Siren Songs

“Is it bad that I kind of want to see it?” Erica asked, nose crunching up with curiosity. “I mean, you’ve got to look pretty badass when you’re beating the crap out of someone. I know of four really great candidates if you ever want to try your might against someone.” She didn’t know just how strong the Horsemen were compared to Calypso, but Calypso had to be a formidable opponent. Maybe she could make a dent in them. All Erica knew was that she couldn’t get near them without getting tricked. She waded over to the edge of the water and took a seat, letting her legs dangle in the water and splashed around Bullshit. “It’s nothing big. I’m basically a screw up and I think I lost my chance with someone I really like. A billion years old or whatever and you want to listen to teenage boy troubles? Your super power is patience. Or tolerance. Or something. ” She laughed easily. “Can you talk to Bullshit? Can you understand him? Because I can’t.”

Erica jumped at Calypso’s sudden (to her) appearance. “You’re more ninja than siren, jeez.” She held a hand to her heart momentarily, but it was quickly replaced by a very relieved smile. She threw all pretenses to the wind and when Calypso came to greet her in the water, Erica threw her arms around her. “It’s been such a terrible week,” she whined into the siren’s shoulder. “Or month. Or like, year, I guess. I’m having boy troubles so I need a break and the only thing that ever calmed me before was my ducks.” Indeed, Bullshit had waded over to her and bopped his beak on her thigh, trying to see if she was made of bread or something ridiculously duck-like like that. “And you. You’re so like… Zen. I don’t know how you do it.”

It’d been a while since Erica made her way out to Calypso’s giant… estate, really. It was the best word Erica had for it. After all the stress she’d put herself through, she couldn’t find a perfect way to relax–which meant, obviously, visiting Calypso and the ducks. Instead of going in through the front, she let herself into the back like she owned the place, trying to see if she could find Bullshit and Warren and all the others. “Heeeere ducky ducky ducks!” she called out, already starting to feel better just thinking about them. Ducks didn’t care about power outages. Since Calypso had such nice water features, she pulled off her bottoms and tossed them aside so she could wade into the cool water. Only this time instead of calling for the ducks, she called for the siren. “Calypsoooooo,” she half-sang. “It’s meee. I miss youuuu.”

Even without Erica calling out, or sensing her energy on the property she knew the girl had arrived. Bullshit’s quack was the most recognisable of all the ducks and so far the only other person he seemed to truly like was Erica. He was already quacking up a storm, but this was definitely a happy sound and not the angry honk he’d made if he deemed he wasn’t getting the attention he desired from Calypso. Such a demanding duck.

Of course, since Erica was also her favourite, she understood why she was the only other person that Bullshit liked and it wasn’t long before Calypso appeared. “I miss you too, darling.” She greeted with a fond smile. It turned out she had a robe on over little else and after slinging the robe aside she also waded out into the water. Usually she would swim in the nude but she didn’t quite want to throw Erica into that. “How have you been, darling?”

“My friend is missing”, he supplies without turning around.  He wasn’t sure who the voice belonged to nor was he in any hurry to really find out.

“I’m going to need a little more information than that if I’m helping you look, darling. I have to know what I’m looking for.” She was half tempted to lull him under, ask him why it was he made her uneasy.

“Unless you’re here to help me look, get lost”, he didn’t even turn to see who it was, he didn’t care.  Someone was missing, someone important and he wasn’t about to worry about anything else.

“What are we looking for, darling?” She asked, tilting her head a little as she examined the man. Something about him made her feel a little apprehensive.

‘‘Do you know why they couldn’t fall under it?’‘ He needed to be careful but something inside was just telling him to chill, Calypso could probably get anyone she wanted but all Jackson hope is that she wouldn’t turn on him. ‘‘Impressive but even bring you out here though… did it just attract you? sorry. I don’t want to quiz with boring question but since I’m meant to be protecting Beacon hills with all the other wierdos in Scott pack… it the matter of fact I have to.’‘

That song. That harmonious melody that promised security, happiness, and all manner of warm things floated through the dark. But it did not put Peter at ease. On the contrary, it made the hair on his neck stand on end and he growled low as his crimson eyes shown through the dark. The siren, Calypso, was nearby. And he knew it to be her, not one of those other little fish flopping around and screeching uncontrollably at any person that accidentally caught their fancy. No, hers was a song brimming with confidence, purpose. She’d been around the block a couple centuries or more. And that was what put him on edge. “So you’re just out here doing good deeds, I take it?”

‘‘Stop. You’re making me blush.’‘ Jackson had no idea what was going through this lady mind but she seemed humble and safe to be around. ‘‘Want to get out of here? This place is getting pretty packed and someone is bound to hear one of us and will think we’re talking nonsense.’‘ He motioned her up, even though she was a siren Jackson just thought she came from royalty or something, he even held the door for her. It was just the way she pronounced things that just gave him this vibe. ‘‘Siren are like mermaids right, but apparently, you have a beautiful voice that can lure humans into a trap. Is that true?’‘

The smile kept pulling at her lips and she nodded slightly, “Why not, darling.” Calypso rose up, gliding out as he held the door open for her. She did pause for him however and walked beside him as they carried on. “There are similarities. It’s not just a trap, exactly - more like the voice lulls people under a spell, my spell. I can compel those under the song’s influence to do what I desire. And that is almost every creature, darling - not just humans. There are few I’ve met who don’t fall under it.”

Darkness. Complete and utter darkness. If he were a betting man he’d wager this was Death’s doing. But as it were, Peter did not much like leaving things up to chance. Unwilling to gamble, the elder Hale decided to do some reconnaissance in town.  With the power and the lights out, all manner of beasties would likely be prowling around. Wendigos and omega wolves would take advantage of the dark. As would hunters. He prowled the streets, watching, step by slow step until he heard someone call out. Peter turned to face them, eyes searching in the dark for their source.

The siren wasn’t afraid for herself as she glided through the darkness that had swallowed Beacon Hills but she worried about the humans - and her other friends. Perhaps it wasn’t conventional friendship but it was friendship nonetheless. 

Calypso hadn’t been the one to call out but she paused all the same when she heard the voice. Closer to the source than Peter, she headed towards it. When she saw the altercation she started her song, humming until she paused the both of them in order to observe. When she realised Peter was also there, recognisable only by his energy and visible by a sliver of moonlight, she smiled. 

“We meet again, darling.”

“No two families are the same. My family now isn’t even the same as what it was a couple years ago.” She smiled, since she liked the changes in her family. What happened to them was terrible, but she loved the pack. “I feel like I should say it’s a good place to put down roots. It’s where I chose to raise my son, after all. It’s just… these aren’t the best times Beacon Hills has had.” 

He was going to go out, get some food and go home, that was all he had planned on doing.  But then he saw this stupid store with a stupid jacket in it that he knew Erica would like.  So his stupid ass decided to do something nice for her, considering he sort of broke down on her the other day.  He didn’t bring it up, she didn’t bring it up, so then it didn’t actually happen.  For how unusual and stressful his life could be, he wanted to do something..normal.  Something a normal boyfriend (still weird to think that) would do for his girlfriend.  What he didn’t count on was not knowing remotely what size she is.  So he looks around the store, trying to on one hand talk himself out of doing what he was about to do and on the other hand kicking himself in the ass (mentally) to just do it already.  So he clears his throat, without actually looking at the person, “uh..do you know how this..would fit..like an average woman?”

Calypso didn’t necessarily enjoy shopping in the same way some humans seemed to but her immaculate wardrobe did have to come from somewhere. She had been browsing when she heard the wolf from beside her. A small smile pulled at her lips, “Well - what constitutes average, darling?” She asked, “If I’m close in size, I suppose I can try it. Or perhaps I might know your friend?” After all, familiar energy lingered around him and she was curious.

Melissa couldn’t stop herself from looking sympathetic. At every part of her life, family had been at the core of it. Her large family in her childhood, the small circle of her, Scott and the Stilinskis, the pack. It all came down to family. But the way Calypso mentioned it didn’t seem like she wanted sympathy. “Observation is one way to learn. I was always more hands on. If I was shown something, I’d end up forgetting it. Actually do it, then I’d remember it.” 

Lydia nodded as she thought about how to phrase her question without sounding completely insane or hopeless. She figured the best thing to do would be come right out and say it. “You’ve been around a long time, obviously. You’ve probably seen a lot of terrible things. And I guess I’ve just been wondering how you do it? How do you find the strength to keep going even after all of these years?” Lydia fiddled with her hands a bit, not really making eye contact as she spoke. “Because recently I’ve been feeling like I don’t want to do.. this anymore.” She didn’t have much fight left in her. “And I feel like if I tell my friends they’ll just worry too much about what I’m saying.”

“I don’t doubt your powers, trust me, I don’t. But I’m not sure I would take that dive just yet. Maybe short distances first, as opposed to entire oceans.” Jordan hadn’t had the chance to experience what it was like to be doused with water when covered in hellfire. He’d been extinguished with a fire extinguisher, but that was just regular fire. “But we will travel together. Whether it be a year from now, or fifty years from now.”

Melissa smiled, grateful for the other woman’s words. “I do my best. That’s all I ask of them too.” Time and time again, Scott and the rest of her ‘strays’ proved that their best was amazing. She couldn’t be more proud of them. “Do you have any family? You certainly sound like the voice of experience.” 

She’d like to believe that was true, that it was her guidance that had helped. She did try, after all. “That’s a nice way to look at it. But then, sometimes I feel like I’m not much more than their cheerleading squad.” She joked easily, referring to how capable they were. “Luckily, I have experience with that. I actually was a cheerleader, way back when.” She’d needed to get as many extra-curricular activities as she could to boost her chances of getting a scholarship, knowing her parents couldn’t pay for her to go to nursing school. She knew Scott would have the same problem, he’d need a scholarship too. She’d hoped to save up money for him, but all the emergencies over the years had made that imposible. 

“You say that as though ducks are usually so bad.” She jokes and shakes her head, craning it to the side at the other’s next words. “Sure, that would be cool, and yeah, I honestly would love to see how some of the people here reacted to that and worst case scenario, I erase said memory from their silly little heads.” Rosie points out as she sips her drink and snorts. “I’m kind of a bitch? Actually not really kind of, I definitely am one, and I’m fine with that because people suck anyways.”