Faro
"You've changed," Sapphire's voice is cold and flat but behind her words, I can feel the pain.
"So have you." I comment trying to sound harsh and cold like she had, but my voice sounds shaky.
"Where have you been? Why did you leave? Why didn't you ever come back?" Sapphire asks, her voice wavering.
"I've been here. I left because I had to. I didn't ever come back because I. Didn't. Want. To," I practically whisper. Sapphire's face malts into pain as I say the last words. My mind races for ways to apologize or make her feel better, but instead I say, "If you were so keen on finding me, why didn't you come looking for me?"
Her words make a blanket of pure guilt fold over me like a blanket, "I did. I searched everywhere. I called you. The police came to my house because my mum was worrying when I didn't come back one night, all because I was hopelessly looking for you! I stopped looking after I realized you didn't want me here anymore, and apparently nobody else did, considering I didn't see anyone else either."
"I-I'm… sorry." I say, sounding choked. Apparently, she wasn't in the mood for forgiveness because she didn't answer.
"You're crying… I didn't think the mer could cry," she comments in a flat tone. As a reflex reaction, I reach up to my face and wipe the tears.
"It isn't," I say, sounding harsher than I meant to.
"Oh, right, I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that," Sapphire whispers calmly, and I can hear the guilt in her voice. Why do I feel guilty for her saying that? I wonder.
Instead of saying it's alright, the words that come out of my mouth turn her face into a mask of pain and have those clear, beautiful tears spilling out of her eyes: "Well, you should be. You don't belong here. You're completely human, and humans are ignorant polluters who don't deserve to live… especially you."
"If you think that, then why don't you kill me yourself?" Sapphire's voice is tight and choked, and I instantly regret the words I said. I don't even know why I said them.
"Because… because-" I get cut off by that same voice telling Sapphire to wait,
"Hey are you okay? You sounded kind of upset," the mer says to Sapphire. When he sees me his expression changes to apologetic shock, "Oh hi, sorry, I'm Derrick,"
"I'm Faro," I say tightly. Derrick looks from me to Sapphire and then to me again.
"I've heard about you before," Derrick looks behind his shoulder quickly before adding, "From someone."
"Well I've never seen you before," I say hastily, glaring at Sapphire. She's looking down at the sand with wide eyes as if she wants the ground to open up and swallow her.
"I have to go now." I say as I turn to swim away.
"Ah, nice meeting you," Derrick replies. I instantly get a polite vibe off of him, but I also sense something about him, as if he's been touched by darkness. I instantly turn around and ask the two: "Have you two heard any news about the Kraken?"
Sapphire shakes her head no, looking broken. Derrick answers: "Only that he or it was put back to sleep. Why? Have you?"
"No of course not, it was a stupid question," I reply, too quickly. They both give me suspicious glances; Sapphire's tinged with anger, confusion, and broken down agony. Before they can say anything else, I turn and swim away through the darkening grey water.
As I swim slowly I hear a whisper of Sapphire's thoughts: I'm sorry, goodbye Faro…
Sapphire
"Are you okay?" Derrick asks for the fifth time as we make our way to the council to decide my fate.
"Yes, I'm fine," I answer… for the fifth time. One thing I like about Derrick: He cares. Like really cares, as in he'll know when something is wrong and he'll try to make it better. Faro used to be like that, but now he's changed. Yes, it feels as though Faro has stuck a huge knife in my heart and is cutting my heart to pieces; that's not going to make me break down and let it ruin my life. And I certainly won't give up on him.
"We don't have to go to the council right now… you could wait to make your decision. Or you could decide right now… if you really want to," Derrick looks at me with a mild tone of concern plastered on his face.
"We can still go, I'm fine really." I say, even though I feel tired and drained and somewhat miserable.
Derrick doesn't look convinced, so he states: "No. You don't look good. Come one, let's go back,"
I sigh and follow behind Derrick, envying the fact that he has a strong seal tail to propel him through Ingo's vastness. The decision whether or not to become mer is becoming more and more difficult. The positives to being mer: First, I could sail through Ingo with a lot of great speed. Second: I could visit my dad (his grave… If they have those here). Third, I could find the reason I had to become mer. Finally, I could tear apart the Kraken's schemes and plans once and for all. There are also the negatives: I would never see mum, Connor, or Sadie ever again. There is only one negative but it balances out with the positives because they are my family and they'd be losing someone else in their lives, besides dad.
"You're thinking of your family. I remember your dad dying; everyone was in a tragic state. I knew him actually; he was a friend of my dad's. I'm very sorry about what happened," Derrick comments out of the blue.
For a slight moment I'm shocked: "What? How'd you know I was thinking of them?" then realization hits me, "Right… you can break into people's minds, sorry."
Derrick laughs his strong, happy laugh, and it makes me sad. How long has it been since I was last truly happy? And then it hits me, like a tidal wave crashing on the rocks: I haven't been happy for two years. Ever since Faro left me and part of Ingo went with him, I've felt as though part of my soul has been ripped out… I belong here, I always have.
We reach the huge hidden cave in the rocks, guarded by a small forest of kelp. You wouldn't be able to navigate your way through the massive green kelp unless you knew the path. I have no idea what the path is, but fortunately, Derrick knows the path like the back of his hand and led the way easily through the kelp without a map… Though, he probably has no idea what a map is.
We enter the dark cavern in silence and almost reach main tunnel when Derrick stops me.
"Are you really going to fight against the 'good side' and fight with the Kraken?" Derrick's voice is serious and I see the panic in his eyes and again get the feeling that he doesn't want to fight with the Kraken.
I feel he is the only one I can trust right now, even though I don't really know him that well. I answer with confidence in my voice: "No."
Derrick
"Really? He'll kill you if you don't though," I say, feeling the fear for her death but at the same time, glad I'm not the only one who doesn't follow along with the Kraken's wishes.
"I can't kill someone Derrick. It's just not right. And besides, I'm human and I know for a fact that not all humans are for killing the ocean. I'm not, my mum's not, Connor's not. Roger's not really. Dad wasn't until… well until he turned mer," Sapphire states with a lot of strength and sureness in her voice, "I will stay with the Kraken and make him believe I'm on his side. If I have to, I'll be a spy to the other side… Why am I telling you this?" Sapphire adds the last part with a frustrated tone.
"Because I'm not going to fight either, and I already agreed to Saldowr I wouldn't help him with everything. I was going to let myself die, but Saldowr insisted if I did not want to fight with the Kraken, I should just help them, play along," I felt myself blabbing and instantly went quiet. Sapphire's expression is one of shock and pity. I finally understand why she doesn't like those looks of pity; it makes me feel like a little kid again.
"I see. Well, I'm glad you didn't die," Sapphire says, leaving me there alone at the entrance to the main tunnel. I have no idea why but I stare after her in awe, wondering how she can stand living in this hard, hard world.
I start down the tunnel, heading to my room when I hear the voices. They come from a small room-cave where the seaweed curtain covering the entrance has a small part in it, revealing a dim glow of green light. Usually I'm not an eavesdropper, but this was hard not to listen to. I press my back against the rough, cold wall of rock.
"If we harness her powers correctly, we can use her against Saldowr's wisdom and strength!" A raspy voice whispers urgently.
The next voice is hollow and it hisses most of its words. The voice whispers with a ring of authority to it: "Yesss, but ifff we let her liveee, hooow do we knoow sshheee wont ussseee her powerssss against usss?"
"We will force Sapphire Trewhella to fight with us even if it means giving her the fruit!" the raspy voice whispers. Being mer, I know what 'the fruit' is. It is a type of food that puts people in a trance. When given the fruit, the person will follow the orders of the first voice they hear, and the first voice only. If they get a hold on Sapphire…
The thought has my heart beating wildly. Sapphire cannot be forced to do their bidding no matter what happens.
The hissing voice answers after a pause, "Yesss, yesss… Ifff Sssaapphiiiree isss controlllled sshheee wiiiiill kiiiiiiill Sssssaaaldooowrr eveeen ifff sshheee doesss not want toooo,"
I stiffen against the cold rock wall. Kill Saldowr? They want to make Sapphire kill Saldowr? The thought makes me suck air and instantly, the mocking laughter coming from the two hissing friend's stops and everything goes silent.
"Diiid youuu heeeaaar thhaaat?" the hissing voice sounds deadly and I instantly flee down the tunnel with one thought in my mind: Find Sapphire. Now.
I speed down the tunnel until I reach the seaweed covered door that Sapphire is behind. There is a soft, yellow glow coming through the seaweed so I figure Sapphire isn't asleep yet. Even if she is asleep, I'll have to wake her up and tell her to leave now.
I part the seaweed and end up tearing a strand or two of the slimy green drapes. Sapphire is sitting on the bead and when she hears me enter, she snaps her head around, revealing an expression of fear, shock, and then relief. She probably thought I was the Kraken or something.
"Sapphire, you have to leave right now!" I say urgently, the panic clearly in my voice.
