Chapter 11: The Strange Girl

Nico's POV

Camp was just starting to run smoothly again. I've been staying at camp more than usual, at least until everything gets back to normal. After that fight with the giants we were able to prevent Gaea from awakening fully, but let me tell you it wasn't easy. It's been harsh for the past months from the grieving of all the lost campers to the new prophecy that everyone hopes doesn't take place until a couple of generations later.

Anyways Annabeth, Percy and I were at the big house talking to Chiron about the prophecy.

" It doesn't make any sense!" Annabeth yelled frustration.

" Will they ever leave us alone? " asked Percy.

" I don't know but I have never seen nor heard of anything like this." Chiron replied.

" Then I guess this is the new greatest prophecy." I said. " How do you even know if this one is meant for us? Or how could we possibly know if it involves us or another camper? What if-" I was cut off by a scream from a girl. We all ran out. The scream came from behind Thalia's tree. We could see campers heading in the direction. What could possibly be going on? I thought.

Was a mortal seeing whatever they saw a monster as? Or a camper being attacked? Well, we better find out. Chiron turned to the all three of us and said," Would you mind checking who might be making that sound please?"

" We're on it " Percy answered.

" Campers! Head back to your normal duties. Percy, Annabeth and Nico will find out what is causing all the ruckus. " Chiron shouted at everyone. Everybody grumbled and started back to their activities.

With that the three of us ran toward the tree. We made it in time to see someone get slammed into a tree near Thalia's. Obviously the person couldn't move. I looked around our surroundings. I could see two large figures fighting down the hill.

"Nico you go see if that kid needs any help. While Annabeth and I go meet our little friends down there." Percy ordered

"Of course I get the easy job because I'm the youngest." I mumbled under my breath.

Apparently Annabeth heard me and said, " It's not because of tha-"

" We have no time!" Percy interrupted. He looked me in the eye and said, " We'll talk about this later, but right now we got some hairy butts to kick. "

As ordered I ran to the wounded kid. She was a girl. I ran to her side and looked her over for some major wounds. Nothing that bad except for the bleeding head. "Are you okay?" I asked.

" Do I look okay?" she replied.

" Sorry stupid question." I brought my shield in front of me as some thorns? Yup thorns hit the bronze. Thorns? I asked myself. That could only mean one thing, a manticore. "I haven't seen a manticore in years. I hate those things." I muttered to myself remembering my bad past with manticores.

Then the girl's eyes grew wide. The colour of her eyes was one that isn't common. She had big violet eyes. How strange. What she said next totally surprised me.

" I-I know you." She knew me? Because I definitely have not met her. Then her face twisted into pure horrification and said, "You, you shouldn't be alive." This is the part where I got confused. How did this girl know me and why was I supposed to be dead? Is there like some rumors going on that Nico Di Angelo is dead?

I was about to ask her something when she shouted, "NOOO! Bob! Bob is good! Don't kill him!"

"Bob? No way..." I whispered. Did she really mean the Bob? Like the Bob? Only one way to find out. I laid my shield down and turned in the direction the girl was staring and squinted at the big figure to get a better image. Then I yelled, "Percy stop! It's Bob!" I couldn't believe it. The Bob. I haven't seen him ever since all this chaos about Gaea rose.

I could hear Percy yell back, "BOB? You're kidding!"

I turned back to the girl and smiled just to make sure that she knew that Bob was safe. Annabeth ran up to us. The girl said a couple more words with her last breath, "You all aren't real. You all are fiction." Then she passed out.

" Well that was a weird last words." I said.

Annabeth looked as if she were trying to think of every possibility there was to what the girl said. "It must've meant something. Anyone who says something as random as that must be a demigod."

That's when Percy and Bob caught up with us. " She a demigod?" Percy questioned.

"Hi Nico!" Bob said cheerfully.

"Uh...What up, Bob?" I replied.

" I think so, but we'll know for sure when she can cross into camp." Annabeth answered.

"This chick is weird. Who uses their last words to say and I quote, ' You all aren't real. You all are fiction' ?"

That's when I noticed Bob looking the girl over. I watched as his expression changed from happy to worried to pure anger. He glared straight at me and yelled, " What did you do to her? " He started to move toward me.

In self defense I brought my Stygian sword in front and answered, " Whoa, Bob! Remember we are friends, right?"

Bob stopped short and thought for a moment. Then the anger returned to his face. " I'm no friends with people who hurt Mia!"

" But I didn't hurt her! She just passed out from slamming into the tree! "

" You no do nothing?"

"Of course not! Do you not have faith in me at all?"

"Faith? What that mean?" He lost focus trying to think of a definition. Clearly frustrated he bellowed, " Can you fix Mia?"

" We think so. We just need get her into camp."

"Okay! Let's Go!"

" Uhhh...Bob do you think you could carry Mia to camp?" Annabeth asked sweetly.

"Yes! Yes!" and picked the girl whose name is apparently Mia and started walking in the direction Percy led toward camp. " But who you? I don't no you." He questioned Annabeth.

" Well I'm Percy's fr-"

She was cut off by Percy, " She's my girlfriend, Bob."

" Oh." Then he caught up to Percy, bent down and whispered too loud," She pretty. You do good."

Both Percy and Annabeth blushed slightly. Even I couldn't help cracking a smile.

We heard an 'Oofh' from Bob and saw him stumble a few steps back. Wide eyed Bob kept walking into what he called, "Magical shocking window." to make his way to the where all three of us were standing on the other side of the shocking window.

We started laughing at Bob. Finally when Percy somewhat controlled his laughter he said," Sorry Bob. Forgot that you couldn't enter without permission. I Percy Jackson give permission to the Titian, Iapetus to enter the camp borders." laughing in between sentences.

" Who E-Ep-Epeta?" Bob questioned.

That's when we all stopped laughing. " Iapetus" Annabeth mumbled under her breath. She had that habit of correcting peoples pronunciation. So annoying.

Like the cool person I am, I played it cool. " Pttf, how do you expect us to know? I don't make the rules. We just have to say it. Now come on in."

" Wha..."he started then his expression turned from confused t alarm. "NO! NO! NO! Me no falling for magic shocking window again! Hurt me little. Hurt Mia more! I feel her move!"

" You got it all wrong Bob. There is no more magical shocking window. Nothing will hurt you or Mia." Annabeth reassured.

" No window?"

"No. I promise."

Bob took Annabeth's word, but not fully trusting it, he poked to where the' window' used to be. Not feeling the shock he put his whole hand through. With a big smile on his face he half jumped half danced him and Mia through the camp's border.

"So I guess this Mia chick is a demigod." I said.

"Well, we could've used her a couple of weeks ago." Percy said.

" If she is...Where's her protector?" Annabeth questioned.

We were all considering the question when Chiron came trotting over. "A new camper? How swell. Well, she doesn't look that well. Nico do you mind taking her and uhmm..oh Iapet-"

" Call him Bob" Percy whispered urgently.

" Right, right forgot. Bob what are you doing here?"

" Me journey with Mia. Make to camp." Bob answered.

" Okay then. Nico will you bring Mia and Bob to the infirmary?"

" Sure." I replied

" Chiron, I need talk to you. There's something strange." Annabeth said.

" Well then if you'll excuse me." He started walking off with Annabeth to the big house.

"I guess, I'll ... uhmmm... whatever. I'll find something to do." Percy said and ran to the campers.

"That leaves you and me Bob. Let's take Mia to the fixing place. " I said.

Turns out Mia got stabbed with one of the Manticore's thorns. It's taking a while for the poison to get out of her system. She's been in here for two days and hasn't opened her eyes once. I fed her ambrosia and nectar whenever she stirred and I could get her to swallow . Bob hasn't left her side since, and I have been here just as much, taking care of her. Annabeth and Chiron would come and check in once a while to see how she's been progressing.

" Mia nice, sweet, mean, strong and pretty." Bob said.

" She is pretty." I replied. She had caramel coloured skin and black straight hair with streaks of purple in it that flowed down to her shoulders. Her stunning violet eyes would match her perfectly, I just knew it. She looked around 13, maybe 14. I was pulled out of my thoughts when her big indigo eyes finally opened.