sultal's note: Posted an OC drawing of Shark and Nixie on my Deviant Art page. My DA name is "sultal-wf" and the pictures are entitled "Pearl and Rot (Peter Pan Fanfiction Quote)" and "Nixie and Shark (Peter Pan FanFiction OCs)." enjoy.
keep writing.
Chapter 29: Dear Agony
For all of their strict interactions and unforgiving flaws, Brine's family understood one thing: each other first. Like a tidal wave they swept through the Underturned Palace searching for Littoral, the youngest of the royal bloodline.
"Hold tight!" Conch growled, slinging Wendy's arms around his neck. Grasping Peter with one arm and his trident in the other, Conch dove after his family. "This is going to be fast."
Wendy lurched. Body sense spinning, she looked once at Peter before Conch plunged into the ice tunnels.
The mer moved like a machine. Supported by Queen Celadon and trailed by Barracuda, Herman, and Tiller's beluga whale, King Basalt led the way. Abruptly his tail would snap, and the family would whip about, sensing the change in direction. Teal and Nixie helped Tiller keep pace, and Conch lagged with Wendy and Peter banging clumsily against the ice.
But none swam fiercer than Brine. Swinging on Conch's shoulders, Wendy caught flashes of Brine's indigo tail thumping to gain speed. Neck to tail with his parents, Brine pushed through the iceberg and into open water.
"Hadal!" Brine jetted upwards, scaling the palace walls for a better view. He raced frantically along the luminous ice, webbed hands cupped to his mouth. "Hadal! Hadal send your narwhale! Hadal where are you?"
"Littoral!" Lorelei's sobs melted into the ocean. "Littoral! Littoral! Hadal don't give Littoral to the curse!"
"Don't say that!" Conch erupted through the ice. Panting, he touched his neck, feeling that Wendy's hands were still there. "Hadal is a backstabber! He will do everything opposite you want or say! If he has Littoral – "
"—Herman" Queen Celadon barked. "Alert the crustacean brigade. Send them for Hadal, and if Hadal has Littoral, cut off his fins! Cut first, ask later."
"Yes, mum!" Herman scuttled up the ice at alarming speed. "Anything fishy, we pinch!"
"Barracuda!" Queen Celadon rounded on the pink shrimp. "Summon all plankton. Storm the palace, swarm the sea. I want that curse found!"
"Oh it's going DOWN!" Barracuda shrieked, feeling twice his size.
Queen Celadon turned, eyes flashing.
"Nixie! The sharks! Go! Tiller, use your aquapathy, all whale to me! Now! Teal! Raise the alarm, all mer, all maids. Leviathan control it! Control the beast until I tell you to let it go! Conch – "
Queen Celadon paused, startled to see Wendy and Peter clinging to Conch. Sneering away her disgust, Queen Celadon slashed an imaginary throat.
"—Conch. I want you to burn that filthy curse until the seawitch catches fire!"
The emergency was everywhere, but Conch couldn't help but grin. "That's what I'm good at. Come on, humans! Let's go find Littoral!"
"Conch!"
Conch reeled back. Gagging, he wavered as Wendy tugged his neck. "Whoa! Hey, whoa there! Squirt! What's with the – "
"Oh Conch! Conch! Lis – "
"I have had enough – " Queen Celadon raised her trident. Energy warped the water as the queen aimed. "—of this little, human girl!"
"No!" Peter threw up an arm. Conch swiveled and ducked.
Releasing Conch, Wendy screamed. "I heard a child cry!"
Queen Celadon stopped mid stroke. She drew back, waiting for the trident's energy to refract.
"What?" she asked, taking Wendy by the hair. "What did you say?"
Wendy cringed. Fins twirling, she pointed desperately past the king. "Listen! Just please listen! A child! A child is crying!"
Queen Celadon turned. Still holding Wendy, she listened.
Wendy was a poor mermaid. Out of practice perhaps, but a poor mermaid still. And not because – as Queen Celadon had observed – of her appearance. Wendy was a creature blessed with the ability to nurture and care. Her strength came from an innate drive to defend and protect.
Wendy's natural gifts, were unfamiliar to most mer. Mer lived collectively, but never together; like bubbles in the sea. They gathered when necessary, but as separate, encapsulated entities.
Therefore, it is not surprising Wendy was the first to hear Littoral crying. Crying because he was scared of the curse, twisted into a slimy, black worm. And crying because Hadal was slowly letting him go.
"Hadal!" Leviathan tore holes through the ocean, leaving his heart behind. Lorelei swam beside. "Brother! Hadal!"
"Hadal!" Brine dove, flying down the iceberg. "Hadal! Stop!"
"Brine!" Queen Celadon aimed her trident. King Basalt sliced his tail, heading for Brine. "Brine! Stay away from the curse! Your kiss is gone! It can bite you! It can – "
"Red!" Conch yelled. He stumbled as Peter leapt over his back. "Red! What the mother of pearl are you think –"
"Peter!" Wendy cried, restrained by Conch. "Peter! No! Don't – "
Conch thrust out a hand. Growling, he pushed boiling water at the curse.
But they were all too late. Valiant. Brave. But too, too late.
Hadal's spine wrenched. It cracked and bent. Then, slowly, painstakingly it curved as if an invisible hand were pushing him down.
Hadal pressed Littoral to his chest. He closed his eyes. Then, Hadal raised Littoral to the curse.
Brine slammed into his father's arms. He reached, screaming blindly as King Basalt caught Peter.
"HADAL!"
The curse sunk its teeth into Littoral's neck. It chewed, spilling venom into the little mer's veins. Black magic churned from Littoral, distorting his cries into a wicked incantation.
Beluga sevruga
Come winds of the northern sea.
Land ho, take a breath,
Bring your father's death.
Fry of the Neversea.
The incantation penetrated the ocean with the sound of breaking shells. Traces of laughter filled the silence that followed. It was as if the seawitch was laughing into her hands, clenched around their hearts.
Hadal breathed. He looked, silver eyes darting across the hair threaded across his face. Slowly, he connected the faces and counted the tears.
Then his gaze fell on Littoral. He reached, fingers curling over the black bite in Littoral's golden scales.
"…you…" Lorelei waited until Hadal saw the tears in her eyes. Then, she attacked. "You...you… MONSTER!"
Hadal staggered. He slammed back, Lorelei ripping, clawing, and gouging his face.
"YOU EVIL! YOU MONSTER! YOU MONSTER! YOU MONSTER MONSTER MONSTER!"
King Basalt released Peter. He left Brine. Wordlessly rolling Hadal aside, King Basalt gathered Lorelei in his arms.
"You're a monster!" Lorelei screamed. She sobbed into King Basalt's chest. "Monster! Monster! Monster!"
Hadal was still. Bleeding, he coiled as Leviathan approached.
Leviathan was stone. As Lorelei's sobs faded, he stared at his son.
"Take him." Wendy whispered. Tearfully, she looked up at Conch. "Why doesn't Leviathan take Littoral?"
Conch did not look down. But when he spoke, his voice was painful.
"Because Littoral's curse…if he ever breaths air…on land…Leviathan will die."
Wendy's heart broke. It shattered, hurting everything inside her. Suddenly, Wendy was reminded of her own curse. The bargain still stood. Should she leave water, touch air…then she could never be a mermaid. Ever again.
Wendy turned into Conch, ashamed to cry. Muffled against his chest, she wept for the sins committed to Brine's family and the indecision tearing her heart apart.
Two things happened then, that Wendy did not see.
First, Leviathan fell. Slowly he drifted down without the strength to swim. Bowing, he placed both lips against Littoral's little head. Gently, he inhaled. Then, twisting into a sea monster, Leviathan screamed into the darkness.
That was the first.
The second moment was one that Wendy – the little mother of Neverland – would have found comforting.
Queen Celadon lowered beside Hadal. She lifted his bent body straightened his crooked spine. She stared into Hadal's eyes, wide and silver as her own.
Then silently, Queen Celadon drew Haldal to her. She embraced. He fought. She fought back, holding him close. Eyes downcast, Queen Celadon waited, willing her touch to heal Hadal's agonized soul.
When next she spoke, the sun dimmed and stars cried.
"We help the humans. We find the fairy."
Ruthlessly, Queen Celadon held Peter and Wendy in her gaze.
"Does anyone have anything else to say?"
Nixie glanced at Phin. Sighing, she lifted a weary hand.
"Just one. There's a mer betrayer, plotting with Bluebeard and Hook."
