Sorry if this is a bit late, I'm kind of torturing you guys right now, oops! But my anxiety popped up and wanted to say hullo just before school started again, so I was procrastinating, Lol. Awh well, enjoy <3

Chapter #26 : Quiet Is Violent

~I ponder of something great

My lungs will fill and then deflate

They fill with fire

Exhale desire

I know it's dire

My time today

I have these thoughts

So often I ought

To replace that slot

With what I once bought

And now I just sit in silence

Sometimes quiet is violent

I find it hard to hide it

My pride is no longer inside

It's on my sleeve

My skin will scream

Reminding me of

Who I killed inside my dream

There's no hiding for me

I'm forced to deal with what I feel

There is no distraction to mask what is real

And now I just sit in silence

I ponder of something terrifying

'Cause this time there's no sound to hide behind

I find over the course of our human existence

One thing consists of consistence

And it's that we're all battling fear

Oh dear, I don't know if we know why we're here

Oh my,

Too deep

Please stop thinking

There are things we can do

But from the things that work there are only two

And from the two that we choose to do

Peace will win

And fear will lose

There's faith and there's sleep

We need to pick one please because

Faith is to be awake

And to be awake is for us to think

And for us to think is to be alive

And I will try with every rhyme

To come across like I am dying

To let you know you need to try to think

And now I just sit in silence~

NICO POV

I paced my cabin with a frown. I've told myself multiple times that I was just over thinking things way too much, but I still couldn't help myself. It could mean nothing at all. Or it could mean something totally important and I'd just be too stupid to figure it out. I groaned and sat down after ten minutes of meaningless pacing. The locket lay beside me on my silky black comforter. Why in Hades was this thing around the manticore's neck? And what does any of this mean? Another sick joke of Aphrodite's, maybe?

I carefully grabbed the locket and began playing with it with my long, pale fingers. With a small sigh, I opened it. I stared at what was inside, my stomach feeling empty and a sort of longing feeling emerging. On the left side of the locket was a skull carved delicately into the metal. On the right side was a trident, glowing a dark blue. When I first opened it about an hour or so ago, the trident glowed a light sea foam green colour. I didn't get it. The carvings, the locket, the monster, the colour changing. It just made my head pound.

I closed the locket and stood up from my bed, sighing and ruffling my hair. I wish I could just see him... I knew it wasn't normal to miss someone so much like this when they haven't even been gone half a day. But I was far from normal. Still hurts like hell, though, and trust me; I've been through hell and back many times, so I know how it feels.

Gazing at my ceiling, doodling, and reading wasn't keeping my mind off of things at all. Actually, I was just getting extremely bored, which made me think even more. At that moment, I hated thinking. Hated it. So I stood back up with an irritated huff and at that very moment, a thought popped into my head. It made my heart sink, but I ignored it and shuffled over to my dresser. I clasped the amulet around my neck, noticing how it fit perfectly and dangled right above my heart.

Why in Hades would I wear this thing? Ever? Because it painfully reminded me of Percy and I wanted to keep it as close to me as I possibly could. And because I could do whatever the hell I wanted. Psh, I'm a rebel. It's just who I am. Deal with it.

Once I pulled on dark black boots, some skinny jeans, and a knitted beige jumper that I might or might not have borrowed from Percy's cabin recently (key word borrowed, not stolen... heh), I jumped outside my cabin door and trudged off through the camp's forest. I was in no rush, so I kicked leaves and twigs and rocks around with my boots. It was a bit windy inside the camp borders today, causing me to shiver, so I hugged Percy's jumper closer to myself. It smelt like the sea. And a warm cottage. It brought me warmth and I sighed, playing with the sweater paws I had because it felt like his jumper was twice my size, falling to my mid thigh.

Sometimes I felt tiny standing next to Percy, even though I wasn't that small. I blame my Italian inheritance. Yet, sometimes I liked being abut smaller than others. I mean, first of all I get to cuddle in super big and cosy knitted sweatshirts that smell delicious. Secondly, I can kind of curl up in a hug (not that I want a hug or anything, I'm just saying, with all my manliness, that I could if I wanted to). Thirdly, my hands are small and are good for hand holding, like I did with Percy (he had a big, strong, warm hand... it was soft, too). And fourthly, I can sneak around quickly and more quietly because I'm small, making it much easier for me to hide in the shadows.

Anyways, I was off track, I already knew I was embarrassingly chihuahua tiny so let's move on to wherever I was originally heading.

The trees around me started to separate and open up to a small dirt pathway worn into a patch of grass by a pair of feet. I sighed, staring up into the sky as the wind tried to tear my hat off of my head. The air was nice and fresh out here, salty even. I slowly made my way over to a spot I recognised and smiled slightly.

It was the dock Percy always visited to think or swim whenever he could get away. I thought maybe it was my turn to get away this time. Well, get away while staying inside the borders of camp, of course. It was a beautiful and new looking wooden dock, like the ones you see on lake fronts. My feet thumped on the wood and I sat down at the very end, my feet dangling just above the surface of the water. I hugged my torso and stared off across the bluish grey water, letting the breeze brush across my face instead of hiding away like I normally would.

I wondered what Percy was doing at the moment. Or how he was doing. Hopefully he was alright and the quest was going successfully. I didn't really know what I'd do if he didn't come back. I never realised how much of my life depended on Percy. He was always there for me and my world sort of revolved around him. Now that he was gone... I honestly felt lost.

"Lost..." I whispered sadly to myself, pulling my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around my legs.

I took one last long look at the calm, rippling lake water, then nuzzled my face in my arms. The beige jumper was soft and made my heart yearn for more. Before I could wallow any more in my self pity, something warm jabbed my right nipple and I jumped in surprise. After a very high pitched squeal that I was highly ashamed of, I stuck my hand under my (Percy's) sweatshirt. I frowned when seeing it was just the locket. Opening it, I noticed the trident was no longer a sea foam green or a dark blue, but a soft red. Weird, I thought.

I tucked it back under my clothing and let my feet dangle off of the dock once more.

"Just if I could have come with you, Percy." I mumbled to the water. "I would have looked out for you. I would have protected you. Even though I'm known as the weird, small son of the death god, who was selfish and dark and mysterious, never opening up to anyone; I would do anything for you. That's my promise. I promise to look out for you, like you look out for me, Percy."

I knew he couldn't actually hear me, but it somehow made me feel good saying it aloud. The leaves rustled in the trees behind me, making my eyelids grow heavy. But all of a sudden, a hot, searing pain erupted in my chest and I screamed in agony. I sprawled out on the dock, writhing in pain and clawed at my chest in desperation. My chest burned like no burns I have ever felt before. Like I was being branded all the way through. I gasped and choked, gripping the jumper on my body and pulling it off as fast as I could. When I looked down at my chest through blurry eyes and black spots, I sucked in a sharp breath.

I choked again, saying in a wet voice, "Wha..."

On the left side of my chest, on the skin right above my heart, was a trident mark burned a deep, bloody red into my skin. It would definitely leave a scar. And right above the burn, was the amulet with the picture of a dove carved into the metal. I yelled in pain and frustration, ripping the cursed amulet off of my neck and pulled my arm back, sending it flying through the air and plunging somewhere into the lake.

Cupping my hand in the lake water, I brought up to my bloody wound and poured it on my chest, seething through my teeth and panting through the stinging agony. I did it once more, and then wiped away my unwanted tears.

What the fucking hell was that?!

I stared down at the trident shaped burn with wide eyes and an open mouth. Why in the world did the amulet try to kill me?! And why would it burn a trident into my skin, oddly above my heart? Why in the world did it have to be a trident of all things?! I ran my shaky pale fingers through my hair and tugged on it, gritting my teeth in frustration. Something was going on. Something bad. I needed to figure it out... But what did this mean?!

Pictures and memories suddenly arced through my mind and I connected the dots with a small gasp that sounded more like a whimper. With a face palm, I groaned to myself for not being able to put two and two together earlier.

The dove was the sign of Aphrodite. The skull was definitely supposed to represent Hades. The trident was the sign of Poseidon. It was definitely an amulet from Aphrodite that she delivered to me with the monster I saw when I first met Percy. And the skull and trident on the inside of the locket... The skull was to show that the amulet was mine, and the trident was to represent Percy. The colours... They must have meant something. It was always a sea colour, and then, right before I got burned, it turned red. It was no coincidence that the burn was right above my heart.

I came to one final and definite conclusion.

"Percy's in trouble."

~

Leo was currently bouncing around in a circle, singing about 'nuts and bolts and magic volts!', while Piper yelled at him to shut up and lay off the caffeine he had been sneaking behind Calypso's back. Jason stared in slight amusement at his girlfriends outburst on Valdez. Yet, the skinny Latino kept singing and dancing. Frank seemed extremely distracted staring at my little sister while blushing and scratching the back of his neck. That bulky punk. Hazel just kept chatting shyly like she didn't notice his staring.

Jason chuckled lightheartedly. "Okay, Pipes, babe. I think Leo gets it that you want to shove your fist up his- Oh!"

Piper turned away from the bouncing son of Hephaestus. "Hey, Nico. Whatchia up t- Ugh!"

I had Jason's shirt bunched up in my fist and Piper's wrist in my other hand. They stumbled along behind me while they complained, but I kept dragging them away from the others, somewhere more private. Once I stopped behind the Big House, I spun around and released my hold on the two confused demigods. With one look at my expression, Jason sobered up and his face became a mask of concern. Piper just glared at me with her lips pursed.

This would be fun.

"I need your guys' help." I blurted out, getting straight to the point.

Piper straightened herself out and became interested. "What's wrong? Depends on what you need, Ghosty."

I wrinkled my nose at the nickname, then gave a brief explanation. "Percy's in trouble. I know it. I've been getting these... feelings... that something went wrong... Look. He's in trouble and I need to get to him, so I need your help in getting there. I can't shadow travel because I'll be too tired and then I'd just pass out and then Percy will be in danger and I won't be able to help him and it would be all my fault because I could have saved him but didn't and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Nico, stop." Jason held his hand up with a hard and sympathetic expression. "Nico, I know you're worried sick about him, but you can't go. The fact that you can't go won't change any time soon. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to let him do this by himself. He's going to be okay."

I frowned. "But-"

"No buts." Piper scolded and I rolled my eyes. "He's fine, he's coming back. Maybe even shortly! I mean, he's Percy Jackson, for crying out loud! He will be okay, I assure you he will."

I bit my lip, my face becoming dark. "But Percy's-"

"Fine. He's fine, Nico." Jason said softly, hesitantly placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "This quest is too dangerous if you go. For him and yourself. You could get hurt. You could lure the monsters to you both. Something bad could happen, and we've all had enough bad things for eternity. Why don't you go rest up or something?"

I opened my mouth with my eyebrows furrowed, but Piper cut in. "It's alright, Neekyboy. He's okay. You're okay. He's coming back. Just stay here and wait for him. Percy's strong and didn't he promise you he'd come back here? For you? Relax."

"Don't interfere with his quest, buddy." Jason offered a small smile. "He's coming back for you."

"Fine."

Jason and Piper's eyes widened to the size of saucers as they stared at me in shock and confusion. They both opened and closed their mouths, yet nothing came out. I shrugged my shoulders calmly as if I didn't care at all that I had to stay. Without a second to spare, I turned on my heels and drifted away from them without a fight. Once I was out from behind the Big House, a small ghost of a smirk played on my lips. Jason and Piper's words did in fact reach me, and I knew they declined to help me.

But I had a plan.

~~~

End of Chapter

Bit short, like Nico.

*rubs hands together evilly* Can't wait to publish chapter #26, OH BOY!

Almost 50K!!! Half of a HUNDRED THOUSAND, almost there! xD

-Nico's Plan?????