Hello, lovely people!
My schedule has officially cleared for quite a significant amount of time so I'm hoping I'll be able to do a lot more fic writing, posting and updating. I plan to update or post something every week, I can't promise how long that will last but that's my goal.
I have a lot of one-shots, short stories and longer fics either planned or currently works in progress. If anyone has any suggestions for fic titles or any ideas you'd like to read, please let me know, I'd be really grateful since I literally have no idea what to title most of these fics I'm writing and I always want to hear what you want to read.
So, this is a bit more of a dark, slightly ominous chapter, my apologies in advance. If anyone feels I should change the rating of this fic, please let me know! Despite the angst:
I hope you enjoy!
At Will's words, each member of the rescue team seemed slightly more empowered and prepared to throw all their effort, energy and strength into the rescue mission.
Hammerhead began yelling a variety of otherwise insulting phrases, apparently attempting to spur everybody on with his callous words. Fontaine was shooting Finn a doubtful glance with every other word that came from Hammerhead's mouth, to which he only smiled sheepishly and offered a slight shrug or his typical trademark grin.
They were getting slowly and steadily - but surely - ever closer to the Aronnax however it was most definitely still a fair way to go and the volcanic activity was most definitely increasing in the area. The surrounding waters were growing increasingly hot and all the more unpleasant for them to inhabit and the entire group was constantly being kept alert by frequent sprays of rock or lava being spouted from the volcano and flung far up in the waters above.
In a sudden instant, a large, boulder-like formation was hurled up from the seabed, only just narrowly missing the clam and those transporting it. This unexpected attack resulted in the transport of the clam being abruptly halted and the clam itself jolted violently at the sudden pause in movement.
Everyone on the outside of the clam seemed to wince in unison as they realised the impact that must have had on Ant and Madeline trapped inside the clam.
Will almost immediately opened his comm link.
"Are you okay?" He asked quickly, "Sorry it's a bit of a rough journey,"
"Yeah, we're fine, Dad," Ant's response came through.
A universal sigh of relief seemed to be released from all of the clam-transporters.
Their rocky transportation of the clam soon continued, although at a slightly slower pace to account for anymore hazardous obstacles the volcano could potentially - and quite literally - throw at them, before their renewed transportation efforts was interrupted by another incoming comm message.
"Uh, Mum, Dad, uh, anyone," Ant's wavering voice spoke out over the comms, truly, he sounded almost scared.
"What is it, Ant?" Kaiko asked, almost immediately, exchanging a worrisome glance with Will.
"How far are we from the Aronnax? " asked Ant's voice, taking a strange, troubled tone, " And, uh, when we do get there, how long is it likely going to take to get us out of the clam? "
Kaiko and Will shared yet another concerned look, "We're not too far now, Ant, we should hopefully be able to get to the Aronnax in the next five minutes or so," Kaiko replied, "As for getting you out, well, we're not sure how long that's going to take yet,"
"Right, ah, okay," Ant responded, much quieter, almost as though he were mumbling to himself rather than addressing those on the outside of the clam.
" What's going on, Ant? Is there something wrong? " Will spoke this time, desperately worried for his son and the other child stuck in the clam.
"Well, you could say that," came Ant's reply and then a moment later, "I think we have a problem,"
Everyone's hearts seemed to stutter at hearing that, panic gripping each of them in constricting, icy claws - a stark, cacophonous contrast to the the scorching water the were surrounded by. Gooseflesh raised in minute bumps of dread, the concentrated, undiluted trepidation evenly dispersed throughout the entirety of the group. Uncertainties buzzed through their brains, bouncing and bumping around in futile attempts to form logical thoughts and reactions.
Maddie leaned in to Ant even further to whisper, "I'm looking for the aspidochelone,"
"Woah!" Ant was nearly speechless, "From Greek mythology, right?"
"Originally, yes, although it was also documented in texts from Medieval Europe," Maddie added eagerly, "I'm hoping to find it one day!"
"It's like a giant turtle, isn't it?" Ant asked, wanting to make sure they were definitely talking about the same urban myth.
"Yep, a giant turtle, capable of growing so big it can support entire ecosystems and develop power so great it can control minds, or even the weather," came the reply, "There's a guy on the floating black market who has a bunch of old maps and books and newspaper articles: he gives me all the ones he says are 'boring' or aren't worth selling but I just know that there's something interesting waiting in them,"
" Wow, that's so cool! Have you gotten close to finding anything? " Ant asked, genuinely very interested.
"Not really, I've found a lot in books and old articles and I got a couple of maps but I haven't really had the chance to look for anything properly, Dad won't let us go looking for it because it's not treasure, plus hunting for sea monsters doesn't go very well for pirates,"
"Oh, yeah, I guess that is true," Ant nodded his agreement, " But still, it's the aspidochelone, you can't pass up an opportunity to search for a creature like that! "
"That's exactly what I said!" Maddie exclaimed, the pair of them laughing.
They were suddenly jerked out of their moment by an aggressive 'thunk' as the clam shifted violently.
"Woah!" They both yelled in alarm, being tossed about within the clam.
" Are you okay? " asked Will's voice from the comms, "Sorry it's a bit of a rough journey,"
"Yeah, we're fine, Dad," Ant replied before looking up to see Maddie clutching her head and seemingly struggling to take in air.
" Hey, are you okay? " he asked and after a moment with no response, he continued, laying a hand on her shoulder, "Maddie, hey, are you alright?"
"I- can't really- breathe," the pirate eventually managed to get out, in between battling to drag in breaths, the words forming a faint whisper as she spoke.
" Are you panicking again? " Ant asked, "Because it's going to be fine now, I bet we're nearly at the Aronnax and when we get there, we can get out of here and everything will be fine and-"
"Not that," she cut him off, still gripping her head and struggling to breathe, "I'm- nearly out-" she blindly fumbled with one hand to indicate the gage attached to her oxygen tank, showing it in the clearly defined red area now, very nearly empty.
Ant froze for a moment when he saw the gage, clearly pointing to the red, 'not-good' zone of the meter.
"Ah, okay, just- don't panic," Ant finally spoke.
" What do you think I'm trying to do? " Maddie slowly ground out in a halting, frustrated voice, clearly laced with pain.
"Uh, Mum, Dad, uh, anyone," Ant said into his comm, "we have a slight problem,"
Maddie scoffed at that, "A slight problem," she muttered breathily, laughing in disbelief.
" I'm trying to keep the situation calm, " Ant hissed at her, with no real malice, although it attempted to mask the evident fear in his voice.
"What is it, Ant?" Kaiko responded almost in an instant.
" How far are we from the Aronnax? " Ant asked, " And, uh, when we do get there, how long is it likely going to take to get us out of the clam? "
"We're not too far now, Ant, we should hopefully be able to get to the Aronnax in the next five minutes or so," came Kaiko's reply, "As for getting you out, well, we're not sure how long that's going to take yet,"
"Right, ah, okay," Ant muttered mindlessly into the comm, eyes fixed on Maddie and the shuddering, shallow breaths wracking her body.
" What's going on, Ant? Is there something wrong? " Will asked.
"Well, you could say that," Ant replied. Maddie scoffed yet again at that.
"I think we have a problem," he continued a moment later.
"What's going on?" Fontaine asked, Finn echoing a similar question from beside her in the rover.
Ant locked eyes with Maddie, silently ensuring that she wanted him to say it aloud to their families and her minute, jerky nod in response was what he accepted for an answer.
"Madeline is almost out of air," Ant finally said.
The silence that followed was awful and tense, filled only with raspy breaths from Madeline and blood pounding in Ant's head as it rushed through his panicked brain.
When I was researching urban myths and legends to write about, I was surprised to find out about the aspidochelone which is a mythical creature which supposedly was like a giant turtle that could get so big, it could host entire ecosystems and as it's strength grew, it could control the minds of the creatures that lived on it or even the weather around it. When I learned about this, my mind immediately went to the monumential turtle and so I knew I had to use it for this fic.
I am actually considering whether or not this fic should have a sort of epilogue so if that's what you'd like to see, please let me know. I'm also wondering if I should write another, separate fic (probably a one-shot) about Ant and Maddy searching for/discussing marine legends, please let me know any thoughts.
The next chapter should hopefully be out soon (I'm hoping so anyway) and thank you all so much for reading this one, I hope you enjoyed! I'd love to hear what you thought.
Until next time! :D