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scattered-irises · 1 year

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Tale XIV: The Merchant’s Daughter and the Misled Merman (Kotori and Shark)

It’s here! It’s finally here! Illustrations for this chapter here

I'll be releasing a happy ending, multi-chaptered version on its own sometime in the future. Stay tuned, sharkbait fans!

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 24K (Good luck :’)

Characters: Ryoga, Durbe, Rio, Yuma, Kotori, Vector

Relationships: One-sided Tomoshipping (Durbe/Ryoga), Skyshipping (Yuma/Kotori), Sharkbaitshipping (Yuma/Ryoga)

Warnings: Murder, gore, angst, Hans Christen Anderson version of The Little Mermaid despite me listening to the Little Mermaid musical soundtrack while writing this

Summary: In exchange for his eternal life and voice, a merman gains human legs. Up above, he finds that the human world is filled with deception and gentle lies.

Once upon a time, there was a young merman who lived beneath the ocean. The merfolk were long-lived people, their lives carefree and rich. Pearls adorned their tails and they danced beneath the stars every night. They sang and frolicked beneath the waves, ignorant of the lives of the humans above. Each one possessed their own unique melody, creating a chorus said to raise moons and sink ships.

As I strum my harp, my eyes glance at the distant shores, glimmering with seafoam. Every night I come to this lagoon in search of my love. For a human prince, he traded away his eternal life beneath the waves. What folly, what foolishness, to have fallen in love with a human. Yet I had loved him so and recited the forbidden spell to help him.

I have lived for millenia, collecting tomes upon tomes of my people’s history and magics. There have been none to resurrect seafoam back into flesh. Yet I continue to seek that elusive spell, traveling to the blackest of trenches and the hottest of underwater vents.

The sea has been so quiet without him.

The corals have been bleached in the places that we swam together. The sunken ships have been eaten away. Medaka, in all her beautiful talent, has quietly shut herself away in her cave. She only sings on stormy nights now, leading sailors to their watery graves. It feels as if we ageless merfolk have aged without him. He had always been there, tucked away in the back of our gatherings like a reassuring shadow.

Now all we have left are fruitless wishes.

If only, if only, if only…

The shadows, waves and seagrass seem to endlessly whisper this phrase.

🎵

Hansel runs despite the pain in his stomach. He runs past the candy house and through the woods, the shadowy man always a few paces behind him. The trees and shrubs mean nothing to him when his body is already on fire from the bulletwound. When the trees begin to thin out, he gulps. The sound of the ocean fills his ears. Bursting out of the trees, he is met by the edge of the world, dropping off into a blue abyss.

Above him is the cold wintry sky, deaf to his pleas. Seagulls flutter about, cawing and screeching. Below is the frigid ocean, waves mercilessly beating against the rocks. Behind him, he can hear the man with the rifle coming. Looking around, his blood turns to ice when he sees that there is nowhere else to run.

“There we are…!” calls Vector. “Now come here so I can—”

He’ll see Gretel again someday. Hansel clutches his shirt and closes his eyes. Without another moment wasted, he leaps off the cliff. For a moment, it feels as if he’s flying, weightless and free. Just like a bird, he could flap his arms and fly away. And then he’s falling. Falling, falling, falling into the water, a lone drop in an endless pool. When he hits the water, pain blooms across every single part of his body. His world turns white as his bones break into thousands of pieces, his body scattering across the ocean like bits of seafoam. But then he opens his eyes. He’s still in one piece.

It feels as if he hit a cold brick wall. He lets out a choked cry, pain the only sensation in his body. His vision blurs as the frigid waters wrap around his neck. And then it swallows him into its depths, the coldness like thousands of needles piercing his skin. Darkness creeps into his vision. The last thing he sees is the shadowy figure from above walking away.

Amidst the pain, it feels as if something warm is erupting from his chest. He envisions himself in a golden hallway, standing in a long line of pale and wan individuals. The figures keep to themselves, their eyes focused on the floor. Hansel winces as he tries to wrap his hands around his arms, his skin cold to the touch.

“You, there! Next!” cries a cherub at the side of the room.

Hansel pauses. A cherub? He hadn’t gone to church often but…he knew for a fact that cherubs weren’t real. He tries to peek behind the child in hopes of seeing that the wings were glued on, but there were too many people in the way for him to clearly see.

A man reluctantly plods to the front of the line. Hansel tries to peek above the others’ heads but cannot see anything beyond the man’s bun. When the time comes for him to speak to the man at the front of the line, he freezes upon seeing the man’s gentle face yet fiery eyes. A pair of white wings sprout from his back and he clutches a quill matching the feathers from his wings. An angel!? Hansel’s heart leaps to his chest.

On the angel’s desk, a thick book lays open. The angel gives Hansel a smile and then crosses something off of his book.

He was dead? No, it couldn’t be…Just a few moments ago he had discovered the cannibal wizard’s stash with his sister Gretel…They were going to build a palace by the sea together and live happily ever after…

“Hansel from the tale of Hansel and Gretel ,” declares the angel. He looks down at the book again and frowns. “Dispatched by Lord Diêm Vương’s order due to an undeserved happy ending. Sentenced to another attempt.”

“What…?” asks Hansel, looking around.

His head begins to hurt. The angel shakes his head, the frown remaining on his perfect lips.

“It’s been happening more recently with you fairytale characters. None of the afterlife networks are particularly happy about this, but the karmic departments raised the alarm so we must heed their call…,” murmurs the angel.

“Fairytale? Me? Karma? What?” sputters Hansel.

Like the fantastical characters in books? But everything in their world had been perfectly normal. He and Gretel had grown up surrounded by rumors of wizards and witches. Running into the cannibal wizard had been something they had been warned about countless times. No one was trying to climb a monstrous beanstalk or turn fish bones into clothes.

The angel briefly shakes his head.

“It’s not something my department is particularly well-versed in, but I think it has something to do with the balance of good and bad…,” says the angel, tapping on the great ledger’s pages. “If you were assigned to an Eastern fairytale in the next life, you’d probably be able to talk to them.”

“I don’t understand! I’m not a fairytale character! My sister and I…we were real!” protests Hansel.

The harsh winter. The pebbles. Their father murdering their mother…That couldn’t have been just been events written on a piece of paper…

“You are real…just…in another way,” says the angel slowly. “Everything is predetermined for you and, at the end of that path, you’re supposed to remain there…eternally.”

“Then why am I here?” utters Hansel, looking around at the golden hall and the light-filled windows.

Had he been less bewildered and scared, the angel shrugging would have made Hansel laugh.

“It has something to do with karmic balance. Apparently, there’s a finite amount of happiness in this universe and remaining eternally blissful without meeting the proper requirements was disrupting this balance. So now, the karmic branches are sending out agents to resolve this issue.”

The shadowy man? Was that someone who was working for the so-called karmic branches? Hansel stares at his hands, this newly gained knowledge feeling like a hundred boulders.

“I’m sorry, but it’s time,” says the angel, checking a large clock. “Good luck in your next life.”

“I still don’t understand, I—”

Hansel opens his eyes to find himself back in the frigid water, his limbs a mangled mess. A strangled cry erupts from his throat, white bubbles escaping from his mouth. Pain shoots up his limbs. His body begins to twist in on itself, broken limbs reforming into different shapes. He lets out a strangled scream as a burning sensation fills him from the inside. Scales erupt from his arms and webbed skin connects his fingers together. Flashes of white and black fill his vision as his body bends in on itself, his spine snapping and reforming.

An invisible thread pulls together his broken legs, attaching them together. The bones within elongate and Hansel screams as the skin on his legs erupts with iridescent scales. Slowly, the water around him brightens, clearing up to reveal a seabed full of brightly-colored grasses. The water he has breathed in has stopped choking his pained throat, instead escaping through the vents on the side of his neck. Bubbles surround him like a veil, the result of his limbs flailing about.

Screwing his eyes shut, he tries to recall the happier times at the cottage with Gretel, yet can find nothing. When he tries to recall his sister’s face, he’s met by a similar blankness. Running through his life, he’s horrified to find that he can’t remember anything, not even his name. A horrified shriek escapes from his throat, ringing in his ears with its unfamiliarity.

A distant voice fills his mind, gentle yet commanding.

“The pain you have suffered has served as your repentance for your previous life. Now live on in this reincarnation without the burdens of the past.”

Not knowing anything, not even his own name, he flails through the ocean. He only knows that he has a tail with freshly grown and painful scales. And somewhere, someone he loves is singing.

🎵

“We’re going to be late,” mutters Shark, knocking on Dusky’s wall.

His friend sighs and rests something heavy down. Shark crosses his arms and rolls his eyes. They were given eternity to live and this was how he spent it? Shuffling noises follow. Then the door opens with a thud . Always slightly disheveled, Dusky greets him with a tired smile.

Shark brushes a piece of gray hair away from Dusky’s bangs.

“Put that down,” he says, eyeing the book beneath Dusky’s arm.

“I can’t find a place for it,” he says.

Shark rolls his eyes and peers into his friend’s home. Towers upon towers of books line the walls, almost toppling over each other.

“Just put it anywhere that doesn’t have a complete stack,” he grumbles.

“You don’t understand! There’s a system!” protests Dusky, swimming into his labyrinth of books. He motions to each pile, his tail swishing in irritation. “There’s the legends, myths from the northern sea—”

“Forget about it!” groans Shark.

He swims into his friend’s house, snatches the book away and places it on the floor. Dusky stares at the book and then lets out a sigh.

“There’s going to be countless more full moons to witness. What makes this one so special?” he asks.

“Medaka has a solo and she’ll kill me if I don’t come!” urges Shark. “Let’s go!”

Dusky chuckles at the mention of Shark’s sister.

“She’ll have to kill me too, then,” says Dusky. “What is this, her hundredth performance?”

Without gracing his friend with a response, Shark grabs Dusky’s arm and yanks him out of his home. Together, they entwine their hands as they swim past beds of coral and schools of fish. Above them, the setting sun shines like a distant lighthouse. Beneath the waves, the world was dyed in hues of pink and orange. Shark softly smiles to himself as he looks at his world. This was one of Medaka’s favorite times of the day. She had specifically chosen matching accessories for this sunset performance, her solo beginning the merfolk’s full moon gathering. As one of the most sought-after singers in the kingdom, her performance was bound to be crowded.

Shark runs his fingers through the kelp, the fronds tickling his skin. When they were guppies, he and Medaka had hidden from their lessons in these fronds. Dusky always had to go and find them, the devoted student he was. Shark looks up at the sky, where the clouds are beginning to look clearer. He exchanges a smile with Dusky as they near the surface, dozens of merfolk joining their ascent.

“Looks like we’re right on time!” exclaims Dusky as he surfaces.

“Thank Poseidon,” mutters Shark, clearing bits of seaweed from his hair.

They swim into the lagoon surrounded by iridescent rocks and fragrant plants. Already, there is a buzz of excitement in the air. With pearls and shells strewn throughout her long blue hair, Medaka basks in the center of the lagoon. Every morning his sister had carefully brushed out her hair, which she loved just as much as her voice. Upon seeing him, Medaka beams and waves, her fingers tipped with long conical shells.

“You came!” she says.

“Of course!” interjects Dusky before Shark could make a rude comment.

Merfolk cluster around the edges of the lagoon, all attention focused on Medaka as she prepared. Hundreds of their kind were eagerly awaiting the full moon ceremony, opened by their beloved songstress. Medaka’s friends Catfish and Swordfish were behind her, tuning their instruments. Dusky waves to his sister Catfish and she waves back. Swordfish, meanwhile, was arguing with the drummer, Tarwhine. Pretty much everyone but they knew that the two were in love.

“I’ll stick you with my sword the moment you say another thing!” snaps Swordfish, her cheeks aflame.

“To summarize, you wouldn’t have a drummer after that,” mutters Tarwhine.

Dusky and Shark exchange tired glances. For such a pretty mermaid, Swordfish wasn’t particularly bright. She was always reaching for her sword, one way or another. Unlike the rest of the mermaids, Swordfish had recently cut her red hair short, much to everyone’s horror. To be honest though, Shark thought that it suited her.

Dusky looks behind to see that the sun was midway into the ocean. A hush falls over the lagoon as the stones begin to shimmer. Even Tarwhine and Swordfish silence their arguments, all attention drawn to Medaka. With each move the mermaid makes, her seashell bracelets jingle in time. She smiles as she meets the audience’s gaze, turning all around the lagoon.

“And so, let our songs and dances for tonight strengthen our bonds with one another. Let us perform our gifts for Poseidon, lengthening our many years in his realm and strengthening our power,” declares Medaka, her voice echoing across the lagoon.

She flicks her iridescent blue tail. The audience holds its breath. Shark crosses his arms and sighs.

Medaka begins with a high, crooning note. She is soon joined by Catfish’s shaking shells. Then Swordfish’s harp. Below Medaka, lights in jewel tones begin to glow, illuminating the lagoon with their rich colors. When Medaka’s note melts into a full-fledged song in the ancient Mermish language, fireflies fill the air with their golden lights. Gasps fill the air as the bugs flit about, their lights competing with that of the sunset’s.

Shark has heard his sister sing this song hundreds of times in their shared home. It was a ballad detailing the myth of Poseidon and the creation of the merfolk. When they were guppies, it was a song that they had all been taught at school. Full moon ceremonies always began with this song, the merfolk’s way of giving thanks to their god. Over the centuries, Medaka had perfected this song with her haunting voice, luring unwary sailors to death on moonless nights.

Really, it was getting old, no matter how many lights or special effects Medaka used. Scanning the crowd, Shark finds that he is in the minority. As always, the audience is enraptured with his sister’s performance.

Sensing his boredom, Dusky tugs at Shark’s arm.

“There’s rumors that a human prince is sailing in our waters tonight,” his friend whispers.

Shark smirks at his friend.

“You should have told me sooner,” he replies.

At the height of the ballad, detailing Poseidon’s fierce battle against his brother, the two dive into the waters and swim off. The sun was almost completely swallowed by the sea at this point, the waters now a twilight purple. Once out of the lagoon, they resurface, looking around for the ship.

Every once in a while, Shark and Dusky would swim near human ships to tease the sailors. They never fully revealed themselves, cackling whenever a bewildered sailor was called insane for claiming to have seen merfolk. Well, it was mostly Shark who cackled. Dusky usually snorted. The sailors they had seen were grizzled, gruff men, always barking orders and often too drunk to fully trust their own eyes. Whenever Shark was in a foul mood, he’d sing some overboard.

Dusky raises his nose into the air and frowns.

“It seems like there’ll be a storm tonight,” he murmurs.

Shark looks up at the cloudy sky.

“They chose the wrong night to sail,” he agrees.

Compared to merfolk, humans were so delicate. Their skin couldn’t withstand the cold of the sea nor could they swim for long. Whenever Shark sang someone overboard, he would watch in morbid interest as the human struggled and flailed against the crashing waves. Sometimes they would be saved by their fellow sailors. Sometimes they would drown, their dying cries heard only by the fish and Shark. It was terribly fascinating, watching the light fade from their eyes. He doesn’t do it as often anymore, what with his sister’s record of drownings. If they drowned too many sailors, the humans would get suspicious.

The two friends swim along the surface, looking for the telltale sails and dark silhouette of the ship. In the distance, the waves crashed against the shores of a human settlement. The humans’ buildings were dull and closely built, nothing like the merfolk’s spacious homes. In the night, they gave off a glow similar to fireflies.

“There!” calls Dusky.

On the horizon, they see the outline of a massive galleon with billowing white sails. Upon coming closer, they can see human emblems imprinted on the sails. With a head covered in a helmet of gold and white with glowing red eyes, Shark couldn’t help but think of a pirates’ skull and crossbones. Perhaps this was what the skull had looked like when it was alive.

They swim towards the galleon, Shark’s heart beating wildly in his chest. It seems as if nothing this exciting has happened in the last few moons. Sure, the dances and full moon ceremonies were grand spectacles but…eventually, one was bound to grow bored.

“I’ll race you!” calls Shark as he dives into the water.

He feels Dusky swim after him, his kicks fast and strong. Despite all the time he spent cooped up reading books, Dusky remained a formidable swimmer. Shark smirks. Luckily, he was no guppy either. Picking up the pace, he swims towards the rapidly approaching shadow of the galleon. When he sees the barnacle-covered wood of the galleon’s hull, he reaches out towards it.

“I win!” he declares, his hand pressed firmly against the wood.

Dusky crosses his arms and smirks.

“Only because you had a head start.”

Shark lets out a hmph .

“You’re only saying that because you hate losing,” he teases, surfacing.

“My prince!” yells a human voice.

“Not now!” replies a youthful voice, punctuated with a laugh.

Shark slightly tilts his head. True, he has heard many humans laugh before. Yet the prince’s laugh…There was something about it. Something that the other humans didn’t possess. Shark frowns and then peers up at the deck. Immediately, he meets the red eyes of a young human man. The young man’s eyes widen and his mouth opens. In a panic, Shark dives into the water, dragging Dusky below with him.

“He saw me!” gasps Shark.

From above, the young man runs across the deck, wildly pointing down at the ocean. Shark watches as various men surround the young men, peering hopelessly into the dark waters. Doubt fills the men’s faces as time passes. The young man receives a few laughs. In response, the young man shakes his head in frustration.

“I saw him!” he shouts.

An elderly man puts a hand on the prince’s shoulder, shaking his head. Once again, the prince is left alone. With a frown, the prince leans over the deck and places his head in his hands.

“I know you’re out there!” he shouts.

Shark and Dusky exchange glances. Taking Dusky’s hand, Shark leads his friend to the other side of the ship. Lights fill the deck of the galleon. From above, human music begins to fill the air. It’s nothing like the merfolk’s ballads and operas. This music is lively, the instruments loud and powerful. Once again, Shark surfaces, his eyes enamored by the sight of the myriad of bright lights. Unlike Medaka’s, these lights were bright, almost to the point of blindness. How could the humans dance in this light?

He can see their silhouettes lurch and totter about in their festivities. A small chuckle escapes from Dusky. Shark turns to him.

“Look at them,” says his friend. “They live only a few rotations so they must celebrate everything.”

“Not much of a grand celebration either,” adds Shark.

Compared to the merfolk’s festivities, this was a mere picnic. Shark turns to the horizon and sees the darkening clouds in the distance, the moon’s silvery light obscured. He exchanges a worried glance with Dusky. This was to be a bad omen for the merfolk. He frowns, thinking of Medaka and the performers after her. If the storm broke during the ceremony, he would return home to a distraught sister. To begin a ceremony that was interrupted by a fierce storm would be terrible indeed.

Once again, the human prince reappears, leaning over the deck and peering through the lights. From a distance, Shark sees the prince’s red bangs and black hair, sticking out at irregular angles. His skin is tanned, evident that he was a seasoned explorer. Unlike most of the other sailors he had seen, the prince’s eyes were still filled with hope.

“You have a shell?” asks Shark.

“Why?” asks Dusky, following his friend’s gaze.

“Just asking.”

Dusky reaches into his hair and pulls out a small clamshell.

“This okay?”

Shark takes the shell and gazes down at it.

“Sure,” he says.

Before his hesitation can get the best of him, he aims the shell right at the prince’s forehead. Plunk. He dives down just as the shell hits its intended target. A cackle escapes from Shark, followed by a snort from Dusky. The young prince cries out, clutching his forehead in pain. When the prince pulls away, a drop of scarlet falls into the water.

Immediately, Shark stiffens at the smell of human blood. Dusky’s smile fades.

“You plan on drowning a human prince?” he asks.

A chill runs down Shark.

“No,” he utters. “Just a little warning to keep his eyes on shore and away from the ocean.”

He looks up at the human prince, who is now surrounded by worried men looking out at the sea. Dusky grabs Shark’s hand and starts to pull him into the depths of the ocean.

“Wait,” calls Shark. “Look.”

He points to the sky that was now darkening.

“So?” asks Dusky. “Let the storm do its work.”

“I…”

Medaka’s delighted smile fills Shark’s mind. It was a peculiar kind of smile, the one that was filled with her sharp teeth, slitted pupils and painted red lips. His sister only smiled like that after she had a successful drowning, her lips and nails painted red by the human’s blood. Did Shark look like that whenever he drowned someone? The coldness in his sister’s voice, the jewels she had collected from the men she drowned…

In his youth, the struggles of the drowning humans had helped kill time. But after witnessing his sister tearing into a sailor’s innards and painting her lips with his blood, something had changed in Shark. He supposes it was seeing the human’s heart, so small and pink in Medaka’s hands. It languidly beat outside of the human until it slowly stopped.

Within that insignificant human life was a heart that beat just like his. If humans possessed hearts, what else did they have that merfolk did as well? The thought haunted him for moons.

He breaks away from Dusky’s grip and swims after the galleon.

“You go,” he forces out. “I’ll tell you what I witnessed.”

Ships sinking were always major events for the merfolk. Due to the general debris, chaos and struggling involved with a sinking ship, it was rare for merfolk to involve themselves. It was only after everything had reached the ocean floor did the merfolk begin to pick through the humans and their belongings.

“Stay safe!” calls Dusky as he swims off.

“Don’t worry!” calls back Shark.

He swims close by the ship, listening to the sound of rain falling from the sky. A distant rumbling fills the air. Up above, the humans begin to rush along the deck, preparing the sails for a storm. Thunk thunk thunk. The humans’ shoes thump against the wood. Their shouts falling to the ocean in distorted blurbs. Light flashes from behind Shark, followed by a resounding boom .

He quickens his swimming as the ship is tossed by the wind. He surfaces, trying to find the red-haired prince. Nowhere. Shark swallows a lump in his throat, continuing to swim against the surface. The rain falls from the sky like bullets, the waves roaring in Shark’s ears. Truly, the storm had arrived.

The sailors’ shouts fill Shark’s ears along with the booming thunder. A wave crashes against the other side of the deck, the white froth of the wave seen from Shark’s side. He’s never been in the middle of a storm before, always strongly advised against the unnecessary risk. It would be like staring straight into Poseidon’s wrath.

Now, in the midst of the chaos, Shark understood why. In the past, as storms raged on, he had always found other things to do. The churning waves of the surface had nothing to do with him, after all. Then the wind howls in his ear, a keening, painful cry akin to a whale’s dirge. A flash of red fills the edge of his vision. The young prince and his hopeful eyes fill Shark’s mind. He was like a bright spark, filled with joy and curiosity. Already short-lived, Shark couldn’t allow the prince’s life to be taken by the ocean this soon.

For a moment, the entire world turns to white as a lightning bolt strikes the ship’s tallest mast. Shark’s insides shake with the following rumble. He forces himself to look back up at the mast. A creak fills the air. Just as a massive wave crashes onto the deck, the mast falls. Shark dives underneath as he hears the sickening crack, bits of debris hitting the surface of the ocean.

Fighting against the waves, he wishes Dusky was here. Tossed from wave to wave, Shark gasps as he spots the young prince’s bright red hair. A wave crashes against the prince. For a moment, he disappears. Then he reappears, gripping onto a long rope. His shouting is lost in the howling of the winds, indistinct shouts answering back.

“WATCH OUT!” shouts Shark as a dark, surging wave crashes onto the deck.

For a moment, it feels as if the world has slowed. The prince is swallowed into the dark waters. Then he resurfaces, his body bobbing in the dark water like seafoam. And then the ocean once again pulls him into its depths. Shark’s cry is lost in a white light and loud crack. He briefly turns to the ship to find that a lightning bolt has hit the center.

Just as a monstrous wave raises itself over the ship, Shark dives into the water. He frantically searches for the prince, looking for his red hair in the darkness of the water. The wave crashes down just as he sees a hint of red among the debris. For a moment, Shark loses all sensation in his limbs as he feels himself being carried away. Then, he shakes his head and swims towards the prince, hair swaying like fronds of kelp.

Hooking his arms beneath the prince’s, Shark pulls him to the surface. The prince takes a pained gasp of air. In the flames of the dying ship, his skin looks pale and lifeless. Shark panickedly looks around for the closest shore. In the distance, he sees the dim lights of the human settlement.

With his limbs burning in effort, he swims towards the lights, the fierce currents fighting against him.

“Please…!” gasps Shark. “Spare this one and take the rest!”

He raises his head to the cloudy skies, begging for Poseidon to hear him amidst his wrath.

A wave splashes into his face.

Shark continues to swim, despite feeling as if his arms were about to be torn off from the weight of the prince.

“Take the rest but spare him, please!” cries Shark hoarsely. “Let him live out his life, as brief as it is!”

The prince’s laugh feels like a distant memory now, youthful and full of life. He looks down at the prince, with his closed eyes. A wave splashes against them. Shark weakly raises the prince back to the surface. Above them, the wind howls.

Don’t look back, thinks Shark as he continues to swim towards the shore.

If he looks back and sees how little he has swum, it may just make his aching limbs drop the prince. Beneath him, the prince groans. The sound fills Shark with a mixture of disgust and tenderness. The noises humans made at times could be so distasteful. Yet, in spite of everything, they continued to fight on for their existence. As the lightning and thunder grows further and further, hope fills Shark’s chest. The shore’s lights shine brighter.

Taking a deep breath, he quickens his pace.

“Hang on,” he says.

The prince lets out another groan. Shark’s muscles scream out in protest as he swims through another crashing wave.

“Please,” prays Shark. “Let this one live.”

The wind lets out a howl.

“PLEASE! I won’t ever drown a human again!” vows Shark.

A large wave draws towards Shark and he braces himself.

“I vow on my eternal life!” cries Shark.

Just as the wave was about to crash over them, it dissipates a few paces before him, its spray splashing Shark’s skin. Shark stares at the still waters before him, his heart beating in his throat. The wind subsides and a distant rumble fills the air, as if Poseidon had conceded. A wave pushes Shark closer to the shore, running a chill down his spine. His decision surely must have been sealed in stone.

“Just a little further,” murmurs Shark as he holds the prince closer.

Like a firm hand, the waves continue to push Shark’s exhausted body towards the shore. The wind has turned warm. Distantly, he can hear the singing of crickets. Looking behind him, the galleon is no more, swallowed entirely by the sea. Shark gulps. When he reaches the sand, he collapses onto it with the prince.

He looks down at the young man, clearing away bits of hair from his face.

“Wake up,” urges Shark. “Wake up...”

He pats the prince’s cheek, surprised at its warmth. Surely, Poseidon had to keep his vow. A merman vowing on his eternal life was nothing to be made in jest. Shark grits his teeth. His hands travel down to the prince’s chest. Through the wet fabric, he can feel the distant thump thumping of the prince’s heart. Shark breathes a sigh of relief.

His hands travel to the center of the prince’s chest. If he could correctly recall some of the interesting human tidbits from Dusty’s studies…this was how water could be removed from a human’s lungs. He had laughed at his friend’s reenactment then. Now he wishes he had paid more attention. Pursing his lips, Shark begins to press against the prince’s chest. Up and down he moves until the prince coughs, a thin trail of water trickling from his mouth. Another cough follows. He continues until the prince’s breathing has evened out.

Falling onto the sand in exhaustion, Shark looks down at the prince’s peacefully resting features. Blunt nose. Lips that always seemed to be curved into a small smile. Shark closes his eyes, listening to the sound of the waves against the shore. The atmosphere has changed, from the muggy humidity of a storm to that of a warm summer night. Beside him, he can hear the prince’s steady breathing.

“Thank you,” murmurs Shark. “Thank you.”

Perhaps it would be worth it, trading in the prince’s life for the future lives he could have drowned. Besides, he was already quite close to abandoning the practice anyways. Shark rolls onto his back and looks up at the sky. The clouds have covered the moon, allowing only a very thin sliver of moonlight to illuminate the dark shore.

“Mmm,” sputters the prince. He lets out a weak cough.

“Sshh,” says Shark.

“Who’re you?” whispers the prince.

He coughs a bit more and then opens his eyes. In the dark, he blindly reaches out for Shark. Awkwardly, Shark offers his face.

“Wow, you’re cold,” says the prince, chuckling weakly.

“I am?” asks Shark.

“Yeah. You want my coat? I know it’s wet but…It’s the least I can do.”

Shark eyes the sodden material and shakes his head. The prince’s hands fall away from his face. A part of Shark misses the warmth and life in those fingers.

“It’s alright. I’m always like this,” he replies.

The prince looks around, frowning.

“It’s so dark,” he grumbles. “How did you save me?”

“In the dying lights of the ship I saw you,” lies Shark.

“Is everyone else alright?”

A pit forms at the bottom of Shark’s stomach. He purses his lips.

“I…I could only save you,” he forces out.

The prince’s lips curve into a slight frown. The chasm in Shark’s stomach deepens.

“Sorry,” mumbles Shark.

“We were so far from shore. How did you do it?”

Shark gazes down at the prince’s scarlet eyes, gazing blindly into the darkness of the night. He wonders what the prince could see of him. Briefly, his eyes travel to his tail, partially submerged in the ebb and flow of the waves.

“I prayed and I swam,” replies Shark after a few minutes.

“Who did you pray to?” asks the prince.

“Poseidon. Who else?”

“You worship the god of the sea?”

“My people always have,” says Shark.

“I see…Thanks for saving me. What’s your name?” asks the prince.

“It’s not important,” says Shark quickly.

The young prince chuckles, revealing flashes of white teeth.

“Is it an embarrassing name?”

“N-no!”

Frankly, Shark didn’t know what an embarrassing human name would be. All merfolk were blessed with beautiful names reflecting the vibrant world they dwelled in. But there was no point in letting a human know his name.

“Where are you from? What do you do?” asks the prince.

His curiosity tickles the pit of Shark’s stomach for unknown reasons. He feels a small smile fill his lips. The young prince was just like a little guppy, always questioning everything that passed by his large eyes.

“I’m from…a land beyond the sea,” begins Shark. “My sister and I…we sing.”

“You have a sister? I do too!” exclaims the prince. “She’s really bossy.”

A chuckle escapes from Shark before he can stop himself. He scratches his head in embarrassment.

“Mine too.”

He’s certain to receive an earful the moment he comes back home.

“I guess no matter where you go, sisters never change,” chuckles the prince.

“I guess not.”

In the silence that followed, Shark lies down beside the prince and looks up at the cloudy sky. Beside him, the young man lets out a tired sigh and then a yawn.

“What a way to end a birthday! First I see a face from beneath the ocean, then someone throws a rock at me and then my ship sinks!”

At the mention of the rock, Shark purses his lips and surreptitiously glances at the prince.

“Mmm, what a way indeed,” he agrees. “You think there actually was someone down there?”

The prince vigorously nods, heat filling his cheeks.

“I’m not crazy!” he protests. “It was a beautiful boy with blue eyes, long, purple hair and blue bangs!”

Shark’s tail splashes at the waves during the prince’s description. His heart skips a beat. He rests a hand on his head and turns around, facing the prince.

“What would a face like that be doing in the water?” he asks, his voice wavering at the end.

The prince lets out another frustrated sigh and rests his head behind his folded arms.

“Don’t laugh,” he begins.

“I might,” says Shark with a smirk.

The prince pouts. Then he raises his nose to the sky. He beats his chest with conviction.

“I’m pretty sure that was a young merman, curious about my party!”

Shark’s smirk widens.

“Merfolk aren’t real,” he teases. “Besides, merfolk have far better spectacles than anything a human could ever do.”

In a huff, the prince crosses his arms and looks away at Shark.

“My granny saw one,” he mutters.

“Granny?” muses Shark, the unfamiliar word odd in his mouth.

“Yeah! The dowager! That’s my granny!”

“Er…I see,” replies Shark.

The prince lets out another yawn and then closes his eyes.

“She tells the most fun stories…,” he mumbles.

“Don’t you have to go back to…wherever you came from?” asks Shark.

He’s answered by a head shake. In the warm heat, the prince’s clothes and hair have already dried. With each motion he makes, his red bangs wildly fly about.

“I sometimes sleep under the stars. You can bring me back in the morning,” mumbles the prince.

Shark gazes at the young man, watching in fascination as his breathing slowed. For a human that was so short-lived, he sure was easygoing. Hesitantly, he rolls onto his back and imitates the prince’s pose. He closes his eyes and soon drifts off to sleep.

🎵

“..ma…Yu…ma! Yuma!”

A distant voice stirs Shark from his sleep. Dim morning light washes over him and the prince, who was still sound asleep. In the distance, Shark sees a human girl running down the steps of the beach. Her dress billows in the wind, an attendant hurrying after her. His heart leaps in his throat. Amidst the low tide, the ocean is a few paces away.

“Yuma!” cries the young girl, her voice carried away by the wind.

Shark looks down at the prince. Yuma? Was that his name? He doesn’t know what to make of it. Looking out at the ocean, he quickly edges himself towards the water. If the humans caught him, surely they would kill him. He’s heard far too many stories about colorful fish being scooped into nets and put into small bowls of water. His hands push him towards the water, his tail uselessly sliding against the sand.

As if sensing his desire to return, a wave rushes towards Shark. Desperately, Shark pushes himself towards it, relishing in the familiar feel of the salty water. Like welcoming hands, the wave takes him and pulls him back into the water. He swims towards a nearby rock, watching as the girl arrives by the prince’s side.

“Yuma! Wake up!” calls the girl.

Yuma snorts, rubs his eyes and then wakes up. He sits up in confusion, looking around at the shore. Then he turns to the girl, a huge smile on his face.

“Kotori!” he calls.

The young woman falls to her knees and pulls Yuma close, much to the dismay of her attendant,

“I heard the ship sank!” she gasps. “We were so worried…! I searched all night for you with father’s soldiers!”

Dismay fills Yuma’s face.

“Right…,” he murmurs.

Looking around, Yuma frowns in confusion.

“Where is he…?” he mumbles.

Kotori raises an eyebrow.

“Where’s who?” she asks. “There was only you on the shore.”

Surreptitiously, her eyes turn towards the rock where Shark was hiding. A small smile fills her lips.

“There was a young man!” protests Yuma. “He was the one who saved me! Please, didn’t you see him?”

He turns to the attendant, an elderly woman with thick spectacles. Slowly, the woman shakes her head.

“My grandmother is half-blind and even she saw that you were alone!” scoffs Kotori. She stands up, trying to pull Yuma up with her. “Come on! Everyone is worried sick about you!”

Yuma lets out a groan until Kotori pinches his ear.

“Alright, alright! I’m up!” yelps Yuma. “But we need to find the young man that saved me!”

Kotori turns back to the rock where Shark was hiding. Shark’s heart skips a beat. The young woman smiles and mouths a thank you , before turning away. A chill runs down Shark’s spine and he dives back into the waters, hurrying home.

The waters are calm after the storm. Soon, he approaches schools of fish and the occasional merperson. It seems as if nothing had happened beneath the sea, the waters as peaceful as ever. On the seafloor, the seagrass peacefully sways. From below, the skies seemed as blue and distant as they have always been.

It’s only when he approaches his home that the mood becomes tense. The merfolk he passes by speak in hushed tones, their eyes warily aimed at his and Medaka’s home. Shark hurries towards the cavern of marble and shells.

“Medaka?” he calls.

A pale hand reaches out from the darkness, still tipped with red shells and a matching bracelet. Shark reaches for the hand, only to be roughly pulled in. He lets out a yelp as he sees Medaka’s swollen eyes and deep frown.

“Where were you?!” his sister gasps. “I thought the storm took you!”

“I…”

Medaka shakes her head, the shells from last night jingling angrily in her hair.

“Never mind that…Do you hear what they’re saying about me?! It’s all my fault that there was a storm! I don’t understand why…It was a performance just like the other times…I…”

His sister buries her face into his chest, her shoulders shaking with her sobs. Pearls bead in her eyes and languidly float to the floor of their cave. Shark watches with detached interest. It had been centuries since he had seen Medaka cry. Slowly, he moves to pat her back.

“It’s all my fault…it’s all my fault…,” repeats Medaka.

Shark holds her closer, looking out at the blue waters of their homeland.

“No it’s not…,” he murmurs. “You were doing all you could…”

“But it wasn’t enough!” protests his sister. “I’ve displeased Poseidon…”

Shark purses his lips. Pearls continue to drip onto the floor, leaving behind small puffs of sand in their wake. His sister…always the one with the brightest voice and the most beautiful hair. Always the one to be surrounded by admirers, her laugh carrying across the waters like chimes. When something goes wrong, his sister always takes it to heart.

Surrounded by the white walls of their cavern, with bits of sunlight filtering in from the surface, his sister was still incredibly beautiful. The pearls in her eyes are the color of the sky, azure with a silvery sheen. There were suitors who would fight for his sister’s pearls, claiming her tears as a priceless treasure. A sigh escapes from Shark as he brushes back his sister’s hair.

“There was nothing wrong with your performance. Dusky and I could sense the approaching storm even before your performance,” reassures Shark.

Medaka sniffles.

“Really?” she asks.

“Really,” confirms Shark.

Come to think of it, there truly was something in the wind, even before Dusky had pointed it out, hadn’t there? A slight abundance of humidity in the air…a wetter breeze…

Medaka shakes her head and then pulls away from Shark. She wraps her hands around her arms, staring down at the small pile of pearls that had amassed at her tail.

“What did you see in that storm? What took you so long to come back?” his sister asks.

Memories of Yuma’s laughter and his bright smile fills Shark’s mind. He briefly shakes his head, bubbles floating about.

“A shipwreck,” he said. “A human prince’s shipwreck.”

Medaka’s eyes fill with light, a small smile filling her sallow features.

“Show me! Maybe we can get there before everyone else does! Maybe there’s a crown for me!” she exclaims.

His sister giggles, taking his arm and swimming away. As she pulls him out of the cavern, she wipes her eyes. A small laugh escapes from her throat, wavering at the end.

“Do I look okay? I do, right?” she asks, a hint of desperation in her voice.

With a tired smile, Shark nods.

“I’ll show you to the general area but I won’t go with you,” says Shark.

Medaka tilts her head in curiosity.

“Why not? I thought you loved treasure hunting. I’m surprised you didn’t spend all night picking through the shipwreck!” exclaims his sister.

“I…”

The screams of the lost sailors. The fires, the chaos, the merciless way Poseidon had pulled the ship into its depths, never to be seen by human eyes ever again. His vow, burning through his throat. Shark pulls his hand away from Medaka and forces a smile.

“Nah, I got enough things,” he says. “You go have your fun.”

He swims on, weaving through fields of seagrass and anemone beds. Often, he stops due to Medaka stopping for a conversation with a friend or two. Their conversation is light, yet he can hear the strain in his sister’s voice and the fragility of her smile.

“It must have been Dolphin’s opera,” says Swordfish.

“It must have been Orca’s harp. It was out of tune,” says another.

Medaka takes all of these suggestions with a mere nod and tight lips. From the tightness of her shoulders, Shark knew that his sister had believed none of their reassurances.

“It’s coming up,” says Shark as he swims past a rock.

In the distance, he can see the dark outlines of the grand ship. His heart leaps to his chest. He points to the ship with one hand and then turns to his sister. Medaka follows his finger and beams.

“There,” he says, stopping.

“You sure you’re not coming?” she asks.

Shark shakes his head, swallowing the screams of the sailors. All of those hearts, lungs and warm skins…rendered to cold bits and pieces by the sea. He could smell hints of blood, even from here.

“Yeah. I have to talk to Dusky. He doesn’t know I’m back yet,” he says.

Medaka holds his gaze for a few moments. In the aqua water, her pink and turquoise tail shimmers with an otherworldly glow. She clears a bit of stray hair from her face. Her smile is genuine this time as she swims away.

“Thanks,” she says. “For looking out for me.”

“It’s nothing,” mumbles Shark.

He crosses his arms. As long as he can remember, he’s been by Medaka’s side. They had been hatched from the same egg, viewed as a fascinating oddity by their mentors. It was said that they were born clutching each other’s hands. Since then, they haven’t left each other’s side for long. Even as Medaka found a circle of devoted friends, even as she captivated the hearts of the merfolk, Shark still remained by her side like a shadow.

Shark watches his sister swim away and then lets out a sigh of relief. Quickly, he makes his way towards Dusky’s house. The structure is seemingly a simple thing, made of tightly packed rocks and seaweed. Only those who have wandered inside it know of the deep caverns that tunneled beneath it. Shark’s only been in the anteroom, but he hears that within those caverns were stacks upon stacks of books from millenia ago, written in ancient mermish and even languages before that. Shark never knew where his friend obtained such heavy tomes, but the knowledge Dusky possessed was always useful in one situation or another.

“Dusky!” calls Shark when he arrives at Dusky’s home.

He knocks on a rock.

“Dusky!”

“Just a moment!” calls a distant voice moments later.

His friend must have been deep within the confines of a cavern. Shark lets himself into Dusky’s house and sits himself on a stack of books. Spare pages and books litter the floor, leading deep into the caverns. Shark sighs. How did Dusky get anything done in this mess? It never failed to amaze him to see Dusky actually LIVE in this mess. Shark clutches his arms in discomfort. He can’t even stand being here for even a few minutes.

Soon after, his friend swims up from the caverns and greets him with a relieved sigh.

“Where were you?” he asks.

“At the wreck,” answers Shark laconically.

On the shore with the prince, his warm breath on his scales. Spending a night side by side on the shore, the waves rocking them to sleep.

Dusky sniffs. Then he grabs Shark’s arm and breathes in. His eyes narrow, pupils shrinking into slits.

“You smell like dry sand.”

Shark stiffens and pulls his hand away from his friend.

“What did you do?” presses Dusky.

The conversations they had about sisters and mermaids. The quiet laughter Yuma had. How he had thought that Shark was human, just like he was.

“I saved the prince,” breathes Shark.

Dusky’s mouth opens, revealing rows of sharp teeth.

“You stole from Poseidon?” he utters.

“No! I…I vowed that I would never harm a human again,” says Shark. “I vowed on my eternal life.”

His friend’s mouth opens even wider.

“But that is a right bestowed to all our people,” he begins.

Shark looks out the cracks of Dusky’s home. The water outside is calm and the sunlight is bright. Dusky balls his hand into a fist.

“It’s no longer mine,” he murmurs. “Besides, I don’t really like doing that anymore either.”

Dusky’s tail irritatedly flicks at the floor, sending a pile of silt into the waters.

“What do you mean?!” he asks.

Shark runs his sharp teeth through the edges of his lips. He looks down at his hands, webbed with thin flaps of skin. Rarely does Dusky raise his voice.

“They have hearts. Just like us. They have sisters. They can feel pain, sorrow, joy…”

Shark trails off when he sees Dusky’s dark glare.

“You traded your innate right for a single human,” snaps Dusky. “Who will only live to see a few rotations and then perish.”

“He deserved to live, just like us,” snarls Shark.

Dusky’s eyes narrow. He grabs a stray tendril of Shark’s hair and pulls him closer, golden eyes blazing with fury.

“We don’t live, we’re eternal,” hisses Dusky, teeth bared.

Shark pushes Dusky away, baring his teeth in turn.

“You and the others might not care about them, but I do,” snaps Shark.

“Have worms eaten your brains?!” exclaims Dusky. “What, are you going to join them? Live among them like a shark among anchovies?!”

“And if I did?!” shouts Shark.

His voice seems to bounce against the stone walls, an endless echo traveling deep into the caverns. Dusky’s eyes widen and his mouth shuts. Shark stiffens. After a few moments, his friend’s shoulders loosens and he slumps.

“Do you even know what you’re saying?” utters Dusky.

Shark holds his friend’s gaze. A lump has formed in his throat. He clenches and unclenches his hands. When was the last time they had shouted at each other like this? He runs his eyes down Dusky’s furrowed brows and pressed lips.

“…forget it,” he mutters, swimming out of the house.

As he swims away, he can feel Dusky’s gaze burn into his back. A pang fills his chest.

“Shark!” calls Dusky.

Shark ignores him, forcing himself to keep on swimming in the direction of his cavern.

“Shark!” repeats Dusky.

For some reason, the guilt in Shark’s chest wasn’t as deep as he had expected it to be after confessing how he had truly felt.

🎵

“Shark?”

“Shaaarkkk? Ocean to Shark!” calls Medaka, waving her tail in front of Shark’s face.

Shark startles, his tail kicking up clouds of sand.

“What?!” he snaps.

Medaka shrugs.

“You’ve been out of it for suns now. You sure you don’t have any worms in your brains?”

Shark gives a small shake of his head.

“Of course not,” he grumbles. “I’ve just been…tired.”

Medaka frowns and grabs Shark’s tail, running her eyes down the iridescent scales.

“It’s not fin rot, is it?” she muses. “It’s infectious, you know. I can’t have that for my next performance.”

Much to Medaka’s joy and Shark’s relief, she had been chosen to perform for the merfolk’s next moon ceremony. Although it was the closing ceremony and thus more understated, Medaka still came to Shark with a bright smile and a delighted embrace.

His sister puts her hand on her hips, staring at Shark. He looks at Medaka with a glare.

“Don’t tell me…” muses Medaka. “Suns and suns of bumping into rocks…tripping over piles of sand…getting tangled up in seagrass…Not listening to most of my rants—well, you usually don’t listen much in the first place but now you’ve just made it very obvious…”

Medaka pauses, putting a hand on her cheek. Shark swallows a lump in his throat. No, it couldn’t be…He only thought of the prince every…

Oh, sweet Triton’s conch…

“You’re in love!” gasps his sister, beaming.

She grabs his wrists, spinning him around in their cavern. Bubbles swirl around them, Medaka’s rich laughter bouncing against the marble walls. Already, Shark can see curious merfolk peeking in through the cave’s opening.

“Wh-what?! No!” he snaps, trying to free himself from Medaka’s grip. “D-don’t make up assumptions like that!”

Medaka grins and pulls her face closer to Shark’s, their noses touching.

“Who is it?” she whispers.

“N-no one!” protests Shark.

“My brother’s in LOVE!” shouts Medaka, her final word turning into a trill.

A few merfolk swooned at the perfect note while others began to focus their attention on Shark. Stiffening at the attention, Shark allows Medaka to pull him to the cave’s entrance. He was always used to adoring stares being focused on his sister while he could simply sink to the back of the crowd and slip away unnoticed. To have this many eyes on him at this moment made him feel as if he were a shrimp in the sights of a particularly hungry eel.

“I…I’m not in love!” protests Shark as he is pulled through the crowd of curious onlookers. “You’re just being ridiculous!”

“He’s been so absentminded! And, he’s been talking in his sleep! Have I mentioned the humming?” gushes Medaka.

“I haven’t been humming!” snaps Shark.

He frees his grip from Medaka and shoves his way through the merfolk, hissing at their giggles.

“Maybe you’re the one that has worms in her brains!” he shouts as he hurriedly swims off.

What Medaka had said was true though, as much as he hates to admit it. He’s been tripping over insignificant things and can’t really find himself to even pretend to listen to her at times. It feels like every waking moment since that stormy night has been filled with memories of Yuma. Fronds of red sea grass bring to mind the prince’s red hair. Tiny shells remind him of the wound that he had inflicted on the prince’s forehead. Even a youthful merman’s laugh had reminded him of Yuma, leaving him to swim away in a hurry after he had been caught staring at the merman.

He swallows a lump in his throat, swimming and swimming until he reaches Dusky’s house. After a few moments of hesitation, he knocks on the stone walls.

“Dusky!” whispers Shark.

As always, silence greets him.

“Dusky!” whisper-shouts Shark.

Catfish’s eye peeks out from a hole in the stones. Shark startles.

“Gah!”

“Shark?” asks Catfish.

“Where’s your brother?” asks Shark.

“Out.”

“Where?”

“Looking for books.”

Shark rolls his eyes.

“Doesn’t he have enough of them?”

Catfish laughs. A sharp finger of hers pokes through a hole, nearly jabbing Shark in the eye.

“He does that whenever he’s sad or mad.”

Their argument from a few suns ago fills Shark’s mind. He glares at Catfish’s fingers.

“You don’t mean…”

Catfish’s eyes narrow, a smile surely on her lips.

“I do. You made him sad.”

Shark crosses his arms and rolls his eyes.

“Just let me in,” he grumbles. “Everyone thinks I’m in love with some merperson.”

Catfish giggles. Had she and Medaka been talking about this?

“He should be coming home soon,” she says, moving to open the door.

“Shark?” calls a familiar voice.

Shark looks around to find Dusky swimming towards him, a stack of tattered tomes tucked under his arm.

“What are you doing here?” asks Dusky.

“I…I think we should talk,” admits Shark.

His friend’s expression sobers. Beckoning him inside, Dusky swims into his home and places his books on top of the nearest stack. Shark stares at the crowded room and sighs. Catfish giggles and swims out.

“I’ll leave you two alone!” she calls.

After a few moments, Shark closes the door. He looks around the room, finding new piles of books. The rock that he had sat on from a few suns ago was now obscured by three different piles of books.

“You’re going to be buried in these things one day…,” he mutters.

Dusky follows Shark’s gaze and shrugs.

“There’s a system,” he replies laconically. “Now, what do you want?”

“I…”

His friend crosses his arms.

Shark pauses, looking around at the small holes in the walls.

“Can we go somewhere private?” he asks, looking around.

Dusky nods and beckons Shark deeper into his home. After a moment of hesitation, Shark follows. The room narrows and sinks into the ground, leading into a cave lit by purple crystals. Shark slowly follows his friend, navigating his way through caverns upon caverns of books. They stop inside a relatively empty cavern. Dusky pushes a large boulder in the entrance, sealing them in darkness. In the darkness, Shark can make out a bed and a shelf filled with a sparse collection of books.

“I’ve never seen your room before, come to think of it,” he muses.

Dusky shrugs.

“Now you have.”

He sits on the bed, a collection of kelp and seaweed blankets. From across the room, he looks at Shark with a solemn expression. Shark’s heart begins to beat faster, his mouth growing dry and his nails digging into his palms. Shark remains where he is, back to the cold boulder, staring at Dusky’s emotionless eyes and unmoving mouth.

“Do you know how to turn a merperson into a human?” asks Shark after a few moments of silence.

Dusky remains unperturbed. He clasps his hands together. His voice is quiet as he speaks, eyes never moving from Shark.

“Perhaps I do. But why?”

“Because…I…”

“Don’t tell me you’re still thinking of that prince.”

Shark swallows the lump in his throat. He forces himself to look at his best friend, who has followed him through adventure after adventure.

“I want to see him again,” breathes Shark. “That's all I can think about these past few suns.”

He had felt alive in Yuma’s presence, a sensation he hasn’t felt in eons. The young man’s hope and boundless laughter felt like a warmth he had never experienced before.

“Think of what you’d be giving up,” says Dusky, rising to meet Shark. “Eternity for the life of a shrimp.”

“I could come back, couldn’t I?” utters Shark.

Dusky’s eyes narrow. He bares a hint of his teeth.

“Not after you have forsaken Poseidon’s gift,” he growls.

It was a possibility Shark had recognized after all the time he had spent thinking about it. Yet to hear it voiced by his friend fills Shark’s stomach with a hefty weight. The cavern is filled with silence as Shark contemplates his choice. There could be no going back now, this dark desire now revealed to his best friend.

“Think about it,” says Dusky, taking on a more desperate tone. “You’ll never be able to swim in the ocean again or speak our people’s language.”

“I have ,” murmurs Shark. “It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”

His friend shakes his head and swims to Shark’s side. He places a hand on Shark’s shoulder. Their eyes meet and they gaze at each other in silence. Dusky softens his expression, letting out a small sigh.

“Just what is so special about this human?” he asks.

“He makes me feel alive,” replies Shark. “I haven’t felt like that in centuries.”

A flicker of hurt passes by Dusky’s expression. He pulls his hand away from Shark’s shoulder. Shark holds his breath. It felt as if time had stopped in this silent and dark cavern.

After a few moments, Dusky lets out a small sigh.

“I’ll give you until the next full moon to make your decision…,” he breathes. “Remember—there won’t be any going back after this. Not only will you have to trade in your eternal life, you’ll also have to give up your voice. Every step in a world that isn’t yours will be like stepping on glass.”

Shark rests his hand on Dusky’s, holding his solemn gaze.

“I’ll think long and hard,” he promises.

Although, deep down, he already knows his answer.

🎵

“You won’t be coming to see the opening?” asks Medaka as she slides a new golden comb into her hair.

She had found it in the prince’s shipwreck, eliciting envious stares from all of the mermaids that she had passed. Shark gazes at his sister’s reflection in the mirror, smiling at her relaxed posture and blemish-free face. All was back to normal now, the memory of the stormy ceremony a distant moon away. He gently shakes his head, his tail languidly flapping back and forth.

“Nah. I’ll be there for your performance though,” he says.

Medaka quirks a smile.

“You better be.”

Shark returns his sister’s grin, albeit halfheartedly.

“I know,” he says.

“Medaka!” calls Swordfish through the opening of the cave.

Medaka meets her friend’s gaze and smiles. She waves her hand and then slides a pearl bracelet around her wrist.

“Coming!”

Swimming past Shark, Shark quickly grabs her wrist. Medaka startles, looking at her brother with widened eyes.

“Tear a fin,” says Shark.

His sister breaks into a radiant smile. She pulls away from Shark, giving his shark tooth necklace a final tug.

“I don’t need it,” she says.

He watches her go with Swordfish, Catfish and Tarwhine, the group laughing and singing songs together. As always, Medaka had the brightest voice. Shark’s fingers trail to his necklace, wondering when would be the next time he could see Medaka again. Looking out at the waters, the world was dyed a bright orange as the sun began to set. After waiting a few more moments, Shark swims off towards Dusky’s home.

As he makes his way through the familiar routes, he drinks in the sights of the anemones, seagrass and corals that he passed. He wonders if the human world had anything as bright or as beautiful. Above him, a school of fish swim past, hundreds of voices filling the waters as the fish chirped, groaned and burbled in their indecipherable language. Distantly, he sees the outline of a great ray languidly flapping across the waters.

Shaking his head, he hurries on.

In the light of the setting sun, the sand on the seabed glimmered like small jewels. Crabs and lobsters scuttled about, paying Shark little attention. It was almost always like that, wasn’t it? He, the ignored sibling compared to Medaka’s radiance. For the first few days after Medaka’s announcement, he had been endlessly pestered by curious merfolk. Even Medaka’s most persistent admirer, Stonefish, had asked who the lucky merperson was. Shark had pushed them all away with his usual bluster, meanwhile trying to swallow the memories of the prince.

For a merperson to fall in love with a human…It would have been funny if it hadn’t been so blasphemous.

He arrives at Dusky’s house far too soon. Slowly, he raises his fist to the stone walls. Looking up at the distant sky, he takes a deep breath.

Knock knock.

Unlike the eternity that it took for Dusky to usually respond, his friend immediately opens the door. With one look at him, Dusky’s shoulders slump.

“So?” he asks.

“I’m ready,” says Shark.

For a moment, his friend’s brows furrow.

“Just a moment,” he says, swimming back into the house.

Shark once again turns to the skies, watching as the sun sets. Soon, he would be in a world where the sun’s rays would be all-encompassing. A strange land with solid earth and only small reserves of water.

“Alright. Let’s go to the rocks near the lagoon,” says Dusky, reappearing with a tattered tome and a dagger.

Warily, Shark eyes the dagger. Its handle is obsidian black, drinking in all of the light around it. The blade itself is curved like the movements of an eel. As Dusky swims, white flakes flutter from the old tome. Its cover is littered with holes and the pages beneath it are bleached white.

“We’ll do it when the moon is at its highest,” says Dusky. “It’s when Poseidon’s realm is drawn closest to Artemis’ emblem and his power is at its weakest.”

“You’ve done this before?” he asks.

Dusky doesn’t look back at him as he replies.

“Here and there. Small spells and whatnot. A love potion a few moons ago.”

Shark thinks back to Swordfish’s shorn locks. He raises a brow.

“Was that why Swordfish…”

“Oh, no, that was to ensure her sword dealt a killing blow to anything that it touched,” replies Dusky nonchalantly.

“Are you kidding me?! Giving a loose piranha a weapon like that?!”

It’s then that he sees the small smile on Dusky’s lips. Shark lets out a sigh of relief.

“So it was the love potion.”

“Mmmhm. Either she hasn’t used it yet or she didn’t fully read the instructions.”

The two exchange a small laugh. Shark briefly looks down at the colorful world that he was leaving. Quietly, he reaches out for Dusky’s free hand. Tightly, Dusky grasps it, pulling his lips into a thin line.

“I’m only doing this for you because you’re my best friend,” breathes Dusky.

“I know,” utters Shark.

Dusky forces a smile, turning his face up towards the sky.

“It’s been nice knowing you, old friend.”

Shark squeezes his friend’s hand.

“Likewise.”

They reach the surface, Shark breathing in the warm, salty air with a mixture of excitement and pain. Dusky leads him towards an outcrop of rocks. Distantly, they could hear the opening ballad to the merfolk’s ceremony. Together they sit on the rocks, waiting for the sun to set and night to fall. Their hands overlap one another’s.

“Will you take me to the shore where I stayed with him?” asks Shark. “After…”

Dusky nods.

“Where?”

“By the shore with the red sun rocks,” he replies. “By the human village.”

“Alright.”

In silence, they look out at the final glimmers of the sun, swallowed into the ocean’s abyss. Behind them, the moon has started to ascend, its silvery light unblemished by any clouds.

“There’s the Ray,” says Dusky, pointing out a cluster of stars.

“I can see bits of the Kraken,” says Shark.

For a brief moment, their heads touch, their breaths syncopating. A lone seagull flies by, letting out a shrill caw. Shark closes his eyes, listening to the distant songs of the full moon ceremony.

“Will you listen to Medaka’s closing performance in my stead?” asks Shark.

“Of course, old friend,” says Dusky.

Shark can imagine the hint of disappointment that would fill his sister’s face once she can’t find him among the crowd. A pang fills his chest. Surely, Medaka would be fine without him. She would have her friends to support her. Those silly, loving friends of hers…More silence fills the air.

Together, Dusky and Shark used to be able to talk for ages about everything and nothing at the same time. He doesn’t remember any of those conversations, truth be told. But this one, with all of its silence and scarcity, where only the most important things are uttered…this will stay in his heart for eternity.

“Do you…want to sing?” he asks Dusky after a few moments.

Dusky looks at Shark with a small smile.

“I’d love to.”

“Which song?” asks Shark.

Dusky motions with his hand.

“Any one you’d like.”

Distantly, he can hear the familiar notes of a battle hymn. Shark rests his head on his elbows.

“What about the one about the red shell?” he asks.

Dusky raises an eyebrow.

“Are you certain? That one is…”

He trails off, a smile filling his face.

“Alright.”

Shark grasps Dusky’s hand. They look up at the canopy of stars soaring over then, blessed by the light of the moon. Once again, their eyes meet and the song wells up in their chest.

I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you

A story that is deep and true

One of the brave warrior Astakos and his beloved bride Zargana

Separated by a dispute of the gods, Astakos vowed his red shell to protect Zargana

For in those times, our people had truly been one with our namesakes

“Do not worry, my sweet, for this shell is only for you to take,” promised Astakos as he set off to war.

Off he went, clashing against the beasts of the land with their sharp fangs and hard hooves

The nights were long, the sun too bright and the waters far too distant

Moons upon moons rose and set, Astakos dancing about the fiery waters

Whilst Zargana, poor maid, had thought herself a widow.

She set off to the distant battlefields, arriving at a field of red shells

She littered the red field with her pink pearls, so endless was her sorrow

“Oh, what good does war do when it only births widows and empty red shells?” lamented the mermaiden.

Above, the raging gods continued to clash in their wars, deaf to her pleas.

Determined to find Astakos’ shell, Zargana swam off into the distant waters of the cold North, a land where no god of hers paid audience to

Once the war subsided, weary Astakos returned to a home without Zargana’s laughter and love

Betrayed by Zargana’s desertion, the warrior withdrew into his shell

How silent the fates were, how unseeing the gods were to the lovers’ plight that to this day Zargana swims alone in the icy waters of the north whilst Astakos slumbers in his red shell

A grin fills Shark’s lips as their melody is carried off by the waves.

“If I’m blaspheming tonight, then I’m going to commit it as much as possible,” he says.

Dusky exchanges a matching grin. Above them, the moon shines full and brought. Shark follows his gaze and lifts his tail from the surface, iridescent scales sending droplets filled with rainbows into the sea.

“It’s time,” murmurs Dusky, clutching the dagger in his hand. “Are you certain?”

Shark gazes into Dusky’s earnest eyes. His chest tightens as he nods.

“I am.”

With a sigh, Dusky slides into the water, positioning the dagger above Shark’s tail. Shark takes a deep breath, staring at the dagger’s dark blade and Dusky’s grim expression.

“Open to the 73rd page,” instructs Dusky. “It’ll be the page with the large inkspill behind it.”

Shark takes the tome into his shaking hands, wondering if it would disintegrate at his touch. Gingerly, he grabs a pile of the delicate pages and flips past them. The ancient mermish swims before his eyes, yet his memories from school slowly bubble up. He immediately knows when he has arrived at the correct page, the ink stain behind it nearly swallowing up the words on this page. Through the ink, he can make out the title Ondine’s Doomed Desire.

Dusky follows Shark’s gaze and nods. Then he looks up at the sky.

“Hurry. We don’t have much time. Read the incantation.”

“Hold on…It’s been a while since I’ve read ancient mermish…” mutters Shark.

He takes a deep breath.

“ L…llm…”

Shark swallows, his throat growing dry.

“Llm oor et ee ays et poris,” he reads after a few moments. “ Pase, aber rye meor sx oo ss mg cae ee ae.”

Beneath the moon I weep. Father, turn away from this sinful plea.

Shark takes a deep breath, forcing himself to continue.

“Py. Oe at. Ec alae eye ee i Se SO Gah Prater. re TS tye.”

May this undeserving blood wash away this body of mine.

With his lips pursed into a thin line, Dusky plunges the dagger in Shark’s tail and pulls it down. Shark lets out a scream, a hand shooting out to grasp Dusky’s hair. Pearls beads in his eyes as he continues to read the spell. Dusky grits his teeth in effort as he pulls the blade down, slowly splitting Shark’s tail in half.

“Fo - aa Cw ea BOER aie aa. Sean ro wT SEP te Te o ora Mise nS ge…! Vo wane wre Tag ek ate rasa a Se oe ROBE ee, Cte all!” screams Shark.

Fins to skin. Tail to feet. Flippers to hands. Scales to hairs. Pearls to water.

Shark can feel pearls tumbling down his cheek as the webbing recedes from his hands. He digs his nails into the pages of the worn tome. His blood is bright red as it pools into the ocean. Dusky’s hands are completely covered in blood as well. Yet he remains determined, his grip on the blade unwavering.

“Give me that!” shouts Dusky as he reaches out for the book. “Now, together!”

Awkwardly, the two run their eyes over the last few sentences.

“ A Mees soy ey ky Me pe ER elt A rn Soe ea Seg ee a, a cre or RTS. i, a EN RRR LS Ne ee, ORS ZONES, BO RPS SEY og CE ER ge Td SRST !” they cry together, Dusky’s blade exiting Shark’s tail.

Upon the final word being uttered, Shark can feel his throat seizing up. His hands fly to his throat as he lets out a choked scream. Only a small mewl escapes from his throat, soon turning into a sharp exhale. Then, silence. He looks down at his split tail, its color lightening and the halves stiffening. Fear fills Shark’s chest as Dusky takes him into his arms, hurriedly swimming towards the red sunning stones.

As the songs from the full moon gathering fades away, Shark’s human heart begins to beat louder in his chest. He clutches Dusky’s shoulder, flecks of ocean water touching his grayish toes. Carefully, Dusky places Shark onto the shore. Beneath the moonlight, Shark looks at his pale skin. Now, his toes are a rosy pink, flecked by small nails. He looks at them in wonderment, pulling them to his hands. When he opens his clenched fist, a handful of blue pearls tumble out.

Looking up at Dusky, he smiles.

Thank you, he mouths.

Dusky rests his forehead against Shark’s.

“I hope you’ll find happiness,” he says, his voice wavering at the end.

Shark clutches Dusky’s face in his hands, marveling at the warmth his fingers radiated. He presses their foreheads closer. Dusky pulls Shark into a tight embrace. His friend’s voice is a bare whisper, almost carried away by the wind.

“Every step will feel like stepping on shards of glass. You will have no voice. And…,” Dusky’s voice trails off, something hard bouncing off of Shark’s shoulder. “By sunrise, if your feet touch ocean water again, you’ll turn into seafoam.”

Shark’s shoulder slackens at the final warning. A chill runs down his spine. He closes his eyes, knowing that this would be a final farewell. Dusky pulls him closer once more. Something hard tumbles to the sand.

“May the waves be with you,” he utters.

Voiceless, Shark can only raise his hand and watch as his dearest friend swims away. Giving Shark one last look, Dusky waves, his eyes filled with pearls. Before they can fall from his eyes, he dives deep into the ocean, praying that the pearls would be carried towards the shore.

🎵

“Woah! Are you okay?!” shouts a distant voice.

Shark jumps awake, turning towards the voice. A green-haired girl runs towards him, clutching her skirts in her hands. Behind her, an elderly woman calls for her in an exasperated voice.

“Kotori! Don’t just approach ruffians on the beach like that! For decency’s sake, he’s unclothed!”

Shark stares at the approaching girl. She turns back to the woman and sticks her tongue out.

“You act as if I’ve never seen a naked man before! Yuma and I practically grew up bathing together!”

At the mention of Yuma, Shark sits up straighter. He tries to recall the name of the familiar girl. It was something that began with ‘Ko,’ like coconuts.

“Are you okay?” asks “Koconut.”

They hold each other’s gaze for a few moments. Then, “Koconut’s” eyes widen and her hands fly to her mouth as recognition fills her face. Quickly, she peels off her dark blue coat and wraps it around Shark’s shoulders.

“You must be freezing! Have you been like this the entire night?” asks “Koconut,” her voice now a high-pitched whisper.

Slowly, Shark nods.

“I can bring you inside and the servants can help you get dressed. Are you looking for Yuma?”

Another nod.

“Koconut” beams and takes Shark’s hand. The warmth sends a prickle down Shark’s spine. He frowns as he slowly stands up. When he takes a step forward, pain shoots up his legs. He collapses back into the sand, where he lands on a clutch of pearls. Surreptitiously, he gathers them into his fist.

“Are you okay?!” asks “Koconut.”

“Kotori!” calls Grandmother Yone. “You can’t take him home! What would your mother and father say?”

“Just look at him! He’s hurt!” protests “Koconut.”

Shark quickly shakes his head and forces himself to stand again, the pain once more stabbing his legs. He bites his lip and forces a smile at “Koconut.” Motioning towards the stairs from where “Koconut” and her grandmother came, he begins to walk towards the stairs.

“He’s walking just fine! Don’t you think he’s planning something?” asks Grandmother Yone as “Koconut” walks Shark across the beach.

“We’ve met before! Kind of,” says “Koconut” with a nervous smile.

She exchanges a nervous smile with Shark.

“I’m Kotori, by the way. What’s your name?”

Oh. Kotori. Right. Shark looks down at the sand and then the ocean. Awkwardly, he places a hand on his throat and then shakes his head. His companion frowns, putting her free hand on her chin.

“Do you know how to write?”

Shark shakes his head.

“I’ll teach you!” pipes up Kotori excitedly. “You know, on Sundays, I help out at the school in the village! I teach little children who can’t afford to pay for classes how to read! It’ll be super fun!”

How easily the words flowed from the girl’s mouth. How easily she could tell her stories and infuse it with her joyous emotions. Shark had taken this ability for granted, communicating with grunts and muttering when he couldn’t be fully bothered to communicate. Now, even grunting has been taken away from him. A pang fills his chest.

“How did you even make it here? I’m glad I found you, though! I always go to the beach in the mornings. It does wonders for my skin!” continues Kotori. “Was the journey dangerous? Did you use magic? You know magic, right?!”

Shark frowns at her and motions to his throat. Kotori gasps and places her hand on her mouth.

“Right! Sorry.”

They approach the stone steps leading up to a large mansion. Kotori slowly walks up the steps, her grip firm on Shark’s. He looks at the young woman whose cheeks were flushed with red and whose eyes were sparkling with life.

“You chose the right time to come. Yuma’s visiting today,” says Kotori. “He does that in his free time.”

At the mention of the young prince’s name, a strange heat fills Shark’s cheeks. He looks down at the stone steps, slowly ascending them. Pain continues to fill every step he takes. But, if his legs could bring him to his prince, then everything would be worth it. Beside him, Kotori chuckles.

“Before I forget, thank you. For saving his life,” she breathes. “Your secret is safe with me.”

Warmth—a different kind than the one he felt around Yuma—fills Shark’s chest. It felt familiar, almost. As if he were with Medaka or Dusky. Maybe things on land weren’t so different after all.

🎵

“Hey, Kotori!” calls Yuma’s voice from the window.

Shark perks up and watches as Kotori runs to the window. She opens it and waves to her friend.

“Come on in!” she shouts. “I have a guest who wants to see you!”

She turns back to Shark with a grin, hooking her arm around his. Together, they descend the winding staircase. Kotori’s parents had welcomed Shark with raised brows. However, with enough explanation (they had found Yuma’s body together and then agreed to become pen pals), her parents relented and allowed Shark to stay in their home. From the way her parents sighed, Shark knew that they were used to appeasing their daughter.

When the butler opens the door to the young prince, Shark’s heart stops. He stiffens as Kotori runs up to Yuma and pulls her friend towards him. Yuma greets Shark with a boyish grin.

“Hey there! What’s your name?” he asks.

Shark opens his mouth, only for nothing to come out. Dismay fills his features. Now how would Yuma recognize him? In the darkness, he had only heard Shark’s voice.

“I’m sorry. He’s mute. But, he came a long way to see you,” explains Kotori.

Shark can only nod, each breath more painful than the last. He grasps Yuma’s outstretched hand, begging, begging for him to recognize the feel of his fingers in his. Yuma’s expression remains unchanging, the bright yet empty smile still on his face.

“I see!” says Yuma. “Well, it’s nice to meet you.”

We’ve already met. Shark’s smile wavers. He lets go of Yuma’s hand and then points to the sea. Through the glass, it feels so distant and small, framed between trees and rocks. Then he points back to himself and mimes out a swimming motion with his hands. Confusion fills Yuma’s expression.

“Oh, wow. That’s a long way, isn’t it? You swam across the sea just for me?”

Shark vigorously nods. He swam, he bled and cried for him. From his pocket, he fishes out one of the pearls he had kept from the shore. He mimes it falling from his eyes and then presents it to Yuma.

Yuma stares at the bluish gray pearl with an open mouth.

“Oh, no…I possibly can’t. My family has a ton of…”

Kotori elbows Yuma, eliciting a squawk of pain from the prince.

“That’s a mermaid tear, isn’t it? Don’t you know how precious that is?!”

She briefly glances up at Shark, her brows furrowed.

“Are you sure?” she asks him.

Shark replies with a fervent nod. He had more where that came from.

Awkwardly, Yuma takes the pearl and holds it up to the sunlight. Then he sticks it in his mouth, much to Shark and Kotori’s dismay.

“Oh, thanks,” he says, spitting out the pearl after Kotori kicks his foot.

“They’re not edible!” she snaps.

“I know! I was just testing to see if it was real!”

“You do that with gold, not with pearls!”

Shark smiles. With a grin, Kotori leads the both of them to the couch. Yuma pockets the pearl and plops himself onto the soft cushions. Placing his arms behind his head, he turns to Shark with an inquisitive look.

“What makes a foreigner like you interested in meeting me? I know I’m a prince, but you have your own princes, right?”

No. Beneath the sea, all merfolk were seen as equal. True, there were some that were more popular than others, but they were seen more as idols than true leaders. Shark stares at his feet, placing a hand on his chin, imitating Kotori. He shakes his head.

“A land without a prince, huh…?” muses Yuma. “You have a king or a queen?”

Another headshake.

Yuma’s brows jump up.

“You must be from Venusia! Is it true that everyone there has a voice in how the government functions?!”

Kotori stifles a smile at Shark’s bewildered expression. Yes, every merperson had a voice beneath the sea, but regarding the sea creatures…Long before Shark’s hatching, his people had been able to communicate with the fish. Only when a mermaid, full of hubris and pride, had challenged the Sea-Mother Aphritite to a singing contest had they lost their connection to the sea creatures. When he was young, he had attempted to speak to the fish. They merely stared at him in wide-eyed confusion, just like how he looked now when Yuma asked him about Venusia.

Once, again, he shakes his head, heat filling his cheeks. He wishes he knew how to make the prince understand. His nails dig into the unfamiliar “pants” that he wears. It had seemed so easy in his fantasies. Once he made it on shore, Yuma would take him to his palace and together, they would travel the lands above. Shark would always feel warm and alive, the sun always shining on his skin.

“Well then…where are you from?” asks Yuma.

Shark points to a picture of the ocean hanging above the fireplace. Yuma follows his stare.

“A lighthouse?” he muses.

Another headshake. Shark emphasizes his pointing, focusing on the blue tones of the ocean.

“The sky?”

Shark gives Kotori an exasperated stare. The young woman gives him a helpless shrug. Sighing, Shark points out the window towards the sea. Then, he makes a motion of waves with his hands. Yuma laughs.

“You can’t be from the ocean! Humans can’t breathe in water! You’re so funny!”

Without warning, Shark jabs his finger onto the fading wound on Yuma’s head and then points to himself, miming a throwing motion.

“Ah…!” exclaims Yuma, pulling away from Shark’s touch.

Shark immediately stops, a pit forming in his stomach. Kotori gasps.

It was me who did that, can’t you see? thinks Shark desperately, holding Yuma’s wounded gaze. Slowly, he points to himself again and then motions throwing.

“Oh, yeah. That happened on my birthday. You guessed right. Someone threw something at me,” mumbles Yuma.

Were all humans this oblivious? Shark bites his lip in frustration and balls his hands into fists. He motions to Kotori to grab something for him to draw on. Nodding, Kotori hurries off. In the silence that follows, Shark moves closer to Yuma. In response, Yuma slightly pulls away. A pang fills Shark’s chest. Hesitantly, he reaches out towards Yuma’s forehead. Slowly, Yuma meets his hand. His skin is warm and soft, nothing like the rough scales of the merfolk.

Shark lowers his head, cheeks burning with shame.

“ Sorry, ” he mouths.

“It’s okay. It wasn’t you who did it,” murmurs Yuma.

With a sigh, Shark shakes his head and then points to himself. Yuma grins and pulls away from Shark.

“You’re funny, whatever your name is.”

He doesn’t even know his name. Shark looks down at his feet, inches away from the floor. Now what?

“Here you are,” says Kotori placing a piece of paper and charcoal before Shark.

Nodding, Shark takes the charcoal and begins to draw himself beneath the sea with a tail. Above, he draws a ship with Yuma and the approaching storm. Perhaps it was foolish, revealing to a human that he had once been a merman, but there was no turning back after his decision.

“Oh, wow…,” begins Yuma. “How did you know?”

Scoffing, Shark circles himself, the charcoal snapping in half in his frustration. Yuma purses his lips.

“No, it can’t be,” he says, forcing a chuckle. “Merfolk aren’t real.”

Glaring at Yuma, Shark tosses half off the charcoal at Yuma’s forehead.

“Hey!” shouts Kotori.

“Ow! Why did you have to do it right…”

Yuma pauses, watching Shark’s sketch on the other side of the paper. On a sandy shore was the bedraggled prince. Beside him was Shark. Above them was a dark and cloudy sky. Yuma’s hand slowly falls from his forehead.

“No, the person who saved me could talk,” mumbles Yuma, turning away from Shark. “You can’t be him.”

“Yuma!” whisper-shouts Kotori.

In the remaining space of the paper, Shark draws himself with a dagger, slicing his tail in half to form legs. He had already broken the rule of revealing himself to a human. He shouldn’t drag in Dusky as well. Pointing to the image, he then points to his throat and motions it flying away. He stares at Yuma, pleading for him to understand. How else could he have known of these events, unless Yuma had told everyone he knew?

An awkward smile fills Yuma’s lips.

“I’m sorry,” he breathes. “All I knew about him was his voice. If you can’t speak, then…well, it’s a bit of a serious topic, finding the man that saved a prince’s life. I have to be really certain.”

Dismay fills Shark’s chest, deeper than the trenches of The Sea Mother’s Grief. He watches as Yuma turns to the clock and then stands.

“That’s about all the time I have for today. I have a lot of meetings to attend and Akari’ll bite my head off if I come to them late. I’ll see you later!” says Yuma.

“Oh! Bye!” says Kotori.

She reaches into her pocket and presents Yuma with something wrapped in a handkerchief. Immediately, Yuma’s face lights up, similar to the time he was on the ship. Shark’s heart twists with envy as Kotori beams in return.

“I was about to ask if you had any treats waiting for me!” he says. “Tell Chef I said thanks!”

Before Shark could beg for him to wait, Yuma runs off. Shark watches him in silence, his skin cold just like when he was beneath the waves.

🎵

“S-H-A-R-K,” spells out Kotori. “Shark. That’s your name?” she asks.

Shark nods, admiring his handiwork. The quill pen had taken ages to grow accustomed to. It was nothing like the flexible squid ink quills. Kotori smiles and then puts a hand on his shoulder.

“You’re a fast learner, Shark.”

Shark scoffs. He’d been alive for centuries. Of course he was a fast learner. Even if the feather quill had taken a while to grow used to.

“Lady Kotori! His royal majesty is here!” calls Grandmother Yone.

Kotori perks up along with Shark. Despite their awkward initial meeting, the memories on the shore continued to fill his mind. Together, they run down the stairs, the pain erased with the thought of seeing Yuma again.

“Yuma!” calls Kotori as she enters the receiving room.

Yuma stands upon seeing her, crumbs lining the tray of treats he was busily eating from.

“Hey!” he says, his mouth stuffed with cookies.

When he sees Shark, his smile slightly fades. Shark’s heart skips a beat.

“I was thinking we could go for a carriage ride today! It’s lovely weather,” says Yuma.

“Yes! I think Shark would like it too!” says Kotori, pulling Shark close.

Color fills Shark’s cheeks as Yuma’s attention turns to him, his eyebrows quirked.

“Shark…?” muses Yuma.

“Yeah! I’ve been teaching him how to read and write and today, he wrote his name!”

“Shark, like the fish?”

Not a fish, but, close enough. Shark nods.

“That’s a really cool name!” says Yuma. “You know, I went across the desert and met a scholar named Leo! That means lion in his language!”

Shark nods, unsure exactly what a lion was. For the umpteenth time, he wishes Dusky was by his side. Surely, Dusky would know all of these strange terms. Meanwhile, he had just familiarized himself with what was a fork, plate, spoon and napkin. Now he had to learn about what a ‘lion’ was?

“Let’s go to the market. I’ve been craving some of Miss Okudaira’s caramel apples!” says Yuma.

Kotori nods in agreement. She turns to Shark.

“You do want to go, right? I don’t want you to go somewhere you don’t…”

Quickly, Shark nods. He dashes over to the door and begins putting on his boots. Kotori laughs and hurries over.

“Alright! All three of us, embarking on an adventure!”

Slipping on her shoes, Kotori opens the door.

“Grannie, I’m going!” she calls.

“She’ll be in good hands!” yells Yuma afterwards.

Hooking arms, the two exchange smiles and walk out the door. For a moment, Shark is transfixed, caught in between their youthful smiles. A brief flicker of pain fills his chest. He walks out the door and closes the door behind him. Ahead of him, Kotori whispers something in Yuma’s ear and he laughs. The pain intensifies. Once, he also had someone to whisper in his ear. Medaka and Dusky’s faces fill his mind, their faces slowly losing their sharpness by the week.

Over Kotori and Yuma’s laughter, Shark wonders when he’ll be unable to recall their faces.

He sits at the end of the carriage, hands folded in his lap. Yuma sits in between, the reins of the horses in his hands. Shark eyes the large creatures with wariness, the strange devices on their eyes serving no apparent purpose. With a flick of his wrist, the horses jump to life. Shark startles, his hand falling on Yuma’s lap. The young prince briefly stares down at Shark’s hand.

“Did you have horses from where you came from?” he asks.

Shark shakes his head.

“No horses?!” exclaims Yuma. “How did you get around?”

Shark creates a swimming motion with his hands.

“You crawled?” asks Yuma incredulously.

His eyes nearly pop out of his head. Shark stifles a derisive snort. For a prince, he sure was thick. Maybe the seashell Shark tossed at him did some damage. Humans were very delicate, after all. If so, Shark was wholly responsible for the prince’s sand-filled head and was determined to take care of him his entire life.

Shark shakes his head and waves his hand. Nevermind. Yuma frowns.

“You should take me to your country sometime. It sounds like you could use some improvements,” notes Yuma.

The derisive snort escapes from Shark. As if these short-lived humans could teach his people something. With a shrug, Yuma flicks the reins of the horses and lets out a cry. Shark jumps as the large animals leap into motion. He wraps his hands around Yuma, blushing as Yuma looked down at him in confusion. Immediately, Shark pulls away, his skin hotter than a deep sea vent.

Fins are a perfectly good way to travel.

The land before them is an array of colors, similar to that of a coral reef. A cold breeze stirs through the air, swirling orange and yellow leaves around. Unlike the verdant trees of summer, these trees are in shades of sunset. Medaka would have loved this. Yuma whistles a gaily tune, Kotori joining in with her singing. Shark looks at the couple in envy, his hand clutched around his throat. If Dusky had read more books, would there have been a way for him to keep his voice and have legs at the same time? It would have solved so many problems…

He pictures him and Yuma singing together, the full moon shining down on them. If he could still talk, he would have taught Yuma all the mermish hymns he knew. Maybe they would like the same songs.

The clouds pass by them like flocks of sheep, white and fluffy. Shark raises his nose to the air and smells the familiar earthy smell of rain in the distance.

Trees soon begin to thin out, giving way to small human settlements. Atop of Kotori and Yuma’s laughter, the sounds of other humans fill the air. Laughter, whinnying, shouting…It’s almost like a concert. Shark perks up, looking at the colorful stalls and vast array of people. At the top of the village is a large structure with high towers and white marble walls.

Perhaps the humans weren’t as depraved or barbaric as his people had thought.

“Woah!” calls Yuma, pulling on his horses’ reins. He turns to Shark and gives him a smile. “We’re here! What do you think?”

Following Shark’s wide-eyed gaze towards the castle, Yuma’s smile turns into a grin.

“Yup! That’s where I live! Isn’t it gorgeous? My great, great grandfather built it with his bare hands! But let’s go! Mrs. Okudaira’s caramel apples never last long!”

He hops off the carriage, helping Shark and Kotori down. Linking arms, the three begin to walk into the village square.

“Your majesty! Lady Kotori!” call passerby, bowing to the prince.

Yuma greets his subjects with his lively smile, waving at children and merchants. Kotori accepts the greetings with a slight bow of her head.

“And who’s the purple-haired lad?” calls a man.

“This is our friend, Shark!” replies Kotori.

Shark turns towards the sound of the voice and waves to the man. The elderly man looks at him and puts a hand on his chin.

“Looks a bit thin! Have you been treating him well?”

Kotori laughs, her laughter akin to the ringing of bells.

“Of course! He came a long way to meet me!”

Tightening her grasp around Yuma’s arm, Kotori drags him and Shark towards a stall laden with treats. The vast array of color dazzles Shark’s eyes. A woman whose hair was tied back by a cloth greets the three with a smile.

“I knew you’d be here! I saved some apples just for you,” she says, handing Kotori a basket of caramel apples.

“Thank you!” says Kotori, handing Mrs. Okudaira a pouch of coins.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly…!” laughs the woman, turning her gaze to Yuma. “You’ve already done so much for my son.”

Yuma blushes and scratches the back of his head.

“Aw, it was just a little letter of recommendation…,” he chuckles.

“Nonsense. It meant the world to Fuuya to be able to study in Venusia,” she says, her gaze turning to Shark. “Have you made yourself a new friend?”

The prince turns to Shark and gives him a lopsided grin. Enraptured by the colorful treats, Shark startles upon hearing Yuma’s voice.

“Any friend of Kotori’s is mine,” he replies.

A hint of color fills Shark’s cheeks. He gazes at the shopkeep, wishing he could ask her what all of her strange wares were.

“What’s your name?” asks Mrs. Okudaira.

Once again, a pang fills Shark’s chest. How he had taken his voice for granted…Now he can’t even tell anyone his name.

“His name’s Shark. He’s a mute,” explains Kotori.

The woman’s eyes widen.

“Oh, my apologies…”

Shark points to a colorful array of seashells, gazing at their light colors with curiosity.

“This?” asks Mrs. Okudaira to Shark’s nod. She smiles. “These are my powdered seashells. Would you like to try one?”

Shark nods. As the soft shell is placed into his hand, he’s surprised to find that it’s made of a sand-like texture. Slowly, he places it in his hair to peals of laughter.

“You’re supposed to eat it, silly!” says Yuma.

“He’s from overseas. He’s still getting used to a few things,” explains Kotori to a giggling Mrs. Okudaira.

With his face aflame, Shark removes the shell and places it into his mouth. The cold, chalky texture makes him wince. It was like eating a mouthful of sand! What were these humans putting in their bodies?!

“Oh, dear…not to your liking?” asks Mrs. Okudaira.

Shark vehemently shakes his head. The shopkeep chuckles.

“It’s a bit of an acquired taste, I know…”

She takes a small pearl from a bowl and offers it to Shark.

“Here’s something that always sells. It’s a candied cherry.”

The red pearl glistens in the bright sunlight. Hesitantly, Shark reaches out for it. He looks to Kotori and Yuma. Both of them motion to their mouths. Placing it on his tongue, he’s surprised to find it sweet and pliant. Slowly, he chews.

“Better?” asks Mrs. Okudaira.

Shark nods.

“That’s good to hear,” she says, turning to Kotori. “Where is your friend from?”

“He’s the son of Drahalenese sailors,” says Kotori. “He’s been on water more than land!”

“My, how interesting!”

Shark’s attention wanders off as Kotori and Yuma begin to talk about people and things he doesn’t know. He’s drawn to the distant sound of human music, with its high pitched tones and looping melodies. Unlinking his arm from Yuma, he wanders through the market square until he finds the source. A bevy of maidens and young men have gathered to dance, their heads bedecked by autumnal wreaths. By the wall, a small band plays, their instruments unfamiliar to Shark. He gazes down at the long bow and strings of one instrument. Then he turns to see a stick with holes drilled into it, emitting high pitched squeaks. Slowly, he feels himself drawn closer and closer to the dancers and the band.

Although the music was unfamiliar, everything else reminded him of the merfolks’ celebrations. Medaka, like the maidens here, would dress herself in finery. Then she would arrive to the celebration, immediately surrounded by hopeful partners. Shark and Dusky would remain in the back, watching as their friends and neighbors danced. Celebrations would last for hours, filled with singing and dancing. Often, Shark and Dusky would sneak out once everyone had their fill of kelp wine. As the merfolk celebrated, the two friends would go to the surface to stargaze.

In the cool night air, they would talk about their dreams and softly sing together. Sometimes, they would just hold hands and gaze into the vast expanse of the heavens.

“Shark!” calls Yuma, jolting Shark from his memories. “There you are!”

Shark turns to see Yuma, his mouth stuffed with caramel apple. He holds one out to Shark.

“There’s one for you too!”

Slowly, Shark takes the apple from Yuma. He looks up at Yuma’s hopeful eyes. Hesitantly, he takes a bite, surprised at the stickiness. The sweetness of the sugar and the tartness of the apple makes him stare into the distance. Then he swallows and takes another bite. It was almost like biting into a glazed pufferfish.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” exclaims Yuma.

Shark nods despite not being sure what to make of it. Yuma’s gaze moves past him and towards the dancers.

“Have you danced before?” he asks abruptly.

Shark swallows a particularly large chunk of apple and then shakes his head. Yuma’s mouth opens into a small “o.”

“I can teach you! Right! You’re invited to the ball next week! I almost forgot!”

Ball? Kotori never told him about that. Shark takes another large bite of the apple, the sweetness now overpowering the apple.

“After you finish the apple, we can dance!”

Already, a curious crowd is gathering around them. Shark can feel his skin begin to heat up at all the attention he was receiving. He opens his mouth wide and tears the apple off of its stick. Yuma claps his hands in delight, eyes filled with admiration.

“That’s so cool! You should teach me how to do that! I can only fit a few pancakes in my mouth but it looks like you can fit in a whole dish!” gushes Yuma.

Maybe he was just a particularly dumb human, thinks Shark as he tosses the stick aside. Immediately, Yuma grabs his hands and pulls him into the crowd. The warmth of his skin never fails to surprise Shark.

“See, here’s how we dance in my kingdom…,” begins Yuma. “No matter what ball you’re going to, there will always be the Utopos Quadrille.”

With smiles on their faces, the dancers around them begin to get into position. The array of color, smells and steps meld into one, increasing Shark’s heart rate and the heat on his cheeks. Yuma’s hold is firm as he teaches Shark to dance, his instructions delivered with enthusiasm. It’s similar to our circles, thinks Shark as the music starts up. I haven’t been in a circle for moons.

His steps are stumbling at first, the strange music out of sync with his steps. Yuma corrects him with a gentle smile. Heat flares up in Shark’s chest as he steps on Yuma’s shoe.

“It’s alright,” says Yuma. “I did that all the time with my poor sister.”

He punctuates his statement with a grin.

“Now I know how it feels.”

The heat in Shark’s chest intensifies. He looks down at his feet for the next few moments, begging this strange body of his to obey. With each step he takes, pain shoots up his legs. Despite this, he forces himself to continue on, his fingers laced through Yuma’s like seaweed. He can’t bring himself to let go, not when he feels this alive.

“Wow, you’re a fast learner!” exclaims Yuma.

Now that Shark thinks of it, the quadrille was a circle but with legs. He turns, gazing at Yuma’s radiant expression. The other dancers part ways, leaving them in the circle.

“It’s our turn to be in the center! Let’s go!”

One step. Two step. Three step. Four. For a moment, Shark feels as if he’s floating in water again, light and airy. He ignores everyone’s curious eyes on him, focused only on his prince. They’re in sync, step for step, twirl for twirl. A hint of sweat has beaded Yuma’s brow. His vibrant smile remains as he and Shark dance. Briefly, it feels as if time has stopped and Shark’s legs are no longer in pain. Then they twirl back into the crowd, allowing another couple into the circle.

A droplet falls at Shark’s feet, darkening the ground at his feet. Shark looks down and then looks up. Another droplet splashes on his nose.

“It’s just a sprinkle,” reassures Yuma. “I’ve seen a lot more rain sailing.”

Shark nods in agreement. They watch as the couples take their turns in the center, the rain increasing its intensity. Slowly, the square empties, yet the two remain with the musicians shielded by an overhand. Yuma looks down at Shark, a shyer smile on his lips.

“Before we go back, can I teach you my favorite dance?”

Of course. Anything to keep this feeling alive, thinks Shark as he nods. He hasn’t felt this…warm…since…he can’t even remember. Grasping Yuma’s hands, they turn towards the musicians. Yuma exchanges a wink with them.

“This one is simple. It’s called ‘the sea.’”

Indeed, the steps are simple. Two steps forward, one backward. Swaying in each other’s arms like ocean waves. They twirl and part, like two ships in a storm. Despite the pouring rain, it feels as if Shark’s pain has been replaced by a warmth he can’t describe. After a few practiced steps, the music swells and Yuma’s grip around Shark tightens. Once again, it feels as if Shark is floating in the water again, surrounded by the comforts of home.

Yuma pulls him closer, his head resting on Shark’s shoulder.

“I showed my grandmother your pearl,” murmurs Yuma. “She says it’s a real mermaid tear. How did you get that?”

Shark stiffens. Then he looks at Yuma. For once, the prince’s expression is serious. Shark’s heart skips a beat. He takes a deep breath and raises his index finger to the bottom of his eye and pulls it down, miming a tear. Yuma hardens his jaw, brows furrowing.

“I’m sorry,” he says after a few moments. “For not believing you at first.”

Shark’s world stops. He holds Yuma’s gaze. In response, Yuma squeezes his hand.

“It really was you, wasn’t it? It was too dark to see the color of your hair or your eyes, but…”

A smile fills Shark’s lips. Yuma avoids his hopeful gaze.

“It must have hurt, coming to shore.”

Shark vigorously nods, the pain returning to his legs as if on cue. But it’s alright now, because you’re here. If only he could speak…if only he could tell Yuma how amazing it felt to be by his side and finally feel alive…

“Sorry for causing you all that trouble,” continues Yuma.

Shark shakes his head. He mouths out a ‘ thank you.’ Yuma looks at him in confusion.

“What for?” he asks.

Looking down at his hands and then his surroundings, Shark then decides to motion at the village square. He opens his arms wide and then turns around, the smile remaining on his lips. Yuma chuckles.

“Then I guess you’re welcome. Do you think you could take me down to the sea sometime?”

Shark pauses, remembering Dusky’s warning. With furrowed brows and a frown, he shakes his head. Then he mimes opening up a book and then shrugs.

“Not much of a scholar, huh?” says Yuma.

Reluctantly, Shark nods. He’s surprised to find Yuma’s hand on his shoulder afterwards, a grin on his face.

“Me neither.”

“Yuma! Shark!” calls Kotori. “Goodness, you’re both drenched!”

Neither of them seem bothered by the rain. As if in response, a raindrop drips from the feather in Yuma’s hat. Quickly, Shark grabs the hat and puts it over his head. Yuma turns to him and laughs.

“It suits you!”

In spite of himself, Shark lets out a silent laugh. He never thought that red could be his color.

🎵

“That looks gorgeous on you!” exclaims Kotori.

Shark smiles, looking down at his purple coat and the gossamer scarf he wore. It was almost as if he had his scales again. He twirls, earning a giggle from Kotori. She grabs his arm and pulls him downstairs. Grandmother Yone looks at the two with a smile, clasping her granddaughter’s hands in hers.

“Make us proud,” she says.

Kotori kisses her grandmother’s head and moves onto her parents. They pull her into an embrace. Shark looks at the scene, still unaccustomed to the concept. When he and Medaka were born, they had taken care of each other. Older merfolk had taught them how to hunt and speak their people’s language, but they never had anyone to hold them like that. It stirs…something within him, seeing Kotori with her parents.

Shark makes his way outside towards the family carriage. Along the way, Kotori gaily talks to her parents about her and Shark’s day. It seems like her parents have also accepted Shark into the household, although it’s mostly because they don’t know what else to do with him. Kotori’s father was usually cooped up in his study or out surveying his shops. Kotori’s mother was often away at parties. Maybe they saw Shark as Kotori’s guardian, similar to how he saw himself with Medaka.

Closing the carriage door behind him, Shark looks out at the sea. There was a full moon tonight. Somewhere, his sister must have been singing. He can almost imagine her voice, so haunting and clear in the chilly air. For once, he wishes he could hear her again.

The carriage lurches into motion. Shark keeps his eyes focused on his home until it melds with the shadows of the night. Above him, the constellations shine brightly. Yet to Shark, Yuma’s smile shines brighter than all of the stars in the sky.

“Uhm, Shark?” asks Kotori.

Shark looks up at her. In her gown of emerald green, Kotori’s amber eyes shimmer underneath the lamp. No wonder she could always make Yuma laugh. Rubies adorn her throat and a feather playfully waves in her hair. She is so young and inexperienced, yet so much of her reminds Shark of the mermaids beneath the sea.

“I look okay, right?” she asks.

Shark nods. Kotori breathes a sigh of relief.

“I just don’t want to embarrass Yuma…,” she mumbles.

“Nonsense, darling!” says her mother.

“My goodness, you’re the jewel of the village! How could you think of such a thing?” exclaims her father, a heavyset man.

Her parents voiced Shark’s thoughts exactly. No one could be kinder or more generous than Kotori. She had taught him to read with infinite patience. Her touch was gentle as she held his hand and helped him trace letters in the human language. In the village, she always made sure to greet everyone she knew and paid the merchants a fair price.

It’s as if she was Shark’s opposite. Beneath the sea, he was moody and kept to himself. Medaka had always done the talking for him.

Come to think of it, Medaka would have loved Kotori.

The carriage’s wheels clatter on cobblestone paths, drowning out the Mizukis’ conversations. Shark looks out the window at the well-lit homes and burbling fountains. From the sea, they had seemed so small and desolate. Now he knows better. Like beneath the sea, there was a vibrant community of people who wanted to make the best of their lives. He tries to peer into the houses, wondering who resided in them. Was there also a family like the Mizukis’ in there? Were there only two siblings who took care of each other? A pang fills his chest. He misses the cave that he and Medaka resided in, its nooks and crannies filled with their secrets.

It had been his place to hide away from the world, where he felt safe and comforted. After a long day, he would always be able to return to that place and sleep in his own bed. Now he realizes that it was a luxury to have one’s own space.

He looks ahead. On top of the hill is the palace, Yuma waiting within.

🎵

“Presenting Countess Hương from the land of the Decandra Monarch!” announces the crier.

Before the Mizukis, a young woman with a retinue of attendants descends the stairs. Her dark hair is gathered into a tall bun, a circlet lined in fabric adorning her head. Even inside, she is shielded by a red umbrella with tassels. Layers upon layers of brocade sparkles beneath the chandeliers. Her steps are soundless, elegant silk slippers peeking from underneath her robes.

Another woman dressed in lavish robes greets her with a bow. Together, they disappear into the crowd, their elegant clothes adding to the wide array of fashions within the room.

“Her country’s monarch came from a little yellow fruit,” whispers Kotori.

Shark raises a brow, trying to search for the mysterious woman in the crowd. His search is interrupted by Yuma, rising from his throne.

“Presenting the Great Merchant Jun Mizuki, his wife, Lady Suzume Mizuki and their daughter, Lady Kotori Mizuki!” announces the crier.

Kotori gathers up her skirts and whispers in the crier’s ears. The crier turns to Shark.

“Apologies, milady,” he says, clearing his throat. “And, last but not least, her friend, Shark!”

Kotori glides into the ballroom, immediately surrounded by her friends. She greets each person with a smile, laughing at their jokes and offering her own witty remarks. As if he was undersea again, Shark finds himself drawn to the walls, a glass of champagne in his hand. Once again, he wishes for Dusky to be by his side. How he would love pointing out each country the guests were from. His eyes would sparkle at the women’s elaborate hairstyles and the men’s mustaches.

“Hey!” whispers a voice from below. “Shark!”

Shark looks down at the table to find Yuma’s face peeking from underneath. He nearly drops his champagne in surprise. Yuma chuckles and holds a finger to his lips.

“Shh…! My sister wants me to dance with Viscountess Sei but she’s got bad breath and talks too loud!” whispers Yuma.

Shark drains his champagne and then dives underneath the table with Yuma. The prince looks at his outfit and then reaches out to Shark’s scarf.

“That’s pretty,” he notes. “Did Kotori pick that out for you?”

A nod. Yuma’s smile softens.

“She has great taste.”

They spend what feels like an eternity gazing into each other’s eyes. The sound of the Utopic Quadrille snaps Shark back into reality. A smile fills his lips. He grabs Yuma’s feathery hat and places it on his head. Taking Yuma’s hand, he pulls Yuma out from beneath the table and into the middle of the dance floor.

“W-woah! What are you…”

Yuma looks around in surprise as Shark begins to effortlessly step into the dance.

“You practiced!” he exclaims.

Shark grins and hooks his arm with Yuma’s. The music speeds up, the rhythm growing fervent.

“Yuma!” calls Kotori with a wave.

Yuma grins.

“Kotori!” he calls.

Briefly, they switch partners, Yuma hooking his arms with Kotori’s. Longing fills Shark’s chest as he twirls about with a stranger, longingly staring at the happy couple. Once Yuma is back to his side, Shark lets out a sigh of relief.

“Did they have dances like this beneath the sea?” asks Yuma.

Memories of his sister surrounded by her friends fills Shark’s mind. Really, he never felt as if he could join her circles. Perhaps a part of him had longed to, many years ago. It was too late now though. Shark nods, grabbing Yuma’s hand and pulling him into the center.

He should live in the present. There was no point in regretting decisions made in a place that he can no longer return to. For once, feeling everyone’s gazes on him didn’t feel terrible. In the center of the dance floor, he and Yuma were like two beautiful butterflyfish. Sometimes, Shark was jealous of them. The fish were always seen in pairs, whistling their incomprehensible love songs to each other. Although they lived short lives, it felt like every moment was joyous.

Surrounded by the people’s cheers, Shark feels alight. When it’s time for another couple to take their place, the moment feels too soon. Shark turns his attention to Yuma. The young prince’s cheeks are flushed with color and his breathing sends his chest rising and falling. Perhaps humans were like butterfly fish.

“Want refreshments?” asks Yuma.

Shark nods.

The night passes by in a flurry of dancing and listening to Yuma. He listens to Yuma’s seafaring adventures, laughing when he recalls seeing merfolk. When Yuma introduces him to his family members, Shark greets each person with a smile.

“He saved my life!” explains Yuma to each person that asked who he was.

Pride fills Shark’s chest as he walks around with his prince. He marvels at the array of costumes the humans wore and the various languages that they spoke. Yuma is able to speak enough for the both of them, delighting his guests and Shark. Throughout the entire time, Shark wishes he could have a piece of paper to communicate to his prince. During moments where Yuma has run out of things to say, Shark pulls him onto the dancefloor. Their dancing lifts his heart and fills him with warmth. Although he isn’t the best at anything besides the sea and the quadrille, being with Yuma is all that matters to him.

When the clock chimes midnight, Yuma sets down his drink and pulls away from Shark. His brows have shot up and he looks nervous. Perhaps he hadn’t intended to spend so much time with Shark. Shark frowns as Yuma looks worriedly up at the thrones.

“My sister’s gonna have my head now!” he exclaims, running towards the dais.

He tears through the crowd in his coat of blue, plowing through skirts and sliding between legs. A woman with long magenta hair glares at Yuma and then cuffs him on the head. His parents look on with lopsided smiles. Beside them is an old woman, shaking her head in exasperation. Shark winces as he watches the woman lecture Yuma. With his usual ease, Yuma laughs it off.

Ting ting. A bell chimes throughout the ballroom. The conversations soon die down as all attention turns to the royal family. Yuma’s father stands, a muscular man with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

“Thank you for attending my son’s party tonight,” he declares, his voice ringing across the room. “Although a bit late, here is my son’s promised announcement.”

A ripple of excitement spreads through the audience. Shark looks on in confusion. Yuma steps up to his father’s side. Nervously, he tugs at his cravat.

“Thank you! I almost didn’t make it to this ball because of that awful storm. Thanks to my friend, Shark, I was saved from drowning that night,” declares Yuma.

All attention turns to Shark. A round of applause fills the room. He wishes he could be by Yuma’s side. Alone, underneath all this applause, he feels lost.

“Because of his deed, I wish to make him my best man at the wedding,” continues Yuma.

Shark stiffens as the attention returns to Yuma. Wedding?

“Since we were children, Kotori and I have been promised to each other on our eighteenth birthdays. I intend to honor this promise and wed her by the end of the month,” says Yuma. “She has been a steadfast friend and a devoted subject, bettering the lives of the people around her. Although she comes from a family of commoners, I believe she possesses blood as noble as any queen’s.”

The applause is deafening. Shark’s vision swims. He looks at Kotori, whose cheeks are flushed with joy. Her friends grasp her shoulders and laugh. Beneath the chandeliers, she shines like a jewel. Blood roars through Shark’s ears. The pain returns to his legs. His limbs shake. For a moment, it feels as if he was going to turn into a jellyfish.

What did all of that dancing and talking mean to Yuma, then? A lump forms in Shark’s throat. It feels as if he’s been washed ashore.

So he runs. Runs from the humans and their glittering fabrics. Runs from the humans with their white teeth and beautiful lies. Runs from their sharp laughter and cruel eyes. They had known. Everyone had known except for him, a mere fish washed up on shore.

What was he thinking, trying to claim someone that had already been claimed? The way Yuma and Kotori had laughed by each other’s sides. The various childhood stories Kotori had shared with Shark. Yuma had been the first boy who had kissed her, his lips smeared with Grandmother Yone’s blackberry jam. They had been born for each other, like the coral polyp and its little companion.

Shark’s eyes burn. Liquid begins to drip from his cheeks. Beneath the sea, his eyes never burned when he cried pearls. A tear hits his tongue and its salty tang fills his mouth. It tasted like home, a place that refused to welcome him back.

Beneath him, the moon is high and bright, washing everything in its white light. Who was going to have the honor of singing beneath the full moon tonight? The thought tears a sob from Shark’s throat. He’ll never hear the song of his people again, replaced by the humans’ strange shrieking and moaning.

Pain fills every bit of Shark’s body, from his breathing to his running. Yet he forces himself to run until he can hear the gentle lull of the waves again. The cobblestoned path soon turns to dirt then to sand. His legs scream at him to stop. Before him, the ocean ripples and undulates like a black mass. Every breath feels as if glass were piercing his lungs now. Slowly, Shark trudges towards the sand and collapses into it.

The familiar salty smells surround him. A distant gull calls. Shark glances up at the shore, only a few paces away. Blood roars through his ears. His throat feels as if a hand is crushing it.

He could disappear again. The humans would forget him eventually. But what would Yuma think? After Shark saved him, did Yuma spend sleepless nights wondering who he was? Was he a mysterious figure in the back of Yuma’s mind, haunting his every moment? How did he feel when Shark finally revealed himself? Did he think nothing of it? Shark’s lip trembles.

The ocean waves beckon. He closes his eyes and tries to hear the distant mermaid songs.

Perhaps this was his punishment for throwing away Poseidon’s gift.

He closes his eyes and waits for the tides to reclaim him.

“Shark!” calls Kotori. “Shark!”

Jolting awake, Shark is shocked to find Kotori running after him, her skirts billowing in the night wind. Worry furrows her brows.

“Are you alright?! What happened?!” she exclaims.

When she sees his swollen eyes, her expression falls and she pulls Shark into an embrace. She at once feels like Medaka and Dusky. A fresh wave of tears fills Shark’s eyes. The tides had drawn closer to them. He wishes he could have disappeared before Kotori found him. How could he tell her of the pain he felt, watching her and Yuma dance together? How could he tell of the painful process he had undergone to become human? No matter where he goes, he’ll always be an outsider.

I love him, I love him… and yet…

Kotori pulls him closer.

“I’m sorry. It can’t be. You must know how it is with us humans…”

Shark shakes his head.

“We make promises for those that come after us…because our lives are so short, our children are used to further our goals…,” explains Kotori. “I love Yuma very much, but not many women are as lucky…”

Pulling away from Kotori, Shark buries his face into his hands. He shouldn’t be crying in front of this girl who had done nothing but help him. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he pulls Kotori into a hug. Kotori quickly returns the embrace.

“I think Yuma loves me as well. We’ll be very happy together,” she adds. “Please don’t worry about him. I promise I’ll take care of him.”

Pain, a different pain from the kinds he’s felt before, stabs Shark. Yuma’s laughter by Kotori’s side fills his mind. His eyes had always lit up at the sight of the treats Kotori had baked for him. The jokes they shared that could only be understood by them earned the loudest laughs from both. Even when all three of them were together, the looks Yuma and Kotori gave each had held so much meaning.

Kotori was telling the truth.

A fresh wave of tears fills Shark’s eyes. He rapidly blinks them away. He forces himself to smile and then pulls away from his friend. It was never meant to be, a human with a merman. The gods had decreed so since the beginning of time. This was his fate. Wiping away his tears, he then holds Kotori’s hands.

He’ll be happy for her. And for Yuma.

🎵

The wedding is beautiful, in human terms. Kotori is dressed in white, her skirts billowing in the breeze like seafoam. On the ship, she moves on the deck with ease in comparison to the other seasick maidens. Grudgingly, Shark is impressed. Proudly calling herself the daughter of a merchant, she greets each of her guests with a bouquet of citrus flowers and a pair of folded paper cranes for each couple. Shark had helped her fold each one, the two often found sleeping side by side in the morning.

From across the deck, Yuma watches Shark with a hint of a sad smile. At all costs, Shark avoids him. He’d hate to cry during the young couple’s happiest day.

When the time comes for the rings to be presented, Shark blinks away his budding tears and slowly walks down the aisle. The sunset dyes the skies a rich orange. His sister would have loved this. Everything looks as if it has been preserved in amber. In silence, he watches as the couple exchanges their vows. It feels as if he is just a shadow, locked out of Yuma and Kotori’s special world. Perhaps it was better for two humans to be together instead of a merman-turned-human to be with a particularly thick-headed human.

“Thank you,” whispers Kotori as she takes the ring from Shark’s pillow.

Yuma avoids Shark’s eyes as he takes his ring.

“Thank you, Shark,” he breathes, his voice barely audible above the sea breeze.

Shark’s heart twists, threatening to break in two.

Once the rings are exchanged, the newlywed couple pulls into a chaste kiss.

“THAT’S NOT HOW YOU DO IT!” yells Akari, the princess. “HOLD HER AND DO IT AGAIN, YUMA!”

In spite of everything, Shark laughs along with everyone else. Tears fill his eyes.

“Alright, alright! Stop embarrassing me!” snaps Yuma.

After a few moments of breathing in and out, Yuma pulls Kotori into a longer kiss. Applause ripples across the ship, punctured by Akari’s loud whistling.

“She’s only like that because she’s a spinster. She’s really excited to welcome you into the family,” whispers Yuma afterwards.

“I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE SAYING ABOUT ME!”

More laughter fills the air. Shark looks out at the waves below, wondering if anyone he knew was looking up.

While everyone else gathers beneath the deck for more festivities, Shark stays above, drinking in the fresh sea air and listening to the seagulls above. He watches as the sun sets, his eyes growing misty as he remembers the quiet moments he and Dusky had shared beneath the waves. Perhaps he and Dusky could have shared the rest of their lives together. Although merfolk were not known for their fidelity (due to their eternal lives), it would have been…lovely to have had someone by his side for a few centuries or so.

He doesn’t know if he could stand all the books and Dusky’s seemingly disorganized lifestyle, but an understanding could probably be reached. Then, once they wished to part ways, they could return to being friends.

A fresh wave of tears fills Shark’s eyes. They fall into the waves below, returning to their origins. He should have been kinder to Dusky. He should have noticed the pain in Dusky’s eyes whenever he spoke about Shark’s desire to become human. Beneath his friend’s anger was fear and sadness. His friend must have spent moons searching for the least painful spell for him.

Shark’s tears fall until the stars have filled the sky and the waxing moon appears. The amber ocean waves have once again turned into a roiling, foreboding mass. Shark wonders why Yuma was drawn to such a place on his birthday. Below deck, the sound of music and cheering continues on.

“Shark!” calls a voice from his dreams. “Shark!”

Shaking his head, Shark looks down at the waves.

“Over here!” calls Medaka’s melodious voice.

Shark rubs his eyes and follows his sister’s voice. Surely, he must be dreaming. When his sister and Dusky’s pale faces surface from the black depths, Shark jumps. His mouth is wide open in shock as they gaze up at him.

“Dusky told me everything. He even cast a spell on a flock of seagulls to keep an eye on you!” hisses Medaka. “You idiot!”

The memory of Akari reprimanding Yuma fills Shark’s mind. A small smile fills his lips.

“This isn’t funny!” snaps his sister. “Look!”

Something shiny rises from above the waves. Shark stiffens as he sees the dagger and Medaka’s shorn locks.

“I traded away my hair and Dusky traded away his voice for you to be able to return to us.”

Horror fills Shark’s expression as he looks down at his best friend. Dusky looks up at him with haunted eyes. Regret must have been eating away at him throughout the entire time Shark had spent on shore. And Medaka…his sister, who had always prided herself in her appearance…Since mermaid hair never grew back, cutting it was considered a sign of mourning or vengeance.

“Don’t look at us like that! You got us into this!” continues his sister. “If you kill the prince and his wife, all you need to do is stab your legs and leap back into the ocean! Then you’ll have your voice back and everything else!”

Taking the blade from Medaka, Dusky reaches out towards Shark.

Please, he mouths. We miss you.

Tears fill Shark’s eyes. He reaches out for the blade and then his other hand reaches out for Dusky’s hand. Briefly, they hold each other’s hands, Dusky’s scales cutting into Shark’s skin.

I’m sorry, mouths Shark.

For what could have been.

“You can be back to us by dawn!” promises Medaka. “Then we can sing together again!”

Shark’s tears fall onto Dusky’s cheeks. Dismay fills Dusky’s expression. Pearls bead in his eyes. Slowly, he slips away from Shark’s hand. Desperation fills Medaka’s eyes, pearls also filling her eyes.

“Please…,” she breathes. “We miss you so much…”

Shark’s lips tremble. He takes the blade and slips it into his pocket. With a brief nod, he pulls away from the railing. Moments later, a handful of pearls are tossed at his feet.

“We’ll be waiting!” calls Medaka, her voice choked by tears.

Plish. Shark waits for the familiar sound of flippers slapping the water’s surface to subside. He cradles the pearls in his hands. Medaka’s are a light blue, just like his. Dusky’s are a greenish-gray. He places them in his breast pocket, where they roll against his heart. Then he walks below deck to join in the human festivities.

🎵

When he’s certain that everyone has fallen asleep, Shark slips out of his bed and clutches the blade to his chest. Beside him is Yuma and Kotori’s room. In the darkness, the ship creaks out a lullaby. Slipping into the couple’s room, Shark follow’s Yuma’s loud snores and stops before the canopied bed. Gently, he parts the white curtains. At the end of the room, a porthole is opened, the cool sea breeze drifting in.

The breeze tickles Yuma’s bangs and the prince snorts. In his arms is Kotori, a small smile on her lips. They look so small, dressed in their white clothes. They were almost like two sea pups who were still unaware of the harsh world around them, slumbering in their mother’s womb. Shark takes a deep breath and raises the blade.

Yuma stirs in his sleep.

“Gee, grandma…that sure looks good…,” mumbles the prince.

Shark’s grip on the blade wavers.

When was the last time he had actually enjoyed a meal?

The caramel apple, right? Seasoned with Yuma’s bright smile and his words of encouragement.

When was the last time he had actually felt alive?

In Yuma’s arms, dressed in something akin to his opalescent scales, dancing on feet that finally obeyed him.

The blade continues to shake in Shark’s hands. His gaze travels to Kotori. Beneath the waning moonlight, she looks so young and small. She had nothing but kindness to offer to Shark, gently tutoring him over the human language.

Why did these two need to die so that he could continue to live?

He could plunge his blade into them, spilling their bright red blood across the pristine sheets. But the sight of their blood would always remind him of his sins. Merfolk and humans bled the same color and laughed at the same things. They loved, cried and hated similar subjects. What right did Shark have, denying this happy couple these emotions?

Shark places the dagger back in his pocket and takes out a folded piece of paper. He pulls the curtains closed and places the paper by Yuma’s bedside. In the morning, they would understand.

Stepping back on deck, he watches as the first rays of dawn color the sky. It is silent, save for the waves brushing against the ship. He takes a deep breath. The breeze stirs his curls about. On bare feet, he walks across the deck, noticing the debris from yesterday’s activities. A crumpled flower. Scraps of fabric. A puddle of spilled champagne. Humans…so insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Yet the emotions they felt in turn were so raw and full.

He puts his leg over the railing, boosting himself over. Beneath him, the water is still a swirling, dark mass. Looking up at the sky, the moon is slowly setting.

“No happy ending, sweetie? That sure bites, doesn’t it?” calls an unfamiliar voice.

It sends a chill up Shark’s spine regardless. There was something so…cold and slimy to it, like holding onto a panicked lamprey. Slowly, Shark turns around to see a shadow peeling itself from the walls.

“We’ve met before but you probably don’t remember,” drawls the shadow, amethyst eyes glittering in the dark.

With a wave of his hands, it feels as if a weight has been lifted from Shark’s throat.

“You can speak now. We’re between the pages.”

“Who are you?” asks Shark, surprised to find his voice again.

The man steps out of the shadows. Unlike anyone else he’s seen before, this man is colored in shades of gray. Shark lets out a small gasp.

“Just…a little helper…You see, many years ago, I also experienced a similar problem as you.”

He reaches behind him and pulls out a large book, similar to Dusky’s tomes. He places the book on the railing with a thunk . Flipping to the middle of the book, the man’s sharp finger lands on an illustration of Shark and Yuma. In the amber light of the sunset, they gaze into each other’s eyes, rings encircled around both of their fingers.

“You see, you were supposed to end up with princey-poo here but because of karmic imbalances, the ball was passed to a lucky village girl!” explains Vector.

Shark gazes at the illustration in pain, the urge to slash at it with his blade overwhelming. He reaches into his pocket only to find that the blade has vanished.

“Looking for this?” asks Vector as he waggles the blade in front of Shark.

“G-give that back!” exclaims Shark as he reaches for the dagger.

Vector tosses it into his hat, which opens up its mouth.

“Oh, no, it’s served its purpose. You were never going to kill him, were you?” drawls Vector over the sounds of the hat munching on the dagger.

“I…”

“It’s not your fault. I promise. It’s the fault of undeserving heroines like that village girl, sucking up all the happiness in the world without balancing their karmic deeds out first,” snarls Vector. “So people like you and me have to suffer.”

“Suffer! Suffer!” hisses Vector’s hat.

Reaching his coat pocket, Vector places a card into Shark’s hand.

“Before you leap into the ocean and reincarnate again, I want you to stay and listen for a bit,” says Vector as he walks down the steps.

A distant snap sends the waves crashing against the ship and the heaviness growing back into Shark’s throat. Vector’s footsteps echo below deck. The sound of a door opening follows. Shark closes his eyes and keeps his ears open.

Vector enters Yuma’s bedroom on silent steps. He pulls the curtains open.

“Wakey wakey…,” he sings.

Kotori stirs awake. When she sees Vector’s gray face, she jumps.

“Who are you?!” she shrieks.

Yuma jolts awake and looks at Vector with widened eyes. Giving the royal couple a mock bow, Vector flashes his trademark grin.

“ You have been a very, very naughty missus,” says Vector.

His hat coughs up his list of targets and he runs his finger down the list.

“Lady Kotori Mizuki, 18 years old, a wealthy merchant’s daughter. Incurred a karmic imbalance by attempting a happy ending,” reads Vector.

“What are you talking about?!” demands Kotori.

“You knew that Shark loved Yuma and did nothing to help him!” snarls Vector.

“What could I have done?!” protests Kotori. “Mermen can’t love humans!”

“Did you really understand him then?” sneers Vector. He looks at Yuma’s fearful expression. “Did you?”

“I…”

Grabbing Shark’s letter from the table, Vector shoves it into Kotori’s hands. His hat coughs up a candle and a box of matches. Vector lights the candle and glares at the couple with bulging eyes and bared teeth.

“READ IT!” he screeches. “BOTH OF YOU!”

With shaking hands, Kotori forces herself to read the note aloud. The handwriting is clumsy and the spelling isn’t perfect. Immediately, she knows that Shark had written this.

“D-dear Kotori and Prince Yuma…,” begins Kotori. “My time on land is drawing to a close. I wish you the best in your lives. You have taught me much about human lives, all your joys, pains and loves. To become human, I relied on my dearest friend’s help. I’ve known him for centuries and he knows everything there is to know about me. He traded his heart and voice away to see me walk on land. Even now, he is silent, hoping for my return in vain. He loves me just like you love each other. I wish I could have seen that sooner.

Wishing. That’s all I can do now as the sun rises on the first day of your married life. If you had been free to choose, who would you have chosen? I would have still chosen Yuma. There were so many things I wish I could have told you two. If only there was more time. Beneath the waves, I had all the time in the world and wasted it. Now, as a human, I want nothing but time.

To become human, my tail was sliced in half, my blood dyeing the ocean red. Every step I took was filled with pain, as if I was stepping on glass. But I wanted to be with you, Yuma. You, who had awakened from my slumber of a thousand years. In your hands, I felt alive again. If only I could speak and tell you everything on that beach. There were so many things that I left unsaid. My dreams, my secrets, my love of the human world…I would have told you everything.

Every smile of mine hid so much pain.

Is this what it means to be human? Wishing, wanting, yet never achieving all of your dreams? You will always be wanting something, that want driving you on.

It’s a sad, yet beautiful existence.

As I return to the sea, I will keep you in my thoughts. Whenever you see bits of seafoam on the shore, think of me.

Shark.”

The couple looks up at Vector with tear-filled faces. Vector readies his rifle.

“Well?” he breathes. “Any last words?”

“I’m sorry,” chokes Kotori.

“Shark…,” utters Yuma. “Oh, Shark…You should have taken me with you that night.”

Vector sneers.

Yuma’s words bring tears to Shark’s eyes. Two bangs makes Shark jump. Vector’s footsteps once again fill the hallway below. The sun is beginning to rise. Looking around, Shark notices how dawn and sunset appeared quite similar. It was beautiful. He wonders how he had never noticed before.

“You’re free to go,” says Vector, splotches of blood spattering his otherwise gray ensemble.

Shark looks at him warily. Then he glances down at the card.

Vector Happy☆Heroine☆Sniper Associate of Lord Diêm Vương, Karmic Balance Department

“You wanna start over or try to get a happy ending in this world?” asks Vector.

Shark tries not to think about the familiar screams that preceded the bangs. The thing strapped behind Vector’s back lets out a thin trail of smoke. Beneath him, the ocean waves roil, licking at his toes.

Without another word, Shark leaps into the waves. For a moment, he is overcome by a burning pain. Then, he feels his skin bubble and fizz, as if he was being kissed by a million tiny plankton. Before his eyes, his limbs scatter into seafoam. He would have panicked, if not for the hazy calm that clouded his thoughts. The last thing he sees is Vector’s oddly tender smile.

“Good boy,” drawls Vector.

Shark’s soul flies into the peachy sky, his world turning gray and distant.

🎵

“Alright…let’s see who’s next…,” says Vector, slurping on some egg noodles.

“Next, next!” chirps his hat.

“You got it,” says Vector, feeding his hat a few noodles.

He flips to the newest fairytale and then lets out a low whistle. He was going to be traveling pretty far for the next one. Unfamiliar lands…unfamiliar names…the thought at once puts a pit in his stomach and excites him. Checking the clock, he shrugs. There was still lots of time before his next trip. Leaning back in his chair, he rests his legs on his desk and looks up at you.

“How about we get to know each other a little bit more?” he asks.

#zexal #H☆H☆S #writing from iris #Ryoga Kamishiro #vector #durbe #tomoshipping #yuma tsukumo #kotori mizuki #skyshipping #sharkbaitshipping

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