Kingdom

Characters: Heart Pirates, Law. Rating: K. Warnings: None.

The windows of the Polar Tang rarely served a purpose. In the deep sea, even with the exterior lights and powerful forward-facing beam, the water around them was a pitch black, leaving no view outside. The darkness was a comfort to the crew, the knowledge that they were invisible and, to most things, undetectable allowing them to sleep easy at night (or what passed for 'night' according to their many clocks, because the cycle of sun and moon didn't reach their favoured depths). Even their captain, who as a devil fruit user should by rights be uncomfortable so far beneath the waves, separated from the sea by only metal panels, was at his most relaxed when the windows showed black.

The submarine was of course fitted with sonar and other high-tech radar to allow for unimpeded travel even without sight, so the darkness wasn't even a concern for navigating, Bepo well versed in reading the screens to make up for the lack of sun and stars navigators on other crews relied on so heavily. All in all, their ship was perfect for staying concealed for extended periods at a time (the building heat notwithstanding), and most at home in the darkness.

While the darkness was their comfort and their home, it was not the Heart Pirates' favourite place in the sea. Above the darkness was a thin layer of water that seemed magical to look at. Any member of the crew, even their captain, could be found staring out the nearest window as the Polar Tang gained altitude, leaving the blackness of home behind to emerge, slowly but surely, into the shimmering kingdom between the depths and the surface.

Here, the sun's rays reached, rippling through the water like silver and gold ribbons. The command would go out for the exterior lights to turn off, allowing their way to be illuminated solely by the glittering water surrounding them. The rays of sun danced through the water, highlighting the paths cut by the wildlife that thrived in that level.

Law had been impressed that the Thousand Sunny had had an aquarium, but such a tame sight had done little to excite him, despite Mugiwara's best efforts. The wildlife within it had been specially selected, ready to be caught and cooked by the chef, and couldn't contain natural predators. It was a poor imitation of the sight he liked to lose himself in on the rare occasions he was relaxing in the recreation room, or waiting for dinner to be served in the mess hall.

In the open sea, fish of all sorts could be seen swimming together, weaving in and out of each other's paths with no hesitation, as if it were a long-practiced dance. Many would be simple fish, content to live their lives swimming around without a care in the world.

But then there were the bigger fish, the predators that stalked and ensnared the simple fish, a flash of brutality in an otherwise tranquil scene that would bring a smirk to Law's lips when he spotted it. There was always a bigger fish in the pool.

To be able to see the raw untamed power of nature without any meddling was a gift. Any coated ship could reach those depths with ease, it was true, but they needed to surface often and renew their coating, the air sucked out by the crew's own breathing.

The Polar Tang was made for such depths, content to cruise amongst its personal underwater wonderland for as long as it desired and experiencing the nature in a way no other ship could.

There were many things to love about being a Heart Pirate, but the unique views would always be the first thing to steal their heart.

Why does a submarine have windows? So they can go underwater sightseeing, of course! Why would the Sunny's aquarium impress Law when the entire sea is his personal aquarium?

Thanks for reading!
Tsari