Coral Pruning: Coral Pruning

            “Hmm… What’s this?” Lucian frowned at the coral beds outside of his home. Something new had popped up between the neat well-kempt rows of the farm. And it was everywhere. From the polyp clusters to the full-grown colonies ready for harvest, this weed seemed to have moved in overnight and made itself at home.

            Holding it delicately between his claws, Lucian pulled one from the sand and held it close to his face. It was definitely some kind of coral, but not one he had ever been in contact with before. In any case, he got the sense that it was strangling out the fragile ecosystem he worked so hard to maintain, and thus must be removed. Glowering to nobody but himself, he turned and swam to the shed by his home and located a large, woven seaweed basket.

            The basket wouldn’t be enough, he thought as he came back out and sensed the sheer number of corals intruding on his land. He twirled the one that he had plucked between his claws as he thought. Just as he was about to idly flick it into the empty space between his home and the shed, he remembered a large tarp that he had scavenged from a human waste pile. He went back to collect it from the shed, then laid it out in the empty space and triumphantly dropped the first of many corals into the center.

            As he worked through the night – that was how he liked it after all, not as many other Aqrion about – he learned more about this strange new coral. Every pass over the fields and back to the tarp with a full basket brought more information. It was a soft variety of coral with long tendrils, each of which branched off into more, longer tendrils. It roots itself deep into the seabed so its harder to remove, and almost seems parasitic towards the other corals.

            “Parasitic… I wonder…” Lucian paused and perched his head up, sensing out the expanse of his farm as far as he could, but unable to get a read on anything past the edge of the reef. “No good.”

            He swam back towards his home and set down his basket next to the growing pile of uprooted corals. He hadn’t even gotten through a quarter of the farm yet and the pile was almost half his length high. He went inside and located a bag to throw over his shoulder, took a quick snack from his personal stores, and headed back out again.

            It was getting late into the night, and he could feel the sun beginning to warm the water over his back. He hoped idly that he wouldn’t run into anyone else, or if he did it would at least be someone he’s familiar with. It’s not really that he doesn’t like others, more the other way around. One gets tired of being shunned and having others frightened of you after a while, so it’s easier to stick to your own business.

            As he swam on, he sensed more and more of the invasive coral lacing its way through his farm. Lucian almost started wishing he would run into someone else, because he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to handle the invasion on his own. He sighed, picked his head up, and swam onwards until he found the fence that bordered his land.

Lucian smiled at the fence as he swam over it, remembering that even though it couldn’t keep anyone out, it was a nice way to set physically detectable boundaries. That way no one could argue about clarity or grey areas. He liked things like that, in black and white. Certain one way or another, good or bad, right or wrong. Things aren’t always like that of course, but he still liked it that way. He wondered as he ventured out of his lands if the weed-coral might be good somewhere else, even if it was bad on his farm.

As the day grew brighter, Lucian began to think it was only his farm that was affected by the strange coral. Which… Would be good in theory, because it would be more contained, but of course it had to be his farm. It didn’t seem to be anywhere else, not the kelp forests, not the lagoons, or anywhere near the trenches. There was only one last place to check: The radioactive reefs.

If he found it there and nowhere else, it would prove his theory that the coral is parasitic towards other corals. Perhaps even if the coral isn’t there, he could find Mochi, and they might be able to help answer some of his questions. Part of him hoped to find it there, because at least it wouldn’t mean it was only him being invaded. But he also desperately hoped it wasn’t, because if it was, then it could have a severely damaging impact on the ecosystem.

Other Aqrion can be so unpredictable, too. You never know if… No. Lucian shook his head to clear out the intrusive thoughts. The last thing he needed to be ruminating about was the idea that someone did this to him intentionally. Just as he was starting to let his mind run away again, another Aqrion sped past him so fast that it sent him reeling to the side and snatched his attention back down to his surroundings.

Head throbbing from the stress of the day, he paused and took the time to process where he was. He had found the reefs alright, and it seemed like the entire city of Ar’Quel had too. There was so much buzz and movement in the water, it was already too much to bear. Lucian started to back away, hoping to slip out unnoticed, when he backed straight into someone else.

“Ope, hey–“ the other Aqrion started as Lucian flipped around, shrinking into himself and apologizing profusely, “hey, no, no it’s okay! C’mon Lucian, let’s get you somewhere less… Busy.”

Lucian didn’t recognize the other Aqrion between all the other noise, but he could hardly protest as a flipper was placed gently on his back and he was guided away. He sighed with relief as they reached the outskirts of the reef. The other Aqrion gently let him go and swam to face him from the front. Finally, Lucian recognized his friend.

“Oh, Cookie,” he sighed, “it’s you. I’m glad I ran into you – well, not literally, but I am glad you’re here.”

“Hah! It’s no worry,” Cookie laughed, genuine and somehow comforting. He had this air about him that made you feel like everything would be okay, but concern crept into his demeanor. “I’m glad to see you too, but I’m surprised to see you here with everything going on, and in the daytime no less.”

“What’s going on?” Lucian got the sense that Cookie was frowning and looking back towards the bustling reef, but it was hard to tell with his head still spinning. “Did something happen?”

“Yeah… There’s been some kind of infestation in the reef. Mochi has been in a huge fuss about it, I can hardly understand everything but it seems important enough to have gathered a bunch of volunteers to get it under control.”

“Infestation?”

“Yeah, this weird… Pink coral has been growing here for a few days now at least, and it’s starting to strangle the other species if I understand right-“

“Pink coral? Is it soft, long? Lots of branches?”

“Yeah, how do you- oh no, your farm?”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m here.” Lucian frowned and tilted his head back towards the reef so he could get a better focus on it. It was still unclear with bustling Aqrion swarming about, but Cookie was right. It was strangling everything. He turned back towards Cookie, “No wonder Mochi is in such a fuss… It basically showed up at my farm overnight, the ones here must have- hm… how to put it in a way that’ll make sense…”

“Something, something, reproduction, something, I got to listen to the ramble already,” Cookie smiled, chuckling gently, “I don’t need to understand it fully, I just need to know what I can do to help.”

“Do you know how to destroy them without harming the other species?”

“Well, no, not exactly. But! Mochi says that, supposedly, the deities are like… Super into this sort of coral. I guess they… eat it or something?” Cookie shivered dramatically at the thought, to which Lucian responded with an amused look. “Not saying there’s anything wrong with eating coral! It’s just not my thing- anyways that’s not the point! The deities like it, or eat it or something, so Mochi is having us ‘prune’ as many as we can to so they can take them back-“

“So – sorry to interrupt – you’re saying if we harvest them, the gods will take them from us? Does it make you wonder if they’re the ones who planted them in the first place?”

“I try not to think about it,” Cookie shifted uncomfortably, “but in any case, it’s something to do with them that won’t hurt the reefs, so?”

“That is true.” Lucian turned to face the direction of his home, frowning in thought. Cookie watched him carefully, giving him a few moments.

“Do… You need help?” Cookie asked gently. Lucian didn’t respond, making a point of holding his body still instead of turning away further. “Okay, fair. Asking isn’t easy. So, I’m just going to come help, as long as you’re okay with it.”

“… Yeah, I would appreciate that a lot.” Lucian turned back towards the reef. “I’m worried two of us won’t be enough though. I’ve gotten a lot by myself, but- “

“I can get us some more help! If you’re comfortable with that, of course.”

“Well, no, but I trust you to choose others I’d be comfortable with. Thank you, Cookie.”

“Of course, pal! What are friends for?”

The Aqrion smiled at each other and agreed to meet the during the afternoon so that Lucian could get some rest. As he made his way home, he couldn’t help but think how grateful he was to have a friend like Cookie. The thought of having so many others around his farm made him anxious – but he meant what he said about trusting Cookies’ judgement. When he got home, he prepared himself a meal and was able to sleep easily for the remainder of the day.

Lucian woke up startled to the sound of laughter outside of his home and almost panicked before he remembered the agreement. He swam out warily, still tired, and realized that he must have slept in because he didn’t feel the sun on his back.

“Good morning, sunshine!” Cookies’ voice rang across the field as he swam up to his friend.

“Cookie, I’m sorry I- “

“Hush, you. Get some rest. You did a lot already.” Cookie seemed to make a wide, clear gesture at the very full tarp from the night before. He was always good at remembering to move in ways that Lucian could pick up on, even when he was half asleep. “We can handle the rest, go on now, shoo!”

“But- “

“No buts! Butts are for bathrooms!”

“Are you sure they’ll be okay?” Lucian laughed at Cookies’ joke, but he was still nervous about others tending his farm.

“Remember when you showed me how to handle the kind of coral you farm?”

“Yes, but- “

“Look, you – not literally, stop giving me that smug face! – Look, you. I may be old, but my mind isn’t going yet! I remember what you taught me, and I’ll make sure it’s all handled. Now get some rest, that’s an order!”

“Yes, captain.” Lucian gave an amused sigh. He turned and swam back to his house, making sure to check over the field one last time before going inside. He was nervous still, but rested easy knowing that it would all be taken care of.

Since he’s usually awake during the night, he spent a lot of time in and out of sleep, and came out every so often to make sure everyone was okay. Cookie of course picked on him a lot for being fussy over the farm, but in truth he was just worried about the other Aqrion because it wasn’t easy work and there was a lot of field. At some point, the group left for the night to get some rest and promised to come back in the daytime to finish the job.

Lucian left some snacks outside for the other Aqrion when he went to bed that dawn and slept peacefully throughout the day. When he awoke the next evening, he found a farm free of invasive corals and a package at his door, with a note neatly folded on top.

“Hey, you! I hope you slept well today with all the racket outside. Sorry if we woke you! We’re pretty sure we got it all, but if it comes back, don’t hesitate to let me know and we’re happy to come back with a vengeance. Especially if you leave more of your tasty coral snacks! Would’ve never guessed coral could actually taste good…

Anywho, Mochi promised payment to whoever helped out and asked me to bring you this package since you did a lot of the work too. Hope it’s something you can use!

x Your pal, Cookie”

Lucian smiled and brought the package inside, setting it on the counter and neatly refolding the little note. He opens a drawer filled with more neat stacks of equally neatly folded little notes and sets it on top of the smallest stack. Lingering for a moment first, he closes the drawer tenderly then goes about his nightly work with just a touch more joviality and a lot more gratitude than before.