I left my cabin without another glance behind me to Mallory, who gave me a slight glare as I shoved past her. I looked around for Cabin 3, spotted it, then headed in it's direction.
I happened to see Percy, a Poseidon child, along the way. He waved at me, with a slight smile, Still upset about that Leo kid. I suppose, I thought. He walked by me without a word, a dark aura seemed to be following everyone who walked by.
I approached Cabin 3, and peered inside the window. The glass was cold to the touch, despite the hot summer air. I shivered, standing next to the door of the cabin. I knocked on the door, and the door swung open. All I could say was that it was cold and dark, I couldn't see anything.
I jumped back when someone walked out from the darkness; a girl with long brown, curly hair, dark skin, and bright golden eyes. I remembered meeting her briefly the first day I was here; Hazel Levesque, Nico's sister. She had quite a back story. I looked at her and kindly smiled, or, I tried, if I remember right, her past was entwined with Leo's past self, Sammy Valdez. Their story was a sad one.
So Sammy and Hazel were pretty much past lovers, though her mother wouldn't let her speak to him. Hazel's mother wasn't very nice to her. Hades, Hazel's father, granted her mother a wish to have all the riches in the ground, only to give the power to Hazel, who was inside her mother at the time of the curse.
Hazel, now when she gets really upset or stressed, summons small to large stones of gold, silver, and sometimes platinum in the dirt. Stones of which, whomever touched or picked up, gave bad fortunes and sometimes death.
I looked up at Hazel, teary-eyed, and sunken-faced. I hadn't known they were so close, Leo's death hit Hazel harder than everyone else. She didn't seem to notice all of the gold and silver stones the size of horses, appearing through the dirt around the cabin.
""Oh, hello Alice.." Hazel says weakly, "What's up?"
I sigh and stand up straight, "Nico disappeared, and I'm trying to find him", I say proudly.
She looks at me slightly fazed, "First of all, what do you need him for? Second, when he shadow-travels, he goes anywhere. He could be in Asia for all we know. He either goes to Italy, his home, or the Underworld, his calm place." Hazel looks over my head, at the ground. I nod slowly, "I need to talk to him, and I didn't know he could travel that far.. I barely knew he could do that at all," I sigh.

"Well, you do now," Hazel sighs, wiping her eyes, "if you want to go looking for him, try the forest first, he likes to go there and think. But usually at night, so wait awhile, if you will." She yawns and closes the door. I sigh. So now what? I look around the camp.
I sighed and headed for the trees, determined to wait for him. I sit next to a tree, set my stuff down, and wait, falling asleep.

~*~
I get woken up hours, or what I know of hours passed, later by someone standing over me. I look up, only to meet his dark eyes. He was slightly smiling, I look around for a second, taking in all of the darkness. I never was friends with the dark. I looked up at Nico again, and smiled, but blushed, what was he even doing here? How'd he find me?
"Hazel said you needed me?" He says questioningly.
I nod, "I need to talk to you."
He raises an eyebrow, "About..?"
I'm hesitant this time, "Two things; that Leo kid, and where you disappeared to."
He just looks at me, then looks away, "I guess I should answer your questions considering you're new here."
Nico sighs and sits next to me, I look away from him, at the moon shining over us.
"So, Leo Valdez. He was quite a character;" it seemed to hurt Nico, as well, to use his name in past tense, "Leo was good at making people laugh, and he was always smiling. I wasn't there, but I asked one of the Hephaestus kids what happened. Leo seemed to be working on fixing a bronze bull, when the damn thing blew up. So as we all know, Leo's immune to fire, considering he can produce it, and since he's immune, the fire didn't hurt him; the flying metal did.." Nico sighed and looked at the ground, "He was close to all of us, even those who don't smile, those who don't laugh, those of us who don't have many friends.."
He trailed off, and I knew he was talking about himself. I sighed. and looked at him, hoping he didn't notice.
He noticed, considering he was looking right at me. I quickly look down, as he looks at the moon.
"So… " I stop, unable to think straight. Did I honestly like this guy?
"I… " Nico starts., "I disappeared to meet his spirit in the underworld… "
Okay, honestly, that would sound like a lie to anyone else, but I knew half of what he meant. I nod, telling him to go on.
"There's two places a soul can go after death; Elysium, or the Fields of Punishment.. Elysium is reserved for the mortals related to the gods, or those chosen to go by the gods. Elysium is really the happiest place in the underworld. For the souls anyway. Leo went to Elysium, I requested it. The Fields of Punishment are really in the name; the bad souls, like killers and things, go to the Fields of Punishment to be tortured for eternity."
Nico may have said that last part a little too happily.. I sigh and nod, "So the Underworld's pretty big, obviously.." I look at the moon. it was a bright silvery glow over us, showing just enough through the trees, to shine directly down on both Nico and I.
I look over at Nico, he was looking at the tree in front of us about six feet. I just look at him; his olive-pale skin, his dark hair that just covered the tips of his ears, his sunken, undead looking face, and his dark clothing. His sword was strapped behind him, his jacket next to him, his long legs out in front of him. I quickly look away when his head turns, looking at me, probably wondering why I was looking at him.
I decided to look at him anyway, and I meet his eyes.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asks quietly.
"L-like what?" I ask slowly.
He shows a hint of a smile.
I quickly look away, What am I thinking, I just met this guy!
He smiles at me.
I sigh, Oh come on, that smile.. Do it Alice! "Well.. I think your smile is nice. You should do it more often.." I quickly look away. Ugh, really? The best you can do, "I like your smile?" How about, 'I think you're cute and I want to date you.'? Huh, Alice? I shake my head, shutting my brain up.
I hear him chuckle, and he sighs, "Thank you.. I usually don't because It's unnatural for me. I'm always so alone, and I've only smiled for a few people in my life… " He looks down sadly.
I hesitate, then I put my hand over his, "I grew up alone, raised myself, really…"
I see him slightly blush at my touch, then he nods, "Me too… My mother died when I was seven, then my sister, and my father doesn't really care about me, really.."
I look at the moon, "I wish I knew my mother.."
I sigh and look at Nico, he's looking up at the moon too.
I think I like him… But, does he like me?
I look down at our hands.

I didn't realize I fell asleep until I woke up with my head resting on Nico's shoulder, he seemed to be asleep, as well. I didn't think he slept, or ate for that matter. Although, I guess children of Hades have some weird powers. I look at his death-like face, his pale skin reflecting the morning light. I look down at our hands, his fingers entwined with mine. I blush, but don't pull my hand back, since he's asleep.
I smiled, thinking, while looking at the sleeping Nico. Okay, I admit it, I like him. I sigh and close my eyes.
I jump as an arrow shoots over my head, sticking in the tree above me. Nico suddenly wakes up, standing and drawing his sword, looking around. I look around as well, seeing nothing. But I do hear something that sounds like wings, then a neigh; A horse? No, a Pegasus! I look above me just in time to see a Pegasus fly overhead and land in front of us. The horse is all black, with a 'star' in the middle of its forehead. It whinnies and stomps, snorting at Nico and backing away a few steps.
"Woah Blackjack, calm down, buddy, it's just Nico." Percy says, as he hops off of the Pegasus, apparently waiting for a reply, "No, buddy, you can't kick him.," Percy rolls his eyes, turning towards us.
"Hey Percy," Nico says, putting his sword away hesitantly, glaring at the Pegasus. It whinnies in reply and stomps again.
"Hey Nico- Blackjack, you be nice!" Percy sighs, "Or no sugar cubes!" The horse immediately shuts up, twitching it's wings and folding them to its sides.
I wave slightly, eyeing the horse, "Hey… "
"Oh hey Alice, sorry about the arrow, we were playing Capture the Flag, but then Alex decided to cheat… " Percy says as he kicks the dirt.
I nod, "It's okay, it just startled us is all."
Nico nods, leaning against the tree and crossing his arms, "What are you doing here, Percy?"
Percy fixes his bangs, "Just warning you two."
I look at Nico, then Percy, confused, "About what?"
Nico shrugs, "What is it Percy?"
Percy looks between us, nervously, "Well, You two are going on a quest."
I almost fell over, but I hide it, leaning against the tree, "What? I just got here!"
Nico sighs, "Hopefully it's not a bad one this time."
Percy sighs and nods, "Hopefully"
'This time'? What does that mean? Why me?