The Little Mermaid

Chapter 21

The shattered pieces remained shattered on the ground. Asa was silent, sitting on the floor with his head lowered, his hair shielding his face from Kristene's eyes. She brushed his hair aside, winding it behind his ear. Then she could see his expression clearly.

Surprisingly--and much to her dismay--there wasn't much of an expression to see. He seemed thoughtful, maybe a little bit nostalgic and sad, but that was it. There was no sign of pain.

"Why did you lock that up?" she asked.

"I thought of it all the time," he said. "Even if I locked it up, I still remembered. It's just the emotions involved that I trapped in this glass."

"What about now?"

Asa grabbed some of the shards, clutching them so tight blood dripped from his hand. "Memories remain the same, no matter how much time has passed, and no matter how much you've changed. And--"

"Pain will always be fresh," Kristene finished the sentence for him.

He tilted his head, and gave her a look. "True." His tone seemed to be asking, "How do you know?"

"If nobody takes my memories anymore from now on," she explained, "Master Kyron will always be a scar. No matter how much time passes, as long as I remember, it will feel the same."

"Ah, yes." The smirk returned to his lips. "Poor Kitty, her dearest one deceived her."

"I'm free now." As if to emphasize her point, she spread her wings again, and flew around the room. With the wind that her wings created, the shards of glass gathered in the air. Asa opened his palm, letting the remaining pieces in his hand join the others. Kristene started singing. "Let it sink," she serenaded, "All your memories and all your pain / Let it sink / To the bottom of the sea."

With her voice, the shattered glass gradually reshaped into colorful pebbles. She cradled the pebbles in her arms, diving into the water. The pebbles dropped to the bottom of the tank. When she emerged from the water again, she gave Asa a triumphant smile.

"Then, Kitty," he asked, seemingly satisfied with the outcome. "Do you plan to stick by the name of Kristene, or return to Kitty?"

"I prefer Kitty."

It was a resolution to give up everything that reminded her of the Master.