Chapter Text
A surge of magic was reported in last week’s department update. Considering these past few weeks getting data on something was exciting. Aside from a few researchers who have various questionable motives most considered it a good thing that mages weren’t succumbing to their overblots.
So Ortho had come prepared for his part in the presentation making a fully rendered virtual model of the ocean floor eagerly telling the director and others that the event seemed to be nestled between shifting plates.
It generated a bit of a discussion within the department with a few pulling up decades-old research on hydrothermal events and books on various invertebrate that inhabit the area. “It’s probably just an underwater volcano recycling some energy back into the environment. Don’t bother.”
What a way to kill the buzz… a few scientists had gone quiet at the comment with the rest still mentioning creatures of the deep in complete awe and fascination. “I mean it’s hard to believe that things could even live in those harsh conditions?”
As part of the protocol, the magic leak was meant to be documented over the next couple of weeks. Though unlike typical volcanic events these surges of magic were only meant to last a few hours from the initial leak.
During the department overview the next week Ortho had brought up the spot again. “The energy is still present, so it’s most likely an active rupture but the magic signal…it’s getting stronger.”
“Send out a probe…” The director had responded, more interested but not as concerned as Ortho was. “..and get it back to us.”
The initial probe was just for precautions, a spy in the water meant to survey and prepare them for anything in case action was needed. Ortho had been there to see its first descent into the ocean depths and spent a few hours monitoring its travels, but the moment the probe had reached the ‘source’ it was gone.
“Not even a sign of the black box…and the magic surge had increased by 3%”
“Send out another one, put a camera on it this time and survey the area first before getting closer”
Something told him he had to get this one out as soon as possible.
Ortho continued to track the position of the camera, slowing down its progress to examine the entire area. While the topography was helpful, the camera did most of the work to facilitate more clues into this magic mystery. The area was mostly barren of life, but it was full of extreme caverns billowing out thick grey plumes. Nothing struck him as anything special in terms of what he saw but the innate scientist in him powered on.
Closer now the humanoid decided on the manual approach, piloting the probe around with a small joystick. With high quality lenses installed Ortho and a few researchers that had become invested gathered to watch. The silence was a part of their focus but suddenly they spotted something moving around the edge of the camera before the probe was pulled from its depth and smashed into a rock.
“Sea monsters are real!” A researcher confirms reviewing the footage. They were struggling to decipher what the shadow could potentially be as it trashed another piece of priceless equipment into splinters. “The black box seems to have lost its signal not too long after the probe was destroyed. So it must be sentient or extremely clever”
Ortho still doesn't quite know what the feeling is but he expresses his urgency while reporting this all back to the director.
The third drone had made quite the impression on researchers after it had been created over the span of a single night. After the third probe was deployed Ortho exchanged glances at a few silent researchers watching the way the director stood in front of the main screen. They wouldn’t have made such a sophisticated piece of equipment in that short amount of time if it wasn’t for him. A 4k monitor and a high definition audio recorder was the right call as over the hours the surge was rapidly increasing.
Everyone in the room had heard it all at the same time after muting out the sound of gas pillowing from the cracks of Twisted Wonderland.
“It sounds like a whale….” a researcher had said, breaking the silence, though everyone had come to agree.
“But most marine mammals would never be able to survive a depth like this, not to mention the extreme temperature.” another reported, already gathering a few records thinking they were on the brink of a discovery.
“Not a whale, but a wail. Like a cry…”
Idia had stood watching the screen, his jaw tight, his tongue unable to find a comfortable position in its mouth as the probe traveled deeper. He could hear it too as the sound rang throughout the monitoring room, long deep cries of something in complete misery.
For a moment there the drone just drifted and the crying persisted...
“Sardine-mode Ortho.”
Shutting down a few additional functions the probe mechanically paddled its way over; determined that the source they were after was sensitive to things that were different to organic life.
Deep into the cavern observing only between the gap of an active vent they could hear the sound of crying more frequently. It sounded nothing quite human and between the space you could see a mass unlike anything other twisting and writhing…you could barely see the underbelly glow of purple…
“....The magic signal, it’s in our records ... We've seen it before. It’s Mr. Az-”
“Ortho, you need to get your gear on now.”
–
The first time Azul had his heart broken was when he watched all his contracts turn to sand. He was certain he felt one of his hearts do the exact same, becoming fragile and weary that any touch could send its form crumbling. Though Azul survived that heartbreak, reimagining himself and putting his efforts into his lounge and cafe.
Though this last time Azul swears he had no idea of the devious involved in it all. They had almost been set to make the engagement public before Jade had disclosed a few truths.
“If I had known this was his plan I would have told you earlier. He had hidden his tracks well.” Emphasis on the past tense, Azul had caught Jade’s smirk satisfied at all the dredge he had pulled up in a short amount of time.
Azul had forced out a laugh sick with stress. How could he have ever fallen for someone that got sloppier as they approached the finish line?
It was a complete plan for a tactical takeover. Jade had pulled out a record of a third cell phone with text messages and emails all with promises to investors that were secretly ready to rip Azul’s empire right from under him.
“If it gives you any ease his plan wouldn’t have ever worked.” As if that really mattered in the end of it. After the lessons of his first heartbreak and his second…his hearts were drying out.
“I had really tried this time…it had been enough for me for YEARS!! To act differently, to be a better partner!”
“Dunno, it was kinda dumb of you to change all of that in the first pl-” A crystal glass had come so close to shattering on Floyd’s face taking the rest of his words right out of his mouth.
“Fix this.”
“How should we Azul?”
“Does it even matter?!” Another crystal glass had gone soaring towards Jade’s head this time blowing back the long strand of black. The eel stayed paused and simply tucked the strand behind his ear. “Floyd call someone to clean this up.”
“I want him gone and I want my kitchen cleaned of the urchins that dared to infest it!”
Azul had lost his benevolence in that meeting, turning his eyes away for whatever plan Jade was conducting. He was determined to come back only when the root had been uprooted, hacked into pieces, burned to ash and scattered in a barren, lifeless sandy wasteland.
Truly in that moment leaving it all to Jade was the most mercy he was willing to leave his ex-fiance with.
Once at the beach Azul pulled the scarf off his shoulders and folded it into quarters, he left his phone and his watch in the sole of his shoes and as the mermaid began to take his socks off his body started to shake.
Drops of ink had started to fall into cresting waves and Azul remained hunched over; determined not to take a single look of his reflection. At the end Azul had hurriedly cast away his jacket onto the beach as he dived into the waters.
Seeing his mother after this whole mess was NOT an option, especially since that was the second time Azul had ever introduced her to the ‘love of his life’.
What a sad and miserable creature he was, indefinitely unloved. If he was a more beautiful mermaid, no one would be able to tell he was crying. Though ink clung to his cheeks and followed his descent into the depths like black contrails. Only at the bottom could no one tell how teary he was. This place had never felt like a more comfortable octopus pot.
-
“A–…”
Hmm?
“Mr. A–”
Was someone speaking to him?
“Mr. Azul Ashen—”
It was hard to move through the thick vines of his arms and the tightness his whole body felt must have been a sign that he had wrapped himself in so completely.
“Ahh–” his voice had come out lost as his fingers dug through and around his thick limbs. Was it over? Was that Jade and Floyd back to take him home? Were their hands clean? Could he go back to his life? Happy to never love again?
Why was it so hard to get out? To reach the voice calling out to him? How hard was it to escape himself?
“You’re panicking Mr. Azul Ashengrotto-san! Don’t overwhelm yourself? Are you stuck?”
He wasn’t stuck. He could get out just fine, but why wasn't he? Why isn’t he getting out? How long had this body felt so tight before?
“Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!” Azul was familiar with this panic, the duress of his hearts seizing all his bodily functions. He couldn't speak, he couldn’t escape, at the end it always felt like this.
“Back up Mr. Azul Ashengrotto-san I’m going to get you out of there!”
There was the blast of rocks above him and could feel the pain in his arms as the mermaid coiled even tighter together, but the light he saw was blue and had bright lemon colored eyes?
Idia?