Blackjack lands. Both horses paw the asphalt. Neither looks pleased to have stopped so suddenly, just when they've found their stride.
Blackjack whinnies.
"You're right." Percy says. "No sign of the wine dude."
"I beg your pardon?" Says a voice from the fields.
Tempest turns so quickly, I almost fall off.
The wheat parts, and the man from my vision steps into view. He wears a wide-brimmed hat wreathed in grapevines, a purple short-sleeved shirt, khaki shorts, and Birkenstocks with white socks. He looks maybe thirty, with a slight potbelly, like a frat boy who hasn't yet realized college is over. He looks nothing like Calli.
"Did someone just call me the wine dude?" He asks in a lazy drawl. "It's Bacchus, please. Or Mr. Bacchus. Or Lord Bacchus. Or, sometimes, Oh-My-Gods-Please-Don't-Kill-Me, Lord Bacchus."
Percy urges Blackjack forwards, though the pegasus doesn't seem happy about it.
"You look different." Percy tells the god. "Skinnier. Your hair is longer. And your shirt isn't so loud."
The wine god squints up at him. "What in blazes are you talking about? Who are you, and where is Ceres?"
"Uh... what series?"
"I think he meant Ceres," Jason says. "The goddess of agriculture. You'd call her Demeter." He nods respectfully to the god. "Lord Bacchus, do you remember me? I helped you with that missing leopard in Sonoma."
Bacchus scratches his stubbly chin. "Ah, yes. John Green."
"Jason Grace."
"Whatever." the god says. "Did Ceres send you, then?"
"No, Lord Bacchus." Jason says. "Were you expecting to meet her here?"
The god snorts. "Well, I didn't come to Kansas to party, my boy. Ceres asked me here for a council of war. What with Gaea rising, the crops are withering. Droughts are spreading. The karpoi are in revolt. Even my grapes aren't safe. Ceres wanted a united front in the plant war."
"The plant war." Percy repeats. "You're going to arm all the little grapes with tiny assault rifles?"
The god narrows his eyes. "Have we met?"
"At Camp Half-Blood," Percy says. "I know you as Mr. D. Dionysus."
"Agh!" Bacchus winces and presses his hands to his temples. For a moment, his image flickers. I see a different person. Fatter, dumpier, in a much louder, leopard-patterned shirt. I have just enough time to see his eyes, which look just like Calli's. Then Bacchus returns to being Bacchus. "Stop that!" He demands. "Stop thinking about me in Greek!"
Percy blinks. "Uh, but-"
"Do you have any idea how hard it is to stay focused? Splitting headaches all the time! I never know what I'm doing or where I'm going! Constantly grumpy!"
"That sounds pretty normal for you." Percy shrugs.
The god's nostrils flare. One of the grape leaves on his hat bursts into flame. "If we know each other from the other camp, it's a wonder I haven't already turned you into a dolphin." His eyes begin to glow purple, just like Calli's do.
"It was discussed." Percy assures him. "I think you were just too lazy to do it."
I've been watching with horrified fascination, the way I might watch a car wreck in progress. Now I realize Percy is not making things better, and Annabeth isn't around to rein him in. Annabeth would never forgive me if I bring Percy back transformed into a sea mammal.
"Lord Bacchus!" I interrupt, slipping off of Tempest's back.
"Piper, careful." Jason says.
I shoot him a warning glance: I've got this.
"Sorry to trouble you, my lord." I tell the god. "But actually we came here to get your advice. Please, we need your wisdom."
I use my most agreeable tone, pouring respect into my charmspeak.
The god frowns, but the purple glow fades in his eyes. "You're a well-spoken girl. Advice, eh? Very well. I would avoid karaoke. Really, theme parties in general are out. In these austere times, people are looking for a simple, low-key affair, with locally produced organic snacks and-"
"Not about parties." I interrupt. I can see where Calli gets her love for fun and good times from though. "Although that's incredibly useful advice, Lord Bacchus. We were hoping you'd help us on our quest."
I explain about the Argo II and our voyage to stop the giants from awakening Gaea. I tell him what Nemesis said: that in six days, Rome will be destroyed. I describe the vision reflected in my knife, where Bacchus offered me a silver goblet.
"Silver goblet?" The god doesn't sound very excited. He grabs a Diet Pepsi from nowhere and pops the top off the can.
"You drink Diet Coke." Percy says.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Bacchus snaps. "As to this vision of the goblet, young lady, I have nothing for you to drink unless you want a Pepsi. Jupiter has put me under strict orders to avoid giving wine to minors. Bothersome, but there you have it. As for the giants, I know them well. I fought in the first Giant War, you know."
"You can fight?" Percy asks.
I wish he hadn't sounded so incredulous.
Bacchus snarls. His Diet Pepsi turns into a five-foot staff wreathed in ivy, topped with a pinecone.
"A thyrsus!" I exclaim, hoping to distract the god before he whacks Percy on the head. "Oh, what a mighty weapon! Your daughter uses the same one!"
"Indeed." Bacchus agrees. "I'm glad someone in your group is smart. The pinecone is a fearsome tool of destruction! I was a demigod myself in the first Giant War, you know. The son of Jupiter!"
Jason flinches. Probably he's not thrilled to be reminded that the Wine Dude is technically his big brother.
Bacchus swings his staff through the air, though his potbelly almost throws him off balance. "Of course that was long before I invented wine and became an immortal. I fought side by side with the gods and some other demigod... Harry Cleese, I think."
"Heracles?" I suggest politely.
"Whatever." Bacchus says. "Anyway, I killed the giant Ephialtes and his brother, Otis. Horrible boors, those two. Pinecone in the face for both of them!"
I hold my breath. All at once, several ideas come together in my head. The visions in the knife, the lines of the prophecy we'd been discussing last night.
"Lord Bacchus," I say, trying to control the nervousness in my voice. "Those two giants, Ephialtes and Otis...would they happen to be twins?"
"Hmm?" The god seems distracted by his thyrsus swinging, but he nods. "Yes, twins. That's right."
I turn to Jason. I can tell he's following my thoughts. In the blade of Katropis, I'd seen two giants in yellow robes, lifting a jar from a deep pit.
"That's why we're here." I tell the god. "You're part of our quest!"
Bacchus frowns. "I'm sorry, my girl. I'm not a demigod anymore. I don't do quests."
"But giants can only be killed by heroes and gods working together," I insist. "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!"
Bacchus glares at me, and I realize I've chosen my words poorly.
"My girl," he says coldly, "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 centuries. I-" He stops and frowns. "You said my daughter uses the same weapon?"
It takes me a second to realize what he's talking about. "Uh, yeah. Well, your, erm, other aspect's daughter. Calli."
Bacchus winces in pain again, clutching his head. The pudgy version of him returns. "What's going on?"
Gods, he looks rough. His face has the same pink tinge across his nose and cheeks as Calli's, and his eyes are the same honey-green color. But besides that, I see no resemblance whatsoever. How someone as big and ugly as this guy could produce a daughter as dainty and beautiful as Calli, I have no idea.
He looks past me and fixes his gaze on Percy. "Peter Johnson." He huffs. "What in Zeus's name are you doing here?"
Percy gives him a half-smile. "Hey, Mr. D."
Jason is staring at him, a look of disgust clear on his face. "Dionysus? You're Calli's dad?"
Mr. D looks Jason up and down and huffs. "Another hero."
"Lord Dionysus." I try. "My name is Piper-"
"Whatever." The god scoffs. "What do you want?"
I'm taken aback by his coarseness. Calli had said he was a little rough, but this is more than I expected. "I was just telling... erm, I was just talking about Calli."
Despite the scowl on his face, his eyes seem to light up a little at the mention of her name. "You know my daughter?"
I nod. "Yeah, we're on a quest with her."
"You're one of the eight." He notes, examining me. "Where is she?"
"She had to stay and help with repairs on the ship." I tell him. "She wanted to come. She says hi, and that she's okay."
His scowl deepens. "Helping with repairs... with that foolish boy! I'm telling you, I warned her. I try and be a good father to her, the one truly good thing I've ever created. Does she listen to my advice? No! She spends her whole summer in that damned Bunker with that silly mechanic-"
"Dude." Percy interrupts. "Are you going to help us or not?"
The gods eyes burn purple again, and I see the resemblance. He and Calli have the exact same I'll drive you crazy or turn you into a dolphin on the spot expression.
"Lord Dionysus," I try again.
He huffs distastefully. "I'll give you some advice, for the sake of my daughter. Seek out Gaea's son, Phorcys. He always hated 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."
I hesitate. "You mean Atlanta?"
"That's the one."
"But this Phorcys," Jason says. "Is he a giant? A Titan?"
Dionysus laughs. "Neither. Seek out salt water."
"Salt water." Percy repeats. "In Atlanta?"
"Yes." Dionysus snaps. "Are you hard of hearing? If anyone can give you insight on Gaea and the twins, it's Phorcys. Just watch out for him."
"What do you mean?" Jason asks.
The god straightens his leopard print shirt. I suddenly remember how often Calli wears leopard print.
Dionysus sighs. "Tell my daughter that I'm proud of her." He tells me.
Percy scoffs. "How sweet."
"Hush!" Dionysus's voice booms. He waves his hand, and a can of Diet Coke appears in his hand. He cracks it open. "Tell her to mind my advice. Tell her that I fought the twin giants once too. They were created to be my bane, afterall. Remind her to trust herself. She might not show it, but she can forget just how strong she is."
Despite his grouchy and rough exterior, I get the feeling that Calli is right. Dionysus isn't all bad.
"I will." I nod.
The god glances at the sun, which has climbed almost to high noon. "It's unlike Demeter to be late, unless she sensed something dangerous in this area. Or..."
The god's face suddenly goes dark. "Or a trap. Well, I must be going! And if I were you, I'd do the same!"
"Lord Dionysus, wait!" Jason protests.
The god bursts into purple flame and disappears, leaving behind the familiar scent of grapes.