68

Unsettling Revelations

True to his word, Oga did not step foot near large bodies of water to see the siren again. Oga sold his house by the sea days later and burned the pier. Walking down the city streets, Oga missed the water, the fresh open air, even the rats on his old ships seemed more courteous than those on the streets. It wasn't all bad; however, Oga hadn't died. Knowing that meant the Furuichi was wrong, and there wasn't a curse. Having had time to think on it, Oga figured that Furuichi would not have lied to him. Especially not with a face looking so desperate as it had that night four years ago.

Still, it would be hard to go back to find the siren now. Oga wasn't well off enough since living in the city. His true skills were at sea, as the shop owner's would kindly shout at him. His apartment was small and filthy and the rent was high but Oga made it work. It meant that he'd have no way to get back to sea though. A carriage ride to the sea was way too expensive even if Oga decided not to eat, or sleep under meager shelter.

Oga had come back from the shop, shuffling his feet up the stairs. "Cap'n!"

"Waving Wally? What're you doing here, lad?"

"Cap'n its...well, the new cap'n sir!"

"Tori? What about him?"

"Tori's gone mad! He's thrown five crew members overboard in the last week!"

Oga hadn't remembered soft spoken Tori to be such a hell raiser. Tori used to wait on Oga's every word back then. Had four years of perceived power changed the man so much?

"But," the sailor brought his voice into a whisper, eyes shifting side to side toward the other apartment doors, "what he's really after is...the mermaid."

The chill that raced up Oga's spine was indescribable. Swallowing the hard lump in his throat, Oga tried for a careless ease when turning toward his flat door, "Now, lad, we've been up and down these waters and the only thing grey about them are the waves."

"How did you know the color of the mermaid, sir?"

Oga's head had been hidden in the doorway when he winced. "I didn't, lad. I was saying that there's nothing in the sea we haven't seen before. As for the captain," Oga did lock eyes with his once trusty shipmate, "you boys know that you run the ship. Make sure to remind the captain of that."

"Aye captain." The sailor's eyes glimmered as Oga finally slipped into his flat. The sweat gathering around his temples slid down Oga's paling face. The brunet pressed an ear to the greasy door and when those heavy steps quieted away Oga gathered his sea boots and the rest of the coins stashed away behind the crumbling floorboards. There wouldn't be enough to get back to the little house by the sea, but it would be enough to get to the nearest inlet.

The ride was far from ideal, bumpy and wet even in the car. Oga's stomach growled as he scrambled off toward the inlet. The air was still stale from the fumes of the city not that far off, but the sound of the harpy gulls lifted his spirits. The slight tang of the salt welcomed Oga back to where he knew he belonged. He didn't put his boots on right away. Oga sighed when the water came to lap at his feet. Oga stood there for a short while, drinking in lost memories, but went back to the task at hand. He had to warn Furuichi to stay far away from his old ship as much as possible.

Oga stared into the inlet. The fastest way to get the siren's attention would be to get into trouble, but Oga would have to be further down the inlet, as close to the sea as he could. Too many humans passed through the road behind him. Off the retired captain went, feet crunching over small, sometimes spiky, pebbles instead of sand. He longed for proper sand and beaches again. Reaching the tip, Oga still hadn't put on his boots. Should he swim until he was too tired? But how long would it take for Furuichi to meet him? Furuichi hadn't the slightest clue where the human was since leaving the water. The siren could've been anywhere else in the world, and to be honest, Oga would like to see the siren again. At least, before he died.

Oga's ears perked up at the sound of ten feet crunching over the pebbles behind him. "I knew you'd come out of hiding cap'n. No, that's right," Tori pulled out a blunderbuss to point at Oga's back, "I'm the captain now. And you're going to show us what a tasty little secret you've been hiding from us all these years."