Chapter 4: Years Passing by

It was quiet on the week that Thaila died… There really wasn't anything to say and Naruto sat far away from Annabeth and Luke during the vigil while Grover went to talk to someone named Mr. D about something.

Heck he stayed away from them the whole week because he felt like that they would blame him for her death since he felt that it was his fault.

Luke and Naruto went to Cabin Eleven the cabin dedicated to Hermes the God of Messengers, Thieves, etc. But to Naruto it looked more like a Red Cross Evacuation Center.

Luke was there since he was the son of Hermes and Naruto because he was undetermined. Annabeth was immediately claimed by Athena the Goddess of Wisdom so she went to Cabin Six.

The horseman did some kind of ritual thing to honor Thaila's death by the end of the week but Naruto wasn't paying attention as he got lost in his thoughts.

~Inside the Seal~

Naruto glared at the being in the cell, "Why didn't you do anything?!" He snarled, "I know that you could've done something!"

The being chuckled, "DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S THAT EASY YOU LITTLE BRAT?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I ALREADY GAVE YOU SOME POWER TO DEAL WITH THOSE TWO HYDRAS THAT ATTACKED YOU!" The Being told him, "I COULDN'T HAVE GIVEN YOU ANYMORE EVEN IF I WANTED TO!"

"But still she didn't deserve that." Naruto cried out with tears streaming down his face, "It isn't fair!"

"LIFE ISN'T FAIR!" The being snarled tired of hearing his jailor whine, "THE SOONER YOU GET USED TO THAT FACT THE BETTER OFF YOU WILL BE!"

Then the place in front of him dissolved as someone shook his shoulder.

~Outside the Seal~

Naruto opened his eyes to see Luke with a hand on his shoulder, "Naruto are you okay?" Luke asked in concern.

Naruto looked down, "Y-yeah I'm fine." He lied.

Luke knew that he was lying, "Tell the truth." He ordered.

"It's my fault." Naruto said causing Luke to look at him in confusion, "If I didn't get caught so easily by that Cyclops then Thaila would still be-."

"It's not your fault." Naruto looked at Luke in shock for interrupting.

"Huh?" He asked.

"The only fault it is are the Gods." Luke said bitterly, "They could've interfered but they didn't if you want anyone to blame then try them!"

"But aren't they our parents?" Naruto asked trying to get that in his head.

Luke snorted, "And what have they done?" He asked, "They let that Angry Mob chase you."

Naruto didn't say anything at that because it felt like that it was true… But he didn't know what to think.

"Look Naruto, just rely on yourself okay?" Luke told him, "And don't blame yourself because Thaila wouldn't want that."

With that Luke left Naruto alone.

Putting his hands in his pocket Naruto went for a walk around the camp so that he could be alone. He saw Annabeth being taught by her siblings. She waved at him but he didn't respond as he walked away towards the forest after he was out of sight.

After coming so far into the forest he looked at his reflection in the water only to see him as the weakling who couldn't do anything to save a friend.

He clenched his fist so hard that blood ran through his fingers, "I swear." He said loudly daring any God or Goddess that could hear him to try to disagree, "I SWEAR THAT I WILL BECOME THE GREATEST DEMIGOD!" He roared with tears sliding down his face, "I WILL NEVER BE HELPLESS TO STOP A DEATH OF ONE OF MY PRECIOUS PEOPLE! I SWEAR ON THIS BLOOD THAT I WILL FIGHT TO MY LAST BREATH TO PROTECT EVERYONE! NO ONE WILL DIE IF I CAN HELP IT! I SWEAR IT!"

He didn't know that a being was watching him from the wilderness, "Oh Naruto." That being whispered before disappearing, "Be safe my son."

~One Year Later~

Naruto was learning how to be a thief from the Stoll Brothers. He was already fast with the insane training the he forced himself to go through whenever someone isn't watching but he feels like he was always being watched by someone.

Like for example one time he was training so hard that he collapsed from sheer exhaustion and blacked out only to wake up in his bed in Cabin Eleven but no one brought him in.

He was also learning Ancient Greek with Annabeth who didn't blame him thankfully for the whole incident with Thaila. They became as close as siblings but she was worried when she saw Naruto struggling to walk after one of his training exercises but he waved her concern off.

Luke taught him how to fight with a sword but for some odd reason Naruto liked using Kunai Knives better than actual swords. After doing a few favors for the Hephaestus Cabin they forged him a set of Kunai's and Shurikens made of Celestial Bronze and he kept some regular metal ones as well.

He also trained himself by fighting his Shadow Clones to get used to pain and fight through it. The being that showed him the Shadow Clone Jutsu also showed him the Transformation Jutsu and the Substitution Jutsu as well as a Taijutsu move called Leaf Hurricane.

Naruto trained with everything that he had as the days passed by even to disappear for hours and come back physically and mentally exhausted but once he recovered he felt stronger.

Naruto also trained himself to throw his Kunai's and Ninja Stars with pinpoint accuracy. He always trained until he collapsed if he didn't get it right. And eventually he had the accuracy that the Apollo Kids would kill for.

Grover was back out in the world looking for more Half-Bloods and Naruto didn't know how long that he would be gone. But whenever he can he helps Grover out with anything he needed.

… Then there was the fact that the Stoll brothers introduced him to pranking.

His first prank was unleashing spiders in the Athena Cabin and Annabeth wouldn't speak to him for weeks after that one.

~Two Years Later~

Panting from his insane training schedule Naruto got back to the Dining Pavilion sitting with Cabin Eleven and eating a bowl of Ramen that he tried last week and now he was hooked on it.

"So Naruto you did any training today?" Luke asked with a smile.

Naruto grinned, "You know it!"

"… By the way what's with the jumpsuit?"

Naruto gave him a suspicious look, "What's wrong with it?" He asked a little miffed.

He was wearing an orange and blue jumpsuit with a red swirl on the back. He knows it's weird but he's wearing it to make himself stand out… You know to be claimed by his Godly Parent.

"Where did you get it?"

"I made it."

"… You made it?" Luke asked in disbelief.

"Yup!" Naruto flashed a grin, "I love the colors Orange and Blue!"

Deciding to drop it Luke took a sip of his drink, "Well have you learned anything new recently?"

"A little bit of this and a little bit of that." Naruto said slyly.

Luke sighed and smiled at Naruto. "You're not going to tell me are you?" He asked already knowing the answer.

"Nope!" Naruto said with a cheeky grin.

They both chuckled when they got up to leave the Dining Pavilion and saw Annabeth walking down the hill with her backpack looking angry, "Annie what's wrong?" Luke asked in concern.

"Hey! I thought that you gave your Dad another chance?" Naruto asked in confusion.

Annabeth looked at what Naruto was wearing in confusion before shaking her head, "Nothing changed." She said darkly, "So I'm back to being a year rounder."

Luke gave her a comforting hug, "I'm sorry to hear that."

Now Annabeth's face was turning beat red and Naruto got was going on with her now so after Luke left he smiled slyly, "You like him don't you?"

Now she turned even redder, "W-what?"

"Hold on let me tell Luke for you." Naruto turned around, "Hey L-!" He didn't get any farther when Annabeth smacked the back of his head, "OW!" He held the back of his head in pain even though it didn't hurt that much but he put on a show that it did to have fun.

"Shut it!" She hissed in embarrassment.

"What you like him so I'm helping you out." Naruto was smart enough to run at that point.

"NARUTO!" Annabeth shouted in anger giving chase to the fleeing blonde in bright kill me now orange.

~One Year Later~

Annabeth and Naruto were reading architecture… Well at least Annabeth was while Naruto was nearly falling asleep before she bonked him on the head, "I didn't take your ramen!" Naruto cried out in fear before he realized where he was.

Now Annabeth was giving Naruto a concerned look, "Maybe you should take it easy on the Ramen."

"Why?" Naruto asked, "It's good." He drooled at the thought of Ramen.

Annabeth shook her head at his antics, "Well Luke is supposed to be back from his Quest soon." She said happily.

"Of course you would know." Naruto teased, "After all he is your B-!"

*BONK*

"OW!" Naruto was surprised that he wasn't brain damaged yet, "That's abuse!" He whined.

"Do you want me to show you abuse?"

"… Shutting up now." Naruto said with wide eyes while rapidly going pale.

Annabeth nodded before returning to her book while Naruto leaned his head back. He was happy that she didn't hit him hard enough for him to disappear since this was a clone.

He felt bad about leaving a Shadow Clone to hang with Annabeth but as of right now he was training with a technique that the being was trying to teach him.

"The what?" He asked in confusion.

For some odd reason the being inside of him (who still won't tell him his name) can now speak to Naruto while he's awake… Only during training though for everything else he is asleep.

"CHAKRA CONTROL YOU TWIT!" The being roared impatiently, "IT'S A GOOD TO LEARN FOR YOUR TECHNIQUES!"

Naruto shrugged, "If you say so." He didn't think it was too important.

"… LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY!" The being growled, "IF YOU DON'T LEARN CHAKRA CONTROL THEN SOME OF YOUR TECHNIQUES THAT YOU WILL LEARN WILL BLOW UP ON YOU AND KILL YOU!"

"… Okay let's learn Chakra Control!" Naruto said with a scared smile.

He was thinking another thought though.

'This guy is a sadistic bastard.'

"I HEARD THAT!"

'… Damn it!'

Sighing Naruto began to follow the beings advice on this Chakra Control.

'… By the way… What the Hades is Chakra?'

He heard a sigh of pure annoyance from the being.

After many failed attempts to walk on water Naruto was soaking wet and walked back to the camp right as his clone disappeared while Annabeth wasn't around so he received knowledge on Architecture that he didn't really want.

Then he heard a rumor that Luke was back from his quest so he ran to the Big House where he met Annabeth.

"Why are you wet?" She asked in confusion.

"I fell in the lake." Naruto replied truthfully not telling her what he was doing because then he would explain that a being was talking to him and that he was learning to walk on freaking water!

Without a word they ran into the Big House where they heard raised voices one of them was definitely Luke's so the knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Chiron called out and both Naruto and Annabeth rushed in.

"LUKE!" Annabeth called out but they both stopped as they saw a big scar under his eye, "What happened?!"

Luke smiled but it didn't reach his eyes, "Oh it's nothing, how have you two been?"

Naruto smirked, "Oh you know laughs all around!"

Annabeth looked at Luke's scar with worry but she didn't say anything about it because it was obvious that he didn't want to talk about it, "We heard that you were back and-."

"-And you decided to welcome me home right?" Luke asked with a smile as he ruffled their hair before he frowned. "Naruto why are you wet?"

"… I fell in the lake." Naruto added an annoyed pout to boost effect so that way they would believe him.

"Well, be more careful Naruto." Chiron told him before looking at Luke. "Despite what happened I am happy to see you safe Luke."

At hearing that Luke gave a real smile. "Thanks Chiron… It means a lot." So he walked out but Annabeth looked at Naruto.

"Despite what happened?" She asked in confusion. "That doesn't sound good."

"No it doesn't." Naruto muttered looking towards where Luke exited getting a bad feeling.

~Three Years Later~

Twelve Year Old Naruto Uzumaki walked to the Big House because Chiron called him up but he looked at the weather as it was weird since Christmas but it could be the Gods arguing over something like Aphrodite's Hair Spray or something stupid like that. "Yo Chiron what's up?" Naruto asked with a smile.

Chiron was in wheelchair form. "I'm going to help Grover look into a person who 'might' be a Demigod and I thought that you would want to come with me."

Naruto was speechless. "Me? What about Annabeth?"

"It's just a study and retrieval if he proves to be a Demigod but it requires stealth which is something that you've gained over the years if your reputation for pranking is believed." Chiron explained in good humor.

Naruto blushed and scratched the back of his head. "I-I guess… So when do we leave?"

"In two hours so get ready!" Chiron went to wheel himself into his office when he stopped. "Oh and Naruto."

"Yes?" Naruto asked wondering what else was going to be said.

"Wear something besides that Jumpsuit otherwise you would standout more than a Hellhound in a China Shop."

A few minutes later Annabeth was jealous. "Lucky!" She said as Naruto packed and he was dressed in an orange and black hoodie and blue jeans. "I wish I could go."

"Relax Oneesan!" Naruto said with a smile using the prefix that he gave her years ago. "There will be plenty of chances and it's just a search and retrieval not a quest! Plus you got to see what Olympus looked like remember?"

"That was because you were in trouble for putting the Aphrodite Beauty Tools in the Kitchen Blender." Annabeth pointed out.

"Hey they piss me off by acting like beauty is everything!" Naruto remarked… 'Even though some of them are very cute.' He thought pervertedly before shaking his head blaming the being in his head who gave a chuckle at that moment before going back to sleep.

"… You will keep in touch right?" Annabeth asked giving Naruto a look.

Naruto gave a mock salute. "Mam yes mam! I promise that I will use Skype every day!" Especially since Luke got him a Laptop for Christmas. "And you know that I always keep my promises!"

It was true. No matter what happened, Naruto always kept his promises about everything in the years that he's been in Camp Half-Blood.

Annabeth gave him a hug before punching his shoulder. "Good luck fishcake!"

"It's Maelstrom!" Naruto pouted as he left with a wave.

As he walked up the hill he saw Luke. "Here to see me off Luke?" Naruto asked with a grin.

Luke nodded. "It's the first time that you're leaving camp in seven years so I figured that I should see you off… I saw you hug Annabeth." He gave a small smile. "Do I need to give the protective brother speech?"

Naruto busted out laughing. "That's my job." He joked back. "She's a sister."

Luke chuckled. "Sure she is." He gave Naruto a look. "Be careful and remember your training okay?"

"Yes Uncle Luke." Naruto saluted with his mock nickname.

"Okay get going before I decide to kick your butt at sword fighting." Luke told him.

With a laugh Naruto walked off to see Argus waiting with Chiron in the car. "Are you all packed?"

Naruto gave a grin. "I'm ready, believe it!"