I spiraled higher into the sky, fire spewing from my jaws. As I twisted and flexed, I felt the heavy yet light weight of my armor of scales. I felt invincible. And warm. Very, very, warm. It blossomed in my stomach, filling my heart and soul with the epitome of all good things. I felt kind. I felt like giving. My heart wanted to burst from my chest and run forth into the world to do good things.

When I had reached high enough in the sky, I let my body curve, the wind rolling gently under my wings. Then I dove headfirst towards the boat.

I could see my friends screeching and running to the edges. The boat rocked dangerously from their sudden movement. My mouth curled upwards in a serpentine smile.

Then I closed my eyes and let a cold wind ripple over me, transforming back into human and landing on the deck on all fours, still grinning.

I gazed around the boat, my companions' expressions ranging from shock to concern.

Then Sierra burst into laughter. "That was great."

The rest of the boat broke down in laughter. "Only, don't do it again," Isaac said, shaking a bit as he moved to sit down.

Even Audrey was laughing. "I didn't know you had that in you."

Deynan laughed so hard he was leaning against a pillar. "Maybe you're not so bad after all."

Sophie just giggled.

Then Sierra looked up at me. Her eyes were sparkling with that isn't-this-fun? look.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Well," Audrey said, finally stopping, "who's turn is it now?"

"Mine!" Deynan said, straightening up immediately. "Move aside, suckers. I'm gonna be a dragon!"

I moved to the bench, where my water bottle sat, half empty. I took a swig. I was tired.

Suddenly, Deynan ran to the edge of the boat and launched into the air. Light swirled around him until he morphed into a 30 foot long, black dragon.

"What color was I?" I asked, slightly awestruck by presence of this powerful beast.

"Red," Sierra responded. I nodded. Cool. Red was my favorite color.

Deynan turned and came back to the boat, transforming back into human a few feet away from the boat.

"Decided not to make quite as dramatic of a landing as Ravi here," he called, stroking back over to the boat. "Go ahead, Isaac."

Isaac smiled, closing his eyes. He slowed his breathing. I watched. I always felt awkward watching Deynan or Isaac transform for the first time, like I was invading on a sacred moment or something.

Then Isaac ran forwards and dove off the boat, almost hitting the water before he transformed into a long, beautiful green dragon. He curved upwards towards the sky.

Deynan, dripping wet, hauled himself onto the side of the boat. I instantly ran to the other end to balance out the dramatic weight shift. Sophie and Sierra came over with me, while Audrey went over, picked him up by the back of his shirt, and dropped him on the ship deck. Then she dusted off her hands and walked away.

Deynan lay on the deck, not moving. "Ow..."

"Audrey's really strong," I muttered.

"Oh," Sierra said laughing. "Not really. Well, I mean, she is strong, but not THAT strong. Her biker clothes are enchanted to enhance the abilities of her hands."

"Oh." I didn't know quite what to say. "Cool."

Just then, Isaac landed in the water, human once more. He splashed over to the boat and attempted to hoist himself up. But his arms were too weak. On a third failed attempt, he gave up, and began treading water. "Help..." he said weakly.

"I got it," Audrey said. She walked casually to the side of the boat, placed her foot on the railing, and pushed off into the air.

Instantly, a set of dragonfly wings sprouted from her back, and she zipped down to where Isaac was, tucking her arms under his armpits and pulling him upwards.

I gawked. I had never seen a Myth transformation before. Not only did she have fairy wings--fairy wings!--but a sort of GLOW surrounded her.

She dropped Isaac rather unceremoniously on the deck, then stepped out of the air, stretching, her wings disappearing. Isaac lay unmoving on the deck. "Ow..."

"Yay!" Sierra said happily, like a cheerleader. Well, I would call today a success, wouldn't you?"

"If you mean by we know all our forms now," Deynan said, sitting up, "then yes."

"We should celebrate," Sophie said with a shy smile.

"What would we even do?" Deynan asked in digest.

Audrey kicked him. "No one likes a sourpuss."

He rubbed his side. "Hey look, you've already put me through enough pain today."

"We'll celebrate by refusing to worry until tomorrow," Isaac declared.

"I like how you think, good sir," Sierra responded, saluting him.

I laughed. I couldn't help it. "You guys are so weird."

"That's why we're your friends," Sierra said, placing her hands under her chin and smiling like a child in a pageant show. I grinned, shaking my head.

For the rest of the evening, we talked and laughed, and absolutely refused to worry.

And for the first time in my life, I didn't feel awkward at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night, I dreamt of the mirror. I could see something through it, endless water, and at the far end, a yellow stretch of sand. And I knew, when we got there, we would have to get off.

I wasn't sure I wanted to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. It was a beautiful day, for out on the ocean at least. I ran my fingers through my hair. The salt was making it thick and pasty.

"Good mooooorning!" Sierra said brightly. I turned to her. She was sitting across from Sophie, who was also smiling.

"It's too early to smile," I muttered.

"No such thing," Sierra protested, smiling bigger to prove her point. I shook my head, grinning in spite of myself.

"Let's wake the others up," Sophie said. "If they sleep in too long, they'll be sleepy the rest of the day."

"Can I kick Deynan?" I asked, standing up.

"No," Sierra said firmly, "he gets enough from Audrey."

"And deserves every one of them," I muttered. I knelt down and shook his shoulders. "Good morniiiing Deynan," I said, shaking him probably a little harder than I could have. "Deynan. Deynan. Deeeeynan."

He stirred. "Whattimeizit..." he groaned, rolling over.

"I have absolutely no idea," I replied. He muttered to himself.

Isaac was already sitting up, smiling. Apparently he did not share my mentality of too-early-to-smile.

I sat back on the bench, staring at the water. We had spent a few days on the water, but this was the first time I had really looked at it. It was pretty. Simplistic yet infinitely complicated. Facts about the ocean began scrolling through my mind, but I chose to ignore them and let the whimsical section of my mind wander.

"So," I heard Audrey say behind me, sleepiness lacing her voice, "what are we doing today?"

Then something burst out of the water.

I tumbled backwards, yelling. It emerged from the water, splashing the deck, and had risen into the air.

What was "it", you ask? Um.

It was a woman, as far as I could tell. From the waist up, she was thin and scraggly, her shirt clinging wetly to her thin frame. Her hair was thick like seaweed.

From the waist down...

Tentacles. Octopus tentacles, like Ursula from The Little Mermaid, but much thinner, and DEFINITELY more than eight. They looked like snakes.

Oh yeah. And she had a beak instead of a mouth and nose. A raven-like beak, curved and black.

She screeched.

"What the HECK is THAT!" Deynan screamed.

And then four more descended from the sky. Equally as ugly. Screeching.

A knife whistled past my ear and narrowly missed the creature, but only because it swerved. I turned. Audrey had transformed into a brilliant warrior, her jaw set.

Suddenly, Sierra launched into the air, turning into a fairy with purple butterfly wings. Audrey tossed her a knife, which she caught effortlessly and soared upwards, grabbing the tentacles of a creature. The creature screeched. Sierra slashed upwards, severing a tentacle, but then another snapped at her from behind. She was whacked on the back by a third, and tumbled out of the air, her wings crumpled.

A pegasus streaked by, and Sierra fell limply on her back. She rounded back to the boat, dropping Sierra off and transforming back, still running. Sophie.

"Aren't you guys going to help?" Audrey demanded, aiming another knife. She was doing well, but they were circling the boat now and she was struggling.

I snapped myself out of the reverie and closed my eyes. Honesty and courage. My body rippled and I was a warrior, equipped with a sword.

A sword? What was I supposed to do with that???

And then, as if a switch had changed, they all stopped.

And stared.

At us.

I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I staggered, dropping the sword. My vision spun.

I collapsed to my knees. Emotions swirled around in my stomach, turbulent and thick. I felt a surge of disgust. I felt like something completely opposite of what I was supposed to be. I grasped my head. Ugh. What was wrong with me?

In the background, I could vaguely hear yelling. But I couldn't concentrate. I felt like was about to throw up. My head pounded. I felt disgusted, absolutely disgusted, right down to my core, as if someone had poured slime on top of me. I began to shake.

Then it faded. I was laying on the deck breathing deeply. Everything was silent.

I peeled myself off the deck. I was sweating. It was quiet, except for the lapping of the waves. I sat up and looked around. There was Deynan, rubbing his side. There was Isaac wiping sweat from his face.

There was no one else on the boat.

We slowly met each other's eyes as the horrible realization dawned on us all.

The girls were gone.

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Hey guys just letting you know updates may be coming a little slower because I'm in a show right now and I have rehearsal like all the time :-/ so sorry.

~Paint_splatt