I don't own Naruto nor Percy Jackson.
Thoughts: 'who is this?'
Speech: "Well, well, well"
Jutsu: Fuuton: Rasenshuriken.
'Well on the positive side, Deidara isn't alive to witness this utter humiliation.'
Konan and the rest of the adventuring party was riding silently back towards the Lodge. Konan could help noticing the gleam in the Ranchers eyes as he looked at them from the rear view mirror. Konan stared back impassively as usual.
'If I attack the dog, Geryon lops off Nico's head. If I attack Geryon, Orthis rips out Annabeth's throat. Compliance it is then.'
Unwilling memories began to arise. Her capture at the hands of Hanzo and Danzo in Amegakure which lead to the death of her lover and sorrow on her closest friend. The sudden eradication of their first group of members at the hands of Hanzo's forces. A familiar stinging sensation could be felt from her eyes as her hands trembled just slightly at the memories she repressed.
'I refuse to show anyone these tears.'
Taking a deep breath, and she was back under control, this situation wasn't as bad as...that one. She would just need to play her cards right and strike when the opportunity presented itself. It wasn't long before the Silly Machine arrived back at the Lodge.
"Alright, everyone out" Geryon ordered "There's nothin more that I hate than Stygian Iron, and I'm sure Nico here would appreciate keepin his head on his shoulders just as much as Ms. Chase would like to keep 'er gullet in 'er neck."
Slowly, everyone exited the vehicle not wanting to get Nico or Annabeth killed for acting suspicious. If what Konan had gathered so far about Eurytion trying to help, she could impale the three bodied monster holding the younger teen hostage. However if she was wrong, she could be dooming another, the risk outweighed the gain right now.
"No funny business miss" Eurytion's warning hissed in her ear, "I understand you may be the crafty type, but your friend made the mistake of not swearin on the River when making his deal."
Konan kept her face schooled, but internally her mind was ablaze with questions.
'Swearing on a river? What did that have to do with anything? Is the river a sacred thing? Did they mean a literal river or was this a metaphor for something else entirely? What difference does it make to swear on a river when dealing with a monster?'
Shoving the nuance thoughts aside, Konan spared a quick glace towards Annabeth who was still being held captive by the two headed dog in the machine. The blonde was calmer than Konan expected her to be, then again, one wrong move and the poor girl would be dead. One head of the dog focused on them, Konan suspected that any trickery would result in the blondes doom.
"Now, everyone on their knees and Mr. Eurytion is going to tie you all up." Geryon said as he examined his bounties, "and if everyone behaves you'll be fed the best BBQ, by yours truly."
Tyson was the first to be bound, defeat written all over his face as he glared at Geryon the whole time.
"My brother will beat you Janus man." Tyson declared as he was lead away.
"Might as well gag 'em as well, seems that no-one will be eating my delicious BBQ." Geryon said.
"Not like we wanted any!" Grover interjected with a huff. Konan would admit one thing, Grover could be sassy when he wanted to be.
"Fortunately for you Ms. Ame, I'm certain that you'll make a nice snack for some of our associates" The old monster began to chuckle.
If the monster was expected a reply, she wasn't going to dignify him with one. Instead she merely blinked.
"When Percy cuts you down-" Annabeth started as Eurytion picked her up from the back seat, her legs kicking as the older demigod carried her.
"Face it girlie, that boy is more than likely horse food at the moment" Geryon said with laughter threatening to erupt from each word, "Its a shame too, he would've made me richer than my wildest dreams being the son of Poseidon an' all."
Before Annabeth could say another word, Geryon had grabbed a rag and stuffed it into her mouth as an effective rag, "Oh well, y'all will just have to do."
Konan kept her face schooled as Eurytion tied up Nico, who was eyeing the kunoichi suspiciously. Maybe he wondered why a mortal would travel with a group of demigods, or maybe it was something more mundane like why she was wearing a cloak in the summer heat.
"Don't try anything miss" Eurytion whispered in her ear as he tied the strange looking rope around her arms.
Konan didn't respond, neither did she when the older man hefted her onto his shoulder. Fortunately, her hands weren't as tightly bound so she was able to perform jutsu.
'Now, to watch. Shikigami no Mai'
A single pale butterfly fluttered off from the grass behind Konan, Nico eyed the butterfly in curiosity before looking back at the shinobi. A look of intrigue and suspicion danced in his eyes before he looked away. While true, Konan could escape the bonds kill the monsters and the offending demigod, she could also get the rest of the party killed. So, all she needed to do was help Percy with his task so he can rescue the others and she can handle the monsters; All she needed was a contingency plan, and time.
It didn't take long for the butterfly to find the son of Poseidon, he was sitting on a tree stump next to the river, but that wasn't all. He was talking to a girl that seemed to be made of water, she couldn't hear their conversation from the distance she was at but it seemed like the talk was coming to a close. The girl had stepped into the river and smiled before dissipating into water herself.
'A naiad. She must be the same that Heracles seduced then used the first time.'
Percy began to trek towards the stables again, but he looked dejected? disappointed? Like he didn't get the answer he thought he should get. Perhaps the naiad didn't agree to help him like she did with Heracles, it would take Konan another twenty minutes for her plan to come to fruition. She would just have to continue cooperating with the Rancher and Cowherd.
Konan broke her concentration with the butterfly she sent, and it seemed that Percy wasn't the only one that was busy. Streamers and balloons were hanging on the rails of the Ranch house, Geryon was fretting over the food he was grilling while Eurytion was picking up the others. The cowherd was sitting them down on the bench as if they were attending a party. Nico and Annabeth looked more annoyed than anything while Tyson was struggling to free himself. Konan was glad Nagato wasn't here to see this.
"I hope you all like seafood" Geryon said while keeping his focus on the food he was cooking "because y'all are gonna See Food!" The old monster began chuckling before laughter erupted from him. "That was a good one right there."
"Hilarious" Eurytion said in the most deadpanned voice, he had pulled a small knife from his pocket and began to clean his nails with it. He didn't show it, but he kept his focus on the demigods incase either of them tried something. Experimentally, Konan tried to flex her arms as well which didn't do much but dig the wire-like rope into her skin.
'Geryon doesn't know any of my abilities, and Eurytion only saw a glimpse. I'm sure if I plan this correctly, we can get out of this.'
The smell of food began to flood the area around them, Geryon apparently had finally decided what he was going to cook. Konan did wonder why he waited to call the Titan army, but she wasn't going to look a gifted horse in its mouth. Little by little, the kunoichi was sending folded sheets of paper folded into various insects. The process was slow, but it would be completed before the three bodied monster made his lunch. Konan carefully eyed Orthis, the two headed dog was going to be a nuisance if it resumed its duty at threatening the others.
Little by little, Konan pieced together a Shiki Bushin: Paper Clone under the nearby tree that was just out of range of the hound. The sun was getting closer to the hills, Percy had an hour at most to complete his task if he was still alive that is. Before Konan could continue her thought, the young demigod in question came running from the nearby hill, he smelled atrocious. The former Akatsuki leader supposed that was from being close to the stables for an extended amount of time. She would have to douse him later with a water jutsu.
"Let them go Geryon, I've cleaned your stables." Percy said a bit winded from his run, Geryon didn't bother to even look his way as he flipped another burger.
"Did you now?" He sounded as if he couldn't careless. "How did you manage that?"
Percy let out an annoyed huff, "I used the seashells in the earth to make my own water and washed your dirty horses."
"Ah, I would've prefer you poisoned that pesky naiad" Geryon finally turned around to look at the son of Poseidon, "but that was very ingenious of you sonny."
"Now let my friends go! We had a deal!" The boy demanded, the earlier conversation with Eurytion and a river sprang to the forefront of her mind. Konan didn't need to look at Geryon to know the monster was smiling, she heard a tsk-tsk come from him however.
"Did you make me swear on the River Styx?" Geryon asked slowly and Konan could hear Annabeth trying to say something, but the gag kept her quiet. "So your 'Deal' was non binding and therefore I have no obligation to do anything, Mr. Jackson."
Percy Immediately drew a blade from...somewhere, and a shield sprang to life on his wrist. Geryon however didn't even look phased instead he simply looked towards Eurytion.
"The boy is startin to bother me Eurytion, handle 'em for me will ya?" Geryon began to flip his burgers.
"No, You handle your own damn problems!" Eurytion yelled from his seat, immediately Geryon whirled to his direction.
"Excuse you."
"Excuse yer self," Eurytion sheathed his blade as he leveled a glare at his boss, "I'm not fighting him, you made this bed, you lie in it."
Geryon looked as if he was going to explode "I outta kill you myself for this level of defiance!"
"Maybe you should focus on the kid first. I'm sick of fightin your fights and dyin in your place!" Eurytion retorted before he whistled "Orthis, heel."
The dog looked torn between the two ranchers before it decided to sit right next to Eurytion. Geryon looked even more furious than before, he quickly chucked the spatula on the table.
"Fine, but know this, when I'm done with the boy you're next."
Percy seemed to be mystified by the argument, because he didn't notice the old monster had picked up two carving knives until he threw one at him. The other blade, almost impaled the cowherd's hand that was resting on the table. The half-blood raised his shield in time to deflect the blade, and charged forward to bash Geryon.
'The focus isn't on us anymore.'
Konan began to flake away into individual sheets of paper, the rope binding and gag fell uselessly on the table and seat she was at before she reformed herself behind Tyson. The Cyclops was apparently rejuvenated after seeing his brother arrive and once again was trying to force the rope to break.
"Calm yourself cyclops, I will free you as well" Tyson stopped struggling only to try to look at the bluenette behind him. The shinobi then made a paper kunai that cut his ropes easily. Konan's clone also released Nico, Annabeth and Grover.
Immediately the cyclops glared at Eurytion, and to everyone's surprise, the cowherd remained in his seat unbothered at the angry Son of Poseidon. There was a sudden crash, and everyone's head turned towards the ranch house to find Percy's blade hilt deep into Geryon's middle chest. The problem was that it didn't seem to phase the Rancher, the monster simply chuckled as it moved its arms to stab the boy on either side. Percy jumped back in time but left his blade in the monster.
"You thought it was going to be simple Demigod?" The rancher asked as he slowly stepped forward, "You'll be wishing those horses ate you when I'm through with you!"
'A quick distraction should help.'
The monster stopped in his tracks as a fluttering sound could be herd, suddenly something flew right by his head before he looked around him. Paper had begun to flutter around the three bodied man before folding itself into a giant buzz saw.
"What in the world is this?" The Rancher said as Percy took the opportunity to hide behind the couch.
The newly formed saw then flew forward to bisect the monster then and there, Geryon quickly dodged to the right as the buzz saw flew by him. Geryon looked outside from the window to notice his captives were free. That wasn't what drew his attention, it was the fact that the mortal was controlling the paper saw that almost killed him.
"Why you little-" A loud 'CONG' could be heard as Percy bashed his shield into the back of the monsters' head making him land face first onto the floor sinking the hilt deep blade all the way through the rancher's middle chest.
"That's has to hurt." Percy said as he pulled the blade from the newly made hole, but to his surprise, the hole suddenly repaired itself. "What the-"
"I hope you got that outta yer system Mr. Jackson," The monster groaned as he stood up slowly, anger rolled off of him in waves "cause when I get my hands on you, yer gonna wish Ol' Sea Beard never sired you!"
Suddenly the sound of flutes being played caused the floorboards of the house to grow limbs that entangled Geryon and held him in place. Konan looked over to her other charges to notice Grover, had pulled his flutes out.
To the shinobi's surprise, she couldn't see Annabeth at all. It was as if the young Half-blood simply disappeared. Panic sprang from the kunoichi as she turned towards Eurytion to see if he suddenly took the blonde hostage while she was focused on Geryon, but to her confusion the cowherd was in the same position she left him in. Not a care in the world about the fight going on in the Ranch house as he idly stroked his guard dog.
"Grab my sword from the wall!" Nico suddenly yelled next to Konan.
Before Konan could question the cowherd, another crash could be heard from the house. Geryon was stumbling around the larger room of the ranch house as a short pitch black blade was planted deep into the monsters left chest, right where his heart should be and to Konan's surprise she recognized the sword. It was Nico's, the mentioned son of Hades had a small smile on his face as the monster struggled.
Konan could then see as the blade was being pulled from the monster, that a small chunk of the monster was pulled into the blade as well. Geryon howled in agony as the hole that was left in his chest didn't heal at all.
"Percy! The other chest!" Konan could hear Annabeth but couldn't see her, but based from where her voice originated from, she could deduce the child was somewhere inside the house with the Son of the Sea.
'Since when was she able to be invisible? If he didn't die from the first few times, perhaps all three of his hearts need to stabbed? Or his head?'
Percy wasted no time stabbing the monster through the middle chest as he was still recuperating from the first stab. This time, Konan didn't hesitate to reform her paper halo, what she was making could be described as a very long needle if she was quite honest. But the design wasn't meant to be flashy just something quick to be fired at a moments notice. Fire it she did, the enormous needle shot forward in gusto and ripped the right chest apart, leaving a hole that was almost a foot wide. It also destroyed the wooden limbs that held the old monster in place.
"I- will be back- and y'all will pay!" Geryon's anger slowly ebbed away as he broke apart into the golden powder like usual monsters did. all that was left of him was his cowboy boots, and the three different colored shirts the monster wore.
Konan released the breath she didn't realize she was holding, she was completely sure if her aim would hit the center of the monster and still miss the son of Poseidon, but the fear of an outside force interfering was still a possibility. One that she was relieved didn't happen.
"Nice sword Nico" Percy called as the blade began to come towards the Son of the Dead, "I can see why you keep it? What's its name anyways?"
AN: Sorry for the extremely long wait. I struggled to find a way to end this chapter for so long. Truthfully, I'm still not satisfied with it but it does allow me to move forward.
the next chapters will come sooner.
