ᴾʰᵒᵇᵒᵖʰᵒᵇⁱᵃ [ᴶᵃˢᵒⁿ ᴳʳᵃᶜᵉ]

x.

"Lord Bacchus," Piper's voice shook slightly, "Those two giants, Ephialtes and Otis... would they happen to be twins?"

"Hmm," Bacchus didn't seem to quite hear her question, but he nodded nonetheless, "Yes, twins. That's right." So that meant they were the twins in the prophecy, who would snuff out the angel's breath.

"That's why we're here," Piper exclaimed, "You're part of our quest."

"Oh, I'm sorry, my girl," Bacchus shook his head and stopped twirling his thyrsus, "I'm not a demigod anymore. I don't do quests."

"Not even to give them a pinecone to the face?" Aza asked from over Percy's shoulder, but the god shook his head and sniffed indignantly, like he was offended they would even think he would help them.

 Piper stamped her foot slightly, luckily too subtly for Bacchus to notice, and she protested, "But giants can only be killed by heroes and gods working together. You're a god now, and the two giants we have to fight are Ephialtes and Otis. I think... I think they're waiting for us in Rome. They're going to destroy the city somehow. The silver goblet I saw in my vision - maybe it's meant as a symbol for your help. You have to help us kill the giants."

The four demigods realized Piper's mistake at the same time, as the violent purple glow returned to Bacchus' eyes and in a low, cold voice he said, "My girl, I don't have to do anything. Besides, I only help those who give me proper tribute, which no one has managed to do in many, many centuries."

"Is it by any chance a refreshing Diet Coke?" Aza asked, her lips pulling into a slightly canine smile. Bacchus' eye twitched, the violet glow returning. A soft wave of fog rolled over her brain, her thoughts slowly disconnected and faded into oblivion. The feeling lasted only a second, and she felt cloudy - but almost free, in a sense. When the purple light faded from Bacchus' eye, and he waved a dismissive hand in the air, the clouds parted and Aza blinked a few times, shaking her head slightly.

Bacchus sneered, "I told you to stop thinking about me in Greek. It's nothing you insolent demigods could handle. But I will give you some free advice, since this girl," he jerked his chin in Piper's direction, "does have some manners. Seek out Gaea's son, Phorcys. He always did hate his mother, not that I can blame him. He didn't have much use for his siblings, the twins, either. You'll find him in the city they named after that heroine - Atalanta."

"Oh, you'll talk about Greek heroines, but I can't offer you a refreshing Diet Coke," Aza rolled her eyes, though a semi-pleased smirk tugged at her lips. She could tell from the pleading looks that Piper and Jason were sending her that they didn't think she was helping much, but she couldn't help it - every time she looked at him, all she could think of was Mr. D. Maybe it was a curse, rather than a blessing, that she had taken it for granted that the wine god couldn't kill her whilst she was under his care at camp.

"I think Aza means to ask if you mean Atlanta?" Piper asked after a moment of hesitation, giving the god a nervous smile. Bacchus sniffed, and he shot Aza a disapproving glance, "I most certainly don't think she did - but yes, that's the one."

"This Phorcys," Jason asked, glancing at Aza as she covered her toothy grin poorly with her hand, trying her best not to look too pleased with herself, "Is he a giant? A Titan?"

"Neither," Bacchus said with a mischievous giggle that she thought sounded oddly akin to the Stolls - like he knew something they didn't, "Seek out the salt water."

"Salt water," Percy said slowly, and he looked over his shoulder to furrow his eyebrows at Aza (she knew he was wondering if, since Bacchus was allowed to drink, he had a little too much wine whilst waiting for Ceres). "In Atlanta?"