Izuocha's Love Stories

48 - PARADISE (CHAPTERS 1-2)

By Encylopika

SUMMARY: I've read lots of Mermaid Ochako stories but this one is truly the best. 

In the crystal clear waters of the South Pacific lies a spit of sand, rock, and palm trees nestled between a rainbow of coral reefs. Some may call this paradise, but Ochako calls it a life-saver. Ever since she was separated from her pod and marooned here during a deadly cyclone, she has made the most of it – alone. The surrounding corals are teaming with tasty food items and the sheltered lagoon has become her home base. When another storm hits, Ochako is better prepared, but she can't say the same for everyone. The following morning, Ochako finds debris washed up on her shores...as well as a human! Ochako knows to keep her distance – humans have been unkind to merfolk throughout history, or so she had been told by the elders in her pod. But this one seems...harmless? He's definitely alone and definitely unsure of himself as he wanders the tide like a new born babe, confused and in need of some guidance. Ochako decides she will be that guidance from a distance. After all, if she keeps herself hidden in the waves, then nothing can go wrong...right?

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CHAPTER ONE

Gentle wave breaks invade her dreams, sweeping over pristine beaches white as the fluffy clouds that hang overhead. The call of a gull stirs her enough to open her eyes, enough to catch the pool of cerulean rising and falling below her. Slowly, it builds into larger waves tumbling over themselves, spreading across the sand before retreating for another go.

Ochako stares for a beat, her eyes open just slightly. Even as a denizen of the sea, the rhythmic breath of the South Pacific is mesmerizing in all its shades of blue. This spot, a layered bed of rock jutting out from the lagoon towards the open sea, made it hard to move around enough to do much of anything. The cool, sea spray keeps her just cool enough to counteract the way the tropical sun cooks her skin and the stone. Ochako curls her tail around herself in an attempt at sleep once again.

It is no use. The calls of the birds overhead and the constant rolling of the waves intrude upon her thoughts. She moves the translucent pink tail flukes away from her face and stretches with some annoyance, pushing herself up from the stone and arching her back as a seal would before settling back down to look out South to the horizon. Her view is framed in rock, the outcrops of her lagoon layered and protective of the secret beach within its horseshoe shape. Water as clear as crystal and calmed by the rocks before entering, rolls up the sand bank behind her gently, delivering sand and shells with it, among other curious things on a blue moon. Behind the rock walls of the lagoon rise palm trees that sway in the southern trade winds, coaxing ripe coconuts to tumble down the rock face and split conveniently before landing within her reach.

Beyond this tiny island lies the vast ocean. Sprinkled across the blue horizon, other islands, just as quiet and beautiful as her own, lie out in their mystery. They almost appear close enough to swim to, but Ochako knows better. They are many, many miles away, too many miles for one merfolk to swim without the aid of her family, her pod. Not only that, but deep, dark channels snake between the tiny oases of coral and sand, hiding dangers in the navy shadow.

The risk isn't worth it.

Especially not today. Looking to her left, the sky darkens from a brilliant blue into an ominous gray. Although the storm is far off, perhaps pummeling one of those islands in the distance, its strong winds strike her now, chilling her to the bone. She shivers. Such a storm is the reason she was here.

Alone.

She was lucky to be alive, lucky to have a second chance to prepare correctly this time.

So, without a second thought, she quickly grabs her palm purse, a bag she'd fashioned herself out of a palm frond, before facing the water. Taking a deep breath, she dives off her rock into the water with a ker-plunk! The bubbles rise back up to the surface in a hurry, but Ochako stays submerged, surveying the lagoon from underneath. Seagrass and algae line much of the rocks and sand here. As secluded as it is, she knows for certain that the lagoon is not the place to ride out the storm. A few bubbles escape her mouth as she exhales tiredly, coming to the conclusion that she needs to find somewhere else to hide from the wind, rain, and swells the storm was sure to bring.