☯︎𝔹𝕣𝕠𝕜𝕖𝕟 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖☯︎

-I'm sorry, who?-

   Ah, and the plot truly begins! Also, reference for Eris!^

   Once Will and Nico got to the ground floor, Steve was already there.

   "Where's Bucky?" Nico asked, and Steve looked up from where he was starting up his bike, already in his tactical gear.

   "He's staying at the tower with Pepper. Are you sure you're...?" His question hung clear in the air. Nico fought back a scowl.

   "Yes. We're Avengers now, aren't we?" He asked rhetorically, and Steve clearly didn't like it, but didn't comment on it any further. Smart decision making on his part.

   Nico hopped onto his bike and Will followed suite, arms wrapping tightly around his waist. Though it was definitely not the smartest, they didn't really have much care for helmets. Always wear helmets on a bike, people.

   Steve sped out of the garage, his shield like a literal target on his back, making it easy for Will and Nico to follow. They weaved in and out of traffic, the only thing stopping them from being arrested being their superhero-get-out-of-jail-free card.

   Internally, Nico wondered if he was going to end up on the news. Probably. He hoped not, anyway. That would be a lot of explaining to do.

   It was clear when they reached their destination because of how empty the streets became- of citizens, that is. When the bike came to a stop and Nico finally had the change to fully survey the scene around him, he swore.

   There was a mob- not quite enough to be considered an army, and too much to be a group- of monsters, maybe fifty or so, all spread out in the street. Hellhounds, Empousai, and cyclopes, who were going to be biggest problem.

   "Nico," Will said urgently in his ear, and Nico understood. They could very damaging to their cover story. How were they supposed to explain how they knew how to kill monsters, and how they were most likely the only ones who were going to be able to kill them?

   "Hey," a voice said from their left, and they both looked over. Natasha stood there, hand outstretched, holding out what seemed to be two small earpieces. Nico didn't bother wondering how she got there, let alone the rest of the team.

   "You're going to need these," she said, and dropped them into Nico's hand. He passed one back to Will, and they both fixed them onto their ears.

   "Um, what exactly am I looking at here?" A voice rang in their ears seconds there, and Nico recognized it as Stark. He bit his cheek. Maybe if they pretended they were just as clueless as everyone else, they wouldn't have to-

   "Nico di Angelo," echoed loudly in the street.

   Welp, there goes that plan.

   "You know this chick?" Stark asked incredulously, and Nico winced, not bothering to answer his question.

   Finally, the owner or the voice stepped into view, and, yes, Nico knew her.

   Her hair was always the same- long, dark, and hanging is waves past her waist. Her skin was pale- from all the time she spent spent below the surface, Nico knew- and the permanent shadows that lingered around her eyes stood out against the whites of the whites of her, though nearly overtaken by her large, black pupils. She seemed to have abomed her usual plain white chiton in favor of a short, black, strapless cocktail dress that came down to about mid-thigh, and her sandals for a simple pair of black heels.

   She, overall, looked pissed off.

   "You remember me, don't you, Son of The Dark One?" She asked, her voice smooth and rolling in a way that made it sound as if if had practically slithered off her tongue.