Put The Feeling of Fear Behind Me | Finn/Ariel/Nemo/RAS
In which Gil and James come for the rescue...
@ariel-the-undiscovered @justkeepdancing-nemo @agentgrumpy-gils @jameshawks
[dated: 5/17/2025]
Prior Reading:
The Truth Untold Pt. 1 Heart Won't Listen To These Words World Full of Uncertainty The Warmth That Knew My Feelings New Problems A Secure Message Boxed In
NEMO:
He woke up who knows how much later. Nemo groaned, blinking blearily. His head throbbed and the rest of his muscles ached too. Still, the events trickled back to him. The museum. The hissing… “Finn! Ariel!” Nemo jerked to attention, sitting up in the cramped closet (?) he’d been shoved in. He let out a sigh of relief as he saw both of his friends. But they were still sleeping peacefully. Nemo reached forward to shake Finn. “Finny…” he whimpered, but this friend didn’t move. There was still some kind of weird salty smell in the air. Whatever the hissing was - some kind of gas? It hadn’t affected Nemo. He shoved his hands in his pockets. Thorns, they took his phone! But in his other one… “My pixie dust,” whispered Nemo. Okay. Okay, okay. If he went pixie-sized he might be able to slip out somewhere. He saw a vent in the corner. He had no idea where it went. But if he got out, then maybe he could find his hyung. “I’ll be back. I’m so sorry, guys,” he whispered to his friends. With a gulp, Nemo went pixie-sized and then fluttered up to the vent, squeezing his way into the tiny grates.
JAMES
It hadn’t taken long for Gil and James to get sorted, to be decked out in all the gear they needed, But the kids had so much time on them. Who knew how much trouble they could have gotten into. Both Gil and James lost in their own thoughts, they planned when needed but otherwise were focused, worried in their own ways. But when they got to the building, parked close enough for a getaway, far enough to hide, the calm and cool washed over James, there was no time to worry. Not if they needed to be quick on their feet. Following the breadcrumbs the others left for them James and Gil found the doors they locked picked and snuck in, creeping behind tanks, supplies as the blueprints were read over to them. It wasn’t hard to find the trapped mermaids, but it was obvious something had happened to the kids when they were nowhere to be found. “Looks like we’re searching the entire building? Up in the vents probably.” James whispered nodding up to one, both of them could easily get to.
GIL:
“We can start there,” said Gil. There were stranger places for three kids to hide. Or be hidden. He tried not to think of the worst case scenario. They were alive. They had to be alive. He climbed up onto a crate and unscrewed the vent, then hoisted himself up, before leaning down to give James a hand. Shiftwell had provided them with blueprints of the aquarium, including the vent system. Gil looked at his smart watch and pulled up the map of the vent system. “Looks like if we go straight ahead, we’ll reach a fork. We can split up there to cover more area.” He started off, crawling through the vent. It wasn’t the first time he’d done this, but it never got any less awkward to crouch on his hands and knees.
NEMO:
The vents widened and narrowed at different points - some vents large enough to accompany an adult, but others would only fit a small child. Nemo figured he was best staying pixie-sized and using his pixie dust so he could fly through the vents. Cover more ground, right? The problem was, that Nemo wasn’t really sure what he was looking for. The second problem was that Nemo got lost. Fast. The vents criss-crossed and zig-zagged like a maze. He started to scatter pixie dust behind him in an attempt to leave a trail, which kind of worked, only soon he came across his own dust and the panic crept up his throat. He backtracked, and tried another way, but still ended up stumbling onto his own glimmering dust trail. His heartbeat raced. He was taking way too long. Finn and Ariel could have been moved already. And then, what? He failed to help them and he got trapped in these vents forever? “S-stay calm, stay calm…” Nemo muttered to himself. His tiny feet padded silently across the metal. He was too upset to try another path. He just needed to think. Maybe if he could trace his path back to the beginning, he could just start all over… Thump. Nemo’s head shot up. A vibration traveled throughout the vents, causing the metal to wobble just enough for Nemo to identify the general direction the disturbance came from. Something big enough to disturb the vent? It had to be another person, right? Maybe Hyung? Had Hyung finally made it?! “Hello?” Nemo called, but he realized that his voice wouldn’t carry, not pixie-sized. Instead, if someone was down there– they’d hear a bell, gently ringing out. Hyung would at least recognize the sound.
JAMES
James’ head did snap up at the sound of a fairy’s voice- at Nemo’s voice, there was no doubt in his mind that it was Nemo and the amount of relief was a weight off his chest. The battle wasn’t over but knowing where the kids were was one of the biggest fights. “That was Nemo. We just need to follow the sound of that bell which is his voice.” James explained taking the lead now that he knew where he was going Gil right behind him. And yet they couldn’t go any further, not as the vents got smaller, Damn- James had some Pixie dust on him but honestly going smaller when he couldn’t fly would be foolish.
GIL:
Gil heard the sound of a bell — distant, faint. But it meant something to James. That was enough to give him hope. He let James take the lead. Crawling through a vent was not super comfortable, but Gil had done worse. However, as he continued to scoot along, the wiggle room grew smaller and smaller. Soon his hips could barely fit through the metal. “I don’t think I can go any further,” said Gil. “Nemo! Can you hear us? Follow the sound of my voice.”
NEMO:
He expected to hear his hyung but it was a different voice that echoed throughout the vents. Nemo froze, uncertain at first. Was that…Gil? How did Gil and James know each other? The question evaporated in one more flap of Nemo’s wings because it didn’t matter. Hyung and Gil were here, which meant they could help! Nemo called back – “I’m coming!” Or, he’d try to. He darted forward in the narrow vents toward the direction of the vents, taking several more turns before he paused, uncertain all over again when faced with the identical metal walls all around him. “Where are you? Say something else!” He said, hoping his jingling echoed like their voices did.
JAMES
“There’s no point of me going further. I won’t be as much use Pixie size.” James mused annoyed with himself and his broken wing yet again. He could be so much help only if he could fly. “Nemo it’s easier if you keep talking yours is less assuming. We’ll guide you based on your voice our maps toward us. Alright?”
GIL:
Gil listened for the sound of Nemo’s voice. He couldn’t make out what Nemo was saying, but he heard that gentle ring of a bell. It was coming vaguely from the left and behind them. “Keep going straight,” said Gil. “We’re on your right.”
NEMO:
There again – ! And the vents even vibrated a little with their voices, Nemo picking up the tremor when he put his fingers delicately against the metal. He zoomed again toward the voices. Straight, then right, just like Gil said. When he rang out again, Gil gave him another instruction. Left, left again. The vents started to open up wider which meant he had to be going in the right direction, yeah? Then a flash of dark hair! Nemo doubled back and zoomed toward Gil and James, finding them at last. He did several twirls in the air, pixie dust glittering off his small frame. He didn’t want to transform right there and risk destabilizing the vents or making a loud noise. But if they could lead him out, then Nemo was certain he could take them to his friends!
JAMES
Nemo was safe, he was unharmed. There was a small weight that could be released from his chest at the thought of it. Unfortunately there were still two more that needed to be rescued before the weight would fully be gone but that was the next step. “I'm glad you're okay. Do you know what room Finn and Ariel are in?” James nodded to Gil who still had the maps open. After all he had no idea yet that they had been kidnapped, just figured they were hiding somewhere.
GIL:
“Let’s get out of the vents,” said Gil. The blueprints lead him to a nearby vent cover, and after peeking through to make sure it was just an empty storage room, he opened it with a pocket knife. He leapt down, feet hitting the floor with a thud, and waited for his companions. “Here’s the map I have.” Gil showed his watch to Nemo. “We were here. And we met you around here.” He zoomed in appropriately. “Do you remember your path? Were you with Ariel and Finn when you left?”
NEMO:
Nemo zoomed after Gil and James and out of the vent, then shifted back into his human-sized form. It took him a second like always to adjust to the rapid change– the heaviness of his body, the Bigness of everything. His little heart was still racing from all of his flying, his skin shiny with sweat from exertion. But he couldn’t stop now. Finn and Ariel were still in trouble. They could end up in a cage themselves, could be taken somewhere far, if they didn’t get back to them. “Er– yeah, let me–” he bit his lip and then traced his fingers over the plan. His eyes scoured the blueprints. It didn’t feel nearly as confusing, having a bird’s eye view like this. “Here!” Nemo pointed at another small room. “I’m– I’m pretty sure that’s where they took us. We were in this small closet space. And Finn and Ariel– I dunno what happened.” Nemo frowned. “They both passed out. I think maybe it was a gas or something? It didn’t affect me. Maybe because I’m a fairy.” He shrugged. “They might still be knocked out though.”
JAMES
James glanced at Gil, while he didn’t know Finn was a mermaid he knew Ariel was, he knew Gil was and he knew they were rescuing mermaids. All of a sudden it didn’t seem so smart that Gil was here. But Nemo didn’t know Gil was a mermaid and that didn’t help. “I could go in first? If there’s anything remnant I should be okay, Just incase it effect mundus as well?”
GIL:
Gil understood: if something had affected Finn and Ariel, it was quite likely it’d affect him too. He also appreciated James lying as to not out him. So he nodded. “I’ll cover us from the back,” he said. “In case anyone sneaks up on us.” They settled into formation, James leading the way with Nemo’s direction, and Gil trailing behind. The back area of the aquarium seemed unremarkable, just hallways and rooms full of equipment. But Gil kept an eye out, periodically taking pictures with his smartwatch to analyze later. They reached the room Nemo had pointed out to them and Gil stood at the corner, reaching into his holster for his gun. He motioned for Nemo and James to head on in. He’d guard the outside and be ready for anything.
NEMO:
In retrospect, this was all pretty cool. He was on a mission with his hyung, like a true scout fairy himself. He recalled some of his training from those few months when Nemo had moonlighted as a scout apprentice and glided down the hall so as not to make a sound. When they reached the room, James went first. Then Nemo quickly took up the lead when he saw the small door behind the tank. There were still merpeople in there, curled at the bottom of the tank as if they were asleep. Yeah, whatever the gas was must have been mer-specific? Nemo tried the closet door, but of course, it didn’t budge. “It’s locked. Can you get in?” he asked his hyung.
JAMES
James wanted to test the air quality. He wanted to know more than theorize it was merm specific. If it was gone and safe for Gil now. But also to break down the components. Even now with the merms infront of him he was glancing around to see if he could figure out where it was released. They needed to be careful. “Yeah I can try. Watch my back and let me know if anyone approaches.” Pulling the supplies James got to work until he heard a satisfying click. “Okay we are in. However we should make Sure we can get Finn and Ariel before we get anyone out.” Now that it was unlocked they could just swoop in.
FINN:
He came to slowly… awareness trickling in in pieces. It was like trying to swim through reeds near the edges of the lake. His body felt heavy, and his head slowly started to lilt as he wiggled his fingers and started to try to figure out what exactly happened. “A-Ariel? N-Nemo?” He croaked, his voice dry and he coughed a little, his eyes finally opening wide. He yelped as he registered a few things at once: he and Ariel were tied up in a small space he’d never seen. And Nemo was nowhere to be seen. Oh god. Oh no. His breathing started to quicken rapidly, his throat tightening up and his eyes getting warm. No no no no. What if Nemo was hurt or-or worse! What if Finn had ruined everything? “N-Nemo?!” He called out, a desperate hope that maybe he could still somehow be in that room. “A-A-Ariel w-wake up!” He tried next, alarm bells ringing as he finally fully registered his wrists bound to a chair and the position they were in. He struggled, trying to see if he could get himself out of it. He failed to get his arms out but tried to shift his weight and see if he could do it that way. He ended up shifting too much and toppled over in the chair with a loud thud. He winced and started struggling harder. “We have to g-g-get out of here!”
GIL:
From the outside, there was only so much Gil could do. But he remained alert, holding his gun at the ready, just in case someone came around the corner. He was hoping it wouldn’t come to a physical confrontation, but he needed to be ready. The whole place was eerie, definitely less guarded than he might have expected. He wondered if the guards attention was diverted elsewhere, perhaps at another point of interest in this facility… He filed that thought away. He’d send a report to HQ about this place right away and they could send in a whole team. Right now, they were not equipped to take the aquarium down. They were two agents and three vulnerable Magicks without any training. He heard some clattering, so he tapped his communication line, linking up with James. “Everything alright?”
JAMES
The clang wasn’t a good sign, every instinct in his body wanted to push Nemo back and away, To Gil where the other agent could get Nemo out of here, Safe and sound. He knew the benefits of keeping Nemo beside him though and had to focus on that piece. Especially as they both ran toward the sound to see Finn and Ariel tied up, one still unconscious and one awake. “You’re safe to come in. Whatever put these guys to sleep is out of their system and Ariel is still unconscious. I’m going to need your help getting everyone out of here.” James stated simply to Gil before making quick work on the locks again. “Nemo get Finn untied.”
NEMO:
Nemo zoomed straight for Finn, not even thinking about potential consequences– trap doors or the gas. If he’d escaped once, he could do it again. But this time, he needed to make sure Finn and Ariel were with him. His heart panged at Finn’s frantic whimpers. “It’s okay, we’re gonna get outta here, Finny,” Nemo tried to soothe as he pulled at the knots. He bit down on his lip, struggling with them for a few more moments before they finally loosened. The rope fell to the ground. Nemo immediately threw his arms around Finn and gave him a short, powerful hug. But this wasn’t over yet. He glanced back at Ariel, frowning. Why was she knocked out still if Finn was awake…? Maybe the gas had a different effect on mundus? “Wh-what should we do next?” he asked James, though hopefully Gil would come in. “What about the mer-people in the aquarium?”
FINN:
The sight of Nemo, perfectly unharmed, managed to lift some of the panic that he had been feeling in the last few minutes since he’d woken up again. He barely bit back the sob that wanted to escape him at that moment. But he needed to be able to… he just… he couldn’t even think clearly but once Nemo finally untied him, he threw his own arms around Nemo, gripping onto him tightly like a lifeline for a moment. “I’m so-so-so-sorry Nemo,” Finn managed to say, the guilt still gnawing at him for putting them all in this position to begin with. He pulled back when Nemo did, glancing over at Ariel and James. “We…We have to g-g-get them out too,” Finn pleaded, though he wasn’t sure how they would manage that, even with Gil and James there. But he thought of the poor merpeople trapped in those tanks for who knew how long. It made his stomach queasy still. He took a shaky breath and let it out again. He’d got them in this mess, and he knew it would probably be smarter to get the three of them back out safely more than anything, but he wouldn’t be able to deal with it if the reason for them coming, those poor merfolk in the tanks, were left there to continue to suffer.
GIL:
“We’ll get them out,” said Gil, with a nod. Getting Finn, Ariel, and Nemo had been top priority, of course, but if they had a chance to save the merfolk… well Gil wasn’t about to let that chance slide out of his fingertips. He glanced at James, wondering if his colleague would agree. They had to prioritize the civilians, of course, but it would be a damn shame if they left now without rescuing the merfolk. Maybe a better leader would be able to make the call and bring the kids to safety — But Gil couldn’t stand it knowing that there were merfolk caged away. He looked at Nemo and Ariel too, gaze softening slightly. “We can split up — James can take the three of you out and I can handle the merpeople.”
JAMES
They would get the others out, James couldn’t leave them behind, if they had to then Gil and him would be right back here figuring out another way. So if they could do this one shot the better. Getting Ariel’s binds untied he scooped her up ready to get out of her and checked out. “Yeah we’ll get them out. No one left behind.” James nodded once at Gil and then at the others. They had done all these for the other merfolk anyway. "I want everyone to stay near, if one of you can comfortable carry Ariel that’s better for me to have my hands free if anything comes our way. I can then double back to Gil if you’re still in here.” He might considering there would be two weak merfolk to get out.
FINN:
Gil suggested the split, and it did make sense mostly. But there were two merpeople. Would Gil be able to handle them both? He might need an extra set of hands. Plus… he couldn’t walk out without seeing that they were taken out of the tanks. He needed to be a part of it. “W-Wait! I want to go with Gil!” Finn insisted, hurrying over to where Gil was standing. He didn’t want to cause more trouble for him, but he couldn’t help the part of him that had been screaming out to help those merpeople. That had led them to this mess in the first place. “I c-can go and Nemo c-could help with A-Ariel. We-We’ll be able to get out of here sooner.”
NEMO:
Nemo’s eyes widened as Finn stumbled forward after Gil, and for a flit, he could only marvel. Was that really his friend? The boy who once cowered and stuttered and clung to Nemo’s side? He was still Finny – but a version that Nemo didn’t know as well. A version he admired. But was now the time? “Finny–” Nemo swallowed. “Finn, I think – we should let them handle it. They seem to know more about this stuff.”
FINN:
Finn knew he wasn’t an expert. He knew he had foolishly jumped into this and dragged his closest friend along with him. He felt absolutely queasy about how much danger he’d put them in. But he couldn’t help this feeling either. This gut instinct that told him he absolutely had to be the one to help those merpeople out of their tanks. It defied the fear that he usually held for…well for everything. “I know I’m not… I’m not that strong or-or smart on the sneaking around on this b-b-but I… I have to do-do this Nemo,” Finn insisted. He believed he could help. And he was sure with Gil they could accomplish it. So long as James got Ariel and Nemo out, Finn believed they could make it happen. He made his way over to Gil. He was sure Gil must be disappointed in him, in his bad choices up until this point but… but Finn thought maybe he also would understand his urgency and drive to help with this. “I c-can do it. Please,” Finn insisted. They didn’t have a lot of time to debate this, but he was determined.
GIL:
This was… not a good idea. Putting a civilian in danger. The clock was ticking. Gil knew that he should just tell Finn to go with James and get out of here. But he looked at Finn and saw a version of himself — young and desperate and wanting to do something. They weren’t similar. really. But Gil knew the pain. Besides, Finn knew where the merpeople were. It would save him some time searching. Maybe this was a desperate rationale, but Gil needed something to put in the report. “If something goes wrong and I tell you to run,” said Gil. “You run. No questions asked. Got it?” He glanced back at James. “We’ll meet you all out front.” And with a nod, he set off, making sure Finn was at his side.
FINN:
“G-Got it,” Finn agreed quickly. Any other day, any other situation and Finn would never put himself in like this. But the feeling he had…this drive to help and to get those merfolk out was too strong. Far stronger than his cowardice. He set off with Gil to go find the tanks. He remembered where he’d first seen them, and after a moment he was mumbling directions to Gil, pausing when they got to the doorway of the room with the tanks. “D-Do you think w-w-we need to look out for that g-g-gas? We got here b-b-before and that’s wh-where we…you know.” Finn glanced up at the ceiling, debating on how they might be able to disable it or avoid the pitfalls from before. “May-Maybe if w-we cover our noses…but they-they’re right in there.”
GIL:
“Already on it,” said Gil. While walking, he’d reached out to Shiftwell and she was able to connect into the building’s security network. “I have someone hacking into the security system,” he explained. “And they’ll give me the all-clear —” There was a chime on his watch, a confirmation from Holley that she’d disabled all alarm measures. At least for the next fifteen minutes. “We have fifteen minutes,” he said. “We’ve got to be quick about it.” He pushed the door open, waiting a moment before he stepped inside, just to make sure the gas wasn’t going to trigger. It was clear. He stepped in first, inhaled the air, and then gestured for Finn to follow. The room looked like a lab, sterile and tidy. There was a big tank in the center, and in that tank — Two merpeople, malnourished, with dim scales, pale skin, and sunken eyes. Gil felt a flicker of fury in his chest. We’re here to rescue you, he signed in mermish, to indicate that he was a friend. He looked around and found a computer on a desk. It was locked, but he slipped in the USB that would allow Holley to access it. There was a possibility the tank controls were on the computer, but also — “Let’s see if there’s a manual way to drain the tank,” said Gil. He turned to the merpeople and asked them in mermish if they knew what to look for.
FINN:
Fifteen minutes. It was a daunting number, but it was something he thought was doable. It had to be doable. He moved into the room as soon as Gil gave the okay, stepping closer to one of the tanks. The merman was staring at him with almond shaped brown eyes that were almost like looking in a mirror. But there was no time to linger. The merman gestured after Gil had asked for help and Finn turned away from that gaze and started for the side of the tank. “Gil, they’re on the s-s-sides like this. I s-s-see it.” He studied the mechanisms for a moment before he turned the switch, twisting around to see the water of the tank start to drain out of the tank he had been on. From there he started scanning for an opening for the tank. He started climbing up a ladder on the side and to a hatch on the top of the tank. Finn carefully started twisting the wheel on top of the hatch until finally it swung open. A pale arm shot up and a hand reached up just as Finn reached down. For a moment he flashed back to when he had grabbed Nemo and pulled him to the surface of the lake. But here he pulled a merman from the depths of the tank, hoping that Gil had done the same with the other one. He carefully wrapped an arm around the man once he was out of the tank and helped him down the ladder again. Once they were on steady ground Finn started to draw back a little again, but the man held onto Finn and kept him there. Finn carefully stepped forward with him, glancing to see how Gil was doing. “D-D-Did you g-g-get her?”
GIL:
The similarities between Finn and the two merpeople were not lost on Gil. But he pushed that thought aside, focused on draining the tank and helping out the mermaid. “I have her,” said Gil. She was weaker than the man, her legs shaking as her feet touched the linoleum floor. Gil wondered when the last time she walked was. She leaned into him and he made sure she was steady, before he glanced around the room. He spotted a few labcoats hanging on a nearby hook and after making sure the woman was alright to stand, he grabbed them and handed one to each merperson and then another to Finn. The coats would serve a dual purpose: let the merpeople cover up and also disguise the four of them as they walked out of the lab. A weak disguise, considering the merpeople’s bare feet, but it was still better than nothing. “We’ll answer questions later,” said Gil. He nodded at Finn, then at the merpeople. By now, they should’ve noticed the rings in his eyes, understood that he wasn’t just someone who knew mermish. He was one of them. “But now — let’s get out of here.”
FINN:
The mermaid stared at Finn and the merman next to each other, and for a moment Finn wanted to say…well something. Anything. But there really was no time. They had to get everyone to safety. He helped the merman next to him put on his labcoat before he put his own on. But Gil was right. There would be time to talk and to figure out more about these merfolk, and the feeling that Finn got when he saw something of himself in them. They would talk. He… he had to stay focused. “The w-way we-we got in earlier is just down that w-way,” Finn pointed out, and then he went ahead and started for that door with the merman right at his side. The more they walked, the steadier the merman seemed to become, though he still held onto Finn like seaweed clinging to rocks at low tide. Finn moved with a confidence he didn’t always feel, and before he knew it he and this merman were out the door and out of the aquarium with Gil and the mermaid not far behind them. “W-We did it,” Finn blurted. “We-We actually did it.” Soon they would have to find James, Nemo and Ariel. But in that moment he was just glad that they had all gotten out of there.
GIL:
Gil helped the mermaid into her coat. They hadn’t needed Shiftwell to hack into the computer, but Gil figured they should take all the data they got from her brief trek into the system. He spoke into his watch, communicating that with Holley, and when the light on the thumbdrive turned green, he ejected it and pocketed it into his lab coat. He led the way out of the lab, a few steps ahead of the others. That way, if danger were to come, he could take the bulk of it. He kept his breathing as steady as he could. The halls were almost eerily empty, the only sound the buzz of the fluorescent lights. Finally, they reached the door. It was almost anticlimatic, the way they stepped out into the sunlight with no one around them. And Gil was so thankful for that. He let out a breath he did not realize he was holding, just as James pulled up the car. “Alright,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.” He cleared his throat. He wanted to say let’s go home, but he knew that was a complicated statement. Where was home? Was home still there for these two merpeople? It wasn’t for him. With a nod, he helped the two into the car, then rested his hand briefly on Finn’s shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. Before Finn could turn to look at him, he stepped into the passenger seat of the car, feeling his pocket to make sure the flashdrive was still there. And with a nod to James, they drove off, leaving the aquarium behind.