The Offer

Looking at Evelyn in bewilderment, Thia was speechless despite the stinging pain still on the tips of her fingertips.

 "You okay?" Evelyn asked. "You're looking at me like you've seen a ghost." She puts a hand out and says, "Sorry about your hand. Give it to me. I can make the pain go away."

 "Really?" Thia managed to get out.

 Evelyn nodded, she grabbed her hand, and she pulled Thia onto her feet. "It's a big city and I clearly do not want someone to take my money, so I enchanted it to protect it." She touched her fingertips on Thia's and was able to absorb the heat element from them.

 Thia touched her hand and then looked at Evelyn and then looked down and with a shy tone said, "Thank you."

 "Not a problem. So, will you tell me your name now?" Evleyn asked.

 Thia lifted her head to look at her and said, "My name- my name is Thia. Thia Riddick."

 "Thia," Evelyn smiled. "Beautiful."

 Thia began to blush at the sound of her name off Evelyn's tongue.

 "Wow. This girl is extremely shy," Evelyn thought.

 "So, you're a Siren? And you're fast too!" Evelyn said with excitement.

 Thia looked at Evelyn and said, "I'm a what?"

 Putting her hands on her hips, Evelyn said, "Right. Another person who has no idea what that is."

 "I saw that under your name on your poster," Thia added. "A Siren, what is that?"

 Evelyn pointed to the white mark slightly showing on Thia's leg and said, "Is there a place where we can talk?"

"We're home!" Thia called out walking through the door of her and Rio's apartment with Evelyn following her.

 "We're? As in WE are?" Rio said rushing out of the kitchen and at the sight of Evelyn shrieked and said, "HI! HELLO! COME IN! COME IN! SIT DOWN PLEASE!" She gestured to a table near the kitchen. As they sat down, Rio sprinted to the kitchen and screamed, "We better have three bowls! Let's see! Oh yes! There we go! Alright!"

 Evelyn sniffed the air and with a smile guessed, "Tomato curry with potatoes, carrots," she sniffed once more and then added, "With soft boiled eggs and rice?"

 Popping her head out of the kitchen, Rio said, "Wow. Uhh… Yeah."

 "That's an impressive nose you have there," Thia said. "That's my kid sister, Rio."

 "She's cute," Evelyn smiled as Rio exited the kitchen with the food and placed a bowl in front of each of them.

 "Thia isn't one for the kitchen. She can make a mean cereal and milk though," Rio smiled as she sat down.

 "We have a guest and you're embarrassing me," Thia said in a low tone.

 "And you're the one who taught me not to lie to people," Rio smiled. "I'm sorry but it's not too often Thia brings a guest over! Well, actually, she never does!"

 "Well I'm honored to be the first!" Evelyn laughed as she was casually mixing the curry with her rice. "Anyway, Rio, my name is Evelyn. You look so young! How old are you, if I may ask?"

 "17!" She said excitedly, "But I turn 18 next week!"

 "How awesome! I turn 20 next week too! What day?" Evelyn replied.

 "My birthday is the 19th!" Rio replied.

 "NO WAY!" Evelyn said excitedly. "Mine too!"

 Thia was smiling at the exchange her sister was having with Evelyn. What Thia didn't know was why she was so infatuated with Evelyn and the question burning in her mind from earlier.

 "So," Thia cut in. "Can you tell me what a Siren is now?"

 "Siren?" Rio said. "I think I saw that word under a poster on the bulletin this morning?"

 "So she was able to read it too? I should probably do a quick scan of the two to actually give them correct info," Evelyn thought.

[Scanning in Progress…]

[Complete]

[Results]

[Thia Riddick]

[Age: 24]

[Species: Siren]

[Siren: "Spartning"]

[Translation: Speed]

[Scanning in Progress…]

[Complete]

[Rio Riddick]

[Age: 17]

[Species: Human -Unawakened Siren]

[Siren: Undetermined until awakening at the age of 18]

"Wow. Both of them are Siren's! Or at least Rio is a 'Siren-to-be' until next week. Well, I'm definitely staying for that! I'll need to ask King Neptune if two Siren's being related is common." Evelyn thought.

 "Right," she finally said. "How do I put this? A Siren is not exactly human, or at least, not anymore."

 "I'm sorry, but what?" Thia said. "Are you trying to say I'm some type of alien or something like a fishman or merfolk?"

 Laughing, Evelyn responded, "Oh no. No. No. Not at all. Furthest thing from it. Well, you see, our existence, for some reason, has been erased from textbooks for a long time. The Orc War that we at least know of, was ended by the Siren's. But for some reason, we've been erased of being mentioned."

 "What's a textbook?" Rio asked. "Is that different from a regular book?"

 "What?" Evelyn replied with wide eyes.

"Sorry about that," Thia said. "Our parents died when I was 16 and Rio was much younger, and I have been homeschooling her ever since. Once our parents died, funds were no longer coming in so we couldn't continue going to school. Even now it's hard to come by money so I can only teach her as much as I know," Thia said as she put her hand on Rio's.

 "That sounds rough," Evelyn said. "I guess I can relate, kind of. I didn't know my parents, but unlike you, mine abandoned me. Though, the government of the island I was on funded my learning. Yours doesn't do that?"

 "Are you kidding?" Thia laughed. "Do you know anything about Sharsen? We had a nice respectable King until around the time our parents died. And then a Pirate conqueror by the name of Captain Bardrick of the Barbarian Pirates came in and killed him and took control of the country. Several Kingdoms came in to overthrow him. After many losses, now they just kind of turn a blind eye to us."

 After taking the time to process what Thia said, Evelyn spoke up, "Wow. That's fucked."

 "Right?" Rio chimed in.

 "But it didn't look like the country is under an unruly rulers reign near the port earlier," Evelyn said. "I mean I imagine a place to be in shambles."

 "He's doing the best to try to win over the people but to the bone he's a sadistic fucker," Thia said angrily.

 "Prying too much will just make her angrier," Rio whispered to Evelyn.

 "Could we maybe back track to Siren's?" Thia asked composing herself.

 "Right," Evelyn said. "So, I am a Siren. Specifically, the Siren of Volgma. Translated to our language means Fire." Addressing Thia, she said, "Analyzing you, I imagine the reason why you appeared next to me out of thin air, you have the power of speed?"

 "I didn't appear to you out of thin air. I was trying to pickpocket you and that coin purse of yours was on fire!" Thia burst out. "But yeah, I can run fast."

 Evelyn smiled and said, "You're the Siren of Spartning. It translates to our language as Speed."

"So, I'm just-"

 "And Rio," Evelyn interrupted Thia, "I don't know what you are yet but I sense you too are a Siren. Just not yet."

 "Wait a minute. Hold on. You're saying my sister is one of these Siren's or whatever's too?" Thia said.

 "Really?" Rio's eyes lit up with stars. "What am I?"

 "No clue," Evelyn said taking a bite of her food. "Oh my. This taste is exquisite. If it's a possibility, chef would be cool power."

 Rio was looking at Evelyn dumbfounded yet blushing from the compliment. She then said, "What do you mean you don't know?"

 "Siren powers awaken at the age of 18. As of right now, you're a normal human," Evelyn replied.

 "The way you say that feels really underwhelming," Rio says.

 "Underwhelming, overwhelming, how about when you're in between those emotions just say you're whelmed." Evelyn smiled, "Anyway, that's why you were able to read the poster. All posters are the same but for those who have powers, there is a spot that only others with powers can read. Technically, bounty hunters without powers, when going into a battle, are sometimes blindsided by someone with powers. You're still unawakened, but you were still able to read the special print."

 "I just thought we were just weird," Thia said.

 Evelyn looked around the room, "Weird, maybe. But rich if you compare the neighborhood with what you have in your apartment."

 "Oh, we don't have any money," Thia added. "Or at least not much."

 "Did you spend it all on this stuff?" Evelyn asked as she got up and walked over to the TV. "Where I'm from these things are nowhere near this big." And then she looked behind it, "And it's flat too. The ones I've seen are small and look like a box."

 "Well I'll say it again, we're not rich," Thia laughed.

 "Thia is a thief!" Rio burst out with excitement. "She meets people, becomes their friend, and takes their stuff!"

"I see," Evelyn says. "She just said that like it's not something to be concerned about. More like it's encouraged." She then thought.

 Rio got up picking up all their bowls as she asked Evelyn, "So what are you doing here on our ever-so-sorry lovely country?"

 "That's a sorry way to sugar coat it," This chuckled.

 Smiling, Evelyn responded, "Well, I guess to say it simply, I'm a pirate."

 Thia and Rio stopped dead in their tracks and both slowly turned their heads to stare at Evelyn.

 "You guys okay?" Evelyn then said confused by their expressions.

 "You're a pirate?" Rio said. "Like murdering, pillaging, conquering, and other unthinkable acts?"

 "I saw your wanted poster, but I thought it was a joke when I actually saw you," Thia said.

 "Wow," Evelyn said putting her hands on her hips. "From the sound of it, Pirates get a bad wrap around here."

 "I saw your ship. Those people you were with were trading with merchants for sea beast parts. You sure you're a pirate?"

 Evelyn sat on their couch and laughed a little and said, "That's true. You see, yes pirates do what you said, but not all. There are many different types of pirates out there. What their focus on is all up to their captain. My captain prefers beast hunting. He's been focused on it his whole life. So, it's what we do."

 "How does beast hunting make you a pirate? I heard nobles do it all the time." Thia asked.

 "Protocol," She responded. "When it's on land, sea, or in close proximity to a town, people or whatever, you must take care of the beast with caution. My crew has told me it's law. We do not give a fuck and go in gung-ho," Evelyn answered.

 Rio said, "Thia," and Thia looked at her sister and knew what she was about to say. "Do you fight beasts on land too?"

 "I guess. Yeah," Evelyn said with a questionable look on her face.

 "There's a dragon in the mountains close to our shore here. It hasn't caused any problems for the people yet but the people who have gone to kill it never come back. But they're just normal people. If you guys are professionals, there's that." Thia said.

 Evelyn smiled after thinking about it and said, "Sure, I'll check it out. But why don't you come with me?"

 "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND?" Thia exclaimed.

 "Yes," Evelyn said quickly.

 "Oh," Thia said with a moment of silence and then said, "No."

 "My question wasn't halfhearted," Evelyn continued. "So, I'm a Siren, you're a Siren, you will be a Siren, and so on. Yes, I'm currently on a crew but I will be going on my own eventually as a Captain and I'm going to need a crew. Not sure of the name yet but I want to recruit Sirens for my crew. I for sure have one person. She's not a Siren but she has powers, and her grandmother was one. My boyfriend Jackson, I believe will come with me too. If he loves me enough. Though our nighttime activities say he does."

 "So you're trying to recruit us?" Thia said looking at Rio who was only pondering the offer. "What exactly could you promise us for this type of future?"

 "A life away from this continent you talk bad about is for starters," Evelyn responded. She studied the look on their faces and then said, "Here. How about this, I take care of the dragon and when I get back, you let me know. If you say no, I guess I understand." She looks at Rio and says, "But I will retaliate if you and I can't celebrate our birthday together."

 Rio gave a nervous smile.

 "I promise to be back. Alive and in one piece," Evelyn said as she walked out the door.

 Once she stepped out the door a message popped up in front of her.

[New Mission: Befriend the dragon]

[Reward: Instant Level up]

"Befriend? Are people trying to kill the dragon why nobody has returned?" Evelyn thought with unease.

 She walked down the stairs from Thia and Rio's apartment and stopped nearby in a dark corner as she looked at the notification she'd put off for a while now, so nobody thought she's look weird staring off into space and moving her arms around like a person on drugs. She opened the notification menu.

[Mission: Find the Siren: Completed]

[Rewards: Instant Level Up, New Title, 2 extra stat points]

[Congratulations! You are now level 11]

[1 level up stat point]

[New Title Obtained: Siren Sister] [Mag: +5] [Agl: +3] [Vit: +5]

[2 additional stat points awarded]

[Additional Reward: Coin: +500]

"Oh finally. A new title," Evelyn smiled.

[Level: 11]

[Current exp: 0/500]

[Species: Siren]

[Class: Brawler – Level 7]

[Current exp: 0/175]

[Title: Master Chef] [Agl: +2] [Vit: +2]

Evelyn changed her title.

[Title: Siren Sister] [Mag: +5] [Agl: +3] [Vit: +5]

[Stats:]

[Strength: 19]

[Vitality: 19] [+2] – [HP – 210]

[Defense: 17]

[Agility: 19] [+3]

[Magic: 21] [+5] – [MP - 520]

[You have 3 assignable stat points]

[Stat points have been applied.]

[Stats:]

[Strength: 20]

[Vitality: 20] [+2] – [HP – 220]

[Defense: 17]

[Agility: 19] [+3]

[Magic: 22] [+5] – [MP - 540]

"Ah, I see. No real benefits at level 11 I see. My Magic is lower but I'm not wearing armor or gauntlets right now, so it makes sense," Evelyn thought. She dismissed the system screen and staring back at her were two dark skinned boys in black jackets. "Uh… Hi."

 "Do you mind coming with us?" The taller one asked.

 "Do I have to?" Evelyn asked. "If they've been standing here this entire time, they probably think I'm crazy."

 "I think it would be in your best interest to just do what we say," the boy said.

 "I prefer to live life on the edge," And Evelyn blasted off away from them with Flame step.

 "Oh son of an Orc. Mom and Dad never said she had powers! Arland, did you know this?" The boy yelled.

 "James, you don't listen much, do you?" Arland said.

 "I listen just fine. But I don't remember either of them saying that!" James said looking out at the smoke Evelyn left in the trail of where she took off.

 "I mean it wasn't briefed in the assignment, but they've said it in the past. And with mom, it should have been obvious that she should have powers, you know." Arland smiled.

 "You're really talking like a know-it-all asshole right now," James said angrily.

 Arland handed James the wanted poster of Evelyn their father had given them and said, "Read the special print. It says Siren, you shit-for-brains. That's why I kept pestering you that this wouldn't be easy but you're just all high and mighty trying to be a hard ass First Mate." Arland said.

 "Just shut your fucking mouth already. Look around for a bit then meet back up at the ships. You're really getting on my nerves." James said, storming off.