Switched Identity

Chapter 1

I'm going to be human! I just can't wait any longer. Why I'm so excited? 'Cause I won't have to be a mermaid any more. What's so fun being half-fish and half-human? I mean, you're just in the water all day, or your life! So, you now know why I'm so pumped up! Why swim when you can walk?

I see my father in his throne trying not to look impatient while the other merpeople took too long to settle. On my throne, my fingers are gripping the armrest. My mother, on the right side of my father, is looking worried, for some reason. I whisper to my father, " Why does mother look so upset?" He looked at mother then back at me.

" I'll tell you later today." I slump back into my seat staring blankly into the crowd. Just then, I hear the trumpets play the royal theme and I striatin up.

" Ladies and Mermen. I bring your attention to our King Neptune, Queen Mercury, and our beloved Princess Aqua." I quickly stand up, or float up, and bow like my parents when their names were called. Then I sat back down. The announcer continued, " As you already know, our king has an important announcement."

Just in a snap, my father walked, or swam, to the podium and started talking, " I, King Neptune, am here to announce that our lovely Princess Aqua is now going to explore the world above water." I heard some gasp and some sobs in the audience which makes me feel bad. I know they'll miss me and I'll miss them. But I want to be human. Is it really worth having two legs than a fin? Is it really worth breathing air instead of water? Would it be worth it. " I know you will miss her dearly and I will ,too. I feel like..." I didn't listen to what he was saying because of that question replaying in my head.

Would it be worth it?

After the announcements, it was time for a farewell feast. I didn't feel like eating, not with that thought in my head! Would it be worth it? I just felt like giving up and wanting to stay here when I heard a knock on my door. I whip my head around to see my brother peeking his head through the door, " Aqua? You okay?"

What a nice question to ask, when I feel horrible. " Uh, yeah. Sure, Jasper." I say not very convincingly.

"You look down. Is something bothering you?" I knew my brother was sweet, but I was not in the mood to see him.

" Not. At. All." I can see him come towards my way and sit down on the bed beside with me. I just lay there and admit my concern. " I don't know what to do. I want to be human, but I'll have to leave you and everyone else," my tears form in my eyes blurring my vision. " What do I do?" I would've just hugged him there but I restrained myself from doing so.

"That's just part of life, questions you just can't answer." He started ruffling my hair and continued, " Oh, I've been there. 12 is the age when most things occur." I felt a tear stroll down my face, which you can't see 'cause I'm in water. I'm twelve and was short. Why can't I be tall?

" Why 12?" I ask burying my face into the soft pillow.

" Because between 12 and 13, your body will prepare yourself for when you become a teen. And being a teen, that's when it really starts." So I get it now. My body is telling me how things are gonna be in my teens. Tough. Oh no.

" So, when you're a teen, you can get married and have a child? In your teens?! So, mother and father have been married in their teens? What is this nonsense? I demand to know!"

He laugh, "Oh, you can be real funny sometimes!" I turned to look at him wondering what was so funny. " I can tell on the look of your face, you don't get me." I shook my head. " Teens are like... Well, let's just say at 17 or 18 you are legal adults. And for 13 to 15 you aren't even in high school yet."

"So you have 1 year in high school?"

" No, you're in high school for 4 years and from 16 to 18." My tears have dried. I feel drowsy and sleep. My 19 year old brother put me on my bed, with the seashell designs, and he whispered in my ear, " I'll wake you up for the feast later today."

I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see my brother's face, " Dinner time."

" Don't you mean my farewell feast?" I corrected. He laughed again. I do not see his sense of humor in that sentence.

" No, sis, not farewell feast, The Farewell Feast." I groaned. " Wake up," he kept shaking me,.

"Nooooooo." I complained in my pillow.

"Alright then" I felt him lift me and put me in a standing position, then started tickling me. I immediately start laughing, " Now do you want to eat? If not I'll keep tickling you!"

I couldn't help it, " Yeeeeeees!" Jasper lifted me upside down and threw me on the bed. I look at my brother for a moment, " Jasper, why are your eyes blue and not green like your tail?" Like all mermaids, their tails are the color of their eyes. Mine are aqua, of course, and his are green.

" Um, probably because of your stained glass window," he said pointing to my window. Why do we have stained glass windows if we can't see outside them, but it does make the room look colorful.

" Oh, I'm ready now." I say swimming to the door. I motion for Jasper to come with me. Then I realized I left my crown and swam back to claim it. Then I hear the royal theme.

" Sis, hurry up!" I heard him in the distance. I quickly swim through the hallway and just before I go through the curtains I quickly fix my crown, smooth my hair. Then,

I slowly swim through the curtains head tilted back in a princess manner.

" Ah, welcome Aqua." said my father with his arm around my shoulders. " We will all miss you dearly, for I, King Neptune, am here to comfort you at dinner. Come. Sit in the royal chair tonight." he said motioning me to come over.

I did. " You have my thanks, father." I wasn't used to sitting in the royal chair, and my small self did not go well with the big royal chair. It felt improper and I didn't do a very good job hiding it either.

" What's wrong Aqua?" whispered Ive, my older sister. " Let me guess..." she said with a smirk, " You don't like the chair."

" I do like the chair-"

" But, you don't look like it." I look down, head hanging with shame. She actually winced sympathetically, " Aww. If you don't like it, there's no shame in telling dad to switch chairs, you know."

" Naw. I think I'll just stay right here." looking at my plate of food, I wonder how food up there will be like. Will they have chocolate clams for dessert? Will the fruit look like sea shell. I don't know.

I pack my clothes with Ive and she talks about how she wants me to call her and tell her about what life was like up there. " ...Remember to write in this journal to tell how life was like up there and..." Then she started to lecture about how to never tell anyone about mermaids, " ...And don't ever tell anyone your true identity..." I sat there wondering when this endless lecture will stop. It probably wouldn't stop if someone hasn't knocked on the door. " Um, I'll finish later." With that she left.

I open the door to see my father, looking a bit unpleased, " Can we talk for a minute?"

" Oh, yes." He comes in without hesitation and I closed the door. He motions for me to come, " Oh no..." I mumble under my breath.

I swim to where my father is and sat next to him. Father held an iron grip on my shoulders so I couldn't escape, " Aqua, do you really want to go to the human world?"

So stunned at what he asked I couldn't respond.

" Well... um... I guess you could say..." I stammered, he raised his hand and stopped me.

" You don't have to go if you don't want to." I froze again. Why is he asking me these questions?

" I want t to..." My stuttering got worse, " b b but, I I I... also w want t to s s stay..." I fell silent. He put his chin on his knuckle and started to think.

After what seemed like forever, he finally spoke, " Well... I suppose you can go there for at least a month or two and come back." I nodded in a fast motion. " Okay then, I guess you can have your gift," he replied with a sly smile while holding out his hand.

" Uh, what gift?" I ask. Then my question got answered- his smile. Oh no, I know that face. I was trying to think of a way out of this but, I failed, reaching out for his hand. I was being taken to the dangerous place of all time. And the worst part- it was dawn.