A/N- October is really really far away (and thank God Amazon and pre – order exists!), so I decided to pass the time with a small multi-chapter story that shouldn't become an AU after Son of Neptune's release.

Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer – I don't own anything, except an OC or two.

Chapter 1: Leo

The first Saturday of February, Leo woke up with the sudden feeling of imminent danger.

Maybe not in the End of The World sense, but in the Bad Things Are About to Happen. This totally sucked, as there was supposed to be a party at the end of the day. Well, maybe not exactly a party, but close.

That very same day would mean Cabin 9 – and pretty much everybody at camp - had been working on the Argos II, future most baddass ship ever, for a month.

Chiron had said at the last senior counselor's meeting that such event deserved some kind of acknowledgement, after the usual progress report. Travis and Connor had waited a whole total of five seconds after the centaur had left to say one month of full work meant it was time for a party, Cabin 11 style. Leo kind of liked the second option.

Which meant the possibility of Bad Things would totally suck tonight, especially since there had been a promise of smuggled junk food, but maybe the feeling would go away. It wasn't like his hunches were always right.

Only when it's about danger, part of him suggested.

Not long after becoming counselor, Leo had realized he had an uncanny sense of danger when working in the forges. Jake had explained to him that that was sort of a regular power for Hephaestus' kids, necessary when you spend most of your time working with totally cool but dangerous machinery. Leo could remember being told that and remember his siblings' state and the so called curse when he had first gotten to camp.

So maybe the bad feeling would go away eventually. Maybe he was waking particularly paranoid – not a first – and blaming it on his own supposed spider – sense.

Maybe.

As Leo led his cabin through the usual morning activities, Bad Feeling was replaced with Numbing Boredom. What use could they possibly have for Latin classes when A) they had Jason, and B) they were supposed to be building a spankin' hot war machine?

Apparently, it would help with the Roman – Greek community relations, but to Leo it was torture of the worst kind.

After that, they had archery – which he sucked at, thank you very much – and a few rounds of fighting against Cabin 4. Kate Gardner, who was leading the class, kept trying to encourage him, saying he was just starting his training, but when a ten years old kid wins you, it means you are really bad.

All in all his day had gone so horribly wrong, that by the meeting's time, Leo was fantasizing of going to bed early, party or not. His plan was simple. Going in, receiving the 'Congratulations on such a fantastic job, good luck in the next four to five months, blah, blah, blah', and running for his cabin.

So he had being reasonably surprised when he went into the council - rec room and found everyone in funeral mood. He was going to say that but decided not to at last moment. He'd learned quickly enough that at camp you never knew.

At that moment, Piper saw him. 'Hey Leo. You are the last one.'

'What's going on guys? I thought we were going to have a par… err, celebration for the one month thing.' Not that anyone looked in party mood.

'Well, we started talking about that but somehow we ended up talking about the prophecy' Annabeth explained while Leo took a seat. As she said it, she rearranged herself in her chair, which Leo knew meant a long explanation was on its way.

Leo was still shocked to think this girl, their unofficial leader, was the same scary but brokenhearted girl Jason, Piper and himself had met in December. Since knowing were her boyfriend was, Annabeth had plunged herself head first into designing the Argos II. Nowadays she was a strong leader with an unbreakable will.

The scary part was that everyone kept saying she wasn't still a hundred percent her usual self.

'We were just getting to the part of the Doors of Death.' Apparently, Annabeth had never stopped talking while Leo had zoned out. Thank you ADHD.

'Right. Doors of Death. I don't suppose we know were those might be, right?'

'According to myths, they were supposed to be in the west, right?' Piper asked.

Rachel sat forward. Though she was supposed to be at some rich girls' school, she'd made arrangements to be there for the weekend. 'Actually, we know were the two current entrances are. The main one is in Los Angeles, and the one Orpheus used is in New York.'

'Ookaay.' Leo had heard so many weird thing already, that the entrance to Greek hell being in L.A. was kind of expected. 'Then why are we even discussing that part of the prophecy?'

'Because yesterday night I had a dream of my dad.' The speaker was a kid, no couldn't be over twelve, sitting next to Annabeth.

Leo's first impression was, Whoa, hello prince of darkness.

Emanating such aura was kind of impressive, since the kid was wearing the camp's orange shirt over a long sleeved black t-shirt with what seamed from Leo's seat a black pant. He had olive skin that looked just a little too pale and black eyes that clearly screamed Danger!

Cute kid.

While Leo hadn't had that much time to socialize with anyone other than his siblings, what with building a flying – and awesome – ship and all, he was sure he'd never seen the kid before. He wasn't exactly inconspicuous. By the looks of Jason and Piper, neither had them.

Apparently Annabeth realized it too and decided to make the introductions. 'Guys, this is Nico di Angelo, son of Hades. Nico, these are Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite, Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, and Jason Grace, son of Jupiter.'

If the kid was surprised, he didn't show, and he didn't have time, with Clarisse interrupting.

'So, Cadaver Breath, what does your dad say?'

If he was insulted with the nickname, he didn't show it either. 'Besides the usual 'Do not disappoint me, blah, blah, blah', he said that just as there's an actual Mount Olympus, there is a real place for the Doors of Death.'

'Yeah, I had figured as much.' Annabeth said, with that thoughtful expression Leo was starting to relate with 'make mast a little higher', 'put more celestial bronze here' and 'remake this part of the ship from scratch.'

'I don't suppose he said where it was, right?' she asked, though it sounded more like statement.

'Nope. He did say that it could be tracked' the kid, Nico, answered, which gave Leo an idea.

'Then we just have to make a machine capable of somehow tracking those Doors, right?' he said. Everyone looked at him funny, like he'd grown a head or something, but he had the feeling he was on the right track, so he went on. 'If he had some sort of substance or something that could point to it, then it could be done.'

'You mean like a compass?' Jason said, looking at him like he was considering whether he was serious or not. Leo knew how he sounded – well, more like he had an idea – but saying it aloud gave him an even greater feeling he was on to something.

Then Nico sort of jumped in his chair and apparently that was weirder because everyone's attention went to him.

'Oh! My dad also said that things that belonged to the Underworld would naturally be attracted to it. That could mean stygian iron, right Annabeth?'

'Maybe, but unless you feel like giving away your sword, we don't have any to use and we can't exactly trust in Mrs. O'Leary's instincts to find the Doors.'

Leo had heard from Nyssa about stygian iron. Like Celestial Bronze or Imperial Gold, it was a metal that could be used for making demigod weapons, the difference being it could only be found in the Underworld. In other words, finding any amount of it was so crazy difficult, you couldn't find it even in Cabin Nine. He told them so.

At this, Chiron spoke up, except to Leo it looked like he really wished he didn't have to. 'Actually, there is a place where you are sure to find at least a small quantity of it, or any other type of metal.'

Apparently this was news to everyone, because they started talking at the same time making questions like: where? How come you never mentioned it before? Can we take as much as we want?

It wasn't until everyone settled that the old centaur went on. 'I haven't told you before because frankly, the risks aren't worth the prize. The only place I could think of is the Junkyard of the Gods.'

With such a name, Leo's first impulse was to laugh, but the way Nico grabbed the table stopped him. Clearly there was something else going on.

'Nico' the centaur went on, 'though you were visited in a dream by your father when the gods have been forbidden to do so, it doesn't necessarily mean you must be on this quest. After all, it might not even help with the Great Prophecy.'

When you put it like that, Leo thought. Hey, go risk your life, for possibly nothing!

The kid clearly thought differently, because he got up and said, 'I'll do it. Do I get a prophecy?'

'Yes.' To everyone's surprise, Rachel was already in font of Nico.

Like the first time he'd seen her in 'Oracle mode', Rachel closed her eyes and swooned. Annabeth and Chiron eased her into a chair – apparently the three-legged stool wasn't necessary for her voodoo thingy – and the mist show began.

She opened her eyes and began speaking in a creepy snake-like voice:

'Ghost King and forge shall combine their powers,

And save the dog in the land of flowers,

To prevail against the Vain One in the west,

A third companion shall join during the quest,

The road is revealed by the Hunter's light,

Victory only by defeating the Queen's might.'

At the end she collapsed, but Chiron caught her before she hit the floor. Apparently this wasn´t a prophecy as important as the one to rescue Hera (were there levels, like from one to suicidal?), because Rachel recovered quicker than Leo remembered from the last time.

Chiron spoke only after that. 'Well, there we have it. While it's unusual, it seems you must leave camp with only one companion, Nico.' The last part was directed at the Prince of Darkness, as Leo was starting to call Nico in his head, who still looked unfazed by everything.

Too brave or too stupid?

'Yeah, and we know where you have to start.' Kate said. At this almost everyone in the room looked at her. Obviously Leo wasn't the only one in the dark here.

She went on. 'Florida. When the Spanish first came, they name it 'La Florida' or in English 'Flowery Land'. Right, Chiron?'

'Indeed. First of all, you must choose your companion.'

That's when everyone looked at Leo, but it took him a few seconds to realize why.

'Right! Forge and Ghost King. I'm taking a wild guess here and say Nico is the king, which means you need someone from my cabin.'

'But it doesn't mean it has to be him, right?' Jason said at Chiron, clearly concerned.

'Not necessarily' answered the old centaur. 'It could be anyone from Cabin Nine, though they would require Leo's consent. Besides, Leo and Annabeth are leading the camp efforts regarding the Argo II. '

'Which means as long as Annabeth is here, there should be no problems, right?' Leo was grateful for the concern and praise on his work, but he knew it was about him. He had woken up with the Bad Things Are About to Happen feeling.

'In that case, if Nico agrees then he and Leo shall go on this quest.' At the small confirmation from Nico, Chiron went on. 'As for the rest, you all know how delving too much in a prophecy might be counterproductive. Right now, Grover is in Orlando, so you could try to meet with him, see if he knows something that could help you.'

That´s when it really hit Leo.

'Wait! You mean we are going on a quest to make what could be a magic compass, and we'll start by going to Orlando, also known as the place where Disney is!'

Obviously no one else had noticed, because the fell silent for about half a minute – big achievement for so many kids with ADHD – until Travis spoke.

'Your quest sounds like a Disney movie. Err, I don't suppose you have a problem with that, right?'

Going on a quest with a twelve-years-old he knew nothing about looking for metal of the Underworld and a third unknown member for their little party?

'Nope. Va a ser fantástico.'

A/N- I wasn't going to post this until I had finished chapter 2, but today we won the Copa América, so this is my own little way of celebrating (sort of).

That said, reviews are useful and welcome!