The moment I stepped onto the ship, the metal deck beneath my boots whispered something like: Welcome aboard, Jessica. Nothing from this point forward will go how you planned.That whisper became a prophecy the instant Harper began vibrating beside me like someone had plugged her into an emotional power outlet.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the cruiser, her face drained of color, and she covered her forehead with the back of her hand like some overly dramatic Shakespeare heroine.
"Jessica… does a ship always smell like this? I don't think I can do this. I genuinely don't think—nope. Nope. Absolutely not."
I took a deep breath.Harper's "this" usually meant "existing in proximity to any form of transportation."She used her plane phobia as an excuse, but the truth was: Harper feared all vehicles except cars.And even cars had to obey a specific speed limit or else she feared those too.
Basically, Harper feared… Harper.
"We can't swim to the Altay Republic," I reminded her. "This ship is fine. Big. Stable. Safe."
"Titanic was big too, Jessica!"
I summoned the patience of every mountain, riverbed, and stone in existence. Even the Earth element would struggle with this emotional earthquake.
"Look," I said. "This ship is the length of three football fields."
Harper narrowed her eyes at me."Football fields give me zero comfort, Jessica."
"Millions of people travel by ship every day."
"Millions of people are WRONG, Jessica!"
I pressed my fingertips to my temples.This was going to be a long journey.
**
Loading my caravan onto the ship confused the crew.
"You're really… bringing this on board?""Yes," I smiled. "I can't travel without it."
It was home.And also the only place I could feel a stable connection to the Earth element.The metal deck made my energy buzz uncomfortably—too smooth, too artificial.
Once parked, I dragged Harper inside, hoping it would calm her.
But the second she crossed the threshold she screamed,"WE'RE STILL MOVING!"
"We're at sea, Harper.""BUT WHY ARE WE MOVING?!"
"What… did you expect?""A stable floor, Jessica!"
I inhaled.Earth-patience mode: ON.
She eventually crouched in a corner, pulled her knees to her chest, and started trembling.
"I am wood… I am wood… I am wood…"
"Harper, you're not wood.""I AM WOOD!"
Just then something thudded on the deck outside—probably a rope being dropped.Harper shot to her feet like I'd stabbed her with a cattle prod.
"Jessica… that was a sign. This ship… is doomed."
Me, internally: Earth-patience, please do not abandon me now.
***
The first hours were a disaster inspired by raw Harper energy.She started "testing" the durability of the cabin doors.
"Jessica this door will break under impact. I KNOW it.""Stop kicking the door, Harper.""This ship cannot handle this many people.""Stop calculating everyone's combined weight, Harper."
She paused, breathless."Okay. Okay… deep breaths…"
Then she lifted her hand.
A breeze shot through the caravan.
Curtains whipped sideways.Cups rattled.My plant pots tipped over like fainting goats.
"Harper!""I DIDN'T DO IT ON PURPOSE!""You create wind when you panic! CONTROL IT!""I CAN'T CONTROL PANIC, JESSICA!"
Another gust.Stronger.
My Earth energy flinched.Even the caravan wobbled slightly.
"If you do that again—""IT'S NOT MY FAULT!"
"Then we'll work on control," I said. "Together. I promise."
Harper blinked at me."Together?"
"Yes. Because if you launch this caravan into the sky one more time, I'll need help getting it back down."
***
When the ship finally left port, the breeze was pleasant, the sunset gorgeous.
To Harper, it was the opening scene of a horror movie.
"Jessica why are we accelerating?""Because we have to move, Harper.""I DIDN'T AGREE TO MOVING AT THIS SPEED!"
She ran to the railing.
I found her in a horribly dramatic pose, leaning over like a tragic poet confronting the void.
"What are you doing?""I just wanted to see the scenery one last time before we die."
"Sit.""No.""Harper.""Noooo.""Harper sit down."
My tone went low—calm, grounding, Earth-vibrating calm.
Harper deflated and walked to the deck chair like a scolded puppy.
For a few seconds she was still.Quiet.Peaceful.
Just as I relaxed…
"Jessica… why is the ship STILL MOVING?"
***
Getting her into the ship restaurant was another war.She whined the whole way: "This place is too enclosedddddd."
Her hands trembled as she took food.She stared suspiciously at a French fry.
"Jessica… what if this is made with seawater?"
"Harper…"
"Maybe that's why it's salty! Maybe that's why seamen hallucinate! Salt does something to the brain and—"
And a gust blew from her hand.
Napkins flew everywhere.The elderly couple behind us clapped like it was a performance.
I held the table down with both hands.
"Harper," I said through clenched teeth."Yes?""We seriously need to work on your elemental—""I KNOW Jessica but my emotions are like bad Wi-Fi!""What?""They disconnect! Reconnect! And randomly explode with full signal!"
Later, on the deck under a calming twilight breeze, we tried practicing.
Harper inhaled deeply."Jessica," she said, adopting the tone of an unqualified Jedi master."Earth… is patience."
"I KNOW, Harper."
"Earth… is the embodiment of the soul's anchor—"
"HARPER I KNOW."
"Earth moves slow but—"
"HARPER PLEASE STOP TEACHING ME MY OWN ELEMENT."
"No. Because I'm a wind user. But I've read thousands of fantasy novels. Theoretically, I know more than you."
I breathed in.I breathed out.Earth-patience.
"Fine," I said. "Show me."
She lifted her palms. A gentle breeze formed.
I focused on my own energy.Earth gathered beneath my feet.
I was seconds away from a clean channel when Harper suddenly shouted:"EARTH IS PAAATIEEEENCE!"
I jumped.My concentration shattered.The deck rumbled under my boots.Two stones near the caravan hopped like popcorn.
Harper gasped."JESSICA! ARE YOU SINKING THE SHIP?!"
"No! It's a tiny tremor!"
"Tiny tremors cause BIG TSUNAMIS, Jessica!"
"That's not scientifically accurate!"
"It is in the books!"
"THIS IS NOT A BOOK!"
***
When Harper finally slept, I stepped out into the open sea air.
At night… the ocean feels alive.Dark. Endless.Like standing on the edge of the world.
My Earth energy hummed faintly beneath me—trapped by metal, but present.Curling.Waiting.
Something was coming.I could feel it.
Behind me:"Jessica?"
Harper stood in the caravan doorway, bundled in a blanket like a distressed burrito.
"I can't sleep," she whispered."Why?""This ship feels like it's… breathing."
"Harper…"
"No seriously! Like 'hufff… hufff…' Jessica it's weird!"
This girl.
"Come here."
She sat beside me.Knees pulled up.Head resting lightly against my shoulder.
After a long silence, she whispered something fragile:
"Jessica…I'm scared.A lot."
That admission was rare.Harper hid behind noise, chaos, and drama—but fear? She never confessed that easily.
I placed a hand on her back."It's okay," I said softly. "You're allowed to be scared. I'm here."
She swallowed."Sometimes… I think I make everything harder for you."
"Harper."
"And I can't help it. My emotions go wild and then I put you at risk."
I sighed.Honestly? Yes. Sometimes she made me want to scream.But…
"Do you think I don't put you at risk too? We're both new to this. And honestly? I'd be worse without you."
Her face softened.She smiled a little.
"So… we're like… stuck with each other?""Not stuck." I said. "Partners."
Her eyes lit up."Partners…""Don't make it weird.""Never.""I'm serious, Harper.""So am I."
And for the first time…Her wind calmed.
***
Harper burst out of bed the next morning like she'd been reborn.
"Jessica! Breakfast!! I'm reaaadyyyy!!"
I groaned internally.Too much energy.Dangerous energy.
On the way to the restaurant, Harper tripped.
Instead of falling, she instinctively used air to LIFT HERSELF.
Uncontrolled.
She shot upward—Hit the decorative lights—Rang them like church bells—And crashed straight onto a table.
The elderly lady clapped again."Oh my, youth is so lively these days!"
Lady… this is not youth. This is a hazard.
Harper stumbled up, embarrassed."I'm fine!"
Except for a tiny nosebleed.Which she noticed.
"JESSICA I'M DYING!"
"No you're not. It's a scratch."
"I AM BLEEDING TO DEATH!"
"Harper breathe."
"BREATHING ISN'T WORKING!"
Another mini tornado exploded in the dining hall.Napkins everywhere.A bowl of soup sailed majestically through the air.A child's hair plastered backward like a cartoon.
Me:Earth patience. Earth patience. Everyone is staring. EARTH PATIENCE PLEASE.
I grabbed Harper's shoulders."Harper. Look at me. CALM. DOWN."
She froze.Stared into my eyes.
The wind dropped instantly.
"Whoa…""Yes, Harper. You stopped it.""I DID!""Yes.""Which means… I'm a MASTER!"
"Harper, no—"
"JESSICA I'M AN ELEMENTAL MASTER!"
Wind. Everywhere. Again.
***
At sunset we leaned on the railing, the ocean glowing orange under the dying light.
"Jessica…""Yes?""We're really going to the Altay Republic."
"We are."
"And I have to learn to… not panic. Ever."
"No. You just need to breathe."
"That's harder."
"Not when we're together."
She looked at me.Then gently offered her hand.
I took it.
In that moment I realized:We were chaos.We were instability.We were a walking accident waiting to happen.
But together…We were stronger.
The journey continued.And Altay awaited.