Disclaimer: I do not own PJO.
"Look at!" Percy pointed vividly at a few naiads, who were giggling at pointing back.
"It's rude to point." Nico scolded mildly.
"I want to go the circus." Thalia suddenly said. "Wait, no. I want to go to the mall!"
"No." Nico planted his feet.
"C'mon. Why not? Please? Pretty, pretty please?" Thalia half pleaded, half whined.
"First, there's no mall around here. Second, I dislike shopping. Third, because I said so." Nico scowled. There was no way he was shopping.
"Mall?" Percy perked up. "Yes! Mall! Mall! I go Annabeth go mall! LALALALALALALALA!"
Nico winced. "No mall, Perce. Sorry, but that's just the way things are."
"I want to go to the mall." Thalia stomped her foot angrily.
Nico regarded his young cousin coolly. He was hoping that she wouldn't be like she usually is and know that he was totally playing it. He had no idea what he was supposed to be doing.
"Mall. Mall! Mall!" Percy chanted.
"Mall! Mall! MALL!" Thalia joined in.
"No, no, no, no…" Nico trailed off as the two of them surrounded him and continued their chant.
"MALL! MALL! MALL!" They screamed together in unison.
"No!"
"Yes! MALL! MALL! MALL!"
"If I say yes, will you two shut up?"
"Of course."
Nico sighed in defeat. "Fine. We'll go after lunch."
"Yay!" Thalia shrieked excitedly.
Percy just grinned stupidly, knowing that he had won something, just unsure about what it was.
"Let's go!" Thalia pulled Nico toward his cabin. "We have to get ready."
"Oh…uh….right. What are the chances Annabeth could take you two and I could stay home?"
"Slim to none." Annabeth answered.
"Holy Hephaestus! Where did you come from?" Nico shouted in surprise.
"Invisible hat." Annabeth reminded him. "Anyway, I can't take them because I still have my demigod scent, while you don't, so you three will be safe. I wouldn't be able to keep neither them nor myself safe in a mall."
"Were you spying on us?" Nico demanded.
"Yeah, were you spying?" Thalia copied his pose, placing her fists on her hips.
"And if I was?" Annabeth challenged.
"Then please take Percy and leave." Thalia answered for him.
"I go Annabeth." Percy said seriously. He wrapped his short arms around her left leg and hugged it tightly.
Nico sighed, again. He usually didn't sigh this much. What was wrong with him?
"Let's get ready for you to go to the mall." Annabeth suggested, pitying him.
"Great idea!" Thalia grinned up at her, and Annabeth was once again respected.
"Why do I need to get ready to go to a mall?" Nico asked.
"Trust me. Just trust me." Annabeth responded.