Disclaimer: Don't own PJO or Naruto.

AN: This is a continuation of the "Fearless" series found in Olympian One Offs. I was originally going to post this as the sixth and final entry but…Meh. ADHD kicked in.

Lunar Phases

The Cursed Knight, pt 1

Survival.

The purpose of the core instincts that reside within the psyche of all life, both immortal and not, was to ensure survival. The Animal Kingdom's hierarchy, and much of humanity's, was based on those instincts and an organism's effectiveness in utilizing them. It boiled down to a simple point, an unspoken rule of life: those who are unable to survive, don't. This universal law affected everything, from the smallest microbe to the King of Olympus himself.

Arguably, if ever pressed by someone who had the stones to ask, Zeus would tell them that was why he kept a careful eye on what was agreed to be his kingdom. His brothers mocked him, called him paranoid and his children called him cruel, and perhaps he would agree with them if they knew what he did. Zeus was the only child of the Crooked One who saw the active effects their father's rule had on the planet. The resistance had long since begun before he attended that dinner as Kronos' newest jester where he freed his brethren, so his siblings only ever saw the War against the Titans. They never saw the Time of Titans. Those horrors he witnessed in his early years were why he was so 'paranoid' and so 'cruel'. In Zeus' opinion, if they managed to keep the world intact as mortals knew it, it would ensure his family's survival.

Granted, there were weaknesses that any sensible ruler would succumb to. Immortality was a blessing, but goodness it was boring. Zeus hadn't struggled to keep himself busy in his youth, what with the wars and all, but after the Giants fell? Meetings, hearings and boredom.

There was a time where he entertained himself by checking those unruly immortals under him if their loyalties dared hint of being swayed to another's rule. The 'net incident', as Poseidon called it, cooled his volatile reign, but it made him aware that threats could easily come from his family as much as his foes. Even checking mortals' cheeky attitudes, like most activities, grew old rather quickly. He stopped throwing bolts at blasphemers in the midst of Jupiter's reign, and as the rule of kings dwindled into archaic standing, he even began to cut back on having demigods.

As the mortals' world grew and gods started to fade, Zeus focused on keeping his pantheon relevant and informed. This was where his infidelity came to benefit them as a whole. Despite Hera's grousing, justified or not, his divine children were their best method of keeping them relevant with the ever changing times.

Apollo, ever the loyal archer, acted as his eyes from the sun chariot and made notes of popular culture he deemed relevant, granted Zeus could do without the delivery of reports through poem (he damned the Irish for their irritating contribution to his repitoire). Hermes, the sly and sneaky messenger, kept his ears to the ground and developed their first international information ring. Despite their alternative viewpoints, Aphrodite, Athena and Artemis expanded upon Hermès' groundwork. Dionysus, when he was sober enough, managed to make a grapevine or two through the gallant and jubilant events he would attend.

Keeping in line with his domain over fairness and justice, when his 'bastard' children had their worth tested, his recognized offspring fell under the same scrutiny. Hephaestus kept him up to date on mortals' innovations - Zeus positively despised Benjamin Franklin and his damned kite experiment - and Ares…well, he would find the worst slums humanity had to offer, and dug in. For the most part, things ran smoothly and Olympus prevailed well into the twentieth century.

Then the World Wars came. Honestly, it'd been brewing for some time. If he were to be honest, Zeus was rather surprised it hadn't happened sooner. Of course, then came that damned oath he was strongarmed into when the next Great Prophecy came about. Bitterly, he held to it and kept himself away from mortals for nearly fifty years.

Then Beryl Grace caught his eye, and everything has been going downhill since. He'd had to turn his poor daughter Thalia, who'd been hunted needlessly by her upset uncle, into a pine! The gods' unrest nearly came to a head when his lightning bolt was stolen, and shortly after that was the revelation that Poseidon also broke his oath.

The impudent sea spawn even dared suggest The Crooked One would come back! He was a mortal, barely a week of Chiron's teaching under his belt, and he dared to suggest such an impossibility to the King? Of course Zeus disregarded it as hogwash!

More the fool he, apparently, because not a year later, the damn boy backed his word with evidence. Admittance of guilt from a traitorous child of Hermes. It was to be war, then. Zeus knew the prophecy drew nearer and so, upon seeing the Golden Fleece be rested at Thalia's Pine, ended her time in Limbo. He was sure that his daughter — not Poseidon's son — would save Olympus in their time of need.

Then Artemis went missing, while hunting a creature that needed to be found. If she remained a prisoner of the Titans, he could count on Apollo no longer acting in Olympus' best interest. Say what you would about his bright son's fleeting fancies, he loved his sister the only way a sibling could. For all of their bickering, for all of their differences, the Twins were two halves of a whole. The Oracle, cursed as she was, knew this and sent the best she could after his brave huntress, including Thalia. The one variable Zeus didn't account for was the inclusion of Artemis' son on this quest.

That boy…Zeus grew pensive over the strange Clear Sighted boy Artemis had claimed as her own. His sense of justice was undoubtedly influenced by his mother and uncle, Zeus remembered the terror that struck the people of Philedalphia. Two officers of the law were killed in brutal ways and the last tortured into an admission of guilt. The ripples he made stirred a new conversation among Mortals, resembling those that surrounded the original Perseus after he slew Medusa. If the boy's acts continued, he'd be immortalized into legend by folklore.

The thought left Olympus' Kkng with mixed feelings. While on one hand, it was good to have heroes in the modern era to make others compare him to the original mold, the very mortal they spoke of was not Greek in lineage. He conspired with Egyptians and was involved with Asgardians. He mixed magics and sought aid from Faded - and forbidden - Gods. He used every tool at his disposal to achieve his goal. The son of Artemis was a dangerous variable on the board, and Zeus knew that he would have to make a decision on the boy's placement in their world before it was made for him.

Naruto craned his head up at the sight before him. The Hoover Dam never really seemed so impressive on paper, but to lay his eyes on it himself was a whole other matter. Calling it massive was an understatement. It took him a minute to appreciate the people who put their effort into its construction and upkeep.

"The Hoover Dam." Pa-Percy's murmur drew his, Zoë's, and Bianca's attention. He wasn't aware they were staring, his gaze locked on the construct and green eyes miles away. "A concrete arch gravity dam that was built in 1930 and named after President Hoover."

"Over seven hundred, twenty-seven feet tall," Grover added, his voice at the same tone and volume of the son of Poseidon's. "From the base to the roadway crest."

"It weighs six point six million tons," Thalia said. "And it has over three quarter cubic yards of concrete in it."

Naruto blinked, shocked by the factoids the three just spouted out. He looked at Zoë, who was just as perturbed by it as he was, before looking back at the three.

"Is it common for Demigods to know the history, dimensions and utilized materials of national landmarks?" He asked. The three snapped out of their trance and looked at him, then at each other.

"Annabeth?" Percy asked, looking at Thalia. She nodded. He looked back up at the dam. "Yeah, I miss her too."

Well that answered one question, but raised a whole lot more. His brow furrowed and his lips pursed in thought. They weren't talking about that Annabeth, were they? Don't misunderstand, he knew a girl named Annabeth had gotten kidnapped shortly before Artemis, but the coincidences surely weren't that high.

"…I thought it was called The Boulder Dam?" Bianca mumbled, sounding almost confused.

"Don't get me started." Percy sighed. "I asked about it once and Annabeth nearly made my head explode from the information."

"Yeah, Annie was annoying like that. Going on and on about the dam thing all the time." Thalia snorted. Naruto blinked as realization struck. Oh well, that explains why he hadn't seen her at the Camp.

"As unfortunate as the loss of your friend is, we must press on!" Zoë said solemnly.

"Nightshade, we can 'press on' after I get a dam burger or something." Thalia shot back, scowling. Percy chuckled and scratched his stomach.

"Yeah, I want a slice of dam pizza."

"Ooh, maybe we should take a look at the dam gift shop!" Grover suggested. The three started laughing as they walked in, leaving himself and the two Hunters behind. Naruto chuckled at their antics before he followed them.

"What about you, Whiskers?" Thalia looked back at him with a grin. "Don't you want some dam food? Or maybe a dam souvenir?"

Zoë was glaring at him, he could feel her ire-filled gaze penetrating the back of his head, daring him to contribute to this (admittedly) waste of time. Yes, it was childish, and yes, his mother's life — dare he say even the fate of Olympus — was on the line, but at the same time it was a good source of stress relief. Thalia's grin faltered for a moment and Naruto broke his silence.

"I need to get a dam belt." He pointed at the rag holding his pants up. He tilted his head as another thought occurred to him. "Maybe I should put some dam pants on."

Laughter rang out from the three campers.

"I don't get it." Bianca mumbled. She held her stomach when it growled loudly enough for the others to hear it. "Um, excuse me?"

Thalia, Grover and Percy started laughing even harder. Naruto felt a smile tug at his lips and looked at Zoë, who huffed.

"Fine." She relented. "We shall break fast for a half hour, but no longer. Come along, Bianca. Naruto?"

A blond brow arched as his elder sister figure singled him out. Why was she singling him out? A feeling of dread crawled up his back when she smirked at him. It was never good when she smirked at him.

"Don't get captured by any dam Amazons."

With her parting shot fired, Zoë left with Bianca in tow. Naruto scowled at her back and crossed his arms before venturing over to the gift shop while the campers tried to get their chuckles under control.

He wasn't kidding about getting a new pair of pants.

Like most fast food places, the Dam Burger was chock full of grease and the thick beef was riddled with preservatives that would make any vegetarian turn their nose up at the sight of it. Luckily, Thalia never considered herself remotely close to being one. She gorged herself on the ten dollar sandwich without any thought.

Ugh, Thalia, must you really? Even Ares has better table manners.

Thalia nearly choked on her next bite. Contribution to blasphemy against burgers aside, the annoyance that she felt when she heard Aphrodite speak was insurmountable. She swallowed her next bite and slouched down in her chair, glaring at the paper and plastic tray her combo meal had come in.

What will it take to make you go away? All she wanted was to enjoy her Dam Burger. Was that too much to ask for?

Wow, so much vitriol. Is that the sort of gratitude you show the goddess that's helping you?

When that goddess is driving me crazy? Yes. Yes it is.

Love is crazy, Thalia.

There she goes again with this stupid nonsense of hers. Thalia didn't love Whiskers. She was attracted to him, sure, but that was all because of hormones. (What? She took the required Sex Ed class, she knew the biology behind it.) Sure, Whiskers was brave and skilled and occasionally showed some semblance of brainpower that other guys in her age bracket and above lacked, but that was just who he was. It was who he had to be. His mother wouldn't accept him otherwise.

Oh, dear. That's almost a rational excuse.

It is a rational excuse—Wait, no, that's not what I meant! Thalia protested when the goddess started to laugh.

You are drowning dear, floundering in that vast river of Egypt. Just let me help you. That's all I want to do.

Thalia grumbled, taking an angry bite out of her burger. A tanned pair of fingers snagged one of her French fries. She glared up at their occupant, ready to tear them a new one… and, to her later realized mortification, she stared.

Whiskers had both of the stolen fries hanging out of his mouth as he tightened the DAM belt around his waist, the hem of a new black Hoover Dam shirt was raised up enough to expose some skin, while his favorite shirt was pulled taut around the axe hanging just over the pocket of what appeared to be painted on weathered jeans.

My, my, would you look at him. Aphrodite sighed, snapping her out of her hormone driven thought process. Oh, however that sad excuse of a goddess managed to sculpt such fine material out of a mortal, I'll never understand. I see so much potential for heartbreak.

Okay, what? No. Was she planning to-to use Whiskers in her sick games? Thalia scowled and felt static dance along her arms. Not happening.

Leave him alone. She told Aphrodite.

Out of the question. The goddess scoffed. That boy is divine in every sense of the word except for the literal.

I wasn't asking. Thalia tightened her grip on her burger, noticing a giant glob of ketchup and mustard start to pour out of the back. She should catch it. Part of her burger experience was going to waste.

Darling, Aphrodite's far too smug voice tore her away from her burger dilemma. He already dipped his foot in the pool. If need be, I'll be the one to teach him how to swim.

The nearby aluminum napkin dispenser suddenly found itself capable of flight through electromagnetic propulsion.

"Over my dead body."

"Okay, relax, I won't take another fry. The glare was enough to dissuade me."

Mortification filled Thalia. Whiskers was watching her, almost warily. He looked tense, like he was about to run.

Well, in his defense, you've been glaring at him for about five minutes. And you did send that poor defenseless napkin dispenser flying. Not to mention currently you look like you're seconds from a, oh what did you call it? Ah, yes, a Mount Zuesette moment. Brilliant terminology, by the way.

Oh gods. Thalia wanted to be a tree again. Life was so much simpler when she was a tree. She didn't have to worry about hormones or boys or blue eyes or—she was doing it again! Dammit!

"Thalia, are-are you okay?" Whiskers caught her off guard with a simple but loaded question. He didn't look as wary as he was a few minutes ago. That's good right? Oh, wait, did he ask her a question? Crap! Thalia floundered for words, thankfully no longer gawking like an idiot, but failing horribly to find anything to say.

"If, y'know, you're worried about Annabeth...We'll get her back."

Oh gods no! She wasn't mentally prepared for a heart-to-heart with her friend who is a boy about her kidnapped best friend, especially if she maybe...sort of...kind of had a itty-bitty-but-not-really crush on him.

Thalia was saved from answering, due to the gunfire that suddenly erupted from the Dam Gift Shop. Huh, she was pretty sure that was where Percy was. She looked back and—yep, Whiskers was already moving towards the series of boneheads that chased a dark haired boy down the hall with their machine guns. She groaned, and shoved the last bite of her Dam Burger into her mouth, before rushing after them. Of course that was where Percy was.

At least she got to finish her burger.

Naruto's ears were buzzing and the only shapes he could make out were blurry and warped. He felt cold, like when he used to play in the snow with the wolves in Canada. His head throbbed like a rung bell. His neck hurt like when the rodeo bull's horn had caught him through the shin.

…Oh, that probably meant there was a hole in his neck. That's not good.

"Naruto!" Zoë? Huh, what was she doing in Canada? The Hunt wasn't allowed to go there. According to his Uncle Fred that was because of some weird rule that popped up after the French-Indian War. Ugh, now he was remembering the dumb music his uncle used in an attempt to teach him. He should just sleep it off, worry about it later. "Naruto, stay awake!"

But he felt so tired. The cold would surely go away if he slept for just a bit. He felt his eyes drift shut. Just a few minutes..

"I said keep thy eyes open!" Silly Zoë, surely a little sleep wouldn't hurt. The wolves would wake him if something was wrong. Something pushed on his shou— he's awake now! That hurt!

"Z-Zoë, he won't stop bleeding!"

"Keep pressure on the wound, Bianca! Satyr! Where is that healing magic?!"

"I—baa—don't play well under—baa—under this kind—baa—kind of stress!"

Naruto cried out as more pressure was put on his neck. His head hurt, his neck hurt and everyone was so loud!

"You are an absolute idiot!"

"We didn't know it was bulletproof!"

"You didn't know-! Well we know now, don't we?!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't think he'd try to save me from being shot!"

Why was it so cloudy? Wasn't it snowing? No, it was sunny. They were at the Hoover Dam, weren't they? Yeah, yeah…he was sitting with Thalia, gunshots rang out and he reacted. He and Thalia cut the skeleton brigade off, Thalia's useful but ugly shield absorbed the bullets and kept them at bay. One grazed his arm, and then the elevator shut. What else happened? He couldn't remember. Why couldn't he remember?!

Khonsu! Khonsu must've done something! And though that would be a rational thought any other day of the week, it didn't seem right. His thoughts were interrupted by more pressure on his wound. Screaming was too exhausting…maybe if he caught just a few winks…

"Look at me, little brother." Oh, Zoë was using Greek now. That's definitely not a good sign. "Look at me, now."

Naruto tried to focus, he really did, but her face was so blurry and he was just so tired.

"Zurk—" Warm blood flooded into his mouth and he tasted copper. Ooh, yeah, this was bad. Worse than that time with the rodeo bull, for sure. Why did he ever agree to go to a rodeo? He's never letting Alf talk him into doing anything like that again. Come to think of it, where was Alf anyway? Wasn't he with them at the dam? Or maybe it was his mom. He'd like to see her chariot one more time before he goes to sleep.

"—Thou are useless, Satyr!"

I just want to see Mom, Naruto thought as his vision went dark. I just- I just want my Mom.

"I-I can't…I'm sorry…" the satyr's apology fell on muted ears.

"Then get back! One-two-three-four…" Zoë Nightshade started doing chest compressions. He couldn't die like this. He wasn't susceptible to the prophecy's warning. He wasn't even a demigod!

"Zoë-"

"Unless thou have an emergency kit in thy hands, do not interrupt, boy!" She snarled at the sea spawn and kept her gaze on the blond under her hands. "Fourteen-fifteen-sixteen!"

Zoë had seen hundreds of Hunters fall over her time as Lieutenant. Some due to their own poor choices, others due to unforeseen trickery, but most were lost when defending one another from the evils of Man. It was never easy, she grieved for their loss every day. She pressed on in their memory, in her duty to Lady Artemis. It was why she was so determined to retrieve her, for if she could not save Lady Artemis from The General, then what purpose was filled by those who gave their lives?

"Twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six—"

"Z-Zoë!" Bianca was shaking her shoulder. She shoved the younger Hunter away. Did she not see the gravity of the situation? Most of the Hunt missed the pain in Lady Artemis' eyes for those years while Naruto was missing, but not the Lieutenant. She would not see her lady suffer such pain again. She would not save her from the Titans' torment, and then damn her to a worse one.

Faintly, Zoë heard the screams of men and the flapping of wings. Then the demigods cried out her name in warning. Metal clashed against metal and thunder rumbled through the sky. She ignored it, focused on her duty to Artemis.

"Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three—"

"Enough, Nightshade."

"Forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven—"

A boot pressed into her side and Zoë found herself moved.

"I said that's enough, Nightshade!"

Oh $&%*. She knew that voice. Not her, anyone but her.

Zoë looked at her attacker and scowled. Clad in armor typically worn by norsemen of days long since gone, with pale blue eyes and golden hair, was a mountain of a girl. Her armor had furs of animals she'd not hunted in ages, and draped around her neck was a golden necklace holding a small golden hammer.

"Gunilla." Zoë sneered at the Nordic woman, quickly taking in the dozen other armored girls that had surrounded her quest mates. Their crudely made but blessed iron weapons cut into the demigods necks and burned the Satyr's skin. She unsheathed a silver blade and rose to her feet. "Thou interfere with Greek matters, Valkyrie. Leave, and I shall forget this exchange took place."

"As usual, you're mistaken, Nightshade." The burly gorilla of a girl allowed a massive mallet to slide into her hand and used it to point at her brother's corpse. "This one belongs to Valhalla."

"I'd not thought it possible, but thine jests are worse than Apollo's poetry!" Zoë hissed.

"It is no joke. I have a decree from the Allfather himself." Gunilla sneered back, displaying a scroll in her other hand. She took a step forward, blocking the body of Zoë's brother, and brandished her weapon. "Unless you wish to test yourself against me again?"

"Thou test my patience, Valkyrie." Her second hunting knife manifested in her open hand. "You will move or be moved, simple as that."

"Take your best shot, Nightshade." Gunilla dared, a glimmer of sparks appearing in her eyes. Zoë grit her teeth and tensed. Lady Artemis, hold out for just a mite longer—

Some horrid series of sounds rang out from Gunilla's hip with a poppy beat, and the only distinguishable word Zoë could make out was 'Dota'.

The Valkyrie's eyes flicked down to the source of the sound, then back up to meet Nightshade's. One golden brow arched. Zoë furrowed her brows, but lowered her blades a fraction. Sighing, the blonde girl lowered her mallet and pulled a cellular telephone from her hip, flipping it open.

"Ja?" Gunilla seemed to listen for a moment before stilling. "But—no, but—...Are you su—I wasn't questioning you, sir. No sir! … Aye, sir."

The call ended and Gunilla scowled at the Hunter, who smirked back.

"Did your all-knowing Allfather make another mistake?"

"I will shove those blades down your throat, Nightshade." Gunilla glowered. She slipped her warhammer back over her shoulders and looked at her compatriots. They stepped away from the demigods and their wings popped into existence before they took to the air. Gunilla looked back at Zoë with a scowl. "Next time, Nightshade, stay out of my way or I will end you."

"Thou are still a thousand years away from defeating me, Valkyrie," Zoë sneered as she flicked her silver blades away. "Fly home like the good little house servant you are."

Though fuming, the Norse girl's wings came out and she rose to the sky in a single flap. Zoë spat at the ground and ignored the looks on the others' faces. She hated dealing with The Valkyries. Her jaw clenched when she looked back at where her baby brother lay dead. She approached him and crouched beside his body.

I'm sorry, Lady Artemis. She thought, resting a hand on Naruto's chest. I fail–

Ba-bump.

Zoë's eyes snapped open. That couldn't hav–

"What trickery–?"

A bullet grazed the top of her ear. She looked up and saw a speedboat racing towards the dock. Riding within were several men clad in black military gear and holding, what else but, mortal weaponry.

"Oh, just great!" Percy shouted. "The mercenaries are back—Bessie, no!"

Ever astute, that son of Poseidon. Clearly he was evidence of boys'—hold on. Who was Bessie?

"...rn…"

Zoë looked back down at Naruto's face. For a second she thought she'd heard him say something. Dried blood still covered his chin and lips, and his eyes had glossed over. A death rattle then. She'd imagined the–

"R-Run."

"N...Naruto?"

His hand shot up and grabbed her wrist. His glossy eyes refocused before they burned, nay, blazed bright red. Scarlet orbs from the depths of Hades stared into her eyes. The eyes of something primal had replaced her Lady's son's cool gaze.

Moreover, whatever it was was ancient and angry.

"Ru-u-u-gnh!" His words devolved into a pained roar when a bullet struck his side before Zoë found herself shoved away. She recovered in record time and watched helplessly as her little brother in all but blood began to writhe and contort with screams of agony leaving his lips.

Red energy bubbled around his marred arm. The flesh beneath it was slowly eaten away to reveal the muscle and bone, before the skin regrew. The energy spread along his shoulders to his neck, covering the wound that was once there. From there it spread across his body like a wildfire, nearly encasing it, before it suddenly snuffed out.

"Zoë! Get to cover!" Bianca cried from a nearby alleyway. Zoë blinked, just realizing she'd been avoiding bullets and firing arrows at the mercenaries while watching Naruto's body writhe and glow like a bloody beacon in the night. She rushed to her young new sister and took cover with her. She looked across the way at Thalia, whose shield acted as a better bullet deterrent than the trash cans she was ducked behind. Grover was cradling his arm beside her. One member of their motley crew was missing.

"Where's Jackson?!"

"He shouted for some 'Bessie' and dove into the water once the shooting started!" Thalia called back. "Grover's hit! I need some bandages or something!"

"Wonderful," she groused, peeking around the corner to take another shot at the boat. "Bianca, check your pack. I'll cover yo—"

Red movement caught her eye. The child she watched grow under her Lady's care rose again, his shoulders slumped and head hanging. Bullets immediately riddled his form, but the strange Red energy would cover the wound and fill it, before patching it with new skin. His head craned back as he took a deep breath.

Then Naruto let loose a bellowing, primal sound unlike any yell he'd ever made before. The ocean parted from the force of it, and the mercenaries' boat capsized. A gleam of silver caught her eye and she saw the gift from Ares in his hand, with Leto's gift still wrapped around the blade.

His treasured gift was pulled off and dropped to the edge of the pier. The axe was brought over his head, both hands gripping the handle. He did not throw the crescent-edged hatchet so much as he launched it like the rocket mortals saw when Buzz Aldrin hijacked Lady Artemis' chariot.

Zoë's keen eyes easily made out the clean kill on the yacht floating miles out. The man's head was split like firewood, splattering all those near him with his red blood. Clear targets, she realized. She drew another arrow, stepped out from her cover, and took aim at the men on the yacht.

"No!" Her ears nearly bled from the yell, and looked into the hateful burning eyes of the thing that possessed Naruto's corpse. It bared his teeth at her, canines elongated and many of the omnivorous front teeth sharpened to tiny knives. "They're mine! Mine!"

Zoë held its gaze for a moment before lowering her bow. Naruto's nostrils flared and he turned back to the water, to the men that held his possessor's ire. He crouched down to all fours before making a leap she'd once have deemed impossible by mortals.

"Was—Was that Whiskers?" Thalia asked as she stepped out after her while Bianca was tending to the Satyr.

"No."

"No? The heck do you mean, 'no'?" Thalia scowled. "It sounded like him! And his body is gone!"

Zoë was the Lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis. She'd seen the dead be reformed by the gods into new forms of life. She'd seen heroes venture to and from Hades. She had seen many things in her long life, but this method of resurrection was something she'd never seen before.

"Whoever that is is not Naruto." Zoë affirmed, before looking at the girl sharply. "Prepare yourself to end him if he returns. We will face no more hindrances this night."

Kill them all.

Kill them all!

Kill! Them! All!

The mantra repeated maddeningly as what felt like hot vitriol coursed through his veins in place of blood.

Naruto had just wanted to see his Mom one more time, and that thought, a selfish little desire, stirred something within his soul. A compromise was made with a creature he thought banished. The ultimate barter that he was warned by many immortals not to wager: the lives of others for his own. The lives of the men who tried to kill them for the fox's power.

He accepted.

They're not men. He told himself as he flattened one man into bone and gore when he landed on the yacht's deck. They're dogs.

"Just-just a kid? How the &$*% did we lose two guys and a boat to a kid!" One man shouted. Naruto lifted his right hand and his hatchet flew to it, passing through the torso of the speaker. Clicks rang out as they lifted their rifles, but he ignored them in favor of examining his weapon.

The silver hatchet was replaced with a jagged and hellish obsidian war axe. The hilt appeared to be warped ashen wood, as if reflecting the corruption of his very soul. Decals resembling monsters he'd slain in his youth were scarred into the metal by the blood of mortal men.

"Not Men." Naruto muttered as he tightened his grip on the hilt. He could smell them. Their fear. It was putrid and foul. Like mange. His eyes scanned over the nervous mercenaries. "Dogs."

"What the Hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Who cares?" One flipped the safety off of his rifle. "Let's just shoo—"

The trigger happy one was the first to lose his head. The man beside him was used as a bullet sponge while the guy on the other side suddenly found himself half a man. Chaos ensued. Blood stained the steel railings, while limbs, appendages, and —for one unfortunate soldier of fortune—intestines were scattered about the deck. Naruto hacked and slashed the yacht's occupants down to the last man, and when his rifle clicked empty, Naruto tossed his makeshift shield down.

"Y-you can't…we-we've got amnesty…legal rights…" the mortal whimpered. Naruto saw a familiar fear on his face, it was the same fear that was on the officer's face so many years ago. Mortal fear. Fear of death itself. "Please! I can take you to the island! I can take you there!"

The mortal's eyes grew wider than dinner plates and he scrambled to get away, slipping through the blood and entrails of his fellow mercenaries before backing into the rails around the deck. He pleaded for his life.

"Arrest me…Arrest me!"

"Men … get arrested."

Naruto lifted his axe, right hand tight around the hilt, so that it was high above his head.

"No! No! Plea—!"

The axe fell.

Squeltch!

Naruto breathed heavily as he stared at the corpse in front of him. He felt his blood cool and the haze in his head started to clear. His axe had returned to normal and he took hold of the handle before yanking it out. The body slumped to the side. He wiped the blood off of his axe with the side of his pants and made his way to the control room. At the door he looked back at the carnage he left in his wake.

A satisfied deep rumble echoed in the back of his head and Naruto turned back to the interior of the ship.

"Dogs get put down."

AN: If you're reading this and you're completely lost, well, sorry. A good portion of you suggested he get his own fic. So, here's the start.

Right at the end.