The story so far: Naruto, now Homura Shinobu, fights to protect four teens despite limited chakra. She later causes chaos at Camp Half-Blood. Luke observes a spar involving Shinobu, sparking his curiosity. Annabeth teaches Shinobu chess, who alters the rules to engage Annabeth, leading to a lesson about misinterpretation with Chiron's guidance.

Thalia

As night falls, Thalia goes back to her cabin feeling tired from the day's activities. Annabeth joins her and expresses concern about Thalia's well-being. Thalia's heart twinges at the evident worry on Annabeth's face. The two friends talk about Annabeth's day, especially her afternoon with Shinobu. It seems the intriguing blonde has captured Annabeth's interest as well.

When the sun rises on the next day, Thalia dashes Annabeth's hopes for a rematch with Shinobu.

Thalia needs to have a one-on-one spar with Shinobu. She ignores Annabeth's protests and insistence on having a rematch. As much as Thalia loves spending time with Annabeth, watching chess is not on her to-do list.

She chooses a time when Luke is on patrol to challenge Shinobu. She didn't want to risk having him insist on taking her on first.

On the agreed-upon day, Annabeth and Grover go with Thalia to the arena. The atmosphere somehow crackles with energy despite having only two audience members. Thalia smiles. If nothing else, the spar should be a fun bonding experience for them.

Thalia also promised Grover and Annabeth that she would spend time with them after the spar. Grover needs the practice, though they'll have limited time. Grover will need to meet with the 'Council of Grouchy Old Goats' later. After he leaves, she'll assist Annabeth with her dagger training. She hopes these joyous few moments with her friends would give her fuel that will last until sundown. She is not looking forward to the rest of her day.

Lost in contemplation, Thalia gazes across the arena. She considers the wisdom of having some backup on hand for the upcoming spar. The soft breeze rustles the leaves on the surrounding trees as she weighs the options. She knows she can rely on Annabeth's nimble hands and Grover's loyal presence in case of any injuries. It'll be a short spar, but Thalia can dish out a lot of damage in a short time. This spar won't be some casual child's play with toy swords either; Thalia wants this to be a serious match. Her armour clinks as she moves, clad in her full gear and ready for the challenge ahead. She grips her collapsible spear. The anticipation of the fight courses through her veins. For now, she keeps her metal bracelet, Aegis, unsummoned, awaiting its moment to shine.

Thalia frowns when she notices that Shinobu seems oblivious to her intentions. The enigmatic blonde bounces on her feet, devoid of any armour. Shinobu brandishes a pair of short wooden swords with a carefree attitude.

"Hey, birdbrain! Suit up already so I can pound you to cow chow!" Thalia taunts.

Grover tries to mediate. He stammers, "Uhm, Thalia, sh-she doesn't speak English, re-remember?" The sound of his voice is timid, almost drowned out despite the empty arena. Thalia's fierce glare causes him to shrink back in his seat, emitting a small bleat of discomfort.

Damn, she acknowledges that she is too intense as of late. She'll apologize later. He is right. She decides to take a different approach to communication.

Thalia points to her weapon and armour. She feels silly pantomiming but it's important. Shinobu needs to know this is no ordinary spar.

"Wao, sono yoroi, kakkoii ne! Demo hontou ni subarashii no wa kimi no orenji no shatsu da yo. Ima iteru no mo daisuki nanda. Chotto boku ni wa ookisugiru kedo," says Shinobu as she points to her camp attire. "Kyou wa watashi no supaaringu paatonaa o shite kurete arigatou. Korera no katana wa honrai kore ni wa tekishite inai nda." Shinobu gestures to her wooden weapons. "Soredemo, kono atarashii sutairu o tamesu no ga tanoshimi de tamaranain da. Kore ga ichiban karui katana da. Kimi no tana ni aru katana wa hoshii mono ni wa omosugiru. Obaasuingu shite kimi o kizutsukeru wake ni wa ikanai kara ne. Saa, shiai o hajimeyou!"

Was she saying that she could take her on with a handicap? Thalia roars, "Fine! It's your funeral!" Her voice resonates with defiance, a challenge that echoes through the arena. She then beckons with her hands and says, "Come get yours!" Thalia doesn't usually resort to taunts, as she prefers to charge into a fight and end the match in one blow. She knows better. As pissed off as she was, she didn't want to hurt Shinobu.

Not again.

A memory flashes, of the crack of thunder, and the scent of charred flesh.

Shinobu raises an arched eyebrow. She then copies Thalia's beckoning gesture and provokes her to attack. "A, gomen nasai. Saisho ni kougeki shite moratte mo ii? Kono sutairu wa hangeki o kihon to shite iru nda."

The air crackles with anticipation as Thalia's patience wears thin. With a resounding battle cry, she charges towards her opponent. The ground beneath their feet trembles with the force of Thalia's determination.

Right before Thalia reaches Shinobu, Thalia's bracelet expands into a large round shield. The shield, Aegis, emanates an aura of horror to all that sees it. She attempts to bash Shinobu with it while it freezes her in fear.

To her surprise, Shinobu evades Thalia's powerful bash to her left. Rather than frozen in fear, Shinobu moves with the grace of a dancer. Like a striking serpent, she aims a precise stab at Thalia's right arm. It strikes a spot that isn't protected by armour.

Gritting her teeth, Thalia refuses to cry out, determination etched across her features. She turns with her spear to counter Shinobu's move, attempting to regain the upper hand.

The clash of metal against wood echoes through the arena. Gasps erupt from Annabel and Grover.

Chiron's voice cuts through the moment, "An interesting plan by Miss Grace."

When did Chiron get here?

"It appears Miss Grace hoped to surprise her opponent with its sudden appearance. Her copy of Aegis' fear-inducing aura would also exacerbate the opening."

"Yeah, I can still feel Aegis here even though we're so far away," says Annabeth.

"Thus we can make a few conclusions. Either the shield's effects don't affect Miss Himura or it doesn't hinder her."

Thalia tuned out the rest of Chiron's explanation. She didn't want to hear how her plan backfired on her. Shinobu didn't react as expected and instead capitalized on Thalia's opening.

Thalia rotated her shoulder and winced. No broken bones, but the throbbing pain made her shield heavy.

"Aa, kougeki shinai no? Maa, kouhei da yo ne. Boku mo hangeki o tamesu koto ga dekita kara, kondo wa kimi no ban da. Ganbatte oitsuite mite!"

In an instant, Shinobu barrages her with relentless strikes with her wooden sword. The sounds of wood striking metal were deafening to Thalia. Her shield's large size made blocking easy, but each blow thundered against her. Her bruised muscle screamed in agony. It took her a moment, and some eavesdropping on Chiron to recognize another fact. The Medusa imprint which was an asset in creating fear, was now a liability. The deep grooves of the shield's design prevented the strikes from sliding off. More of Shinobu's force transfers to the shield, and thus transfers more force to Thalia's arm.

Shinobu's attacks come at her from all angles, forcing her to pivot and react with swift movements. The large size of the shield was another strength has become a burden. The weight made the shield more painful to move. Thalia's spear remains unused, as she cannot find the opportunity to retaliate. Thalia attempts a less-than-optimal strike, the best opportunity she has found. It was pointless. Shinobu uses her agility to parry with one sword and counterattacks with the other.

All the effort rewarded Thalia was a bruised write on her spear arm.

Feeling cornered, Thalia's desperation takes over. She channels her electric powers to the shield's surface.

She overhears Chiron. He says, "I've heard of Thalia's recent reluctance to put her electrokinesis to use. Although, right now, it is a poor decision on her part."

Her ears burn with shame. She didn't think she had been that obvious with her reluctance. Her embarrassment doesn't last as realization supersedes it. It strikes her like a bolt of lightning - wooden swords are poor conductors. Thalia wonders if Shinobu chose wooden swords to counter her. Shinobu has been a victim of her lightning - even if it was accidental.

Thalia observes Shinobu's movements. Her skill with the double swords isn't the main concern, she analyzes, it's her movements. Shinobu makes occasional swings at Thalia's legs, but they were easy to evade. A simple back step was all it took. The low angle of leg strikes shortens a blade's horizontal reach. Shinobu was making a beginner-level mistake, which was odd since she moves so well otherwise.

She hears Annabeth say, "She sometimes fails to capitalize on certain openings. This is strange as she is quite quick to take advantage of others."

Thalia agrees with that assessment in her mind. In some ways, she was jealous of Annabeth. Chiron seems to be in lecture mode. Unlike Annabeth, Thalia didn't always enjoy it when Chiron fell into them. The exception was when he talked about fighting. They were always insightful, and it sounds like she's missing out on a good one right now.

Chiron's casual words, "Shinobu may favour smaller blades like daggers," is one example. It is not a conclusion Thalia could infer on her own.

It does explain Shinobu not utilizing the full length of her swords when she's otherwise so good.

With a deep breath, Thalia grinds her teeth against the pain to make her move. With every ounce of her strength, Thalia swings her shield and forces Shinobu away. At the same moment, she repositions her spear. She keeps the spear pointed at Shinobu as she collapses her shield into a bracelet.

Despite her injury, Thalia remains determined. "Spears, like mine," she muses, "excel in open fields." It was something reinforced in her spars against Luke's swordsmanship. Spears had longer range, greater versatility, and superior leverage. If she can't use her shield, she'll have to rely on her spear.

As Thalia feels her confidence return. This was a classic spear versus sword match-up but with an even better advantage for the spear. Unlike most spears, hers has no wood for swords to wittle over time. Shinobu's wooden swords are not in the league to even scratch her Celestial Bronze spear. Her electrokinesis makes grabbing her weapon a bad choice.

Emboldened by her realization, a smirk plays on Thalia's lips. She decides to seize the advantage before Shinobu can adjust to the change. Her first thrust is slow, probing. She won't underestimate Shinobu again.

As expected, Shinobu evades the initial attack with ease. The next three attacks are the same. Once she has a better feel for Shinobu's speed, Thalia speeds up. She grins at being able to show off her spear mastery.

In the back of her mind, this reminds her that Annabeth might fall into the same predicament as Shinobu. Annabeth favoured daggers. She should recommend another weapon as a primary, and have the daggers as backup. Though she suspects Chiron is already ahead of her in giving out this advice.

Thalia's confidence further swells as she pushes Shinobu back. She almost forgets the lingering pain in her left arm and right wrist. Still, Thalia isn't about to get carried away.

Thalia recalls past spars with Luke. He was a bag of tricks himself and he was quick to turn her overconfidence into a trap. She knows better now, recognizing the importance of restraint and patience in combat.

The pace of this match suits her fine. She'll win the slow and steady way.

Thalia can't deny she's enjoying this fight. She must admit, part of her reason for this spar was to vent. Realizing that now made her feel a bit guilty. It was the kind of thing she hated the gods for. They dish out their wrath on innocent people.

It's not Shinobu's fault. Half the girls at the camp think well of him and she knows that won't slow down but grow. Luke is handsome when he isn't brooding – many would argue he was handsome then as well. He also doesn't brood much outside his three, now four, friends. Heck, Annabeth might be developing a crush on her supposed brother figure. Overblown admiration, Thalia tells herself. A first crush was nothing but puppy love, too innocent to concern herself over.

Amidst her contemplation, Thalia's instincts remain sharp. She dodges a wooden sword that comes hurtling towards her. It was a bad projectile. The wood is too light and unbalanced compared to a real sword. With unwavering focus, Thalia keeps her spear pointed at Shinobu. Even if it was a poor attempt at a distraction, it is best to ensure the blonde can't capitalize on it.

"Sugoi ne! Kimi, ii kanji da yo! Ore no ken no sutairu wa chotto arai kamoshirenai kedo, nantoka naru sa. Motto kihon o masutaa suru made wa kore ijou susumenai na. Demo, nandaka tanoshii na. Kimi mo atarashii sutairu o tanoshinda hou ga ii yo!" says Shinobu. "Sore ni, dou darou? Betsu no sutairu, tamesasete kurenai?"

To Thalia's surprise, Shinobu unarms herself, holstering the wooden sword in her pants. At first, Thalia assumes that Shinobu is surrendering. Her curiosity piques when the blonde proceeds to remove her sandals one by one. In an unexpected move, Shinobu ends up with a sandal clutched in each hand, ready to fight.

Thalia's wariness heightens as she contemplates the purpose of Shinobu's improvised handwear. They'll protect her hands from her spear, but the swords would be better with their longer reach.

"Chinami ni, kimi wa ken ga doko ni itta ka oboeteru kana? Kore tte shinobi no taisetsu na ressun da yo, mawari o ishiki suru koto. Chotto karuku renshuu sasete kureta o-rei ni, oshiete ageru yo!" says Shinobu.

Determination etched on her face, Shinobu settles into a stance. Her left side is forward, her left hand at shoulder height, and her right hand low at stomach level. Unknown to Thalia, it's the same stance she used during her first encounter with Cabin 6 members.

Thalia notices a few micro-adjustments Shinobu makes. Thalia guesses she's still fine-tuning the details. She lets Shinobu finish. This is a spar. She also considered this as a small apology to Shinobu. It doesn't take long before Shinobu rushes forward.

Thalia barrages Shinobu with swings and thrusts to keep her at bay. To her surprise, Shinobu isn't backing down. Shinobu dodges most of Thalia's attacks and parries the ones she can't evade.

Despite her best efforts, Thalia finds herself forced backwards by Shinobu's relentless advance. The blonde's zigzag movements demand quick adjustments, keeping Thalia on her toes. Her mind races, attempting to make sense of Shinobu's unorthodox approach when.

It all happens in an instant. One of Thalia's steps backward falls onto the wooden sword Shinobu threw earlier. She slips. Not by much.

The opening is minuscule. The slip moves her foot an inch to the right.

Thalia's reflex has her pull her spear back in time to swat away a projectile footwear hurtling at her. It's too late when her mind catches up and realizes she made the tiny opening a little bigger. Shinobu pushes the swung spear with her sandaled hand, adding to its momentum. Now overswung, Thalia is defenceless against Shinobu's sword aimed at her head. When did the girl draw it?

Instinct takes over as Thalia's charm expands into her copy of Aegis. Thalia is already on the ground, her back aching with the fall before she realizes what had happened.

Shinobu is now sitting on her waist. Thalia's heart pounds in her chest as she feels two soft taps at the side of her neck. Shinobu landed a simulated killing blow.

"You used my shield as cover!" When Thalia's shield expanded to protect her, it also blocked her own view. It left her open to a leg sweep, and now she was under the girl defeated.

Shinobu is already off of her, standing up and extending a hand to help Thalia up. Part of Thalia is mad at the loss, feeling a surge of determination to win the next time they face off. But she isn't so petty that she'll reject the hand offered to her in good sportsmanship.

*Zap*

Thalia laughs at Shinobu's yelp. Okay, she's a little petty. But a zap on the hand never killed anyone. She'll blame that on hanging out too much with Luke. He may not like his father, but he is like his brothers in many ways, and mischief is one of them.

As the brief moment of amusement fades, Thalia realizes she's taking this loss well. She's self-aware enough to know she can be a sore loser at times. Her amusement returns when the Shinobu pulls down her eyelid and gives her a raspberry. That amusement grows into full-blown laughter when Shinobu gives a childish pout.

She had forgotten. When was the last time she laughed?

The rhythmic sound of hooves approaching from behind interrupts her thoughts. Turning around, she faces Chiron. Her good mood drains when she notices the time. She doesn't even register Annabeth's running hug.

Thalia had hoped for some rest and relaxation after the intense spar. That expectation assumed that she'd get a quick victory. The match turned out to be more challenging than anticipated.

"Ms Grace," says Chiron. He does not need to say more.

Thalia knows what this means – it's time for the Senior Council meeting.