ANTI-HERO, j.grace

SIXTEEN

If the 'M' stood for anything other than Macy's, Klein Maddox was in complete favor of Leo burning the entire place to the ground. She was immediately sure, however, that the 'M' certainly did not stand for Macy's, as Lorraine Maddox had paraded her daughter through many a department store during her childhood.

There was a renewed tension in the air as the group wandered through the sewer. Klein hadn't said a word to anyone upon rejoining the group, Jason wouldn't look away from her as her words - the sad and the angry - bubbled in his head, Piper couldn't bring herself to feel overly guilty until she noticed the looks both Leo and Jason were giving her, and frankly, Leo wanted to be anywhere else.

Stepping out of the elevator is like stepping into the Aphrodite Cabin, the smell of flowers and almost candle-like sweetness invading Klein's senses. For a moment her mind wandered to Drew Tanaka, wondering about the sort of hell the girl was no doubt inflicting on Camp Half-Blood without her there to bitch work in the shadows. She hoped she wasn't giving Will too hard of a time...

She hoped Will wasn't giving her too hard of a time.

While everyone else seemed to be in awe of the inside of the store that resembled some sort of kaleidoscope, Klein couldn't help but feel unnerved. Aside from the elevator and the stained glass ceiling, the Maddox girl couldn't see any other windows or doors. The floors that were lined with bizarre racks of merchandise spiraled around a central atrium that held a fountain on the lowest floor, oversized canary cages on either side of it that almost seemed to mimic the store itself.

"Coach Hedge!" Piper shouts, eyes wide as she noticed the frozen satyr inside one of the cages, club in his hand stilled mid swing. "We've got to get down there."

Klein didn't have the chance to ask the trio who Coach Hedge was, because suddenly there's a woman standing in front of them.

"May I help you find something?" She asks, voice soft and glossed with an accent unfamiliar to the Maddox girl. She's pretty in an ominous sort of way, surely misleading elegance lapsed with haughty sharpness. Something about her screens bad!, almost like she's not quite as human as the demigods are. "I'm so happy to see new customers. How may I help you?"

It's Jason who speaks when Klein turns to him like all yours, hero.

"Um, is this your store?"

The woman nodded with a smile, "I found it abandoned, you know. In 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 a good... how do you say... first acquisition in this country."

Her voice was kind, almost like honey. Grogginess prods at Klein's bones as though the woman's voice is soothing her to sleep, but she shakes it off with an uncomfortable frown when her next response to Jason's question is far more hesitant than truthful.

"So you're new to America?"

"I am... new. I am the Princess of Colchis. My friends call me Your Highness." The Princess smiled at them, and though everything feels slightly fuzzy Klein can't help but quirk an eyebrow because who the hell has their friends call them Your Highness? "Now, what are you looking for?"

There's familiarity that comes with the world Colchis, but just as quickly as the bell sounds in the back of Klein's mind it's diminished.

"Uh, right. Actually, your highness, that's our friend down there." He pointed over the railing and at the two large canary cages on the bottom floor, Gerry ring towards the one that held Coach Hedge. "The satyr. Could we have him back... please?"