A/N Hello everyone, welcome to another chapter of Endure and Survive, where our two protagonists get involved in another adventure that will take place underwater this time, so I hope you're excited since things will occur with Jack and Brad encountering Aku again so, without further ado, let's begin.
I couldn't help but scrunch up my muzzle at the disgusting scent of pollution and dead fish in the air while Jack and I had arrived in a harbor with oil rigs and massive buildings as we went into a bar to rest for a short time before we could continue on our journey, then we ordered our drinks and sat down at a table that had a fisherman and two amphibians occupying it until we asked if he ever heard of a way to travel back in time and he started telling us a story.
"Aye, I know of such a thing, but a tale must be told of a fisherman's story about the triseraquin, the most elusive creature in the sea...yes, the triseraquin," the fisherman told us just before a waitress came over with our drinks.
"All right, who ordered the green tea and a bottle of beer?" the waitress asked before Jack and I each held up a finger, then she handed us our drinks and I gestured for the fisherman to continue as Jack and I started sipping from our drinks.
"But I caught one once seven years ago off of tempest point, braving those waters for three days without a single bite but, on the third day, something bit and it was something big," the fisherman continued.
"What is this creature that you've encountered?" Jack asked and the fisherman gazed at him.
"On this point, you two have to trust me because I let the triseraquin go," the fisherman added before the other two patrons next to him started grumbling skeptically and the man glared at them before retorting, "Oh pipe down, you damn gunnysacks!"
"So, you let the triseraquin go?" I inquired curiously and the man nodded.
"Yes, I let him go and in return, he told me about the secret hidden city at the bottom of the ocean...Oceanis and the treasure that lies within it," the fisherman answered as Jack and I shared a look before returning our attention to him.
"What is this treasure you speak of?" Jack questioned.
"A machine...a time machine," the fisherman said before the patron on the left rolled his eyes.
"Oh, give me a fucking break," the patron muttered in annoyance but the fisherman ignored him.
"It'll take a brave man to make the trip since the waters past tempest point aren't for the meek, but you look like brave men...brave men indeed," the fisherman stated with a chuckle as Jack and I finished our drinks and got up to leave.
"Thanks for the information," I said before Jack and I left the bar and went to purchase a boat in the harbor.
After that, we bought a small boat and drove it out into the ocean and spent the next three days keeping our eyes open until the waves started getting rough, Jack and I struggling to make sure that we didn't go overboard until a giant wave rose up before us like an angry creature with Jack and I widening our eyes in horror.
"Oh fuck, turn!" I exclaimed in alarm, and Jack tried to steer us away from the massive wave, only it was too late when the wave crashed onto us and sent us underwater before we swam up and emerged but part of the boat fell and broke over our heads with the two of us being sent under again as the samurai was rendered unconscious and my head ached something fierce while the nasty hit dazed me and I shook it off.
Jack sank down and pure panic hit me as I swam down after him with gills forming on my neck to help me breathe underwater while I managed to get to him and grab the samurai, then some kind of sea creature with a translucent dome on top its body came out of nowhere and suddenly ate us until we wound up trapped in the dome and I changed my neck back to normal when I discovered that there was oxygen in here.
I quickly checked on Jack and saw a nasty cut on his right temple before feeling frustrated that we didn't have any medical supplies at the moment and any we did have was lost when we went overboard, so I resigned to keeping an eye on him for any changes and hoped that he didn't fall into a coma as the sea creature swam through the ocean while I gazed at all the fish for a while until Jack started stirring and opened his eyes with a grimace, making me look him over as he groaned.
"Bradley, what happened?" Jack questioned while I saw that he wasn't bleeding anymore and felt relieved that he didn't sound dizzy or looked dazed in any way, which meant that he didn't have a concussion.
"You took a knock to the head and was unconscious for a while, but you seem to be fine so there shouldn't be anything to worry about," I assured, then Jack appeared to realize that we were underwater as his eyes widened and he got up before pressing his hands against the dome as he gazed out with a look of disbelief, then his eyes narrowed and he pulled out his sword before I quickly got in his way with an expression of panic.
"Jesus, put that away because we're safe in here so tearing a hole through this thing will cause us to drown!" I exclaimed incredulously, then Jack made a look of realization before putting his sword away and appeared embarrassed.
"Forgive me, I wasn't thinking clearly," Jack told me sheepishly and I sighed.
"It's fine, but now we need to figure out where this thing is taking us so let's wait and see where we're going," I commented before we sat down after that.
I couldn't help but smile as I watched underwater flora and fauna pass by, feeling astonished that we were underwater since I've never gone diving before and I noticed that Jack was also marveling at the sights while everything felt peaceful and for the first time since I wound up here in this reality, I felt safe and it was like we weren't being hunted in the first place as I enjoyed the sights until I spotted something in the distance ahead of us.
I squinted while Jack seemed to have noticed it as well as we got closer, then my jaw dropped open as we started approaching spherical buildings that were held upright by seaweed and that's when I realized that we had found the place we were looking for.
"The hidden city," Jack mumbled in astonishment as we got close and I couldn't help but take out my sketchbook and draw a picture of Oceanis before I was finished and we started passing buildings.
"Holy shit, we actually found it," I said breathlessly, this version of the earth never ceasing to surprise me with the wonders that still existed if you knew where to find them.
The creature moved through the underwater city while Jack and I gazed around in astonishment, enjoying the sights with looks of wonder before I noticed that we were moving away from the city and Jack's eyes widened.
"No, wait!" Jack exclaimed as he ran over to the front, then the creature suddenly squealed in pain before quickly turning right.
"What the hell?" I mumbled in confusion as I walked over to where Jack was and noticed his foot on one of two spots connected to what appears to be a cluster of nerves as Jack looked down and saw it until he removed his foot with the creature squealing again.
I started thinking and had an idea before cringing at the thought of causing this creature pain just so we could get back to our destination, and Jack seemed to have come to the same conclusion as he started controlling the creature and having it swim back to the city as the creature squealed again, then the creature moved through the city again before it approached an opening located on one of the spheres and was sucked up halfway.
Jack and I looked around but before either of us could react, we were sucked out of the creature and spat into the building as we sat on the floor and got up, quickly moving from cover to cover while I took out my bow and got ready to fire an arrow, Jack placing a hand on the handle of his sword as we moved slowly just in case the inhabitants in this strange-looking place wasn't friendly before we moved through a transparent pipe and wound up in some kind of elevator.
The elevator closed and it caused us to look around before I could hear water pouring in, making us look down to see water rising up and causing a look of alarm to appear on Jack's face before the elevator became completely flooded and we floated as we rose up through a tube, then we arrived in some building before the doors in front of us opened with the water pouring out and we laid on the floor.
"Ugh...shit," I muttered as I lifted my head, then had to do a double-take when I saw a group of large green humanoid creatures that looked similar to sea monkeys while they looked down at us and smiled warmly.
Two of the creatures each lowered a hand and I looked at Jack, who appeared hesitant before he reached up to rest his hand on one of the creature's palms until he was lifted up to his feet while I tentatively reached up to take the other creature's hand, it's skin feeling strange as I was also helped up to my feet and put my bow and arrow away since they looked friendly enough for now.
"Don't be afraid, little ones, because we won't hurt you so, tell us, what are your names?" the creature dressed in red asked with a voice that sounded like Alec Guinness.
"J-Jack..." Jack trailed off nervously and the creatures looked at me.
"Um, Brad...and we're sorry for trespassing, but there's a reason why we came here-" I started to explain and was cut off by who I decided to dub as Guinness.
"Jack and Brad? Well...welcome, Jack and Brad. Welcome...to Oceanis," Guinness told us as he and the others started guiding somewhere.
"We are the triseraquins, amphibious beings who reside here," Guinness explained while two others were following us and one of them looked at us.
"Congratulations on surviving your journey," the creature complimented in a voice that sounded like Ringo Starr while the third one started grinning.
"Yes, and without gills too so good show, boys!" the third creature told us with a voice that sounded like Sean Connery as Guinness rested a hand on Jack's shoulder.
"Come, you both must be tired and hungry too since we were just about to have supper and I'm sure we can make room for two more," Guinness offered as he and the others led me and Jack down a hall before coming to a stop at a door.
Starr placed his hand on what appeared to be a scanner of some kind and the door opened to reveal a room that had a table with different kinds of seafood on it as Jack perked up and I smiled slightly since a few reminded me of the food I used to eat back home.
"Sushi!" Jack gasped excitedly before we all sat down at the table with several others and started eating, then the triseraquins simply stared at us while we ate until Guinness raised a goblet filled with something and it got everyone's attention.
"A toast...to our new friends so welcome, Jack and Brad," Guinness announced and the other triseraquins welcomed us as Jack and I held up our goblets.
"Thank you, this is really nice of you guys," I said before we all drank from our goblets and placed them down once we were finished with them.
"Due to the nature of our geography, it's not often that we receive visitors and, in fact, you both are the first...of course, it wasn't always like this since we were once a very social race and once lived on the surface of the ocean while also trading with the locals of the mainland.
That was, of course, before...he came...and banished us to the bottom of the sea," Guinness explained solemnly, then Jack and I sent him looks of sympathy.
"Aku," Jack said and Guinness nodded.
"Yes, but that's ancient history now so enough about us, tell us about yourselves like what brings you both out this far?" Guinness asked before Jack hesitated and closed his eyes until he started showing a pained expression on his face like he was remembering something traumatic.
"Jack, are you okay?" I asked in concern, causing the samurai to open his eyes and look at me.
"Yes, I am well," Jack told me, but I knew that he was evading my question as he looked at the triseraquins and added, "We are humbled by your generosity and much indebted to you all, but the reason we have made this journey to you is to ask-"
"The time machine, yes?" Connery cut in, causing me and Jack to perk up as Starr smiled.
"It's what you two have come for, isn't it?" Starr asked.
"Yeah, you know about it?" I questioned eagerly, then Guinness nodded.
"Of course we know about it since it's ours and once more, we can take you both to it but for now, eat and then rest while we prepare all of the...details," Guinness told us before Jack and I smiled at each other until we regained our attention on Guinness.
"Thank you, we really appreciate this because we've been searching for a month to find a way back to the past," I stated in relief, and with that said, we continued having dinner before it was time to get some rest for now.
Later on, Jack and I had rested up enough before we followed the triseraquins and took one of the sea creatures for transport while I felt excited that we were about to escape this nightmare and Jack looked relieved judging by the look on his face while the sea creature took us, Guinness, and Connery to where the time machine was until we finally arrived at two orange transparent spheres and Jack smiled before the sea creature swam up to the spheres and rested on top of it.
Suddenly, the area we were standing on opened and we each fell inside a sphere as Guinness and Connery left the sea creature before swimming to two consoles from what I could see, then they typed on it as Guinness waved at us and we waved back before Connery gestured at us to stand on white spots on the floor before we followed suit, and he pointed up at the white spots on the ceiling and we placed our hands on them.
Just then, Guinness started looking regretful and it made me feel confused while I started to have a bad feeling about this before Guinness typed on the console and before Jack and I could react, our hands and legs got restrained by some kind of organic matter while my eyes widened.
"Hey, what the hell is going on?!" I exclaimed in alarm while Jack was looking around frantically until a figure came out of the shadows, then I was shocked to see that it was the fisherman Jack and I spoke to three days ago.
"You?" Jack gasped while I was also wondering how the hell the fisherman was breathing underwater until something started to occur to me.
"Yes, me and did you think that this was your way out?" the fisherman questioned, and that's when I saw the long green legs sticking out of him before they stood up fully, then I was stunned completely when the fisherman's body was removed like a suit to reveal that it was Starr.
"No, my friends, you two are our way out," Starr stated, then the betrayal hit me and stung badly as I realized what was going on.
"Son of a bitch...all of this was to lure us here so that we could get captured," I said quietly until I started getting pissed and glowered at them hotly with fury in my eyes as Starr walked over to Guinness.
"There's nothing we can do and sometimes, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," Guinness told us while I was glaring at him angrily.
"We do not understand," Jack said, sounding hurt and confused before I chuckled humorlessly.
"I think I have an idea as to why they stabbed us in the fucking back," I growled darkly while Guinness sighed with an apologetic look.
"Soon, it will all be over...forgive us," Guinness said guiltily just before a rumbling noise started happening at a hole nearby until something shot out, then I gritted my teeth when I saw that it was Aku looking rather smug as he gazed down at us arrogantly.
"Aku!" Jack gasped in disbelief before he looked at the triseraquins.
"Listen, please, you don't know what you are doing because you have no idea who you're dealing with," Jack pleaded as Aku grinned down at the triseraquins.
"Well, well, triseraquins, I am pleased with what I see," Aku boomed gleefully while I knew why they did this as I gazed at the triseraquins.
"Let me guess, he approached you and promised to have Oceanis brought back up to the surface if you captured us for him, am I right?" I accused them, causing the triseraquins to flinch as Aku chuckled menacingly.
"Yes, that is correct and you and the foolish samurai fell for it perfectly, just the way I planned it," Aku taunted before Guinness turned around to look at us.
"Please, understand that we had no choice because it was either us or you two," Guinness reasoned and I shook my head.
"You have no idea of the kind of mistake you just made because Aku isn't someone to be trusted to hold up his side of the deal," I pointed out bitterly as Aku scowled down at me and Jack.
"Enough, it is time for me to rid myself of the samurai while I think some time in the pit of hate will get you to understand why you shouldn't cross the great Aku, young jackal," Aku threatened and I didn't know what the pit of hate was, but I sure as hell didn't like the sound of that as Aku reached down before plucking us out of the seaweed and held our spheres in both hands.
"Goodbye, old friend, and I'll be sure to take good care of your canine companion," Aku declared before he squeezed Jack's sphere and caused a crack to appear on it until the inside started taking in water while Guinness cleared his throat to get Aku's attention.
"Lord Aku, we have filled our obligation to you, so we now ask that you..." Guinness trailed off nervously and Aku looked down at him.
"Fulfill mine? Yes...yes, the obligation, of course...yes, well, it seems that I've...changed my mind and your pathetic city will remain sunken, isolated from the world for as long as I see fit!" Aku shouted before letting out a twisted laugh while the triseraquins looked horrified to hear that, then they started looking pissed and whispered to each other until they pressed buttons that were on the middle of their suits.
Pretty soon, many triseraquins came out of the shadows with spearguns and armor before they started approaching Aku, who looked around at the army in confusion before the triseraquins fired their spearguns and the spears shot at Aku as he started laughing amusingly.
"Fools!" Aku yelled before he shot back into the hole with the spears missing him in seconds while Jack and I were forced to watch as our spheres simply floated underwater.
I was tense and wondering what Aku was planning before black tentacles and a pair of eyes grew out of the ground as the tentacles started restraining the armed triseraquins and squeezing them before they were thrown into other soldiers or stone until more soldiers arrived while riding on giant piranha-looking fish, firing gatling guns that had spears made out of bones and the tentacles with eyes sank back into the ground before the spears could hit them.
The soldiers circled around and looked for Aku before one of them pointed at something until Aku came out of nowhere in the form of a manta ray and swung his fins, causing a shock wave that sent the soldiers away and they crashed into more stone as the shock wave hit Oceanis and broke a couple of buildings while I felt helpless and didn't know what to do since I was currently restrained.
Pretty soon, a bunch of giant puffer fish arrived and swelled up before their spines shot at Aku and hit him, causing an underwater explosion but I knew that wouldn't be able to kill him and I was proven right when the bubbles cleared to show Aku completely unaffected by the attack as the demon laughed at their efforts to kill him.
"Can you not see? Aku is beyond destruction," Aku boasted before he spread his fins, then his form started changing again as his fins, tail, and horns melded into his body that was altering into a spherical shape before tentacles formed and his body changed into an octopus.
"Now, you will pay for your insolence," Aku growled before his tentacles lashed out and grabbed a few pufferfish.
Aku started squeezing them and threw one before it crashed into one of the buildings in Oceanis before an explosion erupted and killed the animal while the other ones in Aku's grasp were crushed to death with blood pouring out of them like an inky cloud while I was horrified by how this was becoming a massacre as more buildings were being freed from the seaweed and floated up to the surface.
What really made me start to panic was seeing Jack's sphere getting flooded completely and forcing the samurai to hold his breath before I started struggling wildly until I realized that I could cut my way out, then I formed my arms into blades and sliced though the organic matter restraining my arms and legs before I went over to the glass as Aku noticed Jack trying to stay alive and leered at him.
"It is pointless to struggle, so accept your fate," Aku stated while Jack struggled to get free and glared at him defiantly, making the demon shapeshifter laugh as I sliced my way out of the sphere and changed into a shark before beginning my approach to Aku.
"A brave warrior to the end, eh?" Aku mocked until I arrived like a missile and attacked Aku by biting down on him, causing the monster to yell in pain as Jack was rescued by the triseraquins until Aku slapped me away with a tentacle and glared at me.
"Insolent child, I will show you the true meaning of suffering for attacking me in such a manner!" Aku snarled before he attempted to whack or grab me with his tentacles, making me dodge and weave until Aku noticed that Jack and the triseraquins were getting away and he went after them with me chasing from behind.
Aku kept chasing the sea creature with Jack and the three triseraquins inside while I was trying to intercept the demon until the sea creature turned around suddenly and charged at Aku before it got close, then Aku opened his mouth to eat them before Jack shot out of the sea creature like a torpedo with his sword out and flew into Aku's mouth, making me feel alarmed before the back of Aku's head bulged and Jack pierced his way out from the other side like a spear as Aku screamed in pain.
"The sword!" Aku yelled in agony as I swam over to Jack and gave him a ride, just as Aku started deforming into black goo.
"This is not over, Samurai Jack and Bradley Chase, for we shall meet again," Aku groaned before he flowed away, then I swam us over to Oceanis and I changed back into my jackal form before we got inside as the city surfaced and used an elevator to arrive at an exit until the doors opened and showed us the surface while Jack and I were with the other three triseraquins.
"It's so beautiful," Connery commented in astonishment, then I noticed Guinness looking at me and Jack with a hesitant look before he sighed.
"I...Jack, Brad...there's something...I...the way we...betrayed you two...it...is unforgivable...I..." Guinness struggled to say with a look of shame and seeing just how he and the others were looking so guilty made me sigh tiredly as Jack rested a hand on Guinness's shoulder.
"We understand, Aku's deceit runs deep and even a good heart can be tainted in the hands of Aku," Jack told Guinness, who nodded regretfully while I didn't feel angry at him and the other triseraquins anymore.
"Hey, there was never a time machine, was there?" I questioned and seeing Guinness look away shamefully told me everything as Jack started looking solemn.
"Our quest continues, Bradley," Jack told me with disappointment and sorrow in his voice.
"But if we could perhaps be of assistance to you both in any other way?" Guinness offered while Connery and Starr nodded sheepishly, then Jack and I shared a look before we began smiling and regained our attention on Guinness.
"Well...there is one thing..." I said before Jack and I started telling Guinness what we wanted to make up for betraying us.
After that, we had gotten what we requested and the triseraquins gave us a ride back to the mainland until we said our goodbyes and continued traveling before we wound up in a forest and our stomachs started growling, then Jack laid down the sack he was holding and opened it to reveal a bunch of seafood as we sat down and started eating but then I thought about my friends and family back home as I began frowning and started feeling depressed while Jack seemed to have noticed that something was bothering me.
"What troubles you, Bradley?" Jack asked in concern, causing me to sigh as I stopped staring at the ground and looked at him.
"It's just...we've been traveling for a month now and still haven't found a way back to the past yet and the one time we did find a way was destroyed by Aku...I miss everyone that's waiting for me back home and they must be terrified right now, wondering what happened to me and if I'm alive or dead," I admitted quietly, then Jack looked at me sympathetically.
"I understand your pain because I miss my homeland, as well as those who reside in it and it's why we must not give up hope or all is lost," Jack told me wisely and I nodded.
"I know...this whole thing is starting to drain me and fighting for survival daily is beginning to affect me mentally, so I'm glad to have you around to help inspire me to keep going or I would've lost it already if I was on my own throughout all of this," I said gratefully with a small weary smile, and Jack nodded before we continued eating as things became silent between us after that.
A/N Looks like Brad is starting to become affected by being trapped in Aku's hellish future and forced to survive daily so we can only hope that he stays sane throughout his journey with Jack to find a way home, now things are going to get interesting in the next chapter because Jack and Brad will encounter someone who had been forced to live a cursed life that's caused by Aku so let me know what you think about this chapter and stay tuned.
