Mirrored Waters

by atrieisan

Danny Fenton is a human, turned deep water mer by a deal gone wrong. Forced on a mission by the Sea Witch that turned him, he must travel into the shallows. Phantom is a reef mer, familiar with humans, and outcast by his own kind. And by chance, they meet. This is a collaborative RP fic between myself and BubblewithWings on Deviant art. Not truly related to Captivity.

2. Coral

Xx-xX

Chapter 2:

Coral

Danny was surprised at the others reaction (and the fact that they apparently had the same name. He hadn't seen that coming). Surely the coral couldn't have been that hard to find...

He took the dry piece back from the other and examined it over, trying to find out why the older male had gone so defensive upon seeing it.
But the moment the other said that it was a suicide mission... it made him more tense than he already was.

The witch... couldn't have sent him all the way here in order to kill him... could she? She had paid quite a deal for him to be a part of the shiver.
A suicide mission...?

He looked at them and gestured for one of the two to explain what exactly he had gotten into. Was it a plant found near the more shallow, human inhabited areas? Or... perhaps it was guarded by another group of animals? He honestly hoped that the elder was exaggerating on how dangerous it was.

Phantom had apparently gotten the gesture as his gaze narrowed more so than before; pupils having narrowed into slits. His form still remaining tense as his tongue rolled over the inside of his fangs, as if mulling over the words. Despite being more fluent than his mate, his isolation had made him slightly mute, and thus the words weren't always easy to grasp even if he knew perfectly what the word was, his tongue simply would refuse to form the sound.

He heaved a sigh, grimacing slightly in the seriousness of it all before attempting his best at speaking. His mate was far too new the waters to know why he'd called such a task suicide, true her past with studying plants and animals had left her knowledgeable, but not of the dangers that lurked within the waters.

"It's... volcanic... growing... near active.. sea mounds..." He'd practically bit his tongue as he spoke, through the strain of forcing himself to speak, as well as the clenched feeling of the muscles within his jaw. It gave him a rather sour looking face, though in some sense the message was there.

Sam's eyes widened slightly as the pieces put themselves together. The only area she'd known like that was still another day's swim off, towards the outermost edge of the southern reef. The water was heavy with gases and minerals it should not possess, and though the reef life held strong, there were rumors of its warped presence there, though she'd never had a chance to witness it herself. He'd been more than unwilling to go near there.

Danny's eyes widened at the knowledge before they looked down in contemplation. So... it's practically set of undersea volcanos? Well... crap. What was the witch thinking?! Sending him on this mission when she knew well enough that he probably wouldn't survive. His tail wouldn't be strong enough if he got caught in a strong enough current. He still had a hard time controlling his timing as well. He could accidently drive himself right into the line of there was the heat, and the components of the water in the area. He had a hard enough time breathing, what would he do if his lungs got clogged?! He increasingly became more panicked, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

But...Did he have a choice?

If he came back without, not only would he get a lashing to the back but his already minimal privileges would be revoked for who knows how long. He could be locked up in his small little cave for years if she sees it fit. And he will no longer be able to have any contact with the others. They would turn their backs on him for defying the witch's orders. Even the ones who had become good 'friends' with him. What was better. Death by trying, or complete isolation?

The boy looked at the coral in his hand and sighed silently.

Death by trying it was then.

He looked to the pair, the male in particular, and gave him a pleading look despite the sudden pang of anxiousness that went through him at seeing the other's face.
He turned to the violet colored mer and mouthed: Please, just point to me where I have to go.

She'd understood the silent words coming from the boy, and seeing the way the emotions played across his face left a solemn feeling in her heart. She didn't quite know why he was in search of such an apparently dangerous to obtain coral, but he was obviously desperate enough to go through with it. A sigh escaped her as she looked over him, from taking in his small, almost beaten stature, and could only wonder if he was trying to prove himself in the eyes of his peers.

"I'm afraid I don't know where it is exactly... She shook her head sadly, her gaze shifting over to her mate whom still held an irritable expression upon his face. His tailfin twitched in a manner expressing his agitation, though it was almost deep in thought.

He then turned away from both of them, his gaze looking out across the rocky reefs. It was a pregnant silence between them before the older male swung, bringing his claws down upon the rock face. He held an angry huff of breath before bringing his hand back over to examine his claws; a noticeable wound left on the rocks.
"... I'll... take him... there... He let out a sigh of his own before looking over his shoulder at them. His face held a hardened resolve over the issue, something Sam knew she could not argue with.

"You know where it is?" She hesitated, a nervous flick of her tail one of the few signs indicating her concern.
He paused momentarily, a distant look growing in his eyes before he turned away again. The way his shoulders hung held a look of shame to them, "I lived there... once.."

Danny frowned slightly when he heard the female's reply. He earnestly looked to the male in hopes that the other would know.
The older mer's muscles were taut like a strung bow and he looked to be having an internal conflict with himself. However, once he heard those words from the elder, he had to do everything in his power to refrain from hugging the other in gratitude.

Most of the relief seemed to fade, however, when he realized that he was apparently touching upon an incredibly sensitive subject. He was usually not one to pry or question but... it looked like the upper sea mer had had a rough history with the area he wanted to go to.
Danny's eyebrows furrowed. Well, the other could just show him the area or give directions, then the older could leave him to his own devices. It would be less pain for both of them; he didn't want to be a burden.

The boy swam up to the other and covered the mers hand with his own, giving a both gentle and reassuring smile. He shook his head, saying that he didn't need to take him anywhere. He wasn't sure if the older mer would understand him but it was worth a try...

He took the others hand and ghosted letters over the palm. The black haired boy was only learning the basics of the written language (something that the witch couldn't just poof or replace into existence). But he knew enough to write a basic sentence, assuming the other knew how to read the hieroglyphs in the first place. They roughly translated into: Just tell me where. No need to come with. Once he finished conveying the message he looked back up and smiled as he had before.

Phantom shook his head, but couldn't help a meek smile that had slipped onto his lips. The child was so innocent and young, and where he was intending on going, was like hell on earth. He wasn't about to let some child go someplace that the surface mers feared more than the land above.

He shook his head once more. He just wouldn't let himself put someone else in his situation. It was where he'd first been exiled upon his mother chasing him far from home, her hopes that the harsh environment would give him a quick end. He'd proven her wrong, considering he'd stood here now. That didn't mean he wanted anyone to experience that sort of place again. This child however, was determined to find this plant at all costs, despite everything it risked. It forced the question as to what was driving the poor soul on such a mission.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, before turning his gaze over towards his mate. The look in his eyes was deep, a mixture of pain but determination held strong within them. It was almost like the face of a man knowing he was headed off to war. A curt nod was his finally gesture towards her. Something she stared on with in an almost frightened understanding, returning the gesture.

He then turned towards the young mer, and oddly enough, repeated the same action he'd done when he'd met the boy only an hour before; patting the youngster's head, smiling. With this he swam off a few paces, turning to look over his shoulder for the younger to follow.

Danny was honestly surprised at the fact that the other was willing to come with him. The mer barely knew him yet he was willing to bring back bad thoughts and memories to the forefront just to help him. He wasn't used to asking favors without giving something in return. But what could he offer this couple that they did not have? He would have to think of that on the way, he supposed.

Danny quickly made way to follow the other as he led him to where he would be able to find the coral that he needed. As it was his nature, he couldn't help but feel guilty at the fearful look on the face of the male's mate. But he had to get the coral soon or he WOULD die of the lack of pressure in the upper sea. There was a reason that each shiver had a sea witch; he had somehow been "lucky" to find one of the more powerful ones to be a part of, because they couldn't travel to the surface without the protection that she offered to each of the shiver. In return, they brought her food and protected her from surrounding shivers. The pressure would cause them to literally explode. She had given him a week; which the other called 21 twists for one reason or another to complete the task. He hoped that it was enough... He also hoped that the area wasn't as bad as described. He had withstood many of the horrors of the deep seas, the animals of that world were pure brutal and dangerous. He had nearly gotten eaten himself at least ten times... he was learning fast but apparently not fast to mention that they all scared the hell out of him, especially the ones that persisted to follow him around because of the fact that certain parts of him DID glow; though it was not very noticeable in the light of the upper ocean. He couldn't count how many times he had felt teeth chomp down on his tail and side fins.

A sigh graced the phantom's lips as he continued on over the rocky reef. He'd only paused once a short ways off from the lagoon, giving one last call to his mate. It was like a sorrowful lament as she replied, wishing him safe travels among the seas. He'd not stopped moving since then, his pace wasn't his fastest, knowing the weakness of the other's tail, but that didn't keep him from trudging on for the next few hours. He'd remained silent through most of that time, likely lost in his thoughts.

It was only when he noticed the other struggling to keep up that he brought himself down upon a sand bed to let them take a breather. Giving an apologetic smile towards the younger mer, he stretched deciding that here was a safe enough place to rest for a short while. He'd not realized how much his own form ached from the trek until he'd let his muscles rest. However he found he wasn't able to lay his head down for long.

A loud ear piercing shriek was the wakeup call. A large male, rusty colored scales and brighter red fins flared at them from a few lengths off. A deep almost reptilian hiss roared from Phantoms own throat as he picked himself up, fangs barred. Oddly enough, when he'd risen up from the sand bed, the male had seemed a bit taken aback, before becoming far fiercer looking than he had earlier, as if the white haired mer's presence was far more of a threat than a simple intruder. Phantom in turn snarled, his sail unfurling slightly, but he remained reserved, not truly wanting to pick a fight with the territory holder, but not exactly willing to be chased off. He honestly just wanted to take a nap, maybe find something to eat and be on his way.

But the other wasn't having any of it. Fins flared to the full extent, the male screeched before charging right at him. It was that which set the black mer off. Within seconds they'd already landed blows, Phantom's shoulder, to the other male's side, claws drawn, gnashing jaws, and flared fins. The posturing display continued as they circled one another before colliding again, tearing at one another with their claws and their fangs.

Upon the third collision, Phantom shifted in the most unexpected manner. His form twisted round, bringing the full brunt force of his swinging tail at the rusty mer's face. The hit knocked the male off balance, tumbling as he tried to correct his position within the water.

Another shriek drew the attention of both older mers, another brighter red mer was heading their way, looking to enter the fight. From what Phantom could assume, it was most likely the rusty mer's brother. Either way, being outnumbered when he had a more important mission, namely helping the frightened teenager, that was forced to turn tail and run. Grabbing the boys arm, he'd all but hoisted the younger mer onto his back, fins pressed flat against his form before, with a twist of his tail, he took off with a speed a marlin could envy.

He continued at this pace for what seemed like forever, passing by what looked like a small community of mers, without so much a second glance. The reasoning becoming apparent by the number of agitated cries that rang out into the waters. From the size of the community, it was apparent that they weren't simply singled to their own territories and could be social in their own right, but the sight of the jet black mer put them into frenzy. It was almost a wonder as to what he had done to cause him such animosity.

After he'd passed over the shallow reefs and into the open water did he let his pace slow, and allow the younger mer the freedom to swim of his own accord again. His form shook from having overworked itself, and blood drifting into the water from the injuries sustained. The primary one had been from the first blow to the shoulder. He'd been lucky his speed had been enough to avoid the actual hit, as it had been aimed right for his gills. Either way, he knew it would leave a nasty scar when it healed.

A tired breath escaped him, letting his form lower into the depths of the darker water. The sun still had enough strength to penetrate down into the depths, bringing about a different assortment of plants and corals. Essentially it was a lower reef, and from the smell in the water, they were drawing closer to volcanic activity, though how close they were was still debatable, as the current could carry scents far and near.

Phantom simply ignored the smell, bringing himself down upon a rocky patch with an exhausted huff. His form slumped into a tired ball. It was still another day's trek to where they were headed, he knew. But he'd exhausted his current reserves with the need to disappear from their assailants, and with his injuries requiring the rest of his strength, he could only apologize to the boy, knowing his body would pass out on him whether he wanted it or not.

Danny envied the others speed. Why had the witch given him such a long tail to deal with? It was truly annoying. Perhaps in the future he would be able to use it to his advantage but at the moment it was an annoyance and hindrance.

The boy was pleasantly relieved when the other stopped to rest but the relief ended when he heard the unmistakable battle cry. Of course, he should have expected running into quite a few upper sea mers in his time here but now he was dragging someone else into the mix of his people's war. Danny couldn't understand why he felt fear knowing he could handle certain threats in much worse conditions but he couldn't handle it now... It showed him just how weak he was...
When another cry rang out, instincts that lay dormant within the boy began to cut loose, his fingers curling slightly as his face twisted into a snarl. How dare they touch his friend!

Coupled with the growing feeling of hunger, he might have lost control and had tried to attack. It would have been a losing bottle but his enraged mind wouldn't have cared. But before his instincts could react the older grabbed him and practically hooked him to his back and took off.
Danny buried his head into the others shoulder, his eyes burning slightly.

When the other stopped, he could not recognize the place at all. Just knowing that it was somewhere in which there was no one else that SHOULD threaten them, well, he hoped. Before he could do anything the other had taken a perch on the nearest rock and had passed out. The teen quickly made his way over and sat by the older and inspected the others condition.

He cringed as he saw the injury near the others shoulder. His hand hovered over it, careful not to touch it and aggravate the wound. His eyes watered when he realized that it was his fault. It was all his fault. If he hadn't been a dark mer they wouldn't have attacked them. If he hadn't been with the older mer they wouldn't have attacked him. He mouthed the words 'I'm sorry', wishing that the other could have seen it, or if the boy could talk: heard him. Tears were trickling down his face as he sobbed silently. Perhaps that was another thing that was good about his vocals being gone. He could hide his misery much easier than most.

His head hung low in shame, the fins that had long replaced his ears were laid back. He... couldn't leave the mer like this. But... His eyes snapped wide open.
Danny knew he had a hero-complex, but this might have been crazy even for him. The boy knew the basics of magic: you give what you take, everything is connected, even magic is transferable. That last one better be true. He could use the magic casted on him before he left to heal him! The only problem was that it was the magic keeping him alive in the shallow waters. Using it would shorten the time he got to successfully complete his mission and increased his chance of death but... he didn't really care much for his own life at the moment, especially if the one who saved him was unharmed and he had gone out of there without a scratch.
The older mers had taught him the basics of transferring and stealing the energy. It was supposed to be something that all of the shiver should know. He wasn't proficient at it but he supposed that it was sufficient for this.

Danny carefully took the hand that was closest to the other and placed it over the wound, earning a hiss and twitch at the pain that came from the contact. He took his other hand, lifting himself up slightly from the rock so he wasn't in such an awkward position, and placed it over the other hand. He let out a breath as he focused his breathing. He then took in another, cringing as he felt the tightening in his stomach; the barrier that kept that crucial part of him from expanding weakening by more than he expected.

He was pleasantly surprised when he saw the green glow go to his hands and seep into the others skin, the skin under the scales mending themselves, and hopefully doing the actual job. When Danny took his hands away, he immediately placed it to his stomach, cringing as he felt the lack of pressure affecting him.
From what it felt like, he had just given up two days of the magic's effect on him.
And not only that but he was starting to feel fatigued, hopefully it was from all of the excitement that the day had caused him. He had passed out long before his head had hit the rock.

Phantom winced slightly, having felt the pressure upon his shoulder. He hissed in protest, tempted to roll over in his sleep to remove the sensation. However it changed into something else, the cold sensation seeping down into his very bones. Fins raised like hackles, form tensing, and eyes shooting open, glowing an unearthly green. He knew that sensation as it crept over him, so dark, eerie, and unnatural; a sensation he felt when he'd lost control within a fight, to the sinking of ships.

He shuddered, trying to pull himself back together as he turned to look at the site of the sensation, finding his wound glowing with the foreboding, radiating green, however it quickly faded, leaving his skin mostly healed and for the scales to regrow over it. He wasn't sure what to think of it, wondering if his body had founds a means of healing himself when he wasn't looking. but he didn't have much time to think as the youth fell from the corner of his eye.

Wide eyed, he reached out, catching the boy before he fell to far down the rocky slope. The sea ahead of them was a foreboding place, and he dared not leave the other out here alone, let alone unconscious like he'd been not long before. He hadn't seen the teen take any injuries, and wondered if the fatigue from the day had simply overwhelmed him, if it wasn't for the familiar glow that dulled around the boys own form.

His eyes widened as he set the boy down upon the rocks, looking the teen over for some sign that indicated what was wrong. The first thing he'd become aware of was how distended the younger mer's stomach had become, and instantly the alarm bells went off within his head. His mind running through the events of the last day, to where he side glanced his mate talking with the youth as he played with their child. He came from the deep, the dark depths where the water grew heavy and cold... He'd come up to the surface in search of that horrid plant far too quickly, when it should of taken weeks to allow himself to adjust to the pressure, slowly rising to the surface. He bristled unknowingly, whether from dread or irritation at the lack of reasoning, he wasn't sure. Either way, he knew he had to do something fast.
He picked him up, hoisting him onto his back with a wince at his sore fore before diving off the enclave and into the depths. The lowest portion of the reef was not as deep as the dark waters of the ocean, but the pressure certainly built up at 80 meters. The coral started to dwindle with the lack of light at such depths towards the sloping sea floor. It wasn't the miles and miles deep elsewhere, but he hoped that the difference in pressure would at least ease the pain he knew was there.

His own form flinched as the water around them seemed to press inwards; fins laid back against his form. His eyes held a stronger luminescence in the dim as he searched out a safe place to set the boy down to rest, finding a rocky outcrop just a few inches from the sea floor. It would have to do, the bottom of the reefs in this region was dangerous as they drew closer to the volcanic activity, leaving the seafloor an active mess of tectonic violence. It wasn't uncommon for vents to sprout up from right below where one would be swimming, spewing up a mess of toxic gas and burning smoke and fire.

Setting the younger male down upon the rocks, he came to rest down beside him, flinching once more from the change in sensation of the deeper water. It wasn't just the pressure that was getting to him though, but the sensation it caused him as his body felt like it twisted in on itself. In turn, the lateral line along his sides slowly flickered into life, glowing with a similarly eerie green, his eyes had followed suit, becoming brighter in the dim; his fins following suit not long after, though they were much duller, and a ghostly whisping white, seeming brighter at the base closer to his body then at the tips. To some degree the sensation was painful, more than uncomfortable, as he felt like his veins had caught fire. He curled in on himself for what seemed like hours, before the sensation had died down and he felt like he could move again.

His head turning over to check up on the boy who lay beside him, seeing that the worn out pain that had streaked his face from earlier had died down some, and the bulge of his stomach had quieted within the deeper waters. He heaved a sigh of relief, hoping that the youth would hold a little more resilience towards the shallower waters come morning, as these depths weren't the same as his home, but it held enough pressure to enable one to acclimate a bit. It seemed his form had done something similar yet in reverse; though he was known to take such appearances in a fit of rage. He let himself stretch out, muscles taunt from pain and exhaustion. Then letting his form curl protectively around the younger mer, resting his head down on the other's shoulder, he let himself doze off for a few hours.

The sleep had proven useful, though he didn't get much, it was enough to recuperate before his stomach made its protests known. A grumble held in his throat as he rose, finding the youth still asleep, only smiling in response. Children always slept so much, especially when as exhausted as they were. He shook his head slightly, turning his gaze up towards the surface, still finding the moon high in the sky, but the sun slowly making its way over the horizon to where his mate had called the east.

Picking himself up, careful not to disturb the boy, he let his form rise up to go search for breakfast. From what he'd garnered from his mate's interaction with the teen, and the fact that the child had openly accepted the fruit, that his appetite held strongly with the diet his mate preferred. Though the fact that he'd accepted the crab in a feeding frenzy also had him wondering if the boy was trying to force a habit onto himself that his body couldn't actually handle. He frowned slightly before shifting course, turning in search of something in specific.

He'd returned an hour or so later, finding the boy awake, probably fearful of his surroundings and wondering where he'd run off to. Phantom's fins flickered in the dim light as he drew near, a number of things within his arms. He guessed, he'd probably startled the teen, giving an apologetic smile, "...Ss..sorry.."
Setting his catch down upon the rocks between them, he sorted out a number of different foods. An armful of clams, a bunch of different edible weeds he'd found his mate picking, a coconut, and a salmon. He just smiled sheepishly.

When Danny woke up, he felt... different, better almost. The pressure that had been building up before he passed out was lessened, still there but not as much, and his eyes burned. He let out a silent groan as he took everything in from his position against the rock he was on. It took a minute to realize that it was lighter as there should have been, probably the reason his eyes were burning. They were taking on a florescent glow in the darker waters. His fingers curled into themselves, making grooves into the rock.

Where was he? The last thing he remembered was that green light...The boy's eyes snapped completely open as everything that had happened earlier came back to him, the two upper sea mers attacking, his companion getting injured, him healing the other. The boy let out another silent groan as his vision swirled for a minute before returning to normal.

The white haired male... Danny... where was he?

His eyes darted, his view sharpening in the darker light but it didn't detect anything. He deeply wished that he could speak, let out a call, and ask where the other was and if he was alright. What the wound had reopened? What if the mer was attacked? What if- he didn't want to think about the what ifs anymore. He huffed before shaking his head.

He put his hands onto the rock under him and pushed himself off, easily orienting himself in the deeper waters, liking that he was swimming much easier (and hopefully faster) with this atmosphere. He winced slightly, however, when he felt something akin to a rock stretch at his bones and other organs. He put his hand over the skin of his stomach and could feel the swelling under it. He frowned as he proceeded to check his magic reservoirs. Low. Dangerously low for the mission he was assigned. He didn't have much more time left. Two days at most, one and a half at least.

He was brought out of his mindscape, however, when he felt the current shift greatly. His fins lay back as he snarled. That was definitely no small fish, nor did it feel as smooth and slow moving as a shark coming in for its pray.

He flexed his fingers, curling them in and out of a threatening claw position. This may not be the deeper part of the ocean, but here he was the predator, not the other way around. If a stupid upper sea mer thought he could fight him this far down, they were going to be unpleasantly surprised.

His face, however, went completely slack with shock when he saw that it was the white haired mer carrying... was that seaweed and fish? He returned to his normal position, his body slacking in relief as he easily snapped his body around and made his way to the other.

Fenton's first priority was to check the others wounds. The skin on the man's shoulder didn't look like it was going to peel off at any second, and it looked as if it was...normal, excluding the fact that the scales still needed to come back. He checked the mer's gills to see if the other was breathing right before feeling the others stomach, deducing that it was still normal despite the pressure. He then proceeded to swim around the other to check for any other wounds which included swimming around the others tail, touching the others face and checking to see if any of his fins were clipped.

This all happened in less than a not giving the other enough time to react to what he was doing. Especially when the mother hen in him went to check the others nodded in satisfaction before darting in front of him to look at the food in the mers arms. He took two of the strands of seaweed and went back to the rock and proceeded to munch on it.

Phantom had held a bewildered expression at the boys fussing over him, having almost dropped some of the catch in the process. But in the end he couldn't help but give one of his now luminescent fins a flick before chuckling slightly, setting the catch down upon the rocks. He let his tail give a mild flick, before he was in the youngsters face.

Glowing eyes scrutinizing blue orbs of the other, whilst a hand had risen up against the boys forehead, as if checking his temperature. Seeming content with that, he'd repeated some of the actions the boy had done to him in a flurry, except he'd also checked the younger males pulse. Seeming satisfied with that, he'd nodded slightly before turning to breaking open the coconut. Upon cracking it open and crying it the rest of the way open with his claws, he offered it over to him with a curt nod. It may not of been meat, but he knew it held a high protein count as his mate had badgered him over it a number of times. And from the way the child had acted once more, he was certain it was more likely to be accepted than the rest of his quarry. The rest of breakfast was spent knawing on clams, and nibbling on fish.

Content on having recovered some of his energy, he knew they could get moving again, but there was the looming thought of the boys condition at this rate, they would make the trip there, but there was almost no chance of the child making it back home. His gaze turned towards the other, glowing in the dim with a look of absolute seriousness. And although he rarely spoke, he knew this was a matter of importance.

"... You.. are.. aware that.. you might not.. reach.. the deep in time..." His clawed hand pointed towards the youth's stomach, knowing all too well what was wrong with him, "Tis why I agreed... to bring you... Do you know why... that coral is... so strange?"

His gaze shifted to stare into the teen's for a few moments before turning his gaze out towards the deep, active seabed, "It glows... when it absorbs the earth's magic... stores it... feeds off it... spreads it... From violence from the deep.. it grows... It does... unnatural things... "

Within that instant he'd held out his hand in front of him, fingers curled in a violent manner before the water above his hand swirled unnaturally, twisting into a tighter ball, emitting an all too familiar green glow. To some extend Phantom had learned to manipulate magic, albeit not on the scale of a sea witch, it was still very much there, in a raw, untrained, and destructive form. He shifted the ball towards his fingertips before flinging it off, out into the open waters, lighting up the seafloor for a short moment as it did so, revealing a number of steam and ash plumes rising within the water.

"If we reach it... we could try.. to give you more time... with the coral's magic... Risky yes... though without... there is no trip back..." He grimaced, settling in this reality. They still had another day of travel, and judging from the teen's condition, he wouldn't have that much time left. Surfing along the seafloor would buy them extra time, as the pressure of the darker waters would provide extra support, however, it also put them in more danger. The volcanic activity would only grow the deeper they trekked, and they'd have to remain constantly alert of the vibrations in the water. but even with the added time, the weight of the reality that the deep water mer had been in the shallows too long, having risen to the surface far to quickly to acclimate to its warm, active waters. He could only hope that with their combined knowledge and the coral's boost, that they would succeed in preserving the youth's life. At this point it felt more like a race to save the younger mer, than retrieve what he was looking for.

" I'm tempted to give whoever forced you here... a piece of my mind..." He huffed slightly, crewing on the remnants of the salmon's tail.

Danny had almost chuckled when the other did most of the same actions that the boy had done to the older, onto him, except much slower, probably due to the fact that he hadn't been in as much of a panic about his condition beforehand. When the other had turned his attention to the food Danny had finished the first seaweed strand. As disgusting as it had looked to begin with, it actually wasn't too bad. The boy accepted the coconut handed his way, first drinking what was left of the milk inside then beginning to knaw at the inside walls, first peeling the hairy shell off with practiced ease.

He ate as fast as his stomach would allow. He needed to get moving, and soon. He knew he probably wouldn't survive but at least he wouldn't be called a coward and quitter if he returned beforehand. His ears twitched at the others raspy voice and simply gave a sad nod. He knew that he probably wouldn't survive the moment he realized that the coral wasn't in the more obvious areas of the reef.

The boy shook his head at the question, looking at the other in sad acceptance. As he was new to the shiver, it was customary for him not to only have little to no magic in him; the Sea witch didn't want to risk him betraying her; but to also have little information about his surroundings and the missions he was going one. He was to be nothing but a slave to her as of the moment. It's the first few things of what the others had taught him, his place in their society. It would be years before he could be considered for a raise in status.

His eyes widened at the new found knowledge. He looked back down. Danny could see why the witch would want such a thing in her possession... but she had sent him to retrieve it...when she knew damn well what would probably happen to him. She loved to screw with him. She loved to play with her possessions. But she didn't like killing them. If he was right, the Sea witch would probably send another, much older deep sea mer to retrieve him before he died. He hoped.

He was surprised by the green glow, and the tinge of warmth that came with it. He looked to side in surprise as the other was able to manipulate magic and use it for battle purposes. But as he looked at it closer, he saw that the ball of energy was unstable, trying to get out of the tight ball he had created it in. When the mer flung it off, he could hear the magic losing its power and eventually dying down long after it left both their eye sight. The older was skilled enough in this type of magic to rival one of the lower ranking mages in the shiver, true, but try to face one of the more older and experienced... that would be a battle that would not have turned out well.

Fenton knew the dangers of tapping into something as strong as natural magic. It was drilled into his head by the older mers of the sands who really had no one else to talk to. It was dangerous... but it was worth trying. Danny wanted to chuckle at that threat towards the witch, he really did, but... the moment he thought about what would happen if he tried something as foolish as that... It made his skin go cold and pale. The boy shook his head. 'Too strong' he mouthed, wondering if the other would be able to read his lips like his mate.

He lifted himself, stretching a bit, his more bones creaking at the sudden motions. The boy twirled above the older to grab another strand of the seaweed and began munching on it again before lazily floating back down on the rock, stomach down, right behind the older mer.

Phantom's eyes flickered dangerously for a brief moment as he watched the other. Though the action wasn't in response to the other's movement, but lost in his own trail of thought. He wasn't very good at reading lips like his mate had adapted to due to his usual muteness. But he recognized the action all the same. The look he'd gained in his eyes at the mouthed words was the determined resolve to prove the youth wrong, along with his growing distaste to whoever had forced him here.

"There is a reason the others call me a phantom..." His tail gave a distasteful flick against the rocks. The name held a bad taste within his mouth, as it held no good within its meaning to the reef mers. He was a killer, a sinker of ships that left sailors telling the myths of sea monsters. But he was also a monster to his own kin. An almost hurt look had entered his eyes, despite the steely tone of his raspy voice. He may hate the name and the reasons behind it, but at the same time he wasn't afraid to use that status if it meant defending those around him, albeit few.

He remained silent for a while after that, letting the youth finish eating. Once finished he picked himself up and began to drift down a few feet above the sea floor, "Stay close... and stay.. alert... everything... lives.. down here..."

Ensuring the other was close behind, he continued forward at a slower pace than usual, though it was not due to injury or exhaustion. The male's ears were in constant motion, his lateral line pulsing with energy upon picking up on certain vibrations, to where he would abruptly move in a different direction. And his words, that didn't completely make sense at first, rang true not long after, as he abruptly turned pushing both of their forms out of the way; a plume of toxic gases boiling up towards the surface.

Phantom could only flinch slightly at the sensation in the water; if hit head on with most of these jets, it would result in either being scalded or poisoned. Grimacing, he led the other through the maze of vents, continuing on for what felt like hours. By the time they'd passed through the minefield it was almost the next evening. However, despite that danger passed, the older mer had not relaxed, if anything he looked tenser than ever.

Before them lay the source of his worries, and their original destination, like an underwater mountain range, great rows of sea mounts sprawled out into the depths, actively throwing rock and plumes of toxic gas and fire into the water in great, smothering clouds, the very water shook upon each eruption that took place, leaving them weary of drawing near. But that remained their main problem, where the coral was in this dreadful death laden place. And from the grimace that hung on Phantom's face, he knew where.

"It grows in the devil's mouth..." He grit his teeth, before pressing forward. Having to pulled the youth away from abrupt expulsions along the mountain face. It was just lucky that he could sense them before they came. A thin he'd learned from apparently having lived here at some point. But that was the bewildering part, how could a place of such havoc lay home to a surface mer, let alone a young one?

Turning another bend, he'd found what they were looking for. An open mouth to a vent, spilling waves of heat that threatened to make the water above it boil. Surrounding the lower rim of the vent was layers upon layers of glowing, toxic green, transparent corals. Looking like numerous crystal lights decorating the surface of the rock face, but the energy around them was apparent, as it washed off of it bone chilling waves, clashing with the vents searing heat.

Phantom had become pensive upon seeing it, fins laid back against his form, however everything on his that glowed, was glowing far brighter than it possibly should, especially the haunting look in his slit eyes. It all made sense now... Everything went back to the coral... He'd mentioned the corals ability to do strange things... And upon saying such, he'd revealed the magic he was capable of casting, untrained, wild magic... natural magic... The coral's magic... He'd gained his magic from being exposed to the coral they were here to gather, having somehow tapped into its natural potency.

Danny would have rolled his eyes at the others statement had the older been more relaxed. In his eyes, no upper mer could be worse than any of the deep sea who were born to sink ships and devour the people on top of it. And those were simply the drones. The witch was the queen. He let out a breath. If only the other could understand, if only he could speak to make him understand that nothing that the white haired mer had done in his lifetime was as bad as they had done, and what he would eventually have to do, he couldn't live on seaweed and fish forever.

The man had never met an underwater witch, and he hoped that the other would keep it that way unless the other owed him something. She was the one who took his voice for Poseidon's sake! He instead gave him a disbelieving look before pointing himself, his fins, his jewelry, and to himself in general as if to say, 'have you not looked at me?' And he wasn't even fully grown yet! His twin dorsal fins had yet to start emerging. He shook his head in exasperation as he finished the piece of seaweed before lifting up and shaking himself, including all of his fins and tail, as to get his muscles working a way, he looked a bit like a disgruntled dog after a bath.

The other was already up and going as he gave him a warning. Honestly, as they progressed, Danny couldn't help but feel that the other was a bit too cautious. That was until he felt himself being pushed away to avoid the sulfuric based gas that would probably have burned him alive. He growled slightly at having realized that they were near volcanic activity. The way the other was as taut as a bowstring did nothing to calm the younger down either. It didn't take long for him to start feeling the warmth that accompanied the emergence and detection of magic. He was becoming skittish himself. The magic was only a minor comfort.
And the heat was starting to get to him, though he was able to hide it pretty well, he thought. It wasn't as bad as he thought it would be but it was still uncomfortable. He almost envied the others resistance.

When 'Phantom' stopped he saw what had made him do so. The coral! A smile went across the boy's face as he darted forward, forgetting the danger, to reach it. He stopped when he felt the heat of the gas in front of him start to feel too hot and frowned. The boy carefully went as low as he possibly could to grab one of the translucent corals with their enchanting energy. Danny shook his head at that. To him, the magic of the coral was soothing and almost motherly. He wondered what Phantom felt when he had first come to know that it existed. He had lived here at one point, after all. He reached for the coral again, able to touch the edges with his claws but the heat of the nearby geyser preventing him from actually taking it.

Phantom looked on as the youth struggled to obtain a piece of the radiant coral. The sheer heat from the vent was a deterrent to even draw near, let alone grasp any of the plants that thrived just below the scalding water. The murky feeling he got from the coral wasn't helping, apparently whatever it was, hadn't affected the younger mer, and he was beginning to question whether or not that was a good thing. The energy that pulsed off of it, made his own form pulse in response, it almost made him want to scream as the sensation continued to shake him from the inside out. He wasn't sure if he was visibly shaking or not either.

In the end it was all the same, raw untrained power. It felt like it could devour him and his mind, and the thought of losing himself to it was frightening. His ear-fins had visibly dropped, head turning away slightly as he closed his eyes, attempting to reconcile himself; his arms wrapping themselves tightly around his form. To another, it almost looked like such a silly thing to be having a break down over something as simple as a luminescent coral. But the magic in its own right was overwhelming to those influenced by it, with little use of it. He'd not been taught how to let such power flow with him, through him, and use it as such. It just ended up curling up inside him making him feel more like a catalyst.

He only opened his eyes once more, giving a look of complete frustration before, fed up with the sensation wracking his form, swung round, lashing off a good chunk of the desired plants from their base. The action hadn't actually been meant to help the youth, which in his discomfort he'd almost forgotten was there, but there was still a decent amount of salvageable coral, now scattered along the slope below the vent rather than up in its fiery breath. It still gleamed with its radiating glow, the magic that it had stored inside still flaring with power.

He visibly flinched once he'd realized what he'd done. Had the boy been in his way, he might of blindly struck the teen. Ear's lowered, he brought himself down along the slope to help gather the fallen coral, hesitating in picking them up before, forcing himself to do so and carry them up to the boy, setting them down in a neat pile along the rocks. He looked visibly worn at this point, though it was more from being overwhelmed than it was from anything else. The plant held a strong hold over him, having left its mark upon him so long ago, the lateral line that had once been a gentle white, blazed a fiery green, as did his eyes which had refused to return to a human like status, slitted and blazing.

A sigh graced him as he attempted to resolve himself, turning his gaze towards the youth, whom had looked excited at having found his quarry. The older male's thoughts lingered on the possibilities that lay ahead of them. There was barely 32 hours left on the magic shielding the boy from the pressure changes, and despite being so low down for the reef, it was still shallow in comparison the great deep. And although the boy was excited now, he knew it was only a temporary thing as the realization that they wouldn't be able to return home with their quarry would be soon to settle in.

He wasn't about to let that happen though. Turning he brought a hand up, resting it over the boy's stomach with a look of concentration. Ignoring the look the youth gave him as he focused on the unpleasant feeling the magic held to him. He knew he would not be able to replicate the spell placed on the teen, and the boy did not know enough magic to do so himself less he'd already done so. However, Phantom could key into one thing, which was the wavelength of the magic. Being around a hotspot of magic held itself around him almost like a battery, his form acting as an adapter despite his resistance towards using it. He grit his teeth as he forced himself to accept the magic's sensation, letting it twist itself inside him as he focused hard on the wavelength protecting the boy. If he could match up the two wavelengths of magic, he'd essentially be able to feed the spell around the younger mer, lengthening the amount of time it had by increasing the amount of energy the spell had to feed off of. It wasn't the same as recasting the spell, which was something he wasn't capable of doing, but he would be able to at least give the boy a few weeks time, he wasn't about to wait and let the boy balloon up in front of him over the next few hours.

Keying into the proper sensation he shifted letting out a cry as his form exerted itself, enabling the wavelength to balance itself between the two mers, shifting the energy at as steady a pace as he could restrain. Sensing the magic wrap around the teen, enforcing the blanket of energy that spiraled around him, he continued to push the sensation along until his own form couldn't stand the connection any longer. Breaking off the connection, he stumbled, form panting as he half leaned against the rocks.

Danny sighed before turning to look at the other behind him, hoping the older could help him and was appalled at how... well, there wasn't quite a word for how the whiter haired mer was reacting to this situation. The teen looked at his companion with a worried gaze. Was it the coral? Was it the magic that was running through it? The young mer was just now realizing that not only did the older not feel comfortable around magic, but it seemed to pain him simply to be near something that radiated it. The mer's body was reacting very badly from the exposure. This was definitely not good.

When he finally unfroze himself he began moving towards the other, hoping to perhaps ease the other with a familiar presence. He was, however, unprepared when the other lashed out. His face paled as the action brought up unwanted trauma, too reminiscent of the first attack on his person in the form he possessed as of the moment. It took a while for the child to start moving again and at this, despite his rationality that the other hadn't been aiming for him, previous experience told him to keep a safe distance from the other. He back tread, putting quite a distance between them before he felt the heat of nearby geyser and stopped.
He saw the elder flinch, realizing what he had nearly done before collecting the coral that had been sliced into and piling them up on a rock, not having noticed the others reaction to the attack to the coral.

It took a few moments before the black scaled mer even considered going near the corals. But, eventually, with great hesitance he did exactly that, putting them all carefully in his makeshift satchel. The glow immediately dimmed, being restrained within the magic resistant net; charmed especially for this particular mission.
Danny looked at the other and saw that the magic flowing unabridged and raw within him, heard the veins under his skin flowing with the same power, affecting his physical appearance. If he didn't know better, he would've thought that the other was one of them.

The boy was pulled out of his thoughts as the other lay a hand on his stomach. He immediately stiffened, wanting the rip the others hand off his stomach, wanting the rip the other hands off his arms.

He was in danger. He isn't safe. Must swim, most leave, must- His hand grabbed at the hand on his stomach, almost frantically. He couldn't let himself get hurt again. He couldn't let him-

The primal rant that had broken out was stopped suddenly as he felt magic being radiated off of the other's form in waves. It caused the teen's body to go limp, still grasping at the others hand, now very limp. He could feel himself growing stronger. He felt the magic within him grow. It was alluring and dangerous; the type of magic that the witch dealt with but any form of it added on was a great aid to the spell's time frame.

When he felt the connection between both of them break he was incredibly disoriented, the magic having similar effects to that of alcohol. It took a few minutes before the magic settled down within the other and he had stopped convulsing. Once the dark haired mer had gained control, he immediately curled in on himself, clutching at his stomach at the pain of feeling it go back to normal size.

He then looked left to see that other was worn out. Despite his instincts yelling at him to stay away from the other, his mind reminded the boy that the man had saved his life, more than once as well. Slowly uncurling himself from his previous fetal position he headed over to the other. Hesitating a bit before taking the others hand in his own and pulling him, as if to tell him that it was time to go. He knew that the other would feel more like himself once they were away from this place.

Phantom had continued to draw for breath against the rock face, almost dry heaving from the exertion. His form felt heavy, ignoring the pressure of the sea, as the magic had done a toll on him. It felt like all of his veins had been shredded with a white hot knife and twisted into knots. The painful sensation wracked his form with a number of convulsions. He just wanted to curl in on himself and stay that way.

He knew he wouldn't be able to stay that way however. The shifting earth below was the first sign of that. Having removed the coral from its foundation, the magic had vanished suddenly, unbalancing the flow of the activity below the surface. It was only a matter of time before the unbalance caused it to shift and react violently, most likely resulting in the area erupting. But he felt so heavy, so tired; he wasn't sure he could move.

When he felt his hand clasped by the younger mer, the tug upon his arm, he raised his weary eyes to look up at him and almost froze from what he saw. The pained, fearful look in his eyes, the desire to flee from him, and yet, the boy's jaw was clenched, refusing to just leave him there, desperate to get him out of this volcanic prison he'd been sentenced to so many years ago. He lowered his gaze, ears lowering, he couldn't bring himself to look into such deep eyes. It was almost too much of a reminder of the sheer number that had suffered because of him, and other phantoms like him. He feared he'd scarred the teen at this point.

Giving a sigh, he eventually gave into the insistent tug. Pulling his sore, tired form up off the rock bed and into the open water, he decided it was best to just follow the youth's guide away from this horrid place. It had taken hours before they'd reached relative safety, the geysers having grown more active from this displacement of the natural magic. It would balance itself out again in time, but it would continue to be fierce for the next few days.

Letting his form sink down upon a sandbar, he slumped, form curling in on itself. The soft sand was a welcomed comfort, something of the shallows he'd come to enjoy over the years. He let himself lay there, with heavy breath, blank eyes staring up towards the moonlight with a tired expression, before they slowly shifted over towards the worried teen.

"I'm sorry..." he sighed, rolling onto his side, his ears lowered.

The younger mer frowned, ashamed at himself for the way he reacted. He shook his body out to erase the lingering fear and reminder that the events had brought to him. Then shook his head and gave a small smile. It wasn't the others fault that he was so messed up. He hesitantly lifted the hair away from the side of his right cheek, showing three small wounds, looking like they had come from a spike of some sort. Then he lifted his head a bit farther up and revealed another scar, much larger, right above his gills, having nearly gotten them.

The boy was sure that the other knew what the scars on his face and upper neck meant.
Danny looked down sadly before going over to sit next to the others form. He placed a hesitant hand to the others shoulder as if telling him that he could rest now. He then raised himself and swam in front of the white haired mer, taking it upon himself to keep a watch out. The wave of unbalanced magic was sure enough to keep any predators away but he couldn't be too sure.

He raised his hand, something akin to a green flame alighting in it. The dark mer then covered both ears as the energy released, sending out a small portion of what little magic he did have that was not being used to keep the spell in place. He was in possession of so little of it though that it wouldn't have even dented the spell upon him had he tried to merge some of it into the casting.

The wave was similar to a warning. In a way, it was his version of a warning screech. It would keep animals away, and hopefully mers who were stupid enough to wander this close to these parts.