The Serpent's Chronicles - Cataclysm

Landing x In x Padokea

Hey everyone, I hope you're doing alright! I got into the HxH fandom two years ago and wrote this story in 2020, but I had some really, really serious issues during these past couple of months and decided it was best to delete most of my works until I felt like I was stable enough to publish anything again. And I'm glad I am now. I will repost everything regarding TSC, I promise. Chapters (idk if I'll post one or two at once, tell me what you guys prefer in the comments) will be posted weekly so I have a bit of time to catch up on writing for Entropy (this story's sequel for those who don't know) without too much pressure.

I want to apologize for deleting everything without a warning, it wasn't fair to any of you and I can see that now that I'm better. I won't do it again in the future. But I also want to thank all of you who contacted me to know what was going on and supported my choices. I love you all, you're amazing, I truly have the best readers in the world!

Vocês são lindos demais, muito obrigada por tudo!

Ciao~

***

The port was hectic as usual. There were people passing freely through the adjacent streets and even waiting for their acquaintances who were on board the ships that were about to dock. It was a joyful, lively and, in a way, comforting scene. The smell of the sea was etched in her mind and body due to the years exposed to the waves, which she did not consider something negative, otherwise she would not have chosen a profession that involved the task; if she had to say what her home was, she would say "the ocean" without blinking. Still, seeing the paved roads a sense of familiarity took over her being.

For anyone who had just spent weeks at sea during (most precisely during a stormy season) while searching for a rare species of Seahorse, stepping on land was a relief and a reminder that she was still alive. At least that's what she liked to think.

In the end, the expedition had been successful and her team had managed to capture a pair of the Triple-tailed Seahorses, known not only for their tripartite tail, but for their eggs. Those were composed of a combination of precious stones and minerals, which, upon hatching, formed a kind of super-resistant shell. The feat was of great importance for scientific studies in various areas, since professionals could study the species by breeding it in captivity and would discover the composition of its natural "armor" faster.

The specimens were being properly cared for during the transportation to the Research Center that was responsible for the development of the expedition, so she did not have to worry about anything but their landing at that time. Furthermore, she had been hired to capture the animals and only that. There were several specialists to take care of them, it was not her task.

However, as she stepped on the old wooden boards of the harbor and glanced at the small boxes being placed inside a van, she couldn't help feeling sad. Even though she knew they would be treated well in captivity, she did not like the idea of having such free beings boxed forever, it was depressing. She couldn't imagine being in their shoes, it was impossible for her to thrive without her freedom, she would undoubtedly languish to death.

Shaking her head, she began to walk the streets that she knew so well. The Republic of Padokea had an extensive coastal region with intense commercial activity, largely due to the export of one of the most internationally consumed fish and mineral raw material. She had been there a few times after her adventures and generally liked to stay there for a few days — she'd walk around the city and visit their shops before catching her flight to the Republic of Lapet, the small country where she lived.