Children and other visitors had begun to gather, pointing excitedly at the unprecedented congregation of marine life. Parents lifted their kids onto their shoulders for a better view.

A teenager started livestreaming, her light brain capturing the hundreds of fish that had abandoned their normal swimming patterns to cluster around one specific section of the tunnel.

"They really like this spot," a man commented to his partner.

"Must be feeding time," the partner replied.

If only they knew.

Grayson glanced down at Neville, a question in his silver eyes. "They seem... to like you."

Neville didn’t know what expression he had when he turned his eyes towards Grayson.

He just thought, like me? I don’t think so.

’—his companion is looking at him!’

’Such tender gazes!’

’This is just like the dramas the maintenance worker watches during her breaks!’

’Take me when you watch her next time!’

’But, they moved that weird screen somewhere.’

’Aww...’

’It’s always moving.’

’BOOO!’

The others who were not distracted continued chattering nonsense. Neville felt Grayson squeeze his hand gently, drawing his attention.

’I hope they kiss.’

’I’ve always wanted to see two-legs kiss up close.’

’—yeah, two-legs always hide in the corner.’

’It was really hard to see.’

’THEY’RE GOING TO KISS.’

’Shut up, Ged!’

’You’ll jinx it!’

Grayson was actually leaning closer, his lips nearly brushing Neville’s ear as he spoke over the murmur of the crowd.

"Do you like those fish?"

The question was so mundane, so utterly normal, that Neville almost laughed. Here he was, being treated to a running commentary of his love life by several hundred aquatic creatures, and Grayson was asking if he liked fish.

’I heard it!’

’CLEAR AS WATER!’

’SAY YES!’

’SAY YES!’

’Tell him you love us!’

’We’re very lovable!’

’We’re the MOST lovable!’

’More lovable than those ridiculous land-dwellers called ’puppies’ that the two-legs keep obsessing over!’

>>I don’t know about that. But how can you even compare land pets to water pets?

"Y-yes," Neville managed, his voice slightly stuttering as he felt Grayson’s warm breath touch his neck. "I... I like fish."

I’d like to eat one now to stop them from chattering nonsense.

Grayson smiled with satisfaction.

Blushing, Neville wondered, Why was he smiling like that?

’HE LIKES US!’

’THE DEEP ONE LIKES US!’

’THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!’

’Ged, you’re only three years old.’

’You’ve been alive for maybe two hundred days.’

’You can count?’

’What’s counting?’

’How do you count days?’

’Oh my fish!’

’What day is it?’

’The BEST DAY EVER!’

’THIS IS THE BEST!’

Neville turned his gaze back to the glass, partly to hide his burning face and partly to try to miraculously send a telepathic message to these fishes of, please stop, to his aquatic audience.

But they did not stop.

’Look at how red his face is!’

’That’s red? Or cooked shrimp?’

’What’s wrong with us shrimps?!’

’Nothing, bro.’

’That’s a mating signal, right?’

’I think so.’

’I think that’s a mating signal.’

’The alpha should kiss him now. That’s what happens in all the stories.’

’What are stories?’

’You’re a FISH. What stories do you know?’

’Those two legs brought stuff and read me some stories.’

’Is that so?’

’I’ll show you next time.’

’The maintenance lady leaves her light brain on sometimes.’

’Fish care, they say~.’

’I’ve learned MANY things about two-legged courtship rituals.’

’Is that why you keep trying to present shiny objects to that Fumi?’

’IT’S ROMANTIC, OKAY?’

’She’s really a beautiful fish~.’

’Stop dreaming, she’s mine!’

’Whatever, as long as I get a mate.’

Neville had never in his life wanted to drown himself in an aquarium tank and turn these chattering bastards into sushi, but there was a first time for everything.

Then a particular cluster of bold orange fish pressed their faces directly against the barrier at Neville’s eye level.

’Deep one.’

’Hello, Deep one.’

’Our grandmother told us stories about your kind.’

>> My kind? Were there other mermaids in this world?

’Yeah, yeah’

’She said you can sing songs that made the currents dance, and the stars cry.’

’Can you sing for us?’

>>Sing? Can I sing? Sorry, kids, I’m tone-deaf. If I actually sing, the current will dance in rage and send a typhoon. The stars would cry, shed a part of themselves, and throw a huge meteor enough to destroy a part of Xylos.

Unable to speak freely, Neville just looked at the fish and gave a wry smile, hoping they would understand.

The fish seemed to understand even though no words were said. Then their tiny fins fluttered in what might have been a bow.

’We see you, deep one.’

’We understand.’

’Have a good day, deep one.’

Then, without warning, every single fish in the vicinity scattered frantically.

One moment, hundreds of curious creatures pressed against the glass.

The next, nothing but churning water and the distant silhouettes of marine life fleeing for the deepest corners of their enclosures.

But as they went away, they were shouting.

’DANGER.’

’DEEP ONE!’

’RUN!!’

’OH NO!’

’HURRY!!!’

’GET AWAY!’

’FASTER!!’

’DANGER—’

Neville heard their warning and was confused at first. But then for these creatures to run for their life, there must be something terribly wrong—

"What—"

When he turned, it was all too late.

○●○●

Grayson was the first to notice

A cleaning robot was originally mopping around normally. Until it reached near the tunnel’s midpoint, it had stopped mopping.

Its circular body sat motionless on the damp floor, but the "caution: wet floor" warning that had been playing on loop was stuttering now.

Then its voice broke apart into fragments of garbled sound.

[C-c-caution: wet-we-wet-wet fl-fl-floor—]

Grayson’s silver eyes narrowed. His hand tightened around Neville’s.

"Move back," he said quietly.

"What—"

"Now!"

But it was too late.

Grayson could see the small sparks erupt from the gaps in the robot’s casing—a circuit failure.

The stuttering audio suddenly cut off its sound completely and was replaced by a high-pitched whine that climbed rapidly in frequency.

Power core overload.