NERO

Saturday, March 24, 2018

I drummed my fingers impatiently on the table as Kuma placed a hand on Jude's forehead.

"Dizziness?" she asked. "Shortness of breath? Nausea? Any warmth to speak of?"

"No," Jude grunted crossly. "No, no, no. Are...you done?"

"Why?" Kuma snapped. "You've somewhere to be, boy?"

His good eye strayed over towards the stretch of grass surrounding the Sand Dollar — the merkids were laying out on long towels and mats, doing some stretching exercises under the watchful eye of a human girl in a Seawatchers T-shirt.

"Good!" she was saying as she walked down a line of kids. "Now keep your legs up and spread them wide, wide as you can. Come on!"

The children obeyed, some of them complaining that it hurt or that it was too hard. My fingers tapped faster.

"Put out ye tongue," Kuma said.

"For...pity's...sake," Jude growled.

"Just do as yer told, whelp, before I get angry."

Jude reluctantly complied, and Kuma peered in, tilting his head to the side. "Any strangeness last night?" she asked me. "Gills appearin'? Seizures? Sickness?"

"No," I said, and even to me, I sounded cranky. "Slept like a suckling babe the whole night." And I had been up the whole night — partly because of the strengthening Drought fever boiling in my head, urging me to return to the water, partly because of the conversation with Simeon, partly because of the unfamiliar bed I'd crammed myself in last night with Jude. They — Simeon, a couple of other Seawatchers — offered me a room of my own, but I'd refused; I'd determined that I wasn't going to leave Jude on his own for a moment in this strange place.

Today, that sentiment was beginning to wane; my head hurt, I was thirsty, and I was hungry for news, but instead of getting it I was sitting around in the sun, listening to Kuma and Jude bicker while I got sunburned.

"Hmm." Kuma leaned back, finally releasing Jude. "All appears to be in order. Though to be certain, I'll have ye take another spoonful of medicine before bed, and I won't hear otherwise."

Jude made a face, but turned his attention back over to where the kids were stretching. They were planking now — or some of them were. Most had given up on the form, collapsing onto their bellies even as the Seawatcher encouraged them to try again. One of them was Dinah — she kicked her feet in protest, and then tickled her friend, who was actually trying, making her scream and collapse.

All at once, Jude stood up, his brow furrowed in determination. He took a shaky step... Then paused, looked uncertainly back at me.

"Arceus' sake," Kuma groaned. "Will ye join in or not? Standin' there ditherin' won't help."

"I..." Suddenly, he sounded desperately nervous. "Don't...wanna...interrupt—"

"Who gives a care? They cater to ye, boy — that be their job. If ye seek to join, ye shall join."

Jude glanced at me again. Digging my fingers into my hair, I said, "It's either join or pace in place. And I'm already tired of seeing you pace in place."

Looking indignant, Jude swung around, squaring his shoulders before marching across the Pavilion towards the kids. He stiffened when some of then turned his way, but continued rigidly to the Seawatcher girl, who gave him a friendly smile and leaned over when he spoke—he must've been whispering.

"Of course!" she said after a moment. "Here, you can use my towel. Where do you want to sit?"

I watched as she led him over to an empty space near the back, as did everyone else—the laughter and good fun died down as everyone took in the scars racing across his legs and marring his face, and I experienced a pang of rage: You don't have to be so obvious about it!

But soon enough, the stretching resumed, and everyone refocused on the Seawatcher and doing flutter kicks. Jude, after a moment's hesitation, joined in and tuckered out almost immediately — after a few kicks he flumped back, taking wheezing breaths before trying again.

At least he was participating; Kuma, who seemed to feel the same way, made a satisfied noise.

"Ought to cheer him up a bit," she commented.

"Assuming they don't keep staring at him," I growled.

She shot me a sidelong look. "Who twisted yer tail today?" she asked. "I daresay ye've been grumpier than me on an early mornin'."

I ignored her question, gazing about the Pavilion. It was a pleasant day, with a strong ocean breeze tempering the draining heat of the sun, and there were a lot of people out besides the kids, mostly Seawatchers: they passed between buildings, raked the grass, cleaned the tables and chairs. There were Pokémon too, helping out: a Machoke was moving some training equipment into the Reef, and a pair of Roselias tended to the hedges surrounding the buildings, coaxing them into a spring-like bloom.

And of course, there were Wingulls everywhere — perched on the railings, peering down from rooftops, sunning on the pavement, even helping the Seawatchers pick debris off the ground. One was actually perched on the back of Kuma's chair, preening. It had a red collar on, and I couldn't help but wonder if it was the same one who'd guided me to the fountain when I'd first come to land in search of Magdalene.

Magdalene. My fingers began tapping again. "Have you seen Simeon?" I asked.

The old mermaid tipped her head. "Nay, not today. Ye have some need of him?"

"He's helping me with something." I scowled. "We were supposed to meet this morning."

"Likely his duties have made him late, boy. He's a Liaison — no doubt he's runnin' all over creation in helpin' run this place."

"Whatever." Crossly, I shoved to my feet. "How long are you going to be around?"

She raised a brow, glanced over at Jude. Then she unwrapped her pipe, stuck it in her mouth. There was something in it today: she struck a match, and the fragrance was a mix of exotic spice and earthy bitterness. "I suppose I could stand to stay a while longer," she said. "The sun's nice today, and Arceus knows I need it."

Wordlessly, I left, heading for the stairs that led down to the beach. Normally, I wouldn't have left Jude with anyone for any period of time, but I was restless, feverish, and dehydrated, and Kuma had proven herself capable of watching him for at least a few minutes. And that's how long it would take — I would go down to the Suites and come back, and hopefully vent some of this pent-up frustration in the meantime.

Noon, he'd told me last night. A few of the Liaisons had gone into the city at ten today, on a grocery run, and the supermarket was not far from the Pokémon Center — Simeon had promised to stop by and inquire about Magdalene, going so far as  swearing to bring Berechiah with him for the task. I didn't know who the hell Berechiah was, but apparently if he went along with you on an errand, it was serious business.

But now it was straining towards twelve o'clock, and I'd seen neither sight nor sound of Simeon. I had no idea if he was still out or if he'd forgotten that he'd promised to meet me, but sitting around and waiting had just made me progressively angrier. Jude was safe and well again, and so as my anxiety about his well-being dissipated, worries over Magdalene filled the space it left behind, driving me crazy all over again.

Is it even possible anymore? It had been over a week since I'd last seen her, or the boy who'd caught her. With mounting alarm, I found that I couldn't even remember exactly what he looked like anymore: gray hair. Gray eyes. Young. But anything else? Lost to time. I could pass him on the street and not know.

That's why I had to do something, and quickly. Else Mag's ice-cold trail would disappear entirely.

I wound up back at the Seafolk Suites and wandered inside. The room I shared with Jude was on the third floor; absently, I went for it, climbing the stairs and finding it near the end of the hall. Apparently three floors of this place were just rooms for merfolk on Drought. They were small, but well-furnished: a bed, a vanity, a desk, and a small wardrobe. Bathrooms were communal, and at either end of each floor. A giant window dominated one wall — ours was currently open to the sea breeze, and all that could be seen through it was water, stretching to a fuzzy infinity.

Jude's clothes were on the bed — he'd decided to try the T-shirt and shorts that the Seawatchers packed into the wardrobe instead today. Which was just as well — Hattice had recently cleaned his dark blue tunic and red underwear, but no doubt they needed another scrub. Maybe that would take my mind off of Magdalene for a few minutes.

I folded his clothes under my arm and was about to head out when a Seawatcher appeared in the doorway, carrying a giant basket of laundry.

"Hi!" he said, lifting a brow when I jumped. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya." He nodded at Jude's clothes. "Take those for you? I'm hauling all these down to the wash anyways."

"N...no thanks." I hurried away before he could protest. Damn, that scared me. Seawatcher or not, I still wasn't used to so many humans just hanging around, watching people they knew were mer.

I stopped by the bathroom and swiped a sponge and soap from one of the tubs before heading back outside, and to one of the piers. I passed by the cafeteria as I did — it was mostly empty, save for a few merfolk enjoying iced beverages and plates of fried Magikarp. The sound of clinking ice made my mouth ache from thirst, one that, so far, three bottles of water had not quenched — another reminder that my self-induced Drought was quickly draining away. Like it or not, I was going to have to return to the ocean soon.

When I reached the end of the pier, I found someone waiting for me. "Ahoy, Nero," Cora said, her head rising out of the water. "This is well met."

I took a breath, lowering my hackles. "What are you doing out here?" I asked, putting Jude's clothes in the water.

"I told ye I was stayin' hereabouts," she said, swimming over and grabbing the pier. "Hattie and I be bunkin' down a ways away from here. I came by to see Granny, but then I saw ye comin' down from the Pavilion, and I wanted to know how ye found the Sea House so far. I called, but ye did not answer."

And little wonder, with my head so full of Magdalene again. "Sorry, I was distracted."

"Do tell? Must be important for ye to have thy ears off. I long-called and everythin'."

Oops. I grimaced guiltily. "Simeon," I admitted. "I'm supposed to be meeting him, but he's late."

She burst out laughing. "Oh, aye! 'Course he is."

My teeth set. "So this isn't unusual?"

"Simeon would be late to his own dear mother's funeral," Cora snorted. "Since he's become the senior-most Seafolk Liaison, he's too many tasks pullin' him in too many directions. Good on him, but it has frustrated many o' one of us at times when it come to trackin' him down."

"Oh." The news didn't make me any less frustrated, but I tried to let it go. Nothing I could do except wait. Trying to distract myself, I spread some soap into the water and then said, a little cheekily, "That must be trying on his girlfriend."

Cora's laughter turned into a sudden splutter, and her face reddened. "Wouldn't know about that," she mumbled.

I raised a brow. "You wouldn't?"

"No, I wouldn't!" Abruptly she hurled a handful of seawater in my face, soaking me down to the skin, and then I was the one spluttering.

"I was joking," I growled, wiping water out of my face.

"Ye aren't funny!" Cora said; she pushed from the pier and began circling, still blushing. "Now stop talkin' nonsense, and tell me about ye stay so far."

Not sure of whether to be amused or annoyed, I told her what happened after Jude finally transitioned yesterday, from the meal in the cafeteria to the tour with Simeon, to Jude's recent checkup and participation in the exercise class with the merkids. Cora smiled at that.

"Good for him," she said earnestly. She circled back around to the pier. "And what of ye, Nero? Have ye visited the Reef yet? Or the Sand Dollar?"

"Not yet," I grunted — I was scrubbing Jude's clothes now, my arms burning as I scoured the sponge down the face of the tunic.

"Oh, but yet must!" Cora insisted, swimming to the other side of the pier. "The Dollar has so many books, and computers, Nero — have ye ever used one? They connect ye to the in-ter-net, do ye know what that is? Be like a library, but no books — just information, an endless supply, on anythin' ye wish to know. I can scarce believe the humans use it every day.

"And the science classes! Have ye been to one? Last I was here, I learned about marine biology, and learned more 'bout the ocean. There be so much we don't know. Ye should go to one, Nero."

"That's not something I'm interested in," I said as I continued scrubbing.

"But ye should be," Cora argued. "Especially as yer new to the region. Would it not benefit ye to know more about Hoenn and all its waterways? Who knows, ye may find yerself wantin' to know more. I know I do. In fact, last time Ana told me that if I study enough, I could become a marine biologist, and teach others about the ocean. And not just mer — humans too."

That caught my attention: "Teach humans?"

"Aye," Cora said excitedly. "Ana told me there be a program in the works, waitin' for approval. One where the Sea Houses send a chosen few merfolk to human..." She cocked her head. "Call...edge? School for adults. Can ye imagine?"

No I couldn't. That seemed ambitious to the extreme, even for Hoenn's Seawatchers. Bad enough that their Sea Houses were of this kind of scale, with too many humans interacting with too many merfolk, but actually sending merfolk to human schools? How could they possibly think that was a good idea?

Abruptly, my scorn phased into a kind of fascinated curiosity. Simeon had told me about the size and influence of the Hoenn Seawatchers, and I'd seen it for myself in the Sea House, but I hadn't taken it all that seriously until Cora had talked about merfolk going to human schools. How big are they that they think that would actually be possible? Maybe the Hoenn Society for Marine Conservationists warranted investigation...

After I'd reclaimed Magdalene.

"Nero!"

I spun around to see Simeon descending down the staircase on the hill, waving. I growled: It's about time!

"Hi," he panted when he arrived. "Sorry I'm late — got caught up in shopping." Glancing down, he brightened. "Cora! Nice to see you. How's the family?"

Cora, who'd ducked down into the water, rose, looking shy. "Hello," she said. "And fine. Thanks for askin'."

Simeon winked at her. "Let's talk later. Mind if I steal Nero for a bit?"

"Okay." Cora dove and was gone.

Simeon drew me back towards the summer house, and I demanded, "Well?"

He crossed his arms. "Well," he said. "Berry and I did manage to stop by the Pokémon Center, though not for long — there was a line. Tourists, you understand."

"What did they say about Magdalene?"

"Your Sharpedo—" He still sounded awed by that—"was checked out on Friday the sixteenth. Berry tried to get the secretary to tell us who, but even with high Pitch it wasn't possible — that information is actually locked on the computer, so we have no name, address, or date of birth. But," he said as my shoulders drooped, "he did tell us that the owner was male and went to Rustboro Trainer High School."

I tensed, trying to smother the spark of hope rising from the pit of my stomach. "Okay. Do we know where that is?"

"Yes." Simeon pulled something out of his pocket. A...phone, I think, though it looked more like a very thin book. "Rustboro City," he said. "Downtown, about a two-hour drive from here." He held the phone before me, and I squinted. There was an image on the face, an array of squiggly lines, and words I couldn't read.

"So what now?" I demanded. My heart was hammering in my chest, wild and loud—a lead. A solid lead. Despite the time that had passed, it was still possible to find her. Thank Arceus! "Can we go to this school and find her?"

"Well...yes and no," Simeon said, to my frustration. "It's not as easy and picking up and going. Beauracracy, you understand. I'd have to talk to one of the Program Managers about this, probably Ms. Gray, I think she's in today—"

"Why the hell do I need their permission to go after my own Pokémon?" I snapped.

Simeon frowned. "It's not about permission, it's about safety and secrecy. I understand your need to find your companion Pokémon, and I want to help you as best I can. But there's a process for this sort of thing. When we approach the third party who captured Magdalene, we need to facilitate the trade without revealing who we are or who we represent. We probably have to reach out to the boy, set up a meeting, so that no one gets nervous and so that the authorities aren't contacted. We probably need Berry on hand, to erase any memories should the worst happen. And we have to organize the negotiating party, ready the van, and—"

"Can't we just swim up there, grab her, erase his memories, and leave?" Anything else sounded like too much, and would take too long.

"Well, if we took the Rhines River I guess we'd eventually wind up in Rustboro, but I think the drive would be easier," he said. "And more legit. Do you honestly think a trade would be possible if the boy was approached by strangers in dripping wet clothes?"

"I don't plan for there to be a trade," I growled. A trade implied that there was something I planned to give the boy for Magdalene. And all I had to offer him was an ugly death if he refused.

"And that's why you need the Seawatchers," Simeon said pointedly, seeming to read my mind. "Nero, I know you're anxious and angry, but going into this with emotion is just going to expose the merfolk. You understand that, don't you? The Seawatchers' way may take longer, but it's also safer, and less risky."

I stared out over the ocean, saying nothing.

Simeon palmed his phone. "Let me try to call up Ms. Gray," he said. "I'll meet with her, and we'll talk about putting a plan together for this."

"How long?" I asked quietly.

"How long what?"

"How long will it take to set this all up?"

Simeon cocked his head. "I don't know," he admitted. "Getting the staff together for this sort of thing is sometimes troublesome... Five days at the outside, at a guess."

My teeth clenched, but I took a breath, striving to remain calm. Slowly my fists unfurled, and I nodded. "All right."

He looked painfully relieved. "Let's meet again later today, in the cafeteria," he suggested. "I'll give you an update on how things are going."

I said nothing as I followed him back down the pier. I wasn't listening.

I was planning.

***

When I returned to the Pavilion, Jude and the other merkids were nowhere to be found. I almost panicked, until I saw Kuma just outside the Sand Dollar, relaxing in a long-backed chair. Her pipe was still out, but it looked like she'd smoked away all the filling. She chewed it instead, and sat up when I approached.

"Good walk?" she asked. She nodded to the Dollar. "They went inside after. Some sorta readin' lesson, I'm told."

I pushed inside the Sand Dollar, where it was bright and cold. A wide open space stretched out before me, sunlit by more big windows. The walls were cream-colored and painted with oceanic motifs and symbols: seashells, waves, palm trees, and several iconic water-type Pokémon, like Gyarados and — pang — Sharpedo. In between them were rows and rows of shelves, packed up to the gills with books. The merkids milled in between them, pulling volumes free and settling into the comfy sofas and chair-sized cushions to read. The Sewatchers moved among them, helping them reach higher shelves or reading stories to them aloud. The Seawatcher girl from the exercise class had a big group in one corner on a polka-dotted rug; the kids listened, rapt, as she read from a big book. It sounded like a pirate story, one with... Floating islands? What the hell?

Jude wasn't among them — I found him in a corner by himself, a book splayed in his lap. Though his good eye was looking down at the pages, it kept straining over to the big story group, and he looked disheartened.

I came over, squatting down beside him. "Good?" I asked.

He frowned. "Kinda...advanc...ed. Lookin'...at...pictures..."

Well, at least he could read.  "Maybe you'd rather join them?" I jabbed my thumb over at the merkids, just as they let out a collective gasp at something that happened in the tale.

He fiddled with the edge of one of the pages. "Dunno... Maybe...not."

"Why?"

He shrugged, but I could tell he was hurt. "Don't...think...they like...me..." I waited as he panted, then continued: "After...that...they kept...lookin'...at me and...whis...per...in."

I sighed. Time for hard truths. "Get used to it," I said. I lifted my arm, pointing out my own scars. "We can't magically erase them. They're there forever, or at least for a very long time, and people are going to look at them whenever they see you for the first time. That's just the way it is. You've got to learn to let it go." Him and me both — whenever I saw someone cringe at Jude's cars, outrage was almost always my first response. "Eventually, once they see you enough, they won't see 'the scarred kid', they'll see 'Jude'."

He grunted, glaring down at his book — apparently this was going down hard.

"Or," I said, "you can give up, wallow in self-pity, and not make any more friends." I shrugged. "And once I'm gone, you'll have zero friends."

He peered up at me, abruptly attentive. Then he said, bluntly, "Where are...you...going?"

He asked with such surety that it was certain that I actually stammered a little. "I meant eventually—"

"Where...are...you...going?" he repeated.

Did I have that look on my face? That I'm-going-somewhere-and-leaving-you-here face? I didn't know, but somehow he knew, and reminded me that I sometimes forgot that Jude knew me almost as well as I knew him.

Shifting, I steeled myself. "I'm going after Magdalene," I said.

His eye widened. "What?"

I explained, quickly, what I'd learned from Simeon: that Magdalene was in Rustboro City, in the clutches of someone who attended Rustboro Trainer High School. His eye narrowed as I explained my plan to get there.

"The...Rhines...River," he repeated. "Do you...even know...where that—"

"I'll ask," I said. Kuma would probably know. Or Cora.

"And when...you get...there...?"

I appreciated him pointing out the holes in my plan almost as much as he appreciated me telling him to get over the ugliness of his scars. "I'll figure it out," I said. "But for sure I'm not waiting around for the Seawatchers to try and do this for me. She's my Pokémon, and I'll get her myself."

"This...sounds...dumb..."

I ignored him, and looked him hard in the eye. "Until I get back, I need you to stick close to Kuma, all right? You like her, don't you?"

"I...guess..."

"And..." I paused, not sure of how to phrase this question. "Do you trust this place?"

He shrugged, which about summed it up: the Sea House was still too new to the both of us to be deemed trustworthy. But Kuma was here, the location was relatively secluded, and they had their own security team... So on paper, it was better than a remote island where Jude sat in the dark by himself. At least, I tried to convince myself of it. Kuma. If he stays with Kuma, he'll be fine...

An agonized pain flared up inside, at the thought of leaving him here. But goddamn it, I had no choice! I knew where Magdalene was, and I had a chance to get her, and I was not going to wait around for five days until the Seawatchers gave me permission to take her back. I was going to get her. Today.

Jude seemed to read my mind. "Dumb," he said again, harder this time.

I almost snapped back at him, until I remembered Simeon's earlier words: It's not about permission. It's about safety and secrecy. A chill raced down my back. Were they right?

No, because them being right meant waiting. And I was not waiting!

"Stay safe," I growled at him, abruptly mussing his hair. "If you aren't here when I get back—"

"How...long—"

"Not long." I rose. "I mean it. Stay with Kuma."

***

A short while later, I was back in the water.

I'd passed Kuma on the way back out of the Dollar and had inquired about the Rhines River. To my relief, she'd told me that that the inlet was not far from the Sea House — about half an hour's swim northwest.

"Why?" she'd asked.

I hadn't said. I didn't have time to answer more questions.

I kicked into a speed-swim pointed northwest, coughing a little as I did so — my chest was still aching from breathing water to shift back to seaside form. But the pain was worth it: Hold on just a little longer, Mag. The seafloor passed beneath me in a sunlit blur, and not for the first time, I reveled in the speed of being a Milotica — At this pace, I'll be at the Rhines in a quarter hour. Assuming that I actually found the Rhines — directions or no, I was still unfamiliar with this part of Hoenn, and the possibility of getting lost did not escape me. I tried to swallow my anxiety back.

Focus. You can't worry about that now. Just keep northwest, and—

"Nero!"

I saw a familiar figure ahead, coming up at high speed; annoyed, I beat my tailfin to rise and pass above her, then paused. Taking a breath, I slowed, and circled down towards her.

"Hi, Cora," I said.

She was toting a basket with both hands, one covered with a green cloth — it flapped in the current, and I could see that the inside was filled with all manner of weird junk, from crumpled plastic bottles, to nuts and bolts, to used straws and empty cans of air freshener. Looked like she'd been out scavenging.

She stared up at me, looking thunderstruck. "Are ye...feelin' all right?" she asked worriedly. She glanced down at my tailfin. "Yer Drought's ended so suddenly! Not even been a day!"

That's right, I'd been talking with her just this morning in landside form. I cursed inwardly, suddenly wishing that I'd just passed her by.

"I'm fine," I said. I opened my mouth, wondering how to explain this awkward situation more, but I just said, again, "I'm fine."

She frowned, and had that particular disbelieving look in her eye, the same one she'd worn after seeing me water-shape with the Sharpedos. "Mayhap we should talk to Granny 'bout this. 'Tis highly unusual."

Brutally, I changed the subject: "Can you help me? I'm running an errand, and I need directions."

She cast my colorful tailfin another pensive look, but said, "Aye. Where are ye headin'?"

"The Rhines River. Know how to get there?"

She nodded. "It be not far from here. If ye like..." She cast a glance over her shoulder, and in following her gaze, I saw that she was looking at two other figures on the opposing hillside. One sat in the flora, sewing — Hattice. The other was an unfamiliar merman with shaggy hair, ranging over the hill. "I could show ye."

I frowned, suddenly uncertain. "If you're busy, you can just point me in the right direction, and describe the inlet."

"Nay, it's fine." She waved airily. "Hattie knows I like to roam. She'll not bat an eye if I'm gone an hour or two."

With that, she headed off, beating her tailfin strongly, and I followed close behind.

We swam for a good thirty minutes, sticking close to the coastline when we could, and pushing out into deeper waters when there were signs of boats or human activity ahead. Thrice Cora surfaced for air, and then, we were there — half a mile out I could tell, as threads of peculiar-tasting water began weaving their way into my gills. The taste was hard to describe: the absence of salt, the muskiness of earth rather than sand.

"Here," Cora said, spreading her arms. We came to a stop above a bed of large stones, with shoots of sea grass poking up from the cracks and the bodies of Corphish scuttling over the rocks. North and south, a heavy wall of soil rose, squeezing the ocean in between into a giant channel that flowed inland. I faced the huge opening, heart pounding.

Mag, here I come.

"May I ask why ye wanted to come?" Cora asked. She put her head to the side. "And why is yer brother not with you?"

"Jude's a weak swimmer," I said as I took in the mouth of the river. I had to keep beating my tailfin, as the lack of salt in the water made it harder to float here. "He would be too slow to make the trip."

"Trip? Trip where?"

I twisted my lips, considering. Why not tell her? She'd find out anyway, through Kuma via Jude. "Rustboro City," I said. "I learned from Simeon that my companion Pokémon is there. She was caught by a human more than a week ago."

"Ah." I could tell that she was curious to know more, but she didn't ask. Yet. "But...do ye know the way?"

"No." She fiddled with the arm of her basket, and, with a flash of dread, I asked, "Why? Something I should know? Is it dangerous?"

"Oh no," she said. "Just...confusin'. Not a swim for the impulsive — the Rhines do break into an Ariados's web of tributaries and smaller streams, and if you take a bad turn, ye are like to get yourself all manner of twisted around."

I stiffened. Damn it! Another hole. I should have known that this would not be as easy as I'd made it out to Jude, and I cursed his words — Dumb — and Simeon's — It may take longer, but it's also safer. And a straighter shot, I wagered — follow one of those big highways by vehicle, and I bet a shipwreck's worth of gold it would roll you right up to Rustboro Trainer High School's front doors.

A weak part of me wondered: Five days. Is it really that long, if it I guarantees Magdalene in hand? Then I shut it down. Who knows if she'll still be there in five days? I swerved, turning back to Cora. "You've made the trip before?" I asked.

"Aye, partways," she said. "Me father, he took me up to one of the inland lakes once, and—"

"So you remember the way?"

She became highly uncomfortable. "Nero," she said nervously.

I dropped down in front of her, growing desperate. Again. I had knowledge. Facts: Rustboro City. A boy that goes to Rustboro Trainer High School. But again, for how long? The one thing I did not have was time. If I didn't go for her right now, full-tilt, would I ever have another chance?

"Her name's Magdalene," I told her, my voice harsh. The words seemed to fall out of me like weights, and yet I felt no lighter for saying them. "She's a Sharpedo, and she's been with me and Jude for little more than two years."

The mermaid shook her head. "Nero, please, I don't think Hattie—"

"That may not seem long to you," I interrupted, "but for me it's felt like she's been at my side since I came from the womb, because those two years were the worst of my entire life. Can you guess why?"

She stared up at me, quailing a little, and I could only imagine how my face looked in the hard light. Then realization swept across her face. "The Tentacruel?" she said softly.

"The Tentacruel," I said. "In those twenty-four months where I was stuck at the bottom of that trench, drowning in Jude's blood and vomit, slaving to heal him with almost nothing, with no one to help me, I didn't sleep. I didn't eat, and for the most part, I never left his side. I was barely alive in those days, Cora, and I might've died if I hadn't met Mag. If she hadn't become like family, and protected us from predators. If she hadn't been there, waiting, always watching, bringing us food, bringing us supplies. Hell, if she hadn't been there, that trench might've become Jude's grave." I stared at her, feeling shadows creep up into my words. "Because of her, I'm here, and Jude is alive. Because of her, we're free from that hell, and I'll be damned if I let anyone trap her as those Tentacruel trapped me."

Cora gave me a tortured look, and I knew I'd won her over. I tried not to feel guilty, using my history with Mag to reel her in — I'd spoken the truth, and my feverish desire to have her back at my side was sincere. I truly did love her almost more than anyone or anything else, except Jude, and I wouldn't rest until she was free.

Seeming to see that, Cora bowed her head. "All right," she said softly — it seemed impossible for either of us to speak loudly after that. "Should be no trouble if I'm gone an hour or two." She gestured. "Come, Nero. Let's find your Sharpedo."

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