Across The Ages (On Hold)

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Perseus groaned. While he knew Phoebe remembered him quite well from before she joined the Hunt, she sure was making his life a living hell on this trip. He didn't care how much she didn't want Zoë to remember yet, it was inevitable.

"Phoebe, you never used to be like this with Perseus."

Phoebe blinked and then stared at Zoë. "How would you know?"

Zoë looked at her questioningly. "Umm...I don't know...I just felt like it didn't used to be like that."

Perseus sighed. He knew the Mist that was blocking her memories was going to be wearing off now that he had come back, but he didn't think it was going to progress this fast. He wished their progress on this quest would go faster. Albeit, it did give him plenty of time train Nico. They had come across a lucky break in New York...a SunWest Train was headed to San Fransisco, which is where they were headed. They were tipped off by a polite hobo named "Fred."

Perseus chuckled. At least Apollo had gone with the whole "I hate you for killing my brother," lie for so long. He had actually been a key member of that conspiracy.

His issue really wasn't time, it was having to finally explain all the lies he had, had to weave up unto this point to keep his family safe. They would come to light very soon. He had known this day was coming, but that didn't make it any easier to deal with. He looked a Nico. Despite appearances and acts, him and Bianca were the same age. They were also the most powerful demigods ever born. Together...they could very well change the course of this war.

The council thought Perseus and Achilles were the reason they stood a chance. When really, Achilles came out of hiding only at Perseus' request to save those two. If Achilles threatened to pull out of the war, then Olympus would get scared and try to placate him. And if Perseus pulled out, they would bend over backwards. They didn't know they really needed these two legacies. They were also partially immortal, but only due to divine intervention, not by birth.

Perseus sighed. A lot of favors would be traded for this...a lot. He turned back to the argument that seemed to have finally dissipated. "So...Perseus, how do you know Phoebe?"

Perseus looked between them, Thalia now seemingly interested in the conversation, and Nico in the background, watching as well. "It was long ago, before both of you joined the Hunt. I introduced you at the same time..."

"I definitely don't remember that," came Zoë's defiant voice.

"That would be because your memory was tampered with. Someone blocked some of your memory with the Mist, to protect you from something in your past."

Zoë stared at him. One one person would she have trusted enough to do such a thing. "Why?"

"To protect you from those that would kill you. You asked me to do it. To keep them safe, is what you said. Now enough of this. Zoë, your memories will come back, stop trying to force them."

-/-

The got on a train headed West provided by friendly hobo named Fred. It finally stopped in the middle of no where Nevada. "I'm guessing we should go from here. Any ideas where there nearest bus station is?"

Perseus replied, "Next town over."

Nico looked up at him stunned. "How do you know?" Perseus replied with a single finger pointing to a paper that had the bus route and schedule.

"That means we need to walk there."

"I'd be careful if I were you young'uns! There's an old junkyard on the way there. Weird goings on seem to happen there, or so the rumors go," an old man said from a café next to them.

"Thank you sir."

-/-

"This isn't just any junkyard...this Hephaestus' personal junkyard, the Junkyard of the Gods. Don't touch anything. Most of these things are probably cursed."

Everyone looked at Perseus, who had spoken. "How do you know that?" Zoë asked.

"It has the same feel as the one in Greece did. There are some really powerful artifacts here. None of us want to get caught up in that kind of stuff. And just like the original, and very similar to the Sea of Monsters, we can not go around it. It will keep appearing before us."

Nico looked up at him in wonder. "You know so much and you're really powerful. I bet there's nothing you can't do!"

Perseus looked down at him and smiled. "That may be. But always remember something, kid. No matter how strong you get, there will be someone stronger to come along. I can already sense that you and your sister will be far more powerful than I am. But power is only as good as the one who wields it. Make sure to keep your friends close, because they are the source of your true power."