The Mirror's Prophecy

Nico Receives A Compliment

Nico begins stuffing items into his backpack. Ambrosia squares, nectar, a walkie talkie, some Zone Bars, an apple, and a McDonald's Kids Meal (the hamburger and fries were put into a plastic bag so they don't go bad). He set the backpack onto his bed, and realizes something: He doesn't even know what the lost item is! He face-palms himself. He needs to go to the Apollo cabin and inform Will that their first stop will need to be Mount Olympus, to ask Aphrodite what she lost. Can't go on a quest without really knowing your objective, can you?

He storms out the door, and knocks on the Apollo cabin door. Fortunately, it's Will who opens the door. "Yeah? Oh, hey, Nico! What's up? Excited for the quest tomorrow?" he asks, not even pausing to take a breath.

Nico blinks. "1) Hi. 2) Nothing much. 3) No. Anyway, I came here to talk to you about the quest."

Will laughs. "Well, aren't you a bundle of positivity?" He gestures to the inside of the cabin, indicating it's okay for Nico to enter.

Nico strolls in, and sits on an unmade bed. "I was packing, and realized we don't know what to look for. So, when we exit the camp tomorrow morning, we need to head on up to Olympus and have a talk with the goddess," he explains.

Will scratches his head. "Huh. Didn't even think about the object. Good observation, pretty boy!"

Nico's mouth goes agape. "Pretty boy? Where did that come from?"

The son of Apollo chuckles. "Nico, I'm complimenting you! As to where that came from? Well, you are pretty! In a way."

Nico scoffs. "Huh. I guess I am pretty...pretty sure you're on some kind of drug that makes you one hundred percent delirious, that is." He stands, and starts toward the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Will." He exits the Apollo cabin, and starts toward his cabin.

"Wait!" Will says. Nico turns, and raises an eyebrow in askance. "I've been thinking, too."

Nico returns to Will. "Of what? More pet names for me?"

"Haha. No. I was thinking...how did Aphrodite lose two items at the same time?"

The question grabs the son of Hades's attention. "Sorry?"

Will crosses his arms. "I just find it strange that one single goddess can lose two separate items in two separate places within the same period of time. Aphrodite asks Thalia, Piper and Grover to find her magic mirror, and the same day they find it, it gives them a prophecy, informing them of another missing item of hers. I mean, I know all the gods have a multitude of consciences all over the world, but...I don't know. Something about this seems weird."

Nico runs his hand through his hair. He nods. "You know, I think you're actually right. That does seem strange. Maybe we can ask Aphrodite about it when we see her tomorrow."

Will puts his hands in the pockets of his khaki shorts. "That would be a good idea. We should also ask where she left it. That would be unarguably helpful."

"Let's just hope it's not somewhere too far from New York," Nico remarks. Suddenly, the dinner horn blows in the distance. "I've gotta go. Bye, again."

Nico walks away from Will, still thinking about the boy's remark from just a few minutes earlier. Pretty boy, Nico thinks, shaking his head. That boy is too hopped up on Sunny D to know what he's talking about half the time. He enters his cabin, and plops down on the edge of his bed. He stares at the ceiling.

He sighs. I can't wait to be stuck with that ball of sunshine for who knows how long, on a search for some unknown item for the goddess of love. The dinner horn blows again, so he shakes off his totally obvious enthusiasm for the quest, and gets up to go to dinner.

As he's walking, Piper runs up to him. "Hey. You ready?" she wonders.

Nico looks at the ground as he walks. "Why does everyone keep asking that?"

"You're a first-time quester! People should be asking you that. They're worried for you, Nico."

Nico meets her eyes. "Worried? For me? Oh, please."

Piper's eyes widen with concern. "Of course they're worried for you! Everyone loves you."

"Ha! Sure! And I'm Zeus."

"You've helped win the Greeks two wars in the past three years; why shouldn't people love you?" Piper exclaims.

They enter the dining pavilion. "Because, I'm not sure if you know this, but I'm a child of Hades. I may have gotten use to that fact, and you and the other six plus Will may have gotten use to that fact, but I don't think any of the other campers have. No matter what you say, I'm still an outcast."

Piper shakes her head in protest. "If you say so, Nico." She proceeds to the Aphrodite table, leaving Nico to go to the Hades table.

When he conjures up a McDonald's hamburger and Diet Coke, he begins to think. Ever since the meeting this morning, people have been coming up to him and asking him about quest this, and quest that, and wishing him good luck. They have no reason to do all that stuff, no motive whatsoever. Like, why wish him good luck? It shouldn't be too hard of an object to find, should it? Then again, it took Percy nearly two weeks to find Zeus's lightning bolt...but that was only because he and his two companions had taken a stay at the Lotus Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.

Nico takes a deep breath, and exhales. Maybe the quest will be worth it. Who knows? If he dies, at least he'll go to Elysium. And maybe if he chooses rebirth, he might find Bianca! At the same time, he might not...

He pushes that though out of his mind, not wanting to depress himself further than he already has. Nico finishes his dinner, and brings his plate to the silverware and plate drop-off. He wanders back to his table. When he sits down, he puts his head in his hand. It's too loud. Nico just wants some peace and quiet. Is that too much to ask? Not really, in his opinion. I should just go back to my cabin. It's not like anyone will notice, anyways, he thinks.

He gets up, and begins to walk out of the dining pavilion when Chiron's voice halts him. "Nico!" the centaur calls. Immediately, everyone's eyes go to the son of Hades. Chiron's voice radiates from the microphone speakers. "Are you so excited for the quest that you're leaving dinner early?"

Snickers can be heard from the Ares, Nike, Aphrodite and Athena cabins.

Nico feels his face turn a violent shade of red. "N-no, sir. I just want some rest beforehand," he stutters.

Chiron nods. "I see. Then I suppose you can go, Mr. Di Angelo. Just ask me first next time."

Nico's too embarrassed to reply. Instead, he spins on his heel and bolts to his cabin. He whips open the door, and closes it behind him, proceeding to lock it. He tosses his backpack off of his bed, and begins to strip. He throws on his Twenty One Pilots sleeveless t-shirt and his black skull pajama pants. He brushes his teeth, combs his hair, and slides under the covers. He finally falls asleep to the sound of his fellow campers screaming for blood, ecstatic for Capture the Flag.