Waking up the next day was not as smooth as I`d hoped.

The pounding headache brought on by the lights of the hyper pod was bad enough. However at least the soothing tiny waves of water helped dull the pain a little.

I wrestled with the idea of getting up at all, turning over and thinking before giving up and just being content to drift back to sleep again.

But the sounds of footsteps down stairs and the precise bangs of granddad`s walking stick, right under my pod was more than enough to throw that idea out the window.

Turning round my tail reached up to flip the pod open, making sure not to get water all over my floor. Real daylight flooded into my barely open eyes and I wince back a little.

Stretching, I throw my tail over the side of my pod. Although with it being first thing in the morning, it was stiff and more difficult than it should have been.

"Cynthia down here now"

I wince once again as Gran voice, quite loudly, echos in my head. Thankfully shifting meant an automatic clothes change too, however my silvery hair decided it was going to take a little longer to change, long strands clinging to my neck as I stagger out the room.

"So M.Y.T.H called last night, why exactly were you caught outside the walls? and in the sea no less"

I hadn't even finished walking down the stairs before Gran starts speaking. I was not built for a mental conversation in the morning and for a moment I was confused as to where she was, it was only the sounds of buttering toast that led me to the kitchen.

From a first glance you couldn't tell she was my gran, even now her face was light and almost youthful looking. Soft onyx black hair fell round her face and framed fiery auburn eyes

Like usual, her black and white scarf was wrapped snuggly round her neck, a piece I`d grown used to seeing over the years. 

"I just wanted to swim is all" She huffs and I know I`m in for a long lecture.

"We have the pools for that, and what were you thinking going out so late. I thought you of all people were smarter than that, I really did. I hope-" As she`s ranting she turns round to breakfast and angrily beats at the eggs, the noise only adding to my headache.

Ugh definitely too early for all this.

"Well from that sound I`d say your gran is having her say" and to complete the morning, granddad comes through the door, walking cane in hand.

"Ahh Saph I forgot my cup, can you get it from upstairs?" He receives a nod from her as she leave, but not before she give me a mental "I`m not done yet".

"Here" a letter is placed in front of me, the same letter that I`d handed him the night before, after of course a shorter, much more direct and considerably more intimidating telling off that only granddad could pull off.

"And? what do you think?" I look over to him as he sits down slowly, carefully placing his cane against the table. Almost seeming like he was trying to draw out his answer. 

"I think M.Y.T.H is trying to protect you and that this seems to be the only way" to be honest, this wasn't the answer I wanted to hear.

"Somehow being watched 24/7 doesn't seem appealing, even if its for my protection." A gruff laugh echoes through the kitchen and I play with the artificial fruit bowl at the center of the table.

"That's life" He shrugs.

"How come the elders haven't heard anything about this? I`m pretty sure missing sirens would have spread like wildfire by now" It was strange that there was no word anywhere about this.

"Well from what the little birdies tell me. Those sirens hadn`t been seen for a long time, much longer than when they were reported missing. But if that`s true or not, I cant tell you" He takes a puff of his cig.

"But, if all else fails you can just ice glare them to death" he laughs and I cant help but shake my head, a smile spreading across my lips.

"CYNTHIA! ask granddad where he put his cup!" a slight pained squeal slips out and I rub my head.

"Oww, gran asks where did you put your cup?" Grandad smiles and I cant help but glare slightly at him.

"Sometimes not having that link is a godsend in the morning" with that he gets up to shout up the stairs.

I groan, laying my head down on the table, giving up any hope of making this a good morning.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Get that will you!" I look at the clock. Strange, seems too early for people right now.

As soon as I opened it I`m greeted by a smiling, baby faced boy that seemed way too energetic. His ruffled brown hair parted to woody brown eyes. His black hoodie and jeans seemed almost out of place to the aura he was giving off, a slight flash of green paturn passes over his skin.

Ugh an agent, at this time?

"Hey, your Cynthia right?" I give him a confused look.

"Yes? listen I`ve just got up, so can we please do whatever your task is at a more reasonable time?" I look to the hallway clock.

"Actually we`re just doing introductions, and plus I really wanted to meet you" He holds out his hand, which I slowly take.

"Wait we? and why did you want to meet me exactly?" he goes to open his mouth but someone else answers for him.

"Because the rookie decided it`d be a good idea to run off" Agent Grant comes walking up behind the boy, who gives him an embarrassed and almost scared look.

"What trouble did she get into now?"

"Ahh gods!" I almost jump a mile as granddad suddenly speaks from beside me.

"Never forgot that training did you sir" Grandad cracks a smile.

"Been a while Grant, everything good I hope?" Mr Stoic actually smiles back, to be honest, part of me didn't think he could.

"Nothing too bad, training the new meat" He pats the boy`s shoulder almost a little too roughly, and I can see in the boys face that I`m pretty sure it would leave some bruising.

"Okay, I don't mean to be rude, but why exactly are you here?" The younger agent jumps to life as he seemed to remember something.

"Oh I`m going to be part of-"

"He`s going to be part of the new program here, giving him some field training" Grant cuts the boy off, almost a little too hastily.  

I`m pretty sure the red warning bells are shooting off in granddad`s mind as well, even if his face didn't say it.

"Ahh I see, well then better get back too that training then." Grant nods and almost drags the boy away, only turning back briefly to shout a hello to gran who is at the stairs with the same confused look I`m pretty sure I had on my face.

"Oh! I`m Alex by the way!!!" The boy shouts, still being dragged away.

Okay, that was.... different.

Shaking my head, I try to clear it from the sudden meeting. Determined to grasp any sense of normality today, I move back to the kitchen to get some food, swiping some toast from a plate.

"If your going out pick up some lunch stuff from the warehouse" almost instantly I mentally groan, ugh I hated going there.

"Yea will do" and say back as I plat my hair, the last of the slivery colour fading out finally.

"Think about what I told you and don't be too long" I give granddad a nod and head out.

Thanks to M.Y.T.H`s rules we were imported food and essentials every week, which actually worked out for us very well. But due to a few incidents in the past caused by food shortages, the food warehouse had to be relocated outside of the walls.

Which meant that whenever anyone wanted anything, they had to go though a whole load of paperwork as well as needing an escort watching you every step there and back.

So you can see why going wasn't exactly fun.

I internally groan once again as I see the office building in the distance and I feel like I`m pushing myself just to walk.

"I DONT BLOODY CARE!!!"

The hells-

Something small smashes into my side, knocking me down. Owwww damn it! that's going leave a bruise.

"Are you okay?!" A small delicate voice says and I rub my head along with whoever had-.

Oh no.

"Uuuggghhh, Ah! what are you doing here?!" I didn't want to recognise the angry voice, honey brown pigtails or the flaming eyes. But at least she wasn't mentally attacking me this time.

"Ah I don't have time for this, come on sis" She get ups, brushing herself down and hurries off.

Although, its not five seconds before she then trips and screams as her foot catches an obvious branch, I wince as her face meets the ground.

With a groan she lifts her head and looks around for something and I notice that her eyes seemed unfocused, almost like she was struggling to see anything in front of her.

"Aphrodita please just come back and take them" The smaller blond says meekly, rushing over to help.

"Gods no, I didn't need them back home, I don't need them here" Pigtails rubs her head, using her sister to stand up.

I hear a commotion behind us and I`ve no doubt its M.Y.T.H. I`m guessing these were the two moving in last night. Great, here`s another two I`ll have to deal with. Sighing, I get up and brush the rest of the dirt off me.

"Miss?" sweet peachy eyes shyly meet mine.

"I-I know we just met but can we come with you? we just need a place for my sister to calm down" she says and her soft tone puts me off guard a little.

"Umm, listen its probably better if-"

"I`m NOT going back to those prisons!" AHH! gods, people have to stop doing that.

"Okay, fine. I`ll take you too the pools. M.Y.T.H usually leaves us alone in there and Miss PMS here can calm down." A large smile breaks across the blonde's face and she takes my hand.

"Ahh praise Atargatis, thank you. Oh I`m Hebe by the way and, well you know my sister Aphrodita" Hebe turns to her sister and takes her hand, who is holding her likely bruised head.

"Cynthia, now-"

"Liar" I cant help but glare at Aphrodita, who places her free hand on her hip.

"You know what, we can do this later, come on" I tug them both with me, expecting M.Y.T.H to be on us any moment, I`m pretty sure I saw some emerge from between the houses just as we left.

Leading Hebe was fine, the young girl listened intently and kept close to me. Her sister... not so much.

She seemed to find almost every tree, bump, broken branch or even her own feet to trip over. At one point I thought she was doing it on purpose. But as she does, she quite loudly mental shouts that's its not her fault, every dam time

So after a painful track, taking much longer than necessary, on top of dodging a few scattered agents we finally make it to the pools. The entrance was a small building, no bigger than a regular sized flat.

"Wait this is the pools?! shouldn't it be bigger?" Aphrodita gives it a weary look, and I don't blame her, its not much to look at on the outside.

"This isn't it, come on" I open the door and there's a set of stairs leading down, the smell of chlorine and warm air greets me making my nose wrinkle.

Much prefer the ocean to this.

As we finally make it to the bottom step, watery lights dance across the darkened walls. The design wasn't much different from other swimming pools I`d seen on the internet, but the pool itself was considerably bigger and much deeper, I couldn't say by how much more but it`d be too big for any human to swim normally.

The rest however would have to wait because as soon as we took one step inside, M.Y.T.H agents were already on us.

"Don't make this any worse" one says, reaching for us.

That was when Aphrodita decided to do the worst thing in this situation. She took a deep breath, and almost quite literally screamed our ears off.