"Where are you taking me?!" she yelped. I chattered and clicked at her.

"I want to get you help!" I yelled, but she could not understand. Suddenly an idea appeared in my mind. It was insane and probably impossible, but I had to try! I shifted my course slightly and pulled as fast as I could. The girl seemed to understand that I was trying to help, and she sat back in the boat and watched. It took me far longer to get to my destination then it would have normally, and my muscles and fins screamed for rest, but I did not care. Finally I stopped in a shallow part of the ocean. I turned and looked at her. She had fallen asleep! Oh how I envy you right now… Fortunately, this was a bonus; she would not miss my presence.

I dived down and swam deep into an underwater cave. I had finally reached my destination. I came out where the cave grew in size, and within was the Asterite. The Asterite is a large creature, made of many spheres which intertwine together, resembling a DNA pattern.

"Asterite!" I called out. The spheres pulsated and flashed, and I heard the immense voice in my mind.

Ecco… it is good to see you… why have you come to me?

"Asterite, I need your help. I need to become human."

A human… such an odd request… for a dolphin…

"Yes I know Asterite, but I need it." I pleaded.

And why… would you need such a… request?

"I… I want to help a human child get home." It sounded foolish, even to me. Yet it is what I wanted. Every fiber in my body wanted to help this girl.

Surely there will be humans out to retrieve it…

"No Asterite, her parents will killed by sharks, there is no one to help her."

And what of your own pod? They need you as well… I snorted at this.

"They do not need me; they can handle themselves on their own."

It is your duty.

"Asterite PLEASE! All I wish is to help a child! I know you can grant me this wish; for you have changed me into many creatures before! All those times I did your bidding you changed me!" The Asterite fell silent.

Very well… if it is what you wish. But how will you get this human home as a human out in an ocean? You would be as helpless as it.

"I would take her to shore as a dolphin, and then become a human to make sure she found her home. Please I beg of you Asterite… you told me I am supposed to help those in need. She NEEDS my help more then my pod does now. I beg of you…"

Very well… Swim betweens the spheres…

I instantly did as I was told. As I did I felt a surge of power flow through my body and I stopped and looked at him.

It is done… when you wish to become a human… leap upon the shore under the star filled sky... to return to dolphin… dive into the ocean and swim to the deepest part you can… remain down there… even if your body pleads for air… stay there until you transform back to dolphin… be warned… you can only do this once… so do not become dolphin again until you are… truly sure your work as a human is complete… for I cannot do this spell again…

I nodded. "I understand. Thank you Asterite."

Now go with haste… and good luck…

I turned and swam out of there like a shot. I suddenly felt alive again, like my life once again had a REAL purpose. I swam back to the surface and looked at the girl again. She remained sleeping soundly in the boat. I grabbed it in my beak again, and began to swim northwards, towards the shore.

I swam for many hours, before my body finally had to rest. I made sure the area was safe, and then drifted to sleep beside the boat. I was awakened by a scream. I bolted upwards, tail and flippers flailing. I looked around and at the girl.

"You're alive!" she exclaimed.

"What…? Of course I am… OH!" I clicked. Of course, normal dolphins do not sleep; she must have thought I had died! I looked at her, a mix of guilt and sadness upon my face. I did not mean to frighten her.

"I was scared, you didn't move!" she cried. I looked at her and chattered, then swam around and leapt high into the air, showing her I was still, very much alive. She giggled and laughed at my jump, which I took as a good sign. I went back to the vine and began to pull it again. "You're taking me to land huh?" she asked. I clicked a yes in reply. "Will we be there soon? I sure hope so…" after that she fell silent for a few more hours.

It must be strange for her, to be all alone in this world… in a place she does not know… I will help her. I must help her.

The sky had grown dark, and the stars began to shine, reflecting off the water. Suddenly the girl jumped up and began to point.

"Look land! I can see the lights from the lighthouse! We're almost there!" she exclaimed excitedly. I began to click and chatter in excitement and pull the boat faster. As I got closer to shore I could feel the waves pulling the boat and I about, but I would not be deterred. Soon it became hard to pull, as my belly rubbed the sandy shore of the beach. I looked around; the place was deserted; only a large object with a giant light stood a distance away.

The girl then jumped from the boat and hugged me tightly. "You got me to land! Thank you!" I began to click and chatter happily. "But…. But mommy and daddy didn't make it…." She whimpered and looked like she was about to cry. I looked up at her sadly. "You…. You better go… your family will be waiting for you…" she told me, tears coming down her face. I looked at her and.

"No… I am staying here to help you." I pulled back to get into deeper water.  I felt the waves around me one last time, and then I bolted forward and leaped into the air. I came down and landed on the beach with a thud. The girl looked at me in shock, to say the least. I remained there and looked at the starry sky. Suddenly a wave of pain ripped through my body, and I screeched in agony. I heard the little girl scream in terror and try to run up to me, but I began to thrash and convulse, forcing her to stay away. The pain intensified and I wailed more.  Such PAIN! It is like I am being eaten alive! I thrashed more, and then I felt my tail changing. The bones began to rub and scrape together, and I wailed more. I soon felt my entire body began to shift and change, but due to the intense agony I could not watch the change.

Finally I felt the pain subside. I very slowly opened my eyes, and I gasped. The colors, the detail, everything was so different! I pulled my head up and looked around. I looked for the girl. She was hiding in the boat.

"Wh…what happened to you!?" she cried, trying to conceal herself in the boat.

"hrrr...huuulll…" I tried to speak. And I see this shall be difficult…I slowly moved my arms. What large and clumsy contraptions are these!  Very slowly I moved them, and moved my fingers. Incredible! This is so much different from a dolphin, or when I was a bird! Fantastic! I was fortunate that I remembered the time I spent as a bird. I remembered its movements, so using them in this form proved helpful. I pulled myself to a sitting position and looked around. The girl still looked at me from within the boat.

"You're… you're a human…..!" she stammered. I looked at her and nodded, then mimicked her words.

"aaa… hhuu…huumaaann." I smirked; I was quite pleased for my first human words!

"How? How did you become human?!" She still stayed in the boat, unsure or what to do. I tried to reply, but it only came out as garble.

"…hhee…heeelp…" I pointed to her, and repeated the word. "heelllp…"

"You wanted to help me?" she asked. I nodded again. She looked at me, and then she smiled. "Thank you…" I smiled at her. Suddenly, she looked at me and her face turned red and she looked away suddenly. I looked at her confused. Was she becoming ill!?

"You.. you need clothes!" she stammered, keeping her gaze away from me.

Clothes? What are…oh damn… the things humans put on themselves! I did not understand this concept of clothing, but I did know what all humans always had things to cover them, and those that did not were frowned upon. I looked around franticly for something but was at a loss. Then she quickly took off the extremely large 'clothing' that covered her, and tossed it at me.

"Put that on…" She said, still keep her gaze away. I picked it up clumsily in my hands and looked at it, and then I put it on, as she had put it on herself. It seemed to fit me far better then her, however I could not make it stay closed. I noticed she had more clothing on underneath this, which was much smaller. Except for the large orange clothing around her chest and waist. So that is what made her look like a little whale…

She finally looked back at me, then slowly walked over to me.

"You probably dunno what buttons are huh?" She said meekly. I looked at her and shook my head. She bent down, and began to place little plastic spheres in holes on the clothing, and it closed around me. Ah… I see these are 'buttons'… She stood up and looked at me.

"That's daddy's trench coat… he always would wear it on cloudy days, but I'm sure he won't mind you using it…" she looked at the ground sadly. She then took off the large orange clothing and tossed it in the boat. "I won't need that anymore…"

NOW you look like how I first saw you…

I very slowly, and very carefully began to stand up. I fell many times though, and began to get frustrated at this. Just then, she placed her hands around me, and helped me to stand. She allowed me to use her as a brace to hold myself up on my shaky new legs. This is much different then the bird… at least it had a TAIL! This idea of not having a tail troubled me, but I began to adapt to it. She looked up at me, and looked at my forehead.

…oh… please do not tell me…

"Your stars…" she brushed back the fur on my head. "You still have those stars on your head."

DAMN! Those wretched stars must haunt me in THIS body as well!?

"Are you okay dolphin?" she looked at me with concern. I nodded my head, then I looked at her.

"eeeee….kkkk…" I tried to speak my name. By the almighty this is difficult! At least the bird only had a simple range of vocals! "eeekkkoooo…"

"Acko?" she asked. I shook my head and tried again. "Oco?" again, I shook my head and tried once more. "Ecco?"

YES! I nodded my head and smiled. "Ecco!" I pointed to myself.

"You're name is Ecco!" she exclaimed.

"ECCO!" I smiled and nodded.

"It's nice to meet you Ecco!" She said happily. "My name is Ember!"

"Mmmmm heer… mmm ceerrr…eemmm buurrr… Ember!" I stated.

"You got it!" She giggled happily.

This is absolutely amazing! I am actually communicating with a human!

"Ember…?" I asked her.

"Yea Ecco?" she looked at me. I looked into those blue eyes and thought carefully.

"Whh…wheeeerrrre… Embers hooommmme?" I asked. Oh by the almighty did I sound like a buffoon…I growled to myself. Though I suppose, it was not too bad for only being human for less than five minutes. She looks up at me.

"It's… it's near the far end of the city, in the suburbs. It's a pretty blue house with a grass lawn." She half smiled. I must have looked like the oceans largest fool right then, because she began to laugh. "I guess you don't know what a suburb is huh? It's okay. Maybe you can help me get home." She smiled at me, her eyes full of hope.

"Yees! Home! I cc…cccaan tttaakkee… yoooooouuu home!" I stuttered. This speech is quite difficult…and rather annoying…

"You can? Really?! Oh thank you!" she suddenly hugged me, and I almost lost my balance. "Oh sorry!!" she squeaked and helped me stand again. I looked around my surroundings.

"Whiiich… way?" I pondered. I saw what looked to be a road leading from the beach up and over the hillside.

"That way, daddy's truck is over there near the parking lot… I guess you dunno how to drive huh?"

Truck? Drive??? What were these concepts…? I looked at her blankly.

"nope, guess not…" she looked down sadly. I put my arm around her, in hopes to comfort her. "wait…" she looked up and towards the road. "Daddy always leaves some money in the truck! We could get a cab home!" her eyes lit up. I however, had no clue what this 'money' or 'cab' was, but if they could assist in taking us to her home I would gladly ask for their assistance. She began to walk forward slowly, and I began to walk with her.

What a strange way to move, how on earth humans walk like this!? This walking proved to be rather difficult, so I had to put much of my concentration into it.

"This must be weird for ya huh? Bein' a human n all. No one will believe me if I tell em, so this'll be our lil secret." She smiled at me.

A secret yes if a human were to gain knowledge of this is would be very dangerous for me…I nodded at her. While I was contemplating this I failed to notice my new human instincts begin to take over walking, which made it much easier for me. Of course foolish Ecco! Humans have instincts, just as I, let them take over! I slowly began to relax, and walking became much easier. I finally let go of Ember, relieving her of my weight. She seemed appreciative of this, but said nothing. She led me down the road over the hill. Once we reached the crest of the hill I looked down in awe.

So many strange human contraptions! Many human made things! I looked down at many large objects, sitting side by side. There were large trees with lights upon them, which illuminated the area. She led me over to one of the large contraptions, which I looked at in wonder.

"This is daddy's truck, it's a GMC 1ton." She told me. I had no idea what a GMC was, but a ton is extremely heavy. Was this thing a whale of the land? She must have seen my confusion, for she continued, "A truck is a machine. It's not alive. Humans use to get to one place to another. It's a lot faster then walking."

Fascinating! A machine, like the boat! I must admit, these humans are clever…

Ember walked up to the truck and tried to open it, and then a wave of despair overcame her face.

"Oh no! It's locked!" she cried. "I can't get into it!" she became worried, then ran up to me. She started sticking her hand in the clothing I was wearing, then stopped. I looked at her confused. "I'm sorry… I thought daddy left his keys in there… but they weren't there… what can we do now? I can't get into the truck and I'm to tiny to break the glass…" she looked down sadly again.

"Gllaaaasss?" I've heard of this, a see through man made object. I walked over to the truck and touched it. There was much glass on this truck, and I could see many objects within. So she wishes to get within? I believe I can do this… I backed off slightly, and charged the truck. I slammed into it, HARD. I suck to the ground painfully. Or not…