Percy Jackson: The Wolf Curse

Chapter 26: Why Sally Jackson?

[Artemis POV:]

We had just arrived back at Sally's apartment. During our travels I had time to think about all that had happened and actually let my mind process it. If only I had half of my sister's mind speed, intelligence or whatever you call it.

Anyway I realised one key thing. Percy and Sally were extremely alike, even more so now her identity as Demeter has been exposed to me. The fact he prefers to sleep among the trees; his obsession with a particular food (I never understood Demeter's cereal craving), his almost nature-like care for those around him And most importantly they both hid their identities from everyone to have a peaceful life.. and I'm the one to have discovered and broken that peace for both of them.... Let's not think about that for now!

"Artemis? Hello? You've been staring at the glass of water like it's going to explode and I'm afraid that only happens when Perce is here" sometimes I forget Percy even has power over water; he has barely used it over the years opting to use his wolfish features instead.

"Perce? Is he here?!?" Asked a voice I had yet to put a face to. Aka more complications.

"Honey? Back already? Oh right half day I forgot.." said Paul to whom I assume is their daughter.. How did she bypass the ancient laws if she's Demeter?

"Yeah it's the Summer holidays now!" I can't wait to be in 5th grade! I'm gonna learn a lot!" With that attitude you'd think she was a child of Athena.. though Percy did say Paul was a teacher.

"Oh I started the botn- bote- botany group!" Ah there's the Demeter side. .

"De- Sally could we speak? I have questions I need answered" I can't sit here silently anymore. Paul led Estelle to the kitchen listening to her ramble on about how fun her last day of school was, completely ignoring my presence. I took note of a slight lisp or speech impairment in her voice. Probably why she stuttered before.

"Erm sure Artemis, let's head to my room to speak.. kids put the TV on, Estelle will tell you how to use it when she realises you're actually here" oblivious like her brother.. check. Huh, technically Estelle is their aunt.

"Okay grandma! Don't worry dad told us all about tv! I've always wanted to try using one, and I watched it before dad found me" Aria replied

"Of course he did... Just be careful. I just replaced that last month" I could hear the motherly fatigue in the sigh that followed. They turned the tv on, and began watching some moving drawings? Of a cat chasing a mouse. It did seem amusing though.

We moved to Sally's bedroom, and closed the door behind us to prevent eavesdropping from the little ones.

"Ok Artemis, ask away, I will answer anything I can" and suddenly I have no idea where to start.. Right, just ask the obvious. how.

"How did you do this?" she looked thoughtful for a few seconds before replying. What I wasn't expecting was a life story in reply.

"It all started out when Hades fathered a demigod child known as Bianca, I was furious at first I thought he had cheated on her. Once her time with me came around the following month I had an argument with her about it; a bad one. She was defending him and I was ready to make him a true resident of the underworld. Afterwards she left for the underworld early and told me she wouldn't return back to me for the next year or until I earnestly apologised to him; we did patch things up soon enough though, but at the time I had half a mind to let the world starve again.. I didn't want to deal with the council again so I decided to busy myself with something, anything. So I had the grand Idea of becoming mortal for a year, starting as a young adult just to see how they keep happy with such.. Constraints on their existence. I went in almost empty with only enough money to roof myself for a month and feed myself for it. I did a spot of decorating going to the local flora shop.. That's where it truly started. I saw the people there loving and caring for the plants and each other no care for status or power, just a love for what they were doing. I was going to apply but they had no positions open so I applied for the shop next door, a sweet shop and holy Hera were the sweets good.