Sorry's Just a Word

Chapter 4: Revealed faces and Beautiful Stars

"I guess I'll go first." thana volunteered. Everyone looked at her as she reached up and pulled her hood down. "I'm Zoe Nightshade." She said, "Wait. You mean THE Zoe Nightshade?" Clarisse said in awe. "Like, I need a dam french fry Zoe?" Leo asked, also amazed. "Oh-um yeah" She said, slightly embarrassed about that memory. "Wait, how do you know about that?" She asked, looking up at them. "Percy told us about it." Leo said quietly.

Zoe raised an eyebrow and smirked at Brone as he shrugged. "I'll go next." Thalia pulled down her hood. "Hey Clarisse. Hey, Fireball" Clarisse hugged Thalia then stepped back as Leo said, "Hey, Heights"

"I guess it's my turn." Nico pulled down his hood and waved. He didn't necessarily love showing his identity to people. "If it isn't nico di angelo. What's up man?!" Leo said. "Hey Leo. Clarisse" Leo Bro hugged him and clarisse gave him a nod. Back when he was still at camp nico and clarisse had bonded over their shared distaste for showing emotion. When that was over everyone turned to Seth.

He hesitated. He was scared how they would react. Leo hadn't been there when Luke had betrayed them but he had heard the stories. And Luke and Clarisse had been good friends before it happened. Zoe slipped her hand into his and gave him a reassuring smile. He took a deep breath and then pulled down his hood with his free hand. Both Clarisse and Leo froze.

"Luke?" Clarisse asked, "Hey Clarisse '' He greeted. Clarisse walked up to him. Luke tensed, ready for her to yell at him. But she surprised him by hugging him. He let go of zoes hand and hugged her back. Clarisse pulled back and then smacked him in the face. Luke laughed. "I probably deserve that." He said. "Yeah you do." she said with a small smile. Then everyone turned to helia and brone.

Helia pulled down her hood. "I'm Anna. I was a hunter but not for very long." The girls greeted each other and then everyone turned to Percy. "You got this," Anna whispered. Brone nodded. Then pulled down his hood.

Clarisse and Leo both froze again, but this time for longer. After a minute of staring, "Perce?" Leo asked. "Hey Leo," He greeted quietly. "Percy," Clarisse said softly. She had only said his real name one other time that he could remember. "Hey, C" He answered. "A-annabeth told me you were dead" Leo told him. "Yeah I-I thought you died. The Gods said you had." Clarisse added. "Well they're all liars" He said calmly. "So what actually happened then?" Percy explained how Jake had spread lies around the camp and he was chased out, pointing out the scar Annabeth had given him.

"That's awful. If I had known you were alive I would've gone looking for you." Leo said. "It's good you didn't. It would've been a lost cause. As you can see I've been with these guys this whole time." "Freaking Annabeth. How could she do that to you? You guys were in love. How would she just turn on you like that? I can't believe her!" Clarisse exclaimed. "Well it was destined to fail anyways. Aphrodite said it herself. Besides, I don't need her anymore." Brone answered as he put his arm around Helias' shoulders. They both smiled.

"Aw, is Percy Jackson a simp once again?" Percy winced slightly but smiled anyway. Leo and Clarisse didn't catch it but the team did. "Yeah I am, is there a problem with that?" He said to Leo. "Do you guys not use your names?" Calypso interrupted. Everyone looked at her.

The team exchanged glances, each glance ended looking at Percy who was staring at the ground. "Our names symbolize an old life that we no longer have any more. A lot of us have bad memories associated with those lives. We don't like being reminded of that" Percy and Luke were staring at the ground as Zoe explained.

"We're gonna go train." Brone said, motioning to Luke. The team nodded as they left. "How'd they do that?" Leo asked, referring to how they both knew what the other was thinking. "Oh when you get fully initiated you'll get the shared mind link. We talk telepathically a lot. You need Percy for that though so it'll happen later." Thalia answered. "Oh that's sick," Clarisse said.