Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Born From Fire: Forgotten Tails
Sleep was all that mattered.
Sleep was good. Sleep meant time would pass. It would see The Other again sooner. All it had to do was sleep.
Typhoon. Rise.
The Crooked One's voice echoed in its head. It withheld the urge to growl, and ignored him. The last nuisance that bothered the slumber was cast away, and it was just starting to go back to sleep. It was dreaming of a time long since passed, a time with The Other, a time it missed with every aspect of its being. Its power made the world tremble, its very name struck fear into the hearts of men and gods alike. The ocean parted at its will and mountains crumbled at its whim. Mortals were slain with but a flick of its power, and even the gods fled from its approach.
...Don't you ignore me...
That was then. Without The Other, it felt incomplete. Memories were all it had, but a day would come when The Other would find it again. It just had to wait. Goodness, did it hate waiting.
Typhoon, I command you to rise!
Sleep was all that mattered. It would all be over soon. All it had to do was sleep and await The Other. All it had to do was indulge in dreams and wait for time to go by.
Four Days after The Horkos Incident.
Two men with golden hair sat down across from each other outside a cafe in Chinatown. One had a long red staff resting by his chair, a large pack hung on the tip. The other wore an orange shirt with a Pegasus on it. The Pegasus shirt swallowed, drumming his fingers before he sighed.
"So...how've you been?"
The blonde with the staff shrugged. He had a rugged face and almond shaped dark eyes. Around his head was a simple golden loop. He seemed older than the blonde across from him. But the air was tense and sweltering.
"I've had it worse." He admitted. He leaned forward and braced himself on the table. "I just want to know...how long have you been back?"
"I don't—"
The ground shook as the crowned blond slammed a fist on the table. Mortals around them brushed it off as another minor quake.
"You do not get to play that card!" He snapped. His eyes blazed. "Not you, Naruto! Do you know how long you were gone? Hm? How long we thought we'd been left as the remnants?!"
"Son, please—"
"Six thousand years." The staff bearer, Son, grit out. "A century of unity, our longest streak...and then we were separated again. If I hadn't been in the area, if I hadn't felt your chakra—!"
"I'm sorry." And he was. Naruto stared into the other deity's eyes. "I'm so...I can't even…"
"No. No you can't." Son's jaw flexed and he closed his eyes. "But death is not a fault I can pin on you. Reincarnation, either, for that matter. We expected another transmigrant to emerge. Instead we got—"
"Primordials." Naruto mumbled. Son's eyes fell to his hands as they clenched into fists.
"They took our home." The man's eyes flashed again. "They took the nations apart and shattered the remains of our world. They almost killed Saiken, Naruto, because she wouldn't leave Konoha!"
"Is she—?"
"She's safe. I've ensured it." The man gained a wry smile. "She still believes you'll come back."
"Is that why you...uh?" Naruto gestured at his head.
"Hm? This? Oh no. Some punk I taught years back looked like this. Died shortly after." Son looked off to the side, wistful. "Reminded me of you. Of Ashura. I almost took him to meet Saiken. But he didn't...she would've known it wasn't you."
"So you honor him?"
Son's features grew a bit animated as he pulled his pack down. He dug around and started piling books onto the table. Several depicted compasses and Chinese strewn across it. One was a manga Naruto recognized if only because of Apollo's love for it, depicting a small boy with an orange gi, unruly black hair and a monkey's tail.
"I immortalized him." His words were filled with pride as he looked over the books. "To this day, mortals know somewhat of The Monkey King. To this day no one has forgotten the name Sun Wukong."
"He must have been an amazing kid."
"You would've loved him."
"You're probably right." Naruto smiled as he took in Son's face. Wistful, proud, mixed with a healthy dose of melancholy and accepted grief. He picked up the signed Dragon Ball and carefully flipped through it. He was careful with his next words. "You've mentioned Saiken..."
Son's face sobered. "I lost touch with the others. I hear whispers every now and then but they're all...Shukaku stayed in the desert. He's more scattered than ever."
"Son," Naruto set the book down and put a hand on the other immortal's arm. "I promise you, I will find them. Zeus himself would have to stop me."
"You'll forgive me if I don't believe you." Son sighed. "Six thousand years, Naruto. We've changed. So...so much."
"I'd be more disappointed if you hadn't." Naruto smiled. There was pain behind it that he would accept later, but for now, he pressed forward. "Please, let me help you."
"...Last I heard from Isobu, he had found a marshland somewhere in the new west." Son sighed. "I think Matatabi, Kokuo, and Chomei are hiding among your pantheon. Gyuki is...well, his situation is hard to describe."
"And Kurama?" His lips pulled into a smirk. "Don't tell me, he's holed up on that mountain in Japan."
Son didn't even crack a smile.
"...Son, what happened to Kurama?"
Son looked away. Naruto tightened his grip.
"Son, please."
"It wasn't his fault. He didn't — he didn't handle your passing well. And everything you fought for was being destroyed. Everything you helped him fight for was being divvied up! It was like the Warring Clan Era had ended all over again!"
"What did Kurama do?"
"Promise me you won't tell them."
"What did Kurama do, Son?"
"Promise me!" Son's eyes flashed white as he gripped Naruto's hand. The world darkened around them and instead of a man, a mountain sized gorilla stood across from Naruto, tusks jutting from its lower lip and four tails swaying in an unseen breeze. "Promise me you will not tell the Olympians what he did!"
Naruto rested his other hand atop Son Goku's. Then they were back outside the restaurant in Chinatown.
"Whatever he did, however bad it was, can be fixed. We did it with Sasuke. We did it with the Shinobi Era. We can do it with Kurama." He assured softly. "But I need to know what he did, Son."
"He shut down." Son's gravelly voice was low. "He gave up...and let it out."
"Let what out?"
"The storm to end all storms." Son spoke softly, and the ground shook at the next words he uttered. "He released Typhoon."
Naruto pursed his lips.
Why did Kurama always have to make things so difficult?
One Month after the Horkos Incident.
There was one thing most Olympians agreed on, and that was anything relating to or coming from the Underworld was bad news. Persephone was given slack simply because no one wanted to be on Demeter's bad side. Likewise, the God of the Underworld didn't care for his brethren above, and were it not for the debt he and his siblings owed The Thunderer, he likely would've ignored any decree or news that happened to make its way down to him. Hell, he might've even subject an Olympian god to test out a punishment if they'd been particularly annoying. Hermes' first and sudden arrival to Hades' throne room had nearly resulted in such — On an unrelated note, Hermes had never been more thrilled than he was after he managed to convince Hades to go digital in the mid-nineties.
To summarize, Hades didn't like Olympus and vice versa.
So, to him, Hestia and Naruto's visits were all the more baffling.
Well, at least he could understand Hestia's reasoning. To her, they were siblings, they had bonded during and after their time in Kronos' gut. Time and time again she had proven that he had one true ally on Olympus, and that was the Goddess of the Hearth.
Imagine his surprise when she appeared for her monthly visit a week early with a small bundle in tow. A small bundle that had the eyes of fire and the soul of a mortal. He, expectedly, had not taken to it well. Thankfully, this visit took place in Autumn, and his wife calmed him significantly. Sure, he complained and moaned over Themis' daughters' actions, but the dramatics stopped when his nephew was placed in his arms.
The boy didn't cry.
The boy didn't shiver.
The boy didn't stare...at least, not in fear. Two fiery eye sockets stared up at Hades and he felt...well, whatever it was he didn't feel it for other Olympians. Kinship, perhaps?
"He trusts you." Hestia had affirmed, smiling at the bundle. Persephone was beside herself with joy, but Hades had an image to maintain. No matter what was said by the other two grown goddesses, he did not cry. Bone dust the brat kicked up off of his robes had gotten in his eye. That was his story and he was sticking to it.
He promised to help his sister, afterwards, if she ever needed it, and granted both Hestia and the Boy of Fire free lifetime passes into and out of the Underworld.
Which was, possibly, his first mistake in the history of his rule—Second, if one included the arm wrestling match with that Nazareth fellow, like Persephone did. Thankfully, he managed to quell that story from spreading, and the man was actually quite a humble victor. (Occasionally, Hades heard his name cursed in Hebrew and smirked to himself. Divinity was all fun and games to mortals until the responsibility came around to bite them in the ass.)
The Boy of Fire — "Just call me Naruto, Uncle Hades!" — tended to abuse his pass on a whim.
Admittedly, it was amusing the first time...for five minutes. Having a young god sprout up in a small burst of flame in the midst of Persephone's absence certainly made that day more interesting than he'd like to admit. His pleas for sanctuary and assurances that he was being 'tortured' on Olympus were ironic. Athena had always struck him as a sensible taskmaster, but apparently Hestia's child thought otherwise.
Then the messages came. The accusations. The threats. The demands. The Olympians, as they were wont to do, were certain he'd abducted the Boy of Fire. After all, it wouldn't have been the first time he took a child of Olympus. Persephone spoke in his defense, but it was drowned out by her mother's vendetta.
Iris still refused to grant him message rights, which was certainly unfair in his opinion. All Zeus and Poseidon had to do was pay a hefty fee for their part in the three way shouting match.
In the end, it came down to a tense lunch at a bistro in Italy. Hestia's presence was to assure him that she did not blame him or believe the nonsense that had sprouted — "Ares." was all she had said on the matter, and he understood. The tension came in the form of who would be overseeing Naruto's return.
Hera did nothing wrong, per say, but there was a reason her temper was feared far more than her husband's. Her presence was an assurance; if Hades had done anything wrong, he would suffer for it.
Thankfully, Naruto wasn't a liar like Hermes, nor did he attempt to shift blame.
"Athena's lessons are boring!" He admitted after a few minutes of scrutiny. "I didn't mean to get Uncle Hades in trouble. I was bored and wanted to do something new!"
He'd been grounded for a few years.
World War One started during his punishment.
Hades made the connection before either of his brothers and advised Zeus that maybe having three gods of war and one goddess of peace was not a fair balance. Despite having to suffer the death of another son, no matter how right his brothers had been about him, Hades prided himself on figuring out what his nephew's domains would be before the Bolt-Farting Blowhard or the Whaler did.
Suffice to say, the Boy of Fire had a special place in Hades'...Well, he was unique. Treasured.
Which made refusing what he had requested all the more difficult.
"I said no, Nephew." Hades towered over his nephew, eyes narrowed. The God of Peace bore the clothes of Camp Half-Blood, and wore an atrocious yellow beard that resembled his sea-lording brother's. His eyes were a deep blue, but there was a fire in them he'd seen in the eyes of many mortals'.
"Come on, Uncle!" Naruto took a step forward. "Please! I just need five minutes!"
"You are not in Poseidon's halls, Nephew. You cannot annoy me into allowing you passage into Tartarus." Hades glowered. He didn't want to think about what Hestia would do to him if she found out he let her son go there.
"If this is about what happened between me and Orkos—!"
"And that's another matter!" The shadows rose around him as he tightened his grip on the throne. "Are you suicidal or has Poseidon's spawn rubbed off on you?!"
"Oh, lay off of Percy! Uncle Side'n is to blame for his existence!" The younger god crossed his arms. Hades nearly forgot how unhappy his nephew had been when he had abducted Sally Jackson. The ensuing glitter bomb presents had ruined his robes for the better part of the year. "And as I've been told over the course of a millennia, Gods can't die."
"Indeed, I'd rather not have to induct you into my domain by decree."
"And you won't! What happened between me and Orkos is our problem. Not Olympus' or the Underworld's."
"Do you sincerely believe Nyx will let an assault like that stand-?!"
"She's not bright enough to think about it if he doesn't tell her."
"That…" Hades conceded and recomposed himself. He didn't get his helm forged out of sheer loyalty.
"Be that as it may," he said, relaxing. "I cannot give you access without hearing your reason as to why you need to enter Tartarus, and even then I might not give it to you."
If his nephew pulled an Ares and just wanted to fight a Titan for the hell of it, he was going to storm Olympus and deal with the oaf himself. Time and again he told Zeus to deal with his son's bloodlust before it got the best of them. Hell, the Master Bolt Incident was reason enough for it, and yet no punishment has come.
"I'm looking for someone I know. Er, knew. I think that they're hiding down there."
Hades wasn't entirely sure what whiplash was — he had an idea, since some of his subjects had arrived to the Underworld because of it — but he was sure that he'd just suffered from it.
"Come again?"
Two Months after The Horkos Incident
Nary a leaf crinkled as she pushed through the brush. Silver eyes were locked on a wild elk that was calmly grazing, unaware of her presence meters from where it stood. She'd hindered herself, as she always does when on a solo hunt, to keep her skills and talents sharp. Her grip on her bow was firm, the wood that it had been made from still as strong as it was millennia ago when it was first given to her, and the string that was bound at either end protested in her fingers.
She kept a firm grip on the fletching as she moved closer.
The elk was beautiful in its habitat, peaceful at its ripe middle age, but it was poisoned. Disease lurked within its flesh, hidden by countless enzymes and proteins that kept it at bay. In another year the beast would succumb to terrible misfortune, and its remains would spoil the rest of the ecosystem. She had to keep the balance that mankind had already thrown off course, which was unfortunate for the creature in front of her.
Resolve hardened her heart and tempered her conviction. A hunt like this was not one she preferred, but one that had to be done. The arrow flew from her grasp with nothing more than the sound of torn cardboard. The elk squealed and turned to flee, bleeding heavily from the artery that had been severed. A shadow blurred in front of it, and it took one last step before collapsing in a heap. Annoyance reflected in the eyes of the Huntress.
"That was unnecessary," she said as she emerged from the wood, a glare leveled at the figure that was crouched beside the elk. The wounds they had inflicted on it cleaned and closed by heated palms. A pair of bloodshot blue eyes glanced up, and the bearded blond's lips pursed together, a frown on his face.
"The blood trail would attract predators."
"Smart predators would notice the taint."
"The young ones wouldn't."
"It would be a learning experience."
"A fatal one."
"That makes no difference."
"Perhaps not to an Olympian." He muttered, looking back at the deceased with a hint of bitterness. She tensed, her grip tight on her bow, and her eyes narrowed.
"Excuse me?"
He froze, his eyes filled with fire, before he squeezed them shut again. One hand lifted to rub his eyes.
"Shit." He stood to face her. His camp T-shirt was old and tattered, and his jeans were ragged and worn out. The sandals he usually wore were absent, and he carried himself like one of her hunters when they had pushed themselves too far: sagged shoulders, slouched posture, and knees locked to keep from falling over. Exhaustion laced his words. "I'm sorry, Artemis, that was uncalled for."
Hearing the sincerity in his voice, the goddess accepted her cousin's apology with a nod. Her bow was willed away, and her features grew as she returned to an older form. Then, she crossed her arms and resumed glaring at him.
"Why have you intruded upon my Hunt, Naruto?"
"I need your help."
Artemis arched a brow. It was rare for a god of Olympus to request the help of another, rarer still for it to be so bluntly requested. This was because gods were, well, gods. Finding something one couldn't do alone was extremely improbable, unless it involved acting in another's domain. Another reason that requests were so rare was that normally such a request would result in an owed favor. A favor owed to an Olympian, council member or not, was not one to be taken lightly by any sentient being.
"And what could I do that another couldn't?"
"To my knowledge, there is no better hunter than the goddess before me."
Both of her brows rose. Her cousin was normally not so formal or flattering when around those he deemed family—a trait she was not usually fond of, considering how alike he and Apollo tend to be—and he had a quarry to boot? Her interest peaked, her glare lightened. She gestured for him to continue.
"Echidna."
That was...disappointing.
"The mother of monsters resides in Tartarus. All know this. Waste my time no longer, Cousin." Artemis huffed and turned to leave. A flash of fire blocked her path and Naruto stood in front of her, his arms crossed and a playful smile on his face.
"She was in Tartarus." He waggled a finger and his smile grew. "Until lil' Percy was sent on his quest. For Lord Zeus', er… favored accessory. Y'know, the one you couldn't find."
"Ares had hidden it." Artemis' curt retort was sharp and her eyes were once more narrowed. "While he was under The Crooked One's influence."
Apollo had teased her about the son of Poseidon's success for days after that particular solstice meeting. That her cousin, whose similarities to her twin's worst attributes were far too alike for her liking, used the same tactics was infuriating. The urge to shoot him was strong, but she refrained from doing so lest she incur her aunt's wrath.
"Okay, fair point." A finger raised once again. "But...while Olympus persevered another year afterwards, there was a loose end left to run free among St. Louis."
"My Hunters and I dealt with the Chimera."
"I was talking about its mother."
Artemis stopped herself from reaffirming her knowledge on the Mother of Monsters. Her cousin was not so prideful to pursue a fight after interrupting her Hunt. Nor was he foolish enough to badger her over a slight to her ego. She crossed her arms and stared down the god of peace.
"Let us entertain the thought that you are correct—"
"Which I am." Her glare at the interruption had him shut his mouth and mime locking it. Then bowed his head and gestured for her to continue.
"If Echidna is not in Tartarus, then where is she?" she asked. A beat passed before she rolled her eyes. "You may speak, Naruto."
"An excellent question!" He scratched the back of his head with one hand while the other rested on his hip. "Which is exactly why I came looking for you. I figured that if anyone could find Echidna, surely it would be Artemis, the Olympian Goddess of the Hunt."
"Flattery will not sway me, Cousin."
"I wasn't flattering you." Naruto pointed up at the storm cloud that had been gathering overhead. Artemis eyed it and then looked back at him, a brow arched. Zeus was not normally one to stalk minor gods, unless Hera had been giving him a really cold shoulder. The blond rolled his eyes, crossed his arms and grumbled under his breath five words that ruined her night.
"He knows about the bet."
Artemis felt the ichor in her veins freeze.
Oh.
Oh, that was bad.
Initially, Horkos was the only god outside of the three that the bet revolved around who was aware of it. As the God of broken oaths, and the God of the Hearth's most trusted confidant, he would know who won the bet and whether they followed through on the outcome. He was unlikely to have said anything, and her twin was not moronic enough to say anything to their sire, which meant…
Artemis glared at Naruto again.
"Explain. Briefly."
"Ares found out."
"...Explain. Slightly less briefly."
"Apollo mentioned it in front of him while we were hanging with him and Hermes and, well...you know, I kind of...told him? Sorry?" Naruto laughed sheepishly. It wilted as her power leaked out, and a bow appeared in her hand. The younger god cringed at the glowing glare that had been leveled on him. A firm poke in the chest had him flinch back several steps.
"You told Ares?! Did you not think of the consequences?!" Artemis was nearly frothing at the mouth. If her cousin had told Ares, then likely the first person he would tell would be the absolute last Olympian that she'd wanted to know about this. That goddess would spread the word of it without a care in the world, why she probably would crow it to the heavens. A rumble of thunder had her amending the thought; that damned goddess had spread the word and had crowed it to the heavens. Fury unfolding, Artemis grit her teeth and a silver arrow appeared in her free hand. "I will give you eight seconds."
"Eight?! Wha, but, this is all Apollo's fault!" Naruto gestured animatedly while trying to scramble away from her. "If he hadn't zoned out when I asked him to tell his kids to back off-!"
"My fat-headed brother will get what is owed to him in due time. You have eight seconds, cousin." She notched her bow and pulled it taut. "Be grateful I'm giving you that much, for he will have much less."
"Can I say that I'm just as thrilled about Her knowing about it as you are? Heck, even Eros isn't happy about it, but I think that's because he got a larger workload since her attention shifted…"
"Your knack for Empathy won't save you. Seven seconds." She took a few steps back and lifted her bow, aiming down the shaft of the arrow at his head. He yelped, eyes and hair flickering into flame before he held his hands out in front of him.
"Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! How about a bribe? Huh? Everyone likes a good bribe!" A nervous smile had spread across his face and sweat shot from his brow like mortal bullets. Much like Hermes when the Trickster was caught red-handed, she noted. "Four batches of my Mother's ginger snaps? Fresh out of the oven! Eh? Eh?"
Artemis was so grateful she had over four millennia to learn how to school her features. That was a tempting offer, especially given the coming solstice. Hestia's baking was limited to such days, when their family could gather without concern for the planet. Every season between the two was like an eternity for the Huntress, whose knack for a sweet tooth hadn't yet been kicked. Tempting as the offer was, this was about more than simple wrongdoing.
"You cannot sway my decision, Naruto. I will shoot you in five seconds."
"Five batches! With a sweet roll basket come solstice!"
Her mouth nearly watered at the thought of an entire basket of sweet rolls.
"Four seconds."
"Seven batches of ginger snaps and a sweet roll basket for the Hunt!"
"T-Three seconds."
"Eight batches of ginger snaps, a basket full of sweet rolls, a baker's dozen of whatever cookies you wish, and a small bag of goodies for each member of the Hunt, be they Human or Hound!"
The bow, and her resolve, lowered. The offer was far too good to be true, yet the sincerity brought forth by his fear of her had her hesitate.
"...You can get eight batches?"
"Yes!" He nodded frantically. "Still not enough? I can try my hand at whipping some donuts up, maybe an eclair or something...whatever you want, I'll get it! Just please don't shoot me, I'll never hear the end of it if I show up on Olympus with an arrow in my head!"
Artemis considered his offer before she willed her bow and arrow away. Her arms folded across her chest.
"Very well," she said. "Eight batches of ginger snaps, a basket of sweet rolls and chocolate chip cookies, and treats for the Hunt and our hounds...for the next century."
"Done!" Naruto sighed in relief. Artemis wasn't done.
"And," she added. "You will tell me why you seek the Mother of Monsters."
His shoulders tensed and his face turned to stone. Or as close as it could be. For all of his suspected might, the God of Peace was poor at concealing his emotions. Granted, not all gods had the keen eyesight The Huntress required to keep her domain in order. Still, his attempt to conceal anything from her told her everything she needed to know.
And now, she was intrigued.
"That's personal."
"Do you want my assistance or not, Cousin?"
"I believe that Echidna knows how to arouse Typhoon."
Artemis blanched.
"You wish to seek out Echidna because she is that…" she hesitated here, unsure of the right word to use. "Thing's consort?"
"Huh? Well, yeah. Obviously." Naruto stared at her, as if she had suddenly declared her vows were a sham the whole time. She gave him a second, for even the gods experience mental exhaustion, and it was all he needed before his head alit with fire and his face burned gold. He clapped a hand to his face and waved at her suggestion with the other. "No, I—No! Wait! I didn't mean it like that! I just, ugh! Great now that image is stuck in my head. Thanks, Artemis."
"I'm still waiting for an answer."
"Yeah, well, you're just gonna keep waiting, then!" Naruto threw his arms up and turned around, storming off with a few choice words under his breath. "Most disgusting thing I'd ever think of...stupid Greek mindset…"
Artemis waited for a moment before she followed.
She would gain nothing if she remained where she was.
Six Months after The Horkos Incident
It was a cold December day, colder than it had ever been on Olympus. A goddess had been captured, a quest had been issued, and the fate of the world was at stake again. A lone figure sat before the Hearth, fires dancing in it that reflected off of his eyes. Messages only he and one other were conveyed through the dancing fires.
He looked away when the doors to the council chambers opened, and he stood as the Twelve filtered out. Ares and Aphrodite were whispering to each other. Hephaestus was heading back to a workshop, barely sparing him a nod. Hermes had ducked out a side exit to get back to work. Athena gave him a nod as she walked by with a notebook in hand. Demeter gave a weak smile and offered him an invite to dinner, which he declined. Hera quickly joined her sister, smiling understandably at him, before they walked off. Last to emerge before the Kings, Apollo uncharacteristically dragged his feet, and flickered away before anything could be said.
Zeus and Poseidon spoke in heated hushed Greek. The King vanished just as Naruto looked back at the fire, the thick ozone remained.
"Any news?"
Naruto glanced up at the speaker. Poseidon was still in his mortal form, wearing Tommy Bahama attire, held his trident in a firm grip. He looked back at the flames.
"They're going through the labyrinth." Naruto brushed his hands on his knees before he stood. "Mom says Uncle Hades is keeping an eye on them."
Poseidon furrowed his brow and his visage darkened.
"All of them."
The stormy look on the sea God's face lightened, but the furrowed brows remained.
"It's bigger than his grudge with you and Lord Zeus." Naruto gently elbowed the god in the arm. "Have faith, Uncle Hades is...stubborn, sure, but he's family. He knows who has his back."
"Why you and Hestia are considered Minor members of our pantheon, I will never know." Poseidon sighed.
"Probably because we don't have egos the size of Greece." Naruto shrugged. He stared into the fires again, his visage going somber. "Loneliness is humbling."
Poseidon glanced at his nephew.
"What? It is!"
"I didn't say anything."
"You didn't have to." Naruto crossed his arms and leaned on one foot. "What's bothering you, Uncle? Aside from Artemis."
"...That which she pursued. This Bane." He curled his lip with the word and Naruto winced. He had his own thoughts on what the Bane was, but he didn't want to voice it. If he was right, it would be harder than ever to reunite the nine. "I cannot think of anything, nor can Athena."
"En...uh, she couldn't figure it out?" Naruto asked, quick to correct himself lest he find enchanted tomes flying at his head. Again.
"My reaction exactly." Poseidon nodded. He stroked his beard. "Perhaps it's not a bane from history…"
"Maybe." Naruto admitted. They both looked around before Poseidon nodded. The younger god dropped a small piece of paper on the ground. It flattened and flashed white before he spoke again. "Did Aunty Ampy or Kokuo find anything yet?"
"No." Poseidon shook his head. He was still reeling from the thought of a primordial entity residing in his council. Then from what he'd heard, Zeus and Hades both had one as well. Hades had the hellcat hiding in Tartarus' fiery river while Zeus had a large bug zipping around with swarms of cicadas. Honestly, Poseidon thinks he won that draw with the behemoth bastard of a dolphin-horse.
"Damn." Naruto snapped his fingers. The small seal at their feet flickered into ash. "Guess we'll have to hope Percy pulls through for us. Again."
"If he does, all the better." Poseidon dreaded to think of the mood his brother would be in if his favorite daughter were not saved. The big topic for this meeting would also play its part, since of course, Thalia Grace had been returned.
"That vote's still on, huh?"
Poseidon heard the disappointment in Naruto's voice. He turned to the younger god and met his gaze with a solemn nod. He sighed and looked down at his hands sadly.
"We have all the power in the world at our fingertips...yet we're helpless to do anything at all."
"Mortals move mountains." Poseidon uttered softly. "If ours is moved before it's time…"
"I know, I know…" Naruto shook his head. He stared into the fire before he sighed. "I gotta go check on the camp's defenses."
"Trouble again?"
"Something like that."
He vanished in a swirl of leaves that burnt away.
Poseidon stared at where he stood before he looked at the fire. A quip formed on his tongue and he gained a small smile.
"Perhaps your son is willing to be the Child of Prophecy, Hestia."
The blast of steam was worth it.
Six Months, Three Days, Two Hours after The Horkos Incident
The party was magnificent. The food was delicious. The atmosphere was grand.
Truly no one partied like an Olympian partied.
Mr. D was going to be sorry he missed—oh, wait. There he was. He watched the god interact with a beautiful goddess that hung off of his arm. He tilted his head in thought. Why didn't they ever see him that happy at Camp?
Oh, right. Demigods.
"If you want him to ever consider liking you, Percy, I'd advise you to stop ogling his wife."
Percy Jackson turned and leveled his sea green eyes on the one god he got along with almost as much as his dad.
"Naruto!"
"That's m'name, don't you forget it!" Naruto chuckled before he took another swig from his red plastic cup. He twisted his wrist and it disappeared from his hand. A small toothy grin was leveled at the boy. "So, how's it feel to be the child of prophecy?"
Oh, yeah. That.
He almost died tonight. A few other gods against him and...No more Percy Jackson. He glanced at Thalia, who was laughing and smiling with the other Hunters of Artemis. He can't believe she would just change her mind like that. Well, he could but still. The goddess herself was among them, still in adult form and smiling at the group. Wistfully, and almost sad. His eyes turned to the stars outside—
"Hey." Percy turned back to Naruto, finding the god crouched right in front of him. Eyes of fire were unsettling, sure, but still cooler than Ares' explosive ones. And they helped him relax. Naruto put a hand on his shoulder. "You okay, kid?"
"Hm? Yeah. I'm fine."
"Says every hero whenever they've got something on their mind." Naruto arched a brow. He glanced toward the new constellation, sighing, before he nodded at a hallway. "C'mon, let's go take a walk before Uncle Siden tries to hog your attention again."
Percy glanced at his dad, in the midst of a drinking challenge with the King, and decided it wouldn't hurt. His dad could beat Zeus easy, even if he wasn't watching.
They walked down the hallways of Olympus. Tapestries of old with less than modest models decorated the walls. Naruto had his hands in his pockets and Percy fiddled with Riptide.
"You did really good on this one, Percy." The god flashed him a grin. "Seriously, keep this up and I might have some footing to challenge Chiron for his job."
Percy chuckled. Naruto always joked with the centaur about taking over camp for him. Did the same with Mr. D once before a booming thunder made them rethink it. Thinking of Mr. D made him think about the start of the quest, then of the middle...and how it ended.
"I could've done better."
"Maybe." Naruto shrugged. "But you did your best, right?"
"But I could've been better. Stronger." Percy looked down at Riptide, knuckles white as they clenched around it. "If I was faster I could've stopped Bianca. If I was stronger I could've...I might have been able to help Zoë."
They stopped and Naruto had his hands on Percy's shoulders again.
"You can't save everyone, Percy." The god affirmed, his voice firm but gentle. He opened his mouth to protest, but the bittersweet smile had him hold his tongue. "As much as I wish you could, you just can't. Bianca chose to go out as a hero. Zoë chose to go out as a hero. They may have been fated to die, but they got to choose how that fate played out."
"I-It's not fair. Zoë might've been mean, but she cared! At least, she cared about Artemis... and the world, I guess. And Bianca was-!"
"I know." Naruto ruffled Percy's hair, a sad smile on his face. "But you did save someone. Three someones, in fact, who are all very grateful. You did it, Percy. You saved Artemis and your friends. Take the win today, because there's another fight tomorrow."
Percy nodded and rubbed his arm over his eyes. He was right. Annabeth and Artemis had been saved. He managed to—hold on.
"Three?" Percy looked up at Naruto.
"Hm?"
"You said I saved three someones. I only count two. Artemis and Annabeth."
Naruto blinked a few times. Then he laughed. Hard.
Percy felt his ears and cheeks burn. Why was he laughing? He wasn't making a joke, he was confused! Two people died to save a goddess and his friend, that wasn't funny!
He said as much and the god sobered.
"P-Percy, I forgot you didn't know!" Naruto chuckled out. He offered his hand. "C'mon, let me introduce you to an old friend of mine."
Percy stared at the hand before he took it. He trusted Naruto. His dad trusted Naruto. Heck, his mom trusted Naruto.
Naruto wasn't going to hurt him...outside of training.
They vanished in a swirl of leaves, and reappeared with Percy feeling a little more than disoriented.
"Ooh, yeah. Sorry about that." Naruto rubbed his back as he held his stomach. "Doubt that tasted as good the second time."
"It didn't." Percy wiped his mouth. Great he could chalk puking at a party off of his bucket list.
"Anyway...c'mon. He'll be happy to see you again." Naruto waved as they walked down another hallway. A massive vault-like door was before them and Naruto pounded on it with his fist. "Oi! Happy! If you don't want me to tell you about Ares' next date night plans, don't open the door!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming!"
Percy blinked and looked at Naruto. "You know a god named Happy?"
"I couldn't say his name right when I was younger." The god shrugged as the massive door opened with a hiss. Steam rushed out around them and if it weren't for the fact he'd just been on a quest and was used to feeling scummy, Percy would be sure he broke out into a gross sweat. Of course the god beside him seemed unaffected. "Sort of like your dad's. It stuck."
"Like gorilla glue and duct tape." The gruff speaker made Percy blanch. Dressed like your everyday mechanic, with a bracer on his leg and a deformed head, was a god he recognized as Hephaestus.
"You're Beckendorf's dad." He pointed, literally, out.
"You did not name a kid Beckendorf, right?" Naruto asked incredulously. An ember in the man's beard erupted into a small fire.
"Of course I didn't!" The god huffed, his fire extinguished. "Not like I'm involved with much of the naming process."
"Happy, c'mon, man…"
"What are you bugging me for, Runt?"
Naruto rolled his eyes...maybe. It was hard to tell with the fire.
"Uncle Siden's maybe got three more drinks in him before he comes looking for Percy. I wanted to introduce him to a friend."
"Me?" Hephaestus looked annoyed. He glanced at Percy then back at Naruto. "Great, I've met Poseidon's oh so amazing brood. Can I get back to work now?"
"Remind me to get Apollo and Hermes to work on your people skills." Naruto muttered. He shook his head. "Nah, I didn't bother you for that. Where's the tank?"
"Oh. That." Hephaestus smirked. "Why didn't you say so? I would've readily welcomed you in, you know?"
Naruto burst into laughter and from deeper in the workshop there was an anguished noise. A familiar voice, though faint, worked its way into Percy's head.
Oh gods make him stop! Please!
"Bessie?!" He rushed in against any better judgement. A loud thumping drew him deeper into the boiling workshop. Around a rocky bend and—
"Percy!"
The sharp stop almost made him lose his balance, but he didn't. He looked up at the frown on his divine cousin's face.
"Bessie was just—!"
"Shut up."
His mouth shut with a click, the hissed words reminding him of a time that Percy had been struck by the now deceased-er, now missing Gabe. It was a slap across the face. Once. The only time Gabe ever did anything physical.
It was also the last time he ever did anything physical.
Naruto had been about to leave, and was talking to his mom in the other room. Softly. He was playing with his favorite blue action figure and wearing his headband. Gabe said...something about it, and he had used a word he'd heard Naruto use.
A clap had rung out and his face stung.
His mom rushed out to console him while he cried. Naruto stood between her and Gabe. Gabe accused them of having an affair, and said bad words that Percy was not allowed to repeat. He started to call his mom a bad name, and Naruto hissed for the mortal to be silent without influencing him. Gabe didn't comply.
And then the wall exploded.
He didn't remember much after that. He remembered how his mom told him in no uncertain terms that he was not to use that language in her house. He remembered the way Naruto spoke to Gabe. The hiss he just got was the same one Gabe got.
It wasn't a warning, it was a promise.
"You just ran into a gods domain, uninvited." Naruto grit out. He tightened his grip on Percy's shoulder. "Heroes are permitted to go wherever they wish, but that doesn't mean there aren't consequences for doing so!"
"What do you mean?"
"What did Zoë say about the Junkyard?"
"...oh…"
"Yeah. Oh." Naruto released his shoulder and looked behind him. Hephaestus had his eyes locked on Percy. It really sank in then.
Oh.
"Don't expect an apology." Hephaestus grunted, and Percy realized he was glaring. Naruto's grip returned harder than before and he dropped the glare. "Heroes die, but their stories live on. It's how they become immortal, Percy Jackson. Count your blessings you get an easy way out."
"What—?"
"Percy." Naruto squeezed his shoulder and he winced. "Apologize for your rude entry."
"I-I'm sorry, Hephaestus." He looked at his balled fists. "For rushing in after a friend."
"...Whatever, kid." The god looked at his fellow. "Listen, Runt, the only reason he gets a pass this time is it's not worth the trouble igniting him would cause. I get the bad blood, that's fine, but if he ever goes into one of my shops like that again…"
"He won't."
Hephaestus stared at him for a moment before he shook his head. "I'll never understand you."
"One day." Naruto released Percy's shoulder and looked down at the boy. "Let this be your lesson, Percy. Manners might be a chore, but they have their purpose."
"...Smiting is a thing." Percy mumbled, eyes widening.
"Smiting is a thing." Naruto assured him with a chuckle before leading him back towards the muted thumps. "C'mon, ole Calamari Steak's been too quiet. Let's see if Happy's got him on a diet."
Oh gods why me?! Why me?! Five thousand, eight hundred and fifty years wasn't long enough!
The thuds increased.
"Geez, did Apollo practice poetry in front of Bessie or something?" Percy asked.
"He wishes it was that tame." Naruto snickered. They came across a curtained wall and the god grabbed a rope where it hung. "You know him as Ophiotaurus and Bessie, but Percy Jackson, allow me to introduce you to the eight-tailed Ushi-Oni."
"The what?"
Naruto pulled the cord and the curtains opened.
Percy stared at the creature behind the glass. His mouth had popped open as his eyes stared into the bull-like face of the beast. Essentially, the small cute cowfish he knew as Bessie had roided out and swapped his fish fins for octopus legs.
"Percy, meet Gyuki. Gyuki, this is Percy Jackson."
If we must… Bessie, er, Gyuki sighed. A massive white eye, larger than a pool, stared at Percy. Hello once again, Percy Jackson.
AN: *pokes head out of foxhole, wearing gas mask* My only excuse...I work in a Hospital. Have worked through the pandemic.
Be gentle.
REVIEW!
...please?