A Mermaid's Tale
Author's Note
This is the edited version of this FF. The content remains the same, I have simply fine-tuned the story. Remember, I wrote this two years ago. So don't panic if you're seeing something different from what you originally read; it's not that you're going crazy, it's that I edited the chapter.
For the friend I lost so long ago
And yet it seems like yesterday
You will always be in my heart
And I will never forget you.
For The Beautiful Marianne
Under the sea…
Wish I could be…
Part of that world…
- Ariel, "The Little Mermaid."
Chapter One: Naminé
Seventeen-year-old Kairi was lying on her little rock, in the middle of a empty sea grass meadow. She was twirling a sea flower in her delicate hands, her auburn hair moving to the beat of the ocean currents.
Kairi sighed, her sad, beautiful blue-violet eyes slowly contemplating the colors of the sea flower; her tail, the same subtle color of her eyes, swayed from side to side every now and then, the tip of the tail fin almost reaching her back. She took a moment to brush away a fallen petal from her halter-top shirt, which stopped an inch or so from her belly button, so that it showed her slim, washboard stomach frame.
She twirled the flower slowly in her hands, a sad look in her eyes, as she thought of the beach close by, and the beautiful white castle that stood there.
She wanted to live on land, this strange, forbidden world she coveted so much, but could never have. To her, it was another adventure. She wanted to walk, not swim. She wanted to run; to jump, to do anything else you can think of with two legs.
Kairi looked at her tail. As much as she loved her long tail, she would gladly trade it for a pair of legs, even if it were for one day.
She let the flower go and instead fiddled with a seashell around her neck. Her mother had given it to her years ago, before she died. Taking a deep breath, Kairi closed her eyes as she remembered that day.
"Happy Birthday, Kairi!"
A little seven-year-old Kairi laughed as her mother, father and sisters hugged her. Her mother smiled, tying a leather necklace with a single white seashell on it
"One of these days, my love, it will give you the one thing you truly want."
Kairi fixed her eyes on her mother, curious.
"But how does it know, Mommy?"
Her mother laughed, pressing a single finger on her heart gently.
"It'll know. And you'll know."
Kairi sighed. Every single day she had been trying and trying her hardest so that the necklace could make her human, her efforts were in vain. She didn't understand why the magic didn't work sometimes thinking that it had none at all, but she knew her mother would never lie to her like that.
Kairi looked at the seashell. She closed her eyes and enclosed it in her fist.
Make me human, wished Kairi. Give me two legs for me to walk on land.
She waited a few moments and then opened her eyes; to her dismay she still had her tail. She sighed.
"Face it, I'll never become human. I've been wishing for the same thing forever, and still I don't have it."
She swam to the surface, and realizing it was about to be sunset, made her way to a small dock she knew well, where she could sit and watch the sunset.
She was nearing the little island port when she saw her.
In the place where she usually sat was a young human, about as old as her, with long blond hair and bright blue eyes. She was wearing a short white dress and was apparently sketching the sunset. Inquisitive, Kairi made her way to the human, popping suddenly right in from of her.
The girl was startled and looked at her in surprise. Kairi smiled.
"W-w-who are you?"
The girl was startled yet curious about this strange girl that had so suddenly popped out of the water.
"I'm Kairi, nice to meet you." Kairi extended her wet hand and shook it with the girl's dry one. The girl smiled.
" I'm Naminé. What are you doing here?"
Kairi looked at the sunset.
"I live here, in the ocean."
Naminé was turning a page in her sketchbook, but when Kairi said this, she froze midway, and stared at Kairi, wide-eyed in disbelief. Kairi turned back to Naminé, confused.
"What, you don't believe me?"
"You have to be jok--"
She was cut short by the sight of Kairi's tail, which Kairi had elevated out of the water. Naminé stared at it, and looked at Kairi, again, in utter incredulity.
"So the legends are true," said Naminé in awe, coming to the most obvious yet hard-to-believe conclusion. "Mermaids do exist."
Kairi looked worried. Naminé laughed.
"Don't worry, Kairi, your secret is safe with me. Hey, I have tomorrow afternoon free. How about we meet tomorrow, same time?"
Kairi nodded. "That sounds good."
The sun was setting fast, and Kairi got the message that she had to leave now, before dark.
"Sorry, Naminé, but I have to go. I'll come earlier tomorrow."
"Alright, Kairi. See you tomorrow, and nice meeting you."
Kairi grinned, and dove into the water, swimming as fast as she could to the castle, a grin plastered on her face.