「004. hating percy, hot gods and car keys 」

BARBIE EXPECTED apollo to turn up within seconds, but apparently when artemis says 'soon' she really doesn't mean soon. it had been half an hour, and he still wasn't here. because gods and goddesses seemed to forget that soon isn't a few hours and that it's probably a few minutes. but then again, they were immortal beings with no self-restraint, so she couldn't exactly argue with them that much.

they'd been waiting on the hill for ages. and she was getting really impatient. but on the bright side, her headache had now stopped. on the downside, percy was still being annoying and it didn't help that he kept asking why she was mad at him, or hated him.

"ok, but hear me out," began percy for the fifth time in ten minutes, "i just want to know why you hate me."

"is it that hard not to have an explanation as to why i hate you?" she grumbled, inspecting her nails, thankfully, none of them were chipped.

"but i know you have a reason," he persisted, "just tell me."

"how about no?" she said, glaring at him.

"how about yes?"

"how about you shut up," she challenged before sighing, "look i'm not in the mood for our usual arguments, jackson. seriously, cut it out."

"i just want to know why," he said sadly, "i mean what did i do wrong? is it that i'm a child of poseidon. last time i checked, aphrodite and poseidon didn't have a rivalry. at least i don't think so-"

"it's not that," she huffed, "do you seriously not remember? you made a pretty shit first impression."

"what did i do?"

"do you-" she looked at him, "do you seriously not remember? you ignored me? are- you know what? i'm not having this conversation with you today, or ever. go back to being a dumbass and i'll go back to hating you."

it had been a few more hours and barbie still didn't like the cold. she was cold, muddy, had bits of grass in her hair and was still annoyed at percy, she wasn't doing too good. she just wanted to get back to her cabin and sleep. she didn't want any of this stupid extraction thing anymore. she'd rather go on a quest and fight twenty cyclopses at once then stay on the damn hill for another minute.

"the last time the hunters came to camp," explained grover sheepishly, "it wasn't so good."

"how'd they even show up?" asked percy, "i mean, they appeared out of nowhere."

"and bianca joined them," grimaced thalia, her face showing how much she was hating what she just said, "it's all zoë's fault. that stuck-up, no good bi-"

"who can blame her?" said grover with a lovestruck smile, "eternity with artemis?"

thalia rolled her eyes at his antics whilst barbie smiled at his adoration for the goddess. thalia continued by saying, "you satyrs, you're all in love with artemis. don't you get that she'll never love you back?"

"it's cute," shrugged barbie.

"of course you'd say that," cut in percy, "you're a daughter of aphrodite."

"and?" she countered, beginning to get riled up again, "you're point is? i like being a daughter of aphrodite. sorry, but doves are way cooler."

grover seemed not to hear her and percy's little argument. he swooned, "but... she's just so into nature."

"you're nuts," scoffed thalia.

"nuts and berries," mumbled grover dreamily, "yeah..."

barbie didn't know how much more of percy and nico she could take without strangling one of them. percy kept trying to ask why his first impression was so bad, mixed with him occasionally cussing her out. and nico was just... being a hyper ten-year-old, who seemed slightly sad that bianca had joined another group and left him alone.

but maybe her mom heard her distaste for being stuck on the hill for so long. because an engine revved and both thalia and barbie turned around to see a blinding light. barbie's sunglasses helped her. but she still covered her eyes as they looked at the driver in awe. the guy that stepped out had sandy blonde hair and a playful smile. he wore a sleeveless t-shirt that stuck to his body along with jeans and loafers.

"woah," spoke thalia in complete awe, "apollo's hot."

"yeah," mumbled barbie, both the girls transfixed in a gaze.

"well yeah, he's the sun god," spoke percy, completely oblivious to the true meaning.

"not what i meant," chorused both the girls, not looking away from the sun god walking towards them.

"little sister!" smiled apollo as he flashed a pearly white smile that almost shone as bright as the sun, "what's up? you never call. you never write. i was getting worried!"

artemis sighed, clearly annoyed already, "i'm fine apollo. and i'm not your little sister."

"hey, i was born first-"

"-we're twins, how many millennials do we have to argue-"

"so what's up?" he interrupted making artemis roll her eyes at her brother, "got the girls with you, i see. you all need tips on archery?"

yes, thought barbie as she looked at him, very much.

ok, but could you blame her? even thalia thought he was hot, and that's saying something.

artemis gritted her teeth and she looked like she was restraining herself from strangling her brother, "i need a favour. i have some hunting to do, alone. i need you to take my companions to camp half-blood."

"sure sis," he grinned before he waved his hands in a stopping motion, "i feel a haiku coming on."

the hunters around the groaned and that was enough to break barbie out of her trance because everybody knew how horrible apollo's haiku's were. well, except for percy, because he shot barbie a confused look.

"hehem, 'green grass breaks through snow. artemis pleads for my help. i am so cool'."

he grinned at them, waiting for applause. barbie had to resist the urge to blurt out how horrible it was, because again, she didn't feel like getting turned into a demigod wish kebab anytime soon.

"that last line was only four syllables," artemis said.

apollo frowned, "was it?"

"yes. what about i am so big-headed?"

"no, no, that's six syllables. hmm."

he started muttering to himself, counting the syllables on his hands.

zoë nightshade turned to us, "lord apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited japan. 'tis not as bad as the time he visited limerick. if i'd had to hear one more poem that started with, there once was a goddess from sparta-"

"i've got it!" apollo announced, "'i am so awesome'. that's five syllables!"

he bowed, looking very pleased with himself, "and now, sis. transportation for the hunters, you say? good timing. i was just about ready to roll."

"these demigods will also need a ride," artemis said, pointing to the group of them,

"some of chiron's campers."

"no problem!" apollo looked at them with a grin.

"hmm," he said staring at barbie, "you're barbara, right?"

"hello, lord apollo," she spoke with a fiery red blush and a smile.

"you're aphrodite's kid, right? she never shuts up about you, apparently your really violent, but that's fine, feisty girls are the best, man i remember one girl who-"

"brother," spoke artemis in an annoyed tone. he ignored her and moved to the next demigod.

"let's see... thalia, right? i've heard all about you."

thalia blushed, "hi, lord apollo."

"zeus's girl, yes? 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 one time with this ny-"

"brother," artemis said, "you should get going."

"oh, right."

then he looked at percy, and his eyes narrowed, "percy jackson?"

"yeah. i mean...yes, sir."

apollo studied him intently, but he didn't say anything. percy gave a panicked look to the rest of them as if to say: what have i done? oh gods!

"well!' he said at last, "we'd better load up, huh? ride only goes one way: west. and if you miss it, you miss it."

"cool car," nico said.

"thanks, kid," spoke apollo.

"how will it hold all of us?" asked barbie, looking at the car in wonder. because as of now, it looked like it could probably hold only around two people max.

"oh," apollo seemed to notice the problem for the first time, "well, yeah. i hate to change out of sports-car mode, but i suppose..."

he took out his car keys and beeped the security alarm button. for a moment, the car glowed brightly again. when the glare died, the sports car had been replaced by one of those small buses just like what schools used for basketball games.

"right," he said. "everybody in."

zoë ordered the hunters to start loading. she picked up her camping pack, and apollo said, "here, sweetheart. let me get that."

zoë recoiled. her eyes flashed murderously.

"brother," artemis chided, "you do not help my hunters. you do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my hunters. and you do not call them sweetheart."

apollo spread his hands, "sorry. i forgot. hey, sis, where are you off to, anyway?"

"hunting," artemis said, "it's none of your business."

"i'll find out. i see all. know all.'

artemis snorted, "just drop them off, apollo. and no messing around!"

"no, no! i never mess around."

artemis rolled her eyes, then looked at us, "i will see you by the winter solstice. zoë, you are in charge of the hunters. do well. do as i would do."

zoë straightened her posture, "yes, my lady."

artemis knelt and touched the ground as if looking for tracks. when she rose, she looked troubled, "so much danger. the beast must be found."

she sprinted towards the woods and melted into the snow and shadows. apollo turned and grinned, dangling the car keys on his finger in front of them, "so,' he said, "who wants to drive?"

rosie speaks!

hello there kiddies, i'm actually
so thankful on the positive feeback
for barbie doll, i love y'all sm.
so the tea is that sis is gonna speed write
and as soon as i've fully edited
a chapter, i'm going to post it. and most of my other
books updates will probably be delayed. as
i'm going to go through all my books
and do this.

word count: 1,658