Maybe Next Time

Percy

"Your highness." Grover entered the Captain's Quarters with a bow, "We've found the island rumored to have the Fountain at it's center."

Prince Percy stared at the boy with curly hair and a splattering of freckles, "Grover. How many times have I told you not to bow to me?" He asked, pulling his feet off the desk and standing to greet his friend. The boy had on a loose white shirt with baggy brown pants and boots. Percy found it interesting how most of his crew waltzed around the place shirtless, but Grover refused to join in. Percy knew the boy was reserved, but he must've been sweating buckets under that shirt.

"I'm sorry, my prince. I just-"

Percy cut him off with a wave of his hand, "Enough. My name is Percy. I am on this quest just like the rest of you." He led the way out of the cabin and onto the deck. The crew stood at attention until he waved them back to work and followed Grover down a set of wooden stairs below deck. Once again, Percy waved him off, hating the formalities the come with being a Royal.

"You found the island?" He asked Annabeth. Annabeth was his best friend. She also happened to be ten times smarter than he was, so it wasn't difficult for Percy to convince his dad to bring her along. The main problem with bringing her, as his dad put, was that she apparently would be a distraction and a hazard to the quest. Percy could see in his father's eyes at the time that he thought his son was still attracted to the blond girl in front of him (and Percy had to explain that they had broke up and planned to stay that way).

"Have a little faith, Seaweed Brain." She pointed to the map on the table in front of her. Percy moved to stand next to her so he could see what she was looking at.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Percy gave her a confused look before turning back to the map and trying to figure out his location compared to the island's.

"Please," she scoffed, "I know you didn't think I'd be able to find the island."

Percy scrunched up his face, standing up straight and meeting Annabeth's grey eyes, "I had my doubts, but this isn't the first time you've proven me wrong."

"True." She rolled the map up and handed it to Percy, "Get us there, Captain."

Percy grinned at her, taking the map, "Thank you, Annabeth."

"No problem. Now get this boat moving. I'm tired of the water." She walked passed him and up the stairs.

Percy glanced down at the rolled up map in his hand, "I don't believe it." His words came out barely a whisper, "Grover. We have the location of the Fountain of Youth!"

Grover smiled at him and clapped a hand on his back, "I knew you could do it, Pri- Percy."

That night, Percy made Annabeth to join him on the foredeck so he could tell the crew of their findings. Grover called everyone to attention by banging a spoon to an empty pan and shouting "Captain Percy has an announcement to make!" repeatedly.

"Thank you, Grover." He told the excited boy when he had everyone's attention, "First off, I would like to thank Annabeth for her hard work." The crew cheered for the girl standing next to Percy, "Secondly, I have the amazing honor of announcing that we have found the Fountain of Youth." Hoots and hollers erupted from the crew members, and Percy couldn't help the smile that lit up his face, "Thanks to Annabeth, we will finally be able to make my father proud!" He shouted and the people below him cheered louder, "We set sail immediately!"

His crew set to work, hoisting the sails and lifting the anchor into the boat. Soon, Percy's ship, the Mrs. O'Leary, was cruising along, heading straight for the Island of Youth, as some of his crew members had come to call it.

He stood behind the helm of the ship, a smile plastered to his face as he whispered to the wind, "I'm coming dad."