I don't own Percy Jackson :( I do own Natalie though :)
Chapter 10 Some Useful Help
"Well that was strange." Percy said.
"Will you tell me what is strange! You keep on muttering that but I can't figure what you mean by it." Natalie said.
"We didn't have to pay for the Iris message. You usually have to pay for it with a drachma." Percy said.
Natalie thought about it for a moment, then it came to her, "Hermes is the god of messengers, correct?"
"Yeah." Percy said.
"Well we were Iris messaging, right?" Natalie said.
"What is your point?" Percy asked.
"Maybe I get free Iris messaging because my dad is the god of messages." Natalie said.
"Wow, useful." Percy said.
Nico quacked to remind us that he was in fact there and still a duck.
"Let's find Nemesis." Natalie said.
"Where do you think she is?" Percy asked.
"Like I know where goddesses hang out." Natalie said.
Nico waddled around, seeming very anxious. "Wait! I have an idea!" Natalie said.
"What." Percy said, while Nico quacked at the same time.
"Goddess of revenge and fairness correct?" Natalie said.
"Yes," Percy said, like a question. He obviously didn't see where she was going with this.
"The court house." Natalie said. "She is probably there, or at least a statue of her, we can ask her about showing up." (A/N: No it is not really Nemesis, I just needed her to show up somehow. It is actually Dike.)
"That just might work." Percy said.
"Quack." Nico quacked, he was probably getting annoyed of the fact that he was still a duck after talking to two gods after being turned into one. But he was probably annoyed for a while now.
They walked off down the main street and eventually did find the court house. Natalie saw the statue, and it sure looked weird. It was marble and she was wearing a blindfold over her eyes. She was also holding an old-fashion scale-balance type thing.
"That is Nemesis? That not at all how Leo and Hazel described her." Percy said.
"Who?" Natalie asked. She thought the names might have sounded familiar, but she was at camp for less than a week, so she wasn't sure.
"A story for another time, let's just figure this out." Percy said.
"How do you suppose we ask her to come here, or do you think her statue will just come alive?" Natalie asked.
"For the sake of my sanity, I hope she actually shows up." Percy said.
Natalie heard something, it sounded like a revving motorcycle. She turned around and saw a biker, what was weird about the bike, it seemed impossible to work, because the wheels looked like Pac-man in saying about a third of the tire was cut out.
"Could that be her?" Natalie asked.
"Well, her tires look like her symbol, you can see it on her cabin at camp." Percy said.
"Well we shouldn't keep her waiting." Natalie said. She walked over to the biker, with Nico at her heels.
"Um, hello, Lady Nemesis." Natalie said. Percy had come up behind her and that was reassuring.
"What do you two need?" Nemesis asked.
"Well we were wondering, if you could turn Nico, back into, uh, Nico. As you can see Eris turned him into a duck." Percy said.
Nemesis removed her biking helmet to reveal her face. Percy and Natalie gasped at the same time, and Nico let out a surprised quack.
"You look like Nancy Bobofit." Percy said.
"What are you talking about, she looks like my mother?" Natalie asked.
"Your mother? What in Ha-." Percy started but suddenly stopped, when he noticed Nemesis' amused smile.
"What is going on? How come we all see different people?" Nico asked.
At hearing Nico's voice Natalie and Percy swung around and saw Nico, back to his normal self. Natalie was overwhelmed with joy.
"Nico your back!" Natalie said, and enveloped the son of Hades in a hug. She held him for about two seconds, then realized herself. She let go turned around and blushed. Thankfully, with her back turn, neither of the boys could see her, unfortunately Nemesis could see her just fine.
"You all see people you resent, people who caused you hardships." Nemesis explained.
"Thank you so much for your help Lady Nemesis. How could we ever repay you?" Natalie said.
"Getting my scale back would be nice." Nemesis said.
"Your scale? Like that one?" Natalie asked pointing the scale in the statue's hand.
"Yes, it was stolen as well." Nemesis said.
"It will be done my Lady." Nico said. He sounded all mid-evil which Natalie found so hot.
"I shall help you out more. Since you have good manners. That truck, is heading to Los Vegas. Hop on, they won't find you until you reach the destination." Nemesis said. Pointing to a big truck, it looked like a moving van, the back all of the sudden opened. The truck was stopped at a red light, so they had perhaps, thirty seconds before it would start to move again.
"Thanks for all you help Lady Nemesis." Nico said. They grabbed their bags and ran for the truck. No drivers seemed to notice three teenagers jumping into the back of a moving truck at the red light.
Once all three of them were on, the door slammed shut, leaving them in the dark. Luckily Celestial Bronze emanates some light, so Percy and Natalie took out their swords to give them some light. They found a couch that sat three people so they went and sat on it. Percy on the left, Nico on the right and Natalie in the middle.
"So Nico, what was it like being a duck?" Percy asked.
Nico might have been glaring but it was hard to tell in the dim light.
"What do you think?" Nico asked. "Oh wait you don't think, your brain is full of kelp. Annabeth is right."
Natalie said nothing, because she was unsure what to do. She was actually scared she was in between two of the most powerful demigods, that might get in a fight any second.
Nico and Percy then broke into laughter, confusing Natalie even more.
"Same old Nico." Percy said.
"It was scary being a duck, you know powerless. Having to depended on you guys, like with the kracken, and every monster since our lovely visit with Eris." Nico said.
"Nico that's not your fault Eris was just causing discord, that is what she does best." Percy said.
"Hey it's her job." Natalie said with a laugh.
After about a minute of silence Percy spoke up. "Hey, I'm going to get some sleep."
Soon enough we heard him snoring. Natalie smirked and she could hear Nico stifle a laugh.
"So back at the court house, um." Nico said.
Natalie blushed, thankfully it was too dark to see. "Yeah about that, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you."
"No, I was just wondering, why did you do it?" Nico asked.
Natalie blushed harder. Nico obviously didn't know how embarrassed he was making her. "Well, I sort of… like you."
"Oh." Nico said his turn to blush. "Um, since when?"
"When I first saw you at camp. I was so embarrassed in what I was wearing when I hot guy came up." Natalie said. She then realized what she said. "Oh gods this is embarrassing."
"You think I am hot?" Nico asked.
"Yeah." Natalie said.
"Most people think I am dark and mysterious, if not emo." Nico said.
"You…emo? What would make someone think that?" Natalie asked.
"The pale skin, dark hair, clothes, the fact that I am pretty much a loner." Nico said.
Nico then took Natalie by surprise, and kissed her softly on the cheek. When he removed himself from her face Natalie put her hand gently on the area.
"What was that for?" Natalie asked.
"For giving me a chance, instead of writing me off as the emo kid who doesn't fit in." Nico said.
"When Nemesis took off her helmet you said all three of us saw someone different. Who did you see?" Natalie said after a few moments of silent.
"Persephone." Nico said.
"Your step-mother?" Natalie asked.
"She turns me into flowers, mostly dandelions." Nico said.
"Wow," Natalie said.
"You said you saw your mother?" Nico said.
"We are not on the best terms." Natalie said.
"Oh." Nico said.
"What about your mom?" Natalie asked.
Although Natalie couldn't see it Nico's face darkened. "She died a long time ago, I don't remember her much." Nico said.
Natalie didn't push it. She didn't need to make Nico angry.
"Get some sleep, I haven't been on watch in a while." Nico said.
Natalie got a little more comfortable but it was hard. Nico smiled and patted his thighs. Natalie lied down on her cushion curled into a near ball but laid my head on Nico's lap.
Natalie fell asleep quickly and with no dreams.
Yeah we got some Nicatlie action! Maybe more to come