A Few More Gray Hairs

The Demigod Grand Prix

Ramona Waverly

Since my mother- er, Priscilla's downtime had begun, I had taken over the running of our restaraunt. I had to take myself out of classes under the guise of Priscilla, and I was lucky they didn't request a meeting, and took classes online at night. To say I was being overworked was a complete understate. Last night I fell asleep with my face half submerged in dishwater, my hand still laying on the touchpad of the laptop limply. I was lucky Cornelia had to come back to pick up her jewelery or I might have drowned.

As the day progressed, however, I realized that it would be the last day of online school. I would log on, take my secure test, and be done with it for a few months. That was a godsend if above all.

I stood over a pot of boiling shrimp, face heating up and probably burning a bright red. Behind me, the newer employees were busily making other meals and collecting them to serve. With every few passes they would remind me that I could just head upstairs and take a nap, but I would decline and thank them anyway.

Staring at the slowly cooking shrimp, I noticed the water beginning to shake and splash around the sides of the pan. A few flecks got on my cheeks and I frowned, wiping the burning liquid off, before I noticed the face that had formed around the shrimp.

An iris message. From Demeter.

My real mom.

"...Mom..?" I leaned down further into the pot, allowing the water to sting me. It wasn't often my mother called upon me, and burns would heal.

"Iris, get that thing out of my face, please." She was swatting what appeared to be a microphone out of her face before turning over to me. Her graying black hair was tied in a ponytail instead of the down hair I'd seen her sport previously, and there was a green shawl around her shoulders.

"Hello, Ramona. What are you up to?" She looked around the message, probably noting the high silver walls.

"I'm at work. 'Sup, ma?"

"Don't speak to me like that." She replied firmly. "Have you been taking your vitamins, dear? You've been working awfully hard-"

"Mother," I nearly yelled into the pot. "I'm at work, surrounded by people. Can't this wait?"

The goddess paused and looked down momentarily, and of to the right where she noticed a microphone entering the iris message, before sighing.

"No. This is important. I need you up here now."

I closed the lid of the pot when she disconnected her message and told Cornelia I would go take a nap. The kitchen members clapped for me as I ascended the stairs and into our little home.

I passed the painting of Priscilla and I and felt a cold chill. I missed her a lot, but I was moving on without her. There was no time to be sorry when there was so much stuff to do.

I entered our old shared bedroom, her bed still slightly unmade from the day she'd left, and again felt a wave of sadness wash over me. I passed it and opened another door onto our patio, filled with twining vines and leaves and large beautiful flowers. The tourists who stayed on either side of us were more than jealous, I remembered catching a woman using her walking stick to grab a flowered vine once.

I ducked low beneath the small garden and waited, closing my eyes once I felt something tighten around my hand. I hadn't really gone to Olympus much, if more than once, and the whole journeying process was still a bit new and frightening to me. Once I felt the breeze over take me, I opened my eyes, only to find I had missed the journey.

Instead, I sat staring at a throne. It appeared to be woven, much like an old basket, decorated with wheat and grass and other very natural colors. There was a soft-looking green pillow on the seat, and immediately I tempted to walk over and have a seat.

Before I could drop onto the plush cushion, my mother had already grabbed me by the armpits and hoisted me high into the air.

"No." She said simply, displaying an agitated frown. I thought I saw another streak of hair turn gray, but I didn't want to say anything.

"Oh,Ma, what.....altitude you have." I wasn't lying - she was about 9 feet tall, a staggering four inches above me. Upon hearing that, she shrunk down to a modest 5'10" and allowed me to stand on the floor again before taking her seat.

"You may be wondering why I've called you here." She said numbly, plucking a dried grass strand from her throne and absently tying it into her hair. I nodded, attempting to remain stone-faced in her presence.

"There is going to a race between our children." She gestured with one sweep of the arm to the empty thrones around her, all of differing sizes and builds. "It will be dangerous. You may get hurt." She said quietly, tying the strand into her hair deftly. I remained silent, folding my hands in front of me.

"At first, I attempted to op out of the race. I....hate seeing my children hurt." She looked up and revealed glossy brown eyes, the same as mine.

"But then I thought.....this could be a good experience. To learn and grow....and make friends." She took on the tone of an excited Girl Scout troop leader, slamming her fist into the palm of her hand. "Life is about the bonds you make with others, Ramona, and after working in the restaraunt so long, you could use some friends."

"....Did you just insult me, ma?" I asked quietly, trying not to interrupt what I believed was supposed to be an inspiring speech. She ignored me.

"I have decided that you, Ramona Mae Waverly, will be representing both your half-siblings and myself, in the Demigod Grand Prix." My eyes widened. Of all the children she could have chosen - and I was sure she had quite a few, being as beautiful as she was, she chose me?

I wasn't going to counter her. I could use the fresh air.

Maybe the broken bones.

With a flash, Demeter disappeared from her seat and reappeared at the far end of the room, where a few curtains were set up. Some were opened, revealing only dirt or old marking from claimed cars. Others were still firmly shut, waiting to be taken. My mom was standing in front of a forest green one, with a grin.

"You'll be riding in this." And she pulled it back.

A sleek silver sportster, thousands of guns mounted on the sides. A hot guy sat at the wheel, a hot guy who looked much like a boy at school...

That's exactly what I imagined, but instead I was met with something very nostalgic.

A muscle car from the 1960's - I remembered it from an old car show I'd attended as a child with Priscilla. It was laced with thick woven vines, which Demeter explained were completely inpenetrable. They were enchanted, she explained. The seats were made of thick black dirt, spekcled with small white pebbles, and as I plopped down on one my spine shook. Hard as a rock.

"The vines also act as solar panels. They harvest the sun's energy and make the engine run."

"And if it's night?"

"The vines abosrb extra energy - but should you run out, I have provided a bit of gasoline. Be wary of its use, I can't have you messing up my hard work."

She was of course referring to nature itself, her precious child. She wasn't one to rely on fuel emissions, so this was obviously a big deal for her. I nodded and gently tapped the small cannon mounted on the door and looke dup at her.

"That is a light cannon, and for everyone's best interest please do not-"

I pressed the button, and my car jolted back as a concentrated beam of hot light shot out of the cannon. I was lucky the Hera chariot had already been claimed prior, or else a searing hole would have cut through it. The beam continued for ten long seconds, burning a hole in the curtain and finally the wall. I could see a cloud through it and heard my mother's loud, drawn-out sigh.

"Oh my god." I said simply, admiring the small beast I'd just activated.

"...The cannon runs on solar power as well, but a full charge will usually take a few hours. Two to six, weather depending."

I nodded and ducked back out of the car to see her face, definitely having sprouted a few more gray hairs. The wheat braid had fallen to the floor and for a moment I felt very disappointed in myself.

"..Finally, I have built this car much like a composter so it acts as camouflage. You have the element of surprise, Ramona. Use it wisely."

I smiled and stepped out of the car, enveloping her in a hug. I didn't see her much at all, but I hadn't been hugged since Priscilla was around, and I needed to thank her somehow. She tightened at my unexpected fondness before leaning down slightly and hugging me back.

"Thanks, mom."