A/N: Nothing really to say about this one...except that Minnie will get stronger and less timid as time goes on. I'm always self-conscious about that. After all, spunky, spitfire Minnie is the best Minnie.
It had been rather rude, after all, to brush off the other mermaids like that. They'd only meant well in their special way, and they couldn't possibly understand what she was going through. To them, there was no such concept as something only being beautiful to some people, or that said beauty wasn't everything, or that a mermaid might want something more out of her life.
Minnie could still remember the first time she had ever been brought up to the surface. She'd fallen in love with the heat of the sun, the smell of the air, the promise of the world being far bigger than she'd ever dreamed it could be. And not just in size, since the ocean was quite vast, but in variety. She never wanted to stop swimming with the fish, never wanted to stop being a mermaid, for her heart still belonged to the sea. But she'd always been different. Her values were different, her thoughts different. And on her worst days, she questioned if she belonged anywhere at all. Because even the interesting land creatures showed a lack of understanding in why a mermaid might want the things Minnie did.
Maybe that was why she had fallen so hard, so fast, so easily for that angel boy, Mickey. When she first saw him fly, it was like watching somebody swim in the air. He was a free spirit, and he too challenged ideas, tested limits, broke rules. It was so clear to her that he wasn't like the other angels, because she had seen him with them. The sort of looks they gave him when he talked about exploring the sea or flying far away from the island were looks she knew too well from her own kind.
If mermaids valued beauty and grace above all else, then angels valued a warrior spirit. They could be awfully aggressive, and it was clear that Mickey was admired for his strength, agility, and cunning. But it was apparent that whenever he did something unorthodox, the reaction was less than favorable. And while angels may talk to land creatures, they weren't known to become best friends with them, hanging around them every day the way Mickey did with his best friends. He was different, like her.
In the days that Minnie had stayed at home, she'd thought about all this and questioned if her hurt feelings were legitimate. Maybe she had fallen for all the wrong reasons. She reflected that she'd been awfully shallow herself. And what had she expected to happen, hiding behind rocks all the time and spying? That he would someday notice her and coax her to come out because she was special to him somehow? Nonsense and fiddle-faddle. It was only right that he should find someone to love. He was young, he was kind, he was clever, talented, and fun. Why, he must have been awfully popular with the girls, she realized in her time alone.
But she hadn't spent all that time being reasonable, rationally working things out to get over him. While she did the wise thing in not going to spy on him anymore, she couldn't really stop thinking about Mickey anyway, entertaining her more favorite fantasies. She'd lie in the middle of her grotto and look up at the opening that allowed the sun to shine through, and she'd think about Mickey picking her up and carrying her off into the sky. When they were landed, he'd wrap those wings of his around her so she wouldn't be cold. He'd take her to a party and maybe even help her dance without feet or water to swim in. And mostly, she thought about the things she would ask him. Things she would tell him. Maybe that was what she wanted more than any of it, was someone to talk to. Maybe all this time, she'd simply wanted a friend.
It would be healthiest then, to go and seek out friendship elsewhere. That was why she'd decided to let the mermaids show her their particular brand of fun in a way that was more involved than she'd ever let them before. That had been less than successful because of her emotional outbreak. It had been so silly, and yet Minnie had felt her heart rip little by little, the cracks in it growing longer and deeper the more the others talked about romance and dressed her up. Because she knew the truth and they didn't, that there wasn't some sea prince out there for her, no fairy tale ending. And she could sparkle all she wanted, that didn't make her undesirable. Angels were attracted to shiny things, she had observed with amusement, but Mickey would never be fooled into liking a girl just because she glittered. In the end, she discovered in that reflection, her situation had not changed one little bit.
But that didn't mean she couldn't apologize. And so the very next day, back at the lagoon, she was doing just that, explaining that she hadn't been feeling well and that she appreciated the efforts of the other girls, really she did. They seemed reluctant to forgive her, but in the end decided that there was no reason not to. They still were intrigued by this Minnie who came to Mermaid Lagoon willingly, and now, they had questions. Who was this boy she liked? Did they know him? Why didn't he like her? Was that why she rejected the others?
It was difficult fielding these questions, especially because Minnie was trying to be as vague as possible. The last thing she needed was for her secret to somehow make its way off that rock, head inland, and right into Mickey's ears. She gave away the information that it was no merman, it was no one they knew, and it was certainly not Mortimer. It felt good to have a legitimate excuse for not liking him. Of course, she'd always had a legitimate excuse for not liking him, several actually, but the mermaids had never really accepted those. Now that they knew someone else had snagged Minnie's heart, they understood things a little better. They still thought it was foolish and annoying for Minnie to turn down all those boys, but at least now they could almost grasp why it kept happening.
And this was why Minnie didn't deny having a crush. She might have gone with some narrative about how she was over it and that she didn't want to talk about it at all, but she would have never gotten away with it. And for now, she just wanted to make peace with her sisters of the sea, to try doing things their way, to try and be the mermaid everyone thought she was supposed to be.
In some ways, it was very difficult. In other ways, it was incredibly easy. The other mermaids were easily misled, and that was very helpful. She convinced them that she didn't need to be dressed up today because she was going to sing for them instead, and they could all join in and they'd make music. She didn't need to talk about her crush, because instead, they could play games like collecting seashells and tag and the like. The best thing was when she would convince the others to sunbathe with her, because that meant quiet and thought, all the while she was technically participating with everyone.
Minnie gave this a shot for a couple days, but it was sort of undeniable that she was still feeling unfulfilled. Telling herself to stay away from the land was only making her more miserable, she realized. She liked to explore, collect, and observe. It was who she was. So maybe she'd run into a sight that reminded her of Mickey. That was no reason to swear off her interests, just because of some boy. And really now, wasn't she overreacting? She didn't even know the boy to begin with.
One afternoon Minnie sat up, having had this moment of clarity with a frown, and decided - well, the island didn't belong to Mickey and his friends. And she remembered that why, she had friends on the island herself. Not many, but one of those friends was her best friend, and that counted just as much as ten at least. With this encouraging thought, Minnie abandoned her sunbathing and Mermaid Lagoon altogether, diving into the water and consequentially - although accidentally - sprinkling her fellow sunbathers with water droplets that made them squeal. Minnie popped back out of the water, called, "Sorryyy!" with a little apologetic wave, and then disappeared into the water again, dodging inquiring mermen and rocks. She headed out of the lagoon and along the beach, where not too far away there was the opening to one of the shadier, calmer rivers.
Up this way, not too far, was where Daisy and many of the other nymphs lived. Of course, nymphs scattered themselves all over the island, but this paradise was where they clustered together the most. Minnie liked the nymphs, they somehow seemed calmer than the mermaids despite being playful in their own fashion. They could be awfully judgmental, but mostly, they were concerned about their privacy, and that was much of their reason for running away from mortals and the like on the mainland. Out here, in pure nature, they truly shone. They were creatures with echoey laughs and sly movements, so that sometimes you could never tell if you had seen one or not, especially if they had no desire to be seen.
Luckily, Daisy was one of the more social ones, and she was never too difficult to spot. The various silks and flowers she wore were always quite colorful, and she was never truly one for hiding. Playing hard-to-get, certainly, but not hiding. She was sitting now on the bank in a spot where the sun leaked through the canopy of leaves, and the light formed a golden-silver halo around her. Minnie smiled. Nymphs were good at that sort of thing, looking picturesque without even trying, and being a mermaid, Minnie couldn't say that she was entirely born without an appreciation for beautiful things.
Minnie swam closer, head bobbing above the surface, and then she rested her upper half upon the little bit of land that rose out of the water upon which Daisy sat. "H'llo," Minnie greeted innocently, hoping that Daisy hadn't been taking it too hard that she'd been absent so much.
As a matter of fact, Daisy had. She snapped up in surprise, having been distracted by the daisy chain she was making, and she gawked at Minnie as though she had never seen such a sight. Her bill fell open and them she pursed her lips with a huff, her hands falling on her hips, the rest of her straightening up. "Hello? Hello? That's it, after being gone for a week, I get hello?"
Minnie was struggling with the smile that was trying to cross her face, wanting to respect her friend's wishes, but ultimately she knew that she was going to get away with her crime because Daisy was always forgiving in the end. "Oh, now, Daisy, it hasn't been a week, just a few days..."
"Well for however long it was, it was forever," Daisy insisted defiantly. "You know how I worry! What with you always roaming around where you shouldn't..."
"I've been home mostly. Or at the lagoon," Minnie clarified. She turned her eyes downward, her chin finding her chest, her fingers plucking at bits of grass. She knew Daisy was about to ask why, so she shrugged preemptively, murmuring, "I've been a little blue..."
"And that's different from normal for a mermaid, is it?" Daisy couldn't resist cracking a smirk at her own cleverness. But then her expression softened, and as always, Minnie's transgressions had been forgotten. Minnie was a responsible sort, so she tended to have her reasons for the times when she was flighty. Daisy lifted Minnie's chin up with one hand and shared with her deepest sympathy. "Minnie, dear, what's wrong? I know you hate the lagoon, and - "
"I don't HATE the lagoon," Minnie interrupted with a shy laugh, shaking her head. "I just...don't...fit in there very well, that's all..."
"Be that as it may, it's not like you to be there all the time, otherwise maybe I'd come and visit you for a change," Daisy coolly replied. "Anyway don't change the subject. What's going on? Is it something someone did? Because, oh, if somebody..."
Minnie shook her head, grateful for her friend's dedication and concern, but not wanting Daisy's intervention, especially now that Minnie was too late. "No, nothing like that. I don't need you to go picking fights with anyone for little old me." Daisy raised her brows skeptically, but Minnie shook her head again, smile growing. "Honest to goodness! Just...something didn't work out the way I wanted it to, and so I've been sulking about it. Oh dear, I don't even want to talk about it, I've missed your stories about your friends and the island so much...I've missed coming here...oh, please, Daisy, let's talk about that instead..."
"What? You expect me to just drop it?" Daisy looked incredulous. She tended to stick her beak where it didn't belong, but she especially did so when it was her friends who were keeping secrets. "Minniiiee - " she began, clearly hungry for the story, but Minnie knew Daisy would press anyone to death except for her. Like a lot of people, Daisy recognized that Minnie was sensitive, and she was in fact more perceptive of it. The other nymphs hadn't talked to Minnie when she had first naively greeted them all, they had all stared at her in confusion, but when Minnie had approached Daisy, Daisy had immediately understood that the poor thing was in need of friendship.
And now, all Minnie had to do was mutter softly, "Daisy...please...?" Those big brown eyes blinked slowly, clearly manipulative, but it worked.
Daisy tried to look as though she were quite irritated, but the truth was, she certainly didn't mind getting to be the speaker instead of the listener anyway. She heaved a heavy, tragic sigh, but was flopping onto her own stomach quick enough, resuming her flower chain. "Well, alright, but don't think you're off the hook now..." Minnie giggled, knowing the pun was intentional. "In fact...I know I say this a lot, Minnie, but you really ought to come to tonight's party. Even if it means going with a lame date. If you want to know about the land so much..."
Minnie didn't dignify that possibility with an answer, simply humming, "Storyyyy..."
And so Daisy told Minnie of the latest island goings-on with a growing smile upon her face replacing her look of defeat, and Minnie listened with fascination, trying to imagine the things Daisy was talking about as usual. Here and there a nymph or spirit passed by, but they were no longer alarmed by the sight of a mermaid in their midst. They simply ignored it. And Minnie knew better to only glance at them curiously when they didn't know it. For the first time in days, Minnie's mind was off of her brush with heartbreak, as Daisy prattled on about her own real relationship, the drama between Horace and Clarabelle, the activities of various others. Unfortunately, without realizing it, Daisy came right back around to the source.
"You know my angel friend, Mickey? I think I've mentioned him a couple times. The one who I said would be cute with you. Well anyway, I guess you don't have to worry about me playing matchmaker, since it seems he's finally fallen head over heels for some girl..."
Minnie felt a pang in her chest like the stabbing of a dagger, but didn't let on. Her smile merely vanished, and she kept her eyes on Daisy's fingers as they wove together flowers. "Wh-who is it...?"
Daisy shrugged, eyes widening for emphasis before returning to their natural state. "Nobody knows! He won't tell anybody about it. He's been gone during the day, every day, and nobody knows where to. If you ask me, he must be with her. Secret meetings and whatnot..."
"A-and you're sure he really likes her," Minnie murmured. She felt cold then, even in the sun.
"Honey, I've never seen him like this before," Daisy took no time in stating. "Mickey's never dated anyone that I know of, but boy, is it obvious now. He zones out, he does that slower whistle boys do when they get all moony, he blushes when you try to ask him about it. And usually he'll try to refuse to say anything, but he's terrible at keeping secrets. He gets this goofy look on this face and mentions that she's beautiful and smart and whatnot. I'm trying to be happy for him, we all are, but the secret's killing Donald, and I don't know, you know I don't like secrets either. Something about it seems off. You know I always wanted you to at least meet Mickey..." Daisy looked at Minnie accusingly from the corner of her eye, and Minnie was forced to smile back.
"W-well it sounds like he's already got s-somebody, a-and I d-don't need anybody, really." Minnie was trying to concentrate on not shivering, but it wasn't quite working out. "Y-you know that. A-and - h-he's an angel, right? I - I don't think I'm his type." Minnie's fin raised out of the water as a little reminder.
"Well I guess so, but - hey. Hey, what's wrong?" Daisy had turned her head to look at Minnie directly now, and she looked alarmed.
Whatever was wrong with her appearance, Minnie couldn't say, but she knew she was starting to fall apart again. She shook her head, forcing that smile more. "N-nothing! I - I just have the shivers, that's all. Oh, I must be catching s-something. I - I have to go, I'm sorry, Daisy - l-lost track of the time, so I-I'll just - "
To Minnie's surprise, Daisy caught her wrist. Where Daisy would have been yelling at anyone else, she spoke softly to Minnie here, not hiding that she was genuinely concerned.
"Hey," she murmured. "Come to the party tonight, huh? I don't know what's happening, but - you've always wanted to go anyway, right? It'll do you good. I don't know who all is going, but I'll be there. And if my klutz boyfriend is on time you can finally meet him." Daisy offered Minnie a caring smile.
Minnie wanted to think of a thousand reasons why she should refuse, but in that moment, she couldn't, not in the face of such selfless, rational advice. Minnie winced, but in the end, she did nod slowly. Yes. She'd - she'd go.
Minnie slipped out of Daisy's grip, disappearing back into the river, escaping before the tears started up again.
When she returned to Mermaid Lagoon, she didn't have time to mull things over. She'd been poking out of the water, scooping heavy, dark hair out of her eyes, when the first sight she met was what looked like Mortimer huffily making conversation with a group of mermaids. One of which who now turned and unhelpfully pointed Minnie right out. "Oo, there she is!"
Minnie wanted to disappear right then and there, but she froze as Mortimer turned her way, his eyes lighting up with recognition. Then he was turning his whole body, stomping those hooves of his as he plowed through the water. Minnie wasn't so deep that he couldn't reach, and so he'd hooked her shoulder and reeled her in.
" Minnie! Babe! Been lookin' all over for ya! Ya had me worried. Girls said ya high-tailed it outta here already, an' ya know I can't catch ya when ya do that." That was the point, Minnie thought to herself, but instead all she did was make a little noncommittal noise while he found her hand and tugged her closer and slightly out of the water. Mortimer was smirking, but it looked as though he'd grown tired from chasing her shadow all day. "Now that I've hooked ya though..." It was never funny when Mortimer was the one making that pun. "...how's about I whisk ya away and we fool around a bit, huh? What'dya say, doll, t'night's finally th' night, I ken feel - "
"Th-the party!" Minnie squeaked, remembering. Mortimer looked confused, and that was when Minnie had her answer in the matter of transportation, so she elaborated. Minnie's voice and posture grew stronger as she spoke. "There's a party on the island tonight. I - I need an escort since I can't make it there by myself..."
Mortimer was starting to look interested. He slicked his ears back with a smug grin. "Ohh, so ya had me all picked out for a date, huh? Don't blame ya, toots, it's a good chance to show off our relationship..." Minnie grimaced, but couldn't quite correct him yet, because he was leaning in and trying to further his case from before. "Ah, party-shmarty though, there's a party that big every week! C'mon, cutie, we can gab about that later..."
Minnie used all of her force to lurch away, removing herself from his grip. "No, we can gab about it now," she said firmly, a dangerous spark in her eyes. Just because she needed Mortimer, didn't mean she was going to let him play her like a lyre and take full advantage of her. Minnie knew how to play people too. "I'm going to that party, Mortimer, and I'm going to do it right. I'm going to get dressed up and - and I'll expect you to pick me up at sundown." He was trying to interject, but Minnie was rising above it, becoming more shrill. "You'll be taking me straight to the party, no tricks. And - and we're going as friends or we're not going at all."
Mortimer gave an exasperated laugh, his eyes wide and having no idea what to make of this side of Minnie, as he never did. She was going too fast for his feeble brain by suggesting they take things slow, and so he was weak when pursuing a better deal. "Friends!? Aw, c'mon, sweetheart, I know ya've fallen fer me, th' whole island thinks we're t'gether - "
"Well we're not. You'll be taking me, Mortimer, and you'll act civilized, or I'll just have to ask some other gentleman to take me to a land party like I've always dreamed." She shot her brows up, waiting.
And to her shock, he actually crumbled. Mortimer looked dejected, then calculating. He was thinking a great deal about this, mouth hanging open, pride in jeopardy. But eventually, he yielded, stealing Minnie's cheek and pinching it. "Aaaaalright, cutie, we'll play it your way. If this is aboutchyer reputation, don't you worry. An' you an' I both know that by th' end, you'll be wanting some action anyway..." He winked, which was clumsy and off balance somehow. But he'd said yes, and now he was turning, looking victorious even though Minnie had engineered the whole situation herself. "Pick you up at nine, babe!" he called over his shoulder.
"Eight!" Minnie corrected in frustration, before sinking down under the water to float and ask herself if this was really worth the trouble. She hoped Daisy was right, about this party lifting her spirits.