DIScLaImEr:

Me: hey, Perce! Do the disclaimer. *at the same time* Annabeth: Percy, you have to read Romeo & Juliet!

Percy: NO!

Piper: Jason! Put me down!

Me and Annabeth: why not?

Jason: NO!

Percy: cause you are annoying!

Hazel: Frank Zhang! Stop turning into an elephant!

Annabeth: Excuse me, Mr!

Frank: But I like it!

Me: Hey!

Leo: Guys! Calypso confiscated my tool belt!

Calypso: that's because you didn't listen to me!

Percy: Not you, Annabeth! I meant no to her and well, I kinda don't wanna read Romeo and Juliet either, though.

Piper: Jason! I said, put me down!

Annabeth: What! Why not? It's such a good book!

Me: Just do the disclaimer!

Percy: NO!

Annabeth: why not!

Percy:not you, her! Ugh! You guys are muddling up my brain!

Me: Forget it! I'll do the disclaimer! I DO NOT OWN THE PJO AND HOO SERIES!

***silence***

Annabeth: but why can't you read it!

Piper:JASON GRACE!

Hazel: Frank, I'm warning you!

Leo:I WANT BACK MY TOOLBELT! 😭

Me: And I'm seriously glad that I don't own them. Phew

Every angry demigod: HEY!

Me: well, bye peeps! *starts running from a bunch of armed teens*

***

Alyssa

For a while, me and Nico just sat there, not knowing what to do. Why'd Hazel leave me?

Finally, I couldn't stand the silence. "So, um..what's you fav colour?"

"Black."

"Oh. Okay. I like blue."

Nico just nodded.

I tried again to keep a conversation going with this boy. "Uh, fav book?"

"Don't have one."

My mouth fell open as I stared at him wide eyed. Was he serious! He didn't have a favourite book? I mean, how could anyone not have a favourite book? Sure, I have dyslexia and stuff, but still! I loved reading!

"Uh, did I say something wrong?" Nico asked.

"Yes!"

"What?"

"You don't have a favourite book?" I asked in horror.

"Uh, no I don't."

"You don't like the Hunger Games?" I asked him.

"No"

"Graceling?"

"Huh?"

"Tiger's Curse?"

"Uh, haven't even read that."

"Ink Heart?"

"Watched the movie. Didn't like it."

"The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel?"

"What the hades is that?"

"You're future does NOT look good!"

"Uh, are you alright?"

"No, I'm not alright! I can not believe that you don't have a favourite book! I bet that even Percy would have a favourite book! Maybe even Leo! Hazel and Annabeth too! Ooh! And Sadie and Carter! Nico! You need a favourite book!"

I practically screamed. Okay, so I was overreacting. BUT STILL!

"Okay, then! Prove it that all those people you mentioned have a favourite book!" He challenged with a smirk.

"Fine!" I huffed and got up, heading towards Sadie's room.

"I'm coming with you, to make sure you don't lie!" Nico said before scrambling after me.

"Fine then!"

I knocked on Sadie's door. The door had a name carved into it that read, Piper. Wonder who that was.

The door opened shortly, revealing a Sadie who was blowing a bubble from pink gum. It popped and she chewed on it.

"Oh, hi, Alyssa!" She exclaimed when she saw me. "Hey Nico!"

"Hi! Sadie, we were just wondering if you had a favourite book?" I asked her.

"A favourite book! No way! I mean like, who would want a favourite book?" She asked.

"Oh, okay then bye!" I said as she closed her door again.

I groaned as Nico said, "ha ha!"

"There's still more people left to ask!" I exclaimed before skipping down to Carter's room followed by a gloomy Nico.

Carter's door had the name, Jason, engraved upon it. I knocked on it, and after a few seconds, Carter was standing in the open door way.

"Yeah?"

"Uh, hi carter. Do you have a favourite book?"

"Uh, no."

***

"Hey, Leo! Do you have a favourite book?"

"No way in Hades!"

***

"Hi Hazel, Do you have a favourite book?"

"Uh, no?"

***

"Ha ha! Ha ha!" Nick said doing a victory dance thing.

"There's still Percy and Annabeth! And they are sure to have a book!"

"Riiiight!" Nico said, dragging out the word.

We were outside Percy's room and I was about to knock on the door when I stopped dead, my hand a centimetre away from the door, curled up in a fist, ready to knock.

(A/N : people who read the house of hades! Nico is over it now. You know what I'm talking about. Croatia, Cupid...coming back to you? Yeah well, his little crush is no more, k?)

I could hear voices from inside that I recognised as Percy's and Annabeth's.

"Percy, she's going to be fine. It's okay." Annabeth was saying.

"No, Beth! You don't understand! The dream and the line in the prophecy, it's going to happen. For real. The only sister I ever had? How could I let her go?" Percy said in between sobs.

Nico and I exchanged puzzled and worried expressions.

I was sure that Percy was talking about me, but then...

"Percy. Prophecies always have double meanings. It might not mean that. Think positive." Annabeth said gently.

"Think positive? How can I think positive, Wise Girl? And that other line? The Great Abyss? That has to be Tartarus and I can't go there again." Percy said.

"I know Percy, I know. I can't either. But the whole world depends on us." Annabeth said. "Think about your mum. And...and Alyssa. She will survive. She's just as strong as you are and with you as her brother, nothing would harm her."

"But- all those lives I failed to save. Bianca, Zoe, Selena, Beckandorf and Luke. I- I should've done something. It's all my fault that they're dead. What if- what if Alyssa-today, when that empousai attacked I thought- I thought that-"

"Percy, it won't happen. We'll make sure of that." Annabeth whispered.

There was a moments silence then,

"Annabeth, thank you." Percy whispered so quietly that I had to strain my ears to hear what he was saying. "For being there for me every step of the way."

"You don't have to thank me. And I'll never let you free from my grasp again."

Then everything went quiet. I looked at Nico. His face held worry and mystery. He nodded at me understanding the silent question I was sending him.

I slid open the door quietly. Percy and Annabeth were sitting on Percy's bed, with their backs to us. Percy's head lay against her shoulder, holding Annabeth's hand tightly. It looked as if he was looking through the open window in front of him.

I didn't want to ruin their moment and I also didn't want them to know that I had heard them. So I tried to close the door again quietly but, just my luck, the door creaked.

Percy's head snapped up and he swirled around Riptide in sword form in his hand. Annabeth had her drakon bone sword drawn.

"Alyssa?" Annabeth asked, "Nico? Sorry, thought you two were monsters." She said sheathing her sword as Percy recapped Riptide.

"Hey sis, hey Nico. What's up?" Percy asked forcing a brave smile but I could see the tear stains on his face.

"Uhh...I just wanted to ask, do you guys have a favourite book?" I asked them hopefully.

Annabeth perked up, "Yeah! Duh! I mean who wouldn't! I love Romeo and Juliet, Mc Beth, The Hunger Games, Graceling, Ink Heart, The Tiger's Curse, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, City of Bones, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Cinderella by Jane Austin and-"

"Whoa Wise Girl, slow down. We get it. You love all books and you've read every book." Percy said, finally silencing Annabeth's rant.

Now, it was my turn to do this sort of happy jig, though it was hard to do when you could barely move one shoulder. I clicked my fingers I front of Nico's face and said, "See! Ha! I win! I win!"

"Actually, I believe that I won." Nico said which made me stop in the middle of my 'awesome' dance.

"What, how?" I asked.

"Well, Sadie, Carter, Leo and Hazel were on my side. Only Annabeth was on yours." He explained.

"But...but...but...but Percy hasn't answered yet!" I said, "Percy, do you have a favourite book?"

"Huh? No way! I hate reading!"

"Boo yeah!" Nico shouted pumping a fist in the air while I just stood there gloomily.

"Uh, what is happening." Annabeth asked hesitantly. She was evidently shocked by Nico's reaction. Wonder why. It's not like he was always sulky and quiet and unfun. Is that even a word?

"Well, Alyssa here was so sure that everyone loved reading. I told her I didn't so she took up the challenge to see how many exactly liked reading and I WON!" Nico explained.

While Nico was talking, I sneaked up behind Nico and reached for the sword strapped to his belt. I used some strategies that Tess had taught me before we flew on this quest. He didn't notice me until it was too late. Percy and Annabeth, though they did see me, pretended as if they didn't.

I unsheathed it from his belt quietly. Gosh, this was way too easy.

"Yep, you definitely won, Di Angelo." I said as stepped in front of him, pointing the knife right at his throat.

Nico looked down at his now empty belt and then looked at me again.

"Did you..." He asked.

"Yep, I did."

"Why you little.."

"I would be running right about now, if I were you." I said before chasing him out of the room.

***

A/N

Yeah, I know, Nico is so different now.

Do you like it or not?

Well, anyway, not much to tell today, so bye!

♥️➰♥️ ♥️➰♥️ ♥️➰♥️