Extra update for Kira OHara, who's been reading since the beginning and I'm so psyched to be almost done with the first book already!

PJOPJOPJOPJO

'Just play it cool,' Nico coached himself as he got up to take the book. You're fine, nothing's wrong, just act natural.

He read the chapter title to the others stiff as a bored like somebody was about to keel over.

Then again...considering where Percy was headed...

"That's odd, I thought Annabeth was perfectly behaved on this quest," Alex smirked.

"No, no, she does the training," Thalia mockingly enlightened.

"Oh come on, Percy's not that bad," Will laughed. "He's housetrained and everything."

"I do attack without warning," Percy mock raised a fist back, making Will dramatically clutch his chest.

For the first time in his life, Nico didn't have to suppress a laugh at one of Percy's jokes. Which was odd. It was his usual humor, he clearly didn't mean it and obviously wouldn't hurt Will, he smiled as charmingly as ever as Nico turned back to the book. How strange.

"Even the dead don't like trespassers," Magnus grumbled, one to many establishments always spotted him for the homeless kid he was and shooed him along except for Fadlands.

"And the plan is?" Jason demanded eagerly.

"I heard no apologies!" Percy reminded.

"Speak Jackson," Thalia gave him a smack on the shoulder.

"Okay, ow." Percy explained in quick, and almost sorrowful sentences what he'd gathered from his trip so far, he even moved to pat his bag before his hand stilled and he wished he could take Annabeth's hand all of a sudden.

"Remind me to go to Annabeth for Obedience School," Will chuckled that had worked.

Nico swallowed a laugh now as he glanced at Will but quickly went on, he refused to be distracted again. He couldn't let anyone see how much being down there was going to bother him.

Which it wouldn't, of course. He spent most of his time around the dead, and he was preparing for an even longer trip now. This was nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Crap, Will was still watching him. He read on louder than ever.

"Is a positive attitude Hades's secret weakness?" Alex mocked.

"You know, I don't think anyone's ever tried," Thalia shrugged.

"It sounds like heaven and hell all in one place, I'm not sure how to feel about it," Magnus admitted. He'd never been a religious person much before to think of his mother 'anywhere', but he wasn't looking forward to this depiction anymore than Percy, or Nico apparently, who was still reading like there was another dinosaur in polyester about to show up in here and strap him to a bed.

"Shove one up their nose and in each eyeball, I think it'll work like a charm," Alex assured.

"Apparently it might be!" Jason mock agreed with Alex now. "Percy survived on it somehow!"

Percy was still chuckling at all of their nonsense commentary as Nico had kept going, and Percy was smiling so much now it was hard to believe in that moment he wasn't anything other than a regular kid fixing to grab his skate board and keep having the time of his life with his friends.

Will was waiting for it, looking for it now and saw how Nico scoffed loudly and kept reading. Yet it felt...practiced? Forced? He had no clue what kind of history these two really had, but Percy had never treated Nico any differently than he had anyone else. He knew he certainly wanted to ask now.

"The truest of friends," Percy smiled at Thalia, and then to everyone in the room. He really hoped now this was some trap to make all of them hate each other, because it was working terribly.

"Doesn't DOA stand for Dead on Arrival?" Magnus frowned.

"Are you surprised?" Percy waved to the book.

"Not exactly the place of nightmares most people fear in death," Jason frowned.

"Haunted waiting room does sound a lot scarier in theory than in practice," Alex grinned.

Jason snorted in surprise

Will shivered in disgust, and he'd always thought Cerberus was the thing to be afraid of during this.

Nico couldn't help but notice, sitting right next to him, the guy was still watching him too, and he only spoke to try and make him stop that. Go back to a mild distraction, this book was almost done, Will would wander back off whistling show tunes. "He's not so bad, give him a drachma and a compliment and he knows how to keep his mouth shut."

"Um, thanks," Will smiled all the same, but he was a bit concerned now how much time Nico spent around this place. He wasn't sure he liked this guy spoke with such familiarity about the land of the dead, even if it was his domain.

"To be fair, he's behind his desk and we can't see his lower half," Alex shrugged.

"And even if we could, he could be hiding it in his chair!" Magnus agreed, he found he could actually speak around her so long as he wasn't speaking directly to her, agreeing with her fell somewhere in there even though he kept looking curiously out of the corner of his eye at her when he did.

"Wait for it," Thalia shivered. She had half-formed memories about this guy. She'd never died, but her soul had been trapped in that tree. She might have been in that lobby, or somewhere nearby as she wandered aimlessly around in search of nothing. Thankfully she couldn't properly remember, but his accent came to mind with perfect clarity...

"How often does that happen?" Will stage whispered.

Well it would just be awkward if he ignored him now. "Often enough he complains about it," Nico muttered back.

'He's not very good at his job, not knowing they're not dead,' Hearth signed in surprise.

'I don't think they're going to complain about that,' Magnus was just relieved they hadn't spontaneously died by walking through the door like a veil.

"You guys really know how to talk under pressure," Thalia laughed way to hard at that as far as he was concerned.

"Technically, we're all talking under pressure, and you're an expert at it with your head in the clouds!" He huffed back.

"Maybe he thinks your celebrities, town like that," Will nodded.

"I can't decide if this guy's stupid or messing with them," Alex looked dubious of both, no two monsters had the same intelligence when catching this so far.

"Is that better or worse than through your head?" Jason asked.

"Depends on what the hole does?" Percy sort of answered.

"You could be both," Alex said seriously.

"Well I'm not, and if you don't know which by now, I can't help you," Percy shrugged.

"Okay, this got creepy fast," Magnus shivered.

Hearth was feeling no better about this depiction, he'd swear Andiron's spirit haunted him until he left.

"You always do a remarkable job of that," Nico nodded absently, it explained so many times where he'd thought Percy was braver than the gods. He still couldn't stop finding it so fascinating how many times it might not be true.

"I love it when idiots answer their own questions," Alex laughed.

"So far your plan seems to be working," Jason looked so fascinated it should have been insulting, but he really was digesting this interaction with care. Perhaps minor gods would be more accommodating to their quests if they had temples like the gods cabins?

"In between your mother and stopping a war with deadly water balloons?" Magnus muttered.

"Phase one complete," Percy pressed down on his ear like he had a nonexistent piece he was sending commands to, smirking at Thalia and convinced the rest would go off without a hitch.

She called him a dork, and Nico really had to agree in that moment.

"And then?" Magnus asked with dread.

Nico knew he probably shouldn't answer, he'd been spouting off to much knowledge about this place already and if he kept going his gig would be up. They'd figure out he was a son of Hades very soon.

Magnus looked truly upset at the prospect though, and he'd been following Percy's story very closely. It didn't take much imagination to grasp he had a loved one who had passed. "He sneaks a soul or two on board with every vessel, he says it's to move the process along faster, but I think he likes defying the system. Women and children first, and then men if he hears enough prayers about them to get the noise out of his lobby, so he says. Most people aren't in there over a year unless they've done something to deserve it."

Magnus looked, relieved. Nico felt unreasonably warm all of a sudden, he couldn't recall ever having used his knowledge of the Underworld to help someone feel better before.

Will was still watching him, but the expression was more genial now. He even finally looked away when he kept reading, so he felt like he'd definitely done something right about getting this guy off his back.

"That's the spirit!" Will praised.

"That was terrible," Nico frowned at him.

"I'm with him on that one," Percy agreed, "we need to work on your puns man."

"Never!" he scoffed.

"To be fair Will," Alex began saintly, "Percy is a swell guy, we should take his advice-" she was interrupted by Will laughing to loudly to continue and Percy flipping her off so she was satisfied enough to let Nico go on.

"So a cheerful chauffer," Will grimaced, he wanted to wrap Nico in a blanket and never let him out of sight again for how casual he made this sound!

"That was kind of cool though," Jason insisted.

"I'll be sure to throw my hopes and dreams up instead, surely they'll do some good that way," Alex rolled her eyes.

Magnus gave her a concerned look, he didn't know if she meant that literally or figuratively and really wanted to ask.

Will shivered in disgust, that sounded far to much like how Python was described, or even the power of the Oracle which he still had no real want to be around.

Nico shifted his weight around and still sort of felt like a freak, if lesser than ever before. Will and most demigods still thought this place, and anyone associated with it was freaky.

"I don't see either of you holding Grover's hand," Thalia laughed for herself. Percy was wringing his own hands now and still looking sadly about like he hoped to catch a wisp of blonde curls from his girlfriend rather than her cousin.

"It'll be top of the list," Jason rolled his eyes, no wonder this guy hadn't gotten a pay raise, he had poor management skills.

Everybody except Nico felt like they were holding their breath, just a bit. The Underworld was not a frequently traveled place.

"How is the most mysterious thing to Mortals the least mystical thing going on?" Magnus asked in fascination.

"Overhype," Thalia sounded a tad disappointed too, Annabeth had given much grander detail and that made it feel like a let down.

"Why do I feel like being a ghost dog wouldn't stop him eating you?" Jason frowned.

"You've been paying attention," Percy agreed.

Now Nico felt that familiar tightening in his chest, the sense of disconnect he so often did around others for knowing that place like the back of his hand as he conversed, often pointlessly, with the ghosts in there fruitlessly searching. Better their half-wit company than any dreadful looks he usually got on the surface.

Nico felt a little funny talking for Annabeth explaining this. It was a good thing, this was general knowledge any half-blood should know so nobody would be the wiser about him. He still felt a little off, like if he tried to explain how the sun's UV rays worked to Will.

Nico noticeably grimaced and Percy did a double take which nobody was sure they could wrap their head around. Thalia had been to the Underworld with these boys before and they hadn't run across him, so this must have some interesting story she'd ask the two about when Percy got his head back on right.

"I have so many questions," Magnus said in fascination.

"Like?" Nico asked indulgently.

"Who judges the ghost to decide the ghost-judges!" He got out first.

"Hades himself every few centuries," Nico explained, "in between the current judges will step down if they feel another soul can take their place, which is a great and rare honor." It was how Minos got the position, the conniving deviant.

That's where his mother was, Magnus instantly decided. It was probably naïve, lots of people probably thought the same who no where near deserved it, but she'd sacrificed herself for him. That had to have earned her something special.

"As long as Stephen King didn't send me there," Alex smirked.

Magnus jolted like she threw the book at his head as he asked in excitement, "which is your favorite of his? I always found his writing style-"

"Yo!" Percy called in a sharp, clear voice like he was hailing a taxi rather than cutting in what was clearly fixing to be a full debate according to Alex's interested look. "Underworld, three headed dog, saving the world! Interested in this one first?"

"Oh, right," Magnus blushed.

"Hades is my new favorite god if he does half of what I want him to for that," Alex said viciously. At least he was up front about what he did to his souls.

Nico choked on nothing and smiled at her. Maybe the enthusiasm should have been weird, but it was more weird than anything this hadn't been going nearly as bad as he feared. Will and Thalia weren't even looking at him like a zombie about to eat everybody, just watching him as casually as everyone else.

"Like what?" Alex still begged for details.

"Something tailor made to what he did," Nico assured, "perhaps he'd have to spend forever in an orphanage hearing all of the things he kept away from those children, or his bank account would constantly be in the negative every time he checked, something of that nature, though my fa- err, Hades is pretty good at getting creative with it," oh gods he hoped he hadn't slipped up too noticeably.

"Go on Nico, you can say your personal favorite," Will covered for him. "Mine is some of the classics, like Tantalus," he was still affronted about that guy taking over Chiron and relished him being back where he belonged.

"Hmm, maybe later," he wasn't sure if he was promising or not, which was strangest of all. He'd never looked forward to a conversation before like Will's smile tried to encourage out of him.

"Not a mental image I needed!" Will protested. He'd decided if Nico was comfortable talking about this place he'd get over it and maybe start with this and find a way to branch off.

"Same here man," Percy sighed as he rolled his eyes, he wished he could control what popped up in his head, then it wouldn't be on display!

"That Mist is some freaky stuff, to even be working on the dead," Magnus frowned, he would have thought it would wear off at least then.

"It's all about perception," Alex shrugged.

"Does the breed make that better or worse?" Alex asked.

"It's not a stereotypical pit-bull?" Percy asked back.

"A breeders nightmare, or wet dream?" Jason muttered, hoping nobody would answer, and he got his wish.

'She's not allowed to answer questions anymore!' Hearth shivered at the thought.

'You try stopping her,' Magnus protested.

"It?" Alex protested. From their position, they should easily be able to tell if the dog was male or female.

"I'll gender check the monster when it doesn't threaten to eat me!" Percy protested back.

Alex pursed up her lips and was very curious if she could turn into Cerberus, and how much of an issue she might have with Percy going forward now.

"Hades calls him a him," Nico smoothly interjected. "When he gets around to taking him out anyways, but his name is gender neutral, and doesn't make sense, so, maybe something gets lost in translation seeing him in person," he finished with a shrug.

"Cerberus, isn't his name?" Magnus asked in confusion.

"His name is Spot, I thought he was a Dalmatian when I found that out," Nico was smiling of all things now. "I've heard Persephone call him Fluffy too, so maybe we all see him different?"

"You guys honestly make me question my sanity," Magnus was starting to feel like he could drown in the amount of questions all this brought up before he was thrown back up to the surface.

"It helps to just take it one step at a time," Jason assured. "I'm still playing catch up too." He was so calm most of the time he didn't come across that way at all, but it was a comforting reminder.

"I'm going to pretend that's a good thing," Will sounded oddly like how Nico imagined Percy had at the time, his voice higher than was natural. Huh, he didn't get it, he'd thought the dog was cool from the moment he'd seen him. Not so much when he was grounded and had to clean up after him though, so he was guilty of not spending as much time with Cerberus as he should too.

'That was an agreeing growl right?' Hearth asked weakly.

'Grover's still not around to ask,' Thalia reminded in disappointment.

"You're definitely not getting the kind of body language you want," Nico sounded way to thrilled about this right now in Percy's opinion! Who sounded that casual reading about this monster?!

"Think Charon will charge you extra?" Thalia was still trying to smile and laugh this off.

"If I go back and ask I'll let you know," Percy groaned.

"Amazingly, I got that without a translator," Alex was on the edge of her seat, but at least she was watching the book rather than Percy so he could delude himself she wasn't picturing him as the chew toy.

"I think I'm more impressed than anything he could count, or gave you that kind of mercy?" Will smiled.

"We can stop asking that question any day guys!" Percy groaned.

'Why did she keep that?' Hearth asked, had she really wanted a memento from there? The snow globe would have made more sense at least.

'It was already in there?' Magnus wasn't any more sure, must have been a bunch of junk in the bottom like the pen and postcard too.

"Were you guys all still in Waterland stuff?" Jason added. If so, then Mars's backpack wasn't as strange as he'd thought.

"Yeah," Percy shrugged, it had not been at the top of his mind to mention.

That at least caused a great burst of laughter from them all. Getting squashed by a three-headed dog was at least more interesting than the eternal wheat field.

'That girl deserves Valhalla just for that,' Hearth signed, looking faint enough for both of them.

"The girl has found her calling," Jason said sincerely, "she could train an academy to guard your camp."

"Who says she hasn't," Will said mysteriously.

"Confidence and repetition is key in this," Nico sounded like he was coaching her now! Will's mind was boggling just a bit as he imagined him scratching this dogs belly...but he might consider looking into getting him a hell hound puppy if he really wanted one to entice him around camp more...

"All dogs are lapdogs," Thalia snickered.

"You keep that in mind when you're letting air out of your tires," Percy rolled his eyes.

Percy's hands twitched, he could so vividly imagine wanting to lean in and hug her he was sure it was a real memory for a moment.

Nico felt bad for him! It was like he kept losing his mother over and over, this repeat realization the love of his life wasn't here with him and he wished she were. It was strange though, seeing him be so, normal. He wished he could offer words of comfort for Percy because he knew exactly how that felt with his sister residing down there, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to take his hand and promise it would be okay or just sympathize like Thalia was for him as she rubbed his shoulder and promised they were almost done with this book.

Odd how he'd never questioned before what exactly he hoped Percy would ever want from him back.

Thalia felt as useless as Percy did now as she wished to comfort her friend who had never mentioned this either! What had happened to the poor dog, had Fredrick gotten rid of him? Had a monster attacked, the dog saving the little girl? How soon after this mess before she'd finally run away?

Nico had never expected to have anything in common with Annabeth before, with one outstanding exception, but this day was just full of surprises! Maybe somebody would actually want to go visit the Underworld with him, see there was more to the place than death and betrayal.

"Is this a Saturday morning special now?" Alex demanded. "Is Arthur going to pop up somewhere and thank us for continuing this contribution because of viewers like you?"

"I can't even promise no talking aardvarks are going to show up, what do you want from me?" Percy groaned.

Jason was now more convinced than ever maybe he wasn't the only one who was missing something, maybe Camp-Half Blood was too when it came to all of this stuff. Not every monster needed a sword to fell it, Percy's plan had worked.

"Chapter was over," Nico whispered as he handed the book to Will, who purposely met his eyes as he took it.

He let their hands brush together over the orange binding, just slightly, and smiled warmly before turning away. The darkness in him already felt a little bit, less. This was doing him some good, he was sure of it.