AN: If this were to continue, this would be comprised of four chapters.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians. If I did, I wouldn't be on this site sadly.
Fearless: Knight's Fall, Part 1
Death.
The final destination. The last hurrah. The end of a story or, to some, the beginning of another. Humans fear death. It is hated for its callousness, for its impartial nature, for its ability to strike at any time or place. It occurs daily, without remorse or regret, because there is a balance to be kept. A balance that is upheld by forces that the mortal mind can't fully comprehend.
Even Demigods, beings born with blood of deities flowing through their veins, fail to understand the reasons for death. To them, it is a needless, heart-breaking sorrow for their already terrifying young lives. Nevertheless, it happens. They cannot control it. All they can do is mourn and move on, survive until the next fight. Or, they can do their namesakes and forefathers proud, and give their lives for the lives of others, becoming heroes in their last breath.
An example of one such sacrifice would be Thalia Grace, Daughter of Zeus. After being on the run for years, meeting a couple of friends and monsters alike, sanctuary was within her grasp. However, one deity was determined to see that she fall, not out of spite of her, no, but to punish the oath-breaker Zeus. Her uncle, The Lord of the Underworld, Hades sent hordes of his servants after her and her companions. They fought for days, weeks even, against monsters of all sorts that were hell bent on delivering her to their master.
They failed, but Thalia found no safety. Her sire, who hadn't shown much care for her until this point, kept her from a cruel fate. Zeus struck her with a bolt of lightning and turned her into a pine tree atop what was now known as Half-Blood Hill. Now Thalia forever guards the boundary of the demigod safe-haven, ever vigilant and strong, yet unaware of the world around her.
One night, only days after her 'arrival', a tall youth approached the pine, unnoticed by any of the Olympians. An invisible force, a barrier that kept him just a few feet away from the tree, stopped him. Draped over his shoulders was a cloak, whiter than the snow that began to fall, which parted as he lifted his hand. It revealed that beneath the cloak was a fitted, torn, bloodstained silver shirt, the remains of a marred silver moon in the center of his chest. He pressed his hand against the barrier, and closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Thalia." His whisper danced away from him, lost on the cool winds of the ending summer. He could only hope that Annabeth and Luke made it without injury. His separation from them lasted far longer than he wished, but such was the cost when one was in the employ of a deity of time.
"Naruto, we cannot linger. We must move on."
Naruto opened his eyes and turned to the speaker, who stood waiting at the base of the hill. A tall, broad shouldered man in a flannel shirt, faded jeans and mountain boots that had his hands folded behind his back. Shoulder-length hair that was as gold as his uncle's fell from his head, and his blue eyes were locked on the night sky above them. He looked back down, peering over his hawkish nose and an apologetic smile spread across his stubbled cheeks, revealing brilliantly white teeth.
"We'll both be in a lot of trouble if we stay too long," he said.
Naruto sighed and cast one more look at his fallen friend's new state before he turned away. He pulled his cloak's hood back over his head and let his hand drop to his side. Once he was back at his teacher's side, the man put a hand on his shoulder.
"Worry not, Naruto. The Norns work in mysterious ways. One day, you may meet your friend again," the man said. He remained quiet and the man sighed. "Khonsu didn't mean for this to happen, you know. He loses track of time quite often, quite ironic if you ask me."
"Forgive me if I don't believe you, Alf," Naruto said flatly. The man, Alf, smiled at him.
"Fair enough, young one, fair enough. Now, let's be off lest we are discovered."
They vanished in a flare of ethereal light and left behind a small scorch mark in the ground.
Moments later, a bright light rocketed down from the sky and struck down beside rune. The light dimmed to reveal a golden convertible with the top down. A young man with a surfer's body, shorts, tank top and boat shoes hopped over the edge of the car and crouched down to investigate the rune.
"The hell was that stud doing here?" Apollo wondered to himself. He scratched the back of his head and whipped out a cellphone from his pocket. He flipped it open, pressed down on the Omega button that replaced the zero and held it against his head.
"Hey, Pops! Quick question: You get any requests from the One-Eyed Raven to let the Icer Summer stop by Camp Half-Blood?" he asked. The sky boomed with thunder. Apollo glanced up at the sky with a grimace on his face. "Yeah... I didn't think so."
Filled with wood and wildlife that would make any satyr or nymph feel at home, it could be said that calling Jasper National Park "beautiful" would be an understatement. It was as if Aphrodite had been intrigued by nature for a brief moment and blessed the land. That, or all of the world's deities of Nature came together and decided that this little slice of land would be their masterpiece.
It had been five years since that fateful summer. Five years since he left the urban jungle and returned to his roots with his teacher, the man he called Alf. As one would expect, the Norse God was a great outdoorsman, knowledgeable and wise due to the centuries that lay beyond his appearance. Alf had only taken him on at request of Khonsu, who did not want to have a deceased or ignorant vassal, but over time they'd grown onto the other.
Lately, though, Naruto had been uneasy. As if something was happening back in the United States. The thought of returning to the states had struck the seventeen year old, but he refused to go when offered a free ride. That creature was still hunting him. That demon. His scarred side still flared up if he pondered the demon for too long. As if thoughts of the creature invoked a curse of some sort.
These concerns had been brought up to Khonsu and Alf. Unfortunately, the former wasn't able to do anything for the pain, and the latter had asked his twin, a woman that Alf called Valkie, for help. Valkie's sorcery, though different from the magic that Alf showed Naruto, was unable to stop the affliction. However, she determined that it would stop if the creature that caused the pain was defeated.
Alf took that as the go ahead to kick the lessons up a notch.
Combat became random and near fatal, and occasionally, after brushes with Death's embrace, Naruto saw winged horses and the teenage girls saddled upon them. He wondered if it were possible for him to enter the Norse afterlife, despite being raised Greco-Roman and making a deal with an Egyptian. If it were, he would take the offer in a heartbeat. The Underworld's Blessed Isles were too strict for his admittance. He didn't even know where to fathom his soul would weigh on the Scales of Egypt. Thus, getting recruited for the war to end all wars seemed like the best result.
It was after another brutal training session with Alf that Naruto planted himself at the base of an evergreen tree, healing in Nature's embrace.
The years of training with a Norse god had done him well. He was a solid six-foot now, and still growing. His shoulders had broadened and his face had thinned, though it retained a rounded shape. Alf was sure his jaw would square out by the time he hit twenty. Naruto was mildly annoyed that no matter how many days he went, he failed to grow any hair that could possible conceal his birthmarks. He took to wearing his white mask, the only thing he hadn't need to replace during his growth spurts, all the time and removed it only to eat.
His silver clothes had long since been replaced. A long-sleeved black underarmor shirt rested beneath white body armor that protected his chest, shoulders, forearms and back, a crescent moon painted in the center. A pouched belt remained around his waist. He tucked his dark pants into his boots and wore black kneepads over them, and the soles of his boots were white.
According to Alf, he looked like he was getting ready for a game of Paintball, instead of being a vigilante. Which, yes, he continued to do from time to time. Though the crimes weren't as advertised, he'd taken to dealing with would be poachers or con artists. He liked protecting things, it gave him purpose.
Naruto whittled away at a stick with a silver arrowhead to make nothing in particular, the act clearing his mind and soothing his aches. At his side lay a large grey wolf, who had two nasty gashes over its left eye, which was permanently shut and sunken in, while the right was open and a silvery blue eye watched the pups that rushed around and played in the early winter's snow.
It was serene for a moment, peaceful even. The wolf was warm and its heart beat like a steady drum. Then, for no reason, the wolf jerked up to its feet. It barked at the pups. The pups gathered to it and it led them away. Naruto paid it no mind. They were free creatures to do as they wished and he was not their master. He tensed and awaited the arrival of one of the two gods that frequently caused such behavior.
"Boy." A deep voice echoed in the clearing. Naruto's eyes snapped open, cold icy blues that were narrowed in anticipation. There was only one he knew that had that voice, or at least used it when addressing him. It was deep, baritone, and angry as if he'd wronged the owner by simply existing.
"I know you hear me, boy!" the voice growled.
"I do." He told the voice. His eyes narrowed as he stood and his grip tightened on the arrowhead. "Reveal yourself, Fox."
"Insolent child!" The fox's snarl echoed. "You dare speak to your better that way? I should devour you now, and reclaim from you what your mother stole from me!"
"Try it." Naruto flipped the arrowhead in his hand, while he lifted the sharpened stick up. Though he was unable to learn Alf's tricks, as they were locked in blood, he picked up a few other things. Such as rune magic, which came (to Alf's alarm) rather surprisingly easy. The runes he'd whittled into his stick began to glow and a pained roar echoed throughout the clearing.
"What, what is this?! No! NO! I will not be stopped, Boy! Mark my words!"
"No! Mark my words! This ends now!" Naruto grit his teeth as he thrust the Rune-stick forward, the sharp portion of the stick vanishing into the space between realms. Blood began to dribble down from his nose and eyes. Unbidden, a language he wasn't familiar with started to rush out of his mouth.
The Fox roared and the air began to shift around them. Trees flattened and the ground began to quake. Slowly, as though a curtain was being drawn back to reveal it, the Fox became tangible and physical. Naruto's eyes widened at the size of it.
This thing's pelt would keep all of the Hunters warm for decades. He thought, including the ones who were unfortunate enough to fall in their line of duty.
"How!?" The Fox bellowed. It jerked as glowing chains began to emerge from the ground. Another, smaller chain shot from the rocks and pierced through the Rune-stick, before impaling Naruto through his hand.
"Gah!" He fell to a knee and dropped his arrowhead. Through squinted eyes he saw the fox begin to shrink. Red energy danced across the chains before it rushed into his body. It was as though a fire ignited beneath his skin.
"No! No! Not another one! Damn you, Uzumaki! No, no, no!" The fox continued to shrink, its long nine tails becoming shorter as it did. It's head shook from one side to the next. "I will not stand for this! I will not be sealed again, boy! Do you hear me!? I will have my revenge! I will devour you, your soul and this world will know my anger!"
"Do...you...ever...shut...up!?" Naruto bit out through his clenched teeth. His eyes scrunched shut, but one squinted open. He watched in a mix of horror and awe as the Fox's energy began to build beneath his left arm. Patches of skin chipped and flaked away like ashes, the visible red energy began to shape itself like Nordic Runes that then began to wrap around his arm.
The Fox released a final roar and in a last ditch attempt to escape its fate, it tried to fight back. A black orb began to build up in its mouth, becoming larger and larger in milliseconds. Blue eyes watched, horrified, when the creature closed its mouth around the orb. Its eyes, red and slit like a cat's, glared at him in manic determination. Naruto closed his eyes as another jolt of pain raced through his system.
Today seems like a good day to die anyway, he thought morbidly. He heard a loud sonic boom, likely the launching of the Fox's attack. A bitter smile spread across his face. Sorry, Mom. I love y-
His thought was left incomplete as Jasper National Park became enveloped in a sphere of light.
A stick cracked beneath her foot as she came to an abrupt halt. The stag she had stalked sprinted off into the wood. The Huntress paid the lost quarry no mind as she looked to the north, eyes wide.
It had been five years since he disappeared. Five years since her oafish twin had failed her. He had lost her son. Her precious little boy, the starlight that began to help heal the hearts of her hunters, was lost to the Olympians.
She'd lashed out at Apollo initially, since he'd sworn to her - not on the Styx, but perhaps she should've pushed for that oath - that Naruto would be kept safe. Then her anger turned inward, as Diana reared her head and questioned why the boy was gone. Not often did she speak with her Roman counterpart, and when she did it was normally cordial, but now they'd fully disagreed on something.
Diana had felt that it was their duty to raise him fully, regardless of their oath. To give him a place only one other had held, brief though his station was. The Roman Goddess of the Hunt put duty above family, and to her, child rearing was a duty for Maidens as well as mothers. Stupid Roman beliefs. Diana and she argued for weeks, before they noticed the arguing was starting to affect the Hunters. They left, retreating to the one that would help them.
Only to be met with a look of disappointment that was usually given to her twin.
Leto was not happy.
To be quite frank, she was anything but. She yelled - yelled - at them for squabbling over something so childish as blame when there was a child out there that was cast out of his home by his own mother, regardless of her Pantheon. Then, she did the same, sending the Huntress away and ordering her not to return until she was certain she knew where the boy was.
It wasn't their first fight, as most mothers and daughters clash just as much as fathers and sons do, but it was their worst.
Artemis had spent the last two years trying to retrace her son's path. From where he split off from Thalia Grace's troupe, she got close, but then his scent, his being, would vanish. Weeks would pass before it popped up again. Every time she thought she would find him, the same strange event occurred.
Her hopes began to fall, and just at the start of this winter, she fully reintegrated with her Hunters. Zoë had done well while she was gone, but she was not Artemis. The Hunters needed her, and she needed them. The lieutenant vowed to help her, as did many others. The search continued, but it wasn't as pushing. Artemis took time to hunt, knowing that a trail would be found even if she wasn't the one who found it.
Then, just now, she heard him.
He prayed to her.
Years, it had been since she heard him pray. His voice was deeper, not as deep as bellows, but definitely not the same it had been when he was with her. It was even, calm, accepting, longing, loving and apologetic.
She had frozen when it cut suddenly. The only way that could have happened was if-
No.
Her bow slipped from her grasp and fell into the snow. The truth struck her like it had been shot from her brother's golden bow. She took a shuddering breath and braced herself against the nearest tree.
I failed.
First, Naruto was numb. Nothingness, weightlessness, it was indescribable. Relaxing, yet terrifying. Soothing, but strange. Numbness, he swore, was the greatest and the worst feeling at the same time. An oxymoron if ever there was one.
A few - hours? Days? Years? Who knows - moments passed before it started.
Pain.
Oh gods, it hurt so much!
Imagine having your skin removed, washed, and beaten dry. Imagine that you're in the middle of a test and you crammed so hard the night before you practically forgot everything but your name. Imagine that your greatest love; platonic, familial, marital, sexual, any of them splintered away forever, and left you as a husk. Take all three of those, along with the most horrifying event you've ever seen and then multiply it by a thousand.
You are now imagining about one millionth of the pain he felt.
Gods, it had to stop. Someone, anyone, make it stop! Mortal or immortal, timeless or limited, someone help! Egyptian, Norse, Roman, Greek, it didn't matter what pantheon they came from, but if they relieved the pain, he would serve them loyally until he died, and even afterwards if they so wished!
After what felt like an eternity and then some, the pain dulled. That was when he began to wake.
An icy blue eye, almost silver by the pigmentation, cracked open. There was a bright light above him. Not the sun, nor the moon. It was too artificial. Too modern. It was flickering.
Fluorescent bulbs suck. He decided.
He tried to sit up, but fell back to the bed? Cot? Mattress?
Whatever. It hurt too much to think.
He closed his eyes again.
The next time Naruto's eyes opened, the pain had ebbed away and there was a shadow above him. Fiddling with something. A tube that was attached to a bag...and his left arm. The same left arm that flaked and burned.
The same arm that was now riddled with interlocking Nordic runes.
"Oh!" The figure gasped at his wakefulness. "My! You're...wow. You're awake. Just...wow. You're, you're really...wow."
He wanted to deadpan at them about their amazing observation skills. He wanted to ask them what the hell was going on. He wanted to know where he was.
Wheeze.
He wanted water.
Now.
"Oh! Hello, Megan!" The figure brought their hand up and palmed them self in the head. They backed away and grabbed something from a nearby surface. It was thin, but reflected light. It was made of metal and round. They opened it at a latch and moved to wrap it around his ne-
Oh. Hell. No.
His arm, his right arm, his normal arm, shot up and grabbed their wrist before they could secure the thing around his neck. Both of his eyes were open, focusing was still an issue, but he saw clearly enough to know that the person wasn't used to being stopped.
"Don't fight, it doesn't have to be difficult, I'm just trying to-Okay, now you're hurting me. Ow. Ow! Let go of my wrist, you son of a bitch!"
That wasn't very smart. Now they made him mad. He doesn't like it when people diss his Mom. It doesn't matter if you're a Mortal or God; you mess with her, and he messes with you.
Their wrist snapped in his grasp.
"Fuck!" The person tore away from him, and the item dropped to the ground. Naruto started to get up, finding it much easier to do so than before. He swiveled off of the bed and his feet...touched the ground much sooner than he expected.
Huh, weird. He stared down at himself as he stood, noting that his arms and legs alike looked longer, a little paler, too. The tube in his arm was ripped out, as were the patches that were stuck to his chest, which caused the monitor to flat line. His body was more filled out than the lithe form he was in the woods, but it was still lean. He looked around, likening the room to that of a hospital. Strange that he was only in white boxers, though. Then he shook those thoughts away. Not important. Focus.
"Gods, dammit! You broke my wrist, you asshole!" The figure - female, early-twenties, maybe younger - glared at him. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a radio. "I need assistance with the Queen's BF! He's awake and he's fucking strong!"
B...F? The letters flew through his head. Trying to place their importance and their consequential meaning. Queen was simple enough, whoever was in charge had claimed him. But for what?
The question would go unanswered, as the girl suddenly swept his feet out from under him. Still disoriented from whatever they had been pumping him with, he toppled back and hit the ground as she stood. His head, amazingly, didn't collide with the floor, so he was able to catch the girl's foot when she tried to stomp his lights out.
He pulled and brought her down to his level, before he kipped up to his feet. He wobbled and his head felt light. He steadied himself against the bed.
Okay, don't...don't do that again, Naruto thought through a groan. He turned when the door was thrown open, and three more girls rushed in. Although they lacked the nurse scrubs his 'caretaker' wore. Instead, they had white polos tucked into black slacks. The logo plastered above their breasts made him pale.
Amazon? Oh sh-! He was on the defensive, blocking arms and legs as a tussle began in the small room. He gripped one by their wrist and twisted her to act as a human shield. He'd apologize to her, but talking isn't his strong suit right now.
"Jesus, what is this guy? A legionnaire?" One girl asked.
"With those tats? Doubt it."
"How did this happen, Megs!?"
"Hey, don't try to pin this on me! He's the Queen's! She brought him in!"
Throughout this whole ordeal, he was carefully maneuvering himself and his hostage - gods, that just felt wrong - towards the door.
"Hey!" The one in his grasp hissed. She grabbed at his arm that was wrapped across her collar and struggled to free the one he had trapped behind her back. He waited another minute before he shoved her forward, making her topple over her friends and Megan, before he rushed out the door.
Naruto made it down the corridor without issue, it was when he rounded the corner that he was blindsided. A woman had positioned herself carefully, crouched low and rammed her shoulder into his gut just as he turned around the bend. He flipped head under heels, before he hit the ground with a hard smack, stomach and face first.
To put it mildly: Ow.
An elbow dropped into his back, and arms wrapped around his legs. Someone grabbed his arms and pulled them back. He jerked and twisted, trying to escape, but a kick to his gut knocked the wind out of him.
He dry heaved, and his arms were held tight. Megan's voice was heard, of what she grumbled he made out "stupid sexy stud", "lucky bitch", and "shouldn't even be here today." Then, something latched around his neck, and two prongs stabbed into his throat. His insides jolted and once he finished his spasm, he fell to the ground.
"Sweet dreams, asshole."
"Megan!" A new voice barked. "What the hell happened!?"
Gods, he thought as his vision went dark and sounds became muted. Why do you hate me?
The next time he woke up, he found himself on a cot. Though this time he was fully dressed. In an orange jumpsuit. Strange, sure, but he's worn weirder things.
"Hey, hey! Look! The kitten's up!"
Obnoxious, irritating, smug, asinine. Ugh, don't tell me, Naruto looked over at the group of other teens in jumpsuits like his own. He scowled. Boys.
It could be said that he wasn't entirely fond of his sex. There were some exceptions, sure - himself, obviously, and Luke and when he was younger there were a few guys at school he hung out with back in Pennsylvania - but most males grated on his nerves. Especially when they were in their adolescent years. Although, there were times when he was annoyed with himself for being an adolescent boy. He'd caught himself staring at a pretty Canadian girl once when he and Alf went into town to restock on some supplies. She seemed to catch him staring, because she offered a shy smile and wave.
He left without returning the gesture, thinking with burning cheeks that it was humiliating enough to partake in acts that his uncle so enjoyed. He didn't want to be someone his mother hated, that his sisters despised. He knew that, so to learn he stared without conscious decision to, aggravated him.
Hormones, he decided that day, suck.
One of the guys walked up to him. His jumpsuit sleeves were torn off to reveal his arms. Bulky, powerful muscle was exposed. There was a number on his jumpsuit, right over his left pectoral. 001322.
"Hey, names Dave," said the one who called him a ...he called him a Kitten? Seriously? Naruto deadpanned. Thalia's 'Whiskers' was more appealing than that.
Gods he hoped none of them were his cousins. The last thing he needed was for his beloved Uncle Fred to learn about that name.
"Uh, you there? Hello?"
"What." Naruto finally croaked out. He made a face. His voice wasn't that deep before. His eyes widened and then he slapped his hand into his head. "Khonsu, you sonova-!"
"Kent Sue? Dude, I'm sorry, but that name is hilarious-Unf!" Dave bent over when Naruto drove his fist into his gut. The blond grabbed Dave's dark hair with his other hand and tilted it up.
"Demigod?" He asked curtly. Dave coughed and nodded. Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Parent?"
"M-Mars."
Roman? Interesting.
"Why aren't you at Camp?"
"Traded...For supplies...Sandi wanted me to come with her…" Dave whimpered. "Can you please...stop fisting me…?"
Naruto rolled his eyes as nearby guys snickered. Typical crude sexual humor. They didn't take things seriously, and they'd wind up in serious trouble if they ever had the misfortune to encounter the Hunt. He pulled his fist out of the dent it made in Dave's gut and the boy flopped forward to the ground.
"Thank you," he wheezed. He rolled onto his side and winced. "What's your name?"
"Nathan," Naruto said, careful to not reveal anything. He crossed his arms and looked around. He evaluated the other boys, their posture scream subservient. Mortals called their type Alpha males. It was insulting, but apt; most were just dogs looking for a rut. Looking back down after briefly evaluating his chances at becoming top dog - stupid hormones - he asked: "Where are we?"
"The barracks." Dave got to his feet. "So, Greek? Roman? Which-?"
"None of your business."
"Yeesh, touchy." Dave held his hands up when Naruto glared. "Easy, Kitten-"
"Call me that again and you'll find yourself missing two very important aspects that make you a male."
"Geez, lighten up, dude! You sound as bad as some of the ex-Hunters we have around here."
Naruto chose to take that as a compliment. He looked around the barracks. Small, confined, and orderly though it was, he didn't like it. He wanted to be outside.
So he walked away.
"Hey, we're going to get picked up soon. Where are you going?" Dave asked. He was following him.
"Outside." The insult that so badly wanted to follow was held on the tip of his tongue. Really, he was heading for the door. Why would that need to be explained?
"Why?" Dave threw a thumb over his shoulder. "We got a latrine, no need to go out for that, dude."
Part of him wanted to laugh, but he held it in, and a small crooked smile spread across his face instead.
"I'm leaving." He said. Dave stopped, likely wide eyed, and conversations in the tent-like barracks stopped.
"What? But...it-it's date night!"
That stopped Naruto in his tracks. That small, four-lettered word, was more of a curse to him than Damn, Shit or Hell ever would be. Granted, part of that came from his upbringing, since the Hunters would sneer it more often than not, but some of that could be pinned on Uncle Fred.
The god had tried to score a date with a tourist while showing Naruto around Beijing. Needless to say, they lost each other in the chaotic, crowded streets. Yes, they were reunited, but though Uncle Fred swore that he would try not to lose his nephew in search of a date...it happened six more times. Granted, Naruto could've stayed put and waited, but he didn't make any such agreement to be a more dutiful nephew.
In summation, the word "date" was not one he ever wanted to willingly associate himself with. Unwillingly, even more so.
"All the more reason for me to leave," he said. He turned to see the reaction, and nearly burst into laughter then and there. Dave spluttered and faltered for words, and the other men began gaping like a school of fish.
"...What are you, gay?"
"No." Naruto rolled his eyes - quashing down the typical heterosexual hormones that started to demand he assert himself - and more sputtering began to escape the other teens. It was time to leave. He went to the barracks flap and threw it open.
Where he found Megan and a few more Amazons waiting. Megan remained in her scrubs, but her company looked as what most expected of an Amazon. Shields, armor, and spears. The spears were leveled at his neck and he closed his eyes.
His luck would be that bad, wouldn't it?
"Wow, you're sure on the ball, aren't you?" Megan smirked. She reached up and attached something to his collar. Naruto stared at her, incredulous.
"D-Did you just leash me?"
"Yep." Megan chirped as the other Amazons moved their spears away. She pulled on the leather strand and he stumbled forward. He reached for his neck and she pulled on the leash again. "Ah-ah, this is punishment for my wrist. Now, be a good boy and come on. The Queen's waiting."
"Whoa, you lucky dog!" Dave called from within the barracks.
"What did you just say, David?" One of the guards asked.
Dave's nervous answer was lost as Naruto was dragged away.
He surveyed the area once they exited the elevator that led to the Amazon Men's quarters and he came to a startling realization.
Now, to be clear, Naruto was used to being around pretty girls. Heck, he was used to being surrounded by them. His mother was Artemis, after all. The Goddess of the Hunt, and her loyal Hunters, maidens of ages that never exceeded the mid teens, and were known for not only their skill, but also their beauty.
He could say with one hundred percent certainty that they had nothing on the Amazons.
These young women were all warriors, and at the point of their lives where they no longer were simply pretty, but had become beautiful. Aphrodite's children were said to make heads turn - Zoë insisted it was done to conceal a gag - and if that were true, he wanted to know how many of her children came here. Anywhere he looked, there was an Amazon, or two, in clothes that fit just right. With bodies and postures that demanded respectful attention.
Even Megan, when she wasn't scowling at him or looking at him with that disturbing hunger in her eyes, was beautiful. And then she walked ahead of him like a woman on a mission. With a slight swing of her hips that amplified her-
Again, Naruto reiterates: Hormones suck.
"...And you must never look at another woman. Jerry did it all the time. Why Darlene kept him, I'll never understand."
Oh, crap. Was she talking to him? He hadn't heard a thing she said. He was examining his surroundings, looking for an escape, and unfortunately getting distracted by his blasted hormones. At least, he hoped that's why he was looking around.
Oh, Alf. Please be merciful, Naruto thought with closed eyes, hoping that somehow he could reach out to the Norse God of Fertility. If I must suffer these accursed hormones, please grant me one request: Don't let me turn out like Uncle Fred.
He thought he heard a faint round of mixed laughter, but was pulled from his internal monologue when Megan spoke to him again.
"You're not listening to a thing I'm saying, are you?" she asked.
"I'd rather not answer that question," he said. He arched a brow when she smirked at him. "What?"
"You seem familiar with this. Been a BF before?"
"I don't know what that means," he deadpanned.
"Uh-huh. Sure, you don't." She sounded so disbelieving as she gave him a once over. They continued down the hall until they hit a T-junction, where they hung a left. "Anyway. I know you've only been awake for a day, but the other Amazons are starting to get annoyed. The Queen needs to prove your worth, as her rule is still kind of young."
I don't like where this is going. Naruto decided. He began to think of a way to escape.
Before he could begin to act on his concerns, he was pulled into a room that held boxes upon boxes. Two more Amazons grabbed his wrists once the doors closed. One kicked the back of his left knee out and he was forced to kneel. Another grabbed his head and he was pushed forward, prostrating himself to an approaching figure.
"My Queen," Megan said. He saw her kneel out of the corner of his eyes. He tried to look forward, but each time he tried, the Amazon that grabbed his hair pushed his forehead further into the concrete ground.
And some call the Hunters rude? He thought, annoyed. Compared to this, the Hunters' manners were of the highest nobility.
"Megan. Thank you for bringing him. How is your wrist?" Another young woman said. Naruto heard a hint of an accent when she spoke, and he felt her gaze wash over his form. He tried not to move and simply listened.
"Better. It shouldn't have happened in the first place, I was foolish to try and collar him alone."
Foolish to collar me at all would be more accurate. He thought as a scowl marred his face. He jerked involuntarily when The Queen took hold of his leash. The Amazon holding his head pushed it further into the floor.
"Behave."
"That's enough, Hope." The Queen's voice was firm and the grip on his hair lessened. "You, Mercy and Megan may leave."
"But-!" The one that held his left wrist and shoulder began to protest.
"That was not a request, Mercy."
The two hesitated before his arms and head were released. He braced himself on his hands, but didn't move. He waited until they left, until he heard the doors shut behind them, and then he lifted his head to send the Queen a dirty look.
He didn't expect to see a girl his age, if not a few years older, stare down at him with two piercing black eyes. Her glossy black hair was pulled back into a long ponytail and she had an air about her that screamed royalty. Not in an offensive way, either, but rather charming. She wore a sleek black jumpsuit that had both sleeves rolled up and was parted by a belt of golden links. The top was unzipped slightly to reveal a dark tank top beneath it. She was athletic and lean, the hints of her might easy to spot along her exposed skin.
What drew his attention the most was a white line on her forehead.
"Your eyes are beautiful," she said, her voice soft as she spoke. He curled his upper lip in a snarl and nearly growled at her, if he didn't remember where he was and what he was currently doing. She seemed to snap out of her daze and waved her hand. "Stand."
"Thanks." He spat, getting to his feet and standing taller than her by a head. She stared at him again, as if just now realizing how tall he was. Before she could stop him, he reached up and undid the leash. It clattered to the ground, and she was shaken from her thoughts once more.
"No, wait-!" The Queen moved to stop him when he started to fiddle with the collar, but Naruto pushed her away and twisted out of her reach. His fingers just slipped under the leather belt around his neck when a painful shock racked through his body and he dropped back to his knees.
"I tried to warn you," she said, though her voice sounded off. Likely an effect of being shocked. He twitched and scrunched his eyes shut when she put her hands on his arm. "Look, I know this may seem odd-"
"No, you think!?" Naruto snapped at her and pulled himself away. He would be more controlled, but there was the whole shock collar thing that kind of got under his skin.
No pun intended.
"I promise that I don't want to hurt you," The Queen said. He scoffed and pushed himself back to his feet, glaring at her when she tried to near him.
"Yeah, sure, and I'd rather be in Hades at the moment." Not entirely a lie.
"If you'll just listen-!"
"Why should I care what you say?" Naruto asked. He pointed at his neck. "I wake up in this...this glorified slave camp, practically naked, with your little nurse adding who knows what to the I.V. that was in my arm-!"
"We were treating your wounds! The ambrosia and nectar we gave you-!"
"You gave me what!?" He looked at her in horror and then began to pull off his jumpsuit. She didn't move to stop him. Possibly stunned by his sudden decision to strip. He would be too, if he wasn't worried about any possible injuries that were left by their very stupid mistake.
Thankfully, he wasn't missing any significant chunks of skin. In fact, the only thing that marred his flesh was the Norse runes that were wrapped around his left arm and shoulder in tight clusters. Relieved by his unsuccessful search, he pulled the jumpsuit back on, and it was only when he zipped it up did he remember he had an audience. Icy blue eyes slowly turned to face the Queen of the Amazons.
Her eyes were glazed over and there was a flush in her face. Her lips were parted, and soft pants left her mouth. It seemed almost like she was in-Oh.
Oh!
Ohh...
Naruto turned slowly and held his hands out at his sides, figuring that it would be best to treat this like getting away from a hungry wolf.
Which he'd had to do once. Alf was a strict teacher and had a twisted lesson plan. It took days for the smell of processed meat to wash off.
The glaze in her eyes seemed to lessen, but there was still a gleam there. He took a cautious side step, and then another. Her dark brows furrowed together and, though more coherency started to overcome her, she matched his stance and joined the circling.
"If you let me go, no one gets hurt," he said. The Queen shivered and he blanched. Not exactly the reaction he wanted.
"I would love to let you go." Liar, he thought, eyes narrowed as she continued. "But I need a...a consort to affirm my rule. At least one. You're the first that caught my eye, after you washed up in the pier-"
"I washed up in the pier?" He didn't remember being near any water. His eyes widened a margin as he connected the dots. Khonsu, I swear on the Styx that when I find you, I am going to-Shit!
He was forced to jump back when she lobbed one of the smaller boxes at him. Something crashed and he turned to see the box she threw begin to melt. He looked back just in time to catch another box thrown at him. The Queen suddenly barreled into his stomach and the box he caught was launched into the air. She grabbed the collar of his jumpsuit and pulled his head up to crack against her own.
Oh, gods, ow! He blinked away the colorful spots and grabbed her wrists before she could dish out another blow. She tugged her arms away in a futile attempt to break his grasp, but he was not going to let her go that easily. He threw his head forward and smashed it against hers.
Arguably, that was the dumbest idea I've ever had. Though, to be fair, taking driving lessons from Uncle Fred when I was ten might be a close second. Naruto thought, wincing as The Queen fell away and began to nurse her bruised skull. He scrambled away from her and got back to his feet, settling in a stance that had his hands open and ready. She pushed herself to her feet and stumbled back before she got into an aggressive fighting stance. One that he could tell she was comfortable with.
Joy.
"I have to affirm my rule, I need the Amazons to get my revenge on him." The Queen growled out the pronoun so venomously that Naruto pitied whoever 'him' was. She narrowed her eyes and her knuckles bled white. "You're the first one I've taken an interest in."
"Flattery will get you nowhere." Naruto deadpanned. He caught a punch in one hand and then an elbow in the other. His knee shot up to block the leg that aimed to hit him in his soft spot. He scowled. "You fished me out of a river I don't remember swimming in, nearly killed me with ambrosia and nectar, and then collared me like I was some stray dog."
"To be fair, I've never really been a fan of the collars, but the Amazons were wronged before for trusting Demigods. And so was I," The Queen said as she pulled herself away and then rushed him again. She swung a leg up that he ducked under, and then caught on the follow up attempt kick.
"I'm not a Demigod." He pulled her leg in and then gave her a rough shoulder-check that knocked her to the ground. She quickly spun around on her hands in an attempt to sweep his feet out from under him. He leapt away from her legs and glanced at the door. He was closer to it and on his feet. The Queen, still prone, followed his gaze and then looked back at him with a glower.
"Don't even try it," she warned. He narrowed his eyes and the corner of his mouth pulled up into a small smirk.
"Okay. I won't try."
Naruto sprinted for the door, throwing all of his weight into it so that it was knocked off of its hinges. He absently wondered just how weak the lock was, but focused on racing through the hall. He juked to the right around a startled guard and ran along the wall for a brief distance before he jumped to the other side.
"Don't let him escape!"
What happened to not hurting me? Naruto wondered. He shook that thought out of his mind when he heard the familiar twang of a bowstring being released. He pushed off of the wall and performed a baseball slide between the archers that took position in the middle of the hall, before pushing himself back to his feet and continuing his sprint. He ran past the T-junction that Megan had brought him through and continued on, ducking, jumping and juking out of the way of the Amazons and their weapons.
Naruto came across a corner and turned, skidding to a stop when he was met with an archer that had her bow drawn. He grimaced and crouched, ready to move, when the archer blinked. Her bowstring slackened and she lowered the arrow.
"Naruto?"
He blinked, focused and searched his memories. Short, dark haired, blue-eyed, and a bow with a notch on the left side - he recognized this Amazon. She snuck him a few extra snacks when his Mother wasn't looking sometimes.
"Donna?"
They both pointed at each other, incredulous.
"What are you doing here?! How long have you been here?! Why haven't you told Lady Artemis you're alive / Why did you leave Mom?!"
"Donna, stop him!" The Queen's order made them both turn to see her and several other Amazons race down the hallway. Donna looked back at Naruto with a scowl.
"So, Apollo corrupted you, then? You turned into another one of those boys, hmm?" She asked, disgusted.
"What?! No! Donna, I-Oof!" His eyes screwed shut as her bow was slammed into his gut. He doubled over and dropped when she twisted away. Her bow swung down and pulled his feet out from under him, causing him to fall to his back. His head bounced off of the floor. He cracked one eye open and coughed. "Donna..."
"Don't speak to me, Boy. Queen Hylla will decide your punishment." Donna huffed. Then, before he could protest further, her boot lifted and dropped down onto his face.
Darkness.
It'd been six weeks now since he woke to find himself in the Amazons' care. Six weeks of forced labor, degrading jabs, and being surrounded by testosterone filled morons whose interests were limited to who got laid the night before and drinking on weekends.
Oh, the fun.
Looking back, Naruto's first day with the Amazons sucked, but it was still better than an average day in the Workplace. He got shocked, more than once, and got knocked out twice. Not to mention his little performance for the Queen, and she didn't let him live that down. More than once she asked for a repeat performance, and more often than not, she wasn't joking.
He refused either way.
The rest of the week consisted of more mundane tasks, which compared to the adrenaline rush that the first day held, made it all the more horrible. Being ogled like he was a glorified slab of meat was one thing, but treating him like a pet and forcing him to do labor? Not to mention that he would have much rather been shocked eight times daily than suffer the idiocy that came from Dave and his fellow BFs.
He'd tried carving runes into his collar, or into anything, but they always seemed to remain inactive. No repeat of what occurred when he semi-accidentally defeated the Fox that hunted him. Each failure increased his frustration, and his desire to be free, to be back in the woods, started to make him frantic.
Hylla was no colder or crueler to him than she was on the first day, but she was more careful. He was still her "consort", although nothing that usually fell under that title had happened. At least, not while he was conscious anyway.
A shiver racked his body. He tried to avoid even contemplating that possibility.
When Hylla had brought him back to her office at the next 'date-night', her guards not dismissed, but neither did they assault him for no reason. She explained the situation to him and answered whatever questions he had. She told him about her time as one of Circe's attendants, the Demigod that ruined her and her sister's life - which had made him almost gape at the discovery of Poseidon bearing a son - her skirmish with Blackbeard and his men, and about the trip she made to the Amazon's Warehouse, before she parted ways with her sister.
The current Queen was cordial, at the least. And fair. More than once, he would be dragged along whenever one of their date nights was interrupted by an issue that required Hylla's attention. It was on the fifth night, after resolving an altercation between two Amazons over the right to bed a certain Warehouse Worker, that she asked him how he came to be familiar with the Olympians' world. Hearing that he was a clear sighted mortal surprised her, but it didn't dissuade her from pursuing him as her consort.
It was at the start of their sixth date night a week later, six weeks after his sudden appearance at the Amazon's doorstep, that Naruto felt some semblance of hope again. Hylla and he had just sat down at a small, quaint table that was set to a standard he'd only seen in those ridiculous romantic comedies that Uncle Fred had showed him during a movie marathon, when an Amazon guard that had been stationed outside burst into the room.
"Gertrude, this had better be important," Hylla said, leveling a stern glare on the kneeling guard. She flashed Naruto an apologetic look. He gave her a disinterested stare and then returned his attention to the spork he was granted. The last time they gave him real utensils, he tried to MacGyver his way out of his collar when Hylla stepped out to "powder her nose."
Dumbest. Phrase. Ever. Naruto thought, stabbing at the meal with disinterest. Salad was good an all, but three leafs of lettuce was not a meal. Any Satyr or Faun would call that a light pre-snack snack.
"Apologies, Queen Hylla," the guard said. She lifted her head and glanced at the sole male in the room for a second, before returning her gaze to the Amazon Queen. "However, we...we have a small situation at the, uh, administration entrance."
"Is someone complaining about the delivery rates?" Hylla arched a brow. "I thought we resigned the agreement with both Mercury and Hermes?"
"We did, but that's not the issue." The guard nibbled on her lip. The next words caused Naruto to perk up. "The Huntress is here and, um, she demands an audience-"
"You're kidding. I thought for certain that they wouldn't venture here considering our schedule. She knows that Friday and Saturday evenings are our days of-"
"With her son."
Hylla blinked. Naruto feigned disinterest, but he began to thank every deity he'd ever heard of. Even ones that no longer had a presence in this world or never had one to begin with.
Selene. Helios. Cthulhu. Primus. Please let this be who I think it is. Please, Olympus, let your dwellers be kind!
"...Her...Her son?" Hylla asked, her eyes wide as the empty dinner plates that were set in front of them. The guards stationed inside the room let out two small gasps.
The guard nodded.
"...I'm sorry Nathan, but it would seem that I have some urgent business to attend to," Hylla said, standing and setting her napkin on her plate. She stopped at his side before she passed and put a hand on his arm. "Hopefully this will be over quickly, but if it involves who I think it does, it may be best to cancel the rest of-"
Wait, what? Cancel? No, no, no, Naruto thought. He could not miss this window. He had to get out of here! Before Stockholm set in or Hylla's patience ran out. He didn't know which would be worse. How could he-wait. An idea struck, one so stupid it just might actually work. But, it never hurt to get some godly backup.
Uncle Fr-Apollo, if this works I will be your wingman for one night.
A warmth suddenly overcame the room, and Naruto went for broke with the one move he could think of.
"What's the big deal? Why I can't meet this friend of yours?" He asked. A resounding snort went through the room, coming from each of the three guards. He would to if he wasn't trying not to blow this.
Hylla smiled at him, apologetic.
"Normally, I would love to bring you-"
To show me off like some sort of award, Naruto thought, biting the inside of his cheek to keep his thoughts private.
"But this particular friend is not comfortable in the presence of men. She is rather hostile towards them," Hylla said. She began to pull her hand away, but he reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"I can protect myself," he insisted. "And I'll be quiet. I won't do anything to make myself too noticeable."
"A Lyre, a lyre, from a liar. Whose pants then lit afire!" His uncle's favorite rhyme echoed in the back of his head. It was based on his uncle's first interaction with Hermes, and had been told to him at a very young age. Maybe he should think twice before asking his uncle for help.
"Mayhaps next time, Nathan," she said. He tightened his grip and pulled her down.
"I don't... want to end the date this soon," he said, fighting back the gag that he felt. "I'm, starting to...enjoy your... presence. Hylla."
Hylla gaped at him and then smiled. He actually felt some heat go to his cheeks. It wasn't a megawatt grin, but a small, beautiful smile that drew his gaze to her lips and how close they were.
He wondered if they were as soft as marsh-Don't get distracted! Not now, not when I'm so close!
"I don't think you realize how happy I am to hear that," she said, her voice soft. She got closer, her breath puffed against his face and-oh. Huh.
Marshmallows? Not even clouds were as soft as Hylla's lips.
This...this isn't so bad. Not as gross as I'd thought it be. A bit strange, but I can kind of understand where Uncle Fred is coming from. Naruto's thoughts jolted him from his daze. Uncle Fred. Uncle Fred! Focus! You're acting like Uncle Fred!
He pulled away before Hylla could wrap her arms around his neck. His hands leapt off of her hips - when did he put them there!? - and he rubbed at his face, doing a good job of acting not quite unpleasantly surprised. It helped that he really was surprised by the pleasantness of the act, but that wasn't important. Now, anyway.
"Wow," Hylla's whisper snapped him from his thoughts. The smile was back in place. "That was actually way better than I thought it would be. I expected a bite, at least."
"I...uh...y-your friend...can…?" Naruto fumbled, still a bit off-kilter from the kiss.
"Well, I guess there won't be too much harm in it," Hylla said. Her gaze was smoldering, drawing heat to his face from the intensity of it. Naruto was pretty sure he was glowing. Her hand cupped his cheek, and a finger traced the top whisker that marred it. "After all, we can continue that and dinner much sooner if you stay close."
He sort of hated the part of him that actually sounded delighted by the idea.
Hylla stood, her hand parting from where it was comfortable on his face, and turned to her guards. She requested his guide - the leash did a great job of cooking whatever fire the Queen had set within him - and wrapped it loosely around her wrist. Then she took his hand in her own and guided him out to the hall. The guards followed, each as tense as the last.
"Stay in pace with me," she said, whispering into his ear. "Once we enter the room, it will be hard, but you mustn't stare. It would be best if you averted your gaze, watched the floor. Count how many tiles there are on the floor. Stare at someone's feet, I don't care. Just don't stare at her."
"O-kay?" He tried to sound as confused as possible.
"I mean it, Nathan. Do not stare at her, or any of the girls she brings with her," Hylla said. She stopped outside the doors and put a hand on the latch. It opened only a sliver, before she stopped and pulled back to face him. She took his face in her hands and pulled him down for another kiss. A harder, deeper kiss that he had to slightly pull away from, lest she bruise his lips.
Then the doors were pulled open, exposing them to the occupants of the room.
"Presenting Queen of the Ama-a-oh. Er, uh... Presenting the Queen of the Amazons! Hylla Ramirez-Arellano," the Amazon guard announced her. Naruto's eyes were wide as Hylla ended the kiss and then faced the room with a smile. To his embarrassment, the guard continued, "And accompanying her is her Consort, Nathan."
"Lady Artemis," Hylla said, entering the room with a small bow and forcing Naruto to do the same. He was glad she did, the image of not only his adoptive mother being slack-jawed and wide-eyed, but also the images of Lieutenant Zoë Nightshade and the healer Phoebe in the same state kind of put him in his own state of embarrassed shock.
"...C-C-C-Consort?" Phoebe, the first able to find her voice, repeated.
"Yes," Hylla said, nodding as she righted herself and Naruto. "I know that you normally do not welcome our men in our meetings, but I found it very hard to say no to him accompanying me. I would be very grateful if you did not change him into a jackelope."
"After what we just saw, perhaps such a transformation is in order," Zoë said, being the second to find her mind. Her comment made Naruto break out of his stupor, and the following glare caused him to cringe.
"Again, I apologize for that." Hylla sent a sideways glare at the girl that revealed them to the Hunters and their Patron. The Amazon guard had the decency to look sheepish. Shaking her head, Hylla looked back at the Goddess. "According to my Amazon, you wished to have an audience with your son, Lady Artemis? Pardon me for my disbelief, but that can't be true because of your oath, correct?"
"Oh, it's true." Zoë grumbled. She folded her arms across her chest, her eyes locked with Naruto's. "Isn't it, Nathan?"
"That's not fair." Naruto muttered. He felt like a young child again, caught with his mouth full with extra sweets given to him by some of his nicer sisters. He crossed his arms. "She kissed me."
"Thou didn't seem to protest it."
"What am I going to do, throw her through the door?"
"That would've been preferred." Zoë reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Mine eyes cannot be fooled, though I wish they were. It is as Donna said, thou hath been poisoned by Apollo."
"I was not poisoned by Uncle Fred!" he protested.
"Mm-hm. Clearly, the bruising on thy lips is caused by the magic she used to entrance you," Zoë said.
"Sister-!"
"Sister!?" Hylla and the other Amazons repeated, dubious and shocked. The Queen stared at him before her eyes narrowed and the leash that wrapped around her wrist fell to her hand. In a flash, she wound the leash tight and pulled him down so that their faces were separated by inches, though this time the air between them was a bit more hostile.
"You lied to me," she said. He glowered at her.
"Oh, did I?"
"You told me you were a clear sighted mortal!"
"I am."
"Liar!" She pulled on the leash and he choked. He dropped to one knee and tugged at the collar. Hylla looked ready to say something more, when the leash snapped.
Before she could wrap her head around the random occurrence, Hylla was launched down the hall and the other Amazons in the room were pinned to the walls by silver arrows. The collar around his neck was erased from existence and a hand wrapped around his. He was hauled to his feet, and found himself looking down at the child form of his adoptive mother for all of three seconds before she shifted to her mature form.
Which stood at an impressive seven feet.
The sight made him deadpan.
"Wow, really?" Naruto asked her.
"No talking. You're grounded," Artemis said. She rounded on the balls of her feet and headed for the doors. "Zoë, Phoebe, return to camp. Come along, Naruto."
"You're grounding me? Are you serious?" He asked, an incredulous look on his face as he followed her out. She stopped and leveled him with a stern look that made him feel like he was five years old again.
"First," she said, ticking off a finger. "You ran away from Apollo, who wasn't my first choice but he was your designated guardian. Then, you ran away from me. You have Egyptian and Norse magic lingering on your person, not to mention that tattoo - and on that note, you have a tattoo! You have been missing for eight years! And finally, when I do discover where you are, you are a consort for the current Amazon Queen! Yes, Naruto, you are most certainly grounded! For no less than a year! Do you understand me!?"
Needless to say, Naruto felt sufficiently chided. He ducked his head down in shame.
"Yeah..."
"I said, 'do you understand me'?" Artemis repeated, her hands on her hips as she stared down at him.
"Yes, Momma." He murmured.
"Good," she said. She turned away again and he followed her out of the warehouse.
He could only wonder what she would have him do for the duration of his punishment.
They walked for some time in silence until they came to a silver BMW 3 Series. Artemis waved her hand and the fine sedan shifted into the chariot that she preferred. She stepped into it and Naruto followed, taking hold of the side to keep himself upright while she took the reins. Her deer took off at a wordless order, galloping across the sky within seconds.
Maybe I should've stayed with the Amazons, he thought. He chanced a glance a cringed under the glare that was leveled on him from the corner of the goddess' eye. Definitely should've stayed with the Amazons. Or at least gotten turned into a Jackelope. This is going to be a long year.
To Be Continued…
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