The morning after the feast dawned crisp and clear, the lingering scents of woodsmoke, roasted fish, and spilled ale clinging to Zou's humid air. Near the colossal roots where the makeshift celebration had roared, a different kind of gathering unfolded – quieter, tinged with the formality of departure. The scholars of Sankhara Deep, their long necks held with solemn grace, stood beside Commander Mangala, Lieutenant Galit Varuna, and Kavi. Ananta, her serpentine form radiating ancient calm, faced Nekomamushi and Inuarashi.
"Your assistance in repairing the Chamber of Celestial Sap was unforeseen," Ananta stated, her voice smooth as river stones. "But it preserved the Maw and guided the Great One. The Conclave will hear of Sankhara Deep's... pragmatic intervention." A subtle glance towards Mangala acknowledged the defiance it represented.
Nekomamushi puffed out his chest, tail swishing. "Nyaa! Just returning the favor for not squashing us flat, meow! And for the lasagna! Tell your kelp-munchers Carrot's cooking beats boiled seaweed any dawn!" He grinned, fangs glinting.
Inuarashi gave a curt nod, his deep voice rumbling. "Gara. The path is clear. Our histories intertwine now. Your scholars are welcome to return, under watch. The Whale Tree's roots hold many stories."
Galit Varuna, neck held in a loose, observant curve, sketched a quick diagram of the root pathways on his volcanic glass slate. "The access routes Kavi documented... efficient. We'll transmit findings through the agreed channels." He shot a challenging look at his father, who remained coiled tight, amber eyes fixed on the horizon.
Mangala finally spoke, his voice a low rasp. "The karmic scales are balanced. For now. Guard your walking mountain well, Minks. The sea holds more than ancient whales." He gave a final, sharp nod, a warrior's acknowledgement. The Urdhva turned, their kelp-laminate armor whispering, and began their descent down the hidden root-path towards their waiting vessel, leaving behind the scent of deep earth and musk.
*****
Down by the waterline, nestled amongst gnarled roots slick with morning dew, the Heart Pirates bustled around Marya's submarine. The vessel gleamed under the rising sun, its familiar sleek profile restored. Jean Bart, sweat beading on his brow despite the cool air, wiped his massive hands on a rag, gesturing proudly.
"Good as new, Blades," he rumbled, his voice echoing slightly off the metal hull. "Stronger hull plates where the whale scraped you. Recalibrated the ballast pumps. And..." He pointed a thick finger at the submarine's flank. The iconic Jolly Roger of the Heart Pirates – the smiling face with protrusions in six directions– stood out bold and fresh against the dark paint. "Gave the insignia a touch-up. Looks sharp, eh?"
Marya approached, her tall boots crunching on the pebbles. Jelly bounced beside her, leaving faint, glittery footprints. She ran a hand over the repaired section near the bow. The metal was smooth, cool, and seamless under her fingertips, smelling faintly of fresh paint and hot steel. A genuine grin, rare and bright, spread across her face. "You guys are miracle workers. Looks better than when I stole it.
Ikkaku, grease still smudged near her temple, leaned against the conning tower. "Told ya! Jean Bart doesn't do half-jobs." She grinned. "So, Fishman Island next? Sure we can't tempt you with some extra muscle?" She jerked a thumb at Shachi and Penguin, who were mock-wrestling over a coil of rope nearby.
Marya's grin turned playful. She swept her gaze over the assembled Heart Pirates – Bepo nervously smoothing his fur, Uni adjusting his glasses, Clione and Hakuga watching expectantly, Shachi and Penguin pausing their tussle. "Last chance," she announced, her voice carrying clearly. "Adventure calls. Deep dives, coral palaces, Fishman karate demonstrations... sure you don't want to ditch Law and come along?"
Bepo's ears shot straight up, then flattened. He scrambled forward, pointing a furry finger emphatically at Marya. "For the last time!" he yelped, his voice squeaking slightly. "We're waiting for the Captain! S-sorry, Marya, but orders! We have to stay!"
A wave of laughter rippled through the crew. Penguin slapped his knee. "We know, Bepo! We know!" Shachi chuckled, shaking his head. "Captain'd have our hides if we sailed off without him!"
The laughter faded, replaced by a sudden, heavy silence. The reality of her departure settled over them like a damp cloak. Marya's easy grin softened into something smaller, warmer. She saw the glimmer in Ikkaku's eyes, the way Hakuga looked down, scuffing his boot on a root.
"Aw, hell," Ikkaku muttered, sniffing sharply.
Then, like a dam breaking, they surged forward. Not a coordinated charge, but a tumbling wave of affection. Shachi and Penguin reached her first, wrapping their arms around her waist. Uni and Clione piled on next. Hakuga threw an arm over her shoulders. Ikkaku engulfed them all from the side, her grip surprisingly strong. Jean Bart's large hand settled gently on top of the pile, a warm, grounding weight. Bepo, after a moment's hesitation, wriggled his way into the center, burying his furry face against her leather jacket, the familiar scent of engine oil and polar bear fur filling her nose.
Marya stiffened instinctively, the guarded part of her recoiling from the sudden press of bodies, the overwhelming warmth. But the sheer, uncomplicated feeling radiating from them – gratitude, worry, camaraderie – was like sunlight hitting ice. She didn't push them away. Instead, a soft sigh escaped her, and she awkwardly patted Bepo's back, her fingers sinking into the thick white fur. "Alright, alright," she murmured, her voice muffled by shoulders and fur. "Suffocating me isn't in the repair contract."
"We're gonna miss ya, Blades," Shachi mumbled into her shoulder.
"Big time," Penguin added, his voice thick.
"You better come back," Ikkaku stated fiercely, pulling back just enough to look Marya in the eye, her own eyes suspiciously bright. "Soon. Or we'll hunt you down. Submarines aren't that hard to track."
Marya met her gaze, the stoic mask firmly back in place, but the warmth lingered in her golden eyes. "I will. Soon as I can. Promise." She gently extricated herself from the tangle of limbs. "Now, someone's crushing my ribs… probably you, Jean Bart."
The giant man chuckled, stepping back. "Merely ensuring a proper send-off."
Bepo sniffled, wiping his nose with the back of a furry paw. He fumbled in a pouch at his belt and pulled out a small, folded piece of paper – his Vivre Card. "H-here," he stammered, holding it out. "In case... in case you get tired of waiting for the Captain? Or... or just want to find us?" His hopeful eyes were wide.
Marya looked at the trembling card, then at Bepo's earnest face. A genuine smile touched her lips again, small and soft. She reached into her own jacket pocket and pulled out a similar folded paper – her own Vivre Card. She placed it gently in Bepo's large paw. "And in case you lot get bored waiting. Might need that navigational genius." She tapped his nose lightly.
Bepo beamed, clutching both cards carefully. "S-sorry! We'll keep it safe!"
A shadow fell across the group. Pedro emerged from behind a curtain of hanging moss, a fresh cigarette already lit, its acrid, earthy smoke cutting through the morning air. He leaned against a massive root, his scarred muzzle impassive. "Leaving so soon, Marya Zaleska?"
Marya turned, adjusting the collar of her leather jacket, the Heart insignia stark against the black. "Places to be, Pedro. Can't decipher my mother's notes while dodging whale sprays and fixing astrolabes."
Pedro took a slow drag, blowing smoke towards the canopy. He watched her for a moment, his gaze sharp and knowing. "Hmph," he grunted, a sound like stones grinding together. Under his breath, barely audible, he added, "So much like the both of them... stubborn as bedrock, moving towards the storm." He shook his head, a flicker of something akin to nostalgia in his eyes.
Marya caught the murmur. She rolled her eyes dramatically, a smirk playing on her lips. "Please. I have enough family comparisons to live down without adding yours to the list."
Pedro actually chuckled, a low, raspy sound. "Fair enough. Good luck, Swordswoman. May your path be clearer than Zunesha's was yesterday." He met her gaze squarely. "I suspect our paths will cross again. The currents have a way of bringing like souls together... eventually."
Marya gave him a respectful nod. "Until then, Pedro. Try not to smoke all of Zou's tobacco before I get back." She turned towards the open hatch of the submarine. "Come on, Jelly. Time to get squishy."
"Bloop! Fishman Island, here we come!" Jelly chirped, bouncing excitedly before oozing his way down the hatch.
Marya paused at the top, looking back one last time at the Heart Pirates clustered together – their faces a mixture of smiles and lingering sadness, Bepo waving both Vivre Cards frantically. She raised a hand in a brief, final salute. Then, with the familiar hiss of hydraulics, the hatch sealed shut. Moments later, the engines hummed to life, a deep vibration thrumming through the hull and into the water. The submarine slipped backwards smoothly, then submerged, leaving only a trail of bubbles rising to the sun-dappled surface of the water cupped within Zou's colossal roots. The steady, comforting thump-thump-thump of Zunesha's stride continued, a giant walking its true path once more, carrying its guardians above and a lone swordsman's quest towards the depths below.
The familiar hum of the submarine's engines vibrated through the soles of Marya's boots as she leaned over the polished brass navigation console. Outside the thick porthole, the eerie blue glow of Zou's swirling waters had dissolved into the inkier depths of the open sea, replaced now by the sun-dappled turquoise of shallower waters. Jelly Squish perched on a stool nearby, his gelatinous form wobbling in time with the sub's gentle sway, starry eyes wide as he watched Marya's fingers dance across dials etched with constellations.
"Coordinates locked," Marya murmured, her voice a low rasp against the thrumming metal. She tapped a final sequence into the brass-plated interface. "Sabaody's next. You ready, Jelly? Bubbles, groves, and a thousand pirates trying not to pop."
"Adventure, bloop!" Jelly chirped, bouncing slightly. "Like jumping in a fizzy pond!"
Marya allowed a faint smirk. "More like jumping into a hornet's nest wearing honey. Hold tight." Her hand hovered over the large, coral-handled lever labeled 'BUBBLE PORTER'. She grasped it, the cool metal biting into her palm. "Engaging in three… two…"
Before she reached 'one', a thunderous CRASH echoed from the rear of the vessel, followed by the sharp clang of metal on metal and a muffled shout. The sub shuddered violently, throwing Jelly off his stool with a startled "Bloop-oop!"
Marya's smirk vanished. Her hand snapped away from the lever, instinctively going to the obsidian hilt of Eternal Eclipse slung across her back. Her golden eyes, usually calm pools, narrowed into slits. "What in the Grand Abyss…?" she muttered, the comforting hum of the engines suddenly feeling like the growl of a trapped beast.
"Friends playing tag?" Jelly offered hopefully, wobbling back upright.
"Stay behind me," Marya ordered, her voice clipped. She moved with predatory silence down the narrow corridor, her tall boots barely making a sound on the riveted steel floor. The smell of brine and oil was suddenly undercut by something else – musk, sweat, and the sharp, metallic scent of clashing wills. The noise intensified as she approached the galley door – grunts, scuffling, and heated whispers.
"...think you can just stow away, rust-fur? This isn't your precious cliffside!"
"Quiet, feather-brain! Your incessant chattering will alert her! My presence is strategic necessity!"
"Necessity? Ha! You just wanna ride the shiny metal fish! Admit it, seaweed-breath!"
Marya's jaw tightened. She recognized the voices. With a swift, silent motion, she gripped the galley door handle and yanked it open.
The scene was pure, chaotic farce. Galit Varuna, the Young Tide of Sankhara Deep, was locked in a graceless wrestling hold with Atlas Acuta, the Crimson Comet of Zou. They were tangled amidst overturned ration crates, spilled dried seaweed, and a dented kettle rolling in circles on the floor. Galit's long neck was coiled awkwardly around a pipe, his teal Riptide Cloak askew, while Atlas, his rust-red fur bristling, had one arm pinned under Galit's knee, his free hand trying to pry open the Urdhva's grip on his collar. A faint blue static crackled around Atlas's ear tufts.
Both froze mid-struggle, heads snapping towards the doorway like startled prey. Atlas's sapphire-blue eyes, usually gleaming with lazy arrogance, widened slightly. Galit's sharp emerald gaze flickered with something like chagrin before hardening into defiance. Jelly peeked around Marya's leg.
"Friends!" Jelly bubbled happily, completely misreading the tension.
Marya leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed over the Heart Pirate insignia on her leather jacket. Her expression was utterly flat, a mask of weary exasperation. "Well," she drawled, her voice dangerously calm. "Look what the Island Whale coughed up. Care to explain the impromptu sumo match in my galley? Preferably before you dent the pressure hull."
Atlas recovered first, flashing a sharp-toothed grin that didn't reach his eyes. He shoved Galit off with surprising strength, sending the Urdhva lieutenant stumbling back into a shelf of canned beans. "Just keeping this overgrown eel in check, Swordswoman," Atlas declared, brushing imaginary dust off his open-collared navy shirt. "Heard you were heading somewhere interesting. Figured I'd hitch a ride. No idea what noodle-neck here is doing, though." He gestured dismissively at Galit.
Galit straightened, coiling his neck with offended dignity. The thin scar on his cheekbone seemed to pulse. "What did you call me, spotty?" he hissed, his voice tight. "My presence is a logical extension of our recent… collaboration. My expertise could prove invaluable to your endeavors." He adjusted his slate, clipped back onto his belt.
"Endeavors?" Marya raised a single eyebrow. "Funny. I don't recall needing, or asking, for help. Especially not from uninvited luggage."
Atlas puffed out his chest. "You don't need that bear! You got me now! Faster, stronger, better looking…" He winked. "Overheard your little chat with Bepo about needing a Mink for some door. Well, surprise! Door-opener delivered. And I come with built-in lightning!" He flexed a hand, blue sparks dancing briefly across his knuckles.
Galit scoffed. "Relying on brute force and misplaced confidence? Typical. My analytical skills and understanding of complex systems–"
"Are about as useful as a screen door on a submarine right now," Marya cut in, pinching the bridge of her nose. A headache was blooming behind her eyes. She looked from Atlas's cocky smirk to Galit's rigid, intellectual pride. "Listen carefully, both of you. This," she gestured around the cramped galley, "is a one-way trip. I'm heading straight into deep, dark waters where things bite back. Hard. I am not a tour guide. I am not a babysitter. And I am absolutely not responsible for either of you ever seeing Zou, Sankhara Deep, or your precious elders again. Understood?"
Galit met her gaze squarely, his emerald eyes intense. "I am well aware of the risks, Marya Zaleska. And I require no one to be responsible for me. My path is my own choice."
"Me either!" Atlas chirped, leaning against the dented counter, looking utterly unconcerned. "Adventure's calling, Swordswoman. Louder than old Pedro's lectures. I'm in."
Marya stared at them. The sheer, stupid audacity was almost impressive. A reluctant, almost imperceptible smirk tugged at the corner of her lips before she ruthlessly suppressed it. I cannot believe this, she thought, the sheer absurdity momentarily outweighing the irritation. I pick up a jellyfish and somehow acquire a lightning lynx and a tactical eel.
With a sigh that seemed to come from the depths of the ocean itself, she turned on her heel. "Fine. Suit yourselves. But touch my navigation console, break anything, or start another wrestling match, and I'll toss you out the airlock personally. Jelly, make sure they don't electrocute themselves or tangle themselves in pipes."
"Bloop! Guard duty!" Jelly saluted, wobbling earnestly.
Marya stalked back to the control room, the sounds of a tense, silent standoff between Atlas and Galit following her. She dropped into the pilot's seat, the worn leather creaking. Outside, the sunlit water beckoned. Sabaody awaited. She re-entered the coordinates with sharp, decisive taps.
Galit appeared silently at her shoulder, peering over with intense curiosity at the complex star charts and depth readings flickering across the main viewer. "Fascinating… this propulsion system… the energy signatures are unlike anything in the Urdhva archives…"
Atlas leaned against the doorway to the corridor, arms crossed, watching Galit with open amusement. "Ooh, look at the scholar. Gonna write a report for the seaweed club?"
Marya ignored them both. "Sit down," she ordered, her voice flat. "Both of you. Find something heavy to hold onto. Or don't. Your skulls, your problem. This next jump… it gets bumpy." Her hand closed over the Bubble Porter lever again.
Galit's eyes darted between the lever and the readings, a flicker of genuine scientific wonder momentarily overriding his usual intensity. "The spatial displacement… the theoretical implications…"
Atlas just grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Bring on the bumps, Swordswoman. I don't bruise easy."
Marya pulled the lever. The world outside the porthole dissolved into a swirling vortex of impossible light and crushing pressure. The submarine groaned, metal protesting as reality itself seemed to fold. Galit grabbed the back of Marya's chair, his knuckles white, his analytical mind clearly reeling. Atlas braced himself against the doorway, his grin fixed but his eyes wide, the blue sparks around his fur intensifying. Jelly simply flattened himself against the floor with a happy "Wheeeee-bloop!"
And Marya Zaleska, Mist Wielder, Bearer of Eternal Eclipse, navigator of voids and stowaway wrangler, set her course for the tangled roots of Sabaody Archipelago, her quiet quest suddenly, noisily, and irrevocably complicated.