Athena the Brain Paperback - 2010 - 1st Edition

Summary

Excerpt

A STRANGE, GLITTERY BREEZE WHOOSHED into AthenaâÈçs bedroom window one morning, bringing a rolled-up piece of papyrus with it. She jumped up from her desk and watched in amazement as it swirled above her.

âÈêA message for Athena from Mount Olympus!âÈë the wind howled. âÈêArt thou present?âÈë

âÈêYes, IâÈçm thou. IâÈçm present. I meanâÈ'IâÈçm Athena,âÈë she replied in a rush.

Abruptly the breeze stilled, and the scroll dropped right in the middle of her science homework. A thrill swept over her. SheâÈçd never gotten a message from the gods before! No human she knew ever had. The gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus ruled Earth, but only made their powers known for important matters. What could they want? Was she being given an urgent mission to save the world?

She unrolled the scroll as fast as she could and began to read.

DEAR ATHENA,

THIS MAY COME AS A SHOCK TO YOU,

BUT I, ZEUSâÈ'KING OF THE GODS


AND RULER OF THE HEAVENSâÈ'AM

YOUR FATHER. AND THAT, OF COURSE,

MAKES YOU A GODDESS.

âÈêHuh?âÈë AthenaâÈçs knees wobbled so hard that she plopped back into her chair. She read on:

YOU MUST BE, WHAT . . . NINE YEARS

OLD NOW?

âÈêTry twelve,âÈë she mumbled under her breath. And for most of those years, she had yearned to know who her parents were. SheâÈçd spun endless stories in her head, imagining how they looked and what they were like.

At last a piece of the puzzle had dropped into her lap. Or onto her desk, anyway. Her eyes raced across the rest of the letter as she continued:

AT ANY RATE, YOUâÈçRE PLENTY OLD

ENOUGH NOW TO CONTINUE YOUR

SCHOOLING AT MOUNT OLYMPUS

ACADEMY, WHERE IâÈ'YOUR DEAR

OLâÈ' DADâÈ'AM THE PRINCIPAL. I HEREBY

COMMAND YOU TO PREPARE AT

ONCE FOR THE JOURNEY TO MOUNT

OLYMPUS. HERMES DELIVERY SERVICE

WILL PICK YOU UP TOMORROW MORNING.


YOURS IN THUNDER,

ZEUS

*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *

Was this for real? She could hardly believe it! Beneath his signature was the worst drawing sheâÈ'd ever seen. It looked sort of like a caterpillar, but Athena had a feeling it was supposed to be a muscled arm. She grinned. One thing was for sure, Zeus was no artist.

A blazing gold Z shaped like a thunderboltâÈ'ZeusâÈ's official sealâÈ'was embossed alongside the drawing. She traced her finger over it.

âÈêOw!âÈë A burst of electricity buzzed her fingertip, and she dropped the scroll. As the sizzle zinged through her, the scroll shut with a snap and rolled across the carpet. No question about it, this letter was from the King of Mount Olympus!

Feeling dazedâÈ'and not from the electricityâÈ'she gulped. She was his daughter. A goddess!

Athena jumped to her feet, unsure if she should be happy or upset, but feeling a little of both. Rushing over to the mirror, she gazed at her reflection. Her determined gray eyes stared back at her, looking no different from before sheâÈçd read the letter. And her long, wavy brown hair was the same too. With a poke of one finger, she squished the end of her too-long nose up, then frowned at the piggy nose sheâÈçd made.

She wasnâÈçt sure what sheâÈçd expected to see in the glass. To suddenly look beautiful, wise, and powerful? In other wordsâÈ'more like a goddess?

She turned as she heard her best friend Pallas come into their bedroom.

Crunch! Crunch!

Pallas eyed her, munching an apple. âÈêWhatâÈçs that?âÈë she asked, gesturing toward the letter on the floor.

âÈêUmm.âÈë Athena quickly scooped it up and tucked it behind her back.

Looking suspicious, Pallas came closer, trying to see what it was. âÈêCome on. Give. IâÈçve known you forever. Why are you suddenly keeping secrets?âÈë

Athena thumped one end of the scroll gently against her back. On one hand, she wanted to twirl around and shout the news that she was a goddess! At the same time she wanted to hide the letter in the back of her closet and pretend it hadnâÈçt come.

ZeusâÈçs summons was going to change everything.

âÈêItâÈçs a letter,âÈë she finally admitted. âÈêFrom my dad. Turns out heâÈçs . . . Zeus.âÈë

Pallas stopped in mid-munch, her mouth full of apple. âÈêWha? Zeu?âÈë Quickly she finished chewing and swallowed. âÈêYour dad is the King of the Gods?âÈë

Athena nodded, holding out the papyrus scroll.

Pallas pounced on it. By the time she finished reading, her eyes were huge. âÈêYouâÈçre a goddess?âÈë Her voice rose to a squeak on the last word.

âÈêI donâÈçt want this to change things,âÈë Athena said quickly. âÈêWeâÈçll still be best friends, right?âÈë

Pallas examined the scroll closely, seeming not to hear. âÈêWho brought it?âÈë

âÈêThe wind.âÈë

âÈêItâÈçs got the official seal and everything. ItâÈçs the real thing, thenâÈ'an invitation to Mount Olympus.âÈë Pallas stared at Athena in wonderment. âÈêMy best friend is a goddess!âÈë

âÈêSo you think I should go?âÈë Even as Athena asked, she knew that the idea of going to Mount Olympus Academy was growing on her. But how could she tell Pallas that? SheâÈçd be devastated at the thought of Athena moving away.

Pallas tossed the scroll on her bed. It rolled itself tight and snapped shut again. âÈêAre you crazy? Of course you have to go!âÈë she exclaimed. âÈêThis is your chance to really be somebody! I mean, who wouldnâÈçt want to be a goddess?âÈë

Athena hugged herself and glanced out the window toward the Triton River, feeling a little hurt. It almost sounded like Pallas was trying to get rid of her. SheâÈçd lived with PallasâÈçs family since she was a baby. The two of them had shared this room and been as close as sisters all their lives.

âÈêBut IâÈçll miss you, Pal,âÈë Athena said softly.

Pallas came to the window and looped her arm through one of AthenaâÈçs. Her voice was softer now, as if sheâÈçd just realized sheâÈçd be losing her best friend. âÈêYeah. IâÈçll miss you, too.âÈë She took a deep breath. âÈêBut youâÈçve always wondered about your parents. This is your chance to find out about them. Besides, it doesnâÈçt sound like Zeus is giving you much choice.âÈë

Athena nodded. âÈêHis letter is kind of bossy.âÈë She stuck her nose in the air haughtily as she quoted him in a deep, authoritative voice. âÈêI hereby command you to prepare at once for the journey to Mount Olympus.âÈë

Pallas giggled. âÈêYours in thunder . . . ,âÈë she mimicked in a loud, bass tone.

âÈêZeus!âÈë they finished together. They fell on their beds in a fit of laughter.

âÈêI guess going against a godâÈçs wishesâÈ'even if he is my dadâÈ'might be a bad idea,âÈë said Athena once sheâÈçd calmed down. âÈêIf he got mad, he might just bean me on the head with one of his thunderbolts.âÈë

PallasâÈçs face went pale, and she rose on one elbow to gaze over at her. âÈêYou donâÈçt suppose heâÈçs violent?âÈë

âÈêDonâÈçt worry,âÈë Athena said quickly, turning on her side toward Pallas. âÈêIâÈçm sure weâÈçll get along just fine.âÈë But she couldnâÈçt help remembering that thunderbolt and feeling a little nervous about meeting her powerful dad.

She reached out to a toy on her bedside tableâÈ'a wooden horse named Woody. âÈêI wonder what the academy will be like,âÈë she mused as she idly finger-combed the rope mane on the back of her favorite childhood toy.

âÈêI bet the godboys and goddessgirls who go there are all brainy like you.âÈë Pallas propped her head up on one fist. âÈêIn fact, I can hardly believe we didnâÈçt guess you might be a goddess. I mean, you learned to knit and do math when you were only three years old! YouâÈçre way smarter than the rest of us.âÈë

Athena shrugged, knowing it was true. Her studies here on Earth were so easy they were boring.

âÈêAnd thereâÈçs the other stuff too,âÈë Pallas hinted softly.

Athena winced, looking away. Weird stuff, Pallas meant, though she was too nice to say it. Like the day Athena had invented the very first flute and trumpet ever seen on Earth, and then played an impromptu concert, even though she knew nothing about music.

And then there was the time sheâÈçd been reading about owls and thinking how fun it would be to fly. Suddenly her feet had left the ground and her hair had turned into bristly brown feathers. Right in the middle of gym class, too! Luckily, she had changed back almost immediately, and everyone had assumed sheâÈçd been affected by some random bit of magic in the air, which might have floated down from Mount Olympus that day.

From then on, sheâÈçd been more careful about who was around when she did things like that. But some of the kids still nicknamed her âÈêbirdbrainâÈë as a result of the episode.

âÈêIâÈçm tired of trying to hide that IâÈçm different. It would be nice to fit in for a change,âÈë Athena admitted. âÈêI only wish you could come too.âÈë

Pallas shook her head. âÈêI donâÈçt belong where youâÈçre going. But hey! Maybe I can visit you. If itâÈçs not against the rules, I mean.âÈë

Athena brightened. âÈêYeah! IâÈçll ask Zeus when I get there.âÈë

Pallas sat up. âÈêSo youâÈçre definitely going?âÈë

A slow smile spread across AthenaâÈçs face, and she nodded, sitting up on her knees. âÈêLike you said, who wouldnâÈçt want to be a goddess?âÈë

Pallas hopped up from her bed and grinned at her friend. âÈêCâÈçmon, letâÈçs go tell my parents and then IâÈçll help you pack.âÈë

While PallasâÈçs mom and dad checked out that ZeusâÈçs letter was for real, Athena began packing. The two girls spent the rest of the day scurrying around, as Athena prepared to leave the only home sheâÈçd ever known.

âÈêAn entire suitcase full of scrolls?âÈë Pallas teased at one point. âÈêDonâÈçt you think theyâÈçll have a library at the academy?âÈë

âÈêIâÈçm not taking any chances,âÈë said Athena. Carefully she stuffed the suitcase full of textscrolls written by her favorite Greek authors, including Plato, Aristotle, and Aesop. Then she added her own notescrolls, which contained her invention and knitting ideas, and ideas for science and math projects.

By that evening, sheâÈçd packed her entire life into two suitcases and one bag. She was exhaustedâÈ'mentally and physicallyâÈ'but she and Pallas stayed up half the night anyway, talking and giggling about what Zeus and the other gods might be like.

âÈêI wonder which godboys and goddessgirls go to the academy?âÈë Athena mused excitedly. âÈêI wonder if IâÈçll meet any Amazons. I wonder if IâÈçll get to ride Pegasus.âÈë

âÈêPromise me youâÈçll let me know if you get to meet any cool godboys like Poseidon,âÈë said Pallas. âÈêIâÈçm dying to know if heâÈçs as cute as the sculpture of him we saw in Crete last summer.âÈë

âÈêItâÈçll be my first priority,âÈë Athena teased.

âÈêI hope heâÈçs not stuck-up.âÈë

âÈêMe too,âÈë said Athena. âÈêI hope none of the godboys and goddessgirls are.âÈë

Pallas grinned dreamily. âÈêI can hardly wait to tell everyone at school tomorrow that youâÈçre a goddess!âÈë She yawned. âÈêWell, night-night, Athena. LetâÈçs get up early, and IâÈçll make owl-face pancakes for breakfast before you go. The kind with ears and blueberry eyes that you liked when we were little.âÈë Her voice drifted away.

After Pallas dozed off, Athena tossed and turned until sunrise, dreaming of Mount Olympus. In some of her dreams, she was the star of the academy, getting the highest academic honors. In other dreamsâÈ'nightmares, reallyâÈ'Zeus hurled thunderbolts at her for embarrassing him with failing grades.

Before she knew it, morning arrived and she was hugging PallasâÈçs parents good-bye as they left for work. Just as she and Pallas were finishing the pancakes theyâÈçd made for breakfast, there was a knock on the door. Hermes had come, wearing winged sandals, a winged cap, and a knee-length toga. Beyond him on the lawn sat a beautiful silver chariot that was already piled high with packages.

âÈêWhere are you supposed to sit?âÈë Pallas whispered from behind her.

âÈêGood question,âÈë Athena whispered back. And it was curious that there werenâÈçt any horses attached to the chariot.

âÈêHup! Hup! WeâÈçre behind schedule.âÈë Hermes pushed some packages around to make room for her. Then he rushed Athena, her bag, and her two suitcases aboard as if she were just another package he needed to deliver. And in a way, she guessed she was.

The minute she settled in, mighty white wings sprouted from the chariotâÈçs sides. âÈêStrap yourself in!âÈë ordered Hermes, as the wings began to flap. Athena fastened the strap and twisted around as the chariot lifted off.

âÈêBye! IâÈçll miss you, Pal!âÈë she called over her shoulder.

âÈêIâÈçll miss you, too!âÈë Pallas shouted, waving. âÈêDonâÈçt forget to ask Zeus about a visit!âÈë

âÈêOkay!âÈë Athena called back.

Two girls from their mathematics class joined Pallas just then, on their way to Triton Junior High. Pallas pointed at the chariot, talking excitedly, probably telling them the whole story of ZeusâÈçs letter, Athena guessed.

âÈêPromise you wonâÈçt forget me!âÈë Athena shouted.

âÈêWhat?âÈë Pallas shouted back, cupping her ear as she tried to hear. As Hermes flew higher into the sky, the chariotâÈçs shadow fell across a sea of glistening white clouds.

âÈêI said, donâÈçt forget me!âÈë Athena tried again. But Pallas only shook her head, looking confused. Still, Athena kept waving until the three girls were only specks walking to school together alongside the Triton River below.

Of course Pallas would make new friends once she was gone, Athena knew. But that thought didnâÈçt comfort her a bit. She didnâÈçt want Pallas to find a new best friend! Sadness washed over her at the thought, and a tear trickled down her cheek. She wiped it away. She couldnâÈçt show up at her new school with puffy eyes.

Suddenly the chariot lurched. Then it began to wobble and bounce. The wings at its sides flapped wildly as it seemed to lose its balance.

Athena jerked around in her seat, her eyes wide. âÈêWhatâÈçs going on?âÈë

The muscles in HermesâÈç arms bulged as he struggled with the stick shift to steady the wings. Grumbling, he thumped the dials on the instrument panel with the side of his fist.

The corners of jostling packages poked AthenaâÈçs arms and legs as she held on for dear life. âÈêWhatâÈçs wrong?âÈë she demanded.

âÈêWeâÈçre overweight. Got to offload some ballast.âÈë Hermes eyed her, and for a second she worried he was going to toss her out. Instead he lobbed both of her suitcases over the side of the chariot.

âÈêWait! My notescrolls!âÈë she protested. Heartbroken, she could only watch them fall. Her invention ideas! Her journals! All her thoughts and ideas from the past twelve years had been written on those scrolls. Now they were gone, along with most of her textscrolls. All she was left with was a single bag, which contained some of her clothes, a bundle of knitting, and a biography about Pythagoras sheâÈçd been reading.

âÈêYou could have at least asked which bag I wanted to keep!âÈë she protested. Hermes didnâÈçt answer. By now the wind was whooshing past so loudly she wasnâÈçt even sure heâÈçd heard.

As they traveled on, Athena caught glimpses of green fields, blue seas, and cityscapes below. But they faded away as the winged chariot flew ever higher.

Soon they began circling the top of a gigantic mountain. âÈêNext stop: Mount Olympus Academy,âÈë rumbled Hermes. Athena leaned forward trying to see it, her long hair whipping in the wind behind her.

With a burst of speed the chariot broke through a fluffy cloud. Up ahead, her new school sprang into view almost like magic. The majestic academy gleamed in the sunlight atop the highest mountain in Greece. Built of polished white stone, it was five stories tall and surrounded on all sides by dozens of Ionic columns. Low-relief friezes were sculpted just below its peaked rooftop.

Looks like IâÈçve traded Pallas for a palace, thought Athena.

Below in the courtyard, dozens of students were rushing around. Everyone seemed to have someplace to go. These were godboys and goddessgirls, she realized. How strange to think that she was one of them. Were they nice? Would they like her? Athena clutched her bag tight.

âÈêToo late to change your mind now,âÈë said Hermes. How had he guessed she was having second thoughts? He touched down at the top of the granite steps leading up to the school and scooted her out of the chariot. Then, without another word, he took off in a rush, leaving her behind with her bag. Probably had another urgent package to deliver.

HeâÈçd left her standing in front of a huge white door. Letters chiseled on it read the office. A water fountain stood just outside. Parched from her journey, Athena bent to take a gulp from it and quickly discovered that, instead of water, it spouted some kind of juice sheâÈçd never tasted before. It was so delicious that she took a second drink.

When she straightened again, she noticed her hand looked kind of weirdâÈ'like it had been powdered with golden glitter. Tilting it side to side, she saw that it sparkled in the sunlight. So did her arm. So did both of her arms! And her legs, too.

Her skin had begun to shimmerâÈ'just like a real goddess!

Âû 2010 Joan Holub

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Citations

• Hornbook Guide to Children, 01/01/2013, Page 72
• School Library Journal, 04/01/2010, Page 160