This is a vital chapter, do not skip it as it leads to entirely unique and powerful chapters... arcs that are entirely mine and do not follow the Canon plot.

There are parties, and then there are huge, major, blowout parties. And then there are Olympian parties. If you ever get a choice, go for the Olympian. The Nine Muses cranked up the tunes, and Aaron quickly realized the music was whatever you wanted it to be: the gods could listen to classical and the younger demigods heard hip-hop orwhatever, and it was all the same sound track. No arguments. No fights to change the radio station. Just requests to crank it up. Aaron, loving the classics but also loving pop music heard an odd mixture of the two.

Dionysus went around growing refreshment stands out of the ground, and a beautiful woman walked with him arm in arm—his wife, Ariadne. Dionysus looked happy for the first time. Nectar and ambrosia overflowed from golden fountains, and platters of mortal snack food crowded the banquet tables. Golden goblets filled with whatever drink you wanted.

To Aaron's shock, the man approached him with his stunning wife. "Aaron, this is my beloved Ariadne. Ariadne, this is my friend Aaron."

The women actually embraced Aaron. "It is good to see you, dear boy." She pulled away and Aaron got a good look at the women, who pet his cute cub Lydia as he did so. She was a stunning creature, comparable to Aphrodite in terms of sheer beauty. With black curly hair and grass green eyes, she radiated a sense of maternity and excitment. Her aura was oddly potent for a minor goddess, probably due to her lineage what with her being the granddaughter of Zeus and child of Pasiphae ontop of being an actual goddess. Her aura reeked of magic and excitability, marking her as very dangerous to the young mage. "You are a potent sorcer, and I would know as my mother is one of the best sorceresses there is."

"Thank you, I've worked hard to gain my power."

She smirked. "I have watched you, I admit. I like to keep an eye on the witches of the world. Not all of them but the interesting ones, to see if any one of you become as evil as my mother was. She was corrupted fully by her power. I am glad you were not a victim to thet same." Her words, haunting as they were, were oddly flattering to Aaron's ears.

He smiled back at her. "I am glad for that too. It's been hard, realizing I am so skilled, to keep myself not consumed by ego but I manage."

"Thank you for being kind to my husband. His father is too eager to punish him for pointless things, he did not deserve this. We both slept with that Nymph, long before The King got a hold of her. Sigh... To know my husband has a freind is reassuring. Know you have an ally in me." She hugged him again before pulling back. "Now, if you don't mind, I wish to dance with my husband for a bit."

With that she walked away, with her husband smiling at her with nothing but sheer adoration and love. It was actually rather sweet.

To Aaron's even greater shock, Hera herself approached him ( after he ate some food, starving from restoring Zoe's immortality) and offered him her arm. "Would you care to dance?"

"I would be honored." He pulled her onto the dance floor and together they danced, even as she gathered the Mist about them, masking their words from even other gods. He was curious, but said nothing as they swayed.

Leaning in, she whispered. "I know Thalia told you about Jason... Jason is indeed alive and he is bound to me by his father's oath. I know you swore to find him, and I know you mean to keep that oath. It is in your nature, and so since you honored me with that shrine, I figured it was the least I could do to aid you in your self proclaimed task." Her tone wasn't cold, but very cautious. "You must be careful in this, for when you find Jason you will learn of many things kept secret to all other Demigods. Zeus has allowed you to know this truth, he may not like you but you've proven trustworthy."

Nodding, Aaron leaned in as well. "What truth is that?"

She took in a long, shaky breathe. "When the Gods moved to Rome... we... we gained new forms, idenities that lived within us. Juno, for example, is me but not me. She is bolder then I am, colder and like all of our other Roman halves she is more militaristic and agressive them I am. Any alliances you've earned as A Greek witch will not aid you as a Roman one.

There are more differences, for example Mars is many time stronger and more honorable then Ares, due to greater worship and being precieved as greater in they eyes of Rome. I tell you this, for Zeus wants you to learn about our duality so you can act as a back up to defeat Kronos through his hidden good aspect, as you told Aphrodite of. When you find Jason, which you must do on your own, you will be assigned to study the transtion of Greece to Rome. We believe this is what the Propehcy meant by your changing the Status Quo, more then just saving Zoe."

" Thank you, for giving me this chance and honor, it will not be wasted, My Lady."

" I know it won't, that is why we are allowing it. You do not waste what is given to you, you never have... I will be watching you, as Hera and Juno as I am among the only Gods to be able to link both aspects to enough of a degree that I can make peaceful contact between both sides. You will have the next few days to practice your new power, the strengthened magic within you... and then you will start to find the other Demigods, born to Roman blood. Jason is one of those, born to Jupiter, not Zeus."

Letting the knowlege sink in, Aaron let a new question come to him. "Alrighty... can I take Meggy or is that a no-no?"

"The Romans are far more agressive then the Greeks. They would be hard pressed to take in a cyclops... no, Meggy may continue gathering Demigods and aiding in our worship as you have. You have the next year, year and a half to contact and work with the Romans. This is a secret mission... you may tell Chiron and Dionysius of course, but no one else. You will tell the others, when asked, that you are running a long term mission for us gods, which is why you are gone. Consider it a pilgramage. If you succeed and gain alliance with the Romans, you will learn their fighting style, their magic and so on, which would be of great aid to you in the long term." She smiled at him, her eyes filled with motherly adoration. "For saving Artemis, and for saving this council I offer you my aid. Zeus is too proud to do this, but I am not." A white light wrapped around him, and he felt a heavy weight fall onto his chest, dangling from his neck. Looking down he saw another medallion, not unlike the one Hepheastus and Hades had given to him. This one was pearly white and radiated the magic of Hera strongly. "This is for protection, and will allow to return to your home, wherever that is to you. Normally I would never be able to give this to you, but we are asking far more then a regular quest. Like with the first Persues, this quest is a game changer, and so We are allowed to aid you.

The other gods know of this quest, or they will. Some of this knowledge will leak to their Roman counterparts... but not all of it. Do not think to rely on old loyalties, you are starting from scratch for the next year or so, do not forget that..." The sky rumbled around them, making Hera sigh. "My husband is jealous of our dancing, the fool. He's more your type then I am..." She then kissed his forehead, and he felt a trickle of energy wash through him. "We are now connected, so Juno knows to make sure the other Roman gods do not kill you sight for being Greek. That is all I can do for you, little one...oh wait, it's not. I hear what Artemis said about shapeshifting. I would most defintiely get started on that skill, I would try to master at least one form before you reach New Rome...I foresee that it will be of great aid to you."

With that she pulled away and offered him one last smile before walking away to her annoyed husband, leaving Aaron feeling very, very conflicted and annoyed and pleased... and very, very, very worried.

'Swearing to help Thalia's brother, my interactions with Kronos... it all has led me to this. Great... stripped of all of my contacts, allies and more. This is going to blow... but at least it's something new and it has to really be helpful with the fight against the Titans. Or, at least, that's my hope.'

"""

"Their sending you on a pilgramage?" Percy gaped at Aaron, stunned. " Why?"

Sighing, Aaron opened his mouth but before he could say a word, Dionysius ( they were back at Camp in the Big House with Meggy, Chiron and the various Head Councelors) piped up. "To strengthen his powers. He will be sent somewhere to prove not only his loyalty but his skill. You must understand your brother's powers are rare, his skill more so. He is a threat in many ways that cannot be ignored. Only a handful of beings know of where he will be sent, but I swear on Styx that we Gods are not sending him to his death. My father and Hera have both agreed that this it the best path. My father may loathe Aaron but Hera adores him, he is in danger but not by us." He sighed. " Think of it not unlike the Search of the Saytrs... what he is doing in vital, unusually so. It could change the entire path of the war in our favor...He will have to leave his Braclet though, the one with the Golden Fleece threads."

Sighing, Aaron took it off, feeling his powers wane slightly as a result. It was strange, he was so used to it he never really thought of how dependant, even passively, he had become to it. It's constant healing and strengthening no doubt played a part in his survival with holding the Sky up. Considering it, he closed his eyes and offered up a prayer. "To Lord Pan... you aided my brother and our friends to find me and save me. I cannot thank you enough for that. Accept this offering, and allow it to strengthen you until you are found."

To the room's shock, The room filled with the power of Pan, sweeping through everyone and strengthening their aura as the Golden Fleece would have done. In a swirl of power and wind, the bracelet vanished, moving through space to go wherever Pan was. Grover, who was sitting quietly, actually looked ready to cry.

"Thank you! I felt his essence, his strength in that. I barely beleived it when Percy told us about the Erymanthian Boar... but this... thank you."

Smiling, Aaron nodded. "Meggy, can you make a shrine to Pan? I think that we owe him a big favor for his part in our quest. Maybe something earthy, but wild. Somewhere were everyone can offer prayers to him, strengthening him. I am sure Grover would love to help beforehe departs to find Pan once more."

Meggy nodded. "Meggy would be honored. I have some ideas, I am sure Charlie would love to help me."

Grover's tears started to fall right then.

"As fun as this is, this is a war council... and it is time we get started going over the increased training that needs to start happening." Aaron said. "Silena, I am leaving but that doens't mean your cabin can slack. We need hard core training for a while, anything to give us enough of a boost to win."

The beautful girl nodded. "Of course."

"Oh and while I am on the subject, any clue how to raise a Wolf?" He held up Lydia, who had been sleeping on his lap. " I really don't want to screw this up, she is my familar after all. She'll be all grown up by the time I'm back. It would be best if she was well trained by the time I'm back."

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

This was fun, powerful and interesting. We get into entirely new territory and I am so excited for it...Any suggestions for Aaron's first shape shifitng animal? I am aiming for a bird I think...

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.