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A Shinobi Among Monsters by euphoric image
 Naruto & Percy Jackson and the Olympians Xover Rated: T, English, Adventure & Humor, Naruto U., Artemis, Apollo, Words: 208k+, Favs: 8k+, Follows: 9k+, Published: Mar 21, 2020 Updated: Jan 15 3,237Chapter 11: The End of Lies
Once they reached cruising altitude, Apollo switched the sun chariot to autopilot and stood up, turning around to face them all.
"Alright, campers and Hunters," he grinned. "You know the drill. It's time for the post-quest debriefing."
Percy groaned in protest. He'd gone through this twice before, on his quest to retrieve the master bolt and on his unofficial mission to acquire the Golden Fleece. Both times, it had been tedious, irritating, and boring. For the master bolt quest, Chiron had interrogated him, Grover, and Annabeth on every little detail that occurred on the quest, from the paint on the walls of the Lotus Casino to the location of the monsters they faced to the amount of time it took to get from city to city. And it was even worse for the Golden Fleece quest; Chiron had discreetly interrogated him, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson on everything, even recruiting the aid of a psychologist - an unclaimed son of Hypnos - to bring back Tyson's memories because he didn't remember everything clearly. Needless to say, for ADHD demigods, it was a veritable torture, and Percy was seventy percent sure that it was Chiron's form of revenge on them.
"Normally, I would let Chiron handle this," Apollo continued, "But. . . well, I'm sure you understand when I say this quest is of a rather sensitive nature, and secrecy is essential."
At this, Percy frowned. "You don't trust Chiron? Even after what happened this summer?" Chiron had been suspected of poisoning Thalia's tree, and was forced to leave the camp. He returned, of course, once Percy maneuvered Luke into confessing in front of Mr. D through an Iris Message.
Apollo sighed. "I'm well aware that Chiron would never betray us. However, I have to follow protocol. Father's orders."
Percy's frown deepened. Sure, Chiron had his quirks and was terrifying sometimes, but despite his outward persona, Percy knew that he cared for each and every camper. After all, he personally infiltrated Yancy Academy for Percy's sake, posing as a teacher for a bunch of sixth graders. He had to grade hundreds of illegible assignments, try to teach a bunch of spoiled rich brats Latin, deal with angry parents because their kids flunked a quiz and Chiron didn't automatically apply a 30% curve - although he did receive quite a lot of money in bribes and even cut Percy in a part of the loot - and, worst of all, remain in wheelchair form for more than 10 hours a day. After doing everything he did for the demigods, Zeus still didn't trust him?
Paranoid bastard.
"Now then. . ." Apollo snapped his fingers and the interior of the sun chariot morphed into a large room. There was a circular table, and a light in the shape of a ring hung down from the ceiling. A massive screen on the wall showed an image of the map of the US. "I need y'all to recount everything that happened."
Percy glanced around the room. They had all been teleported into their new seats, and Annabeth sat to the right of Percy and Naruto sat to his left. Artemis sat next to Naruto, still clutching his hand tightly - Naruto's hand was white from the pressure - and Zoe and Bianca were to the left of Artemis. Thalia sat to the right of Annabeth.
Bianca glanced between Artemis and Naruto. "Hey, umm - "
Apollo held up his hand, stopping her. "Questions after. Recap first."
Zoe nodded. "Very well."
And she began to describe the events of the quest in excruciating detail. After about ten minutes, Percy lost the fight and slumped over, his eyes closed. After twenty, Thalia and Bianca passed out as well. Only Artemis, Apollo, Annabeth, and Naruto remained wide awake and listening - although in Naruto's case, he was extremely zoned out and didn't appear to be listening.
Near the end of the retelling, where Zoe was talking about how they reached the peak of Mount Othrys and saw Naruto in a glowing golden cloak, Apollo met Zoe's eyes and telepathically reached out to her.
Hey Zoe?
Get out of my mind, came the immediate mental reply before Zoe concentrated and expelled Apollo. Apollo pouted at her before looking at Artemis, who, after a second, stared at Zoe as well.
Zoe, Artemis spoke in her mind. Please don't talk about the fight after Percy, Bianca, and Thalia left. Don't mention the divine forms or how Naruto died. Just fabricate something.
Zoe hesitated before nodding and continuing her retelling. She made something up about how Apollo appeared and Zoe took the sky and the twin gods defeated Atlas, but neglected to mention the divine forms and Naruto's death.
One hour after she began talking, Zoe finally finished. ". . . and then we got into the sun chariot, thus concluding the quest."
"Thank you, Zoe," Apollo flashed her a dazzling smile.
Zoe raised her eyebrows. "No sweetheart this time?"
Apollo winced, glancing at Artemis, who suddenly gained a dangerous gleam in her silver eyes. "What? I have no idea what you're talking about." He quickly looked around the room, frowning before snapping his fingers. A loud klaxon blared, startling Percy, Thalia, and Bianca awake. Or rather, it startled Percy and Bianca awake - judging by how Thalia calmly opened her eyes, she hadn't been sleeping at all.
"SUSHI IS FISH CRUELTY - " Percy blinked as he regained his bearings. "Oh."
"Alright, Percy," Apollo grinned. "Tell us what happened down there."
Percy hesitated, looking at Thalia and Annabeth. "Umm. . ."
"We fought Luke," Thalia interrupted, her expression downcast. "He died. End of story."
Apollo frowned. "Come on, you know that's not how it works. I need to know everything - "
"Apollo," Artemis cut in, looking at Thalia and Annabeth in concern. "We can find out later."
Thalia shot her a grateful look.
Apollo tilted his head but shrugged. "Alright then. Let's see. . . did we miss anything?"
Percy seemed to shrink into his chair.
Apollo snapped his fingers. "That's right. Percy, you still need to tell us how you joined this quest in the first place."
Percy hid his groan. "There's not much to tell. Blackjack found me in the middle of the night, we tailed the van they were in, Dionysus ambushed us and gave us a few threats before letting us go, and by the time we caught up, a black helicopter the same model as the one at Westover Hall was hovering above the van. So I attacked, Blackjack kicked in the windshield, I saw there were skeletons piloting the thing, then the helicopter crashed. And I joined up with the quest."
Apollo scrutinized Percy before shrugging. "Okay then. Naruto, your turn." Percy breathed a sigh of relief. It appeared that Apollo was nowhere near as anal retentive as Chiron.
No response. Naruto stared blankly off into space, his gaze unfocused and vacant.
"I believe he's sleeping with his eyes open," Apollo examined Naruto critically. "Percy, slap him on the back of the head for me, will you?"
Naruto's gaze focused instantly. "Please don't," he said dryly. "What do you want, Apollo?"
"Tell us what happened once you split with the group after the manticore attacked."
Naruto shrugged. "I tracked Artemis down - I could sense her. However, I wasn't able to get through to her until I realized that the Mist was separating the realities, and once I realized that, the Mist dispersed and I entered the Garden - "
"What?" Apollo interrupted, leaning forward. "That's impossible. The Mist only works like that for illusions."
"It does?" Percy asked, confused.
Zoe sighed. "Either you're a terrible student, or Chiron hasn't been doing his job. The key to seeing through illusions generated by the Mist is awareness. If you know that something's off, then the illusion will lift by itself."
Apollo nodded. "Exactly. However, the Mist on Mount Othrys is a bit different. Rather than creating an illusion around the Garden and the summit, the locations were quite literally lifted out of this world and into a deeper layer, one that only gods are able to access freely."
"Awareness has nothing to do with that sort of Mist," Zoe continued. "Trust me; I was definitely aware that the Garden and summit were there, but that wouldn't allow me to bypass the Mist."
"Indeed," Apollo directed his gaze at Naruto. "And yet, for some reason, you were able to enter the realm."
Naruto shrugged. "Hey, don't look at me. I have no idea what happened. I'm not complaining though."
Apollo sighed. "Of course. Not only did you manage to do the impossible, but you don't even know how you did it."
Naruto smiled. "Theory never was my strong point. In any case, after I entered the Garden, I immediately made my way to the top of the mountain and engaged in battle against Atlas." His hands balled into fists. "He was the second most frustrating opponent I have ever fought against."
"Who was the first?" Percy asked curiously.
"Apollo," Naruto answered, narrowing his eyes at the god in question.
Apollo's hand flew to his heart dramatically. "Me?!"
"Apollo?" Percy asked confusedly.
Naruto nodded, his expression dead serious. "Tell me, Percy. Have you ever played Super Smash Bros before?"
Apollo suddenly looked extremely smug.
Percy blinked. "A few times before."
"Then can you imagine playing against someone who has their eyes closed and is controlling the controller with their mind?!" Naruto seethed in rage. "It's the most blatant form of cheating that I can think of."
"You take that back," Apollo immediately responded, eyes narrowed. "It's not cheating. Besides, there isn't a single rule that states that I can't control it with my mind - "
"That's because the rules were written for mortals,not for gods!" Naruto shot back. "It's an implied rule. Super Smash Bros is a hand-to-eye coordination game, and using your mind completely defeats the purpose!"
"You're just salty because you're a Pikachu onetrick," Apollo smirked. "Whereas I am equally proficient in every character."
Naruto crossed his arms. "Yeah, well, this Pikachu onetrick managed to defeat you twenty times in a row even with your cheats, so you can't talk."
Apollo sighed. "For the last time, I was drunk!"
"Yeah, but you were also cheating, so it balances out," Naruto replied dismissively. "Besides, I recall defeating you plenty of times afterwards when you were sober."
"And, as a doctor, I already pleaded temporary insanity for those times."
"Overruled!" Naruto snarled.
"You can't overrule a doctor's diagnosis - you know what?" Apollo glared at Naruto. "Fine. Once we get the council meeting over with: you, me, best out of twenty."
"Deal," Naruto returned determinedly. "Have the caffeine and sugar ready."
"If you two are done," Artemis cut in, "then shall we continue?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Ah, right. So anyway, where was I. . ." he drummed his fingers on the table. "Atlas and I fought. And nothing. Would. Work. He possessed incredible durability and resilience, and his regenerative abilities were. . . well, needless to say, I had never seen anything like it. He shrugged off attacks that should've quite literally disintegrated him on a molecular level."
"Yeah, that sounds about right," Apollo nodded. "He's a tough bastard."
"And that's pretty much it," Naruto finished. "A lot of attacks were ineffective, including but not limited to: Rasengan, Rasenshuriken, Big Ball Rasengan - "
Percy snickered.
" - Planetary Rasengan, Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan - "
"That's enough. We get the idea," Apollo cut in. "Dear gods are you horrible at naming things. Should've let me do the honor."
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "What, would you prefer I named my techniques something like Spiralling Flash Super Round Dance Howl Style Three?"
Apollo brightened. "That sounds brilliant!"
"Figures," Naruto muttered, although he couldn't prevent the small reminiscent smile from appearing on his face. Apollo and Minato probably would've gotten along.
"Alright, that concludes the post-quest briefing," Apollo announced. "And now. . ." a grim look appeared on Apollo's face. "Question time."
A moment of silence. The calm before the storm.
"Explain," Zoe demanded, looking at Artemis. Perhaps it was impudent of her to speak this way, but she didn't care. Not right now. Not when the thousands of years of trust she had in her mistress was just destabilized entirely.
Before Artemis could speak, Bianca spoke up. "Is Naruto your brother?" she asked Artemis.
Artemis blinked. "Come again?"
"I mean," Bianca's eyes flickered back and forth between Naruto and Artemis. "He looks really similar to you. So I thought. . ."
An understandable mistake. In fact, if Percy didn't know any better, he would think Artemis and Naruto were siblings as well. They were both about the same height, since Artemis was currently in her normal twelve year old form; they looked like brother and sister.
Artemis's lips quirked up. "I see. No, he's not my brother. Naruto is my son." Her declaration was met with silence. "I didn't break my oath though," she continued hurriedly, looking at Zoe. "He was born through essence combination."
Zoe's eyes widened before she bowed her head. "I apologize for doubting you. Please, forgive me."
Artemis smiled. "No worries, Zoe. I understand completely."
"If I may ask. . . who?"
Artemis hesitated. "I don't know." A lie.
"Essence combination?" Bianca asked confusedly. "What is that?"
"Gods can have children without the actual intercourse," Artemis explained.
"Why they would want to skip the best part, I have no idea," Apollo muttered.
Artemis shot him a scathing glare. "For example, Athena is a maiden goddess, but she still has children due to essence combination. She combines her thoughts with a mortal's, essentially creating a 'brain child'. It's how Annabeth was born."
Annabeth nodded mutely. Percy frowned in concern. While both Annabeth and Thalia had stopped crying and their tears had dried, they still had identical looks of grief and sorrow on their faces, Thalia especially. Percy didn't blame them. As much as he disliked it, he knew that they were both extremely close to Luke. Percy didn't really know what to say to make Annabeth feel better, so he just reached over and squeezed Annabeth's hand. She squeezed back.
Bianca nodded slowly. "Okay then."
Apollo snapped his fingers. "That reminds me. Daughter of Hades, hmm?" He inspected Bianca carefully, noting the quiver full of Stygian Iron arrows with slight distaste. "So Hades broke the oath too - "
"Perhaps not," Zoe cut in. "Bianca and Nico were trapped in the Lotus Casino for the past seventy years or so, during FDR's time. I think they were born before the oath was made."
Thalia bolted upright, shock momentarily overcoming her grief. "Wait." Her eyebrows scrunched up in concentration before realization dawned. "Hades didn't break the oath," she whispered disbelievingly.
Percy blinked. "Whoa. I think you owe him an apology."
"Oh, the sheer irony," Apollo chuckled before his gaze sharpened. "Do you enjoy killing small animals?" he questioned Bianca.
"What?" Bianca looked taken aback. "No, of course not!"
"Do you feel remorse? Empathy?" Apollo continued. "If you killed another human being, would you regret it?"
Bianca stared. "Yes, I would! Why are you asking me this?"
Apollo's eyes glowed golden briefly before he smiled again. "Just checking. Hades's children have a tendency to go off the deep end, you see. Fortunately, it appears that you're one of the rare ones, Bianca. You seem reasonably well-adjusted and sane. Although if you ever feel the urge to break out into maniacal laughter, please let us know."
"Who were Hades's other children?" Bianca asked tentatively.
"Hitler. Napoleon. The first Hassan-I-Sabbah," Apollo listed out.
Bianca paled at the first name. "Oh."
"Yeah. Don't worry though," Apollo added reassuringly. "Don't let your parentage define you. I mean, there have been plenty of terrible children of Zeus and Poseidon over the centuries - Percy and Thalia not included, of course." He flashed her a grin. "From what I've seen so far, you seem great."
"Thank you?" Bianca replied hesitantly.
Apollo looked as if Christmas had come early. "You're welcome!" he beamed.
Zoe rolled her eyes. "You're just encouraging him," she told Bianca.
"There is one thing I don't get though," Percy cut in, frowning. "If I'm not mistaken, several lines of the prophecy didn't come true yet. Should we be worried?" His gaze darkened. "I don't want a repeat of two years ago." On his first quest, a line of the prophecy came true after the quest was completed. Typically, this wouldn't be a problem; however, in Percy's case, it had resulted in him getting stung by a pit scorpion which was about a thousand times more painful and lethal than it sounded.
Apollo tilted his head, as if listening to something. Then he frowned as well. "Huh. I. . . I actually don't know. The prophecy appears to be - what?" He tapped his head a few times. "I don't understand."
Artemis frowned in concern. "What's wrong?"
"I. . ." Apollo trailed off as his eyes glazed over somewhat before focusing again. "This is. . . slightly concerning. Give me one second."
He snapped his fingers and a prism materialised in the middle of the air, forming a rainbow. "Yo Iris, can you get me a direct line to the Fates?"
"Please deposit a golden drachma," An automated voice replied.
"Just add it to my tab."
A second passed before an image formed in the rainbow of a woman with brown hair and blue eyes.
Apollo grinned in greeting. "What's up, Pepromene? Hey, can you - "
He was interrupted as the woman screamed out, "APOLLO! WHAT IN THE NAME OF TARTARUS HAVE YOU DONE?!"
Apollo blinked. "What?" He paused as he registered the sound of pure pandemonium and crackling coming out from behind the woman. "Is there a problem?" He craned his head to get a better look, but the woman leaned forward, her expression livid, obstructing his view of the background.
"Is there a problem?" Pepromene repeated before muttering out some Greek curses. "A problem? You ask if there's a problem?!"
"I assume that's a yes?" Apollo ventured.
Pepromene took a deep, calming breath. "Bianca di Angelo. Zoe."
Apollo glanced at the two Hunters in question, who looked just as confused as he was. "They're right here."
"They shouldn't be," Pepromene snapped. "The Fates cut their strings."
Apollo staggered back in shock. "What?"
"The Fates. Cut. Their strings," Pepromene growled, clearly agitated. "They should be dead. One shall be lost in the land without rain. One shall perish by their parent's hand. On top of that, their threads themselves have disappeared! Their current existence defies the prophecy, the laws of the world, and fate itself! What in the name of Gaea and Ouranos did you do, Apollo? Was this some sort of sick joke?"
"What? Why would you think this was my fault?" Apollo asked, offended.
"You've been off the grid for the past couple days," Pepromene shot back.
"Yeah! Because I've been helping out with the quest - unofficially, of course," Apollo responded before pausing and asking tentatively, "How are the Fates doing?"
Pepromene stepped to the side. "Look for yourself."
Behind here, three old women with silver hair tied back into bandannas were frantically rushing around a room filled with threads. Hundreds, thousands, millions of them hung around the room - on the ceiling, on the table, on the ground. Flames crackled in a bronze altar in the middle of the room, similar to the altar at Camp Half-Blood where demigods sacrificed their food. Their eyes glowed an eerie white as they scrambled around muttering Ancient Greek.
"Are they enchanting the threads?" Apollo asked in confusion.
Pepromene nodded. "They're currently using every single protective and defensive magic known to the gods - charms, wards, enchantments, spells. They'll probably ask the council for assistance as well during the council meeting."
"But. . . why?" Apollo asked, mystified.
Pepromene's eyes flashed. "Did you miss the part where I said that Zoe and Bianca di Angelo's threads literally disappeared before their eyes? Needless to say, they wish to prevent that from occurring in the future."
Apollo nodded in understanding before frowning as one of the Fates rushed to the bronze altar and tossed a slip of paper into the flames. "And they're. . . burning paper now?"
Pepromene rolled her eyes. "They're sending out messages to all their contacts to try to figure out exactly what the Hades is going on. Given how half their contacts live in Tartarus, Iris Messaging isn't exactly going to work, so they have to use the primitive communication method of sacrificial flames."
"Huh. I've never used that method before - although I don't really know anyone in Tartarus." Apollo shrugged before calling out, "Hey, Clotho!"
No response from the Fates. They gave no indication that they heard anything.
"They have a field around them right now," Pepromene explained. "One way only. They can't see or hear us, but I can look in just in case there's an emergency so I can call for help. They need perfect concentration for their magic."
"I have never seen so much emotion on their faces before," Artemis murmured. "They're typically cold and emotionless. But now, they look so. . ."
"Panicked? Alarmed? Perturbed?" Pepromene suggested.
Artemis nodded silently.
Pepromene sighed. "Yeah. Are you sure you don't know who did this?" she asked Apollo.
"I haven't the faintest idea," Apollo replied truthfully. "But I assure you, it's not me - " he froze before turning around and staring straight at Naruto, who stared back with an innocent expression.
". . . I'm going to have to IM you back," Apollo said distractedly.
"What? Apollo, don't you dare - "
Apollo waved his hand through the Iris Message, dispelling it. He took several deep, calming breaths before saying in a tight, controlled voice, "Naruto."
"Okay, I swear it wasn't me," Naruto instantly replied.
"Naruto."
"I swear to the gods it wasn't me."
"Naruto!"
"I swear to you and mom that it wasn't me."
Apollo narrowed his eyes. "Promise?"
Naruto nodded vehemently. "Promise."
Apollo held his gaze for a second before relenting. "Fine. I'll believe you. . . for now."
"Umm. . ." Bianca spoke up tentatively, "Does that mean Zoe and I should be dead?"
Apollo hesitated before nodding. "Yes."
"Fate itself was defied," Zoe murmured. "The prophecy didn't come true." She whirled on Naruto. "You mentioned something about changing fate. Did you know this would happen?"
Naruto held up his hands in defence. "I didn't do anything, for real."
Zoe nodded slowly before looking at Apollo. "Are we immortal now?"
Apollo shook his head. "No. Just because your thread disappeared doesn't mean that you will no longer die; it only means that the Fates no longer have any control over how you die. . . or your fate and destiny, for that matter."
There was a moment of silence as the information sunk in.
"That's awesome!" Naruto grinned brightly.
Zoe, Apollo, and Artemis stared at Naruto incredulously for a moment. Probably because they were the oldest in the room and knew of the so-called importance of the natural laws and natural order of the world. But quite frankly, Naruto was of the opinion that if the natural laws stated that a person's destiny and fate must be controlled by another, then it's a terrible law and is meant to be broken repeatedly. And so his grin didn't even waver.
"To answer your question, Percy, I don't think you have anything to worry about from the prophecy," Apollo told him. "Because according to my senses right now - " he paused, bewilderment flashing across his face. "The prophecy appears to be negated, for a lack of a better word."
Percy smiled. "Good."
Apollo snapped his fingers. "Speaking of which, that should be enough time. Thalia, Bianca, Percy, Annabeth, ready to talk about what happened down there yet?"
Percy hesitated, looking at Annabeth and Thalia once more. Fortunately, their shock and grief had dwindled down to controllable levels, and after only a moment's pause, Thalia began to speak.
"After falling through the hole in the ground, we landed and came face-to-face with Luke Castellan, the son of Hermes. . ."
XxX
"And then the Titan said 'out' and holes appeared under us again, we fell through, and we appeared next to you guys. And that's it," Thalia finished. She had left out almost no details, and even though she wavered several times while describing what happened with Luke, not a single tear escaped. Whatever faults she may have, Percy could not deny that she was exceptionally strong, both in body and mind.
Apollo was silent for a moment. Then he broke out in a grin. "Congratulations, Thalia! You killed that traitor - "
"Brother," Artemis cut in disapprovingly.
"What?" Apollo defended. "Look, Thalia, I know you feel terrible and all, but let's face it. Luke was a traitor to both Olympus and his friends. By killing him, you saved lives."
Naruto twitched. He would have argued, but he realized that anything he said would only make Thalia feel worse, and so he kept silent. He did have some tact, after all.
Thalia glared at Apollo. ". . . forget it."
Apollo clapped his hands together. "Well then, I think we're finished." He snapped his fingers and the interior of the sun chariot reverted back into a bus and they were teleported back into their seats. "Alright, let's head to Olympus," he called to them, disengaging the autopilot.
"Olympus?" Bianca asked curiously.
Apollo nodded. "You're going to have to appear in the council meeting tomorrow anyway, so might as well be efficient. I'll let you guys crash in my temple for the night." He grinned. "Besides, you all risked your lives to rescue my little sister. The least I can do is reward you a bit and surround you in the finest luxury you have ever seen."
Percy pursed his lips. "Is your temple better than the Lotus Casino Hotel?"
Apollo laughed. "Percy, the Lotus Casino Hotel was based off of my temple."
Percy grinned. "In which case, it's a deal."
XxX
Naruto observed Mount Olympus with curiosity. It hung suspended in the air above the Empire State Building. Even at night, torches and fires made the mountainside palaces glow twenty different colors, from bloodred to indigo. Gods didn't sleep, after all.
Apollo dropped them off in front of his temple before both he and Artemis vanished in a flash of golden and silver light respectively, presumably to go talk to Zeus and perhaps Athena.
Naruto glanced around. Their arrival had drawn the attention of nature spirits and minor gods who were already gathering around, staring and whispering at them - or, rather, at him. He hadn't bothered to reapply the Henge since his secret was already out. He massaged his hand distractedly, trying to restore the circulation.
They headed into the temple, the defensive charms allowing them through. Unlike Apollo's man cave/mansion, which was simplistic, homely, and overall chill, Apollo's temple was extravagant and lavish. A grand hall with crystal chandeliers hanging down from the ceilings, a solid statue of Apollo standing triumphantly with a bow in hand, majestic marble columns with murals on the wall depicting Apollo's numerous victories over the years. A traditional Greek temple, albeit with several add-ons.
They didn't care about that, though. The second they entered, they immediately headed to the very back, past the altar and statue, and raided the kitchen.
XxX
Approximately half an hour after they settled in - Annabeth and Thalia were talking in hushed whispers and Percy and Bianca were watching Hephaestus TV - Artemis entered the temple.
Naruto sat unnaturally still on a couch, his eyes unfocused and staring off into the distance. Zoe sat next to him, casting glances over at him every few seconds, her gaze uncertain, as if she didn't quite know what to think of him.
"Naruto," Artemis called. Naruto straightened instantly and alertness returned to his gaze. "Come. We have much to discuss."
He hesitated before nodding. The others glanced over momentarily before resuming their activities.
Naruto followed Artemis, navigating the twisting streets and ignoring the numerous eyes on them both. While several people bowed, the vast majority stared at them disbelievingly, as if they had heard the rumors but didn't believe them.
And Naruto didn't miss the stormy grey eyes that tracked them both.
XxX
They entered Artemis's temple, a simple traditional temple just like the pantheon at the very top, only smaller in scale. Her true home was the forests, and her temple reflected that - the inside had only the bare necessities; a statue, an altar, and nothing else. Artemis rarely spent any time in her temple - or on Olympus in general.
Apollo was already inside, waiting for them. "Alright, Naruto," he said grimly. "You have quite a lot of explaining to do."
Naruto blinked innocently. "I do?" Kakashi Lesson #7: Always deny everything.
Apollo raised his eyebrows. "Breaking Aphrodite's spell. Coming back from the dead."
"Not to mention Kurama," Artemis added, her eyes narrowed. "Who is he? How did he take over your body?" She paused. "Why did you lie to us?" she added softly.
Naruto was silent for a moment. "I think it would be best if this conversation included Kurama," he finally said.
Apollo and Artemis both tensed up.
"What do you mean?" Apollo asked cautiously.
Naruto's lips quirked up. "It means," he began, "that my mind is wide open."
XxX
They materialized in a clearing within a forest. A full moon shone brightly overhead, casting a silver glow over things.
And a massive fox with nine orange tails and slitted red eyes stood in the middle of the clearing, observing them with a bored gaze.
"Mom, Apollo," Naruto said brightly, "Meet Kurama."
To their credit, Artemis and Apollo only froze up momentarily - from shock or fear, Naruto couldn't tell - before they regained their composures. Artemis stepped forward, her eyes cold. An aura of intense silver light surrounded her, shining brightly like the moon overhead. "Who are you?" she demanded.
XxX
"First things first, we have to make it so that Artemis no longer wishes to extirpate you."
"Since when did you know what the word 'extirpate' meant?"
"I have two languages hardwired into my brain. Hey wait, how do you know Greek and English?"
"No idea."
"Huh. Let's go with magic. In any case, how can we accomplish that?"
"Hmm. . . On a range of zero to ten, how mad is Artemis at me?"
"What's ten?"
"Kakashi seeing his limited-edition personally signed special Icha Icha book with bonus images burned in front of his eyes."
"Twenty three."
"That bad?"
"Worse. Just be thankful that you're a chakra beast with no reproductive organs."
". . . that better not mean what I think you meant."
"I'm just saying, you better thank Super Sage Gramps for not giving you anything down there."
Kurama sighed. "Brilliant." He paused. "Speaking of Hagoromo, why didn't you go into Six Paths Sage Mode the second Atlas entered his divine form? The old man gave you that power to be used, not to collect dust."
"I was going to," Naruto rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "But. . . okay, so in my defense, you have to realize that I was extremely hesitant in entering Six Paths Sage Mode."
"What? Why?"
"Mostly because I'm not entirely sure how strong the gods of this world are, but I'm willing to bet that Six Paths Sage Mode would put me at or near the top. And given how the King of Olympus is more paranoid than a Mist ninja on hallucinogens. . . I'm fairly certain that if he found out how powerful I truly am, then there's a good chance that it would result in war."
"I'm flattered you think so highly of us, but just you and I against Olympus doesn't count as an actual war - "
Naruto shook his head. "It won't just be us two. Artemis will take my side. Apollo will take Artemis's side. Poseidon, Hera, and Athena would probably jump at the chance to put Zeus in his place. A civil war on a scale unlike anything seen before in this world's history would rage and tear the world apart as nature itself undergoes battle. I refuse to let that happen."
"Zeus. . . he's the guy who throws lightning bolts, correct? We could take him."
Naruto sighed. "Once again, we lack information. If we have a more accurate understanding of their abilities and powers, perhaps. But until then, we can't act."
"Can't you just look through the myths?"
Naruto snorted. "I've long since stopped trusting the old myths. I'm not exaggerating when I say there are easily fifty different contradiction versions of a single event."
"Ah, I see. It's just like how human history labeled me as a mindless monster."
"Pretty much, yeah. So anyway, I was already hesitant to enter Six Paths Sage Mode. Not to mention how, you know, my abilities are really destructive, and I didn't want to accidentally collapse Mount Othrys. Considering how the sky is being held up there, it would've been bad. However, I had been going to enter Six Paths Sage Mode if the Bijuudama didn't work. . ."
"But Kronos froze time before you could use the Bijuudama," Kurama summarized. "And then you were killed."
"Yeah. I hadn't expected a time freeze at all. I can't believe Kronos deemed me enough of a threat to see to my death personally," Naruto grumbled.
"We're just too important," Kurama sniffed imperiously.
"There's also the small matter of fact that, err, the Six Paths Sage Mode may not even allow me to survive the divine form."
Kurama's eyes flashed. "What? You realize that Six Paths Sage Mode is a divine transformation, correct?"
"Same word, different meaning," Naruto countered. "Divine in this world does not equal divine in the Elemental Nations. Kaguya is a goddess, but she wouldn't be considered one in this world."
"Oh right. I forgot about that."
"In any case, we have to figure out how to pacify Artemis." Naruto frowned in concentration.
"I suppose I could always show her my true power and intimidate her into backing down," he suggested.
Naruto shook his head. "I'd prefer it if you two could get along."
"Ah, yes. We are your parents, after all - "
"NO YOU'RE NOT! BACK OFF!"
Kurama chuckled. "Then what do you propose we do?"
Naruto hummed in thought. Then he smirked. "We just have to make it clear that you two are on the same side."
XxX
A wave of suffocating Killing Intent blasted out from Kurama. The overwhelming, oppressive air bore down upon them as corrosive chakra leaked out, causing Artemis and Apollo to both tense up. A sudden heavy presence weighed down on them, the bloodlust of the beast once known as hatred incarnate. "PUNY GODDESS!"Kurama roared, his deep voice reverberating through the clearing. Wind blew around the clearing from the sheer force of his voice. "HOW DARE YOU STEAL MY CHAKRA?!"
Naruto winced. Kurama may have been a tad bit too melodramatic there.
Artemis paused, incomprehension and bewilderment appearing on her face. Perhaps not. Naruto smirked inwardly. Perfect. Artemis's rage and anger was temporarily subdued.
"Damn it, Kurama!" Naruto exclaimed. "I already told you: she didn't do anything!"
Kurama turned on Naruto with an angry stare. "Who else could it be then? Last I checked, she is your mother."
"Hold on a second," Artemis said slowly. "You're saying. . . that I stole your chakra?"
Kurama nodded.
"But that can't be right," Artemis frowned.
"Why not?"
Artemis stared at Kurama. "Because you stole my essence."
Kurama snorted. "If you think I want your essence, you're sadly mistaken." He paused. "Are you sure you didn't steal my chakra?"
Artemis shook her head. "I did not."
Kurama turned to Naruto. "I sense the truth in her statement. It appears you were correct."
"Told you," Naruto huffed.
"Hold on," Apollo interrupted, frowning. "Exactly what is going on here?"
Naruto opened his mouth, prepared to deliver some bullshit explanation -
Then he paused as he truly looked at Apollo and Artemis. Their body language and the way they had positioned themselves between Kurama and Naruto to protect him; the anger, wariness, confusion, but most importantly fear in their eyes, not for themselves but rather for Naruto; they cared for him.
They were his family.
And for the first time since he was reborn, indecision rippled through Naruto.
XxX
"Why can't we just tell them the truth?"
"No,"Naruto replied immediately and without an ounce of hesitation. "Definitely not."
"Why?" Kurama asked.
Naruto was silent for a moment. "I mean. . ." he laughed bitterly. "What am I supposed to say? Oh, by the way, I'm actually a reincarnated twenty-year-old ninja from a different dimension, and I had been lying to you all this time. Yeah, that's gonna go well for sure."
Kurama didn't say anything, instead looking intently at Naruto.
Naruto looked down. "Also. . ." he whispered in a nearly inaudible voice, "I don't want to be looked at differently. Treated differently."
Kurama understood immediately.
"That's different," he stated simply. "The villagers - and humanity in general - were largely composed of idiots. Besides, they were all terrified by my majestic strength and power. They left you all alone because they were scared witless of me - and by extension, you. However, Artemis and Apollo are your family." He tilted his head. "Do you really think they would let this affect their view of you?"
Naruto hesitated. "I don't know. And I don't want to find out."
Kurama nodded. "I see. So you're a coward. You don't want to face the truth, so instead you're running away from it."
"I'm not," Naruto denied forcefully.
"You are. You're afraid of admitting the truth. And so instead you lie and deceive." Kurama tilted his head. "That is not the Naruto I knew or admired. And that is most certainly not the Naruto I became partners with - "
"I just want to have a normal childhood," Naruto interrupted harshly. "You know, the one you took away from me."
Naruto regretted saying those words the moment they passed his lips. Kurama froze up, his red eyes disbelieving and even a little hurt before he seemed to deflate into himself, glancing away and mumbling quietly, "Oh. I see."
"I didn't mean that," Naruto said guiltily. "I - I'm sorry."
"I know," Kurama responded. He sighed regretfully. "Very well. If you wish to continue living a facade, then I will not stop you."
XxX
But as he stood there, doubt clouded his mind.
As much as Naruto wanted to deny it - or rather, outright ignore it, he knew on an instinctual level that Kurama was right. He was running away from the truth. He was afraid of how everyone would react. An irrational fear that probably stemmed from his childhood as a Jinchuuriki.
Naruto liked how things were right now with Apollo and Artemis. And he didn't want to risk changing it for the worse. It's why he hadn't said anything for the past three years; it's why he hadn't revealed his origins to anyone. Because whenever he even considered telling them, fear and uncertainty would silence him.
There was a chance that Apollo and Artemis would accept him and not let their view of him be affected. But there was also a chance that they would begin treating him differently. Treating him negatively.
Naruto didn't want to take that chance.
However. . .
Artemis and Apollo are your family.
So you're a coward, running away from the truth.
That is most certainly not the Naruto I became partners with.
Kurama's words echoed in his head, preventing him from beginning his monologue. It would be so very easy to just give them a fabricated story to preserve the status quo. And yet. . .
He glanced at Kurama, who stared back with an indecipherable expression. His gaze then shifted to Artemis and Apollo.
They were his family.
Naruto gritted his teeth before tensely walking forward, past the twin gods who looked at him with surprise.
"Naruto?" Apollo asked warily, looking at Kurama as if afraid the massive fox would suddenly decide to have a meal.
He didn't respond, instead continuing moving forward until he stood right in front of Kurama. Then he turned around, Kurama's giant form towering over him. Naruto took a deep breath, mentally steeling his resolve. Then he smiled at his mother and uncle and said in a strong determined voice, "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. And I'm not from this dimension."
Artemis and Apollo's eyes widened in unison, but Naruto wasn't focused on that. Instead, he glanced up at Kurama who looked down with a grin, pride in his surprisingly warm red eyes.
Naruto grinned back.
XxX
He gave them a highly abridged version of his life. Konoha, Team 7, the Akatsuki, the Fourth Great Shinobi War, and finally Kaguya and Kurama's jutsu. Throughout it all, Artemis and Apollo just stared at him, seemingly having forgotten about Kurama, their expressions growing more and more incredulous.
". . . and I died," Naruto finished. "But then I got better. Kurama used a technique to save me that was supposed to send our souls back to the past and meld with our old bodies. . ."
"But it failed and sent our souls across dimensions instead," Kurama continued with a grimace. "Unfortunately, Bijuu chakra is unable to create a habitable human body by itself, and so the technique automatically reached out to the nearest being - Artemis. After which, it combined my Bijuu chakra with your divine essence, resulting in a body being created that Naruto's soul could inhabit."
"It was a genuine accident," Naruto hastily added. "Kurama didn't mean to steal your essence. Besides, it wasn't even his fault; the technique did everything automatically." He paused. "It was his fault for using a highly experimental, unstable, untested, volatile technique though."
"You were dead, brat," Kurama snapped. "Your soul was seconds away from going to Pure Land. I had to act fast."
Naruto huffed but turned to the twin gods. "That's pretty much what happened. Any questions?"
Apollo and Artemis stared blankly at him.
"You seriously expect us to believe," Apollo began slowly, "that you're a twenty-year-old dimension-traveling world-saving resurrected shinobi?"
Naruto nodded. "Yup." He hesitated. "Are you mad at me? Or freaked out? Or repulsed?"
Apollo shrugged nonchalantly. "Nah, I'm cool with it."
"You are my son," Artemis said simply. "What you were before that is of no concern to me." She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Unless you were a rapist - "
"No, definitely not," Naruto denied vehemently. "Sakura would've castrated me repeatedly, and Baa-chan would've helped."
Artemis nodded approvingly, ignoring the unfamiliar names. "Good. In which case, I have no problems with it."
Naruto blinked. "You're not weirded out at all? Your view of me hasn't changed? You don't feel a sudden hatred towards me or something?"
Apollo chuckled. "We're gods, Naruto." He said that statement as if it explained everything - which, in a way, it did. "Besides, it was pretty obvious that you were hiding something. I am the god of truth. I'm just relieved that you weren't channeling the dark powers of Tartarus in an attempt to become the devil incarnate."
Artemis nodded in agreement. "While it's. . . unexpected that you're a reincarnated soul from another world, I don't care about that." She walked forward, placing her hands on Naruto's shoulders, her silver eyes staring warmly into Naruto's own silver orbs. "After all. . . I'm your mother." She smiled. "And it's only natural for a mother to love their child unconditionally, no matter what, you know?"
Naruto swallowed with difficulty, his gaze suspiciously bright. "Ah. Umm. . . thank you. I. . . Can I have a hug?"
Artemis laughed gently before stepping in and hugging Naruto tightly, washing away all his fears and doubts and uncertainty. They accepted him for who he was. Overwhelming relief and happiness flooded him.
He didn't have anything to worry about. His family accepted him.
And so he relaxed into the warm comfort of the embrace.
Even Kurama and Apollo didn't dare ruin the moment. For a few seconds, at least.
"Aww, this truly is just adorable. It's too cute."
"I know, right? Group hug!" Apollo announced cheerfully, spreading his arms and strolling forward. Artemis and Naruto immediately shot him identical glares, rooting him in place, Naruto discreetly rubbing at his eyes. Apollo pouted, his arms dropping loosely by his side.
"Anyway, this does explain a lot of things," Apollo mused as Artemis stepped back. "If your chakra is from another non-Greek-related dimension, then it would be considered a foreign entity in ours and as such our rules and laws will not apply to it. I think."
Naruto nodded. "Aphrodite's spell prevented me from altering my appearance with illusions. She had absolute control over her domain, and a normal Henge wouldn't work. However, by supercharging the Henge with a massive amount of chakra, I was able to override her absolute control."
"Do you ever run out of chakra?" Apollo asked curiously.
Naruto chuckled. "It's theoretically possible, but in a real life application? No. With Kurama, my chakra is as good as unlimited."
"I see," Apollo rubbed his chin. "However. . . I'm fairly certain that your ability to bypass the laws of reality only applies to your chakra. This is evident by how my spells and curses are effective on you, such as when I cursed you to talk in rhyme only."
Naruto nodded slowly. "Yeah, you're right. I think it's because I'm half-god, so I'm still bound by the rules of this world. Or rather, my body is. My soul and chakra are not."
"Fascinating," Apollo murmured. His eyes gained an unholy light. Naruto recognized that light.
"No, you're not allowed to dissect me," Naruto said dryly.
"Please?"
"No."
Apollo sighed. "Fine. And I suppose this is also why you died incorrectly? Your soul isn't from this dimension, and as such it didn't go to the Underworld and just lingered around at the place where you died?"
Naruto shrugged. "That seems to be the most plausible explanation." He grinned. "I'm immune to death."
Apollo suddenly frowned. "But that makes no sense. If your body truly is composed of chakra and divine essence, then you shouldn't have red blood - " his eyes widened in realization. "Ah, I see. Your human soul."
"My what?" Naruto frowned.
Apollo adopted a lecturing stance. "As you know, gods don't have DNA. As such, we're able to have offspring that aren't human - or even humanoid. Most obvious example I can think of is Arion, the horse son of Demeter and Poseidon."
"What?" Kurama said flatly.
"It's possible for gods to have children with animals," Apollo continued, ignoring Naruto's gagging sounds and Kurama's suddenly alarmed look. "And our offspring would, in most cases, be the animal. If we sleep with a dog in dog form, our children will be a dog. Sleep with a horse in horse form, our children would be a horse. However. . ." his eyes flashed maniacally. "What would happen if we sleep with Kurama?"
"Don't even fucking think about it," Kurama muttered, unleashing another blast of Killing Intent just in case Apollo got any ideas.
"I presume that Kurama is composed of Bijuu chakra, correct?" Apollo asked. Naruto nodded in confirmation. "Then there you have it. Artemis's divine essence was unable to replicate Bijuu chakra, so instead it was influenced by your mortal soul. As such, your body gained some mortal characteristics, such as your red blood - but it also gained some divine qualities, such as your accelerated aging and holy Zeus you make no sense whatsoever!"
Naruto blinked owlishly. "Excuse me?"
"Can we just take a step back and appreciate how big of an anomaly you are?" Apollo continued, pacing back and forth agitatedly. "At first glance, you seem like a normal mortal until you consider the accelerated aging, immunity to all diseases, and an extra circulatory system. I mean, what the Hades are you?"
Naruto shrugged. "No idea."
Apollo sighed heavily. "You know what - forget it. I'll just stick to what I normally do with you. As long as you don't suddenly get an urge to consume human flesh, then we're good." He turned on Kurama. "And you. What are you?"
Kurama hesitated. "Now see, here's where it gets truly confusing - "
"Never mind," Apollo responded instantly. "I'm not nearly drunk enough for this."
Kurama looked amused. "Very well then."
"Mortal soul." Naruto mused before looking at Kurama. "My soul is Asura's. Does it even count as a mortal soul at this point?"
Kurama sighed heavily. "For the last time, it's not true reincarnation. You don't have Asura's soul, you just have a tiny, negligible amount of his chakra. If it was true reincarnation, then there should only be one soul for all of Asura's reincarnations, and Hashirama wouldn't have been able to be summoned since his soul is your soul."
"That's not what Super Sage Gramps said," Naruto countered.
"Naruto, are you going to trust in fundamental logic or the words of an old man who had to literally dumb himself down to your level?" Kurama grumbled. "He just oversimplified a ridiculously complicated process into words that you could understand."
"Okay, that's fair," Naruto admitted.
"Your mortal soul is also the reason why you died," Artemis spoke up.
Naruto raised his eyebrows, interested. "What do you mean?"
"One common misconception about a god's divine form is that anyone who looks upon it would be reduced to their component atoms and incinerated on the spot."
Naruto frowned, confused. "Err, what? Isn't that what happens?"
Artemis shook her head. "No. People mix up the cause and the effect; they think that since their body is incinerated, they die. It's the opposite; they die, and as a result their body is incinerated. A mortal body is incapable of handling the strain of their souls suddenly and inexplicably leaving their bodies, so they disintegrate. A demigod, however, possesses enough divinity to maintain their structural integrity, so they would simply die, their bodies intact."
"Okay," Naruto said slowly. "I still don't get it though. If a person bursting into flames isn't the cause but rather the effect of dying, then what causes the actual death? "
Apollo rolled his eyes. "Think. What is death? A person's soul leaving their bodies."
Naruto's eyes widened. "Wait, you don't mean - "
Apollo nodded. "A god's divine form isn't a physical attack - it's an attack on the soul itself. A mortal's soul is quite literally forced out of this plane of existence and into a lower layer of reality. By manifesting our true forms in this outermost plane of reality, the mortal plane, anything not divine is forced out by the overwhelming divinity into a deeper layer. This has the unfortunate side effect of killing the mortal."
"It's also the reason why our divine forms do not affect monsters," Artemis clarified. "Monsters do not have souls. Similarly, a nymph like Zoe would also not be affected."
"Granted, this was an extremely condensed and simplified explanation. The full version took Athena five hours to fully elucidate," a haunted look appeared in Apollo's eyes. "Easily one of the worst council meetings I've ever been to. I mean, it's not as if we enjoy listening to dimensional-divinity theory and the nuances and variations of the different layers reality."
Kurama tilted his head. "I see. My soul is intrinsically tied to my chakra, and it's impossible to separate the two without a chakra-based technique, which is why I was able to remain in Naruto's body and take over temporarily."
Naruto crossed his arms, thinking deeply. "Huh. It's kinda like Nagato's Human Path." He shrugged. "Whatever. I figured out how to negate the effects of the divine form."
Apollo blinked. "Wait, what?"
Naruto grinned triumphantly. "One word. Seals."
XxX
"You're planning to seal your soul into your body?" Artemis asked incredulously after Naruto finished explaining his plan.
Naruto nodded, grinning. "Yup."
"Damn," Kurama said appreciatively. "I take it back. You're not that stupid. This is actually ingenious."
"I - " Apollo paused. "Would that even work?"
"If I do it correctly? Absolutely," Naruto replied brightly.
"Huh." Apollo hesitated. "That being said. . . we can't let any of the other gods know of this."
Naruto frowned. "Why?"
"Because the gods hate it when the natural balance between life and death isn't maintained," Apollo stated. His face darkened. "My son, Asclepius, was killed because he dared to bring back the dead with the physician's cure. If the other gods found out that you have a way to prevent death altogether. . ."
"It's also the reason why we had Zoe keep quiet about how you died," Artemis told him. "Please, if you're asked any questions about the battle with Atlas, don't tell them about your death."
"Mount Othrys was cloaked from the vision of the gods," Apollo elaborated. "I doubt anyone knows what truly happened there besides you, me, Artemis, and Zoe."
Naruto nodded. "Understood. I'll keep it a secret."
Apollo clapped his hands together. "Now that that's been taken care of. . . what shall we tell the other gods?"
"We'll have to make something up," Artemis said thoughtfully. "Create a story to explain Naruto's existence and chakra." She narrowed her eyes at Apollo. "I still can't believe you let Naruto leave the mansion."
Apollo's eyes widened in outrage. "Excuse me? Naruto attacked me and escaped. I didn't let him leave."
"You're a god," Artemis said. "You could've easily teleported Naruto back into the mansion or performed a fly-by kidnapping with your sun chariot."
Apollo sighed. "True. But you're my little sister," he said determinedly. "And Naruto is more powerful than any camper or Hunter. If he joined the quest, then success would almost certainly be assured." He paused. "Besides, I didn't think he would be stupid enough to get his true identity be discovered."
"Hey!" Naruto protested. "How was I supposed to know that Aphrodite would dispel my illusion?"
"That's right, I had almost forgotten," Artemis paused before something akin to panic flashed across her face. "Naruto, please tell me you didn't needlessly antagonize her."
Naruto winced. "Oh. Umm. . ."
"Naruto. What did you do?" Artemis demanded.
"Ikindacalledherafirstratebitchbuti'mnotsorrybecausesheisone."
Artemis blinked. Once. Twice. She took a deep, calming breath before releasing a long-suffering sigh. "Of course. Of course you did."
"Anyway," Naruto attempted to redirect the conversation, "There is no need to create a backstory for me."
"Why is that?" Apollo asked.
Naruto gave a foxy smirk. "Because Kurama and I already have a brilliant strategy."
Kurama smirked as well. "Indeed. It should be more than enough to placate the gods."
Apollo raised his eyebrows, interested. "Let's hear it."
And Naruto told them the plan.
XxX
Naruto made his way back into Apollo's temple. It had been a long day, and he really wanted to sleep. While he could theoretically stay awake for more than a week surviving on Kurama's chakra, he still enjoyed sleeping. There were rooms at the back of the temple which Apollo had conjured up for them to use.
As he entered the living room - although it was so extravagant, calling it a living room would be an understatement - he saw Zoe, who was still sitting on the couch. She opened her eyes, signifying that she had been wide awake the entire time.
"Yo," Naruto greeted. "Where are the others?"
"Asleep," she answered. "I was waiting for you. Let's talk." She patted the cushion next to her.
Naruto sat down cautiously. A silence descended over them. The only source of light came from the moonlight streaming in.
"You're the son of Artemis," Zoe suddenly said.
Naruto nodded. "I am."
"That's why you wanted to join the quest so badly," she murmured. She paused as a thought occurred to her. "I presume that Apollo doesn't actually have Artemis-scented candles?"
Naruto chuckled. "No, he doesn't."
"Pity. I had wished for an excuse to shoot him in the face."
A smile tugged at Naruto's lips when he remembered what Zoe had promised to do during the counselor meeting. A smile that vanished at Zoe's next words.
"I was supposed to die on this quest," she said quietly. "The moment the Oracle uttered the prophecy, I knew that the quest would end with my father killing me." Naruto recalled the dark looks Zoe and Chiron had exchanged during the meeting and realized that she knew from the very beginning. "And I accepted that."
Naruto narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to speak but Zoe cut him off.
"But somehow, impossibly, miraculously, I didn't die. Neither did Bianca," she glanced at Naruto. "You can deny it all you want, but you and I both know it's because of you that we're both still alive."
"Probably, yeah," Naruto admitted.
Zoe nodded. "Thank you, Naruto," she said, sincerity in her tone.
Naruto grinned. "No problem. Defying fate and destiny is kinda what I do. After all, if you don't like your destiny, don't accept it. Instead, fight for a new one."
Zoe regarded Naruto. "It's odd. Before this quest, I would have laughed at thy naivety and foolishness. However. . ." she inclined her head. "I suppose I am living proof that one's fate can be changed."
She turned to look at Naruto. "Your eyes are identical to Artemis's," she murmured. "Silver, like the moon." She paused, her expression contemplative, her dark brown eyes staring into Naruto's silver ones as if she was searching for something.
Then Zoe smiled warmly. "Welcome to the family."
Naruto blinked. "Huh?"
"You are, after all, the child of Artemis," Zoe said. "That makes you family, wouldn't you say?"
Naruto blinked again, surprised, before he beamed with happiness. "I've always wanted to have a sister."
Zoe stood up and stretched before walking to the rooms in the back. "Good night, Naruto."
"Good night."
YES! THIS LITERALLY COULD NOT BE BETTER! Naruto grinned joyfully.
Keep it down. How do you manage to think so loudly? Kurama grumbled good-naturedly. Congratulations though. Kushina always did want you to have a sister.
Naruto froze before his smile turned a little sad and wistful. Yeah. That's right.
XxX
"Where's Naruto?" Percy inquired as he poured a generous amount of maple syrup onto his pancakes. Apollo's kitchen could conjure up food, much to their delight. Only Zoe could use the function though.
"He's still asleep, I think," Thalia guessed, biting into her own pancake. After a night's sleep, both she and Annabeth seemed to have returned to normal. Demigods have an amazing ability to compartmentalize - it comes with the territory of their highly lethal lifestyle.
"Who is Naruto, exactly?" Annabeth asked curiously. "I haven't seen him at camp before."
"He turned up at Camp Half-Blood a day after we arrived," Thalia said. "I guess he joined the quest to save his mom." She frowned. "I still can't get over the idea of Lady Artemis having children."
Annabeth shrugged. "He's like me - a child born through essence combination. Is he - "
"DAMN IT!" a thunderous voice interrupted her. They all turned to look at where the sound came from.
"Wasn't that Naruto's voice?" Bianca asked, frowning.
"Naruto," Zoe called, concerned. "Is everything all right?"
The answer came in the form of Naruto stepping out of his room, his face blackened with dust. He had several cuts on his body that were already healing, and his hair, which was already spiky before, looked as if he just stabbed a metal fork into a live socket. He looked at them with an almost wild look in his eyes.
"I. Hate. Seals."
Then he whirled around and went back into his room.
XxX
And so the day passed. Annabeth drilled Percy and Thalia with every conceivable question about the quest before they decided to go out and explore Olympus, Annabeth marveling at the architecture. Zoe and Bianca had disappeared immediately after breakfast, and Zoe was giving Bianca a tour of Olympus as well.
Naruto, however, hadn't come out of his room at all besides grabbing an apple for lunch, skipping breakfast entirely. Several more screams of frustration came from his room, as well as a few sizable explosions.
Apollo and Artemis - well, every Olympian, actually, were preparing for the annual council meeting that night. Committee meetings, hearings, oversight. . . ruling the world was hard work, and it required a lot more than one expected. Mortals didn't know how lucky they had it. Ignorance was bliss, or so they say.
Finally, it was time. The sun had gone down and a full moon shone brightly overhead, Artemis's moon chariot on autopilot. Even though it was winter, the temperature on Olympus was pleasant. Apollo had gathered the demigods and told them to wait outside the throne room, the glowing white hall of the gods. Then he winked at Naruto before strolling in.
Naruto took a deep breath, mentally reflecting on what he, Apollo, and Artemis were going to say.
Don't worry. If the plan fails, then we go to Plan Delta X.
Which is?
Six Paths Sage Mode, my Chakra Mode, and some Truth-Seeking Orbs for good measure. If Zeus thinks he can kill us, then he'll be in for a rough surprise.
Naruto chuckled. Indeed. I would like to avoid that though.
"ENTER, HEROES," a loud voice boomed out as thunder crackled dramatically overhead.
A determined expression appeared on Naruto's face.
Showtime.
How have we gone from months passing in a single chapter to spending 4 chapters on a single day?
Divine forms make no sense. Originally, I had planned on making Naruto immune to the divine form due to his Bijuu-chakra composition. But I can't because of one reason: Jason Grace. See, in the original PJO - first 5 books - divine forms were simple and straightforward. You look, you burst into flames, you die. But then we get to Lost Hero, in which Jason did not burst into flames, thus causing me to spend hours trying to figure out exactly how divine forms kill someone. Rather difficult, since divine forms only appear in the entire series a total of 6 times. 7, if you count Greek Gods, but they're wildly inconsistent. I had honestly been planning to just give up and let Naruto be immune, but then I thought of the idea of Naruto sealing his soul from death's grasp. And I really liked that idea, so here we are. This has the added bonus of allowing Percy and the other demigods not being instakilled by the Titans' divine forms.
Pepromene is a minor goddess of fate/destiny.
This is an AU.
Thank you all for reading, and please review :)
euphoric
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