It takes a long time for the Kyuubi to heal his wounds. It takes Naruto even longer to wrap his head around what just happened.

Naruto is forced to remember who this guy is. His mind refuses to accept that the person that just hurled him like a rock isn't notable enough that Naruto knows him.

Thankfully, he does. The strength, the muscles and the eyes. It's Hercules. The guy with a movie so boring, Naruto had fallen asleep watching it. The guy so famous for doing twelve labors, facing notable monsters and winning.

The guy who holds the title of the strongest demigod alive. Or once did, before he'd been turned to a god.

"You're alive," Bellona notes, as she appears next to him. "Good for you."

"Considering you need my help— I think it's good for you too."

The goddess cocks her head. "Perhaps reconsidering your path, now? There's certainly less bite in your tone."

He shakes his head and gets up. The boat strapped to his back is surprisingly fine. Damaged, but not in splinters. "No," he says. Maybe because he wants to prove Bellona wrong, or maybe because Hercules had stolen Naruto's line. Maybe because he ain't no bitch. "He might be strong but he's slow and predictable. There is a reason he's not an Olympian."

"Don't underestimate him. One lucky hit and, well, do you think you could survive that hit to your head?"

Naruto puts the boat down, and clambers on. Before it moves. He tells her, "Well it won't happen again."

Then again, he goes upon the walls, and scales up.

When he reaches the summit. Hercules is slouched again. He raises a brow. "You're alive," The god notes, "Good for you."

"Can't you say something original?" Naruto grumbles.

"What?"

Naruto picks out some shuriken from his belt. He only picks the Celestial Bronze ones.

He tosses them at the god with decent accuracy. They bounce off the stupid lion pelt harmlessly. The god laughs and charges forward.

Annoyed, Naruto spins out a kunai, dodges the rogue stomp, and stabs the god between his teeth. He doesn't take it far, only reaching halfway through the tongue before he wrenches it out. The god falls with gold flowing from his lips.

Naruto scoffs. "Not so funny now, huh?" He steps over the body.

Beyond the fallen god, the Sea Of Monsters lies in calm seas. Honestly, Naruto wouldn't be able to tell the difference at all if not for the fact that casually in the distance, a being that looks like a kaiju is trying to swat out birds from the air. Birds that have torn out flesh in their beaks.

Naruto is about to take a step when the shadow of a hand bigger than Naruto covers his entire body. Before he can react, he's snatched up into the god's palm. Naruto tries to struggle, but the god's grip is tight, tighter than Naruto can break. "Foolish mortal, don't you know? Never turn your back on your opponent!"

"Get your own lines!" Naruto says, gritting his teeth and bracing.

He blinks. He's in the water.

Naruto doesn't panic this time and gets out, face red. "Shut up," He tells Bellona.

"I haven't said anything," The goddess says. She's smiling.

Smiling at his misery. Naruto bites down bitter. "What's that around him? The pelt?"

"It is from the Nemean Lion," Bellona says, "He slaughtered it and skinned it with its own claws. Over time, the skin has almost become one with him. Even the places that are uncovered have that sheen of protection."

Naruto remembers that one. If he remembers correctly, it's the one with invulnerable skin. If he remembers correctly. Hercules beat it by strangling it. It's unlikely that'll work for Naruto.

But stabbing had worked. If Naruto could pierce a place the coat couldn't protect no matter if it had soaked into him. It could work.

"Indeed. But now, he'll be expecting it. You should have gone till the back of his neck."

Did Naruto say that out loud? Or is the goddess reading his thoughts?

Neither of those give him comfort.

Naruto doesn't bother with untying the boat, just water runs his way there. It's slower, and takes more chakra, but he doesn't care.

When he reaches the top again, Hercules gets up, pats off the dust off his fur, and gets ready. The god charges without any proper form.

When Hercules tries to jab at his face, Naruto grabs the arm and scales up the god. This surprises Hercules greatly, and he splutters.

Using this brief moment of shock to his advantage, Naruto puts his feet onto the god's back, and launches himself off Hercules and towards the other side of the rocks. Hercules staggers forward because of the force of Naruto's jump. The god turns, charges up a jump, and leaps at him.

Perhaps if Naruto were on the ground he could have simply sidestepped and allowed the god to leap off to wherever his heart desired, but in the air, Naruto can do none of that.

The god dares to put his hand on Naruto's mouth, muffling his yelled out, "Fuck you!"

Hercules twirls, bringing Naruto around him like he weighs the weight of a noodle, and launches him back. Naruto lands in the water.

Naruto loses his cool for the next few. That's ultimately why he fails each time. A bit more of a cool head, and perhaps he'd have already been traveling to Circe's island, where he could hurry up and finish his favor for Bellona and figure out wherever Percy is.

That's the thought that sobers him up.

When he gets back up for a time that Naruto has grown tired of counting, Hercules says: "Seems you've gained back your control. I thought you had my flaw for a second."

It's true. Naruto isn't red-faced with a set jaw and clenched hands. He's guarded, but otherwise relaxed. He meets Hercules' yellow eyes.

"I got tired of getting angry," Naruto says. Rageragerage eyes roll. That makes Naruto pause. "You have the eyes of a friend," he says before Hercules can reply.

The god huffs. "Unlucky friend. My flaw is the worst of them all."

Naruto breathes in, and out. When he looks at Hercules, the world is crisp."Rage is your flaw?" He asks. Brief grief takes over the god's shoulders. "I think I know how to beat you now," he tells the god.

The god frowns. "Your bravado is starting to annoy me," he says. "I'm going to kill you this time."

Naruto doesn't say anything, just widens his stance. He raises his palm, flashes his middle finger at the god, and uses it to usher the god.

The god roars with rageragerage, and Naruto responds with a serene calm that is of still water. He dodges around fists and kicks that could shatter boulders like twigs.

Naruto grabs a rogue and overextended palm and uses the god's momentum to launch the god onto the floor. The ground below cracks.

Naruto doesn't raise his gaze to the Sea Of Monsters this time. He keeps his eyes on Hercules. "Get up."

The god does so, unmarked by a wound, and tries to grab Naruto. He slips under, and puts his foot on Hercules' face and calmly pushes the god away. The god glares with anger.

Anger that is so easy to twist. Naruto doesn't feel an ounce of shame.

"At least hit me once," he jeers. "Is this really the best you can do?"

"Shut it!"

"You're very pathetic for a god. I bet you've lost to Ares." A snort. "Couldn't be me."

The god's face goes golden. He fashions a club to extend his range, and engages once again. With the new addition, it's a bit harder to make comments, but Hercules' rage blinds him, makes him stronger, but blinds him.

Naruto swings his legs onto an extended arm and flips them over. When Hercules has landed onto the ground, Naruto shifts his legs till there is a pop of the shoulder.

Naruto was spoiled by Khione. This god doesn't even flinch, just tries to grab him. Simply because of that, Naruto's leg nearly gets crushed by a fist.

He jumps back. Hercules is about to follow when Naruto goes for the haymaker. "Woah, calm down," he says, "Wouldn't want another situation like your wife and kids."

When Hercules suddenly stops, Naruto thinks he got the god wrong for another one. He's coming up with another insult when Hercules looks up. Hatehatehate.

The god charges with a war cry hearable for miles. His rageragerage so tangible, Naruto can taste it. It tastes like chili and pepper, undiluted and burnt.

This is what Naruto was going for.

When Hercules charges, his mind is gone. The god swipes. Naruto slides between his legs easily.

Then Hercules does it. Hercules forgets that when Naruto is behind him, he grabs and sends the boy back. Because if he was to make the mistake of hitting him while he was facing the Sea Of Monsters, Naruto would be launched out of reach to the place he was guarding him from.

Hercules turns with a backhand. He makes contact.

Flesh splitting flesh. Bone cracked on bone. Skin parted by skin.

Naruto manages the biggest shit-eating grin he's ever made. Then he's launched into the Sea Of Monsters.

For the first time, Naruto sees the sight of Hercules as he flies off into the distance even though he probably shouldn't be able to. That was a full-power rage enhanced hit, so yeah, he really shouldn't. But he does; he sees in slow motion, the range of emotions crossover Hercules' expression.

Rageragerage vanishes too late. Hatehatehate falters. Shitttt, imprints itself on the god's face.

He twists in the air, so his back is towards the floor. When he hits the Sea Of Monsters, the boat that is still somehow in one piece, starts moving again automatically to his desired location.

Naruto doesn't hear the splash, doesn't feel the ripples or the elation of success. Despite the fact he'd braced and reinforced with every last drop of chakra in his body, it still hurt. Still hurt unlike anything Naruto has ever felt.

The ringing in his ears turns to a darkness in his vision that tastes of death. Like basil and vinegar. It takes over his vision, and Naruto can't feel anything of the real world.

Naruto knows he'll live. Thanatos doesn't want him. Not yet.

He ventures to Circe's island, unperturbed by a god.

She is offended that Circe thought that Annabeth would join her. The moment she found out that he was here. Any magic, any flattery, had become null and void. Useless on her.

She removes the blood of the witch off her blade by wiping it off the clear and blue and silky chiton. It stains it. Annabeth doesn't care. She doesn't have much time.

She runs to the cages where the guinea pigs are. She looks for half a second, before she decides this is fruitless. They all look the same and if they don't, they don't look anything like him. She tries to hear which is squealing the loudest but they're all begging for freedom.

With no other apparent option, she picks out the multivitamins Hermes gave her. She throws them into all of the overcrowded cages. The guinea pigs start eating it up immediately. Some start fighting to eat before others.

Annabeth steps back. She looks behind again to make sure there is one one behind her. When she turns back, the room is full of old, smelly pirates. Annabeth tries to see him but they're too many.

One shouts. "Let's free ourselves. Take to the seas!"

"ARRR!" The rest say in agreement.

Annabeth isn't seeing him. She's getting a slight bit concerned that maybe that servant didn't actually describe what the person they'd last captured looked like. Or maybe, Annabeth had misunderstood.

"Be quiet!" She says. "You'll draw attention from the servants!"

But it's too late. "What in Hades?" Someone whispers behind her. Annabeth turns and it's two of the attendants. They're twins, probably Puerto-Rican and they both have identical sets of ebony black eyes that could piece stone.

They look off in revealing and nearly translucent chitons. One looks like she would look better in a suit of armor. The other in robes for a queen.

Annabeth raises her bronze dagger. One girl fashions herself a similar weapon. The only difference is that it's made of brilliant silver. The other raises her hand and her tattoos shine bright red, like magma flows through the ink

Before anything can happen, a cold hand lands onto her shoulder. Annabeth jumps a bit. She turns and there he is.

He's a bit taller than the last time they met face-to-face last summer, but is still shorter than her. He's in a hoodie and sweats, which looks odd next to pirates in garbs and cloaks. The purple shirt rises a bit higher on his chest than the hoodie, so she spies it. The Camp Jupiter shirt.

No greeting, or words to leave this to him, Percy walks past her without saying anything. There is something different to his step. Something that she can't discern.

He shows the attendants his sword. The liquids of brewing potions at the corner of the room start slowly rising up. Annabeth didn't know he could control anything that wasn't water.

The girls look at him for a second, then each other, before they scram. Percy's breathing is a bit heavier when he releases the potions.

"Per—"

"Don't call me that," Percy interrupts.

Annabeth halts. Blinks. Opens her mouth. Closes it. Then, blinks again. "What?"

"Don't call me 'Percy.' Please," he asks.

An awkward silence. The pirates rush past her to lay waste to the island. Annabeth tries for a smile. "Okay," she says, "It's good to see you're fine.. man."

"You too, Annabeth."

"Your mom is so concerned."

Percy looks down. "I do that to her a lot, don't I? To a lot of people, actually."

Annabeth doesn't know what he's talking about. "We should go— if Clarisse and Jason survived, they'll be heading to Polyphemus' island for the fleece," she says. Gods, why is she so nervous? "Oh, yeah. You don't know Jason. He's the—"

"-Son of Jupiter?" Percy asks. "I've heard of him."

"Oh."

Percy looks at her with intensity. "What about Naruto?" Percy asks. "Where's he?"

It's said with more curiosity than Annabeth thought possible for Percy. Annabeth doesn't let confusion stop her from answering. "He went to Camp Jupiter. He's looking for you there."

Percy does the most Percy thing he's done the entire conversation. His mouth unhinges slightly. "Huh? How— Did Jason already get memories of locations and stuff?" Annabeth nods slowly. "Oh, he's so lucky. I'm still halfway between the two, y'know?"

Annabeth smiles. "No, I don't."

Percy slumps. "That's so unfair," he complains, rolls his eyes, then goes back to the Naruto point. "Okay," he says, "Assuming that idiot doesn't piss them off. He's likely to find out that I'm here anyway. Good. I'll get to explain."

"Explain what?"

Percy doesn't answer. He puts out his hand. "What do you say about getting out of here?"

She takes it without hesitation. His hands are warm. It serves to remind her that he's here and tangible and not leaving. She kinda needed that after Luke.

Percy pulls her close. Then jumps out the goddamn window.

Naruto really expected to just wake up on the island, like they did in movies. The plane crashes then boom, they're on the island they're going to be on for the rest of the movie.

Instead he wakes up in his superboat in some sort of cave. The area around is illuminated in one of those many colors between green and blue. And there is a slight mist. Not as bad as the one back in Alaska but present.

Naruto looks around.

Oh. My. Gods.

Is this— Is this my first demigod dream?!

Naruto gets up very quickly. Despite the dizzy spell, he isn't deterred from examining his surroundings, ignoring his still burning headache.

Wait. But, like, I'm not a demigod.

The nail in the coffin is when Bellona appears by his side. Naruto knows it's real then. He would never have Bellona in a dream. Perhaps a nightmare, but definitely not a dream.

"Is this a nightmare?" He asks her straight up.

"Possibly," Bellona says, "After all you're in the Underworld."

"Really?" Naruto asks. He lets out a frustrated yell, that he muffles on his shoulder. "Damn, I really thought I'd calculated correctly."

Bellona studies him for a second. Then her eyebrows raise in realization. "You're not dead," she says.

He looks up. "Really?"

"No," Bellona confirms, and Naruto breathes out slightly. "You are simply traveling through a brief segment of it on your way to Circe."

"There are brief segments of the Underworld? But isn't it underground?"

"Not particularly," Bellona says, and gives no more explanation on that. "We are simply cutting through the edges of the Underworld. This is where Tiresias resides. Quiet now. We're coming upon his isle.".

Naruto draws a weapon. The boat slows down a bit. In the distance, there is a brief piece of land approaching. It's not very big. Not even big enough for Naruto to get a good amount of acceleration if he was to run from one end to the other.

The mist seems to make a person. An old man by the looks of it, with garbs from hundreds of years ago. His skin is pale and almost hollow. Dead. The man looks so frail that a stray wind might just blow him to Kansas.

His eyes are the most interesting thing about him. Blank. Tiresias isn't just dead, but blind too. He looks at Naruto, and his gaze runs like an inch away from where Naruto's eyes actually are.

Where his presence is felt is in the way he looks at Naruto. The ghost looks at him like he knows him. Felt every grief Naruto has had, and every grief that will come.

Or, Naruto's least favorite type of person. A fucking oracle.

"Tiresias," Bellona greets.

"Bellona," The old man returns. "You're looking good."

"Sorry for intruding or whatever," Naruto says, "I don't even know how I ended up here." He puts away his weapons and steps onto shore. The boat has stopped, and he guesses it won't be moving until he's done with whatever this is.

"Fate led you here," The old man says. Naruto frowns. "At least, that's what Neji Hyuuga would say if he was here, wouldn't he?"

Naruto is almost shocked. He didn't know that seer's could see his past too. Or at least, this one could. He hasn't gone to see the Oracle in Camp Half Blood, so he wouldn't know if it would be able to as well.

Roll with it, he tells himself.

"Don't prod into my history," Naruto says.

"Sorry," Tiresias says, sounding very not sorry.

Naruto sighs. "How do I get out of here? Do I have to fight you? Drink the Styx water?" He looks back and his boat is still unbudging. Seems like he hasn't done it yet.

"I can assure you that it's nothing so sinister," Tiresias says. "Anyone who stumbles across me must hear this old man ramble on and on— barely coherent."

"I have to listen to your prophecy."

Tiresias smiles softly. "I wouldn't call it a prophecy. I failed my rhyme classes, you see."

"Okay," Naruto says, "Don't expect me to be listening, though."

"We shall see how long you believe that." Tiresias waves his stick and the world shimmers. "I see a lot of things about you, Naruto Uzumaki. I see you in perilous danger every step of your way. I see a lot of dead bodies left in your wake—"

"And you see me die?" Naruto asks, rolling his eyes.

"Maybe. That depends on you. I foresee Naruto that you will never land on Konoha grounds, but you will get home. If you continue to deny then you will see neither. For she will raise your home to the ground, and become the world's new ruler.."

The old man points at Naruto's chest, a bit off the exact location of the organ. He forces himself to remember that this man cannot see anything about Naruto, and fate is a goddamn fraud.

"Who is this 'she?'" He asks, despite himself.

"I thought you weren't going to be listening." Naruto frowns. He hadn't even made it a minute. "Unfortunately, I cannot tell you something you already know. It is pointless to do so."

"But I don't—"

A cold chill passes through Naruto's bones, as if death had blown into his ear. Tiresias suddenly looks a bit more than just a person. Naruto meets his eyes no longer.

Naruto had proposed a couple of weeks ago that Chaos was the one that sent him back. This might just be confirmation.

He huffs, and swipes off the finger. "You lied," he says, "That last line rhymed."

He gets up, and moves over to the boat. Bellona nods to Tiresias as Naruto gets in again. Tiresias waves.

Naruto does not.