I Have No Excuse

Untitled Part 21

"You're really strong, Prowls. I know it doesn't really seem like it, but you've endured a lot since the destruction of your nest."

It was a warm Thursday afternoon. The early morning chill had long since passed and my main jobs seemed to be with the mers so far as it was better for me to be in the area to support Prowl. It had been brought up by Ratchet and supported by Aid. Since Blaster had his own goals I was the only other option. So I had little lessons on mers to look forward to every once in awhile when they had time and how they behaved and reacted to various marine life in depth. Ranging from pod members themselves to how they acted and reacted to different mer pods of various species to the plants they were familiar with.

"You've really had a rough go of things since birth really. Splitting off on your own to find another pod to merge with. Must've been difficult to find a pod to merge with that had two spots open. And you've lost a lot since then. But things will get better. Just hang on a little longer."

I looked up to look at the mers that were watching as per usual. Quiet and dare I say curious? Their behaviour was something else. A complete 180 since Barricade had fallen ill and was taken away to the medbay. I took a second to place a name to them. Magis Accuratius. They were a type that were built for strength rather than speed or stealth as several others, but they were a peculiar type. It was actually kind of amazing how they worked. They built their nests with anything they could. They were known to make little fortresses for protection out of sunken ships and anything else that they could get their hands on. They caused trouble sometimes by taking apart structures underwater that were still in use, but most of the time they stayed away from the shore and people. Unfortunately they came into contact with people who went to scavenge the sunken materials and they were aggressive and protective of their nests like any mers. They had plenty of materials in their tank to build what they'd like, but so far it was untouched. What they had started had been abandoned with the death of their pod mate.

Prowl didn't pay them any attention. He never spared a glance their way anymore. I knew he was aware that they were watching him, but I suppose it didn't really matter when he was hurting like this. He was suffering so what did they matter? I shifted to slide him off of my lap and lay next to him. He reburied himself into me. Effectively hiding in my chest. I pet his ear fins.

"I promise ya that things will be ok. We just need to take this one day at a time. Keep looking too far ahead and it'll seem impossible. Ya can't see the end from here and it makes it seem hopeless. Trust me, Prowl, I know. I've had my own struggles. Different, but it's the same concept. Ya can survive this and one day ya can look back and you'll realize how far you've come."

He was quiet, but his ear fins twitched. He was listening at least. He had been silent ever since that day and I wanted him to say something even if no one could understand. He had no one to talk to now, but that didn't stop me from hoping. He had made sounds back at the cove and had greeted Blaster back when he had first gotten here with Barricade. Maybe he'd be able to talk with the others. They weren't threatening him anymore so maybe they'd start talking one of these days. I know Prowl could use someone to talk to. Hell I wouldn't mind him talking to me. Even if I couldn't understand I'd still listen and he'd get it out. Damn language barriers.

"Ya know if ya want to talk I'll listen... I know it seems really stupid as I can't understand and I have no clue whether or not ya can actually understand me, but I think it'll be good for ya. Ya can talk whenever ya feel like it and ya can take all the time you need. Otherwise I can just talk your ear off. I can be a pretty good distraction I think. It's better than just sitting in silence and thinking about what happened. It's kinda why I turned to music so long ago. It fills the silence and chases away the demons. Do ya have music down there? I know your language kinda sounds like you're all singing, but that's different."

I paused as he shifted and curled further into me. I had hoped he was going to do something, but no. At least he had moved. I slid my hand down to his restless wing fin. It ceased its twitching when I pet it.

"Ya can just hit me or something if ya want me to shut up. I can't tell what ya want, but I'm sure ya can get whatever ya want across. You're smart. Look at ya opening doors and escaping traps and what not. Ya really are the sharpest they've come across so far from what they're saying. Honestly you're probably more clever than a lot of people in the world come to think of it. Oh I know maybe I can bring in some puzzles or something and we can work on those together. It'll give ya something to do and it's much better than just sitting here all day."

This was actually a good idea. Prowl needed something and a change could help. Maybe we couldn't speak, but we could make this work. We could work together on something. I could get some puzzles and buy a can of that 'Never wet' spray stuff and some puzzle glue so they wouldn't fall apart.

"I bet ya could figure out puzzles if ya could figure out doors. It's kinda the same thing."