Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Sun's Heir, Death's Guardian II: A Hero's Peril
XXVI
As he drifted back to Camp Half-Blood on his magical raft, Percy thought back to who he thought of as his biggest 'what-if'.
Percy sighed while Annabeth snuggled into him more. She stayed quiet, but was happy that he had come back to her.
Calypso was a great host, and he felt horrible about what he had to do. Had Hephaestus not come and told him just how much time had passed, Percy gathered he might not have bothered wondering at all when he should go back. Calypso offered a lot of good things, immortality prime among them, and he felt that they could have had something, but he had a duty to preform, one he was obligated to do.
"Because Percy is just too good a guy." Nico smirked, getting the boy in question to look a bit embarrassed.
After all, Mr. Perfect didn't have any friends that were clear sighted...as far as Percy knew anyway.
"Of course he just wants to up one Naruto." Thalia rolled her eyes.
"So defensive for your lover?"
Thalia glared at him, "…I will crisp you one day, Jackson. Just you wait."
He really hoped that Naruto didn't know any clear sighted mortals. Talk about stealing his thunder.
"Irony." Hades mocked, as Poseidon snickered and Zeus looked displeased.
The dock of Camp Half-Blood was coming into view and Percy stood on the edge of his raft, looking at the reflective surface of the Long Island Sound before diving in, leaving his raft behind. He swam faster than the raft could've floated to the docks, not seeing the raft immediately fall into the depths of the Sound. Breaking to the surface, Percy was confused at the sheer absence of people on the beach. Maybe it was lunchtime.
"Too late, they're all dead." Ares said with a snicker as everyone just rolled their eyes at him.
So Percy went to the dining pavilion, finding no one there either. He looked around the camp, growing more and more concerned when he failed to find anyone anywhere. It made him worry that he was too late. Did his hesitation over the night keep him away another week? Or worse, did Luke attack the Camp?
"See? Fail."
"Yes, Ares," Hermes groaned, "We get it. Now stop beating the dead horse."
"Hey." The sea god frowned.
"Sorry Poseidon."
Percy would never be able to forgive himself if that were the case.
He walked up to the back of the amphitheater and came across a strange sight. A beautiful blue shroud with a golden trident in the center stood in a fire pit on the amphitheater, burning slowly.
"Ding dong the Prissy's dead."
Percy just glared at his godly rival, the god just grinning back at him.
Standing to the right were Chiron, Nico, Naruto, Thalia and Annabeth, the last's eyes filling with tears as she spoke.
"Sorry," Percy muttered to Annabeth, who just nodded.
"You came back, that's what matters."
"Percy Jackson was my friend...He was one of the bravest, most noble and probably the bes..." Annabeth blinked and looked to the side, her eyes meeting his for a moment.
"Going to continue, Annie?"
"Nah," Leo snickered, "Dude's cooked."
Percy gave her a small sheepish wave and she gaped for a moment, the audience and the fellow speakers on stage following her gaze and joining her. Annabeth recovered and her eyes settled into a glare. "Biggest idiots on the face of the earth!"
"Accurate." Said nearly everyone, making Percy pout.
Jerks, all of them!
Oh...harsh.
"I know, right?!"
Percy stood in place as Annabeth stormed over to him and …pulled him into a hug?
"Go Annabeth, get your man!" the lady of doves cheered.
"You stupid idiot! Do you know how worried we were?!" Annabeth said, her face buried into his shoulder.
"I think she means I." Piper grinned, making Annabeth flush.
"Oh be quiet, McLean."
Percy opened his mouth to speak but was forced to take a step back as Nico slammed into him, joining into the hug.
"Aww, thanks, Nico."
"Shut up, Percy." Nico scowled, looking irritated.
Thalia walked over, slapping her cousin upside the head
"I can do that too, if you want."
"No."
before hugging him as well.
"I'll take one of those." Leo said, Jason shook his head.
"Down boy." He scolded his friend, getting a pout from the Latino.
The crowd cheered for Percy's return, save for two people.
"...He really is kind of scrawny." Leo said, crossing his arms.
"Dude!" Percy exclaimed while others laughed.
"You aren't one to talk." Piper said with a smirk.
"Piper!" the pyro pouted as Percy looked smug.
"Shut up."
Naruto hung back, helping Chiron put the shroud out and taking the fire pit down. He gave the wetheaded wonder a small smile as the joy died down and the campers were encouraged to walk off. Annabeth immediately followed the crowd, flushed red from embarrassment at one of her most vulnerable moments.
"We want more!" Piper joked.
"Not going to happen." Annabeth frowned, she hated looking vulnerable.
Seeing the opportunity to have a conversation with the son of Poseidon, Naruto walked forward, throwing his arm over Thalia's shoulders while Nico caught Percy up to speed on what he missed.
"Like Naruto's second mini quest, his concert-"
"Your sister getting a boyfriend."
"…Shut up, firebug."
"Welcome back, Waterboy." Naruto said with a grin.
"Thanks..." Percy said after a brief pause as he looked at the two. Sure he knew Thalia and Naruto were a couple but...something seemed different now. Like they were closer some how...
"They did the nasty." Apollo snickered while Artemis slapped his arm with a frown.
"Wanna walk and talk real quick? I gotta ask you something about Alcatraz." Naruto said, giving Thalia a small peck on the cheek that had her giving him a small look. He turned and began walking away.
Intrigued, Percy followed. Naruto led Percy to a secluded spot behind the Fourth Cabin before he turned to Percy. Blue eyes with miniscule suns in them narrowed and he glared at Percy.
"Someone's going to get an ass chewing." Thalia snickered as Percy frowned. Great, just what he needed.
"Where the hell have you been!?" Naruto asked with a hiss. "What, you decided to take a vacation? During Annabeth's first quest!?"
"Yeah, Percy!"
"Frank, shut up." Percy glared at the son of war.
"No! ...Well...It was only two days where I was..." Percy said. He shook himself out of the funk and glared back. "It's not like you were on the quest. What's your excuse?!"
"Foot," Hermes said, "Meet mouth."
"I was trying to save Bianca's life." Naruto said dryly and then poked Percy in the chest. "And I've been making sure that my people can't find their way here. And keeping up camp morale."
"Okay, yes, that's important." Percy admitted, but he just didn't want Naruto on his case was all.
"Oh." Percy said in a small voice, but anger bubbled up in him, he didn't have to take this.
"Also very true."
"Attention everyone, Jackson finally grew some balls in this story."
"Ares!"
"Well, I got blown up, so forgive me for recovering."
"You can't really bounce back so fast from that." Percy nodded, it hurt like hell.
"You splash water on yourself and boom, magically healed." Naruto said with a frown.
"Ah, touché…but it still took a bit to heal."
"And laze around with fruit drinks and a lovely chica."
Percy just glared at the grinning Leo.
He took note of Percy's fist clenching and Naruto arched a brow. "Did I do something to piss you off." Percy's mouth started to move, but Naruto cut him off. "Remember, son of the truth god."
"...No, you didn't do anything." Percy said, his jaw clenching.
"Lies!" Apollo declared, pointing at Percy intently, making the boy roll his eyes.
"Oh good. I'd hate for there to be bad air between us." Naruto said with a chipper smile. "Now I don't feel as bad."
Percy blinked in confusion. "Feel as bad about wha-oof!"
"That." Naruto said as he shook his hand. He watched Percy cover his now shattered nose and cry out in pain.
"Dude! The hell!?" Percy gaped as Ares laughed loudly.
"Go for a follow up!"
"You asshole!" Percy yelled. "What the hell was that for?!"
"Yes, enlighten us." Poseidon frowned while Zeus looked amused, Hades himself had a ghosting smile on his face.
"That was for making Annie cry." Naruto said,
"Ah, it's cool. Big brother code." Apollo nodded at seeing the legit reason.
"Still-!" Percy argued, at least go for the gut or something. Why the nose?
looking at his hand in wonder. "Huh. Think I dislocated a finger from that punch. Hard nose too. Must be thicker cartilage..."
Percy got back to his feet and stumbled for a moment. He glared as hard as he could at Naruto and, to the blond's surprise, took a swing at him.
"Brawl, brawl, brawl!" Ares cheered while his brothers joined him, eager to see a fight.
Naruto easily danced around him, bopping him on the back of the head. Percy stumbled forward to his knees and turned back around to glare at the chuckling blond.
"Easy there, Skipper." Naruto said, his hands tucking into his pockets. "You're a few years too late to get me with a simple punch. Now I enacted my brotherly right, just go stick your face in the lake or something. You'll be good as new."
"Ass." Percy muttered with a frown and Hestia frowned at him in return. Man, why did she have to have super hearing for cursing?
Percy glared at him before getting up to his feet and walking off to get some bottled water for his nose. Naruto watched him walk off, frowning at the hostility Percy was giving him. What happened to the son of Poseidon,
"Well…"
aside from getting decked in the schnozz,
Percy clicked his tongue.
to make him feel that way?
"Jealousy?"
Naruto arched a brow at Helios' musing. Jealous of what?
"We can only wonder." Hazel mock sighed as the blonde and her boyfriend looked embarrassed.
"How the hell am I supposed to know? I'm just speculating off what you know. Poseidon was a jealous guy back in the day, easy to anger too. Maybe his kid's just as hot tempered as he was."
"I see it." Hades said, making his middle brother brood while the rest of their siblings gave small laughs in agreement.
Percy's not hotheaded...thick skulled, maybe, but not hotheaded. Naruto said in Percy's defense.
"Aw, he does care." Nico joked.
"Then I don't know what to tell ya, Kid. He's a teenager. Teenagers get pissed for all sorts of stupid reasons."
"Like love." The love goddess giggled.
Amen to that. Naruto said with a snort as he walked off into the camp. He saw Annabeth happily conversing with Thalia and a grin crossed his face. At least she wasn't moping anymore.
"I wasn't moping." Annabeth pouted.
"Suuure, Annie." Thalia nodded.
"I wasn't!" the blonde whined.
"You want to go back into the labyrinth?" Naruto arched a brow as he sat next to Thalia on the couch in the Big House. Naruto and Thalia were discussing the relationship with Camp Jupiter with Chiron
"Yeah!" The Romans cheered.
"Boo." Athena frowned, getting eye rolls from her fellow gods.
when Percy – nose healed thanks to some water – barged in with Annabeth behind him. Their conversation came to a halt, but their interest was piqued when it came to the labyrinth. Apparently, their quest was still ongoing since they hadn't found Daedalus.
Athena sighed at the mention of her most promising son, wondering where she went wrong.
"Yes! Before I came back, Hephaestus came and found me. He told me what Hera meant by 'you already have a way through.'" Percy said. "Clear sighted mortals can navigate it!"
"Wasn't that hard to figure out." Hera said, taking a smug glance at Annabeth, who glared right back at her.
"Ariadne was clear sighted..." Annabeth said, making the connection. Her lips pursed as her mind continued to move at kilometers a second. Naruto arched a brow at the action, wondering what was going on in her head.
"Well, just ideas-"
"Rachel Elizabeth Dare." Thalia said with amused look.
"…Really?"
"Just getting prepped for what's to come is all, Annie."
"And Harriet Tubman, who was a daughter of Hermes, used a lot of clear sighted mortals to help her with her Underground Railroad." Chiron said. "You could use the help, Annabeth."
"I suppose..." Annabeth said with a pout.
"Exactly, so we need a clear sighted mortal to get through." Percy said.
"Wish I could say I know just the guy or girl but I don't know anyone." Naruto said.
"Huh, there's a shocker." Jason said. Naruto seemed on the ball for most things.
"Well I do." Percy said, sounding pleased at that.
"So petty, Peter." Mr. D commented.
"Forgive me, Mr. D." Percy said in a bored tone, not being serious at all.
A glance at Annabeth showed that she was frowning, making Naruto blink in confusion. She knew something he didn't, which wasn't all that surprising, but for some reason that something upset her.
"Wow, you were so bad for him, Annabeth." Piper said with an amused look.
"Okay, I get it. Enough. Tease Thalia or something!"
"No, the last chapter was for me, this is your time, Annie." The grinning hunter said.
Once more, Percy snapped Naruto's attention back to him. "I know just the girl. I just need a phone."
"You'll need a car to get there, too." Naruto said, crossing his arms. "Compared to Argus, I'm ten times the driver...no offense big guy."
Argus simply shrugged. A day off for him? No problem.
"Lazy." Ares snickered, making Hera frown at her son's words.
"Fine." Percy said.
"Road trip." Thalia said with a smirk, making Naruto chuckle. It seemed they were glued to his car this summer.
"Because it's awesome." Leo whined. He so wanted that car now.
"Isn't your mom clear sighted?" Annabeth asked. "Couldn't we ask her?"
"I'd rather she would not go." Poseidon said with a frown, Percy nodding in agreement.
Annabeth just grumbled.
Percy shook his head as the group of four walked through Times Square, looking out for the girl he said was named Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Naruto and Thalia walked behind the two, Thalia's hand fingering her pocketed mace canister while Naruto flipped his flashlight in his hand. He was enjoying the sights, eyeballing the Coke sign and a shadow watched from the top.
"I spy, a ninja!" Hermes declared before cupping his chin. "Or a monster, hard to see from this angle."
"Your mom's clear sighted?" Thalia asked, taking Naruto's attention off the shadow. He looked back and it was gone, making him tense and stop flipping his disguised sword.
"Ninja." Apollo nodded.
"Yes she is, but no we're not asking my mom to go through the labyrinth." Percy said with a pointed look to Annabeth.
Annabeth just pouted, making the two older demigods smirk. They could tell that Annabeth did not want to talk to this girl, whoever she was.
"So transparent~"
"Shut it, Burger Queen."
"…Annie, don't bring the burgers into this." The hunter frowned.
"Humph!"
They could also tell that she was jealous, which Thalia could understand. She had to deal with Reyna, after all. At least this way she got some entertainment out of it.
"You are all kinds of terrible."
"Meh, you still love me." Thalia waved off the mock glare she got from her best friend.
Naruto, on the other hand, thought her jealous pout was adorable.
"It really is."
"Percy!"
"So where is the mystery girl, Jackson?" Naruto asked, grinning at Annabeth's mild glare. Oh this was going to be fun.
"Marriott Marquis." Percy said, pointing at the hotel in question as they crossed. A car angrily honked at them as it tried to make a right and Naruto turned to glare at it.
"I'm walkin' here!" He said in his best Brooklyn accent, making Thalia snort in amusement.
The demigods snickered at that along with Apollo and Hermes.
"Ah, New York traffic." Ares said with a fond tone.
They approached the human statues standing in front of it. There were six in total, but one was a rather pretty girl covered in gold paint from head to toe. Naruto and Thalia shared a look, guessing she was the one Percy was talking about since he was looking at her specifically.
"Like Midas all over again." Jason groaned, at least that wasn't going to happen this time.
Shrugging it off, Naruto fished into his pocket and dropped a twenty into the donation tarp. Painting their whole body for donations and standing still for hours on end? That's dedication and that earns a twenty.
"Come on, give a fifty." Apollo said, supporting the arts.
"We could push her over." Annabeth said, making Naruto shake his head.
"Wow, cruel, Annabeth."
"Hazel…"
"Don't be mean, Annie." He said, chiding the girl.
A few minutes later, a kid in silver came over from the hotel's taxi spot. He took a pose next to the girl in gold, like he was about to lecture the crowd, and the girl blinked before hopping off the tarp. She gave Percy a grin.
"Thanks for waiting, Percy. Nice timing, too. Wanna get some coffee?"
"Oh! Coffee date!"
"No." Annabeth frowned at the love goddess' words.
She led them over to a coffee stand called Java Moose, where Percy and Annabeth got fruit smoothies while the girl ordered an Espresso Extreme. Naruto began to order when Thalia cut him off. "We'll each have a bottle of water."
"Wha-C'mon, Thalia, that's no-!"
"No coffee." Thalia said with a pointed glare.
"I feel your pain, bro." Leo nodded, glaring at his two friends.
"No." Jason and Piper said. The boy did not need coffee. Ever.
Naruto sadly took his bottled water and paid the girl standing behind the counter. They left the stand and went over to the table where Percy, Annabeth and the girl were sitting, Naruto pulled a chair over next to Annabeth and Thalia taking the last seat next to him.
"Annabell, right?" the girl asked.
"I am loving this." Piper grinned, eager to see it since Rachel had told her a few things about how she and Annabeth had met.
"Annabeth." The daughter of Athena corrected sternly.
"Sorry. Name's Rachel Elizabeth Dare." She said to the two older demigods. Her eyes lingered on Naruto for a second. "Hey, you're the guy that slapped Percy upside the head at the Hoover Dam."
"…Of course she'd remember that." Percy palmed his face.
"Someone's got to." Naruto said with a shrug. "Naruto Uzumaki."
"...You're hot." Rachel said bluntly.
Percy gaped at that while Annabeth blinked in surprise.
"Wow. Blunt." Piper whistled.
"Well, now that you think about it." Aphrodite tittered off.
"Nah," Apollo waved off, "We have Reyna for the role of the rival."
"This is true."
She was leveled with a glare from both Annabeth and Thalia while Percy groaned and Naruto blinked.
"Thank you?" he said in return.
"He's taken." Thalia said swiftly, glaring at the girl. "Thalia Grace, his girlfriend."
"Defensive much, Thalia?"
"Stuff it, Annie. I'll get my payback in a bit. Just you wait and see."
"There's nothing wrong with window shopping." Rachel said, ignoring the warnings Thalia was giving her.
"Ooh, that was good." Hazel whistled, "Slick."
"I always did like her," Aphrodite nodded, but soon pouted, "But now she can't romance, boo."
"Part of the job, Dite." Apollo shrugged, meh, what could you do?
Naruto snickered, getting a glare from Thalia. "So are all of you like Percy?"
"Some of us are smarter, some are stronger, gotta be a bit more specific." Naruto said, getting a dull glare from Percy.
"She did open that door." Hermes nodded.
"You're all demigods, right?" Rachel asked, amused.
"Not so loud!" Annabeth hissed. "Announce it to the world why don't you?"
"Okay." Rachel said. She got to her feet and cupped her mouth. "Hey everybody! These four are living evidence that the Greek Gods exist! They've got godly blood running through their veins!"
"…I love her." Leo smirked, but pouted, "Dammit, everyone is so out of my reach."
Piper patted his shoulder in comfort, "There, there, Leo."
The people walking by either gave her a brief glance or ignored her outright.
"Got to love New York ignorance." Apollo smiled brightly as the demigods were trying to control their snickers from Rachel's antics.
Annabeth kept glaring at the girl while Naruto broke into snickers, holding his sides while Rachel sat down.
"They don't seem to care."
"Oh man..." Naruto said, holding his gut. "That was priceless...the look on your faces…"
"Naruto! This is serious! What if someone believed her?" Annabeth asked.
"Annabeth...We," he said, gesturing to himself and Thalia, "Can make sure that the Mist clouds their minds."
Annabeth blushed a bit for forgetting that fact and pouted at her brother for pointing that out.
"She just wants to get one over on Rachel."
"Piper." Annabeth groaned. "Stop picking on me!"
"Never." Thalia said with a grin.
Percy looked at Rachel. "Listen, we need your help."
"Okay." Rachel shrugged. "I helped with that band room thing."
"Sorry. I hope they didn't kick you out." Percy said.
"Nah. They asked a lot of questions about you, though. I played dumb."
"Was it hard?" Annabeth asked.
"Whoo," Leo whistled, "Cold as ice, girl." He said, making Annabeth grumble a bit, looking embarrassed.
"Annabeth!" Naruto said sternly while Thalia chuckled. He gave his girlfriend a look and she smirked at him.
"Can we please just stay calm and talk?" Percy asked.
"Yeah, Annie. Stay calm now."
"Thalia!"
"I am calm." Rachel said. "What's to be nervous about?"
"The Labyrinth." Naruto said, with added wiggling finger effect.
"Best spooky effect ever."
Ares snorted, "Please, bucket of blood beats that every time."
"Bah, what do you know?" Apollo argued.
Rachel quirked a smile at that before turning to Percy as he explained everything that happened in the past few days. Rachel took it all in stride, occasionally asking what one place was like or inquiring about more detail.
"So where were you two?" Rachel asked Thalia and Naruto.
"Well…"
"No, Apollo." Artemis said to her smirking twin.
"Secret world hidden in Antarctica, which happens to be where I'm from." Naruto said. Rachel blinked at him and he lifted his hand up, making a Rasengan that had her green eyes glued to it. Annabeth gave him a pout.
"...I wanna go."
"Group vacay!" Leo cheered, grinning as Piper smirked. She knew her other would like to go back their again, even with all the ninjas.
"We'll talk about it later, Annie." Naruto said as he let the technique dissipate. "So what do you say, Red?"
"You need my help?" Rachel asked, looking at Annabeth.
"Okay," Annabeth frowned, "She's enjoying this."
Annabeth stirred her fruit smoothie. "Yeah." She sounded sullen as she said it. "Maybe."
"Submission." Ares laughed and Athena glared at him.
"Yes." Percy said. "You can see through the Mist, like Ariadne."
"So you want me to lead you through a place I've never been?" Rachel asked. "Based on a guess?"
"An educated guess." Percy said. "I'm betting you'll be able to avoid being tricked by the Mist."
"She already did." Naruto said, getting their attention. "I used the Mist to make the Rasengan look like a baseball. She saw through it."
"Perfect test." Athena admitted.
"Good for her." Annabeth said with a huff while Percy looked pleased that his guess was right.
"I want to make a joke here." Thalia said.
"But…?"
"Well, you are sort of a joke on your own so that would be cruel of me."
"Thank you?" Percy said, bewildered.
"You're welcome." The hunter nodded, her good deed of the day done.
She looked at Rachel. "It'll be dangerous. Very, very dangerous."
"I could die?"
"Yes."
Rachel turned to Percy. "I thought you said monsters won't hurt mortals? That sword you have..."
"Doesn't mean much in this case." Nico said.
"Celestial bronze doesn't hurt mortals. And Monsters normally don't either, but Luke..." Percy paused in thought. "He doesn't care. He'll use mortals, monsters...anything to get what he wants. He'll kill anyone that gets in his way."
"True. The little asshat."
"Ares!" Hermes glared but the war god just laughed.
Thalia and Naruto gained dark looks at that while Annabeth gave Percy a small glare.
"At least Naruto and Thalia know what to think." Apollo said, Hermes glaring at him, "What?" the sun god shrugged, "No offense Herm, but we lost kids just because yours had a chip on his shoulder."
The messenger god slumped at that.
"Sounds like a nice guy." Rachel said.
"He's under the influence of a Titan." Annabeth said in the son of Hermes' defense. "He's being manipulated."
"Suuure." Ares mocked his niece, "Really manipulated-like."
Annabeth scowled at her uncle.
Rachel looked between Percy and Annabeth before nodding. "Okay. I'm in."
"Really?" Percy asked, blinking. "Are you sure?"
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Percy." Naruto said, getting a mild look of annoyance from the boy.
"For the saying no doubt." Poseidon said.
"So what do I have to do?" Rachel asked, pulling a blue plastic hairbrush out of her bag and brushing out the gold in her hair to reveal a vibrant red.
Percy shivered at Rachel's weapon of choice.
"You need to find an entrance to the Labyrinth. There's one at Camp Half-Blood, but that's off limits to mortals." Annabeth said, somehow making mortals sound like a disease. Naruto gave her a pointed look that had her looking into her drink.
"Heel." Ares said, but was smacked on the head by Athena, "Ow! Bitch!"
"Shut up and take it, pig." The wisdom goddess sniffed, it was what he deserved.
"What am I looking for?" Rachel asked.
"The symbol of Daedalus." Percy said. "It's anything with a Greek delta on it."
"This?" Rachel asked, drawing the delta with her straw.
"Yes...where'd you see it?" Thalia asked, eyes narrowing.
"In the Marriott's basement, where we keep our costumes." Rachel said.
"Coincidence?" Frank asked.
"I guess so." Hazel shrugged.
She grunted. "First I have to change though."
"That...is one old door." Naruto said, looking at the rusted old entryway.
"I tried to open it." Rachel said. "I couldn't. It's rusted shut."
"That's because you're not a demigod." Annabeth said as she stepped forward.
"You can just feel the smugness ooze from the pages."
"Leo!"
She put her hand on the door and it gained a bright blue light before it started to creak and groan as it opened. Naruto covered his ears, groaning in agony as he fell to a knee. Behind him, a shadow did the same.
Thalia put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a concerned look that he waved off. "Got better ears than normal humans. Chakra circulates through them constantly like the rest of my body. It's why I can take so much damage."
"Ah, super hearing, how you backfire." Apollo bowed his head, Artemis nodding with him. It had happened to her a few times.
"So...You get it from your mom?" Thalia asked, making Naruto nod as the creaking stopped and he got to his feet.
"Yeah." He said. There was a small noise that had Naruto looking behind him, eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Ninjas, always hiding in the shadows." Hazel said and looked to her brother, "How goes that ninja training, Nico?"
"Shut up." He glared at her, honestly, he tried it one time and she just pokes fun at him for it.
The blond looked forward again, taking up the rear with Thalia as Rachel led the way down the stairs that were hidden behind the door. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs, Percy and Annabeth turning their flashlights on as they entered a pitch-black tunnel.
Rachel yelped as the beams of light landed on a grinning skull. It was attached to a giant skeleton, formed in an X over the tunnel entrance.
"Well...I think it's safe to say that isn't Tyson." Naruto said, unknowingly relieving Percy.
"It's not big enough." Percy said, nodding.
He channeled chakra into his hand and willed light into his arm as he used it like a makeshift torch. "Save the batteries, guys."
"Ah, light." Leo grinned, tongues of fire licking his fingertips.
"Naruto, how'd you do that?" Annabeth asked after shutting her flashlight off.
"Practice." Naruto said.
"When?" Thalia asked, giving him a look.
"At night. Come on, Lia-chan, that much is obvious."
He yelped from the smack upside the head he got.
"For being a smartass." Thalia muttered under her breath.
"But your nights are occupied now, aren't they?" Annabeth asked, jokingly.
"Dammit!"
"Suffer," Annabeth smiled in glee despite the glare her friend gave her.
She got a glare from Thalia, whose cheeks were now red, and Naruto scratched the back of his neck with his glowing hand. Rachel snickered while Percy furrowed his brows.
"What's so funny?" He asked.
"Ah, dense Percy. Refreshing, isn't it?"
"Shut up, Nico."
"Nothing, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth said, smirking despite the glare Thalia was giving her.
"Damn right there isn't anything funny." Thalia said with a grumble. Oh once Annie had her own boyfriend...The teasing hell that would come in the form of Thalia Grace would be ruthless.
"And unforgiving. Like how I am going to be with you and Rachel, Annie."
Annabeth frowned at that, cursing the fact that Thalia was going to have ammo with the coming events.
They continued on, Naruto's glowing hand making a rather bright light to walk with.
Rachel turned to Percy. "So...Who's Tyson?"
"My half brother." Percy said. "He's a cyclops."
"And telling a mortal girl that isn't weird at all." Apollo said.
"...Your half brother?"
"Yeah. Hopefully we find him and my friend Grover. He's a satyr."
"Again, not totally weird."
"Oh. Well...I guess we should be moving on then." Rachel said, leading them onward until they came to a three-way intersection. On the left was a forested looking path while the right looked older than the path straight ahead.
"Isn't this were Hecate usually shows up?" Apollo asked jokingly, getting a few snorts from the gods while Thalia frowned ever so slightly.
"Well...isn't this interesting?" Naruto said, making two clones. He sent both down the two side tunnels.
"Those stones are the oldest, we should go that way." Annabeth said. "It could take us to Daedalus' workshop."
"Tyson and Grover took a path like that..." Percy said, looking to the forested tunnel.
"We need to go straight." Rachel said. Her eyes were looking ahead at the floor.
"Go with the mortal." Demeter said.
"That's...That's the most illogical choice though." Annabeth said.
"Thank you for your analysis, Mr. Spock." Thalia said, smirking at the glare Annabeth gave her.
"Stupid Star Trek." Leo grumbled.
"Those leaves look like feelers." Rachel said.
"And that's not creepy." Frank said, looking a tad green.
Naruto winced as his clone was dispelled. His hand went to his head. "Ow...Let's not go that way...Or the other way! Ow!"
"Because there's a spike trap that way." Rachel said. She looked back down to the muddy brick. "There's like a faint golden path on the ground. I think it's our safest bet."
"Follow the yellow brick road..." Naruto mumbled,
"Ooooh, follow the-!"
"No." Artemis frowned.
"Aw, come on!" Apollo begged.
"No more singing."
"Spoilsport." The sun god pouted.
getting elbowed in the side by Thalia. "Ow."
"Yeah and there's no traps up ahead as far as I can see." Rachel said, amused by Naruto's comment.
"Then that's the way we go." Percy said. Not getting killed by a trap sounded like a great idea to him.
"You trust her?" Annabeth asked.
"Annabeth," even her mother was frowning ever so slightly now, making the girl in question pout.
"Yeah." He sounded very sure of himself, getting a light smile from Rachel for the faith. Annabeth opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it and just went with Percy's decision. She still looked rather peeved as she waved Rachel on.
They continued to walk, and minutes turned into an hour. Still no sign of a trap. However, occasionally, Naruto would stop and look behind them, peering into the darkness with two sun-ringed pupils. Thalia, who often would forcibly turn him around, urged him on despite his paranoia.
"Ninja paranoia is good!" Hermes said, "That's their shtick, it keeps them alive."
Their shadow followed silently, mimicking a lizard as it followed the group of five.
"Is it always this easy?" Rachel asked.
"And now murphy will fix that." Piper said with a deadpanned look on her face.
"If it had always been this easy, we would have never come to you." Thalia said.
"And that worries me." Percy said. Naruto nodded in agreement. Aside from their current shadow, that he was sure was following him, there was this feeling in the air.
To put it in the proper terms: Naruto's spider-sense was tingling.
"Hey, copyright." Apollo frowned, his kid or not, no stealing from your half-brother.
"So...Where are you from?" Annabeth asked, though it sounded as if she was asking if Rachel was from another world.
"She's certainly alien enough when I first met her." Annabeth said.
"Annabeth, come on." Her boyfriend said.
"I'm just saying, is all."
"Brooklyn." Rachel said simply.
"And your parents?"
"They're both human."
"Well duh." Dionysus rolled his eyes.
"I meant won't they be worried about you?"
"I've been gone a week once and they hadn't noticed it. I'm sure a day or two in a Labyrinth won't change that."
"Funny thing about that..." Annabeth trailed off
"Time is real screwy in there." Annabeth added for her other.
as the sound of a metal door creaking open was heard. "...What was that?"
"Iron hinges?" Rachel guessed.
"I meant literally, what is making that sound?!"
"Nothing good." Naruto said, dimming the light down to a light glow.
"Run?" Percy asked as the ground started to rumble.
"Run." Rachel agreed. The group turned tail and retreated, not making it even twenty feet until they ran into one familiar face and four strangers. Three dracaenae stood with them, one of the monstrous women holding a masked man with gravity defying white hair within one of her legs. His headband was lifted up and the Sharingan was staring Naruto in the face.
"There's Kakashi!" Hermes pointed like he was spotting Waldo.
"Hello again, Percy." The African-American girl standing beside the dracaenae said smugly. "And Rachel. Welcome into the fold."
"Kelli." Rachel said with a nod.
"She's really casual about this." Jason pointed out.
"Meh, she's seen her before from the band room incident." Percy told him.
"Hey Kakashi." Naruto said with a wave. The man's eyes closed merrily.
"Naruto. What in the world are you doing here? Here I was spelunking on my vacation and look what I found, the perfect woman for Orochimaru."
"He is just so chill." Hermes grinned, how could you not love the guy?
"I know right?" Naruto said with a chuckle while the dracaenae hissed in anger at the man in her grasp.
Kelli turned her attention to Naruto. "So you are the Heir of Helios, hm?"
"What, she wants to shake up with him too?" Piper asked curiously.
"No." Percy said, knowing what was going to happen.
Naruto grinned and reached into his pocket. "Yep. And you are...?"
"Kelli, I'm a empousa."
"...Might want to have a doctor check that out." Naruto said. He couldn't help himself.
"No thanks." Apollo said to the amused looks he got.
He got a look from the ancient vampiric monster before she smirked.
"You truly are his heir. Lady Hecate has special orders for you not to be killed, nothing about being captured though." Kelli hummed for a moment. "She'd probably enjoy it, actually."
"Kinky."
"Leo!" shouted all his friends.
"Bitch." Thalia grumbled, whipping her mace canister out and pressing the button on top of it.
"Damn right." Thalia said in agreement with her other.
Before her spear, or Percy's now uncapped sword, could finish forming, Kelli moved and wrapped her hand around Rachel's neck, her hands going to the monster's wrist instinctively. Kelli smirked and held a clawed hand up to Rachel's cheek.
"Ah, the classic hostage situation." Ares smiled, he loved the classics.
"Move and I slice her up. I suggest you lower your weapons."
"You're bluffing." Annabeth said.
"Really? A monster bluffing?" Piper said, making Annabeth go pink.
"Wishful thinking?"
"More like bravado." Hera commented.
"She's not." Percy said.
"It's not nice to use mortal shields." Naruto said chidingly.
"You can just see him wagging his finger." Poseidon smirked.
"I don't care." Kelli said, her finger dragging across Rachel's cheek and making a light cut. "I'll say it again...Lower your weapons."
Percy and Annabeth shared a look while Thalia glared at the monster.
"Ah...You got me." Naruto said, sighing as he held his hands up. "I surrender."
"Say what?!" the audience said in surprise.
"What?"
"Naruto!?"
"Whiskers!"
"Yes?" Naruto asked with an innocent blink.
"The Hell!?" the three of them asked.
"Yeah, we're in the same boat." Percy said, looking shocked at the fast surrender.
"What? They've got hostages and if Kakashi is caught, then there's no way I can escape." Naruto said with a shrug. A dracaenae ski-walked up behind him, grabbing his arms and forcing them behind him. "Ow! Hey, watch it with the kinky stuff! I'm not that used to it yet."
Thalia went red at that while everyone gave a snicker at her expense. "Oh shut up!"
Kelli smirked as he was bound and looked expectantly at the other three. Thalia glared at her before she tossed her spear down, Percy and Annabeth following her example. The other dracaenae collected the weapons with a laugh while Kelli stroked Rachel's cheek, watching the demigods get bound before she did the same to the mortal.
"So just out of curiosity," Kakashi started. "Why am I being held like this and not bound like them?"
"Sssylvia likesss you." The dracaenae holding him said. "You will be Sssylvia'sss offering to the hossst."
"I fell nothing but pity for my student." Apollo grimaced.
"Oh, goodie. I'm special."
"Super special." Leo nodded.
"Kakashi-sensei, word of advice. If you get groped a little, just take it in stride. Speaking from experience here."
"Monster gropes are strange." The gods nodded, getting some strange looks from everyone else.
"Ah, the woes of being devilishly handsome. This reminds me of that one male stripper mission I had to do.
"Ooh," Aphrodite said, her interest piqued.
"Only your student." Artemis deadpanned to her brother, who was grinning.
"Duh."
...Unfortunately, I think this is going to end just like that mission did."
"Kicking ass and taking names?"
"Waking up in a hospital after a month went by."
"Ouch." The men winced.
"...The horror."
"Little traitor." Apollo mumbled with a frown while his twin smirked.
They were led into two bronzed doors guarded by a giant with red eyes and drooling fangs. The door was opened and as they passed through, Naruto made a face at it. It made a grab for him but was stopped by a savage slice from Kelli.
"Have to protect her mistress' goods." Hades nodded with a joking grin, making Apollo glare at him.
Ah, it was nice to know that even while on opposite sides, Naruto was saved by his past life's yearning lover.
"Things are funny like that." Jason nodded, like it was an everyday thing.
And while that irked Thalia, it entertained the hell out of him.
"Jerk," Thalia pouted.
He, Percy and Kakashi were separated from the girls, the three of them being taken to the host as prisoner/observers.
"Yay." Annabeth and Thalia cheered in bored tones.
The three were led to the gates of an arena, where they got to see a centaur killed brutally.
"Can we get more detail?"
"No, Ares." Hera told him sternly.
"Aww."
Naruto bowed his head and prayed for the creature's soul before looking up as the gates were opened. He and Kakashi were pushed through the gates, Percy being held back by the dracaenae hissing tauntingly at him.
"Hiss hiss hiss."
"Hey," Apollo frowned, "That's not funny." He told his fiery nephew.
Hermes snorted, "No, it is funny." He corrected his brother.
Their binds were cut and then he saw him. Naruto's blood ran hot. His fists clenched tightly and the ground beneath his feet was slowly heating up if the steam was anything to go by. Golden suns turned red as they stared at the cold blue orbs belonging to his onetime friend.
"Now bitch crying traitor."
"…Will you ever shut up about it, Ares?"
The war god snorted, "No. It's too much fun to not poke that one."
"Ass." Hermes said.
"I try, Speedstick."
"Luke."
He couldn't describe how made he was...nor how he felt about the...the...
"How's Psychopath? Murderer's a good one. Bastard isn't bad, but a bit insulting. Ooo...here's a very accurate word: Traitor."
"Well put, Helios." Ares nodded smugly while Hermes looked betrayed.
"That'll do nicely." Naruto said under his breath. He listened to Luke barter with the giant son of Poseidon and Gaia, Antaeus. It was odd hearing praise from the guy that tried to kill you not too long ago.
"Meh, you get used to it." Percy waved off.
"What's that Naruto?"
"Just talking to myself, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said.
"Surely the Heir of Helios will entertain you, Lord Antaeus." Luke said, his silver tongue being put to good use.
"He's got some brown on the tip of his nose." Nico helpfully pointed out.
"Nico," Annabeth frowned, but the boy just shrugged it off.
He didn't care. Luke was an ass in his opinion, redemption or not.
"He is good with both a bow and a sword, and comes from a land where magic is within all."
"Yes! An heir of a titan, my father's cousin. He will die well in this temple!" Antaeus said with a gleeful smile.
"Just had to shack up with grandmother, didn't you Poseidon." Hades smirked, getting his brother to simmer.
"Yes, yes, yes." The sea god played it cool, trying to hide his grimace of one of his…less favorable sons.
"What of the other one?"
"A comrade. Two for the price of one." Luke said. "Two on two should be entertaining, should it not?"
"Ah, yes! Send two more combatants in! I like the sound of this team fighting."
"Tag team!" the boys cheered, high fives all around as the girls rolled their eyes.
"Boys."
"Great." Naruto said dryly. "We're gladiators."
"I'll go easy on you."
"I don't think we're fighting each other, sensei."
The gates opened and two dracaenae skated out, armed to the teeth with a shield and a spear in their hands. They glared at the two shinobi, who shared a look of boredom.
"Annnd…" Apollo drawled out.
Before Antaeus could begin the fight, Kakashi and Naruto had their signature attacks in hand, Kakashi's left hand was encased in lightning, crackling off it just as Zeus' bolts did from the sky.
Zeus bristled at that.
"...I'm so stealing that." Thalia said. That looked awesome. Just like the rasen-thing.
Naruto's hand held a small ball of fire that burned more intensely than the chariot of Apollo.
"Well, Hel was the original…" Apollo trailed off, feeling his ego bruised a bit.
They rushed forward, crossing each others' paths twice over before jumping up and shoving their attacks into the dracaenae' faces.
Soon after, the two monsters were dissolving, leaving behind a boot of snakeskin each.
"Done." The sun god said.
"That was so fast, even I have pity for them." Ares frowned, it wasn't even fun. Epic? Sure. Entertaining? Hell no.
Naruto grinned and snatched the two, not that Kakashi would know what to do with them. He put them in a seal before Antaeus recovered from his shock, which swiftly became anger.
"Much like his father."
"Oh go play the xylophone with your skeletons." Poseidon told the amused Hades.
"I did not say begin!" Antaeus said, standing from his seat in all his sumo-like fury.
"He looks like an Akamichi, doesn't he?" Kakashi asked.
"Ah, that's an insult to Choji's family." Naruto said, waving it off. He looked up at the infuriated giant. "Come on! Give me a real challenge! I'm the son of Apollo, Heir of Helios! I'm literally a walking firebomb waiting to explode!"
"Yeah, get him pumped up." Ares nodded, "Maybe we'll see something good." He grinned.
Antaeus glared at him before sitting back down and nodding. "True, their deaths were magnificent...This time wait for me to start and end the fight!"
"I thought he was Greek." Jason questioned, that sounded way too much like the coliseum. You know, a Roman idea.
"Sorry, we got trigger happy." Naruto said with a shrug.
Apollo nodded, "That why my kids don't use guns."
"Might blow their load?"
"Yep."
"Pigs." Artemis scrunched as Apollo and Ares snickered.
Antaeus gave him a terrifying grin and he turned to address the audience.
"Now, I give my fine guests and my father the Earthshaker a true treat! Release the Indus Worms!"
"The what?" the demigods, besides Annabeth, asked.
"Oh boy." The blonde child of wisdom grimaced along with the gods.
Poseidon just palmed his face.
"...The what!?" Naruto and Kakashi asked, both not liking the sound of that.
"What are those?" Thalia asked.
"Giant man-eating worms from India." Annabeth said under her breath. "They should be able to fight them
"Oh," Piper nodded, "Good."
...I think."
"The confidence you have in your brother, Annabeth." Apollo chided her, looking disapproving.
"Real reassuring there, Annabeth."
"I don't remember asking you, golden girl."
"You can just feel the tension." Hazel commented amusingly.
"Stop talking!" Kelli snapped, her eyes going back to the fight. "I must watch in order to intervene if necessary."
"Hecate doesn't like her playmates bruised." Aphrodite commented.
"Unless she's doing it." Apollo grinned, ignoring the green that tinged the demigods' cheeks.
Thalia snorted. "You won't need to."
"I hope not. Standing orders and all."
Naruto and Kakashi settled back to back as the ground shifted and cracked before from beneath broke four large tree-like...things. They were about twelve feet in length, perhaps six or seven feet wide. Circular mouths with lines of sharp teeth opened as they roared, surrounding the two shinobi. Naruto grunted in annoyance.
"Grabboid's influence. Great." He said.
"Love that movie." Leo gushed, grinning.
"What influence?" Kakashi asked.
"Tremors. Pretty fun sci-fi movie. Has Kevin Bacon in it. If we live, which we probably will, I'll show it to you."
"Does it have an Icha scene?"
"I hate him already." Artemis said with a glower.
"...Sensei, my aunt would hate you."
"You tell him, nephew!"
"Now, now...that's not a nice thing to say, Naruto."
"She's got the moniker of 'Immortal Man-Hater'."
"...Maa...so negative."
"He has your laid back behavior." The huntress snorted, getting a beaming grin from Apollo. Good, Chiron never got that so it was good one of his students got it.
"Begin!" Antaeus said over the roar of the crowd. The monsters roared before diving forward, their attempted group attack was avoided as the two shinobi jumped up and landed a few feet away, back to back as the tails of the worms disappeared under the earth. The ground started to circle around them and they stood completely still, tense and ready to move.
"Like sharks waiting for the kill."
"Good analogy." Poseidon told his legacy.
"Well...this is fun." Kakashi said, unsheathing his sword as well as a kunai, holding both at the ready. "Any ideas?"
"They've got to have a weakness." Naruto said as he flicked his flashlight's switch, Eclipse unfolding out and gleaming readily. "It's like a godly law or something. Even the playing field."
"Be thankful now." Dionysus commented with a sip of his diet coke.
"Yes well, this seems fair." Kakashi said. "Worms circling us like we're dinner."
"I never said it was fair, just saying it was an even playing field..." Naruto said, his right hand flipping through signs that Kakashi saw through his peripheral vision. The ANBU smirked beneath his mask and put the kunai to use, throwing it a bit away. It struck the ground and a part of the circling ground split off, going to investigate it. Naruto and Kakashi exchanged a look before Naruto grinned. "Let's turn this field into our favor."
"Their counter attack starts here." Annabeth grinned, eager to see what Naruto would do.
"After you."
Naruto spun Eclipse around in his grip, bringing his hands together in his signature hand sign, grinning as they were surrounded by several clones. The clones immediately left the two shinobi while the monstrous crowd roared in approval. Antaeus cheered loudly, approving of more sacrifices for his father.
"How many more until you are sated, Poseidon?"
"Hades…" Hestia warned as Poseidon was in true brooding mode now.
Honestly, why did they have to gang up on him? They had their own shaming children, too!
The worms followed the clones, leaving Kakashi and Naruto to plan secretly and safely...even if it looked like they were just standing there lazily.
"Ninjas." Leo shook his head, "Sneaky as hell."
A clone attacked with a kunai, failing to cut the worm's hide and being eaten by the worm.
"...That was an unpleasant." Naruto said, rubbing his forehead.
"Learn anything?"
"Their teeth hurt. Like, a lot."
"Well, you learn something new every day." Percy said, rubbing his chin in thought.
"Well, that's progress I suppose."
"I don't see you doing anything, Mister Raikiri."
"I have to conserve chakra, I don't have an endless ocean of it like someone else I know."
"Zing!"
"Excuses."
"Yeah, your father taught me well."
"Ooh," Apollo grinned.
"Half-truths, right?"
"Exactly."
"I teach so damn well." Apollo complimented himself.
Artemis shook her head, could his head get any bigger?
"Fight and die! Fight and die! Fight and die!" The crowd chanted.
"I'd like to see you guys come down here and do that!" Naruto yelled back.
"Yeah, bunch of pansies." Ares sneered, honestly, get in there too! Have a massive battle! Gore everywhere! He chuckled darkly.
He looked at Kakashi and arched a brow. "Am I going to have to do everything?"
"You are the demigod, Naruto."
"So that means we do all the work? You can make lightning with your hand, use it!" Thalia scowled.
"You've really gotten protective over Naruto, Thalia."
"Annie, I swear. Just shut it."
"Nah, this is to get my jokes in when you decided to mess with me more about Rachel in the coming events."
"…Touché."
"...You're lazier than Shikamaru."
"It's not being lazy." Kakashi closed his eyes and gave a thumbs up. "It's strategizing."
"No it is not." Athena said, glowering while her brothers snickered.
"Yeah. For me to do all the work, you lazy excuse of a sensei!"
"Ex-sensei."
"Semantics!"
"Pretty much." Apollo nodded in agreement.
Naruto said, jumping into the fray and bringing Eclipse up as a worm broke from the underground, mouth poised to catch him and swallow him whole. He landed on top of the worm's head and drove his sword into it. There was a shriek of pain before Naruto twisted and pulled the blade out, the worm reared back and fell forward. It dissolved into golden dust, electing the attention of the other worms.
"Uh-oh." Naruto grabbed the vial of oil left behind and tucked it away into his pouch.
"That's some good stuff." Hephaestus said, really cleaned a counter top.
His clones ganged on one of the other worms before it could dive underground, attacking it with Rasengans as it dived on them, causing them to sacrifice themselves. The blond ninja ran away as the other two followed him, one jumping out of the ground with its mouths open to eat him. He avoided with a small evasive jump, turning to slice the other leaping out right down the middle. It exploded into golden dust, leaving behind the strong smell of sulfur and a vial that hit him in the head. "Ow."
"When spoils attack." Apollo declared in a deep voice.
Naruto picked it up off the ground as the last worm shot up behind him. He turned around and looked up at the drooling worm. Clearing his throat, Naruto pointed at the worm with his sword. "You're one ugly motherfucker."
"Oh yeah he is." Everyone nodded, but Hestia frowned at the language.
The worm shrieked in anger and Naruto grinned. "Bad call, because I know the one man who can cut lightning in half.
"Doubt it." The god of lightning said with a huff.
He's just waiting for the signal."
Antaeus laughed and thrust his hand out in the thumbs down position, which Kakashi took as his cue, his hand being engulfed in lightning and his left eye's Sharingan spun rapidly.
"He should get that pink eye checked out." Hermes said to his brother.
"If my other gets a chance." He shrugged.
"Raikiri (Lightning Cutter)!"
"Blasphemy!" Zeus said, outraged.
"Well actually there's this legend in Japanese culture about a samurai who...I'll be quiet." Apollo said, shutting his mouth after the glare he got from his father.
He cried as he rushed forward and cut through the worm's hide, grabbing the insides and electrocuting the worm to its demise. The worm dissolved into golden dust, leaving a final vial of oil that Naruto picked up. He and Kakashi turned, the blond raising his sword to the sky.
"I give upon the lord of the sea this gift of Indus oil!" Naruto said, the oil vanishing in a flash of light.
"Well, that was nice of him."
"Thanks...squid god."
"Hey." Poseidon warned with a frown.
The ground trembled a bit and Naruto smirked.
Ah, it was good to get the last word in.
"Little-" the sea god muttered to himself.
"Well, hopefully we see my fight next." Percy commented since he didn't get his moment of awesome this chapter.
"I'm sure you will, Percy." Annabeth smiled at him.