You were a researcher, one that was currently stationed at the Sumerian borders between Fontaine. However, your bosses were so overbearing that you had to find yourself a hideout to escape from them occasionally.

That is, until you had seen something unexplainable in it.

You spent three agonizingly long days keeping your head down and avoiding your hideaway.

Who could it have been, besides a vision-bearer gone for a deep-sea swim? If it was someone with connections to the workplace, he was done for. Getting caught in a such an area would get him fined into oblivion, and he'd have to start accumulating mora from scratch.

Only when there was still no sign of a writeup on the fourth day did he finally relax.

It had been a fish. A big, shiny fish that was startled when he moved his hand. That's all. He was avoiding his favorite spot for nothing. Determined to prove this, during one of his day offs he had snuck down into the cave as soon as the coast was clear.

The water was sparkling blue and suffused with sunbeams once again. The sight relaxed him further. Nothing would harm him here. This was a place of sanctuary.

But he had to be sure.

He untucked the small pillow he had brought in from under his arm and placed it snug against the ground. Then he donned the sunglasses he'd gotten from a friend and reclined on his side to take a 'nap.'

One hour went by.

Two.

Three.

He was waiting so long that he was on the verge of actually falling asleep when it finally appeared. Not wanting to ruin his carefully crafted illusion, he stayed perfectly still, save for the deep, sleepy breaths that convincingly lifted his chest.

Did sea angels exist? Even through the lenses of his darkened glasses, he couldn't imagine what else the being that peeked out at him from within the kelp could possibly be.

Skin like alabaster, lips as pink as coral. Hair like the moonlit sky and slitted eyes as green as the forest leaves. It was like a vision from a dream.

”I’m sorry..

A voice resonated.