Titan's Curse: Getting Acquainted

If Nico was elated finding out he was a demigod, it was nothing compared to what he was feeling as he gazed around the new place he was going to live in (hopefully) forever.

"Whoa," Nico said. "Is that a climbing wall?"

"Yeah," Percy replied.

Nico grinned and looked at him, "Why is there lava pouring down it?"

"Little extra challenge. Come on. I'll introduce you to Chiron. Zoe, have you met—"

"I know Chiron," Zoe said stiffly. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."

"I'll show you the way," Grover offered.

"We know the way."

"Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here, if you don't"—he tripped over a canoe and came up still talking—"like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!"

Zoe rolled her eyes but followed him anyway. The Hunters shouldered their packs and their bows and headed off toward the cabins. But before Bianca followed them, she leaned over Nico and whispered, "Are you going to be alright? You know I have to stay with them?" She looked at him for an answer, but Nico just scowled and turned away.

"Take care, sweethearts!" Apollo called after the Hunters. He winked at Percy. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. I'll see you soon."

"What do you mean?"

Instead of answering, he hopped back in the bus. "Later, Thalia," he called. "And, uh, be good!" He gave her a wicked smile, as if he knew something she didn't. Then he closed the doors and revved the engine. A red Maserati soared over the woods, glowing brighter and climbing higher until it disappeared in a ray of sunlight.

Nico didn't really notice much of all of this though. He still felt slightly put out that his sister wouldn't be with him to explore the camp.

"Who's Chiron?" he asked. "I don't have his figurine."

"Our activities director," Percy said. "He's… well, you'll see.

"If those Hunter girls don't like him," Nico grumbled, "that's good enough for me. Let's go."

Nico was led to what the others explained was the Big House which was decorated with strings of red and yellow fireballs that warmed the porch but didn't seem to catch anything on fire. Inside, flames crackled in the hearth. The air smelled like hot chocolate. And Nico noticed two men were playing a quiet game of cards in the parlor.

One of them in the wheelchair smiled at them as they approached. "Percy! Thalia! Ah, and this must be—"

"Nico di Angelo," Percy said. "He and his sister are half-bloods."

The man breathed a sigh of relief. "You succeeded, then."

"Well…"

His smile melted. "What's wrong? And where is Annabeth?"

"Oh, dear," The chubby one said in a bored voice, "Not another one lost."

"What do you mean?" Thalia asked. "Who else is lost?"

Just then, Grover trotted into the room, grinning like crazy. He had a black eye and red lines on his face that looked like a slap mark. "The Hunters are all moved in!"

The man in the wheelchair frowned. "The Hunters, eh? I see we have much to talk about." He glanced at Nico who was staring at them, trying to figure out which Greek mythological creature they were. "Grover, perhaps you should take our young friend to the den and show him our orientation film."

"But… Oh, right. Yes, sir."

"Orientation film?" Nico asked, suddenly curious as to what they were going to show him. "Is it G or PG? 'Cause Bianca is kinda strict—"

"It's PG-13," Grover said.

"Cool!" Whatever messed up Bianca's rules was fine with him. Nico happily followed Grover out of the room.

….

After the orientation, Nico immediately raced to the Big House, Grover trying to keep up with him. He burst through the doors and blurted without thinking, seeing the two men who now knew their identities to.

"SO COOL!" Nico yelled, holding his hands out to Chiron. "You're… you're a centaur!"

Chiron managed a nervous smile. "Yes, Mr. Di Angelo, if you please. Though, I prefer to stay in human form in this wheelchair for, ah, first encounters."

"And, whoa!" He looked at Dionysus. "You're the wine dude? No way!"

The god turned his eyes away from Percy and gave Nico a look of loathing which the kid obliviously did not see. "The wine dude?"

"Dionysus, right? Oh, wow! I've got your figurine." Nico was bursting with joy now; he couldn't stop talking even if he wanted to. Another god in one day!

"My figurine?"

"In my game, Mythomagic. And a holofoil card, too! And even though you've only got like five hundred attack points and everybody thinks you're the lamest god card, I totally think your powers are sweet!"

"Ah." Dionysus seemed truly perplexed. "Well, that's… gratifying."

And Nico continued on about how many defense points all the gods had in his game, oblivious to the other demigods leaving and Dionysus frowning at him in confusion.

…..

After, Dionysus (or Mr. D as Chiron said to call him) kicked him out of the Big house before he could even start on the minor gods' battle points, he was taken to the pavilion where dinner would be served.

Chiron told Grover to bring him to the Hermes' table where Nico faced a lot of kids with similar elfish features and mischievous looks. Something told him that he shouldn't readily trust these people especially with his precious Mythomagic cards hiding inside his pack. These are the children of the god of thief, Nico reminded himself warily.

But before he could escape, arms suddenly wound around his shoulders as two campers (twins maybe?) popped up beside him.

"Hey there squirt, I'm Travis and the other one there is unfortunately my brother, Connor." The taller one of the two said.

"Hey! Who you calling unfortunate, Travis!" Connor said indignantly, "Don't mind my brother; we all know he's the dumber one out of the two of us."

Nico laughed hesitantly between then, not sure whether he was going to get ridiculed or not. "I'm Nico Di Angelo."

"So, we heard. You're the newbie in camp sharing our cabin now!" Travis continued, ignoring his brother's insult. They walked to an empty space in the table, seemingly saved for them which made Nico wonder if they were the head counsellors of their cabin.

"Undetermined too. Shame, but don't worry, you'll get chosen soon." Connor said.

"What does undetermined mean?" Nico asked feeling lost in the conversation.

"It means you don't know who your godly parent is."

"So you're staying with us for a while."

"Until when?"

"Until your godly parent acknowledges your existence and determines you." There seemed to be an indescribable undertone with the way they spoke as if they were sad about something but Nico couldn't understand why.

So the young boy nodded his head and got taken into another topic about his skills in card games and whether or not he knew how to play poker. Nico didn't like the way the other campers down the table perked up at the sound of gambling but he wasn't going to let them persuade him into that sketchy game. He didn't know why but he had this inkling to be very wary of the game and Nico was going to stick with his gut. Mythomagic was a more fun and more legal card game to play anyway, thank you very much.

As Nico glanced around the other tables, his eyes couldn't help but land on the Hunters of Artemis who all seem to be having such a splendid time together like a happy family. Especially Bianca. She's getting acquainted pretty fast with her new friends and soon she wouldn't want to hang around with you anymore. Nico couldn't help but silently agree with himself as he forced his eyes too look away before the heavy feeling in his chest suffocated him.

His gaze landed on Percy who looked forlorn, sitting all alone by himself. Nico guessed campers couldn't sit together especially with the Big Three as he noticed Thalia in the same situation. However, he couldn't help but drag his eyes towards Percy again and Nico wished he could sit with him instead.

"Hey, what are you staring at?"

Nico whipped his head so fast he thought he might have heard a cracking sound. "Oh, nothing, just admiring the new camp." He grinned at Travis. Then Nico began a debate with him and his brother on the pros and cons why Mythomagic was so much better than poker.

….

"You can sleep here." One of the Stoll brothers told him as Nico laid out his belongings on the only available spot in the chaotic and messy cabin of Hermes. He only had a few things with him— some clean clothes, old-fashioned gadgets and his precious collection of Mythomagic figurines and cards.

"Sorry it's a tight space, but you'll get used to it soon." Connor Stoll walked up right next to him and crouched as Nico got situated into his sleeping bag.

Nico shrugged, "It's alright. Better than where Bianca and I used to be in before."

"Who's Bianca?" Travis asked as he appeared suddenly behind his brother.

"She's my sister."

"Where is she? Is she a demigod?" Connor inquired.

Nico nodded glumly, "Yeah, she's a huntress now."

Travis and Connor eyes bugged out hilariously and Nico would have laughed had he not felt depressed remembering his current situation with his sister.

"Woah, that's so cool, man! Well, not that cool considering their fighting against us in Capture the Flag— " Travis said grinning before getting cut off by a painful nudge at his ribs. Connor glared pointedly at his brother before nodding his head in Nico's direction. Travis understood immediately, by Nico's glum face, that this was a sour subject for him; however, the younger heard something interesting.

"Fighting? Why are we fighting? And what's capture the flag? Is that a game?" Nico's words flew quickly out of his mouth before his mind could catch up.

Connor chuckled, "Yeah, it's a game wherein we have to get the flag of the other team before they grab ours and bring it over the border. Whichever team gets their opponent's flag over the border first wins."

Travis continued, "And we're against the Hunters this year. It's kind of like tradition between the campers and Hunters of Artemis to always have a game of Capture the Flag whenever they'd visit the camp."

"Thank the gods, it's not a usual thing or else we'd just end up murdering one another. I don't think our pride could take it, losing every time against them." Connor said dejectedly.

Nico was confused, "But you've got the children of the Big Three fighting with you guys. I mean, Percy's really great! I saw him sword fighting that Manticore when he was rescuing Bianca and I! He was so cool! Have you seen him fight?" He grinned, thinking that if anyone could beat those annoying hunters, it'd be Percy.

Connor's eyebrows were all the way up his forehead as he finished his passionate speech and Travis looked as if he were trying to hold back his laughter.

"Well, Nico, I can tell you that yes, Percy and Thalia are great assets to our team but I bet you it's not going to work out. I mean between two powerful demigods, who do you think they're going to pick for leader?" Travis chortled wickedly as if he couldn't wait to witness what tomorrow would bring.

Connor smirked in agreement with his brother and then checked his watch to see it was nearing curfew. "Well, time for you to sleep, squirt. No more 'Hero Percy' for tonight." Connor said chuckling.

Nico didn't really get the joke but he was feeling rather sleepy, so he tucked himself back into his sleeping bag and was about to close it when the Stoll brothers called out to him again.

"Oh and Nico?"

Nico turned. "Yeah?"

"Percy Jackson used to sleep on that spot." They grinned amusedly at him before walking back to their own beds.

"He did?" Suddenly, Nico didn't think his sleeping space was so bothersome anymore. He's sleeping on the same spot where Percy Jackson used to rest on!

Oh. My. gods.

A/N: just saying, more reviews = faster updates so please review!