Remember?

Ψ Ι'm Introduced to an Old Friend Ψ

PERCY

Annabeth seems to be having a spasm. I'm not entirely sure what Tartarus is, but if it's scaring Annabeth, it must be bad.

"What's Tartarus?" I ask, at first not realizing how stupid that sounds.

Annabeth puts her head in her hands, and I barely hear what she says next: "Only the most horrible experience anywhere."

Chiron closes his eyes, as if regretting telling us anything, then opens them and looks sympathetically at Annabeth. "I'm sorry I said anything, Annabeth. Of course, this time you will be prepared."

Annabeth looks up, and I want to give her a hug, she looks so shattered.

"Nothing... Nothing could prepare anyone for..." she says shakily, then sobs and buries her face in her hands again.

"Listen, I'm not even sure I want my memory back. You don't-"

"No." She cuts me off. "You need your memory back; maybe it'll be easier this time."

I'm speechless. Apparently Tartarus was a horrible experience for Annabeth, yet she's willing to go back.

For me.

I close my eyes and exhale.

"When do we start?"

ΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨ

An hour later, Annabeth and I are standing atop the hill, with backpacks stuffed with supplies slung over our shoulders. Chiron comes up the hill with a kid with dark hair, a black military jacket, and a silver skull ring. He's creepy already, and the black three-foot-long sword strapped to his back doesn't boost my confidence. I look to Annabeth for an explanation, which she provides... Sort of.

"That's Nico," she says.

Chiron and Nico reach us. "Percy, this is-"

"Nico di Angelo," Nico says, holding out a hand. "What is this, the third time we've been introduced?" A thin smile edges its way onto his lips.

I laugh to be polite, but in my head I'm saying, Say what now?

Annabeth smiles. "I guess we're shadow traveling?"

Nico nods, then sticks two fingers in his mouth and whistles. Almost immediately a bear comes bounding up the hill and leaps on top of me, knocking me to the ground.

"What the-" I start, then realize that the bear isn't a bear; it's a three-hundred-pound dog.

"What the heck is this thing?!" I ask, as a drop of its drool spots my cheek.

"This is Mrs. O'Leary," Nico says. "She's a hellhound."

Annabeth snorts, and I glare at her. Mrs. O'Leary jumps off of me, and I leap to my feet. "Geez."

"Mrs O'Leary will be helping us shadow travel," Nico explains. "I want to save my strength."

Annabeth raises an eyebrow. "Why?"

Nico shuffles his feet and glances at Chiron, who explains for us. "Tradition states that a quest must consist of three people. Nico requested the third spot."

"You guys don't mind, do you?" Nico smiles sheepishly.

"Of course not." I sling an arm around Nico's shoulders, and his pale cheeks tinge with the slightest bit of pink.

"Well then, I'll leave you to it," Chiron says, then gallops back down the hill.

Annabeth hops onto Mrs. O'Leary's back. "Let's go."

I climb on in front of her, and Nico situates himself in front of me. He closes his eyes and everything goes black.

++

Yay, Nico!!!!

Yeah, for some reason, when I published this whole chapter it only published the first two thirds of it.... Wattpad and I haven't gotten along these past few chapters, I'm afraid....

Question for deddie: what was the first thing Nico said to Percy, ever?

ALERT! ALERT! Contest time! What do you think is Percy's worst memory? It can be from either PJO or HoO. PRIVATE MESSAGE!!!! I WILL NOT ACCEPT ENTRIES BY COMMENT!!! The winner will be announced in the comments and will be private-messaged a sneak peek of Blood of Olympus!

I'm gonna try to make all chapters at least this long from now on; I type this on my iPod so there's no pages or anything, just a bunch of words. ^.^

Disclaimer time!

Nico: It's bad enough that you're sending them back! Why me too?!

Me: Cuz no one else has survived. You guys are special.

All of them: -_-

Me: And so you can spend some quality time with Percy. *wiggles eyebrows*

Nico: O.o What?! I said USED TO!!!!

Me: Teehee.

Percabeth: Wha...?

Me: And you have Uncle Ricky to blame for all your troubles, Nico! Aren't you glad he owns you? It's not my fault you liked Percy!

Percabeth: Wait, WHAT?!

Nico: *lunges at me*

Emo vs. Author: Who Will Win?

Fifteen votes, twenty comments for the next one! *Jamaican accent* You con do eet!

Happy reading,

Katia