The Phoenix pulled up to the hidden back side of an island, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. It had taken us a while but we managed to find where the Black Phantom hid when he wasn't on a ship.

As soon as we got close enough, we put our plan into action. Hirota and I led the rest of the men silently into the base. When we entered, we found the base almost completely empty. It left an uneasy feeling in my stomach. There is no way this should be easy.

"Stay alert! This has 'trap' written all over it." The captain quietly ordered.

Room by room we searched, all of it was empty. Finally, there was only one room left. Hirota and I opened the doors and found a large room full of about fifty Dark Phantoms and a man sitting on a throne at the very back.

His long raven black hair fell straight around his face. His golden eyes pierced into my soul even from this distance. I could see several scars all over his body. The sheer muscle on this man was incredible. One strike from him and I would be sent flying.

"Black Phantom?!" The captain questioned.

"Of course! Who else would it be?!" His voice boomed.

"Prepare to die!" Hirota declared. "Now!"

The crew of the Phoenix charged forward and engaged the men protecting the Black Phantom.

Hirota and I went split up going to either side of the room and snuck around the chaos to get to our target. When we reached the back, Hirota gave me the signal and we charged the Black Phantom at the same time.

Just short of our blades finding their mark, they were deflected away. Quickly, we regained our footing and faced our new opponents. They were dressed in black and had their faces completely covered with the exception of their eyes.

My lavender eyes locked with my opponent's teal ones. Our blades clashed as I picked up my speed and tried to end him quickly. However, whenever my sword should have made contact, he wasn't there.

Our fight began to drag on. I hated it and I was growing restless, but I forced myself to stay focused. Finally, I got my chance and ran my enemy through. When I withdrew my sword and the body fell to the floor, I was greeted by horror.

Hirota a long sword stuck through his core and was spitting up blood.

"Do you think it's so simple to kill me?! I am blessed by Poseidon to rule the sea! You can not kill one that the gods have chosen!"

I forced myself to move. The sooner I killed the Black Phantom, the sooner I could tend to Hirota's wound. I slashed my sword at the Black Phantom but he stopped it by grabbing it by the blade. My eyes went wide. How could a man block a sword like that and not cry out in pain?

I watched as his blood dripped down my sword.

"You can't kill me!" He declared boldly. "You're throwing your life away!"

Hirota coughed. "That's what you think!"

Simultaneously, Hirota drew a hidden dagger and struck at the same time I struck with my other wakizashi.

"Blessed by Poseidon, my ass!" I smirked at the Black Phantom. "If you bleed, you can die."

In a matter of a few moments, the Black Phantom bled out and Hirota crashed to the floor.

"Captain!" I quickly went to him and pulled out the 'miracle cream'.

"No, Kat…" He coughed. "Save it for someone else…"

"But you have to come back to the Phoenix! It won't be the same without you! You're…" I felt tears rush down my face. "You're like family to me… you saved me…"

"I know… You were like the daughter I never had…" He coughed again. "Take care of the Phoenix… Keep her safe and… don't give up on your goal…"

I watched as Hirota's eyes went lifeless. I hugged him and I couldn't stop my tears even if I tried.

Back at the ship, I felt like something needed to be said. It was clear everyone else felt it too, because they were all looking at me expectantly.

"C-Captain Hirota… he was like family to me… He found me when I was only six years old… He taught me how to survive… He introduced me to a new family… He led this ship with dignity and pride. I can assure you that I will stick close to his ambitions as we continue on our journey. I can never fill his shoes, but I can follow in his footsteps. If you accept me as your captain, I will do my best!" I wasn't sure what more I could say.

Thane stepped forward. "We couldn't ask for anyone better… Captain."

We docked in Tanbarun and I gave the men permission to go drinking and whoring. They deserved it. After most of the men had left, Thane approached me.

"Have you decided who will be your first officer?"

I smiled at him. "I have."

"Who?"

"You."

Thane's eyes went wide. "Me? Why?"

"Aside from Akiba and Hirota, you've been my closest companion."

Thane smiled. "Then I gladly accept."

"Good, now get going! You don't want to miss out on all the fun, do you?"

"Absolutely not! I'll see you in the morning!" Thane disappeared.

Now it was only me, alone on the Phoenix. I leaned on the rail that faced the open ocean and ran my fingers over the wood. "I promise I'll take care of you…" I mumbled.

I heard footsteps behind me.

"Permission to come aboard?"

I turned around and saw the man who was always with Prince Raj, Sakaki.

"Of course, Sakaki. How can I help you?"

He was shocked. "How do you know my name? Prince Raj didn't speak it the last time your ship was in port."

"You're right, but when the prince uses his advisor to scare a kid out of stealing, it's not something you forget easy."

"I see. I wondered if that was you."

"Now, what did you need?" I asked, bringing the conversation back to where it needed to be.

"I am here on behalf of Prince Raj. He says the Phoenix is welcome in Tanbarun as long as her Captain agrees not to cause trouble."

"Well, her previous captain died in order to complete our mission."

"Then who's the captain now?"

"You're looking at her."

Sakaki smiled. "Prince Raj will be glad to hear it."

"I do have one question though. Why is Prince Raj so willing to welcome us?"

"Because, the Dark Phantoms have been raiding port towns constantly, trying to establish some sort of dominance. The Lions of the Mountain do what they can, but they only have so many men."

"So, because we took out the Black Phantom, Prince Raj is grateful that we eliminated a key player in the threat."

"That's right. You dealt a major blow to the Dark Phantoms. Prince Raj is welcoming you as a sign of thanks."

"Then you may tell Prince Raj that I accept and I will make sure my men don't cause any trouble."

Sakaki gave a slight bow. "Then I bid you good evening."

A week later, we pulled out of Tanbarun and headed out to the open sea. I'd found Hirota's red pirate coat in the captain's quarters and felt it fitting to wear it. My blue-black hair that had been cut short was now resting on my shoulders. I took the wheel of the Phoenix and sailed her off into the sunrise. I didn't know what other adventures awaited me, but I was certain that I was up for the challenge.

The End

A/N: Thanks for reading! There will be more of Kat to come. The next book in "The Pink Blossom Series" is "Tainted Pink Blossom" It follows Prince Zen and Princess Shirayuki's daughter on an adventure of her own. (I know the first three books feel like they don't have anything to do with each other, but they all come together more clearly in Book 4) Tainted Pink Blossom is written by angelfish333 we've worked closely together to make sure our stories line up. Finally, please let us know what you think. We love to hear feedback.