Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ To Wish Upon The Sea ❯ Analysis ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: MellyN

To Wish Upon The Sea

By: Melissa Norvell

Chapter 2: Analysis

XxX

The sky was dark and partially cloudy. The mood was fully and the sky full of stars, each twinkling like a precious gem suspended in the air. The moonlight was cast on the sands of the beach, illuminating it with an unearthly glow, as the sands were moved about by two small feet, making their way slowly across the shoreline. Manami's pale eyes looked around as if seeing the scenery at night for the first time, and it was partially true, since she had always gone to bed early. She took a breath of fresh night air and looked to the calming tides of the ocean for a few moments, before setting her sights on the naga, who had come ashore and was now upright, propping himself on his snake-like bottom half with his strong arms folded across his chest.

He looked regal against the moonlight. His features were stern and cold as he spoke.

"Well, I see that you really are reliable after all."

"I don't know what I can show you now though. Its night time and most people sleep then," Manami walked up to the naga and stopped. She went to sleep at night, so she assumed that others did as well.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Thanatos didn't sound happy with that answer. He had risked a lot coming to the surface only to be told disappointing news. She could have saved him the trouble by telling him that in the first place.

She retorted with a kind smile. "Nope."

"How the hell can I learn anything at this rate?" He asked. 'Damn useless kid. What the hell was I thinking asking someone like her?'

"I can tell you!" The girl said happily.

"Tell me?" He arched an eyebrow in question.

"You can learn from telling someone, can't you?" She cocked her head.

"Some things are just hearsay." Thanatos closed his eyes and frowned, turning his head to the side.

"Hearsay?" The girl blinked.

"Are you dumb or just sheltered? Hearsay means that it's not all true."

"Oh…" Sullen eyes looked to the sand below her.

Thanatos remained quiet for a few moments and simply glared at the girl before she looked up, as if she had a happy idea and began to talk to him once more.

"Can I still tell you? I won't lie! Promise! I can't lie to you anyway. I really like you."

"Why?" He asked.

"Why what?"

"Why do you like me?"

"You're nice to me," Manami smiled.

"Surely you joke," this was not something Thanatos was used to. No one had ever said such a thing to him. After all, he had a reputation to uphold as the evil and sly one and he wasn't about to give it up to someone like her.

"No," Manami's kind words reached the naga's pointed ears. "You sound mean, but you haven't hit me yet, so you must be nice." She smiled warmly at him.

"Hit you?" A black eyebrow was arched in question again.

"Yes. If people hit you, then they obviously don't like you, right?" She asked.

"Something like that…" The black-haired one pondered over her innocent approach to the situation.

"Humans are all different. Some are very mean and some are very nice," the girl began to explain.

"Yeah…" Was all the stubborn naga could force from his mouth. 'Like I believe that garbage. You're just different…Unlike the other, you seem like you care.'

"I'll tell you all I can about humans," she offered.

"Okay," Thanatos ordered, "start talking."

"Well, this is how humans are from my point of view. I might not know a lot because I don't get out much, but this is what I can tell you…"

Manami began to tell her all she could think of about the human race and their habits and daily routines. She explained behavior and what she thought to be the truth as best she could. Their conversation was long and Thanatos did most of the listening. Soon he found himself lying on the sands of the beach, holding his head up with his hands. His green eyes locked into her expression as the conversation went on.

"So that's it, huh?" He finally told her after their discussion was over.

"Yes," she beamed.

"Well, it's interesting and all, but do these humans have any weaknesses?" The sly one asked, wanting to get straight to the point.

"Weaknesses?"

"You know, like something that could cripple them if threatened or taken from them," he added.

"Yes. Some have something material that they keep close to them. Some have special people in their lives that they would do anything for. There are other things too, like if you stab them they can die, but I think that can happen to anyone. Don't you?" She glanced at him, making contact with his gaze, pale eyes shining with curiosity.

A twisted smirk climbed its way upon the naga's features as the cog wheels of his mind turned with every passing bit of information this girl had given him. Now he had crucial information on humans and could better devise a way to infiltrate them when the time of revenge came. The curious girl lowered her face to his, noses almost touching.

"Mr. Naga?"

Manami blinked at the male, his eyes were looking at her, but it was as if he saw right through her, and just as she thought he was ignoring her, widened in shock as he let out a yell of 'gack' and drew back with his hand balled in a fist and his forearm blocking his face, as if he were being attacked. This sudden recoil made Manami draw back and flinch, gasping.

"Did I scare you?" She looked up from her recoiled position.

"Don't you know not to stick your face in other people's?" The black haired man scolded. "It's rude! And don't call me Mr. Naga! My name is Thanatos."

"I didn't mean to. You looked like you were thinking and I was curious," she replied.

"But out. Will you?" He glared, putting his arm down to his side.

"Okay Thanatos…er…What honorific do I give you?" She asked.

"Call me, Thanatos-sama," the naga instructed. Gathered from his study of the Japanese culture, that honorific was used for the royalty and hierarchy of the country. She should respect him to the utmost, so -sama was a must.

"Okay, Thanatos-sama," she smiled sweetly.

"Heh…"

"Anything else you want to know?" The black haired girl asked.

"How do humans feel about Naga?" He knew the answer deep within him, but wondering at the same time how the girl would respond.

"Naga?" She put a finger to her lips momentarily as she looked up with a thoughtful expression. "Well, let's see…I've only seen one and that's you. I've read in books that they are really magical."

'Humans do have books about us…I thought so…'

"And father says there are people down by the bay that hunts them."

"Hunts them?"

"Yes," Manami agreed sadly, her features looked as if she were about to cry. "Father says that they are worth a lot of money and wizards buy scales and stuff to use in their magic spells. But…I don't see how they can kill the naga. They're so pretty and they almost look like us. They have a human top half and they have feelings just like us." She defended.

"Don't compare me to a human," the naga scoffed.

"I probably shouldn't huh?" The girl agreed.

"What?" Thanatos was surprised at the girl's compromise.

"You're better then a human," she told him kindly.

"You're a human. Why would you think that?" He asked accusingly.

"Because you're magical and humans want your powers," she told him. "So you've got to be better, right? Because if we were better don't you think you wouldn't be hunted. Humans need spells but you have your own special magic."

'What did she just say to me?' Thanatos was dumbfounded by this statement. It made him feel awkward inside. He felt a strange sense of warmth that he just couldn't manage to kill off, no matter how hard he tried.

"Besides, it's sad when humans hunt things they don't understand to benefit themselves. I know I wouldn't ever want you to be hurt, Thanatos-sama. You don't need to be hunted because of who you are or what you are. It's wrong what humans do…and because of the hunters…you have to spend a lot of time in the water. Over time, you even grew fins. You had to change for the humans. It's sad…" She hung her head in sadness once again.

"It's the human's fault,” Thanatos replied in a huff.

"I know."

"You're a human," He pressed.

"I know," she told him, "but I would never hurt you."

"Yeah…Sure kid," the naga shrugged her off coldly. "Do you know where the hunters stay?"

"Um…Out by the docks, I think. There are also hunters who come by the stores, but I don't think they are allowed to go by the beach."

"So, I'm pretty much safe here?" He asked.

"Should be," the girl looked to the sky, which was a light purple in color. The sun had begun to rise and daylight was making its way in through the darkened skies. "Oh!" She exclaimed upon noticing this. She didn't expect to be out this long…and if her father found out…Who knows what would happen.

"It's almost light," Manami said quickly, fear and shock shooting through her system as she took off running. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Wait!" Thanatos outstretched an arm to try and catch the fleeing girl, but couldn't grasp her in time. Green eyes looked to the sky.

"Damn…" He muttered. "I didn't know it was so light outside…The kid's right…I'd better retire for the night. I just hope I don't get caught."

XxXxXx

The sly naga slithered silently through his quarters, trying to make as little noise as possible. He didn't want to wake anyone in his house, or there would be hell to pay. Everyone was asleep and the slightest noise. He had managed to get past several rooms stealthily, but the worst was yet to come. He only had to get past the kitchen and into his room and he was home safe.

"They're all asleep…" He chuckled quietly to himself. "They didn't even realize I was gone." Thanatos smirked to himself. "Another dirty deed left unnoticed."

He turned the corner to enter the kitchen and nearly ran into another naga. She had a red bottom half like he did, except she didn't have any fins. Her form was slender and she had large eyes, half hidden by long bangs and hair that was slightly wavy and a dark royal blue. This female naga's eyes were the same color green as his. Her skin was of normal color, but that fact was distorted by the moonlight, making her seem haunting.

"Huh?" He replied in surprise upon noticing her.

Then he screamed.

This caused her to scream in turn.

"Io!" Another feminine voice called out in worry as the lights came on.

"Oh…" The naga known as Io spoke.

"It's you…" The male deadpanned.

That was it…He knew he was caught for sure now. Green eyes looked to the side to see his mother, Lazuli and father Xenosidon, erected side-by-side and dressed in night ware.

"What happened? What's the commotion about?" Lazuli spoke, concern crossing her face.

"What's going on here?" His father's voice boomed.

"It's okay. Thanatos just scared me," Io smiled at them.

"Do you mind?" The stubborn man crossed his arms and spat. He then got close to Io's face and whispered. "You almost got me in trouble."

"Sorry..." She apologized.

"What are you two doing up so late?" His mother asked.

"Oh, I've been up for the past hour. I haven't been able to get any sleep," Io told her calmly and kindly.

"I was getting a snack," Thanatos lied.

"No you weren't," a young voice chimed from beside of Xenosidon and Lazuli, who looked to find their son, Thelios beside of them. His eyes were half opened, sleep still slung to his figure. "You snuck in because you weren't in your room thirty minutes ago."

"And how would you know that?" An irritated look crossed the older naga's face as he glared down his younger brother.

"Because I went by your door and it was opened," Thelios knew that the elder naga never left his door open when he was actually in his room.

"How did you know I wasn't up already?" His brother argued.

"Because I looked for you and couldn't find you."

His mother's golden gaze looked towards her son in question. "Is this true, Thanatos?"

'That little brat narked on me! I'll kill him!' The dark haired man thought in anger. "Yes…" He strained through gritted teeth.

"You know it's very dangerous to go sneaking out like this," she warned in a calm and sympathetic tone.

"I already know. I'm nineteen," he replied sarcastically, "I think it's old enough to have common sense."

"Whatever he left for, I'm sure he had a good reason," Io covered for him. "Besides," She smiled. "No harm was done and he came back safely. That's all that matters in the end, right?"

"Well…" Lazuli mused, looking to Xenosidon for a hint of judgment.

"I suppose your sister is right. Just don't complain when you don't get enough sleep tomorrow," he replied as the two slithered away. "Come Lazuli dear. Let's get some sleep."

"Yes," she agreed as they disappeared from sight.

Thelios was about to do the same, until his brother attempted to start a fight.

"You little brat," Thanatos seethed.

"Well, you shouldn't have gone to the surface. Hunters stalk around at night. You might get caught and no one would know you were gone," Thelios said sleepily.

"To the surface?" Io questioned, intrigue crossing her face.

"Yeah," her brother told her. "I saw him jump into the water and swim up."

"I'm surprised that they haven't discovered us." Io told him. "Our kingdom is just a huge underground cave."

"You saw me go there!?!" Thanatos outraged. He had thought he'd gotten away with being unnoticed. He was sure that he had checked everything to make sure that no one saw him…and yet…He foiled again.

"Yes, and be happy I didn't tell." The young one pouted.

"What? Is that your way of being nice to me? You little creep," Thanatos growled.

"I'm going to bed. I'm too tired to argue with you," Thelios left the conversation at that as he slithered back to his room.

Io and Thanatos were still in the kitchen. The female looked to her brother and the two shared a moment of silence before it was broken.

"What's it like?"

"What's what like?" The male asked. "If you're talking about Thelios, it's like being attacked by an Orca."

"No…the Upper World," Io confirmed.

"Why do you care?"

"Because, I haven't been up there since we were little," she told him.

"It's just a beach. Nothing special," he shrugged her curiosity off with an uncaring retort.

"Did you see any humans?"

"Would I have honestly stayed up there that long if there were?" He shot off sarcastically, lying to avoid any further questioning.

"Maybe," she smiled kindly. "Some humans are nice. It's just wizards and Naga Hunters that you have to look out for."

"What are you? Retarded? All humans are bad," He said defensively.

"There are good ones," Io defended calmly. "I know so. Just because one does something to you doesn't mean that they're all responsible. And maybe one day…You'll see that too." She slithered off to her room after looking over her shoulder with a kind and caring look. Io had always been too soft.

"Good night…Io…" He muttered under his breath.

XxXxXx

Instead of going to his room, the grumpy naga decided to go and lay on a flat rock, near the water's edge. Lying on his stomach, he crossed his arms and sat his chin in them, closing his eyes and drifting into thought.

Just because one does something to you doesn't mean that they're all responsible. And maybe one day…You'll see that too

Io's last words bounced around in his head like pin balls.

I don't want to hurt you.

He could still hear the kindness from Manami's voice as well.

'Could Io be right?' He wondered as he was plagued with a flashback. The setting was darkened and a small naga was entangled in a fishnet. It was just a baby. Fear and anguish passed through the child's eyes as the net was savagely ripped from it, causing it to let out an ear-piercing scream that shot through his senses like a harpoon. Then a look of disappointment and rage passed through his features.

"Why the hell am I feeling sorry for humans? Manami was right. They forced us from being able to live on land. You can't even come up for a breath without dodging a harpoon. Their demise will be their own doing."

He paused as a malicious grin crossed his features.

"Soon…I'll get my revenge…And prove Io wrong…"

TBC