Mother Sally

Chapter 6

Ok, this is part of a TWO SHOT!

Disclaimer: I don't own PJO.

Clarisse stormed through the streets of New York looking for a place that sold big, pink, frilly, stupid, hats. Why was she doing this? She had lost a bet to Travis and Conner Stoll. Now she had to take a picture of herself wearing the stupidest hat in New York. A few other campers had wanted to come and watch but Clarisse had put her foot down. Not only because it was REALLY embarrassing but because she planned on doing something special. She decided to do the hat thing first to get it over with.

Finally she saw a store that made her want to puke. It was full of pink, feathers, frills, lace, purple, perfume and a whole bunch of other nasty things. Swallowing the forbidding feeling, she walked in.

The blast of smells almost made her gag. The music was pounding, not the angry music that she normally pounded but really annoying music.

"Let me guess." A voice said. Clarisse turned around to find a woman, around 20 standing behind her sizing her up.

"It's either a boy or you lost a bet." She smiled sympathetically at Clarisse, who grimaced and growled.

"Lost a bet." The woman smiled.

"Good! I was going to give this great speech about, 'not changing who you are because of a boy, if he doesn't like you now then screw him' but now I don't have to! Thanks!" She held out her hand, "I'm Tammy." Clarisse shook her hand.

"Clarisse."

"Oh! A French name! Did your mother want you to turn out like me?" She was teasing but she hit a sore spot.

"All I know about my mother is that she isn't afraid to start a fight. Or drink…. A lot."

"Oh." Tammy bite her lip. Then she turned around and screamed at the top of her lungs. "BRITTNEY! TURN DOWN THAT ACCURSED KATTY PERRY! I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU SHE CAN NOT SING!"* Another girl who was typing away at her phone looked up and glared at Tammy.

"Whateves." She decided and turned down the music.

"Now," Tammy said, turning back to Clarisse. "What do you have to do?"

"What?"

"You lost a bet. What do you have to do now?"

"Oh! Right. I have to take a picture of me wearing the stupidest hat in New York, buy the hat and then put the picture up in the camp so EVERYONE can see and lose whatever fear or respect for me that they once had."

"Wow," Tammy looked impressed, "Sounds like you went against pros!"

"Yeah, pros at cheating! Í swear those Stolls never do anything remotely honest!"

"Well, I have the hat for you! BRB!" She walked away leaving Clarisse standing there looking completely confused. Clarisse couldn't stop herself from thinking that this girl kind of reminded her of Selina. She was pretty, wasn't a stuck up pig, and she seemed nice. Clarisse stop herself from thinking about Selina. Not now. She walked over to the jewelry to look at it and distract herself. She saw a large charm she stared hard at it trying to decipher the writing. Tammy came up behind her.

"That's one of my favourites!" She said. Clarisse blushed, she hated asking for help.

"Could you tell me what it says? I'm dyslexic." She managed. Tammy nodded.

"It says, 'The only way to have a friend it to be one.' Ralph Waldo Emerson said that. I have no idea who he was though." Clarisse didn't know or care. All of the sudden Clarisse noticed something terrifying in Tammy's hands.

"What. Is. That?" Clarisse asked in horror.

"This?" Tammy held it up with a smile. "Is yours." Clarisse would have groaned if her pride allowed it.

"Ok!" Tammy said brightly. "You have to look like your enjoying it, kay? Make them feel like it was a waste of time." Clarisse rolled her eyes. She unzipped her jacket revealing a black tee shirt that said 'suck it, PUNK!' Put the hat on, gave the camera to Tammy and stuck both her middle fingers up ad gave the most hard-core 'rock-star face'. It was really unlike her but she's been trying to change.

Tammy grinned as she took the picture. She handed the camera back to Clarisse, who was looking really conflicted at the moment. As she walked towards the counter to pay for the hat she also grabbed the charm. She paid and left.

"Bye Clarisse! See you around?" Tammy asked. Clarisse shrugged and waved her good-bye to the girl who brought back painful memories. As she walked the streets of New York she thought about how different it was a year ago. A year ago, they were preparing for war. They were not sure how much longer they would live. A year ago Chris was still recovering. A year ago, Clarisse was meaner, tougher and harder. A year ago, Clarisse had a best friend.

As she neared the place she remembered the day when she realised her armor had been taken and her cabin had left. The day she joined the war, the day she killed the Drakon the day her best friend died.

She reached her destination and stood. She closed her eyes and saw the monster. The one that haunted her nights. She saw her brothers and sisters fall. She saw Percy and Annabeth taking Silena's helmet off. She remembered Silena dying. Tears filled her eyes. She tried to hold them back but soon a small tear broke loose. A small sign of weakness. Somebody touched her back. She whirled around ready to fight but was met with a familiar looking woman holding a chubby, blonde, baby boy of one.

"Are you alright?" The woman asked, concerned. Clarisse stiffened.

"Yes." She answered. She wanted to wipe the tear off her face but did not. She stood tall and proud in her moment of weakness. The woman was almost a full head shorted then Clarisse but the young girl felt respect for this woman.

All of the sudden the woman looked confused. "Is that a spear on your back?" she asked quietly.

"Uh, no?" Clarisse almost asked.

"Oh, darling, don't try that on me. Are you a demigod?" Monster. Clarisse decided. Definitly a monster.

"Yes I am. Clarisse, daughter of Ares, Drakon slayer." She reached for her spear. She was hesitant to kill though because of the baby, although it was probably a monster to. The woman eyes flashed with fear but she hid it.

"That spear won't hurt me." She said, now it was Clarisse's turn to be scared.

"And why not?" She asked hotily. The woman smiled.

"I'm a clear sighted mortal." She held out her hand while balancing the baby on her hip. "I think I recognize your name. Do you know my son, Percy Jackson?" Clarisse gasped. This was the mother of the most powerful demigod in… well, a long time! But as a demigod, you learn not to trust very easily.

"Are you really?" She asked carefully. The woman nodded.

"Sally Jackson at your service!" Clarisse looked at the baby.

"Percy never said he had a little brother." Sally also looked at the baby with love.

"Oh, I'm just babysitting. This little guy doesn't belong to me." The baby grinned, laid his head on Sally shoulder, put his fist in his eye and peaked out at Clarisse. Even Clarisse, the most feared warrior at camp had to smile back.

"Why don't you come back to my house for something to eat?" Sally asked. Clarisse shrugged. If she was a monster then Clarisse was sure that she could take her on her own. And maybe she would get some food to. Couldn't hurt! So they walked. Sally chatting and Clarisse making faces back and forth with the baby. Who's name she learned was Eli.

The baby confused her She had never seen anything so helpless yet so full of courage. They came upon a dog so huge that Clarisse thought it was a hellhound! The child, instead of screaming and crying, reached over Sally's shoulders to try and pet it, laughing all the way.

Soon, they reached Sally's apartment. Sally opened up the door, set the baby down and said,

"Make yourself at home Clarisse!" She said brightly. Clarisse was on edge, this woman was too nice to be human. Clarisse followed the baby into the living room, the baby on all fours spitting and drooling everywhere. Clarisse once again thought how cute he was. Sally walked in with two plates of cassorole and placed them on the coffee table. She stood with her hands on her hips looking at Eli in a mocking way.

"Eli, you silly baby! You know how to walk!" She picked him up by his armpits and placed him on his feet. He gave Clarisse a wide grin showing off his teeth. He held out his arms and walked, or stumbled might be a better word, towards Clarisse. She was unsure what to do so she slid to the ground and held out her arms. He walked righted into them without hesitation. He wrapped his cubby baby arms around Clarisse's neck and made baby sounds into her hair.

Clarisse was shocked. Most children cryed or hid behined their mothers when she approched. This was an entirly new feeling for her. To have a small person not be afried of her. Her was at ease and wanted her. She kind of liked it. Eli turned around and sat down on her. Sally smiled at them.

"Awe! He likes you! That's adorable! It took him weeks to get used to me!" She cooed. She handed clarisse her plate of food, Eli tried to put his hands in it but Clarisse grapped them, kissed them and kept them out. She was fairly certain that something so sweet and inicent was not a monster. The phone rang making Clarisse jump. Sally answered it. Claisse didn't listen, instead she played with Eli on the floor. He was trying to jump but ended on his butt every time.

"Claisse?" Sally whispered ergently. Clarisse looked up.

"Yeah?"

"Could you watch Eli for a little bit? Like, 20 minutes tops?" Huh… a callenge.

"Sure." Clarisse shrugged. How hard could it be?

Sally looked relieved.

"Oh! Thank you so much! It'll be really quick! If you need anything, no wait, you can't call. Um…. Ok, the girl next door will be able to help you with anything! I'll tell her I'm leaving. I'll call Eli's mother to make sure its ok. Are you sure you can do this?" She looked worried.

Clarisse shrugged again.

"Yeah, sure. No sweat. Um, where are yo going?" She asked. Just to be safe. Sally rolled her eyes.

"Some children of Hermes got arrested and they called me."

"HA!" Clarisse yelled. "Serves them right! The fates do care about me!"

Sally smiled, said good-bye and left Clarisse alone with the baby.

Part one DONE! Yay!

*no offence to Katy Perry fans… I can't stand her singing, I've never met her so I can't say anyting about her as a person.

Someone asked if they could use the 'laptop line from chapter 4'. Yes, yes you can.

THOUGHTS ON THE MARK OF ATHENA!

I, personally, thought it was boring. It just seemed like 'monsterattackmonsterattack random fear, monster attack monster attack, dream about monster attack. Fear.' Don't get me wrong, I couldn't put it down. But I just needed to read the end cuz there's so much hype about it.

I liked the end when Annabeth was on her own, and when Percy and Jason were fighting the giants.

I didn't like Frank or Piper's charecters or how RR made all the gods and other heroes 'bad guys.'

And frankly, there wasn't enough Persabeth :P haha! There should have been more roman/greek too. I always pictured Percy and Jason not liking each other either...

I did really like the ending though. I don't like books that could end where they end. There does need to be something to get people to read the next one. Granted, I would have perfered The House Of Hades to be sitting next to me the second I finished.

Please don't flame, I just put out what I didn't like about it. What did everyone else think?