It has been a very long time since I first posted this fic. I'm glad I was able to suddenly write for it again, since I still have so many plans for it and it ties into so many things with Beyond The Gate which I'm writing again, too. As well as with another fic I wrote for Nanowrimo that's in the editing stages. So the universe rules that apply to this fic are still forefront in my mind.

I originally wanted to make the chapters even longer than this, to be honest, but I think this is a length I can keep up a lot easier.

I hope you enjoy this long overdue continuation of this story. Sorry if the pieces don't make one hundred percent sense straight from the get-go - I promise that everything will tie in together eventually.

Without further ado, the story goes on.

Salt stung his eyes, and the stench of rotting kelp and fish burned his nostrils. Gulls screamed overhead, wheeling in the air and fighting for the choicest bugs and rotting carcasses available. The wind blew harshly, stirring up the dark ocean into choppy, white-crested waves that threatened to drag a man below and never let go. They crashed against the rocky shoreline and the cliffs in an irregular tempo. Thunder rumbled in the distance, storm clouds swollen with lightning and rain fast approaching the promontory where Cobra stood.

He hated the ocean. Every time he was near it, it pulled at his memories of a childhood spent in slavery – toiling away in building a madman's tower, surrounded always by the sea. The icy depths of the water around the rocky island had frightened him as a boy almost as much as the overseers had, full of terrifying monsters just waiting for food to drift their way. He could hear them, after a fashion. Their souls and minds were nothing like those of humans, but their eerie songs still reached him.

Cobra wouldn't have been anywhere near this place if it weren't a direct order from Brain. And Cobra feared Zero's wrath and Brain's cruelty far more than he did ancient memories.

Coils tightening around him, Cubelios made her displeasure at the location known as well. Her tongue flicked out, tasting the salt-encrusted air.

Reaching up, Cobra stroked the scales on her head reassuringly. "Hold on for just a little longer," he murmured to her. The amethyst serpent merely tightened her grip on him. It was far too cold here for normal reptiles, let alone a jungle species such as she. Her lack of ability to thermoregulate had her pressing into him far more closely than normal – seeking out his body heat to compensate. They were vulnerable so long as she was chilled like this. Although it wasn't as if anyone could sneak up on Cobra with his Soul Listening anyway, he still did not care for the notion that Cubelios's reactions would be dulled by the unfortunate turn in weather.

He approached the edge of the cliff cautiously. This was the third such promontory he'd checked that afternoon, and one of the previous two had crumbled beneath his feet. Cubelios had rescued him from his lapse of judgement, but she was probably too chilled now to assist him if he were to slip up again. This had better be the correct one; he was fast becoming weary of this task, and longed to retreat back to warmer climes.

The smell of crushed grass drifted up to Cobra's nose as he walked upon the plants, washing away a little of the pungent sea. It was a much-needed balm to Cobra's hyperactive senses. A spot of calm when every nerve was pulled taut.

Wind buffeted his clothes the closer he came to the edge, whipping the ends of his coat around and slapping Cubelios's scales. In retaliation, Cubelios hissed a warning at the offending cloth, but otherwise did not stir herself to action.

The dark mage stopped just a little shy of the drop-off, peering down into the writhing sea below. Standing there, it was hard to make out anything in the maelstrom of currents, waves, and rocks. But then a grin spread across his face, as he finally spotted what he had been looking for all day.

Bleached white bones appeared from the water between every swell – the gargantuan remains of a sea monster long since dead. One of the very same that he'd once heard circling the tower as a boy, Cobra suspected.

He retreated from the cliff, heading back inland to make camp in a more sheltered area.

The bones would become accessible once the spring storm and high tide subsided. Until then, Cobra would warm Cubelios and himself back up.

Warm sunlight shone on the sea, every droplet refracting the light and making it shimmer brilliantly. Not a single cloud studded the sky, which was an endless blue. Contrary to the day before, the ocean wind now was gentle, if no less pungent.

On days like this, Cobra thought he could almost come to like the sea. But the massive bones laying below gave lie to those thoughts. Bright and warm days were fleeting, and the ocean's true nature was that of horrors unseen, and escape cut off.

Cubelios's scales shone in the light as well, glittering far more beautifully, and the sunlight illuminated the webbing in her wings, starkly outlining every vein. Her previous lethargy dispelled, she slowly descended with Cobra towards the sea's surface. The wind beneath the promontory, and the currents as well, were complicated things and she exercised great caution lest she find herself and her partner pummeled against the rocks in the undertow.

Soon, Cobra was able to inspect the bones up close and personal. They were truly ancient, encrusted so thickly with barnacles and salt crystals that it was hard to make out the original material. Thankfully, he wasn't after the bones themselves. Though they were fairly impressive – each rib of the long-gone creature was several times the size of a human. A gentle nudge with his hand directed Cubelios closer to where he thought the head of the beast might lie. It rested upon a large, completely submerged boulder, with only the very top exposed to the air. Every other wave plunged it back into the water, and when they subsided water would stream rom the skeleton.

Cobra carefully sat down on Cubelios, hooking his legs around her long form. He twisted around, and the tip of her tail coiled around his belly in extra support. Then he let himself fall backwards, dangling from his partner just above the water.

Deep in the eye socket of the fell beast, something caught the light and glittered with an intensity nothing should after having been submerged for so long. The only way to reach it was to shove his arm into the water, so Cobra did, the frigid liquid almost instantly chilling his arm. He grit his teeth against the cold, and reached for the object lodged in the bones.

Pain shot up his arm, and he hissed, yanking his arm back above the waves. A small sea snake of a species he'd never seen before clung to his hand, its fangs sunken deep in his flesh. It was trying to pump him full of venom, no doubt. If he were any other person, he would have been dead in a manner of minutes. But as Cobra was himself, he snorted at the creature's tenacity, and shook it off. It dropped into the water with a soft plunk. There were many days he regretted the lacrima that had been forced upon him, but there were days when it was pretty useful to have. Then again, he probably wouldn't be in this position in the first place if not for Brain as well, so it something of a wash.

He tried again, thrusting his arm beneath the water. Now that the skull's main occupant had been displaced, it should be easier to dislodge the treasure it had been guarding. Fingers closing around something hard, Cobra pulled on it, grunting with the effort it took to work it free. After a couple of minutes it popped loose, and Cobra nearly lost his grip on it. Cold sweat slid down his face at the near loss – Brain would have flayed him alive if this thing had fallen to the seabed. But as it stood, that possibility was nil because he had managed to retain his hold on it.

Pulling his arm from the waves, he gripped the small object as hard as he could in his almost-numb hand. With his free hand, he tapped Cubelios, and she began to rise. He had never been sure of the exact mechanics of her ability to fly, as she had no real need to flap her wings it seemed, but it did make it easier to get out of places such as this one.

She deposited him on the cliff, and then settled in the grass beside him. Her tongue flicked over his closed hand, curiosity clear about what all the fuss was. Cobra slowly opened his hand, his fingers aching as feeling returned to them.

A golden jewel shone in his hand, and as the sunlight caught its faceted surface, it refracted into strong beams of deep gold. Cobra wasn't entirely sure where Brain had gotten his intel from, that he knew the gem would be found in such an odd location, but it had certainly paid off. This would sell for quite a nice price on the black market, he was sure. Though he doubted that Brain's plans for the gem were anywhere near so tame.

He drew out a cloth from his pocket and smothered its glow before it could attract the attention of a greedy seagull. Then he hid it away in an inner pocket and stood up.

"Let's go back now, Cubelios," he told his partner. He held out his arm, and she slithered onto it, and wrapped herself around his body.

Brain would be pleased by the success of this trip.

Cobra strode off, more than glad to leave the accursed sea and the bones of monsters far behind him.

A dress was waiting for Lucy on her bed when she returned from lessons with her tutor. It was a wine red, with lace at the collar, hem, and sleeves. Her lip curled in distaste, and she gathered the garment in her arms only to throw it over a chair.

The maid who had entered with her gasped, and immediately moved to rescue the dress lest it develop wrinkles and have to be pressed again. Lucy ignored her; instead, she put away her textbooks, and then made a beeline straight for her closet and preferred mode of dress.

"That's not an appropriate outfit," the maid tithered, wary of the master's ire. "Your father will be joining you for dinner, after all, Miss Lucy."

Lucy paused with a croptop in hand. "My father?" This was unusual. Normally the drill was that the maids would put out a dress "befitting her station" and Lucy would ignore it in favor of shirts that barely covered her chest and skirts so short it would make governesses faint.

Seeing that she had Lucy's attention, the maid nodded enthusiastically. "He said that he had something important to discuss with you this evening."

The heiress's face almost lit up with those words. "I bet it's about my birthday! It's coming up next week," she gushed, allowing excitement to surge through her. It had been a long, long time since her father had had anything to do with celebrating the day, but it was her sixteenth birthday after all. High society placed a lot of importance on that one, and Jude could ill afford to ignore it. It would be quite the social faux pas, and Jude did like to keep up appearances that all was as it should be in their home. Lucy didn't really care that it would be more social obligation than affection that drove him to celebrating. Any excuse was plenty at this point. Something to change his mind with.

"Will you… will you wear the dress…?" the maid enquired hopefully.

"Yeah, one night won't kill me," Lucy acquiesced, hanging the shirt in her hand back up. "Could you stay and help me into it, please?"

"I would be delighted."

Dinner was a terse affair, with no conversation between the father and daughter. The only sounds were the clinking of cutlery against the plates, and the sounds of chewing. It was extremely uncomfortable for Lucy, who had gotten used to dining alone or with the staff, chatting with them about their day. It was the biggest amount of social interaction she got in a day, and this forced silence was killing her inside.

Once the plates were cleared away, Jude finally deigned to acknowledge his daughter. "Lucy," he addressed her, and she immediately perked up at the sound.

Smiling her most pleasant smile at him, she inclined her head. "Yes, Father?"

"As you are no doubt aware, your birthday is approaching. As such, there's something we need to discuss."

This was it! Lucy almost couldn't contain her glee. There was sure to be a party, of course, populated with a lot of individuals she would rather avoid, but there was also sure to be a ton of people her own age there with whom she could talk to. And there would be cake, and presents… well, there hadn't been cake and presents in a very long time, at least not for her birthday, and she was excited to be able to have them for this occasion.

She swallowed her joy, and managed a polite, "What is it, Father?"

"As you will be turning sixteen, there are a number of social obligations you cannot afford to avoid," Jude grumbled, as if the very notion of teenager being social irked his business sensibilities. "Chief among them being the fact that you are now of marriageable age."

Any happiness Lucy felt suddenly froze inside of her.

Marriageable age? Is that what this is all about to him…?

"I have a number of advantageous matches in the works for you already, but I need for you to make a good showing at the party we'll hold here." Jude continued on, heedless of the icy stare his daughter was leveling at him. "Since this will decide your future and that of the Heartfilia Konzern's business interests, I expect you to be on your best behavior and to make meaningful connections during it. To that effect, I've organized for further tutors to come here for etiquette, dance…"

Jude's voice faded into the background, as Lucy felt all of her hopes come crashing down around her. She nodded at all the appropriate intervals, and before long Jude concluded his lecture and dismissed her back to her room. There, the maids undressed and redressed her almost catatonic body and turned down her bed for the night.

Falling upon her bed, Lucy couldn't keep the tears from her eyes. She clutched her pillow with great force, threatening to pop the down-filled object.

Lucy would have liked to have said that she couldn't believe her father was capable of such callousness as to marry off his daughter like a pawn, all for the sake of his business ventures. But the truth was that it was all-too easy for her to picture, and she was furious with herself for not seeing it coming a mile away and for getting her hopes up only for them to be shattered. Like she had so many times in the past.

Something cold settled into her, then. Resolve and calm acceptance washed over her, and her sniffling slowly ceased.

Well, if her father was so eager to be rid of her, then what was keeping her there at all? Some expectation of kindness or affection, that had been so painfully absent most of her life?

No. If her father didn't want her, then she didn't want him. She would be everything she wanted to be and more. And he wouldn't be able to stop her.

First thing in the morning, she would start planning her escape from his grasp.