#skadako

It took only moments for it to be cleared away again, revealing to the world Hawkmoth's latest creation.

She was dark, her corners pointed and lethal as she stood straight and confident before them. A charcoal gray suit was adhered tightly to her body, accented around her hips with soft black feathers, while her shoulders were shrouded in a shawl of long, shining black feathers, which stretched down to her elbows. Her boots reached up to her thighs and were lined horizontally all the way down, reminding Adrien of the scaliness of birds' feet. The heels were silver spikes, which mirrored the long, silver claws that protruded harshly from her blackened gloves.

Her mask was black—pointed up at the corners and protruding out over her nose like a harsh, deadly beak. Her hair had been released and pushed back from her face, the natural blue tint fading to stark black as the strands stretched down along her spine.

In her ears were two, simple studs, which faded to black lastly, some moments after the rest of her had transformed.

She didn't say anything initially, her hawk-like blue eyes looking between those who had remained as she stretched her clawed fingers and rolled her feather-covered shoulders. Quite as though she were making herself comfortable within her new form.

"I am Lady Raven Wing," she announced, her tone dark. "And I am here to bring bad luck to all of Paris." A threat that might not have sounded too sinister were it not for the black tinted smirk that tugged at one corner of her lips. As if she knew something all the rest of them didn't.

"Please, Marinette," Alya started, sounding broken. "Don't do this."

Turning to her best friend, Marinette's smirk pulled into a scowl while her eyes glinted with something dangerous. It was enough to have Alya backing up a step in alarm, while Adrien stiffened. He needed to transform, but was wary of leaving his friends behind. Marinette's abilities were yet unknown, after all.

"Don't do what?" Marinette snapped, causing Alya to flinch. "Tell the truth? Expect that my best friend would take my side?" Her eyes narrowed into a glare.

"Marinette, please, I'm sorry," Alya continued. "Just listen—"

"No one will ever listen to you again." Surging forward, Marinette was standing before Alya within the second, Adrien and Nino gasping at how quickly she'd darted forward. Alya did much the same, scrambling back in the same moment. But Marinette had reached out and taken her arm within her talons, squeezing so tight that Alya cried out in pain.

"Marinette!" Adrien yelled harshly, moving to step forward as he did.

"Don't come any closer," Marinette said, never taking her eyes off Alya. "You wouldn't want to press your luck."

Reaching up with her other hand, she delicately ran the tip of one long claw along Alya's cheek. Alya was still pulling back, breathing heavily as Marinette's thumbnail skimmed the front of her throat.

"You don't want to believe your best friend?" Marinette asked quietly, tightening her hold around Alya's arm and scraping the talon of her pointer finger a little more severely over Alya's cheek. "A pity. It'd certainly be unlucky to never find a credible source for anything ever again." Her talon punctured skin, Alya gasping in pain as a thin trickle of blood dripped down her face. "Journalism requires a certain degree of luck all on its own, after all. It wouldn't be unheard of, that even the most dedicated attempt amounts to nothing."

She scratched her talon into Alya's cheek, leave a fresh, red wound that, as she finally released her, blossomed into a graceful curve before the delicate lines of feather vanes etched themselves on either side.

The scratch still bled, even as it grew into a brand across Alya's cheek.

The whole exchange left Marinette's powers rather unexplained, which only unnerved Adrien further. Most akumas were straightforward, yet Marinette's actions continued to leave an uneasy stone dropping down into his gut. He had no way of knowing what she was about to do, let alone what her powers actually were.

He needed to get away.

Beginning to back up, he looked from side to side for any escape that would grant him privacy. But before he could, Marinette flashed into action yet again. Like a twitching bird flitting from one feeder to the next, she'd turned her attention from Alya to the group of cowering students on the other side of the courtyard. They screamed and scattered as they appeared before her, revealing Lila.

Lila, who tried to run as well, but who couldn't escape Marinette's grasp. She was yanked back as Marinette grabbed her by the arm, causing her to lose her balance and topple back onto her rear.

Stepping over her prone form, Marinette crouched down. Lila tried to scurry out from underneath her, but Marinette yet held her in place.

"You know, it's inevitable that people begin to see through your deceit," Marinette murmured. "Liars can't keep up with their own lies after a while. A pity, as you spin such exciting stories. It'd be awfully unlucky if your lies began to catch up with you. Transparency isn't exactly your strong suit." Reaching out, Marinette quickly etched a cut across Lila's forehead, sheering her bangs in the process. She yelped, reaching up to cover the blossoming feather as Marinette rose and stepped away.

"How dare you!" Lila howled, struggling to her feet as she did. "I've never told a—" She was seemingly incapable of finishing her sentence, her voice dwindling to nothing as she reached up and frantically grabbed at her own throat.

"Cat got your tongue?" Marinette asked. "How unlucky."

Still no sound came from Lila's mouth, even as she sank to the ground again and helplessly held her own throat.

Adrien continued to step backward. Slowly, trying not to draw attention to himself. But it didn't work. She was a bird of prey, attracted to any movement. She twitched her head in his direction as soon as she'd turned fully from Lila, causing Adrien to freeze. He didn't know whether to stay still or run, his flight or fight instincts battling for dominance. It was the only moment Marinette needed, his hesitation giving her the time to appear abruptly before him.

Shuffling back, he tried to put some distance between them, but she quickly closed it. They were chest to chest, toe to toe, one of Marinette's arms clamped down around his back and holding him in place against her. He stood ramrod-straight as a result, having no idea what she intended to do as she gently laid her other hand upon his cheek.

Her expression was almost sad. Distant perhaps, the tips of her talons gentle as she slowly dragged them down his cheek and along his jaw. The pad of her thumb caressed his chin, before her touch continued downward. Her eyes travelled lower as well, until she was gently caressing the side of his neck. Her attention, it seemed, had narrowed in on his throat, which she watched as he swallowed nervously.

He was certain she could see the way his heart hammered, his pulse visible beneath the skin of his throat.

"I have had no luck in this love," she admitted quietly, the tip of her talon sinking painfully into the side of his neck—slowly, as though she were purposefully inching a needle beneath his skin. "It's only fair that you suffer as I have. May you be unlucky in love as well." With a quick swipe, she left a bloody cut down the side of his neck, causing him to cry out as he felt it bloom into a feather. She stepped back a moment later, Adrien reaching up to cup the bleeding wound with his hand.

She watched him for some moments, yet again appearing sad, before turning and walking to the center of the courtyard. There, she turned to look up at the blue sky of midday, standing as still as the clouds as she stared. Adrien watched, not seeing her blink even once before she suddenly kicked herself up into the air. Like a bird taking flight, she was only a blur before she had vanished completely, shocked silence spilling over the student body as soon as she was gone.

She'd done damage, but it hardly seemed as damaging as most akumas. Which only unnerved Adrien further.

Pulling his hand from his wound, Adrien stared down at his blood-coated fingers, breathing heavily with remaining nerves.

Across the way, Lila was still on the ground, unable to speak, while Alya was cupping her own cheek in much the same way Adrien had his neck. It was unclear what affect Marinette's abilities would have on them, which only made the situation all the worse.

Still, Adrien knew that if he and Ladybug could purify her akuma, any and all of the damage done would be rectified. Chat Noir was bad luck incarnate, after all. What damage could a curse upon his love life really do anyway? He was already unlucky in love.

How much worse could it get?

Replacing his hand on his neck, Adrien announced that he was going to get help before he turned and rushed through the nearest door. It led into a nearby classroom, which was filled to the brim with students that had previously fled. They cowered behind desks, ducking down with fear as he entered.

"She's gone," he announced. "We should all get out of here, get a head count. Contact the police maybe." He held the door open as invitation. "Let's go!"

Happy to do as told and visibly relieved that Marinette was gone (for now, at least), they all got to their feet before slowly filing out into the courtyard, as much of the rest of the student body was doing. As soon as Adrien was certain they'd all left, he quietly closed the door behind them and pulled open his button-down.

"C'mon, Plagg," he said as the tiny kwami twirled up into the air. "We've got work to do."

"Uh, about that." Plagg appeared nervous, looking around the room and sliding his tiny paws together. "I think we might have a bit of a problem."

"Yeah, I know," Adrien said quickly. "Marinette's been akumatized. And, well… I think it's partially my fault." Maybe if he'd just been open and honest with her from the start, none of this would have happened. He wouldn't have been the straw to break the camel's back.

"No, that's not it," Plagg replied. "It's Marinette."

"I know, I just said she's been akumatized. We have to save her."

"You don't under—"

"There's no time, Plagg," Adrien said simply. "We've got to meet Ladybug and tell her everything we know about what's going on!"

"Adrien, wai—"

"Plagg, transform me!"

With a quick zap, Plagg was siphoned into his ring and his black suit was in place. Ignoring the pulsing cut beneath his collar, he turned toward an open window on the far side of the room before pulling up his staff and vaulting out into the day.

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Gasping, Marinette surged up in bed. Breathing heavily, she blinked against the thick weight yet lingering in the back of her head, the dream—or memory—seeming to shift away as swiftly as it had come. Yet, even as the exact images and words faded, the general purpose remained. Like a brand yet hot upon her flesh, she could feel the echoes of it all up and down her body. All the way down to her bones.

She would not be able to return to sleep, not this night. Blinking a few more times, she allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness before she tossed her blanket aside and threw her legs over the edge of her bed. Clad in only her loose-fitting linen shirt, she toed forward to the table in the center of her quarters, retrieving the breeches hung over the back of a chair before slipping them on. Tucking her shirt clumsily inside the band, she barely bothered to tighten them before stuffing her feet in her worn leather boots and marching out the door.

Accustomed to the layout of the brig and the motion of the sea, she quickly made her way through the dark. Just down the main deck, before rounding the stairs and heading up into the chilly night.

Salty sea air assaulted her full force, but she was so accustomed to it after years at sea that she hardly registered the feeling. Ignoring how the wind tossed her hair about, she headed across the upper deck to the stairs that led up to the forecastle. Once there, she headed to the upper right side, to the thick, wooden banister lining the bow of the brig. Leaning out, she took a deep breath of the salty air and closed her eyes.

The feelings inspired by her dream yet lingered, but they were fading fast. So fast that she feared she would be unable to dissect them. But such a thing was not unheard of, despite it causing her some annoyance. Though she had worn the ladybug earrings for 'years now, her connection to the miraculouses as a whole waned in and out, much as the tide did.

It was her job to make the most of whatever she happened to sense, no matter the time of day or night.

"Captain?" The voice had her popping her eyes open again, turning her head over her shoulder. There stood Alya, her best friend and quartermaster of the brig. "Is everything alright?"

Turning back to the sea, Marinette pursed her lips. "Someone has come across a miraculous. Two, I think, based on the heaviness of my dreams."

Alya came up beside her, crossing her arms over her chest as she frowned. "Then someone has beat us to them."

"We didn't have any leads," Marinette said, doing her best to hide her bitterness. "It was only a matter of time."

"Perhaps they will become known to us, then," Alya reasoned. "Much as Luka did. The miraculouses are drawn to each other, are they not? To you?"

"Drawn in, yes, but to what end we can't know." Sighing, Marinette stepped back from the banister. "We will have to keep a keen eye out—there's no way of knowing whose hands these miraculouses have fallen into, or in what… manner… they may make themselves known to us."

"You think it could be that Hawkmoth has found them?"

Pursing her lips, Marinette turned her attention back to the sea. "Let us hope that is not the case, else we will find ourselves at a grave disadvantage."

One that could prove near impossible to overcome.

oOo

Adrien was bored. Which wasn't really new, per se, but it was certainly tiresome. He knew he had a responsibility—stay inside, primp his appearance, don't get hurt. All these things would guarantee an advantageous mating. He was lucky, after all, to be as blessed with such beauty, much as his mother had been. He'd create beautiful children, no doubt, and his privileged upbringing would make him a doting father and a quiet, obedient partner.

"Blah, blah, blah," Adrien muttered, slowly sinking down in front of his full-length mirror. His qualifications for being a good mate seemed to run continuously through his head these days, but not because he had any interest in thinking about them. Alas, everyone he knew seemed to be reminding him, excited about the fact that he'd reached mating age and would soon be leaving for a new home with his future wife.

He had to be careful not to let his tail get dingy, and keep his fins sparkling at all times. He should wear more jewelry, to draw attention to himself when he was out in public. The more notice he drew, the more potential mates he'd have interested in him at the ceremony.

"Maybe I don't want a mate," he muttered, looking his reflection up and down as he did.

Aside from being male, he did indeed look very much like his mother. Soft blonde hair, bright green eyes. He was stronger than she had been, despite everyone constantly chiding him for being active when he should have been prioritizing a thin, smooth physique. Yet, his father had never stopped him taking up physical activities, so long as he'd remained within their home when he'd practiced them. He had a few more muscles where most didn't as a result, which made him a little less "desirable."

His tail and fins more than made up for that, however. Long and of a vibrant green that matched his eyes, his tail was the longest of any other siren—or long-fin—his age, while his bright, yellow fins shimmered in much the same way golden jewelry did in the water. His tail fins were dual layered and fanned out generously when he bothered to go to the effort, as could the two sets of pelvic fins that flared around his hips and the single set of fibular fins sprouting out beneath them. The bright yellow did fade to dark green at the very edges, but the dual color-scheme only made him "all the prettier."

Truth be told, however, Adrien didn't much care that he was considered the prettiest siren of his generation. Or that his quiet demeanor was one of the main personality traits people talked about.

He didn't hate that he was a siren, but he didn't enjoy it either. Sometimes—like that very evening—he'd find himself staring in the mirror, wanting nothing more than to reach down and rip his pelvic fins right off his body with his claws. Maybe shred his tail fins even. It'd be painful, sure, but if he was marred and scarred, no one would want him. He wouldn't have to worry about how dirty he got or how much jewelry he wore or if he had enough suitors. He could be like the plain sirens that married lower class merrows—short-fins. His mating ceremony wouldn't be a big deal and there wouldn't be any worry about offers being made because he'd be more worried about not having any.

As it was, he'd likely have too many, and he'd ultimately have to pick one of them.

"What are you groaning about now?" It was Plagg who asked. He was some kind of tiny, demon-like creature that claimed to be a "kwami." Adrien didn't know what a kwami was, but supposed they must all be small creatures with disproportionately large heads.

Plagg claimed that he resembled what humans called a "cat," but as Adrien had never seen a cat, he couldn't much relate.

The kwami had appeared from a ring Adrien had found, and that he now wore at all times.

"It's my mating ceremony tomorrow," he explained, sinking fully down onto the ground. Laying atop the cold stone, he twisted his tail around his body and glared side-ways at his own reflection.

"What's that?" Plagg asked, swimming up so he could stare directly down into Adrien's eyes. It was a regular thing, Plagg invading Adrien's space.

Not that he minded.

"I'm eighteen now," he said, turning so he could stare blankly up at the domed ceiling of his bedroom. "It means I'm old enough to be mated. And because my father is so highly regarded, it's important that I pick someone suited to my status."

"Doesn't sound so bad," Plagg decided. "I bet there'll be plenty of girls with fins prettier than yours just dying to get with you."

Adrien cast the black kwami a curious look. "Doubtful. Why would another siren be allowed to mate with me?"

"Is that not how it works?"

Adrien curled his nose. "No. I'll be paraded around like some… pretty trinket. All the female merrows will be swarming just to get a look at me, and I'll have to smile and pretend like I'm enjoying it."

"Wait, so…" Plagg twitched his head to the side thoughtfully, "it doesn't matter that you're a boy?"

"Why would me being a boy have anything to do with it?"

"That's just how humans are," Plagg explained, shrugging his tiny shoulders as he did. "It's their women that have to look pretty and pristine in order to be married off."

Adrien scowled. "Boy or girl doesn't matter. I'm a siren—a long-fin; a soft-fin. It's in the title—I'm soft. And pretty. And delicate. And demure. A fine prize for some warrior female to keep tucked away in her home to care for her eggs and prepare meals and, ugh, just… be bored for the rest of my life." Except when his wife was there, because he'd be expected to serve her and do as she said and submit himself both body and mind.

He didn't want to submit himself. He was…

Afraid.

"Huh, okay. I guess I get it," Plagg replied. "Well, can't you just refuse anyone you don't like?"

"No," Adrien muttered. "My father has already received three letters of purpose from upstanding families whose daughters are interested. They're all in line to be future mertriarchs. One of them might even end up leading the whole clan. It's a great 'honor' that such important merrows would be interested in me. It's because I'm so 'beautiful.' The perfect ornament for someone's home. If I refuse them all, it'll come off like I'm some stuck-up brat, which will diminish my prospects and could even hurt my father's reputation."

"Sounds like you're between a rock and a hard place, kid."

"I don't want to be mated…" What if he ended up with a wife that, while wealthy, was… cruel? He knew it happened, even if it wasn't much talked about. Sirens were expected to mind their mates. His wife would have the legal right to hurt him, even kill him if she so wanted. His life didn't mean anything more than the value of how pretty he could look beside her. And the number of both strong and beautiful babies he could provide.

Some sirens hardly ever left the home because they were constantly incubating eggs. Some weren't allowed to leave even if they weren't.

He'd be expected to consummate their union after he chose a mate. By doing so, he officially became his wife's responsibility. Her property. He'd be marked by her for life, both societally and physically.

Just like his mother had become his father's property.

And if he refused a mate, he'd inevitably end up homeless. When his father died, all his assets would go to the closest living merrow in their family, and Adrien would have nowhere safe to go.

"But you don't have a choice," Plagg determined.

"No, not really," Adrien agreed. Pushing himself up off the ground, he glided up through the water to his pod, which was nestled in the upper corner of the room. Curling up inside of it, he set his focus on the thin windows on the opposite side of the room, which gave him a view of the city beyond. It glittered this late in the evening, aglow with the hazy blue light of blooming crystals.

"You must have some freedom," Plagg said as he swam up beside him. "You found me in that ship wreck."

"Sneaking out in the middle of the night once every few weeks isn't freedom."

"True…"

Popping his lips, Adrien created a small bubble, which he then used his finger to carefully push up toward the top lip of his pod. The pod itself curled around and above him, creating a soft sort of indent where he'd been gathering bubbles for some time. While archaic in modern day, sirens had once created attractive bubble nests in order to draw in mates. Adrien was expected to be good at the skill despite its uselessness, and so he'd been creating a patch of bubbles all his own for about a weak.

Well, longer than that, really, but every few days he got frustrated at the sight and destroyed them all.

"You're going out later tonight, right?" Plagg asked.

"I want to." It could be the last night he'd ever get to leave the city. His father was oftentimes away on "business," and so it was his assistant Nathalie—another short-finned merrow—that was tasked with keeping watch over him. But merrows weren't exactly known for their child rearing abilities. So long as Adrien minded his business, she didn't much care what he was doing. Which made it easy to sneak out once he'd pretended to go to bed.

His father was home as of that night, which made the whole ordeal riskier. Yet, given the circumstances, it seemed a risk worth taking.

Just a little longer and he'd head out. It'd be strange seeing a siren out alone this late at night, so he had to wait until most of the mer-folk in the nearby homes had retired to bed. But once out of the house, it didn't take him long to reach the outskirts of the city. His father being a recluse that didn't like to be near too many others had some advantages in that respect.

"Do you… plan on taking Pollen and I to the surface?" Plagg asked.

Adrien frowned. "I told you, I've never been to the surface."

"But if you're mated, you might never get the chance again."

A reminder that Adrien didn't appreciate. He hadn't known Plagg long—he'd only found the ring that housed the kwami about a month beforehand—but he'd become somewhat protective of his secret treasure. He didn't want to give up his miraculous, even if it wasn't really meant for him to have.

"Listen, kid, I don't mind being down here," Plagg continued. "Aside from the fact that you don't have cheese, I can't really complain. But fact is, we don't belong down here. We weren't created for mer-folk."

"I know…"

"I like you, Adrien, and it's nice not having to worry about… all the things I'm supposed to be worrying about. But if I don't get back to the surface, the whole of the human world could be turned upside-down."

Adrien managed a small grin. "We'd never know down here."

"While I appreciate that sentiment, my partner would have a different take on the matter."

"Your partner, huh? Who's that?"

"Don't change the subject."

Adrien sighed. "I'll try, I guess. But… like I said, I've never been to the surface. We're not supposed to. It's dangerous."

"I didn't think you were the type that'd balk at the idea of danger."

Adrien cast him a flat look, before deciding they'd waited long enough. "C'mon," he said, beckoning to the little kwami as he swam toward the top of his bedroom. "Chloe won't wait forever."

It wasn't exactly hard to sneak out of his room. It was expected that he'd never do such a thing, so it wasn't as though he'd ever been locked in. All he had to do was shift the cover to his sunning window aside—a large, circular opening that usually had a smooth slab of stone fitted inside it—and swim out.

It took him less than a minute to do so, his tail curling close to his body as he slid the stone back into place. He wanted to keep as low a profile as possible, knowing his bright colors could catch even the dim light of the blooming crystals and give him away.

Securing the stone in place, he was soon slinking down the back side of his father's multi-teared mansion, it's many rounded, stone roofs providing him adequate cover as he ducked in and out of the shadows. A few of the windows were aglow with crystals—namely his father's study—and so he actively avoided swimming nearer to those.

Soon enough, he was headed along the ocean floor just beyond the mansion. As quickly as he could, he swam into the garden of colorful anemones, which would hopefully shield his shimmering tail from anyone watching.

It was once he was through the garden and on the other side that he felt a bit of relief. His father truly did live right on the outside of the city. All he had to do was swim up the steep side of a shadowed cliff and he'd be out of the gorge where the city was generally hidden from anyone that might bother coming this deep down into the waves. At the very top of the cliff was a stretching shield of coral, which he carefully maneuvered his way through before finally coming up and out "into the open," so to speak.

"Took you long enough!" Chloe hissed as soon as he shimmied his way into sight, checking only quickly to make sure he hadn't scratched himself on the sharp coral.

She was laying down upon some bare sand between reefs, her blue eyes glaring as Adrien came to hover above her. Much the same as him, she was a siren. A beautiful siren, much as he was. Long blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, her frame thin and lithe as was to be expected. Her shimmering yellow tail was nearly as long as his own, though she possessed only one set of pelvic fins. They were yellow, to match her tail, while her fibular fins started out yellow and faded to a deep, dark blue at their ends. To match her tail, which shimmered with hints of green and yellow despite its dark blue hue.

"I'm here at our regular time," Adrien said calmly, not bothered by Chloe's shortness of attitude. They'd grown up together, being from the same social class. She was the daughter of the current clan leader.

"Always making me wait," Chloe continued, puffing the sand into a cloud as she temperamentally pushed herself up into the water beside him. "You're lucky we've been friends for so long, else I'd be more offended."

"I suppose you're right," he agreed, beginning to swim further away from the cliff edge, Chloe soon falling in beside him.

"Good evening, Adrien." It was another kwami that greeted him, this one with blue eyes, a bright yellow body, and black stripes all over. She also possessed a scarf of yellow fur around her neck and two black antennae, which reminded Adrien of some of the fish that swam around at the bottom of the gorge.

"Hello, Pollen," Adrien replied, happy to throw the tiny kwami a smile. Pollen formed from the comb miraculous Adrien had found alongside his ring. Supposedly, the comb resembled a "bee," which was a land creature of some kind. But much like cats, Adrien had never seen a bee before and so couldn't verify.

She belonged to Chloe for the time being, as she'd claimed the comb when they'd come across it while investigating a ship wreck the month prior.

"Please don't tell me we're going too far out," Chloe was soon complaining. "I'm already tired and you should be getting your beauty sleep. You can't look all puffy tomorrow for your mating ceremony."

Adrien shrugged. "I don't really care about that. Besides, we have to go somewhat far. We have to get Plagg and Pollen to the surface."

A statement that had Chloe coming to an abrupt stop.

"What?" she asked, her expression having dropped into unease.

"Once I'm mated, we don't know what could happen," Adrien reasoned, turning back to her as he did. "I might never be allowed out again. We have to get them to the surface while we can."

"Or we could just not do that," Chloe rebuked smartly.

Adrien cast her a disapproving frown.

"Clearly the humans aren't looking for them. Why does it matter?"

"They don't belong here, Chlo."

"The surface is dangerous. What if there are humans up there? Or a ship? Do you know what humans do to mermaids like us? They'll catch us and string us up for our fins."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "That's all just children's stories to scare us."

"How do you know?" she asked, following him as he continued on despite her protests. "You've never been there. You've never seen it. There's a reason no one is allowed to go to the surface. We're mermaids—we don't have any reason to go up there."

"I'd like to see it," Adrien admitted. "It'd even be interesting if we were able to spot a human or two."

"Adrien!"

"I'm just kidding. Now, come on."

Despite her misgivings, Chloe continued, the two of them swimming on for some time. Until they were far enough away that even when they swam upward, into the expanse of open ocean, no one would be able to see them from the city.

"I don't know about this," Chloe said as they came to a slow stop, their attention trained up toward the surface. Truth be told, they really weren't all that far away. Perhaps two-thousand feet or so. Mermaids required sunlight to live, just as humans did, even if it was considerably less. Their city had to be within decent range of the surface as a result, even if it was well-hidden beneath a crown of coral.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Adrien reasoned. "Just look—no ships, hardly any fish." Just the vague shimmer of the moon far, far above their heads.

"But what if a ship is nearby?" she asked, sinking down into the sand as she did. Her yellow tail curled protectively around her body, giving away the height of her anxiety. "How fast do they go? What if we can't get away?"

Releasing a light sigh, Adrien sank down beside her, curling his tail around her own comfortingly. "You don't have to go if you don't want. I'll take the miraculouses up to the surface myself."

Curling her nose, she cast him a rather dubious look. "Alone? Why in the world would that be better? Or safer?"

He shrugged. "I didn't say it would be, but…" Looking up, he turned his attention to the surface again. "Who knows what could happen after tomorrow. I don't know, I guess… I guess I want to see it."

"See what?"

"Just… anything, really. The sky, the moon. The sun. I may never get the chance to see anything again after tomorrow."

Chloe frowned. "Do you really think your mate will be that bad?"

"Perhaps. I don't want to be what they think I should be. I just want…"

He couldn't articulate exactly what he was feeling, but Chloe seemed to understand nonetheless. Even if she wasn't dreading her future as much as he was, she knew his anxiety. Many other sirens did.

"You've got to have some good prospects," she reasoned. "They can't all be bad."

"There are three already trying to get ahead with my father," Adrien replied. "They've sent letters, and even gifts." He almost laughed. "And not a single one of them bothered to get in contact with me directly."

"Who were they?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask." It wouldn't make a difference anyway.

"I bet one of them was the Rossi family," Chloe said flatly. "Lila's been all over you for months. I get so tired of her hanging around every time we try to go anywhere."

Adrien hummed in agreement.

Lila Rossi was a high class warrior merrow. Her parents were well-respected border commanders and close friends with Chloe's father. She was popular, strong, and was already well-respected among the guard despite her young age.

Personally, Adrien didn't much like her. She was pushy and altogether too forward, and didn't think too highly of sirens in general, based on her attitude toward others outside of him.

"There'll be someone better," Chloe decided firmly. "You'll see. It'll all come together in the end." Taking a huffing breath, she apparently settled her nerves before reaching out and taking Adrien's arm. Together, they started to head upward, remaining close as they kept their focus on the glaring light above.

It was only when the ripples upon the surface began to come clearly into view that the two of them slowed, Chloe once again becoming uneasy as Adrien peered critically through the water, looking for any possible threat. Outside of the occasional wandering fish, however, there was little worth taking note of.

"C'mon," Adrien encouraged quietly. "We're almost there."

Nodding, Chloe stuck right beside him as they closed the remaining distance, Adrien hovering only a moment just below the surface before clenching his fists and thrusting himself up out of the water.

The night air was shocking. Cold and brisk, it was somehow sharper than breathing air through the water. His gills fanned as he took a deep breath, unaccustomed to such dryness. Though it was dark, the glare of the moon was sharp and intense, both Adrien and Chloe shying away as they blinked, attempting to adjust.

For a moment, Adrien was certain his throat was burning, his mouth feeling all too dry. He nearly dove back under. But the longer he remained above the surface, the easier it became. Until he was able to blink away the harsh light, his eyes adapting as he reached up and pushed his hair out of the way.

"What are those?" Chloe asked, Adrien following her gaze upward to the night sky.

It was steady and smooth, the moon round and bright against the blackness of the heavens. And all around it, tiny lights sparkled, twisting and twirling in unending patterns that Adrien couldn't even begin to follow.

"They're stars," he eventually realized, a grin spreading across his lips in the same moment. "Like in the old stories."

"They're so much smaller than I'd always imagined."

"They're beautiful."

For some moments, they simply floated, taking in the sky they'd never seen and likely never would again. Until, finally, Adrien's gaze fell to the horizon.

"I don't see any land," he eventually said.

"We're too far away," Plagg explained, having settled onto Adrien's shoulder.

"Well, how much further is it?" Chloe asked shortly.

Plagg threw her a glare. "How would I know?"

She growled.

"Which direction do we go?" Adrien found himself asking, though the question was more for himself than the others. Twisting in place, he tried to get some kind of idea, but the ocean stretched on for miles in every direction.

"What's that?" It was Pollen who asked, the other three looking ahead at where she was pointing her tiny paw.

Squinting, Adrien could just barely see it. A shadowed silhouette bobbing up and down upon the waves.

"Adrien." Clinging to him, Chloe crowded close. "That's a ship. We should leave. Now."

"It's so far away we can barely see it," he reasoned, attempted to squirm a bit out of her hold. "Besides, a ship means we can find land. It had to have come from somewhere, or is going somewhere, right? If we follow it, maybe—"

"Follow it?" Chloe baulked. "Adrien, what are you thinking?!"

"We don't have to get close. Besides, humans have poor eyesight at night. They'll never see us." He was trying to pull away, Chloe's well-sharpened claws digging more deeply into his arm as a result. "C'mon, before we lose sight of it."

"Adrien, no!" Chloe begged. "Let's just go back!"

"We have to get Plagg and Pollen to shore." Finally yanking his arm from her hold, he swam a bit in the direction of the ship. "It'll be alright."

Turning, he tried to cast Chloe a reassuring smile, but she just shook her head.

"I promise it'll be okay, Chlo." He held out his hand to her. "You'll see."

For a moment, it looked like she might reach out, but her nerves inevitably got the better of her. Shaking her head, she pushed back in the water before diving back under, taking the bee comb with her.

"Chloe!" Adrien called, ducking back under as well. But she was already swimming down the way they'd come, her yellow tail dimming as the shadows closed in around her.

For a moment, Adrien hung in the water, uncertain what to do. He watched Chloe until she disappeared, before turning to look in the direction of the ship.

If he didn't follow it then, he could lose track of it. And then he'd never find land.

Gritting his teeth in resolve, he burst back up above the water, looking again to the horizon where he could see the shadow drifting further away. Satisfied he knew what direction he needed to head in, he slipped back beneath the surface and took off through the water.

It was a long, strenuous journey from then on. Not wanting to lose track of the ship, he swam as fast and hard as he could, occasionally vaulting up out of the water and back in so he could make sure the ship was still there. The hours wore on, the ship only seeming to grow minutely closer all the while. He was beginning to feel a bit tired, but was thankful he'd always retained an active lifestyle.

It was probably a good thing Chloe hadn't come—she wouldn't have been able to keep up.

It was well into his third hour of travel that the sky to his right began to lighten. Which unnerved him slightly, but didn't deter him. And he grew only more determined when he finally spotted a strip of what must have been shore bulging up out of the water.

The ship was closer now—so close that he could see spikes protruding up out of it, creating "T" shapes with what looked like giant fins hanging down to catch the wind.

Supposing that was quite close enough, he monitored his speed, keeping an eye on both the ship and the land as it grew nearer.

Soon, he could see that the land was, in fact, a striking line of cliffs, water splashing violently at their bases. The ship seemed to be headed directly for them, which Adrien thought rather strange. The ship couldn't reasonably go through the cliffs, could it? Maybe it could fly over them?

Curious despite the danger, he decided to swim yet closer. Soon enough, the ship was gliding through alcove and disappearing behind a rocky outcropping. Which didn't help Adrien any. He couldn't just leave Plagg close to the shore—he had to get him to shore. Certainly the ship was somehow accessing the land, but he couldn't know how if he couldn't see it.

Careful as he approached, he kept himself mostly below the water as he swam, only keeping his head up enough to be able to see over the water's surface.

Soon enough, he was approaching the alcove, his heart beating faster as the looming shadows stretched out to meet him. The sky was bright with the early morning now, the sun warming every surface it touched. It was almost so bright it was painful, but Adrien kept going nonetheless.

Careful to be as quiet as possible, he slowly swam around the rocks into the alcove, only to come to a startled stop once he was around the bend.

The ship was right there in front of him. It'd halted in the water, sheltered beneath the cliffs like a fish hiding at the base of some seaweed. And for a moment, Adrien's nerves nearly got the better of him. He almost turned tail and swam away as fast as he could.

But his curiosity proved to be more powerful, causing him to gape some when activity upon the ship became visible. He could hear voices—human voices—and see their silhouettes moving about upon the ship. There weren't many of them.

Maybe, if he could reach the ship, he could leave his ring on it. That was kind of like reaching the shore, right? There had to be a place he could safely stash it.

Ducking down beneath the water, he approached the ship from underneath, which seemed to make it appear all the larger. It was a bulging, dirty thing, covered in barnacles and other sharp bits that he'd have to steer clear of. He wasn't sure what it was made from—some brown material that was clearly discolored. He swam up and down the length of it, and then completely around it (at a distance, of course), hoping he'd spot some place to leave the ring. But there was nowhere safe. If he simply left it in a batch of barnacles, the humans would never find it. And then it'd likely be lost at sea again.

Gathering his courage, Adrien swam a little closer to the surface, until he could just vaguely see through the water to the inclining sides of the ship above.

Just as something came crashing down into the water on top of him.

Surging back in surprise, Adrien shook himself, realizing quite quickly that an entire barrel of discarded fish remains had just been dumped on top of him. Picking off the pieces that had stuck, he curled his lip and swam a bit further down the length of the ship.

It was only when he stopped again that he realized the voices upon the ship had grown louder.

Peering up through the water, he felt his skin grow cold at the sight of one of the humans jogging down the length of the ship, pointing down at the water—at him—as they did.

He should leave. He knew he should.

What was the humans saying, he wondered.

Despite every warning sign, Adrien slowly turned his head on its side, just enough that he could raise one ear above the surface.

"Oh my god, look at that…" The human was speaking. And, oddly enough, Adrien could understand him. They spoke the same language? There seemed to be a slight accent difference, but it was still easy for him to catch every word. "I can't believe I'm seeing this."

Supposing there was no reason to pretend as though he hadn't been seen, Adrien turned his head until his eyes were above the surface again. He then quickly narrowed them into a glare as he stared up at the human.

"Hey, there," the human continued, waving weakly at him as he did.

It was indeed a human male. He had short, brown hair, and browned skin. Though Adrien couldn't be sure, he decided that whatever was covering the human from the neck down had to be clothing of some kind. Like Chloe's thin shawls, though much heavier and of sturdier make. He wore a blue tunic from the throat down with white sleeves. That was the extent of what Adrien could see, as the ship's edge got in the way of the rest.

"Hey, did you follow us here?" the human asked. Adrien refused to answer, instead remaining exactly where he was. "It's okay, I won't hurt you."

Adrien did not believe him.

Reaching down, the man rubbed his fingers together, as if trying to beckon Adrien closer as one would a pet fish. "Come here, Catfish. It's okay."

"What the hell are you doing, Nino?" Another voice came up behind the first human, Adrien slinking back a bit as a result.

"Look, Alya! Look!" The first human was pointing down at him again, clearly excited as his comrade came up beside him.

She was far more intimidating than the man in blue. She glared down at Adrien through one amber eye, the other covered in a patch. Her long dreadlocks were pulled back in a high ponytail, the loose ends fading from dark brown to white at their tips. She was wearing some kind of orange colored vest with white linen underneath. A single orange necklace hung around her neck, shaped like a hollowed bubble with a pointed tip.

"Well, I'll be damned," she said, leaning forward over the edge of the ship in order to get a better look at him.

"It must have followed us in here," the first human—Nino—explained. "It has to be a real mermaid, right? Look at its ears!" He held his hands out from either side of his head in a pointed fashion, as if mimicking the shape of Adrien's long, pointed ears. "Man, what Luka wouldn't give to see this."

The other human—Alya—grinned, but it wasn't the sort of grin Adrien liked all that well.

"We should catch it," she decided a second later.

Adrien darted even further back.

"Don't scare it, Alya!" Nino said sharply, appearing quite disheartened as he looked back at Adrien. "We're not going to catch you," he guaranteed. "Don't listen to her—she's out of her mind."

"Hey!"

"We promise not to hurt you if you come here." Once again, he held his hand down as if beckoning to some sort of daft animal.

Not appreciating the gesture, nor the other human's attitude—and confident that he could get away from them at his distance—Adrien dared raise his head fully up out of the water, a disapproving frown pulling at his lips as he eyed them.

Nino gaped. "Wow…"

"Hey, Cap! Come look at this!" Alya had turned, seemingly calling to another on board. The thought of even more humans made Adrien nervous, and he nearly dove back down into the water and swam away. But before he could, another appeared at the edge of the ship.

The sight of her had Adrien freezing, his own lips parting in wonder.

She wasn't a large, intimidating woman. Not in stature anyway. Yet she seemed to exude confidence nonetheless. She wore a long, red coat, the front of it decorated with all sorts of ties and buttons.

Her own gaze caught Adrien's, her vibrant blue eyes widening as her red-tinted lips parted in much the same way his had. Reaching up, she removed the strange, triangle-shaped hat that was sitting on her head, instead holding it against her chest as she watched him.

She had lovely, long hair—black, but sparkling with purple and blue in the morning sunlight. It contrasted with her pale complexion, seeming to bring out the color of her eyes all the more.

Around those very eyes appeared to be a mask of some sort. Adrien couldn't tell if it was a natural feature or not, the red that stretched from one side of her face to the other, black spots interspersed throughout.

He also found that he didn't much care one way or another.

Rather, he decided that she was absolutely beautiful.

"It's a mermaid," Nino said again, sounding all the more excited.

"That's a siren," the red woman corrected, her voice clear in the same way the air had been when he'd first breached the water. "You can tell by his ears. They're fanned, like fins."

"Aren't they all the same?" Alya asked.

"Sirens are far rarer than the other variety," the red woman corrected. Setting her hat down on the edge of the ship, her gaze turned curious. "What are you doing so far from home, pretty one? It'd dangerous, being this close to shore."

Clamping his mouth shut, Adrien found himself quite caught up in her gaze. His heart was pounding hard in his chest, his skin tingling from his fingers down through the tip of his tail. Despite himself, he drifted a bit closer, if only to get a better look at her.

"Don't come closer," she warned. "You shouldn't be curious about humans. Go home. You'll only get hurt if you stay here."

"Or worse," Alya tacked on.

But he didn't want to leave.

The red woman—apparently dissatisfied with his reaction—released a short sigh, before she pulled something from her hip. It was some kind of red, spotted circle. Not that Adrien got a very good look at it. A moment later, it was snapping out into the water in front of him, the splash startling him backwards.

"I could catch you in seconds," the red woman lectured. "Now get out of here!"

She snapped the circle back out again, Adrien finally overcoming his awe enough to dive into the water. Darting downward, he turned to look up just as the weapon was retracting. For only a split second, he considered staying, but then common sense finally got the better of him.

She'd said she could catch him, which was warning enough. Despite how his heart dropped down into his stomach, he lingered only a second longer before he turned tail and glided deeper into the water, swimming back the way he'd come.

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So there’s Chapter 1. It’s posted to AO3 as well (skaylanphear) and will be updating first on my Patreon (skadako).