From Camp Half-Blood to Gotham (Nico x Batfam)

Beware of: Everything (43)

"...so," Jason said slowly, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet and looking around. "How is this supposed to work?"

Nico ignored him, focusing on the shiny rock in his hand. It felt like it was vibrating slightly in his palm, aching to get into the ground. From what Batman had told him they were somewhere in Spain. Which wasn't very close to Greece, but it was closer than he had thought they would get.

"I'm not sure what this is supposed to do other than guide us through the Labyrinth," Nico mumbled, reaching down, and tugging the moist soil aside, creating a small hole in the ground. Hades said to plant the stone, did that mean just toss it in and cover it with dirt? Or did he have to like, water it? Like a plant. Not that Nico knew a lot about plants.

"So, we're going through a supposedly really dangerous place with only a rock that you know nothing about?" Artemis frowned; she was starting to annoy him.

"Yep." Nico flipped his hand over and plopped the rock into the little hole he made before pushing the dirt he displaced back into the hole.

"This entire thing seems like a great plan." She grumbled, turning around to exchange glances with Green Arrow.

Nico just rolled his eyes and pressed his palm over the little mound. He could feel the rock vibrating in the ground. It was working, or at least he thought it was.

He looked up, watching Batman for a reaction. Bruce's face had remained stone-cold and expressionless the entire day. And Nico wondered if Bruce was mad at him.

Instead, he was blinded by the bright light circle that sliced through the air, creating a sort of portal.

"I hope we're not late to the fight." Nico couldn't help the tiny grin that spread across his face at the sight of his two favorite superheroes.

Zatanna stepped out of the portal first, her wand raised high above her head. Black Canary followed after, looking a little nauseous.

"You are just in time." Batman nodded to them as the two women walked forward.

"What's going on?" Black Canary asked, looking around at everyone's new weapons.

"We-" Batman was cut off by the ground erupting.

Nico leaped back, trying to avoid the chunks of dirt flying everywhere. The rumbling in the earth had gotten more violent. He could feel the vibrations in his chest. A tiny, clawed skeleton hand shot out of the soil, followed by a grotesque, skeletal creature pulling itself out of the ground. Its bones were ancient and weathered, covered in patches of decaying flesh.

He wrinkled his nose, trying not to gag at the scent. The dead bat slowly crawled over to him, the skinless wings flapping uselessly as it tried to lift itself into the air.

Nico bent back down, holding his hand out for the little skeleton's little hands to grasp on. The skeleton bat squeaked as it clambered into his palm, flapping its useless wings.

"Hey there little buddy," Nico whispered, slowly standing up with the bat balanced precariously in his palm.

"That is supposed to be our guide?" Green Arrow grumbled, staring mistrustingly at the still-squeaking animal.

"It was a gift from a god. I'm sure it will do its job." Nico said flatly, figuring it couldn't hurt to tell them that since Superboy had already spilled the most important part of his identity. Or was it Wonder Woman's fault?

"That was the best a god could do?" Red Hood snorted, reaching out like he was going to be the bat. Nico stopped him.

"Don't underestimate it." He grumbled, watching as the skeleton twirled around in the palm of his hand. It was a smaller bat, maybe a Kitti's hog-nosed bat. "Which way little dude?" He continued, uncomfortably aware of everyone staring at him.