Chapter 17: The Many Confrontations

Chapter 17

The Many Confrontations

~Camp Half-Blood, Long Island South~

|| Nico Di Angelo||

Upon teleporting out of that room, we all landed in front of the entrance. Percy already ahead of us by a few steps, his cloak billowing behind him as we follow in the same formation as we had back in Olympus. We could see we're already attracting other campers who, I'm guessing, didn't know we were coming. Percy stopped in the middle, for a brief moment I considered asking him what was wrong when I heard hooves thumping which signals the arrival of our former mentor.

Chiron walked past the crowd of students who made a path for him as he comes by. When he got to us, he stopped dead. All color drained from his face as he took each and every one of his fallen, now risen, campers. When he faced Percy head on, there it was; the emotions I've been seeing on everyone's faces ever since we returned to this planet. The regret and shame and guilt. I didn't have to look at Percy to know his expression, I've been at his side for far too long that I could just easily tell from the slope of his shoulders.

"What in the Gods' name is happening?" The former mentor finally asked after a moment of silence in shock, when no one had spoken, from his side and ours.

Percy stood impossibly straighter, "We're here to aid you in the upcoming war. As you were not in the meeting, I will leave all the details that need explaining to your campers who are well on their way back. In the meantime, we will be taking setting up our fortress somewhere in between both camps. Good day." He only nodded and continued walking. There was no falter in his step or a crack in his voice. He was truly treating this mission as if it was regular and not as if he's not back to the planet that gave him so much suffering. There was no weakness.

Not that I blame him. He has all the right.

Chiron turned to us with a questioning look. I look to Silas who simply nodded grimly. I took a step forward, representing the Army. "We're the Army of the Universes, Chiron. We serve under the command of Percy as he is our commander under the power of Chaos, the Creator. There is a war brewing and the Gods have asked us to help you and prepare you for the war."

"I do know about the war," Chiron said, "What I want to know is how did this happen?" He asked, looking pointedly at everyone behind me.

"That is not an information you need to know, Chiron," I responded stiffly, "If you'll excuse us."

We silently headed to the direction our commander had gone, who is no doubt, had started working on the cabin we would have. As we walk, the other soldiers had begun conversations to themselves while I was invested in seeing the new changes. They weren't much from what I could tell, but I could sense the change. Atmospheric and appearance-wise.

Percy had tried to pass it off the day we got the news. He made it seem light-hearted and an easy job but I know him better than that. This would not be easy, not when he's helping the people who he trusted had betrayed him and the fact that these couple centuries had not been easy for him and had caused previous wounds to open. I'm his best friend, for crying out loud. He should know better than to lie to me, but if he wants some privacy about it then so be it.

What I don't understand however is why is he trying to hide such important information. I've only caught snippets of Percy and Chaos' conversation. I have no exact proof but I know there is something bigger, much bigger than this. Something they're not telling everyone.

I stared at the direction where the rumble had begun, not soon after, a cabin that is the same size, perhaps bigger, as the Big House. That's to be expected, though, he is, after all, the prince of the Universe.

~

Hours later, Percy had disappeared in the training room. Again. That's what he seems to do in his free time anyways. He instantly left right after dinner. No one bothered or even dare to cross him, not unless they want a sword pierced through their head, no.

Everyone hung out in the lounge room, acting completely normal. Perhaps they aren't. I know they're basically itching to go out and look around at their previous home but, if they're like me, then they'd be too anxious to do so.

How am I supposed to face him? It's been years and he still hadn't changed. He had matured and had grown taller but it's still him. The same guy who still supported that sun-kissed hair and the guy who easily crawled its way in and became someone very important to me.

I came back fully prepared that he would not be there anymore, not after so many years but seeing his piercing eyes boring straight through me, leaving a mark and opening the door that I had long ago closed. It took everything in me not to turn my head and meet his eyes and just walk up to him and kiss the living daylights out of him, The job however is much more important right now. 

Besides, I doubt that he is alone right now. All those years, he must've found someone.

~

It was hours later when the sky had turned dark, everyone had settled in for a movie, that Percy had come down the stairs. His hair was dripping wet and he is wearing his cloak, there's no weapon visible but underneath that there are deadly and enough to take out a whole branch of monsters, hiding underneath those clothing.

After all, why would he need weapons when he is basically one himself. 

He glanced at the screen before meeting his eyes with mine, "Nico, would you mind going to the Big House and to Chiron to tell him about the meeting tomorrow afternoon."

"Already?" Leo questioned with a mouthful of popcorn in his mouth.

Percy merely smirked, a knowing glint in his eyes shone, "Got somewhere to go, Valdez?"

It seemed that vague sentence hit a point because Leo's ears had turned into a rose pink and caused him to shake his head.

Percy turned to me to which I only nodded at. "I'll see you all tomorrow," he stated, shrugging on the hood of the cloak. It was the same cloak I had seen him when we were in Elysium. I remembered that for the reason that this was made of pure darkness.

"Where are you going?" Luke asked.

A small dry smile appeared in Percy's lips, the only part visible. "I've got an overdue visit to pay."

~

Since I had not changed, I only had to shrug on my cloak before I'm out the door where a portal is waiting for me. I supposed Percy left it there for my use. With the destination in mind, I stepped in.

It was less than 20 seconds when I landed on the front porch of the Big House. I entered without any hesitation and found the campers who were in the throne room this afternoon all seated together around the fireplace together with Chiron. They all wore a serious face and I did the best I could to not have my gaze linger on him as I surveyed them for a moment. I didn't allow myself to feel or show any weakness.

"Nico." Annabeth said, "What are you doing here?" I assessed her, to her curled ponytailed blonde hair to her running shoes. It also took everything in me not to drop this woman in the void. I should've forgiven her all these years for doing those things. I'm not as angry anymore but she's done nothing to earn forgiveness to Percy.

"I've been sent by Percy to tell you of the upcoming meeting tomorrow afternoon, 3 pm sharp."

"Nico....." I heard Hazel's cracked voice, the plead in her voice and the hopeful gleam was written loud and clear on her face, just like everyone, but they wouldn't get anything.

"That's all," I stated firmly, turning on my heels and leaving them all behind with the silent message that their pleas would not be heard.

I didn't bother making a portal as I could just walk and the fact that the lingering campers moved out of their way to let me pass made it easier. There really hasn't been much change except for the fact that the border is much bigger to accompany Camp Jupiter right by the Amphitheater. I headed that way as our cabin was in between both camp but further down the Climbing Wall, close to the Fireworks Beach.

Just as I passed the Amphitheater and entering the woods, I finally acknowledge the footsteps following me; I've heard it the moment I stepped I passed the volleyball court. I knew who is the owner of it. How could I not?

I stopped. Just as he did.

His breathless voice followed, called out to me just as he had before."Nico."

I turned around, facing the sky blue-eyed man and finally meeting them straight on for the first time in a long time. "Will."

~

||Percy Jackson||

It's painful.

Just standing at that throne room and seeing their faces, it was as if a knife was slowly cutting through the endless stitches of my wound. Their images now, the helpless and regretful and shameful they are now flashes in and out together with their faces as that night happened.

I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the fact that the rest of the world, mortal or not, is in danger and the new campers who had done nothing. Still, it does nothing to lessen the constant stab inside as memories I'd rather forget rises up and play over and over my head like a broken record.

The darkness of the night and shadows gathered around me bending around on my will, it was easier this way than have to tolerate the campers' curious and fearful stares and lessen the chances of seeing the immortal campers. 

I don't wanna deal with them, not right now. Not when my emotions are running high. I may not have entirely forgiven them for what they had done to me but that doesn't mean I'm okay with hurting them because I couldn't control my powers when my emotions are out of control.

I passed by the cabins, stopping in front of Cabin 3. I could see silhouettes moving from the windows. I stood there for a while until some silhouette stopped right in front of the window as if sensing I was there. With a bitter chuckle, I closed my eyes and continued my journey.

 Well, Poseidon has been busy it seems, hope to Callithrix that they all didn't turn out like Timothy, that they turned out someone much better than him and in their right mind to not follow his lead.

Oh, how the Poseidon bloodline would fall if that were to happen.

I continued walking until I reached the arena that looked like the Colosseum in Italy. Although the Arena is smaller, it's a complete circle first of all and there's hardly any spectators seat except for at least three rows. It's a bit smaller than the last time I saw it but then again, your perspective changes once you've been to places no human can ever dream of going to.

I entered the place where I used to train in my demigod days and found the reason for my late night visit in the arena. She's situated in the middle of the training ground, surrounded by dummies, a box of her toys not far away. Mrs. O'Leary was curled up, sleeping soundly with a miniature plushie of me close to her.

The plushie, which had my scent all over it, I had delivered to her in those 3 years I was training. I had a special package made delivered to Camp Half-Blood that clearly stated it for her, and only her. To make sure no one would open it and take it from her, the packing cannot be open by anything unless it's in the hands of the recipient.

 Once it was in the hands of Mrs. O'Leary, it had unfolded itself leaving the content inside. I had felt guilty of leaving her and I could not think of any other way. I couldn't come back. I didn't want to. I didn't have it in me.

I couldn't bring her with me when I left for the same reason with Blackjack and that I didn't think I'd survive out there with the monsters trailing after me, I wasn't planning to survive. I didn't have the will to. I didn't take precaution as I did before everything went to hell, I simply lived my life like a normal person, ready for any monsters to have a piece of me. Until, of course, not before long I met Nyx.

Crouching down in front of the giant sleeping hellhound, I smiled. She still doesn't know that I'm literally right in front of her. I laid a gentle hand on her cheeks, lightly stroking her soft fur and softly said, "Thank you for waiting, Mrs. O'Leary."

The hound's ears picked up just as her eyes opened. If it weren't for my fast reflexes, I probably would have been thrown at the other side of the arena. Mrs. O'Leary stood still, sniffing me, trying to assess who I am since I'm wearing the cloak that Nyx and Erebus have given me. I pull down the hood and smiled at the hound, embracing myself for the upcoming attack of licks. Instead, I got something different.

She walked over closer to me while I removed my cloak, she proceeded to walk around me. Possibly trying to see if I'm actually real. Suddenly, she stopped right in front of me, leaned in her front paws and began whimpering.

That's when I realized, she's crying.

Guilt hit me like an ocean wave and sweeping me off my feet. I kneeled down once again, patting her. "I'm sorry that we keep leaving you, Mrs. O'Leary. You must've been lonely all this time, haven't you?"

She nudged me, scooching closer to me. I sat down next to her, her face leveled with my head, and finally, she turned and licked my cheeks. The roughness of her tongue made me wince a bit but it's nothing I cannot handle. In the dim light that I had provided as to not let the other campers know anyone is in here, it was just the two of us for the next few hours catching up together.

~

||Nico Di Angelo||

I looked at the camp with dwindling campers walking around, for a moment before sighing. It was going to happen either way. I looked at Will Solace, son of Apollo, who stared at me with the same intensity that I didn't know I missed until I had seen it again for the first time in years.

The world had turned blurry around us, the force of teleportation pulling us both as I snapped my fingers to move us somewhere quieter and lessen the possibility of others walking in our conversation.

When I felt my feet touch the solid ground again, we were somewhere deep in the North Woods. I breathed in the smell of earth surrounding me. The wind was gentle, carrying the breeze from the sea. I could hear the crickets and nocturnal animals around us, the gentle stream Zephyros Creek. It was much darker now that we were far away from the light of the camp but the moon gave us light, making everything silvery and pale.

Will Solace stood beside me, leaning on a branch still dizzy and unstable from the teleportation, which isn't very unusual for first timers.

"My Gods, that was horrible." Will retched.

"That's normal for first timers. It'll be gone in 10 seconds or so." I told him, shrugging as I watched him gather himself, trying to maintain my indifference to him. "So," I said again, once I was sure he could talk. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Will Solace gave me that look, the look that his blue eyes clearly said that I'm an idiot for asking a question so obvious. "How did you know I wanted to talk to you?"

Now, it was my turn to give him the same look. I scoffed, "You were following me. I think that speaks for itself."

"How did you know then that I was following you? You could hear hardly any footsteps."

"Solace," I said, shaking my head at the pure curiosity in his face and bewilderment. He probably must've been proud of that, he is an immortal after all. "I'm the second in command in the Army for the Universe. I've trained for 50,000 years under heavy conditions. You think I wouldn't hear you?"

He looked down and bit his lip, "Fine," he sighed. "I wanna know why you left."

"Why? Did you think that after what I had witnessed, everyone betraying the person who risked everything for the sake of everyone's happiness, I would stay?" I said, the memory of that night flashing before my eyes. "Solace, I was there when Percy kept calling me during his mission for the Gods, injured and could barely move in some random hotel because it was that hard that the most powerful demigod I used to know couldn't leave unscathed. There were many times he wanted to give up but he kept moving despite it being hard, not just physically but mentally. What for? For everyone to be happy and not be bothered by any Gods and he comes home to utter betrayal."

"We didn't mean it for it to happen!" Will Solace defended. "Timothy, that arrogant bastard, poisoned us."

"He did. We know he did. You all, however, were stupid enough to trust dim-witted, good for nothing demigod. You favored all him as soon as he came and made the person who won both wars for you all into an outcast."

Will took a sharp intake of breath, from either what I've said to him or that my powers are showing. From the emotion that flickered in his eyes, I take it that it's both of them. "If you left because of that......," his voice had turned low, so quiet that it was a mere whisper, easily lost to the breeze. "Why didn't you stay for me?"

"You expect me to stay at the place so ready to turn their backs on you after doing so many things for them? There was nothing for me at this camp. And if I did,  I didn't want to spend my life watching you be happy with someone else, if I stayed for you. I did both of us a favor."

He faltered as if he didn't expect me to answer before his eyes flashed with anger and disbelief, "A favor?" He laughed bitterly, "Gods, Nico. I was miserable! Happy with someone else, you say. What would you know about my happiness, di Angelo? Huh? I was the happiest when I'm with you!"

"And you think I wasn't?" I returned the same bitter laugh. "You cannot possibly--"

"No," Will said, cutting me off. "You are the one who cannot possibly imagine how I felt. I returned from a training trip across the world and as I got back, preparing myself on how to tell you my feelings, and suddenly I get the news from a panicked, hysterical Hazel that you're gone. How do you think I felt?"

I stopped. "What feelings?" No. No. No. That's not possible. Right? This person. The person who was bright and stubborn and shining would have feelings for someone like me?

He let out a short, sharp laugh. "By the Styx, di Angelo. Do you not get it still? I love you."

I think I had gone deaf because I'm not sure I heard him properly or maybe I'm hallucinating. And so I asked, "What?"

He looked at me straight in the eye and said, "For Gods' sake, Nico di Angelo. I love you."

~

|| Percy Jackson||

Much to my reluctance and Mrs. O'Leary, I left her with a promise that I'll come back again tomorrow and we'd take a trip out of the camp. I began my walk again in the dark knight, passing by the armory and stopping at the Stables. It was dark, not even the silvery light of the moon didn't get through but as I stepped inside, the lights flickered on as I get deeper in the stable. The voices of the horses, their confusion, ringing loudly in my ears.

Although, there's one voice I haven't heard yet. I ended up at the very end of the stable, watching the black pegasus look at me curiously. I narrowed my eyes and said, "Blackjack?" This can't be Blackjack. I know it isn't.

The pegasus in front of me perked up, "Who are you?" His voice spoke in my head, "How do you know my father?" At that question, my lips tilted into a grin, pride filling my chest. Oh, Blackjack. I knew it was going to happen at some point.

I pull down my hood, "An old friend."

The young pegasus took a step back and whinnied, "The Percy Jackson?"

I nodded.

Blackjack's son turned around and disappeared somewhere in his stable. It seemed they had made it bigger to fit for families. I could hear Blackjack's son forcing his father to come up front, apparently, he had been sleeping and so he hadn't heard the conversation. All the other horses too had shut their mouths and waited.

I had been managing to keep the thought away, the thought that he had died, but now, the relief was immense and my heart light as I heard Blackjack's hooves come closer. Once he had stepped into the area of light, I smiled. "You look good, Blackjack. They've been giving you plenty enough apples, haven't they?"

Blackjack seemed frozen before finally, he snapped out of it. "Boss!" As he called out his nickname for me, it was broken and cracked. "Where have you been? I honestly thought you would never come back. I knew you would at some point while everyone thought you were dead."

I opened the stable and waited for him to step out. "You weren't alone. I didn't think I'd come back this soon."

I placed my head on his black head and stroked him, feeling the silkiness of his skin, as he spoke. "You don't know how glad I am to see you all these years, Boss!"

"I know, Blackjack. I know. I missed you too, you know."

"I wish you took me with you when you left, Boss. It was quite boring."

I chuckled, "Don't say that, Blackjack. Look at you. You still look good and you've got a family now. I think I made the right decision even it meant I had to leave you behind."

He nudged me with his snout. "Yeah, that was my son you met moments ago. He's a handful."

"Hey!" The young pegasus cut in. "Ace. My name is Ace. It's so nice to finally meet you, Mr. Jackson! Pops talks a lot about you and all your adventures with and without him. You're, like, my hero!"

"It's also nice to meet you, Ace." An apple materialized in my hand, two of them shining red. "Do you like apples too?" I asked, offering Blackjack's son and to him himself. He took it without question. Both of them did. Like father like son, indeed.

"This taste like the apples in the crate that always filled up every two months," Blackjack commented, still chewing soundly at the fruit.

I chuckled, "Well that's because both of them are from me."

"No!" He replied, shocked. When I nodded as a confirmation. He jumped, bumping into me, just slightly. "Boss, you are the best!"

"Still up with the nickname, I see."

"It'll always stay there, Boss. I think you owe me as much for leaving me."

I shook my head, smiling still. Oh, how good it is to see him again, "I've been giving you apples!"

"Nope. That's not going to cut it. It'll stay there until the end of time, Boss."

~

||Nico di Angelo||

It felt like the wind knocked out of me. I couldn't feel the oxygen coming in and out. I was frozen in time, blinking and staring at the blonde-haired, blue-eyed, freckled man in front of me, his tan cheeks reddened, from both frustration and blushing while breathing hard from exhilaration.

"No. No." I repeated, voicing that word out loud. "I spent years, trying and learning to push you out of my mind, just when I thought I had..... you go ahead and do this. Don't do that to me, Solace. I spent eons trying to forget you and suddenly, my first day at my mission, you tell me such thing. You of all people do not get to do that to me."

"Nico," Will said, "I meant what I said. I do." I turned away from him, about to walk away when his pleading voice called after me. "Nico, please. Turn around. Look at me and see that there is no lie." I heard his footsteps come closer to my rigid body, "Nico, I let you slip away once without knowing how I felt and I'm not letting that happen again. So, please."

I don't know what caused me to turn around, either it's his the desperation on his voice or my own desire to see him and let him see what I felt.

"Will--" I didn't get to say more because, in a split second, I felt his warm lips on mine. The feeling of his body so close to me more than it ever was brought me down to my knees but still I held him up. It took me a split second to actually respond and when I did, I made sure to release all the pent up feelings held inside me for far too long. The feelings I had for him. I held onto him as if my life depended on  it, just as he did so. 

"Nico," he sighed, it was filled with relief and joy, as he connected our foreheads together looking at me with star-filled eyes and a bright as sun smile. "I meant all I said tonight. From the bottom of my heart. I hope you know that."

It took me a moment to reply, before finally smiling at him. "I know."

~

Alright. Alright. Alright. 

Here you go, you lovely people. Before you all go down to the comment section or what not. I just wanna address a few things. A lot of things, to be honest, since the last time I updated. 

1. I know this chapter was cheesyyyyyy.Like an extra cheese that attracts the mice. I'm sorry if you didn't enjoy this chapter by the cheesiness and I'm not sorry if you did. I needed to make this chapter. As there was no scene about Percy, Blackjack and Mrs. O'Leary in my originally written story of this fanfic. 

2. I ship Solangelo. You cannot tell me otherwise. So, yes. I had to make one for them. Also, I was kind of influenced by the headcanons I see online about them, in a way. Don't blame me, they were cheesy. I like cheesiness sometimes. I hope I didn't overdo it. (Tell me if I did. please.)

3. This was a 4,000-words chapter. 10 pages with Times New Roman font sized 12 and 1.15 line spacing. This chapter is pretty long. I don't know why I'm saying this. I think I'm just very proud cuz' it's been a while since I've written something that long. 

4. I can't dedicate a chapter to more than one person and I'm kinda bummed about that because there are so many people I wanna dedicate things too. Although, I made sure to post a thank-you to everyone who votes on any of my stories, while shamelessly promoting other of my stories. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I'm a horrible human being. Just because I don't dedicate a chapter or reply to your comment doesn't mean I don't see it or don't appreciate you. I do, you all wonderful, lovely human being. As if I haven't said this enough. 

5. This fanfic has reached a level where I never thought I'd see on something I work so hard. And I am so happy and grateful to you guys. 6.6K reads and 300 something votes. Oh my god, you guys! Thank you so so so so so so so much that you had stuck around me this long. I really am grateful to you all. 

I love you guys so much! *huuuuugsssss*

I hope you enjoy this chapter even though it's cheesy ( I should really stop saying that, shouldn't I?). Please vote and comment and let me know what you think. I love feedbacks. Also, I'm sorry I haven't updated in a long time, I'm a lazy person. Still hope you stick around for the next one. 

Thank you!

~Leannexo