8 Relaxing Waves

As the water flowed around me at speeds I can't even begin to comprehend, I sank deeper and deeper into the darkest depths of the ocean. To a place that no human being could ever hope to reach. The pressure created at this depth would be enough to crush a grown man into a human bowling ball.

I wonder if this is some sort of pathway connecting this worlds ocean with the waters of another world. If so, does that mean I may be able to return one day? Or maybe even venture out into different worlds? I would only do so after fully exploring this world though. And with Namor's lifespan… my lifespan… being around 300 years I have plenty of time to do as I please. I'll travel to the farthest ends of this world. Then, once I've seen everything it has to offer and i'm completely satisfied, that's when I'll think of what I want to do afterwards.

Finally, after what felt like months of endless travel, where the days blurred together due to the lack of ambient light, I began to slow down until my momentum vanished and I came to a sudden, grinding halt. The change was jarring to say the least. I was momentarily reminded of the Enterprise in Star Trek when they come out of warp.

As that thought passed through my mind I casually looked down at my hands. But this time I wasn't greeted by the sight of my a ghostly blue form. Right before my eyes, tanned and smooth as a newborn, are a set of real, corporeal hands. A sudden thump caught me off guard as I felt the beat of my heart reverberate within in my chest. Clenching my fists, I revelled in the feeling of blood pumping through my veins and the water coursing over my skin.

'You really don't know what you've lost until it's gone.' I thought as I revelled in the felling of being alive once more. I let my hands roam across the rest of my body to make sure I was in one piece. No pun intended. Once I was sure everything was where it should be I started to look around, taking in my surroundings with a profound glee.

Even now as I sit beneath the waves I couldn't be more comfortable. Taking my time and savouring the sensations I slowly swam gradually upwards. As the darkness receded it was replaced by a warm, bright light and brilliant colours so vibrant they seemed to jump out at me.

*twhack*

A large flounder swam passed me, slapping me in the face as I moved towards the light piercing the surface.

"Hey moron, can't you see I'm swimming here!" The flounder called back angrily as I stared on in shock.

'…I really can understand fish.' I thought briefly as i realized just how strange that really is. It wasn't speaking normally either. I heard it's voice in my mind, meaning I just communicated telepathically.

'Atlantean mixed with the blood of Poseidon. It would honestly be weird if I couldn't speak to fish. Then again, it's possible that specific fish just learned to speak English at some point. This is One Piece after all.' I thought with a barely withheld grin. It was while I was pondering those thoughts that I finally breached the surface.

'Being able to breath underwater is pretty awesome.' I thought idly as I realized I wasn't out of breath despite remaining under so long. Reaching towards my neck, gliding my fingers up until they reached just behind my ears, where my gills reside, I smiled before moving my hands upwards and touching my now pointed ears.

"This may take some getting used too." I said while looking up at the glittering light of sun beaming down from above and reflecting off the oceans surface.

Once my eyes had adjusted to the light I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of the scenery spread before me. The warm rays of the sun lit up the surroundings in an almost magical glow. I could feel a gentle breeze on my face as I inhaled a lung full of the freshest air I've ever tasted. The familiar sounds of seagulls entered my ears and for the first time in my life I was thankful for the incessant racket of those winged rats.

'I never thought I would hear that again.' Leaning back and letting myself float on the surface of the water I wiped the tears from my eyes even as they nixed with the salt water around me.

My lungs filled to the brim with fresh air as I inhaled deeply once more. I held it there for a long moment, savouring the sensation before exhaling with a satisfied sigh. Floating here under the bright sun, my mind felt at peace. The entire time I laid, floating on my back, my legs shifted and kicked beneath the surface, propelling me slowly through the water. A childlike joy filling my heart with every motion.

"HahaHaHaHaHAHAHA, IM ALIVE!" Smiling like an idiot I splashed about freely, frolicking in the water like a child for the cheer pleasure of it.

Diving down deep, I did a somersault then a backflip before I kicking off the sea floor and rocketed to the surface once more, breaching the waves like a dolphin before splashing back down again. I moved through the water with a grace and ease that Olympic swimmers could only dream of matching.

It had been so long since I used my legs, more than ten years now. I was worried I had forgotten how, but it all seems so natural. Tears came and fell from my eyes unreservedly as the tide shifted me back and forth, washing them away. My smile only grew all the wider as I dove beneath the surface, doing a several more backflips just because I can. Once I had gotten my bearings and calmed myself down after what must have been a few hours of swimming, I cheerfully swam towards to the surface.

'Huh, that's weird. I expected breathing with gills instead of with lungs to feel different. Who would have thought it felt the same?'

Leaning back to stare at the clouds hanging over head I let my mind wander. Floating on my back and relaxing as the waves carried me towards the shore. Enjoying the feeling of the waters coursing over me, rocking me gently back and forth like a soothing lullaby. After a time, once I realized how far the shoreline was at the island nearby, I began to swim my way to shore.