Naruto looked at the old man seated in front of him with a glare. The geezer was grinning at him, not at all affected by his stare. Naruto scowled and looked at the objects in front of him "How many can I choose?"
"For who yer fightin'? As much as ye can handle brat" the old man grinned at him.
"You realize I'm older than you Kagutsuchi" Naruto huffed at the Shinto god of smithing, who just grinned in response before he reluctantly started putting the different accessories on.
…
Mara, the Evil One, sat upon his throne of skulls as he smirked to himself. Truly, his plan had worked out without a hitch. While the Trimurti and other gods were busy with the monstrosities and curses he unleashed, he would move his other troops forward towards the eastern coast.
He did, however, have to deal with one last annoyance before he could declare his victory. Just as he finished that thought, the giant iron doors to his throne room were blasted open by a powerful kick. Mara rolled his shoulders and prepared himself for one of the best fights of his life. His "esteemed guest" had arrived.
He smirked to himself, "So you've finally arrived…" the being paused in surprise "What the hell are you wearing?"
An embarrassed Naruto speed-walked into the room, somehow dressed less fashionably than a circus clown, with an assortment of divine artifacts and cloths to boost his power.
"IT'S MY ASS-KICKING OUTFIT! BITCH!" Hollered the Sage.
~~A younger immortal's silly memory~~
Leeds Point, Southern New Jersey, 2nd of September 2000
Luke was honestly having a great time.
Something that would have surprised anyone that knew him, seeing as according to Thalia, he was 'edgier than her spear'.
…
Well okay, then Ms. Tsundere… (He only knew what that word meant because of the two tourists)
So he was happy! And how could he not? After that fateful night in the woods almost a month ago, pretty much all of his doubts about his new family had disappeared.
When he had been told to stand aside while a goddess spoke to, and possibly took away his companions, he had honestly felt an immeasurable amount of despair.
He hadn't had a nice childhood, not with his mother's fits and deteriorating mental health. That's not to mention his deadbeat of a father who, even as a so-called 'omnipotent' god, could not seem to make time for his kid or the woman he 'loved'.
Or that's what his mother claimed whenever the subject was brought up.
Point was, he had honestly been at his lowest during that night, but something that Mr. Naruto, or Mr. Whiskers as he and Thalia had taken to calling him, had said had given him a small inkling of hope.
'Hey hey heeeeyyyy, what's that frown for buddy? You don't seriously think that low of our friends do ya?'
The man had continued to say how he was sure the girls would return, that the battles and good times they had spent together had forged an unbreakable bond between all five of them.
Yes, five.
Maybe it was during these couple of days they had spent on the beach before taking a boat to come to New Jersey, but at some point during the trip, the blond demigod had felt his worries slowly ebb away and had truly started to enjoy his time in the group.
Mr. Whisker's bad jokes, Zetsu's over-the-top reactions to them, Thalia's snark and attitude, and Annabeth's childish cheer.
And yeah, maybe his 'edgy' self too.
Everyone had their quirks but everyone also had the others' back.
Mr. Whiskers had become the fun uncle (he'd go so far as to call him the group's dad), Zetsu was the stick-in-the-mud older brother, Annabeth was their adorable little sister and Thalia… Yeah, he had some conflicting feelings there...
Oh don't get him wrong, he certainly loved her, but he wasn't so sure this love was platonic anymore.
Maybe it was just puberty jumbling up his feelings, or maybe he really did find a girl with freckles to be cute.
…
Eh... He'll ponder on these feelings later on…
Growl
After they had dinner, that is…
Damn how long until they reach a restau-"Ah!" Luke yelped as he bumped into something.
Naruto was in a good mood too, things have been looking up ever since that bratty 'goddess' had tried, and failed, to separate them.
Hah! As if Lil' Annie and Thalia would just jump ship like that!
He was still irritated at the way she treated him, so much so that he had half a mind to march up to her parents (Zeus and some lady called Leto, go figure) and give them a stern talking to.
Because the girl's attitude screamed 'spoiled' and while part of it might be the 'goddess's own fault for refusing to grow up over her time among mortals, most of the blame usually falls on the parents' shoulders for failing to rear their child properly.
If anything, with what he read about the girl's story, maybe it wasn't surprising she grew up like that. Being the product of an extra-marital affair, having the stepmother out to get her and her mother, and apparently (and that last fact genuinely shocked Naruto to the core), having her own dad tell her about her own conception in detail.
'Zeus-boyo, if I ever see you, you're getting an ass-beating out of principle' the Sage internally swore.
Then again, that might not be an option, seeing as it would contradict his entire objective for being here and there was no guarantee the story was real.
But if it turned out to be real?
And he and Zeus 'coincidentally' found themselves in a remote enough place?
Ohohohooooo! He'll be throwing out so many hands he might as well call himself Hashirama.
…
Growl
Aww, hungry again! Damnit, he knew he should've eaten that extra bowl!
"Ah!" Naruto was startled when he heard Luke yelp in surprise and the sound of something breaking on impact with the ground.
Turning around, he saw Luke on his behind while a statue lay on the ground in pieces.
"Luke, are you alright my boy?" The elder Uzumaki strode towards him and helped him up.
"What's wrong McEdge, got your head in the clouds?" Thalia was clearly not one to miss an opportunity for teasing.
"Oh, you'd know all about that wouldn't you?" Luke snapped back before he looked at whatever he hit.
Naruto did the same.
'Fuuuuuuck' the man thought. The statue was ridiculously detailed, to the point it almost looked real.
'This is gonna be so expensive' he inwardly cried looking at the statue, the work put into it was so detailed that the father could only assume it'd be worth tens of thousands of dollars, if not more.
Yes, he had tons of money but that didn't mean he liked to throw it haphazardly!
Naruto ignored the two demigods bickering, while Annabeth stood by Zetsu looking at the scene worriedly. He knelt down to inspect the destroyed stone to see if he could patch it up with some basic earth release and leave without being seen. He'll bullshit an excuse to the kids later.
That plan was thrown to the grinder, however, the moment his fingers made contact with the stone. Naruto almost recoiled in surprise.
'This isn't a statue!' The man's eyes had unknowingly shifted to a golden color as he detected the trace amount of natural energy emanating from the stone. This was a corpse, a petrified human corpse. Someone that was exposed to a raw amount of natural energy and turned to stone as a result. He wouldn't call it senjutsu, but something close.
A sudden spike of negative emotions alerted him to someone's presence.
"Oh my, hello there!" a feminine voice called out, making the group turn towards her.
The woman before them looked middle eastern and was clad in a dark robe, a headscarf, and a pair of sunglasses. There wasn't much else to describe her.
Even with the shades on, Naruto could tell the woman was observing them. The Sage noticed her emotions darken considerably when her gaze swept over Annabeth.
'That's a lot of anger'
A quick scan of her energy confirmed the man's suspicions.
A monster.
More specifically, the one likely responsible for the poor sod's unfortunate end.
"When I heard the sound of one of my pieces breaking I thought for sure another bear had gotten on the property, but thank goodness it wasn't the case," the woman said, ignorant of Naruto's thoughts and the kids' apprehensive stares.
They evidently had a hard time trusting strangers for obvious reasons.
Just as Thalia and Luke opened their mouths to speak, Zetsu interjected with his hands raised.
"We're sorry for the trouble ma'am, we'll pay you back for the statue" the younger Uzumaki started with a placating tone while he looked at his father from the side.
'Good' Naruto thought. Zetsu had caught on to the woman's nature.
"Oh, that old thing? There's no need for that" the woman waved her arm dismissively, something that made Naruto's anger rise. Although he refused to show any outward reaction and opted to keep a blank look.
"I'd much rather you join me for some supper, I rarely get visitors around these parts," the lady said, before gesturing to her home, a large building built like a cabin. The sign on the front read "Auntie Em's Garden Gnome Emporium".
Luke and Thalia's stomachs instinctively growled, making the two blush in embarrassment. Annabeth walked up to Naruto with a worried expression and tugged on his shirt.
"Huh? Oh Annie" he patted the girl's head "You guys go on ahead, I'm going after you in a bit" he called out to the rest before looking at Zetsu.
The boy met his eye and nodded, understanding the wordless message.
'Engage if you must, but try to wait for me'
The group filtered into the house, with the demigods thanking the 'woman' for her generosity and Zetsu standing between them and the monster.
The Sage waited a few moments until he was sure no eyes were on him, before he slapped the ground next to him. The stone piece shifted and sank into the ground, which had suddenly gained a muddy texture, they soon disappeared and a small stone rose from the edge.
It was a grave.
The man knelt before it, clasped his hands, and muttered a quick prayer.
'It's not much, but it's the least I could do' he thought melancholically.
Due to his proficiency in the sage arts and his previous connection to his sworn siblings, Naruto had become as close to an empath as anyone could get. That ability alone had largely shifted his perspective on the world around him. He had over the years become someone who cherished life and did not tolerate any disrespect towards it. He rarely killed for anything other than nourishment, and if he did, he made sure his enemies received a proper burial.
No sane person wanted or deserved their remains to be paraded around like a trophy or left at the mercy of the elements.
Despite his power, he believed every sentient creature had the right to live its life as it wished and die as it wished. It was an overly idealistic belief, he knew that much since the world was never that kind. But if he could preserve someone's dignity when it was tarnished, he would do so without a second thought.
There was simply no reason not to.
The blond got up from his position and looked around at the rest of the statues.
"Don't worry guys, I'll be back for you, just gotta scold somebody first" He walked towards the building with a determined expression.
The man entered the Emporium and saw the rest of his companions seated on a table in a corner of the main room. Looking around at the various pieces being displayed, he couldn't help but be impressed. Monster or not, that lady had some good taste in art.
Now if only she had the decency to refrain from callous murder and at not desecrate the dead… that'd be great.
"Mr. Naruto! The lady is really great! She's making us burgers!" Annabeth, ever the excitable child, was bouncing in her seat.
He wouldn't fault her, hamburgers were apparently a meal that kids just universally liked.
Even Thalia who was normally all about being 'cool', couldn't help the slight bounce of anticipation. Burgers being her favorite and all…
Luke and Zetsu for their part were deep in a conversation of their own with the blond demigod seemingly arguing a point that Zetsu took great satisfaction in rebuking.
The father smiled at the kids "Well then, I'll just have to go and thank her won't I?" He waved at them and continued towards a side room (probably the kitchen), where sounds of utensils being moved resonated.
The woman had been in the middle of preparing a burger patty when she heard the door of the kitchen open then close behind her. She turned around in surprise and saw the blond man enter the room, a bright smile on his face.
She put up a fake smile and looked at the man. "Oh, sir! How may I help you?"
"Ah, no need for the sir! Just call me Naruto! I just came here to thank you for your generosity, and offer my help" the blond rubbed his hands together and approached her.
"Oh there's no need for that Mr. Naruto, you are guests here" the woman's smile strained a bit as she waved her hand at the man, shooing him off.
"Oh but I mustard insist! Can't let a lady cook all by her lonesome, my mind simply wouldn't be at cheese"
A small snort escaped the woman before she daintily covered her mouth with a hand.
"Oh, you got jokes do you?" Despite her hand, Naruto could tell the woman was smiling genuinely.
"You butter believe it" the man winked with a grin.
This time, a giggle escaped the robed woman before she scooted over and gestured for Naruto to come to help her.
A few minutes passed in silence between them, with Naruto chopping up vegetables while his host continued preparing the patties.
Deciding he's had enough fun, the Sage finally decided to end the pleasantries.
"So you make Kids Meals often?" the Sage once again kidded, although the woman did not seem to catch it.
"Oh no, people rarely come in these parts, let alone children." She spoke, seemingly sad.
"Really? With all those statues outside, you must truly be making a killing" This time the woman looked at him sharply, her brows visibly narrowing.
Medusa was suddenly very alert.
The emphasis on the last word did not escape her.
She backed up a short distance and looked at the man, only to feel a chill crawl up her spine at the absolutely bone-chilling smile he was giving her.
"S-sir, I'm going to have to ask you to return outside" she cursed herself for stuttering in front of a mortal.
She was Medusa, damn it!
She steeled herself and raised her hand to her sunglasses. The man didn't flinch, his face which was stretched in a mirthful grin moments earlier had been replaced by a grim visage that spelled something foreboding for her.
'He knew!'
He saw right through her act, her fake smile, her trap. But it wouldn't matter, he wasn't the first to do so, and he certainly wouldn't be the last. All she had to do was petrify him, and do the same for the others.
Especially the little one. She could smell Athena's stench wafting off her.
"You know, I can forgive a lot of things in life," the man asked her, as he washed his hands.
"But targeting kids is a big no-no, ya know?" his frigid smile stayed on his face, his tone remained cheerful despite the serious nature of his words.
Medusa shook off her shock and raised a hand to her sunglasses. What was she afraid of after all? One look and the problem would be solved. She slowly sashayed towards him, like a predator approaching prey.
"Oh? And whatever do you mean?" While her tone was innocent, her smile was anything but.
"I'm just a simple-" she continued, only to be interrupted.
"Cut the bullshit will ya?" the blond father's voice froze her in her tracks.
He approached her as well, until he stood face to face with her, whilst still looking into her lenses.
She wouldn't falter, not now.
"Oh? And who might you be-ACK" the woman choked as a powerful hand lifted her off the ground by the throat.
"I'm just the guy looking after these kids" he replied, looking up at her struggling form.
She ripped her glasses and scarf off of her head in response, exposing her face and hair to the world.
"diE" she croaked and looked into the man's eyes. Her own pair glowed as her curse activated itself.
...
And nothing happened.
'WHAT?' she internally screeched, narrowed her eyes, and opened them wide, gazing once again into her aggressor's own.
...
And once more, nothing happened.
'IMPOSSIBLE' her slit eyes flashed many times.
'IS HE REALLY MORTAL?' The snakes making up her hair struck the man's arm and injected as much venom as they could into his veins.
The man raised an eyebrow and his lips slowly formed a smirk.
"That's a nifty trick you got there, were you going to use it on the kids?" he asked but received no answer, as the woman's face started to turn blue.
Seeing this, he blinked owlishly then abruptly dropped her, and she collapsed to her knees to take in some much-needed air.
The man rubbed the back of his neck and looked at her sheepishly "errr...sorry 'bout that"
"Y-you! Who are you! WHAT ARE YOU?" She panicked and crawled back until she hit one of the closets.
The man, who up until now had looked like he would end her, suddenly did a 180 and grinned at her.
"I already told ya, didn't I? I'm looking after these kids!" He thumped his chest with his knuckles "Can't let you turn them into an art exhibit ya know? That's just not cool"
She glared at him with as much hate as she could muster.
'He's toying with me...bastard!'
She was fuming. Call her pretentious, but she was used to her opponents seeing her as a threat. Even the more powerful demigods she'd slain had the decency to look alarmed when she pulled out her claws!
Then again, with how he resisted her curse and venom, he might be someone with a god in his corner.
Naruto looked down at her and pouted.
Bah, he'll indulge her a bit.
"Hmmm…. Fine, Call me Naruto Uzumaki" He paused and looked at her for her turn. When she kept giving him a nasty look, he extended a hand towards her.
"AND? What's your name lady?" he said with the same expectant tone.
She kept glaring at him.
"Stop screwing with me" she finally said.
"Hmm?" he tilted his head to the side. Her negative emotions, which had already been practically pouring off of her, exploded like a geyser.
Rage and malice were on the forefront, but behind all that, the tiniest traces of sadness, grief, and...
'Huh? Guilt? Why would she-Ah' Naruto wanted to slap himself for missing the obvious clues.
Snake hair, stone statues, glowing eyes.
Damn, Zetsu was gonna scold him for being such an idiot.
"STOP FUCKING WITH ME!" said snake-haired monster screamed, snapping the man out of his thoughts.
'Right, err Mimosa or something' he thought, quite sure of himself.
"ARE YOU A GOD? A MONSTER? WHAT ARE YOU?" she screamed at him with her eyes glowing a sulfuric yellow.
'She got screwed over, didn't she? Or at least that's what the book Zetsu gave me said' Naruto ignored the monster's incessant screaming in favor of his own thoughts.
"IF YOU WANT TO KILL ME JUST DO IT! DON'T PLAY WITH ME LIKE A TOY!" her face was flushed with anger as she flashed her claws at him, and got into a crouching position.
He finally brought his attention back to the situation and chose the most appropriate response he could think of.
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" he said with the most aloof tone he could muster.
He couldn't help being a troll even in these situations, Kakashi-sensei would've been proud.
"RAAAAAAHHH" the woman roared and much like an animal, she reared back her claws and pounced on him. He raised an eyebrow at her action and just as she reached him, he raised a hand in front of her face and flicked her.
CRACK
The sound of bone being crunched echoed out as her momentum was all but reversed. She flew back to the opposing wall, knocking over shelves and kitchen utensils and causing a cacophony of noise. The monster remained on the ground, surrounded by broken plates, cups, and other objects, with her nose almost torn off from the force of his 'attack'.
Medusa had almost blacked out. The blow, as insignificant as it looked, held a herculean amount of strength.
Naruto approached her with a steady gait and then crouched in front of her quivering form.
"Sit up for a bit," he said, and she obeyed, albeit trembling.
If one were to look at her now, they'd be surprised to see the monster acting like a scared puppy, for she was now aware of the sheer difference in power between her and that thing.
'He's not human! He can't be!' She shook in fright.
The man, against all odds, sat down on the dirty ground in front of her and looked into her eyes. He smiled at her, this time with a gentle look in his eyes before he raised a hand to her cheek.
She froze at the contact before a wave of warmth filled her and she felt her nose shift painlessly, readjusting, restitching, and healing itself.
"What's your story?" the father asked her softly.
She gazed at him with eyes half-lidded from the relaxing feeling.
"You mean you don't know about me? Medusa?" She asked hesitantly, as all the fight had left her.
"Oh I do, I read about you before" he paused and winked at her, "but see, I'd like to hear it from the source"
The snake-haired woman was silent for a while, contemplating his words, before she shook her head and looked at him resolutely.
"I… could you just kill me please? Whatever game you're playing I want no part of it" she hated being treated like a doll.
It's all she ever was before-
Her dark musings were interrupted by the man's hum.
"Then how about a trade?" He grinned toothily and held up his fist towards her.
"I'll tell you about me if you do the same sound good?" he elaborated and nudged his hand towards her.
"Here. Boop it" he said, and she raised an eyebrow at the confusing gesture.
"What?" the monster blinked, utterly lost.
"Boop it!" he repeated, grinning like a loon.
She tentatively raised her fist and approached his own.
They bumped.
And suddenly, she understood.
She understood everything about him. His past, his motivations, his actions, his feelings. Everything was unveiled for her and she felt breathless.
'This is!' she almost gasped as several memories played in her mind, both happy and sad ones.
How? How could someone like that exist?
If she were to compare it, she'd say it was like being bathed in a ray of sunshine, warm and comforting.
How was his soul so pure?
She looked up at him and was flabbergasted at the sight before her.
'He's crying'
Naruto's lips were fixed in a tight smile while tears wetted his whiskered cheeks. He finally looked at her, and she received the shock of her life when she felt him envelop her in an embrace.
"You really went through a lot huh? You poor thing!" His words struck a chord within her.
She stood there, frozen, unable to react as a normal person would to the gesture.
'How long had it been?!'
How long had it been since she'd received such a gentle touch from anyone? Since she'd received any form of comfort?
She'd been betrayed by the love of her life, then by her own patron, then by the entirety of humanity, as she became something to hunt down and exterminate.
A Monster to be hated and abhorred.
She had long since snapped and abandoned her humanity, done unspeakable things over the years, both in the name of survival and vindictive pleasure.
She did not deserve this! None of this!
They sat together in silence, the man holding her while she stared blankly in front of her.
"W-why are you doing this?" she whispered as the man held her tightly.
The remainder of what she saw when she bumped her fist to his gnawed at her. She caught a glimpse of his true identity, of his power. There was nothing for him to gain from this charade, he could have erased her very existence and sent her to oblivion thousand times over...
But…
She'd also caught glimpses of his true self.
A warrior, a philosopher, a jokester, a ramen addict, but especially, a father, a man filled with love and kindness.
Naruto N. Uzumaki never gave up on people, no matter who or what they were.
"I'm a Monster, I killed countless people" she protested weakly, even as she internally knew what his answer would be.
But she still needed to hear it, her worries won't rest until she hears him speak.
Naruto let go of the embrace, and held her by the shoulders, looking directly into her slit eyes.
'His eyes… it's like gazing into the sun'
"You've gazed into my soul and I've done the same. Medusa, your humanity is still there. If it wasn't, then your heart wouldn't carry all these deaths like a burden"
She raised her hands to her mouth to hide her choked gasp. Her eyes were closed and yet, tears flooded out of them.
"Lives that have been lost can never be recovered, but if you're willing to change, I will stand by your side and help you. Help you start over" he said and squeezed her shoulders firmly.
This time, as Naruto hugged her again, she tentatively raised her arms to his back and squeezed. Medusa wept in the arms of a stranger, as all the guilt, the frustration, and the emotions she had bottled for her entire existence as a monster burst forth.
For the first time in eons, someone had finally seen her as something other than a despicable monster.
Someone had seen a woman who lost her way...