AN: Hello once again people! Just a few more chapters to go...I'm so sad...But wait...There's still the sequel.

Check my profile out for an awesome pic of Naruto and Kyubi from this fic, courtesy of TenshinG.

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

Sun's Heir, Death's Guardian

XXVI

Naruto led the two younger demigods into the Olympian Council chambers, biting back a snort when he looked up at the Gods' ten-feet-tall forms dressed in modern clothes, save for his father, who had chosen to wear the most memorable piece of attire of Minato Namikaze's in his last days of life, the signature white cloak settled over his Olympian armor quite nicely, reminding Naruto that maybe he should look into getting another red cloak of his own. The blond strode forward, spotting his aunt, who had hardly changed her appearance save for her equally tall size, and gave her a brief nod. He came to a stop in the center of the circular room, kneeling before the Big Three. Normally he'd be relaxed and go against tradition, but this was a very important meeting and he did not want to fuck up his chances of swaying the Gods to whatever side of the argument he took.

Looking over his shoulder to see his, for lack of a better term, girlfriend and the boy his pseudo sister liked still standing, he hissed, "Guys!"

Percy and Thalia exchanged a look before shrugging and kneeling before their fathers, both of them thinking the whole thing was stupid. Ignoring the two younger demigods' discomfort, Naruto kept his head bowed as he spoke, "Lord Zeus, thank you for welcoming us in your home."

Apollo, catching onto his son's game, raised a fist to his mouth and coughed, "Suck up! Suck up!"

As Hermes tried to stifle down some snickers, Naruto had to resist the urge to retort and kept his composure before his grandfather's voice echoed in the room, "Rise, Demigods."

Naruto, Thalia and Percy all did so, Naruto sending his smirking father and snickering uncle a brief glare. He nodded to the other two members of the Big Three, "Lord Hades...Poseidon."

"Speak freely, Uzumaki," Hades droned as he shifted his head onto his other hand, "Chaos knows your mother does."

Sighing in relief, Naruto thanked the God he was employed to before grinning at his now groaning grandfather, "Hey Rai-Jiji! How's it going?"

"You just had to say it, didn't you Hades?" Zeus grumbled to his amused eldest brother, turning to address his daughter, "Thalia Grace...It's...good to see you."

"That wasn't so hard to say, now was it?" Poseidon teased before smiling at his son, "Hello once again, Percy."

"Hi Dad," Percy replied while shifting uneasily from where he stood. It was so weird talking to his dad when he was at least twice his size.

"Well now that the greetings are out of the way, can we get to the topic of our evening?" Hera asked, cutting straight to the point after glaring at Thalia. The girl stood defiant under her stepmother's glare, matching it with her own ferocity.

"Spit-fire~!" Kyu sang as he materialized behind Naruto. The blond glared at him and the spirit merely grinned in response, "Hey, I haven't heard anyone say I wasn't allowed to talk."

"Don't push your luck, Fox," Apollo grumbled with a glare as his eyes narrowed on the former biju. No, he hadn't forgiven the creature for killing his mortal wife and his human shell, nor had his services to Naruto appeased the God of the Sun's anger towards the spirit, even if he was under someone else's control.

Zeus, however, was curious about the newcomer. Sitting taller in in his seat, the King of Olympus spoke, "And who are you, spirit?"

Hades interjected before Kyu could speak, "He's but a servant bound to the boy's weapons. He is not of importance at the moment."

"Indeed," Poseidon agreed as he nodded his head and a tub previously set off to the side slid over in their direction, stopping next to Percy. Bessie's head popped out with a croon and splashed the demigod, who glared at his cousin for smirking at his now slightly drenched state.

"The Ophiotaurus is in our hands," the God of the Sea said before looking to his brother, "We can ensure that it can't be used against us."

"We should destroy it," Ares said, his eyes narrowing at the creature that could end his family's reign and/or lives. That and the ensuing slaughter would be violent, which he was always up to see. And he was kind of hungry for some calamari steak.

Zeus hummed in thought as the creature gave out a fearful croon, ducking back into the tub. His bloodthirsty son made a good point. The end of the Ophiotaurus would mean one less tool that could be used against them in any future war.

Seeing his uncle contemplating killing Bessie, Percy spoke up, "You can't just kill him!"

"Stow it sea-for-brains!" Thalia hissed, getting a smirk from Athena and a grumble from Poseidon.

Percy looked at Thalia with determination, "No! It's not fair to Bessie!"

There was silence before Apollo and Hermes broke out into snickers. Ares couldn't fight down the smirk on his face that he shared with an even more amused Athena, whom was amused for the feminine name given to the obviously male creature. Aphrodite giggled into her hand along with Demeter, while the Goddess of Love's husband let out a few chuckles. Poseidon kept a straight face that could've equaled Hades' apathetic gaze, while the two older gods internally were cracking up. Dionysius and Hera both had indifferent looks on their faces that betrayed nothing. Looking closely at the King, who appeared to be the same as his wife, one could see the amusement twinkling in his eyes.

"Both of you grow up," Artemis hissed to her snickering twin and younger brother, trying not to let her embarrassment at their actions show. Why did she have to be the elder twin and why was she cursed with a mischievous brother that encouraged Apollo's antics?

"Aside from just making a total fool of himself, the Water Boy has a point," Kyu chimed in as he hovered behind Naruto, who was rubbing his temple at the way the council meeting was going.

"And that would be?" Zeus asked while Poseidon sent the spirit a glare and Hades' smirk widened. The God of the Underworld so enjoyed that spirit's sense of humor at times.

Naruto lowered his hand from his head and stood determinedly in front of the Big Three with his arms crossed before he spoke in Kyu's place, "Osu-kun doesn't need to die for your reign to be safe. I mean, look at him. Really look at him."

The Olympians did just that, all turning their attention to the frightened beast as he hid in the tub. After a moment of letting them stare, Naruto continued, "You're speaking as though he had the choice to be given his power."

Unseen by the others, Apollo winced but remained silent as his son continued, "It's not like he wants to die and end your reign by burning his intestines. Look at him and tell me you're so uncertain of your own strength that you have to kill a purely innocent creature with the unfortunate curse of power given to him."

"Curse of Power?" Poseidon rumbled questionably. Naruto sighed and gestured to the spirit behind him.

"My Curse stands beside me," explained the blond, "When I was newly born and Dad's time in the Hidden Lands came to an end, Kyu was forced to attack my home, nearly destroying it."

"Your father, using the last of his ties to the mortal realm, struck a deal with Thanatos and sealed the beast within you," Hades interrupted tiredly, making the council look at the bored God of the Dead in confusion as he waved the story off, "Yes, yes, I've heard it all before."

"But you didn't hear how that affected me," Naruto continued as the spirit placed a hand on his shoulder, "Because of Kyu's presence within me, and the absence of my parents, the village treated me as a pariah. I was damned for something I had no control over and no knowledge of until I was twelve. How can you be higher than mortals if you let your irrational fear overcome you like it did my village?"

Athena hummed aloud, getting the council's attention, "He speaks with wisdom. We are above the mortal standards and shouldn't fear the creature for something out of its control. Although I wish to know more of this...sealing."

"Talk to him," Naruto said, throwing a thumb in his father's direction and pointedly ignoring the God's hands waving to make him shut up, "Before he and Mom died they were the best on the planet. If anyone knows anything worth their spit about seals, it's him."

"Discuss it later," Zeus interjected, seeing the gleam in his daughter's eyes and the glare Apollo received for keeping this type of thing from her. The God of the Sky looked back at the creature before addressing his grandson, "And what would you have us do? Release it?"

"Osu-kun is a guy, not an it," Naruto corrected as he walked over to the Ophiotaurus before petting him between the horns and getting a grateful croon. Smiling slightly at the creature, Naruto looked at the Gods, "And why not keep him? He'd make a great pet."

"Yes, let's keep the creature that could kill us, because that sounds like a great idea," sarcastically replied Ares, whose mood had turned sour as he saw his nephew's words get through to the other Gods. There went that plan for calamari steak.

"Why not? I mean, I kept the Fox around," Naruto said, gesturing to Kyu.

The spirit then crossed his arms and growled, "I am no pet, Kit! If anything I'm your guardian! Order knows you need it with the suicidal plans you come up with."

"That happens to be a great quality of the Uzumaki and you know it!" Naruto retorted.

"Where would we keep the Ophiotaurus?" Artemis asked, getting back to the point.

"Dad could take care of him," Percy suggested, making Naruto and Kyu look at him like he was an idiot.

"Yes, because Rai-Jiji would ever let that happen," the blond demigod replied before any of the Big Three could speak. He then looked to one of his favorite uncles, "Uncle Heph, could you build a tank for the Ophiotaurus?"

A brow was arched and the short smithing god leaned forward, "Are you questioning my abilities, brat?"

"Could you say that again with the word 'Ye'?" Kyu asked with his red eyes twinkling. Naruto palmed his face, getting butted in the back by a displeased Bessie for the petting being stopped, at the stupid question. The spirit once more found himself under the gazes of the Gods and he elaborated, "What? He looks like a dwarf, walks like a dwarf and sounds like a dwarf. Haven't any of you watched the Lord of the Rings?"

Holy crap, how have I never noticed that!? Helios exclaimed before he burst into laughter.

"Why do I let you watch movies?" Naruto asked the spirit that was supposedly on his side before turning to his uncle, "Ignore him, please. I meant to ask would you build a tank for Osu-kun?"

"I could, but I'd need some of your help, Poseidon," the gruff voice of the Smithing God replied, looking to his own Uncle, "Water pressure and the ideal habitat layout. Not to mention the materials that could withstand it...and a cleaning feature."

"I'm sure there's a seal that could do that last bit," Naruto mused as he went back to absentmindedly petting the Ophiotaurus.

"I faintly recall Kushi-ch-Er, Kushina Uzumaki mentioning such a seal," Apollo said, correcting himself before his pet name for the blond demigod's mother was known to all. Apparently all he had to worry about was the knowing look Hermes gave him, to which he was thankful.

"The creature could remain on Olympus under the watchful eye of the King of Olympus," Poseidon said to his brother.

Knowing that his pride was being appeased, Zeus then shifted his gaze to Hades to see if he had any qualms with it. The Lord of the Underworld snorted and looked back to the demigod in his employ.

"Keep your pet," Hades mumbled as a small smirk appeared on his face, "I have no care for it and no time to play with it...unlike some people."

Ignoring the jab made towards himself and the 'free' time he had, Zeus then looked down at the creature, "Then as King of Olympus, I decree that the Ophiotaurus shall be kept on Olympus under guard so that he needn't be used against the Gods."

The sky rumbled with thunder as Zeus made his order, making Naruto and Poseidon roll their eyes at his theatrics. Percy pumped his fist with a not so quiet "Yes!" and Thalia grinned, pleased that her, once again for lack of a better term, boyfriend had managed to sway the Gods in keeping the creature alive.

"Now for the next order of business," Zeus continued, "What is to be done about the two prophetic children?"

"Wait what?" Both Percy and Thalia chorused while Naruto's grin faded and he looked at the two worriedly. He hadn't expected this to come up at the meeting.

"I say we destroy them," Ares growled, glaring at Percy.

"That's your answer to everything," Hermes snipped, looking at the kids, "We could just let them go."

And this is why I loved the fact that I wasn't an Olympian, Helios chimed in Naruto's head, I could never bring myself to kill someone who had the misfortune of having horny parents.

I already used the misfortune card, though! Naruto thought worriedly as the Olympians started to argue over Thalia and Percy's lives. Hera, Athena and Ares were all for their deaths, while Apollo, Artemis, Demeter, Aphrodite and Hermes were against it. Hephaestus, Dionysius and the Big Three were silent: Hephaestus mostly because he didn't really care either way and was thinking about the construction of Bessie's tank; Dionysius was having an internal battle because while they had made his normally boring life as Camp Counselor interesting, they were also demigods; while the Big Three were obligated to remain silent as all of them had bias opinions.

Well...you could throw my vote in, not sure if it will help, though, Helios offered.

"Yeah, because the Olympians will believe me when I say 'Helios says that he wants them to live,'" Naruto said aloud, his frustration blinding him to the outside world. The Olympians' arguments came to a still as he continued to bicker with his past life, "That'll go over swimmingly."

It might just work, Helios said jovially, You never know unless you try.

"Oh come on, they'll just declare me crazy and throw me out. Might as well throw a hug myself jacket on in the process," Naruto continued, his obliviousness to the world getting to the point where he saw Helios standing across from him with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

I think you're being too hard on yourself, Kid, the Faded God said with a grin.

"And I think you're being too optimistic," countered Naruto. The Gods stared in disbelief at the half argument they heard. They couldn't tell if he was being serious at the moment or not. Apollo, taking a chance, chipped off a piece of his throne before tossing it at his son. The teen absentmindedly caught it before glaring at his father, "D'you mind? I'm in the middle of thinking here."

"Whatever argument you were just having, you just told the whole council about," Percy informed him.

"What are you talking abo...Oh," Naruto felt his eyes widen again before he glared at the empty space he saw Helios in, "You knew I was talking out loud, you ass!"

Helios burst into laughter before his image faded away along with his voice. Naruto, cheeks reddening in embarrassment, turned to look at the Olympians that were now looking at him intently, "Um...It's a side effect of dying. I tend to argue with myself all the time."

"Bullshit," Hades mumbled with narrowed eyes, "How long have you been in contact with Helios, Boy?"

"Would you believe just three hours?" Naruto asked as he rubbed his head, trying to stave off his upcoming headache before pointing at the two demigods, "And weren't you about to deal with them first?"

"Whiskers!" "Hey!"

"He has a point," Poseidon admitted as he turned to look at Zeus, "What say you, brother?"

"A vote," Zeus rumbled after a moment of thought, "The lives of the demigods shall be determined in a vote, and then we shall address the situation the boy is in. All in favor of killing them now?"

"Always," Ares snapped as he glared at Percy who glared right back. Their dislike for each other was border-lining a dangerous form of rivalry Naruto had seen once before. The God of War's mouth slowly turned upwards in a grin, "Yea."

"They're not supposed to be alive," Hera commented with her own glare on Thalia, once again matched by the raven-haired girl. Naruto and Kyu both snarled at the statement, having heard something similar before leaving the Hidden Lands. The Queen of the Gods continued, "I vote yea."

"Well I think it's absolutely barbaric to kill children who had no say in where they came from," Aphrodite retorted. The Gods turned and gave her looks of utter disbelief, making her roll her eyes, "Oh fine! I have my own plans for them and killing them would ruin everything I've set up. Of course I vote Nay!"

"Considering Theresa had made my life easier while she was a tree and Peter Johnson has been making the years go by faster with his own stupidity, so against my better judgment I'm going to vote Nay," Dionysius mumbled before glaring at the blond, "But if he has to die I say yea."

Apollo's hands clenched his throne tightly as he glared at the God of Wine, keeping silent until it came his turn to vote. An impressive amount of restraint on his part, if one asked the Olympians. Zeus's gaze went to his wisest child, Athena.

The Goddess of Wisdom spoke, "My first instinct is to vote Yea...But just moments ago, Apollo's son convinced us not to kill out of fear. If I were to vote Yea here, what would that show? That I fear these demigods? No. What they could do? No, of course not. In that case, I vote Nay."

Hephaestus, who was still in his own little word, had to be nudged by Aphrodite to snap out of it, making him look around, "Hm? What? Are we voting on something? What'd Ares vote?"

"Yea," Hermes informed him helpfully.

"Then I say Nay, now leave me alone," Hephaestus grumbled as he went back to planning the Ophiotaurus' tank. The Olympians shared an amused snort and/or smirk before looking to the other side of the room.

"Thalia was a gorgeous tree and the crops were protected well by Percy's impulsive decision to help retrieve the Fleece," Demeter commented, "I vote Nay."

"Athena said it in the most logical way, Hephaestus the most boring, but I've already made my choice," Hermes piped up next with a grin, "I vote Nay, too. These kids are too fun to lose so soon."

"I would have to agree with Hermes," Apollo said as he leaned back in his seat and pressed his index fingers together, interlacing his hands and pressing the pointers over his mouth in mock thought before he smirked, "'Course, my vote was decided as soon as Naruto gave us Helios' opinion. I vote Nay. What do you say, Sis?"

Artemis glared at her brother from the corner of her eyes before looking down at the demigods. Taking a breath, Artemis spoke, "Thalia Grace is brash and quick to anger–"

"Big shocker," Hades grumbled, earning a glare from his youngest brother and a smirk from Poseidon at the pun.

"But she fights well and with heart," Artemis continued, giving her uncle the stink eye for interrupting her, "Percy Jackson has just as much heart and, though it pains me to say it, is worthy of his life. The both of them risked their lives for my own. If we destroy heroes who do us a great favor, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian justice, I will have none of it. I vote Nay."

Naruto leaned over to Percy and whispered, "I think that means she likes you."

"R-Really?" Percy whispered back.

"Don't look too deep into it," Kyu quietly replied with a smirk, "She most likely just finds you interesting...like a scientist would an ant."

Percy gulped at that and looked up as Zeus' voice boomed around the room, "Being as our votes would be biased, the vote is cast. The Nay's have it: The Demigods Thalia Grace and Perseus Jackson shall live."

Naruto, Thalia and Percy felt their shoulders slump in relief. Naruto however tensed up once more as his grandfather continued, "Now onto the final topic of discussion: Naruto Uzumaki, step forward."

The masked spirit growled, his porcelain mask splitting and revealing a frightening visage of a large lion-sized fox. The symbol of Olympus shone brightly on his forehead while small white portions of the mask were spread across the face. Aphrodite gave a small cry of surprise while the rest of the Olympians jumped in their seats...save for Hades and Apollo. Hades merely kept a stern gaze on the fox while Apollo tightened his fist and narrowed his eyes.

"Easy, easy," Naruto calmed down the spirit by reaching up and patting the spirit on the side of his head, "It's okay. Relax."

The spirit calmed slightly to the point that his mask returned and his body shrank. Naruto patted the spirit on the shoulder, before doing as he was asked; Naruto stepped forward and Kyu turned into red mist before reappearing next to him protectively. Zeus towered over his grandson, looking down at him in curiosity before he asked, "Do you know how it happened?"

"No clue," Naruto answered honestly and with a shrug, "Just...I was poisoned by Ladon before the fight with Atlas, maybe that had something to do with it?"

"The Serpent's poison has never been survived," Hera commented as her eyes narrowed, "Do you have vitakinesis?"

"Last I checked the Kit always wore a condom," crudely joked the Fox only to get harshly elbowed in the gut. It seems as though the spirit has returned to using humor rather than savagery.

"Please ignore his presence," Naruto pleaded before glaring at Kyu, "He's trying to be funny when it isn't needed."

"I'm not lying though, you did always wear a condom," Kyu said with a twinkle in his blood red eyes and a smirk on his muzzle before he was turned into mist and disappeared into Naruto's bracelet under the teen's will. The blond could feel Thalia and his Aunt glaring at him and if she were here, Naruto was sure that his mother would be chewing him out for doing something so like his father when he was still "young". Hera's frown at the Fox's last statement was making him feel even more uneasy for already being on his step-grandmother's bad side.

"In the boy's defense," Hermes slowly began, "That's more than any of us can say."

The Gods all shifted uneasily while Aphrodite and Demeter curled their nose in disgust at the thought of one of those uncomfortable things inside of them. Artemis had turned her gaze to Apollo, who was covering his face with one hand and refusing to meet her gaze, allowing her to recall what Naruto had revealed back before this whole endeavor began.

"I will be having words with you after this, brother," the Goddess of Chastity quietly vowed making the Yondaime Hokage cringe. Curse her ability to recall things that he had done to displease her. This was going to be like that Plague incident all over again.

"Your personal history aside," Zeus finally began, "Is there any way you could think of this happening?"

Naruto crossed his arms and bowed his head as he went deep in thought, his face turning stoic as he flipped through his first conversation with Helios and then to his past life. His head snapping up, Naruto then looked at his grandfather and answered, "There was a technique one of my village's leaders developed, though it was deemed forbidden due to its use of human sacrifices, but I doubt that my father or Kaachan would have let that happen while I was in the womb. If anything, maybe a Primordial God had something to do with it."

"Explain," Zeus demanded, narrowing his eyes as he looked at his grandson. The other gods had sat up as soon as the word Primordial came out of his mouth.

"When Helios and I first 'spoke'," Naruto began, "He mentioned that someone or something calling themselves Order put him back into play by putting his presence within a portion of my soul he called The Fade."

The King of the Gods took a deep breath before looking at his brothers, who both had the same serious look on their faces, and then returning his gaze to the blond standing before him. He then looked to Athena, who looked like she was trying to puzzle everything together and then over to Apollo, whose hands had once more returned to that thinking posture while his eyes had shut. Next to himself and his brothers, those two were the smartest on the council, though Apollo failed to show it often, and were the most likely to figure out what this meant for the upcoming battle.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Zeus continued again, "We believe that you are being honest, and that you have nothing more to hide. As it is, you have been chosen to hold the power of a God. We will be watching you, Naruto Uzumaki, and then a day will come before another vote will be proposed. Until that day, you and the demigods are dismissed."

Thunder rumbled through the air and Naruto felt a weight fall off of his shoulders before he turned to face Thalia and Percy, nodding at them as he started to walk towards the exit. The two looked back to the Gods before following after the blond, exiting the council room with the doors closing behind them.

It was then that Percy had a thought occur to him, "Hey wait a minute...Where's Grover?!"

"Over there," Naruto tiredly pointed to said Satyr talking to several nymphs. Before either of the two could stop him, Percy had run over to his friend's side, reuniting with a bro hug and laughter. The two other demigods continued in their stroll, stopping outside of Olympus at an overlook by the edge. Well, Naruto stood by it while Thalia kept her distance.

"Whiskers," Thalia started once they were alone, making Naruto look to her displeased gaze, "What did Kyu mean in there?"

Sighing, Naruto fully faced Thalia and smiled weakly, "Sorry Thalia-chan, you can't take my virginity."

He was punched in the face, making his head snap back as his hands went to his nose. Stumbling back with several hushed curses, Naruto lowered his hands and sniffed, praying that blood and/or ichor wasn't pouring out of the appendage, "I deserved that!"

Looking back at the girl apologetically, Naruto asked, "Feel better?"

"A little," Thalia admitted with a softer gaze in her still narrowed eyes, "But I'm still mad at you."

Naruto laughed tiredly, giving her a soft smile as he stood less than an arm's length away, before he softly joked, "You're always mad at me."

"Well maybe if you weren't always an idiot I wouldn't have to be," countered Thalia as her mouth quirked upwards before she initiated a hug, burying her face in his chest and letting out a dry laugh, "Don't ever change, Whiskers..."

"Never plan to, Thalia-chan," Naruto returned softly as he hugged her back before kissing her on the head, "Never plan to."

AN: I...I think there's only one chapter left after this...I...I think I'm gonna cry!

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