/Scott\

Sinking deeper and deeper into the water. I was used to the feeling, but it still felt weird.

I had hoped my crewmates were fine. We had been attacked by a small group of sirens.

Quiet chatter reached my ears.

"Over there!" One hissed.

Another grimaced. "That's the outcasted siren prince."

I dash-swam away, but that didn't stop them from chasing me.

After a few minutes of swimming, I spotted wings. Wings that could only belong to Captain Grian.

I swam him to shore.

The only words that ran through my head were "don't die".

I laid his head down on the ground and rolled him over on his side.

Cough, cough, hack, hack.

Grian looked up at the sky and then looked at me. His eyes were dim. He sat up.

"Scott, where are the others?" he asked.

"I don't know, I said.

He stood up and looked out at the ocean.

"They should be here somewhere," he said, a bit of frustration in his voice.

"I'll go looking for them," I said.

I dove back into the water without another word.

And one after another, everyone was safe.

I laid Tango's head down and did the same thing to get the water out of his lungs.

When he was safe like the others, Grian walked up to me. "Scott, we need to talk."

I stood and nodded.

We went to the edge of the forest.

"Why do you have scales?" he asked.

Panic filled my stomach and rose up into my chest. "Grian, I can explai---"

"Scott! You were supposed to be like the rest of us!" He said with tears in his voice.

Tears stung the back of my eyes. "Grian, please. I didn't want to hurt any of you. Please let me stay."

He looked at me. "I can't. I'll get fired, or worse, killed, and so will the rest."

"But---"

He walked away and tears fell from my face.

I fell to my knees and cried. Like when my only friend, Martyn, left. Like when I was disowned by my very own parents. And yet, through all of that, I still thought there's somewhere I belong. I still thought I could trust someone.

I fell back onto my back. "Why?!"

I saved them, and yet what do I get for that? This!

I didn't think before joining that crew.