A stoic, solemn voice came across the winds carrying a semblance to Kaori's deceased master with it... 'I've known you a long time child, but I still don't know you. You're small, frail, and weak; but your heart is large, powerful, and strong. You'll make a fine leader one day; but for now, sleep and dream of the universe. Reject this world and all of its' cruel realities...'
The voice faded from Kaori's mind as she looked out over the rails at the bow of a large ship. It was the voice of her master, the man who taught Kaori everything she knew about everything she could do. He taught her to fight, to kill, to surrender, and to love. He made her more than just another ninja; he made her a leader. The seas had appeared so calm today, but she knew that this serenity wouldn't last. She was in the eye of the storm, and the walls were closing in fast. The captain had chosen this morning specifically to engage his foes. It was the day that he'd lost his previous crew, and as a vow to their vengeance, he swore that he would bring down the marauders that killed them.
The masked ninja turned her head to face the captain on the bow of the ship, the large man standing with focused orbs towards the horizon. He was strong, twice the leader Kaori was and she could feel it. His strength radiated from him, and the mage could feel that strength permeating the entire ship and filling her and the rest of the crew. With his metal arm, the captain grabbed the wheel and began turning it to let the ships' cannons face the direction their enemy was coming from. "All hands on deck!" he shouted, his voice booming across the deck of the ship and down into the cargo bay. Voices came from the cargo bay reiterating the captain's orders, and all members of the crew began flocking to the top of the vessel. Kaori vanished, reappearing next to the captain with her arms crossed.
"Today we take on an enemy that's already killed one of my crew, don't underestimate them! This will be my last attempt at victory. I've spent everything I had on this ship, supplies, you lot, and this..." The captain rested his massive hand on Kaori's shoulder. "A small package, but from what I've heard a valuable asset. She'll be out ticket to victory, and I'll let her introduce herself." The captain took his hand from his shoulder and gave Kaori a gentle smile while taking a few steps back. Kaori stepped forward, the curious crew finally getting to know why there was someone on the ship that wasn't doing work. "Name's Kaori Lareci, the last remaining member of the Lareci clan, as well as the most powerful. My presence here is for doing two things, and two things alone; Getting on the enemy ship, and killing everyone. Your job is to keep firing, even if you hit me!" She announced, the crews' eye getting wide at the last announcement. "B-but you'll die!" one of the men protested. "I'll get better." she replied in a grim tone. "Assassins don't die, we just go to hell for a nap. Let that be a notice to anyone who dares try and aim for me." The captain stepped forward again and Kaori stepped back. "Right! You have your orders, get to your stations!" The captain announced and each man and woman began moving.
Kaori took her place at the top of the main mast, above the crow's nest. With a stern expression, she looked over the horizon and waited for their enemy to arrive. Her reason for being here, for taking this job in particular was that she knew what it was like to be the last 'man' standing. She was the last man standing out of a clan of over ten thousand, and she'll be damned if she let it happen to someone else. This captain would find a new clan with this group he hired, and if he was taking them to battle then Kaori would make sure they don't fail. The captain didn't lose a battle, he won motivation. Just as the sails of the marauder ship came on the horizon, Kaori looked at the captain who nodded in acknowledgement to her. He raised his right hand and shouted "Ready the cannons!" with passion. The twenty seven cannons on the left flank of their ship got ready to fire, and as the opposing ship came in range with their cannons ready, the captain lowered his hand and they opened fire.
The front of the enemy ship was destroyed, but they kept charging in. Kaori grabbed the mast in preparation for what was to come, and the crew took shelter on the opposing side of the ship. The marauders rammed them, knowing that there was no chance to defeat new cannons with longer range, they rammed the ship before the crew could reload. "Change of plans, board the enemy ship!" the captain shouted, and unsurprisingly, the enemy had the same idea. Men from the deck of the ship began pouring in to meet Kaori's allies in bladed battle, and Kaori began looking around for a good target. A man shot across the bow of his ship and onto Kaori's, meeting her captain and trying to kill him in one shot. The captain had drew his sword to block the other captain's, staring him in the eye with a vengeful glare.
Kaori vanished from her spot and took down one of the enemy grunts by sending her sword through their skull. She began repeating the action, but it seemed for every one man she killed another came to replace them. She was trying to reduce the size of their crew to ensure that hers' survived. Those were the captains orders to her, make sure that everyone else lives even if he or she dies. The captain received no assistance as he clashed with the opposing captain. The deck was in frenzy, and the opposing crew was putting too much pressure on them for anyone to get to the captain's deck and provide support. Suddenly, after several minutes of clashing blades, the opposition began rejoicing out of nowhere and battle came to a halt. Kaori looked across the deck while kicking a man off her blade who was smiling for some reason, and saw it... Their captain had lost. A blade stuck from his stomach as he slumped over on his knees in defeat.
Without a leader, the crew didn't know what to do. They looked to each other in confusion, and soon their weapons lowered. The opposing captain began laughing and turned to Kaori and the rest of the crew, shouting taunts and cursing the name of their now dead captain. The seas became angry at this sight, and it began to stir. The captain began to rise slowly, grabbing the blade in his stomach while a blue marking began appearing on his arms. He withdrew the sword and while the opposing captain was laughing arrogantly with his back to him, he inserted the blade into his back. "Thank you..." the captain said, not seeming to speak to anyone of this world. His eyes, formerly an amber color, had become blue as the seas themself and a similarly colored aura took over his body. "Kill them all!" he boomed to his crew, and the men, not questioning the order but rather being grateful to still have an employer, resumed their attack. The captain became surrounded by small jets of water that circled him and he began walking forward. As enemies came close to him, the water jets shot out and impaled them, killing them and dropping their bodies to the floor. He stopped at the middle of the place where the two ships were connected and stared at the enemy ship. "I'll send you to be a slave to my crew." he said to the ship. He spread his feet apart to distribute his weight and lifted his hands. He positioned himself like a man preparing to punch, and then when he dide, a massive wave shot from under the enemy ship and cut it in half. The sound of battle stopped for the second time, and without a captain to lead them, without a ship to take refuge in, the enemies all dropped their weapons. Jets of water shot out from the sea and grabbed each of them. The captain didn't take prisoners, at least, not today he didn't. And the seas claimed each marauder, dragging them under with their ship.
The crew mourned over their lost members, and set them all in the cargo hold while they returned to port. Kaori had went to address the captain, to ask if he was alright. When she arrived, there was a note and a golden key with a strange symbol at the base on top it. "Take my crew, and my ship. I'm no longer the captain... I've formed a pact with the Celestial King. He gave me a second chance, but at the cost of having to become a Celestial Spirit. My name is Aquarius, and this key is my own. Take it, and whenever you need a friend use it to summon me. We've avenged my crew, so I owe you this much." Kaori put the key in her tool belt and went to notify the rest of the crew, who all needed some educating on celestial spirits and a crash course in magic logic, but they eventually got it. The ship was beyond repair, so it was sold for scrap upon returning to port and the crew had stayed in Hargeon to await their next grand adventure.
![Novice [250]](https://i.imgur.com/lrYlde6.png)
![Grand Master [2000]](https://i.imgur.com/SGD5XSW.png)
![Master [1000]](https://i.imgur.com/AQXM4xC.png)
![Senior [500]](https://i.imgur.com/Nmfn8cD.png)
