Bon Voyage! Volume 1: The Beginning

Chapter 28: Mermaids No More

Ten minutes before the chopping of the Guttea Luminis

Ashlynn called the mermaids for the special day; the day she will take power, but really what the mermaids think is that they are honoring the magical plant that she found, not really; she's lied to them countless times, not only about the plant, but about their existence. The mermaids don't even know how they came to be; how she put a spell on the water in The Isle of Forgetfulness exactly for the main purpose she despised Calantha and her twits for friends who turned her into a monster. Ashlynn listened closely to her amulet as it glowed; it is time, her Great Great Aunt Diana mummed through the amulet. It stopped glowing and Ashlynn turned around. She was standing on a rock in the middle of the ocean where all of the merfolk gathered. Some were men and most were women. Some had children from the same man to balance the scales of mermaids.

"Greetings merfolk. Today is a very important day for all of us. We are celebrating the plant for however long it has been around; I can never keep track." Everyone laughed. "It has come into our lives because I found it." "She didn't find it, she stole it from the clutches of my fair nymphs and I will never forgive her." Someone in the crowd said. She wore a gray hooded cloak and swam to the front of the crowd where Ashlynn was standing and pulled herself up. "How dare you. You lie like that? I won't allow it! Who are you?" The woman removed her hood revealing her identity. "Tarisha." "Why are you here?" "The same reason you are; I'm here to hear the story of the plant's whereabouts." Ashlynn then smiled because she knew that Tarisha knew that she was lying.

"Well I was walking by The Balymist when I saw a glimmer in the water. It got my attention and I couldn't help myself but check it out. When I dove into the water, it was like the whole world had turned upside down. I followed the glimmer to a bush but inside the bush was the key to your existence; the magical plant. I wondered why a plant would be in a place like where I ended up. I knew I had to find it a better home and what home is better than my own. As I picked it up it brightened in my hands so I knew that it was meant for me. The goop it spurted upon spurted is the power of the plant; it allows me to make mermaids."

Tarisha wasn't buying any of what Ashlynn was saying. She ruined her life and her fairytale ending. She couldn't imagine her life if it weren't for Jeremy and their daughter Pearl. She's a sweetheart and one powerful ruler of the mermaid kingdom. "That's a boat load of crap. Nonsense. You actually believe every word she says?" The mermaids were confused; what could she be talking about? "I'm Tarisha the sea nymph and I have the real story!" "Don't listen to her!" Ashlynn shouted. "She has no power here." "Neither do you but you still are here." "Wanna bet?" Ashlynn said holding up her amulet which was glowing. "What's that...your pet?" "Actually, it's my dead Great Great Aunt whose amulet this is and may I add I have her powers cause a stupid peasant girl destroyed my life and not only her but her friends too." "Oh I feel bad. Would if you didn't kill my family." The mermaids gasped. "I have no idea what you're talking about." "Really? Then you wouldn't mind if I tell the complete story about how you took control of the plant and turned one of my head nymphs, my own nymph family, into jelly all so you can be powerful." The mermaids screamed.

"What could she do to us?" Stanley asked himself. "I hope she doesn't kill us too." Dashade said. "I wonder what she did to those poor nymphs." Rocket said. "Does anyone really trust this witch? Say I if you don't." All of the mermaids' hands went straight up. Guess Ashlynn doesn't have any power or leverage over the mermaids anymore. Tarisha got to the bottom of the rock and sat down. "You know what Tarisha? I don't like you." "Likewise, likewise." Ashlynn placed her hand on Tarisha's shoulder. "You know I do wish I could have taken you too so that you couldn't have blurted out my past history." Tarisha looked up. "What? You think you can do something to me?" "I can try." "Oh please, you won't hurt me." "Oh, why's that?" "Because you don't want me to blurt out another secret that we both know won't make you look good; about my daughter, what you did to her." "I made your daughter powerful." "She doesn't need power. All she needs is love because love always wins in the end." "If you tell the mermaids what I've done I'll turn you to goop just like Pollen." "No, not Pollen, she was my adversary and a really good friend of mine." "Oops." Tarisha sneered.