The Pantheon

Titanic Storm

The salty breeze drifted through the air as the S.S. Anne’s massive frame loomed behind them, ready to depart. The ocean was calm, waves lapping lazily against the dock as the sun cast a golden glow over Chrysanthemum Island. The trip had been… a ride, to put it lightly.

And now? It was goodbye time.

Gary and Ashley stood at the port, facing Eva, Nate, and Damian, the three of them packed and ready for their next adventure.

It wasn’t surprising, really—the three had bonded ridiculously fast over the past few days. Between the contest chaos, late-night strategizing, and whatever the hell that beach volleyball match had been, it was no shock that they had decided to travel together from here on out.

Eva grinned, adjusting her bag strap. "Still can’t believe we’re splitting up already."

Ashley smirked. "You mean you can’t believe you finally get a break from my amazing presence?"

Nate snorted, crossing his arms. "More like, I can’t believe I willingly signed up for a group project for the rest of my journey."

Damian chuckled, adjusting his scarf. "Well, at least you can’t say it’ll be boring."

Gary smirked, shifting his weight. "Yeah, between the three of you, I’m expecting to hear some ridiculous stories."

Ashley huffed dramatically, placing a hand over her heart. "What, you’re not expecting to hear ridiculous stories from me?"

Gary shot her a look. "Ashley, ridiculous stories follow you. If anything, we’re expecting less nonsense now that you’re leaving."

Ashley scoffed. "Rude."

Nate grinned, leaning forward slightly. "But true."

Eva sighed playfully, clasping her hands together. "I will miss our resident chaos magnet."

Ashley rolled her eyes, but the small smile tugging at her lips betrayed how much she actually appreciated the teasing.

They all knew this wasn’t a final goodbye—they’d run into each other somewhere down the line. That was just how Kanto worked.

But still, splitting up was… weird.

Nate, Eva, and Damian would be taking a ferry to the mainland, since Damian hadn’t had a ticket for the cruise. From there, they’d walk to the next city, taking things at their own pace.

Ashley’s gaze flickered to Damian. "You sure you don’t wanna just sneak onto the S.S. Anne? We could smuggle you in, no problem."

Damian chuckled. "Tempting, but I think I’ll stick to the legal route, thanks."

Gary smirked. "Smart choice. Ashley would probably accidentally get you thrown overboard."

"I WOULD NOT!" Ashley shot back immediately, offended, then hesitated. "...Probably."

Nate barked out a laugh. "Yeah, see? That hesitation? That’s exactly why he’s not coming."

Eva giggled, shaking her head. "Alright, alright, let’s not bully Ashley too much before we leave."

Ashley smiled at Damian. "You better train hard! Next contest we meet in, I want a rematch."

Damian’s grin sharpened. "Oh, you’re so on."

The ferry horn sounded, signaling it was time to go.

Eva, Nate, and Damian turned toward their boat, stepping onto the docked ferry as the crew prepared for departure.

Eva turned back one last time, waving brightly. "See you two around! Try not to sink the S.S. Anne!"

Ashley waved back, grinning. "No promises!"