Aquata Cove

Chapter 76: Gain And Loss

The surface explodes from the outside as Merrick sinks, holding Arnaav close in his arms. His body changes as his flesh formed into an array of beautiful blue and silver scales, along with wavering fins along his tail. Arnaav holds onto Merrick as his body breaks out in velvet fuzz of cream and mocha colors.

The boy peers around him with tired eyes, barely able to keep himself up from his dreary fatigue as the many air bubbles rush up and around their bodies. Merrick holds his harpoon to his side while he refastens Arnaav's two knives to his sides.

"Rest, Arnaav..." Merrick mutters.

"Mnn..."

He mounts his harpoon to his back and swims forth. Merrick clenches his eyes as he unlocks a certain, uncomfortable part of his chest connecting to his throat. Merrick swims while sending out strained, echoing signals, sending one forward, turning to his right and calling out, and coughed one out to the left. Signaling for a Capricorn is a lot more tricky than calling other animals. The frequency has to be very precise to a their wavelengths. Mermaids have to sing a fine, elaborate tune to get a Capricorn's attention, while mermen have to adjust to a strained signal.

Sure enough, Merrick detects the distant bleating echo back to him as a sea goat emerges from the ocean's infinity. He carries Arnaav to approaching pair, and straddles in securely together.

"We need to think of a way to fashion saddles for Capricorns." Merrick muttered as the ancient creature turns around, smelling the symbols on Merrick's and Arnaav's flesh, "It'd make these trips a little more suiting."

The Capricorn strokes its large front flippers around, and pulls though the sea with the young males upon its back.

---The Next Day---

Yuri sighs as she wears her casual kimono in the kitchen, "... Hm?" She looks down as she realizes she's stepped on a pencil, before looking to the table at an open notebook. She picks it up, and sees the paper chart of empty squares of Arnaav's hand-made paper note.

Almost all of the squares for the letter 'Ah' have been filled, with half a column of squares empty. While the squares for the letter 'Ii' are only half done, and most of them aren't even completely in the squares.

"Gotta say, have to give him a C- for his penmanship." She commented as she sips her energy drink. She observes the slobby handwriting – the lines and the strokes are really jagged, almost like he was being too hasty with writing each letter.

"Looks like he was trailing off a bit... The 'Ii's aren't even in the boxes..." She mumbled before closing the book, and looked over to the couch – the blanket is open, but Arnaav is gone.

"Huh... He might've went back to the ocean... Oh well." She dismissed with a sigh before putting the notebook back down on the table.

~~~

On the stage, large, glass tubes have been placed strategically here and there in a symmetrical arrangement. Adam walks up in the middle of the stage, walking around some of them, almost running into them several times.

"Is it really necessary to have this many of them for just one performance?" He asked.

"What? They're my new toys!" Jerry said, "These are REALLY going to kick ass for some of our numbers!"

"How much did these things cost anyway?" Adam said as he taps at the base-holders.

"Couple of thousand. Made a huge profit last month."

"And yet you skipped out on giving more hours." Adam mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing." Adam gets back up, "Ready to start rehearsal if you are."

"Ok, lets hit the lights!" Most of the lighting turned off around the club, with only a few sources of light to illuminate around the club, "Music??"

Adam clears his throat as he brings the mic to his mouth. He takes a breath, "~You're in-"

"~I lOVE YOU~" A dull, thick voice with soothing infantile music booms out, "~YOU LOVE ME~" Adam scoffed after he whipped around for a second, "~WE ARE A HAPPY FAMIL-"

"Hey! What the hell!"

"Chloe!! Quit screwing around!" Jerry called out.

"Sorry." Yowled an insincere voice.

"Bitch..." Adam muttered.

"Douche!" Yelled Chloe.

"Saddle-Tramp!"

"Dumbass!"

"Pig!"

"OKAY!" Jerry yelled out, "That's enough, you two. Haha, yak-yak, we got work to do. Chloe, just play the right damn song, please!"

"Sorry! I just saw a big gay dinosaur walk on stage, and I thought we were doing another number for the show." Chloe called out.

"Yeah right, you-" Adam started.

"Adam!!"

Adam snickered as he silenced himself. A pounding melody taps over and over. One glass tube flashes white with a bolt of plasma. Another one lights up with a glimpse of lightning in sync with the upcoming beat. "Looks like the sync-track is working..." Adam observed. He holds the mic up to his mouth.

"~You're in control ~Pressin' pause on my heartbeat ~Someone stole all the air, so I can't speak now~" Adam swerves as he puts a hand to his chest before gesturing, "~I know ~The chase ~Is on ~I feel ~As though ~My time ~Has come~"

"~How many times do I fly through your head space~" Adam's tone rose as he walks deliberately a few steps, "~Now it's speeding away rom the safe place, yeah ~Your skin, ~The touch ~The kiss ~The rush ~Too much ~And here it comes~"

"~When your liiips tooouuch miiiine~" All of the glass columns all light up as electricity dances wildly in them, "~It's the kiiiiss of liiiife~! ~I know~" Adam dances in place with the mic still at his mouth, "~I know that it's a little bit frightening~" Adam walks forward a little, "~We might as well be playing with lightning~"

"~We tooouuch like~" Adam feels his own cheek, "~Like it's our fiiirst tiiime~ Oh oh~! ~I know that it's a little bit frightening~" ~We might as well be playing with lightning ~NooOOOoow ~Oh oh~"

"~Just you and me and the coats in the back room ~Learning things they don't

Teach in the classroom ~Now, you're here ~I feel, the fear ~But evvv~verything ~Is oh ~So clear~"

"~I've been addicted to you since the first hit ~Out of control like a surge of electric~" Adam holds up his arm out, "~When your liiips touch miiine ~It's the kiiiss of liiife ~I know~" Adam pumps his arm as he takes a repeated step-dance on one side of his body, "~I know that it's a little bit frightening ~We might as well be playing with lightning~"

The music comes to a conclusive melody, "~We touch like ~Like it's ooouuur first tiiiime ~Oh oh~" Adam grooves his body as the individual glass tubes flash randomly with the artificial lightning, "~I know that it's a little bit frightening ~We might as well be playing with lightning now~"

"~Oh oh~" The music slows down, and the plasma columns dim to a close as the tune echos the last line. Before Adam can say anything, someone else shouts out from the deserted club.

"YOU SUCK!" Chloe called out amongst the initial silence. "Go blow yourself, asshole!"

Adam slumped over in a sudden cough of laughing, before holding the mic up to his mouth, "I would, but I'm not that flexible."

"Of course you're not, fatass!!"

"Oh shut up, Cow, go home and die, where somebody is actually obligated to like you." Adam retorted.

"Drew! Mimi! Cut it out!" Jerry called out, "We only have an hour to rehearse tonight's numbers!"

"Spoil sport." Adam says.

"Am I the only one with balls in the family, Jerry?!" Chloe called out as Adam walks off the stage.

"Shut up and get dressed, Chloe!" Jerry called back, "Your number is after the next one. Hurry it up and stop picking fights already!!"

Being cousins, Chloe was made to work in Jerry's club might do something about her attitude, but very little has changed in the 4 years she first started at her parents' behest, especially since Adam keeps keeping up with her overwhelming sass. Jerry groans as he rubs his temples, reaching into his pocket to pop a couple of Tums.

~~~

The Capricorn slows down as Merrick can sense a large group of diversity. Merrick smiles as he sees the mighty sea turtle Triton, alongside the lethal-looking lionfish Noita, with their two children beside them. Merrick calls out with a striking signal, almost immediately stopping the pod where they go.

Samudra looks to his side, and sends a herding call to halt the pod. Vanora swims around, and looks onto them, "Ah, Merrick, Arnaav." He said to them. Merrick floats off of the Capricorn, and carries Arnaav to them. "It has been over 24 suns, I confess I was starting to worry a great deal."

"He was stubborn," Merrick replied as he comes to them, "He became more enticed with human society than I had anticipated." Vanora comes to him, and puts her hands onto Arnaav's temples, whom is still sleeping in Merrick's arms. Her soul reads into his aura, and quickly has a feel of his current health.

"Are you insane?!" Vanora declares as she quickly takes Arnaav away from him, "He is in terrible condition! He is almost as weakened as you were when you first joined!"

"I know, b-"

"And he is far younger than you! He cannot stand this sort of abuse to his body like you can!" She ranted like an angry nurse, "You should have forced him to come back! This is not good for someone so young!"

"I understand that, Noita Vanora," Merrick said firmly, "But he was persistent, and I did bring him back before he became worse."

"Pushing him longer is really not wise." Samudra said calmly, "I understand you have found ways of prolonging a stay, but do be more careful as far as Arnaav is concerned."

"Yes." Merrick nods as he begins to turn, "Oh, and when he is perfectly well enough, please send him back to me on the land."

"What??" Vanora and Samudra said at once.

"As often as possible, if you please."

"Why? I am reluctant to let him go back just once." Vanora scorned.

"I believe Arnaav may have found is mate, that is why." Merrick answered.

"His mate??" Samudra inquired, "But he is too young."

"True. But there is a human girl that his almost obsessed with." Merrick said turning back to face them, "I believe when he is of age, and under a Red Moon, they may bond."

"So this human girl lives in your lands then?"

"No. She lives on the other side of the world. And she speaks of a dialect that we are not familiar with. A human that we live him has offered to teach him this language, and Arnaav wants so much to learn."

They look at each other, then to Merrick, "I feel he is too young to make such moves," Vanora says.

"However, it is of his choice," Samudra tells her, "As long as we all enforce that his health comes first. This is his life, Vanora-"

"Fine. Let it be." Vanora scowled stubbornly.

"Thank you." Merrick bowed formally, "Now, I must leave. I have other business to attend to before I go back home."

"Business?" Samudra said as elevated up, "With whom?"

"... Business." Merrick stated before moving to the Capricorn.

"Merrick." Samudra said sternly, "You are Coshiton. What business could you have with anyone of the sea besides us?"

"That is for me to know, Triton Samudra. This is something I need to do." He replied, not bothering to turn around.

"Merrick," Vanora spoke up, "You know the Laws. Arnaav has had better allowances because his crimes have not been so numerous as yours. You may not have a better chance than him."

"..." Merrick gritted his teeth, before making a final comment, "I am sure I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Merrick." Samudra called out, "You better know what you are doing."

Just as Merrick is about to kick his tail to go to the Capricorn, when something tugs at his tailfin. "Huh?" Merrick turns around, and sees the dreary otter holding at his beautiful white fin.

"Please be safe, Merrick..." Arnaav whined as he hugs the base of the tail. Merrick smiled as he moved to the small boy, and hugged him close.

"I will be fine, Arnaav. You do the same for me, alright?"

"Yes..." He nods simply. Merrick swims back to Vanora, and gives Arnaav to her before turning back around, and mounting onto the Capricorn. He leans in close, and whispered a few signals before the ancient goat started to propel itself with him on its back.

~~~

"Guys, can I take this damn thing off now? I don't like being blinded and tied up this unless Merrick is blowing me!" Adam laughs as he rides in a back seat, with a blindfold over his eyes, with his arms tied behind him.

"Shuddup, man, we gettin there." Nick says.

"How long has it even been? It feels like a freakin hour. I'm beginning to feel like a hostage." He grins with idle amusement, "Someone close a window?? The fresh air is making my hair move. My feet hurt. I'm huuungry. Are we there yeeeet?"

"Man, quit'cha bitchin!" Jamal snickered.

"No, Adam. We've been driving around in circles around the same block. We're going to Chuck E Cheese." Harold jested next to Adam.

"PFFF hahaha! Yeah," Adam laughs, "Where everyone is a 'Winner'." He quoted with his fingers, tucked behind his back.

"Aight, we hear now." Jamal said as they pull into a mysterious location.

"Wait! Is it getting darker?? SHIT! Fuuuuuuck!" Adam squirmed as Harold tugged on him, "Police! Murder! I'm being kidnapped by Jeffrey Dahmer, O.J., and a Mexican Princess!"

"Aw hell naw!" Jamal said as he gets out, and proceeds to drag Adam out.

"Guuuuys! This is my only day off! I wanted to have a God Of War marathon!" Adam whined.

"Told you shoulda gagged him, man." Nick said, "Jay-Jay, get yo shorts off, and stuff his mouth already."

"NO! Naw-ahaha!" Adam swerves as he laughs, Harold yanking him up, "I know where those have been! What they touched! I da- MMMFFF!" Harold snickered as he stuffed a CLEAN small pair of briefs into Adam's mouth. "EMMFF! MMMGGHH! PWEH!" He spat them out, "What the hell, guys??!"

"Oh relax, bitch, those where clean." Jamal said as he takes off the blindfold.

"Once anything touches YOUR puss-covered dick, NOTHING is clean." Adam remarked as Nick freed his wrists. Adam looks around, and sees they're in a parking structure, "Ok, where the fuck are we now?"

"In a better place." Harold said as they go. They joked and talked as they walk through the parking lot and took the elevator down. They leave, and see the building of which they are about to enter.

"Land of Oz?" Adam read aloud the jeweled sign, "Bar & Grill. What're we doing heeere?" He complained, "I should be in the middle of Cronos' labyrinth, getting Pandora's fuckin Box." He jested.

"Heh. I already fucked Pandora's box." Jamal sneered.

"Not THAT kinda box, you crazy asshole!" Adam laughed.

The four of them walked into the glass doors, where the floor is paved with a brass-yellow color. They arrive to a sudden boom of music, with a lot of people around cheering and wooping.

"Ahhh, what the heck??" Adam yelped as he walks into what seems to be a party. His eyes catch a big banner reading:

{CONGRATULATIONS}

{ADAM & MERRICK}

"Holy shit, you guys!" Adam says as he laughs as he spots all of his male friends, Kevin snacking on the side, Captain downing a shot, his father Luther clapping and whistling. "Aren't these supposed to be held when the wedding is CLOSE?"

"Ain't nobody got time fo that!" Jamal answered as they entered.

"This is kind of their opening night." Harold said, "Just thought we'd get in on it while the bash is good."

"But what about Merrick?? He's not even here." Adam pouted, "I would rather celebrate it with him."

"The reservation lady here is kind of particular. And weird." Harold said, "And we already had the banner made when before Merrick decided to head out."

"We'll throw him a dig over at King Tuts later." Nick said, "Till then, lets get muy galenteeeehhh!"

"Kudos on the party, fishboy!" Captain growled up, seeing a hot woman in a short blue and white dress with red jeweled high heels.

"Heeeey, what the hell?" Adam says as they go, "How come there's skimpy women at a gay Bachelor Party?"

"Again, this was last minute, and this is their grand opening," Harold said, "Just thought this was as good a time as any to have a party for someone getting married."

"It's a co-ed nightclub or something" Luther said to his son, "All I know there's a little bit of something for everyone here." He said while ogling another fit chick dressed in a beautiful pink leotard with a dainty tu-tu, a glass crown, and a long, sparkling wand.

"Hah. I always do love renditions of Wizard of Oz." Adam said as they go in. Nick is already flirting with a buff, tan guy decorated with metallic, gold body paint and glitter, in a shiny gold jockstrap and a full mane.

"Hey there~" Says a man with a blue brief stuffed with brassy yellow tinsel in his undies, cuffs, brown paint around his eyes, and the tinsel under his matty hat. "You the groom to be~?"

"One of them." Adam smirked.

"Ooh, now I know I have a heart~" Says a sexy white guy in a silver thong, with his arms, legs, back, and torso is painted and stylized with silver and grey lines, also wearing a glittering red heard medallion. "Because it's pounding just by looking of you~"

"Hahaha. You guys got a whole lot of those themed pick-up lines memorized?" Adam asked putting his hands on his hips.

"Sweetie, you have no idea." Says the bartender, dressed in a black sequin witch's hat, with sparkling green designs painted on her face, while sporting shiny red nails and tight black sleeves, and a dress of black jewels, "This is the part where I say," She says as she offers up a drink, "'I'll get you, my honey, and your little friend too~! AHAhahahaha!'"

"This almost reminds me of the Dream Waltz," Adam said, "That's where I dress up and perform."

"Do you also have to walk around in your skibbies and offer drinks and lap dances?" The lion-designed guy asked as he comes over. Adam can't help but grin as he feels his groin stir.

"Heheheh, nope."

"Then shut up and lets get some courage in ya, boy~" He then danced to the music and started to swerve his hips around Adam's lap.

"Hah, ho boy," Adam chuckled as the man's golden build buffed over him. Having not gotten off in a few days is starting to show by his blush.

"Aight, lets get this party started!" Says another go-go guy in a green sequin speedo, a black top hat, and a pocket watch attached to his hip with a gold chain attached to the clock, which connected to one of his nipple rings.

The music pumped as the lion-dressed man purred as he gives Adam's neck a lick, "Wow, damn," Adam chuckles. If Merrick were here, he'd be grinding up against this guy's bronzed bottom. He always is great at parties.

"Hah, well alright!" Adam gives a hard slap onto the guy's exposed butt, "Lets get into it! Hahaha!"

~~~

Arnaav groans as he paddles along with the pod. He feels so heavy and dizzy... Vanora says it's his body trying to keep him conscious, while also absorbing as much deprived water as it can, and the struggle is making him disoriented.

"Are you alright, Arnaav?" Asked Deilan, who is still a month away from going back to his own mate on the land. He's the one keeping an eye and tentacle on Arnaav to protect him from falling behind.

"I am so tired..." The otter whined, wincing as he pulls himself through the water.

"Just try to steady yourself." Deilan says as he stays close, "You will be fine."

"Mnnnh..." Arnaav murrs in fatigue, looking forward, and then sending a very quick signal.

"Hm?" Samudra senses the signal from somewhere behind them.

"HHH!" Arnaav gasps before he suddenly jets forward!

"Ahh!"

"What??" Adra Nerissa looks, and flinches as a brown and cream blur launches from behind, and speeds forward.

"Arnaav!" Samudra calls out.

Arnaav pants with joy as he swims as fast as he can, sending constant signals to an Amnien pod of mostly otters. "FatherFatherFatherFatherFatherFatherFather!" Arnaav comes racing to an enormous, polar bear merman, before he crashes into vast, white fluffy stomach.