"Adventure!" Sprig cried from the brow of the ship that was carrying them to Salineas.

Out of nowhere, he pulled out a burning torch. Hop Pop immediately snatched it from his hand and threw it into the ocean. He glared at his grandson who gave him a sheepish smile.

Catra clutched the side of the ship, trying hard not to hiss and spit or throw up. "Why a ship? And why this ship?"

Her claws ran over the Horde insignia on the side, crudely drawn over with a picture of Brightmoon castle.

"It was the only ship we had Seahawk didn't burn" Adora said, rubbing her back.

After the war there had been hundreds of decommissioned warships. Not after Seahawk was through with them.

Bow helped Sprig onto the rigging. "Seahawk is the best pirate on Etheria. He's probably in Salineas with Mermista so you'll get to meet him"

"Best at setting things on fire, maybe" Glimmer grumbled. Bow ribbed her gently.

Sprig bounced down to the edge of the ship and looked down into the water ."Is there good fishing in this ocean? Hey Hop Pop, let's fish!"

Polly rolled on her side to her brother, looking unimpressed. "We're on an alien planet and it's the fishing you care about?"

"Hey alien fish taste the same as regular fish. I assume"

Polly sighed.

"I can't believe this is where you've been, Luz" Gus said "we looked for you all day when you disappeared." he shuddered and his irises shrunk. "We went over to the Owl House but nobody was home except for Hooty. He made us listen to a rap he was writing for like an hour"

Luz winced in sympathy. "Just be thankful he didn't show you his mix tape"

Anne was practicing her back swing on deck.

"You're pretty good" Amity said "Hexside could use you for our Grudgby team"

Anne shouldered her tennis racket proudly. "Oh no, Anne Boonchuy is a solo athlete"

"Really, Anne?" Polly said drily. "We had like an entire day about that lesson"

"Do you expect me to remember every life lesson?"

"Yes!"

"Fine" Anne grumbled. "how do you play?"

"well" Amity said before Gus pushed her out of the way.

"So glad you asked!"

As Gus went into an intensive lecture on the rules, Bow was checking in on the castle on his tracker pad.

Perfuma was positioning the screen on her end so Bow could see her clearly as she sat in the war room.

In the background could be heard Entrapta's maniacal laughter a crash and what ominously sounded like a fire starting.

Perfuma twitched. She looked like a haggard babysitter. "Please tell me you're almost to Mermista's, I can't handle Entrapta duty alone." she smiled at Willow "Have you been working on your poinsettias?"

"Sure have!" Willow said, producing the red flower for emphasis.

After Gus's lecture Anne and Amity sat by Luz who was engrossed in one of the books Lance and George lent her.

"Anything about fighting intergalactic super villains in that book of yours, buddy ?" Anne asked cheerfully.

"Maybe" Luz mused. "It says the princesses of Etheria are stronger when they work together, like they share their powers...remember what happened back in Plumeria? When Willow's eyes glowed? Maybe…"

The thought died in her throat as the Sea Gate came into view, a shinning massive wall of magic

"It's so beautiful" Luz whispered.

"Especially now that it's not crumbling" Adora said. She pointed at her own head in a self satisfied way. "Thanks to me"

Catra gave her a soft punch on the side and Adora laughed.

"Stop being so pleased with yourself, idiot" Catra smirked fondly.

"Are those the gates?" Perfuma asked, trying to see past Bow and Willow. "Tell Mermista I say hi! Oh and Entrapta says she made a lot of progress with the palisman. She thinks she'll be able to crack the portal soon."

"You hear that, Luz?" Anne said. "Home!"

Luz put her cat hoodie's hood up and said nothing, looking intently at the Sea Gate.

When they docked, Mermista's butler/guard greeted them but was quickly bowled over by Seahawk who sprinted down from the castle.

"Friends! he shouted "And you brought a ship!"

"Oh no, you aren't touching her" Glimmer said, spreading her arms as if to block his path. "This is our last ship, you cannot set it on fire"

Seahawk sighed. "I never get to burn things."

"You set things on fire all the time!" Adora protested.

Glimmer groaned."Can we please just see Mermista?"

"To adventure, then!" Seahawk turned and dashed up the steps to Mermista's palace.

"Tt's still just seeing Mermista...never mind"

Polly's eyes widened when she saw the bay. "Now this is a swimming pool, Hop Pop!"

She jumped into the water and swam on her back. Suddenly the water began to boil.

"Hot hot hot!" Polly shouted.

"The baby!" Hop Pop Anne and Sprig cried at once. Before anyone could react Eda scooped the pollywog out of the water.

She handed Polly to Hop Pop. "I'm used to looking out for dumb kids" she flashed a gold fanged smile.

Her smile melted and she glanced at Glimmer. 'I'm gonna guess the boiling water isn't natural"

Glimmer shook her head.

"Belos"

"What is going on?" came a bored voice. Mermista was walking down the steps, dragging Seahawk by his coat collar behind her.

Sprig jumped up the steps "Is there good fishing here?"

"Nooo" Memista drawled. "Um, why is a small frog child talking to me and more importantly, why is my sea bubbling?"

"We have some bad news" Adora said.

When Adora was finished explaining, Mermista let out a long groan.

"we literally just got rid of Horde Prime, can the universe stop sending super villains to destroy us for like five minutes?"

"Apparently not" Adora said bluntly.

"Well can you at least fix the ocean?" Mermista asked, annoyed.

Eda twisted her hand off and dunked it into the bay. "Yup, he's taking the magic here too."

"I think I have an idea" Luz took Mermsita's hand.

"Um what?" Mermista said, startled.

"Concentrate on the ocean" Luz said.

"um...kay?" they both closed their eyes. Suddenly their eyes shot open, as a blue aura swirled around them.

Mermista made the ocean turn in turmoil and Luz threw an ice glyph into the sea.

Catching on, Guz, Willow and Amity looked at each other and drew spell circles as one. They made huge blocks of ice and threw them in too.

when the blue aura dissipated, the sea was back to normal.

"Yes!" Polly shouted, jumping back in.

Hop Pop groaned.

Luz grinned mischievously. "This. This is how we beat him."

Mermista finally cracked a smile. "I'm in"

To be Continued...