New chapter out! Please review!
Disclaimer: I don't own "Naruto" or "Percy Jackson The Olympians," they belong to their respective owners.
Friends Help Friends
Swirling his brush, Naruto calmly inscribed the necessary Kanji to create his latest seal. After much careful inscription, he leaned back and nodded at his handiwork. He was only a few pages from finishing his book. He was close to becoming a 'seal master' himself.
All around him, many shadow clones were working on their tasks. It was a total of one hundred shadow clones.
There was a group of twenty shadow clones working on new Mokuton techniques, twenty were learning new ninjutsu, twenty were practicing hand-to-hand combat alongside using their trench blades, twenty were reading warfare tactics, and the last twenty were working on expanding their Negative Emotion Sensing technique.
"All right! Go ahead and pop for me!" Naruto said with a smile, stretching his back out.
With a nod, each one of his shadow clones poofed away in a cloud of smoke. With a smile, Naruto retained everything they learned in the past few hours.
The memories rushed into his head, as he categorized everything he learned. He had come a long way from only being able to dispel four at once, now being able to dispel around one-hundred without issue.
He blinked, realizing he now knew quite a few Mokuton techniques.
He now knew the Moku Shouheki no Jutsu (Wood Barrier Technique).
He also learned Mokuton: Jubaku Eiso (Wood Style: Binding Nest).
Finally, he smiled at the last memory. He had been working on a pet project of sorts, and he had finally managed to finish it. It was his very own Mokuton technique.
Mokuton: Isogu ne no Jutsu (Wood Style: Rushing Roots Technique)
This final technique he had personally created allowed him to slam his palm onto the ground and create multiple thick wooden roots from the ground. They erupted like rushing snakes, either attacking his opponents, trapping them, or changing the landscape to his advantage.
Hashirama had techniques similar to these in his scroll, but they were too advanced for him at the moment. Therefore, he made his own Mokuton technique after much reading in his personal journal.
He was proud, this was his first official technique that he created!
The clones focused on Ninjutus also helped him add a few more Jutsu into his arsenal. He learned a multitude of elemental ninjutsu.
He learned:
Suiton: Mizuame Nabara (Water Release: Starch Syrup Capturing Field)
Suiton: Mizurappa (Water Release: Wild Water Wave)
Doton: Doryuheki (Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall)
Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu (Earth Release: Hidden Mole Jutsu)
Raiton: Raikyu (Lighting Release: Lightning Ball)
These were all the new additions to his arsenal, while he added a few wind and fire as well.
"Good, that should be enough elemental ninjutsu for now," Naruto said to himself while walking inside his house. "Now I just need to finish up my sealing practice so I can start making my own seals."
His Negative Emotion Sensing was also getting better, as its range expanded further than what it was before.
It was late at night and he had just finished practicing for the night. He assumed it was around midnight at this point, so he needed to go to bed.
He planned on getting a good night's rest.
"She what?" Naruto blinked in surprise, talking to Percy through the Iris messaging system.
He had woken up a while ago and just finished breakfast. He planned to work on his Fuinjutsu, but to his surprise, Percy contacted him out of the blue.
"I'm telling you! She wants to join the Hunters!" Percy said through the other end.
"But why?" Naruto asked with a frown.
Percy sighed, "Because she didn't want the weight of the Great Prophecy to be on her shoulders. It claims that once someone turns sixteen, they will have the power to save or destroy Olympus. She didn't want that responsibility on her shoulders, so she wanted to leave it to me. Since she'll remain fifteen eternally if she joins."
"Wow…" Naruto mumbled, "I didn't see that coming…"
His friend had just updated him on some current events that had been going on. Grover had sent a distress call earlier in the week, which led Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia to help. After arriving, they rescued two demigods named Bianca and Nico di Angelo.
This surprised the blonde, as he recognized the names. They were the same kids he ran into the Lotus Casino a while back.
After retrieving the two demigods, they ran into a manticore that kidnapped Annabeth. Naruto could see in his friend's eyes that her disappearance was weighing heavily on his conscious.
Artemis and her hunters managed to help ward off the manticore when they arrived to help the group. Setting off alone, the goddess claimed she was in dire need of hunting a monster that only she could face.
On her commands, the rest of her hunters were sent back to Camp Half-Blood until she returned, with Percy, Thalia, and Grover tagging along.
The biggest shock was hearing that Bianca both joined the Hunt. Bianca joined for her own benefit, leaving her brother behind.
Deep in his heart, Naruto frowned at the decision. However, he also knew he didn't know her well enough to judge.
Meanwhile, Thalia was seriously considering joining the hunt.
Through Apollo's help and navigation by Thalia, the group returned to camp once more. After arriving back at camp, Percy decided to Iris message his friend for some help.
"Sorry for bothering you again," Percy rubbed the back of his head, "I know I keep coming to you over and over again."
"Don't sweat it," Naruto shook his head, "That's what friends are for, to listen and help. And that's exactly what I'm going to do."
"What do you mean?"
"I think I've trained enough, it's time I get some experience as well," Naruto stretched his arms, "Besides, I think it would be fun to hang out like our first adventure like when we retrieved the lighting bolt together."
"So does that mean you'll be sticking around more permanently?" Percy asked with a hopeful smile.
"It does," Naruto grinned, "Wait for me at camp, I'll see you there soon."
With a nod, Percy disappeared from his view.
Walking inside, Naruto sealed whatever belongings he needed while also leaving a note for his grandmother. While she wouldn't be angry if he left, he thought it was best if she knew of his absence.
"Finally…some action…" the fox within him grumbled, bored at all the training going on. He wanted action! Not the same boring routine and regime each day.
"Yeah, yeah," Naruto mentally waved off, "I know."
Grabbing his things, Naruto dashed off towards camp. The world around him became a blur as he sprinted.
Unlike last time, he made it there in minutes.
His training already paying off.
The moment Naruto crossed into the camp's barriers, he was surprised at the sight before him. There, standing around in a group, were the hunters of Artemis.
He didn't know any of them personally, but he had been told enough through Hestia and seen enough images to know what they looked like. They were dressed in dark silver coats with shirts underneath. Their pants were camouflaged with dark shoes accompanying them as well. Each hunter had a bow at the ready.
Seeing his friend off to the side, Naruto smiled.
"Hey, Percy!" the blonde shouted while walking over to his long-time friend.
Instantly, the group of hunters turned around to eye the newcomer. Out of the entire group, the oldest girl seemed to glare daggers.
"I didn't sense his approach…" she mumbled in her mind while eyeing the blonde with caution, "…how amateur of me…"
"Naruto! Man, am I glad to see you!" Percy replied while the two shared a 'bro' hug. It was nice seeing a familiar face that he trusted among the chaos.
"Ahh, so you are Naruto," spoke the leader of the group with sharp eyes, "I am Zoe Nightshade, lieutenant of Lady Artemis's hunt. She spoke much of you, however, I don't see the appeal."
"Great," Naruto sweat dropped, "I've just met her and she already wants to kill me."
"Come hunters," Zoe spoke out while walking away, "We must rest for tonight." Together, the group of girls walked into the Artemis cabin within the camp.
"What was that about?" Naruto whispered over to his friend.
"Don't know," Percy shrugged, "She was the same way when she met me, saying how she despises all male heroes."
It was something that confused both boys.
"Naruto!"
Hearing a shout, Naruto looked over to see Nico di Angelo once more. He looked the same as he did back in the Lotus Casino.
"Nico!" Naruto smiled.
The small boy ran over and joined both young men in conversation.
"It's been forever since I've seen you!" Nico cried out in joy, "Me and my…sister missed you."
Naruto could tell that just mentioning his sibling brought a lot of sadness to the young kid. It was clear that he felt abandoned.
"Hey, Nico," Naruto said with a grin, "How would you feel if I bought you some ice cream? My treat!"
"Wait, for real?" Nico asked with stars in his eyes, "I didn't know they have ice cream at camp!"
"We're about to find out," Naruto chuckled, "But even if they don't, I can send someone to pick us up some. What's your favorite flavor?"
"Chocolate!" the young boy rang out.
The blonde nodded before turning to his friend, "Want any?"
"I'm good," Percy shook his head with a grin. He could tell the blonde was trying to lift the spirits of the young boy.
"In the meantime…" Naruto said with a smile, "Let's look at those Mythomagic cards you have! We can teach Percy here how to play as well!"
"Yes!" Nico said while scrambling through his backpack. It was clear that his mind was slowly shifting away from the topic of his sister.
Percy smiled, also momentarily forgetting his worries. Naruto just had this carefree effect on people.
Later that night, Naruto slept in the Hestia cabin along with many other campers. Despite the numbers, he was able to have his own bed and privacy at the end of the hallway. It was specially reserved for him as the first occupant of the cabin.
They had spent the day speaking with Nico and playing his card game. Bianca hadn't come by, which Naruto noticed. The young boy constantly spoke of how much he loved his sister.
Percy smiled, also momentarily forgetting his worries. Naruto just had this carefree effect on people.
Later that night, Naruto slept in the Hestia cabin along with many other campers. Despite the numbers, he was able to have his own bed and privacy at the end of the hallway. It was specially reserved for him as the first occupant of the cabin.
"I know it's my fault my sister doesn't love me anymore…but I can fix it! I promise!"
Naruto had to remind the kid that his sister did love him. Nico believed his behavior over the years had worn down his sister to the point she wanted nothing to do with him.
After bidding farewell to Percy and Nico, Naruto slept peacefully.
Or at least, he was sleeping peacefully
Snapping his eyes open, Naruto frowned while looking around. There was nothing but pure whiteness around him. However, he could tell he was dreaming, but he wasn't usually a lucid dreamer.
"What?" Naruto spoke aloud, "Where am I?"
"Mr. Uzumaki, you are a hard person to talk to," spoke a man's voice from beyond the white zone.
Turning around, Naruto narrowed his eyes. He could sense this was another godly being, similar to that of Hecate's aura.
"I'm guessing I'm speaking to Morpheus?" Naruto wondered aloud. He tensed, knowing that this was another Greek god on the side of Kronos.
"What a guess," the man's voice materialized before his eyes. He was a pale man, with white hair and a beard to match. His silver eyes were piercing while a dark cloak fluttered behind him. He seemed to hold a cheerful expression.
"What an honor," Naruto spat out, "I get two of Kronos's cronies visiting me within a year. Must be pretty desperate to try and intimidate a fifteen year old instead of going after the Olympians."
The blonde didn't know how to fight in his…dreamscape? So he would just have to hope he could come out of this unscathed, with Morpheus being in his domain at the moment.
Morpheus chuckled while shaking his head, "I will not be here long, as your 'partner' is currently trying to awaken you as we speak. I can only hold his influence back for so long before he reaches through."
It seemed the Kyuubi was already sensing something was wrong.
"What do you want?" Naruto said with conviction in his voice.
To his surprise, Morpheus sat down with his legs crossed on the floor. He didn't move forward at all.
"I have just come to speak."
"Then speak," Naruto said.
Morpheus smiled, "Do you know why you're here?"
"Because you dragged me here?" Naruto said with a raised brow.
"No," Morpheus shook his head, "I mean, do you know why you're here, as in this realm? I'm sure you know by now that you're from another pantheon altogether."
"Yes," Naruto nodded while standing up. He didn't want to get too comfortable with a potential enemy in front of him, "I was brought here as a baby and raised by Rhea, Hestia, and Amaterasu-sama."
"True," Morpheus smirked, "But do you know why you were really brought here?" He said the word with an extra emphasis on it.
Naruto didn't speak, instead choosing to shake his head slowly.
"I thought so," Morpheus chuckled, "Nobody would want to be known as an apology gift."
"What?" Naruto said aloud, confused.
"You were brought here because that Shinto's brother, Susanoo, offended Artemis to the point Zeus wanted war. To avoid that outcome, the Shinto goddess offered you up as a baby, all to appease Zeus."
"I…what…" Naruto stumbled on his words, feeling a little dazed at the revelation.
Morpheus mentally smirked. He continued with his dialogue, "That's right, you were ripped out of your realm just to ensure Zeus didn't throw a tantrum. Artemis personally signed off, and Hestia brought you to Rhea. The rest is history…"
Naruto felt taken aback by the deity's words. He knew he was from another pantheon, but to find out you were simply an apology gift? That revelation would hurt anybody's emotions.
"But why me? Why choose me out of anybody?" Naruto questioned, his throat feeling dry.
"Because you were the Child of Prophecy from where you came from, similar to how we have our own here. Your importance was the only appealing factor for Zeus. Your absence is killing your home world, eventually, it will all be dust. Millions of lives, perhaps even billions, will be erased in time."
Naruto felt sick in his stomach, not realizing how important his presence would be. He couldn't fathom millions of people dying simply because he wasn't there to help.
"You understand now, don't you?" Morhpeas said rhetorically, "You have been led blindly by the people around you. Rhea, Hestia, and even that Shinto goddess have raised you to be loyal to Olympus. In return, Olympus gets a loyal defender while you are another pawn in their schemes."
Naruto's world felt like it was shaking.
"You're just another pawn to them, another demigod to die in battle. You will have no impact on their lives in the long run." Morhpeasu grinned, showing a row of pearly white teeth, "Join us, Naruto, in this war. Imagine how great it would feel to inflict the hurt on the ones responsible for your living situation?"
Rhea flashed in his mind, bringing him cookies.
Hestia formed in his memory, reading to him lovingly.
Amaterasu appeared in his head, showing him how to control his chakra.
He realized at that moment, that he did have people who cared about him. That didn't seem his as a weapon for Olympus, but a person to love
Snapping out of his momentary daze, Naruto asked, "How do I know you aren't lying? For all I know, you could be trying to turn me against my loved ones!"
"You don't know," Morpheus shrugged, "But go ahead and ask anybody else, you'll get the same answer I gave you."
The white nothingness around them began to waver. Looking closely, Naruto could see that Morpheus was having a strained smile.
"It seems I cannot stay much longer," Morpheus stood up with grace, "Ponder my words, Mr. Uzumaki. Find the answers for yourself…"
With a final grin, Naruto felt that he was sucked away into his Mindscape. The white background faded away and turned into the natural landscape he was familiar with.
"Oi, brat!" the fox shouted, "About time you got here! I've been trying to break you out for the last few minutes!"
Naruto shook his head, feeling slightly dazed. Everything happened so fast for him.
Regaining his senses, Naruto turned to his partner, "Sorry…" He was trying to make sense of everything so far.
The fox examined the young man, sensing distress, "What happened?"
Naruto went on to explain everything to the fox, surprising the beast as he didn't expect Morpheus to split their connection so easily.
"Hmmm…" the fox grumbled, laying his face upon his paws. The sun shined high above them both in the mindscape, "…it is much to think about…we should deal with this in the morning…"
"Yeah…you're right…" Naruto nodded to himself. He was still trying to sort his thoughts out.
Before letting the blonde disappear, the fox said one last thing, "Naruto…don't fret, everything will work out in the end…"
The blonde let a megawatt smile appear on his face.
"Hm?" The fox questioned with confusion.
"You rarely ever say my name!" Naruto shouted in surprise, "Look at that, we are becoming friends! I knew you would warm up to me eventually!"
"DON'T PUSH IT BRAT!" the fox shouted, "I DON'T LIKE YOU!"
Naruto laughed uncontrollably, enjoying the fox's flustered expression.
Naruto awoke the next morning and got out of bed relatively early. He felt conflicted about the information he was given the night before. Putting on a black long-sleeve t-shirt and pants, he got out of bed.
Walking into the cabin's bathroom, he stood across the mirror hanging on the wall. With a quick summon, a projection flashed from the ruby necklace on his neck.
In moments, he could see his Aunt once more. She was in the middle of stroking Mount Olympus's fire.
"Naru?" Hestia questioned with a cock of her head, "What's the matter? You rarely communicate with me through this method."
"Aunt Hestia," Naruto spoke seriously, "I need to talk with you."
Seeing his expression, Hestia momentarily stopped stoking the fire. She gave her full attention to her nephew.
"I'm listening," she said softly.
With a deep breath, Naruto began to repeat everything that Morpheus had told him the night before. He explained how he was from another pantheon and given as a gift, a toy to be handled.
He told her how his homeworld was doomed, simply because he wasn't there to help. People would be killed, families would be torn apart, and innocents would die.
Finally, he spoke about how he was raised to be a tool for Olympus, a soldier to defend its land.
"Is this true, Aunt Hestia? Is all of this true?" he asked in a low tone.
Hestia took a small sigh before answering, "Yes, Amaterasu did bring you here as a token of forgiveness for Artemis."
"…I see," Naruto's bangs overshadowed his eyes.
"However, it goes much deeper than that," Hestia continued with a smile, "Mother and I never cared to raise you in defense of Olympus. In fact, Mother wanted to keep you safe forever, which is why she was reluctant to send you off to camp the first time."
Naruto remembered the moment, when his grandmother fussed the first time he had to leave.
"Furthermore," Hestia said, "Lady Amaterasu didn't forget about you or deem your circumstance to be minimal. She cried, knowing she was giving you away for a problem you had no say in. Despite this, she continued to check up on you and provide guidance, which is how we were able to gather the scrolls necessary to train you."
Naruto stayed silent, digesting the information.
"We love you, Naru," Hestia answered, "It doesn't matter to us if you decide to defend Olympus from its enemies or not, we'll still love you. I know Mother wouldn't care and would even defy Zeus if it meant you were safe. You mean the world to us…" she smiled with a glow appearing around her.
"I…" Naruto choked out, not sure what to say.
"Choose for yourself, who to protect. Don't allow others to dictate your life, make your own decisions. We'll support you in the end," Hestia ended while folding her hands into her lap.
It took a few moments before Naruto nodded, "I will choose for myself, Aunt Hestia…"
He realized that if he had never been brought here, he wouldn't be friends with a lot of people. Percy, Grover, Annabeth, and others were close to him. He wouldn't have the privilege of being their companion if he wasn't brought here as a baby.
He chose who to protect, not Zeus. He chose who to fight for, not Olympus. He chose who to stand against, not anybody else.
And that choice was easy to make in his mind. He would always choose to protect his loved ones and stand against those who threaten them.
"Thank you…" Naruto whispered out, "I needed to hear that…" He had felt lost ever since waking up, but it seemed like Hestia's words managed to bring him back on track. He also felt like the world around him made more sense.
"Oi… Kyuubi…" Naruto said calmly within his mindscape.
He didn't get a response at first, but eventually, the fox croaked out.
"What brat?"
"I promise to help save your siblings… back in our home world. We won't let them die out, or the world in general…"
Naruto couldn't see it, but the fox gained a small smirk. He could tell the intentions behind those words were pure.
"We'll see about that brat…" the fox said with no real malice, choosing to go back to his nap.
Looking back up at Hestia, Naruto smiled, "I'll speak to you later Aunt Hestia. I have some things to think about."
His aunt nodded and stated how much they loved him once more. With a flash, her image was gone as his necklace's glow died down.
Gathering his thoughts, the blonde prepared to head out for the day. After exiting the cabin, he found Percy practicing his swordplay by the training grounds.
Percy slashed, ducked, rolled, and slammed his body around. He used his sword on a wooden dummy while imagining an opponent fighting back. It was clear he didn't get much sleep as there were bags under his eyes.
"Hey man," Naruto watched as Percy swung Riptide harder into the dummy, "You okay?"
Percy shouted and beheaded the dummy. With a sigh, he looked over to his friend, "Yeah, just didn't get much sleep last night."
"Bad dreams?" Naruto asked with crossed arms.
"Something like that," Percy chuckled dryly, "I kept envisioning Annabeth holding up a cavern's ceiling…"
Naruto blinked a few times. "Are you implying it means something else?"
"I do," Percy nodded, "Ever since she's been kidnapped, I've been worrying about her. I think these dreams are short glimpses into her life…"
Naruto walked over and placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder, "We'll get her back Percy, I promise. You'll have me in your corner, like always man."
Smiling, Percy thanked his friend once more. It was rare to have such a reliable friend in this world who didn't plan to backstab you.
"Let's go talk to Chiron," Naruto offered, "Maybe he'll let us search for her, I mean, we've already done so much for the camp. I'm sure Chiron could make an exception if we plead our case."
"Ohh…yeah, that sounds better," Percy said while sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
Naruto gained a deadpan expression, "You planned on sneaking out, didn't you?"
"Let's go speak with Chiron!" Percy ignored his friend as he walked off.
Naruto shook his head in amusement before following in tow.
As the duo reached Chiron's quarters, they could hear two individuals speaking inside.
"-you know I respect you greatly Chiron, but we NEED approval to leave camp in search of Lady Artemis. My visions the night before show her in trouble and as her lieutenant, it is my duty to protect her."
"That's Zoe's voice…" Naruto thought in surprise. "…It seems we all had some bad dreams last night…" He, Percy, and Zoe were still hung up about their dreams in some way or another.
"Ms. Nightshade, please," Chiron huffed from the inside, "You must understand, I cannot grant such a request. Lady Artemis placed you in my care, I cannot disregard her wishes so easily."
There was a moment of silence before Zoe responded in a low tone.
"Chiron…" she began, "…Lady Artemis has protected me, fed me, given me life in these last 2000 years. If I cannot repay the favor by protecting the one I consider a mother, then I do not deserve the title of lieutenant. Grant me my leave, or I will be gone by morning."
The duo couldn't see it, but the centaur was rubbing his temples in frustration on the other side of the door. Finally, he spoke once more, "If you can win the Capture the Flag game we are holding tomorrow evening, I will grant you your leave. However, I will only allow you to take a handful of hunters or campers with you, that is my condition."
Zoe agreed, "Very well, that is reasonable. I thank thee for your cooperation and permission. We will win this game and set off for Lady Artemis soon."
"Let's just come back at another time," Percy whispered to his friend.
Naruto nodded, and the two walked off to find Nico and hang out. However, as they walked, Naruto frowned.
Something big was happening… and he felt it was all tied together.
The Next Day
Chiron stood around the camp as he was giving an announcement.
"Good afternoon, campers," the centaur spoke loudly, "We will be holding our capture the flag game monetarily. We still have about twenty minutes of preparation."
Percy stood by Naruto, slightly zoning out the teacher. He had another dream last night about Annabeth, however, she was being used as bait by Luke this time.
Unknown to him, Zoe also had a dream of her own regarding Lady Artemis.
Thankfully for the blonde, the fox decided to shield him from any mental attacks throughout the night. He didn't want to risk Morpheus appearing once more. The man had a dangerous silver tongue.
Nico stood off to the side next to his sister. However, Bianca didn't pay much attention to her brother as she kept her eyes straight.
Naruto frowned at the sight.
Chiron saw a kid from the Apollo cabin raise his hand. He nodded, indicating for the kid to ask his question, "Are all the cabins going against the Hunters?"
"They are," the teacher nodded.
"Ugh…" A collective groan was heard around the camp, as nobody liked battling the hunters. In the long history of Camp Half-Blood, there had never been an instance where the campers beat Lady Artemis's hunters. It was rather unfair in their eyes.
"Don't feel discouraged!" shouted Connor Stoll from the Hermes cabin, "We have some strong demigods this year!"
"He's right!" shouted Silena Beauregard, the head counselor of the Aphrodite cabin. "We can actually win this year against the hunters!"
At this moment, Naruto felt his body jolt. Focusing his eyes on the girl, he raised his eyebrow in thought, "Why do her emotions feel… conflicted?"
"Enough of this," Zoe huffed out with her hunters surrounding her, "Let us begin this game soon."
With a nod, Chiron directed part of the field for the hunters to start at while the rest of camp went in the opposite direction.
"Ready for some fun?" Percy smirked.
Naruto nodded, "Oh yeah, let's show them what we can do."
Bumping their fists in friendship, the duo walked off. They had a game to win.
"Does everyone understand their assigned role?" shouted out a girl from Athena's cabin. She was put in charge while Annabeth was gone.
Everyone in attendance nodded.
A horn sounded out, symbolizing the beginning of the game.
"Then let us win! For Camp Half-Blood!"
"FOR CAMP-HALF BLOOD!" shouted out the group in unison.
With their positions decided, the game was on.
Silena led a group of campers deep into the woods, determined to find the flag of the hunters. They had also taken Percy with them as some serious muscle for the team.
She led the Ares, Demeter, and Aphrodite cabins. Together, they sneakily went deeper and deeper into the forest. Their goal was to distract any hunters they came along and attract attention.
Another group was led by the head counselor of Athena's cabin. With her, she took all the campers within the Athena, Hephaestus, and Hermes cabins. Their goal was to sneak by any distraction made through Silena's group and grab the Hunter's flag.
Finally, the Apollo cabin was left to defend their flag back on the home base. Naruto also stayed behind for extra protection of their flag.
Hearing some footsteps, Naruto turned his head to see a kid from the Apollo cabin approach him.
"Hey, you're Naruto, right?" asked the camper.
"Yeah, I am," Naruto nodded, "I don't mean to be rude, but do I know you?"
"No, you probably don't," the boy chuckled, "I'm Lee Fletcher, current head of the Apollo cabin. I just wanted to say thank you for helping out some of my siblings in the last Capture the Flag game. Some of them were still young and shaken, but I heard how you helped out. Just came by to say thanks."
Naruto widened his eyes, forgetting that he did help those Apollo kids in the first game, "Woah man, that was almost like a lifetime ago!"
Both boys chucked at the joke.
They heard shouting and fighting in the distance, meaning Silena had done her job perfectly so far. Turning their heads to the woods, the duo kept their conversation going.
"So how does it feel to be head of the Apollo cabin?" Naruto asked while staring into the forest.
"It's alright, just a lot of leadership," Lee shrugged, "I'm sure it's the same as you being the head of the Hestia cabin."
"Head of the Hestia cabin?" Naruto said with a smile, "Where did you hear that from?"
Lee looked over, "I mean, you are the only legitimate child claimed by Hestia. We all assumed you were the head counselor, even if you don't stay at camp much."
Naruto shook his head, "Nah, it should go to someone worthy of the title. I need to work on my leadership skills before I'm the head of anything."
Lee eyed the blonde before smiling. Smacking him lightly on the back, he smiled, "You know what? You're alright Uzumaki. It's a shame it took me this long to get to know you."
"Thanks," Naruto chuckled, "But I think we have company."
True to his words, Zoe Nightshade along with a personal band of hunters emerged from the woods. He could feel their negative intent from miles away.
"Archers, ready your aim!" Lee shouted, now officially in 'leader' mode. "We know the Hunters are just as skilled as us, do NOT underestimate them!"
Like clockwork, the many campers of the Apollo cabin retracted their bow and fired.
However, the Hunters of Lady Artemis were fearsome for a reason.
Rolling to the side, many of the Hunters fired back with their own arrows. The speed and power behind these projectiles were enough to hit some of the Apollo campers. Of course, the injuries weren't lethal but they would hurt.
Ignoring the back and forth around her, Zoe made a mad dash to the flag. It was sticking out of a nearby ditch, with gravel and dirt surrounding it.
"Keep the archers busy, I got Zoe," Naruto said to Lee while intercepting the lieutenant. He didn't turn around, but he was sure the camper got his message.
CLANG!
"Hmph," Zoe snorted, "I see thou are not as stupid as you look."
"Thanks," Naruto said with a clenched jaw, ready for a fierce battle.
He had managed to run in front of the woman, but she had launched an arrow quicker than anything ever thrown at him before. It was a blur, but he had managed to deflect it with his trench blade.
Shooting five more arrows in rapid succession, Naruto acted.
He ducked under the first two, which whizzed right above his head.
He slashed away at the third arrow, causing it to split mid-air.
The fourth arrow flew beside him as he leaned his body out of the way.
Finally, he spun around and caught the final arrow while it was flying at him. Using this momentum, he threw Zoe's arrow back at her with chakra enhancing the toss.
Zoe narrowed her eyes, feeling a small trickle of blood roll down her cheek. It seemed the arrow had managed to knick her, as she wasn't able to completely move out of the way in time.
Seeing that the woman was reaching for another arrow in her quiver, Naruto decided to go hands-on. Rushing in, he prepared for hand-to-hand combat.
Using his trench blades, Naruto was surprised to see that Zoe could keep up. She used her bow as a defensive weapon, which he thought would easily slice apart from his weapons. However, to his surprise, it stood up well against his blows.
"It's most likely enchanted by Artemis…" Naruto thought while ducking under a cross thrown by Zoe.
As the two exchanged blows, Zoe was slowly losing her temper. This camper had managed to land multiple hits on her body, while she hadn't landed a single one so far.
She couldn't use her bow either because he was in close quarters with her. The worst part about this was that he had a smile on his face the entire time they were fighting. It was infuriating for the woman, thinking the blonde thought little of her.
With a backhand slap against her bow, Naruto made Zoe leave her torso wide open as she was momentarily stunned. Dealing a hard heel kick to her stomach, Zoe slid back and winced in pain.
Naruto smiled, finally happy that his training was paying off. He hadn't even broken a sweat so far.
However, this smile made Zoe even angrier.
"C'mon!" Naruto said with a grin, "Let's amp this up!"
"You…you think this is some kind of game?!" Zoe said with anger in her eyes.
"Uhh…yes?" Naruto said in confusion, "It's Capture the Flag."
Zoe scoffed, "I'm only fighting for the chance to save Lady Artemis! I couldn't care less about your camp games!"
Naruto remembered the conversation he overheard with Percy. If Zoe won this game, she would be allowed to search for Lady Artemis.
"And the worst part?" Zoe said through gritted teeth, "...is that you find this fight AMUSING! STOP LOOKING DOWN ON ME!"
Seeing that emotions were flaring high, Naruto raised his hands up, "Woah, Zoe, listen-"
"DO NOT CALL ME BY MY NAME! YOU HAVE NOT EARNED THE RIGHT!" she shouted out before firing all the arrows in her quiver. Each arrow was shot with precision and power.
Realizing so was too far gone in her anger at the moment, Naruto decided to dodge each projectile. He focused on not turning into a pin cushion.
He rolled to the left, only to see three more arrows flying at him. Ducking under, he had to jump up to avoid four more.
This game of constant dodging became a short routine, with Naruto keeping track of each arrow sent his way.
Hearing a gust of wind to his left, Naruto saw three arrows heading straight for him. It seemed some of the other Hunters heard Zoe screaming and decided to support their lieutenant from afar.
To Naruto's credit, these arrows didn't reach him either as he back-flipped to avoid them. However, he made a very crucial mistake.
He took his eyes off Zoe for one second. That's all she needed to capitalize an opening.
Landing on both feet, Naruto was surprised to see Zoe in his personal space once more. However, this time, she was the one instigating the fight.
Despite Zoe's increased enthusiasm, she was not the better fighter. It was clear as she huffed and puffed while throwing her punches, while Naruto stayed calm.
Moving his head to the side, Naruto delivered a slash to the woman's arm, causing her to flinch. Another small trickle of blood ran down her arm.
Stepping back to regain his footing, Naruto was surprised when he started falling backward. Looking behind him, he saw that the arrows shot at him by the other hunters had a string attached. This string seemed to be durable, most likely made out of a thin steel.
It was most likely used to catch animals while hunting, but in this case, it caught Naruto off-balanced.
The thin wire was fully extended and hard, most likely a charm placed by Artemis in case of a hunt.
These thoughts ran through Naruto's head in mere seconds, as he began falling backward. In that same moment, he grinned. Zoe wasn't trying to best him in combat, she was trying to get him to move backward and fall.
"Well-played…" Naruto cheered in his mind, "…too bad I'm a quick thinker…"
With his legs facing the air, Naruto hooked the tip of his shoes under Zoe's armpits. A hard yank was all that was needed to have the girl soar through the air with him. Given her wide-eyed expression, he assumed she also didn't expect the move.
Naruto was an expert in making up moves on the fly.
Landing with a thud, Zoe felt slightly disoriented. She had just been slammed on her back while Naruto had fallen over their trap.
Getting up instantly, Naruto placed himself over the fallen Hunter. He slammed both knees on her biceps while placing a paralysis seal on her legs, ensuring she couldn't fight her way out.
The flag was only inches away from her left hand. It's cool metal standing so close to her.
"Yield," Naruto said calmly while having his trench blade pointed at her neck.
Zoe looked back with fury in her eyes. She kept that angered look before it melted into…sorrow.
"Please…" the word was spoken so softly that Naruto almost didn't hear it. "Please…allow us to win. We must rescue our leader…our mother…"
Naruto felt sorry for the woman, as he knew how important this game was for them. Without their win, they wouldn't be able to chase down Artemis.
Looking over, Naruto saw that the Apollo cabin and Hunters were still locked in combat. Nobody would notice if he 'accidentally' let Zoe win.
"I don't normally ask any males for favors…" Zoe said with her hair overshadowing her eyes, "…but I ask thee to grant us the win…"
Naruto thought about himself in Zoe's situation, and how he would feel. How badly he would need to win a game in order to rescue Rhea or Hestia. It would drive him mad, knowing he couldn't scour the lands in search of his loved ones.
With a resounding sigh, Naruto stood up to get his knees off of the woman. With a quick release, he also made the paralysis seal disappear.
Thankfully, Zoe didn't ask about it or it would have been a complicated answer.
The lieutenant reached over instantly and yanked the flag out. She waved it over her head while many of the Hunters cheered for their leader.
"ZOE NIGHTSHADE HAS WON THIS GAME FOR THE HUNTERS! ALL CAMPERS CEASE FIGHTING AT ONCE!" Chiron shouted.
Naruto heard Zoe whisper something over to him as she stood with the flag.
"…Thank you…"
It was two simple words and Zoe didn't repeat them, but the blonde heard them. He knew it probably took a lot out of the woman to say them.
"C'mon man!" Lee walked over with a bruise forming on his face, "I thought you had her!"
Zoe walked over to rejoin her Hunters while Lee came over to Naruto.
"Sorry man," Naruto rubbed the back of her head, "She just got the better of me."
"Sure she did."
Looking over, the duo saw Percy walking over with a grin. He had a few scratches on his clothes and a busted lip.
Lee then excused himself, hearing that he was needed to heal a few campers.
Percy slapped his hand onto Naruto's shoulder, "We both know you can beat most people here in hand-to-hand combat, including me."
It was a wound to Percy's pride to admit that fact, but he knew where Naruto stood in regard to their skills. Instead of treating the blonde like an enemy, he chose to see him as a friend and rival. He vowed to keep up or catch up to Naruto's skill.
"I don't know what you mean," Naruto said nonchalantly.
Percy chuckled while walking off, "You could have beat her easily. If she won, it's because you let her win…"
Despite his friend's teasing, Naruto felt good.
He knew he made the right choice in letting her win.
"What is your final selection, Zoe Nightshade?" asked Chiron as he stood in front of the woman. Zoe, alongside her hunters and campers, stood straight.
This was a public announcement, to show the camp who would be allowed to leave under Chiron's permission. Mr. D was away at Mount Olympus for the moment, so Chiron was placed in control. For now, his word was law.
"Remember, you can only take a handful of campers or hunters with you. The maximum I can allow for this journey is five individuals." Chiron clarified. He couldn't risk all of Artemis's hunters leaving and dying out there.
Zoe stood strong and unwavering in her choice. At first, she wanted to only take Hunters with her. However, she knew that their safety was her number one priority. It would be best if she only chose people she could rely on.
Many people looked around, ready to hear the woman's selection.
Zoe stated confidently, "I choose Grover Underwood, Thalia Grace, Bianca di Angelo, Naruto Uzumaki…and Perseus Jackson."
Many murmurs were spread around the camp.
Some Hunters had shock written across their face, never expecting their lieutenant to willingly bring a male hero along on a quest. Her hate for the male gender was well-known among their group.
It was clear that Naruto had done something to impress the archer. Percy was added in almost as an afterthought.
"Me?" whispered Percy in shock, "But how?" It was confusing for the boy as he believed Zoe hated his guts.
"She owed me a favor, and I cashed it in to bring you on," Naruto whispered back with a smile.
Percy grinned, "Thanks, man…"
"Of course," Naruto nodded, "They're looking for Artemis and we'll be looking for Annabeth. It works out in the end if they're together."
"Do all participants accept this honor?" Chiron asked while looking over.
Each member of the group stated 'yes' without hesitation. They were all eager to undertake this quest together.
Chiron sighed, "I hope I am not making a mistake in this. Lady Artemis will never forgive me if something happens to you…" He shuddered to think what Poseidon or Hestia would do if either Percy or Naruto died on this journey.
"Very well then," Chiron said with finality, "Gather your belongings and prepare for departure. You all may leave within the hour."
Zoe nodded before turning to her group, "As leader of this journey, I want you all prepared to go in thirty minutes. Meet me at the camp's entrance, or I will leave you behind."
She didn't say another word before disappearing from view.
"This…this is gonna be a struggle…" Thalia breathed out, not a fan of the woman herself.
Before the duo departed, Nico walked up with a worried look on his face.
"Hey…Percy…Naruto…" the young boy said softly.
"Hmm?" Naruto turned over while Percy raised an eyebrow.
"While you're out there… finding Lady Artemis…" Nico looked up with watery eyes, "Please protect my sister."
The teens looked at each other, not sure what to say.
"We…I…" Percy tried his best to find the right words to say.
"Please," begged Nico while staring at them both.
Naruto crouched down to one knee and placed a hand on Nico's shoulder, "Listen Nico, we're going to face some pretty nasty stuff out there. Your sister is a strong girl and can take care of herself…"
Seeing that the boy wasn't convinced just yet, Naruto gave a small smile.
"…but I promise to do my best to protect your sister."
The boy searched for any deceit in Naruto's eyes but found none. Finally satisfied, he gave the blonde a strong hug before disappearing from view. He had a few friends to speak to at camp.
"That was risky man," Percy huffed out, "You know that we can't ensure she'll live. She's at just as much risk of dying as we are."
"I know…" Naruto nodded while standing up, "…but I couldn't help to try. His sister means the world to him even after she left him for the hunt. I'll try my best to keep her alive."
Percy looked over at his friend, "I hope it goes well then."
"Me too…" Naruto said, convincing himself, "…me too."
They had thirty minutes to prepare, so they went off to gather their belongings.
The group was in a van led by Zoe in hopes of rescuing Lady Artemis. Percy was focused on Annabeth, however, while Naruto wanted to support his friend.
Bianca rode in the passenger seat, while Grover, Thalia, Naruto, and Percy sat towards the back end of the van.
"First order of business," Zoe said from the driver's seat, "No talking unless you are spoken to." She aimed her gaze at the males in the vehicle.
Grover gulped while Percy sighed. Naruto was too busy fiddling with his necklace to care.
"So where to first?" Thalia asked with her arms crossed.
"In my visions…" Zoe said with a sharp look, "Lady Artemis spoke to me…she claimed her location was in Mount Tamalpais, so that is where we will be going…"
"T-that's in California!" Grover said in shock, "That's basically across the entire nation!"
"It is," Zoe nodded with a frown, "Is there a problem?"
"N-nope! Just saying!" Grover said with a wide smile, sweating internally.
While the group spoke to one another, Percy and Naruto were having a conversation of their own.
"So you rescued Bessie back at camp?" Naruto asked.
"Yep, me and Blackjack were able to get her safe and sound!" Percy responded with a grin.
Blackjack was his personal Pegasus while 'Bessie' was the Ophiotaurus, a half bull and half serpent creature. Percy thought the creature was female so he decided to nickname her Bessie.
The group continued on with their conversation soundly.
After a while, the group was finally driving through Washington D.C. in the van. They didn't think anything of it at first, until they saw something peculiar.
"Are those… skeletons?" Zoe said while looking through the rear-view mirror. Bianca was asleep along with Thalia while the boys were lost in their own conversation.
True enough, many skeleton warriors appeared from the ground with outdated armor. They were in pursuit of the van. The everyday citizen couldn't see these monsters as the Mist clouded their vision.
Feeling a sense of negative emotions, Naruto looked out the window to see many skeletal warriors chasing after them.
"We got enemies!" He shouted out.
This got the attention of Percy who turned around and saw the monsters chasing them, "Let's get out and fight them!"
"No!" Zoe commanded while swerving around another corner, waking Thalia and Bianca. "We can not risk injuring innocents. Lady Artmeis would disapprove of such tactics! We will have to lose them instead!"
It seemed fate was playing a cruel joke on them as a skeleton's arrow managed to puncture one of the van's tires. This made Zoe grit her teeth in anger while she had to find an escape.
Bianca, who awoke and assessed the situation, immediately pointed out, "There's a train station down the road and to the left! We can lose them underground!"
Zoe nodded and pressed on the gas, eager to get away from the monsters.
The van bumped and swerved as Zoe drove quickly. She managed to drive into an underground parking garage thanks to Bianca's directions.
"We should get out on foot here and book it to the nearby train station," Binca offered, "Follow me."
The group then unstrapped out of their seatbelts and followed Bianca as she led them to the underground station.
While running, Naruto looked over, "How do you know all these spots, Bianca?"
The hunter smiled, "Me and Nico used to live in D.C…" her tone began to shift downward as the group turned a corner.
Before them was indeed a train station, however, it was really out of date. Instead of being highly populated like Bianca thought, it was barely being used.
The train seemed to be of an older model and it had signs of rusting. It was clear that time had not been kind to it.
There was a destination plastered over the platform, titled, "Destination: Cloudcroft, NM."
Zoe clicked her teeth in annoyance, hoping it would be closer to California. "It'll have to do for now," she reasoned.
"I…what…" Bianca blinked in confusion, "I swear, this train station was just built! It was brand new!"
Before anyone could say anything, the 'leader' of the group piped up.
"No time to waste, hop aboard," Zoe commanded while prying open the train's doors. The group huddled in and went to the very far back, not wanting to be exposed.
It took about fifteen minutes before the train took off.
It had been a few hours into the train's quiet ride. The night sky was illuminating their vision outside, specifically the moon's glow.
Naruto looked out the window as the train made its way to New Mexico. He saw the luscious landscapes and mountains pass him by.
Turning over, he saw Grover drooling on his shoulder. The satyr had fallen asleep about an hour ago and chose him as a pillow.
Looking over, he saw that Percy was also asleep next to the satyr. With a gentle push, Grover was now drooling on Percy's shoulder.
The blonde had to bite back a laugh forming in his throat.
Meanwhile, Thalia had her arms crossed while lightly snoring. Despite this, Naruto could tell she was ready at any moment for an attack. She was a light sleeper.
The only people awake at the moment were Zoe and Bianca. However, Bianca had excused herself to a nearby bathroom leaving only Zoe with him.
As for the lieutenant of the hunt, she was more focused on lightly tapping her foot on the ground with a frown. It was clear she was getting impatient.
Deciding to get to know the woman, Naruto looked back outside the window. In the night sky, he saw something that made him smile.
"Look at that," Naruto pointed his finger on the glass window, "It's the Eridanus constellation."
True to his word, there was a stream of stars outside that matched the description.
Zoe raised a delicate brow, "You know your constellations?"
Naruto nodded, "I do, I enjoyed looking at them when I was younger. I always wondered what was beyond, out there."
Zoe looked out the window herself, "…I see…" She gained a peaceful look on her face.
Naruto decided to keep on going, "They say that the constellation represents the path that Phaethon-"
"-took while using his father's chariot." Zoe continued, "Zeus, being unamused by his reckless driving, struck him down. His constellation remains as the path he took in those moments of driving Apollo's chariot."
"That's right," Naruto grinned, "It seems I'm not the only one who knows about them."
Zoe looked over with confusion on her face, "Why ourt thee smiling so much?"
"Because that's the most amount of words you've said to me all trip without being angry."
Zoe gained a blush of embarrassment on her face. Coughing into her fist, she corrected herself, "Yes…I can be harsh at times…" She knew her emotions often got the better of her, it was a point that Lady Artemis made often.
Naruto didn't hold it against her. He looked out the window and pointed at another constellation in the sky, "And if you squint, you can see the Cygnus constellation nearby as well."
Zoe looked out the window and scoured the sky, finding it moments later, "You're right. It's visible tonight."
Naruto continued, "They say that Cygnus grieved over Phaethon's death heavily. He constantly dived into the river that he was struck down into, searching for his bones to give him a proper burial. The gods were so touched by this, they placed him among the stars in the form of a swan."
Zoe snorted, "A fool to search for eternity."
"I don't think so actually," Naruto disagreed while shaking his head, "I think the story symbolizes something else…"
Zoe chose this moment to remain silent and listen.
"…I think it shows that Cygnus held deep love or loyalty for Phaethon that they would happily search for a lifetime if it meant they received proper closure. They showed their admiration in their death, and we can see that each day in the stars."
The train bumped up a down slightly, causing Percy to groan and Grover to drool more. Thalia cracked an eye open before dozing off.
Naruto looked over at Zoe with a smile, "I can tell you hate me because of the Capture the Flag game, but I-"
"I don't hate thee…" Zoe cut off with a frown. Realizing she had snapped momentarily, she took a calming breath, "…I simply do not have the best history with male heroes."
Naruto leaned back into his seat, "We have all night if you want to talk."
Lady Artemis's words then rang out in Zoe's head.
"Make friends for you do not realize their importance until you need them. The Hunt is your family, but you deserve friends as well, Zoe."
It was during a training session, in which Zoe claimed she needed nobody else besides the hunt. Artemis disapproved, claiming that everyone needed friends. Even Artemis claimed she had friends, pointing to Hestia and Athena.
"Is this…what friends do?" Zoe thought puzzled. She had never really spoken about herself with people besides her fellow hunters, much less to any male.
Seeing the stupid grin on Naruto's face, Zoe finally caved in with an unnoticeable smirk, "Very well, however, be prepared for a long story."
"We only have time," Naruto shrugged.
Zoe smiled before beginning her tale. She explained how she was a former Hesperide, a nymph of the sunset. Her father was Atlas while her mother was Pleione, making her thousands of years old. She tended to the Garden of Hesperides along with her sisters.
Naruto raised his eyebrows at the revelation that Atlas was her father, not expecting the confession.
Zoe explained that Hera's golden tree of apples bloomed brightly in the garden, which was guarded by their servant, Ladon.
Ladon was a dragon-like serpent who allowed Zoe to feed him by hand, which he did not allow for their sisters.
One day, she met the fabled Heracles on his journey. He was tasked with retrieving one of Hera's golden apples and Zoe gave him tips on how to trick her father. The male hero was successful, especially since she gifted him her hairpin.
Naruto was floored to find out that the hairpin was actually Percy's Riptide, originally named Anaklusmos.
Once Heracles was done with his task, he left Zoe behind to deal with the fallout. Her family became enraged with her and banished her from their lands. Heracles was no help since he deserted and left her to fend for herself.
Naruto felt Zoe's emotions spike at this moment, causing him to give her a comforting smile. Anybody who was betrayed would obviously feel such negative emotions when thinking about their betrayer.
As the story continued, Zoe realized the words were just flowing out of her mouth. The woman didn't initially mean to tell Naruto so much, but his aura was so comforting that she felt comfortable around the teen.
For Naruto, he simply sat in silence while occasionally perking up to show he was listening.
When Bianca returned from the bathroom, she sat next to Zoe and quickly fell asleep. Thalia kept checking her surroundings every thirty minutes while Grover continued to drool. Finally, Percy was snoring softly while he slept with his mouth open.
As for the blonde, he repaid Zoe's favor by telling him he was raised by Hestia and Rhea his whole life. He didn't disclose the fact he was an otherworldly being but did explain he had powers that helped him manipulate the elements.
He also apologized for the Capture the Flag game, but Zoe waved him off. She instead expressed her gratitude that Naruto allowed them to win, as they wouldn't be on this journey otherwise.
It was a great moment for them both.
The train ride didn't feel so long when speaking to friends.
The moon's glow guided the group, hovering over them like a blanket.
Done with another chapter!
Gonna be honest… can't wait for some ACTION scenes! I have so much planned out that I guarantee will surprise a lot of readers. Who wants some action? Cause I know I do!
We got to see some characters fleshed out more in this chapter, specifically Zoe. I always thought her character was much more than just a "man-hating" hunter which many people portray her as.
As you can see, Naruto promised to save the Kyuubi's siblings, what does that mean? Is he going back? Stay tuned to find out!
Morpheus spilled the beans about Naruto's origins…guess we'll see how that plays out when he finally meets Artemis!
BTW, all this training is going to play a big role when Naruto eventually fights in the Titan War. Having some things being built now, so they can be implemented later on. Keep your eyes peeled for any familiar techniques in the future!
Biggest change in this chapter, is that there is no quest given for this journey. It is simply a bombardment of visions/dreams that get Zoe Percy to crack and leave camp. Their need to save their precious people is apart of their characters after all.
Until next time!
Cheers!
Ninjutsu Update for Naruto:
- Mokuton: Jubaku Eiso (Wood Style: Binding Nest)
- Moku Shouheki no Jutsu (Wood Barrier Technique)
- Mokuton: Isogu ne no Jutsu (Wood Style: Rushing Roots Technique) (Self-Made Technique)
- Suiton: Mizuame Nabara (Water Release: Starch Syrup Capturing Field)
- Suiton: Mizurappa (Water Release: Wild Water Wave)
- Doton: Doryuheki (Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall)
- Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu (Earth Release: Hidden Mole Jutsu)
- Raiton: Raikyu (Lighting Release: Lightning Ball)