Light fades to dark. It is the natural order of things and its passage brings with it the awakening of things that do not show their face in the light of day. Some consider these things to be sinister, devious, or otherwise impure for their reliance on the dark. For some, this is true, but not all is what is seems, for when sight leaves with the coming of dark, visions of what is true and false blend together in the shadows of the night…
As twilight settles upon Roseville, a gathering of students forms before a streetlight in front of the local aquarium. Cars appear and drop off new faces as the sun slowly sets in the sky. There is little light left before the last student arrives, embarrassed at their tardiness, and the group is complete.
"Alright, alright, that's the last one. " Lani said, checking off on a clipboard. She looked a little more dressed up than her normal teaching outfit, which drew a few snide remarks and smiles from some of the students, however if she noticed she didn't let on. Nodding her head she clapped her hands and raised her voice to gain the attention of her charges. "Okay let's quiet down now. Now that we're all here I'm going to introduce you to the aquarium curator who will be our guide for tonight. I expect all of you to be on your best behavior tonight, understand?"
The students uttered a few low, "yes ma'am's" and some nodding of heads in answer. Taking what she was given, Lani addressed again with a casual gesture to the side. "Yes well, please welcome Mrs. Wasserman, the aquarium curator."
The students blinked for a moment, as they couldn't see what exactly she was referring to until a shape appeared in the shadows behind Lani. A thin, grating noise echoed from the shape, chilling the spines of those who heard it.
"Hello… dearies, ehehehehe." The figure convulsed in what would be considered laughter, sending a little shriek into the air from one of the girls in the crowd.
Lani rolled her eyes and hit the figure on the back, sending them sprawling into the streetlight. The illumination cast the shape a new form and a moderately tall, thin cat was found. She had long, lustrous white hair and golden eyes which was a shocking comparison to what was assumed. She looked to Lani abit sheepishly as she straightened her back. "Oh, thank you for that, it seems I had something in my throat, hmm yes." Turning and looking over the assembled students, she put on a more authoritative tone. "Yes, well then, welcome young marine enthusiasts, I am delighted to have such inquiring minds gathered here with the intent to learn more about one of the earth's most precious, and endangered treasures," pausing, she flourishes her towards the aquarium, "the ocean."
A few snickers passed in the crowd but for the most part the group kept silent. With a quirk of an eyebrow she began again. "Quite. Tonight, you are in for a treat, for I and some of my staff will show you the beauty of the ocean and allow you to bask in its majesty for as long as the moon is high in the sky and the tides of curiosity swell in your hearts. We will enter soon, but first I want to lay down a few ground rules to be obeyed…"
Jasmine half-listened as the curator began to list rules on proper aquarium etiquette. She had decided to wear one of her casual dresses to the outing this evening, something similar to what she wore during her campaign for treasurer but in a rich aquamarine, which she felt appropriate for some reason. The information that was being relayed would be useful to know, but she couldn't seem to concentrate on it, her thoughts drifting. There was some lingering itch that had been bothering her since yesterday and she couldn't seem to figure out what it was. It wasn't something terribly important but it was mildly annoying at the same time.
She felt a something tap her shoulder and she looked over her shoulder to see Daniel, complete with his usual smirking grin. He was dressed today in a semi-formal outfit that exceeded the dress shown by most of the group this evening. His eyes glanced her over and he shook his head before chuckling.
She narrowed her eyes at his gesture. "What do you find so funny?"
He finished the last few laughs before smiling again. "Why, I just found it funny that I didn't think you could look more beautiful, and yet here you are."
Jasmine sighed and put her hand to her temples. "Seriously? Am I going to have to go through with this the entire time we're stuck as partners tonight?"
Daniel shrugged. "I'm only speaking the truth, but fine, if you wish for me to stop then I will." He stopped then and looked at her. "Miss Amalu hasn't taken those papers yet, has she?"
Jasmine blinked and looked into a little bag she had brought with her, fishing out the sheet. "Uhm, no actually, I was going to ask her about that since no one else…"
Daniel snatched the sheet from her hand and put it into his pocket. "Oh that's fine, that's fine, I'll just deliver this to her later then, it's no trouble at all."
Jasmine quirked an eyebrow at his behavior but said nothing, the paper really wasn't that much of a concern to her, just a mere formality that could be taken care of whenever. She was stuck with him now anyway, so she might as well make the best of it.
"And finally, running in the halls is punishable by plankton feeding. Any questions?"
Jasmine looked back to Mrs. Wasserman as she finished her lecture. No one piped up at her question, and at that Lani formed everyone up into an orderly mob, leading the group along with the curator into their destination.
The automated doors slid open with a fluid motion and a rush of cold air assaulted the senses of the party and they were temporarily stunned by the blast. When they had recovered their senses in that next instant they were treated to the grand splendor of the aquarium. Blue ripples of light playing on the motion of the water cast a cue to the entrance, creating a sense of belonging with the ocean itself. A simple ticket booth and desk lined one part, but it was a mere formality to keep the place in operation, the real importance of the front area was to greet the visitors with their first look at the other world that was the ocean. Fish of all varieties swam upon in the tank set in the entrance and the students gazed in splendor at the sight. The true majesty was that this was only a taste of what was to come, and many could barely keep their anticipation a secret.
Mrs. Wasserman held up a hand and cast it alongside the tank. "This is our very first tank the aquarium ever received. While some may call it bad business practice to show something without even fully entering the aquarium is folly, I laugh! For how can you deny anyone even a taste of the ocean's majesty?" She beamed as she spoke, fully in her element. "I will be happy to speak to anyone about each and every fish in that tank if you so choose, but for now I think I'll introduce the rest of the staff who will be helping you this evening."
She snapped her fingers and an assortment of people dressed in all different livery of the aquarium faded into the light from some hidden recesses of the aquarium. Again, some were mildly startled while others questioned if blending into shadows happened to be a job requirement. Mrs. Wasserman nodded in approval as they appeared and began to list off each one's name and position before turning to Lani.
"Now then, each of my staff will rotate with pairs of students for a few hours and show them a little more about a certain kind of marine life. I assure you that these people are experts in their fields and you can trust them with anything. You have nothing to fear while with them beyond not paying attention to all the wisdom they will impart!" She turned a quick glance to Lani. "You can join a group too if you want dearie."
Lani nodded absentmindedly, her gaze distracted by something before coming back into focus. "Yeah… Oh? Oh! Yes, yes of course." She addressed her students. "Alright, I want you all to split into pairs and pick an a staff member, don't worry you'll get to speak to each of them, so if you don't get to learn about what you wanted at first, you'll still get your chance."
The students affirmed positively before moving around to their chosen expert. Lani also picked a group, immediately making a beeline for one handsome looking invertebrate specialist that had distracted her earlier. In the midst of the chaos, Jasmine shrugged and poked Daniel. "I kind of hoped we'd do things as a group, but this is pretty cool as well. We'd better get going if we don't want to get stuck with marine vegetation first…."
Jasmine paused as she noticed Daniel was looking over to the side with a wicked smirk on his face. Something felt… wrong about that expression. It was unnatural from what she had seen from him and yet it also it seemed to fit him. She suppressed a shudder as he finally seemed to notice she had spoken.
"Ah! Right, of course, sorry I was distracted there for a moment, but please, pick someone, I'm fine with whomever."
Jasmine looked at him funny one last time before moving towards the whale biologist. She did so love whales and to listen to an actual WHALE BIOLOGIST speak about them and their plight, well, needless to say she was a tiny bit excited. Unfortunately, because of her little chat with Daniel another group, a two dogs, sidled up and stole his attention.
Jasmine sunk in dismay as her first choice was taken cruelly away from her. Of course she'd get another chance, but it was still disheartening. She felt a familiar tap on her shoulder and looked over to see Daniel pointing at another staff member who didn't appear to have a pair near him yet. She nodded and they hurried over to secure their place.
The staff member was a tall, thin chocolate labrador retriever dressed in a white lab coat and adorned a badge that read, "Barnaby." Jasmine thought for some reason that he had an odd resemblance to David, but she chided herself on stereotyping so readily; they don't ALL look alike. The staff member perked up when the two hustled forwards and he spoke, his words excited. "Ah! It does the heart good to see young minds so eager to learn about the fascinating world of sharks!"
Jasmine groaned inwardly at their misfortune to pick sharks, one of her least favorite of the marine animals. Certainly they had an appeal with power and ferocity but compared to the majestic whale? Daniel on the other hand looked more than pleased, and she half guessed that he chose this "Barnaby" on purpose. Still, with an open mind she and Daniel followed the man into the aquarium as he began his speech, and the rest of the groups followed after to their chosen destinations.
The descent into shark territory was long, but worth the walk. They passed by many different tanks that held Jasmine's eye as they passed by. She felt a twinge of sadness to not be able to admire them fully yet, but Barnaby's speech also had an effect to keep her engaged. He asked questions and told stories during the trek in the impossibly large aquarium and she was surprised at her hidden knowledge of sharks when she answered some questions correct, feeling pleased whenever she did so. Daniel himself was no slouch either, and again she was impressed with his knowledge of the environment and the special creatures that lived there.
Daniel gave her a smile every time she answered one correct and she stifled a blush at the complement, feeling slightly foolish every time she had to do so. It was rather ridiculous that she acted in that way; his smile felt like it meant something and some part of her yearned to answer correctly to see it again. She did not return the favor for him however, however Barnaby did, which was likely not flattering to Daniel in the slightest.
After what seemed an eternity, albeit a mildly pleasant eternity, they arrived at a sign with a cartoon great white wearing a cowboy hat and the words, "Shark Country" plastered across the beast. Although the cheesy shark was mildly amusing, what he stood sentinel too was far from. Three tanks lined the walls of a circular room, each filled with a plethora of sharks in various sizes, but the true gem of Shark Country was the massive central tank stood, reaching into the ceiling. Here the greatest of the sharks, the great white, made their home and Barnaby's eyes lit up as he beheld the specimens.
"Aren't they magnificent? The perfect creatures of the sea…" Barnaby began as he put his hand on the central tank. Jasmine couldn't be sure, but she might have seen tears in his eyes. He waved a hand to them, beckoning the pair to the tank as well.
Jasmine watched as Sharks swam past, their black eyes appraising the new upstarts in their territory. Most ignored them and went about their normal routine, swim and look menacing while the cats looked on. A few edged closer and swam close to the tank near where Jasmine stood, before swimming past. She blinked as one stared directly at her and she could feel some kind of animal intelligence trying to speak to her own when the eye moved and seemed to widen before the shark cruised away faster than the others. She looked to where the shark's view had gone and saw only Daniel standing there, no sharks venturing near the mildly amused looking Siamese.
"Oh ho, something seems to have spooked them about you two, hmm? How about we take a step back and I'll tell you a story or two about each of the sharks in this room before we rotate to the next group hmm? Now you see that big one there…" Barnaby began to lecture, pointing at various sharks with his back turned to the pair. It was obvious that at this point that he was in his own little world and this didn't escape the notice of his charges.
"I'm sorry you couldn't speak to the whale biologist first, but it's not like they have a whale here to begin with. Sharks are a pretty good substitute though wouldn't you agree?"
Jasmine blinked as she heard Daniel's whisper to her under the reminiscing lecture of Barnaby and she sighed audibly before whispering back. "I wasn't fast enough I suppose and lost my chance with the whales, sharks are…" She hesitated before finishing. She was going to say 'barbaric and uninteresting' but she was remembered her surprise and excitement during Barnaby's questions, and her embarrassment at Daniel's smile, and she just couldn't finish the sentence that way. No, it wasn't her first choice but she couldn't lie. Begrudgingly she muttered, "Sharks are… not as bad as I thought, no."
Daniel smiled again and nodded his head, making Jasmine blush again, forcing her to look away and berate herself again. Barnaby was oblivious of course, but when he stopped speaking both immediately turned their attention to him.
He was staring at one of the tanks on the side wall with a few tiger sharks and the reason for his concern was apparent. Two adolescent tiger sharks were fighting, and one had drawn blood on the other, the rest of the sharks becoming agitated at the scent in the water. Jasmine gasped in horror as the two went at each other in their fury. She felt a pang in her heart as they fought, which was different from the shock of seeing them tear each other apart, no, she felt a sadness at the whole scene and she stepped backwards, away from the vision.
She gasped as she felt a strong hand grasp hers and she immediately looked up to see a stone faced Daniel as the owner. She felt an urge to pull away from him and never look back and normally she would have listened, but his grip was an anchor, keeping her steady in the face of this brutality. A warmth flooded her at this reassurance and she moved in closer, averting her eyes from the carnage. He shielded her view with is other arm while he watched, stone faced as before.
This all occurred in the span of mere moments, for Barnaby reacted during the time as well, screaming to the two, "Stay here, I've got work to do!" With a gesture that seemed too quick for the man, he ripped off his coat and shirt, exposing a form that was far more muscular than either could have expected. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a large bladed knife before clasping it in his teeth. How he even fit that in there or was even allowed to have that present during a school excursion was beyond anyone, but at the moment no one was really questioning it to begin with.
He ran past and opened the door to a hidden room in one of the shadows and everything went silent beyond the agitation of the sharks and the beating of the pair's hearts. Then, a grating noise filled the room, as massive metal doors slid down around the tanks in the room, covering them completely. On each was painted the same cartoon shark as before with the words, "Out to Lunch" painted on them.
With the last squeal of the doors, Daniel and Jasmine realized they were now alone. No sound was heard, and neither made a move in the dimly lit room. No one else seemed to notice or race into the room to see what the commotion was about either, and it didn't appear that the situation would change until Barnaby returned. The thought that perhaps he wouldn't return was a sobering thought to them as well and it was a few moments before either broke the silence.
Daniel made the motion first, his words quiet but purposeful. "Are you okay Jasmine?"
Jasmine looked down but didn't move to break the near embrace Daniel had her in. She was afraid to, to be honest and that thought should have scared her even more than anything. She tried to voice something but his warmth dulled her mind and all she could reply was, "I… I just hope Mr. Barnaby is safe."
Daniel gave her hand another squeeze as he brought her closer into a true embrace. She did not fight it, although that every diminishing voice in the back of her head screamed at her to do so.
"I'm sure he's fine, he is a shark biologist after all."
Jasmine gave a little laugh at that and felt a smile on her face. Daniel put a small smile on his face as well, comforted by her laughter before looking away and sighing, and replacing his expression with that of determination.
"Jasmine… maybe this isn't the best time, but this is something I've wanted to tell you ever since I've met you. You are a beautiful girl, and that is not just an idle compliment or an attempt to hit on you, I truly mean it. The way you smile, the glint of intelligence in your eyes, your laugh, everything about you is immaculate. But even more important than your beauty is your mind, sharp and powerful, with a sense of humor and grace few could even compare to, you are striking in every way. You impressed this upon me from the very first time we met and even in that park with tears in your eyes I knew you would pull through because you are that strong." He paused, most of the energy dissipating before sighing and continuing anew. "I understand if you still aren't over that Somali, I really do, but I wanted you to know how I felt and that having you have me would be the greatest honor I could imagine."
Jasmine was silent during his speech, her body motionless. Then, tears formed in her eyes, slow and steadily flowing as emotions old and new wrecked havoc on her heart. "Why Daniel, I told you more than once not to do this and yet you insist on it? Why?"
Daniel replied calmly, "Because it's true."
Jasmine's eyes widened and she struggled with herself, the last piece of her resistance trying to hold out before it too fell as an inevitability. She pulled him close and she let the rest of her tears flow from her as he returned the embrace, leaving the couple standing together, in the dark room. Alone.
The horrible squealing and clanking returned, casting light from the tanks into the room and exposing the sharks back to the world of the aquarium. No sign of the melee was seen in the tank and both sharks were still alive, albeit a little worse for wear. A few moments later the secret door opened up and a drenched, and still shirtless, Barnaby walked in, toweling off his head. He had a few scratches on his arms but nothing serious.
"I'm truly sorry about that kids, Rollo and Faneuil have been eyeing this girlie and I figured confrontation might occur especially since Rollo is so feisty and, well, I just had to step in and separate them, forcibly."
Barnaby patted this back pocket and continued to dry off. "Looks like everything is okay now, sorry about shutting off the view but it does get a little dangerous sometimes, still let's get you kids to the next staff member okay?" He blinked then and looked around, realizing that he wasn't speaking directly to anyone. He looked around the room and found the two sitting on a bench in the corner of the room, holding hands.
"That's fine Mr. Barnaby" Daniel said, looking towards him. "We managed well enough while you were gone, we understand that being a shark biologist you must be used to this sort of thing."
Barnaby scratched his head and laughed, "Yes, it is rewarding though. Ah, but please don't tell anyone about this though, they might get a little scared." He thought for a moment and then fished into another pocket, bringing something small out and handing it to Jasmine. "Here, as a little souvenir, Faneuil lost it during the scuffle but he'll grow another one soon."
Jasmine looked at the object and saw that it was a shark tooth, enamel white and flawless beyond a little hole near the middle. She held it tight in her hand and looked to Daniel before smiling at Barnaby. "Thank you, I'll treasure this."
"As right you should missy, just promise not to speak a word of what happened here okay?"
The two turned then to each other and blinked before smiling broadly.
"We'd never dream of it."
Barnaby blinked and had an odd thought: Was that sarcasm?