When Nico woke up it took him a moment to remember who it was in his bed with him. He made himself stay perfectly still until he remembered that he had let Toby sleep in the same bed as him. He then opened his eyes slowly to look at the boy next to him. Toby's eyes were still closed, his lips parted slightly. His skin looked less pale when it wasn't in contrast to the dark bags that had been under his eyes. Nico could tell from the quality of light that it was between early and mid morning. Later than he would usually get up at any rate, but he was not sure he had the heart to wake Toby, he looked so peaceful just then.
He could see Toby's eyes moving under his lids as he dreamed and his lips moved fractionally. Nico wished he could see what he was dreaming about. The cat had struggled out from between that at some point in the night allowing Nico to shift a little bit closer. This close he could Toby mumbling softly, though it wasn't distinct enough for Nico to pick out any words. He hoped that Toby's dream was a good one, but from the way Toby's fingers were twitching on Nico's waist he suspected it wasn't. He was saved having to decide if he should wake him up by a knock on the door that made Toby start awake anyway.
"Nico are you awake?" Masky's voice called from the other side of the door.
"Yep." Nico called back, watching Toby as he looked around the room as if trying to figure out where he was.
"Okay well come out soon, alright? Slenderman would like to spend the morning exploring your powers before you come into town with us." Masky didn't mention anything about Toby, which Nico appreciated.
"Alright I'll be out soon. Where would Slenderman like me to meet him?" There was a momentary pause.
"He says out in the yard will be fine, it's going to rain tomorrow so we might as well make the most of the good weather while it's here." Nico nodded forgetting for a moment that Masky couldn't see him, then remembered and called out an affirmative.
"How did you sleep?" Nico asked Toby after he heard Masky's footsteps move away from the door.
"Better than I have in a long time." Toby said smiling at Nico and stretching. "You?"
"The same." Nico answered contentedly pulling away from Toby as he twitched and getting out of bed.
"By the way do you have any clothes I could borrow? I forgot to bring any with me when I ran away and I don't really want to go back to get them."
Any clothes of Toby's would be a little too big for Nico, but he seemed to be the closest to Nico's size. Well besides BEN, and Nico certainly didn't want to mimic his style.
"Of course, I know that feeling." Toby said laughing and rolling out of bed as well. "Maybe we can do some clothes shopping for you while we're in town too."
"We don't have to, I could easily shadow travel back to camp at night after curfew when no ones out and grab some of my stuff. I just can't during the day." Toby shrugged and led the way out of Nico's room towards his own room.
"I might just drag you shopping anyway, I'm stupidly fond of it but I'm boring to shop for. I think you might be more fun." Toby said walking into his room, leaving the door open for Nico and began rummaging through a dresser.
"If you want to." Nico said shrugging as he looked around Toby's room, it looked a lot like Nico's room only more lived in.
There were posters on the walls of things that Nico didn't recognize, clothes piled on a chair in the corner. When he wandered over to look at the bookshelf he realized it consisted almost entirely of graphic novels and comic books, that were definitely Toby's.
"There we go, these are a bit small for me so they should fit you okay." Toby said tossing a pair of slightly faded jeans onto the bed, quickly followed by a pair of underwear and a black T-shirt. Nico was grateful there was some black.
"Thank you." Nico said going to the bathroom to change.
He cleaned his teeth as well as he could without a toothbrush, another thing he would have to get from camp that night.
Once he was dressed, he glad he had been wearing a belt because the pants were a bit lose around his hips. He went back to his room and dropped of his dirty clothes. He didn't bother putting his shoes back on. If Slenderman wanted to experiment with Nico's powers it would help if he was in contact with the earth anyway.
Heading downstairs he decided to skip breakfast. He never felt hungry until he ate anyway, after taking some of Toby's energy and a good night sleep he felt fine. Besides he got the feeling that Slender would already be waiting for him or Masky wouldn't have come to wake him up.
He was right, as soon as he got out the door he spotted Slenderman near the edge of the woods. Nico did his best to ignore the low level of static in his mind as he approached the tall figure. He suspected that Slenderman couldn't help it, and the only reason he was noticing it now was because it was quieter than mealtimes usually were.
Ahh there you are, Nico. Slenderman said turning his faceless head towards Nico.
"Sorry I kept you waiting, I had to borrow some clothes from Toby because I didn't bring any with me when I ran away from the Demigod camp." Nico said bowing slightly as he would to any of the gods. He knew that Slenderman wasn't a Greek or Roman god. Though he suspected Slenderman had at least been considered a god at one time and should be treated with the same courtesy.
It is fine I am in no rush. Tell me more about the demigod camp you speak of and why you left if you please.
"The camp is a place created by the Greek gods as a place for their children to train in safety. After all the Greek Gods do their best not to interfere too greatly in mortal affairs. But they still require their mortal children to perform tasks and quests for them."
"I left because there is a bias against the children of Hades. As the children of death we tend to make the living uncomfortable and it wasn't hard to tell they didn't want me. I didn't enjoy being there and they didn't enjoy having me so I didn't see any reason to force my company on them any longer."
I understand. Slenderman said nodding slowly. There are few mortals who feel comfortable when faced with death, all the ones I found I brought here, though of course some left again. What do you know of your abilities?
"I can use the realm of darkness as a portal to travel anywhere on earth instantaneously, or to the world of the dead. I can travel in the land of the dead while still alive. I can feed off of the life force of other beings as a replacement for any sort of actual nutrients if I want to."
"And, as you've already seen, I can summon the dead. Either the bodies of the dead to fight for me or the spirits of the dead to advise me."
I have seen you summon the bodies of the dead but I would be interested in seeing you summon their spirits. Do you think you could show me?
"Yes I can, but the spirits of the dead do require some sort of offering of food and drink as a showing of respect if they are to answer. They have wills of their own and require incentives to even answer my call." Slenderman brought out a far more formal way of talking than Nico would usually use, but it seemed appropriate.
Will you go back to the kitchen and retrieve such an offering so that you may demonstrate this for me?
"Of course." Nico said. He turned, jogging across the yard back to the house, enjoying the soft feeling of the grass and soil under his feet as he went. Once he was In the kitchen he found Toby doing dishes and Sally 'helping'.
"Hey are there any leftovers I could take?" Nico asked, lifting Sally up when she ran to him. "Slenderman wants me to summon the spirits of the dead and unlike the bodies this requires an offering to show respect. "
"Sure, Sally why don't you help him make up a plate for the dead? My hands are all wet and soapy." Toby said to Sally who nodded happily and started helping Nico collect the leftovers and heap them on a plate.
"Do the dead like tea?" Sally asked peeking into a pot. "It's probably cold by now but there's a cup or so still in here."
"The dead won't mind that it's cold." Nico assured her. "After all, they can't actually eat or drink, they just like the idea. This should be enough." He took the plate they had arranged and the tea pot.
"Can I come watch?" Sally asked.
"Oh come on, you're supposed to help me." Toby said scowling at her jokingly, giving in quickly when she pouted at him. "Okay I can finish the rest on my own I guess."
"You can come along." Nico told her, sometimes the dead looked pretty messed up when he summoned them. But he knew this wouldn't be the first time she had seen death, or even old death which was always more disturbing than new death somehow. She held on to the hem of his shirt as they crossed the lawn since both of his hands were full.
"She wanted to come watch to I hope you don't mind." Nico explained to Slenderman as Sally hopped away to sit on the grass nearby and Nico set down the plate and tea pot.
Of course not, she has always been a curious little creature and it would not due to deny her. Slenderman said. The fondness in his voice imposable to miss.
Nico smiled and focused on the ground in front of him. Taking a deep breath in, he forced it out suddenly forcing the ground to split as well, opening a space that looked like a grave.
"Don't worry I can close it again after." Nico assured Slenderman, even though he didn't feel any hint of concern. Bending down to pick up the plate and the teapot again he began muttering the words in ancient Greek that he had long since memorized. He could feel the collection of spirits answering his call. Roiling against the barrier between life and death before he was even half way through. The ones here were anxious to be heard and validated.
He pressed on with the summoning the way it was supposed to go, even with such eager spirits lapses of protocol could cause problems. At the correct point in the spell Nico dumped the plate of food into the empty grave followed by the cold tea. Suddenly the spirits were there all around them. Most of them were bloody, obviously murder victims, and they were all trying to talk at once.
"Hush." Nico said flapping his hands expressively at them. "No one can understand you when you all speak at once, you just end up sounding like the field of Asphodel." They fell quiet. "Thank you." Nico said politely turning towards Slenderman.
Very impressive, young one. Slenderman commented bending down to look closely at the spirits. Do they always appear as the way they died.
"No, they appear the way they see themselves. These ones aren't past the shock of their death, so they appear the way they died. Would you like me to send them away so I can show you something else or can I fulfill their desire to be listened to?" That was what he felt overwhelmingly from this group, a few wanted revenge and that, he wouldn't do. But he could listen.
Go ahead, I will watch. Nico nodded.
"Sally this will probably bore you, just wander away whenever you want but try not to interrupt please." He saw her nod before turning his full attention to the dead to do what he could to calm their regrets and rage. It quickly turned into a sort of group therapy session because there were a few too many for Nico to give attention to individually.
Sally did wander away after she tried to join in at one point and got shouted out by a spirit who looked like he had been disemboweled. Sally looked hurt and wandered away. Slenderman stayed standing perfectly still nearby the entire time. It got to the point that Nico almost forgot he was there until his voice sounded inside Nico's head suddenly making him jump.
The one you call 'Masky' would like to know if you still wish to accompany them into town. And, if so, whether you will be finished soon so they can depart.
"Yes, I'm sorry I forgot about that." Nico took a deep breath. He had managed to calm and dismiss most of the spirits who had first answered him, but there were still four here. Three of them he knew he was wasting his time on because they were set on revenge he would not let them take, he apologized and dismissed them.
The one that was left was just sad, she wanted comfort. Unfortunately the comfort she wanted was information about someone she had known when she were alive. Someone who was still alive so Nico couldn't summon them. The best Nico could do was promise keep an eye out for the loved one, a brother, and summon her again if he was found so they could talk.
"Alright I'm done now, where are they? I need to get shoes first, but after that we can leave any time. I don't want to keep them waiting." Nico said turning to Slenderman once the girls spirit was dismissed.
They will wait for you foyer, however I feel required to remind you that it is afternoon and you have yet to eat anything. Along with your shoes, you should get something quick to eat before you leave. They are playing cards and Masky is determined to beat Toby, so I can assure you they will not mind. The image made Nico chuckle and he realized he was hungry.
"Thank you Slenderman, I hope this show of some of my powers hasn't disappointed you." Nico said politely.
I assure you it has not. Slenderman answered equally politely. Nico bowed slightly in farewell and jogged back to the house. He decided to go through the kitchen grabbing the last apple out of a basket on the counter on his way by. He was sure they would be on the list and it was a quick thing he could eat as he went up the stairs to his room.
He found his shoes under the bed along with Toby's goggles. He dragged them both out incase Toby had been looking for those, put on his shoes and took the goggles with him as he went down to the Foyer. When Nico got there he found Masky swearing, Toby looking stunned, and Hoodie looking unusually pleased with himself.
"What's going on?" Nico asked handing Toby his goggles. Toby mumbled a thanks and slipped them into his sweatshirt pocket.
"Me and Toby were so focused on beating each other we weren't paying enough attention to Hoodie and he beat us both!" Masky said running his hands back through his hair, that was what all this fuss was about? Nico couldn't help but laugh and high-fiving Hoodie.
None of them were wearing masks or gloves today, Nico supposed it would draw attention. Toby had a large square bandage over the hole in his cheek, that would draw less attention than the scar itself.
"I get to d-drive." Hoodie said grinning. Masky groaned and pulled a pair of keys out of his jeans pockets and dropped it in Hoodies outstretched hand.
"I'm still sitting in the front so you two will have to be in the back." Masky said looking back at Nico and Toby. Hoodie started to lead the way out a small door to the side of the foyer Nico hadn't noticed that led into a garage.
"That's fine with me." Nico said with a shrug there were a few cars in here Hoodie led to the way to the most nondescript of them. The sort of grey car you see five of every minute on highways.
Nico still didn't know the names of any specific cars yet. In fact he had only been in one a couple of times so as they slid in he looked around with interest. The car started with a growling purring noise that Nico liked. However from the way Toby grabbed his hand he guessed Toby didn't feel the same way.
Nico looked at Toby and saw that his eyes were shut. Nico gave his hand a light squeeze and moved a bit closer to him. As the car started moving Toby's fingers began trembling noticeably. Nico suspected the movement of the car was the only thing making the shaking less noticeable in the rest of him.
Masky put on some music that. Surprise, surprise, Nico didn't recognize. It involved more shouting than he thought Music was supposed to. However the sound seemed to relax Toby a little. After a couple more minutes he had stopped shaking and was mouthing along with the music. Though he still didn't open his eyes or let go of Nicos hand, Nico didn't mind.
It was a shorter drive than Nico had expected and he was glad, not that he minded Toby holding his hand but he didn't like seeing Toby so scared. Nico would have to ask Toby what scared him so much later, not now definitely. Even though they were pulling into the grocery store parking lot the car still hadn't stopped, so Toby still hadn't opened his eyes. Only when the car had come to a complete stop in a parking spot, and Hoodie had taken the keys out of the ignition did Toby open his eyes. Nico gave him an uncertain smile, which Toby returned shakily before getting out of the car.
Nico got out and followed them to the door where Masky passed Nico a list and took a cart. Hoody took a cart too and Toby pulled a crumpled list out from his pocket, struggling for a moment as his goggles tried to come out too. The rest of the shopping trip went fairy well. Minus the couple times Toby knocked over one of the carts spilling everything all over the floor. Nico was sure the apples would be bruised but they got everything they needed. Most of the things were normal, besides that much bleach, but the quantities of everything made it difficult.
The poor woman at the cash register looked at them funny as she rang through all the things, fair enough. Nico would have been confused on her end as well. Hoody and Masky helped her by bagging the items. Toby put them back in the shopping cart to move them to the car, Nico made sure Toby didn't knock over the shopping cart with his enthusiasm. With all of their help they got out of the grocery store without mishap, though it did take them the better part of two hours.
Suddenly a buzzing sound came from one of Masky's pockets. Everyone looked at him in confusion but Masky looked just as confused as the rest of them as he dug in his pocket producing a cell phone. Flipping it open he held it up to his ear.
"Tim?! Oh my God, Tim, it's Jay I didn't think you'd answer!" the voice that came out of the phone was so loud Nico could hear it. Masky winced.
"Ya Jay, it's me what do you want? I thought we agreed not to talk to each other after…" The person on the other side of the phone had quieted down so Nico couldn't hear what he said.
"What do you mean it's Alex? It can't be Alex he's dead." A moment of silence
"No I took care of him myself I know that… are you sure? Are you absolutely sure?...You have video? Can you send it to me?" Masky sighed and ran a hand back through his hair.
"No of course not, where are you?... Okay it might take me a little while to get time off of work but I'll get over there as soon as I can. I'll keep my phone on you do the same okay?" Masky said goodbye and hang up.
"What d-did he w-want." Hoodie asked his stutter worse then normal with nervousness, he grabbed a bag and popped the trunk, Masky did the same.
"He says he saw Alex, he caught it on tape. He swears he's not of his medication but I mean either way I think I have to go check on him. I mean he can't have seen Alex, I checked Alex's pulse and there was none, besides no one can survive losing that much blood." They were talking quietly as they worked making sure no one else could hear. They were making Nico nervous with their tension but he had no idea what they were talking about. From how quiet Toby was he guessed Toby didn't either.
"I-I'm coming t-too if you go." Hoodie said forcing the last bag into the trunk, closing it with a bang and walking around to the driver's side. Everyone else got in the car quickly. This time when it started Toby didn't close his eyes, though he still grabbed Nico's hand tightly.
"I know you are. You'll have to stay hidden though, you know what Jay thinks of you." Hoodie nodded.
From what Nico understood this Jay person thought he had seen an Alex but that was impossible because Masky had killed Alex. It should be impossible anyway.
Nico closed his eyes and felt for the balance of life and death. He had felt a shift in it recently but he hadn't paid very much attention, there had been other things to worry about. He tuned out everything else, yes something was wrong, something was very wrong, and the more he thought about it the sicker he felt.
"I need to come with you too." He said suddenly shooting forward in his seat, he must have interrupted them by the way they looked at him. Masky looked hostile.
"Why." He demanded scowling.
"There was a shift in the balance between life and death a few days ago. I hardly even noticed, gods I was so blind by mortal events I barely thought of it but if you killed this Alex person and he's back." Nico shook his head.
"That means that the land of the dead has torn, there's a way for the dead to escape, not just this Alex person! If my father had realized he already would have come for this Alex person. I need to find them too, I need to know how they got out and who came with them or the balance between life and death could be broken forever." Nico hadn't realized he was panicking until Toby pulled him back against the car seat, and put his arms around Nico's trembling shoulders.
"It's okay Nico, they're not even sure it actually is Alex. From what I've heard Jay's a little paranoid it might just be someone who looks like Alex. Or even just a hallucination both Jay and Masky get them sometimes. Just calm down." Nico hid his face in Toby's chest taking a few deep breaths to calm himself before he looked back up noticing Masky watching Nico carefully in the rearview mirror.
"Alright you can come, but if you come I think Toby will want to come." He glanced at Toby who nodded. "God this is turning into a right road trip." Masky said sighing. "Well first things first we need to talk to Slenderman."