The Forgotten Children

Outsider

Leo took a deep breath, turning to face his friends, Tabitha, Damon, Samantha, Teresa, Michael and Mitch had all turned a ghostly pale. Samantha had put her hand over her mouth in horror. Her eyes tearful and pleading with him.

Please tell me its not true.

Please tell me its all a lie.

Please tell me she isn't gone.

Leo looked away from her, he couldn't look her in the eyes. Not after this. Not after everything.

"Leo, whats going on? Where have you been? Who are these people?"

Jason stepped forward, completely confused.

Leo straightened, he looked back at both of them before saying a little awkwardly"Camp Half Blood, this is Camp Ceres, Camp Ceres, this is Camp Half Blood"

Teresa's eyes narrowed on them as she said frowning "You're the Greeks"

Nico said tensely, eyeing her "So what if we are?!"

"I used to be a part of your camp. It wasn't nice" Samantha said, eyeing Leo's friends from Camp Half Blood with suspicion.

Everyone looked at her.

She smiled bitterly at them as she said "You weren't around when I was there but I bet you wouldn't remember me anyway. I was left out, forgotten constantly and looked down on because I didn't look like what a proper child of Ares looks like. And I just had to sit back as the gods favourites got all the quests and the attention. I couldn't take it, so I left"

Jason and Piper had tensed up and they glanced at each other before looking away guiltily. They had never really thought about it like that.

Nico however looked completely taken aback but then in fact he smiled "I know what that feels like, to be an outsider"

Samantha looked sceptically at him.

"My father is Hades. I had a sister he preferred over me. She-she is gone now but his always wanted her and not me. I felt like an outsider to other people in camp because of my feelings and being the son of Hades" He said, stepping closer to her.

Samantha looked shocked at this.

"Hades broke his oath as well?!"

"Not exactly, long story. Funny thing is Hades is the only big three that technically honoured that oath" Nico said sheepishly.

Jason felt a tad guilty, thinking of his sister.

"It seems a lots happened while I've been gone" Samantha muttered.

Damon stepped forward as he said, facing Leo's friends from Camp Half Blood "We're from Camp Ceres, all of us are here because the gods never cared about us, forgot about us. We believed if we completed this quest the gods would no longer look down on us..."

Jason turned to Leo, eyes wide "Is this true? Leo-"

Leo looked at the ground as he said, shaking his head "That doesn't matter now"

None of it mattered.

His feelings towards accidentally hurting Jason and what he felt towards how his friends had treated him in Camp Half blood felt so small and microscopic compared to what was going on now.

She was gone.

That's really all he cared about at the moment.

Jason said softly "We never looked down on you Leo. I hope you know that and I don't blame you for what happened. Chiron was even sorry for how he acted"

Leo wanted to ask angry and mockingly, yeah? But what about your sister?! As he remembered her harsh words but held his tongue.

Suddenly there was another bright light. Everyone turned away just in time.

Leo gaped at who stood in front of them.

He recognised him from his staff with the two snakes, that were still on his staff for now.

Hermes.

He didn't look at the Camp Half Blood children, only having eyes for Leo's other friends.

He looked at Leo then and said simply and seriously "Zeus wishes to speak to Camp Ceres and you Leo Valdez"

Before anyone could react.

There was another blinding light.