The Captain

Artis turned around in shock to see who grabbed his shoulder. 

It was a man who seemed to be in his 40s having a muscular build with a round face and bushy grey beard towering over Artis as he was wearing a pristine white long-sleeved button-up shirt, paired with navy blue trousers and a well-fitted navy blue blazer adorned with gold or brass buttons.

It was the Captain of this cruise ship, Captain Fervier Nomis!

"Ahoy! There mate!" Captain Fervier greeted Artis with his loud and heavy voice. 

The mysterious lady seemed to have heard him as she cut the call in panic to hurriedly look at the source of voice in annoyance. 

Realizing that it was the captain of the ship and a random passenger, she quickly turned around and left the scene. 

Artis, noticing this turned around his head in disappointment as he faced the captain of the ship who seemed to be smiling at him. 

"Lake blue eyes and a lad with a handsome face, Ah! You're that gals younger brother Artis Janes, right?" said the captain as he examined him from head to toe. 

"Ye-Yes. I'm Artis." replied Artis still shocked, "I'm sorry Sir, how do you know me?" 

Fervier laughed after hearing Artis's question and slapped his shoulders a couple more times, "No need to be formal with me lad! You can speak to me however you want! And I know you because your older sister, Alice Janes, is actually is a student of mine!" 

Artis blinked in surprise at the revelation, "My sister is your student!?" he asked, his confusion evident in his voice. 

"That's right! That's right! She was under my wings around 4 years ago as I taught her some of my skills related to sailing, Hahahaha! Captain Fervier chuckled loudly, his voice echoing in the corridor, "She is a remarkable young gal. Talented and dedicated to study an' learn whatever she can! One of my best students I had over the years!"

Artis's mind raced with questions. He had no idea that Alice was actually a disciple under Captain Fervier. It seems he did not know his sister that well that he thought he knew. 

"Wow, she never mentioned anything to me about studying under you." Artis remarked, a hint of disappointment visible in his voice. 

"Ah? Is that right?" said the Captain, "Well, she was always the secretive type, your sister that is!" said the captain with a warm smile. 

"Always was the serious type, she was! We always joked around that she would never get married if she was always the serious gal, turning away all her suitors!" The captain laughed as he reminiscing the past moments. 

"I genuinely owe her a lot! She has helped this old guy and the crew over here a lot during her time here! Since, you are also her family, consider this your crew as well, Artis lad!" 

"Oh, uh....Thanks Captain!" replied Artis sincerely, "I'll have to talk to my sister about her studying under you after this." 

The captain laughed heartedly, "Aye, you do you, Artis lad! After all family is important! And remember, if you ever need anything while you're aboard here, don't hesitate to ask. Consider yourself part of the crew now."

And so Captain Fervier bid him farewell, leaving him hanging for a moment. 

And so, undecided where to head out next, he decided to head back to his room and take a nap till it's dinner time and have a lengthy conversation with his dear sister about her habit of hiding things from him. 

Entering his bed, Artis soon collapsed onto his bed, feeling the weight of the day's event settling upon him. 

Laying down, with a sigh, he closed his eyes and went for a peaceful slumber. 

4 hours later, 

He woke up with the sound of his ringtone going off as he groggily picked up his phone and answered the call. 

-Took you long enough! Where are you right now? It's time for dinner!

"Uh? I'm in our room right now...Where are you?" 

-Great. Come quickly to the Dining Hall, then. I'll be waiting outside of the hall. You better don't keep me waiting, understand?" replied Alice in a threatening tone as she cut the call. 

Artis sighed, as he hung up the call. Quickly shaking the remnants of his sleep, he rose up from the bed, wore a basic white t-shirt and black jeans, washed his face and got ready to leave. 

As he approached the dining hall, Artis spotted Alice waiting for him just outside the entrance, her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face. He could tell, he made her wait for a very long time. 

"Sorry, Big Sister," Artis apologized as he hurried to catch up with her. "I overslept."

Alice gave him a skeptical look but didn't say anything as they entered the bustling dining hall together. The aroma of the food and the bustling environment of passengers enjoying their meal setup their night for tonight. 

They soon took their meal and found a table near the back of the hall and took their seats. Both of them were eating their meal in silence, not saying a word to each other. 

As they ate, Artis couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered between them, a silent tension that seemed to grow with each passing moment.

Unable to bear the silence any longer, Artis cleared his throat and broached the subject that had been weighing on his mind since his conversation with Captain Fervier.

"Hey, Alice....I met Captain Fervier, today..." 

Alice paused mid-bite, narrowing her eyes as she responded, "Oh? And What about it?" 

"What about it?" Artis almost stood up, as he frowned, "Alice, you could've at the very least told me that you were his student! I always wondered why you used to come home very late only to get no answer from you! You know how worried I was for you everyday!" 

Alice expression soon turned into a sense of guilt and regret as she did not made eye contact with Artis, "I'm sorry Artis," she began. 

"I really didn't mean to keep this from you. It's just that....I wanted to prove myself. To you...and to the world, that I could succeed in any job I do no matter what." 

Artis, slowly starting to calm down, didn't accept the apology right away, "But you could've at least told me! You are my only family, what was I suppose to do if you are gone!?" 

"I know Artis, believe me, I know. I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just that....things were really complicated back then. I just couldn't tell you about it." 

Artis sighed, finally calming down as he drank a full glass of water, "Alright. I understand, it's not like I didn't hide many things from you either. So, it goes both ways." 

Alice's face instantly glowed with brightness, as she nodded her head with remorse, "You got it, my little brother!" 

"So, will you tell me? What did you learn from Captain Fervier?" asked Artis. 

"Oh?....How should I say this....Well, if I say, he taught me various languages of different continents and helped me improve my attack and defense related skills teaching me skills like [Flash Step] [Wind Shield], helped me increase my Stamina and Durability and made sure I remained calm and steady in every situation." 

"Interesting," mumbled Artis, "So, majority of your skills come from Captain's guidance and that's how you got so much stronger..." 

Alice nodded, "That's right, and you know who gave me the tickets for this luxurious cruise? It was the captain himself! I asked for his help and he was ready to give me the tickets for this cruise. So, next time you meet him, remember to thank him properly, alright?" 

'So that's where the tickets came from, it all makes sense now!' thought Artis as his ticket mystery finally came to an conclusion. 

"I'll remember it." 

Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by a sudden commotion from across the dining hall. A group of passengers had gathered around a nearby table, as various voices were coming from there.

Curious, Artis and Alice exchange quick glance before they stood up to see what was going on.