Deep Sea Embers

“Do you see? Make the fries like this. It’s very simple. Just be careful not to over-fry the potatoes or undercook them. You don’t need to stick your head in the oil or taste it either, okay?”

On the early morning of the Vanished, Duncan was busy pointing out how to cook up a batch of fries to Alice, who was seriously trying her hardest to learn inside the kitchen.

“Remember… Remember!” She’s obsessed with the sizzling pot of oil, ready to make her move at the slightest signal while clutching the kitchen knife in one hand.

Duncan looked at the oil pot and then back to the doll next to himself. With a slight nod, he was ready to go do something else when he noticed the gleaming knife in Alice’s hand. “Um… can you put the knife down first? You don’t have to keep holding it unless you’re cutting something.”

A cursed puppet standing in the kitchen with a knife staring murderously at some potatoes. The picture was unlucky and frightening no matter how he thought about it. The only missing thing now was a spooky BGM in the background. That would be the perfect horror flick.

“Oh… Oh!” Alice came to her senses and quickly hid the kitchen knife behind herself. Waving at the captain confidently, “You can go back now Captain! I’ve learned how to do it now! You and Ai will get to eat in no time!”

Duncan stared at Alice for a long time, trying to confirm the doll really won’t mess this up. It’s no longer boiling water anymore, but oil. If things go to hell, the pot would actually explode and cause a genuine kitchen fire. But as insecure as he was about leaving, everything has to begin somewhere. Heaving a light sigh, he waved goodbye and departed for the deck.

Good, I can finally have some decent food on the ship!

……

On the second floor of the antique shop, Nina watched her uncle with a curious gaze while keeping a medicinal bag on her forehead: “Uncle, I wanted to ask this before, but why do you keep frowning in the morning…? And just now, you sighed like you’re suddenly relaxed or something…”

“Huh? Was I? I wasn’t paying attention.” Duncan was startled by the attention and quickly adjusted himself. Smiling at his niece to keep a face, “It’s nothing. I merely remembered something about the account books. I’m fine now that I’ve solved it.”

“Oh,” Nina nodded, “that makes sense then.”

Duncan didn’t comment and left it at that. He’s been careless about how observant Nina has become and didn’t want to rock the ship.

“Shirley didn’t come today…” It’s then Nina said something unexpected as she glanced out the window.

“…… Everyone has their own place to live,” Duncan almost wanted to laugh at how readable the child was. She’s clearly lonely and wants her friend by her side. “And you still have school today. Where are you supposed to find time to go out?”

“I should have inquired about her home address,” Nina added, “that way I can visit her instead of just having her come here.”

Now that’s something Duncan didn’t think about. Softening his voice to be more relatable: “Do you like this new friend a lot? I know you haven’t known each other for long.”

“Shirley is a nice person and saved my life in the museum,” Nina said immediately, “and… and…”

“And what?”

“And the place she lives in… I asked Dog about it at night and their living conditions. It’s in a small alley inside the slums. There are no night street lamps, and the house leaks when it rains. I…”

“Nina,” Duncan cut the girl off right away and made a stern face, “friendship cannot be based on sympathy, especially for a child like Shirley.”

Nina was startled by the harsh wording. Raising her head to meet Duncan’s gaze, she didn’t speak for a good while before uttering a random remark: “Uncle, how come your words are so philosophical lately…?”

Duncan: “…”

“But you’re right Uncle. I do feel a little sympathetic towards Shirley after hearing about their background.” Nina instantly returns to her old self, “But I merely… want her to live better. I can feel it without her telling me. Although she was always inexplicably nervous when she lived with us, I could tell she was very happy. Am I… being too presumptuous by judging her like this?”

Now it was Duncan’s turn to be startled. Honestly, he didn’t expect Nina to be so thoughtful at her young age. Shaking his head: “It’s not our place to decide that, so let’s not worry about the matter. Actually, let’s ask Shirley where she lives the next time she visits… Now hurry up and finish your breakfast. It’s almost school time.”

“Okay!” Nina immediately nodded obediently, and then she seemed to have thought of something else that caused her to grow excited, “By the way, can I… ride the bike to school?”

“Absolutely not,” Duncan pricked his eye and answered without hesitation, “Have you forgotten how bad you fell last night?”

As he spoke, the scene of what happened yesterday instantly returned to him. As soon as the girl saw the brand-new bike, she jumped with glee and wanted to try it out. Then thirty seconds later, in front of the shop, she fell over, hard…

Now she still has a medicine bag on her head for the bruise.

“I… I thought it would be easy to ride a bike,” Nina lowered her head and moped, “I saw my classmates…”

Duncan sighed.

He should have thought of that beforehand. Nina doesn’t have many friends outside this antique shop, so where would she have the opportunity to learn? That’s a failure on his part.

“Take the bus to school today, don’t run. Our family is not short of this little bit of money now.” Duncan rummaged through his pocket for a few coins and put them in front of Nina, “I’ll teach you to ride a bike when I come back. It’s really not difficult. With your cleverness, you will learn it in a few days.”

At first, Nina was a little frustrated but soon became happy again and nodded happily: “YAAA!!!”

After a while, Nina happily jogged out of the antique shop while Duncan watched from the small shop window on the second floor. He could see her turning at the corner and towards the bus stop not far away.

It’s a beautiful morning. He had to admit this despite the various shadows lurking at night. The glistening light of the sun and the permeating noise of bustling life in the form of burning embers through his senses gave the impression of a thriving city with a golden curtain blanketing it. But then Duncan’s expression froze when his sight skimmed over a row of houses in the distance.

“Ai!” He beckoned to the air and summoned the undead bird from the ship. Next second, a tiny burst of flame materialized in front of his eye and transformed into the dove.

“Hiccup… Who’s calling… Hiccup… Fleet?” Ai flaps around in a circle to land on the man’s shoulder.

Showing a weird face, Duncan turned and raised an eyebrow at the bird: “How much did you eat aboard the Vanished?”

Ai flapped her wings and cooed vigorously: “The time to eat has come… Hiccup!”

Duncan blandly eyed his partner with a face of incomprehensible nature: “No wonder Alice was in the kitchen for so long. You cleared out the storage room, didn’t you? Forget it… at least you didn’t waste the food. Can you still fly to the sixth block?”

The dove issues out a roaring chip of a commando, making sure to salute with her wings as well: “Mission will be achieved! Mission will be achieved!”

A fireball shot out of the small window in the next second and flew staggeringly toward the sixth block.

At the same time, two dark gray steam cars were driving through the empty streets deep in the sixth block. Sitting in front of one was none other than Vanna, who had brought along a small team of elite guardians for the investigation. She didn’t want to ride a steam spider walker for this trip because that would be too eye-catching. So until she gives the signal, the main battle force would remain outside the block and await her command.

Frankly, that’s a good idea on her part. She didn’t realize it at first, but after coming here, she immediately picked up on the abnormal atmosphere in this area. It’s very wrong and creepy – a neighborhood that’s too lifeless, a population that’s sporadic and unresponsive to outside stimuli, and old facilities that have fallen into disrepair to an unacceptable level.

The best way to describe this place would be a world frozen in time and forgotten by its people.