Non-Canon Omake: The Little Spider, Chapter 11 (Patreon)

There was a cold air that enveloped the room after Arachne spoke.

Contrary to her brother, Artemis’s anger didn’t explode outwards or intensify, it was cold and subtle.

That’s not to say she can’t exhibit an explosive anger, but she burns cold, not hot.

“You should treat a god with more respect, child.” Artemis’s voice was icy, and it was accompanied by an invisible pressure that made the other people in the room start to sweat.

“My lady, please allow me.” Zoë Nightshade tried to calm her down, a little successful as the tension in the room slightly aleviated, but there was still a sort of looming presence coming from the goddes. “Child, thou seems to be mistaken about a great many things regarding us. We exist to help those like thyself.”

“....help me?” Arachne blinked in confusion.

“To be a woman in this world is difficult. To be at the mercy of any man who holds power of thyself. Many of us have suffered such fates and we offer a place to escape. A sisterhood.” She emphasized, trying to use flowery words to sell the image.

Zoë was silent for a moment, letting her words sink in while looking at Arachne.

“Are ya daft in the head?” Arachne finally asked. “Why do ya think a need anythin’ like that?”

The huntress knew that this was going to be difficult. Or rather, the girl was difficult. 

Zoë Nightshade furrowed her brow and wanted to sigh because the potentially newest sister of hers was too ignorant of the world. “My lady helps young maidens who have suffered incomparably at the hands of men. Many of them have been abused and attacked in the most vile and digusting ways. My lady helps them, nurtures them, brings them into the Hunt and gives them safety and a family.”

Her first step was to talk about the feats of kindness of her goddess, to paint a better picture.

Arachne wasn’t stupid, she could understand what was being implied when she mentioned ‘attacked and abused’. It’s not like her parents haven’t had those talks with her and she was ignorant to certain hings.

“Yes, but why would a join?” Arachne reiterated, confused as to what was even being offered at this point. “Ya not offering anything to me.”

Zoë furrowed her brow again. “Thou would be trained – “

“Are ya a moron?” Arachne interrupted her again.

“Excuse thee?” She was taken aback because she’s had never been talked to in this way before, especially with her goddess standing right next to her.

Arachne pointed to Chiron who was awkwardly standing behind his desk as this whole conversation was going on. “Trainer of Heroes.”

While Chiron didn’t voice it, or show any reaction in fear of angering Artemis, he was very glad that his existence wasn’t ignored. 

He did take pride in caring for and training students.

“It’s different.” Zoë defended.

“Cause he’s not a girl?” Arachne scoffed, understanding exactly what was being thrown at her feet. 

Zoë grit her teeth, to stop herself from getting overly upset. “You would be personally trained by a goddess.”

Arachne rolled her eyes. She had been trained by gods since she were a babe. “Do ya think a could get this ‘personal training’ if a gave Ares back his cabin?” She said in a mocking tone.

Funny enough, Ares would probably jump at the chance if she were really into it.

However, she was being sarcastic as if it were some ‘great generosity’ that she gets to train with a god.

“Thou doesn’t understand.” Zoë shook her head in exasperation. “Thou art being given the opportunity to become more. To escape the bondage placed upon thee.”

“Ya keep saying some shite like that an I don’t think ya even know what yer talking about anymore.” Arachne was starting to get annoyed. “Even me mum spoke well of Chrion. If a want more training, a will ask him. He trained the best o’ the Greeks.”

“Thou speakest of Chiron, but do you know his greatest warrior, the famous Heracles?” Her nostrils flared, the memories seemingly still fresh in her mind as she recalled him. “Doesth thou know what he had done to me? Child, I was one of the Hesperides until I was used and banished from mine kin for helping him steal one of the golden apples.”

“Did he force ya?” Arachne asked, crossing her arms.

Zoë tilted her head slightly, surprised by the question. “Did the brute force me? Nay, he never laid a hand on me. He did something –”

“So ya weren’t forced. Did he blackmail ya? Did he take one of yer family hostage? Did he threaten ya in any way?”

Zoë blinked. “No, he…..he feigned love for me, using my heart to get what he wanted. Then he abandoned me after he won his prize, leaving me with nothing.”

Arachne found herself at a loss, not quite sure how to respond to that until she finally blurted something out. “Are ya really that dumb?”

Zoë reeled back at the harsh words, once more taken aback by the sheer bluntness of the response. “How dare thee!” She hissed back.

“If someone who claims to love ya asks ya to do something bad that will hurt ya, then he doesn’t really love ya, ya dumb cunt.” Arachne spout out like it were obvious. “Don’t blame someone else for yer bad decisions.”

“You side with that brute!?” Zoë couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“No, he sounds like an asshole, I just think yer a dumb cunt too and blaming someone else for yer own fuck ups.” Arachne huffed. 

She felt like everyone around her here was an idiot.

Zoë was stunned into silence.

Artemis, likewise, was surprised by how this talk turned out and had never experienced something like this before.

They both had assumed that Zoë’s story would have elicited a sense of sympathy and understanding in the younger girl. But it was clear that plan had backfired.

Arachne knew quite a bit about Greek Myths and Legends. They were some of her favorite stories when she were little. Sure, almost everyone evolved in the stories were usually assholes of some degree, but they were still interesting stories.

So Arachne knew who the Nymphs that guarded the Golden Apples were. And the fact that she had been kicked out meant that she had betrayed her other family members out of some stupid reason.

It was ridiculous to Arachne, since when was ‘love’ an excuse to be a complete idiot that betrayed your family.

“Ahem.” Chiron cleared his throat, trying to mend the strange atmosphere. “Lady Artemis, if I may?”

“What do you want to say, Chiron?” Artemis, despite her emotions right now, she did have a certain thought about Chiron. Artemis didn’t particularly like most males, but Chiron was one of the few exceptions. He had never once done anything that could be described as ‘bad’ and genuinely taught any students he had. Not to mention, she was one of two that originally taught him archery and other crafts in the times before.

“Perhaps you should just lay out all the pros and cons of joining?” Chiron could get a better feel on Arachne’s mindset, and simply laying out the benefits and drawbacks would most likely yield better results than her….normal approach.

Or rather, in truth, Chiron didn’t believe she would accept, but it would be less insulting and dare he say embarrassing if it were just bluntly handled and dealt with as soon as possible.

Artemis frowned, but she considered his words. “You would be trained by me personally, as all the hunters are. You would be joining a collective that would never betray you, that you could trust forever. And you would gain immortality for as long as you are pledged and part of my hunt.” Though it was all mentioned before, it was delivered with less flowery words and more directly.

Zoë also nodded along as if it were some grand offering.

“That sounds pretty good, doens’t it?” Percy whispered to Annabeth and Luke who had wisely not said a word during this whole exchange despite not being present.

Though, everyone heard him, and Artemis was pleased enough with what he said that she didn’t get upset that he interrupted their talking.

However, Arachne scoffed. “Da ya think I don’ know what kind of shite I’d have to agree to?” 

Once more, Artemis frowned. “Child, you are treading on thin ice with me. My patience only goes so far.”

Arachne ignored her and continued. “I’d have to live in the wilderness forever.” She glanced at Percy. “Could ya give up never going back into a city again? No more plumbing or hot water or fresh meals?”

Percy scrunched his nose, even if he remained silent.

“Why doth thou view such a thing negatively? Why doth the civilization of man draw thee to it? It is filled with vile men, disgusting smells, and loud noises.” Zoë countered. “Thou would sleep under the embrace of the stars, camp with thy fellow sisters, hunt thy own food and prepare it. Thou art ignorant of many of the wild’s boons that you would come ot enjoy. There is nothing more fulfilling than carving out your own survival in the harshness of the wilds.”

Arachne scoffed again. “Why do ya think a don’t know how to hunt or fend for meself in the wild? A said a don’t want to spend forever living in a forest. A never said a dont like to camp, to hunt, to fish. If ya think I’m giving up a hot shower and mah weekly shows just so I can join yer stupid cult, yer crazy.”

She was truly starting to wonder if there was something wrong with Zoë’s head.

“Tis not a cult.” Zoë defended quickly, and this was far from the first time they’ve been called such. “And thou would gain immortality.”

“A can be immortal in a hundred different ways if a wanted to. Mah Grandpa is completely human and he is over two thousand and not aging.” Arachne rolled her eyes.

Once more, the others look genuinely surprised at her statement. 

“And yer ignoring the most important thing.” Arachne crossed her arms with a scowl. “Do ya think a don’t know that a would have to cut ties with my family?”

“Tis obvious that thou would have to leave thy family….” Zoë said awkwardly.

“Yer telling me to abandon mah family for this shite?” Arachne was honetly speechless. 

“Thou art young, thou has yet to understand the world.” Zoë sighed.

“No wonder yer family kicked you out.” Arachne couldn’t help but say, seeing the way she so carelessly talked about abandoning one’s one family.

Zoë’s expression immediately twisted back. “What did thou just say!?” Her anger flaring up for everyone to see.

Arachne didn’t reac to her display of anger and even ignored it, flipping her hair back. “ ‘Sides, me parents wouldn’t ever let it happen, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Your parents would have no say.” Artemis spoke up, as if it were one of the reasons holding her back. “As long as you agree, then that’s all that matters.”

“An yer saying it’s not a cult?” Arachne let out a laugh, unable to control herself.

“Tis not the first time that I have had to warn a parent of one of our huntresses.” Zoë Said rather heroicaly, her anger from a moment ago slightly fading as she followed Artemis’s lead. “If need be, a stern warning is delivered personally.”

Arachne stopped laughing, looking at her and began to laugh even harder. “A havn’t heard a joke that funny in a while.”

“What doth thou find so humorous?” Zoë was quickly reaching her breaking point despite trying to keep her emotions in check for her goddess’s sake.

“Ya can’t even beat me and ya think ya could threaten me parents?” Arachne shook her head. “Me mum and da wouldn’t even give ya a second thought since yer so weak.’

Zoë furrowed her brow again, not sure what to make of that. It was the first time she had been so blatantly called out as ‘weak’.

“I am the Leutenant of the Hunters under Lady Artemis.” She defended herself.

“And?” Arachne asked.

“And….and….” Zoë was at a lost for words again. If it were simply someone throwing an insult at her, she’s dealt with that tens of thousands of times. But it was the first time someone called her weak, not as an insult, but as if it were just a statement of fact and it completely threw her off. Atleast coming from a non-godly entity, a… little girl in her eyes.

“A don’t want to join yer cult.” Arachne finally responded with a very blunt refusal.”

“Tis not a cult!” Zoë nearly screamed.

“Ya find young impressionable girls that have been hurt and tell him to abandon their family to live outside of society in an insular community and to worship an idol.” She finished, pointing at Artemis. 

“We find young maidens and protect them!”

“You told me that a was too young to understand yer goals, but apparently a wasn’t too young to throw away my family and join you.” Arachne pointed out the strange logic.

That was enough to shut Zoë up for good.

From everyone’s elses view, it was pretty suspicious that they were saying she was too young to actually understand anything, but at the same time, they were saying that she was apparently old enough to make a decision like abandoning her family.

Artemis, oddly enough, also didn’t say anything. Though she was angry, she didn’t lash out. She still had the mind to recruit Arachne, not just for herself, but to solve the growing unease among the gods. 

She could discipline the girl once she was a huntress of hers.

However, just because she wasn’t verbally or noticeably making her anger known, it didn’t mean she didn’t have any thoughts on other things.

Why not give the girl a little nudge in the right direction?

Perhaps only Chiron noticed, but even he couldn’t see full what she was doing as the goddess’s divinity subtlety seeped into the younger girl.

Artemis was the Goddess of the Hunt, that came with certain concepts not too dissimilar from stealth and subtlety that many forgot about.

Just a little nudge to change her thinking to align more with their own, then it would be easy.

However, as soon as she attempted to something, two large slitted irises stared back at her and she pulled away in shock.

Artemis, for one of the rare times in her life, felt her heart pound.

Quickly, she forced herself to calm down, and no one realized what happen besides herself. And thankfully, a distraction came at the right time to keep attention away from her so she wouldn’t be noticed.

Right through the door, Dionysus came walking in. Without a word, he grabbed Arachne, threw her over his shoulder and picked up Mr. Blueberry – who was happy to play along and walked right out the door.

Everyone was sort of…bewildered as it happened.

“So….uh, can we go too?” Percy raised his hand amidst the awkward silence.

“.....go.” Chiron finally said as he noticed Artemis didn’t reject him. And the trio of kids hastily shuffled out the door.

Chiron was….oddly happy it ended as it did.

Artemis has Chiron called Percy in because she was curious about the cause of the conflict between both Poseidon and Zeus as Percy was evidence that Poseidon had broken his oath.

Second, she had Chiron call Annabeth and Luke in because along with Clarisse, those three were the defacto…’leaders’ of the campers, and she was going to lay the normal ground rules to them to relay back to everyone now that her Hunters are staying in camp for a bit.

“Chiron.” Artemis finally spoke up again, and the Trainer of Heroes could feel the icy tone in her words.

“Yes, Lady Artemis?” Chiron knew it was the time to be as respectful as possible. Even if he could normally get away with addressing her more familiarly, he didn’t want to take that chance right now.

“It is customary to host a war game between my hunters and your campers when we come to the camp, yes?”

“....that is correct.” 

It was normal for the campers to split into teams and play capture the flag just with more….swords and sharp edges and fighting and lots of injuries.

It was also tradition, that when Artemis and her Hunters came over, that they would host a game between the camp and the hunters.

Unsurprisingly, there were even more injuries, mostly on the camper’s side.

Not to mention, the campers have never won.

Artemis had a new train of thought.

If the young girl looked down on her Hunters, then she would just have to force her opinion changed a different way.

A godly infused daughter of Ares?

Artemis mentally scoffed.

She knew half a dozen of her own that could have handled the same thing with ease.

“Good.” She clenched her jaw. “Prepare it for tomorrow.”

@***@

A/N

Zoe: Join the Hunters, you can get some….things, at the cost of abandoning your family and civilization and everything you care about! Also, we’re definitely not a cult, for realzies. 

Anyways, sorry for the delay, this should have been out like 15 hours ago, but real life stuff got in the way.