"Have you decided whether you're going to take that internship your professor mentioned?" The platinum-haired woman asked keeping her gaze on the sea.

"The engineering one? Don't know." The black-haired man shrugged. He stared at his reflection in the ocean. He imagined he'd see blue eyes staring back at him if it weren't for the fact that the water was blue.

"And why not?" The girl huffed. "I swear you're lazy to a fault. You're always procrastinating! You're going to go your whole life working minimum wage jobs—"

"No, I have enough skills to where any engineering company would hire me on the spot. I just... I haven't found one that's stuck out to me."

"And what is it you're looking for?"

Ares shrugged. "I'll know it when I see it."

"Which is all the more reason you should take the internship. Worst case scenario, at least you'll know what it's not."

Ares sighed before smiling at the woman beside him. He had lost his mom before he had any substantial memories of her, but he often thought she might be like Thea. "If I take the internship will you stop worrying?"

"Yes." She tried to hold back the smile but her cheeks wouldn't budge.

"Okay. I'll do it for you." He patted her on the head the same way he had when they were kids. While she had been reciprocal as a child, she found it embarrassing as an adult.

"Stop!" She pushed him away. "We should get a drink. It's hot out here."

"What did you expect in midsummer? Besides, it's cooler out on the ocean."

"Except when the sun is peering straight down on you." Thea made her way inside the cabin not bothering to check if Ares had followed.

Ares silently followed behind Thea. He had never really been one for alcohol, though he had just recently turned of age. Even before then, when his friends would try to convince him to drink with them, alcohol usually ended up on the floor from him spitting it out.

It was something he would later acquire with age.

He pulled up a stool at the bar. Thea was quick to order a margarita, while Ares simply opted for lemonade.

"You shortchanged me two cents!" A blond-haired man maybe a decade older than the two snapped at the bartender.

"No, I didn't." The bartender didn't even bother to make eye contact, obviously annoyed that anyone would make a fuss over two cents.

"Yes, you did. My drink cost one dollar and seventy-eight cents and I handed you a two dollar bill. You gave me twenty centers in exchange."

"It's two cents," Ares said flatly, annoyed for the bartender's sake.

"What does that matter? Money is money. If you spent two cents a day that would be seven dollars and thirty cents you just wasted. That's enough to buy four drinks!"

Ares was slightly impressed by how fast the man was able to calculate that. "But this isn't an everyday occurrence. It's one day. Let it go."

"And that's exactly how you get started. If you give in one day you're bound to do it the next. Eventually, it becomes a habit. I do not wish to form the habit of wasting money. After all, I'm an accountant. I need to set an example for my clients."

Ares opened his mouth to say something but was quickly silenced by Thea telling him not to even bother.

"We've only been out at sea for three days and I'm already bored to death." Thea pouted as she plopped down on the corner of Ares' bed. "So much for it being a "fun" distraction."

"Have you seen the play?" Ares asked.

"Twice. I was that bored."

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"Bingo?"

"Why would I want to play bingo of all things? You can do that literally anywhere." Thea cringed.

"I know you're not one for swimming..." Ares paused. What was something that Thea would really enjoy? "What about that history seminar?"

"What history seminar?" Thea raised an eyebrow.

"The one about Wahaii."

"Wahaii? Really?" Thea narrowed her eyes. "I knew we should've taken a cruise somewhere other than Caneria."

"Hey, it's cheaper to stay local!" Ares shrugged but Thea remained unamused. "Come on, you'll have fun! You'll see!" He practically dragged Thea by her wrist all the way to where the seminar was being held. They arrived fifteen minutes early and noticed a familiar face.

"Uh, let's sit here." Thea quickly pulled out a seat in the back row.

"I'm not complaining, but I hope we'll be able to hear from back here." Ares sat next to her. He really didn't want to deal with that accountant again.

Unfortunately, he indirectly did. Every few minutes, the accountant felt the need to "correct" the historian giving the lecture about how history actually went.

"Sir, are you a historian?" The speaker asked.

"I fancy myself one, yes." The accountant nodded. "I may be an accountant by occupation but I am certain I've done just as much if not more research than you so-called "historians" have. Just because I didn't get a piece of paper that verified my hours spent researching doesn't mean I'm any less qualified than you!"

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"For spreading the truth and revealing to others the lies you and those in your field spread to convince people to believe what you want? That the government has power over all of us and we're helpless to fight back? Well, I'm not going to sit here and accept that! Who's with me?"

Applause could be heard from two people before they realized they were alone in their agreement and quickly ceased.

Ares was glad when he was escorted out.

"It looks like rain."

"It does not look like rain. There are literally only two clouds in the sky!" Ares motioned exasperated.

"There will be more," Thea muttered.

"Why do you think that?"

"I... I don't know. I just have this feeling. We should get inside before it starts."

"You can if you want. I think I'll take my chances here."

"Then I'll take my chances with you. You can be so stubborn sometimes." She crossed her arms.

"Me stubborn? I was going to say that about you."

"I assure you, there will be no rain," a familiar voice said.

"Not you again..." The words came out of Ares' mouth before he could process what he was saying. Not that he wouldn't have said it regardless.

"The forecast predicts clear skies for the remainder of our voyage. It is precisely why I booked this cruise to begin with."

"You booked it at the last minute?" Thea asked.

"Yes. I wouldn't want my trip to be squandered by something as frivolous as rain."

"You really are a weird one..."

"Are you the one who swiped my towel at the pool this morning?" A black-haired lady with skin as pale as the moon walked up to the accountant.

"I-It was an honest mistake," the man stammered, a wide grin he had hoped to impress her with showed off his pearly white and perfectly straight teeth. Not for long as the lady slapped him across the face.

"You pervert!" She blushed.

"Whoa, whoa, you're stealing now? I'm pretty sure there are fines for that. Seems like a loss of money for you." Ares tsked.

"It was a mistake!" the accountant said a little more exasperated this time. "I will not have my reputation tarnished by this... this tramp!"

"What did you just say?" Thea took a protective step in front of the lady, her eyes glaring daggers at the man before her, causing him to gulp.

"Surely you know who she is, right?" He asked hesitantly, looking from woman to woman.

"I don't care who she is. She could never ruin your reputation because you have already done a fine job of that yourself!"

"What's going on here?" Another man entered the vicinity. His mahogany skin glistened in the sunlight. Sunlight that abruptly vanished.

Before anyone could answer, the ship began to violently rock to the side. The five clung to the side of the ship for dear life as it tilted in that direction.

"What's going on?!" The accountant asked; his voice could barely be heard over the raging waves and rain.

"I told you it would rain!" Thea shouted, more interested in proving her point than whatever strange phenomena was happening at present.

"Where's everyone else?!" The newcomer asked, frantically looking around. "I passed by a dozen people before talking to you guys!"

"Did the captain fall asleep or something?!" Ares asked, wishing he had spent more time exercising as gripping the side of the ship was starting to take its toll on him.

"This storm came out of nowhere! I don't think anyone could have prepared for it!" The black-haired woman shouted. Thea glared at her causing her to correct herself. "Except her!"

"I think that guy has a point!" Ares shouted over the waves. "It's like... It's like we're the only people here!"

"Don't say creepy things at a time like this!" Thea shouted back.

Ares swallowed. What was happening? Why did a storm appear out of nowhere? How had Thea predicted it? What was going to happen to them? Would they be swallowed by the sea? He didn't know how to swim!

Suddenly, the ship tilted further in their direction. Unable to fight against gravity, the ship essentially dropped them into the ocean.

When they came to, they were in a perfectly circular clearing surrounded by a forest.

"Where are we...?" the accountant asked, pushing himself off the ground to get a better look. He realized only he and Ares were awake.

Ares sat up, bewildered by not only the new location but the fact that he didn't drown. The last thing he remembered was water getting into his lungs as he panicked to remember to hold his breath. "Wherever we are, we're not on Eyris anymore."