Entro stood beneath the towering ship, its white hull gleaming under the sun.
Beside him, Agri was doing his best to cosplay as a service horse, a comically large, service horse.
A horse jacket with "service animal, do not pet" taped onto it, and a fly mask purchased last minute were the only things upholding this facade.
For the last week, they watched other cruise ships come and go from the port, making notes on the shift changes and the laziest employees.
The employee switching onto the next shift in a few minutes had the highest rate of mess-ups, they could only pray now.
Stepping up to the clerk, Entro confidently brandished his money, as if nothing were wrong.
When he caught his eyes wandering around Agri, he flashed a smile that said "I will argue you down until you see I'm right."
Shaking his head, the clerk cleared him.
"Yeah whatever, I don't get paid enough."
Nodding politely, Entro led his wolf, er, horse onto the ship, wasting no time to start looking for his room.
The interior of the ship was wood floors that should've clicked underfoot. Agri's somehow were completely silent.
"Easy," Entro muttered under his breath, tightening his grip on the faux-leather reins.
Agri huffed, in agreeance.
Room 414. Starboard side.
Entro located it quickly, thanks to a small, outdated map posted by the stairwell.
He avoided elevators, too many people, too risky.
Instead, he led Agri up a narrow, crew-access maintenance staircase, then down a hallway that reeked of old cleaning products.
Once inside the room, Entro shut the door, latched the deadbolt, then shoved a chair under the knob for good measure.
The room was barely large enough for a twin bed, a mounted TV, and a tiny desk. Agri took up most of the floor space immediately, curling himself into the corner with a low grunt. The bed groaned under Entro's weight as he sat down, exhaling like he hadn't in days.
They'd made it.
Laying back, Entro reminisced on the journey up until now.
Deciding to rage against his slavers by running away from Entropolis, and then escaping the country.
Swimming from Mexico to the southern edge of Chile, making friends and leaving them, all the way to being here on this boat.
'I deserve to sleep.'
So slept he did, the entire sail to Antarctica, everyone forgot about the weird guy with the funny-looking horse.
The journey south was slow but steady.
Most days were gray, the sky and sea blending into an endless smear of motionless mist.
The ship cut through the waters like a tired blade, gulls vanished, and people wore more coats.
Entro kept to himself, mostly.
He'd appear briefly in the cafeteria, grab food, always double portions, and sneak it back to the room, once, a kid with wild curls followed him.
"Why do you have two trays?"
Entro didn't break stride. "I'm bulking."
The kid blinked. "Cool."
Back in the room, Agri ate in silence. He was used to this sort of travel, the tension before violence; his eyes tracked every sound in the hall beyond the door.
The ship neared the South Shetland Islands.
Icy wind howled outside.
Passengers buzzed with energy, some were here for science, some for thrill, some for whatever version of enlightenment you could find on a frozen continent.
Entro watched them from the upper deck, hood pulled low.
He didn't speak to them, nor did he care to.
Docking procedures began at dawn. Passengers crowded the port side, selfie-sticks raised.
Entro stayed in his room, waiting.
One by one, the ship emptied. Scientists. Adventurers. Overconfident influencers. He waited until the last call resounded.
Then he moved.
He slipped through the staff hallway, the one he'd scouted days ago. Agri followed, silent on his paws as they bypassed the main ramp, ducking instead into a storage bay where crates were being unloaded by a distracted dock crew.
They were off the ship before anyone knew they'd been on it
The cold hit harder here.
It was heavier.
The kind that didn't care if you had layers, it wanted under your skin. Entro adjusted the straps on his pack, and turned inland.
No ceremony; no one to wave him off this time.
Just snow.
Endless, rolling hills bathed in white.
Agri stood beside him, the land ahead was unsure.
There was no road, just direction.
Entro took the first step.
Then another.
And another.