Chapter 6:Siblings
STORY START
It was the next morning after Naruto had been claimed by his mother's he had slept in a wonderful bed provided by Artemis.
Stepping out of bed he checked the clock to make sure he had woken up as usual which was at 5:30 in the morning.
Once he had confirmed that he quickly made sure to fix his bed before going about his morning exercise which was to meditate for a few minutes every morning to ensure that his magic would not backfire and could be used at full potential. Followed by a full workout to which allows him to remain in top shape for wielding weapons though he really didn't need to do this.
Finally when he was done Naruto stepped out of his mother's cabin and walked around camp towards the big house where he found Percy speaking with Dionysus and Chiron.
"Good morning Chiron, Lord Dionysus what has Percy done now?" Naruto asked after he had greeted both Chiron and Dionysus who had a large scowl on his face.
"The boy dared to call me by name without any respect at all unlike you" Dionysus said while still scowling at Percy before he took a drink of his diet coke.
"I see well Percy you see it is very improper to call gods by their name without any honorifics like lord or lady and even then you need their permission to use it like I do" Naruto explained to Percy who rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.
"This can't be real can it?" Percy asked Chiron who merely sighed.
"Yes it is Percy all this is real all gods and goddesses you once thought to be myth are real proof is right in front of you" Chiron explained to Percy in a professional tone of voice like a teacher would tell a student.
"A god him really?" Percy pointed at Dionysus while looking incredulous.
"Are you testing me boy?" Dionysus threatened with his godly energy leaking out from his body in a slightly silver mist like way.
"No" Percy said almost instantly when he felt a huge weight baring down upon him.
"Well I'll show you around for now." Chiron said as he spotted Annabeth walk near the big house.
As he said this both Percy and Naruto followed after Chiron he began to show Percy the different parts of the camp.
Sure enough they had passed by the front door from which the second floor of the big house could be seen.
"What's up there?" Percy asked Chiron.
""Oh nothing living come along more to see" Chiron said hurriedly making Naruto suspicious.
'Nothing living huh?' Naruto thought to himself.
As they moved along Percy had finally asked what was bugging for a while now since leaving the big house.
"Grover won't get in too much trouble will he?" Percy asked concerned for his friend.
Chiron sighed "Grover has big dreams, Percy perhaps bigger than are reasonable to reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing him safely to Half-Blood Hill."
"But he did that!" Percy insisted.
"I might agree with you but it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Grover lost you in New York. Then there's the unfortunate ... ah ... fate of your mother. And the fact that Grover was unconscious when Naruto dragged you both over the property line. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Grover's part." Chiron said sadly.
"He'll get a second chance, won't he?" Percy asked hopefull.
"I'm afraid that was Grover's second chance, Percy the council was not anxious to give him another, either, after what happened the first time, five years ago. Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age" Chiron answered sadly with Naruto perking at that information.
'So it was Grover who led Luke and his friends to camp' Naruto thought to himself.
"How old is he?" Percy asked interested.
"Twenty-eight." Chiron said off handedly
"What! And he's in sixth grade?" Percy exclaimed he would go nuts if he had to do that.
"Satyrs mature half as fast as humans, Percy. Grover has been the equivalent of a middle school student for the past six years." Chiron explained.
"That's horrible." Percy said.
"Quite at any rate, Grover is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at woodland magic. Alas, he was anxious to pursue his dream. Perhaps now he will find some other career" Chiron said.
"That's not fair what happened the first time? Was it really so bad?" Percy asked.
"Let's move along, shall we?" Chiron said not wanting to reminisce on that topic.
"Chiron If the gods and Olympus and all that are real ..." Percy started.
"Yes, child?"
"Does that mean the Underworld is real, too?" Percy asked with interest.
Chiron's expression darkened.
"Yes, child there is a place where spirits go after death but for now ... until we know more ... I would urge you to put that out of your mind." Chiron warned.
"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?" Percy asked irritated by all the secrecy.
"Come, Percy. Let's see the woods." Chiron said changing the subject.
"The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed." Chiron explained.
"Stocked with what? Armed with what?" Percy asked confused.
"You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night its bound to be interesting this time around do you have your own sword and shield?" Chiron asked
"My own what?" Percy said confused who the hell owns a sword these days?
"Don't need to carry any" Naruto simply answered.
"No i don't suppose you do. I think a size five will do. I'll visit the armory later." Chiron said.
So Chiron proceeded to show Percy the rest of the camp while Naruto tagged along.
Finally Chiron showed Percy the cabins There were twelve of them, nestled in the woods by the lake. They were arranged in a U, with two at the base and five in a row on either side. Except for the fact that each had a large brass number above the door they looked absolutely nothing alike. Number nine had smokestacks, like a tiny factory. Number four had tomato vines on the walls and a roof made out of real grass. Seven seemed to be made of solid gold, which gleamed so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at.
In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined firepit. Even though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smoldered. A girl about nine years old was tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick.
Seeing this Naruto approached the girl quietly.
"Hi Mom" Naruto said with a bow to the girl.
Hearing this the girl turned around and brought Naruto into a hug.
"Naruto I'm glad you made it here safe" the girl said this was the eight year old form of Hestia one of the adoptive mothers of Naruto.
"Well I'm here thanks for claiming me" Naruto said.
"Nonsense we would have done it regardless" Hestia said calmingly.
"Well that's all my time for now see you soon my son" Hestia said before she turned to fire and faded into the hearth.
"Bye Mom see you later" Naruto said as he walked back to Chiron and Percy.
"You said your name was Chiron. Are you really ..." Naruto heard Percy ask Chiron when he approached.
"The Chiron from the stories? Trainer of Hercules and all that? Yes, Percy, I am." Chiron answered proudly.
"But, shouldn't you be dead?" Percy asked.
"I honestly don't know about should be. The truth is, I can't be dead. You see, eons ago the gods granted my wish. I could continue the work I loved. I could be a teacher of heroes as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from that wish ... and I gave up much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume I'm still needed." Chiron said.
"Doesn't it ever get boring?" Percy asked.
"No, no horribly depressing, at times, but never boring." Chiron said
"Why depressing?" Percy asked without any tact at all.
"Oh, look Annabeth is waiting for us." Chiron said changing subject again.
"Annabeth would you mind taking Percy from here I have a masters class that needs teaching." Chiron asked as they approached her.
She was reading in front of cabin eleven.
"Sure Chiron" Annabeth answered coolly while she observed Percy. Naruto could tell that Percy was developing a bit of a crush on Annabeth by the way he watched her stare at him before she broke him out of it.
"You drool in you sleep" Annabeth said in a deadpan tone which caused Percy to deflate and Naruto to burst out in laughter.
"You're my brother right? I'm Annabeth where did you sleep last night we were hoping to talk to you after what you showed us last night" Annabeth said as she turned to look at Naruto.
"Yes I'm your new brother though as to where I slept I slept at cabin eight and as for that talk we can have it after you show Percy around if that's fine with you?" Naruto said as he started to walk with Annabeth with Percy following the two blonds as they went towards the eleventh cabin.
I stood in the doorway, looking at the kids. They weren't bowing anymore. They were staring at me, sizing me up. I knew this routine. I'd gone through it at enough schools.
"Well? Go on." Annabeth rushed Percy on.
So naturally Percy tripped coming in the door and made a total fool of himself there were some snickers from the campers, but none of them said anything.
"Percy Jackson, meet cabin eleven." Annabeth said dully.
"Regular or undetermined?" somebody asked.
"Undetermined" Annabeth answered for Percy.
Everybody in the cabin groaned in annoyance.
A guy who was a little older than the rest came forward.
"Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there." Luke said as he pointed towards an empty spot.
"This is Luke he's your counselor for now." Annabeth said with a slight blush on her cheeks which Naruto noticed.
"For now?" Percy asked confused.
"You're undetermined they don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers." Luke explained.
"Though honestly it should be my Mother's cabin that does this if they gave her a cabin seeing as she is the goddess of crossroads" Naruto put his two cents in.
"How long will I be here?" Percy asked worriedly when he saw the other cabin members stare at him as if figuring out what to steal from him first.
"Good question until you're determined." Luke said sadly.
"How long will that take?" Percy asked to which the members of cabin eleven laughed.
"Come on, I'll show you the volleyball court." Annabeth said blankly ignoring Percy's question.
"I've already seen it." Percy insisted.
"Come on." Annabeth said as she grabbed Percy's wrist and dragged him outside .Percy could hear the kids of cabin eleven and Naruto laughing behind me.
"Jackson, you have to do better than that." Annabeth said as she rounded on Percy when they were out of earshot from cabin eleven.
"What?" Percy asked confused.
"I can't believe I thought you were the one." Annabeth sounded disappointed.
"What's your problem? All I know is, I kill some bull guy-" Percy said sounding a bit angry.
"Don't talk like that! You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?" Annabeth said back with anger laced in her voice.
"To get killed?" Percy asked offended.
"To fight the Minotaur! What do you think we train for?" Annabeth answered angrily.
"Look, if the thing I fought really was the Minotaur, the same one in the stories ..." Percy started.
"Yes."
"Then there's only one." Percy finished.
"Yes."
"And he died, like, a long time ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth. So ..."Percy said.
"Monsters don't die Percy they reform over time and if you're lucky you only face them once per lifetime" Annabeth explained.
"You mean if I killed one, accidentally, with a sword-" Percy said.
"The Fur ... I mean, your math teacher. That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very, very mad." Annabeth answered Percy unfinished question.
"How did you know about Mrs. Dodds?" Percy asked.
"You talk in your sleep." Causing Naruto to sweat drop.
"You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades' torturers, right?" Percy asked.
"You shouldn't call them by name, even here. We call them the Kindly Ones, if we have to speak of them at all." Annabeth said looking fearfull.
"Not true at all fear is what gives them power in the first place only the weak really fear them those like us should not fear them but call them out for we alone have the power to defeat them" Naruto explained making Anabeth nod a bit in understanding though confusing Percy.
"Why do I have to stay in cabin eleven, anyway? Why is everybody so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there." Percy asked as he noticed empty cabins.
"You don't just choose a cabin, Percy. It depends on who your parents are or your parent." Annabeth said looking fearful again.
"My mom is Sally Jackson she works at the candy store in Grand Central Station. At least, she used to." Percy said causing Naruto to facepalm.
"I'm sorry about your mom, Percy. But that's not what I mean. I'm talking about your other parent. Your dad." Annabeth elaborated further.
"He's dead. I never knew him." Percy answered quickly.
"Your father's not dead, Percy." Annabeth said with a sigh.
"How can you say that? You know him?" Percy asked intrigued.
"No, of course not." Annabeth answered quickly.
"Then how can you say that" Percy asked.
"Because I know you wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us." Annabeth said.
"You don't know anything about me." Percy said defensively.
"No? I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them." Annabeth said causing Percy to reel back in shock.
"Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too." Annabeth finished.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Percy asked embarrassed.
"That's because those are signs of being a demigod a child of the gods and humans the monsters see us for what we are only here we are safe" Annabeth explained.
"You sound like you went through the same thing?" Percy said softly.
"Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur, much less the ambrosia and nectar." Annabeth said.
Percy looked confused at that so Naruto pitched in.
"If you were human drinking ambrosia and nectar would kill you" Naruto said simply.
"Well if it isn't the mage and the newbie" Naruto heard Clarisse say from behind them.
"Clarisse,why don't you go polish your spear or something?" Annabeth said obviously annoyed.
"Sure, Princess so I can run you through with it Friday night oh wait I can't cause were teamed up" Clarisse retoted.
''Erre es korakas!" Annabeth said, which Percy somehow under-stood was Greek for 'Go to the crows!'
"Who's this little scamp?" Clarisse asked pointing at Percy.
"Percy Jacksonmeet Clarisse daughter of Ares" Annabeth said.
"Like ... the war god?" Percy asked.
"You got a problem with that?" Clarisse looked offended.
"No It explains the bad smell." Percy said causing Naruto to twitch his eye in annoyance for his obvious lack of respect for others.
"We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Prissy." Clarisse said grabbing Percy's shirt.
"Percy." Percy insisted.
"Whatever. Come on, I'll show you." Clarisse said as she dragged him towards the toilets.
"Stay out of it, wise girl."
Clarisse said when she saw Annabeth about to speak.
"Naruto you have to help him" Annabeth insisted.
"Nope he needs to learn how to respect people" Naruto said simply.
Just as suddenly a huge explosion could be heard from the toilets somehow all the pipes ruptured and soaked Clarisse and Annabeth but somehow sparing Percy and Naruto.
"Here let me" Naruto said when he noticed Clarisse and Annabeth were wet.
Snapping his fingers their clothes suddenly dried and was clean as could be as if they had just gotten dressed.
"How?" Annabeth asked.
"Son of Hestia as well remember" Naruto said making Clarisse and Annabeth nod in understanding.
And that was the end of Percy's tour to which he continually pestered Annabeth for an apology to which she simply ignored him and told him to drop it .
Of course Percy went and asked he about her own parents which caused her to be more irritated at him ending the tour.
Naruto followed Annabeth to her cabin where he was introduced to his new siblings. To which they asked him many questions which he patiently answered most avoiding some to hide his skills for the upcoming game.
Then dinner came along allowing Chiron to announce the camps first all vs. one capture the flag causing Percy to ask.
"Is he that good?"
Causing Naruto to glare at him making Percy spill his drink over himself.
STORY END
Whew my longest chapter yet I hope you enjoyed this
Thanks for reading until next time.