by Holub, Joan
“Don’t worry,” said one of them. “Your dad won’t love you any less just because he’s getting married.”
“Don’t be afraid to talk your feelings over with him,” said another one.
Were they crazy? Maybe they’d never met Zeus. He’d never struck Medusa as a let’s-talk-about-our-feelings kind of guy. And if Athena was afraid that her dad would love her less once he married Hera, well, that seemed a reasonable fear to Medusa. After all, her parents only had enough love for her two sisters. She almost felt sorry for Athena. The advice the Gray Ladies were giving her was just as useless as the advice she’d been given.
When the doorknob turned unexpectedly, Medusa shot to a chair in one leap. Grabbing a scrollazine from the table, she tried to pretend she’d been sitting there all along instead of eavesdropping. “Ready to go?” she asked innocently when Athena appeared.
Athena nodded. Stepping outside, both girls freed the silver wings on their sandals and clasped hands. As the sandal wings began to flap, Medusa realized she’d forgotten to use the black ribbon to tie their wrists together. The tall lump-lady’s words of advice floated into her mind: “Don’t be afraid to trust.” Well, maybe she’d try it, just this once.
Soon the girls were speeding back toward Mount Olympus Academy. Now and then Medusa sneaked peeks at Athena, trying to judge her mood, and hoping she hadn’t been wrong to trust her.
“So do you think Hera will be a good stepmom?” she asked curiously after a while.
“I hope so,” Athena said. If she’d guessed that Medusa had overheard what the Gray Ladies advised, she didn’t say so.
“I think she’ll be a lot better than some real moms I know, believe me,” Medusa said. “And she seems to like you okay. I mean, her face softens when she looks at you.” She wasn’t trying to be nice. She was only telling the truth.
“Really?” asked Athena, glancing over at her.
“Yeah, trust me,” said Medusa.
“Actually, I do,” said Athena, sounding a little surprised by the fact. “One good thing about you is that you never act fake-nice. So if you say something nice, I always know you mean it.” After a pause she added. “Thanks.”
Athena was thanking her? Medusa couldn’t believe it. A warm feeling spread through her. It was a feeling that she usually got only when she was cuddling her snakes.
“Uh-huh,” she mumbled. She so rarely got any praise that she wasn’t quite sure how to react. The rest of the way back to MOA the girls chatted about those crazy haystack counselors, and the upcoming wedding, too. The time flew so quickly and Medusa was enjoying herself so much that she was kind of sorry when they landed in the courtyard.
Aphrodite, Persephone, and Artemis jumped up from the front steps of the school and waved to Athena. Had they been sitting there waiting for her the whole time she’d been gone? “See you later,” Athena told Medusa, letting go of her hand. Then she zoomed off to be with her real friends.
“Bye,” Medusa murmured under her breath. She felt a little hurt, even though she knew Athena wasn’t being mean. It was just that for a while there she’d felt like she and Athena were friends too. Wouldn’t it be great if they really were? Don’t be stupid, she chided herself as she entered the Academy, climbed the marble stairs, and went to her room alone. Talk about an unrealistic dream!
Of course, little Andromeda’s unrealistic dream had come true since Dionysus had made her a bridesmaid. But so far Medusa’s dreams had only led to disappointment. Even so, there was one dream she refused to let go of—the Immortalizer necklace.
Unfortunately, over the next few days it failed to appear. As she waited for it to come, she continued to go to the gym each morning to faithfully swim her practice laps. And in Hero-ology she tried to make amends with her kindergarten buddy. However, Andromeda wasn’t willing to forgive her so fast.
“Want to pet my snakes again?” Medusa offered on Tuesday. Andromeda looked like she wanted to, but then shrugged and shook her head no. On Wednesday Medusa suggested that they draw together, but her buddy was having none of it. By Thursday Medusa was almost ready to give up on the girl.
Don’t be afraid to make friends, she remembered one of the Gray Ladies saying. Ha! You couldn’t force someone to be your friend. Especially not a stubborn five-year-old!
9
Snake Face
THUMP!
Medusa sat up in her bed and stared toward the open window, where the sudden sound had come from. There was something lying on her floor, just below the window-sill. A package! Had one of the magic winds brought the long-awaited necklace at last? By now it was Friday morning, almost a whole week since she’d ordered it.
She leaped out of bed and ran over. Plopping down on the floor in her sea-green pj’s, she ripped the small box open. Yes! Inside was the Immortalizer. She gazed at it, dazzled by the delicate gold chain and dangly winged-horse charm. It was even more beautiful than the picture in the Teen Scrollazine ad!
Her hands trembled with excitement as she clasped it around her neck. Breathlessly she waited to turn into a goddessgirl. And waited. Hmm. She didn’t feel any different. After a minute she dug around in the packaging for directions but couldn’t find any. How did this thing work anyway?
Hey, maybe it had already made her immortal and she just didn’t know it! Medusa jumped up and went over to her desk to test her magic powers. Pointing a finger at her red Hero-ology textscroll, she made a swirling motion. “Arise, scroll! And dance in the air!”
Nothing happened. Then she remembered that magic chants worked best when they rhymed. She tried again:
“Arise, scroll! And dance in the air.
For I am the girl with the snaky hair!”
It wasn’t the best magical spell ever, but maybe it would work. Or not, she thought after a minute passed. After another minute went by and the scroll still hadn’t budged, her shoulders drooped in disappointment.
Her skin hadn’t begun to glitter softly as that of immortals did either. Reaching up, she stroked her snakes. “What do you think, guys? Is this necklace just a piece of junk?” Twister and Slinky gently looped themselves around her neck as if to say that even if the Immortalizer was a dud, Medusa still had them, and they’d gladly volunteer to be her necklace.
“Thanks, guys,” she said. “At least I can trust you to be there for me.” She found the snake snack sack and tossed some dried peas into the air. All twelve reptiles eagerly snapped up their breakfast.
But so much for trusting in other stuff like those dumb counselors had advised her to do, she mused grumpily. She’d trusted that the necklace would really work, but it looked like this would turn out to be just one more doomed dream. She reached behind her neck to unclasp the necklace, then stopped.
Was she giving up too soon? What if the Immortalizer just took a while to have an effect? She had nothing to lose by continuing to wear it, right? It was pretty, after all.
As she changed out of her pj’s, she willed the necklace to begin working by tomorrow morning. Because that’s when Poseidon’s contest was scheduled. With immortals in the race, she’d need the extra boost that magic could provide. Not only that, but Principal Zeus’s wedding was only two days away! If the necklace started working right, she could create a thunderbolt holder for him that was even better than the one she’d seen in the Immortal Marketplace.
The necklace just couldn’t fail her!
As Medusa slipped a chiton over her head, she imagined Principal Zeus gazing at her amazing thunderbolt holder gift with wonder in his eyes. She pictured him turning to her. You’re the greatest mortal to ever live, he’d declare. If anyone deserves immortality, it’s you. And then . . . She glanced at her Queen of Mean comic-scroll, wishing she had time to draw the whole scene.
But as she slipped on her sandals, the first lyrebell sounded. Oh, no! Class would be starting soon. No time for swim practice. She grabbed her textscroll and a breakfast power bar, then dashed downstairs to Hero-ology.
The mi
nute she walked into class, she spotted Andromeda sitting across the room. Since all the guests would leave after the wedding, this was the last morning their kindergarten buddies would spend with them. Andromeda was so busy looking at the glittery pink princess storyscroll she held that she didn’t even notice when Medusa came up to her. If she had, she probably would’ve run away. The girl really knew how to hold a grudge!
Medusa reached up and touched her winged-horse charm, moving it back and forth along the chain that held it. Deciding to test it again, she softly chanted a magic spell:
“Before this class comes to an end,
Make Andromeda be my friend!”
Instantly Andromeda glanced up from her story-scroll, her dark eyes going to the necklace. “Ooh! A pony. Can I see?” she asked, leaning closer.
She sounded so friendly. Maybe the Immortalizer really was starting to work! Medusa sat so the little girl could hold the charm and inspect it. There was a single name stamped into the metal on the back of the charm that she hadn’t noticed until Andromeda turned it over. Medusa read it aloud. “Pegasus.”
As in Pegasus, the winged horse? she wondered. He was one of the most popular fantastic creatures they’d ever studied in Beast-ology class. However, he’d been missing for so long that their teacher, Mr. Ladon, said he’d been reclassified as a myth or legend.
Andromeda quickly began spinning adventure stories about the horse, and Medusa joined in. Soon they were chatting away like friends, just as they had that first day. The change had happened so fast that surely it had to be magic. The necklace must be working, at least a little!
Pointing to the charm, Andromeda spoke to someone standing behind Medusa. “Look, Dionysus! A pony named Pegasus. Isn’t he pretty?”
Medusa glanced up at the godboy.
“Yes, very pretty.” He smiled down at Medusa, and her heart skipped a beat. For a second she’d thought he meant she was pretty. But of course he’d been referring to her Pegasus charm. He’d probably only smiled at her because he liked that she was getting along with her buddy again. Still, his smile had made her feel warm inside. Or was that just the spicy cinnamon in the power bar she’d gulped down on the way to class?
“How come you’re not galloping around rescuing princesses this morning?” Medusa asked him.
He chuckled, his purple eyes sparkling. He had the longest eyelashes of any boy she’d ever met. “I’m still in my stable, I guess. Prince Perseus hasn’t arrived yet. He’s likely oversleeping in his castle.”
“No, he’s not. He’s here, ready to fight evil!” shouted the little boy.
The three of them, along with most of the class, turned to see shaggy-haired Perseus grinning at them from the doorway. In a battle-ready stance he was brandishing a toy shield, and looking primed for another round of Princess Rescue.
Andromeda nudged Medusa, pointing. “Hey! Perseus’s shield has your face on it!”
Startled, Medusa leaped to her feet and went to see the shield up close. That was her snake face all right. And it was horrifying! The artist had painted her lips gold and had made her eyes red instead of pale green. And her snakes looked absolutely evil!
“Where on Earth did you get this?” she asked Perseus as she studied the embarrassing shield.
“My dad got it for me at that new store Be a Hero. It’s demented, don’t you think?” he asked, sounding delighted at the idea. “It’s supposed to turn your enemies to stone. My dad says it’s the most popular toy on Earth right now.”
Her face was being used to scare people? How hurtful! But wait a minute—Perseus had said the shield was popular. Could this be the work of the necklace magic? She’d wanted popularity, after all. Only, this definitely wasn’t the cool kind of popularity she’d had in mind!
Other students came over to examine Perseus’s toy, including Athena, who took Medusa aside afterward. “I can’t believe you agreed to lend your image to this shield,” she scolded quietly. “It’s not only tacky, it’s false advertising. You know that only you or your actual reflection can truly stone-ify a mortal.”
So what? Medusa almost said. I needed the money. But even though she liked Athena more after their visit to the counselors, her own inner shield kept her from being honest. “What I do with my face is my business,” she said instead. “Besides, Heracles lent his face to a sandwich!”
“He did not!” Athena said, hotly defending her crush. “He wouldn’t do such a thing!”
Medusa smirked. “Ha! I saw it myself. In fact, I ate a sandwich with his picture on it. The Be a Hero store was selling them.”
“Then, that’s identity theft or . . . or copyright infringement!” Athena protested. “Something like that, anyway.”
Most of the class had gathered around the shield now, including Poseidon. Dionysus was there too, looking at the image on the shield, then back at Medusa, as if comparing.
Medusa’s cheeks heated. “What?” she snapped, expecting an insult. Her snakes hissed, flicking their tongues.
“Whoa, wait!” Dionysus held up both hands to ward off their—and her—anger. “Before you and your snakes bite my head off—”
“My snakes don’t bite,” Medusa informed him in a superior tone. “Unless ordered to.”
Though she’d been trying to unnerve him, Dionysus just smiled. “Got it. But all I was thinking a minute ago was that you’re way prettier than that image of you on the shield. I mean, the artist was an idiot! Your eyes are green, not red. Duh.”
Medusa folded her arms and sent him a disbelieving gaze. Was that a compliment? She wasn’t sure. Maybe it was really just veiled sarcasm. But if it was a genuine compliment, she hoped Poseidon had overheard. It wouldn’t hurt for him to get a teeny bit jealous.
Looking over, she saw that Poseidon’s attention was on his buddy, though. Andromeda and Perseus had started playing Princess Rescue again. Poseidon smiled broadly when Andromeda yelled out in mock terror, “Help! Help! Save me!”
“Hold on,” Perseus called to her. “I’m coming!”
Maybe Andromeda has the right idea, Medusa thought. Godboys liked to feel strong. Just look how they’d all oohed and aahed over the twelve labors Heracles had accomplished a while back. Did boys really prefer girls who were helpless? Was that the main reason Poseidon had never fallen in like with her—because she was too strong and self-sufficient?
Her eyes shifted back to Dionysus, who was staring at her with the oddest look on his face. “Do you think I come on too strong?” she asked.
“What?” He laughed in surprise. Seeing she was serious, he looked more thoughtful, then nodded. “Sometimes.”
Before she could ask what that meant, Poseidon called him over. However, as Dionysus turned to leave, she thought she heard him add, “But I like it.”
She shook her head to clear it. There must be something wrong with her ears! Dionysus starred in just about every school drama. With his violet eyes, cute dimples, and sweet smile, he was handsome. And there was no shortage of girls at MOA who practically drooled over him every time he walked by. As she watched him join in the game with Poseidon and their buddies, a weird feeling came over her. A liking feeling.
No! What was she thinking? She preferred godboys with turquoise skin.
Didn’t she?
At lunch Medusa wolfed down a heaping bowl of ambrosia stew and a carton of nectar, then stared at her hands expectantly. Although the “food of the gods” didn’t have the desired effect of making her skin immediately shimmer, she refused to give up hope that the Immortalizer was starting to work.
After all, her other wishes had begun coming true. Andromeda was her friend again, and the shield had made her popular (or at least infamous!).
And that very afternoon, when she was on her way to fourth-period Revenge-ology class—her best subject—another of her dreams came true. Principal Zeus noticed her. Only not in the way she’d hoped.
“You, with the snakes!” he shouted at her in the hall. “Follow me.” Turning on one big
sandal, he headed toward the front office.
“Ye gods,” she muttered as she trudged after him. If he’d heard about the shoplifting, she was doomed. Automatic expulsion.
All nine of Ms. Hydra’s heads stared at the two of them as they went through to Zeus’s office, but Medusa hardly noticed. Was she about to be banned from MOA forever? Sent back to Earth? Nooo! She racked her brain for some excuse that might save her.
While tromping across his messy office, Zeus stepped on a stack of folders, squashed an Olympusopoly game box underfoot, and then stubbed his toe on a dented file cabinet that was lying on its side in the middle of the floor.
“Ow! Ow!” Hopping on one foot, he managed to make it over to his desk. He plopped down on the enormous golden throne behind it. Any other time Medusa would’ve found Zeus’s clumsiness funny, but right now she felt like a prisoner going to her execution.
The second she sat in the small chair across the desk from him, Zeus slammed his meaty fist down on his desktop. Sparks flew from between his fingers but quickly fizzled out. “What’s this I hear about you licensing your image for mean-spirited products? That’s not who we are at MOA. We have standards, a reputation to uphold here.”
Huh? She hadn’t expected this. How had Principal Zeus found out about the shield this fast, anyway? Of course, anyone in Hero-ology class might’ve brought it to his attention. Or maybe he’d come across the shield himself—it was popular, after all.
To her horror Medusa felt tears fill her eyes. All in all it had been a pretty horrible week, and she’d had enough of people being mad at her for stuff that wasn’t really her fault. Who could’ve guessed that Mr. Dolos would use her image to scare people?
Watching her, Zeus’s eyes widened in a yikes sort of way. He backed his throne away from his desk so fast, it almost toppled over. “Wait. You aren’t going to cry, are you?”
Talk about being uncomfortable with feelings! Those Gray Ladies were crazy for advising Athena to talk to her dad about how she felt.