Where the priest finishes the narration and under what circumstances he received an important gift that explains how he ends up being connected with Geno and his mission.

Alter's POV:
-

"I just obeyed. I sat on the floor, hearing the fight occuring."

"Were you scared then?"

"Perhaps enough. Mostly agitated. I was prayin' nonstopping, eyesockets tightly closed to keep my mind busy and not panic. I could have stand up and help in the fight then, the screams of pain, the hisses and the swings of the swords that were hurting these creatures, even if they were the attackers were tormenting listening to. I thought I was sitting where I was for years, while it was only mere minutes. But I didn't stay away from action for long. Soon it was my turn to get attacked."

"They found you too huh?" He asks me anxiously.

"As I was praying silently, I heard 2 beautiful voices singing."

"Yup they did!"

"I opened my eyesockets and there they were, their heads peeking from the gunwale. I saw 2 beautiful sirens' heads staring at me smiling. They were the ones singing. As they were holdin' onto the gunwale but not climbin' in, I could only see that they had human faces, blonde hair and the one had blue eyes, the other green. The only thing disturbin' their beauty were their teeth. Everytime they were opening their mouths to sing their lyrics wide enough, I was seein' little pointy teeth, ready to bite."

"And what happened? Did they hypnotise you with their voices?"

"They certainly did. I succumbed to their voices, I didn't even think 'bout covering my ear holes. Against all logic, since all it had left my skull, I wanted to approach them. I got up slowly and walked towards them, I think I was smiling like a dopey too then."

"I can imagine you."

"And I walked closer and closer and closer... but then, 5 steps away from my doom, the blue-eyed siren stopped singin' abruptly. In fact she stopped her partner too and started starin' at me intensively, somewhat questionably. I short of thought so for their expressions as I came to my senses. I shook my head many times left and right and looked at 'em shocked at first, then stepped back."

"Huh? Why did they stop?"

"We stared at each other awkwardly for many seconds before the one siren turn to look at the other and tell her that I didn't seem to be part of the pirate crew. Generally they started talkin' to each other ignorin' my existence as they kept commentin' about me, tryin' to judge if I was a crewmember or just bein' in the wrong place at the wrong time for any reason. I had no idea how things turned out like this, but I decided that it had better I wasn't gettin' to comfortable around those 2, as they could start singin' again at any second, or dash at me to end me. I started walkin' away discreetly, but before I could take 5 steps, I hear them callin' me out, Hey you! And much to my fright they jumped into the deck."

"Uh oh."

"They crawled towards me and the moment I was ready to use my magic for defence, they stopped. The one of them calmly and chilly told me to kneel so she could see my face properly and from closer, I was standin' and she was layin' almost prone, we had a great distance."

"And wasn't that some trick to get ya at a vulnerable position? You didn't do as they said, didja?!" Geno asks me almost ready to get frustrated.

"Nah. I didn't. After all I asked 'em, why should I trust the word of sea predators any more than of the ones they're attackin', even if I was where I was, on a pirate ship's deck beyond my control?" I see the lil' one's confused face as he tries for a moment to comprehend what exactly I responded to the sirens then. In the end he flinches.

"Ah. I get it. Indeed ya were, still are, amongst predators and ya got approached then by another type of predator." I nod.

"Welp, they didn't take my answer too well then. Not for my denial to sit but for callin' them predators. They hissed at me and told me that it was as if I had basically called 'em mermaids, who are the real predators and that they only act as ones with whoever they despise. Alright, my bad." I raise hands. "And so, I ask 'em why should I trust the word of a siren, 'specially when they're bein' the offenders."

"Did that make things better?"

"Slightly. They told me though that for the only reason they're attacking is because they've been send to find somebody important on this specific ship, one who was amongst pirates without bein' one." He raises brow as he looks at me, but then his eyesocket perks up.

"Wait a minute! This whole attack-!" He stops and waits for me to keep talkin'.

"And then they asked me if I was a pirate. I suspected that if I hadn't convinced 'em then I wasn't a pirate, at least yet, I would get killed. So, I recalled that sirens and mermaids recognise more easily somebody's capability by their way of singin'."

"By singin'?" He asks confused.

"Or so I've heard. But when I told the sirens I wasn't with the pirates and they asked me to prove in any way that I was anything but a pirate, I decided to give that a try."

"And to have a good question, what didja sing? Some religious song?"

"A prayer dedicated for the one the humans call Michael the Archangel. It was the first that came to mind. And so, I looked at them and cleared my throat." As of then, I clear my throat and lookin' ahead I start chanting calmly:

Sancte Michael Archangele
Defende nos in proelio
Contra nequitiam et insidias
Diaboli esto praesidium

I stop, that was all I had sang then. When I look to my right, the lil' one's mouth is slightly open and the pupil inside his eyesocket has dilated. He seems impressed. Still got it, heheh.

"Did that voice just come out of your mouth???" He asks me, ready to loose it.

"Saw and heard me clear as day." I say shrugging my shoulders. He starts clappin' but not long after he stops and crosses his arms. He looks away but I can see him poutin'.

"N-Not bad." He admitts.

"Why thank you."

"Shush! What impression did your singin' left to the sirens?" He asks me then as he tries to keep a serious face towards me.

"They stared at me impressed, then they stared at each other impressed, before lookin' again at me. He's definitely religious, a monster priest for him to know such prayer, they concluded. After that they immediately became more calm and friendly givin' me their warmest and friendliest smiles. A little too friendly perhaps, cause when they asked me for my name-."

"What's so bad about that question that caused ya to feel that they were too friendly?" I look away for a moment before sighing.

"Cause while askin' that they also called me handsome hottie." I hear the lil' one snickering next to me, but as I look at his face, he slowly gets serious.by

"At least you're handsome, unlike me." He says bitterly and then presses his back against the wall.

"Now, hold on-."

"What happened next? Didja tell 'em your name?" He asks. Low self-esteem? I will not insist on that yet.

"I introduced myself, then they introduced themselves to me, the blue-eyed was called Calypso and the green-eyes Circe. Next they told me that I was definitely the one they were lookin' for."

"What for again?"

"I asked that, but as if they didn't hear that question they insisted on me followin' them. In the water? Yes, jump in the water, they told me. They gave me their word that they weren't plannin' to harm me, after all I would be better off with them than with the 'filthy dogfishes', the pirates. And because they had started likin' me, they wouldn't force me to come with 'em by singin' and erasing my free will."

"Why, if ya had refused to come wouldn't they force you either way?"

"Fair question, one which I was ready to ask. But before I could, quick footsteps of somebody sprinting towards us stopped my interaction with the sirens. We turned and saw Markus holding a cutlass, already seeming intimdating as his shirt was splattered with blood. Calypso and Circe's faces changed from anger and hatred. They hurried to turn around, jump and fall from the gunwale into the water. I ran to look down and saw them swimmin' away. But their heads turned to look at me with somewhat worry in them. And they promised me that they would take me away from the pirates soon."

"No matter how friendly they supposedly were with ya, I'd rather think they were threatenin' ya, not promisin' to take ya away peacefully and calmly. Even if ya were to leave the PiRaTeS." The lil' ones mocks the last word.

"Markus soon stood next to me swingin' his cutlass at the sirens and threatenin' them if they came back, callin' them angrily as coward fish. Circe in return glared at him and called him a coward for not comin' in the water to say that to her and Calypso's face. And before dissappearin' beneath the sea's surface, Calypso called him some 'amazing' profanities which I ain't gonna describe."

"Pfff!"

"Once gone, Markus turned his attention at me, askin' if I was alright, checkin' me to make sure I wasn' hurt. After a few seconds I asked him if I was understandin' well when I could see that sirens and pirates didn't really like each other. He admitted it. Whether monster, whether human, if you were in piracy, you were immediately hated by the sirens, but more over by the mermaids. Anythin' else if you are, for the most part they're neutral with 'em, but they're immediately crossin' the line with the pirates."

"What causes this hate between the pirates and them?"

"Mostly because of the mermaids. The mermaids are aggressive. They're considered a nuisance for the landlubbers, for, they come up to the surface and cause havocs. They even take unlucky ones to drown 'em or even..." I stop.

"Well? What else do they do?" The lil' one asks impatiently.

"... Eat 'em." I can see him shiverin'. "Sirens ain't as aggressive as with landlubbers, avoidin' land as much as they can. Only towards pirates they unleash their anger. Their blood, just like of the mermaids is used for illegal purposes, often even used to make drugs and substances worth lots of gold. And only pirates are bold and brave enough to fight sirens and mermaids to get their blood."

"Darn, didn't know that."

"So, where was I on my narration? Markus told all that information back then, quite bluntly I'd say. Before we could exchange any more words, suddenly we see Michael runnin' up to us-."

"Who's that again?"

"Our youngest pirate." I reply quickly. "He stops near us and looks up to Markus, announcin' that the fight was over, then asked if we were both alright. For the most part it looked like so, but deep down I was still surprised I came face to face with sirens that didn't end me. Michael told us to follow. Me and Markus did so and we walked more to the centre of the deck. What I saw there broke my soul. Blood was splattered everywhere, a few siren corpses were layin' cut up and a big number of the crew's pirates were on the floor groaning in pain. I saw no monster dust scattered however."

"God damnit, no pirate died?!" The lil' one groans annoyed. I ignore.

"Yes, no loss from the pirate's side. Some of 'em who weren't so injured were helping other pirates to stand up. A few of them were goin' around treatin' injuries and bandagin'. And then there was Reaps, goin' close to his injured crewmembers and praisin' them for fightin' well. I could see that somewhat, hearin' their Captain praisin' them was makin' the injured pirates feel much better and endurin' the pain as they were bein' treated. He was from the very few who had no scratch on them."

"Ya don't saaay!"

"Markus left by my side and went to help another pirate. Meanwhile I was called up by the main doctor of the ship and he told me to go around and use my healin' magic on the others. Not knowin' what else to do and to stop just awkwardly standin' around I shrugged my shoulders and did as he asked. I didn't prevent to heal many, 'cause when every injured pirate showed that they felt much better, Reaps went from encouragin' his crewmembers to-."

"Slappin' them?" My one-person crowd says supposedly innocently. Where does he fit all that hostility towards pirates, I find myself askin' again and I barely know him for a day, too early for me to start wonderin' about the others.

"... Gettin' more serious." I complete my previous sentence.

"Ah, fine."

"He raised the tone of his voice, just enough to make it understandable that he wanted everyone to listen to him. Whatever had been done for the injured ones was enough for now. The ones who could still move were assigned to throw the corpses to the sea and clean the deck. No one seemed to disagree with that and many started movin' around to clean. There I suddenly started feelin' unwell."

"Why?"

"At first I had felt... a tight in my soul. It lasted only for a moment, but it felt unbearable. I had thought that the icon of the massacre around had finally gotten to me. But the second tight that came was more intense than the previous. The 3rd one was much softer but didn't left, it stayed in my soul. I felt completely nervous and uneasy and was lookin' all around me, not sure what was the thing that made me feel like that then. The pirates pretty much were thinkin' that I was gettin' too lily-livered with the atmosphere around me."

"Wrong, whatever that means, we don't even have liver." I chuckle.

"Lily-livered in short is used for somebody who is cowardly."

"Ah."

"As the others were mockin' me, I wasn't payin' as much attention to them as all around me. Then I stared at the Captain and one word started ringin' in my skull: danger. He was looking somewhere far away as he stood near the gunwale. And then, whatever force or instinct that was then, I turned to look behind me. Saw nothing but siren corpses at first, still not thrown at sea. However, when I saw more carefully, one of 'em opened their eyes."

"Oh shhh..." He's about to cuss, but holds himself back.

"I just stepped back, slightly bumping onto another pirate. Of course I started gettin' yelled at and the situation would have quickly lead to become more violent if the siren didn't jump and start crawling towards me. The crew forgot what it was doin', the one I bumped into looked at the siren too. The creature was covered in so much blood and the face was so changed from rage, I couldn't recognise gender and it was crawling so fast, no pirate reacted quickly. And it was crawlin' to my direction."

"Uh oh."

"Before I could even bring myself to summon a bone, it threw me on the floor, pinned me down, hissed at my face and shortly after went to bite me. I couldn't even fight back as it was clenchin' me by the wrists so hard I could clearly feel the nails of his fingers diggin' my bones."

"And how didja escape?!"

"I didn't, I got saved."

"By who?"

"Reaps." I say simply and the lil' one looks at me surprised.

"Was the Captain high on something and he stepped up to help ya?!"

"Nope. Though I slightly saw my life flashin' before my 'sockets as he conjured and threw a sickle at the siren, which saw it and while still holdin' me rolled to the right. I managed to free myself from its grip and before it could react, I kept it motionless with my magic. I stood up. And then, the moment Reaps was ready to finish the siren off, the creature's will to survive became stronger than my magic grip on it. It tackled me but just proceeded to crawl away. It wasn't easy, as its way was gettin' blocked by the other pirates, lookin' to kill it. The ship had become an even bigger mess as barrels were knocked over, ropes were scattered and other small objects were endin' up on the floor. Eventually though, the siren decided to dash towards Michael, seein' him being the easiest to breach through, who wouldn't have been able to move out of its way on time if I didn't move him with my magic. Eventually the siren managed to jump off the gunwale and into the water. But if troubles were to be over then for the pirates, they wouldn't end for me."

"Oh what now?!" My listener asks with a groan.

"The siren had escaped the ship, sure. However, during its struggle to find an escape, a rope had wrapped around its tail. Too late I realised that this rope was attached somewhere too. And in some very bad joking manner, that very rope's other end was wrapped around my right ankle."

"No way!"

"Before any of us knew it, I fell on the floor and started getting dragged fast and aggressively out of the ship. No one prevented to catch me, react, or cut the rope. I myself couldn't bring resistance. I had hit the back of my head so hard on the deck's floor I had almost lost consciousness. Plus a left rib had cracked. And as if I that wasn't enough, I hit my head once more on the gunwale before finally fallin' off the ship and into the cool ocean water. I think I saw 1 or 2 icons from my life appearin' before my eyesockets. Then, everything went dark for me."

The lil' skeleton listens to me with slightly open mouth from surprise, a tense look in his eyesocket and agony expressed all over his face.

"And what happened next?!" He asks me. As it seems he has forgotten for now his distrust towards me and just listens focused.

"I didn't know for how long I was unconscious then. But when I slowly managed to open my eyesockets then, I was surprised to even realise I was still alive. The first thing I saw was some kind of ceiling. But I wasn't sure, I needed some more seconds to completely find my senses. I slowly turned my head to look to my right. Walls made of rock. I looked to my left. More rock walls. But I wasn't surrounded by just rock. A few seconds later I also realised and heard the water splashing gently on rock walls. I was surrounded by it."

"Wait a minute, where were you layin'? It couldn't be just water, you would have drowned!"

(rough representation of cave alter was in in 3, 2, 1!)

"The ground beneath me was slightly rough. I got up slowly and sat. I looked around me to see more of the area I was in. Everywhere stone and around me water. A cave? I had think then, realisin' that I was sitting on the only piece of land there was. I got concerned 'cause I couldn't see any exit. More over, I kept wonderin' how had I ended up there. But as I looked down to the water I saw 2 figures approaching the surface. Not knowin' what to do to defend myself, I quickly crawled back a little and waited to see what was comin'. Soon the 2 figures revealed themselves out and with surprise I realised they were 2 women. Or so they looked like that. I recognised that these 2 women-lookin' beings had introduced themselves to me, they were Calypso and Circe."

"Heheeeh, your girlfriends saved you~" I look at the lil' one, did I just get teased about-? *sigh* I decide not to stay on that and roll my eyesockets.

"I looked at 'em surprised, but they got more surprised than me. For seconds we stayed silent. Eventually I waved at them and said hi, in a rather questionin' way. And then they gasped and swam closer to me. We didn't know each other much, but they were rather happy to see me awake. Even more so as they sat on my rocky 'bed', to my left and right and started swarming me in questions, if I was alright, if I was in pain and such."

"Sure, you got saved by them as it seems. But where on earth did they bring you?!"

"I asked that. As well as where was I and just how long was I out. I was uncoscious for hours, as Circe said. As for the other question, a third siren emerged from the water and interrupted the 2 women from anwerin'. It took me a moment, but I recognised the siren that had dragged me out of the ship. Lookin' like a brunet man. He glared at me and told me I was lucky that Calypso and Circe stopped me from killing me. Circe introduced him to me shortly, he was Calchas and he was from the most loyal of their Queen's follower."

"Ah so there's a queen of sirens involved too!"

"Probably the reason as to why I had attracted on me the aquatics' attention and they wanted to take me. So, once Calchas was introduced, the girls looked at me sad, both with confused. They were told by him that he witnessed me savin' one of the pirates shortly after he jumped out of the ship. I had dared to protest by sayin' that he wasn't just gonna rip a pirate's skin, but Michael's, a literal kid, if I didn't move him outta his way. And there Calchas pointed at me and replied aggressively by sayin' that all kids are good, pirates or not, until they grow up to learn bein' ruthless murderers."

"I meaaan... was he wrong though?" The lil' one asks while shrugging his shoulders.

"Still a kid. Anyways, the girls told me that they returned shortly after to the ship, as they specifically wanted to search for Calchas, hopin' he was still alive. Welp, they saw him jumping off the ship and while they were ready to shriek from happiness that amongst their other fallen siblings he had managed to make it out alive, they saw me shortly after fallin' from the ship too. Barerly on time they managed to stop him from just killin' me properly while I was uncoscious and convince him that their Queen wanted to talk to me, for whatever reason. And even though I hadn't gotten killed then, he told 'em that I had helped a pirate from gettin' hurt. I still was brought in that cave, healed me and left me on the rocky bed to eventually wake up. Now all three sirens present wanted explanations from me. Was I with the pirates and pretendin' to just be a priest or not? Before I could give any explanation, another siren emerged from the water. And she was the most peculiar of them all, without that makin' her look of less importance. Unlike Calypso and Circe, who were with long blond hair, that siren had hair were very short and... rosey."

"Rosey hair?! Really?" The other asks surprised and with disbelief.

"Like I'm sayin'. The moment she made appearance, immediately the 3 sirens present turned to look at her and lowered heads. Your highness, the pirate-friend mortal is awake now, Calchas had said while turnin' to death-stare at me."

"Welp, he definitely didn't like ya."

"The siren queen didn't seem to mind what I was. She looked at me and smiled gently, as if reassurin' me that I would not be harmed. She thanked the sirens for bringin' me to her, even though she still had in mind all Calchas had told her. She seemed rather relaxed with me, as she sat next to me while her also rosey tail stayed in the water. She spoke to me calmly. She told me that despite the big conflicts aquatic beings had with the pirates and that most of them, sirens, weren't fond of anyone showin' the slightest sign that they were supportin' pirates, she wanted to hear my version of the story, explain myself of what had happen back to the ship and if what Calchas had witnessed was true. Also how had I ended up in the first place amongst the Reapers."

"Which also meant tellin' her and to the other 3 sirens your life story?"

"In summary. In the situation I was, I decided that resistin' wouldn't get me anywhere new. I told 'em whatever ya heard from me too so far and a little more than that. More from the past, which if you're interested enough, ya will hear. The sirens listened to me narratin' carefully. I told 'em about... my family, my home, the destruction, my 'migration', my stay on that monster camp near Nazaré, the monster pirates arrivin', how I ended up bein' taken in the ship Reapers and my stay for a whole week in this room we are. Calchas was lookin' at me as if ready at any second to jump at me and strangle me, 'specially when I started mentionin' the pirates more. But when I reached the point where the Captain was giving me the chance to be a member of his crew, he immediately assumed I had already joined 'em."

"Welp, like me!"

"He really was ready to approach me. But one sign from the hand of the siren with the rosey hair stopped him. She asked me to elaborate further, explain myself. I did and just like with all I've told her she seemed to believe me. At the end she nodded and thanked me. With that, I had asked again of where was I and where had I been brought. The queen got more serious. She had just said that I was brought in a little cave, one amongst a whole net of other secret openings and caves. Truth to be told they had to dive while I was still uncoscious to get there and lemme rest. I had asked then the queen if we were in some kingdom of some short. But she said that we were on hiding."

"By who?"

"Calchas was about to reply. His queen then shot a glare at him and silenced him."

"Ooo, secrets!" The lil' one says slightly excited.

"I wished I could ask what was wrong and get a reply. But instead the queen ordered the 3 sirens to leave us for some time alone. The 3 obeyed and dived. Awkward silence befell between me and the queen. After a while, I decided to break it. I asked if the attack on the ship was ordered by her. A few seconds of silence by her side later she sighed and admitted that she had send the sirens. But not because of anythin' personal with the pirates. She also admitted I was the reason of the attack. She had been observin' me for about a month."

"Definitely nothin' creepy 'bout that!"

"I wasn't sure if I was crepped out by that or anxious then. But I was definitely curious. Why me?"

"Exactly, why you?"

"About why from all alive beings out there it had to be me she wanted to approach, I dunno. It is somethin' outta my control. But about why she needed somebody like me..." Slowly Alter's expression started changing and became more serious as he stared at Geno. "... it was for ya."

No one's POV:
-

"For me?" Geno asked raising brow.

"The siren queen knew beforehand that you, first and foremost, were meant to stop the big evil that would come from the mermaids. As I mentioned before that she's the one who believes in you to do what you're meant for. But in order to achieve that, she said that you needed support. You needed someone to join by your side, help you survive and achieve your destiny. In short, she was searching for a guardian. Your guardian."

"So..." Slowly Geno pointed at him in disbelief. "... You, a pirate priest, are meant to... guide me?"

"Protect, defend and escort ya to what your Fate has commanded for ya." Alter said more serious and nodded.

"This doesn't make sense!" The smaller skeleton threw his hands in the air. "Why would that queen choose a pirate for such role?! Was she on her right mind?! Wait!" He snapped his head to look at Alter, not with hostility again, just 'frustrated confusion'. "If ya were gonna end up anyway followin' the pirates, why would she still choose you as a guardian?! My guardian?! Did she know if ya wanted to go back to them?!"

"She had asked that. And much to your confusion, I told her that yes, I wanted to go back to them." Clearly Geno was ready to say something from how frustrated he was. But he waited. Alter nodded at him. "There are reasons as to why I would choose such thing. But what ya need to know for now is what I've already mentioned: I'm a runaway from a monster village that got destroyed by the humans and still to this day hunt its survivors. If I was to stay on land no matter the precausions, I would get caught. I'm a criminal for the main rulers of the lands and if anythin' they don't wanna see me alive."

"And what better safety would piracy offer ya?"

"Constant movement and the altruistic spirit the monster pirates still have in 'em. I am a wanted, hunted. And so they are. Pirates might be ruthless, but the monster ones still have that little hint of sympathy in them for whoever of their kind the humans want dead."

"Weren't ya afraid that they might turn ya in?"

"And betray themselves too?"

"Hmmm, fine." Geno rolled his eyesocket and pressed his teeth together in defeat.

"The queen heard me sayin' that, amongst my other reasons. She had gotten serious. What was botherin' her more was your safety and where ya were gonna end up findin' me. Then she put me take an oath."

"Darn! Straight to the oaths?!"

"Promises break but the oath breaks the one who takes it. She wanted me to swear that if I was gonna stay with the pirates even when your time would come, I would do anythin' in my power to defend ya from all harm, 'till the very end."

"And ya just agreed... to such thing???"

"Like I said, I have my reasons, strong enough that had made me accept the role she was givin' me and the share in this whole aquatic situation."

"But how did she know we were gonna end up findin' each other?! And don't tell me Fate, 'cause it starts bein' the explanation of way too many things and I ain't gonna buy it this time!" Geno declared crossing his arms and receiving the calm deep chuckle of the priest.

"How 'bout magic? There's plenty of it to this world." He said and Geno raised brow at him.

"What kind of magic? What did she do?"

"She shared with me some of the mystical powers of the sirens. No, I can't breath underwater and I ain't immortal. It was somethin' else what she had given me then and it was more about power which as she had said the more pure and kind the soul of the bearer is, the more powerful. It is a power that has as its only purpose your protection, especially from the mermaids."

"Well? What is it?" Geno asked slightly confused but once again getting invested. Alter looked at him with a slight smile.

"It's called The Siren Symbol. Does it tell ya anything'?" He asked.

"Ermmm. Not really." Geno pouted.

"It's alright. I knew almost nothin' then too. I just knew, had read somewhere that the most powerful of the sirens are giftin' it to humans and monsters with true purity in their hearts and souls. Which meant that it couldn't be abused, or else the consequences would be heavy for its bearer. I learned from the siren queen that this gift, rather this blessing, was given to me for the purpose of defence. Your defence."

"Alright?"

"The power I would be granted, would be stamped on my wrist, an indication of my given purpose and also, it would also have the ability sooner or later guide me to ya. Like a quiet call it would be."

"Did that symbol, blessing, or whatever also have to do anythin' with the visions I had of ya and the other way around?" Geno asked almost sarcastically.

"Exactly that."

"So. From the moment she gave it to ya we were connected even if we hadn't even seen each other's faces from close?"

"Yep."

The 2 skeletons stayed silent for a minute, with Geno mainly trying to comprehend what he had hear. Was he really going to have that skeleton sticking by his side? Because some siren queen told him to? Who was she to just connect him with a pirate?!

After so many minutes Geno had started remembering his distrust towards Alter, where at worst he would be looking at him thoughtful as long as he narrated. He exhaled loudly from his nose and shook his head left and right.

"Ugh, stars..."

"What's wrong?" Alter asked. "Ya don't believe me?"

"Lemme try to suck this all up and keep narratin' me what happened next... Please." Geno said rather grumpily.

"*Sigh* Very well. Before givin' me the symbol, the queen asked me if I was certain I wanted to be back to the Reapers and if I would remember the consequences of what would happen if I used the Siren Symbol for ill purposes. I assured her I would remember. Then she held my head with her hands and informed that she was gonna put me to sleep."

"Not permanently I suppose."

"Temporarily. Once I would wake up, I would find myself in the ship of the Reapers and the blessing would appear on my wrist."

"This is the second time ya mention it bein' on your wrist, will ya show?!"

"Impatient, ain't we?" Alter chuckled. "Soon. Shortly after we finished our dialogue, I felt light-headed. My 'sockets got heavier and heavier, 'till everything went black for me. I don't know for how long I was sleeping. But I woke up by a huge wave of cold water that soaked me completely. I opened my eyesockets shocked by the cold and first thing I saw was a human's face looking at me worried. Still shocked from the rather 'shokingly cold' awakening, I got panicked a little and started looking all around me frantically. Above me instead of rocky ceiling, the morning sky was greeting me. I was layin' on wooden planks instead of rock. I wasn't surrounded by water and rock, but by the figures of monsters staring at me surprised and shocked. He's alive! Was the first clear sentence I heard since my awakening. I was confused but moreover very cold. Then I saw the human I saw first bein' the holding a bucket, assumingly he had thrown water at me with it."

"How rude!!!"

"All of the pirates were whispering to each other looking at me surprised and shocked. And then I remembered everything. From the time I was in the cave 'till now. I understood that the sirens had carried me all the way and left me in the ship while I was asleep, they did what I had asked for. Forgettin' I was cold I stood up abruptly and everyone stepped back by my movement. Trembling and with quick steps I approached the gunwale. I looked down to the sea and saw 3 heads of women starin' at me. It was the siren queen with Calypso and Circe. They were staring at me smiling. Then they raised arms to farewell me. I smiled. After that they dived in the water and dissappeared. It was the last time I saw them Never again."

"Sad."

"I stayed motionless looking at where their heads were. I got lost in thought until a voice near me brought me back to reality, askin' me what was I staring at. I turned to look. When I was awoke by the cold water I hadn't recognise him, but it was Markus once again. As he had hands in his pockets, he was lookin' at me and at the water. To his question I replied that nothin' was happening, everythin' was fine, if we were takin' out the fact I was still tremblin' from cold."

"OOOF!"

"Markus apologised for soakin' me. Apology accepted, I had said, then looked at the monster pirates behind me. What had happened, I then asked. After I fell in the water, the pirates had thought I was done for. The Captain was very mad. The day had passed with them all actually feelin' a little... bad?"

"What did they feel bad for???"

"Perhaps for judgin' me for everythin'. Not that I cared, but I think their change of heart was secretly for the fact I had saved Michael at the very last second from the angry siren, their lil' human kid. 'Sides as I was gonna observe on my new life with the Reapers, Michael is liked, almost adored by the majority of the crew."

"AaAw." Geno mocked quietly.

"I understood that more because Michael by himself walked up to me and thanked me for gettin' him on time out of the wild siren's way, only to get dragged back by a huge tiger monster and tell him to not be such a softie and thank anyone who just does somethin' nice for 'em."

"Wooow! Hombre tigre is toxic as Hell!" Geno rolled his eyesocket. "And what happened next?"

"I was told that they had found me just 5 minutes into the new day, just layin on deck. The pirates assigned to guard for the night just saw me suddenly layin' on deck, with no sign of anyone bringin' me there."

"So night had fallen and the sirens brought ya on the ship with the morning's light?"

"Yep. Next I had started gettin' bombardized by questions, not just from Markus, but many of the pirates. How didja do that?! How didja come back?! The ones who were on guardin' shift didn't see anyone else with ya! How are ya still alive?!"

"Didja manage to answer any of that, or even try to?"

"Nope. All questions were interrupted when the Captain arrived on deck and everyone immediately stopped talkin'. Whoever was on his way stepped aside and I could clearly see his cold expression nailed at me." On the mention of Captain Reaper, Geno looked up with a 'Somebody kill me' expression.

"Ugh!"

"He really hadn't believe that I would have any chance survive the sirens. He asked how did I manage to do that and how did I come back. All memories of what I had gone through in my brief interaction with the sirens came back to mind. I had started describing to everyone how I had woken up in the little cave, that the sirens had spared my life and I had talked with their queen.

"Obviously the pirates weren't gonna believe that right away."

"Yep. They called me a delusional liar and that there was no way ever the sirens would give me their favor like that. Reaps then asked me for some proof, somethin' that would support my claims. I looked down on my hands, then lifted my sleeves and with surprise I saw somethin' on the right one that I hadn' seen until then. It was what the queen had promised me. This:" Alter raised his right sleeve.

(rough sketch of siren symbol in 3, 2, 1!)

(if you can do it better, do it)

Geno's eyesocket widened up. This symbol was shining so beautifully on Alter's wrist that it didn't seem like a simple tatoo, but as if melted gold and saphire had fallen on it.

"One of them saw me starin' at my wrist and saw the symbol, cause he walked up to me and held me abruptly. He looked at the siren symbol but didn't think much of it. He called it a cute attempt to draw on my hand a realistic tatoo that was remindin' of sirens or mermaids."

"Jokes on him."

"There Reaps walked up to me, stopped him and looked at the symbol, then at me with raised brows. That trident... He was recognisin' it and all pirates stopped doubtin' me as they waited to see their Captain's reaction further."

"WoOoW. Someone has studied!"

"He signed me to give him my hand, then stared more closely at the siren symbol, observin' carefully. Next he rubbed it with his fingers to see if it was fake. Seein' that it wasn't goin' away and sensin' that there was power underneath it as he claimed, he let go and looked at me impressed. He asked if I had really been marked by a siren queen and I said yes. I mean, of course, if that was what had happened. After he looked at me still surprised for a few seconds, his expression slowly turned serious. And there he asked me why was I back. I could go anywhere I wanted and yet I returned to the ones who had taken me by force."

"And this is the part where ya announced ya wanted to become an official member of the Reapers. Hoorraaay-! WHY?!" Geno really did seem ready to cry, if he had any tears left in him. "Yes ya talked about a few reasons, but still, whyyy???"

"I had announced my decision to stay, except I had my own terms to do so. If they weren't satisfied I would just leave. Simple things, like not bein' obligated to kill on raids and rather do whatever didn't have from that. There Reaps had looked at me with an amused expression, almost mockin' my terms. He wished me though good luck survive in a 'job' where you kill or get killed and most gold comes from it. With that he had shown to accept my terms. Though the pirates didn't seem to like it. They had just gotten a new crewmember that was carryin' on his wrist a symbol that was grantin' possibly immesurable power and I was not gonna use it? Why? And there I looked at 'em and said that if I was them I would be dead by now for abusin' such power for the slightest of reasons and that thank goodness I was a responsible grown up."

"That buuurned!"

"At the end I shook hands with Reaper. My life as an official member of the crew Reapers had began. Though Captain Nightmare wasn't so happy to see my face when him and his crew would meet with Reaps', he tolerated me. Until today as we are, 4 years have passed, full of trips, raids, adventures, wanderin' in pirate towns and missions." Alter took a quiet deep breath and let it out from his nose smilling calmly. He looked again at Geno. "Now ya know me a bit better. Ya know why we ended up here together, what's my business with ya and in short what you must accomplish." His smile dropped. "There is probably still lots of unspoken things between us and in the time we have, could possibly stay like that. But I want ya to know that whatever happens, as I promised I'll be there for ya. I wish you can trust me and..." He slowly stretched his left hand towards Geno, who looked at it on guard, but didn't move away. "... I wish I can know your name." He grinned.

"Didn't the queen tell ya or somethin?" Geno observed. Truly, all this time Alter hadn't used Geno's name once.

"Nope, she told me 'bout ya but didn't give me your name, just so I could 'suffer' in curiosity."

"Ooof."

"I've introduced myself. So? Will ya tell me your name or leave me hangin'?" Alter asked and his smile softened. Geno looked at him, still uncertain, still insecure. This skeleton had opened his hear- soul rather to him to tell him all that. He seemed so chill and calm.

Not once had he shown anger or dissatisfaction for whatever Geno had done or said. The emotion on his face was stably peaceful and sweet as he spoke or looked at him with those big eyesockets that seemed to be carrying years of knowledge despite he didn't seem so old!

If anything the white orbs inside his eyesockets were shining, healthy and bright. And as he asked him to trust him... Geno didn't know if he wanted to try do so. He hadn't ever felt betrayed, as he had never let anyone break his trust.

But in the whole situation he was in, was it time for a change? Could he trust for this once, as it was far more serious? Slowly and hesitantly, his small hand reached for Alter's. He clearly was conflicted. Eventually their hands held each.

"The name is-"

The sound of a discreet 5-second fart filled the room and Geno jumped surprised. He looked at Alter as he clearly was fighting not to laugh. He looked at his hand better. Something like a soft round pillow was resting on the palm, how had he not see it?!

"I've wanted for so long to do this." The priest said as a snort escaped him.

"Did he just prank me?!" Geno thought with wide open mouth. For a moment he was ready to get mad. Show dissatisfaction. Instead he found himself laughing. He tried to stop but his laughter caused Alter to laugh a little louder. And by that, as if contagious, Geno's laughter too grew bigger. A few seconds later both skeletons were finding themselves covering their mouths as they tried not to laugh out loud. For a minute they were just laughing. "I can't believe-... hah! Ya did this!"

"From you laughter I can see it wasn't unnecessary." Alter replied as he first was starting to control his laughter. "So, before we forget, what's your name?" He asked.

"Geno. It's Geno." The small skeleton replied as his laughter slowly died down. Knocks on the door however cut all cheerfulness immediately. The skeletons snapped their heads to the direction of the door. Alter immediately stood up.

"Mike? Is that you?" He asked.

"Priest Alter, Captain Reaper wants to have a word with you." A voice of a young boy was heard behind the door. The tall skeleton sighed.

"Alright. Thanks." He said and Michael's steps were heard getting away. Alter looked at Geno. "Stay in here. If anyone knocks on the door and it ain't me, you will not reply. You will not make a sound. Hide underneath the table and wait. Only if ya hear my voice after I knock you can open the door."

"Wait, no one knows I'm here?!" Geno asked and gulped.

"Only me, Reaps and Mike know."

"What if someone wants to enter by force?!"

"With Captain's orders, no one will wanna dare breakin' into their priest's hermitage. Also just so you know I'll have the door locked. If anyone does try to enter, I'll make sure I give 'em a VERY bad time." Alter reassured. "I'll bring ya more food later for ya to eat. When night comes, you can sleep on my bed. Any other questions?"

"How long will ya take?" Geno asked and he hated that he sounded suddenly so desperate. Alter seemed to understand that and as he turned to look at the smol, his expression softened.

"Can't promise I'll take less than hours." He said, opened the door quickly and closed it behind him, locking it too. As he walked away he inhaled and exhaled deeply, then crossed himself 3 times. "Poor young man. Thrown in danger like this. I still can't come to terms with that. 'Specially whatever Reaps is plannin' for him." He thought slightly bitterly.

8175 words. chapter finally, F*CKING finally all edited babyyy!!!🤘🏽😭