Hi Guys! This update was long overdue, I'm so sorry! (thanks for waiting ;A; ) I hope the new year is going great for all of you. I'm happy the semester is over and I can take a short break for a while. So, I have been writing, reading, chilling, watching some good old anime all before it resumes again LOL BUT! Before you dive into this chapter, I would like to give a fic recommendation!

If you are into a new generation of young, enthusiastic, adorable little hunters whose hearts are filled to the brim with hope and dreams and adventure, may I present to you, 'Hunter X Hunter G2,' written by Oreozfox. The four main characters are the kids of our beloved dorks in the canon, Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio. They are my favorite kiddos that tackle the dangerous world of HXH lol and there are actually three seasons of her story, so check them out because they are so cute XD I think you'll guys like it!

Feel free to leave me fic recommendations too! Thank you my lovelies, enjoy the chapter :D

Chapter 33: Kings x of all x Kinds

Madrid made up her mind, or maybe it was her body propelling her to move her legs, trudging over the remains of what used to be the kind-hearted man who saved her life. The sea foam bubbled and plopped beneath her bare feet. Soaking through her skin and bones.

Her heart squirmed, but her arms moved accordingly towards the stirring wheel of the vessel. Her hands gripped the apparatus, firm. Then her eyes hovered towards all the trinkets decorating the coast guard's station; maps, faded charts of the sea, compasses, and even a ceramic blue eye hanging from a chain with a single white dot in the center to ward away all evil that should ever beseech the ship but more importantly, the captain to sail it.

Madrid somberly looked back down towards the stirring wheel, her heart sinking like a rock falling into the deep abyss. Her hands were either trembling from holding on too hard or trembling, maybe, from the fear of letting go of the wheel. In fear of being pulled along in to the abyss.

Thalassa and Puntos, these frightful creatures to Madrid, hovered over her shoulders loyally while their scales brushed against her skin. She shuddered. How she wished they wouldn't. All she wanted to do was scream from the repulsiveness of the creatures. Her mind was weary. Her mind was tired. Her mind was shaken and broken and torn apart. Tears formed at the edges of her eyes.

Alciel. Shion. Mother. Father. How she ached for them to stand by her side. Instead of these two creatures, she could not love. Or ever love.

While Madrid's mind was turbulent as the pull of the tides during a storm, her hands worked wonders. Memories of navigating the oceans with her father and sailors who taught her never to be afraid of the sea. Then a memory resurfaced into her mind, like a pebble skidding over the water's surface. Ripples of her subconscious reemerging. 'Remember that the ocean is not a terrible thing. Storms, waves, whirlpools are a part of life, nothing can be done about those, but it is not meant to be feared or ignored.' Her father said. 'You begin to know the ocean like beginning to know someone else's heart. It's big and vast, light and dark, mysterious and full of the unknown. All the corners and depths of the sea are meant to be explored and rediscovered again and again. How else can one love someone's heart without knowing what lies within? It's impossible to understand someone, just by looking at their surface.'

Then there was one sailor said the ocean was equally beautiful and equally scary, just like his mother.

Madrid stirred the vessel towards the land where the sun sets. And arrived at its shore at the crack of dawn. When the rays of the sun danced and shined like rubies on the water's edge.

According to the islanders, this kingdom is known as the sister land to the islands, better known as Kukan'yu Kingdom.

It's been this way for years. Just the three of them.

Madrid. Thalassa. Puntos.

After the massacre of the Sierren Family, the rebels made sure the message spread quickly throughout the rest of the islands. As the aristocracy of the islands crumbled with the Families leaving on boats with their riches of gold, silver, coins, and jewels nestled deep in their pockets or sewn into their clothes, they left quickly and quietly. The message was clear to all those who left and even more to all those who stayed without the means to leave. Get out or die. It was as simple as that.

Madrid safely made her way to the neighboring kingdom where she was taken in by coast guards of the land. They offered her a haven, of course. They gave her food and shelter and treatment for her wounds, but as much as they tried to question her and find out more about her, and the reason for her boarding a coast guard boat, while the guard was nowhere to be found. They only found Madrid and a puddle of sea foam on the boat, which was mopped away shortly after her arrival.

Thalassa and Puntos snickered to themselves in front of the guards, who were oblivious to these creatures floating in front of their faces. Madrid wondered if they truly found the situation hilarious, or if it was simply their mechanism of coping. She didn't believe the latter.

But when they continued to question her, she would not open her mouth. She refused to speak. She wouldn't let herself utter a sound. Madrid gripped onto the blanket giving her warmth. Her voice is toxin. No, Madrid was toxin hiding behind a beautiful smile.

Their minds increasingly ached with curiosity of the alluring girl with cerulean hair who washed up on their shores that early morning. Why, when the officers told the story to those around them, to their sisters and brothers and wives and husbands. They told them of the girl with coins sewn into her clothes carried by the waves, it reminded them of an ancient myth passed down from grandparent to parent to child. Once upon a time, when Kukan'yu Kingom was just a little thing. Not even a kingdom or country or state. It was during a time when there were no great rulers or magnificent kings or loving queens. It was just a culmination of disconnected villages and wandering vagabonds with no place to call home. This land was called 'Relis ae Kukan' which vaguely translated into 'hearth belonging to many people.' But it also translated into 'smoked fish sausage.' And as an unfortunate mistranslation that is, that language is no longer used today, nor is that name currently used today by the kingdom. Anyway, as the story goes, when the land was dry, crops were fruitless and neither the ocean spared the people a fraction of its splendor. Hearts began to harden, and stomachs began to shrink. The old lived and the youth withered. The people needed a miracle. They needed a savior to come to their aid. They needed a leader.

Then one morning, the miraculous happened! A young man arrived on their shores wearing the finest of robes any of them has ever seen. He arrived on a humble wooden boat, just like the ones they had, but this boat was filled to the brim with treasures and gold coins and gems of the sea. This man even had, one would say, a type of aura that was strong and powerful. Like that of a warrior! Ah! The ocean, the wonderful giver of life has answered their prayers! She gave them hope. She gave them salvation. She gave them a king! A king to guide, help and aid all its people!

So, the people welcomed the man and took him in as one of their own. Slowly, the villages and people of all kinds of the land united, becoming one nation under the guidance and protection of this sacred ruler given to them by the ocean. The land became known as Kukan'yu Kindom, and from there, it only grew and flourished prosperously.

Of course, this was a just a story. A fairytale with no historical truth. No proof or logic or facts to back it up. But a beautiful myth it was, and it was a story to be passed down from old to young for a very long time.

As the years began to pass, Madrid was not alone. Thalassa and Puntos, guided her and taught her nen. In time, she thought they were not as repulsive and grotesque as before. The two little creatures were unique to say the least. But they were giving and loving and always stayed by her side. Loyal as any companion can be. And occasionally made her laugh. They taught her nen, became her friends, and more importantly, became her family. They filled the abyss in her heart and kept it full, so she would never feel lonely ever again.

Against her wishes, there are days when Madrid feels lonelier than others. Today was one of those days.

Madrid carried along her woven basket while Thalassa and Puntos flew above her. They soared in the sky and flew gulls. Their scaly tails brushing against feathery wings. Startling a bird or two in the process. Both nen beasts clapped the others webbed fin, congratulating the other on a job well done as they laughed at the gulls bobbing their heads back in forth in chaotic confusion. Then the two soared off again, swimming in the wind and breathing the fresh sea air through their gills. Who said fish couldn't fly?

Madrid's pleated skirt fluttered in the wind. She pressed her hand against her hat, for fear the wind would snatch it away from her and hurtle it towards the endless sea. It was a nice hat after all. She got it a discounted price at the Shells and Bells Courtesy of Mells souvenir shop in town square. Where they sell reasonable products for very well reasonable prices.

Madrid retraced her thoughts and walked up the hill, silent. Thalassa and Puntos followed her example of stillness, which is a rare state to find them both in at the same time. Especially together, side by side. There are always exceptions to rules and today was one of them. Thalassa and Puntos sworn to be on their best behavior, because today was not about them (which they slightly minded) nor was it about Madrid's ludicrously deducted hat sold at a well reasonable price.

They made it to the top of the hill as the long tendrils of grass flicked against Madrid's ankles. Madrid set down her basket beneath the shade of the old olive tree. The roots of the tree protruded from the ground, angularly and awkwardly.

She opened the basket and emptied its contents. Thalassa and Puntos, again, followed her example diligently and precisely.

Thalassa placed the framed picture of Alciel on a flattened, plateaued surface of an uplifted root.

"Thank you," Madrid said. Then the next picture was of Shion, her mother, and finally her father. Madrid lit a candle and placed it within a small, red glass bowl. The candle was low, and the rim of the bowl was high. The wind was forbidden to blow it out.

Today, is a day, in which Madrid cannot help but feel the ache of loneliness in her heart. The growing uneasiness that anchors deep down in the abyss of her heart. A love she refused to extinguish. Thalassa and Puntos floated down next to Madrid's side and folded their fins together, copying Madrid's.

Today is the anniversary of her family's death. The day in which the Sierren's disappeared off the face of the Islands. Washed away by the ocean's waves. Madrid stared at the photos of her lost ones and they stared back at her. The whole family is together. Madrid breathed once and removed her hat. Soon the wind shifted, and Madrid pulled out three more candles from the basket. One for each of her nen beasts, and the last for herself. These were long, slender candles, and were the color of aged paper. She lit the wick of the candle, a dancing flame in the bright red bowl. The wick sparked, glowing red, as the surface turned black. Soon the little embers drew into a reasonable flame. She passed the flame to her right, to Thalassa. Then she passed the flame to her left, to Puntos.

Each had a flame of their own, and it was time for silent prayer. Sunlight coated them with the warmest and gentlest of kisses. It kissed Madrid's cheek and the nen beasts' matted skulls and each photograph of the deceased. The sun was biased to no one. All were welcome to its warm embrace.

The wax on the tip of the candle slowly began to turn transparent. It dripped down away from the little flame's edge and unto Madrid's hand. She didn't mind. This is what happens with candles. They melt and drip and annoyingly sting. She scrapped off the now harden wax from her hand and brushed away the debris.

Thalassa spoke up softly, "I wish I could have known them. I wish I could have known the people who loved you so much." Then she finished, sadly.

"Yes," Madrid said in the only voice she had. She hoped, she could one day speak to them in the voice she used to have. The voice that would laugh along with her brothers, the voice she would sing with her father, and with the voice she would debate with her mother. With the voice that is not cursed. With the voice she was born with. This was also a day of another grievance for Madrid. It marked the day she changed. An irreversible change thrust upon her. She lifted her head upward towards the sky. She spotted a drifting cloud and thought it looked like a turtle. "Yes, they would have loved to meet you both. They would have loved you both."

Thalassa smiled fondly.

"Granted their initial reaction would have been no different from mine." Madrid revealed, honestly.

"That's more exciting than no reaction at least." Puntos countered.

Madrid smiled fondly as she could already imagine the look on her mother's face. Conjuring this made up memory, a delightful fantasy in her mind. Plates would be thrown frantically for no reason by her mother, her father would shake quite noticeably despite holding his fright in to the best of his ability, then Shion would safe guard Alciel with his slingshot. Aiming the first pebble at either of the nen beasts' skulls. But then Alciel, would be the bravest and noblest of the bunch. He definitely would! He would leap past Shion and make his way to the nen beasts slowly and cautiously. Everyone's breath would be held as tight as a knot as they watched in horror as Alciel would reach out one arm, with the other clutching his dear teddy bears. Then Thalassa would grab hold gently, twirl and flip herself steadying her balance from the child's giving hand. Alciel would laugh and everyone would know from there that all is well.

"Why are you laughing?" Puntos questioned Madrid, a little insulted that the joke could have possibly centered around him.

"Was it something I did? Or yet to do?" Thalassa questioned, curious. She could not have possibly known the silly act she committed in Madrid's made up fantasy. Whatever the act was, she was happy it made Madrid laugh. A hearty and healthy laugh.

Puntos floated towards the photographs and stopped in front of her father's. "I like this man. He has a mustache."

"A glorious mustache," Thalassa added, respectfully.

"The mustache of a dignified leader."

"It looks like a caterpillar," Madrid wiped away a tear from the edge of her eye. "Mother always pestered him to shave whenever a slight stub would begin to appear on his chin. This photograph was taken after a sailing expedition he went on representing the Islands to neighboring lands. On board, they ended up having a beard growing contest. Father was pleased he grew a magnificent beard, while Mother was distraught saying she mistakenly sent big foot to represent the Island's rather than her husband." He ended up shaving his beard, but kept the mustache for a little while longer. The charade finally ended when his wife refused to kiss him. It was her or the mustache. As Korren thought long and hard about this difficult proposition, his mind would only come to a draw! Then Sophia, his dear wife, threated to discontinue sharing the night with him.

The mustache had to go.

He said his grievance and parted ways with his caterpillar monstrosity that following day.

Madrid talked on and on to her little friends about the ordinary and extraordinary qualities of her of family. Remembering well with a smile on her face and a glow in her heart. As the photographs gazed upon Madrid. Their still and gray toned eyes locked onto her. They saw her laughing. They saw her smiling. They saw that she was different from the girl they used to know. Maybe different entirely. They knew she grew into a different lady, which is not bad at all. Change is good. Of course, change can be unsettling, nerve-racking, anxiety drenched, and chalk full of small morsels or lump sums of unwanted constipation. Nevertheless, change is good. Especially on how well that person lets that change, change them.

Madrid did not let tragedy deter her and strike her down. No matter how many times, all she wanted to do was lie with her hands folded coldly beneath the ground. Four feet under. With the help of two, unexpected companions, she was able to make it through. Life is the kind of journey which is best enjoyed in the company of others. The good kind of company. The kind that smiles with your smile. And laughs with your laugh. The kind that gives and receives love. The eyes of the photographs gazed unto her. If they could blink, speak, or smile in return. They would. You see, they would say that they are very much relieved. A little less scared for their daughter navigating the world without them. They could tell that she was neither lonely or afraid.

Thalassa and Puntos listened with open ears to Madrid's words. The only ones in the universe who thought her voice was the most beautiful one within it. Then Puntos took his candle and chomped off the top part with the flamed wick. Puntos gave a sour look in return. It tasted like roasted barnacles. Smoke slithered through the crevices of his skill. Madrid laughed brightly, a radiant laugh like the sun.

They could tell she was happy. Along with two good friends. Odd, but good friends.

How glad they were to know that their little girl, always and forever, was doing just fine.

When nightfall arrived, there were only two drowning sounds in the air. The folklore band was playing furiously with speakers and microphones surrounding them, completely. The other was Elodea, Kostas, and the other vibrant youths of the Island even more furiously yelling into each other's ear; barely managing as so much as a whisper into the recipient's ear.

"What?" Elodea yelled into Kostas's ear over the deafening music of the band, playing traditional music of the Island. He saw several unusually shaped guitars with elongated shafts plugged into speakers. The musician used a triangular pick to pluck the wire strings as he song jubilantly into the microphone. Sweat trickled down the musician's face. Elodea thought to himself that he would love to try to play that guitar someday. Maybe Kostas personally knows the band members? He seems to be friendly with everyone here tonight. "I can't hear you!"

Kostas leaned further into Elodea's ear, "I said!" He breathed, strengthening his diaphragm. "My cousin is the one playing the lead guitar! I know that you like music and he told me to tell you that-"

"I don't see an elephant! Can you point it out!?"

"My cousin plays the guitar!" Kostas yelled, restarting his one-sided discussion. Which was getting nowhere.

Elodea quirked up his eyebrow, appalled from a statement that wasn't actually said. "Kostas…That was very rude!"

Kostas continued to babble his spiel, and Elodea continued to question why Kostas called the man in the striped, green turtle neck an elephant. (Elodea thought he looked more like a goose.) Good god. These boys desperately need an interpreter. Fast.

Just then, Cia walked up from behind and tapped both of their shoulders. He aided them in their quest by pointing to the lead guitarist, pointing back to Kostas, motioning a very well executed air guitar solo then a telephone gesture pointing back to Elodea. Both boys awed in utter amazement from Cia's intervention. The boy was a genius. No wonder he skipped 8th grade algebra and went straight to geometry. Elodea spoke, enlightened. "You know the guitarist!?"

Kostas nodded happily.

Mission accomplished! Cia gave both of them a thumb's up and rejoined his group of friends with a plethora of glowsticks around their hands and arms. He jumped into the center and they all raised up their arms from his celebratory return. They reminded Elodea of the fluorescent billboards and lampposts scattered throughout Diamond City.

Elodea then looked over at the sea of cheap and foldable tables, and noticed Zooey sitting rather grumpily with a group of girls. Who all looked like they rather be somewhere else. Then there was Petro sitting next to Zooey. A boy who pretended to look like he'd rather be somewhere else, but silently. No one could tell the difference. Instead, he occupied himself with his phone and various fruit and bird related apps within it. He smiled, seeming to be enjoying himself, which was really ruining his 'I don't want to be here' act.

Today was just like any Friday night at the end of every other month in which all of the youths of the churches on the Island come together to celebrate being young or whatever that is gracelessly put together by the parents of the island that joined the trustee board at the local churches. It was basically a 'dance' if you will. A dance where there is loud music, loud food with loud spices, and loud teenagers silenced by loud music. Now, this was considered a 'special' dance. To be honest, there is nothing really special about this dance, if you really think about it. It just happened to be co-ed, which apparently made it all the more special for everyone between the ages of 13 to 21. For all those that are too young to partake, in this nothing extraordinary outtake, they talk of it with a sort of a forbidden lore. As if it was a mysterious entity. Although, the only mysterious entity in yards of this festivity is the constant concern of the community over the whereabouts of the generous donations in the donation box and where they venture up at the end of the night. This year, they have taken extra precautions and locked the box with a good lock and key. The last lock they used was a word lock and by the middle of the dance everyone knew the password was Shmeee with not two, but three e's. What a shock.

Then someone changed the password to a very, very unkind word. A kind of word that would have all the church moms fainting in the parking lot, then upon awaking, storm into the office of the priest in their furious rage. Complaining about this ridiculous foolery, while the priest squeamishly sinks back into the seat of his desk. Having him question whom he was frightened of more, the Lord or the church mothers. Eventually, he would pick the latter and retire to selling used gardening tools at knocked up prices.

By this time, the traditional dancing commenced! Which, surprisingly, was the highlight of the dance. At first, everyone began to clumsily form a lopsided circle. Everyone standing next to who they know. It gradually began to take shape and form a somewhat of a decent circle. Elodea stood next to Kostas with an unknown girl to his right. She had short, cropped hair that fell to her ears with bangs that revealed her eyebrows, which were possibly plucked a little too much beforehand. Her lips glimmered with a sparkly pink gloss. As she turned her head towards Elodea, he turned his away and towards Kostas. Pretending he was entwined in a very serious and ongoing conversation that was of the upmost importance that, unfortunately, was cut short.

Kostas wondered in the sanctuary of his mind why motorcycles don't have seatbelts. Sure, they ride alongside cars and other motor vehicles on the road. Perhaps it is because motorcycles are not contained vehicles like cars or buses? What if the driver of the motorcycle were to fly out from his seat? Surely a seatbelt would come in handy. Or a giant pillow.

Elodea internally begged Kostas to let him in on the conversation. Soon, the band began to fiddle with their instruments, making sure they were in tune. While everyone knew the steps of the dance, Elodea obviously did not. Then the unthinkable happened! Elodea stood there momentarily stunned, just for a second. A micro second of confusion. His face blushed as he looked away from the girl to his right. Tempted to stuff his hands in his pockets.

Everyone was holding hands!

Even Kostas was not surprised or at all baffled, he held the hand of the boy next to him as if they were already chums! Elodea did not mind holding Kostas's hand, but when the music began to play the girl next to him already clasped his.

Why did he just leave his hand dangling there like an idiot!? He looked towards the ground, face blushing and praying to the stars above that his hand was not clammy. The metallic charm bracelet she wore on her wrist tickled Elodea's skin.

The dance is called melona and it is best known as the welcoming dance. The first traditional dance to be performed at any occasion; wedding, graduation party, post successful surgery, post unsuccessful surgery…funeral, or when one feels that it is just a good day to dance! They dance the melona! All are welcome to partake in its joy! The steps are simple, only seven in total on constant repeat. Elodea caught on or at least he hoped he did by trying to copy the steps of the girl to the right of him. But Kostas kept bumping into him from Elodea's incorrect step, one second to late and accidentally pulled on the girl's hand when he was one step behind while everyone was one step ahead. She danced eloquently as her feet knew exactly which step to take and when. She caught his gaze then mouthed the steps, '1-2-3-1-2-3-4-1-2-3-1-2-3-4.'

He caught on very quickly.

Just when he learned the steps by heart, the dance was over. For a brief moment, a weird feeling enveloped him. When the girl let go of his hand he was relieved, but a little bit sad. Everyone let go of each other's hand and gave a round of applause. Suddenly, Elodea saw the girl with the pink lip gross scurry out of the circle with the rest of the girls she hung out with.

The he quickly noticed a clack, a glimmer on the ground, and a charm resembling the shape of a motorcycle surrounded by many, many more. He picked up the charm bracelet and rubbed his thumb over the rhinestones bedazzled in the center of the motorcycle's wheels. He looked up and saw the back of the girl with the cropped hair.

He squeezed between dancers and momentarily broke one circle that quickly regained itself. He followed the girl until they all stopped at the snack bar which was filled with all sorts of convenience store snacks like popcorn, chips, and cheese puffs. Next to that was the actual buffet full of pastas, stuffed eggplants and those spinach pies Elodea recently developed a fancy for. He shook his head away from the delicious food and walked up behind the girl. None of them noticed him or at least they pretended they didn't. Elodea first wanted to speak but realized that would be futile because of the music, instead he tapped the girl on her shoulder. She turned around, confused.

Elodea held the bracelet in front of her and spoke out of sheer panic, despite the fact he knew she would not be able to hear him. He couldn't even hear himself. He spoke, nevertheless. "You dropped your bracelet."

She did not hear him, but she understood the message. She looked down at her wrist then back at Elodea. Realization came upon her that her bracelet slipped off her wrist whilst dancing in the circle. She took back her bracelet and clasped it back in her wrist, then she looked back at the girls, each a little giddy. Smiling to the other. The girl took a step forward.

Elodea did not step back.

Just then he felt the lightest of kisses to ever be received on his cheek. Not that he had a lot of kisses to compare it too. Sure, Alluka and Mito and Granny Freecs would give him loads and loads of kisses at Christmas parties and birthdays to the oldest of their favorite nephews. Which was solely Elodea, to his dismay. After their avalanche of kisses, one would find Elodea in the nearest bathroom trying to wash all the lipstick stains off his forehead and cheeks. Why must Granny Freecs wear the color plum at Christmas parties! That color is impossible to remove and leaves the most noticeable of smears. It looks as if someone gave him a bruise.

But none of those kisses compared to this one.

The girl blushed and hurriedly spoke to the others behind her and they murmured something else to her in return, completely oblivious to Elodea. Just then they ran off, leaving Elodea blushing on the concrete for several minutes.

And a few minutes after he was standing there with a giddy smile plastered on his face. He began to walk with a kick in his step. Should he tell Kostas of what just happened? That was his first kiss! Well, first non-family kiss. But do kisses on the cheek really count as first kisses? They have to count, right? Or maybe not…Elodea stopped in his tracks and looked back towards the spot the girl and her friends disappeared from.

He wondered if he will bump into her again.

He hopes so. Maybe if he describes her to Kostas, he will have an inkling of who she is. After all, Kostas seems to know everyone. And her aura. Elodea breathed softly. Despite the deafening music beating against his ears throughout the entire dance and even though he was unable to hear the voices of those around him, he could hear her aura. Perfectly. It had the same rhythm just like the dance. It was so pretty, so joyful, and so energetic. He sighed to himself, lightly.

The boy was completely smitten, and he did not even know her name. Oh, the wonders of the world that baffle us all. To fall head over heels for a person within a few moments of meeting them, while barely even knowing them, was a very odd thing. Against all other logic it did not make sense. Nevertheless, it was a very interesting, odd thing. A very interesting, odd thing that one could not help but entangle themselves in, gladly.

Just then as Elodea ventured to tell Kostas of his possible first kiss, his steps began to slow. Surrounded by happy dancers and laughter, Elodea's smile began to fade and turn to that of a horrible grimace. He pupils began to dilate, and he clenched his fists so tight they began to turn white.

He decided that he would postpone telling Kostas of his kiss, it did not matter to him now. He was overflowed with one thought only that consumed and thrashed achingly around his mind.

Elodea briskly walked past the other kids then exited the party. Venturing into the shadowy woods where the lights from the stage could not reach him. Then he passed by (and thoroughly ignored) a couple giving more kisses to the other than he could have ever imagined possible in a lifetime.

His walk turned into hastened steps then into a run. He bumped into swarms of fruitless trees and tried his best to avoid tripping over uplifted roots. There was only one thing he would be doing tonight, and it didn't involve gossiping about kisses.

Elodea gritted his teeth, blood boiling to the brim. Anger hissed out of the deepest depths of his soul overwhelming the forest. It became ensnarled and entangled with his rage. Only one thought consumed his mind, bitterly.

He was going to skin an alligator, and make a fine pair of boots out of it.

Puntos hovered above the snack table and took whatever goodies pleased him. He placed a few salty chips on his paper plate then floated over the popcorn bowl and gave himself a generous serving. He tapped his webbed fin against his jaw and pondered whether to eat the chocolate chip cookies or the mini sugar powdered doughnuts. He decided on taking both, as it was the most sensible decision. Then he floated past the salad bowl, without as so much giving it a chance.

Madrid quickly swiped the plate from the air in hopes from others noticing. Tonight, Madrid was a chaperone at the dance. She was also a member of the trustee board at the local church in her spare time.

"Some party tonight! Am I right!" said another man who was also a chaperone tonight, to Madrid. He wore a glow stick necklace around his forehead. Then he eyed the paper plate of snacks Madrid was holding. Puntos wanted to smack him. "Are those doughnuts? Can I have one?"

Puntos growled a deep gurgled growl that the impudent man could not hear. A growl that only nen users would find irritable, and obnoxious.

Madrid happily nodded.

Puntos cried.

And the man happily ate a sugar-coated doughnut and went on his merry way.

It was then that Puntos decided to take up a fowl mood and sulk by himself at the end of the table, gorging on the remainder of his snacks, but with one less doughnut. A mournful and painful loss it truly was.

Madrid knew Puntos would get over it when he would finish his plate and go back for seconds. Until then, she sipped orange soda in a plastic cup. Thalassa floated down unto her shoulder, concerned.

"Do you think he will be alright?" Thalassa asked.

"How odd of you to take up a concern for Puntos," Madrid voiced internally as she continued to sip her drink. "Well, a change of heart is always a good thing."

"Oh no, not Puntos!" Thalassa yelped. "He could choke on several mini sugar-coated doughnuts for all I care!"

"I can hear you!" Puntos barked from at the end of the table.

"I know!" Thalassa barked back just as loud, then immediately collected herself. "I mean the boy. Elodea. Couldn't you feel that terrifying aura he is running head first towards."

"I have." Madrid said, plainly. She sipped her drink again. It was a bit lukewarm, maybe she should add some ice into it.

"Then its settled. We'll go after Elodea and stop him from becoming monster chow. Puntos, this is more important than snacks, hurry up and help-"

"Thalassa, there is no need for us to interfere. We'll only be a hindrance to the boy. This is something he must do by himself."

"But we're responsible for him!"

"Which is exactly why we need to let him be and allow him to sort out his feelings. That's the whole point of him being here isn't it?"

"Yes, but with coming to terms about who he is and his adoption. Not to be shredded alive! I'd hate to return him to his father in a body bag. Heavens! Killua would never forgive us! He could crush my skull with his bare hands!"

Madrid did not doubt that. "Where is your faith Thalassa? Elodea's stronger than you imagine."

"But. But."

"What other reason would he headed towards certain death, either he's stupid or who seeks vengeance to carry out."

It was this moment when Thalassa understood Madrid's reasoning. If Elodea did intend to strike revenge, Madrid would wholeheartedly support him. It would be the same as Madrid's revenge against the rebels whom destroyed the islands. Though, at times she does not to admit it. In return, she obliterated every single one of the rebels off the face of the islands. "Then he's a stupid idiot who has a hopeless revenge complex that will send him way too early into his grave."

"Thalassa."

"I'm sorry, but these kind of hateful emotions are impulsive and deceitful things. They lead to brash decisions. Quickly regrettable decisions. He shouldn't be acting on them."

"And it is on emotions in which majority of human's act upon. Humans acting on logic is ideal, not factual."

"People shouldn't act on them then!"

"But they do."

"I like Elodea! And I'm going to save him! I prefer him over Puntos anyway!" Thalassa said, rather too triumphantly. Puntos bobbed up his head from the mention of his name, then grumbled to himself. Cursing all those that dare defy, but his doughnuts.

"Alright, have fun. Notify me if things escalate. I'll be there in no time to assist if need be."

"Fine." Thalassa mumbled. She quickly flew above the dancing crowd and into the forest. Following Elodea's trace.

"Yes! She's gone!" Puntos exclaimed. "We should make up these excuses more often."

"Hey," Madrid voiced. She glanced at the forest and in her heart, she really was concerned for the boy. But if she did help him in completing his goal, his revenge, he would get nothing out of it. This was something that had to be done by himself. She understood far too well. Then she looked back at Puntos and stretched out her arm towards him, "pass me a doughnut."

Puntos eyed his plate, then Madrid, then back at his plate. There was only one doughnut left. And it was only reasonable that he should eat it all for himself. But this was Madrid he was talking to.

So, he split it in half.

Alligator hummed to himself, rather distastefully, resting after a scrumptious meal. He just finished off a flock of sheep (and the working dog too while it was trying to protect the sheep). He clawed at his teeth and pulled out a thread of wool. The thread stretched at least a foot out of his jaw. He was in such a hurry to eat, he neglected to clean his meat. Oh well. He rolled and flicked the pink, damp wool and tossed it into a pile of more pink, damp wool.

The Glutton King. That's the name everyone in the world was not familiar with, but he obnoxiously was.

Traveling the sea, he prided himself off finishing a giant squid in record time all after devouring two dueling swordfish just prior. And he was still hungry afterwards! He laughed to himself over what he thought was a victorious triumph. Disrupting schools of fish and competing against himself how many he could catch with his open jaw. Twenty. Fifty. One hundred. No one could beat him! (not that there was any other competition to compete with) Life out on sea was the best. It was a suitable home for a king, like himself, but it was lacking. It was lacking in what humans could give.

Just then his stomach growled, and he was not at all full as he originally thought he was. He could go for an after-dinner snack. But what dessert is worthy enough for a great king? He wafted the air and the scent immediately enticed him. He could smell more humans nearby and a drove of them too. A drove of young, fresh meat all conglomerated in one place.

Wait.

He raised his snout towards the starry sky. This unique scent was familiar.

He wafted the air, once, twice and tried to make the connection.

A star gleamed brightly over him, possibly indicating the wheels turning (rather slowly) in his head.

His wretched jaw twisted into a hideous smile as a figure began to reveal themselves from the shadows. "Ahhh, I remember you. You're that offspring of that hunter I failed to defeat in that city with the glimmering lights." Not that he could remember the name of the city, but he did remember eating something funky while swimming in its waters near the bridge. It tasted like muck and grime and Alligator was positive he has eaten much better things in the city's sewer canals.

Elodea remained silent as he intensified his aura and got into his fighting stance. Just like this father taught him.

Alligator steadied and pushed himself off the dirt ground. He stared down at the little human whose eyes were filled with anger and hatred solely for him. Humans are a hospitable bunch, aren't they? They provide dinner and a battle at the same time. At their own expense.

This is what makes the sea so lacking and what makes dry land so enticing.

She passed by this rock already.

And this tree and cactus and osprey nest with an abundant swarm of hatchlings. Oh! Thalassa gazed upon the baby birds and saw them now covered with soft down. They were nestlings now! How glorious!

No! This was no time to be distracted! There are lives at stake!

Thalassa, in her haste, made a wrong turn or several wrong turns. She was at the beach and far away from Elodea from which she initially intended.

She swiveled around in the air frantically.

Wait, now that she thought about it, she was powerless without Madrid….She wouldn't be any help to Elodea at all! Thalassa sank to the ground and landed on a small sand dune. She didn't think her plan out well enough. Dealing with chimera ants is a tricky business, but she just can't leave him there alone, while she is sitting idly.

She thumped her skull against the sand, frustrated.

She's lost and let down Elodea, simultaneously.

Suddenly, she felt the coldness of the waves brush against her. She quickly retreated into the air above and shook off the water that clung to her scales. She stared out into the ocean. The place where she first met Madrid which was the most spectacular event to happen in her life, along with Puntos which was the least spectacular.

Then she remembered of the story Madrid told her. Of the king to arrive on Kukan'yu shores given to the people by the ocean. There was a little superstition on the island, if one waits on the beach to watch the sunrise, they may be lucky enough to see a mirage of the great king traveling in his boat full of treasure. The ones to see him would be blessed with good fortune. Many have tried, but none have succeeded to see the king of long ago.

Thalassa immediately shook her skull back and forth and decided not to be distracted. She hurriedly flew away from the beach and back into the forest, determined to find Elodea.

Even though it is a silly superstition, isn't folklore and mythology rooted in some truth? In some ways? Why the missing in ancient times were called being spirited away only to return months or years later without an inkling as to the time that passed. Why healthy children were thought to be replaced with sickly changelings for their sudden and declining health, when they were really in the same place they always were. The same children to the same parents. The old suffering from aches and pains in their joints was thought to be the work of mischievous fairies who shot them with invisible arrows, which is arthritis that tags along with old age. A giant mound of stone and wood was thought to be made by the gods of the land and not to be touched in fear of avouching their wraith, when it was really built by a long ago and forgotten tribe who made it to respect and bury their dead.

Explanations to explain the unexplainable.

In this superstition of the king and the ocean, there is a truth. A small, hidden truth that began with a mighty and powerful civilization to inhabit the lands of the waters called Mobius, named after a boy who bore its name.

A civilization to rival those around it, spreading, growing, and claiming territory. The civilization was named after the girl who found this safe haven.

In her honor, it was named the Cayenne Civilization and it thrived for a very long time. It thrived for such a long time that it turned to the point where the Dark Continent became a fictitious idea for bed time stories rather than a legitimate power to be cowered and feared.

The Cayenne Civilization rose to great power. Historians studied the way its people lived, daily routines of farmers, merchants, and scholars. They studied their medicinal remedies, architecture of sewer canals and roads and slanted roofs. All those were studied in great depth, but the fall of this once great empire baffles even the most distinguished historians. The people of this once great land, just seemed to have arrived at an abrupt halt. No traces of epidemics, invaders, migrations, or natural disasters. Theories have been made, but none have arrived at a logical conclusion.

Although, there is a certain truth about all great civilizations that fulfil their due course. They rise. They thrive. Then they fall. The Cayenne's were no exception. It happened within this great empire's fall, that a new one sprung up from the abyss and rose to power. From this fall, a king was born.

Kukan'yu Kingdom's first king. A king, supposedly, gifted to the people by the ocean who drifted to shore clothed in fine robes and surrounded by jewels.

There is a truth in every myth, including this one. A truth that there was once a young man who was betrayed by his homeland that stole the only valuable treasure from his heart and another who was revered to be called blessed and sacred and cursed and bore its tremendous weight so others wouldn't.

The first young man did not love his home land. The second young man's love for his homeland made up for the first one's lack of it. The power they each held was enough to crumble the ruins and stones beneath their feet. Worthy of being both feared and awed, while only one of them would become the new king.

The story takes place in the center of this great civilization, in the capital known as Ettikaul, home to the elitists, oracles, and visionaries. One was an educated warrior and the other was a sacrificial lamb.

Both were responsible for Cayenne's Great Fall.

Thank you so much for reading! Did you like this chapter? I'd love to know your thoughts XD

Expectations for the future include diving into more Cayenne history (woohoo!), a final face off between Elodea and a pair of leather boots- I mean-the chimera ant Alligator, desperately needed closure for Puntos and his doughnuts~~~~~~ okay, in all seriousness, the stakes are getting higher , secrets will be unveiled, and I hope you guys are enjoying the story! Thank you so much for reading, share your thoughts, and I will see you guys next time!

Happy new year! 2018 is your year to shine bright! *hearts*