"Hoist anchors!!" Hongjoong yells to his crew, feeling the sadness creeping in his heart as he watches his family watching him leave, the sails being drawn behind him.

"Hoisting anchors!!" A crew member shouts back, and they can hear the cranking of the anchors as they raise them from the sea floor. San comes to stand next to the red head, both raise a hand up and wave to their small family watching them sail away on the beach.

Hongjoong doesn't take his eyes off of Utopia until they are passed the pointed rocks they turn around. He hated leaving, but he knows other people deserve to experience living on that magical island than just them. He didn't want to be known as Hongjoong the Greedy.

"Thomas said we should arrive at the ocean city by tomorrow evening if we sail through the night," San spoke to Hongjoong as he comes over to stand by the redhead.

"Alright," Hongjoong nods, looking at the blonde, "Have him rest halfway there and let Martin take over," he pats the blonde on the shoulder and walks to his cabin, "Zander! Move these crates of rum down below!"

~~~~

The ocean city wasn't small, but it wasn't big either. It had pretty much everything they needed when it comes to supplies. Thankfully too, Hongjoong notices they sold stuff such as cloth diapers and baby blankets. Stuff he will definitely need for his second child and possibly a new blanket as well.

But as he was looking at the baby items, he sees San staring off into the distance as he studies a pearly white wooden bassinet, smooth sanded and beautiful. He touched the frame, running his fingers along the smooth wood and loving how it doesn't splinter.

Hongjoong chuckles, "Get it."

"What?" San asks, looking over at Hongjoong as he notices the captain staring at him.

"Get the bassinet. It's gorgeous," Hongjoong smiles, picking up 3 baby blankets and a handful of cloth diapers. He knows Seonghwa would be making more, but this will be give them a head start for the new baby.

"You're getting three blankets?" San asks, checking the price on the bassinet.

"Ones for you, ones for my new baby, and ones for Aurora," Hongjoong chuckles, "I'm going to start getting her a tiny trinket or gift every time I sail somewhere. Something to get her to see that me leaving to do this all the time isn't a bad thing when she's older. I believe in the old world they called them 'souvenirs?'"

"Joong, she's still going to be excited to see you because you're home. She knows her daddy is home safe and she knows her mommy will be happy to see you," San smiles, "I'm not going to make this a regular thing, but I know a child will be more happy to see you home than to get a souvenir."

Suddenly, someone bumps into San and she cries out, nearly falling and luckily San catches her. Her hand clenches on to his arm as he helps her stand, San smiling kindly at her, "Are you alright miss?"

"I am," She croaks, looking up at San and a sweet old face of a woman looks back at him, "I was looking at all of the baby clothes and oh, it made me think about my many grandkids and daughters back home," she chuckles, smirking at him, "Thank you San," her long nails rake against his arm as she stands and walks away from them.

Something about her seemed off, especially with her saying his name. How did she know him? Hongjoong frowns, watching her walk away and almost disappearing instantly. He looks at San, noticing his arm where she held on to him is... bruised?

"Hey, what's wrong with your arm?" Hongjoong asks, lifting San's arm to look at the bruise, noticing it's a dark purple and blue, almost black.

San frowns, "She.... she did have a strong grip on me," he looks to where she disappeared, "I could have sworn she said my name."

"Did she?" Hongjoong whispers, worry growing in his chest.

"I-I think so," San frowns, shaking his head before turning to the bassinet, "Lets just buy this stuff and get out of here."

The buy the blankets and baby supplies, walking back to the ship and loading it quickly. Hongjoong points to his arm, "Have Irys put a cold press on that and wrap it. Maybe that'll help the bruising."

San nods, boarding the ship with the rest of the crew and taking the bassinet into the captain's cabin so no one will mess with it. This was for his child, he didn't want anyone touching it. But he noticed as he stood on the boat and walked along it, the arm with the bruise started to burn. It grew hotter and hotter, until he grunts and holds his arm, looking down to see the bruise now blistering and turning red.

He sheds a few tears as he watches it bubble and sizzle, as if he had just been branded. He reaches for the cup on Hongjoong's desk and dumps the rum on his wound to clean it, maybe something touched him and gave him a chemical burn.

Almost instantly, the burn washes away, as does the bruise. He frowns, holding his arm up and looking it over. He shakes his head before putting the bassinet up securely then heading out to help move the other crates and supplies below deck.

Hongjoong was throwing a bag of supplies to a man in the smaller boat, hearing heavy footsteps behind him and he tenses before turning. A tall man, dressed in clothing that reminded Hongjoong of when he met Mingi. Hongjoong stands tall, tilting his chin up, "Can I help you?"

"Where you sailin offt?" The man croaks, scratching his stubbly beard and watching the crew behind Hongjoong like a hawk.

"We're heading back home, to Utopia," Hongjoong replies, grabbing the next baggage of cargo and handing it to the smaller boat.

The man grunts, his hand now scratching the scar that ran right across his cheek, "'Tis a myth."

"It isn't unfortunately," Hongjoong smirks, gesturing to his ship with a single nod, "I can take you there if you'd like. Unless you are too bullheaded and still think it's a myth."

The man grins, his rotting teeth shine in the sunlight as he nods, "Very well, I'll happily come along."

Hongjoong nods, arching his eyebrow, "Nice scar on your cheek there. Pretty damn deep. Dagger?"

The man chuckles darkly, thinking about the blonde headed beauty who left that scar on his cheek two years ago, "Yes, 'twas a dagger that was held by a blonde headed boy. I gave him one back in return."

Hongjoong chuckles, gesturing to the boat, "Come on then, the ship awaits."

~~~~

Written by @jinjin0309!!