"To the cabin
Love makes her way
To give her words
And make delay"
Piper read aloud. "Gods. Don't tell me I have to see Mom again."
Piper sighed as Aphrodite entered the room, and picked up the slip of paper they had filled out. She smiled at the eight like they were just about to go to a party, and not trying to complete a mission.
"Piper-" she looked up. "Ah, lovelier than before, I see. Sadly, that hasn't gotten you any suitors. Jason's been practically ignoring you. Even though you like him. I really think you should give up on that one - he's never going to love you, you know." Piper glared at her mother, and looked down, avoiding anyone's glances.
"Jason." She smiled at him. "Handsomer than ever. In fact, you're-" she looked down at the slip again - "-seventeen. Quite old enough to be spending a night with me," she said in a sugary tone. Jason looked disgusted, and shook his head firmly. "I-I'm fine, thanks." Aphrodite glared at him, but continued on. "Sadly, no one except my sad rag of a daughter Piper likes you. Except you-" she looked at him sideways. "Like someone else." She examined him, and snorted. "A lot, I can see. You've been kissing her a lot in your imagination." Jason turned purple and looked down as well. "Mia - I think it's time Jason made his little confession." Piper's head shot up and glared at Mia poisonously. Mia glared poisonously back. Jason avoided Mia's eyes as Aphrodite pushed him towards her. Aphrodite took one look at Jason's horrendously red face, and guffawed. "Don't worry, I'll do it for you. Mia I really like you and I've been kissing you in my dreams, and you're absolutely gorgeous, and I really want to be your boyfriend." Mia looked sideways at Jason, who was trying to avoid Piper's looks. Aphrodite nudged her. "You're supposed to answer." Mia glared at her. "I'm not supposed to be born, idiot. Who says I'm supposed to do anything?" Jason and Percy hid smiles at her sass. Aphrodite was in for something. No one messed with Mia. Aphrodite sighed at her determined face, and sighed. "Alright then."
"Leo. Would you like to hear the good news first, or the bad news?" Leo gave her a guarded look. "The bad." Aphrodite chuckled. "Ah, Leo, your father would have said the same. Alright then. Hazel doesn't like you. She likes Frank." Leo's face fell a little, but he kept up his guarded expression. "And the good?" Aphrodite smiled. "When he dies, she's all yours." Hazel gasped and looked at Frank, then Leo, stunned. Leo said nothing, and Aphrodite sighed and moved on.
"Percy. Does everything have to be a fight between you and Jason? You can't like different people?" Mia gasped, and looked at Percy in shock. "Yes, Mia, dear. Everyone seems to like you. Percy here, in fact, has fantasised more about you than Jason has. He's even thought about being in bed." Mia's face was pale. "Don't worry, Perce, I won't make you confess. Mia already knows now." Annabeth's face was whiter than Mia's. "Yes, Annabeth, dear, Percy doesn't like you. You just overstepped the friend mark."
"Annabeth. Percy will never love you back. Find someone else. Go to the casino with Piper or something - you both need someone new right now." Percy looked at Annabeth with a mixture of regret and loss. Aphrodite was right. Annabeth glared at him and shifted away from the seven.
"Hazel. You like Frank right now, but when he dies soon, you'll go to Leo. He'll comfort you and you'll be happy together. Just like ol' Sammy in those times. You were meant for each other." Hazel looked sideways at Leo, who smiled wanly.
"Frank. Sorry, you're going to die soon, and you'll lose Hazel. Hey, but you want her to be happy, right?" Frank looked at Leo uncertainly, and then back at Hazel, who squeezed his hand. "I-I guess so."
"Mia. The golden girl obviously. You get all the attention just because Artemis tripped up and had you. It won't happen again. You won't ever have any siblings. Luckily for you, everyone seems to like you. Percy. Jason. The two heroes of the group. Who are you going to choose, Mia?" Aphrodite leered at her. Mia glared at her. "What I do is none of your business. You've given us your words. Now get out."
Aphrodite raised an eyebrow. "Sadly, you're right. I have to go. I've done my job. You'll see - love is even more powerful than war. I've always been telling Ares." She vanished in a puff of pink smoke.
The eight just stood, stunned. Percy and Jason both looked at Mia apologetically. "Mia-" they said in unison, then glared at each other. Piper and Annabeth just stood beside each other, trying not to betray the hurt. Leo tried to keep a nonchalant face, but kept glancing over at Hazel, who was hugging Frank comfortingly. And Leo couldn't help thinking that Aphrodite was right. Percy and Jason hated each other now. Frank would probably hate him. Annabeth and Piper hated Mia. It wasn't a team anymore.