Underneath the Surface
Disclaimer: Story=mine, characters=Square Enix/Disney
I was hit with inspiration I guess. I have to say this is not necessarily a mermaid fic. Well, it really depends on your definition of merpeople. Please review and tell me what you think.
Chapter 1
And elderly lady sat at a bench in a park. A small boy approached her.
"Tell me that story again, Miss!" the child yelled excitedly.
"Child, I tell you that story every time you visit me! Don't you want to hear a different one?" the old lady asked.
"No, I like this one the best! Tell me about the water guardians again!" the boy said.
"Alright, well, they are people just like us. Only when they reach a certain year of age, they drift towards the water. They become tied to the water by which they choose to stay, protecting it from harms way."
"Anyone can be a water guardian right? I could be one, right?" The child asked eagerly.
"Well, it is a possibility that anyone could be a water guardian. But you must feel a pull and a bond with the water you choose. If you cannot feel one, than you cannot be a water guardian." The old woman specified.
"How do you know there is a bond?" the child asked.
"When you are taken away from the body of water you are bounded with for longer than a month, you die." She answered.
"Wow! How can you tell someone's a water guardian, Miss?" the boy asked.
"Well, if you are lucky enough, you will be able to see the gills they grow around the age of sixteen."
"Why sixteen, Miss?"
"Because that is around the time a water guardian becomes bonded with water." The old lady said.
"Why don't I ever see people on the beach with gills though? Wouldn't at least one of them be a water guardian?" the boy asked.
"That is not necessarily true. The water guardian can live both in and out of the water. Many choose to stay in their peaceful waters. Also, the water guardians have a defense mechanism that allows them to hide their gills." She replied.
"So you can't see them?" He asked.
"If you can get close enough, you may be able to see the flap of skin that shields them." The elder explained.
"I want to be a water guardian!" the boy said happily.
"Well, if you are a child chosen by god to protect a body of water and everything in it, then you just might be one." She said.
"Well if I don't become one, then I certainly want to meet at least one before die." The boy said.
"That's exactly how I felt when I was a child." The elderly woman said.
"Well, did you meet one, Miss?"
"Yes, I did." She said.
***
"Riku honey! Breakfast is ready downstairs! I know you probably want to sleep in because you don't have school but not today! Do you remember why you got out of school?"
"Right, the storm." I said rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
"That's right! We still need to make sure all of our things outside are back in the house so the hurricane won't blow them away! We need an early start! The weather man says it's going to hit around four o'clock!" My mother yelled through my door.
"Alright, alright! I'm coming!" I said and quickly got dressed.
When I got downstairs I saw my parents eating their food quickly.
"I suppose I have to hurry to?" I asked.
"Yes, unless you want all that surfing and boating equipment you bought last week to be destroyed in the storm." My father said.
I sat at the table and began to eat quickly. I definitely did not want that stuff getting destroyed seeing as it took me two months to save up for it all.
Once we were all finished we left the house and began bringing all the things we left outside, such as my surfing gear, into either the shed or the house. I don't really know why my mother made me wake up so early! I mean, there wasn't much to bring inside that wasn't already there.
"Riku, could you pull the emergency break lever inside the truck? I don't want to take any chances." My dad asked.
I sighed and took the keys from him. I opened the truck and pulled on the emergency break."
"Is there anything else?" I asked.
"No lets hurry back inside to lock all the doors and windows." My mother said and moved towards the stairs to get back inside.
"I don't understand why you're so nervous mom! This isn't the first time we've had a hurricane." I said.
"I know! I just… have a really really bad feeling about this one." My mom shivered.
"I'm sure it'll be fine sweetheart. This storm is just like all of the other ones." My father reassured.
My mother jumped when the telephone rang.
"Jeez mom! It's just the telephone!" I laughed and picked it up. "Hello?"
"Riku? It's Tidus. My mom wanted me to ask you guys if you haven't already finished putting stuff away if you needed any help." Tidus said.
"No. We just finished." I replied.
"Oh okay then. Did you hear about the storm, Riku? They say this one's gonna be the largest one we've had in a hundred years!"
"Oh really? Maybe that's why my mother's freaking out." I said.
"Mine is too, dude. But… even though the storm's gonna be really bad, we all now the biggest waves come when the storm hits."
"I know! Wouldn't it be the coolest to catch some real waves?" I asked.
"Yeah the biggest wave we've ever caught was like ten feet. These waves are gonna be at least three times that size!" Tidus said.
"Well, maybe one day we'll be able to surf a storm." I said.
"Yeah. Well, good luck with the storm."
"You too, bye." I hung up.
"Was that Tidus?" My mother asked.
"Yeah. He wanted to know if we needed any help but we really don't." I said.
"Oh, okay."
***
It was three fifty seven in the afternoon when the wind started.
The wind howled like a pack of wolves. Outside, the island looked like a ghost town. Not a soul was in sight.
Everyone was probably doing exactly as I was, looking out the window waiting for the slightest hint of rain.
The ocean looked pretty calm actually. But that's how it always is before a storm.
And then it began.
Large torrents of rain began to thrash wildly against the windows. The winds changed from long howls to violent screams.
To tell you the truth, it was pretty scary. It was a lot more severe than previous storms.
I could feel my heart beating in my chest. I looked down at me hands.
They were shaking.
What is this excitement?
I looked to the ocean, which was no longer calm. The waves were crashing against the shore. Water was slowly inching towards our raised house.
And then I realized what I was excited for.
I looked to the water again and saw it. I couldn't move my eyes from the massive wave that was moving towards the shore. There was no escaping its wrath…
It was going to reach the houses.
I could see it building, getting bigger ad bigger… I had already changed my mind about surfing it. That would be stupid. I would die the moment that wave hit the ground.
"Mom, Dad? I just want you to know… the first wave is coming in… and it's big." I warned my parents.
"I hate storms! There's nothing I can do! It's completely out of my hands. They're so frightening." My mother hid her face in my dad's shirt.
"The first half will be over in a couple of hours. Then we'll have some time to see the damage when we're in the eye." My father said.
"Riku, when do you think that wave's going to hit?" Mom asked.
"I think we have around five minutes, mom." I said as the wave sluggishly moved towards the houses.
I looked out the window again. I looked towards out dock and wondered if it would still be there when this was all over.
And then I saw it… or him, really.
Oh my god! There was some walking towards the water on our dock!
"Mom! Dad! Come see please!" I yelled urgently.
My parents ran to me. "What's wrong, Riku?" they asked.
"Can you see a boy on our dock?" I asked.
"Oh my god! We need to do something! What is he doing out there at a time like this?!" My mother yelled panicked.
"Suicide." My father said simply.
My mother gasped in shock.
"Mom, I think he's right. I mean, think about it. This is the perfect time to do it." I said.
"Riku is right. It would be easier for him to die due to the conditions outside and nobody would notice him because he'd be lost in the commotion." My dad took over.
"But WE noticed him!" My mom wailed.
"Riku only noticed him because he was watching through the window like a hawk. Riku is a lot sharper than most." My dad explained.
"We still have to save that child somehow! He doesn't look a day over fourteen! I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let him die!" My mother wept.
It was true. I don't think I would want to watch someone walk to his or her death either.
We have to do something.
I looked to the corner of the living room and spotted two life vests. If I wanted to save him, I would have to go now.
I ran to the corner and took a vest. I was putting it on as I ran to the door.
"Riku! What are you doing!?" My father yelled.
"Dad! If we're saving this kid, I have to go now! The wave's gonna hit in like three minutes! You know I'm the best swimmer on this island! I can do this!" I yelled and moved to unlock the door.
"Please be careful." My parents pleaded.
"I will." I said and opened the door.
The wind threw the door back and immediately started to hinder my running. I ran to the stairs attached to the porch and descended them. I could see the boy moving towards the water.
I ran as fast as I could to the dock. When I finally got halfway down the dock I yelled.
"Don't do it kid!"
The boy turned around and his eyes widened. He ran towards the edge of the dock and jumped.
I watched seemingly in slow motion as the boys small body hit the waves.
"NO!" I yelled and jumped into the water after him.
The water was pushing me every way possible. It was terrifying. I regained some sense when I saw a foot. I went to grab it.
It slipped through my hands.
I swam downwards and finally got a hold on his jerking body. I swam back up with the help of the vest I took.
I gasped as my face reemerged from the water. What I didn't expect was to be thrown back under.
I kicked with all my might to move towards the shore. I reached the surface again and brought the boy up to breath.
Why wasn't he gasping for breath?
I kicked my feet towards the shore. I was relived when my feet met sand. Even as the waves were smacking me left and right I moved as fast as I could out of that water.
The boy was jerking wildly in an attempt to get away.
What horrified me the most was his screaming. It was as if he was an animal in a slaughterhouse. They sounded as if they were ripping his vocal chords. The screeches started guttural and rose up to an extremely high pitch. And he would not stop squirming violently.
I ran as fast as I could towards the house. I could see my mother at the window. When I finally reached the steps to the porch the door was opened for me.
"Riku hurry!" My mother screamed.
I ran inside with the boy in my arms and my mother quickly closed the door and locked it.
I turned but jerked back to the ground when there was a giant boom and the house started to shake forcefully.
The lights went out.
"Riku! That wave was right behind you! If you would have taken any longer you would have died!" My mother yelled.
I looked around. After my fall the boy managed to escape from my hold. Where was he? I spotted him hiding behind the couch.
"Hey! You! What were you thinking going out in those waves, huh?" I asked and moved to pull him from his hiding place.
He hissed at me… like an animal.
"What were YOU doing out there!? You are out of your mind to think that you could have gotten out of those waves without my help! You're wasting my valuable time!" He screeched.
I was shocked. What was going on?
I listed as this boy started to mumble in a different language, one that I had never heard before.
"You are a foolish child!" he screamed again.
"Hey! I was trying to help you!" I yelled as I went to pull him out again.
He hissed loudly and moved away.
"I must return to the water…" the boy said softly, as if talking to himself.
"Chill out, you can go back in the water when the storm is over." I finally grabbed him.
He screamed in pain.
I immediately let go of him arm. I looked to my hand, it had something slippery on it, like slime. His skin was so strange… like an animal.
I looked back at his arm, which was bleeding.
But… I didn't grab him that hard.
I boy was huddled in a ball, whimpering. I felt really horrible for hurting him.
"Mom, I need the first aid. I don't what happened, I grabbed him and now he's bleeding everywhere." I said calmly.
"Oh! What did you do Riku! That poor boy looks like his arm was in a meat grinder!" My mother yelled.
"I know! Please get me the first aid kit so I can wrap up his wound." I said.
My mother moved towards the back.
I turned as looked as the boy again. He was now nursing his arm and whimpering.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to grab you that hard."
The boy looked at me with the most passionate hatred I have ever seen.
"You will NEVER understand!" his voice was quiet with anger.
"Could you please come from behind the sofa so I can look at the damage I caused?" I asked.
The boy cackled. "The damage you caused? This…" He motioned to his arm. "This is nothing. You have done far worse that this, child." He glared again.
I didn't know what to do. What had I done? I only pulled the boy out of the water! I looked to my dad who just shrugged.
"God will be angry with me… I need to get back to the water…" The boy said softly again.
This boy has to be crazy!
"Here's the first aid, son." My mother said as she handed me the kit.
"Thanks, mom. Please come out from behind the sofa. I don't want to hurt you again by pulling you out." I said.
He slowly emerged from his place behind the sofa. I moved closer to him and asked him to stretch out his arm.
He did as he was told and I took a cotton ball and put some peroxide on it. I dabbed softly at his wound.
He cried and whipped his arm back. "What is that poison water with which you try to heal my wounds!?" he screeched.
"It's hydrogen peroxide, haven't you ever used it before? It's not poison water." I answered.
"It looks like water, but it smells like bile. I do not want that substance on my skin." The boy snarled at the peroxide.
"Okay! I'll just wrap your wound then." I said and grabbed the bandages.
I was extremely gentle in dealing with his skin. It was as if he was a fish or a frog. It was slippery.
Once I was done I closed the kit. The boy crawled back into his spot behind the sofa.
"I have to go back… to the water. Those poor, poor things." The boy said softly for the third time.
The boy whipped and ran to the door. He had the door open when I picked him up and brought him back inside.
He started screaming again. "NO I MUST GO BACK! I MUST DO AS I AM TOLD! I MUST RETURN TO MY WATERS!"
"If you must do as you're told, then I order you to stay here until the storm is over." I said.
He growled at me. "You have NO right to order me around!"
"LOOK! I'm not letting you go back out there in the middle of the storm to drown yourself!" I started to get angry.
He laughed mirthlessly. "You think I was going to drown myself? I would never do something so pitiful as suicide; I have obligations to fulfill."
"You can fulfill them later! If you go outside, you'll die." I yelled.
"YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND! YOU PATHETIC CHILD! THE DEATHS WILL MY OWN!" the boy screamed.
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?" I screamed back.
"Stop it! Both of you!" My mother snapped.
We quieted.
"I don't know what's going on but I want it to stop now! I need to know the situation. Why must you go back outside?" My mother asked the boy.
"I have to protect those that dwell in my dominion. A storm does not solely affect the land. The sea is under turmoil. I must see to it that the sea dwellers remain unharmed. They could be dying right now… I must go." The boy said.
"Mom, something's gotta be wrong in his head!" I yelled.
"Son, sometimes you have to let go of logic and think about what is best for a person." My mother said. "This is why he said you wouldn't understand."
"What?"
"Let him go."
"What!?"
"I said, let him go." My mother repeated.
"Thank you. I must go." The boy said.
"Before you go… tell me your name." My mother said.
"Zexion." He turned the lock on the door.
"Wait!" I yelled.
He turned and looked at me.
"Are you what I think you are? Are you a water guardian?" I asked. That would be the only explanation.
"I must go." Was all he said as he whipped the door open and ran into the storm.
My father closed and locked the door as I ran to the window. I watched as the boy, Zexion, ran out to the dock stopped at the edge and turned around.
He was looking at me.
After a few seconds, he turned back, bent his knees and dove into the water.
But never came up.
A/N: I actually was intending this to be a Sora and Riku pairing but as I was writing, nothing sounded like Sora. So I thought, what character would be most likely to act this way… Zexion. So I hope you like odd pairings because this story has one.
