She was born to be free,
Their reunion underwater had not gone as Athena had always dreamed, but nothing seemed to be going right. She'd searched for over two years with no traces of her daughter, only to randomly run into her when greeting the King. As much as she wanted to take that as a good sign, things felt wrong. The woman before her walked with such dangerous confidence, stalking around with that familiar face twisted into a violent expression of hatred. It didn't resemble any of the loving, cheerful mermaid she'd raised. Maybe if she could just reason with her...
Athena made her way as close to the shore as she dared, her silver tail dragging through the sand until she propped up on a nearby rock. It was as close as she could get, lacking the ability to shift into legs. ”Lassie, I know you were angry when you left, but please – please don’t pretend. Don't pretend like you don't know me.” She reached out a hand longingly, flinching as she saw the suspicious confusion that made the woman withdraw. It wrenched her heart out of her chest in a ragged, gruesome evisceration, spilling out the tension and hope that had built up behind a wall of polite strength.
”You - you really don’t recognize me?” Her voice broke at the question, hoping that it wasn’t true with every fiber of her being.
Her own daughter?
It didn't seem like it could be true. What had she done to deserve such a punishment from the gods? Had she been a bad mother, unworthy of raising her child? Had she released some cosmic evil into the world, warranting the intervention of some deity? Or had she just failed to show her daughter that she was loved?
Whatever the reason, Lassie didn't show any signs of warmth or familial recognition. Her face was stoic with unbridled annoyance, forcing Athena to push beyond her own feelings. Looking past the familiar face of her baby girl, she took in the arcing horns, flicking tail, and sharp fangs that accompanied the new bristly personality. They were all characteristics of an Ancient. It meant that Hadama hadn’t been lying. As much as she wished it, the woman before her wasn’t her Lassie. Not anymore. This was Captain Thalassa.
Athena felt a chill run down her spine, eerily similar to dread. She wrapped her arms around herself as if it might provide the comfort she needed. ”You’ve... changed.”
Athena made her way as close to the shore as she dared, her silver tail dragging through the sand until she propped up on a nearby rock. It was as close as she could get, lacking the ability to shift into legs. ”Lassie, I know you were angry when you left, but please – please don’t pretend. Don't pretend like you don't know me.” She reached out a hand longingly, flinching as she saw the suspicious confusion that made the woman withdraw. It wrenched her heart out of her chest in a ragged, gruesome evisceration, spilling out the tension and hope that had built up behind a wall of polite strength.
”You - you really don’t recognize me?” Her voice broke at the question, hoping that it wasn’t true with every fiber of her being.
Her own daughter?
It didn't seem like it could be true. What had she done to deserve such a punishment from the gods? Had she been a bad mother, unworthy of raising her child? Had she released some cosmic evil into the world, warranting the intervention of some deity? Or had she just failed to show her daughter that she was loved?
Whatever the reason, Lassie didn't show any signs of warmth or familial recognition. Her face was stoic with unbridled annoyance, forcing Athena to push beyond her own feelings. Looking past the familiar face of her baby girl, she took in the arcing horns, flicking tail, and sharp fangs that accompanied the new bristly personality. They were all characteristics of an Ancient. It meant that Hadama hadn’t been lying. As much as she wished it, the woman before her wasn’t her Lassie. Not anymore. This was Captain Thalassa.
Athena felt a chill run down her spine, eerily similar to dread. She wrapped her arms around herself as if it might provide the comfort she needed. ”You’ve... changed.”
let her run wild in her own way
and you will never lose her.
and you will never lose her.
Athena
