• Part One.

    I paced in front of the burly men who called themselves sailors.
    I was wearing a smile. A cute smile, like I wasn't a pirate.
    Much less the captain of the Nightengale.

    Some sailors smiled and waved at me.
    That was ENOUGH.
    I pulled out the flintlock rifle of my belt loop and shot it into the air.
    The talking and waving ceased.

    "'Ello everyone." I greeted them.
    "Me name is Isabella.
    To those who make the crew, I'm Captain Isabella."
    I giggled a little, seeing the astonished experssions on their sunburnt faces.
    I stopped giggling and straightened out my act.

    "Here you must choose land," I pointed to the ground and stomped.
    "Or sea." I turned around and pointed at the ocean.
    A sudden sweep of clamness sweeped over me. I continued.
    "As you must know,
    Once part of the Nightengale's crew,"
    I smiled and turned back around.
    "Always part of the Nightengale's crew 'til I die or the ship sinks."
    I watched as some small children walked away, sad.
    Some men joined them.
    I smirked.
    "We've weeded out the weaklings!" I called out.
    I then heard nervous chuckling.
    "My new crew has some weaponry expections."
    I pulled two boxes from behind me.
    I opened each one and displayed them.
    "Which do you choose?" I asked.
    One was a well decorated, shiny, and fake sword.
    The other was slightly rusted and wasn't.
    "Choice A?" I asked.
    29 hand were raised.
    "You all may leave."
    I picked up the sword and it wobbled and broke in my hand.
    They grunted and cursed under their breaths as they left my pressence.
    21 were left.