A Sharkmaid's Tale
By: Virtualboy2558
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Disclaimer: Super Mario RPG is Copyrights of Nintendo, Square, and Shigeru Miyamoto. I do not own, nor profit, from any or all of the characters mentioned.
/
Some say that living on a deserted island that's miles away from civilization could make anyone go a little crazy… perhaps even lonely. In most stories, you'd occasionally hear a gang of kids getting stranded out in the middle of the sea, trying to survive on a supposedly haunted isle. Or a man who finds himself stuck in isolation on a heaven-forsaken rock for a year or two, his only companion being a humble soccer ball painted to have a face.
In these stories, the situations may be different from time to time… but the main character is always the same. They are people who have no one to talk or look up to when times get tough.
But today… explores a new kind of story that presents two people from two different worlds: one on land and one in sea. And both feel alone on the inside… because they are outsiders in a society that can't understand their kind. But together…
…they might find peace with each other.
/
It was a foggy evening on Kumo Reef… but that's because it was foggy every day before dusk. The Reef, as some locals call it, was a small, inhabited land southwest from the mainland of Seaside Town. Kumo Reef was told by many to be the ancestral place where Lakitus live.
For many generations, the native Lakitus that lived on this island had been a peaceful and thriving community. Naturally curious, and born with a high intellect, they build and expand the area to make it one of the most modernized locations in all the Worlds. But on this island, there was one Lakitu that was a prodigy in his own right.
Regarded to be matched with greats like Albert Koopenstein or Bombino Da Vinci, even people outside the Reef have heard of his technological feats. Like the machine that can absorb moisture in the air and turn it into drinkable water. Or the bacteria he created that can eat through rust, dirt and grime in even the most under-washed spots, all without harming other surfaces.
Many would flock to him to ask if he could solve their problems, like bad TV reception, aching body parts from repetitive chores, or even life-threatening scenarios that police and firefighters endure every day. And he would find solutions to them all. And the shocking part is that he was only 13 years old.
His name… is Luke McCloud.
"Luke! Luke, my boy! Come over here!" a voice rang out.
The young Lakitu was currently in his room, tinkering with a little gizmo on his desk, when he heard his father calling for him. He sighed in exasperation.
"I'm coming, Dad! Just give me a minute!" he replied.
Luke wasn't like your average Lakitu. In fact… he wasn't even a true one in terms of genetics. His mother was a pure Lakitu, while his father was human. And this combination leads to what many scientists regard to as a 'hybrid'.
The young teen had many features of a Lakitu, like stringy hair, a short but sturdy head, and a protective shell covering his thin body. However, he was much larger than the typical cloud person, standing up to a height of nearly 5 feet. And by stand… it was actually with his own two legs, since he was too heavy to be lifted up by a standard Lakitu cloud.
For a part human/part Lakitu breed, he wasn't too bad-looking either. He inherited his mom's eyes and his dad's cheekbones. He wasn't athletic, but he had a somewhat sinewy build. His choice for clothes was a white t-shirt and blue jacket, along with gray pants and rubber sneakers.
"Come down here, son! You can work on your contraption later! Right now, it's time for dinner!" This time, it was his mom that answered.
Sigh, Luke thought, while looking at the small carburetor he was working on. I might as well put it aside for now. Lousy combustion chamber…
He dragged himself out of his bedroom and into the kitchen, where his family was waiting for him at the table.
"Finally! I was wondering when you'd turn up!" his dad responded with a smile. "Sometimes I wonder if you even get square meals while being cooped up in your dungeon all day. Look at you… you're all skin and bone!"
"Now, now Lando… don't try to lecture him," a female Lakitu warned him, though she too was just being kind. "He's a smart boy. He knows what time to come for his meals." She looked at her son with her twinkling eyes. "So how is the new model coming along, Luke?"
"Not good. I still keep getting excess overheat, and the lubrication is drying out too quickly. I may have to switch designs again."
"That the fourth time this week!" said another Lakitu that was barely older than Luke. She crossed her arms. "You're going to have to come up with a solid decision sooner or later, bro!"
"Okay, Lea. Since you're so concerned, how about you try to design my engine for me?" Luke retorted.
His sister made a face. "No way! I got enough problems of my own without having to baby-sit you! I have better things to do!"
"Such as?"
Lea tried to come up with an excuse to blow his witty remark out of the water. "Like… uh… like… like finishing my biology essay final for tonight!"
"Yeah right, you liar!" he laughed. "Exams don't even start until two months from now! And since when have you been interested in homework? All you do is go to the mall and hang out with your friends all day, sipping on lattes and shopping for clothes!"
"Why I oughta…"
"Children, that's enough!" their mother scolded at them. She was holding her stirring spoon out in a strict and assertive way. "If you two can't act civilized, then I suggest you eat your food outside! Do I make myself clear?"
"Sigh… yes Mom," Luke and Lea flatly spoke in unison. The Lakitu boy went to sit next to his dad, just across from his sister. She grumbled at him while eating her plate of spaghetti and tofu balls.
"So Luke, I was wondering…," Lando proposed, trying to change the subject. "You've been extra busy for the past couple of weeks or so… and I know that this week you'll be off from school." He scratched his messy brown hair. "So I was thinking that, if it's not too much trouble… you would want to take part in the Annual Fishing Derby on Saturday."
His son groaned. "Dad… I told you a thousand times that I can't go. I'm going to be gone for that week for the Science Fair."
Actually, that wasn't quite the reason. For the 8th year in a row, Lando had been trying to get him and Luke to bond by introducing his son to his fishing hobby. And every time, he flat out refused to go. It wasn't because the young Lakitu was too busy to spend some free time with his father. It was because he had no interest in that boring, brutal sport. He thought the idea of spearing a couple of helpless worms, and drowning them in the sea to be eaten alive by ravaging aquatic life, was a cruel and barbaric way to spend one's afternoon.
"I don't mean that you have to actually fish, Luke," his dad explained. "I just want you to at least accompany by my side. Just for a bit of quality time. You always allow your mother to visit you in your room when you're working, but you don't for me. Isn't that right, Lumiya?"
"Yes, that's true," the female Lakitu parent agreed. She gave her son a concerning look. "I don't see why you can't make room for your father, my dear."
"I know, Mom… but I really want to get the Nimbus Mark 9 running before the weekend starts."
"It's only for one day, Luke," Lumiya pointed out. "It won't hurt you to try make an effort to be with your family once in a while. Name one time you and your father did something together."
"Uh…" The Lakitu boy thought hard and searched through his memories… and he came up with no answer to her statement. He even tried brief instances of where he and his dad were alone together… and again, he had nothing.
"Please, son…," Lando sighed. "Just this once, I want to do this. Just so I can get to know you."
Realizing he had no other choice or compromise, Luke lowered his head in defeat. "Fine… I'll go," he muttered. He felt one of his hands getting nuzzled by his pet Spiny, Han. The spiky creature was sitting down and looking up to him with cute eyes, begging for food.
Luke breathed deeply and got out of his seat. "I'm going to take a constitutional down the beach for a while."
"Pardon?" his dad asked.
"I'm going for a walk," he responded. "I'll see you later."
"But what for? You haven't even eat your supper, dear!" Lumiya told him.
"I'll eat it when I get back. I got a headache forming right now, and I'm not hungry anyways. I won't be gone for too long. Goodbye." He walked to the front door, exited through it and closing it on his way out. Han followed the Lakitu teen through the doggy flap and chased after him. Both parents eyed each other with worry.
"What could have gone wrong with Luke, honey?" the Lakitu mother asked. "Why doesn't he like you?"
Lando shrugged. "I don't know, Lumiya. I wish I knew…"
/
Deep down at the bed of the ocean, where many dread to swim, was a pirate ship that laid in between Kumo Reef and Seaside Town. The sides of the boat were speckled with plankton and starfish. The cannons were eerie and deadly-looking to warn off trespassers. And the skull flag was still grinning vividly, despite it appearing tattered and neglected for cleaning. For many years, it was the home to one fearful outlaw, Jonathan "Johnny" Jones.
Johnny, as he was known by his crew, was a black-hearted and swashbuckling shark that loved the thrill of hijacking and stealing the cargo of stranded ships, just like any pirate captain would. His loyal men, who were also a gang of sharks, would do whatever they could to please their master, no matter what he said. Respected by almost everyone, he was the most notorious pirate ever to roam the seas.
But there was one secret that Johnny never told to anyone. At one point in his life… he once fell in love. It was during one peaceful night some 20 odd years ago, while he was taking a leisurely swim near his ship, that he heard her…
It was a voice of angelic beauty, like that of sirens but more subtle. Her tone was tranquil and carefree. And it made the posture of the stiff, robust shark loosen to a tender and vulnerable state. Johnny didn't wanted to show signs of weakness, but his desire to find the source to her song was too much.
After following the music for what seemed like eternity, he found her. She was the most beautiful woman he ever laid sights on. Her coral-pink hair was shimmering and lengthy, gently caressing her light, flawless skin. Her sublime green eyes sucked him in like a whirlpool. And her most interesting feature was the fact that instead of legs… was a smooth, elegant blue fish tail that hugged her by the waist.
His presence scared her a bit when she saw him. After all, no one is used to seeing a mug so grisly and jagged like Johnny's. But the shark tried his best to not look intimidating, which was why she didn't scuttled off in terror.
"Hello, madam," he spoke calmly. His ruthless heart was filled instead with anxiety and longing. "I… I heard your tantalizing melody while I was skimming the surface. Tis' a relaxing moonlight this evening for song, would you agree?"
She giggled and nodded. It appeared that she might either be mute or unable to speak above water. But that didn't mattered… since she knew that this shark was friendly and meant no harm.
"I could stay here and listen to you… if that's okay with you. I have nothing better to do anyways," Johnny stated. "Would it bother you if I stay for a while?" Again, a soft laugh and she shook her head, telling him that she didn't mind.
And so, for the whole night, he watched her sing her awe-inspiring solo. It was the kind of music that any man could get pulled in and feel inner peace with himself. And by the time dawn was beginning to break, she was all tired and unable to carry a tune. She was about to swim off when Johnny panicked.
"Wait! Don't leave just yet!" he croaked. He didn't wanted her to go… but he knew that she had to return to her kind, whether he liked it or not. But he still wanted to express his gratitude. "I… I just wanted to say… thank you for allowing me to stay… and…" His heart quivered by looking at her lovely form. "…I think you have the most wonderful voice in all of the Mushroom World."
He was scared what she might think of him now, while he waiting for her response. But she simply smiled and swam back to meet him. They were now only a few inches from each other. The shark pirate's body was covered with chills when she held on top his shoulders. Her face got closer and closer to his until… their lips touched for an intimate kiss.
All at once, Johnny's worries had left him like a school of fish. He felt like he was hovering over the water while she embraced him. But as quickly as it came, the wondrous female released him from their moment of passion. His heartbeat was back to normal, but felt heavy in his chest… now that he had her in his memories.
"Will I ever see you again?" he asked.
Once more, she smiled and leaned into where his ear would be. She only whispered one word.
"Yes…"
She submerged herself into the water and flapped her tailfin, heading towards the morning sun. And before Johnny knew it, she was gone.
But it wasn't the last he saw her. During his travels, the old shark would ponder on his boat every night, waiting for her arrival. And almost every time, she would come back to him. They would sometimes talk about what they did while the other was away, even sharing a few moments of affection while Johnny's crew was asleep. And all the while, their relationship grew bit by bit every time they got together.
But on one certain night, Johnny wanted to do something special for his companion… They were sitting on the edge of his ship, chatting like usual and holding each other's hand. Then the shark asked her a question.
"My dear… we have known each other for quite a long while, have we?"
The mermaid gave a small flutter from her tail while looking at him. "Yes, indeed. It feels like I have known you my whole life. Why do you say such a thing, John?"
"Because… because I was wondering…," he stuttered. "If you would tell me… how you feel when you're around me."
"Hahaha… is that all?" she laughed. "My dear… I can tell you that I always look forward to our meetings. And I'm sure you feel the same way about me."
He joined in her laughter with a light chuckle. "Yes, I do. And… I want to express my feelings in a manner I hope it might please you." He dug into the hem of his cape. "I know it's not much that I can give… but it was carved out of the goodness of my soul." He clasped onto what he was searching for. "I want you to have this…"
In his hand, he pulled out a necklace. It was made out of many small and delicate shells, was strung together with dried seaweed and, dangling at the bottom, was a sand dollar about the size of a quarter.
She eyed it in awe for a minute. "For me?"
He nodded. "I just finished making it last night. Do you like it?"
"Oh yes, John! I love it! Thank you!" Pulling back her hair, she let him carefully put it over her head and around her neck. Happy tears were in her green eyes while she examined its every detail. "Oh, my dear… I want to be with you for all time. My heart is yours." And they both swooped in for a loving smooch.
But at that moment, a vibration rumbled within the water. It sounded like faint drumming to anyone with normal ears. But it was enough to make the mermaid's eyes snap back open to reality. A look of shock crossed her face.
Johnny could sense her tension. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"I have to go!" she shouted in panic. And she hopped back into the sea. But before she swam to the depths, her love halted her for a quick second.
"Just promise me one thing…," the shark told her firmly. "That you'll stay safe for me."
"I promise…" And with that said, she dived into the ocean.
But little did Johnny knew, it would be weeks and weeks before he got a response from her. The poor pirate captain worried about her during the day and searched all over his boat at night. She didn't appear to him, nor did he heard her voice again. It was as though the mermaid was cut off to his end.
Every day since her ominous disappearance, his crew felt concerned for him. Johnny did not bark at them to leave him alone, or give orders to keep them occupied… he simply gazed out to sea, his face all heartbroken. Not knowing what was the cause of his sadness or how to cheer up their captain, his gang simply decided to let him muse in his thoughts.
It was another dank evening, and still no sign of his companion. Thunder rolled over as dark storm clouds filled the sky, and he let out a grunt. He didn't care if he got a little soaked in the rain. It felt like nothing compared to how hollow and empty he felt inside. Without her… he was just a shark without a dorsal fin.
A sudden thumping sound had brought his attention on high alert. Johnny looked to his left and to his right, by didn't see anything out of the ordinary. That was… until he looked down in the waters. A silent gasp escaped his mouth.
Bumping on the side of his ship was a small basket woven in seaweed. It was partially covered in some sort of blanket, but inside it… he saw an infant child sleeping in the contents.
The shark scrambled down to the bottom of his ship and dove into the sea. He swam to reach for the basket containing the abandoned baby, securing his grip on it with his sharp teeth. After getting back on his vessel, he carefully pulled out the infant and held it close to his chest to keep it warm. What sick guardian would be cruel enough to leave their newborn out to die in the unforgiving ocean?
His first thoughts were that he'd gut out the vile creature that done this to the poor youth. But a sharp pain arose from his forearm and he flinched, almost dropping the infant in the water again.
"What the…?!" he sputtered. He checked his arm to find small but deep bite marks. "How in Davy Jones locker did this… Oh… my." He was drawn to the bundle he was carrying.
With a stir, the baby woke up and looked up at the surprised pirate. Her face had the same blue complexion that he did, with a generous lock of blue hair on her head. Her mouth gaped open to reveal a set of tiny, pointy teeth. But her eyes… her eyes were the exact same green as his beloved. In every way, she was the most beautiful baby shark girl he ever saw.
Beside her, Johnny saw something that also got his interest: a rolled-up letter. It was a bit soggy from its trip, but the words were still legible. More thunder clapped the air as a shower of rain was starting to drizzle on the two. While still carrying the child, he unravelled the paper and started reading what it said:
"Dearest Jonathan… I'm sorry to tell you this… but I must leave you for now. I cannot say why, nor can I tell you when I'll return. It hurts me to say goodbye to you like this, but please understand… I still love you with all my heart. I wanted to tell you something the last time we met, but I didn't get the chance to. And as you can see, this is our daughter… and I want you to take full care of her. Make her live healthy and strong, and promise me that you'll keep her out of danger, like my promise I've kept to you.
I enclosed her name at the bottom of this letter. It is the same name that was your mother's, because I thought she was the sweetest thing I've ever laid eyes on.
And I just wanted you to know… you both mean the world to me. I will come back someday. Love you two…"
That was all the note had to offer… except for the name that was scrawled down below. Johnny squinted at the word, because the heavy downpour had almost washed it all out. He rolled up the letter and pocketed it. He was now looking with determination upon the baby girl in his arms. She eyed him with curiosity.
"I welcome you to the family, little one," he whispered. "And I promise you… no harm shall befall on you, even if I have to sacrifice myself. I'll take you under my fin and raise you as my own. I may not have the love your mother has… but I will still give you care in any way possible. Daughter of mine… I'll make you to be my natural-born fighter. You are my one… my only… you are… my Jolene…"
/
20 years had past since that fateful day. And ever since then, Johnny kept his child under his roof. Jolene learned pretty quickly in her early age, already knowing how to swim in about 3 days and spoke her first words in 2 weeks. The young shark girl even trained every day to be more like her father. At the age of 5, she was able to take hold of the cargo from many stranded sailors… and by 8, she became more skilled than anyone in Johnny's crew.
But no matter how much she tried to impress him, Johnny wouldn't let his daughter join his way of life. She still acted persistent, though. Jolene would even put herself at risk many times just to prove her strength and cunning. But that only made her father more angry rather than proud. She couldn't figure out why he wouldn't let her be part of his crew. It was a question that she asked herself for a long time.
The now adult female shark was resting in her room in solitude. She grew up a lot since she was found in her basket, measuring a healthy 8 feet and 2 inches from head to tailfin. All the thieving and exercise she did also left her lean and pretty fit. And yet… she still looked as beautiful as her mother.
A knock came from Jolene's door, and she opened a bleary, vivid green eye. She grumbled. "Who is it? I'm really not in the mood to talk right now."
There was a shuffling sound, followed by another knock. The shark girl was losing her patience.
"I swear… if it's you guys again, I'm going to gouge your snouts out!" she growled. She got up from her bed, swam to the door and yanked it open. "How many times I told you never to disturb me while I'm… sleeping…" She looked down to find a single, small and timid Bandana Blue with thick glasses. The poor thing was shivering under her wrath a second ago.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, Rusty!" Jolene apologized, covering her mouth with her hands. "I thought you were Avery and his jerk friends again…"
"T-That's okay," the puny shark replied nasally. "It was an honest mistake." He nervously petted his fins together like they might fall off.
"So what is that you came to see me for?" she asked.
Rusty gulped. "Umm… J-J-Johnny wants to s-see you in his o-office."
Jolene made a face. "Ugh… I could guess what he has to say can't be good news, is it?"
"I'm afraid not, madam."
"Sigh… well… We might as well get a move on then," she flatly spoke, before moving out of her bedroom. "And please, Rusty… don't call me madam. I feel old when you say that."
"Sorry, madam… uh, I mean… miss," he stuttered.
"And not miss either. Just call me Jolene."
"Yes, Jolene."
The two sharks swished through the hallways, the water feeling a little chilly. They passed through the recreational room, where Johnny's mates were playing pool, working out with heavy weights, or just discussing among themselves about how many land folk they pillaged. Some of them looked up from their activities to gawk and sneer at the shark girl.
"Well, well, well… if it isn't Jolene! What mess did you get yourself into now?! Hahahaha!"
"Did you make daddy-waddy angry again? Naughty naughty!"
"Perhaps next time you should try playing dead! Maybe that will get Johnny to recruit you!"
She ignored their mocking comments about her, even though her fists were clenched with rage. If there was one thing she knew… it's never to blindly start up a fight.
She and Rusty had left the gang of pirates, their roars of laughter still ringing in their ears. They were now outside the door to Johnny's office. Rusty tugged at the collar of his shirt.
"I can't go any further… he wants to only see you," he gulped.
"That's okay, you can leave me now. Thanks for escorting me, Rust," she told him.
"You're welcome… Good luck, J-Jolene…"
The small shark scuttled off. She took a deep breath and exhaled while putting her hand on the doorknob. This isn't going to go well, she thought. Might as well get it over with… She twisted the knob and came into the pirate captain's headquarters.
The room was decorated with lots of memorabilia and awards of honour. To the left, there was an aging map that shown the entirety of Square Island. A tank full of lobster and minnows was placed on the right wall. A large fancy desk occupied the middle of the room. And right behind it, with his back turned to her… stood Johnny himself.
"Close the door and sit down," he simply muttered. His tone was clear and otherwise not happy as he normally was. But then again… he never shown any sign of joy around her.
Jolene did as she was told and sat on the wooden chair placed before her. She waited for her father's response, not saying a thing.
It was a while before he opened his jagged mouth again. "Care to explain what happened yesterday?" He turned his head to her without moving from his position. She still said nothing. "Giving me the cold shoulder now, eh? I could go and humour you by doing the same… but be this not the best time, I'm not going to bother. Would you mind telling me how dangerous the stunt you've pulled?"
He turned his full body around to face his daughter. For the third time, she kept her lips sealed.
"Answer me now!" Johnny suddenly bellowed, irritated of her incompetent silence.
She slowly looked at his terrifying gaze. "It wasn't dangerous in the first place, dad…," she said finally.
"Oh really? Do you have any idea just how close you were to getting caught by those fishing nets?" he retorted. He was trying to restrain his anger, but with little success. "That's all it takes just to land you in the nearest butcher shop! Just one net, and you're gone! Never to be seen again!"
"I could tell them otherwise. I'm not stupid, you know."
"It does not matter what be your intelligence is, Jolene. Those landlubbers will try to sell you for a quick buck, be it for a freak show or for meat produce. They do not care of how smart a creature is, so long as they get their fair share."
"Well what about you?" she defiantly talked back. "How come the humans don't prod you or treat you like the barbaric mammal you are?"
Johnny slammed his hands on his desk and spat at her. "How dare you speak like that to your father! I've made myself be respectfully known through acts of intimidation and diligence in my work! But for you… you recklessly put yourself in where many fish folk would consider suicide! Not once do you think before acting, nor wonder the consequences upon you or for your fellow shark!"
Jolene got up from her seat to confront him. "All I want to do is be in your darn crew, dad! But no! You never give me the chance to prove my worthiness! All that time to show you what I can do apparently means nothing to you!"
"That's because you're too young and naïve!" he roared.
"Oh, don't pull that one on me! I'm not a little kid anymore!" she argued. Tears were leaking from her eyes. "I'm a grown woman! Face the facts! If I didn't think I was ready, I wouldn't be trying so hard to make you think I'd be willing to kill myself!"
"My decision is still no, Jolene." Johnny was still fuming, but he was keeping his voice to a more calmer and firmer tone.
"Then tell me why! Why won't you let me join?!"
"I'll tell you when I feel you are ready. When you are able to understand. End of story," he concluded. He once again turned his back on her.
"Gaaahhhh! No, you won't! You'll never let me be ready!" she screamed. "You'll only hold me back until I'm too old to be any use to you!" She angrily thrashed her tail and headed for the door. "I hate you so much!" With a heaving sob, she exited the room with a slam.
Her final words made the pirate captain sigh with guilt. There was silence for a moment, before Johnny sighed again and sat slumped in his desk chair. He rested a hand to his forehead.
"Why is this so tough, my love?" he asked to no one physically in particular.
He knew that his wife would have tried reasoning with their child in a heartbeat. But without her, it was like trying to pry out his own teeth. And he did promise her, that he would keep their daughter safe…
But for what purpose?
Jolene cried all the way while getting outside. She didn't care who she met, and didn't bother to cover her tears… All she wanted was to be left alone. But deep down, she knew that wasn't what she wanted.
For once in her life, she wished she could be near someone who feels the same way as she did. Someone who didn't reject her for being different. Someone who would listen to her pain. Someone… who is just like her. An outcast.
"Nyhahaha… what ya boo-hooing about now, Jolie?"
The shark girl lifted her head to see the one group of people she despised the most in all the ocean. She cringed her face in disgust. "Go away, Avery. Haven't you got better things to do?"
The Bandana Red grinned wickedly. "Oh, don't be a sourpuss… me and the boys were only strolling around near Johnny's office when we just happen to hear about your… ah… 'predicament'." His buddies chortled, thinking he made a hilarious joke.
"Oh really? Well, why don't you take your 'boys' elsewhere?" she threatened. "I don't need your sympathy."
"Awww… come on, Jolie," Avery said in a mock-baby voice. "We only want to help. Isn't that right, boys?" They roared in agreement.
"Forget it, Avery," the shark girl growled at him. "Whatever it is that you're offering me, I'm not buying it. So scram before I make mince meat out of all of you."
"Ahh… But don't ya wanna have Johnny let ya into our elite force?" he drawled. "We'll even tell ya how to do it. All ya need is to pass an initiation test…"
She was now find their presence annoying. "Screw your initiation test, and screw your so-called elite force," Jolene said through gritted teeth. "I mean it. If you don't clear out within the next five seconds…"
"No, we're serious!" Avery avowed, holding his fins up to calm her down. "We'll even show ya proof! Bring me the photo, Jack!"
"Who, me?" spoke the Bandana Red in question.
"Yes, you! Hand it over!"
Jack looked clueless before digging into his shirt, and his face lit up when he found something there. He tossed a white square card to Avery and his leader caught it. He then stuffed it under Jolene's nose.
"Ya see this? This was taken when Johnny got into the business… when his dad made him do initiation. It's all there in black and white!"
Unable to help but feel curious, she swiped the photo from Avery's grip and took a look. In said photo, she could make out the details of her father apparently… 'massacring' a poor and innocent human in the water. Her mouth gaped open in surprise to see him like this. She never heard him go out and having to hunt down a creature in cold blood.
"See? I wasn't lyin', was I?" Avery pointed out. He patted her shoulder like she was a long-known friend. "And all ya need to do is head out, look for some poor sap… and go in for the kill."
"I don't believe you," she denied, thrusting the photo back to him. "My dad wouldn't even do such a thing."
"Well, of course not! Not in his age anymore!" he piped up, like he was stating something obvious. "But you… you're at just the right age to do this! Ya just gotta find a person to bite, draw blood, and be done with it! That's all ya need to do! Unless… you're too yellow to do it."
"Yeah! Yellow-belly! Yellow-belly! Yellow-belly!" his gang chanted.
Jolene really didn't want to do this horrible task. It went far beyond anything that her instincts would allow for. But still… the need to show her father that she was not weak was growing inside her. She couldn't keep it out of her head, thinking that this could be her only chance to be one with the team.
And she even reasoned herself that if she did this, she'd promise to get her soon-to-be victim to the nearest hospital.
"Alright…," she uttered. "I'll do it…"
"Excellent!" Avery cheered in glee. "We'll just take ya to where ya need to be! Ya do the rest, and we'll snap a shot of ya to bring to Johnny! You'll officially become one of us! It's foolproof!"
He dashed up to head for the surface, and his buddies joined with him. The Bandana Red hollered out.
"Well? What are ya waiting for? Mating season? Come on!"
Jolene watched as they swam to the top, and she took a deep breath. She was still doubting if she could do it. And if she did… what would that make her? Some kind of monster?
Her green eyes squinted determinately. No… she would not let that happen. If she were to do the vile act of bloodshed, she won't let herself be consumed by the temptation to do it again. And she will not let it get the better of her.
With that thought, she looked up to the water above her and began propelling upwards to her destiny.
/
There were a lot of tourist attractions in Kumo Reef. One was its museum of historical heritage. Another was the old boardwalk just east of the island. But amongst the most attractive spots were its share of beaches. And in one of those beaches, Luke was treading on its sandy terrains.
The Lakitu boy was mulling things over in his head, while Han was sniffing the ground in search for something to satisfy his hunger. He wasn't in the best mood to find inner peace with himself. He kept thinking of why his family (excluding Lea) was trying to force him to do things he didn't want to do.
First was when he was 5, when his mother took Luke to band class… while he clearly stated he wanted to take part in chemistry instead. Then was the time when she made him get a part-time job at the local electronics shop, but he didn't wanted it because it wasn't fulfilling nor paid a decent wage. And his more recent embarrassment was when his dad made him listen to all of his days while out to sea.
And now… both he and Luke's mother were forcing their son to participate in a fishing contest that would most likely be a wasted day of productivity for his inventions. The Lakitu boy sighed with grief and looked down at his pet.
"Oh, Han… I really don't want to go to that stupid derby tomorrow…," he moaned. "But I also don't want to disappoint Dad. As much as I hate to agree, Mom is right… I don't even spend time with him anymore."
The Spiny murmured in interest, forgetting its hunt for nourishment for a moment. Luke scratched his pet's head and went to lay down in the sand.
"I know that he means well and all… but I just wished that Dad suggested other ways we could have fun together. I mean… there's got to be more to his life than fishing on a boat, right?"
Han gave a clueless shrug. He chose to nuzzle his master by his leg.
"Well… whatever he's into, I got to think of something we could do… and fast," Luke admitted, scanning the smoggy horizon. "Or like those tidal waves, I'm only going to drift further from him…"
About a hundred yards away, a brew of bubbles formed in the water before Avery and his gang broke the surface. Not long after, Jolene had joined with them, and the group of sharks were now staring out to the beach ahead. The leader of the pack flashed a grin.
"Ah ha! Just your luck, Jolie!" Avery marvelled. "I can already see a helpless human out there all by itself! That makes it perfect for a quick and discreet attack!"
"Stop saying that, you hammerhead," she hissed. "I'm not here to listen to you rambling about your bloodlust."
He snickered while crossing his arms. "Now don't tell me ya gone soft already! When it comes to being a pirate, us sharks are always ready to conquer! We're all born to enjoy the sense of violence! Always have, always will be!"
"Yeah!" went his buddies in unison.
Jolene shook her head in revulsion. "Well, keep your 'sense of violence' to a minimum then. I'm the one that's supposed to do this, remember?"
"Why, certainly!" the Bandana Red nodded. "Just do your part and make it realistic! Ya got that camera now, right Jack?"
"Uh… yes, sir," he said. The small shark was holding out an old Polaroid in his fins.
"Good! We don't want any slip-ups now, would we?" Avery turned his attention back to the shark girl, and gave her a slap on the back. "Alright, it's now your show… make daddy proud! Hahaha!" Her response was a hard thwack upside his snout from her tail. He clutched his nose in annoyance. "Ow! Watch where ya flinging that thing!"
The group watched her progress as she swam closer to shore. She laid flat on the surface to conceal herself. Staying stealthy was one of her specialties, and an important tool for plundering boats without detection. The less the prey knows of its own danger, the better the advantage.
How she figured she would do this was pretend to be a swimmer struggling to stay afloat, causing her victim to try to go out and save her. And when they're deep enough within the water… she would make her move.
Back to the unknowing subject at hand, Luke felt like he sat around long enough to assess his situation and got up. Han yawned after moving away to give the Lakitu his space.
"There's no point of staying here any longer, boy," he mumbled, petting his friend on the shell. "I'll have to deal with Dad in the morning. Perhaps I can try to compromise him with something…" He was about to head back home, when he heard a cry ring out to his ears. The Lakitu boy quickly twisted his head. "Huh?"
He squinted in the distance and saw something that made his heart stop. Within the ocean, flapping her arms, he could see a girl was splashing about… just on the verge of drowning.
"Help! Help me!" he heard her cry. Once or twice, the swimmer was submerged into the depths before exhaustedly coming back up for air.
Now in normal circumstances, Luke wasn't known for his skills in moving in the water. Being the puny, non-athletic one in the family, he would rather do things that required as little physical strain as possible. But being that this isn't a normal circumstance, plus the fact that this person is in mortal danger, there was no time to go and call for a lifeguard. Which was surprising since there wasn't any out on duty today.
Han stood idle as he watched the Lakitu rush towards the water. The temperature was bone-chilling cold to his skin, but he never bothered to complain… not while a life was at stake. Luke doggy paddled to the girl as fast as her could. It seemed she wasn't getting any closer to him, but he didn't gave up. With all effort, he pushed himself forward at significant speed.
Luke suddenly got goose bumps when he saw the swimmer dive down and she didn't came back up. He panicked, wondering if he was too late…
Then a powerful force had pushed the Lakitu boy backward, so much so that he was tossed in the air for a brief moment, before splashing back into the water. The sudden impact had stunned him, and he was in a short daze… but he was at least not injured. But that was only the beginning, as something big whacked him to the side. He launched upwards again and landed some 15 feet away. With all this thrashing about, Han whimpered while he sat horrified at the event unfolding before him.
"That's the way! Tucker him out!" hollered Avery, raising his fins out with joy. "Make him too exhausted to escape!"
"Smash his skull! I want to see it fly off!" yelled a random Bandana Red.
"Break one of his ribs! I want to keep it as a souvenir!"
At the moment, Luke was laying in between the transition of shallow water and sand, with some pretty nasty bruises all over his body. He was too numb to feel any pain, and he could see Starmen spinning in and out of his vision. Out of his half-consciousness, he could feel something or someone climbing on top of his chest… and bright green eyes staring down upon him.
The Lakitu boy felt utter terror strike at his heart as he gazed wide-eyed at the wondrous being. It was the girl that he tried to save, but he quickly learned that this was no ordinary creature. Her pale, aquatic blue skin glimmered in the dim light, feeling very coarse to his touch. Her long fishtail wrapped around him like a python, so it would prevent his escape even further. And her pupils were jagged thin slits, making her eyes look malicious yet beautiful.
This is it, Jolene thought, as she sat on the scared individual. I came this far… There's no turning back…
She opened her jaw to reveal a set of razor-sharp teeth. She could see her victim squirming to get away, but could not free himself. Seeing no way out of this, Luke looked away with clenched eyes and sniffled with tears. He was never going to see his family again. And even worse… they won't even know what had happened to him.
She was now close to grazing his skinny neck with her fangs. Her thoughts were running wild. Come on, just do it already! Don't hesitate! Do it now! DO IT! NOW! The voices were shrieking chaotically within her mind.
And yet… she was still hovering over him. No mangling or anything. No spilled blood. No corpse below her towering frame.
Jolene didn't know what was holding her back, but deep down… she found that this was all wrong. It didn't bring her satisfaction to see this living creature shivering at the sight of her. Far from it. It was actually bringing her deep shame and loathing of herself. And she couldn't bear it anymore.
"What am I doing?!" she cried.
The shark girl had let go of her hostage and collapsed in the water, trembling violently before sobbing her eyes out. In the distance, she could hear Avery and the others cackling as they went back under the surface. It was all a trick, she realized. All a sick and cruel trick… and she fell for it. She had almost taken the life of an innocent human, all for nothing. She felt so stupid to not see this coming, but she also felt dirty for even thinking about committing this terrible sin.
She was no shark. She was a disgrace to everyone, including her father…
That thought made Jolene weep harder. And all this time, Luke watched her glum form with pity. The Lakitu wasn't afraid anymore… well, actually… he was still a tad apprehensive. But he couldn't help but feel sympathy for her, despite her trying to kill him a minute ago. Very slowly, he crawled nearer to the mammoth girl before him and delicately pawed her back.
She flinched from his unexpected touch, looked at him fearful and inched away from him. But that only made Luke get close again and continued to stroke her skin. She wanted very much to bite him, but her ugly thoughts of self-belittlement were still rolling in her head. So Jolene relented and let him touch her. But a question arose while she stared at him.
"Aren't you scared of me?" she said with puzzlement.
Luke looked up to her and shook his head a bit. "Not really… just mildly startled. Could you tell me why you're crying?"
Jolene sniffed and wiped her tears away. "You wouldn't understand, human boy…"
"I could try," he reasoned. "I just don't want to see you so sad."
Again, she stared at him with awe, totally shocked of how calm he was. After what seemed like forever, she let out a sigh. What the heck, she mused. After all that she went through today, she needed someone to comfort her. And it's not like her father would do anything about her woes anytime soon.
"I'm sad because… I feel like a failure," she answered.
"How come?"
Jolene gave him a little smirk. "You're really brave, you know that? Other people would have ran away from me in heartbeat instead of chatting with me, like you are right now," she remarked. She brought herself to a somewhat awkward sitting position. "Alright, I'll tell you… It's because my father hates me for who I am."
"Because you hunt down people like me all the time?" Luke wondered.
"No… I'm usually respectful for land folks, believe it or not. It's just…" A look of contempt flashed in her eyes. "…some mean people I know had thought it would be funny to dare me to rip apart some poor person. And they made me think that that would get me into father's crew."
"Wow… they must have some pretty dark, twisted humour then."
She chuckled bitterly. "Yeah, they must have…"
"So… why would you join them in the first place?" he asked. "If they would only be mean to you? Not to be rude or anything… but I find it silly seeing people join clubs where they would be treated badly."
That really got Jolene thinking. "Yeah, good point…," she admitted. "I guess I wanted to do it so that I could make my father proud."
"Sigh… try telling that to my parents."
"Ah… so you got problems with the family as well?" the shark girl questioned, figuring this would be her turn to listen now.
"Yeah, my dad and I aren't on good terms either. Though it's because I don't bond enough with him," Luke explained. "I mean… and I hope you don't take this the wrong way…," he added with a blush. "…but his hobbies include catching a bunch of helpless fish and telling long, drawn-out sailor stories. And the problem is… I don't find his interests very appealing in any shape or form."
She nodded in understanding. "I see. Did you try talking to him about this?"
The Lakitu boy scratched his head. "Well… not exactly. But it's only because I don't want to hurt his feelings. Don't get me wrong, I love my dad… but I wish I could straighten things out so we both could enjoy something we have in common."
"That would be the right thing to do." She looked down to the water in sadness, seeing two fish side by side like they were parent and child. "If only my father would do that with me once in a while… but he's always seems to be wrapped up in his career. And I feel he loves his living more than he loves me…"
Luke felt a pang of sorrow for her and touched her shoulder. "I'm sure he loves you deep down… it could be that he's afraid to show it, but he still loves you."
Jolene, for the third time in a row, looked at him with such amazement. "Why are you so nice to me, human boy?"
He laughed. "I'm not human, lady. I'm a Lakitu… er, well… actually I do have human DNA. It's kind of hard to explain," he addressed while blushing again. "And I do have a name, you know." He held out a welcoming hand to her. "My name's Luke... Luke McCloud. What's yours?"
The shark girl was hesitant to take his greeting, or give out her title to a stranger. But out of the people she had known her whole life… this one was the only person who doesn't see her as a freak. Nor treat her like a bucket of moss. Nor dismiss their conversation because it was too much to bear.
He was truly a person who sees her as an equal…
She slowly smiled and took his hand to shake it. "I'm Jolene. Jolene Jones."
They both examined each others palms in curiosity. Luke could see that hers greatly outgrew his by a long shot. His only covered more than half her length, from bottom to the tips of his fingers, and barely a third of her width.
"Hahaha. Man… I'm really tiny to you, aren't I?"
"Looks like it, Luke," she chuckled with a wink.
What came next was the unexpected sound of cannon fire. Startling them both, they looked out to the ocean. From a distance of the setting red sun, an old wooden ship was heading for their direction. And with great fury, a thunderous voice was shouting out.
"Jolene! Where are you?! You got a lot of explaining to do!"
The shark girl gasped as she recognized the voice. Her whole body quivered with fear.
"No… no… it's… it's my father!"
Luke gaped at her with wide eyes. "Your dad is Jonathan Jones? As in the Jonathan Jones? The most bloodthirsty pirate that ever sailed the Eight Worlds? Gah!" He was grabbed in her sudden grip. Her face was full of panic.
"Luke! You gotta take me with you! Take me as far away from here as you possibly can!"
"But… but how?! You got more than three feet on me, and I'm skinny as a twig! I can't be able to carry you! It's totally impossible!"
"Please, Luke… help me," Jolene begged. Her green eyes were close to tears. "Please…"
Despite his brain screaming that his small body would be unable to lift her heavy frame, and it would be going against all the ramifications of physics… his heart couldn't bear to leave her in this mess all alone.
"O-Okay… I'll… I'll try…"
With uneasy feet, he crouched down so that she could clutch onto his shoulders. The Lakitu gave one or two deep breaths before he moved forward to drag the shark girl with him. But no matter how hard he tried, her weight was too much to budge, and it only resulted in his shoes burying deep into the soft sand.
"Come on, keep going!" she rushed him.
"I… I can't! Your mass and surface area is causing too much friction!"
"Keep trying! I'll even help you!"
Lifting her tail, Jolene used it to dig into the ground and push them out like a shovel. It wasn't much, but they progressed 3 feet closer to the land ahead. She kept doing it over and over to assist Luke, and they were slowly but surely moving farther away from the water.
"Jolene! If you do not come here this instant, I'll be making you walk the plank and be fed to King Calamari on a hunger strike!" Johnny stormed.
"Sigh… sigh… how close is he?!" the Lakitu boy worried, while still pulling his passenger to safety. "Ohh… I don't wanna die!"
"Don't worry, Luke. I won't let him touch you," she assured him. Her eyes glared at the pirate ship. "He'd have to get through me first…"
They both had finally got out of the sand and into the grass of the lush jungle-like forest surrounding them. The pair never looked behind their backs again, all the while the air being filled with cannons bombing the sea, as the shark pirate called out for his daughter.
It may seem like she was leaving her old life behind, but a new adventure was about to unfold for her…
/
(End of Part 1)