Hello everyone, and welcome to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians fanfiction entitled The Exiles.

There will be minor crossover elements: character names, appearances, abilities, and the like. Nothign more than though, and likely done sparingly as well.

This story is a challenge fic, my first challenge fic actually, and is based off of whitetigerwolf's Huntress Challenge for Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Thus, I ask you to be gentle in your evaluation, as actually having to meet criteria, but not do the same thing as others who have done the challenge, is really rather difficult. The challange is as follows:

Requirements:

-Artemis turns Percy Jackson into a girl (Accepted, because that is the whole point of the challange)

- Poseidon must hit on the female Percy, before he realizes that Percy is his...uh, son/daughter? (That's kinda confusing actually. Although, considering this is dealing with the Ancient Greek Gods, that wouldn't necessarily keep Poseidon from trying to get in a female Percy's pants not that I exactly like the idea, but I do feel I need to point that out.) (Awkward as hell, and a little difficult to do, but not impossible. Accepted.)

- Percy must spend some time with the Hunter's of Artemis (Yeah, umm...that won't be happening for a good while. Eventually though, so accepted.)

- Percy must remain a girl for at least one-month (It will be a perma-change, so accepted, naturally)

Recommended

- FemPercy/other girl, especially Artemis though. (Not going to give to much away, but fem!Percy/Artemis/Hestia/Thalia is guranteed with Others? being guranteed, but the others are for me to know, and you to find out when I feel like it. Accepted, duh.)

- Percy remaining a girl and joining the Hunters of Artemis (This one is a little nebulous right now. It depends on where the plot bunnies take us, so I'll leave it at possible, even likely, but not guranteed.)

Please be aware that some characters might be slightly OOC. Hopefully, I can limit that though.

SUMMARY: Response to whitetigerwolf's Huntress Challenge. Perseus Jackson had thought he had done the right thing when he defied Fate to save Bianca's and Zoe's lives. Instead, he found himself betrayed in his sleep. Forcefully turned into a woman by Artemis, accompanied only by Thalia, he ran, forsaken. Exiled himself from the world, to find those that were broken by the gods. But though the future looks bleak, and all appears lost for the world and those in it, one thing must be remembered:

What was broken can be reforged.

Pairing is fem!Percy/Thalia earlier on, with Fem!Percy/Thalia/Hestia/Artemis/Others later on.

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The Exiles

Chapter One

Forsaken

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"Perseus Jackson cannot exist past midnight tomorrow. He has interfered with the very threads of Fate and Time themselves. The Balance MUST be restored, or all things will crumble. The worlds will end. Defying Fate is one thing, something to be admired, but to change its Fabric is another entirely. Restore the Balance, Artemis, Daughter of Zeus. I suspect you are the only one who can."

Clotho's words echoed through Artemis' ears as she sat in the Throne Room of Olympus. Her fellow deities were loudly and aggressively discussing Atlas' actions over the past several months, as well as the movement of the other Titans. Everything pointed towards another Titan War, and that was worrisome. Though the gods didn't like to acknowledge it, their demotion to mere myths and legends had reduced their power a great deal, when compared to their strength of old. If her grandfather rose again, the gods may not defeat him again.

"I do not see why you continue to deny it, brother!" she heard Poseidon bellow, his famed temper clearly getting the best of him at her father's continued and staunch denial that Kronos could possibly be rising. She watched as Poseidon's grip on his trident tightened, wisps of mist swirling around it in his great agitation. "Atlas, the Titan General, was freed by Luke Castellan for a very specific purpose. Were it not for my son, he never would have been forced back under the sky, while Artemis would still be there now! Say what you wish about him, but Atlas is no great fool. He would not risk our anger if he was not sure that the endgame would be his!"

"We cut Father into the smallest of pieces with his own scythe, brother! We cast them into Tartarus and reduced his scythe to not but dust!" Zeus snapped stubbornly, face red as his Master Bolt sparked and hissed with energy. "He could not reform naturally and under his own power!"

"The point is, Father, that it might not be under his own power." Artemis interjected, sharing a look with her sister Athena, who was nodding in agreement. "He is clearly being supported by many demigods who, like the son of Hermes, believe that we gods have wronged them too many times to be allowed to rule. Whispers abound that many minor gods and goddesses are leaning towards supporting him for the way they are treated as well."

Her piece said, Artemis returned to her internal struggle.

So what was she to do? Obey the Moirai and destroy the most powerful demigod in centuries, one that was close friends with many prospective Hunters, and respected deeply by her Lieutenant and her newest recruit, Bianca? Doing so would likely not only loose her a great deal of respect and many potential Hunters, but Bianca might leave as well. Even Zoe would not forgive her for a very long time. The boy did save her life, and nearly died doing so, after all. Furthermore, such a choice might doom Olympus and the world itself to Kronos' rule, but if she did not, all realities would tear themselves to pieces. If only there was a way to make Perseus Jackson non-existent without killing him...

Her thoughts were again cut off as her father vanished in a blaze of lightning and a crack of thunder, making her roll her eyes at the petulant theatrical displays of the men in her family as the other gods and goddesses vanished, leaving her alone on her throne. It appeared the meeting was over. Her brow furrowed as she stared into the fire. How could she get rid of "Perseus Jackson" without killing him? Such a thing was impossible, she told herself, before her eyes widened and she shot to her feet, striding towards the door, heading for her waiting chariot. Before she could leave, however, an strong but gentle and warm hand grabbed her shoulder, jerking her to a stop.

Turning back, she found herself face to face with her aunt, Hestia, the eldest Olympian and goddess of the Hearth and Family.

"Hestia?" she asked, surprised. Her aunt preferred to keep to herself ever since she surrendered her throne to stop a war from breaking out between Poseidon and Apollo.

"Be very careful in what you do next, niece." Hestia warned her, the most serious Artemis had ever seen her kind and gentle aunt. Artemis raised an eyebrow, confused, and Hestia elaborated. "I have seen what you plan, for it will affect our family forever. Know that if you mishandle the coming situations and those that follow, Olympus and the world will fall to my father, and all will suffer. Your plan is the only one that will work, I fear, but do not forget who you are doing it to and why. Above all, do not forget why."

Her wisdom imparted, the eldest goddess vanished in a swirl of fire, leaving Artemis staring at the spot where she had stood in confusion and curiosity, before shrugging and departing. Her plan was sound, and arguably would accomplish precisely what needed to be done. If she was lucky, he would choose to serve her, and would be rewarded as he deserved, something she couldn't do due to his current...nature. In fact, this would be part of that reward. Yes, yes, this was good!

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Percy Jackson was not feeling well. Scratch that, he was in horrible shape. Even after having as much nectar and ambrosia that could be risked without being reduced to a pile of ash, and the cream of the Apollo cabin's Healer crop take a crack at healing his injuries, he was barely capable of being carried out of bed and down the hall to the small, built-in bathroom reserved for the Poseidon cabin's head camper.

Holding up the weight of the entire sky, as it turns out, is very bad for your health. In fact, according to Chiron, Annabeth, and Thalia, he should be dead. Holding up the sky for more than a few minutes should have crushed the life from him, but apparently (he didn't really believe them, but he hurt far too much to argue) he was exceptionally powerful and hardy, even for a son of the Big Three. When he had pointed out that Luke and Annabeth had also held up the sky, with apparently no ill effects, Annabeth quickly retorted by saying that she had only held it for a few moments when Artemis had appeared and taken it from her. As for Luke, she predicted, he had likely not been holding it long by the time she arrived and was tricked into taking it, and he was in horrid shape afterwards. Only the aid of Atlas had helped him recover so fast.

The sound of footsteps on the wooden floor drew his attention, and he turned his head slowly to see Artemis standing in the doorway to his bedroom, an unreadable look on her face. Shaking away his surprise, he tried to sit up and nearly succeeded, only to fall back into the bed, panting from the pain of his exertions.

"Forgive...me...Lady Artemis." he gasped, sweating heavily as pain wracked him. His eyes closed instinctually, and so he missed the concern and fear for him that flooded the goddesses eyes as she saw the condition he was in. "It seems...that getting up to greet you...is beyond me right now."

"Why have you not been healed, foolish boy? Why have you not used nectar and ambrosia, or been healed by my idiot brother's children? Are you so arrogant that you would refuse aid?" she demanded, sounding angry with him, and he chuckled weakly before coughing painfully, a faint smirk playing across his lips when it subsided.

"Lady Artemis..." he whispered tiredly, too weak even to open his eyes now. "I have already had as much nectar and ambrosia as I can without burning up, and three of the Apollo cabin's best Healers are in the infirmary after knocking themselves out to try and heal me."

Artemis' eyes widened in shock at that news. She had presumed that he had been an arrogant male and denied any offered aid, but if three of her nieces or nephews had been put into the infirmary through their efforts to heal Perseus, and he could not consume anymore nectar or ambrosia without burning up, and he was STILL in such terrible shape...

Her respect for the character of the mortal before her rose several more notches, and that made her look forward to the results of her plan all the more. Such loyalty and strength as he had displayed to take the sky and be reduced to this so that she could save Zoe would be the boon of all boons to her Hunters. However, she doubted he would go along with her plan, and so did not mention it, deciding to wait for his weariness to render him unconscious. She remained by his bedside, telling him of the arguments on Olympus over their mutual grandfather's rise, until he finally passed out from exhaustion. Gathering her power, she cast her spell, and watched as it took effect. His shirt bulged outwards as his breasts grew, his face softened from its hard lines, becoming more delicate and feminine. His body became more lithe and graceful, as opposed to stocky and powerful. His hair, turned snow-white by his effort of holding up the sky, lengthened and grew somewhat more tamer, though it was a far cry from what she would call neat. Her skin, similarly bronzed to a dark tan, became smoother and softer. Though she could not see it, Artemis knew his eyes were changing as well, losing their normal sea-green and becoming something else entirely. She looked forward to finding out. She then clothed him as a young girl should be, with feminine undergarments and, after a moments deliberation, a new T-shirt and jeans. The change would be hard enough without changing her clothes as well.

Finally, she sat back in her conjured chair, smiling down at the beautiful young woman that used to be Perseus Jackson. Now that he-she!- was a maiden, Artemis could use all of her powers to heal the girl, an option unavailable to her for many reasons when he was male. Silver light spilled from her hands and sank into the girl's body, mending her injuries. The girl's breathing noticeably eased, becoming less labored and raspy. Wounds closed, bruises faded, and she was healed, thought not without several scars.

Feeling as playful and childish as her brother always acts, Artemis bounced to her feet and over to the bed. Gazing at her young friend's beautiful features, she impulsively bent down and kissed her softly on the cheek, very close to her mouth. Almost immediately she pulled back, blushing heavily and cursing mentally. Turning on her heel, she hastened from the cabin, to find and speak with Chiron. They needed to organize something for her young friend's safety, as she had no siblings in the camp to protect her while she slept, and that just wouldn't do. After that, to Olympus. Best to tell Poseidon herself...

Unbeknownst to her, one Thalia Grace had been watching from a window, and a dark scowl was set on her face as she witnessed the boy she liked getting forcefully changed into a woman while he slept. Figures that her man-hating half-sister would do something like this, taking advantage of his weakened state to punish him for helping her. Well, she knew Percy, and she knew that he wouldn't take this lying down, even if he was a she. Slipping away into the shadows, she headed for the Zeus cabin to pack. Whatever Percy did now, Thalia would support him-her- 110%.

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Zoe awoke the next morning to clamors and shouting as the sound of running echoed through the camp. Grumbling to herself about loud and annoying campers, she tossed back her covers and dressed herself, before starting to shake her sisters awake, many of whom protested her actions with rebellious mutterings and threats of mutiny. It was all in jest, of course, and Zoe giggled softly at some of the more inventive threats. Her fellow Hunters were only have dressed, however, when Artemis herself burst into the cabin, looking rather panicked and disarrayed.

"My Lady..?" Zoe stared in shock at her Mistress' disheveled state, only to be forcibly refocused as Artemis grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her roughly.

"Have you seen her? Have you seen Percy?" the goddess of the moon demanded, and the Hunters stared at her as though she had lost her mind.

"My Lady...Perseus is a "him" not a "her"." Zoe said slowly, wondering if her Mistress was suffering from some horrible side effects from being forced to hold the sky for so long.

"I know that she was! But I changed her into a girl last night to save her life, and then went to Olympus to talk to Poseidon about it. By the time I got back, early this morning, Percy was gone! I alerted Chiron, and the whole camp has been called out to find him!" Artemis growled, clearly distressed. She whirled towards the door again, ordering them to assist over her shoulder. Bianca swore that she saw a small tumbleweed blow across the empty spot Artemis had just inhabited before she bolted for the door, already shouting Percy's name. Zoe looked around at her sisters, who weren't moving, and snapped her fingers several times.

"Let's move it, girls! We have a severely injured hero who has gone missing! Spread out and find him! Stay in pairs at least! Whatever grabbed him could still be out there!" she barked, and there was a flurry of movement as the Hunters obeyed their Lieutenant's orders.

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"Get down!" Thalia whispered harshly, and both she and the girl who refused to be called Percy hit the dirt as another team of Aries campers thundered past, shouting their names.

"You should go back, Thalia." her best friend hissed quietly as they got to their feet and cautiously began moving. "You have so much more to leave behind than I do!"

"Shut up!" she hissed back angrily, glaring at her. "I told you, I will follow you anywhere, Seaweed Brain, and I plan to stick to that. Besides, God knows that you will get into loads of trouble without me watching over you."

Her best friend smiled slightly, before descending into mingled gloom and rage again, making Thalia sigh subtly at the failed attempt to get her mind off of her new situation.

"You know the likelihood of us getting away and not ever getting caught is slim to none, right 'Lia?" she asked, using her pet name for Thalia, who opened her mouth to protest before sighing again, this time in defeat.

"Yeah, I know. If we had a godly patron supporting us, then maybe it would be possible, but none of them will help us escape our fates as cannon fodder for their stupid conflicts." she replied sadly, and her friend nodded in agreement.

"Then it is a godly patron you shall have." a soft and beautiful voice said just behind them, and both spun with weapons in their hands to see a gorgeous eighteen year old with warm and caring amber eyes and long scarlet hair. Looking into her eyes, the pair was overwhelmed by the feeling of home and safety that they saw there, and lowered their weapons slowly.

"I recognize you..." the girl formerly known as Percy whispered softly, staring at her in wonder. "You were tending to a fire when I first arrived at camp, but you were so much younger looking."

The girl's smile broadened exponentially, and she sighed happily, coming over to them and reaching out with a gentle hand to cup the demigod's cheek, her thumb stroking it softly.

"Oh, my Perseus, how I had hoped that it would be you who saw me. I always knew that only the most worthy of people would see me." she said cheerfully, before introducing herself as Hestia, goddess of the Hearth and Family.

"So, what do you mean "most worthy", Lady Hestia?" Thalia asked suspiciously, bristling at the continued closeness the goddess was exhibiting to HER friend. "And why are you not dragging us back to Olympus?"

"Answering the second first, I am leaving you be because I agree with you. My younger siblings, nephews, and nieces have become complacent, and cruel in their negligence, of you demigods. As goddess of Hearth and Family, I can see the damage that it has been doing over the eons, and that damage is finally coming to a head. Kronos is rising, my champions, and the minor gods will side with him for the way they've been treated, as will many demigods. He will destroy Olympus."

"Good. What has Olympus done for us? They bring about our births, and then neglect us until they feel like noticing us. After that, we have to fight and die for their whims. Let Olympus burn." the girl snarled, interrupting the goddess, who looked at her sorrowfully.

"So you would wish my imprisonment in Tartarus? Because Olympian or not, I will be cast there for fighting against Kronos in the first war."

The looks of horror on the two children's' faces and their violent protests were almost as comical as they were heartwarming, and Hestia knew that she had chosen well. These two young women would unite her family, mortal and immortal alike. And, if what she hoped came to pass, her heart would finally be whole.

"I know you have every reason to be angry with our family for what they've done, Percy, Thalia, but always remember that it is not maliciousness that drives their actions, but simple foolishness." she said gently, and held a soft and gentle hand over their mouths as they went to protest, making both girls blush involuntarily. "Please, just think about it. Now, Percy, I know you want a new name, one that will allow you to cast aside your past. Choose it now, please."

"Ah..!" the girl blinked, clearly thrown for a loop, before she frowned deeply, thinking hard. Playing with her now snow-white hair, she sighed deeply and nodded to herself. Drawing herself up, shoulders squaring, she spoke. "Riven. Riven Exilia."

When Hestia raised an eyebrow and looked at her, the girl blushed heavily and answered the unspoken question.

"Riven is the name of a character in a game I used to play, who exiled herself after her own people betrayed her. She had white hair and bronze skin, like I do now. Exilia is just meant to reflect what I am now. An exile. Forsaken."

"So be it. I name you Riven Exilia. So mote it be!" Hestia said commandingly, clapping her hands sharply, and a wave of power rolled across the area, passing through the newly named Riven, who shuddered at the feeling. After it passed, Hestia looked at the pair. "I want the pair of you to serve as my Champions of the Hearth and Family. I want to be your patron, your friend, your everything."

For some reason, the phrase "your everything" made both Riven and Thalia blush heavily once more, something they had been doing a lot since this goddess had arrived, and nodded in acceptance. After all, despite their anger and disgust with the Olympians, Hestia was no Olympian. She had sacrificed her throne for the good of her family. She was what the Olympians should aspire to be. The blush achieved epic proportions and both nearly passed out as Hestia kissed them each lightly on the lips before pulling away, giggling madly at their totally dumbstruck expressions.

"There, now you are both my Champions. Hurry, though, for my niece and her Hunters are coming this way. I'll tell you everything that being my Champions has gifted you with later." the elder goddess commanded with a bright smile before vanishing in a plume of fire.

"...you ever seen a goddess act that giggly and flirty that wasn't Aphrodite?" Riven asked slowly, and Thalia shook her head dumbly.

"...think there is more to this then we figure?"

Thalia nodded in agreement, and Riven sighed gustily.

"Hell, my life has never been simple. Why start now? Let's go, 'Lia, before the bitch and her tree-huggers catch us." she grumbled, settling her pack until it was more comfortable and setting of at a rapid pace away from Camp Half-Blood, Thalia a half-step behind her.

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"Aunt Hestia!" a familiar voice called, pulling said goddess from her day-dream of her beautiful Riven, where she crouched tending The Hearth. Honestly, Perseus had always been exactly what she would have wanted in a man, but as a young woman named Riven, she was even better. She had hoped that he would see her when he first arrived at camp, as she had watched him grow and mature into the wonderful person he was since his birth. It seemed her hopes had been fulfilled, at least in part. Now, she just had to make Riven fall in love with her, and not abandon their family...

"What is it, Artemis?" she asked calmly, well aware of her niece's reason for approaching her in such haste and distress.

"Percy has gone missing! I turned her into a girl, changed who she was so that she could live but not destroy reality, but I never got to explain what happened! Now she and Thalia have gone missing, likely run off somewhere, and no one at camp, myself, nor my Hunters can seem to find them! It's as if they vanished from the face of the earth!" her niece said, waving an arm about in agitation while the other ran through her hair. "The stupidity she had as a man must still be contaminating her mind for her to run off like this!"

"Maybe it's because you destroyed his life without asking permission first, Artemis." Hestia pointed out, rather miffed after the slight to her Champion and, though her niece didn't need to know, love interest.

"I didn't do anything but save his life! Maybe if he had waited patiently in bed instead of running off like a fool, he would know that!" Artemis growled, growing angry from her aunt's apparent lack of care about the situation.

"I warned you this would happen if you were a fool about it, Artemis!" Hestia said sharply, getting to her feet with a dark look. She resisted the urge to say anything that might give away what she knew, and instead settled for a pointed barb, one that would be expected of her in the current situation. "It appears you did not heed my warning! Your misstep may doom Olympus to my father's rule! I hope trying to get another girl into your Hunt was worth it!"

With that, the goddess of the Hearth vanished in a flash of fire, leaving a confused and steadily angering Artemis behind. Did no one understand that she had been trying to help? Did no one understand that she had done what was necessary? Sure, she had destroyed everything he knew, changed his entire being, but he was a demigod! He was supposed to adapt and improve! Stalking form the Throne Room as her concern turned to anger, she resolved to punish Percy for embarrassing her like this, making her worry! Honestly, and here Artemis was hoping that being a girl would improve the fool! Well, she would make sure it didn't happen again, that was for sure!

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Whilst Artemis was ranting to herself and trying to ignore how hurt she felt that she had driven away the one mortal who, as a woman, MIGHT be worthy of her affections ( and blaming said mortal for it, naturally), said mortal and her best friend/cousin were setting up camp some ten miles south of Long Island Sound, underneath a bridge.

"I'm glad you came with me, 'Lia." Riven said softly. Thalia stopped what she was doing and looked over at the other young woman curiously. Riven smiled at her sadly, even as tears began to run down her cheeks, and continued. "I wouldn't be able to do this without you. I wouldn't be able to get through this without you. I may be close with Annabeth, but you...ever since you were freed from the tree, you've been everything I ever wanted in a best friend. You argue with me, tell me when I'm being stupid, but you're not condescending about it. You help me instead of just insulting me. If there is anyone besides my mom that I would trust everything to, it would be you."

"I feel the same way about you. The only other person I really trust is Annabeth." Thalia replied, pulling Riven into a hug and hoping the other girl didn't see her blush. It felt...good, to know how much value Riven put in her. Thalia marveled for a moment at her ability to so easily accept her crushes new status as a woman, but immediately shrugged it off. It didn't matter. Riven had the same soul, the same personality, as Percy. She would deal with any romantic feelings for her later. Right now, her best friend needed her. That's all there was to it. Rubbing Riven's back soothingly, she held the now-sobbing girl close. "I'll always be here, Riven. You and I, we will find a way through this together. No matter what."

The pair stayed that way late into the night before falling asleep together, unaware of the fact that a trio of beings far older and more powerful than the Olympians were watching them, weighing them. By unspoken agreement, all three resolved to continue their vigil. Hopefully, these two would not be found wanting.

Through this pair of young woman, everything would change.

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Well, there you have it, the first chapter of The Exiles! Please remember that I have no beta! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, leave them in a review. If you want to encourage me, leave it in a review! If you want to flame me...leave it in your head, cause I don't care!

Shadows Of Vanity