

"Oh yeah," August laughed. "I didn't tell you I was a Hunter. Sorry."

"Please don't tell me the Hunters are coming here," grumbled Nico. Hazel hushed him.

"They're busy somewhere else," spoke a voice behind them.

Everyone turned to the person who spoke. Maree grinned. They looked exactly as she remembered. "Mama!" she cried and hugged the goddess.

August was gaping at them. "My lady," she gasped and kneeled down, showing her respect.

Artemis' face morphed from joy to confusion. "August? What are you doing here? You haven't been apart of the Hunt since 1946."

August stood up. "I was scouting a village and this invisible bubble appeared around it. I couldn't get out or contact anyone. I met this girl a year ago." She motioned to Maree. "I'm sorry if I betrayed you or I'm not in the Hunters anymore."

Artemis looked over at Maree who nodded with confirmation. She looked back at August and smiled. "That's unusual but I'm glad you're safe and you are still in the Hunters. You can join the pack again when they come to camp next."

August let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, my lady."

Artemis smiled. "It's nothing, my dear, you did take care of my adoptive daughter."

August's face went red. "Adoptive daughter?" she choked.

"We're still here and are in a need of an explanation," called Nico.

Artemis turned to face the demi-god. "Nico, I know there may be some rejection from you towards me. I would like to say, I'm sorry for your sister and I didn't mean for her to get hurt, it was out of my control."

Nico shuffled his feet. "I don't blame you but don't offer anything to my sisters."

Artemis chuckled. "No offers unless of they approach me personally." Her smile fell. "Has there been any news of my brother?"

"Apollo?" Maree asked. "What happened to him?"

Artemis sighed. "He has not been seen since Zeus called him to Olympus. I'm worried."

Will paled. "What do you think happened to him?"

"Our father has always been harsh when it came to punishments. I have a feeling this one might be the worst," explained Artemis.

"Is the Oracle still not working?" questioned Hazel.

"I believe some certain gods have freed it despite Zeus' wishes," said Artemis.

"Yay, quests," retorts Nico, sarcastically.

Artemis smiled at the demi-gods. "You're all lovely but I must go. August, you can use my cabin. Goodbye and good luck." Then she vanished is a fall of silver dust.

A corn horn blew in the distance. Maree had just notice the sun just peeking the horizon. How had the time pass so quickly?

"Well then," Nico said, brushing dust out of his hair. "Dinner time."

"Yes! I'm starving," stated Maree.

Hazel chuckled. August rolled her eyes. "When are you not?"

"Oh, we almost forgot." Will handed Maree some bags. Nico also handed his to her.

She peeked in them and smiled. "Thank you so much guys. You head over, I'll be there in a minute."

She dashed into the cabin and dumped the bags onto her bed. A smaller bag fell out of one of them. Curious, Maree picked it up and looked inside. There were two necklaces. Intrigued, she grab them and put them on. One was a black stone which she assumed Nico brought. The other one was a sun meaning Will got it for her. She smiled to herself. Ship. With the solangelo necklaces around her neck, she turned and ran to the dining pavilion.

Maree slowed down her pace and sat down at a table with her siblings. She spotted August sitting with Chiron who was in a wheelchair.

"So, Nico may have not explained it to you but we have arranged seating, depending on our godly parent," explained Hazel. "This is the Hades table, and we must offer a piece of food to the gods, they like the smell. The plates and cups filled up with whatever food you want..." Hazel might have said more but Maree had tuned her out. She looked over at a table and saw Will Solace looking at them. Well, Nico. Maree smiled to herself. Solangelo had to happen.

She was hungry so her plate gave her some meat and roasted vegetables but before eating she tossed a bit of meat into a barrel of fire. Then she dug in. After finishing, Maree noticed Nico looking at his plate which was empty. "Aren't you going to eat?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Not hunger."

Hazel gave him a stern look. "You don't want to go back to the infirmary, do you?"

Nico sighed and put his head on the table. Maree looked worryingly over to Hazel. "Is this normal?"

"Yes, he's been like this since he was ten, so I've been told," said Hazel, picking what was left at her food.

Maree sighed and got an apple. She tap Nico’s shoulder and offered it to him when he looked up. "You need to eat something, we don't want you to be sick. Besides, an apple a day keeps the doctor away." He groaned but took the apple and bit into it. Maree wouldn't let him go until he finished it all.

A horn blew and Hazel squealed. "It's time for campfire, you'll love it!" She grabbed Maree's hand and started dragging her away. Maree noticed Nico trying to sneak back to his cabin. She extracted herself from Hazel and caught up to him.

"Not so fast, it's my first day here, you're not ditching," she said, a look of serious on her face. Nico sighed and hung his head as Maree lead him over to the blazing fire.