NPU: Welcome to the Sea of Monsters

Chapter 4

Revenge of the Nerds…I mean Bulls!

I have a few ideas for some fill chapter when Naruto and Clarisse are on the sea. Like Naruto having to fight someone from his own world….the last son of the monster lady. A little singing courtesy of Naruto and the crew…got the perfect song for that and Naruto meeting Ares again….maybe a little spar too. I need more tho, please give me some ideas!

Naturally as soon as they got out of the cab, the three gray sisters high tailed it out of there. Naruto and Percy grimaced when they saw what they were up against. Bulls….again. This was Bullshit! They already and an oh so fun time last time when they had to fight the Minotaur. Now they had to fight two mulls made out of bronze and…they were the size of freaking elepants! And even that wasn't bad enough. Naturally they had to breathe fire, too.

"Oh, man," said Annabeth, looking at the battle raging on the hill.

"Crap…Thalia is weak…the bulls have gotten through!" Naruto growled angrily. This was the reason he did not want to leave camp, but he at least got to fight some monsters on the way to Percy's, but still, he said he would protect the daughter of Zeus! That damn poison was getting stronger!

They saw the ten or so campers on the hill, decked out in full Greek armor trying to fend off the beasts and it was not working so well. One of the heroes shouted, "Border patrol, to me!" A girl's voice—gruff and familiar.

"It's Clarisse," Annabeth said. "Come on, we have to help her."

"Already on it!" Naruto said while Percy was a bit skeptical. They had not told him much of what had happened since he left camp to go to school and he was surprised to find out there was a border patrol.

Normally, rushing to Clarisse's aid would not have been high on much of anyone's "to do" list. She was one of the biggest bullies at camp. She was also a daughter of Ares and since Percy and Naruto beat their dad last time they met, Percy was a little skeptical that they would want their help. Naruto, however, was friends with the kid of Ares, so he had to problems.

Clarisse's fellow warriors were scattering, running in panic as the bulls charged. The grass was burning in huge swathes around the pine tree. One hero screamed and waved his arms as he ran in circles, the horse-hair plume on his helmet blazing like a fiery Mohawk. Clarisse's own armor was charred. She was fighting with a broken spear shaft, the other end embedded uselessly in the metal joint of one bull's shoulder.

"While you guys decide on what to do I am go in to help." Naruto said as he pressed a spear like charm on his right bracelet and out popped a large double sided purple spear that sparked lightning every now and then. "I have new weapon I would like to introduce! It is called the Spear of Destiney!"

While Percy looked in awe at the new weapon, he was about to ask how the blond got it when Naruto suddenly jumped high in the air, jumping all the way to the battle on the hill. "INCOMING!" Naruto shouted.

The warriors all knew that voice and were very thankful to hear it. Seriously, he was one of their best fighters and it had been a pain fighting the bulls without his help. Sure, some might now trust him at the moment because of the poison in Thalia's tree, but they could always count on him in battle.

They quickly got out of the way as Naruto jumped down and slammed on the sides of the spear into the bull they were fighting….or at least he though it did. It made a noticeable dent and stunned it because of the electricity…but that was it for now. Spears where not his forte and that was why he made this for someone else.

"Oi, blondie!" oh and speak of the devil, here she is! Clarisse ran up to her friend and smirk. "'bout time you got your ass back here! We could really use the help! Nice spear by the way."

"Thanks, I made it for you since Percy broke your last one. A nice upgrade I do say so myself since it also holds electricity." Naruto said as he handed the spear to her. However, before she could swing it around, the bull regained it's senses and tried to smash them. Key word here is tried. Naruto used his speed and got the two of them out of harms way.

"Thanks." Clarisse with a bit of a blush.

"Hey, you are friend and good one at that. No biggie!" Naruto said with his trade mark foxy smile. Then he got serious as he made Fear and Destruction appear in his hands. "Time to show these beast not to mess with Camp Half-Blood!"

XXX

A few mintues before…

Percy and Annabeth saw Naruto land and hit the bull. Percy turned to his tall friend and saw that he was shocked.

"Percy's friend jumped really high!" Tyson said in awe.

Percy nervously chuckled at that, Naruto was going to help him explain all of this later. Uncapping his pen, making the bronze sword appear, he said, "Tyson, stay here. I don't want you taking any more chances."

"No!" Annabeth said. "We need him."

Percy stared at her. "He's mortal. He got lucky with the dodge balls but he can't—"

"Percy, do you know what those are up there? The Colchis bulls, made by Hephaestus himself. We can't fight them without Medea's Sunscreen SPF 50,000. We'll get burned to a crisp."

"Medea's what? Wait, Naruto looks fine fighting those things!"

Annabeth rummaged through her backpack and cursed. "I had a jar of tropical coconut scent sitting on my night-stand at home. Why didn't I bring it?" She growled at bit at that before saying, "Naruto uses those fire jutsu and he had a fire demon in him till he got to camp. He is pretty much immune to that kind of heat."

"Well that is good news for him." Naruto said with a noticeable smirk. "But I still have no clue what you are going on about with the sun screen and I am not letting Tyson take another chance."

"Percy—"

"Tyson, stay back." Percy raised his sword. "I'm going in."

Tyson tried to protest, but I was already running up the hill toward Clarisse, who was yelling at her patrol, trying to get them into phalanx formation with Naruto right next to them with his swords out and a serious look on his face. It was a good idea. The few who were listening lined up shoulder-to-shoulder, locking their shields to form an ox-hide—and-bronze wall, their spears bristling over the top like porcupine quills.

Unfortunately, Clarisse could only muster six campers. The other four were still running around with their helmets on fire. Annabeth ran toward them, trying to help. She taunted one of the bulls into chasing her, then turned invisible, completely confusing the monster. The other bull charged Clarisse's line.

XXX

"Hold the line!" Clarisse shouted as the one of the bulls shot out a searing jet of flame at her and Naruto. Luckily the two got out of the way, but still that was close.

The bull that had been chasing Annabeth before she was invisible got bored of looking for her and charged at Clarisse from behind.

"Behind you!" Percy yelled. "Look out!"

It would have been better if he had not said anything at all and let Naruto help her because, all that did was startle her. Clarisse went flying backward and landed in a smoldering patch of grass. The bull charged past her, but not before blasting the other heroes with its fiery breath. Their shields melted right off their arms. They dropped their weapons and ran as Bull Number Two closed in on Clarisse for the kill because as it charged at her, it also blew out some fire.

Luckily, Naruto got in front of her and block the stream of fire with his swords, making the stream be sent off in two different directions. Naruto grunt as he got a good position so that the powerful stream of fire would not push him back and hit his friend. "Mess with fir eand you are going to get burned!" He screamed as he redirected the stream back to its owner and blasted the beast back a bit.

While that was happening, Percy had gotten to Clarisse and dragged her away, but eh felt those flames and thought Naruto was nuts for blocking them. It could microwave a frozen burrito and then turn it to ashes!

"Let me go!" Clarisse pummeled Percy's hand. "Percy, curse you!" He did…just by the pine tree just to be safe while Annabeth ordered the remaining warriors to attack.

Naruto didn't have to worry about that because he had his own problem at the moment. All that he had done to the bull, which was the same bull he first attacked, was blow off it horn! Now it was beyond pissed and it was charging at him now. "You still wanna play….fine!" Naruto shouted as he too charged at the beast while charging up and attack he had been working on.

"Wind Style: Oodama Rasengan!"

Naruto shoved the large sphere of wind and chakra right on the dent of the beast. The result was the beast's armor cracking until it fell about and it's back exploded from all the pressure. The bronze beast fell apart after that.

Naruto smirked before his eyes widened and he fell to his knees as he clutched his arm. "Damn…I forgot that the poison also affects my chakra for a bit." His whole arm felt like it was about to burst open like the bronze bull's back. But for some reason, it was on a minor scale with the rest of his body, but that was to be expected since the last time he used chakra after taking the poison away, he felt the same way. Thankfully during the trip to Percy's, he just used his swords.

"Naruto! Are you ok?" Percy asked. He wondered why that attack would hurt Naruto as well. It did not make sense.

"Argh! Does it look like I am ok!" Naruto snapped, not thinking straight. Before either boy could saw anything else, the other bull charged in before back handing the blond away, making him skid across the grass until he ended up next to Thalia's tree, next to Clarisse.

"Naruto!" Percy and the others shouted out. Clarisse checked him and nodded to the others that he was ok, but she glared at Percy.

Ignoring the glare of the daughter of Ares, Percy sent his own at the bull that was only a few feet from him. Percy lunged the beast that hurt his friend, but it sent stream of fire, making the water boy have to roll to the side to dodge.

Unfortunately, a tree root caught Percy's foot, making pain shoot through his body. The damn root sprained his ankle! Still, he was able to swing his sword at the beast, cutting off its snout. It ran away in pain and confusion.

However, it regained some of its composure and glared at the water boy menacingly before it charged the son of Poseidon. Percy tried to get back up, but with his sprained ankle, he didn't get very far.

Seeing her friend about to be trampled on by an elephant sized bronze bull, Annabeth shouted, "Tyson! Help him!"

Somewhere near, toward the crest of the hill, Tyson wailed, "Can't—get—through!"

"I, Annabeth Chase, give you permission to enter camp!"

Thunder shook the hillside. Suddenly Tyson was there, barreling toward Percy, yelling: "Percya and new friends need help!" He got between Percy and the last bull just as it sent a stream of fire towards them.

"Tyson!" Percy yelled as his friend was engulfed in flames as it swirled around him like a red tornado.

When the fire died, Tyson was still standing there, completely unharmed. Not even his grungy clothes were scorched. The bull must've been as surprised as Percy was, because before it could unleash a second blast, Tyson balled his fists and slammed them into the bull's face. "BAD COW!"

His fists made a crater where the bronze bull's snout used to be. Two small columns of flame shot out of its ears. Tyson hit it again, and the bronze crumpled under his hands like aluminum foil. The bull's face now looked like a sock puppet pulled inside out.

"Down!" Tyson yelled.

The bull staggered and fell on its back. Its legs moved feebly in the air, steam coming out of head in odd places.

Annabeth ran over to her friend and saw that his ankle was making him in pain, so she gave him some Olympian nectar to drink and he felt a lot better thanks to it healing properties. That is when he noticed a burning smell that was coming from him, which was all the arm hair he used to have but now was singed off. Oh well, not much loss there.

"Ugh, thank the gods that's over!" Percy said happily.

"You are just lucky that you are not dead." Annabeth said.

"Ugh." Naruto said as he walked over to them. He then cracked his back, which let of a few sickening pops and said, "Yeah. That really hurt by the way."

"It looked like it did!" Percy said.

"Heh, and I am sorry for snapping. I am still getting used to that pain." Naruto said sheepishly.

It was then they saw Clarisse next to the male blond, seething. She pulled off her helmet and glared right at Percy. "YOU! RUIN! EVERYTHING!" She screamed, her new spear strapped to her back. "I had everything completely under control until you came along. Hell, Naruto was more help then you were!"

Annabeth grumbled, "Good to see you too, Clarisse."

"Argh!" Clarisse screamed. "Don't ever, EVER try saving me again!"

"Clarisse," Annabeth said, "you've got wounded campers."

Naruto saw that this sobered the girl up and a bit and said, "Yeah, you were their leader in this and we won. Check and see if your teammates are ok. I would go but I don't think some of them trust me still."

"I'll be back," she growled, then trudged off to assess the damage.

Percy then saw his friend Tyson and said in awe and confusion, "You didn't die."

Tyson looked down like he was embarrassed. "I am sorry. Came to help. Disobeyed you."

"My fault," Annabeth said. "I had no choice. I had to let Tyson cross the boundary line to save you since that attack knocked Naruto for a loop. Otherwise, you would've died."

"Glad to see we have more hands to help protect him." Naruto joked.

Percy rolled his eyes at the joke. "Wait, what do you mean, 'let' him cross the barrier.

"Geez, I am surprised you have not noticed yet." Naruto groaned.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked.

"Percy," Annabeth said, "have you ever looked at Tyson closely? I mean ... in the face. Ignore the Mist, and really look at him."

Percy sighed before he looked at his tall friend, I mena really looked this time and saw the mist disappear around his face area and that made Percy's eyes widen.

"Tyson," Percy stammered. "You're a ..."

"Cyclops," Annabeth offered. "A baby, by the looks of him. Probably why he couldn't get past the boundary line as easily as the bulls. Tyson's one of the homeless orphans."

"One of the what?"

"They're in almost all the big cities," Annabeth said distastefully.

Naruto sighed. "Man, way to find out about this." He paused, "Percy, this guys like your friend here are mistakes. Children of nature spirits and gods…heh, well it is just one god since he gets pretty bored and horny. Anyway, they don't come out right and no one wants them and I can sympathize with our large friend here that it does suck! So they get tossed out onto the streets and they grow up wild. Not sure how Tyson found you but I guess it is a good thing."

Annabeth glared at Tyson, not that he noticed and said, "We should take him to Chiron, let him decide what to do."

"But the fire. How—"

"He's a Cyclops." Annabeth paused, as if she were remembering something unpleasant. "They work the forges of the gods. They have to be immune to fire. That's what I was trying to tell you." Percy just let his jaw drop at that, trying to figure out how he had never noticed that little fact about his tall friend.

Clarisse came back over and wiped the soot off her forehead. "Jackson, if you can stand, get up. We need to carry the wounded back to the Big House, let Tantalus know what's happened. Naruto, we could really use that clone technique of yours." The blond nodded and created about 15 clones to help out, which she seemed grateful about.

"Tantalus?" Percy asked while Naruto wondered why they had to bring everyone to that guy. He had been avoiding that man because he seemed….unpleasant.

"The activities director," Clarisse said impatiently.

"Chiron is the activities director. And where's Argus? He's head of security. He should be here." Percy argued.

Clarisse made a sour face. "Argus got fired. You guys have been gone too long. Things are changing."

"Wait, what the hell do you mean." Naruto said before something clicked. "I think was trying to get the nerve to tell me something before we left but…how can this be it?"

"Yeah, he's trained kids to fight monsters for over three thousand years. He can't just be gone. What happened?" Percy asked, which Naruto grimaced. He now knew why. The gods didn't trust Chiron anymore before Thalia's tree got poisoned. It seemed a new camp leader was put in charge of this place and Naruto knew this was going to be hell.

"That happened," Clarisse snapped as she pointed to Thalia's tree.

The pine tree's needles were yellow. A huge pile of dead ones littered the base of the tree. In the center of the trunk, three feet from the ground, was a puncture mark the size of a bullet hole, oozing green sap.

"Oh…crap." Percy said with wide eyes.

"Yeah. That was one of my first impression the first time I saw that as well." Naruto growled. "Someone had poisoned the tree and I have been doing my damn best to ease Thalia's pain, but it is not doing much good since it seems to be growing stronger and every time I take it….it gets worse! It also messes up my chakra for a time. That is why I was in pain." Naruto explained while Clarisse and Annabeth looked sadly at him.

"I have to do something to save Thalia!" Naruto declared.

XXX

Ok, there we go. Review please.