For a while I stood under the boiling hot water as it seared my skin. It almost hurt but it felt good at the same time. It was like the entire week's experience was melting away.
I rested my forehead on the cold tiles and closed my eyes.
I had seen the changes in my legs and arms and was wondering if the fish theory was true after all. My feet were thinner, almost see through, and my legs were thicker, almost a full half inch of scales covering my tan skin.
My arms had small divots in them where thin webbing stuck out, growing quickly. It almost looked like fish fins. The same thing seemed to be happening on my legs.
"Come on..." I groaned. "I couldn't have been cursed, I don't know, after the world was coming to and end?"
No answer came for which I was grateful. If someone had answered I would've probably had a heart attack.
I must have stood there for almost fifteen minutes before I actually tried to get clean. My hair was obnoxious and for the first time in months I considered a hair cut. Once thoroughly sure there was no more oil or grease on my I went to turn of the water. But my fingers paused.
It was like my entire body had frozen. I stood there, willing myself to move, water dripping into my face and half open mouth.
My neck twitched, taking out the stream of water falling into my throat. I glanced down to my arm, it didn't look different. Then my legs did something weird. It was like they had lost the will to hold me up. My head crashed into the wall and I had to bring my vision back, determined not to pass out.
When I could see I looked down to my legs. "What the heck," I growled. But my legs weren't there. One, long thick band of muscles and scales stretched from my waist. A set of thin webbing about as long as my lower arm flopped on either side. "No!" I whispered.
I shut my eyes and begged my legs to come back. This couldn't happen. I wasn't going to become a fish. I wasn't.
When I opened my eyes again I saw all four limbs. Standing, I hobbled out of the shower, turning the water off as fast as I could. I pulled on my clothes, my dripping hair soaking my neck.
Wiping off the mirror I looked at my reflection. Eyes; normal. Nose; normal. Mouth; normal. Everything seemed ok. Then I looked at my neck. The gils were thicker, sticking out from my skin and pulsating with my heart beat. I touched it and winced. It felt like a bruise.
But that seemed the only thing changed. My arms and legs– still two legs– didn't look any better or worse than before my shower.
Wiping my forehead I looked at the mass of dark curly hair that I knew would not cooperate. I searched in my tool belt for a moment before my fingers touched the small piece of leather. It took a while and a few ripped out hairs but I got it into a decent pony tail at the base of my neck.
I would get teased but I didn't care.
It was about thirty minutes until dinner and I gathered my ingredients. Pulling up my sleeves I looked everything over, it was in order. Dipping my spoon in the beans I frowned. A small golden scale fell into the food.
"How do I fix that?" I muttered. I eventually pulled out bandages and wrapped my wrists and hands tightly. I looked like some steam punk war veteran or something. Laughing at myself I got down to the food. There were several different kinds and by the time my friends came in I was tired and covered in food.
"Holy cow..." Percy whistled, stepping in.
"You told me to make dinner," I protested. "So I did."
"Good job," Frank said, face blank.
Hazel's jaw hung open as she caught sight of the platter of soft tacos. "Don't be surprised yet," I grinned. "You haven't even tasted my blueberry cobbler yet."
Piper walked up beside me and pulled on the small pony tail. "Cute," she scrunched her nose.
"I need a hair cut," I rolled my eyes. "I get it. But for now... dig in!"
And they did. I think Percy ate half of it by himself. Frank held a close second. Hazel announced she was full after finishing three and Jason laughed as he agreed. Piper and Annabeth must have been full but kept meeting each others gaze and laughed as if sharing an inside joke.
I had eaten a ton of the ingredients but still found enough room to eat a couple of my own creations. I had made better but that day they tasted like heaven.
"So..." Hazel looked up from her drink. "What's going on?"
I knew what she was talking about. All their eyes had flicked to my bandaged arms but I had tried to ignore it.
I, instead, talked about something else. "I have the ship nearly top notch again. The engine is working great and we should be back in a few more days."
"That's not what I'm talking about." Hazel said. Everyone had turned around now, watching back and forth between Hazel and me like a tennis match.
"I know," I looked down to my hands, then quickly up at Annabeth, almost begging her to take over.
She did.
"Um," the blonde hesitated, all eyes snapping to her. "Leo has asked me to leave it be. Just concentrate on the next couple days."
"Why?" Piper had turned back to me. "You're our friend."
"I'm not going to get in the way," I smiled up at them. "You guys are the warriors. Even if I loose my legs it wouldn't matter. I fight from the ship."
"But you're still important." Frank –the person I thought would be the least likely to say that–did.
I shook my head. "I'm just the repair boy."
I could feel more arguments coming but before anyone could say anything we were thrown to the side of the room. I heard one of the girls scream but even to this day I'm not sure who did. Panic gripped my insides. The lights turned off.
"Is everyone ok?" Annabeth asked.
"Fine!" I called. Everyone answered accordingly.
"What's going on?" I heard Jason say. The lights flickered back on and I stood.
"I'm going to go check out up deck," I jumped over the upturned table and walked upstairs. "Stay down here!" I called.
"Yea right," Percy snorted.
I don't know how many people followed me up but when we reached the deck wind nearly blew us into next week. Running to the locked controls I gripped the wheel.
"What's going on?" Piper asked.
"I think it's a hurricane!" answered Annabeth. The blonde crashed into me and for the first time that day I was grateful for the pony tail.
"How long do you think this has been going on?" I cried.
"I'd say at least a few hours!"
"Jason!" He walked over, a small pocket of air around him, blocking him from the worst of the wind. "How strong are these winds?"
He shook his head. "I'm not sure. But not as strong as they could be maybe seventy or eighty?"
I nodded. "Good," I muttered. "Annabeth, any idea how long this could last?"
"Anywhere from a few more hours to a few more days." She shook her head.
"How many of us do you want on deck Leo?" Jason asked. "And don't even think of saying all of us."
"No offense, but I want Percy and Jason above deck." I turned to the rest of them, realizing at this moment I really was captain. The ocean might be Percy's domain but this ship was mine. "Frank, I want you securing all the heavy stuff. Strap it all down. Hazel help him," they nodded and headed down. "Annabeth, I want you to secure the engine room, then see what you can find about this storm. Piper help Annabeth with the books. You can pick stuff out easier than we can."
The girls nodded and ran back downstairs, the door locking behind them. "And us?"
"Jason, secure you and Percy to the railing, triple check those knots." He nodded and headed to the life lines. "Percy," I grinned. "You're the seaman. Let your instincts take over."
He nodded and ran off.
Jason came back a moment later with my life line. "We've got to make sure your safe too."
I rolled my eyes but didn't protest. I couldn't have fallen off if I wanted to. My fingers were stuck on the wheel, my knees locked.
It couldn't have been more than a half hour when Annabeth was back up on deck. "Leo," she gasped in my ear. I looked up form the controls, my stomach whirling with nervousness.
"Yes?"
"It isn't a hurricane!"
"Is that good or bad?"
"Good," she smiled. "It's just a really strong. At this rate it should blow over in a few hours."
"I swear this one isn't my fault," I laughed.
Annabeth nodded. "Of course not. I've told everyone else. They've finished your orders and we're huddled in the infirmary."
"That's great!" I sighed. "I'll tell them," I jabbed a thumb at Percy and Jason. "You get back downstairs."
She glanced nervously at her boyfriend and nodded, running back below deck.
"Just a storm, just a storm, just a storm," I repeated rough seas. "Jason! Percy!" The boys looked up from thier work and I gestured them over. "You're doing great. Annabeth just came up," Percy's eyes flicked to the door. "This isn't a hurricane, it's just a normal storm. It should blow over soon."
Jason sighed.
Percy just rolled his eyes. "Jason why does your dad hate us so much?"
"It's your dad who hates us!" Jason argued.
"I get it, we all have daddy issues," I tugged at the wheel as it jerked my fingers almost out of socket. "Now get back to work."
I know this one is lacking in big action. But don't worry my fellow fanfictioners I shall give you more. I'm not even half way done telling this story!
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