The Rebirth

“How’s your project?” Hazel asked. They lounged on their old spot, the one that overlooked New Rome, even though the bones and gems had been cleared out so the roof could be replaced, so it didn’t feel as right.
“Eh,” Nico shrugged, staring at New Rome. He still felt like it should be called NEW New Rome, with all the new Greek additions and demigods around. Some Romans definitely loathed the Greeks and their tradition-breaking culture, when the gates between the bridge of Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood first opened, but they started to loosen up after a year when Annabeth and Cabin Nine introduced some “wicked enhancements” to the place- including more Roman statues, new Roman baths (with a separate gated pool of water slides), weather controlled boundary fields, and actually acceptable navy boats.
“Nico,” Hazel sighed an exasperated sigh. “I thought you were going to try, I don’t know, talking, for once.”
“Sassy,” Nico commented. Hazel cringed, and he let out a happy laugh. She hated that word. It made her feel like it was a positive word for “mean”.
“Don’t,” she warned. Then her face changed. “But the project.”
“I’ve tracked down a lot of people,” Nico said simply. Hazel waited.
“I know you’ve managed to track down the Reborn, Nico, or the people you think are ‘Reborn’, but that doesn’t mean you have proof it’s them. That’s what I’m asking about.”
“Yeah, well,” Nico said, shrugging. “That’s coming up. The next part in the plan is a little bit… morbid.”
“Morbid…?”
“But necessary, in order for me to have the ‘proof’ you talk about.”
“Morbid,” Hazel repeated again, her eyes narrowing. Finally, they hit the spot, and her eyebrows went up.
“DEATH?” Her eyes widened accusingly at Nico. “They have to DIE?”
“It’s not like I’m killing them, Hazel,” Nico smiled at her. He was completely at ease with- and probably enjoying- Hazel's reaction.
She made a face. “Still! It’s like… It’s like…”
She struggled to find the words. “…rooting for death, you know? You’ve met these people, and now you’re hoping that they DIE?”
“I need to talk to their spirits.”
“Nico!”
“I’m not getting involved in any way other than keeping tabs on them. I’m not speeding up the process. I’m not hoping or praying every day for one of them to die. It’s just that when they do, I’m going to know, and hopefully be there to talk to them.”
“Still-“ Hazel didn’t like it. Nico laughed again.
“I know it’s going to take a while. It might not ever happen.”
“What do you mean? One of them is going to die sometime.” She cringed as the words came out of her mouth.
“It might be hard to get to and find the particular dead soul I want to get to.”
Hazel struggled with the information he’d given her. The sun was setting, tinting the clouds gold. Strands of sunlight brushed Hazel’s hair, illuminating her face with a warm, earthen glow.
Finally, she gave up. “Okay. Elaborate, please.”
Nico hummed and stayed quiet. He didn’t really want to get into this unless he had to. Sometimes Hazel got the hint and sighed and changed the subject.
Other times-
“Nico. Elaborate, please.”
“I especially need to find a soul that’s on his- or her- third life. And I need to have them die doing good things so that they can go to Isles of Blest, and so I can watch their judgment, and see if they regain their memory.”
It was very quiet.
He leaned back and closed his eyes. He breathed in the cloudy air and let out a small smile. He waited for his sister to respond.
When she finally answered, it was a question she’d asked a million times before.
“Why can’t you just go to the…” Hazel trailed off as Nico gave her an exasperated look. He’s explained this many times. “Oh. Yes. You can’t go to the Isles of Blest.”
“Heavy-duty security,” Nico repeated for the thousandth time. “Remember? Even Dad can only stay there for a limited time, to avoid disturbing the peace?”
“Yes, well-” Hazel gave an embarrassed smile and rubbed Nico’s hair affectionately. He looked so much better, she noticed, with his eyes finally visible. They were breathtaking. An understanding of a thousand ages, a sadness and wisdom of a thousand years. Except, when he laughed, they danced, and gleamed. If only some guy could see that-
“It’s going to be really hard,” Nico concluded. “To find someone like that.”
For a terrible, jarring second, Hazel thought she was thinking out loud. She flushed a deep crimson and gave Nico a sideways glance.
“Well, it’s true,” she said in protest. “If guys could see you the way I can see you now, trust me, Nico, they’d be-“
He whipped his head around in complete alarm. “What?”
Hazel didn’t trust herself to speak. Her face burned even redder. Nico raised an eyebrow. “I was talking about finding a person that was on their third life?"
"Oh. Yes! Well," Hazel starting speaking very fast. "Want my advice? Just jump at every chance to rush down there. Keep looking for people. Keep sources connected. Keep updates. Keep busy. Everyone has to die someday. You'll find a person.”
Nico mock-gasped. It took Hazel for a second to realize he was imitating her previous reaction at his plan, and she punched him in the shoulder. He laughed again and ran up the roof to throw a diamond at her.
It sailed past her and hit a Roman in the head. The dude looked down, scowling, before noticing a diamond disappear into the ground. When he looked up, he saw two distant figures on the Pluto Temple- one holding something shiny in her hand while throwing disapproving glance at the other one, who was a boy, doubled over laughing- a black figure streaked with highlights of gleaming sunset gold.

Notes

Imagine a nineteen year old Hazel. Eep.