Outsider Chronicles: Son of the Sun

Being reborn is a pain. Of course, sometimes that pain is more than worth it. After all, I can't exactly complain when I live in a world where magic and Gods are real and I'm slap bang in the middle of it.

And we're back! Nothing to say here, other than Enjoy!

Chapter 2

After my first meeting with Bianca, the two of us quickly became friends...sort of. She still didn't know I was a Divine Beast and had a Human form and thought I was just a normal puppy who had taken a liking to her for whatever reason. Probably her lunches. Say what you want about being a dog, but it makes everything taste much better, even horrible school food. I was even introduced to Nico at one point, but he didn't take the same shine to me as his sister. Probably because I stole his hotdog.

Anyway, time continued to roll on down and before long it was the christmas holidays and Westover Hall was having its one dance of the year, much to Bianca's ire. She wasn't exactly the most social of girls and I'm pretty sure I was her only friend, other than her brother. I knew how she felt as I'd been much the same in my last life and I think she would have prefered to not attend the dance. Unfortunately, in true Military school fashion, they had made the dance compulsory to attend.

Now, this put me in a bit of a bind. It didn't take me long to figure out that the dance would likely be the time when Bianca would be dragged into the world of Mythology, which would inevitably end with her dieing. I was not OK with that. On the other hand, I had no idea what to do about it. I mean, I could try to help out and tag along, but I had no idea how Artemis and Camp Half Blood would react to the presence of a Divine Beast. Then again, they did have a stable full of them, so I guess they don't mind them that much…

Divine Beasts were basically the opposite of Monsters, immortal beings that had some connection to a God, often as a child who wasn't powerful enough to be a true god. Beings like Pegasus, Arion and Cerberus all came under the classification of Divine Beasts, although the latter occasionally straddled the line into Monster. Functionally, there was little difference between a Monster and a Divine Beast, but we were generally benevolent towards Demigods and didn't try to eat them when we met. Well, Cerberus would, but that was his job. Me? The only thing in danger would be their lunches.

Anyway, getting back on track, I wasn't sure if I wanted to get involved or not. I still had no idea who my Dad was and I really didn't want to be responsible for an international incident between Pantheons. On the other hand, I really liked Bianca and she really didn't deserve what happened to her. Plus, I wasn't dumb enough to think that Mum didn't know about my friendship with Binaca and she had yet to say anything.

I still had no idea what I was going to do by the time the day of the dance came around, but that didn't stop me from finding myself sat outside the castle that was the school, ignoring the blizzard blowing around me as my thick coat and the fires of the sun in my Soul kept me toasty warm. My white coat also served for excellent camouflage, hiding me from the group of Demigods as they pulled up and went inside.

I let out a huff and lay down. I didn't know how long it would take for Thorn to come out with Bianca and the others, so I might as well take a quick nap. Or alternatively, I could go home and curl up by the fire…

"Hey Chibi, so this is where you've been!"

I growled in annoyance as the tiny, glowing pain in the tail suddenly bounded over my head and landed on my nose.

"What are you doing out here?" asked Issun, "Its freezing!"

He jumped off my nose and onto my head as I flicked my nose, trying to get at the pest so I could eat him.

"Stand still!" I barked in annoyance as I went cross eyed, trying to keep Issun in sight.

"Hmm, so, you here for that little girlfriend of yours?" asked Issun, completely ignoring me.

I growled and tossed my head, sending the little pest flying, but he just landed on my back, ignoring my newest attempt to eat him. He'd probably give me indigestion, but it would be SO worth it!

"So, are you gonna tag along with her over the summer?" asked Issun, holding on tight as I spun around, trying to get at him.

I paused at that.

"Huh?"

"You know shes a Demigod, right?" said Issun, "Her brother as well. Plus, last time I snuck in there to pee...um, I mean study the tapestries, I spotted a Satyr. Chances are that he'll take them to Camp when Summer rolls around. If the Manticore on staff doesn't get them first."

I blinked a couple of times, before slowly sitting down as Issun returned to his place on my nose.

"Would Mum let me?" I asked, "I mean, We're Shinto and their…"

"That really doesn't matter," said Issun, "You might be Shinto, but your still part Greek."

I blinked again.

"You mean my Dads a Greek?" I asked.

"Mmhmm," said Issun, "Obviously you don't really need to go to Camp, but you could if you wanted to."

Well...this changed a lot. Before I was wary of them not allowing a Shinto Divine Beast into the Camp, but if I was part Greek...they really had no reason not to. Plus, how could anyone resist my cuteness…

I let out a yelp of pain as Issun suddenly yanked on my ear. I snarled at the glowing pest, but he just shushed me.

"Zip it Chibi," hissed Issun, "Your girlfriends coming out...and she's not alone."

I followed his gaze and started growling, my hackles rising as I spotted the small group emerge from the school and head towards the woods, walking straight past me without even noticing.

"Damn, that can't be good," muttered Issun, "So, what are you gonna do Chibi...WHOA!"

He barely had time to grab onto my ears before I took off after the group. Screw indecision, I was gonna do what I always did. Dive in head first and hope for the best.

Bianca was scared. She had no idea what was going on, other than the creepy old vice principal Dr Thorn was apparently kidnapping her and her brother, as well as a boy she'd never seen before with a sword. She had no idea why the crazy man with the throwing knives was taking her and her brother, but she knew, deep in her gut, that it wasn't for anything good. God, she wished she'd blown off the dance and found Chibi instead…

The boy she didn't know, Percy Jackson Thorn had called him, stumbled slightly and closed his eyes. He really didn't look well and she had to wonder what the crazy man had put on those throwing spikes.

"What are you doing, Jackson?" hissed Dr. Thorn. "Keep moving!"

Percy opened his eyes and kept shuffling forward.

"It's my shoulder," he said, sounding rather miserable, "It burns."

"Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you. Walk! You too girl!"

He reached out to grab her, but before he could, something came shooting out of the darkness and latched onto the arm with a vicious howl. Thorn let out a howl of pain that Bianca vaguely realized wasn't Human in the slightest as he stumbled back, shaking his arm as he tried to get rid of his unexpected attacker. Something lashed out from behind the man, but the white blur let go before it could be hit and landed in front of her. Bianca's eyes widened in shock and unexpected joy as she recognized the small, white dog that had made friends with her.

However, the friendly pooch wasn't looking very friendly right now. He had his lips drawn back, revealing razor sharp teeth as he growled at Thorn, his hackles up, ears pressed back and brush-like tail puffed up.

"You...fucking...mutt!" snarled Thorn through gritted teeth as he tried to staunch the bleeding in his arm, "You'll regret that!"

Binaca felt her joy turn to horror as she realized the puppy didn't stand a chance against the grown man armed with apparently poisoned knives. She was about to watch her little friend die for her!

"No Chibi, you can't fight him!" she yelled, "Run away!"

The little dog ignored her.

"Aww, don't worry about Chibi girly," said a voice from right next to her ear, making her jump.

She looked and saw...a tiny, green firefly perched on her shoulder.

"Hes a lot tougher than he looks," said the firefly, "He can take the overgrown pussy cat."

"Wha…" started Bianca, not sure how to react to a talking bug.

She glanced at Percy and Nico, but neither of them seemed to have noticed it. A moment later, her attention was drawn back to Chibi as his growling got louder and deeper as Thorn advanced on him, clearly intending to hurt him up close and personal for the injury. Then, the puppy tilted his head back and howled.

The sound was unlike anything Bianca had ever heard in her life, even in recordings of a wolf's howl she'd listened to for a school project once. It was incredibly powerful for such a small dog and seemed to light a fire in her heart, an ancient and primal fire that burnt with the intensity of the sun. In response to the howl, the trees around them seemed to shift and move, despite there being no wind and the dark forest seemed to light up. Then, it really did light up. As the howl reached its crescendo, Chibi began to glow brightly, forcing Thorn to stumble back as the snow around the puppy began to melt and new grass grew around his paws. The light was warm and bright, like the sun in the middle of summer, making the dark, winters night feel like a bright summer's day. Hell, even the trees close to the light were beginning to show signs of new leaves! What in the world was going on?!

Then, the light began to dim, although the warmth didn't fade, and Bianca's jaw dropped. Gone was the tiny white puppy and in its place was a large wolf. It was clearly an adolescent and still growing, but it was still nearly as large as her at the shoulder. Its fur was the same pure white with a black tail tip as Chibi and it even had the same odd tufts on the shoulders, but now it had red markings over its face and shoulders and what looked like a round mirror wreathed in flames floating over its shoulders.

"Huh, looks like Chibi's all grown up," said the firefly, "Good for him."

"I...wha...huh…" was all Bianca could say.

Percy and Nico looked equally shocked by the sudden change in the puppy, but Thorn looked less stunned and more...scared? Why would he be scared?

"N-no, it can't be!" gasped the crazy vice principal, "You're…"

He was cut off by someone new charging out of the woods. It was a girl with short, spiky black hair and punk clothes wielding a spear and a frankly horrible shield that made Bianca want to run as fast as she could.

"FOR ZEUS!" roared the girl as she slammed into Thorn, sending him flying.

For a moment, it looked like the girl would mange to stab Thorn, but he snarled and took a swipe at her, forcing her back with...massive, orange paws with equally large claws that used to be his hands. Bianca let out a whimper of fear and disbelief. All this weirdness was becoming too much damn it!

Thorn launched another volley of missiles at the girl and Bianca let out another whimper when she spotted the source of the odd throwing weapons. A leathery, scorpion-like tail that bristled with spikes at the tip. The missiles deflected off the girls shield, but the force of their impact knocked her down. Thorn pounced, but before he could attack the downed girl, Chibi pounced. The massive wolf slammed into Thorn, sending him flying with a powerful blow from the disk floating behind him as it shot out like a discuss. Thorn landed heavily and scrambled to his feet, roaring in pain and rage as he did. He also changed, discarding his Human form in favour of something Bianca vaguely recognized as a Manticore from her brothers cards. He was larger than Chibi, but that didn't seem to phase the wolf as he kept up the assault with his mirror, claws and fangs, clashing with the Manticore with enough force to shake the snow from the surrounding trees.

"A Manticore!" said a blond girl who seemed to appear out of thin air as she took off a hat.

Bianca nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden appearance, but it also served to make her realize that her classmate Grover was also present.

"Who are you people?" Bianca demanded. "And what is that?"

"A Manticore?" Nico gasped, "He's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws! And that wolf...it looks like Ammy!"

Bianca frowned. She knew that the nonsense about points came from Mythomagic, but who in the world was Ammy? The name sounded familiar, but…

Her thoughts were cut off as a helicopter suddenly appeared over the nearby clif, its searchlight blazing as it opened fire with its mounted machine guns. Chibi was forced to jump back away from the Manticore as bullet holes peppered the ground around it, allowing the monster to swat away the girl who was attacking it with her spear. Chibi tried to go after the Manticore again before it could attack the girl, but the helicopter opened fire again, forcing it back. Chibi snarled in frustration as he turned to glare up at the gunship. Then, he flicked his tail and the world seemed to flicker. Bianca could have sworn a black line momentarily appeared over the helicopter, like ink across a landscape, before the craft suddenly split down the middle as if cut by a blade. The stricken helicopter hung in space for a moment, before it exploded.

Thorn responded to his backups sudden destruction by letting out a roar of fury that forced Bianca to cover her ears in pain. Almost faster than she could see, Thorn pounced, sending both the spear girl and Percy flying with powerful swipes from his paws.

"Thats it!" he snarled, "Fuck taking you alive, I'm just gonna eat you all!"

He advanced on the group of teens, but before he'd gone more than a few steps, Chibi landed in front of them again, crouched defensively and once again growling at the Manticore as the flames around the disk on his back increased in intensity. Thorn sneered and opened his mouth, revealing a mouthful of fangs that had no business being in a Human face. Before he could say anything though, Chibi's ears perked up and a clear, piercing note from a hunting horn came from the woods. The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved. There was only the swirl of snow and wind and the slowly dispersing smoke from the helicopter.

"No," whispered Thorn, "It cannot be..."

His sentence was cut short when something shot past Bianca like a streak of moonlight and a glowing silver arrow sprouted from his shoulder. He staggered backward, wailing in agony.

"Curse you!" Thorn cried.

He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two. By this point, Bianca was pretty much numb to impossible things so the only thing she felt was a vague sense of disbelief at the apparently impossible shot.

The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain, breathing heavily. Percy tried to swipe at him with his sword, but he wasn't as injured as he looked. He dodged the attack and slammed his tail into Percy's shield, knocking him aside. Bianca watched in detached interest as the archers came from the woods. They were girls, about a dozen of them. The youngest was maybe ten while the oldest, about fourteen. They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans, and they were all armed with bows.

"The Hunters!" shouted the blond girl.

At this point, Bianca's legs decided that they'd had enough and gave way under her. However, instead of falling to the muddy ground, she found herself being caught by something warm and furry. She looked and saw Chibi's face inches from her. She smiled at the wolf, who gave a doggy grin back and licked the tip of her nose.

"Nice work kiddo," said the firefly as it jumped from her shoulder to Chibi's head.

The wolf growled in annoyance and glared at the green spark, but didn't do anything else. Bianca was glad because, if he had moved, she'd probably had fallen.

A sudden yell suddenly drew Bianca's attention back to the unfolding standoff between the Manticore and Hunters, just in time to see the Monster stumbling around with the blond girl on his back, stabbing at him with a bronze knife. Then, the Hunters opened fire and the Manticore fell over the edge of the cliff, taking the girl with him.

And I'm going to end this here. Well, that was certainly an interesting wasn't it? I hope I did a good job with the fight, it was certainly fun to fight.

Haru changing to a more grown up version of himself for the fight comes from the Gods ability to change the age they look like and also because pitting a puppy against a Manticore sounds like a terrible idea. Plus, someone gave me the idea of having Bianca riding Haru like Chibiterasu's partners do. I like the idea so much, I decided to use it. He can still use his puppy form though, don't worry.

Issun's shown up! That won't end well once Artemis wants to chat with them...eh, the little firefly'll deserve it I'm sure. I hope I did a good job of him, I've only recently bought the HD remaster on Steam and I haven't had much time to play it.

And with that, I think I'm done. Don't forget to leave a review on the way out!