Tsuki ✔️COMPLETE

Chapter 9: Stories at Sea

"Yeah. He was a gladiator before I was born. He came from invaded lands that are now part of southern Migiue. His family were farmers."

"And your mother?"

"Her family had been domestic slaves for many generations, I'm told. She's passed away."

"It is our duty to them to uphold their stories so that we may become better." Indra said. "If we can't improve our world, we truly have no purpose. Do you believe in fate?"

Rubi paused for thought.

"I don't think so." she said. "It's hard to picture every moment as planned. Maybe some people have a clearer picture of their purpose, but it's up to us to chase it."

"Do you have a faith?" Indra asked further.

"Not any more." Rubi said. "I was raised around the Proper Gods so I tried to be a good daughter and take part in the ceremonies. I think I wanted to believe in them, I just was never really convinced."

"Who are the Proper Gods?"

"The Seven Virtues." Rubi explained. "They made the world, the human race, and are responsible for maintaining balance and the cycles of life. They were stuff like Compassion, Patience, Friendship, that kind of thing. I don't remember them all. It was a long time ago."

"It's a popular theme." Indra said, nodding thoughtfully. "Kibo is a diverse place, you hear a lot of stories. Gods with human-like qualities are everywhere. It makes us feel closer to them."

"I never really felt close to any of them." Rubi confessed. "They were so mighty and extreme they were just impossible to believe in. Like, a whole entity that feels nothing but Greed and we're supposed to respect that? We wouldn't like a person who behaved like that."

"I can't speak for true believers," Indra answered. "But sometimes people like it when every difficult thing has an answer. It's a test or temptation we need to overcome. When our needs change so do our deities."

"I've heard of smaller communities worshipping gods of farming and rainfall." Rubi said. "Where my father grew up it was like that, since that was their life. Having fancy gods seems to make certain people feel superior. I don't believe in any of it."

They stood quietly at the side of the ship, enjoying the ocean breeze.

The Wanderlust sailed along side them, a much larger, grander vessel. She soared across the water on five masts with gleaming white sails, nearly three times as large as the Disaster. She boasted three common levels and two for cargo or passengers, compared to the Disaster's two common decks and one dedicated to storage. At her bow she carried an intricately drawn statue of a part human, part fish woman with a crown of seaweed woven into her hair. She held a trident ahead of her in a pose of victory, leading them on.

At home in Migiue, a fish tailed woman was called a Naddaha, and they were considered malicious. Naddaha lured people into dangerous water with alluring words, always hiding the lower half of her body until she dragged them under. The idea made Rubi shudder.

Gaku had drawn her from an enormous block of wood, chiseling her out with careful pen strokes like a sculptor. The Wanderlust carried fifteen passengers along with her crew and their supplies. Gaku was giving orders on deck and Kiramaru sat in the crow's nest of the tallest mast, his feet hanging out of the edge. Funny how both brothers had the same preferred spot.

"Rubi!" Gaku called through cupped hands across the surf. "Ruuuuuubiiiiiiiii!"

"Yeeeeeeeees Gaaaaaakuuuuuuu?" she shouted back.

"Do you want to lock ships?" he called back.

"Sure! Let me tell the others!"

"What does lock ships mean?" Indra asked.