Chapter 24

The day our heroes dreaded has finally arrived. A form appeared beside each and every demigod's bedside. The way it was filled out definitely told them that it was Mr. D, the camp director, who made it because all their names were spelled wrong.

Written on the note was:

Dear __ ,

If you intend to stay at Camp Half-Blood year-round, you must inform the Big House by noon today. If you do not announce your intentions, we will assume you have vacated your cabin or died a horrible death. Cleaning harpies will begin work at sundown. They will be authorized to eat any unregistered campers. All personal articles left behind will be incinerated in the lava pit.

Have a nice day!

Mr. D (Dionysus)

Camp Director, Olympian Council #12

One son of Artemis didn't know if he should stay year-round or leave the camp and finish school. But since it was the last day of camp and there are no more activities, he had a chance to look for the voice that called out to his name all those months ago.

Naruto trekked through half-blood hill, looking for any sign of where the voice might be. Just then, the voice came again.

"Pst!" The voice giggled.

Naruto whipped his head to where he thought he heard the voice.

"Hey, Over here." There it was again.

This time the blonde was sure where it was coming from. It was coming from the big pine tree at the border of camp.

"Cool, you noticed. Come here." It called out to him.

Naruto went straight to the origin of the voice. He wasn't sure what to do, but he placed a hand on the tree to examine it. That was the moment that he was sucked into the tree.

He was disoriented for a minute. He shook himself off his stupor to get his bearings.

A voice spoke. This time it wasn't a whisper. It was like he was face to face with owner of the voice.

"Finally, I get to meet you in person." The voice of a girl said.

Naruto looked up to see the girl he had dreamt of way back in the truck.

"Thalia?" Naruto asked.

The girl nodded. "Good, you remember me. I was thinking you would forget about me."

"I never forget a face." Naruto replied. "So, we really did meet in that dream."

"Yes, yes we did." Thalia said. "I was surprised you were able to enter my limbo."

"Beats me," Naruto shrugged. "Probably because I'm the son of the goddess of the wilderness."

"Maybe… Damn I'll never get used to that. You know virgin goddess and all."

They both laughed.

"Wait!" Naruto said suddenly realizing something. "Grover said you died it Half-Blood Hill."

Thalia shook her head. "My dad turned what remained of my life force into a tree, so here I am stuck to reliving my life over and over."

"So that's when…" Naruto started.

"Yeah..." Thalia said "So, I heard you prevented a civil war."

"How did you know?" The blonde asked.

"I hear everything that's happening around here. I'm basically protecting camp now, so yeah." The daughter of Zeus explained.

"Ohhh, I guess I should thank you then." Naruto bowed in gratitude. "We're able to live here in peace thanks to you."

"Don't mention it." Thalia shook it off. "I just wanted these kids to be safe."

They both smiled.

"Thanks for watching over Annabeth and Grover in the quest." Thalia said.

"No problem. It was their first time they were going out on quest, so I didn't want them to fail, or worse…." Naruto didn't need to finish that sentence. It brought him back to his first time out of the village when he froze when two chunnin attacked.

Thalia's expression hardened. "I sense that there might be some danger coming from you. It's been bugging me ever since we met."

"Oh yeah… About that…" Naruto didn't know how to explain it, but he told Thalia all the same.

A FEW MINUTES LATER

The two went on talking about their own lives. Thalia felt sorry for Naruto. It wasn't his fault that some kind of demon fox was sealed inside of him.

"Sorry about that… I didn't know…"

"It's fine." Naruto cut her off.

"Do Annabeth and Grover know?"

Naruto shook his head.

"It's not for me to say, but you should tell if you really trust them."

"I dunno. I told you how the villagers treated me."

"This time it will be different." Thalia put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "We're demigods, we know what it's like to be ignored and seen as a pest."

"Y-you're right. I'll gather up the courage to tell them."

"Good. I promise they'll be more accepting."

After she said that, a look of horror appeared on Thalia's face.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked.

"How did I not feel that coming?" Thalia said. "One of the campers is…"

Naruto widened his eyes. He didn't want anything bad happen to his newfound family.

"I should get going. I might be able to save them."

"Be careful."

Thalia snapped her fingers and Naruto found himself out in the forest again.

"Oh no… Percy…" Naruto said aloud sensing Percy in danger.

The blonde shinobi jumped from tree to tree to get to his friend's aid as fast as he could. When he got to Percy's location, he was surprised to see Luke watching Percy succumb to his some kind of bug bite in his hand. A few feet from Percy was a scorpion with a slash wound on its abdomen.

Naruto threw some kunai at Luke but he deflected it with his sword.

Luke smirked. "Good of you to join us, Naruto, but you're too late."

Percy was now crawling to the creek. His hand was submerged in the water, but nothing was happening.

"So, you're the traitor." Naruto asked his kunai drawn. "You almost killed Grover with those shoes."

"I'll admit. I wasn't expecting you to join the quest, or this piece of shit to give my gift to Grover."

"You just didn't think this through."

"No matter. You've only delayed our plans. He will rise again and when that happens." Luke let out an evil laugh.

"Goodbye Naruto, Percy." Luke waved them farewell

Luke slashed his sword and he disappeared in a ripple of darkness.

"Help… Please…" Percy croaked.

"Oh no Perce…" Naruto said. "Hang on. I got you."

Naruto created about 50 clones to scour the area, and then slung the son of Poseidon on his shoulder and ran as fast as he could to the big house.

THE BIG HOUSE

Chiron was blowing a conch horn when he saw Naruto approaching with Percy slung on his shoulder seemingly in distress.

"What's wrong, my boy?" Chiron asked with worry in his voice. "What happened to Percy?"

"It's Luke, Chiron." Naruto explained. "He did this to him."

"You can explain later, my boy. We need to make sure he's alright." Chiron said.

Naruto nodded and brought him to the infirmary with Chiron in tow.

When they got there, Naruto laid Percy onto a bed. The centaur examined Percy.

"I recognize this mark. It is a bite from a Pit Scorpion. He had been poisoned."

Annabeth came running in. "I saw you carrying Percy here. What happened?"

"Should I tell her, Chiron? She might not like it." Naruto asked the Centaur.

The centaur nodded. "The campers need to know about this."

"Uhh you see. Luke poisoned Percy."

Annabeth stared at Naruto in disbelief.

"No," She managed to say. "You have to be wrong. Luke wouldn't …"

"I knew she would react like this. Dammit Chiron." Naruto muttered to himself.

"Luke told me everything Annabeth." Naruto narrated what he had learned from Luke while Chiron listened while treating Percy.

After Naruto was finished, the daughter of Athena had tears in her eyes.

"You should be betrayed by one who calls you friend." She said after a while.

"Yes," Naruto said. "I'm afraid that's what the prophecy is talking about."

"I still can't believe Luke would do something like this."

"No one was expected this."

Naruto walked forward and held Annabeth. The girl just sobbed into his chest. Naruto knew what it felt like to be betrayed by a friend. He understood what his friend was going through. After all, they had been through a lot.

Percy groaned breaking the moment.

Annabeth wiped her tears. "We better look after Percy."

"Yes, you better do that," Chiron said. "I shall report what we have learned to Olympus."

"Sure Chiron," Naruto replied. "Leave Percy to us."

Chiron nodded, and then galloped outside.

A FEW HOURS LATER

Percy's eyes fluttered open, only to find Annabeth feeding him nectar, Naruto dabbing the sweat on his forehead, and Argus at the doorway standing guard. Fortunately, the colour had returned to his face.

Percy raised his hand to massage his head, but he noticed his hand bandaged like a club.

"I thought I swatted that thing away." The son of Poseidon said.

"Apparently, you didn't." Naruto said. "Geez, Perce. You gave us quite the scare."

"Tell me about it." Percy scratched the back of his head with his other hand. "The water wasn't working at all earlier."

"Is it true?" Annabeth asked with hope in his voice.

"What?" Percy asked. "Do you mean…."

Annabeth nodded. "Luke…"

Percy looked at Naruto. The blonde gestured for him to go ahead.

"'Fraid so." Percy said.

The younger blonde hung her head low. "I was hoping you would say something different."

"What's with her?" Percy asked Naruto.

"She can't accept that Luke had deserted the camp." The blonde shinobi explained. "Anyway, how are you feeling?

"Like my insides have been frozen, then microwaved." Percy described.

"That's to be expected, considering how deadly Chiron said it was." Naruto said.

"Thanks for coming to get me." Percy thanked the blonde.

"Don't mention it." The blonde waved it off.

"Where's Chiron anyway?" Percy asked noticing the absence of the centaur.

"After treating you, he went to Olympus to report what happened." This time Annabeth spoke up.

Percy nodded, and then took a sip of nectar. The room was quiet after that.

"May the gods curse him…" Annabeth spoke aloud.

"What?" The two boys asked.

"Luke… He was never the same after his quest…" Annabeth said.

"You mean the one that gave him the scar?" Percy asked.

Annabeth nodded.

"Luke's out there right now." Percy suggested. "We should go after him."

"Uhh Percy, that isn't a good idea." Annabeth said.

"Lord Zeus closed this matter." Naruto said after.

"The stu–"

"Percy, choose your words carefully. You already went through his domain." Naruto reminded.

"Alright, alright! He won't even talk about Kronos! Which is why we have to do this ourselves!" Percy raised his voice.

"Revenge isn't the path you should walk down Percy. I have lost a friend to vengeance once already, I won't lose you too." Naruto explained.

"Besides, you're in no condition to engage, Luke. You can't even hold a sword now." Annabeth added.

"He could hit Luke with his hand. After all, it looks like a club." Naruto joked making Percy blush.

Annabeth punched Naruto in the arm. "Not now, Naruto."

"Ow!" The blonde complained. "Sorry, sorry."

"But we can't sit back and do nothing." Percy said.

"No, my boy." Chiron said as he entered the room. "We will sit back, but we are going to prepare. Remember, the Time Lord wants you to be unravelled. He wants you judgement to be clouded with fear and anger.

"Chiron, you're back!" Naruto and Annabeth said.

"Yes, well, Lord Zeus still doesn't want to talk about this matter."

"Figures," Naruto commented.

"But Chiron…" Percy tried to protest.

"We will prepare, Percy. Train hard. Your time will come." The centaur said with finality.

"Assuming I live that long…" The son of Poseidon grumbled.

Chiron walked to the bed and put a hand of Percy's shoulder. "You'll have to trust me, Percy. You will live. But first you must decide your path for the coming year. I cannot tell you the right choices, but you must decide whether to stay at Camp Half-Blood year-round, or return to the mortal world for seventh grade and be a summer camper. Think on that for now."

The centaur glanced at the only girl in the room. "Oh, and, Annabeth my dear ... whenever you're ready, they're here.

"Who's here?" Percy and Naruto asked together.

Nobody answered.

Chiron walked out of the room. All that can be heard were clops of Chiron's hooves on the wooden floor boards.

Annabeth studied Percy's drink.

Naruto placed a hand on Annabeth's shoulder. "You okay?"

"I'm fine… I just took Percy's advice on something."

"When did I give you advice?"

Annabeth sighed. "You're hopeless sometimes."

"Give me a break. ADHD remember?"

Percy slip down his bed and tried to stand up.

"That's not a good idea, Perce." Naruto warned.

"But I want to…" A wave of nausea hit the injured boy. Fortunately, the older blonde was able to catch him as he crumpled to the ground.

"Told ya," Naruto scolded.

"I'm fine." Percy insisted. "I don't want to be lying here while Luke plots to destroy the Western World."

He managed a step forward, and then another, still leaning heavily on Naruto. Annabeth and Argus followed the two boys outside, with the latter keeping his distance.

By the time we reached the porch, Percy's face was beaded with sweat. He felt his stomach twist into knots. But he had managed to make it all the way to the railing.

It was dusk. The camp looked completely deserted. The cabins were dark and the volleyball pit silent. No canoes cut the surface of the lake. Beyond the woods and the strawberry fields, the Long Island Sound glittered in the last light of the sun.

"What are you going to do?" Annabeth asked Percy.

"I don't know." Percy shrugged. "I got a feeling Chiron wants me to stay year-round, so I can train more, but I'm not sure I want to, but I don't want to leave you two with only Clarisse for company."

Annabeth pursed her lips, and then said quietly, "I'm going home for the year, Percy. If anything, maybe only Naruto would stay alone with Clarisse."

"That's new to me." Naruto tilted his head. "And I haven't signed my form yet cause of all the madness, so I'm not sure either."

"Are you going to your dad's?" Percy asked.

Annabeth nodded. She pointed towards the crest of Half-Blood Hill. Next to Thalia's pine tree, at the very edge of the camp's magical boundaries, a family stood silhouetted-two little children, a woman, and a tall man with blond hair. They seemed to be waiting. The man was holding a backpack that the words WATERLAND plaster on it.

"I wrote him a letter when we got back," Annabeth explained. "Just like you suggested. I told him ... I was sorry. I'd come home for the school year if he still wanted me. He wrote back immediately. We decided ... we'd give it another try."

"That's good. But what are you going to do about the monsters?"

Annabeth was about to answer, but Naruto spoke up.

"I guess I know where I'm going for the year." The blonde announced.

"What are you talking about?" Percy asked.

"You could handle yourself on your own now, right Percy?" Naruto asked.

"You kidding? Of course! Why?" He asked.

"I can go with you to your house…" Naruto offered Annabeth.

Annabeth and Percy gave odd looks at Naruto.

Naruto got flustered and looked away.

"I mean, I can follow you there and stay at a hotel or something. What good are these millions of dollars I have sealed here if I don't use them?" Naruto said while scratching his head.

"A MILLION DOLLARS?"Annabeth and Percy exclaimed.

"Where'd you get that kind of money?" Annabeth asked.

"Oh didn't I tell you guys?" Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I won a lot of money back at the Lotus Hotel, and I managed to swipe Grover and Percy's cards."

"How did you manage that? Plus you're underaged." It was Percy's turn to ask.

"With a little luck and the Henge No Jutsu." Naruto explained nonchalantly.

"And you swiped my and Grover's cars?" Percy asked again.

"Pretty easy really. Super awesome ninja, remember?" Naruto reminded the two.

Annabeth punched him in the arm again.

"Hey–"

Naruto was about to protest but Annabeth kissed the older blonde on the cheek. "Anyway, That's so sweet of you Naruto."

Percy had a thumb up. "Yeah, I'm enough old to handle myself here. You can go and keep Wise Girl out of trouble."

"We'll see. In that case, don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." Naruto reminded.

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." Percy joked.

"But aren't you the one with all the stupid?" Naruto teased.

"I can't agree with you more." Annabeth said.

"Sh-shut up Blondie." Percy said.

All three of them laughed at that.

"When we get back next summer," Annabeth started. "We'll hunt down Luke, We'll ask for a quest, but if we don't get approval, we'll sneak off and do it anyway. Agreed?"

"Sounds like a plan worthy of Athena." Percy said while Naruto nodded.

"Take care, Seaweed Brain. Keep your eyes open." She said offering a hand to the son of Poseidon. The two shook on it.

Annabeth turned to the blonde shinobi. "And Naruto. Iris Message me when you get to my house. I'll meet you there."

"Got it." Naruto grinned and gave her a thumb up.

Naruto and Percy watched her walk up the hill and join her family. She gave her father an awkward hug and looked back at the valley one last time. She touched Thalia's pine tree, then allowed herself to be lead over the crest and into the mortal world.

"I guess I better fill up my form and get packin'" Naruto voiced his thoughts.

"Take care of Annabeth, okay Naruto?" Percy said.

"I got it covered, dattebayo!" Naruto replied.

"Give this card to your mom. Just in case you guys need it to buy a luxury apartment or something. You can destroy it if you want or don't need it."

"I don't know how to thank you, man."

"Just hug Aunt Sally for me, kay?"

"That I can do."

The two bumped fists and went their separate ways.

END OF STORY

A/N: I can't get this story to my standard length. That's the end of the source material. This story took longer than expected. I had to take a break on this story twice. The first time I had it planned and the second time, I never even expected it. Stupid Virus

I can't thank you all enough for tuning in to my fic. All of you supporters are what gives me the motivation to continue the story even though I was writing this story mostly for myself, cause you know, other writers take too long to update or the their story is discontinued/on hiatus. Although, now I realize that I kinda did that too, twice I may add.

Well, tune in to the sequel to this story. I am currently working on it.

Ja Ne!