ANTI-HERO, j.grace

TWENTY SIX

"Dude, you think we're here to promote you?" Leo asked.

"You are, then? Marvelous!" Aeolus clapped, "I mean, I think I've shown quite a bit of initiative with the weather channel, eh? And of course I'm in the press all the time. So many books have been written about me: Into thin Air, Up in the Air, Gone with the Wind-"

Klein frowned, "Absolutely none of those are about you."

"Nonsense! Mellie, they're autobiographies of me, aren't they?"

"Absolutely, sir."

"There, you see? I don't read." Aeolus waved a hand and Jason nudged Klein in the side as she muttered clearly, "But obviously, the mortals love me. So, we'll change my official title to god of the winds. Then, about salary and staff-"

"Sir, we're not from Olympus." Jason finally cut him off.

"But-"

"I'm the son of Zeus, yes, but we're not here to negotiate your contract. We're on a quest, and we need your help."

Plus, talent scouts look for, you know, actual talent.

"So you're here just like last time? Like every hero who comes here?" Aeolus frowned, his previously pale blue suit beginning to darken along with his expression. "Demigods! It's always about you, isn't it?"

"Uh, no." Klein was quick to deny.

"Sir, please, I don't remember last time, but if you helped me once before-"

"I'm always helping! Well, sometimes I'm destroying, but mostly I'm helping - and sometimes I'm asked to do both at the same time! Why, Aeneas, the first of your kind-"

"My kind? You mean, demigods?"

"Oh, please! I mean your line of demigods!" Aeolus snorted, "You know, Aeneas, son of Venus, the only surviving hero of Troy. When the Greeks burned down his city, he escaped to Italy, where he founded the kingdom that would eventually become Rome - blah, blah, blah. That's what I meant."

Rome. Rome. Rome.

A bridge. An exchange. Klein's eyes looked to Jason, but he didn't turn to face her.

"I don't get it." Jason admitted, but Klein was afraid that she was starting to.

Son of Rome. An exchanges

"The point being, I was thrown in the middle of that conflict, too! Juno calls up oh, Aeolus, destroy Aeneas' ships for me, I don't like him. Then Neptune says no you don't! That's my territory. Calm the winds! Then, Juno is like no, wreck his ships or I'll tell Jupiter you're uncooperative!" Aeolus scoffed, "Do you think it's easy juggling requests like that?"

Jason didn't seem to know what to say.

"And don't get me started on Amelia Earhart! I'm still getting angry calls from Olympus about knocking her out of the sky!"

Jason bit back a laugh as the blonde girl next to him practically choked, "That was you?"

"Well who else would have done it?"

Jason definitely struggled to hold in his laughs as Klein scuffed her shoes against the ground while muttering something to herself about the Bermuda Triangle.

Piper was quick to guide the conversation back, "We just want information. We hear you know everything."

Aeolus contemplated the compliment as he straightened out his lapels, "Well... that's true, of course. For instance, I know that this business here, this harebrained scheme of Juno's to bring you all together, is likely to end in bloodshed. As for you, Piper McLean, I know that your father is in serious trouble."