How This Happened?!

Chapter 3 - Hero... Or Not?

Artemis felt a foreign in his own body.

Just the thought of thinking of himself instead of herself caused nauseas to him.

Who could Apollo coped with the change? The second the changes started, he wanted to kick himself for being a boy! Why not a goat? Heck, even a snake! But, no! It had to be a boy! The hate towards the male sex was so into his soul that he could not behave like a boy even if he tried.

How do boys behave? He couldn't go to someone for help, because that would be recognizing he wanted not to hate himself and that was not an option. Which is why he ended up wondering the streets of a busy New York, in search of clues or even to clear his mind. So far, he found nothing that could get from them. Every single boy that walked pass by were either being perfect gentlemen or shy quiet nerds. And neither option was good. Nothing against the nerds...

Walking inside a coffee store, his thoughts drifted to his Hunters. He couldn't face them like this! They'd think that they were being pranked or attack. And, even when being pranked is way better than an attack, how would he explain the situation to them? Blaming things on others is a very boy behavior, even when it happened? Luckily, they knew he was gonna be away for a few weeks in some personal business. He only hoped that, by then, the problem would be solved and Apollo would lose the bet. He couldn't manage to keep himself- herself away from the other sex.

Grabbing his coffee, he looked for a seat somewhere, but everything was rather complete, except for a spot by the window with a two-people-table with a single girl sitting, reading a book. Sighing, he walked that way, hoping she wouldn't- wouldn't what? Reject him? Shouldn't she been doing that? Was he- was he afraid of rejection? Unknown to him, he had been staring at the void right in front of the girl, who assumed he was looking at her.

"Can you stop that?" Her voice brought him back from his thoughts "It's creepy when you stare..." she explained. Artemis rubbed his neck, rather uncomfortable.

"I space out... Wasn't looking at you-" Bad choice of words if they exist. The girl took it the wrong way and her cheeks turned red and she glared at him.

"I get I'm not very pretty, but that doesn't give you the right to treat me like that!" Artemis' eyes widen open in shocked.

"That was not what I meant!"

"You know what? Never mind, men are always the same, thinking they have the right to play with us and then, leave us behind..." It was obvious this girl, with her young age, had been played enough by boys and Artemis couldn't tolerate it. Desperate to prove her wrong, he said the only thing he thought in the moment.

"I don't like girls" he blurted out, catching the attention of the girl, who raised an eyebrow at him. Slowly, the idea formed in her mind and she gasped in recognition.

"Oh. Oh!"

"Yeah... Oh!" That was all Artemis said, before scolding himself mentally. What was he thinking?! Mentally, he was still a girl and saying that he didn't like girls was like saying he liked boys. But, he was a boy now and not liking girls made him not straight... Let's say he was confused by his own thoughts.

"I'm sorry I ranted at you..." The girl apologized to him "You didn't deserve it" Yes, I did deserved it... "Wanna sit here?"

"Thanks, and don't worry about it..." he waved her apology away "I'm Art- Arthur, but everyone calls me Artie..." he covered in the last minute.

"What a coincidence..." she chuckled, but not disrespectfully "My name is Ginevra, but everyone calls me Ginny..."

"That is a coincidence!" Minotaur's shit, a coincidence... Meddler Fates! "To bad we're not meant to be..."

"I won't feel offended..." she continued the joke, making Artemis feel better about himself.

~oOo~

Artemis and his new friend talked and talked all afternoon. It was nice for Artemis to talk to someone outside his Hunters. Not everything was about hunting and mocking heroes and men that weren't with them anymore. After a while, he walked Ginny to her place, which was not far, but in a dangerous place.

"Thanks for today and again, sorry about me yelling at you..." she apologized again.

"Again, not a problem... I get what you said and I apologize in name of our gender" Artemis gave an apology back, unfortunately for him for connecting with his male side. He was leaving her in her door when a group of guys walked towards them, and it was obvious they didn't have the best intentions "Go inside and don't get out" he ordered her. She hesitated, but obeyed when she saw the glare in his eyes "Leave us alone and you won't get hurt!" This only caused the group laughed at him.

"It's obvious that someone wants to be taught a lesson... And, we'll get your friend later..." The first guy moved closer to Artemis that was fuming at how little they cared about someone's health. Rage-driven, he hit the first guy right in the stomach. The second guy, from behind and with a knife, tried to surprised him, but he intercepted the knife and made him drop it, before kicking him. He fought third and fourth simultaneously, making them drop on the floor, groaning while first and second got up, hurtfully.

"That was a warning-" Artemis couldn't end his threat when first got out a chain and started to sway it around, not hitting him by that much. The second had dropped the knife and was holding him so first could hit him, making Artemis furious. He was considering in what to turn them, a yakalope or a deer when the last thing Artemis wanted, happened.

The policed arrived.

~oOo~

Question of the Day: Could you guys, please, go read Demigod Retrieving Squad (DRS) by McCanner in FanFiction? I'd soon feature me!

Question of the Chapter: Do you see Artemis embracing his male side? Or you see something else happen?