A Son From Lands Unknown (PJO x Male Reader)

When Pigs Snowboard

When (Y/N) and Thalia awoke, they were on the outskirts of a little ski town nestled in the mountains. The sign said, 'WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT, NEW MEXICO.' The air was cold and thin. The roofs of the cabins were heaped with snow, and dirty mounds of it were piled up on the sides of the streets. Tall pine trees loomed over the valley, casting pitch-black shadows, though the morning was sunny.

"Great," (Y/N) muttered. "Traded one frozen wasteland for another."

The group met up after getting off the train and walked all the way to the middle of town, with the only conversation really being Percy talking about something they had to do once they got to San Francisco. (Y/N) didn't really pay any attention, as he was not going to be present for said requirement.

"Great," Thalia said, looking around. "No bus station. No taxis. No car rental. No way out."

"There's a coffee shop!" Grover pointed out excitedly.

"Yes," Zoe sighed. "Coffee is good."

"And pastries," Grover added dreamily. "And wax paper."

"Breakfast is always a good thing, especially when fighting's on the table," (Y/N) agreed.

Thalia sighed. "Fine. How about Zoe, Percy, and Grover go get us breakfast. (Y/N), Bianca and I will check in the grocery store. Maybe they can give us directions."

Everyone agreed to meet back in front of the grocery store in fifteen minutes. Bianca looked a little uncomfortable going with (Y/N) and Thalia away from Zoe, but she did wind up going with them.

Inside the store, they found out a few valuable things about Cloudcroft: there wasn't enough snow for skiing, the grocery store sold rubber rats for a dollar each, and there was no easy way in or out of town unless you had your own car.

"You could call for a taxi from Alamogordo," the clerk said doubtfully. "That's down at the bottom of the mountains, but it would take at least an hour to get here. Cost several hundred dollars."

"Fuck," (Y/N) hissed as he and Thalia walked out. "I left all my money back at camp. Hidden away, but still."

"Wonderful," Thalia grumbled. "I'm going to walk down the street, see if anybody in the other shops has a suggestion."

"I doubt anyone would know more about getting in and out of town than-"

"I know," she said, her anger clearly rising. "I'm checking anyway."

(Y/N) put his hands up and let her go. A girlfriend angry at him was the last thing he or the team needed right now.

Bianca and (Y/N) just kind of stood together awkwardly. Neither were really sure what to say, mainly due to how different their circumstances were. However, (Y/N) decided to just go for the most obvious topic.

"You happy with your choice?" he asked.

"What?" Bianca responded.

"Y'know," (Y/N) began. "Your decision to join the Hunters. You happy with what it's led to?"

Bianca pursed her lips. "You're not still mad at me for joining are you?"

"Never was, more disappointed than angry," (Y/N) sighed. "I thought, hell still think that your decision was cowardly and rash, but what's done is done. As long as you're happy with it."

"I'm not sure 'happy' is the right word, with Lady Artemis gone," Bianca said. "But being a Hunter is definitely cool. I feel calmer somehow. Everything seems to have slowed down around me. I guess that's the immortality."

"I would say we'll see if you still enjoy the slower pace in a hundred years, but I get the feeling I won't be around to ask," (Y/N) sighed. "I'll be dead and buried, and you'll still look like your twelve. Hope you never wanted to buy alcohol."