Short chapter, but it's just to set things up a bit more.

Wow, I think I may have the best, most supportive readers in the world! Thank you so much for helping me out with a plot! Throughout the rest of the story, I'm going to be giving out shout-outs to people who've helped me. Make sure to check out the users I'm going to mention in future chapters (they will be bold and underlined) because I can assure you that they all had awesome ideas!

Please note that this story disregards the events of The Staff of Serapis. Also, this story assumes that The Son of Sobek takes place before the Heroes of Olympus series. I know, I know - it's now pretty clear both SoS and SoS happen after HoO but it's a bit too late change this story up.

A big thanks goes to The Original Navar for showing me The Staff of Serapis!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PJO OR KC, RR DOES.

SADIE KANE

Evil stepmother... Instantly, poisoned apples, glass slippers and purple-wearing ladies with accentuated cheekbones came to mind. Perhaps it was poor wording on Nico's part, but at first I thought he was comparing his life to a fairy tale or something. The part of my brain that was completely bonkers couldn't help but imagine Nico as the stereotypical Disney princess, tiara and all. Surprisingly, he did not look too shabby in a jet-black ball gown.

Meanwhile, Carter, Uncle Amos and Walt stared at the son of Hades in disbelief.

Nico hastily tried to explain. "My stepmother - Persephone, the goddess of flowers - gave me the bathrobe. See, Persephone hates me and-"

Suddenly, the terrace door slid open and Zia stepped in.

"Amos, you have a message-" Zia paused, noticing how we were all staring at Nico confusedly. "Am I interrupting something?" she asked.

"Yes," Nico said curtly. Zia raised her eyebrows.

"It's alright," my uncle told her, "But Nico was in the middle of something important."

Zia frowned. "Amos, the First Nome needs you. They said it's urgent."

Uncle Amos gave Nico an apologetic look. "As much as I'd like to learn more about you, Nico, my Chief Lector duties do come first. It was a pleasure meeting you." He shook the demigod's hand and whispered something inaudible into his ear. Nico's eyes widened in surprise but he nodded as if he understood.

Amos then hugged me and my brother. "It was nice seeing you too again."

"We'll update you on... this later," Carter assured him.

After Amos and Zia left the terrace, we all turned our attention to Nico again.

"Continue, please," Walt requested.

"Right." Nico cleared his throat. "Like I said before, my stepmom Persephone gave me the robe. To make a long story short, I think she wanted us to meet."

"Can you think of any reason why she'd want that?" Carter inquired.

Nico shrugged. "The gods I know are weird."

Images of senile sun-deities and ultra-powerful ladies posing as pet kittens flashed through my head. "So are ours," I told Nico, "You wouldn't believe what we've been through the past-"

"Next question," Carter stated a bit too loudly, shooting a glare at me, "Nico, how do you know Bast?"

The demigod paused for a moment. "I don't really know Bast. We've met twice. The first time, she tried to slash off my limbs. The second time - yesterday, I mean - she told me to avoid the Egyptian world."

"Too late for that," Walt remarked, the sides of his mouth quirking up.

"Yeah." Nico hesitated again. "Actually, the main reason why I'm even here today is to tell all of you that... Us interacting isn't the smartest idea. From now on, it would be best if we avoid each other. As long as I keep quiet about you Egyptians and you keep quiet about us Greeks then we can prevent whatever disaster that's bound to happen if our worlds somehow merged."

"So... We just met and you're cutting us off already." I tried not to sound disappointed or even worse, genuinely hurt.

"It was Bast's idea," Nico said quickly, "And I completely agree with her. We have our own problems and obviously you have yours. For the most part, our worlds and the monsters in it are separate, with little to no overlap. If somehow the Greeks and Egyptians were to merge... That doubles the amount of trouble for both sides."

"And doubles the allies each world has," I interrupted, "Can't we deal with our problems together? We, as in us magicians and you half-bloods, constantly have to cope with whatever mythological evil out there. If we work together, it could be a lot easier."

"Assuming everyone gets along," Nico pointed out, "Sadie, I'm sorry. It really was nice meeting you but I only came here because you deserve an explanation."

"And a goodbye, I suppose," I added bitterly.

"Hey wait," Carter intervened, "Nobody is saying goodbye just yet." My brother turned to Nico with a slight smile, "We still haven't eaten lunch."

...

We decided to have lunch with the other Brooklyn House magicians, much to Nico's obvious distaste.

"You're a magician following the path of Osiris, if anyone asks," Walt said in an undertone, as if he was coaching Nico on acting. "Osiris is pretty much the closest thing we have to Hades, so it should be fine. Tell them you're from the Long Island Nome. You know what - never mind that. They might figure out there is no Nome in Long Island. Don't tell them where you're from."

"Fine by me," Nico commented.

The three of us were watching the shabti set up the terrace tables. Carter was off calling the others for lunch. Uncle Amos had already left by the time we had convinced Nico that sharing a delightful meal with other magicians would not bring forth the Greco-Egyptian apocalypse.

"Can't believe you guys have flowerpots for servants," Nico muttered. Indeed, the two shabti currently organizing the plates and utensils were my own creations, recycled from plant pots that Felix's penguins had wrecked.

Walt chuckled. "Wait until you see the rest of the house."

The other boy shook his head. In a low voice, since our preventative anti-eavesdropping charms were gone, he said, "I should leave after lunch. I need to find out Persephone's intentions, if she has any."

"Aww." I gave Nico my most pleading, endearing pout, "At least stay for the tour. It would be an hour max. What could possibly happen in one hour that-"

"Sadie! Walt!" Sean Ryan, our trainee from Ireland, dashed up to us. He gave Nico a bit of a frown but carried on with his message. "Carter's calling the both of you." He pointed his thumb at Nico. "And he said to bring your friend too."

Next up is Nico's POV. Let's see what he thinks about everyone in the Brooklyn House.

I'm sorry about the super long updates. Since school started, I have just been busy busy busy and it's been hard to keep up with writing fics. I'm trying to continue with Worldwalker but to be realistic, I apologize in advance if I take an unexpected or even permanent hiatus.

-Spec