Big thanks to Sakura4eva for Beta reading this chapter and getting it to me in such a timely manner!
I am so glad that I am still at my friends so I can get this chapter out. I will leave the AN in there for now just so people know what is going on, but for now enjoy the next installment of "Child of the Changing Tides"
Chapter 3: First Change in the Tide
"Little Naruto.
His Aunt has the hots for him.
It is quite funny."
"This is why I don't like Uncle Apollo…" Naruto growled. Annabeth held Thalia back and Percy stood off to the side, obviously not getting the joke.
"I don't care if he is a god!" Thalia yelled as the blond haired sun god chuckled at his own joke.
"Now my little half sister, no need to be so angry." He smiled, nearly blinding those present. "I'll even let you drive to camp, daughter of the Lord of the Sky. You'll be a natural."
Thalia suddenly stiffened before fidgeting slightly and averting her gaze. "Oh no, no thanks."
"C'mon," Apollo urged. "How old are you?"
"I don't know," Thalia replied honestly, hesitating slightly.
Naruto sighed. He had the same problem: he had 'died' at age thirteen, it had been seven years, so he should be a twenty year old man. Thalia should be nineteen, yet they both looked much younger. In fact, as far as he could tell, her aging must have slowed as well as his own.
He watched as his uncle tapped a finger to his lip in thought before he suddenly smiled. "You're fifteen, almost sixteen."
"How do you know that?" Thalia asked, taken aback.
"Hey, I'm the god of prophecy. I know stuff. You'll turn sixteen in about a week."
"That's my birthday! December twenty-second!" Thalia exclaimed.
'That means I'm seventeen,' Naruto noted.
"That means you're old enough to drive with a learner's permit!" Apollo said as he shuffled a less-than-eager Thalia to the bus, the others following on to get seated. Naruto went to his mother's side with Zoë.
"I will see you by winter solstice," she told them solemnly. "Zoë, you are in charge of the Hunters in my stead. Do well; do as I would do."
Zoë straightened. "Yes, my lady."
Artemis nodded to her and she left it was now only mother and son facing each other. "Naruto, stay safe; there are trying times ahead."
"I know, mother."
"Keep an eye on the Hunters at camp," Artemis added, "They can get carried away sometimes."
"You think I will do any better?" He laughed. "They did raise me after all."
"I would like to think I had a hand in it as well, my son." Artemis smiled. "Do your best; your awakening at this time is no coincidence. I fear you may find yourself dragged into the thick of this."
"It seems I always am," Naruto joked, despite his mother's serious expression, before sobering up. "I promise, I will give it my all."
"You always do." She whispered, embracing her son one last time before walking a short ways. She then knelt to the ground as if looking for tracks, her eyes troubled as she rose. "So much danger. The beast must be found."
The next moment, Artemis was off, sprinting towards the woods and melting into the snow and shadows.
~SaWaDa~
The first thing Naruto noticed upon entering the bus, and after stowing his pack, was Thalia at the driver's seat, clinging to the wheel like a life line. Her knuckles were white and her face was stoic, determinedly hiding the fear behind her eyes as he asked "What's wrong?"
"Nothing!" She replied, jerking at the sound, inadvertently pulling the steering wheel up and causing the bus to go soaring skyward.
Naruto went soaring to the back of the bus. He landed with his back to the rear end of the bus, his head bent at an awkward angle against the floor, thanks to being upside down. He groaned as a few of the hunters in the back seat giggled at his expense. Forcing himself to his feat he began the trek up the isle, fighting gravity as he pulled himself forward using the backs of the bus seats.
"Slower!" he heard Apollo call.
"Sorry!" was Thalia stammer in reply. "I've got it under control!"
"Thalia," Percy called, "Lighten up on the accelerator."
"I've got it, Percy," she said, gritting her teeth. But she kept it floored.
"Loosen up," he told her.
"I'm loose!" Thalia said. She was so stiff, she looked like she was made out of plywood.
"We need to veer south for Long Island," Apollo said. "Hang a left."
Thalia jerked the wheel and again threw Percy into Grover, who yelped. Naruto held tight to keep his footing as he powered forward up the isle nearly reaching the front.
"The other left," Apollo suggested. "Ah…" he said, sounding slightly strained. "A little lower, sweetheart. Cape Cod is freezing over."
Thalia tilted the wheel. Her face was chalk white, her forehead beaded with sweat. It was at this point when Naruto reached her, ducking under Apollo as the god flew to the back of the bus.
The bus was now careening towards the Atlantic Ocean at a thousand miles an hour. Someone screamed – and he was pretty sure it was Percy. The New England coast line was off to the right. And it was getting hot in the bus.
"Calm down, Day-lily," he whispered harshly, gripping her hand over the wheel. "I'm here with you; Anna and I believe in you, so don't be afraid. You can do this. Now, pull up."
Thalia visibly calmed as she pulled up on the wheel. Her grip was still tight, but she felt more secure, knowing there was someone she trusted at her side. The bus continued to fly across the sky – now much steadier – as Naruto continued to speak encouragingly to Thalia.
"You're doing great," he told her, "Long Island is straight ahead. Ease up the accelerator; that's it."
Percy sat astonished while Apollo praised himself on his ability to pick great drivers. Naruto seemed to have a deep connection with a lot of the people he knew, and yet he only learned of him now. On top of that, there seemed to be something between him and Thalia that Percy wasn't getting. He decided to abandon that train of thought as ground came into view out the window; the bus was coming in for a flat landing on all four wheels: perfect.
"Go Thalia," he praised, grinning.
"As expected of a Daughter of Zeus." Apollo laughed. "I sure can pick 'em!"
"Thank you, Naruto," Thalia whispered.
He smiled back at her. "It's no problem."
Everyone exited the bus, the hunters led to cabin eight by a very persistent Grover, while Naruto, Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth led the Di Angelo's to the Big House.
The entire camp was covered in a layer of fresh snow; something Percy found interesting due to the wards the camp had set against weather. The cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights, like Christmas lights, only made of real fire in varying colors. As they made their way to the big house Naruto took note of the few campers around. There was a burly boy stoking a forge outside the armory, and two sneaky-looking fellows were picking the lock on a shop of some kind. What drew the most attention, however, was the snow ball fight going on between a few wood nymphs and some gruff looking campers; Naruto was pulling for the nymphs.
The Big House was decorated with strings of red and yellow fireballs that warmed the porch. Naruto removed his cloak, hanging it on a hook near the door as they entered. Inside, flames crackled in the hearth, the air smelled like hot chocolate, and after a glance around, he saw Mr. D and Chiron playing a game of cards in the parlor.
The smile that the old man gave them, sent Naruto reeling. It was a warm caring smile one that seemed so familiar...
Unbidden images of a graying old man in red and white robes filtered though his mind, the man's kind smile as he stoked the flames in his fireplace, and told the young boy huddled on the carpet stories of heroes and warriors long gone. Then a picture of the very same man, as rain pelted a black casket adorned in white flowers, the young boy now older put on a strong face, desperately holding back his tears.
"...-ruto… Naruto!"
"Huh?" He asked, coming back to reality, seeing Annabeth snapping in his face.
"You spaced out," she said, concern creasing her brow. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just a little tired from my journey," he said.
"Good to hear that, my boy," Chiron said from his seat. "I have heard a lot about you from Annabeth and Luke."
"All of it lies, I assure you," Naruto said with a mischievous grin. "The Greek fire bomb in the Monster Doughnut shop – that was Anna's idea and I had nothing to do with it!"
Annabeth huffed and reddened slightly as Thalia and Chiron laughed. Percy sat back, completely curious about the time when Naruto was with them before and he couldn't help but feel slightly left out.
"Now," Chiron said, "The two young Half-Bloods behind you are…?"
"Nico and Bianca Di Angelo," Percy supplied.
Chiron breathed a sigh of relief. "You succeeded then."
"Well…" Percy began.
"What's wrong?" Chiron asked.
Just then, Grover trotted into the room, grinning like crazy. He had a black eye and red lines on his face that looked like a slap mark. "The Hunters are all moved in!"
Chiron frowned. "The Hunters, eh? I see we have much to talk about." He glanced at Nico. "Grover, perhaps you should take our young friend to the den and show him our orientation film."
"But… Oh, right. Yes, sir."
"Orientation film," Nico asked, "Is it G or PG? Cause-"
"Nico," Bianca put in, smiling gently as she kneeled before her brother. "It's alright, just go enjoy the movie."
"Thanks Bianca!" Nico said, hugging her before he hurried out of the room after Grover.
"I am glad I took you as my apprentice, Bianca," Naruto said, "It would kill the boy to lose you."
Bianca nodded, smiling, as Chiron spoke. "So she has become a Hunter's Apprentice. Outside of camp, there is hardly a better way to learn, aside from joining your mother's hunt."
"But Chiron-" Percy interjected.
"Percy," he said calmly, turning to the younger boy. "You will learn that there are many different paths to be taken. Bianca has chosen hers and you should respect that."
Percy sighed, still feeling a bit like he lost, until Annabeth placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Percy. She'll be perfectly safe with Naruto – after all, he helped keep us all alive when we made our way to camp the first time. Trust him; he knows what he's doing."
Percy nodded at her words. Maybe he was taking this all a bit too personally...?
From there, they informed Chiron of the particulars of their venture. By the end, the centaur was feeling slightly wary.
"This is troubling news," he started slowly, frown evident. "But it is best we leave this in Artemis's capable hands; the hunt is in her nature. If anyone can find this beast, it is her."
It was then that Nico burst into the room, eyes aglow and face wearing a manically happy smile as he bounded over to stand in the center of the room.
"So cool!" Nico yelled, holding his hands out to Chiron. "You're… You're a centaur!"
Chiron managed a nervous smile. "Yes, Mr. di Angelo, if you please. Though, I prefer to stay in human form in this wheelchair for, ah, first encounters."
"And, whoa!" He looked at Mr. D. "You're the wine dude? No way!"
Mr. D gave Nico a look of loathing. "The wine dude?"
"Dionysus, right? Oh, wow! I've got your figurine."
"My figurine."
"In my game, Mythomagic. And a holofoil card, too! And even though you've only got like five hundred attack points and everybody thinks you're the lamest god card, I totally think your powers are sweet!"
"Ah." Mr. D seemed truly perplexed. "Well, that's…gratifying."
"Percy," Chiron said quickly, "You and the others go down to the cabins. Inform the campers we'll be playing Capture the Flag tomorrow evening."
"Capture the Flag?" he asked. "But we don't have enough—"
"It is a tradition," Chiron said. "A friendly match, whenever the Hunters visit."
"Yeah," Thalia muttered. "I bet it's real friendly."
Chiron jerked his head toward Mr. D, who was still frowning as Nico talked about how many defense points all the gods had in his game. "Run along now," Chiron told them.
"Oh, right," Thalia said. "Come on."
"I never got to take part in one of these," Naruto noted. "Should be fun."
As they exited the Big House, they saw that over at the basketball court, a few of the Hunters were shooting hoops. One of them was arguing with a guy from the Ares cabin. The Ares kid had his hand on his sword and the Hunter girl looked like she was going to exchange her basketball for a bow and arrow at any second.
"Bianca, Naruto, and I will break that up," Thalia said. "You two circulate around the cabins. Tell everybody about capture the flag tomorrow."
"Alright. You should be team captain," Percy suggested
"No, no," she said. "You've been at camp longer. You do it."
"We can – uh – co-captain...or something."
She looked about as comfortable with that as Percy felt, but she nodded.
As she and Naruto headed for the court, Percy said, "Hey, Thalia."
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry about what happened at Westover. I should have waited for you guys."
"No need to worry about that Percy," Naruto interjected," Thalia probably would have done the same thing; she can be a bit hot headed sometimes."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Thalia asked annoyed.
"Don't take it as in insult," he said pleadingly, "It just means you have a lot of passion...for hurting things…"
"Why you-" Thalia growled as she chased a chuckling Naruto about in a circle.
"Just like old times..." Annabeth teased with a laugh. "Weren't you supposed to be breaking up a fight?"
"Yeah," Thalia agreed, skidding to a stop. "We'll get right on that."
The five split ways as Naruto, his apprentice, and Thalia went off to stop a Hunter and an Ares Camper from killing each other with their sword and basketball.
~SaWaDa~
Naruto said goodbye to Thalia when she went to set herself up in her cabin and get some training in afterward. He figured he may as well get set up as well and start Bianca's training so she would be of use in the game the following night. He led her to the Artemis cabin which was, by far, the most normal looking – in the day, at least.
The outside half of the walls were of polished silver and were decorated with various animal paintings and carvings, the most prominent of which was the stag. Walking through the doors, he smiled at the many hunters chatting and caring for their bows. He felt at home here.
The interior walls were the same polished silver, but furs were hung along the walls as well. The cabin was built under the assumption that only the Hunters would ever make use of it. In that respect, the bunks, which were made of trees that seemed to grow out of the earthen floor, were all in one room. Off to the left of the main room were the showers which were, in fact, just one large natural spring with a waterfall jutting from the stone wall. The most high tech thing were the toilets to the right of the main room.
Naruto sighed; this cabin was made before his birth and was never meant to cater to males. It would be rough going for his stay in camp, and most likely a frustrating one if his newly raging hormones had anything to say about it. The Hunters all smiled at him some still a bit put off but willing to accept their lady's only son and his apprentice. Naruto made his way to the end of the room near a window and placed his pack on the top bunk motioning for Bianca to take the bottom.
With that task done they both head out of the cabin, it was at this point when Bianca asked a very poignant question; "What are we doing?"
"We are getting you a bow," Naruto told her matter-of-factually.
"But…the armory is over that way." Bianca pointed out, recalling from their walk to the Big House.
Naruto chuckled. "Your first task as an apprentice Hunter is to make your own bow."
"But I don't know how to make a bow…" she mumbled.
"I'll be there to help you, and besides," Naruto said with a laugh. "They practically make themselves."
~SaWaDa~
"You can't be serious," Bianca deadpanned as she and Naruto stood beneath a Yew tree.
"Dead serious; everything has life in it, Bianca," Naruto said. "The sooner you figure that out, the better the hunter you will be."
"But it's a tree…" She sighed.
"Yes," Naruto agreed. "A Yew tree – and a fine one at that; very old and very strong." He pat the trunk, and the leaves rustled lightly, as if responding. "Now get on with it, my skeptic apprentice."
"Alright," she muttered, before sighing and straightening before the tree. "Umm…Mr-or-Mrs. Yew Tree, could you spare me a branch to make my bow?"
Bianca turned away from the tree, fully expecting no response. "You see this is– oww!"
Naruto chuckled as he watched Bianca pick up the tree branch that had fallen on her head. She looked back and forth from the tree to the branch before smiling brightly. Naruto laughed; she would make a great apprentice.
"Okay, what next?" she asked.
"Next, we find the necessary materials," Naruto said. "Unlike the Hunters or my Bows, which are gifted by the gods, you must earn yours as I did my first bow. Mother said she wanted me to learn the hard way, so I did, I still have my first bow safely hidden in my birth forest."
"So what are the necessary materials?" Bianca asked.
"That is all up to you," Naruto said, shrugging. "Reach out with your senses, feel all the life around you, and when you find one that calls to you, we will begin."
Naruto watched as Bianca closed her eyes, taking deep, gentle breaths, she stood perfectly still. About a minute later, her eyes shot open and she darted into the forest, Naruto hot on her heels.
As she led him deeper and deeper into the forest, he began to wonder what she could be in search for, as the woods became much thicker and darker. Abruptly, she stopped, crouching just behind a bush with a small clearing beyond it. Naruto fell to a knee next to her and gasped slightly at the sight that greeted them.
"What is that thing?" Bianca whispered harshly.
There in the clearing was a single tree long dead, the clearing itself was devoid of life. The ground was cracked and charred here and there as if it had been scorched. However, the state of the clearing itself was not the reason for their stopping; it was what was perched atop that gnarled tree. For there, its bronze feathers gleaming, was a bird as tall as Bianca herself. It was quite the intimidating sight with its metallic talons and beak still tinted red with dried blood.
"A Stymphalian Bird," Naruto replied quietly. "It's rare to see one in a forest like this, normally they like wide open plains so their prey cannot hide."
"I felt a pull," Bianca stated. "Like something calling me to this place... What am I supposed to do now?"
"Now," Naruto said, "You must defeat it."
Bianca gaped at him incredulously. "Do you see the size of that thing? There is no way I can take that thing on!"
"You vowed to follow my instructions without question," Naruto reminder her. "This is your first trial as a hunter; you must conquer this beast as well as your fear!"
Bianca flinched slightly before taking a deep breath and steeling her resolve, she stood a turned to face the beast. However before she could move forward, she felt a tug in her arm, and turning, she saw Naruto holding her yew branch.
"You'll need this," he stated.
She nodded, and upon taking the branch, she found it to be just a half heads length taller than her. It was lighter than she had imagined and she could feel a light hum coming from within as if the branch was glad to be held.
Bracing herself, she moved into the clearing. As she reached the midway point to the tree, the bird finally noticed her, flapping its wings and landing at the base of the tree, kicking up dust and ash. The beast let out a shrill screech, flapping its right wing.
Bianca reacted a bit slowly after catching the glint of the bronze feathers flying at her. She raised her branch in defense, catching a few feathers as they penetrated the wood, nearly piercing through the other side. She had four other feathers sticking out of her shoulder and she grit her teeth as blood poured from the wounds.
She held her branch out like a spear, finding the feathers that had half way emerged from the other side of the staff had given it a deadly edge. She rushed forward, rolling to the left as the bird let loose another volley, and quickly finding her feet, she continued her dash forward. When she was just a scarce two yards away, the bird flapped both wings, furiously sending out a gust of wind and feathers. Two impacted against her left shoulder, sending her sprawling, her staff landing two feet out of reach. Naruto watched with bated breath as the beast advanced on the prone form of his student. The bird reared its head back, intent on ending the girl with one strike.
Naruto smirked when Bianca rolled backwards, the bird's steely beak getting stuck in the ground. Bianca retrieved her staff mid-roll, and with a ferocious cry, brought it down on the bird's head, the creature's own feathers stabbing deep into its skull. Bianca panted, grin plastered on her face as the monster faded to gold dust on the breeze, leaving behind only a scant few bronze feathers. She stood, wincing, as the bronze feathers in her shoulders made themselves known again.
"Good job, Bianca." Naruto praised, giving a laugh.
"Th-That was crazy," she stuttered. "I never knew I could move like that…"
"It's in your blood – you have heightened combat awareness," Naruto stated, placing both hands on her shoulders. "You also have the senses of a hunter, so I was sure you would succeed."
Bianca smiled at her teacher, looking forward to what she could learn from him until, with a wet squelch, the feathers were ripped from her body. She screamed and jerked away, but Naruto had already discarded the feathers and had a tight hold on her shoulders.
"Calm down," Naruto said gently. "They had to come out; it was best to do it while you were distracted. Now, hold still."
Bianca calmed as Naruto reached into his hip pouch, retrieving the same salve he had used on Percy the night before.
"You'll need to apply this to it," Naruto said as he handed her the salve and turned away. "Let me know when you are done."
Bianca nodded (forgetting he couldn't see it anyway), thankful for him respecting her privacy. She removed her shirt and applied the salve to her injuries, silently marveling at the strength of the salve.
"You can turn around now," she said, pulling her shirt back down. "Will I ever learn to make things like that?"
"Eventually, but first you need to make your bow." Naruto laughed.
"Speaking of which," the girl spoke. "What do I do now? I have a stick and some feathers; what more is there?"
"Do just the same as before, just once more; we are only missing one component."
Bianca nodded and after a moment of silence, she was off again at a more sedated pace though, still feeling phantom pains from time to time. Bianca had also been mentally preparing for whatever beast her senses may have led them to this time. When they reached the end of their journey Bianca was pleasantly surprised.
It was a sparkling natural spring, it bubbled lightly in the center as its crystal clear waters flowed into a small stream. The two stepped forward and Naruto watched as Bianca knelt at the water's edge, seemingly mesmerized by her own reflection. She jumped slightly when her image shifted and something burst forth from the water.
"Relax," Naruto whispered, "It is a Pegaea, a type of Naiad that lives in springs."
"Indeed I am, young Hunter," came a soft voice from atop the water. "Most forget that and simply expect me to be a giggling mess like those other Naiads."
There on the water stood a woman, clothed in blue silken robes that seemed to flow and ripple like water. Her skin was as pale as the moon itself and her eyes a deep sea green. She smiled. "What brings you here?"
"I am Naruto," he told her, "And I can only guess that you are the Pegaea known as Cassotis?"
"You are quite knowledgeable, young Naruto." Cassotis laughed, her voice as soft and smooth as the gurgling of her spring. "I am indeed; my spring itself was once located at the Oracle in Delphi and though it was named after me, the spring has been dedicated to your uncle, Apollo. As such, it is a sacred place to the sun god. Strangely enough, I myself gained some measure of clairvoyance living in these waters; you have quite the destiny ahead of you, Naruto Namikaze."
"Then you must already know why we are here," Naruto said. "I myself am at a loss; I had expected some manner of beast to appear."
The woman on the water scoffed, tossing a lock of ebony hair behind her shoulder as she stepped forward.
"I am clearly not a beast," she agreed, "But I have what you seek come here, girl."
Bianca hesitated but with a quick nod from her teacher, she stepped forward. Cassotis plucked one of the feathers from her staff and quickly cut a single strand of her hair, placing it lightly in the girl's palm.
"May your arrows fly with the fluidity and flexibility of water," she stated, closing the girl's hand over the strand. "You will do well, girl."
With that the woman, fell apart to water, leaving a very confused Bianca and a slightly gaping Naruto. Cassotis was an old spirit and a powerful one, so judging by what she said, Bianca's bow will be something else indeed.
~SaWaDa~
Naruto led Bianca from the spring to an open clearing where he proceeded to build a fire. Night was falling quickly and the forest was a dark place. Bianca was thankful for the fire and she sat cross-legged across from Naruto as he gazed at her through the dancing flames.
"You did great today, Bianca," he told her, pride evident in his features as he smiled at her. "It is finally time to make your bow."
Bianca nodded as she took out the materials: her shaft of yew, the bronze feathers, and a single strand of hair from the Pegaea Cassotis.
"Bind the feathers to the shaft using the strand of hair." Naruto said.
Bianca carefully tied the feathers to the shaft slightly afraid of breaking the tiny strand. She found that it was stronger than it looked so she pulled it taught and smiled at her work.
"Now you must place it in the fire," Naruto said. "But first you must name your bow."
Bianca stood holding the staff before her and she took a deep breath for her concentration. As she stood she felt a chill down her spine, but oddly enough instead of unnerving her it gave her a feeling of warmth. She smiled as she thrust her staff into the fire calling out its name; "Scikynigi!"
The wood instantly burst into white hot flames that shone bright against the darkness of the forest. Bianca shielded her eyes from the light as wind seemed to pick up. After a moment like this, everything became silent and all that was heard was the crackling of the fire. Bianca opened her eyes to see Naruto standing before her a smile on his face.
"Shadow Hunt..." Naruto smiled. "A fine name for a fine bow."
Bianca gazed upon her bow taking in every detail. It was smaller than Naruto's, only standing up to her waist. The bow itself had a steeper curve to it than Naruto's and at the middle where she gripped it, two spikes jutted out, one above the other. When held lengthwise it looked like a bird in flight. The wood itself seemed to be charred a deep black, yet was finely polished and smooth. Along the ends of the bow, bronze feathers sprouted, counting three on each side, completing the look of a bird of prey. The bow sting was the same deep black and was strung taught and firm, offering a strong pull.
"It's beautiful," Bianca murmured, her eyes wide with awe. "Is it really mine?"
"You made it yourself," Naruto said. "This is just the first step in your training, though. You will learn much and you will be tested."
"I'm ready for it," Bianca said defiantly. "I want to be a hunter!"
Naruto smiled as the moon grew high in the sky, flecks of gold reflected from pools of deep blue.
"Well then," he said. "Mother is watching, so let's not waste time. Next lesson: finding tonight's dinner."
Naruto tossed the girls a quiver of arrows like his own, only the leather was tanned black to match her bow. Bianca smiled as she followed her teacher into the surrounding forest, the darkness enveloping them even as the moon lit their way.
~SaWaDa~
Naruto was not a happy camper. When he and his apprenticed had returned to camp at midday after training in the forest, he had been informed of Zoë's dream in regards to his mother. Needless to say, he was livid when Chiron denied their request to leave, and even more so when they were forced to engage in the Capture the Flag game while his mother needed him. He, like Zoë, found himself sending the horse man heated glares, his eyes voicing his distaste for being here.
Thalia had asked what was wrong after noticing his discomfort and she, too, was wondering why Chiron would not allow them to go. Regardless, everyone was getting ready for the game; it was going to be a small one. Thirteen hunters, and about the same number of campers were going to take part. The hunters were silent as they strapped on light armors, sometimes whispering harshly, obviously shaken by the news of their lady.
Naruto recognized the boy from the armory that he had seen on his first day was fighting for the campers, as well as some other rather burly looking guys. Along side them were the twins who had been breaking into the camp store not long ago, and his apprentice's little brother. He also noted that a number of them were very angry for some reason or another. The angry ones all had perfectly shining white teeth which were grit tightly in rage.
"Who pissed in their corn flakes?" he mumbled.
He picked up a long piece of deep blue cloth that signified his allegiance in the upcoming game, not wanting to weigh himself down with armor. As Naruto moved to tie the cloth around his head, he was overcome by pain as he fell to his knees, clutching his head.
"Naruto, close your eyes. There is something I want to give you."
"Congratulations on graduating!"
"Let's celebrate; I'll buy you a bowl of ramen!"
That man's smiling, scarred face floated in and out of his mind. He was important to him. Where? Where had he met this man – he couldn't remember!
"Iruka-sensei."
That was the name.
"Naruto!"
"Huh," he mumbled as he came to, his vision blurry. "What happened?"
"You just started screaming then you passed out," replied the voice that he now recognized as Thalia. "You had us worried – what happened?"
"Nothing," Naruto said, regaining his bearings and slowly sitting back up. "I'm fine, just some sorta freak headache, that's all."
"You don't look fine." Thalia stated and Bianca nodded her accent.
Truth be told, he didn't feel it, either, being slightly pale and sweating; he looked sick.
"Just drop it," he urged, sending Thalia a pleading look.
"Fine." She relented but held his gaze long enough to let him know it wasn't over.
Bianca had long since tied another deep blue cloth around her head in preparation for the game. As everyone was readying themselves, she and Naruto moved off to the side and he taught her how to check her bow before battle as well as a quick drill over notching speed with her arrows. It wasn't long before Chiron's hoofs thundered on the pavilion floor.
"Heroes!" he called. "You know the rules! The creek is the boundary line. Red team — Camp HalfBlood shall take the west woods. Hunters of Artemis — Blue team – shall take the east woods. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. No intentional maiming, please! All magic items are allowed. To your positions!"
The Hunters, led by Zoë, head into the east woods and after a short trek, found a clearing to set their flag in. It was small but sloped up near the end and the trees along the edge were particularly tall. The Hunters all went to a knee before their Lieutenant, Naruto and Bianca did the same, only separating themselves slightly from the main group.
"The Hunters have never lost a game of capture the flag. It shall not be any different this night." Zoë stated firmly. "That's said, I know that our lady's plight has us all on edge, but thou all must stay strong and honor her with our victory tonight!"
The hunters cheered and clapped, lifting the somber mood that the day had been bathed in.
"Now," she began. "Our strategy doth be a simple one, as we hold a great advantage over the Half-Bloods."
"Yeah," agreed one of the newer Hunters, "We don't have any stupid boys on our team!"
Zoë smiled wryly as many voiced their agreement; "On the contrary, dear sister, it is thy only brother, our dear Naruto, that shall seal our victory this night."
Whispering broke out among the ranks but was silenced as Zoë continued; "Come now, my sisters, those of us that were there for his childhood know very well that no one, save for our lady herself, can traverse the forest with such ease as our brother."
"That child led us on grand chases through the forest," spoke one of the senior Hunters. "And his feet never once touched the ground."
Naruto smiled to himself, remembering his youth among the Hunters: the pranks, the jokes, the laughter. Stories by the campfire and so many loving sisters to watch over him. He sighed; how he missed his childhood. Bianca was enthralled in the story, wanting to learn more about her mysterious teacher, but near the end, something struck her.
"How?" she asked Zoë, causing Naruto to look towards her. "How can you run without touching the ground?"
The newer Hunters once more found themselves feeling out of the loop. There was just so much about this boy they didn't know...
Zoë smiled at their questioning looks as she turned to her little brother. "How indeed," she pondered, a sly smile stretching across her face. "How dost thou run without touching the ground, Naruto?"
Naruto smiled at his sister before replying; "I call it, tree running."
~SaWaDa~
Naruto stood high on a tree just above the boundary line. He could see a group of hunters trailing a group of campers to the left. On the right, he watched as Zoë moved to intercept Thalia and her group. From his elevated position, he could see Percy and a few other campers at what Zoë called Zeus's fist. She had been right; it was a very defensible position and the odds on choice for a base. He smirked as Percy rushed forward and leaped over his head, meeting him halfway to the boundary line before advancing on their base.
Naruto stopped just short of the clearing in which the peculiar rock formation resided. Four guards, one being very inexperienced. He smiled to himself – this would be just too easy.
He reached into his quiver pulling out what he somewhat affectionately called 'Fart Arrows'. Taking aim at the two sneaky-looking camper's feet, he let the arrow fly and it exploded into a medium-sized cloud of noxious yellow smoke. The blast alerted the other two guards who immediately drew their weapons, one albeit a bit clumsily. Naruto smirked and pulled from his quiver another of the nonlethal arrows he had prepared for this match.
Taking quick aim at the larger, more experienced guard, he let four arrows fly as they spread to reveal a net which hit the camper and pinned him to the ground. To the boy's credit, he was strong enough to dislodge the arrows, but his flailing only served to tangle him further. He leaped into the clearing, effectively drawing the attention of the final guard, his apprentice's little brother. The boy stood defiantly, despite the fact that he was visibly shaken, his too-big armor hanging off his form as he struggled to keep his sword raised. Still that glint in the boy's eyes showed determination and courage that deserved to be recognized.
Naruto collapsed his bow into its charm form as he took one of his tri-tipped blades from his holster.
"Okay kid," he said, slipping into a comfortable fighting stance. "We have a few seconds, bring it on, blade-to-blade."
The boy's eyes sparkled with joy at the thought of crossing blades with someone, and with a raging battle cry, he charged, his blade held high. He was a pace away from Naruto when he brought the blade down, its length leading it to cut through the older boy's left shoulder. Naruto caught the blade between one of the outer prongs, pressing the flat of the main blade to that of his opponent's and he forced the weapon from the boy's hand before shoulder checking him to the ground.
"You'll get better with time," he said to the gasping boy, before leaping up the many stones and grasping the flag. From his vantage point, he could see yellow plume of smoke and a startled cry that sounded a lot like Thalia. With a huge leap that even he was surprised he made, he cleared the distance between the rocks and the woods and continued on through the trees. He cleared the boundary line, dropping to the forest floor right in front of a winded Percy who looked flabbergasted. Nico and the larger camper came running from the opposite side as the two groups converged on the creek, the hunters cheering loudly.
Chiron came galloping in with the two sneaky-looking kids on his back, both green in the face.
"The Hunters win!" Chiron announced without pleasure. Then he muttered, "For the fifty-sixth time in a row."
"Perseus Jackson!" Thalia yelled, storming toward the aforementioned boy. She smelled like rotten eggs, and she was so mad that blue sparks flickered on her armor. Everybody cringed and backed up because of her shield Aegis.
"What in the name of the gods were you THINKING?" she bellowed.
"I got the flag, Thalia!" He shook it in her face. "I saw a chance and I took it!"
"I was at their base!" Thalia yelled. "But the flag was gone. If you hadn't butted in, we would've won."
"You had too many on you!"
"Oh, so it's my fault?"
"I didn't say that."
"Argh!" Thalia pushed him, and with a crack and a spark, he flew backward ten feet into the water. Some of the campers gasped. A couple of the Hunters stifled laughs. Naruto wished he had a camera.
"Sorry!" Thalia said, turning pale. "I didn't mean to—"
A wave erupted from the creek, blasting into Thalia's face and dousing her from head to toe.
Percy stood up. "Yeah," he growled. "I didn't mean to, either."
Thalia was breathing heavily.
"Enough!" Chiron ordered.
But Thalia held out her spear. "You want some, Seaweed Brain?"
"Bring it on, Pinecone Face!"
"That's enough you two." Naruto said, deciding it best to end this.
Thalia wavered but Percy held strong, his sword raised. "She started it."
"Yeah, by accident," Naruto deadpanned, "And she tried to apologize, but you just had to get your two bits in with that last splash and start everything back up."
Percy had the decency to look slightly ashamed as did Thalia.
"I didn't mean to shock you," Thalia said," it's just that my abilities are linked to my emotions, I was angry, instant taser."
"Yeah," Percy said, "Sorry for getting you wet."
Naruto laughed. "See isn't it better when friends get along?"
To that, he received a slight nod. "Besides, neither of you had a chance to begin with – after all, I was running the flag for the other team."
Her response was a shock ladled head-lock from the resident human taser.
"You idiot!" she growled as she held him to her breast plate, inadvertently sending a current through the metal.
"Calm down Day-Lily," he cried, "That hurts!"
"Don't call me that in public, you idiot."
"So I can call you it all I like in private then?"
"I never said that!"
"Maybe not but-" His retort died in his throat as he noticed that the clearing had grown eerily quiet. Both he and Thalia separated to focus on what had captured everyone's attention.
Someone… Something was approaching. It was shrouded in a murky green mist, but as it got closer, the campers and Hunters gasped.
"This is impossible," Chiron said. He sounded extremely nervous. "It… She has never left the attic. Never."
And yet, the withered mummy that held the Oracle shuffled forward until she stood in the center of the group. Mist curled all around the clearing, turning the snow a sickly shade of green.
None of them dared move. Then her voice hissed inside their heads, several clutched their hands over the ears.
I am the spirit of Delphi, the voice said. Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python.
The Oracle regarded Percy and then Naruto in turn with its cold, dead eyes. Then she turned unmistakably toward Zoe Nightshade. Approach, Seeker, and ask.
Zoe swallowed. "What must I do to help my goddess?"
The Oracle's mouth opened, and green mist poured out. In the mist was the vague image of a mountain, and a girl standing at the barren peak. It was Artemis, but she was wrapped in chains, fettered to the rocks. She was kneeling, her hands raised as if to fend off an attacker, and it looked like she was in pain. The Oracle spoke:
Six shall go west to the goddess in chains,
One gains what was lost in the land without rain,
The bane of Olympus shows the trail,
Campers and Hunters combined prevail,
The Titan's curse must one withstand,
And one shall perish by a parent's hand.
Then, as they were watching, the mist swirled and retreated like a great green serpent into the mummy's mouth. The Oracle sat down on a rock and became as still as she'd been in the attic, as if she might sit by this creek for a hundred years.
~End~
Okay, I finally got the next chapter of CCT out!
Now I know we didn't see much of Bianca's bow past its creation, but trust me you will, it will have its own special properties as will Naruto's when he retrieves it.
Now I plan on this eventually merging back in with the Naruto series, how that will happen will be a surprise, but Naruto will return to his world.
The flashbacks, Naruto will have flashes of his past life, and he will gain his past techniques in time but his memories will remain a mystery to him for a while.
Let's see what else, ah, I would like to know your opinion on the whole creation of Bianca's bow scene, as well as the chapter in general so yeah…review and stuff.
XD
~Xutzy~