As our little family walks down the sidewalk, I'm barely able to suppress a shout of triumph. She finally did it! Finally, finally, my little sister owes me. I think of all the funny things I can make Delily do. There was this one time where a kid had owed me, and I made him dunk his head in a bucket of water. That was funny. Or I could make her buy me something! My favorite treat is caramel bread squares. They're sweet and bready, and the bread is still nice and moist on the inside, but not damp or gross. I was able to get them all the time at Sugar-Sweet Bakery. I could walk to it from our house, and it was just a block away from that hotel we had stayed in. That's one thing I'll miss. I wonder if I can get caramel bread squares in Catanari.

We approach the docks. I scan the ships at the same time as Mami. She's probably thinking about costs and effeciency and boring stuff like that. I'm wondering if any of them have carmel desserts. Caramel bread squares are the greatest treat ever, but I also like other caramel sweets. Can cats eat caramel? I know Delily is sneaking Toto onto the ship, but what is he going to eat? Is she just planning to reveal that she brought Toto along? Wait a minute... Then I'm going to get yelled at too! 

But she'll still owe me, of course. If she tells Mami that she brought Toto along, I'll make her dare extra bad. Or she'll have to buy me something super frivolous and expensive. As my train of thought rattles on, we hand over our tickets to one of the ship's gatekeepers, and climb the ramp to the deck. The three of us go to our quarters on the ship. I expected that I would get my own room, as the only boy, but again. We're all sharing a room. How is Delily going to hide Toto now?

We dump our bags onto the beds. Mami briskly walkes out and up the stairs, and I follow. Delily comes a few seconds later, shutting the door behind her. We go up to the deck. And wait. This is honestly so boring. They need some action. They need something funny. They need comedy. They need - wait! They need a commentator! 

No one is stepping up to comment, though. Somebody needs to do it. Maybe that somebody could be me. No harm in trying, after all. I grin and walk to the center of the deck, trying to project my voice.

"Laideez and gentlemen, passengers and crew, welcome to the most BORING ship ride into the history of the world. Can I even call it a ride? The ship's not moving!"

There are a few laughs, so I continue. 

"Up here is our deck, as you should all know. Over there-" I gesture to the pier, "are many frazzled people trying to get on a packed ramp. They need to learn single-file lines. To your left is the old ocean, to your right is the grand ocean, and right in front of us is the grand old ocean!"

More people laugh, and some of them cheer me on. I continue hopping around, naming parts of the ship and getting comments from the other passenges. I guess everyone was as bored as I was. When I finally finish and bow, there's a whole lot of applause. I strut back to my family. Delily is laughing her head off, but Mami is glaring at me. 

"Kristopher, that was unacceptable. Is that how you act in public?"

Instead of answering, I just show her the coins in my hand. Her face changes, and settles into a resting face. Acceptance. 

"Thank you, Kristopher. Keep it. If you earn enough, maybe you can buy your own food for the journey and not drain my wallet into dust. 

"Thank you, Mami! Wait. What? Hey!"

Delily laughs even harder. Suddenly, there's a jolt under our feet, and she nearly falls. I look at the pier, and the ramp is nowhere to be seen. I risk a glance over the edge of the rail, and the water is being pushed back by the ship. We're moving!