Ready or Not

After the feast, the excitement in Aria's eyes couldn't be ignored. King Neptune chuckled and stood. "It seems the young lady is curious about our abode. How about a tour of the palace?"

Aria's eyes shimmered with anticipation, mirroring the sea's sparkle. "Can we, Daddy?"

Jack looked at his daughter, his eyes turning a softer shade of blue. "Absolutely, Princess."

King Neptune led the way, his broad shoulders dwarfing the corridor. Aria sat perched on Jack's shoulders, while Robin, who had progressed well with her speech, clung to his arm. Hancock was cradled in his other arm. Sandersonia and Marigold, too young to fully appreciate the grandeur, were happily carried by Luna and Liana.

"The palace holds the history of Fishman Island, the battles fought and the treaties made," Neptune explained as they passed through halls adorned with intricate murals.

"Did you fight in battles too?" Ponis asked.

Neptune looked down at her, amused. "Ah, I've had my fair share."

Titi looked around in awe. "And here I thought I'd seen adventure. This place feels like it's alive with stories."

King Neptune smiled, appreciating her sentiment. "Every corner holds a tale."

After bidding King Neptune farewell, the family began their journey back to the inn where Otohime worked. Jack turned down the King's offer for a carriage ride back; he seemed to enjoy the independence of the walk, the sway of ocean currents around them echoing the fluidity of their lives.

Otohime seemed curious about the reason behind Jack's question as he leaned closer to her and asked, "Do you know of any stone with unreadable text around here?"

She looked at him for a moment, pondering his serious tone. "Actually, yes. There is a place where something like that exists, but it's not the safest area to visit."

Jack's eyes, a calm sea-blue, met hers. "Lead the way."

The place Otohime led them to was known as the Ship Graveyard. Strong currents had brought countless ships to their ruin here. The area was eerie but captivating, much like the mysteries of the sea itself. Amidst the wrecks, one could sense the quiet despair of countless adventures abruptly ended, dreams that would never be realized.

Olvia's eyes widened with scholarly intrigue as they reached the Poneglyph. She stepped forward eagerly to read the ancient text, her daughter Robin watching with curiosity.

"Unreadable for most, but not for you, it seems," Otohime observed, watching Olvia's eyes move meticulously over the carvings.

Olvia smiled. "It's part of my life's work to decode these texts."

As Olvia delved into the meaning behind the Poneglyph, Aria, who sat atop Jack's shoulders, peered over at the ruined ships. "Daddy, do you think pirates used these ships?"

Jack's eyes softened as he looked at his daughter. "It's possible, Princess. Ships like these have seen many kinds of people and many kinds of dreams."

Aria pondered this, her little face a mask of deep contemplation. Then she looked back up at her father. "I like our dreams better, Daddy."

Jack chuckled. "So do I, Princess. So do I."

Titi and Ponis, who were following closely, felt an unspoken camaraderie. Titi glanced at the adventurous Ponis and grinned. "See? Even shipwrecks can be a part of history, part of a bigger tale."

Ponis smiled, her adventurous spirit fueled by every new experience. "I never thought I'd be this close to so much history."

Robin, who had clung to Olvia for most of the trip, now turned her attention to Jack. "Daddy, this place is spooky."

He looked down at Robin, his gaze tender. "Sometimes, Little One, places are just memories of what once was. Not everything that seems spooky is harmful."

She seemed to ponder his words, then nodded gravely. "Okay."

Jack glanced at Hancock, Sandersonia, and Marigold, each absorbed in their own way with the mysterious atmosphere. They didn't understand the full scope of where they were, but they sensed the aura of intrigue.

Finally, as the sun began to set—its light dimming even through the filtering branches of Sunlight Tree Eve—Olvia stepped away from the Poneglyph. "It's time to go. We've learned what we can for now."

Jack looked at Olvia. "Find anything?"

She shook her head, her gaze thoughtful. "It's an apology letter from someone called Joy Boy. But there's more to it."

He nodded, recognizing the weight of her words. "We'll discuss it later."

They made their way back to the inn where Otohime worked. Giving her a nod, Jack signaled that it was time to part ways. "Thank you for showing us the Ship Graveyard."

Otohime offered a slight smile. "It was my pleasure. Your family has an interesting energy."

He gave a brief nod. "Until next time, then."

After thanking Otohime for her guidance, Jack ushered his family into the mysterious Bead's Pocket Space. The atmosphere inside was peaceful, contrasting with the myriad adventures they'd just experienced. The space had a comfortable ambiance, suitable for relaxation and reflection.

Jack entered the space, too, and looked at his daughters—Aria, Robin, Hancock, Sandersonia, and Marigold. They all seemed to sense that today was different. Today, their father had time just for them. Aria's eyes sparkled with anticipation, and Robin clasped her small hands together, a broad grin forming on her lips.

"Daddy, what are we doing today?" Aria asked, her voice tinged with excitement.

"Today, Princess, is a family day," Jack replied, his eyes turning a softer shade of blue that always seemed to appear when he looked at his daughters. "So, what would you like to do?"

"Can we play a game?" Aria's eyes danced at the prospect.

"Sure, what game would you like to play?"

"Hide and seek!" Robin chimed in, her speech getting clearer every day.

Jack chuckled. "Alright, hide and seek it is. I'll count, and you all go hide."

As Jack began counting, the girls scattered in different directions, their laughter echoing through the space. Sandersonia and Marigold, too young to fully grasp the rules, simply toddled off in random directions with glee.

"Ready or not, here I come!" Jack's eyes twinkled as he began to look for them. It wasn't long before he found Marigold attempting to hide behind a small plant.

"Found you!" Jack scooped up the two-year-old, tickling her as she giggled uncontrollably.

After a few more minutes, Jack had found everyone except Aria and Robin. Just when he thought they had found the ultimate hiding spots, a small giggle gave them away. Turning toward the sound, he spotted Aria and Robin huddled together behind a curtain, their laughter making the fabric sway ever so slightly.

"Aha, got you both!" Jack announced, pulling the curtain back to reveal the duo.

"You're really good at this, Daddy," Aria said, her eyes full of admiration.

"I've had a bit of practice," Jack replied, setting Marigold down and reaching out to ruffle Robin's hair. "You're getting really good at hiding, Little One."

Robin's eyes met Jack's. "I learn from you, Daddy."

"Well, what's next?" Jack looked down at Hancock and Sandersonia, who were now curiously exploring a corner of the space.

"How about we build something?" Aria suggested, always the creative one.

"Sounds like a plan. What shall we build?"

"A castle!" Robin exclaimed, her imagination already running wild.

For the next hour, they all got lost in constructing an elaborate castle out of soft, magical materials that seemed to appear just for this purpose within the Bead's Pocket Space. Jack found himself fully engrossed in the task, his focus solely on spending this quality time with his family.

As they placed the final touches on their castle, Aria looked up at Jack. "This was the best day ever, Daddy."

Jack's eyes softened as he looked down at his eldest daughter. "For me too, Princess."

Robin, clutching a small flag she had somehow conjured, ran up to him. "Castle done, Daddy!"

He bent down to her level, taking the flag and placing it atop the highest tower of their creation. "There, now it's complete."

Everyone stood back to admire their handiwork, the castle standing as a monument to their shared imagination and love.

----

Read 45(15 chapters for each novel) advanced chapters in my Patreon!

patreon.com/IWriteFanfic