The next day, Ryoichi started to work. He got an opportunity to see how the elites looked like. Instead of tight grey-silver suit designed for battle, some of them were wearing ivory and long clothes, which were swinging in the water. They also had combat suit. Instead of guards' grey suit, It was said that elites' suits shined like diamonds.
Overall, the work was quite easy and boring, which was simply standing on the pedals with a trident on hand. Plus, as S said, there would rarely be any invaders. Ryoichi lived with S in one of the top bubbles on the pillar, so that they can enjoy the sunshine, but very far from the palace due to their low class. On their way to work, Ryoichi asked how to breathe.
"It's hard to explain, to be honest. It's like a natural stuff. You're born to be able to do it. But if you have to let me say something, ummmm, let me think. I would say it's as same as when you're baby and in mom's womb. Womb is also filled with water, right? And babies can still live and grow in there. So breathing in water is like living inside mother of the ocean. Plus, as I said yesterday, we're now born with a proper respiratory system, so I suppose you're just afraid because you forgot many stuff. You just have to conquer the fear to the unknown stuff."
Ryoichi found his words very reasonable. He would like to take off the helmet and try. However, as soon as he took it off, the seawater poured into his mouth and nose, so that the concept of drowning was again filled up his minds. Seen this, S immediately put the helmet on his head and the helmet made the water flow away, only oxygen left in it.
"A-ha-a-ha-", gulping for air, he said, "I think…it will… take some time…a-ha-a-ha-"
S comforted: "No need to rush. You can take time to adjust to and recall all your memories."
Ryoichi was also introduced other guards by S, some of whom were nice while some were not. Although there were over 20 guards in total, they were not hard to get acquainted. After all, their "names" were simple. A is like an elder brother, looking serious but caring others. E is a relatively short guy, while it could tell that he was very strong just looking at his shape of muscles through the tight suit, and S also said he was sick, who ever killed a shark alone. O had a small belly, K didn't seem to get along with those who was lower than him, and M would like to be a peacemaker. He always stood up when there was a fight, except that higher guards might not listen to him. T looked very thin. P and Q were cousins, and their fathers were brothers. Y didn't talk much, while Z was the opposite, who was very happy being the last one.
Today Ryoichi was on night shift.
S told him not to be worried: "You are lucky to have B as the shift leader. He's annoying but fortunately he is also lazy, not like the honest leader A. So do you know what I mean?"
"I think I can get it."
S was suggesting that he could loaf on the job, maybe taking a nap or wandering to have a non-alcoholic drink or even an affair, which would not be a big deal. S even taught him how the sex thing worked. In a word, when needed, the bottom of the tight suit would open and reveal the private part. But Ryoichi laughed that it would not be a big probability event encountering such situation.
"But there's only one thing," S emphasized, "don't you ever go off the sea. The air above the sea level is poisonous. It might cause illusion or any other unknown influence. There were some explorers starting off to probe the land. They were all gone!"
"So there is still land?"
"Yes, but who cares? Because of the poison air, there is no way and no point going off the sea. No one knows what's the land like right now. Maybe it's just barren and infertile. After all, the sea will finally swallow the rest of the land."
"Okay, I'll remember that." Ryoichi also thought that he would never take a risk from now on. His first important thing was to live.
"Good. Oh Poseidon, I feel like I'm becoming your father!" S teased.
The word made Ryoichi emotional. He missed his father and he never had a real friend in previous life. "Thank you, S. I really appreciate it!"
"Come on. Okay, I'm off today. See you tomorrow! Have a good night!"
The early night witnessed nothing but peace. After entering the late night, the shift leader B took the lead to loaf.
"R, you stay at your post and do your job." B simply said it and left, so did other two guards.
The other guards left were taking a nap, but Ryoichi could not fall asleep. He was thinking everything happened to him, from the previous life to becoming a fish-man. He felt so uncertain about the life, but meanwhile, he was pleased and grateful to start having friends like S. Although the job here was still ordinary and he was ordinary as well, he believed that he would be happier than the previous life.
At this moment, he saw a shadow quickly passed. At first, he thought it might be his delusion, but he looked at that direction carefully and there indeed was a moving spot. He was about to ignore it since it was not heading to the palace. However, he realized the spot was heading to the sea level. Recalled S's words, there were still some explorers trying to investigate the area above the sea. He had to stop the stupid guy. No way could this person do it alone.
So Ryoichi swam to that direction, but the person ahead was quick. At that moment he was about to lose the figure, that spot slowed down. He swam to it and was shocked to see the land area under the water.
A mixed feeling came to his heart and followed that person to climb on the land.
It was dark. The moon looked small but still shed some light to lighten the road. His feet stepped on the real ground after all this time, which made him want to cry.
However, the air was indeed terrible. After a few times' breath, he started to feel sick. He guessed that maybe the helmet helped to clean the air for some degree. The most importantly thing right now was that he had to find the person immediately and took him back to the sea as soon as possible.