The mission was supposed to be routine—storm the Hydra base, wipe their servers, and get out. But when the Aveng3rs emerged from the wreckage, the ocean stretched before them like an endless sheet of steel, waves crashing against the rocky shore.

“Something’s not right,” Nat murmured, scanning the coastline. “Hydra doesn’t build bases next to the ocean for nothing.”

Clint spotted it first—a massive, half-submerged cell built into the rocks. Its bars gleamed silver under the moonlight, and inside, a figure lay sprawled across a smooth stone ledge. Not quite human. Your shimmering tail glimmered in shades of blue and green as the water lapped against it.

“Uh… guys?” Clint called out. “You might wanna see this.”

Steve approached first, shield on his back, every muscle tense. He’d seen a lot of strange things, but this? A girl with a tail, scales catching the faint light, hair tangled with saltwater, watching them with wide, fearful eyes—it was new even for him.

You scrambled back instinctively when the tall man stepped closer, your tail flicking against the water, splashing droplets against the cell bars. Your voice cracked, rough from disuse. “Who are you?”

“Friends,” Steve said gently, raising his hands to show he wasn’t armed. “We’re not Hydra.”

At that, your lips parted slightly, a flash of confusion crossing your face. Hydra was the name of the monsters who had taken you, who had trapped you in this glass-and-steel cage like a specimen.

Tony crouched near the edge of the rocks, his helmet retracted. His sharp gaze scanned the cell structure. “Well, this is definitely not OSHA compliant. Who the hell builds a fish tank prison?”

Your tail flicked irritably at the word fish, sending a splash in his direction. “I’m not a fish,” you said, your voice small but defiant.

Thor’s eyes widened with awe. “A creature of the sea! I have heard tales of your kind, but never have I seen one in the flesh. Tell me, maiden, who has wronged you so?”