Chapter Text
The early waves of water crashing and rolling off the shore would be the first thing you hear as you get ready for your day. The bright warm colors of the sun still in early rising, barely touching between the onlooking sea and the that connected the burning star that created the view you loved and knew.
You sighed, your eyes shining as the glow of the basking view reflected back at itself. You were leaning against the frame of your sliding glass door, breathing in the ocean air as the salted waters gave you that sense of grounding. You were dressed, hair pulled back and a messenger bag crossed over your body with your things.
Closing up the door, and putting a slab of wood for further securing the door shut, you'd take your thermal and be on your way. Where were you heading? Well.. to the place that will hopefully keep you home...
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Noone knew what made this place so confident that it'll keep the town going, but you and a handful of the locals would find yourselves being the first to find out. None of you currently were doing anything amazing- mostly jobs like janitorial or touring were assigned to you. You weren't sure where you were yet, as did others- it was just the forewarning you all were told when applying. Noone knew their assigned roles till after orientation and possible training as they continued setting the place up.
What were you personally wanting to be assigned? Either a tour guide or maybe even just working consession. You had saw afew booths as you walked in through the front- taking the longer directions given to the break room. This place felt pretty big for just a aquarium- then again you haven't been in one since you were little, why would you go often? If you wanted to go look at ocean creatures, the beach was right there. Your thoughts only proven as you passed by a map board.
You took a moment to look at it- tried to, before someone behind you nudged you up. Looking back, a taller, lanky man would have narrowed eyes at you- wearing a workers uniform that was different from yours. Was he one of the ones that brought in? "Orientation in five, get yer shit going already, that's your only warning" Ah, douchebag. You didn't say that out loud, only flashing a smile as you waved back. "Right- sorry then" he'd gruff with a eyeroll, which you did the same as you faced forwarded again. Asshole.
Finally, after pulling your curiosity and following the directions given by security at the entrance previously, you found yourself in the employees break room. You can recognize plenty of faces- from parents of old classmates you graduated with, to teenagers you used to see when you previously worked at your last place of employment- which from what you knew, was still empty and up for sale. There groupings of young and old separated with themselves, and youd take your time in finding your assigned locker and putting your bag in.
As you waited, standing by the lockers for about fifteen minutes of just waiting- sipping yourself on your coffee slowly, finally the doors opened again. What chatter around the counters and couches paused as the smiling face of what you assume was the hiring manger or simply a higher up came to kick things off. She was a woman, early to late thirties with a bright shade of red hair pilled back into a low bun. She wore a simple button up- a baby blue with the company's logo on her front pocket asides her name tag that read for 'Ellie'.
"Hello everyone! I was told we had everyone that accounted for from security, so without any delays- let's start our tour of the building. Any questions are to be save till after, in which we'll do individual interviews and see what experiences you all have in order to clue in where you fit in the company!" More interviews? Hm, fun.
Ellie would gather everyone lined on up before leading them outside the break room. You had leaned yourself towards the back, quiet conversations admitted from the others as you all moved out. Leaving the 'employees only' sector, you go back out to the colorful and sea themed halls. Your all lead around, seeing the different sections of the place; afew dioramas, reptilian room, water mammals enclosers(Otters!!), cafeteria, viewing tanks for simple and small fish, the children's 'petting zoo' and playground- and more.
There were area with keycards in order to enter- showing a higher form of clearance to go to. You can only assume it was for the support and maintenance areas behind the enclosures, and for the more top tier workers like trainers and whatever else they have here. You didn't know, you only had assumptions that they themselves makes sense.
Ellie would lead everyone to an archway over a large entrance, stopping us with such a smile on her face. "Alright everyone! Just to let you have the pleasure of getting a peek of one our star attractions before the general public, we'll be introducing one of three of the stars of our establishment! With this though- will be the example of the importance of rules and safety" she explained, her face turning abit more serious.
"While none of you need to worry about this, or any of the other two personal.. you'll still be warned. These are still dangerous creatures, ones that are still under discovery, and training" she finished off, turning over to motivation the now curious crowd forward. "Remember; this is only a peek, there will be no discussion, or pictures taken or shared about this till the company starts producing advertisement for the general public, with that- follow me"
The room was large, the first thing you and others could see were the wall of thick glass that shown into a tank. It was decorated inside with coral and natural sea plants and some plated structures in the back. While a plate of information was in the front of the glass- Noone was quite looking to anything but what 'prize' they had discussed in lack of detail. Eyes would go wide as the looked to the monster before you.
...it was a Siren.
He was different.. from the ones in your fuzzy memory as a child. He had a upper skeleton body, the bottom a type of shark- all over he had scars and jagged edges, his sockets having red eyelights that looked over everyone with a narrowed, but seemingly bored look. His teeth.. man his teeth- large triangular fangs that made up his maw, something you can imagine tearing you to threads with ease like nothing.
He seemingly paced in his encloser, face pulled back in a small snarl. He was agitated, and rightfully so. How the hell did they get him? What was the story- and did they not know the dangers a siren and their songs were? The frown that settled on your face while others were aweing at the creature. They better hope to know what their doing, we dont know nearly enough on sirens to catch them and place them on display willy-nilly.
"As you can see, this is Ares, one of our three sirens inside this building" fuck, three-?! THREE-?!? "He is a tiger shark type siren, the other two are of other breeds of their own, Ares is currently our most problematic siren due to his outburst. Hes nothing for any of you to worry about, other then keeping him under full lock and key till permissions are granted" Ellie continued, her back to the glass behind her.
Just seeing her- Ares would have his lights turned to slits, you can imagine him growling as bubbles pushed out from his mouth. His sharp claws pressed against the glass, hovering his large body behind her form as he glares at her. What did she do to him? Clearly he has beef.
She wouldn't look, just continued talking as other felt uncomfortable watching the aggression. Some teenagers you can hear talking shit, but youd imagine they'd piss their pants if they got that look. Youd shake your head, letting the noise become background as you stepped closer to the podium. Was his story here? What all was the information had on him?
Youd look over the plack, a sudden quiet falling as Ellie would stop talking shortly after the chatter in the back would pause. Youd glance back at everyone over your shoulders, eyes.. on you? Glancing over their faces, a red-pinkish hue, youd notice, would reflect from thr faces directly behind you. Youd blinked, taking a moment to turn your head back-
...What the shit.
He was.. right there, staring at you..
You'd stare back at the looming siren, eyes wide as you had to remind yourself that theres still glass between you and him. Yeah- had it been dark in that tank and all you see is his eyes staring at you- illuminating this big, terrifying smile at you; You'd have screamed.
You both continue this unprompted staring contest, supposed testing who'd break first between you two. It can be noted that his eyelights seemed to have dilated, the red spanned out more as the inner darkness of what you can describe as an iris widen out. This made you think of your old family cat when looking at his favorite person- or his toys.. or food. Great, shark bait as they say in 'Finding Nemo'?
Youd jumped as the sound of the glass made a 'thunk', looking away finally to afew inches over to the right as he had his claws on the glass all sprawled out. He tapped them gently, seeming caressing the glass? Hello?? This feels like how it would be the other way around with a child trying to pet a animal that amazed them.
His eyelights shrunk back to slits, his head turned and glaring off to the side of you. Ellie would be on that side- pulling you away by the shoulder before her hands were on either one. She stared at you with such a serious look. She payed no mind to the harsher sounds of the glass being hit beside you, others backing away as she was trained on you.
"You- what is your name-?" Well shit, are you fired already?