After the Tide

Chapter 17 - 2759 AT -Dylan

We are docking in the Alps, which is a good thing because it means I can probably sneak off to the shoreline much easier than getting off the boat. We're not meant to be apart. Even if we aren't sick anymore. He hasn't talked to me much I hope he knows I'm still coming.
My arm is healed completely the scales are easy to hide.
I'm perfectly fine. I'm better off this way.
No matter what happens I won't be alone.
Not anymore.
I wasn't alone. I have a brother.
That should never be past tense.
"Ready to step foot on land?" Atlanta asks, gripping my shoulder. I want to knock her hand away.
"They usually have crab here, it's the best," Matthias says, bouncing on my other side. He's very annoying, so I do knock his hand off when he tries to put it on my shoulder.
"Lighten up. There's good food. Pretty girls. If you're invested in girls? The guys are just okay right Matty?" Atlanta asks.
"Oh they're all nice just not type," he says, shrugging a little, "Great spears my father said we could go to the forge."
"By the way I'm the only one allowed to call him Matty," Atlanta says, hugging the cheerful boy who clearly loves affection. He leans into her hug, arms as thick as her neck encircling her shoulders securely.
"I didn't plan on speaking to him," I say, very pleasantly I think.
"Wow you're in a bad mood," Atlanta laughs.
"I'm really just like this," I say.
"Do you want to learn how to throw a spear or not? I'll show you?" Matthias offers.
"Are you coming on to me?" I ask.
"Oh my god he has a problem you can ignore him," Aeon just covers my mouth, "Yes he loves weapons but sadly his personality prevents him from associating with you please never speak to him."
"Why are you just his translator?" Atlanta asks.
"He needs it—?" Aeon says.
I finally squiggle out of his grip even if he's cuddly and comfortable, "He's saving me for himself he gets jealous even though he can't admit it yet."
"I am literally BEGGING you to stop saying things like that," Aeon breaths, so tired, hand over his one good eye, "Like you genuinely need to stop."
"I'm offended," I say.
"Of course you are," he says, looking like he's praying.
"What you're not going to leave the ship?" Atlanta asks.
"No I will," I say, we're admittedly some of the last ones to leave the ship.
"It's fine, you're fine, we're good," Nikolai has an arm around Aeon now.
"Wait are you two an item?" I ask, hurt.
"No," Aeon says, "Absolutely not no."
"I saw my life flash before my eyes whatever he said," Nikolai says.
"I saw them making out for twenty minutes the other night so I think that's a yes," Atlanta says.
"Oh you saw that?!" Nikolai asks, upset.
"Your boyfriend has been coming onto me," I tell him, to be helpful.
"I seriously and truly doubt that," Nikolai says, very nicely.
"All right, everyone ready to leave the ship? Make some new friends and allies and get supplies don't need to worry about paying for them we're not coming back and using these same identities? Let's go," Captain Ridley is herding us off the ship. Malcolm is walking idly next to him with no enthusiasm.
"What are the Alps known for besides crab?" Matthias asks, amiably, because he's just happy I guess.
"Crab," Atlanta says.
"Also air power," Nikolai says.
"How do you know that?" Aeon asks, confused, "I didn't know that."
"I'm literally from here. Like you knew that," Nikolai says.
"Oh I did know that I'm sorry, yeah I knew that," Aeon says.
"Air power?" I ask, frowning.
"Dirigibles, choppers, that sort of thing, they hunt serpants by air, pretty advanced," Nikolai says, as we descend the plank. My stomach churns as we touch dry land. I want walk directly off the dock and into the freezing waters. I have curl my hands into fists and bite my lip in pain.
"Right there, you can see some airships," NIkolai points at what is clearly an airfield.
"All right, new plan, we are stealing one of those," Captain Ridley says, catching as many of us as he can by the backs of our shirts.
"No,we aren't," Aeon says, just walking on.
"We NEED one," Malcolm agrees.
"forget what we came here for, we're doing this now. We need at least one of those," Captain Ridley says.
"No. We don't. Why do you even think you need that?" I ask.
"Fun. Obviously. It looks like fun. Now who's with me?" Captain Ridley asks.
"I'm in, what are we doing?" Atlanta asks.
"Sure," Matthias shrugs.
"Out, that's insane," I say, backing away, "Do any of you know how to fly that thing?"
"Can't be hard," Malcolm says in his usual monotone.
"I do know how to fly actually,"" Nikolai says, flatly. Aeon finds this funny I suppose because he's not helping.
"That's really dumb have fun with that," I say, backing away. I have a sea monster to find and befriend I don't have time for their lunacy.
I cut away from the group as swiftly as I can. We're docked at a large port but it's not too busy at this time of night.
The water is bound to be icy cold but that doesn't deter me, I drop my bag and strip off my jacket, moving to the end of an abandoned dock. I can't see into the murky depths, and there's ice starting form around the pillars.
I lean over the edge, stretching out a hand to the dark water. I don't know what I expect to see.
But the monster rises up, water rolling off its shiny bright blue scales.
"Hey, you feel better?"
not sick anymore.
"Yeah me too," I breath, relaxing a little. The monster is probably as big as I am, just, it has smooth shimmery scales and the start of triple rowed crooked little fangs. I reach out a hand to pet the top of its head.
"I missed you," I say, quietly.
It leans into the pet, letting me run a hand down the slippery scales. Identical to the ones that formed on my arm.
"They want to kill you. You can't be here," i warn.
With one swift tug the monster latches onto my arm and tugs me into the water. I gasp at the cold, but it isn't as bad as I thought. I drop into the freezing water, my clothes weighing me down. I surface, gasping for breath.
They want to kill us, the monster corrects, staring at me critically.
"Us," i say, quietly, looking at my arm, now hidden by my soaking sleeve. I kick to stay afloat, wrapping one arm around the pier.
"You should go. I'll be okay. Just get out of here," I say.
No.
The monster dives at me, head into my chest, driving me underneath the surface and towards the ocean floor. I try to struggle but I'm no match for the monster's strength. It's pinning me beneath the surface, against rough rocks on the ocean floor. And I'm rapidly running out of air.
I struggle painfully. My lungs ache and I can feel myself suffocating. Let me go. Let me go.
The monster continues pinning me down, determined.
I'm out of air and I give up, water flooding my mouth and burning into my lungs. I choke painfully and in my head I know I must be dying. Icy cold salt water fills my mouths and throat, painfully I feel each gasp as its sucked deeper and deeper into my lungs.
Then I breath again. Out. Painfully this time but my head is clearing though my ribs are burning. I breath again, water rushing down my throat but no longer to choke me, no. I'm breathing.
And water is flowing through my lungs I can breath. Is this drowning?
The monster is satisfied. It gives up, releasing me and I kick back to the surface. My skin feels like its on fire.
The monster pushes me back up helpfully and tosses me back onto the dock. Shaking cold I crawl backward, spitting up water as air once again burns through my lungs.
"What—what did you do that for?" I gasp, my voice rough with water.
Saving you.
"What did you—," i trail off as I look down at my now mostly ruined shirt, torn the monster's teeth and claws as it held me down.
My skin on both sides of my chest is now slick with soft blue green scales, and the skin itself is broken along my ribs into even slits—
"No, no, no," I run a hand up my chest, frantically, the damage goes all the way up to my throat. Fine, soft flesh perforations in my skin that now suck closed as I again breath air into my lungs.
Gills.
Gills have formed fully on both sides of my chest, along with the silky scales to cover them.
"No why did you do this to me?" I ask, shaking my head. What am I going to do? The arm was hard enough to hide. But this? My shirt can't come off I have to wear a scarf or something its up my neck.
To save you. When the tides rise you'll be safe. We can be together. The monster peaks out of the water, almost ashamed at my fear.
"They're going to kill us," I say, quietly, slowly lowering my hand from the scales on my ribs. My hand is shaking.
The monster sinks lower, clearly upset. I'm sorry. We don't want to die.
"No no neither do I."
The tides will rise again. No land left.
"Yeah that's what they say, okay then,' I say, taking a deep breath. It feels oddly cold, as some air escapes from the gills which are now pasted closed. Nearly uncomfortable to breath air now, as if my body prefers the salt water. I put a damp hand back to one set of gills, carefully. That helps a bit.
"I—I have to go back. You. You need to hide," I say, pointing at the monster, "And no more—this all right? Just—don't get caught."
The beast heeds, diving beneath the surface without another word.
"Okay, I can do this," I say, to myself, looking down at my shaking hands.
My coat is where I dropped it on the wharf. I pick that up and put it on, buttoned all the way it hides the transformation fully, which is the goal.
I dry off as much as I can with spare clothes in my bag and then decide I'm good enough. I'm getting cold and suddenly rather hungry. I'll find the rest of the crew if anyone asks I was just out in the snow.
I find there's a reception of sorts going on by the docks. A feast hall is glowing with torch light and the Chase's crew seems to be filing in. The Alps colony is greeting everyone,they're all lined up leather parkas and ceremonial caps. Oh hello.
"Atlanta  who is that? Do you know her?" I ask, gripping the girl's arm as i stare across the hall.
With a group of—looks like southern tribe—stands the most beautiful girl. Ink black hair and soft smooth brown skin. She has the deepest black eyes I've ever seen, a beautiful smile.
"Oh. Oh. So what I'm hearing is NOW you want me to set you up with someone?" Atlanta has no problem being petty I've noticed that about her.
The girl's hair is in two long braids, done up in neat strap. I'd like to loose it and watch it fall around her shoulders. She's got delicate little ears stuck with half a dozen shining blue rocks.
"Who is she?" I ask, still staring.
"To confirm, you do want my help dating people now?" Atlanta says.
"She's a spearman from the Antarctic tribe, way out of your league and I don't even know if she likes guys—what?" Matthias asks as Atlanta hits him.
"Thank you," I say, "Was that so hard?"
"What you're an idiot most of the time?" Atlanta says.
"I just know because I hunted with her tribe like, once. She's the chief's daughter, only daughter so like I said she might hang out with us but I don't think she's allowed to date nobodies," Matthias says he's irritating. I want to kill him.
"Are you feeling okay?" Atlanta asks.
"No I'm in love. You both know her let's go talk to her," I say.
"I don't like, know know her," Matthias cautions.
"Come on, I'll introduce you. They're hunting the same dread as us I'm sure she'll want to talk shop," Atlanta says, taking my arm. I nearly hit her.
"You're jumpy," Matthias says.
"He has a personality problem," Atlanta tells him.
"Just introduce us," I say, watching as she smiles and talks to her girls, she's fascinating. She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I told my father I didn't want a wife. I was wrong. I want to watch her have my children.
"Also I"m pretty sure she's taken, you can ignore Matty, I'm like eighty percent sure she's in an off again on again thing with him," Atlanta says.
"What?" I frown, jealous.
"They hunted together like he said —and word is she has some secret admirer, I don't know though, shoot your shot," Atlanta says, leading me across the room.
"Why would Matthias lie?" I ask, suspicious, "And why would you help me?"
"Oh my god calm down—he's probably embarrassed if they are a thing and you're so clearly smitten. And I'm not even helping you I'm just walking over here with you," Atlanta says.
"But you think he's lying?" I ask, "I thought you said he was into guys?"
"Oh I don't know if he cares that much to be into anything," she says, "Anyway come on."
I let it go, following her across the crowded room to where the Antarctic tribe is gathered, mostly talking amongst themselves.
"Pania, this is one of our new harpooners, Dylan, he wants to be a spearman too someday," Atlanta says, moving us infront of her.
Dark eyes flashing she turns to grace me with a smile, "Nice to meet you."
"Enchanting to meet you," I say, taking her hand to kiss it. She laughs. I smile. Yes this could bet the start of something good.