Lacy

Lacy

“Have you read the Daily Majestic lately?” Tanya asked.

“Well, no, but I have a feeling you have,” Christina replied.

“Kyos sent me this article, and I had some spare time,” Tanya said, holding up her tablet. “Apparently, the legend of the Loch Lacy Monster began way back in 565, with a series of sightings that captured public imagination.” Tanya read aloud.

“But here’s the thing,” she continued. “This year, a new road was built along Loch Lacy, giving people clearer views of the water. Since then, there have been several new sightings. One couple claimed they saw, and I quote, ‘an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface.’ It even made the front page!”

“They must be running out of real news to report,” Christina said dryly.

“We should ask the Oracle for permission to investigate. It’s not like we have real crimes to solve right now,” Tanya mused aloud.

“Or we could just request some vacation time and visit the lake,” Christina suggested.

“But that would be a great excuse to test the underwater camera the cyborgs donated to the Bureau,” Tanya countered.

“Speaking of those cyborgs,” Laina, the data spirit, chimed in, her voice smooth yet slightly metallic. “They’ve proposed several explanations for such sightings—misidentified animals like seals or large fish, natural phenomena like wind slicks or reflections, and, of course, elaborate hoaxes.”

“Okay, so you’re both into this now,” Christina said with mock exasperation. “Fine, I’ll fill out the paperwork to officially open a case.”

Two days later, the trio found themselves in a rented car, heading to Loch Lacy on an official mission to identify the so-called aquatic monster.

“Excuse me, are we heading in the right direction for Hotel Lacy?” Tanya asked an elderly man standing on the sidewalk.

“Yes, just follow the high road and turn left at the Salmon Girl statue,” the fisherman said. “But I hope you’re not here to cause trouble. Those spring breakers are already disturbing the ecosystem with their nonsense about Lacy.”

“We’re Agents of the Oracle, here to shed light on the mystery. We won’t disturb the peace,” Christina reassured him.

“Well, Loch Lacy is an important wild salmon breeding site. If you ask me, you should ban tourists from using jet skis altogether. Otherwise, there won’t be any salmon left next year,” the fisherman grumbled.

“If we can identify what Lacy really is, maybe the lake will attract fewer tourists. But that’s a big ‘if.’ Thank you for your help,” Tanya said.

“Good luck, then,” the fisherman replied, waving as they drove off.

The lake was bustling with spring breakers, their jet skis and motorboats creating chaos on the water—until, suddenly, every engine stopped. Stranded in the middle of the vast, cold loch, the tourists quickly realized their predicament. Even their flare guns were barely functional, as every electronic device in the area had been rendered useless.

Laina, the data spirit, flickered faintly, her connection to the microcomputer bracelet weakening. “I’m holding on,” she said in a strained voice, “but the shock wave is interfering with everything.”

Tanya and Christina sprang into action. Using kayaks and paddles borrowed from the locals, they coordinated the rescue of the stranded tourists. Swimming to shore was out of the question—the water was just above freezing, and hypothermia would set in within minutes.

After half an hour of frantic effort, everyone was safe and back at Hotel Lacy. The staff lit an old-fashioned fire in the large common room, and the spring breakers huddled together, grateful for the warmth. Just as the atmosphere began to calm, the electricity returned as abruptly as it had disappeared.

“That was no ordinary outage,” Christina said, her voice laced with concern. “Not even a hundred Majestics could pull off a spell that powerful.”

“You think it was magical?” Tanya asked, equally unsettled. “Laina, are you all right?”

“I’m already dead; I don’t feel much,” Laina quipped. “But the link to the computer is back. I’m still running diagnostics, and…” Her voice trailed off. “How strange. The epicenter of the wave was right in the middle of Loch Lacy. There’s definitely something magical in that lake.”

After a warm bath and a hearty dinner, the agents decided to stroll along the moonlit lake, hoping for a glimpse of the mysterious creature.

"It's a big lake. I don't know how we're going to solve this case," Tanya began pragmatically.

"I didn’t mention it earlier, but I called for an airship surveillance drone to scan the lake while you were in the bath. It should arrive by lunchtime tomorrow," Christina replied with a calm confidence.

"Good thinking. So, now we just enjoy the view and wait?" Tanya asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I want a closer look at that Salmon Girl statue—and maybe snap some pictures," Christina said, her tone slightly enigmatic.

"Why? A sudden fascination with sculptures?" Tanya teased.

"It’s a secret. I’ll tell you everything once we have solid proof," Christina said with a mysterious smile.

The moon was still visible when the trio woke the next morning. A massive airship hovered silently above the lake, transmitting the first round of data wirelessly to Laina. The computer spirit quickly relayed the sonar images to Tanya’s tablet.

"The drone’s early," Tanya said, grabbing a croissant before pulling on her boots.

"Anything interesting?" Christina asked.

"A few large objects on the lakebed—and one organic form. It’s moving," Laina summarized, her voice calm but focused.

"We’ll start with the large objects," Tanya decided.

The agents rented a boat and set out to the marked location. Equipped with diving suits, underwater cameras, and powerful spotlights, they descended into the clear, cold water. After careful maneuvering, they captured strategic shots for Laina to reconstruct the images.

When the data finished processing, the result left them stunned. The three large objects formed a single massive structure—a giant egg.

"So, the old tale was true," Christina murmured as they climbed back aboard the boat.

"What tale?" Tanya asked, still peeling off her gear.

Christina leaned against the railing, her gaze fixed on the water. "A thousand years ago, there was a legend in the Dark Majestics' archives. It spoke of a giant flying fish that laid an egg in a lake. A young salmon fisher, who happened to be a Majestic, swore to protect the egg until it hatched. In gratitude, the fish granted her immense magical powers, which she passed down to her descendants. But it was kept a secret to protect the egg—and humanity from the fish's unimaginable power. The records also suggested that the flying fish came from space, with magic far beyond what Majestics could comprehend."

Tanya stared at Christina, processing the story. "So... the egg finally hatched? You suspected this all along?"

"Not exactly," Christina admitted. "The tale had faded into legend, and the Dark Majestics' records are incomplete at best. Besides, the lake’s name was never mentioned. It could’ve been anywhere in the vast empire of the time."

"So now we’re dealing with a giant alien baby fish. No wonder it’s been acting up over the noise," Tanya quipped, brushing water off her suit.

"Don’t take this lightly," Christina warned, steering the boat toward the marina. "If the legend holds, that 'baby' could crush us—or turn you into a turnip—if it decides we’re a threat. Our best hope is that it grows quickly, learns to fly, and returns to space."

Back at the hotel, the spring breakers were in chaos. People packed hastily, some sobbing uncontrollably in the common room.

"What happened? Did someone die?" Tanya asked a young man slumped on a couch.

Through choked sobs, he managed to say, "I—I don’t know. I just feel... so sad!" Then he collapsed to the floor, wailing.

A waiter approached, his face pale. "They’ve been like this for about an hour. All of them. It’s like they’re possessed," he whispered, trembling.

"It’s never happened before?" Christina asked.

"Of course not!" the waiter exclaimed, glancing nervously at the guests.

"Thank you. You should advise everyone to leave the region. Quietly. It’s for their safety," Christina said firmly.

"But they’ve already paid—" the waiter began.

"They won’t want to stay if they think they’re being possessed," Tanya interrupted. "Offer them a discount for next year or something."

The waiter nodded hesitantly, half-dragging the sobbing guest toward the reception desk.

That evening, the trio gathered around the hotel fireplace.

"I don’t know if anyone should come back next year," Christina mused, staring into the flames.

"That gives us time to deal with this," Tanya countered.

"What do you think a giant baby alien fish eats?" Laina asked, tilting her head.

"Worms? Insects? Why?" Tanya replied.

"We could try luring it out of the water to encourage it to fly," Laina suggested. "It already looks big enough in the drone images."

Christina’s eyes lit up. "That might actually work!"

"I’ll order some crates of fishing bait. If the skies stay clear, they’ll arrive by morning," Laina said decisively.

"Then we’ve earned a good meal and some downtime," Tanya said, grinning. For the first time that day, she seemed genuinely relaxed.

 Using airdrones to drop the bait strategically, they hoped to lure the giant creature out of the water. As the team waited, the atmosphere grew tense—eerie ripples disturbed the lake's surface, and faint flashes of light shimmered beneath the waves.

Suddenly, the creature emerged—a massive, shimmering, translucent fish-like being with iridescent scales that seemed to refract moonlight even in daylight. It hovered above the water, defying gravity, its enormous eyes reflecting a curious intelligence.

Tanya was awestruck. "It's... beautiful," she whispered, unable to look away.

Christina raised her voice, careful not to provoke the creature. "We mean no harm! We’re here to help you find your way back home."

The creature let out a low, resonating melody like a whale song, as if trying to communicate. Laina, using her magical AI capabilities, began deciphering the sound. "It’s scanning us... assessing whether we’re a threat," Laina reported.

But before they could act further, the creature emitted a pulse of energy, knocking them to the ground. Around the lake, the few remaining humans collapsed, overcome by waves of inexplicable sadness. The team realized the creature’s emotional influence was spreading uncontrollably, a side effect of its unfamiliar presence on Earth.

Tanya, recovering quickly, shouted, "If we don’t act fast, it could destabilize the entire region!"

Christina formulated a plan: they needed to guide the creature to an ancient magical portal hidden deep in the nearby forest, rumored to connect to the outer realms. Laina quickly calculated the portal's likely location based on old Majestic maps.

The journey was perilous. The creature, curious but hesitant, followed them through the forest, leaving an ethereal trail in its wake. Along the way, the team had to calm frightened villagers who’d heard rumors of the creature and sought to capture it.

"We won’t let this creature escape! It must be contained by the cyborgs—its powers could change everything!" a villager shouted, his voice trembling with both fear and conviction.

Without warning, the flying fish unleashed another shockwave, sending the mob sprawling to the ground like scattered leaves.

Tanya stepped cautiously among the fallen bodies, her sharp gaze assessing the situation.

“They’re just unconscious,” she said, her voice calm but firm. “Let’s keep moving.”

At the portal site, Christina activated the ancient mechanism, a magical obelisk long forgotten. The creature hesitated, emitting another wave of sadness. Christina realized it wasn’t sure it could survive the journey alone.

"It’s afraid," Laina translated.

Christina approached the creature carefully. "You’re not alone. You’ve survived centuries—this is your chance to go home." Her voice was steady, almost maternal.

The creature responded with a final hum, as if thanking them, and entered the glowing portal. In an instant, it vanished, leaving only a faint, otherworldly ripple in the air.

Back at the lake, the trio reflected on the event. The emotional aura had lifted, and the villagers slowly returned to normal.

"We just sent an alien fish into space through a magical portal," Tanya said, laughing incredulously. "Is that even something we can put in the report?"

Christina smiled. "Some things are better left off the record."

As they packed up, Laina added, "Well, at least spring breakers can come back next year—if they’re brave enough."

The trio left the lake, their bond strengthened by the strange encounter, ready for whatever magical mystery awaited them next.