“You’re brave. Such quality is hard to find especially in women. They usually run and scream when they saw a monster,” The hooked man praised her. He sat next to her and wiped his bloody head.

“Oh, I did run away.” Mia laughed.

“But you came back to help me. I’ve sailed across the continent where the wind brought me. Rarely I met someone, especially a stranger, a lady on top of that who rushed to save a stranger. What can I do to pay your kindness for helping me?”

Ding!

You earned 67+ Reputation points!

“Say… You sailed across the continent where the wind brought you?” Said Mia, she turned to face the hooked man with an excited look as if she had found a treasure.

“Yes, I’ve traveled everywhere. Sadly, the heavy storm destroyed my ship a few days ago. My ship crushed to pieces and my crews is nowhere to be seen. But its alright, once I found a new ship and my crews, I’ll set my sail and follow the wind again. I’ll make sure to reward you generously before I left,” Said the hooked man, his hooked hand scratching his head.

“Take me with you!!” Said Mia excitedly.

“What?” The hooked man jolted, surprised by her sudden request.

“Take me with you! Where the boat sails and the wind leads you. Take me along with you!” Mia shouted eagerly.

“Are you sure? Life on the sea is rough and –“

“I’m sure! Take me with you!”

“Are you really sure? I’m a –“

“Yes, I’m really sure! I had been waiting for this calling! Finally, it comes today!”

“You don’t want to discuss this matter with your parents first? After all, life on the sea isn’t fancy at all, especially for an elegant lady like you. On top of that, we’re-“

“My parents have nothing to say over this matter! I’ve made up my mind! I’ll come with you!” Mia cut him off.

“Err… I wanted to offer you gold but if its adventure you’re looking for, sure why not….” The hooked man said, sounding exasperated.

That very afternoon, Mia rushed home before Edgar came to pick her up. The wind had spoken, she will embark on a new adventure. Shocked with her news, Edgar locked himself in his room until the next morning came.

As the man who called himself Captain Hawk promised to meet up fifteen days later, Mia fidgeted the entire fourteen days. It felt like the days stretched longer than it was supposed to be, Mia couldn’t help but accused Edgar of stretching the time double.

With the remaining fourteen days she had at home, Edgar drilled her with intensive training all day and night long.

When the fifteenth day arrived, Mia woke up the first amongst everyone. She shocked the entire cottage by her loud and excited shriek. The sound of her voices talking non-stop over breakfast drove Edgar mad the whole morning. He pouted and sighed the entire time.

As breakfast time passed, Edgar teleported everyone (everycat and everymonster) to the cliff far from Portheart Town, where Captain Hawk had promised to meet her.

Fidgeting and humming the entire time, Edgar sat on the grass. Then, he saw it –

A ship sailing proudly along the coast. From afar Captain Hawk waved his hooked hand at Mia.

His jaw dropped and his face turned white. Not because of the long scar on Captain Hawk’s face or the hook on his hand, but the black flag flapping against the wind.

“That’s him, that’s Captain Hawk!” Said Mia excitedly.

“Mia, are you sure?” Said Edgar, his voice carried a trace of panic.

“Yes, positive. That’s him, the righteous and brave Captain Hawk. He’d sailed around the continent.” Mia exclaimed, her face smiling wide.

“Mia! I didn’t stop you when you spent all day wandering around Portheart Town. I thought you’ll figure it out someday. You’re taking the whole thing literally! Follow the wind! Follow the course! Go with the flow! And how can joining a pirate ship can restore the reputation of our kind??! That’s a damn pirate ship! That Captain Hawk is a pirate! Do you even know he’s a pirate before you jumped into his ship?” Edgar roared.

“Err… He’s a good man.” Mia muttered, afraid to face Edgar.

“Good man, my ass. Think about it again, Mia. Life on the sea is rough. You might get eaten by Kraken.” Said Edgar angrily.

“Not afraid. I’ve seen one on a daily basis!” Mia joked and grabbed his arm.

“MIA!!!” Edgar snapped.

Mia waved at Captain Hawk excitedly while Edgar paced and wiped his non-existence sweats repeatedly and sighed. Captain Hawk get on a small boat and rowed to the beach.

“Captain Hawk, nice to see you again,” Mia said cheerfully.

“Hello Mia, and errr, guardian I supposed, and hello cat.” Said Captain Hawk. He looked at Edgar with his fierce look. He was much well-dressed than he was fifteen days ago. His hooked hand scratched the long scar on his face, smiling awkwardly at Edgar.

“Hello, Captain Hawk. I’m Edgar, her guardian. A father, rather a brother of her.” Said Edgar. He had a conflicted look on his face. He extended his right hand to shake his hand, but it was his hook on that side. He withdrew his hand and extended his left hand.

Mia found it amusing for him to act that way. Edgar was caught off guard with the sudden appearance of a pirate who was going to take away his precious apprentice.

“As you can see, I’m a –“

“Pirate.” Said Edgar.

“Yes. You sure are related to Mia. You both like to finish my sentence. I tried to tell her that day, but she never let me finish. Ahh.. Err.. So, Sir Edgar, are you still going to let her join my pirate ship?” Said Captain Hawk. He stared at the luggage next to Mia. He had a reluctant look on his face.

“Yes! He had no say in this matter. I’ve made up my mind. I will go and sail with the wind.” Mia answered excitedly, not giving Edgar a slight chance to speak.

“If you said so…” Said Captain Hawk. His eyebrows furrowed.

Edgar at that point had long given up trying to convince her.

After a long talk with Edgar, Captain Hawk led her, Oyen, and the invisible Baddie he couldn’t see into the small boat. Such a strange girl to bring along a cat, he thought. As Mia gave Edgar a very long hug, she asked him again –

“Master, are you sure you don’t want to come with me?” She pouted.

“Hell no! I’ve waited for ten years for a chance to ditch you! Finally, the moment I’ve been waiting for had come. You finally leave me alone. I can finally bring ladies back to the cottage.”

“And turned them into stone?”

“Ah, no one knows me better than you, Mia. I will miss you for that sole reason. Now go on, go, and sail with your wind. Take care, Mia. I’ll look for you once in a while.” Said Edgar. He leaned closer to her ears and whispered. “DON’T BURN DOWN THE SHIP.”

Reluctant to let her go, Edgar pushed her to the boat. He stood by the shore until the ship disappeared from his sight.

“Good luck on your voyage, Mia Giselle Dendragon. You must learn to survive without me. You will never grow your own wings if I kept on protecting you under my care.” Edgar muttered and fixed his cloak. “Deonoa, I’ve completed my quest.”

“Mia, welcome aboard, this ship is my pride, the Tornado. Everyone here is my crews, both old and new. Everyone, this is Mia. She is my….err… Daughter. She will be assigned the same duty like everyone else. Anyone dares to lay a hand on her, I will chop it off and feed them to the shark.

“As this is your first time on board, here’s are some rules you need to obey. No physical violence between crew members. If you want to fight, it had to be resolve on land. No gambling with gold. Drinking is only permitted on the deck, although I hope you won’t fight with us for the provision of alcohol….”

Captain Hawk kept on talking but her concentration had long blown away by the wind. Her eyes wander around the ship and her brain was counting the crews on the ship. There were a total of twelve of them, including her – the only lady on the ship.