My Last Dive [Made in Abyss Fanfiction]

14| Hand in Hand Together

The next morning was a rush as I hurried to get ready. I forgot that I had to try and cook for us as well, so I struggled to throw something together, all while triple-checking over my list of gear in my head. Aedia stayed out of things at my behest, though she still grabbed plates and utensils for us. It wasn't like we had much time to enjoy things, and I was practically out of breath by the time we left the house. How could our parents have managed to do this themselves?

   "Be careful," Aedia said as I dropped her off at Vio's. She squeezed my hand, looking at me pleadingly. "Please."

   "I will," I said, hugging her before bidding both her and Syele goodbye. I didn't need to look to know Lissy had already stolen her away, and it almost made me smile.

   Melva was already at our usual meeting spot. In spite of his protests, I'd told Vio he shouldn't have to hold back his progress because of us. I could still ask for his help when I wasn't delving. While reluctant, he also looked happy knowing he could return to his usual delving habits. At least he'd be in mine and Melva's lives more. Melva didn't say anything when she saw me approaching. We both knew I was late, but she didn't say anything, and we headed for the gateway to the Abyss.

   My thoughts ran wild as we walked, and my head was spinning. This was it, I was going back. In the distance, I could see the weathered stone arch marking the gateway. A tendril of queasy nervousness squirmed in me at the sight. Either that, or my attempt at cooking wasn't sitting well with me. It was likely a mixture of both.

   What are you supposed to do? Just work? Melva's always pay-driven, and she doesn't—I mentally slapped myself. I couldn't let my worry consume me. All I could do was work, work harder than I ever had before. Soon enough, we were standing before the gateway.

   "Ready, kid?" Melva asked, and I nodded.

   For today, we decided to stay within a three hundred-yard limit. That meant a short gondola trip down but more time spent finding a good spot to search since more Delvers searched at this depth. We set our sights on a thick grove of trees overshadowed by a waterfall, the ground cracked and uneven due to erosion.

   "Slow down," Melva said, trying to keep up with me. "It's not like we're guaranteed to find anythin', and I don't see anyone else 'round." She squinted to make sure and was satisfied a moment later when she confirmed we were alone.

   "R-right, sorry," I said, trying to slow my pace. Already my eyes were searching the ground, looking for any signs of Relics. I hadn't noticed I was walking that quickly.

   Melva rolled her eyes. "'Sides, lookit this view. Usually ya see trees like this in the Second Layer."

   I looked up and around us. It was interesting that there would be such dense tree cover so high up, and it was even stranger with the varying ground elevations. It was like a forest of trenches within this already-existing forest, where root networks spilled from the ancient soil. "You're right," I agreed. "Do you think an earthquake or something caused this? It seems too cleanly-cut to be erosion."