§ Tasha's POV §

    When Lovey told me about her dream, I shuddered. The room sounded just like the one from my dream, and the figure? Who could it be?

    I pushed the thought out of my mind, instead focusing on the plan Mark and I had come up with.

"Hey, Lovey? Can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked her, interrupting her repetition of the Denver mine battle story, which got more and more exaggerated each time it was told. Now it seemed the four of us battled fifty Cyclops automatons that were 50 feet tall and breathed fire, while also spewing acid and spikes from various orifices. Yes, that's exactly how it was being described.

"Sure, Tasha!" the Athenian girl replied enthusiastically, falling into step next to me. "What's up?"

"I have this... problem... in the forest. Something only you can help me with. Follow me," I said, walking towards the forest. Lovey followed, talking about how lucky Jack was to have been appointed co-counselor of the Demeter cabin, how nicely the boys were being treated now, and stuff I didn't really listen to.

"Okay, where's the problem?" she asked, when we reached a beautiful clearing.

"Wait here, I'll be back!" I exclaimed, running out of the clearing into the bushes. There I found Mark giving pep-talk to Sean.

"Okay, dude, the plan's simple. Start making roses or something grow around her, and while she's transfixed by them, walk up, and smoosh your lips against hers. Got it?" the Athenian boy checked. The son of Demeter nodded nervously.

"But... what if she doesn't kiss me back?" he asked fearfully. I smiled reassuringly.

"Honey, she's been crushing on you since forever. Before we all became friends, she would watch your videos and fangirl like a real dork," I laughed. These words seemed to give him a little bit of confidence, and he smiled.

"Alright, here goes.." he mumbled, creeping towards the clearing. Mark levitated the two of us into a tree to observe, and I gasped at the rose bushes that popped up in the clearing.

"Wow.." I sighed, inhaling the intoxicating scent.

"What the..." Lovey muttered from the ground, picking a blood red rose from the nearest bush and smelling it. At that moment, Jack walked out of the bushes, and like those old fashioned movies, he grabbed her and kissed her.

"FINALLY!!" I squealed, promptly falling out of the tree. The duo didn't seem to notice, having a full make-out session right there in the clearing. More roses were appearing on the bushes, filling the forest with their beautiful perfumed smell.

"JACKEY IS REAL! JACKEY IS REAL! WOOOOOOOO!!! THE PLAN WORKED!!!" I screamed, running around like a chicken without a head. The daughter of Athena pulled away from the kiss, her eyes widening.

"You... YOU PLANNED THIS??" she squeaked. I stopped running around and smiled guiltily.

"Uhhh... It was his idea!" I shouted, pointing at the red floof sticking out the tree.

    Mark climbed down the tree, smiling sheepishly, and Lovey ran up and hugged him.

"THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!" she exclaimed happily, kissing his cheek.

"Hey now, leave those kisses for me," Sean grinned, putting his arm around Lovey's waist. He then turned to Mark and I. "What about you two now? Are ya getting together or what?"

    c I felt my face get hot, and noticed Mark's cheeks were as red as his hair. He looked cute when he blushed...

"W-well.. I, uh, I don't... I h-haven't..." he began, but I cut him off.

"The dingus hasn't asked me out yet," I said quickly. Lovey and Jack gasped in unison, before yelling at Mark together.

"-HAVEN'T ASKED HER OUT?! WHY-"

"-YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SHE LIKES YOU?-"

"-MEANT TO BE TOGETHER-"

"-PERFECT COUPLE-"

"-MY OTP-"

"ASK HER OUT YOU DOOF!" they shouted as one, and Mark looked at me sheepishly.

"S-so? Do you, ya know... want to be my g-girlfriend?" he asked shyly. At his words, my heart did a back-flip, front-flip, cartwheel and tied itself into a knot.

"Damn right I do!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around his neck in a hug. He lifted me off my feet and twirled me around happily until we heard the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Sorry to interrupt this... affectionate display," Chiron began, "But Mr D and I have called an emergency counselor's meeting at the Big House. The four of you must come with me immediately."

    I watched Lovey's face go pale. So she'd heard it too; the worry in Chiron's voice. He only used that tone if something big had happened, or was happening. Something dangerous. I was afraid.

    The four of us nervously followed Chiron to the Big House, where all the councilors had gathered. The Stoll brothers weren't smiling and joking around like normal, which really made the seriousness sink in.

"Sit down, sit down," Mr D said, waving his hand impatiently at us, "We don't have all day you know."

    I sat down at the ping-pong table next to Mark, who smiled reassuringly at me. How bad could it be?

"The spirit of the Oracle has spoken through Miss Rebecca Dunne once more. It seems we have a new Great Prophecy," the wine god said boredly.

"That's Rachel Dare, Mr D," Percy corrected, earning him a glare from Annabeth. I sighed with relief, a Great Prophecy wasn't too bad!

"Don't be relieved yet, campers... this prophecy foretells a misfortune so great, that even the gods are worried. One of our most feared enemies has risen, campers, one powerful enough, that even in his mortal form he is a most formidable foe," Chiron said gravely.

   The dream I'd had... Lovey's dream, they were starting to make sense. A feeling in my gut told me who it was before Chiron spoke his name.

"Tartarus has risen, and he plans on levelling Olympus."