Aquata Cove Chapter 95: Fury Of A Triton
-EHH EHH EHH EHH EHH-
Damian groans as his hand slaps down on his alarm clock. "Ffffffuck." He whines lowly as he slowly pulls himself out of bed. He gets up and goes to get dressed and for a short breakfast.
He locks the door as he leaves, has to go to work across town. Ever since those two guys were arrested, Damian didn't feel it was wise to stay close to Kele-Kolika pier now. It's been a few months, but seeing as that lowlife is still alive, he'd probably point him out easily. Hell, he just ran into him the other day. If he's smart, he'll forget all about him.
As Damian walked down the stairs of his apartment, he notes someone in a white jacket, wearing a hood. Eh, just somebody loitering. He needs to get to work. He hops in his car, and adjusts the side-mirror, where he sees the shrouded stranger.
"What??" Damian blinked as he could swear he saw a purple glint. He adjusts the mirror again, still looking at the stranger. Half of his face is covered, only his nose and mouth is visible. "Huh..." After a few seconds, Damian still looks at the mirror as he puts car in gear, and drives it off.
"Not good enough..." The hood mutters. "I need his eyes..."
Damian writes in the books of the Wal-Mart he works in now. He wonders how the Fish House is faring, after they kicked his ass out for that homo. Honestly, it's a wonder how they even kept in business at all in the first place with that brainless old fucker of a boss they had. If his calculations are correct, that place should be done and over with at least 2 and a half years ago. Damian glances up at the window of his office, but looks again. He sees the same white hood coat walking along the aisles. Is that the same guy from his apartment?? What are the odds of him showing up here. The figure stopped walking, and turns his head. The hood glances up, giving a purple spark for a split second as he looks directly at Damian. "Whoa, what the fuck..." Damian jumps, his insides purging with a sudden wave, as if he was just startled by a practical joke. He blinks, and looks again, the hooded man walking away from him, between the freezer aisles. "Ok... That's just weird." "Still not enough..." The hood whispers, "I need to face him. I need to look into him..."Damian sighs as the time struck 6PM. Time to clock out. That weird person has been patrolling the whole store all day. Damian's called for a Security Check every so often, but no one has found anything or anyone of suspicion.
"Think I better just head home now." Damian says to himself as he closes the books and locks the drawers. He takes his... Coat. And puts it on. He's had to have it cleaned at least 5 times before he wore it regularly.
Soon, Damian walks in the parking structure next to Wal-Mart, over to his car. "... What..." He jogs over, seeing something on the back tire. "What the fuck???"
Footsteps can be heard from inside the structure.
A knife handle is sticking out of tire, with the bottom part of it completely sagged on the pavement, "Are you fuckin serious??" He scowls, trotting around his car. Each tire has been slashed, all of them completely out of air.
The footsteps can be heard a little closer.
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Damian walks away from his vehicle. Of course, this would be the day he forgot his cellphone in the damn kitchen. He has to go to the nearest callbox to call AAA.
A person in a white coat walks along the rows of cars.
Damian growls as he walks. He looks at the glass around the elevators... There he is again. That weird stranger from all around. Who the hell is he?? Damian walks a little faster. His eyes see a narrow area, a bit of an alley in the structure. He speed walks down there, and slows down a little. He turns his head to see if he's still being followed.
A few seconds pass by, before the hooded person appears at the entrance. Damian turns right around, and looks at the stranger. This person is holding a long duffle, like he's carrying a long pole-like object with him.
"Why are you following me??" Damian asked him. There comes no answer. "... I asked you a question!"
The stranger brings a hand up, and brings the hood down. Damian widened his eyes as he sees the face of a blonde man. "I saw you before, right?? You bumped into me." As he looks, he notes the man has strange, glimmering purple eyes. He digs in his pocket, and holds up the knife that was in his tires, "You're the one who slashed my tires, aren't you? I could have you arrested."
The blonde man continues to stare at him, without saying a single word as his violet eyes look at him.
"Who the hell are you?" Damian asked again, "Are you gonna answer me, or am I going to have to call the police? Say something, asshole!"
"So..." Merrick mutters, "These are the eyes of a Noita..." He looks into Damian's eyes, and he feels his vision zooms in. Images and people warp and fold all around Merrick's field of vision.
"Show me what he is..." He says, bidding the thoughts and feelings to form around him, "Show me what I want to know..."
/// The distortion pulls out a fleeting image of Adam leaning on the dock post next to a young blonde guy in a fishnet tanktop and blue shorts. They kiss and stand together. Disgusting faggots, they can't be here! Not in THIS cannery! /// The mind zooms in and around the memory of Damian slamming his hands on a desk, "Captain, we can't have a gay man represent the Fish House!" /// "Why the fuck not?" Comes an echoing growl, "Last I checked, gays are good at working." /// The visions are so staticy and vague, they keep skipping second by second. "I can't work in the same place as a homosexual." /// "Good." The Captain says with disgust. "Now git out." The vision skips again, "Yeah, you're fired. What, you want a pony back ride?" /// The memories reform in the lockers, those same hands shoving Adam to the floor of the locker room "You don't belong here." /// The visions skip around again, "Say it!!" Adam yells, "Say it to my face!" The two of them fight, punch for punch, Damian spitting blood on Adam from a rip in his mouth as the other men pull them apart from each other. /// "STOP IT! EVERYONE!!!" Captain roars. ///
This isn't what I am looking for.' Merrick thinks with anger. Tell me what you did to him. Now.' He demanded as he sifts through Damian's soul. The soul shifts around without Damian himself even knowing it, forwarding through half a decade since he was fired from the Fish House.
/// Damian holds a phone to his ear, "Sure. I'm game. Gotta give them some kind of message." He closes the phone. /// Merrick pushes his will further, skipping in blurs to inside a dark parking lot. Damian walks as he ties a bandana around his face, covering below his nose. /// "Oh shit. I know him, he used to work under me." ///
This is it...' Merrick thinks as his insides sink with fear and hurt as he sees Damian punch Adam's back, making him fall to the floor. Adam!'
/// Damian holds Adam's left arm as one person paints pink all over him, and the other punching him for several times, as well as pelting him with the metal rod. The memories skip to Damian taking the crowbar, while the other guy takes his place. /// Merrick's entire being flares with searing outrage as he looks at Adam's state: Huddled forward, blood seeping everywhere, his clothes ruined and stained by the paint, his mouth covered with a slip of duct tape with the word FAGGOT written on it, his chin and neck covered in saliva and pink leaking from under. He can barely stand on his own legs, both eyes already bruised darkly, blood dripping from his nose. /// Merrick also feels a rush of satisfaction and justice as he looks at Adam. "Heh, that look suits yo-" The bandana slips off, and floats down from his face, "Shit!" He puts it back on real quick, and takes several more swings with the crowbar. /// "PNNGH! CKKHH! GHHGH!" /// "Oh shit, he's crying." They taunted at him, "Be a fuckin man for ONCE!" ///
`Enough. That's enough! Please stop, Belinda!'
/// "Fuckin gross, man." /// "Hey!" Says a distant voice. /// "Shit, think someone's coming." /// "One more. I'mma make it clear where you belong you goddamn FAG." Damian grits his teeth as he swings the crowbar as hard as he can, aiming right for his head! KUNG! One hard hit, feeling something solid crack at the split-second at the end of the crowbar, and Adam's head goes limb, hanging down, motionless. ///
`Stop this! Cut it now! Don't make me see this!! Please cut it now!' He begged inside himself.
/// Damian hands the crowbar to the other man holding Adam, taking his place to hold Adam's inanimate body "Your turn-" /// "FUCKING LET HIM GO!!!" Echoes a roar from an African America man running to them, just after the other person takes the crowbar from Damian. /// "SHIT!" Damian drops Adam as the paint can drops, and floods the pavement with the bright color. ///"GET THE FUCK BACK HERE!!" Damian runs as fast as he can, looking over, two of the guys being caught up by some black guy. Damian pants as he sprints, clutching the jacket in his hand as he goes. ///
"I said STOP! Get out of my head! NOW!!" Merrick yelled out as he clutches his head with both hands, his wrath burning away the presence inside him. "Ffffuckiiittt..." He snarled as his fingers dig into his sunshine hair, the gruesome images swirling and pushing in his sights, plunging a poisonous knife into his chest as he doubles over.
"What, you're hearing voices? Are you tweaking out or something?"
"Hghh... Hghh... Hghh..." Merrick pants very harshly as he holds his head, gathering himself as he stabilizes from the very forceful mental rejection. Slowly, Merrick moves himself up, his hands lowering, before swords are stared directly at Damian with his sapphire eyes. "Hghh... Hghh... Hghh..."
"I'm going to fucking kill you...!" Merrick tells him, his voice jagged, almost hushed, with sheer rage.
"Hhh!!" Belinda jerks back inside her cave, her chest pounding, and her head aching from the sudden cut from her connection to Merrick. Those blue eyes, storming with hatred and insanity, is the last thing she can remember. He FORCED her out of his mind... He shouldn't be able to do that. "What have I done..." Belinda utters as she covers her mouth, fearing she may have turned Merrick into something akin to a monster, "What have I done..." ---The Previous Day--- "Belinda. I need a favor." Merrick tells her, his blood pulsing as she crawls out and stands up. "What is it?" "I'm looking for someone. I need you to seek them out for me." "Alright. If you can remember what they look like, you and I can-" "No." He cuts her off, "I want you to tell me where he is. I'm doing this alone, and I don't want anyone else to be there." "Merrick..." Belinda says as she looks at him, "Merrick what are you saying? I-I am not sure if I want to do this..." "I'm out for blood, Belinda." He told her, "I would think you, of all people, would understand that." "Alright, if you're going to mock me, then forget it." Belinda crosses her arms, "I have better things to-" "I am not ASKING, Belinda." Merrick tells her. She looks at him with estrangement. "You're doing this, and I'm not taking `no' for an answer." "Why do you want me to do this so badly?" "Yesterday, me and Adam were walking in downtown to get some dinner, and then some man bumped into him. In a matter of seconds, Adam couldn't move, see, talk, or breathe. He was literally paralyzed with terror before he started stumbling and falling, like he was trying to run away from a demon. I want to know who this man is, where he is, and what he did." "What... What will you do if you find him?" "That entirely depends on when I find him. I will get the truth out of him. I want you to look into my soul, find his image in my memory, and tell me where his aura is. I don't care if you have to rip my mind apart in the process, just do it." "Merrick." Belinda gives him a shocked look, "I don't need to ravage your mind, but still, why are you so... Angry?" "Don't waste my time, Latolcus." Merrick narrows his eyes, "He's out there, and I'm not letting him get away." "Merrick... Look, Merrick... Whatever you are planning, take it from me, I know first hand: This isn't worth it. Whatever is making you feel so much hate, it is not worth taking darker steps. It never was, and it never will be." "Our circumstances don't even begin to equate. Don't you dare tell me what's right or wrong, or what something might be worth to me." Merrick leers at her. "That man has something to do with Adam, and I will find out." "Hhh... Fine. I will do this. But if I do not think he will confess easily if he did do something to Adam..." "I don't care. I'll force it out of him. Now do as I say, and ransack my skull already." "Listen, Merrick." Belinda looks into his eyes, "I know you want to do this alone... But I know a way for me to go with you, and find him exactly, and allow you to do this on your own all at once." "Tell me... Now..." Merrick narrows his eyes to her. "You only have to let me in..." ---Now--- "Did you just threaten me?" Damian says, "Just who the hell do you think you are?" "... Adam Bryant." Merrick said. "Ooook? So, what-" "Adam Bryant. My fiancé. My boyfriend of 10 years. The love of my life." Merrick repeats, his eyes refining his anger, "That is the man you tried to kill." "Excuse me?" "Adam Bryant. Don't toy with me." Merrick held his hand up and flat, "Man this tall, brown hair, brown eyes, lightly tanned skin. You took a crowbar to him and beat him senseless." Damian's eyes widened slightly, but reverted to normal shape again, "I don't know what you're talking about." "DON'T LIE!" Merrick shouted, his hand gripping the strap of the duffle he is carrying, "You and three other men cornered him. You ambushed him out of nowhere. You beat the life out of him until he was about to die." "No, I didn't. I didn't beat up a man," Damian tells him, "I put a low-life in his place." Merrick's soul spikes with an electric spear of shock, "Say that again..." Merrick says as his heart grows numb with an inhuman impulse. "It's none of your business." Damian told him, "Now fuck off before I call the cops." Merrick shrugs the strap from his shoulder, and let his parcel drop to the ground. He started to walk towards Damian where he stood. "And what are you doing?" "This has everything to do with me..." Merrick's voice is shaky with intense rage, putting his left hand on his right forearm, cranking it as he goes, tensing his muscles, as if they might actually start striking on their own. "You and those men mutilated and tortured him... What did he ever do to you..." Merrick's body shakes with anger as his hands strain horribly, his eyes glaring sharply at the human before him, "What gave you the right to attack him." "Well, for starters, he got me fired, that's what! I lost my job to a fuckin cocksucker, if you wanna know." Damian tells him. "But I don't really care about that-" "That was years ago. You filthy coward..." Merrick retorted as he walked to him. "But that's not even all you need to justify what you did to him... The Captain should have strung you up like a hooked shark on the docks." "How did -- What, look, you don't want to do this." Damian smirked as he shook his head, "You're just going to end up with your ass kicked and limping away like a crippled fairy." "Oh, I want this." Merrick tells him, "I came here to find out what you did to him. You no longer have the right to walk free." "Look, are you gonna stop rambling?" Damian says, "I'm not gonna waste my time with some queer." "That's too bad..." Merrick says, nearing a foot away from him. Their eyes meet, as a single pulse pounded between the two of them. "Because I'm going to break you." Merrick drew his arm back, forming a fist, and launched it at Damian! Damian grabs hold of Merrick's fist, but the sheer force of it throws his arm back. "Wh-" With his hand hurting as if a rock was thrown at it, Merrick hardened his knuckles, and knocked it into Damian's jaw, "Gh-ahwwwll!" Merrick grabs at Damian's wrist, and tightens his fingers around it like a living vice! "AhhhfFFFFF!" Damian hissed as he punched at Merrick's arm in attempts to make him let go. "Worthless!" Merrick says before raises a leg, and kicks Damian right in the waist. "Don't fffuckin-" Damian tightens his lips as he fights back, swinging his arm at Merrick. He shoves him back, and throws a punch at Merrick's face. Merrick's eyes turn to look where the fist is coming, before it lands right on his cheek! "Ullghh!" Merrick staggers as he is knocked from Damian. "Alright, fag." Damian smirks as he rolls his head, cracking his neck as he come nears Merrick, his face still down-cast, "You want a fight? I'll bring it. Come and get it!" He readies his fists, and punches Merrick on the chest! "Hgghh!" Merrick grunts as he forced back. "That feel good?!" Damian says as he aims a strike at Merrick's throat. He moves back to dodge it, "Lets see if ya go something down there." Damian grabs Merrick by the shoulders, and shoots his knee into Merrick's crotch! "Ennhh!" Merrick winces, the protective cup inside his underpants shoving into his pelvis as it struck by Damian's knee. "What's the matter??" Damian taunts as he grabs Merrick's arm, punches him in the stomach! "Didn't you want to fight?!" He pulls his arm back, and punches Merrick's left cheek, making him fall to the floor. "What the fuck, faggot?" Damian smirks as he sees Merrick grunting and panting, still down on the ground, "I told you you didn't want to do this." He picks up his leg, and moves to stomp Merrick down. -Khhh- "Huh?" Damian looks at him, with Merrick's hand clutching on the bottom of Damian's shoe, without even looking at where it was coming. Slowly, the blonde's head slowly rises and tilts up, looking up with a disappointed and angry glare. "Is that really all you have to offer?" Merrick asked, before his hand cranks Damian's foot to the side. "OWW!" Damian flops onto the ground after having his ankle twisted. He gasps as he's suddenly yanked backward. Once he stopped, he feels a forceful jab on his side! "GAH fuck!!" He sees Merrick has planted a polished wooden rod on his side. Merrick flips it, and aimed to jab it again, before Damian kicks it away and scrambles up. He looks to see Merrick getting up, still holding the 3ft long rod in his hand, also noting that the duffle's zipper was partially opened. "Is that really all you have to offer me in your defense?" Merrick grits his teeth as he looks at him, "You nearly killed my partner, and THAT'S all you have to show for it?!" Merrick tenses his jaw as he throws hard punches with his left arm, while he knocked and blocked Damian's counters with the wood shaft. `You have always had my anger, Son...' Kaiken's voice echoes inside Merrick's mind. His subconscious arranges for a more coaxing whisper, `Now... USE it!' "Rrraaahh!" Merrick enters a high-speed melee in attempts to cut down Damian. His movements begin to blur as he fights him faster. Damian grunts, barely able to remember to breathe as he does all he can to not get hit. Merrick charges forward, and swings the wood baton at Damian's head! Damian ducks, and swerves, narrowly missing the rod by inches. He huffs quickly as this guy suddenly becomes a lot faster. He swings his arm at him before he spun and skimmed a kick at Damian's front. He' can't even try to hit Merrick, every move he makes is on the offensive almost at a constant rate. He can feel the tailwind from the swipes from the rod, a flying fist, a whirled leg-swing. Merrick sneers with fury as his hand suddenly flies and grabs onto Damian's neck! "Gllllk!" Damian is forced backward, with that hand still holding him tightly. "You really are a filthy coward..." Merrick muttered, not even looking at him, "The more I look at you, the more obvious you look." "Shut the fuck up, ass-monger!" Damian jerks his arm back aimed a punch for Merrick's crotch again. He punches into something solid, before Merrick's hand takes that hand, and twisted it hard! "GAHAH!" Merrick grits his teeth as he forces that wrist as far as it goes, before hearing a distinct threatening crack before swinging the pole and clunking onto Damian's face! "Honestly... You can't even muster yourself for a decent fight!" Merrick throws him to the wall beside them. Damian grunts as he feels the initial impact. "Going for my balls there? When I wasn't even striking back?" Merrick's blue eyes leer at him, "Just how low are you? You can't even fight a fair game, no wonder you went for Adam." "Fuckin let go of me!!" Damian squeezes at Merrick's arm, before slapping at Merrick's face. His hand lets go before he tries to run to the side of him. "You're not getting away!" Merrick grabs the back of the jacket, and swings Damian down. Damian crashes on the floor, coughing as he rolls on his front, "You don't get to leave-" "YaahH!" Damian swings, and suddenly stabs Merrick's calve with the knife! "AAHH!" Merrick steps back as the knife is ripped from his leg, dripping with his blood. Damian gets up, hunched over, his open hand holding as he holds the knife ready. Merrick hisses as he stands with his wound. "Gheh... Now you're getting it." "Yeah, you like that faggot?" Damian says as he swipes again, cutting at Merrick's thigh before he steps back quickly. Another stab attempt, and he carved a mark into the short shaft. "Heh... You should see how brainless and savage you look." Merrick frowns, "You're a disgusting tool, you know that?" "Shut the hell up!" Damian lurches forward, and sinks the knife into Merrick's abs! "GHH!" Merrick is forced to the wall, wincing as he's forced up against it. "You wanted this, faggot." Damian said, his voice ragged as he breathes harshly. "You wanted to fuck with me. Don't go crying now that you got what you asked for." Damian removes it, and attempts to stab Merrick again. His hand is stopped by Merrick's hand immediately after. Damian's arm quivers as Merrick holds it back. Merrick's eyes leer down at him with apathy, frowning as the human shifts and grunts. "You really are a stupid monster." Merrick tells him, "A ruthless, weak, pitiful beast that should have been put down a long time ago." Without much effort, Merrick steadily moves Damian's hand away from him, before Merrick kicks him away. Damian grunts as he is forced back, and rushed at him, brandishing the knife at him. Merrick moves left, right, around, striking Damian's arm and jabbing at his side, whipping around and hitting him with the short shaft. Merrick moves backward before the knife could cut his throat, before he hits Damian square in the jaw to make him stagger. "Certainly makes a difference when someone can actually fight back, doesn't it?!" He says in between punches. "Shut the fuck up, shitfucker!!" Damian lashes out as he makes a cut on Merrick's hand. Merrick backhands Damian hard, leaving a red-pink blotch on his face, before Damian gives a kick to Merrick's hip. Merrick topples over, but rolls into it, and back onto his feet and one hand, and jetting the wood shaft up, and knocked right up Damian's chin! "Ghhkkk!" Damian steps back as he holds his chin, his teeth clacking together from that strike as Merrick stands up. "You should have allowed the law to take you when you had the CHANCE!" Merrick swings the rod at Damian's head again!Belinda paces around her apartment, her insides squirming with fear and suspense. Ever since Merrick asked her to examine his thoughts yesterday, she's had a bad feeling this would happen.
"Let me in, I said." She tells herself, "I can help you find this man and find the truth, I said." She takes several deep breaths as she copes with the spiraling anxiety rising in her.
"The way his energy felt before he forced me out..." Belinda still remembers a pair of savage blue eyes, refined by sheer intensity. Merrick has shown her a brutal disposition in the past, but he just seemed downright monstrous right then and there!
"What is he going to do...?" She asked, "That man... He nearly destroyed Adam, I saw it too... And Merrick... With his temper..." Belinda pants as she looks to her own scale-hide purse. She strode to it, and picked it up.
"... But who would be even near him??" She asks herself, "I do not even recognize where this man lived..." She closes her eyes, trying to map up the vague memory of the location, trying to remember exactly the route and direction of how Merrick and she arrived there, trying to figure out who would be available to check on him...
Belinda's panic continues to pulse before she turns on her phone, and just dialed the number of someone she knows who can probably reach Merrick the fastest. She holds the phone to her ear, and waits.
"... Yes, hello, it's me." She says, "I-I-I might have done something terrible... It's Merrick. He asked me to help find someone, and..." She pants as she thinks about it, "I think he is going to do something horrible..."
Merrick pins Damian onto the wall, and sinks his fist directly into his gut "GUHHUHH!" Damian gagged loudly as he doubles over, still being held up by Merrick's hand on his neck. "You don't have the slightest idea of what pain is..." Merrick seethes as he looks directly into Damian's eyes. "Have ever felt so much hatred, that it actually started to choke you from inside to the point of suffocation?" Merrick drew his arm back, and punched into Damian's stomach again. "Have you have passed so much fear that everything goes numb, and you can't even muster up the ability to save yourself?" Merrick turns around, dragging Damian with him. "Agnnghh!" Damian grunts as he's slammed again. Merrick draws his arm back once more, and strikes Damian again, "Have you ever breathed so much anger that everything you touched deserved to get destroyed in every meaning of the word?" Merrick growls as his grip held tighter at Damian's neck, "Have you ever swallowed so much sorrow that all you wanted to do is disappear and leave everything behind?" "RrrHHHH!" Merrick throws Damian onto the ground, before grabbing the scruff of his shirt, and pulled him up, his searing blue eyes cutting into Damian's eyes as well, "Have you EVER held onto so much agony, that you thought yourself worthless, helpless, that you would be better off dead?!" "Get the fuck off me!" Damian kicks Merrick in the stomach, shoving him away, and scrambling up, "I don't care about any of your shit!" He tells him. Merrick just turns around, walking in the opposite direction, "You're all going to hell anyway! You better get fucking used to it!" He yells out, "You and your dirty assfucker don't fucking belong here!" Merrick walks to the carrying case he brought with him, picking it up, and unzipping it. "Are you even listening to me?!" "To be honest, I was holding back." He tells him, "I wanted to see just what you're packing." Merrick takes out two poles, and a metal sharp piece. He connects the two poles, and clicks them into place. "Turns out, you are nothing worth anyone's time. You're not going to be hard at all." He then takes the ornate half-arrow end, and attaches it to the end of it. "Hah, you're a class act, you know that?" Damian scoffs as Merrick glares at him, "Bringing a weapon to an unarmed guy? You'll do fucking time for this." "Heh heh heh... You humans." Merrick sneers, "You are so agonizingly hypocritical, it's almost sickening to even hear you. At least as far as you and I are concerned, I'm making this a fair fight. I gave you a knife, didn't I?" "What the hell are you going on about now?" Merrick twirls his harpoon few times, looking at him before planking the round-end of the weapon on the floor, "This is serious now. You're about to find out what happens when you dare to push a Triton to the brink of madness after attacking his mate." Merrick says lethally before the spear swings with a glint of light, and points at Damian. "It's far past the time for you to know whAT TRUE PAIN FEELS LIKE!!!" The spear swishes to the side, and Merrick rockets forward. Damian gasps as Merrick's steps barely touch the ground, before he was right in front of him. A flash of metal rings up and gashes at Damian's face! "FUCK!" Damian yells as a splash of blood comes from his cheek. The pole then ducked and struck at his ankle, and tripped him to the floor. Merrick maneuvers the staff-like weapon, and shoves the back end of it to Damian's chest! "GHHH! Gah-ahh!" Damian gags as he feels a crack within the bone of his chest. `We Tritons are the remnants of the Kingdoms' might. As Noitas are the remaining light of the Kingdoms.' Merrick fights while thinking of what his father always told him about his legacy, `Every Triton born or blessed in this world is endowed with the power and the fortitude of our long-lost forefathers.' Kaiken told him, `They live through you, my Son. And they live through me. We are their legacy and their vessels. Every Triton ever lived is an eon of kings and warriors long since lost. We fight to protect all that we hold in our hearts.' He would say as he'd put his hand on Merrick's shoulder, `Always remember that, my Son. Your birthright is your greatest gift.' "Geehh!" Merrick strikes Damian down, having slashed him good and hard. Both of his hands are holding onto his weapon as it's pointed down, a streak of blood streaming from the tip of his harpoon, as a Triton would wield his trident. "Get up!" Merrick reaches down, and yanks Damian's jacket up to force him on his feet. Damian scrambles to grab the knife he dropped, holding it backwards, his eyes screaming of desperation. Merrick swoops in again, swiping the harpoon up and cut up a deep lash across his torso, slicing his shirt and making a red bloody streak "FFFFuck! You're fuckin crazy!" "You only wish." Merrick mutters as he swipes at Damian again, the spear clanking at the knife, nicking the wood a bit, before making a quick swipe at Merrick's arm. Merrick ignores the cut like it's nothing, and tears the hook to rip from the knee of Damian's pants, "Which of his knees did you break again??" Merrick asked, "The left or the RIGHT?!" Merrick swings a hammer-fist motion as Damian's head, collapsing him with a hard hit! "Urrgh!" Damian grunts, but suddenly feels his right knee in horrible pain! "GAH-HAAAA!" He yowls as Merrick's spear-head recedes from his knee. "Get up and fight me!" Merrick demands as he grabs the jacket again, and forces him to stand. Damian trips, clutching onto his stabbed knee gushing with blood. "What! You can't walk?! Funny. I bet it didn't hurt that much when you shattered Adam's legs!" "Stop!" Damian stays, seeing Merrick reach for him again, "Sto-AAAH!" Merrick pulls him up by his hair. "Stand and fight." Merrick tells him, "I didn't butcher your leg to the point where you are unable to stand." "Gyaah!" Damian pushes Merrick away, and turns right around. He pants and whines with rapid panic as he makes a run for it. He grunts in pain as he easily makes an easy 15 feet away from Merrick, even with a bad limp. His hands flail as he tries to sprint, his mouth trailing with drool as terror fills his lungs. Hiiiiinnnnnngggg A silvery ring can be heard from behind, before a bloody metal hook-shaped protrusion spikes out in the middle of Damian's leg! "AAAAHHH-HAAHHOOW!" Damian crashes onto the ground, panting loudly as he feels his leg penetrated completely. His wide eyes look down onto the blood-soaked shiv sticking out of his front thigh. Merrick walks to him as Damian squirms on the ground, making a blood trail as he still attempts to escape his wrath. "What happened, Damian?" Merrick called out, "Weren't you supposed to make a crippled fairy out of me? What happened to your cocky attitude? Where's that hateful confidence that made you see me as some sort of spineless queer?" "Hhhggghh..." Damian pants as he tries to crawl, with the weapon still pierced in his leg. "You think you know pain. You think you have every right to deal out punishment to anyone you think is less than you. Gheh... Look at you." Merrick sneers as he looks down at the pitiful homophobe, "So mind-numbingly scared of me, you can't even look over your shoulder because I might be directly behind you." "Hnnhhhhnnnhh..." Damian whimpers as he still tries to move, his instincts pushing him to keep going, knowing full well he can't even walk right now. He's right though... He is so freaking terrified. A while ago, this fag was taking hits like a wuss, and now he's like a silent hunter. Damian shakes as he flinches his head, pushing his eyes to his peripheral vision. Merrick's hand grips the back of his head, and smashes Damian's face into the pavement! "GHHH! Ghkgkgkgk..." "Pathetic..." Merrick mutters, "So this is the monster who erased the man who loved me. This is hate-filled coward who felt pride, justice, and satisfaction from reducing my life partner to a mangled carcass." Merrick turns and grinds Damian's cheek into the ground. "You thought you could break me as you broke my lover, for such a mediocre reason..." Merrick grabs onto Damian's hair, and makes him look at him in the eyes. His eyes reflect a subtle, dull glow, deep in those vivid royal blue circles, as if a light is being shone from inside. "I am an eon of kings and warriors long since past." Merrick said in a low and knowing tone, "You understand nothing. You deserve nothing. You are nothing." Merrick forces Damian onto his stomach, and grabs his harpoon while he presses his hand onto his back, "You really think I'd let you off that easy?" Merrick says as he jerks and stirs his weapon. "GGFFFFFFHGHGHGHGH!" Damian writhes as Merrick rips the muscle tissue, and then forcibly yanks the spear out of him! "AHHH!" "Shut up already." Merrick says as he presses the sharp end of his spear on the back of Damian's neck. "This is NOTHING compared what you put Adam through." Merrick gets up, and turns Damian's body over, the man hyperventilating as Merrick STOMPED on his left arm, and planed the blunt end of the harpoon into Damian's right hand, making it crack. "EENGGH-MMM!" Merrick slaps his hand over Damian's mouth. He breathes heavily through his nose and continues to groan out loud. "You were the one..." Merrick's voice shakes as his sapphires pierce at Damian's hazels. "You were the one who made that final strike on Adam's head." Merrick's heart burns with rage as he grinds into Damian's broken hand. "He was in a coma for over 3 weeks. 25 days. 25 days of not knowing whether he was going to live or die. Imagine what that can do to a person." "Ghhgghh..." Damian looks with fear at Merrick's eyes, his hand starting to grip Damian's mouth and jaw rather than cover it. Merrick's face seems to lose light around his features, showing a very shrewd malevolence as his throat makes a very strange rattling sound. "You destroyed his memories, do you know that??" Merrick shakes as he grips him, "He looks at me, and all he sees is stranger." Merrick moves his spear, and presses his hand holding it to rub into the gash across Damian's torso. "I'm just a lovable ghost to him now. You destroyed everything that ever mattered to me in this God-forsaken rock..." "MNNGGHHH!" "Do you have any idea just how much suffering you brought to him? How you killed me several times over? How you broke his family's hearts? How you nearly demolished him from everyone who loves him?? You have ANY IDEA, just what you DID?!" "Hnnfff! Hnnfff! Hnnfff! Hnnfff!" Damian pants harshly as his face his swimming with sweat. "The man I love is gone, Damian." Merrick mutters coldly, "And he's never coming back. All because you refused tolerate a good man who had nothing to do with you. He did NOTHING to you. He was and is a good man who has never harmed anything in his entire life. And you have the fucking audacity to think that he is better off dead??" "You really should have gotten arrested, Damian. At least then, you'd be safe in a jail cell where I couldn't ever find you. But now..." Merrick grips him even tighter. "Now you will know the misery that monsters like you have inflicted for far too long..."Yuri types at her laptop, before the dog starts to bark wildly. She turns to hear the door click open.
"Roooroooroooroorooohhh!" Sally barks as she jumps around, pouncing around a dragging Adam coming in.
"Oh Adam, hey! How was work?"
"Uuggh... I'm freaking exhausted." Adam groans, absentmindedly petting the golden retriever, "Are you sure the Captain is a friend of my Dad's? He's been working my ass off since I got there." "I thought you liked working at the Fish House~"
"Not when I've spent the last 8 hours stacking Grouper meat and replacing the glass and engine parts of all the carts." Adam tosses his keys onto the table, "I need to crash." "Awwww, I was waiting to play Kingdom Hearts with you!" Yuri pleads, "We still need to continue through Chain of Memories."
"I want to Yuri, trust me." He complains, "But I can't stand or sit up anymore." "Awwww come on, I've seen you get back from worse." "Ehh... That was then, this is now."
"Boring jerk!" Yuri calls out as she playfully throwing a couch pillow at him, missing by THAT much.
Adam groans as he slumps into bed, opening his laptop, and clicking onto the Netflix icon. It jumps up and down before opening up the internet. He clicks on Glee to continue watching -- Yuri says that Glee was one of Adam's favorite shows. So far, he likes it.
He clicks (Play), and settles down.
["So here's what you missed on Glee!"] The energetic voice-over starts, like every episode, quickly explaining the previous events of the last episode. As he talks on, Adam doesn't last long at all, his aching muscles pulling him into sleep, splayed out on the bed, lying on his stomach, with his arms buried under the pillows.
"Heggh... Heggh... Heggh..." Damian pants hoarsely on the ground. He lies against the wall, his pants and his shirt in tatters, blood oozing from countless gashes everywhere on his body, except for the jacket, which is covered in dust and footprints. The left side of Damian's face is swollen, his right eye is closed and heavily bruised. He can no longer move his right arm, and two teeth lie abandoned on the floor. Strands of Damian's dark hair drift along the floor. His left leg is crooked, and several parts of his body is horribly darkened and dented. "Please... Stop... Please... Stop..." He begs weakly, gagging and coughing out blood. "You want me to stop." Merrick reflects, his eyes still cold and sharp, his clothing partly soaked with Damian's blood, as is the harpoon, dripping with the hot red liquid. He moves his spear, and CLUNKS the end of the weapon on the ground, making Damian flinch and whine out. "Pleeeaaasssseee..." "And how many times did Adam beg YOU to stop before you finally let him go?" Merrick asked, moving the harpoon's hook-blade to Damian's chin, and making him look up, "How long did he scream for mercy before you left him for dead in that parking lot?" "I'm sorryyyy... Please, don't..." As Damian tries to talk, Merrick delivers a cruel bash from the blunt end of his weapon across Damian's face! "GHHeeHH!" Damian falls crippled to the floor from the blow, coughing and gagging and squirming on the spot. Merrick grabs the scruff of the jacket, that is still somehow untouched and partially off of him, and pulls him to sit up again. "You didn't even give him the chance to beg. You and those other thugs gagged him with a brush full of pink paint, and you taped his mouth shut. You disgusting pig, and you have the nerve to ask ME to stop." "Please, please, please, please," Damian huffed thickly, hardly able to breathe at all, "I'm sorry..." He whines, unable to find any other words. "I'm, so, sorry." "Tch... And now you think you're sorry." Merrick squats down, "Why are you sorry?" "I'm, sorry, for, hitting him." Damian managed to breathe out. "I'm, sorry, for beating, hiiiiim." "What else..." Merrick snarls as his eyes narrows, "What else are you sorry for?" "I'm sorry... For, making, you, angry..." Damian tries to think of what he wants him to say. "And..." "And... I'm, sorry, for... Making, him, forget, you." "Yeah... That has killed me in so many ways." Merrick tells him, pressing the metal point of the weapon on his chin again, "You pathetic worm... I've already died and lived several times before in my life, and you still probably think I'm inferior to you because I suck cock and take it up the ass. Do you still think fags deserve to die? After finding out what one can do to you?" "Noooo, noooo," Damian sobbed as he shudders his head left and right, "I'm sorry, I, said, thaaat..." "What are you sorry for, Damian." Merrick said out loud. "I... I... I don't, know, what you want from meeheeeee..." "Ghuh... Of course you don't..." Merrick bows his head, "You are missing the point of this whole thing. I told you right from the start." Damian continues to pant and whimper, completely at the mercy of this cold and furious homosexual. Merrick's looks right him, seeing directly into him. "I want you to apologize, for making me kill you." "Hhnnnhhhhhhhnnnh!" Damian whines a terrified squeal at the statement, "No, no, please, no, plleeaasse." "I want you to look me in the eyes, and tell me you are sorry for ending you." Merrick says, his hand grabbing onto Damian's neck, "I want you to beg my forgiveness as I finish you off. Right here. Right now." "Gllkkk..." Damian gags as he is elevated from the floor by Merrick's hold. "I want you to apologize for turning me into this... You've forced me to come and eliminate you. You made me do this to you, and I want you to say you are sorry for it." "Hhhhnnnnhhhh, please... Don't kill me... I'm sorry..." "Don't fuck with me now..." Merrick growled with a ravaged tone, "You killed the man I love. You smashed his head open, and broke every single memory of his entire life. You killed Adam James Bryant." "Noohhh don't..." Damian pleads feebly. "I didn't... Kill him..." "All of those years I gave him! All of those treasured times we shared! GONE! He will never have them again! Because of YOU!" Merrick leers at him, "And I'm not letting any human judge take away the one penance I have for not protecting my love." "Pullleeezzz... Idonwannadie...!" "I am not letting you go. I am not moving until you say those EXACT words. You will only suffer until you say it." "Hhhgghhh..." Damian's feet tiptoe on the ground, the blood still dribbling from his body, every inch of him throbbing in agony. "You took him from me..." Merrick muttered, "So this is how you will end." "Merrick STOP!" Comes a sudden female voice. Merrick closes his eyes as his fist clenches around his harpoon, his throat rattling with impatient wrath. "What do you think you're doing?!" She asks. "This doesn't concern you, Syrinx." Merrick calls out, "Leave, now." "No! Put him down!" Syrinx shouts, "Whatever he did, it's not worth doing this!" "I said LEAVE!" Merrick yelled, "I will not tell you again!" "Hhhhellpp meeee..." Damian groaned. "Just what are you doing, Merrick?!" "I am doing EXACTLY what this man would gladly do to person like me." He answers, "What was that again?" Merrick's thumb digs deep into Damian's neck, "A faggot, RIGHT? "GLLK!" "STOP IT!" Syrinx starts to run to them. Merrick turns his head and holds his arm erect and points his bloody spear at her. She gasps as her eyes stare at the dripping blade. "Don't fight me on this, Syrinx!" Merrick demands, "This has NOTHING to do with you!" "Are you serious, Merrick?!" Syrinx asks with shock. For Merrick to turn his weapon at her. "Merrick, I am your friend! Are you going to attack me if I try and stop you? What are you thinking?? "This man is a homophobe! He preys on gay men like me, he loves nothing more than to see us dead at his feet!" "So what is this? You're going to kill him for that?? Merrick that's not going to do anything! If you do this, you're no better than him!" "I don't care!" Merrick leers at her, "You wouldn't understand, Syrinx. You're straight; you have got NOTHING to worry about. But men like THIS." Merrick points his harpoon at Damian again, "They hunt people like ME! People like Adam! People like Nick! As if we're some kind of sport! How can you possibly justify that?!" "But this isn't the right way to do this!" She replied, "This isn't going to help you, Merrick! This isn't like you! You can't do this!" "Heh..." Merrick flips his harpoon in a circle so it points to Damian's head, "Watch me." "Merrick, DON'T!" Syrinx calls out again, "I don't know why you're doing this, but... Think about what this does to you!! Look what you've done to him already!" Merrick's eyes leer at the dying man, the blood from his mouth and nose starting to leak onto Merrick's hand, "Think about what your loved ones would say!" "Hhgghhh..." Merrick growls as his anger and soul converge at the very suggestion. `SON! That's enough!' Kaiken would instruct, `His blood is enough. Leave his life to him now.' `You must stop this, Son.' Umiato would say, `Will you forget your sense of mercy at the hands of rage?' `Brother... Don't do this.' Savarna would tell him, `I've seen you like this too many times to know... Please stop...' `I agree he's a monster, Merrick, I understand.' Brishen would council, `But there are some things hunters like us need to let go.' `Merrick... Why do you want to kill him so much?' Arnaav would ask, `You... You wouldn't hurt someone like that ever... Right?' "I DON'T CARE!!" Merrick shouts, "This is what I have to do! What right do you have to tell me stop this?!" "J-Just... Just stop, ok?? What about Adam?!" Syrinx says, visibly scared as she takes a few cautious steps toward him. Merrick's eyes spike from the name. "What would you do if he were standing right here, looking at what you're doing?? What you've turned into! What you did to someone!" "Grrggghhh..." Merrick grits his teeth as he grips Damian harder, his harpoon quivering in his hand as fury crashes in every vein in his body. "Rrrgghhhhh!" Merrick once again turns his flaring blue eyes at the mermaid at the entrance of the alley. "SHUT UP, SYRINX! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ADAM?! THIS MAN TRIED TO KILL HIM!!!" "Hhh!" Syrinx gasped at the shocking statement, as well as the sudden uproar from him, almost as if he's going hysterical. He's actually making her tremble. She takes a shaky step forward, almost too scared to even approach him. "This man and three others ambushed Adam out of nowhere! They held him back, they butchered him with a freaking crowbar! He was rendered HELPLESS! They didn't even give him the chance to fight back! He almost DIED, Syrinx! And THIS man right here is the one who struck Adam into his COMA! Tell me one fucking good reason why I shouldn't just off him right now! TELL ME!" "Merrick... Please... Listen to me..." She tells him, "Just think. That's all I'm asking. Think about what Adam would say -- the Adam you knew. H-He wouldn't want you to do this, I know THAT much..." She can see she's getting somewhere... Merrick, still seething with hostility, is at least hesitating. He bows his head as he grits his teeth. "Dammiiiit!" Merrick frowns, "Why can't you just leave me alone...?! Just go away..." Merrick says as he closes his eyes, "Just leave already..." "Think about HIM, Merrick. You tell ME, what would Adam say if he saw you like this?" "No, just stop... Just stop already, Syrinx..." /// "... Merrick! Merrick, what are you doing?!" Echoes a shaky, fearful voice. "Just... Mind your own business..." "Merrick, what happened to you -- oh my God, you're covered in blood!" The voice sounds as if it's about to cry, "Merrick, what did you do???" "This is his blood. Just... Leave me to do this..." Merrick's anger starts to quell as waves of the ocean would come to an approaching calm, "Just look away..." "Wait, Merrick, don't!" The voice says, "Please... Don't do this, please. This isn't what I wanted." Merrick can feel his arm on his, in a soft attempt to bring it down, "Put him down, and just forget him." "It's too late... I'm already a monster... This is how I've always been... You know that as well as I do." "No! That is NOT true! You're not a monster, you never were! Not to me! You're... You're my whole wor-rld." The voice whimpered with emotion, "You're letting him make you into a murderer, and it's breaking my heart." The voice sobbed. "No... No I'm not yours anymore... Not anymore..." Merrick shook his head, "Because of HIM. This is how it has to be." "Yes you are! Please, Merrick, just stop!" The voice begs, tears of invisible light dripping behind Merrick, "I can't stand seeing you do this to yourself! I don't want you to kill him because of me!" "I have to... I can't stop..." Merrick's arm quivers as he feels a tear roll down his cheek. "Merrick, please... Let him go... Just let him go..." Merrick can feel him squeeze his shoulders. "I... I can't..." Merrick bows his head as he closes his eyes tight, "I can't let him live... Even if I wanted to, I can't... I've come too far to let him alone now... Not after what he's done to you..." "I don't care what they did to me! I'm horrified of what they're doing to YOU!" The voice sobs, "This isn't the beautiful Adra I remember... This is something you promised you would never do!" "I don't care anymore." Merrick's voice shakes as his own eyes start to water, "I have to kill him. I can't ever forgive him for what he did. He took you AWAY from me!" "Then don't forgive him! I don't want you to forgive him..." The voice huffs deeply as it holds on Merrick's shoulders, "You've done enough to him, just stop this, now." "Don't ask me again." He simply said while sniffling, "I am not leaving until he dies. Just... Just look away... Don't look at me..." "No, baby, no..." The voice cries. Merrick can feel that face push onto the back of his shoulders. He can feel those arms hold around his torso as the voice gasps and sobs, "I'm begging you... Just come back. I don't want to see them do this to you..." "Just... Just stop, please..." Merrick feels himself get weaker as a tear rolls down his cheek. "If I don't do this now..." "Baby, please stop... I want my Merrick back." The voice wept, "Please, just let him go... Come back home, Merrick... Please just come back to bed with me..." "Hhh!" Merrick's eyes widen as images push to the front of his mind. /// "Mnngghh... Merriiiick. It's 4 in the morning. Just come back to bed." Adam groans as he flops his arm down beside the bed. "I can't Adam. This is important, I have to do this now." Merrick tells him as he adjusts his sharktooth belts while sitting on the bed. Adam groans irritably as a response. /// "Ghghghghhg...." Merrick cries constantly as he curls in the covers, alone, his hand gripping one of the pillows, the sheets still holding Adam's smell. "I should have stayed in bed..." He sobbed, "I should have stayed in bed... Hghghhhghhh..." /// "Ghhhhh." Merrick seethes as his anger has transmuted into forceful sorrow. His eyes clenched shut, he tilts his head up, feeling like his body is being forced to swallow a huge cascade of restraint. Damian grunts in pain. Merrick has been standing there with his eyes closed for several minutes, his mouth seething in harsh groans and whimpers a glittering tear sliding down once or twice from either eye. His tears sparkle?? How gay IS he?? Merrick's arm shakes with pain and raw energy as he still holds Damian by the throat, "Hhhhhh... HhhHhhHhhHhhHhhHhh." Merrick pants erratically as pushes himself beyond his own disciplines and determination, pushing it all out of his will. His weapon still shakes in his hand, until his hand finally loosened itself. The blood-coated harpoon slips from his fingers, and clunks to the ground. Syrinx, having gotten close enough to Merrick and Damian, carefully stoops down, and picks up Merrick's spear. Merrick's eyes are shaded as he gradually lets Damian down, still huffing in a shaky rhythm. "Hnnhh..." Damian groans painfully as his back grinds down the wall, his feet touching the ground, nowhere near able to support his own weight. "...Rgghh!" "Merrick." Syrinx's eyes widen as Merrick suddenly becomes murderous again, "Merrick NO!" Merrick shoves his fist into Damian's chest, and hits his forehead against the other, "If I ever see you again..." His voice quivers with searing hatred again, "I will make you BEG me to kill you." He firms his knuckles, and knocks Damian out with a single strike, unconscious. He then proceeded to take the jacket, and yank it off of Damian's body. "Wait, Merrick! What are you doing now?!" Syrinx asked. Merrick successfully removes the jacket, still relatively intact and clean, and slings it over his shoulder, "What-" "This is Adam's jacket. He stole it on the night they attacked him." He says firmly as he walks, leaving Syrinx bewildered before she turns around to follow. She quickly unscrews the harpoon apart, stashes it into the long duffle, and trots away to catch up with him."Rrrgghhh..." Adam groans awake in his bed, finding himself drooling off the side of his mouth, with his laptop still running.
["~You think I'm pretty, without any make-up on ~You think I'm funny, when I tell the punchline wrong ~I know you get me, so why won't my words come down~? Doooww~wwnn~"]
Adam sees as the current episode of Glee is when Kurt was undercover' at Dalton Academy, and the Warblers are performing Teenage Dream'. Blaine leads the singers in the romantic song.
"Mmnnnhhh Gaahhd." Adam stretches, blinking as he notices... Something else that's wet, aside from his mouth. He blinks as he rubs his eyes, smearing the clear fluid from around his eyes.
["~I'mma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans, be your teenage dreams tonight~ Go put your hands on m-"]
Adam pauses as he rubs into his closed eyes, feeling them oddly moist. He slowly pushes himself up, and sees the wet blotches on his pillow, on two different dark spots on it. "Errghh." He sloppily gets up, and goes to the bathroom.
Switching on the light, Adam looks at his reflection in the mirror, and sees his eyes are pink and wet. "What the..." He stares at himself as he leans in, pulling at his lower eye lids, just looking at himself in general, "Was I crying while I was napping? Huh..." He asks himself, "I feel fine though..." He sniffs as he wipes his eyes, still curious about this. He feels fine right now, if still a little tired and lazy.
"Guess I had a sad dream."