Chapter Text
The depth of the beautiful blue is a limitless sight that covers over 70% of the world, she’s truly a magnificent sight. I’m lucky to be able to sail such an ethereal substance. Although a shame for having such greedy parents. It's ridiculed toward the ravishing blue, always trying to take the sea’s treasures for themselves and never giving anything in return. Though nor am I any an exception, for I help them steal such spectacular gifts from the sea. But… am I an exception? I am merely forced to do their ominous deeds, what if I weren't forced to do such things? What would be of me then? Hah… What a thought indeed. Well, no point in pondering on that thought for it will never come true. I wrote as my eyes gazed across the sea.
“Red, darling? are you still writing in that silly book of yours?” My mother yelled from across the deck, rudely interrupting my peaceful moment. Sigh “No, Mother I'm not.”
“Good, 'cause I need you to do some things for me! So get up out of your room and let's get started shall we?”
My gaze slowly turned away from the beautiful blue “Yes Mother, coming.”
I walked across the cherry wood deck to see what unfortunate plan Mother had concocted this time.
“Oh good, you're here! take a seat, my boy.”
I sat on a hard wooden stool that was no were near comfortable “Where’s father?”
“He got hired for a last-minute job, nothing to concern yourself over.”
“Right… Now, what was it you needed?”
“straight to the point, good, just like I taught you. It's nothing big I just need you to go gather some fish and supplies for our next trip, got it?”
“Yes, Mother. Shall I head out now then?”
“Well of course? Isn't that kind of a no-brainer darling? And here I thought you were smart.”
My mother's comment ruffled my feathers, but I ignored it seeing as I get such comments daily. “Yes Mother you’re right, I apologize for my idiocy.”
“Of course I’m right darling, now get going! Be back before dark we’ll be leaving at midnight. DON’T be late, you know we don’t wait for the slow.”
“Of course… I’ll be there”
“Good, I’ll see you then! Oh, and we’re heading east when we set sail, we have a big lead that might just get us rich in that direction! Buh, bye sweetheart I’ll see you later.” she blew a kiss towards me, then walked off the ship.
Before I headed off I went back to my room to get my cloak and bag. I opened a big wardrobe that was made of the same material the stool was. I grabbed my navy blue cloak, and leather bag, then headed off to town to get the supplies we needed. Before I hopped off the ship I looked back to take one more glance at the big blue, to cherish her once more. Then hopped off. It didn’t take long to get to town seeing as our docking place was just a few miles away. As I got to the shopping district I noticed a few guards posted at every other stand which is a decent way to stop thieves but it can’t stop a professional like me! I might have a problem with taking from the sea but stealing from a couple of merchants. I’ll gladly take what I need! At each stand I passed I slipped my hand at some fruits, ropes, veggies, Etc. Some stands had items that were more noticeable when stolen. I would talk to the dealers, bargain, and distract them, as I did I would replace it with something similar I may have had on hand. Right as I was about to take a tomato from a stand, the owner of the stand spotted me. He looked middle-aged but extremely short with cheeks as red as a tomato!
“Hey! You! What do you think you’re doing?”
“Huh? Me? Did I do something wrong, sir?” I went on as I slipped the tomato back on his stand.
“Yes, you! You took one of my tomatoes, didn’t you?!”
“no of course not! I’m no petty thief! What I was about to do was buy from you, but seeing as I’m being accused of thievery I don’t think I’ll give you my business anymore, thanks.”
“W-wait! No! Haha, it was a mistake! I must’ve been seeing things I’m sure of it! please, my tomatoes are the finest!”
“I doubt that. Don’t you know what they say? ‘If a merchant’s a rotten apple so is their merchandise’ So seeing how I’ve been treated thus far, those tomatoes are probably no good. Now I’ll be off to give my money to another, better, merchant!”
“Please! Trust me! I can prove it! Here take a one, on the house!”
The merchant stated desperately trying to get my business. My mom might not have always been the best but If there was one thing she taught me, it was manipulation.
“Hm well, I guess trying one wouldn’t hurt anyone…” The merchant watched me slowly take a few bites, distracting him as I snatched a few other tomatoes.
“So? What do you think?”
“What do I think? Hmm…I think it’s as rotten as you!” I said with a vile look on my face.
“WHAT?! I GIVE YOU A FREE TOMATO AND YOU STILL THINK I’M ROTTEN?? HOW DARE YOU!”
“Look I’m only telling you the truth. Stop taking it to heart, It only makes you look even more sickening. I don’t think anyone would want to buy from someone throwing a fit. Now goodbye sir.” I uttered and left with the tomatoes I had stolen, But as I walked off a tomato slipped out of my bag, and the merchant spotted it.
“HEY! YOU DID STEAL FROM ME! YOU FRAUD!! GUARDS!! THIEF!!” The merchant shouted catching all the guard’s attention.
SHIT!
I took a step back.
“Haha, It was a silly mistake, I swear!” SHIT SHIT SHIT!
“Right. Just come with us and we can get this all figured out okay kid?”
YEAH RIGHT! If these guys think I’m coming with them they have another thing coming!
“Is that right? haha… Well then let me just say one thing!…. FUCK NO!” I darted in the opposite direction, running as fast as I could.
“GET HIM!!” The guards said as they chased after me.
FUCK! I haven’t slipped up like this in forever! what the hell?!
I ran toward the forest so it would be easier for me to shake them off my tail, and, eventually ran across an abandoned shack.
“Ah! Perfect! I’ll hide out here for a bit!”
I hid behind some trees and the guards kept running, passing me and the old shack. It looked as if it was abandoned ages ago! Wood falling off the walls, roof caving in, nails sticking up off the ground, a ton of water damage, the list could go on forever! But for now, the perfect hideout for a couple of hours. the shack was near the ocean so I could go fishing after everything died down as well. As I walked inside, the floor screeched with each step I took no matter where or how lightly I stepped. Like the outside, the inside was a complete disaster! At least there was lots of natural light. I set my bag down beside a few old shovels and put my cloak on one of them. I sat down and leaned against the wall, as uncomfortable as it was, I’ve been in a lot worse situations. I settled in a bit more as time passed and ended up falling asleep. . .
Red. *said a light and somehow flowy voice*
What?
Redson!
You again? Who is that? Tell me! Tell me who you are!
Wake up!
What?
WAKE UP!
I jolted up in a sweat. A dream… Not just any dream… I seem to have this dream a lot, but it's always slightly different. Whomever it is in the dream, they never tell me who they are or what they want. But they always wake me up when needed.
“Ugh. What a headache!”
I looked around again to make sure my stuff was still there. Luckily, it was. I spotted a fishing set, unlike everything else this looked brand new, and why didn’t I see it when I first walked in??
“Huh, that's odd. Convenient, but odd.”
I stood up and walked over to the fishing set. It was made of some hard material I’d never seen before but it had everything I needed to start fishing!
“Perfect! I’ll be taking this back to the ship as well, it's about time I got a new set.”
I grabbed my bag off the ground and my cloak from the shovel. I walked towards the door and looked both ways to make sure no one was there.
“We’re all good. Now to get to the ocean!”
I headed towards the sea. The sun was bright, it looked about midday. I must not have been sleeping for long.
Just a few minutes later I made it to the beach, I looked around and surprisingly no one was there. I did spot a dock, just like the shack it looked old and probably not safe to walk on…
But I have to get fish one way or another! I jogged near the dock and slowly put my foot down to test its durability. It squeaked and screeched but seemed to be able to hold my body weight as long as I was careful. I left my bag at the beach but always where I could see it just in case. Once I got up to the edge of the dock I got out the fishing set and started getting it ready. I opened up the box with the bait, grabbed one, and put it on the hook. Once it was ready I cast the line and waited.
After a little while, I caught a couple of fish but not many, I was expecting a little more but, what can you do? I decided to wait some more to see if I could catch anything else. Two hours had passed and the sun had started to go down.
“Ah, what a bust. Today was not
my day-“
All of a sudden something big pulled on my line. It was a lot bigger than all of the other fish I had already caught! It was pulling against my rod with enormous strength!
“AH, SHIT! What is this!? Urgh!”
I rolled it in as much as I could and was eventually able to get it up! But something was different about this fish. Its scales were unlike anything I’d seen before! They were golden, gleaming, the color shifted as the sun hit them. It was truly a remarkable sight.
The more I looked the more amazed I was, but there was also something about this fish that seemed familiar. Like a distant dream? Right, then the sun bounced off its scales and into my eyes blinding me.
“Ermh—!”
My eyes quickly closed in response, then, just then I heard it. I heard him.
“Augh! Ermm… h-hello..“
My eyes sprung open. There’s no way, It’s impossible! A human?? No, It couldn’t be!! My eyes slowly adjusted, and I could finally see him. There he was, the most stunning, magnificent creature, I had ever seen. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, a mermaid!? He had smooth, pale, freckled skin, and wavy, chestnut brown hair. His eyes were as bright as the sun, slightly covered by the bit of hair covering his face. He wore a golden headband that was decorated with shells, seaweed, and other treasures from the sea. His voice was as beautiful as a wheals song. Then, there were his scales. They were breathtaking. I was truly awestruck, I couldn’t even manage to say a single word.
“Erm…could you uh- help me get out of this line…?”
“Yo- …”
“Uhmm, I’m sure this is all surprising to you! And it’s my fault, haha… I wasn’t supposed to come up to the surface-“ he mumbled over his words.
“Ah! Nonono- ye- yes I’ll help you!”
As I reached out to him, something happened. I felt as if I were floating. Everything went silent, I could only hear the songs of the sea.
Redson!
Huh?
CCCKKRRRRRHHGG—
That noise snapped me out of it, but it was too late. The old dock was crumbling to pieces, all falling into the ocean, me along with it. As I was engulfed by the water, I couldn’t think of anything except that voice. It was the first time I had ever heard it awake. Was it warning me? Warning me that The dock was collapsing? Everything seemed so slow, yet all happened so fast. Soon everything went blue and blurry. The debris from the dock started to cover the reflected light from above, my chest burning, my limbs tingling, and I slowly started to lose consciousness. . .
[ . . .!!]
. . .What?
Wake up.
. . .Huh? I- I can’t-?
[ WAKE UP!! ]
. . .Huh? The mermaid. . . .?
[ SHIT! PLEASE WAKE UP! ]
. . .How is-?
I need you to wake up, for him.
. . .I-