And second guessing all my intentions

Dani tensed when she saw the bushes rustling. That wasn’t good. There was something inside there, something that was in the hot spring area with her. She had no idea what the thing in there could be, but frankly, she didn’t want to find out.

Dani hugged her knees to her chest and clenched her fists.

“H-hey!” She shouted. “Whoever you are… I’m really strong, you know! I can lift over 400 pounds! So just… just go away, okay?!”

She had no idea if a threat like that would hold any weight; for all she knew, the thing in the bushes was some magical creature that would turn her to dust.

At the thought of “magical creature” the siren from yesterday popped into her mind, and she shivered. But while the girl in the water flashed past her eyes, her attention was broken when someone screamed a war cry.

“Uraaah! I got you now!”

A figure darted out of the bushes and charged around the hot spring, holding a giant net. Dani could barely make them out in the dim morning twilight. With a swing, the net came down upon Dani. She raised her arms to shield herself but it didn’t do a whole lot to keep the net off, and she ended up tangled in it.

“What the hell?!” Dani sputtered, struggling against the net that had her wrapped up. “Let me go! What’s the matter with this dumb thing?!”

“Ah ha ha! Yes! I caught you, I caught you! You’re mine, siren!”

Dani vaguely recognized the fast-talking Irish accent in her ear. She grimaced.

“Nola!?” She roared.

“Huh?” Nola blinked, and did a double-take. “Hey, wait! You’re not the siren!” She exclaimed. “You’re that blue-haired girl in Nick’s harem!”

“Of fucking course I’m not a fucking siren!” Dani exclaimed, struggling against the comedically-oversized net that had her tangled up. “Let me out of this thing!”

“R-right, sorry!” Nola stammered, pulling the net off of Dani’s head. She wore a sheepish expression on her face. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to do that! I thought you were the siren! See, Dakota told me to capture the siren, and I was like ‘wait how am I supposed to do that when I don’t even know what they look like’? Then I realized that the best thing to do was to stake out any places that a siren might go! So of course that means heading to somewhere with water! The hot spring seemed like the perfect place to look for a siren, and then you showed up! I didn’t expect anybody in Nick’s harem to come here so early because it was still dark out, and since I didn’t know what a siren looks like, I thought it was you, but then you weren’t the siren?! What a mistake, I’m so so sorry!”

“Okay, hold on, stop, what are you going off about?!” Dani exclaimed, still trying to get out of the net. Nola had been more concerned with an explanation than actually freeing her.

“…Right! Sorry!” Nola managed to work the net off of her, which was good because Dani was having a hard time keeping her head above the water.

As soon as she was free of the net, she grabbed Nola by the collar. She was gentle about it though, not trying to be threatening or intimidating. She just wanted to get the girl’s attention, and keep her from running off.

“Okay, repeat what you were saying again about the siren, slowly,” she demanded.

“Yes! Absolutely!” Nola chirped. “You remember the sirens, right? From that one water ride, back in the Amusement Park? You did run into them, right?”

“Of course I remember them,” Dani snapped. She flashed back grimly to that dark moment in the water, where she’d nearly drowned. If the siren hadn’t gotten her attention underwater, then she wouldn’t still be here.

“Well, one of them escaped, apparently,” Nola sighed, dropping her shoulders. “I don’t know how it could have happened!”

“…You mean by swimming out of the cavern?” Dani dryly asked.

“…Well, other than that, I don’t know how it could have happened!” Nola corrected herself. “Anyway, the point is that Dakota told me that I needed to find the siren and capture her! So I’ve been going around with a big net, and some pokeballs! But apparently, it isn’t enough to stake out a water area and try to find a siren, because-”

“Wait, wait, wait, holding on,” Dani said, cutting Nola off right there. “Pokeballs?”

Nola shrugged again. Dani decided she had nothing to gain from pressing the issue, though.

“So one of the sirens, they really managed to escape? This isn’t some task from Dakota to troll me, or something like that?”

“No! It’s not!” Nola shook her head frantically. “Dakota told me that I have to go capture the siren! If I don’t, she’s going to take away my Fucky Charms!”

A cereal box with Nola’s face on it popped into existence in front of her, and she hugged it tightly to her chest.

Dani groaned and rolled her eyes.

“Whatever,” she muttered, shaking her head.

As she derided Nola’s annoyance and general incompetence, a thought occurred to her.

“Wait, that cane gives Dakota complete control of everything that’s happening on this island,” Dani pointed out. “Couldn’t she just use that cane to recapture the siren?”

Nola’s face darkened, and for a moment Dani couldn’t recognize the perky and enthusiastic leprechaun. “That’s what I said,” she muttered. “Believe it or not, Dakota doesn’t really care about something like that… this is all a test. Of my abilities. And it pisses me off, darn it!”

She stomped her foot like a whiny child, and Dani had to admit- it was a little shocking, seeing Nola act like this.

It wasn’t any of her business, though. She didn’t have any need to concern herself with a siren or anything like that.

But as those thoughts occurred to Dani, she remembered the siren from the ride. The one who she’d encountered under the water, and then had followed her up to the surface. A strange feeling washed over Dani- she just knew that if any siren had managed to escape from that place, that one just had to be the one, right?

She quickly shook her head. Who cares about that? It doesn’t matter! She decided. This is all Nola’s issue, it’s got nothing to do with me!

Dani didn’t want to get roped into some pointless hunt for a siren. Honestly, she just wanted to go to bed. She was feel extraordinarily tired right now, even though she’d just finished a workout and been startled the rest of the way awake by being caught in a giant fishing net. Anyone in her position would want to get some rest…

…Wait.

PLIP! PLIP!

She recognized this tiredness she felt. Dani’s head whipped around, and her eyes widened at what she saw.

A shimmering girl was perched on the roof of the bathhouse. Her skin was glowing so brightly Dani could barely make out her facial features at this distance, but she could see the two sapphire orbs that filled her skull. Her dark hair clung to her body, drenched like the rest of her and dripping water onto the cobblestones.

Dani recognized her in an instant. She was the siren from the ride!

“Ah!” Dani gasped, pointing at the girl. “It’s her! It’s the siren!”

“Ah! Yes!” Nola raised her net triumphantly. “I’ve got you now, siren girl! Come to momma!” She charged at the siren and raised her net.

It didn’t even come close to reaching someone on the roof.

“Ah, drat!” Nola scowled. “I can’t get to her! What a conundrum! Who could have seen this coming?! Well, I mean, I really should have seen this coming, but it’s not my fault that I didn’t! I was trying very hard to find the best net for the job, and it’s not my fault that the roof is so high that it doesn’t work! Darn it, I need a boost! This is the problem with being so short! …Hey, wait! Dani! You can help me out, right? You can give me a leg up to go catch that siren girl, right?!”

She turned to Dani, her green eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Dani wanted nothing to do with the loony girl. But at the same time, with the way the siren was looking at her…

“Hey!” Dani climbed out of the water and approached the bathhouse. She looked up at the roof, never taking her eyes off of the siren perched atop it. “You… you’re that siren from before, right?” She asked, just to make sure. She was certain that it was girl she’d met yesterday.

The siren girl nodded slowly. Her eyes remained locked with Dani’s.

Dani’s face warmed into a smile when she heard that.

“I’m glad to see you again,” Dani said quietly. “I never had time to properly thank you for saving me in the water.”

The siren blinked. She tilted her head to the side, like she wasn’t sure what the other girl was saying.

Dani pressed on. “Is… is there something you want, coming all the way here?” Dani asked. “Are you looking for freedom, or something?”

The siren blinked. Then, she leapt from the roof, and landed on top of Nola.

“Uwaagh! Hey! Get off!” Nola wailed, thrashing on the ground. “You’re getting my clothes all wet, darn it! Stop! I’m not going to give you any cereal, so don’t even ask!”

The siren remained perched on her. In spite of her slender figure, Nola couldn’t do anything to move her off.

She just sat there, staring at Dani, who was growing more uncomfortable by the second.

“Hey, look, I know you’re bothered by Nola and everything, but there’s nothing I can do to help you,” Dani insisted. “I’ll try to do my best, though. Look, why don’t you get off of her? If you’re just looking for your freedom, then I can…”

Her voice trailed off right before she promised to do something for the siren. For all she knew, that would result in getting her in bad with Dakota, which was definitely not where she needed to be halfway through the round.

Dakota was dangerous, and she was one of the few things that Dani really feared. Dani had feared Sylvia, too, but with Sylvia, there had always been something there. Something to make it seem like she wasn’t actually the person she was, under the surface.

In spite of her wickedness, Dani had always sensed that the blonde was kind of a loser. She definitely didn’t get that feeling from Dakota, though.

If Sylvia was a loser, then Dakota was a threat.

And the thought of that threat sent a shiver down Dani’s spine.

“…I really wish there was something I could do,” Dani said. She blushed, as she couldn’t help but look at the naked body of the siren girl. “But I don’t have any authority here. She’s the one who you should be talking to, and, well…”

She pointed at Nola, and the siren’s eyes dropped to the green girl for a second, before flicking back up to Dani.

Then, to Dani’s surprise, she actually got off the leprechaun.

Even more surprising?

The siren leaped forward and threw herself into Dani’s arms.

She tilted her head up and pressed her lips against Dani’s, shocking the tomboy with a kiss.

Maybe it was the siren’s enchanting song, or maybe Dani was too lost and confused to process what was going on, but the siren’s kiss was amazing, and Dani sunk into it without even thinking.”Agh! Okay, that does it!” Nola pouted, climbing to her feet. She held up her net. “Nobody gets to make a fool out of me, and sit on top of me! I’m going to catch you for sure, siren girl!”

Dani didn’t have time to react. The siren moved with incredible speed, sliding behind Dani’s naked body and putting her right between the two of them.

Then with a light push, Dani found herself stumbling forward. She crashed into Nola, and the two fell into the water. Nola screeched.

“Ow! Hey!” Nola thrashed about, pulling herself out of the water. Waterlogged and her clothes soaked through, she could barely stand up given how many layers she usually wore.

Dani wasn’t wearing anything. But for both girls, there was something of far greater consideration to be concerned about.

The water was scalding.

Dani climbed out of the hot spring and gasped for air. She looked up, expecting to see the siren long-gone- but the opposite was the case.

The siren was watching them from the edge of the spring, wearing an amused expression on her face. Dani recognized the same faint smile the strange girl had worn back when she came to greet them in the lagoon.

It was alluring and unnerving in so many ways, Dai found herself completely captivated by it in an instant.

“…Hello there,” she breathed, staring in awe at the girl.

“I’m gonna… I’m gonna!” Nola was fuming as she dragged herself out of the hot spring, looking frustrated as she glared at the siren girl. But it was obvious what she was going to do- nothing. There was no way she’d ever catch the other girl in a net.

Dani realized that she was between a rock and a hard place. She could shrug it off and say that it wasn’t her problem, but she wasn’t that kind of girl.

If she saw an issue occurring, then she had to be the one who would step up and resolve the issues between others.

“Okay, enough of this stupid thing!” Dani bellowed, stepping between the two of them and holding her arms out. “Nola, leave her alone.”

“I can’t!” Nola wailed. “You have no idea what Dakota’s going to do to me if I fail!”

Dani raised her eyebrow. “You mean taking away your cereal? Sorry if that doesn’t move the needle for my empathy…”

“No, not that! That was just a clever lie so I could keep having a positive attitude!” Nola pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Dakota’s going to… I don’t even know what she’s going to do! Just grab the siren girl already!”

Dani glanced back at the siren. While she didn’t say anything, she could see her tensing and bristling, like she was ready to fight her way out.

Not a great sign. Dani still didn’t know for sure just how strong this creature was; for all she knew, the siren could have incredible strength that would outclass even hers, and that wasn’t a good thing for anybody.

Dani tensed.

“…Do you have a name?” She asked. “Something the other sirens call you?”

The siren opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She nodded her head as well.

Apparently, that was all Dani was going to get.

“Come on, Nola, just let her go,” Dani pleaded. “She’s not a threat to anyone.”

“I can’t!” Nola wailed, and Dani expected that, too. What a mess.

And the one person who could fix it was leaving things up to her subordinate, while she went and did who knows what?

Dani grimaced.

“Listen, Nola, I’m not going to let you hurt her, okay?” Dani swore. “She’s my friend! And if Dakota wants her, then she can come get her herself! Because I think we both know, that you don’t stand a chance of getting her!”

The siren smiled smugly at Nola, who ground her teeth in frustration.

“…Fine,” Nola finally relented.

Dani smiled. She was glad Nola hadn’t called her bluff. She didn’t actually know how things would go if Nola tried to push the issue of capturing the siren.

And luckily, she didn’t have to care, either. Because she could get the siren to safety, as long as the leprechaun in front of her wasn’t causing problems.

Finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, Dani sighed in relief.

“Well, since you insist.”

Then she froze.

In a flash, Dakota was on the scene, strolling up to the girls while tapping her cane against the cobblestones.

“Dani, Dani, Dani, we have GOT to stop meeting like this!” Dakota said, clicking her tongue. “Look at you! What happened?”

“Wh-what do you mean?” Dani stammered. She covered her chest with her arm and took an uneasy step backwards.

“What do I mean? I thought it was clear,” Dakota responded, tucking her fingers under Dani’s chin and scratching them playfully. Dani winced at the ticklish sensation. “Wasn’t I clear? Before, I mean? If you want to improve your standing with the audience, you’ve got to be more active! Spend time with the others! Not pal around with a siren!”

The siren hissed at Dakota in response.

Dakota hissed back.

With a giggle, the siren hid ducked behind Dani.

Dakota smiled in amusement.

“I get it, believe me, she’s a cute one,” Dakota said, shaking her head. “But she’s a siren. She’s dangerous. It’s really in your best interest to give her to me.”

The siren grabbed onto Dani’s arm and hugged it tightly. Dani blushed, feeling the other girl’s chest rub up against her.

“That’s… no, I won’t!” Dani snapped. “What are you going to do with her?”

“I’ll put her back where she belongs, of course,” Dakota responded automatically.

Dani scowled. “You mean, in that lagoon?”

Dakota nodded.

“But… why?” Dani protested. “Can’t she just stay here? It’s obvious she escaped for a reason, do you really have to send her back? Don’t you make the rules? Can’t you say it’s okay for her to say here, come on!”

Dakota tapped her chin. “The rules, huh?” She mused. “It seems like you don’t know what you’re talking about… those sirens, they’re dangerous.”

“Then why did you make them in the first place?” Dani demanded. She may not have been the smartest girl around, but she remembered what she saw of Dakota’s past. Like the faeries, Dakota had created everything on this island.

“I didn’t create them,” Dakota replied. “I’m merely holding them, for a friend.”

THAT was a shock. Dani didn’t know how to respond to that. “Wait, so… these things… they aren’t your magic creations?”

Dakota smirked and shook her head. “No-pe.” She popped her lips.

Dani swallowed. “Look, I… I don’t know about this… It’s one thing if she was your creation, but if she’s her own person…”

The siren dug her nails into Dani’s arm.

“…Couldn’t you just give her a break?” Dani pleaded. “Let her go free?”

Dakota stared at Dani carefully. Then, a sly smile crept up her lips. “Well… if you put it like that, I suppose…”

Dani didn’t like the look in the other woman’s eyes.

“Wait, what are you talking about?” She demanded.

Dakota raised her cane. “If you want to take responsibility for that girl, you can,” she replied. “It’s a simple task, for me to transfer ownership of her to you. It will almost be like having your own personal ****!”

What the hell was she talking about!?

“But I don’t want a ****!” Dani exclaimed. “I just don’t want you to send her off to be **** to live in that mountain!”

Dakota shrugged. She really couldn’t care less. “That’s not how this works,” she replied. “That’s not how ANY of this works. Those sirens are dangerous. If left to her own devices, she could really mess with some people’s heads. And you think I want that happening on my show? Not a chance. So I need someone to take responsibility. If she causes any problems, then you’re the one who will have to answer them. Do you understand?”

“I… that’s…”

Dani turned back to look at the siren. The frail figure looked up at her with hopeful blue eyes, as though she was about to burst into tears.

Could she really make that bargain? If the siren did something bad, then Dani would be the one getting in trouble. She’d probably be slapped with another punishment transformation, a real nasty one! It would be as though she was the siren’s caretaker!

Could she really do it?