Reading: Sun's Heir, Death's Guardian II: A Hero's Peril
XI
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
"You can't take me home: I. Am. Home." Naruto's whispered words echoed in the heir to the Nara clan's head as he sat in the cell, also wondering how he could escape. Had the girl wearing gold armor not given the guards instructions to search them for weapons or anything else for that matter, they could've been out of the cell by now.
"Well, we're not that stupid. Honestly, just because we're kids," Jason frowned at these ninjas attitudes. He was liking them less and less.
How could he say that? Shikamaru returned to the other train of thought as he lifted his arms and looked at the seals painted on them. Naruto had added them in when he learned the cuffs were coming off. Whatever had happened over the past seven years...It had changed the knuckleheaded dunce of the school he once knew to a smarter and far more cunning warrior.
"They seem to enjoy to have your son as their fool," Athena told her brother, who did not look pleased about such a thing, not at all.
For better or worse? The man asked himself.
"Better." Was the united statement.
He looked at the bars when that new language was barked out. The two guards exchanged a look before leaving the room, their armor clanking upon their movement. The door slammed shut and Shikamaru closed his eyes, thinking of ways to make use of his absent guards.
"You are the intruders then?" A new voice asked in English, making Shikamaru's eyes snap open. Standing before him was a skinny blond teen wearing a white sheet over a blue shirt and pants.
"It's a toga you uncultured savage," Mr. D sniffed in distaste. Honestly, talk about clueless.
The teen had eyes similarly blue to Naruto's, although lacking the sun that seemed to encircle his one-time friend's pupil.
"Who are you?" Shikamaru returned with suspicion.
"I am the Augur of Camp Jupiter, Legacy of Apollo, Octavian," the teen introduced himself with a scowl, "You are an enemy bested by the Exile, are you not?"
"Oh, he had better not," Jason seethed, how dare that-that whelp even think of doing what the blond son of Jupiter just knew what the Legacy was planning.
"Exile?" inquired the commander with furrowed brows.
"Naruto," Octavian hissed with distaste.
Shikamaru's eyes narrowed before he answered, "Yes."
"You are here for him?" Octavian asked, "To kill him?"
"You can hear how hopeful he is in that statement." Hazel frowned.
"No," the jonin replied with a frown, "To return him home."
Octavian pursed his lips in thought,
"And now he's upset." Frank frowned along with his girlfriend.
turning and walking to the other side of the room before he returned to the bars of the cell, "You mean us no harm? When you clearly have the giants on your side? Are you a fool or are you sincerely not interested in our camp?"
"We are here with orders to return Naruto to his home," Shikamaru answered, "By any means necessary."
"Yes, against the boy's free will," Demeter said with distaste, giving her brother a small pointed look that he ignored.
"...If I were to free you," Octavian slowly began, "Hypothetically, of course,
"Oh, of course! You little conniving piece of-"
"Jason," Hera said crisply. giving her Champion a look, getting the boy to stop his rant before it could begin. She could understand the boy's anger. Plus, young Naruto was an interest to her other and herself and betrayal was something she despised. Mainly because her husband did so every time he had a demigod.
would you...remove him without harming any of our campers?"
"At least he somewhat cares," Percy scoffed, asshole.
"No excuse." Jason gritted out, a fire in his eyes.
"I can make no promises, but any attack on your campers would be only retaliation," Shikamaru replied. He paused before asking, "Tell me...Who is Apollo?"
"Why me, of course!" Apollo pointed to himself, "Sun god, music god, medicine god, prophecy god, a whole list of stuff since, well, I am just that awesome. I also have a super ninja kid, but that is neither here nor there."
"Blasphemous words leave your mouth!" hissed the Augur, "Apollo is my ancestor, God of the Sun and Prophecies."
"A god? You expect me to believe you are the descendant of a God?" Shikamaru asked with a disbelieving smirk,
Apollo's smile turned into a thin line. Oh, stupid mortal be trippin' balls now.
The other gods knew it, these ninja didn't know about them…well, let's see what happens when they disrespect them, shall we?
"What's next, Naruto's allies are too?"
"Duh, and he is a demigod with a god/titan in his soul, what say you stupid mortal twit?" Apollo mocked, officially not liking pineapple boy.
"They are Greek children," Octavian sneered, "But still also children of the Gods."
"You can't seriously believe this," the man replied, "There's no evidence to prove-"
"Again? It's like Peter all over." Dionysus sighed in distaste. Percy frowned at the wine god's words. What? It is hard to take in at first.
"Another word from your mouth and I will rethink my offer to help you!" Octavian snapped.
"The only good you got, Octy." The sun god nodded, shut that ninja up, you whiney little traitorous bastard.
Shikamaru frowned but closed his mouth. If this kid wanted to think he was a child of a God then fine by him. The delusions would only turn him homicidal in the end.
"Well, he is a prophecy giver." The sun god mused. Hermes frowned at him for that, remembering May. Poseidon also frowned, remembering his blind prophet of a son. A weed whacker, honestly!
All he needed to do was earn the blond's trust to get himself and his team out, and if that meant indulging in these 'Gods' then so be it.
The gods frowns deepened a bit, yeah, ninjas, so on their shit lists in the coming days. They could just feel it.
"I see you understand," Octavian said with a smirk. He reached into his sheet and withdrew a key, dropping it just outside of the bars. The Augur turned to leave, saying in a feigned concern, "Oh woe is me, I seem to have lost my key!"
"I thought you were the god of actors bro," Hermes asked, amusement tickling his voice, "That was pathetic for a legacy of yours."
"Oh, shut it, you internet troll." The god of the sun scowled with crossed arms.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes and waited for the teen to leave the room before reaching out and grabbing the key. He returned to his corner of the cell, looking at the still snoring Kiba and Akamaru before thinking of how to complete his mission. Subduing the guards would be simple, it would be getting Choji up and ready to go after Naruto once again that would be hard.
We will move in an hour, Shikamaru decided.
"And you'll get sent to the pound, again." Ares gave a throaty chuckle at the dog joke, getting groans from the other gods.
As he sat atop the roof of the barracks of the Fifth Cohort, Naruto flipped the small medallion his father had given him up into the air, catching it in his hand before doing the act once again. Thalia had returned it after dinner, telling him that she didn't need any more of his 'help' before leaving him stunned and saddened.
"Wait! That isn't a sign of breaking up." The love goddess exclaimed. Thalia frowned, it sounded like one to her, but decided to see how it goes.
She was still mad at him for not telling her about Jason. Thalia was actually very mad at him if all her jibes at him during dinner meant anything.
"Reminds me of some couple," Hades said, a look to his married siblings. They both gave him a look in turn for the comment.
I should've told her sooner...Naruto berated himself with a frown as he flipped the coin, Screw Rai-Jiji's orders. Since when do I listen to authority?
"You tell them son!"
"Be quiet, Apollo."
"Okay dad," the sun god said like a kid, crossing his arms with a pout.
Since authority had taken control of your life, Helios said, giving his input.
Shut up, Helios, thought the Guardian with a scowl. Looking up at the moon, Naruto continued to think about how this quest was becoming worse. If only he could just-No...He couldn't beat the Fates. He tried that once, to interfere in another's fate by attempting to change his own. It didn't end well.
Thalia frowned, the boy had died for her, because of her. Deep down she felt pain in her heart, no doubt her other felt that feeling all the way until she was turned into a tree and until she met the blond boy once more.
Naruto awoke with a gasp. The last thing he remembered was the stupid fox yelling at him for sacrificing himself for a group of fleshbags.
"We 'fleshbags' have a name." Thalia frowned, glaring at the image. Annabeth nodding with her, glaring that patented Athena glare.
Well, he remembered that and a lot of pain in his shoulders. And in his legs for that matter. Actually, his whole body hurt. Like, a lot.
"He's not supposed to be here yet!" an old woman exclaimed, making the blond teenager wince at the sound of her voice.
"Oh joy, it's them," Hades said blandly with a grimace marring his pale face.
"The string isn't cut!" insisted another old woman's voice, "We have time to fix this!"
"Them, saving someone?" Percy said, and turned to his father, "They can do that?"
Poseidon nodded, "It is in their realm, son."
"Well, that is a shame because he is here!" A younger woman retorted. Naruto groaned quietly, all the yelling was giving him a headache. His groan earned the attention of the speakers, all of them looking at him. Naruto returned the looks and was surprised with what he found.
Three old ladies, all with hair whiter than snow, were staring at him in surprise, and hanging from their hands was a long string that felt very important. They were dressed in white and each looked at him unblinkingly, silver eyes staring into his own blue.
"Creepy." Leo muttered.
"You have no idea." Percy frowned, remembering how he saw his future flash before his eyes.
Behind them stood a dark skinned man with long dark hair, a healthy lean build that would've had a girl blushing had they seen him. His honey golden eyes were far more ancient than he appeared and an aura Naruto would've sworn was Nature chakra came from him.
"Well, that's more god energy then nature chakra, or whatever that is," Hades mused.
"Isn't that the thing he has from his deal with Pan?" Annabeth asked.
Hermes snapped his fingers, "Yep, that was it! So kinda like woodland magic or something along similar lines."
Sitting in two obsidian thrones were two more people, a young woman that had a beauty that reminded the blond of springtime
Demeter and Hades smiled at that.
and a man who he would've claimed was Sasuke's father, had the man been any less pale than he already was. Perhaps this was Sai's true father.
"That pasty faced boy with the fake smile?" Hades muttered in a frown. The son of Apollo was a hurtful little whelp, isn't he?
"Stupid boy!" One of the old ladies scolded him, "You have years ahead of you to go! Now look at this mess we're in!"
"Wow, them complaining about someone dying before they should. Just so weird." Apollo said, getting nods from the other gods.
"Say wha?" Naruto elegantly replied.
The son of Apollo was jarred from his thoughts as his spatial awareness kicked in, leaning back as he caught the medallion to avoid being struck by a kunai.
"Ninjas attack at night, classic." Piper said, and typical of them. So lame, too.
Standing, Naruto rolled his neck as he slipped the medallion into one of his expanded pockets. The blond turned to where the kunai had come from, meeting the eyes of the shinobi that stood at the other end of the barracks.
"You know, the second I yell the whole camp will be up at arms," informed the blond, reaching down to uncap his kunai case, "Who let you out of your kennel, dog boy?"
"Shikamaru snatched the key from a guard," Kiba replied.
The Romans scoffed, who did they look like? The Amazons with one-click locks?
He lifted his right arm and revealed the seal the blond had left behind, "All that remains is for you to take these damn seals off."
"And why would he?" Annabeth asked, incredulous. Why were these ninja so stupid?!
"...Let me see if I got this straight," began the teenage blond with his hands raised, "You just escaped from a guarded cell, in a foreign military camp, and you want me, the one who subdued you and who you're trying to detain, to...finish releasing you from your chain?"
"These ninja seem to be, uh, soft in the head a little." Leo pointed out.
"No duh fire boy," Nico said, really dumb in fact.
Naruto snorted, "What, do you think I'm an idiot?"
"Wouldn't surprise me!" Kiba retorted with a scowl, "This is the last time I'm going to ask nicely. Take. Them. Off!"
Ares just gave the dumb dog boy the finger, the kid knew nothing about being a prisoner, seriously it was sad.
Naruto vanished as soon as the opposite man's eyes blinked. He reappeared with his arm thrown over Kiba's shoulders, a kunai in his other hand aimed at the man's gut. Naruto leaned his head back, looking at the moon as it hung in the sky, before he said, "You really are in no place to threaten me, Kiba. You're just full of hot air, and trust me, I know what hot air looks like."
"Hey!"
"He only speaks the truth," Artemis smiled playfully.
"Still!" Apollo pouted, so uncalled for.
"I-!"
"Oh save it, Kiba," the blond cut in, "You and I both know that Shikamaru is waiting over on the Fourth Cohort's barracks, and Akamaru is carrying the still recovering Choji to the exit, which is under guard mind you. So whatever Shikamaru is planning, might as well call it off."
"So he can sense them as well, good to know," Athena glanced at the image a bit, sensory powers as well. The boy really was something else.
"This is the plan, stupid!" Kiba snapped, flicking his wrist and revealing a kunai that was hidden in his jacket sleeve. He spun towards Naruto, bringing the kunai up to stab him in the shoulder. The blond retracted his arm, turning out of way to avoid the strike. He ducked a wild claw strike, a classic Inuzuka move, and countered with a punch into the side of the abdomen, just a bit too low and too left to strike the solar plexus. Kiba doubled over with a gasp, letting Naruto be free to grab onto the back of the older man's flak jacket, then driving his knee up into the target he had initially missed with his punch.
"It's not as easy as it was on the playground, Keebs!" Naruto taunted
"Aw, childhood bullies, the best fights to get back at," Ares grinned in approval.
as he shoved the canine affiliated shinobi to the side, "I'm not the twiggy, underfed orphan boy who got by on food stamps anymore!"
Apollo frowned at that, but shook it off. His kid was stronger for it in the end.
"The...the fuck are food stamps?" Kiba asked as he struggled to get back up.
Naruto rolled his eyes before grabbing the older man by the ears, pulling him up easily. The blond pulled his head back before driving his forehead into Kiba's nose, earning a very satisfying crunch. As Kiba yowled in pain, Naruto looked around, eyes narrowing in thought.
"Oh...that clever motherfucker," praised the blond before he closed his eyes and flared his chakra, his body reacting as it normally did when he would in the past: He started to glow.
The light illuminated the area slightly, revealing a once hidden Shikamaru watching from where Naruto had sat before this fight began.
"So, he's a walking flashlight?" Percy deducted.
Apollo looked insulted while Artemis smiled, "Very accurate, Percy Jackson." She chuckled lightly.
In his hand was another kunai waiting to be thrown, his eyes narrowed. Naruto stopped glowing just as quickly as he started, turning around and punt kicking the rising Kiba in the head. Kiba's head snapped up, falling back into blissful unconsciousness.
"Nice. Kicking the dog while he's down." Ares snickered.
Athena rolled her eyes, "Of course you would encourage such behavior."
"Duh."
"You figured out the key to my lock," accused the blond, "That I can believe. Didn't exactly make it hard to figure out. A quick application of ink that was in your supplies and poof, no more seals. Kept Kiba sealed up to keep me off my guard. Your first mistake was thinking I wouldn't notice his screams not getting anyone's attention."
"Wow, give the guy a metal." Annabeth praised, Naruto was really smart, or shrewd one could say. He had his share of blond moments.
"A gamble I had to take," Shikamaru admitted, looking to his unconscious friend with disappointment.
"Yes, your distraction was that worthless." Hades amended.
The man sighed and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with a match. After a good inhale, Shikamaru asked, "What was the second give away?"
"Yes, break apart his plan more," Athena smiled. She loved people doing that. It was such fun at times.
"You stole a key to the cell from the guards? While having no chakra or weapons?" Naruto scoffed, "Please. I learned the hard way how not to rely on chakra all the time. It makes things too easy, until it becomes impossible to use. And you, being the lazy ass you are, wouldn't have been able to overpower two well-trained Romans. Especially while in a cell."
"Oh snap." Leo snickered out.
"And?" Shikamaru asked, his eyebrow arching in interest.
"You had help," Naruto concluded. Approaching the smoking shinobi, Naruto continued, "Someone, I don't know who or why, but someone helped you escape. And the worst part of it is, I know Konoha didn't send you back up. I would've sensed it."
"Bullshit."
Hestia scrunched her nose at the language.
"No, really I would've," the blond insisted, "There's no one outside of the Hidden Lands that uses chakra like we do. Practically everyone here is a civilian. Less than in some cases. Trust me...I would've felt it if you had backup. So that means someone in this camp has decided to willingly assist an enemy of the state.
"Yes, a soon to be dead to rights, Octavian," the wind boy said, his tone tight.
And the only reason I can think of someone doing that is...Me."
Shikamaru remained quiet, content with taking another drag of his cigarette. There was more silence for a while before Naruto said, "You want me to go back to Konoha with you, correct?"
"Well, that has been basically what they've been whining about, for like the whole last book, so yeah." Hermes said blandly.
The jonin nodded slowly, his brow furrowing.
"Alright then," Naruto shrugged, "The fact someone was willing to betray Camp Jupiter just to get rid of me proves that I'm more of a problem here than I thought. I have some business back at Konoha that has to be settled anyway."
"Just like that?" Shikamaru asked suspiciously.
"Wait for it…" Hermes trialed off with a business-like smile on his face.
"Tch, fuck no not just like that," Naruto retorted with a scowl, "You're going to be my tickets back into Konoha."
"What?"
"You officially have two options," Naruto snapped, "Option one, best option: I go back to Konoha the same way you got here, quick, quiet and unseen. No more fighting, no more fuss."
"Ooh, ooh, opinion two?" Ares bounced in his throne with excitement.
"I don't suppose you'd appreciate being handcuffed," deadpanned the jonin.
"What is with these guys!" Percy complained, do they not get that Naruto is in control of, like, the entire situation. Even Percy could tell that and that was saying something in the minds of the others.
"Gee, what made you think that?" sarcastically replied the Guardian, "No restraints, or I will show you how badly I held back against Choji."
"Yeah, like going supernova on them," Leo grinned big time.
"...Unfortunately, I believe you," Shikamaru admitted before sighing, "Troublesome blond."
"It runs in the family," Artemis said with twinkling wit.
"Ha, ha, ha. Please, do go on, Arte." Apollo applauded for her.
"Well, if you insist-"
"No, not really." She was cut off, sending a scowl towards her grinning brother.
"I try," Naruto said with a smirk before raising two fingers, "Option two, worst decision. You deny my offer to come peacefully, I sound the alarm and you, as well as the rest of your squad get killed before the night is done."
"I like this option, a lot." Ares said.
"Of course you would, you lout." Hephaestus groaned with a shake of his misshaped head.
"Go hump one of your bulls!"
"That leaves you here," Shikamaru said with a frown.
"He knows this world better, obviously, he knows a method to return to his homeland." Athena said knowingly.
"I know most of the ways to get to Konoha, but you wouldn't believe me," Naruto said, crossing his arms, "I'm curious as to how you got here. Sue me."
"See?"
"Yes Athena," her siblings groaned, geez, little miss know-it-all.
Shikamaru stared at his younger opponent, his mind racing. Seconds of silence felt like hours were passing for Naruto, his body tense and ready to retaliate if Shikamaru decided to be difficult. Now, normally he'd be against going back to Konoha altogether, beating the ever loving shit out of the shinobi and call it a day, but he had been thinking about how the quest had been so far. Sooner or later he'd have to go to Konoha to get the cure for Bianca's illness from the Shadow Slug.
Hades smiled at that while Nico nodded towards the blond's thinking.
"Go Naruto," the boy smirked, he knew the son of the sun wouldn't let Bianca down.
So, why not do it on his terms instead of someone else's.
"Fine," Shikamaru's voice earned Naruto's full attention, allowing the blond to grin as the genius continued, "Just one thing first: Who's Apollo?"
Apollo coughed into his hand, clearing his throat to speak but his sister slapped him upside the head, "Ow, oh come on." He whined.
"You did it once, twice is not funny, at all." Was all she told her frowning brother.
The sun god didn't understand, his intros were the best!
Naruto had to fight down the urge to laugh at the poor foreigner's face from the question. The blond couldn't suppress the grin that threatened to cross his face, though. Shaking his head Naruto looked up at the moon, grin still plastered on his face as he said, "The guy that let you out, was he tall, skinny and blond?"
"Wow, Octavian is just so obvious that Naruto knew it was him." Percy nodded in praise.
"Well, most likely the other Apollo kids, like Naruto, have very little love for Octavian, only entitled respect for his job." Jason explained, still frowning at the action done by the blond moron.
"Yeah. His name was-" "Octavian," Naruto interrupted with a shake of his head. Running a hand through his messy blond locks, he growled, "That son of a bitch."
"He reminds me of you," Shikamaru said, getting a glare from the blond,
"Why don't you just spit in the guy's face?" Jason asked, "It would be less insulting."
"Physically. He acts more like...Sasuke would've had he, you know, not gone crazy."
"Why do the blonds have their own little traitors?" Leo asked, "Seriously, Naruto has this Sasuke guy, Jason has Octavian, Percy had one too, right?"
"He got better in the end." Percy insisted to Leo, though he did understand what the pyro was getting at. His brows furrowed. "Wait, I'm not blond."
"Not what I meant, but your friend was Annabeth's too, right?"
"Yeah."
"Definitely that stupid Haruspex," Naruto growled. Holding a hand up, Naruto said, "Before we go, one quick thing."
"And…time skip!" Apollo decreed.
Thalia woke up as she went to bed: pissed off.
"She didn't have her handsome boytoy to snuggle with," said Aphrodite. The hunter didn't even bother to glare at the love goddess, her other was still far too pissed at Naruto to even care for that, and she was right there with her.
She was pissed off at her boyfriend for hiding her brother.
"Damn right!" Thalia said with a nod.
She was pissed off at her boyfriend for not telling off Reyna for flirting with him.
"Boo!" Piper jeered at the Roman girl.
She was pissed off at her boyfriend for not telling her anything about this stupid quest!
"That's a big can of pissed off," Nico muttered, getting a sparking glare from his cousin, "Oh come on, it's true."
Dammit, Thalia growled to herself as she rolled out of the cot she was assigned. She was pissed off that Naruto didn't come wake her up. Again.
"See, she wanted her morning kiss, simple as that."
"Mom, let's listen to the story, please?" Piper asked the goddess.
"Fine sweetie, but I was just saying is all."
Instead, she was woken up by a loud alarm that echoed through the camp.
"I hate morning drills." Jason sighed out, talk about annoying.
Grabbing her jacket from the hanger as she left the barracks, Thalia raised a hand to shield herself from the unnaturally bright sunlight. There was a lot of shouting and several armored teens were running across the previous day's calm roads.
"Thalia!" the raven-haired girl turned at the sound of her name and found Piper running up to her, still dressed as she was the day before.
"Should have gotten something new dear." Aphrodite chided her daughter.
"From where?"
"We do have a general store." Jason pointed out.
"For Roman's right?" the love child deadpanned.
"…Point taken."
"Piper," Thalia greeted, "Any idea what was going on?"
"Not a clue," the younger girl replied before asking, "Do you know what a dream about a dove and an eagle flying together means?"
"Symbolism!" Aphrodite cheered while clapping her hands. Jason and Piper smiled at one another: that was perfectly fine with them. Plus, it would be interesting to see them take a slow approach to their relationship instead of how they met. Not that they regretted it of course. Never. Ever. They'd never regret being on that bus to the Grand Canyon together.
"Talking to the wrong person," Thalia replied before stopping a passing Roman, "Hey, what's going on?"
"The Prisoners have escaped and Legionnaire Uzumaki is missing," the Roman replied, "The Praetors are by the holding cells. I figured you'd want to talk to Jason next."
"Well, that's considerate of him." Thalia mused out.
"We're good like that." Jason boasted to his sister who smirked at him.
"Smart kid," Thalia complimented, getting a salute,
"I like that, getting saluted."
"I used to get that all the time," Jason chuckled out to his sister.
"We really need to catch up on stuff." The hunter told him.
"Later." He agreed with a nod.
before looking at Piper, "Come on."
The two immediately went to the holding cells, outside of which they immediately found two tall Roman teens getting scolded by Jason while Reyna shook her head in disbelief.
"It wasn't really their fault bro."
"Not now Leo." Jason sighed out, how was he supposed to know?
The blond teen turned to face them at Reyna's nudge, greeting his older sister with a grin. He turned and said something to the Romans in Latin, causing the two to quickly flee. Looking back at his sister, Jason asked "So, do you want to hear the good news or bad news?"
"I hate that phrase." Percy grumbled.
"Bad news, the prisoners broke out and Naruto is missing," Thalia summed up with ease.
"Ah, the good old rumor mill." Hazel laughed out.
"Word does pass around fast." Frank said.
Jason nodded, "Yep."
"And the good news?" Thalia asked.
Reyna held up one of Naruto's tri-pronged kunai, "Naruto didn't leave without a fight."
"That wasn't a fight, it was a one man beat down." Ares snorted
"And he left voluntarily." Athena added, not the wisest move, but if it was for his quest, she couldn't truly argue against the decision.
Snatching the weapon from the girl crushing on her boyfriend,
"Not rude at all."
"Stuff it McLean, you'd do the same."
"…touché."
Thalia looked at the weapon. She turned it over in her hands a few times before noticing something being off with the handle. A flap of the handle was peeling off, prompting her to carefully undo what was being done.
"Thalia found a clue!" Annabeth cheered.
"Is she going to do a victory dance?" Percy snickered.
"Yeah, on your head wethead, so shut it!"
"What are you doing?" Reyna demanded, "You're ruining his weapon!"
"Stupid whiny-" Thalia stopped at her aunt's side glance. Best not get her angry.
"I'm reading the message," corrected the daughter of Zeus as she continued to unroll a small slip of paper. She handed the knife to Piper and read the message that Naruto had left behind. Her brows furrowed before she read the message aloud, "'Ask Octavian'?"
"Oh he is good." Jason grinned. "Octavian can't get out of this. Finally." He said, sounding very un-Jason-like.
"Um, dude, scaring us here." Leo pointed.
"Sorry."
Jason and Reyna shared a look and began speaking in hushed Latin. Jason became angry,
"Oh yeah I would be."
stopping a passing girl by grabbing her by the arm and ordering her to do something relating to Octavian. The girl nodded and rushed off, leaving Jason to round back on Reyna, "I told you he's been getting power hungry!"
"…You only recently figured that out?" Hazel asked Jason.
"No, I always knew." Jason argued, "But he was too sneaky to get caught." He grumbled.
"Most do, but he's our only Augur," Reyna countered, "Without him..."
"Should really train one then, get one that is actually an Augur." Apollo pointed out. He was disappointed in his Legacy, he really was…stuffed animals, psh.
"There's no excuse for releasing enemies within the camp! Endangering all of us for personal gain!" Jason ranted.
"Damn right."
"Who endangered us?" Octavian asked as he approached the gathered four.
"Oh look at him, acting all nonchalant." Annabeth shook her head, not liking him at all.
Jason took a step towards him,
"Right in the nose!" Hazel cheered.
stopped only by Reyna's hand.
"Boo, Reyna, let Jason slug him!" Percy cheered, getting other cheers.
"Don't play games, Octavian!" Jason snapped, "You released the prisoners and now they've captured one of us!"
"I don't care for your accusations, Jason," Octavian retorted
"I'm still the Praetor," Jason growled, "He honestly believes he can just brush me off?" he glowered, oh he hoped the worst came upon the boy.
before shifting his gaze to Thalia and Piper, "And why are they here? This is a Camp concern, isn't it?"
"I want to stab him," Thalia pouted.
"Trust me, I've contemplated it for a while now."
"They are here because their friend is missing," the blond Praetor said, "And the guards for last night told both Reyna and myself you had ordered them to step outside."
"That just screams somehow he had a hand in it." Leo muttered, glaring at the screen.
"You seem awfully eager to jump at the words of two members of the Fifth Cohort," replied the Augur with a scowl, "It was two members of the Fifth that were on watch, correct?"
"And now he tries to blame the Fifth!" Hazel cried out with rage, Frank had a frown as Jason's eyes seemed akin to a thunderstorm.
"Are you accusing my soldiers–no, my friends of lying to me?" Jason asked as his eyes narrowed.
"Big mistake." Jason whispered.
"Well they have always been jealous of the First Cohort," Octavian said, "What better way to get back at us by getting me, a Centurion of the First Cohort?"
"Jason," Reyna warned the blond as he tensed and prepared to make a move against the Augur.
Jason's fists were clenched and he was fighting down the anger he felt for Octavian.
"I say let him have it." Ares said, "Boy overstepped his authority."
He was proud of being a member of the Fifth Cohort and how far they had come. Jason was not entirely sure he deserved all the credit to the Fifth Cohort's slow return to Jupiter's grace. He wouldn't have been as strong as he was had Naruto not shown up those five years ago.
"Wait!" Leo said, getting everyone to look at him, "Does that mean Jason is even stronger now?"
Everyone turned to Jason, who in turn shrugged, "Possible, Naruto helping me with my powers, it is very possible."
"Wow." Piper said in whispering awe.
She didn't think that was possible.
Jason had learned from the older blond many things, but the one lesson Naruto pounded (literally in some cases) into his head was that of never leaving comrades behind.
"I like that." Hazel smiled, it was a good policy.
It was what he had started to drill into the other members of the Fifth Cohort. They probably were not the most prestigious Cohort of the Legion, but they were now the most efficient.
"Wow, go Naruto." Jason said with a tugging smile, getting nods from Hazel and Frank as well.
"Octavian," Reyna began, "Not only have the guards said to us, but we received a message from Naruto, telling us to ask you."
"Get out of that snake." Percy smirked.
"Well he and I don't get along," Octavian said, "And we displayed that loud enough to be heard throughout the camp yesterday. Even the guards must have talked about it. The prisoners must have forged his handwriting."
"Funny, didn't they just learn English?" Thalia asked
"It's written in Greek," Thalia informed him, turning the note around for Octavian to see, "And those invaders only just learned English."
"See, my other is right on the ball here." The hunter nodded.
"How do you know?" Octavian countered with a scowl in her direction, "Maybe those invaders came from closer to home than you think?"
"Oh that-!" Jason was fuming, he didn't even have the words to describe how he wanted to rip that string bean's head off.
"Are you implying that we're behind this?" Thalia asked as her eyes narrowed.
"He best not be." Thalia frowned.
Octavian smirked, "Those are your words. Greek."
"That shit!" the daughter of Zeus growled, did her brother really have to deal with this guy?
Before either of the angry Grace siblings could speak, there was a bright flash of light. Those around the area, once the light had faded, immediately knelt down and bowed their heads.
"God alert." Hermes chimed with a smile.
"Who's that deity?" Apollo asked with a grin.
Jason, Reyna, and even Octavian bowed their heads in respect for the being that stood before them. Piper and Thalia, however, just stared in disbelief.
(Phoebus) Apollo
"It's Apollo!"
"Phoebus." Hermes snickered out.
"Oi, shut up…I hate that name." the sun god pouted.
had expensive sunglasses covering his eyes and was wearing an expensive business suit. He had a cellphone pressed against his ear and was talking animatedly into it, "Yeah. No yeah, yeah, yeah I understand, Vinnie. I just need you to understand that I haven't got time for you to get indecisive about doing another sequel! Alright listen, we have got to talk about this later, that up and comer is on the other line. Ciao bud."
"Trouble in the office?" his younger brother mocked.
"Oh, funny, you would know all about that, wouldn't you?" the god of the arts shot back.
"Low, very low."
Hanging up the phone Apollo sighed as he looked up before looking over at the two Praetors. Rolling his eyes he waved his hand, "Oh, everyone just get up. Where's the Greek girls?"
He turned around and found the both of them staring at him. Extending his arms, Apollo said, "Ah, well fantastic. We're all here then. The Greeks, the Golden Boy of Juno
"Even he calls you out on it, bro." Leo snickered, getting a pouty Jason.
and...The Sneak."
"Oh, now this is going to be good." Hazel smiled, her fellow Romans nodding eagerly.
Apollo turned around and faced Octavian, "You. You betrayed this camp."
"And he just out right says it." Jason said, arms in the air just like he didn't care! Whoo! Finally!
"I...I didn't do anything..." Octavian stammered,
"So, he's calling me a lair?" Apollo asked in a frosty tone.
"Incineration?" Hazel hoped with big golden eyes.
"No, no, too easy." The god answered
ducking his head, "Forgive me, Father."
"Oh, now he's wrong." Apollo rationalized with pursed lips, "Who is it Octavian? C'mon, big boy words." He mocked.
Apollo's eyes narrowed, "You released enemy forces into this camp with the sole intent to get some petty vengeance on one of your own."
"No cool." Percy frowned, "It really isn't Octy."
"He-He was an exile–!"
"I did not say you could speak," Apollo snapped,
"Pimp slap him!"
"Ares, c'mon, I have him quivering, why degrade him further?" Apollo asked his war brother.
"Duh, it's fun." Ares said as if it was the most simplistic thing in the world.
"You have felt comfort for far too long, Octavian. You've abused your place as Augur, and you have disgraced my lineage."
"Damn right he has." The sun god agreed.
"Damn right he does." Jason nodded to the abuse of power portion of the statement.
"No, no, no please," Octavian groveled, "Please, I can do better. Don't take this from me, Augury is all I know."
"Sad fact, vey true." Jason pointed out, "He only got into the First because of that. Weak fighter all around, he mainly blackmails to keep his Centurion seat."
"Why not kick him out?" Percy asked.
"He's a slippery little weasel, no evidence and no one's willing to come forward out of fear of the blackmail coming out."
Placing a hand on the pale teen's head, Apollo smiled as he said, "I would never take away such a gift. You love your prophecies, more than you do your status, am I right?"
"Oh, I am good." Apollo grinned.
"What?" Percy asked.
"You'll see~"
"Yes, yes!"
Phoebus Apollo's cold eyes warmed slightly before hardening. His hand clenched around Octavian's head and calmly, the Roman aspect of Apollo said, "Allow me to hone your gift, then."
"Well, he's boned." Hermes muttered.
Octavian's eyes widened and he started to scream in agony, his hands went to the side of his head, just shy of touching Apollo's hand.
Apollo gave a cold smile as the kids stiffened at the image, they hadn't seen something like this before. The gods looked on, not even bothered by the image.
The pale teen stopped screaming, resorting to begging, "No more! Take it back!"
Thalia bit her lip, it reminded her of Hal a little. Only Hal was a hero and not some scumbag like Octavian.
"This is your punishment for going against my wishes," Apollo snapped, "The prophecy you were to give Jason today. Give it to him."
"Bet he would of held out on it." Jason muttered with a frown.
Octavian released another cry of agony, prompting Apollo to squeeze harder, "I. Said. Tell. Him."
Ares made a whipping noise and laughed cruelly, damn, it had been a while since he'd seen the sun god do something like this. It was refreshing.
The Augur squeezed his eyes tight, as though having an inner debate, before he opened his mouth once more, "Jupiter's child rides Sol's steed! To a hidden world a friend is freed! The man with two faces attacks above! Rescue comes from an eagle and dove!"
"Wow, first time I saw him actually give a full prophecy." The blond boy said.
"Really?" Piper asked.
"Yeah, mainly he would have a verse or two, that's it. And even with that would take him hours to get."
Apollo shone brightly and retracted his hand. Octavian collapsed, curling in on himself and starting to speak incoherently, switching between Latin and English in an impossibly fast pace.
"I think you broke him."
"Leo, too soon."
"For Octavian?" he asked his best friend.
"…Point." Jason admitted.
Thalia put herself between her boyfriend's father and Piper, not used to this side of a God.
"Many of us aren't." the hunter admitted.
"Thanks Thalia."
"No prob Piper."
Her own father's decision to turn her into a tree notwithstanding, and the mockery of a vote last winter, that was the first time she had seen a God really punish someone.
"Get him out of here," Apollo said to two Romans. They acted quickly, rushing to help the incoherent Augur up. As he stood, Octavian shoved himself out of their grasp and went to Jason, grasping the blond by the shoulders.
"Unhand me you darn dirty ape!"
Apollo busted a gut with Hermes, "Nice Leo, really, classic!"
"I do what I must."
"If you go, your life will change forever!" Octavian hissed with madness in his eyes, "The changes will spread and burn all that made this Camp what it is!"
Athena was all smiles if that happened. Burn it, burn New Rome to the ground. It was a nice slogan.
"Get off me!" Jason snapped, shoving the weaker teen off, "Put him in a cell!"
"Throw the book at him!" Apollo added as the two Romans addressed earlier took the Augur away.
"Justice is my department." Zeus told his son, but he did have an amused look upon his visage. Apollo shrugged, it was funny none the less.
Taking off his sunglasses, Apollo used a piece of cloth retrieved from his pockets to clean the lenses. The God looked at the Praetors, his piercing blue eyes locking on those of Jason's before he said with a grin, "Looks like we have a lunch date."
Jason frowned, he didn't like that grin.
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Hey, if you have time guys, check out my newest story called; The Ever Twisting Wind: Lightning Thief, an HP/PJO crossover with a fem Harry named Andi, if you like this fic, you may like Andi's story too.