Tender Waves - A DreamNotFound Story

Chapter 12 : Wingman Win

To tell the absolute truth, George was terribly freaked out.

He only hoped he was doing a good enough job of hiding it.

He had legs, for crying out loud!

Who wouldn't be phased?

For so long, he had lived with his tail, swimming freely and taking his underwater life for granted. He had grown up as a mer-person, raised as a prince of his oceanic kingdom. Everything he knew, that separated him from the overworlders, had come from his marine origins.

And now, he had traded it in for legs.

Human legs, that he didn't know how to use.

Unwillingly.

It was all he could do to brave a smile and offer a bold comment to the captain, to get off the ship finally.

I'm still not even sure how it happened, George thought to himself. Bad talked to me earlier, with Skeppy......

.

.

.

.

.

"What are you talking about?" George was nearly hyperventilating, shivering under his blankets. "I don't know what's going on!!"

"It's okay, it's okay," Bad shushed him, before looking at Skeppy. "Lock the doors."

Skeppy immediately did as he was told, bolting the wooden entry shut. George kept staring down at his new legs, Bad rubbing his arms to keep him warm. Skeppy brought over a piece of bread from a nearby table, awkwardly holding it out to George.

"....Eat?" Skeppy lamely handed him the food.

"Skeppy, not now," Bad batted his hand away. "George, please, look at me-"

"What's happening?!" George cried. "I feel strange!! My tail!! I-it's gone!! I have-"

"George, listen!" Bad gripped his shoulders. "There's an explanation for everything. That includes this, alright? Just please calm-"

"How can I be calm?!" George wailed. "I've been on this bloody ship for who knows how long, taken from my friends and family, my kingdom!! I've been stuck here as some terrible hostage, getting framed for crimes I have no knowledge of, and now, even NOW, my very being is getting stripped away from me?! How could I be calm?! How?! My tail is GONE!!"

"George!" Bad raised his voice slightly. "Please, I just need you to listen. I can tell you what's happening, but not if you shout at me."

"How could you know?!" George felt tears welling up in his eyes. "I don't even know what YOU are. How could you just know everything about ME?!"

At any other point in time, George might've found his own comment about Bad as insensitive. However, fear had gotten rid of quite a bit of his common sense. His missing tail seemed more important than Bad's devilish looks. Bad didn't take the remark about his appearance to heart, however, nearly smiling in amusement as he continued to placate the frightened prince.

"It's quite simple, really," Bad replied evenly. "You have magic, don't you?"

"....What's that got to do with anything?" George wiped at his eyes furiously.

"Magic is a part of you," Bad pressed his palm to George's chest. "Magic is a way of life, of enhancing one's abilities and achievements. It lives right alongside you, as you do. Like an extra part of your own soul. Those who are blessed enough to receive it, are sure to do many great things. Good or bad, of course, but magic is inherently tied to your being.