Published Jan 11th, 1/11/25 5:25 pm
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The sun rises once again on a distant tropical archipelago. A faint cyan haze lingers in the sky, and the warm, humid air drifts through the scattered wooden houses perched along the sandy shore. Many of these houses are supported by stilts made from various types of wood, their structures blending seamlessly into the natural surroundings. A large dock juts far out into the open sea, and next to it, a makeshift watchtower—constructed from mismatched wooden beams—stands as a sentinel over the bay.
Two figures reside at the top: a slender saw shark and a minuscule copper golem, both clad in simple worker attire. The saw shark is tall enough to peer over the tower's fences with ease, despite his golden eye eyewear and serrated snout.
The massive galleon lowers its anchor with a metallic groan, and a muffled thud resonates across the water as the chain sinks into the depths, immobilizing the vessel. The crew begins disembarking. Leading the way are Rodrigo, Guzmán, and Ancor, striding with casual confidence despite the weight of the Sclera’s dubious acquisition. The titanic basking shark, Boecio, lumbers behind them, his immense frame casting long shadows over the pier.
Though the trio bears the marks of their skirmish, the signs are carefully concealed. Rodrigo’s sword, though worn, hangs at his back as if untouched. Guzmán’s claws gleam as sharp as ever, and Ancor’s jacket appears pristine, despite the chaos they’ve left behind, keeps the Sclera tucked securely beneath it.
The saw shark and the copper golem descend from the watchtower to greet them at the pier. Álvaro leans casually against a wooden crate, his ever-present wrench in hand, his saw-like snout catching the sunlight as he scrutinizes the group.
SAW SHARK (Eyeing them up and down.): “Well, well, look who finally decided to sail back. So… how did the negotiations go?”
Rodrigo hesitates for a moment, his usual confidence tinged with reluctance.
RODRIGO (Flatly.): “Eh… it went well.”
He raises a skeptical brow, glancing between the group members.
SAW SHARK: “Did it now? I must say, I was expecting you to be covered in blood.”
GUZMÁN: “Rrrrrhh…”
ANCOR (Chiming in.): “Hey, come on, have some faith in us! We told you we’d handle it, and we did! Look!”
Ancor pulls the Sclera out just enough for him to take glimpse it. Its jagged edges and ominous gleam catch the morning light, causing the Saw Shark’s expression to shift to one of surprise.
SAW SHARK: “Oh… oh my! You actually did it! The Captain will definitely be pleased!”
ANCOR (Grinning smugly.): “Oh, he will, Álvaro. Trust me.”
The Saw Shark -Álvaro- nods approvingly and gestures for them to move along.
ÁLVARO: “Regardless, you might want to say hello to the others. They’ll be glad to see you all in one piece.”
Ancor’s grin widens, and he practically swoons at the thought.
ANCOR: “I can’t wait to see Marcela’s beautiful face again.”
GUZMÁN: "Rrawrrr...”
RODRIGO (Scoffing.): “You’re all a bunch of simps.”
Ancor waves off Rodrigo’s remark with exaggerated nonchalance as the group heads toward the heart of the minuscule island with houses. Behind them, the immense figure of Boecio steps off the ship, his slow, deliberate movements shaking the wooden planks of the dock.
Álvaro turns to greet him, craning his neck to address the towering basking shark.
ÁLVARO: “Hello, Boecio. How did everything go? They’re saying it ‘went well.’ Did it?”
Boecio blinks slowly, his vacant, heavy-lidded gaze drift towards Álvaro.
BOECIO: “Heeeellloooooo…”
Álvaro shifts awkwardly, waiting for a proper answer.
ÁLVARO: “Uh… yes, hello. So, did everything go well? Or, let me guess… brute force?”
Boecio’s gaze remains fixed on Álvaro with a blank stare. After a long pause, he finally responds.
BOECIO: “Nooooooo…”
Álvaro exhales, relieved but still uneasy.
ÁLVARO: “Good. Good. Well… carry on.”
With that, Boecio lumbers after the trio. His slow pace cannot match their strides as they make their way toward the island’s heart, but every step he takes feels like an earthquake for everyone around him. The copper golem scurries back to the watchtower, leaving Álvaro to shake his head lightly, muttering to himself as he joins them, too.
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The crew arrives at a wide clearing surrounded by palm trees and the scattered, elevated homes in which the sharks reside. More of them mill about, composing a chaotic and diverse group.
A bull shark stands near a table scattered with maps with an arquebus slinging over his shoulder. A female thresher shark, with pink skin and an incredibly long tail and equally long fin at the back of her head, talks with a petite angel shark, female as well and occasionally patting her head.
The attention is soon drawn to Rodrigo and the others, with Boecio and Álvaro following them close behind, but not taking part of the conversation.
THRESHER SHARK: “Oh, wow~. If it isn’t the Order’s favorite meat grinders!”
RODRIGO (Grinning): “You got that right, princess.”
ANCOR: “Hey, for the record, we haven’t ‘ground’ anyone’s ‘meat’ today!”
THRESHER SHARK: “Suuure, baby~. Tell me more.”
BULL SHARK: “Whatever, did you get it?”
Knowing that the Bull Shark is referring to the Sclera, Ancor shows it to him. He is somewhat taller than him, and his skin is tinged in deep brown. A couple of fins protrude from his front, almost as if they were horns rather than that, fins. He wears an identical jacket to him, only just tinged with gray.
BULL SHARK: “Hmm, good.”
ANCOR (Feigning indignation): “That’s it? Just… ‘good’? You’re not even going to compliment us at least?! This thing costs us plenty, you know!”
BULL SHARK: “Compliments don’t come naturally to me. You should know.”
ANGEL SHARK: “Awncooor! Youw’re back!”
ANCOR (smiling warmly): “Carlita!”
Ancor and the Angel Shark, introduced as Carlita, promptly embrace in a hug. She is moderately shorter than him, barely making it to his shoulders. Her skin tone is nearly identical to the sand around them all, albeit somewhat darker. Her eyes resemble to those of a Totem of Undying, as if they were a couple of emeralds. Two long fins protrude from each side of her head, almost as if they’re wings more than that. She wears a small, sleeveless pink shirt with golden buttons and a cyan skirt, adjusted with a golden belt. All in all her appearance inspires wholesomeness, which is evidenced by their interaction.
CARLITA: “I’ve miwssed you sow muwch, you know?”
ANCOR (Still smiling): “Oh, me too. (Turns to the Thresher Shark with a sultry tone). And I’ve also missed you my dear Marcela.”
Marcela, the Thresher Shark, is a lady with an overall refined appearance. Revealing the area under her torso open, she wears a purple outfit with patterns of a lighter shade, a long skirt with golden details and exaggeratedly long sleeves, long enough to cascade way over her arms.
MARCELA (THRESHER SHARK): “Yes, yes. Now go flirt with someone else, like Rodrigo!”
RODRIGO: “WHAT?! I am not gay, you know?! What the fuck is that about!?”
MARCELA (Haughty): “No, he actually is gay, he just doesn’t want to admit it!”
RODRIGO (Outraged): “SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU B—
He cuts himself off, unwilling to finish the insult while Marcela snickers, clearly enjoying his discomfort. Guzmán let out a low, rumbling growl, clearly uninterested in the conversation. Ancor chuckles with Marcela, reveling in the group’s antics as the tension from their mission begin to ease, if only for a moment.
Before the banter can escalate further, a deep, commanding voice booms across the clearing.
???: “Enough.”
All eyes turned as a towering figure steps into view, but not as much as Boecio. It’s a whale shark with cyan-blue skin and white dots all over it, wearing a long, ornate ultramarine coat, swaying with each step he takes.
His piercing eyes scan the group with precision.
WHALE SHARK: “I see that Ancor and the rest have returned.”
The crew quieted immediately, their earlier banter forgotten as they fall into line. An air of seriousness settles over the clearing as he prepares to address his group of sharks.
ANCOR: “O-oh. Hello, Captain.”
WHALE SHARK: “Welcome back. Did you manage to retrieve the Sclera?”
ANCOR: “Uh… yes! Here! (He shows it to him.)”
WHALE SHARK: Excellent. (Addressing the group of sharks) Everyone, gather in the meeting room! (Turns to Ancor.) We would like to hear about your trip to the western island.”
ANCOR: “Why, of course, Captain! We are… eager to tell you!”
Rodrigo and the two other sharks that accompanied him show nervousness, as the meeting implies relaying the events that happened on the island.
The crew begins moving to the Captain’s directions. All conversations die out, and their footsteps sink heavily against the sandy ground as the weight of their Captain’s command settles over them.
CARLITA: “Uhm… Mawrcela, is Rowdrigo awctually ‘gay’?
MARCELA (Chuckling): “No. I only said it to tease him.”
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They all make their way into what serves as their meeting room—a ship repurposed and grounded with wooden fences anchoring it to the island’s sandy terrain. The hull has been hollowed out to accommodate its new purpose, and its interior illuminated by lanterns hanging from the low ceiling. Ladders lead to the ship's deck, though no one climbs them as the crew files in. At the far end of the room, a sturdy wooden table surrounded by ten slabs serves as their meeting space.
Around the table, the sharks take their seats in order and with deliberation: Carlita sits first, then Marcela, Álvaro, Ancor, Guzmán, Boecio, Rodrigo, the Bull Shark and lastly, the Whale Shark. Only one seat remains empty.
The room falls silent, save for the faint creak of the ship. The Whale Shark’s deep voice carries easily across the group.
WHALE SHARK: "Rodrigo, Ancor and Guzmán. You’ve returned from the western island. Tell us, how did the negotiations unfold?"
Rodrigo shifted in his seat, his usual confidence visibly wavering. He opens his mouth but he quickly falters, as his words stumble over themselves.
RODRIGO: "Uh… well, you see, Captain, it was, uh… not entirely straightforward, but we… got the Sclera. That’s the important part, right?"
Marcela raised an amused brow, and Álvaro leaned forward slightly, his golden eyewear glinting suspiciously.
WHALE SHARK (Patient but firm): "Go on."
Rodrigo’s hesitation deepens, and he glances at Ancor for support. Ancor, inevitably and literally capable of seeing all around him, leans forward in his seat with a much deliberate and confident tone.
ANCOR: "The Commanders were not exactly cooperative, as Rodrigo said. They seemed to be fond of the Sclera… for some reason, but we made them an offer they couldn’t refuse. As in, we gave them plenty of emerald blocks, diamond blocks… and even netherite ones! You know how these types are, Captain, they are stubborn at first but when you show them the shiny stuff… ho, ho ho! It was so tempting that they couldn’t refuse the offer! I even gave them a spare slowness potion as a gift! Anyway, they came around in the end."
Marcela let out a soft chuckle, her long, pink tail swishes idly behind her and addresses Ancor’s account with a sing-song tone, half-expecting it to be a farce.
MARCELA: "They ‘came around,’ you say?~ With that ton of blocks? I never expected you'd be capable of pulling that offer. Heck, you’re the greediest one here! Are you sure you did what you say or… did you just offer them Guzmán’s shiny claws, or perhaps Rodrigo’s oversized sword?~"
GUZMÁN: “RRRHHGG!!”
Guzmán grunts with annoyance, offering no verbal response and fixing his gaze on Marcela. Rodrigo, on the other hand, cannot disguise his irritation and lashes out at her.
RODRIGO: “First you call me gay and now you doubt me? What the fuuu— I mean… what the heck did I do this time!?”
The Bull Shark, seated at the Captain’s right, raises his voice enough to shut Rodrigo up.
BULL SHARK: "Silence! (turns to Ancor, who is sitting in a middle seat on the right, between Marcela and Boecio) So, no one followed you back? No trouble on the return trip?"
ANCOR: "No, Sancho. None at all. We’re professionals, after all." (He smirked, spreading his arms in mock innocence.) "The Sclera is safe in our hands, just as promised."
The Whale Shark’s piercing eyes linger on Ancor for a long moment with an unreadable expression. The rest of the Order exchange skeptical glances. Their suspicions are unspoken but palpable.
At some point, the Captain shifts his eyes towards the vacant seat, and then to the rest.
WHALE SHARK: "Where is he?"
Sancho answers promptly, straightening in his seat.
SANCHO: "He hasn't returned yet, Captain. I’ve received no words from him yet, and he probably won’t even bother to send any."
WHALE SHARK: "I see. I think we can safely conduct this meeting without him. If by any change you or the others find him, do tell him the news. Now… we cannot afford to waste any more time. If the legends are true, reuniting the Sclera will grant us power and currencies unlike any we’ve known. This is a great chance to solidify the Selachid Order’s influence."
The weight of his words settled over the room, but Rodrigo leaned forward with his jaw set.
RODRIGO: "Power is great and all, but when are we getting paid, Captain? That galleon’s not going to feed us, and I don’t see it spitting out coins either."
A few murmurs of agreement rippled through the group, but the Whale Shark remains calm.
WHALE SHARK: "You speak of pay as if I do not recognize your efforts, but you must understand - this galleon was a necessary expense. Without it, we would not have the means to pursue the Sclera or maintain our operations. For now, our resources are stretched thin due to its purchase."
Marcela leaned back, crossing her legs and bringing one arm under her chin and sustaining it with another, drawin a sly smile.
MARCELA: "It’s not all bad, though.~ The galleon is incredible. It feels like a floating mansion!"
ÁLVARO (Nodding): "Agreed. I’ve never worked on a ship this well-built. It’s an engineering marvel! However, you’re forgetting one detail, Rodrigo - it has two farms inside of it! Heck, it even has a Nether portal! It can feed you well enough and more! Have you not seen it entirely?"
RODRIGO: “We couldn’t, smartass! We were busy!”
CARLITA (Irritated): “Rowdrigo! Down’t cawll him that!”
Rodrigo cannot bring himself to retort Carlita’s words and is strongly persuaded to apologize to her and Álvaro.
RODRIGO: “Alright… sorry, Carla... and Álvaro.”
CARLITA: "The gawlleon is sow cowzy, too! We cawn even swleep on it!"
BOECIO: “Galleon is gooooood…”
Rodrigo groans and clenches his teeth, but his frustration softens under the group’s generally positive tone.
RODRIGO: "Okay, fine! I’m sorry! The galleon is amazing! Are you happy? (Turns to everyone who has complimented the galleon. After seeing that none of them have anything else to say, he turns to the Whale Shark) Now... you owe us, Captain. I’m not entirely convinced with the ‘power’ these banana relics can give to us."
The Whale Shark inclines his head slightly, his gaze steady.
WHALE SHARK: "And you shall be rewarded, Rodrigo. In time.”
Everyone keeps quiet, waiting for someone to speak up, be it the Captain or someone else. No one does, and thus, the former proceeds to give instructions to the members of the Selachid Order.
WHALE SHARK: “For now, everyone must focus on the task ahead. You will be sent in trios in order to retrieve the Sclera. Ancor, Rodrigo and Guzmán, you must travel to the southern desert, rendezvous with Lázaro, and retrieve the Sclera on the mausoleum. That will be your true payday."
RODRIGO: “Ah, so now we have to look for that freak? (Scoffs.) Alright, fine. We’ll do that.”
WHALE SHARK: “And as for… Sancho, Álvaro and Marcela… you will go to the jungle and retrieve the one of the temple. Álvaro will take the helm. Understood?”
SANCHO: “Yes, Captain.”
Álvaro and Marcela nod in agreement.
WHALE SHARK: “And as for… Carla and Boecio… you will remain here to guard the area and the galleon. You may only use it so long as it stays here.”
BOECIO: “Ooooh… ooookaaaayy…”
WHALE SHARK: “That being said... does anybody else have anything to discuss?”
Everyone glances at each other, as if wondering if they do. It soon becomes clear that they do not.
WHALE SHARK: “Then this meeting is over. Make haste and retrieve the Sclera, only then will we finally take off and expand over the Overworld!”
The meeting concludes with the Whale Shark’s words hanging heavily in the air. As the crew began to disperse, Rodrigo shoots a glance at Ancor, who returns it with a reassuring wink and bring the Sclera to the Captain. Despite the tension, the Selachid Order moves forward, with their sights set on the next step in their pursuit of the other relics.
Sancho is the last to leave, but as he proceeds to…
WHALE SHARK: “Sancho, a word, if you will.”
SANCHO: “Yes, Damasco. What is it?”
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