Loved your comments. Carolzynha LF, you are right—the prophecy was a little...well...not like a prophecy the Oracle of Delphi would do, especially the 'tight as glue' part! But I thought it was essential or else it'd sound even more choppy (stupid rhyming skills.) Keep on reviewing!

CHAPTER VIII: ENTER THE GODS/GODDESSES

9:48 a.m., the throne room in Olympus

The next day, we were summoned to Olympus. "This can't be good," Percy muttered under his breath.

The twelve gods and goddesses were seated calmly...well, most of them were seated calmly *coughcoughAthenacoughcough* in their thrones, gazing regally (or angrily) at us.

"So, what have we here," boomed Zeus. The room literally shook, and I held on to Seaweed Brain for dear life.

"Brother, you're scaring the kids," Poseidon said, grinning at Percy.

"Kids?" Percy challenged.

"Okay, heroes, heroines, moody teenagers, whatever," the God of the Sea laughed.

"Uncle, get to the point," Athena pointedly said, her cheeks red with anger.

"Fine, Athena." Poseidon turned towards us. Even though he looked stern, I thought there were tiny smile wrinkles around his eyes. "We the Gods—"

"And goddesses," Athena corrected.

"Do you want me to do it or not?" Poseidon angrily asked.

"Fine," Athena stiffly replied, but muttered underneath her breath, "Sexist pig."

"I heard that!" Poseidon glared at her.

"Whatever."

"Anyways," Percy's dad turned to us, "We the Gods and Goddesses—" (he threw a dirty look at Athena) "Have heard about your...uh...prophecy."

"Ooh, drama!" Aphrodite gushed, running a pink tube of lip gloss across her already glossy lips.

"Shut up, Aphrodite," Poseidon boomed, and then faced us again. "And Athe—I mean, some of us—" (another dirty look) "Did not approve of the fact that there was a prophecy made about your relationship."

Athena lost her temper. "Do not approve?!" she exclaimed. "I have granted you enough permission, Perseus Jackson, yet you still sleep with my daughter and inspire TV shows and prophecies made about you two!"

"You sleep with Annabeth?" Poseidon looked interestedly at Percy.

Both our cheeks turned red and Percy stammered out, "Uh, yeah, but we don't do anything except—"

"Get my daughter pregnant when she's seventeen!" Athena shrilly yelled.

Dionysus looked angry. "Didn't I tell you two that you may not—"

"We don't do anything!"

"Except have—"

"We only kiss, not do—"

"Perseus Jackson, I cannot allow this—"

"Mother, relax, we don't do anything!"

"Annabeth, stay out of this."

"But mom..."

"ENOUGH!" Poseidon boomed and everyone fell quiet. "Look, we have footage because of someone—" (he coughed but it sounded suspiciously like the word 'Aphrodite') "And I have not seen anything impregnating. Yet."

"That's because I refuse to let my daughter have kids with that sea beast!" Athena shrieked. "They may date, but there are plenty other smart, witty, and charming men out there."

"Mo-ohm," I protested, "You told me to be happy. And I am happy."

"Because he's brainwashing you!"

"Athena," Percy spoke up suddenly. "I swear on the River Styx I will not impregnate your daughter—"

"What?!" I faced him.

"I wasn't finished yet. I swear on the River Styx I will not impregnate your daughter until the honeymoon."

There was a rumbling sound in the sky and we looked up nervously.

"O-kay," Poseidon said finally. "Well then, what was that about your prophecy?"

Looking bored, Dionysus said, "We got interrupted."

"Ah yes, thank you, Dionysus. What I was saying is that the prophecy may or may not occur soon, and we gods—and goddesses, would like to give you our blessing."

Percy and I shared a nervous glance. "Uh, why?"

"See this, uncle?" Athena said again in that shrill voice of hers. "Dimwitted. He is no match for my daughter!"

"Quiet, Athena," Zeus said in a tired voice. "Continue, brother."

"We would like to give you our blessing so that you will be protected from whatever harm may come from that journey. And so that you will fulfill the last two lines of the prophecy." Poseidon finished, looking at us expectantly.

"Sure," Percy said.

"Yeah, okay," I agreed.

The gods and goddesses all raised their hands (Athena in a very reluctant manner) and pointed it at us. Energy flowed from them and engulfed us. Immediately we felt stronger, and we bowed down saying our thanks.

"Now go back to your camp," Zeus concluded. "Dionysus, will you do the honors?"

"Sure," Mr. D said in a bored tone and immediately we disappeared with a poof and reappeared in Camp Half-Blood with the smell of grapes lingering in the air.

"Well, that was interesting," Seaweed Brain said, summing it up pretty well.

"Yeah. Sure. Interesting." I snorted.

And that's another chapter done. Love you guys and R&R!