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What about food and water? Materials for repairs? Medicine? Weapons? This is loco!

Why even bother at this point? She's out of her mind... sailing to their deaths...

Are they really going out to sea? Now?

Er, Javier? I...

Like I said, it's your choice. I won't say anything.

I don't want to live a life I don't want. So I won't force you to either.

Choose. The sun's about to set.

The crowd grows quiet and parts into two groups. A few follow Juana towards the edge of the deck, but turn around quickly.

Hey, hermano!

Listen, I've got a little package in my drawer. There's a pocketwatch inside, some money, and a letter. Can you take the letter to Abi in town?

If you do, the money's all yours. Just make sure she gets the letter, okay? Tell her to wait, because I'll be back with a big pile of coin.

You said... Ami?

Abi! The redhead!

Red Ami... gotcha..

You're not coming? Don't you wanna see the sea?

I... I'm just too tired... My back's bad these days too. Can't even sleep in a hammock...

The bed we had back in town... it felt so good...

Guess this is it then.

Adios!

Juana leaps upon La Conquista, followed by the sailors who elected to go with her.

Javier takes another swig of rum.

...Adios.

The two ships ride with the wind, sailing across the Salt Flat at a leisurely pace.

Take care of Teach.

She's not so young anymore, and might need to lie down for a few days, but she should be fine.

You're not going with Señora Juana?

Nah, why the heck would I do that?

I'd rather have a good life, with a lot of money. Going out to sea sounds pretty rough if you ask me.

But you had their back this whole time. I was sure...

Because Juana promised me a lot of money. A LOT of money!

Which will help me meet new people, and find ways to make even more money!

...Wait!

Save your breath. I'm just a dirty little thief, after all.

You won't change my mind with a few words.

Okay. Good luck. I hope you find what you want and live a good life.

Thanks, Pelirrojito.

Pascuala pats the salt off herself and jumps on the rope net linking the two ships.

Hasta la vista, baby!

Maybe I'll be rich the next time we meet!

Elysium!

Elysium?

Hmm?

Oh! What is it?

I was talking to Señora Juana and Thorns. They want to go out to sea, but the ship has taken a beating.

So I'm going to stay here a while and help with repairs. Getting to work with the frame of a genuine Golden Age battleship, plus a bionic transmission system designed by Señora Juana herself based on saltfin biology... It's fascinating.

Besides, I want to see if my research will be of use on this ship.

How about you report back to Rhodes Island first? I'll be back once I'm done here.

Will you be okay by yourself?

Well, we're short on food, water, and comfortable bedding. Plus the only way to bathe is to wipe yourself off with salt... But nothing a dedicated researcher can't handle.

A small price to pay for the chance to study such a fascinating subject. Besides, I have Leaf with me.

Alright, I hope you find what you're looking for here.

I'll get on with my blueprints, then. See you at Rhodes Island!

You too!

My goodness... Look at what they did to my ship...

Don't say that! Weedy worked so hard to patch it up! You'll make me cry...

...You really don't know when to stop talking, do you?

A truly handsome man has a way with words!

Are you preparing to set sail, Señora Juana?

What's this now? Concerned for me?

We've had brushes with death together, ate dried saltfin together, even slept under the same blanket. The least I could do is bid you farewell before you go.

Buen camino, señora.

If we meet again, I'd love to hear all the stories of your adventures on the high seas.

Not a problem.

Walking around the deck, Elysium sees that Teach is finally beginning to regain consciousness.

Are you awake, Señora Teach?

I'm going back to town with Javier's group. I came to say goodbye.

Haha... thanks...

You know, I've come to admire you a lot, señora... You remind me of my own captain.

May safe winds take you out to sea, that you may find the battles against wind and wave that you seek.

Thanks, chaval...

Oh, one more thing. Peludita asked me to give you these herbs. Works best when boiled, she said, but can also be chewed and swallowed directly if water is in short supply.

Gracias...

Elysium continues to stride the deck, until he has no more goodbyes left to say.

He walks up to the rope net linking the two ships, and sees a figure standing at the bow of La Conquista.

His old buddy.

He waves at Isidro from a distance.

Adios, amigo.

The salt ship sails off slowly. On the deck, all is quiet, as the crew watches the people they know gradually became smaller.

A few rush up to the edge, as though they had changed their minds and wanted to jump across to the other ship, but are forced to stop as the distance between them grows.

They each watch the other go further and further away.

Look, Javier! The mast of La Conquista!

Ha... hahaha...

Atop the mast, Juana lifts the hems of her dress, as if stepping atop the setting sun.

The fading light adorns her dress with a golden glow.

Wind lifts white grains of salt from the ground like blowing snow.

All eyes are fixated upon her dance, both on this ship and the other.

They look up in silence. The ships sail in opposite directions, with only a few eyes glancing at the sea of white salt before them, and the sunset growing closer or further.

Away they go, until the figures on the other ship have become as small as grains of salt.

'Salt is sacred. It is within the tides, within our tears.'

He strains his eyes in the dark waters, searching the lake bed for the faint glint of metal.

He slowly paddles forward, inch by inch, fingers outstretched in the silt, but all they find are strands of waterweeds.

The frigid waters flow past his skin and hair. Confusion sets in. He does not know how he will find that golden coin.

'Don't look with your eyes. Let the water's flow tell you where to go.'

A voice from ashore cuts through the water. He cannot see the person's face clearly, but that gentle, friendly tone sounds reassuring.

And so he closes his eyes, feeling the water rush past him, and painting an image of the lake bed in his mind's eye.

There. A solid metal disc, embossed with a complex design, resting atop some wafting weeds.

He strokes its face before grasping it in his hand. He swims away, the stranger's face getting ever clearer as he gets closer to shore.

'Did you find the coin, my boy?'

He unfurls his fingers, the gold coin resting on his palm. The circle on its face is bisected by a straight line. Somehow it resembles some distant horizon, one he has yet to reach.

Urgh...