Shadow leaned against the rocks as the sun warmed him. The weather was perfect for sailors. Waves lapped against the dark fin of his tail and he opened his mouth to sing.

"Don't marry that bitch," Wait, what? Shadow blinked, thinking about the words he just sang. There wasn't a ship around for miles, he slid back into the water deciding to venture a few feet away from home just to see which person wanted that desire fulfilled.

He came upon a small rowboat that seemingly had no inside until he peered over the lip of the boat. A woman. She wore a white top and a brown skirt with a captain's hat covering her face. A curious trill escaped Shadow as he observed the woman before him. Was that her desire?

"Scuse me, I'd like it if ya got away from my boat." The woman suddenly spoke, tipping the hat onto her head. She looked at him, green eyes sharp.

Shadow tilted his head at that, knowing humans spoke oddly on land. He hadn't heard this accent before, however. Maybe she was from Yond? Or some other land besides Talfryn.

"Your desire," he started, trying this new language on his tongue. It was a shame humans couldn't learn Mer, but his kind could learn all languages. Shadow shook his head as the woman sat up, leaning forward. Considering how small the rowboat was, she could easily tip over so he gently pushed her back.

"My name is Sandy," she said slowly as if he couldn't understand her. "I'm a researcher, what's your name?"

Shadow swam to the other side of the boat, letting out the series of trills and clicks that spelled his name. He watched Sandy's face scrunch up as she looked at some notebook.

"Shadow," she said eventually, earning a nod from the siren. "What would you know 'bout my desire?"

Shadow opened his mouth, swimming up until he was practically inside the rowboat. "You don't," he paused searching for the word humans used for coupling. "Marriage." his tail flickered as Sandy blinked and then frowned.

"Problem," she said in Mer, the word hissing out. Sandy sat back against the bags she brought with her. She then switched back to her language. "Huge problem cause if I get married then all my research goes down the drain and I'm stuck in some mansion, raising kids I don't want and-"

"Help! I can help." Shadow interrupted. It was his purpose after all. "Can we meet tomorrow?" he asked, slipping into the sea again as dark clouds rolled in.

Sandy smiled for the first time and Shadow found himself wanting to keep it that way. "Yes," she answered, glancing at the sky as thunder rumbled. "Tomorrow."

Sandy chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, pretending to pay attention to what Valen, her betrothed, was saying. Most of it was about their upcoming wedding and how she didn't need to worry about working anymore.

"I think," she started, cutting Valen off. "I should continue my research, it'll help a bunch of sailors and seamen when they," she stopped as Valen rolled his eyes and snorted.

"Sirens aren't real, they're a myth. All that research you're doing is a waste of time," he stood in front of her, putting a hand on her shoulder as he continued. "I'm marrying you because you're the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on, not because you believe in some silly legend." he wrapped his arms around her. "Don't you think it's time to grow up?"

Sandy pulled away from him, replying, "Don't ya think it's time for you to leave?" she turned and left before he could reply, slamming the door to her room closed.

She went over to her desk, looking at the open notebook she wrote in yesterday. The weather might not permit her to fulfill her promise, but maybe the storm would end soon.

Sandy sighed, gathering her things and making sure Valen had, in fact, left before she headed to the docks.

Rain weighed her skirt down as she pushed the rowboat into the sea, making sure her notebook was covered as she hopped in the boat and started rowing.

Shadow waited on the rocks near his home. If the storm got worse, he'd head back home and meet Sandy another day. He flicked his tail, looking up at the dark clouds spanning on for miles. He looked out at the choppy waters, seeing a familiar rowboat get rocked and splashed against the current.

He swam out, grabbing the bottom of the boat and leading it to shore. Sandy rolled out, panting as sand clung to her wet clothes. "Thanks," she wheezed, turning to face the siren. "Shadow?"

Shadow popped his head out of the water, red eyes gleaming in the dim sunlight. "Are you okay now?" he asked.

Sandy nodded, wringing out her skirt as the rain continued. Her hair stuck to her face as she smiled. She turned the rowboat on its side to protect herself from the rain and opened her notebook, looking up as Shadow swam to shore.

His tail was a beautiful black that faded to red as he moved beside Sandy, resting his head in her lap with a contented trill. Hopefully, the rain would pass soon and Sandy could ask him more about his life.

"So, I always thought sirens drowned sailors and the like when I was younger," Sandy said, running a hand through Shadow's hair. She had gotten a bit of Mer history out of him and even a tale of one mermaid that gave up her legs for a person after falling in love.

"Not true," Shadow answered. "Only Calypso did, the mother of all Mer. Sirens were created when she sang her first song."

Sandy wrote that down, closing her notebook as the rain let up but didn't stop. "You said you could help me. How?" she asked, looking out as the waves crashed against the shore and black rocks. She wasn't so sure about heading home yet. Or at all.

Shadow sat up, clicking his tongue nervously. "I. . ." he paused, switching to her language. "Transform you. That's how."

Sandy's eyes took on a shine at this information. "Can you show me?"

Shadow shook his head. He didn't want to transform her in the traditional way, but that was the only process. He clicked his tongue again, seeing her new desire form into lyrics, a song. She wanted this.

"Once it's done, you can't go back," he said, moving towards the crashing waves. He held his hand out for her to take, water slowly dragging him back into the sea.

Sandy swallowed, wincing as the cold water nipped at her legs. Shadow pulled her with him, ignoring her shocked gasp.

"What are you-?" She stopped as Shadow dragged her underwater, his lips pressing into hers. Sandy struggled against him, trying to get air until her legs ached and stuck together. She paused, melting into Shadow's embrace as she transformed.

Her tail was a deep purple and both her desires had been fulfilled.