Forgotten memories

B.B.M.M (Big Bad Metal Man)

"What did she want with you guys?" Bianca asked, once we told them about Aphrodite.

"Oh, uh, not sure," Percy said. "She said to be careful in her husband's junkyard. She said not to pick anything up." I could tell he was lying, but I didn't push it.

Zoe narrowed her eyes. "The goddess of love would not make a special trip to tell thee that. Be careful, Percy. Aphrodite has led many heroes astray."

"For once I agree with Zoe," Thalia said. "You can't trust Aphrodite."

Grover was looking at him funny. Being empathic and all, he could usually read someone emotions, and I got the feeling he knew exactly what Aphrodite had talked to Percy about.

"So," Percy said, anxious to change the subject.

"What about you?" Chrestine asked me and got the attention on me. I felt my heart jump a little. I scratched the back of my neck.

"Well, she's my grandma..."

"The Goddess of Love... is your grandparent?" Percy looked at me.

"Yeah, that's about it." I lied, Percy looked at me but didn't show any emotion. "Let's get out of here, which way?"

"That way," Zoe said. "That is west."

"How can you tell?" Percy asked.

In the light of the full moon, I could see her roll her eyes at Percy.

"Ursa Major is in the north," she said, "which means that must be west."

She pointed west, then at the northern constellation, which was hard to make out because there were so many other stars.

When I saw the star, I saw another constellation on the sky that made me stop. I looked at it as wondered. It was different than the other stars, it was more defined. Zoe walked over to me and looked up at the constellation.

"That is Orion. He was a formidable giant to fight" she said.

I looked at her and gave her a little smile, I didn't know why I was really interested in that constellation, but Grover broke me out of the trance.

"Guys," Grover broke in. "Look!"

We'd reached the crest of a junk mountain. Piles of metal objects glinted in the moonlight: broken heads of bronze horses, metal legs from human statues, smashed chariots, tons of shields and swords and other weapons, along with more modern stuff, like cars that gleamed gold and silver, refrigerators, washing machines, and computer monitors.

"Whoa," Bianca said. "That stuff... some of it looks like real gold."

"It is," Thalia said grimly. "Like Percy said, don't touch anything. This is the junkyard of the gods."

"Junk?" Grover picked up a beautiful crown made of gold, silver, and jewels. It was broken on one side, as if it had been split by an axe. "You call this junk?" He bit off a point and began to chew. "It's delicious!"

Thalia swatted the crown out of his hands. "I'm serious!"

"Look!" Bianca said. She raced down the hill, tripping over bronze coils and golden plates. She picked up a bow that glowed silver in moonlight. "A Hunter's bow!"

I looked at the bow and noticed it was quite similar to my bow, and then she yelped in surprise as the bow began to shrink, and became a hair clip shaped like a crescent moon.

"It's just like Neaus's bow!"

Zoe's face was grim. "Leave it, Bianca."

"But—"