Iris the Colorful

by Joan Holub

  “Exactly,” said Iris, smiling at him. “And voila! A rainbow!” To demonstrate she stuck her fingers into the bottom of her glass, where there was an inch of water. She flicked water droplets into the air over her plate and quickly shot a little rainbow to arc through them and across the table to Antheia. Then she sent the saltshaker sliding up and over the rainbow to her BFF, who caught it in her hands.

  Antheia laughed, and all five of Iris’s companions hooted and clapped. Even Boreas.

  “It all happens really fast, so it’s hard for anyone else to see what’s going on,” Iris went on to Zephyr. “All of a sudden a rainbow is just there.”

  They continued chatting about weather-related topics, and then she said, “Can I ask you something?”

  He nodded.

  “Principal Zeus told me not to repeat what I heard in his office,” she said. “But I figure you already know about a certain monster whose name starts with T?” The Harpies were now doing an impromptu flamenco dance to entertain their customers, and it had gotten so loud that Iris had to lean in toward Zephyr so he’d hear. Which was kind of good because it also meant that the others couldn’t listen in.

  Zephyr went on instant alert, his eyes going serious as they searched hers. “You mean Typhon? Does anyone else know?” He flicked a concerned glance at Antheia.

  Iris shook her head. “No. But how worried should I be for MOA?”

  Since Antheia couldn’t overhear from across the table, Zephyr seemed to decide he could safely speak. “It’s pretty bad. T. is the fiercest of all creatures. An enormous tornado with winds far stronger than my own. When he stands still—which isn’t often—his head touches the stars and his hands touch the east and west horizons. And two days ago he broke out of captivity in Tartarus and went on a rampage, destroying cities and hurling mountains. But now he’s lying low. My brothers and I are patrolling the skies around MOA, waiting for his next move.”

  “You can’t stop him before he strikes? And do you know what his plan is, by the way?” Iris’s thoughts were racing now, real fear filling her.

  “No. We only know that he’s after Zeus,” Zephyr admitted solemnly.

  Iris gasped. “Why? Wait. Is it because Zeus is the one who locked him up in Tartarus?”

  “Yeah, at the end of the war between the Olympian gods and the Titans. If T. defeats Zeus this time—which he won’t if we have anything to say about it—we think he’ll try to start a new war against all Olympians. Aimed at their total destruction.” Zephyr picked up a piece of toasted bread and crumbled it to illustrate his point.

  “Hey,” called Boreas. “What are you talking about so secretly over there?”

  “Nothing,” Zephyr said calmly. Then he leaned toward Iris again. “Keep all this to yourself, okay? Zeus doesn’t want anyone to panic. With his help we’ll stop that beast, no problem.”

  Somehow she believed him. At least she believed he would try, so she nodded. Then, realizing she’d been staring at Zephyr for a while, Iris drew back. She felt her cheeks warm despite the fact that she hardly ever blushed.

  “C’mon, then,” Boreas said to his brother. “We’re heading over to Mighty Fighty. We could need what they sell one day soon. If you know what I mean.” He flicked a glance at Iris, then looked back at Zephyr as if warning him not to spill the beans about Typhon to her. Little did he know the beans had already been spilled.

  When the four boys stood to leave, Iris and Antheia did as well. Mighty Fighty was a store that all the boys seemed to love. It sold spears, javelins, bows and arrows, shields, armor, and other such stuff. Iris suspected the windy brothers must be going there to get ideas on how to win a battle against Typhon.

  As the girls watched the windy godboys head down the mall, Iris’s gaze lingered on Zephyr. He was kind of cute and nice after all, she decided. Not like that Boreas. Zephyr seemed to be as different from him as she was from the Harpies!

  Outside the IM, Iris and Antheia loosened the ties on their sandals to free the silver wings at their heels. The ties twined around their ankles again, and the silver wings began to flap. In seconds their sandals whisked them up the mountainside and through the clouds toward Mount Olympus Academy. On the way both goddessgirls were quiet, thinking their own thoughts.

  As they arrived, a strong wind swept over them, then Zephyr and his brothers landed in the courtyard up ahead. Even though the wind-boys had left the IM later, after going to Mighty Fighty, their winds had carried them here faster than the girls’ winged sandals.

  For some reason Boreas practically got whiplash looking back at them, Iris noticed. Wait a second, not at them, she realized, tracking his gaze. Only Antheia! Come to think of it, he had seemed rather mesmerized by Antheia at lunch. And whenever one of his brothers had talked to her, his aura had turned a little green, as in jealous.

  Hmm. Interesting. Was it possible that cold winter wind-boy liked Iris’s springtime flowery friend? If Antheia ever wound up crushing back, Aphrodite would probably say it was a case of opposites attracting. Sort of like gloomy Hades and sunny Persephone, come to think of it. Or Aphrodite, the goddess of love herself, and her crush, Ares, who was the godboy of war.

  “So what was Boreas saying to you at lunch?” Iris asked Antheia as their winged sandals whisked them closer to the Academy. She wasn’t sure she wanted to get any kind of crush going between that blowhard boy and her best bud.

  “Boreas the bore? I didn’t really pay attention. I gave him the cold shoulder.” Antheia laughed. “Get it?”

  Iris smiled. “Yeah, I get it.” She couldn’t exactly blame her friend for treating him coolly. Boreas had been kind of mean to them so far.

  “What were Zephyr and you talking about? What’s he like?” Antheia asked as they touched down in the courtyard.

  “Seems pretty nice, actually. And he’s interested in weather and science.” Iris gazed off into space. “Cute, too,” she said dreamily.

  “Yeah?” said Antheia, showing a flicker of interest. Though she hadn’t paid him any attention until just that moment, her eyes fixed on Zephyr now as the boys zoomed into the school ahead of them. “Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing,” she said quickly.

  As the two girls sat on the steps to switch back to their walking sandals, Iris spotted Apollo in the courtyard.

  She nudged Antheia and nodded toward Apollo. “I have something to do right now. Want to take this to him?” She pulled Cassandra’s letterscroll out of her bag and held it out to her friend. “Cassandra entrusted it to both of us, so I don’t think she’d mind.”

  Antheia shrugged. Surprisingly, she didn’t seem as enthusiastic about the idea as Iris would’ve expected. “I suppose.” She took the letterscroll and went to hand it to him.

  Iris started up to the front doors of the Academy. Zeus was probably expecting her to deliver the pitcher to him right away. For the second time that day, she approached his office warily, sure he’d be disappointed that she hadn’t gotten what he’d requested. However, when she arrived, there was a sign on the main office door. It read:

  Principal Zeus is out till Monday.

  None of your business where he is.

  P.S. Hera is out till then too.

  Must have been written by Ms. Hydra’s grumpy green head, Iris decided. Still, she was relieved not to have to face the principal yet. On the way to the marble staircase, she ran into Antheia. The girl was uncharacteristically quiet as they took the stairs up to the room they shared on the fourth floor. Had something happened with Apollo? Iris didn’t want to ask.

  She had enough on her mind. She’d promised Zeus she’d get the pitcher, and she didn’t want to let him down. She couldn’t. Not if she wanted his support in becoming the rainbow goddessgirl. But did she dare go by herself to the Underworld? Yikes!

  All the rest of that afternoon and during dinner, she waffled on a decision. She still hadn’t made up her mind by that night. Iris found herself thinking about Zephyr as she and Antheia changed into their pj’s, dous
ed the candles on their desks, and climbed into their beds on opposite sides of the room.

  A small smile stole over Iris’s face as she snuggled under the covers. She felt the beginnings of a crush stirring and held the secret tight, enjoying being the only one who knew for now.

  “Hey, Iris?” Antheia said after a few minutes had gone by.

  Iris yawned. “Yeah?” she asked in a sleepy voice.

  “I think I’m finally over Apollo.”

  “Oh?” At this news Iris perked up. Inside she was jumping for joy. Antheia’s crush had been hopeless. And it had been making Antheia unhappy. Now it was over. Awesome!

  “Yeah. I think I like someone else,” said Antheia.

  Was she crushing on Boreas? That would be a surprise, after what Antheia had said earlier. But Iris promised herself to be supportive if her friend did like him. Even though she had doubts about his crush-worthiness.

  “Want to know who my new secret crush is?” Antheia asked.

  Iris turned onto her side and stared at her friend through the dim room. “Well, it won’t be a secret if you tell me, but . . .”

  “It’s Zephyr!” Antheia burst out.

  “Huh?” Iris felt herself go pale. Not again! She and Antheia liking the same boy for a third time? Just like had happened with Poseidon and then Apollo? It was too much! And as before, Antheia had declared her interest in Zephyr first, before Iris had been ready to do the same. Which of course meant he would have to be off-limits to her now. It was part of the unspoken goddessgirl code. No crush stealing allowed.

  “Great,” Iris said weakly. But of course she meant quite the opposite. Yeah, she thought unhappily. Just great.

  6

  Double Crush

  THE NEXT MORNING IRIS GOT up early. Antheia was still sleeping, so Iris dressed quietly in a lavender-colored chiton and matching sandals. Lavender was a shade of purple, and purple was akin to red in having properties of bravery. If she went to the Underworld today, she’d need every bit of help she could get to maintain her courage!

  When she was ready, she tiptoed out of the dorm room, clutching her bag with Ceyx’s letterscroll still inside. She headed for the front office first thing, hoping Zeus and Hera were already back. Then she could deliver Ceyx’s scroll to Hera if she was around, as well as talk to Zeus.

  Unfortunately, the sign about them being gone from MOA was still on the main office door. Just in case they were back and Ms. Hydra had only forgotten to take the sign down, Iris opened the door and poked her head in.

  “Ahem! And just what are you doing?” Ms. Hydra’s grumpy green head asked.

  Iris whirled around to see Zeus’s nine-headed assistant standing in the hallway behind her. It was so early that Iris had beaten her to work. “I was looking for Principal Zeus.”

  “Can’t you read?” Ms. Hydra’s impatient purple head nodded toward the sign. “He and Hera have gone to an appointment. They return this afternoon.”

  Iris didn’t bother to point out that the sign didn’t specifically say “afternoon” as she watched the assistant go into the office and slither behind her desk.

  Ms. Hydra’s blue head, which was always sympathetic to students, craned its long serpentine neck to peer at her. “Anything I can help you with?” it asked.

  “No, that’s okay,” Iris said, closing the door. Talking to Zeus and delivering Ceyx’s reply-scroll to Hera would have to wait.

  Iris’s mind raced as she stood in the breakfast line in the MOA cafeteria a few minutes later. Should I go to the Underworld before Zeus gets back? she wondered as she took a plate of ambrosia scramble from the eight-armed lunch lady. Could she really go to such a creepy, dark, lonely, horrible place alone? A place where mortals went after they died and turned into shades? She shivered.

  On the one hand, going there by herself would show Zeus she was capable of carrying out the mission he’d given her. On the other hand, if her trip resulted in trouble, he’d be mad. Grinning to herself, she realized that if she had as many hands as the cafeteria lady, she’d have even more trouble deciding!

  The minute she got her tray of food, she noticed Pheme darting from table to table. As usual, she was spreading some sort of news. Iris didn’t have to hear her to know what she was saying. She simply read the cloud-letters that puffed from Pheme’s lips and hung in the air above her.

  Rumor has it they’ve gone to see the Gray Ladies, Pheme was saying. To seek their advice about some sort of problem.

  Iris’s brows rose. She had to be talking about Zeus and Hera. Was Pheme about to let the cat out of the windbag that this “problem” they needed help with was Typhon?

  But then the gossipy girl’s expression turned a bit confused and she added, “It was something to do with communication, I think. Or maybe it was education or vacation. Anyway, some kind of problem.”

  Typical! thought Iris. Pheme often made mistakes in her reporting. Like the time when she’d gotten it wrong about who’d stolen the Norse goddess Freya’s necklace during the Girls’ Olympic Games. Remembering how mad Zeus had been about that error made Iris shudder. She wished again that she knew what he’d think about her going to the Underworld. And solo, no less.

  Iris headed for the table where Antheia was sitting. Just as she arrived, a breeze blew a napkin off Iris’s tray. Both girls frowned toward a nearby table. The four windy brothers were sitting there, and the breeze had come from one of them. Iris could guess who was responsible. The wind had been freezing cold.

  “That Boreas is so obnoxious,” said Antheia. Glaring at him, she grabbed another napkin from a stack in the center of the table and tossed it onto Iris’s tray.

  In fact, her napkin wasn’t the only thing to have blown off a tray. Boreas, Zephyr, Notus, and Eurus were blowing lots of stuff around to show off for Ares, Apollo, and some other godboys who’d gathered around to watch.

  Antheia jumped in surprise when Iris dropped her tray hard onto the table before sitting down across from her. Iris had dropped the tray on purpose. Because she had just remembered that she was still kind of annoyed at her crush-stealing BFF. Even if Antheia had no idea that she was a crush stealer!

  “Oops. Those trays can be slippery,” Antheia said kindly. She gave Iris a big clueless smile, then looked back over at the wind-boys.

  Iris felt herself soften just a little. One of the truly cool things about Antheia was that she could always be counted on to be a loyal, encouraging friend. A true-blue friend. She would never have decided to like Zephyr if she’d known Iris liked him. At least Iris didn’t think she would. Either way, the usually cheerful Iris couldn’t quite let go of her bad mood.

  After she sat down, she stabbed a fork into her ambrosia scramble. Then she yawned. Fears about the Underworld and thoughts about Antheia’s crush news had kept her from sleeping well the night before.

  Antheia stuck her elbow onto the table and plopped her chin into the palm of her hand, gazing at Zephyr with a silly smile on her face as she sipped nectar through a straw. He and his brothers had begun levitating their breakfast trays now in a contest to see who could hold them up in the air the longest. The MOA godboys were egging them on, and Zephyr seemed to be faring the best so far.

  “He’s sooo cute,” Antheia cooed. And Iris didn’t need to ask which of the four brothers she was talking about.

  “All godboys are cute,” Iris reminded her. “Almost all anyway.”

  “But he’s sweet, too,” said Antheia.

  Crash! They looked over to see that Eurus had dropped the tray he’d been levitating. His three brothers’ trays still held steady, though. Zephyr was even doing tricks, spinning his tray full of food and dishes around in midair. Which was a pretty cool trick, actually.

  “How do you know he’s sweet?” challenged Iris. “You haven’t even talked to him yet.”

  “Well, no,” Antheia admitted.

  Neither one of them had really had much time to get to know Zephyr so far. Iris had just felt the beginnings of a crush hersel
f, but now she’d have to squash those feelings because of Antheia’s interest in the boy. It was so unfair!

  “So, what makes you think he’s sweet?” Iris insisted on knowing.

  Antheia looked at her in surprise. “I can just tell. Besides, we make sense together, you know? He’s the spring wind. I’m the goddess of wreaths.” She looked at Iris as if expecting her to get the significance of that. Which she did not!

  “Do I have to spell it out?” Antheia said with a smile when Iris only stared at her. “The spring wind spreads seeds to grow flowers and ferns and stuff, which I use in my wreaths. See? We’re perfect for each other.”

  Iris’s mouth dropped open, and she stared at Antheia even harder. “By that measure he could be perfect for Persephone, too. She’s the goddess of flowers and spring.”

  “Whoa! Somebody’s grumpy this morning,” Antheia said with a frown.

  “Me, you mean?” Iris took a drink of nectar. She was hardly ever grumpy. It was just that boy trouble plus Zeus trouble plus Typhon trouble were creating her bad mood this morning.

  Bang! Iris jumped. Both girls looked over at the boys to see that Notus had dropped his tray. Now only Zephyr and Boreas remained in the contest to keep their trays aloft.

  When Antheia had been crushing on Apollo, she’d always seemed half-desperate and half-hopeful all the time. However, now that she’d changed crushes, she looked blissfully happy. Iris’s annoyance at her bestie wavered. Maybe she was the one being unfair.

  Yesterday, when Antheia had still liked Apollo, Iris had made a promise to herself to be supportive of Antheia’s next crush. So even if it was Zephyr instead of Boreas, she should do that. After all, Antheia hadn’t chosen Zephyr in order to hurt Iris or anything. It wouldn’t be easy, but Iris made a solemn vow to herself right then and there that she’d back off and let Antheia like him. The same way she had earlier in the year when they’d both liked Apollo.

  “Woo-hoo! Awesome!” The cheers and excitement over at the godboys’ table had gotten louder. Zephyr and Boreas were competing hard to win, standing with their muscles tense now, their heads thrown back. Their gazes—one frosty white, one soft blue—were trained upward as they kept their trays aloft on the moving winds they’d created. It was a major balancing act, as the dishes atop the trays slid back and forth, threatening to spill at any moment.