Deeper Waters [Leviathantale]

Ch3 - Calmer

Cookies POV

"Shhh... You need to calm down, you're hurting yourself," the orca-mer-creature tried to soothe. "Tell me, what do you see?" He hummed patiently. You didn't understand. Why was he asking that? When you did not respond, he asked the question again, and hearing the gentleness of his voice was enough to make you look around, eager to answer.

The ocean bed was decorated with stunning corals, the array of colors blending together to make a spectrum of multicolor beauty. Small fish darted about, interweaving between rocks and coral, and you could faintly sense their presence through the small movements within the water, the way it rippled with each swish of their tails.

"U-uhm... pretty... color-rocks?"

"That would be coral," the stranger let out gently. "What else do you see?"

"Fishies... but t-they're moving. I didn't know they could move," you confessed. The facility had fed you fish, yes, but it had always been dead and unmoving. Not only that, but it was often still frozen, as they didn't even bother to defrost it for you.

"Can you tell me what kinds you see?"

"U-uhm... there's a lot of different kinds. There's red ones and blue ones and yellow ones and other colors I don't know.. its kind of blurry." Your voice was still a little shaky. Your eyelights were fuzzy, but you couldn't make them focus better even with effort.

"Hmm. Instead of what you see, how about you tell me what you feel?" the figure let out, his hands gently taking your own. You flinched a little at the touch, not because it hurt, but because it was unfamiliar to you. Nobody had ever been so... gentle.

You closed your eyes, trying to focus on what you could feel. The waters were warm, something that you found to be a little uncomfortable. It made you feel a little overheated. You obviously weren't drying out since you were in water, but you longed for a cooler environment. Like how the labs had kept your tank, maybe even colder than that.

"...Hot. Too hot," you concluded finally. "I like your hands... cold..." Without even thinking, you brought them up to your face, nuzzling them. The bones were so pleasant against your skull, and the stranger made no move to pull them away, though he did seem momentarily surprised.

The orca chuckled at the action, tilting his head. "Most say I am freezing to the touch and find it unpleasant," he confessed with a small smile. "Your eyelights are still hazy. Does the light bother you, little one?"

The question brought light to an issue you didn't even notice. The brightness of this environment was definitely overwhelming. It made everything feel like too much - and you could see for the most part, but everything sort of blurred together a little, and it physically stung your eyes to keep them open for too long. "Its pretty here, but its too much," you explained. "It hurt less when it was dark..."

The figure nodded. "You must be adapted for deeper waters... You seem to have calmed down. Are you feeling better?" he hummed. You paused for a moment, then nodded. It was true - at some point, his questions had helped you to settle your breathing, to focus on something other than the overwhelming distress. You were, as he had said, calm. "What is your name?"

"N...name?" you repeated, frowning as you tried to think. What was a name? Did you have one?

"A name is what people use to call you," he clarified, clearly seeing your confusion at the inquiry.

"Oh! Its X3CH-01," you finally let out, remembering that had been what the others had always called you. They had sometimes used other names, but the way they said them made you think they were probably insults, not actual names.

He frowned. "That is not a name," he grumbled. You flinched a little, frightened that you were in trouble. What was wrong with your name? You didn't mean to make him mad! "Hey, shhh, no need to be frightened. I am called Reaper. How we find you a new name?"

You froze for a moment, then gave a small nod. He smiled at that. You never liked what they called you anyway. You wanted to be called something... easier to say. But also something fun. Fun like Reaper! Reaper seemed like a fun name!

"Is there something you would like to be called?" he then let out. You were allowed to choose? For once, the idea of being able to choose made you excited. You had never gotten to choose something before! And, from what you knew, names were important.

"Uhmmm...." you hummed thoughtfully, still thinking hard. But then, you tilted your head. "Can I be called Cookie? I- I heard they are yummy foods! I've n-never had one, but, uhm..." your enthusiasm slowly died as your anxiety suddenly spiked.

"Cookie is a lovely name," he let out, interrupting you before your thoughts could become a spiral of anxiety.

He liked your name! He liked it! You let out cheerful little chirps, smiling happily. You didn't really understand the chirps that came from you, but they felt natural, so you just let it happen. You felt happy!

"Alright, Cookie. Do you know how old you are..?"

"The man at the lab, u-uhm, said I was there for ten years. Does that mean I'm ten?"

He let out a slight gasp. "Ten? Stars, you're so small.." he breathed out in a quiet voice, shaking his head. "How about I take you to my nest? I'd like to look at your tail, it must be very painful, Cookie. I'd like to make it better," he let out.

"But it... hurts to move," you let out with a whimper. You wanted to go with him, you did! It just... was really painful to swim. You didn't think you could follow him even if you tried, but you didn't want to be left behind.

"I can carry you while I swim," he suggested.

Immediately, you made grabby hands for him. He chuckled at the action and complied, pulling you into his arms. He was gentle the entire time, careful not to bring you harm. You nuzzled into his neck, finding comfort in his arms. For the first time in your life, you felt safe. Truly safe. Slowly, you drifted off to sleep.