Tales of the seven seas: Coral Pruning [Nov MC 23]

Featured Aqrion: 

                 Vessel                                              TJ                                             Mochi

Location: Mochi’s Sanctuarty

Activity: November MC 2023 ‘Coral Pruning’

Wordcount: 1.008

 

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The first morning rays breach through the surface of the salt water, into the cave that Vessel was resting in. His heavy eyes slowly open up, flinching upon the brightness of the sun that assaulted his face. With a loud groan he stretched his tired limbs, his prosthetic fin clancking against the rocks as he brushed against them. Even though Vessel was finally back at home, this place didn’t felt like home to him at all, everything was so unfamiliar to him now, the amount of wildlife there was, the amount of colors that strained his eyes, the change in water temperature depending on the depth of the water, the difference in water preassure all by itself, it was nearly upsetting. For him, all those different sensations felt like being breached on the hot shores of a tropical beach, and yet it also felt like being lifted out the water by a hurrican. 

 

Chattering fish, the crashing waves above him, noises of whales and dolphins in the distance all started to tune in as he fully regained consciousness, forcing another another groan out from his throat. He was simply not used to the ocean, perhaps he never- yet these thoughts would not stop him from feeling annoyed by everything that passed the entrance of the cave. Eventually, after realizing that the chatter started to echo though the confines of the cave enhanced the noises, Vessel slipped out of the cave, hoping the crashing waves would muffle out all those annoying conversations. 

As he drifted out of the cave his gaze lingered with heavy eyes over the coral reef. This landscape was hand-build and raised by Mochi, his grandmother which spend all her life to turn those atomic wastelands into colorful coral reefs for all types of life to seek shelter from the cold ocean. All that hard work, and all her sacrifices she is deemed a deity along the fish and aqrions alike, and yet here was Vessel, her grandson that was always deemed too fragile to reach adulthood. The male pygmy quickly shook his head as his brain gets fogged with irrelevant thoughts once more, and there she was, his grandmother, as always she was swimming over her carol reef, her pace so slow it would lul any newborn to bed. Grunting once more, Vessel swam made his way slowly towards Mochi, her light and yet colorful scales blending him like a flashbang in a black room. His eyes narrowed as he finally reached her >>What do you want gone?<< he asked, his voice strained from resting for so long. Mochi swiftly twirled her body towards the slightly smaller Pygmy singer, her eyes slightly widened, possibly due to surprise >>Oh good morning Patel. I need all of those metallic tasting ones gone.<< the elder croaked out, her flippers brushed against one of the pink colored corals >>Either way, they were pink or purple… I can’t remember<<.

 

Vessel couldn't muffle an annoyed groan as his eyes rolled towards the back of his head >>Gods, it must be so annoying being old...<< he grunted out loud, his attempt to sound nonchalant futile, If Mochi could see, she would have shot him a deadly glance at this point, but she knew how agitated he had been ever since he returned back to the ocean. Whenever her grandson would try to explain all the things he went through, her mind couldn’t comprehend what he went through to stay alive, which made them both drift apart even more then already, and they both felt it, the inability of understanding on another or perhaps they didn’t even try to understand one another, causing even more tension in their already strained relationship.

The youngsters gaze darted over the reef once more, it was so rich in colors that it felt like new colors emerged from them, colors that were yet to be discovered- it was headache inducing. Well, at least for Vessel who was never a great fan of colors nor was he used to them, considering he had lived over half his life in the small confinments of a bathtub sized tank. After a few silent exchanges of attempted looks, Vessel eventually gave in >>Ugh, alright, but you better make it up to me.<< he grunted eventually. 

>>It's a shame you can't see all those pretty colors, Mochi.<< without even taking the time to think he turned around towards the new voice. it belonged to a male Phin singer that seemed to be part of the Pod Mochi once belonged to before it disbanded due to the matriarch’s death. Yet, the pygmy has never heard him speak, he jst, guessed that the colorful dolphin was mute, considering how many disabled aqrions were part in the pod, still, here he was, disabled as well.

 

Vessel cleared his throat before proceeding with caution >>And, who is this?<< he tried his best to not have his voice shake, he was absolutely not used to other presences except for Mochi, every other aqrion near him would fill him with anxiety, making his muscles clench. Mochis head raised towards the other voice >>That is TJ, he offered to help us, be sure to be nice to him Petal.<<
>>Petal?<< The blue and gold aqrion snorted, trying to muffle a heartfelt laugh, yet the big grin on his face was evidence enough of his amusement, the phin singer quickly turned his attention towards the pink corals, trying to plug them out of the ground without bursting into laughters. >>Oh come on now… Why would you fuck me over like that?<< He growled quietly at his grandmother, the annoyance apparent in his glistening eyes. He was here, trying to help his grandmother with her reef, and yet here she is humiliating him in front of a stranger and, apparently a pod member as well, how annoying! Mochi ignored the snapping of the younger singer and quickly directed her attention to the metallic tasting corals as well, both of the bigger aqrions leaving the smallest one brooding with his own thoughts.