Exploring Titan

~21~

"I'm going to throw you over to Leo, use the current to feel where he is and catch onto him," Dion says next as he pulls me close to throw me over.

"Oh God, wait!" I frantically panic, grabbing onto the hand he held mine with with both my hands.

"You really need to stop that 'Throw people in the thick of it' approach to teaching," Leo swam to us to say, then disappears back into the darkness.

W-wait a minute, why could I see them better!?

The more I moved around, the more it seemed my senses worked. Like I was tuning into a frequency previously hidden from me before.

I then vaguely feel Dion shrug his broad shoulders at Leo's words.

"I learned it's the best way to teach people," He then pulls me in close to him, "You'll be fine," He reassures. "Leo will be right over there to catch you even if you can't find him. We won't let anything hurt you."

His words were like a blood-oath promise, sworn to a princess by a determined knight. And I found myself resisting the urge to swoon.

My throat felt too closed up by the spikes in nerves plaguing me, so all I could do in response was to meekly nod my head.

I could just about see the shadow of his face through the dark murkiness, but from what I saw, he seemed impressed.

"Okay, I'll toss you over in three," He says to give me time to brace. "3...2...1!"

I wanted to correct him as a slight giggle rose up through me, but no such time remained as I'd brace on the count of three, then realized his mistake, and was already begin thrown before I could brace for it again.

It almost felt like I was soaring through the air.

Was it because I was given movement by another?

All the other times I'd moved on my own under this water, I had no sense of direction or orientation.

But now...now it felt like I could feel and hear too much!

I heard the faint movements of Leo and Dion's limbs move through the water, I felt how their bodies tensed up in anticipation the moment I broke contact from one of them. Like they were at the ready to intercept me the moment even the slightest bit of trouble presented itself.

Then I remembered my assignment.

Oh, right! I have to find Leonidas!

As my body still moved forward, I tried to feel for where Leo was. As Dion had instructed.

Now that I could feel and "see" them around me...I couldn't exactly pinpoint where they were.

I twisted my body around to try and orient myself in what I believed to be an upward direction as I slowed.

But I quickly realized my mistake as the deafening emptiness began to consume me.

I was swiftly losing momentum and the crushing void was setting in to take all my senses away again.

Like a mean teacher unsatisfied with your results, and they take away your breaktime for even daring to waste their own time.

I began to hyperventilate as my breaths came out in short quick bursts. I kick out my legs to spin me forward in a vain and desperate attempt to at least keep moving so I could feel in to the network of water current around me.

I didn't want to feel lost and alone aga-

My body slams into another as strong arms engulf me.

"You found me!" I hear Leo cheer.

"By accident..." I grumble disappointedly into his chest.

"Still found me though!" Leo's happy tone refuses to relent as he wraps me in a hug and spins me around.

The moment allows me to connect back into the system and feel and hear all that went on around me.

Dion swims up to us, quickly.

He was clapping at us.

Or more specifically, me.

"I am beyond impressed. You did so well Mel!" He praised.

"I found him by accident, how are the both of you celebrating a mistake!" I protest, not missing the fact Dion placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You say that, but even as you spun you still maintain a direct course to Leo," Dion counters.

"Yeah! Even when you lost speed you still managed to create your own to reach me. I was so tempted to reach out and help, but I knew you could do it!" Leo adds in, spinning me around in joy again.

His excitement was clearly more than the rest of us as it practically leaked out all around him.

You'd think I discovered or was the cure for cancer, with the way he was celebrating.

I feel Dion huff out a breath of amusement as he pats me on the back.

I couldn't resist the involuntary squirm that raced up my body.

"U-uhm..." The words gently come out of me.

"What is it?" Leo asks, killing the motion of our spins in its tracks.

"Is everything okay?" Dion comes in close, our sudden stop of movement dampening by ability to hear him swiftly.

"I-it's just..." I try my best to compose myself this time, "Y-you're both too close again." I finish speaking in a shy whisper.

But before they could break apart from me I reach out and grab onto the edges of their shirts, surprising them both with my speed and accuracy.

"But I don't mind it as much this time," I clarified to them with a smile.