RELÁMPAGO, leo valdez

XXI. what comes first? the stone or power?

0021. | WHAT COMES FIRST?
THE STONE OR POWER?

          Nadia lost sight of Jason and Piper pretty quickly. She had hoped that she'd be able to watch them the whole time on the island in case they needed a hand but they had left a little while ago into the forest line of palm trees. Thankfully Percy was just as fidgety as Nadia and the two had stuck to the top deck where she and him were making small talk with the sharks.

           Nadia thought it was super cool that Percy could talk to any sea creature (and horses too), and Percy thought it was totally awesome that she was telepathic and so could converse with any creature with a mind. Apparently they had spent a while gossiping with the sharks because Hazel had brought them up breakfast, a bowl each of fruit and granola that Percy pretended to be grateful for. Nadia could tell he appreciated the sentiment, just not the bowlful of his five-a-day.

"So how long have you and Nico known each other?" Percy asked, his voice a little muffled because of the raspberry stuffed in his mouth.

"Um, about six months. Crazy story, actually." She said. "So I was in the Underworld after I killed Enceladus—but before Gaea possessed me—and my uncle was about to teach me to raise the dead but then Nico showed up. It was so cool, he just came out of the shadows. Uncle Hades says I'll be able to do that too once I find the Shadow Stone, but I haven't found any more since our quest." She took a breath. "How'd you know him?"

Percy stared at her for a second before blinking hard. "Right..." He cleared his throat. "I rescued him from a monster that kidnapped Annabeth." Percy swallowed his raspberry. "He's been in and out of camp since, but we're still friends... well, he did betray me and lead me into a trap once, and he did pretend not to know me at Camp Jupiter, but other than that, yeah, good friends." Nadia smiled, classic Nico.

           They returned to speaking to the dolphins who had returned to say that a sea turtle named Bubbles had a crush on a seahorse named Sage. Nadia wasn't so enthralled by the revelation, but Percy was. According to Percy, Bubbles had had a crush on Sage for a few years now and he wanted to know how it ended. He was a bit bummed out that there wasn't yet a conclusion, but he told the dolphins to keep him posted.

             Nadia was just finished her cereal when she saw two figures emerge back onto the beach with Hercules. She could tell it was Jason and Piper, even from the distance (Leo had got her glasses for her when he noticed she wasn't wearing them). She could see Piper holding something but she couldn't tell what, and Jason looked a bit wet like he'd gone for a swim.

             Need a hand? Nadia asked him, and Jason glanced back at the ship that still floated a few hundred feet away.

             Yea— Jason didn't finish his thought because suddenly the thing that Piper was holding erupted like a shotgun. Hercules was pummelled with hams and fruits and gifting delicacies, leaving him in a pile of fresh looking produce. Nadia frowned, looking at Percy to see if he had any idea what the hell just happened but he was gone.