I awoke the following morning, and felt like the oceans worst storm was within my head. I moaned painfully, and held my hand to my forehead as I sat up. As I did Mr. Fredrick came down the stairs.
"Well good morning." He smirked at me. I looked up at him through one eye. "Did you sleep well?" I could hear his voice was filled with sarcasm.
"Yes, fine." I growled.
"Well that's good boy. I hope the little drink you had last night didn't hurt you too much." He said a smug grin upon his face. I glared at him.
"No it did not, and I shall not be fooled by the likes of you again." I snapped dangerously. He walked up to me and bent low so we were eye to eye.
"It would be wise to watch your mouth with me boy." He said coldly.
"You dare to threaten me?" I replied acidly. He glared at me, his eyes flashing dangerously, in challenge.
"Ecco? Mr. Fredrick everything okay?" Ember said as she entered the room. Mr. Fredrick and I pulled away from each other and composed ourselves.
"Everything is fine sweety." Mr. Fredrick said calmly.
"That's good." She smiled. "Did you two have breakfast yet?"
"Er no, actually I have to go to work." Mr. Fredrick said. "I'll call your babysitter Ember, so she can watch you while I'm gone."
"And what is wrong with me watching her?" I snapped.
"You? Oh please don't make me laugh." He snorted.
"Ecco can watch me Mr. Fredrick!" Ember piped up. "Please? Oh please? He saved my life after all! He can take care of me!" Mr. Fredrick looked at her in irritation, and then looked at me.
"…alright. He can today, to see how it goes. But I WILL be checking up on you two, so no going out!" he snapped.
"Okay Mr. Fredrick." Ember nodded.
"Agreed…" I said coldly. I did not like taking orders form this human, but I did not wish to get into an argument with Ember nearby.
"Good. Now both of you stay in the house and behave. I'll be back tonight." He turned and walked out of the room and promptly left the house.
It would benefit all of us if you did NOT return human…I thought darkly. Ember looked up at me.
"You hungry Ecco?" she asked me.
"No thank you Ember, not at the moment." I replied. My head was still swimming, but I did not allow it to show.
"Oh, okay. I'm gonna get some breakfast okay? You can watch TV if you want to." She picked up the TV control and turned the TV on.
"Very well Ember." I stated calmly. She walked into the kitchen and I sat down again. I held my head in my hands, trying to make the pain subside. Eventually it did, and my head cleared. Ember returned to the room carrying a bowl of fruit loops, and sat next to me on the couch.
"Find anything to watch Ecco?" She asked as she set the bowl down.
"Er no, I was waiting for you to decide." I bluffed.
"Okay Ecco." She giggled and picked up the control. She began changing channels on the TV, and then stopped. "Hey look Ecco, cartoon dolphins!" she pointed to the screen, and I looked at it in shock.
Dolphins? But those do not look real! What sort of human mockery is this?
"What are those?" I asked.
"It's called a cartoon. Humans make cartoons. They're not real, but they're supposed to be funny."
"I…see." I looked at these 'cartoons'. "They do not look real." I snorted.
"Cartoons usually don't." Ember said between mouthfuls of fruit loops. We watched these cartoon dolphins for a few moments, but I was not amused.
Do humans honestly portray my kind as these idiotic creatures!? They look and act foolish!
Finally the cartoon ended, and what began next I nearly fell off the couch in shock. I stared at the television in shock as I saw REAL dolphins swim across the screen!
"Ecco look, more dolphins!" Ember squealed in delight.
"I see them, but why are they in this TV?!" I exclaimed.
"I dunno Ecco, might be a commercial, or ad for a movie." She replied. I did not know what either of these was, but I watched on. Suddenly, I saw something that made my heart stop.
The spotted one!? I looked at the TV, and on it, I saw the spotted one from my pod, the one that had first alerted me of Ember's sunken ship. I continued to watch, and then the black one appeared, and then two more. Ember looked at me, and then quickly caused the TV to increase in volume so we could hear.
"…and now at the Sea Land Aquarium, we have just had the arrivals of four spectacular new dolphins to our fabulous exhibit! They are just getting settled in to the aquarium and will be available for public viewing next Tuesday, so get your tickets now!" the TV said, then blared a strange noise. I stared at the TV in disbelief. I continued to look at the TV long after the images of the dolphins and the spotted one faded, until Ember turned off the TV.
"Ecco…? Are you okay?" she said quietly. I slowly looked at her.
Those dolphins… they are from my pod… Millions of thoughts began to race through my mind. The spotted one! The black one! Captured! But how!? Humans would dare not come to my waters! How!? Why!? What would these humans wish with my pod!? My pod…they… no…why…I suddenly fell backwards and sunk into the couch, as my thoughts began to swirl in my mind to the point I could not comprehend them anymore.
"Ecco? Ecco are you okay? What's wrong Ecco?" Ember said, her voice filled with worry. She gently shook my arm. I suddenly bolted up and looked at her, almost startled by my surroundings.
"I! I… Ember… I am…" I stammered.
"Ecco, did you know those dolphins?" She looked at me concerned. I looked at her, and then memories of my own words surfaced in my mind.
They do not need me; they can handle themselves on their own…
"Er… no Ember. I do not." I said at last. "They merely reminded me of dolphins I once knew. It was a surprise to see a human object showing dolphins that is all." Her eyes studied mine, and I could see a flicker of doubt in them, but she dropped the issue.
"Okay Ecco, I believe you." She smiled. "I'm gonna go put my dishes away then go get my day clothes on, I'll be back Ecco." She stood up and walked to the kitchen. I watched her leave, and then stared at the blank TV set, my mind swirling and swimming with too many thoughts and emotions for my consciousness to sort through.