Disclaimer: Don't own PJO or the Whiskered Warrior.

Lunar Phases

The Cursed Knight, pt 2

Prey.

That which nourishes the predator, the prey is typically the weaker of the two types of animal. Humans consider themselves the Apex, which is true given their penchant for using tools. Without this gift, however, they would be at a loss.

Like Naruto currently was.

Words eluded him, as he sat utterly flabbergasted bound by rope and pushed against the far wall of the mercenaries' yacht's cabin. It really was the absolute last scenario to cross his mind when he initially brought the mercenaries' yacht into the San Francisco dock. Well, more so he turned the wheel and hoped the engine would carry him fast enough at the slowest setting. A sailor he was not, but Alf had been sure to instill a basic familiarity of sea craft in him before they parted ways.

Regardless, after he docked the yacht and disembarked, he was ambushed. Shocked, stabbed, and shot in either arm with an arrow, he was downed and bound by the questers in record time. The last blow prior to his binding probably hurt his pride most; Grover Underwood forced him to run face first into a wall by way of Satyr magic.

Truly, Hillary Duff was a sadist of a vocalist if her music could cause such misery.

"Let me see if I can understand your logic." The bound mortal among the group scowled at his sister. He was still sore from the arrow in his shoulder. "Because I came back to life after supposedly being visited by Valkyrie—"

"I'm still not sure what those are exactly," Percy said from where he manned the helm. "I mean, are they some sort of harpy variant? Because I think we should upgrade."

"Jackson, please just steer the boat." Zoë grumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose. The boy muttered under his breath, but did as was told. From where he was tied up, Naruto looked over at the others in the cabin.

Thalia was leaning against the wall to his left with her arms crossed, the jacket given to her by Aphrodite replaced with a loosely fitting leather jacket she'd appropriated from a locker under the deck, and her foot tapped impatiently on the floor. Her eyes still glimmered with static. Bianca, nearer to Zoë than the Campers, rocked uncertainly from one side to the next, doing her best to keep her primed bow aimed at his head. Grover was chowing down on some playing cards beside their fourteen-year-old helmsman, and Zoë stood between him and them all, right in front of her bound captive. The Hunters' Lieutenant leveled him with a flat glare.

"Thou had died." She said, pointing at him with her index finger. "Mortal cardiopulmonary resuscitation had no impact. Whatever overtook you, or still has you in its thrall—"

"It doesn't!" He growled. Hm, in hindsight, that probably wasn't going to help his argument.

"Clearly." Zoë agreed with his musing. Dammit. She crossed her arms. "It is unlike anything I've ever seen before. That much malice…Even Ares' could not muster up that much hate in someone."

"I dunno, Aphrodite probably could." Thalia grumbled. Her eye twitched and her hand tightened around her jacket's sleeve.

"True." Zoë mused, scrutinizing him anew. Probably thinking he'd had some illicit affair. If that were true, why hadn't he been reduced to smoldering ash by the goddess of love's madman on a leash and instead granted a weapon that was, judging by the effect it had on his kills, made of Stygian Iron. If that were true, how Naruto could wield it, he wasn't yet sure.

Problems for later. A deep rumble whispered in the back of his mind.

"Zoë," he sighed and looked her in the eyes. "Please, believe me. I swear on my birth mother's grave, I'm still me."

Zoë pursed her lips. Thalia's tapping foot stopped and Bianca's rocking halted, both girls watched the quest leader intently. None of them spoke, rather it was the Satyr who broke the silence.

"Okay, look, I usually try to avoid being devil's advocate because…Satyr, but when he went all rage mode back on the pier, he didn't attack us. That has to count for something, right?" Grover asked.

It was official, Naruto liked him the most. He was going to convince his mother to sign a napkin or something for this Satyr. Maybe even convince her to give him one of her arrows. Physically. Hand it over. By hand. By his hand, if need be.

"Grover," Thalia looked at him with a frown. "Are you sure your magic didn't have a delay or something?"

Ouch. That hurt more than he expected it to.

"Thalia, my magic hadn't even left my pipes before the Val, uh, the winged girls showed up."

"Still want an explanation on them—"

"Percy, at this point, you should probably let it go." Grover advised. He stepped around Zoë, giving her a wide berth, before kneeling at Naruto's left side. "So, um, you promise you're not gonna go all berserker wild man on us if we untie you, right?"

"Oh my—Helios, Selene, Cthulhu, Primus, grant me patience." He pleaded, looking at the ceiling before looking at the Satyr. "I swear on the Styx, on the Oath of my Mother, and on my parents' graves that I will not go 'berserker wild man' on you if you untie me."

Thunder boomed around them.

"See? That wasn't so hard!" Grover smiled at the others. "If he was still possessed he wouldn't have made those oaths."

"Very well. Bianca, lower your bow." Zoë approached and the Satyr backed away. She knelt and cut the ropes that kept him bound. "Percy, keep due west, and slow us to five knots. The horizon must be at the perfect time for us to enter the Garden."

"Garden?" Naruto frowned as he got to his feet and looked out the window. Lightning cracked at the tip of the mountained isle they approached. He blinked and looked at the others. "What'd I miss?"

"Well," Bianca willed away her bow and sat down, looking a little green from the sway of the boat. Apparently she did not have her sea legs yet. "We found the Ophiotaurus that Lady Artemis was hunting."

"C'mon, guys, her name is Bessie!"

"Percy, he's a boy." Grover sighed. The stubborn son of Poseidon huffed.

"That's not what she told me."

"That's the animal that could grant the power to slay gods to whoever killed it, right?" Naruto asked, looking at Zoë.

"Yes." She nodded, still watching him warily. Well, his clothes were still soaked with blood, so he couldn't fault her for that. "The Ophiotaurus has been the subject of The General's hunt. We believe him to barter Lady Artemis for it, or if he finds it himself, to make use of her as a hostage and cull Olympus one god at a time."

"Two more questions." He crossed his arms. "First, who's The General?"

"Atlas." The Lieutenant spat the name like it was poison.

"Joy." He grumbled before rubbing his face. "My second question, do you have my shirt?"

"Thou wilt need its magic." Zoë tossed it to him with a huff. "Not that it's boon had done thee well thus far."

"Yeah, well, I doubted Granma expected me to get shot in the neck." He looked at Percy. "Glad your okay."

"Uh, yeah."

"Where's your jacket?"

"The jacket was the Nemean Lion's pelt. I offered it to Dad so he would protect Bessie."

"Really?!" Naruto's eyebrows shot to the top of his head. It was impressive that the son of Poseidon managed to slay a beast with impenetrable—Oh.

"Ah." He tightened his grip on his shirt. He closed his eyes and turned for the door, before looking at his mother's lieutenant. "I need some fresh air."

Zoë made him wait for a moment before she nodded. He left the cabin, mind swirling and braced himself on the stairwell. His arm throbbed and he glanced at it, the Norse runes had rearranged to hide themselves amongst a more modern tattoo sleeve based on, if he remembered right, the story of Hati and Sköll, the wolves that hunted the Moon and the Sun. The one chasing the sun, Sköll, turned its eyes to meet his.

Let's chat, Boy.

No. Naruto pushed on and left the yacht's interior. He needed fresh air.

Just be cool. Be cool. Thalia thought to herself as she climbed up to the deck that Whiskers had ascended to shortly after he'd been cut loose. You just want to ask him about the Valkyries, that's all. Don't get too angry if he starts acting cute. Not that he has to—no, that he is! Dammit!

You are fighting me tooth and nail here, girl. Aphrodite sighed. The sound of faint scraping, suspiciously like a nail file, faintly followed her words. If that jab earlier was anything to go by, I'm going to have to make you work for it at this point.

Oh, the horror. Thalia rolled her eyes before spotting her target. Of interrogation. And nothing else—focus!

"Hey, Whiskers!"

He didn't acknowledge her. He was leaning on the railing, eyes locked on something in the distance across the waves. His sinfully tight Moon Knight shirt once more covering his frame — given the amount of blood that was on his souvenir t-shirt, it wasn't too surprising to find he'd switched out for it — and his hair blew softly in the wind. Okay, so he was thinking about something. Fine, he's allowed to do that.

"Whiskers?" Thalia asked as she approached. Whiskers whirled around to face her, his hand on the hilt of his axe. She braced, tightening her grip on the mace canister she kept in her new jacket's pocket, and was relieved when he let out a breath.

"Geez, Thalia." He groused and turned back to the water. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

Ugh, what was with boys and their need for bravado?

"I said your name twice." She pointed out.

"Sorry." He ran a hand over his face and then through his hair. "Just…lost in thought."

Perfect set up. Thalia could just use that and ask him about the valkyries. …any second now. Just say the words. Easy peasy.

Okay, what was happening right now?

Must I explain everything to you? You're not an emotionless drone, Thalia, Aphrodite scoffed. Your hero is in turmoil! The internal conflict he can't work out alone, now's your chance! Help him!

I did not ask for your advice!

"Um," she licked her suddenly dry lips. Yes! Progress! See? She just needed some water or something. "What did Hades look like to you?"

No! What?! Dammit, Brain, you had one job!

"I don't think I ever went."

"What?" What? Both she and Aphrodite were apparently thrown for a loop.

"I didn't go to the Underworld. Before-before I came back, I woke up in a sewer, Thalia." Whiskers stared out at the passing sea. His hands tightened around the railing. "A massive, flooded sewer with green, odorless water that went on for miles, but at the end of it was a cage. And in that cage was a fox."

"A fox?" Thalia arched her brow. That hardly sounded like something capable of the carnage they found when they boarded the yacht. At least Percy was adept at cleaning things up by now. Must've been handy when he got outhouse duty. Or, wait, was that the reason why he never got outhouse duty?

Whiskers' grumbles stirred her from her ADHD riddled thought process.

"It wasn't, like, a small red fox," he corrected himself. "I don't even think it was a fox—I'm talking about something that was easily five times the size of an Olympian. It's fur was filthy, and voids surrounded its red eyes and…and those eyes were more than intelligent. They weren't just angry. They were furious."

Whiskers hands rested atop the railing and balled into fists. He squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth.

"I've never been more afraid of anything in my life than I was of that thing."

"Geez…And I thought limbo was bad." She snorted. Wrong words apparently, because the glare he leveled on her was nothing short of frigid.

Oh, Thalia Grace. Aphrodite lamented with a groan. You were doing so well! I was impressed.

"You think this is funny?" He turned to face her and pointed at the deck, the barest remains of flesh and blood residing upon it after Percy did his Aqualad impersonation. "Thalia, I might've just sold my soul to come back and finish this quest! I have no idea what the hell that thing was, what it could want from me, or where it came from! And I made a deal with it! I have to live with that! And you want to crack jokes?!"

"No, I wasn't—that isn't what—!" Gods, why was talking to him so hard? Ever since he and Apollo picked them up, she'd been unable to keep her composure around him. Aphrodite's little peanut gallery was not helpful. Gods, the whole thing was so frustrating! So he died and came back? Big whoop, so what? She did the same thing!

It hit her like a lightning bolt.

Ahh, the circle gets the square. Aphrodite's very unwelcome commentary almost made her lose her cool.

"—so are we done talking now? Fine by me." He pushed off of the railing and started to walk by her.

"Hey, no!" Thalia turned and grabbed his arm. He faced her with anger in his eyes and she matched it easily. "We're not done talking, you jerk! You died, Whiskers!"

"Yeah, I did. I thought we went over this in the cabin." He huffed. Thalia scowled at him.

"You. Died." Her hand moved off of his arm and balled into a fist, before she lowered it to her side. She took a deep breath to calm down. Anger wasn't going to help them here. She ducked her head, swallowed her pride, before lifting her head back up and meeting his eyes. "And I'm-I'm sorry that I made light of it. I shouldn't have said that. I just-..Naruto, I've been through it, too."

She'd died. Partially, sure, but it was death all the same. And had been frozen in that state for…gods, five years. She still didn't like thinking about it.

"Oh."

His anger rushed out of him like a balloon losing air, shoulders falling just a fraction as the fight left. Part of Thalia internally cheered that she won that encounter, but it didn't feel like much of a victory worth celebrating. They stood quietly for a moment. He moved first, turning back to lean against the railing. She didn't, and instead watched him.

The way his features were framed by the morning li—

You are so not invited to this conversation.

Ugh, spoilsport. Fine. I'll just watch. Happy?

Ecstatic. Thalia huffed and crossed her arms.

"Thalia?" Whiskers voice pulled her out of her bickering with the Lady of Doves. His hands balled into fists and his jaw flexed before he looked at her again. "Do you think it always feels so-so...?"

"Cold?" She did her best to ignore the familiar chill that went up her spine. This jacket probably just wasn't as warm as the last one. Or as her original one.

"Yeah."

Thalia leaned against the railing beside him. The waves were gentle and the barest hint of the rising sun began to peak over the horizon. She swallowed before speaking again.

"I really hope not."

"Me, too."

More silence fell. A more peaceful one than the last. No pressure to speak, no weight. Just them, and the ocean.

"Hey, Thalia?"

"What?"

"When's your birthday?"

"December Twenty-Second."

"...Oh."

"Yeah." Tomorrow. Solstice. End of Olympus and possibly the world. She crossed her arms. "When's yours?"

"October Tenth."

"Mm." Thalia furrowed her brows. Crap, he had her on months. Unless… "Were you born in Eighty-seven?"

"No, Eighty-five." He looked at her, a brow arched when she scowled. "Why?"

"Dammit."

"What?"

"You were always older than me." She sighed. He snorted and she thumped his arm. "Shut up. I thought the stupid tree thing gave you an edge."

"Wait, what tree thing?"

"I'm physically fifteen-years-old."

"Wh—Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"...I just thought you were short." She thumped him again.

"Jerk." Thalia huffed. "Magic blows."

"Tell me about it." He scoffed before going pensive once more. "Got any plans to get out of the whole Grand Prophecy thing?"

"How do—?" Her eyes narrowed at him. "Your uncle told you."

"Uncle Fred told me," he nodded. She frowned and then sighed.

"No. I dunno. I guess I'll…wing it?"

"Because that's done wonders for you so far." Whiskers smirked. "Tree Girl."

"Do not call me that." She shoved him around a half-laugh as his smirk grew. A golden eyebrow rose up.

"You ever gonna stop calling me Whiskers?" He asked. She smirked back at him.

"Never."

"Then Tree Girl it is," he affirmed with a nod. She shoved him again, huffed and looked away, trying to will back the heat that threatened to overcome her face when he softly laughed her punishment off. Thalia looked back at him in time to see him turn towards her, resting his side on the rail of the yacht deck. "So, Tree Girl, I think I can help you with your…Grand dilemma."

"Ugh, and now you've got puns? Someone shoot me."

"Careful, someone just might." She stuck her tongue out at him. His smile dimmed, but a corner of his lips remained pulled back. "Seriously, though. I might be able to help."

"How?" Thalia gave him a wary frown. "You got another contract in your head?"

"No." He pulled a die out of his pocket, the faces marked with a sun and a moon. "But… I do have one last favor to cash in."

"A favor—?" She choked on her spit. Aphrodite gasped.

Jackpot~!

Shut it! Thalia hissed. She eyed the die warily. "What kind of favor."

"A favor from a god of time." Whiskers words hung in the air around them for a good minute. Thalia was by no means stupid and easily connected the dots he was laying out for her.

I take it back. Aphrodite suddenly whispered. Do not let him do this.

So, that means I should definitely let him do this.

No! Aphrodite started to sound angry. Good. Thalia Grace, don't you dare! You will not accept! Don't do it!

"A-Are you sure?" She asked, once she could find her voice. He cracked a small smile and Thalia could've sworn the sun chariot passed by in that instant. Aphrodite raged in the back of her mind, but she ignored it and focused on Whiskers bright blue eyes.

"I think you've done enough for Olympus, don't you?"

Okay, she thought. So, maybe I do have a small crush on Whiskers.

In the shadows of the Duat, a lone sphere of silver illuminated the night sky. Directly beneath it, seated on a throne, a lone man in fine garments stared into a reflective mirror, where a young man stood on a naval craft.

"Well, I can't say I've seen this coming." The finely dressed man mused, rubbing his chin. He looked at his rings pensively. "You do realize that if you do this, our arrangement is at its end?"

"I do."

"Very well. A shame, I'd thought we'd have more fun together." He smirked as silver energy wafted from his body. The speaker on the other side hissed and then roared. Carnage erupted in front of him and the man smiled. As it came to a close, another mirror shimmered nearby, drawing his attention. As the figure took up his unimpressed stance in the mirror once more, the man in fine apparel smiled at him. "Maybe further down the line we can make a new deal. I have to go. Another client is calling. A pleasure, Fan-Boy."

"Don't call me that, Khonsu."

Khonsu waved his hand, ending the call, before accepting the next. He pursed his lips at the choppy image and gradually cleared away the interference with his magic. Faintly he could make out the caller's masculine shape. Behind him was a sunrise and water? Figures, he always got such terrible service with international calls.

"Hello?"

"Khnsu?" Ah, the god smiled. He knew that voice. It was his favorite avatar-to-be. Khonsu let loose his mana so that the image came in clearly.

"Naruto!" He emoted a bright smile. "It's been so long!"

"..Three days at most." The boy grunted. Was it really only three days? Huh, mortal time, go figure. The blond teen crossed his arms. "I don't have time to chat. I'm cashing in my last favor."

...What?! No, no, no! It was too soon! Khonsu frowned, racking his godly mind for a way to keep himself and the boy connected. He'd perhaps acted rashly, sending him to aid his (now formal) servant against that other being, but something told him those two were bound to meet eventually. He figured there'd be no harm in hastening it.

However, if he'd known the boy was going to use his last favor in literally the same week as he'd used the second, he'd have never let them meet in the first place! Actually, something about his wayward avatar-to-be was off. He looked him over for several milliseconds before he found it.

"Is that a bullet wound?!" Khonsu was familiar with mortals' weaponry due to his priests' and mages' constant struggle against them. If his avatar-to-be had been injured by one…well, some mortal was in for a very bad night.

"Not important." The silly boy scowled. Khonsu made to protest, maybe if he offered aid freely his favor would be kept— "I need you to age a demigod for me."

Was that all? Oh, he'd turn them to bone free of charge!

"Let me see an image of the target." He smiled, prepared to make use of the concept from Oscar Wilde's famed short novel. Naruto lifted a finger and gestured to someone just past his line of vision. A girl, pretty thing she, stepped up beside him.

"This is Thalia." Odd, that name sounded fam—No. No, he wasn't really asking-?! "Yes. She's that Thalia."

...Dammit, Naruto!

"A pleasure to finally meet you, my dear. I've heard so much about you. Such a shame our meeting must come over a call." Khonsu charmed the mortal while he inwardly seethed.

Destroying a monster of another Pantheon in defense of his avatar-to-be was an allotment granted every few centuries – and he'd stockpiled those for this very reason. He'd have willingly done it free of charge if not for the way it was phrased by the foolish boy, but what Naruto asked for now was tantamount to going against the Rule of Ra. That sort of interference with the Greeks and their fatalistic prophecies had to cost a favor.

Or two. Khonsu's smile became more genuine. He was filled with pride of his genius as a clever thought settled in his mind.

"I'd love to, really I would, my boy. But that is the bastard of Olympus' king. No offense, darling." He started investigating his nails and ignored the hushed grumbles of the girl. Mortals were always so sensitive about hard truths being thrown in their face. Once she quieted down he played his card. "Perhaps we can negotiate—?"

"I don't have time to negotiate, Khonsu! This is my favor," Naruto said curtly. Rude, but he was used to the boy's mannerisms now. "Make her seventeen, that's all we need."

"Then I'm afraid I must refuse." Khonsu shrugged. He looked at his nails, interest fleeting. "Business is a hard and cruel mistress, but—"

"You owe me."

"I beg your pardon?" Silver eyes glared at the blond. "You overstep yourself, boy. I owe you nothing."

"While I was on your last favor," the gall of this mortal brat, hissing and spitting his folly in his face. "Artemis had been kidnapped by the Titans."

Just like that, the boy's worth showed itself once more. A mortal raised by Olympus, trained by Asgard, and owned by Khonsu. He had his foot in every big pond imaginable. Information most would keep close to them would be shared through the mortal willingly. For, what harm could one mortal do?

That was why Khonsu considered losing him to be too costly.

And yet, losing Artemis, or the Greeks as a whole, while catastrophic to the balance of life, was not really his concern. He managed Time and Business. Not Life.

"Seventeen, you said?" He asked after pensive thought. He looked the scowling girl over. "It won't give her much of a physical change. Maybe some growth here and there—"

"Seventeen." Naruto cut in firmly. "Not a second older."

Smart lad, he'd learned. Khonsu covered his smirk with his hand and met the boy's eyes.

"I will do this…but I have a condition," he raised a finger, stopping the predictable protest. "I will not only do this request of yours, but I will refund your favor for what was done to the now rust bucket. It will reform, as if never bothered. In turn, you will forgive any instance of my request to you made within the last week. Both instances shall be considered mutual investments, leaving both of us with a favor apiece once more. Do we have a deal?"

"Whiskers–" Blasted girl, don't ruin this for him! "–we don't have to use the favor–"

"It's as good as we're gonna get under the time constraint, Thalia. It's fine." Naruto, ah, the noble fool he was, pulled through for him. Blue eyes met Khonsu's gaze and the blond nodded. "I agree."

Khonsu practically glowed at the words. His eyes gleamed and shone with the moon's light.

"Then, by my will, I shall do this for you, my friend." Sucker. Khonsu cackled inwardly as he snapped his fingers. The teens blinked and frowned. He rolled his eyes at their silent accusation. "I'm a deity of the moon, children. Once the first light of the night's Waxing Crescent kisses her skin, Thalia Grace shall be seventeen again."

"Again?" They asked. He deadpanned at them.

"She was born in the nineteen-eighties like you were, Naruto. You both should be nineteen. Our arrangement was to your benefit." He glanced at the demigod, then back at his avatar-to-be. "Hers, not so much. Tree life is rather dull."

"...Thank you, Khonsu."

"It was my pleasure, my young friend." Khonsu smiled. The mirror's ripple ended and the image left. He reclaimed his seat upon his throne and picked up a single die that rested on a plate beside him. The Egyptian God's smile grew just a tad wider as he looked at the other half of the dice set his human pet carried. "My silly little avatar, I will never let you go."

Being a prisoner of war sucked, Annabeth Chase often reflected. It was boring and the only meaningful conversations she had, arguably, was when Luke decided to show up. The last time he had was weeks ago. But that wasn't his fault, like he said, it wasn't his call to leave her literally hanging.

Oh, but with this horrid experience came knowledge. She'd definitely be sure to lay out some ground rules when the War started. The first she'd thought of was granting all Monsters on the Titan's side one offer of amnesty and forgiveness if they met in conflict. No more and no less, and any refusal was to be met by immediate death. The second, that enemy demigods or other human prisoners wouldn't be bound by iron shackles in a mountain's cavern and watched by carnivorous monsters.

Like she was now.

Two steel daggers glared at the lone eye of the oversized monster guarding her. This was the sort of creature that gave the Cyclopes like Tyson such a bad rap. The vile thing that almost ate her best friend when she was young.

"Hehehe, once Mr. General says you not needed no more, Gump is gonna cook you in a pot!"

"I'm not too bad at cooking. Pretty good at it actually. Why don't you hand me a hammer to tenderize myself with?" Annabeth sneered at the cyclops. It squinted at her before snorting. Mucus adhered on her shoe.

Gross.

"Not gonna trick me, dumb demigod! Gump is smarterest of the Cyclopes!"

"Evidently." Annabeth grumbled, flicking her foot around to rid it of the monster's dried snot to no avail. The act loosened her sneaker, and she waited for the cyclops to make another round before she started pushing it down. Once it hung on her toes and the dim witted monster approached her, she made her move. With careful aim, she kicked her leg and her shoe flew up into Gump's head, striking him hard in the dome. She cursed.

She'd been aiming for his eye.

"Feisty little meal!" The cyclops chortled as it rubbed his head before he reached out and stroked her cheek with a finger. Annabeth recoiled and swallowed the bile that crept up the back of her throat when the monster's repugnant breath filled her nose. He chuckled and licked his lips. "S'okay. Gump likes it when his meal fights back."

"Then you're gonna love me."

"Huh?"

A silver cowled teen dropped down from above them and stabbed something into the Cyclops' eye. Gump let out an impressive Wilhelm scream as the clearly magical weapon made him dissolve into dust. The teen dropped, back facing her,

"Percy?" Annabeth's smile faltered as the teen turned to her. No. He was too tall. His hood fell as he darted up the hall to look for potential reinforcements. Definitely not her Seaweed Brained friend. This guy was too blond. His eyes were too blue, and while Percy would've approved of it, she wasn't keen on blue eyes. The silver circlet was a bit much too and…Was that a-a moon knight shirt?

Hold on. Blond? Check. Blue eyes? Check. Whisker marked cheeks and Moon Knight memorabilia? Check check. Annabeth blinked.

"N-Naruto?"

"Hey, Annabeth. Don't move." Her long lost friend tossed a few silver crescent shaped shuriken at her shackles and the chains gave way. Weird, she'd always thought that was just movie nonsense. Unless the trajectory and force applied were perfect—gravity! Right! Naruto grunted when he caught her and steadied her on her feet. He rested a hand on her shoulder, scanning her for injuries.

"You got big and… dyed your hair?" Naruto arched an eyebrow as he lifted her bangs and she blushed. Evidently, holding up the sky left its mark on her. He snorted. "I don't say this often, but white's not a good color for you."

Annabeth hugged him. Tight.

"You're here! Yu-You're really here!"

No, wait she could feel a familiar burn in the rim of her eyes. Aw, no, c'mon, not now! Dammit, Annabeth! You can't cry right now! You're knees deep in enemy territory! Keep it in! Yes! It was working! Ha! Take that, you unbalanced, hormone-influenced chemical reactions!

"Yes, okay." Naruto chuckled as he returned her hug before pushing her back and smiling at her. "I'm here. You're here. We're here."

There was a beat before a muffled, if humorous, horn variant of the mildly racist "Dixie" song came from somewhere nearby before a thunderous boom shook the mountain. Naruto looked up at the ceiling.

"Judging by the faint General Lee homage, Uncle Fred's here, too."

"What?" Uncle Fred—he's the son of Artemis. Annabeth gaped as she took an offered silver hunting knife—which was terribly well-balanced—and looked up at the ceiling before looking back at Naruto. "Th-that was A-Apollo?"

"Yeah, turns out kidnapping his favorite—and only—twin sister puts quite the knot in his toga." Naruto grumbled. He pulled a crescent headed ax from his belt and nodded at the hallway. He continued, speaking lowly as they walked. "If not for the whole "only demigods can challenge immortals thing", I'd be up there, too."

What, but he—Right. Clear sighted mortal. He was adopted. Annabeth blinked a few times.

"Hey, if you're adopted by a goddess, doesn't that make you an honorary demigod?"

"…It's complicated." He sighed and peered around a corner before he started walking down the hall. Annabeth jogged after him.

"But, if the gods allow the traditional law of man to influence their own society—"

"Annabeth," Naruto sighed as he tossed a few crescent shuriken down a hallway. Several monsters dissolved so fast, she hadn't time to determine what they were. "Do you think Zeus would ever do something to unintentionally risk his rule?"

"Well—"

"Ignoring Percy doesn't count."

"How do you even know about that?" She asked, brows furrowing. Naruto smirked at her, but said nothing. Annabeth huffed. "You're chattier than I remember."

"I'm in a good mood." He grunted back, ridding a Scythian dracanae of her slithery leg with a swing of his axe. She flew over him and dissolved into dust before her pole arm clattered on the floor. "C'mon, Grover's waiting to get you back to the Yacht."

"There's a yacht?"

"It's a long story. One we don't have time for."

Okay. That was fair.

"We're going to meet up with the others, right?"

Naruto didn't say anything, pressing forward and taking more monsters out with various silver throwing weaponry. The fact that he didn't voice his answer told her everything.

"No." Annabeth scowled. "No, Naruto, I'm a demigod, too!"

"You're malnourished, sleep deprived and emotionally vulnerable." That sounded more like the boy Annabeth knew. He looked at her, and she took a wary step back. His pupils were thin as slits and his eyes flicked between red and blue. "You're going to the yacht. I'm covering you. End of discussion."

"But the others-!"

"Have my Uncle Fred and my Mom on their side." Naruto held an arm out and caught her when the mountain trembled. Annabeth glared at him and he scowled back. "Annie, use your head! Are you in any shape to help the others right now?"

"…I hate you."

"Yeah? Get in line." With that he turned back around and continued leading her to a concealed exit. Annabeth frowned and looked up at the ceiling as more thunder raged above them. She hoped everything was going well.

"Children," a thick accent crooned. Annabeth stilled, her eyes dilating as she tightened the grip on her knife and looked behind her. Crawling along the wall, the Manticore approached them. A twisted smile on its cheshire-like face. "Just where is it do you think you're off to?"

"You didn't get the memo?" Naruto asked, stepping around in front of her. She'd have been offended if her mind weren't in turmoil at the moment. He brandished his axe in one hand and a few throwing knives in the other. "There's apples in the courtyard ripe for the picking. A hunter killed the dragon."

"What's this? This delectable scent…could it be?" The Manticore's full attention was on Naruto. "It is. Hello, mortal."

"Hang the next left, then the third left down the hall. Take the second right. At the end of the hall, climb until you see the clouds." Naruto whispered. Annabeth glanced at him and swallowed. Scarlet eyes were locked on the monster approaching them and his whisker-like markings looked…thicker. "Go. Now."

"There is no escape from here, child! Your mortal friend will make a delicious snack to gorge myself upon while I hunt you!" The Manticore snarled at her, giving her pause at the easily backed up threat. It opened its mouth to say more, only for a roar to rip out and shake the cavern. A throwing knife was in its left shoulder.

"Annie, run!" Naruto barked at her before he charged toward the Manticore. Annabeth hesitated, stricken by fear of the monster who'd tormented her the most. A quill flew at her, but was knocked off course by a silver throwing knife. She blinked out of her stupor and met Naruto's heated glare. "Run!"

"R-Right!" Annabeth turned and flew down the hall. She heard their conflict continue behind her.

"Your death will be painful, mortal!" The Manticore roared. Naruto's response confused her.

"Tried that already. It got boring, so I stood up."

The Manticore roared and Naruto let out a primal scream as their fight waged on.

Annabeth had to get that story out of Grover. But first, she had to get to Grover.

AN: Yeah, it's a three parter. I miscalculated.

Glad you enjoyed it.