CH9 : The Power Unleashed

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Percy Jackson & the Olympians or any related Movies.

"Naruto" Speech.

'Naruto" Thought.

"Katon" Jutsu/Technique/Demon talking.

After Percy recovered from his shock, he ran over to Chiron alongside Naruto. They began their tour of the camp. They passed by the volleyball pit, where several campers nudged each other. One of them pointed at the Minotaur horn that Naruto was holding and said, "It's them." Naruto chuckled at the tree-binding thing they were talking about, and Percy looked at Naruto with a deadpan expression. "Really, tree binding?"

Naruto smirked. "It's better than snake binding, isn't it?" he said darkly, causing Percy to shudder and look away from him. As they walked, they saw everyone engaging in activities, with satyrs joining them in their activities wearing Orange Camp Half-Blood shirts and nothing else.

"Hey," Percy said, pointing at the four-story Big House they had just left. "What's up there?"

Chiron looked at Percy's pointing and his smile faded. Naruto raised a brow. "Just the attic."

"Somebody lives there?"

"Nobody," he said with finality. "Not a single living thing." Naruto was curious; the way Chiron said it made it seem like someone was up there, but he refused to acknowledge their presence. Only Percy saw the curtains move.

"Come along, boys," Chiron said, his lighthearted tone now forced. "Lots to see." They walked through the strawberry field where campers were picking bushels of berries, while satyrs played a tune on reed pipes. Listening to Chiron, they learned that these strawberries helped pay for the camp's expenses.

"Grover won't get into too much trouble, will he?" Percy asked. "I mean... he was a good protector, really."

Chiron sighed, shedding his tweed jacket and draping it over his horse-like saddle. "Grover has big dreams, Percy, perhaps bigger than is reasonable. To reach his goals, he must demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a Keeper, finding a new camper, and bringing them safely to Camp Half-Blood."

"But he did that," Percy exclaimed.

"I might agree with you," Chiron said, "but it's not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Grover lost you two in New York, and the fact that Grover was unconscious when Naruto brought him onto the property line, the Council might question whether this shows courage on Grover's part."

"Will he get a second chance?" Percy asked.

Chiron winced. "I'm afraid that was Grover's second chance, Percy. The Council was not eager to give him another, especially after what happened the first time, five years ago. Olympus knows I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age."

"How old is he?"

"Oh, twenty-eight."

"What? And he's in sixth grade?"

"Satyrs mature half as fast as humans, Percy. Grover has been equivalent to a middle school student for the past six years."

"That's horrible," Percy said, while Naruto felt pity for his friend.

"Quiet," Chiron said. "At any rate, Grover is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at woodland magic. Alas, he was anxious to pursue his dream. Perhaps now he will find another career."

"That's not fair," Percy said. "What happened the first time? Was it really so bad?"

Chiron looked away quickly. "Let's move along, shall we?" Percy wasn't convinced but didn't want to anger Chiron.

"Chiron," Percy said, "if the gods and Olympus and all that are real…"

"Yes, child?"

"Does that mean the Underworld is real too?"

Chiron's expression visibly darkened. "Yes, child," he paused as if choosing his words carefully. "There is a place where spirits go after death. But for now... until we know more... I would urge you to put that out of your mind."

"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?"

"Come, Percy, let's go see the woods." They reached the edge of the forest. Once they saw it, they realized the forest was huge, taking up at least a quarter of the valley, with tall and thick trees.

Naruto smiled happily at the scene. "I guess this is my third home." Percy looked at Naruto and patted his shoulder. Naruto had told him about Konoha many times before, and Percy wondered if one day he could visit Naruto's birthplace.

Chiron said to them, "The woods are stocked if you care to try your luck. But go armed."

"Stocked with what?" Percy asked, now a little freaked out. "Armed with what?"

"You see, Capture the Flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?"

"My own—"

"No," Chiron said. "I don't suppose you do. I think a size five will do. I will visit the armory later."

"Sword and spear fight?" Percy asked.

"Cabin challenges and all that," he explained. "Non-lethal, usually. Oh yes, and there's the mess hall." Chiron pointed to an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea, with dozens of stone picnic tables but no roof or walls.

"I'm hungry now," Naruto said, his stomach letting out a beastly roar, making Percy jump at the sound, and Chiron chuckled.

Finally, they reached the cabins that Naruto had seen earlier. The collection of twelve cabins was very odd to Percy. In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined fire pit, and Naruto saw his aunt tending to the flame, poking the coals with a stick. She noticed his gaze and smiled warmly at him, causing him to smile back.

Percy looked at the huge mausoleum-like cabins at the bend of the U and instantly knew who they were for. "Zeus and Hera?"

"Correct," Chiron said.

"Their cabins appear empty," Percy observed.

"Several of the cabins are indeed unoccupied, but no one ever stays in those two,"

Chiron explained, which made Naruto smirk. "Oh, if only you knew, Chiron," he mused.

Percy seemed to be fixated on Cabin 3, Poseidon's cabin. It was low, long, and solid, with all its windows facing the sea. The outer walls were rough gray stone adorned with pieces of seashell and coral, resembling the ocean floor. Curious, Percy tried to sneak a peek inside.

Chiron cautioned, "Oh, I wouldn't do that." But Percy was already inside. Poseidon's cabin was just as described earlier, and Percy's curiosity got the best of him.

"C'mon, Percy," he said as he led them away from the cabin.

"Hey, where are all the other centaurs?" Percy asked.

Chiron sadly replied, "My kinsmen are wild and barbaric folks. You might encounter them in the wilderness or at major sporting events, but you won't see them here."

"You said your name was Chiron," Percy inquired, "Are you really the Chiron from the stories?"

The man smiled down at the boy. "The Chiron from the stories? The trainer of Hercules and all that? Yes, Percy, I am."

"But shouldn't you be dead?" Percy questioned.

Chiron paused, as if intrigued by the question. "I honestly don't know if I should be. The truth is, I can't be dead. You see, eons ago, the gods granted my wish to continue the work I loved, to be a teacher of heroes as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from that wish... and I gave up much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume I am still needed."

"Oh, look," he said, changing the subject. "Annabeth is waiting for us."

When they reached the blonde girl, they were at Cabin Eleven. She was reading a book in Greek, about Greek architecture.

"Annabeth," Chiron said, "I have archery class at noon. Would you take these two from here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Cabin Eleven," Chiron told them, gesturing toward the doorway. "Make yourselves at home."

Out of all the cabins, Cabin Eleven was the oldest and appeared the most worn due to its former use as a home for all unclaimed demigods and the children of minor gods. Its dull brown paint was chipped, and a caduceus hung over the door.

Looking inside, Naruto couldn't help but sweatdrop at the sight. It was even more crowded than the other cabins. There weren't enough beds, and campers were sleeping on the floor with sleeping bags. Naruto thought, 'I might have to talk to Tou-chan about this, or better yet, I have a better idea.' They all seemed to be in good spirits. When they saw Chiron, they stood and bowed to the man. Sally emerged from the group and hugged Percy.

"Oh, Percy, I'm glad you're okay," she said, relief and happiness evident in her voice. Percy blushed from embarrassment at his mother's affectionate gesture, but he smiled nonetheless, relieved that his mother was okay.

"Hey, Mom," he said as Sally released him and held Percy's hand. Naruto smiled at the scene.

"Well, then," Chiron said, "good luck, Percy. I'll see you at dinner." He then galloped toward the archery field.

Turning to the group behind them, they saw all of them seemed to be sizing them up. Percy walked forward and fell face-first to the floor. Sally helped her son, and there were snickers all around. Naruto just walked forward as if nothing had happened.

Annabeth announced, "Percy Jackson and Naruto Uzumaki, meet Cabin Eleven."

"Regular or undetermined?" somebody asked.

"Undetermined," Naruto said bluntly, making them groan in annoyance.

A guy who was older than the rest came forward. "Now, now, that's what we're here for. Welcome, Naruto and Percy. You can have that spot right over there; it's pretty big, so it will fit the two of you for now." He was about nineteen, tall and muscular with short-cropped hair and a friendly smile, though Naruto noticed that his smile didn't reach his eyes, a sign that it might be fake. He narrowed his eyes as he picked up on some resentment and hate from the guy. He decided to keep a close eye on him.

"This is Luke," Annabeth said. Her voice sounded different somehow. They looked at her and saw that she was blushing. Naruto shook his head sadly; it was the same during his time with Team 7. Sakura had a crush on Sasuke, who ended up betraying the village and never returned her affections. He hoped history wouldn't repeat itself.

"He's your counselor for now," she said.

"For now?" Percy asked.

"You're undetermined," Luke explained patiently. "They don't know which cabin to put you in, so you're here, in Cabin Eleven. Welcome, all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Our patron, Hermes, is the god of travelers."

"Heh, the god of thieves... Let's see who the greatest thief is," Naruto said challengingly, making all the Hermes campers narrow their eyes at them. Only Luke challenged him back.

"Are you sure, Naruto? Some of us are experts at stealing," he said with a smirk.

Naruto only smirked back at him. "Sure, bring it on." He decided to give Luke his wallet,

watch, and money back. "Here you go, man."

Luke widened his eyes. "What... when?" he said in shock, while everyone except Percy widened their eyes.

Naruto winked at them, making the girls, including Annabeth, blush. "I'm a shinobi, Luke, a ninja. We're thieves among thieves, assassins in the shadows. You won't know what hit you before it's too late," he said, grinning darkly. Several guys shivered, and the girls blushed, except for Sally.

"Anyway," Percy interrupted, already used to Naruto's antics, "how long will we be here?"

"Good question," Luke said after he pocketed his wallet and patted his pocket to make sure everything was still there. "Until you're determined."

"How long will that take?" The campers all laughed.

"C'mon," Annabeth told Percy, "I'll show you the volleyball court."

"I've already seen it," Percy said.

"Come on," she grabbed his wrist and dragged him outside. They could still hear the laughter from Cabin Eleven. Naruto shook his head and walked away from the duo unnoticed. He walked to the edge of the forest and flashed through hand signs.

"Mokuton: Renchūka no Jutsu (Wood Style Row Houses Jutsu)."

He slammed his palm to the ground. By sending chakra into the ground, the roots of the plants were converted into raw materials. This technique allowed for a building to be constructed, by forcing accelerated growth, with the size and shape of the building taken from the user's imagination or memories. Naruto created two cabin-sized houses from under the ground and let them grow rapidly while shaping them into two cabin-sized houses. Naruto placed barrier seals around the houses, making them impossible for any monsters to detect and allowing the user to stay in peace.

The campers watching from the sidelines could only gawk with wide eyes and dropped jaws, their expressions resembling that of fish out of water.

"Alright, some of the campers from Hermes' cabin can bunk in here," Naruto called out, breaking their dazed stupor. The campers from Hermes' cabin snapped out of their shock and quickly packed their belongings, rushing toward the newly created cabins as if they were being chased by hellhounds. Naruto chuckled slightly at their reaction.

Inside the cabins once more, their jaws dropped even further. Inside, there were fifteen beds that looked incredibly comfortable, resembling feathers. Three air conditioning units provided a cool environment, and a fire pit at the center of the living room warmed the room. Comfy sofas and love couches completed the cozy interior. While the cabins seemed small on the outside, their interior looked like a mansion.

"Hey, Naruto, how will the air conditioning work? They don't have electricity," one of the male campers asked, clearly puzzled.

Naruto smirked and pulled out a piece of paper from his pouch. The paper had the drawing of "Lightning" in kanji on it. "Seals, man. They are wonderful workers," he said proudly as lightning emerged from the paper, powering the air conditioning units.

"Now, make yourselves at home," Naruto said warmly, and the campers cheered for their new accommodations.

Naruto walked toward Annabeth, who appeared to be in a bad mood. The reason? Chiron had told him that Zeus might not be pleased with this arrangement. Naruto shrugged it off, thinking that if Zeus was displeased with his work, he should claim his demigod children himself, instead of leaving them unclaimed.

Annabeth, seemingly unaware of Naruto's presence beside her, watched as Clarisse and her friends mocked Percy. They began pushing Percy's head toward the toilet. Naruto sensed something stirring within Percy.

"This is going to get messy," he said, startling Annabeth.

"Huh?" Annabeth asked.

Then, out of the toilets, a torrent of water shot out, soaking Clarisse and causing her friends to scramble to help her. The toilets exploded, showering the water and mud all over the place.

Naruto flashed through hand signs, using his Mokuton jutsu once more. "Mokuton: Mokujōheki (Wood Style Domed Wall Jutsu)" Naruto yelled out. A domed wall of wood materialized, enclosing Naruto and Annabeth, protecting them from the water and debris.

Percy approached the dome and knocked on it a few times. The dome retracted into the ground, disappearing as if it had never been there before. Annabeth looked at Naruto in shock. "How did you…?"

"I don't kn—," Percy was cut off by Annabeth.

"I didn't ask you, Percy. I'm asking Naruto," Annabeth said.

Naruto chuckled. "That's for me to know and you to find out," he winked at her, making her blush and pout.

"Well, Percy, it seems you just gave the name 'water boy' a new meaning," Naruto teased, grinning at Percy, who told him to shut up. Annabeth giggled at their exchange.

They walked through the door and saw Clarisse and her friends sprawled in the mud. A bunch of campers had gathered to gawk. Clarisse's hair was plastered against her face, her camouflage jacket was soaked, and she smelled like sewage. She glared at Percy with absolute hatred.

"You're dead, new boy, totally dead," she threatened.

"Fūton: Toppa (Wind Style Immense Breakthrough)" Naruto called out. A strong gust of wind blew away the water and mud into the forest. Everyone was now gawking at Naruto. First wood, now wind – what was he, a son of Demeter and Zeus combined?

Naruto walked toward Clarisse and helped her up. "Sorry for Percy here. He's still new to his powers. Though watching you in the mud is sexy," he teased, making her blush madly. Then he disappeared in a flash of red and black lightning, reappearing right beside Annabeth and Percy. He left more people gaping in astonishment.

"He's definitely a son of Zeus now," Percy smirked at him.

"Says the guy who made the toilets explode," Naruto shot back, smirking smugly at Percy, who pouted in response.

As they moved away from the commotion, Annabeth addressed them, "How about you two join my team for Capture the Flag?"