Hidden From Fate

-The Walk-

Percy didn't know how he should feel.

His mother was missing. He revealed his identity to people, going directly against his mother's orders. And on top of all that, he didn't have any leads on his mother other than the vague image of a shadow man.

He was never too good with emotions. He tended to let whatever he felt at the moment just burst out of him. If he felt sad, he would cry, if he felt mad, he would yell, if he felt happy, he would smile. These were the ways he dealt with emotions.

Simple solutions that didn't help much, but he didn't know what else to do. He never spoke to anyone about emotions. He had no one to talk to. The hunters were kind to him, but they weren't the type to talk to him about emotions. And Artemis was hard to talk to about emotions.

When it came to talking about personal issues, Percy was alone.

Percy continued to walk around camp. He wasn't going anywhere in particular. He passed the training arena and briefly watched two kids sword fighting. Percy didn't use swords much, he had been trained with his mother to use a bow, his hunting knife, and hand to hand combat. He had briefly fought with swords a couple times when they had found them from some monster or rouge demigod and the hunters practiced sparring for fun.

He could tell the younger looking one was knew to swordplay, his form was all wrong. He thought about going down to help correct the kids stance but he figured the trainer he was sparring with would probably have better advice than his own. Plus, he didn't want to have to talk.  He didn't like using his girl voice much.

He then walked over to the archery range and saw several kids practicing. A boy with bright blonde hair was overseeing their training. They all seemed to be fairly good shots. Bullseye almost every time. Percy guessed they were Apollo kids.

He watched for a while, from a distance. He liked archery, though it took many years of training to get as good as he was. He wasn't as good as his mother or Pheobe of course, but he was one of the best in the hunters.

The blonde boy noticed him and waved him over.

Percy reluctantly walked over.

"Hey, you're one of the Hunters of Artemis right? Welcome to camp. The names Will." The blonde boy, Will, said. He offered Percy his hand. Percy shook it and gave a kurt nod.

"So, how good's your aim?" Will asked. Percy smirked and pointed to two targets then gestured to him and Will.

"Oh, you want to do a shoot off?" Will said. Percy nodded. He gestured to his quiver and held up three fingers.

"Three shots?" Will guessed. Percy nodded.

"Alright. You want to go first?" Will asked. Percy gestured to Will.

"Alright, I'll go first then." Will said. He didn't seemed to bothered by Percy's lack of speech, which relieved Percy. He didn't want to use his girl voice.

Will drew an arrow and nocked it, carefully pulling the string back and aiming carefully before letting loose his first arrow. It hit the edge of the bullseye.

Will looked at Percy, but Percy gestured for him to keep going. Will smiled and nodded.

His next arrow wasn't as close. He hit the ring just outside the bullseye. Will cursed silently.

His last shot hit the bullseye almost dead center.

"Not bad, eh?" Will asked. Percy smiled and nodded. Percy then drew his own bow and nocked an arrow. He barely took the time to aim before letting loose his own first arrow. It hit the bullseye dead center.

"Nice shot." Will commented.

Percy's next shot landed directly next to his first, just barely in the bullseye next to the first arrow.

For his last shot, Percy drew an arrow but didn't nock it. Instead he walked up to the target and stabbed in in the top of the target, so that the end pointed directly up to the sky.

As he walked back Will gave him a confused look but didn't say anything. Percy smirked.

He nocked an arrow and aimed for the center of the arrow shaft.

He took a deep breath and as he exhaled, he released.

The arrow flew across the archery range and split the arrow that had been sticking out of the top in two.

"Holy Hera. That was quite a shot." Will said.

Percy smiled and nodded a thank you.

"Maybe you hunters will have to give us pointers." Will said. Percy shrugged.

"I'm guessing the other girls aren't as open to the idea of being near campers." Will said. Percy nodded.

"Why are you interacting with us? Where you a camper before you joined the hunt?" Will asked. Percy shook his head.

"Huh, usually the only ones who even glance at us are the former campers who join." Will said. Percy shrugged.

"So, I don't mean to be rude, but may I ask, are you mute?" Will asked. Percy shook is head.

"So you chose not to speak?" Will asked. Percy shook his flat palm in a so-so gesture.

"Is it just to campers?" Will asked. Percy hesitated, then nodded.

Just then, someone called Will's name.

"I should get back to practice. Thanks for sparring with me hunter." Will said. Percy nodded, turned, and left the archery range.

Percy walked toward the cabins intending on going back but as he walked through the center of the cabins he noticed a small girl tending to the central hearth.

He walked up to her, quickly looking around to see if anyone was in earshot.

"Lady Hestia, it's an honor to see you." Percy said quietly.

"Perseus, my hearth welcomes you." Hestia said.

"With all due respect, what brings you to camp? I thought you tended the hearth of Mt Olympus." Percy said quietly.

"I tend all the hearths, Persues, but I jump back and forth between Olympus and here. Most don't even notice me. Only one other has visited in recent years. But of course, we have met before now." Hestia said.

"Nobody notices an Olympian amongst them?" Percy asked. Hestia smiled.

"I don't mind not being noticed. As long as someone talks to me everyone and a while." Hestia said.

Percy nodded. He noticed a group of halfbloods walking passed them.

"Still hiding your identity?" Hestia asked quietly. Percy nodded.

"To please your mother? Or is it your desire to be disconnected from your fellow halfbloods?" Hestia asked.

Percy hesitated, unsure of how to answer. If he was, honest, he didn't know. His own natural curiosity wanted to know what would happen if he were remove his hood, but his own desire to stay loyal to his mother's wishes kept him from doing so.

"Follow your heart Persues." Hestia said quietly.

She went back to tending the hearth and Percy took that as a goodbye for now and he walked away.

He didn't feel like going back to the hunters just yet, so he walked around the camp more. He eventually found himself drawn towards the beach.

__________

Heyo, don't worry, Nico may or may not make an appearance in the next chapter ;)