Unwanted

Chapter Six

Nothing happened as I attended to drive the knife into my chest. I opened my eyes to see a sobbing Artemis and my dagger stopped by Anagenniménos. For the first time, I could see beyond his hood, see his eyes, a broken mass of swirling colors.

"I will not let you die as I have let others. Not when it is my fault." I heard him whisper, so silently that I could barely hear it.

"Wh-Why, w-what are you doing?" I stuttered. Tears pooled from my eyes.

"Come with me lieutenant Grace. M'Lady, if you'll excuse us." He said in his strange voice, looking at Artemis before taking my hand and leading me off. I could've sworn I saw Artemis  looking  jealous, but I brushed it off. It had to be my imagination. Artemis was a maiden goddess.

I was numb as he dragged me deeper into the forest, as he sat down next to me on a fallen branch. We sat in silence for a few moments before my curiosity got the better of my patience.

"Why'd you stop me?" I snapped.

"I swore to protect the Hunt." He answered in a monotone voice. I could tell that wasn't it though.

"Yeah, well, I swore to never hurt my cousin. And look where that got him!" I retorted.

"Shut up already Thalia!" He roared suddenly. "Stop blaming yourself for something that's not your fault, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!" He screamed, words choked. I could tell he was crying.

"Why do you care? How do you know it wasn't my fault?" I screamed.

He went silent and just sobbed.

"Huh?" I demanded. "Tell me! How is it not my fault?! I betrayed him!" I yelled, voice hoarse.

"Because Thals," I froze. Only Percy called me that.

"Percy?" I whispered. Anagenniménos continued to cry.

"Why don't you pull down my hood Thalia Grace? Find out for yourself!" He challenged, but it was forced. "You'd still hate me anyways. Everyone does." He whispered sadly.

I hesitantly reached forward, afraid of what I might see. Closing my eyes, I reached for the fabric of his hood and pulled down.

"Percy...." I breathed, opening my eyes. There was my cousin, sitting silently in front of me, but yet it wasn't him. My cousin didn't have shattered swirling sickly green eyes, my cousin wasn't skinnier than Nico, Percy Jackson wasn't this.

And yet he was the same, with his messy Raven black hair and handsome face. But scars littered his sunken cheeks, and dark bags, a black that would've made Hades jealous, hung heavily under his eyes.

"Percy, what happened to you?" I whispered, but I already knew the answer.

"That bi*ch happened. And don't call me Percy. It's Anagenniménos." Percy said softly, before breaking down again.

And my heart could only shatter at this broken man before me. Something I had created. Something she had created. Something we all had created.

Percy Jackson, was not Percy Jackson anymore.

He was Anagenniménos. Reborn.

:|Later that Night|:

I lay on my cot, staring up at the ceiling of my tent. I'd talked more with Percy, attempting to coax him from his shell, and tell me what had happened in The Fields of Punishment. He had refused to tell me and gone cold, before snapping that he needed to go and making me swear on the Styx not to reveal his identity.

It saddened me to think that he never would've told me if I hadn't tried to murder myself.

As much as I tried to convince him that everyone knew he was innocent, that everyone forgave him, he didn't believe me.

He himself even had begun to believe he was guilty, and it was tearing me apart. My cousin, shattered to pieces, now unwillingly taped together, was once again falling apart.

Someone knocked on my door, and I regretfully got up, glancing longingly at my cot-bed thing.

I opened my tent flap to see Artemis. "M'Lady!" I bowed, gesturing for her to come in. She seemed flustered.

"What did you and Anagenniménos discus?" She asked, her usually calm and caring tone replaced with a snappy and jealous one.

"Nothing much. He explained the situation with," I paused, and faked a few tears, because I couldn't jut break my vow and tell her, "We discussed Percy." I sniffed. Artemis visibly relaxed, the tension dropping from her shoulders.

"I see. Did he happen to reveal himself to you lieutenant Grace?" She asked.

I inwardly flinched at the use of my last name before responding. "No." I lied. Artemis' eyes narrowed.

"Thalia Grace, have you ever considered the fact that my twin brother is the God of truth and lies? I too have that power, as we share all domains except the ones we were not born with, being the Sun and Moon." She snapped. "You cannot lie to me, for I will know. So he did tell you then?" She demanded.

"Yes, I am sorry for lying to you M'Lady. He made me swear on the River Styx not tell though, so I'm afraid I cannot share his identity." I apologized and explained, bowing my head.

She grasped my chin with her thin fingers and brought me to face her. "Do not apologize for what that idiot has done. I will do what I can to get the vow undone, I wish to know the identity of the one who..." She trailed off, muttering somethings. At first I though she said 'who I love,' but then I realized it had to be my imagination.

"What was that M'Lady? I'm afraid I didn't catch the end of that sentence." I asked innocently. Did Artemis seriously like Percy?

Artemis turned beet red. "I said the one who protects us." She said quickly, but I could tell it was a lie.

"M'Lady, do you like him?" I teased. Normally, any other mortal, hunter or not, male or female, would be turned to a jackal operandi destroyed, butt being her sister, I could push things.

Lucky me, Artemis turned even redder, confirming my suspicions. "I-I have n-no...." She sighed. "Yes, fine." She admitted in defeat.

I whooped. She could fix Percy! It was a small chance, but it was the only thing I had to get my cousin back.

"AH-HA!" I screamed, pointing a finger at her. "So you do like my co- my friend the guardian!" I exclaimed.

"Yes!" Artemis snapped, redder than red. Thankfully she did not notice my small slip of the tongue.

"Good. It's about time you find love." I smirked, before editing my tent and climbing a nearby tree.

If things worked out, I would have my cousin back.

Artemis would have a lover.

And Annabi*ch would get what she deserved.

All would be right in the world.

Sort-Of.