Chapter 6: Campout
The denizens of Camp Half-Blood were currently in a state of unrest after the strange spectacle that just took place. All forms of combat training, eating, or chit-chatting were put to a sudden halt after the gigantic explosion of blue energy that took place in the skies above. Each cabin representative of the 12 Olympians were rendered completely empty in an instant, demi-children of all ages filing out to get a closer look at the recent anomaly. Hesitant whispers were shared between a number of different groups, topics varying from its potential source to the faint sound of yelling that was rumored to be heard before said implosion took place.
"Did you guys feel that? It shook the entire forest!" One camper hissed in wide-eyed shock, uncertain of whether he should be frightened or blown away by this rare phenomenon.
"Who didn't, man? That light was as bright as the sun. You'd have to be blind not to notice it!" Another camper responded in awe, gesturing to the position where Goku recently fired his Kamehameha.
Comment after comment was continuously uttered by the frazzled half-breeds in this manner until two individuals rushed out of a large wooden house. This facility was a blue two-story building with three windows on each floor, sporting a large deck that encircled its surrounding exterior. Primarily called the Big House, it serves as the main administrative building for all of Camp Half-Blood, annually distributing quests and enlisting new campers.
One such practitioner of these tasks was a half-man, half-horse hybrid named Chiron. Fondly regarded as a legendary trainer of heroes, Chiron sported shaggy brown hair and a bushy beard to match. His eyebrows were equally pronounced, accentuating the intensity his dark brown eyes evidently possessed. From the waist up, he wore a brown suit jacket with a red tie and jade green sweater-vest hidden underneath. However, as all Centaurs are, Chiron had the lower body of a white horse, four legs and a flowing brown tail in all. Closely following after him was a more chubby man with curly black hair. His half-lidded blue eyes were practically bloodshot, sporting a sense of aggravation and tiredness. Unlike Chiron's more professional look, his fellow counselor had a yellow T-shirt filled with blotches of leopard spots and dried stains of leftover liquid. He held a can of Diet Coke in one of his hands, reluctantly taking swigs of the caffeinated beverage as if that was the only refreshment left available for him.
"Alright, brats! What's all the commission about?" The eccentric camp director yelled irritably, attempting to grasp the teenage heroes' attentions. A majority of the campers mellowed down at the sight of Camp Half-Blood's most trusted staff members, mostly looking over to Chiron for guidance.
"It was crazy, Mr. D! We were just minding our own business when suddenly, this enormous explosion appeared in the sky!" A son of Hermes yelped with widened eyes, pointing to the traces of excess smoke littered above them. Mr. D frowned unamusingly, looking up at the proposed area with prominent skepticism.
"You sure it wasn't the Stoll's lighting up another firecracker?" Mr. D blandly questioned with a raised eyebrow, momentarily side-glancing at the two troublesome brothers in question. Each of the teenage demi-gods possessed shaggy mops of curly brown hair and matching pairs of light blue pupils. One was noticeably taller than the other, but both kids were completely identical in every other feature. They casually averted Dionysus's accusatory gaze by whistling to themselves, showcasing their innocence in the usual sarcastic manner.
"There's no need to point fingers, Dionysus. I'm certain a reasonable explanation for what took place will come in time." Chiron interjected soothingly, clasping a hand on the wine patriarch's shoulder. Mr. D glared at the immortal centaur in response.
"We don't have time, Chiron. We either figure out the source of this "explosion" or jump to our next best conclusion and save us the headache. Gods know I've already had enough of those." Dionysus snapped irritably, thinking back to all of the hangovers he endured for years on end. As the banished Olympian massaged his perturbed forehead and took another sip of his Coke, a widespread series of rustles in the surrounding forest caught everyone's attention. One by one, Artemis and her wounded hunters came into view. To the continual shock of Camp Half-Blood's campers and staff, a wide majority of them were littered with deep gashes of dried blood and torn cloth. Others were knocked completely unconscious, caked with saggy blemishes and electrical scorch marks burned into their skin.
"Oh great. Here comes the cavalry." Dionysus sighed heavily, rolling his tired eyes as hunter after hunter proceeded to unexpectantly pile in. Suddenly, the form of Zöe Nightshade was gently carried by a quartet of young Hunters, her raven hair steadily shifting about as they moved. Unfortunately, no such delicacy was given to the snoozing Goku. The alien martial artist was dragged along the dirt-covered ground by his hands, pieces of grassy shrapnel and soil scattered around his orange Gi. This strange individual's presence further confused and intrigued the ever-watchful half-bloods, opinions varying among each group.
"Who's the buff dude?" One camper whispered with a tilt of his head.
"How can he still be sleeping with that much crap in his face?" Another chuckled in disbelief, pointing at Goku's buried face as he slept peacefully.
"Mmmm he has a great body…" An older daughter of Aphrodite commented lustfully.
"You think he's single?" Her sister asked a bit too eagerly.
This cacophony of adolescent chatter was marginally ignored by Chiron and Dionysus, both divine counselors patiently waiting for Artemis to reveal her purpose for being here. She calmly shuffled over to them, repositioning her bow and auburn hair in stride.
"Stop here, girls. Tend to the injured while we speak." Artemis advised authoritatively, sharing an acute nod with each of her fellow immortal females. Every archer did as they were told, coming to an abrupt halt and organizing the supplies scavenged from their recent confrontation with Goku and the Hydra. However, the girls pulling on Goku took this order a bit too literally and dropped the poor Saiyan in combined unison. His whole body plopped down with a firm splat, the once powerful snores now muffled into small gurgles. Artemis furrowed her eyebrows at this "accidental" mishap, deadpanning at the hunters' lack of care. They just shrugged innocently, not seeing what the big deal was in messing with the man who humiliated Zöe just moments ago.
"Greetings, Artemis. This is definitely a surprise." Chiron politely greeted with a slight smile. Artemis passively nodded in the centaur's direction, her face sporting a look of notable indifference.
"Believe me, it was never my, nor my huntresses', intention to come here. We were hunting a potential enemy of Mount Olympus per Lord Zeus's instructions and this was the closest area we could bring him to." Artemis sighed informingly, brushing her red hair backward while speaking. She gestured to her preoccupied legion of immortal women as they snarled at the residents of Camp Half-Blood, especially ones of the opposite sex. Dionysus lowly grumbled to himself, annoyed by the prospect of having to deal with even more hormonal teenagers than usual.
"Him? You mean the Bruce Lee wannabe over there?" Dionysus snorted in disbelief, jerking a thumb at the slumbering Goku. Overhearing bits and pieces of this conversation, some of the campers tilted their heads to the side in sheer bewilderment and curiosity. Chiron also listened intently, resting a hand on his bearded chin in deep thought. Artemis crossed her arms with a straight face, showing that she held no such dishonesty with what was stated.
"Yes, brother. He's the one who projected that blue light from before." Artemis revealed, narrowing her eyes as she casually pointing up at the sky. A series of collective gasps filled the entire camp in response to this revelation, each camper's interest in the Saiyan warrior skyrocketing exponentially. Dionysus blinked a few times in momentary shock, glancing at his soda can to see if it wasn't laced with any type of alcohol.
"You're kidding, right? There's no way a mortal could do that." Dionysus scoffed doubtfully, scanning Goku's body from head-to-toe for any sign of potential divinity.
"Well, this Son Goku as he calls himself is no ordinary mortal. He possesses superhuman strength and a supremely advanced mastery of martial arts. This strength, as I've witnessed, was powerful enough to harm a fully-grown hydra without the need of Celestial Bronze weapons." Artemis darkly accounted, her mind flickering back to the moment Goku used his Kaioken to kick said monster at unimaginable speeds. It was Chiron's turn to be by floored by this Goku's impressive feats, the immortal centaur never seeing any of the heroes he trained attain such achievements with little effort. However, another detail greatly unnerved him above all else.
"A-a hydra in Camp Half-Blood Forest? Are you positive?" Chiron gaped in uneasiness, wondering if the sight of this rare, yet incredibly powerful monster was the continually insidious work of his father. Artemis just nodded with closed eyes, her patience far past spent at this point.
"It was an elemental hydra with heightened regeneration abilities from what I saw. Goku was able to obliterate the beast and send it back to Tartarus somehow. The method of which I plan to find out in more ways than one." Artemis responded in assurance for the camp's safety, arching her head backward to observe Goku's form once more.
"So, if this Guko, or whatever his name is, is so tough, how did you manage to knock him out cold?" Dionysus pondered aloud with a quirked brow and squinted eyelids. In response, Artemis walked to the martial artist's side and squatted down. She plucked the Tranquilizer Dart from out of Goku's neck and delicately held it in between her fingertips.
"I used a special tranquilizer dart to temporarily sedate him for a few hours. Despite his power, he can be easily caught off-guard in certain situations like this one." Artemis explained in relief, still flabbergasted by how childish and fearsome Goku could be at the same time. Despite her own regenerative abilities, the goddess's wrist still stung a bit from when Goku grabbed it for some strange reason. Maybe Goku was far more powerful than he was initially letting on.
"Wait, you mean the same enhanced needles that can put fully grown Cyclopes into day or even month-long comas with one shot?!" Chiron interjected in reactionary surprise, noting that all of Artemis's projectile weapons had the potential to be sharper than any manmade blade.
"Unfortunately, that's all I could work with. Despite the additional sharpness of my darts, Goku's skin seems to be much more difficult to penetrate than any mortal I have previously come across. It seemed to go only way halfway as if there were some type of protective tissue layered over his body." Artemis grunted in frustration as she pricked her finger on the dart's pointed tip, a small streak of golden ichor momentarily trickling down.
Chiron and Dionysus looked at each other in concern, their own uncertainty of Goku's presence starting to affect their psyche.
"So, what are you waiting for then? He's practically gift-wrapped for Mount Olympus as we speak." Dionysus asked confusedly, uncertain in what Artemis's purpose was for bringing the spiky haired man-child here. Artemis, thankful that this conversation was finally coming to a close, simply pointed at her designated cabin. This vacant cabin, categorized as the eighth in Camp Half-Bloods total line up of twelve, was a silver building that shined brightly in the soon approaching moonlight.
"I realize that, Dionysus, but as a hunter, I need to further assess my prey before anything else can be done with it. In this case, I wish to interrogate Goku in my cabin and properly grasp the full extent of his abilities. Then, fate will decide what should be done with him on Olympus." Artemis justified her actions resolutely. Dionysus, not liking where this was going, slumped his shoulders and facepalmed.
"So, that means your hunters will be…"
"Sleeping here for the night? Absolutely." Artemis confirmed Dionysus's suspicions with a curt nod. The Greek God of Wine then sighed heavily, drinking a few more gulps of his pop can before rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Fine, fine. Do what you want, Artemis. Just let Dad know that I won't be a part of Kugo's trial when it happens." Dionysus surrendered passively, gesturing his hand aside as he attempted to walk back into the Big House.
"It's Goku." Artemis corrected her half-brother's error.
"Whatever." Mr. D yelled back with little care as he disappeared through the Big House's wooden doorway. Chiron just shook his head at Mr. D's typical behavior, addressing Artemis, her hunters, and the remaining campers in said wine patron's place.
"Take all the time you need, Artemis. I assure you that the utmost hospitality will be given to you and your hunters. Erm, and your… "guest" as well." Chiron advised calmly in a sage-like demeanor, putting air quotes in relation to Goku's current state-of-being. He then frowned at Camp Half-Blood's usual suspects, giving them a disapproving stink eye. The Stoll Brothers and a handful of Hermes' children just grinned with faux innocent. However, Ares's children, muscular teens with diabolical sneers, were challengingly staring at the Hunters of Artemis as if they were all hunks of meat ready to be beaten.
"Thank you, Chiron." Artemis responded with a small smile of gratitude. She then raised her hand as a signal for the Hunters to move out.
"Come along, girls. Make sure Son Goku is properly restrained and guarded at all times. At least, until he wakes up." Artemis ordered authoritatively in some sense of warning as she shuffled toward her cabin. With that, each of the goddess's teenage followers proceeded to follow their ladyship's lead, some staying behind to pick up Goku and Zöe as done beforehand. As all of the hunters piled into Cabin #8, Camp Half-Blood's demi-gods spared quick glances at Goku once more, silently wondering if the alleged powers shared by Artemis were actually true or not.
Chiron, noticing that everyone's attentions were transfixed on the happenings taking place within Artemis's cabin, awkwardly cleared his throat a few times to break their enticed "trance" and get things back under control.
"Alright, everyone. Who's up for Capture the Flag?" Chiron suggested with a resigned clap of his hands. At the mention of partaking in Camp Half-Blood's most popular and potentially dangerous game, all of the campers roared to life in excitement.
In Aphrodite's Temple…
Ares, still immensely infuriated by Aphrodite's betrayal, stormed into her temple with sinister intentions playing inside of his head. The aforementioned love goddess was still writing around in her long-time lover's arms, desperately seeking a way to protect Goku from what was about to become. Her porcelain face was now a beat red, lit up from embarrassment and rage.
"Let go of me, Ares! Goku did nothing wrong!" Aphrodite growled violently, struggling to overpower the war god's Olympian strength with her own. Her long hair shifted into a burnt orange, practically flowing like that of a raging fire. Ares snapped at the mention of his "rival's" name, grinding his teeth hard enough to shred any known metal. He unceremoniously dropped Aphrodite onto her bed, grunting lowly as he did so. The daughter of Ouranos plopped onto the soft mattress, almost falling off due to Ares' lack of care.
"Nothing wrong?! Hah! That punk ass alien was dead the moment he got your attention!" Ares fumed hatefully, pointing at Aphrodite with an accusatory finger. Despite the fact that Aphrodite had a multitude of human lovers in the past, something about Goku drove him absolutely insane beyond godly comprehension. The fact that Goku, a being comparably stronger than himself and any other Greek God, won the affections of his woman without even trying was all the justification he needed to know that Goku needed to be wiped out of existence.
"That wasn't his fault! I can't help feeling what I feel. It just happened…" Aphrodite almost whispered with half-lidded green eyes. She bit her bottom lip, the thought of Goku being pursued as an enemy worrying her to no end. The sight of Aphrodite hugging herself in deep sadness would have calmed Ares in any other situation if it weren't for the fact that a so-called Saiyan was clouding her thoughts minute after minute. This just made his temper practically reach sub-atomic levels of infuriation.
"Please understand, Ares. Even though I love Goku, there's still love for you as well." Aphrodite attempted to soothe the God of War's rage by delicately cupping his cheek. To Ares' surprise, the practitioner of love suddenly wore a white dress commonly associated with women from Ancient Greece. Her long hair became a light brunette, tied into a bun with coiled strands flowing outward near her ears. It was almost as if she were a surviving relic of their first date brought back from the past. Before Ares could properly respond to the welcoming touch, Aphrodite slightly pulled away and touched her chest with a delicate hand.
"But… with Goku, I don't feel afraid to be myself. He doesn't see me as an object of desire and actually seems to care about the person behind my beauty. His big smile… his pure of heart… his immense power… Everything about him is so warm and inviting to me!" Aphrodite mused with a warm smile and closed eyelids, her cheeks burning a rosier red than ever before. This was the absolute breaking point for Ares, his punishment for Aphrodite's errors now coming into full fruition. A wide smirk etched from ear-to-ear, the explosions in his sunglasses steadily expanding in terms of size and overall combustion.
"Tsk. But, there's one thing that Saiyan moron won't give you." Ares chuckled lowly in pure anticipation. His eyes silently scanned Aphrodite's voluptuous body from top to bottom, blindly ignoring her uncomfortable expression.
"Ares. W-what are you doing?" Aphrodite stammered in nervousness, slowly inching to away from her lover to another portion of the bed. Before she could properly sense Ares's overwhelming feelings of lust, the son of Zeus pounced on the beautiful Olympian like a speeding bulldozer. Using his muscular stature, Ares pinned Aphrodite's arms on the mattress and positioned himself on top of her legs, so she wouldn't be able to struggle as much.
"No man will ever be able to give you the amount of pleasure I can. Not even that off-worlder." Ares sneered with desire, alluringly whispering into her ear. Aphrodite, admittedly having many similar experiences with Ares over the past 1000 years, could not deny this bold claim, but was still disheartened by the advance regardless.
"Let me go, Ares. This wouldn't be out of love and you know it." Aphrodite muttered in protest, knowing the amount of emotional instability Ares was going through right now. Still persistent as ever, Ares began tracing kisses down Aphrodite's earlobe and neck area. This sent shockwaves of electricity throughout Aphrodite's body, a wave of heat starting to generate all throughout.
"Come on, babe. There's nothing wrong with a little bit of lust once in a while. You should know with that Saiyan punk running around." Ares persisted enticingly, passive aggressively discounting Goku as just another fling in Aphrodite's long list of lovers. Ares then attempted to kiss Aphrodite's lips, but was rebuffed by a swift turn of her head.
"I already told you. My feelings for Goku are not solely out of lust." Aphrodite argued irritably, her green eyes sparkling with traces of pink energy. Ares, seeing that he still wasn't getting to her, scowled in disgust and increased the pressure on her arms.
"Face it, Aphrodite. As soon as that rat bastard is transported to his own universe, you'll forgot all about him. Now let's get back to-" Ares was interrupted by the sensation of Aphrodite steadily rising up from her position on the bed. Her beautiful face took a complete 180 in terms of mood, both eyes narrowed dangerously.
"No…" Aphrodite glowered angrily, the magenta hue of her irises glowing even more vibrant. Ares was left agape by this sudden display of divine power, never seeing Aphrodite in a such a bad mood. Well, at least not with him as the unfortunate victim of her proposed wrath.
"I'm sorry, Ares, but Goku needs me right now. There's nothing you, Zeus, and the others can do to stop me." Aphrodite claimed with the utmost confidence, her own anger steadily building by the second. Ares began to shake uncontrollably in pure rage, his inability to convince Aphrodite taking a toll on his already inflated ego.
"That is complete bullshit, Aphrodite! YOU BELONG TO ME! NO ONE ELSE!" Ares shouted in Aphrodite's face, orange flames shooting out of his jacket and glasses. However, just before he could make another forceful advance, Aphrodite's true power was finally unleashed!
"I said… NO!" Aphrodite screamed powerfully, her eyes, hair, and white skin now shining a vibrant pink. In that moment, a gigantic beam of the same color was projected from her chest. This Love Blast violently slammed into Ares, sending him flying into the nearest wall of the temple. He smash straight into the temple's marble surface, leaving a sizable indentation of cracks and broken furniture. Before Ares could recover from this unexpected attack, Aphrodite immediately snapped her fingers in quick succession. This action caused large vines to grow from within the damaged walls, each sporting gigantic thorns and rose petals of varying colors. These sharp plants coiled around Ares's arms, legs, throat, and, worst of all, his private parts, deeply piercing the skin in a slow, painful manner.
"Gyaaaah!" Ares cried out in immense pain with widened eyes, small streams of golden ichor trickling downward from each wound. The overly violent god was left completely helpless, each thorn getting deeper the more he struggled to break free. Aphrodite simply crossed her arms, observing the pain Ares inadvertently brought upon himself.
"This won't hold you for long, but it will still give me enough time to see if Goku is safe. I hope you forgive me one day." Aphrodite explained with some regret, taking a deep breath of resignation before preparing to reach Camp Half-Blood. Ares slowly shifted his head over to Aphrodite, teeth clenched in absolute vitriol.
"W-we're not finished here, Aphrodite! If you see that Saiyan, tell him to be ready to fight me one-on-one!" Ares balked angrily; the vines wrapped around his throat making it increasingly more difficult to speak. Aphrodite stopped in place for a moment to observe her immortal lover's pitiful state, her red lips twitched in a melancholic frown.
"Knowing Goku, he might enjoy that." Aphrodite remarked with a pained smile, not wanting to see two carriers of her affections forcefully battle it out. She then waved her hands around slightly, projecting the likeness of a large cloud. She then hopped aboard the Flying Nimbus-like mount and rocketed down toward the mortal world, skipping the Empire State Building's elevator in order to avoid any sort of detection from Zeus or any other inhabitants of Olympus.
Back in the temple, Aphrodite's departure and continual acts of betrayal only fueled Ares's innermost abilities. Thoughts of killing Goku, even if completely impossible, through various means caused sparks of flame to steadily burst all around his body in the form of a towering wall that brimmed with life and energy.
"GRRRAAAGH!" Ares shouted with all the strength he could muster, unleashing the combustible wall on each portion of his body. While temporarily scorching his skin and jacket, this minor display of Pyrokinesis instantaneously melted the vines created from Aphrodite, removing all sorts of thorns from his wrists and ankles. Still sore from the multiple stab wounds and cuts, Ares collapsed onto his knees and breathed sporadically from pain-laced exhaustion. As soon as his regenerative powers caught up with him, Ares slowly stood up and clenched each of his fists hard enough to draw blood. He then retrieved his spear and slammed it into the ground, cracked shards of tile flying in separate directions. He then analyzed the spot where Aphrodite departed, already knowing where she would be heading to.
"Well, if it's war they want, it's war they'll definitely get." Ares muttered to himself with a maniacal grin. He then took off his sunglasses, revealing red pupils filled with nothing but the carnage of nuclear holocaust. With that last threat, Ares tucked away his shades and followed after the love goddess, already having a good idea of how he would reach Camp Half-Blood beforehand.
Camp Half-Blood
Goku's pupils steadily fluttered open to witness yet another location he was completely unfamiliar with. Very confused and currently having a splitting migraine, he adjusted the position of his head to examine the surrounding premises. It seemed to be a large silver room filled with a wide assortment of beds similar to the one he was now lying in. Some extended to other rooms in the building, a wide majority of them occupied by more critically harmed Hunters of Artemis. The happy-go-lucky Saiyan blinked a few times to alleviate the cabin's blinding light, quirking his brow in puzzlement.
"Ugh how did I get here? And why does my mouth taste like dirt?" Goku asked himself confusedly, sporting a look of childish revulsion whilst sticking out his tongue. His line of sight then closed in on two extremely muscular girls standing in front of the bed. Each of them stared straight ahead as if they were motionless statues, both holding razor sharp hunting knives and their own set of bow-and-arrows. Relieved by the sight of people he could talk to, Goku smiled widely and attempted to stand up.
"Oh hi! Could you tell me where-" As soon as Goku moved up, one of the knives was tossed at the wall near his head. Part of his black locks were cleaved by the small weapon's blade as it spun around, securely indenting itself into the silver stone. Goku comically stepped backward, his black eyes shrunken from surprise at this sudden action. The huntresses glared menacingly at the alien man, Goku's open friendliness not deterring their bias towards the opposite sex.
"Quiet, Son Goku. You will be held prisoner here until Lady Artemis comes back. She wishes to speak with you." Phoebe seethed informingly, pointing to Goku's currently restrained hands for emphasis. Goku tilted his head to the side, not noticing the thick layer of rope tightly coiled around his wrists until now. Goku could obviously break out of this "trap" if he wanted to, but it was better to come quietly instead of causing more trouble. He already had enough enemies as is, so making more in this world wouldn't help much.
"O-oh… well, do you know when she'll be back?" Goku awkwardly inquired, shifting his compromised position to sit Indian style on the mattress. Phoebe and her fellow Hunter of Artemis just scoffed at Goku's question, the latter her the previously thrown knife.
"All you need to know is that she will be back shortly. It's night and preparations for departure in the morning need to be made." Phoebe grunted in response, gazing at the moon as it brightly illuminated through the cabin's glass window. Goku's jaw dropped at the mention of what time it was, his eye widened to the size of saucers.
"IT'S NIGHT?! How long was I asleep for?!" Goku gasped loudly, struggling to recall what happened to him after the hydra's defeat. Due to Goku's irksome reaction causing some of the sleeping Hunters to groggily stir awake, Phoebe roared with rage and prepared to rip Goku a new one.
"Approximately 5 hours. It could have been more, so be thankful that the effects of my dart weren't at their normal potency." Artemis responded from the doorway, her body leaning against the wall with crossed arms. Phoebe and Goku's other guard immediately stopped what they were doing, lowly kneeling to the ground in their mistress's presence. Goku was also transfixed by the moon goddess's abrupt appearance, barely sensing her energy from the doorway.
"Lady Artemis. Shall we begin the interrogation?" Phoebe asked curiously with a frown, side-glancing at Goku's form with immense suspicion. Artemis nodded in agreement, resting one of her hands on the ginger-haired tracking specialist's shoulder.
"I can take it from here, girls. I need to speak with Goku privately." Artemis excused the two huntresses with an appreciative smile. At the mention of Artemis being alone with such a dangerous man, Phoebe began to sport a look of reluctance.
"Are you certain, Lady Artemis? He was able to harm you earlier." Phoebe recalled worryingly, thinking back to the moment Goku was able to make said daughter of Zeus bleed when no one else could. Artemis shook her head negatively in assurance, admittedly wanting to forget that embarrassing moment ever happened.
"I'll be fine, Phoebe. I've endured far worse men than him." Artemis soothed Phoebe's concerns with a warm grin. Due to her answer holding more truth than implied, Phoebe accepted defeat and walked toward the cabin's exit. However, before leaving, she gave Goku the stink eye and crossed a finger over her throat. Said Saiyan just gulped nervously, still feeling a bit threatened by the large girl despite her comparatively low power level.
"I apologize for Phoebe's behavior. She's had bad experiences with men in the past. A wide majority of my hunters have." Artemis respectfully exclaimed, setting up a chair in front of the bed Goku was sitting on. She then sat down, positioning herself in a formal manner that exuded confidence. She fixed her hair into a long, auburn ponytail as per usual and icily gazed at Goku, patiently waiting for his response.
"It's alright I guess. They honestly remind me of some friends I had back home." Goku admitted with a light chuckle, recalling the time blonde-haired Launch would riddle Master Roshi with bullets for his perverted antics. At the mention of his "home", Artemis decided to get her most important question out of the way.
"Your home… what is that like exactly?" Artemis asked interestedly, never once dealing with alternate universes completely different in function and appearance to her own. Goku was slightly caught off-guard by this question, the feeling of homesickness still prominent within his psyche. However, Artemis's cluelessness also puzzled Goku, his head tilted to the side in befuddlement.
"Shouldn't you know that already? I mean Zeus did order you to hunt me, right?" Goku audibly wondered, initially figuring that the Olympians would study everything about him before initiating any sort of battle. Artemis just huffed at this factual assessment, already frustrated enough with her father's vague instructions.
"Yes, but all he revealed to me was your appearance and the fact that you were from another universe. Before my hunters and I confronted you, we knew nothing about your abilities or level of strength." Artemis grumbled in annoyance, baffled by the mess Lord Zeus intentionally put her through.
"Guess that didn't work out as planned, huh? Hehe…" Goku sniggered lightheartedly with closed eyes and a toothy grin. Artemis just glared daggers at the Saiyan for his poor attempt at a joke, traces of silver energy surrounding her body and irises.
"Erm sorry. That was uncalled for." Goku admitted apologetically, looking away from Artemis's searing stare. Artemis immediately calmed herself, wanting to keep any sort of emotion under control this interrogation session was over.
"No, you're right. Ambushing you was a disaster waiting to happen for everyone involved. I'm surprised the needle in my tranquilizer dart was able to affect you." Artemis accepted the head Z-Fighter's apology, thankful for the fact that this questioning was even able to take place without any unnecessary hassle. Goku suddenly froze in place after hearing the last sentence, his skin paling to a ghostly white.
"W-what did you say about that dart?" Goku stammered in growing fear, his body instinctively squirming about. Not knowing what the martial artist was going on about, Artemis raised an eyebrow and took out the same dart that sedated Goku hours prior.
"The needle of this dart is much sharper than man-made ones. I was able to shoot you in the neck with it and temporarily deactivate all functions in the body. However, as I've stated before, your immune system seemed to work faster than the average human's." Artemis explained once again, holding the needle's triangular tip in front of Goku's face. At the mention of a needle stabbing his body, Goku pathetically crawled to another portion of the mattress and curled up in a makeshift fetal position.
"C-can you put that away, please? I-it's making me kind of… uh… uncomfortable." Goku whimpered slightly, desperately trying to suppress a scream of absolute horror threatening to break out. Artemis peered at Goku strangely before doing as he asked and placing the dart back in her pocket. After making sure the dart was gone for good, Goku took a deep breath and regained his lost composure.
"T-thank you. I have a huge fear of needles, so knowing that one touched me just brought back some bad memories." Goku justified his fearful reaction, shuddering in recollection of the time he was forced to go to the hospital after Vegeta crippled him. Artemis did not expect Goku to have such a small weakness. This man was able to kick a mature hydra without any sort of fear, yet mere syringes were what he was afraid of?!
"You do realize small children are able to deal with needles just fine, right? They are completely harmless and, depending on the type, beneficial in most cases." Artemis pointed out amusedly, unable to comprehend the reason for Goku's completely ludicrous fear. Goku just pouted defiantly, not knowing where his uncontrollable Trypanophobia originated from himself.
"I know, I know. They just rub me the wrong way, okay?" Goku whined with slumped shoulders, continuing to frown like a moody child. Artemis couldn't help but feel amused by Goku's innocent demeanor, making a mental note about this fear of needles and how she could use it to her advantage later on.
"Anyways, I think my enhanced immune system is based on the fact that I'm not really human." Goku proceeded with the conversation, unveiling his true heritage. Pleased by the fact that she was correct in her initial assumptions, Artemis's interest in their discussion was piqued once more.
"Then what exactly are you?" Artemis asked intently, her eyebrows furrowed in complete seriousness.
"I'm a Saiyan. They were a race of ruthless warriors from the Planet Vegeta who sought to become the strongest in the universe. Every Saiyan closely resembled humans in some way, but possessed brown monkey tails as well." Goku introduced the basic details of his species, including their general appearance and motivations. The concept of extraterrestrial life was far from Artemis's expertise, but she supposed that with so many deities and mythological creatures out there, aliens wouldn't be that far of a stretch if they did indeed exist somewhere in the ever-expansive universe.
"What was the purpose for these monkey tails exactly?" Artemis wondered, assuming that there was an evolutionary justification for possessing such appendages.
"Well, during the full moon, having a tail could cause Saiyans to transform into gigantic monkeys known as Oozaru, or Great Apes, that could increase their already existing power by 10. However, only the strongest Saiyans could retain their intelligence while in this form. Otherwise, you'll go on an uncontrollable rampage that can't be stopped until the morning comes around. It's one of the reasons I permanently removed mine years ago." Goku gravely described with saddened eyes, noting the time he accidentally killed Grandpa Gohan during one of these uncontrollable metamorphoses. Artemis was amazed by the unique nature of this race, inwardly comparing the Oozaru phenomenon to Lycaon and other victims of Lycanthropy. Based on Goku's reactions, she could also gather that certain Saiyans might have barely remembered turning into said abnormally sized primates.
"I'm guessing you're different from the rest of your race, correct?" Artemis boldly presumed from Goku's visible body language and overall goofy behavior. Goku's sadness was swiftly dissolved at the mention of this inference, looking up at the immortal goddess in curiosity.
"What makes you say that?" Goku questioned with a rapid blink of his eyes. Artemis just shrugged her shoulders absentmindedly, her red lips twitched upward in what could best be interpreted as a flat smile.
"You described the Saiyans as ruthless and power hungry in terms of behavior. Despite this, you seem to fight for fun or when it is completely necessary. For example, you only decided to take action against my huntresses and I when I implied that Aphrodite was in some sort of danger. Am I right?" Artemis proclaimed her observations with squinted eyes.
"I guess you put it that way, yeah. The Saiyans were known for killing the innocent and destroying entire planets, so that's something I would never do. Plus, Aphrodite is my friend and I always protect those closest to me." Goku partially agreed with Artemis's assessment, his blood boiling just thinking about the utter chaos Saiyan elites were responsible for creating. However, they were, of course, the biproduct of an even greater monster.
Artemis felt unnerved by Goku's nature in contrast with other males she has interacted with. While other Greek heroes could be selfish or downright greedy at times, Goku seemed to be the complete opposite. While getting stronger was still important to him like any other Saiyan, he also had a child-like purity to him that made his existence all the more intriguing. It honestly altered her perceptions of what his exact purpose for being here was.
"You consider Aphrodite a friend? Even when she was responsible for sending you to this world in the first place?" Artemis queried in pure astonishment, curious as to why Goku wasn't angry with the love goddess for intentionally separating him from his aforementioned friends and family.
"I was angry at first, but then I realized being transported here was the most of fun I've had in a long time! Ever since my-" Goku cut himself off at the mention of Chi-Chi, feeling that it was too painful just mentioning his beloved wife's name or what happened to her. Artemis was floored by Goku's swift change in mood, noticing the true sense of despair laced in his obsidian orbs.
"E-ever since I lost someone very special to me, I haven't been able to eat, sleep, or fight as well as I used to. Now, because of Aphrodite, I got to eat a full course meal, fight you and a hydra, and get the best sleep I've had in quite a while! I should honestly be thanking her!" Goku beamed happily with a large smile, unintentionally breaking apart the ropes tied around his hands with rejuvenated strength. Looking at his newly freed hands, Goku sheepishly scratched the back of his head.
"Oops. I guess it was now of never, huh?" Goku commented in slight embarrassment with a care-free shrug. Artemis carefully thought over Goku's words of positivity in relation to what Aphrodite did for him, his happiness becoming somewhat infectious. However, she couldn't help, but wonder about Goku's past experiences and who the person he lost truly was. Judging by what he revealed, the moon goddess had a feeling death was a very common experience for him.
"That's all well and good, Goku, but I still need to bring you to Mount Olympus. Based on that hydra's appearance in the woods, there may be more monsters attracted to your power. Some that are potentially even stronger and more aggressive." Artemis reminded the Saiyan prodigy, still focusing on the instructed task at hand. Goku nodded in agreement, hiding his excitement for the prospect of more mythological creatures coming after him.
"I understand, Artemis. I don't want to cause anymore trouble than I already have. If you bring me there, I'll come willingly." Goku promised in understanding, not seeing much issue in being tried by the terms of a universe outside of his own. He also wouldn't mind meeting some of the other Olympians based on the actions they have displayed in Aphrodite's memories. Even if most of their exploits were not the most just or righteous, the prospect of interacting with gods and goddesses different from the Kais could be interesting.
"I appreciate the sentiment, Goku. We'll travel back to the Empire State Building first thing in the morning." Artemis stated in respect for Goku's cooperation, genuinely smiling this time around. The sight of this smile caused Goku to actually take notice of Artemis's eyes. While they were a bright gold during their first confrontation with each other, her pupils were now shifted into a silvery gray, practically sparkling in the glowing moonlight. Goku was about comment on this change, but was interrupted by a distracted Artemis.
"But first…" Artemis interjected with a raised finger. Her eyes were now narrowed with determination, staring straight into Goku's very soul.
"Yeah?" Goku asked with a raised eyebrow while instinctively brushing his hair backward.
"You need to tell me what the Kaioken is. As well as what you did to destroy that hydra from before." Artemis demanded, getting into Goku's face to show that she meant business.
"Oh you mean the Kamehameha?" Goku simply replied, inching away from Artemis's body to regain some much-needed space. One of Artemis's eyes twitched at this absurd name, wondering if the Saiyan was mocking her.
"Why are you mentioning a Hawaiian king as the name of your attack?" Artemis deadpanned, sporting an acute knowledge of many cultures from past hunting expeditions. Goku, having no idea what a Hawaiian was, shook his head and further explained the origins of his signature technique.
"What? No, the Kamehameha is a blast of blue energy that can be unleashed from a person's hands. It was invented by a martial arts expert known as Master Roshi and has been my go-to attack ever since I learned it from him." Goku emphasized the Kamehameha's functions, even cupping his hands together to demonstrate how it is released. At the mention of learning this oddly named chi blast, Artemis grew more anticipated to see it up close and personal.
"Hmmm would you mind showing me this Kamehameha?" Artemis asked, her tone of voice a bit more demanding than intended. Goku, not seeing the harm in doing so, gave her a thumbs up and nodded enthusiastically.
"Not at all. I can show you the Kaioken as well." Goku kindly agreed with Artemis's suggestion, always wanting to pass down his skills in some way.
"Good. I'll lead you to the training ground. Some of the Hunters might be there, so watch yourself." Artemis informed with a pleased nod, gathering her possessions and heading for the cabin's door. Goku just massaged his throat, hoping that Phoebe or the newly awakened Zöe and Phoebe wouldn't be shooting there.
"Oh yeah. What happened to your eyes?" Goku asked as he followed closely behind her. Artemis suddenly stopped in place, unsure of what the son of Bardock meant.
"Pardon me?" Artemis responded ignorantly.
"Before your eyes were gold, but now they're a bright silver. Why is that?" Goku questioned, confused by the sudden change in aesthetic.
"Ah that's what you meant. All gods and goddesses have the inherent ability to change their appearance at will. For me, I can be seen with red hair and gold irises like before or dark black hair and silver eyes like it is now. Silver is a bit better for night vision, so that's why I switched all of a sudden." Artemis clarified Goku's most recent inquisition. Goku was fascinated by the detailed description, originally believing that Aphrodite was the only Greek deity with this ability.
"Well, they look nice." Goku complimented offhandedly as he continued walking with both arms crossed behind his head. Artemis, not expecting this comment, stood frozen in place for a moment with widened eyes. She then scoffed to herself and quickened the pace of her stride, not even thanking Goku for what he said.
"Hey wait up, Artemis!" Goku shouted out in slight concern, speedily jogging to catch up with the virgin goddess. The two then walked through Camp Half-Blood's grounds, each of them equally confused as to what took place.
Hey guess who's not dead? XD Sorry about the very, very late update, guys, but college and work have been a bit overwhelming lately. I also got into a car accident (no one was hurt thankfully), so that was also a bit difficult to deal with. Anyways, I hope to update more of this story and all three of my other stories later this month, so look forward to those chapters when they come. I'm also going to try increasing the length of my chapters, so each story doesn't seem like they're progressing super slowly. As always, please leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to tell me what you think.
Also, in September, I worked on a Ben 10/One Punch Man crossover called The Hunter's Monomyth with i4md347h. Check out his profile if you want to read that story or his own My Hero Academia/One Punch Man crossover, The Hunter Amongst Villains.
P.S. Future chapters will not have the intro and outro. Sorry if those seemed intrusive to some people, but I thought it was a cool idea at the time.