Payment for passage is in Drowning Pearls.

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Chapter 11: Setting Sail For… Fathomking's Hold

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Maka found Kid halfway between the ship's railing, one hand extending into the sea, submerged under the dark water. He appeared to be in deep sleep, his eyes closed and his body sprawled on the deck unmoving.

Maka ran and kneeled next to him. For a moment she was worried that something had happened, that the Machine or the Neath, or some other unknown force had done something…

Then Kid breathed.

It was a silent breath, but a breath nonetheless. Then he had done so again and again, and even slightly shifted, and Maka realized with relief that he was sleeping. Though that did bring up the question of why had Kid thought of the deck as a particularly comfortable or proper corner of the ship to sleep. Maybe he had dozed off, but Maka wasn't sure if Grim Reapers could doze off -if anyone did, that would be Liz and Patty.

Maka carefully approached Kid, debating whether she should wake him up or not. She couldn't think of any reason why Kid or anyone else would sleep on the deck with one hand in the zee. Yet again, maybe this was a Grim Reaper thing Maka had no clue about.

Undecided, Maka examined Kid once again, her eyes catching a detail that she had missed before. Next to Kid were a pile of shining pearls, lustrous yet covered with a thin trail of slime. Maka picked one up and held it between her fingers. It was the size of her thumb and glowed a faint pink hue… It looked pretty and innocuous at first glance.

A splash. Something lurking under the wave.

Maka watched in mute horror as a hand, human yet rotting, with clams and seashells feasting on the dead flesh, emerged from the sea and clutched onto Kid's hand like a lifeline. It held on tight on Kid's wrist like an anchor and Kid's form shifted, his shoulder blades caught between the railings and stopping him from moving any further towards the zee. Another hand, equally human and dead, emerged and dropped a handful of pearls onto the deck next to Kid. After that, both hands let go and collapsed lifeless, being dragged off by the zee's current moments later.

Ok, something was definitely going on.

Maka nudged the Grim Reaper. "Kid," she said in a soft and urgent tone. When he didn't respond, Maka shook him again, this time harder, and called his name a bit louder.

Just as she was about to do so a third time, Kid slowly opened one eye then the next, like a rudely-awakened sleep-deprived person. He looked at Maka and then at himself, his frown deepening by the second. He looked just as confused about his position, as Maka was, blinking rapidly and looking around him like a man lost.

"Did you sleepwalk?" Maka had asked.

Kid had given her a strange look and gazed at the zee. "I don't sleepwalk."

"But how did you end up here?" Maka gave him a reassuring grin. "It doesn't look like a comfortable place to sleep."

If Kid understood her attempt at a joke, he didn't acknowledge it.

"I had to be there," the Grim Reaper cryptically said. "They were calling to me-"

"I think I see a port!" came Ox's voice. Maka and Kid exchanged looks and headed to the front of the ship, their conversation left unfinished.

A huge coral extended from the dark waves, spiralling and fluorescent. A small structure extended from the part where it emerged from the zee, jutting out as if sculpted, and resembling a small port.

They docked with hesitation. A cloaked woman awaited them, her skin as rough as a shark and her eyes glazed. Kid raised a hand towards her but the woman flinched away from it as if it was on fire.

"The Fathomking awaits your presence," she rasped, her voice as sharp as the coral itself.

"The Fathomking? Who's he?" Maka asked.

"He awaits your presence," the woman repeated, gesturing to a part of the coral where a massive pearl-studded gate stood. It looked as if it was part of the coral itself and the pearls around it were of the same kind that she had found on Kid, only these ones were the size of Maka's head.

The woman walked towards them and the gates opened smoothly and in a spiral fashion. The area after that was illuminated with light from the fluorescent coral and descended below zee level.

Hesitant yet curious, Maka took a step forward, only to be stopped by the outreached hand of the cloaked woman, getting goosebumps where the woman's sickly green skin touched hers.

The woman gestured at Kid. "Only them."

Maka narrowed her eyes. "I'm Captain of this ship." In front of her, the woman tensed. "Soul."

Her Weapon Partner didn't have to be called twice. Recognizing Maka's tone as 'this is serious business, I need you on my side ASAP' the boy transformed

The woman didn't even bother to look at her. "The Fathomking holds no interest in you-"

"Tough luck. If Kid's going in, so am I."

Breaking away from the woman's hold Maka strutted forward, going into the Gate of Pearls before she could be stopped. She took confident steps and puffed her chest. As if she was going to be afraid of a moving corpse.

"Maka, wait!" Kid called and went after her.

"I'm going in no matter what," Maka said as soon as Kid caught up with them.

"I wasn't going to object to that," Kid said with a sigh. "Just… Be careful. We don't know with that sort of individuals we are dealing with here."

"Ditto." Maka eyes the luminescent passage with suspicion. Her Soul Perception showed that there were no souls in their vicinity, but that didn't mean she could let her guard down. "What if this is a trap?"

Kid gave her a smile. "Then I'm glad you're with me."

Soul's reflection appeared on the scythe's blade and let out a whistle. "Smooth."

"I meant that for you too, Death Scythe."

"Even smoother," Soul said nonchalantly.

Kid rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless.

After a few minutes of walking, they reached a wide area where a figure floated above a gem-studded bowl the size of a banqueting table which served as some sort of throne. A purple salt-covered cloth hung from his humanoid frame, the skin a faint green with seaweed like extensions and clam-like irregularities.

"Welcome." His voice was as smooth as the zee on a windless starry night. He placed a hand on his sharp chin, regarding them with blank eyes. "Were you the ones who made a dent in my numbers?"

"Who are you?" Maka asked back.

The creature raised an eyebrow. "I am the Lord of the Drownies," he said. "I am also known as the Fathomking."

"Drownies?" Maka asked.

"Those that were lost at sea," the Fathomking languidly explained.

"That explains it," Kid muttered before looking up to the Fathomking. "The Drownies. Do they retain their souls?"

"Some of them do. Incidentally, the ones that did go missing were all soul-bearers…" The Fathomking let his words hang. The coral's light dimmed.

"As I thought," Kid said and looked away. "That's who was calling to me."

"You mean when I found you sleeping on the deck?" Maka asked.

Kid nodded. "The exhaustion must have been because of their large numbers." He looked to the Fathomking again. "I put their souls to rest."

The Fathomking shifted and his frame became a bit hunched. The coral gave out an irregular pulse. "You did kill my subjects then-"

"With all due respect, they were already dead," the Grim Reaper said in an even tone. "I made sure their souls moved on to where they were supposed to be, not stuck in a rotting body."

The Fathomking did not answer immediately. His pupil-less gaze met Kid's and the two stared at each other for a few seconds, unmoving.

After a few long moments, the Fathomking reverted to the position he had been when they had first entered his chambers. "You are not a Judgement."

"Fathomking," Maka spoke up, holding her own when his gaze fell on her. "We seek a way home."

"How fortunate. We are in agreement about that."

"We've been informed that we should travel to Avid Horizon," Maka said.

"At the Gate? Strange." He placed a hand on his chin and watched them for a few seconds. "I do not know from where you came. My authority is at the sea, not the Wilderness. Perhaps you will find what you seek there. Perhaps you will not."

"Helpful," Kid muttered under his breath. The Fathomking didn't give any indication that he heard him.

"Out of curiosity," the Fathomking called as they were leaving. "Who gave you that location?"

"We were recently advised to go there from the followers of the Dawn Machine," Maka responded. She had no reason to lie. Perhaps she may even learn a thing or two.

"The Machine wants you gone. Unsurprising."

"What is it?" Maka asked. Even if it promised to leave them alone, Maka had to know what could so effortlessly control people's minds.

The Fathomking went still. His lips twitched. "An abomination." He clicked his hands. "As you search for your world, I ask that you do not visit these waters again." No threats were said. None were needed.

Kid narrowed his eyes, utterly unconvinced. "We'll keep it in mind."

And with that, they were politely escorted outside and left port, with pearl-clutching Drownies circling their ship.

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