The Dark Of Our Worlds

Periculum Ignotum

There were others. 

It seemed almost unreal, like a dream, seeing them; a trio of torsos emerging from the waves, bones and teeth as sharp as blades with eyes that could pierce metal looking directly at her, muscular tails keeping them afloat as they waved gently below the surface. 

Lorelai almost didn't recognise them at first; nor did she recognise herself in them - but what they were was undeniable. They were sirens. The same as her yet different in a way. They looked somehow between the humanoid appearance Lorelai bore and the images of Stage 3's Horace had shown her. Their skin held a blueish tinge, but wasn't quite putrid. Their teeth, exposed in their smiles, were sharp yet not quite vampiric. They, unlike Lorelai were free and, as much as she didn't want to admit it, everything she had always longed to be.

"Lorelai Kozlovsky," A voice danced its way across the water "we've been waiting for you"

Lorelai's heart dropped.  That name... She hadn't heard that name in nearly three quarters of a century. It was like someone had grabbed her by the tail and pulled her back into the past.

"Now don't be shy," a second voice added "come over here, let us see you"

She did not move.

"Don't worry dear" The first voice called "We shan't hurt you"

Against her better judgement, Lorelai approached. Finally, she could see them properly. The woman in the middle, evidently the eldest, with white-blonde hair was looking at her with a warm gaze. The one on the left, a brunette with scars littering her face, was glaring at her with something between distrust and bemusement. The one on the right wasn't looking at her at all; simply giving her a view of the back of her head.

"Why, she looks exactly like we thought she would" The central woman said "doesn't she Corlene?" 

The red-head on the right looked at her briefly, nodded to the others, and turned away again. 

Lorelai could do nothing but stare at her, bewilderment at her behaviour viewing. She was only interrupted when the centre continued "You'll have to forgive her, she's not the most open to new additions, you should have seen her when Florence here first joined. The ocean went cold"

The woman on the left, learnt to be Florence, smiled slightly. "I must say, it took you far longer to arrive than it did I? Why the hesitation?"

"I'm sorry?" Lorelai questioned "I don't understand what your asking"

"You didn't really think those urges to run away have been your own mind did you?" Corlene hissed "Really? You didn't think to question it?"

This further confused her. 

"Perhaps we should allow Willa to explain, before we criticise her. Don't you think?" Florence scolded.

"Of course of course" The central woman said, before turning to Lorelai "I take it you understand what you are, to an extent?" Lorelai nodded "Well, once a Siren reaches maturity, there are certain things she develops an ability for. Now, these aren't noticeable, and so they need teaching to her by an elder; because of this, the subconscious attempts to guide the siren to her nearest pod, if she is not already with them. That is why you have been having  these flight urges for so long. I must say, you have done a better job at resisting than most."

It was like something in her clicked. Every time she had fled, throwing herself into the ocean with no particular destination in mind, suddenly felt explained. The longing to run, with no reasonable explanation. Another thing that hit her, was that the feeling of worthlessness that had plagued her at the loop, forcing her to run, had utterly vanished. 

"Do you happen to have vivid memories of something that never happened?" Florence asked.

Lorelai nodded.

"That's another thing that happens, if the previous urges are ignored or a flight attempt failed. It's supposed to encourage a feeling of discomfort around being where you are"

"I think- maybe..." Lorelai stuttered.

"You need a moment?" Guessed Florence

"Yeah."

A/N - Heyyyyyyyyyy