《Aquaria》


 Chapter 1 - The dream - Lyvia

    As a young girl, I would stare at the ocean on a regular basis. From the way the waves crashed onto our pale-orange coastline, to the occasional gifts it spewed, everything about it entranced me. By gifts, I mean genetically engineered plants, left and lost by ancient civilisations, that happen to have washed ashore. Take the Lyriss, for example, which can record and send messages! We never had those, let¡¯s say, a hundred years ago. Mother nature just happened to provide us with the plant and we mass reproduced it in return. Even now, its origins remained a mystery.


    That¡¯s where the dream started. I would often tell Jett the wonders of the ocean. It contained so much, yet our civilisation had only scratched the surface of it all. I couldn¡¯t understand why though. With the technology that us Drinzilians had, it should have been a simple matter. However, the people were still content staying put on their piece of land. (Granted, it was an enormous piece of land, but that¡¯s beside the point). The modern world still never went beyond the Fluctus Currents (or FC for short). We left the ocean untainted, unmapped and unexplored. Such wasted potential!


    So, when Jett told me he wanted to go see this unchartered territory with me, my heart fluttered. He shared the same dream as me! It drove me on to research ways to fulfil our dream. We had no means of aquatic transport. As a single continent, surrounded by dangerous currents, why was there a need to develop any in the first place? That didn¡¯t deter me though, as I continued my studies.


    However, I hit my first hurdle. Creating a vehicle was easy. Overcoming the currents was not.


    With the help of Jett (oh, I forgot to mention this, but Jett¡¯s my husband), I created several Hover devices. Then I watched as each and every one of them got ripped to shreds by the FC. It proved to be quite the conundrum to solve. Then it hit me. If we can¡¯t sail over the FC, why not go under it?


    I went to the Drinzil library to embark on my quest to find a way to move underwater. I could have easily taken out the Digital Flower Files, but I thought that they wouldn¡¯t be of much help. They were too modern. If I was to solve my problem, I would have to go for something more ancient: books. They were written in ancient Soli, but fortunately I knew the language by heart (at the expense of Jett calling me a nerd though). For the sake of learning, you must be prepared!


    It was one book in particular that peaked my interest. It had detailed explanations of how the people of the past shared the same dream as me! They came up with many theoretical designs and tests, all of which ultimately failed. It wasn¡¯t because they were bad, but rather they lacked the ability to carry their ideas out. However, it should be possible now. I just needed the right equipment.


    Once the plan was set, I rushed over to auntie Rae to get the supplies. Rae was an incredible woman. She was a cook, merchant, doting mother and aunt; you name it. She was a jack-of-all-trades and a master at most of them. No exaggeration at all. If you need something, she was the person to go to.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    She was always at the marketplace in the afternoon. She owned a small stall and sold various confectionaries. This wasn¡¯t even her full-time job. This was just a hobby on the side.


    ¡®Auntie Rae!¡¯ I called out. She turned around and greeted me with a large smile.


    ¡®Lyvia! So nice to see you,¡¯ she replied. ¡®What brings you over to my humble stall? Oh, don¡¯t tell me that I¡¯m finally going to be a grand-aunt.¡¯


    I laughed with mirth. ¡®You do this every time.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m telling you. One day it¡¯s going to happen. Remember who predicted that you and Jett would end up together, despite your constant denials?¡¯


    ¡®You, auntie,¡¯ I muttered, barely audible above the drum of noises in the market. Of course, Auntie Rae being auntie Rae, heard it. She smirked.


    ¡®Exactly.¡¯


    ¡®But you know Jett. No way would he want a kid.¡¯


    Auntie rae wagged her finger at me and said, ¡®It¡¯s because you¡¯re such a handful that he¡¯s scared of looking after two fragile little things.¡¯


    I gave her an unimpressed look. Her teasing was one of her less likeable traits. She just laughed in response, much to my annoyance.


    ¡®I jest, Lyvia,¡¯ she apologised. ¡®Now why are you really here? I doubt it¡¯s for my mince pies.¡¯


    ¡®Oh yeah. Hang on a second.¡¯


    I opened my bag, taking out several sheets of papers, which I handed over to her. Each contained my plans for the underwater vehicle, that I had named ¡°Aquaria¡±, though I never said anything about its purpose in the notes. I just listed what I needed, with a few drawings included.


    ¡®What are you scheming, Lyvia?¡¯ auntie Rae asked me, an eyebrow raised.


    ¡®Oh, just following my dream,¡¯ I replied with a cheeky grin.


    ¡®I understand. You sure you want this design?¡¯


    ¡®Yes, this is the design I¡¯m going for. I can¡¯t tell you what it¡¯s for though.¡¯


    ¡®Such a na?ve girl. You plan on going under the currents with this, aren¡¯t you? Though I¡¯ve never seen such a design, it does look like it¡¯ll work like you want it to. Getting everything else on this list shouldn¡¯t be a problem either. I¡¯ll put the payment for it all on your father¡¯s tab.¡¯


    Amazing. How did she know? Not that I¡¯m too surprised. Sometimes I believe she¡¯s just this omniscient being that walked with us mortals simply to humble herself.


    ¡®How long will it take?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®For the Mutans to grow to this size and shape, I¡¯d say six or seven weeks,¡¯ auntie Rae responded, with a firm voice.


    ¡®That gives us plenty of time then. Have it all delivered to the Harun Cave once it¡¯s done.¡¯


    ¡®Will do. Anything else?¡¯


    ¡®Oh, right. Don¡¯t tell Jett you know about it. Knowing him, he¡¯ll get too emotional. You¡¯ve done so much for us. This will probably make him think that he¡¯s indebted to you forever.¡¯


    Rae chuckled at my remark. She had an affectionate smile, one that put me in the mind of how a parent would feel when their child is about to leave the household. She was going to miss me. Likewise, I was going to miss her.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure he will,¡¯ she said at last, holding back a lump in her throat.


    I didn¡¯t say anything back, fearing that I¡¯d have to do the same. I just hugged and waved her goodbye. I still had a lot to prepare for, but of course, it should go smoothly.


    Thus, my dream to explore the aquatic world with my husband had began.

 Chapter 2 - Departure - Jett

    Waves crash against faintly orange rocks. A gust of cool wind blows past my face. I shiver. The warmth of the dying sun¡¯s light touches me.


    I smile.


    I lean forwards on the rock I was sitting on, and fold my arms. The faint smell of salt and seawater lies in the air. I take in a deep breath.


    My shirt flutters against my back. A purple fabric, made of the beautiful leaves of the Dracurya tree. A tree that grew nowhere else but in the depths of the sea.


    Ah yes. The depths of the sea. It held so many mysteries.


    And tomorrow, I was going to delve in. Find what our ancestors had left behind for us.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± A sweet voice rings out, bringing me out of my thoughts.


    I turn and see her. My wife. She is thin, but one should never underestimate the strength that lay in her tiny frame.


    I almost chuckle at the thought. It does bring a grin to my face, though.


    She frowns in annoyance.


    My grin fades away.


    ¡°Now, now, nothing to worry about, honey. Just had a funny thought,¡± I say.


    She narrows her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you did.¡±


    I nod innocently.


    ¡°So, anyway, are we ready for tomorrow?¡± I ask.


    She nods.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s set. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything. Not one thing, hon,¡± She says, and smile.


    I smile back.


    ¡°Nice to know. But tell me, is your mind set?¡±


    ¡°It is. We¡¯ve had months to prepare, you know that.¡±


    ¡°Months or not, all of that can change tomorrow. Remember that.¡±


    ¡°I know. But I think you¡¯re worry too much, hon. Relax, and remember that we can handle this. We¡¯re stronger than most.¡±


    I grin.


    ¡°That we be.¡±


    ¡°That we are, darling, that we are.¡±


    I curse, and she laughs. Melodiously, of course. It might have knocked my feet from under me if I¡¯m not annoyed. And I am.


    ***


    I put on my coat. A soft fur coat. Warmth spread into my chest. I exhaled, and smiled.


    It helped with the doubts flying around in my head. Just a little, but that made the difference. I stood a little straighter, and placed my hand on the soft moss on my door. The moss tickled my fingers.


    The door opened, a vine retracting. I spot the usual children- Maurice and Junie, Farehn, and Loran, playing just outside my door, in the street with some fluffy animals. Maurice was the naughty one, Junie the witty one, and Farehn and Loran were the dorks. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I smile. Nostalgia lurked in my heart, despite the fact I had yet to even leave.


    Yes. I was leaving. It felt strange, and unreal, because no matter how much I¡¯ve dreamed about it¡­


    I never expected I would ever do it. Could ever do it. And yet here I am. Out to face the things that lurk outside of this¡­ this¡­


    I sigh. I can never insult this place, for the life of me. It simply contains too many happy memories¡­


    All of them, actually. Oh well. Time to make some more.


    ***


    The streets are bustling. It always is, here in Drinzil. Whether it¡¯s the day, or night. Everyone has a place to be, a thing to do. It¡¯s always so full of life. But it¡¯s also tiring. Every now and then, you have to stop, and just¡­ enjoy life.


    Yes. It¡¯s another reason why I can look forward to the days ahead. I have no doubt I will be seeing a lot less activity in the ocean.


    Maybe I would miss it. Perhaps yearn for these days out there. Actually, I probably would. There was no doubt about it. So why must I worry?


    Because I¡¯m a normal person, of course. I wasn¡¯t fearless, brave, passionate, kind, or any of those things. I was just¡­ me. A normal person. With a dream.


    But ah, yes. How could I forget about Lyvia? My wife of course, shared my dream. We both wanted to go out there, see the world. Discover every single mystery that lurks. Well, not all. What would remain for others that came after us?


    I shake my head and smile.


    We would probably never even discover a hundredth of what¡¯s out there. Not even with a thousand years on our lifespan.


    I turn my palm over, and look at it. Cupped within is a Lyriss, a flower connected to a small bud that receives pollen in the air. The pollen itself contains modified genetic code, and can float for miles together. The modified genetic code contains information, and the Lyriss translated this into images via luminescent buds on the petals. The result is a news delivery system, that had its flaws.


    But I won¡¯t worry about that, since it does not matter in the least to me. I just want to know the news.


    I gently graze the underside of the flower. It spreads wide, and displays an excellent display of lights. Then a woman appears..


    ¡°Good morning, tribe-folk!¡± She smiles wide, her teeth on full display. I¡¯m envious. ¡°Today, I believe, is a very special day. The Eucaloris have discovered a new plant, that according to observations, can record the thoughts of those around it. Strange, isn¡¯t it? They are still trying to learn more about the plant, and its wondrous functions, but yes, this may heavily influence our modern lives¡­¡±


    A new plant, huh? Second one this month. Looks like they¡¯ve been getting lucky. I bet the other factions are suspicious. Ah yes, drama. Politics. Sweet backstabbing.


    You could just smell it in the air. The tension. The lack of trust, faith, or really any human empathy. It felt amazing, really. Just, that, I¡¯d have prefered the reason it be amazing was not because I simply couldn¡¯t understand¡­


    Their apathy. Their idiocracy. If they simply knew to put aside their differences. Life isn¡¯t a damn competition.


    ¡°...And that¡¯s all today! Good day, folks!¡±


    The petals closes up again. I put the flower in my bag. The vines closes the bag for me.


    My feet taps across the ground. Lush green vegetation all around. I sniff and find a slight smell of blueberry in the air. I smile, and turn around expectively.


    Rae, a woman in her mid fifties, stands there, a pie in hand. My grin only widens.


    Rae is a true angel. Not one person can say different. If they did, then they must be prepared to lose their ability to reproduce.


    She cares. Not many can say that. If the child next door is ill, she¡¯s there, cooking sweets, and pastries. Or making little trinkets and singing lullabies. Everyone loves her, and I¡¯m no exception.


    She must know. She always does.


    ¡°Rae! Didn¡¯t expect to see you here this fine morning.¡± I say, and smile.


    ¡°Now now. We both know where you¡¯re going.¡± She says, and I see her face looks a little aged. More tired. Yet there is that happiness.


    It fills me up with conflicting emotions. If only¡­


    But no.


    ¡°We do. Did my wife tell you?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, she didn¡¯t. But I know. I¡¯ve known since two months ago.¡±


    My eyes widen.


    ¡°H-how?¡±


    She smiles.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ve made you some pie. I hope you enjoy it.¡± She extends her hand, and I just then notice her hands her shaking.


    I frown, and I hurriedly and carefully, relieve her of the pie. A sweet fragrance hits my nose, but I choose to ignore it.


    ¡°Are you alright, Rae?¡± I ask.


    She smiles, and waves her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. But you needn¡¯t worry about that.¡± She says.


    I open my mouth to protest but then I hear my name being called. I turn, and I see my wife at the end of the street. I turn, and see Rae staring at me with a smile.


    ¡°Go. And have your adventure. Live your dream. It¡¯s all I wish of you.¡± She says.


    That broke the final straw. I found myself hugging her tightly, my eyes tearing. I sniffed. I, of course, made sure to not drop the pie. She had made it with love, after all.


    ¡°Jett!¡± My wife called out my name once again. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time!¡±


    I pulled off, and smiled one last time at Rae. Then I turned and ran.


    ***


    Rae wipes at her nose, and sees blood on her sleeve. Yet she smiles nonetheless, with tears in her eyes. She turns, and walks away. No one notices her slow gait. Well, except an impatient pedestrian who pushes her aside. She gives him an earful. The onlookers throws things at him. He walkes away dejected.


    ***


    ¡°Is that it?¡± I ask, my eyes wide.


    We stand in a dark cavern, that¡¯s half filled with water. There¡¯s a large hulking, green and brown monstrosity at the center. A living sub.


    One of the oldest, and rarer yet that it¡¯s still functioning. My wife had found it when she had gone for a swim after quitting from her job.


    It¡¯s made mostly out of wood, with muscular tissue underneath, that makes it somewhat similar to a large whale. There are strange organs inside, that provide us our food and oxygen. Technology of times long past.


    And it¡¯s at our fingertips.


    ¡°Yes. This is it.¡± Lyvia says, a proud smile on her face.


    I scoff.


    ¡°Wipe that stupid smirk off your face. You only found it, and that was by chance.¡±


    She pouts.


    ¡°Aww. But honey, what if I had told my father about it?¡± She asks, playfully.


    Despite that, I still get a shiver up my spine.


    ¡°You made it, discovered it, and deserve all the damn credit in the world. All hail this goddess!¡± I say.


    She giggles.


    ¡°Well, what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s get in!¡± Then she trips me, and jumps on to the top, laughing.

 Chapter 3 - Controlling the sub - Lyvia

    The first thing I noticed, as I stepped onto Aquaria, was the distinct odour of the submarine. It was an earthy smell, like that you would expect from a farm that recently experienced rain. It reminded me of the (one of many) orchids my father owned. Being hit with such a nostalgic feeling made me feel at home straight away. Unfortunately, Jett didn¡¯t feel the same way.


    ¡®What is that horrible smell?¡¯ he moaned, picking himself up after I accidentally tripped him. (It wasn¡¯t an accident, but I wanted to be first onboard). ¡®Does the sub have air freshener?¡¯


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with how it is now?¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s so,¡¯ he said, pausing to think of the right word, ¡®wooden? That¡¯s the right word, right?¡¯


    ¡®Not everyone is a tech-junkie like you,¡¯ I snapped. It was no surprise. Of course my husband, who had lived his entire life surrounded by machinery, would prefer something that was more artificial.


    ¡®Love you too,¡¯ he teased. ¡®But seriously, can we do something about it?¡¯


    ¡®Alright, alright. Aquaria, put on pheromone three, please.¡¯


    Aquaria creaked. Her walls and flooring shifted ever so slightly; not enough to unbalance us, but enough to notice it. Then, I could hear the sound of gas leaking from several pores, like pistons in a factory. It produced a more metallic odour. Though I didn¡¯t like it, I didn¡¯t hate it either. Seeing how pleased he looked was a satisfying feeling, so I let it be.


    ¡®Better?¡¯ I double checked.


    ¡®Many better,¡¯ he replied.


    ¡®Much better,¡¯ I corrected. His grammar was still as poor as ever.


    ¡®Not my fault English is my second language. What¡¯s the difference anyway?¡¯


    ¡®We use ¡®much¡¯ for something uncountable, while ¡®many¡¯ is used for countable things. Or at least that¡¯s how I remember it. My grammar isn¡¯t the best either.¡¯


    ¡®I think I understand. Will we go and move now?¡¯


    ¡®Shall, not will,¡¯ I corrected once more.


    ¡®Nerd,¡¯ he retorted.


    ¡®Hey!¡¯


    ¡®Just teasing. So? Shall we go?¡¯


    ¡®Sure. Right this way.¡¯


    I led Jett into a narrow room that contained two helmets, with intertwining vines that branched out of the top of them. They were connected to the submarine, like wires to a machine.


    ¡®Put one on,¡¯ I ordered, pointing to the one on the left, which he followed obediently.


    ¡®I don¡¯t see anything,¡¯ he said.


    ¡®Be patient, dear,¡¯ I assured him.


    I wanted to use the right. Being the user of that one had one special perk. There was a hole on that side of the wall, which I placed my hand into. There were some grooves on the inside, which I placed my fingers onto. It caused vines to grow out of the area, wrapping around my hand until you couldn¡¯t see it anymore.


    ¡®Now what do I do now?¡¯ I muttered to myself.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡®What?¡¯ Jett queried.


    ¡®Nothing,¡¯ I snapped.


    Jett thought that I knew how to control everything on this submarine but, in reality, I only knew a few basic commands. I still had a lot to learn. However, I had a handbook that the Mutans breeders left me with. Inside contained all of the functions they made Aquaria grow up to be able to do and how to use them. I flicked through the pages, coming to a section on movement and control.


    Now it all made sense. I put on my helmet as instructed. Like my husband said, there wasn¡¯t anything to see. There was some liquid flowing inside of it, though it stood stagnant for the time being.


    ¡®Aquaria,¡¯ I called. ¡®Activate piloting.¡¯


    Aquaria creaked and I can feel the floor shifting once more. I believed that was her way of saying she heard loud and clear. Even if the sub was a low intelligence lifeform, she still was capable of that.


    All of a sudden, the liquid in the helmet glowed various colours. They sloshed together for a few moments before stopping. What was left behind was an image of the cave on the outside of Aquaria.


    ¡®Woah,¡¯ Jett said in awe.


    ¡®I know, right?¡¯ I agreed. ¡®Now for the fun stuff.¡¯


    I tilted my vine-covered hand forwards. The image inside the liquid changed as Aquaria began to move forwards. I saw the cave walls move closer and closer. I could see the pools of water Aquaria floated in. The various rock formations were detailed, as if I was standing right beside them. It was amazing how I was able to see what was going on the outside through these helmets.


    ¡®Uh, honey? We¡¯re going to crash.¡¯


    We lurched forwards as Aquaria hit the rocks in front of us. I was careless. I was too distracted by the sights that I had forgot that I was the one controlling Aquaria! I corrected myself by tilting my hand backwards. Aquaria reversed herself back to her original position. I then aimed to submerge her, so I tilted my hand to the side.


    But that was the wrong command. Aquaria turned instead of submerging, causing her to crash into the land on the side. I tried tilting my hand to the other side, but that didn¡¯t work either as it only caused the sub to crash once more.


    The helmet became dark. I felt the vines on my helmet leave. I took off my helmet to see what was going on. But I was only met by the concerned look of my husband, who had already taken off his helmet.


    ¡®You do know how to drive this thing?¡¯ he asked, sceptical.


    ¡®Um, yeah. I just need to consult the handbook.¡¯


    ¡®You said you found the sub lying around. Where did a handbook come from?¡¯ he questioned, an eyebrow raised.


    ¡®I found it inside of Aquaria,¡¯ I responded.


    ¡®That¡¯s really convenient.¡¯


    ¡®Quite. I just got lucky,¡¯ I said as I flicked through the handbook. ¡®Oh.¡¯


    The handbook said, to submerge the submarine, I needed to lower my hand.


    Ah. I had completely forgotten that the controls used three-dimensional instead of two-dimensional space. I made sure to read up on all of the controls for movement this time, so that I didn¡¯t make any more mistakes.


    Confident in my new-found knowledge, I placed my hand into the hole and placed my fingers onto the grooves again. But something was wrong. Jett picked up on my worried expression.


    ¡®What¡¯s the matter?¡¯


    ¡®Aquaria isn¡¯t responding. It¡¯s not creating the glove that I used to drive the sub.¡¯


    ¡®Let me try.¡¯


    ¡®What? A big oaf like you?¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t know about you, but I don¡¯t think I want someone to drive me if they crashed me into rocks three times.¡¯


    Not giving him the satisfaction of telling him that he might be right, I tried to put him down. ¡®I¡¯m sure Aquaria, a being more intelligent than you, knows not to trust you either.¡¯


    ¡®Are you going to let me try or not?¡¯


    ¡®Humph. Fine. You¡¯re not getting the handbook though.¡¯


    We switched places as Jett put his hand through the hole. To my surprise, he emerged with his hand covered with the vines. I kept my feelings to myself and put on the helmet. What if Aquaria let him be in control? She still needed to see him drive. For all we knew, she might realise that I am, of course, the superior driver!


    ¡®Aquaria,¡¯ he called out. ¡®Activate piloting.¡¯


    The liquid in the helmet lit up once more, showing us the cave in front of us. I was shocked as that changed to the turquoise of the ocean. I saw fish and other living creatures swimming around us. The likes that I only saw in textbooks. But my pride overcame my sense of wonder. I just couldn¡¯t accept that my husband managed to submerge the submarine on his first go. So, I decided to leave and do something else.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to make lunch.¡¯


    But Jett was enjoying himself too much to hear me.


    ¡®Haha! This is just like driving a MHC,¡¯ he remarked.


    ¡®An MHC,¡¯ I corrected.


    I settled with this small victory in the end.

 Chapter 4 - A glimpse of the Ocean - Jett

    Alright. This is fun.


    I tilt my hand slightly to the left. I feel the sub shift under me. It¡¯s a weird, new experience. The water roars around our sub.


    The fish are glowing.


    Amazing. Once we had gotten into the depths of the ocean, strange organisms are constantly seen around us. The most common being the glowing fish.


    They come in a variety of colors. Violet being my favorite, of course. They also give me some visibility underwater.


    Speaking of which, I need to talk to Lyvia about that. A sub that relies on plain visibility? That¡¯s suicide. Though, I¡¯m not sure if there¡¯s any other sense.


    For now, I can make do. The helmet shows me a full view of the world around me, that is, all six sides. Up, down, front, back, right and left. I need to turn my head to look in a particular direction.


    I look down, and I see the ocean bed a few miles away. But, since the water isn¡¯t clear, it isn¡¯t clear. All I can see is a vague brown landscape. Wait, can it be called landscape if it¡¯s underwater? Does it matter? Probably not.


    There is also some fish swimming alongside our submarine. I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re up to. They just swim alongside, like the submarine is some sort of Mama fish. It¡¯s eerie, and I don¡¯t like it. I wish I could get rid of them.


    I can¡¯t, though, so I have to bear with it. I push down my annoyance and focus ahead.


    A hundred meters away, or so I think, are large rock pillars. They twist and turn, and spread for miles together. Going around would take more time than going through. But is going through worth the risk?


    Yes. It absolutely is.


    I move my hand forward, and feel the submarine move forward as well. I lean back. A few minutes later, I am at the rock formations.


    The rock is pale yellow. I can see grooves eroded into the pillars because of water currents. They are strips of orange and light pink spots dotting them too. They are tall enough to nearly reach the surface.


    The gaps between them are sometimes small, sometimes large, sometimes mid size. This is in comparison to the sub however. I slowly move my hand backward, and the sub slows to a halt.


    There are two moderately risky paths to take. One twists to the left, and the other just goes forward.


    I choose to go forward.


    I lean backward. Water roars around the sub. The roaring is slightly muffled through the walls. The floors creak.


    I smile.


    Then an impact sends a shock through my arm. I turn to see what hit us, and see a gigantic turtle on the left.


    Indigo lines line it¡¯s wrinkled blue head. Pale green orbs stare at me- no, the sub. The shell itself is indistinguishable from the rock around it.


    The floor creaks. The room becomes slightly brighter as the algae on the roof glows.


    My mouth gapes.


    It¡¯s beautiful¡­ and, at the same time, absolutely terrifying.


    It turns to the rock next to it, and bites it. The pillar snaps in two, and falls into the depths of the ocean. I watch as fish scatter, mesmerized.


    It crunches the rock. Then, it swallows it and moves on. It swims away, and I keep my eyes on it, afraid that it would turn back to eat the little insignificant submarine.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    With me and Lyvia in it.


    But it doesn¡¯t. It goes on eating bits of rock now and then, and then continues to move further and further. Once it is a mile away, I bring myself to move the submarine.


    I twist and turn with the rock, and wince everytime we graze a rock. Annoyingly, I hear creaking immediately after.


    I know it is the damn submarine. The thing is upset with me? I¡¯m it¡¯s bloody captain! What the hell is it creaking on about?


    Finally, the gaps begin to widen and widen until maneuvering the ship is a piece of cake. My arm aches. I massage my biceps, as I stare ahead.


    There is a pink coral tree ahead. It glows.


    Fish flitter between the branches. I watch as one of the fishes are eaten by a larger fish, then watch that fish get eaten by another fish, in a more gruesome way. The larger fish has some horrible teeth.


    Then I watch it get swallowed whole by a squid.


    I shudder.


    Are there any weapons on this thing?


    I thrust my hand forwards. The floor creaks, and I find myself nearly knocked over by the inertia. With some great difficulty, I manage to regain my balance, and continue moving forward.


    I look down and still see fish swimming alongside the sub.


    ¡°Damn it.¡± I curse.


    The floor creaks loudly.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± I yell.


    It creaks.


    I sigh, and shake my head. I turn my attention back to the ocean. Ocean floor, that is.


    Cracks spiderweb through the surface. The rock is red hot. I watch as geysers of steam erupts occasionally. Past three hundred meters, there is no fish, or any living thing as far as I can see.


    Except for seaweed. There is also the bits and pieces of gore that zip through the currents.


    Ah. The FC.


    A fish gets chased by a crab. I watch as the fish goes next to one of the geysers. The geyser erupts, and the fish¡­ explodes into bits of meat. The meat then goes on to join the currents.


    I shudder.


    How are we supposed to get through this?


    ¡°Jett!¡± Lyvia yells.


    I snap out of my stupor and look at her. She¡¯s wearing a bright expression, and is holding two plates of steaming fish, with some boiled seaweed next to it.


    She blinks.


    ¡°What are you standing there like that for?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°We can¡¯t go through.¡±


    She furrows her eyebrows.


    ¡°Go through what?¡±


    ¡°The FC. I¡¯m not sure the sub can handle it.¡± I say.


    The floor creaks.


    Lyvia frowns.


    ¡°Then what do we do?¡±


    ¡°Go back, and brainstorm.¡± I say.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asks.


    I nod.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to rush this. Can you take over? My arm is hurts.¡± I say.


    She smiles.


    ¡°My arm is hurting, darling.¡± She says.


    I open my mouth to protest, but she raises a finger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take over if Aquaria allows it.¡±


    The floor creaks. I shrug.


    I pull off the helmet. The vines recede. I pull my arm out, and flap it. Lyvia walks up to me and kisses me. She hands me the plates, and puts on the helmet. She slides her hands into the hole, and I watch as the vines wrap around them.


    I look at the fish, my mouth watering.


    ¡°Now, now. Let¡¯s have the food together.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it to go cold.¡±


    ¡°Then feed me.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Sure.¡±


    I tear off a piece of fish, and walk over to Lyvia. I raise it to her face- and put it in my mouth, and resist chuckling as I see her annoyed expression.


    She punches my shoulder. Hard.


    ¡°Sorry!¡± I yell.


    ¡°You better be.¡±


    ***


    The sub slows to a stop. Lyvia retracts her hand, and takes off the helmet.


    ¡°So. What do we do now?¡±


    She shrugs.


    ¡°We have enough supplies to last us for a lifetime. And we have a lifetime. Let¡¯s not rush this.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. So, we go to the city, and research on how to make armor?¡±


    She nods.


    I grin.


    ¡°Honey, you¡¯ve never seen me in action, but when you do, I bet I¡¯m gonna blow your mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve ¡®blown¡¯ your mind so many times. It¡¯s about time you did it to me for once.¡±


    I deadpan.


    She laughs.

 Chapter 5 - Cressa - Lyvia

    ¡®That was anticlimactic,¡¯ I complained as I stepped out of Aquaria.


    ¡®At least we found out the cause of the Fluctus Currents,¡¯ Jett consolidated.


    ¡®You sure we couldn¡¯t have gone through those geysers?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®Lyvia. I saw a fish get incinerated through the submarine¡¯s helmet thing. No way am I going through that without protection.¡¯


    ¡®Always needing protection, I see.¡¯


    ¡®What?¡¯


    ¡®Nothing,¡¯ I snapped back, turning my head away.


    ¡®Ok then. What¡¯s the plan?¡¯


    We were out of the cave at this point. I racked my brains for any potential solution that would avoid me meeting people. I had already said my goodbyes to everyone and it would have been awkward to bump into my friends and family again. The only people I knew that I didn¡¯t say anything to were my parents and the staff at my mansion. I sighed as I knew they were my last resort.


    ¡®I think I¡¯m going to go to my family for help.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s a good idea.¡¯


    ¡®What? You¡¯re not coming?¡¯


    My suspicions were raised. Jett always avoided meeting with my family whenever possible. I didn¡¯t think it was my mother but, rather, it was my father who he was afraid of. I had to make sure though.


    ''So, you''re not going with me to meet my father?''


    ''No. No. No,¡¯ he paused before adding one more ¡®No.¡¯


    As I expected.


    ¡®You''ve got to stop being a coward, Jett. He''s not that scary. We¡¯re close by anyway, so you might as well come for a visit.


    ¡®Easy for you to say. Anyway, I think I want to meet my old work colleagues.¡¯


    ¡®Suit yourself,¡¯ I said, rolling my eyes.


    ''Alright. Thanks, you¡¯re the best! See you soon!'' he said, giving me a peck before running off. He tripped, falling flat on his face. I tried to hold my laughter but it became increasingly difficult. It was even funnier when he did it himself!


    ¡®Yeah, yeah,¡¯ Jett cried out, tears forming around his eyes. ¡®Laugh it off.¡¯


    I still couldn¡¯t believe this was the man I fell in love with.


    ****


    After Jett and I split up, my first call of action was to contact auntie Rae. I recorded a message on a Lyriss, that I had stored in Aquaria, then watched as it flew, through constant spinning, to wherever she was. I told her to meet me at my house. It was located near the coast and close to where auntie Rae worked, so I expected to see her sooner rather than later.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    My house was almost directly above the cave Aquaria resided in. However, the path to the top of the cliff forced me to walk away before walking towards my house. I walked on the rocky beach, staring at the ocean like I used to, when my father took me to this exact spot. It was our favourite place in the country and was what got me interested in exploring the ocean in the first place. Now my father never came down anymore and I often snuck out alone to visit, much to my father¡¯s annoyance.


    The sightseeing made the journey shorter than expected. I arrived at a Mutans Lift, a small pod made up of the same material as Aquaria, on the side of the cliff. I entered it, pressed the wooden button and watched as vines stretched and moved to raise the lift. I ascended to the top of the cliff, where you could see the ocean in its full beauty.


    The sun set on the horizon, giving the water an orange tint. I always found it amazing how the water can change colour based on the time of day: red in the morning; blue during the day; orange at dusk and black at night.


    I had paintings- hand-drawn by me- to depict the scenery. They were hung up somewhere at my house. Well, I said ¡®my house¡¯ but I had gone a long time ago to live with Jett. My father wouldn¡¯t give me my paintings though, or most of my works that I made by hand. He told me it was ¡®punishment¡¯ but I knew the real reason.


    ¡®Liiiiillllyy!¡¯ a familiar voice shouted.


    I turned to the sight of a girl bounding towards me. She wore the traditional attire of a jacket, laced with silk, that was a size too big, as it flapped over her hands. Underneath was a crimson shirt that complemented her freckles and ginger hair. It was half-tucked in her beige trousers, that gave her a sloppy impression. It was typical of her and I would have been surprised if that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡®Cressa!¡¯ I called out in return, embracing my sister as she leapt into my arms.


    ¡®I knew it! It had to be you coming up the lift.¡¯ Her was voice as ecstatic as ever.


    ¡®Oh? How did you know?¡¯


    ¡®Guess who finally convinced father to become more modernised,¡¯ Cressa said, pointing to herself.


    ¡®Let me see. You?¡¯


    ¡®Correct! I set up surveillance around our land. I even saw your little smooch down below hehe,¡¯ she sniggered, placing a hand over her not-so-hidden grin.


    ¡®Shows how na?ve you are, little sister. We¡¯ve done much lewder things,¡¯ I smirked as my sister¡¯s grin turned into one of horror.


    ¡®L-l-like, um, er, did you do that?¡¯


    ¡®Yes. We did that. Oh, and even worse.¡¯


    ¡®There¡¯s more?¡¯ Cressa¡¯s face grew more and more red by the moment.


    ¡®Such a maiden. I¡¯ll tell you when you¡¯re older.¡¯


    ¡®I-I don¡¯t think I want to know.¡¯


    I patted Cressa¡¯s head. The innocence of her generation was a prime target to make fun of.


    ¡®I actually wanted to see father about something. Is he home?¡¯


    ¡®Yeah. Um, Lily, you sure you want to meet him dressed like that?¡¯ Cressa said, pointing to the dress Jett had gotten me for our anniversary. I could tell why my sister was concerned.


    ¡®I¡¯m certain.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t blame me for what happens.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ve been doing what I want all my life. He ought to be ready for this.¡¯


    ¡®If you say so. I¡¯ll lead you there. There¡¯s been some changes since you left the mansion. It¡¯s been ages since you last visited.¡¯


    It dawned on me how long it had been since I saw my family. From the studies, to make aquatic transport possible, to my marriage, the only family member I spoke to on a regular basis was auntie Rae. It made me wonder what everyone was up to and it looked like I was going to find out.

 Chapter 6 - Family Reunion - Lyvia

    My room was just as I left it. Not only was nothing out of place, but the covers, floor and shelves remained spotless. The books were dusted and my desk had all its stationary in its proper place.


    ¡®We made sure you den remained the way it was, in case you ever decided to visit,¡¯ Cressa explained. ¡®He won¡¯t admit it, but father was the one that ordered all the staff to keep it this way.¡¯


    ¡®Of course, he won¡¯t,¡¯ I responded. ¡®Bet he has some of my essays hung up somewhere secret.¡¯


    ¡®Mother is coming soon. She¡¯s getting dressed.¡¯


    ¡®Oh, screw the formalities. We need to act bit more like the commoners.¡¯


    ¡®Your father wouldn¡¯t be happy with that,¡¯ I heard my mother¡¯s voice say.


    I turned around to see her. She was as beautiful as ever. Her Red hair was tied up into a bun, the suit and shirt showed off her slim figure and the tie rounded off the look with style. She looked every bit of an upper-class woman.


    ¡®I¡¯ll leave you two alone while I get father,¡¯ Cressa said. I nodded and she bowed to mother before taking her leave.


    ¡®Good evening, mother,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®So good to see you, Lyvia. It¡¯s been ages!¡¯


    ¡®Aha. It has, hasn¡¯t it?¡¯


    ¡®How¡¯s your husband?¡¯


    ¡®He¡¯s been doing well. Oh, have a seat, mother,¡¯ I suggested as we both headed for my bed. ¡®Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t join me.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s a shame. I haven¡¯t seen him ¨C Jett, was it? ¨C since the wedding.¡¯


    ¡®The very same wedding where father didn¡¯t turn up?¡¯


    ¡®The very same. He¡¯s actually keen on meeting the man you fell in love with, but he¡¯s as stubborn as an oyster. I think it¡¯s how his people dress that turns him away. He definitely won¡¯t like what you¡¯re wearing right now.¡¯If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    I sighed and looked down at the lilac dress I was wearing. There were frills at the ends of it and the upper-half was a tad revealing, compared to what most aristocratic women wore. I understood why, but I wasn¡¯t ready to back down and change, even if my wardrobe was right next to the bed.


    ¡®Father¡¯s a patriarch through and through. He wouldn¡¯t accept that this sort of thing was normal from where Jett is from.¡¯


    ¡®I concur. But after your many rebellious feats, I think you¡¯re slowly getting to him.¡¯


    ¡®Sorry, mother,¡¯ I apologised.


    ¡®No, no,¡¯ mother said with a grin. ¡®I¡¯m enjoying it. Keep it up.¡¯


    An entourage of maids in suits entered the room. They bowed on either side of the entrance. It meant only one thing. Father had arrived.


    He was joined with Cressa at his side. His beard was trimmed to a magnificent degree. The scar above his eyes a trophy of his hunting days. The greyness of his hair shone under the dim lighting of the room. He was as fearsome as ever. I could understand why people were afraid of him.


    ''Good evening father,'' I greeted, standing up in respect. ''Look. We have matching dresses.''


    ¡®Lyvia Everdeen! What in Drinzil are you wearing?!¡¯ My father was fuming.


    ¡®Oh, this dress was a gift from Jett,¡¯ I replied, twirling it around.


    ¡®I don¡¯t remember raising my daughter to behave and dress so manly!¡¯


    I could hear the not-so-hidden giggles of mother and Cressa (and a few of the maids for that matter). I almost caught it too. But instead, I decided to give them a show.


    ¡®Father, you do realise that I am no longer an Everdeen. I am a Zetter now. His culture is different to ours and I have embraced that.¡¯


    ¡®Preposterous! They¡¯re a bunch of savages that laugh like a pack of guldoons whenever I cross the border. How dare they mock the master of the Everdeen household!¡¯


    ¡®Uh, father. That may be because you dress like a woman from their point of view.¡¯


    ¡®Nonsense. This dress is the epitome of manliness. Calling me a woman is the polar opposite of the truth,¡¯ he defended. ¡®I do not accept your husband or his kin!¡¯


    I knew I was getting under his skin, so I continued my onslaught. He wasn¡¯t going going to get away with insulting Jett either.


    ¡®Or maybe because you can¡¯t stand the fact that your daughter¡¯s purity was ravaged by a foreigner. A commoner no less!¡¯


    ¡®Lyvia!¡¯ mother interrupted. ¡®Let¡¯s not get into a fight now. You too, Ernest.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, mother.¡¯


    ¡®Sorry, Jane.¡¯


    ¡®Now, Lyvia,¡¯ mother continued. ¡®I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t come here just for a friendly visit. It¡¯s not like you. Did you need something from us?¡¯


    I smiled. I was meaning to bring up the topic at some point, but mother brought it up instead. She knew exactly was I wanted. How typical of her. With everyone here, I sat down on the bed next to mother. Auntie Rae already knew what was going on. The only people who didn¡¯t were the people in the room.


    ¡®Well,¡¯ I began. ¡®There¡¯s a project I¡¯ve started to work on. It¡¯s called Aquaria.¡¯

 Chapter 7 - Aquarias (potential) upgrade - Lyvia

    Father stormed out of the room. Mother and the maids followed him, trying to calm him down. He didn¡¯t even bother listening to the whole explanation. However, I didn¡¯t expect him to be that cooperative either. Fortunately, auntie Rae came


    ¡®It¡¯s obvious what father thinks,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®He just doesn¡¯t want to reveal his true feelings,¡¯ Cressa assured.


    ¡®And that is?¡¯


    ¡®Oh, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll show it sooner or later himself.¡¯


    ¡®Not sure if I want to know,¡¯ I commented, then turned to auntie Rae. ¡®So, what do you think?¡¯


    ¡®Judging from what you wrote in the letter,¡¯ she began, ¡®you want something to defend against the geyser. Any specifics?¡¯


    ¡®Aquaria is built to withstand high amounts of pressure, so I don¡¯t see that as a problem. Jett says he¡¯s worried about us getting fried by the heat though.¡¯


    ¡®The sub can¡¯t withstand heat?¡¯


    ¡®It should. It¡¯s to make sure and to keep Jett¡¯s mind at peace.¡¯


    ¡®Oh! Oh! I know!¡¯ Cressa called out. ¡®If you also need cold resistance, why not use thermacteria?¡¯


    ¡®What?¡¯ I said, confused by the term.


    ¡®We learnt about it in school. The Fets discovered it ten years ago. It¡¯s bacteria that absorbs heat and releases it when cold.¡¯


    ¡®Is this true, auntie Rae?¡¯


    Auntie Rae pondered for a moment. She wasn¡¯t sure herself, but the thought was worth investigating.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡®Maybe it could be used as a film,¡¯ she said. ¡®However, I can¡¯t be certain. I got a friend who¡¯s an expert in field of bacteria and he¡¯ll probably know more. I¡¯ll contact him now.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll probably leave too,¡¯ Cressa pointed out. ¡®Dad¡¯s still throwing a hissy fit most likely.¡¯


    ¡®Perfect. Then I¡¯ll see you two later then,¡¯ I said.


    With the two of them gone, I was left in my lonesome. I slumped into my bed, its familiar feeling welcoming me back. The nostalgia was enough for me to lull me into sleep. I¡¯ve had a busy few days ahead of me so, at the very least, I could afford a short nap here. I didn¡¯t even bother getting out of my dress.


    ***


    ¡®Lyvia, this man is the expert I was talking about, Terry,¡¯ auntie Rae introduced as well all stood outside Aquaria.


    ¡®Good morning,¡¯ he said.


    ¡®Good morning to you too,¡¯ I replied.


    The man was tall and muscular. With his greying facial features and dark features, he reminded me a lot like an older version of Jett.


    ¡®Did you make this yourself, young lady?¡¯ Terry asked.


    ¡®Mhm,¡¯ I responded.


    ¡®What splendid work! I¡¯ve always wanted to work on a project on this scale,¡¯ he admired.


    ¡®Why, thank you. It¡¯s been a dream of mine too.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll get right on it then.¡¯


    Terry placed a goo-like substance on Aquaria. It began to spread, enveloping her in the process. It continued to grow, until the whole submarine was covered, before it snapped back to its original size in an instant. Terry picked it off and headed back to auntie Rae and me.


    ¡®I got the measurements down,¡¯ he said. ¡®I¡¯ll go get my crew tomorrow and we¡¯ll get started on the thermacterial coating.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s fine by me,¡¯ I agreed.


    Without warning, auntie Rae tugged on my dress. She indicated for me to take a look outside. Confused, I stepped out of the cave, dropping my jaws as I found out what she was going on about. In the distance, walking along the beach, was father. Wearing his swimsuit, a tight-fitting bikini, he beckoned me over with a grin on his face.


    With him was an entourage of butlers, all of them begging him to do something. A sinking feeling ran down my chest. It was the first time I had seen the servants act in this way and it could only spell trouble.


    ¡®Why are you here, father?¡¯ I queried when I got to him.


    ¡®Lyvia, I have decided,¡¯ He boomed, ignoring the servants¡¯ pleas.


    ¡®Decided?¡¯ My confusion was at an all-time high.


    ¡®I¡¯m coming with you!¡¯


    ¡®Eh?¡¯

 Chapter 8 - Freak - Jett

    A gentle breeze blows against me. I let myself sway to it.


    I let out a little sigh. I¡¯m walking on a small bridge, to my left and right is water. Ahead of me is land, with a lot of grass and a couple animals grazing. I watch as ripples form on the water, as the grass bends in accord with the wind.


    The boards creak when I step on them. The bridge is a little shaky, and I felt a little apprehension when I wanted to use it. But the bridge is a quick shortcut to where I want to go, and I¡¯m not about to travel two hours when I can travel fifteen minutes.


    I wish there¡¯s nothing baring us from going into the ocean. I was hoping to never return here.


    A fish jumps out of the water, and sprays me with a taste of salty water. I spit, and watch as the fish dives back in. I don¡¯t mind the water.


    I continue moving.


    Fifteen minutes later, I¡¯m at my lab. It¡¯s a neat little place, hidden in the city as a normal house, save for being three times as large. From the outside, it¡¯s a purple cozy building.


    But from the inside¡­


    I walk up to the door and knock.


    The door is opened by a short and jumpy man, his hair a mess, his hands scarred, his eyes green and an electric grin on his face.


    ¡°Jett! Where you been, man?¡± He says at a volume that hurts my ears.


    I wince.


    ¡°For Falcon¡¯s sake¡­ lower your damn volume, you hear me?¡±


    He chuckles.


    ¡°Well, just a bit excited is all. Freddy got a Freak working.¡±


    My eyes widen.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    He snaps his fingers.


    ¡°Get your ass in and follow me.¡± He then turns around lightning quick, and runs down the corridor.


    I run after him.


    ¡°You better not be lying!¡± I yell.


    He replies with an out of breath chuckle. I curse.


    He leads me into the basement, where we have a large organic electricity generator. It absorbs nitrogen, and uses¡­ something to make electricity. We can make the damn thing, but we have no idea how it works.


    Green rubbery cables extend from it to all corners of the room, with occasional flowers extending from them. More cables run into the flowers. Hundred bits of grey metal are scattered all around the room, and some are assembled into various humanoid shapes with bits of plant matter in between them.


    An infectious grin spreads onto my face.


    In the center of the room, chest glowing blue, yellow gauntlets, boots, and head is a Freak. A half-mechanical, half-plant humanoid powered by a strange processor we made by accident. They are almost as capable as us when it comes to mental faculties.


    I startle when it turns it¡¯s head and stares at me.


    ¡°You see?¡± The man, Telk says, nearly shouting.


    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± I say.


    He laughs.


    ¡°I know, right?¡± He says. ¡°Freak, meet one of your makers.¡± He gestures at me with his hand.


    The Freak slowly walks towards me. It¡¯s eyes are two orange orbs with a red speck at the center of them. The Freak is quite unnerving, to say the least. My heart thrums. The Freak stops in front of me. It raises its hand.


    I stare at it.


    I slowly raise my hand. It grabs ahold of it, and shakes it firmly. I stare at it¡¯s head.


    Then I burst into manic laughter.


    ¡°He really went and fucking did it!¡± I yell.


    ¡°Damn right I did,¡± A man leaning against the door frame says.


    He has long brown hair tied into a ponytail, and a skinny frame. His eyes are sharp. He has a smile on his face.


    ¡°Freddy! How did you-? I mean-¡± I frantically gesture at the Freak.


    He rubs at his chin.


    ¡°The problem we had wasn¡¯t with the processor, it was with the pseudo-nervous system we installed. We designed it to be fast¡­ but that was a mistake. The processor simply can¡¯t keep up with the sensory influx. So I changed a couple things, and look!¡± He gestures towards the Freak.


    ¡°Awesome,¡± I breathe out.


    He nods, looking satisfied with himself.


    ¡°Should we patent it?¡± Telk asks.


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Both of us say at the same time.


    We chuckle.


    ¡°Race you!¡± I yell.


    Freddy curses.

 Chapter 9 - Another crew member - Jett

    Okay, I might have gotten a little carried away by the freak. After we patent it (A very quick thing these days, considering how many inventions come in everyday, no, every hour.) it still takes me two hours before I realize what my original goal was. In my defense, we were celebrating. No alcohol of course, because one; We don¡¯t want to do anything stupid, and two; Freddy hates the thought of it.


    And now I¡¯m sitting by the beach, Freddy next to me. Telk had left just a minute ago, muttering something about his mother and cakes¡­ I¡¯m unsure what that¡¯s about. Is it his mother¡¯s birthday? Or¡­ is his mother giving him cake? I don¡¯t know.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡± Freddy asks.


    ¡°Nothing much.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then why were you absent today? Is it because of that submarine I saw you and your wife come out of?¡±


    Mouth gaping, I look at him.


    He has a cocky smile on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± He says.


    I debate the idea a bit.


    ¡°...No.¡±


    He, however, is undeterred.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°My wife would kill me if I brought you back with me. So, no.¡± I argue.


    ¡°Ha, but I¡¯m betting for your voyage, you don¡¯t have a very talented fisherman, right?¡± He says, a sharp grin on his face. He waves wildly with his arms as he speaks.


    ¡°...No? Why would we need a fisherman?¡± I say, a little confused.


    ¡°''Cuz he knows the currents! He knows how to get fish! And, this fisherman knows how to swim! A very useful thing, you see.¡±


    I think for a bit. I still had a little resistance against him coming with, but on the other hand¡­Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    We don¡¯t really need the fish, not when the sub can produce food via a form of photosynthesis, but. He was good at research. The fish could be something to research. We don¡¯t really know much about¡­ currents. And swimming can be useful in a myriad of situations. And last but not least, I¡¯m too lazy as of currently to find a solution to our problem. A Freddy might be the proof I need to show that I did do more than¡­ err, celebrating and patenting.


    Heck, we might as well take the freak. But¡­ no, I can certainly see it freaking out Lyvia. I know what¡¯s in store for me if I took the freak.


    I blink as Freddy waves a hand in front of me.


    ¡°You still there?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°You¡¯re coming with,¡± I say.


    ¡°Really?¡± He screams. I nod. ¡°Holy shit! I need to pack! Can you stay right there, for, I don¡¯t know, an hour?¡± He shrugs and runs off.


    I stare at his sprinting figure.


    ¡°I am so screwed.¡± I mutter.


    ***


    Three hours later.


    We¡¯d spent the other two hours making copies of our lives¡¯ work. I don''t have much qualms leaving it behind, but it is Freddy¡¯s passion. And so we compromise, and copy it all.


    We also leave a note for Telk.


    Heyo, go crazy. We¡¯re probably at the other side of the continent as you read this. Why? I guess you¡¯ll never know. So, go crazy and do whatever. We probably ain¡¯t coming back. Though, we wish we could¡¯ve¡­ said goodbye in person, but alas. So, let¡¯s leave a lot unsaid.


    It  isn''t very coherent, but on the other hand, it is last minute and we are in a rush¡­ besides, I think Telk will understand perfectly. It¡¯ll take him twenty minutes to understand the handwriting, of course, but we won''t be colleagues if we don¡¯t make each other¡¯s lives¡¯ harder. We¡¯ll leave the note on his table, stapled.


    Now we rolling on the beach laughing. Why? A couple feet away, is a man dressed in a¡­ bikini


    I¡¯ll let myself out now.


    Jokes aside, he is absolutely comical. I know we look like a bunch of assholes¡­ I mean, it is part of their culture, but we just can¡¯t care about that right now. Even if the man is Lyvia¡¯s father.


    ¡°How dare you laugh at my manly majesty?¡± The man says, face red in indignation.


    I laugh harder, and Freddy starts coughing. At this point, my cheeks, and stomach ar beginning to hurt.


    Then, abruptly, I stop.


    Why¡­ why is he here?


    I stare up at him, and then at slightly annoyed Lyvia. Then I see his butlers, and once again burst into laughter.


    ¡°Jett, I swear¡­¡± I hear Lyvia saying. A sharp icicle of fear shoots through my mind, laughter overpowering me.