October 30th, 2:45 a.m.
To: Konrad Lorenz
Subject: Abnormal Whale Behavior
Dr. Lorenz:
I am writing to inform you of a report of abnormal humpback whale behavior observed in the Pacific Ocean. It is my hope that an accomplished animal behaviorist such as yourself will have some answers pertaining to this event. A group of researchers was observing the migration habits of a humpback whale pod and its calves, when one diver reported hearing a strange noise. Following this noise, the whales began acting aggressively, aggressively enough to result in the death of the reporting diver. Any ideas you have as to the cause of this aggression would be very helpful to my investigation.
Matthias Louvier
November 29th, 5:14 p.m.
To: Matthias Louvier
Subject: Re: Abnormal Whale Behavior
Lieber Matthias,
This case is an interesting one, though perhaps not terribly unusual. I've often found animals to be startled into aggression by sudden, unexpected aural stimuli. I will admit, it does seem out of character for Megaptera novaeangliae to become so unruly, particularly a pod with young calves. However, my studies have been with various birds, not marine life, so I suggest you consult someone whose credentials are more in keeping with the information you are seeking.
Do give my condolences to the family and friends of the diver in question. Such accidents are rare and terribly tragic.
Dr. Konrad Lorenz
Professor of Zoology and Animal Behavior
University of Vienna
November 30th, 7:24 a.m.
To: Jooke Robbins
Subject: Abnormal Whale Behavior
Dr. Robbins:
I am writing to request your aid in analyzing a report of abnormal humpback whale behavior. The report tells of a group of young scientists who were observing a pod when a strange noise was reported by the diver in the group. The diver then reported an increased aggression in the whales. This increased aggression resulted in thrashing behavior. I have previously contacted the animal behaviorist Dr. Konrad Lorenz, and he recommended I seek out someone with experience in whale behavior to continue my research.
Matthias Louvier
December 5th, 12:00 a.m.
To: Matthias Louvier
Subject: Re: Abnormal Whale Behavior
Dear Sir or Madam,
Thank you for your email! The Center for Coastal Studies is doing all they can to ensure that your concern is taken care of. If you're interested in learning more about the problem, we're always delighted to send one of our Wildlife Experts to your school or workplace to educate you more about the wonderful world of whales!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jooke Robbins, Ph.D
Ecology and Marine Biology
Center for Coastal Studies
Provincetown, Massachusetts
(508)-487-3623 x 116
December 5th, 12:43 a.m.
To: Tom Conlin
Subject: Abnormal Whale Behavior
Dr. Conlin:
I am writing to request your aid in discerning the cause of some observed abnormal whale behavior. While studying humpback whales, a diver noticed a strange sound coming from a pendant she wore, causing strange whale aggression. The diver's team reports seeing the whales thrashing about much more than usual. If you have any insight into this case, please let me know, as previous inquiries to other scientists have been as of yet unfruitful.
Matthias Louvier
February 24th, 6:14 p.m.
To: Matthias Louvier
Subject: Re: Abnormal Whale Behavior
Dear Mr. Louvier,
I've had over 23 years working with whales, and humpback whales in particular, and it seems to me that behavior like what you've described is highly unlikely. For one, humpback whales are rarely very aggressive at all, even when protecting young. And it sounds like you're suggesting that the aggression was caused by a sound coming from a pendant? For all that such a production of sound would be nearly impossible, it seems even more impossible to me that a pod of humpback whales would react to something like that, particularly aggressively. Never in my experience have I seen even a suggestion of such a thing.
No, Mr. Louvier, I think this was mere coincidence and nothing more. Stories like these happen only in legends, not in the real, practical world. If you can replicate the incident, I might be more inclined to believe in some connection between this pendant and whatever happened to your team. But for now, I suggest you keep a clear distinction between what is true and what is simply an overactive imagination.
Yours,
Tom Conlin
Adventure Aquatics
Matthias slammed his laptop shut, pounding his fist on the table in frustration. It'd been months, and this was only the last in a long chain of emails with various experts. And still, nothing. Not even a hint of an explanation.
He felt for Alana's pendant, hanging on its chain around his neck. He never took it off, not even for diving, even though Jean Eric had cautioned him, worried that whatever it was that had happened, could happen again. There were days Matthias almost wished it would. Then, at least, he'd have an answer.
"Daddy?"
Matthias blinked, shaking himself free of his anger, and looked across the table. Oceana, now just past her third birthday, stood watching him curiously. "You okay, Daddy?"
"I'm-" Matthias started, then stopped, hardly sure how to respond. Before he got the chance to think it through, however, Jean Eric was there, snatching up his granddaughter and carrying her away.
"Now, come on, Oceana," he said, bouncing the girl on his hip so she squealed in delight. "Daddy's very busy right now. We wouldn't want to get in his way." With one worried glance back at his son, Jean Eric carried Oceana away, to the other side of the island.
"I really don't mind," Matthias said, but he was so quiet and Jean Eric so far away that he didn't hear.
Oceana had left what she had been holding on the table next to him: her pendant.
Matthias sighed. He wasn't sure where the months had gone. The memory of… that… was fresh enough in his mind that it could have been yesterday. But in reality, half a year had gone by, and his daughter was growing up. Growing up without him.
Shaking his head, Matthias opened his laptop again, pulling up his email and rereading the most recent one. Stories like these happen only in legends… He gritted his teeth at the man's tone, but perhaps he had a point. Only in legends…
With new resolution, Matthias opened a new window, doing a quick internet search. Within minutes, he had sent off another email. A desperate one, perhaps, but Matthias was unable to give up the search for an answer.
March 1st, 3:17 p.m.
To: Alan Dundes
Subject: Whale Legends
Dr. Dundes:
A strange happening occurred a few months back in which a group of humpback whales responded very aggressively to a sound projected by a pendant. Scientifically, this phenomenon cannot be explained, and I have been assured that behavior of this kind is highly irregular, so I am left only with an explanation in folklore. If you can find any answers for me, it would be much appreciated. You are my last hope.
Matthias Louvier
April 27th, 4:23 p.m.
To: Matthias Louvier
Subject: Re: Whale Legends
Mr. Louvier,
In all of my time as a folklore professor, I must say I have never received a request like this one. Your email so intrigued me that I decided to do a little research on the topic. What I and my colleagues have found is very interesting: A legend speaks of a civilization called the Okeanides who could control sea dragons with music. The legend also speaks of a certain "dragon flute" that would make noise underwater, called the "Song of Dragons."
I doubt any of this is very useful, as it does not seem to be a very reliable legend, having only been told in one culture and filtering through many generations, but I could not resist to share my findings. The ability of folklore to explain away the unexplainable, while doubted by most, is remarkable, and you seem in a position to accept even the slightest explanation.
I have attached all the information I could find on the subject, on the off chance that it proves useful to you. Please feel free to peruse it at your leisure.
All the best,
Dr. Alan Dundes, Ph.d
Distinguished Professor of Folklore
University of California, Berkeley
Song_of_Dragons (74k)
Okeanide_Culture (85k)
Dragon_Flute (63k)
Matthias read the email feverishly, immediately opening the attached document and reading that too. The Song of Dragons… Here, at last, he was being taken seriously. Here was someone acknowledging that such a thing was possible. The more he read, the more he was certain that this had to be it.
In some, perhaps more reasonable corner of his mind, he acknowledged his certainty as simply wishful thinking and desperation, but he clung to it nonetheless.
He looked down and realized his hand was clenched around the pendant. Matthias released the lapis lazuli piece, then, as he stared at it, was struck by a sudden conviction. Snatching up the pendant Oceana had left, he strode into the cabin, grabbing up his old tools, and sat down on the bed, meticulously carving a message into the deep blue stone.
When at last he was finished, he blew off the shavings and walked outside, holding it up to the light. Smiling for the first time in months, Matthias read what he'd written:
The road to truth is the Song of Dragons.
A.N: Hello, dears! We're back, finally. Apologies for the wait. Life intervenes and our schedules only rarely line up. However, we have a new chapter for you, written in only a few hours, which is definitely a record. We planned it out on a napkin, as all genius is ;) I must admit, you're getting a new chapter today largely in response to the efforts of one Joseph M., who was kind enough to give us not one but three reviews. Joseph, whoever you are, we salute you. (And caution you not to put that much of your real name online. Tsk.)
Anyway, we hope you enjoyed this chapter. The format was different from anything either of us has ever done, which is saying a good deal more for me than for my coauthor here, but it was rather a lot of fun. Hopefully it does what we intended it to do. And if not, do let us know, yes?
-Forever the Optimist