Side Chapter - Welcome To The North

Michael woke up feeling like crap. This was nothing new, he had woken up feeling like crap numerous times, and this was far from the first. After yesterday's beating - 'At least I hope it was yesterday.' - he didn't feel so hot. His only hope was that no one would disturb him.

"Is he awake? It's been three days already, and as much as I trust your skill, Dr. Livesey, I want to see him myself." Captain Smollett said, sounding like he was standing not far from him. Michael lay in the hold of the ship in the medical bay. His bed was blocked from light and people's views with a thick sheet, for which Michael was infinitely grateful.

"Well, Captan, I can't say yes, but I can't say no. Patiant's privacy as they say, ha-ha!" Dr. Livesey replied with a cheerful laugh. Michael hadn't met the kind doctor before, but had heard good things about him from other sailors.

'This whole thing gives me deja vu vibes. I should've read more of the classics in school while I had the chance. Or watch more cartoons.'

"Doctor... This man saved my crew and my ship. No matter how great the death at the hands of the Spirit is, I can't sleep well knowing that he is on the verge of death."

"Ho! On the verge of death, you say! This man is healthier than a bull-bear! Apart from the terrible scars on his right arm, of course. To be honest, I suspect he's not even human. Don't know about you, but I've never seen people turn into water."

Michael rose from the bed and his back gave a satisfying crunch. His feet touched the wooden floor and he looked down at his body. Everything was in perfect order, except for bits of rough skin here and there, these were traces left from Brer'yuth.

"Блять." A single word left his lips. Now he was wearing nothing but plain blue pants- they weren't his pants. Which means two things: someone saw his dick, and someone took all his weapons. The second was undoubtedly worse, and the first was not a big problem at all. So he just decided that he had one problem. The fact that the whole crew saw him turn into water was not a problem, who would believe them? Especially considering that he did it right after he received mortal wounds from a bastard who was higher then the depths of the sea.

"Mr. Cordato? Are you awake?" Livesey asked and pushed the sheet aside. The doctor looked a little over forty, he had short, uncut gray hair covering his ears and small, piercing blue eyes.

"Meh, that's up in the air right now. I just want to fall and die on the spot, but I know it's a very bad idea." Michael scratched the rough skin on his side and frowned. "Doctor, any water for a poor sod?"

Livesey broke into a huge smile and laughed softly. He went to the corner of the medical bay for water, leaving Michael alone with Smollett.

"When I took you on the ship, I didn't think that instead of the usual Waterbender we would get... You." Smollett looked Michael up and down. "I don't care who or what you are, you saved my people and I'm grateful for that. When we arrive in the North, you can expect a reward from the Head of the Tribe."

Now Smollett didn't look like a madman screaming for death at the hands of the Spirit. Michael saw that in front of him was a man who truly cares about the lives of people under his command. He even somehow reminded him of Igor, a broker who sold information to his gang in the previous world.

The police shot Igor in both knees when he was arrested, but he still refused to rat out his clients. Michael saw the same courage and loyalty in Smollett's eyes. Yes, Smollett was strange, but he was ready to give his life for the lives of his people.

Michael smiled and nodded. "I never refuse payment for job well done. Has anyone been hurt on board?"

Livesey returned with a glass of water and handed it to Michael. "Of course some were hurt, but apart from bruises and abrasions, everything is in order. The only corpse in my office was you, my friend!" Livesey burst into laughter again and walked off towards his office. The doctor knew that Michael was fine, so the final check was useless.

'Maybe he doesn't think I'm human and that's why he left? Wouldn't he be interested in seeing a possible Spirit?' Michael automatically led the water to the rough spots on his skin and quickly healed the damage. "Doctor has a strange sence of humor."

Smollett turned and walked out of the room, Michael following him. "That he does. Livesey has way too much stress in his life, humor serves as a resting place for his heart."

"How far are we from the North?" Michael asked, ignoring the admiring glances of passing sailors.

Smollett smiled in a way that just didn't look right on his face. "Just an hour away." Michael looked around for his clothes, but the Captain beat him to it. "Your bag is right where you left it, along with the rest of your things. At least the ones that weren't destroyed. Get dressed and go up on deck, you don't want to miss the view from the ship."

With that, Smollett left Michael alone with his thoughts. Michael went into his cabin and began to dress. A knife hidden in each shoe, another hidden on the back, two under the armpits and one on the right wrist. Blue pants, a black jacket and a black cloak that only miraculously survived the storm. 'Or because it was given to me by Death herself.'

Michael didn't know what exactly awaited him in the North, but he hoped that at least for now the canon would remain mostly the same.

"... I just jinxed myself, didn't I?"