Twisted-Wonderland: Our Precious Treasure (Part 2)

(91) TMotDS: A Big-Un's a-Brewin' Mysterious Fathoms Below!

Do what you want. Don't talk to me.

This was probably the shortest and most cryptic message that Jack had ever gotten, but the recording attached to it was more concerning. When did Azul visit Jonah? Last night after that short planning? This morning? The recording was even worse. Listening to Azul really made Jack want to punch him in the face. He still couldn't believe that Jonah would give up his free will for someone like that. This recording just painted an even uglier picture of that manipulative bastard.

Leona and Ruggie noticed his disturbed face, so they asked and Jack had no choice but to tell them everything, including replaying that cursed recording. The prefect groaned, massaging his forehead from the sudden migraine. "So, let me get this straight," he said. "That Pirate Boy has until the sunset on the third day to sneak into the Atlantica Memorial Museum and steal a picture, if not he'll become that Octo Punk's slave?"

"It gets worse too," Ruggie added, leaning against the pillar with hands folded behind his head. "Azul knows all of Jonah's thoughts and plans. No matter how secretive he plans, it will be as if he's spilling everything for Azul."

"That Pirate Boy had gotten into more trouble than he can handle." Leona sighed, leaning back with elbows against the fence separating the spectators' seat and the arena. "It will be a miracle if he actually wins this."

Jack turned to him, frowning. "Wait. You're not going to help?" There was a hint of growling at the end of his question. "After what Jonah did for you-"

Without even looking at him, Leona raised his hand. "I'm going to stop you right there." He tilted his head back. "Remember what he said once: it would be better if Azul doesn't know well about our relationship. If I step in, Azul will have eyes on me, possibly the whole Savanaclaw as well. It's already risky for Jonah to have you on the team. He just can't let himself lose anymore backups."

Jack curled up his fingers into a fist but begrudgingly agree with his prefect. Leona let out a chuckle. "Jack. You need to find the loophole."

Jack's ears perked up as Leona moved, standing straight facing Jack with hands in his pocket and grinning at him. "Only because the Pirate Boy couldn't get help from me unless he needed to, but that doesn't mean you can't get help from me or the others."

"What?"

Leona held himself back from rolling his eyes. These kids were such a goodie-two-shoes. "What do you plan after this? You're not thinking of immediately jump into the sea, right?"

Jack shook his head. "We're thinking of scouting the area first and practice swimming if we must."

"Good. Baby steps," Leona hummed, brow scrunched and finger tapping his chin as his tail swished. "You have to be careful not to be too close to Jonah." He started to pace around. " And I doubt Azul just let all of you dive to the museum without any obstacle. He'll probably send his anemones, if not, the Leech twins themselves. There's no way you can win against them."

"And why is that?" Jack asked, making a mental note in his head for future confrontation.

Leona paused his pacing. "Mermaids," he spat.

Jack's eyes widened. There was a pause between them, letting the information sink in. Mermaids? Like, all of them? Jack knew he couldn't judge. Merfolks were technically beastmen like him.

"I saw Floyd go back to his original eel form during our joint swimming lessons last summer, so..." Ruggie winched. "Yeah. You're probably fucked if you got chased by them."

"Eel merfolks... This is bad," Jack muttered. "Wait. Does that mean Azul is octopus merfolk?"

Leona nodded. "But I doubt that Azul will come down on his own since he has Jonah as his eyes." He turned back to Jack, staring at him so seriously, making sure that he pays attention. "If what Azul said is true, with him keep watching Jonah's every move, you can't be around his line unless you want Azul to have eyes on you."