| Lustrous Seas |

{} Chapter 4 - Caenumon {}

It was a beautiful day out, plenty of sunlight reaching the depths of the ocean. Pearl decided to leave out early morning before Jorunna and Lochi woke up to explore the city. He's only ever known his village and his humble apartment.. It's such a drastic change. 

The city was bustling even though it was early. Shops opened early and people were hovering up and down the sidewalks, some of them swam quickly though as they seemed to be in a rush. Pearl kept to himself, ignoring the odd looks some people gave him. 

It was funny, they probably never seen someone like Pearl before.. Can't blame them. Pearl's never seen anyone like himself either. As Pearl walked, someone bumped into his leg. Looking down, it was a little boy who seemed really upset.

"Oof. Are you alright?" Pearl squatted down to be at eye level with the boy. 

The boy looked up at Pearl. His body gave off the illusion it was glimmering, even though it was a deep black. Hm. He whined up at him, "I can't find my sisterr!"

Pearl rubbed the back of his head, "I'll help ya, kid. What does your sister look like?"

"She- She's the same height as me.. And she has a blue and yellow color! With horns like mine, but yellow." The boy explained,his voice becoming less shaky.

"Hmm. Alright, let's look around then." Pearl held the boys hand and stood up, beginning to walk around. "Where'd you last see your sister?" He asked as he scanned the groups of people outside. Luckily there weren't too many.

The boy looked around too, "Umm, she said to meet me at the baker shop, but I can't find it."

Pearl looked down at the kid, "The bakery?" The kid nodded. "Then.. Let me ask someone." Pearl said and tapped the nearest person's shoulder. "Scuse me.." Yet the person kept swimming.

Ah, they probably don't like him. Pearl sighed and asked another person, "Excuse me, do you.." They ignored him, too. Pearl groaned and tried again, "Sorry, do you know where the bakery is.." 

The person acknowledged Pearl, looking him up and down before speaking. "..The bakery is a few shops down."

"Right, thank you." Pearl smiled and the person went off saying no more. Mm.. Rude. Pearl looked at the kid, "The man said that is just down this sidewalk."

The kid beamed, "Yay! I get to see my sis!"

"Yup, you get to see your sis." Pearl nodded and guided the boy through the ever-growing crowd on the sidewalk. Eventually they reached the bakery. "Here it is."

And sure enough, a girl was seated on the steps of the closed baker shop. She looked like a child Lochi. The girl hopped off the steps and ran towards the boy, hugging him tight, "Finally you're here you knucklehead!" Then she looked up at Pearl, "What're you?"

"Ah, I'm Pearl. It's nice to meet you.." 

"You look weird.." Then the little girl gasped, "You're a Bone! My teacher taught my class that Bones only live on land! How're you here?"

Pearl chuckled awkwardly, kids will be kids.. "Err, I'm not sure. I was born here in the water. Never been on land before."

The girl let go of the boy and grabbed Pearl's leg, "Woahh! You really ARE a Bone! You're solid!"

Uh oh. "Ah, can you let go? I don't want my leg to break.." Pearl tried to sound calm

Then the boy wrapped his hands around the same leg the girl was holding. "Ooo! I never touched a solid before.."  The boy squeezed Pearl's leg, "Squeeze it, sis! It's really solid."

The girl squeezed too, "Super solid! I never thought I'd see a Bone.. Let's tell mama! And my teacher-"

Crack. 

Pearl fell backward onto the road, everything below his knee snapping off.

The children held onto the leg they had from Pearl before dropping it, screaming. A crowd gathered, staring at Pearl and his missing lower leg.

Whispers and murmurs. Isn't that a Bone? She's solid on the inside. That's not one of us.

Pearl sat up and scrambled to grab his leg, "Hey, hey! Don't cry, it's alright-"

Then people stood in front of the two children, shielding them from Pearl. They saw Pearl as the enemy.

He looked up and around at everyone's cruel and questioning glares. None of them have seen a Bone. Pearl sticks out like a sore thumb. He shouldn't be here.. Pearl hid his face in shame. He was too terrified to move.

A woman ran through the crowd, pushing past people. She picked up Pearl and let him lean on her shoulder so Pearl could stand. When Pearl looked, it was a maid from the castle. The same maid who led them all to lunch with King Pelagia.. She retrieved his broken leg and put Pearl on her back. 

"You are not permitted to be outside." The woman said in a serious voice before swimming up and above the crowd of people and to the castle. Pearl was in trouble now..