Wicked || larry

2. On land far, far away

Harry swims around his mothers cave as she finishes whatever she's doing. His green tail twitches anxiously as he watches her concentrate on her task and fingers dance across his flat stomach.

"You will turn back into a mermaid when you are submerged in water. Only submerged so rain will not turn you," she explains to him again and he nods. He moves closer to her and she just looks at him, her wild hair flowing in the water.

"So I take it now?" He asks curiously and she shakes her head as she makes the small vial and places it on a leather string.

"Take it when you're close to shore. You'll be drained and tired once you take it. Are you sure you're ready for this?" She asks again. Her motherly worry comes out and Harry just kisses her cheek and smiles.

"I'm ready. You deserve to be free, mother, and I'll make that happen," Harry promises. She just smiles sweetly and hugs him close.

"The world up there is different. Don't let them change you. Evil lives in everyone as does good. Fairytales don't actually have happily ever afters," she whispers to him. "I love you."

"I love you too! I'll make you proud!" Harry cheers. She just waves as he swims away ready to finish what his mother started years before.

•••

The water gets warmer the farther he swims from his mother and life starts to develop. Animals watch as the beautiful boy swims with a mission and none would guess that he is bred from what they consider pure evil.

He twirls and laughs as the bright colour of coral and small fish surround him. He loves travelling to this part of the sea. The spaces are all open and pretty and he doesn't feel like he can't breathe. He wishes his mother was allowed out here too. He knows she would enjoy swimming with him and finding new stuff to create.

He stops at the half way point and relaxes amongst the rocks. He watches as crabs and lobsters scurry across the ocean floor and he thinks about how amazing it is to sit at the bottom of the sea.

"Who are you?" A voice asks. Harry jumps at the sound and turns to see a large fish looking at him. He wonders if he'll be able to understand them when he takes human form. Speaking to sea creatures is not something typical humans can do.

"I am Harry," Harry tells him and the fish looks at him curiously.

"Are you from Atlantis?" The fish asks. Harry tries not to scowl at the name of the retched city. How he hates that place and those who live in it.

"No. I'm from away," Harry tells him and the fish swims around him to examine him closer. Harry wants to bat him away like the nuisance he is, but he has to be nice in these parts.

"Away? How far away?" The fish continues his interrogation and Harry sighs and sits up.

"You sure asks a lot of questions for something so low on the food chain. Buzz off and leave me be," Harry dismisses him. The boy starts to swim again because his relaxation time is clearly over. At least when he's at him no one disturbs him.

"I just like to make sure there's no threats around here," the fish follows him and Harry groans and turns to face the small creature. His eyes are glowing green and his face is cold and emotionless.

"If you don't leave there will be a threat on your life. Get lost," Harry growls. The fish just swims back slowly and then turns to fully leave as fast as he had shown up. Harry just smiles wickedly at the now empty space beside him and then chuckles. "That was easy."

He starts back up on his adventure and hums softly as he goes. His mother always claimed he had a lovely voice, but Harry never believed it. He wasn't anything like you hear about the people up above.

He can sense the magic in the water before he can see the land. The ocean is dark now because the night has fallen, but the stars twinkle above. Harry swims close to the surface and he wonders if his mother is at the top too, wondering about him. He feels an ache in his chest that he won't be home tonight to see her. He'll miss her stories of the past and how she always told him she loved him.

Land starts to show as Harry slowly swims closer. Boats are docked and the hum of music and voices carries through the air. This is all the fairytales he's heard about. This is everyone that did his mother wrong. This is where he will get her revenge.

His heart hammers as he gets closer to the land and the leather necklace around his neck seems to weigh more as he gets closer. He just has to get on land and drink the whole vial. He can do that. What if he doesn't know how to walk though? And he's never really talked to people.

He swallows thickly as his hands reach grass and his fingers run through the green plant. Everything looks clean and perfect up here. It looks like a proper kingdom that fits the kings and queens of this land. He slowly props himself up on the land so his tail sits in the water and in one quick motion he unscrews the vial and pours it down his throat and then tosses the rest so there's no evidence.

Immediately he feels his body tingle and his throat burn. He cries out as he falls back and he thinks maybe his mother has killed him. He closes his eyes as his back arches off the ground and his mind is blank except for the constant tug of pain. All he can feel is pain and it's so overwhelming he eventually passes out.

•••

"Is he alive?"

"Who is he?"

"Did you get him clothes?"

Harry groans as he slowly wakes up. His throat still burns and his head has an ache he's never experienced. He opens his eyes and sees people looking down at him and he lets out a startled screech.

"Who are you people?!" He questions. He sits up quickly and almost dies from embarrassment as he looks down to see a naked male body where his tail use to be. The potion worked, but now about 20 people have seen his new private bits before him.

"You're okay. I'm Jasmine," a woman introduces herself softly. Harry looks at her and is taken quickly by her beauty. Her long dark hair is braided to the side and slight laugh lines show around her eyes. Her skin is without a blemish and her smile is warm.

"Like the princess?" Harry asks slowly and she laughs softly and reaches her hand out to help him up. He just looks at it until she retracts it awkwardly.

"Queen now. One of many queens. You seem to have washed up on our land," she explains softly. A guard of some sort walks up behind her and passes her some cloth that she then gives to Harry. He sees it has to long sleeves and assumes this has to be pants. How do you put on pants?

"Right. Well, um, sorry about that," Harry coughs. He tries to stand up and wobbles noticeably. Another guard holds him up and Harry shrugs him off rudely and attempts to put on pants. One leg in each long hole thing. Perfect. If he could stop wobbling around it would be better.

"You seem a little shaky. Can you tell us where you came from?" The Queen asks and Harry just smiles sadly at her. His mother always said he was a great liar, now it's time to put it to the test.

"I have no idea. I can't remember anything," he lies smoothly. Her eyes turn sad for him and her mouth forms a small frown.

"That's not good. We'll have you checked into a hospital and then we can find you a small place to stay. Do you at least remember your name?" She asks worriedly and the boy smiles at her.

"My names Harry," he greets and she smiles widely.

"Well welcome to Caztopia, Harry, where all dreams come true!" She cheers. Harry just looks at the green scenery and the castles in the distance and his smile grows.

"Thank you. I think I'll have some fun here."