Percy woke up to see a sleeping Nico laying his head on his lap. But somethings was definitely wrong. Percy put a hand up to his mouth to keep himself from laughing. He looks at Nico's forehead and reads 'I 🖤 SP.' What the hell is SP?

How the hell am I supposed to know?

Wait. If Nico has writing on his face...

Percy summoned a small mirror and looked at his face. "What the hell!" Nico jolts awake and sees the warriors running down laughing. "What in Tartarus did you people do?"

Nico looks confused then looks at Percy's face but Percy quickly gives him the mirror and his eyes widen. "This isn't permanent is it?"

"Umm.." Luke looks around with a nervous smile. Percy and Nico's jaws drop. "Nah I didn't have any. Should come off with water." Percy and Nico let out a breath and Percy leads Nico to the sink. As they were walking by Bianca whispered in his ear, "Nice face, sea prince."

Percy stops and looks at Bianca before looking at Nico, who has a questioning look.

Hey I think I figured it out.

Really? Percy think sarcastically. It's not like Bianca literally just told us.

Well true but now we know that SP stands for sea prince but, you have GK on your forehead and what is Nico called?

"Ghost king." He whispers. "Holy hell, Bianca why'd you do that for?"

"To see how long it'd take you to figure it out."

"Well it didn't take long with that huge hint you just gave."

"Figure what out?" Luke steps in. "What Eli was trying to tell you?"

"Nah I figured that out yesterday. I was talking about the letters on mine and Nico's forehead." Nico looks back at the mirror and thinks of what the two letters could mean. Then he looks at Percy's face.

Oh shit. What if he figures it out?

That means he's a lot smarter than I am.

Everyone's smarter than you dumbass. I'm talking about what if he figures out what you just figured out yesterday that I wanted you to figure out for years.

For one, don't say 'figure out' so many times. Second, I am not a dumbass.

I beg to differ.

And third, what the hell am I gonna do if he figures it out?

Percy looks at Nico then to Beckendorf who has a questioning look on his face because Percy has been quiet for too long. Percy looks back down.

That's it I'll just fly to the other side of the world.

He can shadow-travel.

I'll leave the earth.

You promised you wouldn't leave him.

Shit, why do I make promises for?

Because you like him.

Styx don't say that.

Why? They can't hear me.

Well someone might.

And who would that be?

Percy puts his hands to his head and crouches down, everyone's eyes on him.

Um. What about my father? Can't he do that mind-thingy?

You would know if he was doing that.

Well what about...

No one can hear me saying that you like Nico.

But why'd you gotta say it for? Percy pouts and the others watch in amusement as his emotions change. It's actually quite entertaining to watch Eli and Percy talk in his head.

I could always just say it out loud.

Percy's eyes widen and he begins to shake his head before his eyes turn dark red and he looks at Nico.

"Hey, Nico, I've got something to tell you."

"Okay?"

"I'm ready for that thing you guys were talking about. To put me in my own body."

"Oh. Okay." Eli nods and his head and his eyes turn back to black.

Percy lets out a breath and everyone looks at him confused. "I am going to kill him when he gets in his body."

"That sounded like some Fullmetal Alchemist shit." Beckendorf states.

"It kinda does."

"Why are you going to kill Eli?" Luke questions.

"Because he said he was going to tell N- uh nothing!" Percy stands back up. "I'm going to get this off my face." Percy walks to the bathroom and starts to starts to scrub his face with soap and water. He also brushes his teeth and steps into and lays down in the bathtub, fully clothed with no water. He just lays there. Thinking. Suddenly there's a knock on the door.

"Percy? Are you done?"

"Yeah! I'm just... thinking."

"Okay." Nico stares at the door for a second. "Can I come in?"

Percy looks at the door where he knows Nico is right behind. "Yeah, sure."

The door slowly opens to reveal Nico, his face clean and he has a new set of clothes. Percy gives him a small smile and Nico sits against the wall, right next to him.

"Hi." Percy says quietly.

"Hey." He looks at Percy. "You okay?"

"Oh, uh, yeah I'm good. Just peachy."

"You want food?"

Percy shakes his head. "Not hungry."

"But you can have blue food." Percy shrugs. Nico knows something is wrong when he refuses blue food. "Perce, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I'm fine." Percy around a little and leans his head on the back of the tub.

Nico stares at Percy before he stands up and brings his hand out for Percy to take. Percy gives him a questioning look but takes his hand nonetheless. Nico takes Percy out the bathroom and past the pavilion, gaining them raised eyebrows from everyone because they are holding hands. Nico turns a little and drags Percy through the woods. Then he shadow-travels up in a tree.

Percy almost falls but quickly stands up shakily, earning a smile from Nico he couldn't help but give one back. Nico sits on the tree branch and Percy follows suit and they just look at the view. They can see many more trees and the sky is a beautiful blue. They sit there in silence before Percy breaks it.

"I'm sorry."

Nico gives him a questioning look.

"About what?"

"Everything."

"Percy, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"But I do! I left earth and didn't even tell you goodbye."

"You were scared."

"I was gone for 240 years, Nico!"

"What do you mean?"

Percy looks at Nico for a few seconds before looking down. "It was only four years for you. But for me, it has been 240 years since I stepped foot on Earth. Except that time I had come back to get the others from the Underworld."

"Wait, you came back?" Percy looks down at his lap.

"Yeah." He takes a deep breath. "I came back."

"Why didn't you say anything? Or just left a note to say you were here?"

"Because I was terrified." He lets out a shaky laugh. "I was terrified of coming back and I wanted to see you and I just couldn't. I was being selfish, I know. I knew that you could have been upset I left but I didn't have Eli to knock some sense into me."

Nico looked at Percy and brought down his hood so he can see his eyes. He saw how hurt they looked and all the guilt swirling around along with the stars. He saw how scared he was of the reaction Nico would give.

Nico turned in the tree and gave Percy a hug. Percy froze before he gradually hugged Nico back.

"It's okay, Percy. I get it."

"Why aren't you mad?" He asks into his shoulder and hold him tighter.

"Because I- I'm just not. I understand. I've been through the same thing after Bianca died. So I get it."

They sat there hugging each other until the conch horn blew.

"What's happening now?"

"I'm guessing it's the hunters. Chiron was saying something about how they could help in the war." Nico nods and they jump from the tree walking quickly to the where the Hunters of Artemis would be.

"I would like to see these Chaos warriors again." Artemis says.

"Right behind you, Lady Artemis." Artemis looks at his bracelet then back to his hooded face.

"Zeno? Correct?"

Percy nods. Artemis turns her head to Nico and quickly looks back to Zeno.

"How may we help, Lady Artemis?"

"We got word that we should help during the war and my lieutenant has a question for you."

Percy whispers in Nico's ear. "Is it still Thalia?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Styx." He cursed. Nico gave him a curious gaze, then turns his head to see Thalia standing in front of him.

"I need to know. Have you seen Perseus Jackson anywhere? I heard you guys travel around the universe and thought you may have met him."

Percy freezes and it doesn't go unnoticed by Thalia and her eyes narrow. Percy doesn't remember what he told the campers. And they weren't giving any clues to it either. He sighed and decided to tell the truth. Or, half the truth.

"I have seen Perseus Jackson, yes."

Nico tried to stifle a laugh and Percy elbows him in the arm.

"Hey, that hurt!"

"You were asking for it."

"Hey, it's not my fault! It was a little funny."

"How is him knowing Percy a little funny."

Nico quickly came up with some excuse. "Because he called him Perseus, but we all know that he hates being called that."

Thalía accepting the answer but still a little wary. "Okay. Where is he? And you better swear on the Styx you will not lie to me."

"Shit." Thalia raises an eyebrow. Percy looks at Nico and then looks to his warriors.

"I can't."

"And why can't you."

"Because he made me swear on the Styx to not tell anyone his location." It wasn't exactly a lie. Percy told everyone he met and told his true name to, to swear that they will not give up his location in the Chaos army.

"Why would he do that?"

"Because you guys betrayed him." Percy said quietly. By then all the campers were surrounding them and then a bright light appeared to the right of them. The campers closed their eyes but Percy just looked at the light, getting brighter until the Olympians appeared.

"We hear that you guys are talking about Perseus Jackson."

Percy glances at the warrriors who walk closer to Percy and Nico. Percy moves closer to Nico and grips his hand tightly. Nico looks at him but gives a reassuring squeeze and looks back at the gods.

Luke decides to talk as he could see how panicked Percy is, even with the hood over his face.

"We were talking about him." He confirmed.

"When we asked if you saw him, you guys only said you cannot tell anymore."

"Yes, we did."

"Well then can you bring Percy here?" Percy tenses and Athena narrows her eyes at him.

Then Hades speaks up. "Do you know of the lost souls in the Underworld." All the warriors tense this time and they look at Percy. He looks back at them and they all nod.

"Yes, we know of the lost souls."

"Did you take them?"

"I did." Percy says speaking up. "I took the souls of Luke Castellan, Silena Beauregard, Charles Beckendorf, Zoë Nightshade, and Bianca di Angelo."

The campers look at Percy with wide eyes. "But how'd you take Zoë and Bianca? Zoë was in the stars and Bianca chose rebirth."

Percy looks towards the voice and identifies it as Katie Gardener, daughter of Demeter.

"I'm the son of Chaos. I can bring any soul to me as long as I am in the underworld."

"Where are they now?"

"I recruited them as warriors of Chaos."

The warriors step up and take off their hoods. Many of the campers and gods stare at them, some with tears in their eyes.

"Why?"

"Because they were my friends. And now they are my family." They all smile at him and he smiles back.

"Then who are you?" Percy's grip tightens of Nico's hand.

"It's okay. They won't be mad."

"Why would we be mad?"

Percy lets out a deep breath.

"Because I am Perseus Jackson." He flicks his hood off with his free hand, revealing his black eyes, with stars swirling around them. His hair is a lot darker than it was when he left and he is much paler.

Damn, dude.

Suddenly the warriors are being hugged by campers and gods. The campers that hate Percy stare at them dumbfounded before Annabeth raises her voice.

"Why did you come back here?" She says angrily, but some can still hear a speck of fear in her words.

Percy tenses and the campers and gods back away as Percy's aura grows. Nico looks at Percy, not knowing what he will do.

"I didn't ask to come back." He spat and his eyes start to glow.

"Oh shit, he's pissed." The warriors start to back up. When the campers notice they look at them worriedly.

"Why are they backing up? Is it going to be bad? Are we gonna die?"

Bianca grabs Nico and pulls him back slightly.

"If it was up to me." Percy began. "I'd have let Tartarus bring himself and his friends up here and let the whole world burn."

The campers stare at him.

"There are two reason why I came back here." He said staring right at a frightened Annabeth. "The first is because my father told me to come here." The campers instinctively looked at Poseidon but he shook his head and they realized he was talking about Chaos. "And the second is because I couldn't let Nico die." Nico's eyes widen.

A portal opened up and the campers looked at the man who came out of it. His aura was strong, a little bit stronger than Percy's growing aura. The man stepped next to Nico and whispered in his ear but the campers till heard it. "Help him. If you don't, he may accidentally destroy Earth and everyone on it if his aura keeps growing."

Nico nods and steps up. "Percy?" He takes another step. "Percy, listen to me." Percy tenses and looks at Nico. "You gotta calm down. Okay."

"Nico." He whispers.

"Yeah, Perce it's me. I'm right here." Nico takes another step until he's right next to Percy. "Everything's fine okay?" Percy hesitantly nods and his aura decreases and his eyes dim to their original glow. Percy shoots himself at Nico and holds him super tight.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Percy." He says rubbing his back. "You have nothing to be sorry for." He nods his head and holds him tighter.

"Percy." He tenses again and looks up to see his father. He slowly let's go of Nico and steps beside him, looking down at the ground.

"Sorry, Father." This causes the campers to stare at him until someone whispers.

"Chaos."

"Zeno I told you not to try and kill anyone." Everyone's breath hitches in their throat. Thinking the same thing. We're not dead because Chaos asked him to not kill us?

"I got mad. I didn't mean to."

Chaos sighs. "At least no planets blew up this time." The campers look like they're about to burst with all this new information.

Percy's head snaps up. "Wait, really?"

How often does that happen? The campers stare dumbfounded.

"None? Not even a small one?"

"None at all."

"Oh, that's great. Last time is was three. Or was it four? I'm pretty sure it was four."

"Zeno." Percy looks at him. "The last time you got mad it was six of them."

"Oh." Percy shrugs. "Whoops."

"Zeno." Chaos says sternly.

"Oh, lighten up Father. No need to try and act like the tough guy when you're just a baby stuck in an ancient body." Chaos's eyes go dark and everyone thinks Percy is gonna get thrown out of the planet.

"I'm not that old, Percy!" He whines.

Percy raises an eyebrow. "Oh, you're right. You're only twenty-one years old right? Yeah, and I'm seventeen."

"Oh, not this again Percy."

"I just want to know how it works, bro."

"Don't ask me."

"But you're the one that always brings it up."

Chaos gapes at him. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. You said it first."

"And I'll say it again."

"Please don't."

"How the hell did you have a child at 4 years old dad?"

"I didn't!"

"And why is that?"

"Because I couldn't."

"Exactly. So therefore, you are ancient and I am only two centuries. Problem solved. You are no longer a twenty-one year old man that says he has a son that's seventeen. Because we both know those are just lies."

"Whatever, Percy. You have no proof I'm ancient."

Percy starts speaking in a language no one understands. And Chaos retorts back in the same language until he groans. Percy's eyes light up.

"Doesn't that mean that someone could think you're ancient too though?"

"Oh, but this isn't about me. It's about you. And if you know that language then you are old!" Percy grins widely.

"Oh, you're not so young either."

"Hey, I may be older than all the demigods but I am not older than the gods."

The campers just watch with wide eyes looking back between the two. The warriors suddenly burst out into laughter, Luke falling to the floor. Percy and Chaos look at them and they both whine out in unison, "Guys! Stop!"

This makes them laugh even harder and Luke points at them. "You guys.. are like... the least mature ones than everyone here!"

The others nod and they just laugh harder.

"We are not immature!" They say in unison. They look at each other. "Stop doing that!"

"No, you!" They keep saying at the same time. "Ugh, you're so irritating!" Again. Then they both grin and look at the warriors. "Red rum!" They say with the most sinister voices that everyone pales.

"Alright you two seriously got to stop that. Percy is like a younger version of you, Chaos." Zoë says and Chaos grins again. "Oh no, what have I done."

Chaos begins to look younger until he he looks just like Percy, the only difference is that Percy has green specks in his eyes, while Chaos has multiple colors.

"I don't know, I say when we're the same age we look much more alike."

"Wait, that's just when you look younger? You didn't try to look like him at all?" Silena asks and Chaos shakes his head.

"This is what I look like when I'm seventeen."

"Now we have three people we have to look at before we say a name?"

"Hey, leave Eli out of this! He did nothing!"

"I'll bring Eli in if I want. Speaking of Eli, get him, I want to say hi."

"Fine." Percy closes his eyes and his bracelet glows until it's black and red and he opens his eyes. One eye is his normal black while the other is a dark red with black specks in it. Everyone stares at his eyes, seeing them for the first time.

"What's up, peeps."

"Hey Eli." Nico says.

"Hey, guess what?"

"Zoë, no!" Percy yells.

"I can call you your nickname now that everyone knows who you are."

"Zoë, please, no! I'll uh," he looks around. "I'll give you blue cookies. Please."

"Nah, I'm not obsessed with blue cookies like you are."

"Styx."

"So what do you say?" Zoë grins. "Can I call you Perli now?"

"Zoë! Why? I thought we were friends? No, that we're family!"

"Sorry, Perli. I've waited too long." Percy groans.

Nico starts laughing. "Perli."

"Nico! Why?"

"It's a cute name."

Percy's face goes red. "It's not cute. It's a mean name."

"Hey, at least it's not a ship name." Zoë says.

Percy stares at her. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It's when you smash two people's name together when you want them to get together."

Percy's mouth opens. "You don't do that with everyone.. right?"

"No, but I have one for you and someone else."

"You better not say it!"

"Oh, so you know who it is."