Hades' Daughter (A Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Chapter 7: Chopsticks

After breakfast, Nico and I toured the camp. He's funny and great, which is typically not a trait of a child of Hades. He told me about his past, the Titan War, saving Annabeth and Percy (her boyfriend) in Tartarus, and saving the western civilization from Gaea, which happened last year.

We didn't know it but we were walking toward the sword-fighting arena.

"Nash, wanna play?" he said.

"But I don't know how to swordfight..." I bit my lip.

"Let's forget that for the meantime. Remind me later okay. But... I want you to meet someone..." he whistled, "Mrs. O'Leary!"

A wall of darkness came on top of me, pinning me on the ground. It's a... it's a...

"She's a hellhound," Nico said, patting its ears. The hellhound looked at me, and sort of laughed— if hellhounds laugh.

"Okay big bro, please get this thing off me, and I know it's a hellhound," I said. "I already know her. But I don't know how  to get her off me."

He laughed. "Heel, girl. C'mon." The dog whimpered. "I'll give you a dog biscuit..." He pulled out a gigantic biscuit in thin air. Mrs. O'Leary heeled. "Catch!"

Nico tossed the dog biscuit. Man, does he have super strength? But still, Mrs. O'Leary ran to it and happily chewed it.

"Sooo..."

"I'm gonna teach you how to swordfight, and it's handy," Nico said, studying me, "especially outside."

"But... I don't have a sword," I said shyly. "Shaine's supposed to give me... but I broke camp rules."

"Oh... that reminds me..." He pulled out chopsticks, the ones that are used in the hair, not the eating type. "Try them."

My eyes widen. "I'm using chopsticks? Bro, if I die—"

"Just try it on." He handed the chopsticks to me.

When I grasped the end of the chopsticks, it shimmered, but instead of gold sparks, it's black. Then it elongated and...

Suddenly I'm holding two black daggers. "Wicked. Where'd you get this? Don't tell me you bring sword chopsticks on purpose."

He made a face, like it was a bad comment. "Someone that I don't like gave it to me."

"Why is it black?"

"Have you seen Percy's sword, or Annabeth's dagger? The metal used to make them is called Celestial Bronze, forged by cyclopes and cooled at the River Lethe. Well... our sword's made of Stygian Iron and obsidian, metals that are just found on Underworld, and cooled at the River Styx. That's why it's Stygian Iron." He unsheathed his sword. "It's color black because they're 'cooled' at the River Styx, and the river is absolutely... hot. Ask Percy.

"There are also Imperial Gold. They're used by Roman campers— on the other side of the US. They come over here for capture-the-flag and we come over there for the war-games."

"Sounds cool, teacher." I grinned.

"Okay, let's start!"

He showed me some basic moves like slashing, stabbing, and dodging attacks. I guess I was pretty okay. But with more training, I'll excel. So every afternoon, I get to have a lesson with him, besides Percy teaching me.

Before we knew it, the sun was setting. The sunset was... spectacular. I know I was still sweaty, but Nico draped his hand on my shoulder, which is fine by him since heRs taller than me.

"You know what 'lil sis?" he said, still staring at the sunset. "You're reminding me of someone that I used to have."

-----

After dinner, Nico and I went to the stables. These stables don't hold horses, they hold pegasi. Nico pointed to the one who's pure black.  "There's my friend!" He gave the pegasus a sugar cube. "Eat up, Katherine."

I shot him a look. "Why Katherine?"

He looked at me, his eyes full of sadness. "It was Bianca's... middle name."

"Oh. Her name's beautiful."

"Yeah. I got the ugly one. Nico Dmitri di Angelo."

"No it's not. It's kind of... exotic actually."

Awkward silence. "Wanna go back?"

We made our way to Cabin 13 when Annabeth stopped us. "Can I borrow Nash for a second?"

"Uh, sure Annie. I better get going." He waved goodbye to me.

"Bye Dmitri!" I shouted. He turned back and stuck his tongue out. He ran to our cabin.

Annabeth cleared her throat. "So... are you ready to find your sword?"

---

After 7 daggers, 4 swords and 1 machine gun, I lost hope. Nothing's balanced in my hand.

"Here, try this one," Annabeth said, giving me a sword.

I took it. It was kinda heavy.  "No."

Then something caught my eye. There was a sword inside a glass box. "What's that?"

Annabeth followed my gaze. "Oh. It's... the sword of... uh... Charles Beckendorf. He's— was the cabin 9 counselor before he..." she made a gesture on her neck, "died."

"Can I look at it?" I said, taking in what she said. She uncovered the glass box and got a sword that's three feet long. She handed it to me. It was a three feet sword with a leather hilt. What's surprising? It's balanced. "What's its name?"

"It's... argos dysprositos. It's a long name. It means inactive and hard to obtain... but it's all yours if you want it."

"Seriously? I mean... it's hard to obtain but—"

"Its magic and power are hard to obtain and inactive, thus the name. Don't worry, Beckendorf had a heroic death."

I took in what she said. 'He died a heroic death...'

Oh gods of Olympus, will I die too?

---

Hi—

*dodges a greek fire thrown to me*

SORRY SORRY SORRY

blame my laziness -_-

Anyway, it's longer right? ^_^

Okay, please put in your comments 'NICO' if you want me to continue. I wanna know if I'm continuing this story in vain :(

I need 5 comments with 'NICO' in it or 10 votes. pretty please?

Love ya!

-Denise

PS

who already read House of Hades? IT'S SO COOOOOL :P