*Drinks*

"Come on, Come on. You have to."

"I thought I was captain, why are you telling me what I must do?"

"First mates always drink with their captain. It's tradition, come on it's the first night!"

"Maybe you will find a name over drinks," Aqua added softly, stoking the fire.

"Yeah! Right, let's do it."

"Fine, though I think we are a little young to be drinking."

"Pah, says who, there are no rules against it. Plus how do you know how old I am anyway?"

Rou roughly leads me into my quarters and sat me down at the small table, there she places a wine bottle. I hadn't seen her buy this but it seems fairly nice, I wonder where it came from.

"This is a vintage I found it buried in the cargo hold. I just hope it's not vinegar. Or poison"

"Naturally the first mate tries it first?"

"No, no you forget etiquette captain, the captain always drinks first after an eloquent speech."

"Ah fine you get me motivated so there's no helping it."

She pours the glasses sniffing it before setting them down on the table. Taking mine up I do the same and it smells enough like wine. I guess I can make no complaints.

"Well then," I say coughing and standing while holding the glass. "To a successful first journey, and to the addition of new crew members."

"No no, it has to be regarding the first mate in some way, how indispensable they are."

"Oh really? Well then to magnificent Rou, the finest navigator on the planet. The wind under the sails, the…" I plan to continue but the bright red Rou seems like she can't take much more.

"Dummy." She says taping her glass with mine and downing it in a single gulp.

I follow suit and then inquire.

"I thought the captain was supposed to drink first?"

"That was a lie to get you to drink at all."

"And the speech?"

"Sorry…" She says downing another glass in a frenzy.

"You don't need to apologize. I will drink with you if you want."

"Thanks, Cap." She says pouring me a heavy glass. "Though I should warn you don't drink with Aqua."

"Difficult?"

"She can't hide anything when she's drunk, all secrets will be laid bare. It's no good."

"Oh, that seems dangerous."

"Ah, it's not like she would say anything of importance about you. She would probably go on and on about you being loved by the spirit of the ocean though."

"I've been curious do you belie…"

"Yeah, and honestly you have increased my belief. Sorry if that…"

"No, not at all. I'm glad I could help you believe in something. I really would like to know more about this ocean spirit."

"There's not really anything concrete. It's the wind, it's the ocean, its the fish. It's whatever the ocean provides or takes from you. And for us at least it's what gave us life so we have no choice but to put our faith in it."

"Well, your parents gave you life too."

"Of course, ocean spirit is second to my mother and father. And maybe Captain too." She says blushing and then leaning her body against the table, filling the white cloth shirt and stretching the button holes.

Ah, I need to concentrate. I'm getting distracted alcohol is beginning to affect me, I must have the strength to resist. Or at least don't make it obvious.

She continued to look up at me from slumped on the table. I locked my own eyes with hers, it somewhat felt like staring contests but I'm not entirely sure the stakes. I can't handle this pressure.

*Chat*

"What do you think of captain?"

"What? Aqua where did that even come from?"

"Oh come on be honest."

"What… I…I think he's kind and gentle. But also strong, scary strong. Also understanding I think he is somewhat… Ah."

"Go on."

"Enough of that what about you Aqua? Since you seem so interested what I think, it's only natural you should answer aswe…"

"Well, naturally I love Captain dearly."

"What?! Oh you mean like as an older brother type or fathe…"

"Nope, Love! True pure beautiful love. Ah, it feels so refreshing. You should come to terms Rou, there's not much time. Mirna is a dangerous opponent."

"Ah… I… You… She is indeed dangerous, dastardly even. And Captain won't chastise her. It's too much!"

"The nude cuddling is something I'm not entirely against though. I just wish he would request it of us and participate himself."

"What are you saying!?"

Captain only heard a laughing Aqua. He was curious the cause but figured it best to leave them be. Not to mention Mirna was being particularly clingy so it would be difficult to separate from her.

*Muscles*

"Ten, Huh? Good kid, you can trust him."

"It's too much, it makes me wonder why he puts such a high value on her, you don't think he…"

"Nah, I doubt it. He's just generous. He tried to tip me a slab as well for helping him out but I denied it. He didn't pursue it so I couldn't get it from him, pity. Hahaha."

"Ah, you old fool."

"Oh, who's the fool? I didn't give my daughter to some stranger."

"That's because you never found a wife fool. And really I think Lynn would just be thrilled to have grandkids. And the wife of someone who can throw around slabs. That's not a bad place to be. Father-in-law of a noble huh?"

"Ain't no noble. He was near starving to death when he came into the guild. Ocean goddess gave him fortune."

"That what you said but, it was really a sea dragon? and himself? he didn't have a whole team hiding somewhere, trying to pump his rank?"

"Not a chance. No, it was killed instantly. Hard enough to figure out what it was doing on the surface in the first place but it was no one but him. Or maybe a random hero killed it and he found it on the beach but I can't really imagine that. Didn't even have rigor when we got there. made harvest a breeze and the flavor was at a whole other level."

"Hmm. You don't think he used magic?"

"Pah, from the look in the kid's eye when I asked him that very question it seems like he didn't even know it existed."

"Just how much of a fool is he?"

"But the goddess does bless fools too. She can see all people connected to the water. It wouldn't be so bizarre for her to reach out and help you know."

"Yeah, yeah." Mirna's father says swigging a cup and signaling the barman. "How much would one get from a Sea dragon subjugation? Ballpark."

"Hmm, hypothetically?"

"Of course, can't break guild rules after all."

"Hmm, materials can go for upwards of 150 slabs if they are kept fresh. The only problem is the time it takes to sell them off. The real deal is the stone. If per-say it was in perfect condition like one I've seen recently. Who knows, it's an auction, high demand water affinity. I'm scared to tell you my estimate."

"Come on."

"Maybe as high as 12, I've heard one similar went for 30 but that's just a rumor."

"30 slabs huh?"

"Hehe no, Platinum signets."

"You… I thought those didn't exist."

"Oh, they do. This is the capital auction house after all. It will probably end in a bidding war between the emissaries for the prince and princess again."

"Make him real happy Mirna!"

*Do you believe?*

"But how does it work exactly?"

"Magic?"

"Yeah, I want to ask Aqua about it but..."

"Are you scared of my little sister?"

"I've seen the way she bullies you I don't want to be on her bad side."

"Ha, that's probably impossible. Same with telling you how it works."

"Huh?"

"I honestly don't have a clue how it works. It was something mom taught Aqua when she was young. She tried to teach me but I apparently don't have the aptitude."

"Sorry."

"Doesn't bother me. I navigate, and Aqua heals. We are a good team, who would need two healers?"

"Suppose that's true."

"Exactly."

"So I can't learn it?"

"Hmm, well if it's you, you might be able to, but I don't really know how it works you would have to ask a mage, or man up and ask my sister to teach you healing magic."

"I guess we will look for a mage then."