**Second story, no judgement**
**All characters belong to Rick Riordan**
**From the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and Heroes of Olympus series**
**Nico Di Angelo fanfiction**
**Caution, spoilers if you have not read The Mark of Athena**
This story takes place during Nico's time trapped and after The Mark of Athena
Mystery Mortal
POV: Nico di Angelo
Nico still couldn't believe what Percy had done, he'd fallen into Tartarus for the girl he loved. He couldn't get the image of him out of his mind, making him promise to lead the others there, as if it was his death wish. Nico was going to lead them to the Doors of Death, but there was one thing he'd need to do first.
Everyone on the Argo II was in poor spirits, seeing as how they'd lost their leaders to Tartarus. Hazel had smiled at Nico and bade him hello, but he knew she was distraught. Nico sat down in the mess hall, everyone was gathering for dinner, Leo was the last to enter because he'd been busy with the take off.
For a while everyone ate in silence, just picking at their food, they were all thinking the same thing, 'how did we let this happen?' Finally Nico broke the silence.
"Um, you all know what Percy asked of me before they.. fell, right?" Nico said this awkwardly, and they all nodded their heads.
"So, you will guide us to the Doors of Death? Percy and Annabeth will take the other side and we'll save the world," Hazel pressed with all her confidence intact.
"I.. I will, but first we'll need to do something with that statue. I doubt the ship can carry it forever. Uhh, can it?" Nico turned to Leo with uncertainty.
"I don't think it will help our flying, so yes, we should deal with that," Leo answered. Then Piper spoke up, Nico hadn't noticed how pretty she really was until she looked at him.
"Guys, I know this is awful, but if I know Percy and Annabeth, they'll want us to push forward and take 'the Doors'" her words were filled with so much meaning Nico found himself instantly agreeing with her and nodding his head.
"Wait, while you guys deal with the statue I need to do something. I'll shadow travel there and back to the boat," Nico said this all as quickly as he could, afraid they might disagree with him.
"Um, okay.. But what do you need to do," Jason said this as if he was trying not to offend him.
"Its nothing!" he said harshly, but then felt sorry, "I mean, well, when I was trapped those seeds kept me alive." They all looked at him, nodding their heads in agreement.
"But?" Hazel asked slowly.
"There was something else, and I know she is important to this quest, we need something she has, information maybe," Nico pressed on, "I saw her while I was in a death trance, I think she was the one keeping me alive. Everyone looked at him, and he started to lose his confidence about the matter, but he couldn't. He was sure this was important.
"Nico, she who?" Piper asked quietly.
"I, I think she is a mortal. I don't really know her name either," his idea's were getting even more jumbled.
"How can a mortal help us?" Frank asked, probably not trying to annoy Nico, but doing so anyway.
"She's special! I can tell, she is the one who gave me faith to keep going, and to simply live."
"Are you sure you didn't just imagine her?" Leo asked.
"I'm positive! She was so real, I could hear her voice in my ears, sometimes even see her," the more Nico spoke, the move he noticed how unbelievable it all sounded. Everyone around the table got quiet, but they all gave eachother looks like 'may as well let him find out for himself.' But that was fine with Nico.
"Okay, we'll all get a good nights rest and regroup in the morning," Frank said good as if he wasn't sure how good anyone's night would be. Everyone nodded in agreement and marched off to bed, leaving Nico sitting at the table. Everyone but Piper.
"I know why you want to go," Piper said this, not trying to tease him, but just knowing, "I am a daughter of Aphrodite, I can tell. Nico's cheeks went red and he looked down at the table.
"Its fine, really," Piper said, "goodluck with your, uh, date." She said the word date as if it could mean two things.
"Umm, okay.. Thanks though," Nico smiled at her as she left the mess hall. She really was quite pretty.
POV: Nico di Angelo
Nico assumed he'd finally get some real sleep, after being trapped and terrified for so long. How wrong he was... His dreams started with seeing Percy and Annabeth falling through darkness, he could see them talking and had a feeling that this really had been how it happened. They'd landed safely, so this might be just wishful thinking, but he hoped so.
The dream changed, he was trapped in that awful jar again. Nico was starving, just barely alive in his death trance. He wasn't sure how he'd live any longer and he'd only been here for what, two days? What if no one was even searching for him, what was the point of life? Bianca was gone and not coming back, and for all he knew he was now a traitor if they'd found Percy. Much easier to die, he heard this like a whisper in his ear. Thats when he heard another voice, softer then the first. The words were simple and short, but they did all they needed to.
"Find the will to live, they're coming for you," the girls voice washed over him softly. Nico closed his eyes and saw golden brown hair glittering in moonlight, for a second he thought it was Bianca, she had similar features. But he realized it wasn't, this girl was very different looking then his sister, she had longer, lighter hair and sun kissed skin opposed to Bianca's olive skin.
Nico woke with a start, that had been the first time the mystery mortal girl had ever contacted him. He couldn't even have been sure she was real, but she'd seemed so real. He suspected it was early morning, and he knew he wouldn't be getting back to sleep at this rate, so he got out of bed and headed for the mess hall.
It turns out he wasn't the only one woken early, Jason sat at the table studying his hands. Nico walked in quietly, trying not to disturb him. His heart felt light, when he dreamed of the girl this happened a lot.
"Oh, hi Nico. Why are you up so early?" Jason noticed him, lifting his gaze from his hands.
"I couldn't sleep," Nico said, seeing the upset look on Jason's face.
"Yeah, same. I just feel bad, me and Percy could have been friends," Jason said could have as if he doubted Percy and Annabeth would live.
"I thought I told you, Percy is the strongest demigod i've ever met. He and Annabeth make a great team, if I could survive I know they can," Nico said this quietly, as if daring Jason to disagree. He seemed to be expecting everyone to do that lately.
"You're, you're right. Percy would have won that battle, I can't believe I ever thought otherwise. Well I can, i'm Roman..." Jason carried on, "At Camp Jupiter it's all about pride, power, and duty. I wouldn't of had the strength to fall into Tartarus like he did."
"Thats not true, you would have done that for Piper," for some reason Nico felt the need to stick up for the guy, he'd hate for him to feel so responsible for everything.
"Maybe... I feel like I was a little harsh about the whole girl thing," Jason apologized.
"Thats okay, it was silly anyway," Nico said this quietly, he was really starting to doubt whether visiting her was a good idea.
"I don't think it was, I think you might be right. I feel like something is missing, that girl might be able to help," Nico thought Jason might be saying this just to make him feel better, but it worked just the same.
POV: Nico di Angelo
Nico was getting more and more nervous by the minute, Piper was a big help though. For some reason he felt like he could trust her with his little secret, so he allowed her to choose his outfit and ruffle his hair again and again.
"You ready for this?" Piper asked in a pep talk kind of way.
"Umm, yes I am," Nico found himself agreeing with her again and again due to her ability to charm speak.
"Okay, go for it!" Piper said this happily like a true daughter of Aphrodite.
All around Nico it went pitch black and he began to get exhausted. Finally it was light out, he found himself in the shadows of a tree beside what looked like a Library. What was he doing here? He could hear children playing in the hot summer sun, but he didn't see anybody around, especially not the mystery mortal.
Nico sat down, trying to regain his energy, and he must have sat there for at least a twenty minutes. Finally the Library door opened and a small brunette came out holding a book with a phoenix on it, following her was a taller girl who looked like her sister. She held a book called Ancient Greece, he knew the title because it was written in ancient greek.
It must be her was all Nico could think, he couldn't really see her face but he was so sure. He thought she'd be creeped out if he walked straight toward her so he followed her sister and her home. It was only a few minutes later that they turned down a street that must have been theirs, because her younger sister ran towards a house yelling something about telling her sister their accomplishments. That left the girl alone, walking down the street. Before Nico could lose his courage he surged forwards, and walked up to the girl he'd been dreaming about for days.
"Hello, i'm Nico," he said this quickly and wasn't even sure she'd heard properly, but he lost his courage and went silent.
"Um, hi Nico. What brings a demigod like you around here?" she said this and laughed right after.
"How did you know?" Nico asked in a dead serious tone. She looked at him and laughed again, he liked the way she laughed.
"Wait, you're not kidding are you?" she didn't seem that surprized, more curious.
"How did you know about that?" Nico was getting a little scared now.
"There doesn't happen to be a Percy Jackson does there?" his face told her what she needed to know, "Like everyone else, I read it in a book."