Janus looked up through his hair at the quiet merman in the tank. He looked back at his book. It had been surprisingly silent since he'd gotten back. And while it had been nice in the beginning, Janus couldn't help but notice the ever-growing number of scratches that littered Remus' arms and chest.

Janus clicked his tongue against his teeth. "You okay?" He asked, turning a page in his book.

"No." Remus said numbly. And slightly more uneasy silence settled in the cell.

Janus pursed his lips. "What's wrong?" He tried.

"Why do you care?"

"Good question."

"Doesn't have a good answer, I'll bet." He looked over at Janus and a little light seemed to have gone out in his eyes. "You don't care, do you?" He held Janus' gaze for what felt like an uncomfortably long time, though it was only really a few seconds, before looking back at his tail. "You really don't, do you?"

"Why should I?" Janus asked, trying to get a reaction, any reaction, out of Remus.

Remus crossed his arms. Not moodily or angrily, he just crossed them. "Exactly what I've been saying."

"Hey Logan?" Patton asked, as if he'd just had a thought. Logan looked up at him.

"Hm?"

"How did you know my song?"

"You're song?" Logan repeated, mystified.

"You know, the 'one, two witch's shoe' thing."

"Oh, that." Logan paused, thinking. "I've a rather good memory. I suppose I must've just picked it up. Why?"

Patton shrugged. "Remember what I was saying about you reminding me about someone?"

Logan nodded slowly. "Your childhood friend, correct?"

"Mhm." Patton beamed one of his grins that always seemed to make Logan feel odd and not empty. "Yeah, I just made up the rhyme with them. So I just thought..."

"You hoped I might have some connection to them, correct?" Patton nodded and Logan looked down at his tail. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, then, Patton. But I've always lived as a mermaid, as far back as I can remember."

"That's not disappointing at all, Kiddo. You're still my Kiddo, no matter what." Patton beamed at him before going back to his sketch.

"What about witch's shoe?"

"Huh?" Patton looked up.

"Witch's shoe." They repeated. "For the rhyme."

Patton looked at the sand before a little spark seemed to go off in his mind and he looked up at his friend, grinning. "That's amazing Kiddo!" He yelled excitedly, jumping up, his stick-and-sand sketch momentarily forgotten. "Yes, that'd work perfectly! One, two, witch's shoe. Three, four... Green Man's door!" He clapped his hands excitedly. "Five, six, dragon sticks-"

"Dragon sticks?" They repeated doubtfully.

"Yeah. You know, those fiery sticks that Em always insisted were from when dragon's had roamed Risuca?"

They nodded. "That works, yeah."

Patton beamed. "Five, six, dragon sticks. Seven, eight-" Patton stopped, the smile falling from his face. "Seven, eight, what?"

"Seven, eight, mermaid's fate?" They asked shyly.

Patton's face fell back into its usual wide grin. "Yes! Yes, that's brilliant, Kiddo! Seven, eight, mermaid's fate. Nine, ten, fairy glen."

"Eleven, twelve, dancing elves." His friend finished off quietly.

"You are brilliant, Kiddo!" Patton said excitedly. "Yes, yes, that's amazing!"

They smiled at the sand shyly before looking up at a yell. "That's my dad." They said, the smile falling from their voice. "I'd better go."

Patton waved at them as they got up. "Bye, Kiddo!"

Do I know where this story is going? No, no I do not. Not at all.
Bye,
Blaize