The Olympia and all who know them

Chapter 22? A bet won

Hinata, Kiba, Shino and Naruto formed a circle, the tension almost tangible in the air.

Off to the side, their trainers, and Ocean Nymph that served in the Royal Guard, Kiba's Huntress great aunt, Shibi Aburame and Amahiko.

"Tommorow is the day." Amahiko began. "The final round of the chunin exams and I'm just going to say that no matter what happens, no matter how much you win or how much you lose, I'm proud of you and how far all of you have become. Ever since I adopted or became your sensei, all I have seen is my kids sprinting forward towards their future. Even if you don't become chunin tommorow, know that all four of you have my respect as young warriors."

"We're all proud." Moriko said, standing with Amahiko between her and Shibi. "If you're willing to become a girl, I'd ask you to join the Hunt."

Kiba looked a bit hunted at that, shooting his sensei a thankful look when the sea god distracted his great aunt.

"Rest tonight. Spend time with your family, and think about the future." Amahiko ordered. "I will see you at the arena."

_____________________

Gekko couldn't breath.

It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling, but It had been a while since drawing breath hurt this much.

He could taste blood in his mouth, hot and coppery as his vision fluttered.

He had tried to warn them, tried to tell the Hokage there was a traitor in their midst, one they hadn't caught, and one that had given vital intel that could mean the difference between victory and defeat for Konoha.

But most of all, he didn't want to die alone.

There was movement next to him and a hand on his shoulder.

"No one dies alone, Gekko Hayate. I am there for them all. My name is Death. Are you ready to come with me?"

Gekko's immedient answer was no, followed by a huge bout of suspicion.

The man laughed. "Shinobi never believe me. Wouldn't it be easier to let go? To come with me to the Pure Lands. You are in so much pain right now. It would take a miracle to save your life. Are you sure you want to wait and see? To suffer longer on the off chance someone comes along and gets you help? That you don't die en route? That the healers are skilled enough to put you back together?"

Yes! Gekko shouted in his mind and Death nodded. "Very well. If it's any consolation, I hope you win this bet of yours. Perhaps my other half will find you and save you, perhaps not. I never know where I will find him until I do. Life tends to do that. He keeps surprising me. I love him, you know. He gives me presents, beautiful creations, and I keep every one of them."

There was blood creeping down Gekko's spin and suddenly his vision cleared, the sky coming to life in HD, the galaxy shimmering with purple and blues and a billion stars.

"It's too beautiful a night not to see the stars." Death murmered. "My sister is up there, you know. I put her there when I became a god. She felt trapped, forced to be a parent before she was a teenager. She's free now but she still watches over me."

Death was a boy, with black hair and black eyes dressed in a black Kimono. Gekko had always imagined him as a god with an oni face but he figured that if he was going to die, spending his last moments with someone who at least looked human wasn't that bad, even if he wished it was Yugao who was sitting with him. He hoped she would find someone else and make it to retirement.

"Yugao won't die for a long time." Death assured him. "The wait will only seem long until she joins you. That is the good part about eternity. It's eternal."

The pain was starting to lessen, although Gekko couldn't tell if it was because he was slipping away or because he had hit his pain tolerance and his body was shutting down the nerve receptors.

"A little of both." Death confirmed. "A cousin of mine calls Yugao a friend. I can pass on a message, should you lose this bet."

Tell her I love her. Gekko thought. And to burn the box under my bed.

Death laughed and Gekko's vision began to darken again. "Not much longer now, little shinobi. You'll be at peace."

As darkness enveloped him, Gekko could hear footsteps running towards him and Death, followed by Death's smooth voi

"Oh how I do love losing."

_____________________-

Gekko woke with a bang, fingers scrambling for a kunai only to panic as he felt his arm tied down.

"Gekko! Gekko!" A voice yelled, holding him down. '

His eyes opened and he saqw Yugao's face and calmed down. "Yugao?"

"You're safe! Calm down!"

"Orochi-"

"We know. Amahiko got us intel on Sound. We know."

Gekko laid back in his bed. "Water?"

Yugao carefully poured some down his throat.

"Where am I?"

"You're at Amahiko's house. As of this morning, you were declared dead. We don't know how badly ANBU is infiltrated yet so Amahiko offered his place and Dr. Lee has been treating you. He's actually the one who found you."

A man with blond hair walked up to Gekko and took his pulse. "My name is Dr. Lee Olympia. I found you bleeding out on a roof when I arrived in town last night. An old friend told me where you were. You should thank him, althogh I doubt you want to see him again for a long time."

Gekko remembered the boy and Lee smiled. "That's the one. You'll be able to walk by the end of the day but no strenuous activity for a week."

"I know how bad I got hit. It should take months of recovery, even if I managed to walk again, my carrar is over."

"Obviously your Konoha doctors need more lessons. I've fixed up mortals who were in worse shape then you. Now, rest. Yugao and the others will be here in the morning."

Lee snapped his fingers and Gekko fell a deep sleep.

Yugao stood. "Thank you for saving him, my lord."

"You should thank Nico. He's the one who called me. I wouldn't have interfered if he didn't love you."

"Me?"

"You're a freind of Percy. Keeping you happy is the best way to keep him happy and the weather and sea calm." Lee explained. "Now, I have several hunters to fix up before the matches start. If anything happens, I'll be in the gardens."

He turned and headed to the sliding paper doors, where half a dozen silverclad girls, two academics, a boy with a ukelele, and a snow spirit were nursing injuries sustained in a free for all between the assembled gods enteroges.

----------------

Kakashi stared as Haku bowed to Amahiko before smiling at the jounin. "How...Kai!"

Haku smiled at him again. "Perseus-sama asked me to work for him after I died."

Kakashi blinked. "He can do that?"

Haku laughed and covered his mouth with the sleeve of his pure white kimono. "He could not bring up back as humans, so he brought as back as spirts."

"I killed you."

"We are shinobi. It's nothing personal. We were both following orders."

And with that he dissolved into snow and vanished on the wind.

Kakashi sighed a moment later. He should really be used to this by now.