The Fandom Games

Chapter 16 ~ The Choice

Annabeth Chase

I've made my choice. I don't know if it's the right choice, but it is the necessary choice.

I creep through the woods, following the trail I know he left. When I'm getting close to where he stopped, I draw my knife. I have to be ready to defend myself in case he mistakes me for someone else. 

He's sitting on a tree stump in a clearing when I sneak up behind him. I see him tense. 

"It's just me," I say.

Luke sighs. "Have you made a choice?" he asks tightly.

I take a deep breath. I'm sorry, Percy, I think. "I choose you," I whisper, almost inaudibly.

Not two seconds later, he's kissing me. And this time I kiss him back eagerly, because what else am I supposed to do? 

Luke pulls away. "We should get moving," he says. I nod, taking his hand, and we walk out of the clearing side by side.

We've only been walking for a few minutes when I hear a noise behind me. Luke drops my hand and we both spin around, drawing our weapons. "Come out," I say, "we know you're there." Never try to fight someone without knowing who they are. 

A girl with long brown hair and a boy with platinum blonde hair step out into the light. I recognize them as the district 6 tributes. 

"Call a truce," the boy says. "We just want to talk."

I look at Luke, who nods. We both set down our weapons and I hold out my hand. "Annabeth Chase, district 1. This is my-"

"Her boyfriend," Luke finishes, "Luke Castellean." The girl gives me a curious look. 

"I'm Draco Malfoy," says the boy, shaking my hand, "and this is my-" The girl shoots him a glare "-friend, Hermione Granger."

I scoff. "We all saw the interviews. Don't pretend like you two aren't a couple."

Hermione scowls. "That is not what we're here to talk about. Annabeth, I want to talk to you. Alone." She says the last part with a pointed look at Draco, who looks disappointed. 

"Luke, stay with Draco," I say. "Try to get acquainted."

I follow Hermione away from the boys. "So what do you want?" I ask.

"I want you and Luke as allies. As muggles, you have experience in hand to hand combat that Draco and I don't."

"What's a muggle?"

"A non-magical person."

"And you are?"

"A witch." 

I raise my eyebrows skeptically. "Prove it."

"Expecto Patronum!" she says, drawing a wand from her pocket. A silver ferret bursts from the tip of her wand. She frowns. "That's weird, it was an otter before."

"Alright," I say, "you've proven yourself. I definitely want you as an ally, but I have to talk to Luke. Now, is that the only reason you wanted to talk to me?"

Hermione shakes her head and whispers something in my ear. My eyes widen. "How did you know?"

"Legilimency. It's a magic thing. I can read your thoughts."

"What does it matter to you?"

"I'm concerned. For you and him."

"But why do you even care?"

"Because," Hermione sighs, "I know how it feels to have your heart broken. But I guess it's too late now."

I sigh. "I don't know if I made the right choice, Hermione. What if it goes too far?"

She shrugs. "It can't be helped now. There's only three things you can do."

Hermione's right. I could keep doing what I'm doing. I could tell him the truth. Or I could....

I can't even think it. I shiver.

"It's not something you have to decide right now," she says gently. "Think about it. I'll be here if you need to talk."

I smile gratefully. "Thanks. Now it's your turn. What the hell is going on with you and Draco?"

Hermione smiles wryly. "It's.... complicated. There's not time now for me to tell you all about my former relationship with Draco Malfoy, or lack thereof."

I nod. "Another time, then?"

"Another time," she agrees. "We should probably go make sure the boys haven't killed each other. And tell our backup that it's safe to come out of hiding."

"Who's your backup?"

"You can meet them in a second," Hermione says. "It's all safe, Holly, you can get Artemis and meet us in the clearing." She says this second part to the sky. Or, I suppose, to wherever her 'backup' was hiding.

We meet back up with the boys and then follow Hermione to a small clearing not far from where we had stopped. A tall, pale boy with raven black hair and a short girl with a crew cut and pointy ears are waiting. The district 7 tributes.

The boy walks up to me and I shake his hand. "Artemis Fowl II," he says, "Pleased to meet you. This is Holly Short." He nods at the short girl. She looks like an elf, actually. And he looks like a vampire.

"Are you alive?" I ask him.

Hermione laughs. "I asked him the same thing. And yes, he's very much alive. I would never make an alliance with a vampire."

Holly smirks. "You do look like a vampire, Arty. It really seems like all the times I've healed you should've improved your complexion."

He doesn't smile. "I don't really think now is a time to be joking around, Holly. We're in an arena where we're going to die, in case you forgot."

I roll my eyes. "Feeling optimistic, vampire boy?"

He scowls. "My name is Artemis Fowl II."

"Well I'm going to call you vampire boy. You got a problem with that?"

"Yes, actually." 

Holly is smirking.

"Well I don't care, vampire boy," I say.

Draco is smiling. "She reminds me of you when you were younger, Hermione."

Hermione laughs. "You know, Annabeth, I think we're going to get along just fine. And you'd better be nice, vampire boy, because we have an alliance with Annabeth and Luke now."

Artemis sighs. "Fine. But I don't have to like it."

"Don't take it personally," Holly says to me, "He's always like this when he meets someone who he thinks is intellectually equal. It makes him mad."

I grin. "Hear that, vampire boy? I'm intellectually equal. But the difference is you have a big head, and I don't."

Everyone laughs except Artemis. I sigh contentedly. I've made at least two new friends. I don't know if Draco, who I haven't really spoken to, and 'vampire boy' count.

Maybe this arena isn't such a bad place after all.