Author's Note: The usual disclaimer: All Alvin and the Chipmunks characters are copyright to their original creators. But the story, and my original characters are all my own work.
This is the next to last part of Neptune's Palace. It took me a while to upload it because of difficulties with the files I was using, plus uploading issues with my internet provider. But I'll upload these last two parts in succession, that way all of you have the whole story to enjoy.
I really enjoyed writing this, and I thank everyone for their comments and reviews. They've been both enlightening and encouraging, and it's been a fun experience. I hope I can actually have opportunities to write more as I have the time to do so and hopefully with not as much trouble.
Neptune's Palace - Part 7
Theodore didn't expect to take as many loops, dives, or ducks as he'd done when chasing after the trident with Remy. Sure, the underwater world they swam within was very beautiful - the many different colors of the coral spanned across all parts of the rainbow, and the fish that swam in schools past were of so many different types that they went beyond all the ones that Theodore learned about in school.
He didn't have the time to take them all in. Matter of fact, it took as much energy to try to keep up with the trident and avoid all the sealife that he and Remy passed in the process. Theodore'd nearly plowed into a puffer fish when the trident took a sharp turn past one of the reefs, and he'd had to do some creative moves to avoid it and the school of minnows that were nearby. One of the minnows had to shield its child from the score of bubbles Theodore and Remy left behind. He called out an apology before speeding forward, but didn't feel all that good about it when one of the tiny minnow children stuck his fish tongue out at them.
There was something else about the chase that worried him too. At first, Remy had been far ahead of him, and the two of them were matched for a while as they swam against the current of the water along the path the rogue trident rushed. It didn't help that the trident left behind a burst of bubbles, which sometimes slowed them down. But Theodore noticed after a while, Remy was getting further behind, holding his arm in spurts. He wondered if Remy was hurting more than he let on after the mean pirate captain attacked him.
Not that he could blame Remy for slowing down. Theodore was starting to get dizzy from the rush, and he was nearly out of breath with how far they'd chased it. Well, as far as breath could carry him underwater. He still couldn't believe he could breathe underwater and not have to go up to the surface for air.
The trident slowed as they approached a large area of underwater caves, going in through what were dark entryways with no light in them.
A current of water blew against them whenever they tried to go down the path the trident took, bubbles streaming around them from the force of the water as well as their breaths in the water. It went into a dark place where Theodore couldn't see anything, and he'd never liked dark places.
Remy grabbed ahold of the side of the cave, as the water blew him back.
"We've gotta swim through this, Theodore. I don't think there's any other way in," Remy said.
"But how? The water's too strong!"
Remy thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up with recognition. "I've got it. Use your super sticky legs on the side of the cave. They should work, right?"
Theodore grinned. "Got it!" He took his octi-legs and attached himself firmly to the rocky walls. From there, it was a a slow push through the water that blew against them. They were able to get out of it just in time to see the trident turning a corner in the furthest area of the underwater cave.
"Let's go!" Theodore encouraged. Remy nodded, and the two of them swam alongside each other after the trident.
They swam a distance before settling into a room with several statues and three passages that had oddly shaped locks - some curved and others pointed indentations. A watery reflection surrounded them in the room, which had an eerie glow. It reminded Theodore of the water reflections he'd seen on the ceiling of the Hall of Rivers.
Almost immediately, the trident lost its glow and drifted to the sandy floor in the middle of the area.
"I thought it'd never stop." Remy said, heaving a sigh of relief while holding the side of his arm.
"Me neither. Where are we?" Theodore asked, looking around the room.
"Don't know, but it looks like we can't really go anywhere from here. Not without undoing some of the locks. We don't have a key for any of these."
Theodore groaned, but then looked at some of the way the locks were shaped. Remy studied some of the lock patterns too.
"Let's look around and see if there's anything that might help us," Theodore suggested.
"Good idea," Remy followed. The two looked in just about every crevasse and under every rock and seashell within the room. But nothing stood out to help them with how to open the locks.
Theodore decided after searching for several minutes, he wanted to take a break. He leaned against a nearby wall, but suddenly the area gave way behind him. He lurched upward, crying out before slamming straight into Remy.
Remy spun in the water a little, before helping Theodore right himself.
"What gives?" Remy asked.
But then the two of them saw that the area where Theodore had been, and gasped at the sight.
"Whoa, check that out," Remy said.
Remy swam toward the glowing area of wall, where several glowing hieroglyphics were etched into the rock, illuminating the room enough to where they could see all the areas of the circular cave, and it revealed the statues and caves to a point where they could see them more clearly.
Remy studied the wall, his forefinger and thumb under his chin. "Looks like we're gonna have to move both the statues and push some of the buttons on each of the caves to unlock them Theodore. Only thing is...we don't know what's behind any of them."
That made Theodore tremble. "W-w-what if there's a big scary monster behind one of these?"
Remy frowned, looking almost as worried as Theodore felt. "I guess we have to chance it. I mean...wait a sec. Theodore, I think this wall will tell us what's behind each cave - look at the pictures."
Theodore studied where Remy pointed on the wall, and saw a series of carved figures where each of what looked like caves were located.
"The first one looks like it doesn't lead to anything, so I guess we shouldn't bother trying to open that one," Remy said.
"I don't think it works that way," Theodore noted as he looked over the arrows and pictures. "This looks like it'll open all of the caves at the same time. I mean look at the way the arrows point after the code - it means when we do all the things it says on this wall, everything will open up."
"Oh! That makes sense." Remy said. "But that also means that whatever's behind each of these walls, we'll have to face them going in, or coming out."
Theodore swallowed against the lump in his throat.
"Let's see," Remy said. "First cave doesn't lead to anything. The second cave's got the trident and..." He trailed off in surprise looking at the mercreature with the tail holding a majestic representation of the trident.
"King Neptune!" Remy and Theodore said it at the same time.
"I bet that's where he lives!" Theodore said.
"But what's behind the third cave...I can' t tell what that is." Remy said, squinting his eyes. "It looks like someone tried to scratch it out or something."
"It looks like a fish to me," Theodore said. "Maybe it's where a bunch of fish live or something."
"Hmm, maybe. Let's go ahead and open it and then we'll go from there. I think we need to go right to see King Neptune though. Not that this doesn't seem like a cool place to look around."
Theodore nodded. "Yeah, I've gotta get back home and tell everybody what happened." He frowned, folding his arms across his chest.
"What's wrong?" Remy asked.
"I feel really bad leaving everyone behind, and I didn't even get a chance to tell them how long I'd be gone. Instead, I got caught by all of those bad guys."
"Yeah. Lex, Reed, and Siran." Remy said, frowning. "Don't worry, I bet Alvin and Simon are probably looking for you, Theodore. They wouldn't leave you behind. You guys are always so awesome when you perform, and you even know the Chipettes too."
Theodore grinned. "Wow, you know a lot about us, Remy."
Remy's face flushed, and he ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "Well, I kinda follow you guys for your music. I see you on TV all the time."
Theodore felt his own face flush. "Then I'll definitely introduce you to everybody when we get out of here."
"I just hope they don't run into as much trouble as we did." Remy added, while holding the side of his arm. "Come on, let's get these caves open."
"Well, as I always say, when one spoiled fruit comes into your basket, the rest is bound to rotten the experience." Lex grumbled as he looked around the room at the Chipmunks and Chipettes (minus Theodore).
"It's nice that you take this situation lightly, Lex. From the way I see it, our plans have been severely compromised. Which means I am all in favor of taking drastic measures." Siran said, his hands returning to their normal texture.
Alvin scowled as he struggled against the watery cuffs that bound him against the watery mirrors of the attraction. Simon and the Chipettes were held captive in the same way.
Simon groaned beside him. "Alvin, you're really not helping this situation."
"I'm trying to get out of here - and if you knew any better, you'd try too! Besides, aren't these things just water, anyway?"
"Not just the aqueous form by my calculations. The hydrogen and oxygen molecules are rearranged in such a way that it's actively shifting between different states and with a force to keep us bound. It's fascinating because it shouldn't do this with the current temperature in the room."
Alvin raised one eyebrow at Simon. "Um...what?"
Simon rolled his eyes. "I'm saying that the water that's holding us is somewhere between liquid and ice. And actively changing between the two so we don't escape."
"I don't care what's shifting or what's not shifting, unless it means we get out of here. Doesn't anyone know how to treat a lady anymore?" Brittany complained.
Eleanor and Jeanette looked between each other and sighed.
"Silence!" Siran snapped, and from the thunderous tone of his voice, everyone fell silent, at least for about twenty seconds until Alvin broke it.
"So let me get this straight - you're going to try to get rid of us because we know your evil plans? We know you were planning to take over Neptune's Palace, but you had to kidnap our brother and a kid to do it? Well you messed with the wrong chipmunks! Don't you think you'll get away with this, buster!"
Lex laughed. "It was actually a more extensive plan than that. You see, Reed, Siran and I had our own plans to open up a circus here instead of a water park. Siran has the power to manipulate water in all its variant states, so the cuffs that bind you can, as you have said, " Lex said, nodding to Simon, then leaned closer to Alvin's face, "shift between different states. He can even change the temperature of the water at his will. Observe."
Siran nodded and his hands liquefied again. The watery cuffs binding Alvin's hands started glowing red and he shouted a series of "OW"s before the temperature cooled and returned to normal.
"In case you're confused, I am NOT a guinea pig, I'm a chipmunk! So I don't appreciate being used in some experiment. And I do NOT like getting burned!"
Alvin's nose defiantly pressed against Lex's. Lex frowned and continued his explanation.
"In any case, we didn't realize that the twins had bought out the property. Worse yet, they dedicate their park to the Roman God of Water, who just so happens to be Siran's father. Talk about the greatest insult. Powerful insult, but insult nonetheless."
"What?" All of the Chipmunks and Chipettes cried out.
"Yes, Neptune, the god of everything related to the sea, is my father." Siran said. "You could say that I've spent my life trying to rid myself of him and this cursed power I possess. I found that the statue brought into this park was a link to his spirit, so I used my powers to enter his realm and sealed him away, taking the power of his trident and giving it, and many treasures, to a group of pirates sailing the many seas."
"Wait, so he's real?" Brittany asked. "But why would you want to harm your dad?"
"Well, why don't you just look at me?" Siran snapped. Eleanor winced as he shouted. Brittany gasped as she saw his body started to turn into liquid, traveling from his hands, his arms, and even half of his face. "I am cursed as nothing but a man made of water! I can only control my shifting states to a point, but not all the time! Not to where I could live like humans at every moment. There is no justice for being branded as a freak of nature who can never be seen as normal."
Simon nervously laughed. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, the human body is made up of 70% water...so you just have a little bit more than the rest of us do."
"I don't care!" Siran said, interrupting Simon and making him wince. "For years I've sought vengance against my father for making me this way, and leaving my mother and me behind. But when I finally had the opportunity to travel into the dimension and seal him away, in comes that boy."
"You mean Remy Turant?" Alvin asked.
Lex nodded. "Remy threw our initial plans out of scope, but then we realized we could use him. Siran originally wanted to kill him."
That made all the Chipmunks and Chipettes gulp at the same time.
"But Lex convinced him that we could use the boy as another means - to banish him in the dimension with his father - have them both bound to the seas for all eternity. But then your brother came waltzing in," Reed said.
"If Theodore had never come back to Neptune's Palace when he did..." Eleanor began.
"...He never would've been caught by them." Jeanette finished, pouting.
"This is all my fault. I encouraged him to face his fears, and look what happened," Eleanor said, uttering a few sniffles that made Brittany and Jeanette turn to her, concerned.
"No, I think this is all our fault." Alvin said, frowning. "I mean, if he was so scared, he should've came to us and then we would've all had to deal with these jerks together." Alvin threw a angry glance over towards Siran, who stared back with such a menacing expression that Alvin realized he was outdone. He laughed nervously.
"I'm really not sure about this. You're just gonna banish them all?" Reed said. "I think someone's bound to figure out that both The Chipmunks and Chipettes are missing!"
"Yes, but that'll fall on the brothers' hands, not ours. I think I can arrange the blame quite nicely on them. And with the amount of money that David Seville has from producing their music, I'm sure that he'd sue enough for the park to shut down if he felt the brothers were somehow responsible for what happened to both the Chipmunks and Chipettes. It'll be the final curtain call for everyone in the park," Siran said.
"Dave would never do something like that!" Alvin snapped.
"I don't know, he'd be pretty upset if anything happened to any of us." Brittany said, sighing. "Miss Miller too."
"Well, think about it this way, at least where you're going, you'll get a chance to live and see your brother. But you'll be there forever." Siran said, laughing.
"We're totally doomed," Alvin said, hanging his head.
"Let's see. We press the shell on this wall..." Theodore said as he punched an impression in the wall beside one of the cave openings. It glowed in response, which startled him at first with how bright it glowed, but he grinned when he realized that it was the right move to make. They'd been pressing symbols according to the sequence in the cave drawings, and it'd taken them quite a while to do, but they were finally on the last stretch before the wall doors would open.
"Then there's the mermaid silhouette on this wall," Remy finished, following in sequence. He positioned himself at the first cave door, while Theodore was at the third. "Now we have to push the starfish symbols at the same time. Ready, Theodore?"
"Ready!" Theodore shouted.
"On the count of three, then. One, two...three!"
They mashed the last sequence in unison. That was when the whole area started to shake, and threw them both off-balance. The vibration sent Theodore spiraling backward, but he used his octilegs to keep him rooted at the last moment, and placed his hands out to steady Remy before he could float back too far.
The area shook as all three of the caves opened at the same time, and it didn't stop until all were completely exposed and open to travel through. Remy and Theodore steadied themselves, still rattled by the sudden quake they'd felt.
"I guess that means we can go through now," Remy said, taking a huge breath and blowing out bubbles, his chest puffed as if he were gearing himself for a fight. He still had his hand over his injured arm, and Theodore noticed he looked even paler than he'd been before.
"Remy, you okay?" he asked.
Remy shrugged. "Just tired, I guess. We've gotta keep moving though. King Neptune should be through that second cave. The sooner we can get his trident back to him, the better."
Remy turned toward to where the trident rested in the middle of the area, and noticed it moving spastically in one place in the water.
"What's it doing now?"
"I dunno." Theodore said, watching the trident. It glowed as usual, but it was flipping up and down on each of its ends like a seesaw on a playground.
That's when the two of them heard a loud, rattling crash that shook the area again.
"W-w-what was that?" Theodore stammered.
Remy couldn't get a response out quick enough when they saw a large glowing figure emerge from the third cave. But it wasn't King Neptune or anything they'd expected to see. It was large, dark, with an active electric surge rippling over the powerful ridges of its body. It had menacing blue eyes that stared them down, the same hue as the electric charge around it.
"You've gotta be kidding," Remy managed, his lips parted in shock.
"What is it?" Theodore asked, barely able to speak.
"Probably the biggest electric eel I've ever seen in my life, only I haven't seen anything like it."
When the eel bared razor its razor sharp teeth, both Remy and Theodore didn't budge. On the contrary, the sudden glow and lurch of the trident toward the second cave started all three of them, the eel screeching from the streak of light in front of it.
"I think the trident's got the right idea this time. Let's go, Remy!" Theodore shouted, and the two of them swam for their lives as the giant eel raced after them.
"I've called everywhere, David, but the boys and the girls don't seem to be with anyone we know. I hope you had better luck than I did." Miss Miller crossed her arms, and looked some odd combination of vexed and worried that Dave hadn't seen from her in some time.
Dave ran his fingers through his hair, standing at his doorway while leaning in the open doorframe. "I've called the police and everyone I can think of, Miss Miller. I just don't know where they would be at this hour. There's nothing possibly open at this hour that we haven't already checked." He sighed, closing his eyes and trying to steady his breaths.
They'd spent the last hour or so calling everyone they could think of, and searching the neighborhood, even going door to door with their neighbors to see if anyone knew where they'd been. The energy he'd spent during that time had been driven in part with worry and in part with anger that they weren't anywhere to be found. Now guilt was starting to set in with fatigue, and he wasn't sure where one thought began and where another ended.
"At this point, I just want them home," Dave admitted. "This is all my fault."
"Now, David, don't you start that talk," Miss Miller scolded, her tone firm, but softer than it'd been minutes before. "But I'll admit - I'm worried about all the confounded disappearances that have been going around this neighborhood. And it worries me ever since that poor little boy went missing from the water park..."
"Wait...what boy?" Dave's head snapped up and he stared at Miss Miller.
"What, have you been living under a rock? It's been all over the news, not to mention the neighborhood watch!" Miss Miller said, shaking her head. Dave heard about the disappearance of the boy named Remy, and that he'd last been seen at Neptune's Palace.
Suddenly, everything snapped into place in Dave's mind. I wouldn't doubt that's where the boys went, he thought. Knowing Alvin, that's probably exactly the place. I don't know how or why they'd be there, but it definitely sounds like something he'd do.
"I know where they are, Miss Miller," Dave said, determined. "I think we'd better get over there right now."
"We can take my car," she said, taking his cue and pulling him by the arm toward her vehicle before he could protest. "We'll be there in a jiffy."
"If you don't mind, I'll drive," Dave said. The last thing he needed to add to his already queasy stomach was Miss Miller's reckless driving.