And Now He's a Cat

Nico had just been woken up by a knock at the door. He looked to the alarm clock sitting by his bed side table. It said the time was nine o'clock. Why had someone woken him up this early in the morning?

Groaning, he stood up and went over to open the door. As he did so, he spotted a mop of beautiful – uhm I mean annoying – blonde hair. Will lifted his head to greet Nico with a smile.

"Is there something you want Solace?" Nico asked, squinting at the bright light outside his cabin.

"It's breakfast time di Angelo, not that you can tell from inside your cabin of doom. You should come get something to eat." Said boy looked as if he was about to argue to which Will added, "doctor's orders."

"You know you can't use that for everything?" replied Nico.

"Watch me!"

Nico sighed, "I'll go get changed then."

Will sat down on the steps in front of the Hades cabin waiting for Nico to get dressed. The sun was shining brightly this morning, courtesy of Apollo, and birds chirped happily from the trees surrounding camp. It was an amazing atmosphere. Then the resident son of Hades plopped down next to him.

"Why are you so grumpy in the mornings?" Will wondered out loud.

"It's too early to deal with life," Nico said, "I need my coffee."

Both boys stood up and started walking to the dining pavilion, Nico complaining and Will cracking the worst jokes you will ever hear.

When they finally got there Nico came and sat down next to Will at the Apollo cabins table, where he had been sitting for the past few days. Luckily, there was already one of the magical cups that would give you whatever drinks you wanted, in front of him. He imagined his favourite coffee, the amazing smell rising to his nostrils. Before he could drink any though, Will turned and asked him a question.

"Is there any food that either chocolate or cheese wouldn't make better?"

"Wait, what?" he inquired.

"I said, is there any food that either chocolate or cheese wouldn't make better?" Will asked again.

"Uhm…" Nico thought for a moment trying to think of every food that existed.

"See, because Austin seems to think that if you add either of them to any food it can make it better, but I want to disagree 'cause where's the fun in agreeing with everyone all the time? Thing is I can't think of any food that isn't improved by it." Will ranted.

After a few minutes Nico came up with one, "Sushi. Chocolate would be disgusting with it and in no way is it going to taste nicer with cheese."

Will grinned, "Yes agree to disagree in your face Austin!"

Austin looked slightly shocked but then relented, "I guess you're right."

Whilst this debate was going on, no one seemed to notice Lou Ellen creeping up to the table with a shimmering purple substance held in her hands. It was warm because it had just been brewed and she was trying to find someone to test it on to see if it worked.

Nico's back was turned and he was talking with Will and Austin. There was his coffee cup right in front of Lou and so she took her opportunity to pour a few drops of it in the cup. A few bubbles were formed due to the reaction but no big explosion like last time so she counted it mission accomplished. She hurried away, the rest of the potion still in her hand, to watch if it would work, from afar.

Nico turned away from the conversation to pick up his coffee. It smelt heavenly and its dark colour seemed to shimmer in the light. He smiled slightly enjoying the moment.

Turning back to Will and Austin who were by now in a heated discussion over something or other, he took a sip. It tasted a bit different to how it usually did but he left it down to it being cooler than usual. He drained the drink quickly savouring its lasting taste.

Suddenly, he felt a tingling sensation spread through his body. His smile faded away to be replaced by a look of confusion. He placed the cup back down and before he could say anything to Will, was engulfed by a purple cloud.

Will stared at where his friend had been a second ago. Where Nico had been was a cloud of purple smoke. What had just happened?

As the smoke started to clear away, he noticed a pile of black clothes on the bench. But that was not what had surprised him. It was the little black cat nuzzled up inside them that caught his attention.

Before Will could pick him up the and see if he was okay, the crowd that had started to form around them was pushed to the side as Lou Ellen came towards them a smile on her face.

"It worked!" she said, joyous. Of course it was Lou's fault he condemned.

Lou reached forward to pick up the small tabby that was looking around in confusion. He looked down at his tiny paws and seemed to realise what had happened. As the sorceress grabbed Nico, he slashed out at her, his claws doing little damage.

She put him back down her smile still in place despite the small scratches she had on her cheeks. Then she was pushed out the way by Jason, Percy, Piper and Annabeth.

"Whose cat is that?" Percy asked.

"No ones, I think it is Nico," Will replied glancing at the meowing kitten that was trying to act menacing but only succeeded in looking cuter.

Piper reached forward and picked him up, "he's so cute!" she squealed.

Nico, not happy with being picked up again, raised his paws and tried to scratch his way out of Piper's embrace. Once again he didn't do much damage.

He was then passed to Jason, who took the meowing Nico into his huge arms. Nico didn't shut up but this time he didn't claw as much, just lightly not leaving any real marks.

Everyone who had crowded around them was awing the little kitten.

Percy was then passed him and held him aloft like Rafiki held Simba. He then hugged him against his chest to which Nico meowed angrily and tried to scratch away. Percy put him back on the bench, on top of his clothes. He stopped meowing as much and just laid there. That is until a red dot appeared on the grass in front of him.

After hearing about Nico having been turned into a cat, Connor and Travis had rushed to the Hermes cabin. They opened a door and ran inside looking in draws until they found what they had come for. Mission completed, they raced back to the crowd and pushed their way through to the front.

Connor took the torch from his brother and flicked on the little red light. He shined it at the grass in front of Nico and watched as he leaped for it, landing on the floor where it once was. Connor moved the light about watching as the cute tabby tried to attack it but failed.

Everyone was laughing and smiling as they watched the cute kitten chase the light. But then unexpectedly the ground near Connors feet split open slightly. From it came a skeleton mouse (dormouse to be precise) that crawled forward and attacked the son of Hermes' shoe. In his surprise Connor dropped the small torch and Nico sprang forward to attack it, the source of his earlier problems.

Just having watched his friend, turn into a tabby cat, get passed around, chase a red light and raise a skeleton mouse snapped Will out of his doubts of Nico not wanting him to pick him up. He carefully crouched down and picked him up. The kittens big, dark eyes stared at Will and when realised who it was started meowing again, but not in a grumpy, annoyed way like before. Surprisingly Nico didn't scratch him and instead rested his furry head against Will who was holding him like a baby in his arms. He gently started to stroke Nico and could hear a quiet purr emanating from the tiny body.

The demigods who were standing around the kitten in a crowd started to disperse realising the show was over. Piper came up to him once everyone else had gone.

"He must really like you if he hasn't scratched you yet," she winked at him before walking off to join Jason.

Now alone with a sleeping Nico, Will lightly kissed him on the head. What am I going to do with you?

A/N - Thanks for reading! I got the idea for this from Solei Dragheart's story 'The Vikings Meet the Greeks and Romans' which is an awesome Magnus Chase and Percy Jackson crossover!

I hope you enjoyed this!

~a-halfblood-with-attitude