Episode 6

*Talk Page*

Shifty Partner

As the maelstrom continues to destroy the city they left behind, Scypho proposes that he take Pezci to the Light Tower, and in return she would take him in as part of her winnings when he got her there. After much indecisive rambling, she agrees, even though she's not sure she can trust him. He tells her to call him Scypho, and she tells him her name is Pezcada Murder Razorfin, but he can call her Pezci.

## Cast of Characters

* Pezci
* Scypho
* The Mirror

## Synopsis

While the maelstrom continues to wreck havoc behind them, Pezci is floating curled up, acting as if she were dead. Scypho goes to her and offers a proposition. He tells her he'll help her reach the Light Tower, and in return she'll include him in the reward she receives. His proposal makes her to sit up and take notice. Looking at him with a bemused expression, she asks if he'd help her. As she begins to have second thoughts. She asks him doubtfully why he would help a complete stranger when it will only put his life in danger. Scypho and the Mirror are both scoping out how the city is faring against the storm, with the Mirror extruding binoculars, while she tells him she's sure he's got his own life to get back to. He turns back to her, laughing at her assumption, and says his life was never really put together from the start. Glancing back at the city, he assures her that whatever gets him further away from there is for the best — and right then some building collapses with a loud crash and a following boom, startling Pezci. He laughingly adds that his apartment is probably destroyed anyway. Drifting away from where he stands treading water, she says she's gonna need a few moments to herself to think about it.

Once she gets some distance from Scypho, she stares off across the distant ocean with a grim determination, but her natural trepidation quickly surfaces, causing a panic attack and making her wheeze. She struggles with her indecisiveness, unable to make up her mind about what to do; whether she can trust him; thinking he's weird. She worries that she doesn't know him, but then he did save her life, and she doesn't really believe she can survive the journey on her own.

Watching her struggle from where he's floating, Scypho thinks she's taking too long, worried that he could be spotted so easily where he is. He starts considering his options, thinking maybe he should swim away now and make it on his own, but then he wonders, what if the key game is all true. He'd never forgive himself for abandoning such an opportunity. Something catches his eye, and in a panic he snaps his head around to look, dismissing it when he realizes it's just a shark. Looking back to her, he decides to give her five seconds, and then he's swimming away. Thinking again about the Light Tower makes him wonder if it really could save even his pitiful life.

An especially loud crash and boom startles the both of them, encouraging Scypho to suggest that if they want to continue not being dead, they have to go now-ish. Looking hesitant, Pezci reluctantly agrees, but she asks if she takes him as her travel partner, how does she know that he won't betray her later on. Scypho lets out a loud belly laugh, then he tells her she doesn't. Thinking to herself that trying to reach the Light Tower on her own is certain death, but one look at the devastation brought by the maelstrom convinces her she's just gonna have to risk it with this guy. Scypho listens somberly when Pezci declares that she can include him in her Light Tower reward, especially since he did save her life already.

Lifting her left hand and holding it flat with the Key up, she shows him that the Key has a built in compass that tells Keyholders which way to go. A golden beam shines off into the distance. Noting the direction it's indicating, he proclaims that's great, he's familiar with that area ahead and he knows a place where they can find a rest stop. Glancing back over his shoulder, he can see Madam Louv's watercar through gaps between the rocky outcroppings on the ocean's floor. He grabs her shoulders and begins to push the still hesitant mermaid in the direction her homing beam is pointing, then she finally puts her hand down.

He lets her know that, by the way, she can call him Scypho. She responds that her name is Pezcada Murder Razorfin, drawing a glance of surprised concern from Scypho, then going on to say she likes just Pezci.