Competition

Vlad's temper was boiling after Cheryl risked her life yet again, and she knew that the best way to calm him down was to find something nice to distract him. She made her way to the luxurious ship restaurant, hoping to find a delectable treat that would lift his spirits.

As she walked, she overheard a hushed conversation between a mysterious woman and a ship's employee. They were discussing a competition happening on the ship. Cheryl's curiosity was piqued, and she listened intently to learn more.

"Can I help you?" asked the ship employee with a polite smile. The badge on her chest stated that her name was Maria.

"Oh. Hi, yes, so what were you saying about the contest?" Cheryl decided there was no point in hiding her curiosity.

"Thank you for asking, young lady. Our competition aims to assess your quick-wittedness, trust in your partner, nobleness, inventiveness, and tact", explained Maria, "the contest happens every year, for all passengers; participants compete in pairs linked to their cabins".

"Sounds fun. So, I can participate?" Cheryl got enthusiastic.

"Oh, of course you can. Cabin 8, am I right? You and the young man you're traveling with are welcome to participate."

Cheryl was impressed by the lady's knowledge of her cabin: she herself had no idea what cabin she was staying at; Vlad just told her recently, after her unusual arrival to the ship. Excited by this news, she rushed back to Vlad and shared what she had heard. They spent a long time thinking and discussing the competition, trying to figure out what it entailed and how they could win.

"It's just stupid. Are you sure it's all the information there is?", Vlad was really focused on figuring out the rules of the competition. "Bullshit, there's absolutely nothing", he said, annoyed.

"Vlad…", Cheryl started.

"What, tell me I'm wrong", he replied right away.

"No, I think you're right", Cheryl said.

After much deliberation, she came to the conclusion that it was the kind of competition that just happened, and contestants had to act correctly in their existing surroundings to prove they deserved to win. Cheryl was almost sure she was right and intended to check. She was convinced that if anything exciting was going to happen, it would be on the main deck, and so that's where she and Vlad went right away.

As they approached the deck, they saw a commotion. A person in unusual clothes fell down and started screaming for help.

"Somebody… Please!"

He was wearing a sleeveless white shirt with purple stripes on the shoulders and the bottom, and the light pants matching the shirt, as well as the pointed, but seemingly soft shoes. His hair was put in long braids with lots of accessories. The crowd around him was concerned that he might be sick and that the disease could spread.

"It's unacceptable! What if my baby catches whatever this man has?!"

"How could they let the sick person on the ship…"

Vlad was frustrated that no one was helping the sick man.

"You all, take a step back!" He took off his shirt and used it as a mask to protect herself from catching the disease. Cheryl took out an old handkerchief and tossed it around her face as well. Following Vlad, she ran to the man to help him.

Suddenly, the mysterious woman who was talking with Maria earlier appeared on the same deck.

"I am a doctor, let me help!" She was looking at Cheryl, "We both can get points this way!"

Points? Cheryl figured, that the woman came to the same conclusion: the contest was happening at that exact moment.

After hesitating for a second, Cheryl surprised her and everyone else by stopping her and asking her age.

"His clothes... It looks like the traditional newlywed costume of Jamil land," Cheryl explained. "The local law says that a touch of a woman older than 16 that is not his wife, in this case, is considered a crime... And is punished by the death sentence."

Cheryl definitely found this very amusing, as she smiled while explaining this information, but no one else shared her mood. The doctor jumped away quickly, saying that she would help from afar.

Meanwhile, up on the captain's bridge, the captain and his assistant, Maria, were using binoculars to watch the scene on the main deck. Maria pointed out that Cabin 8 and the special cabin "Craine" had completely destroyed him.

"I don't see the doctor yet", said the captain. His assistant laughed, touching her long hair.

"Oh my, Captain," she said with a smile, "look this way."

She showed him a mysterious young man walking an old-looking lady toward the main deck. The lady was a doctor, and she seemed to be flirting with the young man.

"But the doctor always hates everyone," the captain said, surprised. It seemed that this was not the case. The doctor was definitely enjoying the young man's company.

Suddenly, Cheryl felt something strange, like an electric shock that passed through her entire body, spreading anxiety without causing her pain. She turned sharply and saw the doctor standing on the central deck. She had not noticed the cloak of the mysterious young man going into the distance. Something was definitely going on, and Cheryl couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something important.