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THE WIND BLASTED AGAINST HER face, but even so, for the first time in a while, Ember felt happy. Back to the usual shenanigans with King and Luz just like before the petrification ceremony. Luz was overjoyed to see Ember smiling so much, and as she looked at her through her peripherals, she blushed at how pretty Ember was with her hair in a low ponytail and a bandana around her head.
Ember turned her head to Luz after looking at the horizon. "When we defeat the Selkydomous and get a boatload of snails, Eda won't have to worry about money for a long time." She smirked, leaning her back against the ship.
King seemed to smile as he exclaimed, "King want a cracker!"
"All hands!" The captain called, and the three rushed over to the other crewmates. "Alright crew! The Selkydomous has been ravaging the coastline. It was last seen in the Shimmering Shulls." He paced in front of the crew. "You know the drill. Snag the quarry—" He plopped down a huge bag of money, making Luz and Ember's expressions brighten. "We all do the work, we all get a cut." The crew cheered and the captain picked up two brooms. "Now, get to work! This ain't no pleasure cruise." He tosses the brooms at Ember and Luz, who barely caught before they could smack them in the face. The captain stepped into their personal space, and the four glared at each other. "Don't mess this up, Sea Squirts."
"Oh, you don't have to worry about us," Luz smirked, nudging Ember with her elbow.
The three performed several tedious tasks, most of them enhancing the ship's performance and gaining the captain's approval. Ember now watches as Luz danced, trying to get a large purple bug off of her back. She laughed when it shot into the air, nearly knocking King off the boat. Luz shuddered before her face turned bright pink at the sound Ember had made.
The captain gently picked Ember up by the back of the shirt, placing her next to Luz as he patted them both on the back. "He had me confront my own biases," He spoke with a smile, "I got nothing but respect for you both now, squirts— I mean, sailors."
Luz and Ember grinned, saluting. "Thanks, Salty." Ember nodded, placing her hands on her hips.
"Yeah! You've made us feel like a real part of the crew." Luz smiled, repeating Ember's actions.
"Well, that's because..." He wrapped his arms around the two's shoulders. "Ya argh!" He joked, making some of the crew members laugh, and others 'boo' the awful joke. Ember and Luz shared a grin from across his chest.
Unbeknownst to the girls, King had accidentally rolled into Salty's office, and gotten captured by the same man captain nodded to while getting more crackers.
