Greeks, Gods & Other Problems

Chapter Twenty Five

They had studied the page the polaroid had been on - well, Jon had, Artemis didn't have the patience to decipher the greek - for clues but had come up with nothing. Artemis was wandering around aimlessly kicking at the clothing and picking splintered wood off of her bed. Her mood had darkened considerably since this morning and, not for the first time, she toyed with the idea of having SAD; however, if she did, then how would she have coped in England for fourteen years? Jon made a small noise and Artemis began to hope.

"Listen to this..." Jon cleared his throat and Artemis turned to look at him expectantly.

"The three harpies. Sometimes mistaken for the fates, but you wouldn't want to cross either of them, Where the fates would predict your death, the harpies would be put into that little box on the death certificate marked 'cause of death'. Often disguised as harmless, old ladies, they are actually terrifying creatures that half resemble bats with their leathery wings and incredible sense of hearing. Hades' hitwomen (as they have been also called although no-one is quite sure as to how they are, in fact, female. No-one has come back alive to enlighten us.) are the bounty hunters of the underworld and above ground.

"They are fearsome, perhaps, due to their unwavering relationship with the Lord of the Dead. Simply put: cross Hades = you deal with them; cross them = you cross Hades = you deal with them. Or, on the last example, they may just miss out the middle man entirely. That is to say that Hades is not just a middle man! He is great! He is almighty! He is hopefully not going to set the Harpies on me. When asked to elaborate on this 'trust', Hades 'kindly' summoned his hellhounds to inspect my journalistic badge which involved -" Jon halted, "actually, I won't read that last bit out."

"But what does it mean?" Artemis flopped on her bed and stared blankly at the photo, telepathically willing it to give up it's secrets. Feeling foolish, she looked at Jon to make sure he wasn't watching her and whispered to the page," I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The photo refused to comply.

"So that's why I never recieved my acceptance letter," Artemis muttered. Then, as if by magic, her eyes glanced on something in the top-right corner...

Jon was chuckling at the book, the author was hilarious. Not only was he poking fun at Hades in a mild way, but he'd managed to get this book published, and Hades to add footnotes! Hades must really need some PR if he was reduced to this. Not that Hades was small or anything! He was about to show Artemis something when she bolted straight up.

"What?!"

"Gotcha!" Artemis punched the air triumphantly," we need a ship."

"What? Why?" Jon closed the book and vaulted over the bed to her side. It caused Artemis to go flying in the air but she didn't care, she was far too jubilant.

"Compass." She said simply and scrabled under the bed. Jon took the photo she'd carelessly folded on her bed and noticed what Artemis just had. In the uppermost right-hand corner was an arrow pointing right. And Bingo was his name-o.

"Err... Arty?" Jon called to her," how do we know where to be, 'coz that arrow could be pointing gods know where - north, south, east, or west."

"Simple," Artemis emerged,"we go there."

"There? Where's there?"

Artemis told him. Jon laughed, he wanted to say, 'surely not' but the expression on Artemis' face caused the words to die in his throat. He swallowed: he may be Hermes' son, fairly good with a sword, and a strategic master but - despite popular belief - he had no confidence, and, as a result, no courage; which is why, perhaps, he was always sublmally considered an outcast. He couldn't keep up this charade forever, and he especially couldn't let Artemis know. He would have to travel that yellow brick road, gain a heart from a mysterious con-artist if he was to help find their kinsmen.

"Jon. Jon. Jon!"

Jon snapped to," yeah?"

"I've been calling you for like ten minutes now. What's up, daydreamer?"

"Nothing. Was coming up with a master plan."

"Well, it had better involve a boat big enough to house a ginormous ego."

"Boat?"

"Yes. Incorporate that into your master plan." Jon watched her as she started packing - haphazardly throwing various clothing, weapons etc. into a rucksack.

"Is this a good time to mention that I get sea-sick?"

Artemis halted with a jolt and shot him a sceptical look,

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope," he replied, popping the puh sound at the end.

"Oh, how spiffing?" She groaned sarcastically. Jon's smile widened, "oh how I love the quaint British language."

Artemis threw a T-shirt at him.

~~~

Hellooo! It's even hotter in England today. Which means that something's gone wrong with our weather system :-P

I'll update again when I can.

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