This is the sequel to Shady, and the second book to The Shady Series.
This is a collaboration between Lao123, MonkeySlippers and Hangrace60. MonkeySlippers might often appear as a Wikia Contributor because she is too lazy to sign in.
Song:Sleep by Eric Whitcare
Credits[]
Chapter 1- written by Lao123 and Hangrace60 (Nicole POV- Lao123, Alyssa POV- Hangrace60)
Chapter 2- written by Lao123 and MonkeySlippers (Nicole POV- Lao123, Jenna POV- MonkeySlippers)
Chapter 3- written by MonkeySlippers
Chapter 4- written by Lao123
Chapter 5- written by Lao123 and Hangrace60 (Victoria POV- Lao123, Jenna POV- Hangrace60)
Checked for spelling, and grammar mistakes- Lao123.
Chapter 1[]
Nicole POV[]
I was cold, and the wind set shivers up my spine. My boots hit the mud on the ground, hard as I walked. I turned back, then shuddered.
Annabeth was cruel for doing this to me.
A string of thoughts that quaked my mind hit me. I shook my head clear and thought of the stars.
Which had nothing to do with my task.
I felt the pockets of the coat I was wearing. It was empty, except dor the felt of the inside.
Think of -gn words I thought. Just to keep my mind off of the saddened task I was up for.
Gnat, gnaw, gnome, gnash, I thought.
The veins in my eyelids throbbed, and my eyes itched. They were beginning to get watery. It was a dry night... I couldn't stay up much longer.
Worrying if I might collapse, I quickly bent down, leaving barely an inch separating the ground and my knees.
The moon cast an eerie glow on the sidewalk. The snow glittered the streets, and it would be a bit trouble wading through, back to camp.
Unless I went home.
Home. The word hit me like a wooden ball, and I reached into my pocket. It was a note my parents gave me. My mortal parents, not Athena, thank you very much.
It read,
Nicole,
I know you might be busy, but your dad and I leaving the country for something dealing with family. You will have to skip a month of school, but you will have to go back to your aunt in England. And that other school you attended there. I know it might be hard, and you might be wondering why you can't stay at your other aunt's house, which is fairly near ours'. If you have problems with that, just let me know.
-Mom
Oh no. Not there. I didn't mind the school, which I'm keeping secret. But I had too much on my mind now.
It was about time I called my mom.
Alyssa POV[]
Jenna was weeping like Mother Goose couldn't find her chicklings. Which is a lot.
"Jenny," she bawled. "I remember the time.... When-when-when we played dress up. And-and-and then, while I was dressing in the bathroom, I sang 'Girlfriend'. You heard me. Then.....You-you-you called me a weenie. B-b-but I enjoyed the game th-th-thoroughly. And-and then there w-was a time, I-I-I made fun of y-you. T-then, you slapped me-me wi-with a hot dog!" Dude, was she talking about happy stuff here? Because if she was, her life must be REALLY miserable.
Then, my iPhone rang. It was Nicole.
"Hey," I said. "So, what up? Did you fail your quest?"
"Doesn't matter." Snappy trappy girl, here? Oh, it was ON!
"Oh, so snappy trappy here, eh? Fine, I'm just gonna hang up." I slowly held my phone within a foot away. "I'm turning off the phone. I'm- HEY!!!! Give my friggin phone back!"
Jenna grabbed my phone and began cursing in Ancient Greek. "She hung up!" she hissed.
"Hmph. Well, good for her. I don't care."
"COME ON!! Nicole NEVER calls unless it's an absoulute emergency!"
Oh, now what was Nicole to her, her leader? I didn't even bother to go to Camp Half-Blood.
"Fine!" I spat at Jenna in hatred. "Just go without me and live your horrible life!"
Jenna looked crushed. Her expression looked like she might break at any moment. "O-O-Okay."
With a doubtful look, she scampered went for the door. Forgeting to open it, she ran and smacked her head into the door. She looked like she was seeing sparkly unicorns, but I didn't even bother to help.
Chapter 2[]
Nicole POV[]
[Sorry Jenna, my side of the story had to take place.]
I was packing my bags. I stuffed in most of my camp things, some messy, and some neatly. Jenna watched me pack.
"Nicole?" she asked. "One question. You know your- aunt? Who- I never knew her. Wh-what's her name?"
"None of your business." I snapped. She looked surprised, because I wasn't usually like that. "I'm mean." I said, slinging the bag across my shoulders and holding the other in my hand. With a tight, "good-bye", I swung myself out of my cabin. I didn't even look back. Jenna ran after me.
"Sorry!" she cried. "But does it- I mean, are you angry you have to go?"
"No." I said, once she was in earshot. "I am very much happy there, and hopefully, I'll never come back!"
Jenna stopped running and let me run out of Camp Half-Blood. Suddenly, I hated it here. I never wanted to be a half-blood. I hated my life. If only I could drop the half-blood part, and become a normal- never mind.
With anger seeping through me, I pushed around the looming branches, then came to the road. I dropped my bag slowly, and searched my pocket. Thankfully, I had 3 crumpled 1 dollar bills. I don't usually carry a lot of money. I waited at the end of the street, for the bus. The sun was hot, and I didn't even cringe at it. I waited inpatiently, then finally, it came. I broke a ride with the bills, then swaggered to the middle, where I stuffed the changed into my pocket. I grabbed hold of my bag, hung it on my arm, then took a seat. I resented Athena- almost hated her for meeting my dad. Now I was storming.
There were red welts on my hand- no, as I realized. They were flames. I kept under control- from screaming. The flames- disappeared. Then, I looked around, hoping no one saw. This was abnormal.
Shouldn't get too angry, I warned myself. Or I might set the whole place on fire.
[CHILL, Jenna! I'm not gonna have my part for a long time.]
Jenna POV[]
I was ultra. Mega. Shocked.
Why would she act like this?
Why?
Why is she leaving?
I seriously am confused. I mean, I don't understand.
Alyssa was so mean.
Nicole is gone, without words.
If they don't care about me, I don't care about them.
I have 2 houses.
One Poseidon gave me as a gift, and one where my family lives in.
Only Chiron knows the location of my second home.
I am going back.
None of my friends would care, anyways. So why should I even bother trying? Jenny has departed from this world. Nicole left to who knows where. Alyssa was becoming who she was before we became friends- mean, spiteful, uncaring, despicable,selfish, rude, and horrible to eveyone. I bet now Hades was really proud of her.
Good job, Alyssa. I bet Hades is sooooooooooooo proud of you. You've become a true daddy's girl now- you're acting just like him.
I mean, why do I even care, anyways? I stuffed things into my backpack. I try to be the nicest I can to my friends, but someday they'll just act like this. I know most days I'm really mean and annoying, but I seriously try.
I stuff the remaining things I have into my bag, and slam the Poseidon cabin door shut.
I could see Alyssa in her PJ's, running to my cabin. She must've followed me from her house. Oh well. I don't care.
I face the other way angrily.
"HEY!" I heared her shout. "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?"
"I"M GOING HOME!!!!" I yelled back.
"I THOUGHT CAMP WAS YOUR HOME!!!!!"
"IT ISN'T ANYMORE!"
"I THOUGHT-"
"I DON"T CARE WHAT YOU THINK, OKAY? I JUST- WHATEVER. You wouldn't care." I whistled loudly, and Bluestar came swooping from the sky.
"WE SHOULD AT LEAST FIND NICOLE!"
I looked at Alyssa. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I swear."
I rolled my eyes. "Hop on."
Chapter 3[]
(A/N: Grace, sorry I erased your part but I had to, I specifically wrote that I only whistled for one pegasus- Bluestar. I had to erase your part or else the story wouldn't make sense. :( sorry.)
Alyssa POV[]
See, the problem with Jenna is that she's too trusting. I just have a theory that she'll become best friends with her killer someday. I just feel it. Whatever.
So, anyways, I was gonna climb on Bluestar, when the stupid hore whinnied. Okay, this was getting stupid.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I smell like death, just deal with it."
Bluestar looked a little offended. I grinned, and Jenna glared at me.
"That was a little mean. Pegasi have feelings too."
"So? That's what they do to me everytime."
"But that's different! They- you- I-"
"Are we really going to have this argument? Because seriously, if we are, I'm gonna jump off this pegasus and you'll have to go find Nicole by yourself."
I scanned Jenna's face for any expression, because usually when I say this, she'll do anything to keep me from doing what I said I would do. Nothing.
"You want me to jump off?"
"Okay. I don't care."
"Are you sure?"
"Yea. I don't really give a damn."
I looked down, and looked right up.
"Never mind." I muttered.
Jenna grinned.
You might have won this one, but I'll win all the ones after this. It's payback time.
I figure this was her payback time, to make fun of me after the millions of times I've made fun of her, but who cares? It's fun seeing her in pain. Not any of my other friends, just Jenna, and another person. I think. Not Nicole, either. I think it's because I've know Jenna the longest, we're practially sisters. And sisters LOVE to see each other in pain! Watching Jenna scream is funny.....
I just burst into giggles then, and Jenna gave me a questioning look.
"I am imagining you, in a chicken body, and you go 'cluck cluck' and then you sream."
Jenna rolls her eyes again, and stops looking at me.
I just keep on laughing.
Chapter Four[]
(A/N: Sory I erased your part again, Grace. But you were so cruel to Bluestar. I can't let him be dead. Kay bye!)
Jenna POV[]
The thing I don't get about Alyssa is she likes to tick me off. But hey- I'm used to it, my fault for having her and Nicole as my best friends.
So the night was ink black, though the city- wherever we were-was filled with light, and the streets were alive like New York. But this wasn't New York. Okay, so the next thing Bluestar did was crash into a window somewhere.
"AHHHHHHH!" I screamed. Alyssa didn't scream. I turned back to make sure she was alive- but there was no Alyssa. In fact, there was nothing at all!
"ALYSSA!" I screamed. The glass shattered and Bluestar yelled, too. A hand clamped over my mouth. I was tempted to do a double scream with no air, but I thought better of it and turned to see Alyssa with one hand over my mouth, and her other hand's index finger on her lips.
"Shhhhhh!" she hissed. "Where are we?"
"I don't know," I admitted, immediatly regretting the fact I had screamed. My throat felt worn out. For all it was, it really did A WHOLE LOT of help.
The room was not too small. The size of three of my living rooms. Where? The huge window we had shattered had an enormous hole with jagged ends. The glass lay on the ground like frost, spread in a circular pattern. I wondered how much damage we had done. The cold wind rushed in, leaving the bitter note for me: You'll pay for this.
Just then, the black doors at the far end opened, and I was sure we were going to be caught. Then what? Instead, there was nobody, and we rushed out, closing the door very slowly. Then, we slipped into another room. This looked to be some sort of mansion. There were thousands of rooms. The room we were in had so eone else in it.
It was a girl with white skin, not really white. A little apricot, like she used to be darker, but her color had been sucked out, and been to waste. She had straight shiny black hair a little farther down her shoulders, and those same shiny bangs that hung in her eyes. Her eyes were black, and had no light in them, except for their ability to see. She wore a shiny black dress that touched the floor, with long tight sleeves. She looked too fragile. I barely recognized her- but her height gave her away.
"Nicole!" I gasped to horror and astonishment. This was not Nicole. Nicole didn't have bangs, or black eyes. Nicole's skin was darker than that white-ish color. No way that was Nicole.
The girl looked to us, with a blank expression- but then it slowly turned clear she was not happy to see us. Her face was a mask, fit into a picture of hate. She continued to glare, but I glared back, only my eyes were cruel. My voice was the opposite.
"Nicole, what happened?" I demanded angrily. Okay, maybe it wasn't the opposite.
"What?" she said in an accent. "I'm Victoria, you're mistaken." She blinked, the blank expression stayed put. I noticed the accent- it was English.
"Oh, sorry." Alyssa said, faking sympathy. She grabbed my hand, and whispered hurriedly, "You can't just go around calling everyone Nicole!"
I wanted to burst into tears. I wanted to punch something, strike it with my sword. I was so angry, I pushed Alyssa out of the way, and asked Victoria, "Do you know a girl named Nicole Bl-"
"She's dead." The answer came so sudden, I wanted to believe I had heard wrong. Instead, I gasped, "How?"
"You drowned her." The second answer hit me like a bullet. No! I'd never drown Nicole. Ever. She was alive.
I stared at the girl, the pale faced, blank expressioned girl and wanted to shout," NO! Liar. You'd be better off in the River Styx." But I digested this piece of information.
"Who are you?" I said slowly.
"Victoria." she said.
Chapter Five[]
Victoria POV[]
I could see the girl with the black hair's tension up then. One thing, though. I was happy she killed Nicole. Nicole was the worst person I had ever met, and seeing the girl's horror made me pleased.
"See what you did, stupid?" the girl with the caremel coloured hair said, slapping the other girl lightly. "You killed Nicole!"
"You were part of it, too." The other girl fought the feeling off. She looked at the room, she looked at me. "Tell me what you think."
"Congratulations," I said, giving no sign of a smile.
"Did I kill Nicole, too?" she looked enthusiastic. I gave her a grim smile, and said, "Yes." The black haired girl covered her face and said, "I'm not a murderer!" she looked up, looking angry, and she looked about to stab someone. "Tell me how it happened."
Like I said, I would not give them that kind of satisfaction. "Your storm made Nicole drown. She did everything including pray to Poseidon for her life. Nicole drowned, and is now in the Underworld. My mother would have never forgiven her for her... crime."
"What crime? You're lying. Whose your mother?" She demanded.
I shrugged. "I'm not talking if all you want to do is accuse me. I have opinions, and I'm providing information. As for the crime, hurting innocent demigods. Don't worry, she's in Elysium. And my mother-Eris."
"Eris?" the black haired girl asked. "Who is-"
"That fat lady I searched up on the internet?" the carmel haired girl asked.
"I can help." I said bleakly. The girls turned, and the black haired girl said, "You shouldn't be trusted."
"I saved your life. You would have died two minutes ago-" I pointed at the caremel coloured haired girl "-and yes, Nicole is dead. There's no reason to not trust me."
"Okay," the caremel haired girl said. "I'm Alyssa, and this is Jenna. I'm cool with things, but don't annoy Jenna, escially when she has her breakdowns. Don't annoy me when-"
"Okay." I said.
Jenna POV[]
How could I kill Nicole? I'm not a murderer. She was one of my best friends. And I still did not trust Victoria. She does not seem like someone I would trust- someone I could trust.
I don't trust Alyssa anymore.
I'm going to leave.
I whistled silently for Bluestar.
He came immeadiately.
"Take me home. To my real home.Please."
He whinnied and took off. I slept on the ride.
My dream had a lot of answers.
A beautiful woman stood in the doorway. Khione.
An invisible slave bowed before her.
"I know who has information. Torture her all you may like, I swear, she has information."
"Who?"
"Jenny. She's the daughter of Dionysus."
Khione's lips curled into a smile.
"You have done well, new recruit."
I see the face of the recruit now.
It is Elizabeth, unclaimed demigod from camp.
She ran away.
A week after, Jenny was killed.
She killed Jenny.
She killed my best friend.
I woke up screaming.
"Bluestar, change of plans. You were Elizabeth's pegasus, right? Track. Her. Down. Now."
Chapter Six[]
Nicole POV[]
"Oh. My. God. It's really you, Nicole!" Alyssa said.
"I was at camp, but you guys were gone. I knew it was too late- so I came by plane- a few hours- and disguised myself. But, you guys already came here. I was so sorry about pertending to be dead. Now Jenna hates me." I said.
Alyssa touched her mouth, and then said, "Let's look for her." And so we went into the room where Jenna last was, the room with the broken window.
"Where's Jenna?" Alyssa demanded sourly. I shrugged. Then, I pointed out the broken window. "Must've escaped. What happened?"
"Nicole, give me answers. You know where she is!" Alyssa said, snapping her fingers impatiently. She gave me a very, very evil look like any second she would attack.
"I- I don't think we should go looking for Jenna. She and I, we had an arguement. Let's just go after her trail."
"You're not the boss, you know."
"Bluestar!" I suddenly yelled. "That's it!" I grinned, while Alyssa, confused as ever, asked, "What the-? Bluestar? The little pegasus Jenna flies on?'
"Yes!" I said. "Let's just get another pegausus."
"Oh, no you don't." Alyssa said. "NOT pegasus. "We are NOT going to ride a pegaus after that flirting episode!"
"Any other choice?" I asked, scratching my head. Alyssa suddenly cocked her head and gave a crooked grin.
"Shadow traveling."
"Alyssa!" I spat out all too fast. "Alyssa, whoa, wait a sec." I paused, and said, "You can't be serious." I absolutely HATED show traveling. There was nothing cool about it. I'd rather squish slugs with my heels right now.
"Just wait a moment."I said. "I can't in this ridiculous dress!"
"No time!" Alyssa said.
"I just need to.." I ducked away and slipped out of the ridiculous dress my aunt made me wear. Underneath, were my clothes. Still on the high shoes, Alyssa dragged me to the window. I tripped twice on them.
"Just pray you land on your feet," Alyssa said, shaking. She was nervous. Very nervous. Then, she jumped out of the window. No way I was going to commite suicide. I just jumped, and then there was the whoosh of the wind, and, I was on my feet.
Not for long.
I was going so fast, melting into the shadows.
"Alyssa!" I yelled when it was over. "I'll definatly get you back for this!"
She just grinned.