Legends Never Die

Individual Training

Artemis looked at New Rome. They had come here on Perseus' request. She figured he would want to be able to keep an eye on them while trained the new Guardian team, as well as ask her input, so she had acquiesced to it.

Sensing a power of a god in the arena, she headed there, knowing the only other god in New Rome was Terminus, seeing as even her friend Lupa hardly visited, she knew that power could only belong to Perseus. Walking in, she saw him setting up for a training session.

"You asked for us to be here Perseus? May I ask why?" she questioned.

He glanced up at her and nodded. "I intend to teach the Hunters as well. They are one of the best fighting units we have at our disposal. It would not do to have them think that because someone thought they were too weak to defend themselves that they got a male guardian."

Artemis' eyes widened. He really had thought things out. Of course her Hunters might think that, and the fact he found a way to placate it shows he's not at all the dumb man everyone portrayed him to be. 'Man,' she thought.

It wasn't a term she used when talking about males, but she knew that it applied to him. He was a man. Not a boy. He did not act like the rest of the males. He was the only male she truly respected. Not even Orion, before she learned everything had garnered this kind of respect. She respected his hunting prowess. Not him as a person. Now, it seemed Perseus had both.

"Don't think that will earn any points with them."

"I don't, but I'm sure Thalia will appreciate it. If it gets her one step closer to catching up to me, she'll do it." Artemis nodded. "So, do you mind helping me, Lady Artemis? I'm good. Not to sound cocky, but I know I'm good, the most skilled demigod there is. But there is only so much I can teach them myself. I'll need help, and I'd rather have a goddess that is better than myself or at least my equal, than someone weaker."

"You think you could be MY equal?" Artemis asked, infuriated.

Perseus just shook his head grinning. "In archery, no. Probably not knives either. But in over all power and a sword, I'd say I could keep pace with you. After this training session, why don't we have a little go, if you don't believe me that is?"

Artemis' eyebrows came down at a very scary incline. Perseus didn't care one bit, still smirking. "Alright. I'll take you up on that challenge. Each of us will have a bout with our best weapon, then we will have a third with a weapon neither of us is a master of."

- - -

"No. Jason, you're skilled in Roman technique but it doesn't balance well in a one on one fight with someone used to fighting by themselves. You're trying to attack and defend as if there's someone guarding your weak side, and there's not," Percy said, whipping him around the arena with the flat of his blade.

Jason was getting aggravated. He'd watched all the other thirteen people from his team have very similar, if no worse bearings in a solo pairing with Percy. And Percy himself seemed to not have broken a sweat at all against any of them yet. This was starting to get to him. He hadn't been able to get a strike off at all. It was nothing but defend or dodge.

Percy was relentless in his trainings. No one getting a break to attack while they faced him. He wanted to see how far they could be pushed before they snapped. They might not be able to use their powers in all situations to defend their charge, and their opponent might be far stronger than them. They had to be able to think on their feet and stay alive long enough for help to come.

When Jason was done, Artemis approached Percy. "So, Perseus, are you ready for this?"

Percy grinned. "Almost. But first, how about a little wager. You wanted three rounds. One with your weapon, one with mine, and one with something neither of us is a master of. So clearly, bow, sword, and some other weapon. I'd like to make a deal with you."

Artemis glared at him, suddenly not so trusting of him. "What kind of wager?" she asked.

"Well, if I win two of the rounds, then I can make you do anything I want, with in reason of course. And if you win, same goes."

Artemis thought it over. This was definitely something that could go really well. She'd have bragging rights in front of the Hunters once he became their official Guardian, and he would have to do whatever she said. "Okay, deal, Perseus. On one condition."

"And that is?"

"We lay out what it is we want now," she replied. "If I win, you will be the slave of the Hunters, within reason of course, while being our Guardian."

Percy nodded, figuring she would ask something of the sort from him. "Okay, well in that case, if I win...I want you to stop calling me Perseus. I hate that name. Call me Percy. All my friends do. The only people who still call me Perseus are those among the gods that don't like me, and my enemies. I hope to kind of brush the first aside, and would hope you aren't an enemy of mine."

Artemis was surprised. He could have asked for anything. A kiss, a date, sex, anything. Even if she would have killed him on the spot for those, he could have asked for far more than a simple nickname. 'Why was your first thought a kiss or a date?' the little devil in her head asked. With wide eyes and uncertainty of herself, Artemis nodded, and they shook hands, sealing the wager.