The Land Merman

Sea

Atlantis was busy, filled to the brim with merfolk and fish. Everywhere you looked you saw merfolk chatting, swimming, playing. Fish swimming through, all bright and different colors. The houses were vibrant and different, made out of coral.

Eric felt out of place, he couldn't figure out why though. He took his time, looking at all the different fish. Admiring how many there was and how different they all were from each other.

He remembered why he was there. A mermaid had helped him stay hidden from humans and he wanted to thank her.

He came up to a little park, little merkids playing tag, and sliding down the slide. He looked around and his eyes snagged on one mermaid. She had red hair up in a bun and a green simmering tail.

It was her. He knew it.

He swam up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around and Eric found himself trapped in her ice blue eyes. "Hello?" She asked, raising a brow.

"Hi," He gave a timid wave. "I think you saved me... a few days ago, and and," He coughed to clear his nerves. Why was this so hard? "And I wanted to thank you. So um.. thank you."

She didn't say anything, just eyed him up and down. "You... look familiar but... I don't think I saved you." She looked down at his tail. "At least not you with a tail."

"Huh?"

"Look.. um, what's you name?"

"Eric."

"Look Eric, I saved someone who looked like you, with legs. So unless you somehow got a tai..." Her face changed as if something dawned on her.

Eric raised a brow and scrunched his face. Someone looked like him with legs? He couldn't believe he had a look alike, and a human no less.

The mermaid turned back to the park. "Lily!" 

A mermaid who looked like a mini version of her swam over. "Yeah? Your interrupting my game."

"Sorry not sorry. I need to take him to the sea witch." She whispered the last part, looking around to make sure no one heard. The little mermaid turned to Eric and eyed him.

"I'm not going to ask. I'll stay here."

"Okay, thank you." 

Lily swam back over to her friends, not looking back. The mermaid turned back to him. "Follow me, I know who we can talk to." She started to swim away. Eric quickly followed her, unsure of what else he could do.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Avisa." She answered.

"That means Sea, right?"

She looked back at him. "It does."

Eric felt warmth go through him. He was proud he had remembered that. Where did I learn that at?

After swimming for awhile they came to a darker part of the sea. The coral here dark in color, looking like they were dying. A cave popped up from the ground, looking lonely all by itself. "Where are we?" Eric asked.

"Ursula the sea witch." Avisa answered.

Eric had never heard of her, but by the way Avisa said her name she didn't sound nice.

Avisa swam into the cave, no hesitation. After a reluctant breath Eric followed her.

The cave was messy. Every surface covered. At the back of the cave was a pot over an unused fire. Eric couldn't see very far, the light orbs weren't very bright and floated near the ceiling. "Ursula!" Avisa called.

"Coming! Coming!" A soft voice called, sounding loud. Eric turned towards the voice and found a small mermaid. Her tail black like coal, her eyes the murkiest green and her grey hair reflecting the little light. He had the funniest sense of Deja vu. "Avisa, good to see you again. And you brought Eric!"

"Hold up. One, not nice to see you, second, you know him!?" She asked bewildered and gesturing wildly.

"Of course, of course I do. He came to me asking to be a merman."

"He what!?" She yelled, shooting daggers at Eric.

"I don't remember any of that." Eric puts in. Looking from the glaring Avisa to the witch.

"Of course you don't. I made your potion that way."

"Why?" Avisa asked before he could, furious.

"He didn't like his prince life, and if his plan failed he would finally be where he wanted to be."

"How do we reverse it?" Eric asked, fiddling with his hands.

"With a kiss!"

Avisa let out a groan. "Thanks Ursula, we'll be going now." Avisa swam towards Eric and grabbed his arm, pulling him with her.

They didn't talk. Avisa didn't let go of his arm. They swam for what felt like hours, and when they stopped it was at the beach with the palace. "What are we doing here?" Eric asked, rubbing his wrist when she let go.

"I'm going to kiss you, you're going to be human again and never come back here. Got it?"

Eric looked from her to the palace to the sea and back to her. "What if I don't want to be human?" He asked.

She let out a frustrated breath, and ran a hand down her face. "Look. I've been where you are, choose your life. I choose to be a human for a little and you know what I missed?"

Eric shook his head.

"My ocean life. So go be a human again." She finished.

He looked at her and took her in. He turned to the sea and took that in too. "Okay." 

Then they kissed, no sparks or fireworks. 

Eric could already feel the changes. He couldn't breath, he swam to the surface but found it hard. He looked down to find his legs and started to kick. His memories came back. The palace, the witch, his father, his books.

It was a struggle to get to shore but when he did he felt relief. He could breath and stop. He could relax his legs.

He fixed his eyes on the red headed mermaid. "Thank you for everything!" He called to her.

She nodded. 

He watched as she turned to the sun and jumped like a dolphin into the water. The last thing he saw of her was her green tail flicking water into the air.

Eric smiled. He gotten to thank her and so much more. He got to experience the sea in a way he never thought he would. His love for the sea had grown, but he knew he wasn't meant down there. 

He was meant up here by his father's side. He was meant to care for his people. He could do all that and still keep his love of the sea.