Serendipity's Interlude (Sequel to The Call)

One last time

"What happens now?" Loki hesitantly asks, startling me out of my reading. "You've collected your Sister, do you just... go back?"

"Well... Sort of. After this adventure we've decided that it would be best to disappear for the next few decades," I say gently. Loki tries to hide his disappointment. "Gra- euhm, Serendipity- has already spoken with the other Coves and tracked down as many of the independents as she could... we're essentially all in agreement that it's what's best,"

I feel inexplicably horrible that I'm doing this to them. I run through everything I know of Grace and...I may have one idea. Just one. I don't know what'll happen if we try to do it, but it has to be better than tearing Loki and Grace apart again.

"Yes, of course, it does seem to be the logical course of action." Loki trails off and I nod awkwardly, tucking my hands in my lap and returning to the tablet.

 "Could I see her again?" He blurts a few moments later.

I smirk lazily and stand up.

"Took you long enough," I chuckle, nodding towards the pool.

This time will be different. This time, Ingrid is here. I think she could handle most of materializing Her without being as absolutely exhausted as I would be.

"Ingrid!" I shout, flicking my wrist and disturbing the water in the pool. Moments later, a certain dark haired girl pokes her head above the surface.

"Get out, we're summoning the Ocean Mother," I order as I sink onto the pool deck. Ingrid looks at Loki, then to me, then to Loki again.

"In front of him? Last I checked that meant we're killing him afterwards," She cocks her head as if debating how quickly we'd kill him.

"Ah, yes; well, we can't sing to him, and Mother would sink us herself if we did, so I don't recommend it," I say quickly. Ingrid blinks slowly.

"He got that immunity crap?" She whispers in shock.

"Cast by the Ocean Mother herself," I reply conspiringly.

"She got a man?" Ingrid stutters, looking Loki over again. "That man?"

"Stop asking questions and summon already!" I tell her and we both turn to the water.

"Ocean Mother!" We both say at the same time.

Serendipity whirls out of the water, taking a barely-there form at the side of the pool, seeming confused.

"I thought you were heading home today?" She asks. I nod, but then shake my head. Ingrid looks at me skeptically.

"First of all, I know that you two-" I point between her and Loki, and I get the feeling that if she had cheeks- they'd be flushed. "-would want to say goodbye, but second of all, I had an idea. Now, please bear- with me- and in mind, that I haven't discussed this with anyone, but the position of the 'Ocean Mother,' it is handed around, is it not?"

Serendipity stares at me carefully for a moment.

"Yes, but usually not very often," She says hesitantly.

"Excellent!" I exclaim, pacing back and forth. This might actually work. As I talk, she and Loki start to almost subconsciously inch their way towards each other. "And it can be given to-" I cut myself off, seeing the painful gap between them. "Oh, right. Ingrid, help me out here," I nod to them, pulling some water towards Serendipity; who grows gleeful.

"Help with what?" Ingrid asks with a furrowed brow.

"Materializing Serendipity," I reply simply. "It's not that complicated, it's just exhausting for me, so would you mind?" She nods and extravagantly swirls the water into Serendipity without so much as lifting a finger- an ability I am quite jealous of- and leans back against the wall of the pool. As soon as she's solid, Loki has his arms wrapped possessively around Serendipity, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

I sigh. I have to do this, even if it isn't what I may want.

"As I was saying, that position can be given to any Sister, can it not?" I continue. Serendipity thinks carefully.

"As far as I'm aware, where are you going with this?" She asks. I ignore her and address Loki, moving on to what is likely the only other impediment.

"Your people have magic of some kind-" I raise a hand to silence Loki as he opens his mouth to explain. "It makes no difference to me what it's called or how it works, I just need to know- can you create something out of nothing?"

He nods thoughtfully.

"It's not common, and requires a great deal of skill, but it can be done. Why do you-" I see the lightbulb go off in his mind and his world flood with hope. "-ask," he whispers the rest of his sentence.

"You want to-" He stammers. "You'd- You'd do that for her- for us?" Loki releases Serendipity and stalks up to me, scared, anxious, and excited all at once.

"Do what, Loki?" Serendipity says from behind him. "Do what, Madeline?" She asks cautiously. I take a deep breath. There is no going back now. A few simple words and I seal my fate.

But I also seal hers.

"I would like to presume your post as Ocean Mother, and- with Loki's help- return you to his side," I tell her quietly. Serendipity's eyes well up, and she raises her hands to cover her mouth. Her body glitches for a moment, and I see Ingrid staring at me in silent shock, the gravity of this hitting her. I know it too, but I take a breath and look back to Serendipity.

"I'm definitely not the best candidate, I'm quick to anger and struggle to care for my sisters, but I can't do this to the both of you," I whisper. "If Ingrid and I come back, that's it. We all know what the agreement is: the next several decades in solitude. I don't know what happened before, any of it, and I'm not asking for that information, but I'm telling you that I want to do this. You deserve to go home, Grace," I take her hands.

"And I don't think that we truly are your home anymore, Serendipity."