VLD AU - Readings
Another addition to the mermaid AU! This time expanding and showing another character. And a bit more to the mysterious ocean waters.
You’ll find this 1,950+ word ficlet in the “keep reading” below, along with an art.
“So,” Allura stepped out on the dock as Lotor pulled himself up after checking over his jet ski, “what can I do to rent your assistance and jet ski?” She had a pack over her shoulder, the equipment inside meant to collect data, visual and audio, in the ocean.
“Convince Lance to properly mend my favourite jacket?” Lotor suggested. “And maybe take me out for milkshakes?”
“Sounds like a deal.” The two chuckled. While they didn’t need such deals or transactions, it was friendly banter between the two.
“So, where are we heading, Princess?”
“Ugh, I wish you’d stop with that nickname.”
Ever since middle school, Lotor called Allura by that nickname. She hated it. When in middle school, she got the roll of the princess in some school play while Lotor was a prince. It was simple. Until she got so flustered when they performed and freaked out when he tried to kiss her on the cheek. She ended up decking him in front of the audience, her parents and Lotor’s adopted father, Kolivan, included. Since then, he called her Princess.
“I think it’s a nice nickname.” Lotor chuckled. “Anyway, where to?” He brought up his waterproof datapad. Allura leaned over and zoomed in on a region.
“Right around… here. I think it’s a good place to work.” Allura stated.
“Alright, then let’s get going.” Lotor offered his hand to Allura, letting her use it to brace herself so she could step down to the jet ski. After she was sitting and got her pack strapped to the back, he got on, in front of her and got the vehicle started. “We may find the others out there, too; Lance, Keith, and Hunk went out about an hour or so ago.”
“All right.” Allura nodded.
Lotor then took off, speeding across the ocean’s surface until the AARC base was out of sight and they reached where Allura wished to work from. He activated the electronic anchor. “Okay. Need any help?”
“I will let you know if and when I need it.” Allura said, turning around and going through the bag. She brought out the equipment and handed Lotor a datapad. “Hold this.”
“Holding.”
Allura chuckled and shook her head. She then brought out a spherical object. “Okay, toss it in...” She did as she said she would before taking back the datapad. “Now, let’s get you activated and...” She nodded as it started to sink, heading down to the bottom, a few hundred feet. “Okay, we should be getting data in a few minutes.”
“So, is this curiosity, work for AARC, or you still trying to figure out what happened to Shiro’s plane?” Lotor inquired. Allura was silent.
“Ever since Shiro’s plane went down, which is curious enough as it was, we’ve been going over the wreckage that had been found. And with it being found on the shore… and how it looked… I don’t know… I think he’s right about something being down there.” Allura explained. “And I’ve been trying to find it. But...” She sighed. “Nothing so far. I’m thinking of borrowing Dad’s boat and going out to the probably area where Shiro most likely crashed… maybe I can find something there...”
“Just don’t overwork yourself with this.” Lotor reminded gently.
“Ye… wait...” Allura blinked and turned up on the audio playback. “Do you hear that?”
“It’s like… music. But it definitely not whales.” Lotor responded. “It’s kinda… scary. Like… um...”
“Music and subtle and distant screaming?”
“Pretty much.” Lotor nodded. “I mean, something has to be making that sound, right?”
“Yeah but… other than the audio, there’s nothing… the usual sea life… but… none of them make that sound.” Allura looked perplexed. “I really don’t understand this…” She sighed. “Hopefully we’ll pick up something more soon. Or maybe I’ll find something when I analyze the data further back at the base.” She then made a small sound. “Huh?”
“Allura?” Lotor inquired. He then looked to his jet ski. “Okay… that’s weird. We just lost power in ol’ Sincline.”
“Same with both my datapad and the device we tossed down.” Allura informed. “It’s all dead. Ugh...” She looked into the water. “And… it’s… not floating up. Damn. It must have gotten caught on something.”
“Hmm...” Lotor got up and jumped into the water.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to get it.” Lotor stated, swimming to the back of the jet ski and opening up its back compartment.
Allura crossed her arms. “Lotor, that’s risky. The average human can only dive about sixty feet safely. And that device is at least three hundred feet down.”
“And you and I both know I can go much further than the average person.” he reminded as he got out some goggles and put them on. He checked his breathing mask. Nope. No power. “Okay, no worries.”
“Lotor...”
“C’mon, Princess, you know I can hold my breath for fifteen minutes, not even trying.” Lotor waved it off. “If I’m not back in twenty minutes, though, use the radio; it can be powers with the hand-crank. Old fashioned, but Shiro suggested it.”
“Of course he suggested it; I swear he was born in the wrong era.” Allura shook her head as she chuckled. “Just… be careful, okay? Don’t get stuck or anything.”
“Of course.” Lotor dove down, moving quickly in the water. While most used specialized suits and the minimal yet advanced gear to get to the depths, he could on his own go fairly far, able to hold his breath very well. While on average he could go fifteen minutes, he could push himself even further, hitting past twenty minutes; Shiro probably wished he had that skill.
Lotor kept going, the decreasing light not even bothering him. Now, where is that device? He thought, looking around after he reached the bottom of that area. It could have easily caught itself on some rocks, so he had to be perceptive in finding it. He then stopped when he heard a sound, much like what he and Allura heard recorded.
What is that? He thought, looking around. He tried to make out any figures in the distance, seeing if there were silhouettes that would indicate something out there. Something’s out there… but where? He thought. He then shook his head. Nope, can’t focus on that, gotta find that device; it’ll have Allura’s recordings on it. He looked around more, smiling when he finally found it wedged between two rocks. Just as thought. He messed with it, wriggling it free. C’mon, come to me. He coaxed before finally getting it loose. Gotcha!
Lotor then closed in around the device when he felt a strong current go past him. On land, he would compare it to a powerful gust of wind. But… he couldn’t see what could cause that current. When he relaxed, he looked around. Had it just been a stray current? Well, the ocean was a strange place.
I better go get this back up to Allura. He thought, kicking off the bottom and swimming back up, unaware of something watching him.
Someone watching him.
Matt watching him.
Matt didn’t know why he helped that surface dweller. Perhaps it was because Pidge was so fond of them? Or perhaps another mer had been too close. A dangerous mer. The other mer may have been much smaller, able to even be held in Pidge’s hands, though maybe not as safely as Lance due to being a bit bigger than most surface dwellers, but the mer was definitely dangerous.
What Matt didn’t know was why that one was watching Lotor and tried to strand him and Allura out there by powering down the tech. At least he knocked the other away without being fully noticed.
Lotor swam back up to the surface, taking in a deep breath, not that he felt he was in danger of losing air. “Got it.” he told Allura, holding the object up as it drained water out of itself.
“Glad you’re okay.” Allura let out a sigh of relief before accepting the device. She put it back in the bag. “And nothing is coming back online. We may need to use the radio and call in for a pick-up.” Lotor nodded as he got himself pulled back up and took his spot again. “Huh? Or maybe not.”
“Hmm?” Lotor looked to where Allura pointed. “Oh, that’s the Guardian of the Sea.” He smiled. “Prepare for Lance to laugh before helping us.”
“Yeah, well, at least he’d help us.” Allura chuckled as she stood up. “Hey! Over here!” She waved, hoping her cousin would notice. She smiled when the boat changed direction and went toward them, slowing down to come alongside the jet ski. “Glad to see someone has power.”
“What? Did Lotor fail to get Hunk to help with the jet ski?” Lance inquired, leaning over the edge a bit.
“I did help!”
“He did help!”
“Okay, don’t get testy.” Lance put his hands up in defense. “Wait… so if Hunk did help, Sincline shouldn’t have lost power… right?”
“Pretty much, but she and every bit of tech we had on hand lost power.” Lotor responded.
“You didn’t see any cool sounding but dangerous crab things, did you?” Lance inquired.
“Lance, this isn’t a video game.” Allura let out a sigh. She then smiled when Hunk got the jet ski tethered and pulled in before helping her on board. “Thank you, Hunk.”
“Happy to help.” Hunk responded before helping Lotor.
“And the sound we picked up on didn’t even sound like those things in that game you like.” Allura added as she looked to Lance. She leaned back down to grab her pack. “Anyway, when we get back, I’ll go over the data I collected.” She then looked to her cousin. “I am glad you guys were out here, though. But what brought you out here?”
“The desire to drag Keith away from his laptop and blog.” Lance teased, smirking when his friend flipped him off.
“I like my blog and I was in a very heated discussion before you dragged me out of there.” he commented.
“You were getting pissed because someone kept denying proof of the mothman.”
“Mothman is real!”
“Who gives a damn?”
“I do!”
“Oh, right, this is why I don’t visit them at the villa.” Lotor sighed, getting Hunk to chuckle a bit.
Allura giggled. “At least they’re not boring.”
“Anyway, good thing we were heading back. So, we’ll take you along. So long as Lotor doesn’t think he can captain my ship.” Lance smirked. “Remember, matey, you’re aboard my ship and I expect to be called captain.”
“Watch your back or there’d be a mutiny.” Lotor responded, staring down at the male. The two stared at each other before they started laughing, showing that this was just a common antic between them. “But it’s really strange how we lost power...” He found a place to sit as Lance went to the helm, getting the boat moving and heading back to AARC. “Maybe it has to do with that current I felt when I went to get the device.”
“Current?” Keith inquired.
“It was like… well, I’d call it a sudden gust if I were up here; it was brief, though...” Lotor explained. “But… whatever it was...” He and Allura both missed Keith, Lance, and Hunk exchanging looks, the three friends wondering if it had something to do with a mer. It couldn’t have been Pidge, she was with them moments ago before they headed back toward AARC. Another, perhaps? While Lance had yet to tell his friends about Matt, they all were aware that logically speaking, there were others out there.
“We’ll hopefully know more after analyzing the data.” Allura assured. “Maybe there were more currents like what you felt before things shut down.”
“Perhaps.” Lotor nodded.
Logically, more than just Pidge and her brother mysteriously lurk in the depths. And not all are friendly. Anyway! I hope you guys enjoyed this one! Until next time!
