I can't believe we're passed the 2000 review mark. As always, thank you to every for reading. It means the world to see how much you all are enjoying this story.

I hope you all enjoy this new instalment.

Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover

Dining With Divinity

Part X

Underworld

"Where is he taking us?" Melinoe whispered, falling into step beside Hecate. The two goddesses walked side by side, about two meters behind Jiraiya as the man led them away from the hot springs, "He hasn't said much since he told us who he was. What do you make of all this?"

Next to her, the eyes of the green goddess remained firmly on the back of their new acquaintance. She was still uneasy at how easily he took her spear from her hands. Never had a mortal or an immortal disarmed her in such quick fashion. The man was a skilled warrior, but to what degree, she was still unsure.

"It's hard to say," Hecate replied, "One moment this man is ogling naked women through a peephole in the fence of a hot spring. The next thing we know, his whole facade of a pervert disappears, and this serious personality appears.."

"You don't think he's a pervert? Or a big one, as he puts it."

"Oh, I think he is a pervert. However, there's more to him than that." She added, "Almost likes its a mask to draw someone to assess them with the hidden personality behind what you see." As Melinoe mentioned, the man hadn't told them much since the reveal earlier. After the reveal of being Naruto's godfather, he went a step further and added that he was also the blondes mentor. A mentor in what? They didn't know. He stopped there and told them to follow him if they wanted answers.

So they did, and they could only hope they didn't regret that decision.

"You know," Both turned their heads and looked at Jiraiya. The white-haired spirit was looking at them from the corner of his eye, amusement clear for all to see, "You two aren't being quiet. I can hear you."

Melinoe crossed hers as they walked, "Well, it wasn't like we trying to hide anything. Besides, don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop on someone's conversation?"

A bark of laughter escaped from the man, "I would but after years of intel gathering and listening in to peoples conversation, I've developed acute hearing whether I like it or not."

A snort broke from the Goddess of Ghosts, "Are you going to tell us where we're going yet?"

"Now, now," Jiraiya replied, making small gestures with his hands, "Don't worry about a thing. We haven't got long to go. A couple more minutes and we'll be there."

"And where are we going? You haven't given us any information." The white-haired spirit simply told them to follow him if they wanted to learn about Naruto Uzumaki. Though both were cautious about where he was planning on taking them, Melinoe wanted answers. She was close to getting them, and if it meant following this perverted man, then so be it.

Hecate, meanwhile, wasn't going to let Melinoe go too far over the line. What they were doing right now, making conversation with the spirits of the dead without the consent of Hades was a big no-no. Not to mention, they were in a part of the Underworld that was off-limits to everyone. If Thanatos came flying overhead and spotted them, then it was game over for their little adventure. He would go to Hades, and the Lord of the Underworld would drag them back willing or unwilling.

She'd seen Hades when he got angry.

No thanks! She didn't want to experience his anger directed at her. Sure, Melinoe would get disciplined in some way. Hades would surely get creative with her punishment, and Persephone would throw her two-drachma's into the matter. The Queen of the Underworld liked to stay involved in that way, despite being stuck on the surface. But for Hecate? She could see Hades concocting something special for her. In a sense, she was enabling Melinoe to go on this little quest of hers. She caught her red-handed and chose to help her rather than convince her not to go ahead with her plan.

"Don't worry. Don't get your panties in a bunch over little details."

"What did you say!"

He spun his head around, giving them a view of his face. Jiraiya frowned with his lips pouting forward, "You know, for a pair of goddesses, you're not nearly as fun as I thought you'd be. You take everything so personally." His hands came up and rested behind the back of his head. There was a jovial step to his walk, "You know, this is the first time I think a goddess-like yourself has ever come all this way to our little slice of paradise. At least, since we all first moved in. Man, that was a long time ago."

"So, you have met another god before?" Melinoe asked.

Jiraiya nodded, "Oh yeah, for sure. As I said, it was a long time ago. I remember when this place uses to be a big bowl of chaos. You couldn' tell which way was left or right, or up and down. You use to have to go with the flow and all that."

Both immortals nodded. His words confirmed what they initially knew about the time frame of the old souls, "You talk about the time the Underworld was under the watch of the Titan, Iapetus. A time when the souls of the dead ran rampant over the Underworld."

The white-haired man shrugged, "I guess. I don't know anyone by that name. Then again, that proves the guy didn't do his job of running the show. All I remembered is one day, some big guy in a helmet appeared one day and started judging us by the good and bad deeds in our lives. Many of us came here and other's we never saw again."

Melinoe nodded. It sounded like her father was much more hands-on when it came to the judging on the souls that came into his domain. These days, he left it to his three judges. Minos, Rhadamanthus and Aeacus. The trio had served as the judges of the dead for a long time. Though they did the job well, Melinoe felt the three took too many liberties with the power they wielded. All three had inflated egos. It was only natural with the given responsibilities they were possessed.

Perhaps a change was in order soon.

"The man in the helmet was my father," Melinoe revealed, observing how Jiraiya's dark eyes settled on her, "He's Hades, Lord of the Underworld."

This time, Jiraiya nodded, "You don't say. The name does ring a bell." Call him too curious, but he'd always wondered who the man in the helmet was. The memory was something that lingered in the back of his mind, even after all these years. He appeared out of nowhere, forming from a shadow that would have made the Nara's envious. No one had sensed him. It was like he blinked into existence. He didn't give them time to react before they were all wrapped up into the shadows. The next thing anyone knew, they were in this paradise called Elysium, and it was to be there home until the end of time. Some faces disappeared entirely. They weren't as squeaky clean as the rest of them. He wasn't sure where they went, but he had a feeling they didn't go without putting up a fight, "So he runs the showdown here, and you're his heir? A princess?"

A scowl heavily marred Melinoe's face, "Don't call me that."

"Mou, mou, so serious."

The goddess growled through her teeth, while Hecate rolled her eyes and listened to the back and forth. Jiraiya sure knew how to push Melinoe's buttons. She pitched in her thoughts on his words, "As gods or goddess, we do not have heirs the same way mortal rulers do. Though Melinoe is the daughter of Lord Hades, that by no means sets her up as a candidate to one day rule the Underworld. As immortal beings that live forever, we could potentially rule over our domains forever. Typically, there are two ways for a god or goddess to give up their rule over such things."

"Such as?"

"For that god or goddess to willingly separate themselves from their domain, though no immortal in their right mind would ever do such a thing. Our domains help make us what we are," Hecate explained, with Melinoe nodding along with her words, "The second is for that immortal to be removed from the picture indefinitely."

Jiraiya nodded, "When you say indefinitely, you mean," He ran his finger across his throat with a knowing expression on his face.

"Correct."

"Boy, oh bo-"

"Kya! I got you now!"

The sound of someone shouting caused the two goddesses to jump back in mild surprise before Hecate reformed her spear into her hands. They needn't have worried, as a blur dived out of one of the tree's to the left, aimed at the white-haired spirit taking the lead. They both watched as a look of annoyance washed over his face, and saw as he side-stepped out of the way, and stuck one hand out. His hand grabbed the blur, spinning his body as he caught them in his grip, and hung them upside down.

'Incredible reflexes,' Both immortals thought. It was beyond anything modern demi-gods, and some gods could perform. He did it effortlessly too.

"Nice try gaki, but you're still too young to pull one over on me, you know," Jiraiya exclaimed, grinning down at the body caught between his fingers, "Try again in a few more centuries. Maybe you'll have better luck." He started poking the smaller body with his index finger, causing them to squirm and try to sway away.

"Mouuu, Pervy Sage!" The body wiggled harder in the air, trying to escape though found little luck.

"Would you stop calling me that!"

Hecate and Melinoe snorted at the name. It was strangely appropriate for the man.

As the two listened to the back and forth between Jiraiya and his assailant, the two lingered their gaze. The new spirit was a young girl, somewhere between twelve and fourteen. She was on the petite side with a light complexion, and dark blue hair cut into a bob. Melinoe found herself admiring the colour. She'd never seen naturally blue hair before. At least, not on a human before. She was cute in the girl next door kind of way, with a round face and blue eyes. A striking feature both found themselves staring at was the two whisker marks on either side of her cheeks.

'Whisker marks.' Melinoe thought. A familiar blonde barista had similar markings on his cheek if she recalled. Not to mention, the pull she was feeling for this girl in her gut was immensely strong. It was stronger then what she initially felt from Jiraiya.

"What are you doing here, Hima? Did your Mom send you?" Jiraiya asked, finally putting the girl on the floor. Despite the initial annoyance on his face, both goddesses could see the endearment in his eyes and voice. She must have been someone near and dear to him since she was trying to plant her foot in his face moments earlier.

The girl patted her jumper down, before dazzling them all with a smile that struck all their hearts, "Nope! Grandma sent me. She said to tell you to move your lazy butt. Otherwise, they'll be no food left for you, and we're making Boruto's favourite. Grandma said if you're not there soon, then you're going without."

"You know spirits don't need food."

"They don't need to peep, but you still do it." She shrugged her shoulders, looking at him with absolute innocence.

"Fine, fine." He replied, before pointing over to the pair of immortals watching them curiously, "Can't you see I have guests following me. That's why I'm late. Why don't you say hello."

Before Melinoe and Hecate could blink, the girl was in front of them. Her big blue eyes blinked up at them, filled with excitement and curiosity. "Wow! You're new!"

The pair looked at one another. "Hello," Both said, greeting the young woman.

"We haven't had anyone new in forever! Like in...a long time." She put her hands in the air to amplify how long.

"That's typically what forever means," Hecate told her in a matter of fact tone.

"They know. I said that already," Jiraiya replied, motioning for them to keep going and resuming the trip, "Let's keep going. I don't want Kushina and Tsunade to have my ass for being late."

"But who are they?"

"Why don't you ask them. It's polite to introduce yourself before asking for someone's name, remember."

The little girl did just that, and spun around on her heel to face them again, "Hi! I'm Himawari. Who are you?!" She poked her thumb into her chest.

'She's very peppy and spirited.' They thought before Melinoe went ahead and explained who they were. Suffice to say, learning she was in the presence of two goddesses was enough for her eyes to sparkle in fascination and excitement.

"Wow! You're actual goddesses!?"

"We are."

"And you live forever?"

"Last we checked."

"Wow! Does that mean you know my Dad?"

"Your Dad?" Hecate asked. The moment Melinoe heard that her thoughts began to spin. The image of Naruto Uzumaki appeared in her mind and started comparing his face with the little girls. There was a great deal in their features that were alike. The blue eyes. The round face. The smile. The whisker-like markings on their cheeks. It was as if someone copied his likeness on this little girl.

"The one you're asking about," Jiraiya nodded his head towards her, "Naruto's her father."

Neither appeared surprised. Even Hecate, who hadn't met the blonde shinobi had a feeling that the way it was leaning, "I thought as much. The likeness is uncanny." Melinoe replied.

"Mom says I look a lot like my dad, but you should see Boruto," Himawari added, falling into step next to Hecate and surprising the elder-looking woman. With her hands behind her back, Himawari looked the picture of innocence.

"Boruto?"

"My big brother. He's three years older, though I'm much more mature." Himawari looked proud of that statement, gaining a smug look, "Even Mom says so. Grandma says girls mature quicker then boys, even if they're younger."

"I see. Are there any more kids we should be aware exist? Or does the drachma stop with you and your brother?"

"Nope. Just the two of us." Himawari's face scrunched up in confusion, "What's a drachma?"

The back and forth between Himawari and the immortals continued for the duration of the journey. The pair of immortals answered what they could, though every time Melinoe was about to respond with a question of her own, Himawari would beat her to it. If she didn't know any better, she would have said the girl had Aphrodite's divine essence running through her. However, she couldn't sense a single drop within her body and put that thought to rest.

Eventually, after another ten minutes of walking and making idle chat with their fourth companion, they found themselves at the end of the path with Jiraiya standing at an opening in the tree waiting for them.

"So, are you both ready?"

"Ready? For what?"

"To get your answers." He revealed, "To understand who Naruto Uzumaki is and the man he is, you have to speak to the people who knew him the best. The people he affected while still alive and who made the biggest impact on him as a person. As much as I'd like to take all the credit, I'm but one factor to his make-up. To understand him, you have to speak to the people who love him the most."

Both nodded and made a step forward when Jiraiya put his arm, blocking their path.

"What is it?" Hecate asked, glancing at the man from the corner of her eyes. Her spear was still in her grip and toyed with it between her fingers. Deep down, a small part of her hoped he tried something. Despite being willing to aid Melinoe in her quest to know more about Naruto Uzumaki, the Goddess of Magic wanted to demonstrate his taking off her spear was a fluke. She wouldn't be caught unprepared again.

"I want to make one thing clear about what your walking in too." His dark eyes hardened. Despite being a spirit, an aura of authority hummed around him, reminding them both of the elder gods. It was a way to command the attention of the people in the room, "I've let you come this far because I think you're honest in your intentions, and I like to think I'm a good read on people. Then again, I willingly admit that in the past, I've made some mistakes, and put my trust in the wrong people." The image of his former teammate flashed across his mind, "All I'm going to tell you both is this. If I detect even a hint of deceit in your words, and about your intentions, you will be sorry."

The air bristled around the two immortals, and both stood straighter. The atmosphere became heavier.

"Are you threatening us, spirit?" Hecate asked, wishing now more than ever to poke him full of holes with her spear.

"It's not a wise course of action," Melinoe added, standing shoulder to shoulder with the elder immortal. The whites of their eyes began to glow, and shine with brilliant gold.

One would have thought two goddesses like themselves standing side by side and facing down a single soul would have forced the individual to shudder in terror and regret speaking. Instead, the white-haired man backed up his claim by crossing his arms and staring them down, refusing to budge or show the change in the atmosphere bothered him.

Himawari merely smiled off to the side, and patiently waited for them to finish with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Maybe not, but my words still stand," Jiraiya added. He showed no sign of letting the leak of power coming from the pair bother him. It looked like it barely tickled him.

Allowing for cooler heads to prevail and seeing their show of strength wasn't having the desired effect, Melinoe was the first to lose her glow, followed soon after by Hecate. The power leaking out form them was only a small portion of their divine essence, but neither could afford to release anything higher. Otherwise, they run the risk of being noticed by Hades and Thanatos.

"We stand by what I told you earlier. We're here to learn and nothing more. Afterwards, we'll leave you all peace."

A hum emanated from Jiraiya's throat, glancing at the two immortals for a moment, "Just so you know if you did try something," He pointed his thumb at the opening, "The people on the other side will make you regret it. We might not have our chakra in death, but that doesn't make us useless."

With that, Jiraiya spun around walked through the entrance and made a motion for everyone to follow him. Himawari skipped along in front of them, and after a moment of letting his words sink in, Melinoe and Hecate followed suit. Just who in the world was waiting for them on the other side?

And what was chakra?

Stepping through the clearing, Melinoe found herself stopping after only a couple of steps through the opening in the trees. The area they were in was idyllic, and how mortals must imagine paradise. A small lake sat to the left of them with a bank of white sand settled between the water and the grass. One the sand, she spied a group of people with their backs to them, situated around a barbeque and a set picnic blankets. What made her stop, however, was the man waiting for the halfway between them and the group.

If she didn't already know Naruto Uzumaki was alive, she would claim that he stood in front of them. The same blue eyes, and the shock of golden sun-kissed hair. He looked no older than his mid-twenties. When the man began walking closer, Melinoe started to see the slight differences between them. The man's hair was longer, with bangs framing his face, and his face was more angular. He lacked the whisker-like markings on his cheeks too and held an aura of confidence around him. Looking at him with a hard gaze, she could tell he was the kind of man who would catch the attention of the Goddess of Wisdom. His eyes held an intelligence in them that would catch her attention with a glance.

"Jiraiya-sensei. It's about time you arrived," They heard the man reply, stopping a few feet from Jiraiya and smiling at the older man, "And you brought guests?" His gaze swept over them, and to their surprise, gave a small bow, "It's nice to meet you. I'm Minato."

"Grandpa! Look! Look!" Himawari skipped over to the man, and the pair watched as Minato put his arm around the girl and placed a delicate kiss on the top of her head. The act made the girl beam with delight, "These are my two new friends, Melinoe and Hecate. Their goddesses! And they know Dad!"

'This is Naruto's father." Melinoe realised in her head and shared a look with Hecate. The Goddess of Magic noticed realised it too, 'He must have died young if he looks the same age as his son.'

Minato blinked in surprise. His mouth was trying to form words, but nothing was coming out. He turned to look at Jiraiya, who remained silent, though nodded his head to confirm her words.

Audibly gulping, he asked, "You know my son?" A hopeful look was in his eyes.

"We do."

"They came hoping to learn more about the blonde gaki," Jiraiya mentioned, as he set off towards the group resting on the sand. The group were all looking their way, likely wondering who their guests were, "I saw no harm."

Instantly, Melinoe and Hecate found themselves ushered forward, with Minato gently guiding Melinoe forward and Jiraiya walking behind her at a leisurely pace. Hecate was being pulled forward by Himawari, the little girl with one of her hands on the goddesses wrist. Though surprised at how overly friendly the young girl was, she didn't fight it and make a scene. The girl appeared curious about her. She wasn't used to children acting in such a way around her. Most tended to keep their distance thanks to the mysterious aura she outputted.

"Kushina! Come here for a moment!" Minato called out, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"You too, Mama! Boruto!" Himawari shouted, giggling all the while.

Shrugging, Jiraiya added his voice, "Hime. You might as well too."

Reacting to the voice, Melinoe watched as the four figures, now realising they were the bodies of three women and a teenage boy, all got up and met them halfway.

The first person Melinoe paid attention to was the teenage boy. It wasn't hard to determine who he was, given he shared the same blonde hair and blue eyes as his father and grandfather. The main difference was the scar that ran down his right eye, given him the kind of appeal that would draw the likes of Aphrodite out from her temple. He was handsome too, not that it looks was doing anything for her. It was just something she noticed. He stood taller than the three women.

From the women, the first she focused on was the woman in the middle. It was hard to look away. Her hair was the most beautiful shade of red Melinoe had ever seen and reached to her shins. It was perfectly straight, with it flowing from side to side like a velvety curtain. It was hard not to reach out and run her hand through to see if it was as silky as she imagined. Her eyes were the colour violet, and she stood the shortest of the three women. Looking at her features, Melinoe could see distinct similarities between this woman and Naruto.

The shape of her face.

The shape of her eyes.

Her smile.

She could only be one person.

The second woman also had a feature that caught her attention, though it wasn't her hair.

'Woh! Look at the size of those!'

Admittedly, the first thing she noticed was the woman's chest. To say she was busty was an understatement. Her grandmother, Lady Demeter, was known throughout Olympus to be the bustiest of her fellow goddesses. Something she enjoyed lauding over them whenever she had too much of Dionysus's wine. This woman was comparable, if not a little bigger! If she was still alive, she had no doubt one of the gods would have tried to woo her.

Along with her notable bust, her blonde hair fell into pig-tails down to the middle of her back. Her eyes were also hazel. She was beautiful.

'Who am I kidding? All I can look at are those giant melons!'

Ending with the third woman, she too was beautiful and exotic looking. One look at the woman's indigo hair cut into a bob was enough for Melinoe to know who she was. Like Naruto, many of her features passed down to Himawari. Her skin was a tone lighter than the other two women but stood the tallest out of the three. She dressed conservative, but it did little to hide the curves sitting beneath the fabric.

What was it with the women of the Golden Age? Why were they all stunning? Something in the water? Aphrodite wasn't born from the sea until centuries later, so there were no daughters of Aphrodite running around yet.

"Let me introduce you to four of the most important people in the gaki's life," Jiraiya told her, and pointed at each one as they neared the group, "The kid is Boruto, his son. Though you probably already figured that out." Melinoe nodded, "The blonde woman is Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage and my old teammate. You could say she was a motherly figure in his life, trying to keep him on the straight and narrow when his knucklehead ways got him into trouble. The redhead is Kushina, his Mom, and Minato's wife. She runs a tight ship in their marriage if you know what I mean." He followed up his statement with a whip noise. In front of them, Minato turned and frowned at his sensei, earning a shrug from the older man, "Finally, the lovely lady with indigo hair is Hinata, his wife and the love of his life."

Though she figured that out already, Melinoe was grateful for the confirmations.

"Who's this?" Tsunade asked the first to reach them with a raised eyebrow. She looked the two goddesses up and down, her guard up around the pair of strangers, "I've never seen either of them from around here, and we know everyone. Who are you, girlie?"

'Girlie?'

Melinoe and Hecate opened their mouths to speak, though Jiraiya beat them to it.

"Now, now, Hime. Is that any way to speak to a pair of goddesses." Jiraiya asked.

Instantly, both eyebrows rose from the statement. "Goddesses? Seriously, Jiraiya? How much sake have you been drinking?"

"It's true. I swear!"

"It's true, Granma Tsunade! They are goddesses!" Himawari added, letting go of Hecate and moving next to Tsunade, looking up at her with those big blue eyes, "Pervy Sage wouldn't lie about something like that."

"I think you give him too much credit," Tsunade mumbled, though patted the little girl on the head.

Jiraiya slumped, his arms hanging in the air, "So mean, Hime."

"For good reason, you perve!"

'Okay, this is taking longer then I imagined.' Melinoe thought and decided to intervene before an argument broke out. The blonde woman, Tsunade, looked ready to knock Jiraiya in the air if the twitch of her right fist was any indication.

"He tells the truth. My name is Melinoe, Goddess of Ghosts and the daughter of Hades, Ruler of the Underworld." That piece of information was enough to catch their attention, "I'm here to learn about Naruto Uzumaki."

Instantly, their backs all straightened and stared at the goddesses with something akin to wonder and shock.

"You know my Dad!" Boruto whispered, his eyes shimmering with a mixture of denial and hope.

"I wouldn't say I know him, but I've met him." She revealed, their focus on her unwavering, "He's a peculiar man. Since he appeared, the gods of my family have been drawn to him like a flame attracts a moth. You're souls that predate my family, the Olympians. We are a family of gods that rule over much of the world in secret, doing so for over five thousand years. Naruto Uzumaki, for reasons I failed to understand at first, had connections and ties to you all, which should be impossible. Now though, that question is answered given I have learned your relations with him. However," Her frown deepened, "A new question has appeared. If Naruto Uzumaki was alive in your time, a time we refer to as the Golden Age, then how is he still alive all these millennia later?"

As she spoke, everyone, Jiraiya, Himawari and Minato included, looked as if a fist hit them in the gut. Minato turned around and put his hands over his head, now letting everyone see his trouble expression. His wife moved over to his side, a dazed expression on her face, mumbling something to herself and shaking her head.

"Minato.."

"I know, Kushina. I know."

"Why isn't he here with us?" The question broke through as a sob escaped the red-haired woman, prompting her blonde husband to put an arm around her shoulders and bring her in close.

"Five thousand years?" Jiraiya muttered to himself, shaking his head and looking at the ground.

"Has it been that long?" Boruto added, his hands in his pockets and swallowed a thick gulp.

"Time works a little different in here compared to the rest of the world," Hecate revealed, watching Himawari move to stand beside her mother, "After a while, time becomes distorted."

"Is-Is he okay?" A muffled voice asked. The voice came from Hinata, the pale-eyed woman who had her mouth covered by her hands. Her knee's looked ready to give out. Slowly, she was walking until she stopped a foot away from the goddess of Ghosts, "Is he okay?"

"For the most part," She revealed, revealing what she sensed from Naruto concerning his emotional ties to them, "He misses you all. He misses you all a great deal."

A sob broke from Hinata, "We miss him. I-I miss him."

"Do you have any answers to my question? How after all this time, he's still alive?"

She was hoping for some kind of answer that would fill in the blank pieces in her mind. If anyone knew, it must be the family?

To her disbelief, it was Boruto who answered her, and it wasn't the answer she hoped to get.

"We were hoping you might know that answer...beasue we don't know either."

After the eventful day at the Fox's Den and finding himself forced to close early for the day, the blonde shinobi found himself entertaining his two guests at his home. Despite living in New York for nearly six months, this was the first time he had guests. Fortunately, he didn't need to worry about impressing either of them with the inside of his home. Any renovations he was making to the townhouse ended over a fortnight ago, leaving him pleased with the work he and his clones put in.

One guest was still unconscious in one of the guest rooms. A glass of water sat on the bedside table, with a pack of aspirin ready and waiting for the oncoming headache the blonde woman was going to experience. He didn't envy her. Then again, she only had herself to blame.

His other guest though he was entertaining in his kitchen, awaiting the dinner he promised her when transporting them from the Den. Her dark blue eyes radiated excitement and licked her lips as the smell wafted around her nose. It was adorable. A glass that was half-full of juice sat to one side with a tiny splash next to coster. A stack of papers with coloured pens and pencil sat neatly in the corner.

"Order up! One cheeseburger with no pickles and a side of curly fries for the little lady." Naruto called out, striding across his kitchen with the plate resting on his fingertips.

"Yay!" The little girl cheered, eyes lighting up when the plate sat in front of her.

Bringing Thalia and her Mom to his home was not something he planned when the older woman fell into unconsciousness. His first train of thought had been to call the emergency services and have someone come and pick them up. In all likely hood, ending up drunk with your kid in tow would not go down well with the authorities. If the local child services got involved, they would inevitably conduct some form of investigation on the pair. They would want to know if today's actions on the mother's behalf for getting drunk in the middle of the day was a regular occurrence or a one-off.

Either way, he'd been a second away from walking to his phone when he noticed eyes watching them from across the road, hidden behind the trashcans and dumpsters. Someone like Thalia, who gave off an aura that attracted the worst kind of creatures in her general direction, was like honey to a hungry bear. To him, monsters left him well enough alone, no matter which corner of the world.

Let's just say, monsters, no matter the pantheon, chose to keep their distance from the shinobi. It wasn't in their best interest unless they wanted a one-way ticket to Hell.

Monsters, no matter what form they took, took a keen interest in Demi-Gods. It was like they were the special of the day on a menu for an exclusive diner that catered only to monsters. A rare treat that they couldn't ignore, no matter how hard they tried. Little Thalia, with the aura she didn't know she possessed, was like a magnet for those monsters. If it wasn't for his presence near the little girl, then he imagined those monsters would have tried to swarm the house if the opportunity appeared. He wasn't about to let that happen.

So, before leaving the Fox's Den with Thalia clinging to his side, and her mother sleeping on his back in the form of a piggyback, he sent another clone to take care of the creature before it gathered it's courage.

When the memories of his clone returned to him, all he found was his clone landing on the shoulders of a wide-shouldered one-eyed man. He didn't give the creature a chance to react before twisting his body around and snapping the creature's neck with an audible crunching noise. The last thing he saw was the monster bursting into a cloud of gold dust before the clone dispelled himself.

Taking a seat next to her at the little table tucked away in the kitchen, he watched with an amused smile as she tore away at the burger. He tried not to laugh, but the little girl had ketchup all over her mouth. She was about to wipe her mouth with her sleeve before he stopped her. Grabbing a napkin laid out on the table, he gently wiped her face.

"We don't want ketchup and grease all over you nice clothes, do we?" He couldn't stop the smile on his face.

"It doesn't matter. It's only clothes!" The girl whined, causing him to chuckle. The way she wriggled around and pouted when he cleared her face reminded him of the times he did something similar for Boruto. Himawari was a little angel when it came to keeping herself clean. Boruto, on the other hand, was the polar opposite. If he saw a puddle in the street, his little boy had to jump in it, while Himawari would walk around it. Judging by Thalia pouty face, she was in the same vein as his son.

Then again, he was the same way at that age too.

"I know, but I'm sure you're Mom spent a lot of money on them. We don't want to ruin them, do we?"

The pout continued, and his smile widened when she let out a low huff. She was so cheeky!

Before long, she was devouring the curly fries at an astonishing rate, reminding him of a particular customer who shovelled cake into her mouth like it was her last meal. At the very least, Thalia had better table manners and stopped to breathe.

"Wow." He said, watching as Thalia finished the final few curly fries and look up at him with those big blue eyes, "That was yummy?"

The little girl hummed, nodding her head, "Uhuh! It was good! It was the best burger ever!"

"Really!? Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I don't get to make cheeseburgers and curly fries often, but I'm glad you liked it."

She grinned up at him, "They're my favourite!"

"I could tell. I didn't think someone so small could eat it that quickly. I wonder where it all goes?"

Thalia's face scrunched up, "Mouuu, I'm not little!"

Chuckling, he patted the top of her head. Despite having met a few hours ago, he got the chance to chat with Thalia as prepared her dinner. He listened to her retell the story of what happened with her Mom in a way only a four-year-old could. It took a few minutes to absorb the information, but he thought he understood the gist of what happened yesterday.

According to Thalia, she and her Mom lived in L.A. At least, that's what he assumed when she said she lived in a house near the big word on the hill. She and her Mom had gotten on a plane yesterday and flew to New York, with her Mom bringing with them a suitcase full of dresses, shoes and make-up. From the way she described them, it sounded like they weren't the cheap kinds either. He got the feeling Thalia didn't care much for dresses and made a face when she described her Mom spending the whole night trying on different dresses and different shoes. When they woke up, she dragged Thalia out and told her they were going to see her father.

Afterwards, she reiterated what he already knew. They went to the big building, the Empire State Building, and tried to get in the elevator. However, before they could step through the gates, a man stopped them and told them they couldn't go up. Her Mom argued with the man, pulling Thalia in front of her and pointing to her. The man looked at her once but repeated the same thing over and over again.

That's when her Mom started shouting, demanding to see Zeus.

'Zeus.' Naruto thought, his fingers tapping against the table.

The Big Man of Olympus.

The God of the Sky.

The King of the Gods.

And Thalia's biological father.

He knew Thalia's divine parent had to be a powerful god, but he didn't think it was would be that one. Mythology always pictured Zeus the same. A large, broad-chested man standing larger then any man had any right to be, wielding the power of lightning with his bare hands and casting judgement onto those who wronged him. He was married to a beautiful goddess, and yet couldn't help but be led astray and into the waiting arms of one woman to the next. In this case, that woman was Thalia's Mom, and Thalia was the result of their union.

Despite all his time walking the world, the blonde shinobi didn't have the pleasure of meeting the man. A part of him hoped he didn't have to. The God of the Sky didn't provide him with the best impression.

Eventually, Thalia's Mom gave up and found herself in a bar not far from the famous skyscraper. Apparently, to his surprise, Thalia's mom was a famous tv actress. He wasn't big on tv, so this was news to him. When she stepped into the bar, no one paid any attention to the little girl that was with her. All they cared about was giving the celebrity free drinks and gaining some of the fame she carried with her. After a few hours, she wound up at the Foxs Den, and the rest was history.

He could only imagine what someone of Thalia's age thought of the whole situation. A mother who drunk her sorrows away, and a father who was absent for all her life. Her mom had done enough thus far for Thalia that she appeared to be happy and healthy. However, in his mind, a cocktail of chaos was slowly beginning to bubble up from within the small family unit. Thalia's mom had fallen into the hands of God and fallen for his charm. Now, despite being given the greatest gift of all, it still wasn't enough.

Feeling someone pull on his shirt sleeve, Naruto broke out of his thoughts and turned to Thalia.

"Sorry, Thalia. Did you say something?"

"I said, what are we having for dessert?" He could see the excitement in her eyes. Seeing that look, how could he disappoint her?

The smile returning to his face, Naruto stood up from his chair and tapped his chin.

"Hmm, let me think." He wandered over to the fridge and opened the door to the mini freezer. Building up dramatics, he reached inside and shuffled his hand to build up the dramatics. Thalia had turned around on her chair, her knee's resting on the seat and her chin and fingers sitting on the backrest. The little girl gave Naruto her full attention as he continued to mess around.

Pulling out his arm, he pulled out a big tub of ice cream and laughed when he got an excited yelp from Thalia. He could have made anything for the little girl. If she wanted it, then he would make it, no matter how long it took him. Cake, pie, tarts, anything. However, sometimes when you've had a hard day, and you needed comfort food, there was few better than ice cream. Sometimes, even he enjoyed taking the tub out of the freezer and chowing down with a spoon in his hand.

Pulling out a little spoon for Thalia and a big spoon for himself, he flicked off the top of the tub with his thumb and planted it on the table between them. Handing her the spoon, Thalia was quick to notice the flavour.

"Chocolate!" Thalia said in glee. Naruto winked at her and made her giggle. Chocolate was the best flavour.

"Of course. It's the best flavour." Scooping some up, he sighed happily as the rich taste of the icecream enveloped his tastebuds, "You better take some, or I might eat it all."

He heard the gasp from Thalia and watched the little spoon get put into action. Soon enough, her face covered in ice cream. Unlike before, he didn't wipe her face since he was aware of the streak of chocolate running down his chin. He heard Thalia giggle at his face, and stuck his tongue out in response. When she did the same, the two fell into a fit of giggles.

All the while, one thought was running through his mind.

'Don't get too attached.'

It was hard not to. The little girl was like a breath of fresh air. A pure soul that he wasn't sure the world deserved.

She would be gone once her Mom woke up, returning to L.A, and he would be a memory she would forget.

Hours later, Naruto found himself in the second guest bedroom, gently lowering Thalia onto the sheets. The little girl had been a bundle of energy after her dessert, and after a while, he found himself dusting off some old board games in the attic to keep her entertained. It was after the sixth game of chutes and ladders did Thalia's eyes begin to droop. He told himself it was only a matter of time. He stood correct when she released a series of yawns.

Having the sense to send a clone to pick up an extra toothbrush while they played, he took the girls shoes and socks off before lowering her head onto the pillow. He chuckled when a cute little snore broke out. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow. He pulled the covers up to her shoulders, watching with tender eyes as she shuffled around before falling still. Soon enough, the only sounds coming from Thalia were the sounds of her breathing.

"Goodnight Thalia." He whispered, lowering himself to kiss the girl on the head but stopped himself halfway. A frown washed over his face, shaking his head as the realisation of what he was doing hit him. Instead, he gently patted her on the shoulder and tiptoed out the room, leaving the halfway light on and the door ajar slightly. Most kids didn't like the dark.

"What a day this turned out to be." He muttered to himself, noticing the door to Thalia's mother's room was still closed. He was beginning to doubt the woman would be up until tomorrow. She already slept the rest of the afternoon and the evening away. Heading down the staircase, he picked up a small stack of paper on a side cabinet beside the doors and headed into his kitchen. Making himself a coffee, decaff, since he didn't want to be up all night, he settled in for the evening and took out a pen from one of the many draws spread out through the kitchen.

Ripping open the seal on the envelope, he sighed as he laid out all the bits of paper occupied inside.

Bills. Everyone's favourite chores. These were the bills for The Fox's Den.

"Alright. Let's assess the damage this time."

It was around 11 pm, just as Naruto had finished up his duties for the evening that he heard movement coming from above him. The bills were paid and filed away, and the specials for the next couple of weeks finished when the familiar sound of feet hitting carpet reached his ears. Putting down his half-drunk second decaffeinated coffee of the evening, he focused on the movement coming from above.

He closed his eyes. The footsteps wandered the guest room for a couple of minutes. She was likely gathering her bearings and trying to figure out where she was. It must have been disorientating waking up in a place you didn't recognise after binging harsh alcohol. Her head must have been killing her, and he hoped for her sake, she took the painkillers he left on the bedside table.

After five minutes, he heard the sound of the guestroom door open with a soft click and his guest walk into the hallway. The footfalls went all along the carpet, the clicks of doors opening as the woman checked each room. When she got to room Thalia was residing in, he listened to her walk inside, and approach the bed. He could picture it in his head, the blonde woman with her hair a mess kneeling next to the bed her daughter was sleeping peacefully in, her hand gently stroking the top of her hair. She would whisper soft nothings in her ear. Little things that a parent would say to their children while they slept.

He smiled at the image.

Instead, he was surprised to hear her say nothing, not even a whisper. She stayed in there for a minute top before he heard her leave the room. His eyes reopened as her feet hit the stairs and started descending to the ground floor. A frown formed on his face.

'What's she doing?' He thought to himself. He slowly stood up and settled himself under the arch that connected the hallway and the kitchen, waiting for the woman to appear. A pit was forming in his stomach. One he hoped was over nothing.

Eventually, Thalia's Mom set foot on the ground floor, her shoes in one of her hands along with her purse. She stopped momentarily to let out a series of coughs, before wiping her mouth with her hand and rubbing it away on her clothes. He almost snorted at the action. It was the same action as her daughter from earlier.

Patiently, he was waiting for her to turn around and notice him, watching as she slipped her feet back into her heels. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and his breath hitched. Instead of turning around, her hand reached the handle for the front door.

'She wouldn't.'

Click

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

The sound of his voice was enough to make the woman jumped a foot in the air. She spun around and pressed her back against the door, pushing it to a close. Her wide eyes looked at him fearfully as he leaned against the wall, staring at her with a neutral gaze. Her blonde hair swept down one side, and her clothes were full of wrinkles from lying on the bed.

"Who are you?" She breathed out, a large gulp rolling down her throat. One of her hands idly played with the door handle.

"Naruto Uzumaki. You came into my coffee shop, remember?" He replied, "Or maybe you don't remember that. You weren't in the best condition when you came in." He made a motion with his hands, "This is my home. I brought you here when you collapsed." She looked better and didn't look like a zombie trying to stay upright.

"Oh."

"What's your name by the way? I'm sure you have a name, besides being known as Thalia's Mom. I'd like to know the name of the woman who collapsed at my place of work."

"B-Beryl. Beryl Grace." She replied, fear still laced in her voice, "You don't know who I am? I'm pretty famous." An incredulous looked briefly flashed on her face like she wasn't used to not getting recognised. Ahh, to be famous in the modern world.

The blonde shook his head, "I'm afraid not. Thalia said you were an actress, but I doubt I've seen anything you've acted in."

"Why not?"

He shrugged, "I'm not much of a television person, I guess. Never have been. Though, I catch the odd movie from time to time." The last movie he remembered seeing was Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace back in 1999. It was an experience.

"T-That's nice. There aren't many people like that these days."

"I'm a rare breed I guess," Naruto smiled, before adding, "Back to my earlier statement though. Where are you going? Thalia's still asleep. Don't you want to be here when she wakes up in the morning? I can make you both breakfast if you'd like that. I'm told by a reliable source that I make a damn good stack of pancakes."

He hoped to see the woman react. Instead, Beryl didn't say anything. She averted her eyes from his and was trying to look anywhere else. It wasn't going in the direction he was hoping.

Silence befell them before Naruto broke it with a deep sigh. It was a scenario that was getting worse by the second. Beryl didn't appear to want to give him an answer to his question. He could see her hand was still firmly on the door handle. Her thumb itching to twist and pull.

"You were trying to leave." He came out and said it aloud. The moment his words were spoken he noticed Beryl's shoulders twitch, and shuffle on the spot, "You were trying to abandon your daughter in the home of someone you don't know?" He wasn't exactly a stranger to Thalia anymore, but the statement still stood. He was someone the little girl had known for less than a day. No parent in their right mind would leave their child with someone they only just met.

Beryl didn't react. Instead, she kept looking at the ground and averted her gaze. In a sudden move, her hand twisted the handle, pulling the door open and breathing fresh air into the house. She turned around and tried to run out the house, but was taken aback when Naruto appeared next to her. His hand was pressed on the door and guided it back to the lock. He stood there and looked at Beryl with a frosty gaze.

"Ssshh, otherwise you'll wake Thalia."

"How did you move so fast!" She hissed, "You were on the other side of the hallway! Who are you!" The blonde shinobi was a little surprised she got over his speed so quickly but pushed it to the back of his mind. She must have been used to seeing strange things dating the God of the Sky.

"Someone who cares, and who doesn't want to watch a little girl get her heartbroken from being abandoned by the one parent she has left." He replied, "You're her mother. You're supposed to be setting an example for her!"

"I never asked to be a parent!" Beryl glared back, finding some confidence and squaring her shoulders, "It was never supposed to be the plan!"

"Plans change."

"Not mine. My plan was simple because the only person I had to worry about was myself. A child was never on the to-do list." One hand clenched into a fist, "Awards and riches were supposed to mine. I have a talent few in America can match. I was told so by everyone! Then he shows up and gets me knocked up when everything was taking off for me!" The venom behind her words surprised him, given how she'd gone begging to her lover's door just to see him.

"When Zeus showed up, you mean." Revealing his awareness to the father of her child was enough for Beryl to widen her eyes in surprise, "You were calling out his name earlier before you collapsed."

She looked like she swallowed a lemon, and pushed down a harsh gulp before asking, "So you know?"

He nodded, "I'm aware that the old myths are not as fictitious as we should believe. Can't say I've met Big Z. I'm not sure I want to if half the things I've heard are true." The gods and goddesses he'd met thus far were one thing, but the King was another matter entirely. He wasn't sure he was ready for someone with an ego that made teen Sasuke look like a chump in comparison.

He waved a hand in the air, a mask of calm taking over his face "Look. I'm not going to tell you how to run your life. At the end of the day, you're an adult, and it's your life. You get the final say in it. However," He pointed up towards the stairs, "As a parent, your actions have a ripple effect and cross over onto the lives of our children. They need us, and it's up to us to keep them safe and ensure they grow up to be happy. Do you have any idea what kind of effect your choices over the last couple of days have had on Thalia? Being dragged across the country, and forced to watch as the only parent she's ever known crumbles in front of her and throws herself into drunken oblivion!"

Beryl tried to speak, but Naruto didn't give her the opportunity and kept going.

"No, I don't think you do! Plans change! Nine times out of ten, life throws a curveball at us that change everything. You might not have the awards and riches you were hoping to have, but you have something far more precious. You have a beautiful little girl who calls you her Mom. There are people in the world who would give up everything you mentioned to have that. Being a parent is a blessing. Having a child of your own who looks up to you, who needs your love and nurture is one of the best experiences we could have. Don't throw it away because life hasn't gone the way you hoped."

All he could do was speak from the heart. Every word and the energy behind them came from his time loving and raising Boruto and Himawari, and how it made him feel watching them grow. Beryl truly didn't understand how lucky she was. Sure, she was a single parent, and that meant raising Thalia was going be harder. She wouldn't have someone to lean on as other parents did. However, with only the two of them in their little family, it meant the relationship between mother and daughter would grow strong. When Thalia grew up, they could lean on each other. Being the parent of a demigod wouldn't be easy, but he felt they could push forward as long as they had each other.

He hoped Beryl saw the light in his words.

"Are you finished with your speech?"

And his hopes were dashed as quickly as they appeared.

He looked at her with a look of disbelief. He couldn't believe it.

The woman looked at him square in the eye. There wasn't a hint of remorse or sadness in her eyes. All he saw was desperation. Desperation to get rid of the child that she felt was holding her back from attaining everything she dreamed of having.

He couldn't remember the last time he met someone who' selfishness encompassed their whole being.

Shaking his head, Naruto took a couple of steps back, giving Beryl the room to move around. His blue eyes bore into the woman, lace with anger, sadness, and disappointment. He raised his arm, extending towards the door.

"I won't stop you. All I can do is hope you see sense."

As if she was hammering the nail into the coffin, Beryl scoffed. Smoothing down her clothes, she rose her shoulders to look composed. Begining to walk, Beryl didn't even glance his way when moving past. She reached out and pulled the door open. There was no hesitation in her steps, nor did she turn to look back at the stairs that led to her daughter's location.

Watching Beryl step outside, Naruto couldn't help but grit his teeth when he saw her shoulders slack. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought there was a weight on her shoulders, and it finally lifted away. For so long, Beryl must have seen her daughter as little more than dead weight in her life, causing her to sink further and further away from the life she desperately wanted.

"She'll never forgive you," Naruto said aloud as the woman's foot hit the sidewalk, "If you walk away, I promise you it will be the biggest mistake you ever make."

His words rang through the near-silent street, the cars and the few pedestrians passing by being none the wiser as to what was happening. Beryl, for a brief moment, stopped as she prepared to take her second step, and Naruto allowed a sliver of hope to worm it's way inside. It looked like she was about to turn around by the way her torso shivered. Instead, he was left further disappointed as Beryl shook her head, her blonde locks swaying in the air before continuing to walk away.

Naruto stood there on the steps of his home, watching Beryl and hoping she would come back. She never did. When she rounded the corner and disappeared from view, he couldn't contain his feelings anymore and swung his hand down on the metal rail running along with the steps. The bars dented on impact. He turned around and headed back inside.

Closing the door behind him, he leaned on the door and closed his eyes as he took in what just happened.

"What do I do now?" He muttered to himself. Right now, a demigod no older than four was sleeping soundly, unaware that the only parent she had in her life had walked away and out of her life.

He might not have an answer, but he knew someone who could give him one.

Pushing himself off the door, he walked into the living room and kneeled in front of the old fireplace that came with the house. Making the tiger hand sign, he performed a small fire jutsu to get a fire going before throwing a few extra pieces of wood to keep the fire burning.

"That'll do," He muttered to himself, feeling the heat of the fire brush against his skin. Leaving the room and walking back into the kitchen, he focused on the blue and white tin sat beside a wooden rack with half a dozen coffee mugs sitting neatly in rows of three. Lifting the lid a dozen cupcakes sat neatly in two rows of six. The bottom row was decorated with swirls of strawberry frosting, while the top was filled with vanilla. He made them the day before and was glad he did. While they weren't necessarily needed, it did coax the person he needed to come quicker.

Food was the best method to entice a person after all.

Taking one of the vanilla cupcakes, he walked back into the living room and kneeled by the fire.

"Sorry I waited this long to invite you over, but I could use your help. I'm in a bit of pinch."

With that statement, he threw the cupcake into the fire. It took a few moments before the desired effect took hold. Instead of watching the sweet treat begin to burn, the flames wrapped around it before vanishing into smoke.

He didn't have to wait long. Half a minute later, a gentle knock at the front door alerted him to the visitor, and a familiar aura appeared outside his home. Standing up and walking to the door, he grabbed the door handle and pulled the door open. His earlier grim expression washed away, and a small smile appeared on his face as his blue eyes found himself staring into a pair of warm brown eyes. The scent of toasted marshmallows wafted around his nose.

In the palm of her hand sat the cupcake that vanished in the fire moments earlier, already half-eaten and with frosting decorating the woman's lips. He would have made fun of her, but he was too happy to see her to even think about doing it.

The woman smiled at him as she gently wiped away flecks of frosting with her index finger. Her dark hair fell into ringlets around her face, swaying as she moved.

"Hello, Naruto."

His smile widened.

"Hello, Hestia."

That was another long one. I never set out for these chapters to be 10,000+, but I tend to get carried away and we end up there anyway. As you can see, Hestia and Naruto know each other. You will see what kind of a relationship they have in the next chapter, where they will be the main focus.

You have all guessed correctly what will be happening with Thalia. I originally wanted Naruto to father a demigod with a goddess, but there are already a couple of stories where that happens. A Fathers Love being the big one that jumps out. Instead, I don't think I've seen one where Naruto takes in a demigod. It's something a bit different. The scene where Beryl leaves was hard to figure out, so I hope it was okay.

I won't spoil much. This has been a nice little time away from the cafe, but not to worry to those who love those scenes. We will be returning soon enough.

Thanks for reading everyone. Please review and let me know what you all thought.