‘Twenty degrees, Five point five seconds. Two mesures. wind at approximately twenty. Unacceptable conditions.’

Lim looked through the window hole and daydreamed.

´Request: Come back,’ she pleaded to herself. Her thoughts were far. On an imaginary island with white sand and azure sea. A place only she could see through the portholes.

She always dreamed of that island. It was the perfect home she built for her family. A place they could hide. But it was dangerous. Each time her dreams drifted further and longer and it was more difficult to return.

´Request: Come back,’ repeated her inner voice. It was a futile request. Lim was lost in her dream, happy to hide from the storm. “I don’t want trouble,” she whispered. ‘They need you!’

The clank of a falling pan spooked her. She looked around. The Ballerina was rocking and pots, cutlery, and plates were reeling incessantly.

Lim bit her lip and pulled the chair. Her brain had wasted just a few minutes away, but there was no time to lose. There was a storm over them.

The ship hurled with a loud squeeze of wood, and Lim grabbed the table to keep from falling .

She just secured the chairs when the voice of Macha gave her the third scare of the evening. The kid was standing at the entrance holding the bowl of soup she prepared a few hours prior. He seemed troubled.

“You didn’t have to bring the bowl, dear.”

“Thanks, it was delicious. I’m just getting sick with these waves,” said the boy, with a trembling voice.

Lim noticed he was indeed nauseated. details on his expression were like an open book to her.

“I understand. Do not worry, Em is an expert sailor. We will get to calmer waters soon,” she said. Her face, programmed to be the perfect mask of serenity and composure.

“I’d like to help you here. I cannot go back to that room. If you don’t mind.”

Lim checked the boy. He had not enough rest after what he had been for, but his recovery was going well. Help a bit securing the galley wouldn’t hurt him, and she definitely needed a hand after the delay.

“All right. Help me with the pots over there.”

Macha smiled, showing an uncommon white teeth for a person of his background. Lim recorded that data for later. Had he lied about his name? Was the story of the Rabbit hole all a sham to hide the actual truth?

Parni people commonly had brown skin. Although the tones, depending on the area of the island, could vary, ranging from the darkest to the lightest. Macha claimed to have been born in the south, a place where dark tones predominated. Although he wasn’t anywhere near Lim’s paleness, he had a light skin, a characteristic treat of the north of Tampra.

‘Inconclusive. Could have been sold to the Hole. there are many records of such practices.’

Days of intense sunlight punishment had left streaks of copper in his wavy hair, and his eyes were brown and gold at the same time.

‘Hazel eyes. Golden variety: Red island. Possible Berin nomads or Ranemut tribes ancestry.’

The Red island was mostly desert. The land there had little green. Lim loved green. The islands of the Blue Kingdom were better. Filled with beautiful jungles. She wished to be there now. She didn’t want to face a bad memory anymore.

“Ma’am?” Said Macha. Lim blinked.

“Just Lim, please,” she answered, setting a comforting smile. “The storm scares me, I’m not myself right now.”

“Do not worry, Ms Lim, Mr. Em is a good sailor, right? I will stay here to be sure your chair doesn’t flip.”

Macha put a lot of emphasis on sounding self-confident and brave, though Lim noticed the fear clearly. “That’s very nice of you. Help me finish this.” Lim waved towards the chairs and Macha, without delay, started to secure everything.

Lightning illuminated the sky. Thunder followed. ‘Three seconds. Close.’ Her thoughts drifted again, Eleyes fixed on him

‘One mesure and eighty, taller than Ivy by ten. Age unknown.

Analyzing: Muscle development, minimal but present.

Analyzing:, facial hair, minimal but present.

Analyzing. Function(overall);

Set variable macha.age[Tampraparni calendar]= 16;

Set variable macha.age[Blue_Kingdom calendar]= 17;

Run Island();’

‘No!’ Lim blinked. ‘Your family needs you awake!’ Her gaze was still on the kid who didn’t notice her absence.

“Dear, I need to check on Em. Can you handle all this?”

Macha nodded. completely focused on his task.

Lim pulled her chair to the bridge. For the first time in a long time, she almost lost control. She wanted to cry.

Lim was a broken object. She had been for years, but so far, she was doing well most of the time. It was during unpleasant situations that her mind failed more than usual. Her brain was once a perfect machine without equal. Now, shattered and confused, it was only trying to avoid the fear, sadness and pain that memories of events like the storm could provoke.

“I will ask Donna to erase it. She will help, she always helps,” she whispered.

The bridge was empty. Em and Ivy were definitely setting the storm sails and securing the dive bell, but they were late. As in hundreds of times before, Ivy should already be sailing the Ballerina away from the storm. But no one was on the wheel.

Intrusive thoughts filled her mind, and although unpleasant, Lim faced them all. She would not hide anymore. Her family needed her.

Lim wanted to check outside, but the windows on the bow wall were too high. She pulled the big door of the deck, but it was too heavy.

With a fit of stubbornness, Lim pushed open the door again. The icy air whistled loudly through the small gap. The chair creaked and one wheel lifted off the ground. Lim did not give up and pushed even harder. If it weren’t for Em pulling from the other side, Lim would surely have fallen to the ground.

“Darling, I need to pass.” Em said. Lim noticed concern and tension.

“Sorry dear,” answered her, moving out of his way. The Captain, soaked to the bone, rushed to the navigation table and packed everything into the drawers. Lim checked the floor. Under other circumstances, she would have reproached him for leaving the floor wet, but now was not the time for trifles.

“The storm is coming from the north. We cannot go back to Whalers’ Rock. Chan’s whaler sailed east but I’m afraid we will have to head south,”

“Tampraparni waters? why?”

“The bell is still underwater,” Em put on his raincoat with the dexterity that was only earned with years at sea. “I told Ivy many times! In situations like this, swim to the surface first to help me!”

Em clicked his tongue and tied a bag around the belt. “Ascending inside the diving bell doing nothing instead of helping me secure the deck!”

Lim wanted to say a few words to calm him down, although Em shot out, grumbling.

“Dear, put the hood on-” Lim’s words were drowned out by the hiss of the wind. The noise of the storm was deafening. With the clank of the door, only the squeeze of the wood and rattling in the kitchen remained.

Lim checked on Macha. The boy was absorbed in his work and he was almost done. He was a hardworking boy, that was for sure.

A terrible blow on the outside scared them both. “What was that?” asked Macha. Similar hits and the heavy scratching of wood followed. Macha’s eyes widened.

“It’s the diving bell. They’re pulling it out of the water. Don’t worry.” Lim answered. With this swell, pulling that massive structure with no collateral damage was an impossible task.

The metal door closed again, this time with an even louder crash. Lim turned her chair and saw Em opening the hatch of the lower deck and storming inside. The engine began to purr. Soon after, he came back with a long rope over his shoulder.

“Em. Did the kids come back?”

“Rob did, but Ivy is still down there.”

“Wha.. what?” she stuttered.

“Rob said she was finishing some important work.” He slammed the hatch door. “’Important work’ he said... What’s important is to get the Ballerina out of here!” His face was red. Em took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying hard to calm himself down.

“I can row, “Lim said, putting on one of her special smiles. The one that combined warmth with a little mischief.

Em chuckled and met her eyes. It was not her funniest comment, but combined with her smile and the complicity between their gazes, it would work. Em needed that moment. It’d reset his mood and improve his focus.

She was broken, but still useful. The old Capitan shook his head side to side and left the room with a smile on his face.

“I think I’m done Ms Lim. Is there anything else I can do?” Macha said from behind.

Lim had a hard time moving the chair. Even Macha, who reached out to help her, had trouble staying on her feet. “I’m fine. I’m fine.” her mind, lightning fast, had in a second a few things to do to keep the boy busy. “Past the kitchen, there is a sliding door that leads to a small storage room. Go see that everything is secured.”

Macha shot out, and the exterior door squeaked. The sight of Ivy limping towards the wheel relieved her. Limping; something was wrong.Her face was pale, with a wince of pain. ‘Danger! Immediate medical evaluation required.’ “Oh dear! Ivy, what’s wrong?”

The girl took the wheel with one hand and pulled the throttle levers with the other. She didn’t answer or look at her. Lim took a towel and handed it to her. She was shivering. “You must be freezing!” Lim said.

“No worries. I strain my ankle… it’s too slippery.” She lied. Ivy was in shock. Enough to forget she couldn’t lie to her.

With the storm sails on, the ship began to accelerate, and Ivy pulled back the throttle. “Can I have some water?” asked the girl with a trembling hand.

Lim pulled the chair backwards. She didn’t reach the galley when the moan of Ivy stopped her. “Dear?” Lim asked doubtfully. Ivy had her head on the wheel without looking at where the Ballerina was sailing.

“Dear?” Repeated Lim almost as a whisper. Ivy’s legs twisted and she fell, death weight, to the ground.

“Ivy! Macha, come, help!” Lim pushed forwards, but her chair went backwards instead. Last thing she remembered was the wheel of the ship spinning without control. The Ballerina roared with a wooden voice, and the floor smashed her head. Darkness.

‘Restart;

Run Island();

.

.

.

Welcome home Lim.

Should we continue painting the forest? Or should we change the blues of the sea?’

Lim looked around. Everything was perfect. “It looks wonderful!” She walked the shore up to the beach house. “How about we put some more white flowers over there?”

‘Daisies?’

“And some jasmine? I love the smell!”

‘Excellent choice!”

“Ms Lim,” called a voice from the depths of the jungle. Lim found it familiar, but it was not Em. Either Ivy. She ignored it and entered the house.

Last time, she had changed the wall of the fireplace to bricks. But now it didn't seem right. With a wave of the hand, the entire wall turned to stone. “Yes!” Her face lit up with a big smile of satisfaction.

“I love the ceramics of the kitchen! It’s really … ‘Helsios’!”

‘And the wood is the red one. Cherry. Like the-‘

“Ms Lim!” The familiar voice echoed through the house.

“Is that Rob?”

‘It’s the new kid. Macha. Is calling you back.’

“Oh, I should go. Shouldn’t I?”

‘Affirmative.’

“My family needs me.”

‘Affirmative, Ivy needs you.’

Lim opened her eyes. The white and red of her skirt was covering her face. She pulled the fabric down. Macha was in front of her with his eyes wide open. The spitting image of panic.

“Oh, thank the goddess! You were spinning around on the ground.” Macha took the chair from the other side of the room. “The ship almost toppled over and fell onto its side, and Miss Ivy… I don’t know what’s wrong, and-“

“Leave the chair!” Lim shouted. Her head was spinning. “Take the wheel! Hurry!” The pain was intense.

The kid rushed to grab the controls. “Miss Ivy. Wake up!”. Ivy was unconscious on his feet. “Ma’am I don’t know how to sail this!” He Cried.

Lim had to close his eyes for a moment. “Make sure it doesn’t spin out of control,” she said, almost fainting.

She didn’t know how to sail either. Years ago, when she was not a broken thing, her memory could remember everything. Now she could barely make medicines without the help of her books.

She tried hard to remember old variables from Em’s teachings. “Can you see the round glass with a needle?. It’s like a clock.”

“The compass, yes. I know that.”

“All right. Sail South. Windward. Don’t take big waves perpendicularly. sail at angle. That’s important, and… and don’t let them hit the ship from the side either. And, what else? Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Ma’am. There are waves everywhere out there!”

“The big-” She was fainting. “The big ones.” Lim was going to pass out again when an invisible hand squeezed her heart. “Macha, where is Em? Look outside!”

“I cannot see! There is just rain!”

She bit her lip and crawled over to Ivy. Em had to be fine. He always tied himself to the ship during rough seas. Surely he tied Rob too.

Macha shouted with excitement. “I can see something, Ms Lim! On the edge of the ship. Mr Em, Ms. I can see him!”

Lim smiled. She knew.

When she checked on Ivy, her brain almost matched what it used to be. The perfect machine. Even when broken, Lim had moments of greatness.

Clear thoughts, precise focus. It was a great feeling.

The limping led to the swelling of the foot. The foot led to the sting. ‘Poppy elixir. green flask, number four. Sweat and chills. Fever. Wha-’

Accompanied by the hauling of the wind, Em entered as he was the storm himself. His face was covered in blood, dripping from a cut in the middle of his forehead. ‘Three stitches’. He snorted and took Macha by the arm. Roughly pushing him away, as if the boy weighed nothing. Macha staggered, almost falling to the ground.

“What in the seven hells is happening here?” He said. His metal hand closed in a fist, squeezing with a force that would have been capable of breaking the boy’s arm with ease, if he had wanted to.

“Something has hurt ivy down there.“ Lim said. “She fainted and Macha took the wheel at my command to save the ship!”

Em, with his hand on the wheel, looked down and frowned.

“I was in the galley and… and… and then the ship turned and…” Macha stammered. “When I came, Miss Ivy and Ms Lim were on the floor and-”

“Details later, kid. Help them first.” Em interrupted him, with a more friendly tone.

“Can you take Ivy to her room?” asked Lim. “Second door past the toilet.”

Macha replied with a grunt. He scooped her up and stood with difficulty, moving quickly and swinging side to side. His legs were struggling. Ivy was not a heavy person at all, but the young man was not used to the lifting. He’d put all his heart into it, though. Lim realized.

“Are you hurt, Sweety?” Asked Em.

“I just hit my head. But nothing serious.”

“I hit my head too!” Em burst into loud laughter. “I cannot wait for your magical hands to stitch me up!”. He overplayed another laugh. It was his way of reassuring others. It was clumsy, but Lim appreciated it greatly. “But first we need to check on Ivy!”

“Yes,” whispered Lim. “I hope I’m up to the challenge. It’s been too long since-”

“You will do great, as always!” Em looked at her with a confident smirk.

Lim returned the smile. This time she couldn’t put on a convincing one. “Where is Rob?”

“He’s perfectly fine. We were both well noosed.”

As soon as Macha was back, he moved the wheelchair next to her. “Boy. Be a good lad and help Lim check on Ivy.” said Em. Lim noticed a hint of shame and regret in his overall fatherly tone.

“I will Sir, don’t worry.” The kid graved Lim’s shoulder and pulled her up.

“Hoy, Macha...” the Captain cleared his throat. “Sorry I pushed you… I thought… well, uhm-”

“No worries Sir. I understand.” Macha put Lim’s blanket on her lap and pulled the chair through the small corridor, straight to Ivy’s cabin.

“Don’t worry people! This is just a little gaze.” Shouted Em with overconfidence. “I have sailed much worse than this!”

Ivy was in bed, her eyes half open but unconscious. When Lim put his hand on her forehead, she shifted uncomfortably.

“I was once stung by jelly and spent one week with fevers,” said Macha from behind.

“Quiet dear, I need to think.”

Garlic solution, blue bottle; number two, right drawer; second, cotton pads, fresh water, brown bottle; number twenty. syringe box, shelf; box five.

While examining Ivy, Lim instructed Macha on where to find everything she needed.

It took him two trips to get everything except hot water. For that, it took him longer than with everything else. Obviously in those conditions it was madness to boil water, but Lim had no other option. It was essential to treat the poison. Macha did not object to the idea either and he did it without question.

On his return, Lim noticed the reddish skin. ‘Grade one burn. Need for treatment’. “Later I will give you an ointment for that.”

“I’m fine,” Macha said, although his eyes, moistened, said the opposite. “Is Miss Ivy going to be alright?”

Lim wiped her forehead with a cold towel and soaked a new one in the hot water. She, unlike Macha, couldn’t get burned. The boy realized. Lim noticed it in his eyes. But it didn’t matter. She was sure that Macha had already discovered her secret.

“Ms Lim, that water is still really hot!”

“Afirma… Correct,” answered her with a heavy snort. ““Before… You saw my legs? Didn’t you?”

Macha stared, silent.

“If you lie to me, I will know. I recommend that you consider what you want to answer.”

Macha’s face turned red. “Ms Lim. It was not my intention. You just rolled all over the place and… and-”

“You saw my legs, right?” Lim stopped everything to stare at the boy. One of those looks she put on to intimidate. Macha bobbled his head. His mouth half opened. His eyes, looking at the floor. “Well… you saw what is left of them.”

“I saw,”.

Lim sighed. she was almost certain Macha had seen her broken legs, but she needed to be sure.

That secret was now shared with a stranger. Em’s solution to that kind of problem was going to be unacceptable. She didn’t even need to ask. How to solve it was only up to her.

She soon finished treating Ivy and turned her chair towards Macha, who was sitting beside her. He was tense.

Lim stared at the boy again, making him feel even more uncomfortable.

Her first thought was to keep him on board as a mate. He was a hardworking boy and a good person at heart. She already had suggested it to Em, but the Captain was reluctant to offer him a job. Not if the boy kept lying.

She could see the dangers of letting him go as well. Although Lim believed Macha was not the type to sell her for money, there was always the possibility that he’d talk too much without realizing.

Lim had heard him speak to his gods secretly. If the boy was a devout believer, the most convenient option for her was to make him swear and wish for the best.

“What you saw was the remains of what were my legs. Although I look human, I’m made of metal and strings. I’m what’s called an Anthropoid.”

“Anthro… Like Mr. Em?” Mumbled Macha.

“No. Em is a man. a real man with artificial arms. I’m a machine. Like Rob.”

“Like.. Rob?” Macha grimaced. “You are definitely nothing like Rob, Ma’am.”

Macha’s comment amused her. “Just Lim, please.” She looked around. The Ballerina had been moving more docility for a while. “It seems Em is leaving the storm behind. Now…” The smile that she briefly had given to the boy faded, and she put on her most defiant face. “My existence is a secret that few know, and I like it that way. There are people who, to take a look at a freak like me, can become very tiresome.“

Macha was about to speak when Lim cut him off with her hand. “You don’t seem like the guy who’d betray me for a handful of coins.” She continued. “So I trust you won’t tell anyone about this.“

“I swear Ms. Lim. I swear!” Macha sounded sincere.

“Do you swear for your gods?”

“I swear for Ishna, I truly do!”

The kid would not talk. And even if he did, the Kraken would hardly find out. That would suffice, she thought. In addition, Lim had a plan. Maybe it was time to carry it out.

“And not a single word to even Em or Ivy about this either.”

Macha made a cross on his chest and moved uncomfortably in his seat. “Miss, you don’t look like Rob at all.”

She pulled her sleeve up and easily poke a hole in her artificial skin. She’d fix it later. At the sight of her insides, the young man jumped from his chair. Cables and strings moved in synchrony with her fingers.

“Do I scare you?” asked her. The kid covered his mouth with the hand. He shook his head from side to side slowly. “It’s just hard to believe.” He sat back and spent a good time digesting what he had just seen.. “You are amazing, Ms Lim. I mean it,” He finally said, nervous and excited at the same time. “Everything on this ship is amazing.”

Lim put a hot towel on Ivy’s feet. Macha followed her movements, Sneakily analyzing Ivy, like he used to do with everyone. “She’s a real girl.” Lim said. “As human as you.”

Macha’s disbelief became obvious. Of course, the boy had already seen Ivy’s abilities. “She is human. Just different.” insisted Lim. “Now, I need a last favor. Take this and go check on our cranky Captain. I'm sure he did nothing about that cut on his face.“

Macha took the bandages and opened the door. “You are not a freak, Ms Lim,” he said before closing the door gently.

Lim sighed. “Maybe I’m just a broken toy.”

Ivy half-opened her eyes and smiled slightly. Lim took her hand. She was a broken toy, yes. But one with magical hands.