Chapter 2

I walked towards my cabin at camp. I opened the door and entered the bathroom to take a look at myself in the mirror. My only thought was:

Shit. I'm horrible.

By hair was was no more spiky and it was going all the way down to my shoulders. I had a little mustache (welcome to puberty, I think), my skin was darker (I think it's because I didn't take a bath in… what was it? Ah, yeah. TWO MONTHS!) and my clothes were all torn apart. The only things in me that were the same were: my eyes and whisker marks. I sighed.

::::

After taking the miraculous bath I looked at myself in the mirror again. Now that I wasn't all covered in dirt anymore I looked good. Okay, I needed a haircut, but besides that, I looked okay.

I put on a Greenday black t-shirt and jeans and walked off towards the arena. To start with, I didn't even know where the entrance to the Labyrinth was. I needed some time to think.

Unfortunately, my thinking time was over when I saw a giant hellhound in the middle of the arena.

Believe me. When I say giant, I mean GIANT. The thing was bigger than a tank! I shunshined over it and jabbed, but the hellhound just flickered it's tail towards my stomach and sent me flying towards the wall of the arena. I fell but got to my feet quickly.

"The heck."

I ran towards it with my sword and just when I was about to stab the monster a hand grabbed my right arm and a blade touched my neck. I freezed.

"Sorry," Said a male voice behind me. "I couldn't let you hurt my dog."

Whoever had almost killed me released their grip in me. I turned around to face a guy about his fifties wearing the "CHB army outfit" as I called it. Orange CHB orange t-shirt, jeans and black shoes.

"Dog? This is a hellhound!" I exclaimed.

"Don't worry, it's friendly. Her name is Mrs. O'Leary. By the way, my name is Quintus. Son of Athena."

"Strange name. 'Fifth' in Latin, right?"

"Yes, yes, very strange…" Quintus seemed to look at the sky, then he looked back at me.

"How did you do that movement technique, by the way?"

"Vicent Johnson. Descendant of the Namikaze clan." I said, shaking his hand. Quintus's eyes seemed to delight.

"A Namikaze? Then you must be the Hyuuga boy's friend!"

"Yeah…" I said with a saddened expression. "Kind of."

:::::

That night I couldn't sleep.

I had been thinking how mine and Annabeth's encounter would be, but now I wouldn't be able to see her, so I got out of my cabin, being to evade the Harpies. I walked towards the forest. There was a clearing on it's middle that always helped me relax. I sat and lost myself in my thoughts.

"Is it only me or we don't see eachother for a long time?" A voice I recognized immediately said.

"Zoe!" I said, opening my eyes and smiling.

There she was, at the entrance of the clearing smiling wearing her pajamas. Artemis had authorized her to sleep at her cabin as Zoe hadn't any Olympian parent. She had her black hair tied in a ponytail.

"Can I take a sit?"

"Of course."

Zoe sat beside me.

"So… What are th-you doing here at this time?" She asked. I chuckled. She still hadn't gotten used to 'English nowadays'.

"Couldn't sleep. You?"

"I have Insomnia ever since my nightmare with Artemis last year. I don't sleep, so I usually come here to think about… stuff, right?"

"Yeah. For once, you got it right."

We laughed.

"… You want to help them in the quest, right?"

"…Yeah."

"The entrance to the labyrinth is by Zeus's fist."

"Thanks, but by now they must already be far away from here."

"… I think you're right. I really wanted to help you, but I can't. But don't worry, Percy has the Byakugan, it can see everything, right?"

"No. It probably is useless inside the Labyrinth. Deadalus is far too wise to allow the Byakugan to see anything inside his labyrinth."

"I think that's why Percy didn't want you to come."

"Uh?"

"I think he wanted to prove himself to you by going on a quest without you. For you to stop being arrogant and to think that only with your help they will be able to have success in the quest. He thought the Byakugan could see inside the Labyrinth so he went on the quest without you."

"Hey! I'm not arrogant!"

"See? That's your fatal flaw. Arrogance."

I was about to protest when it got to me that she was right. I thought that only with my help they would be able to success on the quest. I sighed.

"You're right. I give up." I said, throwing my arms up. "I'm wrong. I'm arrogant. Now I think I'll go to bed." I said, standing up, but Zoe grabbed my hand as I was passing by her.

"Did I say you were wrong?" She said. I looked at her and smiled.

"No." I said. She smirked.

"Look," She said, standing up. "We have to find out where they are. For that we need to-"

"Get to know possible entrances to the Labyrinth and calculating the time they were in the Labyrinth, multiply it three thousand and six hundred times, calculate the time they lost with illusions and traps and then we can have an idea of where they are. Right?" I said.

Zoe smiled.

"It's not for nothing Athena calls you genius, whiskers. Right." She said then kissed my right cheek.

"Thanks." I told her. "I think that now we should go back to our cabins before the Harpies appear."

"You're right." She said.

"You're."

"I'm what."

"No, not that. You said 'you're' not 'thee are'. Congratulations."

:::::

For the next four days both me and Zoe had been in my cabin studying the Labyrinth and trying to find out where the guys could be. Some kids of Athena would occasionally help us, but would easily give up. I was finishing up some calculations.

I threw up the papers and calculator.

"GAAAH!" I screamed bringing hands to the top of my head and grabbing my long hair. "I CAN'T DO THIS THING!"

While I was screaming Zoe just grabbed one of the papers I had thrown up.

"Vice, you're a genius."

"Yeah, you kinda said that already."

"No, that's not it. I think you already calculated where they'll be in two days."

"What are you talking about?" I said, turning towards her.

"You wrote it here."

I grabbed the sheet of paper I had written in and read:

IN TWO DAYS: ALCATRAZ ISLAND

Everywhere in the sheet there were complex calculations I had done.

"I actually am a genius… But how the hell did I do that without noticing?" I muttered. Zoe looked away.

"Modest…"

"Hey, you said I was a genius!"

"I know, dumby!" She said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. "So then you're gonna travel to San Francisco, right?"

"In no time."

"Then,-uh-well, I think this is a goodbye?" Said Zoe.

"Yeah, I think so. I'll have to go at night."

"Midnight would be better." Zoe suggested.

"But first," I said. "We'll have to put certain centaur to sleep."

"Oh, thee are not-" But I interrupted Zoe before she could vomit more archaic language.

"Oh yes, I am."

:::::

It was almost midnight and both Zoe and me were stealth-walking towards the big house.

You see, Chiron or whoever was in charge of camp (Mr. D was out to do… uh, something) had some kind of connection to the camp borders. Even if Chiron was sleeping he would wake up if someone tried to cross the borders. So we would have to put him to sleep giving him a very hard punch on the temple. I was in favor to use some poison, but the Ichor-immortal blood-would just reject the substance.

We got to the side of the four-story building. I channeled chakra to my feet and gave a step in the wall, then another and then I was walking in the wall. I got to the window of Chiron's room in the second floor and opened it carefully in order not to do any noise. I got in and tapped the snoring Mr. Brunner in the shoulder.

"Give me that wine…" He muttered in his sleep. I sighed.

I was feeling impatient and nervous so I kicked him in the head, grabbing the white fabric I had brought with me.

Chiron woke up with a start and turned towards me.

"WHA-mmmmmm" He was cut of by the fabric in his mouth.

I channeled chakra to my right fist.

"Sorry." I whispered, then punched him hard in the temple, knocking him out.

I grabbed Chiron by his body (I now know from experience that horses are very heavy) and threw him down the building, where Zoe grabbed him with her immortal strength. She then ran towards my cabin to hide Chiron's body there.

While that happened, I made a kage bunshin, which made a henge no jutsu (transformation technique) and transformed into Chiron in full centaur form. Then he put himself to sleep. I jumped out of the window and landed on my feet. I then ran towards my cabin where Zoe had put Chiron to sleep ("HAHAHA!!!! I won again, Mr. D!" Chiron was shouting in his sleep. Thank gods the cabins were sound-proof.) in the middle of the cabin. I walked towards where Zoe was trying not to laugh.

"I… I think this is a goodbye, then." I said.

"Yes." She said. Then she did something I didn't expect. She kissed me.

Ok, it was a two-second kiss, but it was still a kiss.

"WTF?" I said, blushing.

"Just a friendly kiss, right?" She said, also blushing. I smirked.

"Just… uh… don't mention this to Annabeth, right?"

"OK."

Awkward silence.

"Uh… well… uh… goodbye, then."

"Goodbye."

I got out of my cabin and jumped, releasing chakra into the air and flew towards Alcatraz Island.

:::::

I had been flying all over the U.S. for two days, now, and I was getting near San Francisco. I had been thinking if I should or shouldn't visit my family-Annabeth's family-and I still didn't know if I should or shouldn't. I hadn't even entered that house in four months… I hadn't seen my family in four months.

After some hours with headache (Why does EVERY human has to have two sides?????) I decided I shouldn't or I would get in Alcatraz too late.

I was by now already flying over San Fran, getting near Alcatraz. After some more minutes I got over Alcatraz Island and decided to dive in the main building-where the prisoners slept. I landed on my feet and entered the prison cautiously. I was walking down the main corridor when I started to sense a very strong chakra signature.

Now, I wasn't very good at sensing chakra signatures, as mine was bigger than any. But the one I was feeling was just as big as mine, or even bigger! If there was one thing that scared me, it surely was whatever had that chakra.

I then started to hear some foreign language, then saw, what I thought, what had such chakra. It was a green woman with black hair.

By now everything right. I can take on it easily, right?

Wrong.

Why?

Simple.

It 's legs weren't simple legs. They were made of actual moving serpents, and they seemed much like a dragon's legs (yeah, I knew from experience) and she (or it, dunno) had two black dragon wings.

Did I mention she had a belt with animal morphing animal heads?

Oh, and yeah. If it wasn't for the simple fact that it had five times my height I think I could take on it easily, right?

Later I would acknowledge I was totally wrong.

I ducked inside a cell and hid behind a bed that was there. I heard the sound of snakes hissing coming closer and hid more. I saw the monster walking in front of the cell and getting out of the building. I got out of my hide spot and ran towards the cell the monster was standing in front of, only to see my friends and girlfriend in front of it.

"Guys!" I said. They looked towards me and got a scowl on their faces.

"Get out of here, traitor." Said Percy. Again, that surprised me.

"What are you talking about? I'm not a traitor!" I said, then looked over at Annabeth. Her eyes were in the verge of tears. Percy, noticing that, hid her behind him.

"Of course you are. Now get out of here."

"Who said I was a traitor? Who is the liar?" Thunder rambled.

"Hera."

Correcting. Remind me to kick both Hecate's and Hera's butts once the war is over. Sorry, dad but I'm gonna do it.

"That bitch." I muttered, then decided to shout towards them. "She's lying!"

"She wasn't." Grover said. "She told us every detail. How you renounced to the gods to convince Annabeth to 'live like kings' with you once the Titans won the war. We won't let that happen."

"Yes," Said Tyson. "Bad Vice."

It hurt. It really hurt to have all your friends against you because of a lie. I could tell they were having the same emotion, but because a friend betrayed them. And Annabeth… she must be feeling terrible. I mean, first Luke, then supposedly me. Then I heard a heavy pair of footsteps.

"Right, Kampe is here as well, then now you're gonna kill us, right?" Said Percy.

"I would never hurt you, Percy or any of you. Even if you are being dicks right now." I said and turned around, sword in hand expecting Kampe to come. I heard bars being torn apart and knew Tyson had broken in a cell, probably to free someone.

"Come, Briares." I heard him say. Briares was one of the hundred-handed ones. That surprised me as well.

I saw Kampe staring at us, obviously surprised. Well, the surprise passed quickly as she started to charge towards us, then grabbed some scimitars that were in her belt and unsheated them. They were glowing green. Probably poison. She jabbed with the right blade first at me, but I side-stepped and tried to cut her hand off.

Then again, as everything in my life,

Keyword: TRIED.

Because, before I could do anything, another blade blocked mine. I looked at her. I had read about Kampe once. She could release the worst smell for any person. For me, for example, the smell she released the smell of Percy's farts.

Joking.

She released a smell that one could imagine a scene. It's hard to explain. It's like if all people I cared for were screaming in pain.

Suddenly, one tiger head shot out of her belt, forming a real tiger that almost got me.

Almost.

If it wasn't for Percy transforming the tiger to dust before I could blink I would've died.

"Thanks for helping me." I said.

"I'm not helping you, I'm trying to finish off this thing."

"You know you're helping me." I said, then jumped, got some more strength by putting my left foot on Percy's shoulder ("Hey!" He shouted.) and made a stabbing move, but then something took me by surprise. She dodged moving her head to the left side.

No, it's not what you're thinking. Her head literally moved to the left while her whole body kept in the same place. It was like if her neck was a snake.

I landed and her head returned to it's respective place. Percy looked just as stunned as I did. He then activated his Byakugan.

"It has no chakra points!" He exclaimed. Perfect. Just perfect. So the thing probably could only be killed by smashing it's whole body into something or cutting it's head. Both possibilities were almost impossible. I looked towards Percy.

"Run?" I asked.

"Why don't you stay here and join your pet?"

"Because I didn't join the titans, damn!"

"Yeah, right." Percy said while blocking one of the scimitars.

"Hey, is it so hard to understand I would never join the Titans?" I said while blocking the other one.

"Yes, because you did." When he said that I punched him in the nose.

"Can you stop repeating that? I didn't join the Titans! I'd never do it! I'd never betray you! Hera lied!" Thunder. "She's a fucking liar that takes precipitated conclusions!" More thunder.

I was about to spit out something about my father (Zeus), but then I noticed Kampe standing in front of us. If she heard something about my father being Zeus the Titan army would surely want me to pass to their side.

While I blocked another attack Percy jabbed his sword towards me. I hiraishined behind him and knocked him out by punching his temple.

"Sorry Perce." I whispered while grabbing him.

I shunshined to where the others were and cautiously put Percy on the floor. I looked at Annabeth. All I wanted to do now and then was to kiss her, but I knew she would get scared. I had to prove that I wasn't a bad guy.

"Take care of him, Annabeth. You guys run and go back to the Labyrinth. I'll give you some time."

"Oh, we'll so not let you do that." Said Annabeth. I then realized she trusted me. I gave her a weak smile.

"Thanks Anna, but the quest is yours. Go on with it." I stood up and gave her a quick kiss.

Oh man, how I missed those wonderful lips of hers... I wanted to stay like that forever, but I knew I couldn't, so I broke apart shortly after.

"Go." I whispered. She nodded. Tyson grabbed the unconscious Percy and grabbed one of I think was Briares's arms, but I couldn't see it clearly because just at that moment I had to dodge one of Kampe's scimitars. I made the hand sign.

"Tajuu Kage Bushin no Jutsu! (Multiple shadow clones technique)" I shouted. Almost at the same time thousands of exact repliques of me appeared everywhere. Some were even upside-down in the roof, all of them holding repliques of my katana. I mentally ordered them to start shunshining everywhere so that Kampe wouldn't know which 'me' is the real one. I stopped to shunshin when I was on the roof upside-down.

Kampe must've noticed she had no chance against so many of me because she suddenly dissipated in black smoke.

I dissipated all my clones and landed on the main corridor, but I knew it was too late.

The guys had already gone away and I was now considered an outcast.

Can my life get any better?

End of chap guys! What did you think of it? Please review!