Moonlight Transformation: The Story of Luke

Chapter 9

"I'll have the grilled chicken sandwich..." Daniel said reading off the menu. Across from Luke was Silva she was munching down on onion rings she ordered 15 minutes ago. She looked up at Luke and smiled. Luke nodded and handed the menu to the waitress, already ordering a salad. The waitress nodded and left to put their order in.
"So, this is Silva." Daniel said sipping his soda.
Silvia perked up and rested her hands on her chin
"Yup, it's me, the small rain cloud that follows Luke around." She chuckled and glanced at Luke.
"Yeah, my stalker." He grinned but sighed. He looked around the diner. He rarely ate out, this place seemed new to him. He wanted to just focus on the greasy smell coming from the kitchen, or the loud music playing overhead. Talking to Silva created a lump in his throat. He took a breath and looked at her.

"Look, Silva, I'm going to be honest, what happened last night, why did you...ya know." He said softly.
Silva looked down. She brushed her dark hair out of her face.
"You two sure thought of the most inconspicuous place to talk about this shit." She spat and wiped her greasy hands
Daniel and Luke both looked at each other. Silvia sipped her soda.
"Look, it's more of a job. Someone asked me find you." She said calmly and gently looked at both men
"Find him?" Daniel muttered
"Who would find me?" Luke asked.
"Some merman. I have a power of seeing visions. He asked me to find his son," she said shrugging.
Luke almost choked on his water. Droplets hit his skin, making the scales appear before he wiped it away.
"M-My father is alive...I thought." Luke said in disbelief looking at Daniel
"Scarlet never told me much about your father. She must've been so ill and not thinking clearly that she assumed he died." Daniel said holding Luke's shaking hand.
Silvia nodded and continued,
"I took his payment and did my best to locate you. I saw this vision of you saving Opal in the ocean. I then saw both of us in the cove. I used that to try and geographically find you...at least the location." Silva said softly.
"Why didn't he come himself? Didn't he remember where my mom lived before?" Luke asked.
Silvia shrugged.
"Look Luke I don't know, all I know is that he wants you to come home. I didn't realize you had legs. I tried to speed up the transformation." She said, popping another onion ring in her mouth.
"That explains last night." Luke nodded.
"The problem is, I'm here and he's wherever he is. I can't just swim to him. I'm not a merman." Luke exclaimed.
The waitress appeared again, she gently placed the food down for Luke and Daniel. Silva gave the waitress a smile before she walked to another table.
She gave Luke a serious look
"It's very dangerous for a merman like you to transform without a clan. There are complications, especially since your half human." Silvia said.
"Clan?" Luke muttered.
Silva nodded.
"Like the people who surround you, give you strength. A community. Merfolk form bonds and strong connections. We're connected. That's the power in which transforms you." She said.
"At least some transform, most Merfolk don't want humans to turn. The land is already a mess as it is. Why overpopulate the ocean with more Merfolk."she said, drinking more of her soda.
"That's why we're a secret. I'm not sure how your mother turned." Silva said furrowing her eyebrows.
Both Luke and Daniel gave confused looks.
Luke nodded but sighed.
"If I can't transform, why am I getting these side effects?" He asked softly and sighed
"Even if I do, I can't leave my...uncle, my cousin, Opal. I feel like I  don't have much a choice." He sighed.
Silva tapped her chin, stirring her watered down soda with the straw. Luke noticed how she bites on the straw, making him grin a little.
"I could also try and bring him here. It would be easier on you, since you're still a merbaby." She chuckled.
"I guess that can work, but why now, I just don't understand." Luke sighed and stabbed his salad.
"He said that the healer who first gave him the potion died. When he found out about me and my abilities, he wanted someone closer to your age to talk to. Not make it awkward. Getting the ingredients is strenuous and only enough for one Merfolk." She said plainly, eating another onion ring.
Luke looked down, feeling unconvinced still.
"Well to see if you're telling the truth, do these pictures look familiar? Did my father describe my mother?" Luke asked taking out the pictures. There were more of Scarlett, being in college, sitting with friends, and celebrating Christmas with her family.
Silvia picked up one particular picture with her in college. She was surrounded by two girls and a guy
"Him, that's your dad." Silva said softly pointing at the man with long dark hair. He had tan skin, barely a blemish to be seen. His gray green eyes stuck out the most from the rest of the people.
"Those eyes. My eyes." Luke said with wide eyes.
"I found that in a box of Scar's things." Daniel said softly. "I wasn't sure if he was Julian, I never got to meet him." He said eating his sandwich.
Luke held the picture tightly, staring at his parents
Parents, a family that he lost. Luke looked up at Silva  and nodded
"Yes, bring my dad here. Please." Luke said and held Silva's hands. Silva gasped but calmed.
"I'll do my best." She nodded, eating her last onion ring.
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"It should take me two days to bring him back, it took me a week to get here but I have better idea of where I need to go." Silva said smiling, walking with Luke and Daniel. Daniel insisted they escort Silva to the beach.
"I'll make my journey tonight, then once I'm back, contact you to meet each other." She smiled. They made it to the board walk. All three made their way down. Silva seemed to be following a familiar path. She approached the shore.
Both men stared a Silva, she removed her shoes, stepping slowly into the water. All of a sudden she seemed to fall gently, her legs clamping together into a it's large red tail. Luke stood back, shocked at its magnificence. Daniel slightly jumped but smiled at Luke.
Silva turned and smiled at both of them.
"I'll return soon, keep an eye on him. His body is still going through the side effects." Silva  said softly to Daniel.
He nodded in agreement.
Luke went to Silvia, touching the water, making his webbed hands and feet appear. He winced in pain.
"Be careful." He said softly.
Silva held his hand, gently looking at his scales.
"You dumbass, now you'll have wait to dry." She laughed.
Luke sighed and gave her a look
"I thought we were going to have a heart to heart for a moment there." He laughed back.
Both Merfolk laughed and hugged. Daniel smiled and looked around, making sure no one noticed.
Silva let Luke go and slowly submerged her self until she was gone. A flash of her red tail flopped out on the surface but that was the last trace of Silva. Luke sat by the shore, his webbed feet flopping in the water.
Daniel crouched next to him.
"Let's get you dry." He said softly
Luke looked up, the sun was setting. Luke smiled and nodded