Swimming rapidly towards the park where his misfortunes began, flashes of the past begin to resurface. His webbed feet continue to try and manoeuvre through the waters despite the stress, teeth gritted through the pain of the past, pushing through the park accepting what has come and what still is to.
"I can't do anything about the past, but I can do everything about the here and now and the choices I make! Even if everything is ripped away. At least I still have myself!" He roars out reaffirming his resolve through clenched eyes.
Claiming a grip on his emotions he continues to swim through the calm waters. The leviathans' cry must've alerted the rest to avoid whatever threat had emerged.
Finally making his way to his dad's old mechanic, the sign is rusted and decayed, barely holding together under water pressure. Slashing his nails through the rotting door, Rain flings himself through the waters to compensate for his lack of swimming ability.
Managing to stop himself on one of the old workbenches. Rusted tools and old equipment line the walls of the shop. Seeking out his target, his eyes stumble upon a couple murky jerry cans sealed away. Their red lustre peeking out of the sea green.
Tying the two gas cans to the end of his tail with some of the spare rope in the shop. Rain begins to scout out the rest of the supplies they're in need of. His makeshift sack from Serena becomes filled back up almost immediately.
Tools, componentry, plenty of rope and loads of broken down rubber from the cars in the shop. Rain's tail becomes a christmas tree of supplies, gasoline and tires fastened on his new appendage.
Tightening the bag on his back, he begins the same process again of slowly prying the decayed engine out of its old housing trying to keep it intact as best as possible. Finally ripping it out he almost drops it from the sheer weight he's hauling on his body.
Just out of his perception a group of creatures lie in wait. Observing Rain's movements and capabilities. Shocked by how well he's scavenging the area.
"Alright looks like that's all I can carry. For now time to head back I wonder if Serena found anything good" He says chuffed but struggling to swim with most of the supplies.
Having to hitch a ride most of the way there on the nearby sea currents. Slinging himself along through the depths. Hauling back all of the scavenged goods, his hands are numb and the sweat is bubbling up around him.
"Looks like i made it back first and she says i'm the bad swimmer." Rain says mockingly. Dumping the rest of the supplies at the gathering point.
[Luck has been activated]
"Yip yip" A familiar sound echoes out through the ocean.
"Fin!? Whats up boy?" Rain questions immediately.
"Yip yip BARK BARK" Fin continues to alert his loving master.
"Did you end up finding something?" Rain continues to question.
Swimming outside the gathering point. Following the continuous barks of his loyal companion. His body aches and burns still trying to adjust to its new form and the constant toll it takes on his muscles.
"What did you find, boy?" He says looking towards his companion for answers.
"Bark bark bark" Fin continues to yelp, his eyes locked with a glowing white sea crystal.
"Is this what Serena was on about? A sea crystal" Rain says mesmerised by the odd material before him.
"It's glowing so bright, I should claim it while I can." He says staying firm before he gets swept away in the lustre of the crystal. Reaching his hand out to store it away.
[C grade crystal detected-Elemental type confirmed/Air]
[Consuming Crystals energy]
[Mana foundation has been created.]
[Air Magic Type/ By using the mana housed within your vessel you can call upon it to manifest into Air itself.]
In mere seconds all of the bright white light is consumed into the depths of his being. Swirling around in his stomach animated and alive until it spills back up his throat and courses around his whole body. Intervals of pain hit him like shards of ice as his body accommodates for the new mana entering.
A bright white runic like symbol emerges on the palm of his right hand. After a couple of minutes the white light subsides entirely. Dimming out into a husk of what it was. His yellow eyes crack back open glowing with vitality. Oozing mana out of every scale.
"Really, this damn thing ate up our fortune!"
"Well at least it solidified my mana. Whatever that means. Still though air as an element could be quite useful down here." He says annoyed and intrigued at the same time.
"Well no use crying over spilled milk. I'll make the most of this then. At least I have another thing to rely on if a leviathan or anything else sneaks up on us." Rain says looking on the brighter side of the situation.
"Hopefully this is one of the crystals that can be recharged." Rain says guilty
"Thank you boy, you're getting a load of treats tonight," Rain says, scratching his loyal friend behind his finned ears.
"Bark bark!"Fin responds excitedly.
"I love you boy." Rain says warmly, hugging fin tightly.
"Lets head back to Serena now, we've done a good job i think." Rain encourages.
Exhausted he swims his way back with his companion in toe, arriving at the meetup spot situated in his neighbours house. Before crashing onto the sofa with a flood of water dispersing as he falls.
"Their house is ruined anyway so who cares it's not like they can breathe underwater." Rain exclaims justifying his actions to himself.
After around 30 minutes or so an exhausted frazzled octo girl enters, Serena her tentacle strands were all over the place. Clearly letting her dissatisfaction be known. Only when she steps in does her demeanour entirely change seeing the supplies Rain has managed to gather.
Her aquatic beady eyes go wide at the loot she's seeing before her. The idea of shells dominates her whole mind as she calculates the profit she's about to make.
"2 Engines intact no less, tools a little rusted but expected, loads of medical supplies, rubber for days and YOU EVEN MANAGED TO GET YOUR HANDS ON GASOLINE!" She roars out in excitement as her eyes see only shells.
"RAIN I LOVE YOU! We're eating good tonight," Serena exclaims with gratitude, subconsciously hugging Rain in the process.
"We are partners, remember?" Rain says with a wide smile.
"Thank you Rain, im treating you to a damn good meal that's for sure and of course equal partnership. You get half the rewards." Serena smirks, nudging Rain.
"How the hell did you even find this stuff? I've been scouring around for gas cans for ages, plus the amount of medical supplies and rubber." Serena scoffs a little, remembering all the times she scoured with her sound magic on full blast.
"Well in my estate at least we all had first aid cupboards set up in the houses before they were sold". Rain begins to explain.
"Welcome gifts of sorts and they normally put them in the same spot. The gasoline was a bit tricky and I had to track down my dads old mechanic but I ended up finding it in the end. It had some good stuff still lying around." He says with a wide cheesy smile. Clearly proud of his efforts.
"I can tell. I'm used to scrap and some meds. But what the hell is this! Engines are too much of a bitch to pry out of the rust so I don't bother and yet you managed two engines and kept them intact!" She exclaims, absolutely confused by his compatibility.
"I'm starting to like this partnership more and more, we might not even need collectors after a while if we were making this much Shell then we can go to an even better service."Serena says, already thinking about the future ventures.
"This is the biggest haul I've ever had. The lackeys I normally deal with are so dense I just about make a profit after the rent is covered." Serena gawks, still struggling to take in all the loot Rain collected.
"Seriously, just half of this is more than I usually get thank you Rain. Not to be rude, but I thought you were just going to be another one of those thieves that break scavengers rules. But your not." Her eyes light up with gratitude as she says this.
"You're a good friend to have." She warmly smiles, bringing Rain in for another hug.
"I do have one more thing to show you but it isn't as grand as it once was. I ended up having some unexpected issues arise." Rain blushes a little, trying to hide his guilt.
He extends his azure hand out, opening it to reveal a dimmed sea crystal only faint glimmers of white remain.
"Is that a sea crystal! Holy shit Rain, for a newbie at this you're something else." Serena roars, hardly able to keep up with the shock of the haul.
"I only ever managed to find 3 or so in my time of scavenging. I thought today would be different on my end. But you ended up finding it so that's just as good." Serena bubbles up with joy over the profit.
"How did you find it!?" Serena asks full of curiosity. Putting her finger to her chin full of questions.
"It was my friend here. He sniffed it out and alerted me to it." Rain says giving his boy a scratch down.
"Because he's such a good boy. Yes he is." Rain coos at fin scratching him all over lovingly.
"Damn, remind me to get him the best fish at the butcher." Serena gawks.
"Noted." Rain smirks back remembering this for later.
"Hopefully he'll find some more for us, they go for a fortune. Do you think this could be recharged and sold?" He says possibilities flooding his mind.
"Recharged? A couple of years from how rare it is. Sold? You can sell anything and this will swindle a few rich fish." Serena says already preparing a few schemes.
"Wait so you have a mana foundation now! Is that the unexpected issue you were talking about!?" Serena exclaims piecing together what happened.
"Yeah it was a weird burst of white light dancing through me. It was an odd sensation. I think it's air magic of some sorts." Rain says remembering the flash of light and the system screen.
"Air! Wow, that's a new one i dont think ive heard of anyone in the last five years with air as a magic type. I swear Rain your the gift that keeps on giving all i had to do was pay for it with a concussion" She chuckles.
"My bad." Rain pouts rubbing the back of his neck a little embarrassed.
"Don't worry about it! It was worth it" She smiles back at him rubbing at her forehead teasing him.
Just outside the twos perception a group of creatures lie in wait, stalking their prey intently to claim the spoils.
"Looks like Serena has gotten herself another lackey for this scavenge should be easy pickings this time boys. Time to put that bitch in her place" One of the larger creatures says, his tone rough like gravel.
"Make sure you don't hold back, these mer need to know their place amongst the superior race of the sea" He cackles thinking about all the shells he's going to get out these inferior creatures.
"Take a fin or three and show them how weak they are compared to us." He says brandishing a rusted cleaver over his shoulder.
"Yes boss!" His lackeys respond back in fear.