NOTE: This chapter is going to probably be shorter than average. My apologies, I gotta get back in the swing of things!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Sun's Heir, Death's Guardian III: The Argonauts
VIII
The sky was dark over Camp Half-Blood. Clouds filled with rain rolled overhead and a cold wind swept across the campers' as they walked from one activity to the next. The counselor and activities director paid it no mind, both engrossed in a gave of pinochle. The centaur did send a curious glance over to Cabin One every now and again though, wondering if he should try to get the source of the bad weather to calm down.
Chiron decided not to as a bolt of lightning bounced off the protective barrier around the camp. He laid out his chips before him with a small smirk while Mr. D seethed from his argument with Kakashi. The centaur was sure that Annabeth would get Thalia to calm down eventually.
There was a flash of lightning in the distance and Chiron shuddered.
Well, hopefully, Annabeth would be able to calm the daughter of Zeus down.
"That son of a bitch! I'm going to kill him!"
Annabeth, Ranger and Washington watched Thalia pace back and forth in her cabin's living quarters as she ranted. About who one would ask? Well, in her current words, she would describe the subject of her fury as –
"He's a selfish, inconsiderate, whisker-faced bastard!" Thalia shouted as she threw her arms in the air, and the roof boomed in agreement with her.
Well, that.
Annabeth idly scratched Washington behind his ear while he batted a paw at Ranger, who lay at Annabeth's feet without a care in the world. The smilodon of Cabin Six was a good hundred pounds lighter than his brother, but was easily more intelligent. Not to the point of human speech, but his eyes had reflected the calculative orbs that each child of Athena had. That, and he was far more attentive to his human, even to the point of sitting outside of the bathroom when she had to use it.
Oddly, Annabeth took no offense to it. She thought it showed loyalty.
"Thalia, you've gone on every quest with him since he got here," Annabeth said calmly. "There was bound to be a time when you couldn't go." Thalia glared at her. Annabeth didn't flinch, a testament to her courage, and looked down at Ranger. "And it's not like he took Ranger when he left, either."
"That's not the point!" Thalia retorted. "He should've told me he was leaving!"
Annabeth let a brow arch up. "He never mentioned he had to leave? Not once?"
"Yes!"
"Are you sure? Would you remember anything about him saying something about this?"
Thalia's rage diminished slightly as she thought about the morning. Naruto had tried to wake her up for some stupid reason – Thalia groaned and palmed her face. "Oh, dammit."
"What?"
"...Nothing. Ugh, I need to go hit something. Come on." Thalia groaned as she stormed towards the door. Ranger got up and followed after her, Annabeth and Washington hot on his heels. The daughter of Zeus grumbled to herself about her 'idiot boyfriend' and Annabeth was sure she saw a flash of lightning in the distance.
As they approached the sparring grounds, they found a crowd of campers on the edge of the area. Thalia made them part easily – no one is foolish or arrogant enough to get in Thalia's way when she's this mad, the last person who tried still twitched whenever he caught sight of Thalia – and the two girls and their ancient cats soon realized why they were gathered in a group.
Kakashi stood opposite of a man about his height that wore the Konoha flak jacket like he did. The man was...odd, even by Demigod standards. His black hair was cut into a perfect bowl and enormous eyebrows rested above his eyes. It was like caterpillars that decided to sleep on the man's face. He wasn't ugly, but the eyebrows were so distracting...That and the tight green spandex he wore clung to his body, which, by the way, was built like a god's.
"I'm tellin' ya Kakashi, this time I'll be the victor. Now, choose the challenge!" The man grinned at Kakashi, who sighed.
"Guy, I didn't reverse summon you here to have another contest or spar." The white haired shinobi rubbed at his eye. "The civilians-er, Demigods' taijutsu...it's...er..." Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the gathered teens.
The man, Guy, laughed. "Come, now, Kakashi! It can't be that bad with my eternal rival teaching them!"
"Teaching us?" Someone groaned from the right. Annabeth turned and saw a son of Aphrodite cross his arms and frown at his masked older brother. "More like he's not trying at all and reading his book."
"If you gave me a challenge, Mitchell, I'd put my book away," Kakashi said dryly. He kept his eye on Guy. "Do me a solid and help me with their taijutsu."
Annabeth frowned and stepped up. "Our hand to hand isn't bad."
Kakashi gave her a dry stare. "Naruto back when he started the academy was a better fighter than you all. And he was a street brawler. Still is, in a way."
"His Frog Kata has helped him, that and he is empowered by the Flames of Youth!" Guy announced with an enthusiastic cry. He pointed at Kakashi. "Unlike you, my cool and hip rival! Naruto-kun's passion for fights embodies the Springtime of Youth, and his youthful flames burn brightly! Why, I'm certain he and Lee have the same amount of Youthful Energy, and their spars like our own will ignite the flames of youth for the next generation!"
Kakashi turned to him with a dull stare. "Hm? You say something, Guy?"
Guy looked like he was visibly struck. He quickly recovered and held a fist up as tears trailed down his face. "Curse your cool and hip attitude, Kakashi!"
"...Naruto had to deal with this? My brain hurts." Annabeth mumbled, which made Thalia nod in horrified agreement.
"Are we sure this isn't some sort of innuendo?" Someone whispered behind them. "Maybe Kakashi and this Guy, are like...lovers or something."
"Lovers?" The demigods jumped as Guy appeared behind the speaker with a grim look on his face. "No, my youthful friend. Kakashi and I are not lovers, we are eternal rivals! Warriors bound to face off for eternity, to see who's flames of youth burn brighter!" He looked at Kakashi with a friendly grin. "Isn't that right, Kakashi?"
"...Oh, Mikoto, your flames of youth are definitely the most bright," Kakashi said with a giggle as he turned the page in his book.
"Kakashi! That's most unyouthful!" Guy exclaimed with a prominent frown on his face while the demigods' faces turned red.
Kakashi looked up at him with a single blink. "But...Naruto wrote this part."
"What?" Thalia asked sharply. Annabeth hung her head and groaned. She was so close to getting Thalia to calm down.
Guy crossed his arms and frowned. "It's not very hip or cool to make up lies about your student, Kakashi."
"I'm not lying, there's even a note of acknowledgement from Jiraiya-sama," Kakashi said as he turned his book around and pointed at the asterisk at the side of the graphic image. The shinobi's eye shut in a proud smile. "See?! 'Art and scene by my apprentice, Naruto – Jiraiya.'"
Guy moved again, faster than one could blink, and scrutinized the words while he ignored the image next to it. He cupped his chin and looked up at the sky in thought. "Hm, while the subject itself is most unyouthful, the expression and passion displayed do show and accurately capture the Springtime of Youth." Tears trailed down Guy's eyes and he clenched his fist tightly. "Naruto-kun...truly a warrior of YOUTH!"
"Yep!" Kakashi chirped. He buried his face back into his book. "And I can't wait for the next installment."
"Next installment? But, uh, Jiraiya-sama is dead," Guy said.
Kakashi turned the page and giggled. "Yes, yes he is. But Naruto, to my knowledge, is not."
Thalia growled and thunder boomed. Annabeth rubbed her head and let out a small whimper. Must Kakashi really open that can right now?
"...Oh, so Naruto-kun plans to follow in Jiraiya's literary footsteps!" Guy hid his face and cried obnoxiously into his arm. "That's-That's so beautiful! The student who embodies his master's work is one that is fueled by passion, determination and Youth! Naruto-kun's hard work is so inspiring!" Guy lowered his arm and held a finger up, his face clear of any tears that were once there and his eyes filled with fire. "Yosh! I shall perform five hundred laps around this camp on my hands! If I cannot do that, then I shall perform eight hundred pushups on my pinkie fingers!"
"After you help me train the kids," Kakashi said before Guy could run off.
Guy looked at him in confusion and then beamed. "Brilliant Kakashi! We'll have them all join in! They can run on their feet and if they can't perform five hundred laps, then they'll do eight hundred push ups with me!"
A wave of dread rushed over the demigods gathered around the two shinobi.
Thalia leaned over to Annabeth. "You don't think he's serious, do you?"
"Oh, Guy is dead serious, Thalia." Thalia jumped when Kakashi appeared next to her, his book still in his hand, though his lone eye trailed over to her. "But, luckily for you, I have an offer that you won't refuse. While Guy trains the others, I'll help you with your lightning manipulation."
"What?!"
"That's so unfair!"
"Zeus' kids get all the best stuff!"
Kakashi looked over at the other demigods as they voiced their disapproval. "What's that? You all want to do one thousand laps followed by two thousand push-ups?"
"YOSH! THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH BURNS BRIGHTLY IN THEIR HEARTS!" Guy exclaimed happily as he balanced himself on his hands. "COME, YOUTHFUL HEROES, LET US TRAIN!"
He ran off with a boisterous laugh and a smoke trail behind him as he sped away on his hands. The demigods were horrified and awestruck all at the same time. They collectively looked to Kakashi, who somehow managed to look back at all of them at once. His single eye closed in what was known as his unique way to smile.
"Better start running...or I'll double the push-ups."
The demigods quickly followed after the green spandex wearing warrior.
Kakashi chuckled and snapped his book shut. "Thought so." He turned and noticed that Annabeth was still present with the two cats. "And you're not running because...?"
"I'm babysitting."
Thalia glared at Annabeth for the response that was given while Kakashi nodded.
"Ah, I see." The masked shinobi tucked his book into his back pouch and then clapped his hands together. "Well, then I suppose you wouldn't mind supervising as I train with the precious young lady?"
"Hey!" Thalia snapped while Annabeth snickered into her hand. Thalia turned and glared at Annabeth again when younger girl shrugged haplessly.
"Oh, I suppose so." Annabeth smiled at her friend. "She's been good. There hasn't been any collateral damage lately."
"Hardy, har, har." Thalia glowered at the younger girl. Oh, next time Annabeth wanted a sparring partner, Thalia was not going to go easy on her.
Kakashi nodded and walked towards the trees. "Good! Then if you will stand right about...here." Kakashi made a line with his heel. He turned to Thalia and stared at her for a minute. "Well?"
"Yeah, fine..." Thalia muttered. She walked over and stood where Kakashi had directed her to with her arms crossed over her chest. "So what's the lesson today, mask man?"
Kakashi shook his head. "You and Naruto are meant to be." He held his hands up in what was Naruto's signature hand seal before he switched the seal to something Naruto called the 'Bird' seal, where his fingers steepled but his middle fingers fell within to cross over each other. "Raiton: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Lightning Release: Shadow Clone Technique)!"
From Kakashi's body came a large flash of static before the energy settled into an exact duplicate of the masked shinobi. It looked dryly at the original with a huff. "Seriously?"
"...You can make a clone out of lightning?" Thalia mumbled to herself in shock. Annabeth fared no better from where she stood to the side, with Ranger and Washington both mildly intrigued by the display. The daughter of Athena was already coming up with strategic plans for Kakashi's clone capabilities alongside Naruto's own in the coming war.
"Of course," Kakashi said with a smile. "The Shodai was known to make clones from wood and a friend of mine with a similar gift does the same. Mud and Water clones are also well known, but those are rather consuming so I'll stick with my lightning variation."
"Lazy bastard." The clone huffed and crossed his arms while Kakashi made a normal Shadow Clone, who glowered at the original with a glare in its eye.
"You're the worst kind of creator." The Shadow Clone muttered. He turned to the lightning variation with a sigh. "Might as well get it over with. C'mon, handsome."
"Oh, after you. I insist." The Lightning Clone grinned behind his mask. The Shadow Clone grumbled and stormed to the other side of the clearing with the Lightning Clone right behind it.
"At least they enjoy life while it lasts," Kakashi said with a smile hidden by his mask. Before Thalia could ask what he meant, she watched the Lightning Clone capture the Shadow Clone in a headlock before it reverted to lightning and electrocuted the Shadow Clone to death. Kakashi rubbed his head.
"Ow." He muttered before he grinned at the daughter of Zeus. "So...Interested now?"
"Yes." Thalia grinned back as static danced off of her body.
Kakashi grinned and crossed his arms. "Alright then. Maybe when Naruto gets back, you can show him what you learned."
His true intent echoed in the back of his head: If that doesn't inspire a twin scene in his next book, I don't know what will! For the glory of Jiraiya-sama's Icha Icha!
Naruto suddenly frowned as he drove through the Canadian wilderness while Hazel slept peacefully in the backseat and Mark snored in the passenger seat. Someone has just made my life a living hell. Now the question is who was it? Dad? Nah, he's not going to risk Kaachan's anger so soon. Nico? No, he and the Squirt shouldn't be that bad yet. I haven't taught them the true secrets that belong to the Art of Pranks. Percy's in school, so he can't have done much...Unless he's flirting with a girl and Annabeth found out. Don't think he's that smooth though. Jason's training the Legion so he's out. Lia-chan...Oh, dammit!
"She's gonna want your D on a platter." Helios chimed in with a laugh. "Reminds me of the time I had a halfling behind Rhode's back. Wow, now that was a BAD month. Not only was I not getting any from my wife for a month, but Poseidon tried to skewer me on his Trident."
Naruto shivered. "Was the Squid God always so...?"
"He's really mellowed out over the years." Helios explained.
"So glad I was born in the now and not in the then."
"As you should be. Honestly, I think it's more fun now. I don't have to worry about driving the Chick Magnet or upsetting Rhode...Oh my me, I'm a bachelor again!"
Naruto rubbed his head with one hand. "Dude. Champion of Hera."
"Yeah, but, 'Til death do us part! Nothing about reincarnation in that clause!" Helios said. "Don't get me wrong, I love Rhode, but...there were times I envied Apollo for not settling down. Being a married eternal youth can be a pain, you know?"
Naruto shook his head. "Yet another reason to not become immortal."
"What is?" Mark asked with a groan as he stretched.
"Nothing," Naruto said. He glanced at the son of Ares when his hand went for the radio. Naruto smacked it away. He just so happened to be in the mood for alternative rock.
"Ow. Dick." Mark grumbled as he rubbed his hand. He looked out the tinted window at the highway. "So...Are we there yet?"
"No, got another hour or so." Soul's S.O.L. mode had overheated about three hundred miles into Canada, so they were forced to go the speed limit now until it had cooled down. Naruto began to nod as a new song came on the station. "Hey, oh. Here comes the danger up in this club. When we get started, man, we ain't gonna stop. We gonna turn it out 'til it gets too hot. Everybody sing 'Hey, oh'. Tell 'em t' turn it out 'til they can't no more. Let's get this thing shaking like a disco ball. This is your last warnin', a courtesy call."
Mark grimaced as the driver nodded his head to the tune and softly sung along with the lyrics. "Classic rock I could handle, but this alt crap? Can't we put this to a vote?"
"No." Naruto smirked and turned the volume up while Mark scowled. In the back seat, Hazel stirred slightly, but did not wake. It was fortunate, for otherwise, Naruto would have had to focus on three things instead of just the road and the rapidly approaching semi truck.
Wait.
Naruto looked in the rearview mirror and gaped at the speed of approaching semi. It was pitch black and had a bear head painted on the grill in blood red paint...well, Naruto hoped it was paint. The blond grit his teeth and clenched the steering wheel tightly in his hands as a feeling of dread overcame him.
Mark braced himself against the dash and took in a deep breath as waves of malice overcame the Chevrolet from the approaching truck. Once he had brushed the dread off, not as difficult for a son of the God of War, he turned to his friend. "What...What the fuck is that?!"
"Trouble." Naruto grunted as he shifted gears to slow down. Soul's engine revved and the snow, no longer melted immediately by the heat of the car, reminded Naruto of its presence. There was a moment of swerving, but even after he recovered, Naruto realized in horror that the semi truck had not overshot them.
It stayed right behind them and the bear head gleamed maliciously. The blue-white headlights looked like very evil diamonds in the dim Canadian morning.
"Wicked bear," Mark said as he peered out of his open window to look at the semi. He reached into his pack and pulled out what looked like a water gun. There was a large red switch on the side that Mark pressed his thumb against. The water gun expanded outward into a grenade launcher that Naruto knew was not allowed at camp. As though he read the driver's mind, Mark looked at him with a grin. "Had a shared birthday, so Ares gave me a choice. I drive his chariot...or I get a present to use against a dragon."
"...You just wanted to say you slayed a dragon and not have it mean you wanked off, didn't you?" Naruto asked dryly.
"You know me so well." Mark smirked and leaned out of the passenger window with his grenade launcher aimed at the truck. His finger pulled on the trigger and a bronze bullet, easily the size of a pineapple, shot out like a rocket. "Boom, bitch!"
The bronze bullet hit the truck and an explosion of fire covered the immediate area. Mark laughed and kissed his gun.
"Ah, best present ever!" He praised with a grin. The grin fell away as through the residue of smoke, two blue-white lights were seen. "...No fucking way!"
"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Naruto shouted as he watched through the rearview as the truck that had been chasing them emerged from the smoke. He slammed his foot on the accelerator, forgoing speed laws since using S.O.L. mode – they had another hour before the cool down had finished – was out of the question. He'd rather deal with the Mounties than with whoever was driving that monster. Hazel jerked in the back seat and Mark had to grab hold of the window edge so he wouldn't fly out of the car.
"...Hey, kid?" Helios seemed shaken as he spoke up.
I'm sort of busy! What?! Naruto snapped a glare to the mirror where Helios chose to replace his reflection once again.
"You're not going to like this."
"I already don't like this!" Naruto growled. His eyes flicked to the image behind Helios. That damn semi was right on their tails! "Who is this guy!?"
"What?"
"Not talking to you, Mark!" Naruto barked. He looked to the son of war, who continued to hang halfway outside of Soul. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Cover fire, dumbass!" Mark shot back as he continued to fire his bronze slugs. "It's slowing down a bit, but I've only got two shots left!"
"Save 'em!" Naruto said. "Reach behind the seat by Hazel's head and grab my quiver and bow!"
"Naruto!"
"What!?" Naruto snapped to his past life as Mark followed his instructions.
"It's the Titan of the North!" Helios returned urgently. "It's Koios!"
The horn of the semi blared and Naruto swerved out of the way as a massive spike made of ice shot from the truck. Naruto watched the spike imbed itself in the road and rip up the ground for about three miles. That was so not good.
The radio garbled for a minute before a CB line forced its way though through. A voice, ancient and low, but highly sophisticated came through the scratchy speakers.
"Greetings, Son of Apollo. Or should I say, Great-Grandson?"
Naruto groaned.
It was going to be one of those drives again, wasn't it?
AN: And yet again, we've got car troubles. Not gonna lie, I LOVE car "fights". Not races, that's dumb, but when cars are tricked out to destroy one another? Oh. My. God.
Anyway, y'all know what I want ya to do!
REVIEW!
