The Tail Of Taekook

Chapter 34 - Negotiations

Jungkook's POV

"Good morning, guys. We're just here to have a friendly chat with you, if you would be so kind to allow us to talk to you. The moment you start being at all rude to any of us, we will just leave and come back another day. But I'm hoping that this won't take long," Namjoon says pleasantly as we file into the large cavern, the leaders tied down with an inedible and tough type of seaweed.

They don't look happy, but I wasn't really expecting them to. This isn't exactly normal circumstances, after all.

"What is this all about?" one of them asks harshly. "Who are you people? Why have you kidnapped us?"

"I wouldn't say that you've been kidnapped, personally," Taehyung says cheerfully, "it's more like we've collected you together to discuss a few things with you, that's all. The reason for that conversation is that the ocean is not happy with how our species has developed, and wants a change in the society. So it asked us to do this."

"You're lying," one of them spits, and my mate just shrugs, glancing over at me to make sure that I don't attack the bastard for speaking in such a tone to him. "The ocean is just water. It doesn't have any say in how we do things. And anyway, this place is our birthright and under our control. We decide how it works."

Taehyung smiles slightly, flicking his tail and swimming a little closer to the leader that spoke out, not frightened at all. "If that's what you think at the moment, I won't stop you. But we will be able to change your mind and make you see the bigger picture, and you will realise how stupid you're really being to view yourself so highly."

"Don't be so rude," the leader hisses, his eyes going a deep maroon (same shade as his tail), clearly trying to control Tae, "especially to your superiors."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Taehyung says, a hint of sass entering his tone, "do you not like to hear the truth? And also, trying to control me counts as rude, in our books. So I'm afraid we'll see you tomorrow. You'll have to wait until then to ask any questions about our identity or purpose."

He looks over at Namjoon, making eye contact, and the leader of BTS nods in acknowledgement, accepting Tae's judgement. We file out, and Namjoon says something to one of our followers and helpers as he leaves, causing them to split the leaders apart again.

They have to stay in isolation until we need them, we decided. It's a better way to break them, and it also stops them from being able to talk about a plan of how to get the hell out of here. That would just be a pain, even if we'd be aware of it the whole time due to Jungkook's communication skills with the fish that would've been there with them, acting as a form of invisible guard.

It's just another way of making sure that they're forced to listen to us.

The following day, we file back into the cavern again, to talk to the leaders once more.

This time, we get them to introduce themselves individually. We find out that there is Jeremy (dull orange tail), Kate (pale red tail), Wendy (yellowy orange tail), Jinho (light brown tail), Terrence (dark brown tail), and Elektra (very dark red tail, closer to black). They're reluctant to give up this information, but it allows us to understand who they are better.

It's strangely satisfying to realise that there are equal numbers of males and females. In this unequal society, only the leaders have managed that. However, the fact that every single one is a dominant paints a very different picture. They aren't giving the submissive side of the society any voice at all. And that's not acceptable. It never should be. If they aren't being represented, that means that they aren't respected.

And we need to change that.

"Are you going to tell us who you are?" Jeremy demands, and Namjoon shrugs.
"That depends on how well this conversation goes," he says simply. "We can't waste time throwing our names into the water when we've got a lot to go through. Yes, we know your names, but that's so that we can address you individually and get all of your opinions. You don't need that from us."