Not only self-assessment, but assessing a situation and finding out what needs to be done to get out of it is an acquired skill.

In my first life, I had to cultivate it to the point that I could use it in any situation. Yet, once again, I find myself in foreign territory with little idea as how to navigate the terrain. These things used to be simple: whip out your phone and make use of a search engine on the internet. Those filtered out the information you were unlikely to need, or that was inconvenient for you to have. (For commercial purposes only, of course. As if anyone would believe that without reservation or on the good days, when lying to oneself is easy.)

I was absorbed enough in playing the game that was my life to ignore it. I had to make ends meet, after all, and there wasn't only me to think about. Nothing wrong with it, I thought, then. However, comparing my situation to the worst possible one and thinking 'It could always be worse' is just another way of saying that I've not been made uncomfortable enough yet to actively change my situation. (Instead, I should have looked to the ideal, and striven towards it.

An ideal isn't there to be reached. It's there to stop you from growing complacent, and stagnant, unwilling to learn or correct yourself and your assumptions. It's old-people-syndrome, if you will.)

But the trick to life is not to get too attached to it.

It's compromised of change, after all. The time on the ship was a nice reprieve. A way of being close to home. After all the unpleasantness was over, anyway.

Now, as we've raised the sails once more, and are steadily allowing the current to carry us into open waters, a touch of relief is the cause for my relaxed state. I enjoy it while it lasts. Soon enough I will have to wrangle promises from my shipmates.

I cannot trust the pirates, no matter how much Gorou helped me out. Him I will afford the courtesy of treating him as an ally until he proves himself my enemy. The other two are... to be watched carefully.

As for the women, they might change their minds at any time. My suspicion is that Mai only remained on board because of her brother, who was with the cabin boy at the time. I would guess that she decided not to return to a country whose leader might just punish her for not murdering me regardless of her return, or her attempts to secure her friend. Perhaps even former friend. I am not certain she can forgive Azula the way she treated both Mai and Circus Girl.

Then there is her. She went with Azula to negotiate bounties, and guide the guards to the ship. She must have recognised Mai's uncle. She must have heard them plan it out. Why is she on board? Why did she not participate in the fight?

During the attempted mutiny she wasn't injured, as far as I could tell.

However, she did throw a couple men overboard. They drowned. Perhaps this was the first time she was directly responsible for a death.

Perhaps she is on board because Azula wanted her to be.

I will have to wait and see.

...

"So," I say, taking stock of the assembled. Mai is clutching her brother close. Circus Girl is an unhealthy shade of green as she meets my eyes with determination.

The cabin boy has cautiously positioned himself by the mast, closer to me than anyone else.

Gorou and his two underlings whose names I need to find out are near the rail, sitting loosely together after having helped set the course and nursing their wounds.

"The way I see it," I state carefully, as drily as I can afford to be with tensions to high, "We are stuck together until we reach Chamaeleon Bay. Unless someone wants to get off wherever we stock up, since we're running low on water and lower on food."

"What about the barricade?" One of the pirates asks, and I strain to understand the words from beneath his beard. He looks more alert than he should be, after the mutiny and fight just earlier.

I may not look it at the moment, in his captain's too short trousers and shirt, but I am watertribe. "I know the man who leads it. It'll be fine. If you're worried, you're free to get off before we reach the Bay in about a week."

"A week? From here? We'll need double that, at best."

"I'm a waterbender. I can shorten our journey," I struggle to remain civil. I am not a patient man. I am not a leader. Not truly. I was able to command the unit of waterbenders during the invasion because of Hiraku. He did the actual leading on the wall, in the bay.

He died for it, and in a way, in my stead.

But for now, there is no one to delegate to. I'm certain Gorou would be capable. But I cannot trust him.

I have to rely on only myself. That, and the self-preservation instincts of these people. Reasonably, I could perhaps trust the cabin boy to want to keep himself safe. For that, he will probably bet on me. Mai… well, she cares about her brother, and so far, her brother cares for me. Circus Girl, Gorou and the other two are mysteries to me.

"Is there anything else?" I ask and dearly hope not.

"Yes," Gorou sits up from where he's cradling his arm, "What do you want in exchange for healing my arm?"

Ah. That. Well, I suppose I have enough energy for it. Mai and the cabin boy will take first watch. And I will explain to them very carefully where I expect us to be when I wake up. But that he assumes I will… well, he's not wrong. It isn't good that I'm becoming so predictable.

"Your word," is what I settle on, "That neither you nor the both of you," I look at the pirates who scowl at me, "Will harm any of the other people currently on board. Causing harm also includes another attempt at taking over the ship, as well as forgetting to think before speaking."

"You're trusting the word of these pirates?" Circus Girl bursts out, voice ominous with disbelief and sawdust.

"No less than I trust you," I tell her, and she shuts her mouth. "Trust until it is broken, I'd say," casting another look at each of their faces. "None of you have lied to me yet. Let's hope it stays that way."

She is a silent witness after that, as Gorou gives his word, and makes the other two do the same with a glare. They must be scared witless of him with how reluctant they are to follow his example. It seems that they will obey him, and so, if Gorou honours his word, we are in the clear.

"I will heal you. Then you will rest. And as of tomorrow, you will be part of the watch rotation. All of you."

...

Sailing in open waters is like a deep desire, a longing has finally been fulfilled. I had not realised how much I missed the ocean. My parents named me well, since the first part of it means sea or ocean.

I match it in more than just name.

It is dangerous, especially when a storm brews on the horizon and the coast, as far as it is visible and the maps show, has no coves to protect us if we anchored there. In preparation for should the cabin boy in the crow's nest spot something I take a look at the anchor itself. I wouldn't trust the rope not to snap at a strong wave.

We will have to outrun it.

...

Don't forget to throw some power stones :)

...

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