'Persie Jackson has potential to reach greatness,' Aphrodite mused as she watched the unclaimed demigoddess walked to Hephaestus' junkyard with that two Hunters of Artemis, a daughter of Zeus, and one satyr. 'but it will never be realized if she still tries to appease that sea buffoon.'

Aphrodite, like the other gods, believed that Persie will not bring destruction upon Olympus and that she will instead save them. It was funny that most minor gods believe that Zeus hates Persie for existing, which is not true. Why would they hate the hero that is supposed to save them? Zeus only hates the fact that Poseidon thought so little about the demigoddess that had retrieved his Master Bolt and survived through the Sea of Monster to help retrieve the Golden Fleece, which subsequently brought back Thalia to life.

But what worries the gods is the fact that despite of how many times Poseidon belittled her, Persie is still determined to do her best to appease him, hoping the Sea God will finally able to acknowledge her. Oh, and her unrequited love with that Son of Hermes, Luke Castellan. Aphrodite fears that the traitor will use that to convince Persie to join Kronos.

Perhaps it is time for the Love Goddess to try and talk to the unclaimed demigoddess.

Maybe she shouldn't choose a deathly white limousine to meet young Persie. The demigods are too jittery and will assume the limo as another monster. And the Hunters will just simply shoot before speaks if they recognized Aphrodite in that limo. It's good thing that the Love Goddess had asked Ares to escort her. She can ask Ares what kind of demigod Persie is, as the War God didn't make Persie Jackson as his enemy despite his losing in battle during the young demigod's first quest.

It was quite surprisingly too. Since Ares always making enemy with almost anyone he battled against.

"The young punk should not be underestimated." He replied.

Aphrodite nodded in agreement. She willed the back door of the limo to be opened right next to Persie.

When he heard the sound of two Hunters drawing their bows, Ares immediately got out of the car and pointed the sword under one of the Hunters (Bianca, if Aphrodite remembered correctly).

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, punks."

Thalia groaned in exasperation. "Oh great. It's Ares."

"Hello there, little sister. I heard you were back," The War God sneered as he glanced at the group. "At ease, people."

He snapped his fingers, and their weapons fell to the ground.

Persie just stared at the War God. "What do you want, Ares?"

"Yeah, what's your business, Ares?" Thalia asked. "Who's in the car?"

"Oh, I doubt she wants to meet the rest of you. Particularly not them." He jutted his chin towards Zoe as he lowered his sword away from Bianca. "Why don't you all go get some tacos while you wait? Only take Persie a few minutes."

This prompted the Hunters to take defensive mode and protect Persie. "We will not leave her alone with thee, Lord Ares," Zoe said.

"Besides," The satyr—Grover managed, "the taco place is closed."

Ares snapped his fingers again. The lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life. The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign flipped to OPEN. "You were saying, goat boy?"

"Go on," Persie finally told to her friends. "I'll handle this."

She tried to sound more confident, but Ares could sense the sullenness in her tone.

"You heard her," Ares said. "She got things under control."

The Hunters and her friends reluctantly headed over to the taco restaurant—Bianca mouthed 'be careful' to Persie. Ares then opened the limousine door like a chauffeur.

"Get inside," he said, surprising Persie that he didn't call her 'punk'. "And don't be rude. You're a girl, not a boy."

Persie reluctantly entered the limo, but before Ares closed the door behind her, she could swear that she heard the War God said,

"Listen to her. You will be fine."

Aphrodite had so many reactions every time mortals sees her. Ranging from ogling, praising, and even some jealous stares, she already received them all.

But it's almost rare for her to receive a resign look. The look that saying that 'Yes, you're pretty and I'm ugly. Please don't hurt me. I will do it myself; I promise.'

Seeing it from the face of a tired demigoddess makes it even more painful for the Love Goddess to watch.

"Ah, there you are, Persie," the goddess said. "I am Aphrodite."

"Okay," She said as she slipped into the seat across from the goddess. "Hello."

Aphrodite decided not to fix her makeup in front of the poor demigod—and besides, this conversation is more important. Young Persephone Jackson must understand that she is as talented as the other demigods!

"Do you know why you're here?" Aphrodite asked.

"Um, because you have something important to talk about?" The unclaimed demigoddess answered.

"Ah! You are indeed smarter than you ever gave yourself credit for," Aphrodite praised, causing the demigod to blush. "Yes, but that is not what I'm asking about. I was asking about why you're in this quest."

"Artemis and Annabeth have been captured!" Persie answered.

"Yes, yes, they got Artemis and they also captured you friend, but is that all you're thinking about?" Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "A girl on your age should have already think about cute boys. Not another girl—unless you're into it?"

Persie protested. "Artemis was chasing a monster. A really, really bad monster. And we have to find it! And my friend Annabeth is a like a sister to me! Before Thalia, Annabeth is like a big sister I always wanted..."

Aphrodite flinched at the obvious hurt at the tone young demigod used. For a moment, the Love Goddess was painfully reminded that Persie Jackson is an orphan demigod.

"You know that you don't have to be in this quest? There are others that are more fitting for this quest than you. There are other Hunters that willing to sacrifice themselves so they can rescue Artemis and there are other demigods more than willing and more skilled to rescue Annabeth," Aphrodite said. "Why do you insist?"

"I... I don't know..."

Aphrodite sighed. "We, the gods, don't always watch our children quests. There are some quests that are too mundane and don't always bring enough glory, yet we acknowledged our children's efforts because we're more grateful that they survived than the glory they've got."

Persie was quiet.

"You don't need to torture yourself just to be acknowledged by that Sea Moron," Aphrodite raised her hand to stop Persie from protesting. "Yes, he's one of the Big Three. But that doesn't mean he needs to be respected since he never done anything worthy for my respect or other gods respect."

"But..."

"He created horses, yes I know. But that was just it. He's only good at creating one thing that benefit mankind, yet he is the master at destroying even more. Hades is more powerful than him, you know. And Zeus, despite being the youngest, has more authority than Poseidon. Without Zeus, imagine all the destruction your sire can inflict to mortals without Zeus setting up the proper orders for us gods?"

Persie stopped protesting.

"I hated it when he once asked me to make Pasiphae—the mother to that monster you once slain, remember Minotaur? — falling in love with the white bull! I was so disgusted since his horrific plan worked, that I refused to come out from my Temple for whole weeks!" Aphrodite ranted.

Persie, already learn about that myth from Annabeth, looked nauseating green.

Aphrodite waved her hand, dismissively. "But we're not here to talk about me—as much as I'd love to-, we're here to talk about you. Now I want you tell me; why are you even trying to appease him?"

The Love Goddess had laced the last sentence with her Charmspeak, prompting Persie to tell the truth. She hates to do this to the poor demigoddess, but she had to. Someone needs to stop Persie Jackson from ruining her own life by clinging to some hopeless wish of wanting Poseidon to claim her as his daughter.

Persie's eyes glassed over. "Because Poseidon is my father."

Aphrodite nodded. "Yes, he is your sire. But did he ever do something to you as your father?"

Persie paled at the harshness of Aphrodite's question. Did Poseidon ever do something for her?

"Did he give you Anaklusmos?"

"No. Chiron did, said that it was a gift from Hera."

"Did he ever give you his blessing during your last quests?"

"N-no?"

"Did he arrange any type of transportation for your group when you were going to Sea of Monster to help Clarisse la Rue?"

"No. Hermes did."

"Did he ever talk to you when you actually meet him?"

Persie didn't answer.

"Did he ever express how he is proud of you by any means?"

Persie still silent.

"What about that time when you jumped from the Gateway Arch?" Aphrodite kept pushing for answer. "I heard some god sent their messenger to help you when you were underwater."

Persie did remember that. "Yes, a nymph came to rescue me. She said she was sent by my brother, Triton."

Aphrodite smiled. Triton always care about his family, even if they're from his father's result of infidelities.

"Who did you expect when you reached the beach in Santa Monica?"

"Poseidon..." Persie replied, weakly.

"But instead of him, who did you meet?"

Persie smiled softly. "Lady Amphitrite. She's kind."

"And yet, her own husband didn't even bother to try to meet you," Aphrodite replied. "Why she was there, knowing full well that you are another bastard of his?"

"She sympathized me?"

Aphrodite shook her head. "Could be, but also because she knows that you need a mother figure and she was angry to Poseidon for abandoning you like he did to his hundreds more demigods in ancient times. The demigods that he actually care were recorded in history books. The ones he abandoned? They're forgotten."

That seems to finally sink into Persie's mind. She recalled that Annabeth once mentioned about some of her supposedly half-siblings are always known to be rash and more impulsive—Bellerophon might as well be a poster child for ADHD. And yet, they had their own story recorded. With Poseidon helping them in any ways he can.

Persie was depressed over the fact that Poseidon even cares for Polyphemus, the monster that almost killed her and her friends in the last quest.

Aphrodite gave her another smile. "My dear, you have the potential to be the greatest heroine our world will ever have. But all those will never come true, if you still clinging to that wistful dream. Leave it and be who you are. You don't need the title 'Daughter of Poseidon', trust me. Don't listen to Poseidon. Listen to yourself. After all, you're still your mother's daughter, no?"

Persie nodded. The demigod was stunned at the Love Goddess's words. Is it possible for Persie to reach greatness?

"Now listen, Persie," Aphrodite said. "Luke Castellan is your enemy. He was never your friend and the only reason why he befriended you on the first place, because he saw you as another potential recruit for Kronos."

Persie was about to protested, that she still believed that Luke is innocent and that he was manipulated by Kronos, but the Love Goddess stopped her.

"As much as I loved good tragic love story, I really don't want you to be subjected into one," Aphrodite said. "Your true love is not in this timeline. Lucas Castellan is not the one."

Persie Jackson gaped at the goddess's word. "Wha-?"

"You're falling in love with the wrong Lucas, my dear," She smiled sympathetically. "I wish all my daughters could be as brave as you. You may not be as strong as them, but we have seen your worthiness. And we recognized your valor, something that Poseidon can't do," Aphrodite's eyes were tearing up. "Now, you'd better go. And do be careful in my husband's territory, Persie. Don't take anything. He is awfully fussy about his trinkets and trash."

"What?" Persie asked. "You mean Hephaestus?"

But the car door opened, and Ares grabbed her shoulder, pulling the demigod out of the car and back into the desert night.

"Must you be that harsh?" Aphrodite asked him.

"Sorry, but we're running out of time," the War God replied. "I sensed Poseidon is about to throw another tantrum in Zeus's Palace." He looked to Persie. "Be careful. And good luck."

"Why are you—"

"Don't ask why I am being nice to you," Ares grunted. "Now go back to your friends."

Even Aphrodite looked curious at Ares's behavior but decided not to push further. There is far more important matter after all, like stopping Poseidon from ransacking the Throne Room. She doesn't want something happen to her throne.

Ares snapped his fingers and Persie immediately fell to the ground, unconscious.

Aphrodite only hoped that Persie Jackson will remember the conversation. The girl deserves better than being tossed aside by Poseidon.

Sometime in 1930s, in which Persie Jackson had grown up into a beautiful woman, several years after she was sent by the gods from 2009 to 1918, the still unclaimed demigoddess remembered her conversation with the Love Goddess and was grateful for Aphrodite's advice. She stopped trying to appease Poseidon and had moved on from Luke Castellan.

Persephone Jackson ended up happily married to her one true love. A mortal man named Lucas Brimstone.

AUTHOR NOTE: I always believed that Aphrodite can be smarter if she wants. About why Ares being kind to Persie, because he saw Persie is just like him, being scorned by their fathers. A kindred spirit.

P.S: Lucas Brimstone is NOT an OC. He is actually canon character in Agents of Mayhem. He was planned to be in AoM sequel or expansion, but Volition cancelled them. But he did make an appearance in Persephone's Story though, therefore he's indeed canon.