NPU: Welcome to the Sea of Monsters
Chapter 12
Man, this is long overdue. Here is this chapter for Christmas! Been distracted with getting a job, The REAL Fifth Hokage, and the second Tales of Symphonia game. Oh joy right?
XXX
Percy and Annabeth made it…somewhat safely to the Island of Polyphemus. After dealing with Circe and some Sirens…they were not expecting to see a monster's island that looked like a Caribbean get away.
Once Annabeth saw it, she breathed in the sweet air and said, "The Fleece."
Percy nodded. He couldn't see the Fleece yet, but he could feel its power. He could believe it would heal anything, even Thalia's poisoned tree. "If we take it away, will the island die?"
Annabeth shook her head. "It'll fade. Go back to what it would be normally, whatever that is."
Percy felt a little guilty about ruining this paradise, but he reminded himself that they had no choice. Camp Half-Blood was in trouble. And Tyson ... Tyson would still be with them if it wasn't for this quest. Hell, so would Naruto…where he was.
In the meadow at the base of the ravine, several dozen sheep were milling around. They looked peaceful enough, but they were huge—the size of hippos. Just past them was a path that led up into the hills. At the top of the path, near the edge of the canyon, was the massive oak tree he'd seen in his dreams. Something gold glittered in its branches.
"This is too easy," Percy said. "We could just hike up there and take it?"
Annabeth's eyes narrowed. "There's supposed be a guardian. A dragon or ..."
That's when a deer emerged from the bushes. It trotted into the meadow, probably looking for grass to eat, when the sheep all bleated at once and rushed the animal. It happened so fast that the deer stumbled and was lost in a sea of wool and trampling hooves.
Grass and tufts of fur flew into the air.
A second later the sheep all moved away, back to their regular peaceful wanderings. Where the deer had been was a pile of clean white bones.
Annabeth and Percy exchanged looks.
"They're like piranhas," she said.
"Piranhas with wool. How will we—"
"Percy!" Annabeth gasped, grabbing the male demi-god's arm. "Look."
She pointed down the beach, to just below the sheep meadow, where a small boat had been run aground ... the other lifeboat from the CSS Birmingham. And right next to it was a human sized crater with his blond friend in it.
"NARUTO!" Percy yelled in shock before then quickly ran over to him.
They managed to get on either side of him and shook him slightly. They knew if he had any broken bones it would have healed by now thanks to his healing factor. But still, they had to wonder what put him in this crater.
Naruto managed to get him into a sitting position as he was slowly waking up. "Damn….what the hell hit me."
"We were hoping you could answer that for us, Naruto." Annabeth stated.
Naruto blinked as he heard her voice before he looked to the two and smiled. 'Well glad to see you two alive." He said as he held his before his eyes went wide. "SHIT! POLYPHEMUS HAD CLARISSE!"
"Wha?" Percy began, not believing it. Even Annabeth seemed skeptical, but it was possible…of course the girl probably went kicking and screaming. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah and it is because of him I am in this crater." Naruto said before an evil smirk come on to his face. "That dude is already blind….i wonder what a rasengan to the eye would do to him."
"Now is not the time for that Naruto." Annabeth said, not liking that evil look on him. "We have to save Clarisse and get the fleece before it is too late.
"Oh…right." Naruto deadpanned before he shrugged. "So…how did you get here anyway?"
"We took a pirate ship." Percy replied.
"Lucky bastard. " Naruto grumbled, making the two laugh. "Wait, who did you get that?"
"We ended up at Circe's resort/death trap and stole it off Black Beard." Percy replied but he regretted saying that.
"So you ended up at a resort spa like place for girl and death trap for guys….while we had to deal with sea serpents and the crashing rocks…..remind me to kick r ass later on."
XXX
They decided there was no way that they could get past the man-eating sheep. Annabeth wanted to sneak up the path invisibly and grab the Fleece, but in the end the boys convinced her that something would go wrong. The sheep would smell her. Another guardian would appear. Something. And if that happened, they'd be too far away to help.
Besides, their first job was to find Grover and Clarisse. Perc was too nervous to say what he was secretly hoping ...that Tyson might still be alive. Naruto could tell the boy was grieving about his half-brother, but he wisely said nothing…not really knowing what to say.
So in the end, they decided that climbing was their best bet, so they took the raft and rowed to the other side where it was more mountainous. At least it was free of sheep. They hoped that Polyphemus did not also keep carnivorous mountain goats. That would really suck.
They only came close to dying six or seven times, which Percy thought was pretty good. Once, he lost his grip and found himself dangling by one hand from a ledge fifty feet above the rocky surf. But he found another handhold and kept climbing. A minute later Annabeth hit a slippery patch of moss and her foot slipped. Fortunately, she found something else to put it against.
Unfortunately, that something was his face. Naruto had no problem because all he had to do was literally walk up the side of the mountain, and he found his amusement by watch them scrambled up the mountain, must to their dismay as they finally made it up there and collapsed, gasping for air.
"Heh, what took ya guys so long?" Naruto said cheekily.
"Can it." Percy panted, getting a chuckle from the male blond.
"Garrr!" bellowed another voice.
The three whirled around in panic as Annabeth clamped a hand over Percy's mouth to keep him from speaking while Naruto stared intently.
The ledge they were sitting on was narrower than they had realized. It dropped off on the opposite side, and that's where the voice was coming from—right below them.
"You're a feisty one!" the deep voice bellowed.
"Challenge me!" Clarisse's voice, no doubt about it. "Give me back my sword and I'll fight you!"
The monster roared with laughter.
The trio of demi-gods crept to the edge to listen more. They were right above the entrance of the Cyclops's cave. Below them stood Polyphemus and Grover, still in his wedding dress, which made Naruto snicker a bit until he saw that Clarisse was tied up, hanging upside down over a pot of boiling water. Percy was half hoping to see Tyson down there, too. Even if he'd been in danger, at least he would've known he was alive. But there was no sign of him.
"Hmm," Polyphemus pondered. "Eat loudmouth girl now or wait for wedding feast? What does my bride think?"
"Like hell." Naruto growled. "He won't eat if I have anything to say about it."
Polyphemus turned to Grover, who backed up and almost tripped over his completed bridal train. "Oh, um, I'm not hungry right now, dear. Perhaps—"
"Did you say bride?" Clarisse demanded. "Who— Grover?"
Next to me, Annabeth muttered, "Shut up. She has to shut up."
"What did you expect?" Naruto sighed. "She is a fighter…not a thinker." That made Annabeth sigh in defeat. He had a good point.
Polyphemus glowered. "What 'Grover'?"
"The satyr!" Clarisse yelled.
"Oh!" Grover yelped. "The poor thing's brain is boiling from that hot water. Pull her down, dear!"
Polyphemus's eyelids narrowed over his baleful milky eye, as if he were trying to see Clarisse clearly.
The Cyclops was an even more horrible sight than he had been in their dreams. Partly because his rancid smell was now up close and personal. Partly because he was dressed in his wedding outfit—a crude kilt and shoulder-wrap, stitched together from baby-blue tuxedoes, as if the he'd skinned an entire wedding party.
"What satyr?" asked Polyphemus. "Satyrs are good eating. You bring me a satyr?"
"No, you big idiot!" bellowed Clarisse. "That satyr! Grover! The one in the wedding dress!"
By this point, Naruto was banging his head on the stone floor while Annabeth's head on his her hands and Percy just wanted to ring her neck, but it was too late. All they could do was watch as Polyphemus turned and ripped off Grover's wedding veil—revealing his curly hair, his scruffy adolescent beard, his tiny horns.
Polyphemus breathed heavily, trying to contain his anger. "I don't see very well," he growled. "Not since many years ago when the other hero stabbed me in eye. But YOU'RE—NO— LADY—CYCLOPS!"
The Cyclops grabbed Grover's dress and tore it away. Underneath, the old Grover reappeared in his jeans and T-shirt. He yelped and ducked as the monster swiped over his head.
"Stop!" Grover pleaded. "Don't eat me raw! I—I have a good recipe!"
"What? Has the stupidity gone to him now to?" Naruto growled and both he and Percy reached for their swords.
"Wait!" Annabeth hissed.
Polyphemus was hesitating, a boulder in his hand, ready to smash his would-be bride. "Recipe?" he asked Grover.
"Oh y-yes! You don't want to eat me raw. You'll get E coli and botulism and all sorts of horrible things. I'll taste much better grilled over a slow fire. With mango chutney! You could go get some mangos right now, down there in the woods. I'll just wait here."
The monster pondered this before Naruto spoke up, "You know, that actually sounds good." The other two glared at him. "Bad joke?"
"What do you think?" Percy hissed.
"Sorry, Sorry." Naruto said in a pleading manner. "I was just joking anyway." Mostly….i haven't eaten in a while…
"Grilled satyr with mango chutney," Polyphemus mused. He looked back at Clarisse, still hanging over the pot of boiling water. "You a satyr, too?"
"No, you overgrown pile of dung!" she yelled. "I'm a girl! The daughter of Ares! Now untieme so I can rip your arms off!"
"Rip my arms off," Polyphemus repeated.
"And stuff them down your throat!"
"You got spunk." The giant said, making Naruto smirk.
"Let me down!"
Polyphemus snatched up Grover as if he were a wayward puppy. "Have to graze sheep now.
Wedding postponed until tonight. Then we'll eat satyr for the main course!"
"But ... you're still getting married?" Grover sounded hurt. "Who's the bride?"
Polyphemus looked toward the boiling pot.
Clarisse made a strangled sound. "Oh, no! You can't be serious. I'm not—"
Before Annabeth or I could do anything, Polyphemus plucked her off the rope like she was a ripe apple, and tossed her and Grover deep into the cave. "Make yourself comfortable! I come back at sundown for big event!"
"NO YOU OVER GROWN MORON!" Clarisse screamed. "I won't marry you…EVER! Besides, I wait for a certain blond moron to finally see that being with someone in a tree that might never come out to it is a wasted effort and come to me! So no thanks!"
"Girl in tree?" the giant asked, very confused before he shrugged. "To bad for him then."\
Annabeth and Percy gave Naruto a deadpanned looked, who asked, "What? I know she likes me." That made them blink owlishly. Naruto actually knew that someone liked him! The world must be ending. "She made that clear when she kissed me on the boat….but I made a promise to Thalia to get her out of them tree." Annabeth then shook her head while Percy just blinked stupidly.
Then the Cyclops whistled, and a mixed flock of goats and sheep—smaller than the maneaters— flooded out of the cave and past their master. As they went to pasture, Polyphemus patted some on the back and called them by name—Beltbuster, Tammany, Lockhart, etc.
When the last sheep had waddled out, Polyphemus rolled a boulder in front of the doorway as easily as someone would close a refrigerator door, shutting off the sound of Clarisse and Grover screaming inside.
"Mangos," Polyphemus grumbled to himself. "What are mangos?"
He strolled off down the mountain in his baby-blue groom's outfit, leaving them alone with a pot of boiling water and a six-ton boulder.
XXX
While the three decided on how to get in the cave, Grover was pacing while Clarisse was punching the rock. "That's not going to work, you know?"
"I don't care! I won't be married to that…thing!" Clarisse panicked.
Grover looked at the tough girl and sighed. "You really like Naruto, don't you?"
"Yeah." Clarisse said with a sigh as she went over and plopped down next to the now sitting satyr. "He is an awesome fighter, but I guess that comes with being from the ninja world."
"That can't be the only reason." Grover asked.
"No…it is not." The war girl replied with a smile. "He is a nice guy and doesn't treat me like a crazy bitch. I know I can go overboard with fighting and being abrasive. He treats me like a normal human being and he is a good person to be around." She paused and said, "If you repeat what I have said to ANYONE. I will skin you alive."
"Right…." Grover said nervously while also feeling sorry for Naruto.
XXX
They tried for what seemed like hours, but it was no good. The boulder wouldn't move. They yelled into the cracks, tapped on the rock, did everything they could think of to get a signal to Grover, but if he heard them, they couldn't tell.
Even if by some miracle we managed to kill Polyphemus, it wouldn't do us any good. Hell, if Naruto managed to thrust a Rasengan his eye like he wanted to, Grover and Clarisse would die inside that sealed cave. The only way to move the rock was to have the Cyclops do it.
In total frustration, Percy stabbed Riptide against the boulder. Sparks flew, but nothing else happened. A large rock is not the kind of enemy you can fight with a magic sword. Naruto thought about and used both the normal and Oodama Rasengan, but it only put a good sized dent into the extra-large six ton boulder. "The hell, is this thing protected by magic?" Naruto growled while Annabeth shrugged.
They sat on the ridge in despair and watched the distant baby-blue shape of the Cyclops as he moved among his flocks. He had wisely divided his regular animals from his man-eating sheep, putting each group on either side of the huge crevice that divided the island. The only way across was the rope bridge, and the planks were much too far apart for sheep hooves.
They watched as Polyphemus visited his carnivorous flock on the far side. Unfortunately, they didn't eat him. In fact, they didn't seem to bother him at all. He fed them chunks of mystery meat from a great wicker basket, which only reinforced the feelings Percy had been having since Circe turned he into a guinea pig—that maybe it was time he joined Grover and became a vegetarian. Naruto sighed boredly.
"Trickery," Annabeth decided. "We can't beat him by force, so we'll have to use trickery."
"Okay," Percy said. "What trick?"
"I haven't figured that part out yet." Annabeth shrugged sheepishly.
The boys looked at her with a dead panned expression. "Great."
"Polyphemus will have to move the rock to let the sheep inside." Annabeth explained.
"At sunset." Naruto offered.
"Which is when he'll marry Clarisse and have Grover for dinner. I'm not sure which is grosser." Percy replied, getting a glare for Naruto.
"I could get inside," she said, "invisibly."
"What about us?"
"The sheep." Annabeth replied with a sly smirk. "How much do you two like sheep?"
Naruto looked at her stupidly before a fox like smirk appeared on his face and Annabeth smiled at seeing that he got it. She wanted to use trickery, she was going to get it.
XXX
"Just don't let go!" Annabeth said, standing invisibly some-where off to Percy's right. That was easy for her to say. She wasn't hanging upside down from the belly of a sheep. Naruto, the sheep, to be more exact.
"We never speak of this, got it?" Naruto growled out. Percy just nodded. How Annabeth pushed them into this, they will never understand.
The sun was going down.
No sooner were they in position than the Cyclops roared, "Oy! Goaties! Sheepies!"
The flock dutifully began trudging back up the slopes toward the cave.
"This is it!" Annabeth whispered. "I'll be close by. Don't worry."
As soon as they made it to the entrance of the cave, Polyphemus began to pet his sheep. "Hasenpfeffer!" the Cyclops said, patting one of the sheep in front of me. "Einstein! Widget—eh there, Widget!"
Polyphemus patted Naruto the and nearly knocked Percy to the ground while Naruto's legs buckled under the weight. "Putting on some extra mutton there?"
Uh-oh, Percy thought. Here it comes.
But Polyphemus just laughed and swatted the sheep's rear end, propelling them forward. "Go on, fatty! Soon Polyphemus will eat you for breakfast!"
Naruto silently growled at that. "Who are you calling fatty…"
"Shut up…we are almost in there." Percy hissed and a few seconds later, there made their way in, hoping that Annabeth pulled off her distraction soon before giant idiot closed the door.
XXX
The Cyclops was about to roll the stone back into place, when from somewhere outside Annabeth shouted, "Hello, ugly!"
Polyphemus stiffened. "Who said that?"
"Nobody!" Annabeth yelled.
That got exactly the reaction she'd been hoping for. The monster's face turned red with rage.
"Nobody!" Polyphemus yelled back. "I remember you!"
"You're too stupid to remember anybody," Annabeth taunted. "Much less Nobody."
Percy hoped to the gods she was already moving when she said that, because Polyphemus bellowed furiously, grabbed the nearest boulder (which happened to be his front door) and threw it toward the sound of Annabeth's voice. He heard the rock smash into a thousand fragments. He then smelled something….before he noticed that the sheep he was still clinging to was a real sheep.
Naruto's voice broke out, saying, "Oi! Moron! I am Nobody's friend. I am Somebody!"
"ARGH! So Nobody has brought a friend! I will kill you both!" The giant said before he threw another boulder and obviously missed.
For a terrible moment, there was silence. Then Annabeth shouted, "You haven't learned to throw any better, either!"
Polyphemus howled. "Come here! Let me kill you, Nobody!"
"You can't kill Nobody, you stupid oaf," she taunted. "Come find me!"
"Aw…he is way too slow." Naruto taunted. "You would think after all these years, he would be smarter and could throw better."
"You are right Somebody, this guy is just a stupid Oaf!" Annabeth laughed.
Polyphemus barreled down the hill toward her voice. Now, if you don't know the story behind 'Nobody' them you have never heard of what Odysseus did to the giant Cyclopes. Of course, that was centuries ago….so yeah. Oh and the reason the giant is partially blind is because that man put a giant stick his eye. Fun!
While Annabeth and sheep Naruto messed with the giant's head, Percy got off the real Widget and patted his head, saying sorry for both him and Naruto. He looked toward the two….well they were kind of invisible, what with Annabeth's cap and Naruto's Jutsu. He just hoped they stayed alive long enough for him to find Grover and Clarisse.
The cave was bigger than most would think. It was basically a maze for those who have never been there. So after he ran down corridors littered with bones, past rooms full of sheepskin rugs and life-size cement sheep that he recognized as the work of Medusa. There were collections of sheep T-shirts; large tubs of lanolin cream; and wooly coats, socks, and hats with ram's horns. Finally, he found the spinning room, where Grover was huddled in the corner, trying to cut Clarisse's bonds with a pair of safety scissors.
"It's no good," Clarisse said. "This rope is like iron!"
"Just a few more minutes!"
"Grover," she cried, exasperated. "You've been working at it for hours!" It was then they saw the water boy. "Percy?" Clarisse said. "You're supposed to be blown up!"
"Good to see you, too. Now hold still while I—"
"Perrrrrcy!" Grover bleated and tackled him with a goat-hug. "You heard me! You came!"
"Yeah, buddy," Percy said. "Of course I came."
"Where's Annabeth and Naruto?"
"Outside," Percy said. "But there's no time to talk. Clarisse, hold still."
Percy uncapped Riptide and sliced off her ropes. She stood stiffly, rubbing her wrists. She glared at him for a moment, then looked at the ground and mumbled, "Thanks. So Naruto is ok?"
"Yeah, we found him in a crater at the beach, but he is fine. He is helping Annabeth distract Polyphemus. Oh and your welcome." Percy replied. "Now, was anyone else on board your lifeboat?"
Clarisse looked surprised. "No. Just me, Naruto, and some crazy harpy named Ella. Everybody else aboard the Birmingham ... well, I didn't even know you guys made it out."
Percy looked down, trying not to believe that his last hope of seeing Tyson alive had just been crushed. "Okay. Come on, then. We have to help—"
An explosion echoed through the cave, followed by a scream that told him that they might be too late. It was Annabeth crying out in fear before Naruto yelled in anger.
XXX
And there you all go! This chapter is out and I had fun writing.
Review!