Hey! I'm back with another chapter. And I will be going on another trip with no internet. I'm sorry, and I won't be able to reply until after Christmas. But anyways, please enjoy! I don't own PJO/HoO. Now on with the story!

"No."

"But father..."

"No buts. I am too busy to deal with this. Get someone else to do it."

"I can't. I can't let Chiron know, and mom can't do it and neither can Paul and I'll get kicked out if nobody comes with me."

"Is it my problem?"

"Not necessarily, but..."

"There you go. Not my problem. Go bother someone else."

Nico opened his mouth to protest, but Hades had already disconnected the Iris Message. Nico sighed.

Who could you get to help you? he asked himself.

His thoughts were interrupted by a shout. "Nico!"

He turned and saw Reyna running towards him. "Hey Reyna."

She looked at him sympathetically. "I heard what happened."

"Jeez, now everyone knows!" Nico exclaimed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Well, I can help!"

"How?" Nico asked.

"The NPS can go to the meeting!"

Nico groaned. The NPS was short for the Nico Protection Squad. It consisted of Reyna, Piper, Jason, and Will.

"Come on, it won't be that bad."

"Fine. You can come. As long as you don't wear the outfits."

"But we have to!" Reyna exclaimed.

Nico gave her a look.

"Fine. At least we get to go."

And that's how Nico, the Ghost King, ended up outside Goode High with three overly protective college students wearing jeans, Men in Black style sunglasses, and t-shirts that read "NPS: You mess with Nico, you mess with US."

"Come on Nico, we'll have to go in anyways," Piper urged.

"I know, but..."

"Nico. Inside. Now."

"Yes Piper," everyone said at once.

Piper smiled. Charmspeak was awesome. "Well, come on you guys. What are we waiting for?"

The four teens walked into the school, Piper first, then followed by Jason, then Nico, and finally Reyna. They worked their way towards the principal's office, and once they got there, Piper turned around and spoke.

"Alright. We are about to face something horrible in there and whatever happens, we need to stay by Nico. Okay?"

Nico, Jason, and Reyna nodded in agreement.

"Alright. Let's go meet a bully."

They pushed their way into the office, and were greeted by a really big teenager, and two adults.

One of the adults, the one behind the desk, spoke. "Is there a reason why you're late?"

Piper stepped up. "Yes sir. But you see sir, I can't tell you. You're fine with that, right?"

The man, assumingly the principal, blinked. "Not at all."

Piper continued her story. "So Nico here is in trouble, because this bully here insulted his sister and mother. That doesn't seem fair, now does it?"

The principal shook his head.

"Well, it's good that we have reached a consensus. Do we both agree that Mark here should take all the blame and be suspended?"

The principal nodded. The woman next to the boy, presumingly his mother frowned.

"Wait a sec. That isn't fair."

"Of course it is," Piper countered. "Case closed."

The half-bloods then left the office. "Thanks so much guys."

"Oh please, we didn't do anything," Jason said.

"Yes. It was all Piper," Reyna added.

Piper blushed. "It was nothing. That man was strangely easy to convince."

"Oh right, and Nico, I forgot to tell you earlier. The mortals will have no memory of this encounter. But I have a feeling that Mark back there will avoid you for a little while." Reyna smiled. "And if he bothers you again, he will have to answer to us."

Nico smiled to himself. Maybe this friend thing wasn't so bad after all.

Thanks so much for reading! Have a happy holiday whatever you celebrate. Bye for now!

~ThatDamBookGirl

:)