Pieces of Sonder

Red octopus arms extended out from Freya’s vision. 

Mind connections to non-human spirits were always interesting to Freya. They allowed her to see a whole new world. The only downside was manually scanning through their memories for important information. Luckily this spirit seemed to understand what was happening and pushed memories towards them.

The first was a simple memory. Freya felt the octopus’ arms wrap around an oyster. The flexible arms seemed as if they were her own. Suctioning around the oyster shell, they pried the mollusk off a rock and opened it. 

Adjusting to the octopus’ hazy vision, a rocky outcropping came into view. Hundreds of oysters lined the ridge of rocks. As the octopus started eating the oyster meat, something hard clanged against its beak. It fit in a single suction cup. Lifting it to the eye, a pure white pearl shone.

Shifting memories, another octopus came into view. It looked very similar to the spirit octopus, except it was a bit bigger. An affectionate but shy feeling washed over Freya. An arm reached out to the other octopus to reveal the pearl.

Waiting nervously, the outstretched arm quivered. 

The large red octopus came closer and gently took the pearl. It held the shining orb close to its eye to examine it. After several minutes of consideration, the large octopus retreated to its cave. It put the pearl in a high crevice on its cave wall.

The next few weeks of memories flashed by. Freya felt the approach to the larger octopus’ cave become familiar. Through the kelp forest, cross the small patch of sand with the half-buried glass bottle, and up the rocky slope. The rocks around this patch of ocean floor seemed particularly beautiful. The water was serene, especially when the large octopus was home.  

Each time the octopus came to visit, it shyly checked for the pearl. The gift remained on the wall of the cave, proudly displayed.

One day when approaching the cave, the octopus noticed beaded strings hanging from the ceiling. White and slightly oblong, they swayed in the water. Gently touching them, the memory radiated amazement and honor. 

The large octopus stayed in the cave all the time now. There were many memories of watching the large octopus blow fresh water over the eggs. Now when visiting, Freya noticed the sensation of carrying a clam or crab. Tiredness pervaded the memories, but also a sense of satisfaction and bliss like no other.

While looking for food one day, the octopus entered a wood contraption Freya recognized as a crab trap. It had gotten itself into these kinds of traps before, but this time the trap was pulled up too quickly for it to escape. 

The world was suddenly heavy and bright. 

Something grabbed onto the octopus—a human. Freya saw the fisherman as a towering behemoth above her. With surprising gentleness, the fisherman pulled the octopus’ arms wrapped around his own and replaced them with a crab to hold onto. He threw the octopus back into the ocean. 

As the octopus sank with its crab, it reflected on the experience. That wood trap led to a bad feeling and intense light. But that strange above water creature gave it a crab and put it back in the ocean.

More days flashed past. The large octopus continued to care for their eggs.

The next memory was far clearer than the rest. It showed the familiar approach up to the cave. But something was not right. 

Uprooted kelp drifted past the octopus in the kelp forest. Fragments of glass covered the sand patch. Confused by these changes, the octopus headed up the rocky slope to the cave.

All the eggs were gone.

For a moment, happiness shone through. The octopus pictured tiny octopuses.

Then, tightness gripped the memory. The octopus looked inside the cave. Huddled in the back of the cave, the large octopus looked so small.

Above the octopus threads from the egg’s attachment hung on the ceiling, but nothing else. No leftover egg sacks. No tiny octopuses. 

Gone.

Memories flashed by of different parts of the seafloor. 

Rocky outcroppings. Sand. The wooden posts of the Pelophia pier. 

They had to be somewhere. Something took them.

The memories slowed again as the octopus revisited the cave. The large octopus still remained in the cave. Hunkered down at the back, the large octopus barely moved. The octopus spirit reached out to comfort its partner, but the large octopus recoiled under the touch. It curled up smaller and closed its eyes.

Retreating, the octopus looked again at the walls for any trace of an egg. Then the memory focused attention on the crevice that used to hold the pearl. It was gone as well. 

Images of predatory fish had already been in the octopus’ mind, but now the octopus scanned through the images in confusion. 

The eggs and the pearl did look similar, but whatever took the eggs had to be a big creature to swallow all the strings of eggs and not leave a mess. Plus, the pearl was far away from the eggs, and in a small crevice, a large fish would have trouble grabbing. 

Over the next few days, the octopus continued to mull over this matter. Images of various parts of the sea replayed again. However, the octopus emphasized one image to them. It was an outcropping of rocks that oysters favored in the past. But now it was completely barren.

Remnants of oyster shells lay everywhere. Not pried open like by the arms of an octopus or a crab, but as if smashed open by rocks. 

Freya felt the octopus put the pieces together in its head. This had to be related to the missing eggs.

A trail of shell bits led away from the scene, but they led above water. The octopus attempted to follow the trail out the water, but it had to turn back. Its eyes showed the bright area clearly. A distinct rocky outcropping rose far above the water. The trail of oysters led up to a dark cave.

The octopus stayed around the area, wanting to attempt it again. But exhaustion ate at its body. One of its arms was not moving correctly. Its last meal felt like a rock in its stomach. 

Still, the octopus had to know. 

It had to get to that cave. What if the one responsible for the missing eggs was in the cave?

The octopus crawled out of the ocean.

The above water heaviness was worse than before, crushing the octopus down.

Its skin stiffened. But it dragged itself forward. The dry rocks scraped its suction cups. 

The cave was still far away. 

Its arms could not reach forward.

An image of the large octopus came to its mind. 

Then darkness overcame.

...

After showing its story, the spirit of the octopus focused its memories once again on the cave. 

Freya understood. 

We will find out what happened, she thought to the octopus.

A feeling of relief but also trepidation emanated from the spirit.

Freya slowly withdrew all of them from the mind connection. Once she regained her own feeling of self, she immediately opened all the inn room windows. Bergue incense helped form mind connections, but it could also make one become too unconnected from their own body.

Infamous Biscuit rubbed his face and shook his arms out. 

“Feeling okay?” Freya asked.

“Yeah,” he patted the octopus on his shoulder, “We need to find that cave. I think I recognize the rocks around the cave. You can see them from the docks.”

Freya nodded, “Let’s go investigate. It will also be good to get out of this room.”

As they left the inn and returned the key, the innkeeper gave them a disapproving look. Freya didn’t bother to explain anything. 

They checked the view from the docks again, just be sure, then started to walk towards the rocky outcropping. By the time they reached their destination, the sun was beginning to set.

Standing close to the shoreline, Freya was sure this was the spot. It was a bit darker than in the octopus’ memory, but everything else added up—even the trail of oyster shells.

The walk up to the cave was much shorter than the memory made it out to be. 

Freya felt goosebumps along her arm as they approached the cave’s entrance. 

Ding!

Freya jumped. Did the game need to make these messages so loud?

[Queen of Kelp Dungeon]

[Story Dungeon] [Suggested Team Level: 25]

“Tch,” Infamous Biscuit groaned, “I’m only level 19. And this is a story dungeon.”

Freya peered around the sign in her vision, “This is a dungeon? Like from the game system?”

“Yep, I guess this octopus spirit was just part of a quest.”

Freya frowned. 

“You don’t have to help me anymore. I need to level up and find a team. Well, I mean, I was going to do that anyway, but in order to do this dungeon, I need to be at least level 25 and have a team with me. Thank you for everything.”

Seeing the uncertainty on Freya’s face, he added, “This is certainly a game thing now, not a shaman thing.”

Looking at the octopus on his shoulder, she nodded. She had done her part to help. This whole matter was outside her duties as the shaman of Safka anyway. Now she could forget about this odd game and go back to what she knew, what she was good at.

“I wish you the best of luck,” Freya said.

Infamous Biscuit shifted his hold on his staff, “If you change your mind, DM me.”

Freya dipped her head in acknowledgment and farewell. Summoning the game menu, she entered [Safka] into the fast-travel box and pressed enter.