Danielle stopped by the Jacksons and relayed this information. They weren't really surprised by this sudden extra dollop of weirdness- they had even been waiting for something to crop up, "Although, to be honest, I wasn't quite expecting that." Annabeth admitted.

"What were you expecting?" Percy asked curiously, running a teaspoon around the inside of the chocolate spread jar.

"Something a bit more logical, maybe. Don't roll your eyes at me," she warned, "Perseus." Percy hissed and scooted to the other end of the island, out of her reach. Danielle decided not to question it, telling them what Poseidon and Aphrodite had said. Annabeth didn't seem happy two major gods had visited her and even less so to hear about Danielle's unique ability to find Theo's 'heart'. Percy seemed really happy, which completely threw Danielle.

"Daniseus!"

"It's Theonelle!" A hand touched Danielle's shoulder. Tobias smiled at her, eyes twinkling bemusedly at her crimson face. They left his parents to bicker over the ship name, taking a seat in the living room. Max had his headphones on, jamming away to whatever he was listening to, bouncing his leg over the arm of the chair. Sage was curled up at the end of the sofa, head bowed and lost in a book. Lilly was, presumably, upstairs with Callum. Alvie was kneeling on the floor, papers scattered over the coffee table. He looked up as Danielle took a seat opposite Sage, Tobias dropping between them. Max froze mid-air guitar, pausing his song and sliding his headphones around his neck.

"Tell." He ordered. Danielle repeated the story, doing her best to ignore her burning face. The Jacksons didn't seem bothered by this, but she could have sworn Tobias and Max nodded knowingly at each other, the tiniest of nods. She could have blinked and missed it. When she was finished, Sage finally looked up from her book.

"I'm in." She said.

"W-what?"

"You've been given a quest. The rules state that, for each quest, a hero can have two companions. You've got me."

"I- hero, quest? What?" Danielle shook her head. "I... I know Aphrodite said that I... I would be the only one to find it, but... I don't-"

"Think you can do it?" Tobias finished for her. "Don't sweat it. First quest jitters, that's all. You'll do fine."

"I'm not like you guys. I don't have powers or swords or training or-" They all shook their heads. Danielle stayed quiet. Alvie tapped his fingers on the edge of the coffee table and his papers stacked themselves, vanishing seconds later with a pop.

"I only got my powers because I panicked. Apollo didn't gift me for a while after that and I was thrown into a quest almost instantly. I had no control, no idea what was going on, I couldn't and can't fight and Max died because of it."

"But he's-"

"Long story." Max muttered, expression darkening. "You don't need powers or training, none of that. You'll be fine. Especially if you've got this loon on your side." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at Sage, who glared at the back of his head.

"I'm in!" A new voice cried. Tobias startled and leapt from his seat, whirling round. Charlie had popped up from behind the sofa.

"Where the hell did you come from?"

"Well-" Charlie started, looking very pleased to tell a story. Tobias leapt back onto the couch, one hand behind his cousin's head and the other over his mouth. Charlie's eyes gleamed cheekily and Tobias recoiled.

"Of all the years of this, you thought I'd be used to it!" He wiped his drool coated hand on Charlie's head. Charlie pouted and vaulted the back of the sofa, stealing Tobias's seat. Tobias sat on him, folding his arms stubbornly. Sage rolled her eyes.

"Charlie, what are you doing?"

"Suffocating."

"You drama queen."

"I see a light!"

"Charlie!" The Jacksons chorused. Danielle smiled.

"I'll burn you." Charlie warned. Tobias contemplated this for a moment, only moving when he smelt smoke and heard the crackling of flames. Danielle's eyes widened at the sight of fire on Charlie's hand. He smirked, shaking his hand. The fire went out. "Legacy of Hephaestus. Dad's got a rare gift, controls fire. I got it too!" He clapped happily. "Anyway, I'm coming with you. And her, apparently." He tipped his head in Sage's direction. "Firstly, we need something of Theo's. Something that he really treasures."

"Why?" Sage quizzed.

"I can track it that way."

"How?"

"Little bit of magic Lou Ellen gave me."

"And Lou Ellen gave you magic because...?"

"Because, Miss Judgemental," Charlie stuck his tongue out, "I'm lovely. And because she knew via Rachel that something was going to go down. Rachel's the Oracle. And the Oracle is the prophecy lady who gives prophecies for quests."

"Do we have a prophecy then?" Sage sat up a little straighter, planting her feet on the floor. Charlie jumped up to rummage in his pockets. He pulled a very crumpled, slightly singed bit of paper from one of them- Danielle had never before realised how many pockets this elf had- and, with a flourish, he presented it to Alvie. The psychic pressed it to the table and tried to smooth out the creases.

"You need to clear your pockets."

"I know, I know. They're full of junk, but you never know when you're going to need someth- ooh, chocolate!" Charlie beamed. He had found half a Mars bar and wolfed it down in seconds. Tobias must have noticed Danielle's bewildered expression as he took pity and patted her hand.

"One day you'll get used to Charlie. What's it say?" He asked Alvie. Alvie hummed and licked his lips anxiously, running a hand over his mouth a second later. "Bro?"

A heart wrongly guarded and a heart wrongly taken

To those of good morals who harbor no rules

Sea, fire and freedom have power, a heart they will awaken

Freedom is but the brightest of jewels

Alvie looked up. Charlie had found a packet of cookies in one of his pockets, stopped mid-bite and smiled.

"I like freedom." He said, nodding enthusiastically.

"You're fire." Max said. "That much is obvious. Who's sea and freedom though?"

"Sage is like the sea." Charlie commented. "Deep and mysterious, will kill you given the chance. Full of nasty monsters. And dolphins. I went swimming with dolphins at the weekend, let me tell you, they are the Narcissus of the sea, it's a good job they don't drown."

"They're mammals, Charlie-" Sage interjected. Charlie returned to his cookies and Sage sighed. Sometimes there was no teaching him.

"Getting anything, Alvie?" Tobias asked. Alvie read the prophecy again, lips moving soundlessly. Danielle sat back in her seat when the grey of his eyes flushed white. "That's a signal, he's using his psychic powers. The whiter his eyes, the more he's using his powers." Danielle nodded. Tobias looked back to his younger brother. Alvie lifted his head, eyes still on the paper, reading it one more time.

"Sage, Danielle and Charlie."

"As we've already said." Sage nodded. "Tell me, do we lose Charlie at some point? Gods know I could do with five minutes of silence." Charlie pouted at her. Alvie took a moment to sift through the joke, eventually shaking his head. Sage huffed. "Fine."

"This doesn't make sense."

"Prophecies rarerly do."

"But it says a heart wrongly guarded and a heart wrongly taken. That sounds like two hearts."

"Queen of Hearts."

"No, Charlie."

"Well, unless you've got any other ideas..."

"Charlie, when we want a stupid remark or someone to ramble on, we'll ask you. But seeing as we didn't ask, shut up." Sage flipped her hair over her shoulder, facing Alvie again, readying to ask a question. Alvie was watching Charlie. The elfish boy was gaping at the blonde. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times and then shook his head.

"Can I have my head back please?"

"Shut up, Charlie."

"You're being m- she's being mean! I feel victimised!" Charlie yelled for his aunt and uncle. They came in their own sweet time. "I'm being bullied!"

"By who?" Annabeth queried, elbowing Percy when he snickered. Charlie pointed an accusing finger at Sage. "What now?"

"I don't always say stupid remarks! Or ramble on!"

"You were going on about dolphins!" Sage argued. "He said I was like the sea!"

"You are!"

"I'm not full of nasty monsters!"

"You may as well be, you're mean!"

"Children!" Percy called. He made to speak, spotted the bit of paper in Alvie's hand and stopped short. "Please tell me those are lottery numbers." Alvie hunched his shoulders. Percy threw his hands up and returned to the kitchen. He came back a minute later, cookie jar under his arm. "Right," he said, arming himself with blue cookies, "let's hear the latest drama."