As the waves bobbed the little boat up and down along it's surface, the young sailor sat at the front and looked out among the glistening water, the moonlight shining down and causing a gorgeous gleam on the ripples. The sailor sighed, he had been out at sea for 2 days in search of the voice he and the others back on land had heard an enchanting voice out on the water. He was nearly out of rations, he didn't have enough warmth to last him the night and his lantern wouldn't stay lit.

Just then, he heard a voice echo across the sea. The sailor grabbed an oar and began to paddle in the direction of the song. "Female...definitely female...maybe it's a mermaid?" he said to himself, turning around a group of rocks. He gasped as he rounded the corner, finding himself faced with the silhouette of a mermaid, singing out into the night.

"So, YOU are what's making that beautiful sound!" He exclaimed, the silhouette turned around and glanced at the sailor but she didn't dare make eye contact. "Come, turn and look at me" he asked her, she shook her head, "No," she replied quietly, "If I did, you would be...petrified", "Oh come now, I'm sure that can't be true...let me have a look at your beauty" he persisted.

"Beauty?" The mermaid said, perking up at the idea of someone seeing past her...her flaw. "Well... has if you insist!" She smiled, sitting up straight and turning around to face the sailor, who's face was beaming in anticipation.

But when she turned around, his face dropped into a shocked frown. He was met with glaring, yellow snake-like eyes, green scaly skin and Purple matted snake hair. "I'm so glad someone thinks that I'm pretty!" The mermaid responded, the Sailor gave a nervous smile and quiver as the mermaid inched closet, giving a toothy but well meaning grin, "My name is Cala" she said, "What's yours?" Her eyes beginning to glow.

Before she got an answer, she saw a flash of green, jolting backwards and gasping. The sailor that once stood in front of her was now a stone statue, with a look of terror entrapped in his face.

Cala sighed and sniffled, "All the Rotten Luck" she said, wiping a tear away. She sat back up on her rocks and continued singing her song.

—————

"Your majesty! This is the 5th disappearance this week!" The Police bee said, showing the picture of the sailor to the Queen. Rumor have a grumble as she took the paper and examined it, "This is getting way out of hand" she said.

The Police Bee nodded in response, "I agree, but can we do?", "Disciplinary action needs to be taken, if nothing is done then this will continue to happen until every person on the isles is a statue" Rumor said. She looked out of the window and sighed, "I just don't know what to do, she's so young" she said, The Police Bee sighed as he placed a comforting hand on the Queens shoulder, "Well there is always...The Ban" he said.

"What?! Banning ships from entering or leaving the bay?!? How will we get supplies! That's crazy!" Rumor said

The Police Bee put his hand up to speak, "Ma'am, I'm not saying ban them entering or leaving the bay but Banning Cala from leaving her cove!"

"What? But she's a kid! We can't entrap her inside her cove forever"

"Ma'am it's for the best, she is a threat to Inkwells citizens like you said, and we must take action immediately"

Rumor looked at her fellow Bee, she didn't want to, Cala was too young to have to go through that...but for the betterment of the isle...she had to.

"Sarge...call up your men, tell them to set a perimeter around Cala's cove, at once" she ordered, "As you wish your majesty" The Police Bee bower, buzzing towards the doors, "And Sarge?" Rumor called to the Bee before he flew away, "Keep all ships out of the bay until the cove is secured, no more people will go missing anymore...not on my watch" she said, The Bee bowed his head as he buzzed out of the door.

The Next morning, Cala was awoken by the sound of thudding just outside her cave. "What on earth? Oh it better not be those cup kids again" she murmured to herself as she swam to the caves exit, but soon she saw giant stone pillars and concrete walls being put around her section of the bay and when she surfaced she saw the walls had towered higher than she could jump.

"W-w-what? What's happening?" She panicked as she tried to throw herself up onto the walls but couldn't jump high enough to and fell back into the water with a splash. "HELLO?! WHATS HAPPENING?!" Cala cried, Sarge looked over the walls and sadly shook his head.

"Terribly sorry Lass, but until further notice, the Queen has decided to close off your cove to the outside, until you can gain full control of your powers and not turn every man you meet into a statue" Sarge ordered, Cala could only stare in shock at what she heard, "B-b-but I can't control my powers! I've never been able to! That's what the contract was for!" She cried, "Please let me out! I promise I won't do it again! I promise!", "I'm sorry Lass" Sarge said as he called his men and began to fly away, "Rules are Rules" he said. 

With a low buzz, Sarge and his fellow Bees flew off. Cala looked up with sad eyes as she felt a tear trickle down her cheek. The mermaid threw herself onto her rocky bed and sobbed, her cries echoing throughout the isles.

----------------------

Mugman quickly jolted up from his bed, the liquid in his head sloshed about slightly as he sat up. As he rubbed his tired eyes, he looked out the window as he heard a sad and wailing tune echo throughout the night. "Uuuggghhh" Mugman looked to see his brother tossing in his bed and covering his...ears...with his pillow. "God, make it STOP! It BURNS!" he cried. Soon, the boys grandfather, Elder Kettle, came onto their room. "Oh dear, that noise is such a nuisance" Elder Kettle sighed as he went to shut the window, "Elder Kettle, What kind of creature makes that sound?" Mugman asked as he flicked his lamp on.

The Kettle shook his head and sighed, "Oh I don't know my dear boy, perhaps it's just a dog from one of the farms", "Or it's Uncle Cagney trying to sing Falsetto" Cuphead joked, the two cups laughed as Elder Kettle walked towards the door, "Well, hopefully that blocks out the noise tonight, you two get some rest, goodnight boys" he said as he shut the door behind him. "Goodnight Grandpa" the boys said in unison as they both quietly fell asleep.

The blissful night breeze blew past their window, quietly blowing the trees about, gentle rustling of the leaves in the distance, the night was peaceful once mo-

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAHHAAAHAAAAAA

"OH COME ON!!" Cuphead and the Narrator said in unison.