It was nighttime, very late. The moon was high and the Encanto Reef was quiet. Everyone had gone back to their caves to sleep. There was only one family awake, quietly moving about their underwater town.
Pepa was on the surface, in her night dress in human form, looking after little Antonio. For some reason, the boy slept so much better when he fell asleep outside on the surface (except with his papá, who could put him to sleep anywhere, but he was busy). The merbaby cooed at his mamá, who hummed a familiar tune to him, trying to put him to sleep, though he seemed to be wide awake.
The woman hadn't really been paying much attention, but she heard a rather provoking whistle, and upon hearing it, she immediately knew where it came from. See, the Encanto reef wasn't entirely shut off, there was a way in, it was just hard to find. There was a myth surrounding the place, that there were untold riches below the water. And every once and a while, sailors, captains, and their crew would come in.
Pepa turned her eyes towards the ship. It wasn't big but big enough to where she couldn't take it on herself, not with Antonio. Moving back to her youngest, she continued to hum, but with a far different tune. She wasn't singing just to Antonio, but to anyone nearby, and those poor sailors didn't have a clue.
"My heart is pierced by cupid," Pepa sang, kissing Antonio. "I disdain all glittering gold. There is nothing can console me, but my jolly sailor bold." She said, voice echoing through the night air. She heard the sailors call for her, but she simply ignored them.
"Hey don't ignore me cariña," One of them said, and Pepa finally turned, looking up at them. "Now you'd fetch a pretty penny," he smirked and Pepa stared. Her eyes narrowed, then she gave a smile. It was...off, not sincere. It put the sailors, but they didn't comment on it.
She continued to sing to her youngest, bouncing him in her arms as she did. One of the sailors noticed the baby, and Antonio made eye contact, staring with wide eyes before giggling at his mother's song. It didn't take long for one of the other Madrigals to appear, and it was just who Pepa was hoping for; Felíx. The merman pulled himself up behind Pepa onto the rock, the captain began waving his hands trying to get Pepa's attention.
"¡Oi Señora!" He yelled, and Pepa look at him, pretending not to know Felíx was behind her. "Y-You need to come here, there's a sea devil behind you! We'll help you and...your baby?!" He said and Pepa pulled a face. Did he dare to offer help after catcalling and insulting her? He was brave.
"Hey, there's another one! There's two!" Another one shouted, pointed to the side, and there was Isabela and Dolores. They were singing, their voices hard to miss as they rested behind the rock. Pepa didn't move, and the water splashed onto her legs, revealing her yellow scales, though the ones on the boat hadn't seemed to notice.
"Hey don't those two look a little young...?" The previous one said, pointing to Mirabel and Camilo, who was slightly closer. Their voices were soft and barely noticeable, though they could still be heard. Bruno soon appeared behind them, looking upset. Luisa popped up above the water, her mother not far behind. Her father, Pedro, appeared in front of them, being closest. The sailors listened to their voices as they sang, and found themselves unable to turn away.
"Wh...huh?" The first one, probably the captain stuttered, looking at them all before his eyes fell below to the ship Something was moving below the boat, rocking it. The man cursed under his breath, trying to back away. Whatever was under the boat wasn't any siren, it was way bigger. He had heard that there was some kind of sea monster in the reef, but he didn't believe it. Well, he did now.
Turning back to Pepa, his eyes widened when he saw the woman kissing Felíx, who took Antonio in his arms and slid under the water. He thought she might've been under their song, and was about to shout out that he had taken her baby, but stopped. Pepa stood, diving into the water. Upon resurfacing, her aquatic features had come back. She gave the same smile from before to the sailor as the boat rocked harder and the family began to close in on them, some of them getting dangerously close to falling overboard. The woman held onto Felíx's arm, singing with her family.
"There is nothing can console me," she sang and the head sailor seemed dizzy, his eyes landing on Pepa. "But my jolly sailor bold."