{1} 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐒𝐄𝐘𝐄 | p.jackson

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺-𝘰𝘯𝘦

| chapter twenty-one |

in which percy finds yet another weird but effective way to fight

THAT NIGHT, AFTER DINNER, Nia went straight to Cabin Eight and started packing for the quest. She took care of the essentials first — change of clothes, mortal and immortal money, snacks and water, etc. 

Then Nia looked over at her desk and her eye caught on a small picture of her and her mother — her mortal one. The photo was of the two of them at the local diner near their old apartment building, with the two of them eating burgers, fries, and Cherry Cokes and smiling brightly. It was taken on a rare Saturday afternoon where Nia's mother didn't have to go to work, so they were able to spend the day together.

Nia had probably been around five years old and was missing her two front teeth ( she probably shouldn't have been drinking soda at five years old, but whatever ). Her mother had an arm wrapped around her, beaming at the camera.

Nia looked at the photo sadly. It was from a different time, in another world. How could Artemis possibly expect her to go and see her? After what she said to a literal seven-year-old. 

But, from the visions that she had gotten from Artemis of Diana. . . It sounded like she missed her. Now that she really thought about it, it was like what her mother had said all those years ago. . . wasn't really her.

Nia rubbed her temples. This was the absolute last thing that she needed to be thinking about. She should turn away from the photo before she gave herself any more grief.

But despite her own thoughts, Nia quickly and gently tucked the photo inside her hunting bag next to the small slip of paper that had her mother's new address written in neat print.

"Alright," Nia muttered to herself, closing the flaps of Moonbeam, "anything else important?"

Naomi also stopped by the cabin to hug Nia tightly and wish her luck on the quest. Nia asked the daughter of Poseidon why she wasn't more upset about not going on the quest, but Naomi just shrugged.

"I think that I need to stay and help Nico adjust," Naomi had said. "We're really good friends now and I wanna help him out."

"Damn," Nia had looked at Naomi in surprise. "Maybe you really are growing up."

To that, Noami had rolled her eyes slightly before leaving the cabin. "Shut up."

After tying up a few more loose ends, Nia decided to turn in early for the night, but, of course, it was one filled with bad dreams.