Skipping the Scales

Chapter One

"Marina, you should not be doing this!"

She didn't have to turn around to know her best friend Lorelei was following her. Without responding, Marina flapped her orange tail even more vigorously than before. Water streamed around her as she glided through the ocean, her long blonde hair flowing behind her to halfway down her back. She knew that it would only be a matter of time before Lorelei caught up with her because while Lorelei wore only her typical seashell top, the human covering that Marina wore created too much water resistance.

As Lorelei gained on her friend, she noticed Marina's tail sticking out from under a pink sundress, presumably taken from the sunken yacht they had borrowed human clothes from before. "I know what you are thinking, and this is not the proper way to go about it."

"I have made up my mind." Marina caught a glimpse of Lorelei's red hair in her periphery and realized she was now swimming alongside her friend. "Though I appreciate your offer, this is something I must do on my own."

"You have only been on land twice before. I go almost every cycle."

"You forget that I spent half a moon cycle amongst the humans. In that regard, I could say that I have more experience than you."

"You may be correct, but you did not plan it back then." Lorelei took hold of Marina's hand and then slowed the motion of her own green tail, thus decelerating both of them. "You must carefully consider the choice you are about to make. If the consequences are the same as others who have made that choice, then—"

"Sink or swim, Lore." As they drifted into a vertical position, Marina used her free hand to keep the dress from floating upwards while she looked into Lorelei's eyes. "I understand what you are trying to do, and I truly appreciate your concern, but I must not follow anyone other than myself."

Lorelei quickly surveyed the surrounding area to ensure no one had followed them. Since they had returned to the north, Calliope, the purple-tailed daughter of their school's leader, had been keeping careful watch on them. She had grown suspicious when the disappearance of the odd mer Meredith had coincided with Marina's return to the school, especially because they were the only two mers with orange tails. Her father's decision to migrate early was due to Calliope revealing that Meredith had interacted with a human-maid.

Fortunately, the early departure was the only consequence of those events, but Lorelei remained cautious when she and Marina ventured away from the school. Seeing no other mers around, Lorelei said, "I am willing to follow you, Marina. Please let me share the experience."

Marina glanced upward and caught glimmers of faint red light dancing on the ripples of the undersides of the waves. She was not only closer to the water's surface, but also closer to the desired time of day. "You will share it, just not the way you think you will." She turned to Lorelei and smirked. "Remember, there are two of us, but only one on the other side."

Dropping her arms limply by her side, Lorelei stared quizzically at Marina. During the awkward pause that followed, Marina seized the opportunity to kick her tail forcefully and thrust herself forward to her destination.

~ ~ ~

Sitting cross-legged on the private beach behind her island home, Hailey stared out at the eastern horizon and watched for the sun to rise. Awash with fiery colors, the cloudless sky was waiting to change to a beautiful light blue on that Wednesday morning. Waves rustled calmly as they rolled onto the shore, and the seagulls flying by called to each other. For the early time of day, the air was unusually humid, even for late June. Her straight dark hair frizzed a little bit, almost as if there were some static electricity around her. But she hoped that the sensation was a precursor to something much more fantastical.