NPU: Battle of the Labyrinth

by Flames of Azure

Naruto is back once more and better than ever. With war looming on the horizon, our favorite demi deity is prepared for anything. Join him as he joins Annabeth on her quest through the infamous Labyrinth. Will they survive to save the camp or will they lose themselves into insanity. You already know the pairings. Rated M for a reason

8. Not Your Normal Ranch

NPU: Battle of the Labyrinth

Chapter 8

Aaaaand the ugliness that is SOPA has returned. That thing just won't die! Sign the petition to get the damn thing removed once more or else this sight, among MANY others will be no more. Damn Hollywood Lobbyists wanting all the cash and putting down the free spirits who enjoy free expression.

So….go to this site to protest: .gov / petition / stop - sopa - 2014 / q0Vkk0Zr

XXXXX

The group finally stopped in a room full of waterfalls. The floor was one big pit,ringed by a slippery stone walkway. All around them, on all four walls, water tumbled from huge pipes. The water spilled down into the pit, and even when Percy shined a light, they couldn't see the bottom.

Briares slumped against the wall. He scooped up water in a dozen hands and washed his face. "This pit goes straight to Tartarus," he murmured. "I should jump in and save you trouble."

"Don't talk that way," Annabeth told him. "You can come back to camp with us. You can help us prepare. You know more about fighting Titans than anybody."

"I have nothing to offer," Briares said. "I have lost everything."

"What about your brothers?" Tyson asked. "The other two must stand tall as mountains! We can take you to them."

Briares's expression morphed to something even sadder: his grieving face. "They are no more. They faded."

The waterfalls thundered. Tyson stared into the pit and blinked tears out of his eye. Naruto grimaced when he heard that.

"What exactly do you mean, they faded?" Percy asked. "I thought monsters were immortal, like the gods."

"Percy," Grover said weakly, "even immortality has limits. Sometimes…sometimes monsters get forgotten and they lose their will to stay immortal."

The look on Grover face told them that he was thinking about Pan. That then brought to mind a few other things, like when Medusa said that she was alone because her sister faded and then Apollo saying something about the old God Helios fading as well, making Apollo take on the old God's duties. It was all sad that being who live so long lose heart like that.

"I must go," Briares said.

"Kronos's army will invade camp," Tyson said. "We need help."

Briares hung his head. "I cannot, Cyclops."

"You are strong."

"Not anymore." Briares rose.

"Hey," Percy grabbed one of his arms and pulled him aside, where the roar of the water would hide our words. Not that it helped much because Naruto came right along to talk as well. "Briares, we need you. In case you haven't noticed, Tyson believes in you. He risked his life for you."

The duo then told him about everything—Luke's invasion plan, the Labyrinth entrance at camp, Daedalus's workshop, Kronos's golden coffin.

Briares just shook his head. "I cannot, demigods. I don't have the strength anymore."

"Maybe that's why you all fade over time. You lose your heart; you lose your Will of Fire." Naruto replied sadly. "You can't do that. You can't give up on yourself! The moment you do that, you lose! You have got to find something that will give you back your Will of Fire!"

His pure brown eyes regarded the blond. His face morphed into an expression recognized as shame. Then he turned and trudged off down the corridor until he was lost in the shadows.

Tyson sobbed while Naruto sighed.

"It's okay," Grover hesitantly patted Tyson's shoulder, which must've taken all his courage.

Tyson sneezed. "It's not okay, goat boy. He was my hero."

Percy was unsure of what to say so he stayed quiet, however, Naruto walked up to him said, "Sometimes, our hero's let us down because of their own grief and pain, we just need to find a way to bring them back to what they once were."

"How?" Tyson asked.

"I don't have all the answers buddy, but we will find a way." Naruto replied reassuringly, making the Cyclops nod.

"Hey uh, can we find somewhere else to camp, the pit is making me nervous." Silena asked as she stared at it.

"Yeah, me as well. Come on." Annabeth replied as the group moved on.

XXX

They settled in a corridor made of huge marble blocks. It looked like it could've been part of a Greek tomb, with bronze torch holders fastened to the walls. It had to be an older part of the maze, and Annabeth decided this was a good sign.

"We must be close to Daedalus's workshop," she said. "Get some rest, everybody. We'll keep going in the morning."

"How do we know when it's morning?" Grover asked.

"Just rest," she insisted.

Grover didn't need to be told twice. He pulled a heap of straw out of his pack, ate some of it, made a pillow out of the rest, and was snoring in no time. Tyson took longer getting to sleep. He tinkered with some metal scraps from his building kit for a while, but whatever he was making, he wasn't happy with it. He kept disassembling the pieces. He was obviously still bothered by the fact that Briares had given up. After a few words from Percy, the Cyclopes sighed and went to sleep rather quickly.

While Percy and Annabeth conversed about whether she was doing alright on leading this quest and her self-doubt, which Percy stopped and brought her self esteem back up, Naruto sat himself against a wall away from the others so he could sleep in peace and they wouldn't bother each other. He knew that Annabeth wanted to keep watch, but she was dea tired from leading them and her own self-doubt, thankfully Percy went and talked to her and she let him take watch. That made him smile.

Yeah, in his opinion, he surrogate little sister was doing fine leading them. However, he was able to hear a snippet of their conversation about Hera mention that he and Percy knew how to navigate the Labyrinth. Question is….how would they even know?

That information made him think back to the old stories revolving around the Labyrinth. More specifically how the hero Theseus did it. Widening his eyes, Naruto remembered that the guy had help from the daughter of King Minos, Ariadne! She was a clear sighted mortal who made created an item to help him navigate the place. Question was, did they know any clear sighted mortals?

Of course there was the obvious one in Percy's mom, but Naruto doubt they would be able to get back to New York anytime soon. Plus, he was not sure if she could actually help them, what with her normal life going on. So who else? Who did they know outside of camp that could help them? Who did they meet re….cently!?

RED!

That red headed girl they met the Hoover Dam and then at the school! What was her name again? Rachel something…still it was worth a shot in trying to find her but there was the same problem in finding her as well. Meh, he'll talk to the others about it tomorrow.

He had other things to deal with and that was the girl standing in front of him. The raven haired daughter of Aphrodite, Silena. "Hey." He said with smile.

Silena had a sweet smile on her face and something told him it was fake. That was prove when she frowned at him and punched him in the gut. Yep, not happy at all. "What's the matter?" he wheezed.

"You jerk." She hissed before she hugged him, baffling him. "You could have died!"

Oh, so this was about Kampe and him buy them more time to get into the Labyrinth.

"I had to do something." He said defending himself.

"I get that and thank you, but I would rather not lose you! The other girls would hate that as well, especially Zoe! You can't reckless things like that anymore!" She said as she held him with her head in his neck.

Naruto smiled, happy that someone cared from him. Even now, he was still kind of used to Konoha not really caring and sort of projected that to the people here, with him caring more for others like usual. It was nice to know people cared for him. Wrapping his arms around the girl, he smiled and said, "Don't worry so much. I'll think ahead next time." He ended it with a kiss to her lips.

Silena smiled into the kiss before she broke it and turned out in the embrace, her back to him. If they were going to sleep out here, she was going to be comfortable. Gaining a smile she rubbed herself against him, making the blond grunt.

"Come on, Silena, the others are right over there." Naruto said nervously.

"So?" Silena replied with a smile but she got the hint after Naruto gave her deadpanned expression that she barely saw. "Oh I want just having fun and you seemed to be enjoying it." She felt him against her and knew his little friend was ready.

Naruto rolled his eyes and kissed her neck. "We can do it later, not with the others around….too awkward."

"Oh well, but I do agree. I was just teasing you are after all." Silena replied with mirth. Hey, she was the daughter of love, she couldn't resist that one.

Naruto smiled as he turned her head and kissed her lips. "Goodnight."

"Night love." She replied as she lend her head into his neck and quickly fell asleep, perfectly comfortable with Naruto's arms wrapped around her and his head on hers.

XXX

Naruto knew where he was once he closed eyes. He was once more in the dream state that Morpheus control. It continued on from last time back in that old man's prison, not now looked more like a workshop. Tables were littered with measuring instruments. A forge burned red hot in the corner.

Once more, Naruto was not merely watching like he and Percy usually do, he was taking part in the dream as the young boy from last time and he was stoking the bellows, except he felt taller now. So that would mean this boy was a bit older now, close to Naruto's age.

A weird funnel device was attached to the forge's chimney, trapping the smoke and heat and channeling it through a pipe into the floor, next to a big bronze manhole cover.

It was daytime. The sky above was blue, but the walls of the maze cast deep shadows across the workshop. Naruto felt that it was a bit odd seeing the sun again, but that just that the Labyrinth was far crueler than perceived. You could forget the sun in that dark place.

The old man looked sickly. He was terribly thin, his hands raw and red from working. White hair covered his eyes, and his tunic was smudged with grease. He was bent over a table, working on some kind of long metal patchwork—like a swath of chain mail. He picked up a delicate curl of bronze and fitted it into place.

"Done," he announced. "It's done."

He picked up his project. It was so beautiful, metal wings constructed from thousands of interlocking bronze feathers. There were two sets. One still lay on the table. Daedalus stretched the frame, and the wings expanded twenty feet. Part of Naruto knew it could never fly. It was too heavy, and there'd be no way to get off the ground. But the craftsmanship was amazing. Metal feathers caught the light and flashed thirty different shades of gold.

Naruto felt himself as the boy leave the bellows and run over to see. He grinned, despite the fact that he was grimy and sweaty. "Father, you're a genius!"

The old man smiled. "Tell me something I don't know, Icarus. Now hurry. It will take at least an hour to attach them. Come."

"You first," Icarus said.

The old man protested, but Icarus insisted. "You made them, Father. You should get the honor of wearing them first."

Naruto felt himself attach a leather harness to the old man's chest, like climbing gear, with straps that ran from his shoulders to his wrists. Then he began fastening on the wings, using a metal canister that looked like an enormous hot-glue gun. It made Naruto wonder WHY he was in the position in the dream! He just really hoped that him and Chiron's suspicions were false.

"The wax compound should hold for several hours," Daedalus said nervously as his son worked. "But we must let it set first. And we would do well to avoid flying too high or too low. The sea would wet the wax seals—"

"And the sun's heat would loosen them," the boy finished. "Yes, Father. We've been through this a million times!"

"One cannot be too careful."

"I have complete faith in your inventions, Father! No one has ever been as smart as you."

The old man's eyes shone. It was obvious he loved his son more than anything in the world. "Now I will do your wings, and give mine a chance to set properly. Come!"

It was slow going. The old man's hands fumbled with the straps. He had a hard time keeping the wings in position while he sealed them. His own metal wings seemed to weigh him down, getting in his way while he tried to work.

"Too slow," the old man muttered. "I am too slow."

"Take your time, Father," the boy said. "The guards aren't due until—"

BOOM!

The workshop doors shuddered. Daedalus had barred them from the inside with a wooden brace, but still they shook on their hinges.

"Hurry!" Icarus said.

BOOM! BOOM!

Something heavy was slamming into the doors. The brace held, but a crack appeared in the left door.

Daedalus worked furiously. A drop of hot wax spilled onto Icarus's shoulder. The boy winced but did not cry out. When his left wing was sealed into the straps, Daedalus began working on the right.

"We must have more time," Daedalus murmured. "They are too early! We need more time for the seal to hold."

"It'll be fine," Icarus said, as his father finished the right wing. "Help me with the manhole—"

CRASH! The doors splintered and the head of a bronze battering ram emerged through the breach. Axes cleared the debris, and two armed guards entered the room, followed by the king with the golden crown and the spear shaped beard.

"Well, well," the king said with a cruel smile. "Going somewhere?"

Daedalus and his son froze, their metal wings glimmering on their backs.

"We're leaving, Minos," the old man said.

King Minos chuckled. "I was curious to see how far you'd get on this little project before I dashed your hopes. I must say I'm impressed."

The king admired their wings. "You look like metal chickens," he decided. "Perhaps we should pluck you and make a soup."

The guards laughed stupidly.

"Metal chickens," one repeated. "Soup."

"Shut up," the king said. Then he turned again to Daedalus. "You let my daughter escape, old man. You drove my wife to madness. You killed my monster and made me the laughingstock of the Mediterranean. You will never escape me!"

Icarus grabbed the wax gun and sprayed it at the king, who stepped back in surprise. The guards rushed forward, but each got a stream of hot wax in his face.

"The vent!" Icarus yelled to his father.

"Get them!" King Minos raged.

Together, the old man and his son pried open the manhole cover, and a column of hot air blasted out of the ground. The king watched, incredulous, as the inventor and son shot into the sky on their bronze wings, carried by the updraft.

"Shoot them!" the king yelled, but his guards had brought no bows. One threw his sword in desperation, but Daedalus and Icarus were already out of reach. They wheeled above the maze and the king's palace, then zoomed across the city of Knossos and out past the rocky shores of Crete.

Icarus laughed. "Free, Father! You did it."

The boy spread his wings to their full limit and soared away on the wind.

"Wait!" Daedalus called. "Be careful!"

But Icarus was already out over the open sea, heading north and delighting in their good luck. He soared up and scared an eagle out of its flight path, then plummeted toward the sea like he was born to fly, pulling out of a nosedive at the last second. His sandals skimmed the waves. Naruto himself was having fun in the dream. He had flown before with his wing made of darkness and hellfire, so he knew what to do. But like all good things, they must stop and Naruto silently wished he could change history by merely being in a dream. So he knew what would come next.

"Stop that!" Daedalus called. But the wind carried his voice away. His son was drunk on his own freedom.

The old man struggled to catch up, gliding clumsily after his son.

They were miles from Crete, over deep sea, when Icarus looked back and saw his father's worried expression.

Icarus smiled. "Don't worry, Father! You're a genius! I trust your handiwork—"

The first metal feather shook loose from his wings and fluttered away. Then another. Icarus wabbled in midair. Suddenly he was shedding bronze feathers, which twirled away from him like a flock of frightened birds.

"Icarus!" his father cried. "Glide! Extend the wings. Stay as still as possible!"

But Icarus flapped his arms, desperately trying to reassert control.

The left wing went first—ripping away from the straps.

"Father!" Icarus cried. And then he fell, the wings stripped away until he was just a boy in a climbing harness and a white tunic, his arms extended in a useless attempt to glide.

At this Naruto panicked. He hated falling dreams, but by this point, he had figured he would have woken up in a gasp like he did as a kid. This couldn't be happening! If you died in the dream, wouldn't you die in real life?! If he lived through this, Morpheus was getting his ass kicked!

Percy woke with a start, feeling like he was the one falling. The corridor was dark. In the constant moaning of the Labyrinth, Percy thought he could hear the anguished cry of Daedalus calling his son's name, as Icarus, his only joy, plummeted toward the sea, three hundred feet below.

But that cry came from just a few feet away in the form of his friend Naruto. Scrambling, Percy got back up to see Naruto's face in pain as he held on tight to Silena, whow as starting to wake up.

"What is going on?" she asked a bit groggily.

"Falling dream." Percy sadly said as he remembered the event he saw and saw that once again, that Naruto was Icarus.

Then the oddest thing happened. Naruto's eyes shot open as he let out a gasp of air. And his wrist band seemed to be glowing, more specifically, the Minotaur's blade charm.

XXX

Back in the dream, Naruto felt Icarus fall and felt the cold embrace of death. However, that was when things took a turn for the weird….well weirder since the situation was very odd to begin with.

Naruto was in a black room and he felt weightless. Not only that, but this time, he was facing the smiling form of Icarus

"Well…this is new." Naruto commented.

"Indeed it is, Son of Hades." Icarus stated.

"Wait, so I can interact with you now?" Naruto asked, a bit put off that he was speaking to a dead person. "Also, how do you know who's kid I am?"

"Simple, only the Child of Hades can speak to the dead and I am very much dead." Icarus explained. "You saw what I asked Morpheus to show you. I know I will never see my father again for I believe Hades has plans for him after he had a…talk with Athena. You are already know what he did, but I am sure Morpheus will show you and the Son of Poseidon what happened that day."

"Ok, why are you telling me this?" Naruto asked.

"While I doubt I will see my father again in death, I still wish to talk to him one more time and I can do that through you."

"Ok, you lost me. How would that even be possible?"

"There are some abilities that the Children of Hades have but don't always know of." Icarus explained. "I have asked Hades to help me do this in exchange for helping him later on. So, I have put my essence into the Minotaur's Blade that you still hold on to. Please, when you find my father, please let me talk to him one last time."

Naruto stared at the young soul before him and smiled. "I'd be a real jerk if I said no, so yeah, I'll help you."

Icarus smiled brightly. "Thank you Naruto Uzumaki. Thank you so much." He then looked nervous. "Oh, and you might want to brace yourself. Inducing a soul connection like that puts you close to death…meaning you are kind of dead right now."

"Wait-"

XXX

"WHAT?!" Naruto shouted out as he gasped for air when he woke up. He had to freaking die just to do that?! Oh yeah, Morpheus was getting his ass kicked, chopped off and then hung above his fire place….if he had one that is. Ugh…he needed to stop watching Spongebob as well.

"Naruto! Are you ok!?" Silena's voice brought his out of his heavy breathing to see that everyone was staring down at him in concern. So that meant he had somehow end up on his back.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, just had literal near death experience."

Percy looked nervous. "Was it the dream?"

"Yeah…I'll explain in a minute." Naruto replied as he glanced at his wrist band, seeing that the horn symbol was now a wing instead.

XXX

Since there was now Sun in the labyrinth, there was no morning. So as Naruto explained his new situation with the others, they at a breakfast consisting of granola bars and juice box. It wasn't bad, all things considered.

At first, Percy really didn't want to discuss the dream out his own fear of what it could mean, but Naruto did so anyway and Percy just went along, putting his input when needed.

Annabeth smiled though. Icarus was basically family to her since he was the grandson of Athena and she liked the fact that Naruto was helping him. It just proved to her that Naruto was a god person and not like the other Children of Hades. Plus, it made her feel closer to the blond demi god of Hades. He was like a real brother to her now. She liked that, after he was always protecting them.

Grover was a skeptical at first, but soon he just accepted it. Other weird things had happened before and turned out all right, so why not this one.

Percy was on board as well, but he was still concerned for his friend. Naruto has been in place of Icarus in the dream. The last time something like that happened, Naruto helped Zoe with her problems. This time….did it mean his friend was going to die?

Tyson…didn't really know what it meant, but he did know that Naruto was helping someone so he didn't have a problem with it.

Silena was thinking along the same lines as Percy and voiced her concern, making everyone tense. Naruto seemed to think on it and all that had happened on their quest so far. It was a choice that he was going to have to make that could kill him. However, there was always a middle ground in a set of choices, it was just always hidden.

"Oh and guys, I think I have an answer to what Hera mentioned. About me and Percy knowing a way to navigate this place."

"You do?!" Percy and Annabeth asked at the same time.

"Oh thank the Gods!" Grover shouted happily while Tyson and Silena chuckled. Sure they were excited as well, but they could guess why Grover was so happy.

"So what is it?" Silena asked.

"A clear sighted mortal." Naruto replied, getting blank looks.

"Naruto, the only clear sighted mortals we know are my mom and Annabeth's dad." Percy stated.

Naruto smiled and said, "Oh there is one more person we know….Red."

"Red?" Percy asked miffed.

"Yes, Red." Naruto replied, hopping the boy would figure it out.

However, Annabeth beat him to it. "Wait a second, that read haired girl from the school I was picking you guys up from?"

"Yup!" Naruto stated happily.

"Rachel? How are we going to get to her? We don't even know where she is!" Percy shouted.

"Yeah, that's the problem I encountered as well." Naruto replied sheepishly.

"So, back to square one." Grover groaned as he started to walk away. That was the signal for the others to follow as they continued their track into the labyrinth. Their minds wondering if their Rachel girl could help them if they found her.

XXXX

The old stone tunnels changed to dirt with cedar beams, like a gold mine or something. Annabeth started getting agitated.

"This isn't right," she said. "It should still be stone."

They came to a cave where stalactites hung low from the ceiling. In the center of the dirt floor was a rectangular pit, like a grave.

Grover shivered. "It smells like the Underworld in here."

Then Percy saw something glinting at the edge of the pit—a foil wrapper. He shined his flashlight into the hole and saw a half-chewed cheeseburger floating in brown carbonated muck.

Naruto walked over to it and sighed. "Nico was here."

"Was he summoning the dead again?" Percy asked nervously as the others shot them a frightened look.

"Probably."

Tyson whimpered. "Ghosts were here. I don't like ghosts."

"We've got to find him." Percy declared urgently, making the blond ninja nod, he too feeling the urgent need to find his little brother. With that, the two ran ahead, feeling that Nico was actually nearby. More like hoping.

"Percy! Naruto!" Annabeth called.

The duo managed to duck into a tunnel of sorts and saw light up ahead, which was always a good sign. By the time Annabeth, Silena, Tyson, and Grover caught up with the duo, they were staring at daylight streaming through a set of bars above my head. They were under a steel grate made out of metal pipes. The group could see trees and blue sky.

"Where are we?" Percy wondered.

Then a shadow fell across the grate and a cow stared down at tehm. It looked like a normal cow except with was a weird color—bright red, like a cherry.

"Yeah….i am assuming we are on some strange farm." Naruto deadpanned as the cow continued to stare down at them.

The cow mooed, put one hoof tentatively on the bars, then backed away.

"It's a cattle guard," Grover said.

"A what?" Percy asked.

"They put them at the gates of ranches so cows can't get out. They can't walk on them."

"How do you know that?"

Grover huffed indignantly. "Believe me, if you had hooves, you'd know about cattle guards. They're annoying!"

"I'll take your word for it." Naruto replied with a sigh. He had been doing that a lot down here, the darkness must be getting to him.

Percy turned to Annabeth. "Didn't Hera say something about a ranch? We need to check it out. Nico might be there."

She hesitated. "All right. But how do we get out?"

"Tyson, would you do the honors?" Naruto asked the Cyclopes. Tyson nodded happily before hitting the cattle guard with both hands. It popped off and went flying out of sight. they heard a CLANG! and a startled Moo!

Tyson blushed. "Sorry, cow!" he called. Then he gave the group a boost out of the tunnel.

"Yeah…this is a ranch alright." Naruto stated as he looked around. Rolling hills stretched to the horizon, dotted with oak trees and cactuses and boulders. A barbed wire fence ran from the gate in either direction. Cherry-colored cows roamed around, grazing on clumps of grass. "Yeah, that does scream weird or anything."

"Red cattle," Annabeth said. "The cattle of the sun."

"What?" Naruto asked.

"They're sacred to Apollo."

"Holy cows?"

"Exactly. But what are they doing—"

"Wait," Grover said. "Listen."

At first everything seemed quiet…but then they heard it: the distant baying of dogs. The sound got louder. Then the underbrush rustled, and two dogs broke through. Except it wasn't two dogs. It was one dog with two heads. It looked like a greyhound, long and snaky and sleek brown, but its neck V'd into two heads, both of them snapping and snarling and generally not very glad to see us.

"Bad Janus dog!" Tyson cried.

"Arf!" Grover told it, and raised a hand in greeting.

The two-headed dog bared its teeth. As if it wasn't impressed that Grover could speak animal. Then its master lumbered out of the woods, and they realized the dog was the least of their problems.

He was a huge guy with stark white hair, a straw cowboy hat, and a braided white beard— kind of like Father Time, if Father Time went redneck and got totally jacked. He was wearing jeans, a DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS T-shirt, and a denim jacket with the sleeves ripped off so you could see his muscles. On his right bicep was a crossed-swords tattoo. He held a wooden club about the size of a nuclear warhead, with six-inch spikes bristling at the business end.

"Heel, Orthus," he told the dog.

The dog growled at the group once more, just to make his feelings clear, then circled back to his master's feet. The man looked them up and down, keeping his club ready.

"What've we got here?" he asked. "Cattle rustlers?"

"Just travelers," Annabeth said. "We're on a quest."

The man's eye twitched. "Half-bloods, eh?"

Percy started to say, "How did you know—"

Annabeth put her hand on my arm. "I'm Annabeth, daughter of Athena.

This is Percy, son of Poseidon. Naruto, son of Hades, Silena, daughter of Aphrodite, Grover the satyr. Tyson the—"

"Cyclops," the man finished. "Yes, I can see that." He glowered at Percy. "And I know half-bloods because I am one, sonny. I'm Eurytion, the cowherd for this here ranch. Son of Ares. You came through the Labyrinth like the other one, I reckon."

"The other one?" Percy asked. "You mean Nico di Angelo?"

"We get a load of visitors from the Labyrinth," Eurytion said darkly. "Not many ever leave."

"Wow," Naruto said. "I feel welcome, but seriously, we need to get to my brother."

The cowherd glanced behind him like someone was watching. Then he lowered his voice. "I'm only going to say this once, demigods. Get back in the maze now. Before it's too late."

"We're not leaving," Annabeth insisted. "Not until we see this other demigod. Please."

Eurytion grunted. "Then you leave me no choice, missy. I've got to take you to the boss."

XXXX

It didn't' feel like they were hostages or anything. Eurytion walked alongside the group with his club across his shoulder. Orthus the two-headed dog growled a lot and sniffed at Grover's legs and shot into the bushes once in a while to chase animals, but Eurytion kept him more or less under control.

They walked down a dirt path that seemed to go on forever. It must've been close to a hundred degrees, which was a shock after San Francisco. Heat shimmered off the ground. Insects buzzed in the trees. Before they'd gone very far, they were sweating like crazy. Flies swarmed them. Every so often they'd see a pen full of red cows or even stranger animals. Once they passed a corral where the fence was coated in asbestos. Inside, a herd of fire-breathing horses milled around. The hay in their feeding trough was on fire. The ground smoked around their feet, but the horses seemed tame enough. One big stallion looked at Percy and whinnied, columns of red flame billowing out his nostrils. That made Percy wonder if it hurt his sinuses.

"What are they for?" Percy asked.

Eurytion scowled. "We raise animals for lots of clients. Apollo, Diomedes, and…others."

"Like who?"

"No more questions."

Finally the group came out of the woods. Perched on a hill above us was a big ranch house—all white stone and wood and big windows.

"It looks like a Frank Lloyd Wright!" Annabeth said. It was obvious she was talking about the architecture, making the other just tune her out.

"Don't break the rules," Eurytion warned as they walked up the steps to the front porch. "No fighting. No drawing weapons. And don't make any comments about the boss's appearance."

"Why?" I asked. "What does he look like?"

Before Eurytion could reply, a new voice said, "Welcome to the Triple G Ranch."

The man on the porch had a normal head, which was a relief. His face was weathered and brown from years in the sun. He had a slick black hair and a black pencil moustache like villains have in old movies. He smiled at them, but the smile wasn't friendly; more amused, like Oh boy, more people to torture!

They didn't get to ponder more on his evil smile because they looked down to his body….or bodies. He had three of them. His neck connected to the middle chest like normal, but he had two more chests, one to either side, connected at the shoulders, with a few inches between. His left arm grew out of his left chest, and the same on the right, so he had two arms, but four armpits, if that makes any sense. The chests all connected into one enormous torso, with two regular but very beefy legs, and he wore the most oversized pair of Levis ever. His chests each wore a different color Western shirt—green, yellow, red, like a stoplight.

The cowherd Eurytion nudged me. "Say Hello to Mr. Geryon."

Must not make stupid comment! Naruto thought as he started at the figure before them.

"Hi," Percy said. "Nice chests—uh, ranch! Nice ranch you have."

Oh nice one Percy! Naruto mentally roared, a little happy that it wasn't him that spoke.

Before the three-bodied man could respond, Nico di Angelo came out of the glass doors onto the porch. "Geryon, I won't wait for—"

He froze when he saw the group. Then he drew his sword. The blade was justlike Naruto and Percy seen in their dreams; short, sharp, and dark as midnight.

Geryon snarled when he saw it. "Put that away, Mr. di Angelo. I ain't gonna have my guests killin' each other."

"But that's—"

"Percy Jackson," Geryon supplied. "Naruto Uzumaki. Annabeth Chase. Silena Beauregard. And a couple of their monster friends. Yes, I know."

"Seriously, how people just know our names." Naruto commented, but was ignored.

"Monster friends?" Grover said indignantly.

"That man is wearing three shirts," Tyson said, like he was just realizing this.

"They let my sister die!" Nico's voice trembled with rage. "They're here to kill me!"

"Nico, we're not here to kill you." I raised my hands. "What happened to Bianca was—"

"Don't speak her name! You're not worthy to even talk about her!" Nico raged.

"Baka." Naruto said as he appeared behind Nico and smacked him on the back of his head. "If we want you dead, you would already be dead. Plus, you never let us explain the whole thing."

"Wait, what?" Nico asked as he rubbed his head.

"Hold on a second, Naruto is right, how do you know about us?" Annabeth asked, interrupting them.

The three-bodied man winked. "I make it my business to keep informed, darlin'. Everybody pops into the ranch from time to time. Everyone needs something from ole Geryon. Now, Mr. di Angelo, put that ugly sword away before I have Eurytion take it from you."

Eurytion sighed, but he hefted his spiked club. At his feet, Orthus growled.

Nico hesitated. He looked thinner and paler than he had in the Iris messages/dreams. It made Naruto and Percy wonder if he had eaten lately. His black clothes were dusty from traveling in the Labyrinth, and his dark eyes were full of hate, however, due to Naruto's earlier declaration, there was confusion as well. He was too young to look so angry and confuse. Naruto still remembered him as the cheerful little kid who played with Mythomagic cards back in the casino.

Reluctantly, he sheathed his sword. "I want answers, but if you are here to try and kill me, I will summon help. You don't want to meet my helpers, I promise."

"I believe you," Naruto said as he walked back to the group.

Geryon patted Nico's shoulder. "There, we've all made nice. Now come along, folks. I want to give you a tour of the ranch."

XXX

Geryon had a trolley thing—like one of those kiddie trains that take you around zoos. It was painted black and white in a cowhide pattern. The driver's car had a set of longhorns stuck to the hood, and the horn sounded like a cowbell. Percy figured maybe this was how he tortured people. He embarrassed them to death riding around in the moo-mobile.

Nico sat in the very back, probably so he could keep an eye on the group. Eurytion crawled in next to him with his spiked club and pulled his cowboy hat over his eyes like he was going to take a nap. Orthus jumped in the front seat next to Geryon and began barking happily in two-part harmony.

Annabeth, Silena, Naruto, Tyson, Grover, and Percy took the middle two cars.

"We have a huge operation!" Geryon boasted as the moo-mobile lurched forward. "Horses and cattle mostly, but all sorts of exotic varieties, too."

As they came over a hill, and Annabeth gasped. "Hippalektryons? I thought they were extinct!"

At the bottom of the hill was a fenced-in pasture with a dozen of the weirdest animals ever seen. Each had the front half of a horse and the back half of a rooster. Their rear feet were huge yellow claws. They had feathery tails and red wings. Two of them got in a fight over a pile of seed. They reared up on their wings at each other until the smaller one galloped away, its rear bird legs putting a little hop in its step.

"Rooster ponies," Tyson said in amazement. "Do they lay eggs?"

"I…don't even know what they would taste like." Naruto replied as he stared at the creatures.

"Once a year!" Geryon grinned in the rearview mirror. "Very much in demand for omelettes!"

"That's horrible!" Annabeth said in anger at Geryson and Naruto for his earlier comment. "They must be an endangered species!"

Geryon waved his hand. "Gold is gold, darling. And you haven't tasted the omelettes."

"That's not right," Grover murmured, but Geryon just kept narrating the tour.

"Now, over here," he said, "we have our fire-breathing horses, which you may have seen on your way in. They're bred for war, naturally."

"What war?" Percy asked.

Geryon grinned slyly. "Oh, whichever one comes along. And over yonder, of course, are our prize red cows."

Sure enough, hundreds of the cherry-colored cattle were grazing the side of the hill.

"So many," Grover said.

"Yes, well, Apollo is too busy to see them," Geryon explained, "so he subcontracts to us. We breed them vigorously because there's such a demand."

"For what?" Percy asked.

Geryon raised an eyebrow. "Meat, of course! Armies have to eat."

"You kill the sacred cows of the sun god for hamburger meat?" Grover said. "That's the against ancient laws!"

"Oh, don't get so worked up, satyr. They're just animals."

"Just animals!" Grover shouted.

"Yes, and if Apollo cared, I'm sure he would tell us."

"If he knew," Naruto muttered.

Nico sat forward. "I don't care about any of this, Geryon. We had business to discuss, and this wasn't it!"

"All in good time, Mr. di Angelo. Look over here; some of my exotic game."

The next field was ringed in barbed wire. The whole area was crawling with giant scorpions.

"Triple G Ranch," Percy said, suddenly remembering. "Your mark was on the crates at camp. Quintus got his scorpions from you."

"Quintus…" Geryon mused. "Short gray hair, muscular, swordsman?"

"Yeah."

"Never heard of him," Geryon said, making Naruto snort. "Now, over here are my prize stables! You must see them."

They…didn't have to see them because they smelt them long before they even came close. It was that bad. Near the banks of a green river was a horse corral the size of a football field. Stables lined one side of it. About a hundred horses were milling around in the muck…well more like a massive amount of actual horse shit. It was the most disgusting thing they had ever seen, like a poop blizzard had come through and dumped four feet of the stuff overnight. The horses were really gross from wading through it, and the stables were just as bad. It reeked like you would not believe—worse than the garbage boats on the East River.

Even Nico gagged. "What is that?"

"My stables!" Geryon said. "Well, actually they belong to Aegas, but we watch over them for a small monthly fee. Aren't they lovely?"

"Hell no, that is just nasty!" Naruto replied as he held his nose.

"Lots of poop," Tyson observed.

"How can you keep animals like that?" Grover cried.

"Y'all getting' on my nerves," Geryon said. "These are flesh-eating horses, see? They like these conditions."

"Plus, you're too cheap to have them cleaned," Eurytion mumbled from under his hat.

"Quiet!" Geryon snapped. "All right, perhaps the stables are a bit challenging to clean. Perhaps they do make me nauseous when the wind blows the wrong way. But so what? My clients still pay me well."

"What clients?" Silena demanded, the clean freak in her going in overdrive and it was pissing her off!

"Oh, you'd be surprised how many people will pay for a flesh-eating horse. They make great garbage disposals. Wonderful way to terrify your enemies. Great at birthday parties! We rent them out all the time."

"You're a monster," Annabeth decided.

"I am going to have to agree with her on that." Naruto said with a glare.

Geryon stopped the moo-mobile and turned to look at the blonds. "What gave it away? Was it the three bodies?"

"You have to let these animals go," Grover said. "It's not right!"

"And the clients you keep talking about," Annabeth said. "You work for Kronos, don't you? You're supplying his army with horses, food, whatever they need."

Geryon shrugged, which was very weird since he had three sets of shoulders. It looked like he was doing the wave all by himself. "I work for anyone with gold, young lady. I'm a businessman. And I sell them anything I have to offer."

"Feh, you have been corporate evil….nice tough top the normal evil. Ass." Naruto grumbled, thinking that the man and taken to capitalism a little too much.

He climbed out of the moo-mobile and strolled toward the stables as if enjoying the fresh air. It would've been a nice view, with the river and the trees and hills and all, except for the quagmire of horse muck.

Nico got out of the back car and stormed over to Geryon. The cowherd Eurytion wasn't as sleepy as he looked. He hefted his club and walked after Nico.

"I came here for business, Geryon," Nico said. "And you haven't answered me."

"Mmm." Geryon examined a cactus. His left arm reached over and scratched his middle-chest. "Yes, you'll get a deal, all right."

"My ghost told me you could help. He said you could guide us to the soul we need." Nico stated, getting a dark look from Naruto

"Wait a second," Percy said. "I thought I was the soul you wanted."

Nico and Naruto looked at Percy like he was crazy. "You? Why would I want you? Bianca's soul is worth a thousand of yours! Now, can you help me, Geryon, or not?"

"Oh, I imagine I could," the rancher said. "Your ghost friend, by the way, where is he?"

Nico looked uneasy. "He can't form in broad daylight. It's hard for him. But he's around somewhere."

Geryon smiled. "I'm sure. Minos likes to disappear when things get…difficult."

"I knew it. Minos is behind this!" Naruto raged.

"Wait, you mean that evil king? That's the ghost who's been giving you advice?" Percy asked in a panic.

"What of it? Not like it is any or your business anyway!" Nico shouted at them.

"No, you are wrong little brother. It is my business." Naruto said, getting in his face. "Minos has twisted your view of the world, but he preys upon something that is not true."

"W-what do you mean?" Nico asked nervously and a little afraid of his brother.

"You never let up explain in detail back at camp. Yes, Bianca is in the Underworld, but she is not dead. Father saved her thanks the Hiraishin Kunai I gave your back in the casino."

That struck Nico like a ton of bricks as he fell to his knees. Minos had lied to him and that was why he couldn't contact Bianca. She was alive! "But….are you sure."

"Of course I am sure little brother. She had been asking Morphues to give me a glimpse of what you have been doing. Plus, she has shown Percy Iris Messages as well."

Tear fell like a flood at that. She was still looking out for him!

However, Nico didn't get time to be happy because Geryson sighed loudly.

"What shit." He said. "I was hoping this was going to be easy."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"You see, boys, Luke Castellan is offering very good money for halfbloods. Especially powerful half-bloods. And I'm sure when he learns Nioc's little secret, who he really is, he'll pay very, very well indeed."

Nico drew his sword, but Eurytion knocked it out of his hand before punching naruto in the gut and then putting his foot down on the blond. When Percy attempted to help, Orthus pounced on his chest and growled, his faces an inch away from his.

"I would stay in the car, all of you," Geryon warned. "Or Orthus will tear Mr. Jackson's throat out. Now, Eurytion, if you would be so kind, secure Nico and Naruto. Heh, and the stories about the ninja must have been false. That was easy." The man then took out a piece of paper and attached it to Naruto's forehead. "Can't be too safe though, you ninja are tricky."

The cowherd spit into the grass. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, you fool!"

Eurytion looked bored, but he wrapped one huge arm around Nico and lifted him up like a wrestler. He then lifted up the limp form of Naruto and draped him over his shoulder.

"Pick up the sword, too," Geryon said with distaste. "There's nothing I hate worse than Stygian Iron."

Eurytion picked up the sword, careful not to touch the blade.

"Now," Geryon said cheerfully, "we've had the tour. Let's go back to the lodge, have some lunch, and send an Iris-message to our friends in the Titan army."

"You fiend!" Annabeth cried. "What did you do to Naruto?!"

Geryson smiled. "I simply used a rare form of jutsu from his home world….Fuinjutsui believe it was called. Don't ask how I got it, just know it was beyond expensive. As for what the seal does, will it stops the use of chakra and it paralyzes the target so they can't move. Ingenious!" He then looked to the girl and his smile grew, "But don't worry my dear. Once I have delivered Mr. Di Angelo and Mr. Uzumaki, you and your party are free to go. I don't usually interfere with quests, but I doubt you will need the blond. Besides, I've been paid well to give you safe passage, which does not, I'm afraid, include Mr. di Angelo.

"Paid by whom?" Annabeth said. "What do you mean?"

"Never you mind, darlin'. Let's be off, shall we?"

"Wait!" Percy said, and Orthus growled. He stayed perfectly still so the dog wouldn't tear his throat out. "Geryon, you said you're a businessman. Make me a deal."

Geryon narrowed his eyes. "What sort of deal? Do you have gold?"

"I've got something better. Barter."

"But Mr. Jackson, you've got nothing."

"You could have him clean the stables," Eurytion suggested innocently.

"I'll do it!" Percy said. "If I fail, you get all of us. Trade us all to Luke for gold."

"Assuming the horses don't eat you," Geryon observed.

"Either way, you get my friends," I said. "But if I succeed, you've got to let all of us go, including Nico."

"No!" Nico screamed. "Don't do me any favors, Percy. I don't need your help! I can get myself and Naruto out of this mess!"

Geryon chuckled. "Right, I am sure you can." He said with heavy sarcasm, "Percy Jackson, those stables haven't been cleaned in a thousand years…though it's true I might be able to sell more stable space if all that poop was cleared away."

"So what have you got to lose?"

The rancher hesitated. "All right, I'll accept your offer, but you have to get it done by sunset. If you fail, your friends get sold, and I get rich."

"Deal."

He nodded. "I'm going to take your friends with me, back to the lodge. We'll wait for you there."

Eurytion gave Percy a funny look. It might have been sympathy. He whistled, and the dog jumped off the boy and onto Annabeth's lap. She yelped. The boy knew Tyson, Silena, and Grover would never try anything as long as Annabeth was hostage.

As Percy got out of the car and locked eyes with the girl.

"I hope you know what you're doing," she said quietly.

"I hope so, too."

Geryon got behind the driver's wheel. Eurytion hauled Nico and Naruto into the backseat. Naruto muttered something, which made Nico raise an eyebrow. "Oi, Percy, Naruto says to use your new blade to help. Something about using it like in the movie On Stranger Tides…if that makes sense."

"Huh?" Percy asked, completely confused.

"Sunset," Geryon reminded Percy, interrupting them. "No later."

He laughed at the boy once more, sounded his cowbell horn, and the moo-mobile rumbled off down the trail.

XXXXXX

There you all go folks. Now, I have a question for you all. Should I skip Percy's part or just do it anyway with Naruto freeing himself from the seal?

Review!