𝗔𝗠𝗕𝗬𝗦 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥 · 23x FEATURED · An Asian sci-fi retelling of The Little Mermaid that steers the tale you know in a whole new funky direction |
An ambitious teen mermaid must venture beyond her guarded underwater city and brave the...
A frisson of pain convulsed her when she splashed into the sea. The familiar blue and the buoyant waters offered only fleeting relief.
Her ogi blinked, warning her of an impending shutdown. However, it showed her that she was close to Seren City—an hour's swim from the cove where the Little Angler waited for her.
It was just as well. Dea knew she wouldn't make it if it was farther than that. She started porpoising.
Her leaden limbs needed frequent breaks, and the abyss of emptiness that yawned within threatened to pull her under—at least, it dulled the physical strain. As Dea sliced in and out of the waves, she suddenly sensed company. She turned her head sideways.
Flying fish raced her, their gossamer fins unfurled as they glided in the wind. Silvery scales shimmered against the blue of the ocean and sky.
This unexpected sight of joy and freedom sent her mind careening into chaos. Warring emotions pushed against the fog that obscured her thinking faculties.
It ignited yet another spark—to fight for her people and these wonderful creatures she had only just begun to know about. Her thoughts strayed to the secret facility that Dilip tried to cart her off to. Sifting through fragments of memory, Dea made a mental note to jot down all that she remembered.
She gritted her teeth and powered on.
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It took longer than an hour to reach the cove.
The calm waters sparkled turquoise against the sand, rock and mangroves—as if to convince her that what happened was nothing but a freakish dream. As Dea forced her body to move, the sun blazed down and slowly dispelled the mist in her mind. She wished it didn't.
Her heart quivered when it occurred to her that she was scarily close to the human-made hellscape. Memories gyred with pain and anger in a viscous whirlpool and threatened to overwhelm her. The torment compounded her headache, which pummeled her mercilessly behind the eyes. She suppressed a sob and paused to survey the Little Angler.
It peeked above the water, gentle waves lapping against its glass dome.
Dea rubbed her eyelids and floundered the rest of the way. When she reached the craft, she climbed up and touched her fingers to the panel to open the top hatch.
After getting in, the first thing she did was plug the dead ogi into a port beneath the interface. Next, she switched on the DSV, but the system update had frozen at ninety-nine percent. The power had also plummeted to near depletion.
Dea buried her face in her hands and sat unmoving for a long minute. Massaging her eyes again, she forced a reboot and started the charging mechanism.
"Solar panels deployed," the AI announced.
"Okay, bot," she murmured, appreciating the familiar sounds of Mermish.
She clambered back out of the hatch to watch robotic arms extending out. A tessellation of solar panels unfolded like gleaming origami.
