Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

REYNA’S POV

Reyna’s heart pounded through her rib cage. She ran softly against the forest floor, eyes darting for a hiding space. She was running out of time, she was being hunted. There was a narrow gap between two massive pieces of sandstone rock. That will work, Reyna thought. She crept through the gap, thanking Artemis that the silver parker was silent, not like other parkas with the noisy rustling plastic fabric.

Now, Reyna could hear footsteps nearby. Light footfall but someone who hadn’t quite mastered the art. The footsteps were coming closer, they were going to catch her! Reyna's heart beat faster, This was a stupid idea, I have nowhere to go. The other side of the rocks were touching so you could not exit but the opening she entered was suddenly feeling extremely revealing. Up. Reyna's slim hands fit into the tiny erosion pathways, as she pulled herself up,. Reyna resisted the urge to grab the dead branch which would give her position away from the noisy leaves crashing together, and continued the strenuous climb.

Almost there! Reyna hauled herself onto the mossy rocks and ready to leap across the boulders, and make her escape, but there was a figure standing in her way. Cacas

‘You're good!’ the person said. ‘I found everyone else ages ago. How did you do it?’ They offered a hand chipped with black nail polish. Reyna took the hand and they hauled her up.

Reyna looked at the dark blue eyes that were looking up at her. ‘I have had practice. You were a good seeker. How did you get up here so fast? You were on the other side of the cave.’

‘That…’ Thalia smirks, ‘That is a secret I won’t tell you!’

Reyna playfully punched Thalia’s shoulder and Thalia paled as she looked down, regaining her balance. Heights. Thalia’s afraid heights. Reyna silently reprimanded herself while grabbing Thalia’s hand and jumping, doing so pulling the lieutenant of Artemis, down to the ground. Thalia smiled weakly at her and for some reason that genuine smile you rarely saw on the daughter of Zeus made Reyna happy.

‘Where are the others?’

‘I found them ages ago and Daisy was complaining about food or needing something and a group of annoying boys that were catcalling this random girl as she walked past the ten-pin-bowling, along those lines 45 minutes ago.’ Thalia shrugged nonchalantly.

‘Do we go back to camp now, I mean there won’t be any point you going because we all know, you’d make the boys look good with the amount of misses you make.’

Thalia raised her eyebrows, ‘Is that a challenge?’

Reyna chuckles, ‘You wish diosa!’

The girls started walking towards the direction of camp.

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‘Lieutenant?’ Reyna looked up at Thalia with a straight face but the mock was clear in her tone.

‘Yes?’

‘Do you know what we are doing here? Camp has been set up here for no apparent reason for the last week.’

‘I don’t know.’ Thalia shrugged, ‘Lady Artemis said she'd like to stay in this area for a while. She didn’t share the information so I did not press, she’s a goddess and knows things we don’t.’

‘If you have to choose, though, where would you go next?’

‘Dunno. Probably New York or something like that… I haven’t seen Annie and Perce for a while. I mean with them, you don’t know what is happening! For all I know is that they have kids or angered another god...’

‘I find that highly unlikely.’ Reyna chuckled, ‘Don’t you think we would have heard about two extremely powerful demigods having kids? Though, I do know that Annabeth wanted to finish high school and college and find a firm job before kids.’

‘Well, we all know that I’d be the koumbaros if it was a girl!’

‘True… actually, maybe you have competition with Piper.’

‘Doubt it. I’ve given a few good shots at Perce while in practice combat. They know the extent of my power.’ Thalia whistled and her wolf burst out of the trees, ‘Good girl, Zoë!’
Zoë was a copper with an ombre into dark brown, with little plaits that Piper had done while the Hunters had been at Camp Jupiter, and silver bands holding them together. Thalia had placed a similar version of her circlet on the wolf's head that instead of the simple band with a triangular diamond on the forehead had little stars engraved on it along the sides.

Thalia bent down and scratched Zoë, ‘Good girl Zoë!’ Thalia’s wolf hadn’t been with her when Thalia found her, Reyna gasped as the pieces clicked into place. Reyna crept up behind Thalia who was still scratching Zoë. Silently as she could manage, Reyna knew though Thalia could sense her movement and was just faking her ignorance. When Reyna was in reach of Thalia she unsheathed her sword and pointed it at Thalia’s head, just below her neck.

‘I don’t want to stroke your abnormally large ego, but you are going to be the best hunter of Artemis.’

Thalia chuckled, ‘Thanks.’

‘Unless I have something to say about it.’ Reyna smirked.

Reyna swung her sword towards Thalia’s neck but Thalia dodged with a look of glee. Thalia stepped forwards with an arrow knocked it was positioned to get at Reyna’s throat. But instead of the arrow flying, Thalia ran into the thicket away from the mini clearing they had been standing in.

Reyna sheathed her sword and leaned forward listening to the forest, waiting for an indication of Thalia’s whereabouts. An arrow struck the tree beside her, a note pinned to it.

‘Race ya.’ Reyna read under her breath.

Thalia had the headstart and her footsteps crunched on dry undergrowth. Reyna chased after the daughter of Zeus. Reyna was on Thalia’s tail in no time, but then Thalia skidded to hold. Reyna stopped beside Thalia, going still. The pair of girls was standing just in front of a tent, facing the campfire.

Before them stood a 12 year old girl with auburn hair, braided down her back with silver ribbon woven into it. Artemis was stroking a wolf beside her, which Reyna had learnt was something she did when she was angry or frustrated, to calm her down. She was talking angrily to the woman standing beside her.

The woman had smooth and pale skin. Her hair was black, like Thalia’s, it was out and just below her shoulder blades. Every feature of her though changed, never staying the same. At first they were electric blue, then they changed into a softer sky blue, sea green and resumed changing colours, but the first few seemed to be the most common. The woman was simply gorgeous.

‘Venus.’ Reyna sighed.

‘Aphrodite.’ Thalia gasped.

Chapter Text

THALIA'S POV

‘Venus.’ Reyna sighed.

‘Aphrodite,’ Thalia gasped.

‘Girls, hello!’ The goddess of beauty smiled smugly.

Artemis looked at the demigods, ‘Aphrodite, can I please get you to leave?’

Thalia stared at the person beside Artemis who was looking familiar. Thalia had to take a second look at the woman beside Artemis. She had long dark hair with small braids in her hair let loose hanging to the Aphrodite’s shoulder blades, similar to the traditional hairstyle of the Roman goddess of war.

Adorning her figure was a skirt that reached her ankles that was dark blue, almost black, with silvers swirling along it making patterns that constantly kept changing. Her top was limited with a strapless crop top that was the same blue as her skirt. She had a white parka on.

‘You like my parka?’ the goddess of beauty caught Thalia’s gaze, ‘That seems to be the trend at the moment.’ She waved her hand around, gesturing to the one Reyna was wearing. Artemis and then Thalia. ‘Piper, my daughter, also seemed to take a liking to this clothing item. You know Piper, right?’

Aphrodite’s eyes met Thalia’s blue ones. The goddesses eyes were ever changing but the colours weren’t all natural, neon pink to a dark brown and then to a glowing yellow. Her skin tones also changed but always had an olive tone proceeding to change gradually to a tan.

‘Aphrodite… PLEASE leave.’ Artemis was getting annoyed, ‘You have no authority to organise a quest among my hunters.’

Thalia felt Reyna tense beside her at the mention of a quest.

The two goddesses had a staring competition, but it was also clear that they were having a telepathic conversation.

Thalia shifted from foot to foot, feeling awkward. If it had just been Artemis, the daughter of Zeus would have already wandered off. Except Thalia was in Aphrodite’s presence and probably wouldn’t be acceptable if she just walked off.

Reyna knuckles brushed against the black-haired girl’s, Thalia felt reassured. On the low chance that Artemis would agree to whatever Aphrodite’s idea was, if either of them were chosen for a quest they would definitely choose each other for their trio.

Artemis sighed heavily, ‘Thalia, Reyna you may leave… We have some things to discuss.’

Thalia and Reyna turned around, milliseconds apart. The two girls walked back into the forest in which they had been chasing each other.

It’s probably best if we don’t stick around while they ‘chat’ Thalia though.

The daughters of Zeus and Bellona walked in silence, before either daring to speak, sharing their thoughts of a possible quest.

Thalia and Reyna reached the other side of the forest into the suburban area. Then they looked at each other and started laughing.
Reyna’s laugh was low and throaty, a genuine belly laugh. Thalia expected that she got it from the pirates and the time they spent travelling.

Nothing around them was remotely funny but after being tense and silent for so long, which was definitely unlike Thalia. Reyna, on the other hand, could go for almost two days without speaking, which Thalia had learned when Reyna had joined the hunt. Though it was revealed that she had somehow inhaled helium and made her voice go all squeaky. No one had figured out while the effects lasted so long.

The two laughed on the edge of the forest until we were both out of breath and our sides hurt. Thalia couldn’t remember the last time she laughed so hard.

‘So… what do you want to do?’ Reyna gasped breathlessly.

Thalia thought hard. ‘I’d say go beat up some jerks but we’ll get into trouble.’

Reyna smiled, ‘Only if you get caught!’

Thalia looked at the smiling roman demigod, hardly believing the cheeky side of Reyna which she just revealed.

‘I think the screams will get us caught.’ Thalia sighs, overreacting to her disappointment. ‘Maybe we could… go to laser tag?’

Reyna looks over to the sign revealing that there was a laser tag at the end of the street.

‘Sure. I don’t see why not.’

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After paying and waiting in a long line, they finally got into the room, both on the same team. There had been a birthday party there, so all the kids at the party had been split into two teams and already had the max amount on each team. That meant that Thalia and Reyna were by themselves.

The staff there had asked if the two girls wanted to go on a later session but Thalia and Reyna both felt like a challenge.

Walking into the dimly lit room with brightly coloured lights. The various levels in which would hide the participants, Thalia only felt as if this was an easy version of capture the flag which she played at Camp Half- Blood.

After causally shooting down multiple people and cornering the other team like deer in headlights the game was over. Reyna and Thalia both had come first out of the three teams and within that they had tied. Exactly 272 kills each, setting a new record for the Laser Tag arena.

“Good game.’ Thalia shook hands with everyone from the birthday party. Reyna was also doing the same but was held when awkwardly standing while a group of boys harmlessly flirted, complimenting her skills.

A small part of Thalia was annoyed at the boys. Though Reyna did look especially good looking with stray strands of hair plastered against her face from the sweat and her long hair plaited down her back. She had ditched a silver parker revealing a purple athletic singlet, the shirt as a reminder of her time at Camp Jupiter. Her slim legs were covered by the cameo patterned jeans, but instead of the army greens and browns, the shapes were greys and whites like the moon.

The Roman demigod looked over towards Thalia and beckoned for her to walk over.

‘Thalia is my partner’ Reyna introduced the boys to Thalia, ‘Thalia, played with me in the game of laser tag. She’s my equal when it comes to… athletics.’

Thalia couldn’t help but notice that one of the boy’s faces fell when Reyna said partner.

‘Sup?’ Thalia casually lent against the wall behind her.

‘Hi?’ The boys replied.

‘Hey, Reyna… don’t we need to go?’ Thalia asked the girl beside her.

Technically, the Hunters of Artemis were being summoned and they did need to go but it was also getting Reyna out of the awkward conversation.

Reyna nodded seeing the wolf walking in. ‘Yeah.’ She nods towards the boys and walks towards the entrance.

‘Much appreciated, lieutenant.’ Reyna whispers.

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They follow the wolf through the forest again towards the camp.

Thalia could feel the dread seeping into her; this would determine whether or not there would be a quest. If there was the daughter of Zeus of was certain that as the second in command of the Hunters of Artemis she would be a participant of the quest.

The last quest assigned by a god other than Artemis, had only ended with half dead and everyone else about to go to war against Luke.

Thalia wasn’t ready as she saw Artemis with a grim face, standing outside of her tent.

Chapter Text

REYNA’S POV

Artemis was pacing with a grim face. After years of reading people, Reyna could tell that beneath the goddess’s concern there was a silent apology in her dark eyes.

The Roman demigod admired the shape of the pupil which was in a crescent shape. Artemis’s eyes changed with the moon cycle. It also caused a change in mood when there was a full moon because she had a full view of her twin. The most obvious change was on solar eclipses, no matter how big it was.

‘So?’ Thalia prompted Artemis.

Artemis hesitated and then looked around. ‘Can you come into my tent?’

It was posed as a question but it was more a demand. Reyna was hit with the feeling of queasiness. The daughter of Bellona had been in many quests, some had been official. The last quest was the one as part of the Prophecy of the Seven.

Reyna internally shuddered at the near death that she, Nico and Coach Hedge had escaped. The Roman had nightmares from when Nico faded.

Artemis settled into the armchair she had in her tent. ‘Girls, I understand you both have been a part of many dangerous quests but…’

Reyna knew that she was hesitating, not that she was lost for words.

‘I would like it if you went on another quest.’ The moon goddess continued.

Thalia stiffened beside her. The daughter of Zeus had told Reyna about her two quests before she joined the hunt.

The first had been with Annabeth, Luke and Grover and she died then. Then the second one had been to rescue Annabeth and she watched two Hunters of Artemis die then, Bianca and Zoë. Overall, Thalia had not had a great experience with quests.

While Reyna had been on more quests, and none of them so destructive, the quests were still scary. A place where all three could die and no one would ever find the bodies.

‘Thalia… Reyna…’ Artemis was now lost for words, almost as if she had heard every thought running through the daughter of Bellona.

Thalia jerked her chin up and down in a nod. Reyna broke the awkward silence. ‘I will go on the quest.’

Artemis looked relieved. ‘So your quest. Would you like me to explain what it is about?’

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The quest seemed to be easy. Hunt down a man from the past who had so far escaped the wrath of Thanatos after the Doors of Death had been opened. He was one of the sons which Apollo had killed as Artemis had killed the daughters in revenge against the mother who had bragged that she was better than Leto.

The twist was that neither Artemis or Aphrodite had been able to find the location of the base because of it being shrouded in some Anti-God protection. The leader of the Hunt had made sure that that was the reason they were sending demi-gods.

Capaneus, the son, was also luring in people of the female gender into his base. No one knew what for, and no one had come out alive yet.

‘Can I come in?’

Reyna looked up to see Thalia leaning against the door frame. Her signature smug gone, replaced by a concern in her eyes.

‘Sure.’ Reyna replied, folding up jeans and putting them into a travel bag.

‘You ok?’ The dark eyed girl questioned Reyna.

‘Yeah…’ Reyna trailed off knowing that Thalia saw every emotion Reyna displayed.

Reyna lifted her eyes up to Thalia stare.
‘I don’t think you're ok.’ The girl beside her said.

The two girls had a staring competition both not blinking and gaze not wavering. Reyna was determined to win.

Except she got distracted looking into the sparkling blue eyes. Unlike Jason’s which were an electric blue but a softer one more like the sky on a cloudless day.

They were still startling against her pale complexion and dark hair which was falling just above her eyebrows now.

Absent-mindedly, Reyna flicked her braid over her shoulder, because of a slight wind that was coming from the door which Thalia had left open. She blinked because of this wind.

‘Pluto’s Pilum.’ Reyna cursed under her breath. Then look up again to see Thalia smirking.

‘You cheat!’ Reyna yelled playfully. ‘You made the wind so I would blink.’

‘Maybe…’ Thalia grinned.

‘You little Graeca!’ Reyna pounced onto Thalia, tackling her onto the bed.

Thalia proceeded to roll out from under her arm and pinned both of Reyna’s arms against her head.

Reyna's heart thumped louder and louder. Her stomach filled up with butterflies. Thalia lifted her head down. Reyna could feel her breath against her cheek.

Thalia’s breath smelled like rain. The scent of humidity after it had poured rain.

‘Maybe I did cheat.’ Thalua whispered before leaping up and running towards the door.

Reyna's heart was still thrumming hard against her ribcage.

‘¡Eres un tramposo!’ Reyna cursed again in Spanish.

‘Sorry Miss I-Know-Three-Maybe-Four-Languages, I don’t speak Spanish so you are going to have to repeat that again in English.’ Thalia grinned, walking closer again.

‘Τέσσερις γλώσσες και εύχεσαι!’ The Roman demigod spoke to Thalia in Greek.

‘Show off.’ Thalia muttered. ‘I can hardly speak two!’

‘Have you packed yet?’ Reyna asked the daughter of Zeus.

‘Yep. The usual, you know… I have the kitchen sink, the Lyre Apollo gifted to me, and the hairbrush that I use every day.’ Thalia jokes.

The fact that Thalia brushed her hair every day was a joke in itself. Her hair was normally knotted up in its short spiky locks. Thalia had tried undercut but then found it frustrating because it was one of those looks where the long hair had to be maintained.

‘Well I haven’t and I need to finish. So… unless you want to go away? You have to help.’

Despite still carrying around a tent everywhere, that could compact every item down into a pocket size bag. The three girls going on the quest still had to pack as little as possible to fit into one of the smaller tents.
Reyna was used to living on very little stuff because of the years she spent on the ship with the pirates. Though she didn’t have much of a choice when it came to belongings, not like you do when you are kidnapped.

‘What do you need to pack?’ Thalia asked, walking over to her wardrobe.

‘I really just need to pack toiletries and I was going to do that after I braided my hair.’ Reyna replied.

‘Cool. Do you need any help with your hair?’

Reyna arched an eyebrow at the other girl, knowing that her skills with hairdressing were limited.

‘Oh, ok! I was just asking.’ Thalia put her hands up in surrender, ‘Well, you're probably right it would be worse than a child cutting hair with paper scissors.’
After packing up the toiletries and re-braiding her hair, Reyna was ready to go. She met up with Thalia who also had a bag slung over her shoulder and had changed out of the silver parker and was now in green cargo pants with a camo pattern and her ‘Death to Barbie’ shirt.

‘You ready?’ Reyna asked.

‘Dunno. I guess I'm as ready as I can ever be.’

The pair met with Artemis and Nikita, the final person in their trio.

‘Girls, Thank you. I hope the Fates are in your favour.’ Artemis nods at them.

Reyna was filled with adrenaline as they walked out of the forest and into the world of monsters.

Chapter Text

THALIA’S POV

The sky was on fire. Colours of reds, yellows and oranges spread across the horizon. Clouds tinted pink like cotton candy leaving faint black lines of shadow behind them. The view was gorgeous. A painter couldn’t have captured the scene like it was, despite the streaks being like the stroke of a paint brush. On the horizon little figures dotted the perfect colours, silhouettes of trees and hills and further down houses.

Thalia watched the sky. Beside the daughter of Zeus, Reyna was standing, also admiring the sky. Reyna, like always, had her long hair plaited down. Stray strands danced upon her head and a few tucked behind ears. The bits behind the daughter of Bellona’s ear’s had been constantly tucked back, after falling into her face.

The trio was exhausted, after a day of non-stop travel. Tomorrow was going to be more relaxed as they caught a train to the destination. Once on the train, Thalia was going to face her fear of heights as they marched up to Mount Katahdin. It was one of the clues that Artemis had been able to give away.

‘Why are we heading to mount catch-da-din… the thingy-majicit.’ Thalia asked Reyna.

The Roman demi-god sighed, already having to explain to Thalia. ‘Mount Katahdin. And because, in the stories after Artemis and Apollo slaughtered Niobe’s children she returned to her homeland, on top a mountain and turned to stone and because of Olympus moving to America, apparently this is the place. One of the cities around there is called Niobe so…’

Thalia nodded her head, half paying attention because she had caught sight of Reyna against the sky. Reyna’s black hair was braided, but it sat on her shoulder. Her dark skin and eyes looked perfect in the right balance of contrast and blending.

The daughter of Bellona had removed her silver parker, showing off the toned arms from years of being a demigod, small scars marking the hardships. While Thalia had noticed before, it was more obvious now. In the daughter of Zeus’s opinion, the girl beside her was an absolute masterpiece, even more perfect then art. Thalia dared to think that Reyna looked better than Aphrodite.

Thalia blinked her eyes and shook the thoughts out of her head. Instead she looked at Nikita who had been in charge of the night's cooking. ‘Do we have any food?’

‘Yes.’ Nikita replied simply, looking up from the book she had been reading.

‘Thanks for that.’ Thalia sighed, ‘What did you cook?’

‘Burgers.’

‘Ok… Can I have some?’

Nikita exhaled deeply and put the book mark of her book in. ‘Yes. I walked in and said that I had made food and that it was the table for it all to be put together to your liking and you nodded.’

The Greek demi-god furrowed her eyebrows, not recalling the event.

Reyna walked out of the tent with a burger in her hands, ‘Nikita most definitely did so.’

Thalia scoffed at the two who had ganged up against her. The daughter of Zeus put her hands up in surrender. ‘Fine. I’ll go get my food.’

Reyna and Nikita met each other's eyes, both with matching expressions of amusement.

‘What!’ Thalia knew it sounded like a petulant two year old but she was getting annoyed.

Reyna swiftly places a plate into the annoyed girl’s lap. ‘Burger.’

Thalia laid back exasperated. ‘You two are so annoying. Just like Percy.’

Reyna replied simply, ‘You're as oblivious as Percy.’

Thalia’s mouth was open in agape. ‘ Really? You are as frustrating as Annabeth.’

Reyna turned back, ‘Thanks for the compliment.’

‘You are a pain in the podex.’

Reyna was ready to respond, but Thalia smiled smugly daring Reyna to.

‘The two of you are as obnoxiously cute as Annabeth and Percy.’ Nikita jumped in.

Thalia felt a blush creeping around her ears. ‘What…?’

Nikita smirked and picked up her book, and walked into the tent again. ‘Sure.’

Reyna was completely emotionless as she looked behind Thalia.

Thalia stood up putting the burger on a small set-up table and reached for her bracelet expecting a monster. She turned around and found a bull.

The bull was almost half the size of Thalia with a dark coat of fur and long curved horns that in the light looked like gold. It looked angry.

Thalia summoned her bow and started shooting as she ran around it into the tree line behind it. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Reyna summon Aurum and Argentum.

Thalia quickly nocked arrows after arrow and shot at the bull. The arrows did not seem to cause any sort of pain towards the bull.

Reyna’s dogs were circling the bulls hooves, leaping around, not getting stepped on. The bull was getting frustrated. Thalia circled around the bull next to Reyna.

‘So what is it?’ She whispered.

‘Not sure.’ Reyna replied, ‘The only monster which was related to a bull was the Minotaur. Which this is not.’

‘Ok. That helps. How do we kill it?’

Reyna frowned, before she could reply the bull came charging towards them causing them to leap apart.

Thalia was ready to summon lightning, but wasn’t sure how it was going to help.

Nikita walked out of the tent, content and had a bar of chocolate in her hand. The hunter looked up to see the bull and immediately took action, whipping out her bow and sending ropes attached to arrows flying.

Thalia was still not sure what to do, she looked around for Reyna but she couldn’t see her and her dogs had disappeared. The daughter of Zeus’s heart started speeding up, What if Reyna was injured? What if she was stomped on by the bull? What if…? Thalia reprimanded herself, Reyna was a capable person who had years of experience.

Nikita ran over to her. ‘Do you know what it is?’

Thalia shook her head, ‘Nope and so far any of arrows have made any wounds, only angrier.’

Thalia knew that Nikita was a calculative person who did not have any sort of powers apart from the ones that Artemis had bestowed upon her. Nikita was a normal mortal who had the sight from South Africa who had immigrated to America not long after she was born.

Nikita pulled her braids into a pony-tail, making the dark red tips become more bold. ‘Well, something has to kill it and we have to start somewhere.’

Thalia nodded and reached for her bracelet turning into her shield Aegis with the face of Medusa on it.

Thalia ran forwards and rammed the shield into the bull’s side while Nikita sent arrows flying beneath the bull’s belly trying to trip it over. The bull proved to have an extremely good balance so the two girls switched tactics.

Thalia played a game of tag with the bull, making the bull angry so it would chase after her. She tried leading the bull into trees, it worked once and then learnt its lesson.

Nikita tried stabbing it with arrows by hand, while the girl was strong. The force did cause any sort of damage towards the bull, just like it didn’t when the arrows were shot.

Thalia was getting annoyed by now, most monsters she could stab and they would disintegrate but this one was not. Sweat was dripping down the daughter of Zeus’s cheeks and blood pumping through her arms and legs. The demigod was still worried about Reyna, she still had not shown up and Thalia was more and more convinced that her companion was trapped.

Then, as if Reyna had heard Thalia’s thoughts, the daughter of Bellona came charging through the trees with a bundle of rope in her hands.

Her long braid trailing behind her as she leaped up into the air. Watching the girl fly made her realise how dark it was, moving from the sunset to now past the dusk and twilight.

Reyna was on top of the bull, holding onto the horns and looping the rope around the thick neck. The bull was bucking and trying to send Reyna off its back.

Thalia was amazed. Watching the movements of Reyna, while not professional but skilled. Her braid was bouncing up and down with the jerk of her head, and her dark eyebrows were furrowed together in determination and concentration. Each movement was pushing against the force that the bull was emitting and her muscles were pushing against her dark skin, shining with sweat. Reyna’s parka was gone and it was only her tank top.

The rope was tightening and Reyna flipped over the top of the bull’s head, pulling out a blade and slitting the bull's throat. Reyna let out a guttural sound as she jammed her blade further in making sure it was dead.

Reyna pulled out the blade, her hand covered in red blood, and threw her head back in an attempt to push the hair out of her face.

‘Wow.’ Thalia whispered to herself.

Reyna walked around the slowly disintegrating bull. Nikita ran up to her with a towel and some ambrosia.

Thalia walked up to the daughter of Bellona. ‘Pretty impressive, hunter. You might even kick me out of my spot as lieutenant.’

Reyna smiled weakly, ‘Maybe.’

‘How’d you even do that?’

‘Years wrangling rogue animals like pegasus and horses.’ Reyna replied.

Thalia nodded. ‘Do you know what it is?’

‘I am pretty sure it is a Cretan Bull, well in my quick search through the book of monsters in the tent told me that.’ Reyna wiped her hands with the clothes and opened the baggie with ambrosia.

Nikita walked up to the pair, ‘Nice job Reyna.’

‘Thanks.’ Reyna said, ‘I’m tired. I am going to shower and go to bed, if that’s all good with you guys?’

‘All good, go ahead’ Nikita said.

‘Sleep well, you’ve earned it.’ Thalia replied, congratulating her friend again.

Reyna hesitated looking like she wanted to say something, but then decided the better of it and walked back towards the tent.

Nikita elbowed Thalia in the side and with a smile walked in the same direction as Reyna.

‘What?’ Thalia asked.’

‘Nothing.’ Nikita chuckled and pulled her out of its ponytail. ‘Sleep well.’

The girl disappeared into the tent.

Thalia looked up at the sky, admiring the twinkling stars and the crescent of the moon. She inhaled deeply enjoying the crisp night air letting the wind brush past her sweaty skin and walked into the tent.

Chapter Text

Thalia had had a restless night sleep.

‘Yay.’ Thalia said to herself. The sun had only just risen except the three Hunters of Artemis were already up determined to get to the train station that was going to take them to Maine. There was going to be a stop at Chicago and the trip was going to take just over 24 hours.

Thalia was not extremely excited about the early start, Artemis normally took into consideration those who were not morning people so unless necessary would let everyone sleep in. The Goddess of the Moon was definitely a night person so there were many parties late at night. The Moon also gave the girls all more power then normal as it being their leader's domain in the sky, but the downside to that was Artemis became a bit crabby during midday when Apollo was at his brightest and everywhere.

Reyna snapped her fingers in front of Thalia’s face, waking her up again.

‘Stop being mean. I am sorry not everyone can survive on four hours of sleep constantly, and I have not had any time to wake up.’

Reyna had been up at four in the morning getting ready for a morning run then returned at the half hour for breakfast and woke up Thalia. Nikita had also been awake but did not leave the tent, staying inside reading and eating breakfast. The daughter of Zeus was already aware of the sleeping patterns of her friend and they had never bothered her, though they were the topic of many friendly fights.

‘You have had fifteen minutes and would have had more if you woke up when I woke you up.’ Reyna remarked, ‘Also, I am not being mean, I am trying to be helpful because it would not do you any good if you fell asleep.’

Thalia rolled her eyes, too tired to respond in a snarky manner that she normally used when around Reyna.

Nikita looked at the two girls, ‘Calm down. We are not too far away from the station and then you can all rest or wake up or whatever. Just be quiet because we are already a bit behind on time and if we have to get questioned by the police why three sixteen year old girls are up at this time carrying stuff like we are running away.’

‘But we aren’t sixteen.’ Thalia said.

Nikita raised her eyebrows in annoyance. ‘Yeah, I know that because I am almost one hundred years old but I don’t look it, do I? It’s not like we can say that and then proceed to explain the fact that we are a part of a group of never ageing girls who run around with a Greek goddess, and right now we are on a quest to fight a monster. Can we?’

‘Yeah, I guess not.’ Thalia mumbled.

‘You are so stupid sometimes.’ Reyna chuckled.

Nikita sighed in exasperation and turned away walking forward.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

They had reached the station, bought tickets and all that leaving five minutes on the train before the necessary time. The train would not leave for another half an hour, as much as that displeased Thalia.

Nikita had already sat down in her chair and started reading her book. All her braids had been pulled in a braid but a few loose ones had fallen out framing her face and the girl had started tugging on them, as she read.

Reyna had disappeared off to the bathroom and was now returning with a plate of food in hand.
‘Is that food for me?’ Thalia asked, hopefully.

‘Some of it, but only the bits I don’t like.’ Reyna replied, cheekily.

Thalia sighed grumpily, sinking into her chair but then as Reyna sat down, sat up right and scooped all the food into her lap.

Reyna did not say anything but flipped Thalia’s chair forward so the bottom part of the seat was leaning upright on an angle and the food slid off her lap and onto the plate which Reyna held.

Thalia smiled, ‘Just share with me please!’

Reyna picked up a grape and was going to eat but then said, ‘You could have just asked. That was a bit dramatic.’

‘You are such a meanie.’ Thalia whined, ‘I did ask and you said no.’

‘I did not say no, I said and this is a direct quote ‘Just the bits I do not like.’

‘Yeah but there is not a single food or dish that you do not like.’

‘That, that is not true.’ Reyna said pointing a bamboo fork at Thalia, ‘Have you ever tried whipped cream? That is foul food.’

‘You do not like whipped cream? Not even when it comes from the spray bottle and you make it look like ice cream from an ice cream van?’

‘Ice cream van? What are those things that are driven by clowns?’

‘No. Who told you that? The ice cream vans were great places. When I was with Luke and Annabeth and we had found a bit of money on the ground, Luke would buy me and Annabeth a ice cream. We would only have it sometimes but it was always heaven. I mean compared to stale bread and canned food it was heaven. I can never eat whole grain bread again after I threw up after eating a mouldy piece. I mean those were the times.’ Thalia had lounged back in her chair, eating a handful of crackers.

Thalia was fully aware of the fact that she had winced after saying the name of her deceased friend. She knew that Reyna had picked up on the way her eyebrows had slightly furrowed after she did so. The daughter of Zeus was not sure how much Reyna knew of her story, but had decided that Reyna already knew about Luke as he was a major part of the Battle of Manhattan. Reyna was likely to already know about Thalia’s past as a part of becoming good friends with Annabeth.

‘I get that. I can’t eat fish without it being a reminder of being on board with those pirates. The days of dregs and fighting for my life.’ Reyna sighed, thinking back on her childhood. ‘I mean those were the days, right. Fighting for your life, fighting demons and fighting for others.’

Thalia felt alright with joking after all, Reyna was also being sarcastic. ‘Don’t forget the running for your life. The sleepless nights as your stupid brain would bring up the traumatic experiences which tore away your child innocence.’

Reyna laughed. ‘Yes, I won’t forget that.’

Thalia took note of the laughter of the girl opposite her. Reyna rarely laughed around the hunters and was more serious and closed off like she was as Praetor. Her laugh was almost raspy and wheezy, like a drunkard. It was almost similar to when Reyna was extremely annoyed at something and let out a long line of curses, that have a mediaeval feel but were too fast to distinguish the actual words. The curses would most definitely have caused her to get her mouth washed out if she was born a few decades earlier.

‘I some air. Do you want to come with me?’ Reyna stood shaking off the crumbs on her lap and offered her hand.

Thalia grabbed the hand and swung an arm over the daughter of Bellona's shoulders. Thalia almost never wanted to get off the train because it was nice spending time with Reyna when she was more herself and not in a life or death situation.