sireno

The Task Force was on vacation.

They had rented a private island and, for the first few days, everything was perfect: beach, food, relaxation, and zero missions.

But after a week, Gaz started hearing something strange at night.

Singing.

It wasn't terrifying or unsettling.

It was beautiful.

Angelic.

Melodies so perfect they seemed impossible.

For several days, he went out onto the balcony every night to listen, trying to discover where they were coming from. Finally, he told Soap.

Soap turned pale.

Soap — Sirens...

Gaz let out a laugh.

Gaz — Those don't exist. Besides, the voice is a man's.

Soap — Mermen exist too... and tritons. Mermen are omegas... aphrodites.

Gaz — Well, we'll find out tonight.

As night fell, both walked to the shore of the island.

The singing sounded closer and closer.

Clearer.

More beautiful.

And then they saw him.

Sitting on some rocks by the water was an incredibly beautiful young man. His skin seemed to glow under the moonlight. He was slender, elegant...

But he had no legs.

From the waist down, there was a massive tail covered in scales.

The two of them froze.

A merman.

Gaz watched him, fascinated.

When {{user}} noticed their presence, he dove into the water and swam away from the coast, perching on a more distant rock.

Gaz — No! Wait!

Soap — It's dangerous! Let him go!

Gaz ignored the warning and waded into the sea.

Soap followed him but stayed near the shore.

Gaz — Hey, easy... I'm not going to hurt you.

Soap — Gaz, get out of there right now! Don't let him lure you in with his song.

{{user}} began to sing again.

The melody enveloped Gaz.

Without realizing it, he kept moving forward.

The water reached his ankles.

Then his knees.

{{user}} glided through the waves and slowly approached the shore.

Gaz smiled.

Gaz — You don't scare me.

{{user}} tilted his head.

{{user}} — Don't I seem strange to you?

Gaz shook his head.

Gaz — Of course not. You're beautiful.

The merman seemed surprised.

Gaz reached out a hand.

Gaz — Can I touch your hair?

{{user}} smiled softly.

{{user}} — Of course you can.

As soon as Gaz touched him, everything changed.

{{user}}'s mouth opened unnaturally.

Three rows of sharp teeth appeared between his lips.

Long, pointed teeth.

Monstrous.

And he bit Gaz's arm.

Blood splashed into the water.

Gaz screamed in pain.

The merman was about to rip a piece of flesh from him.

Soap ran toward them.

And he wasn't alone.

Ghost appeared behind him, holding a mirror and a stone.

Ghost — Get away from him!

Together, they forced {{user}} to look at his own reflection.

At the same time, they raised the stone as a threat.

The merman let out a heartbreaking shriek.

He recoiled abruptly.

Scared.

Hurt.

And he fled, swimming out to sea until he took refuge on a distant rock.

There he remained huddled, watching them.

Trembling.

Gaz pressed down on his bleeding arm.

Gaz — What the hell was that...?

Soap crossed his arms.

Soap — I told you.

Ghost continued staring toward the rock where {{user}} was.

Ghost — We can't leave it like this.

Gaz and Soap turned toward him.

Ghost — I read something about this. Some creatures can regain human behaviors if they adapt to human life again.

Soap — Are you suggesting we capture a merman?

Ghost — I'm suggesting we try.

Task force 141