Hello all Storm here with a new story to kick off the New Year! And here we'll be seeing a very interesting idea with Naruko in the Percy Jackson world, but not as a demigod or a regular mortal, but something else entirely. So, without further ado.
I own nothing
Andromeda Jackson had no idea what to think anymore as she sat next to her best friend, Grover Underwood. While her mother, Sally Jackson, drove down the road despite the wind and rain making it impossible for anyone to see, she didn't once stop pressing down on the gas.
While Andromeda was simply trying to make sense of everything that's happened since…well, as far as she can remember. Starting as far back as when she was in preschool and a snake slithered into the cot she was sleeping in, only for her to strangle it to death. Then in third grade, when a man in a black trench coat stalked her around the playground, only leaving when the teachers threatened to call the police. Though no one believed her when she said he only had one large eye underneath his wide-brimmed hat.
Then in fourth grade, during a trip to the aquarium, she accidently hit a lever on the catwalk, making her entire class take an unplanned swim with the fish. And in fifth grade she accidently fired an old war cannon at her school bus during a field trip to the Saratoga Battlefield. All of these resulted in Andromeda getting into trouble and getting into fights.
Each time, it ended with her being expelled, with her and her mother being forced to move while she switched schools. Though it didn't really help as Andromeda would always get into more trouble, with it not helping due to her ADHD and dyslexia.
Though things got even crazier at her most recent and now former school, Yancy Academy. Which wasn't entirely bad, as it's where she met and befriended Grover. Along with meeting the only teacher she respected and even cared about, Mr. Brunner. But it was at Yancy Academy, when things really became strange and crazy.
With it starting during a field trip to a museum when one of hers and Grover's classmates and resident bully, Nancy Bobofit, was picking on Grover. Having been doing the same on the bus to the museum, while Andromeda tried getting her to leave him alone. Only for water to suddenly rise up from the nearby fountain and pull Nancy into it. Something that shocked Andromeda, having no idea how it happened, but felt that she somehow caused it, despite not knowing how she did it.
But everyone thought she'd pushed Nancy into the fountain, which their pre-algebra teacher Mrs. Dodds believed before taking Andromeda back into the museum for a "talk". But then things got crazier when Mrs. Dodds turned into a monstrous and humanoid bat monster with claws and fangs. Before she then tried killing Andromeda, but not before making it sound like she's done something much worse.
Luckily, and even more strangely, Mr. Brunner then arrived and threw Andromeda a pen that turned into a sword when she took the cap off. With Andromeda simply doing the only thing she could think of and slashed Mrs. Dodds with the sword, causing her to explode into yellow powder, leaving the smell of sulfur in the air.
Things only became stranger when she left the museum and everyone didn't seem to even know who Mrs. Dodds was, believing their teacher was Mrs. Kerr, someone Andromeda knew she'd never seen before. While Mr. Brunner acted like Mrs. Dodds never existed and the pen sword he gave her was just a normal pen he'd lost.
That's how the rest of the school year went, with Andromeda trying to get people to slip up by mentioning Mrs. Dodds, believing that it was some kind of trick, only for everyone to think she was crazy. And she almost started believing it too, if it wasn't for Grover being a terrible liar, as well as overhearing Grover and Mr. Brunner talking about something involving her and "Kindly Ones". Then on the bus ride back home, Grover had given her a card for some place called "Half-Blood Hill", making her assume it was a summer home. Before the bus broke down across from an old-fashioned fruit stand with three old ladies sitting in rocking chairs under a tree, knitting the biggest pairs of socks she'd ever seen with electric blue yarn.
But when one of them took out a giant pair of gold and silver scissors, that looked more like shears, and tried cutting the yarn, possibly the strangest thing Andromeda saw happened. The scissors just suddenly dissolved into ash, something that seemed to shock and terrify the old ladies. Before they hurriedly gathered up the yarn and just vanished, as if they were never there to begin with. Grover had apparently also seen this and looked like the sky was falling down around them before ushering her back onto the bus.
Afterwards, Andromeda ended up ditching Grover at the bus stop and returned home, where she was further annoyed to find her stepfather, Gabe Ugliano or "Smelly Gabe" as she called him. Finding him playing a poker game and forced to give him the change she had left from her taxi ride. Thankfully, her mother returned home from her job at Sweet on America, with a huge bag of "free samples" for her.
With her mood lifting at learning they'd be going to the beach in Montauk, the same cabin they've been going to since she was a baby and where her mother apparently also met her father. But while Andromeda had been happy to go, once they arrived, she couldn't help but ask about her father and why her mother kept sending her away to different schools. The girl regretting saying it's because she didn't want her around, only for it to make her mother cry. Before she told Andromeda about a summer camp her father apparently wanted her to go to, while her mother believed if she went it would be forever.
Then to finish everything, Andromeda had a strange dream of two animals, a white horse and a golden eagle, on a beach trying to kill each other. While the ground shook as a voice came from underground, chuckling monstrously and encouraging the animals to keep fighting. Andromeda had tried running towards the animals to get them to stop fighting, but knew she'd be too late.
Only for everything to then start breaking apart around them as Andromeda and the animals found themselves suspended in the air above a massive, swirling void. One that the animals seemed to fear as they immediately stopped fighting and looked to bow to the void in subservience. While the voice from earlier cried out in fear and rage at the voids appearance, before fading away.
That's when Andromeda woke up to a storm raging on outside and twenty-foot waves hitting the dunes, her mother also waking up from a sudden thunderclap. Before they then heard someone pounding on the door, which was revealed to be Grover, who wasn't wearing pants and seemed to have fur-covered legs and cloven hooves.
Leading to the current moment of Andromeda sitting in the backseat of Gabe's car with Grover and Sally driving them to who knows where.
"So, you and my mom…know each other?" Andromeda asked, honestly not knowing what else to say while looking at Grover before glancing down at his still fur-covered legs, recognizing them as some kind of barnyard animal, but couldn't place what.
"Not exactly, I mean, we've never met in person. But she knew I was watching you." Replied Grover, nervously his gaze turning to the rearview mirror, as if something was following them.
"Watching me?" Questioned Andromeda, remembering how he said before he was meant to "protect" her.
"Keeping tabs on you. Making sure you were okay. But I wasn't faking being your friend, I am your friend." Grover said in a hasty and assuring tone.
"O…kay? And…what are you exactly?" Andromeda said, wanting to know what he even is, since he clearly isn't human.
"That doesn't matter, right now." Grover said quickly, much to Andromeda's annoyance.
"It doesn't matter?! Not even an hour ago, I just learned my best friend from the waist down is part donkey-" Retorted Andromeda before being cutoff.
"Blaa-ha-ha!" Grover said, letting out a sharp and irritated bleat, making Andromeda's eyes widen at seeing it wasn't a nervous laugh, like she originally believed after hearing it before.
"Goat! I'm goat from the waist down!" Cried Grover, with the girl blinking slowly at what he said.
"You just said it didn't matter though." Andromeda stated, pleased at getting to throw his words back at him.
"Blaa-ha-ha! There are satyrs who would trample you underhoof for such an insult!" Grover retorted, surprising Andromeda again at the "satyr" part.
"Whoa. Wait. Satyrs. You mean like…Mr. Brunner's myths?" Said Andromeda in confusion.
"Were those old ladies at the fruit stand a myth, Percy? Was Mrs. Dodds a myth?" Said Grover, with Andromeda pointing at him accusingly at the mention of Mrs. Dodds.
"Ah-ha! So you admit there was a Mrs. Dodds!" Andromeda said upon seeing he did remember, yet didn't say anything.
"Look, the less you knew, the fewer monsters you'd attract. We put Mist over the humans' eyes, we hoped you'd think the Kindly One was a hallucination. But it was no good. You started to realize who you are." Grover said hoping to keep her calm.
"Who I-wait a minute, what do you mean?" Questioned Andromeda, only feeling more confused at what he was talking about.
"Andromeda. There's too much to explain and not enough time. We have to get you to safety." Sally said, glancing back at her daughter, making Andromeda look at her in concern.
"Safety from what? Who's after me?" Andromeda asked, wondering who would be chasing her.
"Oh, nobody much, just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions." Said Grover, still miffed about the "donkey" comment.
"Grover!" Said Sally warningly to the satyr.
"Sorry, Mrs. Jackson! Could you drive faster, please?!" Grover said urgently while looking back, only to not see anything or smell anything, much to his confusion.
Andromeda was still trying to wrap her head around everything that's happening, before looking around for…whatever it was that's supposedly chasing them, but didn't see anything through the storm. Before seeing her mother make a hard left down a narrower road, going past farmhouses, wooded hills, and some "Pick Your Own Strawberries" signs on white picket fences.
"Where are we going?" Andromeda asked, still looking around, hoping to know where they're going.
"The summer camp I told you about. The place your father wanted to send you." Sally replied, Andromeda being able to tell from her tone that she's trying not to be scared for her.
"The place you didn't want me to go?" Andromeda asked, wondering why she'd take her there if she didn't want her to go.
"Please, dear, this is hard enough. Try to understand. You're in danger." Sally said pleadingly, making the girl frown as she turned to face her mother.
"Because I saw some old la-WATCH OUT!" Andromeda said, wondering if it had to do with those old ladies she saw, only to suddenly scream when she saw something in the middle of the road.
Sally's eyes widened as well as she saw it was a person walking through the road, while Grover let out a few panicked and terrified bleats. Having no time to get out of the way or put on the breaks, the three could only scream in panic and horror as the car hit the person. Though the next thing they knew, the car was flipping through the air, with their screams turning into grunts when the cry impacted the ground. Rolling a few times before, miraculously, coming to a stop right side up.
"…Ow." Andromeda muttered into the back of the driver's seat before pulling away and tried steadying her pounding head and vision.
"Andie!" Sally shouted in panic and concern while looking back, relieved at seeing her daughter was alright.
"I'm…I'm fine mom. Hey, Grover, are you alright?" Andromeda said, looking over at her friend, panicking at seeing blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.
"Grover!" Andromeda said while shaking him, hoping he wasn't really dead before sighing in relief when he groaned.
"Food." Grover groaned, giving Andromeda hope he'd make it.
"Alright, we need to go, now! Hurry and get Grover up so we can keep going!" Sally said urgently while undoing her seatbelt, with Andromeda nodding as she undid her own belt and Grover's.
"Okay, where are we-" Andromeda said, only to scream when she looked out the window and saw someone standing there, with the person starting to scream as well, which got Sally's attention as she looked at the person in fear.
"Why are we screaming?!" Questioned the person while still screaming, causing Andromeda to stop screaming as she and Sally looked at the person in confusion.
Seeing it was a thirteen-year-old girl with pale, nearly chalk white skin, incredibly long bright red hair with blue streaks in it, held in two long braids that fell to the ground and a bang hanging over the right side of her face, and three unique whisker-like marks on her cheeks. The strangest part though had to be her eyes, the right being a swirling mix of bright blue and red, while the left was a mix of purple and magenta/pink.
With her wearing a dark purple tank top with it being lighter purple around the waist and going up over her chest and shoulders along with a high collar, pinstriped pants that stopped above her knees and alternated between dark silver and black, a studded brown leather belt hanging loosely around her waist that's held together by a brass O-ring, and brown boots with pink laces. While hanging from her shoulders was a long dark blue cape with pink edging and a hood. Andromeda could also see her carrying a large bag behind her under the cape.
For a few moments, the three looked at each other with wide eyes, before the girl blew out some air.
"Uh…hi." The girl said with a wave.
"…Hello." Said Andromeda, unsure what else to say at this new strangeness.
"Um…w-who a-are you?" Sally questioned warily while getting out of the car to help Andromeda with Grover.
"Naruko Uzumaki! Nice to meet ya!" Said Naruko with a large grin on her face, surprising the mother and daughter at her sudden cheerfulness.
"…I'm Andromeda Jackson, this is my mom Sally Jackson. Um…aren't you cold?" Andromeda asked while getting out of the car, pulling Grover out with one arm thrown over her shoulder, with Sally moving to support him on the other side.
"Why would I be cold?" Naruko asked, blinking in confusion and tilting her head.
"Because of the…the storm?" Andromeda replied, only to look up with wide eyes at seeing there wasn't a cloud in the sky, something that shocked Sally as well.
"Wh-what? B-bu-but…it was just raining." Sally said in confusion and disbelief at where the storm went, with Naruko looking at them strangely.
"…Did you both hit your heads at the same time?" Said Naruko before looking up, not seeing any rain or sign of a storm, with Sally shaking her head before turning to her daughter.
"Andromeda we need to go now! We can't waste any more time, just follow me, quickly!" Said Sally, knowing they still weren't safe, while Andromeda nodded shakily before they began moving to a hill where she could see a massive pine tree at the crest of the nearest.
Though they noticed that Naruko was also following them, making the two look at her.
"W-why are you out here, anyway?" Sally asked, wondering what a young girl like her was doing out here by herself, thinking she may be from the camp.
"Well, I was going for a walk through the woods before the ground started shaking, then I panicked and climbed up a tree, thinking a bear was coming, then the shaking stopped and I climbed back down and kept walking, then I saw a really bright light and felt like I walked into a metal wall, then I saw a car flying through the air and met you two." Said Naruko, making Andromeda and Sally look at her with wide eyes.
"W-wa-wa-wait! Were…were you the person we hit?!" Andromeda said, with the whiskered blonde snorting in amusement and patted her on the head.
"Don't be ridiculous Andie, there's no way I would be able to do that." Naruko said, pointing to the car.
With Andromeda and Sally looking only to be further shocked to see the entire front end of the car was completely caved in, as if they'd drive straight into a telephone pole. A really big telephone pole given the size of the caved in spot.
"By the way, am I seeing things or does that kid have donkey legs?" Questioned Naruko while pointing at Grover.
"Uh…yeah…it's actually goat legs, I guess donkey is an insult." Replied Andromeda unsurely.
"You can see them?!" Sally asked in surprise that she could see Grover's legs as they were, with Naruko and Andromeda looking at her.
"Yeeessss…they're pretty obvious." Naruko said slowly before looking back at Andromeda, taking in her appearance.
Andromeda was a twelve-year-old with long black hair at the top, that changed to violet tips at the bottom, large ocean green eyes akin to emeralds that shined through her pale skin, wearing a dark blue long sleeve jacket over a gray hoodie, a violet t-shirt underneath, a blue skirt that hid her black sport shorts and lastly violet socks, worn under a pair blue and white running shoes.
"So…where are we going?" Naruko asked curiously as they continued walking towards the pine tree.
"To some summer camp apparently." Said Andromeda, deciding to just go along with everything that's happening at this point.
"Not us Andromeda, just you and Grover. I can't cross the property line and I…don't think she can either." Said Sally, while looking at Naruko unsurely.
"Ah, private summer camp, got it. That just means I have to go to mess things up." Stated Naruko, nodding in understanding.
"What?! No, no, no! That's not what I meant, I mean yes it's private, but we literally won't be able to enter it!" Sally said, making the Uzumaki roll her eyes.
"The more you say I can't enter the more I'm going to, and I doubt you'd want to just leave Andie alone for a while at some random summer camp. It could be a cult for all we know! Actually…now I'm kind of curious what kind of cult it'd be, as long as it's not the creepy kind that sacrifices animals or people." Naruko said, now looking interested in the idea of the camp being a cult.
"Mom…dad wasn't part of a cult, was he?" Andromeda asked nervously.
"It's not a cult! It's a camp for-" Said Sally before stopping herself, getting the ravenette's attention.
"A camp for what? Is this some kind of special camp for kids like me?" Andromeda said with a frown, wondering of it was a camp for kids with ADHD and dyslexia.
"If by kids like you, you mean cute girls then I really hope so!" Naruko said eagerly, liking the idea of a camp full of cute girls while Andromeda blushed in embarrassment at her compliment, not really use to this kind of attention, given her history as a troublemaker and social outcast.
"No! Please just…keep going." Sally said tiredly.
It wasn't long before they reached the crest of the hill, seeing a valley down below where they could see a farmhouse with lights on inside.
"…Are you sure it's not a cult? Because I don't know many summer camps with a big farmhouse in them…I also don't know any summer camps, so that probably doesn't mean much." Naruko said with a raised brow before turning sheepish at the end, with Andromeda and Sally looking at her in disbelief.
"…Are you alright?" Questioned Andromeda in concern, wondering if Naruko had been hit and she had a concussion or her mind was scrambled.
"Perfectly fine. Why?" Said Naruko curiously.
"No…no reason." Andromeda muttered before needing to catch Grover when Sally let go.
"This is as far as I can go Andie, you have to go the rest of way, just keep heading to the farmhouse and knock on the door, everything will be explained there." Sally said, making the ravenette's head snap towards her mother.
"What?! Mom no! I'm not going to leave you behind if something's out there!" Said Andromeda, refusing to leave her mother if there was something chasing them.
"Andie, I'm sorry, but I can't! I'm not like you, it's why only you and Grover…and possibly Naruko can enter the camp. Please just-" Sally said, only to stop when Naruko grabbed her arm.
"Honestly, it's not that hard to walk into a camp. I don't know why you have to be so dramatic." Naruko said while rolling her eyes before walking past the pine tree, pulling a shocked Sally along.
"Wh-what…b-bu-bu-but…th-th-th-that's…" Stuttered Sally, not believing what just happened, having been told it's impossible for normal humans to enter camp.
"See? No big deal" Said Naruko, making Sally look at her in shock and disbelief.
"…Are…are you a…a god or goddess?" Sally asked quietly, nervous at the chance Naruko was really a god in disguise.
Naruko looked at her in surprise for a few moments before she suddenly threw her head back and began laughing loudly.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh…oh man, that's a good one Mrs. Jackson!" Naruko said as she continued laughing, while Sally was still looking at her in disbelief.
"Mom…what exactly did you say?" Andromeda asked, only for Sally to shake her head and help her with Grover again.
"Let's…let's just get to the farmhouse." Muttered Sally, feeling as if she was getting a headache, with Andromeda nodding slowly before headed towards the farmhouse.
Heading down the hill, the group soon reached the farmhouse and stepped onto the deck that looked to wrap around the entire building and was furnished with lawn chairs and tables.
"Here I'll knock." Naruko said before stepping forward and began rapidly banging on the door.
"Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up!" Said Naruko loudly as she banged on the door, much to Andromeda's and Sally's growing disbelief.
"You…you can't just bang on a door and shout like that!" Sally said, not believing Naruko was actually doing that.
"I can't? Oh right, I'm supposed to yell, "Wilma". Wilma! Wilma! WILMA!" Naruko asked in confusion, before continuing to bang on the door while now yelling "Wilma" over and over, getting louder and louder as she did so.
"No! What the hell do you think this is, the Flintstones?! You're not supposed to do that either!" Said Andromeda, knowing while she may not think her actions through, even she knows doing that is just rude.
"Huh…I'll keep that in mind. Hey, is anyone awake yet?!" Said Naruko before turning back to the door, before it finally opened revealing an irritated girl.
The girl was twelve-years-old with long curly honey blonde hair, put in a ponytail, tanned skin, a slender and athletic body, and captivating storm grey eyes, that shined with curiosity and intelligence, along with annoyance. Her attire consisted of black boots, navy blue jeans, an orange shirt with "Camp Half-Blood" on it and a pegasus, and a grey jacket over it. She also had a necklace, with several clay beads and a college ring on it.
"What?!" Demanded the girl in annoyance at the constant banging and shouting, only for her eyes to widen at seeing Naruko, Andromeda, Sally and the unconscious Grover.
"Hello! Mrs. Jackson said, we were supposed to come here and…what were we doing here again?" Naruko asked, looking back at the mother and daughter in confusion.
"To get answers." Said Andromeda, making the whiskered blonde grin and nod.
"Right! We're here to get answers…answers to what?" Questioned Naruko while looking at them again, with Andromeda turning to her mother since she'd like to know that as well.
Though before anyone could say anything, they heard the sound of clopping inside before another person came into view, one that made Andromeda's eyes widen in complete shock.
With it being a middle-aged man, with thinning brown hair, bushy eyebrows, intense brown eyes, and a scruffy beard.
"M-Mr-Mr-Mr… Mr. Brunner?!" Andromeda yelled in shock and disbelief at seeing her former teacher.
Even more shocking that instead of being in a wheelchair, he was standing up on his legs…on all four of his legs…as the lower half of his body was that of a white horse!
'What is happening?!' Andromeda mentally screamed, while feeling herself growing faint at everything that's happened.
"Andromeda, it's good to see you again. And…Mrs. Jackson?" Mr. Brunner said in surprise and confusion at seeing Sally.
"H-hello…um, I'm just as confused at how I'm in here as well. But…she seemed to be able to let me in…somehow." Sally said nervously while motioning to Naruko, making Mr. Brunner turn to her with a frown.
"I…don't recognize you. Who are you?" Questioned Mr. Brunner, confused at who this girl is to be able to let a mortal into the camp.
"I am Naruko Uzumaki and I have no clue what is even happening!" Naruko introduced with a large grin, before everyone heard stomping from inside the house as someone else came into the view.
It was a plump man, with a chubby face, a red nose, curly hair so black, it looks purple, watery blue, bloodshot eyes that showed he must drink a lot, which seemed to be glowing purple in annoyance. With him wearing tiger striped pajamas.
"What is with all the shouting?! And why is Annabelle here?! And who are these-" The man said in anger and annoyance, only to suddenly freeze when he looked at Naruko, before turning deathly pale.
Then without warning the man suddenly screamed in pure horror before running back to his room, everyone hearing the door slam shut along with the sound of several locks being used.
"…Well that was rude." Naruko stated with a frown before they heard something hitting the ground, with them seeing that Andromeda had fallen to the ground unconscious, the ravenette unable to handle any more surprises.
"Um…just…just bring Ms. Jackson and Mr. Underwood to the infirmary and…and we'll see about figuring out what's going on. Annabeth please pick up Ms. Jackson." Mr. Brunner said, with Sally and the now named Annabeth taking Grover and Andromeda inside.
None of them noticing as Naruko suddenly wandered off, down into the camp.
So, what did you think, good. Yep we see Andromeda being taken to Camp Half-Blood by Sally and Grover, along with recapping her life and the strange things that've happened to her, with a few small changes, before we get a big change as Sally ends up crashing into someone which sends the car flying with them then meeting Naruko who seems rather…odd to them, as well as being the one they hit despite being completely fine, with them also noticing strange things happening after she shows up, namely the storm suddenly disappearing and the Minotaur no longer chasing them, before they head for Camp Half-Blood, getting another surprise as Naruko somehow manages to pull Sally through the barrier, making her think Naruko is a god or goddess, only for Naruko to laugh it off as a joke. Finally they go to the Big House, with Naruko banging on the door and shouting until Annabeth opens it, followed by Chiron appearing much to Andromeda's shock at seeing his true form, before Mr. D comes out only to run away at seeing Naruko. Leading to Andromeda fainting after everything that's happened, with her and Grover being taken to the infirmary while Naruko wanders off. So, for those that like the story, thanks for your support. For those that don't or at least don't like the direction taken, you're more than welcomed to drop the story. But thanks for giving the story a chance anyway. And have a Happy New Year!
Storm out