Changed - Awakening

13. Of Sharks and Rulers

Special thanks to my proofreaders: Lil_proto, Kranfoel and Delta! (Chapter was delayed a bit since Kranfoel and Lil_Proto pointed out an important detail that needs fixin')

'That was rather reckless human,' Breton scolds, swimming out of the cave and keeping you as his host.

You can't help but hate the fact that you are being used by these aquatic latex creatures for their own gain, especially for means of invasion!

'He is literally saying that he is invading the lands! I don't want him to attack and hurt my people!'

'But didn't you lose all your memories?'

'That's irrelevant! I don't want people getting hurt because of me! I want to see others of my kind again, not see them getting killed!'

'You are implying that we are heartless?'

'Says the shark who tried to assimilate me,' You reply snarky.

'That's only because we didn't know. You know the laws of nature right? We tried to assimilate you because we didn't know, and my squad failed to realise that you are an intelligent being. You are alien to us.'

'You are alien to me! I didn't want this!'

'Then why ARE you here? You came into our home, so we take action because we don't know who you are. You don't even know who we are.'

'A latex shark that lives underwater?'

'We are more than that.'

You pause your thoughts as you try to figure out what to say next, the cool and calming waters brushing past your latex body as your captor takes you somewhere.

'How about...you tell me about yourself?'

'Huh?'

'If we are going to work together, then we should at least understand each other. Truthfully, I am rather excited to see a human that was thought to be a myth or legend. Especially knowing that you live on land, a world that is just above us. Everyone in these waters is curious to learn about the surface, the only ones who can get a taste of that freedom are Squidotters like Napoleon.

'What do you mean?'

'Squidotters are able to exit the waters and reach the surface, they have a small idea of what it is like up at the surface. They only know what lies above the waters, but not beyond these white walls. They could have all...left us all behind...but they stayed because they knew that we needed them.'

'What do you mean? Why did they stay? If they can leave, then why does Napoleon need me?'

'It's for us. The sharks, orcas, all the latex that live underwater.'

This confuses you, but Breton carries on.

'You see, everything is not perfect down here.'

'How so? Isn't living underwater your natural habitat?'

'Of course it is, but simply living underwater is not enough. Everyone feels trapped in here, human.'

Breton pauses, turning right as he swims towards the edge of the water, passing by another shark as he reaches a wall with a large window, revealing the observatory room.

'Yes, the waters here are perfect. It is pleasant to swim through. But eventually, you will start to feel the enclosure that you are trapped in. Everything here starts to feel smaller and smaller as you swim through.'