5D304I7

One day, I had a sudden epiphany.

That I was tired of living like this.

Hmm...

Aimlessly taking tests, earning certificates, finding a place in a nest, landing myself a good career.

Struggle in an endless competition, writhing and thrashing every single day to be a feather of a Wing so that I won't fall behind. All that to trap myself into a desk job, to make money...

Yeah. I quit.

... What am I going do now? I don't know. I don't care.

I wanted to leave everything behind. Everyone that told me to not do this. I wanted this dreary existence to end.

I don't know if that meant that I wanted to die, or if I just wanted to do something new with my life.

But I knew that I was always fond of the waters.

So if I were to die... I wanted to die near a body of water.

Recruiting sailors... for a Whaling ship. Huh.

For the first time in my life, my heart began to pound.

Requirements... an able body that does not suffer seasickness.

... That's it?

Another would be the generosity of your heart to not whine when someone tosses you a rag to shine the bow of the ship.

... Who am I talking to?

Just an old salt who doesn't like how the solid earth feels against her one good leg.

…….

Whales are... magnificent yet mysterious monsters.

Everyone flees screaming at the sight of a Whale. But we give it a toothy grin and a wild guffaw.

Every morning that I woke, I wondered what it meant to live.

…….

This woman stood before the recruitment board as I have, but...

Her sights were set on something beyond the Lake's horizons.

Though she had but one leg, she stood taller than anyone else.

The Pequod, huh. This ship's Captain must be one lucky person.

Why do you think that?

I wanted to be like her.

Not a lot of sailors out there, willing to work for such a pittance.

Hm. Still, sailing with this ship will net you a Grade 9 Fixer license for the Eight Association.

I hoped to be like her one day. To be someone who will face the destiny of her own choosing. To have something I could give it my all with conviction and without a moment of hesitation.