I groaned as I rolled over. My body was stiff and sore, and there was a chill in the air. I shivered. Stark really needs to cool it with the AC… Wait a second… My eyes snapped open and I sat up straight. I was lying on a flat stone at the edge of the Moon Pool, the one I'd left behind in New Hope when I moved. My stomach turned over when I remembered what had happened. I'd gotten hit with the lunacy, again.
"Hello?" I called out, my voice weak and it wavered against my will. I pushed off of the rock and floated in the middle of the Pool. It was deep enough that I rest upright, a gentle rocking of my tail keeping me afloat.
"Hello?" I called again, stronger and louder. Looking around the Pool, I could see pieces of machinery, smashed to bits and strewn about the room. I heard voices and motion outside the cave. I tried to get their attention, raising my voice even more.
"Hello! Is anyone there?" I shouted. The voices outside quieted, and then I could hear the sound of shoes on the floor, followed closely by something a little more mechanical. I gulped as they walked in. There were several people in the Pool now, and I didn't recognize anyone. Behind them was Iron Man.
"Tony!" I exclaimed, relieved, "These guys, they're S.H.I.E.L.D. right? That's their equipment on the floor. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" I felt my calm deteriorating fast, and I spoke too quickly for anyone to get a word in edge-wise. Tony held up his hands and I shut my mouth.
"Jackie, it's okay," His words were distorted, muffled by his helm, "No one's mad at you, we just want to know what happened, and how much you remember." I took a deep breath and licked my lips.
"I remember seeing the full moon, god… I haven't seen it since the night of the flood. I was scared, and then I felt calm. That's the last thing I remember. I woke up here in the Pool. What did I do?" Tony was quiet. I'm sure he remembered what my mother had told him, that I regretted what I did the last time.
"Tony, what happened last night?" My voice pitched up slightly, betraying my panic. Tony turned to the agents.
"Guys, give us a minute here." The agents turned and started to shuffle out. Tony put his hand on one young man's shoulder, holding him back. The guy looked like he was my age or just a little bit older.
I noticed he was lean, wearing oddly casual clothes compared to the suits of his coworkers. He had wavy, shoulder-length, ash-blond hair, and a face that looked like it was carved in stone, unconventionally handsome. His skin was light, as though he didn't go outside much. I would have thought of him as beautiful, if only he wasn't scowling.
"You stay here," he said, "Remember what I said, she's the only one with the answers you need." I was confused. I tilted my head to the side as the cave cleared, leaving only the three of us standing there. Tony's mask folded back, revealing his face.
"You created a waterspout," Tony said, starting to explain, "You wrecked the cave, but you didn't leave it. You attacked everyone who got too close, but no one was hurt. Think of it this way, the only thing damaged was the equipment, and Fury is going to have to pay for it out of pocket." That last bit made me smile. Fury must have been the one who overrode Jarvis' systems and forced me into the lunacy. However, I couldn't help but feeling like something was left out. My eyes drifted to the man who stood awkwardly next to Tony.
"You fell in, didn't you?" They both startled, confirming my fear, "You should be fine as long as the moon wasn't directly over the pool."
"And if it was?" The young man asked. I felt my heart quicken, and anxiety made my stomach turn.
"The water… Was it bubbling like a hot tub but stayed cold?" He nodded, "Did bubbles float upwards? Out of the cave?" Another nod. I sighed deeply, then motioned for him to get into the Pool. He balked.
"You want me to get into the water? It took me hours to dry off the last time!"
"It won't talk as long this time, I promise," I groaned, "Just jump in." I paddled with my hands and flicked my fin. Drifting back a little, I made more room for the boy. He stepped into the water, so that he was in up to his knees.
"Okay…" He said, looking back up at me, he asked, "Now what?" Tony's eyes widened when he realized what I was testing.
"Six…. Five…." I counted under my breath.
"What are you counting down to?" The agent asked, suddenly worried.
"Three…. Two…. One." I said, a little louder. The man opened his mouth to ask what was going on when suddenly water leaped up around his legs, coating his body. He was transparent for a moment, turned into water. Then it was gone. He fell forward with a splash and a scream.
"What the hell!?" I heard him shriek before he was underwater. He surfaced quickly, sputtering angrily.
"What the hell did you do!?" I smiled grimly, staring down at something below the water.
"Look down." He did, and screamed again in alarm. His clothes were gone, but that wasn't what I'd been staring at. Below the waist, swaying forwards and backwards to keep him afloat, was a tail. It didn't look like mine; it wasn't a coppery gold color. Instead, it was a pale silvery blue. I ducked underwater to get a better look. It darkened in color at the fluke and fins, turning a beautiful shade blue, then fading into black at the tips. Instead of a feathered edge to his fluke, it had more a bat wing effect. Pointed tips with scoops between them. It was an attractive feature, at least to me.
"Were you checking me out?" He asked as I surfaced, a weird look on his face. I barked a laughed.
"No, god no!" I exclaimed, my cheeks burning, "I was…. Curious!" He laughed dryly.
"Yeah, sure," He pulled himself out of the water, and fully onto the stone, "Make me human." Just like that? He didn't even say please. I stared at him as he wiped his long blond hair from his eyes.
"No," I said bluntly, and he coughed, "I don't take orders from you. You're going to have to wait to air dry." He glowered at me, and I noticed the color of his eyes. They were blue, a clear blue like a tropical ocean. My breath caught in my chest but I forced it down. Stupid sexy merman.
"It's your fault I'm like this you know," He spat angrily, and I scowled back in his direction.
"I'm sorry, I thought you would have known not to jump in. I suppose Fury didn't explain to you, since he didn't realize you were stupid enough to jump into the magical MOON Pool during the full MOON!" I snapped, raising my voice to a shout nearing the end of the sentence. The boy recoiled, his jaw dropped in offense.
"Stupid? Do you know who you're-!" He snarled before Tony interrupted.
"Pendragon!" He shouted, "Jacqueline! Stop acting like children!" We both flinched. Pendragon, huh? Was that a first name, or a last name?
"Jackie, I know he's a dick, but you might as well dry the both of you off before…" Tony trailed off. I turned to look at the entrance to the cave. There stood the man I least wanted to see.
"YOU!" I screamed at Fury, raising my hand, flexing my pinkie and thumb and twisting my wrist. A large ball of water lifted up from the surface of the Pool and flew at the Director, striking him in the face. The Pendragon guy was appalled, stunned into silence.
"HOW DARE YOU!" I continued, "You promised! You promised you'd leave the Moon Pool alone! You forced me into LUNACY!" I felt tears spring from my eyes as I hurled another ball of water at him. He was silent, just standing there, taking my abuse. It only made me angrier.
"SAY SOMETHING YOU LYING FUCKER!" Fury wiped water from his eye, and looked up.
"I promised I would leave the Moon Pool alone, but I never said anything about sending someone else in my place." My heart sunk, and I felt like throwing up. No wonder Steve had been so skeptical. Fury must have some way with loopholes.
"Well now you know better," I said softly, my eyes stinging with tears, "Lunacy can't be contained, and the Moon Pool isn't going to give up its secrets. It called on one guardian, and it created a second."
"Wait what?" Pendragon said, "Created a second guardian? Me? Are you saying I'm a merman because the Moon Pool felt threatened? It's a stupid pond! It can't feel!" I looked up at him, my expression blank.
"And yet here you are." He shut up fast, looking away. I turned to look at Fury, whose gaze had traveled to the angry, sexy merman at his feet.
"Ah, Marbend," Fury said, "What happened to you?" Marbend, that definitely sounds like a last name. Pendragon scowled up at the Director.
"I slipped." He snarled, his tone venomous. Fury looked up at Tony, who was silently glaring.
"Well, this is a fine mess," Fury said, his pitch a little higher than before, "Stark, I doubt Marbend is going to be able to manage on his own. Thompson, I think he's going to need to be taught how to use his gift." I knew what was coming, and it seemed Tony did too.
"What, do you want them both to move into the tower?" He asked.
"Glad you said it, so I didn't have to."
"Move?" Pendragon asked, appalled, "Live with them? Are you serious?" Fury gave him a look, and the merman started to squirm.
"I-I-I, uh, I mean… Okay, sir." He looked down, fuming silently. I noticed the muscles on his back, and forced myself to look away, my cheeks hot.
"I supposed I could do that. I'll begin constructing a tunnel that leads into the bay. That way you don't risk being seen trying to swim in the canal. Jackie, I'll call your mother, let her know what happened." Tony stepped carefully over Pendragon, and shoved past Fury to leave the Pool. Fury turned to look at the two of us.
"I suggest you two get dressed," He said calmly, "You'll be flown back to New York by aircraft." He turned and also walked out, leaving the two of us alone.
"So…" I said, after a moment of silence.
"Please," Pendragon said, his voice flat and irritated.
"What?" I asked, confused and surprised.
"Please turn me human," He said. It was obvious to me that he was trying to sound nice, but at least he said please.
"Give me a second," I said, pulling myself out of the water halfway. I maneuvered myself into a sitting position, resting on the edge of the Pool.
"Hold still, this might sting," I said, lifting my hand.
"Might sting?" Pendragon asked, eyebrows raised in concern. He looked pretty cute when he wasn't so pissy.
"Sorry, will sting," I corrected myself, "Don't move." He winced, and held the pose, bracing himself against the impending agony. I clenched my hand into a fist, squeezing as I focused my power onto the surface of his skin and scales. The water hissed as it started to steam.
"Ow," Pendragon flinched.
"Don't move, you sissy," I chided, keeping the heat even. Several moments later, his body foamed over with bubbles. He pushed himself up, human again, and fully clothed and dry. He looked down, then back up at me, his beautiful blue eyes wide in awe. I realized I was starting to stare and turned away. Pulling myself out of the water completely, I dried off and stood up. We stood there awkwardly for a moment, before I held out my hand.
"I'm Jacqueline Thompson," I said, looking down, "Nice to meet you." Pendragon was quiet for a moment, but took my hand and shook firmly.
"Pendragon Marbend. Nice to meet you too, I guess." So Pendragon was his first name, I totally called it. He released my hand. I turned around and walked into the tunnel that connected the Moon Pool to the outside world. This was going to be a very difficult school year, I could just tell.
AHA! New chapter! I really couldn't wait to officially introduce this dick. My good friend Ian helped me design Pendragon, giving me some suggestions regarding appearance and first name. To all those people who've watched at least the first episode of Mako Mermaids, I'm sure you've noticed that Pendragon's tail is identical to Zac's but that's kind of the point. And now for a fishy fun fact! Pendragon's last name, Marbend, is a reference to the Marbendlar, a European half-man half-seal creature with the power of foreknowledge (They know all basically). ANYWAY! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I will put more of an effort into writing during the week. I promise! Not just update spam during the weekends. Update spam all the time. Boo-yah.
