Stranded on a Tiny Planet

Fishing

As Seraysa and Verin rode atop Merco's broad shoulder, they both felt excited. It was like flying but with no strain on them. The long, powerful sway followed by the impact of Merco's steps shuddering through his massive frame was something to feel. Seraysa had experienced it in her first hour of life riding in Merco's shirt pocket, but it was a bit more thrilling perched on his shoulder.

"This...has been the craziest two days of my life." Verin admitted, staring in all directions from their lofty perch.

"Me too." Seraysa admitted.

"Yeah but you're only recently Emerged." He stated. "Do you think we'll get to see him catch a Gold Scaled Leviathan?"

Seraysa nodded, "Probably. I think that's what that gesture meant." She mimicked the waving motion Merco had used that looked like a fish swimming.

Verin's dark eyes seemed to light up at the prospect, "That's going to be SO incredible!"

Seraysa nodded but as she rode she recalled how sad Merco had been earlier, "What would be incredible is if we could help him get home."

Her brother pondered, "Well...up until he showed up, no one even thought there was life anywhere but Anshai-tee. We just don't have the tech his kind seems to have."

"I know. But you didn't see him earlier. He had images of other aliens like him. I think...they were images of his family. He... looked so sad. I just...I just wish we could help him."

Verin looked sympathetic but he didn't have answers either.

It wasn't long before they were back at the northern-most edges of the lake, almost exactly where the attack had taken place. Merco surveyed the spot a moment with lingering suspicion before he continued on. He walked around the edge of the lake, eyes scanning around.

Then he stopped and knelt down and reached for something on the ground, making the siblings grip his shirt collar to avoid falling forward. Down the length of his arm they saw what he'd found. It was a sign with the name of Trit written on it. Trit was small settlement at the edge of the Anashee Lake. The inhabitants, though few could swim, were adept fishermen. Mounted atop the wooden sign was a comically large metal fishing hook and that's what Merco was after. He had an almost delighted look on his face. He plucked at the hook and managed to rip the whole sign out of the ground.

"Merco!" Seraysa scolded him.

He gave an embarrassed expression, ripped the hook off the sign effortlessly, and then carefully put the sign back.

"What are you doing? You can't take that!" Seraysa protested.

"Uh...yeah he can." Verin disagreed.

"Well he shouldn't!"

Merco stood up and observed the hook between his fingers. Then he began looking around for something else. In a few steps he found a couple boats tied up near the shore and a pile of fiber ropes inside each one. Again, he knelt down and took both piles of rope.

"Merco! You can't just take that!"

The giant alien looked at her a moment but didn't seem too concerned by her scolding and resumed his task.

Seraysa gripped her head plumage with frustration, "First day as an ambassador and we're going to get the Trits mad at us!"

Merco stretched the fiber ropes out as far as they would go which was almost the span of his arms. Deciding it needed to be longer he tied the two ropes together to make a longer one. Satisfied, he stood back up and began looking at the trees. He found one that seemed to suit him, gripped it with his gloved hand, and stomped his foot against the trunk, snapping it off easily.