The Mortal God
Chapter Ten; A New Mission, Land of Waves All Over Again
Here is the next chapter. Wow over 100 review total in this story and it not even halfway done yet. A lot more then any other story I done. I don't know if that sad or not. Also sorry if there are any spelling or grammar errors and if there are please tell me so I can fix them later. Thank you too all those who reviewed, hope you enjoy.
Replies to reviews;
Fire and Ice Dragon; sorry to hear that you're the first to say anything, but glad you like it in the story-line anyway
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ChaosIdeals; yes you are right, I got my idea from that story. But I'm glad you like it. Oh no they are shocked at confused by Naruto be related to them, it just the bit of him speaking to Thalia just push them over the edge.
roshane; I'm glad you think so.
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Raidentensho; thank you and special armor might be later mostly use in the final two books. What kind I haven't made up my mind.
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Bad Habits; the dad did not change just who his family is. He met his father before and knew who Artemis is when they met. Their relationship is like other god and lovers. They can't stay with them but still have kids. If it wasn't for the nine tail fox Naruto would be like Percy.
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Grover rubbed his temples trying to understand what had happen. Everyone had moved to the area in the middle of all the cabins. People had been shocked about Percy being the son of Poseidon, but that was nothing compared to the shock of Naruto's lineage. "Can someone explain this to me again?"
"I'm with farm boy here, I'm out of the loop." said Gamakichi jerking his thumb at Grover. Most of the camper got use to the giant talking toad after being told he was a summoning animal.
"Naruto, you never cease to amaze me, just when I think I have you figured out you pull this out of nowhere." Chiron said with a sigh before he began, again. "Hestia seemed to fall in love with a mortal from Naruto's world. She then had a son, that son met and fell in love with Persephone who gave birth to a daughter. That daughter fell in love with Hermes and had Naruto father who met Artemis and they had Naruto."
Grover had a dreamy look in his eyes. It took Naruto a minute to figure what his friend was thinking about.
WHAM! Naruto rapped his bow onto Grover's head. "What was that for?" groaned Grover holding his head.
"Dude! That's my mom you're thinking about."
"I can't help it. She's just…so into nature." Grover got that look in his eyes again. Naruto just got a tick mark before he rapped Grover again.
"Keep that up and you'll be growing an extra horn."
"Anyway, what I wanted to ask you was why you did not tell us about Thalia." Chiron said.
"Uh, I did not think you would believe me." Naruto shrugged.
"Well, I guess that might have happened. Now, do you know or have of any quirks you could have gotten from any of your lineage?" Chiron asked and everyone leaned in to listen.
"Well, I am guessing my talking to Thalia is from mom. That is all I know so far. As far as I know there are no other half-blood children for Artemis, Persephone or Hestia so I don't now how to compare to them or any powers I might get. As for Hermes, I would say my love off pranks that I do so much." Naruto said thoughtfully.
Percy agreed with him. From what he saw many of Hermes kids loved pranks before he grinned. "Yeah like your sexy jutsu."
The toad started laughing, remembering the story of how Naruto got Jiriaya to teach him.
"Sexy Jutsu, I am not quite sure what you mean by that, but is must be amusing, seeing as your friend is laughing." Chiron said.
"Yeah well, I created this jutsu to knock out the perverts in my old village and believe me, there are a lot." Naruto grumbled. "Especially both of my sensei, Kakashi would read his porn in public while Jiriaya was the creator of said book."
"Care for a demonstration?" Mr. D asked, shocking Naruto.
"Sure but I warn yea." Naruto while gather chakra for it. Percy, who had asked the same thing once before meeting Grover held the bridge of his nose trying not to smile and turn around, getting a raised eyebrow from Annabeth and Grover. "Ladies, I ask that you please show mercy and don't kill me. Sexy Jutsu!" In a poof of smoke, Naruto had turned into a naked girl, with wisps of smoke covering 'her' private areas.
For a moment, there was silence. Percy counted down in his heard '3, 2, 1' and smirked with he heard the familiar sound of people hitting the ground.
Naruto sweat dropped when he saw pretty much every guy in the camp, even Mr. D fall back with bloody noses. The girls of the Aphrodite, a few of them blushing and hiding small nose bleeds, were inspecting the jutsu before nodding their heads that it met their approval. The other girls were looking at the fallen boys with murderous glares that for once as far as he knew, were not directed at him.
"Well, if you would please return back to normal." Chiron said with a big blush on his face. "We need to assign you two new cabins." Naruto nodded and ended the jutsu, much to the guys' relief.
"Right, Percy, you will be in your father's cabin, so go gather your belongings." Chiron said and Percy just nodded while he and Luke quickly went to collect his stuff. "Now Naruto, I think you will be staying in cabin eight but I am not so sure what to do if the hunters come as they always stay there. I might figure you stay in Hermes cabin but it so crowed I would like to avoid that."
"He is always welcome at our cabin we don't have a problem." called out Clarisse. Her brothers and sisters didn't need convincing as they thought Naruto was a great fighter and a sense of humor they find funny.
"Ah thank you Clarisse. Naruto…Naruto?" Chiron said as he looked at Naruto, who was looking at normal looking cabin he will be staying in. He remembers that glowed silver at night but other then that he knew nothing about it. "You know I'll just stay here, I'll figure something out if they come to camp."
"That is good and all but you are still welcome in the Ares cabin, just so you know." Chiron stated before walking away, rubbing his head because this experience has given him a major headache.
"Uh, I have a question." The orange toad spoke up.
"What is it buddy?" Naruto replied.
"Why are you so young?"
"Why wouldn't I be? I've only been gone over six mouths."
"Uh…back home, it has been 3 years," replied Gamakichi.
"What did you say?" Naruto whispered as he felt like a he was hit by one of Lee's strongest kicks to the face.
"Well that would make sense." Mr. D said with interest, getting a lot of confused looks. "From what the other gods told me of their visits to that world time between the two is always shifts. The difference of one world's time moves faster while the other seems to be barely moves. After about three or four year it goes the other way. So now time will move here faster then the other world."
"OK, anyway I could get back to my world?" Naruto asked.
"Oh, I am sure you will find out." Mr. D smirked.
(Scene change)
"You what?" Thalia yelled. "You actually beat a huge hellhound with those ninja techniques of yours?"
"Yes and some arrows to the eyes and mouth, and I let slip that I can talk to you." Naruto said with his eyes closed, waiting for the girl to hit him, but it never happened. He looked back at her and saw that she was smiling sadly.
"So how did they take it, Grover, Annabeth, and Luke, I mean." Thalia asked nervously.
"Well Grover was bouncing of the trees, much to their annoyance. Annabeth was very happy and that she told me to help you out, which I will do. I WILL get you out of this place, even if it kills me. That is a promise!" Naruto said with a foxy smile that made Thalia blush a bit.
"A-and Luke" she asked softly
"Hmm, he was the odd ball. He just smiled sadly and said to protect you, which I promised I would." Naruto said thoughtfully until she hugged him.
"Thank you, Naruto."
"Hey it's no problem Thalia." He said surprised but hugged her back anyway. He got a smile on his face and said, "You know, that incident made our parent claim us."
Backing up, Thalia smiled and asked, "So, are you going to tell me?"
"Heh, Percy is the son of Poseidon." Naruto said, making Thalia's eyes widen. "Me on other hand, I'm kinda different. I'm a chain gang."
"A what?"
"Well, I am the son of Artemis and I am also related to Hermes, Persephone and Hestia." Naruto shrugged like it was no big deal, but the look on Thalia's face told him otherwise.
"So you are related to four gods, two of which are virgin goddesses?" She asked shocked.
"Yeah, I'm not sure how that happened and I am not even sure how to even react to all of this. I am not even sure if I am even truly their kid or their line. I am not even sure how that is possible."
Thalia thought about it. "Hmm, maybe because of the mixed blood of all the gods and goddess, you're not like one of them but a true mix of all of them. That does not matter though because you are your own kind of hero."
"Yeah I guess. Anyway, I should get going, curfew and all." Naruto said with a sad smile, he really like Thalia for some reason.
"Ok." Thalia said, giving him another hug, enjoying the feeling of being in contact with another human, especially Naruto because he seemed to emit a lot of warmth. Naruto saw her smile a big and returned the hug. "Oh and when I get out of here, you have got to show me this sexy jutsu you told me about."
Naruto chuckled nervously. "Then you will be in for a blast if you like to see all the guys get blown back by nosebleeds." Thalia just smiled as she saw her friend fade away, savoring the warmth until he was gone.
Back outside, we see Naruto standing in front of the tree with a palm on it. Opening his eyes, he smiled to himself and turned around only to freeze. The first thing he noticed that it was night time and that there was someone their. It looked like a mail man and large blue bag over his shoulder.
"Uh…can I help you?" Naruto asked warily.
The mail man smiled before saying, "Hello Naruto, I am passing through and have some packages to deliver."
"How do you know my name?"
"You are well known among the gods and other immortals. You're the only one with so much blood of gods in you. The only thing missing is really being immortal. Some of the other gods are start calling you a mortal god."
"Mortal god?"
"That what you are being called, mostly god but enough human to be mortal. To us immortals it makes you unique."
Naruto just stared at the man before, "You a god." The man nodded as Naruto just sat down and lead against the tree. The god looked confused before he sat down next to Naruto, "Something wrong?"
Naruto said nothing at first but sighed and said, "I know in her letter mom loves me and is proud of me but…you know my mom's stories, how can she be proud of me? I'm the very things she hates; I'm probably just a disappointment."
This was Naruto worst fear, and after see his mother as a goddess that is know for hating man, he didn't know if he could even be something to her, no matter how hard he tried. It wasn't a goal that he could achieve it through hard work, it was much more.
The god placed his arm over Naruto's shoulder. "Now don't be like that, she loves you more then anything else; even my son, your father." This cause Naruto to stare at the god next to him.
"Grandpa?"
Hermes grin grew even wider at this. "You should have seen the look on mine and my father's face when they told us. I was proud that he found love but for my sister to also find it. Zeus was all for it. He loves his daughter very much and he was honored that my son named his most famous jutsu after him.
"Don't worry about her, you meant the world to them both. It almost broke her heart to let you go and just after your father died"
Naruto had tears in his eye but paid them no mine, "Thanks grandpa."
Hermes chuckled; he will never get tired of hearing that. He reached into his bag and pulled out a box and gave it to him. "A gift from me, I'm sure you will fine use for it."
Naruto open the box and found a pair of black sandals like the pair he had back home. "They are like my shoes; gives you wings at a command. Just make a password for them and wing appeared, say it again and they recede. I thought you would like your own password then what I use."
Naruto was deep in thought, he needed something that shouted him, but something that won't come up easy when he talking to someone. He then smiled and said loudly "Will of Fire"
Orange wings sprouted from the heels of the shoes and started flapping. Naruto said the password again and the wings vanished. Hermes stood up, "Well I have many other deliveries to take care of." Then he drew Naruto into a hug "Take care of yourself. And don't worry about your mother, right now we just have to deal with father and our uncle from causing a war (sigh) it just so hard as gods by nature are so stubborn."
"No problem." Naruto said returning the hug with tears in his eyes. "No problem at all."
Later that night, Naruto would have a dream just like Percy would. In Percy's dream Poseidon and Zeus were fighting. Well, that was until a voice that seemed to be from underground, woke him up.
(Naruto's dream Valley of the End)
Naruto was in a forest, when he saw a small figure not far from him. She looked out of place in this area and Naruto cold tell she was a goddess. She seemed sad for some reason as he followed her until they came upon a fight scene that made Naruto stop. It was the final fight with Sasuke. He saw that the goddess stop staring in worry watching the Naruto launching himself at Sasuke for a final attack. The energy flared up blinding them both.
When it cleared he saw the goddess look in horror as he was on the ground and Sasuke over him. After Sasuke left she ran over and checked him over. Naruto now had tears in his eyes. This was his mother; she was worried for him cared for him. As she healed him Kakashi enter the area. After spotting his mother he bowed and said, "My lady."
His mother seemed to know who he was and said, "Kakashi, I'm taking my son where he belongs. Tell you village, if he ever come back it will be his dissension. If it was up to me he would never come back." And in a blind light, which caused Kakashi and his dog to look away, his mother vanished with him.
(Naruto's dream ends)
"Naruto! Open the door, I got Percy, we have to get to the big house!" Grover's voice came from his door. Grumbling, Naruto opened up the door to let Grover into the cabin.
"Why are we needed there?" Naruto asked, rubbing his eyes.
"Just hurry….and put on some clothes, you are only in your boxers!"
"Yes mother." Naruto said as he rolled his eyes before he walked back in and a few minutes later, he was in his usual attire. "Okay I am ready."
On the way there, Percy looked really nervous for some reason, like he thought he was in trouble for some reason. Naruto put a hand on the boy's shoulder and when the son of Poseidon looked at him, he just smiled. That seemed to calm Percy a bit. "I don't understand how you can be so calm. I mean, we are a couple of kids that should not exist!"
"Simple….I don't think about it." Naruto smirked. That just cause Percy to sigh, he should have known. Naruto looked up and saw that the sky looked like it was ready to storm. Whistling, Naruto said, "That is one big storm, I wonder if it will actually rain."
"No," Grover said. "It never rains here unless we want it to." Percy found himself agreeing to this because for as long as they have been here, it never rained; let alone being overcast at all.
"What the heck is that, then?" asked Percy.
Grover glanced uneasily at the sky. "It'll pass around us. Bad weather always does." They left it all that, but Naruto got the feeling that their half goat friend was not telling them everything, because to him, that was a big storm forming.
At the volleyball pit, the kids from Apollo's cabin were playing a morning game against the satyrs. Dionysus's twins were walking around in the strawberry fields, making the plants grow. Everybody was going about their normal business, but they looked tense. They kept their eyes on the storm.
All three walked up to the front porch of the Big House. Dionysus sat at the pinochle table in his tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt with his Diet Coke, just as he had on their first day. Chiron sat across the table in his fake wheelchair. They were playing against invisible opponents—two sets of cards hovering in the air. Naruto wondered how the hell they did that, but stayed quiet for now.
"Well, well," Mr. D said without looking up. "Our little celebrities."
"Come closer boys," Mr. D said. "And don't expect me to bow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father." He pointed to Percy and then smirked at Naruto. He actually liked the blond; but no way was he going to say that out loud, even he had standards. "Same to you, even if you are related to those four." At that, a net of lightning spread across the clouds above. Mr. D didn't seem to care. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."
Chiron feigned interest in his pinochle cards. Grover cowered by the railing, his hooves clopping back and forth. Percy looked a little freaked and Naruto, he looked up, wondering if he could pull something like that off.
"If I had my way," Dionysus said, "I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm."
"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D," Chiron put in.
"You don't say?" Naruto deadpanned.
"Nonsense," Dionysus said. "Percy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father."
"Mr. D—" Chiron warned, while Naruto was wondering why everyone seemed to be on Percy's case.
"Oh, all right," Dionysus relented. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." Dionysus rose, and the invisible players' cards dropped to the table. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If they are still here when I get back, I'll turn Percy into an Atlantic bottlenose and….well I am not sure what to turn Naruto into. Do you understand? And Perseus Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do." Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a plastic rectangle. A credit card? No. A security pass.
He snapped his fingers. The air seemed to fold and bend around him. He became a hologram, then a wind, then he was gone, leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind.
"Show off."
"Uh, I would not talk if I were you Naruto." Percy said.
Chiron smiled and said, "I would like you boys to sit down please." They compiled. Chiron laid his cards on the table, a winning hand he hadn't gotten to use. Sad, Tsunade would probably kill for that. "Tell me boys, what do you make of the hellhound?"
"It scared me," Percy replied, "If Naruto hadn't given it a few holes in its head, I would not be here right now."
"It was odd for me. I didn't listen much to my old teacher Kakashi, but if I were to look underneath the underneath, I think someone summoned it here somehow. Though, I would have to say that it would be a cool summoning contract." Naruto said thoughtfully, making Percy sweatdrop.
"Trust me, you two will have fought far worse, when you are done. Especially you, Naruto" Chiron commented.
"Done…with what?" asked Percy.
"Yeah, and why me?"
"Simple, your blood is very powerful and it repels the weaker monsters, but only the strongest of the monsters will come after you." Chiron explained. "Now Percy, what I meant was your joint quest. This kind of quest hasn't been done before, so do you except it."
"Depends on what we have to do." Naruto said with his arms crossed while Percy nodded to his comment.
Chiron grimaced. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."
Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. The boys looked over and thought it odd that the sea looked to be boiling over.
"Poseidon and Zeus," Percy said. "They're fighting over something valuable ... something that was stolen, aren't they?"
Chiron and Grover exchanged looks. Chiron sat forward in his wheelchair. "How did you know that?"
Percy looked embarrassed at that for some reason. "The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Annabeth, and she'd overheard something about a theft. And ... I've also been having these dreams."
"I knew it," Grover said.
"Hush, satyr," Chiron ordered.
"But it is their quest!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!"
"Only the Oracle can determine." Chiron stroked his bristly beard. "Nevertheless, Percy, you correct. Your fathers and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt.
"A what?" Percy chuckled nervously.
"It always has to be lightning…" Naruto slapped his face.
"Huh?" Percy asked.
"Percy, I was not joking I got run through with a lightning blade twice." Naruto said stiffly and he lifted his shirt to reveal the Chidori scar, making Percy and Grover's eyes widen and causing Chiron to wince.
The horse man quickly recovered after seeing this and that only strengthened what he was about to say. "Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives. Thankfully, it has not been used as a sword."
"Oh."
"Oh man, I bet shinobi back home would love to have that" Naruto chuckled, but was silenced by Chiron's glare.
"Zeus's master bolt," Chiron said, getting worked up now. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheered the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."
"And it's missing?" asked Percy.
"Stolen," Chiron said.
"By who?" asked Naruto
"By whom," Chiron corrected. Once a teacher always a teacher. "By you two."
Percy's jaw dropped. Naruto got a pissed off look. "Of all the….ARGH!"
"At least"—Chiron held up a hand—"that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense: 'Mother Rhea always liked you best,' 'Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,' et cetera. Afterward, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly—that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your fathers convinced a human hero to take it."
"But we didn't—"
"Patience and listen, children," Chiron said. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt, and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could easily have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."
"Ok, so why me then?" Naruto asked.
"The gods know of you, being related to Hermes make you seem like a good theft, plus being from the world of the ninja, stealth is no problem for you."
"Ok…but I have never been to Olympus." Naruto deadpanned.
"Yeah, me either! Zeus is crazy." Percy was freaking out.
Chiron and Grover glanced nervously at the sky. The clouds didn't seem to be parting around them, as Grover had promised. They were rolling straight over our valley, sealing them in like a coffin lid.
"Er, Percy ...?" Grover said. "We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky."
"Perhaps paranoid," Chiron suggested, while Naruto grumbled something about power hungry gods. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before, I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam..." He looked at Percy as if he actually expected him to remember question thirty-eight. Naruto just rolled his eyes, he made it a point to forget all about that test.
"Something about a golden net?" Percy guessed. "Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods ... they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?"
"Correct," Chrion said. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now, you two have come along—the proverbial last straw."
"But we are just kids! I don't even think Naruto could pull that off!" Percy freaked.
"Percy," Grover cut in, "if you were Zeus, and you already thought your brothers was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted that he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he have fathered a couple of new mortal heroes who might be used as a weapon against you... Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"
"But I didn't do anything. Poseidon—my dad—he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?"
"Yeah, why would I take that stupid thing!" Naruto growled.
Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. But the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that he return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date, I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera or Demeter or Hestia would make the brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper. Now neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Percy?"
"Bad?" Percy guessed.
Naruto snorted. "I have read about the shinobi wars contrary to everyone's belief back home….and they were bad. I would have to believe this would be a lot worse."
"Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight."
"Yikes…" Naruto cringed.
"Bad," Percy repeated.
"And you two, Percy Jackson, Naruto Uzumaki would be the first two to feel Zeus's wrath."
Percy had a dumbstruck look on his face and Naruto actually looked nervous.
"So we have to find the stupid bolt," Percy said. "And return it to Zeus."
"Yeah, I would rather do that…I am not sure I am strong enough to beat some god." Naruto chuckled nervously.
"What better peace offering," Chiron said, "than to have the son of Poseidon and the son of his favorite daughter return Zeus's property?"
"If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?" Percy asked.
"I believe I know." Chiron's expression was grim. "Part of a prophecy I had years ago ... well, some of the lines make sense to me, now. But before I can say more, you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle."
"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?" Percy asked.
"Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge."
Percy swallowed. "Good reason."
"You agree then?"
Percy looked to Grover, who nodded and then to Naruto, who looked ready for anything. They nodded to each other and at the same time, they said, "We accept!"
"Besides, it is better than being turned into a dolphin." Percy stated, which made Naruto chuckle.
"Then it's time you two consulted the Oracle," Chiron said. "Go upstairs to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."
Naruto's eye twitched, that was never a good sign. What could this oracle be like? It can't be that bad, can it? He would soon find out as he and Percy went up four floors that ended under a green trapdoor. Percy pulled the cord and it swung open to reveal a ladder. The warm air from above smelled like mildew and rotten wood and something else…something that Percy remembered from biology class and Naruto from the one man he really didn't like; snakes.
Of course it really smelled bad, so they covered their faces as they went up.
The attic was filled with Greek hero junk: armor stands covered in cobwebs; once-bright shields pitted with rust; old leather steamer trunks plastered with stickers saying ITHAKA, CIRCE'S ISLE, and LAND OF THE AMAZONS. One long table was stacked with glass jars filled with pickled things—severed hairy claws, huge yellow eyes, various other parts of monsters. A dusty mounted trophy on the wall looked like a giant snake's head, but with horns and a full set of shark's teeth. The plaque read, HYDRA HEAD #1, WOODSTOCK, N.Y., 1969.
By the window, sitting on a wooden tripod stool, was the most gruesome memento of all: a mummy. Not the wrapped-in-cloth kind, but a human female body shriveled to a husk. She wore a tie-dyed sundress, lots of beaded necklaces, and a headband over long black hair. The skin of her face was thin and leathery over her skull, and her eyes were glassy white slits, as if the real eyes had been replaced by marbles; she'd been dead a long, long time. Percy got a freaked out look on his face while Naruto had an uncomfortable look.
Then, a green mist poured from the mummy's mouth, coiling over the floor in thick tendrils, hissing like twenty thousand snakes. Percy fell over and tried to get out, but the trapdoor was shut tight. Naruto was stone still as he glared at the mist, not liking this. Then they heard a voice in their heads. I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seekers, and ask. Naruto could tell this was freaking out his friend, so he put a hand on his shoulder and it seemed to work some. Looking back at it, he had to admit it was a bit creepy.
That green mist was its form of speaking to them and it did not feel evil like some things they had encountered so for, so he would give it a chance and it seemed Percy would to.
"What is our destiny?" they asked at the same time.
The mist swirled more thickly, collecting right in front of them and around the table with the pickled monster-part jars. Suddenly there were four men sitting around the table, playing cards.
Their faces became clearer. It was Smelly Gabe and his buddies, along with Tsunade.
Naruto smirked at the image of Gabe. He had beaten the fool at his own game, he also noticed that Percy looked pissed for a second before calming down, realizing the man was not actually here.
Gabe turned toward them and spoke in the rasping voice of the Oracle: You shall go west, and face the god who has turned.
Tsunade folded and said, The Prince of the two worlds shall meet his future and learn of the truth.
His buddy on the right looked up and said in the same voice: You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned.
The guy on the left threw in two poker chips, then said: You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend.
Finally, Eddie, the building super, delivered the worst line of all: And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.
The figures began to dissolve and as the mist retreated, coiling into a huge green serpent and slithering back into the mouth of the mummy, Percy cried, "Wait! What do you mean? What friend? What will I fail to save?"
The tail of the mist snake disappeared into the mummy's mouth. She reclined back against the wall. Her mouth closed tight, as if it hadn't been open in a hundred years. The attic was silent again, abandoned, nothing but a room full of mementos.
"Well…wasn't that helpful." Naruto's voice startled Percy and the boy could cut the blonds' sarcasm with a knife.
"Come one." Percy said shakily, "Let's get out of here, this place is creeping me out.
(Scene change)
"Well?" Chiron asked.
"She said we would retrieve what was stolen." Percy sighed.
Grover sat forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. "That's great!"
"What did the Oracle say exactly?" Chiron pressed. "This is important."
"She . .. she said we would go west and face a god who had turned. We would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned."
"I knew it," Grover said.
Chiron didn't look satisfied. "Anything else?"
Naruto saw that Percy didn't want to speak about it and he kept quiet as well. That last line was disturbing.
"No," Percy said. "That's about it."
"Well, there was this bit about the Prince of the two worlds meeting his future and learning the truth…but, I am not sure what that means."
"I see," Chiron said as he studied their faces. "Just know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."
"Okay," Percy said, anxious to change topics. "So where do we go? Who's this god in the west?"
"Ah, think, Percy," Chiron said. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?"
"Somebody else who wants to take over?" The boy guessed.
"Yes, quite. Someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that all three of them have now broken."
"Hades" The boys said at the same time.
Chiron nodded. "The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility."
A scrap of aluminum dribbled out of Grover's mouth. "Whoa, wait. Wh-what?"
"A Fury came after Percy and Naruto," Chiron reminded him. "She watched the young men until she was sure of their identity, then tried to kill them. Furies obey only one lord: Hades."
"Yes, but—but Hades hates all heroes," Grover protested. "Especially if he has found out Percy is a son of Poseidon...and that Naruto is the son of someone who said she never have kids! Plus he related to his wife and it wasn't his child."
"A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood before he can take on the quest."
"Hey." Naruto growled. "I know that Hades is an ass, but don't jump to conclusions! Maybe he is losing control of his monster." He felt like they were ganging up on him, and he was his great grandma's husband after all.
Chiron stared at Naruto for moment and smiled, "You could be right, but he is still a possibility." Naruto didn't like that but he just accepted it anyway.
"Great, two major gods what to kill me." Percy mumbled.
Naruto just punched Percy's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, even if I am not ready yet, I won't let any of my precious people die on me."
"Heh, thanks." Percy replied with a smile.
"But a quest to ..." Grover swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."
"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. You two must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."
Grover started trembling. He'd started eating pinochle cards like potato chips. The poor guy needed to complete a quest with Percy or Naruto so he could get his searcher's license, whatever that was.
"Hey, if it is him," Naruto started, "can't we complain to our uncles and then they could take care of it."
"Suspecting and knowing are not the same," Chiron said. "Besides, even if the other gods suspect Hades—and I imagine Poseidon does—they couldn't retrieve the bolt themselves. Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods always operate through humans?"
"I just thought they were too lazy," Naruto shrugged.
"You're saying we're being used." Percy stated, irritable about this information.
"I'm saying it's no accident that your father has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but they're in desperate situations. They need you."
"Great, the kids got to save our parent's asses." Naruto sighed, and Grover nodded to that and chuckled a bit at that.
"You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?" asked Percy, "and for Naruto as well, being the son of Artemis and all." Percy accused.
"I had my suspicions. Well not Naruto's as much. As I said ... I've spoken to the Oracle, too." Chiron said calmly.
"So let me get this straight," Percy said. "We're supposed go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead."
"Check" Chiron stated.
"Find the most powerful weapon in the universe."
"Check." Naruto said with a glim in his eye.
"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days."
"That's about right." Chiron said.
"Impossible odds, certain chance of death, what the hell are we waiting for?" shouted Naruto.
"Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" Grover asked weakly as he gulped down an ace of hearts.
"You don't have to go," Percy told him. "I can't ask that of you.
He took a deep breath, and then stood, brushing the shredded cards and aluminum bits off his T-shirt.
"You guys saved my life. If ... if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down." That made both of the boys smile, Percy because he wanted another friend with them and Naruto because he was proud of the satyr.
"All the way, G-man." Percy said and then turned to Chiron. "So where do we go? The Oracle just said to go west."
"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west. It moves from age to age, just like Olympus. Right now, of course, it's in America."
"Where?" Naruto asked.
Chiron looked surprised. "I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles."
"LA? Sweet!" Naruto cheered.
"Oh," Percy said. "Naturally. So we just get on a plane—"
"No!" Grover shrieked. "Percy, what are you thinking? Have you ever been on a plane in your life?" Percy shook his head in the negative.
"Percy, think," Chiron said. "You are the son of the Sea God. Your father's bitterest rival is Zeus, Lord of the Sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you in an airplane. You would be in Zeus's domain. You would never come down again alive."
"Ok, so what about me?" Naruto asked.
"To be honest, I am not sure" Chiron said thoughtfully, "But to be safe, I would say that you stay on the ground as well.
Overhead, lightning crackled. Thunder boomed. Naruto looked up and said, "I forgot about that."
"Okay," Percy said, determined not to look at the storm. "So, we'll travel overland."
"That's right," Chiron said. "Two companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered, if you will accept her help."
"Gee," Percy said, feigning surprise while smirking to Naruto, who did the same. "Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?"
The blond looked behind Chiron sense his fellow blond behind the man as she took off the Yankee's hat and she shimmered into existence for all to see. "I've been waiting a long time for a quest, seaweed brain," she said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up."
"Glad you care." Naruto smirked.
"If you do say so yourself," Percy said with a smirk. "I suppose you have a plan, wise girl?"
Her cheeks colored. "Do you want my help or not?"
"The four of us will work just fine." Percy said in return, happy to be traveling with people he knows and trusts.
"Excellent," Chiron said. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own." Lightning flashed. Rain poured down on the meadows that were never supposed to have violent weather. ""No time to waste," Chiron said. "I think you should all get packing."
"Already done." Naruto commented as seals glowed all over his body and in place of his clothes, was his ANBU gear. "I got everything I need right here."
"You have got to teach me that." Annabeth said with wide eyes.
"Maybe." Naruto said thoughtfully. He then had a strange thought. "But if this quest is anything like the wave mission, we are going to have to expect the unexpected."
"Naruto, you are the king of the unexpected." Percy replied.
"Ah well, I meet you guys here when you get back, I gotta go tell Thalia that we are going get her dad's doomsday toy back for him." With that, Naruto body flickered to the tree.
Annabeth turned back to Percy and asked, "Is he always…?"
"Yes." Both Percy and Grover said amused by the disappearing blond.
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