Old Friend
All four of them jumped back, and Apollonia flinched, she recognised that voice.
A woman had just appeared in front of them. She wore an elegant black dress with diamond jewellery, and she looked like a retired fashion model— maybe fifty years old. Her long dark hair swept over one shoulder, and her face was gorgeous in that surreal supermodel way— thin and haughty and cold, not quite human. With their long red-painted nails, her fingers looked more like talons, "I'm so happy to see new customers. How may I help you?"
Piper and Leo glanced at Apollonia as if to say, 'All yours'. She was about to open her mouth to speak but Jason— again— beat her to it. By saying something stupid.
"Um," Jason started, his gaze shifting off the girl beside him to the lady, "is this your store?"
The woman nodded, "I found it abandoned, you know. I understand so many stores are, these days. I decided it would make the perfect place. I love collecting tasteful objects, helping people, and offering quality goods at a reasonable price. So this seemed like a good— how do you say it... first acquisition in this country."
Apollonia's eyes widened when she finally took a good look at her face, "M-Me—"
Before she could finish, she was cut off by Jason's voice, "So you're new to America?" he asked.
"I am... new." the woman agreed, "I am the Princess of Colchis. My friends call me 'Your Highness'. Now, what are you looking for?"
Apollonia felt her gut twist, she knew exactly what Medea would do once she found out about Jason's name.
Apollonia elbowed Jason in the rib, "Hun..." she said with full charm speak, knocking him out of Medea's. She made eye contact with Medea and immediately she knew Medea recognised her. Who wouldn't recognise an old friend?
"Um, right. Actually, Your Highness..." He pointed to the gilded cage on the first floor, "That's our friend down there, Gleeson Hedge. The satyr. Could we... have him back, please?"
Apollonia pursed her lips and was mentally slapping her forehead multiple times. Her soulmate was too nice.
"Of course!" the princess agreed immediately, "I would love to show you my inventory. First, may I know your names?"
"My old friend, you already know me, Apollonia Athanasios. These are my companions—"
"Leo, Piper, Apollonia, and I'm Jason, Apollonia's soulmate," Jason interrupted. Apollonia wasn't fast enough to get to his name so the charmspeak would wash over him. She and Medea both trained together under Circe once upon a time.
Apollonia let out a tight smile and reached up to turn his head to face her and pinched both of his cheeks hard, "Yes! Yes, you are! Leave all the talking to me. You must be exhausted!" She spoke with her charm speak so strong making Leo and Piper not want to speak as well.
The princess fixed her eyes on him and, just for a moment, her face literally glowed, blazing with so much anger, Jason could see her skull beneath her skin. Jason's mind was getting blurrier, but he knew something didn't seem right. Then the moment passed, and her Highness looked like a normal elegant woman again, with a cordial smile and a soothing voice.
"Jason. What an interesting name. Nia dear, you seem to have rather— good taste. Did dear Aphrodite set you up with him too?" She said, her eyes as cold as the Chicago wind.
"Of course she did. As it's her favourite sport," Apollonia said, matching her vocal tone with Medea's.
"Yes, how unfortunate, old friend. Following in my footsteps, how tragic. Anyway, I think we'll have to make a special deal for your sweet soulmate, Nia. Come, come. Let's go shopping!"
The way the Princess' face glowed with anger when she heard Jason say his name had already been a bad sign. Apollonia kept her arm tightly around Jason's waist to keep him next to her. He had an arm casually around her shoulders with a big smile on his face.
The princess gestured toward the cosmetics counter, "Shall we start with the potions?"
"Cool!" Leo replies.
Jason mouthed the same word but didn't as he was still under Apollonia's charm-speak order to let her talk for the both of them.
"Guys," Piper interrupted, "We're here to get the storm spirits and Coach Hedge. If this princess is really our friend—"
"Oh, I'm better than a friend, my dear," Her Highness said, "I'm a saleswoman."
Her diamonds sparkled, and her eyes glittered like a snake's— cold and dark, "Don't worry. We'll work our way down to the first floor, eh?"
Jason and Leo nodded eagerly, "Sure, yeah! That sounds okay. Right, ladies?"
Piper and Apollonia glared daggers at them. Jason caught Apollonia's now glowing eyes and leaned down to kiss her temple. Making her glare even harder at him.
"Of course, it's okay, right my dear Nia? Let's get you and your soulmate something nice," Her Highness put her hands on Leo's shoulders and steered him toward the cosmetics, "Come along, boys."
Piper hated department stores— mostly because she'd gotten caught stealing from several of them. Well, not exactly caught, and not exactly stealing. She'd talked salesmen into giving her stuff that she now knows as charm speak. She never kept the stuff, she just did it to get her dad's attention. Usually, she talked her neighbourhood UPS guy into taking the stuff back. But of course, the salesmen she duped always came to their senses and called the police, who eventually tracked her down.
"And here," the princess said, "is the finest assortment of magical mixtures anywhere. I'm sure you'll recognize many of these mixtures, my friend. We did learn how to make them together after all."
"You can make potions?" Leo asked and all eyes turned to her. Apollonia just meekly nodded. Jason's hand pinched her cheek softly.
"Of course, she can! We are some of the best potion makers in the world. We were trained by the best!" The Princess said spreading her arms out wide when she said 'the world'. Apollonia was close with Medea and vice versa. Nonetheless, she knew she'd still try to do something to kill off Jason. Anyone with the name Jason, Medea automatically hates.
The counter was crammed with bubbling beakers and smoking vials on tripods. Lining the display shelves were crystal flasks, some shaped like swans or honey bear dispensers. The liquids inside were every colour, from glowing white to polka-dotted. There were also various scents coming from the variant potions filling the area.
The princess pointed to a blood-red vial— a simple test tube with a cork stopper, "This one will heal any disease."
"Even cancer?" Leo asked, "Leprosy? Hangnails?"
"Any disease, sweet boy. And this vial," she pointed to a swan-shaped container with blue liquid inside, "will kill you very painfully."
"Awesome," Jason mumbled. His voice sounded dazed and sleepy.
"Hun," Apollonia said sweetly smiling up at him, "We've got a job to do. Remember? We can shop later," She put power into her words, to snap him out of his trance with charm speak.
"Job to do..." Jason muttered, slowly coming out of the daze.
"There is no time but now! Now is the perfect time to shop! Get what you like now and you'll be on your merry way! Come follow along boys," Medea said snapping the boys back into the daze.
"Of course, shopping first, okay babe?" Jason said smiling down at Apollonia and leaning down to quickly give her a peck on her lips for the first time totally catching her off guard.
Apollonia looked stunned so Jason started pulling her along with his arm still around her shoulders. Apollonia turned over to Piper who was trying to cover up her smiles but utterly failing. The first time they 'kiss' is when Jason is in a daze, Piper found this comedy gold and was totally going to rub it in their faces later.
The princess beamed at him, "Then we have potions for resisting fire—"
"Got that covered!" Leo said excitedly.
She peered closer to examine him, "Hm. I don't see you wearing my trademark sunscreen, but no matter—"
"Wait." Piper was still staring at the red vial, "Could that potion cure lost memory?"
"Possibly. Yes. Quite possibly. Why, my dear? Have you forgotten something important?"
Piper tried to keep her expression neutral, but Apollonia still saw through it. Apollonia was not pleased with Piper. Hera's decision to remove his memories has been for a very good reason.
"How much?" Piper asked, Apollonia, pinched her side.
The princess had a faraway look in her eyes, "Well, now...The price is always tricky. I love helping people. Honestly, I do. And I always keep my bargains, but sometimes people try to cheat me." Her gaze drifted to Jason and gave a pointed look to Apollonia, "Once, for instance, I met a handsome young man who wanted a treasure from my father's kingdom. We made a bargain, and I promised to help him steal it."
"From your own dad?" Jason still looked half in a trance, but the idea seemed to bother him.
"Oh, don't worry," the princess said, "I demanded a high price. The young man had to take me away with him. He was quite good-looking, dashing, strong..." She looked at Apollonia again before looking back at Piper. "I'm sure, my dear, you understand how one might be attracted to such a hero, and want to help him."
Apollonia knew her old friend was buttering up Piper for when she finally sticks the pieces together. She would have put up a fight but she couldn't bring herself to kill her old friend. They used to be extremely close. Almost sister-like, you can't just kill someone like that with no remorse. Apollonia has been trying to think up a plan to get everything without killing her old friend, but she knows that her old friend has to listen to her patron. Her patron after all— brought her back to life.
"At any rate," Her Highness continued, "my hero had to do many impossible tasks, and I'm not bragging when I say he couldn't have done them without me. I betrayed my own family to win the hero his prize. Still, he cheated me of my payment."
"Cheated?" Jason frowned as if trying to remember something important.
"That's messed up," Leo said.
Her Highness patted his cheek affectionately, "I'm sure you don't need to worry, Leo. You seem honest. You would always pay a fair price, wouldn't you?"
Leo nodded, "What were we buying again? I'll take two."
Piper broke in, "So, the vial, Your Highness— how much?"
Apollonia violently shook her head at the girl from behind Medea so the witch couldn't see her. Piper made eye contact with her but looked away ignoring her.
The princess assessed Piper's clothes, her face, and her posture as if putting a price tag on one slightly used demigod.
"Would you give anything for it, my dear?" the princess asked, "I sense that you would."
The words had no effect on Apollonia but Medea got the other three wrapped. Apollonia decided to try and get Piper out of it, "No, She won't pay any price. Only a fair price, Dea. After that, we need to leave. Right, guys? Piper?"
Her words started to have some effect. Piper got fully out of the daze whereas the boys looked confused and half out of their daze. She just needs to talk a little more. She knows her charm speak is powerful but not as powerful as Medea's. During training, charm speaking has always been Medea's speciality whereas Apollonia was always more into potions and later helped tutor the young Medea.
"Leave?" Jason asked, looking down at Apollonia.
"You mean... after shopping?" Leo asked.
"Impressive," the princess said, looking at her old companion, "Your charm speak has most definitely improved. Not quite my level yet but still a lot more powerful than it was before," she then turned to Piper, "Perhaps we should shop a while longer before you decide what to buy, eh?"
"But the vial—"
"Piper," Apollonia said, shooting the girl a look, and making her shut up.
"Now, boys," She turned to Jason and Leo. Her voice was more powerful than Apollonia's, full of lulling confidence, "Would you like to see more?"
"Sure," Jason said.
"Okay," Leo said.
"Jason! We must get going," Apollonia said, making her voice much more powerful. Jason seemed to get out of Medea's trance. That is— until Medea spoke up— again.
"Excellent," the princess said, "You'll need all the help you can get if you're to make it to the Bay Area."
"The Bay Area?" Piper said, "Why the Bay Area?"
Apollonia's eyes zeroed in on the girl. She's definitely hiding something. She could tell by the way she said it with the wild look in her eyes.
The princess smiled, "Well, that's where they'll die, isn't it?"
Apollonia froze and tightened her grip on Jason. Medea saw this and gently shook her head at her as if to 'tut—tut' her. Then she led them toward the escalators, Jason and Leo still looking excited to shop.
"Talk to her Piper, I'll stay with them," Apollonia said to the girl quietly. She nodded then Piper went to corner the princess as Jason and Leo went off to check out the living fur coats.
"Hey babe look at that," he pointed to a collection of swords.
"Let's not touch them," Apollonia said with a tight grim smile, "Let's admire from afar."
She suddenly heard Leo laugh as he tried on a hat that seemed to be made from enchanted raccoon fur. Its ringed tail twitched, and its little legs wiggled frantically as Leo walked. Jason was now ogling the men's sportswear.
Before she could say anything, Jason called, "Hey, check it out!"
From a rack labelled distressed clothing, he held up a purple T-shirt like the one he'd worn on the school field trip- except this shirt looked as if it had been clawed by tigers.
Jason frowned, "Why does this look so familiar?"
"Jason, it's like yours," Piper said, "Now we really have to leave."
"Yes I agree with Piper, we can shop l—" Medea cut Apollonia off. It's basically a charm-speak battle between the three now.
"Nonsense," the princess said, "The boys aren't done, are they? And yes, my dear. Those shirts are very popular— trade-ins from previous customers. It suits you."
Leo picked up an orange Camp Half-Blood tee with a hole through the middle, as if it had been hit by a javelin. Next to that was a dented bronze breastplate pitted with corrosion— acid, maybe?— and a purple Roman toga slashed to pieces and stained with something that looked disturbingly like dried blood.
"Your Highness," Piper said, "Why don't you tell the boys how you betrayed your family? I'm sure they'd like to hear that story."
"Piper—" Apollonia winced.
Her words didn't have any effect on the princess, but the boys turned, suddenly interested.
"More story?" Leo asked.
"I like more story!" Jason agreed from beside Apollonia who rolled her eyes at their childish tone.
The princess flashed Piper an irritated look, "Oh, one will do strange things for love. I fell for that young hero, in fact, because your mother Aphrodite had me under a spell. Just like she did to Nia here. If it wasn't for her— but I can't hold a grudge against a goddess, can I?"
Medea made it clear in the message that she was trying to convey: But I can take it out on you.
"But that hero took you with him when he fled Colchis," Piper remembered, "Didn't he, Your Highness? He married you just as he promised."
The look in the princess's and Apollonia's eyes made Piper want to sympathize.
"At first," Her Highness admitted, "it seemed he would keep his word. But even after I helped him steal my father's treasure, he still needed my help. As we fled, my brother's fleet came after us. His warships overtook us. He would have destroyed us, but I convinced my brother to come aboard our ship first and talk under a flag of truce. He trusted me."
"And you killed your own brother," Piper said, the horrible story all coming back to her, along with a name— an infamous name that began with the letter M.
"What?" Jason stirred. For a moment he looked almost like himself. "Killed your own—"
"No," the princess and Apollonia snapped, "Those stories are lies. It was my new husband and his men who killed my brother, though they couldn't have done it without my deception. They threw his body into the sea, and the pursuing fleet had to stop and search for it so they could give my brother a proper burial. This gave us time to get away. All this, I did for my husband. And he forgot our bargain. He betrayed me in the end."
Jason still looked uncomfortable. "What did he do?"
The princess held the sliced-up toga against Jason's chest as if measuring him for assassination. Apollonia tightened her arm and moved Jason away ever so slightly, "Don't you know the story, my boy? You of all people should. You were named for him."
"Jason," Piper said, "The original Jason. But then you're- you should be dead!"
The princess smiled, "As I said, a new life in a new country. Certainly, I made mistakes. I turned my back on my own people. I was called a traitor, a thief, a liar, and a murderer. But I acted out of love. You know this very well Apollonia, my friend."
She turned to the boys and gave them a pitiful look, batting her eyelashes. Apollonia could feel the sorcery washing over them, taking control more firmly than ever, "Wouldn't you do the same for someone you loved, my dears?"
"Oh, of course," Jason said, not even hiding the fact that he looked down directly at Apollonia. This made her glance up at him, he loves her? He can't... there's no way. She looked away quickly to look back at Medea. She could still feel that Jason hadn't looked away from her.
"Okay," Leo said.
"Let's continue, shall we?" the princess said breezily, "I believe you wanted to talk about a price for the storm spirits— and your satyr."
Leo got distracted on the second floor with the appliances.
"No way," he said, "Is that an armoured forge?" Before anyone could stop him, he hopped off the escalator and ran over to a big oval oven that looked like a barbecue on steroids.
When they caught up with him, the princess said, "You have good taste. This is the H-2000, designed by Hephaestus himself. Hot enough to melt Celestial bronze or Imperial gold."
Jason flinched as if he recognized that term, "Imperial gold?"
The princess nodded, "Yes, my dear. Like that weapon so cleverly concealed in your pocket. To be properly forged, Imperial gold had to be consecrated in the Temple of Jupiter on Capitoline Hill in Rome. Quite a powerful and rare metal, but like the Roman emperors, quite volatile. Be sure never to break that blade..."
She smiled pleasantly, "Rome was after my time, of course, but I do hear stories. And now over here— this golden throne is one of my finest luxury items. Hephaestus made it as a punishment for his mother, Hera. Sit in it and you'll be immediately trapped."
Leo apparently took this as an order. He began walking toward it in a trance.
"Leo, don't!" Piper warned.
He blinked, "How much for both?"
"Oh, the seat I could let you have for five great deeds. The forge, seven years of servitude. And for only a bit of your strength— " She led Leo into the appliance section, giving him prices on various items.
"Keep an eye on Leo. I'll talk to Jason," Apollonia said to the girl. She pulled him aside and slapped him across the face, twice and went for a punch to the gut.
"Ow," he groaned, "What was that for?"
"For you being a fucking idiot for saying your name! Snap out of it!" Apollonia hissed at him and was slapping his face over and over until he caught her wrists in his hands. He held her closer to prevent her from hitting him.
"Woah, wait. Stop it. What do you mean?" He asked wrapping one arm around her waist and the other around her upper back so she doesn't let her arms go flying at him
"She's charm speaking you. Can't you feel it?" Apollonia glared.
He knit his eyebrows, "She seems okay."
"She's okay for me. She's not okay for you. I'm trying to keep you alive!" She glared at him.
"We'll be fine," He said, slowly coming out of his daze. He leaned down and kissed her, making her freeze. Unable to move. When he leaned back up she felt herself unfreeze. He smiled down at her, "You talk too much."
She huffed trying again, "She was married to Jason— the other Jason— my friend, three thousand years ago. Remember what Boreas said— something about the souls no longer being confined to Hades? It's not just monsters who can't stay dead. She's come back from the Underworld! As close as I was to her— I know that she is not supposed to be here!"
Jason shook his head uneasily, "She's not a ghost."
"No, She's—"
"Children," The princess was back with Leo and a miffed Piper in tow, "If you please, we will now see what you came for. That is what you want, yes?"
Piper shot a deadly glare at the Princess. Jason let go of Apollonia and just draped his arm over her shoulders hugging her to his side tightly. They took the escalator down to the base of the fountain.
For the first time, Apollonia noticed two large bronze sundials— each about the size of a trampoline— inlaid on the marble tile floor to the north and south of the fountain. The gilded oversize canary cages stood to the east and west, and the farthest one held the storm spirits. They were so densely packed, spinning around like a super-concentrated tornado, it made it hard to count how many were in there.
"Hey," Leo said, "Coach Hedge looks okay!"
They ran to the nearest canary cage. The old satyr seemed to have been petrified. He was frozen mid-shout, his club raised over his head, his curly hair stuck up at odd angles.
"Yes," the princess said, "I always keep my wares in good condition. We can certainly barter for the storm spirits and the satyr. A package deal. If we come to terms, I'll even throw in the vial of healing potion, and you can go in peace."
She gave Piper a shrewd look, "That's better than starting unpleasantness, isn't it, dear?"
"We can negotiate," the princess said.
"Totally!" Leo agreed, "Name your price."
"Leo!" Piper and Apollonia snapped.
The princess chuckled, "Name my price? Perhaps not the best haggling strategy, my boy, but at least you know a thing's value. Freedom is very valuable indeed. You would ask me to release this satyr, who attacked my storm winds—"
"Who attacked us," Piper interjected.
Her Highness shrugged, "As I said, my patron asks me for small favours from time to time. Sending the storm spirits to abduct you— that was one. I assure you it was nothing personal. And no harm done, as you came here, at the end, of your own free will! At any rate, you want the satyr freed, and you want my storm spirits— who are very valuable servants, by the way— so you can hand them over to that tyrant Aeolus. Doesn't seem quite fair, does it? The price will be high."
"You're Medea," Piper said, "You helped the original Jason steal the Golden Fleece. You're one of the evilest villains in Greek mythology. Jason, Leo— don't trust her."
Piper's words were so intense they made Jason furrow his eyebrows and dragged him and Apollonia away from the sorceress.
Leo scratched his head and looked around like he was coming out of a dream, "What are we doing, again?"
"Boys!" The princess spread her hands in a welcoming gesture. Her diamond jewellery glittered, and her painted fingers curled like blood-tipped claws, "It's true, I'm Medea. But I'm so misunderstood, Apollonia knows this so well. Oh, Piper, my dear, you don't know what it was like for us women in the old days. We had no power, no leverage. Often we couldn't even choose our own husbands, but I was different, and so was Apollonia. She chose her destiny as a war heroine and I chose my own destiny by becoming a sorceress. Is that so wrong? I made a pact with Jason: my help to win the fleece, in exchange for his love. A fair deal. He became a famous hero! Without me, he would've died unknown on the shores of Colchis. Apollonia would know it's the truth. She was there when the pact was made. I was her friend first, before Jason."
Jason scowled, "Then... you really did die three thousand years ago? You came back from the Underworld?"
"Death no longer holds me, young hero," Medea said, "Thanks to my patron, I am flesh and blood again."
"You... re-formed?" Leo blinked. "Like a monster?"
Medea spread her fingers, and steam hissed from her nails, like water splashed on hot iron, "You have no idea what's happening, do you, my dears? Nia, I know that you have already figured it out but don't want to believe it. It is so much worse than a stirring of monsters from Tartarus. My patron knows that giants and monsters are not her greatest servants. I am mortal. I learn from my mistakes. And now that I have returned to the living, I will not be cheated again. Now, here is my price for what you ask."
"Guys," Piper said, "The original Jason left Medea because she was crazy and bloodthirsty."
"Lies!" Medea said.
"Piper—"
"On the way back from Colchis, Jason's ship landed at another kingdom, and Jason agreed to dump Medea and marry the king's daughter."
"After I bore him two children!" Medea said, "Still he broke his promise! I ask you, was that right?"
Jason and Leo dutifully shook their heads, but Piper wasn't through, "It may not have been right," Piper said, "but neither was Medea's revenge. She murdered her own children to get back at Jason. She poisoned his new wife and fled the kingdom."
"Piper—" Apollonia was getting ignored.
Medea snarled, "An invention to ruin my reputation! The people of Corinth- that unruly mob- killed my children and drove me out. Jason did nothing to protect me. He robbed me of everything. So yes, I sneaked back into the palace and poisoned his lovely new bride. It was only fair- a suitable price."
"You're insane," Piper said.
"I am the victim!" Medea wailed, making Apollonia wince, "I died with my dreams shattered, but no longer. I know now not to trust heroes. When they come asking for treasures, they will pay a heavy price. Especially when the one asking has the name, Jason! I'm sorry sister, but your soulmate must go!"
The fountain turned bright red.
"It's time to go," Piper said.
"Before you've closed the deal?" Medea asked, "What of your quest, boys? And my price is so easy. Did you know this fountain is magic? If a dead man were to be thrown into it, even if he was chopped to pieces, he would pop back out fully formed— stronger and more powerful than ever."
"Seriously?" Leo asked.
"Leo, she's lying," Apollonia said, "She did that trick with somebody before— a king. She convinced his daughters to cut him to pieces so he could come out of the water young and healthy again, but it just killed him."
"Ridiculous," Medea said, and Apollonia could hear the power charged in every syllable, "Leo, Jason— my price is so simple. Why don't you two fight? If you get injured or even killed, no problem. We'll just throw you into the fountain and you'll be better than ever. You do want to fight, don't you? You resent each other!"
"Guys, no! Dea stop!" Apollonia yelled in panic.
But they were already glaring at each other as if it was just dawning on them how they really felt. Apollonia had never felt more helpless against Medea.
Leo scowled, "Jason's always the star. He always gets the girls. He always gets the attention and takes me for granted."
"You're annoying, Leo, maybe that's why you can't get anyone," Jason said, glaring hard at Leo, "You never take anything seriously. You can't even fix a dragon. Plus, don't think I didn't notice your drifting eyes towards my soulmate!" He snarled at Leo, lightly pushing Apollonia away towards Piper and Medea.
"Stop!" Piper and Apollonia pleaded, but both drew their weapons— Jason his gold sword, and Leo a hammer from his tool belt. Medea's charmspeak overpowers both of theirs. Reminding Apollonia how powerful her old friend truly is. Apollonia is dangerous on the battlefield, but Medea— was dangerous as a cunning snake that could attack anytime and anywhere, and she knew it. Apollonia and Medea used their powers in completely different lights. Good and Bad.
"Let them go, Piper, Nia," Medea urged, "I'm doing you both a favour. Let it happen now, and it will make your choice so much easier, Piper. Enceladus will be pleased. You could have your father back today!" Medea then turned to her distraught friend who didn't take her eyes off her soulmate, "And Nia, my dear, we both know that Jason will leave you broken in one way or another. Just like my Jason did, but your situation is slightly different— You know exactly what I'm talking about. Who he is. It will tear you apart from the inside, my dear Nia! You're immortal, you cannot escape the pain he will bring you. Learn from what happened to me, my friend! Love is conditional for women like us. It just doesn't work out. Walk away, Nia."
Leo and Jason were still facing off, ready to fight, but they looked unsteady and confused— waiting for another order.
Medea's charm speak didn't work on them, but the sorceress still had a persuasive voice. Despite her best intentions, it hurt.
"You work for Enceladus," Piper said.
Medea laughed, "Serve a giant? No. But we all serve the same greater cause— a patron you cannot begin to challenge. Walk away, child of Aphrodite. This does not have to be your death, too. Save yourself, and your father can go free."
"Listen to me, girl," Medea plucked a diamond off her bracelet and threw it into a spray of water from the fountain. As it passed through the multicoloured light, Medea said, "O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, show me the office of Tristan McLean."
The mist shimmered, and both girls saw Tristan's study. Sitting behind his desk, talking on the phone, was his assistant, Jane, in her dark business suit, her hair swirled in a tight bun.
"Hello, Jane," Medea said.
Jane hung up the phone calmly, "How can I help you, ma'am? Hello, Piper."
"You—" Piper was so angry she could hardly talk.
"Yes, child," Medea said, "Your father's assistant. Quite easy to manipulate. An organized mind for a mortal, but incredibly weak."
"Thank you, ma'am," Jane said.
"Don't mention it," Medea said. "I just wanted to congratulate you, Jane. Getting Mr McLean to leave town so suddenly, and take his jet to Oakland without alerting the press or the police— well done! No one seems to know where he's gone. And telling him his daughter's life was on the line— that was a nice touch to get his cooperation."
"Yes," Jane agreed in a bland tone as if she were sleepwalking, "He was quite cooperative when he believed Piper was in danger."
Piper looked down at her dagger. The blade trembled in her hand. She couldn't use it for a weapon any better than Helen of Troy could, but it was still a looking glass, and what she saw in it was a scared girl with no chance of winning.
"I may have new orders for you, Jane," Medea said, "If the girl cooperates, it may be time for Mr McLean to come home. Would you arrange a suitable cover story for his absence, just in case? And I imagine the poor man will need some time in a psychiatric hospital."
"Yes, ma'am. I will stand by."
The image faded, and Medea turned to Piper, "There, you see?" She looked at Apollonia and said, "She claims to be your ally but she's kept a secret from you. How can you trust her?"
Apollonia just kept a blank face on at this revelation.
"You lured my dad into a trap," Piper said. "You helped the giant—"
"Oh, please, dear. You'll work yourself into a fit! I've been preparing for this war for years, even before I was brought back to life. I'm a seer, as I said. I can tell the future as well as your little oracle. Years ago, still suffering in the Fields of Punishment, I had a vision of the eight in your so-called Great Prophecy, our dear Nia, in it. For once the seas, skies, and even death itself would work together with wisdom, war, fire, and charm on their side. I saw your friend Leo here and saw that he would be an important enemy someday. I stirred the consciousness of my patron, gave her this information, and she managed to wake just a little—just enough to visit him."
"Leo, listen to this! She helped get your mother killed!"
"Uh-huh," Leo mumbled, in a daze. He frowned at his hammer, "So ... I just attack Jason? That's okay?"
"Perfectly safe," Medea promised.
"And Jason, strike him hard. Show me you are worthy of your namesake."
"Jason! No! Stop!" Apollonia felt her eyes growing watery now from frustration. She had to choose— someone who is like her sister or a lover that she barely knows and just met. This was a situation she never thought she'd ever be in.
"No!" Piper ordered. She knew it was her last chance, "Jason, Leo— she's tricking you. Put down your weapons."
The sorceress rolled her eyes. "Please, girl. You're no match for me. I trained with my aunt, the immortal Circe, alongside Apollonia. I can drive men mad or heal them with my voice. What hope do these puny young heroes have against me? Now, boys, kill each other!"
"Dea! Please! Let the boys go!" Apollonia turned to grab Medea's hands in hers as she pleaded.
Medea shook her head, "I only want what's best for you, Nia. Just as I always have. You are better off without Jason. I will not let you fall like a fool just as I have! Look where it led me!"
"Jason, Leo, listen to me," Piper put all of her emotion into her voice, "Medea is charming you. It's part of her magic. You are best friends. Don't fight each other. Fight her!" They hesitated, and Piper could feel the spell shatter.
Jason blinked, "Leo, was I just about to stab you?"
"Something about my mother..." Leo frowned, then turned toward Medea, "You... you're working for Dirt Woman. You sent her to the machine shop," He lifted his arm, "Lady, I got a three-pound hammer with your name on it."
"Bah!" Medea sneered, ripping her hands out from Apollonia's soft grip, "I'll simply collect payment another way."
She pressed one of the mosaic tiles on the floor, and the building rumbled. Jason swung his sword at Medea, but she dissolved into smoke and reappeared at the base of the escalator.
"You're slow, hero! My dear Nia deserves better!" She laughed, "Take your frustration out on my pets!"
"No, no, no! Dea please!" Apollonia was in complete distraught. She couldn't believe that the Fates are making her go through this. It hurts.
Before Jason could go after her, the giant bronze sundials at either end of the fountain swung open. Two snarling gold beasts—flesh-and-blood winged dragons—crawled out from the pits below. Each was the size of a camper van, maybe not large compared to Festus, but large enough.
"So that's what's in the kennels," Leo said meekly.
The dragons spread their wings and hissed. Piper could feel the heat coming off their glittering skin. One turned his angry orange eyes on her.
"Don't look them in the eye!" Apollonia warned, "They'll paralyze you!"
"Indeed!" Medea was leisurely riding the escalator up, leaning against the handrail as she watched the fun. "These two dears have been with me a long time— sun dragons, you know, gifts from my grandfather Helios. They will remember you, Nia. I remember quite well how fond they were of you. They pulled my chariot when I left Corinth, and now they will be your destruction heroes. Ta-ta!"
Apollonia started running to Medea. The dragons lunged towards the boys. Leo and Jason charged to intercept. Piper was amazed at how fearlessly the duo attacked—working like a team who had trained together for years.
Medea was almost to the second floor, where she'd be able to choose from a wide assortment of deadly appliances.
"Oh, no, you don't," Piper growled and took off after her.
She was quick for a three-thousand-year-old lady. Piper climbed at top speed, taking the steps three at a time, and still, she couldn't catch up to her and Apollonia. They didn't stop at floor two. She hopped the next escalator and continued to ascend.
She grabbed a shield from an armoured manikin on floor three and continued to climb. She imagined Coach Hedge yelling in her mind, just like back in gym class at Wilderness School: Move it, McLean! Do you call that escalator climbing?
She reached the top floor, breathing hard, but she was too late. Medea and Apollonia had reached the potions counter. Apollonia looked like she was trying to convince Medea of something. Piper remembers back to the myths that they were close. She hoped Apollonia would be able to kill her.
"Dea, just let us go, please! You know damn well I would never hurt you and you're using it against me!" Apollonia felt like breaking the dam of tears.
"You can join us, Apollonia dear! Gaea will spare your father and siblings if you join! I know you don't really like the other gods anyway!"
"You know she won't spare my father—"
The sorceress grabbed a swan-shaped vial— the blue one that caused painful death— and Piper did the only thing that came to mind. She threw her shield.
Medea turned triumphantly just in time to get hit in the chest by a fifty-pound metal Frisbee. She stumbled backwards crashing over the counter, breaking vials and knocking down shelves. When the sorceress stood from the wreckage, her dress was stained a dozen different colours. Many of the stains were smouldering and glowing.
"Medea!" Apollonia screamed but didn't come closer fearing of being blown up.
"Fool!" Medea wailed, "Do you have any idea what so many potions will do when mixed?"
"Kill you?" Piper said hopefully.
"Piper!" Apollonia screamed in rage. Piper finally looked at her. Piper didn't understand why she was mad though. She suddenly feared that if Medea didn't kill her, Apollonia would.
The carpet began to steam around Medea's feet. She coughed, and her face contorted in pain— or was she faking?
Below, Leo called, "Jason, help!"
Piper risked a quick look, and almost sobbed in despair. One of the dragons had Leo pinned to the floor. It was baring its fangs, ready to snap. Jason was all the way across the room battling the other dragon, much too far away to assist.
"You've doomed us all!" Medea screamed.
Smoke was rolling across the carpet as the stain spread, throwing sparks and setting fires in the clothing racks, "You have only seconds before this concoction consumes everything and destroys the building. There's no time—"
CRASH! The stained glass ceiling splintered in a rain of multicoloured shards, and Festus the bronze dragon dropped into the department store. He hurtled into the fray, snatching up a sun dragon in each claw. Only now did Piper appreciate just how big and strong their metal friend was.
"That's my boy!" Leo yelled.
Festus flew halfway up the atrium, then hurled the sun dragons into the pits they'd come from. Leo raced to the fountain and pressed the marble tile, closing the sundials. They shuddered as the dragons banged against them, trying to get out, but for the moment they were contained. Medea cursed in an ancient language. The whole fourth floor was on fire now. The air filled with noxious gas. Even with the roof open, Piper could feel the heat intensifying. She backed up to the edge of the railing, keeping her dagger pointed toward Medea.
Medea quickly searched through the unbroken bottles frantically and reached up to grab a crystal clear vile with a purple bottom half and threw it at Apollonia with such force. It crashed against her skin and she went poof. Piper looked frantically around and suddenly spotted Apollonia poof up onto Festus. Medea saved her.
"This place will explode because of what you did! Get my sister out of here!" The sorceress slowly stood back up in slight pain that Piper didn't know if it was fake or not. She started to realize that Medea did have a heart and was not all evil if she cared enough to save her immortal friend.
Piper glanced behind her. Leo, Apollonia, and Jason were on board Festus's back. She can see that Apollonia never looked away from them. She's trying to fight to get back to them but Jason and Leo held her back. The bronze dragon flapped his mighty wings, snatched the two cages with the satyr and the storm spirits in his claws, and began to ascend. The building rumbled. Fire and smoke curled up the walls, melting the railings, and turning the air to acid.
"You'll never survive your quest without me!" Medea growled, "Apollonia might even kill you herself if you leave me here to die! Your boy toy heroes will stay ignorant forever, and your father will die. Take me with you!"
For one heartbeat, Piper was tempted. Then she saw Medea's grim smile. The sorceress was confident in her powers of persuasion, confident that she could always make a deal, always escape and win in the end.
"Not today, witch," Piper quickly jumped over the side.
She plummeted for only a second before Leo caught her, hauling her aboard the dragon.
She heard Medea screaming in rage and pain as they soared through the broken roof and over downtown Chicago. Then the department store exploded behind them.
Apollonia stopped fighting in Jason's arms. She felt frozen. She couldn't feel anything else but pain, sorrow, and rage. Pain that Medea must've felt. Sorrow that she felt for Medea's death. Rage against Piper. She knows Medea was not all good but she was misunderstood. The myths depicted her as evil when she wasn't.
The ride suddenly turned into a tense silence. Apollonia felt the rage burn throughout her body like wildfire. Her vision slowly tunnelled onto the girl in front of her. Her eyes glowed gold, but her vision turned red.
For a moment, she suddenly felt tired of being a hero. She's exhausted.
In her eyes, Medea was never a villain. She knew Medea better than anyone. Medea was the older sister she never had and she was taken from her a second time.
Piper slowly turned to look at her as if she'll pounce at sharp movements, "Apollonia I'm so—"
"Save It," Apollonia seethed, "You didn't listen to me. I was trying to tell you something— but you ignored me. You talked over me! Why couldn't you just listen!" Her body was shaking in anger making all three move away from her as far as they could while not falling off the dragon. Apollonia suddenly grabbed onto Piper and punched her so hard she almost fell off Festus, luckily Leo caught her in time. Jason immediately wrapped his arms around her to keep her from tossing anyone off the dragon.
"Why do you care so much for her? She's a villain and you're a hero?" Leo asked which made immense sadness take over her, thinking back to the good times.
The group felt the heat from the sunlight increase on them. As if it was wrapping them in a warm hug. Apollonia knew it was her father trying to comfort her from afar. With the support, she felt from her father she began another storytelling session.
"When I fought in the Giant War I was put into a coma near the end. They have given me immortality while I was in the coma thinking it would heal me faster— they were wrong. I just stayed young while I was asleep. When I got out of my sixty-year coma, I was out of the loop. So, my father sent me to Circe who offered to train me as well as educate me about the new world and what I missed. She was also training another young girl who was about nineteen at the time."
"Medea," Jason said in realisation.
"Yes, a pretty young thing she was. Biologically, I remain seventeen plus I don't like to count my years in a coma so I was technically still mentally seventeen. I still had no sister at the time, so Medea decided to fill in that gap and take care of me as an older sister. I've never got to experience the feeling of an older sister before that. It's different, having an older sister, a good difference. I sometimes long for that again, I have always been the older sister and it can get exhausting when you get no break. Sometimes you too just want to feel taken care of during hard times. Medea... She showed me the love of an older sister, she did sisterly things with me that I've never had the chance to experience because my brothers never wanted to do anything with me and my father is busy as a god. She took care of me like an older sister when she didn't have to. She was the one who inspired me to aim high to fight to get what I want. She was right, Piper. You will never know how it felt for us girls back in the day. It was hard, restrictive, and dangerous for us. You may think things are still hard now, but the 21st century is but a speck of dust on an old shelf compared to what it used to be like for us. Only men had the power. Women weren't allowed to even hold a dagger. Do you know who changed that?"
"I thought Spartan women were allowed to be active and learn to fight?" Piper asked quietly.
"Do you think they were always like that?" Apollonia scoffed at the silly question, "Who do you think gave them the knowledge and inspiration?"
Silence.
"What about the stories about her? She was written as a villain," Leo said curiously.
"Don't believe everything you read or hear. The stories are written by the winners. Name a full story that was written by a loser?"
She paused as if to give them a chance to refute.
"You don't. Do you know why? It's because the winner tells the tale. Do you think a victor would write all their wrongs when they are already labelled a hero? No, that's ridiculous. The stories she kept refuting when countering the ever-so-knowledgeable Piper, were the truth. She never killed her sons, and she never killed her brother." Apollonia stated cruelly.
"W-What? Why would they—" Piper stammered.
"Because in their eyes, she was in the wrong, she was already a traitor, but when the scholars were writing down the history of the event, they realised— it would make them look terrible! So they rewrote it to make her the villain. When they were the true villains of her story. They sparked her hate and spite. They brought that upon her. She was simply just getting well-deserved revenge," she said with a grim scowl lingering on her lips.
"What about you? You've never had any bad legends," Jason asked.
"Well, that answer is simple. I never wrote my story. They wanted to depict me as the perfect heroine. Something I was far from. Do you want to know why Medea and I remained close even after all her wrongdoings in her life?" She paused for a second, "it was because she and I— are very similar."
The three looked confused. How was a legendary heroine similar to a villain? She's the complete opposite.
"She and I— we just release our anger and pain in different ways. I save mine for the battlefield. She saves it for wandering unfortunate men. But the way we think— oh, it's very similar. We may approach the situation differently, but the outcome would be the same. Medea makes sure that her pain is visible and that it still fuels her anger. I can't really do that can I? So, I killed those who wronged me in the shadows and simply made it look like an accident. Not that different you see," Apollonia had a look of chaos on her face.
Piper froze up realizing that she jumped to conclusions too early and she regrets not listening to Apollonia when she was calling her. Listening to this also made her think of Apollonia's true Character. Is she a true ally? Piper shook her head at the thought, she was not one to talk.
Apollonia gracefully slipped off the side of the dragon making Jason scream for her and Leo let out a gasp. Piper was too frozen to do anything. Suddenly they see a winged horse appear, Chara.
Apollonia let out a mental distress signal to Chara already knowing she needs alone time away from the trio. She's unstable when she's in this mindset.
Once Jason knows his soulmate is safe he lets out a breath of relief. She needs a breather, away from Piper. The trio just continued on the way to the next location, taking in what Apollonia said about her past and her hidden truth.
~🏹~
8.5 words💚
I decided to switch things up by making Medea a friend🌺
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