Trapped in a cave during a wild thunderstorm, Ess tries to remain calm, but as the thunder roars, her fear gets the better of her. As she cries, she gains a new perspective on one of Amitie's stranger friends when he consoles her. Requested by a tumblr anon!

Going Under

This couldn't be happening.

No, this could not happen to her, not to Ess, a proud member of the Starship Tetra. She was bold, brave, and resolute, refusing to bow down in the face of adversity. She traveled the stars and protected the dimensions. Commandeering Tetris and Puyo Puyo alike, she was a force to be reckoned with, a powerful lady who sneered at weakness.

When the storm began, separating her from her team, her heart cracked in two. Thunder roared across the deep gray sky followed by his brother lightning. Blinding flashes burned her vision, forcing her to jerk her attention to her hands. They shook, her fingers far whiter than she remembered. Creeping shadows covered her, turning into claws which seemed ready to strangle her or worse, drag her deeper into the depths of the murky cave with its dripping water and hissing bats far away from everyone she loved.

Ess' knees knocked together as she sat down. She folded her arms around them, pulling them closer to her chest. The ocean waves rattled the shore, spinning and writhing, slamming and grinding against the sharp jetties. Seagulls wailed as they beat their wings in the rain, and she followed one fighting the wind, a lightning bolt nearly striking it, forcing her to flick her head back to her white-knuckled fists.

"Are you okay?"

Her lips pursed. She furrowed her brow and raised her head.

Sig frowned, his expression unreadable as usual. She didn't know why the cruel hand of fate placed her with the likes of him. He was another one of Amitie's friends with a personality so dead she thought he might as well be a zombie.

"And why do you care? You're not my papa," she spat only to flinch when thunder rolled, heavy rain battering the shore. She peeked out between the spaces of her fingers, grimacing as umbrellas soared through the air, and she hoped hers still remained stuck in the sand.

Sig sat next to her, and she made sure he saw her visible disdain. Her narrowed glare, her tight-lipped scowl, her hunched posture, she ensured he saw every bit of her irritation.

"I didn't give you permission to sit next to me. Go find some other cave to hide in right now." She jabbed her thumb towards the cave's entrance, the seagulls' cries subdued in the pounding storm.

He shrugged. "Can't."

"And why not?"

"I don't wanna get wet." He tilted his head. "'Sides, you look pretty scared."

Color drained from her face. White horror crossed her brow as she mouthed the last word. She shuddered, deciding it was the wind chill which caused her to pale so severely.

"I-I am not scared! Me? Scared? Ha!" Her crooked smile seemed misplaced. "You shouldn't underestimate me! I'll take you on in a Tetris fight right now and-!"

Another clap of thunder forced a wail to escape her. It scratched against her throat, climbing over her tongue and scraping her teeth. Her bright sky blue eyes bulged in her skull, threatening to pop out as she smacked her hand over her mouth, her scream continuing as a muffled whine.

He saw right through her fear with a simple sentence. She knew she couldn't be alone for too long, but appearances mattered so much to her. Allowing some strange boy to see through her defenses, to push past the chipped mirror she put up, it made the tears burning in her eyes grow even hotter.

"P-Papa," she whimpered, the wind twisting the raindrops and smacking them against her boots. Her teeth chattered as the wind nipped at her neck and forearms, blistering her skin until it was raw. She clenched her eyes shut and threw up her arms over her head, tears and mucus dribbling over her quivering lips. "P-Papa, Papa, where are you? Come and-come and save me already!"

She bawled, her heart feeling as if though someone had punctured through her chest and squeezed it. Her breathing came in shallow gasps, hiccups of air which pierced the space between them. No matter how desperately she tried wiping her eyes, more tears followed, painting the cave floor an even duller brown.

"Hey," Sig whispered, wreathing his arm around her shoulders, "it's gonna be okay. Just a passing storm."

"Did I-did I give you permission to touch me?" She raised her hand as if to shove him, but he took that trembling hand and set it back in her lap. "What are you-? What are you doing?"

"It's okay to be upset," he said, his expression still unreadable, "but I'll be here while the storm passes, okay?" He leaned back, slowly removing his arm and setting it back to his side. "That way, you won't have to cry anymore."

She blinked her final tears. Itching her nose, her inelegance swiftly struck her like a slap to her cheek. Shooting to her feet, she quickly rubbed her face with her sleeve, removing any mucus and tears clinging to her lips and chin.

"Forget you saw that," she ordered, glancing over her shoulder only to sigh, "but thanks...I guess."

He shrugged. "S'okay."

Crossing her arms, Ess glared at the storm. The sooner it passed, the sooner she'd be safe. Rolling her shoulders back, she peered back at Sig, his kindness piquing her curiosity. He hadn't displayed any sort of awareness in their few encounters, only an adoration of bugs and a half-lidded attention span.

Smirking to herself, she shrugged and continued watching the blistering rains pelt the sand. At least she had some company while the storm drenched the beach. Hearing him ask if she wanted to meet the bugs he protected under his scarlet arm, she decided it was better than doing nothing and sat back down by his side.