Prince of the Universe, Love of Artemis (On Hiatus)

Chapter 6: Not 'Lady Artemis' anymore

(Artemis POV)

I can't believe I just did that. I can't believe I just said that. I know that I'm not like my father, but I actually knelt down to Sally's level and told her that I respected her and her son. WHY did I do that? When she asked us all to sit down, I took a seat closest to a doorway, so that I could flash out if necessary. The only problem was, now that Perseus has been my guardian for a while, the powers that come with it are developing. At this point, he should be able to sense where I am within a certain area. If I flash out, he won't be able to sense me, and he'll leave to find me. Dam! Well, I suppose I'll have to ignore the fact that I think I could puke at any moment.

After everyone was seated, Percy passed around the plate of cookies. For some reason, he said it was tradition, the cookies were dyed green. Which reminds me...

"Perseus, why did you ask your mother to dye the cookie batter green? I'm sure you explained already, but humor me."

He gave me a playful glare before speaking. "M'lady, I don't answer to 'Perseus'. It's far too formal for my liking."

I glared back. "Then why do you call my 'M'lady?'" I challenged.

"Because I have been tasked as your guardian, and by all the chores you give me, your slave, so I call you that to be respectful. None of the other hunters call you anything less than 'Lady Artemis' so why should I get special treatment?" he challenged back.

At this I was at a loss for words. No one, especially not a male, could leave me speechless. I was always ready with a quick, witty retort, and now I was left with my mouth gaping open like a fish. Quickly closing it once I realized how I must look, I refined my previous statement. "Well, then, Percy," I said, putting emphasis on his nickname, "Why did you ask your mother to dye the cookie batter green?"

Thalia looked shocked that I didn't have a comeback for his civil outburst, but shock was quickly replaced with pride as she looked at her cousin. 

As for the boy himself? He looked smug. Like he knew that I usually have quick retorts, and he got me to shut up for a moment. "Well, if you insist. It actually has to do with my first stepfather again, Smelly Gabe." He paused here and turned to his mother. "By the way, I know where that statue ended up. I'll get the owner to talk to you later." Turning back to me, he continued. "Once, when I was about 6 or 7 years old, my mom and stepfather got into an argument. He argued that there was no such thing as blue food, and that it just wasn't possible for it to exist. The next day, my mom made only foods that could be colored blue. She made me blue waffles for breakfast, baked a special loaf of blue bread for a sandwich at lunch, which had blue cheese on it, and made blue fried chicken for dinner. She brought back all kinds of blue candy from the candy store she worked at, and ever since then, we make everything we can blue. The significance of the blue is that it's my favorite color. Green," he gestured to the cookies," is Camille's. We, my mom and I, decided together that we are going to make Camille feel more at home here than she will anywhere. So, she is now in the loop on most all of our traditions." He smiled widely at his half-sister and took both her and his mom into a hug.

Piper cleared her throat. "Well, as much as this is a heart touching moment, and it is tickling my Aphrodite in all the right spots, I need to talk to Mrs. Jackson."

That got Sally upset. She all but shoved the children of Poseidon aside and pulled Piper in by the shoulders. "Piper," she said sternly, "you are one of Percy's most trusted friends. You stuck by him when everyone else left, and that alone gives you the right to call me Sally. Do you understand?" Piper gulped and nodded her head as Sally released her. "Good. Now, what did you want to tell me?" They walked off into the kitchen together, words becoming dimmer as they left.

Me? I was deep in thought, which is rare for a god. However, I did come to a conclusion. Catching the attention of the three demigods still in the room with me, I told them what I had been thinking about.

"Percy, Camille, Thalia, I was just thinking."

Thalia piped in quickly, "It's a dangerous past-time!"

I glared at her before continuing. "I was just thinking, that Percy was right. Everyone calls me either 'Milady' or 'Lady Artemis.' Now, we all know how much I hate my father, and don't want to be anything like him. I don't want to demand respect from any of you, so you can call me anything. If you wish, you can still address my formally, as I suspect most of the older hunters will do. If not, then you can simply call me Artemis."

They all looked shocked for a moment before Percy raised his hand. "So, you said I can call you anything?" I nodded. "Wonderful," he smirked. "In my free time, I thought of some very interesting nicknames for you."

(Percy POV)

She said I could call her anything! Anything! Oh boy will she ever regret this. I should clarify though. I stealthily brought out my spy camera and set it to video. I pressed record and raised my hand. "So, you said I can call you anything?" She nodded at me. Perfect. I couldn't help the devilish smirk that crept onto my face. "Wonderful. In my free time, I though of some very interesting nicknames for you." Artemis's facial features contorted into a look of horror. Splendid. Just as I shut the camera off, mom and Pipes came out of the kitchen together, laughing their butts off. It must have something to do with the statue of Gabe.

"Everything all right?" Thalia asked.

"Everything's fine!" Mom said, still laughing. "Piper and I just realized that we need to introduce me to her father. She says that he's always wanted to meet the artist of 'The Poker Player'."

Mom and Piper calmed down a bit, and Artemis relayed her news to them. Piper, obviously thinking the same thing I had been, asked if she could call her absolutely anything. Again, Arty nodded, this time looking scared beforehand as well. Before things could get too out of hand, I stood.

"Well, Mom, it's been absolutely amazing visiting you, and I wish Paul were here, but the group has been here for almost two and a half hours. Phoebe is probably going crazy watching over the hunters, so we should get back." I turned to Artemis. "If that's alright with you, M'lady?" I put extra emphasis on her title, just to tick her off. What can I say? I have a thing for pissing off deities. 

And I really do. She scowled at me before agreeing, giving Mom a firm handshake with a promise to return and meet Paul, and grabbed onto the girls. I decided to give my mother a panic attack, and went out to the balcony of my old room. I turned around to make sure she was watching, then shifted into an eagle and flew off. I think she fainted.