Disclaimer: I do not own the wonder franchise that is the Percy Jackson and the Olympians. That all goes to Rick Riordan, though now, I think I want a piece of the property. I am in need of some money, not much, just enough to keep me from being broke. Lol, just kidding. Rick Riordan can keep the franchise. I am good with writing fanficiton. At least here, I can spread the mutual Nicercy love everywhere. C:

A/N: So, I am back again with the second chapter. I was absolutely amazed by the number of favorites, follows, and reviews (maybe not so much that, but I was still happy). I was so surprised to see this story so well like, especially when I wrote it on a whim.

Note: Title has been changed. The previous title was written on a whim. This one seemed more practical. I don't know why. :3

Warnings: Language, Characters That Are Out Of Character, etc.

Status: 2 chapters out of ?.

FullReverse presents...

Paint Me a Better Tomorrow

II. A Chance to Prove

When you've got something to prove, there's nothing greater than a challenge." - Terry Brennan

"Are you really letting two transfers join the basketball team?" The words "transfers" was said in a tone of disgust. Percy turned around in the midst of taking out his books from his backpack and shrugged, though the dark gleam in his eyes said otherwise about his nonchalant manner.

"Why not? They obviously seem like experienced players. I don't see anything bad about it," he said with a hint of a smile. "Nico seems nice." The last sentence was quietly spoken, barely above a whisper. It was embarrassing, but he couldn't stop thinking about the Italian. It made him blush just picturing the guy's gorgeous smile and piercing gaze that seemed to stare straight into your soul. Gods, he was whipped.

"Oh, seaweed brain," he heard a familiar voice chide. He turned to see Annabeth sitting across from him, shaking her head. "You only met him today and you're already smitten with him." Percy's face exploded in a rosy pink hue.

"No, I'm not," he denied fervently. "I am not!"

Annabeth just continued to shake her head. "Just keep thinking that, seaweed brain. You and I know well enough that I'm right and you're just in denial."

Percy pouted and crossed his arms, knowing fully well that he couldn't win. "You know me too well."

"Of course, I do," Annabeth replied with a laugh. "I've been with you and Leo ever since preschool."

"That means nothing," Percy dismissed. "I can't do the same with you."

Annabeth shrugged. "It's a woman thing, then." The you really are just that oblivious was left unsaid.

Percy just shook his head, rolling his eyes. Changing the subject, he casually added, "Did you hear about Jason, Nico's best friend?"

"I know what you're doing," Annabeth realized with a glare.

Percy just stared innocently at her. "I don't know what you're talking about." Annabeth made a face, sighing in defeat.

"Fine. What about Jason?" She knew that Percy was doing this to lose her focus on him and it irritated her greatly, but there was really nothing she could do. 'He's too stubborn for his own good.' Not only that, but she knew that being in the spotlight bothered him, so she decided not to press any further. At least, for the moment, anyways.

"Leo has a crush on him," Percy informed. Annabeth grinned.

"Like how you have a crush on Nico?" she teased. Percy gave "the look," the one he always had when he was annoyed and she deflated. "Sorry, seaweed brain. Couldn't resist. Now, back to Leo."

"So, Leo had a crush on Jason," continued Percy, almost gleefully. "And, the guy is dropping hints that he likes him back."

Annabeth grinned. "Guess you're not the only one with a case of love at first sight."

"Love at first sight?" Percy repeated, seemingly incredulous. "You can't be serious, Annabeth." Love at first sight sounded wonderful, but it was too wonderful, too whimsical. Lust at first sight, or even simple attraction would be better ways to describe it.

"Oh, Percy. I'm dead serious." He groaned. 'And, that's what I'm worried about.'

"You're in love."

"I am not in love with Nico," he declared a little too loudly. A book fell to the floor with a thud and Percy looked up to see the whole class staring at him. He blushed at the scrutinizing gaze and shrunk back against his seat, trying to make himself appear as small as possible.

"What are you looking at?" Annabeth yelled, defending Percy. "You heard nothing. This is none of your business." The class nodded mutely, fearing the wrath of the blonde. Everyone knew of Annabeth's infamous temper when provoked and would rather not be on the receiving end of it. They shuddered at memory of Luke Castellan's bout with Annabeth's anger. He couldn't sit down for a week.

"Thanks, wise girl."

"No problem, seaweed brain," she dismissed with a smile. "Now, back to you. Don't deny it. You may have escaped the subject earlier, but I'm not letting you get away so easily again. You are in love with Nico."

"I am not in love with him," Percy denied once again. "I don't even like him that much.

"Your mind thinks one thing, but your heart and that blush on your face say otherwise." Percy reached up to touch his cheeks and found them to be warm. 'Dammit, traitorous body.'

"Okay," he said. "So, what if I do like him? There's no way he'll like me back." 'And, I don't even know if this is like, let alone love. What if it's just lust or infatuation? And, I don't even know if the guy is gay or bisexual.'

Annabeth shook her head, rolling her eyes. "And, there you go again. Acting so pessimistic. There's always a chance. You know that."

"But…" Percy couldn't seem to find the words to express his worry.

"But, what?" Annabeth pressed. Percy shook his head.

"It's nothing." 'Damn right, it's nothing,' Annabeth thought sarcastically. 'This crush of yours is nothing special.'

"What is it? I know there's something troubling you, seaweed brain."

Percy sighed resignedly. There was no escaping it now. "What if he's straight?"

"With you being as delectable as you are, there is no way any guy wouldn't go gay for you."

"Annabeth! Be serious!"

"Sorry," she apologized, not sounding sorry at all. "Just don't stress over it. He may be straight. He may be bi. He may be pansexual for all you know. We won't know until we find out."

"How will we find out?" Percy asked. 'When did Annabeth get so positive?' "I can't just ask for his sexuality in the middle of practice. I don't want to see his reaction when I pop the question."

"That's not how you do it, seaweed brain. You have no tact," Annabeth chided with a teasing smile. "You have to soften the guy first, then pop the question."

"Annabeth!"

"Sorry, sorry," she said, still not sounding apologetic. "Couldn't help myself."

"You can never help yourself," Percy muttered. Annabeth just smiled at him. She loved teasing him. He had the funniest reactions.

'So, are you going to ask him?" she pressed, watching him closely.

Percy shook his head. "You're not help. I'm not going to ask him. There are others way to know what his sexual orientation is other that just asking him. And besides, Mr. Apollo is here."

"Percy.."

"No, I really mean it," he said, pointing towards the front of the class. A striking blonde with brilliant blue eyes in a dashing suit walked up to the front desk, a mega-watt smile plastered on his face. "Apollo just arrived." Annabeth looked up to see the boy was right and glared at the boy.

"This discussion isn't over," she hissed. "We'll talk later. You're not avoiding this."

Percy just smiled innocently, waving at her. "Bye, Annabeth. You should get to your seat before the bell rings."

"This isn't over, Percy." Percy nodded and sighed, as he watched Annabeth slink towards her seat. 'I know, Annabeth, I know. But, what can I do? There's no way he'll like me back, if I have feelings for him, that is. I don't stand a chance, anyways.'

. . .

"Hey, Jackson, Valdez," Coach La Rue called, his voice gruff. "We need to talk." Percy and Leo jogged up to the man, panting softly. They had been running their laps around the gym, before Ares called them up.

"What's up, coach?"

"Don't what's up ne, Valdez," Ares growled. "What's this I hear about letting transfer join the team?" His face was flushed with anger, purpling to a hideous puce. Percy gulped, making a mental not to piss off Ares or his daughter, Clarisse.

He frowned. "Who said anything about them joining the team yet? They're just trying out. After try outs, we'll see where their abilities lie."

"Good. I don't want to hear any more of this bullshit from anyone, you hear me? I've had enough to deal with as it is. If I hear one peep from anyone concerning your team that isn't a compliment, your position as captain.." Here, he paused and glanced at Leo. "And co-captain, will be questioned. I expect nothing less than perfect, especially when Nike is not here. You hear me?"

"Yes, sir," Percy and Leo chimed, saluting the man. Ares nodded at the two of them, seemingly satisfied, and walked off. 'Probably to scare the freshmen,' Percy mused with a snort.

"I expect nothing less than perfect," Leo mimicked, standing tall and sporting an angry expression, though he couldn't make himself turn purple. It was anyone's guess how one could turn such a hideous shade of purple. "Blah. Blah. Blah."

"Don't listen to him," Percy said, rolling his eyes. "Coach he may be, but it's in name only. And besides, he isn't even our coach. We just have to wait until Coach Nike gets back. Then, he'll be shipped back to football."

"Serves them right," Leo remarked. "Someone needs to tell them that just because they're in the football team doesn't mean that they rule the school." Percy nodded in agreement. Football players were usually extremely cock with the rare exception of a few genuinely nice guys. It gave a bad reputation to those in sports.

"Hey, captain," Frank Zhang, one of the soon-to-be-centers, addressed. "There are two people looking for you."

"Who are they?" Percy's eyes narrowed curiously.

Frank shrugged. "I don't know. They never said their name."

"What do they look like?" Leo asked.

"Umm… one was a blonde with blue eyes and a black-haired guy with black hair, pretty generic if you ask me," the Asian described. "Oh! And, one of them was Italian. He has a strong accent." 'Not so generic, after all,' Leo mused. 'How anyone can call those two generic is beyond me, but then again, Frank is straight.'

"Nico and Jason," Percy murmured. "So, they're here." A smirk curved his lips.

The tall Asian stared at Percy in confusion. "Who's here?"

"Those two," Leo said with a shrug, "are trying out to be a small forward and a power forward on our team. The gods know we need the members."

Everyone knew that the Elites were strong, but small. Their numbers were never more than the bare minimum of 10. And this year, it had been only 8 people who signed up to join the team. They needed two more to make a full roster and a month into school, there seemed to be no hope. At least, not until Nico and Jason came to Elysium. 'Now, we have a chance,' Percy thought. 'To claim our throne once again and to get revenge.'

"If those two make the team," Percy speculated, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth as if in thought. "We can reclaim our throne." He gently released his lip and smirked. "The Elites will reign again."

"There's no way we'll lose to anyone," Leo added. "Especially not to the Titans."

The Titans basketball team belongs to Tartarus Academy, one of the notoriously rich schools known to buy their way through championships. Their members have skill - at least, to some extent – but, they mostly replied on dirty tricks and unsportsmanlike conduct to win games. Every member of the team had been ejected out a game at least once, if not more. There hasn't been a player on the enemy team left unharmed in years. No one escaped the game unscathed, whether hurt physically or emotionally.

Last year in Percy and Leo's sophomore year, their captain at the time, Luke Castellan, had been seriously injured by Kronos, the Titan's own captain, and hadn't been able to play basketball for months. Luke hadn't been the same since. He lost his spark and love for the game. It led him to quitting the team and basketball, vowing that he would never play again.

"They'll play for what they did to Luke," Percy declared. "We'll have our revenge."

"We'll crush them," Frank decided, glowering at the memory of their defeat. "Like, how they crushed us last year."

Percy grinned maliciously. "The Titans will pay. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold."

. . .

"Captain!" Connor and Travis Stoll exclaimed, encircling their arms around Percy's neck in an affectionate (and frankly, annoying) manner. They pulled him to the side with a grin.

"So, what's this we hear?" Connor asked, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously. "About the news transfer students trying out for the team."

"Not only that," Travis added. "But also trying out for our captain and co-captain's heart."

Percy blushed. "Where did you hear that? Did Annabeth tell you?"

"No, but you just did," the Stolls chimed, grinning when Percy glared at them.

"Jokes aside," Travis stated, his expression somber. "Do you think these guys have a chance?"

Percy shrugged. "They sure sound confident, but I'm not really sure. We can only hope. Did you… did you manage to convince Luke?"

Travis and Connor shook their heads miserably, a melancholy expression on their usually cheerful faces and their eyes downcast. "Luke.. he declined. He says that he's sorry, Percy, but he isn't going to play again. What happened last year destroyed him. It broke his spirit. He hates the sport now, Captain. There's nothing we can do." Percy had never seen the Stolls look so down. The loss of Luke had affected everyone, but it hurt the twins most of all. They had looked up to their half-brother, as had everyone on the team. It was saddening to see their captain, so strong and unyielding, break down before their very sight. The sight was beyond heart-breaking. They could only share their sentiments, as Luke was carried away on a stretched. They lost the championship that day, but they will never forget that it was the day they also lost Luke.

"No," Percy disagreed with a heavy heart, remembering their loss. "We can still get revenge. We'll beat the Titans fair and square for Luke. Maybe, just maybe, he'll get some of his passion for basketball back. God knows he loved the sport."

"Percy!" The said captain turned around upon hearing his name and swiftly caught the basketball sailing through the air. He nearly had a frontal face collision with the ball, but it was thanks to the basketball skills he had honed through many years of practice that he had managed to catch it in time.

"What the hell, Leo?"

"Sorry to spoil your moment with the Stolls, Captain, but we have try-outs to commence. The guys are getting impatient."

Percy nodded and headed towards the court, waving goodbye to the Stolls, who waved weakly back with a sad smile. He dribbled the ball, smirking slightly. He wanted to test and see if the guy were really as good as they say. It wasn't good to dwell on the past. Even if, it was Luke, his role model, his idol.

Upon reaching the court, Percy was met with a complaint.

"What took you so long?" Jason complained, while Nico just sighed. "I thought captains are supposed to be on time?"

"We were.."

"Slightly distracted discussing a few things," Leo interjected, sending Percy a pointed look. Their captain just smiled apologetically and glanced over at Jason and Nico with a grin.

"Now that, we are here. How about we start the try-outs?" he declared, dribbling the ball methodically. "We'll give you some to warm up. Then, we're going up against us." He held up a fist to Leo who met him with his own fist in a glorified fist bump. They shared a smirk and grinned determinedly at the pair of transfer students. This was going to be fun.

"Good luck with that. You'll need it," a voice snorted. Jason and Nico turned around to see a boy dressed in the Elites uniform of royal blue and sterling silver, leaning casually against the wall.

"And, you are?" Nico took a step forward to take a closer look at the guy. He noticed that the guy had his hair styled to one side and underneath the fringe was a black eye patch with a skull and crossbones design. He quirked an eyebrow, but decided not to question it.

"Ethan Nakamura," the boy replied with a smirk.

"So, Ethan Nakamura," Jason huffed. "What makes you say that?"

"Well," he drawled, crossing his arms. "Considering that Percy and Leo are the best we have, I'd say that's enough of an answer."

Jason snorted. "Maybe, you're just weak."

"Grace.." Nico warned softly. "Watch what you're saying."

"What?" he retorted. "Maybe, it's true. What if they are just weak?"

Ethan's eyes flashed dangerously. "Don't underestimate us. Percy and Leo may look weak to you, but I can assure you that they are not at all weak. We may have been stronger in the past with Luke still around, but we are still a hell lot stronger than you say we are."

"Don't mention his name," a voice growled. Loud footsteps echoed through the gym, causing Nico and Jason to turn around. A blonde with striking blue eues was glaring at them, dressed in the same uniform as Ethan. "And you, don't you dare call us weak. Even without him, we are still strong."

"Still can't say his name, can you?" Ethan noted, but his tone was not mocking. It was just sad.

"Quitters like him don't deserve my attention," the blonde huffed bitterly, crossing his arms angrily.

"I wouldn't blame him, Octavian," Ethan muttered. "Kronos did a number on him. No one can survive that and still say that they love basketball." He shuddered. "I know I wouldn't."

"But, he still left," the blonde, whom they learned was Octavian, sighed resignedly. "He left the team. He left his family. And most of all, he.." The he left me was left unsaid, but it rang true in Ethan's ears. The Asian sighed and pulled Octavian away from the two transfer students. It already proved to be too much of an emotional day for his teammate.

But before he walked away, he said, "As I said before, I wish you good luck. You will need it. Percy and Leo aren't the easy opponents and neither are the rest of us." With that said, he walked away, pulling Octavian to where Percy and Leo were practicing, leaving a confused Jason and Nico behind.

"What the hell was that about?" Jason wondered. Nico shrugged and punched his best friend on the shoulder.

"Ow! What's that for? You punched my blocking arm, you bastard."

Nico frowned. "They might become our teammates one day. I know for a fact that they won't forget it. No one likes to be called weak, Jason."

"I know. I just.. the guy was acting cocky and it got on my nerves," Jason admitted, running a hand through his hair. "It kinda pissed me off, as if they were underestimating us."

"Maybe, we are a little," a voice interjected. "But, it's justified. You are up against two formidable opponents." Jason and Nico jumped in surprise. They turned to see yet another guy dressed in the Elites uniform, this time with smiling brown eyes and a stubble, grinning at them in amusement. He was spinning a basketball on his finger, balancing it delicately.

"Who the hell are you?" Jason asked, after he recovered from the scare. "And, don't do that. You scared me."

The boy chuckled. "My name is Grover Underwood. And, that was Ethan Nakamura and Octavian Simmons, in case you were wondering." He completely ignored Jason's last comment, much to the boy's chagrin.

"Who's Luke?" Nico wondered. "The two of them mentioned him once or twice."

Grover's expression fell, only to be replaced by a sad expression that was starting to get old. "Luke Castellan was our captain, the best we ever had, besides Percy. He quit last year due to a severe injury during our championship game. Luke hasn't been the same since. He lost his will to play the game and declared that he hated basketball."

"An injury and a loss did that to him?" inquired Jason. "I thought everyone on the team was strong. No offense."

"None taken," Grover dismissed. "Let's not talk about that. You have bigger things to worry about. You're up against Percy and Leo."

"So, we've been told," Jason noted dryly. "Countless times."

Grover chuckled. "You should practice. They are a force to be reckoned with, even without Luke."

"What positions do they play?"

"Shooting guard and point guard," Grover replied. "They shred through everyone's defense, like it's paper. You best be on your guard." He tossed Jason the ball. "Here, you can use this to practice. The half-court is ours. Have fun. And, good luck."

As Grover walked away to leave them to their practice, Jason groaned. "Why is everyone wishing us good luck?"

"Apparently," Nico replied, "we'll need it. Come on, let's go practice. God knows we need it." Jason nodded and tossed the ball seamlessly into the hoop. Swish. Nico caught the ball and dribbled to the three point line. He jumped backwards and threw the ball into a fadeaway shot. The Italian landed steadily on his feet and watched as the ball sailed through the hoop with a smirk. 'Perfect.'

. . .

"Are you ready?" Percy asked, holding the basketball against his hip. He was already anticipating the battle, to see just how Jason and Nico were. He hoped that they would not disappoint.

"We're ready," Nico announced, as they took their places on the half-court.

"We will play for as long as is needed," Leo explained, cracking his neck and stretching exaggeratedly. "Until we can see the extent of your skill." Jason and Nico nodded, watching apprehensively, as Percy dribbled the ball rhythmically against the floor. He passed the ball to Leo and the game began.

The game was overwhelming to say the least. The other guys were right. They did need the good luck. Percy and Leo were forces to be reckoned with.

Percy was like a tidal wave, washing over the court. His movements were fluid, like a steadily flowing river. He was swift, but deadly, shooting the ball into the hoop from anywhere along the three-point line. It was hard to defend against him, since his reflexes were so quick, able to change directions in a matter of seconds, but it wasn't just him that posed as a problem. Leo was equally difficult to play against.

If Percy was a tidal wave, then Leo was a raging firestorm. His movements were unpredictable, but fluid nonetheless. He was obviously the playmaker, passing the ball to Percy with deadly accuracy at lightning speed. Right from the start, he had devised Percy to play a run and gun offensive style for this game. They had managed to break through their defense with some resistance and scored a multitude of points on them.

It was overall an overwhelming game to Percy and Leo's favor, but they had put up their best fight. Towards the end, they were able to block most of their attempts to shoot, letting only a few shots go through. It got a lot easier, once they got used to the style of play that Percy and Leo had, but they knew that it was only a matter of time before they switched up again, but luckily, the game had ended.

"Nice job," Percy congratulated, slightly panting from the exertion. "Not many people can keep up with our pace from the start. You did better than many of the people that have been pitted against us."

Jason stared at him hopefully. "So, does that mean?"

Percy nodded, smiling brightly. "Yes, that means that you made the team. Welcome to the Elites."

Well, that's it for this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I may have used some terms wrong, so please correct me if I did.

Basketball Terms Mention in this Chapter-

Center: The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game and is commonly abbreviated "C". The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well. A typical NBA center is usually 6'9" (2.06 m) or taller.

In many cases, the center's primary role is to use his or her size to score and defend from a position close to the basket. A center who possesses size along with athleticism and skill constitutes an unparalleled asset for a team. The centers are also generally the players who are chosen to take jump balls.

Power Forward: Also known as the four position, the power forward plays a role similar to that of the center, down in the "post" or "low blocks". On offense, they are often the team's most versatile traveler, being able to score close to the basket while also being able to shoot mid-range jump shots from 12 to 18 feet from the basket. On defense, they are required to have the strength to guard bigger players close to the basket, while having the athleticism to guard quick players away from the basket. Most power forwards tend to be more versatile than centers since they can be part of plays, being that they are not always in the low block. In the NBA, power forwards usually range from 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) to 7 feet 0 inches (2.13 m).

Small Forward: The small forward (SF) is known as the three position. The small forward position is considered to be perhaps the most versatile of the main five basketball positions. Versatility is key for small forwards due to the nature of its role, which is sometimes similar to that of a power forward, but more often resembles the role of a shooting guard. Thus, the small forward and shooting guard positions are often interchangeable.

Small forwards have a variety of assets, such as quickness and strength inside. One common thread between all kinds of small forwards is an ability to "get to the line" and draw fouls by aggressively attempting (post up) plays, lay-ups, or slam dunks. As such, accurate foul shooting is a common skill for small forwards, many of whom record a large portion of their points from the foul line. Small forwards should be able to do a little bit of everything on the court, typically playing roles such as swingmen but also as point forwards and defensive specialists. Examples of well-known versatile small forwards include Kevin Durant and Lebron James. In the NBA, small forwards usually range from 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) to 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m).

Point Guard: The point guard,[1] also known as the one, is typically the team's best ball handler and passer. Therefore, they often lead their team in assists and steals. They are often quick and are able to hit shots either outside the three-point line or in the paint, largely depending on the player's skill level. Point guards are looked upon as the "floor general" or the "coach on the floor". They should study the game and game film to be able to recognize the weaknesses of the defense, and the strengths of their own offense. They are responsible for directing plays, making the position equivalent to that of play-making midfielder in association football, setter in volleyball, quarterback in American football, or center in ice hockey. Good point guards increase team efficiency and generally have a high number of assists. An example of point guard is Chris Paul who leads his team in assists. Point guards are often shorter or smaller players. They are often referred to as dribblers or play-makers. Point guards have to be good at dribbling. In the NBA, point guards usually range from 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) to 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m).

Shooting Guard: The shooting guard, also known as the two, is usually one of the team's most versatile players, being bulky like the Forwards, yet fast like the Point Guard. Besides being able to shoot the ball, shooting guards tend to have good ball handling skills and the ability to drive the ball to the net, often creating their own shots off the dribble. A versatile shooting guard will have good passing skills, allowing him to assume point guard responsibilities. A well known shooting guard, Dwyane Wade has a unique style of scoring points where he dribbles the ball towards the defender and comes to a sudden stop. Wade then steps back to create space and shoots the shot to score. On defense, shooting guards are often tasked with defending the opponent's strongest perimeter threat. In the NBA, shooting guards usually range from 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) to 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m).

Run and Gun: In basketball, run and gun is a fast, freewheeling style of play that features a high number of field goal attempts that results in high-scoring games.[1][2][3] The offense typically relies on fast breaks while placing less emphasis on set plays.[2][4] A run-and-gun team typically allows a large number of points on defense as well.[4][5]

I hope I don't have to add these terms often. The articles are taken from Wikipedia, of course, and I do not own anything.

That is all for this chapter, folks. I hope you enjoyed it. Please review.

Until next time, FullReverse~