Aquariumstuck - Protecting What We Love

Date

Karine's POV

Today had been as busy day for me even after the tank diving incident as Sollux called it.  After we fed the animals I attemped to try to help Luke the other intern, feed the walruses.  Gamzee and his older brother Kurloz grateful accepted their lunch.  Their dad, the Grand Highblood was more difficult.  Luke almost got his hand bit off trying to give him his lunch.  I tried calming him down while Luke went and got Handmaid.  She showed up and said she'd take care of it so we went back to the kitchen to get the rest of the food for the animals.  I made friends with the two girls who worked in the kitchen and manged the snack bar.  The first one was Jane Crocker.  She cooked food and mainly managed the snack bar.  The other one was named Roxy Lalonde and she made drinks (even non-alcoholic ones for the kids)  and prepared meals for the animals.  Dave followed me where ever I went and squawked at everything besides me.  It was about closing time when I finally got a break.  I decided to do what Feferi said and ask Handmaid about Eren.

Her office is up stairs.  It upper floor is much darker than the first floor with only light reflecting from the water which wasn't as strong as it was downstairs.  I knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Karine.  I was hoping to talk to you about something."

"Come in."  I open the door.  She's sitting at her desk putting various papers in  folders to be put in the file cabinet.

"What did you want to talk about."

"If you don't mind me asking I would like to know about Eren.  Feferi told me you knew the most about her."

"It was twenty years ago.  Only two weeks after Feferi had came here.  We found Eren in a similar circumstance.  After weeks Psiioniic gave up on her.  That's when I took over.  She would only cooperate underwater which is where I began spending most of my time.  The only other one who helped with the project I had taken on was a man who used to work here before he disappeared.  His name was Tom Kiyaba."

"What happened to him."

"He disappeared shortly after we had to hide Eren.  As we conducted further research we discovered everything about her was magic.  Her blood could heal injuries just by coming into contact with them.  Somehow the secret of her exsistance got out and soon poachers came trying to get her.  We managed to save her by putting her in a tank that extended well below the basement and she fell asleep.  After no new information came out about her the public seemed to slowly forget about her and she has been sleeping in that underwater cave ever since.  The only one who knew about it was the eleven of us who were hear twenty years ago, a reporter who disppeared and Tom who also disappeared."  Her voice was filled with regret and notsalgia.

"You we're close to him werent you?"

"There are three things in this world that I would put my life down for.  Eren, Tom and this aquarium.  This is my life.  She pretended I was her mother.  I was never able to have my own children but she made me feel like a mother.  I was the only one who still went to visit her after she fell asleep until I was forbidden."

"Why did she fall asleep."

"It was hard to understand what she was trying to tell me but it seemed whatever happened at sea before she came here took a toll on her and she needed to recover."

"Like an injury.  And when she cut herself it woke her back up so she wouldn't die."

"Yes exactly.  I was the only one who could understand her.  She has the ability to heal herself instantly but it would only work if she was conscious."

"One last thing.  If you never had kids of your own why do Aradia and Damara have the same last name as you."

"Their my sister's kids.  She gave them her maiden name before she remarried.  They used to live here and would always visit me at work until they moved away.  Damara brought both of them back when Aradia finished high school."

"Did they ever see Eren."

"A few times but they we're too little to remember."

"Thank you Handmaid."

"No problem.  You know what.  You remind me of Eren.  She was always confident and stron and never let anyone see her pain.  You could be a second daughter to me.  If you ever need anything feel free to come to me."

"I will.  Thank you."

"Good bye Musume."

I thought about what she had told me and why she called me what she did.  My thoughts we're distracted by Jack who snuck up behind me.

"Hey Karine!"

"Mr. Noir its not polite to sneak up on a lady."

"I'm sorry."

"Its fine I was just messing with you."

"You seem like you have a lot on your mind."

"Its just been a busy day."

"Oh I get it.  Hey would you like to get dinner and catch a movie on Saturday if your off."

"Yea I'm free.  I'll meet you at the Chinese place across the street from my apartment at 4 pm.  Sound good?"

"Yeah sounds great."

"Well than its a date." He blushed a little bit.

"Yea I guess it is."

"I'll see you at work tomorrow.  Good night Jack!"

"Good night Karine." He called down the street as we walked in opposite directions.  Instead of going to bed despite how tired I was I stayed  up till midnight unable to sleep.  My mind was still buzzing with thoughts of today's events.  I finally drifted off to sleep when Simba jumped up and layed down on my head and was purring soothing my thoughts.