Episode 3: The Merchant of the Deep Sea
Chapter 32: Momentous Photography! + Chapter 33: Museum Excursion! + Chapter 34: Octavinelle Finale!
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[Octavinelle dorm - entrance]
3rd P. O. V
Before Azul could storm off tho, Jack says "In any case, we fulfilled our promise of bringing that picture back.
We cleared the conditions you’ve set." and Azul stopped to face him and the group as Grim chimes in. "Well, we did destroy all the contracts before that happened though."
Jack crossed his arms, his face spoke 'nah, I am not convinced'. "Still, I can’t be convinced. Azul, I know that you’re not the type to resort to unlawful means. Take responsibility and put everything back in their place."
Quiinn wave her hand. "We'll help you."
Azul sighed. "I understand. But please hand me that picture so I can get rid of it…"
"Hah, pretty bad manners you’ve got there." Leona smirked as Jade spoke up. "Indeed. Memories are important, after all."
"Hey, hey, when will we go~? We’re all going together, right~? I’m looking forward to going to the Atlantica Memorial Museum~ I haven’t been there since elementary school~" Floyd asked like a kid and hopped up and down as Quiinn nervously bitting her nails. "Fuck."
Grim started sniffing, probably he found something.
"Hm? What are you sniffing about for, Grim?" Ace asked.
"My gourmet hunter senses are tingling…It’s telling me that there’s a black, truffle-esque delicious thing lying around here!" Grim respond as Quiinn gave a puzzled look. "My gourmet what????"
"Are you a pig!?"
Quiinn smack him and glare at him. "How dare you call my son a pig, Babi(pig)."
(Babi means pig in Malay)
Ace look at her weird after hearing the unfamiliar word, 'babi'. "What?"
"Nothing."
"Thanks for the food~!" Grim put the black jewel in his mouth before Quiinn can stop him. "Hm~ This one’s got a rich taste, but there’s a kick, too…It’s a taste that a foodie can’t resist, yanno~!"
"Grim!!"
"Ah, there you go eating things off the ground again…"
Ace shook his head. "It’s kinda pointless stopping him, man. I really don’t get how a monster’s stomach works." Ace gestured to Quiinn's effort to stop him.
"………Does that raccoon always eat black jewels he picks from the ground?" Leona asked and Quiinn answer, "Yesn't."
Leona raised a brow, confused.
"Is something wrong, Leona-senpai?" Jack asked and Leona shook his head. "Not really. It’s nothing."
"Sus...." Quiinn muttered.
As they left and planned to go visit the museum, Quiinn is left behind as Y/N appears beside her. "You think letting Grim ate that thing is good? I felt unsettling. What if that thing did something to him?"
"I can't tell. But Leona's sudden quieteness after Grim ate it is indeed unsettling. We'll just have to find out." Y/N floated next to Quiinn, who's face shown worry. "I can't let him eat that anymore."
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[Ramshackle Dorm - entrance]
Quiinn P. O. V
"Ah, home sweet home~" I said as I folded my arms whilst looking at my home ever since I got here. "Tsunotaro, welcome back." I turned around and met with the horned man.
"Oh, I see that you’re back. I could not have imagined that you would win against Ashengrotto. You look absent-minded, but it turns out that you are quite cunning yourself." Malleus chuckle as Quiinn snickered. "Thanks to you."
Malleus raised a brow. "Me? I didn’t plan to offer you a solution, though.
Fufu. In any case, I guess it all worked out in my favor since this garden is as quiet as ever. Seeing the ever calm Ashengrotto make a terrified face must have been quite a sight. I would have liked to see it, too. Hm… It seems as if it would be better for me to return to my dorm now. Now then, good night to you." He suddenly disappeared in the wind as I wave my hand.
"Did you see him?"
"No, it looks like he’s not here."
Oh, that's....
"He might have headed to the western building."
"Ah, Young Master… Why do you move about without your guards? It’s because you took your eyes off him, Silver!" Sebek blame Silver. "He’s not a baby, so there’s no need to fret too much."
Still the same as ever.
"It would be too late if something happened! Don’t let your guard down for one second! Are you even aware of how important being Young Master’s guard is!? Don’t tell me that you’ve forgotten how benevolent Young Master and Lord Lilia have been to us even though we’re human!" Damn, Malleus has a simp. I mean, he's hot—
"This and that are different, you know?" Silver said.
Should I tell them?.....Nah.
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[Ramshackle Dorm - bedroom]
"Hey… I can’t eat this much… big fish, yanno…~" Grim stirred in his sleep.
I plopped down on the bed. "Man, I miss you so bad." I kissed my bed and fix my position to sleep better and I wanted to say "let's hit the hay" but no, I saw the mirror glowing.
Then I heard a knock.
"… Hey… –me…? Is someone… Is someone there?"
....
That voice....that shadow.....?! Mickey?!
Oh god! What the fuck did I just saw?! What in the name of Scaramouche's prototype ass did I just heard?!
I took a deep a breath. Okay, let's not get ahead of myself. Let's just sleep.
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[Ramshackle Dorm – Foyer]
When me and Grim reached the foyer, we heard a knocking on our door and went to check it out.
I open the door and when my eyes landed on the two eel twin, I gave them a poker face as Floyd greeted us. "Good morning, koebi-chan and earless seal~! We came to pick you up~ Let’s go for a walk."
Grim hid behind my leg. "Ugh… I keep getting nervous when I see you guys ‘cause I think I’m in trouble again, yanno?"
"Oh my goodness. We will not do anything bad to those who worked through the contract legally. Now then, we have such fine weather today, so it is time for a wonderful field trip." Jade reassured but it doesn't sound reassuring to me.
Then Floyd dragged me out. "Let’s go on a field trip to the Atlantica Memorial Museum~!"
"Thanks to Azul, we have managed to reserve the entire museum for today.
Azul has departed earlier and it seems like he is already waiting for us there." Jade said and give a generous smile. I mean, real generous. "Well, that's....great. We'll return back the pic right?"
"You’re a serious one, aren’t ya~? We know that already. Let’s go~!" Floyd laugh as I locked the door and Grim climb up to my shoulder. "Indeed, I have the picture with me for safe-keeping."
"Come on, hurry~ Let’s-a go~" Floyd excitedly dragged me but I stopped. "What's wrong koebi-chan?"
I averted my gaze away from the twin, who's eagerly waiting for me to answer. "I can't swim."
...
"Hahahahahahaah!!! Koebi-chan can't swim?" Floyd laugh out as Jade sweatdrop tho his smile still plastered on his face. "Don't worry about that. I can help you."
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[Atlantica Memorial Museum]
"Whoa, this is awesome. I didn’t know the inside looked like this." Ace said as he swim around to travel the museum.
Deuce went closer to inspect the very visible and exposed statue. "A statute of the legendary King of the Sea… It looks like there are other prolific people aside from the Sea Witch, huh."
Jack joined in. "This king looks pretty ripped, hey!"
I laughed. "Thanks Jade." I said to the eel who was helping me by letting me hold on to his shoulder I don't....yanno. I really need to learn swimming. "No problem. If you want to learn how to swim, you can call us."
"Not want. Need. I need to learn swimming." I sighed miserably.
Then Azul came swimming to us in his human form. Man, I wanted to see his octopus form. "Oh dear, Quiinn. Why you look so pained?" Azul asked and I told him that I can't swim. "Oh I see, please be safe. Welcome to the Atlantica Memorial Museum, everyone. Today is the Mostro Lounge’s educational tour…Well, I used that excuse to reserve the museum for today, so please enjoy yourselves."
"Wha–!? There you are, octopus-legs Azul—Oh, are you gonna stay in your human form?" Grim asked.
"Yes, an octopus mermaid like me is pretty unusual around this area, after all…I wouldn’t want to attract unpleasant attention after I secretly put the picture back in its case." Azul let out a sigh as I Jade and Azul swim closer to Azul.
"You don’t have to be so worried. I’m pretty sure that no one would notice that you’re the octopus mermaid in the picture." Jade reassured then Floyd chimes in. "We’re back here after a long time, so you should just swim in your real form, you know~?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I wanted to see your octopus form!"
"Please leave me to my own devices.
I will go and put the picture back secretly, so please enjoy your sight-seeing." As Azul said that, I wave my hand to reach for Azul who quickly caught me and I left Jade. "Well, take care of her, Azul."
"The mermaid princess’s golden comb is displayed over there~" Floyd announced.
"I looked at the pamphlet a while ago, but uh… Isn’t that a fork, not a comb?" Ace sweatdrop.
Oh, it's the fork Ariel uses to comb her hair.
"Fufufu… That might seem so for people of the surface." Jade said.
A loop my arms around Azul's shoulder as he carefully and slowly swim away. "Are you not going with them?"
"I wanted to stick with you and I'm worried." I said.
Azul Chuckles before saying, "You have such little faith in me, I see. I will put it back properly. I thought that if only all of my old pictures were gone…I thought that it would help erase my past of being such a helpless and dumb little octopus. The Sea Witch became recognized by the people after overturning and hiding her villainous past. I said that I wanted to be like her and yet…In the end, I couldn’t accept who I was in the past and I just kept on rejecting myself."
The atmosphere around us felt silent and I closed my eyes, remembering my past. It was a pain but me and Azul have a connection there.
"You know, I understand as I have been through the same situation like yours." I started and I can tell that Azul's shocked. "Really?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I was disowned, hurt, I was a failure and everyone hated me. But I didn't let my past gets to me for I have someone right by my side. That someone is the only person keeping me in place. In peace. And that someone is the person who have me love." I paused as I hold back my tears. "You have someone by your side. Jade and Floyd. They keep you in place. In place. They gave you their love. But Azul...."
"...Yes?"
I paused once again and took a breather. "You have to accept your past. Who you are in your past."
Silence once again. Azul nodded. "I.... I'll try."
"Good."
"Were you...crying?"
I laughed and nodded. "Hell yeah, I am."
Azul remove my hands and slowly turned around to face me, still holding my hands. He cupped my face and caressed my cheek as I smile warmly at his try to make me feel better. "Thanks Azul." I hugged him and bury my face in the crook of his neck.
"Quiinn~! Look, there’s a dinosaur bone over there!" Grim pointed with his paw as I let Azul go and loop my arms back around his shoulder.
Jade then intrupted. "That is not a dinosaur, but rather a sea dragon. It is a sea-monster. There is a legend that says that the entrance to the Sea Witch’s lair was made from the sea dragon’s bones."
"There’s a replica of the Sea Witch’s cauldron over there, too~" Floyd notified and Deuce widened his eyes. "What?! There’s an underwater cauldron, too?"
Did he have a thing for couldron or what? I sweatdrop.
"How would you warm it under the sea though?" Ace asked.
Floyd shrugged. "Eh, I dunno~ Explain for me, Azul~"
Azul nodded with a smile and I pat him. "Very well. I shall be your tour guide for today."
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[NRC - Mirror Chamber]
"Phew! Oxygen on land definitely tastes better!" Grim said as he jumped out of the mirror.
Deuce caught him. "The Atlantica Memorial Museum was quite fun."
"I thought it was boring when we went there the first time, but it’s pretty fun, huh~" Floyd said with both his hand are place behind his head.
"Once we’ve gotten used to being on land, it is kinda funny to think of how misguided the old mermaid kingdom was about the surface world." Jade chuckle lightly.
"The fork… Ah, no… The golden comb was quite the story." Ace quickly fix his words.
"I am happy that you seemed to enjoy yourselves. You must be quite tired after spending that much time in the sea. It is almost time for Mostro Lounge to open. How about enjoying a cup of tea?" Azul offer as I nodded with puppy eyes as I am thirsty.
"Yahoo!! I was getting’ thirsty, yanno~"
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[Octavinelle dorm - Mostro Lounge]
"I’ll have the special drink!"
"And I’ll have the limited edition food and drink set."
"Coming right up!"
Ace made a weird pose and I mirror him. "Eh!? Why’re there so many people?"
"Oh, my. It looks like the “advertisement” is already working wonders." Since when did they get the chance to change???
"Advertisement?"
"Well, we got scolded by the Headmaster for stealing magic without a contract after that incident, so…Azul made point cards~" Floyd admitted.
Ace raised a brow. "Point cards? For Mostro Lounge?"
"Yes. You get 1 point if you order the 600 Madol special drink. If you order the special food and drink set, then it’s 3 points. If you manage to rack up 50 points, the Manager—meaning, me—will listen to your troubles." After Azul said that, I caressed my invisible beard. "That does sounds great."
"Th-that’s… Any kind of trouble’s okay?"
"For example… Even school-related trouble…?"
Azul nodded. "Yes, of course."
"Moreover, if you manage to use the point card’s reward three times, you will get a very special reward." Jade said which got the students interest and Azul added, "Please confirm further details in this pamphlet or by checking the Lounge’s official website."
"There's an official website?" I asked, looking at Azul. He nodded. "Wow."
"Wha–!? Then, I’ll order the special drink, too!" Grim quickly chooses his table as Ace follow. "Me too~!"
"I’ll go with the food and drink set…"
"Thank you for your orders."
I shook my head slightly with a smile. And Jack facepalm himself. "You guys…"
"Let them be Jack." I crossed my arms.
"Come! Jade, Floyd, it’s time to earn our keep." Azul clapped his hands as Jade and Floyd quickly went on their position.
"Yes."
"Ye~s~"
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"We have a lot of customers today, so it looks like we’ll be busy." Jade place his hand on his chin, slightly concerned.
"This would be easier with the anemones."
"I will be helping out today, do not worry. Making the customers have fun is the best way to ensure great service, after all. Now then, let us ensure our profit—Ahem, that we give them good service today, too."
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....Have I repair the table I smashed last time I was here?
.....
I can't remember.
Meh, I'll just make another one if I already did.
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"How wonderful! Our profits went up three times today!" Azul smile, satisfied at the change they did and Jade nodded. "Fufu, it looks like our plans are finally being set in motion once more."
"Indeed, at this rate we will manage to have all that we need…Mostro Lounge’s second location will be open soon!"
I frown.
"You still haven’t given up on that!?"
"Oh, c'mon!!!"
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Monday, 27 September 2021