Aqua Crew

Chapter Twelve

"Ouch, nearly ran over my tail there. Why does land make me feel all heavy?" Paul grumbled as he pushed his wheelchair along. "I swear it's like something is holding me down, how can anyone stand living up on land?"

"It's something that they call gravity, it's not as strong underwater so you don't notice it unless you go into the really deep trenches. Up on land humans are used to being pulled down, they're much lighter and have legs in place of a tail." Brian explained. "They're full primates, rather than part cetacean like us. They weigh less because they have stuff called clothes to keep warm with, it's a lot more efficient out of the water."

"Fur you can take off? That's so weird, why not just build up their blubber like we do? Why lose all their fur if they're just going to need something to replace it?" Ringo pointed out, he barely had to use his arms so it was a struggle trying to push the wheels forward. "Ugh, I don't understand why we kept these things when some normal fins would do just fine steering us."

The selkie only chuckled, glad that he was used to being on land. "I'm sure you'll find a use for those arms very soon, I like using them to deal with those nasty barnacles trying to stick to my back. Ah, looks like we're finally here."

The two mermen were at awe with not only how huge the entire park seemed to be, but with how little water there was around. "How can anyone do this? They don't see us coming up on land to take them into tiny air pockets do they?!" Paul grumbled. "And just look at how they drew George! Or I guess Keoki as they call him now, can't even be bothered to ask for his real name."

Of course to Brian and you readers Paul is speaking perfect English, but to any onlookers it just sounds like he's whistling a very angry tune. "So you mean they can't understand a word we say? Well there goes our plan to just say that they're going to really cause some serious damage to little Georgie and everyone else around here."

"It wouldn't have worked anyways, they'd try to convince onlookers that they're happy in a tiny tank and that those flopped over dorsal fins are normal. I've spent my time meeting with recently freed seals enough to hear what it's like in marine parks like these. Well at least we know where George will be."

Speaking of the little orca, he spent most of the night watching for any sign that the Aqua Crew knew where he was at the moment. All that he got was some kids tossing hard candy into the tank, thinking he would eat it, along with some costumed blonde, white women demanding that he do tricks for the kids. "What a weird subspecies of human, why are they referred to by a name?" He thought, but he still refused to give up any hope.

"You've been staring out there all day, your friends aren't going to come for us." Kai insisted. "You should get some sleep, it's going to take a miracle for anyone to get us out of here. How do you know they don't think you're dead?"

"Funny you should mention death considering what day it is, but really you should have more faith than that! I know Paul's starting to grow fond of me, we even shared squid together! And I even offered him a sandwich according to that new documentary that came out... I think I know why she chose to update today specifically n-"

But before he could finish his sentence, Elsie noticed a familiar pair of blue eyes looking her way. "It is them! With a human? How do they know him?" She squeaked, nearly bumping against the wall of her tank as she swam for a closer look. "Richie! We're in here!"

"M-Mum?.. I can't believe you're alive!" Ringo mumbled, wheeling his way to finally see his long lost mother. "I thought they... They did you in when that boat separated us, I'm just glad they let you live.. But look at you! You look like you were banged around by a hundred metal fish! Or I guess boats as Brian calls them."

"Well I was only kept as a breeding mermaid, so far they've had no luck in making me have more offspring."

Paul and George were staring at each other for the time, only snapped out of their daze when Brian asked how they were going to escape. "The park is closed tomorrow, that's when we're put into those flat moving metal beds." Kai grunted, he was mostly in shock that the Aqua Crew actually came. Of course he hadn't seen any other types of merfolk for so long, he didn't know how to interact after so long.

"Just onto flatbed trucks? That gives me an idea."