The day after her birthday, the Bates are meeting with their family again at the beach. Neri's been playing with the girls all morning, although only Lola gets in the water. She's a true water bug and getting her out of the water for lunch and sunscreen reapply proves difficult. She just wants to swallow her PBJ sandwich and get back into the water. Kelly, however, is scared of the water at first and doesn't want to get anywhere near it. Not long after lunch, however, Neri not only succeeds in getting the toddler to overcome her fear of the water and waves, Kelly now doesn't want to exit the water either.
Jenny is astounded; "Neri, how did you do that? I've tried "everything."
Neri smiles back; "I gently guided her to the water and told her there was nothing to fear, I'd protect her."
Jenny drops her mouth, "I've done that several times. They say sometimes children need reassurance from somebody else."
Neri just smiles back.
The next day, Diane, the boys, and Neri go to "The Big House". Before noon, they take a guided walking tour of the place. They visited the mostly empty Concert Hall and the Joan Sutherland Theatre, where they will see the "The Nutcracker" during the evening. Neri was disappointed that it wouldn't be in the big hall, but the ballet theatre is pretty too. While she could hardly follow along with the historic and construction details (which were Brett's favorite part of the stories), Neri really appreciated the Architectural details. They got to run their hands over the world-famous shell tiles, which up close are actually two different colors, and got to sit in the elegant custom-made white birch timber chairs and marveled at the vaulted ceilings. It really amazed Neri that people actually made all of this, and it was all what they call pain-staking task. At the end of the tour, they had a meal at the Opera Bar, Neri choosing the Black Angus Rump Roast.
Later that evening, they returned to see "The Nutcracker". While no words were spoken during the show and Neri only understood a little of the story as it went along; she was lost in awe at the beautiful scenery; sparkling costumes, and enchanting dance moves. She's still wondering how the performers are capable of such movements.
"Talent and lots and lots of practice;" answers Diane.
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Charlie lays off trying to contact the creature for a couple of days. He knows she was freaked out and decided to give her some space. The humpback gossip chain has finally revealed that there is a word in their language for this creature, Humanfish. Charlie laughs when he hears it, that's quite obvious, although word is they aren't actual human, but are decadent from humans. As far as the whales from down south say, there hasn't been any humanfish seen within hundreds of miles of the mainland shores for decades. However, there is a known pod of them around an uninhabited island chain nearly two thousand miles towards the southeast, far from any human settlements.
If that's so, wonders Charlie; what is she doing here so far away from her own kind?
Curious, Charlie decides to return to ORCA and watch for her. However, Missy informs him that she, the dolphin, and the boat they follow have already left ORCA and headed back towards Henry's area. Why do they always go to Henry's territory? Against his better judgement, Charlie decides to follow, as long as he stops before crossing territories, he'll be fine.
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Maria hasn't had the headaches in the past few days, not that she's had time to think about it. She and Barbara have been mounted with field work all week. When not out at sea with her Mom, Maria's been busy with school work. Its summer holiday's back home, here however, its winter and school resumes in a few days. Also when not out at sea, she's been restricted to around the pontoon, for "valuating her punishment" last Sunday. She hasn't told her Mother about the headaches. Hopefully what happened was just a fluke.
Despite seeing him last Sunday, she still hasn't had a chance to formally meet Charlie. She intends to do so as soon as she can get away.
Maria has the underwater camera. She's filming some sea turtles and dolphins, including Ariel, who has little interest in meeting the other dolphins, sticking close to her 'new partner'. The dolphins then start chatting like crazy. Something is going on a several miles south. Maria decides to investigate, camera in hand. She can't believe her eyes. Henry and another full size male nearly collide! Henry proceeds to give the other giant male a couple warning bumps then "sings". The other male replies and slowly backs away. Henry follows a little ways, then they do what looks like a peace dance, and finally the other male swims away.
Jeez, wonders Maria, getting the whole thing on tape; what was that about? Was that Charlie? What's he doing over here? Is he following me?
Maria's had the feeling that Charlie's been watching her, not that she blames him. Looks like his curiosity got the best of him!
Charlie can't believe he just did that. He crossed in Henry's territory! He wasn't paying attention. He's usually so careful about that. If Neri were here, she'd stop him before he'd make that mistake. Henry says he hopes he didn't hurt him, but warns Charlie not to cross the line without his permission. Nature's laws are built into them and they can't help it. He can, however, still call to her.
Maria hurries back to the boat and tells Barbara what happened. She chuckles and is glad neither whale seems hurt. Maria then dives back under with Ariel. They start to play hide and seek when suddenly, Maria screams. The severe headache has returned out of nowhere. Maria tries hard to fight it and returns to the boat, visibly shaken.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?"
"Mama, we've got to get out of here?"
"Why?"
"Please Mama, I can't explain, let's just go."
Barbara doesn't understand what's happening, but realizing that her daughter's shaken, she complies and they return to ORCA early. While trying to console her daughter, Maria just shrugs it off and refuses to speak. It's unusual for her not to tell Barbara what's wrong, and it has her worried. However, she knows it's best not to push the issue for the moment.
Getting out of the boat, Maria stares out at Charlie as he jumps. She feels the headache again, although it's more bearable this time, then hears the song. Charlie surfaces again. She tilts her head, wondering.
The next day, Maria's on her way to do more school work, when the headaches start again, more intensely then before. Grabbing her head and crouching down, her screams are heard throughout the level. People stop and try to comfort her, but she just keeps screaming in pain. She's taken to the medical bay, where she checks out healthy otherwise. Barbara arrives and the doctor describe what happened, with a possible diagnose of juvenile migraines. Maria has another headache in front of them, this time hearing the whale song loud and clear, and Barbara ask the doctor to leave so she they can talk alone. Maria has no choice but to tell her mother.
"What didn't you tell me about this the other day?"
Maria's breathing hard from the last headache, "Because I thought it was a fluke."
"You've never had headaches before. What's going on inside your head?"
Maria's not sure how to explain; "It's like, behind the pain, there's a whale song inside my head."
"A whale, inside your head?"
Maria nods; "I don't know what to make of it. I'm scared."
Barbara thinks about the situation, she's not sure what to make of it either, except; "Well, your abilities are only just developing, and you most likely have abilities that haven't awaken yet. Maybe you can talk to whales."
"Inside my head?"
"Maybe it's telepathy or something."
Maria shrugs her shoulders. Telepathy isn't very common among natural-born mermaids, much less human-born ones. She talks to every kind of dolphin, seals, and sea lions, but she hasn't been able to communicate with whales yet. She then thinks of Charlie. Did he have something to do with this? Whales and dolphins do have sensory telepathy, but real ESP?
There's only one way to find out, it's time to meet Charlie.
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The Bates are spending the evening in their hotel room enjoying pizza and taking turns reading aloud from the mermaid book. The stories only serve to deepen their curiosity, especially Neri's. Neri was very surprised to discover that legends of mermaids are very different from the Merpeople in the movie. For one thing, they are believed to breathe air, not water as they did in the movie. Some stories say that seeing a mermaid means blessings and protection from the sea and winds, other stories say that mermaids are cursed and that they bring hostile seas, sink ships on purpose, and even cause human death. Another story says they use what's called a siren call to get human men to fall in love with them. Some folklore says they are benevolent or beneficent, curious about humans and even in some cases, goddesses. Other folklore says they are monsters and hostile towards humans.
Stories of mermen aren't as common, and say that they aren't as attractive as their female counterparts, and while other legends say that females are more monstrous and animalistic looking then people want to believe. The illustrations in the book, several which are displayed in the museum, are just as various as the descriptions.
There are even some "supposed" recent sightings mention in the book, such as a mermaid leaping out of Haifa Bay in a land known as Israel, doing aerial tricks. The Israeli government offered a $1 million award for proof of its existence, which still hasn't been claimed to this day. Another recent sighting happened in an African country known as Zimbabwe. Work on two reservoirs stopped when workers refused to continue, stating that mermaids had hounded them away from the sites. They wouldn't return to the sites until a spiritual cleansing ritual was performed to vanish the mermaids.
The stories intrigue but also confuse Neri; "Why are all stories so different? What is the truth?"
Diane looks at her 'daughter'; "Well Neri all of this is just human speculation. None of this came from the mouths of real mermaids."
Diane, Jason, and Brett can't say they are really certain that mermaids don't exist. That would be like saying that Neri doesn't exist.
"If they do exist, how come no scientific evidence has ever been found?" wonders Brett; "Not confirmed evidence at least."
"Have aliens, big foot, Nessie, or Santa Claus been confirmed by science to exist or not exist?" replies Jason, somewhat jokily.
"Don't get on to me about Santa Claus again."
Neri looks at a painting in the book; "What is this?" The painting, from the mid twentieth century, shows mermaids on shore, standing upright on their tails, and unloading fish from a fishing boat with smiles on their faces and a man looking on. This is something Neri thinks is absolutely ridiculous.
"I'm sure that picture is made-up."
The Bates agree, laughing.
"Is there something about the opal stone? Or the moon?" ask Neri.
The Bates are caught off guard. They haven't come across anything about any stone or the moon. Jason looks at the back index and finds nothing. He looks up magic and powers. Nothing about stones, opal, or anything, although it says that mermaids may use shells to perform magic or blow them to control the waves or to lore men.
Neri wonders if any of these details are even true. What are mermaids really like? What does that opal moon-shaped stone have to do with them? Perhaps the only way to find out is to actually talk to one.
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Maria stares at the sea from the pontoon. Barbara had reluctantly agreed to let her be on her own today, given a few ground rules. Charlie doesn't seem to be around at the moment, and Ariel says she hasn't seen him yet. Ariel squeaks cheerfully, wanting to play rather than look for a whale.
"What, don't be jealous girl. We'll play." Maria dives in and they play. Surely they'll cross paths with Charlie before long. An hour later, Maria surfaces for a breath, then the duo dance and do back flips out of the water. They are laughing and completely lost in the moment. But then, Maria glimpse an unwelcomed sight. Breaking the surface are black fins circling them. Going under, Maria's guess is right, a trio of killer whales are circling them, a couple more outside the circle. Their target is Ariel, yet while orcas are sometimes friendly with mermaids, Maria was friends with some back home, they won't let them get in the way of their target meal. Maria tries to reason with them, but they don't know what she is, and they're hungry! She looks underneath them, another orca is blocking their escape. She really hates to do this, she uses her power to make small waves around them to carry the predators away, but she can only concentrate on one orca at a time, and it only makes them more determine. She increases her power and makes ice block, hoping to distract them long enough so the duo can make a swim for it.
Suddenly, something huge appears, fighting off the orcas. It's a whale! Not just any whale.
It's Charlie!
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Neri enjoys one last glaze from the hotel balcony. Today's their last day in Sydney, and they will board the helicopter flight home in a couple of hours. It's been an amazing two weeks. Part of her is going to miss Sydney, and she hopes to return someday soon. It's such a wonderful, wondrous place. Neri's done so much and learned so much about humans, yet she has even more questions and wants to learn so much more. There's still so much more about Sydney to do and learn, not to mention so many other places around Australia, and the world itself, to see and explore.
While she's going to miss this place, Neri's more than ready to go home. She really misses her island, the waters she's familiar with, swimming freely without a snorkel, ORCA and her friends, and especially Charlie. She can't wait to see Charlie and tell him about her adventures in Sydney, and to hear what Charlie's been up too since she left.
Neri's thoughts shift to the Mermaid Museum and that Opal stone. She's disappointed that they didn't go back a third time. She has so many more questions.
The Bates join her on the balcony, Jason putting his arm around her, and take one look at Sydney Harbor, the bridge, and the Opera house. With one last breath of the ocean braze air, they go back inside, gather their luggage, and close the door behind them.
It's time to go home.
