"In the town of Magnolia came a stranger one fine day," Marigold sang along with the radio, drumming on the steering wheel with a greater exuberance than before. "Come on, Red, sing along."

"I wish you'd just killed me," Red said with a sigh.

"Gajeel would sing with me," Marigold said with a sigh, "but he's busy being a grandpa..."

"I remember Gajeel," Red said, squinting his eyes, "the old boss said he double crossed him. Oh, I liked Gajeel, though he was too much of a softie for my taste."

"He is a softie," Marigold muttered, "but speaking of tastes, tell me more about the person we're meeting."

"Yes," Red squinted his eyes, "I met him when I had legs and a body. Remember when I had legs and a body and a set of lungs?"

"I do, I remember taking them away. How do you like having ears?"

"You're more vicious than I thought," Red said, sounding somewhat pleased, "I was leading a small group from Howl Caedo. I was on a mission on one of Caelum's islands. The Island of {Nubes}, it was a recovery mission. You see, hundreds of years ago, there was a war over the territory. For a time, Nubes was considered the impenetrable island, war ships would come rolling out to destroy the barriers, but they all sank. According to legend, 997 ships sank thanks to the warriors of the water that lived on Nubes. However, the three that managed to survive the attacks arrived on Nubes, and hell broke loose. The island fought to their last breath, but no one survived. However, those who laid siege on the island didn't either. They wiped each other out."

"Eventually," Red continued, "the island was claimed by what is now the kingdom of Caelum. However, any civilization that has tried to survive there has failed. The land is poisoned. Crops won't grow, fish don't migrate there, it is a place of death and despair."

Marigold squinted her eyes, groaning under her breath, "So what I'm hearing is we're gonna have to get on a boat..."

"My team went there to excavate something lost in the wreckage, a weapon used by the people of Nubes to protect themselves. However, we ran into someone."

"The god?"

"One of my associates was foolish, he saw the man and immediately threatened him. We had heard the island was practically abandoned, so I too was surprised to see it occupied by someone. However, as soon as he even attempted to strike the man, he was obliterated."

Marigold shrugged her shoulders, "That doesn't mean it was a god."

"I know many types of magic, this one...it was strange. He seemed to just...decay right before our eyes."

"And you didn't seek vengeance for the poor guy?"

"I can't even remember his name," Red smirked, "he was just a cocky fool. I know when I can't win a fight–"

"Usually."

"Well, I know when my death is staring me right in the eyes. That's what he was...he was death."

Marigold squinted her eyes, she recalled the moment the gods Irese and Irlo told her she was a god. Marigold had assumed she was the god of life, considering the whole plant body thing, but they informed her that she was also the god of death.

Could there be two gods of death? It wasn't unheard of. There were several gods of war, but death seemed like a one and done thing.

Then again, what did Marigold know? But if this guy was a god of death of any kind, he might know how to undo the plague.

"So how did you get to know this guy?"

"After he killed my companion, I was sure to settle things down a bit. I told him we no threat to him, simply on a job excavating some of the lost relics here."

"Sure you were."

"It was half true," he said, "however, he said something odd..."

"What was that?"

"He said 'I killed your comrade, do you not want revenge?'"

Marigold squinted her eyes, "Comrade?"

"I told him, 'All is fair in the eyes of war,' and he seemed to...be appeased by that statement. He seemed ready to negotiate. He didn't offer anything for nothing–be prepared for that. However, he was perfectly reasonable. At least I think so."

Marigold glanced at Red, "What was his name?"

"I asked him that myself," Red said, "and he said that he'd only give it for an offering." Red smirked, amused by the memory, "I think that was the most obvious godly thing about him. He wouldn't give me his name without an offering, what man would do such a thing?"

"What did you offer?"

"He said he was hungry, so I went into the woods and captured a boar, brought it to him live." Red explained. "He accepted the boar, though I don't know if he ate it or...just kept it as a pet."

"Well," Marigold said, turning her head fully, "what was his name?"

"He called himself Mikhael."

<─── ∘°❉°∘ ───>

Sylvie had become somewhat accustomed to motherhood, and now that she and Laurie were living in the same home again, things felt a lot easier. Normal even.

They'd wake up about five times each night to Dover Jo crying, and thanks to their tiny little apartment, self soothing was an impossible technique as his crib was right next to the bed.

Laurie would use his leg as an excuse to not get up. "I can't walk without putting my leg on–so I have to put my leg on–then go over there–then pull Dover Jo out of bed–oof!"

Sylvie would kick him right out of bed, and Laurie would hobble over to his prosthetic then deal with the baby.

This continued for some time, and it was fine. Laurie and Sylvie felt a bit too tired to argue or discuss the unpleasant things that happened during Dover Jo's pregnancy. They would just eat, talk about Dover Jo or their families, then sleep side by side in a partially comfortable silence.

However, they weren't doing "marital" things together. As in, they hadn't touched since Laurie left months ago. There were plenty of reasons why, but Sylvie began to worry that they were just excuses rather than legitimate reasons not to be intimate with her husband.

Maybe she could ask her parents to babysit so Laurie and her could have a date night, but then again she felt rather deterred from the idea. Though she felt guilty just from the thought of it, if she were to get a night off from Dover Jo, she didn't want to spend it with Laurie. She just wanted to spend some time on herself.

"I must be a horrible mother," Sylvie muttered under her breath as she fed Dover Jo breakfast, "and a horrible wife. When did I stop being lovey dovey?"

Dover Jo cooed then spit up some of his food, which Sylvie found adorable as the food dripped down his chin. She sighed as she grabbed a napkin, only for Laurie to suddenly burst into the little scene and say, "Wait wait–I wanna take a picture first."

He started to reach for his camera, stepping between Sylvie and the feeding chair, "Look here–look here!" He kept saying in a high and squeaky voice to get Dover Jo to smile.

Sylvie rolled her eyes, Laurie did this a lot. Every time Dover Jo sneezed Laurie would be gawking over how cute it was. It was hard to believe that the very notion of having a child sent Laurie running. He hardly seemed like the same man anymore. He loved doting over Dover Jo in these cute little moments.

"You got your picture," Sylvie said, passing Laurie the napkin, "now wipe his face."

"Ah, right," Laurie watched as the camera printed out the little picture, then smiled, "I'll take Dover Jo on a walk, we can go visit my parents and give them the photo."

"You're going to take them a photo when you're taking Dover Jo? Don't you think that's a little odd? They're going to get the chance to see him anyway–"

"Well, Gajeel–uh–dad–" Laurie cleared his throat. Since becoming a father, Laurie had been working a lot harder on his relationship with his own dad. Namely, he was trying to call Gajeel dad again. It was a rather superficial fix, but Sylvie could tell it meant a lot to Laurie. "Dad said he wanted pictures to carry in his wallet and show to people."

"Show to what people?" Sylvie said, "All his friends are in the guild–and they all know what Dover Jo looks like. What, is he showing Dover Jo to strangers? That's weird–"

"It's not weird," Laurie insisted, "I show pictures of Dover Jo to everyone–"

"Okay, okay," Sylvie sighed, "be sure to wrap him up, it's chilly out."

"He's part Fullbuster," Laurie said, "I bet the cold doesn't bother him too much."

Sylvie pulled out the scarves, hats, socks, and mittens she'd knitted for Dover Jo during her pregnancy. Knitting was about all she did in that time. "Put them on," all our hours of labor would go into use. Even if it was 90 degrees out, Dover Jo better wear the hat.

As Laurie left for his parent's house, Sylvie found herself crawling back into bed. She pulled the covers over her and shut her eyes. She'd felt so sluggish lately. Not quite depressed, but a bit like a zombie. She was just coasting through each day, and it was starting to drive her mad.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been in bed when she saw her lacrima begin to grow from the night stand. It began to chime and she recognized the sound as she pulled her head off the pillow. Sylvie hadn't heard the chime in awhile, but it's the one she'd given for Marigold.

She reached for the lacrima and quickly pulled it to her ear. "Marigold?"

"Long time, no talk," Marigold said with a sigh, "you think you could help me?"

<─── ∘°❉°∘ ───>

"Nubes?" The man squinted his eyes at Marigold through the glass.

"Yes, are there any ships to Nubes?"

After a moment, the man broke into a hideous laughter, he started to smack his desk and turned around to his coworker to ask, "This girl wants to know if we have a boat to Nubes!"

Marigold could hear several other men begin to laugh, and as she stood there with the bag of Red's head to her side, she could hear him chuckle too.

"Nevermind," she said, "how about a boat rental?"

"If yer going to Nubes, nobody'll rent you a boat–bad deal. The boat is as good as gone, and you're as good as dead."

Marigold sighed, "I guess I need to find a boat–"

"Hey now, don't get cocky, haven't you heard?" The man said, crossing his arms, "It's her territory right now."

"Who is her?" Marigold squinted her eyes.

"The sea woman," he whispered, a rather nervous look in her eyes, "more sailors have been spotting her, and if they get in their territory, they don't come back alive."

Marigold squinted her eyes, "If all the people who enter her territory have died, then how are these stories starting?"

The man paused, he seemed to take in her question with a great deal of thought. "Huh," he said, rubbing his chin, "I hadn't thought of that."

Marigold sighed, "Well thanks for the help, I guess," Marigold said with a nod, walking off back to her truck. She pulled the sack with Red's head up and said, "That wasn't helpful–and what was that snickering for? Did you know no one would rent me a boat?"

"Well, I've been there multiple times myself," Red said, "we used our own boat, but we always had some old wackjob screaming at us that we'd die out there in the water. Said there was a sea witch or something of that likeness. Of course, we got through the water with no trouble, until the last time..."

Marigold looked to Red, "What happened then?"

"We had rough waters, we were headed to Nubes when suddenly some...tentacles of sorts took hold of our ship. It nearly sent the boat sideways and when I stabbed the tentacle, I heard the scream of not some beast, but a woman."

"Sounds like whatever these guys are scared of," Marigold said, looking back at the local sailors around the peer. "Did you make it to Nubes?"

"No, though the monster left, a storm replaced it, and we were forced to turn back. I have a strong feeling we angered whoever was in the water."

Marigold wasn't surprised there was some kind of sea monster threat between her and the island. Sure, sounded like some typical adventure nonsense. However, when she went to the local tavern to ask around for a boat, she started to hear different stories.

"No no," an old man with an eye patch started to argue with some fellas at the bar. "You've got it all wrong. The Sea Woman–she's a hero!"

"Wha?"

"Yeah yeah," the man continued as Marigold looked over her shoulder, "she saved us from the monster–she granted us safe passage."

Another man chimed in, "Same happened on my ship," he said, "she appeared in the mist like a lighthouse, except without any light or nothin' just a pair of tits and a gorgeous smile–"

Marigold winced as the old sailors lusted after this mythical woman, but she chimed in, "If the water's safe with the...sea woman...then any of you guys wanna take me to Nubes?"

Once again, Marigold was laughed at by a group of old men.

"Nevermind," Marigold sighed, leaving the bar with Red. She sat down on a bench and pulled Red from his bag, "I feel like there's something more going on with this Sea Woman."

"Either way, you won't be getting a boat from any of these men."

Marigold crossed her arms, thinking it over for a moment. She dug her hand into her bag and retrieved her lacrima.

"Who are you calling?"

"Mind your business," Marigold said, pulling the lacrima to her ear.

After a moment, Marigold could hear her pick up, "Long time no see."

Sylvie seemed happy to hear from Marigold, but she could also tell she sounded just a bit drained.

It actually bothered Marigold quite a bit that she had the nerve to ask Sylvie for help while she could tell something was off.

"You need a boat?"

"Yeah, but more so, I hoped you'd come along with me, if you want, maybe." She kept trying to add permission for Sylvie to say no. "I don't know–it's probably too dangerous but I thought your magic would come in handy on the water."

"Yes."

"Huh?"

"I'm coming–and I'm bringing a boat."

"Okay, great–do you know where a boat is?"

"Hold on, I'll be there in an hour. Two tops."

Sylvie just hung up, and Marigold couldn't help but be worried that Sylvie was about to commit a heist of sorts. Though, true to her word, she arrived with a moderately sized boat at the coast within just under two hours. Marigold had a burger while she waited, and was still getting down the last bites of her fries as she turned her head to hear a loud horn come from the water. There was Sylvie, sailing a moderately sized motorboat down the water.

Marigold squinted her eyes, "Where did you get the boat–"

"It's my mom's," Sylvie shouted, leaning over the side to get closer to the shore, "we've had it since we were kids, but we hardly use it anymore."

"Wait–" Marigold came as close to the deck as possible. "Did you–how did you get it from Magnolia to here?"

"The canals."

"No no," Marigold shook her head, "the canals don't connect all the way to...how."

"Magic," Sylvie said with a shrug, not wanting to divulge the incredibly frightening experience of creating multiple water spheres under the boat and essentially rolling them and the boat toward the next water way from the canals to the shore. Having done this for nearly a solid forty minutes before finally arriving at the river where she could boat normally until then running into multiple sharp rocks and other obstacles. "It wasn't so bad."

Marigold grabbed Red's head and the supplies she'd picked up and threw them onto the boat. "Not to undermine the stress of the mission," Marigold wiggled a bit where she stood, "but this is gonna be so fun–"

"I know, finally," Sylvie said, heaving a sigh so great it could have sailed them all the way to Nubes, "just getting to hang out again. No babies, no men."

"Half a man," Red muttered from inside the bag.

"What's that?" Sylvie looked at the bag where Marigold awkwardly revealed the presence of Red. "Oh geez...I'd say more like 1/8 a man but okay."

"Touche."

Marigold tossed Red onto a scrunched up tarp and then said, "Okay, so I guess you'll be doing the sailing...or driving...boating? What do you call it, this doesn't have sails–I don't think I know enough about boats–"

"No one knows," Sylvie stepped in front of the wheel, "I just turn the wheel and run the motor, then we get to where we're going. Nubes, right?"

"Yeah, how much you know about it's history?"

"Not a thing," Sylvie said, "but I did grab a map. I think we should get there in about half a day. If we head there now we'll get there just around sunset."

"If we don't run into troubles in the meantime," Marigold sat down as Sylvie started the motor, and off they went. She felt the breeze against her face, pulling her coat in as the cold brushed against them.

It was still winter, and on the water it was freezing. The boat was what you might call "family sized", made so four or more could comfortably sit on the deck, but likely it was expected to be used in the summer. The boat had a hard top, a term that neither Sylvie nor Marigold knew, but it was essentially a roof over the cockpit as well as a glass windshield. This became the warmest part of the boat, and Marigold pulled a bucket next to Sylvie's chair and snuggled up beside her.

Feeling somewhat merciful, she ended up scooping Red up and holding him in her arms to keep the poor sucker from freezing. "Geez," Sylvie shivered, pulling her scarf tighter around her face, "I'm beginning to wish Nashi was here..."

"She'd definitely warm things up," Marigold wrapped her arm around Sylvie, "Oh my gooooosh, I'm so cold–I hate this–I should've brought a heater."

"It's not okay to start fires on boats...right?"

Marigold rubbed her arms, "Okay, there's storage below the top deck right? Do you have blankets there?"

"Right–" Sylvie looked up to the bow of the boat where a hatch was. "It's up there, you have to go onto the top deck which is kinda dangerous this fast...so I'll stop."

She slowed the boat down and within a minute they were brought to a stop. There they bobbed in the water, up and down peacefully. Marigold placed Red there on the top of the bucket, getting Sylvie an uncomfortable look at the man as he gave her a glance up and down.

"So, you single?"

Sylvie squinted her eyes, "Don't talk to me, head man."

Marigold rolled her eyes, "Geez, of all the men's heads to have to drag on our girls trip." She climbed up onto the front of the boat. "I mean, finally you and I had the chance to talk–maybe pass the Bechdel Test for once." She braced her feet down on the bow of the boat, then pulled open the hatch. "Heaven forbid we spend some time thinking about anything other than our crappy husbands–" As Marigold opened the hatch, she looked down to see none other than Sylvie's crappy husband. Laurie.

"Find what we needed?"

"Definitely not."

<─── ∘°❉°∘ ───>

Laurie had brought not just Dover Jo about a million pictures of Dover Jo to his parent's house. Gajeel and him cuddled up on the couch flipping through them all. "And here's Dover Jo in the bath–I wonder if he's gonna go into water magic like Sylvie–I kinda hope so–"

"I'm trying really hard not to hope he becomes an iron dragon slayer–but I really hope he becomes an iron dragon slayer."

"OH–here he is making the face he makes right before he sneezes. And here he is sleeping–he makes a little fist when he sleeps and it's so cute. Right–here he is when he's grumpy, doesn't he look just like you!"

"He does!"

"And here he is with Sylvie–"

Levy, who was holding the real non-photo version of Dover Jo, loudly said, "And here he is–right now–in my arms!" She rolled her eyes, "I'm starting to think you have a problem, Laurie."

"Well, these moments are fleeting," Laurie put the photos all on the coffee table, then leaned toward the real Dover Jo. "I wanna have every moment recorded, so I can remember what he was like before he eventually grew to hate me."

Levy broke into an uncomfortable laugh, "Laurie–jumping into it a bit soon. Who says he's gonna hate you?"

"I'm kidding," Laurie said, then muttered under his breath, "mostly..."

Meanwhile, Gajeel stuffed as many of the photos he could into his wallet, which he bought just so he could carry photos of Dover Jo in. "You know, when he gets older, do you think he'll go by Dover Jo?"

"What, why wouldn't he?" Levy said.

"I don't know, it's a little cutesy," Gajeel folded his arms, "he's probably gonna be a big strong man like us," he looked at Laurie, "well...at least big."

"Yeah, but he could just go by Dover," Laurie looked down at Dover Jo, "or Jo, he's got options."

"I like the name," Levy said, smiling down at the infant as she rocked him, "I hope he keeps it just as it is."

Though Laurie thoroughly enjoyed being a father now that he was one, the anxiety about the future of fatherhood still made him a bit antsy. He'd found joking about it relieved some stress, but he kept looking at his old man Gajeel and thinking, "Is this my future?"

However, in focusing on fatherhood, Laurie hadn't realized he'd supremely neglected another aspect of his life.

"How's Sylvie doing?" Levy asked innocently.

Laurie stared blankly at his mother, who smiled softly still holding Dover Jo, waiting for a normal response like "She's fine," or even, "Could be better", but instead Laurie said nothing. He just stared at her for an uncomfortable amount of time until Levy's smile twisted a bit and she said, "Laurie...?"

Gajeel nudged him a bit, "Well come on now," Laurie blinked a few times, "What's wrong with you?"

"She wasn't doing so well a few weeks ago," Levy said, "is she improving?"

Laurie managed to finally say something. "Uh," that was it.

"Is she not doing better?"

"Um."

"Oh goodness," Levy shut her eyes.

Laurie had assumed Sylvie was doing better, she was definitely connecting with Dover Jo and sinking into the responsibility of motherhood with ease, so was he, but he realized the two of them hadn't talked about anything other than Dover Jo in the past few weeks.

"I'm going to ask a very uncomfortable question," Levy said, dropping her voice to a whisper, "When was the last time either of you were...intimate?"

"EW–no Levy–no!" Gajeel covered her ears. Laurie similarly made a face in disgust, not wanting to hear any of that from his mother.

"It's common for married couples," Levy said rather calmly, "I read about it, how sometimes when you're a first time parent, you struggle to juggle the responsibilities of both a partner and a parent."

Laurie mellowed out slightly, and he thought about it properly. It was true, they hadn't even cuddled in bed since Dover Jo was brought home.

Levy put Dover Jo back in his carrier, "Okay, here's a plan." She stood up, pulling Laurie off the catch and ushering him toward the door. "Leave Dover Jo with us for the evening, go home, buy Sylvie flowers and chocolates–expensive ones, none of that bs you find at the checkout line of a pharmacy, and surprise Sylvie with a night for the two of you!"

"Like a date?"

"Yes, like a date," Levy groaned, snatching Laurie's coat off the hook and wrapping it around him. "A nice simple date. Let her put on a nice dress and go out to a movie or dinner. I'm sure she'll love it."

"What do we talk about?" Laurie started to stammer out, as if he were a teenager going on a first date, not a married man with a strained relationship with his wife.

"Geez, Laurie," Levy sighed, patting him on the back, "just go."

Out the door he went, and Laurie followed his mother's instructions. He bought her flowers and chocolates, then went home to surprise Sylvie with a night for themselves.

Unfortunately, the apartment was empty.

Laurie didn't panic immediately, but when he found a duffle bag and some of Sylvie's clothes were missing from the closet, he did start to panic.

"Oh no–" Laurie thought, dropping the flowers onto the ground, "Karma's caught up with me–she's run out on me like I ran out on her multiple times throughout our life–"

Laurie tried not to panic. Grabbing the chocolates and flowers, he left the apartment and started to head toward the Fullbuster's house. However, on his way there he overheard two men on a boat say, "You see that crazy woman burst into the canal? It was crazy–"

Laurie, on a hunch, leaned over to the edge of the canal to shout, "Was the crazy woman hot as hell?!"

"I mean–she was wearing a big puffy coat–"

"SYLVIE!" Laurie was back to panic mode. "If she's gone down the canal, is there any way I can meet up with her?"

"Sure, if you go down the road and cut through the park, you'll probably make it through to where the canal exits–oh he's gone–" Gone he was. Lauie had gone sprinting (still with his presents for Sylvie) down the path toward the park.

He cut through and rushed toward where the canal met the road once again, and there he could hear Sylvie coming.

What followed next was perhaps the most reckless thing Laurie had done, and most bizarre.

While Sylvie was passing, she slowed as she waited for the next canal to open, and Laurie threw himself onto the boat. He landed just barely on the front, fumbling to grab onto the railings at the edge of the bow.

Not able to hear him over the motor, Laurie tried to wave Sylvie down, but she was distracted as she talked to the man operating the canal.

"I'm trying to get to the coast? Am I gonna have a problem?"

"Canal doesn't let out to the coast, water is too shallow this time of year–"

Laurie could hear Sylvie, and she didn't sound like she was desperate or on the run, more so a bit relaxed.

Laurie started to fear that maybe he'd jumped to conclusions. Also, he jumped onto a boat and had definitely messed up his prosthetic leg in the process. So getting off didn't seem easy, neither did explaining he'd followed her and jumped onto the boat in desperation to try and save their failing relationship.

So, just as Sylvie once again turned to face the front of the boat, Laurie opened the hatch and ducked into it, remaining there for several hours until finally Marigold opened the hatch and found him there.

"How," she said, "how did you sneak onto the boat?!"

Laurie could explain his frantic running and jumping, but it seemed too embarrassing so Laurie just said, "Magic." A lie, but okay.

Sylvie was embarrassed, "Did you think I was running away?"

"Maybe."

"Like you've done, multiple times?"

"Maybe..."

Marigold leaned over to Sylvie to whisper, "But you didn't tell him you were going on this trip?"

Sylvie also went quiet, "Uh..."

"Now that's no good," Red chimed in, "you always leave a note–"

Laurie squinted his eyes, "Is that the man that cut off my leg?"

Sylvie sighed, folding her arms, "Well now this is just awkward..."

Marigold sighed, grabbing Red's head and dragging him up to the front of the boat. "I'm gonna get those blankets, you two...for goodness sake just talk."

With the hopes of giving them an ounce of privacy, Marigold crawled up the bow of the boat and sat down with her feet dangling in the open hatch. She set Red down and sighed, wiping her brow that had suddenly become sweaty despite the cold.

"You look anxious," Red said, "perhaps you're regretting leaving your husband so soon?"

"Absolutely not," Marigold said, "I did the honorable thing and left a note. Kind of. Besides...I was literally killing him." She reached down into the hatch, pulling out blankets as she said, "That's why I'm here, for him and every other poor demon that's been left ill."

"Right," Red smiled, as if he knew a secret about Marigold, one even she didn't know.

She glared at him, ready to say something but suddenly the boat began to shake.

Marigold felt herself stumble forward into the hatch, and she looked over the edge of the water to see something moving about them. "Not now–"

Laurie looked into the water, anxiety building as he grabbed hold of Sylvie. "What's that–is that some kind of...slightly large fish?"

"No," Sylvie sighed, "probably the seamonster Marigold told me about..."

"What–"

Laurie had little time to react as a tentacle dropped onto the back of the boat, pulling the boat down into the water. Marigold, meanwhile, had already fallen into the hatch and now with the boat tipping, was falling deeper into the storage space. Not being any help at all, Red began to roll right into the hatch as well, joining her at the far end under the top deck. He let out a curt and annoyed, "Ow."

"Oh gosh," Marigold rubbed her head, "Sylvie's all alone up there!"

"Isn't her husband with her now?"

"He's useless in a fight–" Marigold twisted her body around, army crawling toward the hatch. "You stay here."

Red, the head, scoffed, "Yes, I'm sure with the use of my tongue and ears I can make a quick get away."

On the top deck, Sylvie was bracing herself. Laurie, who's prosthetic was broken in his fall, was unable to stand on his own, so she grabbed hold of him and pulled him back under the cover. "Stay here–you'll get hurt!"

"Sylvie–why didn't you tell me you left!?"

This certainly wasn't the time, but Laurie looked hurt, "I don't know–but I don't think it's about you."

"What?"

Sylvie was dumbfounded. She didn't know how to explain it, or maybe she did know how to explain it; she just didn't want to break it to Laurie.

Of course, Laurie had greater troubles, namely the tentacle wrapping around his prosthetic leg.

Before another word could be said, Laurie was yanked right past Sylvie, and then off the boat itself.

"Laurie!" She scurried back up, and she was prepared to dive overboard toward the monster, but something strange occurred.

As Laurie was dangled over the rocky waters, the ocean seemed to part just a bit to allow a slim figure to rise above the tides.

"Stop, foul beast of the water," she shouted in a melodic voice, her arm extending out toward the monster. "Free that man and return him to his boat, or I shall send you back into the deep dark ocean you crawled out of!"

Sylvie squinted her eyes, "What the–"

The woman on the water looked to Sylvie, her hand to her chest, "Oh, fear not, you'll be reunited soon, young lovers on the ocean–"

Marigold, who had finally reached the hatch to get out of the lower deck, listened in confusion. She looked down at Red, "Are you hearing this?"

The woman, or the Sea Woman seemed quite enthralled in her own heroics, as she cast her arms out, waves crawling up toward the beast, the beast then shivering in fear, Laurie shaking in its tentacle (still upside down).

"Now, begone!" She said, practically taking a bow before, unexpectedly, Laurie's prosthetic finally snapped, breaking and releasing Laurie from the grasp of the tentacle, right into the ocean. "Oh shoot!"

"Laurie!" Sylvie yanked off her coat and dove into the water. As she submerged, she could see him struggling with only one leg to swim back up to the surface. He was sinking, and the beast was still trying to grab hold of him.

Sylvie glared ahead, and merged herself with the water. Suddenly, she was the one controlling the tides, though she could feel a strange resistance, one she didn't typically feel from rough waters.

She moved her body toward Laurie, reaching ahead to him as the waters caved down to allow a pocket of air to reach Laurie. As Sylvie grabbed hold of his arms, air had reached Laurie and he gasped for breath.

Soon a vortex followed Sylvie, and as Laurie clung to her, she put her hands together to ice make a collection of harpoons that she sent toward the underwater beast.

Marigold, who was above the water on the boat, was forced to hold on tight as Sylvie's disruption of the current sent the boat rocking. She looked to see the woman, who despite her just standing there, seemed to cry out in pain as Sylvie's ice harpoon pierced the beast.

Then, it became quite obvious to Marigold. She stood up, cupping her mouth as she called out, "Sylvie! Stop!"

Sylvie heard her name, rose to the surface, and with a big splash, flung herself and Laurie onto the top of the boat. "What–!?"

Marigold looked out to the Sea Woman, who looked rather annoyed, "You can stop the act...we know you're faking it!"

The seawoman sighed, and up the tentacle came from the water, bloody with an ice harpoon sticking out of it. Irritated, she yanked the harpoon out and said, "Where did you even get an ice harpoon?"

"Wait–is she?" Laurie pointed his hand out, "Is she with the monster?"

"No," Marigold sighed, reaching down into the hatch to yank out Red from under the deck. "She's just the monster."

The Sea Woman sighed then her eyes went dark. Suddenly, she rose up from the water, and instead of feet, her silky white dress melded with that of a great fleshy monster with what seemed like an infinite set of tentacles. The blob of flesh had several pairs of eyes blinking at the boat. The woman at the top seemed to deflate and get sucked back into the body, the true face of the creature there right in front of the boat.

"Listen, I don't like to hurt humans," she said rather frankly, "but these waters are forbidden to you for good cause!"

Marigold stepped in front of Sylvie and Laurie, who were both soaked and freezing there on the top of the boat. "Then why'd you try and 'save' Laurie?"

"I'm sorry..." she said, rather genuinely, "I didn't realize I'd grabbed a prosthetic...you think I'd be able to tell when a leg is real or not after all these poor pirates wash into my waters–so stupid!"

"Don't beat yourself up," Laurie said, unsure why he felt the need to defend the giant sea monster speaking to him.

"Wait," Sylvie was confused, and as she grabbed her coat to try and wrap herself up, she tried to piece things together. "So you're really a sea monster–and to scare people away from your water you...pretend to be a pretty woman who saves them?" The more Sylvie thought about it, the more she couldn't help but cry, "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!"

Marigold stepped up, squinting her eyes at the monster. She wondered if it was just another great...underwater beast, like the ones she'd read about. However, its intelligence and empathy was bizarre. Somehow, she knew it in her heart, "You're a god."

The monster, or god, peered back at Marigold, "As are you...I can see."

"God of the sea..." Marigold's face twisted, "but I'm not sure which one..."

"Lophia god of the sea of Nubes," she sighed, a big fishy sigh. "Just this sea...from Nubes to the coast of Fiore. That's all that belongs to me."

"Oh," Sylvie suddenly felt a little bashful. "Sorry for trespassing...and stabbing you with an ice harpoon."

"That was justified, I thoroughly screwed up with napping your husband there...I didn't mean to drop him into the water," she sounded truly apologetic. "I tried to grab you! Though I realize that it must have seemed quite frightening given the circumstances..." She shook her big fleshy hed, then all her eyes widened, "Oh!" A tentacle reached up from the water and dropped Laurie's tattered, wet, and broken prosthetic onto the boat. "Here you go, love. Sorry about that."

"Thanks..." Laurie said, no longer sure if he wanted to touch it anymore, even if he couldn't walk without it."

"You're so friendly..." Marigold said, "I thought all the gods wanted to take over again...destroy the other races–"

"Heavens no–" Lophia leaned closer, "I am no such god. In fact–that's why I do this whole act! So people believe in me!"

"Believe in you?"

"Yes! Oh it's so hard for us minor gods, you know?" Sophia sighed once more, air escaping her gills as she rolled her many eyes. "We're so unknown...we've got to get our names out there somehow! Our strength comes from others believing in us, so I try and 'save' a few ships to get the sailors talking about me...was I believable."

"Eh..." Marigold didn't want to be rude, especially to such a friendly god. "Honestly...I prefer you outside of the act. You're quite polite, and seem so sweet!"

"Oh–I feared I acted a bit...strangely compared to the humanfolk, they're always screaming at each other in their little ships."

"So you don't mind if we go to Nubes?"

"Of course I mind!" Suddenly, Lophia became quite hostile again. "I wasn't kidding around. This water is not for others to cross. Even another–especially another god! My friend doesn't like visitors!"

"The man who lives on the island," Marigold said, "he's a god isn't he! Please, I've got to meet him!"

"Absolutely not," Lophia shook her head, her tentacles shaking as she did. "He specifically said no visitor–"

"Lophia," Marigold put her hand on Lophia, and as she touched her, she could feel Lophia twitch a bit, as though no one had touched her kindly in so long. "Can we talk...just the two of us?"

Lophia thought it over for a moment, then she bent her head and twisted around the boat. Marigold wasn't sure if she'd decided to leave, but soon up from the water came Lophia again, this time with her open mouth.

"Clih ahourah–" she said, her mouth wide open.

Marigold, feeling a strange trust for Lophia, jumped right into the mouth of Lophia, not sure what to expect as her mouth shut, and Lophia once against submerged herself into the water.

Sylvie went to the edge of the boat, watching as the god disappeared with Marigold in her mouth, and then she was left alone with Laurie.

She looked over her shoulder, seeing Laurie there shivering. She smiled, "You look like a wet dog," he tried to laugh but he was so cold it came out like a strange hiss. "I think we should talk now that we're alone."

"Eh-hem," Red looked up at Sylvie. With all the rocking, he was stuck on his side with a limited view of everything.

Sylvie just scooped him up, walked to the bow of the boat, then dropped him into the hatch and closed it. "Okay, now we're alone."

Snatching up a blanket, she wrapped Laurie up and pulled him close. "I feel so ashamed, Laurie, to admit this...but..."

She sighed, "When you said you were nervous about becoming a father, I berated you–"

"You didn't berate me," Laurie said, trying to revise Sylvie's twisted memory, "come on, you were scared I'd leave–and I did–you can still be mad at me–"

"It's not even that anymore!" Sylvie said, letting out a gasp as she tried to explain it, "I kept getting so mad at you for not being ready and not...committing to this huge life change...and I mean look at you! You've completely melded into being a dad–and I've been...I've been getting used to things..."

"Do you have regrets?"

Sylvie pursed her lips, shutting her eyes. She moved closer to Laurie, and she crept into his grasp until he wrapped his arms around her properly.

"When I became pregnant, it sort of felt like that was the end of something," she said. "The end of youth...and the truth is I didn't know...who I was yet."

"Oh," Laurie sighed, finally feeling he understood her, "Now you're just mom...or just wife..." He pulled Sylvie up so he could see her face. "I think I get it, you don't have room to be...just Sylvie."

"Maybe mom is fine," Sylvie said, a nervous look on her face, "I just gotta buckle down, I know. I'm sorry–Marigold called me and it just seemed like the chance to–"

"To get to kick butt and do cool magic stuff–I know," Laurie sighed, "Well...I guess your maternity break couldn't last forever."

Sylvie looked at Laurie, "Huh?"

"I'm sorry Sylvie," Laurie shook his head, "but we've got bills to pay! It's time to get back to work."

"Laurie..."

"You need to start taking more jobs! I mean, with skills like yours, staying in the house–it's just a waste." Laurie pulled Sylvie in again, wrapping her up tightly, "I mean, I'll have to get back to work too. Thanks to you, all my work is at the guild–I bet I can bring Dover Jo in and have mom watch him–or heck–we can convince Laxus that he should provide a daycare to guild members."

Sylvie's eyes widened, "That's a great idea–I'm sure our generation is gonna start piling in the new kids–now that Nashi and Gideon are married! Oh, you just know they'll have, like, a billion kids."

"Exactly–we'll get right on it with Mira when we get home," Laurie said with a nod, "you've always been good at negotiating things with Laxus. By that I mean, scaring him into submission. Then, I suggest you start looking for work! Good jobs, adventurous ones that call for someone just like you."

Sylvie smiled, feeling warm in his embrace. However, the smile faded as she thought, "What if...this doesn't fix it either?"

"Fix it?" Laurie looked down at Sylvie, "I know a lot about fixing things...but I think by now I know that people...there's no fixing them. With machines, they're supposed to operate in a single way, but people aren't like that. They don't have a single purpose and that purpose is always changing...Torto told me that in the Underground..."

"The one with the grapefruit wife?"

"Yes, Susan," Laurie said rather curtly, "Anyway–if you want a fix, then, sorry...I don't have one." He shook his head, a rather pitiful expression on his face. He tucked the wet hair behind Sylvie's ear, making her pale round face clear in the dull light. "But I can be here...while you figure things out."

Sylvie felt uneasy, not because she didn't think what Laurie was offering was good or right, in fact she knew he was right. The fact that he was right made her all the more miserable because she knew there was no fix for that icky feeling that left her wishing she could just flick a switch and all would be better. It would be painful, it would be long, and it would be difficult.

However, he'd be there. No running away, no shutting her out. Just sitting there through the uncomfortable mess that lay ahead for them.

Sylvie decided that while she'd feel uneasy in the future, that much was certain, that day, she would feel at peace. Her son was safe in the hands of his grandparents, and she was safe in the arms of her husband, and he was safe in her arms. And so on.

So today she would feel happy, and tomorrow, she'll see.

<─── ∘°❉°∘ ───>

Marigold wasn't sure how long she was in Lophia's mouth, but she began to worry that oxygen would become an issue soon enough. She sat tight as they went deeper into the ocean until finally the mouth opened and she could see a small light.

"I houh ha hii ho whing a laigh," Lophia said with her mouth wide open for Marigold to step out. Surely she meant something like, "I took the time to bring a light."

"Thank you," she landed on a slimy wet rock. It was slick, and she almost stumbled backward but a friendly tentacle arrived to stop her from falling.

"Careful," Lophia said, finally free of Marigold from her mouth, she spoke as she did once more. "This place is kind of dry...it's where I keep my treasures..."

Marigold looked around the space to see it was not some empty cavern, rather a cave of wonders. There Lophia had collected countless items that had sunk to the bottom of the sea. However, most of it was just trash. There were lots of plastic bottles all lined up on a shelf. Then plastic bags had been strung together to create streamers hanging from the ceiling.

It was charming, and Marigold didn't have the heart to say it was garbage. Nor did she really see it as garbage any longer. In fact, it was a kind of artistic recycling, and it surely did the local animals some favors having Lophia collect all the trash and bring it here.

"Wow," she said, touching a few pieces of the collection. She was careful, holding it like it was fragile and could break if mishandled.

"I hope you don't find it strange..." Lophia seemed a bit embarrassed. "The other gods can be...well...they're all so much more important than I am–"

"I don't think so," Marigold shook her head, "in fact, you're definitely my favorite god I've met."

"You're too sweet."

"But..." Marigold sat down on some kind of old tire. "I wonder if you could be doing more."

"Doing more?"

"Well," she worried about saying this, she got the impression that Lophia was a sweet woman. "Do you want to help the humans?"

"Oh," Lophia seemed rather confused by the question. "Well...I don't dislike the humans, if that's what you're asking. I want them to like me–that's for sure!"

"But do you want to help them?"

Lophia said, "I save them–from–oh...well I guess I don't save them from anything do I? If I'm the problem..."

Lophia seemed to slump down a bit, looking rather glumbly at her collection. "I guess I'm not very helpful at all."

"But you're kind," Marigold said, "and I think with some guidance you could do a lot of good with your abilities."

"Oh, I can...swish the water around and grab things..." Lophia crossed her tentacles as if they were two arms, knotting them together in a bizarre way.

"Well, all this stuff you've got here," Marigold looked around at the cave, "You did a great deal of help to the water by pulling this out of the water?"

"Really?!" Lophia seemed excited, "I did? I was worried I was...you know...stealing!"

"Oh no," Marigold shook her head. She smiled and stood up. "I think as a god, you and I...we have a responsibility to take care of the world and the people living in it."

Lophia looked at Marigold, her many eyes blinking at her. She was silent, but her stares were intense as she seemed to swallow Marigold in her gaze. Lophia hummed a bit as she said, "You remind me of someone...but it's been so long I can't remember who."

Marigold didn't know who Lophia spoke of, but she remembered why she was there in the first place. She decided to tell Lophia plainly. "I did something very harmful to the world...and I need help undoing it."

Lophia looked at Marigold sadly, "I fear I can't do much to help..."

"It's about Nubes–"

"Oh–"

"Please listen," Marigold said, "there's a god on that island. Right? And you're protecting him, that's why you turn all the humans away? To keep them off the island?"

Lophia sighed, then shook her head gently, "It's not just to protect him...it's to protect the humans as well. He's a good god, well–I like him–he's just–" Once again, her tentacles knotted up as she tried to find her words. "He's complicated."

"I have to fix what I did," Marigold said, "and I think he might be able to help me."

Lophia reached a tentacle out to Marigold. She wrapped around her and squeezed her just a bit. A friendly squeeze as if to test her durability. "You seem rather...determined."

Marigold felt Lophia pull her off the ground, "Alright then," Lophia said, pulling her back to her mouth, "I've made my decision," her mouth opened wide, "hets hooo!"

Back into the mouth she went, and Lophia led her to the surface, where she came up mouth first so Marigold could arrive back on her boat with no issue.

There, Sylvie and Laurie had found some rest, Laurie fiddling with his prosthetic to try and fix it while Red shouted from inside the hatch to get out.

As Marigold dropped back onto the boat, Sylvie gave a sigh of relief, "I wasn't sure you'd be back, considering you stepped into a giant sea creature's mouth."

"Right," Lophia put out a tentacle and pressed it gently onto the top deck of the boat. "Now this might seem strange, but could one of you slice this tentacle off."

Everyone stared at Lophia, "What?"

"Oh, and please be quick," all of Lophia's eyes closed, shut tightly as she dreaded the feeling of her limb being severed. "Go on! Don't say when–just do it!"

Marigold looked at Sylvie, and though she had plenty of questions as to why she had been asked to do such a thing, she quickly performed a water slice and off the tentacle went, collapsing limply onto the deck of the boat.

"Ow–" Lophia bit her tongue, trying not to get so fussy. Afterall, she asked for it.

Meanwhile, on the deck, the severed tentacle seemed to squirm and morph into something new.

The three watched as the blob of flesh started to grow a pair of humanoid arms. The arms pushed against the deck, arching its back as it formed and then its head. Long dark green hair grew from the new head, sinking onto the deck as though it were flowing water. Then, the new creature flipped its head back to reveal its pale smiling face, one that they'd seen not too long ago.

"Alright," she pushed up and her legs began to form. It looked as though her flesh were melting down her bones, but really it was just the skin settling in place. It was odd. "I'll accompany you to ensure my friend doesn't do anything he shouldn't."

Laurie was a bit distracted by everything that just happened to hear her, he kept pointing at Lophia's human form and then her true form, "Hold up!" He shouted, "Are you?"

"I'm Lophia," the human one said.

"And I'm also still Lophia," the larger sea creature said, "is it confusing?"

"WHAT!" He shouted, Sylvie patting his back to try and calm him down unsuccessfully.

Marigold wasn't all too perplexed, but she couldn't help but wonder, "Can I do that too?"

"I don't know," Lophia pondered the proposition, though she came up with no answer, "I suppose that's for you to learn for yourself."

Lophia moved toward the edge of the boat, sliding her hand on the railing happily as she slunk toward the bow. She turned to herself and smiled, "Goodbye, Lophia! I'll return soon enough!"

"I know, goodbye Lophia," Lophia said, sinking back into the sea as she waved her thin little tentacles at her other self. Laurie just kept looking at the two of them, his head snapping back and forth to try and figure out who was what and why this worked.

Sylvie returned to the wheel of the boat, Marigold joining her and kneeling beside her to chat. "You and Laurie good?"

"I suppose," Sylvie said, "I hope you don't mind him crashing..."

"Well, I'm sure it'll all work out," Marigold said, returning to her bucket as Sylvie started the motor. The loud motor hummed as they began to move again, and then Marigold thought, "Where's Red?"

"I threw him in the hatch, should we get him out?"

Marigold shrugged her shoulders, "Eh, he'll be fine."