Ok, I'm officially joining the MerDanny bandwagon. I'd done some toying with the possibility of maybe entertaining the notion of an idea of writing one, but I just recently read one called "Oceano Profunda" by Feri-san (who's been feeling quite down lately (she's been doubting her excellent abilities as a writer), so I suggest you go and cheer her up), which inspired me to write this, particularly the fact that the merpeople speak in Esperanto. Merry Christmas!

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Sam waded through the warm blue water. She hated Hawaii. Sure, the floor show the night she'd arrived had been wonderful, it was beautiful there, and she lived on an island created by a volcano which lay extinct for many years, but she'd moved at a great cost. She'd grown up in San Francisco, and she'd known most of her friends her entire life. She could have walked Fisherman's Wharf blindfolded; she knew the city that well. She'd only moved to Hawaii because it meant a better life for her, her parents, and Grandma.

The town she lived in had been called Merman's Cove, thanks to local legends about some supposed Merpeople population nearby. It was said that if a woman sat out on the rocks at night, she'd hear someone vocalizing, beautiful yet indistinct. It was also said that she must never see the merman or she'd get lured under, never to be seen again. Sam scoffed at the idea, as was her custom when it came to myths and legends. She herself had walked along the rocks many times at night, and she'd never heard anything.

One thing Sam liked about Hawaii was walking the beach at night. If she lay on the beach long enough, it reminded her of a cottage her family owned on the California coast, a place she used to go one week every summer since she was a child. She enjoyed the smell of the sea breeze, the crash of the waves against the rocks, the call of the dolphins at sunset. Sam was laying on her favorite beach towel, gazing up at the navy blue sky, the moon like some huge dinner plate when she heard a voice drifting over the waves.

Enchanted by the pure, innocent, unadulterated beauty of it, she made her way to the rocks, huge and monstrous against the night sky. The voice was like nothing she'd ever heard, a high alto, yet extremely masculine at the same time, simultaneously soft and delicate, yet rich and bold. Had it been physical, there would have been a long, flowing ribbon of pure spun gold waving over the sea. Had there ever been anything that Sam would define as perfect, it was this mysterious, empowering yet humbling sound.

As she crawled over the rocks toward the angelic sound, she saw a sight she'd never expected to see. She had never believed the legends, yet here was an example, for on one of the rocks was a boy, hair dark as a winter night, back to her, gazing upwards at the moon, sitting sidesaddle, his long, bottle-green tail dangling in the water, lazily making circles as he sang his lonely melody that filled Sam with a deep melancholy. She couldn't help but gaze at him, a large sailfish fin running down his human spine before coming to a belt studded with the most beautiful emeralds Sam had ever seen. This wasn't the only piece of jewelry he owned, either. Around the base of his tailfin was a small metal band, as well as two bracelets studded with the same emeralds, and an arm bracelet, but the most stunning accessory he wore was a large and ornate amulet studded with even more emeralds. Sam, who had been inching closer to the edge subconsciously, lost her grip on the wet rocks, screaming as she fell and hit her head, knocking her out.

Sam came to with headache to a royal blue sky, the sun starting to peek over the horizon. Looking around, she saw that she was alone on the beach, save for a boy with black hair, blue eyes, jewelry not unlike the ornaments the merboy had been wearing, only an anklet around his right ankle. Sam blushed as she saw the boy who, aside from the accessories, was in full glory, and totally uninhibited about it.

"Bona, vi veki." Uttered the strange boy. 1

"What did you say?" Sam asked, bewildered.

"Vi scii, veki?" He said, imitating a stretch and a yawn. 2

"How did I get back here?" She wondered. Now it was the boy's turn to be bewildered. "How did I," Sam started, gesturing to herself, "get from there," she continued, pointing to the rocks, "back to here?" She finished, pointing downwards.

"Mi audi vi kriegi kiel vi faligi," he replied, holding his hand high, rapidly bringing it straight down, "tiel mi kapti vi kaj nagi reveni." He finished, moving his hand back and forth like a shark's tail. 3 "Donaco." He added, removing his necklace and presenting it to Sam. 4

"For me?" She asked, ponting to him , then to herself. Understanding her gestures, the boy nodded. "I can't accept this." She replied, pushing it away

"Preni gi. En mia kulturo, kiam regido trovi lia vera ami, li doni sin lia rega talismano." He remarked, pushing it back towards her. 5

"I have no idea what you said, but you seem pretty insistent. Thank you for the amulet." She stated, speaking the last part slowly so he understood.

"Ahm-you-late?"

"This thing." Sam added, pointing to the amulet.

Understanding, the merboy added, "Vi plej bonveno." 6

"Wait!" She yelled, grabbing his arm as he dashed for the shore. "What's your name?" Seeing his questioning expression, she added, "Me, Sam. You..?"

"Regido Daniel." He added before diving into the water. Through the crystal-clear water, Sam watched as his legs conjoined into one long fish tail, his enormous fin regrowing as four slits appeared on each side of his neck before he disappeared into the deep blue sea. 7

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1. "Good, you're awake."

2. "You know, awake?"

3. "I heard you scream as you fell, so I caught you and swam back here."

4. "A gift."

5. "Take it. In my culture, when a prince finds his true love, he gives her his royal amulet."

6. "You're most welcome."

7. "Prince Daniel."