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Ofelia looked up at the woman and jumped up. She dusted off her pants and wiped away her look of disgust. From the looks of the woman who had just approached her, she would exactly understand Ofelia's feelings. Then again, you never do know...

"Um, hello -" The young woman didn't really understand why this woman was starting up conversation. She look familiar, however Ofelia couldn't place her. For a moment she watched the woman pull at her sash, before continuing on.

"I'm Ofelia." She held out her hand for the woman to shake. As she stood there, Ofelia couldn't help but take in the details of the woman. She had already noticed the womans turqoise sash, and she couldn't help notice it again, and think to herself, If she keeps pulling at that end she will unravel the whole sash.... She took in her blonde hair, and her icey blue eyes, also taking a moment to survey her vest with a small jab of envy.

((Kind of short... xp ))

Ofelia listened to the proposition, at first not understanding what was going on. She stared at her own feet, slightly confused as she listened.

"Simple enough journey, and the profits'll be fine. Shouldn't be too rough, not much... competition 'round here. You up to it?" Sera said. Ofelia looked up at that, realization dawning on her face, along with excitement. This woman, whom she had never really met before, was offering her a job, on a boat! Ofelia wanted nothing more than to jump up and down like a child. Instead she cleared her throat, to find a voice to speak with.

"That would be wonderful! Of course I'm up to it. " Her eyes were bright as she spoke. The young woman resisted the urge to turn back to her melancholy reflection and snap her fingers at it. Things were turning around, and looked as though she wouldn't have any more problems in the money department for quite some time.

She looked towards the boat the Sera had gestured to, and took everything in. The name 'Spelljammer' had struck a bell, of course. This was the boat that everyone said was haunted. Ofelia had never actually met/seen/heard a ghost before, but that was no reason to keep her away from this one. If there was one.

"I have nothing to pack or take with me, so we could leave now. That's what it looks like you wanted to do anyway..." She trailed off, still looking at the ship, not at Sera.

((I just want to say, that this post had NO spelling mistakes or typos, even without the use of trusty Microsoft Word. This is a special post. 3nodding ))

(ooo gaia SO just ate my post)

"Are we there yet?" A voice answered from above as the figure of Kaethe dropped down to the deck beside her. "Wait, wrong question er... What've you got in the way of grub on this ship? Do the provisions need restocking at all?"

Though he still smelled of stale alcohol, he no longer seemed particularly intoxicated. His eyes flashed with a smile as he caught sight of the waitress who seemed to be following Sera onto the ship. "And, have we got enough crew now? Not to sound impatient but uh... Well you had good timing. There might be a few people upset with me in town at the moment."

A bit of an understatement, but he didn't have to give everything away to his new captain did he? Keep some sort of air of mystery and whatnot. The roguish grin looked sheepish for a briefest of moments and he reached up to run a hand through the few days worth of stubble on his chin and cheeks.

He had apparently climbed the rigging without the aide of his mechanical wings, as they were still neatly folded upon his back, difficult to make out what they really looked like at the moment. The red-wings had not bothered to give him anymore difficulties, simply going about the ship checking for any damage that might have happened in the harbor or on it's last journey.

"And last of all, do I get my own room?" The plaintive note of a child entered his voice again, this time he was definitely joking. Dark brows rose over his eyes as he turned his head at an angle to be looking up at her in the perfect imitation of a puppy asking for a treat.

(( Sorry if there's any errors in this one, I lack a spellchecker... ))

Kaethe looked up, puppy expression completely dissapearing as he was distracted from his plight. Expressive eyes looked at her a moment, one brow cocking slightly as that boying smile attempted to creep back onto his lips.

Straightening, he assumed a perfect casual expression as he looked down at Ofelia, taller than her once he was no longer trying to look smaller and more pathetic than he actually was. "I can understand your concern, kitten, if I get my own room. But don't you think perhaps we ought to get to know one another first?" He smiled, instantly debonaire and slipping into a rather heroic looking pose.

In fact, if it wasn't for the stubble of a few days along with the resulting smell on his body and clothing that drinking without bathing had left upon him, he could have looked quite striking. If anything, he looked a bit rediculous.

Cocking an eyebrow and grinning at Kaethe's comical impatience, Sera was soon forced to fully consider the initial provisions. In the bluntest, barest way possible... there weren't that many. But they were sealed within Magnus, making them appear far less voluminous than they actualy were... and there weren't many people to feed. Plus, the fact that the initial trip was fairly short led her to believe that they would hold out.

"We've got enough food," Sera concluded. "Only need enough for two meals anyway, we'll hit Sadal Suud 'fore nightfall... even if we might be a tad understaffed."

Noticing suddenly that she had been joined by the newest of the recruits and that Kaethe's attention had been drawn towards her, Sera rolled her eyes. Shameless. Although, she had to let a bit of a smile onto her face.

"Just for that," she quipped playfully, "you're gettin' the graveyard shift on the second leg, Kaethe. If you're gonna to do anything, it'll be on land. Ofelia, you won't have to head to the kitchen right away, 'less you want to check it out. We're gonna get goin', so... try to stay out of the way 'til someone can teach you what to do. I woudl, but I'll have my hands full."

Sera chuckled and turned towards the wheel at the stern, hesitating to whisper seriously as she passed by Ofelia: "If any of the men give you any real trouble, tell me." She knew the trials of being a female sailor in a primarily male-dominated field; thankfully, she had never gotten in any grave trouble, but she had come fairly close on more than one occasion. Then again, Ofelia had been a waitress in a tavern. Perhaps she knew how to cope with such men a little better than Sera had initially.

She arrived and placed her hands on the wheel with some reminiscing, closing her eyes for a moment. Kersi, who, to this point, had been forced into silent observation by company, made herself known: "W-e-l-l?"

In response, Sera whistled loudly and shouted: "All right, everyone! Lower the sails and let's got goin'!"

As the three redwinged sailors set to work, Sera watched with satisfaction as the ivory sails dropped from the mast, quickly becoming impregnated with the wanton wind and lurching the ship into motion. She braced herself against the slight rocking of the boat as she steered the ship away from the docks and towards the open sky.

[ Message temporarily off-line ]

"I'm sorry to say it." Said one of the men that was on Marcos' building crew. "But we don't have enough engine parts. We could get the entire frame built for the ship and all the decks in between that you requested, but we couldn't build the engines for the thing. After all, what are you going to name her, Marcos?" The man asked.

"I'm not really sure yet, amigo. But I'm thinkin' about it." He sighed. He had no real way to acquire engine parts without a huge hassle. "Tell you what. I'll leave you in charge of the building crew while I'm gone. I want all the decks, hull, everything except the engines done and ready for the engines to be put in place." He said, standing up from his stool he had upon the docks.

He stared at the unpainted hull of the ship he had yet to name. "By the way." Marcos said. "If you've got any paint, paint it ... blue." He said. "Dark blue." Marcos decided. "With some colour trim. I don't know. Make it look good." He decided, and then his metal wings that were always attatched to him unfolded. "Where's a transport ship?" Marcos asked.

"Let's see..." The man turned around. "Well, this last one here is heading to Anuenue once it departs." Marcos blinked with his good eye. "When does it depart?" "In about... oohh... five minutes." Already the sails were dropping and the wind was catching them.

Marcos sighed. He wouldn't take the ship. Anuenue wasn't exactly renknowned for its engine parts anyways. He would've taken one to Alfard instead...

"Well, we'll just have to wait until something else comes along." Marcos said, sitting down and making his wings fold up behind him with but a thought.

He crossed his arms and looked up at the ship. "Well, fetch us some blue paint, amigo... maybe some gold trim... or bronze-ish..." He began to think. "Yeah..."

"And get me a name plate. A cobalt one." He told the man, who went to it.

He came back ten minutes later with a nameplate. It was rather large, of course, as most needed to be so ships could be identified without squinting too much. Marcos took it, and went off to the privacy of his garage to name the ship...