Welcome to the Sea of Monsters
Chapter 15
Now, you all I are prolly wondering what Clarisse looks like after all that last chapter. I think in my first story, I mentioned that she was a lot hotter than in cannon, so to make this all better for you, think Movie Annabeth. She is hot enough.
Percy, wake up."
Salt water was splashed his face as Annabeth shook his shoulder. That water traveled on to wake Clarisse, who upon waking blushed hard. Why? Well they may have been asleep, but their bodies…weren't. She felt a wet spot on her butt….and on her crotch area. She was freaking out a bit on how they would explain that to the others if they saw, but she was inwardly cheering that she could get Naruto off. Ha! Take that tree girl!
Deciding that she needed to wake the idiot blond up, she elbowed him in the ribs. That got the job done, but it had a unforeseen consequence. Yes, Naruto woke up, but it propelled him back a bit that he was about to fall off the sea horse thing. So he grabbed on to the closest thing….which happened to be Clarisse's breasts. She didn't yell out, so that others didn't freak out, but she let out a low pleasure filled growl. She liked that feeling. In a low voice, she said, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were making a few moves on me, what would tree girl say?"
"S-sorry." Naruto freaked as he lost balance and fell off, taking her with them. Luckily, the sea horse things stopped moving as this was as far as they would go to the coast. The surfaces and saw a land mass in the distance.
In the distance, the sun was setting behind a city skyline. They could see a beachside highway lined with palm trees, store-fronts glowing with red and blue neon, a harbor filled with sailboats and cruise ships.
"Miami, I think," Annabeth said. "But the hippocampi are acting funny."
"I asked them to bring us this far for us when you two fell asleep." Naruto stated as he swam up to them.
"This is as far as they'll take us," Percy said. "Too many humans. Too much pollution. We'll have to swim to shore on our own."
"Fine with me." Naruto said as he did a back stroke.
Of course, they were not very psyched about that, but they thanked Rainbow and his friends for the ride. One of them just shied away from Naruto and Clarisse, but the others didn't think of it. Tyson cried a little. He unfastened the makeshift saddle pack he'd made, which contained his tool kit and a couple of other things he'd salvaged from the Birmingham wreck. He hugged Rainbow around the neck, gave him a soggy mango he'd picked up on the island, and said good-bye. Ella patted him on the shoulder before flying back up above them.
Once the hippocampi's white manes disappeared into the sea, they swam for shore. The waves pushed them forward, and in no time they were back in the mortal world. They wandered along the cruise line docks, pushing through crowds of people arriving for vacations. Porters bustled around with carts of luggage. Taxi drivers yelled at each other in Spanish and tried to cut in line for customers. If anybody noticed them—seven kids dripping wet and looking like they'd just had a fight with a monster—they didn't let on.
Now that they were back among mortals, Tyson's single eye had blurred from the Mist. Grover had put on his cap and sneakers. Ella looked like a normal red headed girl with a brown shirt, tan khakis, and some flip flops. Even the Fleece had transformed from a sheepskin to a red and- gold high school letter jacket with a large glittery Omega on the pocket.
Annabeth ran to the nearest newspaper box and checked the date on the Miami Herald. She cursed. "June eighteenth! We've been away from camp ten days!"
"That's impossible!" Clarisse said.
"Great." Naruto sighed. "This is like at the casino in Vegas. Time just seems to hate us and speed up."
"Thalia's tree must be almost dead," Grover wailed. "We have to get the Fleece back tonight."
"Don't say that." Naruto growled. He refused to this that his friend was dead!
Clarisse slumped down on the pavement. "How are we supposed to do that?" Her voice trembled. "We're hundreds of miles away. No money. No ride. This is just like the Oracle said. It's your fault, Jackson! If you hadn't interfered—"
Naruto sighed at that. He knew he should have stopped that, but she just needed to vent, however, why she had to blame Percy was beyond him.
"Percy's fault?" Annabeth exploded. "Clarisse, how can you say that? You are the biggest—"
"Stop it!" Percy said.
Clarisse put her head in hands. Annabeth stomped her foot in frustration. Percy sighed as he remembered that this was not his quest, he just wanted to do things himself and save the camp. Of course, that reminded him of what Ares said to Clarisse down in the boiler room of her old boat. Ares could not careless about that camp, but if someone made him look bad…
"Clarisse," Percy said, "what did the Oracle tell you exactly?"
She looked up. Percy thought she was going to tell me off, but instead she took a deep breath and recited her prophecy with Naruto:
You shall sail the iron ship with warriors of bone,
You shall find what you seek and make it your own,
But despair for your life entombed within stone,
And fail without friends, to fly home.
Know this, the journey will not be easy,
The Son of Death must fight his enemy.
The lost son of Echidna will be revealed.
"Ouch," Grover mumbled.
"Wait, who did you have to fight, Naruto?" Annabeth asked, knowing what the Son of Death comment was about.
Naruto cringed as he revealed Kusanagi to them. "I had to fight an old enemy of mine, Orochimaru."
"WHAT?" Percy shouted while the others had wide eyes….except for Clarisse of course. Ella and Tyson just had confused looks on their faces. "How are you alive? You said he was a sennin level ninja!"
"Yeah, apparently, being in this world weakened him a bit." Naruto said, while also saying that he would tell them about the fight later. Right now, they had to figure out the rest of the prophecy.
Percy then snapped his fingers as he reviewed the prophecy in his head again. "Wait a minute. I've got it." he searched my pockets for money, and found nothing but a golden drachma. "Does anybody have any cash?"
Annabeth and Grover shook their heads morosely. Clarisse pulled a wet Confederate dollar from her pocket and sighed. Naruto thought for a moment and looked for his bank card….only to see it had broken to pieces. "Eh…I have money in my bank account, but…"
"Cash?" Tyson asked hesitantly. "Like ... green paper?"
Percy looked at him. "Yeah."
"Like the kind in duffel bags?"
"Yeah, but we lost those bags days a-g-g—" Percy stuttered to a halt as Tyson rummaged in his saddle pack and pulled out the Ziploc bag full of cash that Hermes had included in their supplies.
"Dang." Naruto chuckled, "Did you guy rob a bank or something?" Of he was joking, but Annabeth smacked the back of his head anyway.
"Tyson!" Percy said, ignoring Naruto comment. "How did you—"
"Thought it was a feed bag for Rainbow," he said. "Found it floating in sea, but only paper inside. Sorry." He handed Percy the cash. Fives and tens, at least three hundred dollars.
Percy ran to the curb and grabbed a taxi that was just letting out a family of cruise passengers.
"Clarisse, Naruto," Percy yelled. "Come on. You're going to the airport. Annabeth, give her the Fleece."
They all looked at him in shock as the water boy took the Fleece letter jacket from Annabeth, tucked the cash into its pocket, and put it in Clarisse's arms.
Clarisse said, "You'd let me—"
"It's your quest," I said. "We only have enough money for one flight. Besides, I can't travel by air. Zeus would blast me into a million pieces. That's what the prophecy meant: you'd fail without friends, meaning you'd need our help, but you'd have to fly home alone with Naruto. You have to get the Fleece back safely."
Percy could see her mind working—suspicious at first, wondering what trick the water boy was playing, and then finally deciding he meant what he said.
She jumped in the cab. "You can count on me. I won't fail."
"Not failing would be good." Percy said before looked to Naruto who had a smile on his face as he patted his shoulder.
"You did good man, you sure you can make it back on your own?" The blond son of death asked.
Percy chuckled. "Hey, I did it before, I am sure I can do it again."
"Alright, but just be careful for me, alright? Oh and make sure Annabeth doesn't get hurt again, will you?"
"You can count on me." Percy said as the two shook hands.
"See you at camp." Naruto said before he hopped in the cab with Clarisse.
The cab peeled out in a cloud of exhaust. The Fleece was on its way. As they were riding in the cab, Naruto sighed. "I just hope that can take care of him."
"Who?" Clarisse asked.
"Luke."
"What! He is back there?"
"Yeah."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"We would have been late getting the Fleece back and I am sure Percy can handle that creep on his own. Besides, he needs to learn that am not always going to be around to protect him."
"You better hope you're right about that or a lot of people are going to be mad at you." Clarisse sighed.
"I know." Naruto groaned and he saw in the rear view mirror that Percy and the other were captured, but they were already too far away to help.
XXX
"Percy," Annabeth said, "that was so—"
"Generous?" Grover offered.
"Insane," Annabeth corrected. "You're betting the lives of everybody at camp that Clarisse will get the Fleece safely back by tonight?"
"It's her quest," Percy said. "She deserves a chance."
"Percy is nice," Tyson said.
"Yep! He's good in my books!" Ella said happily.
"Percy is too nice," Annabeth grumbled, but he couldn't help thinking that maybe, just maybe, she was a little impressed. He'd surprised her, anyway. And that wasn't easy to do.
"Come on," Percy told his friends. "Let's find another way home." That's when he turned and found a sword's point at his throat.
"Hey, cuz," said Luke. "Welcome back to the States." His bear-man thugs appeared on either of side of them. One grabbed Annabeth and Grover by their T-shirt collars. The other tried to grab Tyson and Ella, but Tyson knocked him into a pile of luggage and roared at Luke. Ella simply glared, waiting for anything.
"Percy," Luke said calmly, "Tell your giant and harpy to back down or I'll have Oreius bash your friends' heads together."
Oreius grinned and raised Annabeth and Grover off the ground, kicking and screaming.
"What do you want, Luke?" Percy growled.
Luke smiled, the scar rippling on the side of his face. He gestured toward the end of the dock, and Percy noticed what should've been obvious. The biggest boat in port was the Princess Andromeda. "Why, Percy," Luke said, "I want to extend my hospitality, of course."
XXX
The bear twins herded Percy's group aboard the Princess Andromeda. They threw them down on the aft deck in front of a swimming pool with sparkling fountains that sprayed into the air. A dozen of Luke's assorted goons—snake people, Laistrygonians, demigods in battle armor—had gathered to watch them get some "hospitality."
"And so, the Fleece," Luke mused. "Where is it?" He looked the small group over, prodding Percy's shirt with the tip of his sword, poking Grover's jeans.
"Hey!" Grover yelled. "That's real goat fur under there!"
"Sorry, old friend." Luke smiled. "Just give me the Fleece and I'll leave you to return to your, ah, little nature quest."
"Blaa-ha-ha!" Grover protested. "Some old friend!"
"Maybe you didn't hear me." Luke's voice was dangerously calm. "Where—is—the— Fleece?"
"Not here," Percy said. He probably shouldn't have told him anything, but it felt good to throw the truth in his face. "We sent it on ahead of us. You messed up."
Luke's eyes narrowed. "You're lying. You couldn't have ..." His face reddened as a horrible possibility occurred to him. "Clarisse?"
Percy nodded.
"You trusted ... you gave ..."
"Yeah. And Naruto is with her."
"Agrius!" Luke shouted in anger, but he did have a pale face whaen her heard Naruto's name.
The bear giant flinched. "Y-yes?"
"Get below and prepare my steed. Bring it to the deck. I need to fly to the Miami Airport, fast.'"
"But, boss—"
"Do it!" Luke screamed. "Or I'll feed you to the drakon!"
The bear-man gulped and lumbered down the stairs. Luke paced in front of the swimming pool, cursing in Ancient Greek, gripping his sword so tight his knuckles turned white. The rest of Luke's crew looked uneasy. Maybe they'd never seen their boss so unhinged before.
Percy started thinking ... If he could use Luke's anger, get him to talk so everybody could hear how crazy his plans were ...
He looked at the swimming pool, at the fountains spraying mist into the air, making a rainbow in the sunset. And suddenly the water boy had an idea.
"You've been toying with us all along," Percy said. "You wanted us to bring you the Fleece and save you the trouble of getting it."
Luke scowled. "Of course, you idiot! And you and that idiot blond from the ninja world have messed everything up!"
"Traitor!" Percy dug his last gold drachma out of his pocket and threw it at Luke. As he expected, Luke dodged it easily.
The coin sailed into the spray of rainbow-colored water. Percy hoped his prayer would be accepted in silence. He thought with all his heart: O goddess, accept my offering.
"You tricked all of us!" Percy yelled at Luke. "Even DIONYSUS at CAMP HALF-BLOOD!" Behind Luke, the fountain began to shimmer, but he needed everyone's attention on him, so Percy uncapped Riptide.
Luke just sneered. "This is no time for heroics, Percy. Drop your puny little sword, or I'll have you killed sooner rather than later."
"Who poisoned Thalia's tree, Luke?"
"I did, of course," he snarled. "I already told you that. I used elder python venom, straight from the depths of Tartarus. And you know, I am so glad that you sent Naruto with Clarisse. Otherwise, if he actually heard me, I would not be alive right now." Hey, Luke was nuts, but even he didn't think he could beat the blond ninja in a fair fight.
"Chiron had nothing to do with it?" Percy asked while smirking at what Luke said about Naruto. He knew that was true as well.
"Ha! You know he would never do that. The old fool wouldn't have the guts." Luke laughed.
"You call it guts? Betraying your friends? Endangering the whole camp?" Percy glared at his old friend. This was starting to sound like Naruto's story between him and that Sasuke character.
Luke raised his sword. "You don't understand the half of it. I was going to let you take the
Fleece ... once I was done with it."
That made Percy hesitate. Why would Luke let him take the Fleece? He must've been lying. But he couldn't afford to lose Luke's attention. "You were going to heal Kronos," Percy said.
"Yes! The Fleece's magic would've sped his mending process by tenfold. But you haven't stopped us, Percy. You've only slowed us down a little."
"And so you poisoned the tree, you betrayed Thalia, you set us up—all to help Kronos destroy the gods."
Luke gritted his teeth. "You know that! Why do you keep asking me?"
"Because I want everybody in the audience to hear you."
"What audience?"
Then his eyes narrowed. He looked behind him and his goons did the same. They gasped and stumbled back.
Above the pool, shimmering in the rainbow mist, was an Iris-message vision of Dionysus,
Tantalus, and the whole camp in the dining pavilion. They sat in stunned silence, watching them.
"Well," said Dionysus dryly, "some unplanned dinner entertainment." Then he smirked. "My, I can see that Naruto's prankster side has gotten to you. Clever."
"Mr. D, you heard him," Percy said, inwardly smiling."You all heard Luke. The poisoning of the tree wasn't Chiron's fault."
Mr. D sighed. "I suppose not."
"The Iris-message could be a trick," Tantalus suggested, but his attention was mostly on his cheeseburger, which he was trying to corner with both hands.
"I fear not," Mr. D said, looking with distaste at Tantalus. "It appears I shall have to reinstate Chiron as activities director. I suppose I do miss the old horse's pinochle games."
Tantalus grabbed the cheeseburger. It didn't bolt away from him. He lifted it from the plate and stared at it in amazement, as if it were the largest diamond in the world. "I got it!" he cackled.
"We are no longer in need of your services, Tantalus," Mr. D announced.
Tantalus looked stunned. "What? But—"
"You may return to the Underworld. You are dismissed. "Oh and I really think that Kushina is going to have fn with you now that you know her son."
"No! But—Nooooooooooo!" Tantalus shouted in horror. He could not believe that the blond brat was Kushina's son! He was screwed even worse now!
As he dissolved into mist, his fingers clutched at the cheeseburger, trying to bring it to his mouth. But it was too late. He disappeared and the cheeseburger fell back onto its plate. The campers exploded into cheering.
Luke bellowed with rage. He slashed his sword through the fountain and the Iris-message dissolved, but the deed was done.
Percy was feeling pretty good about himself, until Luke turned and gave him a murderous look.
"Kronos was right, Percy. You're an unreliable weapon. You need to be replaced."
Perc wasn't sure what he meant, but the water boy didn't have time to think about it. One of Luke's men blew a brass whistle, and the deck doors flew open. A dozen more warriors poured out, making a circle around the group, the brass tips of their spears bristling.
Luke smiled at Percy. "You'll never leave this boat alive."
XXX
As Naruto and Clarisse were boarding the plane, his female companion stopped. "Wait a second. Won't Zeus shoot us down since you a son of the underworld?"
Naruto chuckled. "He won't if he knows what's good for his daughter. He should know i am doing this for her."
Clarisse smile sadly at that as the boarded. That was right. He was doing this quest with her…to help Tree Girl.
Naruto, not noticing her expression, saw someone he recognized. "Hey, I'll be over in a second." He said to his female companion. She looked to where he was going, only to see someone in a suit. She shrugged and sat down.
Naruto smiled and said, "Well, nice to see you again…Aether." This was Aether, the old upper sky god. Of course, the two had to sit down real quick because the plane was taking off.
Aether smiled. "Yes it is good to see you again, little brother. Now Zeus was ready to blast you out of the sky, but it seemed that your words reached him. Of course, I am here just in case."
"Good to know." Naruto said with a smile as he then caught sight of his partner. This quest made him think…a lot. He knew he liked Thalia, but at this point, it was impossible for them to be truly together, something she said to him once. Then there was Clarisse, who he was good friends with and…she really liked him. He…just didn't know what to do!
Aether looked at the scene and sighed. "I may not be able help you with this decision, but my brother can."
"Oh?" Naruto asked. "Which one?"
"That would be me." A voice said from the isle. Naruto looked to see a shaggy black haired man in casual clothes, but his face was serious. "I am Epiphron, Spirit of prudence, shrewdness, thoughtfulness, carefulness and sagacity."
"So…what's your advice?" Naruto asked.
"Well." The man said uncomfortably. "To be honest, I am not an expert in the love department, but I guess all I can say is that you must do what your heart tells you to do." As he said that, he .put a hand on Naruto's shoulder and boy glowed for a moment before they disappeared.
Naruto sighed before he got up and sat next to his partner in crime. She looked nervous. 'What's up?"
"I…don't like flying." Clarisse said weakly.
Naruto decided to do a leap of faith and put his hand on her shaking hand. That seemed to calm her down as she gave off a smile. "Hey…Clarisse."
"Yes?"
"Do you really like me like that?" Naruto asked.
Clarisse had a blush on her face and smile. "Yeah. You treat me like a normal person. You accept that I am an awesome fighter and a girl. You're my best friend."
Naruto smiled at that with a blush of his own. "I…just don't know what to do. I like you…a lot, but I also like Thalia. I just don't know how to free her."
Clarisse smiled. "You are just a good person….a little confusing for a ninja, but a good guy none the less. We'll figure it out later." She said before she leaned over and kissed him on the lips in passion before she broke it and lean her head on his shoulder. She then fell asleep for the rest of the trip.
XXX
And there we go. I hope you all liked that.
Review please