A massive meeting was held at the Big House. The attendants were the heads of each cabin, the Reds and Blues, and Mr. D. But for a long, quiet time, everyone had their eyes locked onto Caboose, who stood before them right next to the hellhound he introduced earlier.

"So…" Tucker said. The hellhound turned its head to face him. "Never mind."

"Caboose," Luke said earning another head turn from the dog monster, "Um, tell us again. Where did you find this… hellhound?"

"His name is Pepper." Caboose clarified.

"That's a stupid name." Tucker said before Pepper turned its head to him again. "Stupid cool, I mean! Yeah! Pepper is a great name! Pepper is the best name ever that there ever was!"

"You gave it a name?" Mr. D asked.

"Yeah. I call him Pepper because of the red in his eyes."

"Well, you gotta admire his creativity." Said Lee Fletcher, the head of the Apollo Cabin.

"Don't encourage him." Clarisse said.

"Fine." Luke said. "Where did you find… Pepper?"

"Well, I was walking in the forest looking for the arrow that church misfired…"

"I didn't misfire!" Church interrupted.

"You shot your arrow backwards. Like, directly backwards." Annabeth said. "I don't even know how that's possible."

"And then, I heard a noise." Caboose continued. "And there, the poor little guy was. He was laying on the ground wounded by the arrow that shot through its leg. So I rushed over to the Apollo Cabin to get a first aid kid, patched him up, helped him back on his feet, and now we're best friends for life! Isn't that right, Pepper?"

Pepper huffed with brimstone shooting out of his snout.

"Great. Boy meets dog. Dog turns out to be a hell beast from the Underworld." Tucker commented.

"All I'm getting from this is that I actually shot a monster!" Church praised himself. "Who's a bad shot now, Annabeth?"

"It only counts if you call it." Annabeth said.

"Oh, bullshit!"

"All right! Enough!" Mr. D yelled out. "Listen, Carbuncle…"

"Caboose."

"Whatever! You shouldn't have gone out of the camp limits in the first place!"

"But I didn't."

"Didn't what?"

"I didn't leave the camp."

"What?" Charles Beckendorf asked. "Then where did you find that hellhound?"

"At the south side of the camp."

"As in, inside of the camp? Not outside?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes… unless that's bad. In that case, I don't know what you're talking about?"

"It's not just bad. It's impossible." Mr. D said. "There's no way a monster can get in."

"Why not?" Church asked.

"It's not physically possible." Simmons said. "The camp has a magical tree which creates a forcefield all around. Authorized personel only. A monster can't just waltz right into Camp Half-Blood."

"It didn't." Chiron finally joined in with a dismal look on his face.

"Where have you been, Professor Hay-for-Breath?" Mr. D asked.

"At the south side of the camp, where Caboose claimed to have found the hellhound." Chiron said. "And do you know what I discovered? A summoning circle. The beast didn't walk into camp. It was transported here by someone already inside."

The news caused everyone to exchange looks on concern. They shifted their eyes around.

"Who would want to do that?" Grif asked.

"I don't know," Chiron said, "But I can't help but shake the feeling that it has something to do with Mr. Church."

"Say what now?" Church asked. "You think I brought that thing here."

"I'm not saying that." Chiron said. "I'm just saying it seems a bit too coincidental that it should show up shortly after you arrived, especially now that we know of your parentage."

"Yeah, what's up with that?" Church asked. "Ever since the Capture the Flag game, everyone's been giving me the cold shoulder."

"Kid, you're Poseidon's son." Mr. D said. "That's not a very common gift. In fact, it's a bad omen, especially concerning recent events."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Church asked.

Chiron sighed before approaching Church. "Did you know that World War 2 was also a war between the gods? It was a war between the children of Zeus and Poseidon against the children of Hades. Then, all that ended when a prophecy was foretold."

"Yep, a pretty big one too." Mr. D said. "We were told that one day, a child of the Big Three would one day be responsible for either saving or destroying Olympus. To keep it from happening, the Big Three called off their forces, end the war, and make a pact to never have any more children. But evidently, Poseidon didn't keep his promise. So bad luck for you, kid."

"You're saying I'm the byproduct of a broken promise?" Church asked. "Well, thanks for making me feel worse about myself."

"It's not our intention, Leonard." Chiron said. "We just wish to warn you. As soon as Zeus learned of your existence, he became furious. And now, he's willing to go so far as to accuse you of theft."

"What? Theft?" Church asked. "What could I possibly steal?" He noticed everyone look at each other with uncertainty again which really got on his nerves. "Oh, come on! Will somebody give me a straight effing answer already?!"

Chiron sighed before finally admitting the truth. "The thing, Leonard, is that… Well… Almost half a year ago, someone stole Zeus' Master Bolt, the symbol of his power. He thinks that Poseidon masterminded the theft and used you to take it for him."

"What? Why me?"

"Because gods are forbidden from taking each other's symbols of power." Mr. D said. "Poseidon couldn't take it from Zeus, at least not directly. So he'd need a proxy to steal it for him. As his only half-blood son, Zeus is going so far as to call you the Lightning Thief."

"That's nuts! Zeus is accusing me of stealing from him simply because I exist?"

"Well, can you defend yourself?" Clarisse asked. "Where were you on the night of the Winter Solstice?"

Church wanted to answer, but his mind only came to a blank. He couldn't say anything because he couldn't reply properly.

Chiron shook his head. "I understand that you have amnesia, Leonard, but I'm afraid that's inexcusable to Zeus. He's going to think you're just faking it to get out of punishment."

"Even if I can't remember my alibi, it's still insane." Church said. "No one in their right mind would accuse…"

"Exactly the point. Zeus isn't in his right mind." Mr. D said. "That guy's paranoid and angry that someone stole the bolt from under his nose. And the fact that you are Poseidon's secret bundle of joy didn't improve his mood. Your old man and and your uncle have been bitter rivals for millenia, and now, they're on the verge of a war which could destroy the world."

"But I live here!" Grif shouted.

"Well, what can I do?" Church asked.

Chiron frowned. "I'm afraid there's only one choice. You have to find the Master Bolt and return it to Zeus before midnight on the Summer Solstice. If it's not returned before then, there will be a war."

"Can't you just vouch for me?" Church asked. "Mr. D, you're one of the Olympian gods. Maybe you can…"

"First of all, I'm not one-hundred percent convinced your innocent." Mr. D interrupted. "And second of all, even if I was, Zeus isn't going to listen to me. He's still mad at me for going out with that nymph he liked."

"Man, Zeus can just be mad at anything, can't he?" Simmons asked.

"Look, Leonard, I'm convinced you're innocent." Chiron said. "Whoever summoned that hellhound into camp must have done so with the intention of killing you so you wouldn't defend yourself. If that's so, then you're the only one who can find the Master Bolt."

"How?" Church asked. "I don't even know where to start."

"Follow me." Chiron said. He guided Church out of his seat and approached a set of stairs that lead to a dark attic. "It's very rare for campers to be given quests these days. Before they go out into the world, they need to consult a certain someone up there."

"Who's up there?" Church asked.

"Someone who can give you your start." Chiron said. "Before you go in there, you need to know some things. First, do not leave until your conversation is over. Second, she can only answer one question that you may have, so ask about the Master Bolt and nothing else. Last, whatever she says, you need to know exactly what it is, word for word. Good luck."

Church gulped before slowly walking up. He felt the darkness growing as he entered the attic. He slowly turned his head to observe all the eerie, spooky objects which were concealed in the shadows.

Suddenly, Church gasped seeing what looked like a really old woman, almost mummified. At first, he thought she was dead, but she then creaked her head up at him with blue light in her eye sockets. She spoke up in a most unsettling voice.

"I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, sleyer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask."

Though initially freaked, out, Church knew he couldn't leave. He took a couple of tiny steps closer to the spirit in front of him and cleared his throat so he could speak clearly.

"Well, this is freaky, even for this place. So, hi. I'm Leonard Church. I was told you could tell me about the Master Bolt and where it is. So… What's up with that?"

The skeletal woman raised her bony head and her eyes glowed brighter. She opened her jaw as wide as she could letting green mist flow out of it. Church was internally freaking out hearing the voice that echoed throughout the attic.

"You shall go west and face the god who has turned

You shall find what was stolen and see it returned

You shall be betrayed by one who calls you friend

And you shall fail to save what matters most in the end"

At the end of that cryptic message, her glowing eyes dimmed down and the smoke stopped leaving her mouth. Her head dropped and she looked dead again. Church was still pretrified before approaching her cautiously.

"Uh… Ms. Spirit? You there?" There was no answer. "Oh, boy. I hope I didn't kill her."

"No, you didn't kill her." Mr. D said. "That bag of bones could survive the apocalypse. She just conked out on you because you used up your question."

There were fewer people left in the Big House meeting. Just Church, Chiron, Mr. D, Annabeth, Luke, and the Reds and Blues remained.

"Who was that?" Church asked.

"That was the Oracle. She can see the future." Annabeth said. "Traditionally, whenever a camper leaves the grounds to go off on a quest, they need to get their start by getting one of the Oracle's cryptic prophecies."

"Of course, no one's ever gotten a quest after I failed mine two years ago." Luke said showing off the scar on his face. "I go to pick golden apples, and I come back with a scar."

"So it's possible to fail these quests?" Church asked.

"Well, that depends." Simmons said. "What exactly did the Oracle say?"

"Remember, the details are important." Chiron said.

Church sighed before repeating what the Oracle said to him. He gave everyone the same cryptic poem which he was given. When he was done, everyone was both horrified and confused.

"What the hell did that mean?" Grif asked. "He's going to return what was stolen, but still fail? How does that make any sense?"

"And what's that about betrayed by a friend?" Simmons asked.

"Unfortunately, the Oracle's prophecies are never clear." Chiron said. "I think we should focus on one line at a time, starting with the first one."

"Right. Going west to face a god who has turned." Church said. "Who is that exactly?"

Chiron and Mr. D made suspicious eye contact again before the former sighed. "That description only matches one god: Hades."

"Sweet Satan's pitchfork!" Sarge cried out. "You mean THE Hades?"

"He's right." Mr. D said. "That fancy undertaker moved the entrance to the Underworld in Los Angeles. The only way you can face him is if you go there."

"But that's all the way on the other side of the country." Simmons said. "Who knows what kind of monsters could be after him on the way?"

"Then I'll do everything I can to protect him." Annabeth said.

"What?" Church asked in shock. "No way! I'm not putting my life in your hands! All you've done so far is insult me!"

"Look, I don't like it any more than you do," Annabeth said, "But I've been wanting to go on a quest ever since I set foot in this camp. I can't have one of my own just yet, but I was told that I could go when someone special arrives. So here's what's going to happen. I'm going with you, I'm going to put all my effort into completing this quest, and I'm not going to lose my chance because of you!"

Church turned to everyone else. "Somebody tell me she's kidding."

"Three things I've learned never to talk about: religion, politics, and defying Annabeth Chase." Simmons said.

Church groaned. "Fine. You can come."

"Don't remember asking for permission, but thank you." Annabeth said. "Hey, Chiron, I was thinking that Grover could come too."

"Are you sure about that?" Chiron asked.

"Of course. This could be the chance he needs."

"Who's Grover?" Church asked.

"He's my friend." Annabeth said. "He would have a lot in stake in this quest just like you and me."

"Ooh! Can we go too?" Tucker asked.

"What? Why?" Annabeth asked.

"Because you can't have Church without me and Caboose too. We're a package deal. And let me tell you, my package is a very huge deal. Bow chika bow wow!

"Can Pepper come too?" Caboose asked. "He needs some outside time."

"Well, it is safer than letting a monster roam around the camp." Mr. D said. "Fine. Turner, Catfish, take your dog and get ready."

"It's Tucker and Caboose." Tucker said.

"WHATEVER!"

"And who wants to GO OUTSIDE!" Caboose asked facing his pet hellhound. "Who wants to go outside? Who wants to go outside? Pepper, do you want to go outside? Outside! Who wants to go outside? Do I want to go outside? Why do I want to go outside? Let's all go outside?"

"Oh, man." Church and Annabeth said at the same time. "I think I'm regretting this already."

Along the side, Sarge grumbled to himself angrily. "Filthy backstabbers."

*RvB Greek Tales*

Simmons on Theseus and the Minotaur:

"Hello. My name's Dick Simmons. It is my upmost pleasure to tell a story that was requested by two commentors, StarFiction56 and thehorsemanofpestilence. Since this is the first story requested by more than one person, I decided to take over to make sure that no one botches this. After Sarge, Grif, and Caboose messed up their own stories, it'll be glad to finally tell a story without any interruptions…"

"BOO! YOU SUCK!"

"What the… Grif? What are you doing here?"

"Trying to make sure you don't bore everyone to death. Come on, add some action into your speech."

"Grif, go away. You already botched your own Greek Tale. Don't ruin mine. Sorry about that, readers. Now, the story that was requested focuses on the hero, Theseus, and the monster, the Minotaur.

"So back in ancient Greece, there was this cruel king of Crete called Minos. He had the brilliant inventor, Daedalus, build a great, big maze called the Labyrinth. And inside of the Labyrinth, he kept a terrifying beast called the Minotaur. He has the body of a man, but he was bull-headed."

"Just like Sarge! Ha-ha!"

"Grif, shut up! Anyway, Minos had a bitter hatred for Athens and threatened to attack it. The king of Athens couldn't fight back, so they made a deal. In exchange for being spared, the king of Athens would send seven boys and seven girls to be sacrificed to the Minotaur every year.

"Theseus was the son of the Athenian king who did not approve of sacrificing those kids. So one year, he decided to go and kill the Minotaur. He joined the next boat full of boys and girls and sailed off to Crete.

"When Theseus arrived on Crete, they were watched by King Minos' daughter, Princess Ariadne. She fell in love with Theseus decided to help him. She secretly gave him a ball of string, which he then tied to the door of the Labyrinth and unroll it as he traveled."

"Sounds like this princess was really 'stringing him along', am I right? Hahaha!"

"GRIF! Ahem. Eventually, Theseus found the Minotaur, fought it, and killed it. He then followed the string back to the door of the Labyrinth, free the kids, and take them back to Athens."

"Wait. What happened to the princess?"

"Well, that's another story. Anyway that's the story of the epic battle between Theseus and the Minotaur. If anyone wants another story told by any one of us Red vs Blue characters, feel free to request it in the comment section. You can even send a PM to the author if you wish."

"You're supposed to convince them to request a story, not put them to sleep! You loser!"

*sigh* "I hate him so much."