HOLY SH*T, I'M SO TERRIBLY SORRY!

you've hit the 15+ votes goal on the previous chapter and I didn't even realise! here, take the new chapter!

may you enjoy!

Where an evil mermaid reveals to everyone present in the monster village where the 2 skeleton friends are really coming from and panic befalls.

No one's POV:

-

The figure stopped and stayed with head lowered. At that moment Pyros, Tefra and Decans had their backs turned at them. But then the small skeleton, probably understanding like Geno that something was off in the air, turned and saw the figure. He stood motionless staring with wide open eyesockets. The mermaid guards could be seen staring intensively at the figure, a few already hissing lowly.

"Lord Aristo. Infernals. Wait! Don't leave." A female voice was heard coming out of the figure and raised head. A yellow and purple mask was covering her whole face. 2 abysses were in the place of the eyes. The ones she called out turned and stared at her surprised.

"And you are?" Raymond asked raising eyebrow. The figure walked closer and stopped between the goat siblings and the Aristo.

"I will tell you, as well as something really important for everyone present here. But first tell everyone to keep quiet." She said. Pyros exchanged confused looks with Tefra, but slowly they turned to the crowd. They raised hands in the air and fire came out, which floated up high and started swirling, making and taking strange shapes, until the flames formed a sentence:

Todos por favor fiquem quietos

One by one, the monsters saw the fire letters and started telling everyone else to stop talking. In less than 10 seconds, dead silence had filled the plaza.

"Hm. I'm not a fun of fire. But impressive." The figure commented.

"Now, will you-?" Raymond was about to speak.

"Yes I will, but shut up." The masked woman interrupted him and the human was ready to say something else, offended. But he sucked it up and crossed his arms angered. The figure turned and looked at everyone around.

"I don't like where this is going." Alter murmured and Geno barely heard him.

"Monsters of Olissipo! Humans..." The woman started. "My name is Calisia and I'm coming from the generation of the mermaids." Whispers immediately took over everyone, as for the mermaid guards, they started hissing louder. Geno froze hearing that name.

"No. Way." He thought.

"Oh great, another one of you." Raymond murmured rolling his eyes. Calisia ignored him.

"You're not welcomed Calisia. Nor you, nor any of your Queen's followers. Swim back where you emerged from." One of the mermaids hissed at her.

"To your information, I'll take my leave soon Nagoona. Only if I say what I want to say though." Calisia replied calmly.

"You know each other?" Raymond asked.

"Us mermaids know each other more or less, Lord Raymond." The masked mermaid said. She turned to look to the crowd and raised hands in the air. "To your information, I don't care what's going on between your kinds, I'm not interested to participate in your little drama. But I come to warn you all about something as I said. Something that matters to what you call, your Government."

"There are rebels! I knew it!" Raymond yelled and literally everyone groaned.

"For the last time!" One monster complained.

"I have not the slightest of clue for these rebels you're talking about, Lord Raymond." Calisia said. "I'm not here to talk about some rebels, who aren't my business. What's going on on land isn't my business. So shut up." She cleared her throat. "Yes, land isn't my business, but today... you better open your ears! I came to warn you that amongst you are hiding 2 spies from the pirate crew Reapers!"

Absolute panic fell upon everyone and Raymond with the Infernals looked at Calisia with wide open eyes.

"Oh no. No no no..." Geno covered his mouth. He couldn't see, but by just hearing was enough to start panicking. He looked up to Alter who's eyesockets were empty.

"2 WHAT?!" Raymond yelled.

"A little bird told me, you could say. If my memory doesn't fool me, a few days ago, 2 skeletons introduced themselves to everyone in this town as Guido and Eugenia Siracusa, 2 happy friendly Italian skeletons, who wanted nothing except see the sights. More like to hide so they wouldn't get caught." Calisia kept going.

"No way..." Tefra said quietly. The mermaid heard her.

"Lady Infernal, I know. It must be difficult to accept such. After these 2 gained your trust and you got familiar with them, only to learn today that they're not who they seem! It is certainly a shock." She chuckled. "Finding out you were manipulated and fooled all this time by their innocent and sweet manners, now knowing that these 2 monsters are nothing but 2 filthy pirates!"

"Why would you tell us this? In what way does this benefit you?" Tefra asked raising eyebrow. Calisia hummed cheerfully.

"Doing the questions a sharp mind would do I see. Well, you don't need to know that, but it won't harm anyone in here. It will rather benefit you and me you see. But simply, | ηæτə ρıræτəs ηœπəγ. Thank me that I did the favor to inform everyone here, I'm saving you!"

"How do we know you're telling the truth?!" The small female goat asked again.

"Still in denial huh? Well, it's ok. After all, who am I?" Calisia shrugged her shoulders but in her eyes was glowing the mockery. "Just a random mermaid, right? That's why it had better you ask the mermaids of this land to tell you!" Raymond's eyes turned to daggers as he looked at the mermaids, who were looking at Calisia as if they wanted to decapitate her on the spot. "In fact, why don't you ask the one mermaid that has spend the most time around the 'guests'. What about you... Æ t æ l æ n t æ?" All eyes fell on Atalanta, who fought to keep a tough unreadable face. "Why don't you tell everyone here a little bit about these pirates?"

"Atalanta! Is this true?" Tefra asked and in her voice there was wonder and perhaps a hope, that the mermaid would say no? She walked closer towards her with a confused and almost pained expression. Atalanta looked away only for a fleeing moment, but even that was enough to give her away. The female goat clenched her teeth. "You and the other mermaids... all this time you knew?" She asked. All monsters started talking at once, while also looking around in fear.

"Trying to cover 2 enemies huh?!" Raymond decided to open his mouth as he glared at Atalanta. "You set the Government of Portugal in danger, by allowing 2 dirty pirates to roam around freely and possibly gather information of what we do?! You filthy fishes, how about we go to the forest together with them and gather berries while holding hands!" Calisia chuckled quietly. "Why on earth did my foolish brother ever give you a chance to live amongst us in the first place if you can't act as you're assigned to?!"

"And even better, why don't you ask little Decans too? Certainly a little bird must have told him too about the 'guests', he has a little bit of mermaid inside him after all." Calisia poured more fuel into the fire. Once all eyes fell on Decans, his confidence started gradually dropping.

"Calisia, please, d-don't do this."

"Not you too Decans..." Tefra said quietly with hands on her chest and an even more hurt expression.

"You think a whiny plead like that will stop me, Decans Noko?" The evil mermaid asked sarcastically.

"They're not defending us..." Geno whispered, whom with each passing second was feeling more and more nervous.

"They can't defend us." Alter replied.

"Why?"

"If the mermaids try to cover us and explain why we really are here, they will also have to talk about Echo. And if they talk about Echo, they will betray the rebels and kill every monster on the spot, without the law being able to save them." Alter explained. "Also, if they were to reveal your real purpose of being here, it would be too late. Everyone here heard the word pirates, now they won't be able to listen and get convinced by any other explanation. That mermaid didn't really lie about most things, but she didn't say the whole truth about us. She only said whatever would make things worse for us."

Geno hugged Alter from his waist, who looked down to the smaller surprised and with an almost offended expression. He pressed his hand against the smaller's skull, truly ready to push him away. But he just let his hand there, sighed and looked ahead.

"Start talking mermaids, right this instant! Who are these pirates! Names!" Raymond commanded.

"No need, Lord Raymond." Calisia stopped him and Raymond looked at her angered. "You know what, I can answer these questions myself. Since I already said so much, why hide these little details too?"

"Calisia, please don't." Decans tried again.

"Silence sardine!" The Aristo said and looked at Calisia impatient. "Start talking now!" The mermaid turned to look at the crowd of monsters.

"The one pirate, the smaller skeleton who was introduced as Eugenia, a 16 year old girl is actually a 21 year old male named Genocide. And he's a sırəπ." She started, causing everyone to get even more nervous.

"She's exposing me. Soon us both!" Geno thought terrified. "What the hell are we gonna do?!" He suddenly felt Alter's hand leaving off his skull and the small looked at him. He watched as Alter closed his eyesockets, inhaled slowly and sighed.

"He has only one eyesocket with a white pupil. The other is covered by a cloud. Behind that cloud, the eyesocket is melted." Calicia kept talking.

"Deus, você ama todas as criações, não importa o quê. Por favor, ajude-me a ter controle e uma mente clara." The priest said and crossed himself 3 times. Geno didn't understand the first sentence, but the second sended him inexplainable shivers down his spine. "Geno, when I tell you, I want you to do something a little strange, but you gotta do it fast and discreetly. I want you to climb on my back but through my cloak. Don't ask why, can you do that?" He asked quietly. Geno looked at him surprised. But the voice that was telling him to trust Alter and whatever he had in mind convinced him and he nodded. Alter looked again ahead.

The shivers the small skeleton had felt a while ago worsened when the taller opened again his eyesockets and now they were filled with dark blue, cyan, grey and white hues, with a dark dot in the middle. His right hand moved again and pressed the back of Geno's skull, pushing him gently to hide his face on his side.

"Hey, what-?"

"¥ œ υ ɓ ə τ τ ə r π œ τ ɓ ə ł œ ø κ ı π g a τ w h a τ | w ı ł ł đ œ r ı g h τ π œ w Ə s ρ ə c ı æ ł ł γ ı f ı τ g œ ə s w r œ π g. ¥ œ υ m ı g h τ g ə τ p a π ı c κ ə đ, p r ı π c ə γ." Alter said as he covered Geno's eyesocket and his voice was so different and deep, the small skeleton suddenly felt weak to bring objections. He still had in mind to do as the taller told him, climb on his back.

"And the other skeleton?" Raymond asked focused and in agony to know. Calisia looked at him.

"The taller pirate skeleton of the crew Reapers is named-."

A loud woosh was heard of something flying fast. Screams and steps of panicked running to all directions filled Geno's ear holes the very next moment. Scared horse neighing and the mermaids hissing added to the noise, while the air suddenly felt hotter.

"WHAT THE-?!" The smol yelped ready to look around him. But Alter's hand on the back of his skull forced him to keep his face hidden.

"WHAT ON EARTH?!" Raymond yelled and the small siren could feel Alter's body jumping lightly, as if laughing(!).

"YOU DARE SHOW YOUR POWER ON ME BUT NOT YOURSELF GUARDIAN?! REVEAL YOURSELF!" Calisia was heard yelling and hissing.

"Now!" Alter said suddenly, quietly but clearly, as he kneeled. Geno hurried to go beneath his cloak and climb on his back, still trying to see what was going on, failing cause he was short. Once he held onto the taller, he felt Alter standing up, bending forward and walking fast, who knows in what direction.

"Alter, what didja do?!"

"Caused distraction to leave of course. Keep quiet." The priest said calmly but sharply as he kept walking.

Geno could feel his soul jumping inside his ribcage from the agony and anxiety. Air was barely getting through Alter's hood and all he could do was hear monsters and a few human soldiers running around and yelling panicked.

"Why didja tell me hide beneath your cloak? Can't I just walk alongside you?" Geno asked.

"That mermaid already exposed where we're coming from. At the moment, the soldiers will be keeping their eyes open for 2 skeletons, with the one of them having a melted eyesocket. She didn't say anything about my real appearance."

"And won't they find it suspicious seeing a hooded monster walking while bending forward?"

"Not if they think I'm just some very old and ill skeleton with a huge hump."

"How are you so sure that's what the soldiers will think of you? Or what if they start suspecting every skeleton they see in here?"

Alter didn't reply and just exhaled from his nose, almost as if dissapointed. Geno kept his mouth shut, praying now. However in the 5 minutes the priest was walking, no one stopped them once. Geno was almost ready to relax and let Alter get them both out of the town and Lisbon.

"Ei, você com a corcunda!"

Geno didn't understand what that meant, but he could almost feel his soul had stopped beating. Alter stopped and stood motionless. Soon he heard again the manly voice that spoke, talking in portuguese and the tall skeleton replying in the same language as he straightened his back just a little bit.

There was a 3rd man too, talking less than his companion. Geno was motionless, gripped on Alter and with shut eyesocket praying silently that the taller's idea would fool whoever was talking to him. He wasn't moving, not even daring to breath loudly. It was an agony that had last for less than a minute however.

"Claro, vou manter meus órbitas abertos." Alter said and whoever were talking to him weren't heard again. Geno assumed they left but still didn't move. However he soon felt the other's body shaking lightly, a situation that lasted for 10 seconds, but enough for the small skeleton to understand something was off.

The aura coursing through Alter's bones felt tensed and aggressive. And if that wasn't enough to understand that something was off, Geno soon heard a low growl escape Alter and if the smol had hair, they would stand on edge. But soon the priest took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, relaxing a tiny bit.

"What the heck?" Geno thought, still not daring to move.

"... Puedes respirar ahora." He heard Alter telling him in Spanish. Geno gasped.

"You said you didn't know Spa-!"

"Eu realmente tenho que me repetir?" Alter cut him in an abrupt voice speaking Portuguese now and Geno stayed motionless, surprised from his aggressiveness, understanding regardless what the priest had said.

"... Al, what happened? Who stopped us?" He asked. Alter started walking again, not replying immediately.

"... 2 humans. Soldiers." He said. Geno jolted lightly.

"And why did they stop us?!"

"... It wasn't something that was about us. Rather about someone else."

"They were asking about someone? If so, who?"

"... Some criminal. I just said I have no clue 'bout 'em and that I'll be on the lookout if I see anyone like 'em." Alter said, sounding more and more annoyed with the questions.

Geno kept his mouth shut, trying to understand what was wrong with Alter's mood. In the night he was all melancholic and thoughtful, now he was still thoughtful but also annoyed at anything and anyone around him. Especially with the smol.

"What and when did I do anything wrong and he is like he woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" Geno tried to think. "Is it maybe in any way the impact of all he told me yesterday and he still doesn't feel well? Plus also having to focus on getting us outta here? I shall assume for the time being these are what are goin' on." He exhaled quietly.

"I don't know anything, please!" A random voice was heard and Alter stopped once again, the very next moment shaking lightly.

"Al?" Geno shout-whispered.

"2 PIRATES WERE HIDING IN YOUR VILLAGE FOR SO MANY DAYS! YOU REALLY EXPECT US TO BELIEVE THAT YOU KNEW NOTHING! JUST LIKE THESE STUPID FISH GUARDS?! YOU'RE PRETENDING!" Someone screamed in a cruel manly voice and the one who had said they knew nothing started crying and begging.

"Geno, try keep your cool here." Alter suddenly warned and Geno held onto the taller harder, like a baby coala on its mama. Whoever was screaming at the other who was pleading, he suddenly started screaming in fear and Geno froze.

"Γ ə æ v ə τ η ə ρ œ œ r m œ π § τ ə r æ ł œ π ə γ œ υ ρ æ τ η ə τ ı c ə χ c υ § ə œ f ª η υ m æ π." A terrifying voice was heard. It sounded like Alter's but... it didn't sound like it was coming out of his mouth. Either way Geno felt even more nervous. He had come to realise again of all the new few things he had learned and realised about Alter, when talking with CQ.

His hands that were trying to hold onto the priest were loosing their grip without him realizing. And before he could react, he had slipped off the taller skeleton's back, hitting the ground with a loud thud and a gasp. The silence that befell all around was even more deafening than the panic and the screams of fear a while ago.

"Uh oooh..." Geno thought and tried to stay motionless, as if that would cover him now that he had exposed himself and attracted the attention.

"The pirate skeletons!"

"Surrender now!"

"Put your hands in the air!"

Rough manly voices started commanding. The small skeleton felt a hand gripping his wrist and revealing him in the public. He was ready to start struggling, thinking a human soldier had caught him, but seeing Alter's hand, he compromised and stood next to him on guard.

"P r ı π c ə. Ð ø π ø τ. M ø v ə." Alter said quietly. He and Geno looked around. They were surrounded by 8 soldiers, who were pointing weapons at them, assumingly from the ones shooting anti-magic bullets.

"Any plans?"

"Stop talking!" A soldier said and shot towards Alter with an anti-magic gun, who prevented to cover his chest with his arm. The bullet hit him and he clenched his teeth stoically. Geno got time to observe that the bullet was rather a small needle attached to a small glass vial filled with a liquid which went into the taller skeleton's arm.

"Alright..." Alter just whispered, only Geno hearing him. He looked around him with a smile that was betraying his pain. "No need... to be so agressive gentlemen. Of course we will follow..."

"WHAT?!" Geno's mind yelled. But suddenly Alter held his chest and started coughing aggressively, letting go of the smaller skeleton. He fell on his knees and placed both hands on his chest, coughing even louder.

"Hœłđ yœυr brəατh ρrıncə." He whispered between his coughs. Again Geno froze, confused about Alter's orders. But he took a quiet deep breath and held it. The soldiers stepped back, surprised and confused. There was something unusual going on.

Everytime Alter would cough, clouds of smoke were coming out of his mouth, but not in any way as if he was dusting. Only about 15 coughs later, the smoke became so big and thick, it covered completely the 2 skeletons. Having had realised that the smoke would only grow more and more, Geno had placed hands to cover his nose and closed his eyesocket.

"Hey, what the-?!" A soldier was about to ask.

And suddenly the smoke attacked the soldiers, hitting mainly their faces. The humans fell backwards, coughing aggressively and shutting their teary eyes. The 2 skeletons became visible again and Alter could be seen with his arms stretched, the palms facing left and right. His eyesockets were filled again with shades of blue, cyan, grey and white. Geno stared at him surprised.

"There's no way! He wears a magic blocker, he's been stung by an anti-magic bullet and he just used magic!" He observed the taller better. He didn't seem tired. He didn't seem getting hurt. His magic blocker wasn't flickering. "What the heck?!"

"T-The pirates! They dressed themselves up!" A monster said, staring at the 2 skeletons terrified. Alter let his hands fall and just by that all monster villagers who were around, stepped further away. He looked at everyone calmly and without much worry. Eventually he cleared his throat.

"You know what? Yes, we are pirates. It is true."

"Don't include me!" Geno thought.

"But just so you know, we have no intentions of harming anyone. That, as long as you stay øυτ øf øυr waγ." The tall skeleton declared next and his eyesockets turned to daggers. He walked towards the soldiers and the monsters really seemed ready to sprint their way out of the town. However the priest ignored them.

He started stomping the weapons of the soldiers, breaking them, while the humans were still tearing up from the smoke that had hit their eyes so abruptly. He broke both normal guns and anti-magic weapons, but left 4 of them. He picked the 2 of these and handed them to Geno, who looked at him surprised and confused.

"Why are you giving them to me?! I don't know how to use them!" He whispered fast.

"Whether we like it or not, the situation will teach us." Alter cut him coldly as he picked the last 2. "We might need some short of intimidation after all." He continued as he looked at the weapon from all directions, then loaded. Meanwhile a soldier had managed to clear his eyes from the smoke.

Perhaps he was faster than the others to cover his eyes and nose, so he didn't get affected like the others. As the 2 skeletons were talking, seeing them, he decided it was time again to do his job. Slowly he took a hidden gun from his armor and pointed it towards Geno.

He was going for his skull.

A gunshot was heard, a bullet flew and monsters from all around started screaming. Geno stood motionless, frozen and with wide open eyesocket, staring at the direction of the human soldier. Then he slowly looked at Alter.

The priest was staring down at the human with a murderous expression, his eyesockets filled with many colors, mainly cobalt blue. He was pointing the one of his anti-magic weapons at him.

*U_U casually illustrates with gacha club*

He had shot him.

"Did... did you kill him?" Geno asked after a few seconds, almost no voice coming out.

Alter's expression became suddenly surprised as if only now he had realised he had done something. He looked at Geno, then back at the human intensively. For many seconds he just stood silent. Suddenly he sighed relieved and placed hand on his chest.

"Oh graças a Deus, eu não o matei."

Indeed the human was still breathing, barely moving. The bullet had found him on his right shoulder. His weapon had escaped his hand. The priest walked towards him and suddenly, finding life inside of him, the soldier tried to crawl back terrified.

"BACK OFF MONSTER!" He yelled. Alter kneeled next to him and started searching his pockets. Soon he pulled out a strange looking key, which he approached on his magic blocker.

*Bleep!*

The blocker fell on the ground and Alter exhaled deeply, rubbing his wrist.

"At last, my magic is back to normal." He said. Then he focused again his attention to the soldier, who struggled to get away.

Not for long as the priest gripped him stably from his left shoulder and forced him to stay motionless. He approached his hand towards the human's right shoulder and without warning used telekinesis to pull the anti-magic bullet out. The human was ready to scream, but the skeleton covered his mouth.

At the same time, with his other hand he approached the bullet hole and a green aura started flowing from his hand to there. 10 seconds later he stood again normally, while helping the human stand up, quite abruptly. The bullet hole had almost dissappeared and there was no blood running anymore.

"Why did you do that?!" The soldier asked suspicious and surprised.

"Indeed, WHY?!" Geno's mind screamed. Suddenly Alter held the human from his collar and lifted him high.

"| đιđ tø yα thαt fαvør, cαusə | đøn't fəəł łıkə tαkıng α łıfe tøđαy. | wıłł gıvə yøu Œ N Ə αnđ Œ N Ł ¥ chαncə tø føłłøw my αđvıcə: ðœπ'τ γœυ ð æ r ə crœss m ə œr H | M." He pointed with his head at Geno. "Əvən thøugh yøu trıəđ tø shøøt hım, ıf yøu wərə αttəmptıng tø đø thαt tø mə, | wøułđ stıłł łət yøu łəαve ın ønə pıəcə. Təłł mə, ðœ γœυ ηævə ª fæmιłγ œf γœυrs?" He asked in an even more terrifying voice. The human gulped and struggled to speak.

"I'm m-m-married... I have two s-sons and t-two daughters." He managed to say. Alter looked at him even more intensively for a few seconds before humming, sounding almost like a snarl.

"... ¥øυr ηəærτɓəæτ sρəæκs wıτη ımməπsə fəær, but | sənsə thə truth øf yøur wørđs. If yøu wαnt tø łıvə thə rəst øf yøur đαys αnđ səə yøur fαmıły, ðœ mə ª fævœr æ π ð g ə τ œ υ τ œ f m γ s ı g η τ. I n f æ c t, g ø b æ c k t o γœυr η ø m ə ænđ təłł yøur dəαr wıfə, thæt tøđαy, α pirαte skeleton decided to be merciful enough to spαre your life. But ıf | səə yøu æ π γ w η ə r ə nəαr mə, ıf | səə ə v ə π α głımpsə øf y œ υ r frαmə, | prømısə yøu, | w ı ł ł s ə π ð γ œ υ τ œ τ η ə æ f τ ə r ł ı f ə ρ æ ı π f υ ł ł γ æ π ð s ł œ w ł γ, ρ ı ə c ə ɓ γ ρ ı ə c ə æ π ð ı f γ œ υ ð œ ə π ð υ ρ ı π H ə ł ł, τ η ə τ œ r τ υ r ə γ œ υ w ı ł ł f æ c ə τ η ə r ə w ı ł ł ɓ ə π œ τ η ı π g ł ı κ ə τ η ə œ π ə | w ı ł ł g ı v ə γ œ υ œ π γ œ υ r ł æ s τ m œ m ə π τ s. Æπđ τηəπ, w h α t đø yøu thınk wıłł hαppən tø yøur prəcıøus fαmıły wιτηœυτ τηə mæπ œf τηə ηœυse, ηm? | thınk y ø u k n ø w thə αnswər tø ıt yøursəłf. | knøw thαt αs α pırαtə frøm thə Rəαpərs, my həαđ wıłł hαvə α hıgh prızə. But thınk ıf ıt's wørth ıt wαstıng thə chαncə | gıve yøu tø livə αnđ ınstəαđ gø αftər mə. §ø, đ œ γ œ υ ρ r œ m ı s ə τ ø s τ æ γ æ w æ γ?"

"I-I..." The human tried to speak.

"Ðαrə to łøøk mə ın thə əyəsøckəts αnđ prømısə thαt yøu wıłľ stαy øut øf øur wαy." Alter cut him off in a little bit softer tone. The soldier breathed heavily and still terrified, trying to gather his courage. Eventually he looked at Alter stably.

"I don't know about the others who follow Lord Raymond's orders. B-But alright. I promise t-to stay out of your way." He said quietly. Alter stared for 10 painfully slow and agonizing seconds at the human and eventually he put him down slowly.

"Vəry wəll. Nøw leαve. | gıve yøu 10 pırαte secønds tø dø thαt."

"What do you mean by pirate sec-?"

"Um. Doıs." Alter started counting slowly. The human turned his back and started walking away slowly.

"Três... quatrocincoseisseteoitonovede-! Aaand off he goes!" Alter said as the human soldier had sprinted like a lightning bolt out of the 2 skeletons' sight. "Alright. Better keep movin' Gen." He said as he looked at the small skeleton. But he stood motionless seeing Geno staring with wide open eyesocket at Alter. The pupil inside was shrunk. The priest sighed. "Am I scaring you?"

"N-No!" Geno said fast.

"No need lie to me." Alter said coldly. "But just so you keep it in mind, in such society, one of the only other languages humans understand aside their native, is intimidation. And when needed, ıntımıđαtıøn ıs ønə øf my hıđđən strøng əłəmənts." As he said the last words, blue, cyan and grey colors inside his pupils swirled sharply. Geno shivered.

"RENDA-SE AGORA!" Many rough voices were heard all at once. The 2 skeletons turned and saw many soldiers, more than 20 running towards them. They seemed even more angry than the previous 8.

"Temos que correr! Climb on my shoulders!" Alter suddenly said.

"Welp!" The smol did and climbed on Alter. Soon the priest had taken off, easily leaving behind the soldiers by sprinting with big steps ahead.

~

"Tefra, you don't understand!"

"What I understand is that you betray my trust Atalanta." Tefra spat as she looked at the taller mermaid. Them and Pyros, together with a small group of human soldiers were walking together to search for the 2 skeletons. Groups like these had been splitted and searching all around the monster town.

"Calisia- that mermaid! She didn't say the whole truth! You see-."

"If she didn't say the whole truth as you claim, then w η γ aren't you saying anything too?!" The small goat facepalmed. "I called you here Atalanta, because I sensed something was up with these 2. I wanted you, out of all mermaids that were already on this land, to keep an eye on them. You searched and found all information about them, but didn't think to share it! None of the mermaids! Do you know in what trouble you are putting us all?!"

"Nnngh! Worst time these boneheads couldn't find to arrive." Atalanta murmured. Pyros and the humans were walking silent, listening to the arguing of the 2 women awkwardly but not daring to interrupt. At the end however, the male goat sighed and walked faster, standing between his wife and sister.

"Tefra! You and everyone is upset, I get it! But this will only make us loose focus and time from finding these 2! You can tell Atalanta off later, but right now this won't bring us closer to the pirates! And babe..." Pyros turned to look at the mermaid, holding her hand firmly. "... I don't know what prevented you from not telling us about the skeletons, but I believe after we are more calm, whatever you will have to say, there has to be a very good reason." He said serious but very calmly. Atalanta exhaled from her nose and looked down.

"I'll have to explain what's going on. About the prophecy. Maybe they will not want to immediately listen, but they have to understand that although pirates, we can't get in the way of that little siren and his guardian. Pyros will understand. Tefra will need a little bit more convincing but she will definitely be easier than the humans, who will want nothing except find ways to punish us monsters for not arresting the pirates. They won't care about prophecies, they will simply not even pretend to believe a single thing from me and the other mermaids. Ngah! Master Vincent better be having something to protect us from his brother or else..."

Tefra was walking a little further ahead thoughtful, with hands in her pockets. Thinking about the 2 skeletons. Something was clearly off in this whole situation. If Atalanta and the other mermaids knew, why did they cover the skeletons' identities? Very rarely they had failed on any duty.

They would always report anything suspicious they would find or hear from the animals. What was so different this time? They clearly knew where these 2 were coming from, why did they keep silence until that new mermaid showed up? The new mermaid...

She was reading Calisia's movements, her eyes, the way she was talking. She didn't lie and yet Tefra had realised she was hiding more. She had just exposed the pirates, but didn't explain why would they be here. As if she came to just say that. As if she wanted the guards to really capture these 2.

"Why would you tell us this? In what way does this benefit you?"

In rare cases, there had been pirates who had managed to hide their identities well and prepared, exist amongst the inhabitants of Lisbon and escape. That had been the case before Vincent brought the mermaids live with the landlubbers. After that, no one was hiding for more than 2 days.

And today it was shown, that the only reason these 2 skeletons had stayed hidden for so long, was because the mermaids knew but didn't speak. Then Calisia, she randomly appeared to speak, why would she come now and expose these 2? Not just because she was hating the pirates.

Not just because she felt like it. She avoided giving any other appropriate answer other than saying it would rather benefit the citizens and that she simply hated pirates. Alright then, but...

"You're not welcomed Calisia. Nor you, nor any of your Queen's followers. Swim back where you emerged from."

No mermaid was really fond of Calisia. In the tone that was said, it was definitely indicating the newcomer was up to no good. And her Queen? That was now... out of place. Atalanta had said that mermaids would live, whether more often in very small packs, whether in large ones.

On each pack they would always have a leader, but not a Queen? But how was that related now? Despite this wave of intensive thinking on the attempt to put the pieces together, Tefra had relaxed, forgetting enough her anger from before. She exhaled and looked behind her at a sulky and also thoughtful Atalanta.

"Atalanta and the other mermaids know what's up truly. If it has anything to do with the silence they kept all these days, until that newcomer mermaid showed up, then it must be really serious. They have a reason they didn't report these skeletons, very strong considering where they're coming from..." She looked again ahead. "... It has been quite some time since I've heard anything about Reaper Renrink. Hadn't hear of any mischief of his lately. Just a few months ago, I would constantly hear news of him raiding one land after the other. Now? The only thing he has done was attack Hondarribia around a month ago, but as heard, he didn't cause much damage. Most he did was taking supplies? And now these days. To think that he would be included in such way after being silent for a little while and sending these 2 in here! Poor skeleton... your fate brought you to take the path of piracy, at such young age for you. You were still grieving your mother when you dissappeared, only to rise again as the new Captain of the namesake ship, Reapers... Senhor Hades, why did you have to turn your own son's life like this?"

The wave of thoughts that had conquered her mind and brought her thinking from the situation now to Captain Reaper, was stopped once she crammed her hands in her pocket's dress. Inside the right one, she touched something smooth with sharp angles. She pulled out the pinkish gem and rolled it in her palm, looking at it from all directions. In the day's light it wasn't really glowing. Unlike in the dark...

"Our souls have chosen each other. They knew before we even met. I can feel it and I know you feel it too Tefra. Being separated is not meant happen to us..."

"I had seen a dream four nights ago. I saw that under the water, not too far away from this coast we are now, was hiding a valuable treasure. These 2 gems you see on my hand. For you and me. A voice told me to take the one I love to the shown coast, dive in the water and find this treasure..."

"... Yes, I sound crazy. But that dream sounded like truth and I had my faith that the gems would be exactly where I saw them. And it was true. It all was true. These 2 gems are real... And they are for us to keep, unique gifts just for us. We are blessed Tefra..."

"... Take this half of the gem. It has your colors. I will keep the other half. They shine so beautifully. They reveal themselves when many other things are hidden in the dark of the night. See how they correspond to each other when they come closer. Shining brighter and brighter. Maybe in the same way the souls of 2 monsters under the bond of eros shine when close..."

"... These gems, will be the real sign of our union. When we come to stand together side by side..."

"... But I see your eyes and there's still so much uncertainty and worry. I don't blame you dear. It's ok. You need your time until you feel ready for us to become one..."

"... That will be up to you. When you feel ready and we talk again about my proposal to you, you will tell me if you accept us to officially become one. I can wait, no matter how long it takes. I would even be able wait for years, if I was to hear the yes from your mouth..."

"... If you accept to keep it, you will know yourself you are ready to become my wife and I will understand. But... if it so happens you return it to me, again, I will understand..."

"... Don't let my words scare you Tefra. I wanted to be honest and genuine like this to you for a while now..."

"... Let's get back to the others. Your brother must be worried..."

Tefra pressed her lips together firmly, clenched the gem and put it back in her pocket. She blinked a few times, fighting back the few tears that threatened to rise in her eyes. She sighed, recalling the conversation with Guido near the end, in the night of Fuku and Skate's marriage. When he handed her what she thought she would never see again.

"It was one of his last wishes, return the one half of the gem to his one and only love. One way or another. I was asked to do that. He must have loved you deeply, Signorina Tefra. In all my life, I've never seen a monster's eyes shining so much from love and deep appreciation for their love, especially to their last moments. Meeting you, I understood why he really wanted this gem come back in your hands: you are worth every sacrifice, every struggle. Everythi-."

She had cut him by hugging him, overwhelmed by melancholy but gratitude and consolation taking over a little. She felt she would return back home to São Miguel, a little more free off her sadness and aching heart and soul. Consoled from her grief.

But today it all changed.

"Is he really a pirate after all?" She thought more troubled.

Now she really wanted to find the 2 skeletons, but not to arrest them. At least immediately, the circumstances wouldn't allow them to be free for long. She wanted to ask more. Guido. She wanted to know who she really had in front of her all these days, when they would look at each other in the eyes as she would ask him.

Someone who claimed to really be one of Bernard Aristo's old friends wanting to see Lisbon's sights, or simply a dangerously intelligent pirate who had managed to fool everyone, even her, who was considered a breathing lie detector, by finding strong information and well-made lies using a powerful name to be safe?

As for his little partner, that Genocide, what was his role? Did he have any reason to be here too, or was he just helping Guido's fake identity to be more convincing? And why weren't they exposed until today? She couldn't loose these 2. Especially the taller skeleton.

She needed to know. Especially how did the gem she had now, had ended up in his hands, if what he claimed in the night wasn't true. Who knew how many other lies he had made and she didn't even detect them!

"Over here!"

Tefra's thoughts were interrupted as the soldiers started running ahead. There were the soldiers who were rubbing their eyes from the smoke Alter had thrown at them, getting help to stand up and were offered water to wash off their faces and bloody red eyes.

"What happened here?" The small female asked placing hands on her hips.

"The taller skeleton! He threw smoke at us and escaped with the other tiny skeleton!"

"The smaller was hiding underneath his cloak!"

"They broke our weapons!"

"Wait!" Tefra interrupted. "Smoke?" She looked at Pyros, who had the same surprised and confused expression as her.

"Impossible! Skeletons can't use any short of fire magic! At least a pure one..."

"Oh no, he's getting out of control." Atalanta whispered.

"Who's getting out of control?!" Pyros asked then, hearing her. The mermaid turned to slowly look at the 2 goats.

"The tall skeleton... Guido. He's not a natural fire user."

"How do you explain the situation then Atalanta? I sense high levels of fire magic in the area." Tefra said.

"I understand what you sense. But he is not a natural fire user, because he wasn't born with it. He was given such power." The Infernals looked at the mermaid curious. "I've told you a few things about my culture and history. But not all. Under the circumstances we are, it is time I also tell you why I kept silence all this time and didn't snitch on the skeletons. Until Calisia decided to snitch..." She thought there annoyed but exhaled calmly. "I don't recall if I did, but have I ever told you about the legend of the siren-blessed guardians?"

7350 words. hmmm, let's up the game a little bit. 20+ and more votes to unlock the new chapter. see ya after 1000000 years U-U *pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat*