Vuela

Chapter 11

The next day, the Fidèle arrives at the port city, which Savage informs Vuela that it's called Black Pearl Isle. The Captain orders the crew and Vuela to go to the docks to pick up the supplies that the Captain requested before the start of the journey in Bottle-Nose Coast. Most of these supplies are foods for cooking and tools in case of needed repairs. Fortunately, there are not too many boxes to carry into the ship. Unfortunately, the lazy lackeys order Vuela to carry one of the heavy boxes. In order to not get in trouble with Mr. Newton again or the Captain, Vuela complies with the lackeys' demands and gets one box.

Her fetching gives Vuela time to get a view of the surroundings of the city. Despite the name of the port being beautiful-sounding, the atmosphere doesn't seem as exciting or pleasant as her hometown. The shops in the port are a little more rundown than those back home. The men who work at the docks are scruffier, and they don't seem to be the type to get into conversation. The women are covered in wrinkles from face to arms. The children are dressed in tattered rags in comparison to the well dressed children from Bottle-Nose Coast. Now that Vuela observes, many children are begging store clerks to give them money or food and the clerks have to turn them away like pesky mice. Most of the people are almost red in sunburns, which makes the girl cringe to imagine. With all of the trade going out of the port, why do the people look miserable?

Vuela asks Savage of this when she returns to the ship with the box. Savage explains:

"Despite its reputation with trade, the economy is not as flourishing. Most of the orders are produced by the government of Black Pearl, not the trading companies themselves."

"So the government is taking all the money? That's illegal at Bottle-Nose."

"Aye, my dear, but laws are laws. It takes a riot to change them, and I don't think there's going to be a riot any time soon in that city."

"That's incredibly miserable," mutters Vuela.

"There are some things that are miserable by nature, lass. Life is not always fair, and it would take a miracle to bring fairness back. Now, come on. We need to get this ship a movin'."

Other days go by. Vuela's favorite part of the days are cooking times with Ms. Savage, especially when the cook decides to be in the same room in the process. Each time they work together, Savage always has a new story to tell of the places she's been and things she has done. With each story, Vuela can't believe who she's actually working for.

This is a woman who apprenticed as an autonomy mechanic in a village on the Isle of Mountains.

This is a woman who fought in a professional fighting tournament on live streaming (the first with mechanical limbs to beat a man for the belts).

This is a woman to tame the ocean's largest predator, the Dragon Shark (without assistance).

What can't Latimore Savage do?

However, getting the same stories out of Vuela is like pulling teeth. The girl claims that her life has been nothing but fruitless, but the cook doesn't believe it for a second.

"You know, the Captain doesn't tell me much of anything, but she does say that you got a famous dad."

Vuela pauses. "I...did..."

"Now, I've done plenty of travelin', and journalism ain't in my field of knowledge. Could you tell me what it's like to have a man of media in your family?"

Savage is the first person to ever ask Vuela about what her father was like when he was alive. Everyone who watches or listens to news of any kind knows the field, and it's a cultural sin not to know who Sebastian Hawkins is. Even as a child who's proud of her dad, it's nothing to show and tell when everyone knows. Vuela's not used to bragging about her old man even after his death.