Aqua and Ariel

Aqua decided to call in sick today. She needed to get into the ocean. She pulled out her light glasses, took everything not water proof off of her person, turned her cell phone off, and got out of apartment.

The ocean, once upon a time, was all she knew. It was early fall, very little people want to visit a cold sea on a cold day. She stepped into the ocean foam one foot at a time. It wasn't cold to her, it was warm and inviting, asking her to swim in its depths like she did ages ago. Soon the sand turned to rock and gravel and she was in the sea waist deep. She didn't care if anyone was looking. She dived right in.

"Wings for a tail." She whispered under the water and as she commanded, Her feet began to stick together and the familiar sensation of her fins came back again. They were so delicate yet strong enough to brave the strongest currents. Feet were only good for land, but fins never let her down like her weak legs.

She swam down to a nice smooth rock and put on her light glasses to examine her scales. They were dull, but not dirty. She took care of them every week in a bubble bath. This day wall all to herself. No boss, no humans, no legs of any kind. Just her, the ocean, and her fins.

"MAMA!"

"Ariel, get back here! listen to your aunt!"

She looked up, scale brush in hand to see a ball of scales and black hair swimming straight for her.

"Ariel?"

The little merchild hugged the guardian tight around the waist.

"Mama, I knew you'd come!"

"Ariel..."

"Sweet Nova can that kid swim fast." Crystal said swimming up.

"What are you doing here?"

"I had business with the Water Elder. Don't ask about the tail, it was last minute.

Aqua looked at the oddly colored gold tail.

"Shark or dolphin?"

"Shark. I was with Nicholas at the library. Why the hell are you not at work?"

"I called in sick. I needed to think about some things."

She cuddled the merchild and gave her a light tickling. Ariel giggled.

"...She still seeing things?"

"Aqua, you know it's not a sickness. She's a prophet, she'll keep seeing until the day she dies."

Aquamarine sighed.

"I wish she didn't."

"And I wish my son would stop playing with wolves, but we don't always get what we want. Visions of the future aren't a curse, my mother saw that. Aqua, you should too."

She looked down at the child. Ariel's eyes were as big as moons and as briney as sea foam.

"Mama won't be sad forever. I see strong man with claw. He lost something too. He's far from home but does his best. He likes you mama. He wants to be your friend."

"Ma-Masato?"

She looked up at Crystal completely in shock.

"What? I don't know any guy like that except my husband minus the claw."

"Masato made a claw out of katana blades and scrap metal, it's his pride and joy."

"Well that's your answer isn't it? You wanna spend time with Ariel since you're "sick"?" Crystal asked using air quotes.

"...Yes...I want to spend time with my daughter...She looks like Will more every day."

"I'll let her grandma know."