Baby Pierre has been on the dark ocean floor so long he can almost see things.
Dim flashes and motes. Black waving sea grasses. Blood red corals.
The awkward net.
When will Ruby Sea Dragon return with her friends to watch him being rescued?
She already has.
Baby Pierre feels himself poked by snouts, stroked by anal fins, tickled with unfurled bony tail ends.
Hee hee, stop it, squeals Baby Pierre, kicking up sand swirls.
The friends of Ruby Sea Dragon won't stop it.
They hardly ever get visitors down there.
.........
Ageless lobster has not proceeded beyond the seventh black wave when he remembers that he has no directions.
He turns back to the shore.
No one. They've all gone back to the camp site.
Drat, says Ageless, turning back to the trackless deeps and remembering his motto: Nil Regretus.
He tracks his way along the soft bottom, using the skewers as sticks.
The powerful wave energy is against him.
Ahoy! says someone, close by.
Ahoy! says Ageless. Who is it? Show yourself, coward.
'Tis me, says a gigantic black lobster. And I am no coward.
Black Jack! says Ageless, recognising Black Jack Anderson, pirate of the Archipelago.
Ageless lobster! says Black Jack. What are ye doin' here?
Looking for my son, who fell overboard this afternoon, says Ageless. I don't suppose you know anything about it?
Nay, says Black Jack. What ship was he on?
The Georgette says Ageless.
I know not of it, says Black Jack Anderson. What have ye got there? Skewers?
Aye, says Ageless. I mean, yes, skewers, and I'm keeping them.
No you ain't, says Black Jack Anderson, making a grab for the skewers.
Rip! The red patty pan is in tatters.
You blackguard! says Ageless. That was to be my submersible.
I'll give ye submersible, says Black Jack Anderson, whose temper has not been improved by being reborn as a lobster (if that's how it happened).
Black Jack is about to grasp Ageless murderously when a uniformed lobster appears from behind a large sea sponge.
Hurrah! It's rear admiral Bruni d'Entrecasteaux, known to Ageless since they were both little.
Bugger off Black Jack, says rear admiral Bruni d'Entrecasteaux. Or I'll run you through with one of these skewers.
Black Jack disappears with a tail flick, before rear admiral Bruni can avail himself of a skewer.
Ageless lobster! cries rear admiral Bruni. What are you doing in these stormy waters this treacherous night?
Looking for my son, Baby Pierre, says Ageless. I don't suppose.....
Did he fall off the Georgette this afternoon, asks rear admiral Bruni.
He did, says Ageless. Have you seen him?
We have all seen him, says rear admiral Bruni.
Take me to him, says Ageless. Is it far?
Very far, says rear admiral Bruni. So let us start walking.
Walking. That's not very cool.
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