Hey guys! I'm BACK!!! Did you miss me? (Don't answer that)
Writers block is the worst. Sorry it took so long! Thanks for being patient!
Oh, I PMd a couple of people who asked me questions. If you didn't get the answers, lemme know and I'll just put the answers on here, ok?
Ok.
Hey Sweet welcome back my fav part is SHIST
How did this happen? Don't ask Jason, cause he's got no idea.
Alright, let's go back a little ways. Annabeth had told the paladins about their adventures and the gods, and they had handled it all surprisingly well.
Then, the helicopters were directly above them, which surprised Jason, since he should have been able to hear them coming.
Next, they were fighting, and doing fairly well mind you. Jason felt like his friends were losing. Sure, they were holding the enemy back. They were tearing them down. Why did he feel so nervous?
Then he realized it felt different because they were winning too easily. Sure, they were regular humans, but they still should have been harder to beat.
Just his luck, they were tackled from above, which had them pinned and surrounded. Now they were all being held prisoner in a boat that they hadn't noticed upon entry.
Seriously! How did they miss these things?
Unless these weren't regular humans, and instead they were creatures who could use the mist…
"Listen up prisoners!" shouted a voice. Jason groaned. Not this guy again…
A teenage boy walked into the room. Imagine Nico di Angelo with platinum blonde hair almost as curly as Leo's, with Percy's sea green eyes and a golden complexion. Throw him into a plaid shirt with coveralls, and you had Bustier, an Italian mortal with a lust for blood.
"Saluti, prigionieri! Come stai facendo questa bella mattina?" he asked. Why, oh WHY did he only speak Italian? And what was the story behind these guys? Jason thought the Russians were behind this?
"Chiuderlo. Cosa vuoi da noi?"
Thank the gods for Nico. He could speak fluent Italian.
Bustier's smile grew.
"Ah, Nico. Sei davvero il mio preferito, lo sai?" Bustier said. Nico spat something at him in Ancient Greek, and judging by Percy and Annabeth's reactions, Jason didn't want to know what it meant.
Bustier's smile never wavered, and he just shrugged.
"Qualunque cosa tu dica, amico mio. Ascolta, ho una proposta per te. Come ti piacerebbe unirti a me?" he asked Nico, who looked ready to murder.
"Go to hell," he mumbled. Then, in Italian, "Perché io? Percy è più forte."
The only thing the three demigods were able to understand of that sentence was the name "Percy," and even then they couldn't guess what he had said. Then, in perfect English, Bustier replied.
"Maybe so," he said, a slight accent in his voice, "But I imagine only you are as fun as I would like."
"What are you talking about?" Percy asked, genuinely confused.
"I'm talking about Nico's-how do I say this?-attributes," Bustier told him. Percy glared at him.
"You want Nico to join you?" He asked, a rare venom in his voice. Jason caught Nico's eye.
Stay alert, he seemed to say. I have a plan.
"Fine," Nico said out loud. Percy, Jason, and Annabeth all stared at him in shock.
Oh, in case you're wondering, everyone got separated when they were captured. These four were kept together.
"Fine? What's fine?" Bustier asked innocently.
Nico growled slightly, and Jason could feel the temperature drop. Then the sensation was gone, and Nico stood.
"I said fine. I'll join you."
Bustier's smile widened. It was an evil smile, not a playfully evil one like Leo's, but an insane smile like the Joker.
"And what's caused you to change all of a sudden?" He asked. Jason hoped Nico was putting on an act to fool Bustier.
"I've always felt out of place among everyone," he said. Jason felt a stab of pain in his chest. Why did Nico feel that way?
"They've all betrayed me at some point. Percy caused my own sister to die."
Percy looked down in shame, as if it was true. What if it was true?
No, Jason told himself. Percy wouldn't ever let anyone die…
Would he?
Bustier smiled sympathetically.
"Poor boy. An outcast, alone. We'll give you a good family. There's just one thing you have to do first… Falli soffrire," he said. Nico smiled devilishly and turned to Percy.
He said something in Ancient Greek, and anyone who didn't know Percy would think he was terrified. Jason could tell, however, that Percy was secretly happy-relieved, maybe. Percy had fake tears in his eyes, probably brought there with his powers.
"N-Nico…" he stuttered. Ok, Jason KNEW that Percy was faking now. Percy doesn't just CRY when someone betrays him.
Bustier didn't know Percy. He didn't see the signs. Instead he gripped Nico's shoulder and steered him away.
When they left the room, Annabeth and Percy filled Jason in. Apparently, Nico was only pretending to have joined Bustier in the hopes of finding out where everyone was. Jason was so relieved, he felt like crying.
He studied the door, thinking of an escape plan, and thanking the gods a second time that day for Nico di Angelo.
Not everyone had faith in Nico, however. Namely, Nico himself. After he left the room his only thoughts were: SCHISTSCHISTSCHISTSCHISTSCHIST
Nico seemed calm and collected, but inside, he was a wreck. What had he been thinking? How could he single-handedly take on these guys if they found out his plan? Or worse… what would they do to him if they found out his plan? Would he be executed? What if they hanged him like back in ancient times? Or threw him into a sack and tossed him into a river like the Romans did? Or-
Stop it, Nico, he chided himself. Nico gathered all his willpower and focused it into calming down. He's dealt with worse. Sure, the odds were not in his favor… he wasn't Katniss after all… but still. He didn't like his odds.
That settled it, then. Nico would have to make sure no one discovered his secret plan. Only problem- he didn't have one.
Ok, that's a lie, Nico had a plan. Step 1, trick the bad guys into thinking you are on their side. Step 2, think of more steps.
Not really a plan, but it was everyone's best bet.
Nico zoned back into the conversation with Bustier.
"So, I was saying, if you're gonna commit treason, you should be given a new punishment, right? One worthy of Hades himself!" He said. He grinned at Nico, waiting for an answer. Nico braced himself, and gave Bustier the smile he usually only gave ghosts who were getting on his nerves: a mischievous one.
"Yep," he agreed. He just hoped his act would hold up long enough for someone to think of a better plan. Otherwise, they were all doomed.
Hey guys how's it going
That's all for today.
YOURS IN DEMIGODISHNESS AND ALL THAT, VREPIT SA. ; D
Oh! For questions: you prob have some about this chapter. Here's some advice: don't ask them yet. The answers will come up in future chapters. Love ya!
