Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Percy Jackson
Reading: Fils de l'Amour: The Lost Hero
Chapter 2: Camp Half-Blood
"I'll read next!" Annabeth said eager.
Piper handed the book to her, "By all means."
Annabeth took it and opened it up to chapter two.
As the sun rose on the two new friends, they came through a small forest near where Billy said the camp was. Billy also explained why he looked so different, what with the goat legs and all, that he was a nature spirit called a satyr and aged twice as slowly, earning Naruto's sympathy that the poor guy had to redo most of his educational career.
Percy nodded with sympathy, "I know, the horror."
Naruto was relieved to hear they were so close, because he wanted to ask more questions about the state of the world outside of his own. Primarily about the lack of nature chakra.
Naruto had nearly collapsed after he released Sage Mode, stumbling more than once into Billy as they ran away from the mass confusion he caused in Times Square. The nature here was weak, something big was missing from it and as a sage, Naruto was not happy with it.
"We rarely have sages anymore." Apollo nodded, it was such a lost career.
While the growth of humanity away from his home was amazing, it had killed a lot of nature. When he brought this up with his friend, he was surprised by the look of surprise that came across Billy's face.
"H-How could you tell?" Billy asked. Was he a son of Demeter? That could explain the feeling of nature that surrounded the blond.
"Very true." Demeter nodded but Aphrodite snorted.
"Ha, you wish." The lady of doves gloat and Demeter frowned, she indeed did.
"When I sent those two clones to gather nature chakra, I felt as though something was missing," said Naruto. "After seeing all those impressive buildings, it's kind of obvious what had to go to make all this work. I mean, the last trees I saw that were thriving were in Sen-tral Park."
"A sad and cruel truth." Artemis said in a defeated tone, how much longer will nature thrive with how mortals tear things down? She didn't know, but she hated it so much.
"Central Park," said Billy, a bit wide eyed. "You-You really care about this, don't you?"
"Most demigods nowadays don't." Demeter sniffed, "Only mine and maybe Dionysus'."
"Yes?" Naruto said, a bit confused at Billy's response. "I'm a sage, why wouldn't I?"
"...A-A sage?" Billy's heart nearly stopped. Sure, he's met demigods that were vegetarian, but they usually turned out to be not all that interested in environmentalism or were far too interested in the case of an extremist that came from Demeter's cabin.
Demeter stiffened at that as Hades laughed aloud, "Oh yes, you hate when that is brought up."
"Be silent you bag of bones." And Hades complied, but that didn't take away the smile on his face that made the goddess of wheat simmer.
But a sage...Billy heard stories about sages, the 'career' dying out long ago as Apollo's domain became more science oriented.
"I'm sorry for the advancements of the mortals." Apollo sighed out, times change, it's happened to all the gods.
Hardly any of Hermes' kids nowadays picked herbs anymore and most of Apollo's kids preferred focusing on their archery, well except for the cabin counselor whose mother was a doctor.
"Good on Will." The god of medicine beamed.
Heck, the only modern sages today were the Hunters of Artemis, and even that was stretching it.
"Well, they know enough and far more than most." Artemis pouted.
Percy turned to Thalia, "You know any sage stuff?"
The lieutenant shook her head, "Just little things Phoebe taught me, still got a long way to go."
Billy wanted to believe Naruto at face value, but he had to be sure. So...
"Prove it."
"What?" Naruto said, looking at Billy as the satyr stopped cold.
"Prove that you're a sage," said Billy, crossing his arms.
"Ooh, goat boy calling out blondie." Leo whistled.
"...Okay," said Naruto with a shrug. He promptly sat down, crossing his legs and interlacing his hands together. He took a deep breath and cleared his mind, his eyes closing as he did. His breathing slowed and became deathly quiet, making Billy worry for a moment that he had put himself in a death-like trance.
"No, but pretty close." Nico whistled, "That's out of pure training to do that. I can't do it without help." The son of the dead admitted, getting an impressed look from Hades at the praise his son was giving.
Persephone was another possible mother, rare though her demi-children were, so this would be a very upsetting situation.
Hades pursed his lips at that, while Hera shook her head, just like her father in rare occasions.
Then, Billy felt it.
Nature was being drawn to the blond, even Billy wanted to take a step closer, to lend him a hand when he needed to.
"Satyrs assemble!" Hermes announced like Captain America.
Morning jays fluttered around him and birds settled on his shoulders, chirping and nesting around him in harmony. A small orange fox and several rabbits came out from their burrows, approaching the human curiously.
"Come animals, time to save the day." Thalia joked with a cracked smile, that was pretty cool.
There was a shriek and an eagle swooped in, flapping its wings as it came to roost where the startled morning jays fled on Naruto's shoulder.
"Seems great granddad says hello." Apollo snickered as Zeus looked mildly amused.
Physically, nothing about the blond changed except for his eyelids, now orange with red mixed in above them. Naruto took another breath and slowly opened his eyes, looking at Billy with the eyes of a sage trained by the Toads of Myouboku. Golden in color with toad-like pupils, Naruto's eyes were entrancing to the satyr.
"You are getting very sleepy, now give me your peanut butter." Hazel said while waving her hand in circles.
"So what do you think?" Naruto asked in amusement as the animals of the forest gathered around him and settled next to or on him peacefully.
Hermes whistled at that, "Amazing, I mean, we say Apollo's kid do something like that, but this is the true version of it. I wish Pan could have met him." He said in a saddened tone. No doubt his boy would have adored this half-blood.
Billy shook his head, the trance he was in now broken after Naruto spoke. "Wow...You really are a sage. I thought you had to be an old man to be one!"
"Yeah, I thought so too." Percy said but Apollo waved him off.
"Big misconception."
"Nah, just have to learn how to take the nature chakra in and give it back at the same time," said Naruto, shrugging nonchalantly while not disturbing the creatures settled around him. He stroked the head of the fox laying on his lap and reached up to lightly brush the eagle under the beak. "Friendly, aren't they?" The eagle gave a small cry at the touch and nipped his finger, making Naruto chuckle. "Okay, no touching, I get it."
"Stingy bird." Poseidon joked, getting Zeus to send a side glare at the slight to his sacred animal.
He let his connection with nature fade away and the animals slowly scattered, save for one. The eagle which cried so proudly on its arrival stayed put where it was on Naruto's shoulder, making Naruto and Billy blink in surprise at the sight of it. Naruto stood, the eagle staying put stubbornly.
"Like its god that it represents."
"Poseidon!"
"Well this is interesting," said Naruto in amusement, trying to jostle the eagle by adjusting his shoulders, only making it dig its talons into him. "Ow! Billy, help me get it off!"
"Easy, Naruto, this is a sacred animal to one of the gods, I can't just manhandle it," said Billy, getting a squawk from the bird of prey.
Zeus huffed, "He better not."
"Okay, my bad. I didn't know you were a girl."
"She's stubborn," said Naruto with a grunt, reaching for her talons and getting his fingers pecked at. "Okay, okay! Geez, testy, aren't you?"
"She doesn't want to leave," said Billy, looking at the eagle and baaing at it. He got a shriek in return and looked at Naruto in amusement. "She likes you."
"So a gift from great granddad." Hermes joked, "Must have like that move."
Zeus nodded, it was impressive and deserved a reward.
"What?"
"She likes you. She can't explain it, and quite frankly once an eagle has their mind set on something..."
"Let me guess, they stick to it?"
"Pretty much."
"...think you can have her relax, then? I won't shake her off as long as she doesn't sever my shoulder."
Billy translated the request and the eagle complied, her talons sliding out of their grip on Naruto's shoulder, making the shinobi sigh in relief. He hesitantly reached up, holding his hand out to the eagle. A wide smile spread across his face as the eagle nuzzled itself into his hand.
"Aw, how's a good bird." Thalia said with a snicker, poor Naruto.
"There, that's not so bad-ow!" Naruto pulled his hand back as the eagle nipped his finger again. "I'm not food!" He glared at Billy who was snickering while the eagle released another loud cry. "And just what is so funny?"
"Yes, enlighten us Billy." Frank asked eagerly.
"She's insulted that you haven't given her a name yet and try to touch her," said the amused satyr. "Eagles are a proud bird, Naruto."
Poseidon just looked at Zeus in amusement. The king huffed, already knowing what Poseidon was pointing to and refused to play his game.
"She doesn't have a name?" Naruto asked, arching a brow.
"She does, it's just not translatable to human tongue," said Billy with a shrug. The eagle shrieked loudly, her wings spreading in pride as she did, making Billy roll his eyes. "Okay, well according to her, the closest translation would be 'the chick born in harmony of the nest made with the King's feather'."
"That is seriously long winded." Leo shook his head, "She looks more like a Cindy."
"Yeesh, and I thought your name was weird," said Naruto, looking at the eagle and ignoring the deadpan stare he got from the satyr. "Alright, your name is Miu (美羽) which stands for beautiful feather. How does that sound?"
"Perfect for a beautiful creature." Hestia nodded, it was a wonderful, one her youngest brother nodded to as well.
After Billy translated for him, the newly named Miu cried out, taking to the sky and looping before coming back to the demigod's shoulder. She nuzzled her head against the blond's and allowed him to pet her, much to his and Billy's amusement.
"Aw, she likes it. A boy and his bird." Thalia snickered as Jason rubbed his chin.
Maybe he should get an eagle.
"I'll take that as a yes," said a snickering Naruto. He dropped his hand and looked back at the satyr. "So, Billy, now what?"
"We could go over the Olympians I suppose," said Billy, scratching his fuzzy chin while Naruto and Miu looked at him curiously. "There's the Big Three; Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. Zeus is the king of Olympus and the god of the sky and all in its domain... Which could be why Miu is so attached to you, he could be your father. It would be possible with the oath revoked."
"No he isn't." said all the gods minus Zeus, who frowned actually. He wouldn't mind a son as powerful as Naruto. He was certainly noble and heroic enough along with using wind, one could easily make that mistake him as a son of the sky.
"My father is not a god," said Naruto with a frown. "My mom said he was still dead."
"Okay, so that rules out a good portion of Olympians," said Billy, frowning in confusion at that. Was it just Naruto's connection with nature that brought Miu to him or was it something else?
"A little of both, it seems." Artemis attested.
The two continued to discuss the Olympians as they made their way to Camp Half-Blood, a name that slightly put Naruto off.
"Oh yeah," Annabeth nodded, "He was treated less than human when growing up." That got winces all around.
Billy started out by naming the primary twelve and their domains. Naruto felt that Hestia got gipped when it came to Dionysus' seat being offered, but he admired her for the sacrifice she made.
Mr. D huffed at that but conceded to the boy's point while Hestia beamed.
He was a bit conflicted on hearing that the new Twelfth Olympian was his new camp counselor, but shrugged it off as he continued to listen to Billy. To Naruto, the gods weren't as interesting as the goddesses, since there were not as many stories about them unless it concerned punishment that Naruto felt was a bit much. I.e. Artemis and the idiot that peeped on her
"He deserved it!"
"Oh it was an accident." Aphrodite rolled her eyes.
"Says you." The huntress glared.
– he'd have to write home about that one to Tsunade, she would probably claim Artemis as her new patron or matron or whatever it was, then drink to Ero-Sennin's memory
"If only she was younger," Artemis pursed her lips, a super strong medically smart hunter? Who wouldn't want that?
– and Athena and the spider thing.
Annabeth shivered.
Come to think of it, didn't his resurrected dad kind of hesitate against the Juubi in its incomplete form, which looked like a spider?
"I would assume so." Poseidon said with mirth as Athena glared at him for mocking her amazing son.
Naruto shook those thoughts off as Billy started to talk about Hera, Zeus' wife and sister – something that hardly made Naruto blink, considering his homeland was full of incest and he was sure that there was an Uzumaki who shacked up with his sister – but more importantly, also the queen of Olympus.
They finished with Hera and Amphitrite, the wife of Poseidon, coming to a close on Hades' wife/niece Persephone as they came across a sign that said "Delphi Strawberry Fields, No Trespassing."
"Unless you're a demigod." Percy said with a smirk.
"Then trespass all you want!" Hermes cheered with a good laugh, ah, trespassing, good times.
"...She could totally be your mother," said Billy. He pointed up at Miu, who was flying high above them to stretch her wings. "It could explain why Miu likes you!"
"Not really, she's been down there for a while." Hades stated sternly, getting a glare from his sister that made the dead god roll his black eyes.
"You said Persephone took mostly from her mother in abilities and is the wife of Hades, I'd say after she ate one of those fruits she probably lost a lot of contact with the sky," said Naruto. He looked behind him in amusement. "And I don't see any black flowers popping up behind me while I walk."
"See, the boy agrees." The rich one nodded, "A good head on his shoulders."
"Amazing where he came from," Artemis joked and Aphrodite, along with Athena glared at her.
"He comes from me as well, sister."
"Apologies, Athena." Artemis said sincerely and Aphrodite coughed.
"Well?"
"You might want to get the tickle in your throat checked on." The maiden goddess smirked, getting the love goddess to huff and cross her arms.
"I told you that was one case!" Billy said with a frown. He sighed. "Well, that leaves Aphrodite, goddess of love, lust, beauty and pleasure. Her kids know how to speak French like oui, which means yes, or their favorite pas très impressionnant, not very impressive."
"Yeah, talking about mommy." The love goddess cheered happily.
"Really?" Naruto blinked in confusion. "Why do they like to say that?"
"Aphrodite's daughters are expected to break boys' hearts to win her favor," said Billy, shaking his head.
"True."
"Mom!"
"I'm just being honest sweetie."
"A lot of guys at camp try to get their attention. I pity the bastard that actually falls in love with one.
"Hey!" Jason frowned as Piper had narrowed eyes, they weren't all that bad.
All previous attempts have been disastrous Well...except for one guy. He got lucky, though."
"Yeah, he died." Hephaestus said gruffly and Percy winced at the reminded, he missed Beck.
"And her sons?" Naruto asked, intrigued.
"Who knows, maybe she doesn't favor them because she compares them all to the Trojan Aeneas.
"No I don't." the lady of doves pouted.
Though the Romans were letting out whistles and cheers for the founder of Rome, but to Athena's annoyance.
If they have some special rite, the camp doesn't know about it," said Billy with a shrug.
"Oh...What does she usually look like?" Naruto asked, knowing that while the goddesses could change their appearance, they had certain forms they liked to take.
"Anything~" the goddess giggled.
"She appears as the one you love the most times ten," said Billy. He shuddered and rubbed his arms. "If I ever met her...I'd feel so bad for doing that to Bebe."
The love goddess cooed, how sweet!
"...Bebe?" Naruto asked in amusement.
"My girlfriend. She's a dryad, a land nymph. She lives inside a willow."
"...So you're dating a tree?"
"Oh, blondie just schooled goat boy." Leo laughed out.
"No! The spirit in the tree."
"I'm not judging you."
"But it's not like that!"
"Hey you don't have to lie to me, Billy."
"...You suck, Naruto."
The chamber was filled with laughter as Hermes wiped a stray tear, "Oh man, that kid is good."
"I've been told that a lot," said the snickering blond while his satyr friend glowered at him. He looked up at his happily soaring eagle and called to her. "Miu, come down, I think we're almost there!"
"What makes you-Oh..." Billy's words died on his lips as Naruto pointed at the tree at the top of the hill.
Thalia gave a sad smile upon seeing her tree.
"You, uh, you remembered that, did you?"
"I'm not an idiot...I'm just a slow learner," said Naruto, pouting at the unintentional insult.
Athena squawked at that while Annabeth gapped. Poseidon let out a chuckle.
"Amazing for a legacy of yours to say that."
"Be silent, Squid God!"
"I never, but, you, I..." Billy groaned when he saw Naruto crack a smile as Miu landed on Naruto's shoulder. "I hate you, Naruto."
"Oh don't say that, otherwise I'll have to try to get on your good side," said Naruto with a chuckle while he gave Miu's beak a small gentle stroke with the side of his finger. She crooned at the attention he gave her while they walked up the hill. Naruto grinned at his new friend. "Say, didn't you say something about me being the first demigod you retrieved?"
"Wow, lucky him." Annabeth nodded, that was impressive for a satyrs first run.
"To be fair, Naruto is super tough." Percy added, getting a nod from his girlfriend.
"...Yeah...Hey, yeah!" Billy perked up. "Holy crap, you're the first demigod I've ever brought back to camp!"
"I live to serve," said Naruto with a smile. "Thanks, Billy."
"Anytime, Naruto," said Billy, grinning back at his new friend.
"Reminds me of another demigod powerhouse and a satyr." Nico smirked to Percy, getting the son of the sea to smile at that. Yeah, hopefully they saw more of Billy, he was cool for a new guy.
They continued their slow peaceful march up what was called Half-Blood Hill – once again, Naruto frowned slightly at the name – and near the pine tree, Naruto saw a dragon, something he thought was only in legends.
After Naruto pointed it out, Billy waved him off and they kept walking. "Don't mind him. That's Peleus, the guardian of the Golden Fleece. As long as you don't try to touch it, he won't ... bother... you..."
"Oh, claimed so fast?" Artemis asked her fellow goddess.
Aphrodite smirked, "But of course. He's earned it."
"Very true." Athena nodded as Artemis nodded as well. He defeated the Hydra in a single blow. Now even Heracles could boat that.
Billy had stopped, staring at Naruto as soon as he stepped past the invisible boundary, making the blond arch his brow. Then his vision was engulfed in a red haze, making Naruto go wide-eyed.
"Make over~!"
"Hopefully better than mine." Piper muttered, but her mother head her and pouted at that.
K-Kurama, is that you?! He thought just a bit hopefully. There was no response, making Naruto's hope sink until he felt something change.
"Aw, he misses his fox buddy." Nico pouted, that guy was funny.
He looked at his arms, which looked a bit larger than before. He also noticed that his bare arms were now covered and he was dressed for a different weather. Looking down past his now sleeved arms, he saw that his sandals were still in place, and his strange pants had become darker in color. Weird.
"Dark jeans, nice." Thalia grinned.
"You like Thalia?"
"Psh, shut it Annie. I'm a hunter here, plus I don't even know him."
"Maybe he'll smitten you again," Aphrodite grinned as Artemis glowered at her.
"Stop your nonsense."
"Make me." The goddess stuck out her tongue at her rival.
Lifting eyes back to his arms, Naruto was happy to find orange on his arm, an orange jacket! He quickly slid the garment off and grinned at what he found. Back in black and orange, kicking ass and taking names was a jacket that was similar to the upper part of his jumpsuit when he was a kid.
"He does pull off orange." Aphrodite begrudgingly said, not using the color that much herself.
Well, aside from the collar being furred instead of just white.
"Well, it is winter." Thalia commented and had to admit that the jacket sounded cool.
Heck there was the same Uzumaki carving on the left shoulder. Turning it around, Naruto was ecstatic to find his clan's seal smack dab in the middle of his back.
"Family connection and all." Piper smirked, it did sound cool to be from a family of ninjas.
He looked at his arms, surprised to find his white t-shirt replaced with a blue long-sleeved shirt.
"He does look simple amazing." Aphrodite nodded, her boy was so handsome!
Miu chirped to him and flew from his shoulder, her talon catching something and nearly choking Naruto as she did. Quickly freeing the eagle's talon from the chord that was attached to it, Naruto followed the chord that was around his neck to a small green gem that made Naruto's eyes widen in shock. He thought the first's necklace was lost when he flipped out on Nagato!
"Well, if it was jewelry, that's an easy fix." The beauty goddess brushed off as the smith and wealth gods rolled their eyes about the fixing and gems of their range of domain.
"Naruto...your face!" Billy said in alarm, not realizing that Miu's cries or the light Naruto gave off when he was claimed had attracted the attentions of others.
"What, what happened to my face?" Naruto asked, dropping his necklace to put his hands on his face. Feeling nothing wrong, Naruto looked at his hands for any signs of dirt, blinking in confusion when his skin felt smoother than ever before.
"No problem."
His eyes widened in horror. "What happened to the calluses on my hands?!"
"Oh Dite, you didn't." Ares bemoaned.
"What?"
"To a warrior, their calluses show their hard work in training, that's very important to them." Ares said, actually sounding smart for once.
"Well, it comes with the claiming, he'll just get them back." The goddess waved off.
That was a sign of his hard work paying off, dammit!
"See." The war god pointed out and the love goddess pouted, whatever.
"Mr. Overtree, what are you...oh my," said a man attached to the body of a horse. Naruto could care less about the horse-man, his calluses were gone! The shit was that?!
"No no, just ignore the horse-man on hill." Apollo joked with a snicker. Horse-man, ha!
"Naruto, could you obsess less about your calluses and come say hello to your new activities director?" Billy asked, worried this would look bad if Grover-nope, too late. He's here, too.
"Geez, since when did Grover get so big." Percy wondered with a joking smile.
"Who knows?" Annabeth laughed along with Thalia, man, their goat boy had gotten so far from the once scrawny kid he was.
"Well there's something you don't see everyday," said the amused head goat. Grover Underwood was chuckling in amusement while the new son of Aphrodite stared in horror at his hands.
"He's so chill now." Nico laughed, man, where did twitchy Grover go?
"Grover, I can explain everything. He's not always like this I swear! Naruto, dammit, you're making me look bad!"
"Dude needs to relax." Leo rolled his eyes, having met Grover a few times, "The head goat isn't like that."
"You look bad?! I'll be a laughingstock of Konoha if I go back like this! Smooth hands! Civilians have smooth hands, shinobi have hands caked in sweat and ...grime..." Naruto seemed to finally notice he was no longer alone.
"Amazing for your child to be all for that."
"Hush Artemis. He could still kick all your little hunters around like ragdolls." Aphrodite gloated, getting the young looking goddess to pout at the truth of that fact.
He raised one hand awkwardly to the group of demigods, satyrs and the one horse-man. "Uh...Hi?"
Two bright lights appeared above him and Naruto turned his head in an effort to see them. "Oi! What's the big idea, shining lights on me? Billy, what's going on?"
"Y-Your mother...mothers...Uh, you've been claimed," said Billy, confused by the two lights above his head.
Zeus turned to his daughter and the love goddess, "Something you two would like to tell us?" he joked, getting Poseidon to slap his knee in humor.
Athena turned red in the face with indignity while Aphrodite hummed at the prospect of it.
One was large and pink, shaped like a dove, which explains the, uh, makeover. The other, however, was grey like an owl and much smaller next to the dove.
"Been a while since this has happened," said the horse-man softly before turning to the campers. "Camp, we have a new hero! All hail...erm..."
"Naruto Uzumaki." Billy supplied dutifully. He caught Grover nodding at him, making him stand a bit straighter at the praise.
Percy couldn't take it, man, Grover really had come into his own since the war. He was so proud of him and the respect that his friend deserved.
"Ah, yes, thank you, Billy. All hail Naruto Uzumaki, son of Aphrodite and legacy of Athena!"
While the campers got to their knees in front of him and Miu banked around a hedge before settling on his shoulder, Naruto reacted as his friends back home would expect him to.
"...What?"
"Guess the goat didn't go over claiming." Jason mused with a quirked lip, it was funny to see after seeing the Apollo Naruto to this newbie Naruto (he still kicked ass though, that was for sure).
The horse-man told the confused blond to follow him after the campers rose to their feet. A couple of pretty girls that were younger than him whispered together in a small group and he could feel something akin to hope come from them as they looked at him.
"I think I know why," Piper grinned, "Naruto's seventeen."
Leo blinked, "What's that got to do with anything?"
"You'll see~"
Weird, but when was the first time anything a girl did make sense? Like Hinata's decision to confess her feelings to him in the fight against Nagato; touching, yeah, but really an inopportune moment to pick and it didn't lead to anything, not that he hadn't tried. He just didn't like Hinata like that. At least she was still willing to be his friend.
"I don't know who this Hinata is," Aphrodite stated, "But she sounds like a disappointment."
"Oi, Horse-guy, how is it I have two moms?" Naruto asked,
"You don't." Athena frowned.
"Oh you'd like him to call you that." Aphrodite glared, no! He was her baby boy!
waving at another girl that walked by as she waved at him. Man these campers were friendly.
"Oh! Oh! The dense playboy type." Aphrodite giggled while clapping her hands, she rarely had one like that.
"I mean, Billy said the Olympians did some 'weird' stuff, but um..."
"I would never!"
"Now don't say that, Athena."
"Be silent you!"
"My name is Chiron, not 'Horse-guy', Mr. Uzumaki," said Chiron with a frown as he looked at the boy.
"I still like pony." Percy admitted for Tyson's word for the trainer of heroes.
"And you don't have two mothers. You're a legacy, which is not unheard of, but very rare."
"Okay, yeah, but why did I get two lights?"
"Your ancestor, Athena, deemed you worthy off the bat to be claimed alongside Aphrodite's claim," said Chiron.
"Of course I would." Athena nodded, he had done a spectacular job at saving his entire continent. He earn even more she personally believed.
He looked at the farmhouse, which he told Naruto was called the Big House ("Stupid and obvious, how could anyone forget that name?"), nervously. "Things have been tense since the second Titanomachy."
"The war against the Titans," said Naruto recalling Billy telling him about it. That reminded Naruto, he wanted to meet this Percy kid. He seemed like an okay guy.
Percy threw his hands in the air, "And I like this Naruto, like, a hundred times better already." He proclaimed.
"You just don't like Apollo Naruto since we're so close." Annabeth rolled her eyes at her beau.
"…Shut it Wise Girl." The son of the sea with a red cheeks and a broody pout on his face.
"Quite. Now, I've been informed you would arrive shortly, the Head Counselor told me to keep an eye out for you...I don't think he knew that you'd be so easy to spot," said Chiron, amused while Naruto flushed slightly at being put under two spotlights earlier.
"Well," Mr. D said, "After seeing his loud and obnoxious display from Olympus, it was hard not too."
"I didn't ask for that...or for these clothes...by the way, where did these come from, anyway?" Naruto asked, a brow arched.
"Aphrodite deems it fit to show off her children during a claiming," said Chiron in amusement. "She 'perfects' you. I'm surprised she didn't get rid of the marks on your cheeks."
"Oh, but they make him so cute."
"They're not removeable," said Naruto to the centaur.
"I see. Your cabin is Cabin Ten, and...how old are you, Mr. Uzumaki? Sixteen?"
"Seventeen last month," said Naruto with a grin. Boy was that a party. After he helped rebuild the Ichiraku stand, he was treated to a night out by the village funds, many higher ups in the Shinobi Alliance thanking him for his help. Got even wilder after Lee had some of the sake he wasn't supposed to have.
"Hm, sounds fun," Dionysus admitted, but the pointed look from his father made him pout.
"Really? Oh dear..." said Chiron, cupping his chin in thought. "Drew won't like hearing that."
"Suck it!"
"Piper McLean."
"…Sorry Lady Hestia." But you could hear she didn't mean it at all.
"Who?" Naruto asked, tilting his head up and looking at Miu as she came in from her survey of the camp. "Hey Miu, is it big enough for you?"
He got a small croon while he stroked her beak, making Chiron look at him. "Interesting...that eagle, Miu was her name, yes?"
"It's just an eagle." Percy said.
Zeus humph, "Just an eagle, say that to Dios." He mocked.
"Beautiful feather," said Naruto smirking as he caught the irony of the name now while Miu gave a small cry at her name's meaning.
"...Very interesting." Chiron said, sounding like he was thinking about something. The centaur looked forward as they approached a pink cabin.
"Your sons must love it."
"Thank you, Artemis, you know how much I love your input. And about my sons no less! Finally showing an interest?"
"Ha! You wish!"
"I do, I really do."
He raised a hand and lightly knocked, the door opening to reveal a pretty girl of Asian descent, dressed like she just woke up for the day. Chiron sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Ms. Tanaka, the morning horn was blown forty minutes ago..."
"Ah, sorry Chiron, I must have slept through it," the girl said sweetly.
"Brat." Artemis sniffed.
Piper groaned, "Oh you have no idea Lady Artemis."
"I pity you child."
"Thank you, I mean it."
She noticed Naruto and smiled at him before frowning as she realized what his presence meant. "Another one?"
"Your new older brother," said Chiron, making the girl's eyes widen.
Piper snickered, oh Drew was going to get it now.
Chiron turned to Naruto, who had his brows furrowed in confusion. "Naruto, as the eldest of your cabin, you are now the cabin counselor. It's different for each cabin, but for Aphrodite, who has so many children like Apollo, she has the oldest take charge."
"True." The gods nodded to this, each had their own little reasons on who should lead the rest of their children.
"Why?" Naruto asked, simply out of curiosity.
"Because that's just how mom does it," said the girl with a frown as she looked at her brother. "I'm Drew Tanaka. And you are?
"Your new boss." Annabeth smirked, never liking Drew's attitude.
"Naruto Uzumaki," said Naruto with a grin. Miu squawked and he chuckled before looking at her. "And this is Miu."
"Comes with a pet, that's a new accessory," said Drew flatly. She obviously didn't sound pleased with Naruto's arrival, but was tolerating it because of something. Probably Chiron's presence, Naruto thought. He shrugged it off though, she'd warm up to him eventually.
"You might as well be warming up to a pit viper." Piper said in scorn.
"Indeed," said Chiron, once more sounding like he was thinking about something while he looked at Miu.
"Okay, what's up with the eagle?" Jason asked in wonder as Zeus rubbed his chin in equal wonder.
He turned and looked back at Naruto. "I leave the cabin to you, Naruto. Drew should be able to help you get used to being counselor."
"Unless he doesn't want to be counselor..." Drew said suggestively, looking at Naruto intently, almost glaring at him without actually glaring at him.
"She's actually trying to use it on her own brother?" Demeter frowned.
"Drew tends to do that a lot." Annabeth informed the goddess.
"You've certainly received a winner Aphrodite."
"Shut up you deer poop sniffer."
"Ms. Tanaka, please don't abuse your gifts," said Chiron with a sigh. "The poor lad just got here."
"Yes, yes," said Drew, waving him off. She opened the door further, allowing Naruto to catch a glimpse of the very pink interior of the cabin. "Come on then, Naruto. Let me introduce you to the others."
"Sweet, I've always wanted siblings," said Naruto with a smile.
"Aw, that's sweet of him." The mother smiled, "He certainly deserves them."
"Please be ready by lunch at the latest," said Chiron, frowning at the girl.
"I'll do what I can to help my new brother get the rest of these lazy bums up," said Drew with a smile.
"They aren't lazy, you hypocrite." Piper frowned, honestly, Drew was just the worst example of her mom's kids.
Chiron nodded and trotted off, leaving Naruto alone with his sister. Well, at least he had Miu.
"Ah-ah-ah. No birds aloud except for-" The sky rumbled and Drew frowned. "Well if he's going to be like that...Fine, the bird can come."
"Yes I said and she is an eagle, girl." Zeus frowned, bird, it was such a vague insult to a proud avian.
"Eagle," said Naruto shaking his head as he stepped in.
"Thank you!"
He cringed at the blinding pink, it was way more than Sakura had on her head. Once the door was shut, the girls who were holding various trash bags or bins of clothes dropped them with a cheer, their hands raising above their head while Drew scowled at them.
"Oh they are without a doubt happy." The daughter of McLean smirked, she would be too if she had to live with Drew as long as they had.
"All of you need to shut up!" she said, her command making them begrudgingly do so. She turned to her new brother with arms crossed over her chest. "Welcome to Cabin Ten, Naruto. Now be a dear and relinquish your status back to me. It is after all too much for someone as new as you."
"And now she is really trying." Aphrodite frowned, Naruto was far more worthy of leading the cabin to be honest.
"Why would I do that?" Naruto asked. The smirk that was spreading across Drew's face suddenly turned into a shocked gape while the other girls in the cabin gasped and the guys started to whisper.
"He has Charmspeak too?!" Piper exclaimed in surprise as even her mother was blinking in surprise.
"Well, no wonder he's so good at talking his enemies down." The goddess smirked, charm really did have the best qualities for a hero, that was for sure.
"...Naruto, you will make me cabin counselor again," said Drew, glaring daggers at her older brother despite the kind tone in her voice. Miu shrieked at the underlining hostility she had spoken with and Naruto crossed his arms over his chest.
"Claw out her eyes!"
"Piper! You may not agree with one another, but that is too far. Honestly, crying for maiming your own sister!"
"I'm pro for it all the time." Ares said, glaring at Athena, who readily glared back.
"Ares, not helping." The girlfriend said.
"With that kind of attitude, I can be sure I won't," said Naruto with a frown. Drew's face turned red with rage while their brothers and sisters smiled at the claim.
"Naruto, I am cabin counselor," said Drew sweetly, dropping her dagger-like glare. Miu shrieked again and Naruto smirked at his sister, flicking her in the forehead hard enough to make her stumble back onto a bed.
"Take that!"
Aphrodite gave up on stopping her daughter's cheering of Drew being put down.
"No, now you stay there until you decide to stop being a brat," said Naruto with a smirk while Drew's livid face glared at him. She started to rise and Naruto frowned. "I said sit, Drew."
"Like a bit-!"
"Piper! I mean it!"
The Charmspeaker cowed from her mother's furious tone. Geez, she just got into it was all.
Drew visibly struggled with herself before slowly sitting down.
The McLean gaped, "We can overpower other chamrspeakers?" she asked her mother.
"Well, if you're strong enough, yes." She nodded, getting a giddy look from Piper.
Naruto smiled again and nodded. "Good! Now when you decide to stop being a brat, you can help me get the hang of this counselor st-"
"I'll help you!" "No I will!" the cabin members quickly started to volunteer. Anything to keep Drew away from power over them again.
"You go guys!" Piper cheered, man, she couldn't wait to see what a better entrance to camp would be like with Naruto as a counselor.
Naruto blinked in surprise and smiled at his other siblings.
"Awesome, I could use the help! Thanks girls...and guys." He said with a pure smile. The cabin cheered again, and many would wonder why Cabin Ten was so happy as they walked by for an activity. Naruto was swarmed by his new cabin members, all of them asking questions like how old he was and where he was from. He told them he was from far away and would give them more after he got settled in.
"I bet they would love all the stories he has." Annabeth smirked.
"I'm sure he's had a few romances to talk about." Piper snickered as her siblings would love that.
They asked if he had any other supplies and he shook his head, making them nod in understanding. A younger girl, Lacy, who had blonde hair similar to his own, pulled into pigtails and some strange metal on her teeth, walked him around the cabin while the rest finished getting dressed. She explained that he was in charge of curfew, chores and a whole lot of other stuff that Naruto was sure he could do by himself with his clones.
"Sweet!" Piper cheered, clone labor!
He wouldn't though, considering his sisters looked like twigs compared to his friends back home and his brothers looked a bit too fragile for his liking.
Artemis snickered as Aphrodite flushed, her kids could still fight though and look fabulous while doing so!
Before heading out to lunch, Naruto told Drew to get in the shower and get ready for the day, making her scowl but oblige, lest she be embarrassed like she was in front of her cabin members a moment before.
"I'd love to see that." Leo snickered, that lola was not cool, hot as hell, but not cool.
Naruto shook his head at her attitude and became determined to clean her from it. Shunting that concern aside for now, he continued to listen to Lacy as she rambled on and on about what Drew used to do when she was Cabin Dictator.
"...and just before Chiron knocked on the door she was having me pull out clothes for her to choose from and then put in a pile just so I'd have to wash them and put them away," said Lacy with a frown, looking far too cute for a fourteen-year-old.
"Wow, what a bitch." Thalia said at that, seriously, that was a bit much. Talk about abuse of power.
"Thank you, Thalia." Piper smiled at the hunter for saying it for her.
Naruto chuckled at her face before looking at his chattering siblings and then at the window where Miu was perched.
"Well, you won't have to worry about that from me," said Naruto, pulling Lacy into a small hug that she returned gratefully.
"Aw," the females cooed, so sweet.
He let her go with a smile on his face and he grabbed his jacket. "As long as I've got this and this," he then pulled at his necklace, "I'll be good with whatever I wear."
"Like your sandals?" Lacy asked in bemusement. Not many guys could pull them off after all, but Naruto did.
"Ninja sandals, hm." The fairest of them all mused.
"Yep!" Naruto said with a smile. He got up from the too soft for its own good bed and stretched. There was a soft rumble that made Lacy look at him with a look of amusement on her face. The older blond could only laugh. "Guess it's that time." He went to the shower and knocked on the door. "Drew, lunchtime. Let's go, you heard the horse-guy!"
Apollo and Hermes snickered with the demigods, horse-guy, ha!
"Chiron," said Lacy with a giggle while Drew groaned.
"What he doesn't know won't hurt him," said Naruto with a chuckle. He opened the door and his siblings filed out in twos, Lacy waiting for him and scooting behind him as Drew huffed and went to get dressed quickly before rushing out the door after the group that left before her. Naruto looked down at Lacy and smiled at her, boosting her confidence a bit more and letting her run out after the former dictator while Naruto chuckled. As he left his cabin and shut the door, Miu took to the air from the windowsill, flying in the sky with a shriek.
Lunch was an interesting affair, demigods giving some of their food to the hearth in tribute to the gods. Naruto bowed his head and gave it to his mother and ancestor, dropping a bit for Hades to ask that he go easy on his dad for any sins
"Amazing." Hades hummed, liking the Aphrodite version of the boy as well.
and then asking for Hestia to help him make good decisions to help his family like she did. The hearth seemed to get a bit warmer after his prayers.
"He really is a special one." The hearth goddess smiled brightly, so rare was it someone prayed for her.
Naruto took a seat at the head of the table, Lacy on his left and his brother Mitchel on the right. Drew was at the far end of the left, a bit of space between her and their brother Erik. There were whispers from the other tables, but the First, Second, Third, Eighth, and Thirteenth tables were empty for no reason in particular, well the second because as Billy said: "Hera doesn't have affairs, that's her husband's job."
Percy snickered, "Grover said the exact same thing."
Zeus huffed at that while Hera smirked, smart goat.
And then Artemis' Hunters were probably out hunting, the former member of Cabin One leading them.
Thalia beamed at her mention.
But it was strange, wasn't that Percy kid the son of Poseidon? Cabin Three?
"I'm at school." Percy answered.
"Nightmares for you dude," Leo whistled.
Before Naruto could wonder more on this, Lacy asked him a question that he missed. Blinking, Naruto looked at his sister. "What?"
"I said 'how did you beat Drew's charmspeak?" Lacy asked him again, making the table hush while Drew scowled at Lacy.
"Simple, he's has it and is better with it." Piper said, parroting her mom's answer.
The look was broken as Miu flew in, shrieking before landing with a few flaps of her wings on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto lifted a small piece of meat, pig he thinks, for her to nibble on. While Miu gobbled it down, Mitchel found his voice.
"He probably has his own charmspeak, Lacy," said Mitchel. The boy got a few curious looks and he said. "What? We all know it takes one charmspeaker to be immune to another, and Naruto's a guy, so that makes it stronger."
"True," Piper nodded, it worked wonders on the opposite sex.
"...My what-speak?" Naruto asked, both he and Miu giving Mitchel looks like he had grown a second head.
Aphrodite giggled while clapping her hands, "Oh, he doesn't even know. How exciting!"
"Charmspeak," said Lacy. "It's something Aphrodite-"
"Mom," said Naruto pointedly. He thought it was stupid that demigods would have to call their 'godly parents' anything other than what they were: Mom or Dad.
"He does have a good point." Frank nodded, but usually the kids said it more out of respect.
"...Mom," said Lacy with a small smile. "Can do. It lets the user manipulate whoever they're speaking to, and usually doesn't work on other charmspeakers or members of the same sex, but you must have a lot of practice with yours on girls."
"Well, he has charmed a few in his time," Aphrodite said, recalling some of Naruto's adventures from Apollo's story, he smittened many a girl.
"Okay well, I don't charmtalk or whatever," said Naruto with a shake of his head. "I mean, if I did, I did it against Nagato to make him stop his rampage for revenge, but you just said it doesn't work on members of the same sex, so I couldn't have done it on him."
"But, but you do." Aphrodite frowned, of course he did!
"Charmspeak," said Drew with a scowl. "Is a rare gift mom gives to her children."
"Sure, maybe there's some genjutsu you can use just by talking. And I have the Sharingan buried deep in my DNA," said Naruto with a snort while he took another piece of meat and ate it.
"Wow, he's so disbelieving about it," Piper blinked in surprise.
"Stubborn like his grandmother." Poseidon snickered as he was glared at.
"Naruto, you can charmspeak," said Mitchel. "You just heard Lacy say that it doesn't work on other charmspeakers, and earlier Drew was using charmspeak to get you to step down!"
"Listen Mitchel, I don't have charmspeak. I just say what I feel is right," Naruto said with a shrug, making Miu squawk at the jostle she got. He apologized by feeding the brown feathered eagle another piece of meat. "No charm to it."
Aphrodite rubbed her chin, "Actually, that might make it more powerful. He feels that he is just speaking his mind, thus he fully believes in his words, thus they are more powerful. Interesting. Plus with his natural charisma, yes, in charmspeaking I would say he would be even better then you, Piper."
The daughter of love whistled, she knew her charmspeak was powerful, but Naruto's to be even stronger? Scary, yet very cool.
The members of Cabin Ten just stared at him in disbelief. He had to have charmspeak, there was no other explanation to Naruto being able to just shake off Drew's orders. Before any of them could continue Naruto looked up at the sound of footsteps approaching. A girl with blonde hair like honey and grey eyes that had a bit of red around them nervously approached them, looking up at the sky as she got closer.
Percy frowned along with Annabeth, "Did you-" the girl trailed off.
"Get kidnapped earlier." The son of the sea frowned, "I think so."
Annabeth gave a side glare to the queen of heaven, who in turn didn't look bothered by it at all.
Naruto saw the girl mouth the word 'please', making him furrow his brow in confusion. When she stood right next to him, the girl swallowed before she spoke.
"Your name is Naruto right?" she asked, looking as professional as she could. Naruto nodded, but she pressed on. "Naruto Uzumaki?"
"And boy meets girl~" Aphrodite sung out as Percy blanched along with Annabeth.
"He's my nephew!"
"When has that ever stopped any of us?" the love goddess asked, referring to the gods.
The daughter of wisdom groaned while Percy had a frown on his face. This Naruto didn't know Annabeth, he knew they would just be friends, he was sure of that with no doubt.
"Yeah, that's me," said Naruto with a grin. He scratched the underside of Miu's beak. "This is Miu, and I'm sure you know my cabin by now."
"Hi Annabeth!" said most of the members of Cabin Ten. Annabeth waved at them with a small smile before looking back at him.
"Naruto...C-Can you tell me if you've met a boy named Percy Jackson?" Annabeth asked, her breath hitching at saying his name.
"So I am missing." Percy frowned.
"Earlier." Annabeth noted, her voice tight as Percy hugged, knowing she was upset.
"I've heard of him, but I haven't seen him yet," said Naruto, a bit miffed at not meeting the Hero of Olympus yet. Seriously, the guy sounded really cool,
"Thank you," Percy chirped, glad to have at least one Naruto on his side.
but now Naruto was starting to think he was one of those guys that thought they were too cool, like Sasuke.
"Percy then blanched, "I am nothing like that duckbutt traitor." The boy cried out as Annabeth rubbed his arm.
"We know, Seaweed Brain, just Naruto hasn't met you yet."
"Still," the sea child pouted.
He could accept Sasuke's dick-like attitude, having grown up with it, but he really didn't like other guys who acted like him.
"Oh..." Annabeth said, her head falling and her feelings of depression washing over Naruto like a bucket of cold water. Naruto shuddered minutely from the feeling and looked at his sad siblings while Annabeth walked away.
"Being an empathy must suck at times." Hazel winced, all that negativity.
"Poor thing," said his sister Alexandra. "Since Percy went missing, she's be barely able to keep it together."
"Too proud to show weakness." Thalia stated in amusement, getting a mock glare from her friend.
"Percy is missing?" Naruto asked, going over the conversation he and Billy had about the boy in his head. Naruto's eyes widened as he recalled the past-tense Billy used. He looked back at Annabeth and saw her sit down at Cabin Six's table, she was a daughter of his ancestor.
"Family bonding time soon, I can feel it." Hestia smiled brightly, oh, Naruto would get the young daughter of wisdom buck up.
"Been missing for a few days," said Mitchel with a shake of his head. "Just up and vanished one day after going to bed the day before. We searched the whole camp, but no such luck. Here one day, gone the next. Been driving poor Annabeth up the walls."
"Your mom was beside herself." The blonde told her beau, getting the boy to sigh out at that, poor mom.
Miu crooned and Naruto consoled her by stroking the underside of her beak, knowing that she as an animal was affected by the dark emotions filling his table. He looked at his meal, feeling bad for comparing Percy to Sasuke when he was actually missing.
"I forgive you." Percy forgave.
Naruto excused himself and dumped the rest of his meal in the hearth, apologizing for ending the meal so rudely and thanking them for hosting him – those ninja classes on manners were useful after all – before he went over to cabin six's table.
"Where he would be welcomed with open arms." Athena stated.
The children of Athena looked up at his arrival, his claiming appearing over his head again making Naruto wave at it in annoyance. He was claimed already, wasn't he?
"I wanted to remind them." The weaver smirked, getting a few eye rolls.
"You want to sit down?" offered one of the boys, he had the same blond hair as Annabeth, who had disappeared from the pavilion, and the same eyes.
"No thanks," said Naruto with a shrug. "Can you tell me where Annabeth went? I want to ask her something."
"Ask her out?"
"Leo!" Annabeth glared as Percy joined her.
The Latino held up his hands, "Joke, joke! Seriously, chill you two!"
The glares didn't lessen.
"She probably went back to the cabin," said the boy. "I'm Malcolm, I was there when you got claimed earlier."
"Oh yeah, that..."
"...So Aphrodite's cabin, huh?"
"What about it?"
"Nothing...Just be grateful you're not Butch's brother. He's a nice guy, but the crap he gets for his mom..."
"Ponies and rainbows." Leo snickered.
"Dude," Frank frowned, he like Iris, she was very sweet once you met her.
"Sorry," Leo snickered, not sounding very sorry.
"Who's his mom?"
"Iris, Goddess of Rainbows."
"Ouch."
"Yeah, but like I said, he's a nice guy."
"Well, thanks Malcolm, I'm gonna go see if I can get Annabeth to talk to me," said Naruto with a nod of his head while Malcolm shrugged.
"Good luck. Without her, I'm in charge and quite frankly it kind of sucks. That and seeing her sulk is really weird after seeing her so happy for so long."
Annabeth flushed, "Sorry Malcolm." She amended, but at least he was happy she was happy. He was a good second in command.
Naruto stood on the steps of Cabin Six, looking up at the owl that was over the doorway and then back at Miu.
"I dunno if Athena will let you go in, Miu," said Naruto apologetically. The eagle caught the drift and flew off towards Cabin Ten, where she was oddly welcomed with 'open arms'. Naruto felt bad that he had to send her away, but he really wanted to talk to Annabeth. Something was telling him to help her out, and doing so he would be rewarded with more than just gratitude, but something of equal reward.
"That grand wisdom insight?" Percy asked his girlfriend.
"Probably." Annabeth nodded, "I mean, I have notes on his dad, so something might come up and he gets it. So yes, wisdom insight." She nodded proudly of her nephew.
Curious about what that inkling meant, Naruto raised his hand and knocked on the door of the cabin. He waited a few seconds, shifting awkwardly on his feet.
Just when he thought it was time to go, the door cracked open and Annabeth looked at him with her jaw clenched, as though she was trying not to cry. He could tell she had been by tearstained cheeks and the red puffy eyes she had.
Percy felt horrible at the sight of it, but it was fine, they would meet up soon…ish.
Naruto felt bad that Annabeth felt this way, not knowing how she was feeling personally, but empathetically.
"Uh, hi Annabeth," said Naruto, smiling sheepishly. "Look, I know now isn't exactly the best time, but, um, I'm sort of-"
"You're a legacy of Athena," said Annabeth with a nod. "Malcolm told me. It's all the cabin can talk about at lunch."
"Curious about the boy no doubt." Hera stated, always liking her step-daughter's children due to their unique birth.
She was really strong for not letting her emotions get the best of her, but sometimes you had to let go.
"Let it go~!" Apollo sang out, "Let it go!" he hummed and wrote that down, "That is a keeper." He smiled.
Naruto smiled a bit, recalling a similar experience after Jiraiya died. Looks like he was going to be playing Iruka's role this time around.
"Thanks Naruto." Annabeth smiled, he really was a good guy, no matter which version of him it was.
"Sorry if that bothers you," said Naruto. "I just...I want to know more about Athena. I know she's the goddess of wisdom and honorable warfare, but the second one really doesn't make sense. What is honorable warfare?"
"A good question." Athena smiled, glad the boy wished to know more about her.
Annabeth seemed to gain a gleam in her eye, explaining it as best she could to the blond before her. He kept her talking about her mother and his ancestor, keeping her mind off of Percy for the time being.
"Good job," the war goddess praised as Percy pouted playfully to Annabeth. The blonde just giggled softly.
He was invited in after she talked about weapons, when Naruto remembered he was literally without a kunai, shuriken or anything else. So before he could even finish asking about what the demigods usually fought with, Annabeth pulled him into the weapon's shack.
"So what's he going to go for?" Ares wondered with interest.
"We're the best suited to help a demigod pick their weapon if they don't want to make their own," said Annabeth proudly, her eyes cleared up and back to their normal grey. "So...what do you think?"
Naruto looked over the options. There were a lot of swords, which made him frown. He wasn't a sword guy. That was Sasuke's shtick.
"A spear?" Thalia asked.
"Go for the bow!"
"He already has one with you Apollo, no, he needs something else." The love goddess informed, getting a pout from the archery god.
He liked getting up close and personal, hand to hand was always fun. He used kunai and shuriken to cover his long range weaknesses, but there wasn't any of those anywhere. Maybe he could make them in Arts and Crafts like Annabeth said he could. Then something stuck out to him, something that called to him.
"What, what?" Leo asked eagerly.
His feet moved him and his eyes scanned the rack of weapons for what was reaching for him. He found it at the edge of the long range weapons, leaning against the wall, not even on the rack. It was caked in dust, but still beautiful in Naruto's eyes, unused but full of potential.
"True, he is an unorthodox fighter." Athena mused, wondering what long range weapon it was.
A simple Bo staff, but it was far from being just a staff, something deep within him told him so. Caps that had silver paint chipping off of them covered both ends. The staff itself was a faded bronze and had an obvious gap at the center.
"Lame," Leo frowned, dude could do so much better.
Naruto reached for it, grabbing one half that slid off of the other, revealing a sharp surprise that Naruto was all too familiar with from the war.
"Not quite, elf," Ares said, "Things like those always have a surprise in the middle of 'em."
Flashes of fighting against Madara's shadows had him stiffen before he came back at Annabeth's voice calling his name.
"Oh, so he has experience with it. Perfect." The war goddess nodded, familiarity with a weapon was important after all.
"I'll take it," said Naruto, grabbing the other end and flipping it expertly in his hand so that the other sharp tip was away from his palm. He began an intricate dance, one he didn't know where he picked up – possibly ingrained from his fighting in the war – but one that was memorized all the same. He finished by connecting the staff, clicking it together with a grin.
"Guy just did one of those kung fu moves, right?" Jason asked Piper, who nodded, amazed by the flurry of moves.
"Oh yeah, he would do well as a stunt guy."
"Sweetie, with a face like that, he can do his own stunts."
"True."
"But...Surely you want something else," said Annabeth weakly. The guy would get killed if he ran out there with that old thing.
"She obviously hadn't heard about the Hydra yet." Hazel smirked.
Piper added, "Or seen him fight."
Annabeth flushed, "Yes yes, laugh it up." She added. Still, a weird choice for a weapon.
"No, I want this," said Naruto, nodding as he looked at it. A smile spread across his face. "It feels right."
"And for a weapon, you always go with your gut. And then you stab the gut of your enemies."
"How…poetic, Ares."
"Thanks." The war god beamed, not even noticing Apollo's sarcasm.
"...I can't stop you," said Annabeth, still a bit unsure about his choice. "But I really don't think its smart."
"A legacy of Athena, not smart?" Poseidon said a mock shocked tone.
"Stupid fish face."
"Love you too, owl brat."
"'The smartest thing you can do is to follow your gut,'" said Naruto with a grin, quoting Jiraiya. His quote made Annabeth's eyes go wide.
"Ooh, someone's heard that one before." Piper stated with a grin.
"About to learn how they're related to each other it seems." Jason nodded, good for them.
"Where...Where did you hear that?" she asked him.
Naruto blinked and his smile died down. "My sensei Jiraiya."
"J-Jiraiya no Gama?" she asked hesitantly. "Six foot tall, white hair and...and toad sage, Jiraiya?"
"So that's what he looks like," Apollo mused, they never talked about him much in his Naruto's story.
"You know Ero-Sennin?" Naruto asked, nearly dropping his new weapon in shock. How was that even possible?!
"Heard of him." Annabeth corrected.
"Di immortales," said Annabeth. She rushed back into the main room of Cabin Six, Naruto quickly following after her. The daughter of Athena scoured the bookshelf, asking herself what she did with it. She ran over to one of the bunks shoved to the side of the room and began nearly tearing it apart before she found what she was looking for.
"Eureka!"
"Be quiet Leo!"
A dark leather bound book with very familiar kanji written on the front in bright yellow.
"Nice, give your kids Japanese owl pellets."
Athena snorted, like she would do that. But she was interested what was in that book.
"'Yondaime Hokage'," said Naruto, his eyes widening.
"You can read it?!" Annabeth asked, looking at the kanji with wide eyes. "It's like a mix of Japanese and Cantonese, I can't make sense of it, the inside is Greek,
"See." Athena smirked as Ares gritted his teeth at being wrong, stupid owl girl.
but...Naruto, who is this man to you?"
"Well, you see…" Jason trailed off with a smile.
"...He's...He's my father, why?" Naruto asked.
"You're about to find out." Annabeth smiled widely as she held the book tightly.
"Because Naruto, he's my brother," said Annabeth. "Minato Namikaze was a son of Athena."
"The reveal is out!" Hermes smirked, "Nice ending to a chapter."
Annabeth nodded as she closed the book and put it down, "Yeah, for sure. Oh man, I can't for the next chapter!"
"Hopefully we come in." Leo smirked, oh man, was that going to be fun.
