A Pirate's Life For Me

I'm Not Doing This Again

Piper woke up on hard wood flooring. Looking around, she realized that she was in the brig of a ship. It couldn't be the Zephyrus, that ship's floors were much filthier. Especially in the cells.

The night rushed back to her. The kidnapping, being tossed gently down into a lifeboat, sailing through the sea quicker than possible. She must have fallen asleep or something.

A groan across the hall from her cell alerted Piper to the fact that she was not alone. A blond head slowly rose to eye level and she scowled.

Jason smirked at her once his eyes focused. "Hello gorgeous."

"Don't talk to me."

"Aw, don't be like that, Darlin'."

Piper rolled her eyes and let out an ear-piercing scream.

"What did ye do that fer?" Jason yelled indignantly, rubbing at his ears.

Footsteps pounded down the stairs. "What in the name of Hades is going on down here?" A man's voice asked.

Piper looked up to see a skeleton and an unfamiliar man. What was familiar about him; however, was the way he floated slightly off the ground and shimmered. "You're a ghost!"

"Well, we are on the Ghost King's ship, ain't we? What did you expect, lassie?" The ghost flashed her a crooked smile, stretching the scar that stretched from one of his blue eyes to his jawline. He actually looked kind of like Jason. He had the blond hair, the blue eyes, the facial scar, even the muscles. But this ghost seemed kinder, and obviously had no intention of flirting with her.

Piper glanced at Jason, who had gone pale and was staring at the ghost. "L-Luke?" He stuttered out.

Luke turned to the other cell and scowled. "You. I prayed to all the gods I knew that I wouldn't have to deal with you again, but no! I get put on prisoner duty!"

"Do you two know each other?" Piper asked. 

Luke smirked. "Little Boy Grace over here knows several of the ghosts on board. When he and his sister overthrew their mother, we were working on the ship already. Little spawn of the sky killed me himself for my position as Second Mate. And then of course, his mother's First Mate gets herself killed in the battle too, and next thing you know, Graces run the Zephyrus!" 

Jason was growing increasingly pale as the story went on. "W-who else i-i-is here?" He asked fearfully.

"Me, Silena, Charlie, Michael and Lee. And trust me when I say we all have a bone to pick with you."

Piper couldn't help it, she giggled. "What's so funny, lass?" Luke asked.

"Sorry...you said 'bone to pick' and I happened to look at your partner there." She giggled again as she motioned towards the skeleton.

Luke let out a booming laugh. "That's a good one, lass. Now, back to buisness. Who screamed?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Jason asked, seeming to regain some of that privileged sea-man attitude.

"I've heard you scream, Grace. It's not obvious, at all."

"I did." Piper admitted, forcing herself to hide the smile that threatened to pop out again when Luke insulted Jason.

"Why?"

"Because I want out of this cell. I'll work, I'll do whatever, just get me away from the bilge rat."

Luke nodded. "The cap'n will be happy to see one of his prisoners has seen the light. That Valdez kid was very adamant that you would."

Piper perked up. "Leo's here?"

Luke nodded. "Him and his friend showed up yesterday."

"Friend?" Piper frowned. "Oh, Green-Eyes!"

The ghost let out another laugh. "Yes, he mentioned some of you calling him that."

"What's his actual name?" She asked as the skeleton opened her cell and took her hand in a firm but not painful grip.

"Perseus Jackson. He goes by Percy."

Piper nodded and they climbed the stairs in silence.

A teen who couldn't have been much older than Piper met them at the top of the stairs. "Thank you, Luke." The blond ghost nodded and walked away. Floated away. Whatever.

"So I hear you want to work."

"Yes. Anything that get's me away from the Corsair-Wannabe down below."

The boy chuckled. "What are you good at?"

Piper smiled. "I was the hand maid of the princess of Athens for most of my life, and on the Zephyrus I was a cook. None of the crew complained, so I assume that it was good."

The boy nodded, then turned at a shout. 

"Captain!" A dark skinned girl with cinnamon colored hair and strange gold eyes ran up.

Piper's eyes widened as she realized that the teen she had been speaking with was Dark himself.

"Hazel, what's wrong?"

"That spawn of the sky sent a search party after her little brother." Hazel couldn't have been more than 12 or 13, but she seemed like she knew what she was doing.

"Where's Bianca?" Dark asked.

"She's at the bow. They got too close so she's firing and trying to discourage them."

Dark nodded. "She'll scare them off. Get Lou Ellen out there with her, she can help with her magic."

"What about the food, Nico? Lou Ellen really hates being pulled away from her work."

Piper frowned. Nico? Who was that? Then she realized that she had just been indirectly told the name of the captain.

"That's where Miss..."

"Piper."

"Piper comes in. Take her to the kitchen and tell Lou Ellen she has five minutes to explain the dinner and how to make it before she needs to back up Bianca. I'll send a few skeleton archers to help her until then." Dark...Nico swept off, his short ponytail swinging slightly.

Hazel turned to Piper. "Time for you to meet the cook."

[A/N I am working furiously right now, write write write! I have nothing else to do, but if I advertise that I'll get stuck with chores...]