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Susato knew she was going to be miserable for as long as she was on this boat. Watching her friends fade into specks in the distance as the ship left port was a good distraction, but now that they were on the open waters, her mind was consumed by worry about her father.
And she couldn’t stop thinking about what happened last time she was aboard a ship, either.
It seemed bad things were happening to everyone she cared for—first Kazuma’s death, then Naruhodo was disbarred, and now her father… She had to wonder if this was all somehow connected to the curse of the Reaper, or if she just had rotten luck.
She leaned over the rails of the ship, watching the waves below. The ocean was calm, and the sunset was reflecting off of it so that—
What on earth is that in the water?!
Susato recoiled back, almost falling over, before peered over the side of the ship again. There was definitely something there. Something green and shiny was coming just above the surface, every few seconds. It seemed too large to be a fish—and Susato felt like it had to have been following the steamship, given how fast the vessel was traveling.
She leaned forward a little more, craning her neck, but couldn’t figure out what it was. Then, something leapt out of the water at her, careening towards her. Susato shielded her face in a last-ditch effort.
Nothing hit her. She opened her eyes, one at a time, and saw that a hat was hanging off one of her finger tips.
A green and plaid hat, with two large buttons at the front.
“Hello?” Susato called out towards the water. “Who...? How?” They had to have been several miles out to sea by now; she couldn’t see even the tallest buildings of London from here. There was just no logical way for anyone (Gina especially! She was in prison !) to somehow be in the water, throwing hats at her. Even if it was one of Mr. Sholmes or Iris’ grand inventions.
Susato was about to ask more questions, but she noticed a few other passengers staring at her. Sighing, she withdrew from the edge of the ship, but she wasn’t disappointed. There was an easy way to clear the deck and give her a chance to converse with this mysterious...thing. Susato tugged Gina’s hat down over her head and set to work.
Susato almost couldn’t hear herself think, over everyone’s panicked screaming, but the good news was that they were all either trying desperately to gather their positions from their rooms or were crowding around the captain, begging to know what was going on.
Of course, no one had seen her press the emergency button in the corridor.
She leaned over the ship's rails, hoping that no longer being in motion would make it simpler to converse with this unknown swimming object.
“Hello?” Susato said again.
There was a splash, then a familiar face emerged from the water.
“Hey, Sooze!” Gina Lestrade waved, certainly not in jail and definitely swimming in the water, a few hours out to sea. “Thought I’d ‘op by.”
“You…” Susato slammed her hands against the ship’s rail (perhaps she was spending too much time around lawyers), leaning over the edge more. “What?! This far out to sea?”
Gina cleared her throat, and Susato saw a tail, like that of a fish, come above the water.
“I’m a mermaid, innit.” She explained. Susato felt the world start to spin.
The next thing she knew, Susato’s hands were grazing the side of the ship, desperately trying to slow her fall. She crashed into the bitterly cold water.
“So it really is salty…” Susato remarked. “How are you not in prison?”
“Ran out ‘f the coppers’ hands fast as I could.” Gina said. “Figured I was already headin’ to the bucket, might as well say bye first. Aren’t ya going t’ask about the, er, mermaid-ness?”
“Oh, I’ve read all about mermaids!” Susato smiled. “I just didn’t think they were real. I guess it was exaggerated; I mean, Gina, I wouldn’t peg you as the type to seduce men and lead them to a death at sea.”
“Maybe not,” Gina agreed. “ But , I made you fall into the wo’or easy enough. That count?”
Susato froze, her face growing red. Despite the fact she was probably about to get hypothermia, she felt quite warm all of a sudden.
“Ah…” Susato took a page out of Gina’s book, hiding behind the hat. “W-well, I should get back on board, before they start the ship again. Thank you for swimming all the way out here for me, Gina.”
“It wasn’t that ‘ard.” Gina fidgeted. “Anyfin’ for a... friend, right?”
Susato smiled, and put Gina’s hat back onto its owners head. “Right.”
She located, then struggled her way up a nearby ladder, just in time for the ship to start again.
“Oh, there you are, Miss Mikotoba.” A sailor said upon seeing her. “We couldn’t find you for attendance when the ship stopped… Why are you all wet?”
Susato bowed. “My apologies. You know how women can be on boats, I’m sure.”
“Erm, of course, miss.” He said, in the voice of someone who didn’t know at all.