Chapter Text
Luguselwa was the best.
An eight year old Meg kicked her legs and grinned from her spot the backseat of the Grey sisters’ taxi as Lu watched on in amusement. It had been another successful day of training, with her making great headway on a new move, and so as a reward her weapons trainer had given her a drachma.
Meg knew the routine by now. It meant free time! She could leave the tower and her siblings behind, just for a while, and summon the chariot of damnation. Her step father didn’t know about that last bit. The free ride was her and Lu’s big secret. Meg loved how everything went woosh past the windows. She could explore the city in the coolest ride she had ever been in.
But what Meg really liked was the taxi’s TV monitor. It didn’t play any of the regular channels her step-father had back at home, no, instead it played all sorts of shows and commercials from goddy TV.
It was currently playing a rerun from ‘Late Night with Thalia!’ that had been filmed last night. There was a guest on, some new guy that Meg didn’t recognise. He was blonde and honestly? Kind of annoying. The type of person who liked to hear themselves talk. And oh did he talk.
“—just being here makes me feel like composing a haiku.”
“This early into the evening?” The host laughed. “Don’t you want to save that for later?”
“Don’t worry,” said the blonde with a wink. “I’ll save my best for last.”
Thalia looked straight at the camera. “Oookay… this should be interesting.”
“Why thank you! It goes like this: Thalia and I
Name a better double act
To star tonight!”
Thalia started counting on her fingers, mulling it over. “Er, you’ve miscounted some syllables.”
“Oh, have I?” He waved her off. “Ah, we’ll workshop it. How long have we got?”
“What a dummy,” Meg said to the screen. Lu agreed.
“Are you talking about Apollo?” piped up one of the old ladies driving Meg’s treat ride. She had met them several times, but could never keep track of who was who with all the hot potato they played with their body parts. Currently, this one lacked an important feature, the eye, and instead remained satisfied steering using a tooth.
She said this ride was cool.
“Oh,” said another. Eyeball. “I have some dog—”
“No, no, no!” cried the third. “Not yet! Too early.”
“Too early?” repeated Meg. “For a dog?”
Meg wanted a dog. Or just any pet. But no animal lasted long in her step-father’s household.
“We said nothing!” said the third.
“Nothing!” echoed Tooth.
“We actually mean it this time!” added the third.
Meg shrugged. “Okay.”
It wasn’t like it was of any consequence to her. She was quite happy to sit back and let herself be distracted by the ridiculousness on screen, wondering if maybe, one day, her mother would end up guest starring.
Whoever that was.