The ocean moved as it ever had, indifferent.
Sonder remained by the railing, her hand still resting lightly over the Yellow Mage's rib.
There was only one tear left.
And the words "waste away" lingered in her mind.
She heard footsteps behind her.
She reacted as if she were about to be attacked, raising her staff, pointing at whoever approached her, its tip aglow with power.
"Ho there," the voice said. It was the captain of the ship.
He had a coat around him but didn't bother to button it.
Sonder lowered the staff.
He stopped a short distance away, one hand resting on the railing as he looked out over the water instead of at her.
For a moment, he said nothing.
"What're you doin' out 'ere all alone? Did nobody show you your quarters? It's down in the ship's bowels. Not much space, and it don't smell too good, but-"
"No, that's fine. Anywhere is. At least I'm on the ship," she said, trying to sound positive, but it didn't sound convincing.
"Ye look like someone just told ye the sea's gone dry."
He gave a small grunt.
"Face like that doesn't come from nothin'," he said. "Either ye lost somethin', or somethin's about to take a bite outta ye."
She also looked at the ocean.
"Something like that," she said.
The captain shifted slightly. "Mm."
Wind pulled at his coat as he glanced sideways at her.
"First time out this far?"
"First time at sea," Sonder said.
He nodded toward the dark water.
"Sea does that to folk. Makes 'em think too much. Nothin' out there but water an' yer own thoughts rattlin' around."
He studied her for a moment longer.
"Don't look like it's just the sea, though."
There was no reason to tell the captain anything, but Sonder knew that talking about it usually made it easier.
"Someone I know is sick," she said.
The captain didn't react much to that.
Just a small shift of his shoulders.
"Far away?"
"Yes."
"Can't do nothin' from here, can ye?"
"No."
"Mm."
He scratched lightly at his beard with his thumb.
"That's a nasty place to be," he muttered.
"I've been told that there might be a way to help," she said. "I'm on my way to collect... what I need. But I fear that I may be too late, or that it won't be any help at all, even if I make it on time."
The captain scratched the side of his face with a hand.
"Ain't many things in this world that come with a guarantee," he said.
He shifted his stance and looked out across the horizon again.
"Seen plenty o' folk chase somethin' they ain't sure about," he continued. "Sometimes they find it. Sometimes they don't."
"What do they do if they don't?"
He gave a small shrug.
"They kept movin'. That's the only thing you can guarantee. 'Cause that's yer only decision. Do or don't."
That wasn't very comforting.
But it wasn't meant to be.
The captain pushed himself off the railing.
"Ship's still floatin'," he said. "Wind's decent. That's about all ye get for certainty out here."
"Try t' get some rest," he added. "Lookin' like that won't help yer friend none."