The Mermaid of Santa Monica

Chapter 2

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Adrianna was skateboarding over to the edge of a pier. She began taking off her shoes and socks and put those in her backpack along with her skateboard. After looking to make sure no one was watching her, she proceeded to jump in the air and her appearance changed. Her clothes disappeared, revealing an athletic physique and leaving only a green bandeau bikini top, her necklace and her bracelets, along with a piece of net and two long pieces of seaweed fastened to her top. Her legs fused to form a long dark bluish-green fish tail. She also had a pink flower in her hair. Yes, Adrianna was actually a mermaid; a rare breed that had the ability to switch between a mermaid and human on a whim. On the surface world, she worked as a drifter, going around town doing odd jobs in exchange for money, food or both.

Once her transformation completed, she submerged herself underwater. Taking her backpack with her, she swam her way through the Pacific Ocean, being greeted by several fish as she made her way through. The sea was a beautiful undersea oasis, lush with all sorts of life and vegetation. Eventually, she made her way to a large cave deep in the ocean. Inside the cave were several artifacts that she had acquired from either abandoned ships or stuff she acquired in her human disguise. Inside the "living room," was an old couch with a coffee table.

"Mom! I'm home!" Adrianna called out.

She turned her attention to another room, which was the "kitchen." This room had a large, flat, rounded rock surrounded by four smaller rocks of the same shape, which acted as the dining room table. There was also another large rock; this one being a long, flat rectangular shape, acting as a countertop of sorts.

At that countertop was another mermaid. Unlike Adrianna, this one was an older, middle-aged woman with a more curvy physique and a more pronounced gut. She had long hair that ended in one long curl at the bangs as well as her back. She had bright green eyes with light purple lipstick with matching fingernails. Her tail was the exact same color as Adrianna's, but she wore a dark brown bandeau top and completed the look with a pearl necklace. This mermaid was named Anastasia, and she was Adrianna's mother. She appeared to be preparing some undersea dish.

"Adrianna, where have you been?" Anastasia asked, "I have not seen you all day."

"I was up on the surface world, doing my usual gig. Had myself a bite to eat."

"Well, I hope you still have a bit more room in your stomach because I made some coral bites."

"Oh, yeah. Still got enough appetite for that."

Anastasia placed a plate of coral bites on the table, followed Adrianna grabbing one off the plate and taking a bite out of it.

"Mmmm. Delicious as usual. Have you seen Adrien? Haven't heard a peep from him all day."

"He's probably still sleeping," Anastasia grumbled, "You know Adrien, always sleeping the day away."

"You're clearly exaggerating, Mom," a male voice grumbled.

Adrianna and Anastasia turned to see a young man around the same age as Adrianna. He had short, scruffy blue hair with a matching beard, brown eyes, and a muscular physique, as well as a scar on his right pec and his green tail. He also had a tattoo on his right shoulder. He wore a gold chain necklace around his neck, a golden shoulder pad on his left shoulder, and dark green seaweed bandages on his wrists. This was Adrien, Adrianna's twin brother. In direct contrast to the happy and cheerful Adrianna, Adrien was brusque and grumpy.

"Well, well," Adrianna dryly remarked, "Looks like Sleeping Ugly finally woke up."

"And what have you done today?" snarled Adrien, "Messing around with those humans again, I presume?"