Grover becomes excited and nervous when Blanche, a daughter of Iris, arrives to guide Percy, Annabeth, and Grover to Iris. Percy notes Blanche’s goth appearance, her black-and-white photography, and Grover’s admiration for her gloomy artistic style despite Grover already having a girlfriend, Juniper.

Percy recalls why Blanche impressed Grover: during a campfire ghost story, Blanche frightened the campers with a fake curse about a diseased demigod’s grave, then used her Iris-child powers to drain the colors from the crowd. Chiron eventually explained the trick, but Blanche’s creepy performance and photography made Grover see her as an artistic genius.

Blanche leads the trio through a crowded Manhattan farmers’ market. Grover tries to pose for Blanche’s attention, while Annabeth keeps Percy calm. As they pass produce, handmade goods, incense, and other fragrant offerings, Percy realizes the market would appeal to a goddess because of its abundance of smells and offerings.

Blanche identifies Iris at a booth full of rainbow-catching crystals. Iris appears as a grandmotherly woman in a purple-and-white flowered muumuu, and her strained conversation with Blanche reveals a mother-daughter conflict: Iris longs for color and closeness, while Blanche remains committed to black-and-white art and emotional distance.

Blanche uses Iris’s desire to please her as leverage, asking Iris to listen to Percy, Annabeth, and Grover without zapping or cursing them, even though they may sound as if they are accusing Iris of theft. Iris agrees for Blanche’s sake. Before leaving, Blanche reveals Annabeth’s promised deal: Grover must come to Blanche’s studio for still shots, surprising him, and Iris invites the trio to explain what they think she stole.