Bonus (Unfinished Draft)

"So let me get this straight," Hazel told Percy, "You want me to ride Arion out to you guys, then ride with everyone all the way to a lake on the border of California?"

"You make it sound so... crazy. It didn't sound crazy in my head."

"Percy, I just got back to Camp Jupiter."

"Please?"

"Besides, Arion can only carry two people at once."

"So you and either Delylah and Nico ride Arion, and Blackjack and I will carry the other person!"

"...Fine."

"Yay! Thanks Hazel!"

While Percy tells Hazel where we are, I look towards Nico, who was stuffing his last chicken nugget in his mouth.

"Rock, paper, siccors to decide who gets to pick!" Something flashes in his eyes, before he quickly puts down his food and gets ready.

"Rock, paper, siccors," we say at the same time. I chose rock, and he did paper.

"Best two outta three!"

The same emotion crosses Nico's eyes once again. This time, I recognize it as sadness. But just as quickly as it was there, it was gone. He smiled, "I knew you'd say that." And with that, we played again, him beating me twice again.

"How are so good at this?"

"I-" he frowned, "I don't know."

I shrugged my shoulders, "OK, who do want to ride with then?"

"Hazel."

I stuck out my tongue, "Of course you do."

He rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

Geez, what a sudden mood change, I thought.

"Hazel will be here any minute, I'm going to call Blackjack over. You guys make sure you're ready, OK?" Percy asked us.

"No problem!" I told him, shoving the rest of my fries into my mouth. Nico didn't say anything, just stood up to take his trash to the can a few feet away.

Percy notices me watching him as he walked away and leaned towards me to wisper, "What happened?"

"I have no idea," I whispered back. He sat straight again and started concentrating to contact Blackjack.

Nico sat back down next to me and I looked over. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," he told me, but I could tell he was lying.

"Is it Will again?" He shook his head. "Then what is it?"

"Nothing."

"Well, it has to be something."

"It's not! OK?" He snapped.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

"I shouldn't have shouted."

I smiled, "It's OK."

We sat for a while in silence, waiting for Hazel and Blackjack to get here. It shouldn't be long.

Ahead of us was a street with cars, of of different models whooshing past, father than that was the tall buildings of New York. You know the kind. The ones you always see but never know their purpose. Behind us a park. Lush green trees and fields of long, waving grass. I stood and walked over to the trash can to throw away the small cardboard container from my happy meal.

Just as I sat down, Blackjack landed behind us and Arion came trotting up from the sidewalk.

"Yeah, I get it bro, you're going to slow," Percy said to Arion before turning to Blackjack behind us, "Are you ever going to stop calling me Boss?" Blackjack neighed before Percy laughed, "I can't afford all the donuts in the world!"