Thanks as always for the support everyone. I had some trouble with Grammarly while writing this chapter, so I'm sorry if it's not the best-written chapter of the bunch. Grammarly doesn't want to agree with me at the moment. Taking a little break after this chapter, but don't worry. I've already got ideas for the next couple of chapters.
Hope you all enjoy Part XII.
Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover
Dining With Divinity
Part XII
Underworld
"Come on. We need to head back before your father begins to notice our absence," Hecate replied, halting, and turning around to look at Melinoe. The Goddess of Ghosts was stood in the middle of the path, watching as the gates that housed the old ones came to close, "Melinoe. Are you listening?"
"I know." Her reply came out as little more than a whisper, "I'm just wrapping my head around everything that happened today. It's a lot to take in."
The amount of information she received about the mysterious blonde was overwhelming. On the one hand, she was grateful she was able to speak to the people that knew him best. His wife. His children. His parents. Everyone who could tell him about the different aspects of his life. The ups and the down. His childhood, which led into his teenage years, and then into adulthood. She felt she might know the man better than himself. His parents couldn't help much given they died young and on the day he was born, but his wife, Hinata, had been a treasure trove of knowledge. They were understandably suspicious at first, but steadily opened up when they realized she meant no ill will to them or Naruto.
Jiraiya, despite his initial friendliness, and the woman with the giant melons hadn't spoken much. Most of the time they watched and listened, their gaze locked on the pair of goddesses like a homing beacon. Tsunade had pitched in when needed, and Melinoe couldn't help but feel the maternal worry that came off the blonde woman. Given Kushina had died the day Naruto was born, Melinoe would hazard a guess that Tsunade had taken it upon herself to play the maternal role in his life. She mentioned how she once had to tie him to a chair and ordered a woman named Shizune to force-feed steamed vegetables into his mouth. When she punched her fist into her other hand, both goddesses had the feeling Tsunade was the kind of a person who enjoyed tough love.
"What will you do now?"
Melinoe sighed and scratched the back of her head. What should she do now? There was an immortal from the Golden Generation waking amongst modern society, and the Gods had no idea he existed. For something to go amiss from her extended family on Olympus, and remain out of the sight from the gaze of Zeus was laughable. Her father's brother was suspicious of anything that didn't belong, especially when they had power.
Whether he had power along with his immortality was a question mark. This power called chakra that the old souls could wield sounded like something out of a storybook, and yet the way they described it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Mortals who could use that type of power felt wrong. Like the everyday person wouldn't be able to handle having that kind of power at their disposal. It was no wonder the Old Souls lived in a time of constant bloodshed and espionage, where nations and people were overflowing with hubris and greed. If people of today could use chakra, then she could picture the wrathful Earth Mother awaking from her slumber to punish humanity once again.
"I don't know," Melinoe muttered. She turned around and caught up with Hecate. Instead of waking along the olden path again, the bodies of the two goddesses began to light up. In the blink of an eye, the pair disappeared from the gates and reappeared within the palace of Hades. They stood in Melinoe's quarters, with Hecate watching as Melinoe sundered over to the foot of her bed and promptly dropped herself on top of it with all the grace of a newborn duckling, "I should tell my father."
That wasn't surprising. Given all but one of the Old Souls were within his Realm, the God of the Underworld would want to know how one of the Old Ones wasn't claimed by his domain.
"And what do you think Hades will do?" Hecate asked.
"It's hard to say. There's still a couple of months until Mother comes home, so his mood will be gloomy at best." The Queen of the Underworld was one of the few people who could bring Hades out his shell, and bring down the iron walls Hades put around himself. She always had the most success, followed closely by the Mother of the Elder Gods, "I'd tell her first before I'd tell Father. She's always been good at cooling down his temper."
Hecate hummed, and crossed her arms, "Hades has never been the type to act first, and ask questions later. That's always been Zeus, and occasionally, Poseidon. Your father is far more patient than either of them. He waits and watches before deciding if he needs to act."
"I think you give him far too much credit."
"I think you don't give him enough."
Melinoe rose an eyebrow, "Well then, what do you think I should do with this information?" She asked. Despite being the daughter of the God of the Underworld, Hecate had known him much longer. She was a good judge of character. It was why she spent so much time in the Underworld.
"I think you should go to Hades, and fill him in on what's happened today. He won't like getting left out of the loop," Hecate replied, pulling a face and tapping her chin, "I can't help but wonder what he would do."
The Goddess of Ghosts scoffed and gave a look of disbelief to the older immortal, "Seriously?"
To her surprise, the Goddess of Magic shrugged, "Honestly, it's up to you what you want to do with the information you acquired today. I was along for the ride, and you didn't disappoint. However, I think this is where I'm going to jump off from the train." A sly smirk graced the face of the most mysterious goddess of the Greek Pantheon. Melinoe could scarcely believe what she was hearing. Was she bailing? After making such a fuss earlier in the day.
"You can't be serious." Hecate had appeared so interested and curious about finding out the secrets of the mysterious blonde, despite having never met him. She could be so flighty at the most unhelpful times. "You're leaving? After everything we've heard today."
"I'm deadly serious. Today was a nice change of pace, but I think I'm ready to go back to my daily routine. You know, being all mysterious and aloof. I have a reputation to uphold after all," Hecate spun around, and Melinoe could sense the energy building up inside of her. She was about to teleport again but gave Meinoe one final piece of advice, "Don't be a pansy, Melinoe. Go to your Father, and see what happens. Maybe he'll surprise you."
Like the mist she controlled, she vanished, leaving Melinoe alone with her thoughts.
"I will never understand that woman." She muttered to herself, staring at the spot where Hecate previously stood, before falling back onto the bed. She now had a decision to make. Did she tell her father, or does she continue down the road alone? The Goddess of Magic wasn't as keen as she began to hope, leaving her wondering if she should have left the mystery of Naruto Uzumaki alone. Was she too far down the rabbit hole? Or was there time to dig her way out?
She had a lot of thinking to do.
Days Later- The Fox's Den
Telling a little girl that her mother had abandoned her on the doorstep of a stranger was not an experience Naruto looked forward too. He expected plenty of tears and wailing. Maybe some small objects getting thrown his way. There wasn't much a four-year-old could do to hurt him, except for breaking his tender heart with cuteness. Despite that, in terms of breaking the news to the little girl, he thought the ordeal went rather well all considering. At least, he thought so.
It was a boon that Hestia remained with him all through the night, going back and forth on the goings-on in their lives since they last met with one another. Goddesses like Hestia didn't need much sleep compared to mortals and being a ninja forced himself to adjust to remaining awake during sensitive and urgent missions. You could ill afford to get caught by a rogue ninja whilst asleep. When the clock struck at nine o'clock in the morning, he chose to coax his new ward out of her bed with the delightful smell of bacon. The greasy food had the desired effect, and not five minutes later, a tired and half asleep Thalia Grace tiptoed into the kitchen. A pillow was still resting in her arms, with half her face obscured as she refused to leave all of the divine warmth of her bed. Both Naruto and Hestia found themselves cooing at the sleepy state o the demigod. How could anyone not at some an image?
Good mornings were sent her way, and Naruto soon found himself sat beside little Thalia, with Hestia taking up the other side. Together, they had come up with a story for a Thalia hear. One that would ease Thalia into the new life she was about to enter. He told her Beryl had woken up late last night when she was still asleep and asked Naruto to look after Thalia for her before slipping away. That she was unable to look after Thalia anymore and would have to leave her in Naruto's capable hands. There were some half-truths to the story, and he didn't feel it was right to tell her that her mother hated the fact that she was born. That was too cruel to place on someone so young.
Some sniffles began to break out as expected, with Naruto placing a comforting hand on the little girl as the information tried to sink in. It was a wonder how much Thalia understood at such a young age. He got down on one knee, and gently wiped her eyes as the skin beneath the eyes turned a blotchy red. Gentle shushing her, and to his mild surprise, he found the little girl shuffling out of her chair and came to rest on his knee, burying her face into his shirt. The looks Hestia gave him was one of amusement at his surprised face before steadily wrapping Thalia up in a comforting hug.
He couldn't deny, for a moment, he imagined it was Himawari sitting in his arms, her dark hair tickling the skin beneath his chin. He took a few deep breaths, before gently tilting her head to face his, and gave her the warmest smile he could muster. It had the desired effect, as the little girl gained a twinkle in her eye and the tiniest smile as her new carer shrouded her in love and warmth.
Then he introduced her to Hestia. It was safe to say the second they were met, Hestia became Thalia's favourite person in the world.
"How's that!?"
"That's very good, though you've still gone out of the lines a little. One here," Hestia said, looking over the page in the colouring book she and Thalia were working on together, "And two more down here." She pointed at the bottom of the page, where the bright green and yellow elephant they spent the last fifteen minutes colouring in, showing some of the colours going over the black lines.
"Aww!" Thalia pouted, her face scrunching up and giving her best attempt at a glare towards the green and yellow elephant.
The reaction made Hestia giggled, before placing a comforting hand on the top of her dark hair, "Don't fret, honey. The elephant still looks wonderful. You can't even tell. You have to lean in very close to see it. See!" Proving her point, Hestia leaned into the point where her nose was touching the surface of the paper.
"I guess." The four-year-old still didn't sound convinced, "Can we try another picture? And I'll get it right this time!"
The Goddess of the Hearth nodded, "Sure, honey. Which one would you like to try?" She turned the pages of the book, flicking through as she searched for an animal they hadn't coloured in yet, "Shall we try and colour the lion? Or maybe we could colour the Alligator?"
The little girl shook her head, "Nah!" The sound came out like a sheep bleating, forcing Hestia to bite her lip from busting out a loud laugh. Thalia's blue eyes looked through each page for a couple of moments at a time before finally finding one that caught her attention, "This one!"
Hestia looked down at the page and smiled, "A fox?"
"Yeah! It looks like Mr Naruto!"
The Goddess giggled again. Leave it to a child to point out something so funny, and ironic.
"I guess your right. I think it's the whiskers." She whispered, tapping the page with her finger.
"Yeah!" Thalia whispered back, nodding enthusiastically. She fell into a fit of giggles, joining her Aunt and laughing together.
"What are you two giggling about?" They heard, looking up from the table to find Naruto standing next to their table. Their table sat in the corner of the room, closest to the counter at the front of the house. The Fox's Den was half-filled on a Saturday, though the blonde found himself busy beyond words earlier in the day. It was only in the last hour where things started to calm down. Thalia and Hestia arrived 30 minutes ago, bringing with them a colouring book and a pack of crayons Hestia had bought for her niece a few days ago. By the look on the little girl's face, she was eager to make a start on her new book, though she made sure to give Naruto a big hug when they walked in and cheerily greeted him. The action warmed his heart and made his smile widen before escorting them to a free table.
She was settling in nicely.
"Nothing. Just girl stuff," Hestia replied and was quickly mimicked by her niece.
"Yeah, girl stuff! Mr Naruto being nosy!"
"He is, isn't he, Thalia?" Hestia replied, giggling at Thalia's words. Naruto was right about her niece. She was very cheeky but in an endearing way.
"Uhuh!"
Chuckling, Naruto didn't press. Instead, he lowered the tray and rested it on the table, "Alright, be that way. I've got your lunch for you, so pack your crayons away. You can draw some more after you've finished."
It surprised him how quickly he fell back into parent mode. Sure, there was some rust. It was more than five centuries since he last cared for a little one. With Gunilla, the little girl tested him for the first couple of weeks. It was the child's way of seeing if this new adult in their life was going to stick around, or if they were going to turn tail and run away. It was the same process when a divorced, or widowed parent brought home their new significant other. Oh, the daughter of Thor has tested him. His patience. His limits. His sanity. After weeks of acting like a tiny tyrant, something finally clicked in their relationship. When she realised he wasn't going anywhere and he was there to stay, the walls disappeared, and a very different little girl was left standing before him.
Thalia didn't need to be told twice. She packed her crayons into a neat pile and closed her colouring book. Settling her plate in front of her, Thalia licked her lips. "Yummy!"
"Well, I hope so. One plate of french toast with strawberries and syrup." Next, he placed a small cup of darkish yellow liquid to the side, "And one freshly squeezed glass of apple juice. Enjoy Thalia."
The little girl's eyes lit up. She picked up her cutlery but stopped when Hestia gently tapped her hand.
"What do you say?"
A big smile lit up Thalia's face, "Thank you, Mr Naruto!"
"You're very welcome, Thalia." He ruffled the top of her head and felt her lean into his touch, "You know, you don't always have to call me Mr Naruto. Just Naruto will be fine."
"Okay, Mr Naruto!"
The blonde chuckled again and left the little girl to eat her lunch. It was a title he was probably going to be stuck with for a while, though he didn't mind. Grabbing the other plate, he settled it down in front of Hestia, who was having French toast and strawberries as well, with the addition of dices of banana. The portion on the plate was larger then Thalia's, and cut to perfection, "Here's your lunch, and here's your drink." A mug of freshly brewed tea took up the spot next to her plate. The distinct scent of strawberry and vanilla wafted through the air, making Hestia hum in delight.
"Smells delicious. British origin?"
"Japanese. No one makes tea like the East." Naruto replied, "How's your morning been?"
"It was good, thank you. We went to the mall, and I'm pleased to say Thalia's wardrobe is now full. You won't have to worry about clothes or shoes for a while." Hestia replied, "You owe me one."
"I know, I know. I won't forget." Naruto said back. He'd asked Hestia to help with the wardrobe situation since he was none the wiser on what would be best to get someone like Thalia in modern society. He hadn't shopped for clothing for a little girl since Himawari was a little girl, and even then, Hinata had been the one with the eye for such things. Buying clothes for boys was one thing, but buying for a girl wasn't an entirely different matter. Not wanting to get the wardrobe situation wrong, he left it in Hestia's capable hands, "This going to be an adjustment that's for sure."
Hestia smiled, taking a bite of her lunch, "I wouldn't worry. As you said, you're rusty, but that rust will wear off eventually. Next time, you can come with us, and I'll show you some pointers."
"Thanks. I'll be taking you up on that."
"And when does her new wardrobe arrive?"
"Tomorrow. The guy at the store said it'll take arrive in three days, and that was two days ago. He didn't give me a specific time except that it will be in the morning. Just means I'll have to leave," He leaned in so Thalia didn't hear him, "A clone to sign the paperwork and help get it up the stairs."
Since Thalia was now living with Naruto permanently, the blonde decided to turn the guest room she'd been staying into hers. The little girl had been excited at the prospect of having such a large room. It was twice as big as her previous one, and the bed was much bigger than her old one. Watching the way she would wriggle around in her sleep, her new bed could easily accommodate. They bought new covers and sheets for her, ones that were dark blue and white and comfortable to the point Thalia would fall asleep the moment her head touch the fabric. He quickly realised Thalia was the type of person who enjoyed having lots of pillows and added a few more for her to enjoy. While they were out, he left some clones behind to give the walls a new lick of paint. All four walls were painted light blue, similar to the sky on a sunny day. The carpet was the only part that remained the same. A toy chest had been added, with a few welcoming gifts from himself and Hestia, while a row of stuff animals of different varieties adorned the top of the chest.
Thus far, Thalia was in love with her new room. His reward had been the biggest hug the little girl could muster and continued to give him when she saw an opportunity. The last piece he added, was a nightlight that shone star shapes on the walls. Last night, when he stopped by her room to check on her, he found her with her limbs spread out like an eagle, a goofy smile on her face as she sept the night away.
"I think you've got a customer trying to wave you over," Hestia told him, nodding over to a woman trying to get his attention from across the room.
"So I do," He replied, "Duty calls. Let me know if there's anything else you want for lunch you two. I'll be back shortly." With that, he continued his day, leaving the Aunt and niece duo to their lunch.
"Okay!" The reply from Thalia came out muffled, her mouth full of french toast. A slight look of admonishment came off the Goddess of the Hearth, who flicked her nieces ear. She was always a stickler for manners. She would do the same for her godly nephews and nieces whenever she caught them. Everyone knew to be on their best behaviour when in the presence of the Goddess of the Hearth.
"Don't speak when your mouth is full, Thalia. It's bad manners."
"O-" Thalia started to say, before getting cut off by the look on her aunts face. The four-year-old had enough sense to swallow her food first, before replying, "Okay, Auntie Hestia."
"Good girl."
"What are we doing later, Auntie?"
"I'm not sure. I don't have to go home until this evening, so we've got all afternoon." Hestia threw some ideas around, hoping it tickled the fancy of her niece, "We could go for a walk in Central Park? There's this lovely Ice Cream stand we could try if you're good. The weather is very nice today." Apollo must have been in a good mood, and the Goddess could only imagine what had put him in one. Or better yet, who.
"Can I have chocolate ice cream?"
"Of course. I bet chocolate is your favourite, right?"
"Uhuh! It's the best!" Thalia said back, a moment away from taking another big bite of her french toast, "What's your favourite, Auntie Hestia!?"
"My favourite? Oh, well, I love Vanilla." Her answer didn't sit well with Thalia, who made a face, "What's that face for, huh? What's wrong with Vanilla?"
"Vanilla's boring."
"Boring?" She questioned, a smile tugging at her lips again.
"Yup. It's the most boring ice cream in the whole world! Old people like vanilla!"
Hestia tried to contain her laughter, but couldn't hold it with her best efforts. Her niece said the funniest things, and she didn't even know it. Technically, she was older than all the mortals currently sat in the Fox's Den, along with the rest of the block. The only person older was Naruto, who was none the wiser to Thalia's little comment as he carried two plates of red velvet cake to an older gentleman and his wife.
"Then what do you think I should get?" She asked, as her niece was the apparent expert in all things ice cream related.
"Chocolate!"
"And what if I don't want chocolate?"
Thalia pouted, her lips puckered as a thoughtful expression wove onto her face. She got cuter and cuter by the second! Gods, she was beginning to think like Aphrodite. Thalia would find herself wrapped up in the Goddess of Love's arms, being gushed over and spoiled with no end in sight. That wasn't to say Hestia hadn't spent the last few days doing just that on Thalia since her arrival into Naruto's life, but the most sensual immortal on Olympus had a habit for taking it to far. Thalia's bedroom would be overflowing with stuffed animals and all things cute and fluffy. The little girl would be decked out in nothing but pink dresses whether she liked them or not.
"Strawberry!"
"Strawberry?" Hestia repeated, thinking over the choice, "Well, I do like strawberry. That's my second favourite."
"Mine too!"
"Are you sure I can't have vanilla?"
"Nope!"
"Even if I say please?" Thalia shook her head, forcing Hestia to let out an exaggerated sigh, "Oh, alright then. Have it your way."
Thalia giggled, and Hestia soon found Thalia's arm wrapped around her waist. A pair of bright blue eyes stared up at her with a look of wonder. The hug was a surprise, but not unwelcome, and Hestia soon found herself reciprocating. Wrapping one arm around Thalia's shoulder, her hand came up and delicately wove her fingers through her dark locks.
"This is nice," She heard Thalia whisper, "I like your hugs, Auntie Hestia."
"Well, thank you, sweetie. I like your hugs too. Goodness, I've been getting so many hugs over the last couple of days. I feel spoiled." Hestia smiled and watched as Thalia's smile widened. Her niece was such a happy child. A demigod that was happy was a rare thing to see, even when they were this young.
"I love you, Auntie Hestia!"
The words flowed out of Thalia's mouth easily and would have caught her off guard if she hadn't heard it a few times today already.
For Hestia, the last few days with her niece had felt most peculiar. Unlike Hera, Demeter, Poseidon and Hades, Hestia's had perfect recollection of the moment Kronos swallowed her whole, forcing her to grow up deep within his stomach. To this day, she could still remember the abyss that was her father's throat, like a pit of despair and cruelty with no end. The screams of her mother when she realised what Kronos was doing haunted her to this day, sending chills across her body. The agony in Rhea's voice had been unbearable. Like something out of a nightmare come to life. She could only imagine what her mother had felt at that moment. To this day, Rhea wouldn't talk about it. The pain was always there. Her husbands greatest betrayals. The moment the man she chose to commit herself with showed his true colours.
She had a lot of time to think about the life she wanted to have if she ever escaped her father's stomach. She didn't want to experience the same agony her mother felt. She didn't want to feel the loss of a child and watch as they were ripped away by someone who was supposed to love them. If Hera and Demeter wanted to create life from their bodies, then she would help them through it as an older sister should. However, that choice was not one she wanted for herself. She didn't have the maternal element inside her as they did, and that grew as centuries went by.
She didn't want children.
She didn't want a husband.
She didn't want any of it.
She chose to remain an eternal virgin because she saw no value in having those elements in her life. She didn't view herself as maternal, nor did she want a husband to commit herself too. She was happy to be nothing more than a daughter. A sister. An auntie. A friend. She was content with the life she created for herself. She saw no need to add anything new to her life.
And then Naruto stepped back into her life, bringing with her this little ball of energy that captured her heart near instantaneously. Thalia was like a breath of fresh air. For someone immortal, the days, months, and years started to feel the same. It became repetitive. Even Hestia found herself growing bored in recent years. Naruto was her saving grace during her many visits and never failed to liven everything around him. Thalia, she felt, was the same way. They were like two peas in a pod meant to find one another.
"Love you too, sweetie!"
Later that Evening
"Okay, let me see those teeth," Naruto asked, standing in the bathroom opposite Thalia's room. Said little girl was standing on a small red pedestal so she could reach the mirror and watch as she brushed her teeth. No child, no matter what age they were, enjoyed brushing their teeth. It seemed to be universal, no matter what era. Kids just found it to be the biggest chore, second only to tidying their room. Good dental hygiene was key, and no one liked the result of not taking care of your teeth. He would rather be used as a training dummy for students at the Ninja Academy then go to the dentist. Tooth pain was one of the worst sensations imaginable, and if there was one thing he was going to teach Thalia while she was under his roof, it was too take good care of her pearly whites.
Thalia opened her mouth wide in an exaggerated manner. The daughter of Zeus was dressed ready for bed, wearing a set of grey pyjamas with a happy-looking cloud on the front, courtesy of Hestia. She scrunched her face at the idea of anything pink. Any piece of clothing Hestia picked out that had a shred of pink on them, Thalia immediately shook her head. The four-year-old didn't like the colour one bit.
It was a good thing she wasn't a daughter of the Goddess of Love. Such a mindset on the colour pink was almost illegal for a child of the Goddess of Love.
Naruto took a brief look, wearing an exaggerated expression before nodding happily. He was about to ruffle her hair but stopped himself. He finished combing her hair minutes earlier after drying her off from her bath, "Alright, lets head to bed." Nodding, the little girl jumped off the stool and bolted for her bed. The bed was massive and far bigger then anything a girl her age would be sleeping in. Thalia thought it was the comfiest bed in the world.
Following after her, he arrived in her room as Thalia was jumping under the covers, watching as she wormed up the bed. Her face popped up from the top of the duvet and promptly began cocooning herself within the soft sheets. The blonde shook his head and came to sit down on the edge of the bed. A side lamp sat on a small table to the left of the bed, bathing a healthy glow across the room.
"So," Naruto asked, looking down at Thalia with a fond gaze, "Which companion will be sleeping with you tonight?" Across the room sitting opposite the bed was a line of stuffed animals facing the bed, varying in sizes on top of a toy box. Though Hestia had shopped for clothes, Naruto had taken a brief break from running the Fox's Den, leaving it in the capable hands of his clones, to get a couple of stuffed toys for Thalia.
By a couple, he meant a dozen. He may have gone a little overboard.
Thalia put her hands up in the air, "Henry! I want henry!"
"What the magic word?" He gave her a knowing look that Thalia was quickly beginning to recognise after a couple of days.
"Pleaseeeeee!"
Smiling, he crossed the room and picked up Henry, a purple elephant that sat in the middle of the toy box. Why Thalia dubbed the elephant, Henry, was anyone's guess. However, the daughter of Zeus had fallen in love with the stuffed toy the moment her eyes met his sewn-buttoned ones. She always took his to bed with her and was seldom without him when they were at home. The only rule was that Henry had to remain at home. He didn't want the stuffed toy to end up lost like so many other stuffed animals.
"You know, your other stuffed animals are going to get jealous if you keep picking Henry. What about Seymour?" Seymour was a green eagle, placed at the end of the row. Where Thalia came up with these names? They wished they knew. Hestia had been there for that one and was forced to hide her face in her hands from how hard she was cracking up. Of all the names Thalia could have picked for her father's sacred animal.
Thalia shook her tired head, "He's the lookout."
"The lookout?"
"Yeah, he keeps everyone safe."
Naruto raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.
"Mr Naruto?" Thalia said, with Henry comfortably sat in her arms, "When's Auntie Hestia coming back?" A yawn broke out from the little girl, and he watched her eyes already beginning to fall heavy with sleep.
"Not for a couple of days. Auntie Hestia has some odd jobs she needs to get out of the way back home."
"Oh," Thalia replied, leaning on her side with her chin resting on Henry's head, "What kinda jobs? Can I help?"
A hand reached out and gently patted her shoulder, "Just grown-up jobs. You know, like I do at the cafe. Your Auntie Hestia is a chef just like I am, and there are lots of people that love her cooking. They love it so much they line up in the streets just to get a bite."
"Really?" She asked, half in wonder and a half in exhaustion.
"Uhuh."
"Does she make yummier snacks then you do?"
The blonde released a low chuckle, "She likes to think she does." Was all he said with a wink.
Whether his words reached Thalia, he didn't know. The daughter of Zeus was asleep in seconds, her body steadily rsing and falling with the bed covers. Chuckling, he quietly stood up and tiptoed out of the room, flicking on the nightlight as he left. Making his way into his bedroom down the hall, he closed his door with a delicate thud. Taking a deep breath, his soft blue eyes grew serious.
Stopping at his wardrobe, he opened the doors and knelt on one knee. Running a hand over the smooth bottom, he knocked twice on the wood and watched as the surface propped up, revealing a hidden compartment beneath. Prying the top off and setting it beside him, he reached and pulled a familiar pair of uniquely designed chakra blades. The same ones formerly owned by the chain-smoking Jonin that was taken from their world far too soon.
The weapons had last been in the care of Mirai Sarutobi when they fell into his possession. Somehow, the chakra blades survived the destruction caused by the Great Shift, the day everyone he knew and loved was taken from him in an instant. It took a year of searching through the debris of his old home before he came across them by chance. The blades were one of the few items he kept with him, while others he found were locked and stored away in a safe location known only to him.
'Now that Thalia's asleep, let's deal with our guests.' He thought, and before heading over to the window. Quietly opening it so not to spook them, he jumped out and put his old shinobi skills to good use.
Outside
"Quiet, you fool! Are you trying to scare our meal away!?" Kellie screeched, her fork tongue darting in and out of her mouth as she glared at her underling and fellow Empousa.
"I'm trying, but you said not to fly! My hoof isn't meant for travelling across the top of a tiled roof!" Tammi hissed in reply, try and failing to keep her balance as the pair neared their target. The empousa, who were servants and creations of the Goddess Hecate, had been traversing through the West District of Manhatten when the most delicious smell wafted up their noise. The scent was like a divine hammer knocking their senses time after time and pulled them like a magnet attracting metal.
How long had it been since a demigod with such a delectable scent had crossed their paths? Fifty years? Sixty? They weren't sure, but they both agreed it had been far too long. Try as they might, the pair had tried to resist temptation. The scent, however, overwhelmed their senses quicker than either could think. A scent this strong could only belong to a child of the Elder Gods, specifically, one of the Big Three. Even monsters such as they had heard that a child of the Olympian King and Sky God had come into existence, though neither imagined they would cross paths with the child under the nose of Mount Olympus.
It was unwise to insult an elder Olympian like Zeus.
But the scent of his daughter. The girl was mouthwatering.
It was just too sweet to ignore.
The girl was unassuming, and being so young meant she had no idea of the power and potential she held. It would be easy picking, and the blonde adult they saw walking her home would pose little to no threat. It was an easy meal, and one too good to pass up. The only issue they would face was who got the larger share of their prize, and who got the scraps. Monsters didn't like to share over their kill, especially when it came to demigods.
Between the two of them, Kellie often ended up the victor between the pair of empousa and was confident Tammi would submit to her. She was the more vicious of their kind, and would show a level of brutality in her kills that left some wonder if she was the Nemean lion in disguise.
"I haven't had a demigod in months," Kellie muttered, her long forkish tongue flicking between her lips, "Not since the daughter of Hermes in New Jersey, though her scent wasn't half a delectable as this one." She approached the side of the building and went down onto all fours, her teeth making a loud chattering sound in anticipation. Her slitted eyes hungered for her prey.
Steadily she peered over the side of the house with the intention of climbing along the exterior walls and climb inside through one of the many windows. The air in Manhatten was warm, and with a little bit of luck, a window would be open. A small gust of wind blew across the rooftop. One of her hands came up and pushed the hair out of her face.
"Now, let's see if-"
Swish
Abruptly, Kellie's voice cut off.
"Kellie?" Tammi asked, making her way over to her fellow monster. Leaning in, a strangled gasp broke the eerie silence on the rooftop with the backdrop of the city coming to life. Peering over the ledge, the empousa turned her head and looked at her self-appointed leader. Her face was a mask of surprise, her slitted eyes wide and her mouth open wide, "What gives? What is it?"
She shook her shoulder and was forced to throw herself back while letting out a screech. The moment Kellie's body shook, Tammi watched in horror as the older monsters head rolled off her shoulders and descended to the pavement below. As the head flew through the air, gold dust took over the form of the head, until slowly, it was gone with the wind. Kellie's body fell onto the top of the roof, her arm hanging over the tiles of the roof until it too was reduced to nothing but gold dust.
Reduced to one, the remaining monster scrambled away from the side of the roof. Her eyes were darting from side to side, looking in every corner, though she didn't dare look over the side of the roof. Whatever had caught them unaware and killed Kellie, Tammi doubted it would leave with one of them dead and spare the other. What was it? She couldn't smell another demigod nearby, nor was there another monster in close proximity to them. To catch Kellie unaware, who begrudgingly she would admit was one of the stronger members of their kind, spoke volumes of their ability.
Standing back up, the hairs on the back of Tammi's neck stood on end. Something was watching her.
Something was behind her.
She swallowed thickly, gradually turning her head to look behind. A dark figure stood there. Their front was shrouded, but Tammi could make out the figure was male. Cold blue eyes stared at her with the promise of death. She idly noticed two shapes in his hands reminiscent of a pair of blades, though the shape was bizarre and unlike anything she recognised. A low whine left her throat. One that was beneath any monster like her to let slip. She wasn't stupid. She could sense the dangerous aura around the man.
Her breath hitched in her throat, and in a split second, her wings spread out to their full reach and jumped into the air.
She needed to fly away and never look back!
It all happened so quickly that Tammi wished she hadn't turned away. She got a foot off the ground when something sharp pierced through the centre of her back and exited through the middle of her chest. The breath couldn't leave her body as her form convulsed, and fell back to the ground with a low thud. Across from her, a blade with bluish energy flicking around the curved metal impacted the building across the road, spider web cracks from the force of the impact spreading across the stone and metal. Darkness quickly took over her vision and the last thing she could see was the cold blue eyes looking down at her as the figure appeared next to her in a flash of movement.
He swung down. Gold dust scattered with the wind, leaving no trace that either monster was on the roof.