Shimmer Tail

Chapter Eight

      ~CHAPTER EIGHT~

Sherri released a soul-shattering scream and released Annalise and Simon. She writhed in agony, her body glowing a sickly green color. The light began to crack her skin open; it poured from her eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and from in between her scales. The rocks and pillars surrounding them trembled violently. Annalise and Simon ducked for cover. Sherri howled in rage and pain before exploding in a shower of green light and sharp scales.

Annalise peeked out from the rock she and Simon had hid behind. A broad smile lit up her face. She looked around wildly for Jeanette.

“Jeanette! You did it! WE did it! Sherri’s gone!” she cried. Simon frowned and looked around. Something wasn’t right.

“Jeanette? Where are you?” he called. Annalise joined in. She swam around the crumbling pillars, her pretty face crinkled with worry. She rounded a corner and gasped.

“Simon! Simon, come help me!’ she yelled.

Simon was met with the same unsettling sight. There, behind the pillar, floated Jeanette. She was unconscious, and looked frightfully pale. Breaking the comb had had more or less the same effect on her as it had on Sherri. However, she had not glowed green, nor had she exploded. Simon reached out and shook her delicately. She didn’t respond, and her body was terribly cold.

“You must get her to land quickly,” an urgent voice called from behind them. They turned to see Marjorie with a grim expression.

“Your Highness!” Annalise said in surprise. Simon looked at both mermaids in confusion. Marjorie swam closer and examined Jeanette.

“Come, we must get her to shore.” She swam ahead while Simon and Annalise carried Jeanette.

o0o

Ripple had led everyone else back to shore, where they had run into a very harried Dave. It took quite a while to explain everything to him. He would’ve thought this was a dream, had he not encountered a werewolf before. Therefore, he knew that magical creatures did exist. They had been waiting anxiously for the others’ return for a good thirty minutes. Alvin gave a cry of excitement when he saw something swimming toward them.

Ripple gasped and bowed her head as Marjorie broke the surface.

“Your Highness, what are you doing here?” she asked. The others tilted their heads in confusion. Marjorie looked toward them.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Marjorie, queen of Oceana.” Everyone gave a little “oh” of clarification. Then they looked around uncomfortably, not knowing whether or not to bow. Marjorie turned back to Ripple.

“I have come because Jeanette is in grave danger,” she said. Everyone gave a little gasp. Brittany nearly lunged at the sea queen.

“What!? Where is she?” she cried. As if on cue, Annalise and Simon popped their heads up out of the water. Simon walked on carrying Jeanette bridal style, as Annalise couldn’t go as far with a tail. He gently laid her on the sand and kneeled beside her.

“What’s wrong with her!?” Eleanor cried. Simon was trying his hardest to act composed. Marjorie began to explain.

“She broke the comb, thus destroying Sherri. You see, the comb was Sherri’s to begin with. She was permanently attached to it, so when it broke, she was killed. However, Jeanette was also attached to it, as the comb was the first mermaid item she’d come in contact with. But as it was never hers originally, the bond was weaker. Yet that weak bond was enough for her to gain magic from the comb, so when it broke it affected her as well. If something is not done, she will die.” Here everyone gasped. “The only option is to take away her mermaid powers entirely. This means that she won’t be able to come back to Oceana, however.”

Annalise bit her lip. Over the course of everything that had happened, Jeanette had become the little sister she’d never had. It would definitely be sad to never see her again. But if nothing was done, she’d die.

“We must take her powers,” she said. “We can’t let her die.” Marjorie nodded in agreement.

“Yes. Please step back, everyone, and bring Jeanette closer.”

Simon picked up Jeanette and placed her closer to Marjorie. The sea queen closed her eyes in concentration. She waved her hands over Jeanette’s body: first her head, then her lungs, then her tail. Suddenly, Jeanette’s body began to glow a faint purple. Her tail glowed brightest. Everyone watched in amazement as her tail began to separate into legs, and her fins molded into feet. The glowing began to fade. Marjorie opened her eyes and dropped her hands.

Everyone watched Jeanette anxiously. Her fingers began to twitch. A small sound escaped her throat, then she began to cough. Marjorie tilted Jeanette’s head to the side as seawater was expelled from her lungs. When she had coughed up everything, her breathing regulated. Ever so slowly, her eyes fluttered open. The first thing she saw was Simon standing a little ways off.

“Si…mon…” she said weakly. The bespectacled chipmunk’s face lit up with relief. He fought the urge to embrace her, and instead took her hand.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” he whispered softly. Jeanette slowly sat up, rubbing her head.

“What…happened?” she asked. It was then that she noticed Annalise, Ripple, and Marjorie. She gasped and bowed quickly before the queen. Then she looked at her mermaid friends.

“Anna, what happened? Did we beat Sherri?” Annalise smiled.

“YOU beat Sherri, Jeanette.” Annalise sighed. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“What?” Jeanette was confused. She then noticed that her tail was gone. “My powers…” she gasped as realization hit her. “Oh, Anna…”

The pink-haired mermaid gave Jeanette a big hug. When she pulled back, her eyes were shiny.

“Jeanette, you’re such a great friend. I won’t forget you.” Annalise elbowed Ripple, who had been staring into space.

“Ow!” she protested. Then she turned to Jeanette. “I guess you’re pretty good friend. I never really got to know you,” she said. Jeanette shook her head and hugged the blue-paired mermaid. Ripple sighed but hugged back.

Finally, Jeanette turned to Marjorie. The regal mermaid smiled, and Jeanette looked down.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” she mumbled. Marjorie laughed, filling the air with the sound of tinkling bells.

“Not at all, Jeanette. Thank you for saving my kingdom,” she replied. “Speaking of which, I must depart. There are many things I must take care of.”

Jeanette smiled, and to her surprised delight, the queen gave her a hug. The three mermaids smiled and waved before wading into the ocean. The ‘munks and ‘ettes waved back.

“Goodbye! I won’t forget you!” Jeanette called. A pink tail broke the surface for just a moment.

o0o

That evening, Jeanette sat on the beach. She watched the orange waves lap the shore. She breathed deeply, letting the salty air fill her lungs.

“What and adventure,” Simon said as he sat down beside her. Jeanette smiled at him.

“It really is a magical place,” Jeanette said. “There’s so much life down there. I will miss them,” she said quietly, referring to her mermaid friends. Simon subtly scooted closer.

“Thank you, Simon.” The bespectacled chipmunk looked up.

“What for?”

“For helping me. For protecting me. For just…being there for me,” Jeanette stared into his grey-blue eyes. he stared back into her green ones. Their eyes both fluttered closed as they closed the space between their lips. Sparks seemed to fly from their hearts. They eventually broke the kiss, and sat together, watching the setting sun.

Yes, they both realized. It was definitely love.

o0o