Chapter Twelve
Seaweed flowed lethargically with the warm ocean currents, twenty miles off the coast. It was completely silent in the underwater world, little flashes of silver appearing occasionally as fish swam around the massive coral banks. Beautiful shells and starfish littered the ocean floor, nestled in against the smooth sand.
Suddenly an explosion of purple streaked past, followed closely by another, leaving a cloud of bubbles in a flurry behind them.
A larger mass, a few yards away, lifted his head lazily to watch the two creatures chase each other around. Bored yellow eyes trailed the two of them, making sure they never strayed too far from the safety of his protection.
The smaller of the two, about the size of a baby dolphin, flipped around and swam frantically back, a massive grin on his face clear from even the distance. He was a light purple color, but his scales and back would darken in a few years and his stripes would come in soon after.
The one behind him had already begun to darken, and he was approaching fast. With one final thrust forward from his tail, he grabbed the little one around the middle and twisted around, laughing as he tickled his struggling brother.
Bubbles burst from the smaller one's mouth as his brother's fingers ran up his sides, keeping him against him trapped against his chest. Finally he managed to get free, racing towards his father and screaming playfully as his brother chased him down again, "Daddy! Help!"
The larger merman rested his head in his hands, watching with mild amusement as his youngest son came flying towards him, his older brother close behind. He heaved his massive bulk up and watched them come closer, his tail flicking in amusement. Finally he sighed and held his arms out, catching his youngest son, and then grinned mutinously, holding him out to Kurloz.
"Traitor!" Gamzee yowled silently, and then laughed as Kurloz wrapped his arms around him and ruffled his hair. Gamzee grinned and wrapped his arms around his big brother, looking around excitedly at his father.
It was the first time they'd come here, after Kurloz had begged and pleaded with their father to take them to the coastal waters.
His father had been extremely resistant to his first born's pleas, but when Gamzee began asking too, he finally relented. But he'd warned them; do not go near the coast, do not leave my line of sight, and if you see anything different—swim away.
Kurloz turned and swam away, letting Gamzee chase after him this time.
There were so many things to discover here! All the colors and fish and things that the deep ocean didn't have.
Gamzee quickly overtook his brother and shot ahead, propelling himself forward and streaking through the water like an eel. He left Kurloz behind and continued out, slowing down and enjoying the warm, shallow waters. He flipped over and lay on his back, looking up through his watery world towards the blue sky above. He wondered what it would be like on the surface.
A soft chugging sound met Gamzee's ears, and he turned around in confusion. What was that?
It was a large white thing, churning up a white froth behind it as it approached off to the right. Gamzee watched it with wide, fascinated eyes. Was it a type of surface animal, like those birds that would alight on the water sometime? He flipped back around and swam close to the bottom, looking up at the new creature. It didn't seem to have any mouth, or eyes, so Gamzee had no idea how to contact it. Maybe if he touched it?
He swam up towards it, stretching his hand out, and then jerked back as something splashed down a few years behind. It was large, stretched out and flowing, like a crisscross of thin seaweed. Gamzee blinked and hovered there, watching it approach.
Kurloz, who'd been watching from afar, managed to get to his little brother before the net did. He streaked by, knocking Gamzee aside and dragging him off back towards their father.
Gamzee swam frantically, trying to keep up with his brother, not understanding the look Kurloz was wearing. He was being towed along at this point, the white thing approaching fast behind them.
Realizing this, Kurloz opened his mouth and cried out sharply, his scream so high in pitch it pierced through the water, reaching their father.
His head shot up, eyes narrowed as his son's cry for help reached him. He took off like a shot, his teeth bared in a savage growl as he realized his children were being threatened. He spotted Kurloz and Gamzee instantly, swimming frantically towards him, eyes filled with terror. Reaching out, he grabbed them and sent them off with another growl, turning to face the boat.
Darting around to the other side of the boat, he charged upwards, slamming into it. The boat rocked sluggishly, but it gave the two children enough time to escape the net.
Gamzee, who'd been following right on Kurloz's tail, turned around and searched for his dad. He watched as his father smashed into it again, and the white thing turned towards him, chasing him now. "Kurloz! Kurloz what about Dad?"
Kurloz turned around, grabbing Gamzee's arm and tugging impatiently, "He'll be fine! He's Dad! He can handle it!"
Gamzee let himself be pulled along, his eyes fixated on his father, and then he cried out, "Kurloz look!"
Kurloz twisted around in time to see something shoot through the water and strike their father, sending a cloud of purple blood gushing forth. He felt Gamzee twist out of his grasp, and the next thing he knew his little brother was flying towards their father. Kurloz took off after him, not understand what was going on but knowing he needed to get Gamzee as far away from that thing as possible.
"Dad! Dad!" Gamzee shouted, bubbles bursting from his mouth as he reached his dad, wrapping his arms around his body, only to sob in relief as he felt his father's hand close over his back. Kurloz reached them and began trying to pull both of them away, tugging frantically at his father's arm as the net came closer. He wailed as it surrounded them, lifting up and taking the three of them with it.
With a crash they broke the surface, water streaming down as the net lifted them out of the water.
Kurloz and Gamzee huddled against their father, whimpering quietly as he wrapped his arms tightly around them. The surface was bright and cold and they hit a rough surface with a loud thump, the net spilling around them.
Three things stood over them, studying them with different variations of fascination. The biggest one had a harsh, cruel face, his eyes like a shark's and was holding something in his hand. The middle one was grinning viciously, his eyes alight with malicious glee. The littlest one was holding the middle one's hand, staring at them in awe.
Kurloz and Gamzee pressed into their father's chest, trembling and overwhelmed by the appearance of these strange creatures. With a snarl, their father pushed them both behind them, his chest slick with purple blood. Something like a small stick with a shiny end was protruding out from his shoulder.
"Look at them, boys. This…is my future. My legacy. One in a museum, one for the scientists, and one for me."
"Which one do you want, Dad?" The middle one leered at them, "Which one!"
"…I'll keep the middle one. The big one will die too soon and the little one is better for research."
With a thunderous snarl the full grown merman shifted into a defensive position, murderous intent clear in his burning gold eyes.
"The biggest one will be on display, boys." The man said, pointing the thing in his hand at Gamzee and Kurloz's father. He squeezed it, and a loud bang echoing across the water as the magnificent beast fell, lips still curled back in a ferocious snarl.
"DAD!" Gamzee screamed, dragging himself to his father's side while Kurloz sat there in shock, "Dad, get up! Dad!"
"Captain...it's talking!" The middle one gasped, looking disgusted.
Gamzee shook his father's body frantically, screaming for him to get up, to help them. Something warm and wet seeped under his tail, and Gamzee looked down to find purple blood pooling beneath his father.
"Ha! Look at it! It doesn't know the big one is dead!" The middle one laughed, and then turned to glare at his little brother, "Hey, quit looking like that!"
"But…but he's crying…" The smallest human said quietly, watching as Gamzee wailed for his father.
"It's an it! Not a he!" The middle one spat, not watching as Gamzee's head whipped around, golden eyes burning with fury.
Gamzee gathered himself and, using his tail like a spring, shot himself at the middle creature. They hit the deck with a loud thud, rolling over and over as Gamzee shrieked and clawed at boy's face. He pinned him to the deck and tried to get his teeth into that soft looking throat, screeching the entire time.
Thrashing around, the two-legged creature shrieked and tired to fend him off with his blunt claws, batting at Gamzee frantically, "GET OFF GET OFF GET OFF!" He managed to shove Gamzee off and reached over, grabbing the first thing he touched and bringing it down upon Gamzee's face.
With a scream of pain Gamzee jerked back, falling on his back and writhing as white hot agony laced through his face. He felt familiar hands grab him and pull him into an embrace, holding him tightly as he wailed in agony.
In the distance, another boat had begun to approach, going unnoticed until the biggest creature looked up and swore, "Cronus! Eridan! Grab the creatures and throw them below deck! Gag them both."
"But Captain—" The youngest one started, only to shrink back at his father's glare.
The middle one rose up, clutching his face as bright red liquid dripped from it. "I'll do it." He walked over towards them, rage clouding over his face as he made to grab Gamzee.
Kurloz hissed and shoved Gamzee away, automatically protecting his little brother despite still being stunned.
"Fine. You first then." The middle one grabbed Kurloz by the hair, earning a screech of pain, and then hauled his trashing body below decks.
Gamzee, blinded by purple blood, reached out blindly for his big brother, only to find him gone. His strength left him and he fell on his side, curling up helplessly by the cooling body of his father. He wanted it to be over, let it be a horrible dream. He wanted to see Kurloz smile at him and feel the gruff affection in his father's gaze.
Instead he felt his father's body being dragged away, leaving him alone on the bloody deck.
"AMPORA! What's going on here?!"
A new voice, higher, shrill, and full of anger.
Gamzee couldn't bring himself to care anymore. Everything hurt, inside and out.
Another boat had anchored beside the first and people were shouting now. Voices raised and violence could practically be seen looming in the distance. Then the high pitched voice snapped something and the shouting stopped.
Footsteps approached and Gamzee hissed weakly, trying to recoil.
"Shhh baby it's okay, you're okay now." The high voice murmured soothingly, but Gamzee only whined and curled up tighter. "Oh my cod what happened to your face? Don't worry, my name is Feferi, I'm going to help you…"
Awhile later, once Gamzee was bundled onto the new white thing, he raised his head to stare at the thing that had torn apart his family. It was hard to see, but he could make out one thing written on the back of that white hell.
Dualscar.