[2259] Catch of the Day

The conclusion to the mission Klaus sent Joseph on in 'The Underground'.
He returns to the city with the moonrock and the young siren taken in 'Gone Fishing'.


Joseph:

I manage to keep the ship together enough to warp, the weight of the rock wasnt what this old rust bucket could take..

We still had some hours left so I check on the little oddity I picked up.

One of the missions received my message and was setting up a pool area at the school.

Another 'charitable donation'

We did not have a cafeteria since.... vampires BUT there was a decorative bowl of fruit.

I picked up an apple and walk it over to the pool.

((Hello?? Do you understand me at all..))

I test the waters so to speak.

Little Ariel:

I swim to the surface and peak my head above the water just enough to see my visitor.

He asks if I understood him.

I nod my head in response before looking at the apple then back at him again.

Joseph:

The girl seemed to have some sense but she was very young, pretty much an infant.

Its a good thing we picked her up, she wouldn't have lasted long out there..

"I brought you this, you must be hungry."

I'm not sure what she eats, seaweed I would assume?

The ship lurches a bit and I sense something but cant place it.

I quickly toss the apple in the water and let it bob seeing if she can eat it.

Little Ariel:

I tilt my head at him in interest when he holds up the bright object, then drops it into the water.

I do not hesitate to swim after it and look it over.

*Sniffs it curiously before picking it up and taking a bite.*

It was very sweet.

I make a face in response not used to the flavor.

I drop the apple and swim away from it uncertain.

My stomach growls.

I reluctantly swim over and try eating it again.

It was good. I finish the whole thing.

*Looks back at Joseph for more.*

Joseph:

I'm sure it was not this creature's natural diet but at least it ate something wont starve on the way.

((Good girl.))

I dump the rest of the fruit bowl in the water, leaving out the orange and bananas since she probably cant peel.

I hear some shouting, something did get aboard and it was after the moon rock too.

Lovely. I lock the siren inside the room for its own good.

Someone sliced it but didn't like the taste. I eye the dark pool on the ground and see clawed handprints messily on the ceiling and walls smudging the blood.

I wait for a moment watching someone else try to attack the invisible form. They get sliced up quite good so I do not eve attempt.

"Vestials arent worth the meal, we can release it onto Mosaic when we get there.."

I go to lock it inside the chamber with the moonstone but it was already in the vents.

*Horrible hours of the monster cutting off power/ air/ gravity over and over trying to get out*

As soon as we are over the planet I make Brutus open the window and try to shove it out down on the city.

*ship crashes and moon chunks are shattered everywhere with ship out in the wasteland outside Mosaic*

Ah, well this is easier to smuggle inside now...

I start ordering people to get the rocks underground secretively so one knows. Some of the smaller breaks can be bagged as 'pool gravel'.

The BIGGEST piece was going to need a truck...

Thats there problem.

I give order to find a transport for the siren too who hopefully was disturbed by the 'haunting' of the ship by the little blue beastie.

With all the cargo slowly being smuggled in I make my way back to the school to check on Echo.

I'm sure he REALLY appreciated all the little friends his age..

Ariel:

*Eats fruit casually while all hell breaks loose on the ship.* ;D

Echo:

I was in my bedroom SULKING as I had completely lost interest in pestering the other kids.

I am so BORED!

I swing upsidedown from the ceiling, trying to get comfortable.

*Looks out the window, half considering flying out.*

Joseph:

I pop in the window - climbing up because I can't fly.

I keep a grip on the colorful crystalline roofing.

With a quick glance down I see the fenced pool, they even added some of the mosaic stones to the bottom.

Some blind children's were about the fence line trying to sense or smell what it was on the other side.

One tosses a ball over and cries for Lizzie. She better get used to that.

"Miss me?"

I play it cool for one, I don't have to put on a show for everyone in the home just yet and 2 the surprise wasnt ready.

Little Echo:

Dad shows up out of nowhere and surprises me.

I DON'T play it cool and come down from my perch to hug him.

"What took you so long!?"

I whine.

Joseph:

I hug Echo back, picking him up as I do a little, I was surprised, he was so moody when I left him. I guess he DOES miss me after all.

"I'm sorry a little blue monster crashed my ship.."

I tease him and make sure we are in the room and not noticeable on the roof now.

"Let me guess you did not have any fun or make any new friends?" I ask half a joke and half knowing how he is.

Little Echo:

I give dad a look when he says a little blue monster crashed his ship.

I DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM!

Dad then asks how my time went here and I glare.

"Make friends? With these guys?"

Are you kidding me!

"I would have rather hung out with the blue monster."

Joseph:

Echo wasnt impressed with his little blind companions and wants the blue monster instead.

 I guess I picked up the wrong pet? I smirk awkwardly. 

I sit down on the bed and pat for him to sit next to me.

"Echo...weak creatures can be used. They may seem useless but there is always an opportunity. Sometimes the weak ones, the desperate ones are the simplest to manipulate. Even Klaus has that will never be granted his gift but are serving their purpose...and if they are lost they are no lost." I remind him of all the useless ones who will never be turned like Russia and Dominic in the station that were expendable but still for now a use.

"I could have left you with some 'cooler' kids but they would be loyal to the King and I cant manauilplate them like I can here. We have more freedom with the downcast, the minority, it will go unnoticed.. do you understand?" 

I sigh leaving out the perk of all the fresh supply of V card blood.

Little Echo:

Dad explains why he left me here.

*Sighs.*

"When can I come with you and not be left behind?"

I ask impatiently.

I can manipulate, I do it with Teddy all the time!

Joseph:

Echo doesn't grasp my lesson...sadly. 

I consider his request this time, taking into consideration this place may be under Boren's reign soon.

"You know what Echo, next time you can go with me. BUT I need a new ship..." I admit. 

I would miss the old coal truck... some very good times there indeed.

"Maybe we will go shopping but first don't you want to meet your new pet?"

I get up and go downstairs before he can answer because there was NO way to return it now!

Little Echo:

I brighten at my dad's response.

He even wants to go ship shopping.

Aw no way!!!

Then he mentions.. a pet.

The whale?   

I slouch down and follow after him to the pool where I soon discover the whale wasn't a whale at all but..

"A doll? You got me a girl's toy?!"

The little mermaid swims over with an apple in her mouth to say hello.

Ugh..

Joseph:

"..it is NOT a doll but alive, a real aquatic." I explain, but his disappointment was very clear.

I would have LOVED one of these at his age. I remember fondly how my sister would keep me distracted pretending to look for such beings in the water.

I roll my eyes at the thought awkwardly and get dark quick.

"Well it might be useful anyway..like I said Echo... very few are on our side here. The King would hunt you down and kill you if he knew you were alive. It never can hurt to have someone on your side, for later use." 
I add in before sitting down and preparing to deal with the MANY blind children on the fence so close exclaiming loudly at the sound of movement in the water.

Little Echo:

...........

The little fish pushes herself up on the edge of the pool with the apple.

I take it from her and throw it.

She looks at it then at me, then at the apple again.

Great, it can't even play fetch. It's so young it looks like a baby. 

I wished it could do something cool.

Violet:

Gideon was so tall he got us over the fence
Maud sits down next to Echo and I plop over on his other side.

(Echo's Dad): "Oh look company.. you know I wanted to talk to Lizzie about..lunch.." He says implying something only Echo knows - vampire lunch for Lizzie . " Be safe kids."

I splash a little my feet in the water.

"So what does she look like, what color is her tail?"

(Maud): "What color is her hair?"

We ask like we are all good friends

Echo:

Dad leaves to go snack on Lizzie.

........

Suddenly all the blindies were coming at me with questions at once!

UGH!

"Her tale is blue, her hair is blonde and she looks like a chubby baby, ok!"

The mermaid slurps up some water and spits it in my face.

"Ack yuk!"

It then swims.over to Violet and pokes at her feet.

Maud:

Echo tells us more about his pet.

"She sounds very pretty!" I compliment trying to picture the mermaid. She sounded like a doll.

Violet giggles and I reach out to touch the water gently.

(Violet): "..Do you think she had a family? If shes just a baby..."

She ponders the though that goes over my head.

I tugg Echo's shirt having noticed his Dad go off with Miss Lizzie.

"If Miss Lizzie and your dad get married will we ALL be your siblings?"

*gives him my most cutest expression in HOPE*

Little Echo:

I roll my eyes at Violet's question.

"Of course she had a family! Do you even know how babies are made?!"

Maud distracts me with another thought and I wrinkle my nose in response.

"My dad and Miss Lizzie are NOT getting married. I can promise you that."

Maud tries to be cute.

Ok it was a little cute, but I wasn't playing into her delusional little world.

The little mermaid tilts her head at Violet's giggles and pokes her feet again to see if she would get the same response.

Violet:

I frown when Echo misunderstands me.

"I KNOW she had parents but I MEAN did your dad take her away from them? Like are they still out there...did he use a reputable shop"

I try speaking into her mind since she seems mute but I really cant figure out that.

Helllllllllooooooo

Yeah nothing is happening but me looking like a crazy person staring at her.

"Slavery is illegal here you knooow."

It wasnt funny so I try not to giggle and take away my feet.

Maud splashes a little trying to communicate that way happily in her delusional world.

I dont want Lizzie to marry Echo's daddy either. she always smells like BLOOD when he leaves... he must be abusive!!

Rukbat:

"I don't know?!"

I snap back at Violet annoyed.

The little mermaid makes nervous bubbles in the water at Violet's stare.

Yeah that would freak me out too..

Violet says that slavery was illegal here and I shrug.

Doesn't stop people from having them?

Maud and the mermaid soon get into a splashing war and I am the first to BALE from this situation.

Nope!

I get up and wander over to the other side of the pool where it was safe.

Joseph:

The fat kid was giving me a strange look on my way back to the pool.

...like she KNOWS what I did.
I lick my fang nervously and avoid splashing water as the kids play.

"Echo do you want to go home now?" I ask concerned why he was by himself and not among his little friends. 

I wonder what Klaus has been doing without me.. probably talking to that vase...

Little Echo:

"Ya..."

I give a sideways glance at the other kids not feeling like I BELONG.

The little mermaid continues to splash the other kids quite enjoying all the attention.