The Bright Future (2.0)

A Mistake

Fathom raised the goblet to his snout and sipped a small mouthful. It tasted refreshing and clear like it was washing away all his worries...

"FATHOM! NO!" A blur of deep purple scales flashed across his vision, then rammed into him, then he heard a crash sound. Confused, Fathom stumbled to his feet and saw that Indigo had crashed into him. 

"Indigo!" he cried, wounded. "You broke my goblet!" 

Darkstalker gave Indigo an angry look. "I bought that for him!" he snarled. "What is your problem? If you care about Fathom so much, why are you ruining his life?"

Indigo hissed. "I know that evil look on your face. You enchanted that, didn't you! What did you do to him?"

"Calm down!" ordered the SeaWing. Both stopped bickering and turned to look at Fathom "He wouldn't do that to me. Darkstalker's my friend. And I thought you were too, Indigo," added Fathom coldly. Indigo flinched. 

"He put a--"

Stop, flashed Fathom under his wings, out of Darkstalker's sight. Not right now, we'll talk later.

She gave him a despairing look and backed away until she was on the balcony, but didn't fly away yet.

"Now." Fathom ignored the twinge of regret in his stomach, it was surprisingly easy to push away. "I enchant the pieces of this broken goblet to rearrange themselves into the shape they were before."

He heard a gasp from the balcony, but again, ignored Indigo. "Enchant this goblet to be unbreakable, so it will never shatter again, no matter the heat or pressure applied." Darkstalker made an approving noise in his throat as the glass rose in a shimmering cloud to reform the cup.

"Nice work, buddy," he congratulated Fathom. "Decided it was worth using your magic on?"

"Yeah," Fathom agreed, letting Darkstalker sling a wing around his shoulder. He caught the goblet in his green talons as it floated down."I really like this goblet, the designs on it are so fascinating..."

"Darkstalker," piped up Clearsight. She did an odd little maneuver where she slipped off the copper moonstone bracelet she always wore. Then Clearsight stared intensely at her boyfriend. Fathom looked between the two, decided the unspoken conversation would take a while, and started towards the balcony.

"Indigo," he said in a stern voice, then stopped. Indigo had tears trailing down her face.

"He's evil, Fathom," she whispered. "Can't you see? He enchanted that cup to do... something! Probably something like--like making your forget your oath!"

"My oath?" said Fathom mildly. Indigo gave him an alarmed look. "Right," he said hurriedly. "My oath--well, Queen Pearl isn't here now, is she? And besides, this is, what--the fourth or fifth spell I've used? I'm far from turning evil. And if I do, you'll be there to stop me."

Fathom tried to give Indigo his usual teasing grin, but couldn't muster it. He was too angry at her right now. 

"Fine," spat Indigo in a surprisingly vicious tone. "Fine, you go and--and--and pull scavengers out of hats with your little animus friend. I'm going to ask Queen Vigilance for my own room, and I'll be there if you decide you need me."

"Indigo," called Fathom halfheartedly, but his bodyguard whirled around, flared open her wings, and launched off the balcony furiously.

He hunched his wings around himself. She'll come back, he told himself. But Fathom wasn't certain he wanted her to.