Nico was spending his afternoon lying in his bed, with his eyes closed, listening to Nanni's soundtrack.
*When your dreams all fail
And the ones we hail
Are the worst of all*
He had already memorized all the lyrics by now.
It's good to finally have some peace.
I can't believe you managed to avoid Lucy all day. How did you do that?
I... have practice avoiding people.
*Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide*
Do you think Skull is going to leave us alone?
Do you?
No...
Tell me, have you ever done something to him?
Not that I can remember.
There has to be a way to get rid of him.
What would you do?
What?
If you had your powers here, what could you do?
I don't know... so many possibilities, so little time...
Tell me the possibilities.
I could call Jules-Albert.
Who?
My zombie chauffeur.
You had a zombie chauffeur? Why?
I'm not old enough to drive, so my father gave me a chauffeur.
What else?
I could summon an army of zombies, just to scare him. I could make a jail around him with bones. I could shadowtravel him to anywhere in the world, and leave him there.
What was the most scaring thing you ever did?
...
Nico?
I... was really angry once, and I... turned a guy into a ghost.
How?
I'm not completely sure. I just did this once. I was so angry, and I think... I kind of sucked all the life from that guy, turning him to a ghost and sending him to the Underworld.
Oh. Okay.
He barely noticed the song had changed.
*And all I can breathe is your life
That sooner or later is over*
Tell me about your sister.
Bella? She died.
I know that, you never told me how she died.
Are you going to tell me about your sister?
Yes.
Well, we were homeschooled for a few years, and then our mother died when our hotel colapsed from an earthquake. It was just us, and then she met some girls and enrolled to a female boarding.
And left you behind.
Yes... she and her friends were outside school, in a forest or something, I don't know. They didn't tell me much. I know a couple of her friends was in danger, I don't know from what, like I said, they didn't bother to tell me much. She saved them, and died in the process. They never found her body, but she was declared dead anyway.
*When everything feels like the movies
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive*
Your sister?
Similar tale. Zeus blew up our hotel, she joined Artemis, missing body, died as a hero, saving her friends.
That hardly has any detail.
*And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think they'd understand*
Fine. First, let me tell you about the oath between the big three...
"Gosh, that's depressing"
Nico almost knocked over his nighstand in his hurry to stand up and face the asian girl he was unfortunaly getting familiar with, leaning against the open door of his bedroom.
"What... Why... HOW did you get inside my house!?"
She just shrugged, not looking him in the eyes.
"I have my methods. You need a new life soundtrack, the current one is just too depressing. First that one talking about demons, and now this one"
"Wait! How long have you been standing there?"
"Enough to know that from now on, you're growing a beard"
"I'm... what?"
"No way I'm letting you near any blade, which means I'm confiscating every type of it. Which includes your razors, so you're growing a beard"
Nico just blinked at her, while she was searching for something on her phone, finally finding it.
"And I already chose the first song of your new life soundtrack"
She pressed play and a song started playing.
*I can show you the world, shining, shimmering, splendid*
"Come on, princess, I'll show you the world CAN understand you, if you just give it a chance. First mission, change your clothes"
"Change my clothes? What for?"
"IT'S HALLOWEEN!!! And we're going to a party!"
She can't be serious.
What is she wearing?
Nico finally noticed the red skirt that was escaping from under her slightly long coat.
"What are you wearing?"
She smiled and took off her coat and spread her arms, showing her entire costume.
"Ta-daaaam"
Shewas wearing a sailor suit, like the ones from japanese high school, with red pleated skirt, white blouse and red sailor-style collar, with a purple ribbon in front. Her black hair was loose, with a gold circlet in her head, which reminded Nico of Thalia's circlet, that marked her as lieutenant of Artemis. Red slippers and a elbow-high white gloves finished her costume. She was looking anxious at him.
"So?"
What do you think?
I don't know. Something from a japanese cartoon? Because of that sailor-like thing?
"Something from a japanese cartoon?"
Her jaw fell, before she got angry.
"I'm Sailor Mars!! Come on, Sailor Moon is a CLASSIC, how could you not know??"
Nico just shrugged. Lucy rolled her eyes before thrusting a heavy bag at him.
"Now change, I'll wait outside your room"
"I'm not going anywhere with you"
"That's okay too. I have another bag. With pajamas, chocolate and board games, so we can have a sleepover here"
"What!?"
"Your choice: Halloween party or sleepover party. Choose wisely, you have five minutes. Tick tock, tick tock"
He met her smug smile with a scowl. They were having a stare off contest and he wasn't backing out.
"Two minutes. And remember, in a party, you can always TRY to escape from me. Here, you have no choice"
What do you think?
She has a point. What about testing your abilities of avoiding people by losting her in a party?
Sounds good.
"Fine!"
"Yay! Now quick, change, and we're off to a party!"
She left his room skipping.
I'm still trying to understand why she decided to be our friend.
I have no idea.
Nico opened the bag, just to yell to Lucy.
"REALLY?"
"What? I thought it was perfect!"
***
Nico opened the door, to find her leaning against the corridor wall, typing in her phone. She looked up when she heard his door and did a once-over.
"Perfect!"
Nico looked skeptical at her. Over his black pants and shirt, she made him wear a ankle-length black coat, with a standing collar and fake leather over his chest and cuffs, with buttons details.
"What am I supposed to be?"
She face palmed, and smiled.
"Right, the last detail!"
Lucy opened her purse and pulled out a red nail polish. She held Nico's face and put a drop in the corner of his lips, letting it slide.
"Ta-daaam, vampire!"
Nico's face was not amused.
"Really?"
"What? I think it's perfect! You're all sick pale, and dark and all that"
"And that's how a vampire dresses?"
"Well... this costume's name is Shadow Walker, but add a drop of blood and ta-dam, vampire!"
Shadow walker?
Almost right, should try shadow traveler next time.
"Now, let's enjoy this Halloween!!"
And she pulled him out of the house.
***
She was pulling him to a party somewhere, and her grip was not that easy to escape from.
"Come on, you should be happy!"
"And why is that?"
"Halloween, day for the dead and all that, you like death, right?"
"Halloween is NOT the day of the dead. Halloween is a contracted version of All Hallow's Eve, also called All Saint's Eve. Tomorrow is All Saint's Day and the day after tomorrow is All Soul's Day, and that's the day to celebrate the dead"
"How do you know all that? It's a little creepy"
"Like you said, I like death"
"Like I said too, creepy"
How do you know all that?
I tried to learn and comprehend the celebrations and traditions about death in all religions and cultures, not only greek.
Can you tell me about them?
Sure. First, in the egyptian cult...
Nico's concentration was lost when Lucy squeezed his wrist.
"Come, we're almost there!"
"Almost where?"
"At the party!"
"What party?"
"Who cares? It's a party!"
***
"Come on, smile!"
"Vampires don't smile"
"Yes, they do, when their evil master plan is finally working, or when the naive blond virgin girl falls for their tricks and they're ready to bite them and drink their blood!"
Nico smirked and provoked her.
"Should I smile then bite you?"
Lucy became serious, joined her forefingers, closed her eyes, before opening and yelling.
"Fire soul!"
Nico looked to the sides, before facing her with a questioning face.
"What was that supposed to mean?"
She dropped her hands and her shoulders, rolling her eyes.
"Come on! You're no fun! You could have at least pretended to burn from my attack!"
"Was that supposed to be an attack?"
"Do I have to explain everything? See, I'm Sailor..."
Before she could continue, a red and yellow blur ran over her, and both ended up in the ground, with Nico looking over at them.
Should we help her?
Hum... nah. There's no need.
The guy who ran over her stood up first and held his hand to help Lucy.
"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking and if you don't mind me saying... Hi, how are you doing?"
His voice was slightly familiar, and once Nico identified the red and yellow blur as a Iron Man costume, he knew exactly who was in it.
"Leo?"
Leo turned and smiled at Nico, spreading his arms and pulling Nico to a hug he didn't want.
"Dwarf Slender Man! Tell me, who's the anime girl? Your friend? Can you introduce me? What am I saying, I can introduce myself. Hi there, anime girl, I'm Mr. McShiz..."
A guy taller than Leo, with black hair and olive skin, wearing a green cape over a gold armor and with a gold horned helmet under his arm tapped Leo in the shoulder and said in a urgent voice.
"We need to go, like NOW"
Leo looked around him, trying to understand what happened.
"Why?"
"I may or may not have fraternitized with a sassy Red Riding Hood, unfortunately she was accompanied by a very territorial Big Bad Wolf companion"
"And you can't handle him?"
"I rather not bet if the odds are five against one"
Leo's eyes went wide, he saluted Nico and gave Lucy a peck on her cheek.The other guy made a flourish with the hand that wasn't holding his helmet, before doubling over in a courtesy, kissed Lucy's hand with a"Lady, your eyes are like two bowls of golden sunshine on a midsummer's day"and nodded to Nico, saying "Mate" before leaving. Lucy was looking around her, completely lost.
"What just happened?"
Nico shook his head and was so busy laughing at her expression he forgot he should have used her distraction to run away.