Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson.

Chapter I: Captain of the Smurfs

ANNABETH

It had been a long day. Annabeth had had lecture in the morning, lecturing undergrads in an introduction to architecture class that for some reason was required of all freshmen (Seriously, why the freshmen? They're gross, dumb, and mostly uninterested in architecture. It was a waste of time.) at University of Washington. Then she had to host office hours and mark papers, then go to a meeting with her advisor (Ugh, he was such a lecher… and it didn't help that he smelled funny.) about some bullshit item or another, and now she was at work at a small cafe in Bremerton, Washington. It was relatively far from where she went to school- a couple of hours- but that was mostly waiting for a ferry and the ferry ride, so she used that time to study and mark papers, or work on her thesis. She tucked a loose strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail back behind her ear, then walked back to the back, her hair swaying as she walked. Tucking her notepad into the back pocket of her jeans, she pushed into the cafe's kitchen. She saw Thalia, one of her best friends, working the kitchen, her hair net and cap concealing what Annabeth knew to be shorn black hair.

"Hey Annie, how's it going out there?"

"I told you to not call me Annie, Thals. It's fine. Fairly quiet. Not surprising considering the time," Annabeth said with a yawn and a glance at her watch.

"What time is it, then?"

"It's nine forty-five. Fifteen more minutes."

"Well, you're almost done. Go finish up, I'll see you later. I've still got to clean up. Why did I apply as a cook again?" Thalia asked with a disgruntled roll of her eyes.

Annabeth shook her head and walked back out of the kitchen, her eyes sweeping over the main area. Booths, little tables, wood sidings, register… all were devoid of customers. The only person left was Sally, the cafe's owner, sitting at one of the back tables with her laptop open. Annabeth grabbed a rag and wiped the table of the last person who had been at the cafe, returned it to its place, and walked over to Sally, totally engrossed in her work on her laptop, her wavy brown hair loose over her shoulders. Annabeth took the seat across from her.

"Hey Sally. Everyone's gone. Thalia and I are the only ones left. Anything you need me to do?" Annabeth asked.

"No, no. You're fine. There's what, ten minutes left until close? Odds are no one will come in. If they do, I'll take care of it. Go home early, Annabeth. You look like you have studying you want to do. Go get it done," Sally said in that maternal tone of hers. Annabeth had grown fond of Sally in the last five months she'd been working at the cafe. Her own mother had died giving birth to her, and she and her step mother always had a strained relationship. In that time, Sally had become a beloved female role model; she was strong and kind, and fiercely independent, all traits that Annabeth admired.

Annabeth walked to the back area and picked up her stuff, putting on her yellow oilskin raincoat and slinging her red backpack over her shoulder. Then she turned and headed for the door.

In the doorway, not paying attention to where she was going, she was stopped by walking into something solid… and warm. Annabeth looked up from her phone to see a man of medium height (though admittedly taller than her. Fuck, being short sucked...), with black hair and a medium fade, mussed up in the back. He had exquisite dark green eyes, and a handsome face.

"I'm sorry, I should have been watching where I was going," Annabeth said.

"Don't worry about it. I'm as much at fault as you," the man said with a dismissive wave of his hand, his eyes twinkling with merriment and mischief. Annabeth couldn't help but notice that despite his laid back attitude, he radiated power in a way unlike anyone she'd ever met; it was as if he knew he was the most powerful man in the room, and as if he'd seen his destiny, or rather was the master of it… and everyone else's. The sheer power he projected gave her a chill, and she shuddered. She slid past him and hurried along her way.

Annabeth took the ferry back to downtown Seattle and walked the few blocks to her apartment, one hand in her oilskin's pocket, clutching the sheathed fixed blade she kept in the pocket for safety. At three and a quarter inches, it was barely under the legal limit for blade length in Seattle, yet was her defense tool of choice. Ordinarily on her walk back from the ferry, she kept one hand one her knife's hilt and her head on swivel. Tonight, however, while her hand was still on the hilt, she was lost in thought. It had been a busy day, and she couldn't stop thinking about her last encounter. The way that man had radiated power was almost scary.

Even on autopilot, she managed to make it back to her apartment safely. Hazel- one of her roommates, along with Thalia- was already there, snoring on the couch, a textbook on her face. Annabeth took off her oilskin and put it on the rack, then went over and gingerly removed the textbook from Hazel's face, put a blanket over her, and put away Hazel's book, marking her page. (Score one for the mom friend!)

Annabeth went to the bathroom, showered and changed, and went to bed, her thoughts still lingering on the man who gave off such an aura of power, and what could possibly have caused that power.

A/N: So, I don't go to UW, I have no idea if they require an architecture class. Next chapter we'll meet Percy some more, and that will explain the title of this chapter. There is a meaning, I promise. Next chapter is entitled The Fighting Sailor and follows Percy. It's about a third done, and should be up soon..