Iron Man's Daughter

Chapter 43

Blossom was going to work on Leo's judgment of what is close and what is not close. They ended up walking through a hot field for a mild and a half. Blossom was able to move the sunflowers so they wouldn't be scratched by it, but not the mosquitos. They saw an old billboard for Bubbe's Gas 'n' Grub.

" Correct my math, but doesn't that mean we have eight miles more to walk?" Percy asked. Jason then looked both ways of the street.

" Hitchhiking might not be the brightest idea," Blossom shot down Jason's thought before he could even say anything.

" We've spent too much time overland, Earth is Gaea's territory," Piper said.

" Not fully yet," Blossom declined. " My mother still has some rule." Jason snapped his fingers.

" I can call a friend for a ride," Jason suggested.

" Oh, yeah? Me too. Let's see whose friend gets here first," Percy bet. Jason whistled as Percy closed his eyes and concentrated.

" Being in the sky is not my favorite thing," Blossom stated. " I will just meet you three there." Before three could protest Blossom used plant teleportation and landed by the Topeka 32 sign. Minutes a storm spirit horse with Jason and Piper landed, along with Blackjack and Piper.

" No sign of the wine dude," Percy commented once they got off the flying creatures.

" I beg your pardon?" a voice asked. Blossom parted the wheat, and there stood a guy looking like he never wanted to quit being part of a fraternity. " Did someone just call me wine dude?" 

" You look different," Percy commented. " Skinner. Your hair is long. And your shirt isn't so loud," Percy commented.

" What in blazes are you talking about? Did Ceres send you?" Bacchus ordered. Blossom's eyes widen, Ceres was the Roman version of her mother. 

" What series?" Percy asked.

" Ceres, the Roman version of Demeter," Blossom answered. 

" Lord Bacchus, do you remember me? I helped you with that missing leopard in Sonoma," Jason asked.

" John Grace," Bacchus stated.

" Jason he corrected.

" What business do you have with Ceres?" Blossom asked.

" Ceres asked me here for a council of war. With Gaea rising, 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," Bacchus explained, Blossom glanced to see that wheat by them was indeed withering. She touched a nearby plant, giving it a little more life.

" The plant war," Percy said. " You're going to arm the little grapes with tiny assault rifles?"

" Have we met?" the god demanded.

" I know you as Dionysus," Percy informed.

"Agh!" the god winced as he pressed the sides of his temple. " Do you have any idea how hard its to say focus? I never know what I'm doing? Splitting headaches all the time! Constantly grumpy!

" That's pretty normal," Percy said.

" Why has the Greek nature of me turned you into a dolphin yet?" Bacchus asked.

" It's been discussed," Blossom said.

" Lord Bacchus!" Piper called as she slipped off Tempest's back.

" Piper, careful," Jason warned.

" Sorry for troubling you my lord, we have come to get your advice. Please, we need your wisdom," Piper requested.