There were some nights that Kael did not sleep.
Nor had he ever gotten much sleep in his past life; years of meditation and study had conditioned his body to rest while still maintaining consciousness.
In that respect, the Going Merry had been his new home for several months; after the wheel had ridden away from Arlong Park, he had taken it upon himself to spend his time awake between the second watch and sunrise in a way that the other crewmates did not need him.
The time was usually spent standing in the bow and using his Sage Mode to listen to the darkness below the surface.
It was not really darkness to him.
Beneath the hull of the ship was a world with currents flowing in ways the surface of the ocean knew nothing about; there were thermoclines detectable as layers of colored cloth; there were schools of fish, predators hunting them, and even the odd Sea King drifting around in the depths on its own business; and then there were things that did not fit in this description at all.
He had encountered the first one after leaving Alabasta.
That night was dark, and the Going Merry was east of the coast.
It was dark; he stood on the bow looking downward and felt a chakra he had never felt before reach out and touch him.
It was deeper than any he had ever sensed before, perhaps two miles down; it was not the kind of creature chakra Kael was used to seeing, because it seemed to flow without anything behind it.
It did not move; it pulsed with a strange presence that was like nothing else Kael had felt so far.
After some thirty seconds of it, he lost track of the pulse and it vanished completely.
For weeks, he did not encounter it again.
Today was one of those nights he tried to find it.
An hour later he heard Chopper behind him approaching silently; the reindeer stepped into his field of view at the rail.
“Have you been standing here for some time?”
“Indeed.”
“In silence?”
“Mhm.”
“What are you waiting for?”
“Whatever it is that’s down there.
I encountered it a few days ago, I’m trying to do it again.”
Chopper watched the dark ocean for a minute or two.
“You think it’s dangerous.”
“Not particularly; it’s old.”
“But you don’t think old things are dangerous?”
“They’ve reached peace with a lot of danger.
Old things don’t hurry anymore.”
Chopper considered the thought.
“I had a teacher named Hiruluk.
“Interesting.”
“He was a terrible one at first.
But by the time of his death he was better than the king’s healers, at least in certain fields.
At the end of his life, he was better than the king himself at treating some diseases.
He treated me when I couldn’t find anyone who could.”
“A worthy mentor.”
“He was.”
The reindeer looked back at the darkness for another long while.
“I miss him.”
“Mhm.”
“I miss him the most during the night.”
“The night is a loud reminder; the day has something to occupy your mind.”
“Does it stop being loud eventually?”
“It does; mine stopped awhile ago.”
Chopper tilted his head towards Kael’s face.
His dark eyes were intent.
“You miss someone.”
“There are many people who I’ll never see again.
You might say that the person I miss the most is far away.”
“Because where I come from is very far away and I can’t go back.”
Kael saw him take in this new piece of information.
Chopper was young; it was clear that it was hard for the reindeer to imagine that the person Kael had lost was not from the same world as he did.
“Very far.”
“Yes.”
“Do you miss them at night.”
“Mhm.”
“Would it help if I was here with you?”
“Done.”
“Do I come here next time with my dreams?”
“Anytime.”
Chopper placed his chin on the rail; he looked into the night for another minute or two.
“I will.”
For a while, they stood side by side in silence. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
The Going Merry moved quietly on dark waters, and above them the moonless night was very low.
Then Kael felt it.
It was further down than last time; perhaps as deep as three miles below.
It moved like last time; he sent it a simple pulse to indicate that it was noticed.
It replied in the same language; he sent another message, and then another.
After three pulses he felt a simple acknowledgment from below.
The thing down there did not communicate with him.
It did not come closer.
All it did was acknowledge his presence in the same way old people acknowledged each other when they met—this is me; I’ve seen you before; I will see you again.
And then it was gone.
He lifted his senses to the ocean once more.
He took a breath.
Chopper was watching him intently.
“What happened?”
“Hm.”
“What did it say?”
“Nothing.
It knows me, the way it did last time.
That’s all it said.”
“Maybe they’ll talk to you someday.”
“They might tell you.”
Kael glanced down at the reindeer standing with his chin on the rail; the grief in his chakra remained, but at this time it was subdued.
“I’ll think about it.”
Chopper nodded.
They stayed where they were, watching the night until the first rays of light appeared in the east.
The dark ocean showed the surface of the water, and the bell below them rang, signaling the end of the second watch.
Chopper went down into his cabin, and fell asleep.
This time the dreams did not come.
Kael remained in the bow; he watched the morning come.