"How much longer are we going to be here?" Freya asked while picking at the nails. Mytho looked over at his companion on the shore.
"You know, you could enjoy yourself more if you watched your boyfriend out there." He answered trying to keep his patience.
"I'd prefer him here, away from any smelly, salty water."
Mytho groaned, "Then why not leave and wait for everyone to come back since you're so sick of this."
Freya looked offended, "And leave my Fakir alone when he comes back!?"
"Okay, fine! Whatever."

Mytho went back to watching his fiancé and future brother-in-law ride the waves. Things seemed to be fine so far. Besides the oncoming dark clouds bringing rain, nothing seemed so bad. But unknowing to the surface dwellers, under the sea water the blue tailed merpeople were using their pearls to bring in the oncoming storm. However, what would seem like a small rain storm would turn into thunderous mess!

With a few silver tailed merpeople observing the weather spells they created in their user's hands, Ahiru watched nervously as her newly created pearl was handed off without having been tested. She watched as the weather merpeople lined up and begun to activate their magic. Ahiru could feel the water evaporate towards the sky. Begin so close to the surface, the merpeople could see the clouds forming over them.

The weather team made their move towards the shore. And Ahiru, along with other silver tailed merpeople, followed close by. The storm dragged behind.

Rue took notice of the clouds. After pulling herself off her current wave (no bad pun intended), she called out to her brother. "Fakir, we should bring it in! That storm looks pretty bad!"
"You worry too much!" He called back to her, "Just a few more then we can head out!"
"You'll get yourself killed, idiot! Let's go!"
"I'll join you in a bit!"

Rue shook her head, his stubbornness could get him really hurt if he continued to act this way. She chose instead the head back to shore and wait on Fakir to come back. No doubt she would get an earful from Freya about leaving him out there, but she just might get through it with Mytho there.

Ahiru watched her pearl as they got closer to shore. That was where it all went wrong.
The merman who held onto Ahiru's pearl stopped swimming, causing the rest to halt. The storm was still not close enough to shore. The merman pulled his hand closer to his face to observe what was happening with his pearl. It was vibrating violently and changing different colors. Some of the other merpeople gathered around him, staring at the pearl curiously. Fear began to cripple Ahiru's nerves. To try and get ahold of herself, she swam closer to the merman to try and examine her creation.

But she wasn't quick enough.

The pearl shattered, knocking back several, if not all, the weather merpeople back. This meant that the storm no longer had a master. It took on a new more violent form of storm, one at which the merpeople had to run back and regroup.

As for our surface dwellers… well, the storm found it would be able to take at least one victim.
The waves rocked haphazardly as the rain and wind mixed together for an even more dangerous attack.
Fakir clutched his board as he desperately swam back to shore. The storm began to ripple much more, so much so that Fakir's board decided to jab upward on Fakir, upper cutting his face and knocking him unconscious.

The merpeople began to panic even more, as silver tails began to create new pearls as fast as they could to silence the storm. But as for Ahiru herself, she tried to swim opposite of the crowd. She felt she couldn't be of much help, seeing as it was her pearl that caused the damage. Not realizing how close to shore she was, she noticed something…

A floater…?

She paddled closer.
Her gills flared in shock. It was a human! And not just any human, but the one who she watched almost all the time! His body was upside down in the water. That flat thing he would stand on was nowhere in sight.

Ahiru hesitated. He would drown if she didn't do anything, but what if he saw her as a mermaid? She would already get hounded on for screwing up the storm, there's no telling what would happen if anyone found out she not only got near a human, but saved one!

She looked over her shoulder for a second, then made her choice.
Ahiru slipped her arm over his back and slid his arm over her shoulders. Carefully holding onto him, she shot out towards shore. The storm was a lot worse than she had imagined. The waves and winds threatened her rescue mission, but she tore on ahead.

As far as Ahiru could tell, she couldn't see anyone on shore, especially now that the storm had reached the land. Desperate to bring her temporary companion back, she pushed on her fins with all her might to get to the sands!

After what felt like ages, Ahiru was able to flop onto shore, placing the human boy on top of the sand. The storm was getting lighter, but a few gentle rain drops remained. Ahiru placed two fingers on his neck.

A faint heartbeat. He was still alive! But was he breathing?

She looked down at his lips. There was a nasty cut down the center. But it didn't look like it was moving. Inclining her ear to his mouth she listened for a breath.

…nothing…

Ahiru bit her lip. There was a spell she could sing to him, but she ran a dangerous risk. Singing to a human could possibly have her banished from the ocean. Ahiru glanced all around her. No sign of anyone. She sighed, she couldn't let him die.

Breathe again lost one
Breathe again fading one

Take in the life you need
Let you not your soul bleed

Don't let your light flicker out
Breathe again, with my air out

Take my air
Forbid death's cold stare

At that moment, Ahiru breathed into the human. Her lips touched his, as she was literally left breathless. As she pulled away, she felt something on her lips that her tongue barely touched. That little taste was aweful! Almost bizarre!

She touched her lip, and whipped whatever was there away. She only saw a hint of red on the back of her hand. She shrugged it off and looked over at the human.
Good, he was breathing again!

Taking her leave and bracing herself for the humiliation of a lifetime, she moved back into the water. As she began to try and submerge herself under, she felt strange… almost like she couldn't breathe. She began to feel a split down her tail. She curled herself over to get a better look at her tail. But it seemed to be disappearing!
Fear swelling up inside, she felt her sides for her gills. They were closed… as if they too were not even there! No longer being able to breathe, Ahiru shot up back to the surface. Once she was freed of the water, she sucked in surface air! What was the meaning of this!?
She kicked her tail up, only to find a pair of legs!

Oh no! Had someone seen what she did and forced her banishment?!
Ahiru swam back to shore. As she crawled onto land, she felt her heart falling out of her chest. How could this happen? How was she going to adjust to such a life of shame?! Was this punishment for saving someone!

The pain and confusion of everything overwhelmed her and sent her into darkness…


A/N: I'm going to try to post a chapter every week or two. (Or until I write the next of the later chapters. I'm on chapter 7 right now...) In the mean time I would love to hear your feed back on this story so far.

And if you're really bored, you can check out the poll I put up. Just some silly ideas I had, you know?

Thank you so much to:
AnimeaMari for reviewing (I was actually considering doing that, but then I changed my mind. Sorry...)
maskedvigilanteprincess864 for following
James Birdsong for reviewing (I'm glad you like it so far!)
TheRookieKing412 for reviewing and following (I'm really happy to hear someone be so excited about one of my stories before it even happened! I hope this second chapter lived up to your expectations!)
AdeliaAira for following
Ern Estine 13624 for reviewing and following (I hope you didn't have to wait too long! I'm thrilled you like it so far!)
And most importantly you for reading this far with me!