Granblue Fantasy: A Skyfaring Were-shark in Auguste

After informing the mayor of the primal beast trapped under the town, the crew decides to spend the rest of the afternoon taking it easy by the ocean. Mari sits on a bench facing the beach, watching Meg train in the sand as the sun starts to draw closer to the horizon.

 

“Ahhhhh…” Mari happily sighs with her head in her hands, her eyes trained on Meg’s arms as she performs a set of push ups.

 

“I thought you might have wanted to join her.” Vira says as she walks up, sitting down next to Mari. “This seemed like the perfect chance for the two of you to spend some quality time together.”

 

“Eh, training’s not really my thing.” Mari says. “Besides, if I was down there with her I wouldn’t be able to watch from up here. How about you? You aren’t hanging out with your captain and her buddies?”

 

“They’re still set on finding that treasure, and are convinced they’ll find something by digging around a section of the beach further down that way.” Vira points to her left. “I believe they will be busy with that for quite a while.”

 

“Do they, like, ever run out of energy?”

 

“They do not, trust me.”

 

Mari chuckles. “Well, as long as they don’t mess up the beach while they’re at it, and hey, those two look like they’re having fun as well.” She points to the right where Luminiera floats above the sand, making a number of bits fly around her as Ursula tries to chase them.

 

“Sharrrrrk!”

 

“Indeed it does.” Vira giggles, and the two of them sit in silence, taking in the calm atmosphere for the first time since the holiday began.

 

“I have a lot of respect for you, you know.” Vira says after a while.

 

Mari is taken aback. “You do? Even after, you know, everything earlier?”

 

“Yes. Believe it or not, I have my reasons.” Vira closes her eyes for a moment, and takes a deep breath before continuing.

 

“Being the lord commander of Albion was rewarding work, and had I ended up in that position under different circumstances I think I would have enjoyed it greatly, but as things were, it was little more than a prison I put myself in so that Katalina could fly free. After a certain point, when she came into my life once more, I realised I couldn’t bear it any longer, and I abandoned my duties in order to pursue my passion. I certainly do not regret the decision, but it’s not one I made lightly, leaving Albion’s future in the hands of others.”

 

Vira then turns to Mari. “Then there’s you, Mari. Instead of choosing one over the other, you have used your passion as a driving force in accomplishing your duties. Not only that, but said passion serves to inspire the people around you, in turn allowing them to do their best. When I look at what you’ve done for Auguste, and how much it’s changed in recent years, even in spite of the troubles you have all faced, I can’t help but wonder if I could have done the same for Albion had things been different…”

 

“Wow…” Mari’s taken aback by the kind words. “Thanks, but I’m not sure I deserve that much praise. I was kinda pressured into my job as well, you know, and it’s like I said earlier, I’m just doing what anyone else would.”

 

“Mari, as someone who has overseen the training of countless knights over the years, I can assure you that most people do not have the drive to accomplish as much as you have, at least not without something to keep them motivated. I have been here for less than a day and I can already tell you that you’ve gone far beyond what would have been expected of you as chairman.” Vira says.

 

“I guess you have a point, but like, I do have something keeping me motivated.” Mari stares out towards the ocean. “Auguste’s an important place for a lot of people, but especially for Meg, and for me as well. I’d do almost anything to make sure these isles keep being a place where people feel welcome…”

 

Vira sits on that for a few moments before quietly laughing. “Heh…”

 

“Sorry, I guess that sounded a little weird, huh?” Mari says sheepishly.

 

“Not at all. I just recall Meg saying something to a similar effect earlier in the day.” Vira smiles at Mari. “The two of you really are a good fit for each other.”

 

Mari grins back. “We really are, aren’t we? I don’t know where I’d be without Meg.”

 

“Actually I do have a question or two about her while we’re on the topic, if you don’t mind.”

 

“What’s up?” Mari asks curiously, and Vira turns to look at Meg, who’s now jogging laps out in the sand.

 

“She clearly possesses some form of superhuman strength, what I saw back in the cave is far beyond what any normal skydweller could accomplish. Is it safe to assume that those… shark particles… you mentioned earlier have something to do with that?”

 

Mari puts a hand to her chin as she thinks for a moment. “...Probably, yeah. I can’t think of anything else that would explain it.”

 

Vira nods. “Right, which has me curious about this workout routine she’s following. Don’t get me wrong, striving to improve oneself is an admirable goal, but these exercises don’t seem particularly well suited for someone capable of the feats she’s accomplished. Is there much of a point to her sticking with such a routine? It couldn’t possibly come even close to pushing her limits.”

 

Mari leans back on the bench. “Yeah, I guess you might have a point there. All I can tell you for sure is that she wasn’t that strong until she started training a few years back. She didn’t stand out at all growing up.”

 

“I see…” Vira says. “Perhaps the particles serve to enhance the strength she gains from these workouts? If that were the case then they might have some merit after all…”

 

“You certainly seem interested in getting to the bottom of this mystery.” Mari points out.

 

“Honestly, I’m surprised you’re not.” Vira says back. “Do you really have no interest in learning more about her condition?”

 

“Well, if Meg wanted answers about what her whole deal is, I’d do whatever I can to help, but it’s not something I’m too concerned about myself. I mean, no matter what’s going on with all that shark stuff, she’s still Meg either way, right?” There’s a light in Mari’s eyes as she stares at Meg once more, who has now moved on to practice swings with her hunting knife. “All that really matters to me is that she’s okay with it.”

 

Vira starts to lean back herself. “...I suppose I can respect that viewpoint.”

 

“I guess I get where you’re coming from as well.” Mari says. “You’re the type that wants to get as many answers as you can when something strange happens, huh?”

 

“You could say that. Between Katalina and I, we have quite a bit of experience with irregular biology. Both in terms of what we were born with, and things that affected us later in life.” Vira glances in the direction of Luminiera, who looks back in confusion, being too far away to hear the conversation. This distracts her for long enough that Ursula catches up to one of the bits, causing the primal beast to shudder as she chomps down on it. “I find it ideal to have a proper grasp of what’s going on in such situations, in case it leads to complications down the line.”

 

“There is another matter I wanted to ask about as well.” Vira says as she looks back at Mari. “For all the strength she possesses, Meg has yet to learn how to properly wield it, yes? I got the impression earlier today that she was worried about breaking the door to that building with her touch.”

 

“Yeah, that’s still an issue.” Mari answers. “I suppose it makes sense though, she got real strong real fast. I don’t think she ever got a proper chance to adjust to it.”

 

“That is a likely factor, yes. But more importantly, has it not caused you any issues?” Vira says, looking surprisingly concerned.

 

“I mean, not really?” Mari says, not sure where this line of conversation is headed. “I had to make sure the furniture in my apartment was strong enough to handle her, but besides that everything’s fine, why?”

 

“It’s just… I have a hard time believing she hasn’t accidentally harmed you at some point, especially when it comes to more… you know… intimate situations?” Vira practically whispers that last part.

 

“Ohhhhhhhhhh…” Mari’s eyes widen as she realises what Vira means. “Well we haven’t actually done any of that sort of stuff yet, so I guess you don’t really need to worry about that right now, but I always kinda assumed that I’ll be the one who’ll, like, take the lead there, if you know what I mean.”

 

“Ah, I see.” Vira nods. “If you do not mind me asking, is there a particular reason the two of you have yet to try anything of the sort? It certainly seems like you’ve been together long enough. Has Meg not expressed any interest, perhaps?”

 

“Oh, I don’t think she’s not interested or anything, I think this is kinda just the way she is, and I’m not gonna push her into something she’s uncomfortable with. At this point I’m pretty sure she’s just waiting until we’re married. She can be very traditional about certain things, you know? She hasn’t even asked about kissing yet.”

 

Vira raises an eyebrow. “And you’re okay with that?”

 

“Yeah. I mean it’s actually a really romantic concept when you think about it, right? Saving your first time together for the most important day of your lives… Ahhhhh…” Mari sighs. “Why are you so concerned about it, though?”

 

“To be honest, it has to do with how you were acting earlier.” Vira explains. “I do not mean any offence by this, but I meant it when I saw some of myself in your earlier actions. I was in a very dark place when I joined the crew, and while Lady Katalina and the others helped me move forward and grow as a person, I said and did a lot of things I wasn’t proud of because I was terrified that she would slip away from me if I did not.”

 

Vira looks upwards with a melancholic expression. “I’m worried I may have seen some of that same desperation from you today, and if that is the case then it’s the least I can do to help you find a path forward, just as the crew did for me.”

 

“Sorry… I guess I never realised you had it so rough.” Mari says after taking a moment to think on Vira’s words. “You really don’t have to worry about me though. Yeah, it’d be nice if I could see Meg more often instead of waiting months for her to visit, and I’d love to do some of that more full on stuff with her as well, but I’m not dealing with any of this heavy stuff you’re worried about. I know I can be pretty defensive when it comes to people hanging out with Meg, but that’s just because I feel like I need to look out for her.”

 

“Would you like to talk about it? Even if the situation isn’t as bad as I first thought, I’m still willing to lend an ear.” Vira says.

 

“Thanks.” Mari says. “It’s not like I don’t trust Meg, but while she’s always on the ball when it comes to watching out for monsters, she can be pretty oblivious when it comes to other stuff. She’s gotten scammed a couple times before, and even if it worked out in the end I can’t help but worry that more people will try to take advantage of her.”

 

Vira nods. “That’s understandable. It’s only natural to want to protect your partner, and cover their weak points.”

 

“That’s not all though.” Mari continues. “She’s doing way better these days, but there were a few years there where it really wasn’t looking good for her. Honestly, I’m glad she was able to figure out the kind of person she wanted to be when she did, I’m not sure she would have lasted another summer with the way things were going.”

 

“Finding the right path for yourself can be quite challenging indeed.” Vira says. “I’m sure she must have appreciated you being there for her during that tough period, though.”

 

“Yeah, that’s… kinda the thing…” Mari starts to look a bit guilty. “We’ve known each other since we were kids, but we were never that close until after all that stuff happened. I was around when she was struggling, but I never did all that much to help. Heck, she’s never really talked about it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I was only making things harder for her back then...”

 

She takes a deep breath, and the guilt in her eyes is replaced with resolve. “But that’s why I’m working so hard these days. We’ve been working a lot on her self confidence recently, but she’s still the kind of person to get really anxious if you leave her to herself for too long. That whole thing with the ‘death flags’ during the zombie situation a while back didn’t help either, but I wouldn’t even know where to begin explaining that. So yeah, even if Meg can handle all the physical stuff, I want to do my part and take care of everything else so that there’s not as much for her to worry about. Even with everything she’s been through, she’s still saved my life, and the whole of Auguste, several times over, so this is just my way of paying her back for that. If I want to spend my future with her, I need to prove that I’ve earned it.”

 

“Well, for what it’s worth, you’ve done an excellent job on that front.” Vira smiles. “And while I think the both of you could stand to employ a bit more restraint at times, you complement each other quite well in your efforts to keep Auguste at its best, and it’s plain to see how much Meg appreciates your support.”

 

“Of course she does, no one’s better suited to help her out than I am!” Mari says confidently. “No one gets her like I do! I know how she likes to spend her time, I know she doesn’t like to cause trouble for people, and how her eyes dart to the sides if she’s trying to hide something, I know how to help when she’s anxious, I know all of her favourite meals, and I’ve spent who knows how long perfecting those recipes so I can make them just the way she likes!”

 

“So even culinary skills are in your repertoire?” Vira asks. “That’s quite impressive indeed.”

 

“Yeah, well let’s just say that ‘operation housewife’ has had its fair share of side effects too, haha...” Mari laughs as she pats her round belly. “It took a lot of practice to get to that point, and I wasn’t going to just waste all of that food. After a while it kinda just became a habit to eat larger meals, and the extra weight started to come with that.”

 

“That’s certainly some dedication, to allow yourself to go through such a change for the sake of better serving the person you love.” Vira says. “If it helps at all, I think you wear it quite well.”

 

Mari nods eagerly. “I really do, don’t I? I’m absolutely rocking the housewife look, plus it turns out I really like cooking, so it’s pretty much a win-win situation.” She then leans in and starts whispering. “Plus, between you and me, Meg’s totally into it.”

 

Vira claps her hands together. “Oh, how wonderful! She expressed her approval of your body?”

 

“Oh, she doesn’t need to, I can just tell.” Mari grins. “You saw how bashful she was getting around me earlier? That’s, like, brand new! She only started acting like that the last few times she’s visited, which is when I started putting on weight in the first place. Ah, at this rate it won’t be long before she pops the question!” She practically squeals that last part out before sitting up properly again. “Plus, she’s strong enough that she can easily carry me no matter how big I get!”

 

“Ah, to be carried in the arms of the one you love…” Vira says blissfully. “I must admit, a partner who is strong enough to do such a thing whenever they please must be quite something.”

 

Mari raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Oh? Sounds like someone might be a little bit jealous of how buff my girlfriend is.”

 

Vira playfully scoffs, and puts a hand on her chest in mock offence. “Hardly, Lady Katalina has already reached the peak of beauty, and she possesses enough grace and skill to not need to rely on brute strength.”

 

“Tell me more.” Mari says. “I feel like we’ve mostly been talking about Meg and I so far.”

 

“Simply put, she’s as close to perfection as one could get.” Vira starts. “She sets the very example of the perfect knight, and even now I continue to train so that I may one day reach the same level as her, become a protector of the weak like she is. I’ve still got a ways to go, but in the time since we’ve been together again I feel like she’s helped me get closer to that ideal than I ever have before. We may have caused each other no small amount of anguish in the past, but there’s no end to the list of things I love about her.” 

 

Vira looks to the skies, reliving various memories involving Katalina. “Her confidence, her smile, the way her hair sways in the wind, how safe she makes me feel, the way she speaks differently to me compared to the other members of the crew, how her hands feel in mine, the eyes I can get lost in forever, how she smells when we wake up in the same bed, the… the way her sweat drips down her back after a training session…” Vira’s hands have found themselves on her face, and her expression has shifted to something a fair bit more intense than Mari has seen from the woman. “The places where her skin is the smoothest, h-how her bare thighs feel against mine… Ahahah! The face she makes when I use my fingers to-”

 

“Okay! Okay!” Mari interrupts with a chuckle. “I get it, girl!”

 

Vira looks at Mari in shock as she realises what she was saying, and clears her throat. “Y-Yes… My apologies, I don’t know what came over me there.” She says with a blush.

 

“Don’t worry, I think I get the feeling.” Mari says. “I never thought I’d meet someone as devoted to their girl as I am though.”

 

“I must admit, I shared a similar sentiment.” Vira smiles.

 

“So, what are your plans for the future with this Katalina lady?” Mari asks.

 

“Future, whatever do you mean?” Vira looks somewhat surprised to be getting a question like that out of nowhere.

 

“Yeah, like your crew’s on some big quest to find Estalucia or whatever it’s called, right?” Mari says. “What do you two want to do after that?” 

 

Vira looks down contemplatively. “I… hadn’t given it much thought. Honesty, just being with Katalina again, and to be her lover no less, already feels so much like a dream… I never had much cause to consider what lies beyond that.”

 

“Well, maybe now’s a good time to start. Is there anything at all you’d want to do once your quest is over?”

 

Vira sits in silence for a few moments, deep in thought, before looking upwards once more and smiling softly. “I would have to consult Katalina first, of course, but if she would be willing to join me, I don’t think I would mind returning to Albion and taking up the mantle of lord commander once more, under better circumstances. I could see myself spending the rest of my days there, with my dearest Katalina by my side.”

 

Mari claps her hands together. “See, that’s something! It’s a totally romantic idea too, going back to where it all started.”

 

“Is it safe to assume you have a plan for your future, Mari? It would seem that you’re already thinking about marriage at the very least, especially considering that ring I’ve seen you wearing.”

 

Mari holds out her ring-bearing hand with a wide grin. “This? Well technically it’s not an actual engagement ring, but yeah, we’re pretty much, like, most of the way to that point, hehe. Either way though, I’ve got wayyyyy more planned out than just the wedding, take a look at this!” She pulls a notepad out of her pocket and holds it out triumphantly.

 

Vira looks at it with curiosity. “Oh, a diary? I keep one myself, although my entries tend to focus on the present rather than the future.”

 

“This isn’t a diary, these are the floor plans for our future family home!” Mari excitedly explains.

 

Vira raises an eyebrow. “Family home, you say?”

 

Mari shrugs. “Hey, a family can be two girls and a shark, can’t it?”

 

Vira nods in understanding. “I suppose it can be, but surely you don’t need an entire notepad for the floorplan of just a single home.”

 

“It’s all about iteration, Vira! I’ve been working with architects, builders, and interior decorators for over a year now to get the design to this point! It’s not quite there yet, of course, but each new page gets it a bit closer to the perfect home for Meg and I. Ahhhh…” Mari sighs, hugging the book.

 

“I see… And the two of you can afford to have a house custom built?” Vira asks.

 

Mari leans in again. “Don’t tell Meg, but what do you think all the extra jobs I’ve been taking on are for?” She whispers.

 

“...That’s actually quite devious of you.” Vira says as everything starts clicking into place. “Real estate isn’t a particular concern of mine at the moment, but perhaps I could start taking on some extra missions in secret to afford something nice for Katalina…”

 

“See? I knew you’d get it! Now come on, let me give you the grand tour.” Mari flips the notebook open to the set of pages where the most recent designs are located, and eagerly starts explaining every room down to the most minute detail at a pace that Vira struggles to keep up with.

 

“Mari, I can’t help but notice that many aspects of your design are somewhat more… compact than I expected.” Vira points out. “I would assume you’d want something more spacious if you’re going through the effort of designing the house yourself.”

 

“But that would miss the entire point!” Mari retorts. “If the hallways were wide enough for us to easily pass each other, we wouldn’t brush against each other when we walk past! Anyway, next up is the bathroom…” She returns to her in-depth explanation of why she chose the colours for the walls in each room, throwing out details at a blistering pace.

 

Is… Is this how others feel when I talk about Katalina? She thinks.

 

“So, what do you think?” Mari eventually asks after detailing why there’s a window connecting the kitchen and the living room, marking the end of the mock house tour.

 

“I think…” Vira struggles to find the appropriate words at first, but manages a polite smile and continues. “I think your plans are very… meticulous…”

 

“Thanks, but there are still some pretty big gaps in my long term plan. Been trying to sort out the burial plot for months but none of them feel right, you know?” Mari complains.

 

“B-Burial plots, you say…” Vira stammers out. “I can’t say I’m particularly well versed in that area…”

 

“That’s fair I guess, I just want to make sure everything is completely perfect for Meg and I.” Mari says.

 

“Hey guys! We got a problem!” Vyrn calls out as he flies over.

 

“Hm? What is it?” Vira asks.

 

“Well, the three of us were digging for treasure, and we mayyyyyyy have dug a little too deep...” Vyrn says.

 

Vira puts a hand to her head. “How deep?” She asks flatly.

 

Vyrn slumps over in the air with a guilty expression. “The others can’t climb out…”

 

“Wait, Lyria can, like, summon primal beasts or whatever she does, can’t she use them to escape?” Mari asks.

 

“How do you think we dug a hole that deep in the first place? We don’t wanna make even more of a mess.” Vyrn explains.

 

Vira sighs. “I suppose Luminiera and I will have to assist. I’ll be right over, Vyrn. Tell them I’m on my way.”

 

“Thanks, Vira!” The dragon says before flying off.

 

“I apologise for cutting our time short, but it would seem I’m needed elsewhere.” Vira says as she gets up from the bench. “I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

 

“Yeah. It’s kinda weird, but after everything that’s happened today I’m actually starting to look forward to hanging out with you all.” Mari says.

 

“Indeed, I think you’ll find that being able to rely on more than just Meg has its benefits. For instance, if you do find yourself wanting some for just the two of you, I’m sure I’ll be able to keep the rest of the crew occupied on your behalf.” Vira smiles as she motions in Meg’s direction, who is now doing squats as the sun continues to set.

 

Mari’s eyes go wide. “Ohhhhhhhh! Like a teamwork thing! How didn’t I think of it earlier? I needed a woman on the inside this whole time!”

 

Vira giggles. “I’m glad you’re starting to see the appeal. Now, I must be off. To me, Luminiera, there’s a matter we must take care of.”

 

The primal beast heeds her call, and flies directly into her, hiding inside her body once more.

 

“Shark, Sharrrk!” Ursula bids Luminiera goodbye before turning around and diving into the ocean.

 

“Is your shark friend okay?” Vira asks.

 

“Yeah, she’s probably just hungry.” Mari explains. “She’ll come find us once she’s gotten something to eat.”

 

“Ah, of course. Well, I shall see you tomorrow.” Vira waves as she walks off.

 

“Yeah, see ya!” Mari calls out as she waves back before hearing a familiar voice from the direction of the ocean.

 

“Hey, Mari!” Meg jogs up to her.

 

“Meg! How was the workout?” She asks.

 

“It was great!” Meg says as she starts adjusting her ponytail. “Been a while since I’ve been able to train in the sand, I worked up a good sweat down there!”

 

“A… good sweat…” Mari says as she catches sight of a droplet rolling down her partner’s forearm and bicep, the gears in her head suddenly turning much more slowly than usual.

 

“Hey, Mari? Is everything okay?” Meg asks with a look of concern.

 

Mari snaps out of her trance. “Huh? Oh yeah, I’m fine! I was just thinking about something Vira said before, she might have been onto something there…”

 

“Really? What did she say?”

 

“Oh, nothing important. How about we get you back to my place so I can grab a towel and help you dry off?” Mari grabs Meg’s hand and starts leading her along.

 

“I-I mean… I can do that myself, you know…” Meg stammers as she follows behind.

 

“Yeah, but it’ll be even faster if I help, right?” Mari says with a grin.

 

“Y-Yeah…! I g-guess it will…!”

 

The two of them walk down the boulevard in the direction of Mari’s apartment, marking the end of the first day of their holiday. Mari smiles as she watches the sunset on her right, but Meg seems unusually focused on Mari’s hand as it holds on to her own.

 

She’s still wearing the ring I gave her last time…

 

---

 

Meanwhile, further down the beach, a small group of onlookers has gathered around a hole that suddenly appeared in the sand.

 

“On three, Vryn. One, two, three!”

 

Vira manages to pull Djeeta out of the hole, with a small amount of help from Vyrn, while Luminiera uses ribbons of light attached to her bits to create a net with which to airlift Lyria out.

 

“Thanks for that Vira, hahaha…” Djeeta says awkwardly as she scratches her head.

 

“I have no issue with the three of you searching for this treasure of yours, but not if you’re going to ruin a beautiful beach such as this.” Vira berates the trio. “Now, you’re all going to have to fill this hole back in, what if someone was to take a walk on the beach at night and fall in?”

 

“What? But that’ll take us hours!” Vyrn complains.

 

“I don’t want to hear it, you quite literally dug yourselves into this hole, and it is your responsibility to fix it.” Vira crosses her arms as Luminiera fetches the shovels that were still in the hole and drops them in front of the group before returning to her master.

 

“Hey, you three are Mari’s friends, right?” A human man asks as he steps out from the crowd.

 

“We’re some of her guests for the week, yes.” Vira answers.

 

“Well, I’m the head of an excavation group that helps out with the restoration efforts, and I’d be happy to get some of the guys down here to take care of this.”

 

“Wow, are you sure?” Lyria asks.

 

“Yeah, we owe Mari a few favours for everything she’s done for us, so this is the least we could do to pay her back.” He explains. “You can all go ahead and enjoy your vacation!”

 

“Well, if you’re certain it wouldn’t be a problem, I’m happy to let your team take care of this. Thank you kindly for the offer.” Vira curtsies before the man.

 

“Hey, you should be thanking Mari! This place wouldn’t be half of what it is without her!” He says jovially.

 

“We will, thank you!” Djeeta says as the group sets out towards the hotel they’re staying at.

 

As the sun sets, the buildings, signs, and even some of the trees around them begin to light up in a myriad of colours thanks to the illuminations that had been installed on the boulevard, and the crew can barely believe the sight before them. Even Luminiera comes out to see the spectacle for herself.

 

“Wow…” Is all Djeeta can manage.

 

“Yeah! I didn’t think the boulevard could get any prettier!” Lyria says with wide eyes.

 

“It truly is beautiful… I will have to make sure Katalina gets to see this one day.” Vira declares as she considers all of the hard work that must have gone into this new nightlife district.

 

Auguste really does owe a whole lot to those two, doesn’t it? She thinks. She’s more than ready to retire for the day, but she has a lot to look forward to over the rest of the week.

 

---

 

Elsewhere, out in the seas of Auguste as the last rays of sunlight begin to fade for the day, a lone shark prowls about in search of her next meal.

 

“Sharrrrrrk.”

 

Ursula hungrily groans as she looks for her prey. There’s plenty of small fry around, but she’s a growing shark, and she needs bigger fish to satisfy her needs. That’s when something catches her eye, something that would normally be of no interest to her, but for some reason she feels a strange need to investigate. There’s something shiny poking out of the sand, and Ursula swam through the perfect spot at the perfect time of day to catch the light from the setting sun shine off of it, bringing the item to her attention.

 

“Sharrrk?”

 

Ursula swims over with curiosity, and uses her nose to unearth the object. Luckily for her there’s not much more to the object beneath the sand, and it takes little effort to dig it out of its resting place, at which point the small, sharp, shiny object starts to gently float about in the water. Ursula has no frame of reference for what it could be, but there’s something about the object that causes her to be oddly drawn to it. Maybe it’s the way that it almost seems to glow as if filled with a light beyond the shark’s comprehension, or how it seems to shine a different colour depending on the angle the receding rays of sunlight hit it, but she finds herself unable to focus on anything other than the shiny object.

 

“Sharrrk…”

 

Ursula starts floating closer and closer to the shiny object, until without even thinking about what she’s doing, she snaps forward, swallowing it whole.

 

“Sharrrrrrrrrk… Shark!?”

 

She continues to stare off into the open waters for several moments before suddenly snapping out of whatever trance she was in, and swimming off in search of her dinner, as if the whole thing never happened…

 

---

 

Later on, deep into the night, Meg lies awake in Mari’s bed. Mari’s arms are wrapped around Meg’s torso, and her head is nestled into the side of her chest, rubbing against Meg’s tank top, while Ursula lies across both of their legs at the end of the bed, deep in sleep. This sleeping arrangement is one that the three of them are all very familiar with, it’s how the three of them have always slept whenever Meg and Ursula are in town, even if it’s become a tighter fit as Mari started to take up more space on her own.

 

Mari fell asleep almost immediately after the two of them got into bed together. Meg, however, finds herself having a lot of trouble getting to sleep this time around. Her brain won’t let her rest as she’s wracked with anxiety. She tries putting her arm around Mari’s body for comfort, but quickly pulls it away again as it only serves to heighten the emotions that are keeping her up. Eventually, she manages to doze off, but a single thought remains in her mind as her consciousness starts to fade.

 

I’m such a coward… I wish I was brave enough to ask her…