Tails in Depth Solitude (Ch 2) by BottleBreather < Submission

Keywords male 1243365, fox 256777, mobian 31494, miles tails prower 15293, underwater 9249, miles prower 4657, tails miles prower 4326, peril 3006, diving 1043, scuba 771, underwater peril 8

Chapter 2: Into My Blue Heaven

As I went under on my back, the cool water surrounded me, and I hovered motionless under the surface, with bubbles floating past my mask. I floated for a moment to get used to the feeling of being in the water. The weight belt pulled me down slowly, while my BCD kept me neutrally buoyant underwater. I could hear the steady sound of my breathing through the regulator: hiss... pause... bubble release... pause... and then it kept repeating indefinitely. Those rhythms and sounds were oddly calming for me.

I took my time savoring the moment, away from the busy world above and into the peaceful depths. I closed my eyes and let myself float on my back, with my face turned up toward the surface. The water held me completely, wrapping around me in a way that felt almost unreal. In the quiet, all of my worries and responsibilities seemed to go away. I could feel currents moving through my fur even when I moved my hand a little.

When I opened my eyes and looked up, the surface sparkled far above like a portal to another dimension. Just me and the ocean. Just like I wanted.

Down here, I could float and fly in ways I never could on land. I don't need to move my tails, I chuckled. I was truly free here, suspended between the seafloor and the sky. I felt completely at home in this calm blue-green space. The only catch? Without my scuba tank, I couldn't breathe.

Quick check—regulator smooth, watch working, air gauge full. All good to go.

I began my descent by pressing the button that slowly let air out of my BCD so that I could sink slowly. As I went deeper, I equalized my ears. The water was crystal clear, and I could see far down into the blue depths below. I felt that familiar peace that came with being underwater, the muffled quiet, the gentle pressure, and the soothing breathing sounds. It felt like suddenly all my worries about being on land seemed to go away.

When I was near the sea floor, I could see schools of bright orange garibaldi darting between the rocky outcrops. They seemed not to care at all that I was there. A harbor seal spiraled past with fluid grace, gave me a curious glance, then disappeared into.

The sunlight from above made dancing patterns on the sandy bottom below. I took deeper, slower breaths, settling into the meditative rhythm that made diving so good for me. I swam through a small canyon between two rocky walls covered in colorful anemones. I was always amazed by how many different kinds of life were hiding in every crack. Wolf eels peeked out from their holes. Rockfish hovered in formation near the reef. Larger lingcod waited patiently while tiny señorita fish went about their cleaning work.

Being free underwater made me feel incredible. On the surface, I was always 'on,' ready to invent, fix, rescue, or help anyone who needed me. But down here, I was just another living thing in this ecosystem, no more important than the fish around me.

Time seemed to flow differently underwater. Had I been down fifteen minutes? Thirty?

I looked at my air gauge, and it said it was about three-quarters full. That seemed like the right amount of time I'd been down. I felt much more relaxed than I had in months. After going down a gentle slope, I ended up in a small valley underwater with rocky outcrops all around it. Different animals found shelter in small caves and overhangs. I spent a few minutes watching the little dramas that were happening, predator and prey, cleaner and client, the never-ending dance of survival and cooperation.

I paused to check my gauge again before exploring deeper.

Still showing three-quarters.

Uh... is that okay? Is that how calm I am?

Maybe I was breathing more efficiently than usual in my relaxed state. Sometimes when you were really calm underwater, your air consumption could be surprisingly low. I'd heard of experienced divers having incredibly low consumption rates when they were completely in their element.

I swam deeper into the valley. As I swam deeper into the valley, a beautiful rocky reef came into view. Clusters of brilliant cup corals in reds and oranges dotted the rocks. I saw massive purple sea stars clinging to vertical surfaces and delicate gorgonian sea fans swaying in the current. A leopard shark glided past along the bottom, completely ignoring me. I explored the rocky formations, found a wolf eel watching me pass from its den. Then I discovered a cleaning station where larger rockfish hovered while tiny señorita fish picked parasites from their scales.

After what felt like another ten minutes, I checked my gauge once more.

Still three-quarters full.

I frowned behind my mask. That's definitely strange. I tapped the gauge face lightly, but the needle didn't move. I'd been underwater for at least twenty-five minutes now. Even with calm breathing, this didn't seem right.

As I looked around, I caught a glimpse of something moving in the deeper water beyond the large rocky outcrop. A dark silhouette, too far away to make out clearly, but it seemed to be another diver. The figure moved with purpose, not the leisurely pace of a recreational diver, and disappeared behind a large coral head before I could get a better look.

Is that, another diver?

I couldn't figure out where I had seen the shape before. Is that the same person I saw on the beach?

I kept watching for a few more seconds, but the figure went into the cave system. There was no one there when I looked back a moment later.

I shrugged and looked back at the reef. Maybe it's just another diver having fun at the site.

Ahead, I spotted a kelp forest swaying gently in the current, the long fronds moving like underwater curtains. I swam into it slowly, weaving between the swaying stalks. The filtered sunlight created dancing shadows that shifted with every movement of the kelp. The giant bull kelp stretched from the rocky bottom all the way up toward the surface, creating towering columns of golden-brown that swayed in the gentle surge. It felt like swimming through a living cathedral, peaceful and beautiful.

I kept my movements smooth and controlled, my arms close to my body so the kelp wouldn't catch on my equipment. The fronds brushed against my wetsuit as I passed, a gentle touch that felt almost welcoming. Small fish darted in and out of the kelp forest, using it as shelter. Tiny invertebrates clung to the kelp blades, and I spotted a bright red nudibranch slowly making its way up a stalk.

I emerged from the kelp forest feeling accomplished. Perfect navigation, no entanglement. This was exactly the kind of diving I loved—challenging but controlled, beautiful but safe.

I glanced at my dive watch.

Wait... how long had I been down here?

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Tails in Depth Solitude (Ch 2)

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