ᴀʟʟɪᴀɴᴄᴇ | ᴀᴏɴᴜɴɢ

╰•★★ chapter 3 ★★•╯

The Alliance

I can practically feel my scales drying out and chipping off my body as I sit there, tied up. The lack of water makes my brain foggy as I long for the clear liquid. My skin slowly loosing that protective goopy layer.

Tonowari's words flow through my head.

'Drop the act, I know how water women are, shapeshifters, murderers, ferals.'

It is true, I could grow legs easily but that doesn't mean I'll be able to walk... it would be like being a new born baby. I have only had legs once, and that went horribly—

The blindfold was roughly ripped off my head. I stare back into the pale blue eyes of the boy from before.

He cocks his head to the side in curiosity at my dark black irises. Fascination crossing his features. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion as he smirks, as if a lightbulb went off in his head, before covering my eyes with the blindfold again.

Aonung's POV

An idea pops up in my mind, I grin and run back to my Marui, eager to tell my Father my idea.

"Father, what are we going to do with the water woman?" I ask, he turns and puts a hand on my shoulder.

"My son, these creatures are dangerous, they drag—"

"Drag you down to the depths of the ocean and rip you limb from limb, yeah, I know. You've told me a million times." I roll my eyes and he shakes his head, his loose hair swaying from side to side.

"You don't understand, Aonung. We can't keep it here. We know nothing about it. How can we possibly trust it?"

"That's exactly right, we know nothing about them—"

"That's what I just said—" He butts in, arms crossed.

"Listen! You said we know nothing about them, so... since we have one here now, why don't we learn from it?" I urge, "This would be such a good upper hand if we ever have to go up against these creatures! Think about it!"

He ponders for a moment before nodding. My face breaks out into a big smile as he looks proud at me. He ruffles my hair before speaking. "You will do it."

My smile drops. "What?" I look at him confused.

"You will befriend the water woman and report all your findings back to me."

I stare open-mouthed at my Father. "What!? Father I—"

"Enough, Aonung. I have decided, you were to the one to come up with the idea so you will follow it through. I'm proud of you, son. Don't let me down. Now go." I sigh heavily at the new chore, my tail dragging behind me as I exit the marui.

Great, great job Aonung. Now you have another thing to do.

I trudge back to the fish girl and this time I gently take off her blindfold.

I can't believe I have to start being nice to this creature. I give her a charming smile as I sit down next to her.

I nod my head for the hunters guarding her to leave.

Vida's POV

I flinch when I feel two calloused hands softly untie my blindfold. I'm met with yet again the same blue eyes as before.

I narrow my eyes sceptically at him as he sends a warm smile my way. He then sends the guards away.

What is he up to?

He holds out a hand for me to shake and I just stare back blankly at him. I knock a knuckle against the base off the post I'm tied to.

"Ohhh, sorry. I'm Aonung by the way. If you didn't already know that." He looks around awkwardly and scratches the back of his neck.

"Or-ah." His head whips around to face me. I swallow. My dry tongue and lips making it difficult to speak. I flick my tail weakly and he takes a moment to finally understand. "Wa-ter." I try to spit out, the sea weed in my mouth  makes it so hard.

He jumps up and runs away before coming back with a leaf of water. Aonung holds it up to my face before pausing.

I can't drink because I have the gag on.

But he can't take the gag off because I'll just compel him to let me go.

It seems we have a bit of a problem.

"I'm sorry but I can't take it off..." He falls back onto his knees and thinks before nodding. "I have an idea. Stay here." He says before leaving me for the one hundredth time today.

"Ay ere?" I mumble, "ere else ood I oh?" I sigh through my nose and shake my head, trying not to laugh at his stupidity.

My eyes start to close as I grow even more tired by the second. My head falls to the side, next to my armpit as I let my eyelids close.

A hand lightly taps my forehead a few times. Walking me from my rough sleep. Aonung jumps back as my eyes open. Like he wasn't expecting it.

"I though you were dead, fish girl." He shakes his head before laughing. Something about it seems forced but I don't think anything of it.

"Fhy?" I mumble out through the gag.

"Why?" I nod. "Because you looked like you were drying out." I look around and find myself in another location, different from before. I'm lying in a rock pool, still pretty far away from the real ocean but still in the water.

Both of my arms are tied to a rock but at least I'm getting the water I need.

I'm okay with that, for now.

"Ank oo." I thank. He looks around, like he's embarrassed to be talking to me.

"It's fine. Look, I'm really sorry for the way my people have been treating you, it's just that we don't trust your kind. I want to be friends. We can help unite our clans. Lead them against the Sky People, you know?" He bites his lip, fangs poking out from behind the soft flesh.

I think for a moment. The Sky People have been getting closer and closer to my clans territory, it's only a matter of time before they find our location and wipe us out. Making an alliance with the Metkayina could be the solution. But I still don't trust this boy, so I'll have to be careful.

I begin to nod my head.

"Oh-ay." I nod once. He looks somewhat shocked that I actually agreed. "Alliance."