by Joan Holub
“Perfect. That’s what it would be.”
Amphitrite just stared at her sister, hardly able to believe that she was willing to give up such an amazing opportunity. Then she shook her head again, her hair swirling in the water this way and that. “No, it’s too big a sacrifice. You should go. You’re the one they want. And you could win, too. But me? I wouldn’t have a chance. I’d let down everyone in the mer community.”
“I’m telling you, I don’t want to go!” Thetis insisted. “You’ll be doing me a huge favor. Honest. Plus, you’re wrong about your chances.”
Hope rose in Amphitrite once again. This was her opportunity to have a real adventure, not just read about them. And Thetis wanted her to go. “Um, well, I . . . are you sure?”
Suddenly, something large came barreling through Undersea toward the shipwreck. “Alert! Hide, students!” Ms. Siren shouted in alarm, probably fearing it might be a shark or a dangerous octopus. However, it was zipping through the water much too fast to be either. Before anyone could make a move, it arrived. Parking itself in the middle of the wreck, the large thing gazed around at the students, eyeing them uncertainly.
“It’s a hippocampus!” someone shouted. Sure enough, the creature had the head of a horse, two front hooves, and a flowing mane. But its back half ended in a serpentine fish tail covered with green scales.
“Transportation to the Temple at Delphi!” it whinnied, in explanation for its presence.
“Over here!” called Thetis. Quickly she explained to everyone, including Ms. Siren, that Amphitrite had been invited to the games. Amongst their cheers, Amphitrite found herself practically dragged over to the hippocampus.
“Hop on,” Thetis urged. When Amphitrite still hesitated, her twin and some of their friends gave her a boost. Two seconds later, she found herself sitting sidesaddle on the hippocampus’s back, with her tail draped over to one side.
The whole class followed Amphitrite and the hippocampus up to the surface of the sea. Once she and her magical mount broke through the water, they all said the chant that would allow a mermaid’s tail to shift to legs.
“Legs from tail. Feet from fin.
Sea to Land. Change . . . begin!”
Nothing happened, of course. How embarrassing! It seemed that in their excitement they’d all forgotten she couldn’t shape-shift. An uncomfortable silence fell as they remembered.
But then all of a sudden, Amphitrite’s tail did a weird wobbly shiver. She straightened in her seat, her fingers tightening in the hippocampus’s mane. “Something’s changing,” she trilled. “I think I’m getting . . . legs?”
Treading water nearby, Thetis gasped and clapped her hands, her ponytail bobbing in her excitement. “You’re shifting, aren’t you? For the very first time, you’re shifting! It’s a sign!”
“A sign? What kind of sign?”
Thetis leaned closer and looked her in the eyes. “That we’re doing the right thing,” she whispered. With that, she gave the hippocampus a push and backed away.
And before she could say “hold your seahorses!” Amphitrite was off to the games, riding across the Aegean Sea! In aquatic creatures class she’d learned that seahorses grew up to be hippocampi like her mount. Although they were fish, seahorses were not great swimmers. They beat their fins quickly (about fifty times a second), but nevertheless couldn’t travel very fast. In fact, they usually held on to the same coral or seaweed for days before moving on.
This hippocampus, however, raced like the wind, plowing westward across the water’s surface. Eventually, Amphitrite spotted inlets ahead where colorful fishing boats were docked. Would her mount gallop on its front legs once they reach shore? No! As they approached land, the hippocampus magically sprouted wings! It flew her over a vast island, then over a gulf where seagulls kept pace with them for a while. She’d never seen the seas from so high overhead. How bright they were, and how blue!
Next they flew above villages with white columned buildings and fountained courtyards. Low stone walls crisscrossed the countryside beyond, turning it into a patchwork quilt of greens and browns. There were forests and hills, and even a volcano. Things she’d only read about till now. She’d studied enough maps in land geology class to know they were soaring over mainland Greece, heading for the city of Delphi. And surely her dreams of traveling were only just beginning, for the Temple Games would likely take her many other places as well!
When day turned to night, Amphitrite slept with her arms wrapped around the neck of her mount, finally waking at dawn. The farther they flew and the more sights she saw, the more excited she became, and the more certain that she was meant to take Thetis’s place at the games.
After all, she’d shifted! Looking down, she reassured herself it was still true. That the cute golden chiton she was now wearing hadn’t changed back into a tail. That she had legs! Thetis was right. It had to be a sign that she was doing the right thing.
She tugged her skirt so she could switch to riding astride, her thoughts moving as fast as her mount. In Delphi she could make a fresh start, since no one knew her there. She’d call herself Thetis and become the new, adventurous, amazing, shape-shifting girl she’d always wanted to be!
Finally, the winged hippocampus landed at the bottom of a long path. There was a sign posted to one side of the path that read: Sacred Way to the Delphi Temple. Looking up ahead, she could see that the path wound up a hill. At the top, a crowd of kids about her age had gathered around some white buildings. One of them had to be the temple. And the kids must be the other contestants in the games, she thought excitedly.
“Thanks for the ride,” she told the hippocampus. Then she hopped off it. And promptly crumpled to the ground. In all her dreams of having legs and walking on land, she’d never imagined this happening!
Oh, dribbles! As Amphitrite picked herself up and started uphill, she hoped no one had witnessed her tumble. She’d always imagined herself moving across land effortlessly, like she’d seen her sisters and mortals onshore do. The truth of the matter was that walking was hard! You had to think about where to place your every step or you’d topple over.
Out of the sea, her balance was totally out of whack. But maybe her walking ability would improve with practice. Putting one unsteady bare foot in front of the other, she continued up the path.
Near the top, she met a goddessgirl with long glossy red hair. There were daisies tucked in it here and there.
“Hi. I’m Persephone, the goddess of growing things,” she told Amphitrite. “Aphrodite and I are helping to register newly arrived team members.” She looked down at the clipboard she was holding. “And you are?”
“I’m Amphit—” Oops! Amphitrite caught herself just in time. “Sorry, I mean, um . . . I’m Thetis. Thetis Of-the-Sea.”
Persephone put a little check mark on her clipboard, and then waved her onward to the temple. “Welcome to the Temple Games, Thetis!”
4
The Gathering
Poseidon
IT WAS TUESDAY MORNING, AND all the Temple Games teams were gathering at Delphi for final instructions. Poseidon, along with his teammates Hades, Pandora, and Delphinius, had just arrived, when a girl called out to him. “Poseidon?”
He turned toward her, raising his eyebrows in question. She was standing a few feet away, looking at him uncertainly. Her eyes dropped to his chest, studying the ribbons and pins he’d fastened to his tunic—favors sent to him by mortals for luck—then she looked back at his face.
Shoving her long turquoise hair behind her ears with both hands, she cleared her throat. “Hi,” she said. Then, with her hands clenched against the sides of her gold scalloped chiton, she took a wobbly step forward. Now that she was a little closer, he noticed that her eyes were almost the same turquoise color as his own. And she was barefoot.
“I’m Amph—, um, I mean, I’m Thetis. Persephone told me I’m on your team,” she announced.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Poseidon replied.
Before
he could go on, a rainbow shot across the sky. His eyes lifted to see another team captain—the goddessgirl Iris—come sliding down it to land in the temple courtyard. She and her MOA teammates, Antheia (goddess of flowered wreaths) and Hephaestus (godboy of blacksmithing) arrived behind her via the colorful arc too. As the goddessgirl of rainbows, Iris could magically create them in all sorts of amazing shapes and sizes, and also use them as travel devices.
“So . . . um . . . what happens next?” the turquoise-haired Thetis asked, drawing Poseidon’s attention again. When he turned his gaze back to her, she giggled a little, making a bubbly sound.
He frowned. “Something funny?” he asked, even though he’d already guessed she was just nervous.
“No,” she replied, but a cloudy look came into her face.
Poseidon knew he was being kind of mean to her, but he was mega stressed out. His team would be facing stiff competition. And although he’d known it was unlikely, he’d been kind of hoping she wouldn’t show. Then he could have chosen an alternate.
Finally, he said to her, “Once the teams are all here, we’ll be given a clue as to the location of our first challenge in the games.”
“Fizzy!” Thetis exclaimed, brightening. “I can hardly wait to get started!”
Poseidon raised his eyebrows again. He hadn’t forgotten what that Oracle-O fortune cookie had predicted yesterday at dinner. That this Thetis girl might outshine him. Humph! She’d better not try. He was going to be the victor in these games. Her role, like that of the other members of his team, was to support him. To make sure he earned himself a fabulous temple to rival those his friends already had. Because that was the grand prize that would go to the captain of whichever team won.
Seeing Pandora nearby, he called her over. “Pandora? This is Thetis, a Nereid from the Aegean Sea,” he told her. “She’s on our team. Introduce her to the guys, will you? Then show her where the winged sandals are. We might need to do some flying soon.”
At this, Thetis put one foot atop the other, like she wanted to hide her bare feet. When she almost fell over, she quickly planted both feet firmly on the ground again.
“Aye-aye, Captain?” said Pandora, giving him a mock salute in answer to his order. That girl could make anything into a question, but at least she seemed to understand clearly that he was in charge of their team.
Pandora smiled at Thetis. “So you’re a mergirl? How cool is that?” Before the girl could reply, Pandora added, “I’m so excited about the games, aren’t you? Hey, want to meet Delphinius and Hades?”
Poseidon couldn’t help grinning. With her endless questions, Pandora would help keep Thetis out of his hair. While his team members got acquainted, he carefully noted who was on the other teams as they landed and assembled.
Ares’ team arrived by chariot. His two MOA members were the squinty-eyed Makhai and a burly godboy named Kydoimos, both of whom had been known to cheat if there was anything to be gained by it. It was a mystery why Zeus had chosen them for this competition. They were Ares’ friends, of course. Also, rumor had it they’d been trying to mend their ways lately, so maybe putting them in the games was intended to be some kind of encouragement or reward.
Ares’ two non-MOA members included an exotic goddessgirl with kohl-lined eyes whose name he couldn’t quite recall. And his sister Eris, too—a surprising choice, since Ares didn’t get along with her. However, come to think of it, his sister might actually be a smart choice. Since she was the goddess of discord, she could help him by starting arguments among the other teams.
“We’ll have to be on guard against Ares’ sister causing trouble among us,” he noted in a murmur to himself. Feeling the need for some kind of action, he pulled out a pumice stone and began using it to sharpen the prongs of his trident. It was a mindless, soothing task that would still allow him to concentrate on the other teams.
“Yeah. She’s good at that,” said Hades, overhearing. “Remember how she even had Athena and Aphrodite at each other’s throats for a while after Ares’ last birthday? And those two are usually like that.” He held up a hand with his forefinger and middle finger tightly crossed.
Poseidon nodded. “True. I know I’ve seen his fourth before, but I can’t remember her name.”
Pandora looked over. “That’s Isis, Aphrodite’s goddess friend from Egypt, remember? She came to MOA during the girls’ Olympics?”
“Oh yeah,” said Poseidon, recognizing her now. As he watched, Aphrodite ran over and hugged the Egyptian girl. Both of them were astoundingly beautiful. They hadn’t always been friends, though. There had been a contest between them a while back to decide which was the true goddess of love and beauty. Probably a good thing it had been declared a tie, or they might never have become what girls were always calling each other: BFFs, as in Best Friends Forever.
Hades looked around as if raring to get this contest started. “A beauty queen like Isis is an unexpected choice,” he commented.
“Or maybe it’s genius,” said Poseidon.
“Why’s that?” Thetis asked. Her feet were planted wide now, as if she was halfway through a jumping jack. Or bracing against a strong wind.
“I bet I know!” blurted Pandora. “Ares must think teams will be sent to an Egyptian temple at some point during the games? One where Isis’s knowledge will be helpful?”
Poseidon stopped sharpening his trident and put a fingertip to his nose to indicate she’d hit it right on the nose. “Exactly my thought.” He wished it had occurred to him to invite Isis first, though. Instead of Thetis. Winning the Temple Games would not only require skill and strength, but careful strategy as well. As the godboy of war, Ares had all three going for him.
“C’mon, want to go meet some of the others?” Pandora grabbed Thetis’s hand and started across the temple courtyard, heading toward Athena’s team.
Of all the teams, Poseidon figured Athena’s would be hardest to beat. The brainiest goddessgirl at MOA, she’d always been his number one competition. It still rankled that her olive, which could be used for oil as well as food, had beat out his water park in an inventions contest when she’d first come to MOA. That had resulted in the Greeks naming their newest, biggest city after her instead of him. Athens instead of Poseidonville.
Since Heracles was on her team, they had brains and brawn going for them. Her other team members included the godboy Dionysus and goddessgirls named Panacea and Harmonia.
Poseidon frowned as he noticed something. Halfway across the courtyard, his newest team member was limping. “Thetis, wait up!” he called to her. But Pandora had her firmly by the hand and they kept going. “Thetis!” he called again. Tucking his pumice stone back in the pocket of his tunic, he hurried after them. When he finally caught up, both girls paused.
“Didn’t you hear me call your name?” he asked Thetis.
She let go of Pandora’s hand. “Um, sorry, no,” she said. Her eyes shifted away, then back to him, like she had some secret. She was probably just nervous, he reminded himself.
He gestured toward her legs. “You’re limping.”
“Oh? Are you hurt?” Pandora asked her worriedly.
“I’m fine,” Thetis said quickly. “Just getting my land legs, that’s all. You know how it is. I’m a mermaid. Always swimming. Takes a while to adjust to walking.” She laughed her bubbly laugh again.
“If you say so,” Poseidon said with a scowl. He couldn’t have her holding back the team by being unable to keep up. That would be as bad as her trying to take over and outshine him as leader!
Pandora tugged at Thetis’s arm. “C’mon, then. Ready to go meet everyone else?”
“Sure,” said Thetis. Before she was towed away, she surprised him with a quick grin that sent sparkles into her eyes. “Guess we’ll see you later, Captain,” she told him.
He was still staring after Thetis when Hades and Delphinius came over to him. “Apollo just got here,” Hades announced, pointing across the courtyard.
“He brought his bow a
nd golden arrows,” Delphinius observed. Then he added in a confident tone, “But even with magic arrows, he won’t be a threat to our team.”
That was one of the great things Poseidon remembered about his loyal childhood friend. Delphinius was always ready with an encouraging word and had his back when things got tough.
His comments started a discussion among the three boys about the perceived strengths and weaknesses of Apollo’s team members. An excellent archer himself, Apollo had chosen two others skilled in the sport—the godboy Eros and a mortal named Actaeon (who was also his sister’s crush). Rounding out his team was a half-boy, half-horse MOA student named Centaur and a Titan named Epimetheus (who was Pandora’s crush).
“I’m surprised Apollo didn’t invite Cassandra,” Poseidon noted. “With their combined gifts of prophecy, they’d have a real edge at winning the games.” Plus, everyone knew she was Apollo’s crush.
“Didn’t you read the contest rules Ms. Hydra drew up?” a girl’s voice interrupted. Pheme had flitted over, her wings so soundless no one had noticed her approach. “They specifically say that magical prophecy is forbidden. So Apollo can’t use his gift to learn what’s coming up, and he wasn’t allowed to invite Cassandra.” As usual, her words puffed from her lips, written in cloud letters that hung over their heads for anyone to read.
“Uh, thanks,” said Poseidon. “Well, see you.” He nudged Delphinius with an elbow and shot Hades a look that said they’d better move along. They didn’t need Pheme broadcasting their speculations about the other teams.
Just then, strong winds suddenly swept the temple courtyard. Hearing shrieks of laughter, Poseidon looked over to see a group of girls that included Persephone, Aphrodite, Panacea, Harmonia, Medusa, Pandora, and Thetis. They were all trying to smooth their hair (or snakes, in Medusa’s case) and hold onto their skirts as the wind kept gusting. Thetis was wearing winged sandals now, he noticed.
“What in the Underworld? Where’s that wind coming from?” asked Hades, looking around in surprise.