Paradise Lost (JSAB)

Eye for an Eye

Disclaimer - this chapter includes eye mutilation and references to cannibalism

355 metres below the Western Paradise Ocean, 0935 hours, Ten minutes before Art of War

Tell me, reader, what do you imagine to inhabit the depths of the world's oceans?

Nightmarish, Eldritch monstrosities? Krakens that feast purely on the bodies of unfortunate pirates? The lost souls of those who have perished by the wrathful hands of the great Ocean Matriarch?

Of is it that you don't know?

The unknown, the loss of control, the possibility of things so nightmarish they cause you to lose your mind upon just seeing it is precisely why Tetra's terrified of the ocean.

But, the answer it seems, is surprisingly benign compared to the wild imaginations of those who fear the unknown.

Deep under the surface, a single creature pokes his head out of the surrounding rock. His large, glossy eyes dart to his left, then to his right, curious to find out if he could possibly see anything through the block of pure black. However, with the lack of the sun, the most he managed to see was the faint, dark outline of the cave he emerged from. His eyes were useless in this darkness. But thankfully he had his ears instead to help him.

Three times, a click sounded from the depths of his throat. Three times, it returned.

When it did, through instantaneous methods of what humans would call echolocation and "Distance = Speed x Time" - he deducted there was a swimming object, far too large to be a fish, 15 metres away from him. It was the size of a human, or maybe even a shark.

He smiled, as a reckless enthusiasm took him over. With the force of a bullet - he streaked through the water at a speed only an aquatic being like himself could possibly achieve.

This creature was not a fish.

Nor was he a man.

Rather, he was a combination of the two. A mythical mermaid.

Well, considering his gender maybe Merman would be a better description, but still.

As he sped through the water, the massive, smooth blue tail attached where his legs should be kicked and propelled the water, pushing along a naked human torso that had a multitude of scars on it. His two wide eyes, although useless considering the darkness, stared right at where he suspected his opponent would be.

Just like the waters of which he inhabited (well, maybe not in this exact moment) his entire being was blue. Wet, smooth blue skin, Strands of dark blue hair that have never in his life been dry, blue eyes and of course, his tail. It belonged to a Pacific Bluefin tuna. Down on the left side of his lower back was a shape unusual for those of his race. Usually this shape would be in the form of a fish of some sort, a pearl, a wave or anything natural. But no, for Neptune - his shape was strange. His shape was of a boat. A boat that humans would use to traverse the seas. Along his elbows and back were fins, acting as a sail to make him swim faster through the water. Replacing his ears were webbed appendages that helped him hear the returning sound waves from his echolocation, the part of his face which was supposed to contain his nose instead was smooth and flat, breathing instead through gills on his ribcage that resembled black slits. But as he smiled, he revealed a pair of razor sharp teeth, not out-of-place for his kind. Fish do make up the bulk of his diet, after all. Occasionally other merfolk too, if a fight to the death happens.