Pearls and Seashells

Chapter 17

"Okay. All I know is your name. What else can you remember?"

Sora sighed, and shrugged. What could he say? It was to early to be thinking of a story to make up. His legs still hurt, and so did his chest. Not only from guilt, one he also felt a different kind of pain, which he also felt in his throat. The only thing Sora could blame it on was the potion he drank, which he already regretted taking.

"Sora?"

Sora's eyes snapped up to look at a very confused Axel. He shrugged.

"Nothing else...I just know that I did something stupid," Sora mumbled, but then looked up with slight anger shining in his blue eyes. "I've told you all multiple times, asking again won't change my answer."

Axel raised his hands in defense at the sudden outburst. He was shocked to say the least, he didn't expect that from him, given how quiet and confused he looked.

"You do realize I was eating during dinner, right?" Axel asked him with a raised eyebrow, bringing his hands down again. "I did not, I will repeat, I did not pay much attention, and I'm tired. Whatever you said before has left my mind by now."

"I-I'm sorry," Sora apologized, and Axel's expression softened.

He reached over to ruffle his hair, and grinned. Sora slapped his hands away, not liking the sudden friendliness coming from him, since he was so hostile towards him before. He missed this though, already. He missed the twins, since they were so close and would often play a lot like this together.

"Hmm?"

Just as Sora was about to talk, Axel's now warm hand was close to his neck. He wrapped his fingers gently on the shorter teen's necklace. Sora, remember it and what it was, pushed him back and scooted to the wall. The soft covers on Riku's bed were now a mess, and he hoped it wouldn't bother him.

"What?"

The annoyed tone was back in Axel's tone, but he did look like he knew he was at fault and was concerned. The annoyed expression Sora thought, must be a way to cover his feelings from new people, like Sora was to Axel.

Axel knew he shouldn't have gotten so close to him without a reason or without warning. Sora was still scared of them, and about anything here. He was still nervous about them finding out, especially since he could tell Axel was very observant.

"I'm sorry," Axel mumbled, reaching up to the back of his head to run a hand through his spiked up hair. "That was my fault, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay, I guess," Sora responded, but Axel could see that it wasn't for him by the way he held onto the necklace.

It must be important to him, Axel thought as he turned to the door, as if waiting for something.

He turned back to Sora, who now had the necklace off from around his neck and on his small hand. He ran a finger on top of it with a longing look, a look that to Axel, it seemed he wanted something back, wanting to do something else.

Axel knew that feeling all too well. When his parents left him, he wished with all his heart to turn back time. His seven year old self would always try ways to wish, and his uncle trying to make him understand the complicated situation they were in. He wished for them to come back, and he would cry to his aunt about how he would be a better son if they returned, that he would change for them, just so they could love him.

Axel shook his head. He shouldn't think of that right now.

"Sora, Axel."

They turned when they heard the Riku's alarmed voice.

"You look pale. What's wrong?" Axel's tone changed to more worried quick.

"Have you seen my dad?"

-

"Sirens...don't exist."

The brown haired man covered his ears, shutting his eyes tight. The singing continued, and his glowing golden eyes narrowed.

"You show me how to see that nothing is...-"

"Dad!"

Riku ran to hin after seeing him crouching down in the sand. Sora pushed on despite his burning legs, recognizing the singing voice. Axel was behind Sora, making sure he was okay.

Sora gasped softly when he saw someone, and ran past Riku and his dad.

He dropped to his knees near the shore. Whoever was singing immediately went back under the water, only letting Sora see his dark blue tail. The shiny scales disappeared under the dark water too fast for Sora to recognize them well.

"Why? You helped me so much before...," Sora's broken whisper faded into the strong wind that seemed to be picking up. "I just want to understand, you disappeared."

Sora gripped his hands on the sand, tears falling down his rosy cheeks. The singing didn't affect him since he had been a merman down in the water, living with them. Even if he was human now, his body knew better than to follow.

"Sora!"

Axel was next to him in an instant, and looked to the water. He saw nothing, and turned to Sora. He tried to catch his breath, so he let Sora talk first.

"I...is Riku's dad okay?"

Axel nodded, and helped Sora up. They walked back to them, and Sora looked down at him with a determind look.

"You faced that pretty well..."

"What was that?"

Sora looked back over his shoulder. "A siren."

"A what?" Axel and Riku asked in unison.

"A creature that looks like a mermaid or merman. They sing to attract people, depending on the gender of the siren, it can be a human female or a human male," Sora explained, unaware of the surprised stare of Riku's dad. "There are some cases where a siren can attract the same gender, though most sirens can't do that."

"How do you know this?" Riku asked, narrowing his eyes.

"A siren is mostly seen as a sea creature, but apparently there's also bird like creatures or so some people say," his dad interrupted his question. "Right, Sora?"

Sora was silent, realizing his mistake. He now had to explain and make up a story. It wasn't that it was horrible, he just didn't want to think of anything right now. He was too tired, and he needed to work out his plan.

But maybe, if he could get close to them, then he could figure things out faster.

-

I'm gonna start making longer chapters starting soon. Unless it changes from Sora to the twins. That means it'll take me more time so I'm going to start updating once every two weeks, meaning twice a month.

Also, I have no idea what I'm doing at all anymore.