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Chapter 2

As dusk fell Ileaned on the prow. Standing beside me was Lilly's little foxy familiar. I always loved watching the sunset and the transformation of our figurehead. As the last of the sunlight sank into the sea, the figurehead--a giant sparrow, wings open in flight and beak open in song--began to move.
It's wooden wings flapped and from it's open beak poured the trilling sound of sparrowsong. It launched off the prow and into the air, gliding on the updraft and shrinking as it flew. Soon, it had changed from a wooden carving to a flesh-and-blood sparrow. As it landed on the deck it once again changed, growing taller and fleshing out till a lovely young woman stood by the railing. She was tall, with long, straigh blond hair and blue eyes, garbed in a half-length red and white kimono over black pants and red boots.
the little arctic fox at my feet yelped and jumped into her master's outstretched arms. Lilly smiled and stroked her red fur.
"Hi Alice. Hello, Captain Sparrow. Lovely evenin' ain't it?"
"SUre is, Lil'. Everythin' calm on the waterfront t'day?"
"Aye."
"Good," I threw a salute, just for fun, and Lilly returned it, "You're dismissed, mate. Go get ready. Patry's in half an' hour."
"Aye aye, Captain!"

pirate smile pirate smile pirate smile pirate smile pirate smile pirate smile pirate smile

The ship was ablaze with light as the festivities began. The deck had been transformed from a workspace to a fairyland (or something close to one). Two long tables had been conjured up--literally--by our resident witch Emily-Rose Riddle (one of my aforementioned attackteam leaders). The ship's cook Rex and his assistant Mari had covered the tables with a decadent feast. Foods for every different member of my crew were set out; everything from faerie food to vampyr victuals. When the meal was done, every member of my crew performed, each using his/her special skills to give a show that I'm sure my daughter will never forget.
The "opening act" was Yuta, the ship's entertainer. He performed a multitude of tricks; juggling up to twenty multicolored spheres, breathing fire, and contorting his body into the strangest postitions. (We had rescued him from a carnival where he'd been kept on a chain like a common dog, poor little neko boy.)
Emily-Rose, Azsharae and Takahashi reenacted a battle from before I came into the picture: one of Captain Conner's first battles as captain of the Pheonix (which, if you've read my earlier story, you will know is the previous name of my ship). In the battle the were acting out, Captain Conner had fought off forty enemies and won, emerging from the slaughter unscathed. With the aid of Emily-rose's sorcery to create the illusion that she and Azsharae had 38 doubles, and takahashi using her own faerie magic to change her hair and skin color, they had the scene perfect; almost. Toward the end of the scene Azsharae and Takahashi were the only ones left battling it out. Both were covered in an almost unseeable sheen of sweat. As Takahashi brought up her sword to parry a blow it slipped from her grasp and Azsharae, propelled by the momentum of her movement, plunged her rapier into Taakahashi's breast. Takahashi fell, eyes wide and crimson blood staining her white shirt.
I screamed, leaping from my seat, and Azsharae dropped her weapon.
"I-I didn't mean--we'd practiced that so often--she never lost her grip before!" Azsharae was stammering.
"NOOOOOOOO! No no nonononono!" I cried, "What have you done?!"
"I didn't--I don't--I'm so sorry Captain! I didn't know that was going to happen!"
Then, just as I was about to lose it, Takahashi sat up! She was grinning from ear to ear and laughing.
"Whoo boy, Captain! You should see the look on your face!" she chuckled.
"What--but--how?"
"Before the party started I switched Azsharae's rapier with a retractable blade and hid blood packets beneath my shirt. I just wanted to give you a fright."
"Just give me a fright?! Takahashi, you scared me half to death And that's not even bloody possible! Don't you ever and I mean ever do something like that again!" I screeched, sounding more like her mother than her captain.
"Momma?" asked a timid little voice, accompanied by a tug on the sea-green sleeve of my dress (I had changed from my normal attire for the party).
I kneeled to be eyelength with my daughter.
"What is it, pet?" I said gently, staring into her amythest eyes and stroking her forest green hair--don't ask me where she got either.
"Can we go on with my party? I wanna see what the rest of the crew does."
Jennifer just looked so cute and innocent that I couldn't help but laugh and ruffle her long, green curls.
"Of course, Jen. On with the festivities!"

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Phew! That is actually a really long chapter! It took me 45 minutes to type it down! And it's not even finished! I'm turning the other half of this chapter into another chapter, so there'll be one more than was planned. Read on please. And comment.