Where a dream agitates Geno and a song gives him chance to hear another little story from Alter.

No one's POV:
-

Geno opened his eyesockets, only to realise he was again in the black void of yesterday. But this time, no one was around.

The silence was unbearable for him. Together with darkness, it was creepy and making him nervous. He shutted his ear holes and kneeled. He couldn't stand be alone without hearing anything. The silence was always meaning something bad. He could almost start crying from nervousness and... loneliness.

"Geno." A sweet female voice made him lift his head and look. What he saw, made his jaw fall. That pink tail and hair... That way Alter described the siren who gave him the symbol! He got up, shocked and surprised. The siren smiled. But her dark eyes were filled with melancholy.

"My dear... You've grown up so much..." She said. She seemed touched. Although Geno had never see her before, something in her voice seemed somehow familiar to him. But he didn't know why. Waveringly he took a step towards her.

"Who are you?" He asked. The siren smiled again kindly.

"You're right to ask. You don't remember me, you were very little then..." She said looking down. But quickly she looked again at him.

"What do you mean? How do you know about me?"

"The sea animals and birds. They were telling me about you and your brothers..." Were? Before he could ask, the siren covered her face with her hands and started sobbing. Geno felt awkward but also very sorry for her and stayed motionless unsure about what to do. In the end, he approached her.

He didn't know why, he just felt he had to. He stood next to her and placed his hand at her shoulder. She lifted her head and looked at him a little surprised. Geno felt even more awkward but the questions were drowning him and couldn't stay silent.

"Hey look. I... I don't know what's going on but... Can you tell me what's happe-?" The siren hugged him and for a moment Geno was ready to push her away. But he didn't. That hug was so fond and nice, he somehow felt even more familiar with her.

"I'm sorry. You don't know me and you don't understand. But me... it's just... I've missed you so much and I can't... I can only see you like this." She said letting him and waved her hand, showing the void around her. "You've been here before and many times."

"Are you... dead?" Geno asked.

"No. But I can't approach you. Oh Geno... I wish I could be close to you in real life. But I can only see you in your dreams. Or learn from the animals."

"I've never dreamt of you before or see you. But why now? How?"

"No matter how far I'm from you, I found a way to be close to you at the same time. You don't need now to understand, but know that a part of my soul will always be close to you. For as long as you're in the ship, you'll feel my presence, hear my voice and see me in your dreams."

"But I want to leave! Why should I stay with the pirates?! They're all rude jerks and-"

"They need your help." She cutted him and Geno looked at her surprised. The siren was very serious now.

"Especially the Captains needs the biggest help from you. The curse... *sigh* Morganna... Her curse affected them badly." Morganna? New name again.

"Who's Morga-?"

"The green haired mermaid, not siren, Geno I don't have much time to explain you now. I'm sorry for not being clear and answering some of your questions, I know you want answers and understand what's going on. But I'll try and explain you the next time."

"What do you mean already?!" Geno's voice got louder, he had loose a lot of patience.

"... Before I go, I'll only give you some advices. Don't let your hate for the pirates guide you. Listen also to your soul, it will help you to trust and realise who's actually good and who's bad. And if you... if you see again Morganna and she tries to affect you with her words, trigger you, please, I beg you, don't listen to her. I don't know how she made it but she can get in your dreams too." The siren seemed extremely worried. She was looking around her. Geno couldn't see but started hearing laughter echoing to the non existent walls.

"I hope you remember my words Geno. Again I'm terribly sorry I must leave, without enlightening you. And please, don't leave from the ship, at least not without the necklace. Don't leave me, not now, not yet!"

"But-!"

"You must wake up! Now!" She said and pushed him with force. Geno started falling backwards.

"Wait! No! Mo-!"

Geno opened his eyesocket abruptly. Cold sweat had bathe him. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. He pressed his hands at his chest, feeling fast poundings. His breath was fast and cutted. He tried to take deeper breaths. After some seconds he made it. The beats got soon slower and started relaxing.

1 minute after, he focused and looked around him. He was still in priest's room but now there wasn't so much light. He was hearing random rough voices outside. He guessed that the pirates were awake and doing probably their jobs.

"What time is it?" He thought and tried to get up. But in an instant he felt his back killing him. How did he even manage to sleep at the tough plank, he didn't know. He was so tired he didn't even think about it and when Alter left to bandage his hand, he slept like a brick for so long!

"How is Alter even tolerating sleeping like that?! And why?! I guess that's why he's staying awake instead of sleeping!" He thought and got up slower. Speaking of him, the priest wasn't in the room. And the door was opened. Instinctively his look fell at his tail. Which tail? His legs had returned!

"Welcome back my feet!" He thought and he was ready to get up.

Sometimes in the silence
I can hear you sing
And feel your loving presence
Ever near
There's something strong between us
Like a force that I can't see
A bridge connecting us
Invisibly

Geno stayed motionless hearing a calm deep voice singing. With surprise, he recognised soon that Alter was the one who was singing. He admired how beautiful his voice was sounding.

I know that you are near me
Though we're far apart
I see your face before me everywhere
I know that you can hear me
When I'm calling from my heart
I know that you are always there

But except from his voice, Geno realised that he was approaching. He layed again to the plank quickly, regretted for doing it so fast because he was still hurting from it, held back a groan and pretended that he was sleeping normally. But he kept his eyesockets half-opened.

Sometimes I think that you must be
An angel passing through
There was never anyone
As beautiful as you

Geno saw Alter getting in with slow steps, looking down and his fingers intertwined in front of him. He approached the table, sat at the chair and his gaze looked to the wall, but with a way like he was seeing something else. His expression was melancholic but also a little lost as he was continuing singing.

I know that you are with me
In everything I do
And follow every footstep
Of my way
You are my guardian angel
And you will forever be
The one who's always walking
Close to me

I miss you in the moonlight
And the morning sun
I miss you every hour
Of the day
There's never been a moon gone by
Without you on my mind
A part of you will always stay

Sometimes I think that you must be
An angel passing through
'Cause there was never anyone
As beautiful as you
Somehow I know that you must be
An angel passing through
Oh there was never anyone
As beautiful as you

There, Alter's expression seemed to relax, he smiled and paused a little longer. Geno thought that the song ended. But the priest sighed and started singing the last lyrics, the melancholic expression appeared again, erasing his smile.

Seasons come and seasons go
But you will always be
More than beautiful to me
You're more than beautiful to me

Alter leaned back, looking at the ceiling thoughtful with his fingers still intertwined in front of his chest. Only then Geno observed that his right hand was bandaged. He stayed motionless, staring at him thoughtful. He was ready to ask him about the song. Why was he even singing it?

"Sorry if I-" The priest started saying calmly. Geno flinched surprised and fell from the plank.

"God! Damnit!" He thought groaning.

"... woke ya up. I should have sing more calmly or not at all." Alter completed approaching him. He kneeled and helped him get up. Geno groaned again.

"It wasn't the song the problem. Also, how can you sleep on that thing?!" He asked feeling his back killing him again. Alter chuckled kindly.

"Believe me, the first times I was the same as ya. But ascetic life doesn't allow comforts. It's a matter of habit, patience and tolerance. It doesn't bother me so much anymore." Geno sat at the plank and looked at Alter, who had his arms crossed. They stayed silent for a minute.

"That song ya were saying... it was very nice. And ya have a really nice voice! But... it was so melancholic. Why ya were singing it?" Geno asked to break the silence. Alter lowered his head looking away.

He sighed after some seconds and sat next to Geno. He took from his pocket his prayer rope and started clacking the beads. Geno knew now, that everytime Alter was doing that move, he was about to narrate a little story, an event or an experience. He had realise it when he was locked in the cells.

"... That song, I heard it first time from a captive from an island of Balkans..."

"... years ago. One day, or rather one night, I was walking around the deck. Everything was very quiet. And in the silence suddenly, I heard 'em singing but in a language I wasn't understanding. I approached near the cells where they were locked with other captives and stayed silent. When stopped singing, I asked if they were ok. I didn't know their language and if we could communicate. But I heard them answering me and I understood. They were surprised from my unexpected presence, but we broke the ice. And... after a while I asked about the song."

"So? What was the song about?"

"... It was the last goodbye for their dead lover before leaving." Alter said and abruptly he clenched the beads of his prayer rope in his hands. His look was looking straight to the wall opposite him like he was seeing something Geno couldn't see. But he sighed and found his chill quickly.

"I asked if they could tell me what were the lyrics saying exactly. And... many nights I was going to talk with them. And all the times I came, they were singing or humming that song. In all these visits, I learned the song the way ya heard it a while ago. We couldn't see each other's faces, but if they were believing I was a pirate, I guess they trusted me. But one night... I didn't hear them singing when I came. Or they died from exhaustion, it happens sometimes, or they got sold. We were stopping on many islands those days and taking captives for the bazaars and probably they took them too... I never heard their voice again. And Captain Reaper, who somehow understood what I was doing, told me to not talk and befriend the captives. Not only because there was no point since they would be sold, but also because for someone like me it would hurt."

"Ugh, why he has to always interfere-?"

"And he was right." Alter said calmly looking at Geno, who turned to look at him surprised.

"Captain had guessed that I'm more sensitive for people, that's why he told me... the song stayed in my mind and sometimes... I'm just singing it."

"For what reason exactly?" Geno asked. Alter looked up at the ceiling.

"I like it's meaning. It's beautiful, quiet, the lyrics are full of love and tenderness and... it reminds things I left behind, not only me and them, but many others who had the same fate as them." Alter shrugged his shoulders. "And I'm keeping my hope that I'll have a chance to see these again, one day." He seemed a little lost and a little melancholic smile was on his face again.

"What kind of things exactly?" Geno asked. For a moment, Alter seemed ready to talk. But he only sighed and got up abruptly.

"Ah! But why am I talking about stuff that are burdening your soul with melancholy too? Talking for so long, I almost forgot! I brought something that will help ya sleep without suffering!" Alter approached the table and picked up something big and white Geno hadn't observe because he had his attention to the priest. Quickly he realised that he was holding a layer.

"Since you'll sleep on my bed, better make things a little bit more comfy. After they bandaged my hand, I thought that you wouldn't be comfortable, so it was time for this layer to have some use for once. But when I returned to my room and saw you sleeping I didn't want to wake ya up."

"How long was I sleeping?"

"Right now it's near 5:00 in the afternoon. You slept at least 10 hours."

"F*ck, damn-! Sorry for cursing." Geno murmured looking away. "But why ya didn't wake me up?!"

"When I saw you sleeping, after I left ya, I chose to let you rest. I stayed for a little while but later I got out to the deck for some unfinished tasks. As I was working, Captain approached me and asked about you. I told him ya were very tired and sleeping, I asked then if I had to wake ya up. He turned his back but as he was walking away, he told me to wait until you wake up by yourself, since ya made it to sleep, but then take out the layer and put it to the plank, because ya wouldn't be comfortable and... you're not me to tolerate the same things. *sigh* Captain knows me sooo well."

"Hmph." Geno said and looked away crossing his arms. He got up and helped Alter to put the layer at the plank. Now it was like a normal bed. He jumped, layed and enjoyed how soft, like balm for his back was.

"Better now?" Alter asked smiling.

"Ya can't believe how much better! But... you?" Geno asked looking at the priest, who smiled again kindly.

"The concern isn't me, but you. Captain asked the same for me. But I'm glad to give ya my bed so ya feel comfortable. Besides I'm not sleeping a lot. I'll get comfy somewhere too."

"And how ya still have energy for anything!" Geno said and they both laughed.

"When ya keep your mind busy with beneficial thoughts, sleep is the last thing that bothers you." Alter said and they laughed again. When they calmed down a question came in Geno's mind and he looked at Alter serious and a little concerned.

"Now that we... we discovered that I'm a... a..."

"Siren, yes?"

"... Will I come out or... Will I stay locked?" Geno asked. Alter looked down thoughtful. Then he lifted his head.

"I'll ask the Captain. Wait here please." He said and walked out of the room leaving Geno again alone.

we have 2725 words. if there's anyone else who's in the art contest, ya still have 3 weeks until time's up. goodbye readers, have a great day/night (or whatever) and stay determined of course! *pat pat pat*