The Tide Waves Goodbye

Chapter One

Koala stared at the building.  It was painted a light orange color and was outlined with white trim.  A tidy little garden was kept in the front yard, gentle flowers poking out from the greenery.  A sweet smell drifted from an open window, checkered curtains hanging in front of them.

The sounds she had heard earlier were gone.  

Her mother put a hand on her shoulder and Koala smiled up at her hesitantly.  The other townspeople crowded around, smiling and talking and laughing.  Koala took hold of her mother's hand and squeezed it.  Her mother patted her hand and said something to the crowd of people.  Then she led Koala into the house.

Just as it was on the outside, the inside was quaint and tidy.  A cute kitchen and dining area, and a set of stairs leading upwards.  Some sort of pie rested cooling on the kitchen counter; her stomach turned.  

Back when...when she had been....released, she wasn't able to eat foods that had too much taste.  The spicy seasonings, the sickly sweet sugar - she wasn't able to hold it.  It had taken her a few weeks to overcome her malnourishment.  Koala hadn't had any issues thereafter with eating.  At least, not until then.  

Her mother must've noticed Koala's unease and knelt down by Koala, smoothing her hair back.  "Come now, dear.  How about a bath?  You've had such a long journey, and you must be tired.  Yes, a bath and then to bed.  Come now."

Koala followed her mother, not knowing what else to do.  They went up the stairs and Koala couldn't help but notice the pictures on the wall.  Many depicted a little girl - in the gardens, at the beach, with other children - that had a bright smile on her face.

Her mother looked back at Koala, and smiled softly.  "We really missed you, darling.  I'm glad you're back home."

Koala blinked at the pictures, realization dawning on her.  That smiling and happy girl - was her?

She continued up the stairs and when her mother beckoned her, she entered a small room.  As the rest of the house, it was clean and polished.  Cute, perhaps.  A bathtub was on one side of the room, and on the other was a toilet and a sink.  An embroidered towel hung on a rung next to the bath, and a closet was in the back of the room.

Oh, she thought.  A bathroom.

Her mother turned a knob and water gushed out into the bath.  Then her mother turned towards Koala.  "Let's get you out of those clothes now, alright?"

Koala nodded, and her mother undid the buttons.  Her yellow dress slid to the ground.  Uncle Tiger had helped her pick it out on one of the many stops the Fishmen made, though Hatchi was usually the one who took care of her - he had been the one to cut her hair, and even helped her pick out a whole bunch of clothes to wear.  She smiled at the thought.

Her mother nudged her aside, and as Koala was climbing into the bathtub she heard her mother gasp.  Koala froze, unsure - did she do something wrong?  Was she going to be punished?  How?  No food for a week, whipping, cages and manacles - 

"What did those horrid beasts do to you?" her mother whispered, horrified.

At that, Koala looked back.  Her mother was staring at her bare back.  At the Mark of the Sun.  Koala frowned slightly, confused.  'Beasts' her mother had said.  She had meant the slavers, hadn't she?  Certainly not Uncle Tiger....not the Fishmen who had saved her....

"Mom...."

Her mother's eyes met her, and the woman's face softened.  "Nevermind, dear.  You're safe now.  Yes, that's right, into the bath."

Koala sat in the warm water as her mother washed her hair.  It was gentle, and wonderful.  Back at the village she had been in before Uncle Tiger came to take her home, the villagers there tried their best to take care of her, but they didn't have many resources to spare and still had to keep her hidden from the World Government.  She hadn't been able to go outside often, or even talk to people.

But now she was with her mother, and safe.

Rinsing her hair out, her mother bundled her up in a pink towel.  "Stay right here, okay?  I'm going to go find you some pajamas."

Koala shook her head, smiling.  "No, it's okay!  Hatchi got me lots of clothes.  You don't need to get me anything."

Her mother stood there for a moment, then nodded.  "If that's what you want, dear."

Koala dried off them produced the pajamas from her backpack.  They were nice and silky - pajama pants and a pajama long sleeved shirt to keep her warm.  They were green, which Hatchi said matched nicely with her hair.

Her mother took her hand once more and led her to a room down the hall.  The room was beautifully decorated, a large bed with blue covering was centered in the middle.  Dressers were placed on both sides of her bed, with little lamps lighting up the room.  

Koala climbed onto the bed, snuggling under the covers.  Her mom sat on the side of the bed and smoothed back her hair.  Koala just looked at her mother.  Really looked at her.  The worried creases in her forehead, long brown hair, and tired eyes.

"Do you think I'll see them again?" Koala found herself asking her mother.

"See who again?"

"Hatchi, and Aladdin, and Jinbei, and Uncle Tiger...." Koala listed off their names and smiled.  

Her mother was silent, and Koala looked at her expectantly.  "I don't know, dear," she finally sighed.  "This island doesn't get many visitors."

Her mother waited a moment, then stood from her bed.  She kissed Koala's forehead.  "I'm just so glad you're home, sweetie."

Koala blinked up at her mother as she went to the door.  "They're good Fishmen, mom."

From the doorway, her mother looked back at her.

"They took care of me, and they're nice and kind and funny..." Koala continued and met her mom's eyes.  "You don't have to be scared.  They kept their promise."

"I'm sure they are, Koala." Her mother closed the door, leaving Koala alone.

She curled up in bed, clutching the bed covers.  Koala squeezed her eyes shut.  She ought to be happy - she was back home, with her mother.  She was where she belonged.

But the fact remained that when she looked at her mother, it was as if she saw a stranger.  This town was not her town, the people not her people.  She didn't know them.  They didn't know her. 

Yet she still tried to go to sleep, thinking of the family she had left behind.