UPDATE AS OF 02/11/2013: To all those reading this for the first time and for those returning; I have recently read House of Hades and have noticed several things that are inconsistent with my story's plot. If anyone else notices please be aware that this series was planned about a week after Mark of Athena's release. I will attempt to correct any inconsistencies but otherwise this may have to be reclassified as AU.

Author's note: I do not own Percy Jackson or any of its associated characters/contents! All right go to Rick Riordan and Puffin books.
Also be aware that the Prologue is a scene from The Titan's Curse with a tense change. I am merely using it to set the scene for the rest of the book!

Prologue

Hephaestus' Junkyard Many years ago

"Ah there you are, Percy," the goddess said "I am Aphrodite."
Percy slipped into the seat next to her and said something like "Um uh Gah."
She smiled. "Aren't you sweet? Hold this please." She handed him a polished mirror the size of a dinner plate and had him hold it up for her. She leaned forward and dabbed at her lipstick, though personally Percy couldn't see anything wrong with it. "Do you know why you're here?" she asked.
He wanted to respond. Why couldn't he form a complete sentence? She was only a lady. A seriously beautiful lady. With eyes like pools of spring water. . . Whoa.
He pinched his own arm, hard.
"I. . . I don't know," he managed.
"Oh, dear," Aphrodite said. "Still in denial?"
Outside the car Percy could hear Ares chuckling. He had a feeling he could hear every word they said. The idea of him being outside made him angry, and that helped clear his mind.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said.
"Well then, why are you on this quest?"
"Artemis has been captured!"
Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Oh Artemis. Please. Talk about a hopeless case. I mean, if they were going to kidnap a goddess, she should be breathtakingly beautiful don't you think? I pity the poor dears who have to imprison Artemis, Bo-ring!"
"But she was chasing a monster," Percy protested "a really, really bad monster. We have to find it!"
Aphrodite made him hold the mirror a little higher. She seemed to have found a microscopic problem at the corner of her eye and dabbed at her mascara. "Always some monster. But my dear Percy, That is why the others are on this quest. I'm more interested in you".

Percy didn't want to answer, but her eyes drew an answer right out of his mouth.
"Annabeth is in trouble."
Aphrodite beamed. "Exactly!"
"I have to help her," he said. "I've been having these dreams."
"Ah you even dream about her! That's so cute!"
"No! I mean . . . that's not what I meant."
She made a tsk tsk sound. "Percy, I'm on your side. I'm the reason you're here after all."
He stared at her. "What?"
"The poisoned t-shirt the Stoll brothers gave to phoebe," she said. "Did you think that was an accident? Sending Blackjack to find you? Helping you sneak out of the camp?"
"You did that?"
"Of course! Because, really, how boring these hunters are. A quest for some monster, blah blah blah. Saving Artemis. Let her stay lost I say. But a quest for true love-"
"Wait a second, I never said-"
"Oh, my dear. You don't need to say it. You do know Annabeth was close to joining the hunters, don't you?"
He blushed "I wasn't sure-"
"She was about to throw her life away! And you, my dear, you can save her from that. It's so romantic!"
"Uh. . ."
"Oh put the mirror down," Aphrodite ordered. "I look fine." Percy hadn't realised he was still holding it, but as soon as he put it down, he noticed his arms were sore.
"Now listen Percy," Aphrodite said. "The hunters are your enemies. Forget them and Artemis and the monster. That's not important. You just concentrate on finding and saving Annabeth."
"Do you know where she is?"
Aphrodite waved her hand irritably. "No, no. I leave the details to you. But it's been ages since we've had a good tragic love story." "Whoa, first of all, I never said anything about love. And second, what's up with tragic?"
"Love conquers all," Aphrodite promised. "Look at Helen and Paris. Did they let anything come between them?"
"Didn't they start the Trojan War and get thousands of people killed?"
"Pfft. That's not the point. Follow your heart."
"But. . . I don't know where it's going. My heart, I mean."
She smiled sympathetically. She really was beautiful Percy thought. And not just because she had a pretty face or anything. She believed so much in love, it was impossible not to feel giddy when she talked about it.
"Not knowing is half the fun," Aphrodite said. "Exquisitely painful isn't it? Not being sure who you love and who loves you? Oh, you kids! It's so cute I'm going to cry."
"No, no," said Percy quickly. "Don't do that."
"And don't worry," she said. "I'm not going to let this be easy and boring for you. No, I have some wonderful surprises in store. Anguish. Indecision. Oh, just you wait. . ."