The Treasure of the Depths
Credits to monsoon-of-art for the MegaMer universe concept.
On the surface, where the air merged with the waves and the sun shone unobstructed, someone absentmindedly tossed a plastic bag into the sea. The object floated gently, bobbing with the waves before beginning its slow descent into the darkness of the abyss. The person who threw it thought no one would notice, imagining the vast ocean would simply absorb that small piece of waste—unaware that, in the depths, eyes were watching their every move.
Below, on the seabed, sunlight arrived only as a faint glow. Dr. Light swam along, propelling himself gently with his jellyfish tentacles, while the fluffy fur covering his body—characteristic of the yeti lobster—drifted around him. His small, glowing antenna, inherited from the anglerfish, pulsed with a soft turquoise light, illuminating the crevices in the rocks.
Suddenly, a bright, translucent glint atop a rock formation caught his eye.
"Wow, what is that? I’ve never seen anything so striking," Dr. Light murmured to himself, coming to an abrupt halt.
Curiously, he extended his jellyfish tentacles to grasp the object. The plastic bag crinkled slightly under the water pressure as he examined it from every angle, fascinated by its flexible, waterproof texture.
"This could be extremely useful… I’ve seen more things like this around lately. Perhaps I can put them to use in my experiments," he mused enthusiastically, stowing the bag away alongside other discoveries he had made throughout the day.
Dr. Light continued his journey, venturing into a vibrant area teeming with brightly colored coral reefs, tall seaweed swaying in the current, and small schools of sea creatures. Taking great care not to damage the fragile ecosystem, Dr. Light held the plastic bag open while stowing away a veritable collection of marine curiosities: rusted metal cans, crushed plastic bottles, and sand-polished glass fragments.
To him, humanity on the surface was sending down "advanced building materials," and as a deeply curious deep-sea scientist, he had no intention of letting them go to waste.
However, an agile silhouette moved swiftly among the sea fans. Mega Man (Rock) was swimming and exploring the crevices when he spotted his creator's shiny, rounded figure. As he drew closer, he noticed the strange load Dr. Light was trying to discreetly conceal.
"Um… Dad? What is all that you've got there?" Rock asked, tilting his head in genuine curiosity as he swam in circles around the older robot.
Dr. Light jumped slightly in surprise. His antenna flashed a brilliant blue, and in a clumsy attempt to hide his haul, he tucked the sack of refuse behind his bulky yeti-lobster body, using his tentacles to shield it completely from view.
"Oh! Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing… why do you ask, son?" Dr. Light replied with a visibly nervous smile, shifting his stance to block the view.
Rock wasn't easily fooled. With his bright sea-colored eyes and keen powers of observation, he had already spotted the soda bottle sticking out from between his father's tentacles. He crossed his arms underwater, hovering at eye level with Dr. Light.
"Dad, I know you were picking up trash again," Rock said, his tone a mix of resignation and tenderness. "You know that things falling from the surface aren't magical objects or gifts. Humans throw them away because they don't want them anymore, and they often harm the fish and coral."
Dr. Light sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. He looked at the bag filled with plastics and cans, then glanced at the surrounding marine life. The glow of his antenna dimmed, reflecting his remorse.
"You're right, Rock," the scientist admitted quietly. At first, I was fascinated by the idea of having new materials from our planet to study… but I’ve realized how plastic gets tangled in the reefs and how glass can be dangerous for the smallest creatures.
Rock smiled and moved closer to help, carefully holding one end of the plastic bag.
"It’s not wrong to collect them, Dad. In fact, you’re doing something amazing by cleaning up our home," Rock said, looking at the pile. "It’s just that, instead of keeping them as treasures for your experiments, we should take them to a safe cave where they won’t hurt anyone, or find a clean way to recycle them."
Dr. Light’s eyes lit up with excitement once again.
"That’s a wonderful idea, Rock! If we organize these materials safely, not only will we keep the reefs clean, but we can also design a system to protect the entire reef from the pollution falling from above." Together, the wise merman-scientist and his young companion swam toward the depths of the reef—propelled by Dr. Light’s glowing tentacles and Rock’s agile fins—transforming what began as simple curiosity into a mission to care for the vast, beautiful ocean they called home.
