A Worthy Replacement

Chapter 74 - The All Devouring Whale

it had been days since you got released from the fortress of meropide, and unsettled was an understatement of your current feelings.

you had touched base with arlecchino to discuss tartaglia's whereabouts with no luck. it was like he vanished into thin air, and you felt more and more uneasy with every passing minute.

at some point, you went to the sea in order to clear your mind. despite it being so beautiful, the sea was destined to rise and engulf all of fontaine, killing everyone. what a tragic fate... it was sad in all honesty.

in a sickly-poetic sense, it reminded you of yourself. of your fate that you knew would await you. being a harbinger, taking the lives of countless individuals. there was no redeeming you. and at some point, you knew that your sins would catch up with you. and it would strip you of everything and everyone you hold dear.

that was a fitting punishment, right?

you would deserve it. maybe in the moment you wouldn't think so. but, if you were deciding dottore's fate, you would want him to suffer through the same thing.

then again, did dottore really love anything except for his beloved experiments? ... probably not.

you weren't sure why your mind drifted to these thoughts, but it helped pass the time and your stress onto something that wasn't tartaglia's disappearance. they weren't the most... pleasant thoughts, but distractions nonetheless.

as you entertained these philiosphical thoughts, you walked along the ocean shore. crabs scattered about, shells glistening from the water under the sun's glare. the water was so blue and clear you could see the bottom of it, not a single piece of trash or debris in sight. fish were jumping about in the sea, the small marine animals playing around with one another. it filled you with a sense of ease, that just maybe, things would be okay.

until it wasn't.

the animals began to scurry away and hide, the water turning a purple-ish blue color in one spot. something about the air felt charged with tension, with fear of the unknown. there was a loud splash, and a large narwhal-like monster came from somewhere inside the sea. your eyes widened in shock at it, seeing how large it was. you summoned your polearm and got ready. the whale began to bellow, and it could only mean one thing:

it's hungry.

something about its energy seemed otherworldly, and a part of you shuddered at the thought of where it could have come from. a part of you didn't want to find out either. but one thing was clear to you just by looking at the large glutton. this whale was the same one that tartaglia has been looking for.

"alright," you muttered to yourself. "time to go spearfishing."

the whale dove at you, its mouth opened wide. you managed to dodge, slashing its back which made it howl in pain. however, it didn't seem to do any damage. does this thing even have a weak point? what do i even do? clearly this thing isn't good news, so how do i kill this thing? the whale flicked you with its tail, causing you to get knocked back a few hundred feet away. you were going to land in the water if you didn't do something fast.

- flashback -

"brighella."

you looked up from your book, having read in jester's office by his bookshelf. it was a common occurance that transpired a few times a week. jester would work on papers while you would hang out. it was a silent way of enjoying each other's company.

"yes?"

"are you going to remain stubborn and refuse to utilize a delusion? it could greatly enhance your powers," jester asked, looking at you questioningly with his sharp eye.

"as much as using one would aid me greatly, i wouldn't want to deal with the negative effects."

"you won't, you're strong enough to withstand those effects," jester replied, pulling something from his pocket. "using a delusion will be easy for you, should you decide to have one."

"you think so?"

"yes. however, since you refuse, then you should use this." he threw something to you, which you caught effortlessly. letting it rest in your palm, you looked at the small trinket. your eyes widened once you realized what exactly he just gave you.

"wait... this is.. jester you can't be serious. where did you even get this?"

"if a day comes where you'll need it, i trust that you'll make the right call and awaken it." jester looks at you. "you'll be able to do it."

"..."

- back to present -

you used your geo to make a small platform just on the water's surface, standing on it. the whale, sensing you, floated and turned to face you. now you were confused. this thing can fly? maybe it shouldn't be 'when pigs fly'.

the whale began to swim quickly at you, opening its mouth and releasing a large beam of some sort of pure-conentrated energy. you dodged it narrowly before it began to rush at you, must faster than you anticipated. you and the whale kept playing a game of what felt like a very dangerous game of tag. at least you were further away from civilization, so no one else was at risk of catching this thing's attention. it continued to rush at you for the next half an hour, clearly trying to eat you to quell its hunger. how annoying.

it was a matter of trying to kill it and find its weak point without getting too close to it. after all, there was no telling what this thing was capable of.

but, just as you were about to make an attack to its belly, the whale managed to hit you with one of its beams, causing you to fly back and hit a tree. you felt a flash of pain rush through your body, your limbs going limp from the impact and a grunt leaving your lips. c'mon, get up! the whale wasn't letting up, and it seemed to only continue to get stronger as it quickly made its way over to you. it opened its mouth, preparing to finally consume you before a flash of electro caught your attention.

and, that flash of electro also caught you, holding you in its grip as it moved you out of the way. the whale roared in anger as its meal was taken away from him.

"does this makeup for our argument earlier, Y/N?"