The Dead Sea: Truth's Awakening

Chapter 1.X

- 5 years ago -

It's my eighth birthday! I wonder what I should do... something special? Definitely! Eight year old Kairi Aspido danced around the turquoise coral room, almost exploding from happiness. "Okay, my Sealeaf, why don't you go and buy something from Reef Valley Market? It's near Glowworm Cove. Maybe that'll calm down your excitement." Kairi's mother joked, using her private baby-ish name for Kairi. "I've already added 10 corals to your wallet." With a spring in her step, Kairi happily skipped to the Reef Valley Market.
        "SPECIAL OCEAN PLANTS! LANDER'S FLOWERS! ALL AT HALF PRICE! COME TO LASSA'S PLANT STALL!" A young voice hollered just as Kairi stepped into market. Curious, she decided to check the stall out. A lander's flower! I wonder what special things it may have! Maybe it'll be as pretty as a flying fish! Ooo, would mummy like one?
         Kairi followed the sound of the voice, and after many times of getting lost in the busy crowd, she finally found it.
         "You're just as old as I am!" Kairi cried, shocked. There was somebody standing behind the desk, but because of her age, she was barely visible. "Yeah. It's fine, my mother was busy today sooo... she let me run her stall!" The girl said proudly, thumping her chest. "Anyway, what would you like to buy? We have Hydrangeas, Water Lilies, Fern..." She listed.
           "Actually, I'm looking for lander flowers." Kairi whispered, managing to get something out of her mouth. "Oh! Those lander flowers." She grumbled. "I don't have them." She said casually. "What? But you said!" Kairi whined, upset. Was that girl SCAMMING her? "Ah... you see, how am I going to get business if nobody is interested in buying things that I sell? So, I came up with an amazing plan, and boom! Here you are!" The girl grinned.
"But... I wanted lander flowers." Kairi sighed.
                 "Oh."
"Well, uh, I know where to find some!" The girl said hastily, noticing Kairi's upset face.
        "Really? You do?"
               "Mhm! Follow me!"

       Kairi wandered towards Merman Cave hand in hand with her newfound friend (or scammer?), eager to find the "lander flowers". As they crossed the rocky pebble road with sand, the girl asked Kairi a question. "I'm Coralia! What's your name? You're kinda silly to actually believe that I sold lander flowers, but eh.. Are you eight? Cos' I'm seven! Seven-and-half, to be exact. I'm turning eight in a few months, and my mother is going to hold a HUGE celebration! OK, maybe not, but I hope so! Hey, you're the only person who's stayed around me this long! They say I'm too talkative or whatever, but what else is there to do? Catch more fish? Dance to more grumpy pants? Oh Ya, speaking about that, I hope I don't become like my aunt. She's the MOST grumpiest person ever! Hey! I bet landers aren't grumpy. So, what was your name again?" Coralia rambled on and on, before turning towards Kairi with a humongous smile plastered on her face. She felt a little overwhelmed by this hyperactive girl. "Uh... Kairi!" She pointed to herself.
"Kairi? Kairi Kairi Kairi... it's too long! Mind if I call you Kai instead?" Coralia suggested, her smile as wide as a cheshire cat's. My name is too long?! It has only five letters! Hmph! Coralia is C-O-R-A-L-I-A, that means it's seven letters, so it's two letters more than mine! HAHAH!
"You can call me Cora if that means I get to call you Kai!"
Although she was still a teensy bit upset that Coralia had said that her name was too long, Kairi nodded her head in agreement, happy that Coralia had came up with a nickname for her.
"Annnddd... We're here! At Merman Cave! The lander flowers are super deep inside, so you can go in and I'll wait for you out here!" Coralia declared, chest puffing out in pride that she had managed to earn a new friend.
"How do I know it's not another trick?" Kairi asked worriedly, still thinking about the encounter she had with Cora. If Cora could lie to her then, surely she could do the same now.
And with a small sigh, Coralia grabbed Kairi by the arm and dragged her into the opening of the cave. "I'll go with you, so you have nothing to be scared of!"
Satisfied with Cora's promise, Kairi set off together with her as they trudged through the moist seaweed, pushing past strands of tangled greens.