The Colors of the Shadows
"So, in short, I need you to take her to the Underworld."
Nico stared at Chiron. What was wrong with the old centaur? Take a daughter of Demeter to the Underworld? That was just wrong. And there wasn't even a good reason to! She just wanted to visit an injured Hellhound! He sighed.
"Chiron, this isn't-"
"Come on, Nico! Pleeeeease?" she pleaded. Nico looked at her. She pouted slightly, her big blue eyes wide and imploring, her hands clasped in front of her. He couldn't say no to her.
"It's a bad idea..." he started.
"Nicooooo!" she wined. He swore in his mind. Why was she so cute?
"Fine!" he grumbled.
"Yes!" she squeaked happily, flinging her arms around him. He froze at her touch. Taking a deep breath, he began his safety list in a monotone.
"Just promise me you won't eat anything, anger anything, or do almost anything. You have to stay close to me." she was nodding so fast her shiny chestnut hair was bouncing. It reminded Nico of chocolate. He loved chocolate.
"I promise. Let's go!" she cried excitedly. He followed her as she bounced out of the room as though on springs. Chiron smiled.
"Such a bright child." he said quietly to himself. Nico caught the words and stared at the carpet. Yes, she was. So unlike him. When they were outside in the sunlight, she turned to him.
"Where do we go, Nico?" she looked at him in excitement. She trusted him. She'd never been betrayed. She'd never been hurt. She had a caring family that loved her and wonderful friends who would do anything for her. Again, so unlike him. Speaking of her friends, they were approaching them.
"What are you doing?"
Nico wasn't surprised. Her friends should be shocked she was with him. So, Nico was surprised when she was.
"I'm talking to Nico, why?"
It wasn't that her friends weren't nice people, because they sure were. Katie Gardener, Kiley Noble, and Xandria Giovanni were very nice people. They just didn't really talk to him all that much. Nico didn't blame them.
"No reason. Are you... Going somewhere?"
Of course. They thought he was born to be a cab. Nico scowled. He didn't live just to transport people! He swallowed his anger at Kileys question. She was just searching for a reason she would hang out with him. Xandria on the other hand, was peering at him in interest. Nico swore in his head again. He had forgotten about the daughter of Nikes talent of reading emotions. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. Her eyes narrowed.
" Where are you making him take you?" Xandria asked sharply. Nico was suddenly pleased with her. Her empathy had lead her to his reluctance to her plan. Xandrias frown deepened at his sudden emotion change.
"Nowhere." she was a terrible liar.
"Really?" Xandria prompted. Yes, Nico thought. Her friends would talk some sense into her.
"Ive just got to make sure Baxter's ok!" Her resolve snapped.
"No!" Kiley, Katie, and Xandria all yelled. Nico was very happy. He didn't want her hurt. She was too innocent. Katie dragged them back to Chiron. The stupid centaur assured the girls that Nico would keep her perfectly safe. Both Nico and the girls weren't sure. At first, they all wanted to come to keep her safe. Nico was so afraid four girls would die and he would have three angry boyfriends after him. But a few well chosen words from Chiron and there would be only one death.
Why, Nico thought as he lead her down past all the cabins. He wouldn't have cared as much if he was leading Kiley to her death, or any of the others. He still would have been morally against it, but why her? He just wanted to yell it up at the sky. Why her, why the one girl he had ever liked? Why did he have to lead her to her death? It would be like Percy taking Annabeth to her doom, or Travis leading Katie. Or Kileys boyfriend, what was his name? Whatever, Nico didn't really care. He didn't know many campers besides his friends. And her. Anyone she interacted with, he knew. By sight, but mostly not by name. The only reason he knew Travis Stoll was because of the number of times the jerk had stolen from him. And now, the day he had admitted to himself he loved the girl, she was going to die. Oh, how Nico hated himself. If only he had a different godly parent, but nooooo, his dad had to be mortal enemies with her mom. Why was the world so cruel? Of course, even without his dad, he still had no shot with her. She was so lovely, so caring. She was nice to everyone, even him. She went out of her way to care for even the smallest creature, leading her to that stupid injured Hellhound. She thrived in the sunlight surrounded by people, while he lived in shadows by himself. A girl like that deserved someone who could give her more than darkness. He knew she would wilt in the shadows, like a flower deprived of sunlight. Nico knew this and told himself everyday. But that didn't change his feelings.
"Where are you taking me, Nico?" her soft voice cut through his incriminating thoughts.
"To find a good shadow." he muttered sadly. He was going to take her away from her light. When he found a good shadow, a surprisingly hard job even at dusk, he turned to meet her shining blue eyes. "You have to hold on tight. Only I can get you out of here." he warned her. She nodded, her eyes big and fearless. "Do you trust me?" He asked slowly.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Yes." he took her hand, sending shocks up his arm, and, against his better judgement, he pulled her with him into the shadows.
He knew in an instant she didn't belong there. The darkness didn't suit her. But she surprised him. His shadow travel was not as fast as a Hellhounds, giving him time to really look at his surroundings. As he pulled her through as fast as he could, she opened her eyes. He expected fear and shock, but instead he got slight hesitation and, to his utter disbelief, wonder. He finally pulled her out onto the grass next to an entrance to the Underworld. He flopped down on the grass and she fell next to him. He was on his back, tired, but still concerned for her more. She was on her hands and knees, her face turned away from him. His fear escalated, but when she faced him, a silly grin was gracing her beautiful face. He was dumbfounded.
"There were so many colors, Nico!" she sighed, throwing herself next to him.
"What?" he panted. All he ever saw was black.
"So many shades of black and gray! I've never seen so many colors!" he just couldn't respond. She had enjoyed the blackness? "My favorite color is black, because it has so much depth. It just goes on and on, for forever, you know?" her favorite color was black. What?
"But I thought you'd like yellow or red, something bright and cheerful?" his brain spit out the words before he could even register how stereotypical they were.
"No, they're too oppressive. They demand all your attention." her logic was strange, but Nico kind of understood it. "Nico, are you ok?"
"Yeah, it just tires me out." he stood up. "Here's the entrance."
She looked at the rocks. He expected her to roll her eyes and say yeah right. "Ok, how do we open it?"
She was too trusting. "You have to play music or sing." he explained.
"Ok!" she answered brightly. "Does the song matter?"
"No, but-" Nico started to pull out the iPod he carried just for this purpose, but she cut him off.
"I'm out of touch, I'm out of love, I'll pick you up when your getting down, and out of all these things I've done, I will love you better now." she sang quietly, but her voice carried over the rocks beautifully, soft and sweet. The rocks opened. Nico was stunned. Her voice was so pretty.
"Lego House, my favorite song." she told him, smiling.
"Mine too." he breathed. The song felt like a metaphor of his life.
"It's so pretty." she agreed. Nico shook off his shock and turned to the dark entrance.
"Ok, you have to stay close to me." he warned her.
"Yes." she breathed, stepping closer to him. He sucked in a breath, and continued shakily.
"Do you trust me?"
"Yes." she took his hand again. Those damn sparks slid up his arm again. They walked, hand in hand, into Hell.
The walls were ragged, black rock and rough stones littering the floor. He was surprised she didn't fall. But instead, she skillfully skipped over all the loose stones. She was just amazing, and Nico was totally enraptured by her. When they got to the inside, she saw the Underworld for the first time. Nico's secret entrance had gotten them past Cerberus and close to the huge building in which Hades lived. She stared at it in astonishment.
"It's beautiful."
Nico didn't think he could take much more of this. It was not beautiful! It was horrible and dark and filled with torture. He didn't understand her.
"Let's go in." he pulled on the hand he was still holding. She followed, still dazed. They strode through the doors and into the throne room. Hades throne was empty, but Persephone was there.
"Nico, this is no place for dates." she said curtly.
"This isn't a date." Nico replied tightly. He was tired of her.
"Then who is this." Persephone waved a hand at her. Nico clenched his fists at his sides.
"This is Brooke Taylor, and she is here to see my Hellhound." he told her. Brooke waved slightly.
Persephone pursed her lips. "My half sister, correct?"
"Yes." Brooke's voice cut through the room like ice, sharp and cold.
"Well, it's been a pleasure, run along." Persephone waved a dismissive hand. Nico pulled Brooke from the room towards the skeletal guards at the end of the hall. They moved to block them.
"Let us pass." Nico ordered. They steeped aside obediently. Brooke smiled at one.
"You look like a Stephen. I'm gonna call you Stephen." and thus Nico was shocked for the fourth time that day. He was not getting tired of it. "And your Bob." she told the other guard. If skeletons could be surprised, Stephen and Bob managed it. He chuckled and tugged Brooke to his room. He was enjoying holding her hand. The guards outside Nico's room were soon dubbed Noel and Lucie before they entered the room. It was black, predictably, and on the black dog bed in the room rested a huge dog.
"Baxie Bear!" Brooke cried, dropping Nico's hand and flinging her arms around the dog, who licked her face enthusiastically. He missed holding her hand almost instantly. Nico sat on his bed and stared.
"What's up, Nico?" Brooke asked, flicking her now wet chestnut hair over her shoulder.
"How do you do it? I've taken people shadow traveling before and they are so freaked out and nauseated they throw up afterward. I've never once met someone who loved the beautiful colors! Or who comments on how pretty the Underworld is! Who does that? It's a scary, demented place! I just don't get it, Brooke." Nico had had enough. He gave up trying to understand her. Brooke smiled sadly.
"You just don't get it, do you Nico?" she asked quietly, meeting his eyes. This time, he didn't look away. "I've been in love with you since I got to camp. All my friends said it was a pointless crush and you weren't good for me but I didn't care. When I saw this poor injured Hellhound, I jumped at the chance to get you to take me to the Underworld. Then mabye you would notice me. I loved those shadows. It wasn't hard to find the beauty in this dark place because I'd already found the beauty in you."
Nico had no response, so he just dropped off the bed and kissed her.