The ship bobbed slightly as the waves carried it across the sea. Hercules stared into the water, watching the fish swimming barely visible beneath the surface. He glanced up when he heard the two arguing voices of his two best friends, Iolaus, once a street thief, and Jason, crowned prince of Corinth, getting closer. He chuckled to himself, Jason's head was drenched and Iolaus was laughing and holding a bucket in his hands.
They had been on the ship nearly a week now. Cheiron had asked them to receive the newest Cadet for the Academy on their way back to the school. They had been visiting Iolaus' grandparents and, since they were returning to the school from the same port that they were to pick up the new cadet from, they agreed to help out. All Cheiron had said was that the new cadet would be on that very boat and that they were to bring him back to the Academy when they reached port.
Hercules shook his head, moving to lean against the railing of the ship, listening as Jason and Iolaus continued to argue. It seemed as if that had been all they had done this entire trip. Iolaus would play a prank on Jason, Jason would get mad, they'd argue, Jason would retaliate, Iolaus would get mad, and they'd argue…it was a vicious cycle…but one that Hercules had grown accustomed to.
He rolled his eyes as Jason and Iolaus proceeded to smack each other jokingly. He reached out and broke them up, better to do it now than to wait and see if it escalated into an actual fight.
"What?" they said in unison as Hercules let go of their arms.
He merely laughed at their antics and returned to looking at the ocean before him. He still couldn't believe that his uncle was the one who controlled those seas. Sure, he'd grown up knowing that Zeus was his father, but knowing that the king of the gods was your parent is one thing…but realizing that your relatives all control different aspects of the world is another. He had never met Poseidon, but as he gazed out at the open waters, he couldn't help but wonder if any of the other gods had taken an interest in him.
His thoughts were cut off by a persistent nudging on his arms. He looked up to see Iolaus elbowing him as he and Jason stared at something on the other side of the ship. He rolled his eyes once again…knowing them it was either a fight, some kind of amazing weapon, food, or…
A girl…a very pretty girl in his opinion. She was standing by the side of the ship, looking out at the waves as Hercules had just been doing himself. It looked like an older man, possibly her father since he had the same chestnut colored hair, though graying, as she did, was talking to her. Hercules could tell that, while he was talking, she wasn't listening.
Before he could even really look at her a large burly man stepped in front of his face. "What are you lot doing?" the balding man said, spraying a bit of spit all over the three of them. "You're supposed to be working your fare, get on with it!"
He shoved the crate he was holding into Hercules' arms as Jason and Iolaus were dragged off to do their own chores as well. Hercules looked back up but the girl was gone. He sighed; he couldn't be worrying about some girl, not when he needed to pay for his trip…
IOI
Hercules sighed again; he had been moving crates all afternoon for the first mate, the large burly man. As soon as he'd finished moving all the crates to one area, the man would tell him he was wrong and Hercules would have to move it to another area…oh joy…what fun that was.
He was nearly certain that, had the captain not noticed what was happening, he would have been stuck moving crates well into the night as well. But the gods smiled on him and the Captain had ordered him to report to the mess and help serve the food to the crew.
It must have just been one god smiling on him for as soon as he entered the mess, a large plate of food was thrust into his hands…and just his luck at that exact moment the ship decided to sway. He tripped slightly and was positive that he was going to drop the plate…and most likely 'walk the plank' what ever that was…
"Watch out"a voice called out as he felt plate being steadied.
"Thanks," Hercules replied putting the tray on a large table next to him and turning to see the girl from before standing there.
"You're welcome," she replied smiling up at him, her silverfish eyes sparkling, "You're…one of the boys from that Academy place, aren't you?"
Hercules stared at her dumbstruck that a beautiful girl was talking to him…but only for a moment before he smiled, "Yup, name's Hercules."
Her smile grew as she accepted the hand he offered her, "Ariadne."
Hercules opened his mouth but before he could get a word out, a voice called out above the shouts of the hungry men. "Ari! I need your help with the food!"
They both turned to see the captain of the ship scooping vast amounts of food onto more large trays.
Hercules let out a low whistle, "Captain wants you…"
She rolled her eyes, "Worse, Uncle wants me."
Hercules laughed as he watched her make her way towards the captain. He could understand what it was like having everyone view someone as something, but to you he's something else entirely. Everyone just saw Zeus, king of the gods…Hercules saw Zeus…his father…
Suddenly he felt the wind being knocked out of him. He looked down to see that the tray he had set on the table only moments before hand been thrust into his gut…now empty. "More food!" one of the men shouted.
Hercules sighed and made his way towards the filled trays, this was going to be a long night…
IOI
Hercules rolled back and forth on the balls of his feet, Iolaus grumbling incoherently next to him, his hair sticking up at all ends while Jason silently laughed at his friends 'inconvenient situation'. He shook his head as he kept his eyes trained on the long line of people leaving the ship. He had made sure that he, Jason, and Iolaus had been the first ones off so that they'd be sure to catch the new cadet.
'Let's see…' he thought to himself, 'Old man…old woman…guy missing a leg…mother and child…crewman…Ariadne…crewman…crewman…crewman…'
He watched the many people walking by, keeping his eyes open for anyone that might be looking for the academy…basically anyone who might be able to fight…
IOI
Ariadne laughed silently to herself as she walked by Hercules and his friends, Mason and Nolus. They looked so foolish, standing there…well, Nolus did at least. She wondered what on earth could have made his hair stay that way. But decided not to think on it too much, she had somewhere more important to be.
She pulled out a map from a small pouch hanging by her side before glancing around at her surroundings. She had never gotten off her uncle's ship before, always helping with the journey but never the destination. She bit her lower lip as she glanced between the town to her right and the forest to her left. According to her map, she should be able to cut through the forest and get there faster.
Shrugging her shoulders she replaced the map and set off towards the forest. After walking past the same tree for the third time, she was definitely lost. She looked up at the trees as if they'd be able to point her in the right direction. She was about to set off once more when a twig snapped just behind her.
She spun quickly, her eyes widening as she saw just who it was who stood behind her.
Ares, god of war, stood before her, smirking his trademarks smirk, hand resting carelessly on the hilt of his sword, "Did you think you could run from me?"