Chapter Text
o0o0o0o
o0o0o0o
o0o0o0o
It had been a few years since Azul had found this secret cave above the water.
He had first discovered it by accident while fleeing from bullies, finding a hidden underwater entrance tucked away among the coral reefs that led straight up to this cavern. Ever since, it had served as his perfect, isolated sanctuary. An ideal space to safely conduct research and experiment, especially with the potions that required land fire and surface ingredients.
Unfortunately, that had all changed a few months ago.
Ever since Jade and Floyd Leech had discovered Azul drawing spells and magic circles over shells, they'd insisted on following him around. He'd tried to keep this place hidden, but they'd inevitably showed up one day – much to his horror.
However, despite fearing the worst – such as the twins telling everyone about this place or trashing all his earnestly made research – the twins did the opposite.
Even with as irritatingly loud as Floyd was, he hadn't said a word to anyone about this place – or at least that Azul knew of. Meanwhile, Jade had actually offered to help harvest ingredients and assist in Azul's experiments.
While Jade possessed a bizarre fascination with fungus, he had proven to be incredibly knowledgeable across a variety of subjects (not to mention that the Leech Family's... connections made it possible to acquire ingredients otherwise impossible for someone like Azul at this time). Jade was a top-tier assistant in all ways, even if Azul needed to constantly remain on guard.
(After all, there was no way anyone would just help the chubby loser Azul without having some ulterior motive. Even after months without incident, he still expected them to try and consume him the moment he turned his back. They'd even confirmed they would turn him into a snack if he ever stopped being amusing.)
But at this moment, things seemed... relatively at ease.
Today, they were experimenting with a new kind of transformation potion. Azul was writing down the notes of his and Jade's latest findings while the Leech Twin stirred the pot. The land fire was uncomfortably warm and smoky, but it was a necessary part of the pursuit of knowledge.
"Don't forget to keep stirring in a counterclockwise manner," Azul called out, one of his tentacles grabbing a different ingredient to examine for the next steps of their experiment. "The potency of the potion depends on absolute, pristine precision."
Jade Leech only smiled serenely, his slitted gold and olive eyes fixed on the simmering liquid next to them. It was quite unique compared to most of their recipes since it required land fire to properly combine together.
"Your worrying is quite inefficient, Azul," Jade said in that infuriating smooth tone. "My stirring speed is exactly what we agreed upon in our preliminary research–"
A loud, splashing commotion violently shattered the cavern's quiet peace, cutting straight through the eel's sentence.
Azul sighed, already knowing who it was without even looking. No one else would make such a racket just arriving to a place.
"Floyd," Azul grumbled, having hoped to get some peace today, "I believe you should be in the school disciplinary room still–"
"Look look, you guys!" Floyd interrupted, making Azul roll his eyes. "Look what I found!"
"Floyd..." Azul sighed again, wishing for the days before the Leech Twins had suddenly appeared in his life. "Whatever trinket or poor creature you've picked up this time can wait–"
The octopus merboy trailed off, going entirely rigid as he finally peered up to see whatever was making Floyd cause a commotion this time. But instead of some shiny rock or stray piece of shipwreck wood, Azul found himself staring at a shivering, soaking bundle clutched against Floyd's chest.
It wasn't an object.
It wasn't even the body of some poor animal or typical underseas creature.
It was a human child.
"FLOYD!?" Azul shrieked, his voice cracking into a high, frantic register of pure panic as he scrambled forward, his tentacles flaring aggressively at his side. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"
His disbelief only increased when he saw the human child flinch, going closer to Floyd. Not trying to flee like any reasonably sane creature would in such a situation.
"Have you completely lost your mind!?" Azul continued to shout, not even caring as Jade abandoned their meticulously brewed potion to come over with a fascinated expression. "T-That is a terrestrial dweller! A human child! Why have– how have you kidnapped a human child from the land and brought it to my private sanctuary!?"
"He's not a kidnapping, he's mine!" Floyd pouted, entirely unbothered by Azul's panic.
He swam forward, dropping the small, shivering boy onto a bed of dry sea-moss blankets near the potion fire in the middle of the cave. Which was probably for the best because the human child looked quite pale and cold, the latter of which Azul had read could even cause death for land dwellers.
"He fell off the high cliffs near the land-dwelling city!" Floyd continued with a care in the world. "I even made sure that he didn't pop from being underwater too long like you said!" He grinned, sharp teeth showing and undeserved pride dancing in his eyes. "I found him, so he's mine now! My brand-new Goldfishie!"
Azul stared, mouth wide open as he stared at Floyd's proud expression. He also stared at the way Floyd continued to hover near the shivering human bundle, an unyielding possessive light in his eyes – as if he expected Azul or Jade to try and steal his new 'toy' before his eyes.
Unlike Azul, Jade didn't panic. His head simply tilted with a quiet, dangerous curiosity that only worried Azul more. Some may think that Floyd was the more dangerous and unpredictable of the two twins, but Azul was very aware that Jade was the one to watch out for.
"My, my," Jade spoke. "A human child here? Without proper escort or parentage? If discovered, the fallout could be... exceptionally complex."
"Complex!?" Azul echoed incredulously, his tentacles squeezing open and close. "It's a catastrophic violation of international maritime protocols and treaties! If he fell from a cliff, then it's likely that the humans are already searching for him! Some may have even seen Floyd capture him and take him away from the shore instead of towards it!"
At Azul's words, the human seemed to flinch, huddling even closer to Floyd who only bared his teeth.
"They can't have him!" Floyd whined. "I found him fair and square, Octy!"
"That is not how it works, Floyd!" Azul shouted. "Just, just be quiet for now!"
Azul frantically swam back and forth in the wading pool, his sharp mind rapidly cycling through the terrifying legal variables. His stepfather was a lawyer, so Azul had heard many times how complicated it could be when mixing ocean laws with the rules of the surface. For something like the kidnapping of a human child – and potential maiming since it was Floyd involved – it would be catastrophic for all of them.
And since Floyd had brought the human here, Azul would be considered an accomplice! Even when he hadn't done nothing wrong! At best, Azul would lose this hideout and all the painstaking work and effort he'd made through the years made here!
Yet again, curse these Leech Twins!
Trying to stay calm, Azul swam to the edge of the stone ledge. His eyes locked onto the small human boy who laid curled into a tight, defensive ball against the moss. He tried to look as harmless and unassuming as possible, but he wasn't sure it worked when the red-haired boy only flinched and ducked his head.
"I-I'm terribly sorry for this, land dweller," Azul said in a stumbling tone, trying to embody the demeanor his lawyer stepfather would take when reassuring clients. "We will return you to the shore immediately–"
"NO!"
Azul took a deep breath, preparing to yell at Floyd... then realized it hadn't been the eel twin who had screamed.
The octopus merboy froze, taking in the terrified, human boy in front of them. To Azul's panic, the red-haired boy was crying as he bowed his forehead to the uncomfortable stone floor.
"P-Please, no! I can't go back!" the human boy pleaded, voice fracturing into a desperate, raw panic. "I, I need to stay gone! If you send me back... Mother will punish Trey and his family! I'll do whatever you want! I'll obey whatever rules you make, I swear!"
Azul froze, his eyes staring at the sheer, unadulterated terror seeming to radiate from the human child. It reminded him of prey that had been trapped, begging to be let go.
(It reminded Azul of how he felt when cornered by the bullies in their class.)
Beside him, Jade's serene smile subtly tightened. The eel's head tilted by a fraction, seeming to consider the new variables that the boy's words brought them.
"Fascinating," Jade murmured, though Azul had no idea what that could possibly mean.
Not that it mattered right now.
Even if there was no way that Azul would agree to the human boy's foolish and impossible request, it was clear that some more... information was needed.
"You... what's your name?" Azul asked quietly. "I must admit, I am... struggling to understand the situation. Why exactly do you need to 'stay gone'? Why would your return lead to the punishment of others? How did Floyd come to find you? Please, provide more details."
The red-haired boy flinched, tiny hands clenching into the damp sea-moss blankets. He slowly lifted his body from the bow, though he didn't meet the eyes of Azul or the twins.
"I-I'm Riddle Rosehearts," the teary-eyed boy said softly. He sniffed, trembling as he subtly rubbed at his nose with wet sleeves. "I... I'm a bad child. Not long ago, I... I was caught sneaking out from my study hours. Even worse, I was caught eating a strawberry tart–"
"A strawberry tart?" Azul echoed, unable to keep himself from interrupting. "Is that... a forbidden dessert? Perhaps a priceless treasure that you robbed?"
"Azul," Jade said in a chastising tone, making Azul flush. "It may be better for our newcomer to finish speaking before you interject."
"Yeah, Azul!" Floyd said with a laugh, seeming to enjoy the fact that it wasn't him being scolded for once. "Even I know that!"
Azul flushed. He turned to the newly introduced Riddle, clearing his throat.
"My apologies," Azul said, bowing his head for a moment. "Please continue."
"I-It's okay," Riddle said quietly, sniffing his nose again. "I-I'm the one who is sorry..."
Azul couldn't help but notice how the human still wouldn't look directly at him. Azul knew he was already hideous and pathetic by merpeople standards, so he couldn't imagine how much uglier and fatter he must look to this human child. Especially to one as thin as this boy.
Mother would cry if she saw a child so thin, Azul thought idly. She'd lock this Riddle boy up in her restaurant and refuse to let him go until he'd eaten at least three portions.
"Strawberry tarts are... a common enough dessert," Riddle continued finally, shaking even more now. "But I cannot have them. It's against Mother's rules since they're full of sugar and unhealthy and they'll rot my brain a-and I shouldn't have disgraced and betrayed Mother's trust so reprehensibly!"
He... had a dessert? Azul frowned. Is that... it? If my mother's staff had their way, I'd consume no less than a dessert every meal. Of course, I must agree dessert are rather unhealthy and I'm struggling to make my mother and the La Grotta's staff understand that I cannot no longer be so carefree with my diet, but to make such a commotion over one tart... that cannot be true, can it?
Jade and Floyd also seemed to be confused and frowning now too.
The human boy didn't seem to notice, wiping at his eyes as they began to leak more.
"B-But Trey and his family who gave me the strawberry tart, they're super kind!" Riddle insisted. "They don't deserve to have their bakery closed down just for giving me one! B-But my Mother... she wouldn't listen. She... she told me that my defense of them was even more proof of how I'd been corrupted and my mind was rotted by their sweets."
"Your mother has the power to close down an entire business with her word alone?" Jade interjected, now going against his previous rule not to interrupt. "Simply because they let you sample a dessert without her approval?"
The question was on Azul's mind as well, so he didn't call out Jade for bending his own rules not to interrupt.
"M-Mother is the town's most elite doctor," Riddle said quietly. "Everyone obeys her. I-If she says that Trey's bakery should not be allowed, she... she will likely succeed."
Jade let out a hum. "I suppose there are various avenues she could pursue. At best, your mother could pressure local health authorities to launch an aggressive investigation against the establishment, demanding audits on their ingredient sourcing, allergen labeling, or various protocols."
Azul nodded. "Find or plant one thing, and she could claim that they're operating unsanitarily. This would allow the health board to issue an immediate, emergency temporary closure while pending investigation, thus preventing them from doing business. Even if that didn't work, she could file a massive lawsuit, perhaps pursue the claim that the bakery illegally violated your specialized medical diet, thus risking your life, and submit evidence in conjunction with that."
Riddle grew paler with every claim.
"I-I don't know exactly how she plans to succeed," Riddle stammered. "Just, just that I can't let it happen! I begged her not to, that I would take on any punishment and extra work that she wanted, but Mother... she was displeased. She... she said that someone like me would be better off not existing, s-so I–"
"Whaaaaaaaa?" Floyd interjecting, all traces of amusement abruptly fading as irritation filled his face. "Goldfishe's Mom said that!?"
Floyd bared his sharp teeth, a low guttural growl vibrating from his throat. Riddle flinched at the sound, but his eyes only widened when Floyd only placed his head firmly on the human child's lap.
"Your Mom sounds really crazy!" Floyd declared, pouting fiercely. "Who would say something like that to their own fry? Especially as small and squishy as Goldfishie!"
Riddle went entirely rigid, eyes widening as if he couldn’t believe anyone would ever say such a thing about his Mother. Given the little that Azul had observed thus far, he probably couldn't.
But before the human boy could respond, Jade cut in with his own smooth observation.
"Then... does that mean you did not simply fall from the cliffs where Floyd found you?" Jade asked softly, his voice a mix of clinical curiosity and the closest to concern Azul had ever heard from him (though Azul was probably mistaken). "If your human mother declared that you would be better off not existing, perhaps she was attempting to dispose of you?"
"N-No! Absolutely not!" Riddle objected fiercely, his small voice cracking as he violently shook his head. He tried to move away from Floyd, but the eel boy only possessively clung on tighter. "M-My Mother is an elite, highly esteemed doctor! She would never commit such an unpolished, lawless act!"
And yet, Azul thought wryly, she would try to destroy a family business whose crime was showing kindness to her child. It would be one thing if you had been allergic or there had been some obvious danger, but from your words, it does not seem remotely so.
Riddle swallowed. "I was the one who failed to meet Mother's reasonable standards. So it was only right that I... that I..."
The red-haired boy trailed off, but Azul and the twins could instantly tell what he wasn't saying.
He jumped, Azul realized, horror sinking into his gut like an anchor. A child as small as this... driven to willingly jump to his almost certain death by his own flesh and blood Mother. Even if they weren't flesh and blood, to hear of such cruelty to one's kin... it is unspeakable.
For example, Azul knew that his stepfather would never say such a thing. Even if they weren't related by blood, his Papa was a gentle and kind man who'd always made it a point to tell Azul how much he cherished and valued him.
(Now would Azul's birth father say such a thing?)
(...it was possible. It had been many years since Azul had last seen his birth father, but that cruel man had often reminded Azul of what a fat, useless waste of space he was until his mother had finally divorced him.)
(So perhaps... Azul could believe that this human's mother could also be so cruel.)
And this was only from a few minutes of speaking with the human boy. Even without unpacking the way Riddle's Mother was apparently attempting to close down a bakery for the 'crime' of her child eating a single strawberry tart, Azul could tell that the situation was... dire.
"P-Please," Riddle whispered again, bowing once more to the stone. Azul's tentacles itched to make him immediately sit back up. "I-I know I have no right to ask anything of any of you... but please! If, if I go back, she'll destroy everything my friend loves! Trey shouldn't have to suffer even more because of me!"
Riddle let out a low, breathless sob, banging his head against the stone floor again. The action made Floyd whine in displeasure.
"I-I'll do whatever you want," Riddle pleaded. "I'll learn to swim! I'll never complain! I'll be quiet, I promise! S-So... so please..."
The human boy was unable to finish, the sound of his soft crying echoing in the hollow arches of the cave.
Before Azul could take more than a step out of the wading pool to intervene, Floyd violently lunged forward. He grabbed Riddle, fiercely bringing the shivering, weeping boy to his chest. The eel merboy glared at Azul and Jade with a low, guttural growl echoing in his chest.
"We're not sending Goldfishie back!" Floyd declared profusely. "I saved him, so he's mine! I don't care what his stupid human mother or the sea wardens think, he's my Goldfishie now!"
"I do not believe sending the human back is Azul's intention any longer," Jade said, raising a calm, non-threatening hand even as Floyd bared his teeth. The calmer eel twin turned to Azul, smiling in a way that didn't reach his eyes. "Was it, Azul?"
"...of course not," Azul answered quietly, watching as Riddle stilled at their words. "If your mother truly holds such power on the surface, it is unlikely that returning now will mean anything... positive for you. However, if you truly intended to stay with us, Riddle, then it is entirely imperative that we act now."
Riddle's eyes widened. It was clear that he hadn't actually expected Azul or the others to agree. It only made Azul pity the human more, a feeling that was rather strange given how it was usually the octopus merboy on the other side of the equation.
"A-Act now?" Riddle repeated.
"Your level of shivering and paleness of skin is quite concerning," Azul explained. "I've read in textbooks that humans are at risk of hypothermia, particularly when exposed to ocean waters for a long length of time. Thus, we must find a way to properly warm you up, but even that is only a temporary measure. If you truly intend to live here long term... it may be better to consider a transformation potion."
Riddle's cries stopped, his gray-blue eyes widening as he stared at the octopus merboy.
"T-Transformation potion?" Riddle repeated in a trembling, bewildered whisper. "If it's like I studied... you mean a potion to change me from a human? To... become a merperson like you?"
"Exactly," Azul agreed, adjusting as a bit of his confidence returned. "As you can see from the various bottles around this cave, brewing potions is a particular hobby of mine."
"L-Like the Sea Witch of the Seven?" Riddle asked curiously.
Azul puffed his chest out proudly. "Exactly! While everyone that is wise will exalt the great Sea Witch, I especially strive to live up to her example every day! In fact, you can consider yourself quite lucky to have come across Jade and I. We are prodigies well beyond our years when it comes to potion making. We even have a stock of transformation vials tucked away in this very cave. It was one of the Sea Witch's most famous spells, so of course I had to master it first."
Azul paused, carefully studying the human. "However, I cannot guarantee that the changes to your body will be... pleasant. Not to mention, changing your entire life and living as a completely different species will likely be difficult. Impossible perhaps. And far more dangerous than living on the surface, from what I have heard."
For a few moments, Riddle didn't speak.
Meanwhile, Floyd continued to hold the human boy possessively, his tail having begun to eagerly flap in the water after Azul had brought up the transformation potion. Which was likely the exact reason he'd brought the human here. It was very probable that, if Azul and Jade had been out gathering ingredients, Floyd would've grabbed the nearest vial and started feeding them to Riddle without a single explanation or care.
"I... I won't have to return to the land?" Riddle asked softly.
"It depends on you," Azul said. "But if you're truly determined to remain with us for now, this potion is the only thing I can offer you. It's a risk, and we will discuss proper repayment in the future, but for now... I can think of no other option. What do you think?"
Riddle hesitated, his tiny hands reaching up to touch where Floyd's arms were wrapped around him. As if treating the eel boy like a lifeline.
Then, Riddle lifted his chin, showing a determination and resolve that Azul had truly not expected from one so tiny. He could tell the twins felt the same by the way Jade's eyes subtly widened in interest and the gleeful eagerness in Floyd's gaze grew.
(For some reason, Azul was reminded of another of the Seven.)
(The Queen of Hearts.)
(This land queen had been known for standing strong even amongst the chaos and insanity of Wonderland. For refusing to back down no matter what obstacles and hardships had come her way.)
"I'll do it," Riddle declared. "Please... make me a creature of the sea like you."
o0o0o0o
o0o0o0o
Based on (In)Accurate Quotes:
o0o0o0o
