From Afar

*A/N: A friend wanted me to write this, and it's kinda just been sitting in my notes app ever since. Since I haven't posted anything in a while, I figured I'd make a few changes and throw this out while I try to write something else for you all. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a oneshot for two of my OCs, Lily and Venus. I might make something with them in the future, I might not. We'll just have to see.

Also, Athena was Venus's birth name before she gave it away, so that's how she's referred to in this story.

Her fins are also based on those of a betta fish. Betta fish cannot survive in saltwater, I just think they have very pretty fins, and I couldn't find any saltwater species with similar ones. Please forgive me.

With all that said, please enjoy.*

•*~~~~~*•

It was calm beneath the ocean waves. Sea grass flowed through the water like leaves blowing in the wind, and colorful fish swam about without a care in the world.

Athena's pale fingers glided over the ocean floor, leaving clouds of kicked up, similarly colored sand in their wake. An assortment of shells was clutched against her chest as her twilight purple eyes combed over the beige grains.

She watched as a little fish speedily approached, silver scales shimmering in the sun light above. It was no bigger than her palm, and she gently cupped her hand around it as she gave the fish a warm smile.

"Hello, little guy," Athena cooed.

The fish, predictably, didn't answer; just kept staring up at her with beady black eyes. The mermaid giggled softly.

"You're so adorable."

Slowly, something large moved overhead, cloaking them in a dark shadow. The gray fish quickly retreated to the safety of a nearby reef as Athena looked up with a confused hum.

Her eyes met the bottom of something huge, roughly the size of a large whale. She couldn't make out any fins or tail- there were no identifying characteristics she could recognize.

What on earth?

She stared up at it, holding her bounty closer to her form with both arms as though to protect it. She could see something else- something much smaller- suddenly appear next to the mysterious creature.

It looked to be getting bigger.

And bigger.

And...

Closer.

Her eyes widened as she finally processed the object seconds from colliding with her face.

With a shrill shriek, Athena swam back, just in time to avoid her billowy tail fin getting caught under the metal thing which had landed in the sand. The colorful shells fell out of her arms, sinking slowly to the ground below.

What on earth!?

Shaking away her shock, Athena approached the object with cautious curiosity. She stroked the cold metal as she realized what she was looking at.

She'd seen them around sunken shipwrecks.

It was an anchor.

Her eyes found themselves back on the large shape which had started this all, which she now knew was a ship. A human ship.

She knew she shouldn't stick around. She should turn tail and escape to the safety of her home, and come back for her shells later. When it's safe.

And yet, she didn't.