The Heart Of The Sea

By Abigail Ransegnola

Cressa Jones was terrified of the water. She always had been for as long as she could remember- it was vast and unknown and the more she thought about swimming the more she wanted to scream. It was terrible, awful, and honestly, Cressa couldn’t understand where the fear stemmed from in the first place. Was it seeing a frog get eaten in a pond when she was a child? Or the time at her local pool when she watched a lifeguard haul up a practically lifeless body from the deep end? She shook the memories out of her brain, it only made her more uneasy, and dwelling on it would simply get her nowhere. She knew she had to focus, which was hard considering she was surrounded by her greatest enemy. 

Her  hand was firmly pressed against the front wooden mast of her galleon. The smooth wood felt cool on her palm, helping to keep her mind in check amidst the stormy seas that dared to challenge those brave enough to face it… Except that wasn’t really her. In Cressa's humble opinion she was anything but extraordinary. Just some lucky kid who was dealt a good hand in life (whatever that meant). To her, Cressa thought she was fairly average if anything. Just from looking at her, you would have never guessed her impossible lineage. Cressa sighed, trying to blow some of the dark strands of hair that were plastered to her face by the thick salty air. She at least knew she was heading in the right direction, Cressa couldn’t explain it but she could feel it. Whatever abyss she had to dive into (swim into?) had to be somewhere close. She steadied herself, really trying to focus on the ocean and how it felt. She took a deep breath, listening to the crests of waves break against the hull, the seagulls probably screaming at her to turn back, and creaking of the galleon as it did its best to not fall apart. For a brief moment, Cressa had the stupid thought that this was going well so far. Aside from still trying to figure out just where the abyss was going to be below, and the obvious danger signs, everything seemed to be falling in all the right places. It wasn’t raining (which would suck), the sunset was breathtaking as it reflected against the water’s surface, and who knows maybe today was going to be Cressa's lucky day. Though, as she sailed into the vast unknown ahead of her, she couldn’t help but think she was forgetting something. Something very, very important. Like the kinds of things that you should probably never forget at all costs unless you want to die kind of important. 

That kind of important.  

When her ship jerked hard to the left, Cressa crashed into the side of the ship with a heavy thud. She gazed down at the dark, stormy waves as they laughed at the fear in her eyes. She gripped the port side as if her life depended on it, her knuckles turning an icy white color. A gasp left her lips and snapped her head in the direction of where the brutal force hit the galleon. The ship screamed out in wooden grunts and groans as it veered off course, and then was slammed to the right this time. Cressa toppled with the momentum, hitting the deck hard and making her curse under her breath. She could hear the wood crackling, screaming for its life, as parts of it crumbled away. 

Anticipating another strike, Cressa got on her hands and knees and didn’t dare move. She figured opting to stay closer to the deck would lead to less bodily bruises (which was always a plus in her opinion). Her dark eyes darted from left to right restlessly trying to find the culprit. Who dared to hurtle a giant ass snowball at her cabin of composure?! 

All at once, it became hauntingly quiet. Among the churning sea and echoed cries of seagulls fleeing, Cressa could have sworn she could feel the sea reverberate her ship, shaking it slightly with the faintest of hums. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She allowed herself to take a deep breath, and then another, as she possibly awaited her inevitable doom. Breaking the water’s surface was a large dorsal fin. It was spiny, sturdy, the fin shined like oil-slick in the last seconds of daylight. It slithered from the starboard side to the front of the ship like a snake playing with its meal before descending back into the depths. All at once, what Cressa was forgetting hit her like a sack of bricks: the Leviathan. 

She scrambled to her feet and made her way to the captain's quarters behind her. Her hands slammed the door open as she rushed in. The small room was covered in posters of maps and drawings of some odd, old lady with a gorgeous, mahogany desk sitting right in the middle back. The globe in the corner spun wildly and made a whirring noise that Cressa found to be a bit distracting. She stared at it hypnotized for a moment before another jerk of the ship launched her forward, snapping her brain away from the globe. Unlike last time, she managed to level herself out, catch her weight, and run toward the captain’s desk for her bow and arrows. Her hands fumbled with getting her quiver on when the Leviathan must have decided it was hungry and ripped the roof clean off. “You have to be shitting me!” Cressa watched as the Levithan revealed itself in all its glory, chomping down on wood from her ship in one easy bite. She couldn’t imagine the splinters that must have caused. 

The Leviathan was twice as large as she expected, probably the size of several football fields if she had to guess, and deep down she thought it was kinda cute. Sure the large, yellow glowering eyes were a bit concerning (and they really pissed her off for some reason) but its large serpent-like head was shaped a little funny (probably from knocking around her shitting boat so much). Its scales were a deep green color, though the rising moonlight made them shimmer like stars. The Leviathan made a guttural growl. Its pearly, white teeth showing themselves fully for the first time. Her eyes widened at just how many lines of those sharp suckers lined its large maw. 

Thoughts of dying to some oversized moray eel flooded her head now, making the fear clutch at her chest again. Cressa took a deep breath as she tried to think of everything she knew about Leviathans. Not only for her survival but as a way to distract herself from having a mental breakdown. She had tried to study beforehand, to be prepared, but that’s the funny thing about fear. Once it grasps on its iron grip, it is almost impossible to escape. 

All thoughts about this monster being kinda cute were smashed when it reared its big head and rushed downward at the ship. Cressa forced her body to move, grabbed her bow, and ran like hell. Out of the captain’s quarters she went as the Leviathan chomped away the back of her ship. Cressa heard the splintered crack echoing in her ears, but she didn’t stop running. Down the stairs, across the deck, Cressa didn’t stop until she was at the front of the ship. She pressed her hands onto the front mast, using everything in her to keep herself from falling into the water as her ship slowly began to Titanic its way to defeat. 

Panic rose in her chest again and the only thing she thought to do to calm herself down was something that was entirely in her control: name the stupid Leviathan that decided to have a vendetta against her galleon. She waited as that eerie silence rolled in again, the remains of the ship vibrating with that faint hum, as the beast resurfaced once more with wood in his teeth. He stared her down with distaste as if saying: “How dare you evade me morsel!”.

Cressa rolled her eyes, “LISTEN I WOULD LOOK AT ME THE SAME WAY, BUT IT STILL DOESN’T FEEL NICE WHEN YOU DO IT DAVE!” Dave did not like his name. 

Cressa didn’t even get a second before the ship cracked like thunder. Dave’s strong tail sent her and what remained of her ship flying high in the air. Sure, she had been thrown around before by all sorts of things, but this took the cake. Never had she ever been absolutely tossed into the sky like some ragdoll being played with by a psychopath. 

Well… There was always a first for everything! Her stomach churned and twisted and the only thought she had in her mind was, ‘Fuck you, Dave!’ She stopped for the briefest of moments before plummeting toward Dave and the ocean below. At first, Cressa didn’t know which was worse: getting eaten by Dave or swimming. But, in lieu of her task at hand, she supposed death by Dave shouldn't have been that high on her bucket list for the day. 

Her mind snapped on autopilot, dropping her shoulder slightly to twist and level herself in the air, her front facing her doom. The rush of cool wind in her face really put into perspective just how fucked she probably was. Dave, that bastard, was below her practically waiting for his next meal. She watched as his tongue flicked slightly, tasting the air of salt and sand. Cressa took a deep breath, imagining a river of water twisting and turning like a ribbon in the air. She thought about how it would arch over Dave and catch and bring her to safety on one of the floating pieces of her ship. Her stomach lurched again, but this time in a different way, a familiar way, and the ocean responded to her command. 

Cressa shivered once the water grabbed her out of the way of narrowly being eaten but she had to keep focus lest she lost her command. She skidded to a stop on a large floating piece, her teeth chattering slightly. The water dissipated around her and splashed back into the rest of itself. Cressa spread her stance, her little makeshift platform creaking slightly, trying to at least not topple into the water yet. She didn’t want to look like a complete idiot in front of Dave.

She clutched her bow tightly in her hand now, lifting it carefully and drawing an arrow.  Cressa kept her eyes on Dave (not like he was fucking hard to miss) and tracked him as he swayed slightly with the raging current. She wondered if an arrow would even hurt him, it was practically toothpick sized in comparison to him. The moment she let her arrow fly, Dave splashed back down in the water below. Cressa sighed with annoyance, getting another arrow notched in the meanwhile. 

“I’m too old for this hide-and-seek shit Dave.” 

It didn’t take long for her to find him again. His head popped up not too far from where she was. Cressa snapped her aim to her target, letting another arrow fly once more. She watched anxiously as it hit its mark and harmlessly bounced off those thick scales. Well shit. Dave roared in defiance of her actions and slammed his body back into the ocean. Cressa didn’t even have a second to try and retaliate against it before she was knocked into the water depths for her long-awaited swim. The moment she found herself garbling underwater, anxiety flooded her senses. Cressa screamed. And when Dave started swimming at her faster than a semi-truck with turbo jets, she screamed again. She tried to listen for something now, a voice, anything but all that came back was what she could only describe as radio static. “Dave please, I want to at least make it through sophomore year. I already paid my tuition!” 

This did not stop Dave. 

In fact, somehow, Cressa thought it only motivated him. 

Fuck. “Come on man, do me a solid here- IT WAS NON-REFUNDABLE!” As he got closer, Cressa tried to steady her bow again. But she forgot how unbalanced she felt under the water- wait, would arrows even work underwater? She felt like that defied the laws of physics, or something along those lines anyway.  

Fuck again. 

It felt as if she was moving in slow motion and she hated it. Cressa pressed her lips together as Dave closed the distance fully and snapped at her with those teeth with the wooden splinters. She did her best to push her hands outward, forcing the water to pull her being backwards. Her movements were slow, sloppy, shaking, but it worked nonetheless. 

Dave looked baffled at his miss, his growl vibrating the water, and he tried again. Cressa found out Dave was a smart little fucker. The moment he tried to bite at her this time, he whipped his body around, and slammed himself into her. She tried to brace for impact but she was too late. His slimy, disgusting body hit Cressa so hard that she thought she was going to puke, or pass out, or a little bit of both. Aches and pains blossomed all over her body as she tried to shake the disorientation away. The world was spinning, blurry, and Cressa could only imagine Dave laughing at her pain. 

She could just make out a blurry figure torpedoing at her (Dave, that bitch), its large maw opening to what was probably the best meal he had in months. Cressa knew if she didn’t think of something this was it for her. Her fingers twitched as she took a deep breath to try and get all the pressure in her chest out of her body. She closed her eyes for only a moment and stopped to try and really focus on how the water felt around her, something she never really figured to do. She tuned her senses into how it rushed around her. She felt how some of the streams that breezed by her were slightly warmer and slightly colder. Cressa imagined sensing the movements in the water. From the smallest of crabs to the largest of fish (and well, Dave), she tried to take note of it all in her head and in her heart. It almost reminded her of a weird waltz in a way, her and the water dancing and trying to come to some sort of truce. 

Maybe the water wasn’t as bad as she thought. 

Cressa concentrated on something larger moving. Something big and annoying. It took a little longer than she wanted, but she felt it. There were slight pulls and twists in the water that Cressa could pick up on. They kind of reminded her of curly cues in a way. When her dark eyes snapped open, she was face to face with her new archenemies teeth once again. She could practically see down his throat. 

She lied, it still sucked. Cressa pressed her hands out harshly, her fingers curled in claw-like gestures. She noticed she moved far quicker than before as she tried to embrace the water unlike previously. She felt her gut pull again and Dave stopped in his tracks. Cressa could make out his terrible, yellow eyes flicker with confusion as his mouth was held open like he was trying to eat a huge block. Cressa rushed her hands downward this time, imagining the water forcing her deeper. She knew better to just stay there like a dumbstruck idiot less she wanted to become Dave chow. She guessed she probably had only a minute before- Dave screamed at her and swam at her again; Cressa groaned. Amongst doing her best to dodge and weave Dave’s terrible eating habits, Cressa couldn’t help but notice the countless amount of fish passing by. Most were colorful and ornate, flashing slightly as the moonlight streamed down them. Some were in schools of hundreds while others seemed to be more of the lone wolf (lone fish?) type. She imagined it must have looked weird to them to see some girl fight this big thing but most just passed by aimlessly. She knew for a fact that if it was her she would be too interested in watching to simply pass by. She would be hypnotized to watch, like how that globe was in the captain’s quarters. ‘Wait, that’s it!’, Cressa thought as she narrowly avoided another one of Dave's snaps at her feet. She tried to focus her mind on the fish now, trying to call and beckon them to her. A few turned her way while others gave her the rudest looks known to fish. She pleaded: ‘I need your help!’ 

A few more fish stopped and looked at her, somewhat interested, but still not interested enough. 

Cressa rolled her eyes. 

‘I WILL HELP YOU WITH ALL YOUR FUCKING LIFE PROBLEMS, HELP NOW PLEASE!’ 

The fish scattered and surged to her aid, hundreds of them swimming around like maniacs going to war. She could hear their screams and battle cries, her favorite being: ‘I can’t wait to get a car!’. 

Ah, nothing a little incentive couldn’t fix. 

Cressa explained to them to scatter around Dave and distract him. To annoy him. To make him regret ever looking at her in such a distasteful way. 

It was like a violent, rainbow ribbon of destruction came to life before her very eyes. The fish twisted and turned, stopping Dave in his tracks as he tried to snap at them with anger. Their movements were quick and skittish, flickering Dave with a paparazzi of flashes and too many colors to handle. He roared in utter frustration at the wall of colors. She would too if she had all that nonsense happening to her- in all honesty she'd imagine she’d feel pretty nauseous. 

Did Dave get nauseous too?

 She didn’t stay to find out.

Finding this mysterious abyss proved to actually be a less difficult task than Cressa imagined. It was like before when she was on the galleon. She’d never be able to explain it, but if she called out to it hard enough it responded. It drew her in like sweet honey. In her opinion, it would have been the easiest part if it weren't for her having a small mental breakdown every five seconds the further she traveled within the sea. At least when she was fighting Dave she could focus on trying not to become a kid’s meal rather than the inescapable vastness around her. Here, out in the open on her own, Cressa felt so completely out of her element. Every so often, she would have to stop and remind herself: ‘Cressida Jones you’re not going to drown or be eaten like that stupid little frog.’

Cressa had to close her eyes for a moment, anxiety clasping at her being again, at the thought of being stuck down here forever. She knew it was impossible for her to drown, the water was a part of her in a way, but whenever she was drifting all she could imagine was her lungs’ screaming for air as she sunk further into the darkness. 

She hummed to herself now, trying to give herself some sort of soothing lullaby as she forced herself deeper and deeper, following the unique draw toward something ancient and powerful. 

Her humming got louder as she passed hundreds of different corals that had an iridescent glow in the night sea. She saw sharks that were on a mission maybe more deadlier than hers. There were countless different fish that swam past her, side-eying her and making her wanna sob at their judgeyness, and a few other creatures she couldn’t even name. The worst of the bunch was this one octopus who threatened to punch her if she stole his assets (Cressa didn’t bother to ask any further what he meant). In a way it almost reminded her of New York City. Everyone had their own business to deal with and didn’t bother to give you a second look unless you really pissed them off; the thought somehow gave her some form of comfort. In the distance she could see a large crack through the ocean’s bottom. It was jagged like a scar and made the ocean look somehow more menacing and deep; Cressa shivered. Every warning sensors in her body blared like a car alarm, begging her to stop and turn away; that must have been the abyss. She moved forward toward it, bobbing and weaving through the fish city as she went. Cressa didn’t think she would ever be saying excuse me to underwater creatures but it seemed like the polite thing to do- well, that, and some of the bigger creatures were just a little frightening. 

The closer she got to the abyss, the busier it was. She felt like Dave as she got a little distracted by the colorful reefside and creatures swimming about wildly. But, among the madness of the nightlife ocean, there was one individual that Cressa came across that really caught her eye: the biggest Atlantic bluefin tuna she had ever seen. Growing up by the ocean, she had seen countless catches by fishermen who returned from the harbor, but this guy would put every single one of their prized catches to shame. The tuna had a grumpy looking face, its distinct silvery body standing out in the darkness. Cressa couldn’t put her finger on it, he seemed distressed about something but he was too anxious to get a read on him. His thoughts were swimming at a million miles an hour and Cressa was unable to pick out a single one of them. She found herself frowning a little, her eyebrows furrowing with some concern. 

Cressa should have swam away from the thing, let it deal with his own issues. It didn’t matter if this thing was spiraling, right? She didn’t have to help, all she had to do was stay focused on her task. And, at first, that’s what she did, the abyss only a minute or two away now. But deep down, she knew she was doing the wrong thing. If someone saw her in the same state, she would also hope someone stopped and gave her some sort of comfort. 

Was she really about play therapist with a tuna fish? 

The answer: yes. 

Cressa willed the water around her to push back in the direction of the tuna, who was now swimming in circles like a madman. It made her a little dizzy watching, “Hey there.” 

Silence. 

“Hello?” 

The tuna kept doing its thing, drowning in his own mind and restless thoughts. Cressa took a deep breath, somewhat regretting stopping for this tuna. 

“YO! GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF!” 

That got his attention. 

He stopped before her, bug-eyed and somehow looking like he was about to hurl, ‘OH MY GOD YOU CAN SEE ME?’ 

Cressa paused and raised an eyebrow with confusion.

“I’m sorry?” 

‘No one has been able to see me for decades. They just ignore me! This is amazing- crazy! Oh my goodness gracious. I have been so lonely, you don't know how lonely I have been. Everyone just swims past me when I try to sing my tales of woe and sorrow at the defeat of the fish, the myth, the legend: the Orange Menace. I must be invisible if no one even gives me the time of day!’

Yeah, no, that feeling of regret was growing more and more prominent. 

“Do you suck at singing maybe…?” 

‘That cannot be! I must be invisible or something. It is the only logical explanation.’ 

All of a sudden the tuna broke out into a song. It kind of reminded Cressa of those robotic fish that hung on those plaques and sang some tune when you pressed a little, red button. The only exception was that those fish could sing. This guy could not. 

His voice was indescribable in the worst way possible. It was like nails on a chalkboard except three millions times more terrible. No wonder why no one wanted to talk to this guy, he was insane! Cressa bit the inside of her lip to keep from laughing, perhaps she was the crazy one for thinking to stop and help this guy in the first place. Well, they did say that this wasn’t going to be a super straight forward journey. Cressa just didn’t think that that would include speaking to a fish who really should seek some sort of professional help… and vocal lessons. 

“Okay, okay! You can stop singing now!” He did not stop singing until he finished his song. 

It was apparently of some orange fish (the Orange Menace) who was tiny but mean and mighty with scales that shined like gold under the sun. The Orange Menace would praise how he was a god among fish and how his plot to end the world was nigh. He would beat up this tuna guy every time the tuna tried to sing songs of praise and- holy shit... 

“Wait, you fucking know Swim Shady?” Cressa asked. 

‘Who is Swim Shady?’ The tuna responded. 

“The fish you- you know what nevermind. It's super unimportant. Anyway, I think it’s not that people can’t see you. I think it’s because you can’t exactly sing.” 

‘Of course I can sing! I do it all the time!’ 

Before the tuna had the chance to sing, Cressa shook her hands as if to get him to stop, “No, no, no. Listen, anyone can sing, sure. But only, like, the chosen few can actually sing well. And you, my guy, are very much not a part of the chosen few.” 

The fish looked depressed. Cressa gave the fish depression. 

Fuck. 

Her expression softened slightly, “I think if you just get some really good singing lessons in, you have the makings to be the next, like, Tuna Swift or something.” 

‘That’s kind of you to say but no one is like Tuna Swift. She is a mackerel beyond all belief!”

Wait, Tuna Swift actually existed? 

Cressa was half tempted to ask more about this mackerel named Tuna Swift, but she couldn’t keep getting off track. 

The fish sighed in defeat. 

“Hey, don’t be sad. You have a great foundation, really! You just need to get a little help refining that now. There’s literally no need to be upset about this. Trust. I ask for help all the time.” 

‘Because you’re so short?’

Cressa tilted her head slightly. Ouch. It wasn’t even as if she was that short, this guy was just fucking huge!

“Yeah, sure, let’s go with that. And for your invisibility issue. I think until you can debut with that amazing voice officially you should keep your singing on the down low. Plus, you never know with technology these days. You don’t want people to steal your voice and use it for their own personal gain. That would suck. People- er, fish- will definitely start to notice you again if you stop singing I think. Seriously, don’t sing.” 

The tuna started to cheer up a little as if he totally understood what she meant. He smiled, it was unnerving. Cressa didn’t know fish could smile. She would never recommend seeing it to anyone. Not even her worst enemies. 

‘You have given me courage and direction when no one else dared to look my way! You are so kind!’

“Eh, don’t mention it. It was nothing really.” 

‘Thank you, Miss Cressa. I know you didn’t need to stop for me, others haven’t yet, but you have. You may continue on your journey.’

“Wait, bro, how did you know my name?” 

Cressa thought the fish smiling was weird, but the next thing was borderline mental. Her tuna friend started shimmering. For a moment, she thought the thing was going to explode. But, somehow, it was worse. The fish turned into an ornate bronze key. At the key’s base was the head of a tuna, its mouth slightly agape. The prongs of the key looked like a trident. 

The tuna’s voice echoed in her head one last time: ‘Use this key wisely. You will know when the time is right. I wish you fortuna.’

If there was a camera for Cressa to deadpan to, she would, but she had to continue on. She reached out and snatched the key floating in front of her and pocketed it before getting back on course and heading toward the fucking abyss of doom. 

The most prominent thing to Cressa as she delved down into the abyss was how much pressure she felt. She knew she wasn’t like her father, there was a limit before she popped like a balloon. And, maybe it was just her, but Cressa wasn’t really eager to figure out what that limit was. But if this was a task given to someone like her, they must have known she wasn’t immortal right? That she could still die to stuff like that, right? 

Right…?

Cressa shook the thoughts of death and demise out of head, trying to keep her brain on track. 

There was a point where the water began to will her downward without her doing. It sucked her in like some sort of vacuum. The current twisted and tumbled and made her dizzy. Cressa had to shut her eyes tightly to avoid seeing black dots and stars dancing in her vision. Maybe this was why she didn’t like water so much. One second it could be your best friend, and the next it could turn on you and want to give you the washing machine treatment. 

She didn’t know how long it was until the current spit her out onto some sort of gray bedrock. Cressa was sputtering for air that she didn’t need and coughing like a madman. The coarse sand beneath her pressed into her skin uncomfortably. She looked upward, the ceiling of wherever she was was a swirling vortex of water, begging to be broken free. Cressa found herself sighing. She allowed herself a minute to recollect herself, straighten herself out, and pull her hair out of her face with a scrunchie. She took a deep breath, looking forward at the long sand path in front of her. Water settled in large pools on either side of the pass and somehow Cressa could tell it was salty. Further, there was a large dark opening that Cressa assumed she had to go into. 

“Alright,” Cressa shook herself out. “The sooner you get this done, the sooner you can go home and take a nap. Let's get this heart!” 

If she had her phone on her, Cressa would most definitely be playing some sort of music as she strutted her way down the path. She wasn’t sure what song would be appropriate for walking toward your possible death, but she certainly had a few in her mind. Her favorite of the bunch being Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA. 

Passing into the dark cave, Cressa felt her stomach settle oddly. Something felt off. It was silent, too silent. It almost reminded her of when she was fighting Dave earlier that day. She glanced around and took her next steps with caution. It was a little too dark to make out anything prominent or in her face, but what she could see were odd etchings on the cave's walls. Cressa reached for the tuna key in her pocket, the bronze dimly glowing for her like the world’s shittiest flashlight. But, it at least gave her a little clarity as to what she was looking at. 

The etchings on the cave almost responded to the tuna key, shimmering like nacre. Cressa narrowed her eyes at the designs. A lot of them depicted some sort of battle scene. Angry people with spears and shields grouped around in some sort of formation trying to ward off a large, angry sea beast. The only thing really keeping the two separate was a small wall with spikes protruding outwards toward the monster. Another depicted the sea beast flying in the air above the ocean, water swirling around it to allow it to propel through the sky. But, the one that caught Cressa’s attention the most was the sea beast wrapping its long reptilian body around what looked like a hydria vase (yes, she hated that she knew that). Next the sea beast was a woman who appeared to look innocent and afraid. 

Almost as if on cue, Cressa could hear a guttural, depressing hum reverberate through the air. She knew this feeling, this echo in her chest at the sound. She slowly turned her head to see the large, oil-slick colored dorsal fin poke out the water that surrounded that stupid sand bridge. 

Cressa gulped with shock. 

“Dave?” 

Dave screeched and the cave rumbled with his cry. Now, Cressa had seen a lot of weird shit today: the fish smiling, the mentally unstable tuna fish key, but this one. This one. This was the one that made her realize that maybe she needed her own therapist too. 

She watched as Dave launched himself into the air, his large body twisting and turning like a ribbon, as he rushed toward her just like old times. Streams and ribbons of water rushed around him, helping to propel him forward. Cressa glanced at the pearl etchings, then to Dave, then back to the etchings, and then finally back to Dave again. Her heart pounded in her ears and drowned out his screams of anger. 

“THAT’S YOU?!” 

Dave tried to eat her in response. Typical Dave.

She found she could maneuver much better on land than under the water, which wasn’t saying much when a flying Leviathan made it his personal mission to murder you. Cressa ran like hell, jumping and dodging and rolling with impossibly impeccable timing that even surprised herself. 

Dave had her back up against the end of the cave now, sneering her down. The pointy rocks in the wall pressing uncomfortably into her back. She wondered if this was it, if this was the end for her. Cressa lifted her hands up in surrender and managed a smile, “Can’t we be friends? I totally have a tuna who can vouch for me.” 

Dave reared his head slightly and Cressa figured the answer was a no. She waited for the timing again, recognizing the attack, and rolled diagonally. Some of his teeth managed to scrape against her thigh and calf as she narrowly avoided death’s sweet kiss one more time. She didn’t bother to look if Dave got a mouthful of rocks behind her as she sprinted back toward the direction in which came from, adrenaline pumping through her through body dulling any sort of pain. 

Cressa had to think, which was kind of hard to do with something like Dave trying to kill you every five seconds. There had to be something down here that led to another path, another way out. It didn’t make sense to her that this would be some sort of dead end. She had to be missing something. Anything. Her eyes scanned over every little thing in front of her as she skidded to a stop in front of the mural again. Though the wall didn’t look nearly as vibrant with the etching as she remembered- the key! She hastily patted her pockets and cursed when she couldn’t find it. Did she drop it? She had to have dropped it. She literally just had it in her hands a second ago. 

She turned her head to where she ran from, Dave finally recovering from heatbutting the cave wall. It was hard to make out, but the faint glint of bronze in the sand gave it away for her. 

The key! Cressa narrowed eyes a little as Dave shook his head and then turned to glare at him once again with that same look from when they first met, “Still doesn’t feel good Dave! Just in case you were wondering!” She felt a surge of annoyance through her body and emotions unconsciously. It bubbled behind here outside of the cave, gurgling and yelling. She imagined the water wrapping around Dave, ensnaring him like prey. She imagined it twisting and turning and strangling the ever-loving shit out of him. The water responded to her command, gallons and gallons rushed past her and slammed into Dave. Tendrils of water soon followed, wrapping him like some poor excuse for a Christmas present, and making him wail. A small, satisfied smile tugged at her lips. 

Cressa now imagined some water pulling back to her like a riptide, returning that key she dropped. She leaned down and snatched it back in her hand, “See what happens when you piss me off Dave?” 

The murals responded to the tuna key once more, shimmering with that nacre-like glow. Her eyes searched for something, anything, and when she realized just how obvious it was, Cressa wished she could drown herself. Beneath the murals themselves was a glowing outline of a trident. When she put the key closer to the odd outline, it dazzled brighter than the mural itself. It revealed a key shape in the wall, and she could bet a thousand dollars that she knew what key would fit. 

She started to regret regretting stopping for the tuna now. 

Dave screeched again and Cressa’s breath hitched. She glanced toward him as he shook free from his binds and raced toward her again. 

Cressa slammed the key into its place, closed her eyes tightly and hoped to god this wasn’t a one way ticket to the Underworld. 

In all honesty, Cressa was expecting to be face to face with Charon when she opened her eyes again. But, to her pleasant surprise, she was not. Though, looking where she was, Cressa almost wished she was. Just for extra caution, Cressa grabbed her bow from her back and notched an arrow as she stepped forward. 

She found herself in a large, shell-like palace (it kind of reminded her of the one The Little Mermaid). The pillars and walls had an iridescent shine in the gentle moonlit filtering through the sea. Golden filigree sprawled across the walls and flooring, illuminating her way to who knows where. All around was nothing but still ocean, not a single creature in sight, yet she stepped forward as if she was still above ground. To some, this may have been considered more serene and peaceful. It almost seemed like it was straight out of some movie or book. It didn’t really leave the same effect for Cressa though. It was kind of disorienting the more she thought about it, so decided to just go with it at this point. This wasn’t half as weird as Dave using water to fly earlier anyway. 

Every step she made echoed and bubbled until she made it to a large, empty room. The room’s walls were covered in large mirrors, which could have been impressive if they weren’t littered with years worth of barnacles and algae. Above her was a large white dome with the same twisted filigree as the halls prior. Cressa could imagine elaborate fish parties definitely being hosted here.

Water is inevitable.

Cressa looked around confused, who said that? It was just her in the room, her and her distorted reflections. Did she officially lose it? 

Maybe. 

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. She knew that voice, it was so familiar. She just couldn't remember where. But she definitely heard it before and it kind of annoyed her.

It can take any shape or form. It is a reflection of oneself and one’s mind. To find the heart you must prove yourself. 

“Prove myself?! Did you not see the-!”

The water in front of Cressa bubbled and swirled like a tornado. The feeling shifted slightly in the room, the torrent streaming around and making her stomach drop. The small vortex faded and in its place stood a perfect replica of herself. 

Overcome yourself and be one with the sea.

Cressa frowned, “Oh I see what they mean now, my face definitely looks a little punchable.” 

She yelled when her doppelganger materialized a sword of water in her hands and slashed at her. She could practically feel the blade’s sharpness as it just missed her face and cut through the weird water environment. Cressa could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she rolled out of the way of another terrifying slash. She whipped her head around haphazardly and yelled again. 

Her body moved as if she was on autopilot again, her muscle memory the only thing saving her. Cressa watched Hagfish, her impromptu nickname for new twin, glare her down. Her sword shifted and twisted until it was a bow. Hagfish brought it up and pulled the bowstring taut to her cheek and fired. An arrow formed when the string snapped back and hurled its way towards Cressa.

Cressa forced her palms outward, hoping that this water wasn’t weird, and imagined a shield in front of her. The familiar pull in her gut made relief wash over her and the arrow stopped short and it hit her water shield. She was about to give a ‘ha’ before Hagfish rushed forward and closed the distance between the two. She had her bow in both hands and slammed one of the backsides to Cressa’s gut. Cressa doubled over before Hagfish slammed the bottom of the bow now on her back. 

She cried out and found herself face first on the floor. If Cressa had the choice, she would rather be fighting Dave again. As she got back to her feet, she thought about how she was supposed to fight with herself and win (which already seemed like a therapy session nightmare). If it was really just herself, then that meant Hagfish knew all her quirks and used them too. She would know how she moved, how she thought- HOW THE HELL DO YOU BEAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT?! 

Cressa kept her eyes on Hagfish now trying to get some sort of read on her. She equipped her bow in hand, quickly notching an arrow and pulled the bowstring to her cheek. She hooked her fingers to her chin, feeling the string tickle her skin, and aimed her arrow for Hagfish’s throat. Cressa let her arrow fly towards its mark, frustration immediately boiling in her chest upon seeing Hagfish copy her water shield from before. 

Ugh!

She took a deep breath to try and calm herself a little, but man did she want to rip this bitch’s head off- is this how other people thought of her? Man, this was getting depressing. Cressa drew an arrow again and fired at her shoulder (miss) and then one more after that thigh (miss again). Hagfish had switched back to her annoying sword and sliced them away the few more that were sent toward her. Cressa rolled her eyes as Hagfish twirled her sword in her hand. 

“Show off!” 

Hagfish just gave her the biggest shit-eating grin in response. She closed the distance again, a little too quick for Cressa’s liking, and swung her sword once more. The blade started low and arched upward, forcing Cressa to jump backwards. Hagfish kept her concentration, slashing her sword again. This time the blade went from right to left and Cressa used her bow to try and meet the blade and take her head on. To her utter surprise, Cressa stared in disbelief as her bow was sliced in two. 

“BRO MY MOM GOT ME THIS!” 

Hagfish laughed. 

Cressa threw the broken bow down. As it clattered to the floor with bubbles popping around it, she tried to copy Hagfish this time. She thought of a mighty weapon being made from the bubbles around her. She imagined a sword in her hands, one worthy of even a god to use. The dreading silence sounded again. And in her hand was nothing but emptiness. 

“Um, hello- what the fuck? HOW IS THAT FAIR?!” 

Hagfish’s weapon changed again effortlessly to a small dagger. Cressa was getting tired of Hagfish rushing at her so much. The dagger slashed down from the left and she side-stepped. The dagger slashed again but across and to the right. Cressa ducked quickly, making a squeal as she did so. Hagfish must have seen this as an opportunity to strike her and Cressa forced her body to launch to the side. She slammed on down her stomach and whipped her head around to see her enemy. Hagfish was right there with her, following above her, and stabbing that dagger downward again. Her eyes widened, she gasped, and she narrowly rolled out of the way. 

Cressa scrambled to her feet and Hagfish took the opportunity to try and stab her again (shocker). Without even thinking, Cressa grabbed the blade to stop it from piercing her side. She looked confused at her own actions, blood dripping down her skin and plopping the ground. She then looked at Hagfish, who also shared the same look of surprise on her face, and an idea popped into her head. 

The weird ocean voice did tell her that water is a reflection of oneself and one’s mind, but what if Cressa didn’t think like she normally would? What if she became unpredictable like the ocean itself? Was that the answer to this really fucked up fight? Cressa remembered her friend once told her: ‘Eh, maybe you’ll learn something new and even surprise yourself.’

That’s it.

That’s how she was going to win this. 

Cressa’s eyes became focused as she let go of the blade. She tilted her head slightly to the side, closing her hand into tight fists and brought them up to her face. If it was one thing she knew about herself, Cressa hated hand-to-hand combat. She wasn’t the best at it and much preferred a weapon or her powers. It was easier for her, it made more sense to her, but today she was going to throw all that out the window and beat the ever loving shit out herself. 

It was weird practically dancing with herself. When Hagfish punched, she bobbed to the side, pivoting and trying to remember to keep light on her feet with each move she made. Cressa kicked and Hagfish dodged. It was practically even until Cressa started changing it up a bit more, forcing herself to move at a faster tempo than she was comfortable working with. Hagfish threw a few sloppy punches her way, one or two of them caught Cressa and made her stumble, but she was  pleasantly surprised at just how well she was doing (it probably helped that her opponent was herself). She quickly moved forward, a bounce in her step as she feigned a punch to the face. She watched with satisfaction as Hagfish fell for the bait and was slammed in her chin by an uppercut with Cressa’s other hand instead.   

Cressa laughed and really got into it now.

God this was so fucked. 

Hagfish stumbled back and Cressa was the one to rush forward this time. She used her speed and momentum to slam her fist right into the side of Hagfish’s face. She felt the skin of her cheek squish inward and for a moment Cressa hopped her rings made it hurt even more. The sucker punch made Hagfish stagger to the side this time.

“What’s wrong, can’t keep up?” 

Hagfish didn’t even bring her hands up this time, she charged toward Cressa, getting frustrated- which made sense. Cressa hated when people wailed on her too like this, but she kept a clear head this time. Though, it might’ve helped that she wasn’t the one being shit on. 

Cressa easily side stepped her, twirled around her, and slammed her side with a powerful kick. She spun and pivoted, keeping her momentum still, and shifted her placement. Cressa grabbed Hagfish by her top and threw her forward. She looked at Hagfish who was dazed and confused with a twinge of guilt before rushing forward and slamming her fist right into her face as hard as she could. After it connected, Hagfish’s figure distorted. Bubbles surrounded her being and she vanished into nothingness. Cressa pulled her fist back toward herself and unclenched it finally. In her bloody palm was a charm in the shape of a hydria, exactly like the one in the mural (except ten times smaller). 

She knew immediately upon seeing it; this was the corrupted Heart of Thalassa. 

Backtracking out of the endless palace was one thing, but seeing the nereid (her name was Xantha) that begged her to go on this quest waiting for her by the mural was another. Cressa paused, shock distorting her face when she saw her. Her long dark hair flowed effortlessly even without the water. It framed her seagreen face in such an annoying way, her yellow eyes blinking innocently. 

Then it hit Cressa: why Dave’s eyes really pissed her off when she saw them, why that voice in the therapy chamber was annoying. “Um, hello. How did you get here?” 

Xantha shook her hand as if to say it didn’t matter, “Did you succeed in your task, young child of the sea?” 

“Sure.” Cressa kept the charm firmly in her palm and behind her back. “Again, seriously though, how did you get here?” 

The nereid looked at her innocently as if she had no idea what Cressa meant. She frowned and pouted and flattened the bodice on her white tunic nervously. She let out a laugh that reminded Cressa of a balloon losing air, “It’s part of the ocean silly, of course I can get here.” 

Her grip tightened around the charm now, “That’s not what you told me when you magically popped out of my sink and begged me to save the world.” Cressa remembered that morning as clear as day. Xantha had surprised visited her in her dorm’s bathroom at four in the morning panicking about something with the Heart of Thalassa and it being corrupted and that Cressa had to go and purify it or the world would end. She urged her to go immediately and Cressa decided that Xantha was the first mythical being on her metaphorical shit list, “You said that you were forbidden from stepping foot near the heart.” 

“Look, Cressida, I-.” 

“No, no, no. You look here. Why do you have the same eyes as the Leviathan?” 

“I do not know what you mean.” 

“I know Dave when I see him- her...?” Cressa feared she was going to be cancelled. 

She watched Xantha roll her eyes and sigh, “Just give me the heart.” She stepped forward and Cressa stepped back. Xantha stepped forward one more time, her yellow eyes glowering. 

Cressa raised her hand and pointed at Xantha, creating some distance between the two. Her brain worked overtime making connections that she should have realized much sooner: “You were the Leviathan, that’s why you’re out here. You were the one who spoke to me in that weird mirror room. You were also the… Tuna fish?” 

“I was not the tuna fish, no, but you could’ve gotten into the chamber without the key- honestly didn’t know he was still around.” 

“WHAT?”

Xantha groaned. The innocent look on her face melted. Her green skin started to melt away and was replaced by a few scales on her cheeks and down her neck. Xantha hummed a little with delight. She stalked forward and looked down at Cressa as if she was prey. Cressa furrowed her eyebrows, “Wait are you even a nereid?!” 

“OF COURSE I AM! Everyone forgets about me, it’s terrible! I’m only mentioned by name a handful of times barely- how terrible is that? How would you feel if no one knew who you were?” 

“I wouldn’t mind actually-.” 

“Silence you! I did my waiting, I bided my time, I learned some sorcery to be able to become this ugly beast, and waited for some child of the sea stupid enough to believe me that the world was ending so they could purify this heart for me, so then I could show everyone just how great I am! So for the love of the gods, give me it now!” 

Cressa blinked and took her hand from behind her back, slowly opening her palm to show the hydria charm shaped heart. There was a brief moment where she wondered what the true power of this relic was, but then again, she really just wanted to go home and didn’t want another monologue, “So you mean to tell me… I traveled all the way here only for you to have eaten my boat, forced me to fight you twice, get a weird-ass key from playing therapist with Tuna Swift’s biggest fan- and for what? IS THE WORLD EVEN ENDING?!”

 Xantha was silent. 

“Well, no. But-.” 

“Is this thing really corrupted or was that a lie too?” 

“No, that part was actually true.” 

“Oh.” 

Cressa looked down at the heart, eyeing at it carefully. If she really focused hard enough she could feel the distress swirling around it, like screams for help. She turned it in her hand before sighing and glaring at Xantha, “How do I purify it?” 

“I already told you when I first sent you on your way- did you not do that yet?!” 

“Uh no. But jog my memory and tell me again please.”

She listened as Xantha explained that the relic contained the purest ocean water at its center. The only way to purify it was for a child of the sea to heal it- it was vague but Cressa somehow understood what she meant. She brought up her free hand and hummed slightly as she cupped the heart gently in her palms. Cressa closed her eyes for a moment, trying to find the feeling of the small water that flowed within the relic. It was a little difficult at first but soon she could have sworn she felt a heartbeat. She could visualize the water now, her stomach churned and pulled slightly. 

Cressa wasn’t sure what to picture at first, but she soon came to the idea of there being a poison stuck in it and she needed to pull it out. She kept as focused as she could, trying to picture a silvery liquid that had to be drawn out of it. She watched in her mind as the silvery streams of poison slowly made its way out the heart. It wasn’t until the very last drop of it was gone that she opened her eyes once again.

“Did you do it?” Xantha asked, a little too close for comfort. 

Cressa yelled at the proximity.

“Yup, yeah. I did it. But I’m putting the heart back where it actually belongs.” Cressa slowly stood up and glanced at Xantha, “I say this with literally all the hate in my soul, please seek therapy.” 

Xantha stood there speechless as Cressa made her way back toward the entrance. The nereid suddenly reached and grasped her hand on to Cressa’s shoulder. She desperately dug her long nails into her skin, “No, please. I need the heart. You don’t understand-.” 

“You’re so right. And I really, really don’t want to either.” Cressa only turned her slightly so she could glare at Xantha one last time. She almost felt a sense of pride when Xantha looked at her warily. She slowly removed her hand. That certainly was going to leave a mark tomorrow. 

Cressa didn’t bother to give her a second look as she continued down the long, sandy path. She had to figure out just exactly where the relic was supposed to be returned to now. Great.

Ugh. 

Some may have seen this as some sort of hard earned victory. A reluctant triumph in the face of a fame-crazy nereid. Only the beginning to a thrilling new adventure with even more thrilling and fantastic people and mythical beings to encounter. But not Cressa. 

No. 

Cressa thought of this as the biggest defeat of the century. 

By Abigail Ransegnola