S.O.S: An Unexpected Cry For Help

When the message in the bottle was delivered to us, I jumped at the chance to go on the rescue mission. Donning my white and blue uniform, I quickly scrawled 'Aquaria' across the entire sign-up sheet to accept the task. There may have been some minor complaints that I didn't leave any room for anyone else to sign up. However, I'm a fish necrobie and who else would be best suited for an island rescue than a fish? Nobody, that's who.

Although I was so gung-hō to take on the mission, I wasn't totally sure where to start canvassing for the search. I was sitting at my desk, tapping my fin on it, as I saw the solution to my dilemma walk past in white and yellow. It was such an obvious solution too. I needed information and there was an entire division of smart, well-informed necrobies just around the corner. Why did I not think of asking a Mind division member sooner?

Racing to the Mind division, I was shocked to see only a single necrobie working away. Perhaps the rest were out on various missions. As much as I didn't want to disturb this bie before me, I really did need help. "Excuse me," I tentatively called out to garner their attention. They didn't seem to hear me so I repeated myself a little louder until the bie sighed and looked up at me.

"May I assist you with something? Or may I continue with my own work?" Her polite tone but sharp words almost made my confidence drop. I couldn't decipher if she wanted me to leave or if she genuinely wanted to assist me. It was confusing and left me standing awkwardly where I was. "Come on hun, I don't believe we have all day. Do we," I was pulled from my trance with her words and stumbled forward.

"Sorry! I just need help sorting out where this came from," I spoke quickly as I held the message bottle up. "Would you be able to tell me anything about it? Like the sand type or water type or… or… uh," I trailed off as I watched the bie raise an eyebrow at me with a slight frown. Fidgeting under her gaze, I took a breath to calm myself, looked at the floor, and continued. "It's an S.O.S. message so I'm trying to figure out where to go for the rescue."

I felt small under her gaze. It was a strange feeling I had never felt before. I barely registered her standing up and walking towards me to take the bottle from my paws. "Hmm. Water is salty, definitely oceanic. Seems to contain a strange residue as well. The sand inside the bottle is quite clean and light, which does narrow down potential locations. However, the glass of the bottle itself is the most telling."

Snapping my head up, I watched as she examined the bottle and its contents. She was quite efficient and quick with her various tests but when she mentioned the glass, my curiosity got the best of me. "What do you mean by that? It looks like just a normal glass bottle to me." I moved closer to look at it before the bie threw it to the floor. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

The scream was out of my mouth before the bottle hit the ground. I recoiled, expecting the glass to shatter and fly in various directions. When I reopened my eyes, I was even more confused. The Mind division bie was looking at me with a look that read 'can you just relax and let me do my job', and the bottle was still intact without so much as a single crack on it. "Just as I thought. Whomever you are trying to find got this bottle from the Nefereels. They imbue magic into their glassware to keep them from breaking."

A smile grew on my face as I finally got a lead, the Nefereels. Though now I was left with a whole new problem. I wasn't sure what a Nefereel was or where to find them. The bie before me must have noticed me fidgeting again because she told me to go find a bie named Marble at the pier. Apparently, Marble was close with the Nefereels and would be able to help me further. "Thank you, Miss…" I trailed off as I realized I didn't know her name.

"Amarantha. Now I suppose you will be on your way." She smiled sweetly as she gracefully made her way to the door and opened it. "Have a wonderful mission and please, do not disturb me ever again." Again, the serenely sweet tone did not match the sharpness of her words. Such a strange necrobie, but I bowed my head and bid her a cheerful farewell as I started to make my way to the pier.


-   MEANWHILE (Unknown POV)   -
I sat on the sand, throwing small rocks into the ocean. The creature named Pin who sold me the bottle assured me it would find its way to help, but honestly, they seemed quite shady. I'm not sure how much I should trust them, especially since they downright refused to get me off this island. Sighing deeply, I glanced at the forest behind me. I've been stuck on this island ever since I accidentally took the wrong portal trying to get to Faezetia, the realm of the fae.

My long, pink-to-white hair billowed in the soft breeze and the smell of salt surrounded me. Shifting backward as a wave of the ocean crept near my feet, I clenched my fins. Of all places to get stranded, I ended up in my worst nightmare. A deserted island in the middle of a random ocean. I've been stuck here for 3 weeks if the tally marks I left in the sand further up the beach were accurate. 21 times I watched the sun go down over the horizon, and who knows how many more times I will watch the same scene.