"Looks like Gilbert has managed to get back on time." Serena says, waving one of her tentacles at the flyfish signalling him over.
"Who the hell is gilbert?" Rain says lost at who the name might belong to.
"He's a loyal messenger and a scout for these dangerous waters. We share a unique bond, I think they call it an ocean familiar." Serena explains ushering Gilbert over to her with warm open tentacles.
"Forming a pact of sorts with a being or entity, though it's normally only 1 some can have multiple though." Serena says, rubbing her face into her cute little companion.
"I see, so would my boy here count as one." Rain says, looking towards his loyal companion with loving eyes.
"I don't see why not, odd though. He was a dog right?" Serena asks, inspecting Fin over.
"Yeah my loyal little German Shepard!" Rain says in babytalk. Scratching fin behind the ears.
"Odd, barely any animals went through the transformation. I hardly see anything resembling the surface down here." Serena says confused over odd circumstances.
"He's my loyal little bud aren't you!" Rain continues to coo at Fin with adoration.
"Bark bark" Fin lovingly responds.
"The collectors should be here within the next hour or so. We just have to keep our eyes peeled for scavengers or worse pirates." Serena says brushing away the sweat bubbling on her forehead.
"Pirates, but were underwater?" Rain laughs, the absurdity just being too comedic.
"And you think pirates can't find a way to exist anywhere you dillweed!" Serena says steam plumbing out of her ears.
"Creatively painful insult Serena Ouch! So we have to kill an hour. Want to play 20 questions." Rain retorts, smiling at her while floating just above her head slowly getting used to swimming.
"You're serious? Why are you so curious about me?" Serena questions, not understanding such a foreign gesture in these times.
"Duh, we're partners now. I want to learn who my comrade was and is going to be. You don't want to go away empty handed either." Rain says with a eye of endearment.
"Okay why not, not like we're losing any shells in this charade!" Serena scoffs, accepting the game.
"Exactly! First question then! What did you do before the flood!" Rain asks with his scaled hands gripping his chin, full of curiosity.
"Lovely, you want to scavenge my past as well. Well I did agree. My mother was a teacher and my father was a seller. He would sell anything he thought could make a profit. Even if it was bolted to the floor." Serena says, being more serious than the jokes imply.
"So most of my time was spent under my dads wing with my mom teaching me personally. Guess that kind of rubbed off on me. Still I'm thankful for it. I've managed to stay afloat because of it." Serena says with a sigh looking over the past 3 years.
"Alright your turn then Rain. What were you doing before the flood?" Serena asks, flipping the question back on rain.
"I was failing my exams despite the immense amount of effort put in. My father was constantly giving me shit for it without looking further." Rain says opening up an old wound in return for Serena, trailing a finger in the water calming himself through the recollection.
"We never really had much of a connection, he's always been back and forth with the navy. It was only recently that I got to spend some time with him till I found out he was going to a prick. The flood hit and all I was left with was regret of what could've been." Rain says bitterly.
"My turn. How long was your transformation? Did you see any weird ghosts in the ocean during it?" Rain quickly shifts the topic to avoid digging any further into his wounds.
"Ghost what no? I don't think anyone has. You must've hallucinated from the oxygen deprivation. For me my transformation took around 2 years or so. My family had given up like a lot of people did." Serena says, trying to keep the grief at bay.
"In our last moments together we decided to be together in the living room, when the flood hit, it swept us away from each other into different sections of our house separating us. When I awoke I was horrified to see what had happened to me." Serena explains, full of disgust looking over the past.
"But that wasn't even a paper cut compared to what happened. When I awoke my parents were still in the midst of their transformation. The house had begun to collapse from the constant pressure of the ocean and constant scavenging from aquatic life looking for food." Serena begins to tear up diving back into the past.
"It was then I saw a school of piranhas flood their way in, hungry and red eyed looking for whatever edible to devour." She recounts the memory continuing to play despite her attempts to stop it.
"Before I knew it there was blood in the water. Fear. fear was the only thing present and it kept me alive. It's how I escaped." She recalls, guilt washes over her face as she continues to explain.
"But at what cost. I would give every shell, every single one if i could go back and do something anything different!" She screams out in anguish, the emotions finally bursting forth shattering her usual composure.
"It's not your fault Serena. There was nothing you could have done. Even if you did and you managed to free them, who's to say you all wouldn't have been devoured by those piranhas at that moment." Rain retorts trying to shed some logic on the situation.
"I'm sure they're grateful you managed to get a second chance unscathed. Nobody wants to know their children suffered and died." Rain says, a flash of his mothers warm face surfaces in his mind causing him to choke up a little.
"Thank you, I've never shared this with anyone. You're the first, partner." Serena says brushing a tear from her eye with a tentacle, sending a friendly jab into Rain's shoulder.
"Well your past is safe with me. I don't sell out one of my own." Rain assures, sending a smile Serena's way.
"BARK BARK BARK!" Fin yelps out alerting his master.
"What's up boy?" Rain says cautiously, trying to discern his companions' call.
"Don't tell me he found another Crystal!" Serena yells out, already seeing Shells again.
"Wouldn't that be something I'll go check?" Rain says confidently. Excited over the prospect of more loot.
"What did you find, boy?!" Rain calls out happily, waiting for the confirmation of his friend. Only to feel a heavy strike right into his wounded ribs, winding him. Sending him crashing into one of the rotted walls of his neighbors house.
[-3HP]
[HP 12/15]
"Ahhhh! What the hell was that!? My damn ribs!" Rain screams out, gripping at his wound applying pressure to try and silence the pain.
"Look at what we got here boys, all this loot to ourselves just wait till the boss hears!" A fishman joyously roars out.
"Who are you?" Rain questions his yellow eyes go wide beaming with fury.
"Ooo scary the little merman is asking us who we are, what a dillweed" Another one of the fishman replied mockingly.
"WERE YOUR DAMN EXCUTIONERS!" A bigger scared up fishman swims forward with a grin of bloodlust.
"Rain we need to run! Forgot the loot!" Serena exclaims in horror and shock stumbling over the waters as she tries to escape.
"What why. Why would we hand over our hard work?!" Rain exclaims, irritated over the idea of bending his knee.
"It's the Abyssal Pearl! They are known cutthroat fishmen!" Serena screams out wanting to get as far away from them as possible.
"We need to run. I've managed to evade them a few times but they're no joke, get up and go!" She continues, trying desperately to create as much distance in the water as possible.
"Serena, can't you tell they wont let us go." Rain says leaning his neck back sending his confident stare into Serena from the destroyed piece of furniture he's resting on.
"As your partner you think I'm going to just let them kill you! Screw that!" Rain roars out, picking himself back up. A dark shadow casts along his gaze illuminated only be the intense searing yellow of his eyes.
"You run. I'll follow, after I deal with these fish!" He spits getting up from his seat, walking right in front of the burly fishman.
"Are you CRAZY! YOU MAY HAVE STOOD UP TO THAT LEVIATHAN BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS!" Serena screams out in confusion, not understanding Rain in the slightest.
"I said run. I will not back down here. You're the first person I've found in this nightmare. You think I'm going to just abandon you. Plus we both know I'm not a good swimmer so there is a fat chance of me keeping up with you." Rain explains forcing a cheesy grin her way.
"Run." He repeats as the smile on his face dissolves into an adamant expression.
"GODDAMMIT RAIN YOU BETTER NOT DIE HERE!" Serena yells out tears bubbling up from her eyes as she swims off full of regret.
"Same to you." Rain smiles knowing his friend is safe and sound now.
"We're gonna scale and gut you boy. You just signed your own execution. We may have let you go if you offered her up. But that's long gone now!" Another one of the fishman snorted.
"HAHAHA! What are you stupid? I'd rather die!" Rain chuckles, before sending a vicious retort.
"I will not back down here, no matter the number!" Rain exclaims, his yellow eyes start to beam bright with the same white hot fury.
"HAHAHA LET'S SEE THAT CONFIDENCE WHEN WE DEFINN YOU!" The leader fishman roars outward. Already gripping at his weapon.
"I'd like to see you try!" Rain retorts, brandishing his dense nails. With a burning look of hatred.