"So we finally meet, Amelia Watson. That was quite a show you made out there."
Studying Mori, Amelia watched as the hole in her head closed up, sealing the wound like it was never there.
"Hope the fall didn't hurt too much," Amelia shot back.
The woman chuckled. "Did you really think a reaper would go down that easy? I've been through way worse."
"How did you get past my men?" Marine asked, watching the reaper like a hawk.
Mori brushed off some dust from her shoulder. "They put up a good fight for a bunch of pushovers. Don't worry, I didn't kill them, just gave them a little thrashing till they learned to stay down."
The captain gritted her teeth, balling her hand into a tight fist.
"Anyways, back to business."
"My friend told me about you." Amelia said.
"Oh, the office girl."
"You're lucky she got out alive. What the hell do you want from me?"
Mori raised her scythe, pointing the blade towards the detective. "You're coming with me to the underworld."
"And why's that?"
"You owe the Grim Reaper a soul. Cheating death doesn't really go down well from where I'm from. Your little time-travel stunt back in the future won't be ignored. You played fate and you're gonna pay for it."
"So you're here to bring me there to die, huh? Don't you know what we're trying to do here?"
"I don't care if you're here to save the world. Destiny will take its course whether you like it or not. I'll see to it myself that the Grim Reaper has his soul."
"So saving humanity don't matter to you?"
"It's not my job to save mortals. I'm here to make sure order is maintained between the living and the dead. If people are going to die, then it is what it is. Fate is absolute, after all."
"That's where we disagree. I'm not going with you. I have a responsibility to take care of."
Mori shook her head. "That's unfortunate. I was hoping you'd cooperate, but knowing who you are I'm not surprised in the slightest. Well, I guess I have no choice."
The reaper advanced, her scythe ready to attack. Gura summoned her trident, but her shakiness made it clear to Amelia that she was nervous. Marine drew her sword, Amelia feeling that the fury in the captain's eyes could shake even the strongest of enemies. Mori approached, stopping a few feet away, prepared to charge at them at any moment. The detective swiftly pulled out her revolver, firing three shots at the reaper. As her finger pulled the trigger, Mori rushed forward dodging the first two bullets. The last bullet did make its mark, piercing her shoulder. The three scattered as the reaper slashed her scythe, striking at no one. Mori, now in the middle, looked towards her enemies.
"I thought you wanted me alive," Amelia said, quickly reloading her gun.
"The old man didn't say I had to bring you back in one piece."
Without warning, Marine rushed the reaper, her cutlass ready to slice down. Mori, quick to react, blocked the blade with her scythe's handle. The two struggled to gain the upper hand.
"You've really been one pain in the ass!" Marine shouted as she tried to bring the sword all the way down.
"I could say the same about you and your crew...sure as hell not happy that my job's harder because of you..." Mori snarled.
"Gura!" Marine turned to the shark girl.
Gura, still shaking, was hesitant to join in. However, she shook her head, closed her eyes and charged forward with a loud cry. Thrusting the trident forward, the prongs drove themselves into Mori's side, causing the reaper to grimace. Amelia shot Mori a few more times from a distance, striking her five times in the back. The reaper could feel the edge of Marine's cutlass meeting her skin. With a harsh roar, Mori moved to the side and struck the side of Marine's head with the end of her scythe's snath, knocking the captain to the floor. Gura had no time to react as Mori swung the back of her fist, striking the Atlantian square in the face and sending her flying a few feet away. With one unflinching pull, Mori pulled the trident from out of her side, tossing it away.
"Gura! Senchou!" Amelia yelled, reloading her gun.
Marine recovered from the blow, only to see Mori standing above her, the reaper's scythe ready to slice down from overhead. Amelia knew the captain was about to die and saw Gura's trident on the floor nearby. Shouting to Marine, the detective kicked the trident, sliding it over to the captain. Mori swung down with an enraged look on her face. Marine reached over, grabbing the trident and catching the scythe between its prongs before the blade could end her. Sparing no extra thought, Amelia rushed forward, tackling the reaper. The detective began to strike the dazed Mori.
She jabbed once. "That's for Emma!"
She jabbed again. "That's for Senchou!"
She then punched her three more times. "And that's for Gura!"
Amelia received a furious glare from her, but remained unfazed. As she reeled back for another hit, the detective was pushed to the side with great force. Suddenly, Mori was back on her feet, picking Amelia up by the collar of her shirt with one hand.
"You annoying little-" Mori snarled, a few drops of black blood dripping down her bottom lip.
She threw a few punches at Amelia, making her see stars. Mori then flung the detective forward, away from her, sending her tumbling to the floor near Gura and Marine, who both recovered from the attack.
"Ame!" Gura kneeled down, helping her friend sit up.
Amelia shook out of her dizziness. She grabbed the shark girl's hand. "Gura, are you okay?"
Gura smiled. "You betcha."
The detective got to her feet, turning her attention to an irritated Mori.
"I can't believe I let a mortal get the best of me like this," Mori growled, wiping the blood from her chin.
"There's a first time for everything," Amelia shot back.
Marine watched the wounds in Mori's side sealing up. "We need to find a way out. If she can take that much of a beating, then there's no way we're taking her down."
"Good idea, but I don't know how the hell we're getting-"
The floor began to rumble beneath their feet. Confused, Mori and Amelia scanned their surroundings, trying to locate the source of the shaking. Gura struggled to keep her balance, stumbling back and forth. Marine turned to Cthulhu, still sitting on his throne.
"What's the deal, old timer?"
The Great Old One sat, silent. Looking closer, Marine saw the deity asleep.
"Wait, he's sleeping?" Marine shouted.
Mori shook her head. "Damn, he might be starting to dream!"
"Huh, why's that bad?" Gura asked, using her trident to keep her standing.
Amelia's eyes widened. "It means reality might-"
The floor below them cracked into smaller pieces, scattering in different directions into nothingness. The three and Mori were on opposite sides and both were running out of ground. Amelia, Gura, and Marine's backs were to each other, on the last platform that was quickly crumbling. The detective peered over the side, into the dark, green abyss below. She turned to Gura, who was hyperventilating, gripping her trident tight. Amelia could feel herself slipping as the ground at her feet disintegrated. She and Gura screamed as they fell down from the sky into the void. Darkness surrounded them and Amelia saw nothing but black.
Falling through the emptiness, the detective felt a rush of cold overcome her with a muffled splash as she sunk into water. Soon, it became hard for her to breath. She thrashed about, trying to swim up, but the surface was nowhere in sight. Amelia closed her eyes, unable to go on further as much as she tried to stay conscious and find her way out. Before her eyes shut completely, she felt someone tugging at her arm, pulling her from the deep.
Breaching the surface of the water, Amelia was dragged onto land, lying on her back. The detective gasped, realizing she could breathe once more. She sat up, coughing out water. Gura stood at her side, panting as she pulled Marine out of the water, who was in a similar condition to Amelia.
"Thank god, you're both alive."
"How did you have the strength to pull us out of there?" Marine asked, still on the floor.
"Did you forget? I'm Atlantean."
"Well, I'm sure as hell glad you're on our side," Amelia sighed.
"Here, gimme your hand," Gura extended her hand.
Standing up, Amelia found a hallway in front of them. They emerged from a small pool, inky water sloshing inside. After helping Marine up, the detective noticed light pouring into the room ahead. Glass lined both sides of the hallway and Amelia, eager to know where they were, stepped forward and gazed out the windows. Structures of indescribable shape emerged from the murky water, only visible through the green light illuminating them. The detective spotted groups of Deep Ones roaming around the great city, some swimming across her view. The buildings spread out far away, disappearing in the distance. Amelia marveled at the peculiar architecture of the city, she could only describe it as a jumble of different shapes, both recognizable and alien, fused together in a strangely fascinating way. While the scenery entranced her, one thing could not go unnoticed. In the middle of her sight was a dreaming Cthulhu, deep in slumber.
"Isn't that-?" Gura started.
"Yup, it's him," Amelia replied.
"Is it just me, or does he look...bigger?" Marine asked.
"Seems like that wasn't what he really looked like."
Gura started at the magnificent landscape. "Where are we?"
"I'm willing to bet we're still in R'leyh."
"I mean, where else would the old man hang out?" Marine crossed her arms.
"We must be pretty far down, there's not much light around here except for wherever the green stuff is coming from," Gura remarked.
"The question is how do get out of here?"
Amelia stroked her chin. "Let's keep moving. Maybe we'll find someone we can talk to."
The captain placed her hand on the hilt of her cutlass. "We'll also have to look out for Mori."
"I wonder where she went..." Gura muttered.
Continuing further down the hall, the three found themselves in a room filled with Deep Ones, crowding around in groups. Some looked out the window, some idled by, some conversed with each other in some unknown language. One of them approached them.
"You three?"
"Wait a sec, it's you!" Gura remarked.
"So we meet again."
"Come to think of it, we don't even know your name."
"That's because I don't have one. In my city, no one was born with a name."
"Well, let's give you one, now that there're a lot of you here," Amelia suggested, "Any ideas?"
Gura thought for a moment. "How about Karp?"
"I like it," Marine agreed, smiling.
Amelia nodded. "Alright, Karp it is. So what's everyone doing around here?"
"Waiting to enter R'leyh. Once Lord Cthulhu gives permission, the gatekeepers will open the gates and let newcomers inside."
"I see, so this place is an entrance."
"Right. Though I have to ask, what brings you three here? I thought you guys were going to leave the island."
"We were, but Mori got in our way. We tried to beat her but our strength was on par with her's. The old man went to sleep and we ended up here," Marine explained.
"So the reaper is here with us?" Karp asked.
"Not sure, we didn't see her on the way here," Gura replied.
"Karp, is there any way out of this place?" Amelia inquired.
The Deep One shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm not sure, I only arrived here. We're deep underwater, so escape might be impossi-"
A shout rang across the room, alerting the four's attention. One of the Deep Ones called out, pointing outside. Beyond the glass, Amelia spotted a vehicle floating into view, somewhat resembling a space ship from a sci-fi movie she watched as a child. Running to the window, the detective watched as it floated into the distance, towards a hanger standing atop a plateau where it disappeared from view. Beside her, the other three stared in fascination.
"I think I know how we're getting out of here," Amelia announced.
"You want to take one of those ships?" Karp asked.
"Uh-huh. It looks like it's our only way out of here."
Marine watched the plateau. "Looks far, how're we gonna get there without drowning?"
Gura grinned. "I might have an idea. Ame, d'you remember that one cartoon with the squirrel that was living in the ocean?"
Amelia smiled back. "I like how you think, Gura."
Some time passed and the sound of rattling chains signaled the parting of the gates. As the gates opened, water rushed in. When the hallway was flooded, the Deep Ones swam outside into the great city, with the four the last ones out. Amelia and Marine had transparent domes on their heads and both could breathe with ease. Karp looked down at the two.
"Using your bubble abilities to create air helmets, huh? I wouldn't expect less from an Atlantean."
Marine grinned. "For a little shrimp, you're pretty crafty, Gura."
Gura giggled. "Thanks."
"So where to, Amelia?" the captain asked.
"To the plateau, we need to take one of those ships to the surface."
"You'll need some help. Could I tag along?" the Deep One suggested.
"You wanna help us out?" Amelia asked.
"I still owe you for getting me here."
"It could be dangerous."
Karp smirked. "What's life without a little danger?"
Marine chuckled. "You sure you still don't wanna be in my crew? You'd fit right in."
"I'm grateful for the offer captain, but I'll have to decline."
"No worries, the offer still stands though."
Though the trip to the hangar took some time, the group found themselves at the top of the plateau. They hid behind some large boulders next to the entry point. A blue force field blocked the entrance to the hangar from the ocean outside. Peeking from the side, Amelia watched as a ship phased through the field and landed inside. The detective noticed that the building's architecture differed from the monolithic, ancient feel of the R'leyh. The hangar looked more futuristic in comparison.
"This place, it doesn't look like it's a part of this city," Amelia remarked.
Karp nodded. "Right, this place seems different from the rest."
"Look," Gura pointed at the ship.
Smoke coming out of some exhaust pipes from the back of the ship, a platform came down, serving as a ramp leading inside the vehicle. Four green-cloaked people walked in, stopping in front of the open ship. From within, two creatures came out. The creatures were fairly tall, with tubular bodies, retracted wings, five eyes, a circular mouth, and five tentacles for legs. They began to communicate in another language Amelia could not decipher.
"It can't be..." Karp's eyes widened.
"What the hell are those things?" Marine asked.
"Elder Things."
Gura turned to the Deep One. "Weren't those the things that attacked your people?"
"Yes. I didn't want to believe it, but seeing this has proven my suspicions. This hangar is an Elder Thing base."
"Who are the people they're talking to?"
"The Star Spawn. I've heard many stories about them from my parents. They've traveled with the Great Dreamer through the cosmos for eons. When Lord Cthulhu decided to settle on Earth, the Star Spawn constructed R'leyh to protect him as he slept. Still, this doesn't explain why the Elder Things are here."
"Maybe for diplomatic reasons?" Amelia presumed. "It doesn't look like they're here to attack."
"It's possible, but the Elder Things like to keep to themselves. They conquered my home all on their own with only the help of shoggoths. I wonder what they've come here for..."
"Let's get back to the mission, we can discuss this later. How are we gonna get to that ship without alerting any guards?" Marine asked.
"There's too many of them in there. We might just have to go in guns blazing," Amelia suggested.
The captain nodded. "I'm with you on that, to hell with being sneaky."
Gura sighed. "I'll follow along, but let's not try to kill as much as possible."
"Don't underestimate the Star Spawn. Though they look like ordinary people, their true forms are more terrifying. That many of them in one room can tear you all apart limb from limb."
"So you have a solution?" Marine asked.
"A distraction. I'll act as a decoy and lure some of them out, hopefully all of them."
Amelia shook her head. "That's crazy, what if they catch you? They might kill you."
"I'm a fast swimmer. I'll make sure I don't get caught. Once you three get inside, take out the remaining guards and get out of this place before reinforcements come."
"Sounds like a good plan," Marine nodded.
"It was nice working with you three once again. Hopefully we'll meet another time."
The four Star Spawn and the two Elder Things exited the room, leaving only a few guards inside. Karp swam out of cover, going through the force field and into the hangar. Amelia peeked inside, watching the Deep One get the guard's attention in his own language. The surprised guards yelled something back and began to pursue Karp. He jumped back out to the sea, the two guards trailing behind him. He turned to Amelia, nodding. The three entered the hangar, the detective and the captain's air helmets dissipating. They drew their weapons as they landed on the bright white floor. Two guards approached them, scowls under their dark hoods. Amelia and Marine aimed their guns at them, threatening both to stand down.
Something started to bubble out from as the Star Spawn hunched over. Their bodies warped and shifted till their forms became unrecognizable from what they were before. Numerous tentacles sprouted from their body and replaced their arms and legs. Wings grew from their back, spreading wide. The last thing to take form was its head, which was bulbous, having tendrils covering its mouth, which was filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth, and red eyes. They snarled at the three, who stood there, speechless. Their resemblance to Cthulhu reminded Amelia why they were called his Star Spawn. One launched themselves on their hind tentacles towards the three. Adjusting their aim, Amelia and Marine shot the creature at point-blank range, sending it flying backwards. While the detective was distracted, the other guard rushed forward. Gura stepped in front of her and thrust her trident into the creature, throwing it to the side as its prongs were stuck in the creature's face. Though the two Star Spawn were dispatched, Amelia could see their wounds regenerating.
"Let's get on the ship, now!" Marine commanded, receiving nods from the two.
Running up the ramp into the ship, Amelia pressed the button to close the entrance. One of the Star Spawn recovered from its injuries and charged into the ship with a roar, only to be blocked by the door. Gura and Marine advanced into the control room. The Atlantian took a seat at the cockpit, scanning through all the controls. Amelia walked in soon after she dealt with things outside.
"Gura, can you drive this thing?" The captain asked.
"I can try!" Gura shouted, nervousness in her voice.
After pressing a few buttons to no avail, she pushed down one more. The ship started up, shown by whatever powered the ship running.
"Alright, alright..." the shark girl muttered, "what to do next..."
Gura pressed a few more buttons, lifting the ship off the ground. Her eyes widened as she held the steering wheel. Nodding, the Atlantian started to pull out of the hangar. Before they could leave, a Star Spawn jumped onto the front view window, startling the three. It bore its teeth to them to see as its tentacles wrapped around the front of the ship.
"Gura!" Amelia shouted.
"Got it!" Gura tapped on a button in front of her and pulled back on two triggers on the yoke she steered with.
Green light flashed in Amelia's face and she saw the Star Spawn withdraw back, bubbles pouring out of its mouth as it cried. Gura pushed the control lever forward, the ship pressing ahead faster, leaving the Star Spawn far behind.
Marine looked at the radar nearby. "We've got two tailing us, looks like the other one is back on its feet!"
"There should be turrets at the back you can control!" Gura called out.
"Got it!" Amelia said, running out of the room.
Going through the middle of the ship, the detective passed by the core powering the vehicle, glowing a vibrant green. Though she did not notice, a spark flashed through her pocket watch. A hatch on the floor led into a seat and another control lever. Dropping into the chair, she grabbed the handle, testing it out to get a feel for how it works. A hologram appeared from the side of her vision. From it Amelia saw Gura and Marine at the control room.
"Wow, didn't expect them to have one of these," Gura remarked.
"What's up?"
"You know how to use the controls, right Ame?"
"I think got the basics, just point and shoot."
Marine nodded. "Ok then, we'll leave the rest to you, Amelia."
"Aye, Senchou!"
The Star Spawn were closing in despite the speed Gura drove the ship. Shifting the lever, Amelia aimed at the monsters, lining them up through the sights. She pulled the two triggers, and a laser beam blasted through the turret, flying towards the creatures. It missed, the Star Spawn evading the blast. Amelia fires again and again, managing to shave off a few of their limbs but not enough to cause serious damage. Any tentacle lost would grow back instantaneously.
"Gura how far are we from the surface?"
"Just a few more minutes!"
"How's it going with those things?" Marine asked.
Amelia took a few more shots, each missing their intended target. "I'm trying!"
The Star Spawn were nearing the ship, their tentacles reaching for Amelia. She pulled the trigger, managing to blast one square in the face. However, the monster did not slow down, its face beginning to grow back. The detective cursed, wondering if they would stay down. She looked down at the control panel in front of her, seeing a host of buttons. She scanned each one, finding a blue one and tapping it. Aiming at a Star Spawn showing its rows of teeth, she fired a blue beam from the turret, striking the monster. Though Amelia thought it was undeterred by the blast, the creature started to slow down. Its skin turned white, suspended in the water. Amelia smirked, she tapped the button again and took three more shots. Piercing through the Star Spawn, it crumbled and shattered into fragments.
'That's one down...'
"We're nearing the surface, take care of the last one, quick!"
"Got it, Senchou!"
"Wait, I don't see it on the radar. Where-"
A resounding thud shook the ship. Amelia saw the last Star Spawn come up from under the ship into view, covering her in shade. Its bright red eyes stared at her as its tentacles clung to the glass.
"Thanks for making my job easier!"
Amelia grabbed the lever, aiming the turrets at it. She pulled on the trigger and held on, shooting it at point-blank range. The shots went through the creature, shredding it down. Amelia did not stop until the monster was obliterated. It cried out as the detective brought it to its last limbs. It lost its grip on the ship, sinking back down. For good measure, Amelia froze the monster as it disappeared into the deep.
"Took care of them, how're things going on your end?"
"We're here, hold on."
The ship breached the surface of the water, near the coast of the island. Marine's galleon floated nearby. After landing at a beach, the three abandoned the Elder Thing craft and made their way back to the pirate ship. A few pirates shouted, waving to their captain.
"Senchou! Senchou!" one pirate called out.
"What's the situation in there?" Marine asked.
"We're ok, beat up, but ok!" the pirate replied.
The captain sighed in relief. "Well I'll be damned, Mori wasn't lying. Alright, let's get on board and get the hell out of here."
Amelia and Gura nodded. Two pirates lowered a wooden plank for them to board. Marine and Gura ran up the ramp, jumping down onto deck. The Atlantian turned to see Amelia, who was still climbing.
As the detective reached halfway up, she felt something cold wrap around her. Looking down at her waist, a metal chain rattled. She tried to pull it off, but it her body was tightly coiled. Something powerful tugged on the chain, pulling her off the plank. She fell to the ground with a thud.
"Ame!" Gura yelled.
The detective sat up, searching where the chain led. Mori stood up at the top of some tall rocks. Her scythe was drawn, aimed at the boat. The blade shimmered a familiar purple.
"Damn, it's her!" A pirate shouted.
"How did you get to the surface?" Marine asked.
Mori pointed at her crown. "I followed you to the hanger. I used this to cloak myself with invisibility and snuck onto the ship. Now all of you, listen to me now and listen well! I want everyone on the ship to leave. I'm tired of having to deal with your antics. You've got what you want, so go on your merry way. Watson stays with me."
Marine crossed her arms. "To hell with that, Amelia's coming with us!"
Mori's eyes narrowed. "Don't test me! If you don't follow me, I won't hesitate to annihilate you all right here, right now. I'm done playing nice. You have five minutes to set sail or else I'm blowing you all sky high."
"Ame!" Gura looked down at the detective.
Amelia stared at the ground, contemplating what to do next.
'What to do, what to do, what to do...'
A spark of green light diverted her attention. Her vision guided her to her broken watch. She grabbed it, watching as small bolts of green lightning streaked across the clock. Her eyes widened.
"Go, you guys!" Amelia shouted.
"What?" Marine asked, confused.
"You have to go now!"
"What do you mean? Ame, you're coming back with us!" Gura's grip on the railing tightened.
"I will, I promise! We'll meet again outside!"
"What are you planning?" Marine inquired.
"Just trust me!"
Amelia and Marine watched each other for a moment. The certain look in the detective's expression told the captain what she needed to know.
"Alright crew, set sail!" Marine commanded.
Gura turned to the captain. "Wait! But Ame..."
"She promised she'll meet us again. I'll hold her to it."
The shark girl looked back at Amelia with a worried expression on her face. The detective nodded, smiling. Though she was still nervous. Gura nodded back. The ship began to pull out of the beach, floating further and further away from the island. After the galleon was a fair distance away from them. Mori jumped down from atop the rocks, sand flying from where she landed near Amelia. With one swift pull, the chain unraveled around the detective coming back to the reaper's hand.
"Why make a promise you can't keep?"
Amelia stayed silent, looking down at the floor.
"C'mon, don't make this hard on yourself," Mori said, grabbing the detective's arm.
Suddenly, Amelia grabbed the reaper's hand and bit down hard on it, drawing blood. Mori grimaced, retracting her hand. As she watched the bite start to heal, she looked back to see Amelia running down the beach. She sighed in annoyance. Another thing to deal with. She walked across the sand, following the detective. Amelia hid behind a few rocks, turning her attention to the galleon. It was still halfway to the water barrier.
"Running won't do you any good, y'know?"
Amelia began to make her way up a short hill, going from rock to rock to hide.
"I promise your death will be painless. Cheating death is a grave sin, but it's not enough to warrant anything too bad."
"I told you, I have something I need to do."
"I have my own job too, Watson. Taking you to my master."
The detective gritted her teeth. "You're a reaper aren't you? You've collected souls from a lot of people way worse than me. What did I do to deserve this other than the fact I escaped my own death?"
Mori paused. "Please come out."
Amelia's expression softened, perplexed by her dismissive reply. She peered out of cover. Mori stood close by and she noticed the detective. She ran up the hill, Mori calmly tailing her. Amelia saw the ship almost to the wall, as she ascended the slope.
"You're running out of places to run. Just stop this and accept your fate."
Amelia reached the top of the hill, which had a cliff that fell straight down the other side. She watched as the galleon disappeared behind the barrier.
"Your friends are gone now. Seems like you're alone."
The detective turned to the reaper. "Mori, what's the real reason you're after me?"
"Huh?"
"You had every chance to kill me and my friends, but you didn't. You don't seem like the kind of person to send someone to their death."
"I..." Mori looked away. "I need you so I can go home. Could you do me a favor and please come with me?"
"Sorry."
Before she could ask why, Mori watched as Amelia leaped off the hill. She rushed to the cliff, peering down as the detective dropped down. Amelia quickly grabbed the watch from her waist, gripping it. She closed her eyes and pushed down the crown of the tarnished, golden pocket watch. With a bright yellow flare that blinded Mori for a few seconds, she looked back to see nobody at the beach down the hill.
Amelia rematerialized on the deck of Marine's ship, which was encased in another one of Gura's bubbles. The captain and the Atlantian rushes over to the detective. Gura embraced Amelia as she wiped off some dirt off her cloak.
Marine laughed. "So you did keep your promise. How did you get here?"
"My pocket-watch. I can go back in time with it and also teleport with it," Amelia fiddled with it.
"I get it, you wanted us to travel beyond the barrier so you could come here without us being attacked," Gura remarked.
"Yup, I was nervous it wouldn't work, but it all went well in the end."
Marine grinned. "Not only did we get a crew mate back, we've got all the booty a pirate could ever ask for! Alright everybody, once we get back to Hawaii, drinks are on me!"
The crew rejoiced, congratulating other on a job well done.
Gura jabbed Amelia in the shoulder. "Don't do anything stupid like that without telling us your plan."
"Ow, got it," the detective smiled. "Anyways, I was going to ask, how did you know how to drive that ship, Gura?"
"I know that technology from anywhere," Gura's gaze turned to the sea. "I was Atlantean."
A few hours later, Marine's galleon arrived back to the beaches of Hawaii. Gura saw her submarine, safe and sound. Night had fallen an hour earlier and the captain and her crew were eager to get a drink. Amelia watched the bar, as lively as it was before, iced tea in hand. Gura sang sea shanties with some of the men with her ukulele, bringing a smile to the detective's face.
"So what's next for you two? I'm guessing you're going to find this Ancient One?"
"Yeah, we're on our way to saving the world."
"Well, good luck. I'm gonna miss having you two around with my crew."
"Despite the fact we almost died a few times, I'd say it was fun. Thanks for helping us out, Senchou."
"I should be the one thanking you, I haven't felt that excited for year."
Amelia and Marine toasted their glasses and kept talking for a while. Soon, the crew had their fill of beer and relaxation. Deciding to leave, the crew picked up Gura and exited the bar with her on their shoulders, continuing to sing merrily. The detective and the captain laughed, watching the display before them. Outside, Amelia and Gura stood across from Marine and her crew.
"Thanks again, Senchou!" Gura shouted.
"You're welcome. You two are allowed to come back to my crew anytime!" Marine grinned.
"Alright, we'll be off now," Amelia smiled, nodding to the captain.
"To Japan we come!" Gura shouted enthusiastically.
As the two made their way back to their submarine, Marine felt something vibrate in her pocket. Pulling out a phone from her pocket, she answered the call she was receiving.
"Emma?"
"Hey there, Marine."
"Yo, what's up?"
"Have you finished things up there?"
"Yup, I completed the mission. Those two girls you had me meet were something, that's for sure."
"Where's Amelia and Gura?"
"They're on their way to Japan. They found what they were looking for."
"That's good. We need you to come back to base once you're done. Something's come up."
"Good or bad?"
"Bad, very very bad."