Everyone Deserves to be Happy (Solangelo)

Let Freedom Ring (Nico)

Nico stumbled backwards, tripping over a tree root and falling flat on his back. The sticks and leaves on the ground dug into his spine, and he vaguely felt the sting of a cut on his elbow. The image of his mother stepped forward, her hand reaching out to grab his throat. Nico closed his eyes, waiting to be reunited with his father.

Suddenly, he heard a crash just in front of him. He opened one eye, and let out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding. The Oracle had left Rachel, melting back into the depths of her soul.She was once again just a brave artist who happened to see through the Mist. But right now, she was collapsed on the ground. He quickly stood up, wincing at the newly forming bruises on his back and arms and reached down to help Rachel up as well. Her emerald eyes flickered open as he was pulling her arm around his shoulder, trying to walk with an entire unconscious person. Her dilated pupils shrunk at the burst of light, and she blinked her eyes closed again.

In a scratchy voice with just a hint of ironic laughter, she said, "I thought I was going to be done with prophecies for a long, long time. I guess no one at the camp is that lucky."

"Yeah," Nico replied. "I think demigods have a knack for trouble. Can you walk?"

"Yes." She tried to stand up, and immediately grabbed onto his arm again to prevent herself from crashing to the floor. "No."

Nico laughed, and pulled her arm farther around his shoulder, this time bracing himself against her weight. Together, they began to hobble back to the main camp.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, while Nico was puzzling through the prophecy in his mind. Obviously I have to go east...so...Europe? Again? Gods dam it. And using my cloak of night, I suppose, is shadow travel. He smiled. Will won't like that. Will. Find solace in my heart. Find Solace. Will...Solace. Nico gasped, and stopped abruptly, nearly dropping Rachel.

"What?" she asked, rather impatiently. But then her face softened. "Oh. You're thinking about the prophecy, aren't you? I wouldn't puzzle over it too much. I mean, none of Percy's prophecies ever ended up the way we..." She stopped, and looked off into the distance. Nico thought he saw her eye's shining slightly, and not just from the light. She coughed, and started walking forward at a faster pace than before. Her voice was raw. "Like I said. Don't worry too much about it."

Nico was surprised to find himself speaking. "Something happened between you, didn't it?" Oh gods why did I ask her that? Why am I so stupid?

To his utter astonishment, she answered. "Yeah. But I guess we all knew Annabeth was the one for him." She raised her chin, defiantly. "And I don't care!"

"Yeah." Nico laughed, dryly. "Me neither."

She looked at him, startled. "What?" Then her mouth opened in an 'o' of understanding. "It all makes so much sense now."

"What does?"

She smiled at him, cheekily. "Everything."

"What?"

"Oh, a girl has her ways. You need to wipe that look of confusion off your face, Death Boy."

"Why does everyone call me Death Boy? Is there a club or something I don't know about?"

"I didn't realize Will Solace had reached the status of 'everyone'"

Nico was speechless. "I don't...he's not..."

"Not what?"

Nico tried and failed to look serious. "Nothing," he grumbled.

"Oh! This is rich!" Rachel threw back her head and guffawed hysterically, yelling at the sky. "I KNEW IT. I TOLD THEM! I'M THE ORACLE! HECK YEAH!"