I come awake, already excited. Tonight is the night I get to see like an octopus. Dark Provider is confident that this mRNA patch will be more successful than the last. Last time they were just guessing but this time we have taken multiple blood samples over many nights and developed the patch across a number of different individuals. This will be a much more targeted approach. Instead of a generic attempt to make me more suited to the Cove environment which gave me my current lung capacity, my coat and skin changes, webbed my feet and slight improvement in my night-vision, this will be a specific patch for two specific issues I have highlighted. It has been truly exciting doing scientific Service night after night. I feel like a real scent-scientist even if Inquisitive Set would not recognise my research-space or my co-researchers.
If the patch is successful then, by this Rise, I will be able to see the colours that an octopus can and with the precision they can in darker environments. I will also have better control of my buoyancy. I should be able to swim more easily and I will be able to understand the octopus world as they do. I am so excited. I can truly embark on research of their culture once I am able to perceive it all. The otters are awake and chittering for Dark Provider. I start to groom myself. I have developed new ways to groom now I need different things from grooming. I no longer worry about keeping my coat clean and parasite free but ensuring that the oils that seep from the bases of my hairs are evenly distributed on hairs. A few hairs brushed the wrong way now open me up to a jab of cold on my skin. I nudge the translator. I have been allowed to keep it for the moment while I develop the mRNA patch with Dark Provider. Even with it, my mind is often unable to understand what he is asking me. My nose tells me he is coming but the translator supplements it.
« I’m coming, you impatient lot. » I know he can’t hear them, but they do stink of their indignation at not having been fed yet. I have learnt that octopus can’t hear from Soil Parent’s terror at pack-memories containing sound. They do feel vibrations which is the only way I could explain sound to Soil Parent (as vibrations in your ears, head, body that have meaning). I don’t really understand it to be honest, I wish there was another dog, with more scientific knowledge to help me explain. But I am doing quite well explaining I think, Pack would be impressed.
They have picked up his scent and start to writhe all over each other, chittering even more. I stretch. I don’t generally provision with them anymore. There is a separate chamber off our research cave that I eat in. I do den with them; even though I learnt how to den alone, I do not want to have to. Dark Provider breaks out of the water. He slings the provision onto the land. I move it, leave it out for the otters and return to him.
« I am going to check on Hard Gardener. We can then go straight to the cave. » I slide into the water and go to find the hermit crab^.
« Don’t you want to talk to » – the gesture I know means Soil Parent – « I am sure she wants to wish you luck. I know that » – gesture for Pack Guider^ – « is going to reveal the new anemone bank she has had added to her Garden this Set so if you want support, we can wait until after nadir. » Having learnt that Soil Parent cannot leave Pack Guider even for a heartbeat or it will cause Pack Guider to Dissolve whether she wants to or not, I appreciate all the times Pack Guider did things I was interested in to allow Soil Parent and me to have time together, growing our pack-bond.
« Seeing as they have already gone out, I do not want to get in the way of the Matriarchy’s important night. Once I have had the patch I can go and see » what a weird thought « what the anemones are like with my new eyes. »
« It’ll be the same eyes, just you will have a pupil and optic nerve structured more like ours to allow you to perceive light and colour as we do. Assuming everything goes to plan. I think it is a little ambitious to expect to be looking at any Gardens in the next 8-night. » Octopus measure everything in units of 8. It seems like their thoughts are always broken into 8! Measuring things as dogs do on World, by season, seems meaningless in The Tangle where seasonal changes are barely apparent. « Do you remember how painful the last patch was? Having a patch is not a comfortable experience. »
« It hurt but it wasn’t too bad. And it’ll be worth it. Also, we are only doing two changes this time, so it won’t be more painful than that. » Having checked that Hard Gardener is in the Matriarchy’s cave and happily trimming the plants on a rock, I head to the exit into Cove. Dark Provider is darker than usual; he is worried. I know it is risky, but no great science can be done without some risk. And the risk is mine anyway. He has told me it could decrease my eyesight but if it does, I am no worse off than now. I would love to see but it is not like it is going to damage my scent ability.
I head to the research-cave ahead of Dark Provider. He follows, syphoning lazily. I haul myself into my dry-chamber above. The provisioning spot is already well-stocked with eels and a skate, my favourite provision. Dark Provider and his assistant Gentle Arms (I still don’t understand how names function for octopus, but each octopus expects me to generate a name for them) both come to the surface. They approach me, leaving wet smears on the stone floor.
« We will stay with you throughout. We will try to minimise your discomfort as much as possible. Just ask for anything you need. » Gentle Arms slips the translator from my neck on its piece of kelp-core, she places it beside me.
« When you are ready, we will numb you with an urchin. » Dark Provider is interrupted by Stubby Runt^ Lorekeeper. I was delighted to find a fellow Runt but he does not recognise the pack-hood of it. I use the Service-title the octopus use for him which I don’t do for that many. It seems important, he has a dog’s level of Service. He is almost black and scenting utter disgust. His stubby arm is rigid with anger.
« I have been sent to give you all moral support and to report back to » – his gesture for Soil Parent. He is fuming and I understand just enough of octopus culture to understand why, the reveal in the garden is the culmination of much effort for him and he was naturally expecting to be attending that. If Soil Parent sent him to check on me then he probably feels like a dog watching another dog get notched for their contribution to Pack.
« Thank you Stubby Runt Lorekeeper. I think you should go to the reveal, nothing will go wrong here, return in a degree^ and check on me. Tell Soil Parent that I would prefer that. » He doesn’t wait, he is gone in a heartbeat. The tension in the cave decreases even though I didn’t notice it develop. The two octopus scientists touch each other. I am not part of this communication, but they break apart and seem ready.
Gentle Arms produces an urchin spike and looks at me.
« Are you ready little one? »
« Yes, I look forward to seeing you soon. » She plunges the spine into my thigh muscle. It is excruciating for a cent^ but then a prickling numbness permeates my leg. It feels floppy and funny. This time, I understand what is happening and it is so much easier to manage. I want to chuck. I must stay still though. Dark Provider has taken in the sample of blood that they will put into me that will encourage all my blood to change my basic components and leave me able to see. I can’t feel anything as he uses some kind of sharp protrusion to implant it into my leg where the urchin has made it numb.
About a cent later, I regret every decision I have made. I can’t believe I survived if this is what the first patch was like. My eyes feel like they are being gouged out by rough coral I wail as the agony becomes the only thing I can feel. My stomach adds to the screaming. Oh Soil, how can I ever survive this? I release my bladder without intending to. I don’t care, I barely notice. I am vaguely aware of movement around me. Soil, please help me. I didn’t think this through. Can I go back please? I can almost hear translator-communication but I can’t comprehend it. There is a sudden click and silence. They turned off the translator. Why? Why have they abandoned me? Soil, please don’t leave me too! Tangle, protect me! Please.