- POV General -

"HEAVE HO, MY CUTIES !"

"AYE CAPTAIN !!!"

As the boat pushed by Hestia slid down the logs below, the young Captain had shouted her order from the stern. With the exceptional strength she possessed, it had been possible for her alone to give the power necessary to bring the sloop down. And as the huge structure began to pick up speed, on the deck, the crew was already running around.

The cove was not very large but offered a perfect track because the sand and wood had been shaped to create a slope. Thus, in only a few seconds, the ship was sailing towards the horizon as if called by the sea. Hestia, still behind, grabbed with her right hand a rope that was hanging there before letting herself be pulled, leaning against the hull of the sloop. With her left hand, she held her tricorn while her golden hair flew.

On deck, Joe and Edward were busy hoisting the sails from the ship's mast by pulling on the ropes on either side. Mysie and Kali were holding on to the mast because of the strong shaking, while Lucas and Buggy were steering the sails with the pulleys. Douggy stood in the middle of the deck and held the things that had not yet been stowed.

*SPLASH*

In a few seconds, the bow of the ship made contact with the sea in a huge splash, sending thousands of salty droplets flying. The whole crew held on to something to keep from falling, but the Captain was still holding on to the rope that had finally come undone. With the force of the impact, the knot that had been tied at the top had suddenly loosened, propelling Hestia at great speed toward the mast.

"Yoohoo~!!!"

Landing on the yardarm, the young blonde woman was just below the crow's nest facing the early morning and the sun. The wind seemed to be blowing for them as the main sail suddenly swelled, propelling the ship forward. However, she had no time to rejoice as the first test was already upon her. Indeed, the cove being surrounded by rocks, and beaten by violent waves, getting out was already a challenge.

The wind was blowing hard, maybe even too hard, as the boat was heading straight for the exit, but unfortunately it was starting to turn dangerously to port. The still new main sail was turning too quickly and its ropes rubbing the iron hooks until they were hot was not helping. However, Hestia still on the highest yardarm was not afraid, even smiling as she gave her first orders as Captain.

"Joe at the helm, keep the course straight ahead smoothly, we'll follow the wind from the east ! Doggy, Buggy, take care of the sail ropes and keep it pointed to the bow ! Lucas, keep the pulley of the rail always straight and prevent it from giving way under the force of the wind ! Mysie, Kali, keep an eye on Loki and Azeil, tie up the most fragile packages on the deck, I warn you it's going to shake !"

"Aye aye !"

Her voice was powerful, clear, carried far and above all was determined and confident. Having all answered to the second, the crew below threw themselves to their post following the Captain's orders. There was not a second to lose because the further they went, the more the wind pushed them towards the rocks. Joe, who was the first to take the helm, did his best to keep the ship upright so that neither side would break.

"Captain ! The east wind is too strong, if it continues, the hull might get scraped by one of the rocks when we get out !!! The ship keeps turning to port and I think the sail might get stuck or worse !!!"

The Sailing Master of the ship had shouted back to be heard by the young woman who was perched at the top of the mast. She had heard everything but said nothing because her mind was working very fast taking all the information at her disposal to find a solution. The entrance to the cove was not far away, but as Joe had said, the sloop was now sailing upright, the crew fighting the wind itself.

"Captain !!!"

"T-The sails !"

Joe kept the rudder hard to the right, his arms trembling as he tried to keep the coordination almost perfect without being too abrupt or too slow. The two brothers were doing their best to keep the sail bulging toward the horizon, but they were overwhelmed. Despite the brute force they represented, it was not enough in the face of the tumultuous waves and this wind that was both ally and enemy.

"Edward !!!"

The ship shook, the wood vibrated, the steel banged against the hull, the ropes strained and despite the will of the crew, the ship turned completely to its left. Ed, without even having received a single order, understood what he had to do and ran towards Doggy who was having the most difficulty holding on to his rope. Like his brother, his hands were damaged by this simple exercise, which was actually the most tiring at that moment.

"Move !"

"Y-Yes !"

Grabbing the rope with his hands, Edward pulled with all his might, almost immediately straightening the sail, but it wasn't enough. The sloop that the 6 companions had taken so long to repair was about to crash on the rocks, it was only a matter of time. How could it pass in a 7 meters wide space surrounded by rocks, positioned horizontally ? It was necessary to act quickly.

"Joe ! On my command drop the helm ! Same for everyone else handling the sails, pulley and ropes, at my command drop everything and hang on !!!"

"But Captain this is madness ! I-If we all let go, the boat will drift away !!!"

"Precisely fufu~"

Like the Sailing Master, those who heard Hestia's voice were wide-eyed and wondered if she had lost her mind even before she left the island. Yet, once again, the young woman did not panic and scanned the horizon with a big smile and eyes shining with excitement. She towered over everything and everyone, perched high above the sail, and felt no fear whatsoever.

"Get ready !!!"

Having no choice but to trust the one who was guiding them by what she saw, everyone nodded apprehensively preparing to act. Mysie and Kali were clinging to the mast holding Loki and Azeil in their arms for protection. Lucas at the pulley, Edward, Buggy, Douggy at the ropes, and Joe at the rudder were still struggling mightily as they waited for the signal that would soon come.

Everyone's heart was beating like powerful drums in their chest, breaths were coming faster and minds were focused. Everyone had been given an order and despite the absurdity of what Hestia had just said, she seemed to have a solution. Seconds seemed to have become minutes and minutes became hours, no one could predict the outcome of the situation so every second was crucial.

More than 15 meters, the stern and the bow of the ship were already getting dangerously close to the coast because of its length. More than 10 meters, the waves were violently hitting the hull, making everything on the deck rock. More than 8 meters, the noise of the cracking wood offered a deafening cacophony worthy of an infernal concert. Only 5 meters away, if Hestia didn't give the signal, the ship would be destroyed.

"3...2...1...NOW !!! DROP EVERYTHING !!!"

Without question, everyone, as one, dropped what they had in their hands, praying that their captain's madness would not be fatal. The change was radical because the next moment, as if the sloop was only made of paper, it started to turn on itself. The sail, left to its own devices, turned to the left, while the rudder, without a navigator, turned on its own, carried by the power of the waves and the wind.

Previously, Joe had been holding it fully to starboard to right the ship, which had turned to port without success as it finally came to rest level. Now free to move and at an impressive speed, the rudder was moving on its own. Everyone hung on as everyone watched the sloop turn a little to the left to put its stern toward the horizon.

Left to its own devices, the ship had turned over once more just before it exploded on the sharp and destructive rocks. The wind, still blowing from the east, suddenly swelled the sail once more, propelling the sloop and its occupants astern. However, the rudder still without a navigator and the sails without a sailor continued to turn madly, leaving the ship not very long behind.

The hull was rubbing against the rocks, the passage was narrow, tight and dozens of rocks were sticking out of the water ready to pierce at any moment. However, Hestia's strategy had worked since their new home had, against all odds, passed this challenge with flying colors. But, passing the entrance to the cove backwards and barely, the crew didn't have time to take a breath and everything was back on track.

As if drifting on choppy waters, the ship was gradually coming back into line, continuing to spin on itself like a floating top. When the bow finally passed the entrance to the cove, Joe, once again reacting very quickly, threw himself on the crazy rudder to straighten it. He was able to put the necessary force and precision into it and followed by Edward and Lucas, together they managed to turn the bow toward the horizon.

Still pushed by the east wind, the sail inflated to its maximum, the ship was moving proudly in the right direction, moving away little by little from Coven Island. The wind was blowing, the sea air was absolutely everywhere, the six friends, the two brothers having finally managed all together to get out of this mess. The infernal ballotage was finished and while Mysie and Kali got up by rubbing their backs, a laugh resounded in their eardrums still buzzing.

"fufufuHAHAHAHAHA~"

Hestia, who had been silent, began to laugh loudly, her eyes closed, holding her stomach and swinging her head back. As everyone on deck gathered near the mast, the young woman opened her eyes again to stare at the seemingly endless horizon. No one understood why the Captain was laughing like that after what had happened and no one could hear the few words she was murmuring.

"This is it...true freedom"

Then, lowering her head and seeing the faces of her companions who looked at her as if she had finally gone crazy, she giggled. Letting go of the rope she had in her hand, still looking away, the beautiful blonde with piercing eyes tilted back without the slightest hesitation. Mysie and Kali couldn't help but let out a small cry of shock as the Captain landed very quickly on the deck in front of her crew.

*BAM*

To break her fall and not break the ground, Hestia had come in crouching, her coat, sleeves and hair flowing back with class. Everyone remained silent as she stood up with a teasing smile that everyone knew all too well. Loki and Azeil, who had also been confused by the maneuver, shook their heads before joining their master in an imprecise trot.

Kali and Mysie had wet hair going in all directions, Joe's, Edward's, Lucas' arms were shaking from the monster effort and the brothers' hands were red and bruised from the ropes. All were still stunned by what had just happened, hearts were beating wildly and the adrenaline was still present. Only the Captain seemed to be completely unaffected as she finally spoke.

"Yo~"

"..."

"Very good work to all. We are now off to a good fufu~"

Ignoring the state of her friends, or rather doing everything not to laugh again, Hestia raised her tricorn to congratulate them. At her belt, she carried the black blade in its scabbard that David had given her, as well as her pistol, both adorned with an "H". Still dressed in black and red, the Captain was finally on her ship, the island where she had grown up becoming smaller and smaller as the minutes passed.

"T-That maneuver earlier...you...you knew that was going to work ?"

Kali had stepped forward still shaking a little to question her friend about the decision she had just made not knowing if she should be amazed or frightened. The very unexpected orders that Hestia had given and the perfect execution of her crew had allowed them to get out of it just fine. Turning her head toward her young Quartermaster, the blonde woman looked up to the sky before uttering a few ominous words.

"Well...I assumed it would work."

"You..."

At that moment, everyone understood that they had embarked on a journey with an intelligent, cunning, courageous, fearless but also totally insane captain, at least more than they thought. However, in spite of this realization, they all smiled because their confidence in her had never wavered, not even once. Once again, seven of them clicked their boots on the ground before standing up and waiting for the next orders.

"Joe you know what to do and where to set course for our next destination being a week away, give me a few minutes and I'll come join you at the helm. Kali, Mysie, I want a full report on what we have in this ship and hope nothing is broken. Edward check the ship and its hull for damage, although I don't think so, we can never be too careful."

"Right away !"

Not waiting for any further indication, the Sailing Master, the Quartermaster accompanied by the young Mysie and the Carpenter left to execute the Captain's orders. Only Lucas was left, who was still in front of her, next to Buggy and Douggy who didn't know what to do. They were the most shocked by what had just happened, not knowing completely the unpredictable side of their new leader.

"Well well well~ so what are we going to do with you two, huh ? Do you have any ideas Lucas ?"

"Well, they have yet to prove their sincerity and determination to us Captain, so perhaps it would be interesting to let them assist the girls with the inventory."

The departure was made only a few minutes ago and for the moment, apart from keeping the course towards their destination there was not much to do. However, the few visitors had brought extra rations that needed to be listed as well as checking the condition of everything else. The suggestion of the First Mate on board was therefore a very good idea because the young blonde woman did not want to leave the two brothers without doing anything.

"You two ! Go help the girls with inventory and then show up on deck to assist Joe if he needs you with the sails. Execute !"

"Aye aye Captain !!!"

Hestia's tone was totally different when addressing them than when addressing her friends, her facial expression and eyes turning cold. As if they didn't need to be told twice, Buggy and Douggy rushed back to the hold to find Mysie and Kali. They had not yet stepped onto the wooden stairs when suddenly a hunting knife was thrust into their foot followed by a warning.

*stab*

"If you refuse to obey orders, you will go feed the fish. If you touch a single hair on their head, you are dead. Do your job well and you won't have to worry."

The Captain once again showed herself to be different, her empty eyes staring intensely at those she had addressed. Nodding vigorously with cold sweat on their backs, the two of them rushed into the hold not without smiling once again at her terrifying charisma. Lucas who had seen everything sighed while also smiling, wondering why his big sister continued to warn them in case of problems.

"Why threaten them ? You know they won't try anything, besides it seems to me that you broke them. They admire you because they licked your boots ? Weird."

"Fufu~ well, I know for a fact that they'll stay loyal but there's no harm in reminding them where they belong, plus...I love breaking things hahahaha~"

Resuming her usual attitude in the presence of her little brother, alone on the deck Hestia began to laugh again with gusto. She wanted to have a little fun with the two brothers and it didn't matter to her if they enjoyed being treated like this or not. Then, taking a deep breath, the beautiful blonde closed her eyes with a smile on her lips, listening with great attention to the sound of the waves before speaking.

"Do you hear that Lucas ?"

"What Captain ?"

"The Ocean’s Call"

Before them lay the ocean as far as the eye could see, beautiful, hypnotizing, magical, infinite and the two young pirates could only feel free. Finally their adventures were about to begin and even if the road was going to be long, they knew they would not regret anything. However, pirate life was not only made of excitement and joy because danger was always present and this, the crew was about to discover.