What if when Luke and Thalia escape Halcyon Green's mansion when it explodes, they discover that something else had been lurking beneath the building.. when that something saves Thalia's life on the edge of Camp Half Blood?
Unknown to the Gods, thei...
If there's one thing about this that is good, it's that none of the others are here - or watching - me do this.
Ivan wasn't really kidding when he said Rachel was looking hot. He could seriously feel the heat rushing to his face just from looking at her. And who could really blame him? In that dress -
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He was just going to let that thought stop right there. Just keep your cool, Ichi, keep your cool.
Easier said than done, honestly. Like really, easier said than done. And so it was, that in the span of five minutes, Ivan found himself in a separate booth from the one he was in, on the opposite side of the room, with him on one side and Rachel on the other, and both her family and his companions just watching the two interact.
"So.." Rachel started up, the teenage girl in the lovely dress looking like she was going out to prom staring intently with a slight blush on her face just from looking at Ivan. "..what brings you to the Big Apple?"
"Nothing much really.." Ivan responded, feeling more hot inside every time the twinkling of his eyes made Rachel let out a cute giggle. "..just meeting up with some old friends and discussing paths for the future."
He knew that was basically a lie, but hopefully, it wouldn't lead to her discovering who he really was down the road and causing maybe some hard feelings between them. Besides, there were so many people in this world compared to back then, so the odds of this happening would be low. (A/N: Silly Ichi, anyone who knows PJO lord knows that it's going to happen eventually.)
What in the name of the gods are you doing, Ichi?
Mothra.
Of course.
He was really naive if he thought none of the others would notice what he was doing. Of course, the Queen Of The Monsters, as Mothra was known, as well as the peacemaker, would notice.
None of your business, Queen Of The Monsters.
Ichi, you're conversing with another clear-sighted mortal, you dumb fool.
That single sentence caused a bout of anxiety inside him. Rachel's next words didn't help matters much. She lowered her voice a bit so only Ivan would hear, and she leaned over the table. "Like I said before, you're pretty cute.. didn't suspect that the middle head of Ghidorah would be such a hottie.." she says, leaving Ichi actually sweating a bit.
She knows?! And she's not even fleeing? Who is this woman?!
This has gone from awkward to even more awkward in a matter of seconds. Then again, what Dayton had said earlier about Artemis being into him before HE came along.. he wasn't kidding. Human forms of Kajiu had existed before now, but in the past, it was only in a spirit form. Only those who were capable of manifesting themselves in such a form had it, and Ichi had been one of the few Kajiu back then who could do it.
But back to the present, Rachel simply stared at Ivan with a cute smirk, loving how flustered the middle head of Ghidorah looked right now. She sat back and Ivan took a deep breath and tried to save face. "Surprised you're able to figure out who I am.." he responded, keeping his voice down as well so those around him wouldn't hear him either.
"It's not too hard. I read up on the Kajiu legends in school, and your human form in the spirit world is quite well documented" Rachel replied, sipping her drink. "Interesting you're here in the flesh at around the same age as me, from what it looks like."
Physically, despite his height, Ivan did look more like he was twelve years old, just a year or two maybe older than Rachel. Chronologically, however, she knew that he was much, much older and she really didn't care that much.
"So tell me again, what are you doing here, Ichi?" Rachel asked, ever the more curious to learn what exactly the Kajiu was up to. His cover blown, Ichi decided to come clean. "Locating Olympus, what else?" he replied. "We're not here to destroy the Gods, unless we feel like we have to. Promise you will tell no one about this, please. I really would not like my brothers to get word of this."
Rachel giggled cutely. "Oh? The middle head of Ghidorah wants to make me promise to not tell? Sure.. if you can do something in exchange for me.." she said, desire manifesting in her green eyes.
Ivan gulped.
Oh great, you're back in the human world and you've already got someone heads over heels for you just from you being you.
Shut up, Mothra!
In Ichi's defense, somehow many ladies seemed to be more attracted towards him than his two other brothers mostly because despite his sort-of bloodthirsty persona, which manifested on occasion, he was a rather charming, intelligent, and as Rachel was already liking, handsome guy. Such was the perks of being the strategist. However, handling human women - goddess, demigod, or mortal - was something that all the experience and wisdom being the strategist gave him could not help him out with. It definitely showed right now.
"Yeah.. sure.." Ivan replied, albeit reluctantly. Rachel hesitated for a moment, but resumed looking at Ivan with a cute, interested look on her face after a while.
"Date me, Ichi.." she said, leaning over the table again and simply whispering in his ear. "Date me. It would be convenient for both of us. Besides, I wouldn't mind maybe falling for a guy like you."
Oh, for the sake of the gods Ichi..
Can you not, Mothra? Like.. not my fault.. she is that.. cute..
Ivan gave a glance over at Rachel's parents as well as Kelli, Drew, and Dayton. Much to Ichi's frustration and chagrin, the expressions weren't much helpful to his cause. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dare gave approving glances to the two, while Dayton was grinning like a complete idiot and giving two thumbs up and Kelli was simply giggling in adoration of the two. Drew simply watched in amazement.
Fascinating, Drew thought to himself. To think that the middle head of the false king, the strategist, could just as easily be reduced to a flustered man because of a seductive vixen.
Ivan could only give a nod in response to Rachel's request, much to the redhead's happiness. Inside, the Kajiu knew one thing, and one thing only.
By the spirit of the gods, I am definitely in over my head.
— — — — — — — — — — —
Recovering from the initial shock of himself being flustered at Rachel's hands, and adjusting to the fact that he had been basically shoehorned into becoming the boyfriend of the Dare heiress, was a rather confusing task, if Ichi was to be very.. brutally honest.
On the one hand, she definitely was causing some of the ice on the strategist's otherwise ice cold heart to melt just from her beauty, her seductiveness, and how cute she was every minute he spent with her so far. But on the other hand, he was still very uncertain on how in the world he was going to explain to the others that he had allowed himself to be entranced by the beauty of a mortal. Not to mention that he would essentially be responsible for her life against every monster that came her way once they discovered her.
It was a confusing situation that the strategist found himself in, but soon enough though, once he got to Camp Half Blood, having to deal with Rachel being aware of who he truly was would be the least of Ichi's problems.
