Percy Jackson - Beyond the Gods

With that said, the goddess left the tent alongside Percy and Bianca.

The two found it strange when Artemis stopped for a second, her gaze wandering over Ikki's figure standing by the campfire near Annabeth, Grover, and Nico. She seemed somewhat lost but quickly regained her composure upon noticing the odd looks from the two.

Percy and Bianca approached the group and started chatting, facing Annabeth's incessant questions about their conversation with the goddess. Annabeth was surprised to learn that the girl had declined to join the hunt, something Grover praised as if it were divine. However, noticing the way the girl looked at Ikki, Annabeth felt she understood the reason and became a bit jealous.

Ikki remained mostly silent, though he participated occasionally, expressing pride in the girl's decision or answering Nico's questions. When Annabeth asked how the three had met, he simply replied that it was during the first mission to retrieve Zeus's lightning bolt.

Thalia soon joined the group, having overheard the conversation earlier. She became gentler around the son of Zeus, who was her younger half-brother.

Percy explained that they would have to wait for Apollo to give them a ride since the Hunters were also heading to Camp Half-Blood, much to Thalia's displeasure. Annabeth even suggested it would be easier to use Ikki's teleportation to leave first, which shocked Bianca, excited Nico, and surprised Thalia when she learned how it worked. However, her suggestion was declined.

Although Ikki could do so in the past, he was currently unable to for certain reasons and fabricated a believable excuse for his friends.

Artemis had assured them that dawn was approaching, but it felt colder, darker, and snowier than ever.

At the top of the hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely dark.

As Percy looked in that direction, he wondered if the teachers had noticed that the di Angelo siblings and Dr. Thorn were still missing. He didn't want to be around when they did. With his luck, the only name Ms. Tengiz would remember would be "Percy Jackson," and then he'd be the target of a nationwide manhunt... again.

His gaze fell silently on his best friend. He was waiting to get to camp to learn everything that had happened. Something had changed...

The Hunters dismantled their camp faster than they had set it up, showing no discomfort in the intense cold. Meanwhile, Artemis stared eastward as if waiting for something.

Bianca was sitting in a corner, talking to Nico.

Ikki stood beside Annabeth, with Percy on the opposite side. Thalia and Grover were also nearby. They were discussing the Hunters and Camp Half-Blood.

"The last time the Hunters visited camp, things didn't go well," Grover said, paling as he spoke.

"How did they appear here?" Percy was already worried about something else. "I mean, they just popped out of nowhere."

"And Bianca almost joined them..." Thalia said, annoyed. "It's all Zoë's fault. That show-off, that mean—"

"Can you blame her?" Grover sighed heavily. "Eternity with Artemis? I wouldn't have said no..."

Thalia rolled her eyes. "Satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you realize she'll never love you back?"

"But she's so... natural." Grover slumped.

"You're crazy," Thalia said, giving the satyr a strange look.

"Crazy and lunatic..." Grover said dreamily. "Yeah."

"The daughters of Aphrodite would disagree with your opinion..." Annabeth said, recalling the long-standing rivalry between the goddess of love's daughters and the Hunters.

Ikki merely smiled wryly at this, feeling that returning to Camp Half-Blood now would be problematic. His appearance had become more "mature," and fortunately, he had learned to naturally minimize his "charm." Otherwise, well... he wouldn't have time for conversation at this moment, as everyone present would become obsessed to the point of becoming "slaves" willing to do whatever he wanted—some might even go mad trying to tear his clothes off. It was better not to think too much about that.

While the group chatted, the sky finally began to lighten.

By then, the Hunters had completely packed up their camp, and Artemis had drawn closer to the group.

Seeing the brightening sky, Artemis murmured, "It's about time. He's so slo-o-ow during winter."

"Are you, uh, waiting for the sunrise?" Percy asked, hearing her murmur, somewhat lost because of it.

"For my brother, yes," Artemis replied, glancing at him before her eyes settled on Ikki, who stood with his hands in his jacket pockets, completely unbothered, as if nothing in the world affected him anymore.

Ikki noticed her gaze but completely ignored it, remaining silent.

Meanwhile, Percy looked up at the sky, not intending to be rude. He knew the legends about Apollo—or sometimes Helios—driving a great solar chariot across the sky. But he also knew the sun was actually a distant star millions of miles away. He had gotten used to some Greek myths being true, but still... he couldn't quite grasp how Apollo could drive the sun.

"It's not exactly how you think," Artemis said, as if reading his mind.

"Oh, right." Percy began to relax, saying, "So it's not like he's going to show up pulling a—"

There was a sudden explosion of light on the horizon. A burst of heat.

"Don't look," Artemis warned all the demigods and her younger Hunters. "Not until he parks."

Ikki ignored her warning and looked directly at the solar chariot before him. He could feel the light and heat intensify until the snow melted around everyone, but it didn't bother him. His focus remained on what he was seeing...

It was his car. Well, the car he wanted, anyway. A red Maserati Spyder convertible. It was so impressive it gleamed. Then he realized it was gleaming because the metal was hot. The snow had melted around the Maserati in a perfect circle, explaining why it was now resting on green grass.

Then, suddenly, the light ceased. Everyone turned their gaze toward the sun god's chariot, each reacting differently.

The driver stepped out, smiling. He looked about seventeen or eighteen, tall, with a smile too bright and playful, shining blond hair, and sun-kissed skin. He wore jeans, travel shoes, and a sleeveless shirt.

"Wow," Thalia murmured, looking at the sun god. "Apollo is hot." Comparing him to her younger brother, though, she realized he wasn't as striking as she initially thought. That arrogant brother of hers was even more handsome.

Percy, not understanding her compliment, said, "He's the sun god..."

"That's not what she meant," Annabeth said with a sigh. She found Apollo attractive but nothing compared to the one in her heart. She silently glanced at Ikki beside her.

"Sis!" Apollo called out. If his teeth were any whiter, he could have blinded everyone present without the solar car. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was worried!"

Artemis sighed and said, "I'm fine, Apollo. And I'm not your little sister."

"Hey, I was born first."

"We're twins! How many millennia will we have to argue about this—"

"So, what's up?" He interrupted, looking at the rest of the group. "You've got the girls with you, I see. Need some archery tips?"

Artemis gritted her teeth and said tightly, "I need a favor. I've got a hunt to go on, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood."

"Sure, sis!" Then he spread his arms in a grand gesture. "I feel a haiku coming on."

All the Hunters groaned.

Apparently, they were familiar with Apollo.

He cleared his throat and dramatically raised a hand.

"Green grass breaks through snow.

Artemis asks for my help.

I am cool."

He smiled broadly, waiting for applause.

"That last line only had four syllables," Artemis said wearily.

Apollo frowned.

"Did it?"

"Yes. How about 'I am thick-headed?'" Artemis suggested.

"No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm." Apollo shook his head, looking serious. He began muttering to himself.

Zoë glanced at the demigods and briefly explained, "Lord Apollo has been in a haiku phase since visiting Japan. It's not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I have to hear one more poem starting with 'There once was a goddess from Sparta—'"

"I've got it!" Apollo announced. "I am terrible. Five syllables!" He leaned forward, looking very pleased with himself.

He then looked at Artemis and spoke.

"And now, sis. Transport for the Hunters, you say? Good timing. I was ready to roll."

"These demigods will also need a ride," Artemis said, pointing to the group. "Some of Chiron's campers."

"No problem!" Apollo glanced at them, briefly stopping at the boy who stood out the most.

"Well, if it isn't Dad's favorite son. Ikki, right? It's the second time we've met. You're practically a legend to all of us." He looked slightly embarrassed, his glow dimming briefly. "That meeting was scary, man. I thought you were going to attack Dad's wife at any moment..."

His words intrigued many who hadn't been present at that meeting.

Ikki raised an eyebrow, wondering how the sun god had perceived him from a while ago, having noticed his peripheral glances earlier. He replied simply, "Apollo. A pleasure to see you again, I suppose."

"Hmm..." Apollo looked at the boy, noting his mechanical disinterest in his words. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "You... you seem more like our uncle than Dad. You've grown a bit darker since we last met..."

"Life's like that..." Ikki shrugged, responding indifferently.

The sun god cast a deeper look in the son of Zeus's direction before his gaze fell on the boy's counterpart. "Let's see… Thalia, right? I've heard all about you."

Thalia blushed and said awkwardly, "Hi, Lord Apollo."

"Zeus's girl, huh? Makes you my half-sister. Used to be a tree, didn't you? Glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember once—"

"Brother..." Artemis said without taking her eyes off the object of her affection, who didn't spare her a glance, causing pain in her chest. "You should go."

"Oh, right." Then he looked at Percy, narrowing his eyes. "Percy Jackson?"

"Uh, yeah. I mean... yes, sir." Percy found it odd to call a teenager "sir," but he had learned to tread carefully with immortals. They tended to get offended easily. And then they blew things up.

Apollo studied him but said nothing, which Percy found a bit unsettling.

"Well!" He said at last, "We'd better load up, huh? The ride only goes one way—west. And if you miss it, you miss it."

Percy looked at the Maserati, which could seat at most two people. There were about twenty of them.

"Nice car," Nico said, looking at the car with bright eyes.

"Nico..." Bianca was somewhat fearful of her brother being so casual with a divine being, afraid he might be punished.

But contrary to what she imagined, Apollo smiled and said, "Thanks, kid."

"But how are we all going to fit?" Annabeth asked, looking at the sun god and then at his solar chariot.

"Ah." Apollo seemed to notice the problem for the first time. "Well, yeah. I hate switching out of sports car mode, but I suppose..." He took the keys from the car and beeped the security alarm button.

Chirp, chirp.

For a moment, the car gleamed brightly again. When the glow subsided, the Maserati had been replaced by a Turtle Top van like the ones used for school basketball games.

"All right," he said, glancing at everyone. "All aboard."

Zoë ordered the Hunters to start loading. She grabbed her camping pack, and Apollo said, "Here, dear. Let me get that."

Zoë recoiled. Her eyes flashed dangerously.

"Brother..." Artemis chastised, resigned. "You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you do not call them dear."

Apollo raised his hands.

"Sorry. Forgot. Hey, sis, anyway, where are you going?"

"Hunting," Artemis said curtly. "None of your business."

"I'll figure it out. I see everything. I know everything."

Artemis snorted. "Just take them, Apollo. And no detours!"

"No, no! I never detour."

Artemis rolled her eyes and then looked at everyone. "I'll see you at the Winter Solstice. Zoë, you're in charge of the Hunters. Do well. Do as I would."

Zoë straightened.

"Yes, my lady."

Artemis knelt and touched the ground as if searching for tracks. When she stood, she looked worried, giving one last glance at Ikki before darting into the forest, blending into the snow and shadows.