Legacy's Wake

Kyora ascended the stairs to the front deck, resting a hand on her hip as she scanned the horizon to assess the weather. "For a place with such a threatening name, this ocean seems surprisingly calm. Maybe the journey ahead won't be as bad as we thought," she mused. Picking up the scope, she peered into the distance, confirming that their path appeared free of immediate danger—for now. 

On the rear of the middle deck, Temoshí sat slumped in boredom, his head pressed against Tarot's, both of them dozing without realizing they'd leaned on each other. "I miss Ralphie's cooking," Temoshí muttered in his sleep, yawning softly. Tarot, equally lost in his nap, murmured in response, "I wanna try baked peaches." 

Nathaniel stood nearby, arms crossed as he leaned against a pillar, his sharp eyes taking in the unusually relaxed atmosphere around the ship. It wasn't like Temoshí's crew to be this subdued. "I guess they're still worn out from everything earlier. Can't blame them—there hasn't been much time to rest since Bloomsque Hazard," he remarked quietly. He glanced over the deck and frowned, noting a strange absence of sea life beneath the waves. "Even the ocean's calmer than usual. That's not normal for waters this vast." 

Elliott, meanwhile, stood nearby, his expression uneasy. He wasn't alone in his concern—Phoebe also seemed on edge, her eyes darting warily toward the horizon. Something about the stillness of their surroundings gnawed at them. "Doesn't it feel... off?" Elliott asked, breaking the silence. "The area's too calm. Too still." 

Phoebe nodded in quiet agreement, her brows furrowing. "Yeah, though I can't put a finger on it."

"Wait a moment." Kyora's eyes widened in shock, as though a sudden revelation had struck her like a tidal wave—a memory from her past, coupled with her knowledge of the sea. "This... This is the Breathless Deep—a Deadwater Expanse!"

Elliott raised a brow at Kyora's terror-stricken expression, noticing the way her breath hitched as if the name she had just uttered had frozen her in place. Her fear was palpable. Trying to make sense of her reaction, he asked, "What's a Deadwater Expanse? I've never heard of anything like that before."

Kyora turned sharply, her hand trembling as she pointed toward the unnaturally still water surrounding their ship. "Are you kidding me? None of you have heard of it? How could you not know about something like this before setting sail across the Vast Expanse?" Her voice quivered with disbelief, though it was tinged with frustration. "I just didn't think... I didn't expect the Breathless Deep to exist here, in the Stormrend Waters!"

She glanced at the crew, her panic mounting when their blank stares made it clear that none of them grasped the gravity of her words. Taking a shaky breath, she attempted to explain, though her voice still carried the edge of her rising dread. 

"The Breathless Deep isn't just a calm patch of ocean—it's an enormous, lifeless expanse where nothing moves. Not the currents, not the wind, not even the creatures beneath the surface. It's as though the entire sea has been paralyzed. Ships that enter here are trapped, drifting aimlessly for weeks, months, or even longer. Some say it's cursed, that the waters themselves steal your vitality, leaving vessels and their crews stranded in silence until they waste away. Others claim it's a natural phenomenon caused by strange forces below the ocean, disrupting every flow and current. Either way, it's a place no sailor wants to end up."

Her finger trembled as she gestured at the eerily still sea again, her voice rising slightly. "Do you understand now? The water doesn't ripple. The wind doesn't blow. Even the wildlife avoids this place. It's called the Breathless Deep because it feels like the ocean itself is holding its breath—and if we're caught in it for too long, we won't be able to escape!" 

Her gaze darted around the crew, pleading for them to understand the severity of their situation. "This isn't just a calm patch of water—it's a death sentence if we don't figure out a way to get out of here!"

Elliott's eyes widened, his gaze locking onto the unnaturally still blue water. Not a ripple disturbed the surface—it was as if the sea had turned to glass. Leaning against the railing, he muttered in disbelief, "So we've been stuck in the same spot this whole time? That explains why nothing's been happening—so much so that our dumb captain and his monkey sidekick decided to take a nap!" His voice carried a mix of worry and frustration as he glanced toward the snoozing pair. "And you call yourself a navigator? You were supposed to notice this sooner!"

Kyora snapped at the accusation, her face twisting in fury as she whirled on him. "Oh, you think you're so clever, huh? Maybe you should've noticed it sooner, genius!" she roared, her voice echoing across the silent waters. Without a second thought, she hurled the scope at Elliott, hitting him square in the forehead and sending him stumbling backward until he landed flat on his back.

"Alright, alright, let's all take a deep breath and settle down," Joker interjected, stepping between them and raising his hands for peace. He cleared his throat, his mechanical voice box crackling slightly as he added with a mischievous grin, "Perhaps what we need is a bit of entertainment. A captivating performance, maybe? Surely that'll ease the tension."

Phoebe strolled across the deck and gave Temoshí's shoulder a light tap. "Time to wake up already." Somehow, almost as if on command, Temoshí groggily roused himself, stretching with a massive yawn that seemed to drain what little energy he had left. He scratched the back of his head lazily and muttered, "Seriously? There's still nothing going on. Didn't I say to wake me up when something actually happens?"

From across the deck, Kyora's voice erupted like a thunderclap. "Something DID happen, you clueless moron! We've hit the Breathless Deep! We haven't moved an inch for hours!"

Temoshí's jaw practically unhinged, his face frozen in shock. "What the hell are you saying?! You're telling me I've been napping all this time and we haven't moved a single centimeter?!" His voice rose with each word as he jabbed an accusatory finger in Kyora's direction. "What kind of navigator even are you?!"

Kyora's frustration bubbled over, her face twitching as she clenched her fists. "Oh, I'm sorry, Captain 'Nap Time,' maybe next time I'll magically control the water and push the ship myself! Or better yet, how about you try navigating while snoring like a bear for hours, huh?!" She grabbed a nearby rope and tossed it onto the deck. "Here, tie yourself to the mast and spin like a weather vane—let's see how far that gets us!"

Temoshí grabbed the rope with a flair so dramatic it could have brought tears to an audience. Striding toward the ship's railing, he puffed out his chest like a hero about to conquer the impossible. "Fine! If none of you clowns can handle it, I'll move the ship myself!"

With all the confidence in the world (and absolutely none of the logic), he hurled the rope into the water, vaulted over the fence, and plunged into the ocean.

What happened next was the most unimpressive display of self-sabotage anyone aboard had ever seen. Temoshí hit the water like a sack of overripe potatoes, flailed for about three seconds, and then promptly began to sink. His flame-powered body betrayed him completely, rendering him incapable of floating, swimming, or even splashing effectively. He descended like a rock tied to an anchor, bubbles marking his dramatic fall.

The crew just… stared. Not a single muscle moved. The silence was deafening.

Phoebe was the first to break it, leaning forward and squinting at the bubbles rising lazily to the surface. "Uh… what exactly is he doing down there?"

Kyora froze for a moment, gears visibly turning in her brain before realization struck her like a lightning bolt. She grabbed her head in both hands and screamed, "gah! that idiot! he can't swim! he's completely useless in water!" She whirled on the rest of the crew, arms flailing. "Somebody get in there before we lose our captain to his own stupidity!"

The rest of the crew exchanged awkward glances before their collective gaze turned back to Kyora, their eyes cartoonishly popping out of their sockets.

"Understood!" joker shouted, dramatically stepping forward like a knight answering a call to arms. However, Phoebe snagged his mechanical arm before he could make his move.

"Are you insane?" she snapped, pointing at his gleaming cybernetic limbs. "You're practically a lightning rod in water! You'll fry yourself and him!"

Tarot, lounging casually on a barrel, lazily bit into a peach while watching the chaos unfold. "Sorry, friends. I, uh… never learned how to swim. But if you need someone to eat peaches, I'm your guy." he gave a thumbs-up before taking another bite, completely unbothered.

Elliott, who was perched on the railing, was too busy laughing to even pretend to help. "You've gotta be kidding me! the guy can't even dog-paddle, and he thought he'd drag the ship?!" he slapped the railing, tears streaming down his face. "What kind of captain sinks himself and his reputation in the same minute?!"

Meanwhile, the bubbles in the water started slowing, prompting Kyora to go into full meltdown mode. "He's gonna drown, you useless clowns!" she roared, pointing at everyone in turn like a drill sergeant. "Elliott, stop laughing! Tarot, drop the peach! Joker, put your hat back on and think!"

Nathaniel, who had been leaning against the mast in silent judgment, sighed deeply. He muttered something under his breath about "It's like babysitting children" as he shrugged off his coat, folded it neatly, and set it aside.

The crew collectively froze, jaws dropping as the stoic sniper—the least likely to ever volunteer for anything water-related—stepped forward without a word. With the grace of a professional diver, Nathaniel vaulted over the edge of the ship and dove into the water, vanishing beneath the surface in pursuit of their reckless captain.

Kyora stared after him in disbelief. 

Elliott leaned back, smirking as he crossed his arms. "Man, did anyone have 'nathaniel willingly jumps into the ocean to save the captain's dumb ass' on their bingo card today?"

Joker tipped his hat forward. "Bope. but I'm adding it to my comedy sketch later."

The surface of the water rippled faintly before Nathaniel burst through with a single, powerful stroke, carrying an utterly limp and sputtering Temoshí over his shoulder. The captain's once-proud demeanor had been thoroughly drenched—both literally and figuratively—as water poured from his hair, clothes, and dignity in equal measure.

Nathaniel hoisted him onto the deck with a grunt, setting him down like a sack of soggy rice. "You know," Nathaniel said dryly, flicking water off his sleeves, "for someone with a billion-bolt bounty, you'd think you'd have figured out swimming by now."

Temoshí coughed up what seemed like half the ocean, waving a weak hand in protest. "I—cough—didn't think—cough cough—I'd need to!"

"Didn't think you'd need to?" Kyora stomped forward, hands on her hips, absolutely seething. "Who gets a bounty that high without learning to at least dog-paddle?! Even babies can dog-paddle, you flaming disaster!"

Temoshí looked up at her, still wheezing, his voice hoarse. "I have fire powers, okay?! Water's like my natural enemy! You're blaming me for being practical?"

"Practical?!" Kyora screamed, throwing her hands in the air. "You jumped into the ocean with no plan and no backup! That's not practical—it's suicidal!"

Tarot wandered over, still holding his peach, and crouched beside Temoshí, inspecting him like a curious child. "Yep, he's definitely alive. Although i'm not sure if his pride survived." He took another bite of his fruit, unfazed by the situation.

Elliott leaned casually against the ship's railing, laughing so hard he could barely catch his breath. "I can't believe this! The guy who's supposed to lead us through hell and back got saved by Nathaniel!" He slapped his knee, doubling over. "Nathaniel! Of all people!"

"Yes, yes," Nathaniel said, his tone as sharp as ever. "Laugh it up while you can. Next time, I'm letting him sink."

Joker knelt down beside Temoshí, his mechanical hand extending into a tiny spinning fan to dry the captain off. "Cheer up, boss," he said, voice smooth with a touch of sarcasm. "At least now we know who's not allowed near the water when we're in a crisis."

"Not funny, Joker," Temoshí muttered, swatting weakly at the fan.

Phoebe approached with a towel, shaking her head in disbelief. "Honestly, buddy, I don't know whether to admire your courage or question your intelligence. You're lucky Nathaniel jumped in after you, or you'd be a fish snack by now."

Temoshí sat up slightly, wrapping the towel around his shoulders like a defeated hero. "Fine, fine. I get it. Bad idea. No more swimming for me. Ever." He groaned and rubbed his temples. "But seriously, someone should've warned me this ocean was cursed. How was I supposed to know?!"

Kyora jabbed a finger at him. "It's called 'Deadwater,' genius. Dead. As in, 'don't jump in unless you want to join it.' That's pretty self-explanatory! Also, your own powers prevent it!"

"Alright, alright," Temoshí grumbled, waving her off. "No need to rub it in." He glanced around at the crew, their amused faces making him want to sink into the deckboards. "Can we just… pretend this never happened?"

Elliott grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "Oh, don't worry, Captain. This little adventure's burned into my memory forever. You're never living this down."

"And neither are you," Joker added, pointing a mechanical finger at Nathaniel. "Hero of the hour. How does it feel to be the savior of reckless captains everywhere?"

Nathaniel, dripping wet and thoroughly unimpressed, grabbed a dry cloth and wiped his face. "Feels like babysitting," he muttered.

As the crew broke into laughter, Temoshí flopped onto his back with a groan. The calm ocean around them seemed to mock his earlier bravado, the ripples on its surface the only reminder of his ill-fated dive.

"Next time," Temoshí mumbled to himself, "I'm hiring a tugboat."

To be continued...