Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson & the Olympians or Naruto. Percy Jackson & the Olympians and Naruto are the property of Rick Riordan and Masashi Kishimoto respectively and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.


-|Luke|-


Things settled down in less than a week though rumors linger for much longer. The prominent versions are opposites.

One version permeates thanks to its entertainment value. One of Aphrodite's beauties seduced a Cabin 5 member. This somehow drowned dozens in toilet water and let loose cannibals. Branches of the rumor added other strange or fantastical detail. The complete and utter absurdity in them astounds him.

The other version stays for its simplicity and believability. Two of Cabin 5 tried their initiation ceremony on the youngest of the three newest demigods. The daughter of Zeus zapped one, and a son of Hermes knocked the other out. This rumor took time to conjure up. It took a few days for Thalia to build up her reputation and for their peers to notice Luke's skill with a sword.

Confronting a few Cabin 5 members isn't a bad idea. He'd have to run it by Thalia. He is sure she'd be up to scaring off the children of Ares if she isn't too busy on patrol. Thalia is more overprotective of Annabeth than he is, and he is plenty overprotective.

He sets aside his plans for later and focuses on the sword he had just gotten from the armory behind him. He might as well try it out. If he wants to win a spar with Thalia, he needs a better weapon. He is winning more the last couple days, but that's because she is less trigger happy with the shocks as of late.

He frowns, not sure if that is a good thing. She is being more responsible with power – his arm can attest to her liberal use of it before. She is holding her own potential back.

Cheers from the arena break him from his musings. Inside, he sees four Cabin 5 members. Two pairs of boys and girls by the sidelines goad the two combatants at the center. The larger combatant wears full armor, with red plumed helmet, and holds a large shield and a long spear. The other is a small blonde teen.

And she is completely unarmed!

She holds a pose, legs far apart, left foot forward, torso bent forward. Both her palms are open and face the sky. Her left arm stretches forward in front of her pointing down. Her right arm stretches behind her pointing upwards. What the-

With an unspoken signal, the boy attacks and the girl defends. Her arms remain straight as they parry the spear with a circular motion. She turns to her left, circling him but the boy rushes forward and bashes her with the shield and knocks her down. She struggles back up and they resume. "What the hell?"

"What? Never seen a spar before, pretty boy?" Luke turns to the second largest – the largest being in the arena - of the group. The voice booms even without shouting. The teen doesn't even face Luke as he talks and keeps his focus on the fight. He has a square face and has a large scar on his nose. Are those teeth marks? Jeez. Maybe the rumors aren't that far off. Thalia's obsession with volunteering for patrol duty seems more and more reasonable.

"A spar? Looks more like a beat down to me." Not the fairest statement. The big guy in the ring does let the girl stand back up every time he downs her. They hadn't coerced her to this set-up. Still. That's the third time she's hit the ground, and he thinks he notices the beginnings of a limp with her left.

"Yeah. She's not got it yet. Whatever it is." Explains the teen. Luke raises a brow at that, a silent question. "Look. We think she's trying out something new. But whatever it is, she's not found it." Luke suppresses the urge to snark at the idea of one of them 'thinking' but now isn't the time. He isn't here to fight.

He returns his gaze the fight, fascinated by the strange spectacle. A few more exchanges occur but it's clear the large teen outmatches the unarmed girl. The spear's superior reach keeps her on the back foot. She dodges the blade, but a spear's length means great speed. She can't evade every strike. The spear speeds down to slice her, but she parries it with her hands. If her opponent isn't such a hulking brute, she could grab the spear.

This repeats, and her hands draw his eyes. At a glance, she is slapping the blade away. On closer inspection, she brings her palm to the flat of the blade and maneuvers, not strikes, the edge away.

While she intercepts the attacks, she takes steps forward. Her actions would null the range advantage, except her opponent is a son of the war god and is well versed in combat. Every step she takes, he either steps back or retracts the spear, maintaining distance.

The few times she closes the gap, she accomplishes nothing. She can't attack unarmed as a fist to the shield will just break her own bones. The shield itself isn't just defense as the large teen shows when he swings his arm. She dodges back but the spear thrusts after her. The one-two combo happens in less than a second. She parries, but the maneuver is hasty and imperfect. Blood drips from her palm, but for the first time in the match, she is inside his guard. The giant's earlier swing and his spear extended from the thrust opened his left. She tries to close the distance to strike, but the larger teen brings his arms around and catches her in a bear hug.

"Is a shame." The younger son Ares sounds dejected. The young girl's right is free to punch, but it is futile that up close and with his armor. "Little spitfire's got spunk. Her old moves were in your face and wild. But her type? Can't take a hit. She can't block so she gotta dodge." Though it appears he spoke too early as the girl head-butts the large teen and frees herself from his hold. She falls flat on her ass stunned and bleeding. Bare skull to helmet isn't the smartest move. Still, the large teen looks dazed despite his head protection.

"Like he said, she's got spunk." Though it doesn't seem like she'll be standing on her own for a while.

With the spar over, the four turn their heads to Luke, and he tenses. His right moves to reach for his sword in case they try anything, but the members of Cabin 5 show no aggression. They stand up and move to stand over the downed girl. "Better luck next time Goldilocks!" The dig at the girl and the light kick to her side don't seem mean-spirited, a playful ribbing. It is odd seeing those known as the camp bullies act so chummy to the small girl.

"Here's the swirly that we owe you!" Or not. Together, they uncap their bottles and pour water over her face. Then again, the angry yelling the girl retorts with doesn't seem to have much bite in it. The group of boys just give boisterous chuckles in response as they leave. Plus, drinking water is far from toilet water… unless they drank toilet water. Luke shakes his head and decides to stop trying to make sense of crazy people.

He looks at the girl and his sword. Their spar lasted a while, and it enamored him so much he lost track of time. He doesn't have enough to practice so he might as well make the little time he has left productive.

As he moves towards the wet girl sprawled on the arena, he thinks back to the first time they visited her. She was out like a light in the infirmary. She had a cast for her shattered hand and bandages for her wounds... and her burns. Her leap towards the Kindly One coincided with Thalia's lightning strike. The result launched her ten feet into the air and set her hair on fire. The most probable root of Thalia's new restraint with lightning.

Next time they visited her, she was with Chiron in the big house. Chiron explained that they were just about to head to Cabin 11. She looked better than before. Her hair was even back to shoulder length. An act of kindness from a Cabin 7 member? Though it seemed like she is recovering from a fight. They said their thanks, and she seemed to understand their meaning well enough. Still, they didn't achieve much.

Luke Castellan has to admit he is curious and somewhat wants to get to know her better. It is difficult not to be curious about this... anomaly in the camp. The girl doesn't eat with them in the mess hall, and she doesn't take part in camp activities. She is loud and chatty but doesn't speak a lick of English or ancient Greek.

Though he doesn't know what good it would do him to approach the girl. He heard someone from Cabin 7 helps with her English, but it hasn't even been a month, too early to expect results. That is partly why he never made the initiative to meet her after the last meeting. His free time is rare. He'd rather spend it with his friends than seek out someone they'd only met for a night and can't speak to.

Lost in thought, he almost falls over when she accepts his extended hand, an unconscious offer to pull her up. The gentle laughter from her soft lips makes him think that isn't a complete accident. "Shinobu." She points to herself. "Himura Shinobu." She then points to him and waits for a response.

"Luke. Luke… Castellan" His own hesitance surprises himself, but it makes sense, right? He and his mom didn't end on the best terms, but… He shelves those thoughts aside as he catches her fall. She won't be able to stand on her own in her condition. He carries her by the shoulder although the height difference makes it awkward.

Then, his brain betrays him with memories of his first encounter with the girl. He whips his face away, ignoring her roars of laughter at his awkwardness.


-|Annabeth|-


Annabeth Chase isn't sure what she hoped to achieve bringing the enigmatic teen to the Big House. She can't help it, though. Luke talks about the hyperactive blonde nonstop in the rare times they spent together. Heck, he talks more about her than he mopes about his father and the gods. In fairness, his gripe with the gods seems to have simmered down as of late, likely thanks to said blonde.

Annabeth wishes it was thanks to her or Thalia or Grover but she knows better. Too smart for her own good. If anything, Thalia would just encourage his grudge. The daughter of Zeus isn't too pleased with the gods either. She considers the monsters coming to camp a punishment for a crime she didn't commit. Besides, she is always on patrol.

Grover is busy. Thalia says the Council of Cloven Elders is dicking him around. Grover, he is a special case and thus they aren't sure what the right course of action is. Though his... diplomatic stance might come from not risking his prospect of a searcher's license.

And herself...

She is too young, or rather they think she is too young. It is always the same. They smile and try to be strong for her when she wants to be the one to help them. But they don't need to. The don't! She is sure if they just let her, she can help.

But more and more, she finds herself with her books and with Chiron. The four of them are like family. They are family! But, little by little, they drift apart. Annabeth is helpless, unable to do anything as it crumbles before her, day by day.

Annabeth yelps as strong arms lift her into a bone-crushing hug and startle her from her thoughts. It seems her companion sensed her mood. She admits it is a nice gesture. The blonde even whispers words of comfort – she can only assume - and pats her head. Her off depressing thoughts wither in the face of such kindness... and lack of oxygen. She doesn't want to die of crushed ribs!

She squirms and scours for something, anything. "Hey!" Her loud exclamation grabs her captor's attention. Annabeth immediately points to the chess board on the floor. The arms of death release her from their embrace, and the earth receives Athena's pride. Shinobu lets her go, and she drops to the grass with a thud.

Annabeth gasps and pants on the ground then gets up and rubs her sore bottom. She worries that this is a bad idea. Nah. She just needs to have a better strategy ready next time. She had other plans, but they never came to ahead. It was difficult. Cabin 5 still prowls for the young daughter of Athena despite Thalia and Luke's warnings. But she didn't want to confront the teen while she was with Luke.

With so little opportunities, she took her chance when she saw the teen near the armory.

Annabeth sits by one side of the board and gestures for Shinobu to sit by hers. The blue-eyed blonde shouts her affirmative and drops to a cross-legged position. Annabeth refrains from berating the girl - The older blonde doesn't have to be so loud! She is right here! - and is just glad that the older girl is adept at taking in non-verbal cues.

Annabeth reaches forward and arranges the pieces on the board. Shinobu studies her actions. As she sets down her pawns, Annabeth ponders how to teach the game without words.

A demonstration is a good starting point. She turns the board sideways and plays a game with herself. She exaggerates her actions and shows every possible move for each piece before she commits to a move. It is a lot harder than she first thought, and she finds her respect for Chiron grow each second. Teaching is tough.

She looks at the older girl and stops herself from releasing a sigh as said girl fidgets in her seat. She gets the impression this will take forever.

-|Too Long|-

Chiron returns to the deck before sunset. There, he finds a young Annabeth sitting on the floor, head in her hands, muttering to herself. "What seems to be the problem?" She seems startled at his voice and seems to miss his inquiry. "You seem troubled." He glances at the chess board laid before her. "Lost to someone?"

She shakes her head in reply. "Won three to zero. Four if you count the first." She doesn't. That involved her correcting some of Shinobu's moves. Perhaps chess wasn't the best idea considering its rules, like castling and en passant. Checkers might have been a better choice to start with.

Chiron sits across from her and arranges the pieces to their place. She gave no protest and arranges her own pieces. Perhaps a game will help clear her mind. "Well?" Chiron prods. He has to admit, he is curious about what troubled the young child. The teacher in him loves her as a pupil, smart but still so eager to learn. A thirst for knowledge is not uncommon for a child of Athena, but it radiates from young Annabeth.

She picks up a pawn but keeps it hovered in the air, indecisive. Unusual. She isn't the type to linger on an opening, having usually had a plan of attack before a game even begins. She places it back to its original position and moves another pawn forward instead. "Six if you count the last three." Her words a mumbled whisper.

So she did lose a round. He voices his observation, but she shakes her head again. "They don't count. They shouldn't." He raises a brow at that. "They weren't chess." He doesn't hurry her. She seems lost in thought, taking her time with each move.

It is five moves later that she expounds her statement. "For the last three, she rearranged the pieces for each and took away some in the last one." Ah. He sees how that led to defeat for the daughter of Athena. Changes to the board meant the young demigod could not rely on pre-planned routes. It must have thrown her off her game.

"She?" He asks, interested to know who had befuddled her so. She isn't one to make friends in short time frame. To have played seven rounds with someone might mean a bond or the beginnings of one.

"Shinobu." She frowns. "I taught her to play. It took a while but seemed to get it well enough. She got bored with it though and that's when she made the changes." The child picks up her king and scrutinizes it. "She sucked…" The pause told him there was a 'but' coming. "It's weird. I took too long. She was awful, but she made me take so long."

"She made you… take too long?" The confusion shows in his voice but he can also see it confuses her as well. It seems that she's trying to find the right words for her thoughts but they elude her. "Perhaps, Miss Chase, you could invite her over for another game." His does not vocalize his intent to study the interaction, but it is rather obvious to her. Though she doesn't know why he's so interested.

She gives him a small nod before conceding her king.

It is still three moves away, but they can already see the impending checkmate.