For this chapter: italics=French (translations in bold parentheses). Also, long chapter alert! (I was originally going to split in half, but then I ended up writing all of it in one go)

Also: OH MY GODS! This has been up for one day and it already has over two hundred views! Please keep this up and review too!

Shout out to thegoddesskym for the first review!

Disclaimer: Ya really think my name is Rick Riordan? Because the last time I checked, my name doesn't start with an R.

Ch 5

Hazel

For some reason that Chinese guy was coming towards me again. I mean, not that I minded. He wasn't hard on the eyes. He was just a part of the crew that captured me and my friends. But he was gorgeous. But don't tell Nico. Nico would...Nico would probably kill him.

The guy walked over. "Hi," he said. "Um, you're Hazel, right?" He smiled at me, then promptly tripped over his feet and fell.

"Oh! Are you alright?" I exclaimed.

He popped right back up, a slight blush on his cheeks. "What? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just clumsy. My gran says that- sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"Boring you to death."

"You weren't boring me to death! I think it's very doux (cute)."

"You speak French?" the guy said.

"Yeah, a little. I'm interested in that particular human culture."

"Well my gran taught me a little French! Do you wanna try?"

I laughed. Why not? "Sure. Comment allez-vous? (How are you?)"

He looked confused, and replied, "Ma chaussure est vert. (My shoe is green)."

I laughed harder.

"What?"

"Why did you tell me that your shoe was green?" I asked in between laughs.

"Because you- never mind, I give up."

I finally stopped laughing. "You were right, by the way. I'm Hazel."

"Frank." He stepped forward and reached up to the chains around my wrists. "And I have orders to release your hands," he said gallantly.

"Frank!" The girl that was standing near Leo had spoken. "The vow!"

"Oh right," Frank said, looking sheepish. He looked at me. "The captain wants you to swear on the River Styx that you won't try to escape or hurt anyone on the crew."

I looked at the others. Percy already had his hands free, and was deep in conversation with the curly haired boy. Leo was having his chains undone by the girl that spoke earlier. Piper was blushing at something the guy by her said, her hands free. Nico was smirking at the guy unlocking his wrists as he fumbled with the key. "I guess my friends have already promised, so I swear on the River Styx."

"Great!" Frank said, and proceeded to unlock the cuffs. I dropped my tired arms, trying to get blood flow back into my hands.

I caught Frank staring at me. "What?" I asked.

He dropped his gaze, blushing. "Nothing," he said. Piper burst into giggles at something that the blonde guy said.

"Listen up merfolk!" The captain was standing in front of us. Frank snapped to attention and saluted her. "Frank, what are you doing?"

"Saluting you sir!" he responded. Frank frowned and slumped. "Wait...I don't have to do that anymore."

"Gods, Frank!" blondie said. "We left the Navy like centuries ago! I mean-"

"Save it for the campfire, Jason." The girl with spiky hair walked up beside the captain.

"But Thalia!" Jason complained.

"Both of you, shut up!" the captain shouted. She turned to us, and her gaze softened. "I thought about things last night. And I'm sorry. And I know that that isn't saying much, but it's all I can do. I have responsibilities."

We were silent for a moment. Then Piper spoke. "It's okay. We understand."

"Besides," Leo said, "this is all just another adventure!"

****************************************time lapse******************************and POV change****

ANNABETH

Captain's Log

Two weeks. That's how long we've been sailing since we caught the merfolk. One more week until we dock at Jupiter City and meet with Luke.

I don't know what to do anymore. The merfolk...they're contradicting everything that Luke taught me. They seem...human. Well, maybe we're just like merfolk. Who was here first? It doesn't matter. What matters is that we're both intelligent species.

Percy. I don't know what I'm going to do with him. I've taken to confiding in him at night. I think I might like him. Maybe like-like him? No, he's a friend. No, he's a merman. But what difference does that really make?

I'm just confused I don't want to give them up to Luke. They're becoming friends with the crew. Thalia told me that Travis and Connor already pegged crushes and placed bets on who is going to kiss first, so maybe more than friends? Whichever, they'll be crushed if I do end up turning them over to Luke. But they might end up physically crushed if I don't.

I just don't understand what's right anymore. And I only have one more week to figure it all out. One measly week.

I looked up, and closed the book. I walked over to the merfolk. My crew got along so easily with them, and surprisingly, so did I.

"Percy?" I said, approaching the tanks.

"Huh?" he answered intelligently.

I started to speak, but bit my lip. "How are you liking the ship?" I asked, covering up what I really wanted to say.

Percy frowned. He knew something was up. "Just fine, I guess." He suddenly smiled, his green eyes lighting up. "It's been two weeks and I haven't broken my vow not to try to contact home!"

"Duh," I responded, "you swore on the River Styx."

"Oh yeah." His smile disappeared.

"You know, sometimes, I think your head is full of seaweed."

"Gee, thanks." Percy frowned, trying to think of an insult. "You...you...you're….so...so...smart!"

"That's not an insult."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Wise Girl."

"Seaweed Brain."

"Guys!" Jason called from Piper's tank, where they were 'chatting' Jason and Piper were pretty much dating now, the two lovebirds. "Cut it out!"

"Whatever you say, Sparky," Percy smirked.

"Quit it, Water Boy," Jason retorted.

"Come on, all of you!" Grover shouted. He grabbed a pinecone (where he got it from on my ship I have no idea) and chucked it at Jason.

Jason ducked. It smacked Thalia in the face. "GROVER!"

"G-man, you're in trouble!" Percy sang.

"Shut it, Kelp Head," Thalia snapped.

"Watch it, Pinecone Face."

"You guys are annoying," Nico remarked.

"You too, Death Breath," Thalia said angrily.

"All of you! Stop. It." I was getting tired of this.

Leo put his hands up like he was surrendering. "Jeez, Princess."

I pulled out my dagger. "What did you call me?"

"Hey, Annabeth. Calm down," Piper said warily.

"I can fight my own battles, Beauty Queen," Leo grumbled.

"What?" Piper practically snarled. She looked directly at Annabeth. "Murder him."

Calypso whacked Leo on the head. "Now look what you've done!"

"Oi! Sunshine, what was that for?" Leo complained.

Leo and Calypso started to argue, with Frank, Hazel, Nico, and Will watching, amused. Jason was comforting an angry Piper. Meanwhile, I turned to Percy.

"You. You started this."

"What." Percy's ever intelligent response.

"This name-calling, Seaweed Brain! It's all your-"

I was cut off by Malcolm's cry. "Ship ahoy!"

That's where the nicknames came from! In this story at least. Pls tell me if I forgot a nickname!

Also, my excuse for the time skip: I'm bad at fluff (let's be honest, the last chapter kinda sucked). I tend to play out the scenes in my head first, and fluff...doesn't really come. Besides, it's better to move the plot along, right?

I'm out! *sprints around corner*

P.S. *sticks head around corner* Cliffhanger much?