Fourth day of posting 5 chapters in a week.
If you want to support my work, on my Ko-fi I have 6 chapters ahead of this one for subscribers: ko-fi(dot)com/avipbr
-S2-LoveNexus Corp. – Where Innovation and Love meet!-S2-
The camera shakes before focusing on a female reporter in her thirties, brown hair tied up in a tight ponytail. Her eyes, intense and worried, are fixed on the lens. In the background, the agitated sea and the cloudy sky create a grim setting. She grips a microphone tightly, her knuckles turning white.
"We are live, direct from the site where Titano, a submarine expedition mysteriously lost control of their vessel." Her voice is firm, but laden with tension. "Five people, including three renowned scientists and two experienced crew members, set off this morning to explore the wreckage of the Titanic. However, more than two hours ago, we lost all contact with the team."
The camera zooms out, revealing the vast expanse of the ocean in the background. The reporter turns slightly, pointing toward the water.
"The expedition's goal was to collect new data on the ship's deterioration and recover some pieces of the wreckage. They dove in a submarine, but something went wrong."
She pauses, taking a deep breath before continuing.
"Last communications indicated they were nearing the wreck. Since then, complete silence. Rescue teams are on high alert, but the sea conditions are hindering operations. The coast guard is mobilized, and deep-sea diving experts are being called in to assist with the search."
The camera focuses again on the reporter's face, capturing the concern in her eyes.
"Right now the most optimistic hypothesis is that there was a communication failure, and the team is stranded on the seafloor, waiting for rescue. However, the possibility of something more fatal occurring cannot be ruled out."
She looks out at the sea, her voice cracking.
"Family and friends are waiting for news. The tension is palpable, and hope is beginning to mix with despair."
The reporter turns back to the camera, her expression serious.
"We will continue to closely follow this situation and bring new information as soon as possible. For now, we are left to wait and hope that the team is found alive."
Camera zooms in on the reporter's face, capturing the gravity of the moment. The live broadcast continues, the sound of waves crashing in the background.
-S2-LoveNexus Corp. – Where Innovation and Love meet!-S2-
The interior of the submarine is a pressure cooker of chaotic emotions. Dim light from the emergency lamps casts long shadows, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere. The air is thick, laden with fear and despair. Three scientists and two crew members, all experienced, are now trapped at the bottom of the sea, with no communication, no hope.
Two of the scientists, Mary and Jack, sit on the floor, their backs resting against the cold metal wall. Their faces, pale and weary, reflect desperation. Mary looks like she stares into the void, her eyes misty.
"It's over," murmurs Mary, her voice almost inaudible. "We have no way out of here."
Next to her, Jack, a geologist with decades of experience, nods in agreement. His hands tremble slightly as he holds a small picture of his family.
"I just wanted to see my kids one more time," Jack says, his voice choked.
The two crew members, Hank and Joyce, are equally disheartened. Hank, a robust man with years of deep-sea diving experience, sits with his head in his hands, his eyes closed. Joyce, a naval engineer, looks up at the ceiling, as if searching for answers in the metal plates.
Only one person who hasn't given up is Nate, the third scientist. He paces back and forth, his footsteps echoing in the confined space. His eyes burn with anger and determination.
"We can't give up," he says, his voice firm. "There has to be a solution. We need to think, use our heads."
He stops in front of Mary and Jack, his eyes locked onto his colleagues.
"You're scientists, for God's sake! You can't just give up like this."
Mary looks at him, meeting Nate's gaze. There's a flicker of hope in her eyes, but it's quickly smothered by the reality of their situation.
"You saw the damage," she says, her voice weak. "We have no way to fix this. We're miles underwater. No one will find us here."
Nate clenches his fists, anger growing.
"I refuse to accept that," Nate says, raising his voice. "We need to think. There must be something we can-." But before he can finish his thought, a concerning sound cuts through.
HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!
The sound of steel giving in echoes through the submarine, making everyone jump. Nate, still standing, looks around, his eyes wide. Panic begins to settle in, but he fights against it, determined to find a solution.
"Dammit!" he exclaims, his voice trembling with frustration. "I knew this could happen. The university shouldn't have hired a company that controls submarines with cheap video game joysticks!"
HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!
The hull hisses again, followed by a strange jolt.
CROCK!
Nate feels the jolt and, without hesitation, runs to the small round window of the submarine. The darkness of the deep sea is almost impenetrable, but he presses his face against the glass, trying to distinguish anything. The silence inside the submarine is broken only by the sound of murmured prayers. Mary, Jack, Hank, and Joyce have their heads bowed, their lips moving in hushed pleas.
"What was that?" murmurs Nate, his breath fogging up the glass.
CROCK! REEEEEEK!
He squints, straining to see through the darkness. Suddenly, a shadow rushes past the window, making him instinctively recoil. His heart races, but he presses his face against the glass again, determined to figure out what is happening.
"What was that?" he whispers, more to himself than to the others.
Nate, still at the window, feels another jolt. This time, he clearly sees a shape moving in the darkness. It's large and sinuous, and to Nate, it seems like it's circling the submarine with something.
"Ropes... no." murmurs Nate, correcting himself. "They're chains."
An even stronger jolt than before makes the submarine tremble.
THUMP!
The metal screeches, the lights flicker. Mary screams, clutching Jack. Hank and Joyce exchange terrified glances, convinced the vehicle will implode any moment now. But Nate, still at the window, notices something different.
"Wait!" he shouts, his voice cutting through the panic. "The submarine is moving."
"Impossible," Jack says, his voice shaking. "We're stuck. There's no way..."
"Shut up," Nate insists, his eyes fixed on the darkness outside. "We're rising."
Mary shakes her head in disbelief.
"How? We have no power, we have no..."
"Something's pulling us," Nate interrupts, his voice steady. "I saw chains. Something out there is lifting us."
Hank furrows his brow, trying to understand.
"Chains? But who... or what..."
Another jolt, this time accompanied by a distinct metallic sound. The chains creak, the submarine starts to rise faster. Joyce looks up, as though she might see through the metal ceiling.
"He's right," she says, her voice low. "We're rising."
Mary presses her lips together, fighting against panic.
"But how? Who would do this?"
Nate steps away from the window, turning toward the others.
The submarine continues to rise, the jolts becoming more regular. The sound of the chains echoes through the hull, a constant reminder that something unknown is pulling them to the surface. Inside the submarine, despair begins to give way to cautious hope. Nate, Mary, Jack, Hank, and Joyce prepare themselves while standing up, each in their own way, for whatever awaits them up there.
Nate moves away from the window, his eyes shining with newfound determination. He quickly moves to the control panel, his fingers dancing over the buttons and switches. The submarine continues to rise, the jolts and the sound of the chains steady.
"What are you doing?" Mary asks, her voice trembling, but hopeful.
"I'm going to use what's left of the power to turn on the external camera," Nate replies, not looking away from the panel.
Jack stands up, walking toward Nate.
"Are you sure? If we use all the power..."
"I need to know," Nate interrupts, his voice firm. "We can't stay in the dark."
The panel blinks, the lights flicker. Suddenly, the main screen comes to life, showing the darkness of the ocean floor. Nate adjusts the camera, pointing it upwards. The image is grainy, but clear enough to distinguish shapes.
"What is that?" Joyce murmurs, her eyes fixed on the screen.
The camera captures a figure moving in the water. It's large, sinuous, with a long, powerful tail.
"It's a mermaid," Mary says, her voice filled with awe.
At first sight, it really does look like a mermaid, but as the camera zooms in, the details become clearer. Jack furrows his brow, leaning forward to see better.
"Wait. Look at the tail. And those... fangs," Jack says.
"It's not a mermaid," Nate adds, analyzing the image. "It's something... different."
The figure on the screen has shark-like features. The tail is wide and strong, the fins sharp. The face, visible for a brief moment, has powerful jaws and sharp fangs.
Hank, who had been silent until now, steps forward.
"I've heard of this," he says, his voice deep. "Mersharks, mermaids with shark characteristics, but I thought it was a myth."
"Myths don't rescue submarines," Nate laughs, confident that they are saved.
-S2-LoveNexus Corp. – Where Innovation and Love meet!-S2-
The camera shakes, trying to stabilize the image. The sea, once agitated, now seems a little calmer, as if it too is relieved. The reporter shine with emotion, appears back on screen. Her face, previously marked by tension, now shows a wide smile, almost incredulous.
"We are live, and what we have to report is simply... a miracle!" Her voice, once firm and worried, now trembles with excitement. "Against all expectations, the submarine expedition team has been rescued. And the most incredible part: they are all alive!"
She pauses, letting the impact of the news sink in. Behind her, the reporter points to the survivors being treated by paramedics.
The reporter, microphone in hand, walks toward the survivors. Her steps are steady, but her eyes reveal a mix of curiosity and urgency. She stops in front of a tired-looking man, but alive. His white lab coat, now dirty and torn, marks him as a scientist. Before she can ask anything, the man jumps up, his eyes shining with contained emotion.
"You won't believe what happened!" Nate declares, his voice a mix of excitement and relief.
Without waiting for permission, he takes the microphone from the reporter, who, surprised, steps back. Nate looks directly at the camera, his eyes reflecting the sunlight that begins to rise on the horizon.
"We were saved by one of those... monster girls that have been appearing in the media lately. It was a shark mermaid, known as a Mershark." His voice trembles, but he continues, determined to tell his story. "She appeared out of nowhere, tied chains around the submarine, and pulled us to the surface all by herself."
Recovering from her surprise, the reporter tries to take the microphone back, but Nate holds it with his hand pressed against her face and continues speaking.
Nate tightens his grip on the microphone, his eyes shining with newfound conviction. The reporter, now more composed, watches carefully, her face a mix of surprise and fascination.
"I was one of those who suspected these mamonos. I saw them as threats, monsters to be feared." Nate pauses, his voice choking with emotion. "But now, after what I've lived through, I see their potential. This Mershark... she saved us."
He looks directly at the camera, his eyes reflecting the light of the rising sun.
"Don't let fear dominate you. These creatures, these beautiful mamonos, have so much to offer us. Welcome them into our world. They are not the enemy we thought them to be."
The reporter, regaining control, tries to intervene.
"But, sir, many still fear these creatures," the reporter says, jumping to try and reach her microphone. "What would you say to them?"
Nate smiles, a tired but genuine smile.
"I say I understand the fear. I had it too. But now, I see that fear is foolish. These mamonos, they have so much love, so much passion to offer. Don't reject them without getting to know them first." Nate concludes, handing the microphone back to the reporter.
The camera pulls back, showing the rescue team working in the background. The sun begins to rise, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink. The reporter, now calmer, speaks again.
"An incredible account from a survivor whose perspective was transformed. Stay tuned for more updates on this extraordinary story."
-S2-LoveNexus Corp. – Where Innovation and Love meet!-S2-
Like a missile, June the mershark, erupts from the water, her muscular body cutting through the waves in a majestic leap. Drops of salty water spray in all directions, capturing the last rays of sunlight and transforming into small, fleeting rainbows. She spins in the air, her shark body shimmering, before diving back into the ocean with a crash.
[Image]
Her powerful tail fin propels her through the water with impressive speed. Air bubbles trail behind her, marking her path like an underwater fairy dust trail. Her sharp, attentive eyes fix on a large rock that emerges from the depths, a miniature island in the middle of the sea.
With a swift movement, June leaps out of the water again, this time landing on the rocky surface. She shakes her head, sending droplets of water flying that sparkle like jewels in the setting sun.
Around her, other aquatic mamonos have already occupied the plane rock, their forms varied and fascinating.
"Look who's here!" comments a mermaid, with shimmering scales and a flowing tail. "The great heroine."
June laughs, a guttural sound echoing through the sea air.
"Yeah, my arm hurts from signing so many autographs. Can't even swim in peace without having to pose for photos!" says the Mershark, pretending to be annoyed. "I miss my days as an unknown peasant you know… just like you guys."
She throws herself onto the rock, her body still dripping with salty water. The mermaid laughs, swishing her tail back and forth.
"I can imagine!" replies the mermaid, laughing. "Saved a whole submarine, huh?"
June rolls her eyes, pretending to be annoyed, but the pride in her eyes makes it clear that she loves the attention.
"Don't even get me started. Those humans were terrified in that tin can of theirs, I thought I was gonna have to bite a few to calm them down."
The mermaid bursts into loud laughter, the sound mixing with the noise of the waves, but she quickly tilts her head with an ironic smile playing on her lips.
"You know, June, biting humans is forbidden. You'll end up being deported if you do that."
June scoffs, a look of disdain crossing her face.
"As if I didn't know. I'm not stupid." The frustrated merfolk mutters.
She stands up, her muscular body stretching under the setting sun. Her shark skin reflects the light, creating an ethereal glow around her.
"But seriously, I deserve a reward, you know. I lifted a damn three-ton submarine with my own hands. Three tons!" June comments, raising her arms dramatically. "As if that wasn't enough, I also brought loads of positive publicity to all the mamonos. LoveNexus should do something really nice for me."
With an ironic smile the mermaid sways her tail from side to side, creating small waves on water puddling on the stone's surface.
"Humility was never your strongest virtue, June."
"What is Humility? Is it edible?" June replies with a sarcastic laugh. "I know what I'm worth."
The mermaid tilts her head, her eyes shining with curiosity.
"So, what would you like to receive as a reward? A raise? A fancy title?"
June thinks for a moment, her eyes lost on the horizon where the sun begins to set.
"Red meat is always good. Maybe a whole live cow?"
The mermaid makes a face, her expression twisting in disgust.
"June, that's gross! You know you can't just devour a live animal."
Shrugging, the mershark responds, licking her lips.
"Want to bet?" June says in a threatening tone.
The mermaid tries to change the subject, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
"You know, June, it's strange that you only think of food as a reward. What about a date? Wouldn't that be good too?"
June freezes, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. The mermaid laughs aloud, the sound echoing across the sea.
"Seriously, June? A powerful mershark like you, gets shy like a little girl when it comes to men? You can't even talk about them!"
The mermaid keeps laughing, her body swaying with the motion. June, still paralyzed, feels her face heat up. The shark scales on her skin seem to shine even more, reflecting her embarrassment.
"N-no, it's not that... It's just... I... I just..." June stammers, the words stumbling over each other.
The mermaid raises an eyebrow, a provocative smile playing on her lips.
"Just what, June? You can lift a submarine by yourself, but you can't even think about talking to a man? That's cute."
June scoffs, trying to regain her composure.
"Cute? I'm not cute! I'm... I'm..."
"Afraid?" The mermaid finishes, still laughing.
June crosses her arms, trying to appear indifferent, but the blush on her cheeks betrays her.
"I'm not afraid! I just... I just don't know what to say, okay? Talking to a man... It's complicated."
The mermaid sways her tail, her eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Complicated? June, you're a mamono! You were made for this. Your whole body is a weapon of seduction. How can it be complicated?"
June looks away, the mermaid's words echoing in her mind. She knows her friend is right, but that doesn't make things easier. For her, dealing with men is an unknown and frightening territory.
"I know, I know..." June murmurs, her voice almost a whisper. "But that's not a problem, it's not like we're going to interact with men anytime soon."
The mermaid sighs, tired of her colleague's statement.
"TWorst part is that you're right." The mermaid comments, shaking her head. "The Rune Mistress promised husbands for all of us, but with the way humans in this world do politics… even in 20 years it'll be forbidden to take a man for myself."
A shrill sound from a megaphone cuts through the air, causing June and the mermaid to turn their heads toward the beach.
"Miss June! We need to talk to you. It's urgent." The voice, firm and authoritative, comes through the megaphone.
The two mamonos squint their eyes, trying to make out the figures on the sand. Three silhouettes stand out against the sunset: a Banshee, wearing a black trench coat, a Jinko with white fur holding the megaphone, and a diminutive figure, impossible to identify from that distance.
June furrows her brow, curiosity mixing with a hint of concern.
"I wonder what they want?" She murmurs, more to herself than to the mermaid.
The mermaid shrugs, her tail lazily swaying in the water.
"There's only one way to find out."
Using her powerful tail, the Mershark dives into the water, swimming at full speed toward the three figures on the beach.