A/N: Hey Imma try to update more! The last chapter wasn't even that long.. sorry! This chapter should be longer. Things are getting pretty serious! Please note that you can find pics of the characters on my page! Nico and Annabeth were just extras. Bryce won't be in the story for a few chapters though!
Disclaimer: I don't own any character that Rick Riordan created first!
Meghan's POV
I was unaware of what on earth what all was going on. Everybody around me actually knew what they were talking about. I felt rather dumb, mind you. And to add the fact, I'm blonde. The Nico dude that I was forced to kiss by Annabeth told me a bit of what was going on. Apparently I wasn't the only person who was almost completely clueless. Matt, the strange dude who reminded me of Bella from twilight, was also new and a son of this guy named Hades. Same as Nico. I put in my buds and listen to Jeffree Star on my Ipod. Kat cautioned me and nearly broke it. I told her I would be careful. Apparently these Demi- whatevers didn't think fondly of modern technology... We had to be in Pennsylvania by now. Everybody started complaining to Annabeth that we should do some sightseeing while we are here. I voted that we go to the Liberty Bell. I wanted to see it again. It reminds me of my little brother. Dad took us here to see it once. My brother died here. Everybody thinks a lion attacked him. But when I looked at the lion closely, he had the face of a man. Nobody would believe me. It's like nobody else saw it. I asked all witnesses. A couple saw the same thing... I still wonder what happened to those people. Annabeth sighed, "Fine, we will go to the liberty bell. But we are not stopping at the snack bar!" I snickered "Dude, nobody was asking." "Shush new girl!" I don't know why but Nico was glaring at her as if she had offended him.
I was thinking as we walked to the Independence mall. The lion-man-thingy-ma-bob or whatever didn't even look like a lion... Well, it did, but it was robotic... But it was ginormous... I hadn't realized it until now... And it wasn't even lion-colored! It was more of a copper color! Something clicked in my head that didn't feel right... "Uhh.. guys" I tugged at Nico's shirt to get his attention but him and Percy were having an odd conversation about pudding. We walked for another half-mile and entered the mall. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. There was people surrounding the area of where the bell is. Or was, at least. The glass had been broken, and the giant bell was gone. I found out what that bad feeling was moments later. A giant mechanic lion charged toward me, ready to devour my flavorless body. I dodged it and it tackled Matt. Yeah... I'm not the best at looking out for my friends... If I could consider any of them as friends... Katerina charged at the lion with her sword but it just made a loud noise that hurt my ears. Nico went into defensive mode and jumped on robo-kitty's back. He started looking for a switch and decided he was just gonna pet the big bloody metal animal. Then he stopped and laid his hands on it's head and closed his eyes. He started mumbling words in ancient Greek "Κακό μηχανική beast μου φράση εξορίσει σας να υπόκοσμο την αιώνια!" The lion collapsed and turned to dust like the scorpion did. I didn't understand this at all. "Nico how did you do that?" Annabeth said in shock. "Hey, I can banish Hephaestus's toys to the underworld just as well as real souls!" He said. "Haha Annabeth for once, you didn't know something!" Percy said laughing. I just backed away in confusion as well as Katerina and Matthew. After that we just went to the food court and hung out for awhile, noting that we had alot of time on out hands.
Nico's POV
I was even more surprised at myself than Annabeth. I felt weird after that, as if I had drained more energy than it takes to reap the soul of a mortal. I was pretty glad that we actually went to the food court. Annabeth lied! I was teasing her about it all the way up the escalator. I know, it isn't that big of a deal but it got on her nerves that I was making it so.
When we got to the snack bar, I ordered me and Meghan two giant soft pretzels. I refused to let her buy her own. Anyway, I owed her. She did give me the most fantastic kiss of my life. I also owed Annabeth for making her kiss me. I decided not to waste my money though. Annabeth just looked at me in warning. No demigod wants to get entangled in a relationship with a child of Aphrodite. It's complicated drama all the way through. She didn't seem like a fit daughter of Aphrodite though. Well, besides the completely oblivious part. We all sat down at a round table staring at eachother in and awkward silence. Percy started snickering and we all burst out laughing. Well all of us except for Annabeth. "What's so funny?" Annabeth demanded. "Nothing, dear" Percy said to Annabeth. I nearly spit my Mountain dew out of my mouth. I swallowed "DEAR?" Annabeth blushed and shied away "Percy I thought I told you not to call me that in public..." Percy grinned "I know! But I don't like to hide my affection!" I just started cracking up, as did Matt. Annabeth was as red as a tomato by that time. Meghan glared "Guys, be serious. Love is not a joking matter." She refused to look at me while saying that. I have no idea why. I had to admit, she's pretty when she's mad. After a couple of minutes I noticed I was staring. "Ummm... Nico, you okay", She looked worried, as if she didn't know I liked her at all "You look a little, um, well, not okay..." "Oh uh, yeah! you know me, always staring off into blank space..." I felt like an idiot, and I was blushing like crazy, even more than Annabeth was, and that was obviously alot. Now Annabeth and Kat were laughing at me. All I could think was "Gods this is embarrassing." I looked around, avoiding eye contact with Meghan. I think she was blushing a bit too... I took a bite of my pretzel and noticed the people from all around the food court were staring at our table as if we were a group of lunatics, which, of course, we are! Well, mostly Percy, but you get the idea. I glanced to the right. There were two teenagers glancing back and forth between us and a notepad, taking notes. I was very suspicious. The girl looked around fifteen or sixteen and had brown and pink hair. She was wearing a black t-shirt, with G.I.R on it, over a white sweater. She was also wearing skinny jeans and vans. The guy, had the same look but no pink in his hair, his shirt was just black and nothing more, and he had no sweater on. He looked a couple years older than the girl, maybe eighteen. "Um, guys..." I said with an unsure expression and pointed. Kat looked at them and instantly recognized both of them "Heh, what are Courtney and-" She looked at the notpad "Courtney and Xavier... Guys, I think we should go. These guys are obviously working for Bryce." She looked really nervous, almost terrified. Matt butted in, "Here, let me handle this." He began to get up but Kat pulled him back, "No. Let me talk to them, you don't even know them." She got up and walked over to them. She was whispering to them. I don't know what she was saying, but I decided not to completely trust her. The boy and girl, Courtney and Xavier, I guess that's their names, turned and left. Kat came back, still looking nervous. "Is everything okay, Kat?" Matt said with a concerned look on his face. "Yeah, everything's fine, but we should really get a move on." I butted in again, "Why were they here, taking notes on us, then?" Kat hesitated but answered "They weren't looking at us." She pointed to a sign that said in all caps "FREE FAIR EVERY FRIDAY IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER! BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY!" I quietly sighed in worry, not buying it, but I acted as if I believed her, "Okay, if that's it, yeah, let's go."
Sorry it wasn't much longer than the last chapter but I tried!
