Unexpected Visitors

V

NICO

Nico knew someone was about to die.

Normally, the cause of death was a fuzzy feeling at the back of his head, begging to be let out, like a half-formed idea courtesy of his powers. He could knock his head back and forth for hours in frustration without any success. He would ponder and drive himself insane.

For instance, a daughter of Apollo's cat had gone missing about a month ago. The short blonde named Victoria went on a warpath, and being the president of the Ares fan club didn't help matters at all.

She had tried to scalp Malcolm from the Athena cabin when he suggested that Mrs. BUBBLES was most likely dead, only stopped by her idol, Clarisse La Rue, daughter of her favourite cabin, stopped her.

Will still owes her for that.

Anyway, Nico could feel Mrs. BUBBLE's death, despite not usually being able to sense animals' souls, through her closest human, Victoria.

Not that he would say anything to the fiery girl. He liked his head attached.

Yet it bugged him. And bugged him. And bugged him. And bugged him.

He had stayed in his cabin for more than a week straight until he had finally let Will in to eat together, as opposed to him leaving it on his step.

Then, as the son of Apollo did a terrible mouse impression, it hit him. And just like that, the case of Mrs. BUBBLES was solved.

Now?

Mr. Chiron was about to be stabbed by Ms. Minerva McGonagall in the meeting room.

It was like the ending of a game of Clue.

Only, the straight-laced woman had crossed her legs, right hand laying leisurely on a large, gleaming switchblade with a simple leather handle engraved with something unreadable was completely real and not a character in a game, ready to stab the centaur camp director.

You could call it a mixture of his familiarity with death and Underworld powers that alerted him of this.

Nico?

He called it common sense.

Ms. McGonagall's mouth was pressed into a stern line as her green eyes bore into the centaur. Her muscles were as tense as if she was a cat about to pounce on her prey.

Her voice was perfectly controlled, a sharp British accent cutting through the tense atmosphere.

"Chiron."

"No." The answer was quick and breathless.

"Chiron," she threatened, clearly not leaving any room for argument.

Again, a speedy "no" was given out. This time, however, it was quieter as he began to accept the obvious: he would lose this battle.

Despite having just met the woman, Nico got the vibe that she very rarely lost.

The exchange went on for about a minute more, Chiron's answers becoming weaker and sounding more and more desolate until he groaned.

"You know I can't just send them out. It's too dangerous." He was getting upset.

Ms. McGonagall didn't miss a beat. "Safest place I know."

Mr. Chiron let out a horse-like pant, clearly uncomfortable. "Minerva, they'll have my head. I can't officially agree to this."

"Then don't." Nico walked out of the shadows, making the adults whip around to face him.

Ms. McGonagall's piercing gaze made him straighten up and stop slouching, but he refrained, keeping a relaxed demeanour. It would only add to the stressed atmosphere.