Note: Makoto and Haruka (and any other sea person) appear like mermen creatures amongst each other while to normal humans they appear like the actual mammal/fish they are. If that makes sense.
"Only 24 hours ago this scene was the site of crazed killer whale attack! The cutesy act came to a cruel end yesterday when Haru, star of the cross species hit show Dolphino and Orcalette, tried to escape his tank, with his killer whale co-star hot on his tail. Professional Killer Whale trainer Nagisa Hazuki has assured the public that Haru is doing just fine and is in recovery and that the pair would remain separate from now on." The news reporter spoke into her microphone, hands motioning at the empty area behind her. The stands were clear, and the show tank lacking any mammalian animal. However, the camera was tilted in such a way as too catch glimpses of the killer whale in the tank in the far back corner, swimming slow circles by himself.
"I'm here with Dolphin Trainer Rei Ryugazaki, who was in charge of Haru when the disaster happened. Rei, how do you wish to explain such careless negligence in allowing two animals, one known to eat the other in the wild, in the same tank?" She continued, effortlessly, before shoving the microphone into the blue haired man's face.
Rei stared at her, blinking many times before realizing he should probably be speaking. "F-Firstly, Mako is a very docile creature. He would never hurt another and he ob-obviously cared for Haru." He wasn't sure if he was supposed to look at the woman or the camera staring him down.
"Mako being the Killer Whale that just attacked Haru merely a day ago?" The reporter clarified, never missing a beat. This story was going to be a sensational hit.
"Y-Yes but no. He did not attack him. Haru sprang out of the tank on his own, afterwards Mako moved to f-follow him." He tried to explain as best he could. He wished he could stop his silly stuttering and unredden his face. He didn't know how Nagisa was able to remain so calm and collected in front of the camera.
"And you believe that?" The reporter scoffed at him.
The glasses wearing man suddenly straightened up, frowning and staring into the camera, "Yes, in fact, I do. Haru was rescued after a shark attach, and it was reported a killer whale followed the boat for a long while before tiring out. Months later, a killer whale beaches itself on our shore. When he's taken to our facilities, Haru immediately jumped into his tank upon sight. I just can not account all these things as simple coincidences." He informed.
"Are you suggesting, then, that your show Dolphino and Orcalette is based on truth?" The reporter egged on, eating up this new fantastical twist to the story. Oh man this was her big break!
"Err, well, I mean, one could think that parts of it were based on truth, I suppose." The glasses wearing man found himself returning to his stammering self.
"Well, if the two are meant to be star-crossed lovers and all, would it not be cruel to keep them apart?" She was grinning, a sly seedy smirk at the idea of the story unraveling.
"Umm, yes I suppose but there is really nothing we can do at the moment because of Haru's condition..." Rei argued weakly, because he himself believed the same. But he had to represent the company, not himself.
"Now, its true that all of your other animals, excluding Haru and Mako who were supposedly rescued, were born in captivity, yes?" She continued, hammering down more nails to the coffin of the story.
Rei's eyebrows scrunched together, "Err, yes, that's true."
"Then," She took the microphone away, directing her closing statements to the camera and moving Rei out of the shot, "Perhaps it's time they return home, together." She smiled at the camera, "I'm Cecilia Simmons here with Channel 12. Back to you Charlie."
Rei watched the camera turn around and waited until he was sure he was being completely ignored to quickly step away. He had a bad feeling about all this. He agreed with the reporter, they should be let free. This farce should end. But at the same time, no way was the park going to let two money making mammals out so easily. And this was his job. What was he suppose to do?
Rin blinked his eyes open blearily, growling under his breath at the incessant prods he was receiving. He finally lifted his head letting out a snarl, "What is it?!"
Nitori swam a bit back at the reaction, but he'd grown used to Rin's style of abrasive speech, and soon hurried back and tugged on the others arm. " come look!" He pleaded, pointing out of the crevice they had taken refuge in.
Rin glared at him, "What do you want to show me?" He snapped, wrenching his arm back and raising a brow at his companion.
Nitori pouted, "I was out exploring-"
"That's dangerous." Rin interrupted. He'd grown quite protective of his new charge without meaning to. He'd learned throughout their time together that the kid was the same age as his sister, and was just as naive and curious. Although, much more timid in nature. And he had assumed responsibility.
He'd be damned if he let anyone else get hurt.
Nitori let out a sigh, "You have to see this!" He insisted, grabbing at the shark's arm once more and pulling him out of the cave. This time Rin allowed him, wiping the sleep from his eyes and following his friend deeper into the ocean.
He frowned as they swam further and further from the beach he'd made his prison. What the hell was the pilot fish doing swimming so far away by himself? He gritted his teeth, keeping his senses sharp and his eyes peeled for any sort of danger.
And then he heard them.
He froze.
Nitori grinned from ear to ear, "See! Look! There's only two here but there's a whole bunch of them! A pod right? I think they're migrating!" He explained excitedly, bouncing around him.
Rin swallowed thickly, watching from afar as the silhouette of two orcas swam past them in the distance. Their voices bellowing through the water without a care in the world., "Nitori, we have to get away from here."
"What?" Nitori questioned, furrowing his brows, "But-But what if it's your orca friend's pod?"
"That's even worse!" Rin hissed, quickly dragging the other backwards into the shadows as the orcas seemed to be swimming closer. Although, they had yet to be spotted. "Do you have any idea how protective they are of their own?"
"Exactly! So they'll want to know what happened!" Nitori continued, "You can get closure!"
"If i tell them I lead their podmate to his death I'll be dead in seconds." Rin growled, "And I probably wouldn't even be able to get that far. I'm a fucking shark Nitori what the hell are you thinking?!"
"Well, what if I go talk to them instead?" Nitori tried, his hands fidgeting as his brilliant plan got no recognition. Really, this could work! He could finally let go, and help his friend's family let go too. They would all hug and maybe cry and then Rin would be happy again. Not that he had ever really seen the other happy, but he'd like to think at some point he was.
"You are not going anywhere near those predators."
Nitori crossed his arms, sighing forcefully through his nose and remained quiet.
"Tell me you wont." Rin added, looking at his companion closely, "Swear ,you won't."
Nitori grumbled something under his breath before glancing his light blue eyes over in defeat, "I swear."
Makoto didn't know how long he was in that dizzying haze but once he snapped out of it he was sure of one thing.
Haru was not with him.
He breached the surface of the pool, looking around wildly. It was dark. There was no one around. The crowd had left. Blue and Yellow were no where to be seen. And Haruka was gone.
"Haru!" He started to shout, spinning around and shouting louder and louder with each non response. He was growing more desperate. He swam to the bottom of his tank and jumped up, trying his best to peer over the tall fence to Haruka's old exhibit. He couldn't get a good vantage point, but he liked to hope that if Haruka was there he would answer his calls.
He fell back into the water and thrashed his tail angrily. He swam over to the edge Haru had jumped to, pulling himself out as far as he could to see if there was anything left over.
There was nothing.
He slipped back into the pool in defeat, slamming a fist into the water before shielding his face with his hands. A chocked sob slipped through his lips as he sank to the bottom of his tank. His fingers dug into his visage, tears spilling from his eyes as tremors wracked his body.
He had left everything-everyone, he had come so far, he had found him against all odds. Only to be left alone again. Makoto knew what isolation was like, he knew what it meant to be alone in the wide ocean. The hopelessness. The boredom. And now he didn't have the distraction of the hunt to keep the crushing despair away.
He was in a small pool and he was the only one to blame for being there.
But Haruka was gone and he might even be dead and Makoto didn't know how he could keep living with that knowledge.
He didn't know how he could keep going like this now.
He didn't know if he even wanted to.
"How is he doing?" Nagisa murmured, stepping into the closed off waiting tank. Rei was crouched by the edge of the shallow pool, where Haru remained still.
"They said he'll be ok." The blue haired man responded slowly, never allowing his gaze to leave the injured cetacean. Regret consumed him.
He knew Haru had been acting erratically. He should have cancelled the show. He should have investigated it further. He shouldn't have brushed it off. He should have done something.
Haru was his responsibility and he had failed him.
Arms wrapped themselves around his neck and he stiffened. He felt the weight of a blond head on his shoulder and the tickle of the other's breath on his neck, "None of this is your fault." Nagisa soothed knowingly.
Rei shrugged him off with little ceremony, letting out a long sigh, "How is Mako?"
"Distraught." Nagisa answered with a pout at being rejected. He decided to sit beside the other instead, their knees brushing. This time, Rei didn't move away. "He misses his friend."
"So he wasn't attacking Haru, right?" Rei asked suddenly, finally breaking his gaze from the injured mammal to look over at his companion. "Right?" He needed confirmation.
"I could never see Mako do something like that." Nagisa responded, cupping his own cheek with a hand resting on his knee as he peered over at Haru closely.
"That reporter questioned me a few days ago." Rei confessed. Nagisa blinked and looked over at him, expectantly, "I think she's trying to stir up some public movement to release them."
Nagisa's eyes lit up, "Now it makes sense!" He cried out excitedly, grinning at the discovery. Rei raised an eyebrow at him, "I passed by the higher ups today. They were arguing about what to do with Haru and Mako, talking about a huge controversy and what not!"
"Don't you watch the news? It's everywhere." Rei insisted, only to get a snort for an answer, "What do you watch, then?"
"Cartoons and anime."
"I don't know why I asked."
Nagisa let out a loud boisterous laugh and Rei couldn't help the smile that graced his own features. Nagisa grinned even brighter at the sight. It was such a rare find. He took the time to soak it in. Clapping a hand onto the others shoulder. He reveled in the fact it wasn't shaken off.
But Rei felt red at the attention and quickly looked away, "I think they're right."
"Who?"
"The protesters." He answered, "We should release them back into the wild. I think they would be a lot happier."
"Well, if we had it our way we could easily do that. But as of now...I mean..." Nagisa frowned in thought, bringing his hand back down. The sudden silence made Rei infinitely more curious. He waited patiently. "I mean...I might be able to convince them about Haru. We have plenty of dolphins. He's always been difficult. We could use this incident to say he's no longer listening? And that it would appease the public if we let him go?"
Rei nodded slowly, "But what about Mako?"
Nagisa let out a sigh, leaning his hands back and looking up at the metal ceiling, "I don't know how to ever convince the bosses to release a healthy young male orca. Their sperm is worth a fortune you know? It'd be financial suicide."
"So you're saying to give up on Mako!" Rei snapped incredulously, horrified.
"Of course not!" Nagisa snapped, glaring at such a declaration, and it took Rei aback, "All I'm saying," the blond continued, softer, "Is it'll be a lot harder. Something will have to happen to outweigh the huge benefit. I just don't know what that is right now."
Rei nodded slowly at the explanation and the pair fell into a comfortable silence.'
Nagisa broke it after a few minutes, a wave of determination overcoming him, "But I'll think of something you can count on that."
Rei smiled.
Rin opened his eyes and new something was wrong immediately. There were no jabs at his face. There was no high pitch voice rousing him from his restful sleep. There was only silence.
The shark immediately got up and looked around the crevice they had basically made their home. No sight of his pilot fish. He slipped back out into the ocean, looking around to find empty waters. At least, empty of the one thing that currently mattered.
Rin gritted his teeth in annoyance. He constantly told the stupid fish to stay near him and not venture off. Wasn't that the whole point of them traveling together? He muttered curses under his breath, swimming agitated circles as he looked around.
And then he froze.
A terrible idea surfaced in his mind.
He spun around to face the open ocean, dark and foreboding, and darted into its clutches in a terrified stride.
Nitori was, just as Rin suddenly feared, swimming into the pod of orcas by himself. He didn't agree with his friend. And he wanted to help him. He didn't want him to be sad anymore, nor weighed down from the past. He wanted to free him. And he knew this would be the best way. No matter what the other said.
He had found the fringe of the group, and he swam nervously, trying to figure out the best option he had to meet one of the cetaceans.
Unfortunately, he was beaten to it.
Not one, but two, young orcas spotted him and swam over with broad curious smiles. Their teeth were much sharper than he had imagined. The pilot fish froze, and shrank back. The two orcas laughed. They seemed young. Younger than him. But they were already much bigger than him. They looked at him with amusement.
One was male, with short brown hair and green eyes. The other was female, with an almost identical face but longer hair of the same shade. They had to be siblings.
"What are you?" One asked, peering at him closer.
The other pushed the cetacean back, to get a closer look herself and jab at Nitori's tail, "Look Ren, it's all stripes!" She exclaimed, tracing a hand along it, fascinated.
Nitori shrank back further, "Please don't touch me!"
The two orcas' eyes widened and their smiles grew even further, "It talks!" They both cried, looking at each other deviously.
"What are you?"
"What's your name?"
"Do you eat seals?"
"What's your favorite color?"
"Are you a baby?"
"Where's your mom? Our Mom's with the pod. Don't tell her we're out so far!"
"Where's your pod?"
"Have you ever killed a turtle?"
"Please!" Nitori cried out, "Please stop talking!" He pleaded for peace, and the twins looked offended, giving a pout but acquiescing, in hopes of receiving some answers. The fish let out a sigh of relief, "My name is Aichirou Nitori. I'm a pilot fish. I'm not a baby. And I don't remember any of your other questions." He answered carefully.
The two cetaceans seemed to take in the information, and were about to barrage him with more when he quickly waved his hands at them to stop. They did.
"I have a question for you guys!" He explained and the two orcas' faces lit up as if they were honored to be given the opportunity of an interview. They nodded encourangingly, eyes sparkling. "Is your pod missing anyone?"
They scrunched their eyebrows together, "Missing anyone?" Ren repeated, tapping his chin thoughtfully.
"They're missing us right now." Ran pointed out with a giggle. She got a jab in the side by her brother for the comment. It was still worth it.
"No, I mean, has anyone left and not come back for a very long time?" Nitori regretted greatly not remembering the name of Mr. Rin's orca friend. It would have made this so much easier.
The pair suddenly seemed crestfallen and hesitant. They shared a solemn look before turning back to the fish, "Brother left a long time ago." Ren mumbled sadly, "He left to save Haru and never came back." The sparkle seem to leave the two, and their shoulders drooped at the memory.
"Was Haru an orca?" Nitori asked slowly, feeling he may just have lucked out in finding the perfect pod and perfect pair of orcas to tell.
"No! Haru was a dolphin!" Ran corrected matter of factly, "He was blue!"
Jackpot.
Nitori couldn't help the huge smile that took over his features, "Listen you two, I have to tell you-"
"Ran! Ren! There you are!"
The pilot fish froze, along with the two orcas who quickly turned around at the sound of their mother's voice. They swam over to her happily, shouting a greeting. Nitori feared he had been forgotten. He had been so close too!
"You're not supposed to venture so far from the pod!" She chided, smoothing down their hair lovingly. They shook their heads to rough it back up rebeliously.
"Mama look! We made a new friend!" Ren stated instead, tugging her over and pointing at the striped fish.
Nitori froze at the sudden attention. The large orca turned her gaze to him, scrutinizing him in confusion, "A new friend?" Her eyes then widened in recognition, "A pilot fish!"
"Yeah!" Ran agreed happily, only to suddenly be shoved behind her mother.
"Pilot fish only mean one thing." The orca muttered, scanning the area protectively. Said pilot fish was about to assure her that he was alone and that there was nothing to fear and that he had valuable information to give her-
"NITORI GET BACK HERE!"
"SHARK!" Ren screamed, pointing accusingly in the distance at Rin's racing form. Racing straight towards them, sharp teeth bared and anger in its eyes.
The two small orcas started to shake, and as the shark became closer Ran's eyes widened in recognition, "Mama-Mama that's the one! The one who hurt Haru! The one who made Mako leave!" She cried and the larger orca went absolutely rigid at the information.
"Ren, Ran, you get back to the pod this instant." She hissed, and the pair didn't think twice to follow the order, swimming rapidly away. They rarely heard the tone of voice from their mother. When ever she used it they knew to stay clear. The adult orca felt her hands ball into fists at her sides, teeth clenched and eyes narrowed at the beast that took her son away from her.
Rin slowed down as he reached the site, seeing two small orcas dashing for their lives. It felt like deja vu. And then he saw the large orca before him. She was an adult. He swallowed thickly as she switched her powerful tail, his side stinging from the painful memory. His gaze followed up and settled on her head. She had long flowing brown hair and furious green eyes.
And yet all Rin saw was Makoto's face.
And it made him freeze.
"You." She seethed, eyes flashing dangerously, "You took my son."
He gaped at her, backing up at the accusation because it was true. What was he supposed to say? She had the right to hate him. All the right in the world. Hell, he hated himself.
But before he could even utter two simple words of apologies-two words that could never make up for the loss of a child but it was all he could do- she lunged for him. He didn't even try to dodge. He accepted it. At least he'd give her some retribution, some poetic justice. And what did he have left now?
He was suddenly pushed out of the way with a shout of his name, and he realized the one thing that he did have left had just saved his life. And he reeled around to see the fish slam into the rock wall behind him, bleeding profusely from his head and shoulder.
The orca looked at the pilot fish in confusion, spinning around in search of her real target. Rin darted up, grabbing the dazed, wounded fish and hauling himself out as fast as he could. Adrenaline finally pumping through his veins at the sight of blood. Nitori's blood. "Nitori, are you crazy?!" he hissed, his voiced laced with worry as he looked back to see the orca chasing him with a vengeance.
There was no way he'd be able to outrun her. And he searched desperately for some sort of hiding spot. But there was nothing but open water and Nitori was trailing so much blood they would certainly attract more company soon. The blood spilling into the ocean had memories he wanted so desperately to bury away back in that cave resurface in flashes. He wanted to curl up and hide from life forever. But he couldn't stop swimming with cetacean biting at his tail.
But then he received one more saving grace.
"Mama!"
The orca froze at the call, whirling around to see her daughter chasing after her, "Ran get back to the pod now!" She shouted quickly. She would not lose another one of her own to this awful shark.
"Please don't leave!" Was her only response, "Don't leave like brother did!"
The words made her tense, until arms encircled her waist and a small head burrowed into her stomach. Her daughter shook, clinging to her in such desperation. Immediately, the mother held her baby close, hushing her soothing, "I'm right here. I'm not leaving. I would never leave." She shushed softly, all the rage escaping her as she smoothed her baby's long hair down.
She craned her neck around to see the shark long gone. A faint trail of blood slowly mixing in with the water left behind. She let out a sad sigh, and hugged her daughter closer.
Look at that a scheduled update hell yeah man
hope you guys enjoy
also please review because reviews give me strength and remind me that people care
yeah
love you all see u next week