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I was steadfast in my belief that today was a good day. The sun was high in the sky, the wind was optimal, and the new sails I'd gotten installed on my vessel rippled proudly in the sky.

Nothing was going to annoy me today, I was determined to ensure that. Today had diddly squat to do with a certain sea-green-eyed individual, it had everything to do with what my gut was telling me, and it was screaming of a day filled with excitement.

I stalked across the deck, checking every nook and cranny. It was a meticulous process and sometimes drove my crewmates insane, but it was a great way to kill time.

Ever since Luke and Thalia borrowed my fleet, I'd been left with just a single ship to man. And it was dangerous being a lone vessel out on such turbulent seas.

It was also excruciatingly boring. I was used to travelling with a large battalion of ships, though they'd been cut almost in half after an....interesting event.

But there was nothing much to do anymore, except wait for correspondence. My days were now usually filled with merriment, rounds of cards and burying certain memories.

"Ahoy Captain," greeted Katie Gardner as I finished up my daily routine," any plans for the day?"

"How about a game of cards an hour past nine?" I suggested.

"We ain't gonna give no quarter to those boys this time," Clarisse la Rue grumbled from behind her, "Travis Stoll nearly stole all my doubloons! I'll cleave him to the brisket!"

"I'm sure Katie wouldn't appreciate that," I smirked, watching my friend turn red, "after all I'm sure her lover boy took the money to finally get her a ring."

"He darn better," Clarisse grumbled, "that landlubber made my lass wait long enough," she grinned, slapping Katie's back.

"Ay shut up," Katie whimpered.

I laughed, dismissing them with a flick of my hand, "Come on lassies, I need to take my rounds. Just to double-check. Make sure everything's in tip-top."

"Everything's always in tip-top, captain," Clarisse rolled her eyes, "As if you'd ever settle for anything less than perfect."

"Blow me down, lassies," I shook my head, "something tells me it's going to be a good day today. And I want to be prepared."

Katie looked taken aback, "You're saying it's gonna be a good day captain? I must still
be drunk."

"Aye," Clarisse seconded, "I haven't heard her say it'd be a good day since we left that squiffy Percy."

The name sent a jolt through my spine. It was a name I wished was buried on some distant beach, under piles of sand and fish faeces. One I wish I never heard again.

"Aye, I'm leaving," I stomped my foot, stalking away from my crew mates.

I wanted nothing to do with that boy. He haunted my dreams enough, no need to feed my thoughts with memories of him during the day.

"Look alive, mates," I nodded, passing by Travis and Connor Stoll. They gave me a mock salute, pausing whatever conversation they were having to irritate me instead.

"Great day, ain't it, Captain?" Connor grinned, taking a hearty bite out of a piece of bread.

"It is, isn't it?" I affirmed, fixing the lapels of my jacket as I paused.

"I-" Travis looked baffled, water from the jug splashing across his face before he drank it.

"Trav, tell me I ain't loaded to the gunwales," Connor asked his brother.

"I heard her too," Travis replied, drenched in water. It didn't seem to bother him.

"Ain't I simply allowed to enjoy my day?" I threw my hands up in exasperation, "Why must y'all-"

"Ain't nothin serious, Captain," Travis interrupted, "It's just that-"

"We ain't hear you say it's a good day for the past nine months," Connor explained.

"Not since Per-"

"Alright enough, get back to your posts," I stalked away.

Why was everyone determined to remind me of...Nevermind. I should've just kept my opinions about the day to myself. I took a deep breath, centring myself. It may have been a while since anyone dared to bring him up in front of me, but that shouldn't be any reason for it to rattle me. No...I won't let it

Why wasn't I allowed to simply be in a good mood without my crew thinkin' I lost my head?

Fine, I can admit I've been a tad bit grumpy the past few months...but who in my position wouldn't be?

"Captain," Silena  called, interrupting my thoughts, "Clarisse told me you said you're in a good mood today."

"Aye, and that mood's been getting worse by the minute," I sighed, rubbing my temple. How would I fare if I threw everyone overboard>

"Oh come on captain, you know it's a big deal," Silena placed an arm on my shoulder, offering a warm smile, "And so...I was wonderin'..."

"Don't say it. I'll make ya walk the plank-"

"Charlie misses his brother...and I know you miss our mateys too!"

"Silena-"

The girl paid me no heed, "And yer first mate, I'm saying, while Queen Hera's men are still on our back, let's rejoin Blackjack...for protection at least. Nothin would be safer than being with them"

What she was saying wasn't unfounded. Being a lone ship on such turbulent seas was dangerous.

We had no backup or stock of supplies if things turned bad. Heck, we had no medic on board either.

The only thing that kept us safe so far was my name, which carried enough weight that any scallywags who dared cross us could turn back at the mention of the captain of Athena's mark.

"I couldn't care less, Silena," I rolled my eyes, even though my first mate was absolutely right. However, my pride would never let me admit that. Besides, we were find on our own the past few months. We can survive a bit longer.

"But-"

"Y'all need something to do," I turned away, "I must not be working y'all enough if  y'all have time to sit around and gab about my love life-"

A loud bang was enough to pause my monologue, rocking my vessel with a violent shove.

"SAIL HO!" someone shouted

"There's something for ya to do now huh," Silena laughed lightly, sprinting across the deck alongside me.

"Charlie! What's happening?" I called, my voice ringing across the ship, alerting my lookout through the chaos.

"It's one of Queen Hera's ships! The navy's behind us again!" Beckendorf shouted back, shimmying down the crows' nest.

"Armed and ready, mateys! Let's send those blasted men to Davy Jones's locker!" I yelled, nodding at Silena.

My crew didn't waste a single moment springing into action. The Stolls passed around weapons as Clarisse and Silena tended to the ship.

"What's the damage?" I turned to Beckendorf.

"Couldn't see, captain. I think the stern's a bit wonky now though," he huffed, eyes pressed on his wife as she ran away from the fight, ducking into a room.

I watched Queen Hera's men jump onto my ship, swinging across. A face stood out, the annoying figure of Octavian, one of the navy's admirals. That man has been hell-bent on destroying me and...my former partner.

He wasn't a threat as much as he was a gigantic nuisance, backed by an even bigger nuisance.

"Oh Gods dam this," I cursed, running across the deck towards my mates. My dagger, ever ready, secured on my waist.

Normally, I'd welcome a spar or even enjoy dealing with unwanted visitors.

But I was in a precarious position. My ship had no backup, nor any supplies to aid any repairs. Dam it. I'm blaming Silena for jinxing us.

If something happened to my vessel, my crew and I would either be flailing across the ocean like plankton or in jail cells with a smirking, punchable Octavian standing before us.

We could throw the privateers overboard and claim their ship...but its bright red colour would immediately give away that it belonged to Queen Hera, making us a target. No...the best we could do now was simply let them taste defeat, and then make our escape.

"Throw em overboard mates!" I commanded, racing towards Octavian.

Katie came flying, brandishing a sword, "I got ya Captain!" she yelled, zooming atop of me and landing on some poor bastard, with a pretty solid kick.

"That's my beauty!" Travis shouted across the fight. He blew her a kiss before resuming fighting.

Aight. All I needed to do was escape with my mates alive. I could manage that.

Another large bang rattled my ship, lurching it sidewards. I crashed into Travis as my crew, and the privateers veered right.

"Ouch, yer a heavy lass," Travis grumbled, helping me onto my feet. I elbowed him, offended.

"Captain!" Connor Stoll ran up to us, "Those landlubbers crashed our stern! There's a hole the size of a whale!"

I cursed, "Aye...tell Katie and Clarisse to grab our treasures. We'll seize their ship!"

"Errr...," Connor looked like a trapped seagull, "About that..."

"Spit it out, boy!" I urged my own nerves building, my mind working overtime to find another solution. I needed a miracle.

"Clarisse is about to cannon em back," Connor admitted, averting his gaze.

My jaw dropped, "Yer kidding..."

"She got Silena to okay her idea."

"Aye that makes it all better doesn't it!" I smacked my palm on my forehead, "Tell her I'll kill her if she shoots!"

A massive explosion shook my vessel once more, sending everyone flying. It rang through my ship, vibrating within its wooden hull.

"La Rue!" I screamed. I was going to kill every single one of these insubordinates and feed them to the sharks myself. I'll add salt and vinegar to pickle em for the summer too.

Now I have a sinking ship, no backup plan and a crew full of dead men walking. How great for me. It was a wonderful wonderful day.

"I think it might be too late to tell her to stop, captain," Travis Stoll offered his advice.

I blinked, irritation bubbling within me as sharp as a whip, "Gee, ya think so?"

"Aye," he nodded, grinning. His ability to read a room was as damaged as our ship.

"You wench!" Octavian's high-pitched wail broke through my attempt to beat the living daylight out of the Stoll brothers.

I turned towards him, noting how the helm of the ship behind him had a giant crater.

At least I'd have some shred of satisfaction before I died.

I drew my dagger with a swift inhale, finding its blade meeting his cutlass within the blink of an eye.

"I'll buy ten ships with yer and yer lover's bounty," he snarled, drawing his weapon back as he swiped in my direction.

I dodged, narrowly avoiding his cutlass, " I'll skin ya alive and use you as my new flag, you son of a biscuit eater!" I shouted

Octavian blinked, seeming genuinely taken aback.

One moment of weakness was all I needed to kick the pest, sending him flying into a row of neatly stacked barrels.

That was some sort of relief for my frustration at least.

"Charlie!" I called, knowing he'd know what to do with the injured admiral.

"Dam, captain," a voice whistled from behind me. I didn't need anytime to recognise it. It was practically embedded into me.

A warm hand on my shoulder was all I needed. I grabbed his wrist and flipped him over my shoulder. The fellow slammed onto the wooden deck.

And there he was, Percy Jackson. The captain of my nightmares and the man I hoped to never see.

I put my knee on his chest, pushing my forearm against his throat.

I didn't care what anyone thought. A white-hot lump of anger expanded in my chest—a tumour of worry and bitterness that I'd been carrying around for the last nine months.

It felt surreal to see him again, in the flesh. He'd been haunting me so much that I decided he was a ghost. But no, he was real. He was real and he was under me.

He had the nerve to laugh, "Captain Chase, nice to be under you."

I stared into his sea-green eyes, exceptionally unimpressed with his bout of bravery, "What are you doing here?" I asked, heart hammering in my chest.

"Savin you, of course," he replied with a wink.

I kept him pinned to the ground, watching his lips tilt into a permanent smirk. All the emotions I'd kept tucked into her floated up to the surface with a vengeance. Curse that dam smile.

"I don't need your help."

"Too bad, you have it," Percy shrugged, turning his head.

I followed his gaze, watching the helm of Blackjack appear closer to my ship, its platoon behind it.

"Yo ho hoo!" Leo Valdez cheered, swinging onto Athena's mark, "Did ya miss us?"

"Leo!" Beckendorf gasped, running towards his brother with a whoop.

I turned back to Percy, whose sight hadn't left my face, "Why are you helping us?"

"I thought you were meant to be wise," Percy flashed a grin, reaching out to caress my face. I leaned into his touch for a single moment, allowing myself to remember the feeling before pulling back.

"I still hate ya," I declared, rushing off into the heat of battle to fight off those pesky feelings.

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Ay! And there it is! The first chapter!

Thank you all for reading! I hope the story doesn't disappoint you

Any suggestions for the story? Anything you might wanna see?

Also, someone please remind me to study in the morning

(Posted 22/3/24- 3:05am)

Stay tuned!!
—S