Long weekend! I can finally rest and shake this goddamn flu. But until then, I still have to post a chapter, so here we are. Not too long into Phantom Hourglass, a bit of a character study.


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As the steamship cut its way smoothly through the thrashing waves, he stood at the bow with his arms crossed. It'd been a long day already, but he didn't have too much to say. He was still angry, naturally, but also felt… defeated. By the sounds of it, he was going to have to embark on a massive quest just to figure out how to find the Ghost Ship. The very thought of it was daunting, but he had to get Tetra back. There was no 'if' that entered into his mind – she was alive, and he would find her.

His concern was that his heart just wasn't into the journey. Disappointment in himself had settled into the back of his mind, and he was beginning to lose confidence in his abilities. What was the point of promising that he'd protect her when he had so spectacularly failed? If only he'd been more focused when the ship was present – then she wouldn't be gone and he wouldn't be lost. That was another growing concern; no one had been able to identify for him any water that he could recognize. As far as he knew, he'd simply drifted into a whole new world while unconscious.

And now here he was, teamed up with two others he still couldn't assess. The fairy, Ciela, was certainly a dreamer. She enjoyed talking, but seemed genuinely excited to go out and see the world. She had a true adventurous spirit – almost, he reflected, like his dear friend. She had listened to his story and started making decisions for them, deciding automatically to help him rescue Tetra. He supposed he should be thankful that someone so kind had stumbled across him when he was in such a vulnerable position, but noted that she wasn't the first to offer help without expecting a return. He found it difficult to push the fairy away; she had an inviting personality that drew him to her. Whether he liked it or not, he had a feeling that they'd bond rather quickly.

On the other hand, the reputable captain who owned the ship was a direct contrast. He was ambitious, but it felt subtly that he had other plans besides finding the Ghost Ship. His cheeriness was a false one, meant to bury something far from the surface. It was strange, but he also brought back memories of the pirate; she had similarly veiled herself in their initial interactions, as if unsure of letting out her true thoughts to him. How odd that meeting two new people had brought back so many feelings that led to his first meeting with the girl… However, this man Linebeck seemed to have no intention of letting him into his head. Whether or not that was an issue, he wasn't sure. There was a chance he wouldn't even be around long enough to get to know the man – he seemed dead-set on claiming the rumoured Ship's treasure and was focused on nothing else.

He sighed and rubbed his face gently. It was odd to be staring out at a different ocean, off of a different boat. It didn't feel like home; rather, it was a constant reminder that things were going to change before he could return to Tetra. Despite that, he had two new allies that seemed to reinforce her presence in his mind. Whether it was real or simply his imagination, he didn't care. This wasn't going to be an easy job, but he was thankful to have his resolve staring at him wherever he went.

Because his biggest fear was that he wouldn't have the strength to complete his mission. After all, he'd already let her down once.