Chapter Text
Nico blinked his eyes open, staring at the unfamiliar leather seats of a car. The gentle hum of the road underneath them was oddly soothing, but something didn’t feel right. He rubbed his eyes, his gaze settling on the figure beside him—a girl, asleep, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders. Suddenly, it hit him. Bianca. His sister.
“Bianca,” he whispered, reaching over to shake her gently. “Hey, wake up.”
Bianca stirred, her brows furrowing as her eyes fluttered open. She looked around, disoriented. Her gaze landed on Nico, and there was a flicker of recognition. “Nico?” she said, voice soft and unsure.
Nico nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. “Yeah, it’s me.”
Bianca sat up, looking around the car. “Where...where are we? And who—?” She glanced at the front seat, where the driver was driving.
The driver glanced in the rearview mirror, noticing they were both awake. “You two should sit tight,” she said in a cool, authoritative tone. “We’ll be there soon.”
Nico exchanged a look with Bianca, a small frown forming on her face. “Who are you?” she asked the driver, Nico’s mind still feels like it was wrapped in a fog.
Nico was anxious. “What’s going on? I…I know Bianca’s my sister, but…everything else is just...gone.”
Nico’s hand gripped the edge of the seat. There was a strange feeling gnawing at him, like he was forgetting something important, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t grasp it.
The driver kept her eyes forward, an unreadable expression on her face. “Don’t strain yourselves,” she said cryptically. “All you need to know is that you’re both safe. We’ll be arriving soon.”
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
The driver pulled the car up to a dazzling building with flashing lights. The entrance was grand, and people were streaming in, each one looking more entranced than the last.
“Out,” The driver instructed curtly. Nico and Bianca stepped out of the car, glancing around at the mesmerizing lights of the Hotel.
“This place…looks like a dream,” Nico whispered, eyes wide with wonder.
The driver cleared her throat to get their attention. “Listen carefully, both of you. Your father…well, he’s not around, but he left some arrangements for you. I’m his representative. You’ll be staying here for a while.” She glanced back at the hotel, eyes glinting. “Just think of this as a place to have some fun.”
“Fun?” Bianca echoed, skeptical. Something about this didn’t feel right. But she stayed silent as the representative handed them each a room card.
“Yes,” their father’s representative said with a sly smile. “Fun. Now, don’t worry yourselves with anything else. Just enjoy your time here.” With that, she nodded briskly and left them at the hotel’s doors.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
Nico and Bianca walked into the Lotus Hotel, and immediately a sense of timelessness washed over them. The lights were warm and welcoming, and the air buzzed with laughter and unfamiliar music. Nico’s eyes widened as he spotted a corner full of glowing screens and strange machines with blinking lights.
“What are those?” he whispered, tugging at Bianca’s sleeve.
Bianca blinked. “I—I don’t know. They look like something out of a fiction book.”
Nico grinned. “I want to try one!” He darted toward the machines, Bianca trailing behind, her heart lifting for a moment.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
Days turned into nights and nights into days without either of them noticing. Every morning, there were new games, new movies, new food—things they’d never seen before. Nico darted from one game to the next, his eyes constantly wide with excitement. But no matter what he found, the first thing he always did was look for Bianca.
“Bianca!” he would call, tugging at her hand, his face glowing with enthusiasm. “You have to see this one! It’s got dragons that breathe real fire!”
Bianca would smile and follow him at first, happy to see him so thrilled. She’d play a few rounds with him, laughing when Nico got too competitive or when he’d lose and demand a rematch.
But as the days slipped by, Nico’s habit of pulling her from one game to another became… tiresome. Whenever she tried to start a conversation with someone, he would appear again.
“Bianca! Come on, you have to see this!” Nico said, practically bouncing on his heels as he grabbed her arm. “It’s a racing game where the seats move! You’re going to love it!”
She sighed, but let him drag her over anyway. It was still fun, and she didn’t want to ruin his mood. But soon, it became a pattern. Every time she found someone her age to talk to, Nico would show up. Every time she wanted a quiet moment, Nico would find something “amazing” she had to see.
One afternoon, Bianca was deep in conversation with a blonde girl. It was the first time she felt like she was connecting with someone. Then—
“Bianca! You won’t believe it!” Nico called, weaving through the crowd toward her, grinning. “They just added a brand-new game. It’s huge. Let’s go, let’s go!”
Bianca tensed, her smile faltering. “Nico, can’t you just—wait?” she snapped, sharper than she intended. “I just want to talk to someone that isn’t my brother for once!”
Nico’s grin fell. “Oh. Sorry. I just thought you’d want to see it…”
The guilt pricked at her, but she was still too frustrated to apologize. “Just go without me, okay? I’ll come later.”
Nico nodded, his shoulders drooping as he walked away, his excitement dimming.
When Bianca turned back, the girl was gone. She stood there alone, in a place full of people, feeling an ache she couldn’t quite explain.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
Nico wandered aimlessly, his head down, dragging his feet across the marble floor. His excitement from earlier had fizzled out, replaced by a heavy lump in his chest. He wasn’t sure why Bianca didn’t want to spend time with him anymore. He just thought… well, that they were supposed to have fun together. That's what siblings do after all. So caught in his thoughts, Nico didn’t see the worker in the sharp casino uniform until he bumped right into him.
“Oof! Careful there, kid,” the worker said, steadying him. “You alright?”
Nico mumbled a quick apology, his eyes still fixed on the ground.
“Tough day, huh? Well, maybe this will cheer you up.” He reached into his pocket and handed Nico a single card in a shiny sleeve.
It was a striking card with bold colors, labeled ARES—God of War.
Nico blinked, taking it carefully. “What’s this?”
“That’s from a card game called Myth-O-Magic. You can win more cards and even figurines if you collect enough tickets.”
Nico’s fingers traced the edges of the card, his curiosity slowly pulling him out of his sulk. “How do I get tickets?”
“Simple,” the worker said, gesturing to the arcade. “Play games, win tickets, trade them for prizes. If you get enough, you can exchange them for a starter set. Comes with a handbook, some figures, and a bunch of common cards.”
Nico’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Yep. It’s all yours if you’re up for the challenge.”
That was all Nico needed to hear.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
From that moment, Nico devoted himself to collecting tickets. He zipped from game to game, sometimes stacking up dozens of tickets at a time. He would pause every so often to examine his Ares card, imagining what other gods and monsters might be part of the game. When he finally slammed his pile of tickets onto the prize counter and received the full box, he could hardly contain his excitement. Common cards, small figurines—Satyrs, Dryads, Nereids, Manticore, and Empousa—and the Myth-O-Magic Handbook can be found inside. Nico weaved through the casino, his eyes on the prize in his hands instead of the path ahead. And so, naturally, he crashed into someone.
The box opened and his cards and figurine spilled everywhere, clattering to the floor in a messy scatter. The man he’d bumped into didn’t move to help. He simply watched. His eyes gleamed with amusement as he spotted the Ares card lying on the floor.
“That’s Ares?” the man asked, his voice smooth and curious. “Funny. That’s not what Ares looks like.”
Nico looked up, briefly startled, but the man didn’t seem angry. If anything, he looked intrigued.
“Oh—it’s a card game,” Nico explained quickly, his excitement bubbling back. “You collect gods and monsters and battle with them. There’s a whole bunch. Ares is one of the strongest.”
The man tilted his head, clearly interested, but said nothing else.
“Nico!” Bianca’s voice cut in sharply. She hurried over, grabbed Nico’s wrist, and glared at the stranger. “What did I tell you about talking to strangers?”
“But I was just—”
“No excuses,” she said firmly, pulling him away. “Come on.”
The stranger watched them leave, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. His gaze lingered on the Ares card in Nico’s hand and he let out a soft chuckle. The real Ares was nothing like that. If this was how the game portrayed Greek gods, he couldn’t help but wonder—how did it depict the others? And more importantly… how did it portray his kind?
His silver eyes glinted with curiosity. Perhaps this little game was more entertaining than he thought.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
Nico was back at the arcade, focused, determined. He’d already collected some of the Olympian figurines—Poseidon, Athena, Artemis—but he had to get the complete set. He zipped between machines, stacking up tickets, his tongue poking out a little in concentration.
“Hey,” a voice called. Nico looked up, recognizing something familiar in the boy’s silver eyes, though he couldn’t place why. “You’re the one who plays Myth-O-Magic, right?”
“Yeah,” Nico said, his curiosity piqued. “Do you play?”
“Sort of. Are there any Egyptian gods in the game?”
Nico’s face brightened. “Yeah! They’ve got expansion packs for other mythologies. Egyptian, Norse, Roman. Some of the Egyptian cards are super rare, though. Like, legendary rare.”
“Really?” The boy’s grin widened. “Sounds fun.”
Nico nodded, practically bouncing. “It is. The prize booth here has all the rare cards, expansion packs, and even figurines.”
“Nice,” the boy said, nodding. “Will you be getting them?”
Nico puffed his chest a little. “I will get them. I just need more tickets.”
“Well,” the boy said, crossing his arms with a playful smirk, “good thing I’m great at winning games.”
Nico’s eyes widened. “You’ll help me?”
“Sure,” the boy said. “Oh, I’m Khonsu, by the way.”
“Nico,” he replied, smiling for the first time in a while. “Let’s go!”
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
Over the next few days, they became inseparable.
Khonsu was a natural at the games, guiding Nico to the best machines for racking up tickets and teaching him little tricks to maximize his winnings. Together, they laughed, competed, and celebrated every small victory. When they needed a break, Khonsu showed Nico how to play Senet, an ancient Egyptian board game.
“You have to think ahead,” Khonsu said, moving his piece carefully. “It’s not just about luck—it’s about strategy.”
Nico huffed when his piece got sent back to the starting row for the third time. “This game is rigged.”
Khonsu laughed, a bright, warm sound. “You’re just bad at it.”
In between turns, Khonsu would casually flip through Nico’s Myth-O-Magic cards, examining each one with exaggerated seriousness. He found the artistic depictions of the gods absolutely hilarious. Khonsu’s dry, sarcastic commentary on each card had Nico bursting into laughter. Whether it was the ridiculous poses, the flashy costumes, or the dramatic taglines, Khonsu found some new absurdity every time, and Nico couldn’t get enough of it.
The game of Senet often paused as they broke into fits of laughter over the cards, turning those quiet moments into something warm and unforgettable. For the first time, Nico wasn’t just chasing his sister around or being left behind. He had his own friend.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
After what felt like an endless cycle of fun, games, and blinding lights, their father's representative returned. She gathered them up without a word and led them out of the hotel. Nico’s heart sank as he glanced around the casino, his gaze sweeping over the crowds, searching to see a familiar silver-eyed boy weaving through the machines. But Khonsu wasn’t there.
“Wait—” Nico tugged at her sleeve, panic rising. “Can I just—my friend—he’s probably still—”
“No time,” She snapped, already steering them away. “We’re leaving. Now.”
Nico stumbled after her, his chest tight with the words he hadn’t gotten to say. The casino doors shut behind them, and they stepped into the harsh sunlight. Nico and Bianca both blinked, dazed, as if waking from a dream. The sky was a vibrant blue, and Nico felt something loosen in his chest. He stopped, staring up at the sky, feeling as though he was about to remember something.
“Nico?” Bianca called, noticing him standing still, his gaze far away.
He shook his head, forcing himself back to the present. “I just…never realized how much I missed the sky,” he murmured, an inexplicable peace settling over him.
Bianca tilted her head, looking up as well. “It is beautiful, isn’t it?”
The representative huffed impatiently. “Come on, you two. You’re being sent to a boarding school. Westover Hall. You’ll be staying there for a while.” She sounded almost annoyed, but she kept glancing at Nico and Bianca as if watching for signs.
Nico took one last look at the sky before following.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
The car ride to Maine was long, the silence stretched thin between them as the world outside shifted from cityscape to dense woods and colder skies. When they arrived, Westover Hall loomed ahead like a gray, brooding castle. Cold stone walls. Iron gates. Tall windows that didn’t let in much light. The representative didn’t walk them in. She handed Bianca a sealed envelope, barked a short farewell, and drove off without waiting to see them through the doors.
Inside, the school staff quickly separated them. Different dorms. Different grades. No room for negotiation.
Nico didn’t like it.
The teachers were impatient, and the students weren’t much better. They snickered when he stumbled over long words or gave the wrong answer, whispered behind his back, or made comments he didn’t quite understand—but knew weren’t nice. He didn’t like how every hallway felt a little too big, a little too loud, a little too cold.
Most of all, he didn’t like how little he saw of Bianca.
She, on the other hand, seemed to be adjusting just fine.
For the first time in years, Bianca wasn’t tethered to Nico’s side. No reminders to wait for him. She joined the fencing club, made friends in her dorm, and walked the halls like she belonged there. They only really saw each other during meals and on weekends—when Bianca made time to sit with Nico in the library, helping him study and explaining the things the teachers rushed through. But even those moments slipped away quickly, with fencing practices or study groups taking up most of her time.
If there was one thing that made the endless school days a little more bearable, it was Grover. Grover had a battered Myth-O-Magic deck and a calm, easy way of talking. He never rushed Nico, never laughed when he misread a card, and always let him go first in every match. They’d sit on the steps of the library or under the stairwell between classes, trading cards and strategies. Grover always seemed genuinely interested when Nico rambled about the rare cards he wanted—especially the Egyptian ones—and the stories behind them.
It wasn’t the same as being with Bianca.
It wasn’t the same as Khonsu.
But it was something. And for now, that was more than enough.