Aquata Cove

Aquata Cove Chapter 86: The Missing Piece

Yuri looks onto Adam's chart, her insides sinking, before looking onto the machines monitoring his heart rate. It's really not looking good. Adam's blood pressure is lowering more and more with each day, almost each hour.

He hasn't been playing with the magnet links, and he's barely been eating at all. Every time Yuri talks to him, Adam gets more depressed. Even his short sessions with Donna haven't helped him at all. He's just growing more confused and sad, and it's only getting worse. Even his healing seems to have slowed down significantly.

His laptop isn't even closed, and his diary entry only has a few lines:

--- Dear Diary,

Why am I here? All I can remember is being sad, just like all the other pages in here. Why the hell am I so upset?? Dr Yuri or my psychologist haven't been able to really ---

And it stops there. That entry was from a day and a half ago, and it's been plugged in, so it can't shut off. Even watching movies or shows on it won't cheer Adam up.

"Dammit, Adam..." Yuri muttered. She really doesn't want to think about it, but... The truth of the matter is, it seems...

Adam has given up.

()()()

Adam panted and breathed around the obstruction inside his mouth. He shakes and writhes in his binds as tall, lurking figures leer down on him, a man with flashing glasses on his eyes, judging him, giving him sinister glares, ad the crack of thunder runs in the sky.

The invisible lightning pulses into the twin rubber suction cups, on either side of his head, vibrating lowly as they power up. Adam thrashes as he tries escaping, his straightjacket tying righter, almost suffocating him as the cups get closer and closer.

His eyes clench shut as those eyes leer down on him, before an arc of evil's blight shoots directly into him!

"We're losing him, get the charge ready!" Said a man in white scrubs and green rubber gloves. The machines are spiraling in warning noises as Adam can only see blurring people and areas.

A high-pitched beep rings out as two pads are put into Adam's torso, as the same electric ring lines through the sounds of the mixed talking before two buzzing surfaces press onto his body.

"Ready!"

"CLEAR!"

KULLL!

Adam feels his body arch up, his eyes begging wide into the void as lightning storms into his veins again, and again, and again.

"Again! He's flat-lining!"

"Ready!"

"CLEAR!"

KULLL!

()()()

="~Masayume Chasing, Chasing, Koero Motto-"=

Yuri's cellphone rings up, prompting her to answer it quickly at the first few lyrics. "H-Hello? ... Oh Jacob, hi." She listens for a few moments, before her eyes brighten, "Really?? Do you have any results?? O-Oh yeah, alright... Can you have it over here??" She frowns a little, "H-How long will that take? ... Alright, just, please, do what you can. You... Agh, you have no idea how bad it's been getting. Thank you... Bye." She hangs up, and looks to her sleeping friend.

"Ahh! Hahh!" Yuri turns, to see Adam in a sudden silent outcry, breathing rapidly, "Hhh, hhh, hhh!"

"Oh my God, Adam!" Yuri scurries over to his machines, and dials a few numbers, "Adam, Adam, Adam, what's wrong??"

"I... I, hoh God, I dunno, I'm dying... I'm dying, I'm-"

"Adam, calm down! You're ok, you're fine!" Yuri puts her hand on his chest to press firmly, seeing Adam whine and pant, sweating like mad.

"They- They're trying to kill me!" Adam's voice shakes as his eyes feel wet.

"Who's they? Adam, you're at the hospital."

"Wha... I... I cah..." Adam breathes deeply, taking in his immediate surroundings. "They were putting... Something in my body, I couldn't move-"

"It was a nightmare, you're fine..." Yuri says. Adam takes a minute to calm himself, breathing with fear as he takes her hand, "You're going to be fine, Adam, you're going to be ok..."

Adam sniffs as he finally settles down. "Look, Adam..." Yuri sits down, and then gently takes his hand, "I've um... I've had a friend look into some special medicine, and... There's a chance we can make you better."

"Guh... R-Really..." Adam pants, feeling more weaker now that he's had the chance to calm down.

"It's going to be a couple of days, but I promise, if it goes through ok, things will get better."

"Are you sure?" Adam's voice is cracking slightly. "I duh... I don't know what's happening, I..." He really is just like a scared lost child right now...

"Heh... It will if you eat more than a bite come meal time." Yuri smiled sadly.

"Nnhh..." Adam groans as he looks to the side.

"Alright, until then," Yuri takes a few tubes and pouches, "Time for your daily sedatives, to help you sleep."

"Kay..." Adam mumbled. He breathes slowly as Yuri administered the fluids, and soon left. His eyes feel heavy when he hears a knock to his door.

"Hello, Adam?" Says one of the other doctors, "You have a visitor today."

"Ok..." Adam takes a deep breath as he adjusts in his seat.

"Hello, Adam." Comes a feminine voice. Adam opens to see a girl with brown hair in a curly ponytail wearing a flowery church dress, and coming in with a bouquet for flowers.

"Hi..." Adam mumbled.

"How are you feeling today?" Jessica asked, pulling up a seat after putting the flowers onto the table, and taking Adam's hand.

"Tired..." Adam replied lowly, feeling a shift in his comfort zone, "Just wanna sleep..."

"I understand, honey. I just came from church myself," She nodded, "I just wanted to see how my sweetheart was doing."

"Sw... Sweetheart?" Adam said.

"Mhm." Jessica said with a warm smile, "You are my whole world, after all."

"Hm, I see..." Adam closes his eyes, "Sorry I don't remember..."

"It's ok, it's ok Adam. It's not your fault anymore." Jessica rubs his fingers gently.

"Kay..." Adam grows very sleepy and dizzy.

"It's been so long, I was so hoping to come see you. And I know in my heart..." She continued, "That you are the one, you know? And now... You have a fresh start... A new beginning..." She looks back to him, "A brand new-"

Adam gives a soft snore, breathing in deeply in his slumber.

"Adam?" She pushes him lightly, "Adam, honey?" She taps at his shoulder, "Adam, I was talking to you."

"Mmnnhh..." Adam stirs a little, but does not wake.

"Adam-"

"Helloooooo, bitchcakes." Comes another female voice. Jessica turns, and her stomach sinks as she sees the dirty blonde lesbian from the Dream Waltz at the doorway, "Hey to you too, Jess."

"Excuse me, we are having a moment." Jessica tells her.

"You don't say." Chloe leers at Jessica like a very irritable cat, "I can't stand moments, personally. They make me sick." She said as she comes in.

"Then if you please, you are being intrusive."

"Hahaha... I love a girl who's got some balls." Chloe chuckles, "Now, if only you weren't such a underhanded cunt, I'd probably like you."

"Excuse me, miss!" Jessica stands up, almost covering Adam's ears, "I would appreciate it if you'd leave that kind of language outside the door! Adam is sleeping, if you don't mind!"

"Wow, that is actually a very neat coincidence." Chloe said with her arms crossed while nodding, "I was about to say something exactly like that to you... Well, I'd paraphrase to sound less like a whiny Christian, but you get the jist."

Jessica takes an offended huff, "Well-"

"Spare me," Chloe said holding her hand up, "The holy rhetoric, Sister Mary Fucker." Jessica gives a very appalled look. "I'm going to make this very simple, as is my way, um..." She approaches Jessica from around the bed, "I do not want to see your pretty little face here right now. So, I want you to get the hell out of here, before I have to kick your ass all over again."

"You can't threaten me here." Jessica stated, before Chloe strides around the bed to the other side, "This isn't like what hap- I have a right to be here!"

"Here, I'm going to show you something cool." Chloe says as she flops down onto the chair, and kicks her dirty shoes up, and kicks back onto Adam's bed.

"What are you doing?!" Jessica scrambles, "Get your dirt shoes off the bed!"

"Ooh, what's this do?" Chloe said as she fiddles with a small remote.

"STOP! You're going to make Adam sicker!" Jessica yanks Chloe's ankles right off, before her hand slaps RIGHT onto Jessica's.

Staring right in the face, Chloe mutters, "Unless your next move is to jam your tongue down my throat, I want you to get. Your hands. Off my legs." Jessica frowns as she throws them down. "Rough. Again, I might even like you." She said before kicking her legs back again.

"What did I just say?!" Jessica exclaimed as she takes Jessica's ankles again.

"OWW! AHHH!" Chloe lurches forward, and holds her ankles, "Oh my God, what the hell are you doing?! I just sprained my ankle yesterday, you JERK!"

"What- I- S-Stop yelling!" Jessica hushed.

"Don't tell me what to do! I can't even- A-Ahhhh!!" She hunches in pain, clutching her foot.

"What is going on here?!" Asks a nurse, looking startled and flustered.

"I was just visiting my best friend here, and she just stomped on my ankle!" Chloe yowled out.

"No! Nooo, I did no-"

"Look, I'm sorry miss, you're going to have to leave until we can sort this out, you're compromising the patient's stability." The nurse said.

"I already sorted it out!" Chloe said, rising up a little, where Jessica can see her ankle, which is a LOT more sore and red looking than literally a minute ago.

"No- Wait- She's faking it!" Jessica says as she is tugged away, "She's a performer! She's using make up!" Jessica is escorted out, before the nurse comes back in.

"Can you walk, honey?"

"I don't know..." Chloe grips onto the rail of the bed, her body very shaken as she rises up, putting her impacted ankle onto the floor, before stumbling over, "A-Ahhh!"

"Alright, please, just have a seat," The nurse helps Chloe back into the chair, "I will be back with some ice, and I'll take a look at it when I come back. Just please try and lower your voice."

"I'll be fine, I'm just worried about Adam." Chloe panted, her eyes looking moistened as and her face heatedly pink, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I swear-"

"It's fine, just try and settle down, I'll be back soon." The nurse said as she gently tends her.

"Ok, ok..." She takes several deep breaths, looking to the hall through the window, and seeing Jessica glaring at her. Chloe puts her middle and index fingers on either corner of her mouth, and sticks and wriggles her tongue out at her. Jessica yells and points at her, claiming she is mocking her, before Chloe assumes a face of despair, holding her hand to her forehead sobs.

"Haaahhhh," Chloe says after a few seconds after Jessica's protests have drowned out. She tosses her hair back, and ties it into a ponytail with a purple hairband, "Don't fuck with a dyke, ya stupid bitch." She said, rolling her ankle, still red with a rushed Indian Burn, tossing the Nurse Button aside of Adam's bed, "If you didn't learn the first time, it's only more fun for me."

()()()

The Prince huffs and grunts as he pulls as hard as he can. The castle is in shambles, bits and chunks orbiting the space around its universe. The energy of the connection between his arm and the Priest becoming thin. He grips harder as he strains, and pushes his foot against the floor.

The large whole in the floor suddenly opened in a shine of bright light. The Prince works his other arm to pull the radiant sash more and more, looking with anticipation and suspense as he quickly puts any and all effort into pulling the man he loves from the deep ditch.

The Priest of the Water Heaven irks as his fair hand rises, and grips onto the edge of the hole! The Prince pulls harder as the angelic male pulls himself up, before the Prince takes his arms, and takes him out!

The Priest pants with fear, his sashes and toga wavering like crashing waves, his being recovering what seems to be a vicious storm at sea. His fearful eyes look to the Prince, before he throws his arms around him, and pulls him close. The Priest hugs back tightly, clutching onto him as they sit there.

The diamond castle remains broken, towers and entire sections of the palace still suspended and floating aimlessly in space. Gods know where the other residents are now. All that matters, is that the Prince and the Priest are together again...

()()()

Ebba gently rocks Arnaav in her arms, the poor otter still shaking, giving a raspy cough every now and then, while the other Coshitons remain at attention, weak, tired, recovering from this trauma, just like the Piscien pod before them.

The two pods face each other, the pod of Pisciens, and the pod of Coshitons. "I met a pod in the abyssal depths who saw the outbreak coming." Merrick said, in the front with the Kenovani, "I should have warned Father when I had the chance."

"We could not have escaped anyhow," Kaiken said, "Not a nest like that. We would have had to be in a completely different sea. At the very least, this outbreak has been averted, and saved the sea 10 years of those vile creatures."

"It is a sheer miracle so many of us survived, despite our many losses on this dreadful sun..." Vanora said, holding her own baby Adra Triton, with her glowing hand on his head to mend his concussion.

"This attack has left us in a great loss." Kaiken said with his head bowed. "Denizyr has been with us for so long -- when I first became a Triton..."

"We need to elect a new Razirah as soon as we can." Umiato said, "We must not remain divided amongst ourselves for long."

"What are we going to do, Mother?" Savarna asked sadly "H-How are we going to be able to keep together if something happens?"

"The Capricorn will guide you until you do." Samudra said. "The Capricorn guides all merfolk who are lost," Samudra answered, "Until you find a new Razirah, the Capricorn will reside with all of you. As it has always protected each and every one of us."

"You have protected us from this endeavor, our scouts and our meryin." Kaiken said, "That is a debt we will never be able to repay."

"We are all children of the Sea Mother," Vanora said, "We protect each other, outlaw or not." She then turns to Deilan, who is still shaking, most of his tentacles still gashed and injured, "Deilan. After this, go ahead and return to your mate on land. You should have gone back a sun ago."

"Yes..."

"And Son." Kaiken said. Merrick looks to him with tired eyes, "Remember what I taught you about mercy."

"Tch." Merrick cast his gaze aside, before Samudra nudged his face to look back up.

"Listen to his words, Merrick." Samudra said, "There is no wiser guide than that of a parent."

"Listen, my Son." Kaiken said, "You are not weak. You never were, and you never will be. But from what you have told me, your mate is in dire need of your mercy right now."

"His mate..." Umiato mumbles, before looking to her son. She sees glimpses of sadness and pain in his face, seeing wounds and fractured emotions, spiraling despair and rage. `Did something happen to that man?'

Merrick frowns as he casts his gaze down. "Have you not denied him your strength long enough?" Kaiken asked. Merrick refuses to answer, still conflicted by both Kaiken's revised views and his correct points. "Remember that time, long ago," He continued, "When you gave mercy when I would not."

Merrick sighs as he glances to the side, at Arnaav, still sniffling as he holds tightly onto Razirah Ebba.

"Then you must go."

"Yes..." Merrick nodded quietly, "Brishen." He swims forward, and begins to untie the rope of thorn barbs from his arm.

"Keep it." Brishen said putting his hand onto the tether, "I can make another one. For old times sake." He said with a smile. Merrick smiles back, and both of them gripped each other's forearm.

"Until next time." Merrick said.

"I will see you when I have made a sword from the fang of a giant Kun-Peng." Brishen says with a grin.

"We must leave, and you must find a new Razirah." Samudra said, "We must find a space to recover our wounded..."

Kaiken hesitates as he holds his trident, breathing out a deep sigh, feeling very awkward and embarrassed about what he should be doing. These Coshitons went out of their way to protect his own pod. They fought with him, they fought FOR him, and they protected his non-combatants when Denizyr fell, with their own Razirah using a perception trick that he didn't even know about. But all his life, Kaiken has been raised to believe Coshitons should never deserve his acknowledgement, for their existence is revoked, as per the Sacred Laws. But all of them have put themselves on the line, when they could have probably escaped by themselves, as small a pod as they are.

Taking a deep breath, Kaiken prepares to push down his pride, before he stopped. Merrick turns back around, and looks up with surprise, as does Vanora and Samudra, and the other members of the Kenovani.

Umiato holds her hand up, her palm glowing with her light.

"Mother?" Merrick said as he swims up to her. She turns, and smiles to her son.

"I made you a promise, my Son." She said gently, holding his cheek softly, "That when I meet this pod of Coshitons, I would ally our pod with theirs. To thank them for protecting you for so long." Merrick smiles back as he holds her arm with both his hands, before letting her go.

Umiato swims gracefully to the Kenovani, and positioned herself in front of Samudra, "I, Noita Umiato of the Piscien merfolk, greet you peacefully, in the name of Guardian Leviathan." She said, instigating the alliance between the two pods. Merrick's insides lighten as he sees his Mother do this... Most likely Kaiken would be too proud to admit himself to an alliance to a pod of Coshitons.

Samudra lifts up his trident, and brings it to her hand, "And I, Triton Samudra of the Holsien merfolk, greet you peacefully in the name of Guardian Kraken. So let it be."

Kaiken smiles subtly, partially thankful that Umiato took it upon herself to amend with the Coshitons, and partially ashamed of himself for not stepping up and setting the better example, as usual.

Then, something glints, in the far distance. Something catches his attention...

()()()

A strange figure falls headfirst through the endless space, bits and orbs of light spilling from his stomach as his form whirls around a curve once or twice, bits and pieces of his being falling from himself as he goes, until his momentum slows down, and his body turns over so his feet now faces down, before meeting a solid surface.

The stranger walks into the black and grey space around him, there seems to be no end around him. His eyes scan over the array of playing cards all around him.

The playing cards are decorated with tribal frames, scattered all across the universe, they're endless, an infinity of cards, all lying face down, all of them with the same patterned across their backs.

The stranger simply looks over the countless cards, before one of them flips over. It flashes as an image plays across it; a blonde young man swinging a toy sword shaped like a key, before the image turns to white.

He looks onto another card, and then another. Two random cards flip over by themselves, showing a Japanese young lady bowing while holding a duffle, and the other one depicts a black young man with a cold glare in his eyes as his counselor stands behind him, before these too turn to white.

The stranger looks around some more. Some of the cards flip and flash glimpses here and there. One glance shows of colorful costumes in song and dance, while another depicts a school of shiny fish swimming all around. On another slip of light from a card is of a man and woman sitting with a troubled teenager at a bus stop late at night.

The passing lights flicker here and there all around the stranger as he stands there, turning about, seeing memories in a flash, glimpsing a breath of the past before fleeting away.

The stranger looks up, sees man with white skin, a subtle tan about him from good access to sunlight. The man has short hair, as well as a fuzzy chest and a layer of hair on his stomach, abs covered with a thin layer of fat. A thin layer facial hair covers his jaw as his eyes look into the stranger's eyes. This man has absolutely no hue of color, whatsoever.

"... Who are you?" The stranger asks. The man doesn't answer. His face is almost blank, with only a little bit of subtle emotion on his face.

"I am something that is supposed to exist."

"... Why do you keep saying that?" The stranger asked, "I don't understand at all."

"He was never supposed to disappear." Says another voice. The stranger turns, and sees another man. This one is slimmer, his skin very smooth, hair that is short and is also devoid of color, showing from platinum hair.

"You... You were... Someone else." The stranger said, "Who are you?"

"... I am someplace you are supposed to go." The new male said.

"I was lost." The man said, "I... Don't know if I can ever come back."

"I tried to be lost." The male said, "I could have been found so long ago, but all I wanted was to disappear at the same time as you did."

"That's something... No one can let happen..." The man said.

The stranger looks from one person to another. It's only just the two of them, and who are they even talking to? Each other, or the stranger?

"I... This doesn't even make sense." The stranger said, "I am scared... I'm confused, neither of you are telling me what I want to know."

"That is the wrong question." The male said.

"You asked me who I was." Said the man.

"And you asked me who I am." Said the male.

"You answered," The stranger said, "But I still don't understand you."

"You're the one who won't be clear." The man said. "Even I have some kind of clue what you're supposed to be."

"I already know." The male said. The stranger turns to the male.

"Then... Who am I? What am I supposed to be? Where do I go?"

"... Bond." The male said.

"`Bond'?"

"Bond?" The man asked.

"You are the bridge between me, and him." The male said, "I tried to remove you, because I am hurting so much." He said blankly. "I did not want you anymore."

"Hurting... Bond..." The stranger said, before bowing his head sadly, before he sees two silhouettes at his feet. A shadow of a humanoid figure, and a merfolk figure moving about in the deep sea of solid glass beneath his feet. The man and the male are there two, now with some sort of hue in their image.

"Who am I?"

()()()

Merrick swims along through the upper part of the ocean, reflecting all that's happened, and smiling as he was able to give a proper goodbye to his pod this time. As he swims, his senses quiver as he feels a different presence.

-Wnngg wnngg, wng wng- Comes a strangely robotic sound.

He turns, and gasps, seeing a single, golden merfolk looking at him at a distance, neither female nor male. It stares at him with radiant eyes, with a curved, leaf-shaped helmet of a head hiding whatever face it has. Its tail is layered in plates of gleaming gold with its tail fin glowing as a fin of light. Instead of forearms and hands, it has long, sharp spires positioned at its sides.

Merrick's stomach sinks as he drifts backward. `No... Is that the Ningyo?' He thought.

"I... I understand." He said out loud to it, "I overstayed my welcome. I am no longer with my pod, I am going to the land now." The armored merfolk does nothing, before its sharp, jousting blades for arms now hold up, its eyes flashing to him. "No, please! I am not with my pod!"

The Ningyo makes several more metallic sounds at Merrick. His arm goes over his shoulder, his fingers wrapping around his harpoon.

"Stop." Says a whisper as a strong hand stops Merrick's hand. "Do not take your weapon. You are the accused one. Challenge it, and it will strike without quarter." Merrick sees Kaiken in the corner of his eye, "We must be relatively close to Atlantis if it is here so soon..."

"What do I do, Father..." Merrick muttered. Kaiken draws out his own trident, and swims in front of Merrick. He holds it facing the Ningyo, so that its flashing eyes can see it for what it is, as a badge of identification as a Triton.

"It is giving us a warning..." Kaiken said as the Ningyo continues to issue its robotic sounds at them, "If you were with the others, it would not be so hesitant... It is trying to decide if you are worth punishing..."

"Can Mother not reason with it?" Merrick whispered.

"As I taught you before, the Ningyo do not take counsel. Not ever." Kaiken answered. The Ningyo's spires ease down, as its sounds come to a stop, "... I think it is releasing you. I must go, or it will remain."

"Yes..." Merrick said, almost too scared to look away from the golden merfolk, reminiscent of a Weeping Angel, minus the wings or fins, and made of a precious deep-sea metal rather than cement. Kaiken beats his mighty tail to swim away, also keeping a close eye on the Ningyo, while is still faces Merrick.

"Eh-eh-eh-eh..."

"HH!!" Merrick jumbles, and gasps, feeling the mystical bleating of a Capricorn, drifting softly beside him, before turning to the aquatic sentinel staring at him. Merrick leers as he puts his arm around the sea-goat, while it propelled itself forth.

"How many times have those kind have scared Arnaav away, I wonder..." He muttered bitterly, keeping in mind just how emotional and loving Arnaav's parents are every time he goes to see them.

()()()

The faded lion lies motionless, as the air seems so cold around it, its mane completely gone except for a thin layer of its old fur. His tail twitches as he tries to move a paw when it glimpses a sparkling butterfly in the distance, but is too weak to even get up.

The lion's arm rises, however. A shining white panther with fins on its arms and a fish-like tail waves up and down as it nudges itself under the lion's limb, before attempting to drag it away from the spot.

The panther pushes itself and the lion forward, making their way to one of many wide beams of yellow light. The sea feline growls as the lion can barely move its own legs, hearing the clanking of chains left behind from those who tore the lion's wondrous mane clear off of its own head.

The swimming panther finally comes to the sunlight, putting his paw onto the shine and feeling its warmth as it drags them both into the spotlight. The panther bites onto the lion's neck, and pulls it into the wide spot of warmth there.

Panting, the panther sees the lion rests his head down, his body looking so shallow and barren, its body littered with red slashes and lines. It's not much, but at least the sunlight can ease the hurt, if only a while.

Just as those blue eyes cast away, he feels a heavy paw on his front leg. The lion whines low as he pleads with his tired and withered eyes, his arm shaking before sliding down to the floor. The panther sniffed before drifting around, and snuggling to the front of the lion's body. The poor lion closes its eyes in a slow blink as the scaled tail curls around them.

The sunlight feeds the lion's pelt very subtly, easing its cold sadness as it feels the beautiful panther rest onto him.

()()()

Merrick faces the house's backyard, naked except for his sea equipment, before he enters through the glass sliding door. He sighs as he puts down his harpoon into its usual spot in the corner, before unbuckling his items, one my one.

His crown of sharkteeth placed on the top hook of the set-up where he keeps his gear, along with the two belts of teeth, and his armguards of sea shells, most of them broken and will need replacing. He takes off his belt and places it with the others, before finally removing the rope of thorn-like teeth that Brishen gave him, and put it together with his other things.

Merrick glances at his cellphone, before turning it on. There are 7 missed calls, 6 text messages, and 3 voice mails.

=Rajani= Are you doing ok, Merrick? I haven't heard from you since we ran into you at the hospital. I'm worried about you, lets meet up for some FroYo, yeah?

=Harold= Have you seen Belinda? She was supposed to pick up our kid from daycare, but I had to get him.

=Yuri= I hope you're doing ok, Merrick... Well, ok-ish. I'm making your favorite for dinner tonight. Please hang in there.

=Donna= Whenever you get this message, the next trial date is set for next Wednesday. I don't know if you'd still want to come, but I just wanted to let you know...

=Nick= Hey Merrick, were are you, man? it's like 2 hours, your supposed to come in today! call me back

=Syrinx= Merrick, please call me back! Don't go anywhere, just please let me talk to you, I don't want you to snap like I keep telling you! Tell me where you are so we can talk, pls!

"Mm..." Merrick reads them all, before going into his the voicemail, tapping to listen to them, before holding the iPhone to his ear.

["Hi, Merrick, it's Donna... I really hope you're doing ok, because I'm not..."] Says a whimper, ["I'm trying to help Adam with therapy, but his diaries are starting scare me. I know I shouldn't be telling you about this, but... Please call back so I can talk about this... I want to talk to you..."]

["Hello, Merrick Piscien, my name is Fred Terrence, I'm calling to confirm your appointment for your catering options? Please call me back at your earliest convenience. Thank you and goodbye."]

["Hey, Merrick, it's Nick. I heard about you goin to the sea and all... Look man, I know we're friends and all, but you've been missing alotta work for the past couple'a'months. I don't wanna fire you or nuthin, and I get you're going through a lot right now, but I'mma need to sit down with you, and talk to you about your employment at Lovers. I need to know where you gonna be about this. Call me when you get the chance, man. Bye."]

Merrick feels a purge of guilt as he listens to these recordings, before pressing his thumb on the red icon. Moments later, he finds himself in the shower, washing the salt and sand off of his body, deep in thought about all of this. He takes a very deep sigh as he looks down into the tiles.

It has to have been at least a week since he left, maybe even two. He just up and left, he only told Yuri's father that he's leaving, and he just vanished, not even caring what anyone else might say or think.

"I just..." He says lowly to himself, "I wanted to be alone... I didn't want everyone looking at me like I'm some kind of victim or ticking bomb..."

Merrick sits down on the tiles as the hot water continued to rain down on him.

"Father was right, I'm running away... A Triton must never run away... Donna says we all have moments of weakness where we just break, and we need time to ourselves to heal... But I feel like I'm being selfish because I want to shut off from the rest of the world..."

He puts his face into his arms, "I'm letting people down, Father..." He mumbles, "Yuri goes to so much trouble... Jamal can't stop trying to cheer me up... Nick has been far more lenient than he should be about my job... Everyone keeps asking me how I'm doing, and I just want them all to stop... Is it really not that obvious?"

Once clean and dry, Merrick walks into the living room, and nears the kitchen. He feels himself smile as he sees that little white and orange kitten crunching away at his little dish. Sally is probably out front as always, waiting for Jamal to get home, while Roxas is probably in Yuri's room or hunting outside.

Merrick looks to the kitchen as he walks in. He takes his apron hanging on a hook, and ties it around his waist, otherwise nude. This reminds him of all those other times Adam and he had the house to himself, and Merrick would be Adam's naked chef.

Merrick takes out a frozen chicken breast, several fresh vegetables, and the canister of all-purpose flour.

You are a Triton. You were never meant to be weak...' Kaiken's voice echoes in Merrick's psyche, You were given strength to carry those you hold close. You may not receive mercy, for you must be the one to give it...'

Merrick sniffs as he fights a tear of exhaustion, before turning on the flames of the stove, and grabbing the cutting board.

Merrick walks through the halls of the hospital, his heart pounding as he goes... A pounding heart. How long has it been since he last felt that? He goes to the receptionist, holding a thermic lunch box as he comes to the nurse.

"Hello, my name's Merrick, I'm here to see Adam Bryant in the comatose wing."

"Alright, let me just check a few things here for ya." She said as she types a few things. Merrick glances to the side, and sees the children's ward, with the movie playing. He can hear it's Moana, at the part where the lava demon, Te Ka looks at Moana herself, holding the shining green stone, before bidding the ocean to part and allow Te Ka to cross.

The lava monster screeches before it starts clawing its way over to her, right before everything goes into slow motion. At that moment, reality focuses on Merrick's attention as he listens to the calm, Hawaiian melody of the movie, the soft voices caressing him like Umiato's hand to his cheek.

"~I have crossed the horizon to find you~" Merrick sniffs as he she sings softly. Te Ka roars silently as she charges... "~I know your naaame~... ~They have stolen the heart from inside yooouu~" Merrick's chest feels a deep hurt as he watches. Those men... The ones that attacked Adam... They took away the only thing Merrick had left to cherish in this world.

"~But this does not define yooouu~" Moana is consumed in ash and smoke, before Te Ka towers before her, so filled with rage and hate. Merrick trembles as his eyes flood all over again, glimpsing himself as a giant, fish-like water titan, starring down at the tiny human figure with his fury.

"~This is not who you aaarrrreee~" Te Ka pauses with a look of confusion and curiosity, letting her arms down while her fiery flesh cools into black rock. Merrick huffs as he feels a deep impulse inside him, seeing his monstrous self before an image of a male, instead of Moana, "~You know who you aaarrre~"

Merrick sees himself as this demon of water, even as the green heart is placed at its core, he can only imagine the colossal creature shattering into an infinite whirlwind of scales and water drips, flaying out in waves of fragments into the sea and sky, flashing and spinning into smaller shards, ultimately shrinking smaller and smaller until he can imagine Merrick's own face in Adam's chest, with those arms around him, one hand on hos blonde hair, and the other on his back,

"Alright, just come with me, honey." The nurse said. Merrick snapps out of it, suddenly realizing the enormous and floral Te Fiti is now holding Moana and Maui in her hand. "You ok, honey?" The nurse asked.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." Merrick said, wiping his eyes real quick, "Just thinking of something..."

"Ok, honey... Follow me." She said gently before she takes Merrick away. As they walk, Merrick can see the sky outside clear itself of the clouds, little by little.

Why did I run away...' Merrick thought, his eyes feeling hurt all over again, Why did I have to ask Mother to make a ring... I could have just as easily bought a ring from anywhere... I could have protected him...'

`You ran away from your mate. Would you deny him any longer?' Kaiken's voice asked.

`Compassion for all... Is a precious and elusive gift.' Umiato's voice chimed.

`I was so scared, Brother. Please do not hurt again.' Savarna's voice pleaded.

`Thank you, A-Adra Merrick... I will not forget this...' Arnaav's voice reminded him.

I screwed up...' Merrick thought as they near Adam's room, I need to see him again. I need to tell him I'm sorry...' Merrick keeps himself calm as he walks with the nurse, until he comes, once again, face-to-face with the patient's window to the room.

"Adam has had his medication recently, so he probably won't be wake for a little while." The nurse tells Merrick.

"That's fine." Merrick muttered quietly, before she knocks on the door, and peers in.

"Adam?" The nurse said, "You have a visitor."

"Ok..." Merrick's insides dive as he hears his voice. So low and tired...

"Go right ahead, dear." The nurse said.

Merrick comes in, carrying his carrier as he walks. "Hi... Adam..."

"Mmnnhh..." Adam stirs as he lays on the bed, peering as he can sense someone walk into the room, "Hey..." Adam squints as he tries to look at the figure, but the sunlight is blinding him.

For a very brief moment, the stranger blocks the sun, and Adam can make out a handsome blonde man, before the sun has his dizzy state lulled again. But this time, Adam can feel his face feel weird. The depths of his cheeks and his jaws are being pulled up as a small smile appears on his face.

Merrick sniffs as he sees that subtle smile come onto Adam's mouth, taking a seat next to him. Adam looks to him, the sunlight still making it very hard to see. "You... Ok, Adam?" Merrick finally asks.

"Tired... My head feels really heavy..." He answered. He almost wants to ask this man if he can pull down the shades, but the sunlight feels delightfully warm, he doesn't want to turn that off. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

"I brought something for you." Merrick says, drying his eyes, finally finding it easy to breathe, for the first time in so many suns. Adam hears a clink and clunk sound, before his nose picks up a very hearty aroma.

"What's that?" Adam asked in a sigh, hearing a liquid pour.

"Soup. I made it for you."

"Oh, ok..." Adam says as he smiles again, peering with bright yellow light flooding his sight again. He can make out the visitor taking a steaming spoon to his own lips to blow, before carefully moving it to Adam's mouth. Adam sips the savory broth as he tries to sit up, but just stays. "Mnhhhnn..." Adam moans quietly as he can vividly feel the hot liquid stream down his throat and line his stomach, "'S so good" He mumbles.

Merrick chuckles with joy, before taking another spoonful of the golden elixir in his small ceramic bowl, this time taking in a noodle before blowing on it. Adam drinks the spoonful, loving the feel of the flavorful fluid washing down his throat, even chewing on the sliver of noodle feels like something he's missed in so long.

Merrick stirs the soup a little in the small, fancy basin in his hand, ignoring the chicken shred and bringing another spoon to Adam's lips. Adam drinks again, huffing lightly from the taste, "This is really good..." He mumbled. Merrick's eyes moisten again, hearing Adam talk to him... Alive, happy to see him... For so long...

Yuri walks along the window, and stops. She gasps as she sees Merrick, right there, out of nowhere, sitting right next to Adam. He didn't even let her know he was coming -- it's been over a week since Merrick disappeared, with only a message from her dad. She takes a moment to really look at this picture.

The room is glowing with sunshine. Adam's face has regained much needed color, tired as he is from the Thalassactin dose. And then there's Merrick. His eyes... Those eyes, they're holding emotion. Actual, heart-filled emotion. He brings a lightly steaming spoon from a small cup-like bowl, and feeds Adam what looks like some kind of soup. Adam's actually eating, after a long while of refusing food.

Yuri finds herself smiling as she steps back, seeing them together again... Merrick's finally where he's supposed to be, by Adam's side. And he's not crying anymore... He's actually happy. Despite everything that happened, that Adam no longer remembers him, and probably will never know him again... Merrick is finally home.

Adam swallows the bit of tasty chicken from the latest spoonful of what is quite literally the best meal he's had in so long. He can only peer and squint at this man. He still can't really remember much, but... He doesn't want this man to go away, ever. He wants to keep having this soup, he wants this person to stay...

"Adam?" Merrick said, seeing a clear dot drop from Adam's eye corner, "What's the matter?" He puts the spoon into the empty bowl.

"... I want this..." He mutters, "I want to keep this, so bad..." Adam sniffs as he rests, "But I can't have whatever this is..." He closes his eyes, "I don't want to forget anymore. I don't want to forget this..."

"... It's ok. It's ok, Adam..." Merrick said, before putting his warmed hand onto the other. "Even if you forget... I won't." Adam peers at him again, his eyes rolling another tear, "I'll remember for you. I'll remember everything about you, forever." Adam's mind feels a heavy press. The soup is bringing his energy down as it absorbs into his belly, and kicking in with the medicine.

"Promise...?" He whispers, slumber quickly coming to him.

"Always... Forever." Merrick says, "I won't ever forget you."

()()()

Adam grunts as his body is contained in the contorting mass of thorns and roots. His arms are held outward away from him, binding him as he legs are also bound downward, unable to move, each large spike driving into his flesh, little by little. He prays for this crucifixion to be over, wondering what he has done to be tortured in this manner.

A flash of white and silver, and a trident of light shoots into the spiny forest! That portion of the branches burst into blue flames before another flashing trident launches into the curling shocks of thorns, blazing lightning racing into the harsh plants and burning them from the inside.

A third trident of light, and then a fourth, a fifth trident attacks and devour the thorns into watery fire. Adam's head bows as his body sinks down, his arms easing down as the thorns move from out of his body, before falling forward slowly.

Merrick swims at top speed, and catches Adam. Panting, Merrick looks at his love. Adam looks with dreary, tired eyes, shaking as red blood seeps from his many puncture wounds, dripping from his fingers and toes.

Merrick tearfully looks onto Adam's chest, seeing a gapping hole in his chest, the largest injury of his whole body. A round hole seen clear through him, oozing with a golden fluid that runs down his abs and his back, dripping aside from the blood. Merrick tenderly puts his webbed hand onto the edge of the whole, his lip trembling as he looks back at Adam's face. Other circular holes can be seen throughout Adam's body, at his arms, legs, all of them letting the molten gold flow out of him.

Adam coughs as golden blood sputters from his lips, before his hand shakily moves, and places onto Merrick's face. Merrick takes his hand, and looks into those partially closed eyes. Merrick's tail kicks harder, trying to keep them both up.

As they look into each other, the golden blood bleeding from Adam's chest wound wobbles as drops begin to levitate. Merrick bites into his own palm, causing him to bleed silver blood, before holding onto Adam and hugging him tightly.

Silver fluid floats idly into the hole in Adam's chest, blending with the golden liquid as it squirms slowly within the void of Adam's chest.

As the two of them turn, a gleaming bit of gold started to drift and fill in a heart-shaped hole within the merman's chest.

()()()

Merrick looks at his fiancé, the smile still on his own face. Adam breathes deeply as the appetizing smell of meat and broth still fills the room. Merrick moves his hand up, and over to Adam's head. He gently puts his palm onto Adam's cheek, rubbing softly onto his fine stubble.

"Mnhhh..." Adam smiles in his sleep, and then subtly pushes his cheek into Merrick's hand, very slowly. Merrick holds him tenderly, moving his thumb over the dried tear where Adam got emotional.

`I don't want to forget.'

`Even if you forget, I'll remember for you.'

That's really all it took. Adam was so sad in such a short notice, but Merrick made it all better with just a few words...

"Look at you..." Merrick muttered as he looks at Adam's closed eyes, "The world turns its dark wrath on something so innocent... And yet you're still so beautiful." He doesn't feel like crying anymore. His chest finally feels so much lighter.

Merrick leans in, resting himself on the side of mattress, putting his hand under Adam's head, and nuzzling him softly. Merrick presses his lips onto Adam's mouth, and kisses him.

Adam's opposite arm shifts. He groans in his sleep as he turns slightly, absent-mindedly pawing the air a few inches up from his blanket, before his hand finds itself on Merrick's shoulder. Merrick holds Adam's opposite cheek as he pushes his cheek into Adam's, feeling the sun as it shines on them both.