Campout (Rewrite)

6/24/24: Sorry for the delay, but here's the rewrite for Chapter 6! I added some new dialogue and character interactions, so I hope you enjoy it.

Camp Half-Blood was currently in chaos. Its campers all stopped fighting, eating, and talking once they saw a gigantic explosion of blue energy emerge from the skies above. Each cabin representing the twelve Olympians, including Hera, was rendered completely empty as demigod children of all ages gathered together to get a closer look at the spectacle that just took place. They whispered amongst themselves in separate groups, wondering what this explosion's exact origins could be or why the faint sound of yelling could be heard before it took place.

Whatever it was, this moment managed to give Camp Half-Blood the most excitement it has seen in quite some time.

"Did you guys feel that? It shook the entire forest!" One camper hissed with fully widened eyes.

Another camper nodded along and pointed at the sky. "Who didn't, man? That blue light was as bright as the Sun. You'd have to be blind or deaf not to notice it!"

Comment after comment continued to be shared until two men rushed out of a large wooden house. It was a blue two-story building with three windows on each floor and a large deck that encircled its surrounding area. Primarily known as the Big House, it served as the main center for all of Camp Half-Blood, where quests were annually distributed and new campers were enlisted. Many other tasks and discussions were also held inside.

One such practitioner of these activities was a man with the lower body of a horse named Chiron. Fondly regarded as a legendary trainer of heroes, he sported shaggy, unkempt brown hair and a bushy beard to match. His eyebrows were equally pronounced, emphasizing the sheer intensity his dark brown eyes displayed. From the waist up, he wore a brown suit jacket with a red tie and a jade-green sweater vest hidden underneath. His lower body, like all centaurs, resembled that of a white horse with four legs and a flowing brown tail. It swished from side to side as Chiron hurriedly trotted over to his campers.

Closely following after him with far less enthusiasm was Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, vegetation, fertility, festivity, and many other domains. He was a chubby man with curly black hair and half-lidded blue eyes. They were practically bloodshot at the moment, sporting a look of pure aggravation and tiredness.

Unlike Chiron, whom sported professional attire befitting of an activities director, the former Olympian wore a yellow T-shirt filled with blotches of black leopard spots and stains leftover from his last drink. He held a Diet Coke can in his right hand, reluctantly taking swigs from the caffeinated beverage as if it were the only source of refreshment left available to him.

His most recent nap was interrupted by this incessant chatter, so Dionysus did not appear to be in the best of moods. And considering the fact that running this very camp was a punishment decreed by his father, Zeus, that was saying a lot.

"Alright, brats! What's all the commission about? You better have a damn good explanation for waking me up at a time like this." The camp director snarled irritably. He rested a hand on his head to suppress the severe headache that was threatening to take form.

Most of the campers calmed down upon seeing Camp Half-Blood's staff members. They mainly looked over to Chiron for guidance, knowing that it wouldn't be wise to get on Dionysus's nerves.

"It was crazy, Mr. D! All of us were just minding our own business when all of a sudden… BOOM! This enormous friggin' explosion appeared in the sky! I wish you guys could have seen it." A son of Hermes replied, pointing to the traces of excess smoke littered above them.

Dionysus skeptically looked up at the area in question.

"Enormous explosion, hm? You sure it wasn't the Stoll's lighting up another firecracker?"

He glanced over at the two brothers in question. Each of them had shaggy mops of curly brown hair and matching blue eyes. One of them, Travis, was noticeably taller than his younger sibling, Connor, but they were identical in every other way. They averted their gaze from Dionysus, casually whistling themselves in their usual sarcastic manner.

Chiron clasped a hand on the wine god's shoulder. "No need to point fingers. I'm certain there's a reasonable explanation for what took place."

"Well, unlike you, I don't have all the time in the world to figure that out, Chiron. We either figure out the source of this "explosion" right away or jump to our next best conclusion and save us all the headache." Dionysus snapped, thinking back to all the hangovers he's endured for the past millennia. "Gods know I've already had enough of those."

As he massaged his now-aching forehead, a series of rustles could be heard from the forest. Artemis and her wounded hunters entered Camp Half-Blood one by one, much to everyone's surprise. A majority of them were appeared to be littered with deep gashes of dried blood and torn clothing. Some were even completely unconscious due to blemishes and electrical scorch marks that the hydra burned into their skin.

Dionysus snorted. "Hmph. Guess we found the culprits…"

He rolled his eyes as hunter after hunter piled themselves inside the campgrounds. Zoë Nightshade was gently carried into the camp by a quartet of young girls, her dark brown hair shifting about from even the slightest bit of movement.

No such care was given to the snoozing Goku, however. He was dragged across the ground by his hands and covered in piles of grass-filled dirt from head to toe. His presence further confused and intrigued the curious demigods. Opinions varied amongst each camper; some were negative and positive while others were a bit more neutral.

"Why's that random buff dude with the Hunters of Artemis? Aren't they supposed to hate all guys or something?" One camper asked.

"Yeah. You think he saw them naked and they knocked him out as punishment?"

"Maybe. Not sure how he can stay unconscious with that much crap on his face, though."

Other campers had a much stranger reaction to Goku's appearance by comparison, namely those who belonged to Aphrodite's cabin.

"Mmmm. Dirt-covered face aside, he's got a great body."

"You think he's single?"

This incessant chatter was, as always, ignored by Chiron and Dionysus. They were more concerned with figuring out Artemis's reason for showing up here unannounced. It was quite rare for her to make appearances at Camp Half-Blood of all places.

She took a deep breath and calmly shuffled over to the two counselors. "Wait right here, girls. Tend to the wounded while I speak with my brother."

The Hunters did as they were told and stood in place to cycle through their remaining supplies. Unfortunately, the girls holding onto Goku took this order a bit too literally and dropped him onto the floor. His whole body plopped down with a firm splat, reducing his once powerful snores to muffled, gurgling noises.

Artemis furrowed her eyebrows and glared at them for this "accidental" mishap. They innocently shrugged their shoulders, not seeing what the big deal was in messing with the man who humiliated Zoë mere moments ago.

"Greetings, Artemis. This is definitely a surprise." Chiron greeted with a polite bow of his head. Artemis nodded in the centaur's direction with a look of noticeable indifference.

"Apologies for the unexpected visit. It was never my, nor my huntresses', intention to come here, believe me." The goddess sighed. She brushed her auburn hair back and gestured to Goku's slumbering form. "We were hunting a potential enemy of Mount Olympus per Lord Zeus's instructions and this was the closest area we could bring him to."

Dionysus grimaced. He glanced at his sister's teenage followers as they snarled at Camp Half-Blood's demigods, especially ones belonging to the opposite sex. Grumbling to himself in annoyance, his eyes then darted over to the aforementioned martial artist.

"Enemy of Olympus? You mean that orange-clad Bruce Lee wannabe over there?"

Artemis crossed her arms and nodded in confirmation. She didn't even bother replying to that poor attempt at a joke of his.

"Yes, Dionysus. This man – a mortal – is the one who projected that blue light from before."

In response to this information, a series of gasps and whispers were exchanged between each of the campers. The wine blinked a few times in disbelief, wondering how some random dude could emit such a powerful source of energy.

"You're kidding me, right? Enemy of Olympus or not, there's no way a moral like him could do that."

"Well, it appears that Son Goku here is no ordinary mortal. He possesses superhuman strength and an advanced mastery of martial arts. Such strength and skill, as I've witnessed firsthand, was powerful enough to draw blood from my forehead during our fight… if it can be even be described that way."

It was Chiron's turn to be a tad shocked by Goku's unimaginable feats. "H-He was able to make you bleed, Artemis? Without the use of any weapons?"

"Afraid so. He dealt consecutive blows to my cheek, stomach, and head using a technique that increased his current power and speed in mere seconds. Where he discovered such a versatile attack is something I have yet to divulge…" The goddess of the hunt explained in minor dismay. "To make matters worse, Goku was also able to obliterate a fully grown hydra and send it back to Tartarus all by his lonesome. That blue glow was, in fact, the result of its immediate destruction."

"A hydra in Camp Half-Blood Forest, hm? That's strange. They usually aren't sighted this time of year. Wonder if its appearance is a bad omen we should be weary of." The centaur mused to himself in thought.

"Goku believed it was lured here by his high amount of ki, or life energy. He also… spoke to the beast somehow; responding to an otherworldly form of communication that even I couldn't quite understand."

Artemis pursed her lips. Apart from the word, 'Master', and the slightest reference to Aphrodite, she had no clue what the hydra could have been telling Goku. She had a feeling it had something to do with Kronos and his Titan Army, but nothing could be truly affirmed at the moment. She would need to wait until the Saiyan regained consciousness before any more questions could be answered.

Dionysus squinted his eyes and said, "Kay', then enlighten me a moment. If this Guko, or whatever his name is, was so tough, how exactly did you manage to knock him out cold like that? You've had to have done something dirty to win this whole shebang, right?"

Without saying a word, Artemis knelt down and plucked the dart from Goku's neck. She then held it delicately in between her fingertips, so the wine god could get a better look at it.

"There are no winners or losers in the hunt, Dionysus. I simply waited until Goku was vulnerable and shot him in the neck with an enchanted tranquilizer dart. Turns out that he is unable to sense the divine energy of us gods and goddesses, leaving him wide open for a sneak attack like this one."

"Hmph. Mortals shouldn't be able to sense energy period, but at least that irksome ability of his has some limitations." snorted Dionysus in annoyance. "How long will he be out for?"

"A few hours at most if I were to guess. Despite the additional sharpness of my darts, Goku's skin seems much more difficult to penetrate than any mortal I've come across in the past. It seemed to go only halfway… as if there were some kind of protective tissue layered over his body.

Chiron shook his head in growing disbelief. "Considering that full grown Cyclopes can be put into day or month-long comas with needles like those, that's very bizarre. Are you certain he's even human at all?"

"I do not know who or what he could be. That's something I wish to figure out for myself."

The centaur and his divine associate glanced at each other in concern. Their own uncertainty of Goku's background was starting to bother them too; not that Dionysus would admit such a thing, of course.

"Well, what are you waiting for then? He's practically giftwrapped for Olympus right now, so take him there, find out everything you need to know, and be done with it." He suggested.

"I could do that, yes, but as a hunter, I need to further engage with my prey before anything else can be done with him."

Thankful that this conversation was coming to a close, Artemis simply pointed at her designated cabin. This vacant cabin, categorized as the eighth in Camp Half-Blood's total lineup of twelve, was a silver building that shone brightly in the soon-approaching moonlight.

"In this case, I wish to interrogate Goku in my cabin and properly grasp the full extent of his abilities. Then, after that, fate will decide what should be done with him on Olympus."

Dionysus slumped his shoulders and sighed. He did not like the sound of what Artemis was suggesting.

"So… that means your hunters will be—"

"Sleeping here for the night? Absolutely."

The look of smug satisfaction on her face all, but confirmed Dionysus's suspicions. He chugged the rest of his Diet Coke can and tiredly rubbed his eyes.

"Fine, fine. Do whatever you wish, Artemis. Just let Dad know that I won't be part of Sum Kugo's trial whenever it ends up happening. Leave me out of that nonsense."

"As you wish. And it's Son Goku, by the way."

"Don't care."

He then stomped over to the Big House and entered its wooden doorway without so much as a glance back at Artemis or everyone else. Chiron rolled his eyes and calmly addressed the group in Dionysus's place as per usual.

"Stay as long as you like, Artemis. I assure you that the utmost hospitality will be given to you and your hunters. And, erm, I suppose your "guest" as well."

He then shared a disapproving stink eye with Camp Half-Blood's most infamous troublemakers. They were always the campers that butted heads with the Hunters of Artemis every time they came to visit.

The Stoll Brothers and a handful of Hermes's kids grinned with faux innocence while Ares's children, particularly Clarisse La Rue, glared at the hunters as if they were all fresh hunks of meat ready to be beaten. Phoebe did the same in return.

"Your kindness is much appreciated, Chiron." Artemis replied. She then raised her hand as a sign for each hunter to move out. "Come along now, girls. Make sure Son Goku is properly restrained and guarded at all times. At least until he wakes up, that is."

In response to this warning, the goddess's teenage followers proceeded to follow her lead. Some stayed behind to pick up Goku and Zoë like they did before, but in a much more slow, delicate manner this time around.

Once all the hunters piled into Cabin #8, Camp Half-Blood's demigods spared quick glances at Goku once more. They began to wonder if the alleged powers described by Artemis were real or not.

One demigod, a daughter of Aphrodite named Silena Beauregard, stood out from the crowd. She was a beautiful girl with long, dark brown hair, blue eyes, and full red lips.

"A-Are you sure it's safe keeping that man here, Chiron? What if more monsters like that hydra are drawn to his… ki or whatever he used to destroy it?"

"Tch. Didn't you even listen to what Artemis said, Beauregard? That guy straight up spoke to the damn thing! For all we know, he could be a monster himself in disguise." Clarisse La Rue, counselor of Cabin #5, snapped. She was a tall, extremely muscular girl with long, light brown hair and the build of a football player. "Keeping him here is way more trouble than it's worth, as far as I can tell."

"Would a monster really destroy another monster, though, Clarisse? They all work for Kronos, don't they?" Connor Stoll asked in puzzlement.

His older brother, Travis, nodded. "And last time I checked, they can't be taken down with tranquilizer darts either."

"There can be a first time for anything, idiots! Whatever the hell this Son Goku freak is, I don't trust him one bit. The sooner Zeus or, even better, my dad obliterates him, the better."

Travis smirked condescendingly. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, daddy's girl…"

Clarisse suddenly glared daggers at the Stoll's and prepared to bring out her electric spear. It was five-foot long with a barbed metal tip that flickered with red light.

"What did you just call me, you little—"

"Enough, everyone! Enough!" Chiron shouted with a prominent stamp of his hoof. "None of us know what kind of person Son Goku could be. Artemis alone is the one who can properly judge his character, so let's wait until her interrogation is over and done with first before saying anything else. Is that understood?"

The daughter of Ares cursed under her breath and reluctantly nodded. Both her siblings and fellow campers did the same.

"Good."

Noticing that everyone's attention was still glued to Artemis's cabin, Chiron awkwardly cleared his throat and thought of a way to get things back under control. He then clapped both hands together, standing up straight with a small grin on his face.

"Well, with all that being said… who's up for Capture the Flag?"

At the sudden mention of Camp Half-Blood's most popular and potentially dangerous game, every single camper roared to life with newfound excitement. Their thoughts about Goku were now diverted for the time being.

Like with Artemis, all of their questions and concerns would be addressed once he woke up from his slumber. How long that would take to happen was anybody's guess.

Within Aphrodite's Temple…

A few hours after Ares hit her in the head with his baseball bat, Aphrodite's eyes slowly began to flutter open. She clutched the back of her head and winced, trying to regain the composure that was somewhat lost beforehand. The goddess of love couldn't even tell where she was, in fact. Everything after the meeting with Zeus was one big blur to her.

"W-What happened? Last time I checked, I was going to warn Goku about Artemis and then—"

Aphrodite let out a small gasp and looked around. She was back in her temple and, unfortunately, accompanied by Ares. He stood in the corner of the room, glaring at her in disgust and utter vindictiveness.

"About time you woke up." The god of war grunted. "And here I was thinking that I might have hit you too hard. Or maybe not hard enough based on the complete shitstorm you've caused…"

The goddess narrowed her green eyes. "That was a cheap shot, Ares! After everything we've been through together, I honestly expected better from you."

"Feh! The feeling's mutual, sweet cheeks. I didn't expect you to dump me for some punch-drunk hick from the mountains, yet here we are." He said. "Looks like the saying, "all's fair in love and war", is kinda bullshit when you really think about it."

"Please don't make me repeat myself. Our relationship was over long before Goku became the object of my desires and you know it, Ares!" Aphrodite spat. She then began to panic at the briefest mention or thought of Goku. "Now, tell me, where is he?! Is he safe? Did Artemis get her grimy little hands on him, after all?"

Ares was just barely keeping his temper in check. Hearing Goku's name was enough to bring his divine blood to a prominent boil. Aphrodite may have had multiple lovers in the past, but the fact that this man – this alien – won her affections without even trying drove him insane beyond godly comprehension. At this point, he wanted nothing more than to wipe him off the face of the earth and, moreover, erase him from existence.

"For your information, that punk ass alien is being held captive in Artemis's cabin at Camp Half-Blood. He's the furthest thing from safe as he could possibly be." The Greek god of war chuckled. "Not that it matters, anyway. He'll be dead and buried the moment I get my hands on him."

The love goddess balled her fists in frustration.

"But he's innocent! Condemning him for some vision that hasn't happened yet is utter foolishness! Surely even Zeus can come to understand that. He's seen all the good things Goku has done and then some."

Ares bared his teeth. He slammed a fist into the nearest pillar and smashed it to pieces, "You think I give a damn about that prophetic dream or whatever the hell Dad saw?! Cause to be frank, I really don't give a shit. What I do care about, however, is annihilating that Saiyan bastard for stealing you away from me! His life was forfeit the moment you laid your eyes on him all those months ago."

"That. Wasn't. His. Fault!" Aphrodite stressed angrily. "I can't help feeling what I feel for him. It just happened. Goku never asked to be brought to our world, so treating him like some… some deviant or criminal is wrong! He doesn't deserve it!"

Ares's expression softened a little. Through his shades, there was a slight sense of sadness laced within it.

"And what about me, Aphrodite? Do I deserve to be cast away like yesterday's trash? As if what we had for the past millennia didn't matter? IS THAT ALL I'M WORTH TO YOU?!"

The daughter of Ouranos found herself feeling a bit caught off-guard. Considering the type of god Ares was, she never thought his feelings for her went that far beyond physical attraction. Sure, they went on dates and spent a lot of time at Waterland's Thrill Ride O' Love, but he never tried to be romantic in a non-sexual sense. That just wasn't in his character.

Perhaps, overtime, she misjudged him and how much she meant to him as a lover.

"Ares… I—"

"I mean, we already have kids together, Aphrodite. Eros, Phobos, Deimos, Harmonia, Anteros… don't they matter at all? How's Goku gonna compete with that, huh?"

Aphrodite took a deep breath and inched closer to Ares on the bed. She gently cupped his cheek and looked at him eye to eye.

"What I said to you about our relationship earlier was… wrong, I'll admit. Not everything we did together was strictly out of lust; the birth of our children is proof of that fact. And I'll never regret having them with you." She could feel some stray tears building up in her eyes. "I did love you once and it's a love I'll always cherish for the rest of my days. But…"

"But what?"

To Ares's reluctance, she removed her hand from his cheek and hugged herself in newfound sadness.

"But it's time to move on, dear one. Goku has given me a chance to feel something I never have before: true love and devotion. With him, I don't feel afraid to be myself or feel shame for the actions in my past. He doesn't view me as an object of desire and actually seems to care about the person behind my beauty." Aphrodite mused with a warm smile and closed eyelids. "Maybe that's a result of him only having eyes for his wife. I don't know. What I do know, however, is that everything about him… is everything I've wanted in a man. His smile, his pure heart, his immense strength… are all inviting to me in the best way imaginable."

Seeing her rosy cheeks was the breaking point for Ares. His bitterness was now replaced with full-blown rage and resentment.

"Everything you've wanted in a man, huh? Pfft. HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The war god laughed in a sinister tone. "Well, think that nonsense all you want, but there's one thing he'll never be able to give you. Not like I can."

Licking his lips, he scanned Aphrodite's voluptuous body from top to bottom and pushed her on the bed. He then snapped his fingers, materializing Stygian Iron shackles that forcibly chained her to the bedpost.

"W-What is the meaning of this, Ares?! Release me!"

This demand was all, but completely ignored. Instead, he pounced on top of Aphrodite and pinned her to the bed. He straddled her waist, so she wouldn't be able to struggle as much.

"You've left me high and dry for 6 months, babe. You're not leaving until I give you the amount of sick pleasure that Saiyan punk will never be able to. Consider it my… going away present. Hehe."

Aphrodite, sadly, could not deny this bold claim, but his behavior still disgusted her, nonetheless. She turned her to stop him from smelling her long, flowing blonde hair.

"If you really loved me, Ares, you'd respect my wishes and let me go. What you're doing would be a bastardization of the feelings we once shared."

To her chagrin, she could feel her divine energy being weakened by Ares's Stygian Iron shackles. He had every intention of putting her in a vulnerable spot like this one. He began planting kisses down Aphrodite's neck and chest, causing a wave of heat to generate all throughout her body.

N-No. I can't come to Goku like this. Imagine what he would think of me.

Ares smiled as he saw Aphrodite bite down on her lower lip. He could tell his kisses were having an effect on her. "Oh, don't be like that, babe. There's nothing wrong with feeling a little bit of lust once in a while. That's how that monkey caught your eye, isn't it? What I'm doing will get him out of your head for sure."

Aphrodite's eyes now glowed with traces of pink energy. She did not appreciate Goku being disregarded as just some needless fling and nothing more. Right as Ares attempted to kiss her lips, she swiftly turned her head to the side and rebuffed his advances.

"Do not mock my feelings, Ares. My interest for Goku was out of love, not lust."

Ares, seeing that he still wasn't getting to her, scowled in displeasure and increased the pressure on her arms.

"Oh, please. Stop living in a fantasy world and face the facts, Aphrodite! As soon as that asshole is transported back to his own universe, you'll forget all about him. Just add him to the list of all the other mortal nobodies you banged and forgot about!"

"No."

Ares was left agape as Aphrodite rose up from the bed and increased her divine power tenfold. The Stygian Iron shackles attached to her wrists began to weaken and crack apart with each passing second.

It was then that Ares almost forgot that she was arguably stronger than him and many other Olympians. He never saw her in such a bad mood before and, honestly, being the unfortunate victim of her wrath was not pleasant.

"I've had enough of your petty jealousy, Ares. Goku needs me right now and there's nothing you, Zeus, or the others can do to stop me. It's the only way I can rectify the injustice I've brought upon the man I love."

Ares shook uncontrollably in disbelief. Not being able to convince Aphrodite took a massive toll on his already inflated ego.

"That is complete bullshit! YOU BELONG TO ME! NO ONE ELSE!"

White-hot flames erupted from Ares's jacket and sunglasses. They were tinged with purple, malefic energy that the war god, much like before, had no sense of control over.

"I said… NO!"

In an instant, Aphrodite broke free from her shackles and glowed with vibrant pink energy. A gigantic laser beam of the same color, known as a Love Blast, emerged from her chest and slammed into Ares at full power. He was sent flying into the temple's backwall, leaving a sizable indentation of cracks in its marble surface.

"Gah! What the f—"

Before the war god could recover from this attack, Aphrodite repeated Ares's prior gesture and snapped her own fingers. Large vines sprouted from inside the temple's damaged walls; each one sporting sharp thorns and rose petals of varying colors. These plants coiled around his arms, legs, throat, and, worst of all, private parts.

Their thorns pierced his skin slowly and painfully enough to draw Ichor from every portion of Ares's body. Small streams of this golden blood trickled downward from each wound, including the spot where his loins were punctured.

"Gyaaaah! Goddammit!"

The once fearsome god was left completely helpless. The more he struggled to break free, the deeper each thorn pierced his body.

Aphrodite crossed her arms, sighing in response to the pain Ares brought upon himself. "This won't hold you for long, but it will still give me enough time to see if Goku is safe. Be grateful I wasn't angrier for what you tried to do to me."

Ares shifted his head to vitriolically glare at the love goddess. The atomic explosions he had for eyes were even more destructive in nature than before.

"I'll do much worse to that Saiyan jerkoff once I see him, Aphrodite. Tell him to be prepared to fight me one-on-one! Trial or no trial, I'm going to make him suffer!"

Aphrodite stopped in place to give Ares a look of pity. It almost made her feel sorry for how things ended between them.

"Knowing the kind of man Goku is, he might be excited about that."

Without another word, Aphrodite sprouted angelic wings from her back and exited the temple. She then surrounded herself in pink energy and teleported from Olympus to the mortal world in a flash of bright light, skipping the Empire State Building's elevator to avoid any detection from Zeus or the other Olympians.

Once she left, Ares was done keeping his anger under control. Thoughts of Aphrodite's betrayal and Goku's presence brought out a demon inside the Olympian deity that no one thought could be unleashed. He seethed with rage, thinking of any possible way he could kill Goku, no matter how impossible or destructive.

He's taken everything from me. My goddess, my pride, my power. And no one – no mortal – takes anything from Ares, the god of war, and gets away with it!

Malefic purple flames erupted from his body as an aura of divine energy that melted each vine and their thorns in seconds. With his eyes now glowing a villainous bloodred, Ares shouted into the heavens with all the strength and hatred he could muster.

"GRRRAAAAGHH! SON GOKU!"

Ares then collapsed onto his knees, breathing erratically in response to the sheer power he just displayed. It felt different from his usual level of strength, yet oddly euphoric at the same time. As his wounds began to heal, the war god stoop up and clenched his fists hard enough to draw blood.

He was officially done playing around. Goku would die by his hands, whether the gods of Olympus liked it or not.

"HAHAHA! Well, if it's war they want, then it's war they'll definitely get!"

Grinning maniacally from ear to ear, Ares materialized his spear out of thin air and slammed it into the floor. He glanced over at the spot Aphrodite departed from and tipped his sunglasses down, revealing bloodred pupils filled with nothing, but the carnage of nuclear holocaust.

He then readjusted his shades and stormed over to his own temple without another word. Despite Aphrodite's best efforts to get away, the Olympian god of war already had a method of transportation that would bring him to Camp Half-Blood almost instantaneously.

He would just need to restrain himself from burning the whole entire camp to the ground once he got there.

Meanwhile…

At the around the same time within Camp Half-Blood, Goku's eyes slowly fluttered open. He let out a big yawn and looked around to see yet another location that was unfamiliar to him. The splitting headache, of course, didn't help much with the confusion he was feeling.

"Ugh. What happened?"

From what Goku could see, it was a large silver room filled with many beds similar to the one he was lying in. Some extended to other rooms in the building, and were primarily occupied by injured Hunters of Artemis. Each bed, strangely enough, also glowed a bright silver when in contact with the moon outside.

The Saiyan martial artist blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes.

"How did I even get here? And why does my mouth taste like dirt?"

He childishly stuck out his tongue and made weird faces laced with disgust. The two muscular girls standing in front of his bed were not amused one bit by what they saw. Each of them stared straight ahead as if they were motionless statues; both going out of their way to not show any emotion whatsoever. They also possessed razor sharp hunting knives, and their own bow and quiver of arrows to use if need be.

Not sensing any outward hostility from them, Goku smiled and attempted to stand up. He was just glad there were some people he could talk to in this place.

"Hi! Could you girls tell me where—"

As soon as he moved, one knife was tossed at the wall closest to his head. Part of his hair was cut by the dagger's blade as it spun around, securely indenting itself into the silver drywall deep enough to puncture it.

Goku comically widened his eyes and leaned over to the side of the bed in shock. Although he could have caught the knife easily, the sudden action still caught him by surprise. He figured Artemis's followers would be thankful to him for saving their lives, but apparently, they weren't.

The two guards glared at him as if he were a worthless piece of trash. It seemed that Goku's friendliness did not deter their bias toward the opposite sex.

"Silence, Son Goku. You will be held prisoner here until Lady Artemis comes back." One of them, Phoebe, informed in a low growl. "She wishes to speak with you."

"Prisoner?"

The man glanced down to see that his wrists were, in fact, tied down with rope. Normally, Goku would be able to break out of these "restraints" with ease, but he thought it best not to cause more trouble for everyone, including Artemis. He already had enough enemies as is, after all.

"And what am I a prisoner for exactly?"

Phoebe haughtily brushed her ginger hair to the side and snorted. "For being an enemy of my lady and all of Olympus. That's what."

"Oh… right. Artemis did mention something like that, yeah." murmured Goku in a sheepish tone. "Do you know when she'll be back?"

He got into a more comfortable position and crossed his legs Indian style on the bed. Phoebe and her fellow Hunter of Artemis just scoffed at the man's question.

"One does not simply rush Lady Artemis. You should feel lucky that a man like yourself is even being graced with her divine presence."

"Yes. All you need to know is that she will be back shortly. It's night at the moment and preparations for our departure in the morning need to be made." Phoebe grunted in agreement as she gazed up at the moon. A strip moonlight was being illuminated through one of the cabin's glass windows.

Goku's jaw practically dropped to the floor. He had no idea it was that late already.

"Wait, what? IT'S NIGHT?! How long was I asleep for?"

His loud gasps caused some of the sleeping Hunters to groggily stir awake, much to Phoebe's chagrin. In that moment, she was prepared to either rip Goku limb from limb or use him as target practice for her other knives.

"Approximately 6 hours. It could have been much longer than that, so be thankful the effects of my dart weren't as potent as usual."

The three turned around to see Artemis standing nearby. She was leaning against the doorway with crossed arms and a neutral expression on her face. Phoebe and the other guard immediately stopped from they were doing to kneel to the ground and bow at her feet.

Like before, Goku couldn't sense the goddess of the hunt's ki, so her abrupt appearance was quite perplexing to him. There was an air of confidence and demure to her that he couldn't help, but respect. Their difference in power didn't matter much in this case.

"Welcome back, my lady. Shall we begin the interrogation?" asked Phoebe. She frowned, glancing over at Goku's form with immense suspicion.

Artemis nodded and lightly rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I can take it from here, you two. I need to speak with Goku privately."

At the idea of their mistress being left alone with such a dangerous man, the two guards shared reluctant grimaces with one another.

"Are you certain that's wise, Artemis? He was able to harm you back in the forest."

The moon goddess shook her head. Admittedly, even she wanted to forgot that Goku struck her in the face using his Kaioken technique. She was certain that Apollo would never let her live that moment down.

"No need to worry yourself over nothing, Phoebe. I've endured far worse men than him."

Seeing her mistress's warm, reassuring grin, the ginger-haired huntress accepted defeat and walked toward the cabin's entrance with her partner in tow.

However, before leaving, Phoebe gave Goku the stink eye and slowly crossed a finger over her throat. The man tilted his head to the side, curious to know what the large girl meant by that.

"Well, that was weird. Did I do something to upset her or something?"

Artemis sighed and pulled up a silver chair in front of the bed Goku was sitting on. She then sat down, positioning herself in a manner that exuded even more confidence than before. Her long auburn hair was fixed into a ponytail as she icily examined him from top to bottom. Her golden eyes were piercing, yet oddly pleasant to look at.

"I apologize for Phoebe's behavior. She's had many bad experiences with men in the past. As has many of my hunters, in fact." The moon goddess exclaimed.

"Eh, it's fine. They honestly remind me of some friends I had back home."

Goku chuckled a bit, recalling the time when Launch's bad self would riddle Master Roshi with bullets over his perverted antics. Her and Phoebe would probably get along if they were to meet someday.

At the brief reference to his home universe, Artemis took the opportunity to get her most important question out of the way first. It would lead to other questions that'd help her understand him more as a person and, well, man.

"Your home. What is it like exactly?"

This question caught him somewhat off-guard. He didn't expect Artemis to be this clueless, considering her title as goddess of the hunt.

"Shouldn't you know that already? Zeus… I mean, your dad did order you to hunt me, right? I thought he'd go out of his way to make you prepared to fight and capture me or something along those lines."

Artemis rolled her eyes. Goku being able to point this out made Zeus's vague instructions even more frustrating to her.

"You'd think that, but all he divulged to me was your appearance and the fact that Aphrodite transported you here from another universe. Before my hunters and I confronted you, we knew next to nothing about your abilities or level of strength."

"Guess nothing ended up going as planned then, huh? Hehe."

Artemis glared at the Saiyan for his poor attempt at a joke. Traces of silver energy began to surround her body and irises, showing that she really wasn't in the best of moods right now.

Goku gulped nervously and tried his best to look away from her godly death stare.

"Sorry. That was a bit uncalled for."

The goddess calmed herself down and took a deep breath. "No, no, what you said is correct. Choosing to ambush you was a disaster waiting to happen for everyone involved. Without the special needle in my tranquilizer dart, none of us would have been able to take you down legitimately."

To her confusion, Goku's skin paled to a ghostly white after hearing that last sentence. He squirmed a little in place and inched a few inches away from her.

"W-What was special about that dart?"

Artemis raised an eyebrow and brought out the same tranquilizer dart that sedated him earlier. "Like I said, the needle of this dart is much sharper than manmade ones. I was able to shoot you in the neck with it and temporarily neutralize all of your body's basic functions. However, it appears that your immune system works faster than an average mortal… or monster as well."

She held the dart's needle in front of Goku's face, causing him to wince and shake his head in disgust. He would have covered his eyes if not for the rope keeping his hands in place.

"Okay, okay, I get it! C-Could you put that thing away now, please? It's making me a little… uh… uncomfortable."

Artemis gave Goku a weird, almost pitying look before doing as he asked and placing the dart back in her pocket. The Saiyan, as a result, relaxed his shoulders and sighed in relief.

"T-Thank you. Might be hard to believe, but I actually have a huge fear of needles. Knowing that one… touched me not too long ago brought back some bad memories."

He shuddered, remembering his brief visit to the hospital after Vegeta crippled him. They didn't need to stick him with such a big syringe, yet those cruel doctors did it, anyway. It was a day he'd remember for the rest of his life and, considering what he's been through these past few years, that said a lot.

Artemis could not believe this man had such a childish fear. He fought both her and a fully grown hydra without any sort of fear, yet needles were what he was afraid of?! The sheer absurdity of this fact almost brought a smile to her lips.

"You do realize that small children are able to deal with these things just fine, right? They are completely harmless and, depending on the type, beneficial in most cases."

"I know, I know. Needles just rub me the wrong way, okay?"

Goku stuck out his bottom lip and pouted a bit, causing the moon goddess to slightly grin in amusement. She'd need to make a mental note about this Trypanophobia of his, so she could use it to her advantage later on. Their rematch's outcome could depend on it.

"Okay. Fair enough," She said with a slight nod of her head. "Still, though, I do wonder why your body was so immune to my dart's effects. You don't look much different from a normal human, yet your abilities… say otherwise."

"Well, that's the thing, Artemis. I'm not really a human. I'm what's known as a Saiyan."

"And what, may I ask, is that?"

"They were a race of ruthless alien warriors from Planet Vegeta who sought to become the strongest in the universe. Saiyans resemble humans, but the main difference between them is their brown monkey tails." Goku explained the core characteristics of his species. "I used to have one when I was younger, but it got cut off a long time ago. It hasn't grown back ever since then."

Extraterrestrial life was far from Artemis's area of expertise, but then again, gods and mythological creatures – to mortals, at least – could be considered aliens from a certain point of view. It probably wouldn't be too big of a stretch to believe that some could exist in this universe as well, rather than just Goku's alone.

Regardless, the description of these Saiyans greatly fascinated her. Perhaps this was the explanation for Goku's apparent prowess in combat.

"And what purpose did these monkey tails serve exactly?"

"Well, during a full moon, a Saiyan's tail would grant them the power to transform into gigantic monkeys called Oozaru, or Great Apes. This form was able to multiply their existing power level by 10 and cause huge amounts of damage in the process. However, only the strongest Saiyans could maintain their intelligence while transformed. Otherwise, you'll go on an uncontrollable rampage that can't be stopped until morning. That's one of the reasons why mine was permanently removed."

Goku mentioned that last part with some sadness in his voice. It reminded him of the time he killed Grandpa Gohan during one of these rampages. It was something he never wanted to happen again, especially after experiencing Chi-Chi's own death not too long ago.

Artemis was fascinated by this race's unique characteristics, inwardly comparing the Oozaru phenomenon to Lycaon, Ancient Greece's first known werewolf. Based on Goku's body language, she could also infer that certain Saiyans may not even remember turning into these large apes to begin with. She wondered how many times he himself went through that form.

"I'm assuming you're a bit different from the rest of your race, correct?"

He looked up at the goddess in curiosity. "What makes you say that?"

"Your description of the Saiyans implied that they're both ruthless and power-hungry, yet you, in contrast, fight either for fun or when it is completely necessary. For example, you only took action against myself and the Hunters when I implied that Aphrodite was in some sort of danger. Correct?"

Goku shrugged his shoulders a little.

"I guess if you put it like that, then yeah. The Saiyans were known for destroying planets and the innocent people who lived on them, which is something I'll never do. And, I may not have known her long, but Aphrodite is my friend. I always protect those closest to me and she's no exception."

Artemis frowned. She felt unnerved by Goku's behavior compared to other mortal men she's interacted with. While many Greek heroes could be selfish or downright greedy at times, he was the complete opposite. He had a child-like purity to him that made his very existence all the more intriguing to learn about. It made it hard to believe that the other Olympians viewed him as an enemy.

"You consider Aphrodite a friend? Even when she was responsible for stranding you in this world to fulfill her own selfish desires?"

"I mean, sure, I was angry at first, but being transported here has given me the most fun I've had in a long time! Ever since my—"

Goku cut himself off at the slightest mention or thought of Chi-Chi. It was too painful remembering what happened to her, even six months later. Artemis noted this swift change in mood, but thought it best not to bring it up until later.

"Sorry… ever since I lost someone very special to me, I haven't been able to sleep, fight, or eat as well as I used to. And for a Saiyan like myself, that's not good at all." He explained in an attempt to hide his sadness with a small joke. "But now thanks to Aphrodite, I got to eat from a restaurant's entire menu, fight you and a hydra, and get the best sleep I've had in a long time! I should honestly be thanking her for what she did!"

The martial artist's happiness was so prominent that he unintentionally ripped apart the rope keeping him restrained. He looked down at his newly freed hands and scratched the back of his head, smiling.

"Oops. Guess it was now or never, huh?"

Artemis found Goku's jovial smile somewhat contagious, but she couldn't tell if it was completely genuine or not. She began to wonder more about Goku's past and who the person he lost truly was. Judging by what he revealed, the moon goddess had a feeling that death was a common experience for him. Warriors as powerful as him always do.

That power, of course, related to the hydra and its "conversation" with Goku earlier.

"That's all well and good, but you shouldn't be thanking Aphrodite just yet. Your appearance in this world has also had a number of consequences and that hydra's appearance, unfortunately, was one of them." Artemis reminded him. "What exactly did it say to you back in the forest? Tell me."

Goku paused to collect his thoughts and then spoke.

"Everything it said to me was… I don't know how to put it, but kinda strange. The hydra claimed that its master, Kronos, foresaw a vision with me in it somehow. And I guess that happened months ago…"

Artemis gasped. Her prior suspicions were suddenly confirmed. "A vision of you… seen by the Titan Lord, Kronos?! But how is that possible?"

"That's not even the worst thing about it. In this vision, I'm supposedly the destroyer of Olympus… and I kill all the gods living there."

The goddess of the hunt was unnerved by this response to say the least. Not only did Kronos know about Goku's existence, the Titan King also saw a possible future where he, supposedly, ended Zeus's reign as ruler of the cosmos. It felt out of character for Goku as a person, yet oddly believable at the same time.

He was powerful enough to pull off something like that, at least. Perhaps hunting him down wasn't the best decision for Zeus to make in that case.

"That must explain why my father sent me to capture you. He could have seen the same vision and became… paranoid about your arrival as a result."

Goku shook his head in frustration. "But I'm not like that! Why would I destroy Olympus if I don't really have anything against you guys personally?! I just like to fight strong people, not needlessly destroy things. None of what that hydra explained to me makes any sense."

Artemis sighed and rested a hand on the man's shoulder. It was as comforting of a gesture as she could muster in that moment.

"I know… and I believe you, Goku. But many of my fellow Olympians won't be so understanding. They know what Kronos is capable of and, if he truly has been aware of who you are for that long, attacks from his followers will not stop with that hydra. They'll get stronger and more dangerous from here."

She then narrowed her golden eyes and stared straight into Goku's very soul.

"And sooner or later, Kronos himself will come for you and try to make that awful vision a reality. That's how desperate he is to reclaim his power over the universe. He'll use anyone and anything's strength to benefit his own… even yours."

"Yeah, I'm aware…" the Saiyan muttered. "I don't want to cause any more trouble than I have, so if you wish to take me to Mount Olympus, I'll come willingly. I at least want to show them that they have nothing to worry about me."

Artemis genuinely smiled this time.

"That's quite noble of you, Goku. We'll travel back to the Empire State Building first thing in the morning."

Seeing this smile gave him the chance to take notice of Artemis's eyes. While they were bright gold just moments before, each one now shifted into a silvery gray color that practically sparkled in the moonlight. It was beautiful, yet hypnotic at the same time.

Goku was about to comment on this change, but Artemis stuck in a finger in his face to shut him up.

"But before that, there's something else I've been meaning to ask you…"

"Yeah? What's that?"

The moon goddess got up from her seat and stood uncomfortably close to Goku's face. Her eyes were narrowed with the utmost ferocity and determination.

"What exactly is that Kaioken technique you used to injure me, hm? I need to know what that blue blast you used to destroy the hydra was too." Artemis demanded. She then took out the tranquilizer dart and slyly wagged it in front of him. "And if you try to resist, I have ways of making you talk."

Mentally cursing himself for exposing his fear of needles to her, Goku slumped his shoulders and said, "By blue blast, you mean the Kamehameha Wave, right?"

One of Artemis's eyes twitched hearing this absurd name. She almost wondered if the Saiyan was mocking her.

"Why are you mentioning a Hawaiian king as the name of your attack?"

Goku, of course, had no idea what a Hawaiian was, so he began to wonder if she was mocking him.

"Wait, huh? No, the Kamehameha translates to "Turtle Devastation Wave". It's a blast of blue energy that's the signature move of the Turtle School of Martial Arts. I learned it from my teacher, Master Roshi, and it's sorta been my go-to attack ever since I was a kid."

Hearing more about this legendary ki blast's origins, Artemis grew more interested in seeing it up close and personal. Seeing it from afar was already impressive as is.

"Hmmm, the Turtle School of Martial Arts. Why is it called that?"

"Roshi tends to wear a heavy turtle shell on his back. Me and my friend, Krillin, even wore our own when training for the World Martial Arts Tournament as kids." Goku recalled with a fond, nostalgic grin on his face. "They were 50-100 pounds each. It was exhausting, but kinda fun too!"

Artemis was impressed that Goku could handle weight training at such a young age. It reminded her of how strong demigods could be when they were young, especially Hercules.

"To have you for a student, this Roshi person must be quite an exceptional martial artist in his own right."

"He is, but you… uh… might not want to meet him. He's a bit of a pervert around women. Hehe."

The moon goddess grimaced and immediately regretted complimenting such a depraved individual.

"Never mind then. Despite its lecherous creator, I'd like for you to show me the Kamehameha and how it is used."

Goku gave her a thumbs up. "No problem. I'll show you more of the Kaioken too."

"Good. I'll lead you to the training ground. Some of the Hunters might be there, so watch yourself."

Artemis then stood up and headed for her cabin's doorway. Her alien companion, meanwhile, massaged his throat a little, hoping that Phoebe or the newly awakened Zoë Nightshade wouldn't be shotting there. He'd need to apologize to the latter when he got the chance. It'd probably difficult given what he did it to her in the forest, but nevertheless, it wouldn't hurt to try.

"Oh, by the way, what happened to your eyes?"

Artemis stopped in place to glance back at him. She wasn't sure what he meant by that.

"Pardon me?"

"Your eyes changed from gold to a bright silver not too long ago. Why'd that happen?"

"Ah, that's what you're referring to. You see, Goku, all gods and goddesses have the ability to change their appearance at will. For me, I can be seen as a thirteen-year-old girl with red hair and gold irises," She then instantaneously grew in size, much to Goku's shock. Artemis was now a grown woman with long black hair and still-sparkling silver irises, "or an adult with dark black hair like what stands before you now. Silver is a bit better for night vision, so that's why I switched all of a sudden."

Within seconds, she then shifted back to her normal appearance and kept walking. Goku knew Aphrodite was capable of changing herself, but seeing Artemis do it was still a bit surprising to him.

"Well, either way, they look nice to me."

Artemis, not expecting such a random compliment, stood frozen in place for a moment. She then audibly scoffed and quickened the pace of her stride, not even thanking Goku for what he just told her.

"Hey! Wait up, Artemis!" He shouted in concern.

The two then prepared to walk through Camp Half-Blood's campgrounds together, each of them equally confused by what just took place. The circumstances behind Kronos's vision were a concern they shared as well.

*And that's the end of this new version for Chapter 6! Like I said, I added a few new scenes that, overall, make this a significant improvement from the original, in my opinion. I even managed to have Silena Beauregard and Clarisse appear earlier on than before, which I thought was a good inclusion.

Ares and Aphrodite's conversation was almost completely different, but in also in a good way. I'm continuing to make Aphrodite a more assertive character while maintaining her caring and emotional side as the goddess of love. Ares's new transformation (which will appear in the rewrites for Chapters 8-9) was given a bit more foreshadowing too.

Anyways, I'm glad to be writing this story again, so hopefully, the next rewrite won't take as long to complete. Hope you guys are having a good summer so far! :D