Caught on Land

Human Ship

I swam around the sunken ship with great interest. I loved sunken ships even though it meant that people died. It was amazing to see all the thing-a-mabobs that humans have.

I looked around in a place that looked like a make shift kitchen, my long blue hair curling around my head as I turned my head side to side. I darted inside, towards an open drawer. My long, blue tail slapped the wood as I rushed forward. I curled it beneath me as I looked through the wooden drawer.

I picked out something that looked like those fork things that humans use to eat, but bigger. A serving fork perhaps? Probably. I kept looking around for other things but didn't find much, suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I turned my head to see Adaliah, my small octopus friend. She was a dark blue, meaning danger was nearby, but I didn't sense anything with my fin-like ears so it could only be one thing.

Humans!

I smiled and grabbed Adaliah and swam to the top of the water as fast as I could, my little bag over my shoulder trying to keep up. I heard Adaliah "Juvia! You can't risk the humans seeing you!" I smiled at my companion "It's okay, Adaliah," I answered through her telepathy "I'll be fine."

She hesitantly followed me as I rushed to the surface with a huge grin. I broke the surface and stared in wonderment at the lit up ship, a beacon compared to the star dotted night sky. I swam a little closer as balls of light flew up from the ship.

I ducked down underwater as a huge sound boomed over the ship but I slowly peeked again as I started to get used to the sound. My eyes widened at the different colours of light and fire burst in the sky in beautiful patterns and shapes, even a heart!

I was confused about how the ship didn't catch fire but I still had a lot to learn about humans, I still didn't know all they could do. I swam ever closer, up to to side of the ship. I grabbed the edge and was surprised by how the ship moved up and down, side to side.

I let go with surprise but grabbed it again, determined to get a closer look. As I scaled the side of the ship, I felt a tug on the end of my fin. I looked down and saw Adaliah, a bright, blushing pink from worry. I smiled down at her.

"It'll be okay, Adaliah, I can protect myself," I spoke aloud but softly this time and Adaliah slowly let go of my fin and gurgled, sending me a message through octopus telepathy "Okay, Juvia, good luck!"

I smiled as she settled a little ways away from the boat and watched me. I continued scaling the wall until I came to a gap in the wood siding. I peeked over the edge and almost fell off the side with surprise as a pair of boots went across my vision.

I still ducked down and when I came back up I saw and heard a whole crew of men singing a fishing tune about 'finding his love at sea' and another about mermaids. I frowned at the mermaid song, humans had no clue how wrong they were.

I leaned back and looked to the front of the large, oak ship and saw the human version of a mermaid, which barely represented the real thing. Humans, what can you do? I sighed and looked back towards the crew when suddenly everything quieted.

Everyone, including me, looked towards a wooden door as it swung open and revealed a nicely muscled man with no shirt and black shorts on and bare feet. His pants were loose around his waist and had a chain hanging on to the belt loops on the right. He had a silver necklace with a sword with a stone in it as the charm and a silver bracelet on his right wrist.

I gaped at him, with his dark blue eyes and spiky, raven coloured hair. He was so handsome, I've never seen a human so handsome, a lot of the sailors that went through here weren't that good on the eyes. I leaned onto the deck and stared at him as he looked around the ship, which I presumed was his.

Suddenly a short, chubby man with white hair came up to him "Well my prince, any orders?" I was so surprised, this was the prince?! I shot up and almost fell off but I caught myself, unfortunately I caused some noise, just enough to catch one pair of eyes.

I looked up, straight into a pair of dark blue eyes.

The prince! I turned and dove into the water just as he started walking over to where I was. I slowly looked up, knowing my hair and tail colour helped me blend in. He was looking down into the water but he missed me, I stared up at him, sadly.

Pity such a handsome man had to be a human. When he was about to turn away I slapped the water with my tail, just enough to get his attention. It did. His head turned and his gaze shot to the ripple in the water and me. I lifted my head a little and could see his eyes widen.

He turned so his palms were on the rail and he was leaning towards me. I waved my tail at him but quickly ducked down as the chubby man went up to the prince to see what he was looking at. I splashed to water once again and saw the prince smile in the direction of the splash.

I left and swam towards my castle, Atlantis' castle. Adaliah quickly caught up to me as an alarming purple colour "Princess Juvia! How could you do that?!" "You shouldn't yell like that, Adaliah, and how often do you see a handsome human like that? I had to get a closer look."

She pouted...or, gurgled really, at me "Handsome?! That was the most disgusting human I've ever seen!" "That's because you're an octopus, Adaliah, all humans are ugly to you." I swam into my room and laid down on my clam bed.

It was a huge clam with coral and sponge as the cushion and the top propped open with strong underwater reeds. I laid down and Adaliah laid down next to me and we both slowly fell asleep. All I dreamed about was the prince and how handsome he was.