The light blue waves trampled each other over and over. A man sat on the beach, staring at the setting sun. Slowly he forced himself into the water eventually dodging waves and swimming further out. He got to a lagoon where the waves were still and small, when he saw young woman under the water. He slowly ducked down to see her. He could see her features clearly, despite the salty water. She had long red hair, red eyes, a pale complexion, and a blue fishtail. She then noticed him and swam towards him. A slight smile curved on her lips.

"I'm Miki. Come, swim farther down." Miki said pulling the man down.

"I'm Leon." Leon said. Leon had a dazed look on his face and he lost all control over his mind and body. As he was dragged farther down, nearly drowning, another mermaid grabbed him. She pulled him away and up to the surface. Leon opened his blue eyes to see his rescuer. She was a pink haired woman with deep blue eyes, and a pleasant smile. One kind and caring, unlike Miki's sadistic one.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Yeah. Who are you?" Leon asked.

"Luka. It would be best for you to leave this place. Don't tell anyone you saw me or Miki. In fact try to forget us. Like this never happened." Luka said. Leon's eyes widened.

"I'm sorry for causing trouble." Leon said.

"No trouble. Just don't tell. Our ware-abouts are to be secret. People can't know we exist. We've hidden since the dark ages." Luka said.

"I won't see you again, I guess." Leon said.

"No. Probably not. But that is how it is supposed to be." Luka softly said, diving into the water. Leon closed his eyes for a second before re-opening them to see Luka already swimming far, far away with Miki beside her.

The next day Leon took a boat to the spot he encountered Luka. He pulled out a picnic basket and set it on the rock Luka placed him on the day before. Leon mimicked a call he read about online, that was supposed to make mermaids come near. It failed and he waited. Soon enough though, an hour after being there, he saw Luka. She was swimming near him. "Luka, want some lunch?" Leon asked, extending his arm to help Luka on the rock.

"Why did you come back?" Luka asked.

"Because I want to get to know you better. I'm Leon by the way. I packed us some lunch. It's beef lo mein, bocverst, cool ranch Doritos, creaser salad, and banana nut muffins." Leon said. Luka smiled.

"That's kind of you. I'll eat with you. Thanks." Luka said. Leon smiled and opened the picnic basket. He pulled out the salads first and handed Luka hers. After that the bocverst, lo mein, Doritos, and muffins. "I'm stuffed. It was all really good. I've never eaten that kind of food before."

"What do you eat normally?" Leon asked.

"Sea plants. Normally seaweed. A lot of seaweed." Luka answered.

"I normally eat hamburgers from a joint on the beach." Leon said.

"What's a hamburger?" Luka asked.

"I'll bring you one tomorrow." Leon said happily. "And also I'll bring scuba diving gear so we can swim."

"That'll be fun. I'll show you some of my favorite places outside of the city." Luka said happy with Leon's idea.

"City?" Leon asked.

"Yep. We have cities too. I live in the capital. Well I'm kinda royalty. But it's not a big deal. I have three sisters. Miki, Teto, and Meiko. I'm the oldest." Luka explained.

"Is that fun?" Leon asked.

"No, not really. I'm stuck with a lot of "Duties" and I normally have to triple up on them because my sisters are too lazy." Luka said.

"Sorry. I guess leaving the palace is a treat." Leon said.

"I always get up early so I get my portion done before lunch. Then I spend the day doing whatever. When I get back I do my sisters' work if they didn't." Luka explained. "I'm glad I met you. I have a friend now."

"No problem. I really wanted to know you." Leon said.

Over the course of a year, Leon and Luka fell in love. They married after a year, secretly, so nobody would object. Luka swam to the beach house where Leon lived, very early in the morning. Leon was waiting for her outside.

"Good morning, Luka." Leon greeted Luka.

"Morning. I'm hoping we can get some swimming in today. I wanna sneak you into the city. I got the fake tail, breathing potion, and notes." Luka said.

"That's great. I was thinking about getting you a long dress and a wheel chair so I could get you into down town." Leon said. Luka nodded her head in agreement. She then handed Leon the tail, notes, and potion.

"After breakfast?" Luka asked. Leon smiled and nodded. He went and placed a bagel on a plate and gave it to Luka.

After swimming a far distance, Leon saw a underwater city. It strikingly looked like L.A. Luka grabbed Leon's hand and led him to a store. Leon looked around, and saw it was a book store. Luka grabbed five books and placed them in the shopping basket. Leon swam to the sci-fi section and skimmed a few books. "Is there anything you want?" Luka asked.

"I don't see anything to overwhelming. Are you ready?" Leon replied.

"Yep. I'm gonna check out now." Luka said, swimming to the check out area. Leon swam to the entrance and waited for Luka. Luka swam back to him with a bag. "Ready? Next stop is the park."

"Yeah, I'm following you." Leon said. Luka led Leon to a park and they sat on a bench. Luka grabbed a book from the bag and began reading it.

"Is that the next book in that series you were reading?" Leon asked.

"Nope. It's one of those "do what I say or your kids gonna end up screwed up" books." Luka answered.

"Oh. Why don't we just wing it?" Leon asked.

"I just want all the choices on the table. And hopefully we don't end up with honey boo boo." Luka answered.

"Thanks for the nightmare." Leon said. Luka giggled.

"I was raised by a nanny so I don't know what I'm supposed to do." Luka said.

"Well I had twelve brothers so I'm also clueless." Leon said.

More good times passed after their daughter was born, but it didn't last long. The pain started on a Sunday morning. Luka was taking Rin, their daughter to Leon's house. Leon was getting the boat ready when Luka showed up. Leon smiled. "Good morning you two."

"Good morning, honey. Getting the boat ready?" Luka asked.

"Yeah. It's almost ready." Leon said. Leon put the picnic basket in the boat and pushed the boat into the water. "Ready."

"Ok. Are you gonna hold Rin?" Luka offered.

"Yes if that's ok with you." Leon said. Luka nodded and handed Leon Rin who was changing from her mermaid form to her human form. Leon smiled slightly and got in the boat. Luka got behind the boat and gave it a good shove to get it more in the water. Leon started the motor and they road to a lagoon. They stopped to have lunch on the same rock Luka and Leon met. Rin had already fallen asleep while Leon and her were on the boat.

"It's her naptime. I guess I forgot to tell you. Sorry." Luka said.

"No need to apologize. I got us two double cheese burgers, garlic fries, and coke." Leon said, opening the basket. Luka grinned and pulled out her burger. Leon started with his portion of garlic fries. Before they knew it, Miki and many other sirens pulled them into the water. Rin's form had changed back so she could breathe. Leon was holding Rin tightly against his chest as Miki tried to shove a knife through them. Luka threw herself into front of Leon, saving Leon and Rin. Miki's eyes widened. Luka pulled the knife out of her stomach and threw it into the picnic basket.

"Luka. Please forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt you." Miki cried. Luka was sinking to the bottom with Miki following her.

"Don't hurt Rin. It's all I want. Don't let her die." Luka begged. Miki embraced Luka and cried on her shoulder. "It's ok. Don't cry. Please don't cry, Miki."

"I'm sorry. I'll see that Rin lives to be an adult. I promise." Miki promised. Luka smiled at her sister and died. Tears rolled down Miki's cheeks. "Kill him, but the baby lives." Miki said. The other sirens beat Leon till he lost conciseness. Miki grabbed Rin who was crying. She swam to the city and into the palace where the king, Bruno.

"We shall have her killed. After all that man and her are the cause of Luka's death." Bruno said.

"Father, we can't kill her. She's just a baby. She did nothing to Luka. It was all Leon and we killed him already. If we kill Rin we'll kill Luka again. Luka begged for Rin's life. We should let her live for the sake that Luka would want her to." Miki begged her for her father's opinion to change.

"Then it's settled. She'll live but she's nothing more than our slave. She will live in the dungeons. Chain her up make certain that she has no chance of escape." Bruno demanded. Miki nodded and swam down to the dungeon. She chained Rin to the wall. Many chains were on her tail, torso, arms, and one on her neck. Miki left, ignoring Rin's cries.

Five year old Rin picked up the broom and began her chores. She had choppy blonde hair, pale complexion, blue eyes, and beat marks all over her. She swept the throne room before moving on to dishes. "Rin! Get over here NOW!" Teto screamed. Rin ran to Teto who had a firm grip on a whip.

"Yes, ma'am?" Rin answered.

"You are late." Teto said in a angry voice.

"I'm sorry. Nobody let me out until just now so I wasn't able to get breakfast on the table. Please forgive me." Rin said in a shaky voice.

"We have rules. And rules are not to be broken. You broke a rule, so you'll be punished." Teto said firmly. Teto cracked the whip a few times, getting it ready. Rin tightened up her skin, hoping it would hurt less.

"Teto, you don't know how to use that. Hand it over." Meiko demanded. Teto handed the whip to Meiko. Meiko cracked the whip a few times beat Rin five times with it. Rin lost her bowing position and collapsed onto the floor. "You are the most worthless servant we have. Miki chain her up. I don't want to deal with her today." Miki nodded and picked up Rin. She carried Rin to the dungeon and chained her up again. Rin opened her eyes to see Miki walking away.

"Princess Miki?" Rin began.

"Yes." Miki said turning around to face Rin.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble. You've been so kind to me. I want to treat you to something nice when I get the money." Rin said. Miki swam closer.

"That's going to be a very long time. You can't get a job until you're eighteen and ready to leave this place."Miki explained.

"Oh, ok. Miki why did mommy and daddy leave me?" Rin asked. Miki froze, then took a deep breath.

"I don't know, honey. It's sad, but true. I found you all alone in a sea cave." Miki said.

"I guess I'm lucky for all the mercy I get here." Rin said as Miki walked away.

"Rin, don't listen to her. She lied to you. I saw everything five years ago." a boy said swimming closer. "I'm Oliver. I saw what really happened to your parents."

"Hello, Oliver. Please tell me." Rin said.

"Miki and other sirens attacked your parents and you two weeks after you were born. Miki killed your mother and father. Your mother, Luka was her sister. She spared you though upon your mother's request. I saw this when I was hiding in a sea cave. I was arrested because I saw her. You're father is dead along with your mother. I'm sorry." Oliver explained. Rin's eyes began to water.

"Why did she do that?" Rin cried.

"I don't know sweetie. It's all ok. I promise I'll be here for you." the twelve year old said, swimming closer so he could embrace Rin. Rin softly whimpered in Oliver's shoulder, while Oliver held her.

Years past, and Rin continued to receive abuse from Miki, Teto, and Meiko until a decree was made. Rin was to be killed. The fourteen year old swam slowly towards the guards who led her to a room. Inside were other people chained up in a line. At one end of the line was a woman who was injecting some drug into the people. After that they were passed off to another person who had an electric eel whip. Rin was very familiar with them because she got beat with them every day. At the ends were sting ray stingers, so it would hurt very badly. Especially the fact you're getting electrocuted and possibly poisoned at the same time. After that was a man who would throw you into separate rooms. Rin stood in the line chained in-between two large men. One had blood dripping out of the side of his mouth and the other a discomforting smirk that felt dark and unsettling when you saw it. Rin stared at her feet, frightened about what would happen to her. Would she just be killed or would they torcher her? She was scared of what sights she'd see. Would there be corpses everywhere or would she be alone? Before she knew it she was at the lady's station, where her arm was stabbed with a needle that injected an unknown drug into her. Then the whippings which were nothing compared to Meiko's, and then a man tossed her into a room. In it was many people. Most were children. Some were dead and others were very much alive. Rin hid in the corner, trying to imagine herself in heaven, with her mother, father, and Oliver. It felt so close but so far to her.

Another man went through the room and gathered a few kids to take with him. Among him was Rin, shaking in fear. He dropped the other children off at a place called, "Disposal Center." Rin was alone now. The man escorted her to a area, far, far away from the city. He chained Rin up in a coral reef. One she would never escape. The man put a steel gate over the entrance. The bottom was twelve feet below the top of the coral, and the chains were all over her. She wouldn't live long. Rin knew there was no point in trying to escape, all she could do was cry. Nobody would save her, but she had to cry. Cry all the tears she had held back since she was a child. Rin didn't try to stop the tears, she let them fall freely down her cheeks. The man just chuckled, amused with Rin's suffering. He then swam away leaving Rin all alone. Just like everyone else in her life. Rin couldn't help but scream when A group of merfolk came to watch her die. She had never been so frightened. Even when she watched Oliver be dragged away be soldiers and never saw him again, she wasn't as afraid as she was during that time. People gambled, guess when she'd die and laughed at her as she whimpered to herself. One woman was telling her husband how enjoyable this execution was compared to the last. The man nodded and threw a knife at Rin, who was cut on her arm. Rin cried even more, unable to understand why everyone wanted her to suffer and be in pain. She screamed again, causing the crowed to cheer. Rin sighed, they weren't going to leave until she died.

A month passed and Rin was still hanging on. She was starving but was alive. Rin tried to ignore her growling tummy but couldn't. She was hoping death would hurry up and take her, so she would feel better. So she could embrace Oliver who was like an older brother to her. So she could see her parents and hopefully be loved by them. She wanted to die and end her pain. The several cut marks on her, the bit marks from unfriendly fish, the constant fear, she just wanted it to end. Barely anyone every came to watch her now. Only a few who would normally throw knives at her to cut her, or would just ignore her. Rin didn't dare to speak to them. She was too scared. It was bad enough they thought of her as some kind of entertainment but the words they might say would hurt more. She knew it. As the last person left, Rin slowly lied her head against a rock, falling asleep, going to a paradise that would fade in the morning.