𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞!𝐚𝐮) 𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐙

CH. 36 ~ Training

I've finally fallen back into my routine with the crew, incredibly happy to be back on board. Back when I was sharing with the crew about my past I was so worried that they were going to shun me for it, but now I feel more connected to them all. I feel like I've been with them all of my life, caring for their wounds and messing around with them when I'm not busy.

I was currently practicing one of the tinctures Pan had taught me, from the comfort of the sickbay, when I heard knocking at my door. I get up out of my chair and open it to reveal Hongjoong standing there with a goofy smile.

"Um, hey Eye-patch. Do you need anything?" I inquire, finding it a bit suspicious that he's at my door. He never comes by to ask me something unless it is about an injury, but as I study him I don't see anything. Actually, today, he seems to be wearing a more casual outfit, throwing away his regular fox-fur coat and tricorne for a pair of leather pants and a loose-fitting cream-colored button-down with a small scarf tied around his waist in a stylish manner.

"I need you," he confidently states, which with the little context he's given me, it's leading me to unwanted assumptions.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Oh, wait that came out wrong," he realizes, quickly taking back what he said. "What I meant was that I had promised you I would help you with your magic. Not that I— you know, need you. Not in that way at least because I do need you. A-as a friend. Don't think I meant—,"

"Yeah, I know what you mean," I giggle, finding his innocent reaction charming. "Let me just clean up and I'll meet you outside." I clean up my work area, making sure that I don't leave anything out in case that a nosey Wooyoung or Mingi comes in and starts touching the wrong stuff. It's already happened twice where they've come in without my supervision and ended up getting bad rashes from touching my unfinished pastes. The worst thing is that they never learn.

Soon enough I'm out and ready to resume my magic training, crossing my fingers that it won't be anything as rigorous as San's training was. I step out into the main deck, the bright sun shining down overhead. It's barely morning, but the heat of the sun is already signaling towards a hot day. I walk across the deck towards Captain who is waiting by the mainmast with a bucket of water, a lit oil lamp, and a pot with a green plant sprouting from it. I'm confused at all the objects he's brought out, starting to question his teaching ethics.

"Uhh, What are all these things for?" I question once I'm in hearing distance of him. Eye-patch looks up at me, snapping out of his daze, giving me a small smirk before clearing his throat dramatically.

"I had promised to train you, hadn't I?" I bob my head hesitantly, still not sure why there is a plant and a bucket of water in the middle of the main deck. "You see, I can't really help you when it comes to honing all of your powers, but I can help you when it comes to elemental magic since that was my magic type. Each of the things I brought, are the elements that can be controlled." He explains and I finally understand what he means, my eyes trailing straight to the pot with one more question in mind. "Ah yes," he excuses, catching on to what I was staring at, "I may or may not have stolen one of Seonghwa's cooking herbs to do this with you." He admits which I find a bit odd but I decide to brush it off.

"Alrighty then, where do we start?" He gives me a small rundown of what we will be doing which consists of focusing on my internal powers and bringing them up on command. It's a good thing that Nadia had taught me how to concentrate on my center because without it I would be so lost right now.

"Sun-mi, I want you to focus on conjuring up your magic, and then envisioning each of these substances as a part of your body." Captain begins to walk me through his instructions. I close my eyes, focusing solely on each inhale and exhale I make. Back when I was with Nadia, she taught me to think that my powers came with an on and off button. All I had to do was learn how to switch them on and off at command. I concentrate a little longer feeling the familiar tingle of magic at the back of my head move steadily to where my seals are. "You're doing great so far," Hongjoong encourages, watching me closely.