The waves lapped gently beneath the walkway, their rhythm unpredictable yet steady. Cacophony stood beside me on the edge of the walkway, a slight smirk on her lips. "...That's quite the interesting name. Can I assume 'Aquatic Graveyard' is the official name for this place and not one of your theatrical embellishments?"
I gave a double thumbs up. "Of course! As your servant and guide, there's no way that I would mess this up. Even across the demon realm, my memory is something special. That said, the name does suit my fancy. The thoughts of the other residents must be in the orbital pull of my genius. With that in mind, shouldn't you be on your hands and knees thanking me for such a glorious and awesome name?"
"You never fail to surprise me with your curious remarks. Other than that, what do you mean by the fifth floating district? How many are there in total?"
"Only five, all of which are scattered about the coastline. Despite its sequence number, the Aquatic Graveyard is actually the largest of the five. That must be due to people being drawn to my aura. Even in my weakened state, I just can't hold it back."
Instead of giving me thanks for my clear involvement in the district's booming population, the Empress marched onward into the maze of wooden walkways, floating platforms, and scarpwork houses. Left in the dust, I put down my thumbs and picked up my feet as I followed her. Thankfully, she spared me her absurdly jolly prancing and instead kept to my side.
The moment we set off down the main walkway, the planks beneath our feet let out sturdy thuds and creaks as we stepped. At the same time, the afternoon sun shone down upon the water, reflecting as brilliant, glassy shards of light. I took a tentative glance toward Cacophony as she stepped barefoot across sun-warmed timber soaked in the scent of ocean brine.
'Isn't the wood hot? She's walking on it with the bare soles of her feet, surely she can feel the heat! They must be absolutely sizzling! How could someone actually be comfortable like that?' I suppressed my wayward thought, dismissing it as one of the Empress's personal oddities. Still, I did wonder if her biology as a vampire had something to do with it.
We continued walking down the wooden path in what I'd hoped to be companionable silence. That said, the Empress's eyes were anything but silent. They were wide and had a nosy feel to them as they darted with a hungry curiosity.
The locals went about their lives as normal, not taking note of our existence. A woman standing outside her house was hanging laundry that swayed like surrendering flags; a pair of kids on the walkway were tossing a dented can back and forth; an old man sat on an overturned crate gazing out at the skyscrapers in the distance, smoking something that I couldn't place, and many, many more.
The majority of the older individuals had an indistinct dullness haunting their expressions. It couldn't quite be called sorrow or simple exhaustion; it was something more abstract rather than being purely bleak.
As we marched down the walkway, we were forced to shuffle to the right side so that an older gentleman pushing a cart filled with handmade goods could wobble by. As he passed, he gave a short nod of his head. At the same time, I glanced toward his cart and took note of the contents. His cart was stacked precariously with woven baskets, patched-up nets, and wooden trinkets carved into the shapes of fish.
Despite the time of day, the walkways were still quite busy. Men in faded shirts hauled crates dripping with seawater, leaving damp footprints across the boards. A sharp clang echoed from somewhere ahead as someone hammered a bent nail back into place. There were multiple groups of men dressed in low-quality seafaring clothing, obviously preparing to go out to salvage. A young woman crouched at the edge of a platform, scrubbing barnacles off a metal drum while humming a song.
Cacophony slowed to watch a boy sprint past us, barefoot and wild-haired. Another child followed right after, clearly too caught up in their play to pay any heed to his surroundings. He was barreling straight toward me in line for a collision. Keeping vigilant, I dodged to the side at the last moment.
I let out a pleased sigh.
'At least they're enjoying themselves. However, I must wonder how their parents would feel about them being so reckless. Not everyone has a soft, kingly heart like mine and is so willing to accommodate their behaviour.'
The tang of brine thickened as we approached a broader platform—one of the main hubs where several walkways converged. The area was exceptionally crowded, and all sorts of people pushed past one another as they went about their business. Here, the sounds layered over one another: the slap of waves against pontoons, the clatter of tools, the distant hum of cheap generators, and the overlapping chatter of people bartering, shouting, arguing, laughing, or simply existing in their worn routines.
The large hub was crafted from polished, glossy wood and with an eyeball estimate, I'd say it was about four hundred feet by two hundred feet. Hand-lit lanterns were scattered about, hung on long makeshift posts.
Life churned in all directions; the hub was a place for not only fishing, but also meeting, gossip, and business. A cluster of tin-roof shacks formed a haphazard marketplace: stalls selling everything from dried fish and salvaged machine parts to questionable street food sizzling in battered pans. Among the large crowd of ever-flowing people, these shacks lined the edges of the hub and were dispersed within the crowds. From them, all sorts of people screeched and shouted in primal attempts to gather attention. Solicitors took the advertisements directly to you, hawking you down and pushing their product into your face.
For the people of the Aquatic Graveyard, this was one of the most vital marketplaces for selling goods, buying goods at a cheap price, exchanging information, and having an area to legally fish without fear of repercussions.
At a glance, one got the sense that every square inch of this place had some distinct purpose that was of great importance to someone. The combination of all of the hundreds of small senses of importance swerved into one another, crisscrossing into what made up the essence of this large hub.
Thus, this hub platform had been granted an apt name by the locals.
'The Salt Hub.'
Cacophony slowed her steps, her gaze sweeping the area with keen attention. "Where will we be fishing?"
"We're almost there. This platform serves as the final checkpoint before entering the designated fishing sector. Think of it as the threshold between the mundane world from the seafarer's world. From here on, we'll be in the hands of the Goddess."
Before Cacophony could respond to my short monologue, a voice cut into our conversation.
It was a deep, but slightly husky voice, "Hey, I recognise that messy curly hair and crappy tennis shoes!"
Taken off guard by the loud remark, I turned to face the source. Besides myself, it seems that many others had their attention stolen by the loud voice.
Cacophony and I stood at the end of a walkway connecting with the Salt Hub, just a step away from getting onto the platform. The source of the noise had come from our left.
Two men were standing beside a stack of plastic crates at the edge of the platform, both were squinting as if trying to make sure of what they were seeing. One of them—a wiry fellow with a sunburned nose, dimmed yellow eyes, and a blue bandana tied haphazardly around his forehead—lifted an arm to wave.
"Oi! Veri, that you?" he called out.
The other man—a shorter fellow with a pair of sharp green eyes and an oversized, round nose—nodded in affirmation. "That definitely is. Didn't think I'd see the demon child out here. Ha! My daughter was just telling me about him the other day. Says he got dragged out in the middle of some after-school study group."
The first man laughed. "Sounds about right. Aye! Why don't you come round here a second!"
The edges of my mouth twitched, and I whispered to myself. "My stars must be bad today. Jacky Gold and Bruno Eins. What a terribly lowbrow pair to run into."
Cacophony turned to the men with a blank expression. After she thought for a moment, she smiled and waved her hand invitingly. "Hello, gentlemen. The two of us have some time, so why don't we have a chat?"
Jacky and Bruno perked up immediately at Cacophony's gesture. Their postures straightened, their expressions brightened, and suddenly they were both standing a little taller. Within an instant, I understood what was going through their minds.
'A beautiful woman has suddenly appeared! I'd better straighten up and make a perfect first impression.'
'The two of you are definitely that type of scum!'
As we walked toward the duo, my mind instantly began rounding up all of the information that I had on them.
Jacky Gold and Bruno Eins were familiar fixtures of the Aquatic Graveyard—fixtures in the same way barnacles were fixtures on the underside of rotting boats. They're two peas in a pod, unusually good friends. Neither of them was wealthy, nor did they have stable jobs worth boasting about. In fact, neither man's livelihood actually involved fishing; they only did so as a means of survival. From what I've seen, they both spend an unreasonable amount of time fishing, so maybe they get some pleasure from it.
Jacky, the tall and wiry one, was middle-aged, but didn't seem to have a wife or kids. At the very least, he never spoke about them whenever I was around, and if he did have kids, they didn't go to Shores Charter School. I often spotted him perched at the stern of salvage boats, barefoot and shirtless, no matter the weather, pulling in line after line with stubborn patience.
Bruno, by contrast, was shorter, thicker, and had a bulbous nose. He lived a few houses down from me, so I had a better idea of his home life. His wife was a rotund, soft-spoken woman whom I didn't interact with much, and his daughter was a girl with short pink hair named Giulia, who hung around Charlotte at school. I've seen him on countless scavenging trips as well—usually lugging heavy gear for other men in exchange for a cut of whatever scrap they recovered. That seemed to be one of his primary sources of income. He was the loud type who often laughed too hard, spoke too fiercely, and took too much pleasure in poking fun at others.
Together, they were middle-aged, perpetually broke, and—unfortunately—too common for me to avoid.
Both Cacophony and I stood in front of the two men. Bruno's lips curved into a grin. "Well, now, never thought I'd see the demon child with a friend. Thought you preferred textbooks and other worlds or whatever."
Jacky elbowed his companion.
"Nah, he ain't got textbooks. He just pretends to read."
Their laughter clattered across the platform like loose bolts rolling on metal.
Cacophony, however, remained entirely unbothered. She tilted her head with a serene, curious smile—one that only encouraged the men further.
She stepped just a bit closer. "We're heading to the fishing sector and were hoping to learn more about the customs here. The two of you seem knowledgeable."
The Empress only sang their praises a bit, but the two men ate up the compliment.
Jacky nodded rapidly. "We're experts, miss. Real pros. Anything you wanna know, we can tell ya. The little fraud at your side might be good for a bit of entertainment, but we know how to get real work done out here."
I harshly sneered internally.
'Disgusting. What the hell could Cacophony want out of these two dopes?'
Bruno chuckled. "Veri, repeat that stuff you were going on about last time. About the alien invasion from another dimension or whatever!"
I glared at him. "Not just from another dimension, they're from a parallel, futuristic world! Barbarians like you two wouldn't be able to wrap your head around it."
Bruno guffawed. "Barbarian! Hear that, Jacky? The demon child is calling us uncivilised!"
Cacophony's eyes shifted to me for a moment as she gauged my expression, then she turned back to the two men. "If you're both experts, we could certainly use a bit of help at the moment.
Cacophony folded her hands behind her back, her voice smooth and pleasantly light—as if she were asking for nothing more than a pinch of sugar.
"Veri and I don't have any fishing supplies with us. Would the two of you be willing to lend us a rod and some bait?"
Jacky and Bruno froze up, both looking to the other.
My eyes widened for a breath before I regained my kingly demeanour. 'So that's what she wanted. It means sense of course, I basically came here without any sort of plan. Cacophony, on the other hand, must've always been planning to borrow supplies once we got here. She's doing it by leveraging her appearance and being selective with her words... She's a lot more sneaky and cunning than I'd taken her for...'
I followed up with a quick remark. "Yes, that'd be quite helpful for our campaign out to sea."
Jacky scratched his cheek with one dirty fingernail. "Ah… well… see, miss, that's a bit…"
Bruno stepped on his foot. "We're kinda—y'know—busy." He then tapped on the lid of the stack of plastic containers the two had been hauling around a few moments earlier.
Cacophony eyed the crate. "Are those tools?"
Jacky nodded his head, but he'd really meant to shake it. He was a strange fellow in that way. "Nah. Something for a new gig. Gotta get these to the Seawater Purification Plant within the next few hours."
I exhaled sharply through my nose.
'Huh, did I hear that correctly? The Seawater Purification Plant... It's run by the Southern Florida Water Management and Treatment Corporation, the same organization that delivers clean, drinkable water to the entirety of the Aquatic Graveyard. While I don't know the exact statistics, they likely also deliver water throughout much of the rest of the city as well. That corporate giant has deep ties with the government, other regional powers, and a bunch of powerful people... How in the world could these two dupes have any business with such a serious group?'
Bruno rapped the lid a few more times as if wanting to emphasise the seriousness of his errand. "They're payin' real money this time round. Something about needing a special breed of coral—bright red type. Real pain to get, but the payout is something special, and the gig has been real consistent. Gonna use the extra cash to get my baby girl a present she has been begging for me."
Jacky nodded vigorously. "Real good. So… we wouldn't be able to stay with the two of you and make sure you don't break our gear."
That was all he said, but inwardly I added to his statement. 'You're making it sound like you've come to that conclusion through an economic, logical worldview, but that's not it at all. You're just scared that you won't be able to do your favourite hobby. A middle-aged bachelor like you is certainly lacking in options to pass the time.'
Jacky continued his odd habit of vigorously nodding his head and smirked. "Especially when the person borrowing is him."
I opened my mouth, ready to unleash a verbal dissertation on the fragility of their dignity and the sturdiness of my character, but never got the chance. Cacophony spoke before I could.
She leaned slightly forward, her tone kind but… intent.
"I understand the importance of your delivery," she said. "But surely lending us one rod and a bit of bait won't jeopardise your entire trip."
Jacky and Bruno once again exchanged looks—longer this time, like two men silently deciding whether the heavens had blessed or cursed them today.
Bruno rubbed his nose. "It's not that we don't wanna help, miss. Really. It's just—these rods? They're all we've got. Break one, and we're screwed."
For someone of the lowest caste, decent fishing rods didn't come at a cheap price. I couldn't really fault the pair for having reservations about lending one of them out to strangers.
Jacky sighed through his teeth, rocking back on his heels. "A rod snaps and that's it—we're done for the week. Maybe the month. Gotta save every credit we got."
Bruno joined him with a grunt of agreement, his thick arms crossing defensively over his chest. "Yeah. And bait ain't free either. Stuff in that cooler's good quality. Special mix. Makes the fish go nuts." He lifted his chin proudly.
'He must've made it himself... If that is the case, maybe I shouldn't take him at his word when he's talking about their effectiveness. He is the type to exaggerate with his full chest out... Takes one to know one, I guess.'
Cacophony clasped her hands gently in front of her chest. "We have no intention of damaging your livelihood. We only need something small to get ourselves started. A single rod is enough."
The kindness in her words made it feel as though it were an honest, earnest request coming from a pure-hearted maiden hailing from an old fable. At the same time, the sharpness of the Empress's ruby eyes mesmerised anyone who looked into them. Her kind, patient words, fused with the expectant crimson of her eyes, became a command.
Jacky blinked. Bruno swallowed. Neither answered immediately; both men were stuck between their internal logic and the power of an inhuman creature. The fact that this inhuman creature was also an otherworldly beautiful woman only added to their indecisiveness.
'While I won't excuse Jacky, Bruno... you're a married man...'
With a hint of apprehension, the two men came to a decision.
Jacky raised both hands, defeated. "Alright, alright. Fine. We'll lend you one rod."
Bruno jabbed a finger close to my nose. "But the kid doesn't get to touch it unless supervised. I swear, Veri—one scratch, one nick, one weird curse word from your mouth, and you're payin' us back in blood."
"Your blood, to be exact," Jacky added helpfully.
I scoffed. "As if I would damage your flimsy relics. The real danger is them disintegrating from mere exposure to my greatness."
"See? That's exactly the kinda attitude that breaks things!"
Before the disagreement could escalate into a full scholarly debate on the physics of my supposed destructiveness, Bruno crouched beside the stack of crates. He picked a green fishing rod that had been sitting on the floor. It was older and a bit scuffed, but you could tell that it was treasured deeply by its owner.
He held it out, hesitating only a second before placing it carefully into Cacophony's waiting hands.
Her fingers curled around the rod with a soft, appreciative hum. "Thank you. This is more than enough."
Both men puffed up, pride glowing from them like cheap lanterns.
Bruno creased his brow before giving me a death glare. "There's a lure attached to the end so you don't need bait... I'm going out with my family tomorrow, and I've got business to attend to for the entirety of the day after. As a respect to your partner here, I'll give you Monday to get your affairs in order. That means I'll be knocking at your door on Tuesday at about seven in the morning. You'd best be ready to hand over my rod by then. Oh, and if I knock and get no answer, I'm most certainly going to be kicking down your door."
I scoffed in reply, but Bruno paid it no mind. He continued his death glare and didn't back down. The two of us ended up in a staring match.
Both Jacky and Cacophony were unaffected by this and continued as before.
"We'll be heading off soon," Jacky said. "But if you need anything else, just holler. We'll be heading out in about fifteen minutes."
Cacophony gave him a pat on the shoulder. "We'll do just that."
Though he was only lightly touched by the Empress, Jacky's mood brightened a great deal. His head twitched unvoluntarily, and he found himself doing an extra ten nods of appreciation.
Grabbing me by the wrist and roughly pulling me, Cacophony forced me out of my match with the big-nosed Bruno. While I wouldn't say I lost, it was more like a tie.
Cacophony and I walked away with our newly borrowed rod, as we started to mix into the crowd, their previous warnings faded behind us as they returned to their crates.
When we were barely within earshot, Bruno added. "And if you catch somethin' weird or dangerous, don't touch it. Just let it escape or throw it back. Especially you, demon child."
Once we were a good distance into the crowded hub, Cacophony murmured, "They seem quite lively... Veri, why did that short one call you a demon child? Is that a nickname of yours?"
I rolled my eyes and huffed. "Bruno is a total brute and a lackluster idiot. I doubt he had much of an education growing up, and I know for a fact that he doesn't spend time reading. All of that said, my answer to your question is..." I stopped for a few seconds and tilted my head upward. I wanted to make it seem as though I needed to think of the answer, but I already had a very solid guess. "...His wife is probably religious."