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Tommy didn’t know what was happening when he heard yelling.
First he had heard sirens, loud artificial screaming, and a fuzzy voice.
Then the door to the den had opened (the den that his /pod/ kept away from him- a place he could never go no matter how much he longed for it because he could not breathe far from where he made his own makeshift den underwater).
He could hear his pod (no- not his pod- they could /never/ be his pod) yelling until it was cut off suddenly.
He hoped that they were ok, but he felt relieved that the loudness had stopped.
(They were scary when they yelled, if he misbehaved they would scream at him.
Threatened to take away his toys.
Threaten to hurt him.)
He risked a peak at the surface. It hurt to move but luckily it only took a flick of his tail before he was half beached in the shallow end.
He pulled the net that his pod had discarded over himself, using a floaty that was left around to hide his face.
A man came through the door. His hair was golden and he was wearing a blue jacket with a green undershirt.
Tommy pulled the floaty closer.
Several other people came in after the first man.
The golden man came closer as Tommy backed himself into a corner, too tired to do much else.
If he just curls up and goes to sleep maybe they will leave and pod will return. Yeah…he wasn't a coward, he was simply using /patience/- something his pod had said he had to learn.
So with that he curled up in the shallows. It wasn't very comfortable, his side that was out of the water was cold and the net was digging into old cuts.
With bleary eyes he watched the human walk towards him and felt a slight sting, then the world went black.
When he woke up Tommy was being lowered into a tank from a tarp.
The water was warm and deep, it was perfect.
Once he was fully submerged he swam out.
It took a lot of effort because he hadn’t had to keep himself afloat since he was a guppy!
But here the water seemed to go down forever, he couldn't even see the bottom!
He floated on his back and waved at the large net as it went back into the sky. Tommy could never understand how things like that work.
He could hear the mechanical whirring coming from somewhere.
When he had asked pod about the machines that take them away for hours at a time everyday, he had gotten a slap and told not to ask of things greater than him.
That were above him.
He was to sit and watch- no to question.
A prize for his pod, something to seen but not heard.
His tail started to ache so he allowed himself to sink into the dark waters.
The water settled around him, gently guiding him down.
But then something shifted.
The water pushed him to the side slightly.
Tommy sat up from where he was lounging and looked around.
He must have sunk further than he thought because his eyes had not yet adjusted to the darkness.
He felt something below him, he looked down but didn’t see much.
The slight movement could’ve been his eyes adjusting or…Tommy didn't want to think about the other option.
He didn't want to face the option of something bigger, much bigger, in the tank with him and yet here he was.
Face to face with another mer. Although Tommy hadn’t seen many mer he could tell that this new creature in front of him was one of a kind.
Tommy was only the size of the mer’s torso, it would be so easy for the new mer to reach out and grab him. He probably wouldn't even be a snack to the beast.
But he knew as the beast brought his head closer the beast meant no harm.
—-----------
Something had changed in the water.
Techno had sensed it but when he turned to the light the humans installed he found it dark.
That never happened.
His two humans always made the light glow, announcing their presence out of, what Techno would like to think, respect.
Sometimes Techno wished that they didn’t. He wished that his pod members would come down unannounced and rest in the den with him. He appreciated the heads up, but they’re /his pod/ they would never upset him, especially with their presence.
He would sometimes go up to the surface to talk to his pod and the other humans. His pod would greet him in their weird language and he would respond the best he could in the broken motions he was taught.
He had stopped attacking the other humans recently.
They were never a true threat to him, but his podmates were so tiny that /anyone/ could’ve hurt them! He was a protector! He was meant to stop those who wanted to harm his pod but from the water he couldn’t do much.
He tried his best and it hasn't ended well, but could you blame him? The one with brown hair had been reaching but no one had come to hold him.
(Techno couldn't understand that Will was not a baby wanting to be held by his pod, but instead was simply putting his dive bag on a high shelf- the small disaster that happened seconds after Technno pulling Wilbur into the water was still fresh on the rehabilitation center employes’ minds)
He swam up, gripping a pole net that he stole on the way up.
As he slowly drifted up he spotted a flash of red in the water.
A bass?
No.
As he saw closer, Techno saw the creature’s golden hair.
A runt.
He slowly swam up, hoping to not scare the baby but he knew it would be pointless.
The red and gold child looked terrified. He brought his head to the runt’s- a sign of love and protection- and wrapped an arm around the newest member of his pod.
He let out a quiet song as he floated them back down to his den.
As the golden child slept on his shoulder, he rearranged the nest.
He made it big enough in case his other two pod members decided to come and layed down.
The runt didn’t look to be in good shape.
He had barnacles down one part of his face and human bandages wrapped around his chest and tail.
He would have to work to get the barnacles off later but he’ll do what he can for now.
Techno gently undid the wrappings and replaced them with some of the seaweed that he had, silly humans never learned what would be best for mers.
But that's ok.
Because it was now Techno’s job to take care of his baby.
With the red runt purring way wrapped in his arms, he allowed himself a nap.