Heart Of Stone

Chapter 53

When the Atlantian next struck, I was no better prepared. This time I was alone, aside from Rune. She had been deemed worthy of joining me alone since I was just going to the coffee shop across the street to pick up orders for the girls.

I wasn't even out of the door when I was grabbed, but I instinctively hummed loudly, causing everyone within earshot to freeze under my hypnotic spell. Even Rune was caught. Once I had calmed down a little, I looked to see the Atlantian. He wasn't alone; there were six others behind him, though thankfully they'd all been close enough for me to hypnotise them. "Seven Atlantians just for me, Attuma?" I murmured to myself as I searched through several nearby minds for any hints of other Atlantians. "I see you are desperate to capture me. Perhaps I will leave you with another message for your troubles..."

Leaving a message with the Atlantians, I sent them back to the ocean, then released everyone else from my powers once I was sure they weren't in any danger. They all blinked and looked around, dazed, but ultimately carried on with their day unaware of what had just happened.

I sighed in relief and hurried back to the tower, letting Natasha and Wanda know what had just happened when I gave them their drinks. They both frowned. "Your reaction was good," Natasha said. "But you'll need to rely less on hypnotising everyone in the area and more on just plain getting away."

"I will," I nod, seeing sense in the idea. "But when do you think Attuma will give up on me? He has already been stopped twice and I have not even had to fight yet."

"He'll come for you himself, I'm sure," Natasha shrugged. "Then let him," I say. "I can defeat the rest of his Atlantians, I can defeat him, too."

"That's the spirit," Wanda chuckled. "We can always beat this Attuma guy."

We decide to head out for another girls day. They seem to like them. Well, Wanda does. Natasha seems like she enjoys it as much as Natasha seems like she enjoys anything, in other words she almost always appears impassive. We bring Rune along, too. She likes absorbing any attention she can, though she isn't deliberately attempting to get it, she's just being herself. I can't help but smile at that.

Occasionally the girls get recognised by strangers who ask for pictures and autographs (only one of which I understand) with them. Natasha agreed to autographs, but appeared to be on a no-photographs policy. Wanda, however, was happy to do whatever anybody asked. She always was, she wanted the good publicity so people wouldn't see her as a monster and this was a quick and easy way to earn public favour.

"Hey, who's that with you?" A teenager with a little kid holding their hand asked at one point, gesturing to me. Natasha and Wanda both looked to me, throwing me the same thought; do we tell them?

In the end, we didn't have to make the decision.

"It's the Stone Siren, silly!" The younger kid said, pointing at me as well. "She was on TV! Isn't she pretty?"

It took no time at all for 'cameras' to be aimed at me and flashing, making shutter-y sounds. What do I do? I ask the girls telepathically. Natasha just shrugs, smirking, but Wanda's nicer.

Do you mind them taking these pictures?

I do not know... it is strange...

They're sort of just getting instant paintings of you.

Oh... why?

Because it seems like fame comes with the job. People like superheroes and you've joined one of the biggest superhero teams out there. People are going to want your picture. It's a common thing these days.

Oh, I see. I shall let them do as they please, I suppose.

Good. It's better to get on the public's good side than their bad side.

Not everything has changed, I see. Public appearances must be 'upkept', I believe you say these days.

'Kept up', actually, though I'm not the best with these terms either.

Alright.

So I ended up smiling politely at the people crowding around me. I even ended up signing a few autographs, but, of course, I had to sign them all in Tamatari. It was very entertaining to watch them try to make sense of the words Setseal Lyrimaid.

~•~

The seven Atlantians swam in an orderly line towards Attuma, forming a semi-circle around him. "Did you bring me the Stone Siren?" Attuma questioned, though he wasn't hopeful since he couldn't see her anywhere.

He took note of their glassy, distant eyes and sighed, realising they had failed to complete their task once again and had instead fallen victim to more mind games.

"Attuma," they all spoke in startling unison. "I am not to be taken prisoner. You shall never take me. I belong now on the surface among all who may dwell there. You shall not use me. I shall not be taken by you. My will alone is strong enough to keep me safe. Give up or I shall simply have to show you that you cannot defeat me."

The moment the last words were chanted, seven gasps filled the air as the hypnosis left the Atlantians. "Leave me at once," Attuma snapped, sending them all swimming away as though their lives depended on it. In some ways, they did.

"Another message... but still no girl," Attuma sighed irritably. "She seems to enjoy toying with every Atlantian I send after her. She never even harms them. They never have the chance to harm her. She simply sends them back in disgrace."

He watched his henchmen swim away, their movements strong and swift, cutting through the water like torpedoes. As was expected of his Atlantians. Only the best was accepted.

Yet the best wasn't good enough.

"Fine, then. If she insists on being stubborn and making a mockery of my men, I shall simply have to speak with her myself!"