One Too Many Heartbreaks

VIII. Have You Seen This Immortal? (Leo's POV)

NOTE: TRANSLATIONS AT END OF CHAPTER
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Leo woke from a fitful sleep. He had had no dreams, but still felt a strong unease. He tried to shake it off as he got dressed, forced his fingers through his wild curls, and headed out to breakfast.

In the dining pavilion, Leo enjoyed the company of his siblings and fellow inventors, and as they feasted on buttercream waffles and strawberries and coffee, they discussed their ideas and shared formulas.

Most of his brothers and sisters went off on their daily activities, but Leo had a free day. Always did. Perks of saving the world: no training, no chores.

He headed off to Bunker 9, whistling the Pokemon theme, the words in his head.

Monsters, (gotta kill them all) a punch so true
Our courage will pull us through
You hunt me and I'll hunt you
(Mo-on-sters) Gotta kill 'em all

Leo continued to whistle as he set a small fire in his palm, opening the door to the bunker. "Morning, buddy!" Leo said loudly to the giant metal dragon in sleep mode on the floor. Festus's eyes began to glow red as he powered up. (1)"--. --- --- -.. -- --- .-. -. ..-. .-. . -." He whirred.

Leo got to work. His brothers and sisters dropped in randomly, a few whenever they were free. Leo didn't stop for a break until lunchtime.

Unlike most of the campers, Leo didn't eat lunch in the pavilion. He liked to have lunch in the workshop with Calypso. As a nymph, she usually liked to wander the forest all day, talking to the other nymphs and satyrs between the trees.

Leo cleaned up best he could, using rags to rub the majority of oil and grime off his face and arms, and changed into a clean(er) shirt. In fifteen minutes, Leo had the usual setup ready: A picnic blanket, with sandwiches and coffee, and a gadget for Calypso. Today's was a pendant which doubled as a compass; her compass, actually, though now it always pointed to camp instead of Ogygia.

Leo had only been sitting for a minute when his ADHD started to kick in. His fingers toyed with a piece of coil in his fingers. A few pieces of metal, a length of wire. Pretty soon he had a miniature helicopter, much like the one he released over the Grand Canyon all that time ago.

Leo grew more and more restless. Where was Calypso? She never took this long. Leo eventually figured he might as well work while he waited for her; it calmed his nerves at least. He lost track of time, working late into the night. Without meaning to, he fell asleep, slumped on his worktable.

Leo sat up. He was still in his workshop, but something was different, and he figured he hadn't been magically cleaned Calypso's magic again. Then why did it feel so magicky in there? Leo turned around to see a young girl standing by Festus, patting his bronze muzzle.

Leo was startled, but not alarmed. She was ten, eleven at most. She had a weird glow to her, like she'd been dipped in TMNT Mutagen, but Leo knew monsters couldn't get into camp. She must be a new camper, Leo thought.

"Uh," he said. She looked at him. Smooth, Valdez.

"Do you remember me, Leo?" She asked, making him jump. How did she know his name? She stared up at him with silver eyes, a slightly amused expression on her face. Leo wondered if he had a booger or something. Suddenly something clicked in his mind. Young girl. Silver eyes. Muta-glow.

"Artemis!" Leo exclaimed, feeling pleased with himself.

"Yes, Leo Valdez." She said, nodding at him. "And I have come to ease your mind."

"Ease my mind?" Leo asked warily. That didn't sound too good. He took a step back. "You mean like Hera did to Jason?"

"No, no," Artemis said. "I just wanted to let you know where Calypso's been."

Leo's heart did a thousand somersaults. "Calypso? You know where she is? Tell me!" Leo shriveled at Artemis's glare. "Sorry, uh m-ma'am."

Artemis glanced at him, speaking with a warning tone. "I will forgive you this once, boy, because I know how foolish love can make people." Her voice softened. "Exactly why I take no part in it."

Leo simply stared, not daring to interrupt again. He had heard about Artemis, and didn't want to spend the rest of his days as a deer, or worse- a girl.

"Anyways, about your former girlfriend-"

"Former?" Leo blurted. What did she mean, former? What had she done to her?

"Yes. Calypso is no longer your prize. She has joined my Hunters, been freed from men forever."

"She wasn't my prize, I loved her! I died and came back just so I could-"

"Have her? She is not an object to be had, young man."

"I don't believe you," Leo said desperately. "About her being a... A Hunter, or whatever. Calypso... She loves me. She does."

The goddess looked at Leo with disdain, but also, he noticed, with a little sadness. And then she was gone.

___

Leo snapped awake. The workshop was just as it had been before. The girl was gone. As Leo's pulse slowed, he became surer and surer it had just been a dream. But when he looked at Festus, (despite being an automaton with no facial expressions) seemed confused. ".-. . .- .-.. --- .-. -. --- - .-. . .- .-..", Festus said. Real or not real?

Leo didn't answer. If Festus remembered it too... No. Calypso was not gone. She loved him. She would never hurt him.

He left Bunker 9 without even cleaning up the now fly-attracting meal on the floor. The meal for Calypso. He had to find her.

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(1) GOODMORNFREN