*Lunch*

"Did you see the pier this morning?" A man asks another after swallowing a lump of hamburger.

"Yeah what about it?"

"The guys were installing the last pylon, did you see?"

"Oh yeah. Haha, guess he lied about how many it took, I noticed that too. Kinda makes me wonder if those guys are weak don't-cha think."

"Not weak per-say, just… they haven't gone through Captain's hellish training. I envy them really."

"You can say that again. Oy wanna try grabbing some people and trying to lift it with six. I swore last time we were real close."

"Let's do it!"

~ ~

"Pina, on your chin."

"Oh, thanks. Say Golin why don't you ever eat the burgers?"

"My wife packs me a lunch. Wanna try?"

"Oh, sure!. Thanks."

"Well?"

"It… its pretty spicy!"

"Mhm, just the way I like it!"

"Hey, whats the burnt thing there."

"Oh, this is something like a dessert. It's the most delicious part."

"Ah, I suppose it would be," Pina says with a grin. So Golin has a kid, huh? And old enough to cook. He must be proud.

~ ~

"Do you want to try?"

"I don't know it seems scary. It's pretty loud."

"I wanna try! It doesn't seem far from my spear gun I'm sure it will be easy."

"Ok, here. First, you have to rip the little packet thingy with your teeth and then pour it here. You tamp a bit and drop the ball and its good to go. Here, El."

"Here I go."

~BANG!~

"Oh a perfect shot, as expected of El. Truly the power of an elves eyes!"

"WHAT!?"

"Ah, right I forgot the exceptional power of the ears…"

*Sail*

"No, not that pulley the other one. Pina, will you show him?"

"I think she means this one here," Pina says pointing to a pulley near Golin's hand. Golin feeds the rope and secures it to the deck with the knot Aqua had shown him earlier.

This was their first test voyage. Most had trepidations about sailing but they learned quickly under the leadership of Rou and Aqua. But the real test was just about to begin.

"Ok, from here. Sail home. We are finished assisting. Please inform us when we have arrived. Good luck."

"What?" A man says looking around to gauge the rest of the recruits reactions. They were mixed. A few had confidence while a few had expressions matching his own.

Pina was confident though, she boldly took the position Rou had been standing in. She glances at the Compass and instructs the crew with the adjustments to the course. They follow her instructions closely with the help of Golin's berating.

~ ~

"Do you think they will be ok?"

"Of course, they are employees of Captain who is loved by the ocean spirit. The fools could travel south and we would still arrive on time."

"Right, I guess I forgot."

"Silly sister."

*Food*

"WRONG! AGAIN!"

"Yes, Chef!"

The woman scurried away quickly dropping the patty into the trash on the way back to the grill. Chef rarely accepted a burger. To have a burger accepted by Chef is something of an Honor. Even Autumn, the apparent head of the restaurant had failed to meet Mirna's expectations. Just what kind of cooking had she received that made her so strict in her tastes. It must have been something incredible to make everything else taste so horrible.

The woman actually thought the burger tasted pretty good but she wouldn't dare say that in front of the terrifying child.

"Mirna don't you think you are going a bit over board?"

"Oh, Captain. No. Mirna is simply making them represent Captain properly."

"I, see. I see. Well don't go overboard you don't want to be hated by them."

"Ah, that's impossible Sir. Mirna is something of an idol to us. To make something that satisfies her is all we truly care about right now. And we will continue to strive to properly match her ideals!"

"Ah, I see. Well, good luck. Don't work yourselves to death."

Thus the legend of the 'Demon Chef' Mirna was born.

*Drunk*

"Captain. There you are I was looking everywhere."

"Oh, Rou whats up?"

"No, nothing really I was just looking for you…"

"Oh, I see."

"What are you working on?"

"Well it's not my only way of doing it but I want better alcohol to drink with you so I'm making some."

"Making alcohol?"

"Yeah, look. This is a whole cask of that mead from the bar."

"A… a whole cask…" She gulps blankly and moistens her lips while staring at the barrel.

"Right, well or rather it was a whole cask."

"Wha… empty?" She cries looking into the barrel with a tears brewing in her eyes.

"But look at this cup here."

"Oh, what is it water?"

"Does it smell like water?"

"OOOH?! What is this?"

"Want to have a drink First Mate Rou?"

"You needn't even ask Captain!"

Captain pours two small glasses and sets them in front of Rou and himself.

"To a long life together!"

"Ah… yes. Cheers."

"Ooh, that's much better than mead. What do you think?"

"UGHYA?! What in the name of the seventeen spirits is that?"

"Did you say seventeen? Oh, jeez…"

*Rumor mill*

"They say he saved a village from bandits with a hand tied behind his back. When asked why his hand was tied he simply said it was 'for fun'."

~ ~

"Did you hear about the kid in Marrow, he found a ship in a Gali dessert and carried it all the way to the sea. Without taking a single rest."

"I heard it was without taking a sip of water."

"I thought his arm was tied behind his back?"

~ ~

"The whole fin! It just tore right off she said. I couldn't believe it but she said her daughter worked for him."

"It was, live?"

"Yeah tore it right off while holding it down."

"The ultimate material!"

"Ulti wha…? Oh, where'd she go?"

~ ~

"It's up to four now they say."

"Four? Last I heard it was three."

"Well, there's the elf too."

"Oh, right I forgot the elf. And they're all beautiful?"

"I've heard they are unlike anything in this world."

"It's surely just an inflated rumor though right?"

"I'm not so sure. Why would a person like that have anything but the best."

"True…"

~ ~

"With a hand behind his back, Can you believe it?"

"Dear, you shouldn't listen to rumors at the pub, you have intelligence agents for that. Do you forget you are the king?"

"Yes dear. No, I didn't forget dear."

~ ~

"Princess, I heard a rumor about your favorite person, would you be interested in hearing it?"

"About 'him'? Yes, tell me, tell me."

"They say he rescued a dozen slaves and destroyed a Bandit ship single handily."

"Oh, for some reason that's kind of boring."

"Boring? What do you mean? That's clearly an incredible feat, surely you couldn't…"

"No, I probably couldn't. But with him, I always expect more. Here, you know what spread a rumor with the same contents. But say 'his arm was tied behind his back'."

"Uhm? Y…yes princess. Right away."

"Yes, that's much more interesting. I really hope he thanks me someday."