Non-Canon Omake: The Little Spider, Chapter 13

Artemis was pleased as the event was being set up.

Normally, she cared very little about this ‘capture the flag’ game they played. She would admit that it wasn’t a particularly poor method of training and teamwork coordination, but she had little time for dalliances like this for her hunters.

Of course, it was also a good morale boost when she did bring her hunters around so they could stomp the ‘campers’ here.

But this time was important because it wasn’t just inflating the egos of her own hunters. She was going to show that girl that she knew very little about the world.

To show her that her hunters weren’t pushovers and that she still had a lot to learn.

Artemis knew that under her guidance, she could make the girl a worthy hunter, perhaps the best she ever had.

She was also considering what she would ask in return for turning over the girl’s pet to Olympus. 

It was rare that she had a nearly blank check to ask from Zeus.

“Lady Artemis.” Chiron trotted over to where Artemis was watching.

“Chiron, how are your campers? Prepared, I hope.” 

“As they could be.” Chiron said simply.

“You treat them too softly, Chiron. In ages past, you would not have allowed such weakness and softness for the heroes you train.” Artemis, while she didn’t particularly care for the majority of the ‘great heroes’ that Chiron trained in the past, could freely admit that they were truly excellent.

Compared to the demigods that had come from the camp in recent years, it was like night and day.

“It’s a different time, Lady Artemis. The old methods wouldn’t work well.” He smiled wryly.

Artemis merely rolled her eyes; it wasn’t her place, nor did she care to argue the point. “Let’s hope they can at least put up a showing and keep my hunters entertained.”

Chiron’s lips twitched.

He wanted to retort and say something like, ‘Most of your hunters have decades on all my campers,’ but he wisely kept his mouth shut.

“We had new campers this year; I was sure to inform them of the rules properly.” Chiron stated.

Artemis wasn’t oblivious to what he was implying. She knew he didn’t want to just come out and ask her if she told her Hunters not to be heavy-handed, as it would sound somewhat insulting to her.

“Don’t worry, Chiron, I told them no maiming or killing.” Though she felt a little bit of maiming might be good for some of them, from what she could see at the ‘camp.’

Both Goddess and Centaur watched as the game began.

Annabeth took the lead on tactics, and Luke took the lead at the front.

Three teams had formed. One for defense that stayed back to defend the flag, one with Annabeth that took to the trees, and Luke’s final group that did a direct charge and drew the most attention as they crossed the middle boundary of the field and arrows began to fly.

Artemis’s lips curled up as a dozen or so campers were immediately taken out in the foolish charge.

Though, she frowned when she noticed a few of her hunters fall to the Daughter of Athena’s tactics in the forest, laying ambushes and tricking a few of her younger hunters.

Artemis noted that she would make a good Hunter too.

However, the ensuing fights went about as both of them expected.

While Artemis wouldn’t say it out loud, she thought that the campers put up a better fight than she would have thought. Certainly an improvement from the last time she was here, but still her face showed only contempt.

However, those thoughts were pushed to the side as she started looking around for the target of her current annoyance.

She watched her lieutenant approach the opponent’s flag from the forests, her sisters with her as they silently stood behind trees, out of view at the boundary.

Artemis watched in anticipation, waiting for the girl to appear.

Perhaps she laid some sort of trap? She showed some knowledge in magic; did she conceal herself somewhere out of view, waiting to ambush?

There were many methods that Artemis could think of that Zoe would need to prepare for.

But, slowly, Artemis’s pensive expression shifted into an ever-growing frown.

With every step her hunters took towards the flag, with every camper that was downed and taken out of the battle, her fists clenched tighter in her palms.

“...Chiron.” Artemis gritted as Zoe lifted up the flag of the camp, signaling their win. 

“...yes, Lady Artemis?”

“Where is the girl?!” She hissed out.

“I don’t know.” Chiron admitted.

“Why isn’t she participating?”

“It’s not a mandatory camp activity.” Chiron informed her.

It took significant restraint for Artemis to not lash out.

It had been a very long time since someone so openly snubbed her. Despite Arachne having absolutely no knowledge of what was happening, Artemis felt insulted.

Artemis hissed under her breath, her words echoing into the ears of every one of her huntresses. “Find the girl and bring her to me!”

@***@

The wailing of the hunter echoed throughout the camp.

The arrow sticking out of her eye—well, Arachne thought it would be painful and didn’t fault the girl for crying out.

Though she did fault the girl for being stupid enough to fire the arrow in the first place.

Arachne didn’t have any sympathy.

Though her wails attracted a lot of eyes, many people ran over.

Particularly, several more hunters arrived to see their crying, bloody, and distressed fellow hunter.

“Sister!” Arachne recognized Zoe at first glance. “Who has done this to you!?”

Amidst the cries of pain, she lifted up her hand, pointing at Arachne.

There was a beat of silence as their eyes landed on her.

“Yeah? I did it; the dumb cunt had it coming.” Arachne crossed her arms.

“...I don’t think that’s helping.” Percy whispered behind her.

“You!” Zoe’s eyes widened, and then anger overcame her. “How dare you! Do you know what you have done?!”

“I’ve got eyes.” Arachne deadpanned. “Unlike someone.” Arachne’s lips curled up.

She had absolutely no pity for the stupid.

“Is this a jest to you?!” Zoe exclaimed.

“Yes.” Arachne responded without a second thought.

The hunters next to Zoe drew their bows, and Arachne took out her spear with a growing grin. Even Percy pulled out a pen from his pocket, clicking the cap as it turned into a sword.

Arachne wanted to ask about it but decided it was better to focus on the inevitable fight.

Just as the two sides were about to fight, a thunderous boom hit the ground, cracking the earth between them.

Chiron landed on the ground. “Enough!” He shouted, immediately letting his presence be known. “Fighting inside of camp is strictly forbidden!”

“Thy camper hath maimed my sister, Chiron!” Zoe pointed at Arachne in accusation.

Arachne didn’t respond verbally; she raised her middle finger.

Zoe was about to pull an arrow back to fire until Chiron shouted again.

“Artemis!” He raised his voice, and a gentle hand grabbed Zoe’s, stopping her from escalating.

“Zoe, hold your fury back for now; I will find out who is at fault.” Artemis said lightly as the goddess appeared in front of everyone.

She had enough divine presence that even the onlookers felt a cold sweat down their backs.

“Chiron, I demand an explanation.” Artemis looked at him.

Chiron didn’t get upset at her demand; it was about par for the course for him. Instead, he looked around and then laid his eyes on Arachne. “What happened?”

“That dumb cunt shot an arrow at Percy. A caught it and threw it back.” Arachne said simply.

“She lies!” The huntress that had been with the one with the arrow in her eye had immediately shouted back in defiance. “They started it!”

Artemis frowned. “Your campers are at fault, Chiron.”

“Your hunter shot an arrow at one of my campers, Lady Artemis.” Chiron retorted. “Even if what she said is true, whatever she said, it doesn’t excuse her trying to hurt one of my campers.”

“Assassinate.” Arachne interrupted as both god and centaur turned to him. “Back home, if ya tried to kill someone with their back turned, that’s what we call it. Don’t know what you all call it here.” Arachne shrugged.

Artemis frowned, but Chiron followed up. “Percy, can you back up what she says?”

“Yeah? I mean, it was weird. She just came over and started getting in Arachne’s face. Arachne just ignored her, and we were going to go fishing, and she got mad and shot an arrow at me for some reason. If Arachne didn’t catch it, it would have hit me right in the eye like that.” Percy explained.

“Yet my huntress is harmed.” Artemis didn’t back down. “I demand punishment.”

“Yer dumb hunter was the one at fault.” Arachne shot back before Chiron had the chance to interject.

Artemis’s eyes narrowed. “You dare speak to me like that, mortal?”

“Lady Artemis, she’s out of line, but she’s not wrong.” Chiron tried to placate her. “Your huntress was the one at fault; she suffered the same fate she nearly brought upon Percy.“

“It does not matter; my huntress is harmed, and I demand satisfaction. As punishment, she will be one of my hunters forevermore.” Artemis said it simply, as if it were a foregone conclusion.

For Artemis, it was a quick and easy way to get what she wanted. At the end of the day, gods weren’t considerate; they weren’t understanding. It didn’t matter that one of her hunters started things and was at fault. The facts to her were that her huntress was harmed, and thus she was the one wronged.

“A would sooner kill every one of yer stupid hunters.” Arachne delivered without an ounce of hesitation.

The surroundings went cold as Artemis’s anger became apparent. She didn’t shout or scream, but simply her gaze was enough to make any bystanders start to back off.

The Goddess of the Hunt raised her finger, but before anything could happen, she paused.

“Artemis.”

“Athena.” 

The two goddesses met one another; Athena stood at Arachne’s side.

“Your daughter needs to be taught a lesson.” The Goddess of the Hunt frowned.

“I believe I should be saying that about your hunters? Should we ask our uncle what he thinks about what happened to his son?” Athena asked.

Though, truthfully, Poseidon was watching everything unfold right now, as was everyone else.

The only reason Poseidon wasn’t down there throwing his own weight around was because his son wasn’t actually hurt. 

Gods were precarious. 

Fault, justice, right, and wrong weren’t decided by humans; they were decided by the gods own interests being challenged.

“She will become one of my hunters as punishment.”

Athena didn’t react. “You know the rules; they have to agree.”

Artemis frowned. “Why are you defending her? Since when do you care so much about your children?”

“I’m simply following the rules.”

Artemis twitched slightly; she didn’t want to get into an argument with Athena; she knew that such a thing was a losing battle.

“No wonder everyone hates you Greeks.” Arachne had had enough, scoffing in annoyance. 

Both Artemis and Athena looked at Arachne in disbelief. Chiron, too, nearly wanted to facepalm because he thought the tension was starting to fade, and now it was amplified once again.

“What? Did ya not know how everyone avoids you lot?” Arachne rolled her eyes.

Chiron wished she would stop speaking, as she was just digging her hole even further.

“Her arrogance and contempt towards the gods is more than enough to give a punishment.” Artemis seethed very openly. “Perhaps I can’t force her into being one of my hunters, but a punishment she will still receive.” Her divine power crew. “I curse you; thy spear, which thee holds so much pride in, thy hands will now be bound, unable to wield it.”

Arachne felt something sweep over her, and she recognized a curse when she saw it.

Athena didn’t stop her; she didn’t have the ground to stop her. Despite wanting to win her daughter over, she also knew her daughter had insulted Artemis openly as well.

Arachne furrowed her brow as she felt something strange, and with spear in hand, her hands unnaturally clasped together, forcing her to drop her spear.

As soon as her spear was out of her hands, it was like the invisible force disappeared.

She reached down to pick it up, but as soon as she touched the spear, her hands were once more invisibly bound. While she could technically hold the spear, it was impossible to actually wield it like so.

Athena sighed in her heart. “Daughter, perhaps this shall be a proper lesson to you on how to behave to show proper respect to the gods.”

Artemis looked very pleased with herself as well. It wasn’t what she actually wanted, but seeing the girl getting humbled soothed her bruised pride just ever so slightly.

Chiron was just glad that it didn’t escalate further.

Arachne, though, she ignored them for the most part, looking at the spear in her hand and not being able to properly hold it. It made her…annoyed.

However, she didn’t get angry.

Under the watchful gaze of everyone, her hands suddenly got enveloped in a blackish hue.

Artemis’s eyes widened in disbelief, as did Athena’s as Arachne tore the curse apart. She spun her spear in her hand and slammed it against the ground, looking right back at Artemis.

“.....”

Silence permeated the surroundings. Chiron, Athena, and Artemis all sort of just stared in disbelief at what just happened.

“What did you do…?!” Artemis was taken off guard. Despite everything, perhaps it wasn’t overly surprising that she managed to destroy the curse. Artemis was aware of a certain spear that she wielded; perhaps that could have done something. But instead, she tore it apart through another method.

“Daughter… How did you…destroy that curse? It was bestowed by a god; it should not have been so easily removed.” Athena specifically used the word ‘destroyed’ because she could see what happened. It wasn’t removed, magically dispelled, or even sidestepped.

It was very plainly destroyed.

Arachne rubbed her wrists and merely scoffed. “What? A just used my bloodline ability.”

“I have no such ability!” Athena quickly rebuked.

“What? Of course not, it’s from me da’s bloodline.” Arachne spoke as if it were obvious.

“Wilhelm was a human.” Athena responded.

“Why does everyone think that?” Arachne was at a loss for words. She reached up and pushed up her bangs, showing off her little horns. “Does this look human to ya?” Everyone stared at her tiny horns, barely more than knubs on her forehead, not even visible unless her hair was moved out of the way.

“...what, do you have horns?” For one of the rare times in her life, Athena was completely and utterly confused.

Arachne blinked. “Because I’m a half-devil, are ya stupid?”

@****@

A/N

Arachne: How do you not know I’m a half-devil??

Athena: 404 Error, wisdom not found.

But yeah, gods are like, right and wrong aren’t objective. If a god’s interests are attacked or harmed, that means they are the victim, and regardless of what happens, the one responsible should be punished.