I Have No Excuse

The Fourth Chapter of My Idea From 3am

"That's- He's amazing. But... what happened to him?"

"I have no clue. He just showed up one day bleeding and what not. So are ya going to feed him today?" I asked as our mer friend took cover around the rocks like he had with me.

"Yes." He answered immediately.

We waited as Blaster held the fish in the water. The mer didn't so much as twitch.

"I don't think he trusts me like he does you."

"Hm... I have an idea."

I grinned and dug into my bag as I cast a glance at the mer.

"A... bag of m&ms?"

"Yep. This is your key to friendship right here."

"You gave him Candy?"

"Of course not. He went snooping through my bag when I wasn't lookin' and well now he likes chocolate. He hasn't gotten sick yet so what's the harm of a little more?"

"If you say so, but if he gets sick or something I'm calling the MWPA and blaming you."

"That's fair. Now feed him." I shook the bag, making sure our mer friend could see it.

Tearing the bag we approached the water. The colors swirled when his hand hit the water. At the sight his ear fins twitched.

"Come on it's fine. I told ya plenty about Blaster and now he's giving ya chocolate when I said no. Ya should love him."

Ever so slowly he slipped out from his cover in the rocks. He stayed close to the sandy floor as we waited. Blaster was holding his breath as I grinned down at him. His sapphire eyes darted between the two of us. Then he slowly rose up. Blaster slanted his hand so the candy slipped and drifted down to the waiting mer who eagerly ate the treat.

"He Does like chocolate."

"I told ya. We're gonna have to be careful about carrying candy from now on. Can't have him snatching it." I answered as I gave my friend another palmful.

"No kidding... So how exactly have you kept this a secret all this time?"

"Well I haven't really kept it a secret. I just haven't said anything about it."

"Ok how has no one seen him and called the MWPA?"

"He has a little home he showed me that he goes to during the day. I've been feeding him there, but I figured I'd break his trust if I took ya there. I didn't want him to start shunning me or something. So you're starting where I started and he'll show ya when he trusts ya. Then we can go back to that." I shrugged as my friend held the yellowtail sashimi in the water for the mer.

Unfortunately an entire bag of m&ms wasn't enough to gain his trust. He waited until we left before he moved. This process continued for many more days and one kitkat. We'd sit and talk as the mer watched us from the safety of the water. We debated on various things from the calls he made at night to what was going to open up where that construction site was on the east side of town. Then after breakfast a couple of weeks later he started to leave. I jumped up.

"Yes! Come on, Blaster! Lets go!"

I was off with Blaster at my heels. Our mer friend glanced at us and I swear he rolled his eyes when we stumbled when we jump off the pier and onto the sand.

"There it is." I pointed out to the hole in the cliffside. "We need to crawl through that to get in, but there's an underwater path he gets through."

When we got in our mer friend was waiting for us on his little perch. His gaze neutral as per usual. Well except when I angered him or when he was eating chocolate. Blaster was looking around the small cove with a grin.

"This is neat. It's a clever little spot."

"And now ya know. This is his temporary home. Where I feed him and talk his ear off And where he stole my m&ms. He digs through my bag every chance he gets I swear."

"Well quit carrying things in it that you don't want him to get a hold of."

I just frowned at my friend. We sat on the edge. My friend was examining the mer more carefully now that he could see him clearly.

"Jazz, he didn't get those from another animal. I've seen plenty of bites and wounds on animals when I go out with Gaven and That right there on his cheek is from a blade."

"So ya think someone did this to him on purpose?" I asked, giving my fish friend another look over.

"Looks like it. Either that or his pod alpha or leader or whatever decided to attack some people over territory and the others followed."

"And... do you think that they're... ya know... "

"It's a possibility. If they haven't come to get him yet it's likely they're dead." Blaster chewed on his lip as he watched the mer.

"So he's out there calling for them every night and... aw shit. What happens to mers whose either pod has died?"

I felt a pang in my chest for the mer in front of us. He was hurt and alone and still hoping that they were still out there and searching for him. No doubt he had been terrified to find he was alone and unable to hunt. I probably nearly gave him a heart attack when I started poking at him. Well at least now he has us.

"I assume they'd die."

"Great..."

So after all of this he'd go out and die?

"I mean they herd prey with the help of their pod and certain mer types are very territorial and attack outsiders."

"GREAT. What happens if he decides to leave when he's healed? Should we call the MWPA then? I really don't want to just do that to him."

"I don't know. I guess we'll just have to see how things go for now. Maybe his pod is out there and are just as hurt as he is. That's all we can hope for, for now."

I sighed and lowered my head into my hands. We just watched the mer as he had been doing with us. Then I whistled a verse from 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' and the mer perked up, his head turning to the side like a confused dog as he gained a matching expression. Blaster chuckled as I continued with it and the mer watched me with obvious confusion as he twisted his head from one side to the other.

"You do realize that for all you know you're just saying random words in his 'language' right? You're just sitting there going Wall! Current! Pufferfish for alpha! Seaweed! And he's over there thinking you're an idiot."

At that we started laughing.