Co-Written by Dj Rodriguez who also created this challenge
The day started just like any other, it was a calm and beautiful morning. There was only one individual in the house this time though which was our favorite blue fur cat, laying on the floor with the book he had won open, reading it with great interest and enjoying it.
"Oooh…hmm" He nods to himself.
"Enjoying the reading?"
Melvin said as he whispered the last part in Puar's ear, which prompted the cat to jump high in the air and fall on its feet before turning around and hissing out of the spook he just got.
"GOSH! Learn to use the door, why don't you?" Puar said, looking at Melvin annoyed that he did that.
"Why use the door with my hands like a peasant if I can teleport inside?"
"That's called having manners," Puar huffed.
"Nah that's not it, anyway where is everyone?" Melvin asks.
"Yamcha took a break from his training to spend some time with Takibi, they went out saying he wanted to teach him how to hunt in the forest or get more used to it" Puat answered.
"Is that so? That's nice, I hope they have a nice time. So have you told him about us yet?"
Puar looked down and answered in a defeated tone, "No...I haven't yet. I try to, but every time I tried to tell him about the tests you are starting to give me, something just pops up that needs his attention! I swear, it's like something from those old TV or cartoon shows...I try to tell him, but something comes in like a message from one of those new friends he made during his birthday party celebration"
It was true; Yamcha had been getting calls and such from his lovely anthro female friends that he made during his birthday celebration. True they were long-distance, but fortunately, he had Melvin who made his phone able to receive calls from said distances.
The shapeshifting cat sighed and spoke out loud, "So no, he doesn't know anything. Oh boy..."
"Huh, you actually tried telling him? I gotta be honest here I thought you would be too nervous to tell him, like a little kid trying to tell their parents he is not what they thought of him" Melvin said, looking as the cat pouted.
"I'm nervous yes but I don't need to hide this from him, we trust each other, it's just that the best situation for this hasn't come out yet," Puar said with confidence, after all, he and Yamcha have been great friends for several years by now, they were family.
"Well, it has only been two weeks, no worries though doesn't he wonder what that book is all about though?"
"I only take it out to read when I want it, but when I'm not doing it I keep it hidden," Puar explained.
Melvin nodded his head and replied, "I see. Well then, how far have you come with the book? Have you learned all of the theories and such behind each of the spells?".
Puar had a confident look on his face as he answered, "Well I did enjoy this book a lot and spend most of my days reading it as much as possible, so you can say I managed to get the theories and such behind them all down in my head. Now I just need to practice. But I'm not used to the feeling of using magic in this way just yet, it feels different from what I'm used to"
The fallen Angel rubbed his chin as he thought about it, then answered "Well, I believe that most of your magic lies in your transformation abilities, but when put in another aspect you're not used to, it would draw more power than necessary since you're not used to manipulating the energy in specific ways"
It was similar to how I had to deal with the thin air that was high above Korin's Sanctuary & Kami's Lookout. All of his movements cost him breath, which made him tire more easily. And it was the same with Puar, as using magic in another way other than transformations used more magical energy.
"Oh well, I'm sure you get the hang of it in no time. But since you seem to be confident in yourself and we are alone for the time being, how about we use this opportunity for another bonding opportunity?" Melvin smirked.
"By that, you mean another challenge that may or not spook me to death?" Puar said with a deadpan face.
"Me? Spook such a brave little apprentice of a wizard such as yourself? Nuh uh, but Yes another one for the road, we had enough rest time"
Puar thought on it for only a moment and answered in a mock enthusiastic voice, "Okay then, let's bond through me being scared to death and doing my best!". It seemed that when he was picking up some lessons from Melvin, it was not just his training habits.
Melvin snorted with a small smirk on his face and stated, "That's the spirit! And I have to say, your tongue and sarcasm are improving. Keep at it, and you'll be at my level one day"
The shapeshifting cat merely smirked and replied back in a teasing tone, "Heh, one can only hope. Now let's get to it"
The fallen Angel spoke in an upbeat tone, "Okay then! Follow the Master then, young Padawan!"
He teleported outside the house, Puar had no idea what a Padawan was but he went using the old-fashioned way to follow him by using the door and seeing Melvin standing there.
"Follow me, I have something to show you"
Raising a brow he agreed with him before the duo walked from the home, going about three miles from the place until reaching a certain destination.
Melvin soon stopped, turning to Puar and gesturing around him. He asked, "Now then kitty, what do you see all around us?"
Puar had a little tick mark from the 'kitty' remark but did as he was told and looked all over the place. After some moments, he looked at Melvin and answered, "Well, we are in a vast desert landscape. All I see are sand, boulders, and rock formations. Why?"
The unusual teacher of the Heavens smirked and replied in a tone that sent Puar's spine-tingling as it meant something extreme was about to happen, "Well, this next test involves the very opposite nature of a desert. And I hope that you earned your water wings after the last test. Hehehehe..."
"I could go for some water right about now since SOMEONE! Thought it would be a good idea to make me follow you this far away to a desert rather than teleporting me along with him.
Even though Puar didn't really have to walk since he could float, he wasn't as used to high temperatures as he used to when living with Yamcha in the desert since they were mostly living comfortably.
"Why even bring me here? I don't understand what your goal is exactly" Puar asked, confused.
"Oh! You're thirsty huh? Well I just wanted to make you more in the mood for water, but maybe I'm just taking too long, no worries though I give you what you need furball"
Melvin made a gesture and put his staff down on the desert floor... and before Puar could react, water suddenly burst forth like a geyser from the place Melvin was standing at! He was jettisoned into the air, but did not budge or move at all even from the tremendous force! The shapeshifting cat was very much stunned, and more so as water geysers seemed to now sprout from various spots all around him! He let out a panicked scream before flying rapidly through the immense pillars of water! It was now like an obstacle course, where he had to dodge the spouts of powerful liquid that most likely would break through a sturdy dam with no trouble at all!
During the flight, the water droplets got on his face. Some got in his mouth, and Puar had to quickly spit it out. He thought to himself in a panicked/confused tone, 'Saltwater?! Why is it...?! Oh no! Don't tell me that...!'
The whole desert was quickly submerged in water, and Puar had to use all of his strength to stay above it! The whole world soon flashed, causing Puar to stop in mid-flight and cover his eyes. That little stop cost him as he was hit by a spout from underneath, causing him to be flung high, and then fall with a belly-flop into the water!
Up above, Melvin saw it all and winced a little. He said to himself, "Damn... nice belly-flop, but going to need some ointment after that landing."
Puar groaned in pain and annoyance which made bubbles in the water as his body descended into the cold and unknown waters that Melvin had so unceremoniously summoned. Since all that had taken him by surprise and he was underwater, Puar's instincts took over and he started shapeshifting to adapt to the situation quickly and foremost. The transformation was a fish bright orange in color with three white bars, the middle with a forward bulge centrally. Thick black bands around the white bars separate the orange and white portions of the body. The bands range from a thick line to patches of black on the sides and black tips on its fins.
Puar managed to regain consciousness quickly as he realized he was underwater. The saltwater and coldness did not bother him much, making him realize he had changed. He looked at himself, a bit perplexed on why he had chosen a clownfish on reflex. But he wasn't complaining. The shapeshifting cat saw an amazing sight, where reefs were now rising up from the sandy bottom. Corral and such were appearing, but it was like nothing he had ever seen before. Sure, he had been in the ocean on occasion with Yamcha back in the past, but the reefs he saw... they were like no kind of design he had seen at all.
'Better start moving before something tries to eat me'
Puar remembered that this was a challenge, so he swam around to see if he could find Melvin. But after some time swimming about and the results yielding nothing, he decided to go topside. Locating a rocky outcropping that went upward and out of the sea, he swam upwards fast. Puar rocketed out of the water, and quickly shifted back to his regular form.
He floated to the top of the rock formation, soon looking about to see islands appearing where they were none before. "Great, where am I now?"
"You are on a tropical Island, but shame to say I don't have a coconut with the little umbrella for you"
"MELVIN!" Puar screamed rather than be jumpy "What was that all for?! Did you drench a whole desert in water?"
"Who? Me? Of course not, I can't just take half the world for our little ocean trip and no one suspect it, we are already in my pocket dimension, it happened the moment we left the house, I just made you think we were still on earth to surprise you when all the water came out" He said, as a matter of fact.
Puar smacked his forehead and muttered to himself, "Of course you did...". He kept forgetting that despite his looks and actions, Melvin was quite powerful and also formidable. Not just with martial arts, but also with powers that were truly godlike such as crafting dimensions and such. And also subtly, like he just demonstrated & explained just now.
"Was that really necessary? All you had to do was do it right away after telling me" Puar said, before quickly turning into a dog to shake off some of the water from his body.
"I just wanted to see your reaction when put in a situation you don't expect, consider that part of your training. A wizard does not panic, they get ready" Melvin said.
The shapeshifting cat looked to the fallen angel and inquired, "Okay, so we are now in a pocket dimension... so what does this test require me to do?"
"I'm glad you asked! You see, we are surrounded by this new ocean and mysterious islands. Your main goal here is to find a certain treasure chest that contains your reward, however!" He pauses for dramatic effect "It is hidden in a reef from one of the many islands that have shown just now"
Melvin creates a map out of thin air and demonstrates high-quality images of the several islands in the vicinity, each possessing a good distance from the other.
"That seems a bit hard but I'm sure I ca-"
"Here are the rules though you can't fly or turn into any animal that doesn't have an aquatic purpose and there is a time limit of approximately three hours for you to explore and find the item"
"Oh..." Puar said, "I'm sure it's not so bad underwater right?"
"If you like to meet sharks, sure. But here is one more thing, when you find the right reef you need to get the treasure chest back to the new island that I will be waiting for. that one will be different, I make sure of it, like...make a big pillar of light come from it like a beacon, that will do the trick"
"Sharks?!" That caught his attention "There are sharks in these waters?"
"Let's just say that these waters are filled with some interesting surprises, that's all I can tell you"
Puar wanted to say more, but soon Melvin just smirked at him and vanished. His left eye twitched as he saw this, his mind filled with all kinds of expletives that he REALLY wanted to say to the fallen angel. However, he heard a soft sound and looked to where the sound came from. To the east was a thin ray of light that was rising upward into the air.
The only reason why it was thin was due to the distance between Puar and the island where Melvin was, which was quite a distance.
The shapeshifting feline signed and said to himself, "One of these days I am just going to give him such a pinch! Sigh... well, best to start the test now"
He leaped back into the air, changing into a sea mammal known as the Short-Beaked Common Dolphin. The transformed cat did a somersault in his new form before splashing into the water, his new body already welcoming the seawater before he shot forward to one of the nearby islands. This particular species of dolphin could swim at about 37 mph, which was roughly 32 knots if one were to go for the aquatic conversion of speed.
Puar had knowledge of sea creatures that were faster than the one he transformed into, but he felt that he had to conserve most of his energy for the trip toward the island that had the light pillar. Also, dolphins were the natural enemies of sharks, and after hearing Melvin, he wanted to be safe from the alpha predators of the ocean. He made his way to one of the islands, looking around for anything that resembled a treasure chest while swimming downwards. And while at it he also stared at the biome that those waters were showing to him, right now he was in a grassy plateau, where large, pillar-like structures were perhaps created from water current erosion, there were also smooth marine plains, and a sandy terrain that almost completely carpeted with seagrass, the water was just so clean that he could see everything clearly.
Puar was looking around the place in awe and spoke to himself in a tone that conveyed what he was feeling now, "Whoa... this is amazing! I really need to explore the undersea world more, as this is just so cool!".
He was entranced by the way the biome before him was like, seeing various kinds of creatures going to and fro about their business. However, he soon remembered that he was on the clock and needed to find his target. He started to look around the reef, peeking into various corral crevices and the like. The shapeshifting cat, now turned dolphin, was spooking many other sea life like crabs, octopuses, small squid, and the like. And he also spooked a moray eel, which lunged at him in self-defense from his whole home! Puar had to avoid the sharp fangs and teeth, but sadly he spotted no treasure chest.
Puar spoke to himself, "No sign of it here. But thankfully, no signs of sharks or any other predator that could eat me"
The blue cat thought that everything was calm for the time being besides a little bit of a mishap with an eel, but then something caught his attention. Due to the highly developed senses of a dolphin and their echolocation which is paramount to their survival, Puar felt something wasn't right, so he carefully hid around a pillar. Puar saw a shiver of sharks approaching, about twenty Hammerhead sharks coming into the area. The shapeshifting cat/dolphin looked to see the unusual-shaped heads of the predators looking this way and that. The fish that were out there scattered as they did not want to become a meal for any of the sharks. A couple of small squids tried to escape, but they were quickly caught and devoured by one of the Hammerhead sharks.
The group of aquatic predators stayed around for some time, then swam off in search of more meals. Once they were gone, Puar raced to the surface since he was running out of air. Once he broke through, he leaped high into the air and did a somersault before splashing back down! When he rose back to the surface, Puar was a bit startled by what he did.
He said to himself, "Whoa! That was... wow! I guess that the dolphin's instincts took over for me briefly. But... wow, what a rush! Well, no chest around here. Time to go to the next island"
He speedily made his way towards the island, doing some leaps out of the water as the dolphin's instincts were telling him to do so. Puar was soon having fun... not realizing that some extreme danger was lurking about in the deep blue sea. After putting his dolphin speed to good use he arrived at another island and already reaching its biome, this one seemed to be a bit more sparse...he could see a reef, composed relatively of flat areas covered by green mounds that were scattered with coral, as well as large fissures where if you paid attention one could see bioluminescent flora from it. There are also spire-like structures found along the border of the Reef next to the Grassy Plateaus.
Puar was again impressed by what he was seeing, especially the bioluminescent flora that was around the place. He said to himself, "Whoa... again, things like this put the ones on land to shame! Now, let's see what we got here..."
He started to swim forth and check the reef, taking note of every crack and crevice that was around & also using his sonar to detect what objects were in there. So far, no luck in anything that resembled a chest.
The shapeshifting being did see a school of barracuda come into the scene; a group of fifteen of the long fishes, with some exceeding the five-foot mark! The fish were slim but they were dangerous with their sharp teeth being shown, rows of slicing tools that could cut through almost anything. Puar was nervous as he saw the school, but the barracuda ignored him in favor of the small anchovies that were about.
Puar looked at the bioluminescent algae around, seeing the glowing plant life and saying, "Wow... this is so cool! I wish I could take some with me, but I don't have a pack. And sad to say, not much around here. Time to check the next one out!".
He gave a burst of speed towards the next island... but he did not see that something was swimming deep in the darkness. Something truly ancient like the dinosaurs of old, and also as bizarre as they come.
Things were looking up for him since he was using a really smart creature of the seas, but the situation was soon going to crank it up in difficulty as the waters he transversed were starting to heat up, which did not pass unnoticed by the shapeshifter.
'The water is increasing in temperature, I wonder if this is safe or if it will increase more'
The biome that he had reached was a bit different from the others, this one hard weird like large trees that seemed to emanate heat almost like Hydrothermal vents, covered in small vine-like flora. The area was dominated by cliffs and small ridges, with noticeable erosion in some areas.
"Well this place doesn't look safe to take a dive"
Puar felt the heat, his current form made for warm-water environments but he would be quick on the draw if said biome got too much for it. He saw clusters of small fish swimming nearby, some octopuses and jellyfish lazily swimming about the area. The shapeshifting magical cat also saw clusters of starfish and limpets all on the rocky outcroppings.
The sea mammal said to himself, "Whoa... I wish I had a camera or something to take pictures with! I really never knew that such biomes like this could exist!". He committed everything he saw to memory, then looked a bit further down to where the tree formations were at.
He used his echolocation once more, using the rebounding sonar map in his head to scout around the area. He was so focused on finding his prize... that he was unaware of the danger that was swimming his way!
You see, the biomes on the ocean were different for a reason. And this particular area where Puar was swimming was excellent for certain species that had been around during the time of the dinosaurs. And one of those ancient species had spotted him and was slowly making its way toward him to not alert Puar to his presence.
Puar felt the heat, his current form made for warm-water environments but he would be quick on the draw if said biome got too much for it, so far it was bearable. He saw clusters of small fish swimming nearby, some octopuses and jellyfish lazily swimming about the area. The shapeshifting magical cat also saw groups of starfish and limpets all on the rocky outcroppings.
The sea mammal said to himself, "Man these places are so unique, I wish I had a camera to take pictures with! Do biomes like this even exist or is he making them?" Puar said as he tried committing everything he saw to memory before looking a bit further down to where the tree formations were at.
He used his echolocation once more, using the rebounding sonar map in his head to scout around the area. He was so focused on finding his prize... that he was unaware of the danger that was swimming his way!
You see, the biomes on the ocean were different for a reason. And this particular area where Puar was swimming was excellent for certain species that had been around during REALLY old times, and while a Dolphins' echolocation is so accurate that it can detect an object's size, the direction it's traveling, its density as well as its position above or below, Puar was not a wild Dolphin, thus its distraction to the environment and such allowed the ancient species to spot him and slowly make its way towards him as to not alert it of his presence.
Puar was so intent on finding his prize that he did not realize that he was being followed. But he had something that a wild animal did not, and that was a deeper instinct that something was wrong. A developed sixth sense that came from all of the time he had been adventuring with Yamcha, and also the times when BIG trouble did come to Earth.
He was feeling it now; a shiver that traveled through his whole body in a way that was unusual given how he was in a very warm environment. His small eyes widened as he felt his sixth sense flaring up and said to himself, "Okay... I have a feeling that I'm being followed... followed by something... with...".
As he turned around slowly... his dolphin eyes widened comically as coming into view a shark! He exclaimed loudly in fear, "SHARP TEETH!"
The light from the surface and from the bioluminescent algae showed it was a shark alright... but it was so bizarre that it even made Puar's face shift from fear to confusion.
The shark before him looked to be between 33 and 39 feet long, but what really made the shark bizarre was that its lower jaw was in a compact spiral like a buzzsaw! He swam away fast, but the large shark proved to be swift despite its size.
Puar called out loudly, "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT KIND OF SHARK?!". It is then he received a telepathic answer from Melvin.
"Hey! Looks like you found a Helicoprion, also known as the buzzsaw shark. This little fella was a prominent feature of the oceans roughly 290 to 250 million years ago. Known mostly for its strange spiral set of teeth, did you know that the whorl of teeth was pushed backward, providing an effective slicing mechanism for the serrated teeth?"
"That's awful! Don't talk about this with such excitement!" Puar screamed, even if he was the only one who could hear Melvin.
"I mean it's not the weirdest type of shark or the most dangerous when you think about it but you were just unlucky to meet this one, wanna give up?"
Puar shook his head and announced with fierce determination, "NO! I may be scared out of my mind now, but I'm not giving up! Just have to give this shark the slip!".
He quickly leafed through his mental notebook of animals to transform into, and swiftly found the answer. He let loose his magic, the tell-tale sign of smoke coming forth to tell all about a transformation taking place. In this case, the smoke was a bonus as the smoke congealed and became more or less ink-like the kind used by certain octopuses and squids.
The Helicoprion slowed down drastically as the smoke ink blinded it, its other senses working into overdrive to find its quarry. It soon discovered it, as Puar flew from the underwater smokescreen... as a Wahoo! This particular type of fish was found in tropical & subtropical waters, sometimes people confuse the wahoo with barracuda, but both fishes can be distinguished as mackerel scales are small, while barracuda have large prominent scales.
The barracuda has dagger-like teeth, which also differentiate them from the wahoo. Barracuda also lack the fork-like tail and keels which are present in wahoo. Normally, a wahoo's average speed was about 48 mph, making it the third fastest fish in the ocean. However... Puar was now running on the adrenaline of fear and determination, increasing the speed to nearly 60 mph!
Puar was swimming fast in the deep blue sea, his form's current speed outrunning the prehistoric shark. However, he forgot to factor in two things. One, going at full burst speed from the get-go took up much stamina and energy. And even though he was outswimming the shark, he could feel his stamina waning quickly. Another factor was that he was hungry. He had not eaten for some time, and the hunger pains added to his stamina depleting faster than normal. So after about several minutes, he panted and slowed down immensely. He was soon floating in the wide ocean, exhausted and needing to rest.
He said to himself, "Okay... take note... EAT something before doing a test. At least... I got myself away from the shark...".
Unfortunately for Puar, the Helicoprion was still on his tail. Despite not being fast, the shark had endurance and stamina to spare. And also his senses, still sharp like a modern-day shark, managed to keep track of his target. The prehistoric one was closing in... but so was something else, something massive that was right below it and Puar!
The ecosystem of the ocean was as merciless as in land, it was a constant fight for survival to either eat or be eaten, it didn't matter if you were tired or stuck not knowing what to do, what happened next would determine whether you live or die.
'Should I try and fight? Maybe I could turn into a killer orc and try to out-muscle it' Puar thinks about his options.
While Puar was thinking about his options, he did not realize that the Helicoprion was upon him. The large buzz-saw-jawed shark was swimming fast while taking careful aim.
The shapeshifting cat felt his danger senses tingling once more, turning around... and the world seemed to be moving in slow-motion as the shark put on a burst of speed, its jaws opening wide with the bottom showing all sharp teeth ready to slice through blubber and meat! Puar's face was in a state of shock as the alpha predator closed in...
And that is when something rose from the depths, another alpha predator from the prehistoric past!
*CRUNCH!*
That something took a big mouthful to bite out of the one that had been following Puar, trying to eat him as well but ended up becoming someone's lunch instead. The sudden change in the flow of the surrounding water prompted the shapeshifter to stop and look around at what just transpired.
Puar's eyes widened as he beheld a truly immense creature. It was about fifty feet in length, maybe even more so! Even though it was massive, the body was steam-lined with four paddle-like limbs. A long tail that helped to balance it, but also to stun anything that got hit by it. It had a reptilian head, mostly similar to a crocodile, with jaws that were four feet in length, and rows of sharp teeth on both of them. If Puar had to guess, the thing could open its mouth about three feet wide!
What Puar was seeing was a Mosasaurus, a prehistoric swimming dinosaur that existed 135 million to 65 million years ago in the Cretaceous period! Now while dinosaurs still roamed the land in Puar's Earth, it was still a sight to see!
The immense crocodilian dinosaur had just snapped the Helicoprion in half! Well, to be honest about 3/4ths as the tail and head were sinking into the depths. The ocean was now sporting a deep red blotch of blood but was dissipating due to the water and currents. The Mosasaurus swallowed what he bit off, lazily swimming towards the next area. He did not even notice Puar, as he considered him too small. The sight of seeing that much blood from the one thing that was hunting him now dead and eaten by yet a bigger creature made Puar feel queasy but also even more fear, he had to get out of there right NOW! But if he turned into anything too big besides the small wahoo fish then he would look better as a snack, what he needed, for now, was a place to hide and take a breather.
Puar swam fast across the chasm, coming to rest within some corral, with some having what looked like a large version of the human brain. He did not take the time to truly observe the area, as he was too panicked to care at the moment. When he managed to get within the rocky outcroppings, he quickly changed into an Atlantic Pygmy Octopus. His mantle was about 1.8 inches long, and his arms a length of 3.5 inches long.
He chose the form as it was small, and also octopuses & squids could squeeze in tight places due to lack of bones. And right now, Puar just wanted to find a dark hole to rest in after seeing what he saw.
The shapeshifting cat said to himself, "Whew... that was too close... Oh, man... I forgot that when one is an animal like this, they have to be more aware of the food chain one is in. And... just seeing those prehistoric beasts... they are more terrifying... than any dinosaur on land...".
Puar was now considering forfeiting the challenge... but it was in his fear that a moment of clarity came to him.
The young cat had seen his master have the odds stacked against him, in both the challenges Melvin presented to him & also in real life during his tenure as a Z-Fighter. He had gone up against what many would call insurmountable odds... but he never backed down! Win or lose, he never quit! And it was remembering that determination that started the spark within his mind and soul, that slowly but surely grew within him!
He exclaimed to himself, "That's it! I won't quit! I'll take this challenge and see it through all the way!".
Feeling his confidence and strength returning, Puar the octopus slowly left the crevice he was hiding in. But he soon saw something down below the chasm before him. Something that seemed to sparkle like gold. Let it be known that the species he was currently as right now had some keen senses & among them was the sense of sight.
Puar asked himself, "Gold? Is that gold in that crack on the side of the chasm? But is it...?". His heart beat fast as he focused his sight, and soon it leaped with joy as he saw that it was the treasure chest that he had been searching for! The one that contained the key he needed!
But... the problem was that he had little more than an hour left, it was a bit way down towards his destination. And with predators abound, he would have to be quick.
'I won't make it if I do this slowly, I need to grab the chest and leave but how would I even grab that chest?'
Puar thought about transforming into something big enough to hide the chest on its mouth but what would be a good choice? And if that prehistoric thing came back how would he fight it? There was a need for a decision and one to be done right now!
God damn it!'
Feeling cornered against his own fear and the timer, Puar decided to just do what he felt was right, when getting out of his hiding place he transformed once again but this time, his creature of choice was big and mean, a twenty feet predator of the seas, the Great white shark! Not wanting to get any attention from other bigger predators that lurked around, he quickly decided to go down where the chest was located, paying attention to the shine it gave, when getting closer he saw that the chest was smaller than a normal treasure chest and that the lock was made out of gold, but that didn't really matter.
*CRUNCH!*
Puar decided to use his shark-like attributes and BITES on the side of the woody chest which was easier to chew from, while Great white sharks can bite with a power of up to 4,000 pounds per square inch, he didn't want to waste time trying to bite through the lock, so this was easier, and after doing so he shakes the contents of it in his mouth making something small and silvery fall on the sandy ground.
'Jackpot!'
Feeling on a roll he changes once again, taking the form of a small and slim, deep blue fish, with a silver color below and a bright blue spotted large dorsal fin. It also had a long and rounded spear (or bil) extending from its snout, which Puar took advantage of to put the item on said snout and then quickly swam back up. Turns out Puar had turned into a Sailfish, which were known to be the fastest fish in the sea as they fold their fins back completely, their bodies resembling a torpedo as they dash toward their targets at speeds of up to 68 miles per hour.
Puar swam to the surface quickly, needing to get a quick bearing before diving back down. The key was secure on his long upper lip, fitting and sliding in snugly onto it. Once he broke the surface, he looked in the distance and saw the light pillar that was coming from the island... and it wasn't that far away! With joy and relief in his heart, he dived back down into the water and really laid on the speed! He unleashed everything his current form possessed, going about 68 mph! Or in nautical terms, about 59 knots. The shapeshifter was glad that he had managed to conquer his fear and get back on track...
However, he did not notice something following him from below. It was a marine reptile, though many did mix it up with dinosaurs. It was about 34 feet in length, streamlined body with paddle-like limbs... and a long neck that was about 23 feet long! It was an Elasmosaurus, one of the largest sea predators back in prehistoric times! Its skull was slender, triangular-shaped, and had rows of fourteen interlocking teeth! While not as swift as certain marine animals, it apparently used its long neck to reach out for its prey... and it was now doing so with Puar as he remained unaware that he was being followed by the long-necked predator!
'I can't believe I am so close to getting there, I don't know what this ring is but hopefully, it will be t-'
Here is a fact about fish and how they sense danger. There is something called a lateral line, a sense organ of microscopic pores used to detect movement and vibration in the surrounding water. Located just under the skin, consisting of sensory receptors called neuromasts. When the cilia in the neuromasts vibrate, the fish can feel. The lateral line can also sense and detect water pressure, prey and predator movements, currents, and objects. All fish have some form of a lateral line, some having a more developed one than others.
So when something so much bigger and dangerous than Puar's current transformation was approaching he felt a shiver, something was behind him…should he try and look or just keep swimming as fast as he could? Puar decided to not risk a chance looking back, as he was already on a tight schedule due to the time limit... and also that looking back would cost him some seconds, and all it took was a few seconds from being alive to being consumed by another predator!
So he put on the burst of speed, not looking back at all and it was a good thing that he didn't as the jaws of the long Elasmosaurus were stretched out towards him! It roared, reaching out to get the tail of its prey but the sailfish swiftly swam away! It gave chase, showing that it was fast in its own right but the modern-day fish that Puar chose was too fast! The chase lasted for about ten minutes, then the Elasmosaurus groaned and slowed down. His large body was streamlined, yes, but it required much energy to move that large bulk. In addition, its neck was not as flexible as some would assume. It was stiff and could only bend slowly as its bones were just that, bones and not cartilage like sharks and such.
After an extra five minutes, the prehistoric reptile turned away as it decided that a swift meal was not worth it.
The sense of danger looming over him had disappeared after the predator gave up chasing, but the adrenaline and fear were still fresh so Puar didn't slow down, he was on a timer after all and so close too, just a bit more of a push and he would finally get there. But he had used too much energy, it had been a while since he forced himself this much and transformed into multiple forms and forced them to the max, his vision was getting darker and his breathing was heavy.
Puar managed to get himself to a shallow corral area, and just in time as his transformation wore off. His natural buoyancy returned, causing him to float to the surface. He weakly rolled over on his back, the tide carrying him to land which thankfully was the place where the light pillar beacon was at. On his stomach was his prize, the very thing he had endured so hard to obtain.
He panted heavily, his eyes barely open as he saw the magnificent light shooting up into the heavens. He smiled weakly, chuckled, and said, "Haa... Haa... made it... and I think with only... fifteen minutes... left on the clock..."
After that exhaustion took over him and Puar closed his eyes, finally losing consciousness from all the struggle as everything went dark, he just couldn't keep himself awake any longer.
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But then he suddenly felt a wave of relief wash over his body, almost as if he didn't spend all this time constantly transforming and running away from predators under the sea. He then started to slowly open his eyes, feeling a bit groggy as if he was just waking up as of now, slowly taking in the surroundings.
"W-What?"
Puar vision came back after a while and he realized that he was resting on a beach chair and there was one of those fruity drinks with the tiny umbrella, by his side on top of a little table.
Puar was very much stunned and perplexed by the whole situation. He thought to himself, 'W-What? Why...? How did...? When...?'.
He looked about the beach he was on; a pristine white-sanded beach with a gentle cool wave, the sun shining down, the waves... the magical cat then realized that the sun was unusually bright and seemed to be focused.
The magical cat turned around to see that before him was the pillar of light beacon, which was about half a mile from his location!
"Well, well, well! Look at you now" Melvin said, as he showed up right in front of Puar's face.
"Ah!" Puar quickly got up from the chair, spooked by it "Melvin? What just happened?"
"Well, you arrived here on the island like you were running from the devil, fell hard on the sand like a bag of potatoes, and then blackout. I saw you technically arrived at the island with the item and decided to heal you up. You surely impressed me there buddy, I am out to test you out with a Reaper Leviathan next time" Melvin said, looking at him while rubbing his chin.
"A What now? Oh! That's right, the Ring!" Puar said, looking around to see where it was.
He looked around to see where his prize was, the object that he struggled hard and long to find. The shapeshifting cat soon caught sight of it, the object on the little side table that was next to him. He took it, admiring the simple-looking yet very important object that he risked life and limb for.
Puar felt a great sense of accomplishment. He barely made it to his goal, but he had made it. And also that he pushed his shapeshifting powers and stamina to the very limit against various aquatic predators. He had done it, even though he did have some help getting ashore. But that little detail didn't dampen his spirits.
He then remembered something and turned his gaze to Melvin. Puar inquired in a perplexed tone, "By the way, what is a Reaper Leviathan? Is it worse than the dinosaurs that were in the ocean?".
"Let's just say that whatever scary and big-looking thing you saw down there, would look small and tamed compared to it"
Melvin then takes out his phone and plays the roaring sound of a Reaper Leviathan, the sounds that came from it were unlike any roar that Puar had heard before it reminded him of a dinosaur but it didn't sound right, this was different, a bit alien if you wish and the thought of a roar like that be able to be heard while underwater would totally turn on all the alert bells in his head.
(Link: youtube com/watch?v=wz851d-OzjE)
"The deep roar emitted is emitted in intervals as an effective sonar, so….if you can hear it then it can see you," Melvin said with a devilish face.
"I…I see" 'I better not ask to see what it looks like, or else I have nightmares' Puar thought.
"Now without further ado, let's get to the good part, '' Melvin said as he was holding the ring in his hand, the same one that Puar had brought all the way to the island.
"Ah, that is!" Puar pointed.
The ring didn't have an impressive appearance to it, it seemed to be made out of steel but with a plate screwed to its body with an interesting engraving to it.
"Virga annulata quae movet artem magicam" Melvin said, reading it.
"H-Huh?" Puar was confused.
"It means! The staff-ring activates the art of magic. This ring is essentially a miniature staff/wand in ring from my furry friend"
"I see, it's like a magic wand…wait but I can use magic without that"
"Indeed, you have a lot of magic inside of you and you can use spells without a wand thanks to your great control over shapeshifting, well-versed mages don't really need a catalyst because eventually, they become too dependent, that's why the ring staff is a good choice because no one expects the wizard's wand to be a ring!"
Puar nodded at that but Melvin kept going.
"Don't take this as a downgrade, you're still a novice when it comes to other types of magic. Tools like this are to better control your energy, more than anything it would help to shorten the enchantment time, these babies conduct energy, and could even help reduce the expense and waste of it, they could also store some energy to use in a quick moment it's all part of how you use it and how its made"
Puar looked at the ring and also absorbed what Melvin had told him. While the ring did not look impressive, he started to realize that it was not the physical look of the object that mattered. What mattered was how it functioned, and also that it was a useful tool. That it was subtle and gave him an advantage in other aspects.
The real core deal was that it could help him with his newfound magical abilities & already existing capabilities. To shorten enchantment time, help reduce wasting energy and magic of transformation & also to conduct energy in a pinch that could really mean the difference between life and death, victory and defeat.
The shapeshifting feline felt the sting leave. He was hurt that the object he sought after long and hard was not very large or fancy, but now looking at it, setting his ego to the side, Melvin was correct. He was still a novice, but the tools he was given were subtle yet significant in certain aspects when one does not whine or cry about not getting anything big or cool-looking.
He looked to Melvin, had a small but true smile on, and stated, "Thank you Melvin-sensei"
"Heh! No worries, you have surprised me coming this far. It will be a pleasure to see how far you will go"