Ohan stood at the bow, a storm raging around him as Iñigo captained his ship once again. Selvaria was in the ocean, cutting a path ahead as the Cuban military man directed his new rag-tag crew on how to perform simple operations.
Galatea was resting beside Ohan, taking her usual burst sleep as seals often did; Selvaria had gathered a cooler full of fish for the white and black animal to eat, and now, she was plump and sleepy.
He glanced over at the large animal—cuddled up in the soggy pillows she used as padding— the seal asked Selvaria for them so she could weather the storm because she wanted to be ‘strong’ and show she was tough in the open.
Ohan turned his dark brown eyes back to the sea, scanning the horizon while rubbing his neck. Water flowed down his dark skin, reflecting the sharp flashes of lightning that streaked across the heavens.
He’d removed his drenched shirt and pants to place in a dryer, finding military pants as replacements; ripped from the knees down, he’d chosen the damaged piece out of practicality. If he was going to be in the downpour, he didn’t need the cloth getting in his way, and it wasn’t as if he feared contracting a cold or the weather particularly bothered him.
A small smile lifted his lips as the rumbling thunder echoed through the air after a bolt struck the sea to their left—he loved thunderstorms.
Taking in a deep breath to taste the crisp air, Ohan practiced his balance on the rocking ship. We went from one boat to another, he mused, thinking about the sudden departure Cahira made after Tom explained the possible emergency. What’s Vasishtha doing in Havana?
Laughter shook his chest while imagining the South Indian Legendkin finding the nearest club—if they had that in Cuba’s biggest city—and hitting up the ladies for ‘information’ disguised as having a good time. He certainly was a character, and he wasn’t afraid to be goofy, which was why he never had issues finding female companions.
Ohan centered on Selvaria’s swaying motions in the water, colossal monstrous form practically a trailer for a Godzilla movie; it brought him back to ponder the contrast of life before and after The Oscillation and meeting Maria. The Miami crew certainly do know how to step things up. It’s not like we’ll be here forever, though.
He took the time he’d gained to find answers in the whirlwind, whipping back his thick ponytail behind him. I haven’t heard from anyone back home in a while, and it’s not like I really want to be a part of anything going on there … Everything became so hectic after Chiku was killed.
Ray was the only one that had been there for him, and even his father couldn’t be bothered to come out of his company meetings—of course, he expected it, seeing as the man hoped distance would bring him back to take an interest in his growing empire.
A wry smile moved Ohan’s eyes as they wandered over the waves. His father originally got him into reading old Japanese literature since many of his partners came from the country, and it brought the interest in swordplay from a young age.
Now, his father hated the obsessive drive Ohan had in practicing the blade when science was supposed to be his future. There wasn’t much money in owning your own kendo school, but enough to make a living off of, separating himself from his father’s influence. It was something he shared in common with Anthony that drew Ohan to want more time with the man.
Moving over to a flattened area of the ship’s bow to his right, Ohan dropped down into a sitting position, once again working on his balance and discipline. He closed his eyes, pondering the decisions that had led to his current lot in life.
Concentrating on the waves and wind, he blocked out the yelling men and women, who were working on following the captain’s orders.
Mind clearing, Ohan took calm, even breaths, looking for a path forward. Chicago has nothing left for me, and I haven’t heard anything from Jay yet. What if I start a dojo with Anthony? He said he enjoys teaching. Vasishtha loves to drag me along to his various parties as a wingman, and Selvaria does need friends.
Glassed over eyes opening, he sensed the reactions the girl’s bulky form generated in the water, focusing further to sense the ki found inside the individuals on the ship. It came in two variations, generated ki from a soul and radial ki from your surroundings—so far as Ohan understood, it was a spiritual force that infused everything.
It allowed him to see things normally invisible to the naked eye, and was something he had over Anthony. Although neither of them had been able to score any direct hit on each other, Ohan was sure he could overcome the man if they were both at their peak—still, that had yet to be proven.
Selvaria was a mass of power, though, and given her extreme durability, Ohan wasn’t sure he had the destructive force to cause significant damage to the girl, not that he’d want to. She was standoffish, and sensitive, but there was a happy little girl in there that was bouncing to come out if she conquered her social anxiety.
In short, she needed help, and Ohan was always a sucker for helping people; that didn’t mean he’d be walked over, though. Right now, Selvaria and Vasishtha needed a friend, and he fit that bill. On the other hand, Rachel was another story entirely.
Ohan’s lips tightened while thinking about the beautiful, exotic girl. There’s a wildness inside her that she hides from most … A recklessness that thrives on conflict instead of resolutions. Somehow, she always ends up finding the shortest path to a fight, proven by how much violence she’s been a part of in the past three weeks.
His fingers tightened against his thighs, staring up at the sky. If I’m going to make myself available for this team she’s building, I need to know more about her character … I won’t follow someone blindly.
Mulling over the decisions he had to make after this Cuba mission, Ohan watched the storm as the hours went by, and by the time they’d entered the Rio Sierra de Casas to dock the ship, there was only a light drizzle hanging over the green landscape.
Selvaria returned to the ship, playing some kind of card game with her seal and a few uncomfortable women that had joined them. The people that refused to comply were few, only twelve, but had been treated humanely and locked below deck—it was a problem for the law.
Unexpectedly, a small crowd of people was waiting for them along the crowded dock, holding weapons or appearing to have some form of powers.
“Selvaria,” Ohan called, holding his sheathed sword in his right hand.
The tall, curved woman turned her dull eyes to him, currently full on seawater and in her protective mask up mode after the rush of the battle had passed. “Mhm?”
“We have company.”
“Mmh … I guess that’s it,” she said, looking up at the women. “I lost two to four. Good game.”
Yawning, she got to her feet with the others, coming over to observe the crowd.
Patting down her wet Cuban military garments she’d taken, Selvaria absorbed the liquid before airing them out again and squinting down at their foes.
“Who is it, Mama?” Galatea asked, nose twitching. “Oh, lots and lots of people. Are you going to do the bowling thing you showed me?”
Ohan had the mental image of the woman tucking herself into a ball and rolling out to topple the group like pins—then it changed to the size of a five-story building. “I think it’ll be good to just talk. Why don’t you protect these people, Selvaria?”
“Mmh! Mmh!” she puffed out a hot breath, more enthusiastic than Ohan would have guessed, and motioned for Galatea to keep her position. “I’m gonna become a big wall.”
“Mmh,” Ohan’s left eye creased, “Selvaria, as cool as that may be—we want to talk to them, not intimidate them yet.”
Galatea lifted a bit into the air. “Mama’s good at that, though!”
“I’m not saying she’s not,” Ohan returned, seeing Selvaria’s down expression, “but … let me offer you this … If I hold up one hand, you come down—if I hold up two, you jump into the water and become a big sea monster.”
Her glowing eyes became serious, and she gave him a fervent nod. “I’ll roar, too.”
Not knowing exactly what was going through her anime-infused mind, Ohan figured it was the best he could do. She’d told him she wanted to take on a more active role in the fights because she wasn’t good with the talking stuff.
Hopping up on the side of the ship, he scanned the crowd for their centerpiece; their ride had slowly come to a stop alongside other boats since the port was full. Once a decent enough gap closed, he jumped to a nearby vessel and swiftly ran across the slick deck to jump down to the concrete.
His bare feet made a splash as he landed, entrance drawing everyone’s attention. Straightening, Ohan calmly walked forward, sword held loosely in his grip to clarify that he wasn’t helpless.
Spanish mumbles swept the crowd, and a few threatening gestures were made, but Ohan didn’t halt his slow walk through the soft rainfall. It wasn’t until he’d made it halfway to the throng when they moved to surround him. He couldn’t help but notice the chainsaws and woodcutting axes in a few of their hands.
Interrupting their chatter, Ohan fixated on a smug, black-haired man in front of him. “I assume you’re their leader. We come in peace.”
The word ‘English’ came to a few lips before an older man cleared his throat. “You’re with June! There is nothing for you in Isla de la Juventud! We know you are here to take over this place—the homes we have!” he stated in somewhat slightly-off English.
Ohan shook his head, still focusing on the leader’s quizzical smile. “We are not with June. I am from the United States—we have liberated the ship of June’s influence,” he slowly and carefully stated, gesturing to the vessel as men and women lined the edge to peer across the gap to them. “My friend and I wish to liberate you from those that have destroyed your way of life.”
His words appeared to have gotten through to a few people, but most of them just turned to the lanky man across from Ohan. “Ahem—my Engrish in’t that good, bu I say you is a spies! You prove not?”
Expecting this, Ohan nodded. “Take me to June, and if she’s really been committing the crimes we’ve heard, we’ll kill her ourselves.”
The man’s jaw snapped shut, inquisitive brown eyes peering through the rain to see if he was serious or not. “You … think killing June be easy? She monster!”
Ohan gave a casual shrug and smirk. “I have a monster of my own.”
Turning to the ship, where Selvaria eagerly waited, Ohan held both hands in the air. Show them what you got, girl.
It took a bit for Selvaria to catch his signal, unlike how Ohan figured it would look from a movie standpoint. After several awkward seconds of people glancing between his bare-chested posture to the ship, the woman finally jumped.
The water bowed with the ship tilting back as the Leviathan rapidly expanded into her Sea State, forcing the military ship they’d come on backward. Her wicked, blade-like tail thrashed out, grating sounds generated from ripping into the earth and creating a wave as her spikes shot out of the surface, illuminating bright red and turquoise while the beast forced her way between the two ships.
Not a single person could utter a word as the men and women around him lost the ability to stand, and the crashing wake surged over the side of the pier. It shoved the people back before the incline brought the water back, carrying them along to witness the nightmare-inducing figure erupt from the sea to loom over them.
The Leviathan’s massive claws bit into the concrete, fracturing parts of the dock and sending a hail-like spray down on the occupants, but it wasn’t the flashing colors, bulk, or even her webbed hands flexing to push herself out of the ocean that attracted the petrified populous.
Steam hissed out of Selvaria’s savage mouth before she sucked in a deep breath, rearing her head before screaming at the heavens. Throat-plates quivering and her ferocious maw revealed, the loudest, most gut-churning visage Ohan had ever seen let out an ear-shattering roar that rippled through his bones in a way he’d never experienced.
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Ohan braced himself against the tide, unsheathing his sword to stab into the ground; the flash flood she’d formed by pushing back the two ships on the dock to make room for herself passed, leaving the people scattered.
He had no doubt that everyone on the island had heard the new monster’s arrival, much less the Fear Aura she’d produced that likely swept through several city blocks.
Almost everyone present was hugging themselves where the current had sent them, quivering in shock. Only two men were left standing, Ohan and their scrawny leader, but that was all the Cuban could do, staring at Selvaria as if dumbstruck.
A low hiss passed through Ohan’s throat as he watched the colossal Leviathan promptly retract her aura, and the girl was quite proud of herself by the smug movements she made, leaning against the ships to make room for their military vessel to dock.
Ohan stood in silence after sheathing his sword and giving his companion a light glare while maneuvering their boat into place with her weight. Ten minutes passed as the populous recovered, and Selvaria played Tetris with the ships.
When she was done, the girl returned to her beautiful human state, shaking out her wet hair after jumping out of the water—there was a spring in her step that told Ohan she’d wanted to do that for a long time.
“Selvaria…” Ohan mumbled, his muscular arms crossed while directing her gaze to the still-recovering mob with his head.
No one around them, she grinned, holding up two fingers in a victory pose. “I was going for the Godzilla movie effect! Total victory, right?!”
“Ugh…”
“Why are you shaking your head, Ohan?” she asked, taking a step back to study her handiwork. “I knocked it out of the park! Didn’t I? You wanted me to come in with a bang…”
Ohan rubbed the seawater from his face. “No … it worked, but could you tone it down a little next time when we’re dealing with normal people? You know what I made the guys on the ship do … Yeah, they’re all going to be going home and changing their pants.”
Selvaria’s proud sidelong smirk said it all. “I mean, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Who would think I was a giant monster when I look like this?”
“Keep that confidence as we go meet with their leader … if he’s not comatose while standing.”
The ‘terrifying’ Leviathan’s expression tightened, jogging after him. “W-Wait, I need to prepare myself … oof…”
Her face quickly pacified as they drew near to the man—he had yet to turn away from the place Selvaria had been. Selvaria, the intimidating goddess of the sea, was crippled by social interaction.
Touching his shoulder, Ohan felt a bit sorry for the man as he flinched and stumbled back; landing hard on his butt, he held up a hand, fixating on Selvaria. “N-No—a-a-a … por favor—p-please—I … Don’t me eat!”
Ohan shook his head, bending down to place both arms on his knees to get on his level. “She’s not going to eat you … Calm down a bit. As I said, we’re only here to bring back some order.”
The presence of a new individual soon entered Ohan’s receptive field. Above?
Darting back, he summoned his blade into his hand to see an armored suit of gold and red slam a fist into the spot he’d just been standing, creating a concussive force that turned the concrete to powder in a small area.
Selvaria either didn’t care to or couldn’t react as the person flipped around at a speed he hadn’t seen since watching Rachel and angled an elbow at her face—the blow landed, causing the Leviathan to take a step back to stabilize herself.
For a moment, all of them were frozen in place, Selvaria’s confused illuminated eyes soon turning to rage as they moved to the full-armored figure. Darting back to pick up the scrawny man, the person landed several feet away to appraise them.
“Can I kill him?” Selvaria asked, rubbing her cheek that showed no signs of damage. Galatea cried out as she made her way onto the dock, but Selvaria held up a hand to her. “Go back … It could be dangerous.”
“B-But, Mom, I wanna help…”
“Go back, Galatea,” she said in a sharp tone that made her retreat. “He hit me, Ohan…”
Studying the new figure, Ohan took a deep breath before letting it out in a steady stream. “Did it hurt?”
Selvaria worked around her jaw, rubbing it a little. “I felt it, but … no. Still, he hit a lady’s face! I want to punch him back.”
The helmet slid back to reveal a dark-haired woman in her late thirties. “I … believe there has been some misunderstanding,” she whispered, having decent English. “Are you attacking our city?”
Ohan cleared his throat, stepping forward to put a hand on Selvaria’s shoulder. “We’ll listen if you apologize to my friend.”
“And tell me where you got that cool armor!” Selvaria huffed, folding her arms under her bust. “You better really mean it, too … Just attacking me out of…”
She trailed off, focus drifting to the recovering people, trying to crawl into nearby buildings to escape. “Eh … Okay, maybe I do deserve a…” she coughed, rubbing her throat and looking away. “Just tell me about the armor…”
“A name would help, as well,” Ohan pressed. “Are you in law enforcement?”
Rubbing her eyebrows, the woman slowly nodded. “You … could say that. My name’s Nerea, and I’ve been trying to keep the order with a few other community members. Eh, as for this suit … I don’t know how it works. I just use it.”
Selvaria seemed hooked after that, vision slowly moving down the sleek design—enough to know a female wore it but not enough to look bulky. “Where did you get it?”
Knowing the girl wanted to get her hands on it, Ohan had to reign the conversation back in. “We’ll worry about that later, Selv, but right now, we need to deal with June. Can you take us to her, Nerea?”
The woman gave them studious looks before speaking to the quivering man behind them in Spanish. After a short exchange, she slowly nodded. “You’re here to kill June, huh? It won’t be easy. Only Kevin can fight her one-on-one, but … if you’ve got someone like her…”
Nerea stared at Selvaria for another moment and nodded, helmet sliding back into place like some kind of movie; her voice wasn’t even muffled. “She’s a scourge against our community. If you’re here to help us, we’ll take it, but after that, I think you should meet our community leader and hash things out with him.”
Feeling far more optimistic about the direction things were going, Ohan nodded. “I look forward to it.”
Ohan took some time to return to the ship and explain the situation to the frightened people, and Nerea’s group took those that confessed to crimes or refused to cooperate into custody for a later date.
The captain decided to go with them and see if he could use the communications equipment on the island to call his superior after June sabotaged the equipment on the ship. He voiced his concerns about the city’s status, and Ohan assured him that he would be cautious.
Before parting, Iñigo gave him a hard stare and held out his hand. “You kept your word … That means something in Cuba.”
Ohan grasped it, returning the somber expression. “We’re here to help. Keep your ear open; if something sounds fishy, hide out until we come back … We will.”
“Aye, I’ll count on it. If this is really being community-governed, I’ll find out.”
He did the same to Selvaria, and Ohan was a little surprised when the Leviathan had a sit down with Galatea. She asked the telepathic animal to stay on the boat to protect the few women who felt unsafe to return to their old homes. The seal proudly accepted the mission, and Selvaria presented a secret bucket of fish she’d been hiding, much to her thrill.
Departing, they followed Nerea through the surprisingly normal-looking city, noticing some points of destruction, but clean-up was being handled. He didn’t find many sullen faces—although some frightened whispers and voices called out to the armored woman as they went, likely asking about Selvaria’s roar.
Ultimately, Ohan came to two conclusions; either these people were just living life as best they could, or there was some kind of mass mind-control at work, which wasn’t impossible.
Nerea took them to a truck on the side of the road to talk to the man loading it with what appeared to be fertilizer. After a short exchange, they were motioned to sit in the back with her. The man gestured at Selvaria and her, likely wondering if they wanted to ride inside, but Nerea refused with a sad shake of her head.
The second Selvaria gingerly pressed down on the lip of the truck, the shocks groaned, causing the man’s head to dart out of the window to look back at them in question.
Releasing a few weak chuckles, Nerea hesitantly asked if they could remove the fertilizer.
He solemnly agreed, and they unloaded the bags before getting inside; they had to take it at a slower pace because of the Leviathan girl’s weight, and Ohan was a little worried for the man’s construction vehicle, but it was being a champ.
Sitting in the back, Ohan leaned against the cabin, left arm on the side while looking at the wet streets; the storm was still overhead, dropping a gentle veil over the island. To him, Nerea seemed to be showing them what the city was like, and after several minutes of cruising speed, they passed over a bridge.
“Where are we going?” Selvaria asked, using her hands to keep her hair out of her face.
Nerea gestured to the northeast. “We suspect after Kevin scared her off, she went to a small community around a former prison called Presidio Modelo.”
Ohan knew of the place political prisoners had been sent to during a previous regime during his study of the island. “Do you have a plan to smoke her out?”
She smirked, thumb pointed back at herself. “She hears I’m all alone, walking around a big open space; she’ll take the bait.”
“Really?” Selvaria mumbled, unable to take her eyes off of the golden and crimson armor. “Sounds stupid.”
A giggle shook Nerea’s covered frame. “You could say that. She’ll scope it out, sure—but in the last three days … I bet she’s been feeding and growing even more. By the way,” she turned to face the Leviathan, “I tried to kill you with that attack—yet you barely even flinched.”
“I didn’t flinch at all,” she huffed, glaring at her. “It was like a fly landing on my face.”
Nerea’s eyebrows shot up as she laughed. “Wow! Well, okay then! If you think you’re up to the task, I’ll just run and watch because seriously—I can’t touch her, even with my armor.”
Ohan shifted his legs a bit. “Mhm … So, the only thing keeping you in the fight is a crafter that can make these battle suits for you?”
A hint of worry touched Nerea’s voice. “How … did you guess that?”
Selvaria smirked, looking away while trying to look cool. “We knew a stinky dwarf that does that kind of stuff—no biggy. Maybe your crafter person can make me some cool armor.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but … we’ve only been able to make this stuff because of this crystal that appeared … there was stuff inside he was able to use. A lot of good men and women died, using their powers to try and defeat those rabid dogs that were inside to get the rest of the materials we needed.”
Pouting a little, Selvaria grunted. “Okay … I’ll ask Rachel to get us materials—she does that kind of stuff.”
Ohan interjected to not confuse the woman. “Still, it’s brave of you to do this as a normal human. That kind of technology … heh, or whatever it is, could be used to help a lot of people…”
He hissed, thinking back to Jay and his perspective on things. “Or … it could be used by the military, government, or corporations to make an army of Iron Man clones. Ugh, the world has gotten complicated.”
A small giggle came from Nerea. “You’re pretty funny. I’m glad I took those English classes … If you can help us get rid of June, we could finally restore order to the island. We’re trying to figure out what’s going on, but no one on the mainland has been answering our calls for help … Well, I guess there was Iñigo, but a single ship like that? I don’t know…”
Ohan could feel the concern she had for her neighbors; it sounded sincere. “So long as you really aren’t oppressing the people on this island, we’re on your side. I hope I’m right about you.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, head tilting to stare at her gold-enclosed thighs. “It means a lot that random people from the United States would come to our aid … really, it does…”
Continuing their path, they fell into silence and eventually exited the truck, Nerea sending the man back for his safety while they made their way onto a large open field.
Ohan scanned the area, looking for signs of life, but there was nothing. Walking further into the structures, the three explored the open halls, yet all that met them was an unnerving stillness.
“Unusual…” Nerea whispered as they exited the compound. “To not find a single person here … no food or signs of people huddling for protection. You don’t think she could have eaten all of the people here in three days?”
Ohan shook his head. “I couldn’t say … Let’s move to the…”
He held up a hand, hearing something rubbing against dirt and stone; she drew them to a nearby window of a guardhouse to stare around the corner. A trail as wide as a car had been carved out of the soil that hadn’t been there before; it curved around the compound, and not soon after, a woman wearing a snake-skin dress walked out from behind a building.
“Nerea,” she cooed, hand on her hip while strolling further toward the buildings. “I could smell you drawing closer in the wind … Who are your new English friends? He-he-he, I won’t let you escape so easily this time.”
This time? Has she tried to fight her on her own before?
Ohan was about to step forward when Selvaria held him back, puffing up her scaled chest. “I got this!”
Her confident voice seemed to attract the woman’s attention because her focus shot to them. “Oh? You wish to be the first sacrifice … Nerea, did you play the ‘I need help’ card again? Just because you brought two more doesn’t mean I won’t gobble you up, too!”
Somewhat disappointed in himself for believing the woman had played him, Ohan’s arm darted out to snatch Nerea’s wrist and bring her around into a bear hug. “So … the reason things are safe is because of these sacrifices.”
“N-No, you don’t understand!” Nerea pleaded, struggling to get herself free, but the force she’d shown before was very lacking, making him conclude it needed to charge in some way. “We can only defend so much of the city … so we offer her criminals for a truce…”
Selvaria had already strode out to meet the woman, cracking her knuckles. “I’m about to make some snake armor!”
“We’ll talk about it after,” Ohan muttered. “Just wait and watch.”
June sneered at Selvaria, body radiating green light before elongating to stretch into a giant serpent. Her big tongue slid out as she reared back, fangs opening side to reveal venomous fangs and thin fangs.
Selvaria calmly kept on her path, now rotating her arm. Spreading her legs and throwing her fist into the air with a confident smile, she extended one finger into a pose. “I am the hero hidden in the sea, monster! I will give you this one chance to repent of your ways!”
Hissing laughter shook the ground as the green serpent lowered to leer at her. “What are you spouting?”
Turning to her side, Selvaria chuckled, returning the look. “You couldn’t take a single punch from me weak…”
June lashed out in a split second, tongue sliding around Selvaria before pulling her inside and causing Ohan to wince. No … She isn’t going to…
“I’m sorry…” Nerea whimpered, but it was drowned out by the sudden gurgle and thrashing head of June as a quiver ran down the snake woman’s frame.
Mouth opening and eyes rolling back, Ohan lifted an eyebrow upon seeing Selvaria delivering a single devastating punch against the roof of the woman’s mouth, rattling the snake’s brain into a coma—Ohan was sure there would likely be brain damage once the crack reached his ears and blood sprayed across Selvaria’s shrinking figure.
The colossal head tore up the soil for Selvaria to summersault out and smoothly raise to her feet. Walking forward, a small smile on her lips, fist in the air as her more child-like figure took shape, the Leviathan looked up to declare her victory. “One punch, fool!”