After being asked by multiple people and by personal acceptance by Curious Kitsune654, a reading version of the other side by your truly has arrived. Thank you thank keep the Applause going thank you. I'm a fan of the story and have followed the two previous reading versions until they were canceled or I don't know what happened to the watching version. Might be wondering Roman Trooper why you doing this?
I'm doing this because I love a good story and nice reading and challenge. It gives me a chance to try something different other than my own reading of my stories...
Curious Kitsune654 will be consulted during the reading process over details to make sure the work is acceptable to the story being told.
Please go check out the other side by Curious Kitsune654 if you want to enjoy the story without character Interjections. Or if you haven't read it go other there to appreciate the work being made by my fellow author.
Enjoy for I got friends on the other side...
"Idiotic son of the squid." Mr. D said as he sipped his grape juice. Dealing with Poseidon's son was a headache, especially one who constantly decided to jump into a pit of trouble for the fun. "Sorry Chiron but there's nothing more I can do."
The god smirked at the expression of annoyance and frustration on the trainer of heroes. After so many loses at the card table it was worth making the Centaur miserable like he was without his alcohol. And it showed on his face.
"Can you please take this seriously?" Chiron asked as he tried not to let his emotions out on the god before him. The centaurs tail flickered back and forth as his emotions waged under his skin. "Jackson left without permission to join a quest that-"
"Our residential sea demigod is like his father. Besides, Lieutenant Nightshade may straighten him out." Commented the lazy god before he burped. Wiping his mouth and then his shirt, Mr. D straightened up in his seat. "We both know that prophecies will be played out the way they're meant to. For good or ill intentions Percy Jackson was meant to go on this adventure by the Fates. Most likely only because they got drunk on wine again during a rave or whatever mortals are calling those parties."
"Huntress Phoebe was chosen by Zoe and as she explained to me before she took off, this is a land without rain."
Nodding his head the god snapped his fingers causing the deck of cards to shuffle. "I doubt it. There is only one geological feature described as such and I doubt Apollo or the Fates will allow such a literal description of an event that will take place."
Silence filled the big house as the two Immortals thoughts about the questions surrounding the quest and of the goddess of the hunt. The sound of the shuffling cards, the chimes and distant voices of the campers and the hunters filled the room. Out the window Chiron could see the camp and its inhabitants. He knew every one of those who called this place home and many if the hunters.
'Perhaps I should go talk to our newest member.' Chiron thought to himself in an attempt not to worry about what the future may or my not bring. Worried as he may be he still was a teacher and a counselor for all that called the camp home. 'Or perhaps go check on the condition of miss Phoebe.'
"You have that look in your eye again."
Chiron chuckled at the statement. "Oh? So you want to go talk with our newest member?"
"... No. I will not deal with a brat that calls me wine dude." Flipping open anotherwine magazine the god walked to the card table. "You in?"
"Not right now. I need to go see how our newest member is and on the condition our current resident in the infirmary is holding up. Before the remaining hunters and campers get into another fight... again."
"You go do that."
"Mr. D," Chiron said as he rubbed his temples to prevent a headache from forming. The god merely hummed in response to his name. Seeing that it would get him nowhere the trainer of heroes went to go check on the situation with Phoebe's condition and then deal with another matters.
Upon entering the Infirmary Chiron was pleased to see that his patient was awake. "How are you doing miss Phoebe?"
"Like the time I was humiliated by you back in the 13th century." She moaned as she shifted her weight on the cot. The older immortal gave her a small smile.
"You did not believe that I was a capable teacher then. I do recalled that Artemis did try and warn you not to let your pride blind you." Reaching down he checked her temperature and vital signs. "You're lucky that there was it enough time for the blood to seep in more than it did to your system."
"But it's ok right? I was a part of the prophecy and I was lost the land without rain..." Shifting his weight caused Phoebe's eyes to widen then fall. "I see... who was my replacement?"
The Horseman cough into his fist. "Initially Zoe did not want a fifth member but apparently fate had other plans."
Phoebe smiled. "So? I guessing it wasn't a hunter but there are plenty of demigoddes in the camp-"
"Mr. Jackson took it upon himself to be the fifth member."
Silence filled the infirmary as the huntress took in the words. However instead of randomly cursing the fact that her mistress was to be saved by a boy she only groaned and reached for something in the shadows. After feeling around for a moment she brought out a book.
"I only read a bit but it explains why he was in here." She said as she handed the object to Chiron. It was a book with a silver hard cover with a title that read From the Other Side in orange and yellow writing. "I found it over on the bookshelf."
"I've never seen it before." Looking at it Chiron could tell that it wasn't one of his collection of books he placed for reading for recovering demigods. Flipping it over he read the writing on the back.
When her fight with Atlas is interrupted by Luke using the power of Kronos, Artemis, goddess of the hunt and moon finds herself in the apartment of a familiar whiskered blonde. Low on power, badly hurt, and possibly being hunted, the huntress decides to hide inside the most unlikeliest of places, Naruto's soul. Only one problem, she isn't alone in there...
The Amphitheater was filled with chatter as Chiron stood next to the fire. "Thank you all for waking up so soon and joining me here this morning..."
Seeing that he had not gotten any attention yet from the campers he looked over to mr. D for help. Finding none he was about to yell out when the fireburst 30 feet into the air causing all present to be quiet. Seeing that he had the attention of all those attending thanks to a certain goddess hiding by the hearth, Chiron once more address the crowd of demigods and Hunters.
"Thank you for paying attention. Miss Phoebe, who whuke is still recuperating from her predicament has found something interesting that I will be sharing with you."
"Does it have to do with that book?" Asked Nico as he yawned.
Mr. D answered with a bored tone. "A book. Wonderful, perhaps next time a talent show so I can heckle you lot?"
"Not a bad idea. The talent show not the heckling. But yes a book. It seems that the fates wanted this to be read to all of you for some reason or another. Seeing that it was time for breakfast soon I chose to start now."
Muttering and groans camo from the campers who liked to sleep in. But seeing no one speaking outright the old trainer opened the book to read...
From the Other Side
-Chapter 1-
*CLANG!* *CRASH!* *KRAKA-BOOM!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*
Atop a blackened mountain, several figures could be seen locked in combat as a massive dark fortress seemed to be slowly building itself around them. A young girl with pitch black hair, wearing punk clothes, and wielding a spear and shield fought against an older teen boy with sandy blonde hair with an odd dual-colored sword.
Several members of Ares cabin cheered much to the discomfort of those related to Luke or were close to him. Travis Stoll glanced at the closest son of Ares. "Do you mind?"
"Nope." Said Mark as he hollered louder.
Another girl with similar black hair, a silvery hunting outfit, and a silver circlet on her brow was crouched next to an injured and bound blonde girl, shooting an expertly made silver lined hunting bow towards our main focus.
"Go Zoe!" Cheered a random Huntress.
A seemingly young girl with auburn hair, silver eyes, and lightly tanned skin littered with cuts that oozed golden blood struggled to support two silver hunting blades as they blocked a massive bronze javelin. Said javelin was wielded by a tall, excessively muscular man wearing golden Greek armor with an arrogant smirk.
These were Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, chastity, and the moon and Atlas, the titan of strength and endurance respectively.
This time the vast majority of the campers and hunters cheered as the two combatants were named. Even Mr. D had one of those foam hands on that read Go Sis! on it that he waved unenthusiastically as he paged through his magazine from Paris.
"Do you now see the futility of your actions now little goddess?" Atlas asked in a mocking tone as he slapped away an arrow that got close to his head and began to slowly apply more pressure. Artemis didn't verbally respond, instead she broke the blade lock and used the momentum to slip past his guard and slash at his back, withholding a groan as her weapons barely cut into his armor. "Soon you and your little companions shall be nothing more than a memory, a really bloody memory!"
"Boo! Less talking more slaughtering!" An Ares' voice rung out from within the crowd.
He emphasized this with a grazing blow of his spear, making a long shallow cut along Artemis's arm. 'Damn it, I don't have enough time! I doubt Poseidon's son can hold the sky for much longer.' Artemis thought, briefly glancing behind the titan to see a boy with spiky black hair and seafoam green eyes as he struggled to literally hold the sky in the air.
"And then he was crushed. Letting the sky fall and destroy everything miles around. The end."
"Mr. D I would appreciate if you keep those sorts of comments to yourself."
The god grumbled as he went back to his apple juice a satyr poured for him. Seeing that the god was silenced, even for a moment, the trainer of heroes went back to the book.
She knew that it was only a matter of minutes before the weight became too much for him and he was crushed. The goddess of the hunt was snapped out of her thoughts as she instinctually dodged out of the way of a jab that would have skewered her torso. "Ah, ah, ah, don't you know better than to get distracted during a fight. But of course, what would a pathetic woman know of real fighting anyway, hmmm?"
Chiron winced as waves of anger filled the air as the female members of the crowd glared with red eyes burrowing into him as he focused on the book. The feel unfortunate boys who were closest to hunters or daughters of war found themselves needing new undergarments from the anger radiating next to them. Even the daughters of love, though admittedly they were not known as fighters were pissed at the statement made by the titan.
…
"Oh my, did I hurt your feelings? Ahhhhh, are you gonna cry to daddy now?" Atlas said in a mocking sad tone as he smirked at the suddenly immobile goddess.
…
*Snap!*
Faster than the mighty titan could even blink, Artemis was right in front of his face with her now brightly glowing blades lodged deep into his shoulders, her face set into one of cold fury as she then proceeded to slash and hack at every bit of exposed flesh she could reach.
"THAT'S MY GIRL!" Came an excited femine voice. "MAKE YOUR MOTHER PROUD AND SHOW HER THAT YOUR THE BETTER CHILD THAN IAPETUS'S BOY!"
A sea of eyes turned towards the voice. There, standing in the archway was a tall blonde woman who wore a silver dress that slowly transitioned into gold from the top down. Seeing who it was Mr. D groaned and covered his eyes.
"It is an honor Lady Leto," random hunter #2 said as she recognized the mother of her mistress. Whispering broke out as the name was slowly prossecessed by the campers.
The titan mother of the twins smiled. "Thank you dear. I got a message from Hestia about some sort of story?"
"Pea snow found it in the library we have for those who are in the Infirmary." Mr. D said as he looked at Chiron who was shuffling on his hooves nervously. The last time the titan was at the camp was in Spain... "Are you sure that you'll be safe here?"
"I won't tell if you won't."
Mr. D thought about it. "Meh, doesn't bother me. Go sit with the brats."
Smiling a smile that was similar to Apollo's and Artemis's the titan walked over to a free spot on a bench. It was a coincidence that Phoebe was next to her shivering in a blanket. Steaming a cup of tea Leto handed it to the girl to help her recover before making herself one to enjoy as the story went on...
"GAAHHH! Damn bitch! Get the fuck off me!" Atlas screamed as he tried to pry the pissed goddess off his face only for his hands to get repelled with wild stabs and slashes whenever they got near. Finally having enough, he changed tactics and barreled straight through several walls and then body slamming head first into the floor, creating a moderately sized crater.
"Go aunty Arty!" Called out Lee Fletcher for his father's sister.
"Don't call her that." Chilled a hunter.
"Don't call her what? Aunty or arty?"
"Artemis. You should know that she hates being called that."
"Still haven't answered the question Kowalski." Lee teased before ducking under a pebble that was thrown.
Slowly getting back to his feet with a sneer as the wounds across his face swiftly healed shut, the 'General' raised his weapon high to strike at the dazed goddess. "Enjoy the taste of oblivion you little bi-GAHH!" Atlas was cut off as a single silver arrow lodged itself into one of the still healing wounds on his hand, causing him to lose his grip on the javelin as it fell to the ground with a clatter.
"Grrr… I was going to save you for last my traitorous offspring," He growled out as he slowly turned towards the bow-wielding girl with a snarl. 'But now I'm gonna rip you limb from lim- AAAAHG GAIA DAMN IT!" He howled as Artemis lodged her blades deep into his back.
"Wait, Zoe is his daughter? That means that she-"
Castor shushed his brother before he could continue his sentence. "None of that bro. It's only a story after all."
Caught by surprise, he was unable to resist in time as she shoved him towards the struggling boy. Realizing what she was doing, the titan's power flared as he tried to stop himself before it was too late. Having none of this, Artemis funneled her energy into her arms and pushed.
"Lady Artemis!" "Look out!"
Head snapping in the direction of the two shouts, the goddess was just in time to see the blonde boy just a few feet away with his odd sword descending towards her head with a sickly yellow glow. Pulling one of her knives free, she raised it up just in time to block the blade a mere inch from her head.
"You shall not stop us! Olympus shall fall!" The boy yelled as the glow around his sword brightened dramatically. Artemis's eyes widened dramatically as she got a good feel of the energy that the blade was giving off. 'K-Kronos!'
The camlers shivered as a cold breeze came from no where from the mentioning of the titan king's name. The fire flickered dark shades before glowing with warm colors after several seconds.
Knowing how dangerous her grandfather's power could be, the goddess was about to pull her blade back when a bright light suddenly blinded everyone in the vicinity.
When the light cleared, Atlas was lying face first in the ground with the sky on his back, the boy that was just in his place not too far away gasping desperately for breath, and the blonde boy stood with his blade embedded into the ground.
…Artemis was nowhere to be found.
A frenzy of excited chatter arose from the crowd as they all come to debate about what happened to the virgin goddess. Only Mr. D, Hestia (who was tending the fire), Leto and Chiron did not join in. Giving a sharp whistle the centaur got everyone to calm down.
-Meanwhile-
"Today sucked," A short boy with spiky blonde hair, sapphire blue eyes, tanned skin, and three whisker-like markings on each cheek groaned as he marched into a small apartment.
Kate Gardner hummed and stroked her chin. "He's cute."
"Yea." A daughter of Athena agreed with her.
Slamming the door shut behind him, he shuffled across the room and flopped into a small recliner with a tired sigh.
This was Naruto Uzumaki, twelve-year-old orphan, prankster king from hell,
"We resent that!" Comnor and Travis yelled out as they took badges from their pockets. "These are frist place prankster of the ear ribbons and we're the only ones with them for 3 years running!"
self-declared future Hokage… and current failure of the ninja academy. For the second time now, he had failed the final test because he still couldn't preform a Bunshin no Jutsu, the most basic of clone techniques.
"Hey Malcolm what's a buttchin or whatever it's called?" Called out a child of a minor god.
"Its not buttchun its bunshin, a Japanese word Jack."
"Oh... but still-"
"I'm not Japanese and just because I'm a child of wisdom doesn't mean I know everything. Once I know I'll tell you. Or if you were paying attention you would know its some kinda cloning spell."
"Stupid jutsu, why doesn't it ever work for me?" He wondered aloud. No matter how much he practiced, no matter how long he trained, that jutsu would always turn out a flop whenever he attempted the technique. The best he had ever gotten was a single dead looking clone that would collapse immediately after forming.
The worst part for him was how all the other students would laugh like crazy each time he failed, mocking and teasing him while he just stood there with a fake smile, declaring he would prove that he would be the best. He loved the attention, hell he practically lived for it… but just once he wanted someone to pay attention because they were proud of him.
Several demigods and demigoddes frowned at the passage. It felt a little clos to home with how they weren't claimed or were shunned by the gods into a falling down cabin for Hermes. A few hunters also had frowns as memories of their past before the hunt were recalled.
'Well, there's always tomorrow.' Naruto thought with a smile as he stood back up. His apartment was small, only consisting of a living room with attached kitchenette, a bathroom, and a bedroom. It never bothered him though, it was his home and he was happy with the way it was. Right now, he was shuffling around the kitchenette, looking around for his favorite comfort food.
"That sounds lonely." Nico's voice ranged out as he shifted on the bench.
"It's better than the street." An ash covered camper said as she cleaned dirt from her forging goggles with an oil covered rag.
Opening the cupboard, his smile turned to a frown as he saw only a single package of instant ramen sitting all by it's lonesome. *Groan* "Great, have to go shopping later," Naruto grumbled as he grabbed the solitary package and set it on the counter as he got to work boiling some water.
Five minutes later, he was back in his recliner with a steaming cup of ramen in hand and a rare relaxed expression on his face as he watched a cheesy action movie on his small TV. Gently blowing on the ramen to cool it down, Naruto used a pair of disposable chopsticks to raise the noodly goodness to mouth.
"Eat something else or your going to get sick." Michael Yew said with concern.
Just as he was about to take his first bite though, he was blinded by a sudden flash of yellow and silver light as a sudden weight fell onto his lap. When his vision cleared, he found himself looking straight into the silver eyes of a visibly stunned unknown girl as she straddled his lap.
Snickers came from the Aphrodite cabin members at the looks of the hunters seeing thier mistress in a... interesting postion.
'Pretty…' Was the last thing he thought before he felt a sudden jolt of pain in his neck and everything went black.
Artemis looked down at the unconscious boy beneath her, she had knocked him out purely by reflex, but not before she had seen the surprise and confusion in his eyes as he looked at her. He had clearly not known who she is, so was likely not an enemy.
"He's lucky lady Artemis is so merciful." Random Huntress #1 said.
"Agreed." Said random hunter #4 through 9.
That being said…
"Where in Tartarus am I?" She wondered as she looked around the small apartment with confusion. Attempting to focus her power into her senses, Artemis suddenly collapsed due to her exhaustion having caught up with her. Re-lifting herself off the blonde beneath her, the goddess's equivalent of adrenaline finally wore off and she felt her numerous injuries ache.
Leto took out a camera and summoned an image of the describe scene and took a photo of her daughter and her unorganized clothing on the unconscious boy much of the discomfort of the hunters. 'Perfect blackmail for later.'
Her breathing became uneven, her vision started blurring, and her entire body trembled violently as realization finally hit her. She was almost completely out of energy, only having enough to barely keep herself conscious. With this came the harsh truth, she was entirely defenseless, badly injured, and in an entirely unknown area.
"Not to mention doing an interesting postion on a boy." Mr. D said with interest as he laughed. He was going to ask Leto for that photo, the things he could do to make the twins not let Zues see it.
'I need to get somewhere safe to regain my strength before making my way back to Olympus.' She thought as she tried to climb off the boy only to collapse again.
Immature snickering broke out that the hunters glaring did little to prevent, only make worse.
'Yeah, how in Tartarus am I supposed to do that when I can barely move?' Artemis knew she didn't have the time to waste, it probably wouldn't be long before Kronos's followers sent someone or something to hunt her down while she was weakened.
'Think Artemis think,' She said to herself as she took a deep breath. 'You're wounded, exhausted, and probably being hunted… huh, so this is what my prey feel like, Gah! Focus! I need somewhere to hide, somewhere to rest, somewhere nobody would… think to… look." Her thoughts ground to a halt as she looked down at the boy she landed on, an idea slowly forcing itself to the front of her mind.
A son of Ares opened his mouth to speak only to have his sister Cassie cover it with a shake of her head. "Now is not the time Bro."
As a goddess, she had many abilities, most of which were linked to her respective domains. However, there was one that all gods she knew of could, but almost never did, use. 'Desperate times call for desperate measures I guess…' She thought with a sigh while leaning down until she was face to face with the unconscious child.
"No no no no." Chanted Phoebe as the gears in her head clicked to what her mistress was planning.
"You should be honored, as you will be allowed a privilege that no man has ever had." She told him despite knowing he couldn't hear, before doing something that would make every one of her hunters have a heart attack.
She kissed him.
Far away on the other side of lake sound early morning households jumped as shrieks of horror and joy filled the air.
"This is a nightmare!"
"We mist find our Lady and prevent that boy from defiling her!"
"By the Fates will why!?"
"Aren't you being a little melodramatic?" Asked Mr. D as the hunter's panicked. "It's only a book."
"But its the greatest gossip ever!" The head of Aphrodite's cabin squealed as she forgot her name from the excitement.
The moment their lips connected however, her entire body glowed a bright silver and dispersed into particles that soaked into the boy's body. The only proof she was ever there being a few drops of golden Ichor.
-End Chapter-
Chiron held up the book. "I am not going to read this anymore..."
"Boo!"
"You can't do that!"
"More!"
After a few moments he went in. "Instead I will pick a cabin from a jar and they will read it. The fates will chose who will read. And that includes Mr. D, lady Leto, satyrs, nymphs and the hunters. That way everyone gets a turn. Ok?"
A chorus of yes filled the air. Seeing that there was an agreement, Chiorn had a nymph go collect a fish bowl with strips of paper that had the names of all the cabins and forementioned individuals on them. Ask for the crowd Chiron disperse them. "Go eat and then reconvene here in one hour for more. Mr. D, no you cannot remove your name from the bowl."
Hope you all enjoyed. Please leave a comment as well as help fate by voting in the poll for which cabin will read chapter 2.