Welcome back to chapter three! Please review and I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own "Naruto" or "Percy Jackson & The Olympians," they belong to their respective owners.

A Trial of Tribulation

Hall of the Gods – Mount Olympus

Hestia hummed in delight at claiming her nephew, stoking the hearth of Olympus in her hands.

"That was not a wise move, sister," boomed Zeus while looking over, clearly in a bad mood. Each of the Olympians was in attendance, as they were in the middle of a meeting when Hestia suddenly claimed Naruto for all to see.

"I'm surprised Hestia," Hera added, "I never took you for somebody with theatrics."

Hestia instead kept her smile on her face, not bothered by either of these comments.

"Why claim his as your son?" Athena asked while cocking her head to the side, "Surely you must know that will raise questions back at camp. You are known as a virgin goddess throughout our realm. Furthermore, he is not your son, but only a mortal with your blessing."

Hestia looked at the goddess of wisdom, "Don't worry about him trying to explain everything, I'll take care of that."

The answer seemed to satisfy Athena for now, as she leaned back into her throne.

"What about the cabin?" Aphrodite butted in, "How did that suddenly appear?"

"I made a deal with Hephaestus to help construct the cabin, as well as notifying Dionysus ahead of time," Hestia answered while the hearth glowed.

Hephaestus nodded, "I owed her a favor and it wasn't a difficult task to accomplish."

"That's enough banter," Zeus spoke out, "Let us return to our meeting." If the King of Olympus wasn't in such a sour mood, he would have cared more about Hestia not asking his permission to construct another cabin.

"What meeting?" sneered Poseidon, "This entire time has been spent with you accusing me of stealing your Master Bolt!"

"And you deny this?" Zeus looked back with anger in his eyes. Even Hera's hand over his arm did little to quell his fury.

Poseidon shouted back, "You know that no Olympians are allowed to take the symbols of powers from one another, us included!"

"But that doesn't stop a demigod from taking them!" Zeus answered back, eyes crackling with electricity.

"Be very, very careful, brother," Poseidon said in a low tone, "I hope you're not implying my son took your Master Bolt."

Seeing the tension rise in the room, Apollo stepped in, "Let us just take a moment to calm down, we don't need to tear each other apart over allegations that are yet to be proven."

Zeus looked over at his son, "Are you claiming my accusations are false, Apollo?"

Knowing that his father only used his name in times of extreme anger, the sun god almost shrunk down under his father's intense gaze.

Apollo shook his head, "No father, I am merely stating that-"

"-Zeus is correct, and I am in the wrong, correct?" Poseidon finished for him, his own eyes glowing a sea green.

"No, uncle," Apollo quickly stated with a frown.

"Enough, brother," Artemis whispered, "It is clear tensions are high, don't intervene."

Apollo realized that no matter what he said, both Olympians would take it the wrong way. This situation was quickly growing out of control, and he didn't know what to do.

Normally, Hestia would defuse these types of situations. However, given that she was currently not in favor of Zeus, she could do little to calm both brothers down.

"I've heard ENOUGH!" Poseidon shouted while slamming his trident onto the marble floor. The entirety of Mount Olympus shook for a brief moment.

Standing up, Poseidon looked Zeus directly in the eyes, "I demand an apology by the summer solstice, or there will be consequences!"

"Are you threatening me, POSEIDON!?" Zeus shouted, also standing up with sparks of electricity surrounding his form. "I DEMAND my Master Bolt back by the summer solstice, or else we will go to war!"

Each of the Olympians present watched on with baited breaths, fearing the worst outcome possible. Even Ares, who normally loved these kinds of events, stayed silent on his throne.

"Husband, that's enough-" Hera began only to hear Zeus cut her off.

"Your demigod will return my Master Bolt as a peace offering," Zeus demanded, "You have until the summer solstice."

"Be warned," Poseidon said, "If I do not receive an apology by then, then it will be me you have to worry about, brother."

With a loud shout, both beings flashed away to their respective domains. The rest of Olympus now realized how dire this situation was.

Camp Half-Blood – Hestia Cabin

Naruto sat on his new bed as he read through his scroll. While he was here, Percy was speaking to the Oracle in private.

As he sat on his bed, Naruto heard a loud swish of the candle beside him. Looking over, he saw an image of his Aunt Hestia.

"Aunt Hestia!" Naruto cried out in shock, "What are you doing here?"

After receiving her blessing long ago, Naruto was used to speaking through sources of flames. He had become accustomed to it.

"Hello Naru," Hestia teased, "I just wished to communicate with my favorite nephew."

"About that," Naruto said nervously, "Most people here think I'm your son…"

"Don't worry, Naru," Hestia said lovingly, "While you are not my son, that is not our most urgent issue at the moment…"

The virgin goddess then went on to explain to her nephew, about the atmosphere of Olympus. Once she was done explaining everything, Naruto leaned back on his bed.

A question then popped up in his head, which he asked, "So does Chiron know about this as well?"

Hestia nodded through the flames, "He does. Dionysus keeps in mental contact with him to update him on any events regarding Camp Half-Blood, similar to how we are communicating."

Naruto nodded, still digesting the fact that Olympus was close to coming to blows. He didn't even want to think about the massive pressure that was on Percy's shoulders right now.

"Be supportive of your friend, Naru," Hestia began, "He will most likely embark on a quest, and he will need his friends."

"I will, Aunt Hestia," Naruto nodded. This made the goddess smile, realizing she didn't have to worry about Naruto abandoning his friends.

Deciding to ask a question that was burning in his mind, Naruto said, "Aunt Hestia, I want to ask something."

"Hmm?" the goddess responded.

"Why… why don't we allow more campers in our cabin? I mean, I know we're not supposed to allow kids in cabins that don't reflect their godly parents, but you're the goddess of family! I'm sure there's some loophole there that we could use, like Hermes does!" Naruto pleaded his case. He truly wanted to help those campers who felt they didn't have a spot at camp or remained unclaimed for many years.

"It's not that easy, Naru," Hestia sighed, "That would be going against centuries of camp tradition, besides, we would need explicit approval from Zeus before we could allow that to happen. I've already tested his patience by building this cabin without prior approval, and his soured mood will not make it any easier."

Naruto looked down, feeling disheartened, "I…I understand…"

Not wanting her nephew to feel completely dejected, Hestia added, "However, should he get his Master Bolt back once more, I believe my brother will be in a much better mood. If that happens, we can ask him if other kids can be welcomed."

Naruto felt a smile form on his face, agreeing with the idea. "I would like that."

"Very well," Hestia said with a motherly smile, "I have to go now, Naru, but don't worry. As long as you have that necklace on, I'll always be with you."

Seeing her image vanish, Naruto decided to put away his scroll for now. He wanted to go check on his friend.

Leaving his belongings inside, Naruto walked outside of his cabin. He watched as Percy exited the oracle's cabin, looking shaken.

Seeing his friend's distressed state, Naruto walked over with an expression of concern on his face. "Hey man, what did the oracle tell you?"

Percy looked over, pale as a ghost, "She said a few things…"

Chiron then trotted over, he spoke with a serious tone of voice, "Be very specific on what she said, Mr. Jackson. These prophecies tend to hold double meanings, we need to know what she said, word for word."

Percy nodded, "She said 'You shall be betrayed by the one who calls you friend, and fail to save what matters most in the end."

Chiron's face turned into a grimace, clearly unhappy to hear these words. He had already notified Percy of his quest to return Zeus's Master Bolt by the summer solstice, but he didn't think the Oracle would provide such horrible news.

Some camper's eyes turned to Naruto at hearing this revelation, clearly thinking he must have some connection to it. After all, Naruto arrived only a day after Percy did and they were already close friends. Even a few Athena kids seemed to think along the same lines.

"I see…." hummed Chiron in thought, "Very well, the oracle has spoken. Who will you take on your quest, Percy Jackson?"

Percy looked around the camp and noticed that quite a few campers seemed to be eager to join. Some even raised their hands and tried to make themselves noticeable in the rather large crowd.

The son of Poseidon scanned the crowd for a few seconds before he made his conclusion. "I want Grover, Annabeth, and Naruto to come with me."

This shocked the centaur, "Are you sure about your decision? You have to understand the consequences that come with it."

Percy nodded, "I do."

Now while it was not widely known, there was a common practice among quests that most people stayed true to. When embarking on a new quest, it was best to take only three people in total. This didn't mean you couldn't take more, but it was to avoid misfortune. Taking three people on a quest was seen as the 'magical' number that held the most luck.

Taking more than three people was always risky, with more chances of something terrible happening. However, in the end, it was up to the quest leader on how many people to take.

"Do your companions accept the responsibility?" Chiron asked while looking over at the mentioned campers.

Annabeth stood straight, "I do."

Grover seemed to chew his lip for a second before also huffing out, "I do."

Finally, all eyes turned towards the blonde. Taking in a second, Naruto spoke, "I do."

His ruby necklace shined brightly for a quick second.

"So…" Naruto began as they trekked on their way to the city, "Can I ask why you picked me?"

The group of four walked towards the nearest city, having left Camp Half-Blood. Luke had given Percy a pair of flying shoes, however, he decided to let Grover have them in the meantime. He didn't want to risk Zeus's wrath falling upon him.

He was also finally given an actual weapon by Chiron, Riptide, which transformed into a pen when not in use. It felt right in his hand and he enjoyed wielding it.

Percy looked over in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Well you said your friend will betray you," Naruto said, "I like to think we're friends, so why risk me coming along?"

Annabeth nodded, also curious.

"Well," Percy said while rubbing the back of his head, "This might sound stupid… but I don't think you would do something like that. I know it sounds dumb to go off of my gut instinct, but I don't think you would do that to me."

Naruto let the answer sink in, flattered that Percy thought so highly of his character.

"Besides," Percy said with a grin, "I needed to bring someone along that I knew would have my back, and you proved it back there with Clarisse."

Naruto felt a genuine smile form across his face, "Thanks man, I appreciate it."

The group then continued on their walk, sharing stories and speaking to one another. They had all traveled relatively light.

"Man, I hope I can finally get my searcher's license after this!" Grover shouted out in excitement.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," Naruto thought, "He told me about it during our game of volleyball."

Keeping his eyes focused, Naruto realized that Annabeth had yet to say something as well, "What about you Annabeth, are you excited too?"

"Actually, I am," the daughter of Athena answered, "I've been wanting to go on a quest for a while now, so I'm happy to finally be out."

Percy smiled, happy that at least everyone on his team agreed so far. It felt nice knowing that he made the right choice in picking his companions.

"So where are we heading to again?" Naruto asked with his hands behind his head.

"The Underworld," Percy answered, "Chiron told me he suspects that Hades-"

"Names Percy!" Annabeth shouted, "Remember that names have power!"

The ground below them shook for a moment, almost as if proving Annabeth's point.

"Right," Percy said sheepishly, "Chiron thinks that Mr. H might have taken the Master Bolt as a way for uhh…" He was trying to think of the best words to use, "…Mr. Z and my dad to fight and leave Olympus weak."

"And why would he want that?" Naruto wondered.

"Because then he would be able to rule Olympus, as he's always been bitter for being forgotten by a majority of gods," Percy answered.

"I don't know if I agree with that," Naruto paused in his mind, "All the things told to me by Granny Rhea and Aunt Hestia paint him in a different light… I guess we'll have to wait and see."

"Heads-up guys," Grover stated, "Looks like we're entering the city."

True to his words, the group stood atop a hill that overlooked the metropolis area.

"Such a disconnect from nature," the satyr shook his head. "Too much pollution and trash littered everywhere."

"Well, let's get looking for a bus service," Annabeth commented.

The group of fighters then entered and searched around the city for a few minutes. They eventually came upon a bus stop that was going in the direction they needed, Los Angeles.

As they sat upon the bus stop's bench, they stretched and loosened up for their quest. Naruto overheard the conversation Annabeth was having with Grover.

"So then I told Rebecca that if she's going to calculate the angle of the sun, it's best if…" As Naruto looked over, it seemed that Grover was trying his best to keep up. The calculations and mathematics in the girl's speech were slowly confusing his brain.

"Guys, focus up," Naruto suddenly spoke up, "I sense something… sinister heading our way."

As if on cue, the bus began to pull around the corner and stopped with the tires screeching along the pavement.

The doors flung open and a burly man appeared in the driver's seat, "Are you all getting on?" he asked in a rough voice.

"We are," Percy answered as he began to walk up the steps. That was until Naruto pulled him back by his shoulder.

"Don't," Naruto whispered, "I sense something on this bus that wants us dead…"

"Dude, what are you saying?" Percy whispered back, now on alert.

"Are you getting on or not?" the bus driver asked once again, annoyed.

"What's the hold-up?" Annabeth questioned with her arms crossed. She was trying to board the bus but was blocked by the two boys.

Ignoring her at the moment, Naruto directed his eyes to Grover, "Can't you smell them, Grover?" He needed confirmation that his hunch was right.

Deciding to follow along, Grover sniffed the air a few times before his face became grim, "There are 'Kindly Ones' on this bus. Naruto's right, we shouldn't board."

Now believing his friend, Percy looked over at the driver, "Sorry, this wasn't the bus we were trying to board."

The man shrugged uncaring, "Suit yourselves."

After exiting, the doors shut and the bus was off. As it turned another corner, the group of kids could see multiple pairs of eyes glaring at them. They held nothing but malicious intent.

"Holy crap," Percy sputtered, "You were right man, I'm sorry for doubting you."

"It's okay," Naruto said in response, "I'm just happy I caught it in time."

"I've been meaning to ask," Annabeth stated, "How did you know they were there?"

Naruto shrugged, "I'm not entirely sure myself. Sometimes, I can just… sense these things. I don't know what it is or what it's called."

Deciding to put it off for now, Annabeth looked around, "So what now?"

"For now, we walk," Percy commanded, "Who knows if these monsters are still lurking around here? It would be best to head into the nearby woods and follow the path to Los Angeles." He was the quest leader, so he was going to try his best to lead his group.

"I agree!" Grover said almost instantly, "Any walk through nature is good with me!"

Annabeth sighed but decided to hold her tongue. It wasn't her place to lead, so she would follow for now. As for Naruto, he thought it was alright.

So once again, the group walked into the woods and continued.

Percy's Group – Two Hours Later

After walking for so long, the group finally came to a clearing. They had periodically rested, ate, and drank but it had been an exhausting walk. Some of the campers were still hungry but decided to ration the rest of their food.

"What is that?" questioned Grover while gnawing on a branch out of hunger.

After squinting, Annabeth answered, "It's a curio shop!"

"…What's that?" questioned Percy, genuinely confused.

The girl sighed, "It's a furniture shop with additional accessories and items."

"So why didn't you just say that!" Percy pouted.

"I did!" Annabeth exclaimed.

It was clear the two-hour walk had put everybody in a grouchy mood.

"Do you guys smell that?" Grover said while his nose twitched, "It smells so… good!"

"That's just you being hungry," Annabeth claimed.

"No, I think I smell it too," Naruto added, shaking off some leaves on his pants.

Grover then walked off, eager to enter the shop. The other three followed behind him. They eventually entered the shop, which alerted the owner to their entrance with a bell above the door.

"Welcome!" stated an older woman with dark brown hair. She had multiple braids and her eyes seemed piercing. "I am Aunty Em and this is my shop, please, feel free to take a look around!"

"I'm sorry," Naruto spoke for the group with an expression of sorrow across his face, "We didn't come to purchase anything, we smelled something good and assumed you sold food. We apologize for wasting your time." The blonde felt bad for giving false hope to this seemingly nice woman, especially since there were no other customers in the shop.

As they all prepared to leave, the lady spoke out once more, "Oh, don't worry dearies! I do cook, I can provide you with a warm meal!"

"Would that be fine?" Grover practically begged as his stomach growled, "We can pay for it too!" They still had some money left.

The lady smiled, "Of course! Feel free to look around while I get that cooking." Without another word being said, the woman disappeared in the back of the shop.

"Woah guys," Percy said as his eyes scanned a corner of the room, "Look at these statues! They look so… life-like!"

The group then walked over to the statues and examined them personally. Up close, they looked nearly identical to any other human or demigod.

"Wow, this one even looks like my Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover said with a smile, "He must have stopped by here at some point."

Naruto then felt his stomach drop, feeling like they were in a bad place. His feelings were telling him that nothing but despair, sorrow, and pain was felt here.

"Hey, guys," the blonde began but the group continued looking at the statues.

"This one is so pretty," Annabeth whispered while looking at a statue of an owl, her mother's sacred symbol. The owl was placed atop a wooden desk, looking forward with his wings outstretched.

"Hey, team," Naruto tried again to no avail.

"This one seems like an everyday guy," Percy spoke while circling another statue, "They got the features down."

"I don't like it here," Naruto interrupted. Thankfully, the team seemed to focus on him finally, "I have a bad feeling about this place, we should leave."

This would normally not be enough reason to leave, but Naruto's premonition had been right before. Before they could say anything, Aunty Em came back with a metal tray. It held four bowls of soup that were steaming.

"Dinner is served!" she cheered, "I even made a special batch for you! Young girls need to grow just as big as the girls after all!" Her eyes were directed at Annabeth.

For some reason, Annabeth felt her danger senses go off at that statement.

"I'm sorry Aunty Em," Naruto said but squirmed at having to call someone else 'Aunt.' He cleared his throat, "But we have to go, we're on a tight schedule."

Aunty Em pouted but placed the tray on a nearby desk, "Then at least allow me to take your picture before you go! I do it all the time for travelers!"

"Picture?" Annabeth wondered before her eyes widened in realization. She looked at all the statues once more and realized a majority of them had a frozen expression of horror on their face. They seemed to have witnessed something horrifying.

"Wait…why does this statue have my Uncle's pocket watch with his initials? He never told anyone about it unless they were close to him or he was… in danger…" Grover thought while looking at his statue, "Is this… actually my uncle?!"

"Are these statues… the ones radiating pain?" Naruto wondered in shock.

"SHE'S MEDUSA!"Grover shouted out, moments before Annabeth was able to instantly make everything change, as the kind older woman changed into a monster. Her braids became many different snakes and she hissed out in anger.

"SCATTER!" Annabeth shouted out. The group then all fled and hid behind certain statues while keeping their eyes averted.

"She's the one that makes the statues! She turns them all to stone!" Annabeth shouted out to her team.

Annabeth tried searching for her invisibility cap, but she was fumbling to find it in her bag. She cursed as she kept on searching through the large backpack.

As for Medusa, she smiled, "You can all make this easy if you give me the girl. All I want is to inflict pain on Athena. I'm sure losing her daughter will make that possible."

"No chance!" Percy answered back, hiding behind a statue, "You're not getting her!"

"He's right!" Naruto nodded, also hidden, "She's our friend!"

Medusa's smile turned into a frown, "Then you can all die together, as friends!"

The shop turned deadly quite as each camper hid in their respective spots. Medusa then walked around, sniffing the air and keeping her eyes peeled for any enemy.

"I smell you, daughter of Athena!" she hissed out, "Come out! Enough hiding!"

As if accepting her invitation to come out, Annabeth reappeared from thin air as her invisibility cap fell off her head. She used her knife to plunge it into the monster's ribs, which embedded itself deeply.

Medusa grunted at feeling a piercing pain in her side, but she was happy to feel Annabeth attempt to retrieve the blade. Her skin was too thick and tough for the girl to remove the knife. This would allow her to turn her to stone.

Before she could act, Medusa felt a dagger slice open her left cheek. She turned to see a head of blonder hair ducking behind a statue.

Seeing she had a quick opening, Annabeth gave up on taking her knife out and instead twisted it, opening the wound further.

Having enough, Medusa went to swipe at the girl's head only to feel a tree branch slam against her head. It was slimy, likely due to the saliva left on it by Grover.

The satyr was shaking but knew he needed to help his friends in close combat. The tree branch was his way of helping the duo out. Annabeth chose this time to dash away, picking up her invisibility cap along the way.

Hissing in pain and annoyance, Medusa shouted, "I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

This was before Naruto reappeared with another dagger behind her, and threw it into her spine. This was followed up with a kick that made the monster fall forward on all fours.

Medusa gasped from the pain and sudden kick, feeling winded.

"NOW PERCY!" Naruto shouted with urgency.

Finally, Percy moved from his hiding spot and brought down Riptide on the weakened Medusa. It sliced cleanly through her neck, with her body disintegrating right after.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, happy to finally be done with the monster. Naruto then picked up his dagger while Percy searched for any money they could use. Annabeth went over to check on Grover and ensure he was alright.

As Percy searched through the shop's mail, he found a few letters that made his eyes widen. After looking at the mail for a few seconds, he shouted to the others.

"I found the actual location of the Underworld!" Percy waved the letter in his hand, "Medusa had some trade going on, it's at the DOA Recording Studios in Los Angeles!"

"Wait, so this whole time, you just knew the general direction of where to go? Not the actual location?" Annabeth questioned with wide eyes.

Percy had the decency to look embarrassed, "C'mon, give me a break! It's my first quest!"

She simply sighed in return.

"So what do we do with… this?" Grover questioned while kicking the decapitated head of Medusa.

"It's a spoil," Annabeth answered, "Technically, Percy gets to decide what to do with it since he landed the final blow."

"That's really… hard to look at," Naruto grimaced, not used to seeing a head rolling on the floor. It didn't help that the head occasionally blinked and snarled, and the snakes hissed the entire time.

Everyone looked over at the quest's leader and awaited his decision.

Finally, Percy spoke up, "Looks like my dad's getting a gift."

He would be shipping it to Mount Olympus.

In the Woods – Percy's Group (Nightfall)

The group had set up in the wilderness once more, however, this time it would be overnight. They had walked a few more hours before deciding it was time for camp.

Percy was setting up the tents while Annabeth retrieved any nearby berries, having great knowledge about what was edible.

In the meantime, Grover was helping Naruto set up their campfire. The satyr brought over a pile of branches while Naruto made a circle of rocks to contain the flames.

"So Grover," Naruto asked while positing the stones, "Why do you want your searcher license so bad?"

Even Annabeth and Percy perked up at this.

"Well, as a satyr, I want the Earth to heal," Grover answered, "Human pollution has caused our world's nature to decay. For balance to be brought back, we search for Pan so he can heal the Earth."

"The god of wild places," Naruto confirmed, remembering his name from the stories Hestia told him.

Grover nodded, "That's right, however, we've never found him despite all the satyrs searching for him. I hope that I can change that and bring him back!"

"Well, if you ask me, that's a noble goal," Naruto said with a grin.

"Thanks, man," Grover said, "Most people think it's stupid, but I'm happy you agree with me."

Percy then placed his hand on Grover's shoulder, "I think that's a good goal too." Annabeth came back with handfuls of berries, however, she also nodded indicating her support.

Grover tried his best to not let a tear of happiness fall, happy that he was surrounded by people who believed in him.

Seeing that all of the wood was collected, the tents were pitched, and berries were retrieved, that only left Naruto to start the fire.

"So how are we doing this?" Percy asked, "I didn't bring a fire starter."

"Don't worry, we don't need one," Naruto grinned before bringing two fingers beneath his chin. Channeling his fire chakra, Naruto spat out a black blob of fire that shot into the wood. Instantly, the wood was set alite and beautiful black flames arose.

"WOAH!" Percy shouted out, "I didn't know you could do that!"

"The flames are such a dark black!" Annabeth said with wonder, "They look as dark as obsidian!"

"Could you always do that?" Grover questioned while keeping his eyes on the fireplace.

"I could," Naruto nodded, "I can do some wonders with fire considering I'm related to Hestia and she's the goddess of fire."

"Is that why your flames are black?" Annabeth asked.

Naruto hated to lie to his friends, but he decided to play into it. It would be the easiest way to explain it while not exposing the existence of other path eons. He nodded to Annabeth's question.

"So why not use your flames more often?" Grover asked, "You know when fighting and stuff? It would make it a lot easier."

"Well, sometimes it's best if I don't use them," Naruto answered.

"What? How does that make sense?" Grover stated with his head tilted.

"For example, if we're indoors, I could potentially bring the building down on us because my flames would eat at the support beams. Or if we're in close combat with a team and I miss, I end up hurting my friends instead," Naruto answered.

"Okay… I think I see your point," Grover nodded.

"He's right," Annabeth added, "There are certain places and times to use them, and other times it would be best to avoid them."

"Who cares about that!" Percy said in excitement, "I'm just happy he can use them!"

Walking over to the blonde, Percy slung his arm around his friend's shoulder. He pulled him close and they both stared at the campfire burning.

"We're like the ultimate duo, water and fire!" Percy laughed, "If you think about it, we can make the best fighting team!"

Naruto chuckled at his friend's excitement, happy to see he wasn't annoyed at hiding his power, "I agree man, we make the best team."

Annabeth shook her head and smiled, amused at the sight. Grover was hyped at learning his friend had elemental powers.

The group slept easy that night, with the campfire crackling over them.

Next Morning – On the Amtrak Train

The group of four were all seated in a train car going to Denver. They had managed to scrap up enough money for tickets after Percy ransacked Medusa's shop.

They had been on the train for a few hours now and settled in quite nicely. Naruto had his hands under his shirt and napped while Grover was also asleep, a small line of drool falling out of his open mouth.

The only people awake were Annabeth and Percy, who had been chatting for about an hour now.

"So, you ran away from home?" Percy said in shock, "I never knew."

"I don't usually tell people," Annabeth confessed, "But I left because I could tell my father resented me after he remarried. He didn't want somebody that reminded him of his past, so I left."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Annabeth," Percy admitted.

"It's alright, I've dealt with it since I was seven. It's been a long time, I can handle it," The daughter of Athena said with a smile.

"If it makes you feel any better, I also have parental issues," Percy said while sagging in his seat. Seeing Annabeth giving him a questioning gaze, he continued on, "My father was never really in my life and my mother is gone."

"I'm sorry," Annabeth said, "I guess neither of us had an easy life, huh?" The question was rhetorical so she didn't expect an answer.

"I just wish… I just wish I could save her… or at least see her one last time…" Percy said while trying not to tear up. He felt hopeless, that his mother was truly gone forever.

"Don't give up," Annabeth said with a small smile, "You never know what can happen."

The two then felt the train jerk to a stop while an announcement came overhead.

"We have arrived at St. Louis as our layover. Please return to the station in approximately thirty minutes for on-boarding, thank you."

The two campers then decided to wake up their sleeping companions, who groaned awake. Eventually, the group grabbed their belongings and walked off the train.

"Man, what do we even do for thirty minutes?" questioned Naruto while stretching his limbs out.

"There's a river over there!" Percy pointed to a body of water in the distance, "We could relax there in the meantime!"

Shrugging his shoulder, Grover agreed, "I don't see why not."

With their decision made, the group walked over to the river. They sat by the embankment and watched as the sky was sunny, but clouds were slowly coming into view.

Hearing a soft ding behind them, the group turned to see a vendor selling ice cream behind them. He was walking around while pushing along an ice cream stroller.

"Get your ice cream here! Only three dollars a cone, or four for a cup!" he shouted out as he strolled around.

"Man, I could go for some ice cream!" Naruto said in excitement while rummaging through his pockets. Luckily, he found enough money to afford everyone in the group some ice cream.

Turning over his shoulder, he looked at the rest, "Does anybody want to come? My treat."

"Count me in!" Grover said with excitement, he was hoping they had chocolate.

Even Annabeth seemed to want some, as she also stood up. Looking over at Percy, she asked, "Wanna come?"

Percy, to everyone's shock, shook his head, "No it's okay, I'll stay here and wait for you all."

Shrugging, Naruto went off to grab some ice cream with Grover and Annabeth in tow. However, Annabeth did take one final glance at Percy before disappearing from view.

Seeing that it was just him now, Percy decided to take a little dip in the river. He knew that he could stay dry underwater, so he submerged himself in the body of water with his clothes on. As he sank to the bottom, Percy slowly felt more at peace.

"This is nice…" Percy thought while looking around at the marine life, "Such a calming sensation…"

As he sat underwater, Percy thought to himself. His deepest insecurities came to light as he let the water flow around him.

"Do I have what it takes to lead this quest?" Percy pondered, "I feel like Naruto would have made such a better leader… at least he looks like he knows what he's doing…"

The son of Poseidon did try his best to lead his group, but he sometimes felt that Naruto would have done it better. Ever since he saw his leadership skills during the Capture the Flag game back at camp, he wanted to replicate those same traits. He wanted to be like his friend.

Even Annabeth seemed like a better choice than he did, however, he assumed it was because he was the son of one of the "Big Three." He didn't want his life to revolve around being the son of Poseidon, as that wouldn't do anything for him.

Other heroes made their names in history, like Heracles or Achilles. He didn't want to ride on his father's reputation for so long that others only remembered him as a spoiled demigod.

When they were fighting Medusa, Percy felt like he let the opportunity slip from his hands again. Annabeth and Naruto did more of the fighting than he did, he just landed the final blow.

Perhaps the biggest insecurity he had within himself, was accepting failure. The biggest failure he ever held was not saving his mother. The final look she gave him often haunted him when he would sleep at Camp Half-Blood. Her expression was something that was ingrained in his head.

Percy blew a few bubbles and watched as they surfaced. He was truly coming to terms with all of his inner doubts and conflicts. Maybe thinking while underwater should be more of a hobby for him.

Suddenly, Percy heard the water swish beside him. Turning his head, he saw a female water spirit float toward him. If he remembered correctly, they were called nymphs.

"Percy Jackson, it is nice to meet you," she spoke out perfectly fine in the water.

"Uhh… hi…" Percy responded in the water as well, not sure what to say.

The nymph giggled at seeing his reaction, "I've only come to say that your father believes in you. He does not believe you will fail."

This shocked Percy, who didn't think his father cared for him much before. It was also jarring that this was happening right after his internal conversation, "Thank you… I needed to hear that."

The nymph nodded her head, "Of course. However, I also wanted to let you know one more thing, and that is to not trust gifts. Remember that piece of advice, as it is very crucial."

Percy nodded.

"One last thing…know that your mother's fate is not hopeless, you can still save her."

Percy's eyes widened, "What do you mean by that?"

However, he didn't get an answer as the nymph looked to the surface. Following her gaze, Percy saw his friends calling for his name above.

"Go to them, Percy Jackson," the spirit called out, "May the water guide your hand."

And just like that, the nymph swam off to the unknown. Swimming back up to the surface, Percy emerged with great momentum.

"How long were you under there man!" Grover shouted in irritation, "We've been calling you for a few minutes now!"

"S-Sorry," Percy stuttered, not used to his friend showing such anger, "I lost track of time down there."

Glancing at his friends, Percy could tell they had been in a fight of some kind. Naruto's daggers were out, Annabeth held her knife, and Grover was clutching his knuckles. Each person wore some kind of damage on their body, such as marks, bruises, scrapes, and cuts.

"What happened?" Percy asked while slowly getting out of the water.

"The ice cream vendor was a monster in disguise," Naruto spat out, "He lured us into a trap and we had to fight off quite the horde." The blonde was angry at himself for not sensing it earlier.

Annabeth winced as she rolled her shoulder, showing she had injured her ligament in some way.

"Plus, the cops are on their way! They think you're responsible for your mother's disappearance and someone said they saw you here! We need to go!" Grover said with urgency.

Nodding his head, the group ran together back to the train station. They were on the next train without issue as Percy kept his head ducked.

Denver, CO – At a Nearby Diner

"So that's all that happened," Percy finished as he stared through an Iris message. Luke was on the other side, taking in everything that happened.

The group had decided to send an Iris message back to camp after arriving in Denver. They had walked to a diner and sat outside while giving the message.

They weren't worried about being found out as only clear-sighted people could see them speak into the Iris message.

Luke had given them the hypothesis that Hades may have stolen Zeus's Master Bolt while under his Helm of Darkness. This theory made sense in Percy's mind, making Hades even more likely to be the culprit.

After their discussion concluded, the group walked into the diner and sat down at a nearby booth. They had saved the money that was originally going to be used for ice cream and spent it on dinner instead.

Naruto and Annabeth sat on the inside seats while Percy and Grover were on the outer ends of the booth. The group ate in silence, too hungry to make small talk at the moment. However, it was clear the bond between them all had grown while being on this quest.

This was until Naruto brought a fork full of scrambled eggs to his mouth, only to freeze.

Seeing his friend's tense state, Percy asked, "Sense anything nearby?" He had come to realize his friend's ability should be trusted, as it hadn't let them down so far.

"It's… something I've never really felt before," Naruto admitted while putting his fork down, "Someone is coming that is full of malice and hate… but it's… extreme. Almost on a…godly level."

The group of campers then heard the sound of leather boots hitting the wooden floor of the diner. A man, dressed in a leather jacket and dark pants hovered over their table. He was handsome, with short black hair and a chiseled physique. He wore a pair of dark sunglasses and had a devilish smirk on his face.

"Welcome kiddies," the man spoke in a deep voice, "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Ares."

This made the group stop momentarily in shock.

"You're…you're the god of war…" Annabeth spoke in shock, realizing this was her first time speaking to the Olympian. Even if this wasn't her favorite person, she would still show respect.

Ares nodded, "I am."

"So…" Grover gulped nervously, "What can we do for you, Mr. Ares?"

The Olympian planted both palms on the table and leaned forward, "I'll be blunt, I need my shield retrieved from a water park that me and Aphro were visiting. I can't retrieve it due to special… circumstances, so I'll need you four to grab it for me."

"What! No way!" Percy interjected, not wanting to be used as a pawn for something he had nothing to do with.

Ares leaned in even closer and spoke in a low tone, "I'm going to ask that question again, and you're going to say 'yes' or else we're going to have a problem."

Ares directed his gaze onto Percy who looked back defiantly, but his leg was tapping the floor insistently.

"Are you going to retrieve my shield?" Ares asked condescendingly.

Taking in a deep breath, Percy knew he wasn't going to win this battle, "Fine, we'll grab it. But we'll need something in return."

Ares leaned back and smirked, "Sure thing, you grab my shield, and I'll give you information about your mother. Shit, I'll even help you all continue West, sound good?"

Now this offer suddenly became enticing for the young demigod. With a nod, Ares smiled.

"Bring it back here once gathered. The shield is in the tunnel of love," Ares said while walking over to a nearby bar, "I'll be over here."

Annabeth snorted under her breath, "Of course, he would be at the bar…"

Luckily, nobody noticed Naruto's hands underneath the table. He had done the hand signs for Futon: Daitoppa (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough) and aimed it at Ares's face in case he attacked Percy. Seeing he wouldn't need to use it, he slowly released the pent-up chakra.

It seemed they were on another journey.

At the Nearby Waterpark – With Percy's Group

The four campers searched the abandoned water park with annoyed expressions on their face. It was clear none of them wanted to be on this side quest.

They were currently spread out, with each camper looking in a different corner of the amusement ride.

"Why were they even in the Tunnel of Love to begin with!" Grover said with his arms up, "Isn't Aphrodite married to Hep-"

"Names people! Don't forget names carry power!" Annabeth reminded while she also searching for the shield.

"UGH!" Grover moaned out, "Anyway, my point is, why is the god of war dating the goddess of love? Isn't she married?"

"She is," Naruto nodded, also looking for the shield, "But I've heard that she constantly cheats on him with other gods, mortals, and immortals. I'm guessing that war god is her latest fling."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Percy answered, "I mean, that goddess has loads of children back at camp. I can see why the reputation follows her."

"I would normally be offended for the woman," Annabeth added on, "But some rumors hold truth, and I wouldn't be surprised if this one is also true. The woman is known to be promiscuous after all."

As the group of campers continued to search, Naruto was the first to spot the item, "Over there! I see it!"

Following where he was pointing, the group saw the shield lodged into the side of one of the swan boats for the ride. It was jammed underneath the ride, near the mechanical mechanisms.

"Finally!" Percy exclaimed while walking over to the shield. He placed both hands on the side and yanked as hard as he could. Despite this, the shield barely budged and stood firm.

"Uhh…guys…" Percy said in a low voice, "Could I get some help…"

Grover walked over and assisted his friend, with both campers yanking as hard as they could. It took a few good attempts before they were sent flying back due to the shield disloding suddenly.

The object flew to the side, with Annabeth walking over to it. She picked it up and thumbed over the designs placed upon it.

Suddenly, a metal wire sprung up from the shallow water they were standing in. The wire flew up in the air and a metal net came with it.

"Woah!" Shouted Percy and Grover at the same time as they were launched into the air. They had effectively fallen into a trap.

"Percy! Grover!" Annabeth shouted in alarm, placing the shield under her arm.

Suddenly, the group was blinded by multiple spotlights shining on them as well as a camera emerging from the roof of the ride.

"You thought you could hide from me, Ares!" Shouted a voice, "Enjoy your embarrassment! This video will broadcast to Mount Olympus in thirty seconds! I also hope you get your enjoyment out of this, Aphrodite! I've enchanted the net so you can't flash out!"

A countdown was then heard throughout the amusement ride.

"Thirty…twenty-nine… twenty-eight…"

"Wait, so he was trying to catch them together?" Percy asked while entangled in the net, "So he planned all of this? Did Ares set us up?"

"I don't know," Grover answered, "But I want out! I don't want to be embarrassed in front of Mount Olympus!"

It was clear this was a pre-recorded message and the intended targets were not captured after all.

"We need to get them out!" Annabeth said while looking over to the blonde for help.

Naruto nodded and followed the first instinct that came to mind. With a quick throw, he launched both daggers at the wires holding up the net. He even poured chakra in them for an extra kick.

To his surprise, the daggers bounced off with no damage to the net.

"Fifteen… fourteen… thirteen…"

"Naruto, what do we do!?" Annabeth asked in worry, not sure how to get her friends down. She didn't have anything strong enough to cut them down.

For once, Naruto bit his lip in worry. He didn't know what to do, and he needed to figure it out. He hadn't been placed in a situation like this with such a short deadline. If he wanted to help his friends, he needed to be a problem-solver right now.

"Eight… seven… six…"

With a realization, Naruto looked over to Annabeth, "THROW ME THE SHIELD!"

Without delay, Annabeth tossed the shield over to the blonde who aimed it high. After taking a deep breath and pouring in chakra once more, Naruto threw Ares's shield like a flying disc.

To their surprise, it cut through the metal wires like a knife through hot butter. Maybe it was because of the force behind the throw, or it was the chakra channeled through the weapon, but it worked.

With an 'oof' after falling, Percy and Grover untangled themselves and scrambled to their feet.

The shield also managed to take out the camera beyond the metal net, with it being destroyed into hundreds of pieces. It looked like Mount Olympus wouldn't be getting their show after all.

Even the countdown stopped, symbolizing they would be safe from embarrassment after all.

"How did you know that would work?" Annabeth asked in wonder, surprised at his quick thinking. She was ashamed to admit that for once, her brain had locked up on her. She just couldn't think of the solution in such a stress-induced situation.

"I didn't," Naruto admitted with a half-smile, "I just assumed that since it was an Olympian's shield, it must have been made from sturdier stuff than daggers from a demigod camp. I threw it in hopes it would slice the wires, and it did."

"Well, it worked!" Percy said with a sigh of relief, happy to be on solid ground again.

Naruto was just happy he was there when his friends needed him. Walking over, he grabbed his daggers and placed them on his person.

All of a sudden, the group heard the clattering of metal on the pavement. Turning around, the group saw hundreds upon hundreds of metal spiders sprinting at them. They were made by Hephaestus as well, most likely a backup in case his initial trap failed.

"RUN!" Annabeth shouted, clearly afraid of the spiders.

The group then ran toward the exit of the amusement ride, worry on their faces. It was clear they were not going to outrun the spiders for long.

"Go on ahead," Naruto said while he stopped. He turned around a performed a few hand signs, "I'll hold them off while you all escape. Don't worry, I'll be right behind you!"

"You better!" Percy shouted back, "I'll be expecting you at the end of the ride!"

Seeing his friends run off, Naruto smiled to himself. He could finally let loose now that he wasn't in risk of hurting his friends.

He saw the spiders charge forward, getting closer and closer to him. Once they were within an acceptable range, Naruto breathed in deeply.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)

Hunching forward, Naruto released a large fireball composed of black flames at the approaching spiders. In his mind, this was the perfect time to use the technique as the tunnel was a perfect way to funnel the fireball. It ensured no inch would be devoid of his black flames.

The fireball shot forward, encompassing the Tunnel of Love in dark black flames. It launched to the entrance before it hit a pole and exploded in a shower of flames.

The aftermath was that of small black embers scattered around the amusement ride.

Looking around for any remaining spiders, he was relieved to see that no mechanical construct survived his attack. They either disintegrated with his attack or were destroyed upon impact.

Glancing up, Naruto saw his flames eat at the concrete above the Tunnel of Love. Despite the fact he wasn't aiming for the infrastructure, it was clear to see that it was melting from his attack.

"Thank you, Amaterasu for this blessing," Naruto mentally noted. He always appreciated the beauty of the flames, as well as the destructive capability behind them.

Seeing the tunnel would collapse soon, Naruto ran off to chase his friends. He needed to play catch-up.

The group of friends returned to the diner they were at before. Walking in, they spotted Ares downing another mug of beer with empty glasses surrounding his form.

"Here's your shield," Percy grunted while tossing the object to the Olympian. Without looking over, Ares grabbed it mid-air and smiled.

"Thanks, kiddies," Ares responded, "Now here's my end of the deal."

He tossed them a backpack which landed in Percy's arms, "That's full of food, water, and supplies. There's a truck outside full of caged animals that's traveling to Los Angeles, hop on and you'll arrive where you want to go."

Percy nodded, "Thanks."

Downing another mug, Ares wiped his mouth, "Also, Jackson, your mother is not dead. She's in a… metamorphosis state so to say, as a hostage."

"As a hostage?" Percy asked in alarm, "What does that mean?"

"You'll find out soon enough, now scram. I have business with others," Ares commanded.

"Let's just go Percy," Naruto said in comfort, "I'm sure we'll figure it out."

Taking one last look at the Olympian, Percy huffed and agreed. They all walked out to board the truck going to Los Angeles.

As they left, Naruto was the last one out the door. Just before he exited, he heard a voice in his head.

"What a cutie you are! I can't believe you were hidden away so long by Rhea and Hestia! They surely made you into such a fine young man!"

Looking around, Naruto didn't see anybody but he did smell a faint perfume in the air.

"We'll meet again, Naruto! Bye-bye now!"

Walking out the door, Naruto never looked back. He had a good idea of who was talking to him.

The group jolted awake as the truck they were on stopped to pump gas. They heard the driver speak with the passenger and realized they were now in Las Vegas. It also seemed they planned to stay at a hotel here for a few days before going to Los Angeles. Clearly, they weren't in any kind of rush.

"C'mon, let's go guys," Naruto said while cracking his neck, "It's clear these guys aren't going to be useful for a ride anymore, let's find another way to Los Angeles. It's probably best if we try to rest before going back on the road."

Nodding their heads, the group agreed with the blonde. Percy and Annabeth fiddled with the truck's back lock, but they were able to unlock it from the inside. The latch swung open and they got a swish of fresh air and sun.

Hopping out, the duo turned around to see that Grover and Naruto were releasing the animals from captivity. Rabbits, squirrels, dogs, cats, and other animals rushed out of the truck and into any nearby wilderness.

"I couldn't let them suffer," Naruto admitted.

"I wanted to help too," Grover shrugged, "They needed to be freed."

After releasing all the animals, the group set off for a place to rest. As they traveled around Las Vegas, they came across a place named "The Lotus Hotel and Casino" in bright letters. There was a sign on the door that also claimed people could get a free room with an overnight stay.

"Hey, a free room is better than paying for one," Grover shrugged.

The group then walked in, only to be amazed at the interior. There were arcades, bars, indoor water parks, and simulation games all across the casino. They were all approached by an attendant holding a tray of lotus cookies.

"Welcome guests," She spoke with a kind smile, "Please feel free to take a Lotus cookie at no charge!"

Everyone in the group grabbed a cookie, while Naruto asked, "I'm sorry, but is there a way we could get a room for the night? We saw an advertisement on the door."

The attendant nodded, "Of course, one moment." She disappeared into the crowd of people while Percy, Grover, and Annabeth ate their cookies. Naruto placed his cookies atop a counter while he leaned back and stretched. Being in the truck for so long had made him stiff.

The attendant returned with four separate room keys, "Here are the keys for each of your rooms. We also provide new guests with a small payment so you can enjoy any game you see! Please, enjoy your stay at the Lotus Casino!" The attendant then handed each one of the campers one hundred dollars.

Thanking her, the attendant walked off with a grin.

"Well, I guess we'll rest and relax while we're here," Percy said while finishing his cookie. He thumbed the one-hundred dollar bill with a smile.

"I agree!" Grover gulped down his cookie, "I'm going to shower and play some games!"

Even Annabeth looked intrigued, "I don't think it would be too bad if we just enjoyed ourselves for a second or two."

"I don't know about any of you," Naruto said with a yawn, "But I'm going to take a nap. I'll find you all whenever I'm up."

The group nodded, indicating they would all be on the game floor soon. With their goodbyes said, the group separated to do their actions.

Unknown to the group, Naruto's cookie was left behind.

AND SCENE! WE ARE DONE!

I hope you all enjoyed each camper forming stronger bonds with one another! I wanted to make the plot of the story flow seamlessly with one another and make sense at the same time!

I have a lot of things being set in motion, so I can't wait until we get to some reveals!

Whatif-nator: Your suggestions are something that I'm playing around with in my head, as I did plan to do things with the Otsutsuki clan later on in the story. I enjoy reading your reviews!

Bag-A-40: Thank you for the information regarding the ten tails! It certainly made me think of a few things!

Thank you all for reading! I appreciate your time!

Cheers!