Chapter 11
It didn't take long for the shouting to start. Steven felt uncomfortable just standing out in the hallway already. His aunt Whinney and Yvette starting to yell at each other wasn't helping. There voices were getting louder and starting to come out of the doors at Steven's back. It made him flinch away and move away from the door. As they got louder and louder he moved further an further down the hall. From what Steven could hear it was about the mermaids they came here with and himself. Neither things were what he wanted to hear about so against his word to stay put, Steven turned and started down the hall.
It didn't take long for Steven to get lost. He had been here before, his aunts and cousin seemed to live where they worked, but he had always had at least one of them with him. This building was huge. Steven had never been allowed to walk around alone or to certain places without an escort. Not even his cousin Yellow was allowed to go around most of the building. Whenever he came over the pair of them would spend most of there time down in there launch bay deep under ground. It was like a private boat dock. The workers here would pull the boats out and the pair would swim for hours with the bay doors open and the sun filtering in. They always had at least two guards stationed to watch them or the cameras on but they never felt threatened while down there. It was there safe space, aside from his cousins room.
As Steven walked around he could hear the sound of his aunt's fighting echoing down the halls. The walls would occasionally quiver as the floor ever so slightly vibrated. The lights in the halls would flicker here and there and the occasional shout would echo past him louder then the rest. It all just made him walk faster.
It took a while but when Steven rounded the corner of one of the halls he saw the door the aquatics were taken in to. He didn't know if they were still inside but it didn't stop him from running down the hall and start knocking on the door rather loudly.
"Pearl? Jasper?" Steven practically yelled at the door. "Connie?"
He could hear a shuffling from the other side after a few moments "Steven?"
"Guys?" Steven got excited as he knocked on the door more as the sound of it unlocking came to his ears "It's me! Open up! Are you all ok? Are you-"
The door opened just enough to show his cousin Yellow standing on the other side. His look of confusion made her tilt her head slightly in her own confused look "What are you doing here Steven? I didn't know you were coming."
"I came in with-" Steven got excited but stopped as the lights flickered over head. Both of them looked up at the lights before Steven reached forward. He took Yellow's hand and pulled her down to whisper in her ear "I came in with the mermaids."
"The what?" Yellow pulled back and Steven could see the worry pass over her face followed by the slightest bit of panic "Steven... they don't exist-"
"Please don't tell me that." Steven said tugging on her hand "Please, I know there in there." He watched Yellow glance over her shoulder into the dark room behind her "I need to make sure there ok."
"Steven." Yellow bit her lip as the slight shaking of the floor reached them "Are they fighting again?"
"Yea."
"Then we, especially you, can't be here right now."
"But-"
"I'll bring you back when there not fighting ok?" Yellow took a few steps out of the room and kept Steven from seeing too far inside "If they catch us down here were going to be in a lot of trouble and Whinney will do something about it."
"But Yellow." Steen said holding her hand a bit tighter "I need to know there ok. Please. I'm really worried about them."
Yellow looked back into the room. As she did Steven tried to lean forward but he couldn't see inside very far to his disappointment. She took a few seconds before looking back at him "There ok Steven."
"Is Pearl awake?" Steven asked looking up at her "The white one. She got really hurt at my house."
"She is." Yellow said as the faint sound of clicking came to Steven's ear "She's resting though."
"Now, before they find us not where were supposed to be, we need to move." Yellow said stepping out into the hallway and closing the big door behind her "I'll bring you back when it's safe."
She didn't let Steven get another word in as she held onto his hand tight and started pulling him down the hall. Steven whined as he glanced back at the door but he understood his cousins reasoning. Whinney could be harsh with her punishments when they got in trouble and had a few moments of whiplash come to the front of his mind. When he turned his gaze back to Yellow he squeezed her hand. "Yellow-"
"Shh." She shushed him as they came to the end of the hall. As the floor shook a bit more she glanced around the corner to see if anyone was there. Yellow knew that if they were caught roaming around they would get in trouble and wanted to avoid that. Her mothers were strict but understanding where as Whinney was very harsh. Her moms understood that Yellow couldn't be cooped up in her room all the time like a dog on a leash. Like any teenager she wanted to get out and see the world. They only problem was not only her blood line but what she could become. Whinney on the other hand did not care for how Yellow felt. She expected her niece to fall in line like a good little girl and do everything she was told and had no problem putting her back in her place after a miss step.
Yellow navigated them through the building quickly and into her room. Once inside she shut the door and leaned against it. Yellow's room was rather big. It was towards there launch bay, a few halls down. Her room was two offices that got turned into one with a huge master bathroom built off to the side. It was very secure and was on one of the most secure floors and everyone but Whinney had a room down here. The bottoms three floors were converted into a underground home of sorts and had kept Yellow here for most of her life. There sheltering of her, only going out ever so often to her little cousins house to visit, didn't stop her from finding her own ways out of the building. Her mothers knew this of course but just quietly told her to keep it secret from her aunt.
"Since there up in the office we should be safe to talk down here Steven." She said looking at her little cousin "What did you want to ask me anyway?"
"Why is you hair wet?" Steven asked looking at Yellow and crossing his arms "Were you helping them?"
Steven had noticed the second his cousin came into view that she was wet. Her hair was dripping water onto her shoulders and her cloths were a bit damp. Yellow always loved swimming and the water but had the habit of covering herself up like her mom Bella. She always had tights on under a floor length skirt. She would wear pretty shirts and tops of all kinds but never anything that would expose the skin of her legs. Even when they would swim together she would have her legs covered. Always. Steven had always asked her why and had stopped believing the excuse of getting sunburn easy after he turned 6. Especially when they would swim in the launch bay, the sun never shined into it.
"Yea...Yea I was." Yellow said thinking for a moment before speaking "The white one needed a bit of help getting into the tank of water in the room so I helped her."
"Jasper let you touch her?" Steven questioned surprised.
"Jasper?"
"The really big one." Steven said holding his arms out "She's a Guardian."
"She did." Yellow nodded. "She wasn't happy about it but she did."
"Did you ask permission first?"
"Permission?"
"You need to ask before touching them." Steven said looking a bit worried "Especially Pearl. Jasper doesn't like people touching her when she is hurt. Or at all really. She didn't even like me being across a lagoon from her the first time I met them."
"Oh... No I didn't" Yellow said looking off to the side and a bit confused "That explains why she was mad."
"But she was ok? They all are?"
Yellow smiled at the worry Steven was showing. He had always been a very loving and caring person as they grew up. It just became a stronger sense as time went on. She always liked how he was always positively thinking no matter what tended to happen. He was like his mom that way, who Yellow missed dearly.
"Yes Steven, there all ok." She pushed off the door and walked over to him, doing her best to bluff her way through this conversation. She didn't do more then talk to the aquatics but Steven didn't need to know that right now. "Do you want to build a blanket fort?" She watched as Steven looked past her to the door "I know you want to see them but we need to wait until my mom and auntie Whinney stop fighting to sneak back up there. They were already mad you walked in here with them. There gonna be more mad if they find you there now." She took Steven's hand and pulled him towards her bed "When everything settles will go sneak back up and see them. Maby even swim in the tanks with them!"
"Tanks? Like at the aquarium?" Steven sounded so confused as he followed Yellow's lead to start pulling blankets from her bed. Yellow had a lot more blankets then were normal for your average person to sleep with.
"You know how they have the huge tanks they keep the sharks in?"
"Yea."
"That's basically the same thing here. Only difference is that we have the power here to pull water from the sea into the tanks. Help take the old water out and put new water in."
"So its like being in the sea but without actually being in it."
"That's right."
Steven stopped pulling blankets and stopped following Yellow "So you keep them alive like fish in a tank. Like animals in a cage. They will never make it out of this huge building in time if they got out without someone's help."
Yellow paused.
"There trapped." Both cousins looked at each other. "...Why are they doing this?"
Steven's voice was so small and soft that it hurt Yellow to hear it prompting her to answer just as soft. "I don't know."
"What do they want with them?" As he asked, Yellow put the blankets down in her hands and went to kneel in front of her cousin.
"I don't know."
"There so nice." Steven said as Yellow took the blankets from him and took his hands "They were nice to me and Connie and I know they can be scary and I know there super strong but they never hurt us. They talked to us and let us help Pearl when she was hurt. Something really bad happened and they came to us for help. They trust us."
"That's really kind of them." Yellow said.
"Aunt Yevette hurt them so much when her and aunt Bella came to my house." Steven squeezed Yellow's hand's "They were so scared."
"Steven-"
Yellow was cut off by the sudden banging on her bedroom door. Both of them jumped as a voice came from the other side "Yellow? Hunny are you in there?"
Yellow sighed and quickly went over to her door and unlocked it. The second it was unlocked it flew open and Bella was standing on the other side.
"Thank God." Bella breathed out softly as she spied her nephew "Do you have any idea how worried we were that you disappeared Steven?"
"I'm sorry." Steven said.
"Well I'm happy your cousin found you and Yellow." Bella said glancing over her shoulder down the hall before coming into the room and shutting it behind her "I told you its not safe to be out of your room today."
"But Mum-"
"No buts." Bella placed her hands on her daughters shoulders and squeezed gently "When you set the sensors off in the pipe line both your mom and me got very scared. She was right there and heard the alarm going off in my pocket." She pulled Yellow into her arms and held her close "Whinney can't find out Yellow."
"I know." She hugged her mom back "I'm sorry. I just get so cramped down here all the time. I can't help it."
"I know sweetie." Bella smiled "Your like me in that sense."
Steven stood there and listened to there conversation and felt a bit left out and confused. He knew Yellow had a strict up bringing here but he didn't realize she was just as restricted to walking around like he was. Even though it was her home Steven could see just how cooped up she was. He was also confused about her being in the room with the mermaids he still couldn't get in too.
"Your both talking like you were outside Yellow." They both looked at him coming out of there little bubble as he spoke "How did you get outside if you were with them?"
"Them?" Bella held her daughter out at arms lenth. It took only a few beats for a look of horror to pass her face "Yellow, you were in the lab with them?"
"Yes but-"
Bang, bang, bang.
"Yellow."
"Don't tell your mother where you were." Bella whispered to the pair as Yvette came into the room.
"Do you have any idea how worried we were about you." Yvette waisted no time in scolding her daughter as she shut her bedroom door behind her. The only thing that made her pause was the sight of her wife and Steven standing with her daughter. "Well, at least there's one problem solved. Why did you wonder off Steven? We got scared when we couldn't find you and after the pipe sensor." Yvette put her hands up as she crossed her arms.
"You guys started fighting." Steven said "I got worried when the building started to shake the louder you all got so I walked off to find Yellow and... I kinda got lost."
"I found him on my way back in." Yellow said softly "So I brought him back here. We got here only a few minutes before you both."
Yvette sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before looking at her daughter and nephew. "I'm sorry we scared you Steven. We didn't mean too."
"I know." Steven said shrugging. "I'm used to it."
A slightly uncomfortable feeling filled the air for a few moments before Bella spoke up. "Are you both hungry?" She looked back at her wife then to the kids again "We can get you guys set up for the night after ok?"
"Wait." Steven went up quickly and grabbed the side of his aunts dress "What about Connie? Is she ok? Is she awake yet?"
"Steven-"
"Please Aunt Bella I have to see her! I promised to stay by her side and keep each other safe!" He tugged a bit "She has to be ok."
Steven was sugar coating his words a bit and thought he was going to win when he pulled out his puppy dog eyes but Yvette put an end to that. Both of his aunts made it clear that his friend was ok and they would check on her when they had the chance later after Whinney calmed down from there fight earlier. It didn't take long for them to tell the kids to stay put and that they would be back. Before long they were left alone in Yellow's room and the sound of the lock on her door clicking into place softly sent a cold chill down Steven's spine. He looked to his cousin and he could see the look of hurt in her features. Steven gently took her hand and squeezed.
"Do they always lock the door?" He asked.
"Just in the last few weeks." Yellow said holding his hand back tight "Aunt Whinney has been acting very strange lately and there afraid for my safety."
"They were fighting with her when I left her office up stairs." Steven said "She was... colder then usual. Seemed more distant this time."
Yellow looked down at him then back at the door "Somethings wrong with her, gotten her full attention, and my moms are scared of what it is."
"Do you know what it is?"
"No." Yellow shook her head "They have been trying to avoid her and keeping me as far from her as possible. More then usual."
Steven tugged on her hand and she smiled down at him. "I know what your going to ask Steven and we need to wait until my moms bring us food to try and get out ok?" He whined and she chuckled "C'mon, lets build this fort. I feel like somewhere soft and small will make everything just a little bit better."
Inside the Lab
Jasper's eyes didn't leave the ancient aquatics form until she shut the door behind her. As soon as it clicked shut her eyes darted down to her companion. The Guardian felt an immense pressure off her chest as Pearl was breathing on her own. Her steady breath on her neck helped her put her mind back into focus, helped her relax just a bit. She wasn't as worried now but still felt impatient in waiting for the smaller to wake up.
"Even all grown up, I'm still so small compared to you." The doctor said getting Jasper's attention. She mad no move to come around the table to get closer to the three. She was quite content holding her daughter close and staying where she was.
The Guardian looked her over and the corner of her mouth bent up in a small smerk. "Shark bate."
The Doctor gave a small smile in turn, happy the aquatic remembered her, even after all these years. "Thank you by the way." Jasper squinted at her in confusion as Sapphire leaned into her but looked around her at the doctor. Both aquatics regarded her curiously and the Doctor clarified. "For being with Steven and Connie when they came for you all. I fear they would of been a lot harsher if you all weren't together."
"They promised to keep us safe." Connie said a bit horse looking at Jasper as smiling "They were pretty cool."
"Considering your all alive and both kids came with you all you kept your word."
"I don't break a promise." Jasper said.
"For that I'm grateful." Priyanka said glancing up as a slight rumbled was felt through the floor. The mermaids looked up at the same time and they call became a bit more guarded as one of the lights flickered for just a moment. They looked to the doctor for an answer that she wasn't too willing to give. "The one who brought you here. Not Bella, her wife, that was from her and her sister fighting about three floors up."
"The shadow in White." Sapphire murmured as a low grumble left Jasper's throat. "The one who put a price on our freedom..."
"They don't get along at all." The Doctor said holding Connie a bit closer before putting her down. She hugged her a bit more before ushering her off to go to her dad. "But that's not important at the moment." She looked to the aquatics and slowly came around the table. "We need to get her ready."
"Ready?" Sapphire asked as Jasper barred her teeth a bit. She was grateful Pearl was coming around but was still very guarded. She couldn't fully begin to relax until her companion opened her eyes.
"If fighting Bella's wife was the last thing that happened before she fell unconscious she is going to wake up thinking there's still a fight going on." The doctor said coming within a few feet of them and no closer. They knew who she was but didn't know the extent of there trust with her. It has been years since there last encounter when she was just a little girl and she didn't want to do or say anything that would bring her life to a sudden and quick death. Not here. "She is going to flail and hit whatever is closest to her, which will be you Guardian."
"I can take it." Jasper said a bit offended. She could take a hit! Getting punched by Pearl was nothing. Well, it wouldn't be the first time she has hit her but it would be the first time she didn't disserve it. First time not playfully either come to think of it.
"That's not the point." Priyanka said crossing her arms "You need to be the first voice she hears to calm her down and the first person she sees. She needs your comforting and powerful arura. Your familiarity. The last thing we need is for the alarms to go off in here from her panic. The water in the tanks are monitored. If they water reacts in a none natural way its going to set off so many alarms."
"What happens if they go off?" Sapphire asked.
"It will get very loud in here with flashing lights and a lot more people will show up." The Doctor answered. "And this time they won't stop until your dead." She glanced back at her husband and daughter "No matter who is in the room."
The Larger aquatic looked down at her companions face then to there Reader. Sapphire was looking up at her with a gentle hand on her leg and a worried look on her face. She could feel the others pulling for her but right now she wasn't really pulling back. She was much more concerned with what was going on here and all there well beings more then the others right now. The only real connection she was pulling on was with her own companions. She curled up against the Guardian's leg in a comforting way. The need to be close was still strong and the need to be together was even stronger.
Jasper looked up and around the room before walking over to the closest table. She perched herself on top and adjusted Pearl to be sitting in her lap, Sapphire trailing close behind. She kept one arm tightly wrapped around her upper body as her other took her hands in her own. She always liked how slim her fingers were compared to her own. They were very small but full of power. She liked how nicely they fit in her missive ones.
The Doctor sat on the table across from the mermaids as Sapphire perched herself on the very edge of the table next to Jasper's leg. She wanted to be close to them but not in the way. She still was afraid of everything going on, they all were, but they felt better close together. Safety in numbers. Less fearful with them all in there line of sight, within reach. Once they were all situated the Doctor told the bigger aquatic to gently pull on her connection with her companion to help guide her back to the waking world. She didn't have to pull more then once before Pearl reacted.
Her companions eyes shot open and she almost launched out of Jasper's arms with a start. She loudly gasped in a breath of air and if it wasn't for Jasper's steal grip on her she would of hit both herself and Sapphire. There Reader jumped to her feet and scrambled across to the other table as Jasper quietly clicked in Pearl's ear, holding her as still as she could without hurting her.
To Pearl the world come back in a rush of white light followed by a lot of noise. She felt like she was pushed through a dark opening and back to the waking world. She felt Jasper pulling for her and something holding her. Her first reaction was to push whatever was touching her away. She was scared and when she moved, feeling restrained, she felt even more fear roll through her. There were a lot of sounds rushing into her ears as well. Beeping, clicking, white noise. It was too much all at once. Her head was pounding, her heart was racing, and she felt trapped.
'Pearl' Jasper clicked into the smaller ear. It hurt a lot to see the panic in the others eyes. She wasn't aware of where she was or that she was in her arms. She could feel the initial panic in Pearl's tug for her. 'Pearl take a breath. I'm right here'
Pearl closed her eyes tightly as she took another shaky breath. Her hands trembled and for a moment she thought she was going to pass back out from everything attacking her senses all at once. She forced a few breaths into her lungs before slowly forcing herself to open her eyes. After letting her eyes adjust to the light the first thing she saw was a thick curtain of white hair. The second was her companion clicking in her ear. The feeling of herself being held right against her. She could feel the heat radiating off the bigger aquatic and the feeling of protection and comfort rolling off the Guardian's shoulders. The waves of familiarity and the strings of connection holding them together filled her and helped bring her back own to reality. It helped push her mind back in order faster then if she had woken up alone with each beat of the Guardian's heart she could feel through her form.
Jasper was very happy when Pearl opened her eyes and looked up at her. They didn't say anything as they took a moment to themselves and put there foreheads together. They both could feel the relive washing over the other at there presence in that moment. They tugged on there connection for pure comfort and this made another thing register to the smaller.
'Ow' Pearl clicked out after a moment. Jasper looked at her funny but Pearl flexed her fingers in Jasper's grip and the Guardian quickly let go, forgetting she was holding her hands rather tightly.
'Sorry' The bigger mumbled.
'I feel like I was caught in a rip tied' Pearl mumbled before wrapping her arms around Jasper's shoulders quickly, everything coming back into her mind 'Oh! Are you ok? What happened?! The kids! We-'
'Pearl, Pearl slow down' Jasper clicked holding her tight to herself. 'I'm ok. Were ok. Not safe, but ok'
Sapphire quietly slipped onto the floor and slowly took a step towards the pair. She felt left out a bit. Not in a jealous way but more in a need to be close to them. The feeling of not being right next to them making her a bit anxious. Jasper looked at her and opened an arm invitingly. She could see the smallers worry on her face and the way she clasped her hands together in front of her. Sapphire took the invitation and quickly climbed up onto there table and threw her arms around the tallers shoulder. She was so relived Pearl was awake she let out small clicks and breaths of happiness.
'Not safe? What- Sapphire!' Pearl looked to there Reader and hugged her tightly. She felt so secure in her companions arms and having the Reader there surprised and comforted her a bit more. 'How did you get here? Where are we?'
'We came looking for you both after Bismuth answered my call for help.' Sapphire clicked 'We got just off shore to the lagoon and we were hiding in that old shit but then I saw people coming. They had found us. They only took me and they didn't see the others'
'We were brought here after they knocked you out' Japer half clicked half growled.
'How did we get here? Where is here?' Pearl asked.
"You were brought in via tanker." The doctor spoke up getting all eyes on her. "The ones who attacked you attacked us too." She looked back at her family to see Doug holding Connie tightly and her daughter smiling brightly up at him. They both had misty eyes and she was happy her family was together at least. "Steven is here somewhere but I'm not sure where."
'Steven...' Pearl clicked slowly 'Is he ok?'
"From what we know yes." She answered "They won't let him come in here though."
For the first time Pearl got a good look around the room. It made her flinch and lean into the Guardian who held both smaller aquatics a bit closer. Pearl clicked lightly in confusion with a bit of worry mixed in. The room was very unsettling to her at first but soon things came back into her mind and she recognized the tanks. The way she looked at them had the doctor question her "You know what those are?"
Pearl silent nod made them uncomfortable. 'That was made for me...' She slowly looked the tank over as she slightly tucked her head under Jasper's chin.
'For when you were to be given?' Sapphire asked.
Pearl nodded 'It's designed so that fresh water from the sea is brought in and the old water brought out'
"So you never have to worry about returning to the open ocean." The Doctor said the same time Jasper started growling again "Essentially keeping you prisoner here forever."
This angered the Guardian and made the Reader lean into the other more in trying comfort. How dare they treat her companion like a minnow! They weren't meant to be kept in tanks. They were supposed to live in the sea. Not as some freaks prized pet! Jasper just huffed and puffed trying to remain level headed but the sound of a sudden buzzing followed by two flashed of red lights from one of the machines had everyone flinch.
"Quickly." The Doctor said slipping off the table and walking over to one of the computers next to the tanks. "I know this is all a lot to take in but you three need to get in the tanks, quickly."
'Why?' Sapphire clicked before Jasper could tell the doctor, as nicely as she could, to get bent.
"That alarm was from one of the pipes leaded out of here and into the sea. Something hit the grate and I think I know who is coming up it and into here." The Doctor said while typing on the computer. The Guardian snapped her teeth together in warning as a hissing should came from the top of two of the tankers. There lids slowly opened and the smell of salt water filled the room. The three aquatics instinctually leaned towards the water, the salt and sea calling to them. "I know that you don't want to any more then me but you three need to get in the tanks."
"No." Jasper's gaze was ridged as she held the smallers closer to her person.
"I won't close the tops all the way." The doctor said "But you need to get in them."
"Priyanka-"
"Please, if either of those Elementals come in here and see us all out there going to do things much worse to us then they did before." She said glancing past the three to look at her husband and daughter. The pair were arm in arm but watching them. She could see the worry on there faces and the fear on her husbands. They barley survived the White sisters attack on there home. She figured the only reason they weren't killed was what she had said into her phone when they caught them. She knew who her daughter was with and that scared her more then anything. She knew everything about them and then some. "I can't speak for you but I'm pretty sure your in the same boat as us in this. You are in no condition to fight them right now."
The mermaids looked at the doctor for a bit more before Pearl began to move. She slowly got to her feet but didn't move out of Jasper's grip on her form any more then her own to there Reader. 'What do we need to do?'
'Pearl'
'We don't have a choice' Pearl clicked at her Companion with a pleading look in her eyes 'She's right. We can't survive another attack and I won't lose you, either of you'
Jasper whined a bit through her growls but didn't argue. She hated that Pearl was right and hated even more that they had to do what they were told. She didn't want her far from her side. She didn't want either of them out of arms reach. They were still in danger, in a bad place, and it was driving her a bit nuts. She knew the pod was looking for them. They must of gotten close by now. This alone had her even more on edge. Being close was weaved into there very beings but following that pull, that instinct, right no was going to be fatal.
It sucked.
"Guardian, you need to go into the single tank over there." Priyanka said pointing to the stand alone tank before looking at the two smaller "You both go in the big tank but stay in the two tubes in front for right now ok?"
"We can't be together?" Sapphire asked.
"Not until after they come and see that your locked up." The Doctor said "After I can let you back out ok? Or at the very least open the connections to the big tank so you can all be together."
'Will be separated long?' Pearl asked not moving from where she was standing.
"Hopefully nut but you'll be able to still see each other." Priyanka said "Quickly now."
Pearl let out a few clicks of uncomfortableness as she slowly made her way over to the tank closest to herself. There Reader and Guardian were right behind her as they came right to the front of the tank. It took just a few minutes but soon Pearl and Sapphire were in the two tanks with the Guardian standing right outside of them. Both Pearl and Jasper placed there hands on the glass, being as close as they could with a half smile from Pearl, before the Guardian turned away. Priyanka set Jasper up in the last tank and and quickly went back to her family in the cage.
The tubes weren't small but they weren't spacious either. They were a bit cramped but not constricting. Pearl could put her back against the tube and stretch her arms out to touch the other side and they could float up and down without being bent in funny angles. They couldn't swim in a circle or do a back flip but they could at least move. It was better then nothing. Well, lets be fair. The two smallers could move but the Guardian was a bit more cramped up. The tube she was in wasn't designed for an aquatic of her size. She had maby an inch or two from either shoulder before glass. If she raised her arms out in front of her, due to her generous size and form, she couldn't really stretch them far out from herself. She was a bit more uncomfortable then the other two. Even more so when she realized she was almost on the other side of the room from her Companion and Reader. She could still see them. It was better then nothing but boy was she unhappy about it.
It didn't take long for a grate in the big tank to move. The sound of it moving drew the aquatics attentions first, the shifters following there gaze soon after. Both Sapphire and Pearl sank down in the water as the grate opened. They couldn't hide in these tubes so they tried to make themselves a small as possible.
They watched the grate open and a bright yellow mermaid come into view. The aquatics were a bit taken back as they watched this young mermaid move. She wasn't familiar to them. No, they knew all the solo roamers in the seas, even the occasional Siren from the deep depths around the world. This one was so bright and such an eye catcher in color. Her tail had no real pattern or design to it and she was half adorned with human clothing. She couldn't of been from any pods in the seven seas. Every pod, every mermaid aside from Pearl, had patters or markings adorned on there forms in some way to show where they had come from. It could be anything like a pretty pattern on there tails or across there skin in different colors but this one had nothing. Just a pale completion and a tail the color of the sun on a clear day. There was no way she was from the sea. She was an entirely new aquatic and the three weren't sure what to make of her.
They silently watched as she swam out of the grate and closed it behind her. They couldn't see how she locked it back into place but soon she was swimming up to the top of the tank. As she neared the top she stopped and to everyone's surprise she closed her eyes for a few moments and glowed bright. Two legs soon formed and she swan up and broke the waters surface. She climbed out of the tank and jumped down to the floor, completely startling Sapphire who was closest to her, and quickly stepping off towards the side of the tank. The Reader let off small clicks as warning as the unknown mermaid was doing something out of sight.
Pearl soon joined in with her own warning clicks as the mermaid came back into sight. They quickly noticed that she covered her body the same way the Ancient did. Something long an flowy hid her legs and any part of her that would of adorned scales. It was really only her legs that were covered up which was just as strange. If they didn't see her come out of the tank themselves and form legs from a tail they would never of know at first glance she was one of them. It was only after Jasper started a low growl did she look towards the tanks "Woah!"
She must of jumped a foot back in surprise and then backed up even further when the two smaller aquatics flinched at her sudden movement, Jasper swimming a bit up to get a clear line of sight with the unknown. As the Guardian's eyes started to glow a deep orange the mermaids eyes grew bigger and she back up more. "Your just as scary as the other one."
'The other... Garnet?' Sapphire clicked more to herself.
"Is that her name?" The unknown said getting a surprised look from the Reader.
'You can understand me?' She asked as Pearl spoke up behind her. 'You saw Garnet?'
The unknown nodded slowly "She came out of no where and scared me when I was talking to the blue one outside."
'Blue?' Pearl swam up just a bit and put her hands on the glass 'Are they both here? Where are they?'
"Yellow?" All the Aquatics turned to the shifters in the cage as Connie spoke up.
"Connie!" The unknown smiled and quickly made her way over to the cage. Connie got to her feet and came right to the bars before her mom could get a good grip on her to hold her back. Both Yellow and Connie hugged each other through the bars. "Are you ok?"
"I'm ok." Connie smiled up at her then frowned "But your mom sure packs a punch."
"My... did you come in with them?" Yellow pointed over her shoulder to the tubes and the aquatics inside clicked a bit offended. "H-How did my mom find you? I never said anything about what you are to them."
"Well, I was with Steven and-"
"Steven?" Yellow's face dropped and the mermaids didn't have to see her face to feel the unease from the unknown. "Is... Is he here too?"
"Yea. We both came in with them but I wasn't awake. Dose he know about?" Connie pointed to Yellow's legs and she quickly shook her head.
"He has no clue." Yellow answered.
"It's pretty cool." Connie said "Why didn't you tell him?"
Yellow went to answer but a sudden banging on the door to the room made them all jump. All eyes turned to the door and a familiar voice started calling out to them. As Steven banged on the door Yellow quickly made her way over to it. the aquatics in the tubes looked hopefully at the door as Yellow unlocked it and opened it just enough to peak out into the hall. The prospect of seeing Steven made two of them feel slightly better. Knowing he was at least walking around and basically yelling through a door to them meant he wasn't hurt. Or, so they hoped.
They could hear him talking to Yellow. He sounded so worried about them and he was very adamant about wanting to come in, or at the very least, see them. Yellow was blocking his view into the room and it slightly annoyed the Guardian and worried the Protector. For there promise they wanted to at least physically see him. From there personal experience anyone could mimic another's voice if they were well versed in the art. When they clicked this out to the mermaid at the door they got irritated and more worried as she stepped out into the hall. She only glanced back at them for a moment at the lights flickered and she shut the door behind her, locking it in place.
Jasper growled loud for a moment as her companion clicked out 'Why did she keep him out of here?'
'The Elemental thinks we'll hurt him' Jasper clicked back frowning at the door.
'That's obscured' Pearl clicked out offended 'If anything we would hurt her first if it came down too it'
The Guardian smerked at her comment as Sapphire slightly smiled. Pearl always had a spark of sass and fight in her ever since they both met her. No matter what title or name was stuck to her she always acted out of place and on her own. In her own way she dominated the seas and the way she acted and just was, was one of the reasons she ended up becoming the head of there pod. She wasn't fully bound to there laws like the rest of them were. She was made as a present to a monster. This meant her up bringing didn't involve there culture and rules too much. They weren't too heavy of an influence on her person as it was to the others who were taught each in there original pods ways and paths. They didn't want Pearl being influenced by there culture too much so when she was supposed to be given to the ones here so long ago, she wouldn't be able to tell them much about her species.
She helped the pod survive all these years and unintentionally, helped them grow beyond there limits that were forced upon them.
"Are you guys ok?" There eyes turned to Connie as she quickly unlocked the cage after asking her mother if it was alright. She was told to be quick but was given a yes. Once it was open she silently shut it behind her and quickly but gently walked over to the tubes. She went right up to Pearl's after asking Jasper if it was ok. She got a stiff nod as an answer "How are you feeling?"
'Like I've been swimming against a rip tide but I'm alright' Pearl clicked sinking down to sit on the bottom of the tube to be close to Connie. She clicked a bit louder then she wanted too but she was speaking through water and the small gaps from the open tube tops. 'Are you ok?'
Connie nodded with a smile at her then Jasper "She was really good a fighting. You both were! And you almost won!" Connie was getting a bit too excited, the aquatics flinching slightly at the volume but didn't really want to stop her excitement. "I'm happy your both ok."
'You were roughed up like her' Jasper clicked 'You got fight in you furball. Tougher then I thought you were'
Connie smiled wide and both her parents chuckled slightly. They had herd what had happed to the three of them at Steven's house while being transported here. If it wasn't for Connie being a shifter like them she would of died from being shocked so harshly. A normal person would of died but Connie was more resilient with shapeshifter blood running through her veins. The perks of being a supernatural.
Thunk, thump
The sound of the door being unlocked made them jump. It was too soon for the Ancient and the unknown to be back. This left only one other option.
'Hide' Pearl clicked looking down at Connie.
Connie nodded looking back at her then around the room. She wasn't sure where to go. She was too far from the cage to get back inside safely before whoever was coming through that door came in so she turned towards the Guardian. As fast as she could she ran over to the big aquatic and hid under the desk that was slightly past and behind her tube. Just as she disappeared from sight the door to the room opened. Jasper let out a deep growl with glowing eyes as Sapphire clicked in immense warning. Pearl just froze in silent terror against the back of the tube as the person coming into the room looked around and then smiled.
"Hello my dear." Whinney said "It's been such a long time."
Outside the building, ocean side
Greg was startled as the pod started to come up onto the boat one by one. He quickly helped them on board as he asked what was going on.
"Seems like the security on the ocean side is pretty dang good." Bismuth said from the water as she helped Ruby up onto the boat who then turned and helped up Peridot then Lapis.
"Why is the alarm going off?" Greg said "What happened?"
"There was a mermaid in a pipe in the rock wall." Blue said gently as she was pulled onto the boat followed by Amethyst.
"Was she trapped?" Peridot asked "Dose she know about the others?"
"She said they were inside." Blue said as they all helped Bismuth onto the boat. "Pearl wasn't awake but there all here."
"Is she hurt?" Amethyst asked as Garnet was the last to be pulled up. The Guardian was too focused on the direction of the pipe and building to really think about her own safety. She almost turned and snapped at Amethyst and Bismuth as they reached down and dragged her out of the water. She was more focused of the threat coming for them then actually hiding. She wanted to see what the threat was and exactly where it was coming from much more then hiding or running in that moment.
"Garnet scared her away before I could ask." Blue said gently.
"She's an unknown and put her hands on you." Garnet said through a tight jaw as her eyes stayed on the waters surface. "You were in danger."
"But-"
"Safety in numbers." She half snapped half growled "Stronger together."
Blue flinched but wasn't upset. Garnet was acting on instinct. On the need to protect. She wasn't being cruel or harsh with her or any of them even though she very much sounded that way. Guardian's in general were very loud with commanding voices. She was just doing her duty and following her instinct. Blue was foolish to go off alone in an area marked dangerous for them. She should of swam away when she saw the other mermaid but she didn't. The Guardian was letting her fill her curiosity but it got dangerous in her eyes. Garnet did what any Guardian would have and got her to safety and out of immediate danger. Danger that was now coming for them. Well, if it could find them.
Greg looked over the boats railing as two red lights glowed under the oceans surface. They came from the direction the building did and it didn't take long for him to figure out what they were. "Oh boy. They sent out Roaming eyes."
"Roaming eyes?" Peridot looked at him confused as Bismuth looked over the railing quickly.
"Damn monstrosities." The exiled mermaid said quickly backing up out of there sight.
"What are they?" Lapis asked as they all started looking over the railing.
"There used to find creatures like us." Bismuth said as Garnet snapped at them to get back with a few warning clicks. "There meant to find and hunt down our kind."
They watched as the roaming eyes wondered around the area in front of the boat. They moved back and forth in a sweeping patter absolutely covering the whole area on there directed path for whatever it was they were looking for, which was more then likely every aquatic on the boat. They started off in a small area but quickly started moving away from the cliff face and out into a wider area in the water. The moment one of them circled a bit too close for the Guardian's liking she couldn't help it. She let out a very loud growl.
Two things happened as she did this. Bismuth quickly stepped up and yanking Garnet back as Greg looked at her in horror. The Roaming eyes did a quick 180 and started towards the boat to there horror. Amethyst and Ruby pushed the others towards the center of the boat and Bismuth pulled Garnet back, basically restraining her with just one arm while covering her mouth with her other hand. She was very very lucky the Guardian didn't immediately turn around and attack her. She was putting her self in extreme danger, getting in the way of Garnet's need to protect her pod but she knew what she was doing. She had stepped in with good and bad results in front of Guardian's before. Bismuth knew what she was doing, even if it was foolish and dangerous.
'Shut the Poseidon up or there going to find us' She clicked low in the Guardians ear without letting her go.
She could feel Garnet breathing heavily and rapidly against her hand as they all stood as still as possible. There was so much practiced restraint in this moment. Every cell in Garnet's brain was telling her to attack the roaming eyes. To tear them apart peace by peace until they were no longer a threat. She had been caught by these things before and getting away from one without being found or attacked by whatever was controlling them was near impossible. The only way she found to survive these were to destroy them then swim as fast as you could in the opposite direction.
This is where her and Jasper differed from each other as Guardians. Jasper would of straight attacked these without question or a second thought but Garnet new better. She had just a bit more control over the sense in her core then the bigger to hold back. To watch and observe. She could feel the others fear behind her and the look of concern from Greg. She needed to hold back and to as much rational thought as she could. For the pods safety. They were never going to find there missing three if she acted out and got them all caught. She couldn't protect them all alone. Not out here in unfamiliar territory and not out numbered like they currently were.
Greg watched the pods fear and concern as the roaming eyes moved closer to the boat. He could see the Guardian getting worked up and the bigger one holding her getting annoyed, looking over the edge to the water nervously. Greg knew he had to do something to help. As they got right to the front of the boat and started to scan it Greg moved. He quickly went o the front of the boat and hung off the side closest to the cliff face.
"What are you doing?" Lapis hissed as they watched Greg move.
"Buying some time." He answered as he stuck his hand into the water. He wiggled his fingers in the water and quickly got himself scanned from the eyes. "Hey!" He watched as the eyes popped out of the water just enough to scan his face, which made him flinch and close his eyes uncomfortably "C'mon guys! I need to be able to see."
The older two of the aquatics went stiff as a voice came over a scratchy radio signal to speak to Greg. The rest of the pod flinched away and got very close to the Guardian and outcast at this. The older two recognized the voice and it scared then deep down.
"Greg, what are you doing out here?" The cool voice said to him through the roaming eye "We have a front door."
"Oh, no." He said pointing a finger "I know you wouldn't of let me in the front door."
"Your not completely wrong."
"I want my son!"
"Steven?"
"Don't play dumb with me Whinney." Greg said sternly in a voice that wasn't like him at all "We've been over this. You can't just come and take Steven whenever you want! It's illegal! And you ruined my carwash! The whole wash part is ruined!"
"Come now Greg." Whinney said over the radio to him "Steven is here and he is fine and you need to get a real house for him to live in anyway or just let him live with us."
"Never."
"Don't be unreasonable Greg."
"I want my son and I want to see him now!"
"You can, but after you tell the ones on your boat to surrender peacefully."
"There is no one on my boat." Greg snapped. "Don't you dare start about your crack pot theory's and illusions about aquatic beauties again. There not real."
"Greg-"
"We've been over this!"
There was a pause and this worried all of them. The mermaids became fearful the moment Whinney pointed them out. That she knew they were here but Greg was good. He was acting very annoyed and irritated and for those in the pod who got to know him a bit when Rose was still around knew he was pulling this all out of his butt. He was such a squishy push over and it was taking a lot for none of them to let him do this.
There was a long pause before the boat rocked forward.
"Very well." Whinney's voice said as eh boast started moving around the cliff side "Will bring you in. Hold tight."
As the roaming eye disappeared under the water Greg looked back to the mermaids.
"I hope you have a plan." Bismuth said slowly letting go of Garnet but still covered her mouth. She trusted the Guardian to not loose her cool but not to be quiet. She didn't fight her about her hand.
"That was my plan." He said.
"That was it?" Lapis snapped as the boat slowly started to drift around the corner of the cliff face. the building came into view and they were in awe and fear. The building was huge, tall, and sitting way high up on this cliff. At least 40 feet from sea level, giant spot light scanned the waters surface and illuminated the water below. Blue suddenly felt very lucky that those lights hadn't seen her when she was right under them just a bit ago. In the cliff face below two huge bay doors were slowly being pulled up, revealing a giant boat dock within the stone and rocks of the cliff. "I hope you have a better plan then that."
"Nope." Greg said as the boat started drifting forward towards the dock "I got nothin."
"Well you better think fast." Lapis snarled as Ruby growled next to her "Otherwise were about to become fish bate."
Note: I had a really hard time getting over the rut for writing this so I hope you like it!