Author's Note: Guys, I'm SO sorry I haven't written in so long, but I've needed a while to process how House of Hades RUINED EVERYTHING I KNEW AND TOTALLY AFFECTED THE PLOT OF THIS STORY AND URRGGHHGHGHHHHHH. *deep breath* But anyway, I have a plan, and I shall now carry it out. And if I don't write three chapters like, today, you have permission to kill me through PM.
When Evelyn pictured this dance, she pictured a ton of stupid teenagers failing at dressing up, shoved into the dining pavilion while stupid pop music blared. Wrong. When the dance came in sight, she actually had to catch her breath. Tiny balls of light magically floated around above the heads of many decently attractive demigods. More attractive than usual, anyway, since they were all dolled up and didn't all have swords attached to them. The music playing was actually good music, too. Not technically slow-songs, but slow and flow-y enough that it made the whole thing pretty damn magical.
Evelyn walked down the hill (precariously balanced on heels) and looked around. She saw Elizabeth and Sam dancing and smiled. Elizabeth spotted her over Sam's shoulder and waved and Evelyn gave her a thumbs up. Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her and turned.
"Hey, Sicomba." She said, looking at his suit and smirking.
Sicomba rolled his eyes.
"I am doing this," he said, gesturing to his suit, "for Louise, not for the upholding of society."
"Sure."
He shook his head jokingly and then saw Louise.
"I'll see you later." He said, waving, and jogging toward his girlfriend.
Evelyn smiled and waved back as he left, then headed toward the food, 'cause… food. She grabbed a drink and sipped it, looking around at the fancily-clad people.
"So, what do you think?"
"It's actually alright." She said, turning her head and looking at Nico in his t-shirt which he wore a dress-jacket over and his regular black jeans. Somehow she couldn't really imagine Nico in anything else.
They stood there for a while, just looking around.
"Oh my gods, are you going to ask me to dance or not?" Evelyn said, rolling her eyes.
Nico shrugged and grabbed her hand, pulling her out to the edge of the dance-floor.
"Happy?" he asked, pulling her into a dance.
"Yes, thank you."
They danced for a while, and Evelyn could've sworn at one point she saw a blond-haired boy wink one of his blue eyes at her and then disappear into the crowd. Then, from about the place where he vanished, she saw a girl standing in a dress that changed color. Evelyn froze, her head exploding with pain.
"Hey, you okay?" Nico said, stepping back to look at her.
"Sierra…" she said, swaying on her feet.
Nico gave her a confused look, then followed her line of sight.
"Oh…" he said, seeing Sierra, who was looking at Evelyn like she had come back from the dead.
Nico put a hand on his sword.
"Stay here." He said to Evelyn before heading toward Sierra. Without him there to steady her, Evelyn swayed violently, and then fell, her vision going black.
OoOoOoOoOoO
Okay, for those of you who haven't passed out twice in one day because you hit your head in the SAME. FREAKING. SPOT… well it's not advised.
Evelyn woke up (again) in the infirmary, her head swollen like crazy. Above her (again) stood her friends, all looking down at her worriedly.
"Oh hey guys… hope I didn't cause a scene."
Sicomba chuckled, but he seemed tense.
"Just a tiny one."
Evelyn suddenly noticed something.
"Hey, where'd all your fancy-pants clothes go."
"Uh, Ev?" Elizabeth said, "the dance was yesterday."
"Seriously? Oh my gods, I'm leaving today then!"
"In half an hour, actually…" Elizabeth replied.
"But I barely get to say goodbye to you guys!"
"Oh come on, you'll see us next summer." Louise said, "and we'll have loads of fun. It'll be nice not having a war to fight."
Evelyn sighed.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. So, anyway, what happened last night?"
"Oh, Nico just chewed Sierra out and Chiron found out what happened and took her dessert privileges."
"Well," Evelyn said, "at least justice has been served."
The others laughed.
"Where is Nico anyway?"
Jade shrugged.
"Haven't seen him since this morning."
Evelyn cursed and jumped out of bed.
"Be right back!" she yelled, running out and ignoring the black spots attacking her vision. She heard her friends telling her to come back but she ignored him and ran to the woods. She ran until she heard footsteps in front of her and collided with Nico, sending them both to the ground.
"What in the name of Hades… Evelyn?" Nico said, wiping leaves out of his hair.
"You can't just leave!"
Nico almost looked like he was in pain.
"I'm sorry, but I thought it was better if I just left."
"Without saying goodbye? To anyone?"
"Well, yeah."
"Nico di Angelo, I swear I will never understand you."
"And you're right."
They had a silent stare-off until Nico finally stood up.
"I'm sorry." He said before melting into shadow.
OoOoOoOoOoO
Evelyn stood at the top of Half-Blood hill, looking down at the camp before jogging to her Mom's car. She hopped in back, since Percy was sitting up front and threw her stuff on the other seat.
"Well, I'm glad that summer's over."
Percy laughed and they drove home, talking and listening to 80's music.
Evelyn walked into her room and collapsed on her bed, immediately falling asleep, because apparently being unconscious for a whole day isn't enough.
Evelyn thought that since they just won a war and everything was all peaceful up in Olympus, she might have a nice, dreamless sleep.
Wrong.
She was sitting in a large (like, godly large) golden room with open walls that let in the sun.
"Thank the gods!" a voice said. She turned around and saw Sicomba, dressed in weird armor standing there.
"Sicomba? Uh, where are we?"
"I am in Asgard. You are sleeping."
"Well, why the hell are you in Asgard?"
"I don't want to be here! My father summoned me and when I said no, involuntarily brought me here! He wants me to ascend the throne!"
Evelyn let that sink in.
"… so he's taken the demigod to Asgard?"
"This is not the time for a Lord of the Rings reference! You gotta get me out of here!"
"Yeah, well, one does not simply walk into Asgard. I have NO IDEA how to get there!"
"I'll take care of that! Just be ready."
"Can't I have one peaceful day to myself?"
Sicomba almost laughed.
"Sorry. Oh and watch out…." The connection started wavering, "ki… on."
Suddenly, Sicomba was gone and Evelyn was left alone in her room. She groaned and rolled out of bed.
"Honestly, I just want one year where I don't have to save someone's sorry ass."