Rue
My first attempt at speed swimming and dancing was a total failure...I must have looked like a total reject in mother's eyes.
I was supposed to be her daughter and I cannot even dance like a true mermaid!
But mom was correct...I had time to adjust and learn. We slowly picked up speed as I followed mother's lead. Just feeling the water zip along my slender frame exhilarated me. Just feeling the water flow through my graceful arms; my powerful tail, and my nubile breasts energized me. I hadn't felt this energetic since I was a teenager!
I chased after mother, laughing as the euphoria of the ocean washed the last of my worries and humanity away...
I had begun to forget all about my life on land as all I now desired was a peaceful life at sea; under the waves. I twirled like a swordfish as I swam in mother's wake.
She backs off as she lets me take the lead as she smiles brightly, inspired by my acceptance. She watched me surge, bubbles spread across my scales as I streamlined my arms up and my tail dolphin-kicks with a powerful stroke. I could hear her thoughts as my own...
[She is going to be a very strong mermaid!] as she was clearly amazed by just how fast this Duine was adapting to becoming something even more.
I still haven't reached my full potential as that takes years of practice. But the abilities that I have already shown were awe inspiring. All of this came, however, to an end when my body was shocked with a terrible throb in my stomach as the pain sent me tumbling like I was tossed inside a whirlpool.
My tail ended up touching my face as I stopped all forward momentum. Crunching over and hissing animalistically as the pain was the worst I have ever felt so far in this metamorphosis. Mother swims up to me, worried.
[Rue?] she calls to me, concerned and wondering if I hurt myself.
[I am alright.] I winced as another cramp afflicted me. I suddenly realized what was happening to me: I have breasts, my face is feminine, my body feminine...only one thing left to change. [It's time, isn't it?] I cried as my emotions were sent upon the whirlwind.
Mother swam back and put her webbed hand on my belly, examining me.
[I think it is, my love. Maybe I could take your mind off it...] she offers.
[It's alright!] I stopped her from finishing that thought. [I have come this far. I may as well face one more obstacle.]
[But aren't you sad?] she wonders.
[A little. But I accepted it all a while back...I know it is inevitable. Besides, seeing a change in reproductive organs should be a fascinating endeavor...scientifically!] I tried to joke, but the pangs were just getting worse!
Sedna gave a small, anxious laugh to ease my fears.
[You scientist types are quite a curious bunch, aren't you! You would do well in the Oceanid Kingdom...maybe one day I shall take you to see Queen Rina and King Okeanos. Their daughters are lovely and kind.] I smiled, my rosy cheeks beaming like radiant sunlight.
[Yes, we scientists are curious...Mmm!] as the cramps attack my stomach with so much force that it feels like I was electrocuted by an eel! Then, without warning, I felt something revert and get sucked back inside of me [Ahh!] I cried out, feeling around, but found no sign of which had been there all these years.
Instead, all I found was some unusually puffy flesh encased in my scales. The moment I touched this puffiness, the area tingled and erupted. I only refrained from exploring any further as it seemed unbecoming around mother.
Then I saw the remains of my manhood...it was sinking inward like a collapsing island in a sea of scales. The tissue and texture changed into something that I have no clue what it was. I tried touching it with my webbed hand once more, but brushing it was enough to elicit a girlish moan from my succulent pale lips as I shivered.
Then, with a painful snap, it all disappeared into the folds of my exposed vent. Just as if I was born a fish!
I was now biologically a female with the changing of my chromone, like the beautiful mermaid that floated ever so gracefully by my side...my one and true mother. Oh, how I trust her, and love her everlastingly. But still, the Surface haunts me!
I looked up at mother, my eyes swollen from crying.
[I'm...] my voice sounding even squeakier for some strange reason. Maybe it was just a mental trick as my voice had stayed the same pitch for quite some time. I could not even finish my sentence as mother enveloped me in a soothing hug that completely derailed my train of thought.
[There, there.] her voice soothed my trembling, sobbing body. I wanted to say that I was still a 'he'; but 'she' was a more accurate description of who I have become. Which oddly, I was fine with now.
There I sobbed there in her arms, like a child. My memories were like a VHS tape that was far too close to a powerful magnet -- for parts of my memories were being erased, jumbled up in one gigantic nonsense mess.
We pushed apart as I wanted to wipe away the last tears from my eyes, the last tears I shall ever cry.
[How much further is it?] I asked, slowly following her as we were nearing the Cascadia Plain, 8,810 feet below the surface.
[Not much further...] as she glanced back at me [...are you tiring out, darling?] she wonders as I shake my head. I could swim for hours if I must. My tail's muscles were designed to exchange lactic acid without causing overwhelming cramps. Though, I have the ocean to thank for my endurance by balancing my minerals, electrolytes, hydration, and oxygen.
We begin to swim towards the sandy bottom as two hours sail on by. There was an odd shimmer that caught my eye as it was shaped like a giant archway. She offered her hand to me as we both swam together towards the light.
[Hold my hand tightly sweetheart...we need to move through the portal and it can be quiet disconcerting!] I held tightly onto mother's hand as we swam into the blinding light. There then was a whoosh of water as the ocean then turned to brilliant colors that shimmered just like the aurora borealis!
The light began to dim as we exited the portal and immediately could feel that the water here felt much warmer. The bottom of the ocean was now clearly in view, everything was enriched in algae as I could feel my body consume the algae, converting it into energy. It would be the same algae that would later give my scales their bioluminescent blue-green glow.
The ocean was growing brighter as the sun was just beginning to rise. We appeared near Kanaha Rock as we swam down to the Lahaina Roads, near Hawaii.
[We are almost there.] mother excitedly said as the water seemed lively with the tropical fish swimming all around. We travelled along the deep rocks, the many tropical fish swimming through the technicolored energetic field as if welcoming me to the ocean for the first time.
I could not help but twist my body side-to-side, looking at everything around me as I swam. I was in awe of all the sea-creatures surrounding me...all performing their jobs to keep this part of the ocean vibrant and healthy.
As a 'previous' marine biologist, I had been reluctant to go in submarines or even dive into the ocean to see this majesty with my own eyes! Now, they were within arm's length of my webbed hands, carelessly swimming on by, seemingly not afraid of us.
Yellow ta'ape swam by as I couldn't believe my eyes.
[That's a blueline snapper!] I pointed out just before a bright Hawaiian hogfish swim up to my chest and nips off a parasite as it then swims off, continuing its duty. [And a yellow spot trevally and a menpachi and a frilled shark!?] I look shocked. [Mama! We are in tropical waters!] I remarked as she giggled to herself.
This had been the most enthusiastic she had seen me since the transformation had finished. I had initially been a little slow, adjusting to the absence of my groin. But the further we traveled into the unknown, the more I started to relax and accept my new existence.
At first, mother did not understand why I was so amazed by these fish that her own kind has seen as common. However, I excitedly explained which only the Surface knew.
[The frilled shark is a living fossil! About 80 million years old and once thought to be extinct!]
[So, Surface dwellers do not see them that much?] she asked as I nodded, sadly.
Dr. Todd would give a month's salary just to see this rare specimen with her own eyes. We continued on our way as the algae covered rocks soon gave way to a small clearing, and situated on a rocky plain, just before us, was a majestic mermaid city!
Thriving with life and magic that I could feel from all the way over here. I was shocked, moved to amazement and glee at the sheer spectacle of civilization under the waves!
Swimming through the old city, the ruins were made of basalt rock and carved stones that looked like a Pleistocene civilization built upon stacked rock, mortar, and crystal. The pillars were broken, the cobblestone roads shattered. The stone houses long decayed and surrounding a massive city, new structures that glowed like crystalline scepters!
Hues of purple, blue, and white flowed through the crystal as I was lost for words. When mother said that she was taking me home, I did not picture home being this! The ruins caught my attention as they did not fit in with the South Pacific ethnogeography of other Duine civilization. They looked like ruins from the lost continent of Lemuria or Atlantis!
Something clearly terrible had happened here...so long ago!
[Welcome back home, my beloved daughter.] Mother said as she took my hand and we swam together into the mystical city as mermaids, fish-folk, and water-breathing Altarians swam about their own business as they then saw mother and bow towards her as if she was a very respectable person.
A few well armored mermaids bowed down as I was left wondering what they were doing as she bowed back to them.
[Where are we? And is that normal custom here?] I asked as I figured that it must be custom. So, I also bowed to them; not to be disrespectful. But in attempting to bow, I nearly summersaulted as mother stopped me from flipping over. She smiles as she looks down at me, trying not to laugh.
[Welcome to the Kingdom of Cascadia! Your new home.] she says.
[Is this...uhm...Atlantis?] I asked as her smile never faded. She shook her head, explaining.
[No, my love. Atlantis is in the Atlantic Ocean, as Lemuria is in the Pacific Ocean. We, however, 'are' one of the ten kingdoms of Atlantis; but we are not Atlantis, itself. That title belongs to the Kingdom of Poseida.] She then pointed down to the ruins, below [When Alta fell into the ocean, so did every kingdom and colony in association. And any land that housed a Mulian crystal, suffered the same result.]
[Our crystal,] she adds [in ancient lore, was the treasure of mermaids and used by the Surface dwellers to protect them from drowning. Influencing the throat chakra, which is why we have gills, it was used as a divine feminine stone. That is why you took on the form of a female...you'll also find that it can be used to calm...let me guess, you are born under the constellation of Scairp or, Scorpius as the Duine call it!' she asked as I was astonished.
[Yes, how did you know that?] I remarked, amazed.
[Our crystal is a water crystal and the crystal that was once aligned with Scairp. We've used it in purification, eternal youth, and rebirth. When we joined our crystal to the crystalline satellite, the soul crystal then doomed us all to this watery world.]
[Before the fall, we became leery of the High King's ambitions and built this kingdom outside of Alta, in secret. But we too were complacent of the crimes of Alta against the Duine and the Alta-Ra. And as a punishment for our abstaining nature, we were forced into the ocean and evolved into mermaids.]
[Aquamarine...] I commented as mother nodded her head. It was a powerful crystal of mysticism, pricy, and rare in crystalline form. [So, where do I fit in all of this...well...besides being a Surface dweller who nearly lost her life during a King Tide?]
[You are my daughter...my little princess! Be content and assure yourself that this place is where you truly fit in.] she says with a sincere smile as she offers her hand as we swim onward to the heart of the kingdom.
When we drew closer, I then saw a sight that I thought I would never see. A city of mermaids of different shapes and tail colors as they all floated to and from their homes, glad to see their queen return with her lost daughter...safe and sound.
They all knew that I was from the Surface...but they sensed that I was different now...more of a mermaid and less of a Duine. The older mermaids floated around in discussion, whereas the children were apparently digging holes in the sand, farming kelp, and singing...
Occasionally, a child-like mermaid would skittle by us in a game of tag as the other laughing merchildren swam after her. Soon, a few of the merfolk stopped to glance at me. One group of female mermaids gossiped amongst each other, whispering their own opinions.
Seeing anyone from the Surface was a thing of myth down here...it was strictly forbidden to go up to the Surface...punishable by exile and or death!
I swam closer to mother the whole time, my child-like dependency clinging off of her hip fins. I was afraid that one of them might attack me for being once a Surface dweller. She gently placed a hand on my head, assuring me.
[It's okay, sweetie. Not often does one of our kind come back to our Kingdom, so it's often that rumors shall spread like eel grass. Only the elders know exactly about you, and we will talk with them later...to determine your future with us.]
[Okay.] I trembled, noticing how the mermaids soon continued with their business when they knew we were gossiping about them.
[Mommy!] a shrilled voice rang inside my skull! I saw a small mermaid child with a tail of silvery-blue swim towards us at full speed. In a way, she looked so much just like her mother, especially in the way that her blonde-white hair lapped around her shoulders. And her piercing silvery-blue eyes
[Sequana, my love!] I heard mother laughing as she scooped up her daughter in her arms, spinning her around in a whirlpool of bubbles.
Even with prior knowledge, I was surprised to find that a mermaid child would already be this old! The young girl then noticed me; she gazed at me for a few seconds and then hid in her mother's bosom, frightened -- as if she had seen a ghost.
[It's alright, Sequana! This is your new sister...her name is Rue.]
I looked at the mermaid and then recognized where I had seen her before! She was in my dream (or so I thought it a dream). She was the one who had taught me how to sever the cord from the egg.
[Hi Sequana!] I tried to wave to her, but she just stared at my hand, not sure what I was doing.
Even with how much I have changed, I was still surprised to see how tiny the child's hand was before my own eyes -- so long for being an adult!
Sequana then gave me a sheepish toothy smile, revealing a small set of sharp fangs on the top row of her teeth, as if she might be a vampire! Her mouth reminded me of that of the speckled seatrout with the bottom row also sharp to pierce scales and bone.
Memories of a chewed umbilical cord then came back to me in an unsettling way. I then checked my own teeth to find that I too had two long fangs myself, it made me shiver in terror. I thought in acerbation 'Every inch...even my teeth now are mermaid!'
Mother hugged her daughter closer as she gently guided me over to her bosom as she smiled down at the two of us.
[Let's go see the rest of your sisters.] I could only guess that I had just inherited a large family!
Sequana stared warmly at me as she smiled again. She seemed happy in expression, but still was untrusting of me. Then again, it was her egg that I had stolen from the sea! In fact, her complexion seemed to mirror exactly mine, as if we were both now twins!
As we swam through the palace, I glanced at my new surroundings. Everywhere I looked, a new enchantment awaited. There were broad chested Altarian's with great beards carrying around makeshift nets fills with sea shells and seaweed.
In dwellings, there were families laughing like dolphins. Schools of colorful fish would flitter in and out from time to time, as if neon signs in the dark of night. Each one of these sights excited my brain in a way that a new fish specimen had when I was still a duine.
Up ahead, I saw a whole school of merchildren swimming about, playing tag as their teacher tried to round them up, snagging them with her tail and her two arms. It was just like watching children in a park, except they all had tails and scales instead of legs and feet.
Suddenly, I started to feel that maybe my new life in the ocean wasn't going to be as scary as I had originally thought...maybe I can make a life here...and one day, even a family of my own.
Sequana, mother, and I all swam to the palace as I looked all around at my new home as we swam inside a central corridor. With a downward flick of our arms, we began to ascend to the top of the spire. Passing rooms for servants, rooms for priests, rooms for the personal royal guard...we finally arrived to the top where we swam to an empty throne that was shaped like an organ pipe.
Mother hovers near the throne as servants bring in her gleaming armor and helped to dress her; while mother kept a watchful eye on us two.
This was a joyous occasion for the people of Cascadia as they slowly swam into the throne room to see their royal family. A woman that looked mostly fish then swam into the throne room as she swims with another Cascadia mermaid, dressed in regalia armor.
[Ah! Princess Meara Fisher! And Princess Syreni! It is good to see you both again, and in good health!] Mother smiled as they both smiled back and approached the throne as Meara diverts and swims over to me.
I was stunned by her fish-like appearance! Long gone was her beautiful duine-like body!
[Hello Rue. It is nice to see you again. You've changed!] she says, her voice very familiar as I look at the woman that had infiltrated my world and made me eat raw fish...which I have no problem with...but at the time, it was just weird.
[I am glad that you found your way back to the ocean. I was deeply worried about you!] Meara continued, but ended her conversation as mother beaconed her.
[Princess Meara...] she says as I was shocked once more.
[Princess?] I asked as Meara smirked as with a flick of her long turquoise colored tail, she rapidly swam over to mother as her armor glitters under the brilliant light above. She presents herself to mother: The Queen of Cascadia!
[You brought great honor to your king and queen, Princess Fisher. And with your assistance, you helped to avert what could have been a global catastrophe on my part. I will not forget what the Oceanid Kingdom has done for the Cascadia Kingdom. As promised, I release you from your duties and will call for transport to take you home...]
[It is okay, Queen Sedna.] Princess Meara gently bowed her head [I have unfinished business up north that I must attend to...but if it is okay with you, I would like to ask your permission...] as she swims over to the queen and whispers something as she nods.
[Yes...that is a good idea!] mother nodded, answered.
Meara smiles gently as she turns around and swims to the side to watch what was about to come next. Servants swam over to Sequana as she looked frightened as they dressed her in silver armor, just like mother.
[Sisters of the Cascadia Kingdom! My friends who have traveled far from Atlantis. I am happy to announce the crowning of my daughter, Princess Sequana Cascadia. May she represent our people with honor in Poseida!] We all bowed as they placed a beautiful silver tiara in her hair.