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

Lunar Phases

Aberration

Aconitum.

A simple, beautiful flower capable of becoming the most deadly of poisons. It goes by many names - Monkshood, Devil's Helmet, Queen of Poisons, Blue Rocket, Aconite - but it's famous for one name alone. Mortals think it a fictional allusion to its deadly capabilities, but, as with many things, they gravely misunderstand its potential. Few things outside of divine weaponry can harm monsters, even less can kill them. The Aconitum variegatum is one of them. It's use in stopping a spree of kills by Lycaon and his kin was kept silent by Zeus' decree, for fear mortals would take the plant and abuse its power. One god was not satisfied with this outcome, and ensured the flower's potential was known to all by giving it life through fiction in a name that all mortals recognize: Wolf's Bane.

October 10th, 2008

Something was terribly wrong.

The very instant she felt the barrier's magic diminish, Artemis broke through it. She moved like never before, sprinting leagues fasterthan she'd ever known she could. Her eyes scoured the woodland for a sign of life, mostly for the one life that mattered.

"Naruto!" Her call echoed through the air. "Naruto!"

"Lil Sis!"

Artemis looked up and her twin pointed down from his chariot at something three kilometers to her northwest. She turned on a pinhead and flew through the woods. What she found made her pause, eyes widening in disbelief. The warmth appearing beside her alerted her to her twin's arrival and his gasp almost made her jump, but she was too transfixed by the horror in front of her to do anything.

Naruto was crumpled in the dirt, blood drying around him, with his silver axe discarded nearby. His skin was actively peeling off of his body, revealing a vile bubbling red energy underneath, and reforming just as fast. An eye cracked open, the iris flickered between tortured blue and glowing red, and a hand reached out for her.

"M-Mom...!" The agony in his rasped words broke her heart. "It...Burns...!"

In an instant, Artemis was at his side. Her hand wrapped around his as an act of comfort. Steam rose at the contact and she recoiled when he let out a yell of pain. Her eyes narrowed. This was not her first encounter with Lycaon's Curse, but it was also not a transformation she was familiar with. She looked at her twin, he was still staring at them with his eyes wide and glowing. She scowled at him. Now? He had to use his precognitive domain now?

"Apollo!"

"Sorry!" He snapped himself out of whatever vision he saw. "Right. Let me see him."

Apollo was at their side in an instant, a hand on Naruto's head. The boy groaned at his touch, but it didn't hiss and steam like it had with hers. After a moment, his golden brows furrowed together.

"What? That can't be right."

"What? What is it?" Artemis asked. She looked from her twin to her son before reaching for the latter. Her wrist was grabbed before she could make contact. "Apollo..."

"Sis, you saw what happened when you tried to touch him." Apollo warned. Her eyes narrowed and he responded in turn. "Don't get mad at me! Blame Naruto's weird antibodies! They're the ones fighting off the curse!"

"That's impossible." Artemis frowned as Apollo released her wrist. Lycaon's curse, unlike other monster afflictions, was inflicted on a mortal's soul. It had no cure, because it irreversibly changed the recipient from a mortal human — or the occasional very unlucky demigod — into a Tartarus-bound monster. The rest of Apollo's words made her glare at him further. "What do you mean 'weird antibodies'?"

"I'll give you the full medical rundown later. We need to take him to an expert on impossible healing," Apollo said, slipping his arm under his nephew's legs. He hesitated before cradling the boy's shoulders and looked at Artemis after he hefted the writhing mortal up. "If he knees me in the throat again, I'm dropping him in a volcano."

"Apollo!"

"What? It hurt!"

October 12th, 2008

Apollo leaned against the doorway of Artemis' small Colorado cabin and watched his sister dote on her slumbering son with a wet cloth, both of them surrounded by the wolves that also called this place home. He frowned at the subtle relief Artemis displayed in being able to touch him again. The initial problem with her touch boiled down to two things: her affinity for silver weaponry and her domain over the moon. The former was self-explanatory; those affected by Lycaon's Curse became deathly allergic to silver. The latter, however, was due to Naruto's immune system going on defense. The subtle radiation of moonlight Artemis' form gave off was met with hostility from his weird nephew's equally weird biology.

Thinking about the latter made Apollo want to kick himself. He should've given his 'Lil Nephew a thorough physical long before he ran away the first time. Whenever he did treat Naruto as a patient, it was usually for a deeper-than-normal scrape that Artemis wanted fixed ASAP or a cold, or just a general check-up to see if his vitals matched that of other mortals or even demigods his age. At the least, he should've pulled Naruto aside after he'd been exposed to Egyptian and Norse magic. If he had then, it might not have taken hours of actual work for him and his amazing assistant to stabilize Naruto's bizarre reaction to Lycaon's Curse.

"Again, I do wish you'd drop an I.M. before summoning me, Father." The voice of his favorite son broke his thoughts. From where he sat at the dining table, Asclepius cleaned his glasses and gave him a frown. "I've got patients outside of the Pantheon. I don't want them to panic if I'm suddenly whisked away to the United States during an appointment."

"Sorry, Ace. Desperate times." Apollo grinned at him. "I'll make it up to you."

"You'll be covering the home visit fee, then?" Asclepius asked, a small smile on his face.

"...Wait." Apollo's grin faltered. "There's a fee?"

"We are in America now, Father. And the materials we used weren't cheap to come by."

"What? But we manifested the Wolf's–? ...You're pulling my leg." Apollo scowled and crossed his arms. Asclepius chuckled.

"I'm sorry, Father. The opportunity was too good to waste."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a brat?"

"No but, I have been told I'm my father's son." Asclepius' bright blue eyes twinkled. Apollo mock laughed.

"Funny," he grumbled. "If you're trying to get on stage with your material, I'd recommend workshopping it."

"I'll keep that in mind." Asclepius looked past him at Artemis and then looked back at him. "Are you going to tell her today?"

Apollo pursed his lips. He knew what his son was referring to, but he was torn on the subject. Part of him wanted to forget what he knew and just let his nephew be, but he knew that this was long overdue. He sighed and pushed off of the wall.

"Might as well get this argument out of the way. Don't wait up, Ace."

One step into the room had the wolves turn to watch him. Another step and they left, pups carried by older siblings and parents. The only wolf that remained was the new alpha, the big black wolf, Bruno. He was lying under the arm of the couch that Naruto's head was resting on, and watched him approach with icy blue eyes. The subtle lift of its lip, the subtle exposure of fang, had the god of archery stop in his tracks. He knew from prior experience with Artemis' packs of old that they didn't care what god approached them unless it was their god, thus was the loyalty of canines.

"Sis," he said. "We need to talk."

"Then speak."

"We should probably talk–"

"I am not moving unless it pertains to an Olympian decree." Artemis' firm stance on the matter was put bluntly. She turned her head to meet his gaze and then looked back at her resting son. "Just speak your mind, Apollo."

"Okay, but I warned you." Apollo sighed and crossed his arms. "While looking at Naruto's soul, we discovered a twelfth organ system."

"Explain." Artemis' body was turned towards him now, which was a good and bad thing. Good, because he knew she was paying attention to what he was saying and not tuning him out as she often did. Bad, because now he was in her crosshairs without anything between them. Again.

"Okay, here goes." Apollo mumbled before he cleared his throat. "So, we both know that victims of Lyc–" Artemis scowled at the monster's name and he changed course "–The Arcadian are turned because their soul is overwritten by the curse Zeus left on him. Well, it turns out, Naruto's birth parents, or at least one of them, could manipulate the energies of their soul. Kind of like how we can, just on a...lesser level."

"Impossible." Artemis rose. "Naruto is a mortal. The woman who gave birth to him was mortal."

"Ever verify that with Hades?" Apollo asked. He glanced out the window toward the Hunters' Camp. An olive skinned girl caught his eye. "I mean, we have an in now."

"Stop staring at my Lieutenant."

"Artemis–" Apollo looked back at her just as she thrusted a finger up at his face.

"Quiet! I will not hear this nonsense any longer. Even if you are correct, and even if such a thing were true, what would it change?!" Artemis asked, scowling. Apollo frowned, trying to formulate his words. She crossed her arms. "Now what is the purpose for telling me this ridiculous idea?"

"Well, do you remember the Kitsune he told the Council about?" Apollo asked in turn. She nodded curtly and he crossed his arms. "Well?"

"Yes I do. What's so important about it?"

"It's definitely attached to him on a spiritual level. To a degree that something supernatural caused it." Apollo pointed out. "If we find out what the markings on his arm mean–"

"Did it ever occur to you that this Kitsune, this spirit, had tricked you into thinking there was a system attached to Naruto's soul?" Artemis asked suddenly. Apollo gaped at her, a bit surprised.

"Artemis–!"

"Tell me you've never been fooled by a mortal or nymph! Tell me without lying." When he failed to find an example, Artemis threw her arms up. "We've all been fooled at one point or another, Apollo. You were caught in an illusion brought upon you by the foreign creature that Naruto has sealed in his arm, that's all!"

"You think there's a spirit out there strong enough to catch both Asclepius and I in an illusion?"

"No," she bitterly admitted. Her arms folded. "But I know that if you do not poke a slumbering bear, it will not wake."

"Tha–! Artemis, we're gods! We've been alive for millennia!" Apollo pointed at the teen on the couch. "Whatever Naruto is, he's not something we've ever encountered before! He's not a god! He's not a spirit! Sis, I hate to say it, but he's definitely not a human!"

"I know what Naruto is."

"Artemis, if you say mortal–!"

"He is a mortal."

"Tell me what kind of mortal can survive Lycaon's Curse!"

They glared at one another for several seconds before Apollo bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. He took a deep breath, counted to six trillion, and released it. This wasn't getting them anywhere. He looked at his sister again.

"Sis, we need to figure out what Naruto is before The Thunderer figures out he's not human."

"You and your son are not experimenting on him." Artemis glared past him, likely at Asclepius. Apollo side-stepped to block his son out of her line of sight and she glared at him again. "Is that understood?"

"We'll do a soul dive."

"Out of the question! You could risk damaging it!"

"We have to figure this out, Sis." Apollo put a hand on her shoulder and stared her in the eye. "Artemis, I would never do anything like this to him if it wasn't important. You know that."

"...I know." Artemis frowned. She hung her head and took a shuddering breath. "But…But he's my son. Mine. And I keep...I keep failing him. Now... he almost–"

"I know, Sis." Apollo pulled her into a hug when her eyes squeezed shut. He ignored the sounds that he convinced himself Artemis never made and instead rubbed her back. "I know."

Apollo remembered the first time he actually had to come to terms with one of his demigods' deaths. It was the worst feeling imaginable and it took a long time until he could hide the pain as well as the other Olympians. Artemis had lost many of her Hunters over the years, but the boy on the couch was the only mortal she'd watched grow from birth.

For the first time in their long life, his twin was experiencing something most Olympians had gone through eons ago: the realization that her mortal child would die. Regardless of the actions she took to protect him – short of making him immortal – Artemis would see her first, and likely her only, son die. If not by the preferred (but still sad) old age, then by the claw of a monster or the hand of a God.

Kurama growled as it tried to focus its chakra through the body of The Boy and keep it from changing further than it already had.

The venom it had been assimilating for the past fifty-three hours was unlike any poison it had ever overwhelmed before. Something on the outside had managed to dilute the extreme reaction that was happening. For that, Kurama was grateful. Mito had never experienced anything like this venom, and The Bitch had adamantly refused to let it help her even when their lives were on the line.

The sound of an impressed whistle made Kurama go still. As impossible as it had thought to be, someone else had entered the seal.

"Well... That's different."

Tired red eyes cracked open and regarded the small humanoid figures in front of it, before glaring particularly at the blonder of the two for his uncanny resemblance to the man that tried to divide its power. Both men radiated power that rivaled its own, but they held no rule over it. This was its territory. It refused to bend to their whims on principle and would defend itself. Not that it could, thanks to the meddling of that damned boy, but they didn't know that.

"What do you think?" The older-looking male deferred to the idiot blond. "A genetic mutation of the Curse?"

"Nah, too much spiritual energy in here." Idiot Blond – not to be confused with the Blond Idiot aka The Yondaime – crossed his arms and tilted his head. Then he looked at the Old Man. "Mutualistic symbiosis?"

"...Yes, the collar would imply they have a relationship of some kind."

Kurama bared its teeth and growled. The irons latched around its neck was not a collar. It was a shackle.

"Uh-oh, I think he heard you." Idiot Blond smirked at Old Man.

"Who are you, humans?" Kurama narrowed its eyes. "And how did you get in here?"

"Well, one. No." Idiot Blond grinned and his eyes started to glow gold. "Not human."

"Oh. You." Kurama huffed and closed its eyes. It was too tired to deal with this buffoon of an immortal and the other with it. "Go away."

"Good spirit–" The Old Man began, but Kurama cut him off.

"I am not a spirit nor am I negotiating with petty immortals who threaten to kill innocent creatures out of fear." It growled. It cracked its eye open and glared at the two gods. "If you are here about the monster's venom, I'm dealing with it. The boy will remain mostly unchanged."

"Yeah, think twice before you screw with my nephew's body, fox." Idiot Blond scowled.

"Kitsune." Kurama corrected firmly with a growl. The Boy got a pass due to their connection and that was it. It fanned its nine tails out and reveled in the minute shock that crossed the Idiot Blond's face. "I see you're familiar with the lessers like me."

"Yeah, and I can skin them easily."

"Let me assure you, godling. I know I may not be a threat to you, but The Boy's mother is."

"...That's not a collar is it?" The Old Man realized. Smart one, he. Kurama looked at him and stretched its neck. The iron shackle glowed with the same runes that covered The Boy's arm as it tried to pass the glowing markers that kept it in this small cage.

"Thanks to his meddling with powers he didn't fully understand, The Boy and I are irreversibly intertwined." It huffed and looked back at the Idiot Blond with its version of a smirk. "Anything you do to me, you do to him."

"I'm willing to test that." The Idiot Blond grumbled, a bow appearing in his hand. Kurama snarled at the flash of gold that accompanied the weapon's arrival. It reminded him of that fool Yondaime and his damned teleportation.

"Apollo," The Old Man put a hand on Idiot Blond's arm. "We're here to help Naruto, remember?"

"Pretty sure I'd be doing him a solid by putting some arrows in this thing's hide."

"Father!" The Old Man hissed and tightened his grip on the Idiot Blond's arm. "It's a mutualistic symbiosis! They will share experiences from all things, both good and bad."

"...And that's why I never got married." Idiot Blond grumbled, dismissing his bow. He pointed at Kurama. "If I see any furry ears or tails sprout–!"

"Why does everyone think I would do that? First it was Mito's concern for her children, then it was The Bitch, and now this Idiot…" Kurama wondered aloud with a scowl. It shook its head and laid back down with a tired huff. "Just go, Gods. I'm dealing with the venom. The Boy will remain physically unchanged."

"And mentally?" The Old Man asked. Kurama scowled at him.

"I was starting to tolerate you." It grumbled before sighing. "There are some things I cannot affect due to this shackle. The murderous rampages it seems to trigger I can cull to near non-existence, but heightened emotional responses, instincts and senses will remain."

"That better be it." Idiot Blond mumbled, crossing his arms. "Or I'll come back here with Artemis, and we'll see what she has to say about this."

"Get out, Idiot God." Kurama snarled, closing its eyes. "You're annoying and I've got work to do."

November 20th, 2008

The past month had been Hell.

First and foremost, Naruto didn't get to celebrate his eighteenth birthday. All in all, not a major loss. He'd spent it dealing with one of the most feared monsters his mother's Pantheon created and avenged the death of his mortal friend. That counted as a win. Thanks to the Mist's influence, Jeremy's parents believe him to have been a victim of poachers' violence and now Mr. Higginsworth was an advocate of wildlife preservation. So that was also a win.

The missus was, unfortunately, still a racist.

Second, he'd been grounded. Again. He couldn't leave the vicinity of his mother's lodge. Thankfully his college had been closed because of Lycaon's rampage, and most of his classes were done for the semester anyway. Without that escape, both his mother and Uncle Fred alternated watching him. On days where both were needed to be present for a Council meeting, his 'cousin' Asclepius would take over. Those days were the most informative for Naruto. He learned that his survival was based in part of The Fox – which wasn't too surprising given their deal – and a cocktail derived from a sacred spring's rainwater, concentrated silver and ground snippets of Wolf's Bane.

Finally, said grounding had also included the revoking of his cell phone privileges. Uncle Fred took the phone for the first month after he woke up. That was probably for the best because his senses were heightened to, in Uncle Fred's words, "Wolverine levels."

Naruto had thought his uncle was exaggerating. Then a call came through on his cell phone and he nearly went deaf from the ring. For the first time since he got his phone, he utilized the text messaging feature and sent the caller, a certain daughter of Zeus who had already called him numerous times since his birthday, a text telling her he'd call her back after he got his phone returned. It started going off like crazy after and, before he started blacking out from sensory overload, Uncle Fred took the device away.

So yeah, super hearing? Overrated.

Don't even get him started on his new sense of smell. His already impressive nose was so sensitive that freshly bloomed flowers tended to make him sneeze from miles away, and the wolves' previously well hidden droppings were nauseating. Thankfully, that was just the first week after he awoke. With Asclepius' help, and a healthy new morning pill made of the same materials used to stabilize his reaction to Lycaon's bite, his enhanced senses were suppressed in record time.

Now, it was the week before Thanksgiving. The Hunt had long been back at their duty of scouring the midwest for the Titans' secret supply line, and his mother was needed for more regular and risky searches. Uncle Fred, who'd finally given him his phone back the day before, was needed to try to speak to the various minor gods he still had good favor with.

So when Naruto answered the knock at the cabin door – after hearing no racing heart, smelling a heavenly fragrant, and not being warned of ill intent by The Fox – the last thing he expected was to be pulled into the world's deadliest embrace.

"Ooh, look at you! My little bundle of a grandson has gotten so big!"

We survived months in an immortal-run-hotel, the attack of a rabid man-dog and its pack, and even your own stupidity. The Fox groused. Boy, only your bloodline would die to something as ridiculous as affectionate asphyxiation. I can't believe that a hug is going to be what kills me.

"Shut up, Fox." Naruto grumbled, a grimace on his face as he was crushed by the woman holding him. She was tall, easily a head taller than himself, and vastly stronger than Lycaon could ever hope to be. Thankfully, his current situation was not due to malicious intent. Twisting his face out of the woman's covered bosom, he huffed. "Gran-Gran. I missed you, too…but I can't breathe."

"Oh! Sorry, dear." Leto smiled as she let him go. She cupped his face and kissed either of his cheeks, before holding him at arms' length. "Look at what a handsome man you've become! You must have your pick of the village's girls, huh?"

Naruto felt his cheeks, ears and the rest of his face burn. What was he supposed to say to that?! The Fox laughed at his dismay. Stupid animal.

"Mother." Saved by the moon goddess! "We've talked about this."

"Artemis!" Leto released Naruto's face and crushed her daughter the same way he'd been crushed before. "Oh, My Sweet Moonlight, how are you?"

Suffocating, most likely. The Fox snorted. Naruto would've laughed, if his ribcage didn't just snap back into place. Gods above, his grandmother had wicked strength.

"I'm glad you could come," Artemis said as she returned the hug. "Sorry to have you come all this way."

"Oh, think nothing of it!" Leto smiled as they pulled apart. She folded her hands in front of her. "So! What seems to be the problem?"

"Well." Naruto grimaced as his mother looked at him and crossed her arms. All signs of joy at her mother's presence were gone. Artemis glanced back at Leto. "Naruto needs a sitter."

"I'm legally an adult now, this is ridiculous." The eighteen year old in question grumbled. He hissed as a pair of calloused fingers grabbed his ear. Unbidden, a whine ripped from his throat as he protested: "Ow-ow-ow!"

"You clearly lack the self-preservation instincts required to be considered such." Artemis deadpanned. "Your connection blocked me from my sacred lands. Were it not for the current threat of the Titans, I would see to your punishment myself."

"What happened?" Leto asked, an amused smile on her face. Artemis regaled her with the story of the past month, all the while keeping Naruto's ear firmly in hand, and the smile swiftly fell from his grandmother's face. The teen grimaced and shrank down under her piercing stare. "I see... Yes, you can be sure that I will keep an eye on him, Artemis."

"Thank you, Mother." Artemis smiled. She turned to regard Naruto with a frown and released his ear. "I expect you to behave yourself. You will not partake in underage consumption of Dionysus' preferred beverages. You will not go into Colorado Springs without your grandmother. And furthermore, you will not hunt without Leto's approval."

Her hand moved to grip the piercing in his right brow. He cringed at the rush of power that flowed into it and heard The Fox growl. As soon as the invasive feeling of power was noticed, it was gone, and Artemis turned back to Leto.

"You're now keyed into his tracker, Mother. He will not go anywhere without you knowing about it."

And I thought being shackled to a clan of idiots was humiliating. The Fox grumbled. We've been chipped like a common house pet.

"Are you listening?" Naruto blinked, his eyes refocused on his mother's scowl. He nodded. An amber brow arched. "Then what did I say?"

"No hunting, no college parties, and no gallivanting like Uncle Fred," Naruto said sullenly, his arms crossed. He wasn't about to go get wasted or take off like his uncle did in search of 'nightly' conquests…but the hunting thing really bothered him. "Grandmother makes the rules and has access to my tracker. At the first sign of trouble I should call her, you or Uncle Fred before anyone else."

"Yes, well…Good." Artemis blinked. Clearly she hadn't expected him to be paying attention, but Naruto had been working on his subliminal attentiveness long before Lycaon came and screwed up his life. It hadn't been until after said screwing that he made any headway. His mother gave him a tight hug, one he readily returned. "Behave for your grandmother."

"I will." Naruto smiled softly as they pulled back. "Love you, Mom."

"And I you." Artemis assured him, cupping his cheek and stroking one of the marks on his face with her thumb. Abruptly, she tore away and left, the door shut behind her with a soft click.

"My goodness." Leto breathed before chuckling. "I'd have never thought Artemis would emote so much to a young man before."

"Gran-Gran," Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose and fought back the bile that had rushed up his esophagus. The undertone she suggested was clear as day and it literally repulsed him. "She's my mother."

"By nurture, not nature." Leto tittered at the disgusted face he made at the implication. The Greek pantheon had a major issue that the modern world considered taboo, but always ignored it. As his grandmother did just now. She all but glided across the floor to take his shoulders under an arm and guide him away. "Ah yes, Oedipus' story has sullied that relationship for mortals, hasn't it?"

"Can we please change this topic?" Naruto groaned. He was so not going to talk about sex with his grandmother.

"Oh fine." Leto set him at the table and turned to start rifling through his sparse cupboards. "What do you like to eat?"

"Ramen." It was quick, filling and easily made. Blessed be the Olympian that influenced instant microwaveable meals.

Sage bless us for the noodle's creation and trans-dimensional existence! The Fox crowed. Naruto snorted at the weird statement, but didn't bother disagreeing. Leto turned to him with a frown.

"Is that all?"

"I make salads or stew." Naruto shrugged at her flat stare. "I had rabbit and mouse traps strewn about before my birthday came. Whenever the Pack would go hunt, I would go check them."

"…So you don't have any cooking materials here?"

"I've got salt, pepper and beef jerky."

"Order, help me…" Leto sighed into her hand. "Do you have a motorcar?"

"Uncle Fred replaced my wrecked Jeep with a pickup," It had been a Ferrari, which he'd thought was too out of place, loud and flashy in the mountains, before Apollo 'punished' him by turning it into a beat up junker. Naruto took to fixing it up while he was under Asceplius' watch. The God of Medicine was rather knowledgeable on proper vehicle welfare. For 'home visits' he was told. "But I haven't driven it yet."

"Then we will go acquire some food and break it in. Come along, Grandson."

Naruto hung his head and groaned. So began yet another punishment. Why was this his life?

The trip into the city was long and arduous. The latter was admittedly Leto's fault, but she failed to see appeal in the noise her Grandson was so enthused by. Harsh vocals, loud obnoxious pounding drums, and strings that were being abused more than they were plucked did not make music in her mind. Honestly, she needed to have a word or two with Apollo about this 'metal' genre. It was so terribly aggressive.

Other than their disagreement on what counted as music of the modern era, the long trip was a smooth one. Her nephew was a safe driver, constantly diligent when he wasn't grumbling to some 'Fox' character — that was a mite concerning, she'd have to inquire to Artemis about it — and they made it to Colorado Springs with time to spare. The city was in mourning for the recently lost mortals, so they were, for the most part, left alone.

Halfway through their traversal of the local grocer, Naruto's cellular phone rang. He checked the number, sighed and then answered. Leto, ever the vigilant caretaker she was, casually eavesdropped on his end of the conversation.

"Hey, I meant to ca— Well, I was unconscious for a week and then grounded for the past month so that made it a little difficult." He pinched the bridge of his nose. Leto's ears perked with the name he said next. "No, jus—Thalia, I was unconscious. …No, there weren't more mafia shootouts. …Well, I don't think they're that petty, but what do I know?" He rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm grown enough to admit that I've been wrong before—That doesn't count. ...No, it doesn't. ...We were kids, that's why."

Leto kept her features schooled but questions swelled in her. Who was this 'Thalia' girl that drew such emotional responses from her grandson? What was their relationship? What happened when they were kids?!

"I am going to tell you why I was unconscious, but you kept changing the subject," Naruto said with a huff. He rubbed his face and groaned. "Stop making everything an argument. Yes, you do. Half the time I don't even— Oh, for the Gods' sake – Would you please let me get a word in, Tree Girl?"

Leto's eyes sparkled. Her grandson had a pet name for a girl?! Oh, this young woman absolutely had to be met!

"Yes, it involves the Arcadian King—I'm calling him that because I'm in town right now. ...No, classes are done for the rest of the semester. I'm on a supply run with my grandmother. …Why would I joke about that? …What'd I do? You're the one getting upset. —Thalia, I can barely hear you over the static. Take a deep breath and calm do—Thalia?" He pulled his phone away from his ear and looked at the screen with a scowl. "Oh, terrific. Now she's going to be mad when she calls back."

"Did you drop the call?" Leto asked, grabbing a bunch of bananas. He eyed her warily as he pocketed his phone. She smiled at him. "Sorry, darling. I couldn't resist listening."

"Of course you couldn't." Oh, that was his mother's petulant pout, for sure. He ran his hand through his hair and down his face. "No, she just got too worked up and overloaded the phone. Again."

"Overloaded?" Was that slang for something? Naruto looked around, a needless gesture given that Leto could pull the Mist around them whenever she wanted, but if it made him feel better she wouldn't comment on it. His next words almost made her drop the cantaloupe in her hands.

"Thalia's a daughter of Zeus."

"Oh." Leto's eyebrows skyrocketed. Her grandson was involved with a daughter of Zeus?! Wait, then overloaded meant—Well. Perhaps she should give him some advice on how to avoid any shocks during intimacy. Wouldn't do to have him end a night with a sore red—Oh, that reminded her. "Naruto, be a dear and grab a bag of Red Delicious will you?"

"Sure." He grabbed the bag of red apples and set it in the cart.

"So, does Thalia live close?" Leto so dearly wanted to meet this demigoddess.

"No." Drat! "She lives in New York, goes to Camp, and since I've been banned we've just been talking over the phone. Kind of surprised she hasn't had monster issues from it."

"She may be experiencing some favoritism given that her father is The King," Leto said thoughtfully. "You haven't used Iris' messaging?"

"I'm not big on the concept of spontaneous magical conversation overseen by an immortal and amoral third party." He grimaced, and Leto rolled her eyes. Clearly, he'd learned his mother's habit of utilizing practical methods over willed whims of mysticism. It was astounding he even used a cellular phone. "Thalia used it once while I was in the middle of my morning workout."

"Did she really?" Leto asked, cracking a smile as they moved up from produce toward the deli. "How did that go?"

"Poorly, I guess." He shrugged. "She hasn't done it again since."

Leto definitely had to get the story behind that out of this girl. She just needed a reason to visit Zeus' demigoddess, or have her visit. Oh, perhaps she could send for her to help celebrate her grandson's—No, that was too tainted a day by this point. Perhaps the girl's mother would be willing to take a holiday out of state?

"Does she live with her mother in New York?"

"Her mother died while she was turned into a tree."

"I beg your pardon?" Leto frowned. Though rightfully upset at Zeus for bedding yet another mortal after his vow, Hera wasn't petty enough to take vengeance on that mortal directly. The irony one might think of in how she thought such defense is understandable, but the bad ichor between Leto and Hera had been laid to rest after her children ascended to Council status. The Queen even allowed her to keep her position as a Minor Goddess of Motherhood, as long as dutiful reports were exchanged from time to time. Hera was spiteful, but she didn't hold grudges against the participants of Zeus' infidelities. Well, not long ones anyway.

Naruto sighed and the elder goddess braced herself for the story. It was a recounting from his best understanding of it, but nevertheless it was detailed. His tale had wrapped up while they were checking out. The Mist distracted the cashier from their conversation.

Regardless, Leto hadn't braced herself well enough.

"So, in an effort to spite Lord Hades' justified anger, Zeus turned this poor girl into a tree?" Leto asked, incredulous and outraged.

"I mean, he was trying to save her from being in Hades' clutches." Naruto mumbled as he started bagging items after they were scanned. "And it was kind of a reward in its own way."

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that." Leto muttered as she gave the platinum card all Olympians used to the cashier. "A tree! That poor girl…"

"She was fifteen when she came out so she really only lost like…a few years at best?" Naruto shrugged as he grabbed a good portion of their bags. "I dunno, time's been screwy for me ever since I met Khonsu."

"That is another conversation we need to have at a later date." Leto mumbled, grabbing the rest of the groceries. "Still, this girl is living alone in New York? Why is she not staying at Camp?"

"From what I gather, someone on Olympus is pulling strings to get her alone." Naruto frowned. "Come to think of it, that's got to be a terrible idea. We're in the middle of a war. Thalia's a powerhouse, sure, but she's also a primary target."

"You're absolutely right. She shouldn't be alone."

"…Gran-Gran, no offense, but I don't like the way you phrased that."

Leto ignored him, she was already formulating plans. The next festivity celebrated in America was the family one she could never get the Twins to attend a dinner for. Oh, they would drop by or ring her up with Iris' aid, but they never stayed for a nice dinner. This girl that was important to her grandson had no one to celebrate with this year. Likewise, her grandson spent too many holidays on his own.

On her vow as a minor goddess of motherhood, Leto swore it would be the last time that either did.

November 27th, 2008

"Oh gods, why is there so much of this crap?" Thalia groaned as she looked through the GED study guide that she'd ordered a few weeks ago.

Two months ago, she began what should have been her senior semester. She was fed up with it before the first week had ended, but pushed herself to get through it. A week after what everyone was calling 'The Colorado Incident', and just days after Whiskers went silent on her again, she stopped going entirely. Her apartment's voicemail had received several calls from the school and Chiron — given that he was her legal guardian, he was informed about her streak of absences — but she didn't care. There were too many other things for her to be worried about like the Titans, the ever growing size of their army, Whiskers' sudden silence, and then there was Luke's predicament.

After last summer, during her fateful encounter with her apparently revived and now possessed former friend, her head was occasionally clouded by various thoughts.

Was what happened to him my fault? Was I supposed to kill the Ophiotaurus? Could Luke still be saved? Did I kill him for nothing? Is Luke even still in there? Does Luke blame me? Do Whiskers and Annie blame me? Do I blame myself? Do they hate me? Do I hate me?

With these questions tormenting her daily, she got into more fights whenever she caught word of the snide comments from some of the school's "elite". The morons that acted as Eleanor Roosevelt High School's school board thought she was just a dumb troublemaker. Now, Thalia didn't feel like she was meant to be a scholar, but by no means was she stupid.

The solution, in her mind, was simple: she was having problems in school, so she should just take school out of the equation that was her life. Granted, she knew that if she'd asked, Annabeth would more than willingly help her, but that felt like a cheap cop out. The other kids didn't have immediate access to one of the smartest people in the world to help them with their homework, and they were doing fine. Thalia convinced herself that her step was the most logical one.

Trying to figure this mess out myself is so crazy, Whined the scared voice that Thalia denied existed as she stared at the GED study guide. I'm in over my head.

Shut up. Thalia scowled at the voice's negative attitude.

It'd been bothering her since she accidentally fried her phone during the call with Whiskers last week. She managed to call him with her landline to get the rest of his story out of him, but after that call she realized that she couldn't contact him, or Annie, that way during the day without rousing their suspicions. Iris Messaging either of them was off of the table — more for Whiskers than Annie for obvious reasons — so she was essentially stuck at home going through her old textbooks and struggling to read them while waiting for time to go by. Thankfully, her GED study guide arrived today.

"Ugh, forget this…stupid dyslexia." Thalia grumbled, closing the book and tossing it onto the coffee table. The doorbell rang and she groaned before getting off of the couch. If this wasn't her pizza, she was going to shock whoever was bothering her. Need for secrecy, be damned.

The bell rang again.

And again.

"I'm coming, gods, keep your shirt—" Thalia stared dumbly as she held the door open. "On..?"

Whiskers stood on the other side of the door, wearing his acid stained jacket over his favorite — and Thalia suspected it to be likely his only — shirt and a silver scarf around his neck. He wore dark jeans that looked like they fit just right and white worn out sneakers. In his hands were bags of food and slung over his shoulder was his black backpack. He gave her a small, sheepish grin.

"Hey, Thalia." Whiskers gestured to the beautiful woman standing beside him with a nod of his head. "This is my grandmother, Leto."

Thalia looked at the woman with bronzed skin, who looked like she'd just flown in from Florida. She was dressed to impress for a New York City winter with an expensive puffy white coat that fell to her knees and matching earmuffs, grey stockings covering her legs that tucked into black winter boots magazine cover models would wear. Hair the color of the night sky fell to her shoulders like a curtain. In her hands, she carried a large crockpot like it weighed absolutely nothing.

"Happy Thanksgiving, dear!" The goddess' pleasant smile was accompanied by an equally pleasant voice.

Ever a master of words and her wit quick as a whip, Thalia responded accordingly.

By slamming the door shut.

AN: Y'all probably thought I forgot about Leto, didn't you?

And yeah, I know there's abrupt tone shifts but…I'm not a professional. Even at my actual job.