Ocean Blue

Chapter 26

Lance woke to the sound of mersong. He looked around groggily, his right arm where the sea wasp had stung it completely numb. He blinked.

"Ow."

A small fish darted in. Blu went to get the paper, it told him.

Blu?

Yes, Blu.

Who's Blu?

Blu! The little fish swished its tail in irritation. Mermaid. Friend.

I'm sorry, I don't know who you're talking about. Lance sorely missed the whalesong, where he knew every single detail without all of these words and the trouble they brought.

Blu! Sing! Whales!

Oh! Is Blu the one who brought me here?

Yes! Blu! She said to wait. She is getting your paper.

What do I do in the meantime?

Recover. Rest. Explore the city. Explain yourself to your parents.

My parents?!

Here. Frantic. Very angry.

Great. Well, this will be... interesting.

Xxx

Keith swam up to the gate of the mer-city, joining the line of mostly-blue mermaids and mermen that were filing through. His tail got a few looks, and he curled it closer to him, conscientious now more than ever of his bright tail. It had been three days since he'd spoken to the ray, and he hadn't stopped since. Not to sleep or eat, not that he was entirely sure how to sleep as a fish.

The ray had made it seem like being a coral mermaid was considered dirty, and based on the looks he was getting, that was a fairly accurate assertion. He seemed to get jostled and bumped more than he usually did in crowds, but he couldn't catch whoever was doing it. The guards at the gate held out their spears to block him.

No weapons inside of the city.

Keith bristled. But I just saw someone walk in with three daggers and a harpoon gun! he protested, Why didn't you take his weapons?!

The guard shrugged. Those were for cooking and hunting. That sword is obviously for fighting, and we don't want anyone hurt in the city limits.

So, what, if I stabbed the guy behind me right now, it'd be fine, but if I did it in the city limits, it would be illegal?!

The guy behind him looked considerably alarmed, but the guards just shook their heads. No weapons in the city limits, the first one repeated, Your property will be returned to you when you leave.

I call racist bull, Keith grumbled, but unbuckled his sword and let the guard take it. Behind him, the guards let a man with a spear enter.

Xxx

Lance's mother's anger vibrated towards him through their mersong, becoming a fully blown argument.

"KEEP LEAVING, NOT A CLUE AS TO WHERE YOU ARE, RUNNING OFF WITH HUMANS, NO LESS—"

"I'm not going to end up like her," Lance protested, "Stars above, I'm not in love with any of them! They're just my friends!"

"And why can't you be friends with a nice, normal merperson?! Why do you have to be friends with a—" Lance's mother shuddered. "A human."