Chapter Text
10 Years Ago:
Robin's POV:
I laughed and spread my arms wide as I leaned over the bow of the boat and it raced through the water, the refreshing breeze blowing and the salty spray lapping at my face and wetsuit. I was just too short to fully see over the railings so I was standing on the bottommost one.
I yelled in joy whenever the speedboat hit a wave, sending it briefly into the air before slapping back down onto the surface of the water.
“Robin! Get down, that's dangerous!” My mother cried, running over and scolding me as she picked me up before setting me down on the deck.
“I was fine,” I grumbled, crossing my arms.
She gave me a stern look, “Just because you were fine now, doesn't mean you would have been later,” She said strictly, “I know it's fun but I don't want you to go tumbling into the ocean. You'd hurt yourself at these speeds.”
I looked up at her with a guily expression, “Sorry,” I apologized with a mumble.
Her smile softened as the boat started slowing down, “It's ok, just don't do it again sweetheart,” She said, reassuring me, “Come on now, this is supposed to be a fun weekend.”
My dad then came out of the small cockpit, flippers and snorkels held high, “Who wants to go swimming?” He called with a grin.
I squealed and ran to him, practically jamming them on and bouncing as I waited.
“Ready?” He asked, his voice distorted by the snorkel, making me giggle as I nodded and held his hand as the three of us jumped off.
I shivered in delight when the cold water encased me, making every sense in my body come alive. We quickly popped up to the surface for a gulp of air before diving down into the blue.
My parents were both marine biologists, constantly studying ocean life and its environment. We lived on a small island in the Pacific Ocean, in an extremely small coastal town. This place was known for its reefs and marine life so they moved here with my dad's mother before I was born.
The island didn't consist of many children so that meant I was homeschooled, meaning these were what some of my lessons looked like, diving in the ocean and studying its biodiversity.
It…
Was…
Awesome!
Which then brought me to why we were swimming here.
My parents had gotten a call from the mainland, saying there had been recent merformer sightings in a marine reserve, just a few kilometers away from our paradise. And knowing my parents, they immediately packed, bringing me along for the experience.
Let me explain a few things quickly...
There will probably be a few of you reading this who have no idea what the heck a merformer is but don't worry, you won't be the first. They're so extremely rare and elusive, millions have gone their entire lives without even knowing of their existence.
They had beautiful scales, ranging from all colors of the rainbow, from the deepest purple to the brightest red. Unfortunately, that made them extremely valuable, and sold for huge sums of money in illegal markets, depleting their numbers from the ever so dwindling.
This is why my folks jumped at the call. No one had ever properly studied these creatures, so little was known about them. And of course, we wanted to be the first.
There had been reports of some intelligence and self-awareness but no one was 100% sure. If they were, my parents planned on exploring the oceans more, building more marine protected areas, and preserving these amazing animals.
This then brings me back to us, swimming through the iridescent coral in hopes of even a glimpse of them. I swam eagerly through the kelp that towered overhead, keeping a keen eye out for any unusual colors.
But after half an hour and many returns to the surface, I already felt my hopes dropping. My dad had told me not to expect anything for a while but, like the impatient seven-year-old I was, I wanted to see a mer on every dive.
My mother motioned me over, telling me to keep close as we went. I swiftly swam up to her side and continued gazing into the blue around me.
My head then shot to the left and I stopped as a flash of black darted in between the green weeds. I hurriedly patted my mother's shoulder and pointed before racing off after it, my parents close behind.
The black blur streaked ahead at dizzying speeds so I kicked relentlessly to keep up with it, following through the underwater forest. I reached out my hand, about to touch it when it suddenly turned and disappeared.
I stopped and spun around, looking for any sign of it. My lungs started burning so I shot to the surface and quickly dove back down.
I parted kelp as I swam, desperately searching for any sign of the animal I'd just seen.
I turned just in time to see a black tail disappear behind the kelp. I went forward but stopped when the animal appeared again, briefly showing itself to my left. I followed it until I realized something after completing a full 360 turn.
It was circling me.
I felt fear creeping up my spine, thinking of the time I'd witnessed a shark, circling fish, casing them in before striking and eating them. I also realized both my parents were nowhere to be seen.
I tried not to move as it continued, silently yelling at my dad to help me. If I could have cried, I would've.
Hey, seeing an ominous black shape can be scary ok?
I slowly sank to the bottom, resting on a rock and curling into a ball, trying to make myself look smaller than I was. I felt the water shift around me as it continued swimming.
I started panicking, feeling my breath running out. I wanted to go back to the surface but was scared any quick movement would agitate whatever it was.
I drew myself in more and waited.
However, something rough brushed up against my wrist. It nuzzled me, trying to part my arms.
I cautiously lifted my head and looked up. As soon as I did, my fear drained away, like someone pulling the plug in a sink.
I giggled and bubbles issued from my snorkel as the black seal rubbed up against me, tickling my stomach with its nose and swimming around me. Its red eyes trained on my face. It must have noticed when I clutched my throat because it hooked its flippers under my arms and carried me to the surface.
My head broke the water and I gasped, gulping in fresh air. The seal stayed with me while I did, watching and making sure I was ok. It gave a raspy bark and swam around me.
“You're pretty tame,” I mused, reaching out and stroking its head, its fur surprisingly soft under my hand.
I looked up and noticed dark clouds gathering on the horizon.
Storm, I thought and immediately knew it was bad. Storms this far out could form rapidly, overtaking you in minutes.
“Could you take me to my parents?” I asked it.
I don't know whether it understood me or just knew what I wanted, but the black seal held out its fin, waiting for me. I smiled and popped the snorkel back in my before grabbing on.
We quickly descended beneath the surface, bubbles temporarily clouding my vision and tickling my face. We sped along the forest until I saw the familiar black and light blue wetsuits swimming around.
“Over there!” I said and pointed, making the seal turn and quickly barrel off in their direction.
My parents both spun as the black seal swam in between them, rolling and dropping me off. My mother grabbed my shoulders and looked at me, checking I was alright.
I gave a muffled reply and pointed at the seal but it was gone. My dad then looked up and saw the sky above turning dark.
He pointed up and they nodded at each other.
My mother gently pulled me towards the surface, the three of us needing to get back as soon as possible.
I glanced down before we surfaced and saw the seal poking out from in between the long leaves so I waved at him.
He churred and spun happily, making me smile but I stared when something bigger, colored navy blue with glowing purple and red markings, stirred next to it.
I didn't have time to look again when I was pulled above the surface and to the boat. The dark clouds had turned almost black, already creeping overhead and blocking out any blue in the sky.
“It's already here,” Her father muttered, worriedly looking up as we hurried back, “We may be able to beat it to shore but it'll be close.”
He climbed on board, lifting me onto the deck before running off to start the motor. I leaned down and helped my mother up.
The engine roared into life just as we entered the cockpit and rain began hammering on the window. We took off, the sea become rough and unpredictable around us.
I held onto my mom tightly as the waves grew bigger and bigger.
“Shhh, it's ok sweety,” She said gently, stroking my head as my dad tried to steer us towards the coast.
I whimpered as the boat beat down on the water after riding up a wave, the feeling not being the same as before.
We continued through, lighting illuminating the sky and thunder seemingly shaking the ocean, encouraging the already towering waves higher until...
My dad spun the boat around but turned to face us, pure terror showing on his face. I looked out and screamed at the tidal wave coming toward us.
There was no avoiding it
He and my mother crouched down and hugged me in between them.
I cried and clutched their wetsuits as the boat rose...
And then was tossed down.
Water flooded the small space and was then funneled out, taking us along and ripping me from my parent's grip.
I tried to hold my breath my mouth was forced open and saltwater swirled down my throat as I was thrown around like a ragdoll in the whirlpool. Somehow I managed to get to the surface, gasping desperately before another wave broke down on my head and forced me back under.
Something hit my face and immense pain sprouted down from above my eyebrow to below my lip. I screamed, accidentally letting out any oxygen I’d had left.
The spinning finally ceased and I gently drifted to the bottom of the sea floor while the storm on the surface still raged above, too confused to swim up.
Red swam in front of my eyes and my vision started going dark, the last few bubbles streaming out my mouth. I lifted my arm to the flashes of light above me, afraid this was the last time I'd see it.
Something then brushed against it and I saw black fur swimming in front of me as the seal came by with what looked like a mini manta ray next to it.
I started closing my eyes but different colored lights swam in front of them. I saw a flash of purple and navy, a creepy, glowing red face and then someone grabbed me under the arms, carrying me up.
“Thanks,” I thought and then the world went black.
Robin's POV:
I laughed and spread my arms wide as I leaned over the bow of the boat as it raced through the water, the refreshing breeze blowing and the salty spray lapping at my face and wetsuit. I was just too short to fully see over the railings so I was standing on the bottommost one.
I yelled in joy whenever the speedboat hit a wave, sending it briefly into the air before slapping back down onto the surface of the water.
“Robin! Get down, that's dangerous!” My mother said, running over and scolding me as she picked me up and set me down on the deck.
“I was fine.” I grumbled, crossing my arms. She gave me a stern look.
“Just because you were fine now, doesn't mean you would have been later.” She said, “I know it's fun but I don't want you to go tumbling into the ocean. You'd hurt yourself at these speeds.”
I guiltily looked up at her, “Sorry.” I apologized.
Her smile softened as the boat started slowing down, “It's ok, just don't do it again.” She said, “Come on. This is supposed to be a fun weekend.”
My dad then came out of the small cockpit, flippers and snorkels held high, “Who wants to go swimming?” He grinned.
I squealed and ran to him, practically jamming them on and bouncing as I waited. “Ready?” He asked, his voice distorted by the snorkel, making me giggle as I nodded and held his hand as the three of us jumped off.
I shivered in delight when the cold water encased my body, making every sense in my body come alive. We quickly popped up to the surface for a gull of air before diving down into the blue.
My parents were both marine biologists, constantly studying ocean life and its environment. We lived on a small island in the Pacific Ocean, in an extremely small coastal town. This place was known for its reefs and marine life so they moved here with my dad's mother before I was born.
The island didn't consist of many children so that meant I was homeschooled, meaning these were what some of my lessons looked like, diving in the ocean and studying its biodiversity.
It
Was
Awesome
Which then brought me to why we were swimming here. My parents had gotten a call from the mainland, saying there had been recent merformer sightings in a marine reserve, just a few km away from our paradise. And knowing my parents, they immediately packed, bringing me along for the experience.
Let me explain a few things quickly...
There will probably be a few of you reading this who have no idea what the heck a merformer is but don't worry, you won't be the first. They're so extremely rare and elusive, millions have gone their entire lives without even knowing of their existence.
They had beautiful scales, ranging from all colors of the rainbow, from the deepest purple to the brightest red. Unfortunately, that made them extremely valuable, and sold for huge sums of money in illegal markets, depleting their numbers from the ever so dwindling.
This is why my folks jumped at the call. No one had ever properly studied these creatures, so little was known about them. And of course, we wanted to be the first.
There had been reports of some intelligence and self-awareness but no one was 100% sure. Of they were, my parents planned on exploring the oceans more, building more marine protected areas, and preserving these amazing animals.
This then brings me back to us, swimming through the iridescent coral in hopes of even a glimpse of them. I swam eagerly through the kelp that towered overhead, keeping a keen eye out for any unusual colors.
But after a quarter-hour and a few returns to the surface, I already felt my hopes dropping. My dad had told me not to expect anything for a while but, like the impatient seven-year-old I was, I wanted to see a mer on every dive.
My mother motioned me over, telling me to keep close as we went. I swiftly swam up to her side and continued gazing into the blue around me.
My head then shot to the left and I stopped when a flash of black darted in between the green weeds. I hurriedly patted my mother's shoulder and pointed before racing off after it, my parents close behind.
The black blur streaked ahead at dizzying speeds so I kicked relentlessly to keep up with it, following through the underwater forest. I reached out my hand, about to touch it when it suddenly turned and disappeared.
I stopped and spun around, looking for any sign of it. My lungs started burning so I shot to the surface and quickly dove back down.
I parted kelp as I swam, desperately searching for any sign of the animal I'd just seen.
I turned just in time to see a black tail disappear behind the kelp. I went forward but stopped when the animal appeared again, briefly showing itself to my left. I followed it until I realized something after completing a full 360 turn.
It was circling me.
I felt fear creeping up my spine, thinking of the time I'd witnessed a shark, circling fish, casing them in before striking and eating them. I also realized both my parents were nowhere to be seen.
I tried not to move as it continued, silently yelling at my dad to help me. If I could have cried, I would've.
Hey, seeing an ominous black shape can be scary ok?
I slowly sank to the bottom, resting on a rock and curling into a ball, trying to make myself look smaller than I was. I felt the water shift around me as it continued swimming.
I started panicking, feeling my breath running out. I wanted to go back to the surface but was scared any quick movement would agitate whatever it was.
I drew myself in more and waited.
However, something rough brushed up against my wrist. It nuzzled me, trying to part my arms. I cautiously lifted my head and looked up. As soon as I did, my fear drained away, like someone pulling the plug in a sink.
I giggled and bubbles issued from my snorkel as the black seal rubbed up against me, tickling my stomach with its nose and swimming around me. Its red eyes trained on my face. It must have noticed when I clutched my throat because it hooked its flippers under my arms and carried me to the surface.
My head broke the water and I gasped, gulping in fresh air. The seal stayed with me while I did, watching and making sure I was ok. It gave a raspy bark and swam around me. “You're pretty tame.” I said, reaching out and stroking its head, its fur surprisingly soft under my hand.
I looked up and noticed dark clouds gathering on the horizon. “Storm,” I thought and immediately knew it was bad. Storms this far out could form rapidly, overtaking you in minutes.
“Could you take me to my parents?” I asked it. I don't know whether it understood me or just knew what I wanted, but the black seal held out its fin, waiting for me. I smiled and popped the snorkel back in my before grabbing on.
We quickly descended beneath the surface, bubbles temporarily clouding my vision and tickling my face. We sped along the forest until I saw the familiar black and light blue wetsuits swimming around.
“Over there!” I said and pointed, making the seal turn and quickly barrel off in their direction. My parents both spun as the black seal swam in between them, rolling and dropping me off. My mother grabbed my shoulders and looked at me, checking I was alright.
I gave a muffled reply and pointed at the seal but it was gone. My dad then looked up and saw the sky above turning dark. He pointed up and they nodded at each other. My mother gently pulled me towards the surface, the three of us needing to get back as soon as possible.
I glanced down before we surfaced and saw the seal poking out from in between the long leaves so I waved at him. He churred and spun happily, making me smile but I stared when something bigger, colored navy blue with glowing purple and red markings, stirred next to it.
I didn't have time to look again when I was pulled above the surface and to the boat. The dark clouds had turned almost black, already creeping overhead and blocking out any blue in the sky.
“It's already here.” My father said, worriedly looking up as we hurried back, “We may be able to beat it to shore but it'll be close.” He climbed on board, lifting me onto the deck before running off to start the motor. I leaned down and helped my mother up.
The engine roared into life just as we entered the cockpit and rain began hammering on the window. We took off, the sea become rough and unpredictable around us. I held onto my mom tightly as the waves grew bigger and bigger.
“Shhh, it's ok sweety.” She said, stroking my head as my dad tried to steer us towards the coast. I whimpered as the boat beat down on the water after riding up a wave, the feeling not being the same as before.
We continued through, lighting illuminating the sky and thunder seemingly shaking the ocean, encouraging the already towering waves higher until...
My dad spun the boat around but turned to face us, pure terror showing on his face. I looked out and screamed at the tidal wave coming toward us.
There was no avoiding it
He and my mother crouched down and hugged me in between them. I cried and clutched their wetsuits as the boat rose... And the tossed down.
Water flooded the small space and was then funneled out, taking us along and ripping me from my parent's grip. I tried to hold my breath my mouth was forced open and saltwater swirled down my throat as I was thrown around like a ragdoll in the whirlpool.
Something hit my face and immense pain sprouted down from above my eyebrow to below my lip. I screamed, accidentally letting out any oxygen I had left.
The spinning finally ceased and I gently drifted to the bottom of the sea floor while the storm on the surface still raged above. Red swam in front of my eyes and my vision started going dark, the last few bubbles streaming out my mouth. I lifted my arm to the flashes of light above me, afraid this was the last time I'd see it.
Something then brushed against it and I saw black fur swimming in front of me as the seal came by with what looked like a mini manta ray next to it. I started closing my eyes but different colored lights swam in front of them. I saw a flash of purple and navy, a creepy, glowing red face and then someone grabbed me under the arms, carrying me up.
“Thanks,” I thought and then the world went black.