Chapter 4

Grover's Secret

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Percy Jackson.

"Character Dialogue"

'CharacterThought'

'Telepathic Conversation'

"Jutsu / Angry God"

"Demon / Monsters/Summon"

The rest of the journey back was silent, but they ditched Grover as soon as they got to the bus terminal, because the rest of bus ride they listened to Grover. He was freaking out Percy and was looking both of them like they was a dead man, while muttering "Why does this always happen?" And "Why does it always have to be sixth grade?"

Whenever he got upset, Grover's bladder acted up, so they weren't surprised when, as soon as they got off the bus. Grover went to the bathroom at the bus station. Instead of waiting him, Percy got his suitcase, slipped outside with Naruto, and caught the first taxi uptown.

"East One-hundred-and-fourth and First," Percy told the driver.

"You know Grover will not like this," Naruto said.

"I know, but we have to go. I have to get home and see my mom and Grover is freaking me out," Percy said.

"Whatever," Naruto said as they travelled to Percy mom's apartment.

Along the way, Percy told Naruto all about his mom. "Her name is Sally Jackson and she's the best person in the world. That also proves my theory that the best people have the rottenest luck," He said and Naruto nodded, having heard that from him a few weeks ago.

0 With Grover 0

Grover got out of the bathroom and looked around for Percy and Naruto. He only saw Naruto with his arms crossed. "Naruto, where is Percy?"

"He went home, "Naruto replied, making Grover's eyes widen.

"W-what?" Grover freaked.

"Grover, Mr. Brunner was right. I am not normal," Naruto said. "You don't have to protect me, because I am perfectly capable to protect myself." With that he disappeared in a flock of crow. Grover had a look of pure shock on his face.

0 Percy's Mom Apartment 0

Naruto and Percy walked Percy's mom's little apartment. Percy was hoping his mom would be home from work. Instead, Smelly Gabe was in the living room, playing poker with his buddies. The television blared ESPN. Chips and beer cans were strewn all over the carpet.

Hardly looking up, Gabe said around his cigar, "So, you are home and who is your loser friend?"

"Naruto," Percy said. "Where's my mom?"

"Working," Gabe said. "You got any cash?"

That made Percy rolled his eyes. 'No Welcome back. Good to see you. How has your life been the last six months?' He thought.

Percy noticed that Gabe had put on weight. He looked like a tusk less walrus in thrift-store clothes. He had about three hairs on his head, all combed over his bald scalp, as if that made him handsome or something.

This guy managed the Electronics Mega-Mart in Queens, but he stayed home most of the time. It was a wonder why he hadn't been fired long before. He just kept on collecting paychecks, spending the money on cigars that made Percy nauseous, and on beer, of course. Always beer, Whenever Percy was home, he expected him to give his gambling funds. He called that their "guy secret." Meaning, if he told his mom, he would punch his lights out.

"I don't have any cash," Percy told him.

Gabe raised a greasy eyebrow. "You took a taxi from the bus station," he said. "Probably paid with a twenty, Got six, seven bucks in change. The somebody expects to live under this roof; he ought to carry his own weight. Am I right, Eddie?"

Eddie, the super of the apartment building, looked at Percy with a twinge of sympathy. "Come on, Gabe," he said. "The kid just got here."

"Am I right?" Gabe repeated.

Eddie scowled into his bowl of pretzels. The other two guys passed gas in harmony.

"Fine," Percy said. He dug a wad of dollars out of his pocket and threw the money on the table. "I hope you lose."

"Your report card came, brain boy!" Gabe shouted after me. "I wouldn't act so snooty!"

Naruto saw the scene. He looked at Gabe and said calmly, "Give Percy back his money." Then just like a puppet Gabe had obeyed his order. He gave Percy back his money. "Now sleep," He said to Gabe and Eddie. He put both of them to sleep.

Percy looked at the money, which Gabe had given back him. "How did you do that?" He asked to Naruto in surprise tone.

"Hypnosis and Illusion," Naruto said.

"I wish I could do that!" Percy said.

They left the room and went Percy's room, which really wasn't his room. During school months, it was Gabe's "study." He didn't study anything in there except old car magazines, but he loved shoving Percy stuff in the closet, leaving his muddy boots on my windowsill, and doing his best to make the place smell like his nasty cologne and cigars and stale beer.

Percy dropped his suitcase on the bed. 'Home sweet home.'

Percy thought about Gabe's smell, which was almost worse than the nightmares about Mrs. Dodds, or the sound of that old fruit lady's shears snipping the yarn. But as soon as he thought that, his legs felt weak. He remembered Grover's look of panic—how he'd made me promise they wouldn't go home without him. A sudden chill rolled through him.

Naruto saw fear on Percy's face and asked, "Are you ok, Percy?"

Before Percy could answer; he heard his mom, Sally's voice. "Percy?" She opened the bedroom door, and his fears melted. Percy looked at his mother; her eyes sparkle and change color in the light. Her smile is as warm as a quilt. She's got a few gray streaks mixed in with her long brown hair. "Oh, Percy," She hugged him tight. "I can't believe it. You've grown since Christmas!"

"Thanks mom," Percy said. Her red-white-and-blue Sweet on America uniform smelled like the best things in the world: chocolate, licorice, and all the other stuff she sold at the candy shop in Grand Central. She'd brought him a huge bag of "free samples," the way she always did when he came home.

Sally saw Naruto and asked, "So who is your friend?"

"Oh, that is Naruto Uchiha. He is a good friend from school." Percy replied.

"Good to know you have a friend!" Sally Jackson said. "Did you know what happened with Gabe and his friend, and why they are sleeping like this?"

"I don't know," Percy lied

Sally nodded and hugged him again. Percy then began to tell her all about his school year at Yancy Academy. It seriously was not as bad as the headmaster said it was. He didn't really tell her much about the museum because it still freaked him out.

"Did something scare you?"

"No, Mom," Percy said. He wanted to tell her about Mrs. Dodds and the three old ladies with the yarn, but he thought it would sound stupid.

Sally pursed her lips. She knew Percy was hiding something, but she didn't push him. "I have a surprise for you," she said. "We're going to the beach."

Percy's eyes widened. "Montauk?"

"Three nights—same cabin."

"When?"

Sally smiled. "As soon as I get changed." She looked at Naruto. "You can also come with us, Naruto."

"Sorry, I couldn't come with you," Naruto said.

"Why?" Percy asked.

Naruto said, "I have to go somewhere, Percy. I only came here to meet your mother, maybe next time."

"No problem, Naruto," Sally said.

"Good Bye Percy and Mrs. Jackson," Naruto said.

"Good bye, Naruto," Percy said. He was a bit sad, because Naruto wasn't coming with him.

Naruto left the room and walked out to the Percy's home. He looked around and when he saw there was no one, he disappeared in the swirling of the vortex.

0 Narrator's Apartment 0

Naruto appeared in his apartment.

'Karasu- Chan,' Naruto said. He called his raven.

Karasu came out from the shadow and landed on his left shoulder. 'Yes Master,' she said.

"Tomorrow we are going to somewhere."

'Where?'

"A Summer Camp."

0 With Percy 0

Gabe kept griping and groaning about losing Sally's cooking—and most important, his '78 Camar —for the whole weekend. "Not a scratch on this car, brain boy," he warned Percy. "Not one little scratch."

'It's not me who'll drive the car. I am only twelve,' Percy thought. But that didn't matter to Gabe. If a seagull so much as popped on his paint job, he'd find a way to blame him.

Watching him lumber back toward the apartment building, Percy got so mad he did something. As Gabe reached the doorway, he made the hand gesture like Grover make on the bus, a sort of warding-off-evil gesture, a clawed hand over his heart, then a shoving movement toward Gabe. The screen door slammed shut so hard it whacked Gabe in the butt and sent him flying up the staircase as if he'd been shot from a cannon.

Percy didn't stay long enough to find out, what happened. He got in the Camaro and told his mom to step on it.

0 Time Skip 0

Right now the car was pulling in next to a wooden cabin that located right on the beach. It was a little pastel box with faded curtains, half sunken into the dunes. There was sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets, and the sea was too cold to swim in.

'I loved the place,' Percy thought.

They got there, opened all the cabin's windows, and went through their usual cleaning routine. We walked on the beach, fed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and munched on blue jelly beans, blue salt-water taffy, and all the other free samples Sally had brought from work.

When it got dark, they made a fire. They roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. Sally told Percy stories about when she was a kid, back before her parents died in the plane crash. She told him about the books she wanted to write someday, when she had enough money to quit the candy shop.

"Mom… what was my father like?" Percy asked with some courage.

"He was kind, Percy," Sally said. "Tall, handsome, and powerful. But gentle, too. You have his black hair, you know, and his green eyes." She fished a blue jelly bean out of her candy bag. "I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud."

"How old was I?" Percy asked. "I mean ... When he left?"

Sally watched the flames. "He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here on this beach. This cabin."

"But... He knew me as a baby."

"No honey, He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born."

Percy nodded obviously feeling a little hurt that his father never really met him. Also he was angry at his father, for going on that ocean voyage, for not having the guts to marry his mom. He'd left them, and now they stuck with Smelly Gabe.

"Are you going to send me away again?" Percy asked. "To another boarding school?"

Sally pulled a marshmallow from the fire. "I don't know, honey." Her voice was heavy. "I think ... I think we will have to do something."

"Because you don't want me around?" Percy regretted the words as soon as they were out.

His mom's eyes welled with tears. She took his hand, squeezed it tight. "Oh, Percy, no. I—I have to, honey for your own good. I have to send you away."

Her words reminded him of what Mr. Brunner had said—that it was best for him to leave Yancy.

"Because I'm not normal," Percy said.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing, Percy. But you don't realize how important you are. I thought Yancy Academy would be far enough away. I thought you'd finally be safe."

"Safe from what?"

She met his eyes, and a flood of memories came back to him—all the weird, scary things that had ever happened to him, some of which he tried to forget.

"I've tried to keep you as close to me as I could," Sally said. "They told me that was a mistake. But there's only one other option, Percy—the place your father wanted to send you. And I just... I just can't stand to do it."

"My father wanted me to go to a special school?"

"Not a school," Sally said softly. "A summer camp."

'Why would my dad—who hadn't even stayed around long enough to see me born— talk to my mom about a summer camp? And if it was so important, why hadn't she ever mentioned it before?' Percy thought.

"I'm sorry, Percy," Sally said, seeing the look in my eyes. "But I can't talk about it. I—I couldn't send you to that place. It might mean saying good-bye to you for good."

"For good? But if it's only a summer camp ..."

Sally turned toward the fire, and Percy knew from her expression that if he asked her any more questions she would start to cry.

0 With Naruto 0

Naruto was packing his bag.

'Why we are going a Summer Camp?' Karasu asked.

"To find my answers question," Naruto said.

'Do you know how we can go there?'

"Mr. Brunner is already there. We can follow his energy signature," Naruto said. "Now time to take a nap."

0 In Dream 0

That night both Percy and Naruto had a vivid dream.

It was storming on the beach, and three beautiful animals, a white horse, a golden eagle, and the pitch black raven was trying to kill each other at the edge of the surf. Well the raven was not doing much. It just hovered in midair, watching the two fights and only with a mild look of interest. Of course it would attack at certain times. The eagle swooped down and slashed the horse's muzzle with its huge talons. The horse reared up and kicked at the eagles wings. The raven then decided to claw at the eagle a bit before doing the same to the horse. As they fought, the ground rumbled, and a monstrous voice chuckled somewhere beneath the earth, goading the animals to fight harder.

Naruto saw Percy ran toward them, to stop them from killing each other, but he was running in slow motion. He saw the eagle dive down, its beak for the horse's wide eyes, while the raven decides to help out its flying companion and Percy screamed, No!

Naruto waked up from a dream. 'Wearied dream,' he thought.

'What happened?' Karasu asked.

"Just dream, but—it was felt real"

0 With Percy 0

Percy woke up. Outside, it really was storming; the kind of storm that cracks trees and blows down houses. There was no horse or eagle on the beach, just lightning making false daylight, and twenty-foot waves pounding the dunes like artillery.

With the next thunder-clap, his mom woke. She sat up, eyes wide, and said "Hurricane."

Percy knew that was crazy. Long Island never sees hurricanes this early in the summer. But the ocean seemed to have forgotten.

Over the roar of the wind, he heard a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that made his hair stand on end. Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice—someone yelling, pounding on the cabin door.

Sally sprang out of bed in her nightgown and threw open the lock.

Grover stood framed in the doorway against a backdrop of pouring rain. But he wasn't... He wasn't exactly same Grover, he knows.

"Searching all night," Grover said to Percy. "What were you thinking?"

Sally looked at Percy in terror—not scared of Grover, but of why he'd come. "Percy," she shouted. "What happened at school? What didn't you tell me?"

Percy was frozen, looking at Grover. He couldn't understand what he was seeing.

"O Zeu kai alloi theoi!" Grover yelled. "It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?"

Percy was too shocked to register that Grover just cursed in Ancient Greek, and he did understand him perfectly. He was too shocked to wonder how Grover had gotten here by himself in the middle of the night. Because Grover didn't have his pants on—and where his legs should be...

Sally looked at him sternly and talked in a tone she'd never used before: "Percy, Tell me now!"

Percy stammered something about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds, and his mom stared at him, her face deathly pale in the flashes of lightning.

She grabbed her purse, tossed Percy, his rain jacket, and said, "Get in the car. Both of you. Go !"

Grover ran for the Camaro—but he wasn't running, exactly. He was trotting, shaking his shaggy hindquarters, and suddenly his story about a muscular disorder in his legs made sense to Percy. He understood how he could run so fast and still limp when he walked. Because where his feet should be, there were no feet. There were cloven hooves.

They didn't notice a raven, who was watching the whole scene, disappeared with a puff of smoke.

-CUT-

See you— in Next— Chapter

And don't forget Poll