Kapitel 7: Chapter 7
June 10th
The night went by fast, and the Apollo's chariot started to rise over the horizon, and the group was in for an unexpected surprise.
"That's a dog" pointed out Percy, "Why do you have a dog."
"His name is Gladiola," said Grover, "and he's our ticket to the west, now say hello."
This was what greeted Percy in the morning, a pink poodle wearing a sweater. He was expecting breakfast and maybe the sight of Grover eating grass, but this just seemed weird. Percy looked towards Annabeth and Naruto for help but received 'just do it' looks from them, so Percy said Hello to the little dog.
"I found his in the forest and discovered that there is a $200 reward for his return," said Grover
"Ok that makes sense but was it wearing that sweater when you found him?" asked Percy
"I made him the sweater because he was cold," said Naruto as he ate his breakfast consisting of chips and various other gas station treats, "He growled at us when we tried to remove it."
"How did you know about the award?" asked Percy
"He told me about it" answered Grover.
"The dog can talk," said Percy
"Percy we are the offspring of mythical gods that battle a monster that wants to destroy us," said Naruto, "a dog that can talk isn't that far-fetched."
"But how did the dog know about the award?" asked Percy
"Percy what did I just say," said Naruto
Percy couldn't think of a response to that.
Naruto refolded the cabin and placed it into his backpack, while Annabeth, Grover, and Percy covered their tracks so monster wouldn't be able to track them. After checking everything, they began the trek to the city to collect the award and resume their quest. When they located the house where Gladiola and rang the doorbell, the owner was now what they expecting. She was an upside down vase, thick on top and skinny on the bottom, with a polka dotted dress and dual colored hair. Naruto actually shuddered at this woman's dress, and it was horrible and tacky. When Annabeth looked behind her, she saw a naked male posing in front of a canvas.
"Yes," said the woman
"We are here to collect the reward for your missing pet," said Annabeth
"Ah yes Gladiola, such a little troublemaker," said the Woman, "I'm glad that you have returned him and even clothed him for me."
"No problem ma'am" answered Annabeth
"I'll be back in a minute and get your reward," said the woman as she turned around and looked towards the man, "Honey take five."
The woman came back and gave Annabeth $200 and an additional $50 for the sweater.
"Do your sweater really cost $50?" asked Percy while they walked towards the train station.
"Depends on the material, my most expensive one was worth around $2,000" answered Naruto.
"What! What was it made out of?" asked Percy.
"A combination of leather, celestial bronze, and wool," said Naruto.
"Wow," said Percy
"You could say that," said Naruto
They got to the train station with no problems and managed to find good seats, close to the dining cart and sleeping cart. No one seemed curious why a group of teenagers was on a multi-day train trip without an adult in sight.
It's been two days and the only sight that greeted the group were empty fields and various other open spaces. Since Percy didn't have the foresight to pack something to do in the future, he realized this as he watched Naruto knitting and Annabeth reading. Grover tried to practice his pipes but was forced to stop as it was disturbing the passengers. Percy looked out the window again and spotted a herd of Centaurs galloping across the plain. Percy looked around to see if anyone else was looking at them but saw that everyone was looking at their phones or were preoccupied with a magazine or book.
"Why doesn't anyone see this?" whispered Percy
"That's the power of the mist," said Naruto, "When supernatural creatures enter the mortal world the air around them conceals their movements, there are exceptions, but they're rare."
"What exceptions?" asked Percy
"Some mortals can see past the mist and see what the world actually looks like," said Naruto
"Must be interesting?" said Percy
"You could say that." said Naruto, "Anyone hungry?"
"I could go for a bite," said Annabeth as she found a good place to stop in her book.
The two siblings got up from their seats and proceeded to the car behind them. The sight of various meats and loaves of bread greeted them. Each smell was pleasant, but a new smell was detected, the smell of wheat and freshly turned soil. The wheat smell was expected, but the smell of soil was surprising.
"Is it just me or do you smell soil?" asked Annabeth.
"It's not just you," said Naruto, "That means only two things; Demeter is here, or we just passed a farm."
"Why just those two?" asked Annabeth
"Those are just the most likely conclusions." answered Naruto, "and I think it's Demeter."
"Why do you say that?" asked Annabeth
"Just that there's a woman that looks like she's been in the forest for a month and is promoting all-wheat cereal," said Naruto
Annabeth looked around and spotted a tan woman with what looked like wheat in her hair and seems to be wearing a tie-dyed shirt. Her shirt was light brown, and she was wearing sandals, she also had a cart full of various brands of whole-grain cereals and had a pot of what smelled like oatmeal.
"She could just be a hippie," said Annabeth
"Then explain the godly aura," said Naruto
"I got nothing," said Annabeth
"Let's just see why she's here," said Naruto as the two walked towards the hidden god
"What can I get for you little saplings," said the Woman once Annabeth and Naruto reached
"We know you're the one who walks behind the wheat and the one that despises the one in the ground," said Naruto
"Alright you catch me," said Demeter, "I'm just here to update you on what's happening on Olympus. The gods are starting to take sides, and it's only a matter of time before this news reaches the minor deities."
"This is bad, very very bad," said Naruto, "if the news of one of big three is severely weakened, the change of an uprising also goes up. The king's popularity isn't the best, and with the bolt being his main source of power he would be easy pickings."
"That's why I came so urgently, we can only hold Olympus together for so long," said Demeter
"We're going as fast as we can and with us still teaching Percy about the world does slow our progress," said Naruto
"That is just an unforeseen obstacle on this quest, "said Demeter, "This actually leads to my second reason for being here, Naruto I need you to make me something for when I see my daughter."
"Demeter if it's the design you sent me last time then my answer is still no," said Naruto
"Why," said Demeter, "It just a simple gown."
"You want me to sew together a dress composed of multiple trees with the stitching being tree bark," said Naruto, "The only trees we have are inhabited with various animals and nymphs. I think the idea of me using their homes for an order wouldn't go well with them."
"Well I sure they would understand if you tell them it was me," said Demeter
"I can't do that either as I can't disclose client information to other people." said Naruto, "it was in my contract."
"What contract?" said Demeter
"The one I signed when the order going to Olympus started to going into triple digits." said Naruto, "I am sorry, but if you have a problem with the policy then you're going to have to talk to the one that holds my contract."
"And who holds your contract?" said a stern Demeter
"The king of the gods and God of Justice," said Naruto
"Well looks like I now have a topic for our next meeting," said Demeter
"If there is a next meeting," said Annabeth.
"I've spent enough time in the mortal, and I need to go back to Olympus, I wish you four luck on this quest." said Demeter as she began to disappear."
"Well this just added more stress to this already important quest," said Naruto.
"Was she serious about the dress?" asked Annabeth.
"Sadly, she is," said Naruto, "Some of the gods want me to make clothes out of the weirdest materials."
After meeting the Agricultural Goddess and getting food for the rest of their group, Naruto resumed his knitting. Throughout the journey, the group discussed various topics such as the what the best way to slay a monster to how to properly need. They also had to help Grover multiple times because he fidgeted in his sleep and his false feet would fall off. This wasn't a major problem but sleeping in chairs would make anyone cranky. The money they received from returning the dog could only go so far as they got their seats but not a bed as that was an extra $50 per person. They did get blankets and pillows for their seats, but Percy drooled in his sleep, and Grover lost in the game of gods, rock paper scissors.
When the news of their next stop is St. Louis, Annabeth gained an excited gleam in her eyes as the possibility for her to see the Arch was within her grasp. The delay also helped as they had 4 hours to tour one of the great architectural feats done by man. This is what she always wanted to do, build something that would withstand the test of time. When Naruto first learned of this, he didn't really care as that was a shared dream among their siblings. The funniest reaction was from Percy as he was the victim of her random bouts of facts about the Arch. Grover managed to avoid Annabeth by going over to the snack bar to get something to eat. When Grover got his snack and rejoined the group, they entered the underground section of the Arch to see the various artifacts and informational plaque.
"Are there any monsters near us?" whispered Percy.
"We're in the ground," said Grover, "It always smells of monsters."
"Guys what do you know of God's symbols?" asked Percy
"A few things, but why do you ask," said Naruto
"Well doesn't Ha-" said Percy before being silenced by Annabeth
"You mean our friend downstairs," said Annabeth
"Yes our friend deep underground doesn't he have a cap like Annabeth," asked Percy.
"The Helm of Darkness," said Naruto, "His symbol of power and the reason why all rational creatures fear the dark. With it, he could become darkness, never seen or heard, only felt. With the ability to drive a person crazy just by being in the same area, with it he is the master of fear and paranoia."
"Yeah, that," said Percy, "with that power how do we know he isn't here right now."
"We don't know, but if he was, I think he would be more concerned with me as I have his wife's order."
"Why?" asked Percy
"The last time his wife didn't get her order she threw a fit and caused various weather patterns," said Naruto
"Like what?" asked Percy
"Droughts, death of flower beds, raining fish," said Naruto
"What raining fish?" asked Percy, "how can she cause that."
"She's friends with your dad's wife," said Naruto, "you have no idea how much power their wives have."
After viewing the underground sections of The Arch, the group of four entered one of the elevators going to the top. It was cramped, but out of all the people in the elevator, a big woman with her pet chihuahua seemed the oddest. The first thing was her dog, she shouldn't have it in the first place as pets were forbidden within the Arch. The second thing was her dress, she wore warm clothing in an area around 80 degrees. When the dog began barking towards Percy the woman shushed "Sonny," but when Percy commented on the name, she contradicted herself by saying no. When the elevator stopped at the top, and they entered the main platform, the ranger told them that they had half an hour before they had to close. Percy was accompanied by Annabeth as she commented on the changes she would change, but Naruto stayed close to the mysterious woman just in case she attacks. The thirty minutes went by fast, the rest of the people loaded onto the elevator, including a reluctant Annabeth and Grover, and descended into the lower levels. The only people remaining were Percy, Naruto, and the mysterious woman. The woman's dog started barking like crazy;
"Come down sonny," said the mysterious woman as the dog kept barking, "Well if you insist."
The woman's skin started to peeling to reveal scales underneath, her teeth became elongated and pointed. Her Chihuahua started to grow larger with its fur started to become midnight black, its head turned into that of a lion's while its tail turned into a diamondback snake.
"I see that my suspicions were right," said Naruto as he put a pair of leather gloves on, "I just didn't realize how big of a threat you would be."
"Who is she?" asked Percy
"Allow me, I am Echidna," said Echidna, "The mother of monsters."
"Isn't that an anteater?" said Percy
This only enraged her;
"I hate Australia and being confused for that blasted creature" yelled Echidna as Naruto slapped his face.
"Percy think before you speak because you just make this fight a lot harder," said Naruto
"Son attack," said Echidna.
The chimera did as he was commanded as he opened his jawed and fired a column of fire at the two. The dived out of the way, Percy looked for his pen while Naruto's fingers started twitching. The chimera seems to focus on Percy letting Naruto to properly plan out an attack strategy. The big moment came when the chimera decided to pounce on Percy and finish him off. IT was in mid-flight when Naruto jerked his hands to the side pinning the chimera in the air, looking like it froze in mid-air. This confused Percy until he spotted thin wires when he looked at a certain angle.
"I see, you're her descendant," said Echidna, "I never would have thought I would run into you."
"Yes, my mother is Athena," said Naruto
"No not her, to think she would have a son related to her," said Echidna.
"Then who are you talking about?" said Naruto as he started to become agitated
"Now what's the hurry I meant don't the children of Athena like a good challenge," said Echidna
Before Naruto could retort his strings loosened and the chimera's tail managed to bite Percy in the arm. As the venom coursed through his veins, his vision started to become blurry, and he started to lose his sense of balance. While Naruto was busy fighting the chimera Percy stumble near the hole that was made in the wall by the chimera's first attack. Naruto's main attack strategy consisted of ensnaring his head and neck while tying his tail and legs. This worked as it prevented the chimera from striking him with his claws or biting him, but he still needed to dodge the snake since he needed a minute to rearrange his strings, but he was making due with what's he got. The perfect moment presented itself when the Chimera tried to go for an overhead strike this made his supple stomach vulnerable, leaving Naruto enough time to shoot a cluster of strings out of his finger and into the chimera's body. Luckily the bullet managed to pierce through the creature's heart and flew out the other side, it disintegrated into golden dust;
'I never thought I would use that technique' thought Naruto and saw Percy falling through the hole in the wall. Looking around he saw that Echidna managed to escape among the chaos, but he was more concerned with Percy life, but relaxed when he was the river underneath.
'Percy should be safe in the water' thought Naruto, 'but the bigger question is how do I down?'
Naruto looked around the Arch to see if there were any mortal watching and saw that they were distracted by the police. When he saw that the coast was clear, he prayed to Zeus to forgive him and manipulated some string to latch onto the clouds to provide him with his escape route. Once the strings were secure and weaved the strings together to make a rope he jumped and began his climb down. It took about three minutes for him to get down and be greeted by Annabeth and Grover, they asked him about the fight and where Percy is. Naruto informed them that Percy fell into the river and is recovering from the venom and any possible wounds. They waited for Percy to surface, which took about three minutes, and tried to sneak away without being detected with some success, a little girl saw Percy and waved to him. The four managed to make it back to the train station just in time to get their seats and become comfortable.
"So did you get any souvenirs," asked Naruto.
"No," said a now depressed Annabeth
"Good because I managed to grab a wooden model set of the Arch," said Naruto as he presented a flat sheet, "I wanted to give you it after with quest was done with, but I think you need some good news."
"Thank you Naruto," said Annabeth, "you're one heck of a brother."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein