Chapter Text
At the start of spring one year, a mermaid took his first swim in the world in the dark of the night. The water so still it looked like a mirror, an infinite number of stars glinting in both the sky and the blank surface. The only sound for miles was the moans of pain his mother let out as she pushed him into the world, the blood washing away in the water. Safely enclosed in the amniotic sac the babe stayed clean, before it broke free and swam into his mother’s waiting arms. His name was Park Seonghwa, named for the stars keeping his mother company.
Later that same year, at the start of winter, another boy was born in darkness. In the deep forest a woman dressed in white was surrounded by her coven, fires licking up into the dark sky as they sang around her. Voices melding and rising together, deafening the cries of the woman in the center. Her flat stomach grew rapidly and she wailed out her fear and anguish, but most of all her delight. Shadows danced and flew around her as blood ran down her legs, tainting her dress and the ground beneath her. Between one moment and the next all light died, as if the shadows themselves had snuffed them out. The woman laid dead in the center, the child sobbing between her legs. They named him Hongjoong.
The next year at the start of yet another spring a boy was born into a loving family. The mother had labored for two days, the birth slow as it was her first. The father stayed by her side throughout, wiping her sweaty brow and feeding her soup as she labored. The sun was just peeking over the mountains when the babe took its first agonizing breath, wailing as he was pressed between his parents on the bed. They held him close, safe and cocooned, even if it wouldn’t last. They named him Yunho.
That same summer a nobleman was born into a wealthy home. Sweltering heat and cloying perfume stole the air from the room, warmth swelling as the sun rose higher and higher in the sky. The father waited for the ordeal to finish in his study, showing little concern for the whole affair. On silk sheets the newborn took his first breath, swaddled and given to the nanny before his mother even pushed out the placenta. As the third son, a spare of a spare, his parents saw little use of him other than strengthening their bloodline. He spent most of his time alone in a house too large for him, loved more by the servants than his family. The only thing they gave him was his name, Yeosang.
Mere weeks after, at the height of summer and the sun at its highest, a hunter gave birth far up on a mountain. Alone and terrified she pressed her fist to her mouth, afraid that even there, so far away from humans, someone would hear her. Someone would see. The cool air of the mountain eased her pain, a balm for her troubled mind. After a moment the boy was pushed out of her, still and quiet. She cut him free of the sack, free of his heritage, and pressed him to her chest. Safe for now, safe as long as she had him right there. She called him San, after their safe haven.
A month later a woman screamed and screamed, voice cracking up. Many births she had experienced before, but it never became any easier. As the temperature sank with the sun, another son came from her body, tiny and pink and so utterly defenseless. She held him tight as fear and exhaustion filled her, dirty cloths swaddled around them both. Mere hours later she left him and his siblings alone with their father, suffocating as her body convulsed in death cramps. Shortly before she went where he could no longer meet her, she named him Mingi.
In the biting cold of winter that year, just as the sun began to set, another boy arrived early in the world. His mother believed he wouldn’t make it, arriving weeks before he was supposed to, but turned out he was just in such a rush. He arrived full of life, screaming and wailing to show everyone how healthy he was, flopping his limbs around. His mother laughed and held her boy up, showing him off to her husband and first son, filled with pride at the noisy little thing. His name was Wooyoung.
Jongho was born in water, as was customary for both sirens and mermaids. Still enclosed in the amniotic sac, he was rocked gently by the waves around him, his siren mom swimming nearby. Keeping watch as he drifted up to the surface, into the waiting arms of his human mother.
He broke the sac with the sharp talons along his spine, instinct guiding him to swim to his human mother’s chest.
«Oh Hae he’s beautiful,» Soonbok sighed, holding her wiggling baby to her cold chest.
The biting wind ruffled her wet hair. Her skin was almost blue from the cold, ethereal looking in the moonlight. Hae came up to the surface, in human form before Soonbok even looked up at her.
«We settled on Jongho, yeah?» Soonbok asked, tremors flitting across her body.
Hae nodded, stroking a finger over Jongho’s chubby cheek. Before long he’d change form for the first time, permitting them to take Soonbok back into the heat of their house. He would cry before they would soothe him, the pain of transformation and breathing oxygen harsh for one so little.
Jongho was born almost a full year after Wooyoung, though Hae had yet to see how these other births had anything to do with her son.
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Choi Soonbok lived a quiet life, far away from the nearest village. The only reason she saw other people was to trade and buy necessities, preferring her solitude. Society had long ago marked her as odd, other, an outcast, turning its back on her. While she could have conformed, lived as they all wished, she had long ago found that she would rather be happy in her own company than in strangers.
After the new true royal family stepped into place, long before Soonbok was born, society had become more frigid. Her grandma used to tell her stories of her childhood, filled with adventure and colors. Where creatures such as mermaids and dokkaebis would be sighted often. People sought magic out rather than rejected it. The people Soonbok met rarely believed in creatures other than humans anymore, stating that the magic that did exist was evil and had to be reported immediately.
Soonbok longed to actually see some real magic. She’d never tell a soul about it but oh how she wished she could see. She had searched tirelessly when she was a child, for ghosts, for witches, for dragons. She had yet to meet something definite, though she would swear that she had encountered a forest nymph once.
Sustaining herself had become her main priority when she became an adult. There was no time for searching for creatures when you had to keep food on the table and heat in your house. Though she would always linger at the seashore and in the forest, hoping that if she stood still enough something would dare to come out for her to witness.
One day, when she made it home from the market, she heard a song. Faint, melodious, haunting. She stopped in her tracks, slowly letting her bags slip onto the ground beneath her. The voice promised answers, to what happened to magic, what became of Soonbok's mother. Of if there was a love out there for her.
She walked slowly down the hill, heading straight for the ocean. The sun was starting to set, casting a long shadow after Soonbok as she stepped on the beach, listening, waiting. She felt calm, surprisingly so. The song whispered that she had to step into the water, come far out from shore. Then she would get all the answers she needed.
The water was cold, not freezing but cold enough for goosebumps to rise along Soonbok’s skin. Her skirt flowed up around her as she went further and further out. Soon the water reached her chin. Her teeth chattered, breath ragged and shallow, but she continued to swim out from shore.
She let herself sink beneath the waves, body lax and eyes wide open. The salt stung, but the song was louder, closer, and she couldn’t afford to not meet the thing calling for her. In everything between a second and a minute, she waited.
Then, something moved closer to her in the depths. Something long, dark, and fast. Soonbok thought idly, -like she was looking at the situation and not living it, that she should be more scared. That she should feel something other than the calm she felt. The tranquility. The awe.
The being circled her, and she realized idly that it was what was singing to her. Lured her to the deep. Soonbok was running out of breath, but not once did she try to reach the surface. The thing stopped in front of her and Soonbok couldn’t help the smile her face broke out into.
A mermaid. An actual mermaid. Or, maybe it was a siren? She didn’t actually know the difference. All she knew was that it was no shark or regular fish.
The face was long, with sharp cheekbones and so pale it looked blue. It had fins where the ears would be on a human, moving with the current around them. Or maybe it moved them to sense vibrations with them? The hands only had four fingers, with webbed skin and claws, taloned fins at the elbow joints and up to its shoulder. Every inch was covered in scales in varying sizes, tail long and black as the night with a paler underbelly. The gills were on the side of its ribcage, moving steadily as it breathed.
Soonbok couldn’t tell if it was male or female, did mermaids have genders? It had long hair, way past its waist, that was both blue and white. Though the hair length didn't tell Soonbok much. Maybe mermen had long hair too? Though the most piercing thing about it was its eyes.
Pale as milk, like it was blind, slanted pupils all that told her it could see at all. They were big, much bigger than was usual in a human face, almost bulging out of its head. A faint glow seemed to emit from them.
It smiled at Soonbok, revealing a gigantic mouth full of razor sharp teeth.
Hello little human. It spoke in her mind. You’re way too cute to eat.
That was the first time Soonbok met Hae.
_______________________
When Jongho was five, he flew for the first time. He’d snuck away from his Eomma, waddling along the hills, thumb stuck in his mouth. His Mommy was away again, but he wanted to show her the pretty shell he’d found yesterday. His Eomma always got so sad when Mommy left so he didn’t wanna bother her. He was a big boy, he could find Mommy all on his own.
His Eomma had braided his hair today, a thin little thing almost sticking straight out of his head like a tail. His hair was dark like hers, though when he changed it would often turn red. Or when it got long like it had now, the ends would redden so his hair was both black and red, almost like his fish tail. He loved when Eomma braided him, gentle hands so careful so it wouldn’t hurt. Eomma was always careful, though when she was mad she would press her hands hard over his ears so he didn’t hear the mean words she’d yell into the wind.
«Jongho!» he heard his Eomma shout, voice carrying down the hills. «Where are you?»
He picked up his pace. Mommy was usually by the sea, if he got there maybe Mommy would be there waiting for him. He clutched the shell in his tiny fist, making sure he didn’t drop it. They could swim for more shells if he found her it would be so fun. They could bring them to Eomma and she would be so so happy.
«Jongho, you know Eomma gets scared when she doesn’t know where you are!» His mother yelled again. «Where are you little fish?»
He smiled at the nickname. Jongho loved when he turned into a fish, it was funny. Though he wished it wouldn’t hurt so, but his Mommy said it was growing pains. It would get better when he was all big like his mothers. He hoped so, then he could turn all the time, even in the bath.
«Jongho!» his Eomma screamed, startling him. She was so much closer now.
He turned, lower lip wobbling. Eomma sounded angry now. It was scary. She was running down toward him. Her long skirts flowed in the wind behind her, short hair loosened from the tiny bun she usually kept it in. She looked scared, eyes glued to him.
Jongho stumbled, and suddenly he was falling. He screamed as his tummy tangled up in knots when the ground disappeared beneath him. It was the cliff, he’d gone the wrong way. The way to the beach was on the other side. This was where he was never allowed to go alone because of the sharp cliffsides. He was falling straight down onto the rocks below and Eomma couldn’t help him.
Pain erupted throughout his whole body. Everything felt yucky and wrong and he flapped his arms uselessly to make it go away. Only they were not arms anymore.
They were wings, with black feathers. He looked down and his feet had become bird claws, the shell clutched in one of them. He was a bird. He was flying.
«Jongho!»
Jongho looked down to see Eomma standing at the edge of the cliff he’d fallen off. She was crying, hands fisted tightly in her hair. Her eyes were glued to the rocks beneath them, searching for him.
«Eomma!» Jongho yelled, getting scared again. He didn’t like being so far up. He didn’t like when Eomma cried. «Help Eomma!»
His Eomma looked up, gasping when she saw him.
«Jongho?» She yelled. «What…»
He fell again. He didn't want to be up so high, he wanted to be with Eomma.
Jongho crash landed into her, Soonbok catching him by instinct. From the tips of his shoulders and up he was the usual five year old, braid and all. Below he looked almost no different than a really big crow. Or maybe a raven.
His Eomma covered his ears, though he could feel the vibrations of her words in her chest. pressed his face in the crook of her neck, finally starting to sob messily. He didn’t want to be a bird and he didn’t want Eomma to be mad at him.
«Aigoo Eomma's little baby,» Eomma shushed him, long fingers stroking gently over his feathers. «That was pretty scary for both of us huh?»
She carried him back to their home, humming softly to him as she walked. He awkwardly tried to cling to her with his wings, crying louder when they just flapped uselessly. He didn’t like being a bird.
Later, when Mommy came home, she helped him turn back to his human form. She explained that turning into a bird was something people like them could do sometimes. It was rare, and something he would have to keep extra secret, even from others like them. She almost seemed sad when she told him, like she wished he hadn’t inherited that trait at all. Though she smiled brighter than the sun when Jongho showed her the shell.
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As he grew older Jongho learned all sorts of things. When he was seven he started having funny dreams. He dreamt about where Eomma hid his sweets and when he woke up they were in that exact place. He dreamt about his Eomma with a round belly, writing names down on a paper, the name Jongho circled. When he asked about it his Eomma got a funny look on her face.
He dreamt about strangers too, about other women that weren't his mothers and other children. He dreamt about a boy older than him being very mean and punching an adult, making blood run red and hard. He didn’t like that dream, it was yucky.
When he was eight he had gotten so good at running he was faster than even his Eomma. Mommy said that as a siren, he’d have a stronger body, more flexible, than most humans. That his senses would be stronger as well, meant for hunting. Though Jongho didn’t know what he would need to hunt for, his mothers made all his yummy meals.
When he was nine he got so good at imitating that he could imitate his mommy so well his Eomma actually thought it was her. The sounds around him were easy to make back if he really thought about it, almost like he was an echo. It was really funny, he could even talk to birds if he wanted to. Though he didn’t understand what they said, but it was still fun to pretend.
His transformations got easier as he grew as well. Now he could turn parts of him to what he wanted, almost without having to think about it. His mom told him that when he was an adult he could even change his own appearance if he wished, though it would take a lot out of him. Jongho didn’t want that yet though. He liked how he looked, so much like his Eomma. Though Eomma said he was most like his mom.
There were many things Jongho found confusing. Like how secret all of his abilities were. How he was never allowed to come with his Eomma when she went to the market. Never allowed to meet other little kids, or any humans really. Or how Mom would leave and come back after a few days or even weeks, never telling where or why she went.
All his mothers would say was that the world was dangerous and they’d tell him more some day.
One day when he was thirteen, his mom sat him down on the beach to have a serious talk with him. She explained more about what they were, and why he was so important to keep secret. That he was rare because he grew up with his human parent, that he spent so much time out of the sea. That he was different because he wasn’t part of any siren community.
Originally sirens like them only had their bird form, but as time went on they evolved because of a need to hide in the sea, most losing their wings after some time. Their closest relatives, the mermaids, later sprung from them, and usually you couldn't immediately tell the difference between them when a siren was in its mermaid form. But they were not the same species.
Sirens had the gift of sight. The things that were, had been, and even things yet to come. A powerful siren could with only one look see what a soul most yearned for, and then lure the soul to it to be consumed. Sirens had mostly hunted in groups before, their combined song a stronger lure and an easier way to get bigger meals.
Mermaids could also transform into humans. Though they could never stray far from the ocean, needing to change back into their original form or suffer grave sickness, even death. They couldn’t mimic, or change their appearance, but just as sirens they were intersex. They didn’t eat people, and were more in touch with the sealife. Their song healed instead of lured.
Jongho had been appalled when he learned of luring. He didn’t want to eat anyone. The thought made his insides churn. But when he told his mom this she only smiled sadly at him.
«I didn’t either Jongs,» She sighed. «But when you become an adult you will have to. If you wait too long the hunger will consume you and you’ll eat anyone. Even the people you love.»
Hae went on to explain that he wouldn’t have to eat human flesh often, once every six months would suffice. Though, eating so little would also weaken him. Transforming would be more painful, luring almost impossible. His sight would continue to be sporadic and not something he could control.
«Do you eat often?» he asked after the silence had stretched for some time, almost afraid to know the answer.
«Not since long before you were born.» His mother stroked her hand hesitantly through his hair. «We are a cursed species Jongho, the beings we need to consume are the only ones that we can have children with. Mermaids are the same, and in these times, we are going extinct.»
His mother had grown up with other sirens, but one after another they had been plucked. The hunt for magical creatures had begun long ago, sirens getting caught only to never be seen again. Lost forever. All magic was hunted, and if humans weren’t careful, it would disappear forever.
«Some humans are greedy Jongho,» Hae said. «They will stop at nothing to get what they want, even if they already have plenty.»
So Jongho listened, his moms never leading him astray before. Even in human form he could still be identified as a siren, vast markings adorning his skin. His mom told him most believed the patterns were scars from transforming, swirls and spirals and faint scales. Though not eyecatching, someone who knew would be able to identify them.
«That is the one good thing about the constant propaganda about magic,» his Eomma said, tracing one of them fondly. «Most people don’t even know what to look for.»
When Jongho was fifteen he finally got to go with his Eomma to the market, under the promise that he’d never leave her side. However, should they run into problems she had made him swear to escape and leave her behind if she told him to.
The market was loud, and stuffy, and people smelled funny. Within minutes he was tired and wanted to go home, but also ecstatic over finally meeting other people. He stayed quiet as he trailed after his Eomma, soaking it all in like a sponge.
At first, everything was going okay. Then they got to the square. A group of people had gathered around, and his Eomma suddenly froze, the hand holding his wrist hard as steel.
«Oh no,» his Eomma whispered.
It was an execution. A woman was tied to a pole, silent tears falling down her cheeks. A man was riling the masses up, spewing that the woman had let herself be seduced by a demon, becoming a witch. That she had tried to taint them all to the ways of sin and depravity, marking them all for the underworld. The town would be cleansed when she was burned, saving them all.
Jongho wanted to leave, but Soonbok stopped him.
«Look at her Jongho,» she whispered. «She needs someone to see her last moments that hold no hatred for her.»
«Is she actually a witch?» Jongho asked.
«No. Then she would’ve been given to the authorities, not burned in this tiny town.» his Eomma looked around them. «This is what happens to outsiders Jongho. They get used, and then murdered to spread control and fear.»
She squeezed his hand as he felt horror well up in his chest. This was awful, how could people be privy to this and not try to stop it?
«Remember this Jongho,» His Eomma said. «Remember this feeling of helplessness. Of despair. Remember and think. Who is the real enemy?»
The woman screamed when the flames took her.
Jongho got to come to the market if he wanted to after that, though he mostly declined.
When Jongho was sixteen he dreamt about his mom’s death. He saw her get trapped in a net, dragged onto the deck of a ship. He saw the pirates hold her down and cut into her tail, blood seeping into the wood. He watched how they leered at her when she had to transform to breathe, naked and wounded at their feet. He heard the profanities they spewed. How they spoke of her like cattle, how their hands strayed freely over her body. Jongho watched as his mom cursed them before she grabbed one of their guns, and shot herself. Limp body falling to the floor when the back of her skull blew off and smeared one of the pirates with her blood and brain.
Jongho woke up screaming. Violent sobs wrecked through his body as he yanked at his hair, unable to take in enough air. His Eomma was there in a matter of moments. Or was it seconds? He couldn’t remember. She tried to comfort him, tried to get him to tell her what happened.
When he finally calmed down enough to tell her, her face crumbled, head shaking vigorously. She insisted it didn’t have to be, that it was only a possible outcome. Maybe it hadn’t happened yet. But Jongho knew she didn’t believe it. Neither of them did.
And they were right. Because his mom didn’t come home. Not ever again.
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Jongho was long past seventeen when he first ate a human. The hunger had ravaged though his body for weeks. No matter how much food his Eomma gave him he was starving. Without even realising it he would turn his teeth into his canines, eying their chickens with a lustful stare.
«Jongho-yah,» Soonbok called for him, startling him out of his trance. The loss of Hae had aged her, her body more tired, more wrinkled. Though she would always be Jongho’s beautiful Eomma. «I think it’s time.»
He didn’t want to, he’d never wanted to. The thought made him sick to his stomach, but at the same time couldn’t forget his mom’s words. If he waited too long, the hunger would consume him. He could risk eating Eomma.
If that were to happen Jongho wouldn’t be able to live with himself.
That night he went for a swim, warring emotions inside of him. If he thought too long about what he was about to do he’d start retching, but on the other side he was just so hungry. Everything and anything looked appetizing at that point. Even his own two hands.
Jongho swam to a nearby harbor Eomma had shown him on a map, hoping this would go smoothly and effortlessly. The docks were silent when his head surfaced, turning only his head human. His plan was just to take a lonely fisherman, making the death fast and painless. This didn’t have to be more messy than it had to be.
He started making his way toward one of the smaller boats. Then his whole body locked in place. Tied to the docks, only a little way away from him, was a hauntingly familiar ship. The pirate ship that took his mom.
Jongho didn’t even get to think. Between one moment and the next he was right by the ship, inspecting it. Claws replace his tail, wings his arms. He flew to where the pirates’ lookout had fallen asleep, flask clutched weakly in his hand.
It was a young man, not many years older than Jongho. He had stood in the back when Hae had been brought on deck, scared and thrilled at the same time. Jongho ripped his throat out with his teeth.
When asked later, Jongho couldn’t say he remembered the taste. Instinct took over and all he could remember was the feeling of finally being full, being sustained. The power that came with every sloppy bite.
After the watch had been taken a few bites out of went below deck, starving for more. Most of the pirates slept soundly in their hammocks, never even seeing Jongho coming. He moved through them like a shadow, leaving bloodied footprints in his wake. The blood had been smeared all over his face and chest, hands soaked in the sticky liquid.
One by one the pirates got chomped. Most of them never woke up, still asleep when Jongho bit into their jugular.
However, some of them did wake up. They were the first people Jongho lured. One he changed himself into their lost love, one he told about what happened to their dad.
The captain was last. Him Jongho did not even eat. The pirate didn’t even deserve to be food. All he deserved was his worst nightmares come to life. With the amount of people Jongho had eaten, the filthy captain was an open book.
The captain was a man in his forties and had spent most of his life trampling on anything and anyone to gain power. He thrived on the pain of others and kept his men in check through fear and desperation. He had sold Hae’s corpse to three different aristocrats, to be eaten or hung on display, it didn’t matter to him.
Ironically, the captain’s biggest fear was drowning. So Jongho tied him up to the anchor and dropped him in the sea while he was awake. Wide eyes stared at Jongho, pleading with him without words. Useless. Jongho wouldn't spare him.
He stood there, watching as the sea stilled, the taste of metal turning sharp on his tongue. The blood was drying on his naked skin, scratchy and dirty.
Jongho didn’t regret it, not really. But it hadn’t made him happy either. He felt weirdly empty considering the amount he had eaten, but he knew that it wasn’t really a physical feeling. The slaughter hadn’t made him miss his mom any less.
Not that it mattered. He’d killed some of his enemies, he’d avenged his mother. He hated pirates. He would never forgive a single one of their kind. Even if it tore him up inside.
_______________________
Eomma hadn’t been happy about the deaths, but that had been because of the risk rather than the action itself. Jongho was surprised. He had expected her to be disgusted with him.
«You knew more about their sins than I do Jongho-yah,» She said as she detangled his hair with a comb. Newly washed to get the blood out of it. «But before you do something like that again, please think about who you wanna be. You are our legacy, and I will always love you, but I want you to love yourself as well.»
Jongho stayed silent, lips pressed tight together. It brought him some comfort, to know the men responsible for the death of his mom were no longer out there to kill someone else’s mother. It was comforting to know that there were fewer pirates out there.
However, the knowledge that he was capable of that kind of violence was a heavy burden to bear. Maybe what actually bothered him was how little the horror weighed on him. He’d seen how the pirates had seen him, naked with clawed hands and sharp teeth, covered in their friends' blood. Like a monster. It hadn’t just made him feel disgusting. It had also made him feel… powerful.
«Do you think I’m a monster?» he asked after a while, afraid of looking at his Eomma.
«We are all capable of great monstrosities, Jongho,» She reached down and grabbed his hand. «Everyones behavior makes sense to them. Sometimes it is because they are inhumane, sometimes because they don’t know any better. I can’t judge you for what I myself might have done in your shoes.»
She turned his head towards her. Gentle fingers stroking over his cheek. A motion she had done for as long as he could remember.
«I look at you, and I see the baby who refused to sleep anywhere other than my chest. I see the six year old who saved a crab from seagulls. I see the eight year old who followed me like a shadow when he learned the gravity of death, afraid of losing me.» She smiled, tears welling in her eyes. «I see my beautiful son, the best of me and the best of Hae. To me, you could never be a monster.»
Jongho let himself be held, letting Eomma's words sink into him. He somehow doubted she’d say the same if she’d seen the depths of what had committed. Some of the pirates, despicable as they were, had families that loved them like his Eomma loved him. Just or not, it wasn’t a good thing he’d done.
«Have you ever hurt anyone, Eomma?» he asked.
«Yes,» She answered without hesitation. «Some accidental and some on purpose. Everyone makes mistakes, Jongho.»
«Do you think mom made a mistake pulling the trigger?» The question had bothered him for over a year, but Jongho hadn’t dared to ask before then. «She might have made it, been able to escape I mean. To come home. If she… if she hadn’t.»
Soonbok heaved a long sigh.
«I can’t say.» she bit the inside of her cheek. «I wish she hadn’t left us like that, but maybe she knew what they had in store for her would be worse...»
Soonbok suddenly gripped Jongho’s hands, a fearful look overtaking her features.
«Jongho, I want you to promise me something,» He tilted his head, nervous about the fierceness in her eyes. «Never let them catch you, you hear me? No matter what you have to do or say. If you have to do as Hae, let it be a last resort. But don’t ever let them get you.»
«…okay.»
«No, promise me properly.» Soonbok fell down to her knees beside him on the floor, hands hard on his shoulders. «promise me, Jongho. Even if I’m long gone and you only have to do it for yourself. Even if you have to kill hundreds. You’ll never let anyone take your freedom. Never.»
«I promise Eomma.»
_______________________
When Jongho was eighteen he found the remains of his Eomma in the woods. This time around there were no dreams warning him beforehand. Eomma left for the market, like she’d done a million times before, and simply never came back.
He went into the woods looking for her, and find her, he did. Her body laid sprawled out on the forest floor, blood splattered on the flowers around her.
Everything froze.
How long Jongho stood there, staring at her, was impossible to say. It could have been seconds, it could have been days. Tears fell steadily down his cheeks, dripping down onto his chest as his body was locked in place. Unable to move, to think, to breathe.
«Eomma?» He asked weakly, feeling like a child as he just stood there, waiting for her.
Eomma didn’t answer. She was dead. Of course she was dead, look at the blood Jongho. But how could she be dead? She’d been alive yesterday, how could she be dead now? How could the world have remained on its course, uncaring that she had died? How could the world continue to exist, when Jongho’s whole world had just shattered?
She couldn’t be dead. He would have seen it, he would have known. It had to be someone else, his Eomma wouldn’t just leave him all alone like this. She would never have left him. It had to be someone else.
Jongho took tentative steps towards the body. He didn’t want to know, he didn’t want to see. But he had to. What if it wasn’t Eomma, and she was out there and needed him? Jongho could fix this, he could save her.
There was an arrow sticking out of her back, like someone had hunted her down. Flies swarmed the body, their buzzing the only sound Jongho could hear.
He turned the body carefully, and screamed. No no no not Eomma. Please please please not his Eomma.
Jongho pressed her body into his chest, hugging her close as he rocked back and forth. She was cold, freezing to the touch, and stiff as a rock. He held her in his arms, draped over his lap, like she’d held him his whole life, hoping that somehow if he just held her close enough, she’d wake up.
How could this happen, how could Eomma die like that? How could she leave him?
«Please Eomma,» Jongho sobbed, his warm tears falling down on her cold skin. «Please wake up.»
She didn’t. She couldn't. She was dead. She was dead. Jongho was alone. Eomma was dead.
She was dead.
«She was your mom?» A voice asked.
Jongho scattered away from the voice, back pressed up against a tree. He still had his Eomma clutched tightly in his arms, having scurried off with her still held fast.
It was a young man, a soldier, that had snuck up on Jongho. He looked to be in his early twenties, short black hair and a round face. He was watching Jongho with sad eyes, eying the corpse the siren held like it was a treasure.
«I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you,» the soldier continued, arms raised placatingly. «I’m Kim Jihyun.»
Jihyun waited, as if he wanted to see if Jongho would answer him. Jongho didn’t, only stared at him with wide terrified eyes. What was a soldier doing here?
«She was your mom?» Jihyun asked again, eying Soonbok’s body.
Jongho nodded stiltedly, fresh tears gathering in his eyes.
«Oh I’m really sorry,» Jihyun said, looking genuinely heartbroken. He stepped towards Jongho carefully. «Do you know what happened?»
Jongho shook his head, watching Jihyun approach like a hawk. He seemed to sense Jongho’s apprehension and stopped a little away from the siren. Jihyun sat down on the ground, legs crossed and posture lax.
«What are you doing here?» Jongho asked, voice cracking.
«Someone reported an injured woman running into the woods,» Jihyun said. «We’re investigating.»
«We?» Jongho asked.
«Yeah, me and my squad,» Jihyun scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. «I kinda… got lost.»
«Well you found her,» Jongho gulped down another sob, he didn’t want this stranger to see more than he already had. «You can go home now.»
«Don’t you… don’t you want to know what happened?» Jihyun asked, a surprised look on his face.
«She’s dead,» Jongho’s voice broke, tears flowing once more. Saying it out loud just made it seem so real. «What does it matter how?»
«We can bring justice to whoever did this to her,» Jihyun said, confused and gentle eyes piercing Jongho's. «C'mon, walk with me to town. We can figure something out.»
«No,» Jongho shook his head, arms shaking with effort around his mother’s body as he adjusted her away from Jihyun. He didn’t want anyone else touching her. Didn’t want to let strangers near her. «Just go.»
«You don’t have to let her go. You can carry her.» Jihyun laid a gentle hand on Jongho’s shoulder. «She wouldn't want you to be alone right now.»
At the gentle touch Jongho started crying again. Jihyun was right, he didn’t want to be alone, but now he wouldn’t be anything else but alone. He wanted his Eomma, the last person that actually knew him. But she was dead, and Jihyun was the only one here.
Jongho rose on unsteady feet, Soonbok held still in his arms. He didn’t want to jostle her. Jihyun patted awkwardly and gently along his back, shushing him like he was a child. It was oddly comforting.
«It’s gonna be okay,» Jihyun said, giving one last squeeze to Jongho's shoulder.
Jongho felt oddly torn, unsure what he was actually feeling. On one hand, he was so scared of going to town with Jihyun. He hadn’t been around humans without Eomma except the one time he’d eaten them. What would it be like to be anywhere knowing his Eomma couldn’t help him? That she wasn’t home, waiting for him?
On the other hand, he really, really, didn’t want to be by himself. To be in their home, where it would be empty, where everything reminded him of her. Stranger Jihyun might be, but he’d been kind so far, and Jongho just wanted somebody.
They walked a little, silent and peaceful. Jongho felt weirdly attached to the stranger ahead of him. But then the air shifted. All his life Jongho’s mom had told him how important instincts were. How for every species, not only sirens, instinct was their most important tool. It kept one alive, more than anything else.
Jongho didn’t know what changed, but something was wrong. He stopped walking, heartbeat picking up. Fear gripped him tight, and it was like a switch had been turned in his brain. Like his grief wasn’t clouding his ability to think anymore.
Why exactly had a squad of soldiers been sent into the woods? Wouldn’t a pair have sufficed? Soldiers in these numbers weren't usually in their town. And hadn't Jihyun said he was lost? Then why was he the one leading them, with steady unhalting feet, straight back to town. His Eomma had run from someone, away from town.
«Jihyun-ssi, where are your friends?» Jongho asked, taking one step away from the man.
«What do you mean?» Jihyun asked, turning toward Jongho. «I told you, I got lost.»
He was lying, Jongho could smell it. There were people lurking in the woods far ahead of them, trying to stay still, but Jongho could hear them now that the blood had stopped rushing in his ears.
«Did you do it?» Jongho hissed. Canines fell into place as his eyes turned slitted, glowing purple. «Did you kill my Eomma?!»
«Oh my God,» Jihyun said, mouth open wide. «It was true, you are a monster.»
«Answer me!» Jongho growled, the teeth making speaking more and more difficult.
«It wasn’t me,» Jihyun said, raising his arms. «Our commander, he caught up to her. He thought you might come, if it were true, if she actually had brought a demon into the world.»
«How did you know about me?» Jongho asked, setting the body down gently. He would need his hands for this. « You killed her to get me?»
«We didn’t mean to…»
«Don’t lie to me!» Jongho shouted.
«Fine alright we thought the wench would willingly give us your location after some… persuasion!» Jihyun yelled back. «But the bitch wouldn’t budge so we let her think she’d escaped to follow her, but she was too goddamn fast! We had to kill her or we’d lose sight of her!»
«How did you know?!» Jongho pressed, claws out as he stalked closer to Jihyun.
«There was a report of people getting eaten in a harbor nearby, we did some digging and the townsfolk told us there was this lady living far out of town. That she was a queer, never seen with a man, but some of them had seen a young boy with her. Maybe her son…» Jihyun looked down at Jongho’s dead mother. «Look man, I told you everything. I was just doing my job. I swear. Please let me leave, I won’t bother you again.»
Jongho did. In just the same manner as they’d let his Eomma go.
When he was done with all of them his skin was more red than brown. His hands shook as he picked up his Eomma again, and staggered home. He might’ve just eaten, but he'd never felt more empty in his life.
Choi Soonbok got buried in the sand, not far away from where she first met Hae. Flower crown after flower crown getting laid over her mound as braided one after the other. Jongho sat by her grave the whole night, letting everything sink in as his hands kept working.
Some things were indisputable facts.
His Eomma died because of him. Because he had insisted on taking revenge for his mom. This was his fault.
He deserved to be alone, forever. He was a monster, and he deserved his solitude.
But, if he was a monster, humanity was the devil.
Jongho hated humans, and he hated himself.
_______________________
Jongho was lost for a while after that. At first he had problems leaving Eomma’s grave, just sitting by the sea with her. He’d manage to take care of their livestock, but otherwise he’d just sit in the sand, sometimes braiding more flower crowns.
It almost felt like his moms were there when he sat like that, the waves soothing to listen to. Some part of him worried that more soldiers were going to come near his home, but he’d just kill them as well. He wouldn’t allow them to disturb Eomma’s slumber.
He wished he had been able to find some of his mom’s remains, wishing he could have buried them next to one another. Or that Mom’s remains at least had been claimed by the sea, where she belonged. Not with some filthy humans.
The question of what he was meant to do now kept bugging him. He knew Eomma wouldn’t want him to sit there, wasting away slowly, but he couldn’t just leave her, leave them.
He could explore the world maybe, but what good would that do when he had no one to share his explorations with. No one that cared whether he lived or died.
What are you supposed to do, when you become an orphan?
Supposedly he could try to find others like him. Other sirens, or maybe mermaids, even fox spirits. But what good would it do? They weren’t going to be what he wanted. Jongho wanted his mothers.
Jongho longed for them. He longed for their touch, their voices, their smell. He wasn’t ready, how could they leave before he was ready? There was so much he wanted to know, wanted to ask. Who were they, before they became his moms? What had their childhood been like? What did they think of humans? Had they always wanted children?
So many things Jongho now would never get to ask them. Because they were gone and they’d left a crater behind, a void. A venomous monster in him that ate him up and stole his breath.
He would never, ever, see them again.
Jongho didn’t know what to do with that.
He felt stuck. Like someone had nailed him fast. To his body, to the beach, to his life. Everything around him kept spinning, kept moving, kept living. The sun rose and sank, the waves beat into the shore, the birds kept flying. But Jongho couldn't.
Jongho couldn’t move. He was frozen.
He couldn't be in their house, haunting memories plaguing him, the beast inside feasting on his sorrow. He couldn’t leave. He had nowhere to go. He was stuck and it would never ever be better. His moms would never come back.
He just wanted his moms.
Jongho thought idly that he could just disappear. Who’d even notice? And if he died, maybe he could see his moms. He didn’t know if he believed in an afterlife but there was a chance right? There was a chance of seeing his moms, if he just disappeared. Laid down and vanished.
However, he kept thinking what they’d say. If he died then, not even nineteen years old. How disappointed they’d be. They would never want him to die, even if they had to spend eternity without him.
Promise me Jongho.
He supposed not even himself was allowed to take his own freedom. Besides, he had a responsibility. As far as he knew, he was the only one alive that remembered them as they were. As they would want to be remembered. If he disappeared too, Hae and Soonbok would be truly gone from the world.
So Jongho lived. Frozen still, locked in the sand. But he was alive.
After two months of sitting on the beach, the weather started to turn colder. His birthday must have been approaching, his first one alone. There would be no more flower crowns he could make then, and if he didn’t move soon, he’d starve in the winter.
The loneliness hit him again like a tidal wave, he’d have to do everything alone now. There would be no help, no one he could ask, about anything. There would be no other voices but his own, everything so so quiet. Except when he slept.
Everyday life suddenly switched up on him then. He had the realization that he could see his mothers. There was a way for him to do that. Not talk to them but he could see them.
The sight.
How could he not have thought about that before? If he ate enough, he could control it. He could dream of them, he could see them in the past, every night.
There was no telling just how many people Jongho ended up eating. For over a year he ate someone at least once a week, then he’d do the bare minimum to stay alive so he could sleep. He slept and slept and slept, living in the past.
He saw his moms grow up, the challenges they’d have to overcome. How his Eomma was thrown out by her father when she declared she’d never marry a man. How Mom’s siren parent was deceived by a human to come on land, only to get eaten. He saw how lonely his parents were before they found each other, how scared Hae was of becoming a mom.
«The child would never be safe, Soonie,» she had said in one of the memories. «We could never make the world safe for it. Do you want that?»
«I want a baby with you,» Soonbok had replied. «I want at least one more siren in the world, and Hae baby you’d be a great mom. We can do it together.»
Jongho saw how Soonbok had been pained by how alone Jongho was, without even knowing it.
«He doesn't have a single friend,» she said, head on Hae’s shoulder while Jongho of three played in the sand. «I know it’s too dangerous but I worry he’ll be alone and sad. What if he never has anyone but us Hae?»
«He will,» Hae said, a far away look in her eyes. «He’ll have his own family someday. One with people that love him and will do anything to protect him.»
The most interesting thing Jongho learned was where his mom had disappeared to when she was away. Both his moms had been part of an organisation to bring magic back to the world. Saving magical creatures and relocating them, pushing back against the people oppressing them.
Jongho saw how many times his mom almost died to save others. He saw the pain the government brought with them. How it wasn’t just where they lived, but everywhere. The whole world had the same disease.
Power hungry people wanting magic for themself. To use and abuse as they saw fit. Not wanting to feel inferior, not wanting to share. Not wanting their stupid little ego hurt. How they’d even tear up their own kind to get out on top and stay there.
Jongho hated them. He hated them all.
He woke up one day long after he’d turned twenty with fury in his heart. Those people didn’t deserve to live. Not with all that they’d done.
Jongho knew revenge wasn't something that would make him feel better. When even the sight only dulled the pain for a little while, he believed nothing had that power. Nothing could bring back what he’d lost.
But vengeance would give him a purpose. He could make the world just a little safer for others, making sure some of them didn’t have to feel what he felt. He could rid the world of the devils. make the world safer.
He might have still hated all humans, they had let one of their best perish without caring. But the ones on the bottom among them were suffering too. The rich were the ones who made all the decisions, that decided what the masses thought.
Who is the real enemy?
Jongho knew, and he was going to kill them all.
____________________
Turns out, the aristocrats were some slippery slimy old fuckers. Guarded and kept safe by wall after wall of soldiers willing to lay down their life for them. Blinded by loyalty or pay.
Jongho couldn’t slay the entire military. He was only one siren after all. But he could join it. For two years he blended in, he lived as a normal human. He enlisted, marking himself as one of their best, but not the best. Wouldn’t want too much attention after all.
For years Jongho bit down insults, he pretended, he became a boot licker. He looked down when his superior passed in mock respect, when it actually was fear they’d see his eyes flash purple. He cut his hair short, became more masculine, and hid his skin beneath layers of clothes. He became a shadow.
One Duke he killed by dropping poison in his wine, another he shot. Never traced back to him. Jongho was patient, he was meticulous, and he was ruthless.
The king was going to die by Jongho’s hand, and until then, the siren would let nothing stop him. He’d kill everyone that stood in his way.
Jongho was soon twentyfour when a rare opportunity fell in his lap. Another troop had fallen sick, leading to Jongho’s troop being picked at the last minute to go with their commander to the capital. They would help guard one of the king’s most trusted advisors, a clan head who was practically the land’s second leader.
If Jongho could kill him, it would throw their society into chaos. He would be one step closer to the king. How perfect.
They had traveled for two weeks, weather amicable as they made their way across the sea. Jongho had to fight the urge to take a dip, it had been a long time since he had allowed himself to turn to his ocean form.
«Liutenant Choi!» someone called him. «The commander wants you!»
Jongho sighed, taking one last look out on the vast horizon one last time. The weather was good that day as well, except the fog creeping in behind them.
The commander was usually to be found below deck, pondering over his plans. Jongho wasn’t fond of being below deck, it felt too confining. Too few escape routes.
The commander was a big man, bearded and stern. He always looked like you had done something wrong, even when you were certain that you hadn’t. Like he could see your wrongdoings.
«Ah Lieutenant Choi come in,» he said, waving in when he knocked. «What do you think of our travel so far?»
«Pleasant enough Commander Lee, the weather has been favoring us,» Jongho replied, waiting for the pleasantries to be over and done with.
«Excellent, excellent.» The commander looked unwavering at Jongho. «Are you excited to see the imperial town Lieutenant?»
«Of course, it’s a sight to behold I’m sure,» Jongho fought raising an eyebrow at the commander. What did he want? Surely he hadn’t called him down just to chat.
«Please sit Lieutenant, we're just having a conversation.» The commander smiled, but it didn’t come off as warm. «Have you traveled a lot before?»
Yes.
«No commander.»
«You grew up with your mother, correct?»
Both of them, yeah.
«Yes, that's right.»
«And your father?»
Don’t have one.
«Never knew him Commander. Lost at sea when I was a toddler.»
The commander continued to stare and Jongho was getting irritated. What was with the interrogation?
«Have I done something wrong sir?» Jongho asked, trying to seem nervous, keen to please.
«No, that’s just the thing.» The commander wasn’t smiling anymore. «You haven’t done a single thing wrong, in the entirety of your military career.»
Jongho cocked his head, genuinely confused.
«Everybody is bound to screw up at some point,» the commander explained. «It’s the seemingly perfect ones that are good at hiding their mistakes.»
The commander stood up, looming over both his desk and Jongho.
«What are you hiding, Lieutenant?»
«You think I’m hiding something because I don’t mess up?» Jongho laughed. «Isn’t that a bit paranoid Commander?»
«In my experience, those who are too good to be true are just that,» the commander said. «You come from nowhere, we have almost nothing on your background. Like you spawned out of the earth. Yet you are the perfect soldier. You don’t socialize, you don’t make mistakes and you don’t get too emotional.»
The commander whipped out his gun, pointing it right between Jongho’s eyes.
«You are the perfect spy.»
Humans could be so fucking stupid and paranoid. Who would Jongho spy for, a ruler just as deserving of death as their own? Please.
Jongho tried to answer, to come up with something that would win the Commander’s trust. To do something that wouldn’t lead to him getting shot right then and there, bleeding out at the enemy’s feet.
He opened his mouth, just as the drun of a cannon rocked the whole ship. The Commander stared at the ceiling, gaze sharp. Thundering footsteps sounded, and one of the soldiers barged in, out of breath and panicked.
«Commander! We’ve been breached!» He yelled. «It’s the black pirates!»
Oh fuck.
The black pirates were notorious. Unknown identities, in and out like shadows. Many believed they were the ghosts of a pirate crew killed long ago, haunting the sea as they searched for the afterlife. They were a thorn in the navy’s side, and right now, Jongho’s saving grace. If he could get out of there.
The black pirates didn’t tend to leave any survivors after all.
The sound of fighting was audible even below deck, shots ringing and swords clashing. For Jongho it sounded like he was in the fight itself, the smell of death so pungent he could almost taste it.
Then again maybe he was just hungry.
The commander swore and stomped out of the room, Jongho long forgotten. He took a deep breath, trying to think. If he could just get above on deck without being seen, he could jump the railing and swim off. It would be a major set back but at least he’d fucking live.
Damn it he hated pirates.
Jongho started to move, silently and fast. But he had barely made it to the stairs when he heard a gun being cocked, right behind him.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
They’d already made it down?!
He turned. The pirate had all black clothing on him, even gloves and a mask. His eyes were hidden beneath the brim of his hat, no features distinguishable.
The pirate motioned for to go up, and since that was where Jongho wanted to be as well, he made no protest.
Above it was chaos. All the pirates were in the same getup, and they were wrecking the navy. Bodies laid slewn everywhere, and in the first few seconds immediately knew they were down to their last numbers. Yet he couldn’t see one fallen body of a pirate. Odd.
The pirate behind him hit the back of his head with his pistol, making him fall face first into someone else’s blood. Disgusting. The pirate tied his hands together while Jongho was distracted, taking the siren with him to be positioned where he wanted him.
The pirates were lining the survivors up in a row, kneeling at their feet. One man from Jongho’s squad was beside him, praying under his breath. Most of them were crying.
They were all going to die.
Jongho saw their commander at one of the pirates’ feet, gun against his brow.
It’s not fun is it? Jongho thought spitefully before a shot rang out, the commander dead at the pirates’ feet.
«Your leader would rather choose death than freedom,» the pirate shouted. «And has therefore commanded all of you to follow his example.»
A pirate went up behind them one by one, slashing their throats without a moment of hesitation. They fell like dominoes, the whole deck painted red at that point. The one beside Jongho screamed and pleaded, like all the others in line.
Jongho wouldn’t give them that satisfaction.
The cold steel of the blade kissed the skin of his neck as his head was wrenched backwards. Jongho pressed his eyes shut, refusing to let the last thing he saw be the face of the man murdering him. Instead the last thing he would see was the blue sky, infinite and vast, and his next destination depending on your belief system.
«San wait.»
The hands holding Jongho froze as the order rang out. He stayed perfectly still as footsteps approached him, boots against wet polished wood. The siren could tell they stopped right in front of him, probably inspecting him up close.
«What’s your name?» the man who’d given the order asked.
Jongho remained silent.
«He asked you a question.» the one holding him, San, growled. He kicked the back of Jongho’s shin. «Answer.»
Jongho opened his eyes and glared. The man before him was tall, exceptionally so, and lean. He had lowered the mask they all adorned, revealing surprisingly soft features, like his soft lips and round cheeks. He’d painted his eyes with kohl or something, smudging the dark paste around so the whites off his eyes were extremely visible and off-putting.
«Your name,» the tall one demanded again, squinting down at Jongho.
«It’s usually more polite to give your own name before demanding others’» Jongho spat. «Or has your depravity made you forget basic decency already?»
San shifted the blade at Jongho’s throat, the threat clear and effective as a trickle of blood escaped Jongho’s skin. The tall one was staring at Jongho’s exposed neck, a sliver of something Jongho couldn’t determine in his eyes.
«I’m Jeong Yunho,» He said, stepping closer to Jongho. It somehow made him seem even taller. «Your turn, little one.»
Now that was just rude. Everyone was little compared to that man. Jongho pressed his tongue against his cheek in annoyance, letting the silence stretch just a little before he answered.
«It’s Jongho, Choi Jongho,» Though he refused to hope for salvation, giving out his name couldn’t hurt. At least they’d have a name to his face when he haunted their dreams after they murdered him.
Yunho looked at San, a smile almost playing at his lips. San huffed out a breath but didn’t comment on it, the hand holding the blade steady as iron.
«What are the markings on your neck there Jongho?» Yunho asked, leaning down so Jongho could feel his breath on his face. «Those almost look like… scars.»
Jongho could feel his heartbeat picking up the pace again. To even notice the markings was one thing, usually people didn’t pay that much attention to Jongho or his neck. But if these pirates knew, if Yunho knew the significance of the markings, he would have been better off dead.
«Hyung,» San mumbled, wrenching Jongho’s head further back so he too could see them. «You don't think…»
San also had black smudged around his eyes, which were slanted and feline looking. The rest of his features were hidden behind the mask, but Jongho could see blonde hair peek out from under the hat.
«You’re a siren,» San gasped, a smile evident even underneath the mask. «Hyung we found one!»
«A what?» Jongho laughed, maybe a bit too maniacal as the two exchanged excited looks. «A mermaid?»
«Not a mermaid. A siren.» Yunho said, a long finger suddenly moving over Jongho’s marks. Jongho tried to flinch away but San’s grip was too strong. «Where have you been hiding all this time little one?»
«You’re crazy,» Jongho continued laughing. His heartbeat was steadily increasing. «There are no such things as sirens or mermaids or whatever you want to call it!»
«Oh yes there are,» Yunho mumbled, looking at Jongho like he wanted to eat him. «And you’re one. One that has fallen right in our lap.»
San removed the blade from Jongho’s throat, letting go of his hair just as Yunho grabbed his collar. The pirate wasted no time ripping Jongho’s shirt to shreds, revealing more of the marks the siren had tried desperately to hide. A large hand trailed over the scars the gills left behind on Jongho’s ribs, so gentle it almost felt like a breeze.
That was more than enough thank you.
Jongho headbutted Yunho hard, sending the pirate’s long body sprawling out on deck. He rolled away as San threw himself after him, kicking the other’s legs out from under him. San rolled with his fall, getting back on his feet swiftly and gracefully, almost cat-like. But Jongho had also gotten to his feet, and was already heading for the railing.
«Stop him!» San yelled, sprinting after Jongho.
Pounding footsteps sounded behind Jongho, and he could hear shouting and swords being drawn. There was a long time since he had fed, so his water form would be the safest option, less chances of getting shot as well.
Jongho flung himself over the railing, bones snapping and rearranging underneath his skin which was cracking up and hardening. It had truly been a while, the pain familiar and oddly comforting.
Before he even hit the water his legs had molted into a long, powerful, black and red tail. His skin had turned scaly and darker, his gills opening along the sides of his ribs. His ears melted into holes, taloned fins rising along his spine and arms, cutting through the ropes.
The first breath of saltwater stung, it always did. His mom had said it was because he’d spent too little time in his fish form, but he thought it was because the transition was never complete until he breathed. Like everything else about transformation, it was just simply unpleasant.
Jongho pointed his face down into the dark of the sea and kicked his tail. He wouldn’t have to swim far before the pirates could no longer see him, and then he could just wait and see where they went. Whichever way they took their ship would be the opposite direction of where he would swim. He’d escape, start anew, and continue with his plan. Maybe change his name for good measure.
Just when he started to slow down his descent he heard something. Or rather, felt something. His hearing underwater wasn’t the best, but his talons picked up every vibration in a 2 mile radius. Something was moving towards him, something fast and… similar to him.
He spun around just in time to see a mermaid swimming towards him. It was pink and white, probably from southern waters, and bigger than him. It had long black hair, maybe to its waist and had… rope clutched in its hands.
You got to be fucking kidding me. Jongho thought angrily. The black pirates had a mermaid amongst them? No wonder they knew what to look for, mermaids were the beings with the most knowledge about sirens other than sirens themselves after all. Of fucking course the first time Jongho got to meet one it would here.
Jongho growled at the mermaid, letting it know that it was seen and considering an enemy. The mermaid didn’t slow down, only made a clicking sound which could almost pass as swearing. Oh so it was frustrated? Imagine how Jongho felt after working for years to get on that ship only for it to be plundered by fucking pirates.
The mermaid stopped just short of where Jongho had halted. Mermaids were as a rule faster than sirens, living most of their lives in the sea after all, usually bigger in size as well. No way Jongho could outswim it, especially in his weak state. Fighting it would be.
The mermaid pointed at the surface, a pleading look in its eyes. It was pretty, round eyes and full lips, a long nose. Someone Jongho would have loved to meet in any other circumstance. He’d wanted to meet someone else like him after all. Nevertheless, Jongho wouldn’t go with it willingly. Not when it was working for the pirates.
Jongho shook his head, baring his teeth. A sad look passed over the mermaid’s face, before it fell away. In a flash it swam right into Jongho, smashing a hand over one set of Jongho’s gills. Jongho felt his breath leave him making black spots dance in his head, but he still managed to sink his claws into the flesh of the mermaid’s biceps, tearing at it. The mermaid made a sound of pain but wasted no time biting at Jongho’s neck, blood darkening the water around them.
They thrashed around, claws, teeth and sharp fins clashing. Jongho could feel sharks approach them, but didn’t have time to dwell on it. He’d worry about being eaten by sharks if he got away from this godsdamned place.
The mermaid kept hitting his gills, making him more and more dizzy. If it kept it up he’d lose consciousness. He tried to retaliate, but the mermaid was too fast, too strong, blocking most of his hits.
Jongho growled in both anger and frustration. He didn’t want to kill the mermaid. He didn’t want to be captured by these filthy pirates. He didn’t want to be here at all, he wanted to get away. He wanted his moms.
Once again Jongho was left in a situation where he could only lose.
He lunged forward, teeth bared and mouth agape as he bit into the mermaid’s chest, flesh tearing under his fangs. The bloodlust almost made him lose it, but he wouldn’t take a bite out of the mermaid. No way in hell. He wouldn’t eat it.
The mermaid was crying out in pain again, but it didn’t try to dislodge Jongho. Instead, fast and without Jongho understanding what was happening, it coiled the rope around both of them. From tail to torso it swirled around them both, tying them together. Jongho opened his mouth, going for the mermaid’s jugular in a desperate attempt to distract it.
Too late. It blocked him with its hand, with the other it yanked on the rope three times in rapid succession. Immediately the rope tightened around them as the pirates began dragging them up towards the surface again.
Jongho thrashed aimlessly, crying out in frustration and panic. He bit and clawed at the mermaid, tried to sewer the rope, to wiggle loose, to do anything. But before he knew it they crashed through the surface, bodies smashing against the side of the ship.
Arms hauled both of them onto the deck, where Jongho tried and failed to flop them back into the water. He heard muffled voices, shouting, and felt arms pry him away from the mermaid. His tail smashed into someone as soon as he was free of the ropes, though he couldn’t see if it did any lasting damage. He hoped it did, and that it hurt.
Jongho was trying so hard not to panic.
He couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, couldn't breathe. His ocean form was not meant for land. Jongho would need to turn back to his human form soon or he would suffocate. Maybe that would show them; the siren they so desperately wanted chokes to death the second he’s in their grasp.
Someone was grabbing at his shoulders, shaking him. More muffled shouting, vibrations off people running back and forth. All he could see were black figures, these uniforms were really effective in hiding their identity.
It didn't matter. He’d kill them all. He wouldn’t end up as his mom, he’d eat them all first.
In the end Jongho didn’t even get to think about turning. His body stole the control from him, a survival mechanism after realizing why it couldn’t breathe. One moment he was flopping around like the fish he was and the next he was gasping in air and kicking his feet around. Naked and helpless like his mom had been.
«He turned!» someone shouted.
The return of sound was so sharp it ringed in Jongho’s head. He let out a sound of pain, grasping his head between his hands in an attempt to shut the noises out. The mermaid got him good, his body still throbbed with pain, stinging where it had bit and clawed him.
«Cover him up!» A soft voice called out.
How considerate of his abductors to think of his comfort. He would rather not be there at all but at least they wouldn’t leave him butt ass naked on their deck to be stared at. Maybe they thought they could keep him as some sort of pet.
Something, probably a blanket, was thrown over him. It was soft, and huge, and covered him from head to toe, muffling their incessant shouting and dulling the harsh sun. He stayed still, heaving for breath with lungs that were probably bruised from the feel of it. Maybe a couple of cracked ribs as well.
«Seonghwa, maybe you shouldn’t…» someone said, far too close to Jongho for his comfort.
The blanket was lifted slightly, just enough for someone to peek at Jongho’s face. It was the mermaid. It was just as pretty in its human form, wet hair sticking to tan skin, long eyelashes adorned with droplets that glinted like pearls.
«Hey,» The mermaid said softly, he was the one that had told them to cover Jongho up. «I’m sorry…»
«Seonghwa get back from him,» someone barked. «He may lash out again.»
Seonghwa, that was the mermaid’s name. Seonghwa gave whoever gave the order an angry look, scooting a tiny bit closer to Jongho. They were also wrapped in a blanket, lithe shoulders all that was visible.
«I’m Park Seonghwa,» they said. «I’m really sorry about all of this. We just really need your help.»
«Seonghwa, stand back!» the same one ordered.
«He’s scared, Hongjoong,» Seonghwa snapped. «maybe if we just explained…»
«He’ll run away the first chance he gets!» someone else interfered. «We can’t afford that and you know it.»
Okay, so when Jongho escaped he wouldn’t kill Seonghwa. Seonghwa at least had some decency. The rest were fair game.
Jongho ducked his head up from the blanket, refusing to let them talk about him like he wasn’t there any longer. At least five guns were pointed at him, everyone had their swords out with the clear exception of Seonghwa.
Yunho was recognizable still, even with the bloody nose, as well as San. Four others were standing closely around Jongho and Seonghwa, while the other pirates kept their distance. The smallest pirate was the one who stood the closest. He had a long red mullet, with long bangs covering his painted eyes. He had more piercings than Jongho was able to count and a red band tied around his upper arm. The only one with a splash of color added to their uniform. He had to be the captain.
«Why haven’t you healed yourself?» The captain asked him, looking at Jongho’s bleeding neck. «Seonghwa has already recovered from your little tussle.»
«Because I’m not a fucking mermaid you dimwit,» Jongho snarled. «Isn’t that the bloody point?»
Someone laughed, and from the corner of his eye Jongho could see it was a pirate almost as small as their captain.
«So sirens can’t heal the same way as mermaids?» the Captain asked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. «Excellent. That makes this easier.»
He stepped a little closer to Jongho, smiling when Jongho hissed. There was something off about the pirate, he smelled wrong. Almost like rot.
«Tell me, little siren, will you make this difficult?» The captain had cocked his head. «Or will you swear not to try to escape again? Do you swear you’ll assist us in freeing the world?»
Jongho squinted at the man. What kind of maniac was he? Did the man actually think Jongho would keep his word even if he did swear to him?
«I was raised by witches, you see,» the captain continued. «If you swear, I’ll hold you to it. Break your promise, and you’ll end up right next to me again.»
«And if I refuse?» Jongho asked, eying the gun in the captain’s hand. They weren’t going to kill him, that much was obvious. However Jongho refused to be enslaved to any of their delusions.
Promise me.
The captain went still, features cold and hard as though they were carved out of marble. Jongho could tell that this was someone used to getting his way. Too bad.
«Then I will shoot you in the leg and chain you up below deck until you do.»
Seonghwa gasped and grabbed Jongho’s shoulder. Touch firm but not hard.
«Hongjoong you can’t…» the mermaid began, almost moving like they wanted to hide Jongho behind him. How sweet.
«It’s his choice.» Hongjoong shrugged. «I won’t do it if he swears he won’t escape until our mission is done.»
Jongho could see some of the pirates shifting uncomfortably. Some even looked away. There was discord regarding their leader’s decision. Good. Jongho could work with that. He could sow the discord big enough for him to slip through the cracks.
«Screw your mission,» Jongho spat, already steeling himself for pain. He wouldn’t promise the little pirate shit. «And screw you.»
Hongjoong looked at him for a long time. Jongho could see anger, sadness and admiration flit over the captain's features. Like he could see where was coming from, but couldn’t afford to sympathize.
Then he pointed the gun down at where Jongho’s legs were laying beneath the blanket, ignored the protests coming from Seonghwa, and fired the shot.