Chapter Text
As the child of the sea awoke in her home, the warmth of the sea made her grin as she sat up and stretched. Her flowing blonde hair rose and floated majestically as she yawned softly, still waking up. Her mother swam up to her and smiled kissing her head and asked with her beautiful chatter, "Sleep well my little guppy?" The mermaid smiled and giggled hugging her mom as she nodded and smiled.
Her mother hugged back and smiled as she handed the child a small lobster, freshly caught. Her emerald eyes widened with joy as she bit into the crustacean before it could fight back, enjoying its savory taste. "Now don't forget I have to help prepare classes for the younger guppies today. That means you'll be by yourself today. You're getting to be a big girl, so I'm trusting you," her mother spoke gently and ate alongside her daughter with a warm smile. The young mermaid nodded and smiled at her mother, before finishing the last of her meal.
"Remember you're safe in the city, no harm will come to you. Our people look after one another, no matter what. If you swim outside the limits of our hidden home, it will be up to you to get back to safety. And above all else, do not go to the surface," her mother warned as she began to swim out of their grotto. The young mermaid smiled and nodded, chattering back with a squeaky but cute voice, "Yes momma." Her mother gave a smile back before waving then began to kick her large red fins into gear, quickly disappearing into the city.
As her mother left the young guppy poked her head out of the exit of their home. The shimmering city was right outside their home, so far deep and hidden that only those that lived here could know about it. A myriad of merfolk could be seen, all minding their business and going about their day; all with unique bodies and tails. As she began to swim out a few would save and smile warmly at her, making her grin and wave back enthusiastically. At first, she eyed the glowing city, tempted to go and find other children like her; perhaps to play tag or hide and seek but then she eyed the open sea.
While she didn't dislike playing with other children, the mermaid always preferred to explore the open waters; something that most children her age didn't do. They were scared of sharks or the beings above the sea, that they would be cut open and served as meals to the beasts called humans. But neither of these fears scared the mermaid as she began to swim out of the sanctuary and into the sea. At first there was darkness surrounding her, nothing but pitch blackness, no signs of the glowing city or even other life. Again, this didn't alarm her as she breathed gently and began to use her sense of direction before seeing a faint light above her.
Slowly but surely, she swam to the light and grinned as she was now in the open sea. A few fish swam past her, making her giggle as one was caught in her wavy blonde hair. The mermaid took pity on the fish and quickly released it before continuing her swim in the ocean. The beauty of the nearby reefs and wildlife made her smile as she swam, the wildlife all familiar with the girl as she had done this plenty of times. As she continued to swim a loud chattering caught her attention as she was eying yet another large juicy lobster. She turned to see a small pod of gorgeous Atlantic white-sided dolphins all circling her playfully.
The mermaid grinned enthusiastically once more and approached a few, kissing them on the head as they chattered, "Play with us, swim with us!" Just as she was about to agree, yet another sound caught her attention, the rumbling of a loud motor above them. Soon a shadow blocked the sun from them, making the mermaid tilt her head. She had never seen such a boat move before, was that one full of land dwellers so many feared? She blinked slowly and stared at the shape as it continued to go away. The dolphins looked at the mermaid and tried again to get her to play but it was to no avail as the mermaid began to pursue the boat.
The young little mermaid swam and swam for miles after the shape, staying a safe distance underneath it as it slowly came to a stop. It was only now the mermaid realized she was much further from home than she had ever been before, in fact she was now twenty yards from shore. She was about to swim away but paused as she eyed the sjip, on it were a plethora of humans. While she couldn't hear what was happening from beneath the water, most seemed to be dancing and smiling; at least she thought so. Curiosity began to take over as she swam closer to get a better look, but dared not to surface as her mother had instructed her to. As she suspected the humans on the metal fish, were smiling and seemed to be having a grand time.
Part of her wished to join them, after all she'd have never actually seen a real human this close before. "They look like us," she mumbled to herself and fiddled with her necklace shyly as she continued to watch; making sure she was hidden beneath the waves. But despite her best to stay hidden she felt like she was being watched, she looked around to see no one, not even other fish. Then she eyed the ship again where, her heart suddenly began to beat faster and more powerfully than ever before. Her emerald eyes laid upon a majestic human boy, who seemed to stare right her, past the water and straight into her eyes. The mermaid had never felt this way about any of her fellow merfolk, what was this sensation? Why couldn't she help but want to be seen and be with this boy?
Without thinking the mermaid smiled and waved at the human, keeping her wide smile at him. The human child waved back and before the mermaid could do anything he was leaping into the water. The boy landed with a triumphant splash a mere few feet away from her. The mermaid without hesitation swam closer, studying everything she could about him; from his mesmerizing sky-blue eyes to his thick curly black hair, and even the weird items he wore on him. But none of that mattered to her, not even the fact he was something she was supposed to fear above all else. She couldn't explain why, not even to herself, but this boy had won her heart.
As he reached for her with his hands, the mermaid happily obliged and gripped his hands gently. Their fingers interlocked perfectly with one another as they were now a few inches from one another's face. The mermaid closed her eyes and was just about to plant a kiss onto his lips when another splash snapped her out of her dream like state. For once fear took a hold of her and she let go of the boy before swimming away with all her might to a nearby kelp garden. As she hid the boy reached for her making her heart shatter, but it was too late. Shortly after another human, this one a large adult, was in the water and grabbing the boy while swimming up to the surface.
The mermaid quickly tried to swim out but paused, and watched as the two humans made it onto the boat. She hesitated for a few seconds before defying her mother's wishes and swimming up to the surface a few yards away from the ship. None of the humans seemed to notice the blonde-haired mermaid in the sea, none but the boy as he stared at her. The mermaid stared back sadly at him, reaching for him this time. But soon he was whisked deeper into the ship and out of her sight. Tears dripped from her eyes as she sighed and dove back underwater where she belonged, her bright orange tail making a splash as she began to swim home.