Beautiful like the Ocean, Dangerous like the Water

The Fortress of Meropide

You have to run down the stairs to catch up with Aether, Paimon and Madeleine, now, it's important to remember now that you are a criminal, even if it's not real, it must looks like.

"Hey Aniès, are you okay ?"

You nod, even if it's obviously a lie.

"Thank you Paimon, it's just... not every day that I'm going in jail."

"Well, it's not the first time we run into trouble so..."

Madeleine looks at you, she seems curious.

"How can you all be in such a good mood ? You will end up in prison and you looks okay with that, well, except for this young lady, Monsieur Neuvillette told you something stressful I can guess."

"N-no no he... didn't said anything like that..."

"If you say so, after all, you are from Fontaine, it's not a surprise that you don't feel so relaxed about all of this, you know what will happen down there."

You nod politely, avoiding her gaze, after a moment, you all arrive to the bottom of the elevator, you all follow Madeleine and, honestly, you don't listen at anything.

Your hand is holding your sleeve really tight, keeping the hairpin inside, it can't fall you made sure of that, but you need a familiar presence to calm down. Besides, the only thing you can think right now is how will you be able to investigate enough to get out as soon as possible, you don't like being away from the sun, and... it's a prison so who likes that ?

"Aniès ?"

"Huh ?! Yes Madam ?"

"I asked you all to follow me, I need to take your mugs shot."

"Oh... I'm sorry..."

You follow them and complete every procedures, you follow everyone until a guard lead you to the next elevator to officially enter the Fortress of Meropide.

While you walk, the guard don't really talk, except for explaining how money works down there, if you can call this money, what you understand is that Mora has no value down there, they use Coupons, and you win them with different ways, especially work.

"You'd better look at the scenery now, it'll be the last chance you get for a while."

You look at the direction he turned, and that's when you notice that you are really deep underwater, for a reason you can't guess, you are not afraid.

You walk closer to the huge glass, placing your hand on it, you miss the water so much, you don't want to look away, not anymore. You can see a lot of fish, far away blubberbeasts singing, and close to them... an otter.

It's only been a few minutes but you miss him, so much.

Even if the otter is far away, it looks like they saw you, they dance with the blubberbeasts, just having fun together, not caring about anything else, just... being happy.

"Hey lady, stop spacing out and come, I don't have all day."

"Oh, sorry..."

You catch them up, the guard doesn't stop looking at you.

"Seriously, what have you done to end up here ? You seem way too kind and pure to make any mistakes. But you know, you should never judge a book by its cover."

It doesn't sound like he wants an answer, he guides you in the elevator, once you're inside, there is a few minutes to go down before being in the Fortress for real.

Once you're down, the guards leads you into a few corridors before going away, saying he did his job, that's when you heard them.

Metallic steps, Gendarmeks.