Pendragon Marbend is an ass. There. I said it. He's manipulative when he thinks it will work out in his favor, and makes clear whatever he doesn't like. One of the things he's frequently refused to do is try to come to terms with his new status as a merman. This appeared to be something he blames me for, calling it an "inconvenience" and a "waste of time". Like I was the one to push him into the Moon Pool.

He avoided me, which was a good thing. I didn't have to deal with his pretty face and bad attitude. It's a horrible combination. After one particular argument, in which he called me out for going into the 12th grade (I started kindergarten a year late) I stormed out of the room to the pool. My sanctuary. Pendragon didn't dare go near it.

I slid smoothly under the surface, relishing the feeling of the water tugging at my clothes. It wouldn't last, but that's what made me love it so much. I closed my eyes and floated just above the tiles. Speakers set into the walls of the pool softly played music, Jarvis had selected it. He told me that it was called "String Quartet No. 13 in A Minor", by a composer named Franz Schubert.

I relaxed all of my muscles, and concentrated on the invisible motion of the water. The ripples danced over my skin and scales, and played blissfully with my hair, lulling me into an even deeper state of relaxation. Almost an hour passed during this meditation, before I was jolted back into reality.

"Miss Thompson," Jarvis' voice rang clear through the water, violently interrupting my trance, "Director Fury is on call in the main lounge. He requests your presence." I groaned, and swam slowly to the surface, taking care to lollygag. It took me about 10 minutes to meander into the main lounge, where Pendragon was sitting on the couch.

"There you are Thompson. I was just checking in on your progress. Marbend here says you've been refusing to teach him how to use his powers," Fury said as I took my place behind the couch. So that's how he wants to play then.

"Jarvis, would you be a dear and tell the Director your observations on our training progress?" I said sweetly. The AI was all too happy to oblige, if AIs find take joy in tattling.

"Miss Thompson has been insistent on Mr. Marbend's training, reminding him several times daily that it is the only reason they're both here," Jarvis said, "Mr. Marbend refuses her offer every time." Fury's expression on the screen was unimpressed. I saw Pendragon squirm, and the sight made it difficult not to smirk.

"Marbend, is this true?" He asked, "I'm very disappointed in you. I gave you very simple orders, learn how to use your powers, and you can't even follow those." Pendragon slumped, and I had a moment of regret. Then I remembered he was going to get bitchy about it, and I didn't regret it anymore.

"I'm sorry, Sir," Pendragon said, his tone submissive, but angry. I knew I was going to get an earful later, but I didn't really care at the moment.

"Thompson, I want you to get started teaching him the basics A.S.A.P. Marbend, do not disappoint me." Fury said, ending the call. The moment he disconnected, Pendragon turned on me.

"What the hell was that about, you bitch?" he shouted, "You embarrassed me in front of Nick Fury!" I scoffed.

"You accused me of something that I didn't do! First lesson: you throw me under the bus; I use you as a meat shield! Capiche?" I snarled irritably, "Now get your scaly ass down to the pool before I throw you in myself." I turned and stalked off towards the pool. I heard Pendragon's footsteps behind me, although he said nothing. It was a very awkward elevator ride down to the pool level. I stood by the pool, and waited.

"What's the first lesson?" Pendragon asked quietly. I was surprised, he sounded normal, not angry or snide. I looked at him, a malicious grin spreading across my face. Then I shoved him into the water, hard, jumping in after him. He surfaced just before me, sputtering angrily.

"What the hell, Jack!" he shouted. Jack was his nickname for me, I didn't mind much but I figured he thought it might irritate me.

"You need to grow accustomed to your new body," I said, pausing for us both to transform, "So the first lesson is free-swim." I inhaled deeply, then ducked under the water.

With a hard swish of my fluke, I was twirling gracefully through the water. I turned around to watch Pendragon attempting to swim down. He was slow and awkward, uncertain of his motions. He was paddling with his hands. A flick of my fins and I was gliding over to him. I'd taught myself to swim without using my hands much, the wave-like flow of my body now a natural motion.

I grabbed his wrist, and he looked up at me in surprise and confusion. I held my arms in front of me, and started moving in the wave pattern. The motion started in my hands and traveled down my body to the tip of my tail. I swam around a little, then turned to check on Pendragon. He had copied the motion, and was swimming faster now. I let my arms drop, and started doing underwater laps.

My movements were fluid, swimming upside down, or twisting around like a pretzel before continuing on my path. I couldn't wait to teach Pendragon how to power-swim, moving like a torpedo and trailing bubbles in my wake. It was exhilarating, but for now I would simply paddle around.

I didn't know how long I had been swimming, or how many laps I had done when Pendragon grabbed my wrist to catch my attention. I looked over at him, startled. He had a soft smile on his handsome face, the color of his eyes muted by the water. He motioned for us to surface, and we did.

"Okay, so you wanted me to practice swimming, and I can swim now, I don't need that arm thing anymore. What next?" He asked. I blinked, my eyebrows raised in surprise. Pendragon wiped the hair off of his face, and looked at me, smiling eagerly. I motioned to the wall of the pool.

"Sit, I'll show you a few things." I said. We both swam over to the edge of the pool and hauled ourselves onto the tile, rolling up into a sitting position with our tails in the water.

"What's first?" Pendragon asked, and I realized he was excited. I wondered whether he was pretending, or if he discovered that maybe being a merman isn't so bad after all. I secretly hoped that it was the second.

"This is the first power I learned how to use," I began, holding my arm up, "It can be used offensively and defensively. The power to control water." I flexed my hand, a small tendril of water twisted from the surface and swished around.

"You hit Director Fury in the face with water. Were you using that power?" Pendragon asked. I nodded, and twisted my hand slightly. The tendril broke off at the base, and morphed into a ball. I bit my lip and started to play with the shape, morphing it into a cube, a pyramid, and a star. Pendragon's eyes were wide and his jaw slack. I smirked, then released the water.

"You try now," I told Pendragon, "Do what I do, hold your hand up like this. Then concentrate on the water; imagine your energy traveling into your hand. Flex your hand to shape it, and lift." I hoped my explanation was decent, since no one had ever explained it to me.

Pendragon's eyes narrowed in concentration, and his focus on the water meant he wasn't controlling his expression. I smiled lightly and I watched his face shifting, his eyebrows furrowing. He bit his lip. Pendragon really was pretty handsome, at least in my book. But only when he wasn't being a prick, then I hated him. I really wish he was civil more often…

"Jack!" Pendragon said excitedly, "Look!" I snapped back into focus, my cheeks burning when I realized what I'd been doing. Turning my attention to the water, I saw the surface bulge upward, trying stretch higher.

"Very good," I said, "Now twist your wrist, really pull on it." The immature part of my brain pointed out how dirty that phrase sounded, but Pendragon didn't seem to notice. He was too focused on trying to form a tendril like I had done.

"No!" He gasped, loosing his grip on the water. He was breathing hard, probably so focused he's neglected his lungs. It didn't matter much, even on land we were capable of holding our breath for extended periods of time, but it showed how much effort he'd been putting into his powers. He looked back at me, panting.

"Isn't there an easier way?" He asked. I frowned at him.

"No, there really isn't. I'd consider you lucky; I never had a teacher. All my powers I had to discover for myself. I'm still learning…" I leaned back on the floor, suddenly melancholy. I thought back to when I was newly finned, terrified and alone for the first couple of weeks. I turned aqua-phobic, refusing to go near even bottled water. I'd discovered my ability to control water in a moment of panic, when a sprinkler had turned on next to me without warning.

"You okay?" Pendragon's voice brought me back to reality. I sat up, blinking, trying to get a sense on what we'd been discussing before. A familiar sting in my eyes made me realize that I'd started to cry.

"Yes, it's nothing," I said quickly, wiping my eyes.

"You were remembering," Pendragon said before I could start instructing him again, "I know that look, you were remembering something upsetting…" I looked down, unable to confidently meet his eyes.

"I was so alone," I admitted, feeling all those unshed tears starting to break through my mask, "I didn't know anything about what I'd become, or what to do with myself. I'd never been so scared in my life." My voice cracked, and I started to cry in earnest.

"I know what that feels like, to be alone an out of place," Pendragon said softly, "I went to college at 15, I was intimidating, I didn't belong. People hated me, and I hated myself too. I was studying supers when S.H.I.E.L.D. found me, gave me some sort of purpose. I was celebrated for my skill, not shunned." He chuckled. Through my tear-fuzzed vision I could see him smile. I wiped my eyes and inhaled deeply. Gotta calm down.

"Just keep practicing, even a sphere the size of a marble is a pass in my book," my voice trembled, and I cleared my throat in an effort to get control again, "I'll be resting, come and get me once you manage that. Jarvis, could you get some music going? That song from before would be nice…" I slid into the water again, which felt cool against my puffy eyes. I sank nearly to the bottom, and began to meditate again.


It is now officially autumn, and so far I'm not "digging it". I don't like the cold at all, poor circulation means that I get ice-cold toes, even in 70 degree weather. Now that the temperature is dropping, I've been shameless in expressing my hatred for feeling cold. Another reason I'd like to be a mermaid, cold water probably doesn't equal physical pain. NOW, as for the chapter. This was a bit of what I hope was some character development. Yes, Pendragon was a prodigy, he needed some sort of skill that would make him desirable to S.H.I.E.L.D. Yay, bonding over misery. I still haven't decided where I wanted to go with these two, so don't get your hopes up because I will take delight in dashing your emotions against some sharp rocks. Thanks for reading! Ta-ta~!