I'll be honest... I flipped ares the bird before I got in the limo. I quickly got in afterwards though.

Entering the limo I found that my suspicions of who was in here correct, for I was met with the sight of the love goddess. Not that I don't hate her. She's just not on my list of favorites, but also not on my kill list like Hera is. She's neutral for me kinda like Demeter, not really against but also not for.

"Hello Percy, I'm Aphrodite" she greeted

"I'm aware. We've met before. When Zeus accused me of stealing his bolt, despite it being an impossibility which I proved" I responded with

"Ah yes. Though we didn't get to talk then. A shame really, but I'm glad you remembered" she said then handed me a mirror, "hold this please"

I sighed and reluctantly held the mirror for her, while she began to 'touch up' her makeup. "So do you know why you are here" she asked while working on her lipstick.

"Here is relative. Why am I in this limo? Because you wanted to talk with me. Why am I in the middle of nowhere Arizona? This is where the Erymanthian Boar dropped us off. Why am I on the quest? Because the woman who raised and cared for me, as if I was her own, and that made me the man I am today, is in need of my help. The prophecy also mentioned me, and I do not wish to see my sister dead when I know I can do something about it" I answered

"Oh dear" Aphrodite exclaimed, "still in denial aren't we". However outside I heard Ares chuckling.

"I'm not in denial of anything Aphrodite" I stated clearly annoyed

"You say you're on this quest because of your mother and sister but that's not it is it"

I sighed annoyed knowing what she was insinuating, "I'm very aware of my love life and whom I'm attracted to and whom I wish to be with and yes that is part of my reasoning, but not the sole reason as you seemingly want to insist"

"But she's in trouble is she not"

"She's in just as much need of help as my mother, Aphrodite. So yes she is. But if you haven't been paying attention, like the meathead outside surprisingly has, war is on the horizon with the general escaping his punishment" I stated

Aphrodite seemingly annoyed most my response, " well how do you know she's in danger"

"Because I have had dreams" I sighed annoyed because Aphrodite clearly wants to play games

"Awwwww that's so cute. You dream about her"

"Aphrodite please stop. We need to finish this quest quickly"

"Well you're no fun. I didn't even get to tell you my plans for your love life"

"You know what Aphrodite. How bout this a trade of sorts. You don't mess with my love life as I have figured that out for myself, you don't mess with Thalia's or Annabeth's love life as well, and you don't mess with the love lives of my sisters" I said

"And what do I get in return" she asked, and I swear I could hear the nervous shuffling of Ares from outside...it seems he remembered he forgot about something that was with his shield.

"Well a while back you were on a date with ares right. I believe the tunnel of love ride in Denver Colorado" I stated, "but it was interrupted and you left something behind did you not"

"I did. I really miss that scarf too. It was one of my favorites" she said angrily

"Well I'm sure you're aware that ares had Annabeth, Peter, and myself retrieve his shield"

"Yeah. I can't believe he didn't get my scarf too"

"I know a shame really. But it just so happened that your scarf wasn't set with a trap. You could have retrieved it at anytime with no hassle or worry" I stated

"Really. Hephaestus didn't lace my scarf with one of his traps"

"He didn't. And it just so happens I have your scarf and am willing to return for my earlier conditions sworn on the Styx" I said

"I swear on the Styx to abide by your conditions of returning my scarf to me, for the return of my scarf. Now gib me" she said attaching her hands out for the scarf like and eager child.

I put the mirror down and dig into my bag pulling the scarf out handing it to Aphrodite, "Oh my precious mommy missed you. Yes she did. How bout we get you washed up and paired with an excellent outfit" she cooed to the scarf.

"You're forgetting Ares didn't care about your scarf" I said

"Oh yes. I suppose you can go now. Be sure to send Ares in on your way out. Oh and don't take anything from the junk yard. I know you know how possessive us gods can be even over our junk" she said kicking me out.

Finally being outside the car I saw ares just glaring at me. "The lady wishes to speak with you" I told him, "oh AND APHRODITE EVERYTHING I TOLD YOU WAS TRUE. I SWEAR IT ON THE STYX" I shouted to make sure she heard and had the rumble of thunder over head to confirm it.

"ARES IN HERE NOW" Aphrodite shouted

"Thanks a lot punk" ares said, entering the back of the limo

"You're welcome" I stated only to hear his screams of pain coming shortly thereafter.

The others, heading the screaming, all rushed out of the building they were in and rushed to me. Only to see I wasn't the one who was screaming in pain.

"What's happening" Zoë asked

"Oh I got ares in trouble with Aphrodite" I said

"What could he have done that pissed her off so much" Thalia asked

"Remember the scarf from Denver, Annabeth and I told you about"

"Yeah"

"Well it's back in Aphrodite's possession, along with the knowledge of how I acquired it"

"Well anyone want to bet if she kills him or not" Thalia asked

"She won't kill him over the scarf. Even if it is her favorite one. Though Ares will most certainly be needing another visit to Apollo for medical treatment" Zoë answered.

We stood there waiting for the screams to stop. When all the sudden they did and Aphrodite stepped out of the limo with bloody nails, and hands.

"Ahhh sorry you had to hear that" she said happily wearing the scarf and a outfit that suited it well, "but we must be going. I don't want dead god smell getting a hold in the back of my limo" she said and snapped her fingers.

Everything was just a pink smoke, that smelled heavily of perfume, for 3 seconds, before it disappeared and we were on the top of a mound in the junkyard.

"What did she want with you" Zoë asked

"She wanted to mess with my love life. But I struck a deal for the return of her scarf, also you're welcome Zee"

"Why should I be thanking you"

"She's sworn on the Styx not to mess with the love lives of my sisters. And you are my sister"

"What about me" Thalia asked

"Also sworn not to mess with yours on the Styx. So whom ever you have feelings for are your own and not the manipulations of a goddess looking to cause drama, Annabeth is also protected" I said

Thalia seemed happy at that and tackled me in a hug send us both down the mound of godly scarp metal.

Surprisingly that didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. But Zoë and Grover joined us soon. "She also said not to take anything" I said as everyone could now here.

"I must agree. This is the junkyard of the gods. Things are here for a reason. They are either defective cursed, or scrap" Zoë stated

"I think I might just agree with you on that" Thalia said looking around

"Oh come on. This stuff isn't junk" Grover said, picking up a crowns and taking a bite out of it. " it taste great"

"Grover don't take anything" we said all said, and Grover put the crown back down before we started heading our way through the junk yard.

Thankfully Thalia tackled me in a western direction so we didn't have to climb back up the mound we started on. "This way"Zoë stated beginning to walk west

"How do you know that that's the direction to go in" Thalia asked

"Ursa Major is in the north" Zoë stated pointing at the constellation, "this this way is west"

Thalia seemed to be fine with that explanation, probably assuming that since Zoë is from the time before the compass and maps that she would know how to navigate by the stars. Which is true but also that is kind of a requirement in the hunt. To know how to navigate by the stars that is.

We started navigating our way through the junk yard and if it wasn't for the stars we most certainly would have gotten lost. Honestly I'm glad we ended up deciding to traverse during the night instead of sleeping.

Though I would have like liked to say we left stuff alone. We didn't. Thalia found a miniature version of her fathers lightning bolt and proceeded to do an excellent impression of him. Only solidifying my belief he should be the god of drama as well. Zoë and I found some old huntress stuff though we didn't pick it up. I also found a guitar shaped like Apollo's lyre. And grover found some nature stuff made of metal like a tree a few metallic automaton birds, but we left them all roughly where we found them.

Eventually we made our way to the crest of another mound of stuff and saw that the exit was about a half mile away. Though there appeared to be toes on the mound separating us from the exit

"I think we should go around the toes. They are creeping me out" Thalia stated

"I agree" I said

"I hate fake feet" Grover answered

"It is probably best we go around" Zoë said

So since we were all in agreement that's what we ended up doing.

Thankfully there were no problems and we came upon an old abandoned tow truck just outside the junk yards boundary. The keys were left inside and it also had an engine that worked.

Surprisingly it also had a full tank so I'm pretty sure a god left it here for us, but I don't know which one would have left.