Thunderstruck

IV

The process of loading all their things on the ship was easier than they would have thought. The hunters found that the bunks in the crew's quarters were more than spacious enough for all of them and their gear. Bianca was invited to sleep with them, Nico was given the first mate's cabin, and Percy took the captain's quarters with Thalia.

The Crew's quarters were simple with sturdy cots and footlockers. There was room for a massive three hundred crew members, not that Percy needed them. The First Mate's lodge was decently furnished and the size of a small bedroom, but a good size for a single young boy, especially on a ship.

The Captain's Quarters were absolutely lavish. The large room had a spacious bed, a safe, a Persian rug, a sofa, a small bookshelf, a desk with charts and maps on it, and even a small balcony on the back of the ship. There wasn't any treasure or valuables in the cabin, but Percy found a small fountain like the one in the Poseidon cabin that allowed him to make Iris Calls.

Upon an inspection on the lower deck, Percy found an arsenal of cannon balls, but in one room he found stacks of celestial bronze-covered cannon balls with a note. The note was hard to read with his dyslexia and the old English, but he found a non-demigod hunter who was able to read it for him. The note called the cannon balls 'Captain's reserve', and it was only to be used on the Captain's orders.

Percy set the course of the ship, which would take them to camp in a couple of days, and then he decided to turn in for a nap.

XXX

Percy was awoken by the sounds of retching. He sat up and found his girlfriend hugging a bucket to her chest, her head buried in it.

Percy didn't waste any time scooping her up and taking her outside, intent on letting her spill her guts over the side. When he got outside, though, he found everyone else doing the same.

Percy swore under his breath and rapidly summoned a bit of water to scrub the deck clean as he helped the different hunters, as well as Bianca, Nico, and Thalia. He stopped the boat, and with immense concentration, he managed to still the boat.

Everyone was dressed in heavy winter clothes, so Percy was careful to keep them dry, but he managed to help each of his passengers to the sleeping quarters and resting. He fed each a square of ambrosia, and probably would have lost a finger to one of the hunters if they weren't in such a dire state, and that seemed to help.

He had to slow the speed of the ship to a crawl to avoid making the seasickness worse, but he was mostly just worried about his passengers.

Percy ran around, madly playing nurse as his passengers recovered from sea sickness. He labored well into the night, helping the hunters and demigods to settle down, bundle up, and go to sleep.

He stepped out on the deck and shivered, even with his heavy clothes. The temperature was phenomenally low, to the point that he has paired everyone up to huddle for warmth. Well, Zoe did while discreetly leaning on him.

He sighed and leaned over the railing, looking out over the dark water when he felt a warm breeze, and the scent of sea permeated his senses even more with it.

He smiled and turned to look at the god who was paying him a visit, only to be surprised by what he found.

The god beside him looked almost exactly like him. He was taller and a bit more muscular, and his black hair was wet and pulled back, but the most surprising part was his clothes, or the lack thereof.

The deity didn't so much as shiver as he stood in little more than a loincloth, and his deep blue eyes regarded him coolly.

Percy balked as he realized he wasn't in the presence of his father, but someone very similar.