I step out into the streets and look around.

The port of Taten was a bustling place. Shop stalls as far as the eye could see. To the east, ships of all sizes came into the dock. The smell of the sea, goods, and the pungent smell of body odor hit my nose all at once. All sorts of items were being traded, from freshly baked breads, pastries, and recipes, to clearly stolen jewelry and false talismans. People from all walks of life were there. I watched as a naive noblewoman exchanged three gold coins for a necklace- which was not a measly price. I laughed quietly to myself at the sight. She deserved to get scammed for her innocence. It was not the place to trust anyone or what they said. I looked at the scene with amusement. She walked away smiling. A little boy ran past her and tripped her. She fell onto the ground when another woman picked her up and they had a small chat. I giggled again and put my valuables back into the storage. For there was a secret game being played that could only be seen if you knew about the game.

The boy did not trip her from chasing a ball or playing. He had been watching the noblewoman from afar. Once she wasn't paying attention, he took the opportunity. When she fell, the child took the money out of her pocket and disappeared. The peasant woman helped the noblewoman to distract and make sure that the boy was able to get away. Once she came to her senses, both of them would be long gone. This was the game of the thieves. I had seen this game every time I had restarted, and was even a victim to it multiple times, but with the storage option, I was able to maintain my wealth and goods.

However, this usually never ends well for the child. They would get beat if they got caught, would have little to none of the profits, and if they were a part of the distracter's family, they would be blamed if the guards ever found out. I wished the boy good luck silently and continued walking to the port. There was nothing I could do to help him without becoming stuck in trouble. I just needed to complete this task and would be free.

I began to walk towards the port when a thump echoed from another alley. I keep walking, keeping my head down, but I look out of the corner of my eye. The boy was getting beat up. His whimpers resonated with my soul. I punched a wall hard. I cursed and turned around.

"Get away from the kid!" I shouted.

The man turned towards me and laughed. "Why should I?"

I threw a knife into his eye and grabbed the boy, shouting "Run!". We fled, taking cover in the crowds and finally hiding in the shadows.

We both breathed hard as I leaned against the wall and he sat down. I looked him over again.

He was about ten years old and had unkempt hair that he was ruffling as he calmed down. He was wearing a linen shirt with a leather messenger bag that went across his body. Nothing truly popped out to me about him except for the golden necklace that had a faux ruby in the middle of what seemed to be a golden coin.

He finally spoke. "Why did you save me?"

I exhaled with a slight laugh. "Most people say thank you."

"Do you want money?"

I shook my head. "Of course I want money, but I'm not going to take it from a child."

"You're barely older than me."

I seemed to have made the miscalculation of forgetting I was now a child.

He got up and picked up a plank, looking into the street.

"Well I don't want any thanks, I guess. Using that plank for self-defense?" I said.

"Kinda."

I picked up a wooden pole. "This, with enough force, will break a bone. Plus, you can knock people out." I handed it to him.

He nodded. "Thanks."

I also seemed to have made the fatal miscalculation of trusting a stranger, for he immediately swung the pole at me. I didn't lie about its efficiency; it knocked me out cold.

I woke up in a small room. A woman was speaking to the boy. My head was pounding and I could barely move. I looked at the woman and laughed. The boy looked at me and with surprising speed brought a knife to my neck. I tilted my head to give more room for the knife to cut.

I spoke with a hoarse voice. "Never told me you were a member of the Rixian Pirates."

That woman was my target, Aliyah Kiyan. I wanted to get close to her, but if I said that she tried to kill me, who could blame me?

I opened my status window, manually set to hidden, and grabbed a small knife. I began sawing away at my binds as she stared at me peculiarly, like she was seeing a strange animal. Aliyah looked me up and and down.

"What do you want from me?" She said, critically.

I was caught off guard, but I wasn't going to waste the opportunity. "I'm here to become part of your crew."

"Why?"

That wasn't a question I was expecting. "Because… of the food?" It was a dumb explanation, but I hope that she would let it go.

However, it seemed like today was to be filled with surprises, for she started to laugh. It wasn't a condescending laugh, nor a laugh of disbelief, but a pure laugh. She genuinely found it funny. I looked at her in anticipation. Even the boy found it surprising. She finally took a deep breath and looked at me with a slight smile on her face.

"I've heard everything from sob stories to assassination to threats, but this, this was the first time someone wanted food specifically from the Wave Rider. Is there any specific food you want, kid?"

"C-Chocolate?" I said, uncertain.

She looked at me and smiled. "What is that?"

"It's a type of sweet."

My binds had broken, so I placed my knife away and held the rope together. Aliyah seemed to have a knowing look to her and spoke. "Come with me."

I shook my head. "You tied me up."

She smirked and started to walk away. "Let's go."

She walked away and opened a door. I hesitated, but I stood up and followed her. The boy looked at us and came along. I walked outside and saw a sight that I would never forget.

The sun shined on the deck. The smell of the sea hit me hard. Crew members were skittering back and forth, carrying all sorts of things. I looked up at the billowing sails. They had white and red stripes and the tips had little red tassels. Above them, a man was looking out from the top of the mast, looking through a spyglass. I stretched out and was hit by a stark reality.

We were in the middle of the ocean.

I looked at Aliyah in disbelief. She couldn't be serious! I had to be able to report back to the royal family. This was surely my death sentence.

So

I laid down on the floor.

Better to be on the ground to ponder my existence and the meaning of life.

Aliyah looked down at me. "Are you okay?" I laughed.

I hate this world.