Percy Jackson really hated his dreams. The reason… Because they never really were dreams. They were visions. Though Percy preferred to call them nightmares, because they were never pleasant.
Percy was standing on a deserted street in some little beach town. It was the middle of the night. A storm was blowing. Wind and rain ripped at the palm trees along the sidewalk. Pink and yellow stucco buildings lined the street, their windows boarded up. A block away, past a line of hibiscus bushes, the ocean churned.
"Florida," The young demigod thought. Though he wasn't sure how I knew that. He'd never been to Florida. Then I heard the hooves. Percy turned to see his friend Grover running for his life.
Percy hadn't seen his satyr friend run that fast except when it came to enchiladas.
Grover was hauling goat tail, holding his human shoes in his hands the way he does when he needs to move fast. He clopped past the little tourist shops and surfboard rental places. The wind bent the palm trees almost to the ground. Percy could tell by just looking at his friend.
Grover was terrified of something behind him.
He must've just come from the beach. Wet sand was caked in his fur. He'd escaped from somewhere. He was trying to get away from ... something. A bone-rattling growl cut through the storm. Behind Grover, at the far end of the block, a shadowy figure loomed. It swatted aside a street lamp, which burst in a shower of sparks.
Grover stumbled, whimpering in fear. He muttered to himself, "Have to get away. Have to warn them!"
Percy couldn't see what was chasing him, but he could hear it muttering and cursing. The ground shook as it got closer. Grover dashed around a street corner and faltered. He'd run into a dead-end courtyard full of shops. No time to back up. The nearest door had been blown open by the storm. The sign above the darkened display window read: ST. AUGUSTINE BRIDAL BOUTIQUE. Grover dashed inside.
He dove behind a rack of wedding dresses. The monster's shadow passed in front of the shop. Percy could smell the thing—a sickening combination of wet sheep wool and rotten meat and that weird sour body odor only monsters have, like a skunk that's been living off Mexican food.
Grover trembled behind the wedding dresses. The monster's shadow passed on. Silence except for the rain. Grover took a deep breath. Maybe the thing was gone.
Then lightning flashed. The entire front of the store exploded, and a monstrous voice bellowed: "MIIIIINE!"
Then the scene changed. Percy was now in the middle of the street with people walking by. It was New York. He recognized his city easily. His body began moving forward before he found himself in a small alleyway. Percy blinked.
And then everyone was gone. He was alone in city. Well almost alone. There was a girl in the alleyway. She was in tattered clothing and her hair, and body was marred with dirt and grime.
The girl looked up at him and he realized he knew who it was.
"Tamamo?"
Percy sat bolt upright, shivering in his bed. There was no storm. No monster. No alley. Morning sunlight filtered through the bedroom window. Percy thought he saw a shadow flicker across the glass—a humanlike shape. But then there was a knock on his bedroom door.
"Percy, you're going to be late," His mom said on the other side of the door. The shadow at the window disappeared. It must've been his imagination. A fifth-story window with a rickety old fire escape ... there couldn't have been anyone out there.
"Come on, dear, Naruto's already up," His mother called again. "Last day of school. You should be excited! You've almost made it.'"
"Coming," The green eyes teen groaned. He felt under his pillow. His fingers closed reassuringly around the ballpoint pen the sea spawn always slept with. Percy brought it out, studied the Ancient Greek writing engraved on the side: Anaklusmos. Riptide.
Then his door busted open. And standing there was none other than Naruto Uzumaki holding a guitar.
"I got it!" He shouted.
"You broke my door," Percy deadpanned.
"No I-," Naruto began but stopped when the door fell over.
…
…
…
"Nevermind," Naruto muttered.
"So what is that you got?" Percy asked as he looked at his friend.
"The name of the song," The whiskered teen responded remembering why he barged in here in the first place.
"Your still on that?" Percy asked in shock.
"Yeah I wanted to show RED some appreciation for being a good pal," Naruto explained as he began strumming.
"You mean the possibly creepy old man you've been talking too online,"
"She's not like that," Naruto growled.
"Well what's it called," Percy asked in curiosity as he got dressed.
"Red," Naruto responded.
"Wow, a song named after a girl," Percy drawled out. "There aren't a million of those already," He said sarcastically.
"Name 20," Naruto challenged.
"Rosanna, Roxanne, Michelle, Alison, Sara, Angie, Brandy, Mandy, Gloria, Cecilia, Maggie May, Jessica, Nancy, Barbara Ann, Billie Jean, Layla, Lola, Polly, Helena, Jenny from The Block," Percy answered easily without missing a beat. Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"Name six more," He demanded.
"Sherry, Laura, Wendy, Maria, Peggy Sue, Minnie the Moocher," Percy answered just as easily as before.
"Name five more," Naruto said hoping to throw him off.
"Tracy, Jean, Jane, Mary Ann, Eleanor Rigby,"
…
…
…
Percy and Naruto stared at each other. One with a deadpan look the other with a tic mark.
Naruto threw down the guitar and walked off.
"Go fuck yourself water boy," The blonde hissed as he walked out of the room. Percy chuckled as he followed the blond out of the room.
Neither of them noticing the humanoid shadow on the fire escape. Soon it faded away again as if never being there.
ENIGMA
OPENING BEGINS
Instrumental.
It shows Percy with his hands in his pockets walking forward before focusing on his face as he looks up with a smile.
It shows Annabeth walking towards the right with her hands crossed before focusing on her face as she looks towards the camera with a bored expression.
It shows Clarisse walking towards the left holding her spear over her shoulder before she looks over at the at the camera with a scowl.
It shows Naruto's back as he walks with his hands behind his head before her turns to look at the camera with a feral grin.
Sea of Monster
Yubi de hajiku coin mitsumeta
It shows a girl with kaleidoscope eyes walking with Naruto and Percy before flipping a coin up into the air.
Omote nara go, Ura wa stay
As the coin comes down and images of the council and nine glowing gems are shown.
Mazu kotae wo kikasete
The girl reaches out for it but gets shoved by Naruto as he and Percy argue about something and she gives them a peeved look.
Instrumental.
It shows Sasuke as he walks in the night, a blazing fire roars behind him.
Douka oshiete kuremasenka
It shows the campers at Camp Half Blood going about their daily lives at camp.
Tenshi wa misadameru Egao no mama
It shows Hinata with a sad look before zooming on a boy with the same eyes as her glaring before changing to a boy with gray hair laying down in water as he opens his eyes lazily before changing to Grover in a wedding dress crying comically before changing to Luke sitting next to a coffin the begins emitting a dark aura.
(Instumental)
It focuses on a Tamamo as she tits on top of a boulder with a sad smile.
Mayoe sono te wo
It shows a girl with twin buns throwing giant maces that Beckendorf charges through them in a strange armor
hiku mono nado inai
It shows Travis fighting at high speeds with a teen in green spandex as they try to out maneuver each other. It moves to Hinata as she fight the brown haired teen hand to hand before their arms reach just past each other heads.
Kami ga kudasu
It shows two similar dressed men as they cross their arms with the clawed gauntlets on and they launch them.
sono kotae wa
It shows the man covered in bandages swinging his sword around easily before he swings it at the camera.
fukou data
It shows someone with a yukata and a mask on as he makes a hand sign ice begins to cover him before it shatters and he disappears.
Sooooou sore koso
It shows Tyson and Annabeth manning a cannon before Clarisse slides in and moves her hand and Tyson and Annabeth fire.
kami kara no okurimono
It shows the kaleidoscope eyed girl looking up at a beautiful woman that smiles at her
Norikoetara miete kuru sa
Naruto and Percy look up as a giant shadowed being looks down at them. The two look at each other and grin.
Dakara imasugu
Naruto and Percy charge forward and leap towards the being and attack.
No Buts!
The scene fades out in a flash of white as they collide with the being.
(Instrumental)
It shows Naruto, Percy, Annabeth, Tyson, and the girl sitting on a boat as they drift through the sea with smiles on their faces before the camera looks up at the sky
OPENING ENDS
ENIGMA
Ms. Jackson made blue waffles and orange eggs for breakfast. She was funny that way, celebrating special occasions with strange colored food. It was her way of saying anything is possible. Percy can pass seventh grade. Naruto can get away with his pranks. Waffles can be blue. Little miracles like that.
The two boys sat at the table chowing down on their food while she made their lunches. She was dressed in her work uniform—a starry blue skirt and a red-and-white striped blouse she wore to sell candy at Sweet on America. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
Percy looked over and caught Naruto starring at her and flicked him on the head.
"OI!" Naruto shouted looking at his friend.
"Stop looking at my mom," Percy hissed.
"I wasn't," Naruto defended.
"Yeah then what were you looking at," The son of Poseidon challenged.
"The lunches," Naruto said quickly. "The tasty looking lunches,"
The lunches were in sacks so he couldn't even see the contents of said lunches.
"Did you just call my mom tasty," Percy seethed. His eyes turning a demonic blue.
"Ummmmm," Naruto said as he began sweating bullets.
"Boys," Sally said gaining their attention. "Everything alright?"
"Yes Mom/Ms. Jackson," They responded simultaneously. Then a thought came across Percy.
"Well actually," He began gaining the other occupants attention. "I think Grover's in trouble," Percy then told them about his dream. Sally pursed her lips. They didn't talk much about the other part of his life. They tried to live as normally as possible, but his mom knew all about Grover.
"I wouldn't be too worried, dear," she said. "Grover is a big satyr now. If there were a problem, I'm sure we would've heard from ... from camp... ." Her shoulders tensed as she said the word camp.
"What is it?" Naruto asked.
"Nothing," she said. "I'll tell you what. This afternoon we'll celebrate the end of school. I'll take you two to Rockefeller Center to that skateboard shop you like. And you can invite Tyson ad Piper," Oh, man, that was tempting. They were always struggling with money. She didn't like relying on the Lotus card Naruto gave her and used it for emergencies only.
Between her night classes and their private school tuition, they could never afford to do special stuff like shop for a skateboard. But something in her voice bothered Naruto.
"Wait a minute," The blond said. "I thought we were packing up for camp tonight." She twisted her dishrag.
"Ah, about that ... I got a message from Chiron last night."
Chiron was the activities director at Camp Half-Blood. He wouldn't contact them unless something serious was going on.
"What did he say?"
"He thinks ... it might not be safe for you to come to camp just yet. We might have to postpone."
Naruto was the voice between the two of them.
"Why not?" He asked. "Is everything ok?"
"Mom, how could it not be safe? I'm a half-blood! It's like the only safe place on earth for me!"
"Usually, dear. But with the problems they're having,"
"What problems?"
"Percy ... I'm very, very sorry. I was hoping to talk to you about it this afternoon. I can't explain it all now. I'm not even sure Chiron can. Everything happened so suddenly."
His mind was reeling. How could they not go to camp? Percy wanted to ask a million questions, but just then the kitchen clock chimed the half-hour. His mom looked almost relieved.
"Seven-thirty, guys. You should go. Tyson will be waiting."
"But,"
"Percy, we'll talk this afternoon. Go on to school."
That was the last thing the sea spawn wanted to do, but his mom had this fragile look in her eyes a kind of warning, like if he pushed her too hard she'd start to cry. Besides, she was right about Tyson. They had to meet him at the subway station on time or he'd get upset. He was scared of traveling underground alone.
The boys gathered up their stuff, but Percy stopped in the doorway.
"Mom, this problem at camp. Does it... could it have anything to do with my dream about Grover?"
Naruto looked over at his friend before turning to look at Ms. Jackson She wouldn't meet their eyes.
"We'll talk this afternoon, dear. I'll explain ... as much as I can."
Reluctantly, He told her good-bye. Percy jogged downstairs to catch the Number Two train.
As they stepped outside, Naruto glanced at the brownstone building across the street. Just for a second he saw a dark shape in the morning sunlight a human silhouette against the brick wall, a shadow that belonged to no one. Then it rippled and vanished.
Naruto narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He let it go for now as he continued to walk with Percy.
"Hey I just realized something," Naruto said. "You said camp was safe for you,"
"Yeah,"
"Well what about me?"
"You don't count," Percy said. "You have a cheat,"
"True," Naruto agreed as the two continued down the path.
ENIGMA
The day started normal.
Or as normal as it ever gets at for our heroes at Meriwether College Prep. It was one of those "progressive" schools in downtown Manhattan, which means they sat in beanbag chairs instead of at desks, and they didn't get grades, and the teachers wore jeans and rock concert T-shirts to work.
That was cool with them. Percy was ADHD and dyslexic, like most half-bloods, so he'd never done that great in regular schools even before they kicked him out. And Naruto slept through most classes anyway since they didn't grade anything…win-win for him. Though whenever Sakura was in town she tended to beat education in to them. Literally.
The only bad thing about Meriwether was that the teachers always looked on the bright side of things, and the kids weren't always ... well, bright.
Take the first class today: English. The whole middle school had read this book called Lord of the Flies, where all these kids get marooned on an island and go psycho. So for the final exam, the teachers sent them into the break yard to spend an hour with no adult supervision to see what would happen.
It had been pure chaos.
What happened was a massive wedgie contest between the seventh and eighth graders, two pebble fights, and a full-tackle basketball game. And that was within the first 15 minutes.
Naruto absolutely loved it.
The school bully, Matt Sloan, led most of those activities. Sloan wasn't big or strong, but he acted like he was. He had eyes like a pit bull, and shaggy black hair, and he always dressed in expensive but sloppy clothes, like he wanted everybody to see how little he cared about his family's money. One of his front teeth was chipped from the time he'd taken his daddy's Porsche for a joyride and run into a PLEASE SLOW DOWN FOR CHILDREN sign. Naruto had laughed at the irony of it all.
Anyway, Sloan was giving everybody wedgies until he made the mistake of trying it on their friend Tyson. Tyson was the only homeless kid at Meriwether College Prep. As near as they could figure, he'd been abandoned by his parents when he was very young, probably because he was so ... different.
He was six-foot-three and built like the Abominable Snowman, but he cried a lot and was scared of just about everything, including his own reflection. His face was kind of misshapen and brutal-looking. They couldn't tell you what color his eyes were, because they could never look higher than his crooked teeth for some reason. His voice was deep, but he talked funny, like a much younger kid. Percy guessed because he'd never gone to school before coming to Meriwether.
He wore tattered jeans, grimy size-twenty sneakers, and a plaid flannel shirt with holes in it. He smelled like a New York City alleyway, because that's where he lived, in a cardboard refrigerator box off 72nd Street.
Meriwether Prep had adopted him as a community service project so all the students could feel good about themselves. Unfortunately, most of them couldn't stand Tyson. Once they discovered he was a big softie, despite his massive strength and his scary looks, they made themselves feel good by picking on him. Naruto didn't stand for that. He had made clear early on that you would suffer his wrath if you picked on Tyson.
Percy's mom had complained to the school a million times that they weren't doing enough to help him. She'd called social services, but nothing ever seemed to happen. The social workers claimed Tyson didn't exist. They swore up and down that they'd visited the alley they described and couldn't find him, though how you miss a giant kid living in a refrigerator box, they didn't know.
Anyway, Matt Sloan snuck up behind him and tried to give him a wedgie, and Tyson panicked. He swatted Sloan away a little too hard. Sloan flew fifteen feet and got tangled in the little kids' tire swing.
"HA!" Naruto laughed.
"You freak!" Sloan yelled. "Why don't you go back to your cardboard box!" Tyson started sobbing. He sat down on the jungle gym so hard he bent the bar, and buried his head in his hands.
"Take it back, Sloan!" Percy shouted. Sloan just sneered at him. "Why do you even bother, Jackson? You might have friends if you weren't always sticking around this freak or midget."
"Who did you say was small like a grain of rice and doesn't show up in your eyes?!" Naruto roared as he looked ready to pound Sloan into the ground.
Percy balled his fists. He hoped my face wasn't as red as it felt. "He's not a freak. He's just..." Percy tried to think of the right thing to say, but Sloan wasn't listening. He and his big ugly friends were too busy laughing.
Percy wondered if it was his imagination, or if Sloan had more goons hanging around him than usual. He was used to seeing him with two or three, but today he had like, half a dozen more, and he was pretty sure he'd never seen them before.
He was on alert instantly.
"Just wait till PE, Jackson," Sloan called. "You and that shorty are dead."
"Ok that's it!" Naruto shouted before charging. The last 15 minutes consisted of an all-out brawl/King of the mountain. The mountain being the bodies of the fallen fighters.
When first period ended, their English teacher, Mr. de Milo, came outside to inspect the carnage.
Naruto was sitting on top of the bodies of victims with a triumphant look while Tyson clapped and Percy sighed.
He pronounced that they'd understood Lord of the Flies perfectly. They all passed his course, and they should never, never grow up to be violent people. Naruto got extra credit for being the winner of the brawl.
"See buddy?" Naruto began. "You're not a freak,"
"Yeah," Percy agreed consoling their friend. "If anyone's the freak it's Naruto,"
"Yeah see-wait what!" Naruto shouted looking at Percy.
"I mean you have to be some kind of monster to beat up 27 kids with ease,"
"How about I make it 28," Naruto gritted.
"I'd like to see you try," Percy snapped as the two began butting heads
"You are a good friend's," Tyson said. "Miss you next year if ... if I can't ..." His voice trembled. That's when they realized he didn't know if he'd be invited back next year for the community service project.
Naruto wondered if the headmaster had even bothered talking to him about it.
"Don't worry, big guy," Naruto managed. "Everything's going to be fine."
"Yeah now come on," Percy said." "We'll get you an extra peanut butter sandwich at lunch,"
The smile that came across Tysons face was infectious.
The next exam was science. Mrs. Tesla told them that they had to mix chemicals until they succeeded in making something explode. Naruto and Percy looked at each other. Then they smiled.
They had this in the bag.
Tysons hands were way too big for the tiny vials they were supposed to use. He accidentally knocked a tray of chemicals off the counter and made an orange mushroom cloud in the trash can. After Mrs. Tesla evacuated the lab and called the hazardous waste removal squad, she praised Tyson and Percy for being natural chemists.
They were the first ones who'd ever aced her exam in under thirty seconds.
Then Naruto came running out the room with something in his hand.
"She's gonna blow!" Naruto shouted as he ran out the door to the outside.
…
…
…
BOOOOOOM!
Naruto walked back in covered in soot and a satisfied smile.
The cops showed up 5 minutes later.
Percy was glad the morning went fast, because it kept him from thinking too much about camp. He couldn't stand the thought of something being wrong there. Even worse, he couldn't shake the memory of his bad dream. He had a terrible feeling that Grover was in danger.
These thought raced through his mind before someone tapped him on his shoulder.
"So I heard there was giant brawl in your first hour," The person asked.
Standing next to Percy was what could probably be consider the most popular girl at the school.
Piper Mclean.
Piper was a very beautiful girl of Native American descent. She had chocolate-brown hair that was cut choppy and unevenly, and had thin strands braided down on the sides. Her eyes seemed to change color like a kaleidoscope, going from brown to blue too green. She wore no makeup, and she had facial imperfections (such as pimples, namely one at the base of her nose, which had been there for some time). But she was still so beautiful that she drew attention even when trying not do. Which most of the time she wasn't.
She was a year younger than Percy and Naruto but she typically hung around them. Probably because of how they met. That and the fact that they never treated her differently despite her heritage.
The entire school knew who her father was and ever since she was treated like royalty.
She hated it.
"Yeah," Percy answered.
"And I'm king of the mountain once again," Naruto said as he and Tyson joined them. "Wassup Pocahontas,"
"Not much whiskers," She said as she sat down with them. "I'm guessing the cops showing up had something to do with you,"
"Yeah I might have over done it in science," Naruto responded as he dug into his lunch.
"Really?" Piper asked sarcastically. "So what was the fight about in first period,"
"Oh Sloan was picking on Tyson again," Percy answered. "Then he called Naruto short,"
"Ah," The younger girl said as if that explained everything.
"He shouldn't have called Tyson a freak," Naruto muttered through a mouthful.
"He did," Piper asked. "Don't listen to him big guy," Piper said looking at the biggest one in their group. "If anyone's the freak it's Naruto,"
"OI!"
"That's what I said," Percy added looking at his friend.
"Great minds think alike,"
"You guys are so mean to me," Naruto said as tears came down his face.
"So what are you doing after school," Percy asked.
"Nothing really," Piper answered. "Why,"
"Well my moms, taking us to the skate park," He explained. "You wanna come along,"
"Yeah sure," The preteen chirped.
"Great," Naruto said. "Now all that's left is to hit Sloan in the face during dodgeball,"
"How do you know we'll play dodgeball?" Piper asked. The sixth and seventh graders had gym together.
"I overheard coach talking about it with the other teachers,"
"Oh right you have freak hearing," Piper muttered
"Shut it Sacagawea," Naruto growled.
"You first fight night," Piper countered.
"Nice counter," Percy mumbled as he pulled a bag of cookies.
"Why thank you," Piper smiled. "Now give me a cookie,"
"What why?" Percy asked.
"Because your mom makes the greatest cookies ever,"
"Yeah she sure does," Naruto agreed as he gave a leery smile.
"What's with that smile," Percy growled.
"He's thinking about how hot you mom is," Piper answered. "Which is true,"
"Piper!" Percy exclaimed.
"What it's true," Piper defended. "I hope I look that good when I'm older,"
"You will," Naruto and Percy said simultaneously and continued eating.
"Pipers super pretty," Tyson added having finished his third sandwich. Piper looked at the three boys before looking down in hopes of hiding her blush.
"Thanks," She muttered.
ENIGMA
After splitting off from Piper after lunch they headed towards Their second to last class Social Studies.
Their final was to draw latitude/longitude maps. Naruto did it sloppily and then began playing an impromptu game of Tic Tac Toe with Tyson to pass the time. After Percy finished he opened his notebook and stared at the photos inside. There was a picture of the night he and Naruto had met Piper, one of Halloween night with Tyson, and this passing New Years, Eve. THAT had been an odd day. There were also pictures of the friends they had made after entering Camp Half-Blood last year.
Charles Beckendorf, a son of Hephaestus was in a picture with Silena Beauregard a daughter of Aphrodite, and Katie Gardner, a daughter of Demeter. The girls were licking chocolate batter form a bowl while Beckendorf was making more. The Travis and Conner Stoll, sons of Hermes were in a picture with Hinata Hyuga, an unclaimed child at the moment. They had their cheeks pressed to hers while she blushed in the picture.
Then he got to a picture of Annabeth Chase, a daughter of Athena on vacation in Washington, D.C. She was wearing jeans and a denim jacket over her orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt. Her blond hair was pulled back in a bandanna. She was standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial with her arms crossed, looking extremely pleased with herself, like she'd personally designed the place.
He wished Annabeth was here. She'd know what to make of his dream. he'd never admit it to her, but she was smarter than him, even if she was annoying sometimes. But she was a good friend at the end of the day.
Percy was about to close the notebook when Matt Sloan reached over and ripped the photos out of the rings.
"Hey!" The black haired teen protested. Sloan ignored him and began going through the pictures.
"What's with all these cute girls Jackson! You even have a few of Piper," Sloans eyes widened. "No way one of them is your-"
"Give it back!" Percy's ears felt hot. Sloan handed the photo to his ugly buddies, who snickered and started ripping them up to make spit wads. They were new kids who must've been visiting, because they were all wearing those stupid HI! MY NAME IS: tags from the admissions office. They must've had a weird sense of humor, too, because they'd all filled in strange names like: MARROW SUCKER, SKULL EATER, and JOE BOB. But there was a prickling in the back of his head. Something telling him that-
"These guys are moving here next year," Sloan bragged, like that was supposed to scare the demigod. "I bet they can pay the tuition, too, unlike your retard friend."
"He's not retarded." Naruto spoke up. "I anyone's retarded it's you,"
"What was that," Sloan growled.
"Pretty sure you heard me," Naruto drawled.
Percy wanted to pulverize them, but he was under strict orders from Chiron never to take his anger out on regular mortals, no matter how obnoxious they were. He had to save his fighting for monsters.
"I can't wait to put you out of your misery next period." Sloan gritted. His huge buddies chewed up Percy's photo. The photos that his friends had given him.
…
…
…
Screw the rules he was taking them out next period.
ENIGMA
"I can't wait to crush them," Naruto said as he sat on the bleachers while Piper stretched next to him. A sinister aura surrounding him.
"I can see that," Piper added not being the least bit intimidated by the aura.
"And probably more motivated then me at the moment after what Sloan did,"
"What did he do," Piper asked.
"He ripped up the photos in his binder," Naruto explained.
"All of them,"
"Yeah," Naruto said. "And then those new guys seem to just add on to it,"
"Yeah what's with them?" Piper asked as she looked over at Sloan and his group,"
"I don't know," Naruto answered with narrowed eyes. Something about them was bugging him to no end. They smelled weird.
Naruto didn't like that. A few minutes later Percy and Tyson joined them. After a few more minutes of stretches they were ready.
"Coach, can I be captain?"
"Eh?" Coach Nunley looked up from his magazine. "Yeah," he mumbled.
"Mm-hmm." Sloan grinned and took charge of the picking. He made Percy the other team's captain, but it didn't matter who he picked, because all the jocks and the popular kids moved over to Sloan's side. So did the big group of visitors. That didn't leave a lot on Percy's side.
Cliché's were a bitch sometimes.
"Hmm so we're out numbered," Piper said.
"We got this," Naruto grinned.
Along with Piper and Naruto, they had Tyson, Corey Bailer the computer geek, Raj Mandali the calculus whiz, and a half dozen other kids who always got harassed by Sloan and his gang. Normally Tyson and Naruto would be enough Tyson was worth half a team all by himself and Naruto was a berserker during gym classes. But the visitors on Sloan's team were almost as tall and strong-looking as Tyson, and there were six of them.
"Alright guys," Naruto spoke up looking at his team. "This is the last game of the year and frankly I think it's high time we get some payback!" The geeks and quote on quote 'losers' looked over at the blond as he spoke.
"Now that chipmunk over there along with all those other wannabe's think that they're better than us," Naruto continued. "Well I say today we make them rethink their assumptions of us. And I know you'll all agree with me that it'd be satisfying to leave here knowing we wiped that stupid grin off the fucker's face!"
He got shouts of agreement for that one. "Alright then," Naruto turned to Percy. "Let's do this,"
Matt Sloan spilled a cage full of balls in the middle of the gym. He blew the coaches whistle and the game began.
Sloan's team ran for the center line. It seems Naruto's speech worked because the 'losers' of the school ran forward as well.
"He really got them pumped," Piper admired, Percy nodded in agreement.
"Tyson," Percy said. "Let's g—" Percy stopped as his senses picked up. He held his hands out and caught a ball that was aimed at him. There was some major force behind it because he slid back a few feet.
It was a good thing him and Naruto had been practicing sneak attacks on each other all year.
"Nice throw," Percy gritted out. "But Naruto hits harder,"
It seems Naruto took that moment to make himself known by throwing a ball at the other team he knocked a jock down onto the ground.
"I believe you're out," Naruto smirked. Percy smiled. He couldn't let him have all the fun. It seems that Percy was the main target but he ducked and weaved through the ones aimed at him easily.
"You want this back!" Percy asked as he threw the ball he caught earlier at Sloan but Sloan grabbed someone from his team and used them as a shield to take the hit. Percy picked up another ball to throw but Tyson called to him.
"Percy, duck!" Percy rolled as another dodgeball whistled past his ears at the speed of sound.
Whooom! It hit the wall mat, missing Piper by inches.
"Hey!" Naruto yelled at Sloan's team. "You could kill somebody!" The visitor named Joe Bob grinned at him evilly. Somehow, he looked a lot bigger now ... even taller than Tyson. His biceps bulged beneath his T-shirt.
"I hope so, Traitor! I hope so!" Joe Bob sneered.
Naruto's eyes widened. The only people who called him traitor were-
"Percy!" Naruto roared. Percy had already reached the same conclusion.
Monsters.
All around Matt Sloan, the visitors were growing in size. They were no longer kids. They were eight-foot-tall giants with wild eyes, pointy teeth, and hairy arms tattooed with snakes and hula women and Valentine hearts.
Matt Sloan dropped his ball. "Whoa! You're not from Detroit! Who ..." The other kids on his team started screaming and backing toward the exit, but the giant named Marrow Sucker threw a ball with deadly accuracy. It streaked past Raj Mandali just as he was about to leave and hit the door, slamming it shut like magic. Raj and some of the other kids banged on it desperately but it wouldn't budge.
"Let them go!" Percy yelled at the giants. The one called Joe Bob growled at him. He had a tattoo on his biceps that said: JB luvs Babycakes.
"And lose our tasty morsels? No, Son of the Sea God. We Laistrygonians aren't just playing for your death. We want lunch!" He waved his hand and a new batch of dodgeballs appeared on the center line—but these balls weren't made of red rubber. They were bronze, the size of cannon balls, perforated like wiffle balls with fire bubbling out the holes. They must've been searing hot, but the giants picked them up with their bare hands.
"Coach!" Naruto yelled. Nunley looked up sleepily, but if he saw anything abnormal about the dodgeball game, he didn't let on. That's the problem with mortals. A magical force called the Mist obscures the true appearance of monsters and gods from their vision, so mortals tend to see only what they can understand. Maybe the coach saw a few eighth graders pounding the younger kids like usual. Maybe the other kids saw Matt Sloan's thugs getting ready to toss Molotov cocktails around. (It wouldn't have been the first time.)
At any rate, he was pretty sure nobody else realized they were dealing with genuine man-eating bloodthirsty monsters. "Yeah. Mm-hmm," Coach muttered. "Play nice." And he went back to his magazine.
"What are these things!" Piper shouted in slight panic. Naruto looked over art her in shock.
"You can see them?!" Naruto asked.
"Oh course I can!" Piper retorted looking at him like he had grown a second head.
The giant named Skull Eater threw his ball at Percy. The demigod dove aside as the fiery bronze comet sailed past his shoulder. "Corey!" Percy screamed noticing the trajectory. Tyson pulled him out from behind the exercise mat just as the ball exploded against it, blasting the mat to smoking shreds.
"Run!" Naruto told the students teammates. "The other exit!"
They ran for the locker room, but with another wave of Joe Bob's hand, that door also slammed shut. "No one leaves unless you're out!" Joe Bob roared. "And you're not out until we eat you!" He launched his own fireball.
The kids scattered as it blasted a crater in the gym floor. Percy reached for Riptide, which he always kept in my pocket, but then he realized he was wearing gym shorts. They had no pockets.
Riptide was tucked in his jeans inside the locker room. And the locker room door was sealed. He was completely defenseless.
"Naruto do you have you gloves!" Percy shouted.
"Locker room!" Naruto answered as he ducked under another hit.
"Fuck!" Percy growled. Another fireball came streaking toward him.
Tyson pushed him out of the way, but the explosion still blew the Son of the Sea God head over heels. Percy found himself sprawled on the gym floor, dazed from smoke, his tie-dyed T-shirt peppered with sizzling holes. Just across the center line, two hungry giants were glaring down at him.
"Flesh!" they bellowed. "Hero flesh for lunch!" They both took aim.
"Percy!" Naruto shouted as he got ready to jump across the court to his friend.
"Percy needs help!" Tyson yelled, and he jumped in front of him just as they threw their balls. "Tyson!" Percy screamed, but it was too late. Both balls slammed into him ... but no ... he'd caught them. Somehow Tyson, who was so clumsy he knocked over lab equipment and broke playground structures on a regular basis, had caught two fiery metal balls speeding toward him at a zillion miles an hour.
He sent them hurtling back toward their surprised owners, who screamed, "BAAAAAD!" as the bronze spheres exploded against their chests. The giants disintegrated in twin columns of flame a sure sign they were monsters, all right. Monsters don't die. They just dissipate into smoke and dust, which saves heroes a lot of trouble cleaning up after a fight.
"My brothers!" Joe Bob the Cannibal wailed. He flexed his muscles and his Babycakes tattoo rippled. "You will pay for their destruction!"
"Tyson!" Percy said. "Look out!" Joe Bob got ready to throw the ball but he stopped when something a red ball hit him in the head. Everyone turned to see Piper picking up another ball to throw again.
"Leave my friend alone!" Piper shouted.
"Piper!" Percy shouted. Joe Bob changed his aim for her and through the ball. Naruto was ready however as he pulled her out of the way.
"Are you insane!" Naruto shouted.
"Are you!" Piper countered.
Kids were running around screaming, trying to avoid the sizzling craters in the floor. Others were banging on the door, calling for help. Sloan himself stood petrified in the middle of the court, watching in disbelief as balls of death flew around him.
Coach Nunley still wasn't seeing anything. He tapped his hearing aid like the explosions were giving him interference, but he kept his eyes on his magazine. Surely the whole school could hear the noise. The headmaster, the police, somebody would come help us.
"Victory will be ours!" Roared Joe Bob the Cannibal. "We will feast on your bones!"
"Dude you taking this dodgeball game to seriously," Percy groaned.
He responded by hefting up two more balls with the other three giants following his lead.
They couldn't stop all of them. It would take them all out for sure.
"Ok that's it!" Naruto shouted. "Percy!"
"Yeah?" Percy asked.
"Since these are technically monsters there's nothing wrong with me fighting them right," Percy nodded. "Good," Naruto growled. Lightning began to dance around his body. Naruto's twin tails came into existence as they moved. "Then no more holding back,"
The giants threw the balls, Naruto moved. He grabbed two balls mid-air and tossed them back at their owner but they managed to dodge. However, Naruto wasn't done with his assault. He sped towards one of the giants and thrust his fist into its stomach. Lightning emitted from the fist increasing the power of the blow. The giant went flying into the wall disintegrating instantly.
"Who's next!" Naruto challenged looking at the remaining three giants.
Percy knew Naruto couldn't fight them alone in this situation. There were way too many kids in here for him to let lose. Then he had an idea.
Naruto kicked at Skull Crusher before grabbing the third giant and throwing him at Joe Bob. Skull crusher having recovered first barreled towards the young kitsune in an attempt to grab him but Tyson intercepted the tackle and pushed the giant back. The other giants looked ready to attack but Piper kept throwing balls at them from a distance to distract them long enough for her friends to attack them.
"Annoying girl!" Joe Bob roared. "You'll be my toothpick when I'm done!" He hefted another flaming ball and got ready to throw.
"Hey!" Percy shouted gaining the giant attention. "How bout picking on someone your own size!"
"Your hardly my size Jackson!" Joe Bob countered before hurling the ball at Percy. Percy ducked just in time so the ball hit the locker door. Unfortunately, Percy didn't take into account the amount of gas that leaked into the concealed room.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A colossal explosion roared out of the room and into the gym. The sprinklers activated. Percy looked around as water bean coating the floor. Then he grinned.
"You say I'm not your size," Percy muttered. He began focusing and the water began to come together and swirl around Percy. "How about now," He sent a giant torrent towards the giants. Skull Crusher and Joe Bob managed to roll out the way but the third one wasn't so lucky. It smashed him against the wall and he eventually succumbed to the pressure, turning into a pile of dust.
Piper noticed Skull Crusher trying to get up. Then she noticed the water surrounding him.
"Hey Naruto, Percy," The two boys turned to look at her. "What happens when water conducts electricity?" She asked innocently. The two boys looked over at Skull Crusher and grinned evilly. Percy began to channel the puddle to float upward while carrying Skull Crusher. Naruto walked forward and put his hand in the water. The effect was instantaneous. Skull Crusher yelled out in pain before he turned to dust.
"And then there was one," Naruto sneered looking over at Joe Bob. Joe Bob growled but hefted to balls to get ready and throw them. Suddenly the giant's body went rigid. Right where his belly button should've been, his T-shirt ripped open and he grew something like a horn—no, not a horn—the glowing tip of a blade. The balls dropped out of his hands. The monster stared down at the knife that had just run him through from behind.
He muttered, "Ow," and burst into a cloud of green flame, which Naruto figured was going to make Babycakes pretty upset. Standing in the smoke was Annabeth Chase. Her face was grimy and scratched. She had a ragged backpack slung over her shoulder, her baseball cap tucked in her pocket, a bronze knife in her hand, and a wild look in her storm-gray eyes, like she'd just been chased a thousand miles by ghosts.
Matt Sloan, who'd been standing there dumbfounded the whole time, finally came to his senses. He blinked at Annabeth, as if he dimly recognized her from my notebook picture. "That's one of the girls ..." Annabeth punched him in the nose and knocked him flat.
"And you," she told him, "lay off my friends." The gym was in flames. Kids were still running around screaming. Sirens could be heard wailing and a garbled voice over the intercom. Through the glass windows of the exit doors, Percy could see the headmaster, Mr. Bonsai, wrestling with the lock, a crowd of teachers piling up behind him.
"Annabeth ..." Percy stammered. "How did you ... how long have you ..."
"Pretty much all morning." She sheathed her bronze knife. "I've been trying to find a good time to talk to you, but you were never alone."
"Stalker much," Naruto snorted.
"Still thinking of a name for that song," She retorted.
"The shadow I saw this morning," Percy muttered as he thought about something. "That was—" His eyes widened. My face felt hot. "Oh my gods, you were looking in my bedroom window?!" Percy accused. "And when Naruto came in I started-"
"There's no time to explain!" she snapped, though she looked a little red-faced herself.
"Perv!" Naruto accused.
"Shut up half-pint!" Annabeth seethed. "I just didn't want to—"
"There!" a woman screamed. The doors burst open and the adults came pouring in.
"Meet me outside," Annabeth told them. "And him." She pointed to Tyson, who was still sitting dazed against the wall. Annabeth gave him a look of distaste that they didn't quite understand. "You'd better bring him."
"What?"
"No time!" she said. "Hurry!" She put on her Yankees baseball cap, which was a magic gift from her mom, and instantly vanished. That left them standing alone in the middle of the burning gymnasium when the headmaster came charging in with half the faculty and a couple of police officers.
"Percy Jackson?" Mr. Bonsai said. "What ... how ..." Over by the broken wall, Tyson groaned and stood up from the pile of cinder blocks.
"Head hurts." He groaned. Matt Sloan was coming around, too. He focused on me with a look of terror.
"Percy did it, Mr. Bonsai! He set the whole building on fire. Coach Nunley will tell you! He saw it all!" Coach Nunley had been dutifully reading his magazine, but just his luck he chose that moment to look up when Sloan said his name.
"Eh? Yeah. Mm-hmm." The other adults turned toward me.
"OH COME ON!" Percy shouted in frustration.
Percy knew they would never believe him, even if he could tell them the truth. He grabbed Riptide out of his ruined jeans and turned to Naruto and Tyson. "Let's blow this joint!"
"We already did that," Naruto pointed out grabbing his gloves as the three of them jumped through a gaping hole in the side of the building.
So it's a little earlier than I planned but here it is. The second book in my Enigma series. You might have noticed a few things I'm doing differently, such as bringing Piper in earlier. Well there's a reason for all of it. You'll just have to wait and see why.
And for those who saw the opening I bet you can guess most of those characters. Well that's all I have to say for now but there will be another chapter coming your way soon enough. Look forward to it. Until next time.
Read…Review…and above all else…ENJOY…
You guys think I should do a different one then the same enjoy at the end?
