Under the city of light there once used to be a sea made of bubbles. Citizens of light used to dump their trash in there. As it fell from the sky, it popped many of the bubbles until it landed on the bubbles in the shallow depths.

In these depths, lived a mermaid. She often would get hurt by falling pieces of sharp materials or while swimming through them, so day after day, she cleared the bubble sea and moved the trash to a pile on the island near her home.

Three turtles lived on that island and thanked mermaid for bringing all the strange items. They were building a large ship with beautiful, colorful sails.

Turtles were sad to see the mermaid in bruisers, scars and wounds. She had a lot of bandagges and dressing plasters on her body, including a large one that covered her left eye.

The turtles wouldn't say it, but they built the ship to ask citizens of light to stop dumping their trash into the sea below, to help the mermaid.

The mermaid observed as the giant ship sails to the horizon and she shed a single tear, she was missing her friends, but they promised her that they would be back.

The turtles reached the large shadow beneath the city, waterfalls of black sludge leaked down from the city in the sky, covering everything.

The ship couldn't push through the thick, dense fluid and stopped.

Three turtles exited the ship and tried to clean the way in front of them, but a giant black hand came out of the sludge and took the first of them.

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Two other turtles despaired over a loss of family member, but that wouldn't stop them. The ship sailed forth.

Below the city was a hanging town, it was full of dim rainbow lights and neons and there was a ladder that would allow turtles to climb upward. A silent, tempting music could be heard from the inside.

The second turtle climbed up, promising that he will return in three days and If not, the third turtle would continue onward on his own.

The second turtle never came back.

The third turtle sailed through the dark, for days, but it neither could find a way inside the city or a way back.

It sobbed alone, in silence, asking anyone for help.

Then the monster came, hiding in shadows, and asked:

"Why did you try to slip into the city of light?"

"We wanted to help a friend!"

"You didn't need a ship for that. You didn't need to come here."

"We didn't know any other way."

"Poor, little things. Let me help you."

"You will?" - The turtle raised his little head, with still teary eyes.

"Yes, but it's not free."

The turtle realized what these words mean. It was a monster after all.

"I can save your family and the mermaid, but no one of you will ever see each other again."

"...but, the mermaid, she is there, waiting for us."

"...and she will wait, safely and happy, but you will never come."

The turtle grasped his chest and clenched his mouth, he knew no other solution.

"I... agree... please help us."