SUNNY BEACH – 3:14 PM.

The shoreline was empty. No voices, no laughter, no footprints but hers. Lady Black Hat stood where the waves met the sand, the foamy water licking at her ankles before retreating again. The sky was bright and endless, but the sun seemed to dim around her, as if it, too, knew better than to shine too brightly on her.

She wore a loose red fabric draped over her bust and hips, the edges fluttering with every salty breeze. The brim of her beach hat hid most of her face, leaving only the faint glint of crimson eyes visible beneath it.

“Mhmhmhmhm…” Her laugh was quiet, private, as though sharing a joke with the ocean itself. Her claws idly traced patterns in the air before curling into a loose fist.

The sea breeze caught her fabric again, revealing the red bikini beneath before letting it fall back into place. She didn’t move — didn’t need to — simply watching the horizon as if daring it to try something interesting.

“Boring…” she muttered at last, almost pouting, though the curl of her grin betrayed that she was already imagining ways to fix that.

Her shadow stretched unnaturally long across the sand, curling like black ink until it touched the waves. The ocean rippled in response.

“Mmm… much better,” she purred softly, turning back toward the water with a gleam in her eye.