A little chapter about everyone's favorite future daughter.

Shay's POV

Sitting on the edge of the island that used to be Happy Harbor, my hands fiddle with the heavy, metal collar  wrapped around my neck. The thin tool in my hand working diligently with the mechanisms as my bare toes slosh in the cool water below me; dark and freezing but cleaner than the air.

"You won't have long." Nathaniel says as he sits next to me, looking distantly out to the barely visible horizon that was painted with dark smog. "You're lucky to be doing this at all."

"You say that every time." I roll my eyes, wincing as the tool makes the final click and a sharp sting is delivered to my pulse point. The collar falls off my neck a moment later and into my lap.

I rub my sensitive neck and moan at the pleasure of it being free. I feel my metagene and Atlantean DNA's effects begin to take over and I close my eyes to embrace the feeling. The water finally begins to buzz around my feet as my Atlantean skin reacts to it's natural element.

"This feeling...it's better than any drug, even Venom or that temporary Cobra Venom shit that you can get on the black market."

"You seriously need to stop with the drugs." Nate lectures. "I don't even understand the appeal. And don't they interact with your autism meds? Isn't that unhealthy?"

"It's nice to be able to feel something, mon ami. And to hell with my meds!" I exclaim before standing up, and gripping the worn material of my partly-destroyed military jacket that once belonged to Aunt Maia. The next to go were my patched second-hand jeans which slid off my thin hips as soon as undid my utility belt. I reached under my top and masterfully peeled off my binder, undoing the hooks with an expert hand. This left me in my undergarments and tank, and I relished in the feeling of my half-naked body meeting the cold air. I looked down at my boobs and felt the odd feelings I had for them fill my mind.

Even in 2056 being gender-fluid isn't fun.

"Still no modesty huh?" Nate asked, dragging my mind from my thoughts and I smirked.

"Like you've never seen me partially naked before? Besides, I got a hot body: I gotta show it!"

Nate blushed but laughed good-naturedly at my response. Not a moment later, I stepped back before running into the water and diving in.

The moment my body was fully submerged in the cold water, I felt my body begin to transform. As my nose stopped being able to breath, the hidden slits on my neck opened up and took a deep inhale of the water around me. Slowly, my legs began to merge together and form sleek teal scales from my waist down before fanning out to form a large fin where my feet once were. I check my hands, satisfied to see the webbing has reappeared between my fingers.

I used my powers to rocket myself upwards at an inhuman speed, doing a backflip when I breached the surface. As my body fell back into the water, I heard Nate's muffled voice cheering.

As my eyes adjust to the dark, murky waters, I begin to swim deeper into the darkness. The deeper I go, the heavier the pressure becomes but my enhanced body strength makes it hardly noticable.

God I love being Atlantean.