Day 9 part 2

I float, thinking hard about the situation as I'm paralyzed.

The window warning me of my status comes up but it isn't important at the moment. The poison isn't a fatal one.

This hostile siren was twisting my mind. Just realizing this explains a lot.

There is a second siren? Since when? All this time, that it has gotten harder to think... is this a deliberate action? That only leaves the question, which is the real Yumi?

The shameless pervert?

The maneater?

The one that shoved a stone in me?

The one that calls me Mr Squid?

The one that reads me like an open book?

The one that wants me to kill?

The one that translated for me?

The first one I met was a pervert that seemed to be able to read my mind... She was the one to call me 'Mr Squid'. She would also be the one that gave me the stone... she was certainly the one I met after I evolved again.

Then the one I met near the pirates was the 'fake'? The translator? The one that ate a man's hand?

She knew me as well... she wasn't afraid. So we must have met before that... did I mistake her for Yumi one day, by accident? No, the problems began on the day I met Yumi...

Did she see us together? Or was it even more insidious? Did I meet the fake first?

What am I to this fake? A tool? An attack dog on a leash? A way to hurt the real Yumi? Or a way to sow general mayhem?

At least for the first time in days I can think properly again.

I have thought enough on this subject.

“The venom itself wears off in minutes. We prepared only enough for a moment of reflection, not a coma without end.”

“Submitted to the fate you handed down as the conditions for leading our clan.”

“Without regret.”

“It is natural for us to act, as long as it is true to our ideals, Ensuikage.”

“We have agents planted across the reef system. If they cannot be found, they are not here.”

“Understood. They will be waiting.”

The paralysis lasted several more minutes, but it did allow me time to think with a clear head.

I knew what I had to do.

“It shall be done, Ensuikage.”

An hour later I left with several snails clinging to my back.

“Yes sir!” [All cone-shells]

“Understood, sir!” [All cone-shells]

A small cloud of sand marked one of the scouts.

“One passed by a few minutes ago, the other is ahead waiting for you, Ensuikage.” [Scout snail]

I go to meet the potential Yumi. Black hair, friendly face...

“Hello Mr Squid. You're looking much better today. It has been some time since...” Her finger-speech is choked off as the paralysis dart takes hold.

I look at the snail that crawls down to my belly.

“She was whispering something. It had great chakra.” [Snail lead]

“Siren. I have realized I cannot trust my instincts, because I cannot recognize faces and voices fully. You were using magic on me just now, my underlings sensed it. You are paralyzed and will be dosed again if you use magic. If you try to run they have permission to shoot you full of deadly venom. Stay here calmly and quietly and we will sort out this mess. For good.” [Squid]

I head back to the scout and receive directions for the other.

This siren is also happy to see me and offers pleasant words. Just a little, I can spot the differences now. This one has sharper eyes and her hair is a shade of dark brown.

She too is darted halfway into her greetings.

“Or perhaps Ensuikage one learned of the tricks of the other and was trying to help you.” [Snail lead]

I latch onto the siren gently by the scalp and pull her back to the first.

“So we have two sirens and myself who cannot tell you apart by looks or voice. We will have to do this in a way that can prove which is which. I realize this must be galling and frustrating. Rest assured that if you are my real friend you will not be harmed.”

The sirens were very similar. The physical features close enough to be a sisters. Perhaps they were...

“Are you related to each other?” [Squid]

“We are not.” [Yumi A]

“No.” [Yumi B]

“When did we meet?” [Squid]

“When you saved the younger twin.” [Yumi B]

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“When you groped both twins.” [Yumi A]

“Which of you was at the pirate ship?” [Squid]

“...” [Yumi A]

“...” [Yumi B]

“So the one who was there was the fake, huh? You ate human flesh if I recall, something the real Yumi has never done in front of me. Why is that?” [Squid]

“Because the idea sickens me...” [Yumi A]

“I do not need it to live.” [Yumi B]

Tough one. I'm liking B as the real one so far...

I guess I'll have to be unfair.

“Repeat after me...” [Squid]

“Arrr me hearties, I be Cap'n tentaclebeard McGee, it be a pirate's life fer me.” [Yumi A]

“Are me heart is, I be cap and tentaclebeard McGee, it be a pirate's life fur me... what are you looking at me like that for?!” [Yumi B]

“So you are the fake, the one that ate human flesh and translated for me.” [Squid]

“That isn't true!” [Yumi B]

“You are a good actress, I'll say that, but you are not by any means able to read tentacles like the real thing. Your skill level is only moderate, isn't it? The real Yumi read so well I thought she saw my thoughts!” [Squid]

It occurred to me that perhaps I was being too rash...

“Show me your ears.” [Squid]

“What?” [Yumi B]

“Your ears, let me see them. You have ears, don't you?” [Squid]

“What are you getting at?” [Yumi B]

“The real Yumi showed me her ears. I wonder... are you an evolution of a sea-elf, a human or something else?” [Squid]

“I'm the real one!” [Yumi B]

Annoyed I grasp her and look for myself. They are human earlobes.

“A fake. I knew it.” [Squid]

“Yes, she is.” [Yumi A]

“After all there is no way I would confuse ears like these... with...” I flicked her hair too and saw to my own internal horror they weren't sea-elf ears either.

“Ninjas. They are both imposters, Paralyze them!” [Squid]

I waited calmly for them to become able to move slightly before continuing.

“So you both lied to me. You both are fakes. The question is: Where is the real Yumi?” [Squid]

“I'm the real one!” [Fake Yumi B]

“No, I am!” [Fake Yumi A]

“Is that your tune? Well I have a nice little idea that will help you remember who is who and where Yumi is. It won't even hurt. As you die.”

I push the still girls to the dry coral floor and shackle them with permafrost. I place bars around them, caging them to the ground. Then ever so slowly I freeze the water around them with my aura, keeping an isolated 'neutral' area on my back to keep the snails alive.

“Tell me what I want to know and you won't suffer. Refuse and frostbite will eat you whole.” [Squid]

“I don't know anything!” [Fake Yumi A]

“I am the real one!” [Fake Yumi B]

“You're sounding nervous... didn't you know what you were getting into? Let me tell you, if I do not hear where she is you will stay here and freeze for days. I can promise I will take you places that used to be reserved for the Norse underworld.” I stroke the face of Fake Yumi A, Her skin growing a trail of white along the path of my touch. “You will be cut apart by ice crystals from within.”

I touch her counterpart, Fake Yumi B the same way. “You will watch as your body dies from the edges inward, going black as it rots. I can do this and more. Tell me and it will end here and now.” I paused for effect. “For the one who tells the truth.”

“She is being held in sunken ship to the south west...!” [Fake Yumi B]

“Why did you do all of this? To use me? To hurt her?” [Squid]

“Don't say it, traitor!” [Fake Yumi A]

“She is our Queen, we wanted her back!” [Fake Yumi B]

“Go on. How did you capture her?” [Squid]

“We used you, changed you and in the end she came willingly, so you would be freed.” [Fake Yumi B]

“And yet you kept trying to control me... why?” [Squid]

“Because you are strong enough to be used like the others; to be a weapon to kill who we want, when we want.” [Fake Yumi B]

“Do you know where that shipwreck is, ninjas?” [Squid]

“Yes sir.” [Snail lead]

“Good. We don't need her any more then.” [Squid]

“Wait...!” [Fake Yumi B]

Permafrost Spear activated~

The spear sinks into her throat and chest diagonally, exiting out her spine, her blood freezes around the ice dyeing it crimson.

“As for you, Fake...” I spit the words with hatred at the other one chained and pinned to the coral. “I'll be seeing you again, soon. If she lied or the real Yumi is dead, you'll get the other fake's share of the cold too! It will be long and it will be dreadful... but I think worth the effort to see you beg.”

“Don't wander off now...~” [Squid]

What we learned in this episode:

Massive super powered beat down incoming next chapter...

Double Trouble!

Beware of forgeries: always check the watermark...

Next chapter we will find out that:

The enemies have a big gun too... and he is hungry...