Editors: Bekah Caden and Annie LaHue

Released: 17 February 2019

Content warning: implied assault, abuse, trauma, manipulation, stalking

Artemis sighs in front of her bathroom mirror. She muses on how looking out for Persephone seems a lot harder than she initially thought. Her phone rings, and the words “DUMB BROTHER” flashes on the screen.

Apollo is pleased. He eagerly asks, “Really?” before he changes his tone in mock-concern. He then tells Artemis that maybe Hestia has the right to be angry, and further manipulates Artemis by telling her he thinksPersephone is not taking her duties very seriously. Artemis didn’t say anything.

Apollo, her brother, asks if she’s alright. She tells him she got chewed out by Hestia yesterday and that Hestia confiscated Persephone’s fur coat because of the tabloid.

Apollo went on, and told her that as he was driving by her house yesterday, he saw Hades and Persephone together. Apollo claims that they were completely all over each other and there is a dramatic reenactment of the events that transpired.

Artemis defends Persephone and states that she is simply friendly by nature. But her expression is skeptical. Apollo pressed on, and asked her if she’s sure. He said that he’s simply not trying to upset her, he just doesn’t want to see his sister getting taken advantage of.

“I know you think he’s super fancy or whatever. But you need to face the facts. Those Kings are all the same, they chew you up and spit you out.”

Artemis

Meanwhile, Hermes is standing outside the front door and is practicing how to ask Persephone to go to work with him. Persephone soon greets him and his eyes sparkle at the sight of her. He tells her since they both have work in the afternoon, they could go together. Persephone says that it would be great, and she invites Hermes in. Hermes beams.

Persephone tells Hermes that she just needs to finish getting ready and that she hopes he doesn’t mind waiting. They go into her bedroom. As they are talking, Artemis walks by Persephone’s room, still mulling over what Apollo has said. She sees Hermes in Persephone’s bedroom and yells. Confused, Persephone asks what’s happening, as she’s in the middle of undressing. She waves her hand dismissively and tells Artemis that it’s fine, since Hermes has already seen her naked a bunch of times. 

A flashback in the Mortal Realm reveals Hermes and Persephone skinny dipping together, unbeknownst to Demeter, who simply thinks her lovely child is having a bath alone.

Presently, Hermes confirms it all for Artemis. They both send her a grin, but Artemis has her arms crossed in front of her. She sternly tells Hermes to wait out front and Hermes complies.

Persephone and Artemis have an argument. Artemis tells her that she can’t just invite guys over whenever she feels like it, because there are rules. Reluctantly, Persephone says that since her brother, Apollo, is around the house all the time, she assumed that it’s one of those rules that is not really a rule. Artemis narrows her eyes and starts to bring up Hades. Artemis tells her that while Persephone thinks Hades is super fancy, the facts are that the Kings are “all the same, they chew you up and spit you out.” Persephone tries to defend Hades but Artemis goes on. Persephone tries to tell her again that she has nothing to worry about.

Artemis says that she knows Persephone was on the phone with Hades for over four hours the other night. And now, by “some coincidence” she has a job in the Underworld. Artemis tells Persephone that she’s sticking her neck out for her, but lately she feels that she’s not taking the arrangement quite seriously, echoing Apollo’s words.

Hurt, Persephone says that she is not sure what Artemis is trying to say and asks where all this is coming from. Artemis replies that Apollo said he saw her and Hades together and that they “were looking pretty chummy.” Persephone visibly stiffens. Her mouth opens slightly. Red thorns are slowly coming out of her hair. She repeats Apollo’s words back to Artemis and air-quotes them. Artemis tells her to not be upset and that Apollo is just looking out for her.

More vines surround Persephone’s hair and there were slight tears on the corners of her eyes as she raises her finger and tells Artemis, “You know what, let me tell you something about your brother.”

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