World Above
Up above on the surface of the sea, lying on a rock and basking in the sun was the missing Sea Prince, Barry.
Barry was the youngest of the Sea King's grandchildren, the only grandson. He was quite handsome with his bright red tail fin, dark brown hair, green eyes, fair skin and eye-catching smile. He had a brilliant scientist's mind that came close to rivaling his grandfather's and could often be found in the library, furthering his skills and sharpening his mind. Barry also had the finest singing voice in the entire sea, a gift he'd inherited from his mother. Any who heard it, fell under Barry's spell, so to speak.
Barry was also a very kind soul and the fastest merman in the sea, and usually he was very responsible, but Barry had an unfortunate tendency to be a bit of a blabbermouth and he was almost always late. He never intended to, but he often forgot things or misplaced important dates, was the only reason he wasn't at the concert and was unaware there was a search party out looking for him.
It was forbidden for merpeople to go the surface or have contact with humans, which meant what Barry was doing was wrong, politically speaking of course, but he didn't truly care.
Generally, Barry was a friendly, quiet and obedient mermaid. But when it came to the surface world, he was something a rebel. He couldn't help it, though. Ever since he was a child, he'd loved anything to do with humans and their world. Part of it stemmed from Barry's late mother, Nora, who'd loved the human world. She'd tried and failed to convince Harrison that humans weren't as bad as merfolk believed and part of it came from Barry's natural curiosity and unquenchable thirst for knowledge about the world beyond that of the sea.
Barry stretched and smiled under the warmth of the sea and sang to himself.
(Barry)
This is where I belong
Beneath the clear wide blue here!
I feel completely new here in the world above!
Barry liked his home in Atlantis like any other merman and he deeply loved his grandfather and six older cousins, but often times, he felt more at home on the surface world than any other. He was something of a misfit and had trouble fitting in among his family, who couldn't fathom why he was so different than the rest of them.
It's like my life was wrong
And somehow, now, at last I'm in
My own skin
Up here in the world above!
Barry loved the surface world. It was so warm, so beautiful, and there was so much to explore and see and do; it was so different from the life he knew and he never felt pressure to hide his knowledge and love of the human world while he was either up there enjoying the sun and talking to his seagull friend, Cisco, or just down below exploring sunken ships, looking for human treasures. And anything to do with humans—be it studying their treasures or watching them from afar or simply being up on the surface also made Barry feel closer to his mother.
There's so much light here
Light and space!
The sun's so bright here
Upon my face!
Being on the surface was against the law, but it felt so right, so how could it be wrong? Being up there felt so natural for Barry. In the human world, Barry felt the freedom he was so denied in his life under the sea. There was no overprotectiveness, no one telling him what he could and could not do, and no urge to lie and conceal his true nature. He longed more than anything to truly be able to experience the human world, to be able to enjoy a full day in the sun and walk among them.
It feels so right here
Warm as love…
Life seems to be
Almost calling to me
From this strange new world above!
But alas!
Such a dream was only that, a dream. Despite the longings of his heart and the calls of the human world, Barry knew deep down, that unless he found a way for his dreams to magically come true, he'd never see them fulfilled. Sighing to himself, he dipped his fin into the water and allowed himself to bask in the sounds of the crashing waves, the warm breeze and sunlight and forget his troubles.
"Barry!"
At the sound of his name being called, Barry smiled and opened his eyes to see his best friend in all the sea, Linda, a beautiful dark-haired, dark-eyed mermaid with a dark pink tailfin, waving at him as she swam closer to the rock he was sitting on.
"Daydreaming again?" she teased.
"Maybe," he admitted, blushing as Linda laughed. He slid off the rock and into the water. "Have you been here long? Am I late again?"
"No, you're right on time," said Linda. "I figured you'd be late, so that's why I told you to come an hour earlier."
Barry couldn't help but laugh at that. Despite being one of the fastest mermen in the sea, Barry was always late for everything.
"You know me too well," said Barry.
Linda was more than just Barry's best friend, she was like a sister to him. When they were children, Barry encountered Linda at a sunken ship he was exploring and a lifelong, binding friendship was quickly formed over their shared fascination with humans and the surface world. Linda found Barry's tendency to be a nerd amusing and would playfully tease him about this and that. Barry was Linda's confidante and brought excitement into Linda's life. And although Linda was Barry's opposite—outspoken, confident, unafraid and even rebellious, they protected each other and were family in all but blood.
"Indeed I do," said Linda.
"So, race you to the graveyard of ships?" said Barry, with a twinkle in his eye. He took off before she could reply, and then she chased after him.
They soon arrived at the graveyard of ships, a forbidden area not just because it had forbidden human trinkets inside, but also because it could be dangerous if one wasn't careful. Sharks were occasionally spotted in the area.
Barry reached the border of the graveyard of ships first and Linda soon arrived, breathing rather hard as she gave Barry a look of annoyance. She was a good swimmer, but she didn't have Barry's speed.
"I win," said Barry.
"That's so not fair. No one can swim as fast as you, Barry," said Linda.
Barry chuckled. "Fastest merman alive, what can I say?"
They both burst out laughing and then turned back to the ship.
"Wow, look at it. Isn't it fantastic?" said Barry, pointing to the ship they were going to explore. It was huge and devoid of its sails and was perched on a rock.
"Yeah, and it also looks scary. My favorite," said Linda, excitedly. "There's going to be lots of goodies in there, I just know it. But all the same, let's be on the lookout for sharks. It's getting close to their waking hours."
Even Linda, who was generally fearless, was cautious when it came to sharks.
Barry nodded in agreement and the two of them swam inside the sunken ship. Inside the ship, it was dark and rather creepy. Judging from the state of the wreckage and the amount of barnacles and seaweed covering it, the ship had been there for a number of years, maybe a couple of decades.
"This place is awesome," said Linda, as she glanced around the interior of the ship. She was so caught up in the ship's design that she didn't notice the skeleton in front of her until it was too late. Linda collided with the skeleton and became tangled up in bones, seaweed and muck. "Oh, gross! Eww! Barry, I'm stuck! Barry, help me!"
Barry laughed as he helped Linda get untangled and cleaned up. "You know, Linda, sometimes you're clumsier than I am."
"I am not!"
"Shh!" Barry looked up when he saw something sparkle out of the corner of his eye. He swam up to the upper deck and then his eyes widened in delight at the sight of the human antiques and jewelry. "Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh! Linda, come look at this!"
Linda came up from behind him and looked excited. "Wow! It's beautiful." She tried on some of the jewelry. "What kind of stones do you think these are?"
"Judging from their color, I'm guessing they're rubies and diamonds. You should definitely keep them. You look amazing," said Barry. "Take a look at this."
Barry's hand was a solid gold ring engraved with tiny seashells and swirls, dangling off a gold chain.
"It's lovely," said Linda. "Is it a wedding ring?"
"I think so. See? It's engraved on the inside," said Barry, as he examined it. "'For my true love, Queen Francine. Forever, King Joseph.' Wow. This belonged to royalty."
"You going to keep it and wear like your locket?" asked Linda.
Barry had a special magic locket, a gift from his mother. It was a golden seashell with his name engraved on it and when it opened, it played Barry's favorite lullaby and showed an image of Barry's parents holding and loving his infant self. Barry had never known his father, by name or personally as Nora had never revealed the precise details of her love affair she'd had when she was younger. All Barry knew was that when Nora was younger, she'd disappeared for a few months and when she came back, she was expecting Barry.
Nora had never told anyone who'd fathered her child, and her family had been too relieved to have Nora back to ask any unwanted questions. Though it had been clear that Nora's relationship with Barry's father had ended in heartbreak, she'd spoken fondly of Barry's father's courage, kindness and integrity. When Barry was a few days old, Nora had Harrison create Barry's locket, enchanted to hold and show whatever memory Nora chose—hence the few images of Barry's father. Nora had always promised to tell Barry the whole story when he was of age, but she'd died before that could happen. As a result, Barry wore his locket at all times so that he might keep his parents and their love close.
"For now," said Barry, as he slipped it over his neck. Unless they saw the engraving, people would just assume it was an ordinary trinket or perhaps a promise ring, which would avoid any unwanted questions. "C'mon, let's keep looking."
A few minutes later, Barry's bag was full of the human treasures they thought were best for their collection and they were in the midst of looking over the last ones.
"Hey, Barry, look at this." Linda held up a silver handled hairbrush with thick, soft bristles. "What you think it is?"
Merfolk didn't use hairbrushes, they only used combs, so naturally Linda wouldn't recognize one.
"I'm not sure. Take a look at this," said Barry.
In Barry's hand was a boomerang, rusted with age and wear from years under the sea.
"Cool! What the heck is it?"
"I don't know, but I'm betting Cisco will know," said Barry.
"He should. He watches humans more than we do," said Linda. A shiver went down Linda's spine when she heard a faint noise. "Bar, did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" asked Barry, not looking up from the boomerang. He was cleaning it up the best he could with a rag from his bag.
Linda was about to reply when a shadow suddenly blocked the light, causing her to bump into a table and accidentally cut her finger on a knife on the table. Suddenly, there was a low growling noise and Linda cringed as she turned around and saw a great white shark on the other side of the ship's window, its black eyes wide with hunger from having smelled Linda's blood from a crack in the window glass.
"SHARK!" yelled Linda, as she swam away as fast as she could
Barry looked up in alarm as he shoved the boomerang into his bag and swam off. He didn't move a moment too soon, for the shark burst through the side of the ship and snapped at them both, destroying everything that came in its way. It burst through the floor when they tried to evade it by going to the upper level of the ship and then broke through the wall like it was made of glass when they slipped out through an open window.
The shark then chased them around another ship's mast and then Barry came up with a crazy plan to get rid of the shark altogether. He dove straight down to an enormous anchor on the seafloor and sat in the loop of the anchor where the chain was normally placed. When the shark came straight at him, Barry swam sharply backwards, causing the shark to become trapped with no means of escape in the top of the anchor.
Linda cautiously swam down to Barry's level and after seeing for herself that the shark was trapped, she smacked Barry upside the head.
"Ow! What was that for?" demanded Barry.
"For scaring me and nearly dying, you idiot!" said Linda. "You're so lucky this worked."
"I didn't know what else to do!" protested Barry, as they headed for the surface. "Besides, it's not like you had any better ideas!"
Linda sighed in exasperation. "Just don't die on me, or I'll kill you. Okay?"
Barry just laughed.
XXX
Up on the surface of the sea, there was the remains of a ship's crow's nest trapped in the crevice of a large rock. In said crow's nest, amidst a comfortable living space of hay and feathers and grass, lived a black seagull by the name of Cisco, who knew all there was to know about merfolk and humans as he'd befriended two young merfolk and watched humans on a daily basis.
At that moment, Cisco was humming to himself was playing with the telescope Barry had given him on their last visit.
"Cisco!"
Cisco snapped out of his musings and looked out the wrong end of the telescope, spotting his friends, who were waving at him. "Whoa! Merfolk off the port bow! Barry, Linda, how're you doing, guys?" He lowered the telescope and suddenly his friends became closer. "Whoa, what a swim!"
Barry and Linda laughed and Cisco joined in.
"Cisco, look at what we found!" said Barry, as he placed the bag on the rock.
"Yeah, we were in this sunken ship and it was really creepy—" began Linda.
"Human stuff, huh?" interrupted Cisco. "Let the expert take a looksee."
Cisco jumped out of his nest and dumped out the bag's contents. He picked up the hairbrush. "Oh, this is very nice. Judging from the silver and designs, I'd say some noblewoman owned this hairbrush."
"Hairbrush?" echoed Linda.
"Yeah, it's just like a comb. Some humans prefer them over combs, they feel gentler on hair, especially when working through tangles," explained Cisco.
"I'm definitely keeping it then," said Linda. She began using it on her wet, black hair and judging from the look on her face, she was enjoying how it felt.
"What's this, then?" asked Barry, pointing to the boomerang.
Cisco picked up the boomerang in between his black wings. He looked excited. "I haven't seen one of this babies in years. This is awesome. It's what humans call a boomerang."
"Cool!" gushed Barry. "I've read about boomerangs, but I've never actually seen one. You know most humans use boomerangs to hunt? Mainly on a creature called a kangaroo, which is a surprisingly low-fat source of—" Barry's voice wandered off when he saw the amused looks Cisco and Linda were giving him. "—I'm doing the nerd thing again, aren't I?"
"Yes, but it's okay. You're still the cutest nerd we know," teased Linda, as she ruffled his hair.
Barry blushed and then cleared his throat. "So, anyway…Cisco, what's this doohickey?"
Cisco picked up a small rectangular object with smaller rectangular holes on the sides.
"This is what's known as a snarfblatt," he said, dramatically.
Barry and Linda gave Cisco looks before bursting out laughing.
"Okay, okay, I admit it! I'm kidding," said Cisco. "It's actually an instrument called a harmonica. When a human blows on one end and places his fingers in the right place, they can make very fine music. Allow me." Cisco blew on the harmonica but no music came out, only a great deal of sea water, mud and seaweed that Cisco nearly choked on.
"Music!" cried Barry, horrified. He suddenly remembered the celebration and knew he was in a great deal of trouble. "The concert! Oh, my gosh! My grandfather's going to kill me!"
"The concert was today? I could've sworn it wasn't until next week!" said Linda, looking equally horrified.
Linda knew how much the Sea King had been looking forward to the performance and how much it had depended on Barry's attendance. The Sea King was going to be furious and Linda would be lucky if Harrison didn't blame Linda for it. Sometimes Harrison blamed Linda for Barry's faults, called her a bad influence. None of it was true, but angry people were seldom wise.
"If we hurry, we might be able to make it in time, but we've got to go now!" said Barry, as he frantically scooped up his treasures and shoved them in his bag. "Sorry about this Cisco, but we've got to go. Thanks for everything!"
"Anytime, dudes. Anytime!" said Cisco, as he waved good-bye to the two retreating merfolk.
XXX
Unbeknownst to Barry and Linda, as they hurried back to Atlantis, they were being watched by two slippery eels, each with a normal eye and one glowing golden eye. They were Zolomon and Zoom, pets and minions of the infamous Sea Warlock, Eobard.
The magic Eobard had placed on his eels, Eobard was watching Barry's every move from his lair and had been for quite some time.
"Yes, hurry home, little prince," he hissed, to himself. "We wouldn't want to miss dear old Harrison's precious celebration, now would we? Celebration, indeed! Bah! In my day, we did more than simply listen to off-key screeching when I was the second King of the Sea! And now look at me, wasting away to practically nothing! Disgraced and banished, and practically starving while he and his flimsy fish-folk celebrate!"
Eobard was Harrison's brother, who'd been disgraced and exiled when Barry was still in infancy. When their father lay on his deathbed, he didn't pass the kingdom to the eldest son—Eobard—as tradition normally dictated. Instead, he'd divided it up between his two sons. Eobard was given half the sea and his father's magic shell while Harrison got the trident and the other half of the kingdom. Eobard hadn't approved of their father's decision but wisely held his tongue and bided his time, waiting for the right moment to claim what was rightfully his.
For several years, the two brothers had ruled side-by-side in peace. Almost. Unbeknownst to Harrison, Eobard had discovered his talent for black magic and it corrupted any shred of humanity he had left. Eobard attempted to use his dark powers to claim Harrison's in sneaky ways without getting caught, including Harrison's lovesick daughter, Nora, but his work was fruitless. In a final act of desperation and anger, Eobard attacked Harrison in his own palace, only to be defeated by the power of Harrison's trident.
Eobard was subsequently stripped of his royal status and exiled to the darkest corner of the sea. Eobard had taken a form of revenge some years later, but it hadn't been enough to quench his thirst for more. Eobard wanted Harrison humiliated, he wanted his power and status back and he wanted it sooner rather than later. He'd searching for the key to his brother's undoing and waiting for the opportune moment to strike, and he believed he'd found part of what he was looking for.
"Well, I'll give them something to celebrate soon enough!" swore Eobard. He snapped his fingers. "Zolomon, Zoom, I want you to keep an extra-close watch on my fool of a grandnephew. He may be what we've been looking for."
If Eobard's hunch proved right, Barry's oddness would play right into Eobard's favor.
XXX
Meanwhile, though tried his best, when Barry arrived home, the concert was long over and all that was waiting for him were angry words and disapproving glares from his extended relatives and the lecture of a lifetime from Harrison, who was beyond furious with his youngest grandchild.
While Barry was being scolded, Linda waited outside the throne room, listening to every word and cringing as it got more intense. Harrison's anger was bad enough when he thought Barry was simply being careless, let alone if he found out what Barry had really been up to.
"…just don't know what we're going to do with you, young man!" scolded Harrison.
"Grandfather, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to miss the concert," said Barry, softly. "It was an accident, I swear. I had no intention of not being there, I swear." But even as he said it, Barry knew his apology wouldn't be accepted. He knew how important the concert had been and he'd had every intention of being in attendance, but Barry wasn't perfect and he had his flaws like everyone else. Although Harrison loved his grandson and they shared interests in science, Harrison had the unfortunate tendency to come down harder on Barry's few flaws than he did anyone else's. "I wouldn't have missed it on purpose, you know that! I just forgot. I had every intention of attending, I promise!"
"Be that as it may, because of your careless behavior—" began Harrison.
"Careless and reckless behavior!" interjected Hartley. He was equally furious, if not more, than Harrison, because he felt that the failed concert had severely damaged his career, which it hadn't. Being one of the king's closest friends gave Hartley delusions of grandeur and convinced Hartley he had higher authority than that of the king's blood-kin, which was far from true.
"The entire celebration was—" continued Harrison.
"Well, it was ruined!" interrupted Hartley. "Completely destroyed and an utter embarrassment!" He got up right in Barry's face, his eyes blazing with anger. "This concert was supposed to be the pinnacle of my distinguished career and now thanks to you and your irresponsibility and stupidity, I'm the laughingstock of the entire kingdom!"
Barry winced as Hartley's words stung. Barry always tried his hardest to be what was expected of him, but it never seemed like enough. Hartley was right to be angry, but Barry felt bad enough as it was. Hartley didn't need to make it worse by being so cruel.
Unable to stand it any longer, Linda swam into the throne room and right up Hartley's face as she defended her friend.
"Would you stop it, you old grouch? Barry feels bad enough as it is and you're not the boss of him, Hartley! So, shut it!" said Linda, angrily. "It wasn't even his fault!"
"Linda!" hissed Barry, as he grabbed her arm.
Linda glanced at Barry, who beckoned to his grandfather and when Linda saw the look on the Sea King's face, Linda's face fell and Linda humbly bowed as she backed up towards Barry. "Er…what I mean is, the incident was entirely my fault, Your Majesty. Barry asked me to take down the date of the concert so he wouldn't forget, but in my haste, I took down the wrong one. We would've been here if it weren't for my own carelessness, for which I humbly apologize. And besides, we had a crazy morning. We nearly got eaten by a shark and then Cisco wouldn't shut up and—"
"Cisco?" interrupted Harrison, with a dangerous look in his eyes. "Cisco the seagull?"
Linda's hand flew to her mouth as she realized too late of her slip. Barry gave her an annoyed look before trying to placate his grandfather.
Harrison got off his throne. "Barry, tell me the reason you didn't miss the concert was because you were up on the surface after I'd expressly forbidden it!" As usual, when Harrison got angry, he was focusing on what he deemed was wrong and not something more important like the fact that his grandson had barely escaped a shark attack.
"Nothing happened…" said Barry, weakly. "We just talked, that's all."
Harrison groaned in frustration as he face palmed. "Barry, how many times must we go through this? You could've been seen by one of those barbarians, by one of those humans—!"
"Grandfather, stop it! They're not barbarians!" interrupted Barry, angrily. He'd seen humans, studied them, he knew that in spite of all their differences, humans were no different than Barry's own kind. "In their hearts, they're no different than merpeople. Yes, some aren't perfect but a lot more of them are good souls! They're an amazing culture and they—"
"They're dangerous!" said Harrison, sharply. "This fascination of yours is only going to get you killed, just like it did your mother! Do you think I want to see history repeat itself and lose my only grandson?"
Barry glared at Harrison with intense anger. "For the last time, it wasn't humans that killed my mother!"
Thirteen years ago, when Barry was just eleven years old, his mother had taken him on a tragic trip to the surface world. They'd gone up in secret to spend some quality time together—soak in the sun's warm rays, watch humans from afar and have fun. For a while, they'd enjoyed themselves, but then a storm came out of nowhere and a figure in yellow lightning killed Barry's mother and disappeared. Though they'd never found out who or what exactly had performed the terrible deed, Barry had always been adamant that it wasn't a human crime and in contrast, Harrison's hatred of humans and his belief in their "barbaric" nature was further strengthened. As a result, Harrison and Barry had fought on more than one occasion about it.
"And stop treating me like a helpless child that needs protecting! I'm twenty-four years old and I can make my own decisions!" snapped Barry, angrily. Granted Harrison was the king, but Barry was of adult age. Barry could make his own decisions and deal with the consequences. He wasn't some helpless guppy!
"Don't you take that tone of voice with me, young man!" said Harrison, furiously as his voice rose up in pitch. "As long as you live under my ocean, you'll obey my rules!"
Barry tried one last time. "But if you would just listen—!" If Harrison just listened, maybe he would finally understand why Barry loved the humans and their world, and maybe then he'd finally understand Barry as well.
"NOT ANOTHER WORD!" roared Harrison. "AND I AM NEVER, NEVER TO HEAR OF YOU GOING TO THE SURFACE AGAIN! IS THAT CLEAR?"
Tears were pooling Barry's eyes and his lip trembled, but he merely nodded as he then swam away, to who knew where.
XXX
Harrison slumped in his throne, his chin nestled in the palm of his hand.
The disaster that had been the concert combined with the fight he'd just had with Barry had worn him clean out. He was also feeling a twinge of guilt at having raised his voice at his grandson and what had been said about Barry's mother. It was a sore subject for them both.
Hartley humphed and shook his head in Barry's direction. "Young merpeople. They think they know everything! You give them an inch, they swim all over you."
"You don't think I was too hard on him, Hartley?" asked Harrison.
"Absolutely not!" said Hartley. "You're the king as well as his grandfather. Your word is law and Barry should heed it. But on the other hand, I think it's possible Barry's behavior stems from his mother. You know what she was like. She loved humans."
Harrison nodded and a small smile flickered across his face as he thought of his late daughter. Nora had loved humans and always tried to get Harrison to see things from her point of view. She'd believed that their two worlds could be joined as one. She'd passed that, along with her pure heart and other fine qualities to her son. Harrison hadn't been the same since his daughter's passing.
"So, what do you suggest then?" asked Harrison.
"Perhaps if Barry were given a probationary period, if he were chaperoned for a short time, that is. Show him what life will be like if he doesn't shape up. If Barry behaves himself, then declare him trustworthy and leave him be. If he doesn't, tighten control over him," said Hartley. "He's a grown merman, but he needs to stay out of trouble. In time, he'll see that it's for his own good."
Harrison's face lit up as he thought of the ramifications of Hartley's suggestion. "Hartley, old friend, I believe you're onto something."
"Of course I am," said Hartley, proudly.
"For the next two weeks, Barry will be watched. Someone will watch over him from afar, keep him out of trouble."
"Naturally."
"And you—" Harrison jabbed his finger into Hartley's chest. "—are just the crab to do it! Report back to me in two weeks."
For the first time in his life, Hartley was rendered speechless and he looked anything but happy. When he'd suggested his idea, he hadn't intended for Harrison to pick him to be Barry's chaperone. He was a composer, not a babysitter! But of course, he couldn't say this to the Sea King, so with great reluctance, Hartley obeyed.
XXX
Hartley soon left the palace in search of Barry while muttering to himself.
"Me and my big mouth! I should be in my room composing symphonies, not babysitting a brainless surface-dweller loving fool!"
Hartley ceased his angry mutterings when he saw Barry meet with Linda just outside the palace gates, slinging a bag over his shoulder and looking mighty suspicious.
"What is that idiot up to?" muttered Hartley.
Hartley secretly followed Barry and Linda over quite a distance to a seemingly ordinary large rock formation, but then Hartley's suspicious were further aroused when Barry moved aside a boulder, revealing a giant crack. Barry and Linda slipped through it and Hartley followed, barely getting inside in time before the rock fell back into its place.
What Hartley discovered shocked him to the core. He was inside a grotto, and not just any grotto, but one filled with a grand collection of forbidden human treasures that been started by Barry's mother and continued by Barry and Linda.
Barry lay on his stomach on the floor, looking upset as he held a human fork in his hands. Linda floated above him, clearly concerned for her friend.
"Barry, are you okay?" asked Linda, her voice soft with worry.
Barry sighed as he nodded. "I'm fine, Linda. I…I just wish I could make Grandfather understand. I just don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things, a world that my mother loved could be bad."
Barry placed the fork in the candelabra, right in between the knife and spoon before sitting up and gazing at his vast collection. His beautiful voice then echoed throughout the grotto as he sang. Look at this stuff
Isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?
Wouldn't you think I'm the boy
The boy who has everything?
Look at this trove
Treasures untold
How many wonders can one cavern hold?
Looking around here you think
Sure, he's got everything
Barry's collection held countless human objects, all kept in the best condition he could manage. He had paintings and statues, clocks and pocket watches, dishware and pottery, binoculars and telescopes, jewelry and other little trinkets like thimbles, scientific tools, books and so much more. There was so much in the grotto that there was scarcely any space left for more treasures and yet somehow, Barry always found room for more.
I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty
I've got antiques and relics galore
You want wine corkscrews?
I've got twenty!
But who cares?
No big deal
I want more
Barry looked longing toward the top of the grotto where he could see the light of the sun rippling across the water before he ran his fingers over the antique music box. It had the figure of a gentleman and lady holding each other as they danced. It had been his mother's favorite item in the entire collection, and Barry's as well. Collecting human treasures, while it brought Barry joy, it wasn't enough. His heart yearned for more. I want to be where the people are
I want to see, want to see them dancing
Walking around on those - what do you call 'em?
Oh – feet! Flipping your fins, you don't get too far
Legs are required for jumping, dancing
Strolling along down a – what's that word again?
Street!
Linda giggled as she and Barry wiggled their fins, pretending they were feet before the two of them joined hands and swam around the grotto together, imagining they were dancing and doing all the things that humans did that they could not. Up where they walk, up where they run
Up where they stay all day in the sun
Wandering free – wish I could be
Part of that worldWhat would I give if I could live out of these waters?
What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand?
Barry broke apart from Linda and then closed his eyes as he laid down on the floor of the grotto, trying to imagine how it'd feel to lie in the warm sun on the seashore with other humans instead of laying alone on a rock. From the stories Nora had told Barry, which had been quite vivid in detail, Barry could sometimes feel as though he was actually on land. But dreaming of it was one thing, to actually experience it was something else entirely.
Bet'cha on land they understand
That they don't reprimand their grandsons
Bright and strong men, sick of swimming
Ready to stand
Barry longed to truly be accepted for what he was, to be able to pursue his interests without risk of rejection. His fascination with humans aside, Barry yearned for the unknown—a world beyond that of the one he'd always know—to explore that which merfolk feared and didn't understand. To be able to freely express his passions and desires and to have them be accepted by all would mean more to him than words could say. And ready to know what the people know
Ask 'em my questions and get some answers
What's a fire and why does it – what's the word?
Burn?
Barry grabbed a book and skimmed through it before running his fingers over an old painting his mother had collected years earlier. For all Barry's knowledge of humans, it was of little consequence for there was so much more he didn't yet know. There was still so much to learn, so much to know and yet Barry couldn't know, for he wasn't human and nor could he risk speaking to one without consequences. When's it my turn?
Wouldn't I love, love to explore that world up above?
Out of the sea
Wish I could be
Part of that world…
Linda squeezed Barry's shoulder as the two of them sat side-by-side and gazed longingly at the top of the grotto as the now-fading sunlight ripped across the water.
Suddenly, there was a horrible crash that startled them both and when they turned to see the cause of it, they were both equally horrified to see Hartley sitting in a small tangled pile of trinkets looking immensely unhappy.
"Hartley?!" gasped Barry. He quickly got Hartley free of the mess and held the little crab in his hands. "What…what're you doing here?"
"Keeping an eye on you for the next two weeks as per your grandfather's request," said Hartley, through clenched teeth. "And would you care to explain just what is all this rubbish?"
"It…" Barry swallowed nervously. "It's my collection. Well, I say mine, I mean mine and Linda's, and well, my mother may have started it before she died…" Barry's voice wandered off and he looked sheepish.
"Oh, I see," said Hartley, sweetly as he held up a small fishing hook. "Your 'collection.'" It was at that moment that Hartley lost it. "IF YOUR GRANDFATHER KNEW ABOUT THIS, HE'D—"
Hartley was cut off when Linda grabbed him and held him so tightly, he almost couldn't breathe as she glared menacingly at Hartley.
"So help me, Hartley, if you so much as hint of this to Harrison, I'll make a crab cake out of you!" threatened Linda.
"Linda, please! Enough," said Barry, as he rescued Hartley, who was turning purple, from Linda's suffocating grasp. Barry looked pleadingly at the crab. "Hartley, please. Please, I'm begging you, don't tell my grandfather. You know what he's like! If he found this place…it's one of the few things I have left of my mother. Don't take that away from me, please."
For a moment it looked as though Hartley was about to outright refuse, but then something inside him broke and he sighed.
"Alright, fine. I won't say anything, but only if we leave this place right now. Deal?" said Hartley. "I'm not comfortable here."
Both Linda and Barry agreed and they began to leave, but then the grotto became quite dark as a strange shadow passed across the surface of the sea, arousing Barry's curiosity.
"Guys, look up there. What do you suppose…?"
Without waiting for a reply, Barry dropped Hartley and swam up to the surface with Linda and Hartley close behind him.