There was quite a buzz of commotion in the pod and Ixion was in the middle of it. He did not normally care to be a focal point of attention, but it could not be helped. Their pod was small and liked it that way, and was about to get three members smaller. As Ixion turned, he caught sight of his mother, Cysali, swimming towards him. He had gotten his sleek, brown-gray skin tones from her, though he did not share her golden eyes that seemed to flash in the low light. Her tail was a dark, mucky brown but her fins were pale yellow and shimmered as she moved. Her tailfins, along with the sleek fans that ran down either side of her tail were lures for prey in the darker waters of their home, and she had taught Ixion well to hunt where food was scarce and flighty.

She placed a hand on his chest and smiled, though her eyes shone with the mixture of pride and sorrow that they had a few cycles earlier, when she had looked at Ixion’s older sister. Though Ixion knew that she held more hope for him than his sister. His sister would have been better to stay, their parents would have picked her, but she had wanted independence despite her sicklier physique. They had not seen her since, and likely never would, but it was also unlikely she had survived. Now it was Ixion’s turn, and his youngest sibling, a brother of only three cycles, would be guaranteed a place in the pod if he wanted it. That was their way. The pod lived in too fruitless a territory to support large numbers and so their children were sent out when they came of age to find lives of their own. This was a time of celebration, but also of mourning. Children who left were mourned as dead because few ever returned, which was likely equally due to how far they may travel rather than just because they perished. His parents would always love him and he them, but he would die for them today as well.

Cysali placed one hand on Ixion’s chest and cupped his cheek with the other. “I am proud of you,” she murmured. “You are strong and skilled and decent. I have hope for you.”

“You are not supposed to do that,” Ixion reminded as he wrapped his arms around her for a final embrace. It was not that it was wrong for a parent to hope for the well-being of their children, just that it often made it harder and could lead to heartbreak.

“Perhaps not,” Cysali hummed. “But I am hopeful regardless. I have hope that you will swim far and fare well, that you will find a mate and raise a family should you choose, and that you will live a full life of happiness and well-being. And I shall hold you in my heart and my memories and know that you have achieved all that you desire.”

Ixion tensed his arms to hug his mother more tightly. “Then I promise to return in the future and confirm your hopes.”

Cysali shook her head. “Do not hold yourself to such a vow, Ixion. All I wish is for you to take me in your heart and live a prosperous life.”

“I will do that, but I still promise.”

Cysali clucked her tongue and patted him on the back before pulling herself from his embrace. “Then I will hope for that too. Swim far and hunt well, my son.”

Ixion leaned in for one more quick hug before he backed away. “I love you,” he whispered, but he turned his back to scan the small crowd that had gathered. Not everyone in their pod would see off the departanting, this was just for parents and siblings. Though Ixion knew his younger brother would stay away. Lingering with his mother any longer would be inappropriate. It was time to move on so that it wouldn’t hurt her further to watch him go. As he scanned familiar faces, his gaze met the charcoal eyes of his other mother. Nern blinked slowly and then inclined her head to beckon him closer. He heeded the summons solemnly. His love for Nern was as strong as it was for Cysali, but Nern was more aloof and reserved with her affection, so Ixion did not expect much of a farewell from her.

Like him, Nern was born in the midwaters, but her father had come from the depths, and Nern shared a few of his traits. While many mid-mer had eyes that flashed in the low light, Nern’s glowed all the time. They were vivid and gleamed like silver. Her pale skin contrasted that of his and Cysali’s, and while her inky black tail blended with the low light, her stark white fins had glowing veins racing through them. Nern was also known for her crooked smile, because she sported a proper set of fangs, but two additional incisors on one side of her mouth. She had not quite gotten the full extra set the mer of the depths were known for. Though Ixion shared few traits with Nern, he did get his dark slate hair from her.

When he reached her, Nern took his hand and smiled at him, showing off her asymmetrical fangs. “You grew up well,” she acknowledged.

Ixion pulled his hand away and grinned at her. “What, that is it?” he teased.

Nern scoffed and bubbles jettisoned from her gill slits. She twisted in the water and snaped her bone-white fins near his nose. “Were you expecting more?”

“I suppose not,” he relented.

Nern hummed, but she sobered rapidly and reclaimed his hand. “It is our way, but Cysali is right to place her hope in you. You have learned and grown well, and misfortune will have quite the chase to catch you. But you are lingering longer than you should. Swim far and hunt well, Ixion.”

Ixion inclined his head. “May dusk bring you light,” he replied.

There was a brief moment where they both hovered in silence. Nern made no move to initiate a final embrace, so Ixion did not push for one. The gentle squeeze to his fingers before she pulled away was message enough. He watched her retreat back to Cysali’s side and smiled. There was no guarantee he would see his parents or his birth family again, but watching them, he at least knew they would be alright. It was not the first time they had needed to watch a child leave, but they had each other and that was enough. He had witnessed how fierce their bond was over the cycles to know that much.

“Hey Ix, you ready to go yet?”

The loud call jostled Ixion from his thoughts and he turned to face the speaker. It was a reminder that he was not going alone, and that he was holding up the small group. Two of his closest friends were leaving with him. Zerim and Ferick were brothers, and while sixteen cycles was their age out cycle from the pod, Zerim was seventeen. Traditionally, he would have left the previous cycle, but the two had big dreams of travelling the oceans together when they left, so he had been allowed to wait for his brother, who was not quite ready to leave a cycle early last term. And Ixion was glad for it, because it meant he could go with them. A trio would fair far better in unknown waters than one alone.

But Zerim was still staring at him, waiting for a response, so Ixion nodded. It was time and he would be lying to himself not to admit he was excited. None of them had left the midwaters their entire lives. He wanted to know what the surface waters were like, where it was sunny and colourful. He had met a few surface mer before, as their travelling pods sometimes crossed paths with his, and there were not many differences between them, except that their scales tended to be more vibrant. He wanted to see what the coral reefs and sunlit waters were truly like for himself.

He glanced back at the pod that had raised him, and caught Cysali looking at him. He smiled and offered her a reassuring wave before lashing his tail and taking off after his friends.

***

“It looks like your brothers are preparing to move on.”

Ixion turned to face the older mer who was settling himself down on the sandy dune beside him. Chuck was lively for his age, though his face was wisened with creases and age lines, and his coconut hair was silver at the roots, with more white interwoven in the locks than not. Everyone in this pod deferred to him and considered him a grandfather even if they were not related by blood.

“They are,” Ixion agreed in response to the question. He and Zerim and Ferick had been pod hopping for the better part of a cycle now, and while it had been a thrilling adventure at first, Ixion was growing weary of it. Though his friends were still riding high on their nomadic, independent lifestyle.

“You seem reluctant.”

Ixion shrugged. “They have more wandering spirit than I do, I suppose. I am feeling ready to settle someplace.”

“Here?”

Ixion shrugged. “I like it here,” he agreed. “With all of you,” he clarified after a moment. This pod still travelled, but at a more leisurely pace and a stable pod was truly what Ixion wanted. He did not care if they travelled or were stationary. “But I am not sure what your customs are on that.”

“There are not really any,” Chuck replied. “This pod is made up of quite a few misfits, you know. Started when a pod cleaved in two, our size has mostly grown due to wanderers deciding to stay. You would not be the first. We have not crossed paths with many midmer, but you are a strong, capable hunter with tracking skills unlike any I have ever seen.”

“Food is a bit scarcer the deeper you go.”

“I imagine so. Still, we have no customs or requirements and a fair few are going to miss you three on the hunt. There would be no opposition if you decided to join us. But that is your choice, of course. I imagine leaving your friends will be a bit of a challenge?”

Ixion pursed his lips as he mulled it over. He would certainly miss Zerim and Ferick, just as he missed his mothers. But they had been raised with the fact that loss was inevitable and gain only came after sacrifice. If he clung to his friendships, he might lose the chance to find a family. “It is inevitable. Zerim and Ferick will do as they please, but we grew up knowing that a time like this inevitably comes. We leave our pod to find our own way. It is just time for me to part ways with them.”

Chuck whistled through his teeth and Ixion watched the elderly mer pick at a few loose charcoal scales along his tail. A few of the scales had begun to leech with shades of white and gray with age, but many still retained their dark luster. “I would by lying if I said the custom was not a little strange to me, but I suppose I understand it. Regardless, you are more than welcome to stay as long as you like.”

Ixion rose from where he had been sitting and turned to gaze out over the reef. The pod he was choosing was not a large one. It was a larger group than his birth pod, but he had seen and swum alongside far larger since he and his friends had set out on their own. But he enjoyed the way they languidly travelled and how warm and accepting they all were. It made him feel like a future among them was a bright one. He grinned and nodded at Chuck. “I suppose I should start referring to you as grandfather, then.”

The older mer began to laugh. He clapped Ixion on the shoulder and grinned widely. “If you like. Though you should probably start by letting your friends know that you are not going with them.”

Ixion winced. He supposed that was what he had to do next. Though he was ready and had accepted that it was time to part ways, he was going to miss Zerim and Ferick. They were his last true connection to his origins. It would not be an easy parting, but a necessary one. It was time he found his own way.

“You are staying behind.” It was not an inquiry, merely a blunt observation that Zerim made. Ixion had not even had a chance to say anything yet, it seemed like they both already knew by the time he had swum up to them.

“Yes,” he agreed with a rueful shrug of his shoulders.

Ferick inclined his head and swiped some of his obsidian hair out of his face. “It was only a matter of time. We have noticed a decline in your enthusiasm to continue on. Are you sure this is the pod though? You could stay with us a bit longer if you need, we can slow the pace and just seek out groups until you find a good fit.”

Ixion shook his head. “No. I like it here. This is a good place. I have found where I need to be.”

Ferick clapped him on the back and grinned widely. “Good on you, Ix. Though we are going to miss you, especially during hunts.” He flicked his translucent fins and forced his smile wider, but Ixion could taste the hesitation oozing from his friend. He and Ferick had been close since they were kids and parting ways was not easy, even if it was inevitably expected of them. But he had his brother and Ixion knew the two of them would be fine.

“Maybe our paths will cross again,” Ixion suggested. “Until then, swim far and hunt well, and let dusk bring you light.”

“And may your found light stay bright,” Zerim agreed. “Goodbye, Ixion. Live a long life.”

It was hard to share departing words with them, and after they turned to leave, Ixion remained hovering in the water, watching after them until they disappeared from sight and their scents grew stagnant. He knew they would be alright, but he would miss them, just as he missed his parents. Sorrow, mixed with love and fondness. There was a small part of him that yearned to chase them down and rejoin them. But he did not. Instead, he turned and saw his new pod gathering for a hunt. Silently, he flicked his fins and moved to take his place among them. Instantly, he was greeted with warm smiled and welcoming nods, and he knew he was in the right place.