(Nota)

"You knew," I said as Ani and I materialized in His throne room.

"I knew what?" He asked innocently.

"Don't play dumb with us. You could have told us what to expect!" Ani yelled. He always had less control over his anger than I did. "Especially with…!"

"Nico?" He finished. "How can you still care for him after what he did to you?"

"We don't," I took off my silver mask and threw back the hood of my cloak. "We're just surprised to find that our kid brother is still alive after all these years."

Ani took off his hood and mask too.

"Well obviously he is alive, and you seem to have forgotten that time is different in my realm. It has only been three years since you have left."

I paled. I had forgotten, but even if I hadn't I would have expected at least a century to have passed.

"Yes, Daniele and Alice Di Angelo, son and daughter of Hades, only three years. That makes you what now? Twenty-two? Or was it Twenty-five?" He chuckled. "I don't remember!"

He vanished before either one of us could say anything more. I sighed and pulled my hood back up. Ani copied the motion.

"We're twenty-four," Ani growled.

"Well that was interesting," I said simply.

"Yeah," Ani looked at the empty throne and sighed. "Why us?"

"What do you mean 'Why us?" I asked.

"Why are we always the ones getting into trouble like this?"

"I don't know. Should we tell him?"

"Who Nico?"

"Yes, numbskull," I said. "I wonder if he'll remember us."

"I bet he will, which is why we can't risk telling anybody."

"I HOPE he'll remember us if we ever do tell him."

"Are you ready to go back?" Ani asked.

I put my mask back on and replied. "Let's go."

(Percy)

When Nota and Animosus evaporated, all I did was stare at the space they just recently occupied.

"Did that really just happen?" Leo asked. "I mean, this might just be a really weird dream."

"Nope," Chiron said. "Quite real, unfortunately."

"But why?" Annabeth seemed confused. "Why are they here?"

"I don't want to scare you-"

"There's not much that scares us anymore," Jason pointed out.

"You're right my boy," Chiron sighed. "But I'm still not going to tell you."

"Why not?" Nota's voice came from right behind me, and I jumped. "I think they, and the rest of the camps, have a right to know."

"Do you want to tell them?" Chiron accused.

The little bit of Nota's face I could see twisted into a grimace. "Point taken."

Animosus hadn't moved or talked since they had returned. It was weird, because he and Nota usually had this tag-team way of talking. I reached out to tap his shoulder, just to make sure he was okay. I might of have just met him, but it doesn't mean that I don't care.

"Dude are you o- AH!"

His had snapped out so fast I didn't have time to react. He twisted my arm behind my back forcing me to turn and cry out in pain.

"Oh my gods!" Annabeth yelled. "Percy!"

Animosus let go of my arm and stepped back quickly.

"Sorry, habit," he said. He looked behind me. "Nota," he warned.

I looked behind me only to see Nota with her sword pointed at my neck.

"Sorry." She did the fancy sword disappearing trick again.

"Okay," I exclaimed. "You two REALLY OVERREACT!"

"It's a survival instinct," Animosus explained. "If Nota or I ever feel threatened, we attack first and ask questions later."

"It's kept us alive thus far," Nota shrugged.

I rubbed my shoulder. "it was still unnecessary."

"Is anybody going to tell us what we're going up against?" Nico asked. "I don't want to be walking into a battle blind."

"We can't tell you," Nota said.

"Why not?" he persisted.

"We just can't." Animosus said. "Not until the time is right."

"Um… guys?" Hazel's worried voice cut in.

She was leaning over the railing of the porch, looking at something on the horizon.

"I think that time might be now."