Mermaids

Return (Part Two)

SHE STARED AT ME, SCRUTINIZING MY EXPRESSION. I tried to remain neutral but it wasn't working.

She was probably going to tell me something insignificant. It wouldn't be fair to reveal the entire underwater city, and her reveal something small and unimportant. I felt a little overprotective over mine, but I told myself I wanted to protect her.

That was the only reason, right? Right.

I laughed, taking a step back into the ocean. "That won't work. Thanks for everything."

And with that, I dove into the coming waves and started swimming. I changed immediately and pumped my fin, aiming to get as far away as I could.

I had only gone to the beginning of the reef when I became aware of the presence behind me. I spun around, but my brain couldn't comprehend the scene as fast as my eyes did. Yumi was there, I realized that first.

But as my eyes traveled down to where her feet would be, I realized they weren't there. She had a fin. She was a mermaid.

When she saw me, she spluttered in the water. I shrugged a little, an apologetic gesture. But, she looked more astounded than I did. She gestured to the surface, swimming upwards, and I frowned but followed.

We broke the top of the water, entering the frigid air. "Why on earth did you not tell me?" I demanded. She looked too shocked to answer.

I waved my hand in front of her face. "Hello?"

Yumi shook her head, as if shaking herself awake. "Sorry. I can't-" she cut herself off from there.

"Me neither!" I said, still in disbelief.

"And you?" She looked down at the water we were floating on. "I figured I was the only one left."

I grabbed both of her hands. "I'll show you the underwater city!"

Her eyes lit up. "Awesome!"

I smiled, a big smile this time. "But, I have to ask one thing. Which one of your parents are.." I let the rest of the sentence drift off.

"When they were alive-- my mom-" she didn't finish the sentence. I nodded awkwardly and we floated in silence.

"I see," I mumbled and dove back down again, forcing my lungs to breath the salty cold water. Yumi followed, but I didn't think she was able to breathe underwater, because of her half-mermaidness. It was just a theory, however.

I could fix that. Aiming at her lungs, I shot a small ball of magic, hopefully gently. She started choking, then coughed and started breathing underwater. Whew, I was worried she wouldn't be able to.

"I-I'm breathing underwater..." She whispered, then stared at me. "I'm talking underwater!"

I smiled at her. "I am too."

If I kept surprising her, I was sure her eyes might pop out of her face. "Lets go see the village!" She said, grabbing my hand and swimming farther underwater.

I followed her, slow compared to her excitement. Soon, though, I sped up and led her through all of the twists and turns in order to get to the village.

"It's not much, is it?" Yumi sounded disappointed. How was she disappointed?

I swam over the ledge, over looking the village, just like the first time I came here with Holly.

To my complete and utter horror and dismay, it was in shambles. Torn down, abandoned. "What the-" I cursed under my breath.

She looked at me strangely. "It didn't always look like that?"

I shook my head. "I don't know what happened here."

Yumi started swimming to the first couple of buildings. I followed her, warily.

"Oh my god," she whispered. The dolphin cafe was open, and I stared inside at masses of blood.

Everywhere, merpeople layed, looking very dead. Yumi turned around, starting to throw up.

"Lets get out of here," I whispered. She nodded and we booked it back on to shore.

"That was t-terrible," she mustered and I nodded, once we were both dried off.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," I said, trying to be of comfort.

She wiped her tears, and I gave her a quiet hug.

Yumi pulled away. "So what are we going to do, then?"

"I don't know."

She looked at the ground wistfully, something Holly liked to do. Wait.

I looked up at Yumi. "Holly."

She looked baffled. "I'm Yumi." Yumi stated, as if talking to a moron.

"No, no!" I said, my lips turning up in a smile. "Holly was-- I mean is-- the princess of the village. She'll know what to do!"

Yumi frowned. "Where is she?"

"Oh shoot. I don't know." Holly thought I was cheating on her. It was unlikely that she would help me after that. I looked back up to her, a sideways sort of glance. "Second choice."

"Who?"

"My sister."

She stared at me, one more thing she couldn't believe. "A sister?"

I nodded in confirmation. "But she is probably somewhere underwater."

Yumi held her palm out to me, a sort of stop signal. "You need to explain your confusing life to me first."

"Same to you," I stated. She gestured inside the small sushi house, unlocking the door and going into the kitchen for some green tea. I sat at a booth, and flicked my finger at the not-Minako on the floor, which melted into gold dust.

"Who was that, then?" I ask her, when she returns with mugs. She shrugs.

"I've heard legends about those things. Kind of shape shifters, I guess. Supposedly japanese spirits or something." She saw my frown of disbelief. "Of course, it's just a legend. Merpeople exist, so, heck, who knows what's out there?"

I nod and look at my green tea. During my stay here, I've come to like it, although it took a while.

"So," she moves her mug from one hand to the other. "You start."


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Hiya.

I don't like this chapter all that much, but y'all deserve an update. I can't believe how loyal and amazing everyone has been (you seriously made me cry the other day when I saw the climb in reads and votes, lol)!

I'd also like to commemorate Leah462 on her ability to tell the future --or maybe it's my clichéd plot twists. :)

Rae <3