fishbowls and goldfishes, he thought it was going to drive him mad. And that speaks a lot because he's been to Tartarus. How can all of these fishes look exactly alike?

Nico could've just shadow traveled away, and easily went back to Camp Half Blood and maybe his glitter fiasco will slowly fade away or everyone will just learn to live that the son of Hades was now less frightening because he was glittery.

But he couldn't just leave Treya. Sure, she was an annoying girl. She accidentally cursed him, constantly bickered with him and was awfully loud, but he couldn't just leave her.

If you say you don't care about me you'd be a big fat liar! Treya had told him, and no matter how much Nico wanted to say no and deny it, Treya was right. Nico had a knack of getting attached to people who constantly stuck with him like his friends: Reyna, Will, the Seven, and even Coach Hedge who despite was much more annoying than Treya, Nico couldn't help but care for him.

The ghosts around him didn't help. They only kept wailing and wailing, they were mostly angry so it was futile to even try to ask them if they had any idea which of these goldfishes were his friend.

Treya's constant blushing around him also didn't help. Nico was definitely on to something, but ever since they got out of Circe's lair, she's been a little different. He wasn't fond of being turned into a plant, having turned into one before so he was glad that she saved him.

Then he accidentally hugged her back in the barn. He was dreaming of the past, of Bianca, and- well, he tried to hug Bianca from his dreams and ended up hugging Treya.

He thought Treya would push him away, but instead she enclosed her arms around him and consoled him. He had been so surprised, to the point that he was the one who pushed her away.

Nico honestly had no idea what he felt for her. Whenever she asked about his abilities, her eyes would sparkle and she would get jittery. Looking at her reminded Nico when he was younger, when he was naive, thought Mythomagic and pirates were his whole life. But he'd been very flattered when Treya told him he's the strongest demigod she's ever met and that she wasn't afraid of him.

Sure, he scared her back at Camp when they first met through Capture the Flag and thought her reactions were pretty amusing. He'd felt massive fear from her, but was soon eaten up with anger and they started bickering.

"THREE MINUTES!" The speaker boomed, Nico glared at the ceiling and turned back to the fishes.

"Treya," All the goldfishes looked at him with those sad eyes.

Nico sighed, "You have to help me, or else you'll be a goldfish forever," Suddenly all the goldfishes started acting erratically.

Suddenly, Nico thought he was back at Camp Half Blood, and that he was chatting with Jason about the most random things like how the renovations of their cabins were going. But just as he was about to wonder, he was pulled back to the old surplus place again.

All the goldfishes were still erratic, but one fell on the bed of rocks.

Nico grinned, and grabbed the goldfish bowl and the goldfish stirred to life, swimming around.

"Smart," Nico commented and the goldfish only nodded.

"Have you chosen your pet?" A voice said behind him.

Nico turned, a sharp look on his face as he held the goldfish bowl tightly.

"Yes,"

The man squinted his eyes towards the goldfish and rolled his eyes before snapping his fingers and in a flash, Treya knocked Nico off balance and they landed on the floor.

Nico noticed that Treya was hardly moving, and was terribly soaking wet. He acted fast, he got up and helped Treya up.

"Information," Nico pressed and he took out his Stygian Iron sword.

Treys suddenly staggered, and Nico caught her by the waist before she collapsed. Nico set her down, and placed his palm on her forehead which was burning hot. He noticed she was getting paler by the minute.

Nico glared, clenching his fists "What have you done with her?"

The man laughed, "Oh don't worry, just a side effect. Anyway, about this information. You're only entitled to one piece of information, in exchange for the compass,"

Nico leaned over to Treya who grabbed his wrist, tugging gently.

"My mother," She whispered softly

Nico clenched his teeth, he wanted to ask for something else. Like how to get her back to normal, but he risked the gamble.

"Hecate's whereabouts, where is she?" Nico asked, his sharp glare on the man didn't fade.

The man paused, "Hecate? Tracking a goddess isn't very easy, especially someone who's the goddess of magic so I can't give her exact location. Head southwest, recently I've been told Hecate took frequent visits near the Roman camp,"

Nico wanted to stab the man, because the information was a bit vague, but that would have to do. He then placed his sword on his side and crouched in front of Treya.

"Get on my back," Nico said, gesturing his arms so he could hold onto her.

Treya mumbled a bit of Ancient Greek curses, and Nico happened to catch one of them, saying that her head hurt before she slowly clamped around the son of Hades like a koala.

Nico could feel himself heat up, but ignoring it he stood up and carried her, gripping her thighs tightly so she wouldn't fall off.

But Nico doubted that, since Treya's arms were coiled on his neck tightly.

"Come back again!" He waved and Nico rolled his eyes.

He wouldn't come back here.

But just as he was about to shadow travel again, with a sick looking Treya on his back the man started running towards them with immense speed.

"You tricked me! Come back! You thieves!" He boomed, and Nico was wondering what he was talking about, but he didn't even want to deal with him anymore so he stepped into the shadows.

Just after the Second Giant War, Nico was off limits to any of his abilities for nearly a year. He was bummed of course, but he was starting to fade. He was starting to become a shadow. He developed a fear of the dark, like Treya, but when he figured out he had to absolutely manage his rests and limit his powers, he could use his abilities normally without fading away.

Nico had hoped he would shadow travel them near Camp Jupiter immediately but he knew it was too good to be true. This was his biggest jump of the journey, which was only a few hundred miles, but he knew he'd have to rest for two days.

When they arrived, they popped out on a busy street. Nico then carried Treya to a nearby cafe who looked a little sick. Nico ordered them some lunch, and when he got back to the table Treya was looking nauseous.

"What did that man mean back there?" Nico mumbled but Treya only giggled like a drunk.

Nico huffed, and took out the nectar from her backpack and aided her to drink only very little because too much would kill her. Slowly the color returned to her face.

Treya smiled and pulled out numerous things from her backpack. A vial with purple viscous liquid, a short chain and a game. Nico stared at the items, and looked at Treya with anger.

"You stole?!" Nico exclaimed

Treya shrugged, "But his items were stolen too, from people who never passed his test,"

"Never mind that, why would you- is that Mythomagic?" Nico paused, the game suddenly sending him a wave of memories.

The girl in front of him grinned, "Yeah! Do you play too? I used to play when I was a child, but mine got lost,"

"I used to, not anymore," Nico grumbled

Treya laughed, "Oh come on, it's okay! Stop being ashamed!"

Nico wanted to get angry with her, tell her that the reason why his sister died was because of that stupid game but he couldn't. Instead, he shook his head and pointed at the other things on the table.

"I don't know what's inside this vial-"

"You dont?!" Nico burst a vein. He'd never seen a daughter of Hecate so clumsily using her abilities, now she didn't know what was the potion inside the vial she stole.

Treya glared, "Oh cut me some slack! It's probably helpful! And this chain, it's a necklace but when I took it from the shelf, it elongated into a large chain, probably enough to chain Typhon!" She said giddily. Nico started wondering how he never noticed how she quickly picked things up. With her skill, she might've been mistaken for a daughter of Hermes.

Nico looked at her weirdly, "You do know how big Typhon is, right?"

"Let a girl dream!"

Soon enough they were both eating, and Nico told Treya about the plan to head to Camp Jupiter but that they would have to rest for two days maximum because Nico couldn't afford another shadow jump.

Treya glanced at Nico before stuffing her mouth of two or three pastries, Nico wasn't really sure. It wasn't attractive to see but Nico didn't really care. Since the start of this quest, all they've been eating were cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets and although Nico loved McDonald's, he knew they had to eat other food as well.

"So," Treya started with her mouth full

Nico rolled his eyes, pouring a glass of water for her which she gladly took.

"Where are you planning to sleep?" She asked, her words much more clearer now.

He shrugged, when they were travelling with the Athena Parthenos, they just slept basically anywhere because they had no time to look for places to sleep and the fact that sleeping in an inn or a hotel would leave the massive Athena statue unguarded.

But then he felt it, "There's an underground cave nearby,"

Treya looked at him as if he was insane. These were the times that Nico was reminded that Treya, despite being already sixteen, was still mortal at heart.

"You want to sleep in an underground cave?" She asked, the pitch of her voice increasing.

"Sure," He's wandered around Tartarus, what was so bad about an underground cave?

"But I- I don't like the dark!" She blurted out, and Nico couldn't help but laugh a little.

"I'll be there, don't worry," He reassured, although his voice was in a teasing manner, he meant it wholeheartedly.

Treya blushed for a second and looked away as she fiddled with the chain necklace on her neck, "If you haven't forgotten, you sleep like the dead,"

"Anyway, give me your necklace,"

Treya shook her head, "Aren't you cool enough already? Let me have something cool for once!"

"No you idiot, I'll return it, I'll just... make some adjustments,"

She hesitated, but she gave him the necklace. Nico twisted his silver skull ring and took it off, looping it on the chain.

"Here," He said, handing the necklace back to the now flustered girl.

"Why?" She squeaked, taking the necklace and putting it back on. The faint green glow of his skull ring magnified for a second and dimmed back to it's original color.

He looked away, not bothering to answer Treya still looked like a ripe tomato who ate her soup clumsily. Nico wanted to be oblivious. Treya was like an open book to him. He was very familiar with the feeling itself, so he wasn't so stupid regarding the matter.

He cared for her, but he wasn't so sure if he felt the same way.