Mermaids

Betrayal

I TURNED TO MINAKO IN UTTER DISGUST.

"What did you do?" I sputtered. She probably chased Holly off forever. What if I could never see her again? She thought I was cheating on her, I bet.

"You JERK!" I shouted at her, then turned and swam away, pounding my tail as fast as I could.

I swam out the door, looking for any sign of the redhead. She wasn't in any room. Did she leave already?

I swam up and down the chilly hallways, being blown around by currents. That was weird; the currents were strong today. I always felt them, I was just never affected by them.

I swam into the king's room, unannounced, of course. I didn't have time to announce myself.

"Looking for Holly?" He asked me, concern in his eyes.

I nodded solemnly. "Have you seen her?"

"I have, son." His face then shifted into a more worried expression. "But I am afraid we have more pressing matters in our hands."

I took the equivalent of a step forward with my tail. "Like what?"

He turned and inspected a silvery object on one of his tables. He cast me a sideways glance. "The village is being attacked."

My eyebrows shot up. "By whom?"

"We don't know yet."

Great. It was my duty to protect the village, but how could I if I didn't know who was attacking it?

"I'll keep my eyes open, sir." I said respectfully. He looked confused at the title. Oh right, he'd probably never heard it before.

I exited the room. When I arrived at the giant sea-glass doors, I opened them and left.

Soon, Minako was at my side. I glared at her, then pushed forward.

"I-I'm sorry!" She called out, hurrying again to catch up. I strained myself, trying to get away from her, but she kept up easily. Sighing, I turned to face her.

"What do you want from me? You've already ruined my life." So I was being dramatic. Who cared?

Her lower lip started to sag, and I was sure she'd be crying if we were above water. God. I was a horrible person.

She turned and swam away. Although my mind was begging me not to, I couldn't help it. I swam after her.

She kept swimming, disappearing further and further out of my sight.g I tried to catch up, but I ran out of breath too soon.

The path became familiar as I realized we were heading back to Japan. She must be homesick. But she didn't seem like the type to run away from things.

I followed her and soon we arrived at a rocky coast line. She pulled herself out of the chilly water and sat herself up. It was morning, but the sun was already beating down on us. Pretty hot for Japan.

I then realized what she was doing. She was actually breathing above water. I must have mixed something up...

I forced magic towards my lungs for them to become weaker, making them suited to breathing thin air. It was harder to manipulate it. I felt weaker today. Maybe I ate something bad.

I pulled myself onto the rock. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said."

She scoffed and looked down at the turning waves, her soft blue tail flickering.

If I hadn't known better, it looked like she was grinning under her straight dark hair. My suspicions were proved wrong when I saw she was crying.

This girl had sent me on a roller coaster of emotion. First she was annoying. Now I was begging at her flipper for forgiveness? She had me wrapped around her pinky.

"I'm sorry," I said again, and held my arms out in a hug gesture.

She hesitated, then sighed and leaned in to hug me.

As she did, I felt all of the energy drain out of me. Wow. I was getting sick. My tail ached and I looked down at it.

It wasn't a tail anymore. Instead, it had become two legs, wearing a pair of swim trunks. My eyes nearly popped out of my head.

What was happening to me?

My question was answered when she pulled away, her face smug and egotistical.

"What did you do to me?" I demanded. A golden stream of light appeared and flew into a small bracelet I hadn't noticed before. She grabbed it off her wrist and dove into the water.

I dove, too, but my tail just would not come back.

Minako had taken my magic.


****

Ugh Mina. Who saw that coming?

Well short chappie, sorry. :( I've been so stressed from school.

Rae <3