The crew was roarin’ tonight, voices raised in off-key sea shanties, mugs slammin’, dice rollin’, and a whole lotta cacklin’ over cards. The Crimson Anne rocked lazily on the waves, the hull creakin’ like it was enjoyin’ the party too. Below deck, the heavy door to the captain’s quarters slammed open with a BANG that turned a few heads.

Out stepped Captain Kai.

Boots unlaced, shirt open just enough to show a wicked scar across his face, some old tale of a bar fight, a jealous husband, and a broken bottle no one had the full story of. His hair was a wild mess of sun, salt, and sleep, and his eyes, sharp and sly, sparkled with trouble. "Oi! Deal me in, ya scurvy goblins!"

"Captain’s awake!" Jules hollered, and the crowd erupted in cheers. First Mate Andrew snorted, shuffled the cards, and slid a few across to Kai with a wink.

“Aye, but don’t think I’ll go easy on ya just ‘cause ye outrank me,” Andrew said. Kai plopped down on a barrel with a groan and grabbed a drink off the nearest table, never mind whose it was. “I’ll be takin’ all yer rum and yer dignity tonight,” Kai declared, raising his mug to the sky.

Kai strutted over like he owned the stars themselves, grabbing a mug from a passing sailor’s hand without even looking. He drained half of it in one swig, slammed it on the barrel, and slapped First Mate Andrew on the back.

“C’mon, Drew. You owe me coin and an apology after last time.” Kai said as he rubbed Andrew’s back.

Andrew rolled his eyes and handed over a hand of cards. “I owe you nothin’ but a lesson, old man.”

Kai smirked. “Old? Lad, I’m in my prime. This is peak piracy right here.”

He leaned back on a crate like it was a throne and fanned out his cards. Around him, the crew hooted, cursed, bluffed, and bickered, exactly how he liked it. This was his world: a floating tavern full of misfits, scoundrels, and the best damn family a man could sail with.

The game kicked off with whoopin’ and hollerin’, mugs clinkin’ and coins flyin’. Crew members yelled over each other, accusing each other of cheatin’ while cheatin’ themselves. One pirate bet a sock. Another lost his boots.

Someone threw up their rum. Someone else tried to sing harmony. It was chaotic, and it was perfect. But just as Kai laid down a suspiciously good hand and flashed a toothy grin, a panicked voice rang out from above.

“Oi! CAP’N!”

The laughter stumbled to a halt.

Up in the crow’s nest, Marla the lookout was leaning halfway out, squintin’ into the dark “There’s… there’s some sort o’ shiny thing in the water out there!”

The whole crew groaned. “Ye stoppin’ the game for a bloody dolphin again, Mar?” yelled someone.

“Nay! I swear on me other eye—it’s movin’ real slow, like a ribbon o’ moonlight… but it’s glimmerin’ like treasure!” yelled back Marla

Now that got their attention. Captain Kai stood, stretched, and sauntered to the railing with exaggerated steps like he was still mid-drunken dance. The crew followed, mugs in hand, stumbling over each other like a bunch of overgrown toddlers in boots.

Kai squinted at the water. Sure enough, just beyond the edge of the ship, something was glinting long and serpentine, slippin’ through the waves like it owned the sea. He scratched his chin. “Huh…” Then he turned to the crew, raising one eyebrow with a grin as wide as the ocean.

“Right, lads, be honest now… any o’ you believe in merfolk- or sirens?”

A long pause. The wind picked up. Somewhere, a mug clinked on the deck.

Then Nico muttered, “Only if they’re single.”