𝙇𝙮𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙨 (𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙅𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙭 𝙁𝙚𝙢! 𝙊𝘾) 𝙏𝙏𝘾

Nico is the Most Precious Person Ever

The next morning after breakfast, Sylvia ran into Nico by the forest, lying down on his back in the snow-cloaked grass---definitely soaking his new Camp Half-Blood shirt---and looking up at the glistening frost draped on the bare trees. She asked him if he had any new friends other than Will yet, and he said no. Apparently, he also hadn't learned how to fight at all yet, and Sylvia couldn't have that, so she took him to the archery range, which was temporarily empty.

"And then you put the arrow there, no, there, yeah, just like that, and then just move your elbow up the tiniest bit, draw it back, and let go," she instructed for the umpteenth time.

It landed on the target---the first arrow of many to get anywhere near the bullseye---with a thwack, making Nico cheer and Sylvia smile.

"I did it! I did it, Syl! Did you see that?"

Sylvia laughed at his enthusiasm. "I sure did!"

Careful, Sylvia, Fawkes teased, having just flew down from wherever. One day he'll be better than you.

"Fawkes and I are both very proud of you," Sylvia said, making his smile grow even bigger.

"Do you think I can do it again?" he asked.

"You'll never know until you try." Sylvia shrugged.

While he nocked his arrow, Fawkes said, I just overheard Percy and Grover say something...interesting.

You were eavesdropping? Sylvia asked, not believing Fawkes would do that. "Oh, so close, Nico!"

No! Fawkes said, clearly affronted. I was basking in the morning sunlight--it's not funny! I get my energy from the sun!--and Percy described the exact dream you had.

About...about Annabeth? Sylvia furrowed her eyebrows. "Oh, Nico, be careful! The arrow doesn't go that way! Yeah, there, that's perfect! But...how?

No one really understands demigod dreams, Fawkes said. But apparently Zoe also had a dream. Grover didn't understand all of her accented speech, but the gist of it is Lady Artemis is in trouble and needs the Hunters. She started to argue with Argus when he wouldn't let her in the Big House to talk to Chiron.

Nico hit the bullseye.

"Good job, Nico! We're so proud of you! Y'know, maybe you're a son of Apollo!" Sylvia said, although it was doubtful, since everyone except Michael had blonde hair, and his was only black because he dyed it.

Nico hugged Sylvia, shocking her a bit, since no one except Finn and Clarisse ever really did anything like that--or, at least, they were the only ones she was okay with doing that, although it seemed now that she had to add another person onto that list. "Then you'd be my actual sister!"

Sylvia smiled down at him. "I'll be your actual sister no matter who your godly parent is. They could be Hades, or Thanatos, for all I care." (...who's gonna tell her? Not it!)

"Hades is the only Mythomagic figurine I don't have," he commented.

Sylvia hummed. "Y'know what? I'm pretty sure Michael, one of my brothers, lives by a Toys 'R' Us. I can ask him to keep a look out on the different figurines they sell."

"Really?" Nico hugged Sylvia again, this time a lot tighter. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!"

"Nico?" Connor Stoll called from across the archery range. "There you are! We've been looking for you everywhere! We have Ancient Greek class right now! Also, Sylvia, don't the Apollo kids have Monster Class?"

"Oh, shoot, we do! Wait, how do you know that?"

He winked at her. "Finn memorized your schedule. Y'know, fae really likes--"