A/N: In which Lloyd is actually smart(ish)
They had been swimming for a while, and Genis and Raine were growing tired. Lloyd and Kratos were still fine, though Lloyd insisted Kratos slow down a bit for the other two.
Finally Kratos called, "Just a little further. It's past this next reef."
As the group rounded it, Lloyd gasped. A large city stood proudly, crafted into the reefs as Raine had said. It spiralled up and up, and Lloyd could see the various mermaids swimming around it. Fish also swam, and he thought he saw a couple of sharks, dolphins, and other sea creatures as well.
"We can rest here for the night, then continue tomorrow. If your friend has been captured by the Desians like you say, then they will likely head to our largest city," Kratos said as they approached.
They headed into it, weaving through the reefs as well as around people. Lloyd gazed at it in amazement, while Raine and Genis looked hesitant.
"Is it not up to your...standards?" Kratos asked, the slight distaste sneaking into his tone.
"...It merely goes agains our faith to be here. We have been taught that living here even for a short while will taint us," Raine replied finally, her gaze cold.
"And yet you seem fine with it," Kratos noted, looking at Lloyd.
"I don't follow the church," Lloyd replied with a shrug, lazily turning upside down to stare up at the surface far above them. "We all live on this world, so I don't get why we can't all get along. Elves, humans, dwarves, mermaids, and any of the half's that exist between them. There's nothing wrong with any of them existing, so why do we have to fight about it?"
Kratos gazed at him in surprise for a moment, then turned away. "...You speak wise words for such a young child."
"Nah, I'm not wise. I just want everyone to be happy," Lloyd said, glancing at Genis with a grin.
"It's still a view many could learn from," Kratos said, glancing at the other two.
"I don't want you lecturing me. If the mermaids hadn't attacked the humans, they would never have been banished in the first place. It crushed Martel to have to banish them, but she did it for peace with the other races."
Kratos closed his eyes, turning away. "It would do you well to know the whole story before you quote bits and pieces," he replied, before flicking his tail and swimming ahead a little.
"Come on Sis, let's not get on his bad side. We want to find Colette quickly," Genis pleaded.
"Until he stops trying to lecture me, I will continue to point out the wrongdoings of his kind. It's about time the mermaids admit to what they did," Raine said.
There was very little to tell the difference between night and day underwater, though it did get darker as the day wore on. There were certain fish that also apparently started swimming around the cities when it was night, and most people would turn in for the night when they appeared.
Lloyd couldn't sleep. He was still too excited, as well as a little apprehensive. It was invigorating to finally be learning about the mermaids, and be interacting with them, as well as really being able to be a mermaid. After so many years of hiding it, he was allowed to actually act like one, though he still had to pretend it was the necklace making him a mermaid.
The door was opened, and he turned to it, watching as Kratos entered. The walls of the 'rooms' were tough, but the areas where the doors were seemed to be made of a softer coral that would move. Apparently it was just due to how the mermaids manipulated it, but Lloyd still thought it was cool.
"Hey Kratos. What's up?" he asked, resting on the edge of more foamy coral that acted as a bed.
"I merely wished to ask a few questions, if you don't mind me intruding," Kratos replied.
"Sure, go ahead. I probably can't tell you some stuff, but I'll do my best," Lloyd grinned.
Kratos lowered himself so that they were about the same height, his tail curled behind him. "You did not need me to unblock your voice. That would make you a mermaid, correct?"
"Yep."
"And yet those two quite clearly think you're human."
"Actually, Genis knows I'm part mermaid too."
"'Part'?"
"I'm half-human, half-mermaid. When I'm on land, I have legs, and in the water I have a tail."
"You were raised by humans while being half-mermaid?" Kratos asked, surprised.
"No, my step-dad is a dwarf called Dirk."
"And your friends are elves."
"Well...kinda." Kratos looked confused, but Lloyd shook his head. "Not my decision to tell you that bit."
"Very well. You certainly are an individualistic creature. You're not the first half-mermaid I've met, but you are the first to be so connected to all four races."
"I'm surprised you helped us, knowing we weren't mermaids. I thought all mermaids hated the people who lived on the land."
"No...Many of us are long since over our angered dispositions. There are a few who remain, of course, but we know the truth that the land-livers do not, and so we merely feel pity for them."
"The truth? What's that?" asked Lloyd, curiousity sparked.
Kratos glanced at him. "I cannot tell you much, but I will say this; Martel did not banish us to the sea, nor was it because the mermaids were attacking the humans unfairly." With that he turned, heading back out of the room and closing the door behind him. Lloyd frowned, lying back on the coral and sighing.
"What the hell does that mean?" he mumbled, gazing up at the ceiling in confusion.
Colette blinked her eyes open, sitting up groggily. Her head was hurting, but luckily not as badly as she thought it would.
Looking around, she realised she was in some sort of cell. The walls were made of a pinkish coral, but as she touched it, she realised it was incredibly sturdy.
"Where am I?" she murmured, standing up. There wasn't any water in here, and she was able to breath normally. Blinking, she quickly reached up to her neck, sighing in relief when she realised the necklace was still there.
She walked over to the bars, looking through them. There were several other cells, with some more young girls sitting in them. Most were unconcious or crying, and Colette felt pity worm through her. Sighing, she looked away from them and focused on the bars. Reaching out a hand, she felt a sort of barrier around the cell. Pushing through it, she felt water, before drawing back. Her arm was now wet, and she considered this.
"Am I in some sort of air pocket?" she wondered, remembering Raine telling the class about them.
"You're rather smart for a human," someone said, and she watched as a mermaid with a golden-yellow tail swam towards her. He stopped infront of her cell, gazing at her with cold eyes.
"Hello. Who are you?" Colette asked.
"I need not give my name to you human scum."
"Oh, okay. I'm Colette. It's nice to meet you," she greeted, undeterred.
"I do not care for your name," the mermaid snapped.
"Why am I here?"
"I see no point in telling you my reasons."
Colette sighed. "Okay. Sorry."
She went back over to her bed, seeing a window and stepping onto it to look out. Then she gasped.
"It's so pretty!" she cried, gazing at the huge structures of coral. It glimmered in the light, stretching up gracefully. Colette stared at it for a bit, then sighed. "It must be nice living down here..." she mumbled to herself.
The mermaid gazed at her a moment, then closed his eyes before turning and swimming away. Colette glanced back as he left, giving a slight wave, then went back to gazing at the huge coral.
"...I hope you come soon, Lloyd," she whispered, touching her necklace.
A/N: Colette doesn't feature much in the first little bit, tbh...oh well. I just tried not to overuse characters very much, but some (like Regal and Presea) got a bit of a backseat anyway :/
Also, the whole 'Lloyd connected to four races' thing...well, it's pretty much the same anyway. I mean, he's raised as a dwarf, his best friends are a half-elf, angel/human and a protozoan, and his father's an angel while his mother's human. If that isn't unique, I don't know what is.
Review?