Three women and one man sat watching the sunset turn to dusk.  The man had a finely honed body, and wore robes of red.  The woman closest to him, and mostly resembled him, wore robes of shiny blue, almost as if her garments were made of fish scales.  She wore a starfish in her thick and tightly curled hair.  Another woman had many beads of red, decorating her body and coiling into her braided hair in Igbo fashion.  The woman with the lightest skin, of caramel shade, and the loosest curls, wore a more simple outfit of the Dahomey, though her fabric appeared of Berber design.

"So where do you ladies wish to go?" asked the man, named Shango.

"So many places to go," said the lovely starfish girl.  "I am so excited!  I truly can't decide."

"I don't think I'm ready to go to my home yet," said Dulce, the woman of caramel tone.  "I have a feeling that if I go back, I may not wish to continue this journey."

"Me too," said the woman of red beads.  "My mother fully expects me to come back and take my role as High Queen in Igbo lands."

"What is so wrong about that?" asked Star.

"Nothing," said Ahuana.  "It's just that for now I feel like I should be in the water."

"Why don't we go searching for our relatives in the water, then?" asked Shango.  "Star has some cousins I'm sure she would love to meet."

"And I am sure most of them would love to meet her," said Ahuana.

"Only some of them?" asked Star.

"We had a few that were banished for bad behavior," said Shango.

"I've heard of that," said Dulce.  "Didn't you get to meet them, Ahuana?"

"I did."

"Oh, tell me all about them," said Star.

"You are not missing out on much," said Ahuana.  "They aren't bad, just spoiled entitled brats.  Like grandmother Olokun owes them or something."

"Oh, that's so sad," said Star.

"I'm sure that Star would like to meet them anyway," said Shango.

"Oh I would.  I would!" said Star.

"Very well," said Ahuana.  "But be on guard.  Some of these offspring are feisty and will attempt to kill you on sight."

"What?  Kill us?" said Dulce.  "Ahuana!  I thought you said they weren't bad?"

"I suppose that could make them bad," said Ahuana.  "But we are immortal.  We only pass on if we choose to."

"She has a point," said Shango.

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Star.  "Let's go!"

"I'm going to enjoy your enthusiasm," said Dulce with a dry smile.

"Me too," said Ahuana.

Shango simply rolled his eyes with a smile, too polite to say out loud, "Silly girls!"

They set out their journey into the sea, each with their own set of fins.  Ahuana appeared with the brilliant fins of a lion fish, her fans filling out gracefully along her tail.  Star was a sparkling shade of blue, mirroring her mother Yamaya.  Shango's tail matched his former robes of scarlet.  This time, even Dulce had a tail instead of her former bubble, in the shade of a soft pink.

The ocean above grew darker as they neared the depths.  Not even Mawu's Moonbeams would be able to reach them.  Soon they would encounter the creatures of the deep. 

A screeching was heard in the distance.

"What was that?" asked Dulce, her voice full of concern.

"It sounds...frightening," said Star.  Her voice slightly quivered.

Shango said nothing.  His body began to glow.  The water began to bubble around him as his body temperature rose.

Ahuana let out her underwater growl.

"Siren!" she cried.  "Show yourself!"

A mermaid speedily made her way in their direction.  Like Star, she had a full head of tightly curled hair, and skin of a deep and dark complexion; but that's where their similarities ended.  Star appeared more human like.  This approaching mermaid moved in a more snake like fashion, and spikes came out about her tail and spine.  She also had finned fingers, and her teeth were more pointed like a predator.

"She's coming straight for us!" said Dulce, sensing danger.

"...Cousin?" said Star tentatively. 

The creature paused.  It was only for a moment.  Sensing this was the weaker target, she aimed for her throat and heart.  With a screech, she snapped her tail, sending spikes flying.  Shango held out his hand, heated rays incinerating the spikes before they could reach her.  Star screamed, and Dulce hugged her close.  Ahuana let out her lioness roar, and began to fight her.

They danced their underwater dance of death, dodging and striking.  Ahuana managed to give out the first strike, then the second.  The siren let out several jabs, but never was able to make contact.  With a scream of rage, she finally swam away.

"I'm impressed," said Shango.

"So am I," said Dulce.

"What was that?" asked Star.

"That was one of your cousins, of the siren clan," said Ahuana.

"Why was she like that?"

"She has been alone too long," said Ahuana.

"Will I turn into that one day?" asked Star.

Shango snorted while Dulce said, "Oh no, dear.  You are much to gentle for that."

"Do all sirens act that way?" asked Star.

"Only if they choose to be," said Shango.  "We all come into this world soft.  At one point, we will all suffer, for with it brings growth.  But some however, will break and turn into the wounded."

"Is that what she was?" asked Star.  "Wounded?"

"The lonely and brokenhearted will stoop to anything," said Ahuana.

"Though some people are neither lonely or brokenhearted, and are simply selfish people," said Dulce.

"Who we are is left solely to us," said Shango.  "Come.  We must continue.  Aunt Olokun is beckoning us."

They went further down to the ocean depths, and at the very bottom, they found a glowing light.  It sparkled beneath is glorious patterns. 

"What is that?" asked Star.

"Is that Olokun?" asked Dulce.

"It is!" said Ahuana, full of wonder.  "She has taken on a new form!"

Like a giant, glowing cap, bold and beautiful, the puffing jellyfish pulsed on top of Olokun's head.  Long tendrils came out of her cap, appearing like hair.  Her skin glowed with a silvery light on her human face, arms and torso.  Where her legs would be, were more jellyfish tendrils, appearing more like the frills of a beautiful skirt.

A light appeared.  The form came with a torso of a man, but very frail and ethereal looking.  His skin, much lighter than even Dulce's, appeared blue from Olokun's light, with a woman's Berber tattoos decorating his skin.  His fish like tail was so beautiful, it could rival even Yamaya's.  His hair was much different than everyone else's.  While the ladies hair remained full and retained their shape, his would fan out or flow like the water itself.

"Magec!" cried out Dulce.  "I would recognize you anywhere!"

"Dulce!" said the beautiful creature.  "Come and give me a hug!"

The ladies passed out their hugs, while Shango stood by, content just to watch.  Queen of Queens, Olokun, was ready to make a new race; and Magec, her consort, was more than eager to see her again.  They talked and visited on the ocean floor of the deep, Magec explaining of his and Olokun's daughter, Sunshine, taking his place in his absence.

"Sunshine sounds wonderful," said Star.

"She is," said Magec with a dreamy smile.

"I concur," grinned Olokun.

"I would love to meet her," said Star.

"So you shall," said Magec. 

Olokun raised her hand in a blue beam of light.  In that moment, all but her and Magec disappeared.

"Come here, my darling," she said to her lover.  "I have waited long."